malignant properties of non members is yrkesome to this body of Communion Yea the LORD hath appointed it to bee so in the very externall Communion of his Church in the ordinance of it that spottes of Assemblyes Goates and Swine bee auoyded much more then in spirituall Communion 2. Cor. 6.14 15. No Communion betweene Christ and Belial light and darknes If thou see a man in whom the Spirit of wisdome dwels not one of another corporation of a dead rotten false carnall sensuall spirit Lo hee is not for thee See 2 Tim. 3.5 There must bee no Marriage betweene Israel and Ashdod no inwardnes bâ—tween them and those that abhorre Sacraments Gospell Pro. 25.23 Ministery and ordinances As the North wind is to the raine and the face of the Prince to a flattering Ziba so is the Spirit of this Communion to all her opposites I say no to their persons but their properties abiding such Secondly this Preseruing Spirit is also Aggregatiue of like parts to her selfe for the filling vp and strengthening of Communion Shee is still ayming at the bodyes increase and therefore as the waters of the sea winne vpon the bankes so doth this spirit of Communion seeke out and enlarge her borders Shee is like to Dan whose border was too narrow shee gaines still as a conquering army hath towne after towne falling to it so this Spirit both in the Ministery of it and in the other members endeauour after thee winning of more and more to become her Brethren her citizens her friendes no body hath such a faculty at this for the strengthening of her selfe for number for assistance both in gifts and graces as this hath Our Lord Iesus the head of this Communion spent his life in gathering members to this body Peter gathered 3000 at once and each member of it doth or ought to become all in al to gaine some The Angels reioyce in it the blessed Saints do long for the perfect collection of all the members into one and there is no truely borne sonne of God but seeks to get as many as he can out of the world into this fellowship mourning to see what an huge body the malignant Church is to the militant Thiâ—dly this Spirit is a Preuenting and wary Spirit to deâ—â—ate whatsoeuer attempts might bee made against her Communion either by opposite persons or properties for persons First she doth with very quicke sight espie and iealously avoyd such affronts as threaten her ruine and by the Spirit of Prayer drawes God into a league and combination against them The eylidde is not so tender ouer the eye last any hurt should befall it as this Spirit is of them that plot against the welfare of her Communion See Esay 63.18 19. 64.11 12. where the Prophet in the name of the Church presses the Lord against them long before And so I say Secondly of all contrary properties which doe resist Communion as Harshnesse Suspicion Iealouzy Pryde Wrath Selfeloue Vncharitablenesse c. Q. What is the second to wit the furniture of Communion A. It is that Spirit which furnishes the Church with all such gifts as serue to maintaine Communion Q. What are they A. Many The first and mother grace of all is Loue 1 Cor. 13.2 3 4. Rom. 13.10 and all the graces besides this draw their originall from her shee being giuen for the nonce to nourish the rest to sustaine communion It s nothing else saue a beame of that loue of God to the soule which doth reflect it selfe backe to the Lord himselfe and being vnable to reach him lighteth vpon his Saints that excell in vertue Psal 16.2 It s that which Saint Iohn so magnifies telling vs Iohn 5.1 He that loueth him that begat loues him that is begotten It s that band of perfection Col. 3.14 that holds in all the duties of Communion as the corner stone doth the sides of the wall And it arises from the sight of that Image of Gods grace which shines in his people which rauisheth each other to behold and knitteth each to other in the sence thereof as betokening the excellency of that fountaine whence it comes 1 Sam. 18.1 Ionathans heart was not more knit to Dauid then the Saints each to other It is the soule and life of Communion it is giuen for the vse of the Saints who could neuer endure all things hope all things suffer doe and turne their hand to the works of this fellowship except this instinct of loue caused them to goe to worke But loue makes all sweet Q. What is the second A. Sociablenesse a compound of three cordes not easily broken viz. Amiablenesse Humblenesse and Selfe-deniall Col. 3.15 Amiablenesse is that holy suauity of Spirit which opposes tartnesse austerity sowrenesse and sullennesse whereby men are like ragged vnhewne stones vnmeet to couch in this holy building Contrariwise amiablenesse is a gentle and alluring facility of spirit which both puts forth it selfe to all courteous and gentle behauiour and also draws affection and delight from others Tit. 3.3 Many are so hatefull and hating so dogged churilsh and harsh in their temper that they are indisposed for society more fit to be Monks or Ancorits then Christians through their Timon-like disposition But amiablenesse is that grace that both acts and prouokes all louing offices of Communion Phil. 2.3 Humblenesse is a grace which opposes pride a vice excommunicate from true fellowship of Saints causing men to thinke themselues their parts their persons too good for Communion Rom. 12.16 Humility thinks so meanly of it selfe that it reioyces it may bee compted worthy to bee a doore keeper in this house of Communion and is glad it may bee admitted vnto it It s discerned by these two markes Peaceablenesse and Equalnes both principall pillers in this frame Phil. 2.3 The former resisting Contentiousnesse singularity of opinion Schisme and faction preiudice surmisings censoriousnesse vncharitablenesse and the like Rom. 13.13 11.3 The latter abhorreth all disdaine partiality and want of indifferency in this Communion We say of friendship Either it meets with like or makes like Those vnequalnesses of wealth age parts education and birth learning wit experience superiority greatnesse do vanish in this Communion for it makes all alike not in ciuill respect but in point of membership If it find equality it sanctifies it as betweene Husband and Wife Children Friends Men of like quality Calling State Gifts Magistrates Ministers Tradesmen cutting the sinewes of enuy and planting a most euen likenesse of mind of Spirit and harmony betwixt them But if not yet as the roundnes of the earth reduces al vneuen parts to one figure so this all incongruities dislikes partialities if not to an exact yet to a competent equalnesse and proportion The third grace of Sociablenesse is Selfedeniall Which Paul cals A mynding and seeking of the things of others as well as our owne See these texts Phil. 2.5 1 Cor. 10.33 Phil. 2.4 Let saith
daily to the shaming purging out and consuming of these lusts Gal. 5.24 Bring them as the heifer in sacrifice to the hornes of the altar and binde them thereto that they breake not loose And call vpon the Lord for his spirit that the arrowes of the Almighty may be in vs and the power of Christs death might be as venom to giue these lusts the deadly blow and bane and to drinke vp the sin of these affections in vs Let it seriously smite our hearts and let our affections take reuenge vpon vs forth Corruption of our affections Let vs not excuse our selues for our nature for that defends a lesser sinne by a greater for what can be more wofull then when sinne by custome hath hardned vs to a nature Remember wee how hideous effects these wild beastes haue wrought in our liues I say our wealth our inordinate loue our mirth our sorrow feare and indignation How might Dauid with sorrow haue recorded his distemper against innocent Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 19.29 Hezekiah his great ioy and iollity in the comming of those Embassadors Esay 39.2 and the truth is the greatest woe and repentance which euer betided vs in our life may well be fathered vpon our passions Some bringing themselues by them to needles suits of Law pursuits of enemies losse of their estates fines imprisonments a brand of reproach among men as not to be liued with and if not so yet a continuall bondage of spirit and vnfitnesse to any good either to calling prayer bearing of our crosses or family and marriage duties and all by our inordinate passions Fourthly let vs apply the merit and looke at the example of the Lord Iesus in all the whole conuersation of his affections how holy was his zeale against those defilers of the Temple Mat. 21.12 his loue to that young mans forwardnesse Mat. 23.13 hatred of those hipocrites the Scribes and Pharisees sorrow for our sinnes in the garden cheerefulnesse in conuerse withall sorts to winne theme weeping for Lazarus pity to the poore widdowes dead only sonne Luk. 7.13 Oh! the sauor of his example and merit of his affections who as hee abhorred all stupor of heart so neuer faulted in the euennes temper measure of them either in the defect or excesse should rauish vs and excite vs if true members to purchase the like we should euen conceiue holy heate of spirit before these rods Fifthly when we haue got these good affections learne wee to take a due marke of the right obiects of our affections and that will shame vs when by loosing or mistaking our right marke we doe fasten them basely and indirectly Our anger is to good to be set vpon carnall reuenge it will serue to be imployed about Gods dishonour Ephes 4.26 our loue is too good for base lusts mony and pleasures Psa 118.1 it is made for the Lord and for his Saints Psal 16.2 Our hope of a vaine Paradise heere is better set vpon heauen 1 Cor. 15.19 and so might I say of our sorrow that it best befits sinne our owne and the times If we would thus direct our affections they would start backe when other obiects lay clayme to them Lastly let our maine direction be to get our soules settled in peace in the sweete assurance of our Reconciliation with God and that we know the worst that can befall vs that no sinne sorrow or enâ—my can depriue vs of that crowne and this peace will calme vs and rule our spirits that neither feare nor hope shall much vnsettle vs but we shall possesse our soules in patience in the midst of all distempers As a wicked heart casts vp mire and dirt like the Sea so the affections of the godly are calme and quiet and the wheele of the Conuersation goes on in a most wel ordered manner And so much for these Q. What rules giue you for the third of actions A. Herein wee can giue no particuler rules because they are infinite but bring the generall rules to particular and incident occasions Therefore for the ordering of this conuersation let those foure vsuall golden rules direct vs that wee as neere as we can look to first our grounds secondly to the due manner Thirdly the true measure fourthly the right ends of our actions Touching which the lesse may serue because they trench vpon some former rules Q. Touching the first what is it to be grounded A. To be sure we haue a word to shew for our warrant either in doing or not doing or suspending for although the action may proue bad in the form which is good in the nature of it yet that which is bad in the ground and nature cannot be possibly well done For without knowledge the heart is naught Pro. 19.2 2 Pet. 1.19 Now the word will passe censure vpon it either directly or by consequent and therefore we must attend to this light especially in darke places And if wee cannot informe our selues alone through ignorance we must make it a booke case and aduise by all meanes with other for truth lyes deepe sometimes This is a maine ground and is exceedingly transgressed I wil not here insist vpon them as go against light because the godly abhorre it while they are themselues but euen of them many sorts faile 1. Some wil do many things vpon custome and taking your grounds for granted when yet they haue none These are to be informed that they may know themselues to do well as well as do that which is good without thank 2. Others do many things in the twi-light hit they misse they not vpon assured ground not considering that as well that which is done without faith is sin as that which is against it 3. Many take vp grounds onely in their generality and faile in the particular determining of the generall to their occasion and so sometime exceed sometime limit the word whereas they should go according to the word closely in the extent of it Thus many limit the 2. commandement to grosse idolatry of Pagans securely go on in your own idolatry wil-worship as the Papists Others take their own preiudice deuotion good meanings to be good grounds as blind people And lastly others corrupt the ground by false glosses these sundry waies 1. By adulterating the word both of rule and example in scripture and making it sound as they list This is to crooke the rule and then work by it thus those Pharisees 2. By corrupt error of mens traditions as in 1 Pet. 1.18 receaued from the father alledging Vox populi vox Dei but it is not a common cry can ground an action 2. By Satans cunning and dice-play as he dealt with Eue ye shall not dye Gen. 3.4 Thirdly the imposture of our owne hearts easily beleeuing it lawfull which we eagerly desire and so bribing the iudgement to giue in a false verduict to deceiue vs as the messenger that went for Micaia 1 King 22. and as a bribed iudge will
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
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 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
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
is a sufficient release to him of the offence and punishment The imputing of Adams sinne to vs is as reall as if we had beene in the garden with him Christs taking our guilt vpon him was as reall and as really felt as if himselfe had been the offender And shal not his imputed righteousnesse be as reall as if our selues could in our owne persons haue satisfied or as if we had needed none Yes verily Q. What issueth then from this imputation of God A. The act of God iustifying vs really and freely from all our sinne and guilt and all the curse due thereto Rom. 8.33 quitting vs by proclamation as I may say from heauen by the voyce of his Spirit through faith so that hauing disabled all enemies from giuing in euidence lo he absolueth vs as hauing nothing come in against vs. As once he scattred those accusers of the woman Ioh. 9 so that none came in to accuse her but turned their backs with confusion and so discharged the woman so doth hee heere hauing disabled all euideÌ„ce against vs he doth impute blamelesnesse vnto vs and declare to vs our righteousnesse yea proclaiming vs righteous And as the Creditor abhorres to receaue the debt of his debters surety and yet to compt him a debtor still so the Lord hauing accepted Christs price for vs abhorres so to disable his Sons payment as to require the debt at our hands the second time but rather disables his owne Wrath and Iustice from thinking of any further demand of vs. And touching the freedome of it Whereas it might be obiected How can that be his free act which hath such a pryce payd to purchase it I answer no man dare call it free on the behalfe of the Father and Christ for so it s the dearest purchase that the World euer heard of but in respect of both the Father and Christ to vs ward the Father hath freely giuen himselfe content in his Sonne and Christ hath freely yeelded it to the Father so that whatsoeuer it cost Christ it costs vs nothing we may come nay must without our cost with empty hands and buy it for nothing so that in truth the mâ—re it cost to purchase and the lesse it cost vs to câ—mâ— by the freer is that iustification which absolues vs and the truer is that of Paul Rom. 3.24 Beeing iustified freely by his grace Q. What is the vse hereof A. The Vses are many Let mee begin with you of my owne Congregation to whom although as dead yet I speake this being as you know the last Sermon I preacht among you let I say my admonition vnto you be this It hath not bin with you as with euery Congregation wherein preaching hath beene To you I may truly say That now toward these 56. yeeres the Lord Iesus hath beene crucifyed among you I doubt not but the Lord hath thousands in many Congregations of this land who though they haue wanted that full and cleare light which you haue enioyed yet as faithfull seruants of God walke with him and serue him instantly day and night in simplicity of heart and innocency of life Giue me leaue to say vnto you in this fiue or sixe yeeres past besides Sermons God hath reuiued the Doctrine of Christ Sacraments of selfdeniall faith the satisfaction the imputation of righteousnesse among you and God grant you long to enioy the doctrine and practice of these grounds but what answer shall ye make to God if as he hath walked in and out at large with you in all his truths opening vnto you all these welsprings of saluation and concealing nothing from you which humane weakenesse hath been able to vtter you still shall fayle and come short of such people as I may truly say haue had but the Baptisme of Iohn among them Thus I speake in respect of that cleare light of all Christ both in his satisfaction and Gods imputation in season and out of season vrged vnto you Remember To whom much is giuen of them much will bee required What would many Eunuches Corneliuies and Proselites ignorant of those things that haue beene pind to their sleues giue that the things you haue heard might sound in their eares Why is all this cost but that you might also walke in and out with God in all your wayes not onely in a morall abstinent harmelesse and honest manner which is a great fauour but with a broken and selfedenied heart liuing by fayth dayly in this Imputation of a Satisfaction holding your part in it yesterday to day and for euer Heb. 13.8 Do yee not accompt it one thing to liue by guesse and deuout aymes and another to know your Righteousnes to cleaue to it by a promise to clense your selues by it from all loosenes and priuy lusts to season all your liberties to alieniate and supply your crosses to enable you to all Duties to fructify all meanes to sanctify all estates and to make your death happy and welcome Beware beware lest there bee found among poore people that neuer heard of the Doctrines which thus long haue sounded in your eares many whose Simplicity innocency and zeale equalls if not exceedes yours Oh! let not any of you be found naked at the comming of Christ of this Robe of his or lying at these welsprings without power to taste them be not vnsettled in a Christian course stand fast in your liberty go on with God in all meanes duties and graces yea euen in the hardest times streights and distempers suffer no loue of the earth profit ease lust to eclipse the lustre of the Lord Iesus which hath shined among you But as many of Gods Saints before my parting and since haue dyed with ioy and Triumph by this imputation of Christ so stryue yee and runne yee as yee may ouertake them and none may take away this your crown from you Secondly let this be consolation to all faynt and weake children Vse 1 of God in the fight of thier little grace and meane gifts and in the feares of perseuering to the end For the First tell mee weake soule if I should come and say Thou wert as holy as Iob as vpright as Dauid beleeuing as Abraham zealous as Phinees would it not make thy heart leape within thee Surely although I dare not say these of thee yet I dare say this If all these had not had the Robe of Christs imputed righteousnes cast ouer the holiest of all their Graces their vnhallowednesse had defiled them and the greatest of their holines had not profited theÌ„ And lo this Robe thou hast as fully largely and deeply as the best of all these euer had The imputation of God is equall to all his iustified ones one hath no more then another If thou couldst come in and say That Abraham or Peter had more Righteousnes of Imputation to couer them then thou it were somewhat But lo thy Righteousnes of imputation is as large as the largest of theirs If they haue
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
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
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
not onely extending to themselues but euen reaching beyond the Sphere of Spirituall Communion to those that be without and that both strangers and home-dwellers yet with caution For wee see that many will giue to strangers whom they neuer saw double to that which they will allow to knowne poore And this is the disease of wretched people not onely in point of mercy to poore but euen respect and reuerence to others A stranger vnknowne shall find double respect aboue them we know For why as they sayd of our Sauiour We know him whence he is So that it is a great argument with base people for honour that they know not him whom they esteeme A signe of an Idolike not religious regard But secondly and especially to the poore that liue with vs. No doubt that good Samaritane who tooke out two pence for the releef of a Iew would haue giuen six for one of his owne poore Luk. 10.35 And although there be not grace in all yea in few such yet heerein the common band of Creation mooues pitty towards the miserable especially in case of streight and extremity The dew of Zion refreshes Hermon Psal 133.3 and the mercy of Spirituall Communion extends beyond the good euen to heape hot coales of fire vpon the bad Q. But what seruice of Communion concernes the bodies of the poore members of Christ A. The seruice of mercy and compassion Sometime in the infancy of the Church it hath beene aboue ability Act. 4.34 35 36 37. When the goods of some were sold and the Church had all things in common And afterward wee see the Church had very speciall care of her poore appointing Officers for the purpose that is Deacons Act. 6. yea Paul made it one of his peculiar Seruices that the poore might be releeued both at home and abroad especially Ierusalem See 1 Cor. 16.2 Rom. 15.25 Not to cite those infinite Scriptures which presse this duty and that not by law and compulsion but voluntarily and that not in a slight measure but according to each giuers ability and receauers necessity 2 Cor. 8.12 13.14 It was one of Dauids prayers That there might be no complayning in our streets Psal 144.14 The streets of the Church should not swarme with beggers but prouision should be made for a supply and such an enormity must bee duly preuented in the Church Not onely when the states of Christians are sunke but euen before when they are in sinking in which season one shilling will go further then ten after Thus Dorcas not in one kind Act. 9.39 but in many was helpfull to the Bodies of the Saints clothing their nakednesse feeding their hunger c. So Matthew 35. Our Sauiour reaches it to visiting them in prison releeuing them in their suffrings especially for Christ Infinite it were to name the particulars Q. And is there no other seruice of Communion to the Bodies of these members saue onely in case of pouerty A. Yes verily euen to the bodies and outward man of all sorts in this Communion for the attaining of the chiefe ends of Spirituall fellowship the more easily Of this nature are frequent conuersings of the Saints together the more liberall vse of the Creatures and the like Those Nutmegs and Rases of Ginger and bowed groats and gilt pence which the imprisoned Martyrs sent out of prison heere and there shall rise vp in Iudgement against the vnkynde degenerate age we liue in in this behalfe Q. What seruices concerne the Soules of the faithfull A. Briefly besides all that I haue said before the Spirituall Seruices of Holy example sauory instruction admonition reproofe correction of errors exhortation and quickening to holinesse comfort in heauinesse sicknesse and distresse and in each Spirituall respect wherein member may be vsefull to member Iob 4.2 3 4. Iob 20.2 3. Of which seeing I spake before in the point of ordinances I repeat nothing Onely know that Seruiceablenesse in this kind is not onely to be exercised in the ordinances but apart euen in a priuate Communion Obiections I know there are many which a selfe louing heart may alledge against these First That this worke is meeter for the Minister then the people Secondly That knowledge is now rise among men what need therefore such ado Thirdly Men care not for our reproofes admonitions they will not heare vs. Fourthly Wee haue no leasure for such seruice from our owne businesse Fiftly We must not be buzy-bodies Sixtly We are not gifted for it 1 Pet. 2.9 1 Cor. 8.1 I answer to the first All the Lords people are a Royall Priesthood To the second knowledge puffeth vp loue edifies To the third let vs not kill our brother because heâ— is wilfull if we doe our dutie we haue saued our owne soule it is the little practice of Reproofe and Admonition which make them so vnwelcome To the fourth we haue leasure enough to buy and sell our neighbour but not to serue him in loue To the fifth he that forbids buzy bodinesse commands vs not to be slothfull in Gods buzinesse Rom. 12.11 To the sixth I say He that is willing and louing hath commonly skill enough and yet it is no plea to excuse one fault by a worse For God requires that all his be qualified with wisedome and skill to speake and to know their places obserue the best opportunities for his ends as well as for our owne matters And thus I haue shadowed out this doctrine of Communion And ere I come to the vse of the whole Article this I would say Oh how is it to be lamented now a dayes that as he said Rome could scarce be found in Rome so scarce a shadow of Communion is to be seene among Professors As for Communion in graces it is gone and not mist no more appearing among common Christians then an acre or two of land in a Map of a Countrey As for the tyes of ordinances how few are there whom the Sacred band thereof tyes to the seruices of Communion and as for duties let vs but marke what the loue of people in their Congregations is towards the heads of Communion I meane such Ministers as haue spent themselues for their soules and by that Scantling iudge what other Communion there is among themselues The fifth Article Question VVHat is the fifth Article A. It is this That the Lord offring Christ to the soule doth not offer him nakedly and barely but furnisht with all the benefits of his satisfaction So that in this point we are to consider what the parcels of those good things are which the Lord reaches to his Church in the gift of his Sonne If a Prince come vnder a subiects roofe hee comes not empty and bare but with all his bounty and leaues the markes of his presence behind him So heere The Father offring Christ would not haue vs thinke him to be a dry and bare gift but a rich Cabinet of all choise Iewels of good things that so it might be
6.6 7. Ephes 2.1 1 Cor. 5.6 7. Q. What is the last benefit A. Glorification of the whole man after the Resurrection in Heauen Which is that ouerplus of Christs purchase and exceeds Adams happines Ephes 1.14 consisting in the partaking of that purchased possession of Glory and Immortality not of Paradise vpon earth but in the presence of GOD. This is that benefit which answers the perfection of Adam though farre aboue it for it shall bee a filling vp of the soule with the perfect Image of God in light and Holines and that by sight of the Glorified sence beholding God as he is and wholy transformed by the Mirror of his Maiesty to Glory so farre as our soule and body are capable of to the vttermost And this Benefit is the fulnes of the former It is the execution of the election of God for wee were chozen to Glory It s the perfection of our imperfect vnion in this life It s the end of our calling for wee are called to honor and immortality It s the fulnes of our Adoption for we haue onely heere the right but there the inheritance of sons It s also our finall Redemption and Sanctification because there all teares shall be wiped away and death shall be no more and we shall do the will of God as the Angels and be sanctified throughout in body 1. Cor. 2.9 1. Ioh. 3.2 soule and spirit without spot or blemish and so liue eternally See Scripture for it Rom. 8.30 Rom. 6. vlt. 2. Thess 1.7 8. Mat. 25. vlt. Col. 3 3 4. Q. You haue somewhat resolued mee about the Doctrine of this Article now conclude with the vse A. The vse is eyther particular touching euery of these or generall of them all together For the former I must be short for I am in a sea of matter Let it be vse of Examination whether Christ be ours or no. And first try it thus whether this rich treasure of Christ offred vs in the Gospell did euer affect our hearts and rauish them with his louelinesse The LORD wee see offers him not bare but with all his furniture which way so euer we looke we shall discerne his excellency He is one â—f ten thousand Can we make a song of our Beloued of his Head Cant. his Eyes Lockes Necke Body Feet and is hee more beautifull to vs then all beloueds else Surely else we were neuer truly married to him except for his sake euen our fathers house was despised When Eliezer came to Rebecca Gen. 24.53 to fetch her to be Isaacs wife he discoursed of his wealth cattell Siluer and Iewels â—nd for the purpose brought out his Gold bracelets and ornaments which Isaac sent her But what came of it did shee slight the offer No but went with thee messenger immediately If Gods Spokes-men in the bringing forth these benefits of Christ haue wonne vs thereby to go with them it is well Secondly seeing there is no man but will be ready to say yea try therefore againe thus No man is marryed to Christ except he haue his dowry to shew Our marriage to Christ is as the old marriages were wont to bee in which the husband brought the dowry 1. Sam. 18.25 A CHRIST without â— dowry is no husband All men say Christ is theirs but they remember not how God hath made him ours 1. Cor. 1.30 our wisedome righteousnes and the rest If wee can shew our marriage Ring beset with all these Iewels we may be beleeued Surely if euer God turned our face from Egypt to Canaan called vs by his voyce out of the world to himselfe if euer be made vs one with himselfe and our soules the Temples for himselfe to dwell and delight in the fruits of our vocation and vnion will discouer it Try them then in the feare of God If we be in Christ we are iustified Where is then that change of our feare and bondage into peace where is that deciding witnesse of his blood Heb. 12.13 14. Rom. 8.34 crying better thinge then that of Abel where is that courage that sayd If God iustify who shall condemne that boldnes of a debtor discharged by his Surety that can say I know the hardest I shall not perish I dare looke my creditor in the face Againe if we be in Christ we are reconciled Where is ioy and welfare then of heart Can a fauorite go in and out before his Prince without gladnes of heart Is it not well with him that he liues vnder the fauor of the King How shouldst thou be accepted and beloued of God and be so sad and as a stranger to this ioy why then are thy garments so darke And why are thy goings in and out thy duties thy prayers so few thy beholding of his face so seldome thy fayth so little set on worke for dayly pardon thy hand so shrunk vp in taking this golden Scepter by the end wheÌ„ yet thou knowst the fauor thou hast will beare thee out Moreouer thou sayst Thou art an adopted Son of God in Christ Why Tit. Are al things thine as thou art Christs Christ Gods Canst thou say All things are pure to thee Is the wife in thy bosome thy children cattel seruants moouables house and land thine Hath the Lord of all giuen them in loue to thee as his Son or daughter Iob. Canst thou visit thine habitation with ioy Darest thou hope for Heauen as thine inheritance Canst thou pray with the spirit of a son that lookes to be supplied saying I am thine saue me hath the Spirit of Christ made thee to cal Abba to cry with grones not to be vttred Then thy boasting is not in vaine Try thy selfe both in these the rest Thou sayst thou art redeemed but prooue it also for if it be so then that bondage of thine to sinne and the lust thereof and that bondage by sin that keeps thee froÌ„ beleeuing is taken away in some measure Thy tongue is none of thy owne thy eyes eares feet members are bought with a price and the Lords yoke is sweet to thee And as thou aâ—t this redeemed one so is he thy Redeemer thy protector thy defence so that the floods of waters shall not come neere thy soule he will deliuer thee in sixe troubles and in seuen and his loue shall be thy banner and his buckler thy Couert so that neyther Sinne deuill nor gates of Hell shall preuaile against thee The like I might say of tâ—e rest But I shall haue occasion to touch them in their due place Onely I say Except Christ with his benefits be thine deceaue not thy selfe for he is not thine he and the spirit of these benefits go together and he who hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his Q. What is the other vse of this which you call Generall A. Manifold â—nd fiâ—st Inst ction to all Chrâ—◠〈◊〉 to ponder wisely this Article of the difference order and nature of these
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
is that liuely cause of cutting the â—imber but yet the saw or axe is the toole which this handworks by So here Take a similitude A maÌ„ buyes a pretious root of a rare flower that grows in few gardens giues it into the hand of the Gardner to set it in his garden The gardiner thrusts the root an pitches it into the earth giues it good mouldes waters and keepes it charily Euen so heere The spirit of sanctification is the purchaser of this roote but it plants and pitches it into the soile of the Soule by this hand of faith and there it nourishes and cherishes till the root bring forth a flower sutable to the nature of it Faith I say ingrafts this pretious signe of the righteous holy nature life death and resurrection into the soule or rather if yee will the twig of the soule into the stocke or soile of the Lord Iesus his holinesse and â—here it gathers strength till it produce fruit sutable Such corne as wee sow wee reape if we set a carnation wee looke the flowers shall bee sutable if wee set an apple into a stocke wee looke for no crab euen so this plant of loue brings forth loue againe and this roote of holinesse a fruit like it self That of Eph 3.16 is for this point That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Faith is the entertainer of Christ in this his holinâ—sse So then as in the former point faith sauours the truth in Iesus and tels the soule that Iesus comes into thither to sanctifie in for God as well as to saue it from hell so heere it 's the instrument of the spirit of Iesus to apply and to implant this roote of his in the soule it applyes the Couenant as well in the promise of renewing it as of forgiuing it and it embraces and claspes hold vpon the Lord her righteousnesse and till shee haue done both shee dares not say Thou art my God and I am thy child yea as the holy Ghost is that fire wherewith the new Creature is baptized when it comes to beleeue the Coeunant so faith is that hand which applies the soule to this fire to be purged thereby and that instrument of the Spirit whereby he refines the sonnes of Levi in the Ministry of the Word as Malachi speakes Q. What is the third thing to be noted A. The subiect wherein this new Creature is planted and that is the whole man Read for this 1 Thes 5.23 In body soule spirit meaning whateuer is in man Wee meane not a renewing of the Substance of either as if a Renued soule should be another soule or body but the same in point of the qualities or seruice of both It s corruption which is purged out and its grace is planted in The scurffe and poyson of each faculty is cast out mortified and consumed it s a new property is put in ignorance rebellion pride impatience is taken away and knowledge subiection humility and long-suffering put in And this subiect is the whole man Each part and power of body and soule is renued and if not all none at all The Spirit of Renouation is an entire workeman and purgeth all graceth all the minde with light the heart with heat the conscience with sound reflection and witnesse the will with free choyce and consent to holinesse the members with serviceablenesse to the soule in all her designes Q. Speake a little of the particulars What is renuing of the understanding and the powers thereof A Vnderstanding not only is corrupted in the light thereof but also in the prerogatiue of it It was set vp as a rule and directiue of the inferior soule will affections but it hath lost this bieth-right now and is become the vassall of the will and concupiscence therefore the renuing of it is partly a purging of it from the corruption and penalties thereof and chiefly a restitution of it to her integrity of light and soueraignty See Eph. 5.8 Light in the Lord. Q. What is the renuing of the will A. The Will being depraued in point of her loyalty and obedience to the minde and now having cast off the yoake and become rebellious the renuing of it is both the purging of it from the sinne and penalties of it and a restoring of it to her integrity of subiection to the verduit of the vnderstanding chusing refusing or suspending accordingly Q. What is the renuing of Conscience See 1 Pet. 1.22 A. Sinne hath depraved the Conscience in point of reflexion so that it cannot present any goodnesse of being or action to the soule with delight and contentment but is waxen defiled and either accusing or erroneous and peruerted therefore the renuing of it is both a cleansing of it from her contagion and a restoring of her to her integrity of faithfull accusing for evill and excusing for good See Tit. 1.15 by contraries Q. What is the renuing of the body A. The sences and members having lost their serviceablenesse to present obiect duly to the soule and to execute faithfully the purposes thereof the renuing of both is a restoring them to such integrity as that the senses doe duly offer to the soule the obiects of sense and the members become faithfull weapons of rightâ—ousnesse See Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies c. Q. But what part is especially the Subiect of Renuing A. Howsoeuer the holy Ghost doth renue all yet the immediate and cheefe subiect of her residence is the Spirit of man There are as I said sundry faculties in the soule but the spirit is the most inward and immediate actiuity of it and it stands in the directiue gift of the vnderstanding by which it fore-sees and deuises for the whole man as also in the free choise bent sauor and delight of the heart So then the frame streame and bent of the soule is the spirit of it See Eph. 4.23 Rom. 12.2 Rom. 7. vlt. that wherein this renuing or new creature stands As it is in the old man so in the new it is not a few thoughts or affections which make a man bad but the very frame and bent of all the thoughts and affections whereupon as vpon wheeles the whole man is carried And as a son hauing the liuely picture of his father to behold would not set it vp in a stable or out-house but in his best roome So the spirit of Christ sets vp the Image of God not in the eyes or eares or tongue which haue no power to worke vpon the soule but in the Priuie Chamber of the spiuit where the King lodgeth Q. And what is the fourth thing in this Renewing A. The parts of it negatiue and affirmatiue the former a destroying of the old frame the latter a setting vp of the new which are the exercises of the inward graces of renouation Both of them issuing from the Crosse and Death Resurrection and Ascention of Christ And thence it is that in the named place
sort strongly to conceale the old Like whereto is this to thinke our lusts are mortified because by some violent cause feare penalty or inward terrors they are restained Secondly it 's vse of instruction to all new creatures to wonder Vse 2 that the Lord will accept them to be so and take them after al their refuse stuffe and seruice to old lusts to be new men who would thinke it that the Lord should chuse such defiled Temples of Idols lusts and lewdnesse to dwell in who would thinke he would admit of those nastie sties of vncleane thoughts those cages of pride vncleanesse and self-selfe-loue those powers members of body soule that haue been so defiled to bee weapens of righteousnesse Oh what encouragement is it to old creatures to become new The Lord will melt and alter the property of your old Idols and he will prepare himselfe euen of such mettall vessels of price for euery good work He will admit the captiue woman when shee is pared washt and shauen to be a wife for an Israelite hee wil admit Mary Magdalen Luk. 6. her eyes teares hayre lips and oyntments euen so neere as his owne sacred body and become one with her that was an harlot and abused all these to abomination Oh! how iustly might hee haue for euer left vs to our selues and sworne that no sacrifice should blot out our sinne nor would hee euer take the seruice of a persecutor to bee a preacher Oh those very powers of wit and those affections of loue and ioy which we haue so abused wee should wonder that God will purge the fretting leprosie out of them so far as to be honored by them which yet we cannot deny but he hath except we should lye against the grace of the new creature Thirdly it should admonish all to take heed how they meddle Vse 3 with any true beleeuers in Christ to hurt discourage reproach or persue them Let vs know they are new creatures and the workmanship of God him that defaceth Gods image will God destroy Beware touch not the annoynted of God doe not his image any wrong If a King will leaue him to the punishment of a Traytor who shall race out and deface his image vpon a peece of siluer what shall hee doe to them that deface the liuely image of his holinesse stamped vpon his new Creature doe not descant here and say ye doe not deface them as such but in other respects well but in as much as hee hath honoured them yee shall pay for it that yee haue not counted them precious and delighted in them that honour ye doe not to them as well as that disgrace ye offer them is not done to him is offered to him and if you dare venter to hurt them with a distinction he wil punish you without distinction If the Lord will haue others beware how they deface Vse 4 Gods creatures how much more should his new Creatures beware of defiling themselues Oh! if God haue made ye so beware ye cast not dung in his face and pollute not his image The vilest wretch that liues when hee playes his parts yet if he were the sonne of an holy father he will draw the curtaine ouer his fathers picture as ashamed of himselfe And shall not we tremble to disguize our selues with any dreg of earthlinesse enuie pride and vanity loue of our selues knowing whose Creatures we are Take but the creatures of some proud ambitious ones will they doe any thing distastfull to their makers are they not in all points like them How then dare we to tempt him after whose image wee are created Oh! what a check should it be that any leauen in so much as a mouse-hole to allude to that Iewish curiosity should bee found in vs Remember that charge of Paul Purge out the old leauen therefore 1. Cor. 6. and let vs serue the Lord in the sincerity of a new Creature old things are passed away all things become new new Adam new couenant new Paradise new Ministry new Creation new Lord new Law and all new Shall they who are thus renewed suffer that vnrenued part to get head and to darken and defile the new that euen in them old base dregs should bee obserued to deface the Image of God But more of this in the latter Article Q. Proceed to the vse of the second branch A. If faith be the instrument of this Creation wee heere doe confute the conceite of them that imagine faith to bee a branch of Sanctification Sanctification is so farre from beeing the genus or totum of faith that it differs from it the wide skie Faith is a grace that addes no inherency to the soule but onely serues to receiue a forraigne imputed righteousnesse of another sanctification receiues an infuzed righteousnesse in to the soule faith receiues a righteousnesse of perfection to stand in the sight of God sanctification a righteousnesse in part and imperfect Can then an inherent holinesse bee the cause of an imputed or can an imperfect holinesse bee the cause or genus of a perfect But I must not dwell and I see this error is lately at large confuted Onely this faith and a new Creature being parts of Regeneration and of the Totum of a conuerted one so long as they bee diuiding members they are rather things of a contrarie nature then effects and causes of each other See what I said of their difference in the beginning of this Article Secondly wee learne heere what course Gods people must Vse 5 take to repaire the ruines of their holinesse when it is decayed in them by their falles Satans preuention or the like Run to their faith fetch fire from the hearth of the Lord Iesus his spirit wee are preserued by that of which we consist if the Lord Iesus bee our principle of Regeneration by faith hee by faith must be our sustentation goe to the Promise in thy fals take hold of the strength of Christ in them and compasse not thy selfe with thy owne sparkles thinking to recover thy selfe by thy owne heate but abhorring thy selfe go to a promise and there behold apply Christ thy righteousnesse to pardon thy fals to accept thee in weaknesse to repaire thy strength and then hâ—e will be thy righteousnesse also of holinesse to enlarge thy grace and by the addition of sweetnesse and love to uphold â—hee in thy course more and more Thou hast not received Christ thy new Creature to create somewhat in thy selfe but to fetch from his fountaine grace for grace daily Iesus Christ yesterday to day and the same for ever Q. What use doe ye make of the third branch Vse 6 A Very speciall And it should first teach us a discerning use betweene all hypocrites and truely renued ones The one may set up the Image of Christ in some of the powers of his soule as in his understanding wit memory in his tongue eares sences and outward members but the renued Creature sets him up
daylie life so doth the soule all her workes in Christ Christ in her prayes preaches prospers suffers and in a word doth all her workes in her as Esay 26. Q. What is the life of faith in estates and first in Prosperity A. The cleauing of the soule to God in the promise of his Al-sufficiency Gen. 17.1 and 1 Cor. 3. end Al things are yours and ye Christs It s the Lord Iesus our head who being Lord of all made himselfe no body that we might haue right to all promises Faith then cleaues to this promise First That if God hath made vs a feast in the mountaines much more hee will in the valleyes Esay 25. And looke what blessing so euer he see good it 's mine life good daies good marriage children family health successe recouery credit wealth it 's mine A childe of God beleeues no temporall promise otherwise than a spirituall both purchased by Christ alike although if he see them vnfit I am to beleeue a supply otherwise as good or better but else faith cleaues to a temporall in the full right to Christ without ifs or ands as well as the other And not onely so but serues Gods prouidence for them with holy confidence setting the Lord aboue his owne labours in the secret blessing of a promise going to worke without indirect courses without sinne or sorrow beleeuing that whatsoeuer his portion be more or lesse it 's his giuen him by his father and therefore best and any other should be worse and to conclude accounting the commonest blessing to be no common loue to him but vouchsafed in kindnesse to his seruant and therefore not snared thereby and nailed to the earth but raised vp rather as by wings to the giuer to serue the Lord with a good and cheerefull heart for all his blessings Q. What is the life of faith in the estate of aduersity A. It is the cleauing of the soule to God in the promise of his protection and redemption 1 Cor. 1.30 The poore soule saith with David on his death-bed The Lord liueth who hath deliuered my soule out of all aduersity sword of Saul pursuit enemies in battell and now will deliuer me in deatâ— And how first as it was with Christ that no trouble nor yet one houre sooner befell him than God preordained so shall a poore soule beleeue that no enemy shall hurt or afflict in any kind then or vntil the Lord see meet but as he so thou shalt passe through all so also 2. If any doe assault thee sickenesse poverty suits prison malitious enemies thou shalt say with Christ This is their houre they are come in season they are meet read 1 Pet. 1.6 they are no accidents they are the allottings of my Father for speciall good 3. When they doe lye vpon thee yet the Lord shall bee thy light in darkenesse and shall bee thy defence and couer thy head in the day of battell See Micah 2.7 Psal 84. end hee shall make thy bed in sicknesse and walke with thee in the Fornace hee shall be thy peace of heart thy strength to endure hee shall purge thee by them and bring thee out as gold out of the Fornace So that thou shalt say Perhaps the Lord shall doe me good for this crosse this day make me better than if I had not had it It is good for mee that I was afflicted And after a tolerable passage read Ier. 29.6 7. he shall deliuer me out of all one way or other so that the spirit of glory and the conquest of Christ rests vpon me and by his promise Ioh. 16. vlt. I haue ouercome the world I shall take good courage and say Micah 7.8 I shall rise when I am fallen and afterward I shal with the Lord Iesus be out of the gunshot of all afflictions yea as the estate of a beleeuer is through his whole life so shall it be comfortablest at death and the last day shall be his best a rest from all labours Q. What is the life of faith in meanes vsing A. It is the cleauing vnto God by the promise for the power and blessing of and vpon all his ordinance which point seeing it will fall into Article 4. vse 3. therefore thence fetch direction Q. What is the life of faith in duties A. It s the cleauing of the soule to God by a promise for strength to giue vs the grace to doe what hee commandeth of which also seeing I treat in Article 3. vse 4 there looke Q. What is the life of faith in Graces A. It 's the soules cleauing to God in the promise and in the grace of the Lord Iesus for a supply of grace conuenient for it selfe both for number and measure Ioh. 1.17 from his fountaine we receiue grace for grace like for like so many for so many In the strength of this promise a poore barren soule comes to the Lord and hearing what treasure is in Christ and for whom comes with confidence and pleades for it selfe Oh Lord as empty a wretch as I am of mercy of compassion of righteousnesse of loue of patience thou hast put all into the nature of Christ Emanuel though I am pestred with a peeuish froward proud worldly spirit yet thou hast sayd where sinn hath abounded grace abounded much more thou delightest to honour thy Sonnes grace in purging such sinfull ones from their cursed qualities thou wilt haue thy grace pointed at Oh! who would haue euer haue looked to see such a proud wretch humble so worldly an one heauenly minded Nay the Lord can vse those weapons of sinne to bee weapons of righteousnesse choler to turne zeale for God prodigality to turne bounty to the poore members of Christ I see where the Lord creates the new creature hee also creates the graces thereof where he marryes he giues the marriage Ring beset with all Iewels of faithfulnesse humblenesse and the like Why then should a poore member pine away for want when the head is full and full for his members Oh! I see all things are mine in Christ all meanes duties yea and graces mine Didst thou not say so Lord and causedst me to trust thee for it that out of thy Fountaine I should haue for both number those that are most wanting and for measure that which may strengthen a feeble heart Euen as Haman hearing what should be done to a fauorite answered he meanes me whom else so the poore soule heere The Lord hath renued mee and whom should he bestow Graces vpon to beautifie sooner Q. Goe forward to the second branch of our Communion with God wherein doth it consist A. In the exercise of the graces of his spirit For looke how Merchants and Chapmen haue the policy and traffike for wares and mony so the godly haue their commerce with the Lord for grace Read Phillip 3.19 But our conuersation is in heauen And this stands in these three things First in the encrease of their graces for the experience of the sweete
our selues to the chiefe worke which is soule-affliction Let vs consider if we were pined with necessity of abstinence from meat and drinke for any time what a fearefull anguish would it bring vs vnto and is not thinke wee sinne that deserues it of more afflicting vexing nature Oh! if we could preuaile with God to feele this sting in kind how sweet should a fast bee and how saplesse is it when we can scarce in a whole day feele one dart of sinne or wrath to pierce vs Let vs ayme at it then and much more that sinne doe humble vs then any sorrow whatsoeuer Let vs first Mic. 7.9 beare the indignation of the Lord for our sinne and for the â—est let God alone to plead our cause for what should it help vs to be rid of all other enemies while our owne pride self-selfe-loue hipocrisie vaine-glory worldlinesse and hardnesse of heart still glow at our hearts Therefore as poore Vriah was faint to be set in the forefront before his fellowes so let vs set these before all enemies that if any dart any strength from heauen be sent vs these may haue the first handsell thereof for the strength of all our sorrowes and enemies lyes in our weaknesse therefore let vs so lye vnder the affliction and confusion of these that the Lord may bow his heart to be afflicted in all our sorrowes and then he will soone bow the heauens and melt our calamities away although they seeme as mountains yet they shal flow down at his preseÌ„ce Esa 64.1 yet let vs not onely doe thus remember that fasting is also a Sabbath of reconciliation therefore let the Lord Iesus his Redemption be looked at by faith and keepe vs from base bondage and the feare of hipocrites Let vs beleeue that vpon one crosse he both satisfied for our sinnes and conquered all enemies and therefore in his merit let vs confidently approach to the throne of grace for pardon of the one and deliuerance from the other Secondly apply ourselues to all the supports of a fast which the Lord hath granted to keepe vs from deadnesse and wearinesse the Word I meane fitted to our occasions and the like yet as seruing to the maine of humiliation and confidence Adore we the Lord in his owne strong way and our vtter nothing Let vs blesse him that we be freed from those Popish dumbe Pageants who beside the outward abstinence want all furniture of fasters Thirdly consider that the Scripture in no one thing affords vs greater consolation and hope than in this for there is scarce one example of a fast which wants the experience of good successe yea extraordinary like it selfe as in Esters Nehemiahs and Ezraes Israel's against Beniamin the Churches Act 12. doth appeare Nay let our owne experience hearten vs when euer did we meet a new without proofe of some blessing vpon the former publike humiliation Fourthly and considering it must be no small grace either of mourning or faith which must preuaile against those holds either without or within which we pray against let vs know that our lockes had neede be well growne with Sampsons for such a purpose Therefore let none dare to compasse this Altar with vnpreparednesse of heart And so looking to the Lord Iesus for couering vs and accepting vs let vs desire some signe of mercy and consuming of our Sacrifice that we depart with comfort and hope to haue God to set his fiat to our suites And so shall we find fasting a speciall helpe to grace Q. Conclude with Thanksgiuing is that an helpe alse A. Yea verily if first wee come full of the matter of our thanks for so are all the thanksgiuings of this kind which the Holy Ghost recordeth Moses and Miriams Iudg. 5. Exod 15. Deborahs Dauids and the rest And therefore to carry a liuing memoriall and catalogue of the chiefe publike ones of which a reuerend Writer of our Church hath deserued well and so the like briefe of our owne were most needfull Remember the great prouidence of setling the Gospell and banishing Popery and since that the strange miraculous deliuerances not once or twise from forraine enemies home iudgements In secret record our owne our first calling since that our many staggers and reuolts his renewed mercies by occasion in our changes of estate in our streights in deep desertions when wee could no more sustaine our selues then if we had hung in the ayre how he hath euer been our portion when friends haue forsaken vs vnthankfully and will bee so still our blessings aboue many gifts of minde condition and calling graces of soule how God kept vs from forsaking his Couenant in our deepest temptations of Satan and enemies Secondly Be enlarged accordingly with due simpathy both for the Church and thy selfe reioycing with her with and for whom thou hast oft mourned and preferring her peace to thy chiefe ioy Affection is the fire to the Sacrifice and know that Psal 50. ult hee that prayseth God honoreth him and the ascent of prayses shall be the descent of blessings and happy is he who may maintaine this entercourse with God for the enlarging of him to more grace And so much of the whole doctrine of the meanes Q. Is there any vse to be made hereof Vse 1 A. Yes and first seeing the chaine of these holy helps is so precious and profitable to a godlie life first wee confute all breake the linkes thereof and vnsauorily make comparisons that betweene one and other to the ouerthrow of all Some betweene preaching and prayer some betweene Word and Sacraments as the Papists doe How is the Sacrament of the Altar magnifyed with them and how are all other vilified thereby whereas we do hold that they haue a sweet harmony and neither without other to be set vp yea wee are to confesse that each of them with the other is better than other neither sundred from other Couenant from Seale Seale from it priuate from publike are profitable Let each one haue his precedency and his prayse How should any bee wanted when no one hath the peculiar vse of the other and yet all will supply each others defect Let the solemnesse of the publike the familiarity of the priuate and the need of all affect vs with exceeding thankfulnesse especially for our liberty in the vse thereof which Popery had debarred vs of in each kind by a strange tongue of Scripture a Sacrifice for a Sacrament yea a confusion of many for a few And secondly all such as carry away the honour from the Ordainer to the Ordinance by fearefull sacrilege ascribing to the bare words of Scriptures as the Gospell of Saint Iohn a coniuring power to exorcize Diuels and to the meere opus operatum of Sacraments the masse especially as great power as to Christ putting the pix-bread into dead mens mouthes thus falling in loue with the meanes and renouncing faith to set vp God aboue them whereby the true power of all Religion is turned into a
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
To both in common this doth belong that God will doe for vs in both aboue all that we can aske or thinke Eph. 3. and supply abundantly all our wants he will supply our bodily wants pouerty infirmities wits and sences as our sight and hearing or such decayes and our spirituall as want of knowledge faith patience much more of Sabbaths ordinances good helpes of conference c. And besides in neither estate will hee require any more of vs then according to our abilities Mat. 25.15 not according to what we want but that wee haue If wee bee poore and cannot doe what wee would if wee bee weake in grace and faith hee lookes at our talents and no further so we be faithfull in that little Mat. 25. Q. What are the priuiledges of our temporall estate A. Our temporall reaches to our estate of the world and it concernes either blessings or crosses touching blessings first that whatsoeuer is meete for body for meat drinke apparrell health life good dayes successe welfare good marriage credit and the like shall be giuen vs Psal 84.11 Psal 37.4 Wee need not feare it Luk. 12.22 Why take yee care what to put on Secondly that our labours shall be blessed and wee shall eate of the fruit of them Psal 128.2 Thirdly be it more or lesse it shall be enough and we content with it as our portion best of all Phil. 4. 1 Tim. 6.6 with contentment and sufficiency for so is the word Fourthly a little of the righteous is better and shall goe further then a great deale of the wicked Prou. 15.16 Fifthly all they haue they haue it from a running fountaine and with the good will of him that dwelt in the bush Deut. 33.16 Sixtly that we haue it without sinne an ill conscience in getting keeping forgoing Pro. 10.12 or ill dependance and without sorrow that is carking distrust or basenesse Prou. 7. that he will suffer the Lyons to want then vs or ours to beg our bread hee will neither faile or forsake vs Psal 37.35 Heh 13.5 Q. VVhat are our priuileges in Afflictions Psal 34.8 A. First that no more no other no sooner can befall then the Lord hath cut out for vs Ioh. 8.20 Houre was not come Ioh. 8.59 he passed through them all Secondly He fitteth our yokes for vs as we for our cattell great and small Beare the yoke take vp our crosse Lam. 3. Mat. 16. Thirdly the extremity of a crosse shall neuer pinch vs the streight shall not annoy vs Psal 32.6 floods of great waters c. Fourthly wee shall escape many that the wicked pull vpon themselues Psal 32 8. Fiftly These that must bee wee shall bee vpholden in them Mica 7.8 He shall shew me light in darkenesse and hee shall couer my head in battell Psal 140.7 Sixtly they shall bee sent in loue so that they shall not be the enuenomed arrowes of the Almightie in our flesh but the corrections of a father Heb. 12.9 and that of Salomon 1 Chronic. 22.10 The seuenth when they haue done their errand they shall returne and wee bee deliuered Mica 7.8.9 10. Lastly wee shall bee more then conquerors Rom. 8.37 and partake full redemption Eph. 4.30 Q. What are our spirituall priuiledges A. Some concerne God some our selues Touching God this All his administrations shall profit vs hee will discouer himselfe in them to vs in the way of his gouernment of the Age and times wee liue in in his blessings vpon his owne and iudgments vpon his enemies his patience and carriage towards our selues in our whole courses the sundry changes of this world the manners of men the ends of men the examples of men good bad mortality and the vanity of things our owne experience the administrations of God in all shall teach and profit us See for this Psa 25. All the wayes of God to his c. Q. Touching our owne spirituall estate what privileges doe wee enioy A. They belong to our spirituall estate either in point of our faith or of our obedience Touching our faith First That the iust shall not onely be forgiven by faith but also liue by faith as Habac. 3. Heb. 10.38 Secondly They shall grow from faith to faith Rom. 1.17 Thirdly their faith shall never totally or finally faile them Luke 22.32 the gates of hell shall never preuaile against it with manie moe Q. What priviledges concerne obedience A. Some negative some positive The negative such as these No lets enemies divell sinne or world shall pull us from God or plucke us from our stedfastnesse 2 Pet. ult The positive are made to the whole course of it or the particular parts To the whole such as these God that begun his worke shall finish it for us Philip. 1.6 Wee shall be upholden in our whole course graciously Psalme 41.11 12. By this I know thou louest mee that thou upholdest mee in my integritie And that hee will guide vs by grace till hee receive us to glorie That wee shal I perseuere to the end Reuel 2.10 And such other Q. And what are the particular parts of our course and what are their priuileges A. Either the course of worship or of conversation Touching the former either they may be referred to the meanes of obedience or the duties of it Concerning which I have spoken in the second Article in the point of life of faith and in a word this is all That the meanes are theirs all blessed to them for the helping of them home in peace And the Lord who hath enioyned them duties will give them strength to performe them and make them easie Mat. 11.30 Q. What are the priuileges of Conuersation A. Eyther they concerne common life or conditions of men therein Common life or marriage liberties company solitarinesse or the like manifold entercourses Conditions of men as their callings in which God hath set them their places of gouernement or subiection magistracy or ministry their relations in family or otherwise parents masters c. To all which Gods people haue peculiar promises that God will furnish all them with gifts whom he calls to any function That hee will cause a voyce behinde them to say This is the way walke in it And according to the changes and conditions of life which hereafter shall befall Esay 30. the Lord will picke out meet grace and bee the same God to them in all Q What are the priuiledges of the Saints in death A. That they are precious in death to the Lord Psal 116. that death nor any thing shall separate them from Gods loue Rom. 8 vlt. That a good life shall bring a good death That they shall dye in peace Psal 38.37 That the day of death is better then the day of life Eccles 7.1 That it is sanctified together with the graue to bee a step to glory and the putting on of incorruption 1 Cor. 15. Q. What is the last priuiledge A. The greatest of all that eternall fruition of God and all that
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.
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
couert for their hollownesse bearing the world in hand that they beleeue loue God feare him are very renewd ones and new Creatures yet cast dung in the face of God and religion liuing still vnreformed in their conuersation What thinke ye to bleare the eyes of men because they cannot gage your hearts hath not the Lord once for all said it By your fruits ye shall know them Doe men gather Grapes of thornes or Figs of thistles can a rush grow without mire Can a man vnrenued in his course still an old man walke with God in an holy conuersation And who so walks in a rotten one can he be a new creature Oh! if yee be such new creatures if ye haue slaine the Agag of old Adam What meane the bleating of the sheepe and lowing of the oxen how is it that your tongues your marriages families liberties companies haue shaken off Gods yoke where is your inward or outward conuersation with God either in the life of faith or of communion and duty where is your integrity and sincerity Oh! that yee would no longer cast dung into the face of God and cease to blaspheme him before prophane ones Psa 50.20 Why take ye the Word of God into your mouthes and eares hating to be reformed Why doth this generation swarme so in these dayes of powerlesse profession hauing a forme of godlinesse but hating to be reformed This easie religion of yours shall one day scare ye ye shaâ—l wish your portion might fal into the lot of Sodom and Gomorra and such as neuer knew God! Hell shall be seuen times more hot for ye then others and when yee shall cry Haue not wee preached and professed thy Name the Lord shall answer Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Consider this ye that forget God! think that ye see the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda rending hypocrits in peeces with more fiercenesse than Publicans and then conclude with Dauid He that prayseth me glorifies me To him that orders his Conuersation aright thou wilt shew the saluation God Who would not then see this saluatirn thou in the meane season walke in this conuersation Vse 3 Thirdly it should be Vse of Instruction to all Gods new creatures to bethinke them of their worke and to stirre up the grace of God bestowed upon them in their renuing Oh! the dayes we live in are not for such a conversation as is here laid out Since the Scriptures taught this the world hath found out a breadth in Gods narrow scarse is the image of it to be seene any where in the world At Church men seeme to give way to heare it and will not deny it but still they hold their owne course the Minister cannot follow them up and downe their houses their marquets and businesse to see what conversation they lead and being left to themselus the law of a new creature is forgotten they know a farre easier way to walke this is an hard way beset with thornes they have no joy in it Oh! hast thou received the spirit of renewing into thee Then the yoke of God is easie and his burden is light Cast off thy owne mixtures doe not pullbacke thy shoulder desire no more ease then others of Gods people have felt It s Gods way the way that Abraham Isaac and Iacob David Peter Paul walked the way which Iesus Christ himselfe hath chalked out if it be tedious it is so to thy old man to whom thou art no debtor thou art redeem'd from him and his old conversation thy thoughts affections members tongue feet fences are not thine owne except thou be the old mans still but his that thou mightst now serve in the newnesse of the spirit not the oldnesse of the letter Therefore be not thine owne take some time goe into thy closet and parlee with thy soule whose am I if old Adams still the Lord requires no such cost at my hands as this no man can yeelde to this conversation that is not renewed I were a foole to bereave my selfe of my lusts and liberties if I be no new creature But am I one truely then I must walke in all this conversation uprightly and entirely though never so weakly Lord Iam. 3.13 read it let it finde favour in mine eyes let it not seeme tedious thou canst make it easie and sweet let mee trust thee but to divide the things and remove those bounds which thou hast ioyned and pitched and no good man none but an hypocrite durst ever seperate Lord let me not do it Lastly Let it provoke each good heart to seeke to excell in Vse 4 this fruit of a new creature Now in this dead time in which it is out of date wherein rather it s a reproach and burden to walke thus then otherwise yet let us labour to excell when even wise Virgins some of them remove this image of â—od into the back-roomes of their heart and suffer it not to rule their spirit as formerly but serve the Lord as the time will suffer not as the rule of conversation teaches oh now beare witnesse to the Lord and dance before the Arke of this his truth and if this be to be vile be more vile trust God for credit and parts and employments and content of life and cleave to the conscience of conversation And if it be hard in such a world to hold out this power of religion beg first of the Lord that he would direct thee diminish not Ier. 19.13 Ps 119.133 nor adde to his rule but deny thy selfe say Lord the worke is great it is not in man to order his way doe thou O Lord order it for me All thy Disciples are regulars and no seculars although no Papists and therefore let not me walke as a Masterlesse person but by rule Shall Jesuits teach their novices such exact obedience and cannot the Lord teach it thee yes if thou wilt sit at his feet and learne If all that I haue said will rauish thy heart with this frame of God and make thee cry out with the Queene of Sheba beholding the order of Salomons household and conuersation 1 Lin. 10 4 5 6. Oh! how happy are those thy seruants who dayly stand before thy face to see thy wisedome Oh! but a greater than Salomon is here and an order of far greater buty Oh that it could beat thee out of concelt with the disorder of thy old course in which thou neuer foundest peace but confused and let it vrge thee in thy vtter inability hereunto Pfal 119. Psa 143.5 to goe to God with Dauid and pray Direct me Oh Lord in the paths of thy Testimonies Lead me into the good way and let thy good Spirit conduct mee into the land of righteousnesse send forth thy light and truth shew mee the view and order of this conuersation make it sweet to my mouth as honey and let thy Angel of the Couenant go before and guide mee by the Piller of fire and Cloud