by the consideration of the high dignity of the Person whom we have offended so the value of Reparation ariseth from the dignity of the Person satisfying And this satisfaction consisteth in the reparation of the honour which by our sin was cclipsed And all honour doth increase proportionably as the person yielding it is more honourable or worthy 2. This may shew us that the more worthy the Person of Christ was before he suffered the greater was his condescention in stooping to such great and unworthy sufferings for our sakes 3. This greatly magnifies the love of God in sending his only begotten Son into the world to die for Sinners This love of God is frequently extolled and admired by the Apostles Rom. 8.32 He that spared nâ—t his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things 1 John 4.9 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our Sins What an amazing thing is this love of the Father in sending his only begotten Son to be our Redeemer and what an amazing thing is this condescention of the only Son of God to dy for such worms as we are I come now tâ— Christs fourth Title Our Lord. Our Lord. After our Sav◠〈◊〉 Relation viz. of the only Son of God founded upon his eternal generation followeth his Dominion as the necessary consequence of his Son-ship because the only Son must of necessity be Heir and Lord of all in his Fathers house and all others which bear the name of Sons whether they be Angels or Men must be looked upon as his servants who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Acts 10.36 He is Lord of all Mat. 28.18 All power is given unto him both in Heaven and Earth Ephes 1.20 21 22. God hath set him at his own right hand in the Heavenly places far above all principality and power and might and dominion and hath put all things under his feet The word Lord signifies properly Dominion and implies a right of possession and power of disposing This premised let us consider how and in what respects Christ is Lord As there are two natures united in the person of Christ so there are two kinds of dominion belonging respectively to those natures One inherent in his Divinity the other bestowed on his humanity One by which he is Lord maker of all things The other by which he is made Lord of all things Christ as God hath a supreme universal dominion over the Worlp So Thomas acknowledges in those words John 20.28 My Lord and my God But Christ as Mediator has some kind of dominion or Lordship bestowed on him and given unto him And in this sense the Apostle says Acts 2.36 He was made both Lord and Christ And one branch of this his dominion was his power on earth to forgive sins Mat. 9.2 6. He said therefore to the sick of the Palsie thy sins are forgiven thee that they might know that the â—on of Man had power on earth to forgive sins And another is the right of Judicature or Judging the World committed to him Joh. 5.22 The Father hath committed all Judgment to the Son and hath given him authority to execute Judgment because he is the Son of Man He will Judge the World by that man whom he hath ordained Acts 17.31 But let us further consider by what right Christ is Lord. 1. By right of Creation Joh. 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made 2. By right of sustentation and preservation of the Creatures he hath made Col. 1.17 And he is before all things and by him all things consist Heb. 1.3 He upholdeth all things by the word of his power 3. By right of donation ordination and the appointment of God Acts 2.36 To him all power is given both in Heaven and Earth 4. By right of Redemption The ransomer of a bondslave was wont to be his Lord. When we were bond-slaves to Sin and Satan Christ paid our ransome No bondage so great as ours was no price so great as that which he paid therefore no service too great for us to pay unto him 5. By right of Covenant In our Baptism we bind our selves and Covenant to be his Thus we see by how many Titles Christ is Lord. If any shall further inquire how he exercises this his dominion I Answer In these particulars 1. In giving Laws to his Subjects and servants 2. In appointing Officers in his Church 3. In providing for and protecting his Family 4. In correcting his servants for their miscarriages 5. In rewarding them according to their Works and Services both here and hereafter The improvement we should make of this Doctrine is in short this We should seriously consider whether we do indeed take Christ for our Lord as well as for our Saviour Many do like Christs Saviourship well enough but do not like his Soveraignty They will not have him rule over them But let us often think by how many Titles Christ is our Lord by right of Creation Sustentation Redemption and Covenant that so we may stir up our hearts to own him as our Lord and humbly to submit to him and to pay him the Homage we owe unto him and heartily chearfully diligently and constantly to obey him even to our lives end SECT II. Of the Person of Christ WE come now to consider what manner of person our Saviour was He was God and Man in the same Person The Eternal Son of God the second person in the Trinity took to himself our humane nature a humane Soul and Body and united it after a wonderful manner to his God-head and so God and Man became one person This I shall labour to make out by these seven following particulars 1. Jesus Christ who was God before by the Divine nature which he had from Eternity was in the fulness of time made Man Gal. 4.4 2. He was made Man by assuming our humane nature unto himself and joyning it to his Divine nature 3. Although our humane nature was joyned with his Divine nature that is with the nature common to the Father Son and Holy Ghost yet was that Union made only in the Person of the Son Not the Father nor the Holy Ghost but it was the Son that was incarnate 4. The Divine nature did not assume an humane person but the Divine Person of the Son did assume our humane nature If Christ had only taken the Person of a man then there must have been two Persons in Christ a Person assuming and a Person assumed Yea then that only Person which Christ had assumed should have been advanced and saved by him He therefore assumed not an humane Person but he assumed the humane
nature common to all the Sons and Daughters of Adam and Eve 5. He took an humane Soul as well as an humane Body For he increased in wisdom and stature Luke 2.52 In the one in respect of his body in the other in respect of his Soul He whose knowledge did increase with his years must have a Subject proper for it which is no other than an humane Soul This was the Seat of his finite understanding and directed will distinct from the will of his Father and consequently of his Divine nature as may appear by that Luke 22.42 Not my Will but thine be done 6. In this union the two natures remain really distinct in Christ without either conversion or transubstantiation of the one into the other and without commixtion or confusion of both into one There was no conversion of the humane nature into the Divine or of the Divine into the humane 7. Though with us the Soul and Body being united make a Person yet in Christ the Soul and Body were so united as to have their subsistence not of themselves as in us but in the God-head No sooner was the Soul united to the Body but both Soul and Body had their subsistence in the Second Person in the Trinity SECT III. How our Saviour became Man THis union between our humane nature and the Deity of the Son of God was wrought in the womb of the Virgin Mary Yea our Saviour was not only made man in her but of her The humane nature which he assumed being made of her substance This I shall clear and make out by these assertions was conceived by the Holy Ghost 1. He was not conceived in her by the help of Man but by the power of the Holy Ghost Her womb was the Bride Chamber where the Holy Ghost did knit this indissoluble knot between the Deity of the Son of God and our humane nature Joseph was only Christs legal Father his Foster-Father Luke 3.23 Being as was supposed the Son of Joseph This conception therefore was wrought by the Holy Ghost He immediately and miraculously inabled the Virgin Mary to conceive our Saviour Luke 1.35 And the Angel said unto her the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God The Holy Ghost did not perform any proper act of Generation such as is the foundation of paternity but framed the humane nature of Christ of the substance of the Virgin 2. The humane nature of Christ was totally sanctified and so fitted for a personal union with the Word John 17.19 For their sakes I sanctified my self Christ out of his infinite love humbled himself and became Man Yet at the same time out of his infinite purity he would not defile himself by becoming sinful man The humane nature in its first original was formed by the Holy Ghost and in its formation sanctified and so united to the Word that as the first Adam was the fountain of our Impurity so the second Adam might be the fountain of our Righteousness 3. Christ took our nature cloathed with sinless infirmities Culpable and sinful infirmities he did not take on him Indeed poenal infirmities such as are common to all the Sons and Daughters of Adam as to be subject to pain grief and sorrow hunger thirst cold c. such he took on him Isa 53. v. 4. Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows But he took not on him poenal infirmities such as are personal He took our sinless infirmities to shew the truth of his humanity He took them on himself that he might pity us and might teach us by his holy example how to bear them 4. As the Virgin Mary conceived our Saviour by the power of the Holy Ghost so she brought him forth into the world He was born of her And under this head these particulars are to be taken into consideration 1. Christ was born of a woman that was a pure Virgin Born of the Virgin Mary untouched by man even when she brought him forth The promised Messias was to be born after a miraculous manner Jer. 31.22 The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth a woman shall incompass or inclose a man It is a new Creation because wrought in a woman without the help of man The Prophesie in Isaiah must be fulfilled Isa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel The Messias promised before and under the Law was to be born of a Virgin 2. The Messias was to be of the house and lineage of David Of whom the Apostle says Acts 2.30 that he being a Prophet knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne And it is from many places of Scripture evident and certain that Mary and so Christ did lineally descend from David 3. Observe the time when Christ was born It was when Augustus was Emperor and taxed the Jews and all Nations under his dominion as we find Luke 2. 4. Observe the place where our Saviour was born It was in Village of Judah called Bethlehem that the Prophesie in Micah might be fullfilled Mich. 5.2 But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel 5. Let us consider the manner of his Birth which was very mean namely in the Stable of a common Inn. 6. Observe the first tidings or manifestation of his birth which was made by Angels to poor Shepherds Luke 2.10 11. And the Angel said unto them Fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord And thus we have shewed how our Lord and Saviour was born into the World and became man Before I shut up this particular it will be needful that I shew why it was requisite he should be both God and Man 1. It was requisite he should be God for these reasons 1. That by his Divine and mnipotent power he might uphold his Humanity that it should not sink under the weight of Gods wrath lâ—id upon him for our sins * This sâ—nne think was shadowed in â—â—e Altar â—n which the Sacrifice waâ— to be burned which was made of wood but covered with brass to keep it from beiâ—g coâ—â—umed So Christ was Man but the weakness of the humane nature was covered with 〈◊〉 powâ—r oâ— Divinity so that it might be supported under its sufferings The wrath of God was so heavy that no meer Creature could bear up under it The man-hood of Christ would have sunk under those sufferings had not the Divine power upheld it 2. That he might
pierced Now our Saviour was actually condemned and delivered up to that kind of death by Pilate who gave sentence it should be as the Jews required and they required he should be Crucified There are three things observable concerning Crucifixion 1. 'T was a painful death The hands and feet which of all parts of the body are most nervous and consequently most sensible were pierced through with nailes which caused a lingring and tormenting death 2. 'T was an ignominious * 'T was servile supplicium Thieves and Robbers were usually by the Romans punished with this kind of death death and therefore among the Romans inflicted upon their Slaves and fugitives 3. A cursed death as 't is written Deut. 21.13 Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Having premised these things let us now consider what are the instructions we should learn from this Article that our Saviour was Crucified 1. Christ hath hereby redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3.13 that is he hath indured that most shameful death of the Cross which was accounted accursed and inglorious 2. Christ hath blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and taken it out of the way nailing it to his Cross One ancient custome as they tell us of Cancelling Bonds was by striking a nail through the writing Our Saviours Crucifixion hath done this for us 3. Seeing Christ was Crucified for us we should in imitation thereof labour to Crucifie sin in our selves Our old man must be Crucified that the body of sin may be destroyed We must remember that those that are Christs must crucifie the flesh with its affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 4. We should often meditate on the bitter Cup our Saviour drank and on those nails that pierced his hands and feet that so we may be the more ready and willing to suffer for him We should consider how he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross teaching us thereby to humble our selves and with patience to bear the lowest condition for his sake and to imitate him who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the shame We come now to the next word in the Creed viz. He Dyed Our Saviour was not only nailed to the Cross but died thereon He suffered upon the Cross a dissolution and died a true and proper death Dead He died for our sins according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.3 He was cut off from the Land of the Living Isa 53.7 8 10. and made his Soul that is his life an offering for sin He said Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit and having said so he gave up the ghost Luke 23.26 'T is true Christ did voluntarily die for he saith no man taketh away my life from me but I lay it down of my self John 10.18 That is He laid not down his life by a necessary compulsion but by a voluntary election He took upon him a necessity of dying for our benefit But the Jews were the causes of his death and by wicked bands crucified him Acts 2.23 and slew him and hanged him on a tree Acts 5.30 They are truly said to have done it because by their incessant importunity they prevailed with Pilate to do it Our Saviour therefore being truly put to death and suffering a real dissolution let us consider what union was dissolved by his death and what continued In Christ there were two different substantial unions One of the parts of his humane nature each to other in which his humanity consisted and by which he was truly man the other of his natures divine and humane by which it came to pass that he was both God and Man in the same person Now the union of the parts of his humane nature was dissolved on the Cross and a real separation made between his Soul and Body But yet there was no disunion of either of them from his Deity The union of the natures remained still nor was the Soul or Body though separated one from the other separated from the Divinity but still remained united unto it When he cried out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me it intimates no more but that he was bereft of those joys and comforts from the Deity which were necessary to asswage the bitterness of his present Agony Having thus shewed that our Saviour did really die Let us now inquire why it was needful he should die 'T was requisite for these reasons 1. That the new Covenant or Testament might be ratified by his blood Where a Testament is there must needs be the death of the Testator Heb. 9.16 2. That he might perform that part of his Priestly Office which required the shedding of his blood For without shedding of blood there is no remission Heb. 9.22 Therefore Christ our Passeover must be Sacrificed for us 1 Cor. 5.7 3. If he would redeem us he must give himself a ransom for us 1 Pet. 1.18 19. For we being enemies could not be reconciled to God but by the death of his Son Col. 1.21 And by his death he hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil Heb. 2.15 By his death was our redemption wrought as by the price that was paid as by the atonement which was made as by the full satisfaction that was given that God might be reconciled to us who was before offended with us and Buried Thus we have seen what our Saviour died on the Cross And as he really died by the separation of his Soul from his Body so his body was carried and laid up in a Sepulchre hewn out of the Rock in which never man was before laid This the Evangelists do sufficiently testify Now that the Messias was to be buried was typified by Jonas who was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly And accordingly the Son of Man was to be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth * He is said to be three dayes and three nights in the Grave the whole time or space of three dayes being put for a part of it by a synecdoche see my Harm Ch. 6. pag. 266. Mat. 12.40 The Psalmist intimates as much Psal 16.9 My flesh shall rest in hope for thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell (a) My Soul In Hell that is my dead body in the Grave see the next §. nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption Isay 53.9 He was cut off out of the land of the living He made his Grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death Christ being put to death his body was by Joseph of Arimathea begged of Pilate and by him and Nicodemus one of their great Council taken down and wound in fine linnen with spices as the manner of the Jews was to bury and laid in a new Sepulchre in a Garden nigh the place of his execution and a great
in his promises It should be the solid ground of our faith the stay of our Souls the foundation of all our hopes Faith is animated by Gods veracity and truth and from thence all other graces are excited in us O Christians what life should it put into our hopes to think that all those words that God hath spoken are most certainly true that all those descriptions of the everlasting Kingdom all those exceeding precious promises that concern this life or that which is to come will certainly be made good that all those expressions of the exceeding love of God to his poor Servants are certain and sure O how should our faith live upon this truth of God and by it be daily more and more strengthened And particularly that none of his promises concerning his Church will fail or fall to the ground Fourthly How thankfull should we be to God for giving us such gracious promises to encourage us in the ways of our obedience He has promised that he will never never leave nor forsake those that are in Covenant with him Heb. 13.5 We have good assurance That all things shall work together for good to them that love God Rom. 8.28 That he will give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.11 And what can we desire more Fifthly We should labour to get an interest Christ in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 That is have their foundation firm establishment and unalterable ratification Sixthly We should learn the Divine art of living upon the promises of God and fetching comfort for the support of our lives from them Most men live on their present enjoyments not on Gods promises Whereas the Prophet tells us Habak 2.4 The Just shall live by his Faith Certainly nothing makes us so humble lowly and puts us into so much ease and quietness of mind as to live by Faith on God Isai 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stay'd on thee because he trusteth in thee Seventhly The truth and faithfulness of God should engage us to be true and faithfull to him Have we not ingaged in our Baptism to forsake the Devil the World and the Flesh and to devote our selves to the sincere service and worship of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Are not his Vows upon us that is Vows to serve him faithfully Psal 56.12 And shall we be like those false Israelites of whom 't is said Psal 78.36 37. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied unto him with their Tongues For their heart was not right with him neither were they steadfast in his Covenant And have we not in the course of our lives made many particular promises to God in our particular distresses And shall we expect that God should perform his promises to us when we take no care to perform ours to him Shall we expect that God will perform his promise of pardon to us when we take no care to perform the conditions required of us upon the performance of which we may comfortly expect to have the Divine promises made good to us Eighthly We should endeavour to imitate God in this Attribute of his faithfulness Let us be true to God and true also to man Remember you serve a God of truth and 't is the glory of his servants to be like him The Devil indeed is the Father of lyes but God hates all lying as contrary to his Holy Nature If you would be like God labour to imitate him in his truth and faithfulness SECT II. Concerning the Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Divine Essence TO prevent all misapprehensions concerning God and the Divine Nature it will be requisite that we carefully attend unto the Declaration or Revelation that God hath been pleased to make of himself in the Holy Scriptures For surely we have all the reason in the World to assent to those assertions or testimonies that God is pleased to give unto us concerning himself and that according to their natural and genuine sence The Sum then of this Revelation held forth to us in Holy Scriptures is this That God is one That this one God is Father Son and Holy Ghost That the Father is the Father of the Son and the Son the Son of the Father and the Holy Ghost the Spirit of the Father and the Son and by reason of their mutual respects and relations to each other and their peculiar properties arising from those particular relations they viz. Father Son and Holy Ghost are distinct each from other This one God is set forth to us in the Scriptures as the only true God whom we are to believe in adore worship and obey This is the first cause Soveraign Lord and ultimate end of all For the proof hereof we shall produce Divine Testimonies whereon Faith may safely rest And first we shall prove God to be one Secondly The Father to be God the Son to be God the Holy Ghost to be God Thirdly We shall shew that the explanations usually made of this Doctrine are accordiâ—g to truth though we make use of some words or expressions which are not literally or Syllabically contained in the Holy Scriptures but are such as do not teach any other Doctrine than what is therein contained and are to our apprehensions fairly expository of them And surely if Ministers may not set forth the sence of the words of Scripture in such expressions as they apprehend do most clearly convey the true and genuine meaning of them to the People to what end serves that great Ordinance of preaching the Word I shall begin therefore with the Original Revelation and shew you what is delivered to us by Divine Testimony and this I shall give you in these particulars following First We are assured by Divine Revelation that God is one Deut. 6.4 Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. Isai 44.6.8 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel and his Redeemer the Lord of Hosts I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God Is there any God besides me Yea there is no God I know not any Isai 45.5 I am the Lord and there is none else there is no God besides me 1 Cor. 8.4 As concerning therefore the eating of things Offered in Sacrifice unto Idols we know that an Idol is nothing in the World and that there is none other God but one Secondly That the Father is God He is often so called only in reference to his Son And if he had an eternal Son as we shall prove presently He is an Eternal Father and his Paternity was from Eternity co-existent with his Deity The Father is a person subsisting of himself This is denied by none Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual blessings in Christ Luk. 23.34 Then said Jesus Father forgive
with thee before the World was Secondly Let us consider this All the ways whereby we can come to know God are either by his Name or his Properties or his Works or the Divine worship given unto him Now all these belong to the Son He therefore is God or we cannot tell either who or what God is And First The proper Name of God viz. Jehovah is given to Him Jer. 23.6 This is his Name whereby he shall be called The Lord our righteousness And Rom. 9.5 He is called The most high God who is over all God blessed for evermore * A Title peculiar to the most high God Secondly Divine Properties are ascribed to him and such Divine excellencies as naturally and necessarily appertain to the Divine Nature Particularly these Four First Eternity Joh. 1.1 2. In the beginning was the Word * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sic Mos Hebraeis aeternitatem populariter exprimare Grot. In the beginning when the World began to be created then was He. And so Prov. 8.23 24. I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the Earth was when there was no depths I was brought forth The Essential Wisdom of the Father was from everlasting Col. 1.17 He was before all things viz. All things created And Revel 1.8 I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty That this place is meant of Christ may appear by comparing with it Chap. 2.6 22.13 of this Book Secondly Omnipresence Mat. 18.20 Where two or three are met together in my Name says our Saviour there am I in the midst of them viz. By my Eternal Spirit Joh. 3.13 No man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven And Mat. 28.20 And so I am with you always even to the end of the World Thirdly Omnipotency Philip. 3.8 'T is said of Christ that He shall change our vile bodies and make them like to his own glorious body according to the mighty working whereby He is able to subdue all things unto himself Joh. 1.3 All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Heb. 1.10 And thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the Foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thine hands Fourthly Omniscience Joh. 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things says Peter And Joh. 2.25 'T is said of our Saviour that He needed not that any should testifie of man for he knew what was in man * De animis hominum certo judicare solius est Dei. Thirdly Divine actions or works are ascribed to him As 1. Creation Joh. 1.3 All things were made by him So that there must needs be granted unto Christ a prae-existence in his Divine Nature antecedent to his Incarnation 2. Providence Heb. 1.3 He upholdeth all things by the Word of his power And Col. 1.17 He is before all things and by him all things consist He is not only before all Creatures and their Creator but together with the Father and the Holy Ghost their Up-holder powerfull Preserver and Governour Fourthly Divine Worship is given to him Heb. 1.6 Let all the Angels of God worship him The Angels themselves refused Divine Worship Rev. 19.10 See thou do it not says the Angel there that is See thou do not worship me I am thy fellow Creature Joh. 14.1 You believe in God says our Saviour believe also in me Now to be believed in and rested on is an honour or homage peculiar unto God alone Indeed the Socinians say that though Christ be not the most High God yet he ought to be worshipped with Divine and Religious worship But surely they do not well consider that only Divine and Essential excellencies are the formal Object of Divine and Religious worship and to give such a worship to one that is not God by Nature is plain Idolatry Where the Divine Nature is there is the true proper formal Object of Religious worship and where that is not it is Idolatry to ascribe it to or exercise it towards any other So that if the Word and Testimony of God be able to decide a difference among the Children of men I see not but that the Testimony given to the God-head of the Son are as clear and unquestionable as those which are given concerning the Deity of the Father And thus we have spoken to the Third thing viz. That Jesus Christ is God Fourthly It is delivered to us by Divine Revelation that the Holy Ghost is God This will plainly appear if we consider what is revealed to us concerning the Divine existence the Divine excellencies and the Divine Operations of this blessed Spirit Such things are ascribed to him in the Scriptures which do uncontrolably evidence him to be a voluntary Divine Agent an Eternal Divine existing substance a Person or intelligent subsistence the Author of Divine Operations and the Object of Divine and Religious worship There are some that hold he is a meer emanation of virtue or power from God and not a Person Others grant indeed his Personality and that he is a distinct self-subsisting Person but deny his Deity they deny him to be a participant of the Divine Nature A Created finite Spirit they will allow him to be and the chiefest of all Spirits that were created and the Head of all the good Angels But they will not allow him to be a Divine Person We shall therefore endeavour to prove from plain Testimonies of Scripture 1. That he is not a meer emanation of virtue or power from God but an intelligent subsistence or Person 2. A Divine Person 3. A Person distinct from the Father and the Son 4. A Person proceeding from the Father and the Son First It will appear he is a Person because he is endued with Personal properties and Personal actions such as are peculiar and proper to a person are Attributed to him As namely 1. To make intercession Rom. 8.26 The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities For we know not how to pray as we ought but the Spirit maketh intercession for us v. 27. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God 2. To come to men being sent to them Job 15.26 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall teâ—tifie of me 3. Our Saviour says He shall receive of mine * That is communicate nothing to them bâ—â— what tâ—â—y râ—câ—iv d from him and shew it unto you Joh. 16.14 which is a personal action 4. He is such an one against whom a sin may be committed and therefore surely he is a person Matth. 12.31 Wherefore I say unto you all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto
men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men 5. His appearing in and under a visible sign argues his Personal existence This is related Matt. 3.16 And Jesus when he was Baptised went up strait way out of the water and lo the Heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him He took the form or shape of a Dove and nothing but a Person can assume a shape wherein to appear 6. He is placed in the same rank and order with other Divine Persons and is set forth as the proper Object of Divine and Religious Worship Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost 7. To him is ascribed Vnderstanding 1 Cor. 2.10 The Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Searching is a Personal action and undeniably argues him to be an understanding Agent 8. To him is ascribed Will Vnderstanding and Will are most eminently distinstuishing Characters of a Person 1 Cor. 12.11 But all these things worketh that one and the self same Spirit dividing to every one as he will 9. He is said to teach Luk. 12.12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say Joh. 14.26 But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you And those that pretend to be Teachers of others and neither seek nor regard his guidance or assistance had need consider what they do 10. He calls men to the Ministry Act. 13.2 3 4 And the Holy Ghost said Separate unto me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them Act. 20.28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his blood 11. He is spoken of as the Object of such actings and actions of men as none but a Person can be the Object of Thus he is said to be tempted or provoked Acts 5.9 Then Peter said unto her How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord He is said to be resisted Act. 7.51 Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye He is said to be grieved Eph. 4.30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption Compare this with Isa 63 10. But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them Now to be tempted provoked gresisted rieved though improperly spoken of God yet are such affections as a quality is not capable of And these expressions declare what effects they would produce in a Nature capable of such Affections And so much of the first particular the Holy Ghost is a Person Secondly He is not a Created but an Eternal Divine Person having one and the same Divine Nature with the Father and the Son and so is truly and properly God This I shall prove by these Arguments 1. He is expresly called God Act. 5 4 9. Then Peter said unto her Hâ—w is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lâ—rd You have nâ—â— lyed unto men but unto God 2. Divine Properties are attributed to him which none can be enduâ—d with to whom the Divine Nature belongs not and which â—viâ—◠〈◊〉 dâ—â—lâ—re him to be the most High God Such are first Eternity Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal â—pirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Secondly Immensity Psal 139.7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Or whither shall I flee from thy presence Thirdly Praescience Act. 1.16 Men and Bâ—ethâ—eâ— This Scripture must needs be fulfilled which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas which was guide to them that took Jesus Fourthly Omniscience 1 Cor. 2.10.11 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God For what man knoweth the things of a man save the Spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Thirdly Divine Works are ascribed to him and which are only proper to God Such as are Creation Job 33.4 The Spirit of God hath made me And the working of Miracles Matth. 12.28 If I by the Spirit of God cast out Devils then the Kingdom of God is come unto yâ—u And thus we have proved that the Holy Ghost is a Divine Pâ—rsâ—n 3. He is a Person distinct from the Father and the Son I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter saith our â—â—viour to his Disciples Joh. 14.16 Now the Person sending and the Person sent must need be distinct the one from the other And this same reason also proves the Son and the Holy Ghost to be two distinct Persons bâ—câ—use the Holy Ghost is also sent by the Son Joh. 15.26 But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me Joh. 16.7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto yâ—u but if I depart I will send him unto you 4. He is a Person prâ—ceeding from the Father and the Son The Father proceeded from none the Son from the Father the Holy Ghost from both First from the Father Joh. 15.26 The Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father Secondly From the Son For he is called the Spirit of the Son Gal. 4.6 Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Rom. 8.9 Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he his none of his Thus we have proved that there is but one God and yet Three distinct Persons or Hypostases distinctly subsisting in the same Divine Essence or â—eing Now a Divine Person is nothing but the Divine Essence considered with an especial property and subsisting in an especial manner As in the Person of the Father there is the Divine Essence with its especial Properties of begetting the Son and subsisting in an especial manner as the Father And because this Person hath the whole Divine Nature all the Essential Properties of that Nature are in that Person The like may be said of the Persons of the Son and Holy Ghost Each Person having the understanding will and power of God becomes a distinct intelligent voluntary Omnipotent Agent
or principle of Operation These Divine Persons are so distinct in their peculiar subsistence * In the Divine Essence thâ—re is alius not aliud aliud The Persons several the Essence of all Three the same The Persons are distinguiâ—hed by their incommunicable Properties that distinct Actions and Operations are ascribed to them And these actions are of two sorts First ad intra Such are those internal acts in one Person whereof another Divine Person is the Object And these acts ad invicem or ad intra are natural necessary and inseparable from the Being Existence and Blessedness of God Thus the Father knoweth the Son and loveth him and the Son knoweth and loveth the Father In these mutual actings one Person is the Object of the knowledge and love of the other Joh. 3.35 The Father loveth the Son and hath given all things into his hand Matth. 11.27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father And no man knoweth the Son but the Father Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him This mutual knowledge and love of the Father and Son we find expressed Prov. 8.30 I was daily his delight rejoicing always before him And in these mutual internal actings consists much of the ineffable blessedness of the Holy Gâ—d Secondly There are distinct actions of these Divine Persons ad extra which are voluntary effects of will and choice and not natural or necessary And these are likewise of two sorts 1. Such as respect one another for there are external acts of one Person towards another but then the Person that is the Object of these actings is not considered absolutely as a Divine Person but with respect to some peculiar dispensation or condescention which he voluntarily submitted unto Thus the Father gives sends commands the Son he having condescended to take our Nature on him and to be Mediator between God and man Thus the Father and the Son do send the Spirit he having condescended in an especial manner to the Office of being the Sanctifier and Comforter of the Church Now these are free and voluntary acts depending upon the Soveraign Will Counsel and Pleasure of God and might not have been without any the least diminution of his Eternal blessedness Secondly Such as have respect and reference to the Creatures of which some are ascribed peculiarly to the Father some to the Son and some to the Holy Ghost * Though these works ad extra be common to all Three yet the manner of working is proper to each Person Thus Creation is attributed to the Father Eph. 9.14 15. Redemption to the Son Eph. 1.7 Sanctification to the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.5 Every Person doth work Sâ—cundum distinctam rationem suae subsistentiae according to the distinct manner of his Personal sâ—bsistence Yet all their actings ad extra towards the Creatures being the actings of God are undivided and are all the works of one and the same God Having thus far explained the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity and I hope sutably to the Revelation made of it in the Scriptures I shall now lay down some Rules or Propositions for the further understanding of it First Each Person hath its own substance for the one substance of the Deity is the substance of each Person and so is still but one But each Person hath not its own distinct substance separate from the substance of the other Persons because the substance of them all is the same Where therefore Christ as the Son is said to be another from the Father or from God spoken of Personally as the Father it argues not in the least that he is not partaker of the Divine Nature with him 'T is true in one Essence there can be but one Person where the substance is finite and limited but it hath no place in that which is infinite Secondly Each Person is infinite as he is God For all Divine Properties belong not to the Persons on the account of their Personality but on the account of their Divine Nature which is one for they are all Natural Properties And therefore as the Nature of each Person is infinite so is each Person because of that Nature Thirdly The only true God is Father Son and Holy Ghost But when we say the Father is the only true God we respect not his Paternity or Paternal relation to his Son but his Divine Nature Essence or Being And the like may be said of the Son that He is the onely true God and so of the Holy Ghost For the Divine Nature though absolutely singular and one yet is communicated to more and hath a larger signification then either the Term Father Son or Holy Ghost So that though each Person be the only true God it does not follow that one Person must be another namely that the Father must be the Son or the Son the Father For though the Father be the only true God yet it does not follow that every one who is the true God is the Father For the Son is the only true God and so is the Holy Ghost because they are equally participant of the Divine Nature But to say whoever is the only true God is the Father is false Fourthly Distinction and inequality in respect of Office in Christ and the Holy Ghost does not in the least take away equality and sameness with the Father in respect of Nature and Essence Phi. 2.6 7 8. Christ Jesus being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of men And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Fifthly The advancement and exaltation of Christ as Mediator to any Dignity whatsoever upon or in reference to the works of our Redemption and Salvation is not at all inconsistent with the Essential honour and Dignity which he hath in himself as God blessed for ever Though he humbled himself and was exalted as to his Office yet in Nature he was one and the same he changed not Sixthly Gods working in and by Christ as he was Mediator denotes the Fathers Soveraign appointment of the things mentioned to be done Not his immediate efficiency in the doing of them Seventhly That must be remembred which Zophar says Job 11. 7. We cannot by searching find out God we cannot find out the Almighty to perfection Some things may be above the comprehension of reason * Observe the words of a learned man Dr. H. in his Comment on the Creed p. 20. I thank God I can say with a very good Conscience that I b lieve the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity according to the Catholick Tradition of the Church of Christ yet I confess withall such is the weakness of my understanding that I am utterly unable and indeed who is not
To look into the deâ—th of so great a Mysterie and cannot buâ— cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle did in another case O the unsearchableness O the depth of this Heavenly Oeconomy in matters of so high a Nature I believe more then I am able to understand the gift of Faith supplying the defects of my understanding as considered in this or that man which are not all absolutely against it We grant that nothing contrary to the reason of things must be admitted But reason as it is in this or that man may be very weak and imperfect and very short of a juâ—t and a full comprehension of the whole reason of things Therefore that is no fit measure to try this Divine Doctrine by Certainly it is the highest reason that in things of pâ—rely Divine Revelation we should captivate our understandings to the Authority of the Revelator Let us therefore earnestly pray unto God that it may be given unto us to know the Mysteries of his Kingdom The Apostle Peter knew Christ to be the Eternal Son of God which is a part of this Mystery of the Trinity and our Saviour tells him Matth. 16.16 17. That Flesh and Blood had not revealed it unto him but his Father A man ought not presently to desert his perswasion grounded upon Scripture because he cannot answer every Objection that the subtil Wit of man can make against it For though this or that private Person may not be able to Answer such Objections yet others more learned and knowing may easily do it and to them he ought to betake himself for satisfaction Thus I have shewed what is the Original Declaration or Revelation of this Doctrine of the Holy Trinity contained in the Scripture and how the same is explained by Pious and Learned men very sutably to that Revelation And it will not be amiss to give my Reader these two further directions First If at any he be attaqued by any adversary of this Divine doctrin I advise him in the first place to hold him strictly and peremtorily to the Original revelation and to put him to disprove if he can that God is one that the Father is God the Son God the Holy Ghâ—st God understanding by God the most High God Soveraign of all the World If he cannot do this as you may see by the Testimonies forecited he cannot with any shew of reason do then suffer him not to quarrel at the explanation and fall foully as their manner is upon the terms Trinity and Personality and such like expressions which though they be not literally aâ—d syllabically found in the Scriptures yet are agreeable to the Original Revelation of this Doctrine therein contained and fairly Expolitory thereof And having given this hint or admonition which I think very needfull at this time let me in the closing up of this Discourse advise all those that have any true desire to walk in the narrow path of Truth and Holiness which leads to everlasting bliss to labour in the first place judiciously to understand this Sacred Doctrine according to the Original Revelation thereof made in the Scriptures When this is done the explanation thereof as we have here delivered it will not seem harsh to them nor to contain any thing unsuitable to that Revelation And let me add this one word more that I fear the failing of so many mens profession as we have seen of late years has begun with their relinquishing this Foundation This has been the fatal miscarriage of those poor deluded Souls called Quakers and I am afraid of some others more learned than they If they could be brought to a right understanding of this Doctrine of the blessed Trinity as 't is in the Scripture revealed I suppose their other fond imaginations would quickly vanish and come to nothing SECT III. Of the Works of God I Have spoken of the Nature of God Maker of Heaven and Earth and his glorious Attributes and of the Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Divine Nature I come now to speak of his works Viz. Creation Providence And First of Creation The Apostle Heb. 11.3 Of Creation tells us that by Faith we understand that the Worlds namely the inferior middle and superior as the Jews were wont to distinguish them and all the Creatures in them were made and framed by the Word of God And certainly this goodly Fabrick of Heaven and Earth was not from Eternity as Aristotle that great Philosopher destitute of Scripture-light was inclin'd to believe but was created and made at that time when it seemed best to the infinite Wisdom of God And the special Motives as we may humbly conceive which inclined him to make it were a desire and purpose to express his infinite Power to declare his transcendent Wisdom and Goodness and to exercise his all-wise Providence all conducing to the manifestation of his own glory and praise Some Creatures he made immediately out of nothing as the terminus a quo by a proper Creation giving them a reall being which before they had not Other things he made out of some prae-existent matter which matter he had before made out of nothing by a mediate and improper kind of Creation As he made Adams body out of the dust of the earth * The remembrance of this should be an Antidote against Pride in all his Posterity Abraham Gen. 18.27 acknowledges himself but dust and ashes cum sis humillimus cur non es humillimus says Bernard and Eves of Adams Ribb When Solomon was to build a Magnificent Temple for God he needed many Materials * Ex nihilo nihil fit id est Physice a Creaturis Sod non vaâ—â—t regula si intelligatur iâ— Deo and many Workmen and they many Tools But God did not so He made all without any Coadjutor or any Instrument by the sole word of his command And when he looked upon every thing he had made behold all was very good Neh. 9.6 Thou even thou art Lord alone thou hast made Heaven the Heaven of Heavens with all their Host the Earth and all things that are therein the Sea and all that is therein and thou preserved them all and the Host of Heaven worshippeth thee Colos 1.16 For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers All things were created by him and for him Rev. 4.11 Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created The chief of the Creatures God created were Angels and Men. All the Angels were at first made holy and happy Spirits Some of them continued in their obedience to God and are still Angels of light others of them fell from God by pride and disobedience and are become Devils of darkness First I shall speak of the good Angels
Of good Angels and then of the Angels that fell There are Four things the Scripture holds forth to us concerning good Angels 1. Their Number 2. Their Titles 3. Their Nature and Properties 4. Their Functions and Ministery First Their Number The Scripture teaches us that they are very many Dan. 7.10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him Thousand Thousands ministred unto him and Ten Thousand times Ten Thousands stood before him the Judgment was set and the Book was opened Rev. 5 11. And I beheld and heard the voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the Beasts and the Elders and the Number of them was Ten Thousand times Ten Thousand and Thousands of Thousands Matth. 26.53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and he shall presently send me more then Twelve Legions of Angels Heb. 12.22 But ye are now come unto Mount Sion and unto the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels Psal 68.17 The Chariots of God are Twenty Thousand even Thousands of Angels 2 Kings 6.17 And Elisha prayed and the Lord opened the Eyes of the young man and he saw the Mountain was full of Horses and Chariots of Fire round about Elisha that is that a great multitude of Angels were sent from God to defend and protect the Prophet Secondly Their Titles Their general name is Angels or Messengers Sometimes they are called Cherubim and when they appeared in a visible shape or were pictured they had the resemblance of a young man in the excellency of his beauty vigor and strength and had Wings as we read Exod. 25.18 20. Sometimes they are called Seraphim importing their fervent Zeal in executing the will of God Sometimes Sons of God Job 38.7 When the morning Stars sang together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy Sometimes Thrones Dominions Principalities Powers as we read Col. 1.16 And so much of their Titles Thirdly Their Natures and Properties 1. They are Spirits of great Knowledge and Wisdom 'T was said of David 2 Sam. 14.20 That he was wise according to the Wisdom of an Angel of God They are admirable in knowledge both natural experimental and revealed 2. Of spotless purity and integrity Our Saviour says Mark 8.38 Whosoever shall be ashamed â—f me and of my words in the adulterous and sinfull Generation of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the Holy Angels When they appear'd to the World their garb wherein they appear'd represented their innocency As at Christ's Sepulchre there appeared two Angels in white the one sitting at the Head the other at the Feet where the body of Jesus had lain Joh. 20.12 3. Of exceeding great power and strength Psal 103.20 Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength 4. Of great celerity and quickness of motion in which respect they are said to have wings Isai 6.2 Above it stood the Seraphims each one had six wings importing their chearfulness and readiness and celerity in the service of God Fourthly Their Function and Ministry which is of Three sorts 1. In reference to God 2. In reference to Christ 3. To the Saints and People of God I In reference to God 1. They attend his glorious presence They are his chief Servants and principal attendants the bright Courtiers of Heaven They are called the Host of Heaven 1 Kings 22.19 They are called the Chariots of God viz. Such as attend him for his service Psal 68.17 The Chariots of God are twenty Thousand even Thousands of Angels 2. They are especiall Instruments to praise and magnifie him Rev. 7.11 12. And all the Angels stoood round about the Throne and fell before the Throne on their faces and wâ—rshipped God saying Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever Amen 3. They are Messengers to carry and reveal his mind and will By the glorious ministry and proclamation of Angels God delivered his Law on Mount Sinai Act. 7.53 Compared with Gal. 3.19 Christ the Head of Angels proclaimed his Law by the voice of an Angel as a Herald in presence of the King publishes his Proclamations And so on sundry other occasions God used to make known his will by Angels Dan. 9.21 Whiles I was speaking in prayer says Daniel the man Gabriel whom I had seen in the Vision at the beginning being caused to fly swiftly touched me about the time of the evening Oblation And Luk. 1.11 There appeared unto Zacharias an Angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the Altar of Incense and said unto him I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God And am sent to speak unto thee and to shew thee these glad tidings And v. 26. in the Sixth Month the Angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a City of Galilee name Nazareth to the Virgin Mary And Luke 2.9 10. An Angel was sent to the Shepherds keeping watch over their Flock by Night to bring the joyful tidings of the Birth of the Messias 4. They are Ministers to execute and perform what God will have done in the World Psal 103.20 Bless the Lord ye his Angels that excel in strength that do his Commaâ—dments They bring Lot out of Sodom Gen. 19.1 They bring Israel out of Egypt Numb 20.16 They stop Balaams course Numb 22.22 They stop the Lyons Mouths Dan. 6.20 22. They execute the Judgments of God upon wicked men Thus we read how Two Angels destroyed Sodom and that an Angel defeated the Host of Sennacherib 2 Kings 19.35 And that an Angel smote bloody persecuting Herod Acts 12.33 And thus much of their Ministry in reference to God I come now to consider II. Their Ministry in reference to Christ 'T is said Joh. 1.51 That the Angels ascend and descend on the Son of man That place has relation to Gen. 28.12 Where Jacob dreamed of a Ladder set upon the earth whose to preached to Heaven and the Angels of the Lord ascended and descended on it by the Ladder Christ is meant who by his humane Nature touched the Earth and whose Divine Nature reached up to Heaven The Angels ascending and descending imported the continual service they are reâ—dy to perform unto him and that they are deputed thereunto of the Father as the Apostle proves Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth his first begotten into the World he saith Let all the Angels of God worship him But to dâ—scend to Particulars 1. They foretell his conception Luke 1.30 3â— And the Angel said unto her fear not Mâ—ry for thou hast found favour with God And shalt conceive in thy Womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus 2. They declare his Birth Luke 2.9 10 11. And lo the Angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid And the Angel of the Lord
stone rolled to the door of the Sepulchre Matth. 27.60 Thus the design of the Jews made his Grave with the wicked intending he should be buried with them who were crucified with him But the design of Heaven placed him with the rich in his death and caused a Councellor and a Ruler of the Jews to bury him So that we may interpret that place of Isaiah thus He was buried nigh to the wicked yet with the rich when he was dead Our Saviour notwithstanding the malice of the Jews being thus honourably buried The Chief Priests desired of Pilate that the Sepulchre might be made sure lest his Disciples should steal him away which was accordingly done the Stone being sealed with the publick Seal and then a watch was set upon the Sepulchre We come now to consider what improvement we are to make of this Article 1. Then seeing Christ did really die and was buried let us testifie our communion with him in his death by dying unto Sin 2. In his Burial by the burial of the old man 3. In his Resurrection by rising unto newness of life This the Apostle hints to us as our duty Rom. 6.4 Therefore we are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life SECT VI. Of that Article in the Creed Descended into Hell He descended into Hell AFter Christs Crucifixion Death and Burial the Creed subjoyns He descended into Hell In treating of which I must in the first place suggest this that this Article of Christs descent into Hell was not in the antient Creeds 'T is not found in the Rules of Faith delivered by Irenaeus lib. 1. c. 2. by Origen lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Tertullian Adversus Prax. cap. 2. 'T is not in those Creeds that were made by the Councils as explications of this Creed particularly not in the Nicene where the words are these He was Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate He suffered and was buried and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures It was not in the Roman or any of the Oriental Creeds This being premised we come to consider this Article which cannot with any shew of reason be understood of Christs Divine nature which is every where present and cannot be said either to ascend or descend It must therefore be understood of his humane nature And here it will be needful to enquire whether it be to be understood of his Soul or of his Body If it be to be understood of his Soul it must be meant either Metaphorically or really Some understand it Metaphorically and so by Christs descent into Hell they understand those inexpressible sufferings of his Soul a See Calv. Instit lib. 2. c. 16. which of all his sufferings were the most grievous by which he felt the wrath of God in his Soul for our sins But these sufferings were all antecedent to his death he having suffered part of them in the Garden and part on the Cross and all before he commended his Spirit into the hands of his Father and said it is finished and gave up the ghost But the descent into Hell as it now standeth in the Creed seems to signifie something done after his death Besides the torments of the damned are surely such as these 1. Remorse of Conscience or the never-dying worm 2. A bitter sence of an utter rejection from the favour of God 3. Despair of ever being eased of that unsupportable misery Now certainly none of these could befall our Saviour He did not endure so much as for a moment any of the Hellish torments Therefore surely in this sense Christs Soul did not descend into Hell Others hold that Christs Soul did really and by a local motion descend into Hell This they pretend 1. To prove and that from three places of Scripture And 2. To assign the ends for which he did thus descend We shall examine both First They say that though these words are not formally expressed in the Scriptures that Christ descended into Hell yet they are contained virtually in them which they will prove 1. From Eph. 4.9 Now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth by which they understand Hell For answer by the lower parts of the earth I humbly conceive is meant the earth it self which is the lowest part of the World as Heaven is the highest For before Christ could ascend unto Heaven it was necessary he should descend to the Earth by his incarnation but there was no necessity of his descending into Hell And further the Grave may be called one of the lower parts of the earth in opposition to the surface or upper part of it on which we live And this is all that seems to be meant in this place 2. They pretend to prove it from 1 Pet. 3.19 where 't is said that Christ being put to death in his humane nature was quickned or raised up again by the power of his Spirit or God-head by which he preached to the Spirits in Prison whence they infer that he descended into Hell to preach to the Spirits there in torments Answer From these words it appeareth 1. That Christ preached in the dayes of Noah by the same Spirit by the vertue and power of which he was raised from the dead But that Spirit was not his Soul but something of a greater power 2. those to whom he preached were disobedient all that time the long-suffering of God waited for their repentance and return while the Ark was preparing And 3. Their Souls or Spirits for their disobedience are now in Hell and for refusing of that mercy that was offered to them by the preaching of Christ 'T is true indeed this was not performed by an immediate act of the Son of God as if he had personally appeared on earth and actually preached to the old world but it was performed by the Ministry of Noah who was guided and inspired by his Spirit and accordingly is called a preacher of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.5 The third place they alledge for the maintenance of their opinion is Acts 2.25 26 27 a place that relates to Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell c. Therefore say they surely Christs Soul did locally descend into Hell I Answer Soul is sometimes taken properly only for the Soul or Spirit of a man sometimes improperly for the whole person as Acts 27.37 We were in the Ship two hundred threescore and sixteen Souls Sometimes the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nephesh which signifies a Soul doth also signifie a dead body as Levit. 19.28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead Levit. 21. v. 1. There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people Numb 6.6 All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no
that except we be converted we cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.3 2. Let us examine our hearts Let us consider what Principles we act from what projects we are driving on and what ends we aim at let us examine whether Grace rule in our hearts or Sin Whether we labour to keep a good Conscience toward God and Man 3. Let us examine our lives Have we performed duties of Piety towards God as we ought Have we performed our relative duties towards men as we ought Have we been so careful in the right governing our selves as we ought 4. Let us consider whether we have improved our Talents as we ought 1. Our Spiritual Talents viz. the means of Grace God hath afforded us 2. Our Temporal Talents such as Power Riches Health Strength c. Let us remember that of all these things we must give an account 4. Let the consideration of the day of Judgment quicken our Repentance There is no way to live free from inward rebuke here or to appear with comfort at the day of Judgment without having our peace made with God upon Gospel terms O Sinner break off thy sins by repentance now while there is time before thou be brought to thy tryal at Gods Tribunal 5. Seeing we must all come to Judgment let us be wise before-hand to make the Judge our friend But how shall we do that 1. By repenting unfeignedly of all our past sins as I said before 2. By believing in him and giving up our selves sincerely to obey him 3. By owning him before the World and owning our selves for his Disciples 4. By being willing to deny our selves for his sake and to take up his Cross Luke 9.23 5. By duly regarding his Embassadors and their Message Matth. 10.40 6. By prizing and and improving his Ordinances 7. By doing good to others according to our abilities and opportunities See Matth. 25. from 34. to 41. 6. Having prepared our selves for our tryal let us watch for our Summons to appear before this great Judge And so much of the first use 2. This Doctrine may serve for consolation to the Righteous 'T is a fountain of great comfort to all the people of God 1. Christ the Judge is their Head Husband Advocate their elder Brother their Intercessor who hath loved them and washed them from their sins in his own blood Rev. 1.5 O let them think of it to their unspeakable comfort 2. Let them consider that he will reward them for all the works and faithful services they have done for him in this life Here they have performed many secret duties that no eye hath seen there is a time coming when he that sees in secret will reward them openly such or such a service they have done for God the thing possibly in it self but small as the Widows mite but it was performed with much love and desire to please God and much singleness of heart such a service shall not go unrewarded 3. Let them consider that though here they they lie under many scandals and reproaches for the name of Christ and the â—estimony of their Consciences yet there is a time coming when God will wipe away all tears from their eyes and blots from their names 4. Though here they suffer many afflictions and tribulations yet let them comfort themselves and have patience but a little James 5.8 for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh whose coming will be to their unspeakable comfort 3. And lastly This Doctrine speaks terror to the wicked Acts 24.15 When Paul Preached of Righteousness Temperance and Judgment to come Foelix trembled People love a general way of Preaching such as will give fair quarter to their Lusts but they should be often told of that great day wherein God will judge them for all their proud Rebellions against him Here they will do what they list as far as they are suffered but they should be remembred that for all these things God will bring them to Judgment CHAP. IV. SECT I. Concerning the Holy Ghost I believe in the Holy Ghost IN speaking to this Article it will be requisite that I 1. premise this viz. that each Person in the sacred Trinity is to be believed in by us and we are thankfully to accept the mercies that are conferred by each Person and to labour to perform the duties we owe to each of them distinctly For as to take God for our God is more than barely to believe that there is a God and to take Christ for our Saviour is more than barely to believe that he is the Messiah so to believe in the Holy Ghost is not barely to believe that he is the third Person in the Trinity and truly God but to take him for our Guide Sanctifier Helper Advocate and Comforter 2. We are to know that he is called the holy Spirit because of all the three Persons his peculiar office is to Sanctifie and make Holy the Church and people of God And therefore the Apostle tells the Thessalonians 2 Thes 2.13 that God had chosen them to Salvation through the Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth There are some that say they believe in the Holy Ghost and that he Sanctifies them and all the elect people of God and yet reject all his Sanctifying motions and hate all those that are Sanctified by him making them the objects of their scorn There are others of another strain who enthusiastically plead the authority of the Spirit in themselves against the authority of the Spirit speaking in the Holy Scriptures But let us take heed of both these That therefore I may speak pertinently to this Article I shall shew that we must labour 1. Rightly to understand the Doctrine of the holy Spirit 2. Our duty towards him The Doctrine concerning the Holy Ghost which is to be believed by us we have in part already explained in the Section concerning the Trinity viz. Sect. 2. of Chap. 1. Wherein we have shewed 1. That the Holy Ghost is a Person not a meer quality energy or operation 2. That he is a Divine Person and has one and the same divine nature with the Father and the Son and so is God truly and properly 3. That he is a Person distinct from the Father and the Son 4. That he is a Person proceeding both from the Father and the Son We shall now in some more particulars shew what is further to be known and believed concerning this blessed Spirit 1. This holy Spirit infallibly inspired both the Prophets of old and also the Holy Apostles and Evangelists first to preach and and then to write the Doctrine of Christ which is contained in the holy Scriptures 2. This same blessed Spirit setled this holy Doctrine and the testimony of those holy men by many miracles and wonderful works which he enabled them to work by which they did convince the unbelieving World and plant the Gospel 3. This same blessed Spirit having constituted the Offices and
A SUPPLEMENT TO Knowledge AND PRACTICE Wherein the main things necessary to be known and believed in order to Salvation are more fully explained and several new Directions given for the promoting of real Holiness both of Heart and Life To which is added a serious Disswasive from some of the reigning and customary sins of the Times viz. Swearing Lying Pride Gluttony Drunkenness Vncleanness Discontent Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness Anger and Malice Idleness By Samuel Cradock B. D. late Rector of North-Cadbury in Somerset-Shire Useful for the Instruction of private Families Quod de Scripturis authoritatem non habet pari facilitate rejicitur qua accipitur Hieron LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-yard 1679. To the INHABITANTS of NORTH-CADBURY in SOMERSETSHIRE My Loving Friends SOme years since when I stood in the Relation of a Pastor to you I wrote my Book of Knowledge and Practice aiming therein more especially at your benefit Which Treatise I hope through the Lords blessing hath been of some use to you I have since thought that it would not be a service unacceptable to you to add by way of Supplement a more full explication of the Main Principles of the Christian Faith and some Further Directions for regulating of your Practice and to send them unto you to supply my Personal absence God only knows whether I shall ever see your Faces again in this World Providence having fixed my Habitation at so great a distance from you However my hearts desire and prayer to God for you is that you may be saved and if this poor Book may in any measure contribute thereunto I shall heartily rejoyce The holy Apostles no doubt in writing their Epistles aimed at the Spiritual good of the Church in general yet we may well suppose that those particular Churches to whom their Epistles were directed read them with more especial regard and possibly reaped more signal benefits by them than others did So though I design these instructions for your Spiritual good and benefit of all those into whose hands they shall come Yet I hope they shall be more especially minded and regarded by you to whom they are particularly directed and in contemplation of whose necessities and with an aim at whose benefit they were particularly framed I know many of you are such of whom the Apostle speaks Heb. 5.12 Who have need that one teach you the first Principles of the Oracles of God and have need of milk and not of strong meat I should be glad to have you all rightly instructed in the main fundamentals of Christianity and that not for your sakes only but for my own that I may give up my account with joy and not with grief Heb. 13.17 But yet I must tell you that it is not enough to save any of you that you are of the true Religion except you be true to it and live agreeably thereunto God hath indeed made sufficient provision by the obedience and death of his Son to save Mankind But you must earnestly leg of God to inable you to do your part which is unfeignedly to repent of all your sins savingly to believe in Christ and to accept him for your Lord and Saviour and to deliver up your souls to him that you may be pardoned through the infinite merit of his active and passive obedience and sanctified by his Spirit and inabled by his grace to lead a holy and good life And as I earnestly desire you all to have an especial care of your own Souls so do I with some importunity intreat all that are Parents or Masters of Families among you that they would take great care to instruct their children and servants in the main Principles of the Christian Religion I have often thought that if ever real Piety and Christianity flourish in England more must he done by Parents and Masters in instructing those under their care than is now ordinarily done I hope this short Treatise may with the blessing of God something assist and help you in performing that part of your duty May the God of all grace lead you and guide you in ways of truth and holiness and inable you to live in love and peace one with another And though I should never see you again in this life yet may the Father of Mercies through his infinite goodness grant that I may meet your Souls in Heaven This is the earnest desire and prayer of him who was once your unworthy Pastor and is still your very loving and affectionate friend Wickham brook Novemb. 6. 1678. SAM CRADOCK The CONTENTS of the FIRST PART CHAP. I. Of God SECT 1. Of the Nature of God and his Divine Attributes page 1. SECT 2. Of the Trinity of persons in the unity of the Divine Essence page 18. SECT 3. Of the works of God page 31. 1. Creation where Of good Angels page 32. Of evil Angels page 40. 2. Particular page 48. CHAP. 2. Of Man Page 62 SECT 1. Of the happy State wherein Man was created and the Covenant of Works made with him in that State p. 62. SECT 2. Of his Fall and the consequents thereof p. 66 SECT 3. Of the Covenant of Grace made with Man immediately after his Fall which shews the only way of his recovery to be by Jesus Christ p. 73 CHAP. 3. Of Jesus Christ Page 80 SECT 1. Of his Titles which in the Creed are four 1. Jesus p. 80 2. Christ where of his three Offices Prophet p. 83 Priest p. 86 King p. 88 3. His only Son p. 91 4. Our Lord p. 93 SECT 2. Of his Natures Divine and Humane p. 95 SECT 3. Of his birth p. 96 SECT 4. Of his Life p. 100 Here a short and methodical History of our Saviours Life is exhibited and the particular Times in which he instituted Baptism and the Sacrament of his Supper are pointed at Vpon both which Sacraments there are distinct discourses added at the end SECT 5. Of his Death and Burial p. 137 SECT 6. Of that Article in the Creed He descended into Hell page 131 SECT 7. Of his Resurrection and ten several appearings after it in the space of forty dayes he continued on the earth p. 143 SECT 8. Of his Ascention and sitting on Gods right hand p. 149 SECT 9. Of his coming to judg the World p. 154 CHAP. 3. SECT 1. Of the Holy Ghost p. 162 SECT 2. Of the Catholick Church 166 SECT 3. Of Communion of Saints p. 175 SECT 4. Of forgiveness of sins p. 178 SECT 5. Of the Resurrection of the body p. 193 SECT 6. Of Life everlasting Of Baptism p. 200 Of the Lords Supper p. 205 Of the Lords Prayer p. 220 The second part contains a serious disswasive from some of the reigning and customary sins of the Times viz. Swearing Lying Pride Gluttony Drunkennness Vncleanness Discontent Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness Anger and Malice Idleness ERRATA IN page 267 after the eighth Direction add Ninthly Take heed of saying â—s
Nature to us And First He hath revealed himself to be a pure simple immaterial invisible Being a Spirit of transcendent glory Joh. 4.24 not having any matter or corporcity nor being compounded as bodies are And therefore we should not Picture him to our Eye-sight nor represent him to our Fancies under any bodily shape or figure whatsoever but should raise our apprehensions to the highest and holyest to the purest and most Spiritual conceptions of him that we can possible frame We should labour to see this invisible God by the eye of Faith and observe his power and efficacy working in all his Creatures 'T is He that enlightens us by the Sun and warms us by the fire and makes our food to nourish us and his other Creatures to do us good The Schoolmen say There are Three ways of knowing God First Per viam eminentiae when we ascribe all possible perfections to him Secondly Per viam negationis when we remove from him all imperfections whatsoever Thirdly Per viam causationis when we see and acknowledge that all things that are made are made by him and receive their being and all their powers and perfections from him Secondly God is an infinite Being for whatsoever hath no cause of being can have no bounds or limits of being set to it For the reason why any Being is bounded limited and confin'd to such a measure and degree of Being only is because the Author of its existence communicated and bestowed only so much being power and efficacy upon it and no more He that made it set limits and bounds to it that hitherto its Essence should go and extend and no further All things that receive their Being as all things Created do can have no more of being life power or vertue than is given them by the Author of their Nature And as they received their Being from him so they received their limitation to this or that set kind of Being also The First Being therefore that hath nothing to give it Being hath nothing to give it limits and as it were to confine it to this or that kind form and degree of Being As therefore the First Being could not be the cause of existence to it self so neither could it limit confine or bound it self And there was nothing else without it that could set bounds or limits to it It remains therefore that it must needs be an Essence unbounded unlimited and so absolutely infinite and immense Infinite in Life and so Eternal Infinite in Wisdom and so Omniscient Infinite in Power and so Omnipotent and infinite in Goodness and all perfections That Being therefore that hath more Power Wisdom and Goodness than all the World beside that is the Being we call God That Being that hath communicated to all things else the Being Power Life Virtue and all such perfections as they have is the God whom we acknowledg adore and worship We come now to consider the Attributes of God more Particularly which are those glorious excellencies Of the Attributes of God and proprieties of his Divine Essence which declare and manifest his Nature to us and whereby we are inabled in some measure to conceive aright of him And these are of Two sorts Incommunicable Communicable First Incommunicable which are such Attributes as agree to God alone and cannot belong to any Creature Such as are His Eternity Omnipresence Omnipotence Omniscience Secondly Communicable which are such Attributes which though they be infinite perfections in God yet some resemblances of them are found in the Creatures Such are His Wisdom Holiness Justice Mercy and Faithfulness I begin with His incommunicable Attributes And God is Eternal I. God is an Eternal Being and none is Eternal but himself Psal 90.2 From everlasting to everlasting thou art God That which had no cause had no beginning and that which had no beginning is Eternal Time which is a duration that hath beginning and end is competible to man and other visible Creatures Aâ—viternity which is a duration that hath a beginning but no end is competible to good and evil Angels and to the Souls of men But Eternity which hath neither beginning nor end belongs only to God Isai 57.15 He is called The high and lâ—sty one who inhabiteth Eternity that is who alone is Eternal He speaks of Eternity as a House or Palace which a King inhabiteth or dwelleth in as his own peculiar Possession in which no other man has any right but himself And 2 Pet. 3.8 The Apostle says A Thousand years with him are but as one day and this is the first of his incommunicable Attributes He is Eternal Let us now consider what improvement we should make of this Attribute Gods Eternity should fill our Souls with admiring thoughts of him Who can think of Eternity without amazement Man is a Creature of few days and ere long shall be no more here Our Bodies are perishing but our Souls must last to Eternity Let us therefore mind things Eternal 2 Cor. 4.18 Whatever we neglect let us labour to secure to our selves Eternal happiness Zeuxiâ— that famous Painter said He did pingere aeternitati he drew his Pictures with such care that they might last if it were possible and be famous to Eternity Let us all so pray so read so live and do all that we do as those that desire to obtain a happy Eternity Nulla satis magna securitas ubi periclitatur aeternitas We can never be over carefull to secure our Eternal state in Bliss and happiness II. God is Omnipresent Omnipresent or every where present He is not confined or limited to any place Jer. 23.24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Do not I fill Heaven and Earth The sweet Singer of Israel Psal 139.7 8 9 10. Cryes out Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Or whither shall I free from thy presence If I ascend up to Heaven thou art there if I make my Bed in Hell behold thou art there if I take the Wings of the Morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me if I say the darkness shall cover me even the night shall be light about me yea the darkness hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darkness and the light are both alike to thee Gods Omnipresence should imprint a constant awe of his Majesty upon our Souls We should always behave our selves as those that believed he stood by He is neither shut up in nor excluded out of any place nay he is beyond all place or space where any Creature is He is every where for his Essence is unbounded And further this should convince us that he is incomprehensible and that we cannot have a full adaequate and comprehensive knowledge of him (b) Non esset Deus magnus nisi esset major captu nostro Canst thou by searching
though many of his Ways and Providences are obscure and intricate God knows what is fittest for us and what is the fittest time to help us First We should labour to be wise that we may be like unto God To desire as Adam did any of that knowledge which God hath reserved to himself and is unnecessary for us is indeed not to be wise in our desires We ought to labour to know the Lord and his revealed will and the way to Eternal life and to endeavour to walk in it and this is true wisdom True Piety is the greatest wisdom and sin is the greatest folly There is not any Soul in Hell but was brought thither by its own sinful folly Therefore the Apostle exhorts us Eph. 5.15 That we walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Certainly to save a mans Soul is a work of the greatest wisdom and requires our best care and industry Secondly we should humbly beg wisdom of God We should seek to him as our principal Counsellor and Director in all our undertakings Jam. 1.5 If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him Thirdly We should take heed of trusting in our own wisdom The way of man is not in himself Jer. 10.23 We should read the Scriptures much for they are able to make us wise unto salvation We should often consider what the wise man sayes Prov. 3.5 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Fourthly The Infinite wisdom of God should teach us to rest in all his Determinations and Dispensations Shall dust and ashes judge the Lord who is only wise We should learn to submit to his infinite wisdom as well as to his Holy will Fifthly The consideration of the infinite wisdom of God should encourage the People of God in their greatest straits and against all the cunning subtilty of their enemies They should labour faithfully to do their duties and then humbly rest in the infinite wisdom of God who knows better what is good for them than they know themselves II. God is infinitely Holy Holy He is many times stiled the Holy One of Israel and glorious in Holiness Exod. 15.11 Fearfull in praises that is who is to be praised with great fear and reverence Rev. 4.8 He is stiled Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come The consideration of Gods transcendent Purity and Holiness should teach us First To endeavour to imitate God in this perfection 1 Pet. 1.15 Be ye Holy says God for I am Holy Holiness should have an universal influence upon our whole man There should be Holiness in our thoughts Purity in our hearts Sincerity in our intentions Truth in our words Justice in our actions Sobriety Chastity Temperance Humility Modesty in all our outward manners and conversations Heb. 12.14 The Apostle advises us to follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. 'T is not said without peace for a man may follow after that and may not be able to obtain it But the Greek Article relates to holiness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without which no man shall see the Lord. Into the new Jerusalem nothing enters that defiles Rev. 21.27 Secondly We should look to it that we do not meerly act a part of holiness but do really endeavor to be so Nothing in the World is better than reall holiness nothing more detestable than the counterfeit of it As there is no face in Nature more comely and majestical than that of a man so none more ugly and ridiculous than that of an Ape which has some shew of it but falls so far short of it Simulata pietas duplex iniquitas Counterfeit Piety is double Iniquity Thirdly we should be very far from being ashamed of holiness which we see is the Image of God The Devil and his Instruments labour all they can to disparage holiness and by several nick-names and such artifices to keep People off from esteeming of it or endeavouring after it Sir Simon D' Ewes Primitive practice for preserving Truth 'T is an Observation of a Learned Author of our own that among the Turks Jews Indians Persians and the Papists themselves at this day the most Zealous and Holy in their several Religions are most esteemed and honoured But in the greatest part of the Protestant World the most knowing and tenacious of the Evangelical truth and the most strict and godly in their lives are hated nick-named disgraced and vilified Thus does the Devils malice and the corruption of man concur to bring dishonour and disesteem upon that which is a participation of the Divine Nature and makes a man most like unto God III. God is just Just Justice in God is that perfection of his Nature whereby he is just in himself and exerciseth justice towards all his Creatures Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right Cen. 18.25 and Ezek. 18.29 Are not my ways equal saith the Lords Psal 145.17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways 2 Tim 4.8 Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the Righteous Judge shall give me at that day Gods Juâ—â—ice and Righteousness is Essential and Natural unto him and to likewise is his Mercy And these Two properties as they are Essential in God are not opposite one to another Indeed the effects of Justice and Mercy are sometimes oppâ—site but the Attributes themselves are not so When therefore we pray that God would not dâ—â—l with us according to his Juâ—tice but his Mercy we pray not against the Attribute of his Justice but the effects of it which are subject to the liberty of his will God is always just alike but the effects of his Justice may be more manifested at one time than at another When therefore 't is said James 2.13 Gods Mercy rejoyceth against Judgment and that he is slow to anger ready to forgive c. It must be so understood that He is more ready to manifest the effects of his Mercy than of his Justice Object But against Gods Justice some may be apt to Object this that it often goes ill with the Righteous in this World and the wicked proâ—per and how can that consist with Divine Justice To this many Answers may be given Answ First No man is perfectly Righteous here therefore no wonder if Gods own Children have the Rod sometimes upon their backs for their sins Secondly God may tenderly love his Children though he do afflict them Heb. 12.6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every Son whom he receiveth Psal 119.57 I know O Lord that thy Judgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me God sanctifies the afflictions of his People to their good Their afflictions are profitable unto them for
them for they know not what they do Eph. 3.14 For thâ—s cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 To us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in Him Joh. 17.5 And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the World was Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 20.17 Jesus saith unto her Touch me not For I am not yet ascended to my Father Thirdly That Jesus Christ is God the Eternal Son of God and did prae-exist in the form or Essence of God having all the properties of the Deity before his Incarnation which was effected by voluntary actings of his own which could not be without a prae-existence in another Nature Let us consider the Divine Testimonies whereby this truth is confirmed and established Psal 45.6 Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever The Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter This is applied unto Christ Heb. 1.8 But unto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever c. Psal 102.25 26 27. Of old thou hast laid the Foundation of the Earth and the Heavens are the work of thy hands They shall perish but thou shalt endure yea all of them shall wax old like a Garment as a Vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy years shall have no end This is declared by the Apostle to be meant of the Son of God Heb. 1.10 And Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the Foundation of the Earth And the Heavens are the works of thine hands c. Prov. 8. from the â—2 to the 31. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the Earth was When there were no depths I was brought forth When there were no Fountains abounding with Water Before the Mountains were setled before the Hills was I brought forth * He is called the only begotten Son of God Joh. 1.14 Angels and Adam were the Sons of God by Creation The Worshippers of the true God are called the Sons of God by profession Gen. 6 1. All true Believers are his Children by Adoption Joh. 1.12 But Christ is the Son of God by Nature by Eternal Generation Whilst as yet he had not made the Earth nor the Fields nor the highest part of the dust of the World When he prepared the Heavens I was there When he set a compass upon the face of the Depth When he established the Clouds above When he strengthened the Fountains of the Deep When he gave to the Sea his Decree that the Waters should not pass his Commandment When he appointed the Foundations of the Earth Then I was by him as one brought up with him And I was daily his delight rejoycing always before him Isai 9.6 For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulder And his Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellour The mighty God The everlasting Father The Prince of peace Jer. 23.5 6. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will raise unto David a righteous branch and a King shall reign and prosper and shall execute Judgment and Justice in the Earth In his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely And this is his Name whereby he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness Joh. 1. v. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God v. 2. The same was in the beginning with God v. 3. All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made v. 14. And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth v. 18. No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 3.13 And no man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven Act. 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the Flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Rom. 9.5 Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Col. 1.15 Who is the Image of the invisible God the first born * As being from all Eternity begotten of the Father before any Creature was made or created and so Lord and Heir of all the Creatures as the First-born was among his Brethren Gen. 49.3 of every Creature v. 16. For by him were all things Created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers All things were created by him and for him v. 17. And he is before all things and by him all things consist 1 Tim. 3.16 And without controversie great is the Mystery of godliness God was manifest in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory 1 Joh. 5.20 And we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true And we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and Eternal life And thus much of the Divine Testimonies that prove that Christ is God The Socinians indeed acknowledge that Christ is God but they say he is not so by Nature but by Office They say He is not the most high Eternal God This therefore we shall labour to prove by several arguments First He had a Personal prae-existence unto the whole Creation And nothing can prae-exist * Quod ante omnem creaturam suisse dicitur simpliciter aeterrum est Gloss to all Creatures but in the Nature of God which is Eternal In the beginning the Word was God and so continues unto Eternity Joh. 1. â—â— In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God Yet he was so God that he was distinct in something from God the Father by whom afterwards he was sent into the World The Word was with God and so distinct from him and was God and so one with him And he was so from the beginning before the Creation that he made all things even the World viz. All things in Heaven and Earth To which we may add our Saviours own Words Joh. 17.5 And now O Father glorifie thou me with the glory I had
suggests good for evil ends or evil for good ends 3. Good Angels comfort strengthen and support in times of distress and trouble Thus they ministred to our Saviour after Satan had fiercely assaulted him with Temptations Matth. 4.11 So like wise when he was in his agony Luke 22.43 There appeared an Angel unto him from Heaven strengthening of him And what they did for Christ the Head they do for his Members in measure and proportion and as far forth as God sees good for them 4. They convey the Souls of the departed Saints into Heaven Luke 16.22 And it came to pass that the Begger died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom And thus much of their Ministry in relation to the Saints There are many usefull instructions that arise from this Doctrine of good Angels 1. Hereby we may see the great priviledge of the Saints of God They have the Guardianship of the Holy Angels Whether every Saint of God every Heir of Heaven have a peculiar and proper Angel to attend him is much disputed and canvassed by the Schoolmen But there seems no ground in the Word of God to appropriate a single Angel to every single Saint 'T is surely a greater dignity and benefit that every one of the Faithfull have many Angels appointed by the Lord for his Guard whereof the proof is manifest from the 91 Psalm 11. For he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways and from 34 Psalm 7. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him and delivereth them As for that place Acts 12.15 Where they said concerning Peter It is his Angel the meaning of it probably is this they hearing the Maid persist in it that Peter was at the door they apprehending that very unlikely thought some Holy Angel had assum'd his shape and voice and stood at the door in his resemblance But this proves not that every Saint hath a peculiar Angel Guardian The Angels indefinitely have charge over Gods People as God is pleased to assign thâ—m their Province and to imploy them in that Ministry But yet they execute this Ministry as superiour Guides not as inferiour Attendants Properly they are not Servants to us but to God for us There is no ground for our worshâ—ppiâ—g of them thâ—y being our fellâ—w Creatures Rev. 19.10 I â—ell at his feet to worship him But he said See thou do it not I am thy fellow servant and of thy Brethren that have the Testimony of Jesus worship God 2. We may take notice of Gods wonderfull goodness in so graciously providing for his Saintâ— and Servants Lord what is man that thou art so mindfulâ— of him Therâ— is more in Holiness than the World doth see The Saints have Gods Power Christ Medâ—ation tâ—e Spirits conduct the Ministry of Angels all ingaged for their benefit 3. We may observe the great humility and condescention of these Holy Angels and their great love to mankind They rejoycâ—d when the World was made for man Job 38.7 They rejoyced at the coming of Christ for mans Redemption Luke 2.13 They rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner Luke 15.10 4. We should labour to imitate these Holy Angels in their readiness and willing obedience to Gods will If we would be like Angels hâ—reafter in glory and bliss let us labour to imitate them here in a chearfull service of God 5. Let us labour to secure our interest in Christ that so we may be under the Protection of these Holy Angels For they Minister only for the good of them who are Heirs of Salvation 6. Let us take heed of depriving our selves of their help and Ministry Pride Lust Vanity are offensive to them And so are all impurities and indecencies in Gods Worship as the Apostle intimates to us 1 Cor. 11.10 Let us therefore take heed lest by any of these ways we grieve or drive from us these blessed helpers and Assistants Of Evil Angels Of Evil Angels Having thus spoken concerning good Angels we come now to speak concerning the Angels that fell Concerning whom these things are to be inquired into 1. The Names and Titles by which they are set forth in the Scripture 2. Their sin 3. How they came to sin being created pure 4. The time when they sinned 5. The number of them that sinned 6. Their nature properties and employment 7. Their punishment Present and Future 8. What instructions their fall wickedness and misery do afford unto us 1. The Names and Titles by which they are set forth in the Scripture The general and comprehensive Name of evil Angels in the Scripture is Devil Diabolus wich signifies an accuser or slanderer He is called also the wicked One the old Serpent the Adversary the roaring Lyon the Abaddon Appollyon or destroyer the great Dragon a lyer and the Father of lyes a Murderer a Murderer from the beginning the god of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 The Prince of the power of the Air Eph. 2.2 The Angel of the bottomless Pit Satan Rev. 12.9 The Spirit that worketh in the Children of disobedience Eph. 2.2 The Tempter Psal 78.49 And Eph. 6.12 We read of evil Angels that they are called Principalities Powers Rulers of the darkness of this World Spiritual wickedness in High places 2. Let us consider what was their sin The greatest evidence of the Nature of their sin we find in that place of the Apostle 1 Tim. 3.6 where he shews that a Person to be ordained should not be a Novice lest being lifted up with Pride he fall into Condemnation of the Devil that is be guilty of that sin viz. Pride which young men are so prone unto for which the Devil was Condemned and rejected of God Pride therefore seems to be as I may so speak the Original sin of those Apostate Angels But envy malice slandering c. are their actual sins Yet what kind of pride it was and how it discovered it self is not easie to determine Whether it was an affectation to be as high as God himself or a seeking to be higher than God had made them is not easie to be resolv'd Certain it is the Temptation they spred before our first Parents was ye shall be as Gods Or whether they refused the Work Office and Ministration God design'd them unto in reference to Men. Or whether it was too great a confidence and glorying in their own gifts and received excellencies or whether it was an affectation of Worship from men as we see they now delight in it or whether it was any other Rebellion against Gods Majesty and Empire 't is hard to determine Some learned men make it a compounded sin For as there were many sins in that sin by which Adam fell viz. Vnbelief Pride Ingratitude Disobedience so this first sin of the Angels might be compounded of many other sins though Pride were cheif in it Whatever their first sin was this is manifest they abode not in the truth They kept
make his obedience and sufferings in the hâ—mane Nature of infinite value and merit This One-man this God-man was more worthy then all the men of the World put together Thâ— humane Nature of Christ being Personally united to the God-head is of more worth than all the Race of mankind So that Christs obedience and sufferings do make a full satisfaction to God for all the dishonour done him by our sins 3. That he might do those great things for us after he had laid down his life for us which none but God could do viz. 1. To Baptize us with the Holy Ghost None can send the Spirit of God into the hearts of men but he who is God 2. To repair his Image in us 3. To subdue sin in us 4. To conquer Satan for us 5. To guide and carry his Church to Eternal life through all those hindrances that lie in their way 6. To conquer Death and raise our bodies to a glorious Immortality Secondly It was requisite he should be Man for these reasons 1. Mans Nature had sinned therefore it was requisite mans Nature should suffer It seems fit and requisite in respect of the justice of God that the same Nature should be punish'd which had offended 2. He could not have suffered if he had not been man 3. If our Mediator were only God he could have performed no obedience the God-head being free from all manner of subjection 4. It was fit he should be man that Satan might be vanquish'd in that Nature he had supplanted Gen. 3.15 And I will put enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel 5. That he might be a merciful High-Priest For in that in our Nature he experienced temptation he knows how to succour and pity us when we are tempted And lastly He was both God and Man that he might be a meet Mediator to deal between God and Man and to work a Reconciliation between them SECT IV. Of our Saviours Life HAving thus spoken of our Saviours Birth and how he came into the World it will be requisite we should now speak of his Life and how he lived and conversed in this World which the Ancient Creed mentions nothing of but passes immediately from his being conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary to his suffering under Pontius Pilat I have in my Harmony of the Four Evangelists fully set forth the History of the Life of our blessed Lord and Saviour Here I shall only give a short Summary of what I have there more largely delivered to which I refer my Reader The Life of our Saviour we have divided into Six Parts and in each Part have taken notice of the Particulars observable The First Part of our Saviours life was from his Birth to his Baptism containing the space of about Thirty Years In which we have these particulars 1 At Eight days old he was Circumcised Luke 2.21 Matth. 1.25 2. Mary the Fortieth day after her delivery goeth up to Jerusalem to the Temple to be purified where she and Joseph present the Child Jesus to the Lord according to the Law Exod. 13.2 12 13. Mary presents the offering for her Purification viz. being a poor Woman a pair of Turtle Doves Levit. 12.6 8. Simeon and Anna here acknowledge him and prophesie of him Luke 2. from 22. to 41. 3. This done Joseph and Mary return with Jesus to Bethlehem and there continue for some time For about Two Years after our Saviours Birth the Magi or Arabian Astronomers who had in their own Country at our Saviours Birth seen a strange Star or extraordinary brightness over Judea and understanding either by some Old Prophesie or New Revelation from God that it signified the Birth of the Messias promised to the Jews they being moved by the Spirit come to Jerusalem to inquire after the place where this New King should be born They are told by Herod and the Priests that the Birth-place of the Messias was to be at Bethlehem Herod bids them go and inquire for him and when they had found him bring him word They come to Bethlehem and there finding him do homage to him and present him with gifts This done being warned of God not to go back to Herod they return into their own Countrey another way Matth. 2. from 1. to 13. 4. After their departure Joseph is warned by God in a Dream to fly into Egypt and so provide for the life of the Child which accordingly he did and there He Mary and the Child remained till Herod was dead But in the mean time Herod finding himself deceived by the Magi and thinking that this young Child had been still at Bethlehem or thereabout that he might be sure to destroy him he commands all the Male Children from Two years old and under that were in Bethlehem or the Coasts thereof to be killed Mat. 2. from the 13. to the 19. 5. Not long after Herod dying Joseph is warned of God in a Dream to return with the young Child unto the Land of Israel which accordingly he did and dwelt in the City of Nazareth Mat. 2 from 19. to the end 6. Christ at Twelve Years old is brought to Jerusalem at the Passover and there disputes with the Doctors in the Temple From hence he went down with his Parents to Nazareth again and there lived privately till his Baptism Luke 2. from 41. to the end .7 John Baptist being newly entred into his publick Ministry preaches Repentance and Baptizes He sharply reprehends some of the Pharisees and Sadduces that came to be Baptized of him He gives particular answers to the questions of the People of the Publicans and of the Soldiers enquiring what every one of them ought to do He gives his first Testimony to Christ preferring him before himself Luke 3. from 1. to the 18. Mat. 3. from 1. to the 13. Mark 1. from 7. to 9. The Second Part of our Saviours life from his Baptism to the Passover next ensuing containing the space of half a Year in which we have these particulars 1. He is Baptiz'd by John in Jordan and witnessed from Heaven to be the Eternal Son of God and a Second Testimony by John given of him Mat. 3. from the 13. to the 18. Mark 1. from 9. to 12. Joh. 1. from 15. to the 19. Luke 3. from 21. to 24. 2. Immediately after his Baptism he goes into the Wilderness and is there assaulted by Satan with a Threefold Temptation Mat. 4. from 1. to 12. Mark 1. from 12. to 14. Luke 4. from 1. to 14. 3. John being now Baptizing in Bathabara some of the Pharisees come from the Sanedrim at Jerusalem to enquire who he was He tells them he was only the Fore-runner of the Messias Joh. 1. from 19. to 29. 4. Christ now comes to John whom John calls the Lamb of God and declares that he was made known unto him to be the
Angels with him 3. A Throne will be set a Tribunal a seat of Judgment erected Mat. 19.28 The Son of man shall sit in the Throne of his glory c. Rom. 14.10 For we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ 4. There will be a personal apearance of all men before this Tribunal He shall judge both the quick that is those found alive at his coming upon whom a change different from death shall pass and the dead viz. that died before * It was a singular extraordinary priviledge vâ—uchsafed to Enoch and Elias that they should not diâ— But according to Gods ordinary and usual dispensation It is appointed to all men once to die Heb. 9.27 Acts 10.42 5. The Actions and Works of those that shall be judged shall then be manifested 1 Cor. 4.5 He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsells of the heart Eccles 12.24 God will bring every work into Judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil The Books will then be opened viz. 1. The Book of Gods Omniscience and Remembrance Mal. 3.16 and the book of Conscience Jer. 17.1 6. The Statutes shall be produced upon which they shall be tryed and found guilty or not-guilty And they are two 1. The Law of Nature written on Mans heart at his creation which requires perfect obedience and which God gave man power at first to perform 2. The Law or Covenant of Grace Now we shall all be found guilty upon the first Statute Woe to us if we be cast by the second also To prevent this let us set our selves seriously to repent of all our sins and by a lively faith lay hold on Christ and take him for our Lord and Saviour and faithfully endeavour to conform our selves unto his precepts 7. The evidence or witnesses that will be ready to prove the indictment against all impenitent sinners especially such as lived under the Gospel are 1. God the Father whose mercy was by them so wretchedly slighted 2. God the Son whose blood they trampled under their feet 3. God the Holy Ghost whose blessed motions they so often resisted 4. All faithful Ministers who strove with all affectionateness to draw them to Christ 5. All good Parents Governors Masters or faithful Christiaâ— friends among whom they lived who gave them faithful counsel for the welfare of their Souls and a good example 6. All their sinful companions who were partakers with them in their sins 7. Their own Consciences which are a thousand witnesses 8. The Judge will pronounce sentence upon every one according to his works And this will be twofold 1. Of Absolution 2 Of Condemnation 1. Of Absolution to the Righteous in these words come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you Matth. 25.34 The Saints of God shall first be acquitted before the wicked be condemned that they may afterwards joyn with Christ in Judging the World 1 Cor. 6.2 There the Apostle tells us that the Saints shall Judge the World that is not Authoritatively but by way of Approbation approving and magnifying Christs Righteous Sentence on Devils and wicked men and giving some such approbation probably as that of the Angel Rev. 16.5 Thou art Righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast thus Judged Thus all the Saints shall be Judges but some of them more eminently as Assessors with Christ as is intimated concerning the Apostles Matth. 19.28 ye shall sit upon twelve Thrones Judging the twelve Tribes of Israel 2. Of Condemnation upon the wicked Matth. 25.41 Then shall he say to them on his left hand depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels 9. The execution of the Sentence and disposing of the persons Judged to their everlasting state according to that sentence Matth. 25.46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal The sentence is irrevocable no reprieve to be expected Then there will be an everlasting separation between the Righteous and the Wicked 4. What will be the consequents of this Judgment 1. Christs resigning up his Kingdom not his essential Kingdom but that which he administred as mediator to the Father 1 Cor. 15.24 2. The burning of the World of which we read 2 Pet. 3.12 By which fire some think the World shall not be utterly consumed but renewed clarified and refined I come now to the Application which I shall reduce to three heads This Doctrine of the day of Judgment may be useful 1. By way of exhortation to all 2. By way of consolation to the Righteous 3. By way of terror to the Wicked 1. By way of exhortation to all 1. Let us all labour to strengthen and confirm in our selves a belief of this great Article There is no Doctrine more certain in the word of God nor more clear and fundamental than this of the day of Judgment Heb. 6.2 2. Let us frequently meditate on it let us often think on those awakening places 2 Thes 1.7.8 The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 1 Thes 4.16 The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-Angel with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Jude verse 14.15 And Enoch also the seventh from Adam prophesied of these saying behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him To think often of this great day may prevent many a sin Psal 58.11 Verily there is a reward for the Righteous and doubtless there is a God that Judgeth the earth 3. Let us all solemnly prepare our selves for this great tryal by setting up a Judgment Seat in our own Souls before-hand 1. Let us seriously examine our state towards God Every one is either a Child of Wrath and Perdition or a Child of God and an heir of Heaven Let us examine whether we are the one or the other We keep a great stir about Sects but the truth is there are but two great Sects or Parties in the World And those are either such as are for the present in the state of Nature or such as are in the state of Grace Let us therefore seriously consider to which of these two we do belong Let us consider what our present state is Have we the marks of a converted person upon us or no Has the work of sound conversion ever passed upon us or no Let us remember
Church is a company professing the Faith in some particular place Thus we read of the seven Churches of Asia Rev. 1.7 that is Churches that were in seven Cities in Asia as appears verse 11. Yea we read of Churches in particular houses as in the house of Aquila and Priscilla Rom. 16.5 and in the hâ—use of Nymphas Col. 4.15 The universal Church is the whole company of Believers that profess Faith in Christ throughout the world All Christians as Christians who profess and hold the essentials of Christianity are the Catholick or universal Church And all Congregations consisting of lawful Pastors and Christian people associated for personal communion in the worship of God and holy living are particular true Churches though they may also much differ in degrees of purity This is the universal Church as upon earth Otherwise as I said before the universal Church comprehends both the Saints on Earth and the Saints in Heaven The Church of Rome most absurdly affects to be called the Catholick Church yea Roman Catholick Cathotholick imports the universal Church and Roman but a particular The Church of Rome was once indeed an eminent part yet but a part of the Catholick or Vniversal Church But now she is so degenerate and corrupt that she is termed Babylon Rev. 1.7 And the people of God are commanded to come out of her Rev. 18.4 And I heard another voice from Heaven saying come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Did the Church of Rome in the Apostles dayes worship Images Did it pray to Saints Did it pray for the Dead Did it perform its Divine Worship in an unknown tongue Did it withhold the Cup from the Laity Was this the Primitive practice of the Church of Rome I suppose the Romanists themselves will not assert it We can make it appear that we hold the same Faith that was of old delivered to the Saints and that we have not departed farther from the Church of Rome than they have departed from this Faith and the truth of Christianity Yet the Papists notwithstanding use to ask us where was your Religion before Luther To which we answer wherever there were any true and real Christians before Luther among them was our Church This is the Church we profess our selves of And surely there were many more more Christians at that time in the world then those that were in the Cummunion of the Church of Rome 'T is true Christianity that makes any to be Christians and members of the Catholick Church it is not every inferiour truth that doth so neither doth every error cast a man out of it That Church then which comprehended all the true Christians in the World is the Church we were of before Luther We do not confine the Catholick Church to any Sect or Party Protestants we hold are the soundest part of this Church but not the whole Church All within the Communion of the Church of Rome that are true Christians we allow to be of this Church And the same we say of the Greeks Armenians Ethiopians Abyssines or any other professing Christianity And though the Papists talk much of Antiquity if they will try whether their Doctrine or ours be the sounder we are willing to appeal to Antiquity Let the eldest way of Religion carry it We are of a Religion that is not less then sixteen hundred years old For we hold the Doctrine delivered by Christ and his Apostles which they have shamefully departed from But the Papists farther ask us If their Church be not the true Church what is become of our Fore-fathers who died in the Communion of their Church We answer They might live and die in the Communion of that Church and yet be free from many of the gross errors in it And God might graciously pass by their ignorance and weakness who had not so great a light as we have to shew them the error of the Romish Church We do therefore in Charity think that some of our Ancestors formerly and some of the Papists at this day who hold and believe the main Articles of the Christian Faith and do live good lives according to their knowledge may be saved but not by their Popery but by their Christianity And thus much of the distinctions of the Church 4. I come now in the last place to speak of the notes of the Church which are these three 1. True and sound Doctrine preached 2. Right administration of the Sacraments For as those are more or less purely administred so the Church is more or less pure 3. Obedience to Christ and his Doctrine Discipline indeed is necessary for the preservation of the Church in purity of Doctrine and Manners yet it belongs not to the very being but to the well being of it But here a question may arise How is the Church said not to erre Answ 1. The whole doth not erre though some particular Church may 2. The Church doth not erre universally though in some points of Doctrine it may which are not essential or fundamental to Salvation Let us now consider what improvement we are to make of this Article 1. This shews us the admirable priviledge of every truly regenerate sanctified person who is most certainly a member of the true Catholick Church All true Christians are Catholicks in a better sense than the Romanists use that word But whosoever is wicked and prophane let them talk they are for the Church c. 't is manifest they are not members of Christs Holy Catholick Church 2. All that are true members of the Catholick Church should keep close to the Catholick Rule of Faith and Life which is the will of God revealed in the holy Scriptures 3. They should labour for a Catholick Spirit and Catholick affections which may incline them 1. To love all Christians as Christians for Christs sake though they may differ from them in some particulars A true Catholick Spirit is for union among all the People of God 2. To compassionate all real Christians in their sufferings and afflictions Rom. 12.15 16. 3. To pray earnestly for the prosperity of the Catholick Church and to be solicitous and much concerned touching the welfare thereof And all true members of the Catholick Chhurch may comfort themselves with this consideration that they have a share in the paayers of this Catholick or Vniversal Church now Militant upon the Earth SECT III. Of the Communion of Saints the Communion of Saints COncerning this Article we shall inquire 1. Who may truly be called Saints and wherein the true nature of Saintship doth consist and how the Saints are distinguished from others 2. Who are those persons with whom these Saints have Communion For the first 1. By the tenure of the Gospel we shall find that those are truly and properly Saints who being called with an holy calling have not been disobedient to it but are indued with a holy faith uniting them to
to Hell How should we endeavour by our earnest intreaties to keep them from falling into that dismal place of torment 5. We should consider with what extreme folly they are possessed who mind only this present life that live as if there were no other life besides this or none else worth looking after 6. We should above all things endeavour to secure to our selves eternal life in Bliss and Happiness Every man and womans portion must be one of these two either everlasting life in Bliss or everlasting damnation And if we must be either eternally happy or eternally miserable methinks it should make us pass the time of our sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1.17 and to give diligence to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 And to quicken our diligence hereunto leet us consider these things 1. By nature we have no title to everlasting Bliss By nature we are children of Wrath Eph. 2.3 2. We must be united to Christ if ever we intend to obtain it God hath given eternal life and this life is in his Son He that hath the Son hath life he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5.11 12. 3. Holiness of heart and life here is necessary for the obtaining of eternal life in bliss and happiness hereafter 4. As Parents have been instrumental under God of conveying a temporal life to their Children So they should labour as much as possibly they can that they may be so religiously instructed and educated that they may at last obtain an eternal life in bliss and happiness Of Baptism A Sacrament * Vox Sacramentum non occurit in Scriptura quia est Latina Apud veterem Latinum interpretem est pro Graeco nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox autem Graeca generaliter pro omni secreto minus generaliter pro secreto divino specialiori significatione pro secreto divino symbolis signis figurisque externis proposito ac representato In hac significatione respondet ei vox Latina Sacramentum quae deducta est a verbo Sacrare a scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis Latinis a Militia desumpta fuit in qua juramentum quo milites Duci obstringebantur vocabatur Sacramentum Vide Riveti Cathol Orthodox Sacramentum proprie stricte accipitur pro signo sigillo quo res coelestis declaratur obsignatur communicatur is an outward and visible rite instituted by Christ to signifie the benefits of his death and passion and to seal and confirm the promises of Salvation to those who perform the conditions required of them There are two Sacraments of the new Conant or or new Testament viz. 1. Baptism 2. The Supper of the Lord. Being to speak here of Baptism I shall first distinguish of the several kinds of Baptism 1. There is Baptismus fluminis sive aquae the Baptism of water John 1.33 He that sent me to baptize with water the same said unto me upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him the same is he that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost 2. Flaminis sive Spiritus The Baptism of the Holy Ghost Mat. 3.11 I baptize you with water saies John Baptist but he that cometh after me shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost 3. Sanguinis sive Martyrii The Baptism of Sufferings Mat. 20.22 Are ye able sayes our Saviour to the sons of Zebedee to drink of the Cup that I shall drink of and to be Baptized with the Baptism that I am to be Baptized with that is are ye able to partake with me in those sufferings and afflictions which I am shortly to undergo I am to speak of the first of these viz. The Baptism of water Concerning which that I may proceed Methodically I shall speak 1. Of the Institution of it 2. Of the Nature of it 3. Of the excellent uses and ends of it 4. I shall inquire who are the persons that ought to be Baptized 5. Whether Baptism be of absolute necessity to Salvation 6. What improvement those who were baptized in their infancy ought to make of their Baptism when they are grown up and come to years of understanding 7. What are the particular duties of Christian Parents towards their infant Seed and Children 1. I begin with the first The institution 'T is God only who hath authority to appoint Sacraments in the Church 'T is his divine institution which makes a Sacrament The whole Church cannot do it And John 1.33 We read that John Baptist had commission to Baptize with water He that sent me to Baptize with water the same said unto me c. 2. Christ gave Commission to his Apostles in the first year of his publick Ministry to baptize else 't is not imaginable they would have done it John 3.22 After these things came Jesus and his Disciples into the land of Judea and there he tarried with them and baptized that is by the hands of his Apostles for Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples John 4.12 3. After his Resurrection he enlarged the Commission of his Apostles Matth. 28.19 Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Here he prescribes the form they should use in the administration of Baptism injoyning them to baptize in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost And the words in Mark 16.16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned seem to be an addition to those in Matth. 28. and are not any express direction as to the admitting Infants or not admitting them but a direction how they should go and disciple the Heathen Nations by preaching the Gospel to them and when they had converted any to Christianity they should baptize them and so bring them into Covenant with God and when the Parents were in Covenant their Children could not fail to be so also as God willing we shall shew hereafter 2. We come to consider the Nature of Baptism Baptism in its general notion is an outward visible sign and representation of inward and spiritual blessings and benefits conveyed and made over by Christ unto the persons baptized they performing the conditions required of them In Baptism there are two parts 1. The Outward 2. The Inward In the outward part there are three things considerable 1. The outward Element Water 2. The Action of applying the water by sprinkling or dipping 3. The form of administring or applying the water viz. in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost The quantity of water which is to be used is not limited by the holy Scriptures Sprinkling * Immâ—rsio non est de necessitate baptismi quum non in ea posita sit mysterii hujus vis efficacia Causab in Mat. C. 3. Ablutio est de necessitate baptismi Dom. Soto is as significant as to the main ends of Baptism as dipping Therefore the blood of Christ which is signified
Seal of the Covenant and therefore the less is spoken of it in the New 3. Those truths which were not controverted in the Apostles dayes they were not so zealous in pressing or defending there being not any apparent reason or occasion for it And of that nature the Baptism of Infants seems to be 4. Those Scriptures which speak of the priviledges of Children or Infants are the fittest Judges of this controversie and not those which speak only of the priviledges of grown or adult persons As if the question be whether any Infants may be saved you must not determine it by Mark 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned For this concerns only grown persons but by such scriptures as these Gen. 17. v. 7. and v. 10.11 12. Where God promises to be a God to Abraham and to his Seed and requires that his male children at eight dayes old should be circumcised as a token or seal of the Covenant between him and them So if there should be a question started whether Parents ought to maintain their Children in their Infancy you must not determine this question by 2 Thes 3.10 Where the Apostles sayes this we commanded you that if any will not work neither should he eat but by 1 Tim. 5.8 He that provides not for his family is worse than an Infidel And according to this rule we must proceed in this matter This controversie must be determined by those places of Scripture which do either express or imply the priviledges of Infants Having laid down these rules I come now to give some arguments or reasons for Infant Baptism 1. The Covenant of Grace stands now in force for the benefit of the Children of believing Parents and if they be within the Covenant of God the Seal * Esse foederatum sufficit ad accipiendum signum foederis Dave nant Haec est fundamentalis ratio paedo-baptizmi Daneus of the Covenant belongs to them Be baptized every one of you sayes the Apostle to the converted Jews Acts 2.39 For the promise is to you and to your Children The same Greek word that is here used for children is used for Infants and Children at nurse as may appear if you consult 1 Cor. 7.14 1 Thes 2.7 If it were not so the converted Jews should have suffered loss by believing in Christ namely if their children should be excluded now from the promise or Covenant of grace who were included in it for 2000 years before under the old Administration For as we said before God established a Covenant with Abraham and his seed And Isaac was within this Covenant when he was but eight dayes old and received the Seal of it Now concerning this Covenant made with Abraham observe these particulars 1. It was an evangelical Covenant and the Seal of it viz. Circumcision was the Seal of the righteousness which is by Faith Rom. 4.11 2. It belonged not to Abraham only but to his Children 3. This blessing bestowed on believing Abraham was to descend on the believing Gentiles Gal. 3.14 For he was to be the Father of all them that believe though they were not circumcised as the Apostle tells us in the place fore-quoted Rom. 4.11 Now could the believing Gentiles be heirs of this Covenant according to promise as it is Gal. 3.29 if their children be excluded from it For the Childrens right to the Covenant and promise is part of the Fathers inheritance the promise being I will be a God to thee and thy seed 4. Consider the Covenant of Grace hath alwayes been one and the same for substance though not as to manner of Administration And under the Old Testament it took in Children and can we think it leaves them out now under the Gospel Surely the grace of God is not straiter under the Gospel than it was under the Law For Christ is the Mediator of a better Covenant as the Apostle tellls us Heb. 8.6 that is of a better administration of the Covenant of Grace And how could this be if infants who were within the Covenant under the Law should now be out of it under the Gospel But to clear this matter yet further the Apostle tells us that Children of believers are foederally holy 1 Cor. 7.14 Else were your Children unclean but now are they holy As if he should have said if both Parents were Heathens then were their Children unclean that is out of Covenant but now one of them being a Christian it pleases God that the Child shall have benefit and priviledge by that Parent now are they holy that is in Covenant with God And in this sense If the root be holy so also are the branches Rom. 11.16 If the Parents be holy so also are the Children The Apostle speaks not of an inward holiness inhering in the nature of the Child but of an outward holiness or right to Church Priviledges and Ordinances And according to this sense those words of Ezra are to be understood Ezra 9.2 Ye have mingled the holy seed that is that are in Covenant with the Nations that is with those who are out of Covenant I know the Anabaptists interpret those words of the Apostle now are your Children holy to import no more but this they are legitimate and no bastards But that cannot be the meaning of them For the Children then of many Pagans would be as holy as they For multitudes of them are born in lawful Wedlock and so no bastards All visible members of the Jewish Church had a foederal right to the Sacraments 1 Cor. 10.2 3 4. They were all baptized into Moses all eat the same spiritual meat and yet with many of them God was not well pleased This foederal right did not stamp on them a character of saving grace but was only a right to the means of Salvation and how far God would make them effectual no man could tell Some that had a right to them made no right use of them For an infant therefore to be born of Christian Parents professing to believe in Christ and willing solemnly to dedicate him to God is all that God requires of an infant to give him Title to his Covenant * Hypocrites may have a right to outward Church priviledges though the Spiritual benefit do not belong to them they not making a right use of them No outward Ordinance is intended for the elect only Christ aâ—d â—is Apostles admitted some to Church priviledges that shall never be sâ—ved We must baptize all whom the Parents bring with such a profession for themselves and their children And their Infants are in Covenant because reputatively their Parents wills are theirs to dispose of them for their good And the Children are supposed to consent by their Parents who consent for them And the Parents will is reckoned for the Childs till he come to age to have a will of his own His Parents faith and consent to dedicate him to God is his Title
practice of these things 1. Betake thy self to some retired privacy and sequestring thy self from worldly cares and business labour to bring thy mind into a good calm sedate frame and fitness for this great work 2. Earnestly beg of God to give thee the assistance of his holy spirit to inable thee to fit thy self for this solemn Ordinance 3. Seriously consider the danger of receiving this Sacrament unworthily that is without such a disposition of mind and such a preparation of heart and such reverence and devotion as is agreeable unto so holy an Ordinance Such persons as are not so fitted and yet approach to this holy Table are guilty of profaning this Sacrament which is the commemoration of Christs death and of vilifying the signs and pledges of his body and blood and so incur the danger of temporal Judgment and chastisement here and without repentance of eternal hereafter 4. Seriously consider what is required to a worthy receiving And here a twofold caution is to be observed 1. That the pitch of worthiness is not to be set too high so as none shall be thought sit to partake of this Table but such as have a high and eminent degree of grace For this â—â—dinance was appointed for the benâ—fit of the lowest Believers and sâ— such as are weak in the Faith 2. That it be not set too low so â—hat aâ—â— person though very ignorant of the true nature and end of this ordinance if he be free from gross open and scandalous sins may be thought fit to come and be admitted to it That we may therefore avoid both these I shall set down 1. What qualifications are requisite to a worthy Receiver 2. What are insufficient The qualifications requisite are these 1. Knowledge The fundamental principles and grounds of Christianity and the nature signification end and use of this Sacrament must be known by every one that would be a worthy receiver Ignorant persons therefore are totally unfit for the present and must first be instructed before they be admitted to this holy Ordinance But by the knowledge required we do not mean the profound knowledge of a Scholar who knows how to dispute upon any of these points and knows all the distinctions about them but the savoury knowledge of a Christian which hath these properties 1. 'T is not a meer speculative floating or swimming in the brain but a knowledge that affects the heart and works upon the affections 'T is such a knowledge of God as causes the heart to fear him such a knowledge of sin as works in the heart a hatred and loathing of it 2. 'T is an humbling knowledge Knowledge not sanctified puffeth up 1 Cor. 8.1 But the more any Soul is savingly inlightned the more it sees and is sensible of its own folly and corruption and great depravedness 3. 'T is a knowledge that is operative for the drawing the Soul to Christ and for the mending of the heart and reforming of the life Never let any man tell me that he has knowledge enough he knows as much as the Minister can teach him he knows the way to Heaven and Salvation as well as any body can shew him when I see him going on in paths leading down to Hell Shall any man perswade me that he has a sufficient skill in Physick and yet when he is dangerously sick he is neither sensible of it nor applies any fit remedy for himself Certainly that knowledge of the things of God is not right which does not affect the heart nor reform the life 2. Repentance They that are truly penitent have wrought in them by the Spirit of God 1. A Conviction of the evil and danger of their sins 2. True contrition and godly sorrow for them 3. A hatred and loathing of them 4. They are brought humbly to confess them with sorrow and shame unto God And 5. To turn from them unto God by sincere amendment of their lives 3. Faith in Christ This is a main qualification requisite to a worthy Communicant The main acts of Faith are these two 1. A serious owning and acknowledging Christ for the only Saviour of the World 2. A sincere giving up of the soul to him to be pardoned in his blood and sanctified by his Spirit and a solemn trusting and depending on him for all the benefits purchased by his death and passion And such a faith as this is operative for the purifying of the heart and reforming the life 4. Love Of this grace there are several acts required 1. We ought to excite a great love in our Souls to God our Creator and constant benefactor who sent his Son to redeem us 2. We ought to excite and stir up in our souls a great love to Christ Jesus who humbled himself to the death for us In contemplation of which transcendent love of Christ the Apostle cries out If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16.22 Q. But you will say how may we know whether there be in us a sincere love to Christ or no 1. Have we been deeply wounded with a sence of our sins and have we betaken our selves to him as our only Physician to be cured and have we found him curing our accusing condemning consciences Hath our love to Christ any such foundation as this 2. Do we own Christ and love him as considered in all his Offices Do we love Christ not only as a Priest that has made atonement for us but as a Prophet and a King Do we love the guidance of his holy Spirit and the guidance of his word Do we love his Soveraignty as well as his Saviour-ship 3. Do we love him for his deep humiliation and bitter sufferings which he so readily underwent for us and for the great redemption and salvation he hath wrought for us 4. Are we willing to obey Christ If you love me sayes our Saviour keep my commandments 5. Is the interest of Christ dear to us Are we concerned in his honour and dishonour Are we suitably affected when his interest prospers or is trampled upon when it goes well or ill with his Church 6. Do we love him for those eminent graces which were so conspicuous in his life 7. Are we willing to be serviceable to him and to suffer for him when he calls us to it 8. Do we love him for his constant intercession for us at Gods right hand Let us try our love to Christ by these marks 3. We ought to have in our hearts a true love and charity to all Christians We should excite in our Souls a true love to all those that are real members of Christ We should love their persons graces and fellowship These we should love with a complacential love But besides these we should love our very enemies with a love of benevolence wishing well unfeignedly to them and praying for them The proper offices and effects of this Charity are 1. Forgiving injuries 2. Doing good against evil 3. Speaking
God expects it from us But now the things opposite to it are 1. Inward fretting vexing and tumultuation of spirit and rising of the heart against the Almighty 2. Sinking of Spirit desponding and despairing of help 3. Outward murmuring complaining and repining 4. Sinful shifts to help our selves And so much of the nature of true Christian contentment 5. I come now to shew the amiableness and excellency of this frame of Spirit 1. True Christian contentment is not a single grace but a constellation a cluster of many graces particularly of Faith Patience Humility and self-denial As the perfumed oyl that was poured upon Aarons head was made up of several sweet ingredients so is this grace a compound of many other graces Where this is we may assure our selves there are many graces exercised 2. 'T is a frame and temper highly pleasing to God The Apostle tells us 1 Pet. 3.4 That a meek and a quiet spirit is in the sight of God of great price There is hardly a higher commendation of any grace in the Scripture That must needs be very excellent which is by God himself so highly esteemed 3. 'T is a frame of Spirit that gives God his due They that are endued with it do acknowledge God as their Lord and owner They acknowledge his plenary dominion over them And 't is fit and comely that we who received our life and being from God should own his Soveraignty and dominion over us 4. 'T is a frame of Spirit that will be greatly rewarded For the more contented any man is the greater is his obedience to God and the greater his obedience the greater will be his reward Besides even in this world a placid quiet sedate frame of heart makes our life easie and delightful and so carries its reward along with it whereas a turbulent discontented frame of Spirit disorders and disquiets a man beyond all expression And so much of the amiableness of this sâ—â— 6. I come now to give some Directions for the attaining of it 1. Mortify Pride which is the seminary of many sins especially of this of repining Compare your sufferings and your sins together and see whether your sins be not far more than your sufferings Consider therefore not so much what you feel as what you deserve 2. Consider how many mercies and blessings you daily enjoy and stir up your self to be exceeding thankful for them Thankfulness and discontent cannot stand together Therefore when ever you find your self tempted to unquietness of mind think of your mercies and provoke and stir up your heart to be thankful to God for them and that will drive away your discontent 3. Consider wherein the happiness of man consists and labour to secure that happiness to your self Do not estimate the happiness of man by the opinion of worldly men who think those men only happy who are rich and enjoy the pleasures and delights of the world But remember that mans true happiness consists in reconciliation with God through Christ in conformity of our natures to him in living holily and righteously and being serviceable to God in our Generation according to our several capacities If it be thus with us we are happy what ever our condition be in this world People are much mistaken in the nature of good and evil and have not the true measures of it That is good to a man which makes him better and that is evil to him which makes him worse Now ordinarily ten to one receive more hurt by prosperity than by adversity 4. Look downward on those beneath you and not upward on those above you 'T is a very ill natured thing for any man to think himself miserable because he sees another to have higher enjoyments than himself There is scarce a greater folly and unhappiness incident to humane nature than a fond admiration of other mens enjoyments and a contempt of and discontent at our own Look not upward therefore on those above you but look downward and you will find the world to be like a great Hospital full of poor sick distracted diseased pained afflicted persons and how many thousands will you find with whom you would be loath to change conditions 'T was a good speech of one of the Ancients who said if all mens sufferings were put into one common bank men would choose rather to go away with their own share than take their dividend of the common calamities Nay consider how many of Gods own Children have suffered for worse things than any you have suffered He that has his understanding and all his senses intire has in that an over-ballance to most outward adversities Consider therefore how many mercies thou dost still enjoy Murmur not at what thou hast lost but be thankful for what thou hast left 5. Consider no affliction comes out of the dust It is the Lord that brings us and our afflictions together No warrant comes to arrest our bodies with pain but it comes under the hand and seal of heaven No Habeas-Corpus to remove any friend or relation of ours but it comes under the hand and seal of the great judge No affliction happens to us but it is reached out by the hand of God our Creator to whom we ow subjection as having received our being from him Let us look therefore beyond instruments for they are but the servitors to put the cup into our hands which our heavenly Father hath given us to drink 6. Let us consider what part God hath appointed every one of us to act in this World and let us labour to act that part well not troubling our selves about the parts that others are appointed to act The world is a great stage 'T is not so much material what part we are to act provided we act it well He that is appointed to act the part of a Servant and does it well is as much commended and rewarded as he that acted the part of a Master In the body of man the foot is of great use though not of so much as the head It must not therefore complain because it is not the head Let every one duly consider the place and station God hath put him in and the part and particular duty he requires of him and let him set himself with all faithfulness to perform it not murmuring at the part given to another 7. A great help to contentment is to enjoy the present thankfully and not to be over solicitous about the future Wouldst thou live contentedly Be not over thoughtful for to morrow but cast all thy cares on God who hath promised that he will never leave nor forsake those that are his Heb. 13.5 8. Interpret all Gods providences so as intended to draw thee nearer to him and none of them to drive thee away from him In very faithfulness hast thou afflicted me saith David Psal 119.75 Consider God has very gracious ends in afflicting his own people 1. Sanctified affliction is one of the most awakening calls to repentance
should be rich or learned or healthful or have a great name in this World but 't is absolutely necessary to our happiness that we should break off our sins by true repentance that we should be converted that we should savingly close with Christ by Faith that we should be new creatures that we should live to the honour of God and good of the World If these things be found in us God hath given us the best portion and therefore we may well be contented though he give us not so large a portion of the things of this life Yea upon this account in a good cause we ought to take joyfully the spoiling of our goods or the loss of our estates remembring that God hath given us a better portion that cannot be taken from us 4. We should consider our Souls are Spirits and were made for higher things than meerly to grovel on the earth Our Souls are our best part and our greatest care should be to secure them If it go well with the soul it will go well with the body also But if the soul be lost and must suffer everlasting punishment 't were better we had been made Toads or Serpents than Men and rational creatures Certainly it argues the great depravation of mans Soul that it should take so much care for the body how it may be cloathed and fed and how it may injoy all the delights which are suitable to it and that it should take so little care of it self to secure unto it self eternal happiness In order therefore to the securing of our souls we should labour to possess our minds with right and sound principles such as these That the best part of man ought to have most care bestowed upon it That things of everlasting consequence ought to be sought before things of meer temporal concernment That things absolutely necessary ought to be sought in the first place That he is a wise man that takes due care to save his soul but he is a fool that to gain the World loses his Soul Such Principles as these laid deep in our minds may be a great means to preserve us from an eager and greedy pursuit of the things of the world 5. We should consider our time here is but short 1 Cor. 7.29 therefore we had not need act the part of children and only follow bubbles We have but a short winters-day of life to live If a man come to a great City and have a great deal of business to do and but a short day to do it in he had not need trifle but mind the business seriously for which he came thither Let us therefore mind our great business for which we came into the World let us look to the main whatever else be neglected 6. We should take heed of earthly-mindedness and pursuing the things of the World too eagerly lest that happen to us which sometimes happens to those that dig in the mines of the earth while they are eagerly digging and delving there the earth falls on them on a sudden and miserably buries them Let those that follow the World so hard with the wretched neglect of their souls and are loading themselves continually with thick clay take heed they be not at last crushed under it and perish by it 7. We should set before our eyes the examples of the most eminent Saints and servants of God in all ages They counted themselves but Pilgrims and strangers here Heb. 13.37 and yet they were such of whom the world was not worthy Scultetus observes that none of the Saints mentioned in the Scripture were spotted with this sin of Covetousness The Apostle tells us that Abraham sojourned in the Land of Promise as in a strange Country because he looked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God And the truth is they that have God for their Father Christ for their Redeemer the Holy Ghost for their guide and comforter the holy Angels for their Protectors the Promises of God for their present support and Heaven for their inheritance hereafter should have their hearts withdrawn from worldly things and should more mind and think of their Countrey that is above * Dum mala pungunt bona promissa ungunt 8. Those to whom God hath given riches in this World should consider that these are their particular duties 1. They should labour to get the spiritual riches of grace which they may carry with them into the other World 2. They should not over-value their riches nor esteem them too highly nor set their hearts upon them Psal 62.10 3. They should not put their trust or confidence in them 1 Tim. 6.17 4. They should not glory in them nor boast of them Jer. 9.23 5. They should not be tempted by their riches to scorn or despise the poor Jam. 2.6 6. They should not by reason of their wealth and power oppress the poor 7. They should honour the Lord with their substance Prov. 3.9 1. By promoting Piety and the service of God 2. By works of Charity * Quas dederis solas semper habebis opes Habeo quod dedi perdidi quod servavi and beneficence to the poor and so make to themselves friends of their riches Luke 16.9 Now riches are made friends when they are so used as they may be evidences and give testimony of our Piety Charity Justice and Mercifulness A poor mans hand whom we have relieved is a bill will be accepted in Heaven Prov. 19.17 He that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord and he will pay him again 8. They should often and seriously meditate on the account they must give how they have used their wealth They should consider they are not absolute Lords of their estates but Gods stewards and to him they must give an account 9. They should be willing to let go whatever God shall call them to part with and that without regret or murmuring as if a piece of their heart were rent away with it And so much of the remedies and directions against Covetousness I shall now shut up this discourse with this one Caution that seeing Covetousness does especially consist in the inward desires of the heart which are best known to a mans self and which no man knows save the spirit of a man that is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 We should therefore be very wary and tender of charging Covetousness upon others We may more safely and securely judge our selves in this matter than we can others For we can better know the nature and qualification of our own desires than we can possibly of another mans Let us therefore take heed of evil surmizes and ungrounded suspicions of others Some persons are apt to surmize a man to be covetous upon such grounds as these 1. He will not be bound for a friend or relation though in never so great a strait I Answer I think no man ought to be bound for another any further than he finds himself able
and willing to pay in case the person for whom he is bound cannot For so the person to whom the bond is made looks upon him and if he be not so he deceives him in being bound This being premised I shall now tell you what Solomon sayes of surety-ship Prov. 17.18 A man void of understanding striketh hands and becometh surety in the presence of his friend Chap. 22.28 Be not thou one of them that strike hands or of them that are surety for debts Chap. 11.15 He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it and he that hateth surety-ship is sure Chap. 6. v. 1. My Son if thou be surety for thy friend if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger thou art snared with the words of thy mouth Do this now my Son go humble thy self and make sure thy friend give not sleep to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye-lids deliver thy self as a Roe from the hand of the Hunter and as a Bird from the hand of the Fowler c. you may see by this what Solomons opinion was of surety-ship The truth is many an easie and good natured man hath been utterly undone by being drawn into bonds for his friend or relation And therefore I think it is not a sign so much of a covetous mind as of a prudent mind to be shy of surety-ship 2. He lives very neerly and sparingly and much under his estate Answ Thou maist surmise his estate to be greater than it is Thou dost not know his losses nor his manifold charges Or it may be having seen the difficulties and dangerous temptations that others have been put upon through want he spares that he may not be exposed to the like temptations Or it may be he spares and in many things denies himself that he may have to give to the poor His frugality is the purse-bearer to his Charity Or possibly he will tell thee who vainly and foolishly spendest thy money that thou dost not know the value of a penny One single penny will buy a yard square of good Land worth twenty pound an acre as may appear by the demonstration in the margin * In every Acre there are a hundred and sixty square Poles or Rods. In every Pole coâ—sisting of five yards and an half there are thirty yards square and one quarter of a yard as may appear by the Diagram hereunto annexed So there are four thousand eight hundred and forty yards square in an Acre which if sold at one penny a yard comes to twenty pound three shillings and four pence and therefore he is not willing to spend his money so idly and prodigally as thou dost And in the last place possibly he will tell thee that he is sparing because as the Proverb goes a penny saved is better than two pence got yet for all that his heart is not set on his riches but he can freely part with his money when God calls for it 3 It does not appear that he is Charitable and liberal to the Poor Answ He may be prudent in well ordering his Charity and Conscientious in observing that rule of Christ Mat. 6.3 When thou givest alms let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth He may possibly give much more to the poor than thou knowest of 4. He layeth up much Answ Thou canst not tell what part of his estate he layeth up yearly nor to what ends The Apostle prescribeth it as a duty belonging to Parents to lay up for their Children 2 Cor. 12.14 and 1 Tim. 5.8 He sayes that if any man provide not for his own house he is worse than an Infidel To conclude all seeing Covetousness is so secret and close a sin and consists chiefly in the inward desires of the heart let us all carefully observe the frame of our own hearts let us be severe and rigid in examining our selves but let us be charitable and candid towards others CHAP. IX Of Anger IN treating of this Subject I shall proceed in this Method 1. I shall speak of the nature of Anger 2. Of the kinds of it 3. Give some directions for the right regulating of it that we may not offend therein 4. Answer the vain excuses that angry persons are apt to make for themselves For the first Anger is an affection by which the blood and spirits are heated upon the apprehension of some injury or wrong offered to us or those for whom we are concerned Or Anger is the rising up of the heart in a passionate displeasure against an evil which we apprehend will cross or hinder us of some desired good 2. Anger is either good or evil according to the circumstances with which it is attended It is good 1. When the cause for which we are angry is good and warrantable and such as we can give a good account of to God Mark 3.5 Jesus looked round about on them with anger being grieved at the hardness of their hearts When we are angry and our anger is accompanied with grief because God is dishonoured or because we see people offend against Piety Justice Humanity or because we see them neglect their duties and hurt their own souls or the Souls of others or do that which is wicked and sinful or prejudicial and hurtful to us or others This is a just cause of Anger 2. When the object is right The object of our anger must not be the Person offending but his offence his vice his sin his immorality his folly his fault These we may be angry at yea hate but not the offenders person 3. When the End is right When the end of our anger and displeasure is that the fault we are angry with may be amended and the Person offending for the future may be warned not to offend in the like kind again 4. When there is no excess in the measure of our anger or the time when our anger is only a rational and temperate displeasure when reason commands it thus far it shall go and no farther when it neither is too hot nor too long Now Anger is good when it is thus qualified and circumstantiated namely when it arises upon a good and justifiable ground when it is directed upon the right object the sin and fault of the offender when it aims at the right end the reformation of the Person offending and when it is neither too hot nor too long but when it fails in these circumstances it is evil 3. I am come now in the third place to give some directions for the right regulating of our anger that we may not offend therein 1. Make account every day that you may meet with many occasions that will be apt to provoke you to anger * Praesume animo multa tibi esse patienda Sen. de ira if you be not very watchful over your self Every morning think with your self that you may that day meet with some cross and finister accidents some unexpected injuries troubles or inconveniencies which
more charitable one towards another than usually we are But 't is a vain thing to complain in this matter I shall rather turn my complaint into a fervent prayer unto God that he would please by the all-powerfull influence of his grace to change the hearts of men and to give them a better frame of Spirit 14. Let not anger rest in your bosom lest it putrify and turn into malice and hatred Anger resteth in the bosom of fools sayes Solomon Eccles 7.9 Anger lodged in the heart all night is very like to become malice by the morning Anger kept in the heart till next day doth putrify and corrupt like Manna save only that Manna corrupted not at all and anger doth most of all if kept to the next Sabbath Therefore sayes the Apostle Let not the Sun go down on your wrath neither give place to the Devil You need not open the door to him who is so apt to intrude himself Take heed therefore that thine anger by continuance do not turn into hatred For hatred is nothing but an old anger or grudge arising from several provocations and continuing long Anger is a sudden Passion and hath many times but a short course but hatred is more durable and lasting Anger often flies at the offence not at the person but hatred flies at the person whose hurt it earnestly desires 15. Take heed especially that your anger do not sour into revenge God challenges revenge as peculiarly belonging unto himself Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Rom. 12.19 For a creature to avenge himself is a plain intrenchment upon Gods Prerogative For he is the Judge as well as the Creator of the World Remember we all stand in need of Gods pardon and forgiveness and except we forgive we cannot expect to be forgiven Mat. 6.14 15. If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Heavenly Father forgive you There are some men that are slow to anger but being once incensed are hardly ever reconciled An irreconcileable temper is a dangerous sign or mark that a man is in a bad state towards God I have heard of a man lying upon his death-bed whom his Minister perswaded to be reconciled unto and to forgive a person whom he knew he had a great displeasure against The sick man answered yea I forgive him with all my heart if I dye but if I live I will be revenged of him I wish this wretched man did not speak the sense of too many others Our Saviour Mat. 18.23 shews us the necessity of forgiving one another by the Parable of a Servant to whom his Lord had forgiven Ten thousand Talents and yet took his fellow-servant by the throat for an hundred pence at which his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due Even so likewise sayes our Saviour shall my Heavenly Father do unto you if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his Brother their trespasses One of the Ancients upon this Parable makes this remark Servi Parabolam utinam nos non faceremus historiam I wish sayes he that this that is related of the Servant in the Gospel were only a Parable and that our practice did not give too much occasion to have it related of us as a true history and a thing really done by us 16. Take heed of envy Be not angry or displeased at the prosperity * Nunquam erit foelix qnem torquebit foelicior Sen. of others To be pleased with another mans happiness is to increase our own But envy is as rottenness to the bones Prov. 14.13 17. Represent to thy self what a beauty and amiableness there is in meekness Divines speak of a three-fold meekness 1. Natural springing from a good temper 2. Moral springing from a good education 3. Gracious which is a fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.23 Now this gracious meekness hath reference either to God or Man Meekness towards God consists in patiently submitting to his will without murmuring or repining Meekness towards Man consists in having a heart ready to pass by offences to forgive wrongs and injuries and to do good against evil And there is not a greater magnetism or attractive in nature than such a frame of Spirit The great amiableness of meekness will appear to us if we consider these particulars 1. Meek persons are like unto our Lord and Saviour who expressed his great meekness in submitting to his Fathers will without any repining and in bearing patiently great injuries from men Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly of heart Our Saviour seems to say to us as Gideon to his followers Judges 7.17 Look on me and do as ye see me do And accordingly the Apostle 2 Cor. 10.1 obtests and beseeches the Corinthians by the meekness and gentleness of Christ which he uses as a powerful motive to them that they would not interpret his humble and mild carriage among them otherwise than they ought 2. Gracious meekness doth plainly shew the soul to have been under the forming and workmanship of the Spirit of God We may by the work know the workman 3. 'T is a temper highly prized by God himself 1 Pet. 3.4 A meek and a quiet Spirit is in the sight of God of great price Moses's meekness exalted him so highly that God spake unto him face to face as a man speaketh to his friend Exod. 33.11 4. 'T is a temper that much adorns our Christian Profession 'T is a walking worthy of our high calling Eph. 4 1â— I Paul beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called with all lowliness and meekness and long-suffering forbearing one another in love and Verse 31 32. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice and be ye kind one to another forgiving one another even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you The Apostle also expresses himself to the same purpose Col. 3.12 13 14 15. 5. 'T is a temper to which many gracious promises are made Psal 25.9 The meek will he guide in judgement the meek will he teach his way and Mat. 5.5 The meek shall inherit the earth that is they shall enjoy that which God gives them here with much more Peace Quietness and Comfort than others do Meek persons are not given to Lawing and quarrelling as other men are if they be oppressed at any time God does usually interest himself in their quarrel Prov. 16.7 When a mans wayes please the Lord he maketh his very enemies to be at peace with him And if God does sometimes for gracious ends suffer the meek to be oppressed namely for the exercise of their faith and patience he will recompence them abundantly in the other life 6. 'T is a temper of great benefit and advantage to the life of man It
Jesuitica aequivocatio mentalis reservatio hoc ipso mendatii convincuntur quibus haec in usu sunt nimirum quia cum veram propositionem animo concipiant falsum tamen enuntient Davenant in Colos Therefore he that speaks what he thinks does not tell a lye though he may speak an untruth or that which is in it self false And in such a case what he sayes is falsiloquium but not mendacium a falshood but not a lye He offends not against moral truth or veracity because he speaks as he thinks and so he does not lye but is himself mistaken 'T is formale mendacium a formal and direct lye when we express or affirm a thing otherwise than we conceive or think with an intent to deceive 2. I come to consider the several sorts or kinds of lyes And so a lye is usually distinguished into Jocosum Officiosum Perniciosum 1. Jocosum when a man uttereth a lye in sport to make others merry To this we may apply that of the Prophet Hosea Chap. 7. Verse 3. They make the King glad with their wickedness and the Princes with their lyes They that tell lyes meerly to make others laugh are guilty of this kind of lying 2. Officiosum when a man tells a lye to help another out of some present danger or inconvenience God himself will not be served with a lye Job 13.7 Will ye speak wickedly for God Will ye talk deceitfully for him We may not lye for Gods cause or glory much less may we do it for any mans benefit * Plato was no good casuist for Christians who allowed a lye either to save a Citizen or deceive an enemy And the piae fraudes allowed among the Papists are also much of this nature 3. Perniciosum when a man tells a lye which tends apparently to the hurt or damage of another either in his life goods or good name 3. I come now to shew the great evil and malignity of this sin 1. 'T is a sin that makes men most unlike unto God God is a God of truth and cannot lye He is stiled the Lord God of truth Psal 31.5 Deut. 32.4 and Isay 65.16 That which makes men so unlike the true and holy God must needs be an odious sin One of the Antients said well that two things make us like unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak truth and to do good And surely this consideration that lying is against the holy nature of God should work in us an extreme detestation of it 2. 'T is a sin that God hath declared in his word a great abhorrence of as may appear if you consider these following Scriptures Prov. 6.16 17 18 19. These six things doth the Lord hate yea seven are an abomination to him A proud look a lying tongue c. A false witness that speaketh lyes and him that soweth discord among Brethren Levit. 19.11 Ye shall not lye one to another Prov. 13.5 A Righteous man hateth lying c. Rev. 21.8 The fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and whore-mongers and sorcerers and Idolaters and all lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 22.15 Without are dogs and sorceres c. and whosoever loveth and maketh a lye Psal 101.7 He that telleth lyes shall not tarry in my sight Hose 4.1 2. Hear the word of the Lord ye children of Israel for the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing and lying c. they break out and blood toucheth blood Zech. 8.16 17. These are the things that ye shall do Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour execute the judgement of truth and peace in your gates c. And let none of you imagine evil in his heart against his neighbour and love no false Oath For these are the things I hate saith the Lord. Ephes 4.25 Wherefore putting away lying speak every man truth to his neighbour Col. 3.9 Lye not one to another seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds 3. 'T is a great perverting of that noble faculty of speech which God hath given unto man God hath given unto man a tongue to express his mind and to reveal and declare what he apprehends in his heart so that his tongue is to be the index and discoverer of his mind Now you know if the index or hand of a Clock should point to eight and the Clock presently strike ten we should say it was a lying Index and greatly out of order The case is so here when the tongue utters one thing and the mind thinks another 4. Lying is a work of the Devil and makes people resemble the Devil in a manner John 1.44 Ye are of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do he was a Murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a lyer and the Father of it Pride Malice and Lying are the Devils sins after a more especial manner And who would be willing to be like the Devil 5. Lying is destructive to humane society 'T is injurious to all converse between man and man How shall a man know what to look for or what to expect or what to trust to if he cannot believe the persons he deals with but finds that in what they affirm to him or assure him of or promise to him they notoriously lye unto him and palpably deceive him 6. 'T is a sin condemned by the light of natural conscience The more ingenuous among the Heathens abhorred it The Apostle quoteth a verse out of Epimenides a Heathen Poet wherein he condemns Cretians for their frequent lying Tit. 1.12 The Cretians are are alwayes lyars evil beasts slow-bellies * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. 'T is a reproachful a shameful sin The maddest fellows and most Ruffianly and debauched who make so little conscience of other sins yet cannot induce to be charged with a lye because 't is looked upon as a cowardly and shameful sin Whoever gives them the lye provokes them beyond all patience 'T is the cause of many duels and many times murders Hear what that excellent person Mr. Herbert saith in his Poems Lye not but let thy heart be true to God Thy mouth to it thy actions to them both Cowards tell lyes and those that fear the rod. The stormy-working soul spits lyese and froth Dare to be true Nothing can need a lye A fault that needs it most grows two thereby 8. Lying easily disposeth to perjury He that useth frequently to lye 't is to be feared he will not much stick at forswearing himself upon occasion For when the heart is once hardened in one sin it is mighty proclive to another of the like kind and nature 9. It makes a man useless in the
world When a man is once looked upon as a person that cannot be believed no body cares to have any thing to do with him For he that is not true in his words will not be thought honest in his dealings So that having lost his good name he is incapacitated to do good or benefit others 10. 'T is a sin that being frequently committed wonderfully hardens the heart and fears the conscience Therefore customary lying is called the way of lying Psal 119.29 And they that are in that way usually have sinned down all tenderness of conscience 11. We should remember how it is made the note or character of a righteous man to speak the truth from his heart and the wise man tells us Prov. 12.22 That they that deal truly are Gods delight but lying lips are an abomination to the Lord. 12. Destruction is the lyars reward Psal 5.6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing c. Rev. 21.8 Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone Prov. 19.5 He that speaketh lyes shall not escape And so much of the third particular the great evil and danger of this sin 4. I come now to give some remedies and directions against it 1. Seeing people are so prone to this vice through natural corruption let all humble themselves before God for every sin of this nature that ever they have been guilty of in any part of their lives Sins that we truly repent of we are careful to keep our selves from for the future 2. Let us labour to keep our selves innocent Saepe delinquentibus promptissimum est mentiri Faultiness commonly causeth faultring and sin usually putteth men upon shifts to save themselves from blame Take heed therefore of committing faults and then thou wilt not need to tell a lye to help thy self The best way to avoid lying is to endeavour alwayes as much as possibly we can to be faultless and blameless 'T is too too usual for Children and Servants when they have done amiss and are blame-worthy to seek to hide their faults with a lye and when they have told one lye that that may not be discovered or found out to back it with four or five more and so they heinously increase their guilt But they that labour to walk innocently and blamelesly need no such miserable and wretched shifts as these are 3. Let us fear the displeasure of God more than the wrath of men If we be affraid of mans anger for our faults which is but short and transient how should we fear the insupportable wrath and vengeance of God which is everlasting The one is but like a drop of scalding water falling on our flesh the other like being thrown into a furnace of boyling metal No mans displeasure how hot soever is to be named the same day with the anger of the Almighty Your Parents or Masters may be angry with you and threaten to correct you but God threatens to damn you and which of these two are you most to consider 4. Think it a less evil to take shame to thy self by confessing thy fault than to hide it with a lye 'T is Pride that makes people so impatient of the hard opinion of others And shame is to some persons so intolerable a suffering that they will rather venture to displease God than man and chose rather to tell a lye and expose themselves thereby to the wrath of God than indure a little shame or disgrace from men Whereas if they had a right understanding and discerning of the difference between good and evil they would think it far the better course to take shame to themselves by confessing their faults than to hide it with a lye 5. Labour to foresee in what particulars and upon what occasions you may in all likelihood be most in danger of faultring or telling a lye and there set a stricter watch and guard upon your self fortifying your self with the greter care and caution against this vice 6. Labour to keep your consciences tender that it may smite you when you are apt to warp or start aside from your duty And reverence your conscience when it checks you and listen to it 7. Live as in the sight and hearing of God and walk as one that is passing on to judgment 8. Labour to get a keen hatred and detestation of this vice Represent it to your thoughts as a sin of an odious and shameful nature And if you be affraid of shame be affraid of lying which is in it self so shameful 9. Earnestly implore the grace of God to keep you from this sin Earnestly beg of God that you may never be left to your self at any time or upon any occasion whatever 10. Set a watch over the doors of your lips Take heed of speaking hastily or rashly or too much For in the multitude of words this sin is seldom wanting 11. Take heed of a greedy and an immoderate desire of gain How many trading people for a small and inconsiderable advantage for a two-penny or three-penny matter will not stick to tell a lye and deceive Hear what the Prophet Micah preached in his days Chap. 6. v. 9 10 11 12. The Lords voice cryeth unto the City c. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked and the scant measure that is abominable shall I count them pure with the wicked ballances and with the bag of deceitful weights For the rich men thereof are full of violence and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lyes and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth Therefore will I make thee sick in smiting thee in making thee desolate because of thy sins We read in the fourth of Matthew 8.9 v. that the Devil took our Saviour up into an exceeding high Mountain and shewed him all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them that is as I suppose pointed to him where they lay and told him that all these would he give him if he would fall down and worship him But alass the Devil need not bid so high for the souls of men now a-days If he take them but into a fair or market or into a shop for a small gain they will lye and serve him 12. Take heed of envy and malice which often put people upon lying When men owe such and such persons ill will they care not what they say of them How sad and corrupt were the times wherein the Prophet Jeremiah lived who in his ninth Chapter verse 4.5 speaks to the Jews after this manner Take ye heed every one of his neighbour and trust ye not in any brother for every brother will utterly supplant and every neighbour will walk with slanders and they will deceive every one his neighbour and will not speak the truth They have taught their tongue to speak lyes and weary themselves to commit iniquity So the Prophet David complained in his time Psal 12.1 2. Help Lord for the Godly man ceaseth for the