the self-same spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 11. and from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness c. Shall I need to subjoyn what you may perhaps already sense and consider That Baptism is to be ministred in the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost as well as in the name of the Father Mat. 28.19 Prop. 4. God the Father then is not cannot be so the object of prayer as is exclusive either of God the Son or of God the Holy Ghost 1 For the Son It is manifest that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father Joh. 5.23 If you 'l review the last prayer of that lively Protomartyr Steven it is directed hither They stoned Steven calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit Act. 7.59 He that runs may read the same requests from the beloved Disciple of Christ and from his bride the Church which conclude our Bibles Come come Lord Jesus c. Rev. 22.17 20 21. Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom is the only recorded prayer of the penitent thief upon the Cross Luk. 23.42 43. Paul begins well-nigh every Epistle with prayers to him as well as to the Father Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.3 2 Cor. 1.2 c. And is followed herein both by John and Peter 2 Joh. 3.2 2 Pet. 1.2 In short this is given us as the character of all true Christians 1 Cor. 1.2 Act. 9.14 With all that call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Observe it is not said That call upon the name of the Lord through Jesus Christ though this is no doubt their duty and his due as being the Mediator It lets us see that his Saints look upon him not only as a middle person through whom they pray unto God but as true and very God to whom they make their prayers 2 For the Holy Ghost We are debters in point of prayer to him as he also deriveth all our grace and peace to us We are debters saith the Apostle not to the flesh but to the spirit and this not only to live after the spirit but to lift up our hearts with our hands to him in spirit and truth O come saith the Psalmist let us worship and bow down Let us kneel before the Lord our maker for he is our God c. Psal 95.6 7 8. The Apostle maketh application of this part of the Psalm to the Holy Ghost Heb. 3.7 8 c. External and internal worship is due then from us to God the Holy Ghost The reason which the Psalmist gives us reach him as well as the other persons He is the Lord our God he made us and not we our selves The spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the almighty hath given me life The inspiration of the almighty hath given me understanding Job 33.4 c. 32.8 Know ye not saith Paul that your bodies are the temples of the holy ghost Which he elsewhere maketh synonimous with being the temples of God What then Therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits which are Gods and therefore glorifie God the Holy Ghost So that inward and outward worship not only may but must be given to the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 20. c. 3.16 17. The Saints of God have offered him therefore their prayers of petition see instances Prop. 3. and the Seraphims do offer him their prayers of praise and thanksgiving Crying holy holy holy Lord God almighty which with express warrant enough is interpretable to the Holy Ghost and not to be limited to one or both the other persons Isa 6.3 9. with Act. 28.25 26. Shall I add more evidence where there is so much already Lo 1. The objective fundamental and formal ground of prayer is found with the Son and with the Holy Ghost as well as with the Father Is the Father God so is the Son God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 And the Holy Ghost is called God not less than three times in one Scripture 1 Cor. 3.16 17. I forbear ampler testimonies because you acknowledg this fundamental truth Is the Father an omnipresent majesty pray we where we will so is the Son also Hear him Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 So likewise is the Holy Ghost Whither shall I go from thy spirit saith the Psalmist i.e. I can go no whither but thy spirit is with me Psal 139.7 Is the Father an omnipotent mercy pray we for what we will he is able to hear and help us So also is the Son the mighty God the almighty Isa 9.6 Rev. 1.7 8. And so likewise is the Holy Ghost All these worketh that one and the self-same spirit dividing to every man as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 Briefly is the Father omniscient knowing what we pray for how we pray what are the purposes of and what principles are at act in our hearts and in what proportion and when it is best to answer our prayers and to accommodate our desires and distresses So is the Son he knoweth what is in man the very heart and reins he knoweth all things Joh. 2.24 25. c. 21.17 Rev. 2.23 And so also is the Holy Ghost he searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12. 2. For the object of faith Is it the Father only Nay so is God the Son and God the Holy Ghost And if the object of faith then of prayer also Rom. 10.14 Mat. 28.19 That the Son is the object of faith seems to require little or no proof with him that believes the Scriptures Since they were written to this very end that we might believe in the name of the Son of God and that believing we might have life through his name Joh. 20.31 1 Joh. 5.13 And he that disbelieveth or denieth this disbelieveth or denieth the Father also 1 Joh. 2.22 23 24. Here was the blessed faith of Peter the rock the bottom or foundation upon which the Church is built Mat. 16.16 17 18. Hitherto also our blessed Saviour calleth his Ye believe in God believe also in me Joh. 14.1 The Holy Ghost is the object of faith likewise I believe in the Holy Ghost is one and an eminent article of the true Creed of Christians Plain it is that the wisdom of the Spirit is the wisdom of God the power of the Spirit is the power of God the testimony of the Spirit is the testimony of God And if we may and should believe the witness of men much more the witness of God for the witness of God is greater It is the Spirit who is one God with the Father and with the Son that beareth witness because the Spirit is truth and therefore to be believed relied upon as the Apostle argueth 1 Cor. 2.1 4 5. 1 Joh. 5.6 7 9. He that believeth not in the Spirit then believeth not in
Psal 139.7 2. Think of them as whose essential actions are undivided That whatsoever the Father doth as God I say not as a person in the Godhead the same doth the Son and the Holy Ghost likewise as in creating the world quickning the dead c. Joh. 5.19 Job 33.4 Rom. 8.11 Direct 3. Think of the Father Son and Holy Ghost as three distinct persons in the undivided Godhead Let your thoughts work according to the word of truth Read that blessed Scripture 1 Joh. 5.7 Lo how they are distinguished by their names the Father the Word i.e. the Son Joh. 1.14 and the Holy Ghost distinguished by number three these three that are one one God of one nature Remember the Baptism of your Saviour There might you have heard the Father owning the Son and have seen the Son who had taken our flesh with the heavens opened to him by the Father and have beheld the Spirit descending on the Son like a Dove from the Father Mat. 3.16 17. Reflect else on your own Baptism as it is required by our Saviour Mat. 28.19 Here their several distinct names are propounded and their singular or Divine nature pointed at Recall else if you will that beloved Sermon of our Mediator Joh. 14. He doth more than once deliver you their distinction distinguishing the Father from himself and the Spirit from them both The Father will send the Holy Ghost in my name ver 26. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter even the spirit of truth ver 16 17. Another from himself who as to his corporal presence was going from them another from the Father Who as he saith shall give you another comforter But how another Another God It is impossible Another person is only intelligible So then you must think of Father Son and Holy Ghost not as distinct Gods but as distinct persons in the Godhead as one and the same God but not as one and the same person Think of the Father as not being the Son or the Son as not being the Father on the Holy Ghost as being neither Father nor Son and upon the Father and Son as not being the Holy Ghost Look upon them as coequal and therefore as distinct It being most absurd to say that the same person is equal to himself 1 Think of them as distinguished in and by the personal and incommunicable actions The Father begets the Son and hath given the Son to have life in himself as the Father hath life in himself Heb. 1.5 Joh. 5.26 The unbegotten Father then is clearly distinguished from the only begotten Son and the Son also from the Father The Father and Son do emit the Holy Ghost by an eternal spiration or communicating to him his distinct subsistence in the Divine Essence The holy Scriptures speak of the holy Spirit as sent by and from both the Father and the Son and as receiving from the Son as well as from the Father Joh. 14.26 c. 15.26 c. 16.14 15. As the Spirit both of the Son and of the Father Mat. 10.20 Gal. 4.6 So that the Father and Son sending are and must be distinguished from the Spirit sent No one sends himself or to himself Joh. ibid. c. 14.16 17. Nor doth the Scripture mention the Holy Ghost as the power only of the Godhead but as a person in the Godhead 'T is not said it but he shall lead you he shall glorifie me the Comforter whom the Father will send It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the neuter gender Joh. 16.13 Yet ver 14. not in the neuter but in the masculine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He the Spirit of truth he he he he he he he seven times besides in those two verses and once more he ver 15. 2 Think of them as distinguished in and by their personal and incommunicable properties 'T is proper to the Father to beget the Son to the Son to be begotten of the Father to the Holy Ghost to proceed both from the Father and the Son Heb. 1.5 6. Joh. 15.26 These distinct incommunicable properties infer plainly the distinction of the persons The Son begotten cannot be the Father begetting And the spirit proceeding cannot be either Father or Son from whom he doth proceed 3. Think of them as distinguished in and by the principle original and order of their personal existence The personal subsistence of the Father is from himself i.e. he receives subsistence from no other without himself but is the principle of subsisting to the Son and to the Holy Ghost Joh. 5.26 c. 14.26 The personal subsistence of the Son is from the Father I live by the Father saith he I came forth from the Father Joh. 6.57 c. 16.28 The personal sublistence of the Holy Ghost is both from Father and Son from whom he proceeds and by whom he is sent Joh. 15.26 c. 16.14 15. 4 Think of them as distinguished in and by the principle original and order of their operations and actions which are terminated without the Godhead The order of working follows that of being As their essential being is undivided so are their external works undivided also You know the received rule Opera trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa As Sanctification is wrought in us both by God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Jude 1. 1 Cor. 1.2 c. 6.11 As their personal being or subsistence is distinguished in the same order are their works also distinguished Is the Father of himself so he worketh of himself The Father of whom are all things saith the Apostle All things are delivered unto me of my Father saith our Saviour 1 Cor. 8.6 Mat. 11.25 26 27. Is the Son of and from the Father so he worketh of and from the Father I have not spoken saith he of my self I do nothing of my self but as my Father hath taught me c. The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do c. Joh. 12.49 c. 8.28 c. 5.19 20. Is the spirit both from Father and Son So he worketh from the Father and Son He shall not speak of himself saith Christ but whatsoever he shall hear viz. from the Father and from himself that shall he speak He shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Joh. 16.13 14. with Joh. 15.26 c. 14.26 Direct 4. Think of Father Son and Holy Ghost as distinguished not only in but from the Divine essence Though it be true they are not essentially distinguished yet it is also true that they are distinguished from the essence The Father is God the Son is God and the Holy Ghost is God these three are one God Yet though the Godhead be predicated of all the three persons the persons in the Godhead are not predicated of one another The Father is not the Son nor is the Son the Father nor is the Holy Ghost either Father or Son or either of those the Holy Ghost The divine essence doth not beget nor is begotten nor doth
to accuse and condemn Rom. 2.15 Their Conscience also bearing them witness and their thoughts the mean while excusing or else accusing one another 1. If the estate and actions be or have been good Conscience is accordingly to acquit and clear This it doth 1. to and before God as its superior in judgment whom it doth 1. sometime appeal as the supream Judg. Judg me O Lord according to my righteousness and according to mine integrity that is in me Psal 7.8.26 1. And 2. sometimes it apologizeth and excuseth us to him not by extenuating our sin * Excusatio enim hic non strictiore sensu accipitur quo diminutionem vel attenuationem culpae designat sed illo quo plenam culpae reatus amotionem notat Ames but by insisting on our sincerity Lord saith Abimelech in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart So Hezekiah Gen. 20.5 6. Isa 38.3 This it doth also 2. from God as his substitute in the judgment from whence Conscience is by office to approve and absolve 1. To approve the good and so our hearts are assured before and we have confidence toward God 1 Joh. 3.19 21. I have finished my course saith Paul I have kept the faith Conscience approves it and so assures him Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judg shall give me c. 2 Tim. 4.7 8. 2. To absolve from evil 1. from evils threatned by Gods laws the evil of divine indignation 1 Joh. 3.21 22 Nay saith Conscience whatever be the charges laid against him or crosses lay before him Who is he that condemneth it is God that justifieth In all these things I am more than a conquerour through him that loved me Rom. 8.31 to the end 2. â—â—rom evils thrown upon him by mens lusts the evils of humane imputations and hard censures Amidst all calumnies Conscience acquits Job and asserts his integrity Let his adversaries write a book against him he can bind their censures as a crown unto him Let them reproach him of hypocrisie Yet saith he till I die I will not remove my integrity from me My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live Job 31.5 to the end 27.5 6. 2. If the estate or actions be or have been bad Conscience is by office judicially to accuse and condemn I say judicially to accuse because it 's accusation per modum testis as a witness appertaineth to the second Proposition Thus it likewise doth 1. As to and before God to and before whom it accuseth us and causeth us to acknowledg our guilt Thus Davids heart smote him after he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done c. 2 Sam. 24.10 And after he had gone in to Bathsheba Against thee thee only I have sinned and done this evil in thy sight c. Psal 51.4 2. As from and under God who is greater than the Conscience So Conscience is by office 1. To convict the sinner and doth conclude it as to the sinful state and actions for which it stands arraigned before it Witness those Jews Joh. 8.9 Who were convicted by their own Consciences 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Significat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convincere causam eò deducere ut obijci enti praetexi nihil amplius queat Hyperius So shut up by arguments and by the authority of this Judg that they could not start from it 2. To censure and set a brand and mark of infamy upon the sin So David in the Text before 2 Sam. 24.10 I have done very foolishly And elsewhere So foolish was I and ignorant I was a beast before thee Psal 73.22 Here the least Conscience as a Judg can do is dislike and displicence with the sin and with it self for sin The evil which I do I allow not saith Paul Rom. 7.15 3. To condemn 1 Joh. 3.20 i.e. to pronounce the sentence which is a sentence of condemnation to the sinner where the estate is bad whereof is no reversal but upon repentance Act. 2.37 38. Tit. 3.11 A sentence of castigation and to contrition where the estate is good Jer. 31.19 and is still a sentence of condemnation to the sin and for the crucifying of the same whether the estate be good or bad Lam. 3.39 40 41. Secondly as it respects time future and what is to be Thus Conscience is by office in particular not only 1. to tell us or hold forth what is right and what is wrong what is good and what is evil to us in particular agreeable to the general law in the first Proposition But 2. to tye and oblige us respectively to that evil and to this good agreeably still to the same law in the same proposition And 3. to thrust forward excite or impell us for the avoiding of that evil and for the attaining or doing of this good with accord still to that general light or law In relation to these Offices the holy Scriptures speaks of the Conscientious man as one stirred as one bound as one pressed in his own spirit Act. 17.16 18.5.20 22. He is not only a debtor Rom. 1.14 But there is a necessity upon him as from Gods command so from his own Conscience He is constrained and cannot chuse unless he should offer violence to his own Conscience but do what his Conscience dictates 1 Cor. 9 16. 2 Cor. 5.14 Act. 4.20 I am not ignorant that these three last Offices of Conscience are commonly placed elsewhere and conceived to appertain rather to the first Proposition But in that Conscience doth therein dictate but the general right or law and these acts do evidently include a particular respect and application to a mans own estate or action and this conclusive as to his estate and action As the operation of Conscience aforesaid doth obviously witness I do therefore rather chuse to place them here Not that I blame others for the liberty which they please to take nor shall bind up my self strictly this order in the progress of this Discourse Q. 7. How may and should we so order our Conscience in relation to the first Proposition that they offer us true and right Laws and Rules and none but such concerning our estates * See Q. 3. Direct 1. in Chap. 3. and actions To this end it is necessary that you 1. Direct 1 Store your Conscience that she have a stock and treasury of knowledg a bank and habit of all necessary laws and rules of practice that as a scribe instructed to the Kingdom she may bring forth out of her treasury things both new and old as any occasion offers For how shall she be able to give rules if she hath them not or teach you if her self be untaught
it self evil as in the Polygamy of the Patriarchs And should not this power be good whose power is so great both for evil and for good 5. From the Principles it owneth 1. In Nature Doth not even Nature it self teach me that my Conscience be good whatsoever pains it cost me or whatever be the persecutions from men wherewith it may be consequenced The very Heathens have therefore prescribed means and pressed motives 2. In Grace how much more am I taught to exercise my self herein and engage my self hereunto by all the principles of godliness and by all the Promises of the Gospel 6. From the Offices it is to perform Can my Conscience do well if it be evil do not its Offices for God require that it be holy and good Conscience hath the office of 1. A Minister and is therefore obliged to be good a bad Minister being the worst of Men there is little hopes of its ministring good unless it be a good Minister 2. Of a Magistrate who should be most eminently and exemplarily good and a Minister to thee for good 3. Of a Witness 4. And of a Judg which must be good or they will do evil do evil themselves and not deliver Souls from extremity and injustice 3ly Direct 3 Apply you to the Causes of a good Conscience The Causes improved the effect will ensue These are principal or less principal 1 The Principal is God Every good and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of Lights The good Conscience is from the God of Conscience The God that made thy Conscience can alone make thy Conscience good Acknowledg him then in all thy ways and he shall direct thy paths Ask of him by prayer and strong crys as David did Thou art good and dost good teach me thy Statutes Incline my heart to thy Testimonies Let my heart be sound in thy Statutes Create in me a clean heart O God Jam. 1.17 Psal 119.36 68 80. 1. It proceedeth from the good-will of the Father The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding 'T is He that putteth Wisdom in the inward parts and giveth Understanding to the Heart Press thy Heart to consider it and plead with him in Supplication who delights to be urged with the liberousness of his own acts of Grace and giveth liberally to him that asketh Job 32.8 c. 38.36 Jam. 1.5 2. It is procured by the great worth of the Son who was made sin for us to take sin from us and in the likeness of sinful flesh by a sacrifice for sin hath condemned sin in the flesh and so brings us to God 2 Cor. 5.21 1 Joh. 3.5 Rom. 8.3 marg 1 Pet. 3.18 The good Conscience costs no less price than the Blood of God the Blood of Christ was shed that the besmeared Conscience might be sprinkled and purged for the peculiar service of God Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Heb. 10.22 c. 9.4 Apply then the meritorious and medicinal vertue that is in the Blood of Christ for cure of those maladies and bruises that are in thy Conscience Apply it by an hand of Faith make it thine Put thou on the Lord Jesus Christ Bring it down to thy case let this Blood be sprinkled on thy Conscience apply it in ardent prayer come unto God by him present his Merit with thy malignity to Divine mercy Plead his worthiness in thy unworthiness his stripes for thy healing the righteousness of Christ for the renovation of thy Conscience Pursue thy petitions upon the price he hath paid 3. It is produced by the gracious work of the Spirit If Conscience be spiritual and gracious it comes from the spirit of Grace if pure if holy 't is by the power of the Holy Ghost 'T is carnal till the Spirit comes never spiritual till born of the Spirit It is the spirit of life which sets it free from the law of sin and death Joh. 3.5 Rom. 15.13 16. Rom. 8.2 What Evangelical Truths are imprinted on the good Conscience they are of the Spirit 's writing 2 Cor. 3.3 What Evangelical Testimony is imparted by the good Conscience 't is of the Spirit 's working of his working for us who also witnesseth therewith in us Rom. 8.15 c. 9.1 Put not off the Spirit then in its motions and essays upon you which he maketh ply to him with all diligence and dearness put him not off with delays much less shouldst thou provoke him with a denial Let Steven speak why the Jews were uncircumcised in heart Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost Act. 7.51 Rather pray in the Spirit which God hath promised to pour out And who knows but Beggars may be blest in that branch of the Promises of his Grace I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them Prov. 1.23 Luk. 11.13 Ezek. 36.27 2 The less principal Causes are 1. an operative faith and love within you 2. the ordinances for faith and love without you 1. Let there be an operative faith and love within you These like Judah and Simeon his Brother come up into each others lots to subdue the Canaanites and set right the Conscience Let there be Charity out of a pure heart and Faith unfeigned and thou canst not be left without a good Conscience which the Apostle lodgeth in the midst of these as the Tabernacle of the Congregation was in the midst of the Camp Judg. 1.3 1 Tim. 1.5 Numb 2.17 Both of them have a blessed operation and tendency first to purifie then to pacifie the Conscience Of which hereafter 2. Live in the Ordinances for Faith and Love Be much in Praying Hearing Reading Meditation Conference the end of all these Commandments of God is to make thy Conscience good Cry after him and continue in them for this end make God's end thy errand to them and your heart shall live that seek God 1 Tim. 1.5 Psal 69.32 You wrong your own Souls that wave the Ordinances of our Saviour How many an evil Conscience hath been healed and cured by them How many a bad Conscience have been made good and how many a good Conscience have been made better The way is as open to you as it was to them follow God in them forsake not the ways of his Gospel you shall know if you follow on to know the Lord. Continue at the gates of Wisdom come for Wisdom to her gates and thou shalt not come off a loser yea if thou criest after knowledg and liftest up thy voice for understanding If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God Prov. 8.33 ad finem Hos 6.3 Prov. 2.1 6. 4. Attend Conscience throughout Direct 4 If Conscience be not good throughly 't is not good truly See that this goodness go throughout Conscience To this is requisite 1. a right apprehension of
a while instead of finding peace grow past feeling Exod. 8.8 cum 15 28. cum 32. Dan. 5.60.29 30. Act. 24.25 cum 27. And will you call this peace of Conscience which is a proeme rather of eternal condemnation This is not the spirit of peace but a spirit of slumber * See Perkins vol. 1. p. 368. 5. Prop. 5 Eminent troubles of Conscience now past cannot then infer the truth of your present peace as neither can that ease and tranquility which you now possess of which Q. 1. But that those exigencing perplexities â—ay issue in Evangelical peace there is enjoyned the intercurrence of repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 which these troubles are intended as disâ—ositive and preparatory and without which â—ere is no enjoyment of this Divine peace The Jews were pricked in their heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The nail was driven to the very â—â—d The iron entred into their very souls The Jaylor is filled with perplexing troubles he trembles and falls prostrate before Paul and Silas Both he and they cry out for direction What shall we do The Apostles who well knew there might be a spirit of bondage which is never consequenced with a spirit of Adoption never advise them these agonies are enough you may sit down in peace but press upon them the necessity and use of faith and repentance as prerequisities to their salvation and peace Act. 2.37 38. c. 16.29 30 31. Rom. 8.15 6. Prop. 6 Examine then how thou camest out of these perplexing troubles and how thou camest by this tranquility and peace 1. Didst thou arrive hereto in the Gospel method What hast thou found or now findest of the Gospel-prerequisites to peace faith in Christ and repentance from dead works What hast thou felt or now feelest of the Gospel-power or efficacy in order to peace The Gospel first proclaims war in the Soul against Sin the World and Satan then publisheth peace in dethroning these usurpers upon God's Soveraign Prerogative and the powers of our Souls The Gospel first preacheth the grace of God to us and in us and then peace with God unto us First purifying the Conscience by the graces of his Spirit and then pacifying it in the grace of his favour The Gospel first carries back the Soul to the God of Peace in an Evangelical conversion then chears the Soul with this peace of God in Evangelical consolations First hints the Soul unto Christ in all his offices of peace for us unto all obedience then quiets the Soul in the peace that he hath obtained for us and ordereth out unto us by his holy Spirit In short the Gospel first changeth the Soul into the resemblance and image of God then and not till then comforteth it by a review of its interest in God and of God's in him Rom. 8.5 6 7. c. 1.7 Heb. 9.14 Hos 6.1 Isa 9.6 7. 1 Thes 5.23 Psal 4.8 2 Is it accompanied with a Gospel-mould With an unfeigned and universal change of thy heart and life into the likeness of the Gospel of peace 'T is one great branch of the Covenant of Grace which God hath also called the Covenant of his Peace that he will write his law in our hearts and put it in our inward parts Isa 34.10 Ezek. 34.25 c. 37.26 Jer. 31.33 So that if thine be a Gospel-peace thou art transformed into the Gospel-pattern There is a change not only of some actions but of thy estate relative in thy Justification real in thy Sanctification True peace of Conscience taketh its rise from a pious sense of this change 2 Cor. 3.18 Rom. 5.1 1 Joh. 5.18 19 20. Q. 5. What should convinced Sinners do in distress of Conscience as are conscious to themselves that they are now in a sinful and damnable condition A Question long since ask'd and answer'd Act. 2.37 c. c. 16.30 c. Yet let it not seem amiss if I offer a few advises or directions which shall especially refer unto those two instances Direct 1. Accept of your Convictions and do not either put them off or put them out or press them down They were pricked in their heart Act. 3. But they abide the pain are not angry with Peter nor do they pluck out and throw away the arrow The Jaylor trembleth in such an agony was he of Conscience yet he attempts not either to break prison from Conscience or abuse the Preachers who were now his Prisoners or to precipitate his Comforts To this end 1. Remember whence they come from thy Spirit immediately but mediately and originally from God's holy Spirit which is first a spirit of bondage then a spirit of adoption first convinceth then comforteth the Conscience Rom. 8.15 Joh. 16.8 Will you break his bands asunder Take heed he will make them stronger if you continue to resist But â—o sweetness safety if you close and submit Isa 28.22 Job 36.8 12. If you will not accept either he 'l away on the one hand and then oh the hardness of your heart Or else add amazement to your anguish on the other hand Gen. 6.3 Isa 63.10 2. Remember their concern and whither they tend These setters are not like those of Pharaoh's Baker in order to your perdition but like those of his Butler or of Joseph's rather in order to his preferment Every pang and throw is preparatory to the new Birth to that conversion without which thou canst not see the Kingdom of God and so to those consolations which are wont to ensue upon Christ's being formed in the heart If the Spirit breaks 't is in order to binding up if he prick and launce the heart 't is in order to the health and ease of his Patient He is making way by these afflictive severities for the sweets of Adoption Hos 6.1 Act. 2.37 38. Rom. 8.15 3. Remember the consequence If you accept you are half-way over this deep ford While the Heart the Will which commands the other faculties is so far won the work is like to continue and frame well to your ease and God's ends who is ready to meet you as the Father in the Parable did his prodigal Son when he was yet a great way off Mic. 6.9 Levit. 26.41 c. Luk. 15.20 And as your business will succeed the better so your burden will sit much the lighter the more you wince the more you weaken and sin wounds you cut off advantages from Satan and are more capable of improving sound advise and the Spirit 's assistance If you do not accept see what attends Happily a great dedolence and stupidity of Conscience which is a dreadful instance of Divine justice Rom. 1.28 Prov. 1.30 But beyond a perhaps there will be greater dolor either here in the approaching arrests of an abased Conscience to repentance or hereafter in the anger astonishment and continued gnawing of an accusing Conscience to eternal ruin Hos 6.5 Prov. 5.22 23. Direct 2. Avoid those courses which will defeat thee of
in sound repentance if thou wouldst no more feel the arrows of the Almighty or hear the thundering Cannon of a terrified Conscience On to God in Christ if thou wilt return return unto me saith the Lord Jer. 7.1 There is no recovery without returning even unto him from all thine iniquity Hos 4.1 2. Return to him as the only Original of thy being as the only object that can make thee blessed Yield up thy whole self to his holy Government thy Conscience and Conversation to be ordered by his commands Return to him as thine adequate good and alone Governour Put thy whole man under his Soveraignty present thy self a living Sacrifice to him Ezek. 18.30 31 32. Rom. 6.13 17 19. c. 12.1 Mourning will not do it without turning nor this unless it be of the whole man nor this unless it be unto God Joel 2.12 13. Jer. 3.6 10. Provoke thy self hitherward put on strong and present resolutions There is no healing till thou com'st hither Till thou acknowledg thy offence and seek his face he will be not a Surgeon to repair but as a Lion to rend and tear thee Only return and there is an open remedy He that hath torn will heal thee he that hath smitten will bind thee up Ho◠5.13 14 15. 6.1 2. 2 Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ Act. 16.30 31. i.e. Receive him in all his Offices and with all his inconveniencles and rest on him as the Lord thy righteousness Never think that relief is possible by any other means There is not Salvation in any other There are two negatives in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Act. 4.12 But lo he is able to save to the utmost those that come unto God by him His very stripes are healing He is both medicus medicina too Not a broken heart but he can set and heal it He immediately made her straight that had been infirm and bound together for Eighteen years Heb. 7.25 Isa 53.5 Luk. 4.18 c. 13.11 12 13. And he is as willing as able He invites yea intreats poor sin-sick Souls to come in and he will cure them for nothing only requireth that they come Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Rev. 22.17 2 Cor. 5.20 Mat. 11.28 Why do not our Souls answer with the Church Behold we come And attest him with Peter Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life Joh. 3.22 Joh. 6.68 Hear thou distressed Conscience the Master calleth for thee The whole need not a Physician but they that are sick I came to call not the righteous but finers to repentance Think not thou shalt be too bold when the Physician bids thee 'T is a sinful bashfulness that stays thee from believing on Christ when he bids you to lay all your heart-troubles at his blessed feet in believing Let not your hearts be troubled believe in me Mar. 2.17 1 Joh. 3.23 Joh. 14.1 Come then thou wounded Conscience close with Christ and commit the cure into his hand who is anointed with a fulness of the Spirit for this very purpose Canst thou but touch his garment by faith thou shalt be whole To him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Isa 61.1 Mat. 9.21 22. Act. 10.43 Direct 8. Assay Conscience ever and anon with some Cordials and do not add more Corrosives when thy case is so sad already They were pricked in their heart Act. 2. 16. and the Apostles would not have them abide one minute without a plaister How many a Soul is ready to swoon away under the Surgeons hand For their sakes I subjoyn this direction Say not thy bones are dried thy hope is lost thou art cut off for thy part Think rather 1. Of others deliverances who have been as greatly distressed Cannot God open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves and breathe life even into your dead Souls as well as theirs Ezek. 37.11 12 13 5 6. Have not you read of such whose Couches did swim with tears who have complained their wounds did stink and in whom the arrows of the Almighty stuck fast that have lookt on themselves as laid in the lowest pit in darkness and in the deeps that have been distracted with terrors and roared by reason of the disquietness of their heart That have said their strength and their hope was perished from the Lord while they remembred their affliction and misery the gall and wormwood And yet have these been relieved refreshed and rejoyced afterward in the loving-kindness of the Lord Psal 6.6 38. 9.88.6 c. Lam. 3.18 19 c. What an instance was Paul Hast thou smarted like him was not he a monument of greater severity that was struck down to the very ground c. Or hast thou sinned like him been such a persecutor blasphemer c. Howbeit he obtained mercy And why but for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe in Christ to life everlasting Act. 9.3 4 6 c. 1 Tim. 1.13 14 16. Say then Why may not there be mercy for me too even for me Is the stock of God's mercies spent are they not infinite Manasseh Magdalen c. find mercy And why should I foresee nothing but misery 2. Think of the deliverance tendered thee The tender is universal to all and therefore to me may Conscience say Come unto me all ye that are weary c. Whosoever will let him come c. Whosoever is a thirst let him drink of the water of life freely Say why should I exclude my self whom the Scripture whom my Saviour never excluded but hath ever invited as he entertained likewise Publicans and Sinners Mat. 11.28 Rev. 22.17 Isa 55.1 Joh. 7.37 'T is but come come by faith come by repentance and upon the feet of new obedience and there is comfort for me The Draw-bridge is not up the door of grace stands open to me 3. Think of thy demerits and yet what God hath done with thee and for thee Hath not every sin deserved a death an hell How many a death and hell hast thou then deserved And yet thou art alive through his forbearance and livest upon his finding What reason hast thou then for blessing and honouring him and bearing up of hope in thee Well this distress might have been damnation These might have been the chains of the blackness of darkness I might have been now frying in easeless and endless flames But he punisheth me much less than I have deserved 'T is of his mercy that I am not consumed Ezra 9.14 15. Lam. 3.22 And why may not he further magnifie his mercy in saving me who hath so far magnified it already in sparing me He that hath reprieved me that was under the sentence of death may also pardon me if I do but press him with petitions and pursue my petitions with repentance 4. Think
See thou do not baffle with or break from him Quench none of his motions be they never so strict or seem they never so severe They all tend to grace they all end in peace And though he be as yet a spirit of bondage to fear it is not to exulcerate Conscience more sharply but to heal it the more soundly and that he may be a spirit of adoption to thee whereby thou maist cry Abba father 1 Thes 5.19 Isa 61.1 Rom. 8.15 2 Attend his ways before thee not only his ways in the Sanctuary without thee in the means of grace as praying hearing c. but his ways that are more spiritual within thee in the motions of grace and minding of Spiritual and gracious matters The less spiritual-mindedness the less serenity of mind What blustrings are there here beneath But above 't is all in an happy tranquility There are no tempests or thundrings in the upper region Call up thy Conscience and its Colleagues thither and keep them conversant about spiritual and heavenly Objects and thou shalt then soon know what is the communion of the Spirit and what these suavities of Conscience are To be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually is life and peace Phil. 3.20 21. cum 18 19. Col. 1.9 10. Rom. 8.5 6. 3 Attend the witness of the Spirit in and with thee It is the Spirit that beareth witness saith the Apostle 1 Joh. 5.6 Which he doth not only externally in the Scriptures but internally to and with our spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.16 A single witness under the law was of no moment But at the mouth of two witnesses shall the matter be established Deut. 19.15 Jo. 8.17 Lo two witnesses are tendered upon the case to clear it God's spirit and our spirit both of them needful and useful to testifie the things of God and the things of man For what man knoweth the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God 1 Cor. 3.11 The spirit witnesseth to and with our spirit or Conscience in and throughout its whole argumentation and progress whereupon it concludeth its peace E. g. All those that with child-like appretiation affiance and affections can cry Abba father are the children of God But I can with a child-like appretiation affiance and affections cry Abba father Therefore I am a child of God Rom. 8.15 16. The Spirit witnesseth with my Spirit 1. To the truth of the Proposition by an internal manitestation or revelation of that truth to the mind whereof he hath already made an outward revelation in the Scriptures Joh. 14.26 Psal 119.18 2. To the truth of the Assumption by irradiating the Conscience and enabling her in and upon the reflections she maketh to apprehend feel and descry such appretiations and affections in me or whatsoever other mark or medium I am making use of to clear up my estate thereby Eph. 1.17 18. 1 Cor. 2.12 14. 3. To the truth of the Conclusion not only by strengthning her to conclude my state and condition from such appretiations and affections but by shedding abroad such beams of joy and comfort as confirm me therein and seal it up unto my soul 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Rom. 5.5 Eph. 1.13 c. 4.30 Though you must not attend for an external audible testimony from the Spirit * See Hollingw Hol. Ghost on the bench p. 74 75. Ball 's Lif of Faith p. 79. which was never promised and hardly if ever pattern'd Yet you may and must attend for the internal and effectual testimony of the Spirit in effecting exciting heightning and evidencing of his own graces to and in you and in the effusion of the love of God and of his joy upon you which is called the joy in and of the Holy Ghost and is the companion of peace of Conscience Rom. 14.17 1 Thes 1.5 6. Let me only add Thou must not expect as if the Spirit would or could witness peace to thee before it hath wrought grace in thee For its testifying peace to the Conscience is by testifying the truth of thy grace and closing with Christ Thou must first set thy scal to the truth of God in the reception of his testimony by faith in his Son ere the Spirit of truth will seal thee up to the day of redemption Joh. 3.33 cum Eph. 4.30 2 Cor. 1.22 In whom after that ye believed * Quasi dicat non citiùs nec ante sed post sidem in Christum Zanch. ad loc ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise Ephes 1.13 Thus appealing Conscience into and adjuring her by the divine presence will be of notable advantage It will not only awaken and engage Conscience but will awe her from extreams to which Sin and Satan may otherwise incline her and put the more authority and undeniableness into her testimony and sentence as being given not only upon God's commission but with God's contestation and comprobation and so will be the more powerful to arrest and stay scruples to anticipate or answer Satan and ascertain the Soul in the sweetest and steadiest affiance while the testimony and judgment of Conscience to a mans righteousness and reconciliation c. is after such severities and as in the sight of God And her language to the Soul is like that of Eliphaz to Job Lo this we have searched it so it is hear it and know thou it for thy good Psal 17.2 3. 7.3 9 10. 26.1 2 3. Job 13.15 16. c. 23.10 c. 27.2 5 6. c. 5.27 Q. 7. How may we keep Peace of Conscience when once gotten The former Directions C. 2. Q. 7. and those even now given you Q. 7. are of useful review here likewise * See Fenners Treat of Consc p. 200 c. But I shall be particular Direct 1. Keep out sin This is THE make-bate and like a mad man it casteth firebrands arrows and death Her entrance and first embraces its true may promise a mellifluous sweetness But her end is bitter as wormwood sharp as a two-edged sword that pierceth even to the Conscience And if anothers abuse of his liberty may wound your Conscience much more will the ardour of your own lusts Prov. 26.19 c. 3 4. Rom. 6.21 1 Cor. 8.12 Psal 38.3 5. Keep out especially 1 Scandalous sins These fly at God and his glory His name is blasphemed through them and shall you be blessed in them Had Zimri peace who slew his master Though David was the darling of Divine Providence yet farewell his peace when he once fell into such a provocation 2 Sam. 12.14 2 King 9.31 Psal 51.8 11. 2 Self-condemned sins Think not to sin against Conscience and yet sin in quiet Such sins are a daring of Conscience to do its worst and do implicitely condemn her as she doth explicitely condemn them And how can she in such a circumstance acquit and clear Remember what it
* See Fenner 's Treat of Consc p. 205 c. as it anticipateth what would trouble and confound the terms of our peace but as it affordeth a testimony to Conscience of the truth of our peace Hereby we know that we know God and are known and acknowledged by him Hereby we assure our hearts before him 2 Cor. 1.12 1 Joh. 2.3 5. c. 3.19 Yea God assureth the true Evangelical obedience an happy tranquility and peace The work of righteousness shall be peace Glory honour and peace to every one that worketh good As many as walk according to this rule peace shall be upon them Isa 32.17 Rom. 2.10 Gal. 6.16 I advise especially that you preserve 1. Loving affections The more you love his precepts the more you shall live in peace Great peace have they which love thy law Psal 119.165 166 167 132. 2. Loyal aims Let the preponderating motive be to please the Lord that you walk worthy of him unto all pleasing And he will reciprocate with you Every thing shall work together to pleasure you your enemies shall be at peace with you God himself shall take pleasure in you And therefore Conscience must needs be at peace with you No testimony speaks that peace to Conscience as this that I please God 2 Tim. 2.4 Col. 1.10 Rom. 8.28 Prov. 16.7 Psal 149.4 Heb. 11.5 Direct 8. In short keep a foot consideration and your most awakened and active circumspection Look backward and consider your pangs and plaints ere it came your prayers and promises that it might come the price you then set upon it the pains you then spent for it c. Look forward and consider the end it pointeth at the effects it promiseth the enjoyments to which it predisposeth c. Look upward and consider the principle whence it cometh the price which it cost the proprieties and priviledges which it cleareth c. Look downward and consider not only others horrors but how ominous hopeless c. your thoughts of hell and of the grave would be if you should lose your peace You cannot miss of motives whither soever you convert your minds In a word lose this and you lose all God Glory Heaven Happiness though not as to themselves yet as to your sense Keep this and you keep all the sweets the security of all Nay if you keep not this you cannot keep your selves at least in any quiet and composure For 't is the peace of God that keeps your hearts and minds all your rational faculties Phil. 4.7 Keep thy heart therefore with all diligence Be diligent that you may be found of God in peace without spot and blameless Watch thou in all things Prov. 4.23 2 Pet 3.14 2 Tim. 4.5 Watch the adversaries oâ— Conscience that they neither flatter her oâ—â— of her peace or fright her with their power neither feed her with prejudice nor force her upon any precipice that they neither cause an invasion nor cherish an insurrection Watch the acts of Conscience both imperate which she injoyneth other powers of the Soul and elicit which issue immediately from her self that they neither decline the rule nor discontinue their exercise nor be distorted to either extream but be discharged regularly Watch her answers that they be the answers of a good Conscience toward God In fine watch every avenue that nothing pass in or out but what you can give a good account for to the God of peace Mat. 26.41 1 Cor. 16.13 c. 8.9 Hebr. 3.12 1 Pet. 3.21 Luk. 21.34 36. Q. 8. Whether a pious Christian may not live for some time without Peace of Conscience Doubtless he may For though we may admit Piety to be the practical foundation of Peace yet we must allow some time between laying the foundation and raising up the frame or building 'T is true the end of that man is peace but his entrance is most times perplex as Manassebs Ephraims the Jews and Jaylors was Psal 37.37 2 Chron. 33.12 c. Jer. 31.18 c. Act. 2.37 c. c. 16.29 c. It is plain 1 there can be no peace before grace Q. 1. 'T is first grace then peace in all the options of the Apostle Rom. 1.7 2 Cor. 1.2 2 There is and must be grace in order of time and nature before peace For the true peace of a gracious Christian ariseth from the testimony of Conscience to the truth of his grace So that Conscience in pronouncing peace doth alway presuppose grace and maketh use of the truth of our grace as a medium whereby it proveth that we are upon terms of peace 2 Cor. 1.12 Isa 26.12 Psal 4.8 3 There may be a considerable interval between the implanting of grace in us and the imparting of peace to us whether we consider the ground of peace or the giver of peace 1. The ground of peace The immediate rise of peace is not the simple existence of grace in us but the sense and evidence of this grace to us And it is manifest that grace may exist in that subject which hath no evidence or sense of it and that for a long time Witness Heman David c. 'T is one thing to know God 't is another to know that we know him This is the product usually of much time many thoughts and trials of our selves Christ tells his Disciples Whither I go ye know and the way ye know But Thomas saith unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest and how can we know the way There is no contradiction They knew it but did not know that they knew it notwithstanding so long continuance with him Science there was at least a dark and confused knowledg but not Conscience no distinctness or clearness of knowledg though they had so long converse with him in whom were laid up the treasures of wisdom and knowledg Psal 88.3 9 15. c. 42.3 8. 1 Joh. 2.3 Joh. 14.4 5. 2. Let the giver of peace be considered Grace and peace are from the same Spirit But not at the same time or with the same circumstances 'T is the same spirit that sanctifieth us in the day of our renovation and that sealeth us up to the day of our redemption But it is not by the same act That is antecedaneous this afterward After ye believed ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise Isa 32.15 17. Rom. 15.13 16. Ephes 1.13 How long or how little time he will take ere the ensealing of the deed is not for us to determine while he hath not declared it in his word and is pleased to diversifie so much in his works Pauls peace was not so early as Lydias was 'T is not for us to know the times and scasons which the Father hath put in his own power Act. 9.9 17 18. c. 16.14.1.7 This is certain Grace is from the Spirit as working out sin and writing out the similitude of God upon the Soul Peace is from him as witnessing with our spirits our Sonship and Salvation So that
in that this term is extended to Creatures to Men to Angels you are to think of Father Son and Holy Ghost as increated persons from whom therefore you must remove all creature-imperfections even in your very thoughts As 1 Created persons are of a determined or rather finite nature 1. Of finite perfections 2. of a finite presence 3. of finite power and 4. of a finite permanence or duration But these increated persons are infinite in their nature the Godhead being infinite 1. Of infinite perfections Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out Job 37.23 Canst thou by searching find out God Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection It is as high as heaven what canst thou do deeper than hell what canst thou know c. Job 11.7 8 9. 2. Of an infinite presence Do not I fill heaven and earth saith the Lord. Yea blessed Lord whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence Jerem. 23.24 Psalm 139.7 c. 3. Of an infinite power I am God almighty saith he Is any thing too hard for me c. Gen. 35.11 Jer. 32.27 4. Of an infinite permanence or duration From everlasting to everlasting thou art God He is the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity Psal 90.2 Isa 57.15 2 Created persons are of a divisible and compounded nature and therefore changable But these increated persons are of a most indivisible simple and immutable nature For so is the Godhead a most pure a most perfect nature without the least change without the least composition Each person is called Jehovah who is what he is viz. a most pure and perfect being without variableness or so much as a shadow of turning Exod. 3.14 Jam. 1.17 God is light and in him is no darkness at all 1 Joh. 1.5 3 Created persons are of a dependent nature As all created persons depend upon their first cause or principles for their continued preservation so the nature doth depend upon its proper person for its support or sustentation But now the divine nature which is in these three persons doth not depend upon any or upon all these persons for its sustentation or subsistence But all three persons subsist in this one independent nature as is said of the subsistence of the Son Phil. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subsisting in the form i.e. in the essential form of God as being equal with God as it follows The Godhead it self is independent or it is not Godhead or it is not infinite He is Jehovah which implys that his being is neither from nor for nor in nor by any other but is most absolute and independent I am the first and I am the last and beside me there is no God Isa 44.6 c. 45.21 22. 4 Created persons are of different natures numerically different though not specifically True it is that Peter Paul Philip are of the same specifical nature i.e. they are all of them men but they are not of the same singular or numerical nature i.e. they are not the same man But these increated persons are of the same nature not only of the same specifical but of the same singular nature they are the same God That as you may safely say God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost So you must think and say of them that they are one and the same God one and but one These three are one 1 Joh 5.7 Hear O Israel the Lord our God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one Lord. You must not then think of these three uncreated persons as you would of those three created as if these were distinct Gods as those are distinct men 5 Created persons have many different accidents and are distinguished from each other by a congeries or heap of accidents as time place c. But these increated persons are of that infinite perfection as being the same God that they are above any such thing as an accident The infinite simplicity of the Divine nature cannot admit of such finite things as are accidents as also nor can its immutability 'T is a confessed maxim amongst Christians Whatsoever is in God is God I have sworn by my holiness saith God Psal 89.35 God sware by himself saith the Apostle Heb. 6.13 God's Holiness then is God himself 'T is true the Father Son and Holy Ghost are distinguished by their personal properties or if you will needs so call it by their personal attributes But they are not different by any personal accidents as James and John are This their perfect nature is utterly alien from and abhorrent of Direct 2. Think of Father Son and Holy Ghost as the same God subsisting in one and the same undivided essence or Godhead See that you do not divide the nature when you distinguish the persons Therefore John having shewn you these three distinct persons immediately subjoyneth that they have but one undivided essence 1 Joh. 5.7 The same in effect doth Jesus Mat. 28.19 as we have noted before Q. 1. Prop. 6. Enough may seem to have been already spoken to this both there and but even now But I add you should not only think of them as one and the same God in the same most single essence but think of them as inseparably subsisting in and with one another in the unity of this same essence That the Son subsists in the Divine nature or essence you saw but even now from Phil. 2.6 Direct 1. That the Son and Father subsist in the same Divine essence is manifest in that the Son is the express image of his Fathers person or subsistence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his Father and he are one in essence Heb. 1.3 Joh. 10.30 The Holy Ghost therefore must and doth subsist in the same essence for he is one God with the Son and Father 1 Joh. 5.7 Believest thou not saith Christ to Philip that I am in the Father and the father in me And then he calleth upon him from his word and from his works which were the Fathers in and with him Believe me that I am in the father and the father in me Joh. 14.10 And again afterward he assureth his Disciples That at that day when the Holy Ghost the Comforter should be more plentifully communicated to them from the Father at that day ye shall know that I am in the father ver 20. Now the Holy Ghost being co-essential with the Father and with the Son and subsisting with them in the same single and omnipresent nature doth therefore also subsist in and with the Father and Son and they also in and with the Spirit In short then you must so think of them that you do not divide when you do distinguish them 1. Think of them as whose essential attributes are undivided That the Son and Holy Ghost are equally excellent infinite immutable c. with God the Father because God equal with the Father And there can be no inequality betwixt them who are all infinite Phil. 2.6
proceed which the infiniteness simplicity and immutability thereof can no way admit Yet the Father doth beget the Son is begotten and the Holy Ghost doth proceed Think of the Divine essence then 1. As one only one most singly and singularly one But think of the Divine persons as three three distinct subsistents in this Divine essence 2. Think of the Divine essence as only of and from it self but think of the Divine person of the Son as of or from the Father and of the Holy Ghost as from them both 3. Think of the Divine essence as common or communicated to all and to each of the three persons But of the persons as incommunicable and impredicable of one another The Father cannot be the Son nor the Son the Father c. 4. The Divine essence to conclude is of absolute consideration a person is of relative consideration A person in the notion thereof includeth over and above the essence a relation as of the Father to the Son of the Son to the Father of both to the Holy Ghost and of the Holy Ghost to both A person in the Godhead is the Godhead distinguished by an incommunicable relative property These things have received proof already therefore I forbear here Direct 5. Think of this Trinity of persons in the unity of the same essence not only with distinct apprehensions but with dearest appretiations with deepest abasements of thy self with divinest admiration of them with devotedst adhesion with deliciousest affections and with devoutest actions 1 With dearest appretiations The top of your blessedness or felicity is union and communion with this blessed Trin-unity Let your highest thoughts turn in hither and take up here Prefer one God in three persons beyond all other good and price him as your highest and only chief good The glorifying and enjoyment of these three glorious persons in the one glorious Godhead is the business and blessedness of the glorified ones to all eternity as is not obscurely intimated Rev. 4.8 Holy holy holy Lord God almighty Let this mystery therefore have the highest throne in all the thoughts of your mind Say with David Only marg 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my soul waiteth upon God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which noteth the plurality of persons in this one nature Psal 62.1 To have the trin-une God your God is the highest happiness and therefore calleth for your highest appretiations The fellowship of the Father Son and Holy Ghost was the highest felicity the Priests could wish unto the people or Paul unto his Corinthians or John unto the seven Churches Num. 6.23.27 2 Cor 13.14 Rev. 1.4.5 2 With deepest abasements the Angels themselves cover their faces and the four and twenty Elders with their golden Crowns fall down before the Throne of God when they come to see and celebrate this glorious Mystery to cry Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty Isa 6.2 3. Rev. 4.8 10. How much more should we that dwell in Houses of Clay Here if ever should reason lower its Top-sail and strike or stoop rather to Revelation Flesh and Blood cannot reveal nor doth without the spirit of faith receive this mysterious union of three persons in one nature or that other of two natures in one person one Christ Though these are not against yet are they above reason Matth. 16.16 17. 1 Cor. 2.11 12 14. But if reason it self call for Elijahs Mantle wherein to wrap its face from this dazling glory what are our Rebellions our Sins what malignity is in them and what murmuring should be by us while every sin is a dart thrown at this glorious Essence and as it were a study of dissolving the substantial union of these three glorious Subsistents It is enmity against God contrariety to God nor is any one an enemy to God or he to them but by and for sin Rom. 8.7 Levit. 26.23 24. Isa 63.10 This is that which crucified the Son quencheth the Spirit and puts contempt upon the Father Once more your very relation to so high a God should humble you Let my soul boast it self in him but blush and be ashamed in me who am I or what is my life or my Fathers Family in Israel that I should be Son-in-law to the King Worm that I am and no man not worthy of the least of all thy mercies infinitely below thee as I am thy Creature yet more infinitely as I am a Sinner and yet will this glorious God become my God these glorious Persons become my Portion God the Father become my Father God the Son my Saviour God the Spirit my Sanctifier I have seen thee Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty with the Eye of Faith I have seen thee Behold I am vile what shall I say unto thee Infinitely Infinitely Infinitely am I unworthy of thee I Repent and Abhor my self in dust and ashes compare Isa 6.3 with 5. Job 42.2.7.40.4 But I may not so expatiate 3 With divinest admiration Angels adore this mystery and shall not men admire this mystery Isa 6.3 here are such depths as I cannot wade through can only wonder at One yet Three Three yet one God the Father begetting God the Son and yet the Godhead of the Son unbegotten God the Holy Ghost proceeding from both and yet the Holy Ghost God Coeternal and Coequall with both All these one God in each other Alius alius yet not Aliud aliud these are matters I find beyond my reason to comprehend 't is too short to reach them yet find reason to confess believe because God hath revealed them O that I could more devoutly admire where I cannot distinctly apprehend concerning the Eternal generation of the Son and procession of the Holy Ghost And let my reason never cavil at that which is infinite but remember continually that it self is finite There are fewer difficulties in that than in this subject where the Apostle falls off from a strickt discussion and falls into a devout admiration O the depth O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledg of God! How unsearcheable are his judgments and his ways past finding out Rom. 11 33. 4 With the devotedst adhesion of your understanding to this fundamental truth of your will to this fountain-goodness You are baptized in or into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28.19 Here abide I exhort you with Barnabas that with purpose of heart you would cleave unto the Lord Act. 11.23 Here is enough in the glorious Trinity to take up every thought of your heart and whereon to imploy every faculty and power that you have Here is the universality of truth to content your understandings and of goodness to content your wills and affections What truth what good what perfection that bears proportion to such an intelligent and immortal nature as your souls are of that is not to be found with this one God in these three persons your blessedness is
expedient for the right directing of your Prayers frequently to actuate such thoughts in and about the distinction of these persons before Paayer Because this serves thereunto as a means to its end There is not only a habitual but an actual preparation of our selves prerequired to Prayer Job 11.13 Isa 64.7 Psal 108.1 The actual presenting of the divine essence to our selves and pressing the glory thereof upon our Souls which eminently shineth forth in all these persons is admirably preparatory hereunto and hath a powerful influence per modum objecti upon our minds wills and affections both to fetch them off from other pursuits and objects and to fix and unite them in and to the present office To allure the heart to draw nigh to him to aw it with the dread of him to advance it to a dependance on and delight in him and to abase shame us in the sense of our distance from him as Creatures and the dishonour we have done to him as sinners as you have seen in effect already Qu. 2. Direct 5. The Doctrine of the Trinity is as all Theological Doctrines are a Practical Doctrine The Scriptures propound it in order to Faith and Worship Not one of these persons but is the object of both as I have already proved Q. 1. Prop. 4. Prop. 4. In actuating distinct thoughts upon these distinct persons in the undivided essence we may read and thence recollect many incouragements and inducements to Prayer both of petition and Praise Think of them in their essentiall union and whatsoever of obligation on inducement an infinite immutable absolute allsufficient most pure most perfect goodness and truth may offer you for your incouragement in Prayer here it is your Faith may freely take it up and improve it Think of them in their personal distinction And here also what is there rather what is there not that may perswade and encourage Prayer Let me intimate a few things 1 Think you of God the Father The thoughts of that very name cannot but take with an ingenuous nature and will bring his Children with Reverence and with Confidence upon their knees as it did Paul Eph. 3.14 But you must think further of him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ibid. This consideration in confession will not only bend the knee but break the heart Luk. 15.18 Zech. 12.10 This will immediately set the Soul a blessing of him Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 1.3 Eph. 1.3 1 Pet. 1.3 Yea and send your Soul a begging to him and crying after him Abba Father i.e. Father Father O that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies would give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledg of him c. Gal. 4.6 Jer. 3.4 Eph. 1.17 c. Lo. 1. hence may your Soul resume he is my God and my Father This was that blessed news which Mary must bring from Christ to his Disciples Behold I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Joh. 20.17 2. Hence may you Soul reason down all discouragements 1. Why may I not adventure t is not the presence so much of a Judg as of a Father is it not my Father that reacheth me out the Golden Scepter There is something of encouragement that he is my Father by Creation the eyes of all may and do wait upon him and he gives them their meat in due season But how much more of encouragement is there that he is the Father of Christ my Father in my Christ Here your faith may see boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Eph. 3.12 2. What may I not ask and have He is able to do exceeding abundantly for me above all that I can ask and think who could beget an only begotten Son in his own unbegotten nature c. yea and he is willing too He that spared not his Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things Eph. 3.20 Rom. 8.32 2 Think you of God the Son The very thought of his relation to the Father will be taking and transporting to honour him and it will be your honour The Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that himself doth hath committed all judgments unto the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father And if any serve me saith he him will my Father honour Job 3.35.5 20 22 23.12.26 What! the only begotten Son of the Father the Angels worship him upon that account and how should we whose nature he took for whose sake he suffered c. how should we much more adore him think of this Sonship 1. It will afford you boldness in Prayer You need not sollicite the servants about the Court Angels or Saints departed to present your petitions for you the only begotten Son of the King of Kings who is in the bosom of the Father that hath his Fathers Eye his Fathers Ear his Fathers Heart yea his Fathers Essence bids you come with boldness in full assurance of faith by him Tells you that he will be your Advocate and that he is now at the right hand of his Father your intercessour Eph. 3.12 Heb. 10.20 22.7.25 2. It may assure you the blessing prayed for Can you think the Father will deny his only begotten Son of the same mind will nature with himself who taketh your petitions out of your hand or heart rather and tenders them in your behalf unto his Father All things that the Father hath are mine saith Christ Joh. 16.15 Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you ask and receive that your joy may be full ver 22 23 c. 15.16 This comfort this confidence have we that believe on the name of the Son of God 1 Joh. 5.13 14. 3 Think you of God the Holy Ghost Lo this is the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father He proceedeth from and is one with the Father and with the Son and that to further your union and communion with himself and them He is not only a spirit of adoption to the Saints but a Spirit of supplication in the Saints Rom. 8.15 Zech. 12.10 If the temptations of the flesh pull you back let the thoughts of the Spirit put and prick you on that you make it a work not of formal saying but of fervent praying Praying in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. The thoughts of him 1. Lead you to the origine of ability for prayer Prayer is too hard for flesh and blood which therefore hangs backward your thoughts now prompt you an omnipotent help We know not either what we ought to pray for or how to pray for it as we ought Now the Spirit helpeth our infirmities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stands as it were over against us at the other end of the burden and puts under his shoulder with us and so
the adoption of sons by him Gal. 4.4 5. Heb. 9.12 14. And so in him we have redemption through his blood it being the blood though of an humane nature yet not of an humane but of a divine person the Son of God And so God is said to purchase the Church with his own blood Col. 1.13 14. Eph. 1.6 7. Act. 20.28 The Son then should eminently have the glory of our redemption in our thanksgivings and supplications as they give it him Revela 5.8 9. 3. The latter part the application of Salvation to man which is begun in Sanctification and Consummate in Glorification is eminently ascribed to the last person to the Holy Ghost who is therefore called the Spirit of Holiness 2 Thes 3.13 2 Pet. 1.2 Rom. 1.4 The Father predestinateth none to happiness but through holiness The Son hath purchased happiness for none but such as partake of holiness The Spirit that proceedeth from the Father and the Son printeth out their holy image upon us And so we are saved according to the mercy of the Father for the merit of the Son by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost and are now acceptable being sanctified by the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.4 5 6. Rom. 15.16 The Holy Ghost then should eminently have the glory of our sanctification as also of the glorification of our souls and bodies which is likewise by and from him Rom. 8.11 Prop. 6. You may piously direct your thoughts in Prayer touching those distinct persons by a deliberate view of what others have done in their applications to all those persons and by doing accordingly The laudable examples in Scriptures are left us for imitation in the like circumstances The blessing wherewith Paul concludeth his Epistle to the Corinthians shall be the only instance I will produce and prosecute which will both give to and receive light from the last proposition The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ the love of the Father and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen It is true that Grace Love Communion are not strictly appropriated to any one of these persons in the Scriptures Yet the Apostle doth observably apply himself to these destinct persons with these destinct petitions And no doubt therefore we also may to the Father in admiring and in asking of his love to the Son in praying of and praying for his grace to the Holy Ghost in beseeching of and blessing him for his Communion The Fathers love begins our felicity and salvation There is his love of intention or benevolence ordaining the end and us to the end life and happiness There is his love of execution or beneficence ordering out to us and bestowing on us the means that may bring us to this end Both principal in giving his Son to redeem us and his spirit to renew us 2. And less principal his Ordinances Officers Word Rod c. let the Father be accepted admired adored in our prayers as to his love Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us c. 1 Joh. 3.1 c. 4.9 10. c. The grace of the Son doth as it were go on with our Felicity and Salvation Grace abounds superabounds reigns through righteousnes unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 5.20 21. The Son hath procured grace for us redeeming us from guilt reconciling us to God The Son publisheth grace to us and is as it were a publick treasury of grace for us that of his fulness we may receive grace for grace Come you then in your prayers to the Son for grace celebrate the grace that is in and with the Son and comes to you by the Son I say with the Apostle The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your Spirit Amen As he often Rom. 16.24 1 Cor. 16.23 Gal. 6.18 Philem. 25. The Communion of the Holy Ghost is in consummation of this happy enterprize begun He it is that comes and applies all that good which a loving Father hath purposed to us And all that grace which the everlasting Son hath procured for us and so giveth us fellowship with himself with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Phil. 2.1 Eph. 3.16 21. 1 Joh. 1.3 Tit. 3.5 6. Breathe more after his Communion than in your prayers Bless him more for this Communion in your praises Let me only remember you that this direction concerns you mostly if not only when your prayers are directed to all three persons with distinct and express mention as Pauls here were It is high time to conclude Happy happy happy are those Prayers which are terminated upon these three holy persons in one and the same infinitely holy Essence The enjoyment of this trinune God by Faith is the highest happiness of the Church militant The enjoyment of this trinune God by sight is the height of blessedness in the Church Triumphant Trinuni Deo sit Gloria SIR THus I have given you my thoughts upon this difficult but divine Subject with as much clearness as I could and with more contractness here and there happily than you would Yet you see to what a length this discourse is drawn out much beyond the limits of a letter a Tract I did not intend nor you that I know expect If God the Father Son and Holy Ghost may be glorified by us and we edified and built up into them it is enough To this God and to the word of his grace I commend you and crave your improvement of whatsoever interess your prayers can make with him for SIR Your real Friend and Lover J. N.
been never so wicked mercy hath a wing to cover you and clucks after you as her chicken 2 Chron. 36.16 Joh. 3.20 Heb. 2.3 Rom. 2.4 5. Isa 1.19 Mat. 23.37 7. Once more who are the Objects of Omnipotent mercy but such as are in misery Mercy is an attribute whose aspect is ever toward the Creature God knoweth himself loveth himself but is not merciful to himself And 't is misery is the object of mercy as the sole motive of bestowing mercy is his own free mercy So that the calamitousness of thy condition should not be abused to keep thee from mercy but used as an argument rather to awaken and quicken thee to the speediest close with mercy Here maist thou unload thy burdens and ease thy miserable breast The Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy With him is a multitude of tender mercies Whither can you look but to mercy if you will not still live in misery Now here is work for saving mercy in the sense of thy misery Justice looks what your merits are but mercy looks what your miseries are Be not discouraged sin and misery are the most strong and suitable arguments whereby to plead for mercy For now you present God with the proper object of mercy which you pray him to magnifie You have the example of his Worthies to encourage you Lord be merciful to me heal my soul for I have sinned against thee Be merciful unto me O Lord for I am poor and needy Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed My soul also is sore vexed O save me for thy mercies sake Exod. 33.19 Jam. 5.11 Psal 51.1 41.4 86.1 3. 6.1 5. Direct 5. Present the Object by and through whom we can only hope for Salvation aright to you the Lord Christ His very name is argument enough to refell despair revive hope and raise both desire and delight His name Jesus Lets thee see what he is to his and what he will be to thee if thou wilt believe in him a Saviour from thy sins Mat. 1.21 Act. 16.31 1 Tim. 4.10 Away with thy strait and narrow conceptions of the blessed Jesus The Angel tells us This is good tydings of great joy which shall be to all people that there is born a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. The Apostles testifie that God sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world And if you attend his own sayings he assureth you I came not to judg the world but to save the world And God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved Luk. 2.10 1 Joh. 4.14 Joh. 12.47 c. 3.17 What is it then that sticks with you Do you think him either 1. averse that he will not or 2. not able and so cannot save so vile a sinner as thou art though thou submit unto him Behold Christ is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prorsus perpetuo perfectè as * ad Heb. 7.25 Gryneus giveth it us CHAP. V. Quest Whether we should direct our Prayers only to God the Father or may also to the Son and to the Holy Ghost And how may we order our thoughts aright in distinguishing these three persons especially as to prayer MOst dear and worthy Friend I willingly own the obligations you have put upon me to God and you And shall rejoyce to serve you or if this may satisfie you I shall not premise any needless Preface to what this paper offers you Your concessions in our late Conference I shall not so much prove as improve The question you would be clear in being complicate I shall take asunder and tender you what satisfaction I may from the holy Scriptures without the accession of humane Authors as knowing that your faith doth not indeed should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God 1 Cor. 2.5 Quest 1. Whether we should direct our prayers only to God the Father or may also to the Son and to the Holy Ghost Answ I affirm we may direct our Prayers to any of them and should direct our Prayers to all these three persons in the one most single and undivided Godhead To this purpose please to peruse these ensuing Propositions Prop. 1. God is the object of prayer the adequate and alone object His commands as also your concessions determine our prayers to and upon him who is God by nature upon him and upon no other Mat. 4.10 Psal 50.15 65.2 Gal. 4.8 Psal 44.20 21. So that the proper fundamental and formal reason of divine worship is the perfect and infinite excellency of the eternal Godhead Prop. 2. The Godhead which is and can be but one there being but one first cause and last end Deut. 6.4 Ephes 4.6 Isa 41.4 c. 44.6 8. subsists in Father Son and Holy Ghost without any division of that most single essence yet with distinction of these several persons This as your self concedes so these Scriptures clear 1 Joh. 5.7 Mat. 28.19 c. 3.16 17. Deut. 6.4 Jehovah Elohim So that as the Father is God Rom. 15.6 c 1.7 So also is the Son 1 Joh. 5.20 1 Tim. 3.16 Act. 20.28 And so likewise is the Holy Ghost Act. 5.3 4. 1 Cor. 3.16 17. c. 12.6 7 8. Three distinct persons they are but one and the same God There are three that bear record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three its not said ver 8. agree in one but are one Not only do they agree in one testimony but are one in truth one thing one nature one God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 5.7 I should further expatiate in clearing this truth but that you have already evidenced your clearness in it Prop. 3. The Son and Holy Ghost being one God co-equal and co-essential with the Father divine honour and our dues of office as prayer c. are to be deferred therefore and given unto them as well as to the Father This is eminently enough pointed to us in that prayer of Benediction which was prescribed unto the Priests Numb 6.23 27. Wherein they must thrice iterate The Lord the Lord the Lord bless thee c. But it is evidently and expresly pattern'd in that prayer of Valediction 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God i.e. the Father and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen The practice of John may be produced likewise in that proemial prayer for and salutation of the Seven Churches Rev. 1.4 5. Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come a frequent periphrasis of the Father and from the Seven Spirits which are before his throne i.e. the Holy Ghost the variety and perfection of whose Graces in these Seven Asian Churches is hereby indicated he being but one and