Job 21.14 Rom. 6. depart from me I desire not the knowledge of thy laws I will sinne that grace may abound 1 Cor. 15. let us â— at and drink for to morrow we shall die But let it not be so with thee Let thy soul move to God against sinne by confession and suits for pardon For grace by petitions and thankesgiving yea and for all other blessings that thou maist acknowledge him the fountain of them serve God with joyfulnes and gladnes of heart for the aboundance of all things Deu. 28.47 Use Thus maist thou my childe conceive what prayer is and therefore be sure that thine be such The wicked are ready to say Job 21.15 what is the Almighty that we should serve him Eph. 6.18 And what profit should we have if we should pray unto him But let thy soul alwayes move to God with all religion against sinne and for grace 1 Thes 5.17 If thy prayers be like the golden sockets of the holy lights boyling with speculations and not like the Bowles of the Altar full of the liquor of heavenly religion they will prove but like the Aegyptian flesh-pots reeking out the hot vapours of the onyons and garleek of thy own vain heart If they be fair words of uncharitable hearts they are like Ezekiahs bloudy pots Ezek. 24.6 that boyl with the scum of rust and lust But if they be the interpreters of a broken and bleeding soul moving to God they shall be Zacharies pots Zach. 14.20 and the bowles of the Altar sending up sweet incense which shall fill the whole heart with the savour as the house was filled with the odour of Maries oynment Joh. 12.3 The moving of thy feet to the assemblies of Gods people the moving of thy body by kneeling and beating thy breast and lifting up of hands and eyes to heaven the moving of thy tongue and lips will be nothing without this moving of thy heart and soul for fellowship with God in Christ Oh let thy heart move against sinne O Lord it hath oppressed me undertake for me My sinne in Adam my sinne of nature my sins of life in thought word and deed are before thee O pardon them for Christ his sake Let thy heart move for grace O Lord I want thy preventing grace thy assisting grace thy pardoning grace thy sanctifying grace thy sealing grace thy persevering grace Oh give them for Christ from Christ or else I die and perish Let thy heart move for all blessings O Lord I have nothing but under thee from thee Thou hast given me a naturall right to meat drink and apparel health peace and libertie Oh give me the right of a childe of an heir and accept my bodie and soul as holy living and acceptable sacrifices in Jesus Christ thy Sonne in whom thou art well pleased The God of heaven enlarge thy heart and give thee by his helping spirit Rom. 8.26 27. to vent thy soul with groanes and sighes that cannot be expressed These God that searcheth the heart and knowes the minde of the spirit will understand to thy eternall peace 37. Q. Where canst thou more fully learn the matter of prayer A. In that which is commonly called the Lords prayer The Lords prayer is the matter of prayer Thy blessed Saviour made many prayers which may bee called the Lords prayers but there is one which he hath set down as a doctrinall matter of prayer Matth. 6.9 when he saith after this manner pray ye and as a formall prayer when he saith Luk. 11.2 when ye pray say Our Father which is more peculiarly called the Lords prayer This is a brief comprehension of all confessions suits for or against of all intercessions and praises This hath the best authoritie in the world the wisedome of God the Son of God the onely beloved of God who is in the bosome of the Father and so of Gods nearest Court and nearest counsell This must give the graines of weight to all thy Petitions without which they will be found too light Vse Therefore my dear childe learn to pray from this thy blessed master Joh. 3.31 Christ that is from heaven is above all earthly masters will learn thee earthly prayers but he that is from heaven will learn thee heavenly Joh. 1. He is full of grace and truth for the perfections of thy understanding and of thy will He is the way wherein all thy prayers must walk to God Joh. 16.23 To aske in his name is to ask salvation and this is to ask himself which he cannot deny To ask in his name is to use his mediation and this is the right way to the throne of grace God the Father bears singular love to him Matth. 3.17 and and the efficacie of his merits are such as if they be presented in prayer they are powerfull and prevailing Revel 8.2 as the golden Altar before the throne on which are offred the prayers of all the Saints Wouldst thou have any grace learn of Christ to pray Wouldst thou forsake any sinne learn of Christ to pray Prayer is a most important dutie Dan. 6. Daniel chose it rather then to avoid Lions and David gave himself unto prayer Other duties are for certain seasons but this must must be continually in habit or act Luk. 18.1 Thou shalt finde thy self hardly drawn to prayer Easie businesses we are easily drawn unto because they are of quick dispatch but weightie businesses stick as the flaying of an Oxe at the head Thou must have many motives to draw thee to pray Christs command Christs promise Christs example and Christs doctrine This shews the weight of this dutie and how necessary it is to learn the matter of it from thy best Master Ob. Thou must think that every good Christian hath abilitie to pray and that therefore thou needest not learn Zach. 12.10 especially considering the promise I will powr out upon them the spirit of grace and supplication Sol. But understand that there is a double power and abilitie an inward power by which the heart moves and goes out of it self after God for all good This all good Christians have from the Spirit which they vent Rom. 8.26 by groanes and sighes which cannot bee expressed an outward power by which they are able distinctly to expresse the motions of their hearts about fit matter This they have not all neither hast thou Therefore must thou be willing to learn it from this blessed summe of Christ even all things to be hoped for I tell thee that it is much abused by three sorts of persons Ignorant persons who understand it not Impenitent persons who practise it not and carelesse and superstitious persons who minde it not in sence and power but rest in the emptie repetition of the words Be thou none of these know the words and sense of it use it as a penitent beleever and possesse the matter and contents of
to keep the Lords day when it comes thou breakest that Commandement Thou seest many worldly men they bury themselves under the earth all the weeke and they have neither life nor leasure to come to the Congregation of Gods people on the Lords day or if they doe they sit like blocks upon benches and have more mind of the world then of the word of their pence then of their prayers So thou seest many a wanton boy and girle who would nothing but play all the weeke and when the Lords day comes they mind nothing else and so are disgraces to the Assemblies where they are These sinne against the Lords day before it comes and so mayst thou and heed it not Thou mayst also break it when it is gone by not answering the end of it The Prophet Esay Esa 2. speaking of these dayes saith That we shall encourage one another to goe up to the house of the Lord that he may teach us his wayes and we walke in his pathes This should be thy end now of keeping the Lords dayes But when God doth not teach thee his wayes and then thou dost not walke in his pathes notwithstanding all the teaching which shines about thee then thou breakest the Lords day when it is gone And thus thou now seest how thou breakest all the Commandements every day And never wonder at it seeing the Law exacts perfect obedience to justification but is weake to give it Rom. 8.3 because of the flesh Indeed the Gospel gives more strength so as by grace thou mayst keep it in desires purposes endevours with all sincerity and willingnesse for thy sanctification though not perfectly for thy justification but I enquire yet of thy naturall state and of that thy answer is given and opened by me Vse Therefore my child seriously think upon it that it may wound thy heart with the spirit of bondage so farre as to bring thee over to Jesus Christ Rom. 8. Most men are like Saul who when he saw Samuel after the destruction of Amalek said 1 Sam. 15. Blessed be thou of the Lord I have kept the commandements of God so they have kept them also they are neither whore nor thiefe they keep their Church and are good neighbours and some men say as Shadrach Dan. 3. Meshech and Abednego to Nebuchadnezzar in another case We are not carefull to answer thee in this matter or to keep thy commandement so they care not to enquire into it or know whether they keep or breake them But as thou lovest thy soul let it not be so with thee As I have asked thee carefully so feele conscionably thy answer that thou breakest them that thou mayst lye down in shame and confusion in thy selfe that thou mayst be prepared for Jesus Christ Think that thou wert in Adam when he brake the whole Law of nature Thinke how prone thy nature is to all sinnes even the worst that ever were committed Thinke how thou sinnest daily against the whole body of Justice in many petty sinnes which makes thee groane and cry daily forgive us our trespasses Thinke that though there be but one Market day in seven for provision for thy soule yet thou sinnest against it before it comes and when it is gone as well as when it is and so barrest the blessing of it from thy soule And when thou seriously thinkest of these things between God and thy own soule thinke again what will become of thee if thou die in thy sinnes and come to answer before a just God who cannot endure to behold iniquitie It may be that if God blesse thy conscience may be rowzed to hearken further concerning thy estate and never give over hearkening and enquiring till thou have found a way into Jesus Christ If thou wilt know more tell me 20. Q. What punishment is appointed for them that breake Gods commandements A. Gods curse which is the everlasting destruction both of body and soule Remember how farre thou hast gone Of Gods curse upon sinners Thou wert made to serve God thou shouldst serve him according to his laws thou breakest all these laws and for this by nature thou doest lye under this curse of God of which thou here speakest Deut. 27.26 Deut. 28. Levit. 26. Moses speaks of this Cursed is he that confirmeth not all the words of the Law to doe them and He shews the particulars of this curse upon body soule and state Gal. 3.10 Paul expounds it more clearly Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law to doe them And Christ speaks of the height of it Matth. 25.41 Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devill and his angels It is most miserable to be in such a case yet thou art in it by nature Eph. 2. as thou art born a child of wrath an heire of hell God curseth when he doth inflict punishment Men curse when they wish ill one to another as poxe plague gallows vengeance and confusion or hurt any way to body or soule These are kinds and formes of speech savouring of the belched-up froth of carnall and devillish hearts But God curseth when he inflicteth punishments Thou wouldst thinke it a great curse to have a father mother master or mistresse who should doe nothing but beat bruise and wound thee day and night In stead of feeding thee beat thee in stead of cloathing thee beat thee in stead of refreshing thee beat thee in stead of giving thee rest and sleep beat thee so is it a farre more miserable estate to lye day and night under Gods flayles of punishments The punishment which God inflicts is eternall destruction of body and soule To be destroyed in body is a fearefull punishment to be destroyed in soule is more fearefull to be destroyed in body and soule is more fearefull yet but to be destroyed in body and soule everlastingly is most fearfull it cannot be expressed it is endlesse easelesse and remedilesse What the destruction of body and soule is This destruction is double the destruction of sin and the destruction of misery By this thou mayst know that thou hast the destruction of sinne when thou art not used to that end which God made thee for God made thee to serve him thou shouldst serve him by keeping the law thou breakest the law and hast this part of the curse the destruction of sinne If I had a piece of timber squared fawed and framed if I use it not to this end but let it lye and rot in the durt it is destroyed If thou hadst good apparell and shouldst not weare it but let it lye in the high way for horse and carriages to go over for swine to rent it is destroyed so it is with thee when the world flesh and devill abuseth thee and thou art not used to Gods end By this thou mayst know that thou hast the destruction of misery when
on of water that doth forgive thy sins nor doing of it in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost but it is God that doth it for the merits of Christ and by the assistance of the holy Ghost and sealeth it to thee in the covenant of Baptisme if thou keep it according to the measure of grace given 32. Q. What benefit hast thou by the Supper of the Lord A. The body and bloud of Christ verily and indeed taken and received by my beleeving soul Mark this comfortable benefit by the Lords Supper The benefit of the Lords Supper Thy body receives the bread and wine Thy soul receives the body and bloud of Christ by beleeving God offers him in a promise this is my body this is my bloud and thou canst not receive a thing in a promise but by beleeving it If I promise to give thee houses and lands and seal a conveyance of them to thee thou canst not receive it but by beleeving my words and conveyance so it is with thee in this Sacrament Christ in respect of his bodily presence is in heaven for they are not to receive him Act. 3.21 till the time of the restitution of all things yet in the Sacrament we have his body and bloud taken and received As a maried woman hath her husband one flesh and heart with her though he be a thousand miles off Prov. 2. by vertue of the Covenant of God which they made so by vertue of the covenant and promise of God in the Sacrament though Christ be in heaven and thou upon the earth thou hast his body and bloud A man may be present in a place or to a place In a place as thou art here with me To a place as Paul was absent in body 1 Cor. 5. but present in spirit to the Corinthians that is by his Apostolicall spirit power and authority So is Christs body and bloud present to the receivers of the Sacrament faithfully When the Sun shines full upon our window we say that the Sun is come into the house yet it is not the Sun but the shining of it so we say that Christs body and bloud is in the Sacrament yet it is not Christs body and bloud carnally bloudily but the Rayes of his person and merits to the comfort of thy soul Every thing is received by us as it is perceived of us Thou receivest a colour by the eye because that perceives it Thou receivest a sound by the ear because that perceives it Thou receivest a scent by the nose because that perceives it Thou receivest savourie things by the taste because that perceives it Thou receivest the Revolution of the heavens by the understanding because that perceives it but thou receivest Christ in the Sacrament none of these wayes Thou seest him not feelest him not tastest him not hearest him not smellest him not understandest not how bread and wine both before in 1 Cor. 10.16 1 Cor. 11.27 28. and after consecration can be the naturall or glorified body and bloud of Jesus Christ and yet be bread and wine yet set thy faith on work upon Gods promise and thou canst truly receive Christ because thou perceivest him by faith and no otherwise He is given to thee as he may satisfie thee that desires him but thou desirest him to satisfie not a corporal but a spirituall hunger Joh. 6.35 36.62.64 Joh. 6.63 He is given as he may do the good but it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing Ob. If thou think that though his naturall flesh profits nothing yet his glorified flesh would Sol. Christ tels thee that it is his naturall body that comforts thee in the Sacrament not his glorified for Christ saith this is my body which is broken for thee this is my bloud which is shed for thee and I am sure that his glorified body was not thus dealt withall Ob. If thou ask me why the bread and wine consecrated in the Sacrament should then be called the body and bloud of Christ Sol. I tell thee it is not because it is properly so but first because of the Sacramentall union between the signe and the thing signified by Gods pact and covenant If thou receive the signe faithfully 1 Cor. 10.16 thou shalt have a reall communion with Christ by promise Next because of the change of the bread and wine from common to holy use Though there be not a substantiall change of them yet is there a change in use in name and in honour In use it is not used as common bread and wine but as the Supper of the Lord. In name during the time it is not called bread and wine but the body and bloud of Christ In honour It is used by the faithfull to give a reall communion with Christs body and bloud Use Therefore my dear childe make speciall use of this sweet benefit Who would not joy in such a communion Who would not be glad when he comes unto it Who except fools or mad men would not cashier all wicked society for this with Christ Nay if thou love thy soul and thy Christ the Saviour of it thou must abandon it As David said Away from me ye wicked Psal 119. I will keep the commandements of my God so thou must say away ye wicked I will have communion with the body and bloud of Christ Be of his minde that thought one dayes fellowship with Christ to be more worth then all the world But remember that thy soul must be a beleeving soul or else thou wilt never draw water out of this well suck honie out of this Rock There are thousands in the Church who presume to come to the Sacrament and think they may have fellowship with Christ yet keep their old sins their old fellowship also who never look what faith they have to carrie Christ home But what ever they do be thou sure to follow Gods will and my counsell about it forsake all and follow Christ If thou say that thou maist come to the Sacrament long enough before thou be assured that thou doest take and receive the bodie and bloud of Christ I le tell thee that I have observed two wayes whereby thou maist get some comfortable witnesse in thy soul of it First by the Spirit of Christ His bodie and bloud were never dis-united from his divine nature How we may be assured that we receive Christ in the Sacrament Ezek. 1.21 Therefore where his body and bloud goes his spirit goes along with it As the Prophet saith the spirit of the horses were in the wheels so the spirit of Christ is in his body and bloud to make them act for thy good Doest thou then finde his spirit Mark what Paul saith where the spirit of Christ is there is a killing vertue to subdue the flesh Rom. 8.9 10 11. and a quickning vertue to raise you from the death of sinne to the life of grace If it
rule over him bring him forth and slay him before me FINIS THE SOVL SECVRED OR A Sermon preached in Covent Garden upon PSAL. 31.5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth BOth upon humbling dayes and upon joyfull dayes it is ever good to Secure our souls In humbling times if we do it not we will be swallowed up of sorrow If we do it not in joyfull times we will be swallowed up of sinne Therefore we living in both these times times of sorrow under the burthen of publike calamities and times of joy when God flings in varietie of particular mercies to be as the first fruits of a larger harvest it is our duty to engage our souls to seek their own security without which we perish And that we may do it it is a comfortable thing to know where our strength lies Sampson knew the hair of his Nazariteship Hares know the thickets and Conies the stony rocks so wee must know some place of safety or else we are in ill case Look therefore upon David He was in fearfull troubles and he knew that his life was kept by committing it to God Hence he beats upon it again and again in prayer in this Psalm as if he were never weary of asking the same protection from his good God This David doth not out of Poverty of spirit Matth. 6.7 which brings forth these idle repetitions condemned by Christ Matth. 26.42 but out of aboundance of spirit as Christ did in time of the hour of darknesse to shew the excellent use of repetitions in this case and to clear fervency of spirit when a man would settle and assure any good to the soul Amongst other things commended to God Davids soul hath a chief place in this verse read In which be pleased to consider 1 Davids confession of God 2 Davids profession for himself His confession is his foundation and his profession is his building upon it We cannot build upon God except we know him David through the mercy of God knew him and thence makes use of it in confessing him 1 For soveraignty to be his Lord Redemptoris jus 2. 1 Propinquitatis 2 Proprietatis 2 For the signe of it thou hast redeemed me for he had the right of propriety to him Masters might redeem their servants and Lords their vassals 3 For his veracity O Lord God of truth thou hast promised to deliver me and thou hast been as good as thy word Hence I might discourse unto you of Gods Lordship over his people and therefore that they must walk before him with fear and trembling as those that must give an account unto him of all their doings I might discover more fully the use that God makes of his Lordship not to tyrannize but to deliver poor captives which is an excellent president for those in high places I might presse the condition that Gods people are subject unto to be in bondage to miseries and the footing we have in God for our rescue that he is a God of truth and will be as good as his word without exception But I passe these things and onely pitch upon Davids profession for himself into thy hands I commit my spirit From whence I present three particulars 1 The Nature of the soul 2 The Castle of the soul 3 The Care of the soul For nature you learn that the soul is a spirit The nature of the soul It is a spirit If you refer the word Spirit unto a man it signifies sixe things in the Scripture 1. The hid man of the heart as when it is said Joh. 3.6 that which is born of the spirit is spirit that is is the new creature the spirituall part of man 2. It signifieth Conviction as when it is said of reprobates that sinne unto death that they are made partakers of the Spirit Heb. 6.4 that is they are convinced of the truth of the Gospel 3. It signifies Sanctification as when David prayes Psa 51.11 renew a right spirit within me that is give me a sanctified soul that I may go right in thy way 4. It signifies Extrordinary graces as when it is said of Stephen that he was filled with the Spirit that is Act. 6.5 he had extraordinary gifts and graces 5. It signifies the Gospel 2 Cor. 3.6 as when we are said to be Preachers of the Spirit that is of the Gospel which brings life to the soule 6. It signifies authoritie as when Paul saith when ye are gathered together and my spirit 1 Cor. 5.3 that is by vertue of my authoritie But among the rest it signifies the soule as when Christ saith Father Luk. 23.46 into thy hands I commend my spirit and Peter saith that Christ by Noah 1 Pet. 3.19 that Preacher of righteousnesse preached unto the spirits that are now in the prison of hell Heb. 12.9 and the Apostle to the Hebrews calls God the Father of spirits In all which places the word spirit signifies the soule Ob. You will say then it may be that the soule is God because God is a spirit Joh. 4. Sol. But it follows not because the soule is a created spirit but God is uncreated God is a simple spirit without all mixture but the soule is compounded of a present being and a possibilitie not to be if God please Yet for all that the soule is the more excellent for being a spirit as God is because in it it resembles God in his Immortalitie for time to come A parte post Gen. 2.3 whereof there are three arguments in the creation of it That it was as it were breathed by God into man and therefore more heavenly and that it was breathed for the breath of lives Lives is spoken dually to signifie the life of it hereafter as well as here Therefore Christs convincing argument makes for it Mat. 22.32 that God is not the God of the dead but of the living therefore though Abraham Isaac Jacob be dead in body yet they live in spirit Domus viventium in which respect the grave is called the house of the living Use 1 Hence give me leave to make a threefold exhortation unto you If the soule be a spirit provide spiritually for it Joyne it to him that is spirit and thinke of a better place for it then here First provide spiritually for it If a child aske a father bread Matth. 7.9 10. will he give him a stone If he aske him a fish will he give him a serpent will he not provide for him according to his nature Deale you no worse with your soules and it will be the better for you I read of an usurer who loved his bags so well that when he died he chewed and swallowed and being asked the reason he said that he was eating up his mony and when he saw that he must dye he offered all to his poor soul to stay with
him This was a poor provision Be you wiser and seeing your souls are spirits let them have spirituall provisions out of Gods Word Use 2 Secondly seeing the soul is a spirit joyn the soul to him that is a spirit Simile nutritur simili Every thing is nourished with that which is proportionable unto it The Lamb so soon as it is yeaned runs to the sides and dugs of the Ewe and the Chicken newly hatched covets the warm body and feathers of the Hen without which it thrives not so well so let your souls run to God that is a spirit He is the father of spirits who will provide for all of his image and superscription The Apostle hath an excellent expression He that is joyned or glewed as Joyners do boards to the Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 It would be a glorious priviledge to be one spirit with God that we may be made partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 in the efficacie of it for our salvation This is the way joyn your souls to the Lord. They are joyned to the world and so they rot in a thousand vanities They are joyned to the flesh and so they perish in sin Oh let them be joyned to the Lord by faith in Christ working by love and then with the whole Church 1 Cor. 12.12 they shall be called Christ and according to their measure they shall fare no worse then Christ did Rom. 8.17 Luk. 24.26 first to suffer and then to enter into Glory Use 3 Thirdly seeing the soul is a spirit think of a better place for it then here You are apt to say with Peter Matth. 17. Master it is good for us to be here let us build Tabernacles Eccles 12. But Solomon tels you that the spirit returnes to him that gave it Let it learn the way now by having an heavenly conversation for it was not made for low places Fire is the driest and lightest element and it desires to be above and therefore it will burn up all combustible matter which lieth in the way So your souls are the divinest parts where should they desire to be Phil. 1. but to be dissolved and to be with Christ therefore secure that place for them Be acquainted with Gods infinite love and mercy in Christ Rest with confidence upon those merits and that intercession which are presented to God the Father in your room Love the Lord and the appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ Walk before God 2 Thes 3. Gen. 17. and be upright That when you dye you may be received into an everlasting habitation a place sutable for an high-born spirit Consider the order of creation and disturb it not God hath set the heaven above and the earth beneath and hath so framed us that our heads and our hearts are above to think upon heaven and to love and move to it and our feet and heels on the earth to teach us to set earthly commodities at our heels as the new-born Christians laid their money at the Apostles feet Act. 5. It is fearfull to see how ungodly men do disorder this course They set heaven at their heels and all earthly glory at their head and heart by thought loves and a thousand imbracings as if heaven were below and earth above But take you heed This is not the way to secure your souls they are spirits and should have better places then you lodge them in If you will be so earthy and neglect your own salvation there is a worse place even that where Judas is Act. 1. since he went unto his own place where is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Thus you have the nature of the soul now consider the Castle of the soul The Castle of the soul is Gods hands Gods hands into thy hands Mark then that the safety of a soul lies in Gods hands Properly the hand is an outward bodily instrument for actions and executions But when it is referred to God he hath three sorts of hands Correcting Revenging and Protecting hands His correcting hand is spoken of in these words Psal 38.2 Thy hand presseth me sore that is thy correction His revenging hand is spoken of in these words Jud. 2.15 The hand of the Lord was against them for evill that is his corrections and judgements were out against them for their sins But his protecting hand is of two sorts Eternall and Actuall The eternall protecting hand of God is the counsell of his will Of this it is said that the Jews did to Christ whatsoever Gods hand and his counsell determined before to be done and no more This is a safe hand without and above exception for as many as were 〈◊〉 this hand and so ordained to eternall 〈◊〉 believed It will preserve them to his everlasting Kingdome The actuall protecting hand of God is either Extraordinary or ordinary The extraordinary protecting hand is that which he holds over some and but at some times as when it is said Ezek. 1.3 the hand of the Lord was upon Ezekiel that is the spirit of prophesie to guide and protect him in his propheticall way The ordinary protecting hand of God is threefold either General provision Psal 104.28 whereof the Psalmist speaketh thou fillest with thy hand every living thing that is thou providest for them or speciall favour whereof Luke speaketh Luk. 1.66 and the hand of the Lord was with him that is Gods speciall favour was with John Baptist from his infancy or the spirit of strength as when it is said of Elias 1 King 18.46 the hand of the Lord was on him that is he strengthened him with boldnesse and protected him against Ahab and Jezabel The issue is this when God doth provide for favour and protect the soul therein lies the safety of it And it is no wonder when you do consider what manner of hands Gods are What manner of hands God hath They are Holy hands They touch nothing in love but they are the better for them As when God sent an Angel with a coal from the Altar to touch the lips of the Prophet Esay Esa 6. he was the better for it and was very willing to go on his propheticall errand so much more when God toucheth our souls shall they be filled with all grace and goodnesse of which they are capable They are loving hands Cant. 2. therefore the Church cries out to Christ put thy hand under As when Ananias put his hands upon the blinde eyes of Paul Act. 9. they cured him and scales fell from his eyes and he saw plainly so when God toucheth our souls acts of grace love and bounty follow For love strives for such acts and all safety They are powerfull hands The little finger of the Lord is above all Rom. 8. therefore if God be on our side who can be against us His hands will guard us by a mighty power in all
ever He is not the best Archer that drawes the strongest Bowe and shoots the longest length but he that gives the best lose so he is the best Christian who hath so lived that he doth dye well Therefore be sure to have care of your souls in prosperitie adversitie and when death comes If you will ask me Reasons why you must havâ— such a care of your souls There is good cause why Because it is more to make soul good now then to create it at first Then there was onely Gods consultation 2 Cor. 5.19 A participle of the present time signifies a continuall terme of time without intermission Let us make man and his resolution and fiat let it be done and it was so but now God was in Christ Reconciling the world unto himself He was about it and is doing of it still and will never end till the world ends By how much harder it is to make a soul good by so much more you must care for your souls Secondly Matth. 16. nothing can make up the losse of a soul Christ saith What will it profit if a man gain the whole world and lose his own soul All that cannot make it up to us By how much greater the losse of a soul is by so much greater care must you have of your souls 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Thirdly the soul is not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious bloud of Christ By how much more precious the soul is by so much more must you care for it Fourthly there is no proportion betwixt the whole world and the soul Satan will give all â—â— r that Matth. 4. and think himself to have a â—â— od bargain as you see in his offer to â— rist That which is more worth then â—â— e world you must have a speciall care â—â— f and such are your souls Lastly if you â— ose your souls the losse must be made â— p not onely to you Mic. 6.6 7. but to God whose â— hey are and I pray tell me wherewith â— ill you come before God and bow your â—â— lves to the most high God Will you come â— efore him with burnt offerings with Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams and ten thousand Rivers of Oyl Will you give your first born for your transgression and the fruit of your body for the sinne of your soul All will be found too little to make up the losse of your soul to God and surely that which is not in the power of man to make up if he lose it must be kept with all care Use 1 Weigh therefore the truth of which I have convinced you and try your cares for your souls and be provoked to be more carefull Hos 4.15 Though Israel play the Harlot saith Hosea yet let not Judah sinne and though all the world be carelesse yet be you carefull of your souls Josh 24.15 When Joshuah saw the wickednesse of Israel he said Choose you this day whom you will serve but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord so say you let others suffer their souls like Lambs-grease to melt away in sinne yet I will have a care yea I will have care to keep my soul by Gods hands Ob. It may be you will say you have thiâ— care of your souls what ever men may think Sol. Then try and see impartially whaâ— you most pitch upon If a man could seâ— the whole care of men what could he finde One cares for the back another for the belly a third for worse but who cares for the soul That lies rotting in a thousand lusts though thou knowest not how soon thou shalt say to corruption thou art my father and to the worm thou art my brother and sister Indeed you come to the Congregations pray devoutly hear reverently note diligently But will ye be all ear All for carrying in nothing for carrying out from the strength of prayer and preaching To eat much and have no evacuation will soon stifle and suffocate nature so the poor soul will be choaked if from the strength of what it feeds upon it do not work for the Grace of Christ and against the sinnes of nature and life Therefore try as you love your souls try your care Use 2 Secondly be provoked to be more carefull for your souls and as Solomon saith Prov. 4. Guard thy heart with all diligence so say I of thy soul which is all one Say as one when he was tempted to do fearfull things against himself Had it not been for this soul I had not been here now Charles the fift when he was sollicited by a great Counsellour Antonius de Lena to cut off all the petty Princes of Germany and then he should rule alone Anima anima cried out My soul my soul Nay saith that Tyger if your Majesty have a soul give over your Empire The Emperour had a care of his soul this bloud-sucker had none God keep our King and all Christian Princes from such Counsellers in these distracted dayes and ever Let men prize souls at never so low a value have you a care of yours The soul is for Christ to live in by faith The soul is the Master-wheel of all our acts The soul is the chief seat of the image of God The soul is the maker of all our actions good if it be good it self So much good soul as is in every act so much goodnesse is in it Therefore care for your souls Remember that Christ died for souls He emptied himself of glory for souls He swet drops of bloud for souls He cried out I thirst for souls What He that endured so much could not he endure a little thirst at the last Yes yes He thirsted that all the prophesies might be fulfilled for the good of souls Esa 53. How we must care for cur souls He made his soul a sacrifice for sin for souls Shall he do so much to shew so great care and will not you care a little for your souls Q. It may be you will ask me how shall I care for my soul A. I answer do what thou canst to get it out of natures clawes a kinde mother is turned into a cursed mother-in-law Oh put off concerning your conversation in times past the old man and put on the new yea be changed in the spirit of your mindes Let Christ dwell in your souls by faith for this work This hath a preserving power to keep thy soul from rotting Joh. 3.16 he that believeth shall not rot and perish Keep thy soul from the lusts of sinne Put it to a daily task by meditation and prayer for an idle soul will be a sinning soul 2 Sam. 11. Let thy soul work all her works before God think that he stands by with a Pen of Iron Jer. 9. and point of a Diamond to engrave all thy sins and vertues for memory Acquaint thy soul with death Job 18.14 This is the King of terrours which will rouze thee from the dead sleep of security And lastly 2 Cor. 8.5 Give thy soul to God in Christ O Lord when thou committedst my soul to me in Adam I lost it Oh trust me no more As thou wilt not trust me with my life for thou hast hid my life in Christ so trust me not with my soul Thou hast bought it with a price 1 Cor. 6. therfore I humbly and heartily and trustingly commit it it into thy hands oh keep the soul of thy servant Now the God of Peace trample Satan under your feet shortly for the good of your souls and he sanctifie you in body soul and spirit that ye way be found blamelesse in the day of our Lord Jesus Amen Glory be to God on high and in earth Peace and good will towards men FINIS
MILK FOR BABES OR A. MOTHERS CATECHISM for Her CHILDREN Wherein chief saving Principles of Christian Religion through the body of it fit first to inform Children in are 1 Propounded 2 Expounded 3 Applied The sum of which is set down in the following Pages Together with the Questions and Answers which are the grounds of the Catechism Whereunto also annexed THREE SERMONS Preached at Andrews Holborn at a publike Fast and at Covent-Garden upon severall occasions By ROBERT ABBOT Preacher of Gods Word at Southwick in Hantshire PSA 34.11 Come ye children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. LONDON Printed by John Legate for Philemon Stephens dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the gilded Lyon 1646. I Have perused this Catechism intituled Milk for Babes and these three Sermons on severall Texts And approving them as pious and profitable I license them to be printed and published IOHN DOWNAME The Sum of the following Catechism may be conceived thus IT speaks to a threefold state of ours Our estate 1 Of Creation Of which you may finde two points 1 Our Creatour who is 1 Confessed Q. 1. 2 Distinguished from the Sonne Q. 2. Holy Gh. Q. 3. 3 Described 1 By his unity in Trinity Q. 4. 2 By his Sufficiency Efficiency Q. 5. 2 His end in making us which is 1 Propounded Q. 6. 2 Amplified by the 1 Manner Q. 7. 2 Meanes teaching Q. 8. 1 Commandement 1. Q. 9. 2 Commandement 2. Q. 10. 3 Commandement 3. Q. 11. 4 Commandement 4. Q. 12. 5 Commandement 5. Q. 13. 6 Commandement 6. Q. 14. 7 Commandement 7. Q. 15. 8 Commandement 8. Q. 16. 9 Commandement 9. Q. 17. 10 Commandement 10. Q. 18. 2 Of Corruption of which it sets down our misery 1 By sinne Q. 19. 2 By punishment Q. 20. 3 Of Renovation Of which it teacheth us 1 The means working it Christ Jesus Q. 20. Who is further described by his 1 Natures Q. 22. 2 Work for use Set down two wayes 1 By the greatest manifestation of it at the latter end where two 1 His Passion Q. 13. 2 His possibility to undergo it 2 By the efficacy of it both in respect 1 Of the end Q. 24. 2 Of the persons for whom Q. 25. 2 The means applying it Faith described 1 By the nature of it Q. 26. 2 By the working of it in respect of 1 The beginning of it Q. 27. 2 The growth of it by means 1 Without us which are two 1 The Word of Christ 2 The Sacraments of Christ Q. 28. which are described 1 By their Nature Q. 29. 2 By their Number Q. 30. 3 By their use both of 1 Baptism Q. 31. 2 Supper of the Lord about which 1 What use of it Q. 32. 2 To whom Q. 33. 2 Within us and by us Prayer Q. 34. Which is further described 1 By the nature of it Q. 35. 2 By the matter The Lords Prayer Q. 36. Expounded by the 1 Preface Q. 37. 2 Petition 1. Q. 38. 3 Petition 2. Q. 39. 4 Petition 3. Q. 40. 5 Petition 4. Q. 41. 6 Petition 5. Q. 42. 7 Petition 6. Q. 43. 8 Conclusion Q. 44. A CATECHISM FOR Children thorough the chief points of the Body of Divinity to prepare them for the Lords Supper 1 Question WHo made thee A. God the Father 2 Q. Who redeemed thee A. Jesus Christ 3 Q. Who sanctified thee A. The Holy Ghost 4 Q. How many Gods are there A. There are three persons and to us Christians but one God 5 Q. What is God A. He is that Almighty one who made and governeth all things 6 Q. Wherefore did God make thee A. To do him service 7 Q. How oughtest thou to serve him A. As he hath commanded in his lawes 8 Q. Which are these lawes A. Those tenne words which God wrote in two Tables of stone and are set down in Exodus and Deuteronomy 9 Q. What is the first Commandement A. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me 10 Q. What is the second A. Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image nor any likenesse of things that are in heaven above nor in the earth beneath nor in the waters under the earth thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy to thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandements 11 Q. What is the third Commandement A. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vain 12 Q. What is the fourth Commandement A. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattle nor thy stranger that is within thy gates For in six dayes the Lord made heaven and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it 13 Q. What is the fift Commandement A. Honour thy Father and Mother that thy dayes may be long upon the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee 14 Q. What is the sixt A. Thou shalt not kill 15 Q. What is the seventh A. Thou shalt not commit adultery 16 Q. What is the eight A. Thou shalt not steal 17 Q. What is the ninth A. Thou shalt not bear false witnesse against thy neighbour 18 Q. What is the tenth Commandement A. Thou shalt not covet thy neighhours house thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife nor his man-servant nor his maid-servant nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is thy neighbours 19 Q. Art thou able to keep these commandements A. No let me do what I can yet I break them every day more then I can expresse 20 Q. What punishment is appointed for the breakers of Gods commandements A. Gods curse which is the everlasting destruction of body and soul 21 Q. How shalt thou escape this curse A. Onely by Jesus Christ our Lord. 22 Q. What is Jesus Christ A. He is the eternall sonne of God made man 23 Q. What hath Christ Jesus done for thee A. He suffered the pains of death for me 24 Q. Seeing Christ was God how could he dye A. He was God and man as he was God he died not but as man he died for my sinnes and rose again for my justification 25 Q. Are all men saved by Christs death A. No onely they are saved who have a true faith 26 Q. What is this true faith A. It is the resting of the soul upon Christ for salvation 27 Q. How must this faith be wrought in thee A. The Holy Ghost must work it in my heart
by the preaching of the Gospell 28 Q. How is this faith confirmed in thee A. By hearing the same Gospell preached and using the Sacraments 29 Q. What are Sacraments A. They are signes and seals of the righteousnesse of faith 30 Q. How many Sacraments are there A. Two onely Baptisme and the supper of the Lord. Q. What benefit hast thou by Baptisme A. A new estate in Christ and so the forgivenesse of my sinnes if I repenting do believe according to the Covenant of Baptisme 32 Q. What benefit hast thou by the Lords supper A. The body and bloud of Christ verily and indeed taken and received by my believing soul 33 Q. How must thou reverently prepare for this Sacrament A. I must examine my self whether I have desire repentance faith thankfulnesse and charity fit for the Lords table 34 Q. Is not prayer an excellent means also to make thy faith grow A. Yes it is a speciall means appointed by God 36 Q. What is prayer A. A religious moving of our souls to God to draw us into communion with him against sin for grace and all blessings 37 Q. Where canst thou more fully learn the matter of prayer A. In that which is commonly called the Lords prayer 38 Q. What is the enterance into this prayer A. Our Father which art in heaven 39 Q. What is the first petition A. Hallowed be thy Name 40 Q. What is the second A. Thy Kingdome come 41 Q. What is the third petition A. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven 42 Q. What is the fourth Petition A. Give us this day our daily bread 43 Q. What is the fift petition A. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us 44 Q. What is the sixt A. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill 45 Q. What is the conclusion of this prayer A. For thine is the Kingdome the power and the Glory for ever Amen A briefer Catechisme to be opened at first Question GIve me the summe of Religion in one sentence A. A sinner being justified by faith is bound to live a godly life Here consider three things 1 Thy danger A sinner therefore subject to the miseries of this world and that to come 2 Thy deliverance Being justified by faith and therefore in Christ by the Covenant of grace for forgivenesse and all other things promised 3 Thy duty Is bound to live a godly life and therefore from Christ bound in the Sacraments to faith working by love Or more fully thus Q. Give me the summe of Religion in four words A. My Generation Degeneration Regeneration and Glorification Here thou must consider 1 What thou art from God A creature brought into the world from thy parents 2 What thou art in and from Adam A sinner subject unto all miseries even to the nether-most hell 3 What thou art in Christ A new creature delivered from the curses of the law that thou maist embrace the blessings of the Gospell 4 What thou art from Christ walkin a new course till thou comest unto Glory Or the words of Scripture thus Q. Tell me what is thy Religion A. 1 It is the faith of Gods Elect and the acknowledgement of the truth which is after godlines Tit. 1.1 2 It is my holding fast of the form of sound words which I have heard in faith and love 2 Tim. 1.13 3 It is all things pertaining to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.6 4 It is the knowledge and service of God 2 Chron. 28.9 5 It is faith working hy love Gal. 5.6 None of these descriptions are contrary either to other but subordinate and provided you comprehend under them what is necessarily to be believed and to be practised all is well TO His much Honoured Patronesse the Lady HONORIA NORTON of Southwick in Hantshire All happinesse here and here-after MAdam I must make my Apology before I say a word more I present a Catechism unto you who are able to instruct others and a mothers Catechism for her children when you have no children of your own under your instruction now This may seem strange to them that know not you to be to me a great encourager to this little work to them that are ignorant of your affections to a common good You have had experience of the power and profit of it in your family and in the Congregation over which you care and you will have me do some little good by it as you think to others that may see and use it The blessing of God be upon it and their blessing fall upon you if they receive good by it who have bin the main cause under God of my setting it forth I confesse that I have thus many yeares last past been solicited by many well minded people who have had the benefit of my private exercises to have let this unpolished birth to walk into many houses But being loath to hold out a little candle to a quick-sighted age or to prevent the more elaborate endeavours of my learned brethren I have shut it up rather in my head where it stuck by judgment and frequency then under my pen which is not so happy as my tongue in this kinde But now being overcome by your Ladyships entreating-commands and commanding favours I can hold it a prisoner no longer I let it loose from my head and heart to my pen and paper and from thence to every English soul to be either embraced or rejected according to present fansie If it prove un-successefull I 'le bear the blame who as an old man being ready to deny my self a being in this world have a little learned to deny my self in this and suffer words of diminution But if it prove acceptable to Christs Church and profitable to his meanest Members you Madam shall have the thanks and credit under whose wings it hath found leisure to be born I know that you will be cōmending it to some of your friends if not out of self-worth yet out of a conceit and expectation of some such like thing But I beseech you be wary To praise that which deserves it not may speak well of your affections but discommend your judgment and I would not have you engage where it may be a prejudice to you in the issue Indeed this little Treatise is a Catechism And whereas preaching is a speaking unto men to instruction 1 Cor. 14.3 Luk. 1.4 Act. 2. Mat. 22.37 Joh. 3.16 edification and comfort Catechising is a speaking to men for instruction mainly preaching is a dilating of one member of religion into a body Catechising is the contracting of the whole into a a sum Preaching is for all sorts Catechising for the yong and ignorant this may commend the work if the workman were answerable and as a Master-builder did lay the foundation But I know not how it fals out this Treatise is much in a little and that little derived from the capacitie of a mother to the
let the counsell of a poor friend be acceptable unto you so to live that ye be not swallowed up of sorrow so to live as ye be not devoured by peace As it was said of Saul and David of old so may it of prosperity and adversity that adversity hath slain 1000. but prosperity 10000. It is a glorious thing to be in prosperity and not to be worse It is a glorious thing also to be in adversity and to be better But to be bad in both is to make both a curse prosperity to be made a sweet Ladder from which to break our necks from when we think we are climbed up to heaven and adversity to be a sowr Ladder to let us down into hell here and to bring us at last to the burning Lake which torments for evermore The only way to help all this is both in prosperity and adversity to live in Christ If like the Eagles you make your Nest in this rock your faith shall be your victory Let prosperity come faith in Christ will say Cursed is he that doth not account one days fellowship with Jesus Christ above all the glistering vanities in this world I will not be flattered out of Christ Let adversity come faith in Christ will say Farewell mony farewell life farewell all things for Christ I will not be frighted from my Christ That you good Ladies may be helped to do so with all thanks for your loves I humbly present unto you both this little Catechism expounded There is none of you both but have in your families heard me open these grounds either to your children or servants Then you were pleased to approve them and now you will be pleased to love them more because they lye by you for daily use There will many faults be found with them as brevity plainnesse imperfection and the like but above all that they want the living voice and tender heart to set an edge upon them As to the first faults I confesse them and in truth I make this but as a fore-runner to a larger Catechism thorough the whole body of Divinity If God send me health life and leisure you may see that if this mean while be acceptable to the Church and it will more copiously handle all the grounds by way of explication observation and cases of conscience which are most obvious As to the last fault indeed it wants my voice but not my heart For when you are warming your own and your childrens hearts with it I will follow it with my prayers to make it successefull Could I do more I would do it Could I do lesse I would not As becomes him that hath been is and by Gods blessing will be to both of you worthy Ladies Your poor yet hearty friend to serve you and yours in Christ Jesus ROBERT ABROT Erratá Page Line for Read 78 15 life lift 79 9 blot out then  89 25 of in 110 3 doth teacheth 119 3 faith life 122 19 of by 122 23 wife house 122 24 work in work it in 124 5 where they whereby they 125 6 connexion conviction 159 17 The by the. 163 28 In obedience In sacrifice 186 1 must mayst 198 21 of both for both Epistle 19,20 Infants of Jews Believers 242 6 creatures Creatour A Mothers Catechisme for her Children MY good Child Gen. 3.16 I have brought thee forth into this world in great sorrow I have nourished thee either with my own breasts or as I thought by those that were better able I now desire not onely to see thee a member of the Church by profession but by the power of grace and because thou canst not be thus without the knowledge of God Joh. 17.2 Pet. 3.18 and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ from the tender bowels of a compassionate Mother I desire to inform thee in thy estate by Nature created by nature corrupted and nature restored that in these things which concern thy self thou mayst know God and thy selfe and grow out of fellowship with thy selfe into communion with God in Christ that thou mayst have life Tell me therefore 1. Q. Who made thee A. God the Father It is true Esa 44.2 For thus saith the Lord that made thee And to make thee is to Give thee a being that is a body and soul and all the parts faculties and powers of them This is of great use 1. To enquire who made thee and 2. To resolve that it was God 1. Thou must enquire after him that made thee We must enquire who made us Both that thou mayst know to whom to ascribe the glory of the work and to whom to goe to supply the defects of thy nature for he can best repaire that first made as also that thou mayst be acquainted to whom to goe to sustaine nature Nature hath taught every thing to goe to that for sustenance which brought it forth as the Lambe goes to the Ewe and the Chicken to the Hens body Vse Therefore thou mayst see what fooles we are by nature who are more apt to enquire after any thing then after our Maker Every trick of our Trades every devise to help us to live or live comfortably is attended with all diligence but we desire not to be acquainted with our Maker But I hope better things of thee and that which accompanies salvation Be thou provoked to enquire after this and not to sacrifice to thy own nets or to run to naturall means chiefly for supplies when thou art necessitated 2. Resolve that it was God that made thee Galen himselfe when God made us as a natural Anatomist he did consider the frame of Man said like an Atheist that he sung a song in the praise of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But thou my child needest not to be beholding to his confession for thou must be made either of nature or of thy selfe or of thy Parents or of God But thou art not made of nature for it cannot give a good reason of every thing in thee They that have doted most upon nature could never give a prevailing reason of the strength of the nether jaw-bone which hath such weake supporters nor of the heat of the stomach which consumeth fit things put into it yet not those parts about it Nor art thou made of thy selfe For though the Maker know the parts of the thing made yet thou doest not know thine no not by anatomy neither canst thou command or refraine the pulse of thy wrist or the motion of thy heart Nor art thou made of thy parents for neither thy father that begat thee nor I thy mother that conceived thee knew what was begotten nor what was conceived and yet it is necessary that the cause should know the effect What then remaines but that thou shouldst acknowledge thy selfe to be of the generation of God Act. 17.28 Vse Remember this then and know that God doth know whatsoever is in thee even thy most secret thoughts
Psal 139.12 13. and hidden lusts A man that made a work can easily espie the least fault that another makes in it so God can see all the disorders that Satan and thy wicked heart hath wrought in thee and this must make thee walke in feare of offending such a God and with a resolution to doe all things to the honour of him that made thee Every man that makes a thing doth desire to have the comfort and credit of it much more doth God who made man for himselfe Prov. 16.4 as well as all things else Vse Therefore Whether thou eate or drink 1 Cor. 10.31 or what ever thou doe doe all to the glory of thy God Doe to his glory in thought word and deed do to his glory in disposing thy selfe in all the occurrences of this life Thou mayst make other comfortable reflexions upon thy soule from this point if thou weigh the Texts in the margine Psal 149.2 Psal 119.73 Psal 100.1 2 3. Job 30.13.15 but I leave them to thy own meditations as God shall quicken thy heart with a love to the good word of God Tell me next 2. Q. Who Redeemed thee A. Jesus Christ Mark my good child Christ Redeemed us 1 Tim. 2.6 It is Christ that gave himselfe a ransome for us even the ransome of his blood by which he hath redeemed us out of all the world Apoc. 5.9 To redeeme is to buy thee again when thou wert lost in thy enemies hands Thou wert lost by the sinne of Adam As thou seest when a Carp is taken by a Fishers hooke or net and dieth thousands of spawnes in his belly are caught and die with him so was it with thee and all mankind We were all in that one man in his first transgression Therefore Blessed Paul saith Rom. 5.12 14. By one man sinne entered into the world and death by sinne and passed upon all men even over those that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression for that all have sinned When thou wast in this cursed condition with all mankind Christ came and bought thee again Joh. 10.11 by laying down his life for thee Vse Remember this and make such use of it as Paul would have the Corinthians Ye are not your own 1 Cor. 6.19 20. for ye are bought with a prize therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirits which are Gods If you buy any thing you expect the comfort of it whether it be for the health of your body or of your soule Thinke but the same of Christ and you will be willing to live to him that died for you 2 Cor. 5.15 and rose again Tell me next 3. Q. Who sanctified thee A. The holy Ghost Mark here The holy Ghost doth sanctifie us If I should aske thee What it is to be sanctified it is to be made holy But when I aske thee who sanctified thee it is to make thee holy and this is the worke of the holy Ghost Therefore Paul telles the Corinthians when they were changed in their state That they were sanctified by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 Now the holy Ghost doth sanctifie thee by taking away of sinne and giving of grace As if thou wert to give entertainment to a great and good friend thou wouldst first sweep out the dust and brush down the cobwebs and then lay out thy carpets cushions and other ornaments so the holy Ghost takes the besome of destruction the hammer Jer. 23.29 and fire of the word and sweeps out thy raigning sinnes by Repentance and the spirit of Judgement Esa 4.4 Gal. 5.22 23. Eph. 3.17 1 Cor. 3.16 and then brings in the graces of the Spirit to make thee an holy Temple for Christ to dwell in by faith All this the holy Ghost works by the Word Sacraments and Prayer By the Word for Christ prayeth Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth By the Sacraments for Paul saith Eph. 5.26 That he sanctifies and cleanseth his Church with the washing of water by the word and that We being many are one bread and one body 1 Cor. 10.17 for we are all made partakers of one bread Implying that in the Lords Supper we are sealed up into the body of Christ and we cannot be properly without holinesse By Prayer for Christ saith that if we aske the Father he will give us his spirit Vse Therefore my deare child ply the holy Ghost in this way wherein thou art sanctified and shalt encrease it more and more 2 Cor. 7.1 till thou grow to or perfect thy holinesse in the feare of the Lord. If there were but one Mart or Market where all necessary commodities were to be had thou wouldst ply that upon all urgent occasions so must thou deale with the Word Sacraments and Prayer if thou wouldst have the holy Ghost shine upon thee in the beautie of holinesse Tell me next because thou namest the Father the Sonne and Holy Ghost even these three 4. Q. How many Gods are there A. There are three persons and to us Christians but one God Goe to Jordan and thou shalt see the heavens opened There are three persons Matth. 3.16 17. whence the Father sent a voice from heaven the Sonne baptized and the Holy Ghost descending like a Dove to make up three persons Reflect upon thy own Baptisme and thou shalt behold thy admittance into the Church in the name of the Father Matth. 28.19 and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost to make up three persons again Consider our witnesses and thou shalt finde that we have three that beare record in heaven the Father the Word 1 Joh. 5.7 and the Holy Ghost and that these three are one For though there are three names or persons in the Godhead Yet is there but one God 1 Cor. 8.5 6. and though there be many that are called Gods and Lords yet to us Christians there is but one God This heavenly mystery may be shadowed unto thee a little in a fiered coale There is the substance of the coale the light of the coale and the heat of the coale and yet but one fiered coale So soone as ever the coale is fiered there are these three the substance of the coale the light and heat of it So in the same Divine Essence though in a more transcendent way is there the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost Yea it may be shadowed in thy selfe So soone as ever thou art borne into this world thou art a creature to God a childe to thy Parents and a subject to thy King and yet art thou but one So so soone as ever as God is that is from all eternitie he is Father Sonne and holy Ghost and yet but one God Vse This will help thee mightily in cleaving to the Scriptures and in all thy devout prayers to God Art thou tempted to question the truth of
the Scriptures doe not yeeld 2 Tim. 3.16 2 Pet. 1.19 For all Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and so is a sure word to which thou must take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place because it hath this threefold testimony in one God which cannot faile thee Doth the Scripture give any precept make any promise denounce any threatning Rest upon it that thou must obey it Imbrace it and tremble under it as Gods truth confirmed by three witnesses which shal stand when all other witnesses shall fail Wouldst thou powre out thy devoutest prayers to God Thinke upon this one God three Persons as a fountaine to supply all thy defects Hast thou any brack or defect in the nature of thy body and soule Pray to God the Father as thy faithfull Creator that for the merits of Christ and by the working of the holy Ghost he would perfect thy parts to doe him service Hast thou sinned against thy good Maker Pray to God the Sonne as thy faithfull Redeemer that from the love of the Father for his merits and by the operation of the holy Ghost he would procure a pardon sealed to thy conscience Hast thou for want of beleeving in his name sinned against thy good Saviour Pray to God the Holy Ghost as thy faithfull Sanctifier that from the love of the Father for the holy bloud-shed of the Sonne and by his blessing worke of preparation and Insition he would apply thee to Christ and make thee one with him that thou mayst have all the benefits of his Passion Now my child remember what I have said Q. Who made thee A. God Q. What is it to make thee A. To give mee that being which I have Q. Who Redeemed thee A. Jesus Christ Q. What is it to Redeeme thee A. To buy me again when I was lost Q. How camest thou to be lost A. By the sinne of Adam Q. How did Christ buy thee again A. By laying down his life for me Q. Who sanctified thee A. The holy Ghost Q. What is it to sanctifie thee A. To make me holy Q. How doth he make me holy A. By taking away sinne and giving me grace Q. By what means doth he this A. By the Word Sacraments and Prayer Q. How many Gods are there A. Three persons for all my necessities and but one God to serve alone Thinke of these points seriously and the Lord give thee understanding in all things It may be thou canst not so clearely conceive some of these high mysteries as of three in one in a more excellent way then can be expressed or of Essence which is one Nature in three or of Persons which are the severall manners of being in the selfe same God as in respect of Creation God is the Father in respect of Redemption God is the Sonne in respect of Sanctification God is the Holy Ghost These things I say are above reasonable capacitie But it is otherwise with thee in the understanding of other things and of these mysteries In other things thou must first know and then beleeve but in these things thou must first beleeve and then know as Peter said We beleeve and are sure Joh. 6.69 that thou art that Christ the Sonne of the living God And if thou adde but this Joh. 7.17 To will to doe thy God's will thou shalt know of the doctrine whether it be of God and so rest with confidence upon these most divine mysteries to comfort thy soule Now let us goe on Tell me 5. Q. What is God A. He is that Almightie one who made and governeth all things Know my child that we cannot know God as he is in himselfe Thou canst not know God as he is for he dwels in a light that no man can attain unto And therefore we may say as that Heathen did of old when he was asked what God was By how much more I thinke by so much lesse I understand what that is which we call God Yet may we know Gods back-parts that is those works Exod. 34. and names by which he is made known unto us in the Scriptures For thus he hath manifested himselfe unto us for this end Object Obiect It may be thou mayst thinke that if God cannot be known it is unlawfull for me to enquire of thee what he is Sol. Sol. This is true if it were impossible for us to know God any wayes But Yet thou must labour to know him as he will because we may and must know him as he hath manifested himselfe unto us therefore surely it is not unlawfull to search into him so farre For otherwise it might be said of us as Christ of the Samaritanes Joh. 4. They worship they know not what Yea without this we cannot according to our measure ascribe unto him such excellencies as his nature doth deserve for we cannot say that is gold which we cannot affirme to be gold or brasse Yea without this we cannot love and desire God We cannot desire and love what we know not The love of God must not be a groundlesse love which is more in the lover then in the thing loved but a well grounded love which must proceed from the knowledge of the amiablenesse of the thing loved Of this alone we can give a true reason from the worth of God or any person or thing else which we love Vse Therefore good child know the wickednesse of all our and thy natures which care least to know God Doe but mark and you shall see your selfe ready to know every thing and yet thou takest no notice of God though thou art continually in his presence Yet I hope better things of thee and that which doth accompany thy salvation If the Heathens groped after him and rather then they would not find him Acts 17. erected an altar to the unknown God much more wilt thou who art crowned with more blessed favours of light and love But why should I presse thee to enquire after God when thou tellest me plainly what God is You tell me that God is that Almightie one that doth make and governe all things Though thou knowest him not as he is in himselfe yet thou describest him as he hath manifested himselfe to the Church If I should aske thee what the Apostle Paul was You would answer that he was an able and extraordinary Minister of the New Testament Herein you did not tell me what he is or was in himself for so he was a living creature endued with a reasonable soule but you tell me what Paul was as God did imploy him in and for the Church so in this description thou tellest me what God is with reference to the whole world Thus thou tellest me two things of God 1. His sufficiency He is that Almightie one 2. His Efficiency or how he hath manifested it in part two waies 1. By making all things 2. By governing all things First God is the Almightie thou
saist He is that Almightie one and so he is for God saith to Abraham Gen. 17.1 I am God Almightie and Jeremy calles him Jer. 32.18 19. The great and mightie God great in Counsell and mightie in strength Almightie is one mightie to doe all or one that is all-sufficient for all things in himselfe and for us This Almightinesse or All-sufficiency stands in his skill in his will and in his power He is Almightie in skill to know all things Almightie in will to will all things that are good and Almightie in power to doe all things according to his will Were he not Almightie all these waies he could not be self-sufficiently blessed in himselfe neither could he be almightily sufficient for us Were he not Almightie in skill he could not almightily will according to an almightie knowledge Were he not Almightie in will he could not almightily doe according to an almightie knowledge and will Were he not Almightie in power were he never so Almightie in skill and will he could not be an all-sufficient worker for his own and our blessednesse But when these three things meet his knowing all things his willing all things good and doing all things according to his will nothing can lye between him and his own blessednesse nothing can hinder us from our blessednesse in him if we lye in his rode Vse The serious thought of this should my child humble direct and comfort thee It should humble thee under the mightie hand of God Power breeds feare and fear humilitie God made his power known to Job in the wind horse earth-quake and Leviathan Job 42.6 And then he abhorred himselfe and repented in dust and ashes Act. 12. As when the men of Tyrus and Sidon heard that Herod would wage warre with them they knowing that they were nourished with the Kings bread feared his power so when thou hearest of this Almightinesse thou must not so much feare them that kill the body Matth. 10. as feare him that is able to cast body and soule into hell if thou approach not to him with due obedience Againe thou must be directed from hence to labour to feele this Almightie power of God in thy body and soule for thy sanctification and salvation Paul prayes for the Ephesians Eph. 1.19 20. that they may know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward that beleeve according to the working of his mightie power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead And how is this Surely onely by feeling that as God raised up Christ so by their fellowship in and with them he doth raise up them from the death of sinne to the life of grace The good Lord grant that it may be thus with thee that as the power of that Almightie one did raise up the Lord Jesus so thou maist find thy selfe raised in and from him to such a new life as may appeare before God with acceptance Lastly thou maist have singular comfort also from this meditation in any adversitie that may come upon thee For this Almightie one can change thy vile body Phil. 3. and make it like unto his glorious body according to the mightie power by which he is able to subdue all things unto himself What though by affliction thy face be withered with weeping thy body crusted like a potsheard and burnt to ashes yet this Almightie one is able to raise thee up in the latter day Joh. 6. and to make those eyes of thine to see thy Redeemer Job 19. when thou shalt arise for thy selfe to the glory of Gods grace and thy everlasting comfort Next here thou tellest me how God hath manifested his Almightinesse God made all things By making and governing of all things That this Almightie God made all things doth appeare in Genesis Gen. 1. and 2.4 5. Esa 44.24 and God saith by Esay I am the Lord that maketh all things that doth stretch forth the heavens alone and spreadeth abroad the earth by my selfe To make all things is to give all things their being God gives the heavens to be the earth to be and all creatures in heaven and earth their severall beings And doe but weigh that it cannot be otherwise For the world was neither made by chance nor by nature Not by chance For as thou maiest see an excellent order in every thing and chance is an enemy to order so maist thou discerne set purpose in every thing All creatures have every thing provided of purpose to perfect them An eye hath a colour an eare a sound a palate a tastable thing and a smell savours yea brute beasts have fodder and man hath heaven and earth of purpose for body and soul Neither is it made by nature For then as nothing could be done above nature the contrary whereof thou maist perceive in the very butter-flies painted wings and the little gnats trunk which can pierce and draw bloud thorough a tough horses skin so could nothing be done against nature but thou maist observe the contrary Josh 10. for the Sunne stood still in Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of Ajalon in the daies of Joshuah and the Sun went ten degrees backward as was to be seene on the diall of Ahaz yea thou readest of an Eclipse of the Sun at the death of Christ when the Moon was at the full which was quite against nature If therefore the world was neither made by chance nor by nature thou mayst justly conclude that the Almightie God made all things Vse Therefore my deare child learn how to use and feare to abuse We must use all the creatures from God any of Gods creatures Thou must aske Gods leave to use any of them we hold all in God and from God and have no freedom to use them but as we have leave from him Godlesse people account every creature within their power their own and because they have a creatures right and a civill right by the laws and compacts of men they think they have an absolute right without dependance Therefore they never looke to God but say with Nabal shall I take my meat 1 Sam. 25. and my bread and my drinke which I have provided for my servants and give it unto strangers whom I know not from whence they come or whither they go But it must be otherwise with thee Thou hast the use of the Sun Moon and Stars heaven earth and all their furniture God made them all therefore thou must not dreame of an absolute right but humbly pray that thou mayst have libertie to use them under God without which thou canst have no sound comfort Besides We must not abuse any of the creatures thou must feare to abuse any of them because they are the good creatures of God Wilt thou dare to abuse the Kings stuffe or furniture of his house or those provisions which he hath made for his servants How then wilt thou dare
ancient excellency reverent deportment and to powerfull excellency feare and testification of it by obedience in the Lord and for the Lords sake Vse Therefore my good child admire the wisdome of God here who for the well ordering of the world hath settled the Chaire of state and put every one within his traces If ever thou be a Father or Mother any of these wayes pray to thy God that thou carry thy selfe so as honour from others may willingly flow to thee Thou seest many who are Fathers and Mothers all these wayes who carry themselves unworthy of such honour This moves many young men to contemne the Aged many children to despise their Parents many of no gifts to contemne those that have many and many underlings to neglect those that are in authoritie both to their sinne and misery Again as thou art an Inferiour give all due honour to all Paternitie and motherhood Rise up before the hoarhead and honour the persons of the Aged Acknowledge all the gifts and graces of others and make use of them for thy good Be subject to the higher powers not for feare of wrath but for conscience sake Be subject unto thy parents and when they cannot provide for themselves doe thou thy best to provide for them and then if thou have not a penny thou shalt have a pound if thou live not long in this world which is not good enough for thee thou shalt live for ever at Gods right hand where there is fulnesse of pleasures for evermore which God grant unto thee 14. Q. What is the sixth Commandement A. Thou shalt not kill When God had set the world in order in the former Commandement What is required in the sixth commandement and made some high and some low some superiours and some inferiours that so his providence might be the more beautified in the sight of men he comes next to give men in charge things according to the price of them And because nothing is so precious as life for the Devil sees Job 2. that skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life therefore he first gives in charge the preservation of life This is that which God requires in this law the preservation of thy owne and thy neighbours life And because man hath a double life the life of the soule and the life of the body God would have thee have a care of both lives in thy selfe and others There is a difference betwixt killing and murder there may be a lawfull killing but no lawfull murdering for murder is an unlawfull hurting of the life of selfe or others But for killing though thou must never kill thy selfe yet may there be a lawfull killing of others when these foure things meet a just Cause a just Power a just order and a just Mind A just cause as God saith He that sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed Gen. 9. a just power as God saith Rom. 13. not the private man but the Magistrate beareth not the sword for nought a just order as that Jew said John 11. Our law judgeth no man before he be heard therefore there must be conviction and triall before condemnation and a just mind which doth it not out of revenge but out of love of justice for though Jehu did execute Gods Justice upon the house of Ahab yet because he did it with his owne revengefull heart God saith Hos 1. I will visit the blood of Jezrael upon the house of Jehu Thus thou seest there is a difference twixt killing and murder yet because God would have thee see how precious life is before him he saith Thou shalt not kill Thou must not kill the soule either of thy selfe or others by yeelding or perswading to any sinne or else by giving a scandall whereby thy brother may be moved to fall Sinne is that alone which murders soules Thou must not kill the body either of thy selfe or others This wicked murder doth rise by Envy and carnall Anger it doth rancle by Hatred and Malice it breaks out in the Countenance by scornfull disdainfull and furious lookes in the Body by pointing of the finger or turning the back by way of disgrace It is executed by wilfull hurting of limbes liberties or life when body and soule are parted by an unjust hand Vse Therefore my deare child take heed that thy heart be not made a slaughter-house and then thy hand will never be made a murderer It is fearefull to see what murderings of soules and bodies there are in the world Ministers murder soules either by stabbing them with false doctrine or by starving them for want of teaching One Christian murders the soule of another by perswading and encouraging or exampling to a thousand sinnes And for mens bodies what envy hatred malice what scornes diminutions and disrespects what hurting of limbes liberties and lives doe abound to the sadding of those whose hearts God would not have sadded But let not thy soule enter into their secrets Possesse thy selfe in mercy and love Be thou able to look upon an enemy without anger to behold his prosperitie without envy and to beare his wrongs without desire of revenge Keep thy soule without sinne raigning and doe what thou canst to keep others also and what thou canst not doe in answer to this command mourne for it sadly and seriously and fly to Jesus Christ to heale thee that thou mayst be better 15. Q. What is the seventh Commandement A. Thou shalt not commit adultery Exod. 20.14 What is required in the seventh Commandement The next precious thing among men is Honesty If God would have men live surely he would have them live honestly therefore so soone as ever he had commanded that men should live and not be killed presently he adds that they must live honestly It is better that men were dead then that they should live adulterers therefore saith God Thou shalt not commit adultery Here God requires the preservation of thy owne and thy neighbours Chastity Adultery properly is the polluting and defiling of another mans bed when men commit folly and wickednesse with another mans wife but because this is odious to God as a seminary of corruption both to the Church Common-wealth and Family therefore he comprehends all other uncleannesses under this head There is an inward and outward uncleannesse The inward is a wanton nature lustfull thoughts violent burnings delight in them and serving their tyranny The outward uncleannesse is either in Preparation or in Practise Men and women are prepared for lust by Drunkennesse Gluttony Idlenesse and Wanton apparell Men and women practise it by wanton eies filthy speech unseemly gestures and these bring forth fornication ravishing adultery incest unnaturall sinnes which I am loath to name unto thee much lesse describe Yet all these God comprehends under Adultery And that thou mayst not thinke that thou art exempted from this law God speakes to every particular
thou art subject to the miseries of this life and of the life to come The miseries of this life are all crosses to thy person comfort credit and state as sicknesses sorrows disgraces discomforts both within and without The miseries of the world to come are thy separation from the Lord and his Law the two principles of life for ever As when thy soul is separated from thy body a naturall death is made up so when thy person is separated from God and his word of comfort a spirituall death is made up which begins in this life and is continued for ever and ever Vse Oh my child feare and tremble under this burthen Thou art apt as all others to build up thy way to heaven with untempered morter saying to thy own soule that all is well when all is amisse This makes thee with an hard and impenitent heart to goe on in thy accursed courses But this doctrine of curses will teach thee that thou wert in danger before thou wast borne and ever since Thou mightst justly have been cast into hell before thou didst breath in this open world Thou hast all thy life been under the destruction of sinne and this hath enwrapped thee in the destruction of misery Thou feelest many paines and sicknesses which are but the light flashes of hell fire Thou art like a man condemned to a tormenting and dying death As if a man had a Caldron of boyling lead hang over his head and he starke naked under it First one drop falls upon his head another upon his shoulder another upon his arme another upon his hand another upon his backe another upon his belly another upon his legge upon his foot another which makes him start and shreeke but at the last the whole showre comes which makes him roare and tumble like a wild bull in a net So thou by this volley of curses art first nipt in one part then in another which makes thy joy to be interrupted and thy mirth many times turned into mourning But at last in death and Judgement comes an whole Sea of them which makes weeping howling and gnashing of teeth Weigh it seriously before it be too late It may be that God will leave a blessing behind to make thee search after a deliverance which is the next thing that comes to be skanned But first let me try thy profiting Thou toldest me that thou breakest all Gods commandements according to which thou shouldst serve him Tell me therefore Q. How many wayes doest thou breake them A. Three wayes Q. Which be they A. First in Adam secondly in the pronenesse of my nature thirdly in breaking one I breake them all Q. But the seventh part of time comes but once a weeke how canst thou break the commandement which concernes that every day A. I breake it before it comes and when it is gone Q. How before it comes A. By doing that upon the week day which makes me unfit to keep it when it comes Q. How when it is gone A. By not learning Gods wayes and not walking in his pathes Q. Art thou in danger of Gods curse A. Yes both in my body and in my soule Q. How doth God curse A. By inflicting of punishment Q. What punishment doth he inflict A. A destruction of my body and my soule Q. How doest thou know thy selfe to be destroyed A. When I am not used to that end that God made me for Q. What follows upon this A. A subjection to the miseries of this world and of the world to come Doe not forget how farre thou art gone God made thee thou art made to doe him service thou shouldst serve him as he commands thou breakest all his commands and therefore thou art under the curse and so a more miserable creature then a toade or any serpent if thou be not delivered Tell me then 21. Q. How shalt thou escape this curse A. Onely by Jesus Christ our Lord. Thou answerest rightly Christ is our deliverer from the curse Act. 4.12 for there is no name under heaven whereby thou canst be saved but onely the name of Jesus that is no authoritie power vertue or merit Gal. 3.13 It is he that hath redeemed thee from the curse of the law being made a curse for thee Col. 2.14 15. It is he that blotted out the hand-writing that was against thee and tooke it out of the way nayling it to his crosse and having spoyled principalities and powers made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himselfe on the crosse and therefore when Paul groveled under the burthen of his sinne he could find no rest for his soule but in the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 7.24 25. and thus must it be with thee therefore it behoves thee to know him If thou didst owe millions of pounds yea and satisfaction to the law by death and hadst but one friend in all the world that would and could undertake to discharge thee from all thou wouldst know him or else thou wert unworthy to have benefit by him So thou must know Christ in his names natures offices and uses by which thou hast saving good by him or else thou art unworthy of him And because this is signified in his names thou must throughly know the sense and vertue of them for thee He is called Jesus Matth. 1.21 because he saves his people from their sins He saves thee three wayes By Ransome by Rescue and by Mortification He saves thee by Ransome by laying down his life for thee Joh. 10.15 Thou shouldst have died the first and second death for ever and ever Christ died the first death and overcame the second for thee He saved thee by Rescue by delivering thee by strong hand When God was satisfied thy enemies the world the flesh and the devill would not let thee goe Luk. 1.71 74 75. Therefore Christ saved thee from thy enemies and from the hands of them that hate thee that thou being delivered from them mightst serve him without feare of them all the dayes of thy life in holinesse and righteousnesse before him He saveth thee by Mortification by killing of sinne of thee least thou be killed in sinne When thou art ransomed and delivered yet sinne sticks closer to thee then thy skinne Therefore to perfect thy salvation Christ strengthens thee with might by his spirit in the inner man Ephs 3.16 17. Rom. 8.13 and dwels in thy heart by faith that thou mayst mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the spirit He is called Christ because he is anointed Psal 2.2 Col. 2.9 This anointing is his having the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelling in him bodily He was not onely made partaker of the divine nature as we are but he was full God and full man personally united Joh. 3.34 and so he received not the spirit by measure but was anointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes Psal 45.7 The reasons why he was anointed were that
all thy debts are payed If any man were bound for thee and cast into prison and after enjoying the libertie of a free subject thou mayst conclude that all thy debts are payd so mayst thou rest thy soule that God is well pleased and satisfied with what his sonne hath done for thee when thou seest by miracles acts and many testimonies that he is risen from the dead Vse Therefore my deare child feed thy soule comfortably with these natures of thy blessed Saviour and with the uses he made of them for thy good He was man to performe lowly offices he was God to performe exalted offices of love Is he to dye an accursed death He is a man Rom. 8.3 in the similitude of sinfull flesh Psal 24. Is he to rise againe He is the King of Glory the Lord mighty in battell who knows how to vanquish the last enemy 1 Cor. 15. death as well as any that appeared before He that is thy suretie so able so willing will satisfie to the utmost farthing He that is thy Advocate so faithfull so wonderfull in counsell will not leave any of thy worke behind till he have brought thee a Certificate of thy full discharge When thou repentest and art ready to be swallowed up of sorrow let thy poore soule rest here and thou shalt have joy by beleeving and come with confidence and boldnesse to the throne of grace But it may be that the extent of this benefit may something damp thy spirit Therefore tell me 25. Q. Whether all men are saved by Christs death A. No onely they are saved which have a true faith Right thus doth the Scripture teach If all were saved it were happy for the children of darknesse and sons of Belial Hell should soone be emptie and heaven fuller then ever God meant it God should be made the greatest tyrant in the world if he should require such repentance faith mortification Godly living of some and yet save all by Christs death who never touched any of Gods holy rules with their little finger Therefore certainly this salvation must be limited to them that beleeve Thus doth Christ Joh. 3.16.18.36 Whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish and he that beleeveth on him is not condemned and he that beleeveth on the Sonne hath everlasting life and Luke saith That at Antioch when Paul and Barnabas preached as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved This was the receit that Philip gave to the Eunuch Act. 13.48 Act. 8. Act. 16. and Paul and Silas gave to the keeper of the Prison and it must be thine For faith is the eye the foot the hand the mouth of thy soule yea it is all in all to give thee union with Christ for life and salvation It is the eye of thy soule therefore God saith by the Prophet Looke upon me and be ye saved Esa 45.22 O ye ends of the earth that is beleeve in me It is the foot of thy soule therefore Christ saith Joh. 6.35 He that comes to me shall never hunger that is he that beleeves in me It is the hand of thy soule therefore John saith Joh. 1.12 So many as received him to them he gave a free right to be the sons of God that is beleeved in him It is the mouth of the soule therefore Christ saith Except ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man Joh. 6.53 and drink his bloud ye have no life in you that is except ye beleeve in him Yea it is all in all for uniting thee to Christ therefore John saith 1 Joh. 3. Rom. 1. Heb. 10. Gal. 2.20 Joh. 14. He that hath the Sonne hath life and Paul saith By faith we live because it is that excellent Instrument which unites us to Christ who is both our way truth and life Vse Therefore my deare child be not beguiled with the deceitfulnesse of Satan as too many are who dreame of the saving of all Christians if they doe but professe to beleeve in Christ upon a generall knowledge of the grounds of Christianity No no thou must have faith and thou must have a true and a living faith if thou wouldest have thy salvation by Christ The faith that ordinary professors at large dreame of is an easie way to heaven They may swallow downe all their sins with greedinesse and goe thither at an houres warning It is but knowing and assenting to the truth of Christianity and saying upon presumptuous grounds that Christ died for them and they hope to be saved by him as well as the precisest of them all But thou wilt find it an harder worke to have a true faith of Gods elect For thou mayst find that when sinners are brought into the straits of death sometimes they can not beleeve and sometimes they dare not beleeve They can not beleeve for their lives as Francis Spira who cried out that he could no more beleeve then the Devill If a man will ever runne he will runne when he runs for his life and if a man will ever beleeve he will beleeve when he beleeves for his life But poore sinners when the sight of their owne unworthinesse and Satans temptations are let loose upon them can not beleeve for their lives Sometimes they dare not beleeve as wicked Christians who see they must lose all if they beleeve in Christ They must lose father mother wife children houses lands and all sublunary contentments if they beleeve in Christ As a man that hath gotten a great deale by greedy scraping ravening and holding dares not beleeve that Covetousnesse is Idolatry for then he shall be undone So dare not a professor at large beleeve in Christ Phil. 3. because he knows that he must account all things losse and dogs-meat for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified He must deny all his rotten grounds of confidence as I keep my Church I am neither whore nor thiefe I wrong no man I am a good neighbour I have a good heart to God-ward I have a good meaning though I doe not pray as others yet God knows my heart though I cannot say as others yet I know the way to heaven as well as the best I doe as I would be done unto and the like he must I say deny all these rotten grounds which he dare not doe for then he sees that he shall be a dunghill and hath nothing to please himselfe in Get thou therefore true faith even the faith not of the world but of the Gospel In this I 'le helpe thee as I can and therefore tell me 26. Q. What is this true faith of Gods elect A. It is the resting of the soule upon Christ for salvation Understand this well as thou lovest the life of thy soule What true Faith is Some will tell thee that it is an assenting to the truth of the Gospel It is not assenting to the truth Jam. 2. and in truth thou must agree to the
must seek the things that are above above sin grace above the world the church above earth heaven Rom. 8.1 but I am by faith grafted into the similitude of his resurrection He that is in Christ hath no condemnation which shall touch him but I am in Christ by faith because I live not after the flesh but after the spirit This faith can do wonders pacifie God with the bloud of Christ shed above a thousand six hundred years ago purifie thy heart open the windowes of heaven and triumph over death and hel Rest not therfore before thou finde it in thy soul and if thou canst not finde rest unto thy soul with the resting of a strong man yet comfort thy heart that thou doest it with the resting of a childe and labour in the use of Gods means and by experience of his love to encrease it more and more Now look back a little and let me see what thou hast profited Q. How many natures had Christ A. Two he was God and man Q. Why was he a man A. Because man had sinned and man must give satisfaction Q. Why was he a God A. Because by his sufferings he might bring in the righteousnesse which is of God Q. What use did he make of his humane nature A. To dye for my sinnes Q. What use did he make of his divine nature A. To rise again for my justification Q. Can the rising of Christ justifie thee A. Yes by certifying me that my surety hath payed all my debts Q. But who shall have the benefit of Christs death A. Those only who have a lively faith Q. Why so A. Because faith onely is the eye foot hand and mouth of the soul for enjoying of Christ Q. What then is this faith A. A resting of my soul upon Christ for salvation Q. Why must thou rest upon Christ for salvation A. Because he is Gods ordinance to keep me out of hell Thus have I led thee along my child from thy creation to thy misery and frō thy misery to thy deliverance When thou wast made thou sinnedst against thy creation when thou hadst sinned thou layest under the curse when thou layst thus miserable Christ came to save thee he came to save in the fine only beleevers and thou hast now heard what this faith is But now thou maist say Joh. 4. the well is deep and there is no body to draw I cannot tell how to reach this faith therefore tell me 27. Q. How must this faith be wrought in thee A. The Holy Ghost must work it in my heart by the preaching of the Gospel In this thou saist right also Faith is one of the fruits of the spirit Gal. 5.22 and it was the Lord Act. 16.14 who opened the heart of Lydia and made her attend to the preaching of Paul Joh. 6.44 and drawes us unto Christ and that he doth it by the preaching of the Gospell may appear to thee in what Paul saith to the Romans and to the Galathians Rom. 10.14 15. To the first he saith they cannot beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and they cannot hear without a preacher and they cannot preach now unlesse they be sent to preach the glad tydings of good things Gal. 3.2 Act. 11.14 To the second he saith that they received the spirit of the hearing of faith Hence Peter tels that God gave him a Commission to tell Cornelius words that is to preach the Gospel whereby he and his wife should be saved It is not man that can work in thy heart were he as an Angel from heaven He may tell thee the whole history of the Gospel and all the promises of salvation by Christ and thou wilt be never the nearer to powerfull believing But if the holy Ghost bring home the word of Christ to the soul he will write it there Heb. 8. and so seal it home that he will make an impression of faith upon thy soul And in truth it must be the holy Ghost that must do it For Faith is an infinite comfort against an infinite horrour of sinne Nothing should deeper wound thee then sinne and thy sins in respect of thy self are infinite in guilt and number Who can comfort against this but an infinite God who can rebuke thy unbeleeving heart Besides will it not seem contrary to thy reason that thou shouldest be made wise by another mans wisdome righteous 1 Cor. 1.30 by another mans righteousnesse holy by another mans sanctification and persevering by another mans full redemption But let the holy Ghost bring the Word to thy heart and convince thee that Christ was thy surety and so one person with thee doing and suffering in thy room and for thee then wilt thou beleeve that Christ is not another person but one with thee and so his riches are thine Agaiu thou saist that the Holy Ghost works faith in thy heart Rō 10.10 for with the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse This must put a difference betwixt the faith in the head and faith in the heart Wicked men and devils have the faith in the head where they know and assent to the truth of the Gospel and they are said to tremble Jam. 2. because they have no share and part in it But good people onely have faith in the heart whereby they savingly rest upon Christ as a wife upon an husband for protection provision and pleading their cause even to their perfection in the body of Christ Vse Therefore my childe depend not upon thy own strength nor upon the wisdome of flesh and bloud for the attaining of this faith neither think it an easie worke as they do that lay the weight of their salvation upon an easie possibility of believing at their latter end but submit thy self to the holy Ghost Eph. 3. who onely can strengthen thee in the inner man and work Jesus Christ to dwell in thy heart by faith This will argue a goodnesse in thy soul if when thou comest to hear the Gospel preached and so often as thou doest it then pray to God for Christs sake that the spirit of God may accompany the word according to his covenant Esa 59.21 to work faith in thy heart that Christ may be one with thee and thou with Christ And because thou maist have a faith in the head by connexion and not a faith of the heart by true conversion unto Jesus Christ pray also that by the word thou maist not onely submit to the truth of the Gospel but receive it into thy soul so as thou maist be changed into the image of Christ thy husband and be called a true Christian I remember I have read of one in the primitive Church who being examined what he was he answered a Christian What is thy name he answered Christian What is thy profession he answered Christian What life leadest thou he answered Christian What are thy thoughts words and deeds he still answered
Christian He had so digested Christ into his soul by faith that he could speak nothing but Christian So let it be with thee This can faith do and it is wonderfull in our eyes Tell me next 28. Q. How is this faith confirmed and made stronger in thee A. By hearing the same Gospel preached and using the sacraments Here thou knowest the means which confirm thy faith and truly there is not a readier way to do it under God The Thessalonians heard the Gospel preached unto them 1 Thes 3.20 2 Thes 1.3 Prov. 4.18 and though at first there was something lacking in their faith yet as they heard the Gospel their faith grew exceedingly as just men their path was as the shining light which shined more and more unto the perfect day And for the sacraments it cannot seem strange that they should confirm thy faith For if I make a promise unto thee that I will give thee ten twenty thirty forty pounds if thou think me to be in earnest and to be able and willing to give it unto thee the oftener I promise it the more thou wilt beleeve it but if I set my hand and seal to it then thou art sure of it and maist sue me for it Such is the case betwixt God and thy soul He promises to give thee salvation by Jesus Christ if thou beleevest The oftener thi promise repeated the more thou beleevest But when God hath set it under his hand and seal in the word of God and sacraments now thou hast cause to beleeve it more and maist humbly sue him for it at the throne of Grace Vse Therefore my childe remember this Thou wilt presse after assurances and confirmations in every thing for thy body and estate why not for thy soul Thou would'st be sure of houses lands portion and health do what thou canst to be sure of salvation by Christ And because this is the way to hear the Gospel often that the word of grace may dwell richly in thee Col. 3. and to receive the sacraments as thou lovest the comfort of thy soul neglect them not Hear in season and hear out of season and as oft as thou canst ply the seals of Gods love that thy faith may be encreased If thou still doubtest whether yet thou shalt be saved or no God loves the importunity of his children Go to the throne of Grace and implead God Blessed God hast not thou promised that if I beleeve in Christ I shall be saved Hast not thou sent thy Ambassadours to tender this promise again Hast thou not set thy hand and seal to it in the word and sacraments Hast thou not made my heart go out of it self to rest upon thy blessed sonne onely Oh why do I languish in doubting despairs Why do I begin to sink for want of hold on my Saviour How long Lord how long Let the light of thy countenance shine upon me and I shall have peace Thus I have cleared to thee the means to beget and encrease faith and because the Sacraments are one therefore tell me 29. Q. What are Sacraments A. They are signes and seals of the righteousnesse of faith Here thou layest down the nature of Sacraments The nature of the sacraments By the righteousnesse of faith thou must understand that righteousnesse which thou hast by the Covenant of the Gospel that is the meritorious obedience of Christ for thee as thy surety rested upon by faith And the Sacraments Rom. 4.11 are signes and seals of this righteousnesse of faith They are signes because they signifie something unto thee Thou knowest that a picture or similitude upon a poste at an Inn or Ale-house house dore is called a signe because it signifies that thou maist have meat drink and lodging there for thy mony so is the Sacrament called a signe because it signifies something unto thee When thou seest the bread and wine set apart on the Lords table for this speciall service it signifies that God the father hath set apart and sealed Jesus Christ for thy salvation Joh. 6. The bread signifies the body of Christ The wine signifies the bloud of Christ The breaking of the bread signifies the suffering of Christ upon the crosse The powring out of the wine signifies the shedding of Christs bloud upon the crosse The Minister presenting these unto thee signifies God the Father whose Ambassadour he is offering unto thee his sonne for thy salvation and thy receiving of it into thy hand and mouth signifies thy faith by which thou makest Christ and his merit thy own Thus by these signes thou discernest the Lords body and bloud 1 Cor. 11. without which thou catest judgement to thy self which is damnable without repentance will in the issue prove thy damnation So in the other Sacrament of Baptisme water signifies the bloud merit and spirit of Christ laying on of the water as well as dipping and plunging signifies thy death and buriall with Christ Rom. 6. washing and cleansing signifies forgivenesse of sinnes and wiping off the water as well as rising out of it signifies our rising with Christ to a new holy and cleansed estate Sacraments are also seals As Abraham was said to have received the signe of Circumsion Rom. 4.11 as the seal of the righteousnesse of faith so doest thou receive our Sacraments Now thou knowest the use of seals among men When men make a bargain and set their hands and seals unto it then the bargain is concluded When men make a promise and set their hands and seals unto it then their promise is confirmed we have just cause to beleeve it When men convey houses and lands either to other and set their hands and seals to an instrument drawn to that end then those houses and land upon delivery are conveyed and therefore it is called a conveyance For such like reasons the Sacraments are called seals because they do conclude confirm and convey In the Sacrament there is a Covenant or bargain betwixt God Heb. 8.6 and thee Christ is called the Mediatour of a better Covenant Heb. 8.10 By this Covenant God promiseth that he will be to us a God even our God and we shall be to him a people Jer. 31.33 even his people By vertue of this he gives the forgivenesse of sinnes Jer. 32.40 Heb. 8.10 11 12. illumination sanctification experimentall knowledge and perseverance in the wayes of grace This blessing and blessed covenant is concluded in the Sacraments In Baptisme thou publikely enterest into this covenant Rom. 4.17 and that God who calleth things that are not as if they were is pleased to call thee a beleever not so much by vertue of thy parents faith as by vertue of his covenant to Abraham and his seed according to the flesh Act. 2.36 and according to the spirit which makes parents and their children one and in one covenant In the Lords Supper thou publikely renewest thy covenant Conscience tels thee
be thus with thee let thy soul comfort it self that thou doest take the body and bloud of Christ Next 1 Joh. 1.6 7. thou shalt know it by thy course in this world For saith John If we walk not in darknesse then we have fellowship with Christ and the bloud of Jesus Christ the righteous cleanseth us from all sinne Therefore if thou doest not walk in the darknesse of sinne and errour but labourest to know and do Christs will then thou takest and receivest the body and bloud of Christ Thus I have shewed thee the numbe◠names and benefits of the two Sacraments 1 Cor. 11.29 But now because they that eat and drink the Lords Supper unworthily do eat and drink judgement to themselves therefore tell me 33. Q. How must thou reverently prepare thy self to receive this Sacrament A. I must examine my self whether I have desire repentance faith thankfulnesse and charity fit for the Sacrament Mark here Preparation to the Lords Supper God requires not any actuall preparation of thine before thou comest to Baptisme in thy Infancie If thou wert converted or convinced from Heathenisme Judaisme or Turcisme unto Christianity then must thou be prepared at least with a profession of actuall faith as Simon Magus Act. 8. Act. 10. Matth. 3. Matth. 28. Mar. 16. Act. 2. and thus thou must understand all those places of Scripture which set down confession of sinne or teaching or beleeving before Baptism But now thou art born in a Christian Church of Christian parents at least in outward covenant with God and art rightly baptized in thy Infancie and God requires no such preparation He looks upon his own covenant and promise which concerns not onely the Jew◠and their children Act. 2.38.39 but all that are afarre off even so many as the Lord our God shall call to the profession of Christianity and he looks to our parents professing Christianity as to the Jews former profession of Judaisme but he looks not upon thy personall preparation further then he disposeth thee himself either by sowing seeds of faith in thy soul which may sprout forth afterwards or by calling thee a beleever by vertue of his covenant with thee Matth. 18.6 Mar. 9.42 Yet when thou comest to the Lords Supper God doth require an actuall preparation This preparation thou saist must be by examination Preparation must be by examination 1 Cor. 11.28 Thou saist thou must examine thy self This Paul enjoyned the Corinthians to redresse the wicked abuses which had crept into the Lords Supper and this is as necessary for thee Thou wilt finde thy heart mainly apt to judge too well of thy self yea there is many a trayterous sinne in thy bosome which steals thy heart from thee and spoils thy fellowship with Christ Besides this thou lookest for comfort when thou comest to the Sacrament and all thy comfort depends upon thy disposition before hand As it is with a tree if it be well rooted the rain fals and the Sun shines upon it and the more it growes and flourisheth but if it be plucked up by the roots the more the rain fals and the Sun shines upon it the more it rots So is it with thy body and soul if thou art well stated in Grace the more Christ in the Sacrament shines upon thee the more thou flourishest but if thou be dead at heart and plucked up by the roots the more he shines upon thee the more thou rottest and perishest This examining thy self is asking thy soul questions What examinationis Thou lookest into the Word and searchest for qualifications which God requires to make Christians fit communicants Thou doest in the presence of God apply them to thy soul that thou maist passe censure accordingly and therefore that this work may be done thoroughly thou settest some time apart for this work that so thou maist rise or fall to thy self Psal 4.4 David said to Sauls Courtiers commune with your own hearts upon your beds and be 〈◊〉 that is when you have set your selves apart from all the businesses of the world and be quiet then talk with your souls And David himself when he found turmoil in his soul cals his soul to a reckoning Psal 42 43. why art thou so heavy O my soul Why art thou so disquieted within me So must thou before thou come to the Lords Supper As if thou should'st say O my soul now thou should'st go to the Supper of the great King Matth. 22. If thou go without thy wedding garment thou wilt be convinced made speechlesse and hear at last that fearfull sentence binde him hand and foot and cast him into utter darknesse where there shall be everlasting weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth tell me therefore art thou fit to go to it Hast thou such qualifications as Christs requires Try my soul look unto the word see what it sayes of this businesse apply it impartially to thy self that thou maist be humbled or cheerful according to severall states c. But about what must thou examine thy soul Thou tellest me that thou must do it about Desire Repentance Faith Desire Thankfulnesse and Charity fit for the Sacrament First thou must examine the fitnesse of thy desire Luk. 22.15 As Christ said with desire have I desired to eat the Passeover with you so must thou desire to eat the Lords supper Christ doth invite such unto his feast Hoe if any man thirst let him come Esa 55.1 Joh. 7.37 Others come as unworthy guests but these have Christs hearty welcome Christs bowels are moved over such As he had compassion towards them that had continued with him Mat. 15.32 and had nothing to eat so hath he over the thirsty He fils the hungry with good things Luk. 1.33 These desires fill up the gap where other graces are wanting For 2 Cor. 8.12 if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to what he hath not Vse Therefore my childe before thou come to the Lords Supper get these desires fit for the Sacrament Let them not be grounded upon the commandement of superiours onely nor upon old custom nor upon the fashion and practice of others nor upon a superstitious conceit of the work wrought that that will be for thy souls health but from an humble willingnesse to renew thy Covenant with God and to have a vertuous communion with Christ Thy covenant was publikely strook with God in Baptisme but thou hast all along dealt falsely with God concerning it Therefore now thou must earnestly desire it And that thou maist do it aright thou must examine thy knowledge of God the great covenant-maker the knowledge of thy sinne the great covenant-breaker the knowledge of Christ the great covenant-founder and the knowledge of the nature and use of the Sacrament the great covenant-confirmer Thou wilt not desire any thing but according to the knowledge
discharge thy heart from all desire of revenge and canst thou be content to be nothing for Christ Art thou willing to perform all offices of charity in working reconciliation betwixt neighbour and neighbour and communicating to the necessities of the Church If it be thus with thee thou hast that Charity which is fit for the Sacrament Now look backward and let me see what thou hast profited Seeing there are but two Sacraments Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord Tell me Q. What is Baptisme A. A washing with water consecrated by him that hath authority to preach in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost to signifie and seal our grafting into Christ Q. What is the Lords Supper A. Bread and wine consecrated broken and given by a Minister received eaten and drunk by Gods people to signifie and seal our growing in Christ Q. What comfort do you receive by Baptisme A. A confirmation of my new estate above what I had by nature Q. What gottest thou in this new estate A. The forgivenesse of my sins Q. How can Baptisme forgive thy sinnes A. As a signe and seal Sacramentally Q. How is that A. With reference to the covenant when I make it a baptisme of Repentance to amendment of life God makes a baptisme for forgivenesse of sinnes Q. Why then should'st thou be baptized before thou repentest and beleevest A. Because I am while I am in Infancie a beleever in state though not in manifested act Q. How doth that appear A. By the promise which GOD makes to beleevers and their seed Q. Was not this made onely to the Jewes A. No but to them also that were a farre off even to so many as God shall call Q. What followes hereupon A. That if Jewes children had right to circumcision which was a seal of the righteousnesse of faith so have the children of Christians to Baptisme which is no more though more clearly Q. What comfort doest thou receive by the Lords Supper A. A reall communion of the body and bloud of Christ Q. How canst thou do that seeing Christ is in heaven A. By vertue of the covenant of God with my beleeving soul Q. How doth God offer Christ unto thy soul A. In a promise Q. How doth thy soul receive him A. By beleeving Gods promise Q. How must thou prepare thy soul to receive Christ in the Sacrament A. By examining my self Q. What is it to examine thy self A. To commune with my heart by asking my soul questions how fit it is Q. What must thou examine thy self of A. Whether I have a fit desire repentance faith thankfulnesse and charity Q. Why must thou have desire A. Because God filleth the hungry with good things Q. What must thy desire be grounded on A. Upon the knowledge of my God my sinne my Christ and the doctrine and use of the Sacraments Q. What must thou desire A. To renew my Covenant with God Q. Why must thou have repentance A. Because there can be no communion betwixt light and darknesse Q. What must be the ground of thy repentance A. An assurance that I have broke my covenant in Baptisme Q. How doest thou know thy repentance A. By sorrow for my sinne and a conscionable care to doe the will of Christ with all my strength Q. Why must thou have faith A. Because the Lords Supper is appointed to encrease and confirme faith Q. What must be the ground of thy faith A. The offer of Christs body and bloud in the Lords Supper Q. How knowest thou whether thou hast faith A. If my heart close with Christs promise and I rest upon him for salvation with confidence and rejoycing Q. Hast thou a license to rest upon Christ thus A. Yes if I am weary and heavy laden under the burthen of sinne Q. Why must thou have thankfulnes A. Because the end of the sacrament is a thankful remembrance of Christs death Q. What must be the ground of thy thankfulnesse A. A speciall love to God for this high favour Q. How knowest thou whether thou art thankfull A. If I speake of this mercy to others praise God himself for it and submit unto him in all things Q. Why must thou have charitie A. Because we that are partakers of one bread are one bread and one body Q. What must be the ground of thy charitie A. The Communion of Saints and samenesse of nature Q. How knowest thou whether thou hast charitie A. If my heart be pacified from all desire of revenge and I be willing to live in love with all especially with the houshold of faith and communicate to their necessities Thou must remember now my good child how farre we are gone I have learned thee to know God and thy self Thou hast seen thy creation thy fall thy curse thy remedy by our Lord Jesus Christ Thou hast seen that Christ must become thine by faith I have discovered how faith is begotten in thee and how it is encreased namely by the word of God and Sacraments I have shewed thee the nature the number and the use of the Sacraments from God I have shewed thee how thou shouldst use them for thy comfort and especially how thou must prepare thy self for the Lords Supper so as thou mayst carry Christ home with thee from thence There is but one thing more wherein I desire to informe thy childish understanding in and that is prayer Tell me then 34. Q. Is not prayer an excellent means to make thy faith grow A. Yes It is a speciall means appointed of God Mark this truth Prayer is an excellent means to encrease faith The word of God and Sacraments are sweet means But how these will be made effectuall without thy prayer thou canst not tell Christ saith Matth. 7.7 Aske and ye shall have seek and ye shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you All these phrases presse upon thee prayer for the enjoying of any blessing Act. 4.31 When the Disciples had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost God answered them extraordinarily to confirm them upon their prayers And therefore when the Apostles found their faith weake for the forgiving of wrongs Luk. 17.5 they prayed Lord encrease our faith Gods promises goe along with power Psal 145.19 Psal 34.15.17 He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him His eares are open to their cry Therefore David looks upon God with confidence and saith Psal 4.3 The Lord will heare when I call And thou canst not wonder that prayer should be such a powerfull means to encrease thy faith For it moves God to be mindfull of us amid a thousand vexations When Christ was on the crosse and vexed from heaven and earth yet when the good thiefe prayed Christ he answered This day shalt thou be with me in Paradice Yea prayer doth in a manner binde God and therefore when Moses prayed God said Now Moses let
understand that God works his whole will to be our will both for submission and obedience And that thou maist do it most acceptably Christ doth teach thee to pray for an elevating qualification that Gods will may be done on earth as in heaven By Heaven thou must understand the heaven of heavens where the will of God is gloriously done In this heaven there are Christ Angels and Saints that do it Christ professed that he came not to do his own will Joh. 6.38 Psal 104. but the will of him that sent him The Angels fulfill his commandement and the Saints have leisure to do nothing else Thou must not look to equality of measure but likenesse of manner in their doing of Gods will that as they do the will of God first willingly speedily faithfully and zealously so must thou pray to do Yea thou must lift up thy obedience above the earth that thou maist bare the image of heavenly things If now thou would'st frame thy heart in prayer according to this petition have an eye to Gods secret will and pray that thou maist submit to it when it is revealed Thou knowest not for present how God will deal with thee in body soul state or friends but when he hath revealed his pleasure pray that thou maist submit Again have an eye to Gods will in his word and pray that thou maist have it know it beleeve it and love it Have an eye also to thy conformity to Gods will and pray heartily that thou maist basely esteem of thine own will and deny it that thou maist have power to submit and bring it into act in all things as they do that are in heaven Use Therefore my dear childe learn that it is not enough to be a subject in Gods Kingdom except thou live answerably Thou maist hear many say God knows my heart that is good to God-ward This is but a vain plea where there is not submission to and doing of Gods will in life When therefore thou seest how willing thou would'st live at liberty what ever the will of God is When thou seest what enemies we are to Gods will and how few do it When thou thinkest what dishonour it is to God to have so many servants and so few to do his will When thou considerest how many do it and do it amisse by failing in faithfulnesse then stir up the grace of God in thee to pray the more earnestly Thy will be done To this end know the word of God Remember those parts of it most which concern thine and others salvation Talk and conferre with Gods skilfullest workmen about thee Practice the doing of so much of the will of God as thou knowest and avoid the course of sinne and then what thou prayest thou shalt do about Gods will to Gods glory and the good of thy soul 42. Q. What is the fourth Petition A. Give us this day our daily bread Here thou prayest for the best principall means for the hallowing of Gods name What is prayed for in the 4th Petition Thou canst not hallow Gods name without grace therefore thou prayest Thy Kingdome come The plea of grace is but poor except there be practice therefore thou prayest Thy will be done And now because thou art unfit to seek Gods Kingdome and to do his will except thou hast the supplies of this life therefore thou callest for bread Abraham Isaac and Jacob were distracted in famines Israel did want bread and murmured Many poor Christians shine not as they should for want of necessary provisions and so it may be with thee Therefore that they and thou mayst hallow Gods name by being in his kingdome and doing of his will therefore Christ learns thee next to pray for daily bread By Bread thou must understand all worldly necessaries Luk. 14.1 Bread in the Scripture doth sometimes signifie a Feast as when Christ went into the Pharisees house to eat bread that is to feast with him Matth. 14.2 sometimes it signifies ordinary diet as when it is said of the Pharisees they wash not before they eate bread that is take their diet sometimes it signifies fruit Jer. 11.19 as when the Prophet saith destroy the tree with the bread that is the fruit of it Prov. 31.14 and sometimes it signifies provision of all sorts as when it is said of the good housewife she fetcheth her bread from afarre Ezec. 4.16 Psal 104.15 that is all provision from her family All this is asked under the name of bread both because bread is the staffe of life and strengthens man and because the very name of bread onely might restraine from gluttony and drunkennesse Thou cravest that t u mayst obtaine bread by gift Give us Psal 105.15 Thou doest not say let me enjoy what I have or render my own bread unto me or let me be my own carver but Give us God gives it by blessing the earth with plenty Hos 2.21 Psal 128. Psal 104. by making thee to eat the labour of thy hands by blessing the creatures to strengthen thee and by giving an holy use of them He gives it to wicked men and sends leannesse withall into their soules Matth. 4. but he makes his people live not by bread onely but by every word of God Thus thou doest acknowledge God the supreame Lord of all creatures that thou mayst be humbled under his hands for wants and thankfull to him for enjoyments Thou cravest not onely that bread thou hast use of but what thou hast right unto Our bread Though thou possessest it Job 20.14.23 yet it will doe thee no good except God blesse it Though God blesse it it will doe thee no good except God keep it Psal 127.1 and preserve it for thee Though God keep it for thee it will doe thee no good except thou be enabled to make use of it for when sicknesse comes Psal 107. thy soule will abhorre all manner of food Yea though it be possessed and blessed and kept for use yet will it doe thee no good if it be anothers bread and not thine There are that eate the bread of violence Prov. 4.17 Prov. 20.17 and the bread of deceit but thou wouldst not and therefore thou sayst Give us our bread Thou cravest this bread not onely for thy selfe but for others under this word us Men are apt to think their throat cut with all fat morsels that goe besides themselves But Christ learneth thee to pray for others and for thy selfe for others uses Thou wouldst have this bread given thee this day or day by day The foole saith Luk. 12.19 Soule thou hast stored up much for many yeares but the wisdome of God teacheth thee to crave but for the day Not as if thou mayst not provide as the Ant and Joseph for a raynie day Joh. 6. for Christ will have thee to gather up the broken meat that nothing be lost but because he would not have
errours Lord cleanse me from my secret sinnes Where is considered 1 A disease about which 2 1 A concession we have many errours 2 A confession we cannot know them yet we may know more then we do by meanes propounded in the Sermon 2 A remedy flying to God by prayer About which 2 1 The Object secret sinnes which are 1 Demonstrated by the severall eyes 1 Of God 2 Of the world 3 Of a mans own conscience 2 Discovered by five meanes applied in the Sermon 2 The act or work against them prayer confessing their pollution as well as of other sinnes Matth. 13.45 46. The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Merchant-man seeking goodly pearles who when he had found a pearle of great price he went and sold all that he had and bought it Whence is discovered 1 The worth of the Gospell which is valued 1 By the place where it is In the Kingdome of Heaven 2 By the person that trades for it A Merchant-man 3 By the commodities of it Pearles a pearle of great price 4 By his invincible diligence about it he seeks till he finde it 2 What a good Christian will bid for it He sels all that he hath which is demonstrated 1 Negatively what he doth not sell 2 Positively what he doth sell for the enjoyment of Christ this pearle Psal 31.5 Into thy hands I commit my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Where is discoursed 1 Davids confession of God 1 For soveraignty to be his Lord 2 For the signe of it Thou hast redeemed me 3 For his veracity God of truth 2 David's profession for himselfe where he presents 1 The nature of his soul a spirit 2 The Castle of his soul into thy hands 3 The Care for his soul I commit it unto thee The summe of all is 1 Secret sinnes discovered 2 Christ exalted among men 3 The Soul secured To his Worthy and Noble Friends 1 Mrs ELIZABETH NORTON wife to Colonel NORTON Esquire 2 Mrs KATHERINE MAY wife to JAMES MAY Esquire 3 Mrs HONORIA ELIOT wife to JOHN ELIOT Esquire 4 Mrs MARY NORTON All daughters to the Noble Lady Honoria Norton of Southwick in Hantshire my much honoured Patronesse Robert Abbot doth dedicate these three ensuing Sermons as a testimony of my dearest respects to that Noble Family and doth humbly pray for their souls and bodies happinesses to Eternall Glory MY Noble Friends God hath joyned you together by bloud and marriage and I durst not separate one from the other It is all your goods I ayme at and therefore I resolved not to make one beholding to another for a gift but all to bee thankefull to that Noble Mother who set me on work On my part I can do nothing that may deserve a publike eye but if others think otherwise I cannot help it If they tell me that I have a talent I have known that a long time If they tell me it may profit by way of preaching I must put that to the successe which Gods blessing will give it If they tell me it may profit by writing here onely I stick I am altogether ignorant what I can do in this kinde I have nothing to direct me but others opinions and desires and if they be no sure Cards and Compasses to sail by into this censuring world I may suffer shipwrack Howsoever it fall out I must now take my Lot and if with Jonas I be cast into the Sea it is because I have obeyed and not because I have rebelled It is possible for a man to know when he is called to do any work though it be a work of hazard He is called surely when he hath a voice from heaven to designe him as Paul had and when he hath a particular instinct of spirit as many worthies in the first ages and when he hath the prophesies go of him as Timothy had and when he hath the approbation and imposition of hands of the Eldership as ordinary servants of Christ for the benefit of the Church Pastours and Teachers have or lastly when he hath the engagement of the hearts of Gods people attending upon his dispensing of the mysteries of grace and pressing the publike use of what he doth more privately As I have had long ago and ever since some comfortable approbation at and since the imposition of hands so have I had some closing of the hearts of the godly for the bringing into the publike of what I have done in this service in the private This I have accounted an invitation to do something by the pen as well as in the Pulpit As I would not be so running out as to make all my diviner thoughts visible to the Sunne because there are many that can do it better so would I not be so bound up as to be unwilling to profit some in this way though others may think it not worth the looking on That which is as gold to some may be as brasse to others and that which is as silver to some is as lead to others and yet variety of spirits may be helped according to various touches and impressions of fancies judgements conceptions and opinions from the spirit of Christ I therefore being emboldened to do something in this kinde was not long to study to whose hands to present it first and thence to have it derived to all English hands and hearts that we are willing to receive it To you therefore my noble friends is it come onely craving your acceptance according to the worth of the matter not of the person that exhibits it unto you I am a poor old man clogged with many infirmities who have been tossed and bandied up and down in the world who yet want nothing but a fuller measure of Jesus Christ to dwell in my soul by faith I have learned you the fountains of secret sinnes and the means how to discover them in your selves that it may bow you before the God of heaven to make you fit to hold Jesus Christ It must be an hollow vessel which must hold water and an hollowed heart that must lye under the fountain of David for sin and for uncleannesse to carry away the water of life to the soul I have taught you the worth of the Glorious Gospel that you may be willing to hunt after Christ and when you have found him to part with all that is yours for his embracements And because your precious souls are in much danger in these distracted dayes both by prosperity and adversity I have learned you from the best assurance office in the world to secure your souls that while you enjoy them you may have faith while you have faith you may have Christ and while you have Christ you may have the love of God for your eternall good I must confesse that if ever Christian souls were in danger they are in danger now We are faln into the last and perillous dayes wherein while the Drum and Canon are the best musick and
come into the Garison unespied If the Shepheard sleep the whole flock may be overgrown with flye-blowes so may thy soul with errours if conscience be drowsie and have the spirit of slumber Then cry as to Dumah Watch-man what was in the night It cannot be told because conscience slept Thus it comes to passe that we know not our errours It may be demonstrated and we may be assured that we know not our errours three ways First by our security How we may be assured that we know not our errours Jud. 18.10 If a man live carelesly as the children of Laish it is a signe he knows not of his enemies If a man come without care bemired into company it is a signe that he knowes not his foulnesse so nor we know our errours when we live as if we cared not to get to heaven or avoid hell or to purge away any impurity which is presented with us into the sight of God and man Secondly By our pride If a man do highly prize his own reall or seeming excellencies it is a certain signe that he knowes not his own wants If a man be proud of his knowledge he knowes not that what he knowes is not the thousand part of what he is ignorant of If a man be proud of his graces and begin to point at and contemne others who do not so shine certainly he knowes not that his sinnes out-weigh his graces if they were brought to the ballance of the Sanctuary Thirdly by our hard hearts The heart of Josiah melted when the Law shewed his errours and the heart of Paul was wounded and he died when the Law came and made his errours live before him Triplex circa praecordia ferrum But we have armour of proof about our hearts They do not melt dye nor are wounded with the sight of our errours therefore we know them not Use 1 Therefore I beseech you make good use of this point for information humiliation and exhortation First let it teach us not to dream of a fulfilling of the Law in this life of our selves If a man cannot know his errours surely he shall never finde his full obedience What is unknown of his errours will have such an influence upon his conscience that he will still suspect his obedience to be but a polluted clout Papists speak of a double fulfilling of the Law the first is the travellers fulfilling it 1 Viatorum 2 Comprehensorum which is while men are militant in this life this they say is to love God above all and our neighbours as our selves The second is the possessors fulfilling of it which is when men are in Glory this they say is to love God with all our heart minde will and strength But indeed we have but one rule of righteousnesse which should bee fulfilled with all our powers and when God saith Gal. 3. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them it is not spoken of glorified persons We speak of a three-fold fulfilling of the Law Inchoata Imputatae Personalis Inchoate and begun by equall and sincere obedience according to grace given Imputed by the satisfaction of our surety made ours for the Law is then fulfilled when the breach of it is satisfied And personall and perfect which Paul teacheth to be impossible because of the flesh And Rom 8.3 in truth it must needs be so for personall fulfilling cannot stand with corruption in nature and sinne in life Besides our love cannot be greater then our knowledge 2 Cor. 13. which is imperfect yea and ignorance of errours cannot stand with fulfulfilling Therefore be not you in your eyes better then you deserve think not of fulfilling the Law when you know not how many breaches you make against it Use 2 Secondly be humbled under the consideration of this point A man that knows enough to condemn him before a Judge yet he knowes not all walks weakly before a Judge he hath not the confidence of an innocent So when you know enough to cast you to the nether-most hell yet not all it ought to make you as Hezekiah to walk in the bitternesse of your soul all your life yet with due remembrance of the Lord Jesus to lift up your heads with confidence Use 3 Thirdly be exhorted to stirre up your willing mindes to look into your selves to finde those errours out Ob. I know you will say that if there be no understanding there is no hope We cannot hope after that which is impossible Sol. It is true De impossibilibus non est spes if it were impossible for you to know more errours in your selves then you know yet Hee that knowes not now may know by search and the rest will be wrapped up in a generall repentance and will finde a pardon of course There are three ways by which more may be known then now How we may know our errours the knowledge of God the knowledge of our selves and humility As to the knowledge of God you see when Job had got some sight of God more then before and had not onely heard by the hearing of the ear Job 42.5 6 but his eye had seen him he saw so many errours in himself that he abhorred himself and repented in dust and ashes Esa 6.1 And the Prophet Esay when he saw God upon the throne saw such errours in himself that he cried out wo is me I am undone Esa 6.5 because I am a man of unclean lips and dwell among such a people for my eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts Such a sight will shew us such purity as we shall see nothing but errours in our selves Set this light before your souls and then you will cry out with Paul I was a blasphemer 1 Tim. 1.13 15. a persecuter injurious yea the chief of sinners You will see all your errours cleerly enough Gehenna sum domine You will say with that blessed Martyr I am hell Lord I am hell Oh take away my hell Hei mihi quid sum vas sterquilinii concha putredinis plenus foetore Facti sumus fugitivi a cordibus nostris Hei mihi quam contrarius sum egomet mihi ego in spiritu ego in carne and give me thy heaven and with Augustine Alas wretched man what am I A very close Stoole a shovell full of dung full of stink As to the knowledge of our selves the more we see our selves in our right lineaments and proportions the more we shall say when we are asked what we see more abominations yet The truth is that we are runagates from our own hearts Whatsoever we pretend we know not our selves as we ought to do But stand at this Bar and we shall be driven to word it as he of old Alas that I am how contrary am I to my self I in the flesh and I in the spirit Now errours
unclean soul The property of sin is to make a blot which is so running an infection that it makes you prone to fall into the same sinne a second time And the effects of sin are such staines and pollutions such blots and spots which stick to our persons goods and all utensils even to heaven it self and therefore all creatures groan under the burthen of vanity that they must be purged by fire Rom. 8. 2 Pet. 3. If you say though it be a pollution yet it is easily washable I would not have you deceived for then Christ should never have been sent Who by himself purged our sinnes Heb. 1.3 Psal 51.2 nor David would have prayed wash me thoroughly from my sinnes nor would Peter have wept so bitterly nor would Mary Magdalen have taken such paines with her teares and locks at Christs feet If Abanah and Pharphar Rivers of Damascus would have deeded it for Naamans Leprosie he would not have been sent to Jordan nor should high meanes and such strong pains have been used for the cleansing of sinne if a lesser matter would have fetched it off Ob. But be it so you will say of other sins yet what is that to secret sins Sol. Much everv way They have all the same nature A man is a man though he be hid among the bushes as Adam A man is a man though he lye secretly among the stuffe as Saul Yea a childe is a man in kinde though in stature he be not so So is it with sinne and therefore secret sinnes are pollutions as well as others Use Therefore as you love your souls forget not Davids sinnes Oh cleanse me from my secret sinnes The very thought of it may make you tremble when you finde your souls under greater guilt and the very thought must make you carefull to brush off the least rubbish What ugly creatures are we by sinne Job was so full of scabs and sores that he was scarce known to his friends and odious to his wife So is every sinner in the sight of God who is a God of pure eyes and cannot endure to behold iniquitie Therefore say you as Peter to Christ Joh. 13. Lord not onely my feet but my head and hands But alas you will say my sins open and secret have been of so long continuance that they will not out Be not deceived it is God that must do the work not with sope and niter but with Christs bloud Christs bloud must do it by way of expiation the holy spirit by way of immediate application faith by way of instrumentall application and holinesse and righteousnesse by way of infusion repression and mortification God can make our garments white by the bloud of the Lamb. He that could create all things of nothing can create clean hearts and hands against all the world Only be sure that you cast your selves upon God for the purity of your souls against all sinnes whatsoever open and secret God will not cleanse one except you be weary of are willing to cleanse all One favoured sinne is like a dead flye which corrupts the whole boxe of ointment Have you souls to cleanse Have you a Saviour to cleanse them by his bloud spirit and word Engage your Saviour to this work and put the whole work to this Saviour in his way or else you shew but little care of your souls Remember what one said well of old thou hast two eyes if one be out the other will help thee to see two ears if one be stopt the other will help thee to hear two hands if one be cut off the other will help thee to work two feet if one be lame the other will help thee to walk but thou hast but one Soul lose that and lose all let that lye rotting in sinne thou lettest all thou hast lye rotting Take heed be not so desperately prodigal Let this day be the last day of thy presumptuous sinning put thy soul upon God both against open and secret sinnes and for these last go in his way of righteousnesse and holinesse and cry out unto him Lord cleanse me from my secret Faults Amen CHRIST EXALTED amongst men OR A Sermon preached in Covent Garden upon MATTH 13.45 46. 45. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking goodly pearls 46. Who when he had found a pearl of great prize he went and sold all that he had and bought it THis is a Parable and it lies in a goodly bed of many others The whole Scripture is like a garden particular places are like a quarter in which are many choice beds for rarest flowers and this Text is one among the rest This Chapter speaks under fimilitudes many excellent things concerning the Gospel of Christ Jesus The intertainment of the Gospel in the parable of the seed sowne in four sorts of ground whereof there is but one good The opposition of the Gospel in the parable of the tares sowed among the good corne The power of the Gospel in the parables of the Musterd-seed and leaven And the prize of the Gospel in the treasure hid and this of the Merchant man You therefore now good Christians are to attend from hence unto the prize of the Gospel about which I le commend but two considerables 1. The worth of the Gospel 2. What a good man will bid for it The worth of the Gospel is here valued four wayes 1. By the place where it is In the kingdome of heaven not of the world 2. By the person that trades for it A Merchant man no base begger 3. By the commodities of it Pearles of great prize no rattles nor babies 4. By his Invinceable diligence about it He seeks it till he finds it no slothfull sluggishnesse It being thus valued the good man will bid highly for it for he sells all he hath to buy it Thus you have it in summe I will not crumble out this bread of life and trouble you with intricate particulars but winde up all in the two propounded heads First That the Gospel is of great worth and to make good this The Gospel is of a great worth let us look to the four valuations of it and first by the place where it is in the kingdom of heaven This represents unto us the Church of Christ The place of the Gospel Dan. 4.39 God hath a three-fold kingdome of Power of which it is said his kingdom is from generation to generation that is the power and soveraignty which he exerciseth over all of Glory of which it is said Matth. 19.33 A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven that is into that estate over which God ruleth by unmoveable Glory and of Grace wherein Christ doth rule graciously by his word and spirit that is his Church and of this he speaketh here This is the place in which this Merchant trades And in truth this is called the kingdom of heaven in six respects In respect of
Christ because the Church is the royal seat of Christ he is in it as in his kingdom Apoc. 1. Matth. 28. and walks in the midst of the seven candlesticks is with thē always to the end of the world In respect of lawes because the Church hath heavenly laws given by the King of heaven and earth even the everlasting laws of Charitie to God in Christ 1 Cor. 13. and all the Saints In respect of the plants which are planted in it All Gods people in the Church are like trees planted by the rivers of waters Psal 1.3 but to be transplanted in Gods due season to heaven The Church is the nurcery depending upon the great orchard or garden of heaven where onely no weed grows and therefore is it called the kingdom of heaven In respect of the Inhabitants of the Church They are in their better parts Citizens with the Saints Eph. 3. Gal. 6. Col. 3. Eph. 2. and of the houshold of faith who have their conversation in heaven and sit in Christ in heavenly places In respect of the order and reference that God hath made between heaven and the Church As Jacob said of Bethel so may we of the Church Gen. 28.17 This is none other but the house of God and the gate of heaven As a great house which hath an hall for the family to meet in and chambers to rest in for them who properly belong unto it so is the Church and heaven The Church is the place of repast Joh. 14. and heaven of many mansions for rest Lastly in respect of the use that is made of it As heaven doth help these inferiour bodies three wayes by motion and light and influence So the Church doth help to all that she can reach unto moving up and down Man like a company of pilgrims 1 Pet. 2. and strangers for the gathering together of the body of Christ out of all mankinde It carryed the law out of Sion Esa 2. and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem to bring us poore heathens to be of the inheritance of Christ Psal 2. and to make the uttermost parts of the earth to be his possession It is like the heavens and firmament Psal 19. which declares the Glory of God amongst every speech and language that Christ may rule there It carries light to them that sit in darknesse Lumine Matth. 4. and in the region of the shadow of death giving the light of knowledge as from the face of Jesus Christ and the light of life that others seeing their good works 1 Pet. 2. may glorifie God in the day of their visitation It gives the Influences of grace from their faith hope and charitie Influentia 1 Cor. 1◠to warme the hearts of those that belong to Christ and to help forward their new birth and their growing in grace by the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ Jam. 1. 2 Pet. 3. Seeing therefore that the Church is the royal seat of Christ hath the laws of Christ is a nursery for heaven is Jerusalem which is from above full of heavenly Citizens Gal. 4. is the place of repast for Gods servants before their rest and hath such an heavenly use by her motion light and influence it is no wonder that it should be called the kingdom of heaven Use 1 Let every one of us think of it to our comfort and to our exhortation Be comforted I beseech you to see the glorious priviledges of Gods people that even in this world they dwell in the kingdom of heaven yet in heaven on earth not in heaven Travellers tell us that they that are on the top of the Alpes may see showers under them which they overlooke but they come not at them and if you make use of this priviledge to live in the kingdom of heaven ye may overlook your troubles and not be disjoynted by them The very Philosopher could say out of all well pleasance with his morall and naturall fansies unto the tyrant that beat him in sunder piece-meale Beat Beat Tunde tunde Anaxarchum non tundes thou shalt not beat out Anaxarchus He would keep his heart in the ruines of his body Much more may a Christian keep his life of faith when the outer man and all things belonging unto it doth utterly perish and come to this worlds nothing Use 2 Be exhorted also all you Christians who professe your selves to be members of the Church to live like those that are in the kingdom of heaven Some live in a region of darknesse and some live as in the confines of hell God forbid it should be said so of you Heare that fearfull speech the fearfull who dare not shew themselves for Christ but fear man more then him the unbeleeving who Apoc. 21.8 Apo. 22.15 notwithstanding the offers of grace doe stand out against Christ and not rest upon him for salvation the abominable who thinke and doe abhorred things the murtherers who are cruell against Gods peoples bodies and soules and whoremongers who give themselves to the uncleannesses of body and soule and sorcerers who give themselves to spels enchantments delusions conjurations and witchcrafts to dishonour Christ and Idolaters who thinke to convey Gods worship to him by Saints and Angels or Images or any other superstitious way and therefore doe fall down or do other respects before them with reference to God and all lyers who forge and faine devises in hypocrisie to bring in false wayes in hypocrisie or otherwise are enemies to that truth which belongs to their neighbours shall have their part in the lake which burnes with fire and brimstone which is the second death Take heed and be none of these if you would live in the kingdome of heaven Otherwise the kingdom shall be taken from you notwithstanding your strength and confidence and given to a nation which will bring forth amendment of life answerable to this good kingdome of heaven Secondly the Gospel is valued by the person that trades for it A Merchant man The person that trades for the Gospel This doth represent a true Christian in the Church who is more honoured by the Gospel then the Gospel can be honoured by him Yet the honour of the Gospel upon them seemes to reflect upon it self For as the Merchants of Tyrus are called by Ezechiel the companions of Princes so Christians are Christs fellowes who trade for the Gospel Psal 45.7 which surely shews the worth of it Mark then Christians are Meachants That Christians are Merchants and truely this may easily be demonstrated by comparing what we finde to be proper to Merchants with that which answereth in a Christian state First a Merchant hath his sea his ship his Merchandise and his losses and so hath a Christian His Sea that is the world This tosseth him up and down and he sees the wonders of God in this deep As John saith in another case I saw before
lighted Candle in a clear Lanthorn as not to see Christ thorough the actions and motions of the body if he dwell in the soul But alas in how few is he discovered by life Secondly in respect of the adorning quality Pearls are accounted the greatest ornament but a pearl of great price is a greater yet therefore do you hang them out on head throat breasts and fingers So nothing is such an ornament to a Christian Eph. 3. as Christ dwelling in his heart by faith As Albinus for his worth was called Englands Library Athanasius the eye of his time Melancthon the Phoenix of Germany Augustine the Mallet of Hereticks so Christ is called the Glory of Israel Simeon could see in him nothing but salvation when hee was a childe Talk not of other pearls this is that onely one therefore Paul desired to know nothing at Corinth but Jesus Christ and him crucified Thirdly In respect of the preciousnesse of Christ pearles are accounted the most precious of things and a thousand worlds cannot procure Christ where he is not All gold and gaine cannot purchase his miraculous gifts Act. 8. much lesse himselfe and his invaluable merits Fourthly in respect of the breeding of pearles If Naturalists say true as all Divines of all sides observe pearles are bred in shelfish which lye gaping in the ayre This ayre breeds these pearles and by how much purer the ayre is that blowes then by so much more pure and generous are the pearles So If I say as Paul Gal. 4. My little children of whom I travell in birth again till Christ be formed in you you will aske me two questions What is meant by Christs forming in you and How he is formed By forming of Christ in you you may understand the framing of your Judgements affections and actions into the Image of Christ You know him in his natures uses and offices to doe you good Esa 53. You know this righteous servant to Justifie you and know this Sonne Jesus Christ to eternall life Joh. 17.3 You love him as the Saviour of his Church and Head of his Body and put your whole trust in him for all the worke which his Father committed to him to doe And you doe though not with equall paces as Christ your Husband did in all Morall Actions according to the measure of grace given And now when men look upon you in your state and course they may say that you are as like Christ as if you were spit out of his mouth as we phrase it in our Proverb Yea and you may say as Paul Gal. 2.20 I live but not I but Christ lives in me by faith If you would know how Christ is thus formed in you You open your mouth wide by enlarged desires going after him Joh. 3. and the winde that goeth where it listeth and no man knows whence it comes and whether it goes that is the spirit of the Father and of the Sonne the holy Ghost works it by the Gospel and by how much more purely it blows without intermixture of your flesh by so much more you are unlike to your selves and like to Christ this pearle of great price Fifthly Christ may well be called this pearle of great price In respect of the Comparison betwixt the best earthly pearles and the pearle Christ Earthly pearles make richer but no better for they that will be rich fall into temptation 1 Tim. 6.9 and a snare and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction Fulgent monilibus moribus sordent They that shine with pearles are too often sordid and degenerous in manners But this precious pearle Christ makes all better who doe enjoy him Eph. 3.6 If he dwell in our hearts by faith we are graffed with him into the similitude of his death Rom. 6. to dye unto sinne and into the similitude of his resurrection to rise unto newnesse of life Earthly pearls can give no true contentment As Solomon saith Eccl. 5.10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfyed with silver nor he that loveth aboundance with encrease But if you can get Christ Col. 3.11 Joh. 14. he is all and in all As Philip said shew us the Father and it sufficeth so say much more of Christ for us Col. 1.19 Joh. 1.16 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell and of his fulnesse have we all received and grace for grace Lastly In earthly pearles there is no assurance either we are taken from them or they from us But this pearl Christ shall be with us for ever Matth. 28. Joh. 10. and none shall take us out of his hands Use 1 Seeing therefore Christ is this pearl of great price place your riches in Christ lock him up in your hearts and forget not where your pearl lies First place your riches in Christ He that hath not Christ may in a carnall way say with Esau I have enough my brother but he that hath him may say with Jacob I have all things If a man were as high as the Sunne Psal 19. which comes out of his chambers and rejoyceth as a Giant to run his course and should see the courses of men he should see the souldier place his riches in half a crown a day and plunder The Commander in getting pay or half pay which is too much for prolonging warre The Gentleman in keeping his estate or using it to the best advantage he can The Tradesman in using a thousand shifts to bring in The Merchant in importation and exportation of the most vendible commodities The poor man in getting by hard labour meat drink and apparell for him and his The owner in making the most of his own and the Farmer in a cunning disappointing of him by pretence of rates contributions plunders excises and many such pretty devices But a few poor good Christians onely to place their riches in their Saviour Christ Be you I beseech you of this number It will bring in all the commodities of the world that shall do you good Math. 6.33 First seek the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse therof and all other things shall be added unto you For if God make you rich in his Sonne Rom. 8.32 how shall he not with him also freely give you all things Use 2 Secondly lock Christ your pearl up in your hearts Many will croud him into the narrow room of their heads they are willing to know him Many put him into the narrower room of their tongues they will talk of him even of his great things and a man would wonder that there should be so much of Christ in their upper parts and so little any where else But do you good Christians lock him up in your hearts Matth. 6. If he be your treasure your heart wil be upon him if he be your pearl you will lock him up there Thence can his influences
good Lastly they are blessing hands As Christ when he was to ascend lift up his hands and blessed his disciples Luk. 24.50 so Gods hands are blessing hands If he touch the Mountains they shall smoak as the Psalmist hath it so if God do but touch our souls the send forth the fumes of Gods grace and glory Therefore seeing Gods hands are holy hands loving hands powerfull hands and blessing hands it is no marvell that the safety of the soul doth lye in Gods hands Use 1 Let this thought I beseech you breed a caveat and an exhortation First take heed lest you put your souls into any hands else We may finde mad courses amongst men in the Church Some put their souls into the hands of their senses They will live where they can see hear feel taste and smell and further they will not go to save a soul This makes them carnall sensuall and bruitish Others put their souls into the hand of reason They are like the ancient Quaeristae who would go in Religion no further then reason guided them Others put their soules into the hands of the world If that can dandle them happily upon the lap of it they look for no more though at that time that the world leaves them Animula vagula blandula quae nunc abibis in loca they cry out as that Emperour did Alas my poor silly wandring soul whither now away what will become of thee Nay others put their souls into the hands of the Devill and do not know it They walk in their own counsels and follow their own lusts blown up by Satan All these are but slippery places Therefore Good Christians take heed that ye put not your souls into any of these hands Secondly be you exhorted to be such as may hope for such hands You wil not put foul things into fair fingers nor foul souls into the hands of that God whose eyes cannot endure to behold iniquity much lesse his hands to touch it We had an holy man Mr. Bolton of Northhamptonshire who lived amongst us When he had all his children about him upon his death-bed he charged them that they should be carefull not to appear before God with him without regenerated â—â—â—â— s. He knew and saw that there was no presenting of them into Gods hand without purity If we come unclean to him it will be wofull in the latter end If God shall say I will not touch you this wil kill in the day of death and judgement Oh thinke upon this ye that forget God! You that live in Associated Counties or in the strongest Garisons can doe something to send out Troops after Troops with a little pay or pay now and then who do with free-quarter and contribution eat up all places where they come In the mean time you altogether insensible of the miseries of your brother Joseph can live in all luxury letchery and pride I mean too many of you Take heed I wonder what kinde of souls you will commend to God when you dye if they be in that state and posture wherein you live I pray God be mercifull unto you Act. 8.22 if it be possible your sinnes should be forgiven you For Gods clean hands will not receive unclean souls We have thus viewed the Nature of the soul and the Castle of the soul The nature of it is to be a spirit the Castle of it is to be in the hands of God but now we are come to the care for the soul David gives a President of the best care of it in type and Christ makes it good in truth both of them commit it to God Paul saith 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have trusted and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day It will be well for all of us if we can take the same care for our souls as these have had Lay it to heart that we must have a care of and for the safety of our souls The care of and for our souls Deut. 4.9 This is commanded by God when he saith Keep thy soul diligently and it hath been practised by Gods people Jaacob when he was wonderful busie before his death in his propheticall will looks unto his soul Gen. 49.6 and saith my soul come not thou into their secret He would be loth his soul should be in traffick and trade with such ungodly cruell men as Simeon and Levi though they were near and dear unto him And David was at it again Psa 25.20 and again He pleades with God O keep my soul and when he saw it out of order Psa 42.5 he chid it why art thou so heavie O my soul why art thou so disquieted within me And when he saw it backward to do its duty to God he calls out unto it Ps 103.1 2. My soul praise the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name My soul praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits This shews what care he had for his soul and so must you Christians You will put me to a double question when we must have such care and why we must have this care for our souls You must have this care alwayes Satan is a great Merchant for souls What ever he pretends he meanes the soul He will offer the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life but he meanes the soul He takes unmatchable paines for souls He compasseth Sea and land to make a proselite he compasseth the earth to and fro to catch at advantages He adventures all he usurps for souls As he said to Christ All this will I give thee Matth. 4. if you will fall down and worship me so he will offer you any thing let who so will perform it He makes his riches lye in souls If thousands fall into sin before him and ten thousand at his right hand then his riches come home Therefore it behoves all good Christians to have a care of their souls As you must have a care at all times of your souls so especially when prosperity adversity and death comes Prosperity comes with a cup of deadly wine to poyson you As at that time when the persecution of the Primitive Church did cease and dayes of ease came in there was a voice from heaven heard saying Hodie effusum est venenum in Ecclesiam this day poyson is powred out into the Church so when prosperity comes look to thy look to thy soul that it be not bit with a Cockatrice Adversity comes with a ghastly countenance to affright us from God and therefore as Job cast his eys from his troubles to God and said though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee so must you for the good of your souls Death comes and brings a Catalogue of sinnes reaching from one end of heaven to another Lose the soul now and lose it