A. 1. This comes from want of thorow and entire fellowship with the Lord Jesus for though they may have much joy and comfort in the Members of the Church yet it is but a Land-flood all that joy and grace may be dried up unlesse they partake of that Fountain which never fails and as the Lord told Samuel They have not rejected thee but me they have rejected so see you any departing from the Church they departed from Christ and union with him first Dan. 11.34 35. many cleave to him but feignedly Heb. 12.13 when a man haults between falshood and truth or God and his lusts he will be turned out of the way 2 From the stumbling-blocks they meet with in 1 The Church first persecution Matth. 13.21 that makes some offended 2 Hard Doctrin Joh. 16.66 the Doctrin of Purity seems harsh Doctrin to them so the Doctrin of Predestination offends some 3 There fall out some admonitions or reproofs to be dispenced to the Members of the Church now if they come with proud unmortified spirits they will be offended at them and fly back again this was the cause of Simon Magus his Apostacy when Peter reproved him sharply he could not brook it but fell off and set up a false Doctrin and lying miracles to subvert the Apostles Doctrin some depart from others because they think themselves more holy than others Isa 65.5 either they give offence to others or others to them Vse Shews us our duty not to rest our selves satisfied in that we are Members of the Church we may live in the Church and partake of the ordinances yet after fall off therefore be sure that you give up your selves first to the Lord and then to the Church otherwise keeping any pride or covetousnesse in our hearts it will make us fall off pride will make us take offence at others and others at us and covetousnesse will make us fall off when we meet with persecution and losse of goods and liberty for Christ therefore come with humble and mortified hearts and give up your selves to Christ and then you shall not easily give offence to others and will be content to part with any thing for Christ and so will continue Members of the Church Doct. 2 Such as depart from the Church were never Members of the Church They were not of us that is of the Apostles nor of us that is of such whose sins are forgiven them either old men or young or Children Q. What is the Church or who are the Church 1 The Church is called a company of Saints because they are holy in heart and practice 1 Cor. 14 13. 1 Cor. 1.2 2 The Church is called an elect people 3 They that are indeed of the Church are such as shall be saved Acts 2 ult as all those that were in Noahs Ark were saved so all those that are true Members of the Church Grounds 1 From the near fellowship such have with the Catholique Church and so certainly are of the number of the first born written in heaven Heb. 12.23 therefore Christ saith all his sheep hear his voice Joh. 10.2 3 4.16.27 28. and none shall pluck them out of his hand Those that are truly Members of the particular Church are likewise Members of the Catholique my finger which is a part of my hand is a part of my whole body 2 From the fellowship such have with the head Christ all the true Members receive nourishment from the head Col. 2.18 19. therefore they not holding to the head fall into vain speculations therefore those that depart from the head fall from the Church Ephes 4.15 16. and being knit to the head they are joyned with such bands of the spirit and bands of ordinances that they all partake of one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 so 1 Cor. 12.13 1 Cor. 10.6 7. and so in all their prayers they pray for the whole Church Our Father thy Will be done of us we have a tender care of all the Church knit together in one Love one Faith one Hope one Baptisme so that those that are truly knit cannot fall off Vse 1 To reprove an Error of the Romish Church that do maintain that wicked men may be true Members of the Church but we say that those that fall off were never true Members of the Church and yet they hold that many fall off and yet were true Members but they might indeed depart from their Church but never from any true Church if they do depart from the Church they were never true Members of the Church they were not of Christs sheep for he will keep them that none of them shall fall off We say therefore that such were not true Members but ill humors and superfluous excrements of the body and therefore no wonder though they fell off But you will say some there are that continue faithfull friends to the Church and never fall off from them are there not some that are ornaments and maintainers and supporters of the Church yet have no truth of Grace in their hearts are not they Members of the Church They have the place of Members but are not true Members a glasse eye may be an ornament to the body and a wooden Legg a support to the body yet are no true Members so such may be ornaments and supporters of the Church yet no true Members but as a glasse eye or a wooden legge these though they cleave to the body yet they are not joyned by nerves and sinews neither animated by the head so these are not tyed to the Church by the spirit of God or bond of Faith and Love but some external ligaments as honour or profit in the Church Vse 2 It may teach us what to judge of such men as have been sometimes very forward and zealous Professors but afterwards they sit loose from Religion and fall off from the Saints and grow enemies to the Church they were never true Members of the Church Stella cadens nunquam stella cometa fuit never any Star fell the Church is compared to Heaven Christians to Stars when we think we see a Star fall it is no Star but a meteor drawn up by the heat of the Sun which when the heat of the Sun is withdrawn falsl so if you see any Stars fall from the Church they were some sluggish meteors that by the heat of Gods ordinances were raised up and inflamed but after the heat was a little dissolved they fell away if any fall they were never any true Stars in heaven but blazing meteors Vse 3 It may teach us never to rest in any fellowship or society of the Church till we are knit by the spirit to God and Christ so that every ordinance knits you nearer to Christ and to his Members and every conference quickens your affection to the Church and theirs to you come not therefore to the Fellowship of the Church for custome or credit or to satisfie friends these are but as glasse eyes and woden leggs
have neglected to keep their Conscience clean their judgment is unsound a corrupt Conscience a corrupt Judgement 3 From the disposition of men and aptnesse then to catch the greatest cold when their spirits have been most warmed and heated no man so apt to take cold as they who are very warm and hot so in the days of the Apostles they did not only fill them with Knowledge but warmed the Church with Zeal and Heat zeal towards their Ministers zeal in their liberality they loved not their own lives in respect of Christ now their spirits being so warm they are more subjesh to get cold and distemper every Christian in particular finds it so when he hath been most enlarged at the Word or Prayer ere long he will be more straitned there being a secret pride in the experience of Gods favour and to rest in our selves thinking that we have sufficient grace in our selves when we see our need of Christ we depend only on him but when we are full we depend on our selves and so by sitting loose from Christ we get a great cold we are cold in Prayer Word Sacrament thus it is with the Church when God sheds his Spirit abundantly in the Church they grow secure and depend upon themselves thus we see Josh 1.9 10 11. so that one would have thought that that generation would have been more zealous yet none so Idolatrous till God quickned them by their enemies so in the Apostles times the Church was very forward and zealous a few Generations after their spirits were carried away with errors 4 From the disposition of Satan he hath great rage because the time is short Rev. 12.8 and we shall always finde that the Devil hath imitated God if God have Sacrifices from his people so the Devil from the Pagans so if God set up a Christ Sathan will have an Antichrist set up that may be not only a substitute but an enemy to Christ that as God had won the world by Christ so he would delude the world by Antichrist 5 From the wise and just dealing of God if God reveal more means of knowledge he will use many means of trial he will have them winnowed that so the good may remain as Wheat the Chaffe may be blown away if God give more Tallents he will put them upon more employment and exexercise Vse 1 To teach Christians not to be offended if they finde variety of seducing spirits in these days a man would wonder in such peaceable days when Religion is maintained there should be so many opinions and agitations how comes this about you must know that God never dispenced generally more knowledge since the revelation of Antichrist than now now where there is most knowledge Sathan will be seducing and corrupting their wisdom where there is more wisdome there is more curiosity and pride so much knowledge so much want of truth many times and so putting off the truth men run into several errors and it is just with God seeing they put away a good Conscience and would not give heed to sound Doctrine therefore God gave them up to follow lyes 2 Thes 2. and their longing desire and zeal in former times will end in such a cold that there will be a defect of all warmth and heat and wheresoever you see the truth not held in a good Conscience they run their faith on Rocks some split on a rock of Arminianism some on a rock of Popery so that it must needs be that in these last times many Antichrists must be Vse 2 Since many Antichrists are and will be in these last times let us labour to be so established in the truth that however the times be we may keep our faith and religion Q. How shall we be thus established A. 1. Get contrary spirits to the former give not up your selves to curiosity and vain speculations if the Lord find you humble he will teach you in his ways if when you are warm and hot you have a care that you get not cold 1 Chron. 29.18 Pray to God to keep your hearts always in that frame or at least in such a frame as may befit every days businesse and then whatsoever the times be our hearts and judgements shall be established in the truth but unless God give you a good Conscience with your knowledge you will be soon perverted and therefore I say as Paul to the Ephesians Ephes 2.12 continue in a firm love of the truth as well as in the knowledge of it 1 JOHN 2.19 They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us no doubt they would have continued with us c. THe Apostle Vers 18. had instructed Babes of the coming of Antichrist now in this Verse he first discribes them 1 By their Apostacy they went out from us 2 Their condition before They were not of us he amplifies both the latter he proves by an Argument They were not of us for if they had been of us they would have continued with us The former he amplifies by the reason why God gave them up to Apostacie which was that these Seducers might be made manifest that they were not of us Q. 1. What is meant by this They went out from us A. 1. They departed from their Doctrin in Judgment and from their Fellowship in Practise Acts 2.42 Now these men departed from both they forsook the truth which before they profest 2 Joh. 9. and not in circumstantial points but in such whereby they denyed both the Father and the Son as verse 22. 1 Tim. 1.19 2 In their fellowship they declined from them in communion of Ordinances and mutual help Heb. 10.25 They went out from us from whom who are they from us Apostles and Ministers from us that is from Old men Young men and Children they went out from all the true Members of the Church They were not of us That is they were never true members of our Body they were with us and amongst us but they were never of us 1 Joh. 4.4 5. as the Children of God are in the world yet not of the world their mindes are not on this world their inheritance is not in this world so on the contrary the Children of the Church are in the Church but not of the Church Doct. 1. Some may be in the Church which after do depart from the Church Doct. 2. Such as do depart were never Members of the Church Doct. 3. Such as are Members continue always in the Church Doct. 4. Those that depart manifest themselves not to be of the Church Doct. 5. This departing from the Church is a note of Antichrist Doct. 1. There are some in the Church which may depart from the Church That may leave the Doctrin Fellowship and Practise of the Church Heb. 10.25 2 Thes 2.3 1 Tim. 2.4 Q. How comes it to pass that men in the Church and in some measure affecting the ways of Religion depart from the Church
Apostles and Saints of God that lived in those times were indued with a greater and larger measure of gifts and graces than ever before or since which was this the King bestows many gifts upon his poor Subjects when he keepeth retiredly in his Court but when he comes abroad and manifests himselfe to publick view then much more abundantly Joel 2.28 29. Christ then left his Apostles behinde him as it were his Almoners to bestow his Dole and Largesse on the Church we see also the reason why there was a greater measure of light of the knowledge of Salvation shed ab oad unto the World in those times than ever before which was because of Christs coming in the flesh which was his manifestation and then the Sun rising how should not the light break forth more gloriously than before five thousand were converted at two Sermons Acts 2.41 4.4 3. The reason of ceasing of Oracles in the Apostles time which was because Christ then appeared his light brake forth and what Communion hath light with darknesse 2 Cor. 6.14 and because they were the Devils 1 Cor. 10.20 when Christs Kingdome was partly outward in Solemn Sacrifices and Ceremonies he suffered the Devill to erect the like but when Christs Kingdome became in a manner wholly spirituall as it did from the time of his appearing in the flesh he would not suffer his enemy to enjoy any other Kingdome but spirituall in the hearts and souls of men Plutarch renders two other Reasons Defectus Oraculorum but both false and confuted by his own Doctrine the First was because then many wise men might serve for Oracles Secondly Because happily those spirits in time grew old and dyed the Devil himselfe made a true confession See Suidas in vita Augusti 4. Why all Ceremonies and Sacrifices were abolished at our Saviours coming Heb. 10.5 because they were but shadows Col. 2.17 Heb. 10.1 and all shadowes vanish in the Sun shine which is Christ manifest in the Flesh 5. A difference of Sights Christ was made manifest in the flesh yet some knew him not John 1.5 1 Cor. 2.8 when as others did John 1.14 And the reason why some saw him not is Three-fold 1 They shut their own eyes Acts 28.27 2 The Devill blinded their eyes 2 Cor. 4.4 3 God blinded them John 12. from 37. to 40. Vse 2. To reprove all such Christians as are yet ignorant of Christ and know him not they are now without excuse 2 Cor. 4.3 John 15.22 If the veile had still lain over Christ there might have been some pretence now there is none Vse 3. To exhort us to walk no longer in darknesse Rom. 13.12 13. John 12.46 1 John 3.8 and that while we have the light John 12.35 36. which seemeth not to be likely to continue long the fulnes of the Gentiles being almost come in Rom. 11.25 26. for is not the Vintage and Harvest of the Gentiles gathered when so few Christians remain like Isa 17.6 Vse 4. If Christs first coming was such a manifestation of him then the Children of God should learn hence to meditate what a glorious manifestation his second coming will be 2 Cor. 3. ult 1 Cor. 13. penult Proposit 4. The Apostles saw this eternal life made manifest in the flesh The Truth it is apparent John 1.14 The Observations arising from hence are these 1 The truth of our Saviours Incarnation 2 The blessednesse of the Apostles in seeing what others desired and could not but of these we have spoken before ver 1. Proposit 5. The Apostles bare witnesse unto and declared this eternal life unto the Church of God For the meaning of this to bear witnesse unto Christ and to declare him to the Church is all one they bare witnesse unto him by declaring of him they declared him by bearing witnesse unto him Hence it was that when he appointed them to be declarers and publishers of his Gospel to all the World he appointed them onely to bear witnesse to him Acts 1.8 so also is witnessing put for declaring Acts 20.21 For the confirmation of this Proposition not to heap many places in a clear truth take these two Acts 10.30 40 41. Acts 5.32 But how could the Apostles bear witnesse to Christ seeing he receiveth not the testimony of men John 5.33 34. The testimonies of men are of two sorts as all Arguments in Logick are of double force 1. For confirmation such our Saviour refuseth as having greater John 5.36 37. 2. For declaration such our Saviour embraceth as appointing his Disciples to that end and indeed if he would have had witnesses for confirmation he would rather have sent Solomon in all his royalty and such others as he men of credit and honour than poor Fisher-men if therefore the Pope and his Clergy were not greater than Peter and the Apostles they would not challenge to themselves power to give authority to the Scriptures for are not such men for confirmation Quest But why would our Saviour have sush poor and simple men to be his witnesses and to declare and preach him rather than Gamaliel and the other Rabbins of the Jewes Answ 1. To magnifie his power who was able to perswade the whole World to embrace him and his Doctrin by such weak instruments 2 Cor. 4.7 Acts 4.33 Acts 4.13 2. To take away and prevent a slander which otherwise might have been raised upon the Doctrin of the Gospel that it had been the device of a mans brain an human policy devised by great men to keep the rest in awe 1 Cor. 2.8 6. Many prophane Atheists are ready now so to deem and speak of it as it is how much more if these had seen great men and Princes embracing it and setting it forward at first At the first Satan hindered Religion by perswading the World that the Professors thereof were enemies to the State Acts 16.20 21. but when long experience proved none more faithfull now he goeth about to perswade that Princes devised it for their own turn 3. To teach all Ministers both how to become most able and sufficient Preachers of the Gospell and also to deliver the Gospel so as may be most for Gods glory If Learning and skill in all Human knowledge would have made us most able Ministers of his Gospel he would either have chosen such to have been his Witnesses or have made them such by instructing them thereafter in that three years space when he abode with them but he found them ignorant Fishermen and left them very raw and rude in the knowledge yea even of the Principles of Religion Acts 1.8 and yet in one hour fifty dayes after by the sending of the Holy Ghost he made them more able Ministers than all the Prophets before them and their Fathers Schoolmen and the late restorers of the Gospel since to shew us that howsoever we must not neglect the help of Studies of the Arts and Tongues for want of immediate revelation yet these are not the things
the Saving Truths of God are comprehended 1 In Repentance for Sin 2 Some lead on to Faith for pardon 3 Some lead to Mortification of Sin 4 Some tend to Sanctification from Sin to be accomplished in due time now if a man be without sin to what purpose are all such exhortations to Repentance To what purpose are all Scriptures tending to faith in Christ To what purpose are such as tend to Mortification or Sanctification so that he that denies sin to be in him he not onely sins against God and makes him a Lyar but he doth also Heretically erre in overthrowing all saving Truth the Doctrine of Repentance of Mortification of Faith of Sanctification all these are over-thrown If a man apprehend or professe perfection in himselfe it is impossible a man should have any truth of Grace believing he hath no need of Repentance or Faith in Christ or Mortification or Sanctification this is a terrible point St. John may well be called Boanerges a son of Thunder for these are thundering speeches he that saith he hath no sin is a Lyar against himselfe against God a Blasphemer an Heretick Vse 1. To confute perfect obedience to the Law as the Papists hold that Justification is by Works were there no other Errours but this it is Blasphemous Atheisticall and Hereticall and overturns the foundation of Religion for what is the foundation of Religion but the Doctrine of Repentance and Faith and if any be justified by Works he hath neither need of Repentance or Faith if righteousnesse be by the Law then Christ dyed in vain and his bloud is of no effect Gal. 5.14 therefore that opinion is vain that Popish Religion and ours may be reconciled let St. John put in his judgement he tells you that he that saith he hath no sin that he hath fulfilled the Law and is justified by Works there is no truth no saving truth in that Religion that teacheth so therefore it is impossible he should have any saving Religion in him that holds Justification by Works that holds Merits he makes God a Lyar and his Word is not in him For 1 God then should send his Son in vain Gal. 2.19 20. 2 Christ himselfe should be in vain and should lye for he teacheth us to pray Forgive us our debts now if we have none Christ lyes in saying so 3 The Holy Ghost should be a Lyar when he was sent to convince us of sin and there is none in us he should lye unto us 2 It shews the wickednesse of their Opinion who say the Virgin Mary had no sin if she had said so her selfe she had been a Lyar and no truth had been in her 3 It reproves the Catharists of old Vse 2. It shews us a necessity of taking up daily such a perswasion as this that this day we sin this day we have need of Christ and need of Faith we must daily take up this perswasion or else we have no saving truth in our hearts and if every day we be possest with a perswasion that we are subject to sin not onely Venial but Mortall that we have need of Christ of Repentance of Faith and that we can never say This is the day wherein I have not sinned if we be thus possest it will lead us on to all that saving Knowledge of God and of the Word as may keep our hearts alwayes in an holy frame such a man will be ready to think I have need to renew my Repentance to day I have need to lay hold upon Christ I have need of Mortification therefore the Apostle would have us take up a daily continuall perswasion of this that we are sinners therefore we are daily to consider with our selves wherein we have failed and to renew our Repentance and to look up to God for pardon of such and such sins and for sanctification otherwise we shall weaken our grace and Divine truth daily if we daily take not up such a perswasion we shall begin to sit loose from the saving truths of Gods Word and the power of it in our hearts not but that many Christians may sit loose from this truth yet so far as we neglect this so far we dishonour God and weaken our grace Vse 3. It will serve to teach us that whosoever walks in the sence of his own sinfulnesse is possest of it and conscious of it such glorifie Gods Truth and magnifie the power of his Word in their hearts God hath said it and we witnesse it in our hearts we bear witnesse that Christ was not sent in vain that the Holy Gost was not sent in vain Mat. 21.31 Publicans and Harlots enter into the Kingdome of God before you Why because Publicans and Harlots were sensible of their sinfulness and so would soon be convinced of their sinfull estate and so acknowledge their need of Repentance of Faith of Mortification and Sanctification whereas the Pharisees that thought themselves just they were not sensible of their sinfull estate and so saw not the need of Repentance c. Vse 4. And because St. John writes this Epistle that their joy might be full that the joy of a Christian may be always like the Moon in the Full never in the Wain and Eclipse as any Christian therefore desires such fulnesse of joy let him be daily sensible of his sin what is the reason that many Christians faile in thir confidence and fall into doubts concerning their estate I would ask you whether you have walked in a sence of your sinfulnesse daily If not no wonder though your joy be over clouded and Eclipsed Saint John would have us strongly perswaded of this If we say we have no sin we make God a Lyar c. therefore if any Christian can go all the day without any sence or remorse for sin his heart startles him not if it be thus no wonder though his joy be eclipsed On the contrary if you go on continually in a sensible apprehension of your sinfulnesse and so renew your Repentance and Faith and Mortification this will make you still to cleanse your selves daily and so you would keep your joy renewed daily We never had cause to complain of our estate but it was by reason of hardnesse of heart and how come our hearts to be hardned sin gets within us and we perceive it not and so we are hardned by it and then our joy is overclouded Heb. 12.13 14. Heb. 3.13 therefore if we would keep our hearts from hardnesse let us labour to spy out our sins and be humbled for them daily and so you will keep a soft heart and a soft heart is commonly peaceable 1 JOHN 2.1 2. My little Children these things write I unto you that ye sin not And if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours onely but also for the sins of the whole world VPon the former points delivered might arise an
could not have said as much Vse 2. Of reproofe to the Papists who lock up St. Johns writings from the people they may not be suffered to read them why if he write them for this end that they might not sin then they give the reins to sin that deny leave and liberty to read them Vse 3. To teach us the poysonful corruption of our natures that out of the purest soundest Doctrine gathers poyson Saint John fore-saw that from his Doctrine they would be ready to gather false conclusions So Rom. 5.20 when St. Paul had delivered the free Doctrine of Justification see what use they make of it he had taught that as sin abounded so did grace much more abound now he saw that they would be ready to gather false conclusions from this therefore he prevents it Chap. 6.1 shall we then sin that Grace may abound God forbid therefore it must make us out of love with our selves the commonest meats are most nourishing and good other rare meats commonly breed distempers but some stomach will corrupt any meat so the plainest points of Religion are the soundest and best but such is the corruption of our nature that it is ready to gather poyson out of them Vse 4. To teach us when we have made a good use of the Apostles writings viz. when they divert us from sin if you be restained and kept back from any sin by them you make good use of them St. John wrote this Epistle that they might not sin labour therefore by reading thereof to be made more cautelous against sin 1. If we can to doe no sin 2. If we doe to disallow it and hate it and so it will be as no sin to us We come now to the third point viz. the consolation If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father c. as if he had said how can it be that we should not sin he had taught the contrary and told them he wrote those things that they might not sin but yet for all that notwithstanding their best care and indeavour it could not be but they would sin but here is the comfort if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father c. he doth not say any man hath an Advocate with the Father but I and you and such as we are we have an Advocate with the Father now what is an Advocate sometimes it is applyed to the Holy Ghost somtimes to the Son to the Holy Ghost John 14.16 he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both because he is a Comforter and because he is an Advocate how not in pleading our case before the Father but by pleading in our hearts in giving us the Spirit of Grace and Supplication as the Apostle saith Rom. 8.26 as in Law he may be said to be our Advocate that draws our petitions for us the Holy Ghost doth not plead for us in heaven but he draws our petitions for us so that they are accepted in heaven Rom. 8.27 he doth speak good things from God to us and good things from us to God 1 Cor. 2.3 he tells us of our peace with God and our comfort and helps us to plead with God But properly it is the office of the Son to be Advocate an Advocate in Court is a more speciall pleader in the behalfe of another whose person and cause is there to be judged of and so Christ is our Advocate in speciall manner with the Father Doct. Every sinner hath Enemies that before the Father in heaven plead against him If any man sin c. there were no use of an Advocate to plead for us if we had none to accuse us and plead against us we no sooner sin but we have accusations put up in heaven against us and so our Advocate puts in for us what be these adversaries 1 Our own sins they plead against us and accuse us day and night some sins doe in a speciall manner plead against us and those are crying sins Gen. 4.10 the murther of Abel was a crying sin Gen. 18.20 the sins of Sodom cried and Ezek. 16.49 there are four things of Sodom mentioned which cryed to heaven for Vengeance Pride Idlenesse Intemperance Unmercifulnesse to the poor so sometimes detaining the labourers wages James 5.4 so also oppression Exod. 22.22.27 these are speciall crying sins because they will give God no rest till he hath revenged them in this World they will not stay till the last judgment but call for present judgment but all sins doe speake in the Lords ear and call for vengeance against us 2 Another Adversary that accuseth us is the righteous Law of God which we have broken that the word may not be in vain Joh. 5.45 3 The third Enemy is Satan that accuseth us night and day Rev. 12.10 so he did Job Chap. 1.9 10 11. he accused him of hypocrisie because he had no reall reason to accuse him therefore he surmiseth one 4 Our own conscience accuseth us and that is as a thousand witnesses Rom. 2.15 Vse 1 To take heed how we make bold with any sin you may put upon them a pretence of pleasure or profit or credit but there is no sin we commit but pleads against us yea and stirs up the Law and Satan and our own consciences to plead against us too 2 It teacheth us the miserable Estate of a poor sinner that goes on in sin and never takes any care to get Christ to be an Advocate for him he may hope that Christ pleads for him in Heaven but this is a vaine hope so long as he goes on in sin but he may be sure that sin and Satan and the Law and his conscience accuseth him and he having none to plead for him what a wofull case is he in 3 It may stir us up to get an Advocate that may plead for us against our accusers Doct. Every Child of God hath the Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven to plead his cause for him If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous he doth not say every man that sins hath an Advocate but we have an Advocate that is I and you and such as we are the children of God Rom. 8.34 he makes intercession for us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 interpellat pro nobis he interrupts the accusation and strikes in for us Heb. 7.25 because he hath not only dyed for us and risen for us but he follows the buisinesse to the utmost till it be accomplished How doth he make intercession for us 1 He doth not fall down at his Fathers feet but he acts the part of an Advocate by his presence at the Throne of Grace so that his presence cuts off many accusations it being known he is our friend and stands for us they dare not be so bold Heb. 9 24. 2 He not only pleads for us by his presence but he intercedes for us by the merit of his blood and that pleads more powerfully for us than
Father and the Church their Mother fill their heads with knowledge of God learn them to love God and rejoyce in him and delight in his ways in some measure Motives hereunto 1. In respect of God First From Gods command Eph. 6.4 Deut. 6.7 take all good occasions dull them not a little and often will bring them on the water falling drop by drop hollows a Flint so by dropping now and then a little you will learn them the knowledge of God 2. From Gods acknowledgement of it and his Promise to reveal himselfe to such Parents Gen. 18.19 Secondly In respect of Children they are capable either to scoff as the Children that mockt Elisha 2 Kings 1. or to cry Hosannah Matth. 21.15 though they be not so easily brought on to that which is good yet they are not so corrupt then as when they are grown up to more years 3. In respect of Parents it is an irrecompensible injury you offer to your Children if you have begot them into the World sinfull and wicked as we are by nature and doe not seek by all means to redresse this evill they will cry out against you for Judgement therefore that they may not curse you at the last day let it be your care to bring them up in the knowledge and fear of the Lord. What course may we take thus to redresse young Infants 1. Teach them the Principles of Religion their Baptism that will teach them they are unclean by Nature and that they are cleansed by the Bloud of Christ they were Baptized into the name of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost therefore learn them to know God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost and that will make them think of it when they see others baptized Prov. 22.6 Train up a Childe in his way wherein he should walk and he will keep it to the end nurture him or initiate him in the trade of his way in the original it is in the mouth of his way that is at the beginning of his way set him right at the first in his way and he will keep to the end if a Travellor be set right in his way at first it will help him the better to keep his way all his Journey so set a Childe in a good way learn him to cease from evill and to doe well and he will the better keep that way in his age as David teacheth Psal 34.11 to 15. 2. Learn them to read the Scriptures and be conversant therein 1 Tim. 1.4 5. 2 Tim. 3.15 reading brings much benefit to little Children 3. Bring them to Church and help them to remember something and tell them the meaning of it and take a little in good part and encourage them and that will make them delight in it 4. Give them a good example let them learn no wickednesse no disorder or miscarriage from you 1 Chro. 29.9 Know the Lord God of thy Fathers c. know him and serve him as I have served him 5. God hath sanctified seasonable and wise correction to Children Prov. 29.15 Prov. 22.15 it is a means to give wisdome which is the fear of the Lord and drive away folly and more to deliver his soul from Hell but if you use correction without instruction it is bâ—utish Prov. 6.23 therefore instruct them also and withall use Prayer and still wait on God for a blessing 1 JOHN 2.14 I have written unto you Fathers because you have known him which is from the beginning I have written unto you young men because you are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have overcome the wicked one VErse Sixth the Apostle had exhorted all Christians to walk as Christ had walked and he amplifies this duty from the antiquity of it v 7. and from the newnesse of it v. 8. and then he instanceth in one speciall duty of loving one another v. 9 10 11. and v. 12. lays down a Motive because their sins were forgiven them and then v. 13. he distributes those to whom he writes into three sorts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now in this fourteenth verse he repeats the same words almost some think it a fault of the Copy it being a vaine tautology but this is not likely Sometimes repetitions in Scriptures imply certainty but I think this is not here intended chiefly but I think the Apostle being to presse them to another duty v. 15. namely Not to love the world he makes this a ground to urge them to it Why doth he not reckon Babes too here why because they were not so easily carried away with the world but he writes to old men and young men who seeing they knew God and had overcome the wicked one they should not love the world but to little children he writes v. 18. to beware of seducements of false Doctrins Doct. The saving knowledge of him that is from the beginning of the Ancient of dayes or of Jesus Christ is able to wean even old men from the love of the world To know Christ and his worth and our need of him is a sufficient motive to wean old men from the world Two things there were which made wise ancient cautelous men not to embrace Christ and his Gospel 1. The antiquity of the Heathenish Religion Jesus Christ seemed a new God but of two or three and thirty years hated of all men and Crucified now to commend such a God to them against their ancient Doctrin and that all must subject themselves to him seemed strange 2. The Authority of Heathen Emperours that gain-said it Now to remove these impediments the Apostle layes down this as a means Love not the world implying that it was love of the world that made them to embrace that ancient Religion and reject Christ therefore he writes unto them Love not the world and that they might doe this he tells them that they knew him that was from the beginning the Ancient of dayes and all other Religions are but novelties Vse It shews a preservative against deluding our souls against embracing false Religion either from grounds of antiquity or authority if old men follow it yet it is no good ground for St. John writes to them Love not the world which you may be kept from if you know him that was from the beginning and if the Authority and Laws of man should go that way yet if you rightly know Christ and him that was from the beginning you will be kept off from the love of the world and then no worldly things will keep you from embracing Christ and his Gospel I have written to you young men because you are strong and the Word of God dwelleth in you and you have overcome the wicked one Here are two Causes of their Victory over the wicked one that is their strength and the abiding of the Word in them For the first Doct. Spirituall strength in Young men it is a grace highly acknowledged of Gods servants Prov. 20.29
and wish you had never kept them company but on the contrary had you but once got into a near communion with the Saints you should never depart from them it was the saying of a late faithful Servant of God Dr. Preston Though I leave my life yet I shall not leave my company Vse 5 Of consolation to any soul that ever had true fellowship with Christ and his church having once loved you he will love you to the end 1 Cor. 10.13 1 Thes 5.23 24. Psal 37.23 24 25. though we doe fall yet the Lord puts under his hand Rom. 8.25 Rom. 5.10 1 Pet. 1.5 we are kept by the power of God to Salvation he embraceth us with his everlasting arms so that if we have once got fellowship with God and his Church fear not you shall not fall and if you doe start aside and feed on ill Dyet you shall finde the smart of it he will humble you that he may save you at the last day Doct. It is a note of seducers or Antichristian Teachers to depart from the fellowship of the Church They went out from us because they were not of us and so such were never cordial or hearty to the church therefore when you see any fall off know it argues an Antichristian spirit 2 Thes 2 3. 1 Tim. 4.1 Many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall depart from the Church so that all Antichristian spirits have a corrupt spirit of seperation For Explication Q 1. What is this seperation A. 1. A seperation Local such was that practise of the Tribe of Gad. and Manasses Josh 22.9 10. it was not seperation in fellowship as they professe vers 26 27 but that is not a seperation that makes an Antichrist 2 A departing in fellowship which yet falls short of an Antichristian spirit though it deserve blame and reproof Gal. 2.12 not but that his judgement and affection was with them yet he with-drew from their society in Ordinances for this Paul blamed him but yet it was not an Antichristian spirit though he were a man of great zeale and courage yet none so subject to be carried away with fear as he was let christians therefore most suspect themselves there wherein they least suspect themselves and think themselves strongest but this was an infirmity in him 3 There is a departing from the Faith of the church or sitting loose from them in Spirit judgement and affection their Doctrin contrary and hearts contrary as Paul saith In the latter dayes certain shall depart from the Faith Heb. 10.25 to 29. so that such fall off not only in place or fellowship in ordinance but in judgment heart and affection that is a mark of an Antichristian spirit Jude 4.5 3 Epist Joh. 8 9 10. It is said of the new converts that were added to the church that they continued in the Apostles Doctrin and fellowship Acts 2.42 therefore when they break from the fellowship of the church they depart from the Apostles doctrin Q. What be the grounds A. 1. From the fellowship the true Members of the church have with Christ 1 Joh. 1.4 therefore when you see a spirit of with-drawing from the fellowship of the church they depart from the Apostles Doctrine and if from them then from Christ for surely our fellowship is with God and with the Son therefore to prevent that denying of Christ he gives them charge that they doe not forsake assembling themselves c. Heb. 10.25 to 29. A finger cut off from the hand is not only cut off from the hand but from the head too so if men fall off from the Members they will also fall off from Christ the Head Vse 1. Seems to inform our judgements what to think in case of seperation for this place is much abused The Papists they build on this place that they that seperate from their church are Antichrists That company say they that breake off from the fellowship of the church is Antichristian as it is plain here now what were Calvin and Luther but such as brake off from the fellowship of the church therefore they were of Antichrists spirit and fore-runners of him We must therefore know it is not every seperation from that which is called a church that is a note of an Antichristian spirit but it must be known whether that were the true church now this church St. John speaks of was the true Church for it was from such whose sins were forgiven now if it be not a true Church that they breake from it is no sign of Antichrist 2 Chro. 11.16 such as set their hearts to seek the Lord seperated themselves from those that followed Jereboam and came to Jerusalem so the Apostles were faine to seperate from the Church of the Jewes which persecuted Christ and them and so constituted a Church by themselves a Christian Church so then it is not a seperation from a false Church but a true that is a sign of an Antichristian spirit Obj. But what pretence or just ground had such Divines to fall from the Romish Church or we in England for we only upon the falling out of Hen. 8. with the Pope fell from him A. True that matter of Divorce did move him to fail off from the Pope and indeed that cause was enough to fall off from the Pope who would binde a Prince to an unlawful Marriage But the whole body of Christendom had a Three-fold ground of seperation which may be just when a Church is heretical that is hold an errour contrary to the foundation obstinately yet that is not a sufficient ground as the Church of Corinth denied the Resurrection from the Dead yet he calls them Saints so though the Pharisees had charged that none should profess Christ which was an obstinate denying of Christ and taught false Doctrine yet Christ charges them to obey them because they sit in Moses Chair and therefore fundamental erroneousnesse is not alwayes a just cause 1 Therefore that is a just cause of seperation when a Church is infected with Blasphemy and Contradiction and Blaspheme the wayes of God Acts 19.19 Acts 13.45 46. 2 Idolatry is a just ground of seperation 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18. 3 Persecution is a just ground of seperation Mat. 10.23 Acts 8.1 Now all these have met in the Church of Rome they have blasphemed and condemned as Heretical Justification by Faith and other fundamentall truths 2 They worship Images as of the Virgin Mary yea with Divine honour as the Bread in the Sacrament what greater Idolatry 3 The World knows and the blood of thousands of Martyrs can testifie their horrible Persecutions that as long as we were subordinate to them we could not profess the true Religion without loss of Goods and life therefore we have just cause to seperate our selves from them Vse 2. It may teach us what to judge of the Seperatists or Brownists are they of Antichrist Surely their practise is blame-worthy 1 Because they seperate where Christ keeps fellowship Rev.
Mahivell did clearly discern that their religion was but meer jugling to fill the Popes Coffers and keep his Kiching warm by purgatory and pardons c. therefore let none trust them but indeed this was his wickednesse though he discerned this he sought not the true Religion and this is the evill of their Religion it leads simple men to superstition and understanding men to Atheisme and if Popery be but cheating and jugling and lying it must kindle in us an inward loathing of that Religion Bellarmin doth directly bring that for his defence which was palpable and ex instituto writ against them and therefore it is plain that every Antichristian Doctrin si a lye not only against the truth but against their own judgement to deceive Psal 119.128 let it be our care to looke at every law of God as just nnd to hate every false way nothing so odious to man as to be cheated men take it most indignely to be made a fool of why truly that is the end of Antichristian Doctors to cheat and beguile men Vse 2 It must teach us how prone our natures are to receive such false Doctrins Psal 58.3 Rom. 3.4 every mans judgement is apt to take up that opinion which suits with his understanding now because by nature we are prone to lyes and errours therefore let us take heed to our selves and watch more exactly Heresie is a fruit of the flesh Gal. 5.19 20. and therefore no wonder if carnall hearts be ready to take it up seeing by nature the truth seems harsh to us Vse 3 It must stir us up to imbrace the Doctrin of the Gospel the more your spirits loath falshood the more are you to cleave to the truth do they make a sport to juggle and deceive do you see they aim at corrupt ends do they speak by a lying spirit if this be the fruit of Popery that the whole bulk of it is but an heap of lyes then as we are to detest that so we are to love the truth of the Gospel it comes from the spirit of truth the ends of it are contrary to Antichristian they aime to bring on Disciples to Christ they look not at their own belly and gain but to edifie and do good to the Church of God seeing therefore the Religion of Christ is so pure so peaceable so self-denying so free from cheating and jugling therefore let us be more enamoured on it imbrace it study it more practice it more Vse 4 If every antichristian Doctrin be a lye then they that are born of it are not born of the truth and the Doctors of it are lyers so that if it bee asked whether it be a true Church we say it is a lying Doctrin they hold those that are the Doctors and teachers of their Church are lyers and take the body of the Church it is a bulk of lyes a company of lyars deceiving the World and sporting themselves in their deceivings Doct. No lye that is no hereticall Antichristian Doctrin is of the truth Out of false things we may sometimes conclude falshood and sometimes truth but out of a true principle you can never gather falshood so St. John here out of the truth you cannot conclude any lye any false Doctrin so that no lye is of the truth For Explication A Doctrin may be sid to bee of the truth or not of it in a double respect 1 Of the truth as the cause of it John 8.37 he that is born of the truth 1 John 3.19 so to be of the truth is to be a Child of the truth so that when it is said it it not of the truth that is it is not born of the truth and it is not bred of the truth 1 Because it springs not from the Gospel of truth 2 It springs not from the Spirit of truth but from a lying spirit 3 It springs not from the truth of their own hearts not from the very morall civill truth they neither spring from the divine truth of the Gospel nor from the Spirit nor from the morall truth in their own hearts a man may speak not from the Spirit of truth in the word and yet speak from an honest heart but an Heretique speakes not from the truth of his own heart Tit. 3.10 11. so that these mens errours are not from ignorance or infirmity but meerly from the spirit of falshood 2 It is not of the truth that is it keeps not correspondency or fellowship with the truth and the reason is because no Antichristian Doctrin but it comes from the spirit of lying and murther and such a spirt is the Devills spirit John 8.48 Satans intendment is to lye and deceive and murther mens souls and that proceeds from the enmity betwixt Christ and the seed of the Serpent now the seed of the Serpent is not only Heretiques but Hereticall Doctrin and they strive to root out one another Amos 7.10 11. which shewes what little fellowship falshood hath with truth 2 Cor. 6.14 15. and therefore they would not suffer Christ to live and so they persecuted the Apostles because they spoke the word of truth Vse 1 May exhort all professors of the truth to take heed of lying if no lye be of the truth then if you speak falshood or lyes you walk not like your selves such words come not from the Spirit of truth but from the lying spirit the spirit of wickednesse and falshood and therefore what have the Children of the truth to do with falshood with false words and false dealing and especially take heed of false Doctrin for it is not of the truth but lyes therefore have nothing to do with the spirit of falshood the spirit of Popery or the spirit of seperation to draw you from the truth of Christ from the communion of the Church Vse 2 If no Heresie be of the truth then certainly it will never be for the truth no stream riseth higher then the spring from whence it comes if such Doctrin comes not from the truth it will never rise so high as the truth never look for true dealing from an Heretique that lyes against the Gospel and against his own conscience never beleeve any Doctrin of theirs for they aim at subverting if they deal not truly with God they will not deal truly with man it is a conclusion of the councill of Constance fides non est servanda cum Haereticis why because they are Heretiques but you should know they were Heretiques that swore it and therefore they shew such false dealing therefore you shall never finde any true honest dealing with Antichristian states in any negotiation Vse 3 It may teach us there is no safe reconciliation with these Doctrins nay no safe toleration for no lye is of the truth how can you reconcile night and day light and darknesse there is as wide a difference between the truth and Antichristian Doctrines therefore there is no safe toleration of them but one of them will be rooting
of any certain knowledge and thus Antichrist denies his Prophetical Office For the Priestly Office of Christ which consists first in offering sacrifice secondly in intercession for the application of his sacrifice Now the Church of Rome evacuates his Priestly office first in his sacrifice 1 By adding other sacrifices and so they make his not to be sufficient and they add two Sacrifices first the Sacrifice of merits and they say they merit first by works done as building of Churches Monasteries c. which they say satisfie for mens sins and secondly they merit by suffering as Pilgrimages and Purgatory and so by indulgences and Pardons 2 They evacuate the Sacrifice of Christ by evacuating the Redemption of Christ 1 By making it not plentifull whereas the Redemption of Christ is a plenteous redemption both for body and soule they say he redeems us from eternall pains but not from temporall from Purgatory 2 By making it not gracious for they say the grace of Redemption is applyed to us not invincibly but according to the will of the Creature 3 By applying it not by faith but works 4 They say a man cannot know his Redemption by Christ surely and certainly but probably 5 This grace they dispence not spiritually but elementally by imposing it on Sacraments so that without Sacrament no grace and some grace is given ex opere operato 3 They evacuate his Sacrifice by making it not eternal so that this grace is not certainly eternall but he that hath been washed in Christs blood may finally fall away and become a reprobate 4 In making it not necessary in respect of some as the Virgin Mary 2 They say it is not necessary in respect of temporal punishments 2 They evacuate his Priestly Office by discouraging people from coming to God in the name of Christ but to approach to God by the mediation of the Virgin Mary and some Saints they would have us direct our prayers to some Saint and so deny the sole mediation of Christ 3 For his Kingly Office they deny it partly by denying his Head-ship they deny his absolute Soveraignty they will not make the election to be of Free Grace 2 By setting up another Head in the Church the Pope which God never appointed as he that sets up another King without his consent doth as good as deny the other King so here is as much dishonour to Christ in setting up a new Head as in cutting off the true Head to set up one that may rule all Nations have the deciding of all Causes c. 3 They deny his Kingly Office in his great work of Conversion by makeing it not to depend on the Soveraignty or prerogative of his Kingly Office but on the liberty of our wills 4 They deny his Kingly Office by defacing his Kingdome which is his Body his Church they deface his Church his Body and transforme it not into a christian state but Antichristian and so make it no Church of Christ and so deny his Kingly Office They deface the Church of Christ whether Militant or Triumphant The Church Militant whether you look at it as a Catholick Body for that 1 They teach that the most erroneus notorious livers are truly Members of the Church but we see Christs Kingdom consists of spiritual people they are but ill humours 2 They give false notes of the Church antiquity universality prosperity which may agree to some Heathenish places 3 They make the Church infallible and this they confine to the church of Rome so that if Rome fall the church of Christ falls 2 For the parts of the church either in a council 1 They say a council is uncapable of errour 2 Subject to the Pope 3 That they may make Laws to binde the consciences of men Or else in the several parts 1 For the Head the Pope they set two heads on the Body and so make it a Monster For the middle Members the Priests 1 They say they may not marry and so are unclean 2 Exempt them from the power of civil Magistrates and so are an inordinate generation 2 Their regular Priests as Monks and Fryers they are all of them abominable not planted by God and professe poverty and chastity which exposeth them to uncleannesse For the lowest Members the Lay-men whether Magistrates or private men 1 For Magistrates they make them not heads no not in their own Kingdoms but subject to the Pope and he desposeth them 2 For the people he can dispence with their Oath of Allegiance 3 From both they with-hold the Scripture in the known Tongue and the cup. For the Church Militant in Purgatory they make a Church God never acknowledged For the Church triumphant they make the Saints as so many Idols in praying to them visiting their Relicks making them partakers in Christs mediation such a Kingdome as this Christ would loath and any true christian derest So that we see though they doe not deny his Man-hood nor his God-head yet they deny him to be the Christ that is the anoynted for they wash off all his Unction Vse 1. It may discover to us the depth and the danger of Popery the Doctors of their Church say it is impossible any should be saved out of their Church but you must know you cannot give up your selves to an Antichristian Doctrin but you turn an enemy to Christ you take away his Offices make him no Christ no Saviour therefore let none say Popery and the true Religion may be reconciled they may as well combine Light and Darknesse as Christ and Antichrist Vse 2. It may be an use of thankfulnesse to God that hath delivered us from this darknesse and brought us to know the truth as it is in Jesus the true King Priest and Prophet of his Church therefore let us sanctifie God in our hearts let us walk as men that are redeemed and taught of him learn we to rest on him for pardon for teaching for direction and guidance Doct. 3. Antichristian teachers deny the Father and the Son Before he had said they deny the Christ but he goes further and saith They deny the Father and the Son because he that denies the Son denies the Father the reason is because of that neer relation that is betwixt them vers 23. and so contrariwise the truth of this appears in Saint Johns time for some made themselves the Christ and some God the Father as Simon Magus and Menander made themselves the Christ and so took away the Father-hood and the Son-ship some againe taught that the Father came down and took flesh and was buried and so often descended into cloven Tongues so that they denied the several Persons But that great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Antichrist of Rome he denies the Father and the Son 1 He denies the Son if you speake of the God-head of Christ 1 They say we are in an errour to say Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but from God from the Father and they will not
his sins Felix when Pauls words made him to tremble he would hear him no more at that time Acts 24.25 As Paul complains of the Jewes Acts 13.46 And Stephen Acts 7.52 Ye stiffe-necked and uncircumcised in heart ye have alwayes resisted the holy Ghost They are not well till they have cast out all such thoughts we are not well till we are alive to run from God wise are we to doe evill but to doe good we have no knowledge Jer. 4.22 5 A fifth act of life was begetting men to grace but we è contra endeavour to beget them to the devil and make them seven times more the children of the devill then before Mat. 23.15 Though we understand that chiefly of corrupt Teachers yet Jeremy speaketh it of all men by nature Jer. 6.28 They are all corrupters not onely bad themselves but corrupters of others none that comes amongst them but is made worse by them kept off farther from God they would not have their friends look towards matters of Religion All flesh have corrupted their wayes Gen. 6.11 Vse 3. It may teach us to bemoan all those our friends that yet lye in the state of nature Hast thou any childe or wife or friends that lye in the state of nature look at them as thy dead children and dead friends and if our friends lye dead how bitterly doe we mourn for them Zach. 12.10 They so mourn that they will not be comforted Matth. 2.18 All was full of mourning and lamentation because all the children were dead and have not many parents many children lying in their natural condition and is not the spirituall death far worse then the bodily if they be alive in grace Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord Rev. 14.17 Therefore mourn not so 〈◊〉 for their naturall death but if they be spiritually dead without God without Christ without the life of grace why weep then for this childe and that friend that lyes dead before you It may be thy whole house is full of dead carkases not one childe or servant alive Oh! then weep over them mourn for them â—e earnest to God for them and never leave till thou hast got life propagated to them And if thou dost thâ—â— he 〈◊〉 hath given thee children will give them life some of them at 〈◊〉 that promise is full 1 John 5.16 If any man see his Brother sin a sin which is 〈◊〉 unto death he shall â—â—k and he shall gâ—ve him life You may therefore so handle the matter that as you have given them natural life so you may give them spiritual life You know what a sore and bitter cry there was in Aegypt so that they arose at midnight why what was the matter there was not one house wherein one was not dead what would they have done then if there had been but one alive in every house Such is the case of many families that a man may rise up in the â—â—â—ing and not finde one alive in his family beside himselfe it is a just occasion of bitter mourning if there were but one dead how much more then when there is hardly one alive Therefore pray heartily for them that their soulâ— may live in Gods sight If you have the bowels of parents be earnest with God till you have procured life for them Vse 4. To condemne the Church of Rome that think by nature men have free will to lay hold on Christ but I would ask them when they lay hold on Christ whether they have Christ or no before why before they have received him they have him not and if they have him not they are but dead men and how shall dead men lay hold on Christ If they do lay 〈◊〉 it 's an act of life if we be either able or willing to do any good it proceeds from the grace of Christ Phil. 1.12 13. Vse 5 Let it teach us all if we yet be without Christ let us not give rest to our eyes nor slumber to our eye-lids till we have procured Christ to our selves and ours What if a man have wealth and honour and beauty if he hath not Christ he hath not life Therefore labour for Christ that having him thou mayst have life Motives 1 From the sweetnesse of life Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life and he means natural life but truly our spirituall life is worth the laying down our natural life What shall a man gain if he win the whole world and lose his own soul If a man live and dye without Christ we may say of him as Christ did of Judas It had been good for that man if he had never have been born Mat. 26.24 2 Consider if we have Christ we have life and that in abundance If you have all the promises for in him they are yea and a men 2 Gâ—â— 1.20 All the blessings of God are yours both spirituall Ephes 1.3 and temporal 1 Tim. 4.8 1 Cor. 3.2 last vers If you have Christ the world is yours all the dealings and carriages shall be serviceable to you whatever you want peace or comforts or outward things if you have Christ you have all things Rom. 8.32 Q. But what shall we do to get Christ Are we not by nature unable and unwilling to receive Christ To what end then is this your exhortation Answ Though this be our sinfull distemper yet our exhortations be not in vain for God by his Word oft-times conveys a power whereby we are enabled to lay hold on Christ Peter spake to a lame man to walk Acts 3.6 7. Would you not think it was a vain word No because he conveyed strength withall whereby he was enabled to rise up and walk Means to help us to get life iâ— Christ. 1 Consider how deâ—d and lost thou are by nature Christ came to call such as feel themselves lost Luke 19.10 Mat. 9.12 13. 2 If thou knowest any finâ—lly thy self â—id thy hands of it cast them such thee Many a man lives in sin which if he would but renounces God would receive him to mercy 2 Cor. 6.17 18. Isa 1.16 17 〈…〉 â—f the Passover except they put away â—â—â—en Exod 12.19 So if 〈…〉 the old leaveâ— we shall become a new 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Isâ— 55.6 7. 3 Seek the Lord whilest he may be found Isa 55.6 Do but seen him and he will be found And how is this done 1 By longing and thirsting after him 2 Seek him in all the means Heare diligently and your souls shall 〈◊〉 Isa 55.13 It 's a notable promise Prov. 8.35 36. Therefore men should be willing to straighted themselves a little in their worldly businesseâ— to loyâ— and hear Gods Word 3 Seek him in prayer Isa 55.6 Vse 6. To teach every soul that hath Christ and yet complaiâ—s of the deadnesse and dulnesse of his heart if thou findest a decay of life seek Christ again get faster hold of him and thou shalt increase thy life exercise
of Perseverance opens no door to carnal liberty 2. 28. Perseverance is the duty of all Christians Ib. Such expect Christ with boldnesse and receive him without shame at his coming Ib. Prayer made well never speeds ill 5. 14. What it is to Pray according to Gods will and in the Spirit 5. 15. Prayer obtains life for a fallen Brother 5. 16. No warrant to Pray for those who have committed the sin against the Holy Ghost 5. 16. Prevention of sin is the end of conviction and illumination 2. 1. We must be wean'd from Pride of life 2. 16. Motives and means thereunto Ib. Profession See Opinion A sincere Professour yeilds obedience to one Command as well as an other 4. 21. Christ a Propitiation for the whole world 2. 2. Christ was sent to be a Propitiation 4. 10. There were false Prophets in Johns dayes 4. 1. We may receive any thing by way of Ordinance not so by way of Providence 2. 16. Christs Purity is our Paterne 3. 3. R Reading converts not 5. 13. It promotes evidence Ib. A Regenerate Christian is a victorious Christian 5. 4. It s a sinfull conceit to hold a man may be saved in any Religion 2. 23. Riches without an heart to help our Brethrens necessities argue there dwells no love of God in us 3. 17. Jesus Christ is Righteous 2. 29. Such as worke Righteousnesse are born of Christ Ib. They who know Christ to be Righteous know Righteous ones are born of God Ib. None can know Christ to be Righteous but he that is sensible of his own unrighteousnesse Ib. S The Seed within preserves from sin 3. 9. A double use of Scripture 2. 26. The properties of Scripture 1. 3. All sorts and Ages must be conversant in it 2. 13. The Sending of Gods Son is a manifest token of his love to us 4. 9. God Sent his Son that we might live by him Ib. This Sending of Christ was a token of Gods free love 4. 10. Seperation from our Churches examined 2. 19. Reading of prayers no just ground of Seperation Ib. Upon Sight of Sin in a Brother we must pray for him 5. 16. Sin is the transgression of the Law 3. 4. and this should be motive enough against Sin Ib. Sin unpardoned is filthy 1. 9. is unrighteousnesse Ib. Sin pardoned is cleansed Ib. Sins removall the end of Christs coming 3. 5. Sinners have enemies pleading against them 2. 1. Why the Sin against the Holy Ghost is unpardonable 5. 16. Sonship a note of wonderfull love 3. 1. The Spirit received dwells in Gods Children for ever 2. 27. It s no Spirit of delusion but of truth Ib. The Spirit bestowed on us is an evident sign of Christ dwelling in us 3. 24. 4. 13. The Spirit is given to them who love each other 4. 13. The Spirit breathing in the Conscience bears witnesse that Christ came by water and blood 5. 6. This witness-bearing Spirit is a Spirit of truth Ib. The Spirit water and blood are three principall witnesses 5. 8. How the Spirit certifies the hearing of our prayers 5. 15. Spirits must be tried before trusted 4. 1. T There is no better Teaching for matter or manner then the Teaching of the Spirit 2. 27. Teachers of two sorts 4. 4. worldly Teachers and godly hearers have a conflict Ib. What is required to a Testimony 5. 9. A fearfull Conscience lyes in Torment 4. 8. The World and its lusts are Transitory 2. 17. U The least of Gods Saints have an Vnction 2. 20. By it they know all things Ib. and the truth 2. 21. and true Religion Ib. This Vnction is received from the Father 2. 27. It teaches or assures of perseverance Ib. W Walking what 1. 7. Want of love a manifest sign of the Devils Childe 3. 10. Christ came to execute his Office by water and blood 5. 6. Why Christians are so troubled with Withdrawings of the Spirit 2. 27. Unlearned men why Witnesses of the truth 1. 2. The six Witnesses are divine and inward Witnesses 5. 9. Why Christ is called the Word 1. 1. The Word abiding in us and pardon goe together 2. 14. The Word abiding makes us strong and victorious Ib. The Word read and heard is a message from God 3. 11. World what it means 2. 15. 2. 2. It s not to be loved Ib. Love to our own lusts and to Worldly lusts is in us Ib. Love of the World is enmity with God Ib. The three capital lusts of the World 2. 16. All the lusts of the World are of the World Ib. We must be wean'd from what comes from the World Ib. Means to mortifie Worldly lusts Ib. The World knows not Gods Children 3. 1. Thence they suffer the more in and from the World 3. 2. The Apostles when absent taught Gods people by Writing 2. 12. None were converted by the Writings of the Apostles 2. 21. Y Sathan is an especiall enemy to young men 2. 13. Is often overcome by them Ib. Spirituall strength in Young men is a grace highly acknowledged 2. 14. FINIS
to expresse and abound in love taken from the great love of God to us Doct. The death of Christ for us is the manifestation of his love to us Such a manifestation as makes it a certain and known truth that he loves us Rom. 5.10 1 Joh. 4 10. He gave his Son to be a propitiatory sacrifice Eph. 4.5 Gal. 2.20 Reas 1. From the greatnesse of Christs self-deniall That which commends love is this to bestow so great matters and to come off freely with it Joh. 15.12 Greater love then this can no man expresse then to lay down his life for his friend But Christ did it for his enemies 2 Cor. 3.8 2 It farther magnifies his love if we consider the great benefit we receive as reconciliation pardon of sins 1 Joh. 4.10 Secondly adoption of Sons Gal. 4.4 5. Such favour as to be accepted as his Sons and Daughters 2. Our corruptions are deaded and mortified Heb. 9.14 Gal. 1.14 Wc are crucified to the world to all objects that draw us to sin temptations and snares 4 Christian liberty that by virtue of Christs death we should be delivered from the curse of the Law Col. 2.13 from the enmity we stood in against the Church Eph. 2.14.15 16. from hell and feare of death Heb. 2.14 that we should have liberty to call God Father enter into his Sanctuary have confidence our prayers are heard have assurance when we dye that we shall enter into the holy place that we shall have right and liberty to the Creation Rrm. 5.1 2 3. Heb. 12.19 This benefit will appear if we consider how miserable our estate had been If Christ had not done this we had been in our sins under the guilt of them and in horror and anguish of spirit 5 How freely hath God done it We gratified God with no kindnesse Some will recompence a small kindnesse with a great reward Rom. 11.35 But all we have done hath been to abuse every mercy of God to his dishonor Col. 1.10.20 Vse 1. It reproves such weaknesse of Gods servants in time of temptations that can see no love of God because he doth not gratifie them with something in this life Gods servants many times doe want necessaries the world abounds withall therefore David hath cleansed his heart in vain Psal 73. But what though Gods servants never see good dayes Yet here is abundant rich and inestimable love that when you were enemies strangers children of wrath Christ dyed for you God hath shewed you more love then the Angels for he laid not down his life for the Angels Heb. 11.14 And if he had done so he had laid down his life for his friends who never displeased him 2 To teach such as abound in outward things not to content themselves therein Eccl. 4.2 We can perceive neither love nor hatred by those outward things Psal 17.14 Labour you to say that God hath laid down his life for you â—â—se you cannot say he loves you 3 It teacheth us that the death of Christ was not the cause of Gods love Gods love is more antient then the death of Christ Where shall we lay the foundation of Gods love but in eternity He hath loved me and given himself for me Gal. 2.20 Gal. 3.16 Obj But doth not God attribute his love to the death of Christ 1 John 4.10 Rom. 3.24 25. Eph. 2.14 15 Col. 2.21.27 Answ In a double respect Christs death is said to make this reconciliation Hereby he hath slain the enemy and hatred on our part that we might be no more enemies to him Obj. But Christ is sent not only to make reconciliation on our part but propition on Gods part Answ 'T is true Christ by his death hath made a way whereby God might shew his love to us whilest sin was in the way he could not shew it Many a Father bears a tender affection to a childe yet will not seem to regard him shuts him out of doores and though he be intreated yet he thinks it not meet for him to expresse his love he will have his childe humble himselfe acknowledge his faults and will send some body to perswade his Son to humble himselfe So God sends his Son out of love to take a course that he might shew us favour notwithstanding his justice 4 Of exhortation to take a view of Gods love that we may be able to say freely We perceive the love of God Rest not in any spirituall duty nor in any common gift till you know that Christ dyed for thee How shall I know this Some will say that Christ dyed for all and so all may know True the sufficiency of Christs death reacheth to all but none can say Christ dyed for him till he find in his soul some fruits of the death of Christ 5 To encourage Gods servants to expect offices of love from God to us and ours all his dayes He hath given his Son what would you have more Psal 84.11 Lay hold on this love of God and plead with him upon his love All blessings are wrapt up in his Son Gal. 4.4 As God in fulnesse of time sent his Son so will he every other mercy 6. To teach us to abound in love to God and to his children hatred against sin Give up all to God work for him suffer for him he loves us being strangers and enemies Doct. Christian men ought to be ready to lay downe their lives for their Brethren The exemplary love of Christ in laying down his life for us ought to provoke us in like sort to lay down our lives for our Brethren Rom. 10.3 4. The Apostle doth extoll the love of Aquila and Priscilla as if all the Church and himselfe were bound to them that were so ready to lay down their lives Phil. 2.17 If I be poured out as a drinke-offering Râ—as From the example of our blessed Saviour He laid down his life for us This is an imitable practice of Christ this is none of his miraculous works but one wherein he sets forth himself as a pattern to us 2. To this add Christs command which binds us to the imitation of this John 13 34. 3. From the neer fellowship of our brethren with Christ We fulfill the sufferings of Christ for his Body Col. 1.2 4. He calls them Christs sufferings Christ suffered in him and he for Christ in his Saints 4. From the subordination of Gods eminentest servants to the Church of God as Christ is for God so Paul and Cephas for the Church God hath subordinated the life of his servants to the Church and the Church to Christ and Christ to God Christ the head of the Church the Church the head of the Members Phil. 2.17 5. From the rule of love God hath given in ancient time Levit. 19.18 We must love our neighbour as our selves Many a christian will lay down his life for himselfe therefore must in some cases lay down his life for the Church A man will lay down his life for his
own salvation and for honour therefore how much more for God and for the honour of Religion In what cases is a man to lay down his life Answ The Apostle meanes we should be ready to doe it for the service of the Church if it cannot be otherwise 1. In heat of persecution to confirme the faith of the people of God who would be ready to think much if he shouâ—d withdraw himselfe though he might escape yet a minister or eminent person is bound to goe before in sufferings So Paul if he be poured out as a dr nke offering every drop of blood in his body poured out if it be for the strengthning of the faith of weak christians he rejoyceth Phil. 2.17 The stronger must lay down their lives for the confirmation of the faith of the weaker 2. There may be a case wherein the weaker are to lay down their lives for the stronger Aquila and Priscilla were ready to lay down their lives for Pauls life they thought it better to expose themselves to the utmost extremity then that Paul should be hurt I must not spare my own life if it may be serviceable to God and the Church Rom. 16 4 5. 2 Sam. 21.16 17. 18.3 3. When we perceive it would much advantage the glory of God that we should rather perish then our brethren Rom. 9.2 3. He could wish himselfe accursed for the Jewes even his soul for a sacrifice Thus Moses Exod. 32.33 4. When a man doth see that the wrath of God is kindled against others for his sin he must rather offer himselfe to death then that that evill should be upon them that converse with him Jonah 1.22 2 Sam. 24. in David Vse 1. Learn we from hence to justifie our selves and others If we should be called to lay down our lives to suffer for our Brethren here is a direction how to suffer Phil. 2.5 God hath given us a commandement to love our Brethren as our selves Also God hath subordinated the members of his Church to the body of it 2. To teach us that though it be lawfull to fly in time of persecution yet if it cannot be without weakning the Church wherein we live we must in heart live and dye together 3. To teach ministers when they are called by God for the service of any Congregation not to dispense with themselves for air or health fearing the cutting short of his dayes You must not live from your meanes Either never take such a charge or make account you must hazzard your lives for the people of God unlesse upon tryall it appears you may doe more good in some other place 4. It reproves such as are so far from laying down their lives as that they will not lay down their estates nor the superfluities of their estates for their Brethrens necessities 1 Sam. 25.11 How shall such ever perswade themselves that Christ dyed for them 5. A ground of such thankfulnesse that God should not only give Christ to dye for us but also would have christians to be fitted to lay down their lives for their Brethren 1 JOHN 3.17 But whoso hath this worlds good and seeth his Brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of pitty and compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him Doct. THere dwells no love of God in such a mans heart as having this worlds goods stretcheth not out his hand to help the necessity of his Brother What is it to have the worlds good In the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the life of this world this worlds living whereof to live whereof to maintain his life Bowels of compassion Because compassion is an affection of griefe and love stirred up in us by the sight and sence of one anothers misery as if we suffered with them our compassion is stirred up as well as theirs Heb. 13 3. To shut up bowels is to withdraw the affections and the stirring of the entrails A man many times hath little means to help but if he have not bowels to worke for him how dwells the love of God in such a man This is a peremptory question utterly denying all Reas 1 From the nature of love Such is love that God dwells in it 1 Joh. 4.26 There is no affection wherein God reveales himselfe more then in love 1 Cor. 13.4 Love is bountifull ready to be doing good succouring others in their need 2 Consider the nature of Brethren 1 They are more worthy then our estate one of their souls cost more then all our estates yea more then all the world How dwels the love of God in us if we love the world more then our Brother 2 Look at our Brother as a member of Christ hungry thirsty naked harbourlesse We could not but love Christ wheresoever we did see him Mat. 25.40 and they are members of our own body 1 Cor. 12.25 26. Vse 1. Of instruction and rules to order our lives aright or any work of mercy 1 Who shall relieve his Brother Answ He that hath this worlds goods that can live he must open his heart and hand This therefore will reach not onely to mens superfluities but if we can but live if we have but what we labour and sweat for Ephes 4.28 We must not only labour for our selves but give to him that hath need 2 Cor. 8.3 4 5. Luke 21.34 8.3 Joh. 13.28 29 12.6 2. To whom must we be helpfull Answ He must 1 Be a Brother 2 Have need 3 Every Brother Gal. 6.10 Beggars that are unable to labour and would gladly labour they must be relieved Luke 16.20 21. or such as though they doe labour yet cannot get a living 2 Thess 3.10 2 A brother that hath need Eph. 8.18 1 Tim. 5.4 5 Such are poor indeed as have neither hands friends nor maintenance A man is said to be in need not onely when he is utterly cast downe but when he is falling 3 Every Brother one as well as another Eccl. 10.2 Job 31.19 4 Consider the matter out of which we must give out of this worlds good Eccl. 10.1 When we have unjustly gotten we must restore Prov. 5.16 17 5 The time when we must give when we see our Brother hath need that we may see it our s elves bestowed It is a vanity to leave almes after our death to be bestowed by others 1 Sam. 20.15 2 Sam. 16.4 19. If we give almes while we are alive we shall have the benefit of them the loynes of the poor shall blesse us and though they have no heart to pray for us yet the warmth of their loyns will blesse us When we are dead their prayers will do us no good Luke 16.8 9. 6 Give alms with compassion give from within as well as from without Isa 58.10 2 Cor. 9.7 Give heartily let your bowels work 7 Give almes out of love to God fetch your love deep even from the love of God who hath given thee a hand to give and him to receive