without wearinesse Q. Are all these equall in excellency A. No as the Lord hath planted such a light in the Sunne as giues light to all inferiour Planets so hath he giuen to the Ministry of the Word an eminency aboue the rest so that therefrom as the begetter of faith and grace doth issue all ability and strength to other ordâ—nances The Moone may helpe a traueller when the Sunne is absent yet shee hath but a borrowed light therefrom So haue other ordinances of the Sacraments prayer conference and the like their foyson from the Word preached which I speake not to diminish the rest for all haue their speciall vse and each of them with the word are aboue it onely the Sacraments in their sealing property and priuate duties in their peculiâ—r familiarity although if comparison be made the Word preached hath the preheminence Rom. 10.14 See Numh. 29. where the chiefe ordiâ—ances are vrged Q. What vses serue these for A. As I said for the builning vp and preparing the soule for euery good worke and the perfecting of sanctification in the feare of the Lord 1 Cor. 6.1 Q. I would heare them named and distinguished A. It is not the purpose of this view to make common places of any thing which as many others haue excellently performed the seuen treatises especially so to omit them I desire my reading Auditors to reuiew those seueral Scriptures vpon which all these haue beene at large handled as the Doctrine of fasting vpon Mat. 6.6 of publike thanksgiuing vpon Lament 3 23. of hearing aright vpon Esay 55.3 of the Sacraments vpon 1 Pet. 3.21 by the way and largely vpon 1 Cor. 11.28 of experience vpon Lament 3.27 of watchfulnes Mat. 24 42. And so of Communion and assembling Psa 133. and Heb. 10.25 To giue euen a little of these Sermons would fill the booke which is now much fuller than I meant yet for the desire of your good somewhat of fiue or sixe of the chiefe their nature and vse in the helping to godlinesse And first to distinguish them They are either priuate or publike and both these sorts are equally either ordinary or extraordinary Being wee with the latter and they are either fasting or thanksgiuing Q. What is Fasting A. A solemne ordinance of God attended with rest and abstinence wherein the Church lawfully assembled to heare and pray doth powre out her soule in selfe-affliction and supplication with importunity for the turning away of some great present or imminent sinne and danger Q. And what is Thankâ—giuing A. A sollemne ordinance of God wherein the Church lawfully assembled powres out her selfe in prayses and thanks for some rare blessings and deliuerances And let this also bee vnderstood of priuate in both extraordinary kinds termes being obserued Q. And what are the publike ordinary A. The Word read and preached with prayer and the administration of Baptisme and the Supper Q. What are the priuate ordinary A. Prayer family duties reading the word meditation conference and the like Q. What is the Word preached A. It is a publike eminent ordinance wherein the Minister lawfully deputed doth distinctly and soundly read the Word giue the sence ground the Doctrine and conuincingly apply it by instruction reproofe confutation and exhortation Q. What is the Sacrament of Baptisme A. The former Sacrament of the New Testament wherein by due application of water to the infant all Christ is sealed vp to the soule for regeneration Q. What is the Sacrament of the Supper A. The second in order in which by due giuing and receiuing of bread wine the Lord Iesus is wholy giuen and taken by the beleeuing soule to be nourished to eternall life Q. What is priuate Payer A. A lifting vp of the heart to God in the name Iesus Christ in confession and supplication for the pardon of sinne the granting of all good things and acknowledging of mercies already receiued Q. What is Meditation A. A serious reuiuing of these truths we haue heard or the administrations of God towards vs or others that both mind and heart being seasoned with the sauour thereof we may be furthered thereby to duty Q. What is Conference A. A wise and louing laying together by two or more of such things as concerne the glory of God and our spirituall edifying for mutual information quickning I ayme in these descriptions rather at the good then the humour and conceit of my reader and that by way of digression and by these let the rest be aymed at Q. Now that which you most ayme at being to show how all these make for the groth of the soule in godlinesse let mee heare you treat of it in particuler A. I will giue a view of some of the chiefe and so hasten to end with vse First for that of hearing the Word bee sure thou hast true right to the blessing of it This Article of the meanes belongs onely to the new creature to further him in his course else the word cannot build thee except first it haue begot thee See 1 Pet. 2.3 If ye haue tasted how gracious the Lord is then come to the Word to grow by it Else it will poison thee if thou bee impure nothing is pure Eph. 4 22.23 .. If ye haue knowne the truth as it is in Iesus then come and put off c. Secondly prize and couet it Prize it as that word which hath beene the seed of immortality and glory vnto thee It will be no hard worke to prize it if thou haue found it so in the former vnto thee For this experience will send thee to the Word with all reuerence and esteeme saying where shall I finde such treasure as here It is my life and the food thereof no Market can afford that ware that the Word offereth if thy heart be not lost in profits and pleasures froth and ease but prizeth aboue all things the grace of an holy conuersation surely that word will be precious that directs to it This made Dauid thinke himselfe in a store house and treasury when he came to the Word because it serued to order all his matters Now if it bee precious it will be couetâ—d hungred after attended with al heed yea snatcht with violence as precious things are 1 Pet. 2.2 Couet and eagerly tugge at the Word as the child at brest Sleepe not wander not gaze not but attend the Gates and Posts of Wisedome and Vnderstanding if thou lookest they should preserue thee Thirdly come from an holy course and practise when thou commest to heare Come not from thine owne course of wrath world selfe purge these first 1 Pet. 2.1 and so come Repent of all old sinnes of heauing thy triflings and dallyings with the Word thy base mixtures and come from a good course and so the Word shall send thee backe to it with more strength and grace than thou camest Who is he that eates the sauoriest meale The idle sluggish one No the strong laborer toyled worne
the more dangerous and cursed It s like bread of deceit and stollen waters which are sweet And this appeares if it bee crossed it rages and fâ—â—ts As Rachel Giue mee children or I dye so heere giue this old man this lust children and store of ill fruit or else she is mad for shee is a fruitfull harlot aboue all other Fifthly The Bondage of it It bindes vp the soule in death hardnesse insensiblenesse incapablenesse of any good auersenesse to all meanes of Grace As wee say of sleep it cheynes vp all the sences so this all the powers and members in vtter feeblenesse and vnablenesse to make towards GOD Mind Iudgement Will Affections all asleep Ephes 5.14 Awake thou that sleepest It s the sleepe of all other parts and the Nurse that rockes them also and the Cradle they all sleepe in yea brings in an vtter disability languor and decay of all parts loth to stirre and compting the anguish of their bondage by custome another Heauen As the Israelites cared sot no Sauiour because so saped in slauery And lastly Not onely an vtter impotency to any obedience vrged by the law but so rooted a languor as reiects whatsoeuer GOD might impose in which respect euen the vnablenesse to beleeue is chargeable vpon originall sin in respect of that opposite contradiction of it to all not actuall charges lying vpon the creature by law onely but possible to be imposed by the Gospell And this for a briefe view of the laws discouery of originall sin especially in her properties Q What vse is there to be made hereof A. Manifold First Touching the sin of Ignorance blesse GOD that hath freed vs from the darkenesse and corruption of Popery whose principles doe for euer keep soules farre from the possibility of sound knowledge of their naturall estate by either actuall or originall sin their rotten grounds of which suprà are direct against it Secondly Beware of nouzeling thy selfe in places vnder ignorance or to abide ignorant vnder the vse of meanes bring not God a Sacrifice that wants this eye of knowledge of thy sin Else no conuiction no terror no need of Christ can follow Beware of foule sins lusts of ignorance resolution to hold them lest God smite out the eye of knowledge 1 Cor. â— â— Had they knowne the Lord of life they would neuer haue crucified him Ignorance is a necessity of Misery If thou knewst the gift of God c. Iohn 4.10 Oh that thou hadst knowne the things of thy peace But alas hidden Thinke not by ignorance to sleep sweetly vnder all terrors Luke 19.42 Such a sheep will haue a sad walking Psalm 58.4 5. Bee not as the deafe Adder Psalm 32.9 Bee not as the Horse and Mule Beware lest GOD leaue thee to thy selfe Hee that is ignorant let him be so still Remember although knowledge is not conuiction yet conuiction cannot bee without it Admonition to all sinners to goe to worke aright to get sound knowledge of their estate Consult not with dead teachers goe not to blind guides to such as thy selfe to deceyuers consult not with thy wits and carnall wisedome thy corrupt hopes blind deuotions Refuse no informations for feare of losing thy liberty in sinne Esay 8.19 Should men goe from the liuing to the dead Oh yee silly ones go to the law and the testimony The Lord that made the Law hath put this gift into it to be a Schoolmaster to send ye by the eight of sin to Christ Refuse not the Lords discipline in this first kinde else neuer seeke further Oh how many poore wretches that knew not the right hand from the left if they knew sin what it were to breake a Sabbath to play the drunkards Ion 1.4 c. How glad would they be Oh shalt thou neglect the meanes thou hast and stand vp to the chin in waters and and dye of thirst Prou. If without knowlâ—dge the heart be naught what is it when men wilâ— not come to the light lest they should see it and shun the net lest they be taken Oh beware both of Pharisaicall making more sinnes then God euer made or cutting off those which he hath made from his roll and Law Oh â— its now come to this passe that except the Lord put some bitter reall roddes of affliction vpon men the Lâ—w is made as a Scarecrow in a field to the birds out of the nose whereof they will picke strawes But know it no affliction without the Law can discouer sinne Vse 3 Exhortation to all that would be kindly conuicted to come to the light sor sound information of sin The want of this will be a slaw for euer in thy religion they who neuer knew themselues Psal 119. â—18 neuer were humbled ones nor beleeuers I discourage none for measure That light which makes all manifest is enough be it neuer so little if sound Read Act. 2.37 Those Iewes had pierced CHRIST vpon the Crosse but saw nothing amisse till Peters Sermon that was aboue all Crosse or Crucifix and truly enlightned and conuinced them Zech. 12.10 GOD hath blessed his Law with better light then the Pope can blesse all his Agnus Deis or graynes or the like to gage and search the conscience Oh! do not kicke against it but Speake LORD for thy seruant heares Let this light of GOD bee attended yea dressed by thee morning euening that no sin may escape thee This Aquila as meane as it seemes I meane this Law of God must teach great ones Apolloes learned Doctors and all sorts to become fooles that they may be wise Act. 18.26 1 Cor. 3 1â— Especially be able to say with Paul in Holy prayse to God I had neuer knowne lust had not GODS Law sayd Thou shalt not lust Oh! let hypocrites curse it to the pit of hell for a Puritane Law but know except they be her Disciples hell must bee their portion for shee hath chaynes to bynd the proudest despizres Oh! blesse God that euer so cleared the Coast and the troubled waters of thy owne conscience that thou camest to see this Nature of thine to the bottome For the want whereof I dare say thousands band vpon the land of self-loue neuer comming to know what an enemy shee is to conuiction and to eaâ—â—h Q. Before yee proceede What is the vse of this branch A. First that euery one who seekes the true end of this first part of the Catechisme doe willingly open himselfe and the doore of hâ—s conscience to the light of this Law comming into it Yet I haue said no one of the former fiue Articles can be knowne to a man saue by the Word and especially the law so to yeeld vp the soule to the cleere displaying of thiâ— ordinance For although nothing can be hid from it yet it may still bee hid to vâ— if wee stop our owne conscience and keep some beloued iust in a cloyster which will see no light Let the Law haue her honour
accompt the Lord Iesus found to be no trifle but reall so doth he take his righteousnes and compts it ours that it might really be ours Accomptants of summes of money if they differ and cannot set things straight fall to an esteeming of what is owing and so at length by not imputing a summe which yet may be due or by imputing a summe as payd which perhaps is doubtfull grow to a full end And that which moueth them heerto is Peace So heere the Lord inclining to make peace with the soule esteemes not a debt which yet is one and esteemes that payde which is not Peace makes him to impute that to vs which yet another payd and we could not Sâ—e texts 2. Cor. 5.17 Psal 32.1 Rom. 5 c. And this imputation is a reall finall discharge neuer to be questioned no hole can be picked in it by any enemy Q. For shortnes sake proceed to the vse A. It is most weighty First to teach vs to renounce our Vse 1 selues for if we be iust by imputing of the Righteousnes of other what shall become of our owne As once a Philosopher handled a Gallant that boasted of his great Lands in Athens he shewed him a Map asked him where they lay so in this Mâ—p of Gods iustification all our abilities must vanish we know full summe of debt payd needs no imputation t may plead acqâ—iâ—tance Come to the Lord for his roial worke his Fiat without any thing empty base that thou maist concurre with him in that he seeketh the Glory of his grace in his Son Come as Mephibâ—sheth a limping cripple to Dauid When I was a dead dog my Lord accepted me 2 Sam. 1â— 2 Sam. 2â— As poore Abigail sent for to be a Queene sâ—yd Let me be an handmayd to wash the feet of thy seruants Shee knew meere marriage to a King would make a Queene without bringing any thing And thus doing thy vnworthines shall not hurt thee but help on this robe vpon thy bare shoulders Come thus to the Lord say Here Lord is a naked wretch Put on the Lord Iesus vpoÌ„ me I haue no clothing to hinder thee thou bidst me put him on Rom. 13. vlt. but Lord do thou fit him for me in particular for my soule for my sin against my curseâ— and â—hen take him Lord put him on me also reckon him to me accompt with me in him and make me his righteousnes as thou madest him my sinne and I shall compt it as reall as if I had it of my owne Vse 2 Secondly let it stablish and comfort euery beleeuer against all his feares Oh! it cannot sinke into a poore soule priuy to all her defilements that the Lord should euer pardon or accept her The daily and hourely obiects of her sinnes are before her But remember imputation is not a taking of all sin out of thee at once that must abase the heart as it abased thy Surety but a not imputing it vnto thee Latimer preaching to King Edward told him that once a King of England had a cupbearer who bringing him a cup of wine by error let it fall at his foot The King offended with his rashnes asked him if that were not ill done He suddenly answered No if it please your Grace if you thinke so Euen so in this our blessednes stands not in our want of sinne but in the Lord not imputing it The bush burnt but the wonder was that it was not consumed The Lord imputes not thy sinne couers it takes away the condemning power imputes not the actuall offences thereof to thee He lookes at his owne Image in thee in al thy duties prayers there is thy dunghill his pearle he beholds that which is his couers that which his thine not to make thee bold but thankful humble If thou haue a cup of precious wine thou sayst not to thy freind Pledge me in water though thou haue put more water then there is wine into it Thou esteemest it by the better part Hold this and thou mayst say with Paul Rom. 7. I my selfe delight in the Law of GOD and not I but sinne in mee though else he sayd Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee Thus much of this fifth branch or spring of saluation drinke of this brooke and thou shalt indeed Esay 12.3 draw water out of the wells of saluation I haue binne larger heere because it is the chiefe of the seuen more briefe of the rest Q What is the fifth branch of this Article and wherein stands it A. The Conquest of Christ For notwithstanding all this satisfaction of Christ thus performed yet if it had beene possible for any enemy to haue preuented him of the effect of it that he could not haue ouercome all enemies and death it selfe his whole worke had beene frustrate But this could not be for he rose againe from the dead and gaue a full being to the merit of his satisfaction Conceaue the point in three estates of Christ briefly First Before Secondly At. Thirdly After his death In the first respect though the Lord Iesus his flesh was not exempt from mortality and infirmity but subiect to all through our sinne yet euen vnder all these through his whole life hee conquered in suffring for hee endured no more then him pleased before the time of his death no enemy had power ouer him to surprize him by any casualty by any other death or at any other season then himselfe would In Luke 4. wee read that his owne citizens Led him vp to the brow of the Hill to haue brkeo his necke Oft were Officers sent to take him stones cast at him vpon the Sea hee was subiect to the violence of the waues none of these had power to fasten vpon him hee went thorow the midst of them and thorow a thousand deaths without casualty It was prophecied of him Esay 43. â— The fire should not burne him nor waters deuoure him till his houre was come to suffer that death and onely that which GOD had layd out for him And then nothing could hinder Secondly at death although as our Mediator he must needs drink that cup which his Father gaue him yet he was a conqueror euen then too and aboue any enemy Iudas Act. 2.24 the Priests and Pilate could doe no more then himselfe was willing to yeeld to his Father in No man takes away my life from me Ioh. 10.18 I lay it downe my selfe Hee yeelded to those that tooke him euen when hee had cast them to the ground as a Conqueror And therefore by the Vnion of his Godhead euen in that houre and power of darknesse when his life was taken from him and they looked to haue had all their will on him all the Infernall powers assaulting him at once by reason of the wiâ—hdrawing of his Diuine Nâ—ture and the wrath of God yet euen then hee gaue them the greatest foile of all and in death ouercame him
in his Spirit This of all other things searches a false heart whatsoever part of him seemes to have some image of God sure it is it is not in his spirit In spite of him his thoughts purposes and affections are voide of him The streame the frame the bent of his soule warps from him and goes another way The most subtile hypocrite can but come to this to delude himselfe by the strength of knowledge and some dammings of the streame of his corruption but as for the turning of it by a strongâ—r to a contrary motion that can hee not attaine to there is no dissembling of a new Creature Once a Phylosopher in 30. yeeres made an iron frame of a man to speake but as one said of him Oh fine scull without braines so here may be said Oh faire out-side without a principle of life and spirit Let us consider this although an hypocrite may grow to this to delude himselfe and make himselfe not to see his defiled principle yet he can never purge it out while he is so For the Image of God is set up onely in some out-roome and when his lust comes in place there is no routing for this this must yeeld to his base ease pride lust which are set up in his inner man and beare sway And secondly the hypocrites image of God is onely a counterfeit of it it s no free principle acting him from within so long as some torrents and violent pangs are up in his passions so long as he is under some streame of powerfull preaching or deepe feares or sudden humours of affection he seemes some-body but when these are past he is like himselfe as dead as ever I may compare him to Davids old body in which there was no heate left they sought out Abishag to keep heate on him but more then he had from her he had not and therefore he dyed instantly notwithstanding her So is it here So long as the five is within the water it hold it but no sooner out but all is empty when the Word is gone and violent causes he wanzeth and discovers those corrupt evils of uncleannesse and prophanenesse which the word suppressed But with the new Creature it s otherwise he is borne of God and sinnes not with consent when outward props faile loe all failes not he mournes for the want of old helpes but in this want he abounds with the comfort of the inner man the principle of grace which is immortall and whose being is of God Secondly its use of consolation to a beleever the Lord esteemes Vse 7 him by his best part his bent and streame and not by his defects The Apostle Rom. 7. Not I but sinne in me I serve God in my spirit ver ult As a man cals a dunghill precious for a pearle in it and as a man would cal wine mixt with water wine and corne full of weedes corne because of the better part So here the spirit and bent of the heart denominates a Christian with God Thirdly Its use of examination for all that would be sure Vse 8 to know the new Creature to be formed in them Try it by the roome wherein ye place it the best things require the best place The image of God in Christ drawne by the spirit will endure no roome but the most inward spirit of the soule If the enemy besiege a King hee must breake thorough many doores and locks ere he come at him because hee is in his privy chamber Try thy selfe then by two or three marks If the new Creature be set up in thy spirit then wil the stream of thy soule goe with him and to him as the riuers to the sea Thy plotting thy diuising fore-casting and whole wisedome shall serue for him how his honour seruice Sabbaths and himselfe may be set vp where thou hast to doe The Spirit of a Drunkard or Mizer will not so plod about the pots or mony as thine for God Thy tongue eares and all will bee for him Thou maist step out of the way but still thy bent will be to serue him and speake for him in thy spirit If memory or great words faile thy spirit will bee for him as that poore man was for Christ Ioh. 9. read the allusion Againe the sauour of thy heart will be in and for him The bent of the soule commonly goes where it delights and to that which is precious to it try thy selfe by this What hath got thy heart Where is thy treasure If Christ in a new creature bee it lo the very instinct and ioy of thy heart will bee to him other things shall be vnsauory thou shalt stinke in the nostrils of an old man and he in thine And secondly try thy selfe by this The spirit of the soule is the chiefe part of it there is the whole streame If the new creature be set vp there God is serued withall the might the male not the female all the courage and strength Pro 23.26 no cost is too great The whole cost of all thy powers members gifts authority credit wealth experience shall runne in the streame of holinesse No vnbeteeming one can be a new Creature for hee is free borne The minde we say is the man If that be for God all the inferiour faculties will side with him as Iezabels Eunuches with Iehu as the lesser wheeles of the perpetuall motion did the first moouing Master wheele That engin when it was seene in the Court was not so admirable as this Q. Conclude the Article with the vse of the fourth branch Vse 8 A. It affords vs among many this onely one That wee learne to esteeme the Sacrament of Baptisme otherwise than most of vs doe Did wee know and beleeue it to be that Lauer of Regeneration and Channell of Christs divine nature and properties which are conveyed to the soule by it as Peter cals it The washing not of water but the Answer of the soule by the resurrection of Christ telling vs wee are washed by the Spirit of our God and ingrafted into the likenesse of his death and Resurrection by it surely we should make other vse of it then we doe And the doctrine of the Couneant would sinke the deeplier into vs by it if wee could vse it as the instrument to put on the Lord the holy Ghost and fire But touching the wofull contempt of Sacraments I shall elsewhere treat if God will Let this be sufficient for this Article The second Article Q. PRoceed now to the second Article A. The second is That the Lord requires that this new creature thus framed in the soule breake forth into the whole course and conuersation That is that holines be exercised and set on worke in the course of our life which sometimes in the Scripture is called the ordering of our conuersation aright See Psal 50. vlt. Gen. 5.24 sometimes our walking with God Gen. 17.1 Luk. 1.6 sometimes our giuing vp of our bodies as sacrifices to