is called the heavenly treasure looke as it is with wicked men Rom. 2.5 They treasure up wrath against the day of wrath the more sinne they commit the more punishment will lye upon their soules so doth a good man lay up a treasure of holinesse Should a man bring all the treasure of Dives all the honour of Ahashuerus they would doe him no good Wilt thou appeare and say Lord I have cozened so many poore and by this means I have gotten so much wealth No the onely commodity that will go off is holy services Rev. 14.13 Blessed are they that dye in the Lord their works follow them nothing in the world but works can follow a man The services that come from a sincere heart will go with thee to thy grave therefore as Factours purchase things that will bee saleable when they come home so let us now lay up that provision that will stand us in stead hereafter 2. Hence we see how to carry our selves towards others Love those best who are best As good children let us imitate our father God loves men that obey Let the same minde be in us Psalme 119.63 I am a companion of those that love thee Hee saith not I am a companion to those that haunt evill places but to such as love God Psalm 103.6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithfull in the land 2 Chron. 15.2 The Lord is with you while you are with him The Lord keeps company with them that keepe company with him in holy duties Let us be of the same affection towards our brethren and let nothing breed division but only the sins of others Zach. 8.23 Tenne men shall take hold on the skirt of a Jew saying Wee will goe with you for the Lord is with you I say let nothing breed jarres between us and others but only their sins §. 11. NOw wee proceed to the second part of the Covenant Of life promised to Adam if obedient What God promises to Adam Hee that doth these things shall live For the opening of this wee must treat of three particulars 1. What life is 2. Wherein lies the sweetnesse of the promise 3. The universality of it 1. What is meant by life Life naturall Life is double naturall and spirituall eternall life is nothing but spirituall life made perfect Naturall life is the motion of the creature issuing from the joyning of the body and soule together according to the kind thereof The life of a tree is to grow of a reasonable creature to discourse This is not meant here for Adam did thus live before and after he brake the Comandements of God And spirituall 2. There is a spirituall life which belongs to the soule in holy duties it is called life by a similitude and it is those spirituall workes which proceed from the whole man the soule being united to God As the union of the body and soule causeth life so the union between the soul and God causeth spirituall life Gen. 2.7 God breathed into his nosthrils the breath of life so the Lord breathes assistance and this is spirituall life here meant which may bee discovered in three particulars 1. Adam Spirituall life discovered in 3. things out of his speciall liberty hee had was able to put himself under the streame of Providence and so to bee carried on to holy duties God would have assisted Adam but hee must first put himselfe under the streame of Providence as the boat upon the streame so would the Providence of God have conveyed Adam All things were made for man and man is next neighbour to God Had Adam looked towards Gods wisedome hee should have been quickned in wisedome and so he might have received strength from any Attribute if he would submit his heart to the streame of it Joh. 1.16 From Christ we receive grace for grace What letters are in the seale the same are in the waxe so when by faith wee look upon Christ there is grace in him and it is conveighed to us Psalm 86.11 Unite my soule to thee first the soule must be united and then it acts from that union John 6.68 Thou onely hast the words of eternall life as if hee should say By thy vertue only wee must bee strengthened By this time God and Adam are met 2. The soule of Adam being met with God hence followed spiritual actions namely Adam was able to worke like God according to his manner the boat and rower and streame goe all one way In 1 Pet. 4.6 a good man is said to live according to God This is spirituall life when a mans will and desire is answerable to God but wicked men Ephes 4.18 are strangers to the life of God Col. 4.12 The Apostle prayeth that they might stand perfect in the will of God Psalm 119.144 Give mee understanding that I may live A man doth not live thus because hee seeth as the beasts doe or growes as the trees do or reasons which the devils can do but because hee hath an understanding to live the life of God When Adam is at God hee is where he would be Rom. 14.18 The kingdome of heaven consists not in meats and drinks that is in outward actions they are in themselves neither good nor bad but when a man is led by God to performe holy duties hee then pleaseth God in them 3. Hee had power to hold out this blessed will of God to others that they might love it Phil. 1.20 St. Paul prayeth that in life and death God might be magnified Adam did hold out the glory of God that all the world might see how glorious hee was Quest. Wherein lyes the pith of this promise what should Adam reap from this The sweetnesse of the promise of life wherin Answ It lies in this That God would so continue good to Adam that if hee would obey God hee would so support him with his grace that hee should have pleased him for ever as if God had said If thou will doe what I command I will unchangeably supply life to thee I will expresse it by the contrary Thus it befell Adam hee broke the law and therefore was vnder the power of sinne to bee led by the force of it to sinne eternally and perish everlastingly The Lord said Thou shalt not eate Adam did eate so going against the command the Lord puts him under the authority of corruption and this is spirituall death So then it is not the law of God that rules thee but the vanity of thy minde that domineers over thy soul and members of thy body Contrariwise had Adam pleased God he should have been under the power of holinesse and never have sinned For God thus said to Adam If thou will keep my Lawes I will support thee and thou shalt never bee subject to any evill As it is with the damned they can doe nothing but sinne and depart from God daily so contrariwise had Adam performed Gods laws God with a
is Caesars and to God that which is Gods so ask this question Whose superscription doth this nature beare Gods then give to God the things that are Gods Let vanity be bestowed upon the world but thy soule hath Gods image give it him If a creature be strayed or stollen though it be disfigured yet when it is found we returne it againe to the owner so thy Mind Will and Affections are straying from God Satan hath stollen them from the familie of the Almighty Though thy soule be disfigured yet it's Gods returne it home to him 1 Pet. 2.25 wee are as sheepe going astray and fall now and then into a ditch but now let us returne unto the Arch-bishop of our soules §. 2. NOw wee come to the particular unfolding of this image and the point is this Doct. The image of God was imprinted in the whole man God sayes not Gods image in the whole soule Let us make a body or a soule but man in our image It was not with Adam as with children in regard of their naturall parents If the child bee but eyed like his father wee say He hath a brow like his father and nothing else It was not thus with Adam but as it is with the picture of a man if it bee drawne to the full proportion there is a resemblance in every part so it was with him there was never a part of his body or soule but there was in them a proportion of those vertues which are in God infinitely Gen. 2. ult They saw themselves naked and were not ashamed the meaning is The eye of their consciences saw nothing within to ashame them the eye of their bodies saw nothing without that was shamefull but when they had sinned not only the eye of their consciences was open to accuse them for sin but the eye of their bodies ashamed to behold that stained which before was void of blemish Qu. What reasons may bee alledged to prove this Answ The reasons are three 1. Looke where sin takes place after the nature of man defiled there was the image of God before now sinne reignes in the whole man Sinne and the image of God are both of a breadth The privation of a thing can bee no where but where the thing was blindnesse is no where but where sight was or might have beene death is no where but where life was or might have beene so sin could be no where but where the image of God was or might have beene Sinne is like leaven that leaveneth the whole lumpe there is no whole part in man from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foot therefore the image of God was in the whole man Matth. 15 1◠Out of the heart come evill thoughts There is the throne of sinne but Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies Thus is the kingdome of sin described for that a man is as it is full of all unrighteousness Rom. 1. The heart is full of malice and the hand is full of bloud the heart is adulterous and the eye wanton the members the members of an Harlot as the Apostle speaks for if profanenesse be once in the heart the hand is full of mischiefe If then the whole man bee deprived of Gods image by sinne then the whole man had the image of God before sinne Reas 2. The image of God was restored to the whole man by Christ What Christ restores that Adam had Christ renewes what was before made now Christ restores the whole man by sanctification which is clear by Scripture For it is called to this purpose the new man not a new eye or a new hand but the new man Those are two pregnant places 1 Thes 5.23 The God of peace sanctifie you throughout and I pray that your whole spirit and soule and body may be blamelesse unto the comming of Christ and 2 Cor. 5.17 He that is in Christ is a new creature He is not a monster but a creature This new creature hath all the parts of a creature New thoughts new endevours the eye sees chastely the tongue talkes holily all things are new both in body and soule If then the whole man had the image of God repaired then the whole man had the image of God created Reas 3. Because the whole nature of man was bound to the Law to obey it therefore it must be fitted by the image of God to obey it That all parts are under the law it is cleare the Scripture provides a precept for every part The eye must not lust The hand must labour Let him that stole steale no more but work with his hands Eph. 4.28 The Law hath a charge likewise for the tongue Let your words bee gracious Col. 3. Thus the Law reaches to the out-side and for the in-side it is cleare Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soule with all thy strength c. Unlesse the whole man had had the image of God it could not have obeyed the Law Otherwise the damned in hell or the wicked could obey Gods Law the soule is the same in substance so that if the soule as it is a soul could obey the Law the damned in hell might It was not Adams soule but the image of God that inabled him to obedience therefore he must have this image before either his body or soule could obey A man speakes Latine not because he is a man but because he is a schollar a man builds an house cunningly not because he is a man for then every man might doe it but by man might doe it but by vertue of the cunning of a Carpenter it is not the soule in regard of the essence of it it is not the body in regard of the being thereof that inables a man to keepe the Law The Devils in hell have an Understanding and Will but they cannot love God The essence of the soule will not doe it but the frame that God puts into it Use The use in Generall is this A triall of true sanctification Thou mayest hereby perceive whether thou wert ever sanctified for if so thou hast the image of God in thee and if it bee in thee it is imprinted upon thy whole man so Adam had it so Christ renewes it 1 Pet. 1.15 Be holy in all manner of conversation It is not enough to have an outside this is no argument of true grace but if ever thou beest sanctified all is made new Hee that is in Christ is a new creature It is a monstrous thing to have the eye of a Saint and the heart of a Devill to have the hands of Esau and the voyce of Jacob to howle and cry for sin and yet to retaine our old corruptions This is not to bee renewed but to be patched up a piece holy and a piece unholy Away with these appearances if ever you be sanctified the whole man must be changed When ever a man comes to meddle with a gracious
that might overwhelme him but hee that hath his eyes in his head can foresee them so wisedome is able to descry inconveniences and helpe us against them Let therefore our owne profit be a meanes to provoke our hearts to get understanding §. 4. Quest WHat was the image of God in the will Ans How ever we see not our soule Of Gods image in the will yet there is a spirituall substance in every man which is immortall and hath two faculties Understanding and Will. Now the faculty of the Will is like the hand that puts away or takes any thing The will is like an unruly horse that casts his rider I will do what I will though reason crosse it This will whereof we now speake was graciously regulated when it came out of the hands of God Now for the Answer Holinesse and righteousnesse were imprinted in the will of Adam Eph. 4.24 The Apostle to the Colossians made knowledge a part of the spirituall image of Adam and now he addes holinesse and righteousnesse which were seated in the will Luk. 1.75 Christ hath redeemed us that we might walke before him in holinesse and righteousnesse all our dayes In the answer are 2. things 1. That holinesse and 2. That righteousness were there Of these in order Quest What is holinesse An. A spirituall power Holinesse what or frame put into the nature of Adam inabling him to doe Gods will and fitting him to love God above all Three things are in this description 1. It is a spirituall power It is not the very nature of the faculty of the will but a frame put into the will that sets it on and carries it out to God for the will of it selfe is not able to close with God but onely so farre as it is carried out to him As it is in the body the tongue is the instrument of tasting of it self it cannot taste but there is a moisture there that makes it taste hence if it be evilly affected it tasteth evill sweet things seeme soure and soure things seeme sweet or as it is with the hand it cannot worke about any thing barely as it is an hand unlesse it receive strength and motion from the vitall faculty for a dead hand or a benummed hand can exercise it selfe about nothing so it is with the will that power of it self cannot rellish the things of life and happinesse but it must be an holy will that can close with an holy God it is not barely the will but there must bee an wholesome constitution put into it and then it can close with an heavenly God having this heavenly frame Hence it is death to the wicked to bee under the ordinances of God The devils have a naturall faculty of will but corruption possesseth it and therefore they abhorre the holinesse of God because they themselves are unholy but Adams will had a spirituall frame of holinesse put into it whereby it was able perfectly to please God 2. There was a readinesse and promptnesse put into his will whereby hee was able easily to bestow himselfe upon and comfortably to bee carried unto the doing of the will of God When the wheels of a clock are rightly ordered they go on speedily Adam was the clocke of God and the maine wheele was the will when the rust of sturdinesse hangs on the will the motion to God-wards is hindered but had our wills this oyle of holinesse they would runne on chearily in the service of God Men slight the means of grace and cannot close with the ordinances of God because their wills are unholy As it is with sin Rom. 7.23 it leads a man captive to the commission of evill it puts a promptnesse into the heart to incline it to evill so holinesse puts a quicknesse into the will which carries it on joyfully to performe the will of God 2 Tim. 2.21 If a man will purge himselfe he shall be a vessell of honour fit for the Masters use and prepared for every good worke While a mans heart is like an uncleane vessell he is not prepared for any good work but when his heart is purged he is fit for every good work Deut. 28.47 Thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulnesse and gladnesse of heart God will be served but with what heart with a joyfull and a merry heart This gladnesse comes from the holinesse that was in Adam 3. He was by this able to love God above all and this was the performance of the first Table and this above all implies three things To love God above all hath three things 1. He did prize God more then what ever God could doe for him nay more then salvation it selfe Psal 73.26 When he was dazeled with the prosperity of the wicked mark what he sayes The Lord is my strength and my portion for ever as if hee should say I esteeme of God above all A man makes an high account of his patrimony so doth David esteeme of God Psa 73.26 If a man love father or mother more then mee Mat. 10.37 hee is not worthy of mee nay a man must love God-better then his life Psal 63.3 Thy loving kindnesse is better then life then the life of my wife then the life of my child nay it it is better then mine owne life 2. He made choice of God above all As a man prizeth a thing so hee will make choice of it When we come into a shop look what commodity wee prize wee will take so was Adams choice of God Psal 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee The renewed soule counts all things dung and drosse in comparison of Christ Adam had by vertue of this frame that power that if all the world were offered him yet hee would chuse God above all 3. Hee was able to have his heart carryed with great intention of soule to bestow his minde upon the Lord. When Adam did chuse God above all then hee had power to have his heart carried with greatest extent of strength to him for thus it is commanded by our Saviour to the Lawyer in the Gospel Matth. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy might with all thy strength so was Adam carried with the utmost of his strength to close with God If God should have threatned Adam would have trembled if hee should have revealed his goodnesse Adam would have been inlarged in love thereof if hee should have revealed his name Adam would have honoured it This frame of his will made him carry himselfe proportionably to Gods will to the utmost of his strength A man must love his neighbour with his whole heart not with some of it yet not with his whole strength A man may love his neighbour too much but when hee comes to the love of God he must love him as much as he can Adam ought to have loved his neighbour with his whole heart yet it was not required of Adam to love his neighbour as
his wife but for his God he was to bestow his whole strength upon him Quest Why did God imprint this upon Adam An. First Holinesse why imprinted on Adam because Adam without this measure of holinesse could not returne that tribute of holinesse he owed as a reasonable creature and which God expected as a Creatour There is a payment which God expects at the hands of a creature namely praise for as Landlords let out their lands for rents which they expect at their tenants hands so doth God require thanksgiving from Adam which unlesse he had holinesse he could not have given Deut. 10.12 When he had discovered the largenesse of Gods love marke what he gathers And now oh Israel what doth the Lord thy God require but to love him with thy whole heart as if hee should say This I looke for that for all my kindnesse thou feare mee and love me with thy whole heart which to doe is a Christians Master-piece Had God made Adam so that hee could not have loved him he could not have received honour from him and so had beene accessary to the dishonour of his owne name 2. Adam by this meanes attained his owne good Heavie things never leave moving till they come to the earth so Adam was restlesse before he came to enjoy union with God This was Adams and is our happinesse to enjoy God which is the onely good of a mans soule Isa 26.8 The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee The up-shot of the desires of Gods servants is towards his name when the body is in the grave and the soule in heaven the soule would faine be united to the body that both may be united to God and be possessed of him and then all desires cease 3. Because if Adam had not had this holinesse God had required more of him then he had ability to performe which had beene a want of equity which is utterly unbeseeming the sweet nature of God To require a thing absolutely impossible is against equity had not Adam had power to love God God requiring love from him had required that of him which he had not beene able to performe It stood with equity and Gods righteous will to give Adam power to love him above all yea it was a debt God owed to him seeing he would require obedience from him When Adam had not offended it was requisite God should give him ability to discharge his service Use The use hence is No shame to be holy 1. For instruction to teach us that it is no shame to be holy holinesse is no mans dishonour It is the greatest praise that can befall a man to be holy to be like God is no dishonour and by holiness we come to be most like unto him It is one of Gods names The holy One of Israel Isa 43.14 Nay the Angels Isa 6.3 doe not say Powerfull powerfull but Holy holy holy Lord God of hostes the Lord is said there to be the God of hostes but he is three times holy for his one time powerfull not that holinesse is more in God then power but to shew how God rejoiceth in this name Holy Who art thou then that art loath to have the name of holinesse Yes you are one of the holy crew will they say Art thou an enemy to holinesse then thou art an ungodly man The venome of such mens spirits as hate holinesse is incomparable there is no greater argument of a gracelesse disposition Use 2. It is a word of terrour It is cleare that the sinne of those men who oppose holinesse or keep others from it is marvelous hainous We will pursue both A great sin to oppose holinesse 1. It falleth heavie upon those who make holinesse the marke of their malice There is no person so vile no practice so abominable but they will approve of they will hugge drunkards in their bosomes and harbour adulterers in their houses but if holinesse appeare in any mans practice they are transported with fury against it Their blood riseth in their faces rancour in their hearts and venome in their tongues that they say as was said of S. Paul Away with such a fellow from the earth We cannot live in quiet for these holy men Oh thou that doest thus hatest the very image of God and flyest in the face of the Almighty and wouldest if thou couldest as well rend God from his throne as these holy men from the face of the earth there is no surer evidence then this that God intends no good to thy soule Salvation comes by holy meanes God the Father is an holy God that loves his people Christ is holy that redeemes his people the Spirit is called the holy Ghost heaven is an holy place it is called the heavenly Hierusalem the way to heaven likewise is holy Isa 35.8 nay all those that doe walke in that way are holy Isa 63.18 the people of holinesse possesse it The scripture saith the Saints of God are Priests and the Priest ware upon his breast-plate Holinesse to the Lord. Dost thou that hatest holinesse think to goe to heaven then there must bee another heaven for this is holy Heare and feare thou whose conscience doth convince thee that thou hast been carried with indignation against holy men see the hainousnesse of thy sinne the place is holy the Spirit holy c. If thou goest to heaven God will come out of heaven for he will not dwell with unholinesse Jude 4. God hath ordained from all eternity that unholy and ungodly men shall never come to heaven but shall bee in an unholy place among unholy Divels Know thy sinne to bee hainous and thy judgement heavie 2. It reproveth those A great sin to keep others from holinesse that would keepe others from holinesse Men count it a great wisedome in directing their families if they can keepe them from looking after this holinesse This is the counsel they give them Doe what you please onely bee not a precise fellow be any thing but a Saint It is all their cunning to daunt the hearts of others from seeking after holinesse hence wee heare so many fears suggested to men that labour to walke as they ought Nay saith the Master if you must needs to the godly crew I will breake the crew of you c. But do but consider what you doe 1. You crosse the command of God 1 Pet. 1.15 Bee holy as I am holy what heart hast thou then that commandest the contrary 2. As you crosse Gods command so you damne the souls of those that God hath committed unto your charge thou that keepest their soules from holinesse keepest them from happinesse Oh it will one day be a wound to thy conscience to thinke with thy selfe My childe would have followed holinesse but I would not suffer him therefore is he gone into the bottomlesse pit and I was the cause of it Try whether thou be holy or no. Use 3.
Doth holinesse fit a man to love God above all and wouldest thou know whether thou hast an holy heart Try it from the former truth Where ever holinesse is it fits the heart to love God above all Canst thou doe this which holinesse enables a man to doe then if there be holinesse in heaven it is also in thine heart I doe not meane that any man should have the exactnesse that Adam had in creation but what hee had in perfection wee must have in desire Thou must have an heart enlarged to love God above all though thou hast many weaknesses with it Many for want of this are cast out as not being partakers of this saving worke Namely Those that never had any readinesse to this saving work of God further then shame or disgrace provokes them for most that live upon the face of the earth must have some constraining power to force them to the performance of Gods service they say as those in Malachi What a wearinesse is it Mal. 1.13 The word of God and his ordinances are a burden the sabbaths are tedious men come to Gods worship as a Beare to a stake or a captive to prison how willing are they to bee freed from these duties whereas holinesse ever brings willingnesse with it Ob. But doe not the Saints finde a great deale of awkwardnesse Ans I confesse it is true but there is a great deale of difference between these and the other The Saints willingly oppose their corruptions that clog them but a carnall heart joynes sides with the flesh hee desires means and occasions to withdraw him from the love of God hee is glad to finde a pretence to travell on the Lords day or to neglect prayer in his private family But the Saints are weary of their untowardnesse and awkwardnesse to holy duties Matth. 26.41 the Disciples were overcharged with wearinesse and fell asleepe Christ addes the reason The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Rom. 7. The law is holy and the commandement holy but sinne tooke occasion by the commandement c. It is not I but sinne that dwelleth in me as if hee should say It is good to please God and I will labour after it but I confesse I have a wilfull wretched heart within mee which opposeth this yet there is a sparke of holinesse in this heart and with that I love thee though my flesh oppose thee §. 5. Quest WHat is righteousnesse Righteousnesse what it is Answ The second part of the spirituall image put into Adam whereby hee could love himselfe as hee ought and his neighbour as himselfe In the description there are three things 1. It is the second part of Gods image in the will Holinesse fitted Adam to goe to God yet of it selfe it could not fit him to love his brother therefore hee must have another frame that is of righteousnesse Againe it is beyond the power of the soule to performe spirituall love to his brother therefore it must have this part of Gods image in it 1 Joh. 4.7 Love is of God to love another holily is beyond the power and faculty of nature Indeed a man may love another carnally as adulterers and naturally as creatures but to love another spiritually hee must have power from God There is a double cunning of the hand as David useth the word a cunning to play on an instrument Psa 137. and a cunning to write now the cunning of the one will not make a man skilfull in the other so there is a double cunning put into the heart of Adam the first Of holinesse whereby hee could love God above all the second Of righteousnesse whereby he could love himselfe as hee ought and his neighbour as himselfe 2. The second part of the description was By this he was fitted to love himselfe as he ought The ground of all lawfull love comes from self-love if it be pure There is a selfe-love required nay if it be right it is the standard of all love to another He that loveth himselfe as he should will be disposed to love another Love lookes first at that which is most good to me as to my honour which is a greater good to me before the honour of another man It is true what was said of David 2 Sam. 21. Thou art better then ten thousand of us that was in regard of his place and office but take a man as a particular person and my good is better to me then another mans Quest How should a man love himselfe Ans This love is bounded by three things Selfe-love how to be bounded by a right Order Measure Manner 1. A man must love himselfe in a right order and that you must understand in three rules Rule 1. He must love himselfe in the second place God in the first Pro. 3.9 Honour the Lord with the first fruits of thy increase Mat. 6.33 First seeke the kingdome of heaven all else must be served after God In the old law it was required that God should have the first fruits of a mans vintage We must bestow the chiefest of our love and delight on God we must love Gods honour in the first place our owne in the second Mat. 22.38 This is the first and greatest commandement To love God with all our heart The second is like unto this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe 2. He must love himselfe with a subordinate degree of love but in the love of God he must put forth the utmost of his strength In the old law hee that brought a sacrifice was to bring a male Mal. 1. ult Cursed be the man that hath a male in his flocke and offereth a female to the Lord The male is the stronger the female the weaker All our prayers and services unto God must bee male but female love and desire will serve our selves God required in the old law that the sacrifices should not be shorn our sacrifices are our duties to God they are the males we must offer we may not sheare our joy and delight but let them go with their fleeces on that is in their full strength to God but when we come to our selves we may sheare our love 3. A man is to love himselfe in God and for God Adam was to love Gods image in himselfe as a step to conveigh him more speedily to the love of God What wouldest thou love in thy selfe thine honour Get thee to a wise and glorious God and love his glory more Dost thou love thy life Oh love the life of God who is a living God Rom. 9.3 I could wish to bee Anathema for my brethren c. Seeing that the Jewes would fall to the dishonour of God hee did so prize the honour of God that he could wish himselfe to be accursed that they might stand This was the cause hee loved the glory of God above all Adam had power to love himselfe in a right measure This I referre to all those
the body Of Gods image in the body Ans I answer two waies 1. Negatively Wherein it stood not The image of God did not consist in the body of man so as to bee in the flesh and bloud bones and sinewes and the reason is double 1. Because if the image of God consisted in these then other creatures should have the image of God but other creatures though thus qualified have not the image of God but only Adam 2. God is a Spirit Joh. 4.24 and consequently Body implies rather an opposition There is no proportion betwixt a Spirit and a Body Luk. 24.38 A Spirit hath not flesh and bones This is against the plea of the Papists that make the image of God the Father like an old man the reason they give is because man had the image of God and therefore wee may resemble God by him I answer If flesh and bloud bee not the image of God then there is no ground to resemble God thereby Isa 40.14 To whom will yee liken mee To frame an image of God is to commit a great sin Quest Where was then the image of God in the bodie Answ In that framablenesse In what it was whereby it was moved by the reason will and affections and so did expresse the vertues of them A mercifull heart doth expresse it selfe in a bountifull hand So David Psal 45.1 Psal 45.1 My tongue is the Pen of a ready writer his heart indited it and then his tongue did speak it Quest Wherein doth this framablenesse appear Ans In two things 1. The framablenesse of the body to act the service that wisedome and holinesse required The parts were not stiffe not stubborne nor weary but in a readinesse to act what wisedome required But wee finde it otherwise in us St. Paul himselfe complained that hee was clogged with it When a man is distempered either sicke or weak there is a wearinesse in holy duties The body is then like a darke shop in which a good workman may cut his fingers When the body is full of noysome humours it is but an ill shoppe for the soule to work in but this was not in Adam 2. There was a fitnesse in each part for its taske The eye was fit to see the tongue to talke c. So that it is observed by Galen though hee were an heathen yet considering the frame of the body he fell in admiration of it so that hee professed that it was not possible for a naturall cause to bring forth such an effect Rom. 16.8 Yeeld not your members instruments to unrighteousnesse He calls the members instruments The Devill oftentimes tunes the tongue and hee seeth out of an adulterous eie yea his malice vents it selfe in an unruly tongue Looke againe in the 19. verse and there it 's said a mans members should be servants to holinesse tooles or instruments that should bee under the power of God In a tool there is both the metall and the making as in a saw or axe so there is in the parts of the body which are tooles serviceable to wisedome and the power of holinesse that they may work their works thereby An hand is a toole whereby the mercifull heart may deale mercifully Wee say in such a case Here is a gracious tongue a chast eye c. so the hand is the Almoner of a mercifull heart so that this image of God in the body is wide from that of the Papists Q. What 's the reason of this A. This Because it was not only requisite that God should instampe his image inwardly but that is should bee exprest outwardly that others might see it and glorifie God in heaven Matth. 5.16 Let your light so shine among men that they may see your good works and glorifie your heavenly Father 1 Pet. 2.9 Shew forth the vertue of him that hath called you out of darknesse Hereby is Gods honour promoted Eph. 2.9 We are the workmanship of God created unto good works When men see anothers excellent workmanship they say This man was a skilfull workman So Gods workmanship is seen in you when another reviles and you are patient to beare When hee is impatient and utters words of reproach the wicked stand by and say I marvell how you can suffer it This is rare workmanship to them When the wicked challenge godly men and say What do they more then other men The answer is They feare an oath their soule abhorres the least sinne goe thou and do so they are willing to heare a reproofe doe thou likewise But when a wretched man comes to lye on his death-bed ready to go out of the world aske him then what hee thinkes of the Saints oh sayes hee that I might dye their death Thus wee see it is requisite the image of God should bee in their bodies Murther an hainous sin Use 1. This Use is for instruction Hence wee observe the hainousnesse of the sin of murther as being that which defaces the image of God after a vile manner What greater evill can there bee He that clips the Kings coyne is a traitour but if a man maimes the body of a Prince every man thinkes no punishment is enough for him That creature for the creation of which there was a consultation that creature upon whom the image of God was imprinted on whom all the works of the Trinity were expressed of the Father in Creation of the Sonne in Redemption of the Spirit in Sanctification which was the master-piece of Gods workmanship to blemish that image and overthrow the workmanship of God therein what sinne more hainous It is therefore called a crying sinne as it was said to Cain Gen. 4.10 The bloud of thy brother cries up to heaven Murther calls for vengeance and will have no nay Gen. 9.6 Hee that sheds bloud by man shall his bloud be shed because God made him after his image therefore God pursueth the malefactor with unconceiveable horrour of heart The reason is not only because of the unnaturalnes of it though that bee great for Lions and Lions Tygers and Tygers will lie together but herein also appeares the vilenesse in that all the attributes of God are up in armes against a murtherer because they have all been wronged Drunkennesse wrongs sobriety adultery wrongs chastity these sinnes wrong particular graces only and a drunkard may honor God by sobriety as hee hath dishonoured him by drunkennesse but murther defaces the image of God never to bee recovered There was a gracious tongue but when it is murthered it will never speake more a wise head Grace in the heart appears in the body but now will never plot businesse more Use 2. Hence wee see the spreading nature of grace Wheresoever holinesse and righteousnesse is it will discover it selfe If it bee in the soule it will appeare also in the body It is with grace as David speakes of the Sunne Ps 19. wheresoever it comes it casts in its beams so it is with
the last daies so that all wise men should store up against an evill day To redeeme is to purchase or to buy The time that is a season not a distance of many houres but a season and that is the convenience or meeting of many helps together As winde and tide makes a season to saile in so when there is a faire day and the sun shines tha't 's a season of travelling When there is no winde nor tide there are indeed so many houres but it is not a season so in the night there are so many houres but not a season no sun-shine or light and therefore not a fit time or season for travelling But that is a season when there are helps afforded of doing good 2. What is it to redeeme the time It is no where read but it signifies thus much To buy in the market as tradesmen do So should the children of God while time and meanes and health and life and liberty is afforded unto them store themselves with faith and ability against evill daies The Doctrine hence is this Doct. Improve gracious occasions for good It is a point of spirituall wisedome to purchase the opportunities of grace and salvation at any rate Where helps are there are opportunities of doing good For the further explication of this Doctrine there are 3. questions to bee propounded 1. What are the seasons of grace and salvation 2. What wee must part withall for them 3. What course wee must take for to purchase them Quest 1. What are the opportunities of grace Opportunities of grace what Answ They are either generall or speciall Generall are such as men take in the time of their life here is the time of working here is the time of doing and getting for In the grave there is no wisedome nor counsell Eccles 9.10 and there is no hope neither for as death leaves us so shall judgement finde us Eccles 3. 2. There are speciall opportunities for every business a time to plow and sow and reap so there is a day of salvation a day of grace These seasons may bee divided into three heads 1. When we have matter to worke upon Then is a season when God calls us to do good Sometimes the Lord casts us among the poore that wee should relieve them the ignorant that wee should instruct them the wicked that wee should reprove them Sometimes the Lord lets us bee wronged that is a time to use patience and suffers us to be disgraced that is a time to use humility and to trample all reproaches under feet 2. Sometimes there are speciall meanes of doing our selves good as upon the Lords day which is the market day for our soules wherein God sets out his wares to sell if men have hearts to come and buy and such are the Sacraments and communion one with another See how men do in worldly matters so do you in spirituall one man sels cloth another man corne so should Christians Thou shouldst give thy brother a word of humiliation he should give thee a word of comfort as thou standest in need of the same 3. When the Lord enlarges the hearts of his children as hee doth many times that is another opportunity take hold of it when the Lord strikes strike thou when the Lord moves move thou As when thou hearest the Word and art convicted by it and thy heart begins to move oh then that 's a season Make hay while the sun shines follow the blow and breake thy heart and humble thy soule for that is a speciall and a spiritual opportunity for good to thine own soul Or sometimes when thou art in thine owne private chamber and the door shut and the candle out and the curtaines drawne about thee then call thou to minde thy sinnes and the many abominations thou hast committed oh then humble thy soul and break thine heart and blesse the Lord for that opportunity Quest 2. What must wee give for these opportunities of grace and salvation Answ With what wee must part for them What will you bestow This is Gods market day if you will bid like a chapman you are like to have them I will tell you what you must give and I will set downe the price in three particulars 1. A man must part with all his sinnes and corruptions and a man may doe that upon as reasonable termes as may be for a mans sins will never doe him good but hurt and therefore he ought to forsake them 2. If it please God to set his commodities at so high a rate then wee must forsake all the comforts of this life rather then lose salvation Not only pleasures and profits and delights but meate drinke and apparrell if God will have his wares so deare Wee must part with all kindred friends and all yea life it self if occasion should serve But sometimes the Lord is so mercifull and the market goes at so low a rate that a man may have both the comforts of this life and the means of grace and salvation too but if the Lord require these then we must let all go Phil. 3.7 8. I count all things drosse and dung yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dogs-meat in comparison of Christ Wee must part with all for Christ and bee willing to suffer for him if God require I count all dogs-meat saith S. Paul I count all these things nothing A Pharisee of the Pharisees a Jew circumcised the eighth day yet I account all these but dung Mat. 19.27 There when Christ called his Disciples unto him Peter said Master we have left all and have followed thee What therefore shall bee to us Hee answered Yee that have followed mee in the regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sit upon the Throne of his glory even yee shall sit upon the twelve thrones c. So that you that are content to part with all house and land silver and gold friends and acquaintance and follow Christ in the regeneration all things shall be restored unto you Christ saith unto the young man Follow me I pray saith he suffer me to bury my Father No no saith Christ Let the dead bury their dead but follow thou mee So when our hearts hang after commodity and profit and wee are loath to part with them which indeed are but dead commodities dead profits they say they will heare and attend afterward oh I say Let the dead burie their dead attend thou here 3. Wee should bestow the best of our labour and our continuall endeavour about these things Wee must not think that the Lord brings us up for nothing but to live as we list and to spend our time about what we please no he will make us seek for mercy and downe on our knees and beg for it and make us be glad that wee can have it too and bee wonderfully thankfull for it Phil. 3.13 One thing I doe but leave all the rest forgetting that which is behind and pressing forward to
that they would resolve hee should bee theirs whatsoever he cost them oh that our hearts were thus set upon the means When the Lord hath shewed thee the necessity of them and God hath revealed himselfe oh I say hold fast there let not that opportunity goe it will be a marvellous folly if thou dost and it will deprive thine heart of much benefit nay thou maist lose thy soule by such dallying when you have time and opportunity and yet lose it sure it is for want of attendance Likewise the children of God must pray privately besides this for they have private sins as well as other sins Attend not looke not after temptations but attend upon the means Many men when they come to market wil fall about their homely occasions that which they should doe at home they doe in the market just so it is here when the Minister is preaching then they are reading or praying or conferring oh this is a sinfull thing you must doe your owne businesse at home and not neglect the opportunity before you 3. Wee must lay aside yea lay by those that are the best commodities and most necessary Wee see Trades-men need many things but those things that are most profitable and necessary they will be sure to have and if their purse will reach and hold out they will buy other things afterward Hee will buy bread now on the one side and cloth on the other side bread hee must have for his family to feed them and cloth hee must have to cloath them and if his money will hold out then haply hee will buy some lace or a rattle for his child So I say you have the choyce of all favours and of all mercies now provide that which is most necessary First seek the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof Mat. 6.33 This is the maine thing it is of necessity that the soule should be saved What is here meant by the Kingdome of God Some say It is the kingdome of glory others the kingdome of grace but how can a man seek the kingdome of glory but first hee must have the kingdome of grace before that of glory And how shall a man attaine to this The Lord hath vouchsafed it to none but to those that do seek it in his ordinances it is to bee had by the preaching of the Gospel of grace Was there ever any man ordinarily converted but by the Word of God Rom. 10.17 for Faith comes by hearing c. This Word is the word of the Kingdome first seeke that by which faith is bred by which Christs righteousnesse is made ours make this sure to thy soule for this is that you cannot be without this is that which David desired Ps 27.4 This is that I will require Lord saith hee that I may dwell in the house of the Lord and see thy face in the beauty of holinesse You make little of the preaching of the Gospel and never regard it but David was glad of it O Lord saith hee One thing I have desired whether I have health or no life or no I care not but one thing Lord I crave that I may see thy face in the beauty c. For this did Christ commend Mary Martha Lu. 10.42 Martha thou art cumbred about many things and much businesse but Mary hath chosen the better part that shall never be taken from her Whether is the soule better then the body A child of God will say The soule is best Whether is prayer better then profit heaven better then earth if prayer and heaven bee the better then let the earth stay let commodity stay let profit stay let heaven and salvation be served first This dashes the dreames of many men that will not stir out of their shops though they may well bee spared will rather lose the Word of God then lose the profit of six pence Oh see now come and lay these things together and see the difference between them Ob. But some will say they will have them but lay them by yet and afterward they will bargaine Answ But deferre not the time Now what will you give for them Me thinks I heare mens soules say O mercy mercy is worth a thousand worlds Oh what availes it to be rich and miserable honourable and accursed You little ones what say you Do not you wish for mercy O mercy mercy without mercy we are for ever wretched oh it is mercy that wee live and are not sent quick to hell But now will you buy it you shall have it cheape enough What will you give Now wee come to the maine You must give as the market goes and on Gods termes for you must not thinke that God will save you with wishing Oh no no he will not But now Will you buy them Then bid faire you must part with all your sinnes away with the proud heart and away with the world and the pleasures thereof Now see how the world replyes First young ones reply We have no wit nor understanding well you must beleeve else you must perish The old man sayes I am weake and feeble well you must get faith or else you must perish too Now you know the price of it you must provide to pay it Mat. 13.44 There it is said The wise merchant when he found the pearl went and sold all that he had to buy it That was a great price Thou must sell all to buy this if thy lust bee as deare to thee as thine eye thou must part with it if thou hast a proud heart thou must downe with it if a man have a faire estate and so many hundreds and such lands and such and such wares in his shop if God require it hee must part with it all The drunkard must part with his cups and the whoremonger with his queans unlesse yee doe part with these ye cannot have Christ this is the price of it Returne to me an answer whether you will have it or no that I may returne an answer to the Lord that hee may preserve it for you See that of Judas Acts 12.24 He would rather have the 30 pence yea he would betray his Lord for it and he had it but hee came againe with horrour of conscience and threw it away and threw away himselfe too for hee went and hang'd himselfe and now hangs in hell for ever It is an easie matter for a man to tell over his money but not so easie to make the heart willing to part with it but if you will not part with it now there will come a time at the day of death and then the covetous man will say Here take my money that I have got by oppression and the drunkard will say Here take my cups Then I say now part with them be wise merchants part with them now and the match is made Then now resolve Is it mercy saith the soule then it is enough Lord take all though I never see a good day
more if it be mercy then Lord take all my God I will have my God I must have so that now the decree is set downe what ever it cost I will have it Act. 11.23 and now I see the commodity is faire and the offer is kind As a merchant if he have a great stock some in corne some in houshold-stuffe and land and cattell if he sees a bargaine he will sell all that hee hath yea leave himselfe neither shoppe nor house and all to buy this purchase so I beseech you play the wise men here 's a deale of time spent in eating and drinking and sleeping and recreating and apparrelling and company-keeping and bowling and vaine things Play now the wise men now God must have time prayer must have time and now a stubborne heart will aske a great deale of time to batter down many a sigh and many a tear and many a prayer now no more apparrell then will serve the turne c. What a deale of tricking and trimming there is for the body It might fare well with the soule if it were but served as our sinkes are many times what washing and scouring have they Away with this tricking and trimming if you doe not leave it it will cost the setting on if God require more then this Be wise for your soules if you have not time enough then put off your pleasure nay and put off the world too nay put off friends put off all sell all No marvell indeed though many men say I marvell how such a man lives and runs up and downe so much oh let them know there is a purchase in hand that will well requite both his paines and cost Doe not then stand higling with God and break off for a little odd money For many say I would serve God but my friends will forsake me and I would come to Gods house on the week day but the boyes in the streete would laugh at me I say why will you dodge with God in this manner Wil your friends save you When you lie on your death-beds and your consciences accuse you and you cry out Now friends save mee they cannot for they may perish and you too Oh away with this dallying with God What if your Landlord frowne on you what if your father forsake you Resolve thus What though I have the frowne of men I have the favour of God What though the world be gone yet heaven is my comfort happiness that 's not gone Then say I 'll dodge no longer with God Saint Augustine stuck fast to his corruptions yet To morrow Lord and to morrow hee would leave them and yet he prayed against them and at last hee read the place in the Romans Lay aside chambering and wantonnesse c. and then he said Why not to day Lord and so strooke through the bargaine You see the commodity if you will have it speake if you have it not you may go away and repent you of it as long as you live Now I pray you answer me Will you have grace will you have salvation and will you buy this and give as the market goes tell mee doe not delay while to morrow Why not to day O let your soules answer and say Yea Lord to day Take all onely save my soule Come what will come I 'll have it Then now the businesse is ended the bargain is made go and take the condition it is yours 4. Buy not onely for time present but for future times If thou hearest the Word of God now then store for thy soule Let this day bee a day of reconciliation and then you may say at such a day the Lord afforded you grace and you bargained and that the Lord knowes it Keepe that by you that when Sathan tempteth you and saith unto you Have you any grace you may recall this and say I provided such a day against such a question and I remember the time place and stone I stood on and the Minister that spake and the Lord is my witnesse Oh store up it is the part of a wise man so to doe Isa 42.23 Who attends that hee may heare for afterward Joh. 16.4 These things saith Christ I speake unto you that in the time to come yee may remember them So yee see the opportunities of grace the market day for it then go home cheared and having gotten grace keepe it by you Hee that was content to sell all hee had the pearle This will cheare you to sell all to get Christ and keepe him by you In the last place When the match is made then in all other things you doe you must change the property of them you must now trade for grace use the world as if you used it not and you must not live to your selves but to God you must trade for God and walke with God You see how you must bestow your labour and paines else heaven will not bee had If you aske the maner how you must seek these things it must be in the first place Come to the market betimes and see the choyce and buy the best upon any termes and store up for the time to come and then buy other things You must seeek grace in the first place when you are at the meanes you must bestow your heart on the means and when you have seene the bargaines lay aside those that are more necessary and then part with all to have them and thus store up for the future And Lastly Use all outward means no otherwise then to help you forward to speed To proceed Now wee must retaine in our callings three things 1. Wee must use them so that they must give way to spirituall things I would not have trades-men so set to their callings as that they will give no liberty for prayer and for hearing of the Word of God Let commodity let profit go to the wall rather then to let prayer and the Word to fall and to be neglected First seek the Kingdome of God As any man will doe if there come two men to him if the one be better then the other he will bid the other stand by till his betters be served so it is here God is better then commodity then profit then let God be served first let dutie be performed first 2. We must so use our callings as that we may bee the better fitted to perform more duty to God It is very fit wee should have some tast of God in our daily imployments that we may thereby be the better fitted for his service As a man takes a cup of sack before supper not that he makes a meale of it but to make way for his meale just so we should have our hearts more enlarged by it to performe our duties every way to take notice of Gods favour and kindnesse towards us 3. We must keep heavenly minds in earthly or worldly occasions and that is a marvelous hard thing this is the reason that the Saints of
God being snatcht away by so many worldly occasions and so many businesses that their hearts many times come to be deaded and dulled But a man should use them no further but that his heart may bee enlarged to God Looke what good wee finde in our trade let us bee led by that to see what goodnesse is in God who is the fountaine of all good When we see that great good and the commoditie that comes in to us then let us see the riches of God and seeing this is so good what should wee think of the goodnesse of God Let us see his goodnesse in it for unlesse the Lord smile on us what avails it for us to bee rich what to be rich and to be damned this is very pitifull But what is the reason men are so backward in buying these things how shall wee doe to bring men to bid like chapmen The reason to perswade them may bee taken from two grounds 1. The excellency of the commodity 2. The time wee have to purchase it I. To make the first plaine The excellency of the cōmodity to be bought these three arguments are to be taken from the commoditie 1. Because the meanes of grace and salvation is a thing of as great excellencie and price as can bee therefore in reason wee should lay downe a price for them For the better the commodity is all wise men will lay down answerably The price of salvation is a great price because there is nothing better that is or can be desired Pro. 4.7 Wisdome is a precious thing but above all things get understanding The world honours pleasures may be got but Wisedome is best of all therefore get that first For all the things here below are vaine things because they are lying vanities but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever 1 Pet. 1.25 and that will make us endure for ever too if wee are humbled by it The Word of the Lord will stand by us for it is an immortall Word and it will make us immortall also it will stand so by us as it will make us live for ever and it will cheare our soules when nothing in the world will Phil. 2.13 Wee must work out our salvation with fear and trembling Now the manner how wee shall doe this is not by making our selves rich in this world and getting the things thereof but by getting grace that it may goe well with us this is the maine thing that wee may get the love of God to get our soules to be humbled and cast down Now if this bee the best as it is then in all reason it requires the greatest price Is it so that the Word of God will endure for ever will stand by you and save you then if you give a price for any thing give most for that 2. As the meanes of grace is best and of greatest worth so it is most necessary for us What is the reason that men buy commodities Because they have need of them as if a man should say This I must have and I have need of it Gold is better then silver and pearls then both but bread is best of all for all these must be left for it a poor man will part with silver and gold and all for bread for that he must have Now there is nothing so necessary as for the soule to be saved for if a man want any thing else hee may make a shift if he be poor haply his friends be rich and they will relieve him well but if the soule have sinned and is become miserable by reason of sin oh what hope what help but only from God! Therefore that is most needfull without it the soule is starved famish'd And what though you have mony yet your soul may perish and goe downe to hell What 's that to the soul for a man to bee rich or what is that to the soule to have the person applauded and have abundance of all things and the poore soule is starved and famish'd and wants all things Me thinks I heare your soules cry out The body that 's cloathed the house filled and the shop that 's stored oh sayes the soule I shall bee damned all is provided for only I shall smart for it I shall pay for all I shall goe to hell for it I beseech you think of it The time will come when you will prize mercy and cry out for it When thou liest on thy death bed when thou art breathing out thy last breath then one dram of mercy Lord and then one dram of faith Lord then it wil be worth a world to thee Mat. 23. It is said there the foolish Virgins cry out Wee have no oyl oh lend us some oh then Lord open unto us One day the poor soule will have need of mercy You see that it is most necessary then buy it lest you bee forced to borrow and cannot have it So then there is but one needfull thing Luk. 11. ult It is not of necessity to be rich it is not of necessity to be honourable but oh this is of necessity that thy sins should bee pardoned thy person accepted and thy soule saved 3. Here is a point of great christian policy for in getting of grace and salvation you shall get all other commodity with it and all other good things It is the best husbandry to buy that which will bring in most good For all outward comforts and contentments that this life can afford they come all in this As a man that sees such a tree and such an acre of ground if it likes him he will not go to buy that but he will buy the Lordship and then all the trees are his and all the ground is his So this is our misery we stand puddling our selves here for a little honour and for a little riches go I say and buy the Lordship and then all will be made sure unto thee Pro 3.14 15 16. Get wisdome for life and honour are on her right hand and riches and pleasure are on her left hand c. First seek the kingdome of heaven and all other things shall bee cast in upon you So that a good man compares all this outward commoditie to pack thred paper which if a man goes into a shop and buyes wares he shall have into the bargaine for nothing So here get once grace and then all things else you shall have into the bargaine for Godlinesse is great gain it hath the promise of this life and that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. You may sit and sing Care away for all is yours heaven is yours the earth is yours It is a marvellous folly in men who take a wrong course to thrive If you would bee rich then Consider your owne wayes and your hearts and turne unto the Lord Hag. 1.16 for that is the way It is not all the policie and the carping and caring in the world that will make a man rich for
wavering II. A preparative to the Lords Supper COncerning the preparation to the Sacrament three things are considerable 1. How wee may know whether we have a title to the Sacrament yea or no. 2. How to bee prepared for it 3. Thirdly how to reape and receive the benefit of it being so prepared For the first Whether we have a title to the Sacrament or no we will discover it two waies 1. Wee will shew what doth interest the soul thereto 2. What doth not hinder and consequently what also doth hinder the soule from comming Inverting the order First then What doth not hinder I answer briefely and punctually thus Rule 1. First the want of the sense and feeling either of Gods favour towards us or of the present apprehension to our owne sense of Gods grace in us doth not hinder I say that the want of the sense and feeling either of Gods favour to the soule or of the worke of grace in the soule doth not hinder a man The ground of it is this If hee that hath great interest in Gods love may yet notwithstanding not be assured of it in his owne sense if he that hath a great work of grace may yet not be able to apprehend that worke that God gives nay if a man that walkes exactly before God cannot see the power of grace that helps him so to do it is certain this cannot hinder him from the right of comming to the Sacrament But the former may be ergo c. The Rule is undeniable Rule 2. This is no hinderance from comming to the Sacrament that a man findes a deadish heart within him in the performance of service that a man findes a body of death oppressing of him and lying upon him when hee comes to this duty And the reason is this because the soule sometimes when it is most pestered and the heart most deaded and clogged is then truly in the estate of grace and also walkes most humbly before God and labours to depend upon and seek much more for his mercie and to strive most sincerely against its corruptions all which argue that a man is deepely interessed in Gods love and hath an interest in a great measure to the Lord Christ and his Covenant and so consequently to the Sacrament I dare say this That the worst services of a Christian man to his owne sense and apprehension finde most acceptance with God The poorest duties for the performance outwardly are sometimes most perfect Why Because then the heart is most abased in it selfe and then it sees most neede of Christ and then also doth it crave succour and reliefe from Christ therein In a word as inlargements of heart and great freedome and forwardnesse and sufficiencie many times unto duty is accompanyed often with most falsenesse at least wise with most pride and haughtinesse of heart so deadnesse wearinesse untowardnesse inability is many times accompanied with most humility with most brokennesse with most basenesse with most going out of himselfe unto Christ and with most sincerity in approving the heart unto Christ Rule 3. The third Rule is this Former unpreparednesse unto Gods service and haply sometimes to a mans owne sense unprofitablenesse under the Sacrament in the receiving thereof is not should not bee any sufficient hinderance to any faithfull soule to come yet freely hereunto for it skils not what a man hath beene formerly nor what his failings have been in former times at the duty if now those be amended and hee be humbled for them strive against them yea and for the present doth addresse himselfe unto this duty There cannot but be many failings in each mans performances what then if this sinne might hinder then other sins might hinder also but no sin may hinder a man from comming to Christ for it is a great sin not to beleeve in the Lord yet a mans former unbeliefe as it must not keepe him from comming to Christ no more may it hinder him from comming to the Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ Besides shall unprofitablenesse and unpreparednesse before hinder because it is a sinne that should rather make us take heed that we doe not commit a sinne in not comming to the Sacrament when we should for if unpreparednesse and unprofitableness hinders because it is a sin then not comming when wee should come hinders because it argues a sinner Quest How shall I know whether I have the worke of grace and so consequently title to or interest in the Sacrament Answ The first evidence is taken out of 1 Joh. 5.18 He that is borne of God keeps himselfe that the wicked one touches him not We may discover the truth of grace by the worke of grace this is one That a gracious heart keepes himselfe so that the wicked one doth not touch him So that where there is true grace there is power against all corruption and the soule that is truely wrought upon by Christ is enabled by the spirit of the Lord Jesus to master any distemper Quest Why but a man might here say would you have a man so perfect or shall his grace bee so pure and holy that corruption should not be in him nor lodge in his soule Ans I answer The text doth not say so the text saith this The evill one toucheth him not that is closeth not with him fasteneth not upon him doth not domineere over him this is to keepe a man untouched Quest But how shall a man know that hee is only oppressed and foiled by corruption and that yet he is not touched with it Ans That may be perceived on this manner 1. When the soule cannot master corruption as it would and overcome the unruly distempers thereof yet it will stand in the defence of Jesus Christ and will not plead for a base corruption he will not say Oh it is my infirmity it is my nature alas I cannot amend it c. but a gracious heart will come to this hee sees his sinne and observes his distemper and corruption and the heart saith The Law is holy and good the reproofe is good the admonition is good the duty good yea the soule will freely say I have the vilest heart under heaven but the Law is a blessed Law 2. When the soule observes and hates and loathes and discovers and pursues all manner of traiterous devices and rebellious dispositions in others against the Lord Jesus Christ It is certaine hee did never hate sinne in himselfe that joynes or sides with sinne in another mans heart and life 3. Observe what authority or what value or what excellency the Word hath in the account of the soule namely Is thy soul under the supreme government and soveraigne royalty and authority of the truth if it bee then it is a gracious soule It is one thing for a man to have sufficiencie to the discharge of a dutie with strength and promptnesse and another thing to be under the authority of the truth and to submit himselfe
of his heart to the well-pleasing of God are all conveighed and communicated to the soule by the Sacrament and to bee received therein 2. You must understand how this is communicated to the soule in the Sacrament Quest How is pardon and power conveighed unto mee by the Sacrament Ans I answer This comes from a right discerning of the body and bloud of Christ when I can see beyond the outward elements and see the spirit of Christ undoubtedly communicating the spirituall good as I see the outward elements communicating the temporall good when I can see something beyond bread and something beyond wine and something beyond breaking something beyond pouring out something beyond taking and see as certainly the Spirit of God communicating the spirituall comfort unto my soule as the outward elements would do to my body in this case the Spirit of God doth as certainly communicate assurance of Gods favour power against corruption and to walke with God as the bread doth food to my stomack and the wine sweetnesse to my taste and refreshment to my nature I say the Spirit of the Lord doth as undoubtedly give Christ and his merits the fruit and benefit of them in the forgivenesse of sin and strength against corruption as drynesse goes with the bread and moysture with the wine III. The Character of a sound Christian in seventeen markes Mark I. IF thou canst mourn daily for thy owne corruptions and failings committed yet so as to bee thankfull for the grace received Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Ver. 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord c. So then with the minde I my selfe serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sinne Mar. II. If thou art grieved for the sinnes of the times and places where thou livest Ezek 9.4 And the Lord said unto him goe through the midst of the Citie through the midst of Jerusalem and set a marke upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that bee done in the midst thereof Psalm 119.136 Rivers of water runne downe mine eyes because men keep not thy Law 2 Pet. 2.8 For that righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unlawfull deeds Mar. III. If when thou mournest for the sinnes of the times thou take heed that thou art not infected with them Phil. 2.15 That yee may bee blamelesse and harmelesse the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom yee shine as lights in the world Act. 20.40 And with many other words did hee testifie and exhort saying Save your selves from this untoward generation Jam. 1.27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widow in their affliction and to keep himselfe unspotted from the world 1 Pet. 4.4 Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to same excesse of riot speaking evill of you Mar. IV. If thou endeavourest to get victory over thy corruptions art daily more circumspect over thy waies and more fearfull to fall in time to come 1 Cor. 9 27. But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my waies that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked are before me Job 40.5 Once have I spoken but I will not answer thee yea twice but I will proceede no further Phil. 2.12 Wherefore my beloved as ye have alwaies obeyed not as in my presence only but now much more in mine absence worke out your owne salvation with fear and trembling Pro. 28.14 Happy is the man that feareth alway Mar. V. If thou canst chide thy owne heart for the coldnesse and dulness of it to good duties and use all holy means for quickning it up afterward Ps 43.5 Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance my God Ps 57.8 Awake my glory awake psaltery and harp I my self will awake early Isa 64.7 And there is none that calleth on thy name that stirreth up themselves to take hold of thee Judg. 5.12 Awake awake Deborah awake awake utter a song arise Barak and lead thy captivity captive thou son of Abinoam Mar. VI. If thou canst be patient under afflictions and better for afflictions Heb. 12.5 And yee have forgotten the exhortation which speaks unto you as unto children My son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him Heb. 12.11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous but grievous neverthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse unto them that are exercised thereby Ps 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy words Jer. 5.3 O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder then a rock they have refused to returne Mar. VII If thy conversation bee in heaven that is if thy thoughts and the course of thy life be heaven-wards Phil. 3.20 For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we looke for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ Col. 3.2 Set your affections on things above not on things on the earth Heb. 11.15 And truly if they had been mindefull of that countrey from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned Mar. VIII If thou delight to speak with God in thy praiers and that God should speak to thee in his Word Rom. 8. 26. Likewise also the Spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what wee should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered Joh. 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God Mar. IX If thou art as well content to submit thy heart and life to Gods Word in all things even when it crosses thee in thy profits and pleasures as thou art content to come and hear it Isa 2.3 And many people shall goe and say Come ye and let us goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his waies and we will walk in his paths Ezek. 33.32 And lo thou art to them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument for they heare thy words but they doe them not Mar. X. If thou canst relie constantly by faith on the