are efficaciously moved to close with him and keep close to him by Matrimonial Reciprocations Thus doth the gracious knowledge of Christ Receive its first Being and progressive Operations from that Light of Life imparted to Gods people in this conjugal Union and Communion I will betroth thee unto me saith the God of Grace in Kindness and Mercy in Truth and Judgement and thou shalt know the Lord. Admirable sure in this divine Acquaintance that is thus twisted by the Lords own hand and embraced by a gracious hand Rare is that Jewel which is so curiously wrought for the Workmanship of the God of Heaven Therein do shine all divine Attributes in their Orient brightness at the wedding Feast of the King of Saints Is not this Life eternal thus to know the Father the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Doth not this Sun of Righteousness bring Healing under his Wings to all that fear his Name Is not he that Living that quickening Light that dispels all darkness and Death by his gracious Visits and Influxe Do not his amiable Aspects produce a joyful Spring of all Divine Graces in the New world by his glorious Light and efficacious Heat Doth he not Ravish with divine Embraces the New Creature with his All-searching Presence and his perfective Influence through all the Beams of his Transcedent communications Do not his Active Rayes cherish by all his renewed Motions the Principles of Life given to all his This Divine Sun never ecclipsed but once for the salvation of his though he seems often to be clouded in his alternative Access and Recess 3. The final cause of this gracious Knowledge adds very much to the choyiceness thereof We may consider it both as Supream and subordinate 1. THe supream Ultimate end of it is Gods Glory which is also the end of all things else which are all made for him This Relative Glory of God which was laid in the dust by mans Rebellion Christ undertook to repair which he performed fully giving satisfaction in Mans Nature and so glorifying all the divine Attributes Thus in the first building up of Zion as in the Restauration and preservation thereof he still appears in the Glory of all his Excellencies His Power and Wisdom his Greatness and Goodness his Mercy and Justice his Truth and Holiness shine Radiantly in every part of it Christ thereby read us our Lesson and writ a fair Copy for our Imitation that we may glorifie God by the knowledge of him in giving each of the Divine persons their proper honor 1. The Father for giving such a Son for such enemies and upon such terms All the honour of Christ redounds to his Father For the Son doth nothing but what he hath seen the Father do and speaks not of himself but the Father by him 2. The Son by our embracing and publishing desiring and esteeming the particulars of his Infinite Glory whereof he is so full that we have still cause to admire with all Saints the length and bredth the heighth and depth of it in the manifestation of all his Excellencies 3. The holy Ghost by whose special favour and Influence we are made partakers thereof He shall take of mine said Christ and impart it to you For all that the Father hath is mine What Infinite Condescension is it for that glorious Spirit to stoop thus to sinful Dust and Ashes to Reveal and apply the gracious Counsels of God in Christ Yea to bear with our Ignorance and unbelief contempt and neglect abuse and Affronts Nay more to dwell in such dunghils and Receptacles of all filthy Lusts What Infinite Mercy is that which carries on the work of Grace through all Opposition and keeps a weak spark alive in the midst of an Ocean What marvellous power is that which preserves a poor smoaking flax among so many storms 2. The subordinate and proxime End of it is mans Good both Personal and Relative 1. PErsonally our own Salvation purchased and manifested by the Author and Object of this knowledge is hereby assured and orderly confirmed to us in all the wayes and means of his appointment through his peculiar Blessing The perfect knowledge of him will compleat as the beginning thereof begins our Salvation Through the Knowledge of him are given to us all things pertaining to Life and Godliness As he came once in person so hath he from the beginning by his Spirit through the same communicated all saving good and will still do it That Bosom friend of his leads us thereby into his very heart there to behold and embrace the whole Platform of our Salvation in all the steps of it from Election to Glory that by walking therein steadily we may ascend to his Father and our Father his God and our God through the same Ladder even Christ whereby he comes down to us Christs Deity surpassing the highest Heavens infinitely is the Top and his Humanity fixed as it were on earth is a sure step for us The more careful we are to attain this End the more certainly shall we promote that further End God hath so wonderfully twisted our happiness and his honour that we advance the one by furthering the other One eye he allows us for the recompence of Reward that we may thereby effectually look through it to his Glory Is not this Knowledge a Jewel of Price which conveighs and assures all good to us The end of his Electing and predestinating us of his Blessing and saving of us is it not that we might be to the Glory of his Grace whereby he hath made us Accepted in the Beloved Christ himself desired Glory for that End that he might glorifie God This excellent Knowledge was never so dearly bought to be a meer pleasing of our selves and sin but to spiritualize us throughly in all the powers and parts of soul and Body that we may be holy and happy like unto him in the honouring and enjoying of him 2. Relatively the subordinate end thereof is the good of our Neighbour that speaking the Truth in Love we may grow up unto him in all things which is the Head even Christ He gave all the means of Knowledge and all Teachers ordinary and extraordinary for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of his Body God hath so contempered his gifts among the members of Christ and his Spirit doth so variously convey the same that the One cannot say to the other I have no need of thee He could in a moment and immediately from himself bring them to their full perfection But his infinite Wisdom hath thought it best that his Body should be joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies according to his several workings in the measure of every part to make an increase of it self in Love He loves not he allows not selffishness in
to him and delight in him thy design for him and endeavour after him If so thy fear is the fruit of his Spirit so far as it drives thee not from him but draws thee to him Answ 3. What makes thee complain of thy Ignorance Is it not thy esteem of the Knowledge of Christ Art thou weary and ashamed of thy Ignorance Art thou still wrastling against it for attaining of Knowledge Ar thou diligent in all the means he affords thee to dispel darkness and get light from him Dost thou bewail thy deadness and dulness thy sloth and selfishness thy formality and hypocrisie thy worldliness and unfaithfulness Is it thy greatest trouble and grief thy shame and sorrow Dost thou act the more humbly and self-denyingly the more watchfully and industriously in thy general and particular calling If so the comfort is thine and thou wilt know it in the best time Answ 4. There are divers degrees in the school of Christ and divers manners of his dealing with his Disciples Thou must not measure thy condition by others so much as by his Rule The least degree of his Grace deserves thanks though we must not rest there There are many little weaklings in his house which must not be slighted nor mis-judged of because they are not so strong and healthy as others The smoaking flax and the bruised Reed are neither to be quenched nor broken in his House till he bring forth Judgement into victory according to Truth Vse 5. This point should be improved in a pressing Exhortation to all Nominal and real Christians Doth it not concern every sort of men to look after such a singular Jewel Doth any need Incentives to move thereto Is there not matter enough already expressed to inflame all our hearts after it Is not this knowledge the most profitable the most pleasurable the most honourable that can be conceived Is it not still of absolute need and singular use Is any good to be had any evil to be avoided without it Is not this the Field that holds the Treasure and the Pearl of Price Doth it not bewray an ignoble spirit to neglect and slight it Is not this Jewel the Quintessence of Good that will sanctifie all conditions to any of us Be we all pressed then to make it our business to look after it as the wise Merchant after the Pearl of Price he seeks and finds it he sels all for Joy and buys it out right Do you so likewise that you may be enriched thereby Two sorts are specially invited hereto the Nominal and real Christian 1. THe Nominal Christian that hath but the Name without the Grace of Christ Sinners of all sorts still unregenerate are comprized here Such of all Ranks are called to Christ though they will hardly give him the hearing We speak to all indefinitely Christs Spirit will speak to his peculiarly We offer to you a singular Jewel to be obtained upon Christs own terms Come and view it well turn it every way there is no blemish in any part thereof Doth any of you see the worth thereof Be then willing also to part with all for it Thy natural sinful and Religious self thou must deny that Christ may be thine The destruction of thy sinful self is the only way to thy salvation Thy sin is thy disease thy poison and plague art thou unwilling to be rid of it Thy natural self will be bettered by putting of it into his keeping who will be sure to mend it for thee Thy Religious self in thy best duties cannot be useful but by being put into Christs own hand But where is the Price to buy it withal It s in Christs Treasury not thine own Thy souls empty hand must be reached forth to receive at once the Price and the Pearl Come to Christ then that thou maist get Christ and through his Spirit maist close with his Father The worst of thy sins shall not keep thee off when thou once comest on conjugal Terms Wilt thou be moved thereto cordially Hear the Embassy sent to thee from Heaven We are Embassadors for the King of Saints to beseech sinners to be reconciled Consider how much is laid up in this to draw home thy soul most effectually Mind then 1. The Person offering the Lord of Glory thy Soveraign the Almighty God All-sufficient Saviour provoked by thee to the utmost that needs thee not and can in a moment crush thee to nothing It s the God of all Grace full of mercy and Truth the Fountain of all good most precious most sweet a most suitable match wilt thou refuse him 2 The matter offered is the only Jewel the sum of all Good God himself to be thy portion fulness of Grace to pardon and purge to quicken and save Treasures of mercy most free and full most singular and sure it s a match with Heaven an extract of Blessings suiting thy state most exactly Here is Wisdom to teach Righteousness to absolve Holiness to renew Redemption to save thee what can thy heart wish that is not laid up here Wilt thou refuse it yet 3. Mind his manner of offering with intreaties and Invitations He waits he knocks he expostulates again and again Mercy kneels to thee beseeching pleading tendring all with open arms bearing with thee forbearing of thee attempting all means of doing thee good Should not this prevail 4. Consider the Person offered to thy wretched self a forlorn sinner a Rebel in Arms a desperate enemy full of Venom and deadly poison a miserable worm sinful dust a Traitor at the Bar under condemnation an abuser of every favor unworthy of the least good a vile Bankrupt a riotous Prodigal utterly undone a starving beggar a drowning wretch a servant of sin a slave of Hell Satans prisoner empty of all good full of all evil Is not this thy picture thy name and state and ten thousand times worse What madness keeps thee from coming to him that would help all this Quest What if I come not Answ Then will thy case prove despenate indeed Justice will speedily send thee to thy place Infinite wrath shall be thy portion thou shalt fare worse then Sodom and Gomorrah in endless easeless remediless Torments All thy mercies shal prove thy Judgements thy own conscience shall be thy witness Recorder Judge and Executioner This very Word shal rise against thee and stop thy mouth to eternity Thou wast fair offered once and wilt know it when the time is past Quest What if I come Answ Then thy case is happy all good is thine thou shalt be as welcom as the lost Son to thy Fathers arms meeting thee half way with Tears with joy with a feast with a royal Robe Thou shalt be married to the Kings own son and Heaven shall rejoyce at the Repentance of such a sinful wretch Object But I doubt I am not elected and then all is in
had faithfully promised it and therefore required the same There is no Precept nor Condition in Gods Word that hath not a Promise to answer it Do as Jacob did to make use of all 7. Come penitentially with a bleeding heart to a bleeding Saviour looking upon him whom thou hast pierced mourning over him and judging thy self for abusing him Come from the sensible sight of thy sinfull Revolts condemning thy self as unworthy to be his Servant Come as Abigail did unto David as the Prodigal did towards his Father His infinite kindness must needs aggravate thy horrid unkindness He forgets thy sins but thou must remember them He forgives thee freely and fully that thou maist forsake them accordingly Come then with a tender heart to such a tender Christ with lively Repentance never to be repented of Such Musick on these waters will be found most sweet 8. Come obedientially because he commands it who is thy Soveraign Come to do thy homage in loyal Allegiance to him that is thy God to worship and serve him It s a loving and faithfull Obedience he expects from thee as his proper due most dearly bought Thou art ransomed with a divine price that thou maist be his wholly and eternally If any part of thee be at any time given up to sin against thy husband what treasonable Adultery will it prove Come then to thy Lord to be ruled by him in every Ordinance in every Providence Come to thy Fathers house to shew all loving dutifulness there not to be lawless or a servant to sin His royal Law cals to perfect Liberty that thou maist be as free as the Children of the most high God 9. Come lovingly with fervent Affections to this royal feast of Christs own wedding that so nearly concerns thy self Let the Joy of the Lord be thy strength herein to tune the whole man to the highest strain of heavenly delight Is not this Solemnity so incomparable to be observed with sutatable Enlargements Stir up thy soul in coming to Christ that the vigor of all thy faculties may sweetly embrace the great King of Saints Purity and Fervency meet here admirably at the Celebration of this wonderfull match Christ comes to thee and all over with zeal thou must meet him in the like apparell Observe the Brides Attire in that glorious Type of Solomons marriage answerable to his that thou mightest learn how to come to Christ thy divine Solomon 10. Come gratefully to thy Benefactor with hearty thanks for his unspeakable Gifts Cast thy Crown at his feet and give him the Glory of all his Mercies Let him wear the Crown who hath done and suffered so wonderfully for thee Begin betime that Angelical Duty which shall be thy task and thy happiness to Eternity Triumph in thy God that makes thee to triumph Let thy soul be harmoniously set to sing forth his praises in the sweet Consort of all thy Powers and Parts In all things give thanks to the wonderfull Dispenser of all things Bless him continually who thus blesses thee 11. Come diligently in the use of all means appointed by him Seek him in all his ways attend him in his road hearken to his Spirit study his Word seek his face often think much of him inquire of others neglect no help and rest on none but on Christ himself Thus nominal Christians should be perswaded to make sure of Christ in closing with him upon his own terms to make them real Partakers of Christ and Possessors as well as Professors Secondly REal Christians should also be pressed to make use of this gracious Knowledge by keeping close to Christ in the spiritual Improvement thereof Each of us should strongly be quickned thereto by all the former Considerations This singular Jewel is given for use not meerly to gaze at The best find much need still to be quickned to their Duty herein that this choice Mercy may be well improved 1. Personally in our several places our fruitfulness should demonstrate still that we have learn'd to know Jesus Christ in a saving way This gracious knowledge must have influence into every thought every word and work In every Duty to be performed in every Mercy to be improved in every sin to be mortified in every Grace to be exercised Remember Christian who ever thou art that hast been effectually taught in the School of Christ thy constant work must be to practise the Lessons got there Action is the end of Contemplation Thy Speculations must never be idle Thy general and particular Calling will still find thee matter for the spiritual use of this gracious knowledge Mind Christ still then in every Duty towards God and Man 1. In thy generrl Calling look for him attend him in every Ordinance The Charets and Walks of Communication between him and his 1. OBserve him in his Word speaking to thee that thou maist know his divine Oracles hearken to this voice who speaketh from Heaven by men and means to us Hath not he promised that all his people shall be taught of God hear him then in hearing his servants appointed and duly called to his work that you may not teach one another still Pharisaically as the Sect-masters did hearken to his orderly appointments that you may receive his Anointing from above to teach you all things gradually so as you shall not need to be put a fresh to your first Elements to spell the principles in a childish manner Minding of him will put you further towards perfection that you may be able to teach others also Read often those precious Love-letters sent unto you from your best friend above and search the Scriptures for the Records of him who is the Treasure of those golden Mines Behold in that Gospel-glass of his his glorious Image that thou maiest be transformed into the same 2. Visit him often in spiritual prayer secret private publike This is the line of Communication between Heaven and Earth whereby Christs Souldiers keep correspondency with each other as with their General This fiery Chariot may carry thy soul Eliah like to thy dear Saviour in Abrahams bosom on any occasion It s a sure and a speedy Post for any dispatch It s a choise key that will unlock all the stories of his al-sufficiency It will avail much if it be fervent for what ever thou askest in his name thou maist be sure he will do it in the best way and season He is the God that heareth prayers that will be sought and found in every thing 3. In Meditation retire thy self into a private walk that thou maist enjoy him the more freely to renew thy acquaintance more familiarly Thus a man having sequestred himself from the croud of Creatures seeks and intermeddles with all divine Wisdom This choise Duty is the
A bare external painted form they have a shel of duty and carkass of Religion but without the Life and inward vigour Such are Pharisaical monkish Hypocrites varnished potsheards garnished Sepulchres Christ was troubled with such and so are we still Profession is grown into fashion shifted by many as men shift their cloaths They make use of God to serve their own turn and enjoy their Lust Such are on a round of duty like a Mill-horse in a course perfunctorily Religionis their task and Burthen They post from one Ordinance to another as to a stage longing to be rid of their trouble Used to a Road as a Carriers horse they carry their Load and take their turns But this gracious knowledge they are strangers to Their worship is much like the mongrel Samaritans that knew the Lord in a mixt formal way but knew him not aright Is not this a woful condition thinkest thou to baffle Christ thus Will this foppish way of dead performances be pleasing to him who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and Truth Did not Paul himself see the vanity of his utmost Pharisaical holiness wherein he rested before his conversion Hast thou not much more need to bewail thy coldness and deadness thy cursoriness and heartlesness A sacrifice without a heart was alwayes ominous as it proved among the Romans Wilt thon put off God as Heathens serve their Idols with a liveless worship If thou offer the lame and the torn is it not evil How far art thou from knowing of Christ that knowest not thy self but art well conceited of thy good meaing and thy good Duties Who hath required these things at thy hand Will not the Lord rebuke thee as he did Israel in the like case 4. It justly reproves the Justitiary Legalist that seems exact in his way of good works and rests thereon He is not so bad as the worst and therefore thinks himself as good as the best His seeming Justice equity and charity beguiles him as much as the Formalists painted holiness He hopes to be saved by his good Deeds and good Intentions as the Papists do thinking that Christ will make up for him what is defective Alas wretched soul wilt thou patch up thus a Linsey Woolsey Garment of thy own Righteousness mingled with Christs Merits Will thy fig-leaves cover thy nakedness Will thy crack'd peny make amends to God for millions of pounds due to him from thee Canst thou do any thing without sin Art thou not bound to be wholly his Canst thou satisfie his Infinite Justice or deserve his Infinite Mercy Did Christ merit that thou mightest merit Is he a Remote Saviour that thy self mightst be thine immediate Saviour Canst thou climbe to Heaven with a Ladder of thy making or waft thy self over into the Indie's in thy own Nut-shel of self-Righteousness Civil morality is good in it self but not to Justifie thy person as a piece of brass is good for something but not to pass for Gold nor to pay an Infinite ransom God gives indeed a Reward to his according to their works but not for their works sake Thou canst not be saved without good works and yet not by works If thou knewest Christ graciously thou wouldst know thy self to be unworthy and insufficient still See thy folly and thy misery in trusting to self thou loosest and slightest the only Pearl of Price 5. This point casts a very ghastly glance upon all profane licentious persons that turn Christs grace into wantonness and delight in a sinful Liberty Consider it thou Swearer and drunkard thou Lyar and unclean wretch thou scoffer and malicious thou proud and wanton thou slanderer and riotous Liver Why dost thou profess the Knowledge of Christ to abuse him thus Art not thou much worse then Pilate or Judas then the Jewes and Romanes in affronting and murthering of Christ Dost thou not give him ten blows for one good word destroying thy self in disgracing him Dost thou presume on his mercy still whilst thou delightest in the Devils work Doth the Name and Baptism of Christ give thee a Protection from Divine Justice whilst thou remainest still in open Rebellion Dost thou hope still to pacifie him with a few faint words of Lord hove mercy I am sorry and such like mock-speeches Is Repentance in thy own power or thy Life and Means that still thou puttest off Wilt thou lay the whole Burthen on the tyred horse and wave returning till thy elder age Wilt thou give Satan the creame and Christ the Refuse of thy time and strength Canst thou hope for Christs Salvation in the high Road to thy damnation Wilt thou still delight in the Devils work and yet hope for wages from Heaven Is not thy case very desperate to follow the Devil into every sin Couldst thou but see thy Infernal Guide that leads thee captive at his will what a dreadful sight would that prove to thee Hast thou lived so long under the Gospel as the Smiths Dog under the Anvil to deafen and harden thee Will not thy later end prove most desperate that hast made so much haste in the broad way to Hell If Grace prevent not miraculously thou shalt know that Christ to thy confusion whom thou wouldst not know to thy conversion 6. This Truth looks wishly on carnal Notionists who pretend much to the Knowledge of Christ and yet remain destitute of his Grace They have learned to prate about Christ and to use his Name for a Sanctuary to sin From vain Notions they speedily run into vile affections and their devotion lies most in their fancy Their Tongue is tipped with the Language of Canaan to deceive the simple in deceiving themselves This age abounds with such the Lord awaken them who are lulled asleep in the Devils Lap. Alas wretched soul what will be thy end and what is thy case in such delusions If thy head swel much with giddy Notions doth it not betoken a woful disease Whither will Satan transformed into an Angel of Light lead thee at the last How sad is it thus to poyson thy self so many more in mingling fancies with Gods holy Word perverted by thee to dream thy self into a fools Paradise whilst thou slightest Christ his Ordinances how woful is it Thou playest like a Gnat and Moth about the Candle till thou be consumed by the heat thereof Golden Imaginations do tickle thy thoughts whilst Satan is leading thee captive at his Will Are not such spiritual Judgements the worst of all to be given up thus to strong delusions to believe such Lies Is it not because thou receivest not the Truth in the Love of it that God gives thee up to thy own hearts Lusts How far art thou from a gracious knowledge that turnest his Grace into wantonness Didst thou know Christ
Life a Turning of men from darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God by opening of their eyes and renewing their Will It s expressed by taking away the heart of stone and giving a heart of flesh in putting his Spirit within us and giving a new heart and a new spirit in our special effectual Calling It s said to be our Regeneration and being born again absolutely needful to open an entrance into Gods Kingdom Though there be some Reliques of natural and moral Endowments left in men since the fall in their powers and parts as appears by the Heathens Improvements yet these only testifie the wofulness of mans desperate fall in ruining so glorious a Fabrick Thence the blindness and perversness of his mind and will are so aggravated the crooked distortions of his Affections the searedness and corruption of his Conscience with the disorder of every part are set forth so Emphatically to convince every man Thence men are said before Conversion to be Godless and hopeless because Christless Thence is the wonderful operation of Renewing Grace so extolled still in this new creation bringing forth Light out of darkness in making man partaker of the Divine Nature This supernatural Work is carried on rationally by the Spirit of Christ in a way suitable to mans rational Being He works strongly yet sweetly he opens their heart-springs with a special Key of his own framing This Renewing Grace runs parallel with the Fathers Electing and the Sons Redeeming Grace whom God did foreknow and predestinate those he calls effectually seasonably savingly Their corrupt nature doth much resist it till Grace prevails and conquers all its Forts The outworks of the Mind and Judgement Christs Spirit conquers first thence breaking through the Iron Gate of mans Will into the possession of all the powers and parts of the soul Many sins remain still in every part like so many Cananites and Tories to be gradually subdued These Rebels being broken in their Head and Reign Grace doth orderly dispatch by mortifying exercise The Spirit of Christ carries on his work in supporting and supplying still those gracious Beginnings which are weak at first By the Gospel Light he communicates his gracious Life Thus he perswades enables his people to embrace Jesus Christ upon Gospel terms by a Covenant of Marriage and Adoption Thus is mans dunghil heart by Renewing Grace broken up and dressed into a spiritual Garden sown and set with the fruits of his holy Spirit It differs exceedingly from common convictions and external Reformations as earth differs from Heaven That difference is still morally-specifical though it seems to be Physically but Numerical and gradual It s the same Spirit that works conviction on the Reprobate and on the Elect but not in the same manner He knocks at both and is resisted He leaves the Reprobate justly he opens the Elects heart mercifully and prevailingly The Reprobate may be externally and professedly sanctified in a partial superficial way Gods Elect are specially sanctified universally in every part and gradually through every part Mans free will by sin subjected to Satan is through this Renewing Grace set at liberty so far as Grace prevails The unregenerate is free only to spiritual evil being an enemy to spiritual good The Regenerate soul is so far free to spiritual good as it s renewed When Grace is compleated in Glory the soul like good Angels shall be free only to good The Nature of mans will is thus bettered by Grace which was made a slave by sin The Devils and damned do freely will sin so do unregenerate souls on earth yet necessarily Thus necessity man stand with freedom both to good and evil By this Renewing Grace the regenerate soul is made conformable to Gods Image and is so far called the new man and gradually learns to be holy as God is Holy That Seed and Root of Grace cast into it at first grows up by degrees as the grain of mustard seed as the corn as the Light as the living Child Thereby the soul is enabled to believe and Repent and further to actuate every sort of Grace being excited corroborated and directed still by the same Spirit Thence is the conflict so continuall between the spirit and flesh the Law in the members and the Law in the Mind Grace and sin which ends not till the death of sin in bodily death Thus acti agimus Implanted Grace then co-works still with the Lords gracious Spirit who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure This Grace appears also most free and full most choice sure to the glorifying of all Divine Attributes Man could not be conceived to have any skil power or will to procure the same By Grace the Lord cals unto Grace and so to Glory By Grace are we saved through Faith and that not of our selves it s the gift of God not of works least any man should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works so that it s not in him that wills nor in him that runs but in God who shews mercy Of his own will begat he us by the Word of Truth that we might be to the praise of his Glory Object But why then is man commanded to believe and repent to change his heart c Answ Because as we hinted before God deals with men by men rationally orderly to convince all of their Duty and insufficiency to humble and awaken them to put them upon all due means to render the most inexcusable and moralize many to convey his Grace into his Elect through those very means peculiarly sanctified to the spiritualizing of their heart Object But is not God partial in so doing Answ No. For he is not bound to any further then he pleases neither is he led by any sinful respects which render men partial Object But why doth he yet complain of the Reprobates if he give them not sufficient Grace as to others how can they help it Ans God justly complains of the wicked for insolvency and squandring away his goods wilfully and rebelliously both in their first Father and by themselves They smart not but for their fault their being Bankrupts is no payment nor discharge of their debts to him He gives them more then they could expect or make right use of Though they cannot change their own heart yet they might use the means better then they do they are still wilfully negligent and selfish in all they do and suffer justly for their demerits Can the wicked say they sin not wilfully Will not their own conscience condemn them Are they not all corruptly estranged from the womb and speaking Lyes by time Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Can the
faithfully He cannot Deny himself nor them because his in Christ And what 's choiser then this special Grace that saves his children when he punishes others What 's more precious then this Miracle of Grace that gives them God in Christ and all things with him What more singular then this marvellous Love who gives them his Spirit to seal and strengthen them that they may close with him and keep close to him still This is Grace indeed not to be abused nor to be opposed by any pretence It s as compleat as his Salvation which must needs be answerable to such a compleat Saviour An imperfect Christ is but an Idol of mans fancy so is that Imperfect salvation and ineffectual Grace which many dream of 23. Christ suffers also in his Instruments his Civil Deputies in the Magistracy 1. By the former evils 2. By the Papists who advance their Antichristian Head into the Magistrates Seat putting the civil Key into the Popes hand and loosening the Subjects from their Allegiance to such Superiours who do not please him encroaching much upon civil Affairs in their Cannon Law as about Marriage Incest Adultery c. obliging their Clergy to Forraign Supremacy forbidding the Magistrate his Duty about Externals of the first Table c. 3. By Quakers and Notionists who labour to bring in confusion as the German Anabaptists did 4. Yea by many who seem more sober yet deny the best part of his Office that special care of the first Table in its Externals wherein he is to do most for God 5. By divers infirm Christians that by mistaken apprehensions of a fifth Monarchy do actually resist Christ in denying due homage to such Powers whom hi Providence hath set in Power AGainst these Oppositions the Knowledge of Christ graciously improved will sufficiently arm us declaring from Scripture the Magistrates Duty and Dignity in being most like God and doing most for God His Power is Authoritative about the external man in all matters Religious and Civil Politically to regulate reward and correct according to Gods Word for the Lords honour and the Publique good The Genus is an Authoritative Power the Object is the external man expressed by word sign or deed the Subject is all matters of the first or second Table religious and civil The acts of Power are to regulate reward countenance good and disown and correct evil The manner of acting is Political not Spiritual by civil Censures not Ecclesiastical The Rule is Gods Revealed Will in his written Word not his own Will or mans fancy The End is Gods honour as supreme publique good as subordinate Herein shines the Magistrates Dignity in being thus employed as Gods Substitute to look to his Law in cherishing good and suppressing evil Herein Gods Vicegerent shall meet with comfort in these Politicks of Gods own giving The Lord in all Ages hath honoured such who have thus laboured still to honour him He requires it still and rewards it in a special manner He gives many Instructions about it to avoid error neglect and abuse He still branded those that neglected it and set up themselves in slighting of him They were threatned and punished sorely that would not and did not tender Christs Interest No Book of Scripture or humane Record but gives us signal demonstrations hereof The many Cavils obscuring this Truth easily vanish by the brightness thereof The Pontifician Crue by their encroachments have taught our Libertines very sad lessons Corah with his Partners acted once this part as the German Rout did long afterwards from 1522 till 1534. Pretence of Conscience is much talked of but it covers often the abuse of Conscience The Magistrate meddles not with conscience but with external evil though pretending conscience He is a terrour to all evil works whatever they be where-ever they appear and a countenance to good That 's his Office by Gods Commission for thy good Christ is King of Kings by whom they all Raign who calls all to account If sin and Satan possess a mans conscience that should be Gods Seat it cannot excuse their treasonable acts but aggravate them Much care indeed is to be still used least this Power be slighted or abused Such Christians who appear truly consciencious are to be dealt with in much tenderness Yet cannot Conscience plead for any sin Christ never intended it to be Errors Sanctuary He dallies with no sin and would have his servants like him They that make no conscience of his Truth and Grace nor of the publique Peace shew their conscience to be very unsound The standing Rule of man whether high or low is not his Conscience but the Lords Word An evil Conscience is the worst of evils and the Nurse of all evil Error is an infections Disease that spreads dangerously under the pretence of Conscience still Conscience must rule us so far as it s ruled by Gods Word and no further It cannot bind to nor discharge any sin Paul judges himself for those very sins very hainously which his conscience through mistake suggested to be his duty If a Christian suffer as an evil doer though he pretend Conscience he shall have little honour or comfort therein The sin is aggravated that is committed by an evil of Conscience the Presence Chamber and the Royal Throne of our Soveraign Christ The Magistrate therefore should be most careful to see that all sorts enjoy the best Means of informing Conscience about the Will of God as Noble Jehosaphat did that all good Laws may be duly observed Then Execution must be look'd unto the Life of the Law It s the great mercy promised to Christs Kingdom that Kings shall be Nursing Fathers to his Church and contribute their utmost to the help thereof whereas before they gave up their power to the Antichristian Beast Christ himself is wronged when his Lieutenant the Magistrate is taken off from his Work or disturbed therein All Arguments used against the Magistrates Power in Religion are still under-charged or over-charged either they prove only that Conscience is not to be forced and that Christians should begentle and meek bearing with each other in things indifferent which is not denied or if there were any force in them to disprove the Magistrates dealing with the first Table the same force would reach further against the second Table also So that they would make his office needless striking at Christ through his vicegerents Loins to bring in confusion and Anarchy by exempting from his Cognisance whatever things may pretend Conscience What evil so horrid that may not be covered under such a mask Hath not experience seen it fulfilled in the predigious Ranters are Quakers of our days Christs Interest in the good of mens souls is still the best part of the Magistrates care they must needs be sadly injurious to both that would deprive them of that choice