us and we have seen his Glory So the beloved Apostle witnesses of him He took on him not the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Thus the Son of God became the son of man being miraculously conceived of the Holy Ghost in the womb of Mary the Virgin over-shadowed by Gods Spirit and born of her in the humane nature like to us in all things except sin Thus was God the Son made manifest in the flesh by assuming the Nature not the person for then had he been two sons and two persons of man to himself This Man Christ Jesus hath body and soul the two substantial parts of Man even as we have as appear'd in his whole progress both which he hath Glorified not nullified This Fatherless man is as Wonderful as the same motherless God for who can declare his Generation as to the manner of it Thus Infiniteness confined himself God eternal was born of a finite poor Virgin Here is an Object indeed for the best knowledge of the best man God become man 3. Christ is God-man Emmanuel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God with us The true Ithiel God with me the very Vcal who is All. In him by hypostatical Union the humane nature with the Divine do both subsist in God the Son the second person of the divine Trinity Here is indeed a complication of ineffable wonders As there one Divine Nature subsists distinctly in three divine Persons So here two Natures the divine and humane subsist both in one person each of them acting and remaining distinctly conjunctly and inseparably incommutably and unconfusedly as the Fathers expressed it to avoid Errors on both hands Here is no mixtion nor composition no confusion nor conversion but a mysterious and transcendant Union from whence flow the various expressions of Scripture 1. When that is attributed to each Nature which properly belongs thereto as suffering to humane Nature and also when that is attributed to the person which therein belongs to both natures as to be Mediatour this is most proper Secondly When that which is common to the whole Person as to be Mediator is attributed only to one of the Natures suppose to the humane this is more improper Thirdly When that which is proper to one Nature is attributed to the other Nature in concreto by a name denoting the whole Person In that sense its true that God purchased his Church by his Blood and that the King of Glory was crucified by communication of Properties Yet this acception is the most improper of the three being Metonymical as the second is Synecdochical In man two imperfect Natures Soul and Body are coadunated with reservation of Proprieties to the constituting of one Suppositum and Person by the vertue of God Christs Person in the divine Nature being most perfect took the humane nature into the unity of one person by his own Vertue So that its one and the same Christ visible according to the humane invisible according to the divine Nature This hypostatical Union was the work of the Trinity mediately of the Holy Ghost immediately and of the Son terminatively The Fathers compare this Mysterie to the joint work of three Sisters making up one vesture and putting it all conjunctly upon the second of them It was necessary that Christ should be God 1. To impart an infinite value and vertue to his compleat Obedience 2. To overcome all sufferings and enemies 3. To communicate all effectually by his Spirit to his people It was as needful that he should be man 1. Because the Godhead could not suffer Secondly because the same Nature that had offended was to satisfie 3. That our Nature corrupted by the first Adam might be restored by the second Christ Jesus our Lord. Thus is Christs Person the Amiable Object of our Knowledge Secondly CHrist considered in his Office is a precious Object his chief business as Mediator being to procure effectual Reconciliation to the saving of his people by his perfect Oblation presented to God for them and applied to them by Gods Spirit He assumed the Name and function of Jesus the Saviour He was anointed as the Christ of God with all suitable qualifications and made Lord of all but especially made our Lord and Saviour by personal appropriation and effectual application Thus was Christ voluntarily made of a woman under the Law subjecting himself in that wonderful dispensation of his Mediation to receive from the Father his Call to that redeeming Function There was no defect in God but in us only who wanted skil power and will utterly to the curing and saving of our selves Christ therefore was divinely anointed to be our Soveraign Prophet Priest and Prince to effect all for us and in us needful to salvation As a Prophet he Reveals the whole Council of God As a Priest he makes full expiation to God and Intercession for us As a Kingly Prince he subdues all spiritual Enemies and makes all things serviceable to the guidance and protection of his people under his Soveraign Rule and Government All this he did and doth by his Eternal Spirit as the Scripture Records freely fully surely and singularly being therein a glorious Object of Christian knowledge Thirdly Christ in his Progress is considerable under a double state of Humiliation and Exaltation 1. HIs Humiliation appeared in all the steps of his Conception and Birth of his Life and Passion of his death and Burial most wonderfully This God head was then covered with the dark vail of his humane Nature mourning as it were in the sad habit of his infirmities for his peoples Enormities He willingly then eclipsed his divine light within the dark Lanthorn of this submissive state he humbled himselfe to exalt us he emptied himself that he might fill us He parted with all that he might give us all He shewed himself to be the Son of man to the lowest degree that he might bring all his into the state of Children Had there not been an absolute necessity thereof he had never done it Had not our case been so desperate could any other way have expiated and destroyed his peoples sins Christ had not come down from the height of Glory to the bottom of ignominy Here is an object of admiration indeed God humbled to a childs state growing up by degrees in Stature and Grace doing and suffering every moment for his enemies in rebellious arms Behold the Son of man wrastling with earth and hell yea with heaven it self conflicting with mans rage the devils fury and the wrath of God! What think you of sin the murtherer of this Christ and of that Love which gave him to the death Thus made he his soul a sacrifice for sin that he might see his seed and the good will of the Lord prospering in his hands He laid in the grave to confirm his
are efficaciously moved to close with him and keep close to him by Matrimonial Reciprocations Thus doth the gracious knowledge of Christ Receive its first Being and progressive Operations from that Light of Life imparted to Gods people in this conjugal Union and Communion I will betroth thee unto me saith the God of Grace in Kindness and Mercy in Truth and Judgement and thou shalt know the Lord. Admirable sure in this divine Acquaintance that is thus twisted by the Lords own hand and embraced by a gracious hand Rare is that Jewel which is so curiously wrought for the Workmanship of the God of Heaven Therein do shine all divine Attributes in their Orient brightness at the wedding Feast of the King of Saints Is not this Life eternal thus to know the Father the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent Doth not this Sun of Righteousness bring Healing under his Wings to all that fear his Name Is not he that Living that quickening Light that dispels all darkness and Death by his gracious Visits and Influxe Do not his amiable Aspects produce a joyful Spring of all Divine Graces in the New world by his glorious Light and efficacious Heat Doth he not Ravish with divine Embraces the New Creature with his All-searching Presence and his perfective Influence through all the Beams of his Transcedent communications Do not his Active Rayes cherish by all his renewed Motions the Principles of Life given to all his This Divine Sun never ecclipsed but once for the salvation of his though he seems often to be clouded in his alternative Access and Recess 3. The final cause of this gracious Knowledge adds very much to the choyiceness thereof We may consider it both as Supream and subordinate 1. THe supream Ultimate end of it is Gods Glory which is also the end of all things else which are all made for him This Relative Glory of God which was laid in the dust by mans Rebellion Christ undertook to repair which he performed fully giving satisfaction in Mans Nature and so glorifying all the divine Attributes Thus in the first building up of Zion as in the Restauration and preservation thereof he still appears in the Glory of all his Excellencies His Power and Wisdom his Greatness and Goodness his Mercy and Justice his Truth and Holiness shine Radiantly in every part of it Christ thereby read us our Lesson and writ a fair Copy for our Imitation that we may glorifie God by the knowledge of him in giving each of the Divine persons their proper honor 1. The Father for giving such a Son for such enemies and upon such terms All the honour of Christ redounds to his Father For the Son doth nothing but what he hath seen the Father do and speaks not of himself but the Father by him 2. The Son by our embracing and publishing desiring and esteeming the particulars of his Infinite Glory whereof he is so full that we have still cause to admire with all Saints the length and bredth the heighth and depth of it in the manifestation of all his Excellencies 3. The holy Ghost by whose special favour and Influence we are made partakers thereof He shall take of mine said Christ and impart it to you For all that the Father hath is mine What Infinite Condescension is it for that glorious Spirit to stoop thus to sinful Dust and Ashes to Reveal and apply the gracious Counsels of God in Christ Yea to bear with our Ignorance and unbelief contempt and neglect abuse and Affronts Nay more to dwell in such dunghils and Receptacles of all filthy Lusts What Infinite Mercy is that which carries on the work of Grace through all Opposition and keeps a weak spark alive in the midst of an Ocean What marvellous power is that which preserves a poor smoaking flax among so many storms 2. The subordinate and proxime End of it is mans Good both Personal and Relative 1. PErsonally our own Salvation purchased and manifested by the Author and Object of this knowledge is hereby assured and orderly confirmed to us in all the wayes and means of his appointment through his peculiar Blessing The perfect knowledge of him will compleat as the beginning thereof begins our Salvation Through the Knowledge of him are given to us all things pertaining to Life and Godliness As he came once in person so hath he from the beginning by his Spirit through the same communicated all saving good and will still do it That Bosom friend of his leads us thereby into his very heart there to behold and embrace the whole Platform of our Salvation in all the steps of it from Election to Glory that by walking therein steadily we may ascend to his Father and our Father his God and our God through the same Ladder even Christ whereby he comes down to us Christs Deity surpassing the highest Heavens infinitely is the Top and his Humanity fixed as it were on earth is a sure step for us The more careful we are to attain this End the more certainly shall we promote that further End God hath so wonderfully twisted our happiness and his honour that we advance the one by furthering the other One eye he allows us for the recompence of Reward that we may thereby effectually look through it to his Glory Is not this Knowledge a Jewel of Price which conveighs and assures all good to us The end of his Electing and predestinating us of his Blessing and saving of us is it not that we might be to the Glory of his Grace whereby he hath made us Accepted in the Beloved Christ himself desired Glory for that End that he might glorifie God This excellent Knowledge was never so dearly bought to be a meer pleasing of our selves and sin but to spiritualize us throughly in all the powers and parts of soul and Body that we may be holy and happy like unto him in the honouring and enjoying of him 2. Relatively the subordinate end thereof is the good of our Neighbour that speaking the Truth in Love we may grow up unto him in all things which is the Head even Christ He gave all the means of Knowledge and all Teachers ordinary and extraordinary for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of his Body God hath so contempered his gifts among the members of Christ and his Spirit doth so variously convey the same that the One cannot say to the other I have no need of thee He could in a moment and immediately from himself bring them to their full perfection But his infinite Wisdom hath thought it best that his Body should be joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies according to his several workings in the measure of every part to make an increase of it self in Love He loves not he allows not selffishness in
themselves to be the Holy Ghost as Simon Magus Montanus David George c. Fifthly All Enthusiasts who father their lies on Gods Spirit c. TO quell this wofull poison your Preservative will set your Judgement right by the Grace and Knowledge of Christs Spirit Thereby you will surely understand that the holy Spirit hath in Scripture ascribed to him the same Titles and Attributes the same divine worship and works which are ascribed to the Father and to the Son and therefore must needs be God blessed from ever and for ever That the working of all Scripture Miracles the penning of all those divine writings the wonderfull quickning of dead souls and bodies and the daily experience of all spiritual Christians do fully demonstrate it That therefore the fanatick illusions and delusions of Revelationists being so opposite to Gods Truth and Holiness must needs proceed from that lying Spirit who perswaded so many of Ahabs Prophets and still possesses the false Prophets of our days to speak and act against the Dictates of Christs Spirit The malicious opposing of the Truth confirmed so undeniably by the miraculous Operations of the Lord The Spirit hath therefore the most desperate aggravations even unto death attending the same because God the Father and Son both are thereby also desperately opposed 6. Against his Office and Function of Al-sufficient and only Mediator for his peoples Salvation move First All the former Hereticks in denying his Deity or Humanity his Parts and Person Secondly All such who mangle the said Function as the Socinians who deny the need and use of his satisfaction for sin Thirdly All such who divide his Mediation work ascribing part thereof to Saints and Angles as the Papists with fond distinctions Fourthly All such as put the said Mediation into the Virgin Mary's hand calling her Queen of Heaven entitling the Psalter to her placing her name instead of the Lords name in the said Psalter giving her Authority over Christ her Son in Heaven promising and expecting more from her often then from Christ as much at least and telling doctorally that God hath divided his Mercy and Justice giving her the Throne of Mercy and reserving himself the Throne of Justice c. as the said Papists Fifthly All such who pretending to sinless perfection and selfish Righteousness do frustrate and nullifie so far his Mediation as the Quakers and such monkish Pharisees To suppress the violence of this poisonous stuff the Grace and Knowledge of Christ improved will shew us clearly still the necessity of Christs satisfaction and Al suffiency of his Mediation that without the shedding of this blood there can be no remission of sin That No Righteousness but that of God-man could satisfie divine Justice That without satisfaction there could be no Reconciliation of God to man that without Imputation thereof to many there could be no discharge of mans Debt That no purchase could be made of eternal Life and divine favour but by that infinite Price paid by Emmanuel That without such purchase orderly applycable there could be no salvation for lost man That Christs mediation alone is Al-sufficient to all those purposes and needs no partners in any share thereof either for Impetration or application That to give the least part thereof to any meer Creature whether in Heaven or Earth can be no better then Idolatry That no Palliation or shifts by distinctions of Dulia Hyperdulia and Latria can cover this Blasphemy no more then Adams figs leaves could cover his nakedness That there cannot be on earth in any meer man a sinless perfection and if it could be had yet it could not satisfie for the evil past in the least That the best are but unprofitable Servants That the payment of a farthing due cannot satisfie a thousand pound debt in Arrears To signifie emphatically the due application and Imputation of Christs Righteousness unto Believers the Scripture cals him Jehovah-Tsidkenu the Lord our Righteousness repeating that name again in the great Promise of Restauration to be afforded to his Israel by vertue of that Righteousness made theirs whence Christs name is Synecdochically and Metonymically ascribed to the new Jerusalem To that import the Lord Jesus incorporates his name with a Christians Propriety into one New name framed by his own Spirit which Paul expresses by his being made unto us of God Righteousness and Redemption and our being made the Righteousness of God in in him as he was made sin for us who knew no sin which must needs be understood by way of Imputation there being no sin inherent in Christ 7. His Priesthood is opposed first By all the formerly named Errors Secondly by the Papists in making new Priests daily and a new propitiatory Sacrifice called incruentum to be offered by them for the living and dead Secondly In joining mans merits to his and thereby patching up a mongrel Righteousness for themselves and others Thirdly In pretended Works of supererogation which are imputed to others by way of Indulgence out of their Churches imaginary Treasure Fourthly In denying the Imputation of Christs Righteousness for the pardon and Justification of his Members Fifthly In giving to mans Righteousness dip'd in Christs blood a meriting value and vertue to satisfie and pacifie Gods Justice and to procure his Mercy Sixthly In making Christs Merits to be but the remote and mediate cause but mans Merits to be the immediate Proxime cause of the pardon Thirdly By such who sever his habitual and his active Obedience from his meriting Oblation given to God for his people and imputed to Believers reckoning only his passive Obedience to be so meritorious and imputative for the reconciling of Man to God Fourthly By Quakers and others who find no need of and little regard an high Priest in Heaven Against such mortal wounds the Balm of our Christian Gilead will afford healing vertue from the due review of his Grace and Knowledge We shall find thereby that Christ Jesus by his personal Righteousness by that one Oblation hath for ever perfected those that are sanctified once for all That a new order of Priests brings a new Law and nuls the former That it was an imperfect Priest and Sacrifice typically ceremonial that needed renewing That to give to a meer Man suppose a Masse-Priest the power of making and renewing a propitiatory Oblation at his Will upon his intent of consecrating is to set him in Christs room yea above Christ and to deny Christ come in the flesh by unavoidable Consequence The Oblation of Christ had not been compleat if it had not been active as well as passive and habitual as well as actual Heart-Obedience being the root and life of all other Redemption is indeed frequently ascribed to his blood and death but it s by a Synecdoche including the rest of his whole Obedience whereof his
of Impretation So by his Exaltation he works it out by power in a way of Application The many cavils objected against it Paul fully confuted over and over The Popish pretences for their Transubstantiation have been from Scripture sufficiently taken off by many choice Pens That Capernaitical conceit Christ himself took pains to refute It much wrongs the Glory of Christ to bring him again from Heaven to earth daily to mangle and abuse him by the hand of their Mass-Priests and expose him to shame and suffering again Though they call their Mass an unbloody Sacrifice yet do they make themselves the Butchers and Executioners of Christ in pretending to offer his corporal flesh and blood Scripture indeed cals the Bread and Wine his Body and Blood so doth it call Christ the Door the Vine c. by the like Metaphors yet is not Christ turned into a Door nor Vine no more are the Elements turned into his Body and Blood Christ explains the meaning of those phrases so doth his Apostle to the full As for the Vbiquitarians conceit to make Christs Body present corporally with the Elements and everywhere the absurdity thereof abuses grosly Christs Exaltation in his humane Nature and their Consubstantiation is refuted with that Scripture Reason that dispels the Popish Impanation Their straining of figurative speeches beyond their scope fetches Blood out of Scripture by dreadful violence and absurd consequence Yet will they admit figures in many other places not controverted 12 The Word of Christ suffers much likewise 1. From the forenamed Tenets 2. Formal Antiscripturists old and new quite denying the need and use thereof and questioning the purity sufficiency clearness and divineness of it 3. By Papists charging it with obscurity corruption insufficiency defectiveness and needlesness They keep it from the peoples common use unless licenced teaching that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion They prefer their vulgar Latin version before both Originals They equalize their unwritten Traditions therewith and the Church commands yea prefer them often before it They bind all to receive its Interpretation only from their mouth They patch to the Canon many Apocrypha's and spurious books stored with lies and contradictions absurdities and fables ascribing thereto the like divine Authority 4. The Quakers join with them in slighting Scripture equaling their pretended Revelations therewith abusing the words thereof to contrary sences wresting it to the disguising of their gross Errors giving to their pretended Light within that Infallibility which the Papists give to their Pope and Council 5. The Behmenists and Notionists that turn it into Allegories and uncouth Eictions changing Realities into shadowes and the substance of Scripture into Chymical Fumes witness Paracelsus Wigelius Behmens several Books which are stored with non-sence and vile blasphemies bold Intrusions into hid Mysteries all under specious colours with bombastical words AGainst these woful Drugs the Knowledge of Christ will be successfully improved shewing us the Excellency and Necessity the sufficiency and purity the clarity and utility of Scripture It will take off all the mistakes objections and cavils made against the Divinity and right use thereof It will clear it to be the sole and sure Standard and Rule of Religion being the full Declaration of Gods Will and Mind the Fountain of all Goodness Truth It will shew the need that all have to study it day and night and observe it in all things It will detect their folly who add thereto their unwritten Traditions additions and Revelations besides above or against it as abominable to God It will discover their madness who pretend to speak and write as good Scripture and will not own the Bible to be the Word of God It will shew that all Scripture was written by Inspiration from God and is sufficient to compleat the Man of God to every good work That it came not by the will of man but that the men of God writ as they were moved by the Holy Ghost That the abuse of it by some must not prejudice the right use thereof corruptio Optimi pessima that if he be hid it s to them that perish That the Word is Light and gives Light That the Spirit of Christ still speaks in his Word whether to Life or to Death being inseparable from it That its never a dead Letter though it be sometimes a killing Letter That Translations are but the Taps of Scripture to broach those full vessels which therefore should be fitted to the use of all and are so far to be owned as they agree with the original sense That the sense of Scripture is Scripture though it may be variously expressed That no mans Interpretation is to be received further then it agrees with the whole Scripture That all seeming contradictions therein are easily cleared by comparing of Scriptures minding the context and scope in a sober humble manner with studious diligence That the sense of Scripture Translations when dark must be brought to the Original Light That all things absolutely needful to Salvation are clearly laid down in Scripture That Scripture Consequence is Scripture That some things are obscure therein to exercise our sobriety industry That it s so fitted to every mans condition that the simplest may reap the benefit thereof That Christ bids all search the Scriptures and sends them to the Law and Testimony for decision and prediction stil That the wisest Christians are most studious of Scripture finding stil most need of it being most sensible of their remaining Ignorance That pride and blindness make men to conceive so highly of their knowledge as to think themselves wise enough without it or as wise as it That they are foolish self-seducers who thus think and say That God indeed spoke to our Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in divers parts and manners by piece-meal as it were but he hath now contracted all in speaking to us by his Son That therefore having closed the Canon and sealed up those Records by his Sons Apostles who ever adds to or detracts from it is liable to that sentence there denounced by the Lord himself That the Lords Will revealed in Scripture obliges all being the Beck and hint of our Soveraign who can becken us all into nothing at his Will That since the compleating of Scripture immediate Inspirations are expired being needless the divine Rule of all being perfectly given out That all pretended Enthusiasms not agreeing with the Word must be suspected to be from evil spirits The several Errors of the Apocrypha are discovered by Scripture Light and have been abundantly confuted by many worthy hands The abuse of Scripture by feigned Allegories is thereby detected also when men will be wise above what 's written giving heed to Jewish and Chymical Fables yea to Magical Notions and Fictions as Paracelsus Behmen c. they are justly given
A Soveraign Antidote AGAINST Sinful Errors the Epidemical plague of these latter dayes Extracted out of Divine Records the Dispensatory of Christianity FOR The Prevention and Cure of our Spiritual Distempers By Claudius Gilbert B. D. and Minister of the Gospel at Limrick in Ireland Luke 21. 8. See that ye be not deceived 2 Thes 2. 8 9 10 11 12. Whose coming is after the working of Satan in all Power c. and in all deceivableness c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecan Axioma 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehova Medicus tuus Exod. 15. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui seipsum habet prosapiente habent eum Deus homines pro Ignaro London Printed by R. W for Francis Titon and are to be sold at the sign of the three Daggers in Fleetsheet 1658. To the Honourable Colonell Henry Ingoldesby Governour of the Precinct of Limrick and Clare and to the Inhabitants of the City of Limrick Honoured and Beloved in the Lord. THe substance of this Tract was through the Lords help preached lately in your ears and is of right now presented to your eyes that through his Grace it may the better reach your hearts The subject thereof is as seasonable as its excellent The Lord make it yours as profitably as it s made yours affectionately The choice usefulness of its provisions will make full Amends for the plainness of its Order and Dress It s not my work to tickle and flatter you but to reach healing and food to your souls A Signal hand of Heaven brought me over and fixed me here near five years ago by the same good hand have I been kept here in the Lords charge ever since We have had much cause still to mind and improve the wonderful dealings of our God towards us from that very day as in former seasons Variety of Dispensations hath he carried us through both publiquely and personally Visits of Iudgement and then of Mercy we have had from him again and again No wayes hath he left unattempted that might do us good though our Returns have not been answerable The Sword Famine and Plague ranged in these parts upon Gods Errand at my first coming and continued a considerable time I was thereby occasioned to contribute my utmost by the Lords Aid to the relief and cure of mens souls and bodies It was then my cordial delight and desire to spend and be spent for the good of Limrick as the same is still my design and labour through the assistance of Heaven The Voyce of Gods Rod cryed loud to this City then that the man of Wisdom might observe his Name who had appointed it in hearing his Rod. Our Heavenly Physitian saw it best then to diet and physick us suiting his Prescripts to our distempers Few in this place did miss of a Touch the deeper smartings of many among us warned all the rest Our sins deserved much worse from his hand yet he afflicted us very favourably In the midst of wrath he remembred mercy and stayed his rough wind in the day of his East wind After Purgations he gave us Cordials and turned in due time our mourning into joy Thanksgivings followed our humiliations and our bitter waters were turned into sweet Wine The Springs of Elim followed our Marah and they reaped in joy that had sown in Tears If the peaceable fruit of that Rod may in Righteousness appear among us the Glory will be his and the Comfort ours If our ill humours have been kindly removed it will best appear in the right use of our health If any grow wanton after Recovery shame and sorrow will be their portion It glads my heart that Gods Word and Works have not been quite fruitless in the midst of us yet I cannot but lament with a bleeding soul the sad improvements of his renewed Kindness What could more be done for us then he hath done Why then is our fruit so wild and so empty That it proves better with any of us it s of his Grace that divers others seem to grow still worse it s through their fault The Lord hath bestowed much cost upon us but like the cursed Ground we bear still many weeds He hath not spared for dressing or dunging it will much aggravate their sin and judgement if any of us remain still barren The good Husbandman hath cast in good seed in this Ground of his but the enemy hath crept in in the dark to scatter his Tares Multiplicious Errors still spread among us as in other parts which grow much faster then Christs spiritual Plants Too many are found to play with their Light and abuse it to do the Devils work by That good Word which proves savour of Life to some proves too often savour of Death to others The Spirits of divers are grown so childish that neither Barnabas nor Boanerges will please their Palate God hath restored us to health and plenty but many souls are still diseased and starved Sinful Infection troubles all Relations yet is little felt because spiritual Much malignity attends those ill humours which work so strangely and perniciously Some are Brain-sick with giddy Notions and others heart-sick with feavourish Affections The Heads of some labour with Convulsions the Vitals of others suffer defections Spiritual Lethargies benumb some into sleep and mortal dreams raging Phrenzies do inflame some others Some are merrily mad with pleasing Conceits others melancholy through a sullen spirit Lethal Apoplexies take some few suddenly and spiritual Palsies seiz upon others more gradually Some have lost Appetite to the dainties of Heaven others seem to hunger but digest not well Spiritual Rickets do possess divers and sinful Gouts trouble not a few Various obstructions disorder mens souls whence the disfiguring of their Life and Acts. Internal stoppages often discolour the external man the falling-sickness and the swounding fits do also take turns in souls and Societies Consumptions and Dropsies appear so visibly that they prognosticate but Ominous things Sad Symptoms are seen in mens faces and speech their tongues and breathings concurring therewith If you feel their pulse and Beatings of heart you may soon descrie Syncopal Tokens Schirrhus ' s and hardness are easily felt swellings and sores manifest themselves Thus this world appears a sinful Hospital for the God of mercy to give visits to What comes away from men proves a Semeiotick that points at the Cure by sad Characters The Causes of such dangerous Affects must needs be various and multiplicious Diseases complicate and inveterate bespeak a difficult and a dubious Cure Secresie and strength add much to that evil besides senslesness and unruliness Disorder in food and in exercise with sloth and slumber aggravate the same Strains and Ruptures with Dislocations Tumors and Wounds manifest more evil Humours and spirits being distempered do soon disorder the substantial parts Excess in Repletion and vacuity in number and extent still do make it
Latitude according to the variation of its aggravations As diseases do vary in their gradual recess from health being either simple or compound either more or less malignant hurtfull Thus Errors admit of many adjuncts which render them more or less sinful and injurious In every Error there is a sinfulness an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a defect of Truth privative a disposition to falshood positive As in every disease there is an evil deflection from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sound disposition of the body so in Error from that of the mind But this deflection is not alike in all but is cloathed with numerical differences and personal aggravations Some Errors are more and others less rooted Some are more single and others complicate Some are more submissively held and others more pertinaciously some are kept close others published some have more of the Will and Affections attending them others less some are more and others less pernicious some are more quiet others more turbulent As the malignity of infectious diseases admits of a great Latitude as the variety of venomous Creatures whether Plants Minerals or Sensitives is multipliciously diversified by the variations of their clime intentions of degrees c. some being cold as Hemlock others hot as Euphorbium some in the first or second others in the third or fourth degree some working more slowly others more quickly some by their Tail as the Scorpion some by their Teeth as the Viper and Rattle-snake some by their Tongue others by their Excrements some more sensibly as a mad Dog some more insensibly as the Asp So do Errors appear under variety of offensive qualities and adjuncts 5. The Cause of Error also as of every disease is multipliciously observable especially in a three-fold Division of Evident Antecedent and Continent 1. An Evident Cause among Physicians is much from Externals if not altogether whereby a Distemper is occasioned in the body So in mans soul this sickness of Error may be occasioned by external Causes as by infection ill company bad books various Temptations c. 2. An Antecedent Cause of sickness bodily is from some thing within whether vapor humor or Spirit distempering any part disabling it from its proper Action Thus the foregoing Cause of this spiritual disease lies in some flatuous humorous or spiritual evil that disorders the mind from its right discerning of the Truth causing it to deviate into the way of falshood Habitual Corruption within flowing from Adams first sin which is ours by Imputation attended with the want of original Righteousness and often called original sin because the womb of all sin in us is the chief cause from which all other evils flow that breed and increase these sad distempers This Corruption acts variously in the way of Pride and Self-seeking Security and Worldliness c. 3. The Continent Cause of a corporal distemper is that immediate thing which cherishes it being cherished from the remote cause whether corrupt blood wind water gravel c. So the continent Cause of Error is that peculiar Corruption whether Ignorance or Pride self-conceitedness or worldliness c. which sticks close to the mind to breed and cherish its several dyscrasies and distempers Thence such clouding of mens Iudgements and disorders in their Reasonings hence perverse Disputings of men that are reprobate concerning the Faith as Ambition and Pride carried Simon and Menander Nestorius and Macedonius away Discontent and Envy prevailed with Arrius Covetousness carried on Demetrius and his Comrads There is a Complication of such causes in most 6. The Effects of Error as of every corporal disease are likewise variously numerous according to the variations of its numerical Idea of its specifical nature of its descent gradations causes This spiritual sickness is a Tendency to further sin eternal Death as every bodily sickness is the beginning of corporal death The wages of sin is death sin deserves it it binds ever it leads to it it fits for it it begins it As much as there is of sinfulness so much is there of death attending it Corporal civil spiritual and Eternal Grace indeed doth restrain and limit it pardons and subdues it purges out gradually and at last exterminates all sin in Gods Elect yet it changes not the Nature or desert of sin though it chances the sinners nature and relation Providence limits and over-rules this sinfulness also in the Reprobate As the wise Physitian corrects his Opium in a Confection so doth God correct sin remaining in his Children As the same Physitian appoints fit means against infection to all indefinitely so doth our Soveraign Physician by shewing the dangerous effects of Error As the effects of Poisons are very various yet always sad so are sin and sorrrw inseparable Twins Error was set forth to the Life by that Leprosiy of the head which had a peculiar mark of Ignominy Infection and danger It s like to those poisonous Minerals and Vegetables which strike first ai the head and thence at all other parts It s a spiritual Plague which cannot but be mischievous still though not in all alike All sorts of men in all relations are made to feel the sad Consequents thereof It s a fruitfull womb a breeding dung hill a poisoned spring Lerna malorum It engages and leads insensibly to more evil notional and practical It disgraces God opposes his Truth distempers mens souls endangers their families blasts their Profession stains their Repute scandalizes many ensnares divers troubles Church and State and complies with Satan in his various designes by nursing of his brood This Age gives sad demonstations thereof As Cephalical diseases are on many accounts the most dangerous of all in the Body so are these heady distempers in the soul which are easily communicated to all the vital inferior parts The poison of some works in a stupifying way as Opium Henbane Hemlock c. others venom acts by an enraging quality as Elaterium Euphorbium Scammony The effect of some is more speedily mortal as in the Touches of a Basilisk and Asp of the Viper and rattle Snake if not very timely look'd to others are more slow and less dangerous as in the operations of various simples appears The Parallel of spiritual Poisons therewith is easily drawn by an observing Christian 7. The Symptoms or Signs of Error as of Corporal deseases are of divers sorts some more Common others more Proper 1. The common signs are such as attend divers distempers in a general way as enfeebling of the parts change of complexion Indiposition to action c. Thus Errors have their Common signs wherein many of them agree appearing much in their sad effects against Gods Honor and mans good though often under far Colors like that Indian Apple in the Western Islands which seems beautifull and yet is rank poison 2. There are proper Tokens and characteristical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and notes of each
bodily disease setting out its specifical Idea by its numerical and peculiar properties whether one or more and usually by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Concurrence of divers as a Frensie a Lethargy an Apoplexy c. have singular marks from the defect and disorders of the faculties animal vital and natural Thus Error the Frensie of the soul when boiled up to its height sets a man on a rage against Truth and her friends rejects the Means of its cure raves and ranges at Will inflames the Spirits disorders all the powers and parts hastning to destruction as appeared in the ranting Crue formerly and lately in Germany and England another error may more resemble a Lethargy benumming the Soul fixing the Spirits casting the person into a feavorish sleep stopping the senses filling them with dreams closing their eyes and distempering all powers and parts rendering them incapable of sense and help if the Lord work not extraordinarily witness James Naylor and his quaking Rout. Another Error may be found more like an Apoplexie suddenly taking away sense and motion reason and life as that of some Circumcellions and the bloody rabble of Germany and Switzerland from Anno 1522. till 1534. Another is more like a Palsey stopping the fountain of the sinews either totally or partially by distempering the head and its Conduits whereby sense and motion are conveyed to all inferior parts and gradually hastning mans end So it fares with divers Quakers now and many monkish Pharisaical Notionists Rose-Crucians Eremitical Recluses and Behmenists Thus might we instance in every disease and draw the parallel of Error along in its various Symptoms and Characters the which are accompanied with malignity and infection with Confidence and peremptoriness with Censoriousness and self-conceitedness more or less according to the Nature Extent and Causes of such distempers But as some poisonous Weeds do very nearly resemble the good plants among which they grow as young Hemlock among Parsley So divers Errors grow like Truth for a while till they come up to strength which they do much faster then good hearbs to be better discerned by their ill qualities and wofull effects 8. The Cure of Error as of bodily sickness is diversly to be observed in the Indications directing thereto in the materials to be used and in the due method of preparing and ministring of them sutably to the Rules of Art and the Patients Case 1. The Indications of Error as of the bodily diseases require the removing of the Cause the rectifying of the parts the restoring of strength and preserving of it by all convenient means 2. The Materials and Ingredients that are to be used towards that Cure for soul and body are considerable in a regular diet in orderly medicines and the Chirurgions seasonable help Thus erroneous Persons are 1. to be dieted in shunning evil food evil company evil motions c. and in using food company exercise c. tending to spiritual health 2. They are to be well purged with due preparatives and Laxatives 3. They must have the Chirurgions help also in letting out the corrupt blood of sin in dressing of their spiritual Sores in applying of all fit Medicaments and administring of all things orderly 3. The Method of preparing and dispensing of them all for the cure of Diseases Spiritual and Corporal is to be guided by the skilfull Physitian of Heaven who hath appointed Men and Means that in observing the Prescripts of his Word applyed sutably to every ones case his promised Blessing may be waited for and received in an Obedience of Faith and Love The following Antidote prescribed by him may be through his Grace singularly helpfull thereto The Contents The Context opened THe Text divided into six Doctrines page 6. Doctrine 1. Wicked Lawless persons are exceedingly subject to be carried away with destructive Errors p. 7 Reason 1. Raigning Corruption p. 8 Reason 2. Errors deceitfulness ibid. Reason 3. Divine Judgement p 9 Use 1. Information the ground of our numerous Errors ibid. 2. Admonitin to lawless Ones ibid. 3. Examinatioon ibid. 4. Exhortation p. 10 Doctr. 2. Error will endanger a Christians stedfastness ibid. Reas 1. It loosens a Christians hold p. 11 2. It impairs a Christians strength p. 12 3. It snatches with forcible fraud ibid. Use 1. See hence the source of our Revolts ibid. 2. Convictions to erroneous ones p. 13 3. Trial of our state p. 14 4. Advice to all ibid. Doctr. 3. All Christians even the best need still due warning to keep themselves from Error and Revolt p. 15 Obj. 1. What need the Elect to be warned thus p. 16 Ans In seven particulars ibid. Use 1. Consect Hence see the usefulness of a Gospel Ministry p. 17 2. Reprehension p. 18 3. Inquiry p. 19 4. Excitation 1. to take warning p. 20 2. Improve warning p. 21 1. Personally ibid. 2. Relatively p. 22 Doctr. 4. The gracious Knowledge of Christ is a singular Jewel p. 23 1. Explanation in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 24. 25 26 2. Confirmation in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 27 3. Demonstration in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ibid. Reason 1. From the Object Christ considerable p. 28 1. In his Person as God as man as God-man ibid. 2. In his Office Prophetical Sacerdotal Regal p. 30 3. In his Progress of Humiliation to Exaltation ibid. 4. In his Purchase for value and vertue considered p. 32 5. In his Relation variously set forth p. 33 6. In his Influence p. 34 Reas 2. From the subject Recipient thereof p. 35 Reas 3 From the Canse efficient formal final p. 36 Reas 4. From the Nature p. 42 Reas 5. From the Properties p. 44 Reas 6. From the Effects p. 46 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Use 1. Instruction the Method of study p. 47 Use 2. Reprehension p. 49 Use 3. Examination pag. 54. Therein is considered 1. What is wrought 2. How it was wrought 3. What it works p. 55. 56 In allusion to Vegetative Sensitive and Rational Acts. ibid. Use 4. Consolation Obj. Ans p. 64 Use 5. Exhortation to Nominal Christians p. 65 Many Obj. Answ p. 67. 68 69 70 c Exhor 2. To Real Christians p. 73 Doctr. 5. Growing in the gracious Knowledge of Christ is a special Gospel-Duty p. 77 Reas 1. The Christians Nature p. 78 Reas 2. Gods Honour p. 79 Reas 3. Mans Interest ibid. Use 1. The Necessity of a standing Ministry p. 80 Use 2. Conviction p. 81 Use 3. Examination Is our Growth Vniversal proportional perpetual p. 82 Use 4. Excitation to dead and living Christians p. 84 Doctr. 6. Spiritual Growth is a Soveraign Antidote against Error and Apostacy p. 89 Res 1. It removes the Causes p. 91 Reas 2. It fortifies the parts p. 92 Reas 3. It improves Christs specifick Vertue p. 93 Use 1. Information shewing the ground and cure of all our distempers p. 94 Use 2. Admonition to all under the Raign or Remainders of sin p. 95 Use 3.
Enquiry personal and publike p. 96 Use 4. Counsel to prize and desire embrace and ensure keep and improve this choice Antidote against all evil specially p. 97 First Against Error opposing Christ 1. In his Deity p. 99 2. In his Humanity p. 100 3. In his Soul and Body p. 101 4. In his Person p. 102 5. In his Spirit p. 104 6. In his Office p. 105 7. In his Priesthood p. 107 8. In his Prophetical p. 108 9. In his Regal Function p. 110 10. In his Humiliation p. 111 11. In his Exaltation p. 114 12. In his Word p. 115 13. In his Ordinances p. 118 14. In his Sabbath p. 120 14. In his Laws p. 123 15. In his Covenant p. 124 17. In his Seals p. 126 18. In his Church p. 128 19. In his Electing Grace p. 130 20. In his Redeeming Grace p. 132 21. In his Renewing Grace p. 137 22. In his saving Grace p. 142 23. In his Magistracy p. 145 24. In his Ministry p. 148 25. In his Providence p. 153 Secondly Against Apostacy p. 157 A Soveraign Antidote against sinfull Errors The Epidemical Plague of the latter Dayes Extracted out of Divine Records the Dispensatory of Christianity 2 PET. 3. 17 18. Ye therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the Error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness But grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ THIS Text affords a signal Prospective into our present State in conjunction with the Context whereto it points by the Particle therefore Yea Therefore Beloved seeing ye know these things before c. What things The Context tels us This Epistle was sent for a Soveraign Antidote against Error and Apostacy to the scattered believing Jews whereto Peter was eminently sent as Paul to the Gentiles Many of them had been converted Act. 2. Who returning home to their several Countries propagated the Gospel They suffered much there both of the Jews and Gentiles as the rest did in Judea which moved our Apostle to fortifie them to his best by his presence first and then in his absence witness these two Epistles James and Jude Paul and John furthered the same work which Peter in this second received a fresh Thus the people of God need still renewed supplies from the joint labors of all his servants Yet after all those believing Jews were much endangered by Satans designs which occasioned this latter Epistle The Light of Christ shines so brightly herein that it scatters all the mists of doubts which mistakes have raised in some about its being Canonical Three parts are therein observable the Prologue Discourse and Epilogue I. THE Prologue ushers in by an Apostolical Inscription and Salute an entrancee into the substantial discourse following by a Divine Insinuation into their mind and heart to hasten their Pace towards Christian Perfection II. The Discourse it self is brought in by way of Excitation warning and prophesie 1. He stirs them up to spiritual Improvement by the light and strength of many Arguments in the first Chapter Secondly He warns seriously against Seducers whom he describes at large in their Persons and Doctrines in their rise and Ruine in their acts and Methods in their Principles and Practises throughout the second Chapter wherein they are pourtrayed to the Life Here we have the skilfull Anatomy of Error exactly managed by the Divine hand of Christs Spirit guiding our Apostles Pen. Those Monsters of Darkness are here exposed to publique view by the light of God in all their parts and properties Those Misteries of Iniquity he rips up with his Incision knife and unbowels those Tragical designs of Hell disguised under the mask of Heaven The several Lineaments of that pernicious Brood he distinctly marks out that exact notice may be taken of them all Their various Characters his pensell limbs out with accuratness that such pests might never be mistaken He sets them forth 1. As unclean Beasts and filthy creatures that walk after the flesh in the lusts of uncleanness witness the Carpocratians and old Gnosticks the late Familists Ranters and Nicolaitans 2. As enemies to rule an order They despise Dominion and are not affraid to speak evil of Dignities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 witness the German Anabaptists John of Leyden and Battenburgh Muncer and Knipperdoling with our quaking multitudes 3 As proud and audacious presumptuous are they witness those wretched followers of Nailor Fox c. as the Montanists and Manichees of old the Simonians and Minandrians the Marcionites and Ebionites 4. As Peremptorily selfish and arrogant in pleasing themselves witness our conceited Perfectionists in their Pharisaicall Monkish Holiness like the Cathari of old the Paracelsians and Behmenists since all revived in the Quakers 5. As notorious Railers and malicious Slanderers by mis-interpretations and mis-applications whereas the Angels themselves greater in Power aad might bring in no railing accusation against Rulers before God witness our Quakers and Notionists of all sorts like the Circumcellions and others of old 6. As brutishly wild Beasts that are made to be taken and destroyed speaking evil of the things they understand not who shall utterly perish in their own corruption receiving the reward of unrighteousness witness the Basilidians Valentinians Marcionists and such Gnosticks of old revived in the German and Brittish Ranters Familists Paracelsians Quakers 7. As debauched Libertines that account it pleasure to riot in the day time witness our Ranting-crue and the German Rabble of Munster in 1533 like the old Borborita 8. As cheating Impostors seducing those with whom they feast themselves Their methods and wiles discovered of old are refined and sublimed to the utmost in these days by Chymical arts 9. As Atheistical Villains like spots and blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you Thus the Hereticks of old brought the Heathens odium and and Taints upon the Christians as the Papists cast the reproach of all Sectaries on the reformed 10. As Spiritual Fornicators having eyes full of Adultery that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable souls Thus former and latter Herericks have still been defiling Christs marriage-bed his Gospel-ordinancess by their corrupt Additions and detractions setting up of Altars against his Altar 11. As earthly minded wretches having an Heart exercised with covetous Practises witness our experience as theirs of old 12. As accursed Sensualists wofully revolting from the blessed Truth of God cursed Children such Apostates abound every where 13. As bewitching Seducers the egregious Disciples of Balaam and other false Prophets which have forsaken the right way and have gone astray following the way and loving the ways of unrighteousness 14. As desperate Hypocrites Balaam like stabling the very heart of the Lords Truth and cause under many plausible expressions and specious pretences 15. As infectious Bedlams whose madness like his will
the more unsteady according to the Nature and degree of Error so is the soul more or less loosened from Christ that Divine Anchor The looser any member is in the Body from the Head the less steady stil Error is that malignant humour that dislocates and benums Christs Members breeding sinful palsies and Relaxations It works as poison in the Body as the fumes of Mercury and Orpiment that loosen the joynts and breed tremblings and distortions It brings the soul into quick-sands by loosening it from the Rock it stood on It ruines the cement of the soul and so loosens it from its Foundation 2. It impairs the Christians strength and thence his stedfastness A Limb weakened cannot be firm and steady Error infeebles and enervates the soul devouring its vigour and Liveliness proportionably to its Degree There is a secret malignity therein which strikes at the Vitals Faith and Repentance are that radical moisture and native heat which preserve the soul in life and strength Error preys upon them a main breeding varieties of Feavers and Rickets wastings and languishings of every part As in the Building stones decaying endanger themselves and the whole so doth Error by wasting all the faculties and parts Thence such grow unstable and unsteady ready to be turned by every wind of novel doctrine and sinful temptation Rea. 3. Error snatches him away with fraud and force from his proper standing Things disordered are much endangered The Father of lies comes with skill and strength along with his brood to deceive poor souls Strong insinuations and subtile perswasions come along still They are Principalities and Powers spiritual wickednesses in high places that we wrastle with notable methods and Arts polices and powers do stir therein Vse 1. See the source of our frequent Apostacies It s a revolting age the back-slidings of Professors are so many so notorious a great cause thereof is from errors prevalency Satan gets in by degrees into men as he did with our first Parents His insinuations are carried on by plausable Queries He breeds doubtings and scruples which soon grow up into pertinacious Errors His spawn is dubious and inconsiderable at first but it thrives apace like the weeds of the dung-hill strength being gotten it preys for it self being humorous and ambitious it makes brawls and contentions then divisions and separations Thence such lamentable departings from Gods goodness and good men Hence such impostumes and inflamations such Tympanies and Ruptures in the souls and societies of men When the Serpents head gets into the hole the body will easily follow Thence such weakness in mens Judgements Affections and Practice Good men are not free from those many snares What lamentations might we take up over such Our hearts cannot but bleed in the thoughts thereof Oh! The sad Revolts of this Age. Few keep their Reason sound their heart warm their conversation clear Because Iniquity abounds the love of man waxes cold 2. Admonition to erroneous persons Your case is pittifull indeed so much the worse still by how much the less sensible you are thereof Sleepy feavours are the most dangerous because the less felt Lethargick and Comatick bodies are for the most incurable The Lord awaken you that you may be dressed Error is your seeming freind your real enemy It s a Bosom Traitor that corresponds with Satan still to betray and ruin you The poison is subtile but desperate though of various degrees There is a latitude in such distempers but the least is bad enough The giddiness inclines to phrensie and faling sickness diseases and errors admit of gradations Nemo de repentè pessimus A Bodkin may wound to the very heart so will an error with little shew and sence The more erroneous the more subject still to apostatize Spirits of error will tear and range Fractions and Factions are their proper effects What a sad Spectacle doth a Hell set loose afford Yet how many will plead for such Mountebanks and cheats who carry the poison sugar'd and gilded over into all parts Will you still slight and abuse your Physitian Will you still run into plaguy Company Will you still scorn and reject the Sovereign Physick that would sute your case Christ himself the grand Physitian of Heaven came on this errand to physick his own but they received him not Such is the Lot of his Messengers his under Physitians both in Church and State That disease is sad and desperate that makes the Patient thus to rage and range But it may be you pretend Conscience so doth the Devil often in his worse Instruments But shall sin be covered under Christs royal Robe or possess his Throne without disturbance What rule God gives against any error his servants are duly to prosecute you oppose Christ in opposing them 3. Trie therefore thy soundness in the Truth of Christ how far art thou from Apostacy How stands thy heart towards Divine Truth Dost thou receive it in love Is it mingled with faith Dost thou long for it and delight in it Dost thou feel the want and bewail the absence thereof Art thou zealous for it in thy place and sphere Art thou troubled at the troublers thereof Art thou a studious scholar under Christ Dost thou observe the Teachings of his Spirit internal and external Dost thou learn for practice and practise in learning Are thy Speculations brought into Realities Do thy heart and hands thrive as well as thy brains Art thou fixed in Christs ways and settled in his Word Hast thou ceased to be a wandring Planet and a floating Meteor in Religion Dost thou close with Christ and keep close to him in every Ordinance Doth thy spiritual health and integrity appear by thy vigor and activeness for him thy hungrings after him thy fervent and constant following of him Dost thou desire and digest the food of divine Truth so as to thrive effecutally thereby Is thy Judgement well informed and fixed Is thy heart cemented to Christ and rooted in him Dost thou observe him in all his Prescripts to give thee seasonable preservatives and help Is Christ thy strength thy hold and support Doth thou cleave to him and rest still on him Art not thou moved from thy place and station by tempting notions whether in a Superior or inferior charge Dost thou stand firm against all assaults Dost thou manifest both in Church and State that thou holdest Christ for thy head in all things Art thou strong in his strength and power of his might against all spiritual enemies 4. Christians be well advised beware of Errors slide not on that Ice if you would shun a fall Avoid every kind and appearance of intellectual evils Tamper not with poison if you love your health One scabbed sheep may soon infect many Trie all things by Gods touch-stone Receive nothing without trial If you suspect poison be the more carefull If you deal with known cheats beware of trusting If
aright thou wouldst know thy self better and wouldst see thy new pretended Light to be but old darkness Thy pretence of Christs name will do thee little good whilst thou slightest his Word and Ways his Sabbath and Worship his Service and Saints Satan may cease troubling of thee and fill thee with false joyes but thy carnal Raptures will soon end in wo like the crackling of Thorns 2. The most gracious may find just cause from this very point to humble and judge themselves for the remaining of so much sin in them The most are totally guilty and the best in part of too much darkness and dulness selfishness and sinfulness against this precious Jewel That Christ is no better known unto thee after so much of his glorious discoveries what a shame is it that there is yet so little of Grace and so much of corruption in us should it not deeply humble us that we savour so much of self and so little of Christ Is it not matter of sad lamentation that Christ should be slighted and abused forgotten and forsaken in such a manner by his very Friends Is it not wofull The more precious Christ is unto us the more vile shall we be to our selves Saith not Christ to us as David his Type to his bosom friend that wretched Anitophel Is it not dreadfull to be abused by our nearest and dearest relations Hadst thou struck thy best friend in the dark on mistake how would it break thy heart 3. This Truth will afford a needfull Test for a due examination Hence may we trie our state personal and publique to frame a Prognostick of our hopes and fears In this ballance of the Sanctuary our case should be weighed Deceit is common and very dreadfull False Christs and false Prophets variously delude themselves and others too Bring then all to Gods Touch. 1. By the due review and application of all the former particulars do we know Christ thus in his person and office in his Progress and Purchase in his Relation and Influence Are we the subjects so wrought upon by him Are we thus acquainted with the cause and nature with the properties and effects of this gracious knowledge Are we not still in that unregenerate state of reigning Ignorance and neglect of formality and self justifying of profaness or notional delusions Is the spiritual Change yet wrought within us by the special hand of Christs renewing Spirit Our nature of it self is as bad as the worst Is it now savingly transformed in the Spirit of our mind How far is this change wrought in our selves and others mind it exactly by the standard of Truth 2. How this Change was wrought is as considerable What Method and Means did Gods Spirit use and in what manner did he prevail with us Were we effectually convinced by him of sin and Righteousness Were we made to see the worst of our selves that we might embrace the best of Christ Have we felt at the heart such a clear discovery of our emptiness and sinfulness of our Wretchedness and Unworthiness of our Insufficiency and nothingness as to be wholly weaned from self and carried out to him Have we duly observed the unability of all Creatures to afford us help Hath the sight and sense of our wofull state so opposite to God made Christ truly precious to our souls Are we more troubled at the pollution then at the punishment of sin Doth it grieve us to the very soul that we have grieved such a dear Saviour Have we beheld our state in the Glass of his Law and of his Gospel to make us sensible efficaciously both of our Malady and of his Remedy Hath he made his Word so to work on us as to break our hearts and melt them kindly Have we found that hammer and fire of his killing our sins and quickning our souls Hath he made us thereby cheerfully willing to give up all to him and prefer him above all Hath he blessed the means so effectually as to make us feel him in and through them all Hath he made every sin more bitter to our Taste then ever we found any sweetness therein Hath he knockâ—d us off from all other props that we might rest upon him alone 3. Consider also how this Change works now to clear this Inquiry with impartiality Doth his holy Spirit operate on us by this gracious knowledge as the Soul doth upon the Body through its variety of intermediate Spirits Observe it we may in the resemblance of that three-fold Life which mans soule doth communicate to its proper subject A vegetative a sensitive a rational Life is afforded thereby Doth Christ do so to us spiritually 1. A Vegetative Life is for Nutrition Augmentation and Propagation 1. FOR Nutrition whereto serve the several faculties attractive and retentive concoctive and expulsive Doth this knowledge of Christ act thus within us 1. Do we draw and attract spiritual nourishment to the supply of our renewed wants Do we suck his breasts as new born babs and desire that food that may sustain us to eternal Life Is it done in season and order in quantity and quality meet 2. Do we retain and keep the same with all diligence lest at any time we should let it slip Is it laid up in our hearts and industriously kept that it may keep us 3. Do we concoct and digest it well by spiritual fervour to be distributed unto every part Do we shun and abhor Crudities Cloyings and Oppressions that might hinder it 4. Do we expel all sinfull Excrements that continually do breed within us Do we loath detest and cast out duly all filthiness of flesh and Spirit and all superfluity of naughtiness from every part of us 2. For Augmentation Is our spiritual Life like the natural still upon increase spreading it self into every part that our growth may be proportional universal and perpetual Doth this knowledge dilate all faculties in Mind and Judgement Reason and Conscience Will and Affections 3. For Propagation Doth our spiritual Life as the natural labor still to beget in us and produce in others more fruits of the Spirit more issues of Grace to perpetuate this divine off-spring Is nothing more active and communicative Doth it diffuse its species round about as being the Issue and Image of him who is the chief and most communicative good 2. A sensitive Life is for Sense Motion and Appetite so it our spiritual Life Doth Christ do so to us spiritually 1. Doth he give us Sense external and internal as in Nature so in Grace 1. External Sense is five-fold by Sight and Hearing Smelling Taste and Touch. 1. DO we spiritually discern and delight in the Beauty of Christs divine holiness in all his perfections in all his Ordinances and in every Providence Do we thereby see all other things and reflect on
to him and delight in him thy design for him and endeavour after him If so thy fear is the fruit of his Spirit so far as it drives thee not from him but draws thee to him Answ 3. What makes thee complain of thy Ignorance Is it not thy esteem of the Knowledge of Christ Art thou weary and ashamed of thy Ignorance Art thou still wrastling against it for attaining of Knowledge Ar thou diligent in all the means he affords thee to dispel darkness and get light from him Dost thou bewail thy deadness and dulness thy sloth and selfishness thy formality and hypocrisie thy worldliness and unfaithfulness Is it thy greatest trouble and grief thy shame and sorrow Dost thou act the more humbly and self-denyingly the more watchfully and industriously in thy general and particular calling If so the comfort is thine and thou wilt know it in the best time Answ 4. There are divers degrees in the school of Christ and divers manners of his dealing with his Disciples Thou must not measure thy condition by others so much as by his Rule The least degree of his Grace deserves thanks though we must not rest there There are many little weaklings in his house which must not be slighted nor mis-judged of because they are not so strong and healthy as others The smoaking flax and the bruised Reed are neither to be quenched nor broken in his House till he bring forth Judgement into victory according to Truth Vse 5. This point should be improved in a pressing Exhortation to all Nominal and real Christians Doth it not concern every sort of men to look after such a singular Jewel Doth any need Incentives to move thereto Is there not matter enough already expressed to inflame all our hearts after it Is not this knowledge the most profitable the most pleasurable the most honourable that can be conceived Is it not still of absolute need and singular use Is any good to be had any evil to be avoided without it Is not this the Field that holds the Treasure and the Pearl of Price Doth it not bewray an ignoble spirit to neglect and slight it Is not this Jewel the Quintessence of Good that will sanctifie all conditions to any of us Be we all pressed then to make it our business to look after it as the wise Merchant after the Pearl of Price he seeks and finds it he sels all for Joy and buys it out right Do you so likewise that you may be enriched thereby Two sorts are specially invited hereto the Nominal and real Christian 1. THe Nominal Christian that hath but the Name without the Grace of Christ Sinners of all sorts still unregenerate are comprized here Such of all Ranks are called to Christ though they will hardly give him the hearing We speak to all indefinitely Christs Spirit will speak to his peculiarly We offer to you a singular Jewel to be obtained upon Christs own terms Come and view it well turn it every way there is no blemish in any part thereof Doth any of you see the worth thereof Be then willing also to part with all for it Thy natural sinful and Religious self thou must deny that Christ may be thine The destruction of thy sinful self is the only way to thy salvation Thy sin is thy disease thy poison and plague art thou unwilling to be rid of it Thy natural self will be bettered by putting of it into his keeping who will be sure to mend it for thee Thy Religious self in thy best duties cannot be useful but by being put into Christs own hand But where is the Price to buy it withal It s in Christs Treasury not thine own Thy souls empty hand must be reached forth to receive at once the Price and the Pearl Come to Christ then that thou maist get Christ and through his Spirit maist close with his Father The worst of thy sins shall not keep thee off when thou once comest on conjugal Terms Wilt thou be moved thereto cordially Hear the Embassy sent to thee from Heaven We are Embassadors for the King of Saints to beseech sinners to be reconciled Consider how much is laid up in this to draw home thy soul most effectually Mind then 1. The Person offering the Lord of Glory thy Soveraign the Almighty God All-sufficient Saviour provoked by thee to the utmost that needs thee not and can in a moment crush thee to nothing It s the God of all Grace full of mercy and Truth the Fountain of all good most precious most sweet a most suitable match wilt thou refuse him 2 The matter offered is the only Jewel the sum of all Good God himself to be thy portion fulness of Grace to pardon and purge to quicken and save Treasures of mercy most free and full most singular and sure it s a match with Heaven an extract of Blessings suiting thy state most exactly Here is Wisdom to teach Righteousness to absolve Holiness to renew Redemption to save thee what can thy heart wish that is not laid up here Wilt thou refuse it yet 3. Mind his manner of offering with intreaties and Invitations He waits he knocks he expostulates again and again Mercy kneels to thee beseeching pleading tendring all with open arms bearing with thee forbearing of thee attempting all means of doing thee good Should not this prevail 4. Consider the Person offered to thy wretched self a forlorn sinner a Rebel in Arms a desperate enemy full of Venom and deadly poison a miserable worm sinful dust a Traitor at the Bar under condemnation an abuser of every favor unworthy of the least good a vile Bankrupt a riotous Prodigal utterly undone a starving beggar a drowning wretch a servant of sin a slave of Hell Satans prisoner empty of all good full of all evil Is not this thy picture thy name and state and ten thousand times worse What madness keeps thee from coming to him that would help all this Quest What if I come not Answ Then will thy case prove despenate indeed Justice will speedily send thee to thy place Infinite wrath shall be thy portion thou shalt fare worse then Sodom and Gomorrah in endless easeless remediless Torments All thy mercies shal prove thy Judgements thy own conscience shall be thy witness Recorder Judge and Executioner This very Word shal rise against thee and stop thy mouth to eternity Thou wast fair offered once and wilt know it when the time is past Quest What if I come Answ Then thy case is happy all good is thine thou shalt be as welcom as the lost Son to thy Fathers arms meeting thee half way with Tears with joy with a feast with a royal Robe Thou shalt be married to the Kings own son and Heaven shall rejoyce at the Repentance of such a sinful wretch Object But I doubt I am not elected and then all is in
places in Ezekiel and other Scriptures hold this forth to the Life by the increase and Improvement of the Sanctuary-waters A fruitfull Parable the Lord himself spreads before us to express this emphatically by a large and pregnant Allegory whose divine Branches have been elaborately trimmed to this purpose by a very worthy Pen. The God of all Grace likes not to see his gracious Off-spring wasted with Rickets in a decaying posture His Messages from Heaven to the seven Churches of Asia testifie the same and hold forth a lively resemblance of his various dealings with his people from that time hitherto according to the various proportions of their Growth or Decay Reason 1. Their Nature requires it full of Spirit and Life they are and must needs grow The more of Life in any thing the more of Growth The more of Spirit the more of liveliness Grace is spiritual Life the seed of Glory and eternal Life It s the Life of Christ the operation of his holy Spirit as far as man is capable thereof The best of a mans natural Life is but dull and dead in comparison of this gracious Life Union to the living God and Communion with him in Christ through the Spirit is the Principle of this supernatural Life The new Creature must needs grow that Partakes so much of the divine Nature in similitude though not in sameness in quality though not in equality Want of lively Principles makes so many glorious Professors to wither and waste so miserably They were but seeming Branches as Cions meerly fastened about the stock but never incorporated therein intimately They that have their root and Life from earthly Nature still may for a while flourish but will soon be blasted The Root and Life of the new man is above in Gods bosom in the heart of Christ still supplied by his Spirit to safeguard them from all winter-blasts of renewed Temptations and corruptions Reason 2. Gods honour cals for it All things are made for him as they were framed by him Of him through him and to him are all things as in Nature so in Grace peculiarly This people hath he formed for his praises They are the plants of his setting the work of his hand that he may be glorified And herein is their Father glorified that they bring forth much fruit The growth of his Garden is the glory of that Divine Husbandman The thriving of his children must needs commend his Fatherly care His Love and service cannot but press thereto If his children be so unlike him they can neither honour nor serve him aright He hat much work for all his servants in every Relation and occasion If they be sickly and wasting what are they fit for Must not his people be lively like him that they may be stil faithful and successful The more Christ is known in a gracious way the more doth sin waste and Grace flourish The vigor of a Christian is still in his Christ The Love of Christ must needs constrain him to live more to him in being more like him Much strength and Spirit is still required in every part of the Lords service He would have us fervent in spirit as Paul himself was therein which doth require a spiritual growth to make us vigorous Reason 3. Mans Interest challenges it their credit and comfort their honour and happiness depend upon their growth Their profit and pleasure their helpfulness to others still attend the same A wasting sickly life is as uncomfortable as unserviceable to our selves and others Rickets and Consumptions render our children useless and burthensom spiritual decaies are far more offensive unto Gods children They can neither help themselves nor others that are thus pining and consuming The life of our life is in our health and strength without it we cannot receive nor do good to any purpose A diseased Life is but a living Death and a dying Life Christ must be known more graciously stil that we may enjoy more of his comforts and be more useful to all his members The more any Limb receives from the head the more assistance may the same afford unto its Body We must still be deriving from Christ what we are stil to communicate to our fellow members Christian sympathie and communion will still challenge serviceableness from every part of his mystical Body Vse 1. See the Necessity and Benefit of a perpetual Ministry and Ordinances They are the special means appointed and blessed for the promoting of this spiritual growth He gave Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ untill we all come into a perfect man in him to the full measure of his stature that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine but speaking the Truth in Love may grow up into him in all things who is the Head even Christ The slighting of Christs Institutions makes so many to decay apace in their profession and affection in their parts and practice They are the food and refreshings of Gods House suited to the case of all his children and servants therein The neglect abuse and poisoning thereof must needs be very sinful and woful How can they but languish and perish that scorn and defile that spoil and pervert the precious Means of their Life and growth Providence ever knits the End and the Means What the Lord appoints he doth surely and seasonably bless Out of his road he will not be look'd for nor assure his Grace where he Records not his Name His General presence fils all places indeed and Rules in hell it self Judicially But his favourable and fatherly presence is to be sought and found in his gracious Ordinances What can Rebels expect from a Soveraign whose Orders they stil oppose and reject Who can look for the Blessing of Heaven in following the waies of darkness What hope of growing in any good things without answerable supplies and relief We waste a pace and need refreshing still that we may grow in the knowledge of Christ Vse 2. It may convince and humble all ignorant and negligent Christians It s our sin let it be our shame and sorrow that we grow so little under such helps in the Lords husbandry This evil reigns in most it remains in the best Most continue in the love under the power thereof making a trade and a sport of it the best find much cause to be still judging themselves for the sad Reliques of these unhappy weeds The dunghil abounds continually with filth and Vermin so doth mans unrenewed heart The best Garden will ever be troubled with some trash or other to be look'd after Their case is saddest that are most sensless of it and secure in it The soundest bodies
By his Spirit he draws home his Elect from among the rest to a conjugal acquaintance with himself This gracious knowledge is to be improved for a singular Antidote against sinfull Errors It hath appeared to be so in all ages and will still be so upon solid grounds which divine Reason suggests to us Reason 1. Because it removes and prevents the causes thereof External and Internal The cause removed the Effect will cease 1. THE External Causes called evident among Physicians are all such as from without endanger men as ill Company Disorders Infection Wounds c. from Sin and Satan thus spiritually many external causes do still assault us which the knowledge of Christ prevents and removes A well grown Christian hath his senses exercised to discern aright between good and evil The spiritual man judges of all things comparing of them spiritually He is not easily caught into the snare but wisely foresees it and escapes He believes not every Spirit but tries them all by the Lords Touch-stone He is forewarned and forearmed still against Infectious Temptations of all sorts 2. Internal Causes are either Antecedent and remote or continent and proxime which are bred within by congestion and defluxion of several ill humors putrifying gradually and variously to the distempering of the several parts and of the whole also Thus sinfull Corruption doth spiritually disorder mens souls Spiritual Growth affords Christs own help to the purging out of such ill Humors Vapors and Spirits It kils the worms takes away stoppages cleanses the parts by all convenient helps internal and external It purges the whole and then the parts in a due Method using revulsions and derivations with all sort of evacuations So far as Grace is grown up within by the knowledge of Christ so far is corruption purged out gradually He that knows him purifies himself even as he is pure Christs own Physick dispenced daily in his Word and Providence is through his Spirit improved that way He that is born of God doth not so sin as he did before neither can he so sin either totally or finally because the seed of God abides in him As he finds corruption breeding afresh within it s his desire and design his delight and labor to crush the Cockatrice in the shell and suppress the first beginnings He hath a tender heart sensible of the first stirs of the least vain thoughts and keeps himself that the evâ—l one touch him not as before Reason 2. Because it corroborates and fortifies the noble parts and thereby all the rest against all internal Corruptions and outward Temptations Thus health and strength are procured and improved against the malignity of all spiritual distempers Corroboration is a singular help as in the bodies so in the Souls of men against all diseases Ill Humors do leave in the parts affected an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Discomposure which enfeebles it and by a ferment and a sickly Spawn makes it prone to new disorders Error and Sin work in the like manner upon mens souls striking chiefly at the Vitals and Chief The knowledge of Christ duly improved doth orderly eradicate and extirpate it by Communication of his divine strength to vivification of every Grace and Mortification of the old man in all its Members The more a soul lives in him and by him the more of his renewed Supports and supplies come in which compose the Christian into spiritual health rectifying every part All the faculties are secured and fortified thereby against Relapses and struglings of sin Such can do all things through Christ strengthning them The sense of their own insufficiency drives them still to his Al-sufficiency that his Grace may be sufficient for them and his Vertue perfected in weakness Reason 3. Because it derives still a specifick Vertue out of Christ himself whose Soveraign Property mingled with all due means of his appointing affords still a sure Preservative Physicians observe the specifick Vertue of natural Medicines simple and compound which renders the whole effectual towards bodily cures Such a signally peculiar force is found in the Lords choice Antidote dispensed to his Patients The knowledge of Christ duly improved fetches out of him that wonderfull Grace which he mingles with all the Medicines appointed for their good His Blood is that Aurum potabile and Panpharmacum that Catholicon and Elixer of Life which sanctifies all things effectually to his Peoples good The more any soul grows up into acquaintance with him the more use is made of that Soveraign Balm of Gilead flowing from the Physicians very heart The Pelican is said to cure his little ones with his own blood Christ to be sure makes this good to his His Grace is the Basis of every Dose of every Topick of every means appointed by him The strongest poison is quelled thereby the stoutest humors are subdued the sorest obstructions are removed and the worst Maladies cured by the same He healed all manner of diseases and sicknesses among the people in their bodies and souls in his progress on earth and he doth so still by his Spirit from heaven His Word and Ordinances are the proper means used by him for application thereof He employes his servants of the Magistracy and Ministry to observe his will in the right use thereof by all fit helps Spiritual and Civil His Providence points out the case to be dealt with all spiritual skil Our Antidote improved affords every Christian to manage all aright His special Blessing he affords in all according to Promise The Reason is good make good use of it Vse 1. Corollar 1. Hence may we view the Ground and Cure of our spiritual Distempers in all Relations 1. THE Ground is much from want of spiritual Growth in the best as from want of Life in most Were Christ known to better purpose both Church and State would not be so sickly But the most are ignorant of him and the best much too blame Thence so many diseases and sores in all Relations and Societies Every Person every Family finds cause to complain because the Lord Christ is so much slighted No wonder if the sickness increase and the venom spreads when such a Physician with his Antidote are so basely used Wise men easily see whence this evil comes and is aggravated Gross wilfull unbelief is the forest disease that aggravates the case making it desperate This was the case of Gods people of old in the wilderness and Canaan again and again They slighted Christ and his Messengers till they were grown beyond all Remedy It may give us warning 2. The Cure and Method of Relief is hence observable the Lord hath not left us yet remediless There is Balm in Gilead and a Physician there with Soveraign Vertue to cure
the Beast by this usurped Supremacy When all that is dispatched we shall have more work for them to clear their Antichristianism in ruling by their own not by Christs Scepter by their will not by his which they have taught their mongrel Brood quaking among us to spread under disguises their chymical sublimations of old rotten Errors As for the fifth Monarchy it s a point needing much sobriety in the sence and use thereof Christ indeed hath a kingdom in this world though not of this world and his work is to Reform Rulers and people not to confound his own Ordinances 10. Christs humiliation state is opposed much as 1. by the former so 2 by many Novelists who make light of it accounting it but a type and figure of what was to be done within them Christs Incarnation Life and Passion are with them but stories and shadows the Life and substance is all within them There say they lies Christ very deep in every mans heart covered with earth to be born and raised up to live and die to do and suffer As for the Christ that died at Jerusalem many do slight him and many that seem to own him verbally yet renounce him effectively 3. By our late Quakers who have revived those rotten drugs from the Familists dunghil adding a new dress and access thereto as Paracelsus and David George Swenkfield and Battenburg Manno and Jacob Behmen with their German followers So do our Modern Enthusiasts rake up the kennels of old fanatick Dreamers with disguises and additions of their own Against this Venom spiritual Growth will help that we may know Christ as the great Apostle did labour for in the fellowship of his sufferings It will inform us of his wonderful abasing of himself in every step from his first conception till his resurrection It will shew us the absolute need all his Elect had of his miraculous Incarnation and Birth Life and Death Burial and abode for three daies in the Grave It will make us feel the effects thereof in our very souls that his Transcendent Love in stooping so low and parting withal may direct and press Returns of the like to him and for him That experience will engage our hearts to that Christ above who died once for sin but can die no more living unto God that we may likewise reckon our selves to be dead to sin but alive to God through him That Knowledge of Christ will teach us aright how to distinguish of the Person of Christ that once suffered for us and of the Grace of Christ which is by his Spirit formed within us in Regeneration Christ Personal is the God of Heaven that eternal Creator But his Grace in us which seems sometimes to be called by Christs Name as the Church is also by a Metonymical Metaphor and Synecdochically is but a finite creature a spiritual quality not subsisting by it self but inhering in a subject humane Scripture saith indeed that Christ is within us dwelling in us by his holy Spirit But may not he work within our heart by gracious communications without a personal fixation there The Sun conveys Light and Life by his Beams to all parts yet his substance abides stil in Heaven There is indeed a spiritual Relative union between Christ and the Regenerate set forth in Scripture by divers Emblems The Natural union between the Head and Members the civil union between Husband and Wife the artificial union between Foundation and Building set it forth But we must not strain figurative speeches beyond their scope This union is Real yet mystical full of mysteries There is no confusion nor composition no Transmutation nor Annihilation here Our persons are stil distinct Christs Godhead is indeed a Circle whereof the center is everywhere the Circumference nowhere He fils all places comprised in none Hell it self feels him though with little comfort But his manhood is not Infinite being a creature though wonderfully glorified by assumption and hypostatical union unto the Godhead in the second Person Christ as Saviour must stil be considered in both his Natures Divine and Humane subsisting in his own Person Thus considered he dwells not in us personally The person of the Husband is one with the Wife Relatively not personally Christs manhood cannot be personally within us The Heavens must hold as they received him till the Restauration of all He dwels in our hearts by Faith and we in him mutually as the Root in the Branches and the Branches in the Root by Relation and communication His whole Humiliation was for us and his Spirit enables us gradually to conform thereto by a fiducial Improvement thereof Thence he is said to be formed within us to be in us or among us the hope of Glory to live and act in us c. Hence the sufferings of Paul are called Christs sufferings not personally but causally because they are for his sake through his Grace undergone It s a sad abuse put on Christ and his Word thus to slight and destroy Christs personal Humiliation whereon depends all our Salvation If Christ suffered not then he rose not again and then are we still in our sins and of all men most miserable But Christ is as effectually Risen as he effectually suffered That effected Redemption by price in Impetration this by Power in application Thus it became him to suffer and so to enter into his Kingdom How far the Justice of God absolutely considered may be thought to require such satisfaction in order to pardon we need not controvert It suffices that upon supposition of his purpose and Engagement this way is of absolute need By this all his Attributes harmoniously concur to the perfecting of his peoples Salvation 11. Christs Exaltation is also much abused as 1. By the former Errors so 2. By our Modern Sadduces denying the Resurrection of the Body as some did at Corinth 3. By the Quaking Rabble who own no Christ but what is within them 4. By our Novelists who deny his Ascension and his Session at the Fathers Right hand 5. In effect also by the Papists in their Impanation Transubstantiation and such monstrous Doctrines 6. The Vbiquitaries trespass too much thereon in divers fond conceits broached and encreased after Luthers death by Brentius Osiander c. 11. AGainst such Opposers the Knowledge of Christ is of Soveraign force Thence we learn to Believe according to Scripture the several steps of his Resurrection and Ascension of his Session and Intercession It teaches us to improve the many Arguments so cogently pressed by Paul on the Corinthians as on the Romanes Thence we learn to know Christ as the Apostle did more experimentally in the power of his Resurrection being made conformable to his death So it became Christ to suffer and enter into Glory As by Humiliation he wrought out our Salvation by Price in way
up to believe those lies deceiving and being deceived The Scripture indeed sometimes Allegorizes and teaches the use of Tropes and figures by the best Rhetorick We must therefore be sure to keep close to it least we turn substantial Truth by Chymical Evaporations into Notional smoak Too many of late have followed those woful courses of enervating Scripture by Allegorical strains till they had lost Reason and Religion at once Such Paracelsian Fumes quickly Intoxicate mens Brains breeding the Giddiness and then Convulsions to extremity 13. Christs Ordinances by his Word appointed are not spared but are opposed too First By the forenamed deceits Secondly By our modern Seekers and Familists as by the old Gnosticks accounting them but childish weak things fit only for inferior Christians in their lower form Thirdly By many Luke-warm Laodiceans of this Age of a neutral indifferent spirit towards Christs Instituted Worship Fourthly By all Papists and Traditionists who set up wayes and parts of Worship of mans devising as religious use of Images prayer for the dead Invocation of Saints and Angels Veneration of Reliques sale of pardons and Indulgences Fictions of Purgatory and Limbus patrum infantium Prayer in an unknown Tongue by roat upon Beads vain Babling and Tautologies repeated over and over superstitious uses of Crosses and Crossings Altars and Tapers Vestments and Dressings Mimical Gestures and ridiculous Stage-playes in Worship corrupting of every Ordinance by many foppish additions and tricks Fifthly By Ranters and Quakers who jeer and blaspheme Christs Institutions as our sad experience testifies in all places AGainst such gross Evils the right Knowledge of Christ will arm us and prove that they are but fools who think themselves too wise for Christs School That the highest Christians have alwaies used them and pressed all others thereto with all diligence That they are the Charets and Conduits of communication between the Lord and us That they are all suited to the case of all Gods people on earth That we should live above them in the use not in the neglect of them That our bodies shal cease from needing food when our souls shall cease to need Ordinances That Christ promises his presence therewith to the worlds end That he meets his people with a choice Blessing where ever he records his name and therefore bids them seek his face evermore That therein our Homage is paid unto him in a special manner That the Lord will be sought and found in all his ways That his familiarity is to teach us manners not sauciness That to be neutral and meteor-like in the Lords worship is sad and sinfull in a high degree That Prayer and Singing are jointly prescribed and directed to for spiritual use That the abuse thereof by any should not cannot excuse us from our duty All are bound and bidden to use them yet none can use them spiritually but by a special Grace That a moral performance of Duty is better far then non-performance That men are to serve God as well as they can still learning of him how to serve him better That God is ready to give more still to such as improve what they have received That its better to serve Christ outwardly then to serve sin and Satan by omitting good or committing evil That the preaching and hearing Gods Word requires of necessity meditation and repetition reading and studying thereof That Christ will be honoured in every Relation by every one without exception as in publique and secret so likewise in our several Families That he threatens a curse to such Nations and such Families as know not and call not on his name That his morning and evening Mercies challenge good manners in duty from us That Christ himself taught how to pray and praise on the solemn use of the Lords creatures That to rest on Duties is Idolatry and to neglect the same is Rebellion That all mixtures of humane Inventions do but soil and deface the Lords pure worship that therefore all Romish Innovations are sufficiently confuted by the bare rehersal That Will-worship can never please him who will be worshipped in Spirit and Truth That the Heathens pleaded the like excuses for their superstition and Idolatry as the Papists do for theirs That a great part of the Popâ—sh trash is but borrowed from Pagans with disguises That in many things they renew those Rites which by Christs coming were to have an end that vows contrary to Scripture-Duty can shew little savour of Scripture-Verity that the ready way to obscure our Light is to besmear and and paint our Windows That Scripture-simplicity loves not the dressing of a pompous whore That a fair Complexion needs no painting and truth hath most power when most purity That Antiquity pleads not at all for their grossest Tricks That in the things wherein some of the Fathers seem to plead for them there is much mistake and much forgery That however Truth is the eldest and he wants no Antiquity that wants not Scripture-Truth Many words were innocently used by the Fathers as Merit Altar c. which are turned quite into another sense among Papists now 14. Christs holy-Day his Sabbath of rest suffers peculiarly as 1. From the foresaid Enemies of Truth So secondly From too many seeming friends some wholly rejecting some mangling of it and some indifferent to this or to that Thirdly By Quakers and all Enthusiasts who slight all or most of Christs Ordinances and this especially Against such mistakes and abuses the knowledge of Christ will teach and enable us to observe his day as becomes a Sabbath It s called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords Day to express his special property therein and sanction thereof as the Eucharist is called the Lords Table and the Lords Supper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Command enjoining it is placed in the heart and Center of the Decalogue with a signal Memento prefixed It s largely expressed both positively and prohibitively In the precept and close he names the Sabbath though in the amplification he mentions the seventh day or a seventh day He adds strong Reasons to enforce it from his Propriety Example and Blessing as also from the Equity thereof By this one Command he often expresses his whole Worship He couples it sometimes with one Precept of the first Table and after with one of the second Table to signifie the great Influence it hath into the observance of both It s abundantly confirmed enforced and renew'd in every part of Scripture old and new The reason that enforced the use of the seventh day Sabbath extends as fully to the first day Sabbath That was the Lords rest day from his Creation-work This is his rest day from his Redemption-work The change of the day in its quando made by God himself alters not the
Life a Turning of men from darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God by opening of their eyes and renewing their Will It s expressed by taking away the heart of stone and giving a heart of flesh in putting his Spirit within us and giving a new heart and a new spirit in our special effectual Calling It s said to be our Regeneration and being born again absolutely needful to open an entrance into Gods Kingdom Though there be some Reliques of natural and moral Endowments left in men since the fall in their powers and parts as appears by the Heathens Improvements yet these only testifie the wofulness of mans desperate fall in ruining so glorious a Fabrick Thence the blindness and perversness of his mind and will are so aggravated the crooked distortions of his Affections the searedness and corruption of his Conscience with the disorder of every part are set forth so Emphatically to convince every man Thence men are said before Conversion to be Godless and hopeless because Christless Thence is the wonderful operation of Renewing Grace so extolled still in this new creation bringing forth Light out of darkness in making man partaker of the Divine Nature This supernatural Work is carried on rationally by the Spirit of Christ in a way suitable to mans rational Being He works strongly yet sweetly he opens their heart-springs with a special Key of his own framing This Renewing Grace runs parallel with the Fathers Electing and the Sons Redeeming Grace whom God did foreknow and predestinate those he calls effectually seasonably savingly Their corrupt nature doth much resist it till Grace prevails and conquers all its Forts The outworks of the Mind and Judgement Christs Spirit conquers first thence breaking through the Iron Gate of mans Will into the possession of all the powers and parts of the soul Many sins remain still in every part like so many Cananites and Tories to be gradually subdued These Rebels being broken in their Head and Reign Grace doth orderly dispatch by mortifying exercise The Spirit of Christ carries on his work in supporting and supplying still those gracious Beginnings which are weak at first By the Gospel Light he communicates his gracious Life Thus he perswades enables his people to embrace Jesus Christ upon Gospel terms by a Covenant of Marriage and Adoption Thus is mans dunghil heart by Renewing Grace broken up and dressed into a spiritual Garden sown and set with the fruits of his holy Spirit It differs exceedingly from common convictions and external Reformations as earth differs from Heaven That difference is still morally-specifical though it seems to be Physically but Numerical and gradual It s the same Spirit that works conviction on the Reprobate and on the Elect but not in the same manner He knocks at both and is resisted He leaves the Reprobate justly he opens the Elects heart mercifully and prevailingly The Reprobate may be externally and professedly sanctified in a partial superficial way Gods Elect are specially sanctified universally in every part and gradually through every part Mans free will by sin subjected to Satan is through this Renewing Grace set at liberty so far as Grace prevails The unregenerate is free only to spiritual evil being an enemy to spiritual good The Regenerate soul is so far free to spiritual good as it s renewed When Grace is compleated in Glory the soul like good Angels shall be free only to good The Nature of mans will is thus bettered by Grace which was made a slave by sin The Devils and damned do freely will sin so do unregenerate souls on earth yet necessarily Thus necessity man stand with freedom both to good and evil By this Renewing Grace the regenerate soul is made conformable to Gods Image and is so far called the new man and gradually learns to be holy as God is Holy That Seed and Root of Grace cast into it at first grows up by degrees as the grain of mustard seed as the corn as the Light as the living Child Thereby the soul is enabled to believe and Repent and further to actuate every sort of Grace being excited corroborated and directed still by the same Spirit Thence is the conflict so continuall between the spirit and flesh the Law in the members and the Law in the Mind Grace and sin which ends not till the death of sin in bodily death Thus acti agimus Implanted Grace then co-works still with the Lords gracious Spirit who works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure This Grace appears also most free and full most choice sure to the glorifying of all Divine Attributes Man could not be conceived to have any skil power or will to procure the same By Grace the Lord cals unto Grace and so to Glory By Grace are we saved through Faith and that not of our selves it s the gift of God not of works least any man should boast for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works so that it s not in him that wills nor in him that runs but in God who shews mercy Of his own will begat he us by the Word of Truth that we might be to the praise of his Glory Object But why then is man commanded to believe and repent to change his heart c Answ Because as we hinted before God deals with men by men rationally orderly to convince all of their Duty and insufficiency to humble and awaken them to put them upon all due means to render the most inexcusable and moralize many to convey his Grace into his Elect through those very means peculiarly sanctified to the spiritualizing of their heart Object But is not God partial in so doing Answ No. For he is not bound to any further then he pleases neither is he led by any sinful respects which render men partial Object But why doth he yet complain of the Reprobates if he give them not sufficient Grace as to others how can they help it Ans God justly complains of the wicked for insolvency and squandring away his goods wilfully and rebelliously both in their first Father and by themselves They smart not but for their fault their being Bankrupts is no payment nor discharge of their debts to him He gives them more then they could expect or make right use of Though they cannot change their own heart yet they might use the means better then they do they are still wilfully negligent and selfish in all they do and suffer justly for their demerits Can the wicked say they sin not wilfully Will not their own conscience condemn them Are they not all corruptly estranged from the womb and speaking Lyes by time Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean Can the