freed from the guilt of sinne in justification from the slavery of sin in sanctification In Act. 8. when Peter was in the towne streets he perceived hee was not in a dreame but it was a thing reall so it is with thy soule Canst thou finde that God hath knockt off thy fetters then thou mayst know this is a realitie not a dreame of grace If Peter had dreamed he had been out of prison and had been fettered in the morning hee would have knowne hee had been in a dreame so thou hast dreamed that God hath renewed thee Are thy fetters of sin on thee then it was but a dream indeed and when thou awakest by death thou shalt see thy selfe bound up in chaines of darknesse Psalm 45.17 All the sonnes of God are Princes all Gods servants are free-men 1 Cor. 7.22 If thou art Christs thou art a free man to be carried uncontrollably to good though sinne and Sathan conspire against thee they shall never overcome thee but thou shalt still be victorious Qu. But what shall we say of many that seeme holy whose sinnes clogge thim heavily Where was Saint Pauls freedome when hee was led captive as hee speakes of himselfe Of the captivity of sin in the godly An. A man may be led captive and yet be free too This freedome in captivity appeares in three things 1. Though many times by the violence of Occasions the Saints are surprized yet they have hearts to approve of the good they cannot do This is that Saint Iames speaks of Chap. 1. ult If a man saith he hath Religion and sweareth and rayleth against Gods truth hee deceives himselfe but this is pure religion to keep a mans selfe unspotted Looke as it is with a City besieged when it is taken the enemies make those that are in the city sweare to their King if now a man resolves to take his death rather then the oath he keepes himselfe unspotted from treason So Sathan by long siege transports the heart unto the commission of evill yet the soule keepes it selfe untainted when it chuses the good it cannot do Deut. 22.25 if an adulterer offer a rape to a Virgin the sinne is his that forced her it lies not on the party forced so Sathan in a sort forceth the soule to the commission of evill if therefore thine heart beare it as a burthen the fault is Sathans and not thine 2. Yet the soule takes part with the word against both the temptations that would inveigle it the corruptions that would foyle it As it approveth all good so it joynes sides with the word against all evill Rom. 7.15 I doe the thing that I hate The spirit lusteth against the flesh the heart is resolved to die in the quarrell though it cannot prevaile as it would yet it will fight as it can 2 Cor. 13.8 I can doe nothing against the truth 3 The soule gets the upper hand of evill David was never adulterous more Peter never denied his master more the soule not onely reformes infirmities outwardly but subdues the distempers inwardly 1 Ioh. 5 18. Hee keepes himselfe that the evill one touch him not Rom. 8.2 The law of the Spirit sets a man free from the law of sin and of death Sathan saith Thou mayst be full of malice and spleen the law of meeknesse saith I will not bee full of spleen so also the law of humility takes off the law of pride Pro. 28.13 Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinne shall finde mercy the same phrase is used Gen. 2. The wife shall forsake father and mother The woman forsakes First the place and company Secondly the authority of father and mother Thirdly shee is not to perform what service they will require but what her husband requires so the soule must forsake the house of sin If thou wert married to Christ thou wouldst loathe the place and abhorre the society of those that goe down into hell themselves and lead others with them I say if a man were married to Christ hee would not bee under the authority of corruption but being delivered from the bondage of sinne will utterly forsake it To get liberty labour for holinesse Use 3. The third Use is of exhortation The former truth should force every soule to imploy the best of his endeavours to gaine this holinesse Will any man be a free man let him be an holy man Bee sure of the one and thou canst not misse of the other and where the one is not the other cannot bee Liberty should bee like a load-stone to draw us to it Nature hateth slavery then if we would bee freed from it let us get holinesse Experience teaches that the poor bird will beat her selfe to death rather then be kept in a Cage What poor shifts men in captivitie take to bee freed from those that are hard taskemasters over them our often Briefes shew Wee are all captives taken by the policy of Satan Let us make a gathering out of the stock of the prayers of Gods servants and let thine owne prayer bee Oh guide and direct mee how to get power against my corruptions How carefull are men to purchase the liberty of a Corporation and how highly doe they account of it when they have it In Acts 22.23 Saint Paul saith he purchased to be a free man of Rome with a great summe What slavish hearts have wee then when we may be incorporated into the body of Christ and will stick for a little Goe and sell that you have what ever it cost you that you may bee free men in Christianitie Christ saith Joh. 8.32 If you continue in my words you shall be free To continue in Gods word is to submit to the authority of the truth for if we doe thus we are free Rev. 6.2 And I saw and behold a white horse c. The white horse there is the truth It is called a white horse because of the purity of it and it prevailes wheresoever it comes Would you be free then let the Word prevaile in you Is it not every mans desire that when the strength of corruption and the violence of persecution presse in upon him then to be conquerour of all Labour then to get this image of God and you shall be above all things but God and be carried on incontrollably in a good course §. 7. NOw wee proceed to the image of God in the affections of Adam as love joy Of Gods image in the affections delight sorrow feare which are seated in the sensitive soule for all sensitive creatures have them The poore creature feares the whip and the creature againe sports and delights it selfe Now these Adam had and in these was the image of God Qu. What was the image of God in the affections of Adam Ans It appeared in that serviceable subjection What it is sweet agreement and submission which they did yeeld unto holy will and right reason The Understanding directed what should bee done the
none could receive it unless he had the image of God Hence I say they consult together about it I will create saith the Father and do you create Sonne and doe you create Spirit The work of the Father is discovered in creation the work of the Sonne in redemption the work of the Spirit in sanctification all concurre to make him partaker of happinesse This is the cause why no other creature is capable of happinesse but Men and Angels because they onely have the image of God Reas 2. Because God would have one creature above the rest that should take notice of his attributes discovered in his workes God would have the glory of his attributes that are manifested in his workes Hee creates a world in that world hee expresses the workes of wisedome power and holiness When first the heavens were bespangled with stars the earth replenished with fruits the sea with fishes no creature could see Gods worke-manship and honour him for it therefore God makes man in his owne image makes him able by wisedome to conceive his works and gives him wisedome to returne him honour from all It is requisite there should bee some spectators The goodnesse of God is in the heavens they at it were speake the providence of God now wee see these things and cannot but admire them Psalm 103. ult The Psalmist speaking there concerning the wonders of God in the heavens marke what he addes Blesse the Lord all yee all his workes As who should say All yee sonnes of men come hither see and wonder at the power goodnesse of God in these things and blesse his name for them Prov. 3.6 Acknowledge the Lord in all thy wayes The creature cannot acknowledge God because it wants the image of God but man that hath a spirituall ability to know God cannot but acknowledge him in all his wayes Men that have any curious workmanship which they would have seene build up a stage for the better view of it Why should they set it forth if there were no man to come and observe it Just so God does he makes the whole frame of the world and in that expresses his power and goodnesse To what purpose should all these bee made if there were no man to see them and wonder at them Exod. 14.4 When God would raise his honour out of Pharaoh he sets him upon a stage He might have beene slaine amongst the first borne but hee brings him into the middest of the Sea and there slew him This passed not without observation insomuch that the Heathens could say These are the Gods that slew Pharaoh c. What should bookes doe if there were no schollars The world is the booke of Gods goodnesse wherefore should this be if there were no man to studie it Use 1. The first use is of instruction Dutie to God in this respect to teach us what our duty should be to God since his kindnesse is such to us Adam was a common root therefore what Adam had thou hast in him Hence then take notice of the extraordinary duty wee owe unto God Hath God done more for us then for other creatures then let us do more for him All the world joyned together have not received so much as man As the excellency of man is above all so his care should be to returne more to God bestow the best affections the utmost labour for the promoting of the praise of God What a shame is it for a Prince to turne a Peasant for Adam the best to become the worst If the dog returne to the vomit and the sow to the wallowing in the myre if the horse and mule have no understanding it is their nature but Adam hath not the image of an irrationall creature but the image of God yea of that God that takes it in great indignation that all should serve us we will not serve him The Lord lights his candle for man to labour by he drawes his curtaine for man to rest by the creatures lift us up to God and say Serve him more then all Isaiah 1.2 The Lord makes his moane to the creatures Shall all creatures obey God better then man when man was made better by creation then them When thou findest thy heart sluggish quicken thy selfe thus Aske the fowles of the ayre and they will tell thee thou receivedst all from God returne all unto him againe When thou seest the heavens turne in their compasse condemne thy soule that thou art so dead hearted in duty The Sunne rejoyces like a Gyant to runne his course because God commands it the sea ebbes and flowes because God will have it so Nay the creatures will doe against their nature for God 1. King 13.5 Oh Altar heare the word of the Lord and the Altar breaks in peices the poore stones rend in sunder at the commandement of God and yet after so many threatnings we stoup not let us see it and bee ashamed Ob. But wee cannot obey God Ans Yet see thy bond though thou canst not pay it see thy debt be humbled though thou it not able to satisfie for it Use 2. The second use is It is not for one made after Gods image to dote on the creatures Learne from hence not to be servants to those that God hath made servants to you Wee should not bee doting daily upon these empty shadows because they are unworthy the nature of man Shall the Lord make us better then the best of all creatures and shall wee abase our selves below the meanest condition of the lowest creature Think of this that wee may consider whence we are fallen as God speakes to that Church in Rev. 2. The drunkard is a slave to his cups the covetous man is a drudge to the dirt of this world the ambitious mans being is the favour of men Nay more man is become not onely a slave to the creatures but a vassall to his owne lusts Let us be ashamed of this The Apostle 1 Cor. 3.21 when divers had disputed of the excellency of Paul and Apollo sayes Hee all is yours therefore glory not in your servants The argument fals more strongly here Bestow not your selves on these empty things they are your servants bee not vassals to them Men beare themselves according to their birth the King scornes to stoup to a Peasant and a man of Nobility scornes to stoup to a dung-hill churle Oh that wee were thus wise for our soules beare up your selves according to your birth and thinke thus with your selves When profits and pleasures crave your services a man should conceive in an holy ambition that his heart were too good to trust to lying vanities Man is of a better birth and should answer them as Christ did the Pharisies comming to tempt him Matth. 22.21 who when they asked if it were lawfull to give tribute to Caesar requireth a penny askes them Whose image superscription hath it They answering Caesars saith Give unto Caesar that which
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
to the governement of that good Word There is a passage that sometimes hath been much in my thoughts in Psal 119.29 Take from me the way of lying and grant me thy Law Sin is a way of lying not only a step of lying but a way of lying the whole guise cariage of it is deceitful now when he saith take away the way of lying his meaning is I cannot master it my self but good Lord take it away And the text addeth grant me thy Law as who should say It is the greatest blessing the soul desireth to enjoy in this life For when the soul is cōtent that God should pluck away every corruption from him even the dearest it is a signe of grace Qu. But the question here growes further namely how a man shall understand whether hee be content that God should take from him the way of lying and to part with every beloved corruption Answ You shall observe this in two or three passages 1 Do thus observe either what speciall sinne you have in your soule and what the darling and the secret distemper of the heart is 2. Or if not that then observe what a man is in his calling there be some particular corruptions that sally out upon a man when hee comes to his particular place for sometimes when the sin of a mans nature and constitution hath failed yet the sinne of his calling hath overthrown him and also discovered him to be false 3. And thirdly observe what it is in the world or in any outward contentment a man puts the highest price and the greatest esteeme upon as thus One man he esteemes wealth is not able to endure poverty and another man esteemes his credit and he cannot abide to suffer shame another man the glory of his parts that hee would have a sufficiency above another c. Now I say if yee will trie whether the soule be content that God should take away the sinfulnesse of the heart try it thus 1. By finding out if the soule bee in good earnest content that the Lord should discover all these courses and whatever sinne is in them and should shame him for them 2. If the Lord should take away all these and the Word take place and pull away all these distempers and then the soule findes a restlesnesse untill the Lord pluck them away from him 3. Whether the soule is willing and strives much and contends sadly that it may be content that the Lord should take all that outward excellency from him that is so much prized by him If hee prize wealth to bee content that God should make him a begger if he prize his credit content that God should cover him with shame if hee prize his parts and gifts content that God should make him lye in the dust Whatever the soul is not content to part withall if it be a temporall thing that is a way of lying and he loves it imoderately Oh where is that man that can beare contempt that can beare poverty and is willing to be left under the table and to bee made base in the eyes of the world Hee that would hold any thing that he is not content the Word should take away it is certaine that that is the king and the master and the commander of the heart Now the text adds And grant mee thy Law Whether the heart have this frame is discovered in these three particulars 1. The heart puts the highest price upon the Word and the graces of God therein working and conveighed thereby as namely thus The soule that is addicted to covetousnesse cries Grant mee liberality Lord the soule that is addicted to pride prayes Grant me humility he puts a higher price upon that which is contrary to his sinne then ever his sinne was sweete to him 2. Hee lookes for and is willing also to entertaine the authority of the Word to order him and to carry him out to this way and worke Thirdly and lastly he finds a full sufficiency and contentednesse herein Grant mee thy Law I desire no more Now by this time a man is fully under the authority of the Word though I cannot doe what I would my corruptions being strong my temptations boysterous yet take from mee the way of lying Whether it be my beloved sinne or sinne of my calling or the outward comforts of those things I prize I am content it should be taken away And when it saith Grant me thy Law 1. It most prizeth it 2. It most yeelds unto it 3. It is satisfied therein By this time I say it appeares a man hath a title unto the Lord Christ Touching the fitting of our selves for the Sacrament two things are a little to be attended 1. The necessity of our comming The second is the manner how to prepare our hearts when wee doe come that we may come fitted and as we are necessarily injoyned prepared to this Table of the Lord. For the first severall questions are to bee propounded and answered and then the point will be cleered Quest 1. Is it left unto a mans liberty to come or not to come unto the Sacrament Answ It is not a point of indifferency it is a point of necessity which the Lord layeth upon us as a duty which God expecteth from us if God affords occasion with conveniency it is a sinne in us to doe the contrary I say If God afford occasion with conveniency nothing should detain us from cōming yet some straight may haply lie upon a man that it were neither requisite nor reasonable for him then to presse in to that duty As 1. Were it so that a man could not receive the Sacrament unlesse he should crosse some comfortable assurance of Gods favour towards him in the committing of some sin as to receive it by halfs as the Papists do then he were not bound nay hee ought not to receive it it is not a point of conveniency for no man must doe evill that good may come thereof it is their fault who pollute the holy ordinance in aberring from Christs institution it is not my fault not to receive 2. The second case of inconveniencie is when a man shall occasionally presse into a place and not bee acquainted with the Congregation or give offence unto it because he belongs not unto that Congregation in this case the Lord affords him liberty to depart the reason is because it is a wrong done seeing hee cannot come unto Gods ordinance without being troublesome unto the people where he is which God who is the God of order allowes not nor requires 3. If the Sacrament bee so ordered and so given and celebrated as the occasion of the times carry that haply it is done three or foure times in the weeke by reason of the multitude of the Congregation as now on Easter day Easter munday and Easter tuesday and the like I take it a man is not bound here at all times to come particularly to the Sacrament and the reason
is this because God requires that I should come alwaies to a Congregation when according to the order of the Church it is appointed or celebrated for all but here it is celebrated at severall times for severall persons by reason of the greatnesse of the Congregation And now these cautions premised it is a sin for a man not to take all the occasions in the place where hee lives to partake of Gods ordinance that hee hath appointed for his good Now the grounds of the Point are these 1. Our own necessity might justly require this our sinnes many wee want strength and power against them our abilities small weakenesse of grace great and therefore we had need of all the helps that may encourage us of all the means that might strengthen us of all Gods ordinances that might carry us on with more chearfulnesse and comfort and sufficiency in a Christian course 2. Look wee here to the mercy of God and the richnesse of Gods goodnesse and the bounty and the large provision that God makes for us hee also requires our care and christian attendance unto the enjoyment of the meanes for our good the Lord is the Master of the Feast it is his mercy to provide these means and his free grace to give us liberty to enjoy them then to turn our back unto these ordinances is to cast his kindenesse into the kennell it is an high dishonour to God and an high contempt unto his ordinances Quest. 2. But what if a man bee not prepared for the Sacrament is hee then bound to come Answ No he ought not to come unto the Supper of the Lord but this hee must know His sin is desperate his offence is hainous and high that he is thus unworthy and sinfull and unprepared for to come and therefore he must not rest here in this estate but take it as a marvellous hainous and miserable condition wherein hee must never give himselfe rest untill he get out thereof There is such a peevishnes of distemper in a mans spirit such an idleness in his nature that because he cannot have and do what he would therefore he will neither have nor doe what he should and because his heart is not humbled and the like therefore he will be content to continue in his corruptions and keepe his sinne and cast Gods kindnesse behind him for in effect he saith he will not doe what hee should unlesse the Lord will doe for him what he list A gaine there is also an idle distemper in the heart when a man thinks thus If I should come to the Sacrament I must walke thus strictly and exactly and I must part with my corruption and that is the reason we will not receive the Sacrament Quest 3. But you will say What great sinne is there in this that a man should abstain from comming to the Sacrament wherein appeares it Answ It appeares in this in that the soule loveth his sinne and harboureth his corruption more tenderly and imbraceth it more neerly and prizeth it more highly then he doth the bloud of Christ or the mercy and favour of God in Christ this every man that will not prepare for the Sacrament nor come to the Sacrament shewes by his practice and proclaims in the course of his life The second thing to bee handled was After what maner or how he should be prepared There bee two things here considerable 1. How a man should bee prepared for the Sacrament 2. How he may partake of the benefit and fruit of the Sacrament For the former that a man may bee prepared for the Sacrament two things are required 1. He must have these graces Faith Repentance Knowledge and Love for without these no man can receive good from the Sacrament Ob. But here may some object and say If a man cannot find or feel that he hath grace must he therefore abstaine Ans A mans sense and feeling and the judgement that he passeth upon himselfe out of his weaknesse is no rule to go by in this case The reason is because many times the best Saints are most suspicious and hee that hath most grace in temptation hath least sense and feeling of his grace Qu. Why how then what course must hee take and by what rule must he be judged An. He must openly nakedly plainly and to the full lay open his estate unto some faithfull judicious and holy-hearted Minister and if upon sincere relation of his estate the Minister out of the Word shall answer all the objections that he can make against himselfe and is able to give out of his owne relation arguments to convince him then is hee bound to submit unto the Word and to addresse himselfe unto the partaking of the Sacrament 2. For preparation to the Sacrament it is not enough for a man to have these graces but he must renew them and put fresh colours upon all those spirituall abilities that God hath bestowed upon him hee must not only have faith repentance knowledge and love but hee must renew all these For the renewing of repentance observe this Look what sin thy soule hath over-loved look what staines and blots thy heart hath taken since thou hast received the Sacrament and get thy heart more loosened from every sin then ever it was before the committing of it and never leave it untill it bee come to a right set and frame and as ready to entertaine the grace that is in Christ and to submit thereto as formerly thou hast been nay more then ever thou wast before Also renew thy faith thus Looke what doubtings and staggerings thou hast had since the last Sacrament how thy faith hath been weakned and clouded and renew this grace afresh and to this purpose remember this rule See a greater insufficiencie in thy selfe then ever thou didst formerly and come with greater boldnesse and confidently expect more mercy and favour from the Lord by his ordinances then ever thou didst before And so likewise for renewing of thy love observe this rule See a greater need of the Sacrament then formerly thou hast done and then see a greater strength assistance to be received from the Sacrament every day more and more Now for the second thing which is the way to partake of the good of the Sacrament that is done these waies 1. You must rightly inform your selves of what you must expect from and what you may have in the Sacrament what you come for and what is there to be gotten All spiritual good that your hearts can desire is to be had here The soul can want nothing can desire nothing God hath promised nothing can bestow nothing but it is here to be received The ground is this because Christ is there and all his merits and he that hath the Sonne hath life and in him all things In a word all that the sinner can desire as the pardon of what is amisse in him power for the subduing of all corruptions for him and the quickning
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.
hearts c. love one another with a pure heart First we must have an heart purified by the spirit and then we must love one another if purity be not within love cannot be without therefore delude not your selves If thou seest a mans life profane let him pretend what kindnesse he wil let him promise golden mountaines he will never love thee David behaved himselfe wisely so that Saul confessed him to be righteous yet unrighteousnesse was in Sauls heart and he against reason persecuted him as a partridge on the mountaines Judas that lived in the bosome of our Saviour and never received evill from him which a man would have thought should have wrought upon him yet loving money more then Christ hee sold him for thirtie peeces of silver Never trust a wicked man for he will sell thee for sixe pence Doe not thinke with thy selfe I will walke so carefully that I will binde him to my love Oh poore creature thou canst not have what he cannot do unlesse thou canst give him a righteous heart thou canst never receive love from him If a man have an horse that is surfetted within or is lame of his legges feed him with the best provender he will halt still unlesse his lamenesse be cured It is an idle delusion when you think to win him by friendlinesse alas hee that hath a naughty heart will oppose thee notwithstanding all thy kindnesse Pro. 12.10 The tender mercies of the wicked are cruelty That man can never be a friend to you that is a foe to himselfe He loveth not his own soule therefore hee cannot affect thee heartily Use 3. We must hence see what course to take To love a right begin in this righteousnesse that we may be inlarged in duties of love to our selves and others which is the masterpiece of a Christian All the whole Law consists in this one word Love Love is the end of our being Rom. 13.10 and there is no better evidence of grace under heaven then this Labour to get righteousnesse within and love will be expressed without Look what course God took in the creation of Adam in paradise the same hee takes in our renovation for first he made Adam righteous and then Adam performed all duties of love to his brethren The deeper the root of righteousnesse is the more will be the fruit of love Wee take the wrong way to labour to squeeze out a little kinde behaviour the old nature will returne to the old course but labour to get thy heart rooted in righteousness and love will grow abundantly in thy whole course The Musitian will first string his instrument before hee play with it the waggoner will have his wheeles prepared otherwise they draw heavily so if thou wouldest have thy heart make musicke before God tune it with righteousnesse and then thy practice will go on chearfully If a man had a righteous heart he would doe good even to an enemy but it must be the spirit of God that must work this in thee Rom. 8.2 Hee that will have heat must come to the fire that is hot other things are but heated so thou must come to God and desire him to worke it in thee The Apostle saith 1 Joh 4.7 God is love wouldest thou therefore get love then get more neare God that he may worke this righteousnesse in thee for it is he that enableth us to doe every good worke §. 6. NOw we come to another passage Of free-will in Adam from wisedome in the understanding and holinesse and righteousnesse in the will there flowes a third thing and it is that which we call freewill he had power to doe good which floweth from the two former parts Freewill to doe good is the garland of all graces and is made up of them We may easily perceive it by the want of it for we hang back and cannot be brought to the performance of service due to God Adam had a freedome of will which was the excellency and beauty of wisdome holinesse and righteousnesse Quest What is freewill What it is A. It is a speciall priviledge proceeding from the image of God in Adam whereby he was able to chuse any good without any impediment yet after a mutable manner In this description are foure things 1. It is a speciall priviledge proceeding from the image of God viZ. holinesse righteousnesse and wisedome The statelinesse of a building comes from all the parts conjoyned beat down the parts and it will bee an heape of stones so freewill is the structure that God put on Adam whose beauty flowes from the joyning together of wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse This was a speciall priviledge to Adam no creature besides him and Angels had free liberty to doe good God put this stocke into his hand When I say Adam had this speciall priviledge I do not say therefore he was free from subjection to God for God gave Adam a law and concurred with him in his worke but the dispensation of the worke God left to Adams liberty if he did well he should be rewarded if he did ill he should be punished God would not constrain Adam to his service nor compel him to evill The other creatures could not meddle with him for they were under him therefore he was free Hence the Philosopher observes that praise and dispraise belongs onely to man Wee praise not the fire for burning because it is tyed to it by a bond of necessity but Adam might doe or not doe if he did well he was to bee praised because hee might have done evill if hee did evill he was to be dispraised because he might have done well Still God concurres with Adam as he doth with the nature of the creatures he workes with the fire when it burnes with the sparrow when it flyes for so it is in 2 Cor. 3.17 where the spirit is there is liberty there is a soveraignty in the will of a regenerate man by which all creatures are under his dispose which God will not the creature cannot hinder Therefore Christ saith unto the beleeving Jewes Joh. 8.32 If you heare my words you are free 2. Hee was enabled to chuse any thing that was good Freedome is not seated in the understanding therefore the description saith He chuseth good which is an act of the will The will can imbrace nothing but what the understanding presents unto it 't is true but it is as true that the liberty of freedome lyes mainely in the will For example when a man hath disputed what a duty is and hath concluded it he presents this unto the will which either allowes or rejects it so that still the choice lyeth in the will It is easie to convince a mans understanding all the difficulty is in the will The will saith obstinately I will not heare upon that eare If the Judge be unjust hee will have the Jury bring in a verdict according to his minde When the understanding hath observed
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
full streame of immutable assistance had carried him on daily in his service This is the happinesse of a Saint in heaven not only to be freed from misery and anguish or to have joy and delight a man was not made only for these but to please God If it were possible for a sinfull creature to carry a proud heart to heaven hee were miserable but if a man have holinesse all sweet content is his This is but the second part of happinesse Qu. Why did God make this covenant with Adam Answ This covenant observed had added immutability to Adams happinesse Because it was the only way to conveigh an immutable condition to Adam God had furnished him with all things nothing was wanting but immutability and constancy Immutability is an essentiall property belonging to God Mal. 3.6 Jam. 1.17 therefore it was impossible that any immutable quality should bee put into Adam If Adam had made use of Gods continuall assistance sustaining him though hee were in himselfe mutable yet hee could never have changed A glasse though it bee brittle yet hold it in a mans hand continually it will never break so though Adam were brittle yet if hee would have kept him in the hands of Gods assistance he could not change Adams obedience was an helpe hereto had Adam done Gods will hee had pleased God Gods pleasure is himselfe himselfe is immutable therefore hee must have an immutable assistance The damned in hell did offend God and provoke his displeasure his displeasure was unchangeable therefore he delivereth them up to the authority of sinne to be unchangeably sinfull and perish everlastingly so it was here with Adam Gods pleasure was immutable therefore he pleasing him God must reward him answerably Use 1. The first Use is of Instruction Impossible to bee saved by the Law it is impossible for any man to bee saved by the works of the law Why He that will bee saved by the covenant of works must performe the conditions of the covenant but no man can do this for the law requires personall obedience that is that which comes from his owne power and constant obedience in all things at all times without any failings therefore no man being able to do this no man can have life by his works Rom. 3.20 By the law a man hath knowledge of sinne now if the law discovers a mans sinne and pronounce him guilty of death it cannot save him Gal. 3.10 They that will be saved by the works of the law are cursed for cursed is every man that continueth not in all these things to doe them If a man breake the law but once though hee never breake it more hee could not be saved by it It is impossible for a man to keep the law since the fall and therefore it is impossible for the law to save him Gal. 4.21 Cast out the bond-woman and her son The law begets children to bondage it shewes a man his bondage in sinne and condemnes him for it Adams sin is rightly charged upon us Use 2. Wee learne hence not to repine at the Providence of God not to charge God foolishly because the sin of Adam is imputed to us We have in our hearts the old Proverbe of Judah Our Fathers have eaten sowre grapes and our teeth are set on edge See saith some man Adam hath sinned and shall I be punished Thus the soul snarles at God like a chained dog Labour to quiet all such distempers If Adam had performed the law thou wouldst have beene content to have been happy why then is it not equall that since he broke the law thou shouldst bee plagued It was the argument Job used to his Wife Job 2.10 Shall wee receive good at the hands of God and not evill So when the heart begins to rise against God saying Adam sinned and shall I be plagued Thou speakest foolishly shall wee receive good if he had kept the law and shall we not receive evill since hee hath broke it Are you content to partake of the mercy of Christ and not to partake of Adams sinne who stood in your stead Use 3. The third Use is of direction To live holily get the Spirit of promise how to get power to carry us on in a Christian course If thou wilt stand fast have recourse to that which may support thee have recourse to the Spirit in the promise Our grace is feeble but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever and it will make thee to endure Rev. 14. The reason why the grace of the Saints of God is feeble is because they have not recourse to the Spirit We look to our owne pits no wonder then if the streams of grace be dry have recourse to the fountaine which is Christ 1 Sam. 2.9 10. No man shall prevaile by his owne strength Say as David Psalm 51.14 Stablish mee with thy free Spirit my spirit is feeble and unconstant but doe thou stablish mee Isa 40.29 The strong men shall faile if they trust in themselves but hee that putteth his trust in the Lord shall renew his strength like the Eagle Hence many a weake Christian liveth and dyeth comfortably when as the stronger stagger all their daies because the one trusts to Christ the other to his owne abilities This David makes the foote of a Psalme Psal 136. The mercy of the Lord endureth for ever bee sure therefore to repose thy selfe on that most constant bottome §. 12. Gen. 2.9 And God set two trees in the garden NOw we come to the seals of this Covenant Of the Sacraments of life to Adam and those were two trees the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evill Trees types by Gods appointmēt They were not bare trees but set apart by Gods appointment As water in Baptisme is set apart to be significant to typifie spirituall Baptisme so did the Lord appoint these for a significant end They were naturall trees but had a kinde of institution by God touching the termes of agreement betweene him and Adam Concerning these trees wee must enquire foure things 1. The reason why God appointed them 2. The nature of them 3. The reason of their diversity Why appointed of God 4. The use of the whole For the first of these Why they were appointed I answer God did appoint them for a double end 1. To perswade Adam of his faithfulnesse that hee would put it out of question that hee purposed seriously to doe what hee promised Not that God needed this for any weaknesse on his part but to condescend to the infirmity of Adam When a man hath sealed to a covenant hee cannot fly off therefore the Lord did it to make all sure and to fence them against the policy of Sathan who told the woman shee should not dye Gen. 3.5 As if he should say God grudges at your happinesse hee knowes if you eate you shall live Therefore the Lord sets his seale to certifie Adam
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
alone when they were assaulted by troubles but when they were oppressed with them too not when they met with miseries but when they fell into them now when hee falls into a pit that he is over head and eares in it he falls into the snare so that hee is intangled in it and yet then he must count it joy and further not when they fall into some temptations out of which there were some hope to get out with some speed but when they fall into many and yet more to make the matter wonderfull he wils them not alone to count it some joy but all joy When their miseries were so great that more could not be endured yet there their joy must bee so great that more could not be expressed A duty wonderfull hard and wonderfull heavenly and therefore in verse 4. he adds marvellous sweet and pithie reasons to perswade to so heavenly a taske and they be taken from the incomparable profit that would come thereby a man should be a gainer by all his losses and a getter by all his extremities The triall of their faith would bring forth patience and let patience have her perfect worke and then they shall be perfect and intire and want nothing For they that have no want may have all joy if any in the world may But because the feeble heart might here haply reply How shall a poor sinner who wants both wisedome and strength bee skilfull to know how to carry himselfe in such extremities or yet bee able to undergoe such pressures passing strength To this the Apostle answers in the 5. verse If any man want wisdome let him aske it of God who gives abundantly and upbraids no man and it shall be given him By wisedome is meant not the grace of spirituall understanding in the generall but that speciall point of wisedome which might sute with the present occasion and make a man cunning to carry the crosse And the Apostle so propounds the direction that it might answer and point to all the carnall pleas that a corrupt and distressed heart might cast in the way and therefore you shall observe each circumstance is worth observancie If any of you bee banished and persecuted not only such as are able Christians of great graces and large abilities of glorious parts and performances and therefore might hope to speed best no if any the weakest the feeblest and the meanest Oh but I want a world of wisedome so much that it 's not like to finde a sufficient supply a little will not serve the turn Why behold the Lord gives abundantly richly if thou beest a beggar in knowledge he hath riches of knowledge and he can supply thee Oh but I have abused his mercy and help in this kinde which he hath given mee and therefore I feare hee will give mee no more He will not upbraid the sinner for what hee did abuse the text adds hee upbraids no man but will give him what he needs and askes Oh but what 's that to mee that God hath enough to bestow on whom he will if hee will give none to mee Behold this also is answered for the words say If any man aske it shall bee given him Now this may seem strange and to be too good to be true to a distressed spirit and a distrustfull soule Why is it possible that God should give wisedome to mee who am so ignorant succour and supply to mee who am so weake and unbeleeving I cannot imagine it I cannot think it much lesse can I expect it at the hands of God therfore the Apostle in the words rehearsed gives us a caution to his former direction Let him aske in faith What a man askes it shall be given him but take this with you alwaies provided hee aske in faith otherwise if a man doubt he shall be disappointed of his hopes So that the scope of the words are to teach us how to pray that wee may bee sure to obtaine what wee pray for In the words two things are to be considered 1. The duty required Pray in faith 2. The hinderance to be avoyded which may let the duty Nothing wavering and this wavering is further amplified by a double argument against it 1. A distressed distrustfull staggering heart needs nothing to vexe trouble it because it wil be racked and tormented in it selfe in restlesse disquiet for such a man is like unto the sea waves whirling now this way tossing againe that way Feares and hopes are the hangmen of the heart Hope sayes It may bee and Feare sayes I suspect it will not be thus a man becomes like a wave 2. This doubting doth debarre a man of that he should have Let not that man think to have any thing at the hands of God Thus the Apostle cuts off the soule from any expectation of good Let not that man as though hee had said Let none such plead any priviledge for neither shall be accepted that unbeleever nor that party nor any that staggers and wavers doubting of the performance of Gods promise Againe hee saith not thus He shall not receive any great favour but he shall receive nothing from the Lord. To put it past peradventure hee adds peremptorily Let not such a man cozen himselfe with vaine hopes and groundlesse expectations that yet the Lord will pity and supply him Hee affirmes expressely Let him not think it I would not have him so much as imagine such a matter for it will never be We purpose only to trade in the maine dutie which will be our taske at this present so that the Doctrine will be Doct. Hee that purposes to prevaile in prayer must bee sure to aske in faith For the sense of the Doctrine it is here to be conceived that it is presumed in the text that a man hath faith and hee that is to pray is supposed to bee a beleever for how can he pray in faith that hath no faith But that is not all nor sufficient to expresse the sense of the point That he that prayes should bee a beleever but that hee should put forth the power and vertue of his faith in prayer Nay further it is not alone here required that hee should put forth the work of faith in generall touching the Covenant as that God is reconciled to him but that hee should exercise the work of his faith touching that particular which he is to begge and which hee now begs at the hands of God and this especially is to bee attended For these two works are farre differing one from another and may be one without another Each faithfull man doth beleeve the covenant of grace touching the pardon of his sinne and the attainment of eternall life through Christ and yet may stagger on the promise touching some particular which God hath promised and hee stands in need of Thus Abraham was ruled by God Gen. 12. and cast himselfe upon the call command and promise of the Lord departing from his kindred and fathers
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