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<NAME>John Latta</NAME>
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<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>A 
Soveraign Antidote
AGAINST
Sinful Errors, the Epidemi|cal
plague of the&s;e latter dayes.
Extracted out of Divine Records,
the Di&s;pen&s;atory of Chri&s;tianity:
FOR
The Prevention and Cure of our
Spiritual Di&s;tempers.</P>
<P>By <HI>Claudius Gilbert, B. D.</HI> and Mini&s;ter of
the Go&s;pel at <HI>Limrick</HI> in <HI>Ireland.</HI></P>
<Q><BIBL>Luke 21. 8.</BIBL>
<P>See that ye be not deceived.</P></Q>
<Q><BIBL>2 The&s;. 2. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.</BIBL>
<P>Who&s;e coming is after the working of Satan,
in all Power, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> and in all deceivablene&s;s, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P></Q>
<Q><Q><P><GAP DESC="foreign">.</P> <BIBL>Graecan. Axioma.</BIBL></Q> 
<P><GAP DESC="foreign"> Jehova Medicus tuus,</P> <BIBL><HI>Exod.</HI> 15. 26.</BIBL><NOTE PLACE="marg">Adag. Ara|bic E<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">eg. Erronibus &s;i|bi &s;olis &s;api|ent bu<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 letter"> adap|tatum.</NOTE></Q>
<Q><P><GAP DESC="foreign"></P></Q>
<Q><P>Qui &s;eip&s;um habet pro&s;apiente, habent eum Deus &amp; homines
pro Ignaro.</P></Q>
<P><HI>London,</HI> Printed by <HI>R. W</HI> for <HI>Francis Titon,</HI> and are to be &s;old at the
&s;ign of the three <HI>Daggers</HI> in <HI>Fleet&s;heet.</HI> 1658.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="dedication">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>To the Honourable Colonell Henry
Ingoldesby, Governour of the Pre|cinct
of Limrick and Clare, and
to the Inhabitants of the City of
Limrick.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Honoured and Beloved in the Lord.</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_THe &s;ub&s;tance of this Tract
was through the Lords help
preached lately in your ears,
and is of right now pre&s;ent|ed
to your eyes, that through
his Grace, it may the better
reach your hearts. The &s;ubject thereof is
as &s;ea&s;onable as its excellent. The Lord
<PB REF="3">
make it yours as profitably, as its made yours
affectionately. The choice u&s;efulne&s;s of
its provi&s;ions will make full Amends for
the plainne&s;s of its Order and Dre&s;s. Its
not my work to tickle and flatter you, but
to reach healing and food to your &s;ouls. A
Signal hand of Heaven brought me over
and fixed me here near five years ago; by
the &s;ame good hand have I been kept here
in the Lords charge ever &s;ince.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 8. 2, 3, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> We have
had much cau&s;e &s;till to mind and improve
the wonderful dealings of our God towards
us from that very day, as in former &s;ea|&s;ons.
Variety of Di&s;pen&s;ations hath he
carried us through both publiquely and per|&s;onally.
Vi&s;its of Iudgement, and then
of Mercy, we have had from him again
and again. No wayes hath he left unat|tempted
that might do us good, though
our Returns have not been an&s;werable. The
Sword, Famine and Plague ranged in the&s;e
parts upon Gods Errand at my fir&s;t coming,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 14. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.</NOTE>
and continued a con&s;iderable time. I was
thereby occa&s;ioned to contribute my utmo&s;t
by the Lords Aid, to the relief and cure
of mens &s;ouls and bodies. It was then my
<PB REF="3">
cordial delight and de&s;ire to &s;pend and be
&s;pent for the good of <HI>Limrick;</HI> as the &s;ame
is &s;till my de&s;ign and labour through the
a&s;&s;i&s;tance of Heaven. The <HI>Voyce of Gods Rod</HI>
cryed <HI>loud to this City then,</HI> that the <HI>man of
Wi&s;dom might ob&s;erve his Name</HI> who had ap|pointed
it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Micah 6. 9.</NOTE> in hearing his Rod. Our Hea|venly
Phy&s;itian &s;aw it be&s;t then to diet and
phy&s;ick us, &s;uiting his Pre&s;cripts to our di|&s;tempers.
Few in this place did mi&s;s of
a Touch; the deeper &s;martings of many
among us warned all the re&s;t. Our &s;ins
de&s;erved much wor&s;e from his hand, yet
he afflicted us very favourably. In the
<HI>mid&s;t of wrath he remembred mercy,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Habac. 2. 2.</NOTE> <HI>and &s;tayed
his rough wind in the day of his Ea&s;t wind.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 27. 6, 7, 8.</NOTE> Af|ter
Purgations he gave us Cordials, and turn|ed
in due time our mourning into joy.
Thank&s;givings followed our humiliations,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 30. 11. John <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">. 9.</NOTE>
and our bitter waters were turned into &s;weet
Wine. The Springs of <HI>Elim</HI> followed our
<HI>Marah,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 126. 5.</NOTE> and they reaped in joy,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 11.</NOTE> that had
&s;own in Tears. If the peaceable fruit of that
Rod may in Righteou&s;ne&s;s appear among
us, the Glory will be his, and the Comfort
ours. If our ill humours have been kind|ly
<PB REF="4">
removed, it will be&s;t appear in the right
u&s;e of our health. If any grow wanton af|ter
Recovery, &s;hame and &s;orrow will be
their portion. It glads my heart that Gods
Word and Works have not been quite fruit|le&s;s
in the mid&s;t of us; yet I cannot but la|ment
with a bleeding &s;oul the &s;ad improve|ments
of his renewed Kindne&s;s.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ad 5. 3, 4. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> What
could more be done for us then he hath
done? Why then is our fruit &s;o wild and
&s;o empty? That it proves better with any
of us, its of his Grace; that divers others
&s;eem to grow &s;till wor&s;e, its through their
fault. The Lord hath be&s;towed much co&s;t
upon us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 7, 8.</NOTE> but like the cur&s;ed Ground we bear
&s;till many weeds. He hath not &s;pared for
dre&s;sing or dunging: it will much aggra|vate
their &s;in and judgement,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 5. 5.</NOTE> if any of us
remain &s;till barren.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 13. 24, 25.</NOTE> The good Husband|man
hath ca&s;t in good &s;eed in this Ground
of his, but the enemy hath crept in in the
dark to &s;catter his Tares. Multiplicious Er|rors
&s;till &s;pread among us as in other parts,
which grow much fa&s;ter then Chri&s;ts &s;piri|tual
Plants. Too many are found to play
with their Light, and abu&s;e it to do the De|vils
<PB REF="4">
work by. That good <HI>Word,</HI> which
proves <HI>&s;avour of Life</HI> to &s;ome,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 2. 16, 17.</NOTE> proves too of|ten
<HI>&s;avour of Death</HI> to others. The Spirits
of divers are grown &s;o childi&s;h, that neither
<HI>Barnabas</HI> nor <HI>Boanerges</HI> will plea&s;e their Pa|late.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 4. 36.</NOTE>
God hath re&s;tored us to health and
plenty;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark. 3. 17.</NOTE> but many &s;ouls are &s;till di&s;ea&s;ed and
&s;tarved. Sinful Infection troubles all Rela|tions,
yet is little felt, becau&s;e &s;piritual. Much
malignity attends tho&s;e ill humours which
work &s;o &s;trangely and perniciou&s;ly. Some
are Brain-&s;ick with giddy Notions, and
others heart-&s;ick with feavouri&s;h Affecti|ons.
The Heads of &s;ome labour with Con|vul&s;ions;
the Vitals of others &s;uffer defecti|ons.
Spiritual Lethargies benumb &s;ome in|to
&s;leep and mortal dreams; raging Phren|zies
do inflame &s;ome others. Some are mer|rily
mad with plea&s;ing Conceits; others
melancholy through a &s;ullen &s;pirit: Lethal
Apoplexies take &s;ome few &s;uddenly; and
&s;piritual Pal&s;ies &s;eiz upon others more gra|dually.
Some have lo&s;t Appetite to the dain|ties
of Heaven; others &s;eem to hunger, but
dige&s;t not well. Spiritual Rickets do po&s;&s;e&s;s
divers, and &s;inful Gouts trouble not a few.
<PB REF="5">
Various ob&s;tructions di&s;order mens &s;ouls,
whence the disfiguring of their Life and
Acts. Internal &s;toppages often di&s;colour the
external man; the falling-&s;ickne&s;s and the
&s;wounding fits do al&s;o take turns in &s;ouls
and Societies. Con&s;umptions and Drop&s;ies
appear &s;o vi&s;ibly, that they progno&s;ticate but
Ominous things. Sad Symptoms are &s;een
in mens faces and &s;peech, their tongues and
breathings concurring therewith. If you feel
their pul&s;e and Beatings of heart, you may
&s;oon de&s;crie Syncopal Tokens. Schirrhus'<HI>s</HI>
and hardne&s;s are ea&s;ily felt; &s;wellings and
&s;ores manife&s;t them&s;elves. Thus this world
appears a &s;inful Ho&s;pital for the God of
mercy to give vi&s;its to. What comes away
from men, proves a Semeiotick that points
at the Cure by &s;ad Characters. The Cau&s;es
of &s;uch dangerous Affects mu&s;t needs be va|rious
and multiplicious. Di&s;ea&s;es compli|cate
and inveterate, be&s;peak a difficult and
a dubious Cure. Secre&s;ie and &s;trength add
much to that evil, be&s;ides &s;en&s;le&s;ne&s;s and un|ruline&s;s.
Di&s;order in food and in exerci&s;e with
&s;loth and &s;lumber aggravate the &s;ame Strains
and Ruptures with Di&s;locations, Tumors
<PB REF="5">
and Wounds manife&s;t more evil. Humours
and &s;pirits being di&s;tempered do &s;oon di&s;|order
the &s;ub&s;tantial parts. Exce&s;s in Reple|tion
and vacuity, in number and extent, &s;till
do make it wor&s;e. Retention of evil &amp; wa&s;t|ing
of good, do both te&s;tifie the method of
help. Indications thus being &s;o various, its no
wonder if the cure be &s;low both in Church
and State. Purgations total and particular,
mu&s;t attend diet, re&s;t and all due help. Both
the Patients care and all A&s;si&s;tants, will be as
needful as the Phy&s;itians skil. Politick Phy|&s;itians
and Eccle&s;ia&s;tical had need look to
Chri&s;t for skil, &s;trength, &s;ucce&s;s. Choice and
cordial Pre&s;ervatives, Alexipharmacks are
often needed, where malignity doth infe&s;t
mens &s;ouls. Indu&s;trious Care and painful
attendance will be found herein of exceeding
need. The Ladies hand and the Eagles eye,
with the Lions heart, will help very much in
all &s;uch dre&s;sings. Seek therefore and wait
for that Soveraign Aid without which no
means can find a Ble&s;sing.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2. 12, 13,</NOTE> Ob&s;erve his Pre|cepts,
taking what he gives,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom 9. 16.</NOTE> carefully forbear|ing
what he doth forbid. Fear to di&s;plea&s;e
Chri&s;t, our Go&s;pel-<HI>Phoebus,</HI> that mu&s;t teach
<PB REF="6">
and pro&s;per <HI>Ae&s;culaps</HI><NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">An eminent Phy&s;itian, the Son of the Sun among Poets.</NOTE> labours. That
<HI>Sun of Righteou&s;ne&s;s will ri&s;e with healing wings</HI>
to all &s;uch as love and fear him above
All.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal. 4. 2.</NOTE> Neglect then no means appointed
by him;<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.</NOTE> abu&s;e not the means by re&s;ting
thereon.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 64. 5.</NOTE> His All-&s;ufficient Grace believe and
expect for his own Glory in each of his
Wayes.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 37. 4, 5, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> If he make you &s;mart,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 3 6.</NOTE> its for your
good that you may be healed on the be&s;t ac|count.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 10.</NOTE>
Here is an Antidote fitted to our Ca&s;e,
the good Lord ble&s;s it to you and to me. Be
helpful to me that I may help you at the
Throne of Grace, &s;o &s;hall we find him our
pre&s;ent help &s;till. <HI>His Grace will &s;ure be &s;uffici|ent
for us,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 13, 19.</NOTE> <HI>and his &s;trength &s;hall be perfected in
weakne&s;s.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 4. 3, 4.</NOTE> I &s;hall as heartily rejoyce in your
good as if it were mine;<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 46. 1.</NOTE> and &s;hall de&s;ign to
be,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 12. 9.</NOTE> through the Renewed &s;upplies of Chri&s;ts
Holy Spirit,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>Your Affectionate Ser|vant
for his &s;ake, in all
Go&s;pel-work,
<HI>CLAUDIUS GILBERT.</HI></SIGNED>
<DATELINE>From my &s;tudy
in Limrick,
<DATE>11. 11./Januar. 23. 1656.</DATE></DATELINE></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="preface">
<PB REF="6">
<HEAD>PREFACE.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Chri&s;tian READER.</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P><HI>_ERROR</HI> is the Epidemical di&s;ea&s;e of this
Age,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>See Mr.</HI> Bol|tons Arraign|ment of Error; Danaeus, Epiphan. Au|gu&s;t. Hieronym. de Heretic. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> exactly con&s;iderable in its Nature
and De&s;cent, in its Species and Degrees,
in its Cau&s;e and Effects, in its Symptoms
and Cure. We &s;hall but touch tho&s;e
things which others have elaborately
handled, to u&s;her in the Scope and Sub&s;tance of the fol|lowing
di&s;cour&s;e.</P>
<P>1. The Nature and Idea thereof con&s;i&s;ts much in a
&s;infull &s;traying of mans Judgement from the Truth of
God into fal&s;hood. 1. Mans Judgement is the pro|per
Subject and Seat thereof: (we meddle not now the
Angels Failures) from whence it ca&s;ts a malign Influ|ence
upon all other Powers and Parts.</P>
<P>2. Its <HI>Genus</HI> is &s;traying or wandring.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">, hence <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> So the Greek
properly imports, a &s;lipping and &s;liding from Truth into
fal&s;hood and by-ways.</P>
<P>3. Its difference lies in both the terms. Fir&s;t, From which
it &s;werves; <HI>i. e.</HI> The <HI>Terminus &agrave; quo,</HI> from the Truth
of God. Secondly, To which it leads, the <HI>Terminus ad
quem,</HI> into fal&s;hood. So its di&s;tingui&s;hed from bare Ig|norance,
<PB REF="7">
both negative and privative; Error being a
&s;oul-&s;ickne&s;s, an <GAP DESC="foreign">, a di&s;orderly Di&s;temper, di&s;po&s;ing
to evil po&s;itively, both habitual and actual, as it deprives
of and indi&s;po&s;es to that good, r<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;pecting the Souls health;
It differs al&s;o from Scruples and doubts, which are but un|certain
motives from Truth, and weaker Inclinations to
fal&s;hood, as the grudgings and Rudiments of &s;piritual
di&s;ea&s;es. Its likewi&s;e differenced thereby from Heart-Hypocri&s;ie
and verbal lies.</P>
<P>Secondly, Errors De&s;cent fetches its Extract from the
Prince and Father of <HI>Lies,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 8. 44.</NOTE> who abode not in the Truth,
but drew thou&s;ands of glorious Angels,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iude 6.</NOTE> who kept not their
fir&s;t &s;tate, into Error and Apo&s;tacy. His Serpentine &s;pawn
by dub<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">ous Queries was &s;oon ca&s;t into our fir&s;t Parents,
where it quickly bred Error and all &s;in. That unhappy
Breath &s;o &s;trongly infected them, that this &s;infull di&s;ea&s;e
is become hereditary to all their natural Po&s;terity. This
wofull Lepro&s;ie hath been thus propagated from our Head
<HI>Adam</HI> to all his I&s;&s;ue, through the loins of &s;infull parents.
It cleavs to mans Nature, and hath been in all ages &s;uc|ce&s;sively
communicated by a wofull <HI>Series</HI> in all &s;orts,
more or le&s;s.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Levit. 14. 44, 45.</NOTE> As the Lepro&s;ie cleaving to the Wall, could
never be totally removed, till the Wall it &s;elf was quite
pulled down: So doth this Plague cleave to mans &s;oul,
till mans di&s;&s;olution. <HI>Adam</HI> received at once the &s;eed of
corporal and &s;piritual Di&s;ea&s;es and death, in the &s;ame
moment that he began to &s;in, he began to die, according to
Gods Word; from whence the progre&s;s of a dying life in
him, and all his, till Grace begin that &s;piritual Life
below that Glory compleats above. I&s;rael had contracted
their wofull Lepro&s;ie from that <HI>Aegypt</HI> that en&s;laved
them;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 28. 27.</NOTE> &s;o is our &s;piritual Lepro&s;ie contracted from that my|&s;tical
<HI>Aegyt</HI> which hath poi&s;oned us &s;o de&s;perately, and
<PB REF="7">
infe&s;ts &s;till the <HI>Canaan-State</HI> of Chri&s;ts militant
Church.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Dato uno ab|&s;urdo, mille &s;equuntur. Cadmei Pro|les, Adag.</NOTE> As Truth is a mo&s;t diffu&s;ive Good, &s;o is Error
a mo&s;t diffu&s;ive Evil. Error like a &s;tone thrown into the
water, ri&s;es in Circles, each Circle begetting another and
growing &s;till wider till they all quite lo&s;e them&s;elves in
the end. Like <HI>Cadmus</HI> Brood they &s;tart up &s;uddenly, and as
&s;oon fall foul each on other.</P>
<P>3. The Species and Sorts of Error are multiplicious,
like the di&s;ea&s;es that trouble the body. As there are va|rious
&s;orts and denominations of divine Truths, &s;o are there
as many di&s;tinctions of Errors. The &s;pecifical difference
of each Error is mea&s;urable &s;till by the dimen&s;ion of that
Truth it oppo&s;es and &s;trayes from, and of that fal&s;hood in|to
which it &s;lides.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Veritas Radi|cis, Indicis &amp; Entis, apud Schola&s;ticos.</NOTE> The Truth of God is the confor|ty
of his Thoughts, Words and Works, to his own glorious
E&s;&s;ence. The Truth of man is the due conformity of man
to that Truth of God, whether mental, verbal or practi|cal.
Error is accordingly diver&s;ified in its general ac|ceptation;
but properly to our purpo&s;e it is re&s;trained
to the Iudgement, and di&s;tingu&s;hed from other &s;ins which
are verbal or practical Errors, flowing from mans Will
and affections more directly. That Truth of God is e&s;pe|cially
con&s;iderable in matters of Religion, either funda|mental
or juxta-fundamental,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Errores qui|dom citra, alii circa, alii con|tra fundu|mentum. Pri|mi divertunt, Secundi per|vertunt, tertii &s;ubvertunt fi|dem Ortho|doxam.</NOTE> or more &s;uperficial and
circum&s;tantial. Error is accordingly di&s;cernable in its
&s;everal wandrings from that Truth. The Scripture of
Truth declares the &s;ame in all their &s;pecifical variations.
Tue Fundamentals of Religion are &s;ummed up in the Ar|ticles
of our Faith, called the Apo&s;tles Creed, becau&s;e ex|tracted
out of their writtings; which Symbol hath been
&s;ucce&s;sively explained by the &s;everal Confe&s;sions of the
primitive Churches, as the <HI>Nicene</HI> and <HI>Athana&s;ian</HI>
Creed, as al&s;o of the Reformed in <HI>Germany</HI> and <HI>France,
<PB REF="8">
Belgium,</HI> and <HI>England,</HI> &amp;c. As there are varie|ties
of Weeds and poi&s;ons about the earth which peculiarly
offend the &s;everal parts of the Body, &s;ome being more
hurtfull to the head, &s;ome to the Stomach, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> So do va|rious
Errors offend the &s;everal parts of Truth, whence
various de&s;ignations are given to them.</P>
<P>4. The Gradations and Degrees of Error admit al&s;o
of a variable Latitude, according to the variation of its
aggravations. As di&s;ea&s;es do vary in their gradual rece&s;s
from health, being either &s;imple or compound, either more
or le&s;s malignant &amp; hurtfull; Thus Errors admit of many
adjuncts which render them more or le&s;s &s;inful and inju|rious.
In every Error there is a &s;infulne&s;s, an <GAP DESC="foreign"> and
<GAP DESC="foreign">, a defect of Truth <HI>privative,</HI> &amp; a di&s;po&s;ition to fal&s;|hood
<HI>po&s;itive.</HI> As in every di&s;ea&s;e there is an evil de|flection
from the <GAP DESC="foreign"> or &s;ound di&s;po&s;ition of the body;
&s;o in Error from that of the mind. But this deflection
is not alike in all, but is cloathed with numerical diffe|rences
and per&s;onal aggravations. Some Errors are more,
and others le&s;s rooted: Some are more &s;ingle, and others
complicate. Some are more &s;ubmi&s;sively held, and others
more pertinaciou&s;ly: &s;ome are kept clo&s;e, &amp; others publi&s;h|ed;
&s;ome have more of the Will and Affections attending
them, others le&s;s: &s;ome are more, and others le&s;s pernicious:
&s;ome are more quiet, others more turbulent. As the malig|nity
of infectious di&s;ea&s;es admits of a great Latitude: as
the variety of venomous Creatures, whether Plants,
Minerals or Sen&s;itives, is multipliciou&s;ly diver&s;ified by
the variations of their clime, intentions of degrees, <HI>&amp;c.</HI>
&s;ome being cold as <HI>Hemlock,</HI> others hot as <HI>Euphorbium:</HI>
&s;ome in the fir&s;t or &s;econd, others in the third or fourth de|gree:
&s;ome working more &s;lowly, others more quickly: &s;ome
by their Tail, as the <HI>Scorpion:</HI> &s;ome by their Teeth, as
<PB REF="8">
the Viper and Rattle-&s;nake; &s;ome by their Tongue, others
by their Excrements: &s;ome more &s;en&s;ibly, as a mad Dog;
&s;ome more in&s;en&s;ibly, as the <HI>A&s;p:</HI> So do Errors appear
under variety of offen&s;ive qualities and adjuncts.</P>
<P>5. The Cau&s;e of <HI>Error</HI> al&s;o, as of every di&s;ea&s;e, is
multipliciou&s;ly ob&s;ervable, e&s;pecially in a three-fold
<HI>Divi&s;ion</HI> of <HI>Evident, Antecedent,</HI> and <HI>Continent.</HI></P>
<P>1. An <HI>Evident Cau&s;e</HI> among Phy&s;icians, is much
from Externals, if not altogether, whereby a Di&s;temper
is occa&s;ioned in the body. So in mans &s;oul this &s;ickne&s;s
of <HI>Error</HI> may be occa&s;ioned by external Cau&s;es, as by in|fection,
ill company, bad books, various Temptations, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>2. An <HI>Antecedent Cau&s;e</HI> of &s;ickne&s;s bodily, is from
&s;ome thing within, whether vapor, humor or Spirit, di|&s;tempering
any part, &amp; di&s;abling it from its proper Acti|on.
Thus the foregoing Cau&s;e of this &s;piritual di&s;ea&s;e, lies
in &s;ome flatuous, humorous or &s;piritual evil that di&s;orders
the mind from its right di&s;cerning of the Truth, cau&s;ing it
to deviate into the way of fal&s;hood.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 12.</NOTE> Habitual Corrupti|on
within, flowing from <HI>Adams</HI> fir&s;t &s;in, (which is ours by
Imputation,) attended with the want of original Righ|teou&s;ne&s;s,
and often called original &s;in, becau&s;e the womb
of all &s;in in us) is the chief cau&s;e from which all other
evils flow, that breed and increa&s;e the&s;e &s;ad di&s;tempers.
This Corruption acts variou&s;ly in the way of Pride and
Self-&s;eeking, Security and Worldline&s;s, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>3. The <HI>Continent Cau&s;e</HI> of a corporal di&s;temper is
that immediate thing which cheri&s;hes it, being cheri&s;hed
from the remote cau&s;e, whether corrupt blood, wind,
water, gravel, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> So the continent Cau&s;e of Error, is
that peculiar Corruption whether. Ignorance or Pride, &s;elf-conceitedne&s;s
or worldline&s;s, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> which &s;ticks clo&s;e to
the mind, to breed and cheri&s;h its &s;everal dy&s;cra&s;ies and
<PB REF="9">
di&s;tempers. Thence &s;uch clouding of mens Iudgements
and di&s;orders in their Rea&s;onings:<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 8.</NOTE> hence perver&s;e <HI>Di|&s;putings</HI>
of men that are <HI>reprobate concerning</HI> the
Faith; as Ambition and Pride carried <HI>Simon</HI> and <HI>Me|nander,
Ne&s;torius</HI> and <HI>Macedonius</HI> away; Di&s;content
and Envy prevailed with <HI>Arrius;</HI> Covetou&s;ne&s;s carried on
<HI>Demetrius</HI> and his Comrads. There is a Complication of
&s;uch cau&s;es in mo&s;t.</P>
<P>6. The Effects of <HI>Error,</HI> as of every corporal di&s;ea&s;e, are
likewi&s;e variou&s;ly numerous, according to the variations
of its numerical Idea, of its &s;pecifical nature, of its de&s;cent,
gradations &amp; cau&s;es. This &s;piritual &s;ickne&s;s is a Tenden|cy
to further &s;in &amp; eternal Death; as every bodily &s;ickne&s;s
is the beginning of corporal death.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom, 6. 23.</NOTE> <HI>The wages of &s;in is
death;</HI> &s;in de&s;erves it, it binds ever, it leads to it, it fits
for it, it begins it. As much as there is of &s;infulne&s;s, &s;o
much is there of death attending it, Corporal &amp; civil, &s;pi|ritual
and Eternal. Grace indeed doth re&s;train and limit,
it pardons and &s;ubdues, it purges out gradually, and at la&s;t
exterminates all &s;in in Gods Elect; yet it changes not the
Nature or de&s;ert of &s;in, though it chances the &s;inners na|ture
and relation. Providence limits and over-rules this
&s;infulne&s;s al&s;o in the Reprobate. As the wi&s;e Phy&s;itian
corrects his <HI>Opium</HI> in a Confection; &s;o doth God correct
&s;in remaining in his Children. As the &s;ame Phy&s;itian ap|points
fit means again&s;t infection to all indefinitely, &s;o doth
our Soveraign Phy&s;ician by &s;hewing the dangerous effects
of Error. As the effects of Poi&s;ons are very various, yet
always &s;ad: &s;o are &s;in and &s;orrrw in&s;eparable Twins. Er|ror
was &s;et forth to the Life by that Lepro&s;iy of the head,
which had a peculiar mark of Ignominy,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Levit. 13. 29, 30, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Infection and
danger. Its like to tho&s;e poi&s;onous Minerals and Vegeta|bles,
which &s;trike fir&s;t ai the head, and thence at all other
<PB REF="9">
parts. Its a &s;piritual Plague which cannot but be mi&s;chie|vous
&s;till, though not in all alike. All &s;orts of men in all re|lations
are made to feel the &s;ad Con&s;equents thereof. Its
a fruitfull womb, a breeding dung hill, a poi&s;oned &s;pring,
<HI>Lerna malorum.</HI> It engages and leads in&s;en&s;ibly to more
evil, notional and practical. It di&s;graces God, oppo&s;es his
Truth, di&s;tempers mens &s;ouls, endangers their families,
bla&s;ts their Profe&s;sion, &s;tains their Repute, &s;candalizes
many, en&s;nares divers, troubles Church and State, and
complies with Satan in his various de&s;ignes, by nur&s;ing of
his brood. This Age gives &s;ad demon&s;tations thereof. As
Cephalical di&s;ea&s;es are on many accounts the mo&s;t dan|gerous
of all in the Body: &s;o are the&s;e heady di&s;tempers in
the &s;oul, which are ea&s;ily communicated to all the vital &amp;
inferior parts. The poi&s;on of &s;ome works in a &s;tupifying
way, as <HI>Opium, Henbane, Hemlock,</HI> &amp;c. others venom
acts by an enraging quality, as <HI>Elaterium, Euphorbium,
Scammony:</HI> The effect of &s;ome is more &s;peedily mortal,
as in the Touches of a <HI>Ba&s;ilisk,</HI> and <HI>A&s;p,</HI> of the <HI>Viper</HI>
and <HI>rattle Snake,</HI> if not very timely look'd to; others are
more &s;low and le&s;s dangerous, as in the operations of va|rious
&s;imples appears. The Parallel of &s;piritual Poi&s;ons
therewith is ea&s;ily drawn by an ob&s;erving Chri&s;tian.</P>
<P>7. The Symptoms or Signs of Error, as of Corporal de&s;ea|&s;es,
are of divers &s;orts, &s;ome more <HI>Common,</HI> others more
<HI>Proper.</HI></P>
<P>1. The <HI>common &s;igns</HI> are &s;uch as attend divers di&s;tem|pers
in a general way, as enfeebling of the parts, change of
complexion, Indipo&s;ition to action, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Thus Errors have
their <HI>Common &s;igns,</HI> wherein many of them agree, ap|pearing
much in their &s;ad effects again&s;t Gods Honor and
mans good, though often under far Colors, like that <HI>In|dian</HI>
Apple in the <HI>We&s;tern I&s;lands,</HI> which &s;eems beauti|full,
and yet is rank poi&s;on.</P>
<P><PB REF="10">
2. There are proper Tokens and characteri&s;tical <GAP DESC="foreign">,
and notes of each bodily di&s;ea&s;e, &s;etting out its &s;pe|cifical
Idea by its numerical and peculiar properties, whe|ther
one or more, and u&s;ually by a <GAP DESC="foreign"> and Concurrence
of divers, as a Fren&s;ie, a Lethargy, an Apoplexy, <HI>&amp;c.</HI>
have &s;ingular marks from the defect and di&s;orders of the
faculties animal, vital and natural.</P>
<P>Thus Error, the Fren&s;ie of the &s;oul, when boiled up to
its height, &s;ets a man on a rage again&s;t Truth and her
friends, rejects the Means of its cure, raves and ranges
at Will, inflames the Spirits, di&s;orders all the powers and
parts, ha&s;tning to de&s;truction, as appeared in the ranting
Crue, formerly and lately in <HI>Germany</HI> and <HI>England;</HI>
another error may more re&s;emble a Lethargy, benumming
the Soul, fixing the Spirits, ca&s;ting the per&s;on into a fea|vori&s;h
&s;leep, &s;topping the &s;en&s;es, filling them with dreams,
clo&s;ing their eyes, and di&s;tempering all powers and parts,
rendering them incapable of &s;en&s;e and help, if the Lord
work not extraordinarily, witne&s;s <HI>James Naylor</HI> and
his quaking Rout.</P>
<P>Another Error may be found more like an Apoplexie;
&s;uddenly taking away &s;en&s;e and motion, rea&s;on and life,
as that of &s;ome Circumcellions, and the bloody rabble of
<HI>Germany</HI> and <HI>Switzerland</HI> from <HI>Anno</HI> 1522.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>See</HI> Sleidan, Cloppenburg, Hornebeck, Bu|linger, Luther, Calvin, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> till
1534. Another is more like a <HI>Pal&s;ey,</HI> &s;topping the
fountain of the &s;inews, either totally or partially by di|&s;tempering
the head and its Conduits, whereby &s;en&s;e and
motion are conveyed to all inferior parts, and gradually
ha&s;tning mans end. So it fares with divers Quakers
now, and many monki&s;h Phari&s;aical Notioni&s;ts, <HI>Ro&s;e-Crucians,
Eremitical Reclu&s;es</HI> and <HI>Behmeni&s;ts.</HI> Thus
might we in&s;tance in every di&s;ea&s;e, and draw the parallel
of Error along in its various Symptoms and Characters;
<PB REF="10">
the which are accompanied with malignity and infection,
with Confidence and peremptorine&s;s, with Cen&s;oriou&s;ne&s;s
and &s;elf-conceitedne&s;s, more or le&s;s, according to the Na|ture,
Extent and Cau&s;es of &s;uch di&s;tempers. But as &s;ome
poi&s;onous Weeds do very nearly re&s;emble the good plants
among which they grow, as young Hemlock among Par&s;ley;
So divers Errors grow like Truth for a while, till they
come up to &s;trength (which they do much fa&s;ter then good
hearbs) to be better di&s;cerned by their ill qualities and wo|full
effects.</P>
<P>8. The Cure of Error, as of bodily &s;ickne&s;s, is diver&s;ly
to be ob&s;erved in the Indications directing thereto, in the
materials to be u&s;ed, and in the due method of preparing
and mini&s;tring of them &s;utably to the Rules of Art, and
the Patients Ca&s;e.</P>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. Galen.</NOTE> The Indications of Error, as of the bodily di&s;ea&s;es,
require the removing of the Cau&s;e, the rectifying of the
parts, the re&s;toring of &s;trength, and pre&s;erving of it by all
convenient means.</P>
<P>2.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Providence affords in eve|ry Country Remedies &s;uit|ed to their Maladies, and Counter-poi|&s;ons again&s;t their Poi&s;ons; witne&s;s the <HI>Rattle-&s;nake,</HI> and <HI>Snake|weed</HI> of <HI>Vir|ginia</HI> and of New <HI>England;</HI> The <HI>Italian Tora</HI> and <HI>An|titora,</HI> &amp;c. So hath the Lord provided a &s;utable proportion of divine <HI>Truths</HI> and helps to be duly applyed for effectual Relief.</NOTE> The Materials and Ingredients that are to be u&s;ed
towards that Cure for &s;oul and body, are con&s;iderable in a
regular diet, in orderly medicines, and the Chirurgions
&s;ea&s;onable help. Thus erroneous Per&s;ons are 1. to be dieted,
in &s;hunning evil food, evil company, evil motions, <HI>&amp;c.</HI>
and in u&s;ing food, company, exerci&s;e, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> tending to &s;piri|tual
health. 2. They are to be well purged with due pre|paratives
and <HI>Laxatives.</HI> 3. They mu&s;t have the
<HI>Chirurgions</HI> help al&s;o in letting out the corrupt blood of
&s;in, in dre&s;sing of their &s;piritual <HI>Sores,</HI> in applying of all fit
<HI>Medicaments,</HI> and admini&s;tring of all <HI>things</HI> orderly.</P>
<P><PB REF="11">
3. The Method of preparing and di&s;pen&s;ing of them
all for the cure of <HI>Di&s;ea&s;es,</HI> Spiritual and Corporal, is to
be guided by the skilfull Phy&s;itian of Heaven, who hath
appointed Men and Means, that in ob&s;erving the <HI>Pre|&s;cripts</HI>
of his Word applyed &s;utably to every ones ca&s;e,
his promi&s;ed Ble&s;sing may be waited for, and received in
an Obedience of Faith and Love. The following Anti|dote
pre&s;cribed by him may be through his Grace &s;ingu|larly
helpfull thereto.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="table of contents">
<PB REF="11">
<HEAD>The Contents.</HEAD>
<LIST>
<HEAD>The Context opened.</HEAD>
<ITEM>_THe Text divided into &s;ix Doctrines. <HI>page</HI> 6.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Doctrine</HI> 1. Wicked Lawle&s;s per&s;ons are
exceedingly &s;ubject to be carried away with
de&s;tructive Errors. <HI>p.</HI> 7</ITEM>
<ITEM>Rea&s;on 1. <HI>Raigning Corruption.</HI> p. 8</ITEM>
<ITEM>Rea&s;on 2. <HI>Errors deceitfulne&s;s.</HI> ibid.</ITEM>
<ITEM>Rea&s;on 3. <HI>Divine Judgement.</HI> p 9</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>U&s;e</HI> 1. Information; the ground of our numerous Errors. <HI>ibid.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2. Admonitin to lawle&s;s Ones. <HI>ibid.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>3. <HI>Examinatioon.</HI> ibid.</ITEM>
<ITEM>4. <HI>Exhortation.</HI> p. 10</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Doctr.</HI> 2. Error will endanger a Chri&s;tians &s;tedfa&s;tne&s;s. <HI>ibid.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 1. It loo&s;ens a Chri&s;tians hold. <HI>p.</HI> 11</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. It impairs a Chri&s;tians &s;trength. <HI>p.</HI> 12</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. It &s;natches with forcible fraud. <HI>ibid.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>U&s;e</HI> 1. See hence the &s;ource of our Revolts. <HI>ibid.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2. Convictions to erroneous ones. <HI>p.</HI> 13</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. Trial of our &s;tate. <HI>p.</HI> 14</ITEM>
<ITEM>4. Advice to all. <HI>ibid.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Doctr.</HI> 3. All Chri&s;tians, even the be&s;t, need &s;till due warning
to keep them&s;elves from Error and Revolt. <HI>p.</HI> 15</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Obj.</HI> 1. What need the Elect to be warned thus? <HI>p.</HI> 16</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>An&s;.</HI> In &s;even particulars. <HI>ibid.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><PB REF="12">
<HI>U&s;e</HI> 1. Con&s;ect. Hence &s;ee the u&s;efulne&s;s of a Go&s;pel Mini&s;try.
<HI>p.</HI> 17</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. <HI>Reprehen&s;ion.</HI> p. 18</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. <HI>Inquiry.</HI> p. 19</ITEM>
<ITEM>4. Excitation, 1. to take warning. <HI>p.</HI> 20</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. Improve warning. <HI>p.</HI> 21</ITEM>
<ITEM>1. <HI>Per&s;onally.</HI> ibid.</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. <HI>Relatively.</HI> p. 22</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Doctr.</HI> 4. The gracious Knowledge of Chri&s;t is a &s;ingular
Jewel. <HI>p.</HI> 23</ITEM>
<ITEM>1. Explanation in the <GAP DESC="foreign">. <HI>p.</HI> 24. 25, 26</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. Confirmation in the <GAP DESC="foreign">. <HI>p.</HI> 27</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. Demon&s;tration in the <GAP DESC="foreign">. <HI>ibid.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Rea&s;on</HI> 1. From the Object, Chri&s;t con&s;iderable <HI>p.</HI> 28</ITEM>
<ITEM>1. In his Per&s;on, as God, as man, as God-man. <HI>ibid.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>2. In his Office, Prophetical, Sacerdotal, Regal. <HI>p.</HI> 30</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. In his Progre&s;s of Humiliation to Exaltation. <HI>ibid.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>4. In his Purcha&s;e for value and vertue, con&s;idered. <HI>p.</HI> 32</ITEM>
<ITEM>5. In his Relation variou&s;ly &s;et forth. <HI>p.</HI> 33</ITEM>
<ITEM>6. In his Influence. <HI>p.</HI> 34</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 2. From the &s;ubject Recipient thereof. <HI>p.</HI> 35</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 3, From the Can&s;e efficient, formal, final. <HI>p.</HI> 36</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 4. From the Nature. <HI>p.</HI> 42</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 5. From the Properties. <HI>p.</HI> 44</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 6. From the Effects. <HI>p.</HI> 46</ITEM>
<ITEM><GAP DESC="foreign"> or <HI>U&s;e</HI> 1. In&s;truction, the Method of &s;tudy. <HI>p.</HI> 47</ITEM>
<ITEM>U&s;e 2. <HI>Reprehen&s;ion.</HI> p. 49</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>U&s;e</HI> 3. Examination, <HI>pag.</HI> 54. Therein is con&s;idered, 1. What
is wrought. 2. How it was wrought. 3. What it works.
<HI>p.</HI> 55. 56</ITEM>
<ITEM>In allu&s;ion to Vegetative, Sen&s;itive and Rational Acts. <HI>ibid.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>U&s;e 4. <HI>Con&s;olation,</HI> Obj. An&s;. p. 64</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>U&s;e</HI> 5. Exhortation to Nominal Chri&s;tians. <HI>p.</HI> 65</ITEM>
<ITEM>Many <HI>Obj.</HI> An&s;w. <HI>p.</HI> 67. 68, 69, 70, &amp;c</ITEM>
<ITEM>Exhor. 2. To Real Chri&s;tians. <HI>p.</HI> 73</ITEM>
<ITEM><PB REF="12">
<HI>Doctr.</HI> 5. Growing in the gracious Knowledge of Chri&s;t is a
&s;pecial Go&s;pel-Duty <HI>p.</HI> 77</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 1. The Chri&s;tians Nature. <HI>p.</HI> 78</ITEM>
<ITEM>Rea&s;. 2. <HI>Gods Honour.</HI> p. 79</ITEM>
<ITEM>Rea&s;. 3. <HI>Mans Intere&s;t.</HI> ibid.</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>U&s;e</HI> 1. The Nece&s;&s;ity of a &s;tanding Mini&s;try. <HI>p.</HI> 80</ITEM>
<ITEM>U&s;e 2. <HI>Conviction.</HI> p. 81</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>U&s;e</HI> 3. Examination, Is our Growth &V;niver&s;al, proportional,
perpetual? <HI>p.</HI> 82</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>U&s;e</HI> 4. Excitation to dead and living Chri&s;tians. <HI>p.</HI> 84</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Doctr.</HI> 6. Spiritual Growth is a Soveraign Antidote again&s;t
Error and Apo&s;tacy. <HI>p.</HI> 89</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Re&s;.</HI> 1. It removes the Cau&s;es. <HI>p.</HI> 91</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 2. It fortifies the parts, <HI>p.</HI> 92</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>Rea&s;.</HI> 3. It improves Chri&s;ts &s;pecifick Vertue. <HI>p.</HI> 93</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>U&s;e</HI> 1. Information, &s;hewing the ground and cure of all our
di&s;tempers. <HI>p.</HI> 94</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>U&s;e</HI> 2. Admonition to all under the Raign, or Remainders of &s;in.
<HI>p.</HI> 95</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>U&s;e</HI> 3. Enquiry, per&s;onal and publike <HI>p.</HI> 96</ITEM>
<ITEM><HI>U&s;e</HI> 4. Coun&s;el to prize and de&s;ire, embrace and en&s;ure, keep and
improve this choice Antidote again&s;t all evil; &s;pecially <HI>p.</HI> 97</ITEM>
</LIST>
<LIST>
<HEAD>Fir&s;t, Again&s;t Error oppo&s;ing Chri&s;t.</HEAD>
<ITEM>1. In his Deity. <HI>p.</HI> 99</ITEM>
<ITEM>2. In his Humanity. <HI>p.</HI> 100</ITEM>
<ITEM>3. In his Soul and Body. <HI>p.</HI> 101</ITEM>
<ITEM>4. In his Per&s;on. <HI>p.</HI> 102</ITEM>
<ITEM>5. In his Spirit. <HI>p.</HI> 104</ITEM>
<ITEM>6. In his Office. <HI>p.</HI> 105</ITEM>
<ITEM>7. In his Prie&s;thood. <HI>p.</HI> 107</ITEM>
<ITEM>8. In his Prophetical. <HI>p.</HI> 108</ITEM>
<ITEM>9. In his Regal Function. <HI>p.</HI> 110</ITEM>
<ITEM>10. In his Humiliation. <HI>p.</HI> 111</ITEM>
<ITEM>11. In his Exaltation. <HI>p.</HI> 114</ITEM>
<ITEM>12. In his Word. <HI>p.</HI> 115</ITEM>
<ITEM><PB REF="13">
13. In his Ordinances. <HI>p.</HI> 118</ITEM>
<ITEM>14. In his Sabbath. <HI>p.</HI> 120</ITEM>
<ITEM>14. In his Laws. <HI>p.</HI> 123</ITEM>
<ITEM>15. In his Covenant. <HI>p.</HI> 124</ITEM>
<ITEM>17. In his Seals. <HI>p.</HI> 126</ITEM>
<ITEM>18. In his Church. <HI>p.</HI> 128</ITEM>
<ITEM>19. In his Electing Grace. <HI>p.</HI> 130</ITEM>
<ITEM>20. In his Redeeming Grace. <HI>p.</HI> 132</ITEM>
<ITEM>21. In his Renewing Grace. <HI>p.</HI> 137</ITEM>
<ITEM>22. In his &s;aving Grace. <HI>p.</HI> 142</ITEM>
<ITEM>23. In his Magi&s;tracy. <HI>p.</HI> 145</ITEM>
<ITEM>24. In his Mini&s;try. <HI>p.</HI> 148</ITEM>
<ITEM>25. In his Providence. <HI>p.</HI> 153</ITEM>
<ITEM>Secondly, Again&s;t Apo&s;tacy. <HI>p.</HI> 157</ITEM>
</LIST>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="treatise">
<PB N="1" REF="13">
<HEAD>A
Soveraign Antidote again&s;t
&s;infull Errors:
The Epidemical Plague of the latter
Dayes.</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">Extracted out of Divine Records, the Di&s;pen&s;atory
of Chri&s;tianity.</HEAD>
<EPIGRAPH>
<BIBL>2 PET. 3. 17, 18.</BIBL>
<Q><P>Ye therefore Beloved, &s;eeing ye know the&s;e things before, beware
le&s;t ye al&s;o being led away with the Error of the wicked, fall
from your own &s;tedfa&s;tne&s;s. But grow in Grace, and in the
Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</P></Q>
</EPIGRAPH>
<P>_THIS Text affords a &s;ignal Pro&s;pective
into our pre&s;ent State, in conjunction
with the Context, whereto it points by
the Particle therefore. <HI>Yea, Therefore
Beloved, &s;eeing ye know the&s;e things</HI> be|fore,
<HI>&amp;c.</HI> What things? The Context
tels us. This Epi&s;tle was &s;ent for a Sove|raign
Antidote again&s;t Error and Apo|&s;tacy,
to the &s;cattered believing Jews, whereto <HI>Peter</HI> was emi|nently
<PB N="2" REF="14">
&s;ent as <HI>Paul</HI> to the Gentiles.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 2. 7, 8, 9.</NOTE> Many of them had been
converted, <HI>Act.</HI> 2. Who returning home to their &s;everal Coun|tries,
propagated the Go&s;pel. They &s;uffered much there,
both of the Jews and Gentiles, as the re&s;t did in <HI>Judea,</HI> which
moved our Apo&s;tle to fortifie them to his be&s;t; by his pre&s;ence
fir&s;t, and then in his ab&s;ence; witne&s;s the&s;e two Epi&s;tles, <HI>James</HI>
and <HI>Jude,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 1, 2.</NOTE> <HI>Paul</HI> and <HI>John</HI> furthered the &s;ame work,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 1.</NOTE> which <HI>Peter</HI>
in this &s;econd, received a fre&s;h. Thus the people of God
need &s;till renewed &s;upplies from the joint labors of all his &s;er|vants.
Yet after all, tho&s;e believing Jews were much endan|gered
by Satans de&s;igns, which occa&s;ioned this latter Epi&s;tle.
The Light of Chri&s;t &s;hines &s;o brightly herein, that it &s;catters all
the mi&s;ts of doubts, which mi&s;takes have rai&s;ed in &s;ome, about
its being Canonical.<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">C<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">n&s;ult Epi|phan. Augu&s;t. Athan. Concil. Laodicen. Car|thag<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">n. Da|ma&s;cen. Bed. Centur-Mag|deb, <HI>&amp;c. about it.</HI></NOTE></P>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Three parts are therein ob&s;ervable, the Prologue, Di&s;cour&s;e and
Epilogue.</HEAD>
<P>I. THE Prologue u&s;hers in by an Apo&s;tolical In&s;cription
and Salute, an entrancee into the &s;ub&s;tantial di&s;cour&s;e
following; by a Divine In&s;inuation into their mind and
heart, to ha&s;ten their Pace towards Chri&s;tian Perfection.</P>
<P>II. The Di&s;cour&s;e it &s;elf is brought in by way of Excitation,
warning and prophe&s;ie</P>
<P>1. He &s;tirs them up to &s;piritual Improvement by the light and
&s;trength of many Arguments, in the fir&s;t Chapter.</P>
<P>Secondly, He warns &s;eriou&s;ly again&s;t Seducers, whom he
de&s;cribes at large, in their Per&s;ons and Doctrines, in their ri&s;e
and Ruine, in their acts and Methods, in their Principles and
Practi&s;es, throughout the &s;econd Chapter, wherein they are
pourtrayed to the Life. Here we have the skilfull Anato|my
of Error, exactly managed by the Divine hand of Chri&s;ts
Spirit, guiding our Apo&s;tles Pen.</P>
<P>Tho&s;e Mon&s;ters of Darkne&s;s are here expo&s;ed to publique
view by the light of God in all their parts and properties.
Tho&s;e Mi&s;teries of Iniquity he rips up with his Inci&s;ion knife,
<PB N="3" REF="14">
and unbowels tho&s;e Tragical de&s;igns of Hell di&s;gui&s;ed under
the mask of Heaven. The &s;everal Lineaments of that per|nicious
Brood, he di&s;tinctly marks out, that exact notice may
be taken of them all. Their various Characters, his pen&s;ell
limbs out with accuratne&s;s, that &s;uch pe&s;ts might never be mi|&s;taken.
He &s;ets them forth.</P>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">ver&s;e 10. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> As unclean Bea&s;ts and filthy creatures that walk after
the fle&s;h, <HI>in the lu&s;ts of uncleanne&s;s,</HI> witne&s;s the <HI>Carpocratians</HI>
and old <HI>Gno&s;ticks;</HI> the late <HI>Famili&s;ts, Ranters</HI> and <HI>Nico|laitans.</HI></P>
<P>2.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> <HI>As enemies to rule an order;</HI> They de&s;pi&s;e Dominion,
and are not affraid to &s;peak evil of Dignities, <GAP DESC="foreign">.
<HI>witne&s;s the</HI> German <HI>Anabapti&s;ts,</HI> John <HI>of</HI> Ley|den
<HI>and</HI> Battenburgh, Muncer <HI>and</HI> Knipperdoling, <HI>with our
quaking multitudes.</HI></P>
<P>3:<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> As proud and audacious, <HI>pre&s;umptuous are they,</HI> witne&s;s
tho&s;e wretched followers of <HI>Nailor, Fox, &amp;c.</HI> as the <HI>Monta|ni&s;ts</HI>
and <HI>Manichees</HI> of old, the <HI>Simonians</HI> and <HI>Minandrians,</HI>
the <HI>Marcionites</HI> and <HI>Ebionites.</HI></P>
<P>4.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> As <HI>Peremptorily, &s;elfi&s;h</HI> and <HI>arrogant</HI> in plea&s;ing
<HI>them&s;elves;</HI> witne&s;s our conceited <HI>Perfectioni&s;ts;</HI> in their
Phari&s;aicall Monki&s;h Holine&s;s; like the <HI>Cathari</HI> of old&punc; the
<HI>Paracel&s;ians</HI> and <HI>Behmeni&s;ts</HI> &s;ince; all revived in the Qua|kers.</P>
<P>5.<NOTE PLACE="marg">ver&s;e 11, 12. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> <HI>As notorious Railers and malicious Slanderers, by mi&s;-in|terpretations
and mi&s;-applications;</HI> whereas the Angels them|&s;elves,
greater in Power aad might, bring in no railing accu&s;ation
again&s;t Rulers before God, <HI>witne&s;s</HI> our Quakers <HI>and</HI> Notioni&s;ts
of all <HI>&s;orts, like the</HI> Circumcellions, <HI>and others of old.</HI></P>
<P>6.<NOTE PLACE="marg">ver&s;e 12. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> <HI>As bruti&s;hly wild Bea&s;ts,</HI> that are made to be taken and
de&s;troyed, &s;peaking evil of the things they under&s;tand not, who
&s;hall utterly peri&s;h in their own corruption, receiving the reward of
<PB N="4" REF="15">
unrighteou&s;ne&s;s: <HI>witne&s;s the</HI> Ba&s;ilidians, Valentinians, Marcio|ni&s;ts,
<HI>and &s;uch</HI> Gno&s;ticks <HI>of old revived in the German, and
Britti&s;h</HI> Ranters, Famili&s;ts, Paracel&s;ians, Quakers.</P>
<P>7.<NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 13. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> As debauched Libertines, <HI>that account it plea&s;ure to riot
in the day time,</HI> witne&s;s our Ranting-crue, and the <HI>German</HI> Rab|ble
of Mun&s;ter in 1533, like the old <HI>Borborita.</HI></P>
<P>8.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> As cheating Impo&s;tors, &s;educing tho&s;e with whom
<HI>they fea&s;t them&s;elves.</HI> Their methods and wiles di&s;covered
of old, are refined and &s;ublimed to the utmo&s;t in the&s;e days by
Chymical arts.</P>
<P>9.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">. <HI>See about them,</HI> Eu&s;eb. Socrat. Epi|phan. Au&s;tin. Ammian, Marcel.</NOTE> As Athei&s;tical Villains, like <HI>&s;pots and blemi&s;hes, &s;porting
them&s;elves with their own deceivings, while they fea&s;t with you.</HI>
Thus the Hereticks of old brought the Heathens <HI>odium,</HI> and
and Taints upon the Chri&s;tians, as the Papi&s;ts ca&s;t the reproach
of all <HI>Sectaries</HI> on the reformed.</P>
<P>10.<NOTE PLACE="marg">v. 14. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> As Spiritual Fornicators, <HI>having eyes full of Adultery,
that cannot cea&s;e from &s;in, beguiling un&s;table &s;ouls.</HI> Thus for|mer
and latter Herericks have &s;till been defiling Chri&s;ts mar|riage-bed,
his Go&s;pel-ordinancess by their corrupt Additions
and detractions, &s;etting up of Altars again&s;t his Altar.</P>
<P>11.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> As earthly minded wretches, having an <HI>Heart exerci&s;|ed
with covetous Practi&s;es:</HI> witne&s;s our experience, as theirs of
old.</P>
<P>12.<NOTE PLACE="marg">v. 15. <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> As accur&s;ed Sen&s;uali&s;ts, wofully revolting from the
ble&s;&s;ed Truth of God; <HI>cur&s;ed Children,</HI> &s;uch Apo&s;tates abound
every where.</P>
<P>13.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> As bewitching Seducers, the egregious Di&s;ciples of
<HI>Balaam,</HI> and other fal&s;e Prophets, which have for&s;aken the
right way, and have gone a&s;tray, following the way, and lo|ving
the ways of unrighteou&s;ne&s;s.</P>
<P><PB N="5" REF="15">
14.<NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 17. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> As de&s;perate Hypocrites, <HI>Balaam</HI> like, &s;tabling the ve|ry
heart of the Lords Truth and cau&s;e, under many plau&s;ible
expre&s;&s;ions and &s;pecious pretences.</P>
<P>15.<NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 18. <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> As infectious Bedlams, who&s;e madne&s;s, like his, will not
admit of conviction, or cure.</P>
<P>16. As ignorant &s;ots, fitter for the A&s;&s;es &s;courge, <HI>Balaam</HI>-like,
then for rational cour&s;e and company.</P>
<P>17. As empty vain Boa&s;ters, &s;peaking great &s;welling words
of vanity.</P>
<P>18. As &s;ubtile Deceivers, alluring through the Lu&s;ts of the
fle&s;h, and much wantone&s;s of &s;pirit in fair promi&s;es of Liberty,
&s;uch as had clean e&s;caped from them that live in Error.</P>
<P>19. As relap&s;ing Apo&s;tates, like the dog turning to his vo|mit;
and the &s;ow wa&s;hed to her wallowing in the mire.</P>
<P>Thirdly, He &s;ets forth Prophetically a ranting Crue of
&s;cornful mockers: that &s;hould pe&s;ter the latter dayes, whom he
doth accurately paint out in this third Chapter; that we might
be effectually provided again&s;t &s;uch a &s;torm. Scoffers, &s;aith
he, <HI>&s;hall ari&s;e walking after their own lu&s;ts, deriding the promi&s;e
of Chri&s;ts coming, wilfully</HI> ignorant of the Angels fall, the worlds
drowning,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chap. 3.</NOTE> <HI>Sodoms</HI> firing, and all &s;uch Preludes of divine
vengancee upon all impenitent Infidels.</P>
<P>Thence he ha&s;tens towards his clo&s;e, by &s;ure demon&s;trati|ons
of that grand Truth, which they mainly oppo&s;ed. Chri&s;ts
la&s;t coming he lively repre&s;ents, and a&s;&s;ures of; which would
be &s;udden, &s;ea&s;onable and &s;ucce&s;sfuls. That Chri&s;t of Gods &s;o
much &s;lighted by men, &s;hall come upon them, &s;aith he, <HI>as a thief
in the Night,</HI> to fulfill that divine Word, which hath re&s;erved
heavens and earth to be burnt up with fire; then <HI>&s;hall the hea|vens
pa&s;s away</HI> with a <HI>great</HI> Noi&s;e; the <HI>Elements</HI> &s;hall <HI>melt</HI>
with fervent heat;<NOTE PLACE="marg">ver. 9. 10, 11.</NOTE> the earth and works therein &s;hall be
burnt up: Thereby moving all Chri&s;tians, to have a &s;ingular
care of holine&s;s and Godline&s;s in Heart and Life.</P>
<P><PB N="9" REF="16">
But lea&s;t the friends of Chri&s;t &s;hould be troubled at the ter|riblene&s;s,
of his Approach, he promi&s;eth to them a <HI>new hea|ven,</HI>
and a <HI>new earth, wherein dwelleth Righteou&s;ne&s;s.</HI> Thereby
he Revives their hearts,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;e 13.</NOTE> and pre&s;&s;es them to improve &s;avingly,
what others abu&s;e de&s;perately. The patience of God, bearing
&s;o wonderfully with all,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;e 14.</NOTE> gives his Elect time of returning
home, and renders the re&s;t inexcu&s;able. This he u&s;es as a
&s;trong Incentive to Re-inforce on them his former Exhorta|tion,
whereto al&s;o his fellow-Labourer <HI>Paul</HI> had in his Epi&s;tle
cogently pre&s;&s;ed them.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;e 15.</NOTE> His writings &s;o divine, as all other
Scriptures, could not e&s;cape the abu&s;e of wicked minds, and
Reprobate Con&s;ciences. They were then, as &s;till they are
&s;hamefully wre&s;ted by <HI>unlearned</HI> and <HI>un&s;table &s;ouls,</HI> to <HI>their</HI>
own and others <HI>de&s;truction.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;e 16.</NOTE> He therefore, with the more vi|gour,
charges Gods people to &s;tudy and ob&s;erve them with
more diligence and &s;obriety, with more prudence and circum|&s;pection;
with more &s;incerity and &s;elf-denial.</P>
<P><HI>Therefore ye Beloved, &s;aith he,</HI> &s;eeing ye know the&s;e things,
beware le&s;t ye be led away by the Errour of the wicked,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ver&s;e 17, 18.</NOTE> and &s;o
fall from your own &s;tedfa&s;tne&s;s; but grow in Grace, and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>Thus you &s;ee the u&s;hering in of our Text, to give us an
excellent Counter-poi&s;on, again&s;t all &s;in and Errour, &s;uted to
the Complexion of the&s;e latter dayes, in a peculiar manner;
and that by way of Epilogue and Conclu&s;ion.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>III. This Epilogue or clo&s;e, &s;ums up all in an Emphatical Ex|hortation,
by a pre&s;&s;ing Di&s;ua&s;ive from evil, v. 17. and a preg|nant
per&s;ua&s;ive to good, ver. 18.</HEAD>
<P>1. THe Di&s;&s;ua&s;ive expre&s;&s;es three main particulars.</P>
<P>1. The proper &s;ubject of damnable Errors, <HI>viz.</HI>
wicked, Lawle&s;s per&s;ons.</P>
<P>2. The contagious danger thereof; good men, them&s;elves
being too ready to be led away thereby, and &s;o to fall from
their own &s;tedfa&s;tne&s;s.</P>
<P>3. The &s;ingular method of &s;elf-pre&s;ervation from it, by
<PB N="7" REF="16">
improving of all divine Warnings, to the faithful keeping of
our &s;elves, in our &s;tedfa&s;tne&s;s.</P>
<P>2. The Per&s;ua&s;ive in <HI>ver.</HI> 18. Expo&s;es al&s;o three choyce
things to our con&s;ideration.</P>
<P>1. The chief Ingredients of our &s;piritual Antidote, <HI>Viz.</HI>
the Grace and Knowledge of Chri&s;t</P>
<P>2. The gradual compleating and fitting therereof, by
growing therein.</P>
<P>3. The due Application of the &s;ame in Oppo&s;ition to that
infectious Venom, by a proportionable Improvement or this
Antidote; implyed in the particle [<HI>But:] but grow in Grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Je&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P>The&s;e &s;everal Points are to be more di&s;tinctly viewed, to
our pre&s;ent purpo&s;e.</P>
<P>1. From that &s;pecial Attribution of Errour, to wicked
men, which our Apo&s;tle pathetically expre&s;&s;es by the double
demon&s;trative particle, <GAP DESC="foreign">, whereby he
Emphatically denotes their property and Intere&s;t in &s;uch a
way of Error. We may ob&s;erve to good purpo&s;e that,</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Doctrine 1. Lawle&s;s wicked Per&s;ons are exceeding &s;ubject to
be carried away with de&s;tructive Errours. The Godly may
accidentally fall into them: but the ungodly are peculiarly,
totally and finally carried away therewith.</HEAD>
<P>1. WIcked Ones are called <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>i. e.</HI> Lawle&s;s, or bound|le&s;s;
<HI>ab</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>Privative, &amp; adver&s;ative, &amp;</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>Lex,
Law.</HI> They are <GAP DESC="foreign"> oppo&s;ite to Gods Law, as well as de&s;ti|tute
of it.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Athenaeus</HI> l. 12.</NOTE> They love not, they know not,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 7.</NOTE> they own not
Gods law;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 7.</NOTE> they ob&s;erve it not,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 11, 22.</NOTE> whereas the regenerate delight
in Gods Law as <HI>Paul;</HI> though they look not to be ju&s;tified by
the works of it. Gods Law is the Revelation of his Will, con|cerning
mans duty fully Regi&s;tred now in the Scriptures of
Truth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 2. 19. 2c.</NOTE> the perfect Rule of Faith and obedience,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 cor. 9. 2r&punc;</NOTE> &s;ummed up
in Gods Statute-books of the old and New Te&s;tament.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 15. 16, 17</NOTE></P>
<P>Errour is <GAP DESC="foreign"> wandring from the Truth, either Natu|ral,
Moral, or Spiritual; either in foundation, or &s;uper&s;tructure.
According to the Import of the Truth oppo&s;ed, &s;o is every er|ror
<PB N="8" REF="17">
more or le&s;s dangerous. Tho&s;e Errours are damnable,
in the Apo&s;tles phra&s;e, which deny or de&s;troy Fundamental
Truths, as about the Natures, Per&s;on, and Office of Chri&s;t, Me|diator:
the mi&s;ery of man, his Recovery by Grace, the need
of Regeneration, re&s;ting on Chri&s;t alone, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>To be led away, <GAP DESC="foreign"> is to be carried by the force of
a torrent and &s;tream, or in a croud and hurry.</P>
<P>Thus Lawle&s;s men are hurried away by the fraud and force
of Error into evil; thence <HI>ver.</HI> 12 13. they are compared
to natural bruit Bea&s;ts, fiercely running to their de&s;truction.</P>
<P>It hath been too &s;adly confirmed in all Ages, &s;pecially in
our dayes. Tho&s;e grand Seducers and their prime followers,
which did &s;o much pe&s;ter the Apo&s;tolical Churches, are thus
de&s;cribed,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4. 1, 2, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> and we are told at large, what mon&s;ters of wicked|ne&s;s
&s;hould follow their &s;teps;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iud. 1. to 19.</NOTE> <HI>Paul</HI> and <HI>Peter, John</HI> and <HI>Jude</HI>
&s;et them forth in lively portraictures,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24. 5. 11, 23, 24.</NOTE> as Chri&s;t him&s;elf had
done before: Scripture and Eccle&s;ia&s;tical Hi&s;tory do fully
demon&s;trate it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 21.</NOTE> In this very Chapter and the foregoing, the
direful characters given by our Apo&s;tle of tho&s;e Impo&s;tors,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 13.</NOTE>
that would &s;ucce&s;&s;ively di&s;turb Chri&s;tianity:<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 4. 1, 2, 3, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> demon&s;trate it
<HI>ex abundanti.</HI> Such were <HI>Simon</HI> and <HI>Menander, Ebion</HI> and <HI>Ce|rinthus:
Ba&s;ilides</HI> and <HI>Pri&s;cillian</HI> of old; <HI>Paracel&s;us</HI> and <HI>Da|vid,
George Muncer,</HI> and <HI>John</HI> of <HI>Leydon,</HI> with many more of
later date.</P>
<P><HI>Rea&s;on</HI> 1,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 58. 3.</NOTE> The Reigning corruption of &s;uch Lawle&s;s ones
mu&s;t needs incline them thereto.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 14.</NOTE> The &s;pawn of all Error is
born and bred with them.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 53.</NOTE> Mans dunghil heart is the fruitful
womb of all &s;uch weeds.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 3. 11, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Sin grows into &s;trength, by cu&s;tom
therein; its more radicated and &s;etled in them. As it rejects
the bounds of divine and humane Laws,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 17. 9.</NOTE> &s;o doth it carry the
&s;oul headlong into all by-paths of Errour and folly. It endures
neither Phy&s;ick, nor Phy&s;itian, though never &s;o choyce. Such
a heart is dry tinder to the Devil, but wet to God.</P>
<P><HI>Rea&s;on</HI> 2.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 13. <GAP DESC="foreign">, impo|&s;tors and pro|&s;tigators, be|witching Cheats.</NOTE> The deceitfulne&s;s of Error helps much that way,
that &s;eed of the Serpent re&s;embles him in this as in all things
el&s;e. It di&s;gui&s;es its foul face, under many fair colours; it goes
&s;till masked: it baits every hook &s;utably to mans deceitfull
heart, Thence the Scripture &s;peaks &s;o much of Errors, Me|thods,
<PB N="9" REF="17">
and crafts, devices and &s;ubtilties, &s;nares and wiles
Arts and &s;tratagems; Juglings and deceits.</P>
<P><HI>Rea&s;on</HI> 3.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;&s;. 2. 8, 9, 10.</NOTE> The Ju&s;t hand of Heaven, giving up &s;uch to blind|ne&s;s
of mind, and hardne&s;s of heart, to be led away by &s;in and
Satan,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 11, 19, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> becau&s;e they received not the <HI>Truth in love,</HI> but abu&s;ed
and corrupted it, and them&s;elves thereby; they harden them|&s;elves
&s;infully, then God hardens them judicially.</P>
<P><HI>&V;&s;e</HI> 1. See the ground of &s;o many errors among us, be|cau&s;e
iniquity &s;o abounds in the&s;e later dayes, Love to Truth
waxes &s;o cold.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24. 12.</NOTE> Mo&s;t turn practical <HI>Antinomians</HI> of the wor&s;t
&s;ort;<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 18.</NOTE> as they reject both God and his Law: he gives them
up to the Law of &s;in and death.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;&s;. 2. 10, 11, 12.</NOTE> Whence &s;o many Bedlams
of all humours and complexions. So many turns from one &s;in
to another; Sin being ju&s;tly puni&s;hed by &s;in. So many carnal
hypocrites, and proud Novices fall daily into the Devils con|demnation.</P>
<P>2. Admonition to Lawle&s;s men, it &s;hould convince &s;uch of
their folly and mi&s;ery. See what its to break the Banks, and
to be left to a mans will. Whether will <HI>ignus fatuus,</HI> lead, but
to bogs and precipices?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 29. 1.</NOTE> Such are next &s;tep to vile&s;t Errors
ready to be drawn into the &s;nare.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 2.</NOTE> All ignorant, negligent
&s;ouls,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 1. 8</NOTE> that &s;light and oppo&s;e the Law of God and man, &s;hould
be throughly humbled. To &s;hake off Chri&s;ts bands is a Hea|theni&s;h
part: when the Apo&s;tle &s;peaks again&s;t the Law, its
&s;till again&s;t the abu&s;e thereof, and re&s;ting thereon. For the
<HI>Law is</HI> good, u&s;ed <HI>Lawfully.</HI></P>
<P>3.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 9. 21.</NOTE> Examination. What kind of Chri&s;tians are we? like to
e&s;cape the &s;nares of Error?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 31. 33.</NOTE> Are not we lawle&s;s, but under
the Law to Chri&s;t?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 36. 27.</NOTE> Do we own and &s;tudy, love and practi&s;e
that Law;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 2.</NOTE> for &s;anctification, though not for merit? Is it
written upon our heart? Is his <HI>Spirit</HI> put <HI>within us,</HI> &s;o as to
cau&s;e <HI>us to walk</HI> in his Statutes; <HI>that</HI> we <HI>may keep</HI> his <HI>Judge|ments</HI>
and <HI>do them?</HI> Hath Grace freed us from our &s;inful bon|dage?
Hath the Law of <HI>the Spirit of Life, which is in Je&s;us
Chri&s;t</HI> made <HI>us free from</HI> the <HI>Law of &s;in</HI> and <HI>Death?</HI> Superi|ours
and inferiours &s;hould view them&s;elves in this Gla&s;s of
Truth. Doth the principle of his Law within us, quicken us
&s;till to the careful ob&s;ervance of the perfect Rule of his Law
without us?</P>
<P><PB N="10" REF="18">
4. Exhortation. 1. To &s;inners. Learn the Law of Chri&s;t,
&s;ee the need, and u&s;e thereof. Be willing to know the wretch|edne&s;s
of a lawle&s;s &s;tate. Its &s;ad to abide under the law of &s;in
and Death. To be the Devils &s;lave, and the drudge of &s;in.
Study the Beauty and &s;weetne&s;s,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob. 22. 21, 22, 23, 24, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> the plea&s;ure and profit of
Gods Law. <HI>Acquaint thy &s;elf with Chri&s;t, and be at peace,</HI> &amp;c.
<HI>Receive I</HI> pray thee the Law from his mouth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 19, 20.</NOTE> <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Thus are
you invited in the Lords Name.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 55.</NOTE> <HI>We are Emba&s;&s;adours for
Chri&s;t.</HI> &amp;c.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 2. 11. 12. 13.</NOTE> Chri&s;t mu&s;t do all the work in you, and by you.
Come to him for all,</P>
<P>2. To Saints; improve your acquaintance. Keep the Law
of Chri&s;t, that it may keep you. Look to your fence and Rule,
all neglect here is very dangerous. Error is &s;oon let in, be|fore
you be aware.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 91. 11, 12,</NOTE> God will keep you in his wayes, not in the
Devils wayes. If your compa&s;s be &s;lighted, you mu&s;t needs
rove.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Chro. 15. 2.</NOTE> If you attend not the Shepherds voyce, how can you
but wander?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 3. 6.</NOTE> Walk therefore circum&s;pectly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 10 27.</NOTE> <GAP DESC="foreign">: &s;ee to
it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 5. 15, 16.</NOTE> improve the Law of Chri&s;t again&s;t all internal corruptions,
2. Again&s;t all external temptations. Bring all things to that
Touch,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 8. 20.</NOTE> let nothing pa&s;s untried: if any Notion come under
a dre&s;s of new Light, bring it to the Law and Te&s;timony. Sa|tan
comes often under a Scripture-Mask, pretending con&s;ci|ence,
a<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">d pleading very fair. He mu&s;t be &s;ifted over and over,
and his Vizard mu&s;t be pulled off. Chri&s;t dealt with him thus.
This Glo&s;s on Scripture &s;till &s;poils the Text, either in the &s;en&s;e
or application.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Doctrine 2. Error will endanger Chri&s;tians &s;tedfa&s;tne&s;s <GAP DESC="foreign">
The verb <GAP DESC="foreign">, is Emphatically to fall out, as a man
out of a window, as Eutiches; or as a member out of joynt.</HEAD>
<P>THe word,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 20.</NOTE> <HI>&s;tedfa&s;tne&s;s,</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, is Metaphorical, denoting
the &s;ettlement of the &s;oul, in allu&s;ion to the &s;trong com|po&s;ure
of natural and artificial things, well grounded and fix|ed.
The &s;oul is then &s;etled, when united to Chri&s;t, by a live|ly
faith,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 2. 6, 7.</NOTE> on conjugal terms, and harmoniou&s;ly &s;ettled in his
<PB N="11" REF="18">
Body Mi&s;tical, in the place and fitne&s;s of an orderly member.
The Chri&s;tian thus as a living &s;tone,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 22, 23.</NOTE> well cemented on Chri&s;t,
the Foundation,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet 2. 5, 6.</NOTE> is orderly Knit to the whole Building of his
Church Political al&s;o.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 20, 21.</NOTE></P>
<P>Such a living Twig,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 15. 5, 5.</NOTE> ingrafted into the &s;tock of <HI>Je&s;&s;e,</HI> is
thereby e&s;tabli&s;hed in that Root of <HI>David,</HI> to receive all its
&s;ap and &s;trength from thence, by abiding in Chri&s;t. This is fur|ther
&s;et forth by all Politick frames and corporations.</P>
<P>Error is that grand evil, that endangers &s;uch a &s;tedfa&s;t|ne&s;s,
that di&s;orders &s;uch a &s;ymmetrie, and di&s;compo&s;es the
whole, by di&s;ordering the parts, putting them out of their pro|p<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">r
&s;eat, <GAP DESC="foreign">, their own &s;tation and &s;tabli&s;h|ment.
It puts them out of Joint, order and harmony. Ac|cording
to the comport of that particular &s;traying from the
Truth, more or le&s;s material, the danger an&s;werable appears,
more or le&s;s dreadful.</P>
<P>The &s;ad experience of Gods people in all Ages of the
Church,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24.</NOTE> both before and &s;ince Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark 13.</NOTE> hath given to this day
a woful Te&s;t thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 21.</NOTE> The poy&s;on got into mens Brains, doth
ea&s;ily &s;lide into all in&s;eriour parts and powers.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4.</NOTE> Fi&s;hes begin
to &s;tink in the Head.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3.</NOTE> Vain Notions &s;oon breed vile affecti|ons,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iude</NOTE>
&s;uch ill humours ea&s;ily di&s;per&s;e into all the joynts,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 4.</NOTE> to
produce direful convul&s;ions. Chri&s;t gave warning of it; &s;o
did his Apo&s;tles again and again; who were as careful to warn
all Chri&s;tians, that they might be kept &s;tedfa&s;t in his wayes.
The &s;ad Revolts of &s;o many Apo&s;tates in all Ages, who &s;light|ed
Gods Word, and followed Seducers practices, &s;tand on Re|cord,
as Monuments of Salt, to &s;ea&s;on the re&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>Rea&s;on</HI> 1. Error loo&s;ens the Chri&s;tians Hold. The loo&s;er
he is from Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 2. 19.</NOTE> the more un&s;teady, according to the Nature
and degree of Error: &s;o is the &s;oul more or le&s;s loo&s;ened
from Chri&s;t, that Divine Anchor. The loo&s;er any member
is in the Body from the Head, the le&s;s &s;teady &s;til. Error is
that malignant humour,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 19&punc; 20.</NOTE> that di&s;locates and benums Chri&s;ts
Members, breeding &s;inful pal&s;ies and Relaxations; It works
as poi&s;on in the Body, as the fumes of Mercury and Orpiment;
that loo&s;en the joynts, and breed tremblings, and di&s;tortions.
It brings the &s;oul into quick-&s;ands by loo&s;ening it from the
<PB N="12" REF="19">
Rock it &s;tood on. It ruines the cement of the &s;oul, and &s;o
loo&s;ens it from its Foundation.</P>
<P>2. It impairs the Chri&s;tians &s;trength, and thence his &s;ted|fa&s;tne&s;s.
A Limb weakened cannot be firm and &s;teady. Er|ror
infeebles and enervates the &s;oul, devouring its vigour and
Liveline&s;s proportionably to its Degree. There is a &s;ecret
malignity therein, which &s;trikes at the Vitals: Faith and Re|pentance
are that radical moi&s;ture and native heat which pre|&s;erve
the &s;oul in life and &s;trength. Error preys upon them
a main, breeding varieties of Feavers and Rickets, wa&s;tings and
langui&s;hings of every part. As in the Building &s;tones decay|ing,
endanger them&s;elves and the whole: &s;o doth Error, by
wa&s;ting all the faculties and parts. Thence &s;uch grow un&s;table
and un&s;teady, ready to be turned by every wind of novel do|ctrine,
and &s;inful temptation.</P>
<P><HI>Rea.</HI> 3. Error &s;natches him away with fraud and force from
his proper &s;tanding. Things di&s;ordered are much endanger|ed.
The Father of lies comes with skill and &s;trength along
with his brood to deceive poor &s;ouls. Strong in&s;inuations
and &s;ubtile per&s;wa&s;ions come along &s;till.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 11, 12.</NOTE> They are Princi|palities
and Powers, &s;piritual wickedne&s;&s;es in high places
that we wra&s;tle with, notable methods and Arts, polices and
powers do &s;tir therein.</P>
<P><HI>&V;&s;e.</HI> 1. See the &s;ource of our frequent Apo&s;tacies. Its a
revolting age: the back-&s;lidings of Profe&s;&s;ors are &s;o many,
&s;o notorious, a great cau&s;e thereof is from errors prevalency.
Satan gets in by degrees into men,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 3. 1, 4, 5.</NOTE> as he did with our fir&s;t Pa|rents.
His in&s;inuations are carried on by plau&s;able Queries.
He breeds doubtings and &s;cruples, which &s;oon grow up into
pertinacious Errors. His &s;pawn is dubious and incon&s;iderable
at fir&s;t, but it thrives apace, like the weeds of the dung-hill;
&s;trength being gotten, it preys for it &s;elf, being humorous
and ambitious, it makes brawls and contentions, then divi&s;i|ons
and &s;eparations. Thence &s;uch lamentable departings from
Gods goodne&s;s and good men. Hence &s;uch impo&s;tumes
and inflamations, &s;uch Tympanies and Ruptures in the &s;ouls
and &s;ocieties of men. When the Serpents head gets into the
hole, the body will ea&s;ily follow. Thence &s;uch weakne&s;s in
<PB N="13" REF="19">
mens Judgements, Affections and Practice. Good men are
not free from tho&s;e many &s;nares. What lamentations might
we take up over &s;uch! Our hearts cannot but bleed in the
thoughts thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24.</NOTE> Oh! The &s;ad Revolts of this Age. Few
keep their Rea&s;on &s;ound, their heart warm, their conver&s;a|tion
clear, Becau&s;e <HI>Iniquity abounds, the love of man waxes
cold.</HI></P>
<P>2. Admonition to erroneous per&s;ons. Your ca&s;e is pitti|full
indeed; &s;o much the wor&s;e &s;till, by how much the le&s;s
&s;en&s;ible you are thereof. Sleepy feavours are the mo&s;t dan|gerous,
becau&s;e the le&s;s felt. Lethargick and Comatick bo|dies
are for the mo&s;t incurable. The Lord awaken you that
you may be dre&s;&s;ed.</P>
<P>Error is your &s;eeming freind, your real enemy. Its a Bo&s;om
Traitor, that corre&s;ponds with Satan &s;till to betray and ruin
you. The poi&s;on is &s;ubtile, but de&s;perate, though of various
degrees. There is a latitude in &s;uch di&s;tempers, but the lea&s;t
is bad enough. The giddine&s;s inclines to phren&s;ie and faling
&s;ickne&s;s, di&s;ea&s;es and errors admit of gradations. <HI>Nemo de
repent&egrave; pe&s;&s;imus.</HI> A Bodkin may wound to the very heart; &s;o
will an error with little &s;hew and &s;ence. The more erroneous,
the more &s;ubject &s;till to apo&s;tatize.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 18, 19.</NOTE> Spirits of error, will tear
and range: Fractions and Factions are their proper effects:
What a &s;ad Spectacle doth a Hell &s;et loo&s;e afford! Yet how
many will plead for &s;uch Mountebanks and cheats, who car|ry
the poi&s;on &s;ugar'd and gilded over into all parts! Will you
&s;till &s;light and abu&s;e your Phy&s;itian? Will you &s;till run into
plaguy Company? Will you &s;till &s;corn and reject the Sove|reign
Phy&s;ick,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 1. 11</NOTE> that would &s;ute your ca&s;e? Chri&s;t him&s;elf the
grand Phy&s;itian of Heaven came on this errand to phy&s;ick
his own, but they received him not. Such is the Lot of his
Me&s;&s;engers, his under Phy&s;itians, both in Church and State.
That di&s;ea&s;e is &s;ad and de&s;perate, that makes the Patient thus
to rage and range.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 16. 17.</NOTE> But it may be you pretend Con&s;cience;
&s;o doth the Devil often in his wor&s;e In&s;truments.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 13. 3, 4. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> But &s;hall
&s;in be covered under Chri&s;ts royal Robe, or po&s;&s;e&s;s his Throne
without di&s;turbance? What rule God gives again&s;t any
error, his &s;ervants are duly to pro&s;ecute: you oppo&s;e Chri&s;t
in oppo&s;ing them.</P>
<P><PB N="14" REF="20">
3.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;&s;. 2. 8, 9, 10, 11.</NOTE> Trie therefore thy &s;oundne&s;s in the Truth of Chri&s;t, how
far art thou from Apo&s;tacy: How &s;tands thy heart towards
Divine Truth?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 4. 2.</NOTE> Do&s;t thou receive it in love? Is it mingled
with faith? Do&s;t thou long for it, and delight in it? Do&s;t
thou feel the want, and bewail the ab&s;ence thereof? Art thou
zealous for it in thy place and &s;phere? Art thou troubled at
the troublers thereof?<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 2. 20. 28.</NOTE> Art thou a &s;tudious &s;cholar under Chri&s;t?
Do&s;t thou ob&s;erve the Teachings of his Spirit, internal and
external? Do&s;t thou learn for practice, and practi&s;e in lear|ning?
Are thy Speculations brought into Realities? Do thy
heart and hands thrive as well as thy brains? Art thou fixed
in Chri&s;ts ways, and &s;ettled in his Word? Ha&s;t thou cea&s;ed
to be a wandring Planet, and a floating Meteor in Religion?
Do&s;t thou clo&s;e with Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 42. 1, 2.</NOTE> and keep clo&s;e to him in every
Ordinance?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5. 2, 3, 4.</NOTE> Doth thy &s;piritual health and integrity, appear
by thy vigor and activene&s;s for him;<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4.</NOTE> thy hungrings after him;
thy fervent and con&s;tant following of him? Do&s;t thou de|&s;ire
and dige&s;t the food of divine Truth, &s;o as to thrive ef|fecutally
thereby? Is thy Judgement well informed and fixed?
Is thy heart cemented to Chri&s;t, and rooted in him? Do&s;t
thou ob&s;erve him in all his Pre&s;cripts, to give thee &s;ea&s;onable
pre&s;ervatives and help? Is Chri&s;t thy &s;trength, thy hold and
&s;upport? Doth thou cleave to him, and re&s;t &s;till on him? Art
not thou moved from thy place and &s;tation, by tempting no|tions?
whether in a Superior or inferior charge? Do&s;t thou
&s;tand firm again&s;t all a&s;&s;aults? Do&s;t thou manife&s;t both in
Church and State, that thou holde&s;t Chri&s;t for thy head in all
things?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2. 13.</NOTE> Art thou &s;trong in his &s;trength and power of his
might,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 10.</NOTE> again&s;t all &s;piritual enemies?</P>
<P>4. Chri&s;tians be well advi&s;ed, beware of Errors, &s;lide not
on that Ice, if you would &s;hun a fall. Avoid every kind and
appearance of intellectual evils. Tamper not with poi&s;on, if
you love your health. One &s;cabbed &s;heep may &s;oon infect
many.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;&s;. 5. 21.</NOTE> Trie all things by Gods touch-&s;tone. Receive nothing
without trial. If you &s;u&s;pect poi&s;on, be the more carefull:
If you deal with known cheats, beware of tru&s;ting. If Moun|tebanks
&s;peak you fair and big, di&s;tru&s;t them the more: beware
of &s;elf conceitedne&s;s: be not wi&s;e in your own eyes: dread
<PB N="15" REF="20">
the &s;malle&s;t Beginnings, of evil in opinion, affection or con|ver&s;e.
The &s;ums of this ar&s;nick rats-bane and mercury will
di&s;temper you before you be aware. Avoid the fir&s;t &s;tep to
avoid all the re&s;t. Beware of the brink, if you fear the Pre|cipice:
if you keep ill diet,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 25.</NOTE> and feed on venom, wonder not
at your wa&s;ting and decayes. Remember <HI>Ephe&s;us,</HI> who &s;adly
mi&s;carried by neglect of this care. Make &s;ure of Chri&s;t upon
his own terms, and keep clo&s;e to him. The noble <HI>Bereans</HI>
&s;hewed their Noblene&s;s in trying daily the Doctrine of <HI>Paul</HI>
by the Scripture-rule duly examined: take heed what you
hear,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 2. 5.</NOTE> and how you hear it: &s;o Chri&s;t directs you: bring all
things &s;till to the Lords Touch-&s;tone,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 4. 24.</NOTE> to his Rule and &s;tan|dard,
to his Ballance and Te&s;t to move you con&s;ider:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 8. 18.</NOTE>
That,</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Doct. 3. All Chri&s;tians, even the be&s;t, need &s;till warning to
keep them&s;elves from Error and Apo&s;tacy.</HEAD>
<P>SAith the Text,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">,</NOTE> keep your &s;elves well that you
may be kept: be very active that you may not
&s;uffer. This voice an&s;wers the Hebrew <HI>Hithpael;</HI> keep your
&s;elves with all delight and diligence, let every power of &s;oul
and body be kept on the watch.</P>
<P>All Chri&s;tians need this, yea, the very be&s;t. They mu&s;t
take warning from every part. Heaven and Earth do warn,
and mu&s;t be hearkened to. Chri&s;t warns in con&s;cience by his
Spirits motions in his Word and Providence by the &s;ame Spi|rit.
His motions are regular and harmonious &s;till, they are &s;ea|&s;onable
and proportionable. He warns by friends, and &s;ome|times
by foes in adver&s;ity and pro&s;periry. Satans motions
are irregular, un&s;ea&s;onable and unproportionable. They are
un&s;criptural in the &s;cope and &s;ub&s;tance, though often di&s;gui&s;ed
with Scripture expre&s;&s;ions,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Pet. 1. 12, 13, 15.</NOTE> &s;adly perverted.</P>
<P>All do need warning&punc; though but few take it. The be&s;t
find mo&s;t need and benefit thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">La coz de la y&eacute;gua no haze mal al p&oacute;tto, <HI>Proverb</HI> Ca|&s;tigl.</NOTE> <HI>Peter</HI> warns the Chri|&s;tian
<HI>Hebrews</HI> here, though well grounded and &s;ettled in the
Truth. Warning never hurts, it cannot but do good, if it
be well taken. The be&s;t retain much &s;in and weakne&s;s &s;till.
<PB N="16" REF="21">
They cannot but feel their &s;infull Reliques.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Quae relinqun|tur in morbis, recidivas faci unt. Hippocrat.</NOTE> To prevent
Relap&s;es and remove much evil, warning mu&s;t be given. The
Phy&s;itians warnings are of &s;ingular u&s;e to all &s;orts of Patients.
None &s;tands &s;o fa&s;t, but he &s;till &s;tands on &s;lippery ground.
The world is a great Ice, very dangerous. The enemy is
&s;ubtile and numerous, vigilant and active. We cannot but find
many lurking fiends in our own bo&s;oms: our hearts are de|ceitfull
and de&s;perately wicked.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 17. 9.</NOTE> We &s;tand no longer then
we keep our hold;<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 4.</NOTE> God indeed keeps his unto Salvation, and
therefore bids them keep them&s;elves. He appoints the means
as well as the end. As he keeps them by his own power, &s;o
mu&s;t they keep clo&s;e to him by faith. They &s;hall never
fall totally, nor finally, but they may often fall partially
and dreadfully. If left to them&s;elves, they would kill
them&s;elves; They mu&s;t therefore be faithfully warn|ed.</P>
<P><HI>Objection.</HI> But what needs all this, if the Elects &s;alvation
be &s;ure?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;wer.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 22. 14.</NOTE> 1. All are not elect that &s;eem to be &s;uch, <HI>many are
called&punc; but few are cho&s;en.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> 10.</NOTE></P>
<P>2. Though Salvation be &s;ure to the Elect, yet mu&s;t it be
a&s;&s;ured to them. Warnings mu&s;t be taken, that they may
obtain &s;uch an a&s;&s;urance. They may have the Grace with|out
the comfort. All diligence is therefore required to make
their Calling and Election &s;ure.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2. 13.</NOTE></P>
<P>3.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 64. 5.</NOTE> Though Salvation be &s;ure to the Elect, yet mu&s;t it be
wrought out by them with <HI>fear</HI> and <HI>trembling,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 20. 24.</NOTE> becau&s;e its
God <HI>that works in them both to will,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 36. 37.</NOTE> <HI>and to do of his
good Plea&s;ure.</HI> He will be &s;ought and found in every one
of his waies, that he may &s;till meet them with a Ble&s;&s;ing.</P>
<P>4.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 3. 5. acti agimus.</NOTE> Though Salvation be &s;ure to the Elect, yet becau&s;e
they are men mixed among men, he deals with them by men,
after the manner of men.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 10.</NOTE> Rational creatures mu&s;t act ratio|nally,
and &s;o be acted with.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 20.</NOTE> He changes not the &s;ub&s;tance,
but their qualities in renewing them. They are &s;o moved,
that they are enabled to move them&s;elves in following
him.</P>
<P>Though the Elect cannot peri&s;h utterly, yet they may
<PB N="17" REF="21">
fall very &s;infully. Warnings well taken are effectual means to
prevent much &s;hame, &s;orrow and lo&s;s. God warns his children
that they may be taught good manners. Conditional Threats
are intended to prevent the mi&s;chief treatned, and are effectu|ally
ble&s;&s;ed to Gods Elect.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 3. 19</NOTE></P>
<P>6.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;&s;. 2. 13, 14.</NOTE> The a&s;&s;urance of the Elect lies not in them&s;elves, as it
flows not from them&s;elves: The Fathers Purpo&s;e, and the
Sons purcha&s;e:<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 19.</NOTE> the Spirits indwelling, and the Covenant-Promi&s;es
made by the Father in his Son,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 11, 16, 23.</NOTE> through his Spirit to
them,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 7.</NOTE> are their efficacious Grounds. In &s;ub&s;erviency thereto
all due means are therefore needed and ble&s;&s;ed warnings
among the re&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Natura natu|rans nihil faci|tant loquitur fru&s;tra.</NOTE> <HI>God neither promi&s;es nor commands in vain.</HI>
His word is &s;till &s;ure, as all ages have found, <HI>P&s;al.</HI> 93. 5.</P>
<P>7. There is a peculiar vertue attending the word and
means of Grace to all Gods Elect in due time and order. That
quickning power rai&s;es a <HI>Lazarus,</HI> leaving others dead, de&s;ti|tute
thereof. That &s;aving Grace of Heaven betters the
good plants under every &s;houre, when the weeds grow wor&s;e.
That di&s;criminating Influence from the Sun of Righteou&s;ne&s;s,
makes the flowers fragrant, though is occa&s;ions the dung-hill
to &s;tink.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 2. 15, 16.</NOTE> Thereby is Gods word made a &s;avour of Life to &s;ome,
whil&s;t it proves a &s;avour of death to others.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 4. 7.</NOTE> Who makes a
man to differ from another? What hath he that he hath
not received? Mu&s;t not the prime and ultimate cau&s;e re&s;olve
into Gods Will? Do not you el&s;e &s;ubject Gods Will to mans?
There can be &s;urely but one Independant, either God or
man, which is to be cho&s;en, let rea&s;on it &s;elf judge by &s;crip|ture-Light.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Con&s;ect. 1.</HEAD>
<P>SE the u&s;efulne&s;s of a Go&s;pel-Mini&s;try. Chri&s;ts Officers
are given e&s;pecially: to that end the Churches watch-men
are called to this great work.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4.</NOTE> He &s;ets them apart by an or|derly
call,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 12.</NOTE> to be his Heraulds and Amba&s;&s;adors, his criers and
publi&s;hers.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 20. 28.</NOTE> The Father &s;ets them in, the Son gives them
to the Holy Gho&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 5. 1, 2.</NOTE> makes them over&s;eers in the Lords
flock. They are e&s;pecially charged to warn the unru|ly,
to prevent Error and Revolt. Therefore did Chri&s;t
<PB N="18" REF="22">
receive and give &s;o many royal Coronation-gifts upon his tri|umphant
a&s;&s;ention,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 11, 12, 13, 14.</NOTE> for the perfecting of the Saints, <HI>&amp;c. that we
hence forth migh be no more Children to&s;&s;ed too and fro, with eve|ry
wind of Doctrine by the craftine&s;s of Seducers, &amp;c.</HI> The be&s;t
need warning.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 13. 17.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts &s;heep mu&s;t attend their Shepheards,
who are deputed to office by that grand Shepheard of their
Souls.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;&s;. 5. 12, 13.</NOTE> Such mu&s;t be &s;et a part thereto from age to age, as
<HI>Timothy</HI> was charged by <HI>Paul</HI> to chu&s;e and charge &s;uch, who
&s;hould be able to in&s;truct others:<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 2.</NOTE> all indeed are bound in their
&s;everal <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">alces to in&s;truct each other charitatively, according
to their abilities and opportunities. But Chri&s;ts offi|cers
mu&s;t do it authoritatively, <HI>ex officio.</HI> Governers of
&s;ocieties mu&s;t in&s;truct their Inferiors with civil Authority, the&s;e
with Eccle&s;ia&s;tical.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 33. 10.</NOTE> Thus it was of old by Gods appointment:
the <HI>Levits</HI> were to teach in all their Cities. Thus its &s;till in
Go&s;pel-days,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Read <HI>Plato Ari&s;t. Seneca. Plutarch, Ci|cer. Macro.</HI> Hi&s;tories of the We&s;tern and Ea&s;tern Indies for proof hereof.</NOTE> in this and other points by the &s;ame Authority.
The very light of nature hath taught all Nations in all times
and places to &s;et &s;ome apart for a &s;acred u&s;e, who &s;hould offi|cially
act between God and man. None &s;o barbarous, but
do acknowledge a &s;upream Deity, and highly e&s;teem of &s;acred
per&s;ons, &s;olemnly con&s;ecrated to him. Heathens ob&s;erve
this as well as Chri&s;tians, finding ab&s;olute need and choice
u&s;e thereof. Satan indeed &s;till appears Gods Ape, in coun|terfeiting
ridiculou&s;ly and impiou&s;ly Gods pure wor&s;hip, by
gaudy traditions and innnovations, of multiplicious &s;orts
among all nations. That his malice and de&s;perate rage to
&s;poile the be&s;t things, and do mo&s;t mi&s;chief by &s;uch corrupti|ons.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>&V;&s;e 2.</HEAD>
<P>IT &s;hould convince negligent Chri&s;tians, that will neither
take warning, nor keep them&s;elves from &s;uch a danger.
Is not &s;uch <HI>a felo de &s;e</HI> much to be blamed? Is not this evil very
&s;ad and common? they mu&s;t thank them&s;elves, that contract
deadly di&s;ea&s;es through-wilful carele&s;ne&s;s. If people will
run to infected places and per&s;ons, they are like to &s;mart. Er|rors
are mo&s;t catching in this Back-&s;liding generation. Its
<PB N="19" REF="22">
one of its characteri&s;tical Notes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24. 42.</NOTE> given by Chri&s;t him&s;elf;
Floods of Here&s;ies the Dragon of old &s;pued out of his mouth
again&s;t the Church in her flight:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 12. 15.</NOTE> and is not he doing the like
again upon her Return? Is it not a dreadful &s;in to tempt the
Devil, that he may tempt us? Is it not woful, to &s;ee &s;o many
embrace &s;uch palpable Delu&s;ions? The Lord awaken them,
that &s;leep &s;o &s;ecurely, when de&s;truction is &s;o neer at hand.
He that being often warned,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 29. 1.</NOTE> hardens his heart &s;till, &s;hal &s;urely
and &s;uddenly peri&s;h. Spiritual&punc; Judgements are the wor&s;t of
all, which give up &s;o many to bruti&s;h &s;en&s;le&s;ne&s;s, and u&s;her in
&s;til temporal judgements.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>See</HI> Eu&s;eb. So|crat. So&s;omen. Zonar. Chal. Carion. Chron. Center.</NOTE> The &s;even <HI>A&s;ian</HI> Churches, and
all tho&s;e flouri&s;hing Societies in <HI>Europe, Africa,</HI> and <HI>A&s;ia,</HI>
both <HI>Major</HI> and <HI>Minor,</HI> were made &s;ad Monuments of &s;uch
Divine Ju&s;tice. They &s;lighted warnings given them from Hea|ven,
by word and Providence,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Magdib. Ba|ron. Annal. Hi&s;tory of Turks. Sarac. Tartars.</NOTE> and were &s;ua&s;ively expo&s;ed to
the Rage of <HI>Sarracens</HI> and <HI>Turks, Tartars</HI> and <HI>Parthians, Per|&s;ians</HI>
and <HI>Infidels,</HI> under which they do remain to this day. <HI>Iim</HI>
and <HI>Jiim,</HI> Satyrs and Devils are now howling there: where &s;o
many famous Churches re&s;ounded aloud the prai&s;es of Chri&s;t;<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 34. 14.</NOTE>
Go to that <HI>Shiloh,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 7. 14, 21.</NOTE> and to the <HI>Jewi&s;h,</HI> that you may behold,
with a bleeding heart and Relenting Bowels, the direful fruits
of &s;lighting warning, and pampering Errors.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 26. 6. 9.</NOTE></P>
<P>3. Bring our ca&s;e to the Te&s;t, have we learned to act as be|comes
Chri&s;tians? do we take warning, do we keep our &s;elves
from Error and Revolt? Is it our de&s;ire to be admoni&s;hed?
Do we delight in the means of prevention? Is it our purpo&s;e
to avoid the &s;nares? Do we endeavour, with diligence the u&s;e
of all fit means, to keep our &s;elves and others? Are we con|vinced
of our former neglects? Have we been humbled for
our many Revolts?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 31. 18. 19, 20.</NOTE> Do we &s;mite on our thigh, as <HI>Ephraim</HI>
did, becau&s;e we have born the reproach of our youth? Do
we make it our work, with all diligence and delight, per&s;onal|ly
thus to keep our &s;elves, and Relatively to keep tho&s;e about
us and under us, through the Lords help? Do we improve our
time and &s;trength, our skil and credit, our utmo&s;t endeavours,
to prevent and remove the Errors of the wicked?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 4. 9. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Are we &s;tu|dious
of that &s;ignal charge given and renewed unto all Gods
people with &s;o much of power and caution, again and again?
<PB N="20" REF="23">
The <HI>Cananites</HI> and <HI>Tories</HI> of our hearts, are &s;til remaining as
pricks in our eyes, and thorns in our &s;ides: external enemies
are multiplicious &s;til to en&s;nare us into Satans crooked paths.
Do we earne&s;tly redouble our watch and Guard, again&s;t &s;uch
eminent dangers?</P>
<P>4. Be &s;tirred up to take and improve warning.</P>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 2. 5, 14, 15.</NOTE> Take good warning and refu&s;e it not, ye that incline to
Error and Back&s;liding. The Lord &s;peaks to you&punc; as he did to
<HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> and <HI>Sardis;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 3. 1, 2, 3.</NOTE> Remember whence you are fallen, and
Repent. Have you &s;ucked poi&s;on at unaware? Be per&s;waded
by your Phy&s;itians to &s;ee your danger, and take good Phy|&s;ick?
Will not you give your watchmen the hearing, on the
de&s;cry of a dreadful enemy? Doth it not concern you to
mind your Shepheards Voice, that warns again&s;t the Wolves
and Foxes? What if they be di&s;gui&s;ed under &s;heeps cloath|ing?
Are you like to be the &s;afer, or will you be the le&s;s vigi|lant?
Its your mercy, that God bears yet with you, he will
not alwayes bear; after many warnings he will &s;trike at la&s;t,
if you &s;til refu&s;e the things of your peace, they &s;hal at la&s;t be
<HI>hid from your eyes.</HI> Be not like <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> in &s;in, lea&s;t ye be
like her in &s;orrow al&s;o. The Lord took much pains by the for|mer
and later Prophets, all his fore-Runners to awaken them;
Him&s;elf in per&s;on came to them at la&s;t;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 19. 42.</NOTE> but they would not
hear.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 29. 1.</NOTE> Therefore came <HI>wrath</HI> on <HI>them to the utmo&s;t.</HI> Doth not
he warn you for your good?<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Chron. 36. 15, 16.</NOTE> Should not &s;elf-intere&s;t move
you,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 2. 16.</NOTE> if the publick do not? Will you gallop &s;til towards your
own Ruin? You will repent it. when it may be too late. Is
there no &s;park of Ingenuity left? Hath Satan robbed you of
your Religion and Rea&s;on at once? Bruits will take warning,
are you wor&s;e then they? Have you been &s;o deeply baptized
into the &s;pirit of Error, as to loo&s;e your Sen&s;e, Wit, and good
manners? Do not ye &s;ee &s;o many before you going up the
&s;teps of the Devils Ladder,<NOTE PLACE="marg">A full Relati|on of <HI>Iames Nayler</HI> and his comrades, is lately printed by Mr. <HI>Farmer</HI> of <HI>Bri&s;tol.</HI></NOTE> to execution? Are your eyes quite
out, that you cannot di&s;cern the i&s;&s;ue of all your High-flown
Notions? Have not the <HI>Seekers</HI> and <HI>famili&s;tical Revelatio|ni&s;ts</HI>
turned to Levelling, Ranting and Quaking? Is not <HI>James
Nayler</HI> with his prodigious crue: a fair warning to each of
tho&s;e, that &s;light the publike Ordinances of Chri&s;t, to follow
<PB N="21" REF="23">
their fancies in private? Cannot ye di&s;cern yet, that one Er|ror
will lead unto more:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 18, 19, 20.</NOTE> one &s;eparation from the good old
way will u&s;her in another;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 6. 16.</NOTE> til you come &s;tep by &s;tep to the de|vils
bottom?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 14. 6.</NOTE> Ask then at la&s;t, enquire for the <HI>good old way,</HI> the
<HI>new and living way;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 10. 20.</NOTE> that you may walk, and find peace there|in.</P>
<P>2. Improve the Warning, and abu&s;e it not. Learn to keep
your &s;elves from back&s;liding Errors. Shew your Chri&s;tian care
in all due means appointed by him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob 32. 1, 2.</NOTE> Per&s;onally and Relative|ly.</P>
<P>1. Per&s;onally, Look well to your own &s;ouls Beware of
Error in its fir&s;t motions. Mind your Guards, &s;light not your
watch,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph, 1. 18, 19.</NOTE> in the &s;everal &s;orts of your internal man. Keep well
the out-works of your external &s;en&s;es. Learn with <HI>Job</HI>
to make a covenant with them. Ob&s;erve well the In-work of
your Imagination, that it be well kept and fortified again&s;t
the black Regiments of Hell. Let not your Phan&s;ie be a com|mon
Road for every Notion pretending to new Light.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 4. 14.</NOTE> Ob|&s;erve
well the great gate of your under&s;tanding, that no di&s;|gui&s;ed
enemy may &s;lip in unaware. Sift and &s;earch every thing
by Scripture-Light,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 3. 5.</NOTE> that ye may know the Truth. Watch nar|rowly
the Fort of Judgement and Con&s;cience, that carnal
Rea&s;onings may not get in, and thru&s;t out &s;piritual Rea&s;on.
Let divine Rea&s;on by the Scripture of Truth fortifie the &s;ame,
again&s;t all &s;urpri&s;es of the enemy. Yield up your &s;elves there|fore
to the Spirit of Truth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 24&punc; 16.</NOTE> for effectual renewing, that through
the Blood of Chri&s;t you may have it purified and pacified. If
Error get once into your con&s;cience, he will make &s;ad work
there. Exerci&s;e your &s;elf therefore, to have it alwaies void of
offence towards God and man. The Cittadel of your Will
requires a &s;pecial watch.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 4. 23.</NOTE> Keep your heart with all diligence,
for out of it are the i&s;&s;ues of life. Have a &s;ingular eie to the Am|munition
of your Affections; if wild-fire get thither, it will
make work indeed. See them all well ordered, and well guarded
lea&s;t any be mounted for Error again&s;t Truth, and for Revolt
again&s;t per&s;everance. Your Love and hatred, your de&s;ire and
fear, your joy and grief, your anger and di&s;ta&s;te, your hope and
de&s;pair are Guns of great u&s;e; if well managed; but if error
<PB N="22" REF="24">
get once the ma&s;tery, they will tear you and others to pieces.
Stand on your watch then, as Chri&s;t commands all in the&s;e
&s;leepy daies. <HI>Watch and pray,</HI> watch and Believe, watch and
Labour again&s;t &s;uch an enemy.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24. 42.</NOTE> The Baits are &s;pecious that
will entice you;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark. 13. 33, 35, 37.</NOTE> but dreadful hooks lie clo&s;e under them.
Deadly poi&s;ons, de&s;perate Di&s;ea&s;es will tempt you round,
under fair di&s;gui&s;es Satans Powder-plots are mo&s;t de&s;pe|rate
in the&s;e later daies. His venom is refined and &s;ublimed
to its height. His old &s;tratagems are revived afre&s;h with
more plau&s;iblene&s;s.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark. 9. 20, 26.</NOTE> Unclean &s;pirits &s;truggle and rage mo&s;t &s;til,
when near ejection.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 91. 10, 11, 12.</NOTE> The Lord will keep you whil&s;t you keep
clo&s;e to him in his Word and Waies. He is with you whil&s;t
you keep with him:<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Chron. 15. 2.</NOTE> if you for&s;ake him, he will for&s;ake you.</P>
<P>2. Relatively, Keep clo&s;e to your work, in looking to
others. All Superiours have a &s;pecial charge to keep their
Inferiours from the&s;e dreadful Evils. Study and improve
your Relations well, to this very end; whether Political,
or Eccle&s;ia&s;tical;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 20. 28.</NOTE> Magi&s;tratical, or Mini&s;terial; whether
Parental,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 4, 5.</NOTE> or Magi&s;terial, Take heed to your &s;elves
and to the whole flock committed to your charge.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6</NOTE> Act
Gods part towards them;<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 13, 14.</NOTE> and act like God, whom you
Repre&s;ent. U&s;e all &s;uch means in Church or &s;tate, as Chri&s;t
him&s;elf would u&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 9. 10, 11, 12, 13</NOTE> were he in your place. If fair Means
will do good, &s;o much the better; but rather then fail, u&s;e
&s;harper Tools.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 2. 15.</NOTE> If Lenatives will not avail, Corro&s;ives mu&s;t
be u&s;ed. When a Limb is gangreend, and mortified, it cals
for Iron and fire. If the Patient grow phrentick, he mu&s;t
be bound and kept very clo&s;e and &s;olitary. If the di&s;ea&s;e be
contagious, company mu&s;t be kept off. If the &s;ore will not
fairly re&s;olve by proper di&s;cu&s;&s;ives, it mu&s;t be ripened, lanced
&amp; clean&s;ed with &s;tronger medicines.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 3. 7.</NOTE> If a member be broken, di&s;|jointed
or wrenced;<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>A Ruler is cal|led</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, a Healer or Re|pairer, to &s;ig|nifie his office from <GAP DESC="foreign">, to bind, re|&s;train, dre&s;s, fit and order.</NOTE> you can hardly cure it without pain and
trouble, Superiors are Phy&s;itians in their kind: if your Pati|ents
be froward, you need the more wi&s;dom, care &amp; diligence.
You are Shepheards and Rulers of men, all your Titles of
Honor will &s;till mind you of your Duty and Burthen. Dignity
and Duty are &s;till in&s;eparable. You are &s;et over others for
their good. Keep off therefore the&s;e great evils from them,
<PB N="23" REF="24">
and keep them from the&s;e evils of revolting Errors. The ex|ternal
man is within your reach,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Sam. 2. 30.</NOTE> <HI>The internal man accounts to
God alone.</HI> They that &s;o honour God, he will &s;urely honor,
but they that di&s;pi&s;e him in &s;lighting his work, &s;hall become
vile and ba&s;e. Whil&s;t you act like God, in acting for God,
the Glory will be his, and the comfort yours in the furtherance
of the publique good.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 22. 30, 31.</NOTE> God looks now for &s;uch to &s;tand in
the Gap,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Jo&s;h. 22.</NOTE> and make up the breach, to prevent a fatal ruin;
One man of note may do a world of good;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Num. 25. 11.</NOTE> one <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> one
<HI>Phineas,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 100. 30.</NOTE> one <HI>Jo&s;hua,</HI> one <HI>Nehemiah</HI> may be an eminent Savi|our
under Chri&s;t in this I&s;rael.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 32. 26, 27.</NOTE> Who is on Gods &s;ide now,
again&s;t Bla&s;phemy and damnable Here&s;ie:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Neh. 9. 27.</NOTE> again&s;t divi&s;ions
and &s;trong delu&s;ions?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Neh. 13. 13, 17, 25, 26.</NOTE> Act Gods part now in your relations,
with zeal and courage, with prudence and care, Its Gods
own work you may well tru&s;t him for Council and &s;trength,
&s;upport and ble&s;&s;ing.</P>
<P>The Lord never yet failed faithfull Reformers, who denied
them&s;elves for the publique Weal.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Error, like the Giant <HI>Anteus,</HI> loo&s;es &s;trength and life, by lo&s;ing the Ground, whence it was cheri&s;hed.</NOTE> Carnal policy will di&s;cou|rage
you. Divine Policy will quicken you &s;till. Chri&s;t him|&s;elf
met with &s;trong Contradictions from all evil men, and
evil Spirits. Your wor&s;t enemies are conquered ones, both
in Spirituals and in Temporals remember and improve all your
experiences, renewed &s;o often for the&s;e many years. Error di&s;|countenanced
will &s;oon wear away,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Truth cannot lo&s;e Heaven, and therefore prevails again&s;t earth.</NOTE> whereas Truth oppo&s;ed
will gather more &s;trength. Sinfull tolerations are the devils
Nur&s;es in all relations, publique &amp; private. Be zealous for God,
mind his Intere&s;t, then &s;hall your intere&s;t be&s;urely &s;ettled.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Doctrine 4. The Grace and Knowledge of Chri&s;t is a &s;ingular
Jewel.</HEAD>
<P>THE word <GAP DESC="foreign">,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 2. 14.</NOTE> Grace, in Scripture-&s;en&s;e hath divers
acceptions,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 8. 4.</NOTE> improperly and properly.</P>
<P>Improperly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 1. 15.</NOTE> it &s;ignifies in a larger &s;en&s;e, Thanks, Joy, Libera|lity,
Gift,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 1. 7.</NOTE> Office, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>Properly and &s;trictly, it denotes two things. 1, Gods &s;pecial
favour towards his Elect. 2. His &s;anctifying work in the
<PB N="24" REF="25">
Elect; the former is favouring Grace, this later is renewing
Grace.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 8.</NOTE></P>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 6.</NOTE> It &s;ignifies Gods peculiar favour towards his Elect and
that con&s;idered in the fountain and &s;treams.</P>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 5, 6, 11.</NOTE> Grace in the &s;pring is called his plea&s;ure, purpo&s;e coun|cill
of his Will, <HI>Amor Benevolentiae,</HI> his love of benevo|lence.</P>
<P>2. Favouring Grace in the &s;tream, &s;ignifies the various ema|nations
of that eternal Love in all the expre&s;&s;ions thereof
towards them, &s;utably to all their nece&s;&s;ities; thence the de|nominations
of his prede&s;tinating and redeeming Grace,
his adopting and pardoning Grace, his &s;upplying and &s;upport|ing
Grace, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Which are in God one &s;ingle intire Act that
is variou&s;ly denominated from its object. This is <HI>Amor be|neficientiae,</HI>
his love of beneficence, whence flows his
<HI>Amor Complacentiae:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 1. 14, 16.</NOTE> his love of delight, embracing of
them.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 5. 22, 23,</NOTE></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 3. 9.</NOTE> Secondly, Grace &s;ignifies al&s;o properly Gods &s;anctifying
work of his Spirit in his Elect, called the fruits of his Spirit
the work of his Grace, the gift from above, <GAP DESC="foreign"> often
the peculiar &s;aving operations of his gracious Spirit in them,
and by them; this Grace is con&s;iderable in the Root and
Branches in the habit and acts, in the principle and effects, in
the &s;eed and fruits, in the &s;ource and &s;treams: in the begin|ning
and progre&s;s thereof,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 4. 14.</NOTE> being often called metonymically;
the Spirit for the gifts thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 7. 37, 38.</NOTE></P>
<P>1. Renewing Grace in the Root and Principle, in the Habit
and Source, in the &s;eed and beginning is fir&s;t given to the Elect
in their Regeneration and Conver&s;ion, to be the original of all
actual Graces in them; this is called the new creature, the new
man created after Gods Image, the divine Nature; the form|ing
of Chri&s;t within,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 17.</NOTE> <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Of this children are capable, if they
be not of actual Grace,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 24.</NOTE> which yet &s;eems probable. This is
inherent Grace in the fir&s;t principles and Habits thereof,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 10.</NOTE> both
<HI>gratis data</HI> and <HI>gratum faciens,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 4.</NOTE> in an Orthodox, not in a popi&s;h
&s;en&s;e.</P>
<P>Secondly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 4. 19.</NOTE> Inherent Grace in the Branches and &s;treams, in the
Acts and Effects, in the fruits and progre&s;s, is variou&s;ly deno|minated
<PB N="25" REF="25">
from the Objects, Subjects, manner of acting, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> its
called faith, to expre&s;s the motion of the renewed &s;oul towards
God in Chri&s;t upon conjugal terms, believing his Truth, clo|&s;ing
with his Per&s;on, tru&s;ting his Promi&s;es, depending on his
Mercy, deriving from his fulne&s;s, ob&s;erving him in all things
which is called the life of faith.</P>
<P>Its called Repentance <GAP DESC="foreign"> and <GAP DESC="foreign">, as it turns
the whole &s;oul from all &s;in to God, Both in purpo&s;e and en|deavour
through his Spirit, this and all other Graces are &s;till
concomitants and &s;ub&s;equents of faith in their gradual pro|portion.</P>
<P>Its called love, to denote the affectionate embracing of
God in Chri&s;t, and in his people for Chri&s;ts &s;ake, as the mo&s;t
amiable object.</P>
<P>Its called obedience, as it acts the whole man to a free and
full compliance with Gods Will, revealed in his Word.</P>
<P>Its called Thankfulne&s;s, as it affects the heart with the
&s;en&s;e of Mercy received.</P>
<P>Its called &s;elf-denial, as it moves the &s;oul to prefer Chri&s;t
before all things el&s;e, and part with any thing for his &s;ake.</P>
<P>Its termed Patience, in regard of &s;orrowfull evils which it
learns to bear &s;ubmi&s;&s;ively.</P>
<P>Its named humility, with re&s;pect to its low thoughts of
&s;elf: &s;ubmitted &s;till to Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>Its nominated Temperance, in regard of its care to avoid
all exce&s;&s;ive u&s;e of Creatures.</P>
<P>Its termed Zeal, as it moves with fervour for good again&s;t
evil.</P>
<P>Its termed Ju&s;tice or Righteou&s;ne&s;s, in re&s;pect of its rea|dine&s;s
to give every one their due.</P>
<P>Its called Prudence, as it regards all due means tending to
right ends.</P>
<P>Its termed Wi&s;dom, as its acquainted with the be&s;t things in
their nature, cau&s;e and end.</P>
<P>Thus <HI>Grace inherent</HI> hath its various appellations and di|&s;tinctions,
both habitually and actually; being the Grace
properly meant in the Text, as being that Grace which is ca|pable
of Growth.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="26" REF="26">
<HEAD>The Knowledge of Chri&s;t is taken al&s;o in a &s;en&s;e more large or
more &s;trict.</HEAD>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 8. 1.</NOTE> LArgely and commonly for a notional Knowledge,
void of &s;aving Faith and Love,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 13. 1, 2, 3.</NOTE> &s;uch as puffs up an
empty Brain.</P>
<P>2.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 8, 10.</NOTE> Strictly and &s;pecially for that &s;aving applicative know|ledge
which includes all Grace by an elegant Hebrai&s;m,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 172.</NOTE> verbs
of &s;en&s;e and knowledge,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 53. 11.</NOTE> &s;ignifying both <HI>affectum &amp; effectum.</HI>
Natural knowledge of things is acquired by &s;en&s;e, Rea&s;on or
Authority.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ho&s;. 2. 19, 20. Affection and Operation.</NOTE> Thus in &s;pirituals, this knowledge of Chri&s;ts is
&s;piritually &s;en&s;ible and rationally fiducial Its a conjugal
knowledge which implies. 1. Apprehen&s;ion of the Truth
of Chri&s;ts proper Object. 2. Credit and A&s;&s;ent thereto up|on
his divine Authority. 3. Per&s;onal con&s;ent and parti|cular
Applications in mutual Acception and Reciprocation.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Grace and Knowlede in the Text may be under&s;tood. 1. Di&s;tin|ctly,
Conjunctly.</HEAD>
<P>1. DI&s;tinctly, &s;hewing the excellent Worth and need|full
u&s;e of every Grace, and of the knowledge of
Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>2. Conjunctly by a figure called <GAP DESC="foreign">, Grace and
Knowledge, &s;ignifies gracious Knowledge, as in that like
phra&s;e, <GAP DESC="foreign">, Grace and Apo&s;tle&s;hip for gracious
Apo&s;tle&s;hip.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 1. 5.</NOTE> So the &s;en&s;e will be very emphatical, &s;uiting
our purpo&s;e in characterizing this excellent Jewel, &s;o &s;ingular|ly
tran&s;cendent beyond all other. This precious Jewel is cu|riou&s;ly
&s;et out in the golden ring of divine Records, where
you find it held forth in its radient Lu&s;tre, who&s;e glorious
beams may be contracted for our clearer apprehen&s;ion into
plain de&s;cription, you may then ob&s;erve it to be a conjugal
acquaintance with Je&s;us Chri&s;t our Lord and Saviour,
wrought in Gods Elect, by the &s;pecial operation of his renew|ing
Spirit, and effectually improved to Gods honor and mans
<PB N="27" REF="26">
good in every Relation, toward God and Man.</P>
<P>This is the choice Jewel, who&s;e eminent worth hath been
in all ages &s;o incomparably prized by the Word and friends
of God.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Many choi&s;e Tracts have been writ+ten former|ly and lately about this ex|cellent point: &s;ee among the modern, Mr. <HI>Perkins,</HI> Dr. <HI>Stoughton,</HI> Mr. <HI>Reynolds,</HI> and very lately that by Mr. <HI>Iohn <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">all</HI> of <HI>London,</HI> upon 1 Cor. 2. 2. and Mr. <HI>She&s;|field,</HI> upon <HI>Mala.</HI> 4. 2.</NOTE> Every Page of Scripture &s;ets forth the peculiar Emi|nency
thereof: every precept and Promi&s;e; every prefigura|tion
and Prophe&s;ie; every Pre&s;ident and performance points
unto this. This was under the Old Te&s;tament more ceremo|nially
vailed, and under the New, is more Evangelically
Revealed. This is the centre; wherein all the Lines of
Scripture do meet. All the Patriarchs aimed &s;till at this; <HI>A|braham
&s;aw his day and rejoiced; Davi<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> is full of it; <HI>Job</HI> was
divinely advi&s;ed to &s;uch an Acquaintance, as to the &s;ource
and &s;um of all good; <HI>Paul accounted all lo&s;s and dung, in com|pari&s;on
of this excellent Knowledge;</HI> and rationally determined,
<HI>to know nothing el&s;e. Peter</HI> &s;ums all up in this.</P>
<P>Good Rea&s;on for it, if we con&s;ider the Object and &s;ubject,
the cau&s;e and Nature; the property and effect thereof, which
are all hinted in the former De&s;cription.</P>
<P><HI>Rea&s;on</HI> 1. The proper Object adequate of this gracious
Knowledge is our Lord and Saviour Je&s;us Chri&s;t;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 8. 5.</NOTE> a &s;ingular
Jewel indeed,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob 22. 21, 22, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> in every con&s;ideration. The Paramount and
Non-&s;uch, <HI>the chiefe&s;t of ten thou&s;and,</HI> both in his Per&s;on and
Office,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10&punc; 1 Cor. 2. 2.</NOTE> in his progre&s;s and Purcha&s;e, in his Relation and In|fluence.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>1. The Per&s;on of Chri&s;t is a noble Paragon con&s;idered, as God,
as Man, as God-man.</HEAD>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2. 6.</NOTE> CHri&s;t is God ble&s;&s;ed for ever, the eternal Son of his
eternall Father co-e&s;&s;ential and co-equal with him;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 1. 3.</NOTE> the
<HI>the Brightne&s;s of his Glory,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> <HI>and the expre&s;s Image,</HI> or <HI>Character
of his Per&s;on, in whom dwells the fulne&s;s of the Godhead,</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">
&s;ub&s;tantially, and bodily: <HI>the only begotton of the Father full
of Grace and Truth;</HI> e&s;&s;entially one with the Father, though
per&s;onally di&s;tinct,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 10. 30.</NOTE> by an eternal Generation, unutterable to
man: firmly to be believed, (on Gods Te&s;timony) and piou&s;ly
adored, not curiou&s;ly pried into. The wonderful Wi&s;dom of
<PB N="28" REF="27">
the Father, who was his Delight before Time, by whom in
time he made the world, and upholds all by the word of his
power. E&s;&s;entially, he is God of him&s;elf; Per&s;onally, God
the Son of God the Father.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 8. <GAP DESC="foreign"></NOTE> His proper Name is the <HI>Word of
God, the Wonderful Councellor, the Father of Eternity.</HI> He that
doth what ever the Father doth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Joh. 5. 11. 19, 21, 23, 26.</NOTE> and to be wor&s;hipped, as the
Father is wor&s;hipped. He that &s;ends the Spirit from the Fa|ther&punc;
who being in the form and &s;ub&s;tance of God, <HI>thought it
no robbery to be equal with God.</HI> To him be glory for ever, A|men.</P>
<P>2. Chri&s;t as Man, is the Rare Object of this Knowledge. <HI>For
the word was made fle&s;h, and dwelt among us; and we have &s;een
his Glory.</HI> So the beloved Apo&s;tle witne&s;&s;es of him. <HI>He took
on him,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 1. 14.</NOTE> <HI>not the nature of Angels,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 1. 1, 2.</NOTE> <HI>but the &s;eed of</HI> Abraham.
Thus the Son of God became the &s;on of man,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 2. 16.</NOTE> being miracu|lou&s;ly
conceived of the Holy Gho&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 1. 20, 23.</NOTE> in the womb of <HI>Mary</HI>
the Virgin,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 1. 35.</NOTE> (over-&s;hadowed by Gods Spirit,) and born of
her,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 4. 15.</NOTE> in the humane nature, like to us in all things, except &s;in.
Thus was God the Son made manife&s;t in the fle&s;h;<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 3. 6.</NOTE> by a&s;&s;um|ing
the Nature (not the per&s;on; for then had he been two
&s;ons, and two per&s;ons,) of man to him&s;elf. This Man Chri&s;t
Je&s;us hath body and &s;oul, the two &s;ub&s;tantial parts of Man,
even as we have,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 2. 5.</NOTE> as appear'd in his whole progre&s;s: both
which he hath Glorified, not nullified. This Fatherle&s;s man
is as Wonderful, as the &s;ame motherle&s;s God, for who can
declare his Generation, as to the manner of it? Thus Infinite|ne&s;s
confined him&s;elf.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 53. 7.</NOTE> God eternal was born of a finite poor
Virgin.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 8. 33.</NOTE> Here is an Object indeed for the be&s;t knowledge of
the be&s;t man, God become man.</P>
<P>3. Chri&s;t is God-man, <HI>Emmanuel</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>God with us:</HI>
The true <HI>Ithiel, God with me;</HI> the very <HI>&V;cal;</HI> who is All. In
him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 7. 14.</NOTE> by hypo&s;tatical Union,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 8. 8, 9.</NOTE> the humane nature with the Di|vine,
do both &s;ub&s;i&s;t in God the Son,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 3. 1.</NOTE> the &s;econd per&s;on of the
divine Trinity.<NOTE PLACE="marg">In Chri&s;to re|peritur unio per&s;onales, non per&s;onarum, &amp; unio naturarii, non naturalis.</NOTE> Here is indeed a complication of ineffable
wonders. As there one Divine Nature &s;ub&s;i&s;ts di&s;tinctly in
three divine Per&s;ons. So here two Natures, the divine and hu|mane,
&s;ub&s;i&s;t both in one per&s;on, each of them acting and
remaining di&s;tinctly, conjunctly and in&s;eparably, incommuta|bly,
<PB N="29" REF="27">
and unconfu&s;edly, as the Fathers expre&s;&s;ed it, to avoid
Errors on both hands.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">, aliud &amp; aliud, non alius &amp; alius. In Trinitate divi|n&acirc; datur alius &amp; alius, non aliud &amp; aliud. <GAP DESC="foreign"> ver&egrave; &amp; per|fect&egrave;.</NOTE> Here is no mixtion, nor compo&s;ition,
no confu&s;ion nor conver&s;ion, but a my&s;terious and tran&s;cen|dant
Union, from whence flow the various expre&s;&s;ions of
Scripture. 1. When that is attributed to each Nature, which
properly belongs thereto; as &s;uffering, to humane Nature,
and al&s;o, when that is attributed to the per&s;on, which therein
belongs to both natures, as to be Mediatour: this is mo&s;t pro|per.
Secondly, When that which is common to the whole
Per&s;on, as to be Mediator, is attributed only to one of the Na|tures,
&s;uppo&s;e to the humane: this is more improper. Thirdly,
When that which is proper to one Nature, is attributed to the
other Nature, <HI>in concreto,</HI> by a name denoting the whole Per|&s;on:
In that &s;en&s;e its true that God purcha&s;ed his Church by
his Blood, and that the King of Glory was crucified, by
communication of Properties.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 2. 5.</NOTE> Yet this acception is the mo&s;t
improper of the three;<NOTE PLACE="marg">This Dialect of Gods Word is called <GAP DESC="foreign">, by the Fathers, <HI>com|municatio Id<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">|omatum.</HI></NOTE> being Metonymical, as the &s;econd
is Synecdochical.</P>
<P>In man two imperfect Natures, Soul and Body, are coadu|nated,
with re&s;ervation of Proprieties, to the con&s;tituting of
one Suppo&s;itum and Per&s;on, by the vertue of God. Chri&s;ts
Per&s;on in the divine Nature, being mo&s;t perfect, took the hu|mane
nature into the unity of one per&s;on, by his own Vertue.
So that its one and the &s;ame Chri&s;t, vi&s;ible according to the hu|mane,
invi&s;ible according to the divine Nature.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 20. 28.</NOTE></P>
<P>This hypo&s;tatical Union was the work of the Trinity,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2. 8.</NOTE> medi|ately;
of the Holy Gho&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">The humane Nature being <GAP DESC="foreign"> fir&s;t, was then made <GAP DESC="foreign">.</NOTE> immediately, and of the Son, ter|minatively.
The Fathers compare this My&s;terie to the joint
work of three Si&s;ters, making up one ve&s;ture, and putting it all
conjunctly upon the &s;econd of them.</P>
<P>It was nece&s;&s;ary that Chri&s;t &s;hould be God, 1. To impart an
infinite value and vertue to his compleat Obedience. 2. To
overcome all &s;ufferings and enemies. 3. To communicate all
effectually by his Spirit to his people.</P>
<P>It was as needful that he &s;hould be man; 1. Becau&s;e the
Godhead could not &s;uffer; Secondly, becau&s;e the &s;ame Na|ture
that had offended, was to &s;atisfie, 3. That our Nature
corrupted by the fir&s;t <HI>Adam,</HI> might be re&s;tored by the &s;econd,
Chri&s;t Je&s;us our Lord.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="30" REF="28">
<HEAD>Thus is Chri&s;ts Per&s;on, the Amiable Object of our Knowledge.</HEAD>
<P>Secondly. CHri&s;t con&s;idered in his Office is a precious Ob|ject,
his chief bu&s;ine&s;s, as Mediator, being to
procure effectual Reconciliation, to the &s;aving of his people,
by his perfect Oblation pre&s;ented to God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 1. 21.</NOTE> for them, and ap|plied
to them by Gods Spirit;<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 45. 7</NOTE> He a&s;&s;umed the Name and fun|ction
of Je&s;us the Saviour;<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 110.</NOTE> He was anointed as the Chri&s;t of
God; with all &s;uitable qualifications: and made Lord of all,
but e&s;pecially made our Lord and Saviour, by per&s;onal appro|priation,
and effectual application.</P>
<P>Thus was Chri&s;t voluntarily made of a woman under the
Law,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 4. 4.</NOTE> &s;ubjecting him&s;elf,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5. 4, 5.</NOTE> in that wonderful di&s;pen&s;ation of his
Mediation, to receive from the Father, his Call to that redeem|ing
Function.</P>
<P>There was no defect in God, but in us only, who wanted
skil,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 5. 31.</NOTE> power and will utterly, to the curing and &s;aving of our
&s;elves.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 3. 21, 22, 23.</NOTE> Chri&s;t therefore was divinely anointed to be our So|veraign,
Prophet,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 110.</NOTE> Prie&s;t and Prince, to effect all for us and in
us needful to &s;alvation.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 32. 1.</NOTE> As a Prophet he Reveals the whole
Council of God;<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a 33. 22.</NOTE> As a Prie&s;t he makes full expiation to God,
and Interce&s;&s;ion for us: As a Kingly Prince, he &s;ubdues all
&s;piritual Enemies, and makes all things &s;erviceable to the gui|dance
and protection of his people, under his Soveraign Rule
and Government. All this he did and doth by his Eternal
Spirit, as the Scripture Records, freely, fully, &s;urely and &s;ingu|larly,
being therein a glorious Object of Chri&s;tian knowledge.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Thirdly, Chri&s;t in his Progre&s;s is con&s;iderable, under a double
&s;tate of Humiliation and Exaltation.</HEAD>
<P>1. HIs Humiliation, appeared in all the &s;teps of his Con|ception
and Birth, of his Life and Pa&s;&s;ion, of his death
and Burial mo&s;t wonderfully: This God head was then
covered with the dark vail of his humane Nature, mourning
as it were in the &s;ad habit of his infirmities, for his peoples E|normities.
<PB N="31" REF="28">
He willingly then eclip&s;ed his divine light within
the dark Lanthorn of this &s;ubmi&s;&s;ive &s;tate,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2 5, 6, 7, 8.</NOTE> he humbled him|&s;elfe
to exalt us, he emptied him&s;elf that he might fill us. He
parted with all, that he might give us all. He &s;hewed him&s;elf
to be the Son of man, to the lowe&s;t degree, that he might
bring all his into the &s;tate of Children. Had there not been an
ab&s;olute nece&s;&s;ity thereof, he had never done it. Had not our
ca&s;e been &s;o de&s;perate; could any other way have expiated
and de&s;troyed his peoples &s;ins, Chri&s;t had not come down
from the height of Glory to the bottom of ignominy. Here
is an object of admiration indeed, God humbled to a childs
&s;tate, growing up by degrees in Stature and Grace, doing
and &s;uffering every moment for his enemies in rebellious
arms. Behold the Son of man wra&s;tling with earth and hell, yea
with heaven it &s;elf, conflicting with mans rage, the devils fury,
and the wrath of God! What think you of &s;in, the murthe|rer
of this Chri&s;t, and of that Love which gave him to the
death?<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 53. 1, 2, 3. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Thus <HI>made he his &s;oul a &s;acrifice for &s;in, that he might
&s;ee his &s;eed, and the good will of the Lord pro&s;pering in his hands.</HI>
He laid in the grave to confirm his death, and to air that Bed
for our Repo&s;e. His God head held his &s;oul and body a&s;un|der
from each other, yet &s;till in&s;eparably united to him&s;elf.
Thus may you &s;ee a man drawing out his &s;word, holding in
his hands &s;till both &s;word and &s;cabret, till it be put up again.
Thus it was needfull that Chri&s;t &s;hould &s;uffer, and &s;o make
entrance into his Kingdom.</P>
<P>Secondly, Chri&s;ts Exaltation is further worthy the be&s;t
ob&s;ervation. Therein his glorious per&s;on unvailed him&s;elf of
all humane weakne&s;s, though he &s;till retained the nature of
man and its properties.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 1. 4.</NOTE> He laid down his &s;able weeds to put
on the roabes of Immortality. His God-head did then rai&s;e
up his Man-hood in his Re&s;urrection; and the Son of man
declared him&s;elf by his divine Power, to be the Son of God:
The Price paid for his people in his humiliation;<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 2. 5.</NOTE> he applies by
power through his exaltation, to them orderly and effectual|ly.
He is God-Man &s;till, and therefore tearmed the Man
Chri&s;t Je&s;us. Thus his office was to be compleated by the
compleating of his &s;aving Progre&s;s. He conver&s;ed then among
<PB N="32" REF="29">
his Di&s;ciples, the &s;pace of forty days to confirm their faith;
and to in&s;truct them in the affairs of his Kingdom.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 33, 34, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Thence
his A&s;cention was &s;olemnly performed,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 110.</NOTE> followed with
his Se&s;&s;ion at the Fathers right hand;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 1. 3, 4.</NOTE> and Interce&s;&s;ion
for his people.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 1.</NOTE> The&s;e are the four main &s;teps of his ex|altation
to be &s;ingularly improved.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 5, 6.</NOTE> He ro&s;e that we might
ri&s;e from death to Life:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 3. 21.</NOTE> he a&s;cended, that we might a&s;cend;
he &s;its at Gods right hand,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 33, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> that we may &s;it with him on his
Throne; and he &s;till intercedes to make all our Interce&s;&s;ions
effectual. Who &s;hall lay any thing to the charge of Gods
Elect? Its Chri&s;t that died, yea rather, that ro&s;e and a&s;|cended,
&s;iting now at the right hand of the Maje&s;ty on high,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 7. 25.</NOTE>
and ever lives to make Interce&s;&s;ion. Thus is Chri&s;ts progre&s;s of
chief worth and con&s;ideration.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>4. Chri&s;t is mo&s;t con&s;iderable in his purcha&s;e al&s;o made for all
his People, which hath both value and vertue in it.</HEAD>
<P>1. THE value of his whole Obedience was of infinite
worth, being the merits of God-man, giving full
&s;atisfaction to Gods Ju&s;tice,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 10. 14.</NOTE> for all the &s;ins of all his elect, and
making a full acqui&s;ition of all the good they were &amp; &s;hould
be capable of. This price of Chri&s;ts perfect Righteou&s;ne&s;s,
active and pa&s;&s;ive,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 53.</NOTE> was put into Gods Coffers, to be &s;ea&s;onably
and effectually applied to all his people orderly and actually
from their conver&s;ion to their utmo&s;t &s;alvation by his Spirit
according to his eternal Purpo&s;e. By the &s;ame value were
all Gods elect from <HI>Adam</HI> to Chri&s;ts death, delivered from the
guilt &amp; wages of &s;in upon Chri&s;ts engagement of &s;ea&s;onable
performance; For he is the Lamb &s;lain from the foundation
of the world;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13. 8.</NOTE> intentionally in the divine purpo&s;e and promi&s;e.</P>
<P>2. The Vertue of Chri&s;ts perfect Obedience, extends to the
effectual application thereof to all Gods people. So the Fa|thers
purpo&s;e in electing, and the Sons Intention in redeem|ing,
do run parallel.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 8, 9.</NOTE> That value which Chri&s;ts merits pre&s;ent|ed
to God, cannot but be attended with an&s;werable vertue
for the making good thereof to the utmo&s;t. The Son of man
<PB N="33" REF="29">
came to &s;eek &amp; &s;ave that which was lo&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 19. 10.</NOTE> and that to the ut|mo&s;t,
&s;eeing he ever lives to perform all.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 7. 25.</NOTE> Whil&s;t therefore he
was gone into Heaven to act his part there, he was carefull to
&s;end his Proxie,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 14. 16, 26.</NOTE> even his own Spirit, that &s;hould make a
through application of all his Purcha&s;e by the conveyance of
his &s;aving Grace to all his Cho&s;en.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh, 16. 7, 8, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> His Oblation is living
and lively &s;till, even as Chri&s;t him&s;elf who abides for ever. The
ceremonial Oblations had him &s;hadow'd out, to repre&s;ent
the efficaciou&s;ne&s;s of Chri&s;ts Oblation.</P>
<P>A wi&s;e man paying a Ran&s;om or Debt, as &s;urety for ano|ther,
will be &s;ure to know for whom, and to &s;ee his purpo&s;e
fulfilled to his power. The agreement or Covenant made
between God and Chri&s;t (di&s;tinct from the gracious Cove|nant<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 53. 10, 11. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE>
made conditionally with the vi&s;ible Church in Chri&s;t)
imports as much.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 10. 18.</NOTE> As the Father required, <HI>that he &s;hould of|fer
his &s;oul a Sacrifice for &s;in,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6&punc; 28, 29, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> which the Son willingly under|took;
&s;o was it engaged to him, <HI>that he &s;hould &s;ee of his &s;eed,
and the good plea&s;ure of the Lord &s;hould pro&s;per in his hand.</HI> So
that the vertue of his blood is &s;till included in the value of it;
both being directed by divine intention, which terminates in
the proper &s;ubjects thereof. Therein concurs his threefold of|fice,
he being &s;till a Prophet and prince, as far as he is a Prie&s;t
unto any. The vertue of Chri&s;ts Merits is indeed intrin&s;ecally
infinite like him&s;elf, and only limited with the value thereof
by the divine plea&s;ure. This purcha&s;e of his may be &s;aid occa|&s;ionally
and &s;ecundarily to comprehend the whole Creation
in &s;ub&s;erviency to divine Intentions, but directly and prima|rily
the Scripture limits it to Gods Elect, for whom he came,
and lived, prayed and died, ro&s;e and intercedes &s;till. It ex|tends
to the removal of all evil, both of &s;in and &s;orrow in|choatively,
progre&s;&s;ively and con&s;ummatively. It reaches
al&s;o the Import of all &s;utable good &s;piritual, temporal and
eternal. All things are ours, and for our &s;ake, that are truly his,
and &s;o far as we are his. Is not this a choice Jewel to be du|ly
viewed?<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 3. 20, 21, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Doth not &s;uch a purcha&s;e challenge our be&s;t
knowledge? The po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ive Our gives relli&s;h to all. It doth us
little good to hear of Indian Trea&s;ures that are not our own.</P>
<P>Fifthly, Chri&s;t is mo&s;t precious in his Relation, multiplici|ou&s;ly
<PB N="34" REF="30">
expre&s;&s;ed to his people, by <HI>Allu&s;ion</HI> to all choice rela|tions
in things natural, civil and artificial. The perfection
of all creatures is radically in him, originally from him, and
reductively leads to him again. None of them can &s;uffici|ently
&s;et out his wonderfull Relation wherein he &s;tands to|wards
his cho&s;en Ones; he therefore borrows the cream
and quinte&s;&s;ence of them all to &s;hadow out to our &s;hallow
capacity the marvels of his glorious Grace. Thus he &s;peaks
to his Babes in their known Dialect,<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 53. 2.</NOTE> that he may gradually
and familiarly be under&s;tood of them.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 5. 5.</NOTE> He calls him&s;elf
their root,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 22. 16.</NOTE> giving &s;ap and life to every branch of his. He
is the Head that conveyes <HI>all</HI> motion and &s;en&s;e to <HI>all</HI> his mem|bers.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 22.</NOTE>
He is the <HI>Fountain-Spring,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 36. 9.</NOTE> from whom <HI>all living</HI> waters
flow into the &s;treams by his proper conduits.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 87. 7.</NOTE> He is that Sun,
who carries <HI>Light</HI> and <HI>Life</HI> by his <HI>acce&s;s</HI> unto <HI>all</HI> Creatures.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal. 4. 2.</NOTE>
He is the Father that tenders his Children.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay. 8. 18.</NOTE> He is the hu&s;|band
that cheri&s;hes his Spou&s;e;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 2. 13.</NOTE> the elder brother that looks
to his adopted Brethren:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 28.</NOTE> the Ma&s;ter that hath the be&s;t care<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 13 13.</NOTE>
of Servants.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 20, 21, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> That Foundation is he, on whom the Fabrick
&s;tands;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 13. 14,</NOTE> that garment that mu&s;t cover us, that food that
mu&s;t &s;u&s;tain us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6.</NOTE> that Portion that mu&s;t maintain us to &s;aving
purpo&s;e.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Co. 10.</NOTE> Look into the whole compa&s;s of creatures;<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 73. 26.</NOTE> what
ever good you can find therein is u&s;ed by him to &s;et forth his
goodne&s;s. What ever defect you find in the Creature, he is
not capable of that is <HI>all</HI> goodne&s;s, <HI>all</HI> perfection. Is not &s;uch
a Chri&s;t a &s;ingular object to exerci&s;e our knowledge about?
What his office <HI>called</HI> him to, his progre&s;s fitted him for, and
his relation makes conveyance of through his holy Spirit un|to<NOTE PLACE="marg"> This Sun of Righteou&s;ne&s;s is to the life &s;et forth, Mal. 4. 2. by allu&s;i|on to the So|veraign influ|ence of the natural &s;un, quickning all the world.</NOTE>
<HI>all</HI> his.</P>
<P>Sixthly, His Influence is con&s;iderable for actual Commu|nication
of <HI>all.</HI> Each Relation of his carries <HI>&s;till</HI> with it a
&s;ecret, &s;weet and &s;utable Influx, which doth &s;trongly and
efficaciou&s;ly operate on <HI>all</HI> his: thereby they are made more
and more Partakers of the divine nature, in e&s;caping the <HI>pol|lutions</HI>
that are in the world through Lu&s;t. The Apo&s;tle had
found the precious vertue thereof, which made him &s;o de|&s;irous
to know him in the power of his Re&s;urrection,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 4.</NOTE> and in
the fellow&s;hip of his &s;ufferings,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 9, 10.</NOTE> being made conformable to
<PB N="35" REF="30">
his death. This the Converts at <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> felt, who being made
acquainted with this gracious knowledge of Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 19, 20.</NOTE> were
quickned by his power,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 5, 6.</NOTE> and made to ri&s;e with him. yea, to
&s;it with him at Gods right hand.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 3. 8.</NOTE> This Influence is
free indeed,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deus non alli|gat &s;uas ma|nus.</NOTE> this &s;piritual wind blows where it li&s;ts; not
being tied to any means, it works at plea&s;ure with or with|out
means, by weak, &s;mall, improbable or contrary means,
yet ordinarily God works by his appointed Tools; he walks
in his own road of Providence, and leads his people &s;tep by &s;tep
to the very top of <HI>Jacobs</HI> Ladder.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 28. 11, 12.</NOTE> In the cour&s;e of things natu|ral
and &s;piritual, he limits us <HI>&s;till,</HI> though not him&s;elf, and
<HI>will</HI> be &s;ought and found in each of his ways for the further
knowledge of his divine Influence. Its he that is the Life of
our Life, the &s;trength of our &s;trength; in whom <HI>we live,
move,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 17. 28.</NOTE> <HI>and have our Being,</HI> both <HI>naturally</HI> and <HI>&s;piritually.</HI> How
<HI>excellent</HI> then is that gracious Knowledge, who&s;e Object is
thus <HI>excellent</HI> in every con&s;ideration?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Rea&s;on 2.</HEAD>
<P>THE Subject and Recipient of this knowledge &s;ets forth<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 9, 10.</NOTE>
the ine&s;timable worth of it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Amos 3. 1, 2.</NOTE> They are his Elect,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 144. 15.</NOTE> his
cho&s;en Jewels,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 76. 1.</NOTE> his peculiar people, to whom he imparts this
Jewel unto.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 13. 45, 46.</NOTE> Them only doth he know for his of <HI>all</HI> the
Nations to whom he makes him&s;elf thus &s;avingly known.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 4. 9.</NOTE> As
he makes him&s;elf the Pearl or Price to them,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 5, 6.</NOTE> &s;o doth he make
them Pearls of Price thereby.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 138. 6.</NOTE> Ble&s;&s;ed are the people who
learn to known him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 1. 6.</NOTE> being fir&s;t known of him. The re&s;t are
refu&s;e &s;tones,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 1.</NOTE> the&s;e are his living precious &s;tones.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 25.</NOTE> Others
he knows with a general knowledge of intuition,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 10. 14, 15.</NOTE> but the&s;e
with a &s;pecial knowledge of appropriation and approbation.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 3. 18, 19.</NOTE>
The re&s;t delight not to know him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tho&s;e Coun|tries which are neare&s;t the &s;un, having mo&s;t of him, abound mo&s;t with precious Minerals, Gold, Jewels, and Pearls.</NOTE> as he delights not to know
them. He never knew them, and they never knew him in this
choi&s;e manner. For his own he came to make him&s;elf thus
graciou&s;ly known to their &s;ouls in all the Dimen&s;ions of his
eternal Love, &s;urpa&s;&s;ing mans knowledge, that they may be
filled with the fulne&s;s of God. How precious is that know|ledge
that makes the Subjects thereof &s;o precious! How
admirable is that Jewel that takes up the the &s;ublime&s;t Con|templations
<PB N="36" REF="31">
templations of the mo&s;t glorious Angels!<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 12.</NOTE> Tho&s;e Elect Angels
are &s;till attending in his Ordinances,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 5. 21.</NOTE> to join with his Elect,
and learn of <HI>the Church</HI> this <HI>manifold wi&s;dom</HI> of our God.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 3. 10.</NOTE> For
tho&s;e Elects &s;ake Chri&s;t &s;uffered all things meritoriou&s;ly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 10.</NOTE> and
<HI>Paul</HI> his &s;ervant providentially.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 12. 9.</NOTE> Tho&s;e Elect whom the Lord
did foreknow,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 7.</NOTE> he never ca&s;ts away,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal. 3. 16.</NOTE> but makes them up among
his Jewels,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 7, 9.</NOTE> by making his Chri&s;t &s;o precious to them, in a grea|cious
way.<NOTE PLACE="marg">The original is very Empha|tical <GAP DESC="foreign">. Both the&s;e Articles are very preg|nant, and the ab&s;tract, <GAP DESC="foreign"> imports Ho|nour, e&s;teem, choicene&s;s, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> His choice Love did freely choo&s;e them before
time, and is fully a&s;&s;ured to them in Chri&s;t, being communi|cated
through the precious Operations of his Spirit, to make
them precious like him&s;elf in due time, unto eternity.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Rea&s;on 3. The cau&s;e of this Gracious Knowledge doth as won|derfully
magnifie the &s;ame, con&s;iderable in the Efficient, for|mal
and final.</HEAD>
<P>1. THe Efficient cau&s;e and Author thereof is the ble&s;&s;ed
Trinity jointly, yet di&s;tinctly, Revealing and commu|nicating
Je&s;us Chri&s;t unto his cho&s;en people.</P>
<P>1. The external Operations of God towards the creature
being indivi&s;ibly effected by the three Per&s;ons,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Opera ad extra &s;unt indivi&s;a.</NOTE> concurring in
One, the Son doing nothing but what he &s;ees his Father do,
and working &s;till, as the Father works; and the Spirit pro|ceeding
from both, &s;peaks not of him&s;elf, but what&s;oever he
hears from them both,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 5. 19, 23.</NOTE> that &s;peaks he unto Chri&s;ts Di&s;ciples.</P>
<P>2. Di&s;tinctly, according to their di&s;tinct per&s;onal Relations.</P>
<P>1. The Father electing from eternity; having cho&s;en them
in Chri&s;t before the Foundation of the world,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 4, 5, 11.</NOTE> that they might
be holy and unblameable before him in Love; and therefore
prede&s;tinating them to the Adoption of children, by Je&s;us
Chri&s;t to him&s;elf, according to the good plea&s;ure of his Will;
and making them,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 1. 12.</NOTE> through his knowledge, meet partakers of
his Inheritance in Light,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 2. 3.</NOTE> by tran&s;lating them into the King|dom
of his dear Son, who were cho&s;en according to his fore|knowledge
through &s;anctification of the Spirit.</P>
<P>2. The Son accepting and undertaking, tendring and ef|fecting,
in and by him&s;elf the whole bu&s;ine&s;s of their Salvati|on;
<PB N="37" REF="31">
making known the &s;ame by his Word and Spirit, as al&s;o
by his own Per&s;on, in the dayes of his fle&s;h.</P>
<P>3. The holy Spirit by wooing of their &s;ouls, opening their
eyes, and fitting them for the Reception of this Excellent
Knowledge, infu&s;ing the &s;ame into them, applying it particu|larly
to their &s;everal di&s;po&s;itions and occa&s;ions; removing
daily the &s;cales of their ignorance and &s;in, &s;cattering the mi&s;ts
rai&s;ed by the Prince of darkne&s;s; Repre&s;&s;ing the vapours
&s;teeming from their boyling Lu&s;ts and dunghil hearts; &s;etting
forth Chri&s;t to their &s;ouls in his full Beauty and Loveline&s;s;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 13. 14, 15.</NOTE>
and leading them into all Truth, by taking of Chri&s;t to impart
unto them the gracious &s;ecrets of the Fathers Coun&s;el.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Thus the glorious God works graciou&s;ly in and by all Means of
his appointing, to the creating, encrea&s;e and perfecting of his
&s;ingular Jewel.</HEAD>
<P>2. THe formal Cau&s;e is very Remarkable in that peculiar
&s;aving application made of Chri&s;t to his Elect in their
conver&s;ion, gradually carried on towards perfection by the
Spirits gracious Operation. For then doth he &s;tamp on that
&s;oul the glorious characters of Chri&s;ts Image, and begets
that new creature, which divine off-&s;pring moves upward in|&s;tantly,
in conjugal Reciprocations, dilating the &s;oul in all her
faculties to the further comprehen&s;ion of Chri&s;t. It may be
parallel'd with that Energetial Power, whereby the rational
&s;oul, and <GAP DESC="foreign"> animates the humane nature, into all &s;ui|table
operations. What the &s;oul is to man, in naturals, thats
Chri&s;t to the &s;oul in &s;pirituals. The principle of all Life, Sence
and Rea&s;on thus &s;piritually applied to the Regenerate, enables
and excites, directs and &s;trengthens them to the choice Im|provements
of this conjugal Acquaintance. Chri&s;t on mar|riage
terms by his Spirit in his Word, tenders and gives him|&s;elf
to be their Husband.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 22. 1, 2, 3, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> By this quickening Touch, they are
efficaciou&s;ly moved to clo&s;e with him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 14.</NOTE> and keep clo&s;e to him,
by Matrimonial Reciprocations.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Forma dat e&s;&s;e &amp; operari.</NOTE> Thus doth the gracious
knowledge of Chri&s;t Receive its fir&s;t Being and progre&s;&s;ive
<PB N="38" REF="32">
Operations from that Light of Life imparted to Gods people
in this conjugal Union and Communion. <HI>I will betroth thee
unto me,</HI> &s;aith the God of Grace, in <HI>Kindne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Mercy, in
Truth and Judgement,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ho&s;. 2. 19, 20, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> and <HI>thou &s;halt know the Lord.</HI> Admi|rable
&s;ure in this divine Acquaintance, that is thus twi&s;ted by
the Lords own hand, and embraced by a gracious hand! Rare
is that Jewel, which is &s;o curiou&s;ly wrought for the Work|man&s;hip
of the God of Heaven. Therein do &s;hine all divine
Attributes in their Orient brightne&s;s, at the wedding Fea&s;t of
the King of Saints. Is not this <HI>Life eternal,</HI> thus to <HI>know</HI> the
<HI>Father, the only true God, and Je&s;us Chri&s;t whom he hath &s;ent?</HI>
Doth not this Sun of Righteou&s;ne&s;s bring Healing under his
Wings to all that fear his Name?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn. 17. 2, 3.</NOTE> Is not he that Living, that
quickening Light,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal. 4. 2.</NOTE> that di&s;pels all darkne&s;s and Death,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 8. 12.</NOTE> by his
gracious Vi&s;its and Influxe?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 9. 5.</NOTE> Do not his amiable A&s;pects pro|duce
a joyful Spring of all Divine Graces in the New world<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 12. 36. 46.</NOTE>
by his glorious Light and efficacious Heat?<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 19.</NOTE> Doth he not Ra|vi&s;h
with divine Embraces the New Creature,<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Apo&s;tle in Rom. 10. 18. alluding to the natural Sun, wherein God hath pit|ched his glo|rious Taber|nacle, &s;ets out the p<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">ogre&s;s of his Go&s;pel mo&s;t elegantly, by the very words of the Septuagint. Thence &s;ome call the Sun the Natural Apo&s;tle of the Deity, &s;hewing the <GAP DESC="foreign">, Rom. 1 19, 20. to conviction, though not <GAP DESC="foreign"> unto Salvation. That is of common nature, this of peculiar Grace, Mat. 11. 25, 26. Mat. 13. 11, 12, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Pro. 16. 4.</NOTE> with his All-&s;earching
Pre&s;ence, and his perfective Influence, through all
the Beams of his Tran&s;cedent communications? Do not
his Active Rayes cheri&s;h, by all his renewed Motions the Prin|ciples
of Life given to all his? This Divine Sun never ecclip&s;|ed
but once for the &s;alvation of his, though he &s;eems often to
be clouded, in his alternative Acce&s;s and Rece&s;s.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>3. The final cau&s;e of this gracious Knowledge adds very much
to the choyicene&s;s thereof. We may con&s;ider it both as Su|pream
and &s;ubordinate.</HEAD>
<P>1. THe &s;upream Ultimate end of it is Gods Glory, which is
al&s;o the end of all things el&s;e, which are <HI>all made for
him.</HI> This Relative Glory of God, which was laid in the du&s;t
<PB N="39" REF="32">
by mans Rebellion, Chri&s;t undertook to repair; which he
performed fully, giving &s;atisfaction in Mans Nature, and &s;o
glorifying all the divine Attributes. Thus in the fir&s;t building
up of <HI>Zion,</HI> as in the Re&s;tauration and pre&s;ervation thereof, he
<HI>&s;till appears in the Glory</HI> of all his Excellencies. His Power and
Wi&s;dom, his Greatne&s;s and Goodne&s;s; his Mercy and Ju&s;tice,
his Truth and Holine&s;s &s;hine Radiantly in every part of it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 102. 16.</NOTE>
Chri&s;t thereby read us our Le&s;&s;on, and writ a fair Copy for
our Imitation, that we may glorifie God by the knowledge of
him, in giving each of the Divine per&s;ons their proper honor.</P>
<P>1. The Father,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 3. 11.</NOTE> for giving &s;uch a Son for &s;uch enemies, and
upon &s;uch terms;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 5. 17, 19, 21, 26.</NOTE> All the honour of Chri&s;t redounds to his
Father; For the <HI>Son doth nothing but what he hath &s;een the
Father do, and &s;peaks not of him&s;elf,</HI> but the Father by him.</P>
<P>2. The Son by our embracing and publi&s;hing, de&s;iring and
e&s;teeming the particulars of his Infinite Glory, whereof he is
&s;o full,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 3. 18, 19.</NOTE> that we have &s;till cau&s;e to <HI>admire with all Saints, the
length and bredth, the heighth and depth of it,</HI> in the manife&s;ta|tion
of all his Excellencies.</P>
<P>3. The holy Gho&s;t by who&s;e &s;pecial favour and Influence
we are made partakers thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 16. 14, 15.</NOTE> <HI>He &s;hall take of mine,</HI> &s;aid
Chri&s;t, and <HI>impart it to you; For all that the Father hath is
mine.</HI> What Infinite Conde&s;cen&s;ion is it, for that glorious
Spirit to &s;toop thus to &s;inful Du&s;t and A&s;hes, to Reveal and
apply the gracious Coun&s;els of God in Chri&s;t? Yea, to bear
with our Ignorance and unbelief, contempt and neglect, abu&s;e
and Affronts? Nay more, to dwell in &s;uch dunghils and Re|ceptacles
of all filthy Lu&s;ts? What Infinite Mercy is that
which carries on the work of Grace through all Oppo&s;ition,
and keeps a weak &s;park alive in the mid&s;t of an Ocean? What
marvellous power is that which pre&s;erves a poor &s;moaking
flax among &s;o many &s;torms!</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="40" REF="33">
<HEAD>2. The &s;ubordinate and proxime End of it is mans Good; both
Per&s;onal and Relative.</HEAD>
<P>1. PEr&s;onally our own Salvation, purcha&s;ed and manife&s;ted
by the Author and Object of this knowledge, is hereby
a&s;&s;ured and orderly confirmed to us, in all the wayes and
means of his appointment, through his peculiar Ble&s;&s;ing. The
perfect knowledge of him will compleat, as the beginning
thereof begins our Salvation. Through the <HI>Knowledge of him
are given to us all things pertaining to Life and Godline&s;s.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 2, 3.</NOTE> As
he came once in per&s;on, &s;o hath he from the beginning by his
Spirit through the &s;ame communicated all &s;aving good, and
will &s;till do it. That Bo&s;om friend of his leads us thereby into
his very heart, there to behold and embrace the whole Plat|form
of our Salvation, in all the &s;teps of it, from Election to
Glory, that by walking therein &s;teadily, we may a&s;cend to <HI>his
Father and our Father,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 20. 17.</NOTE> <HI>his God and our God,</HI> through the &s;ame
Ladder, even Chri&s;t, whereby he comes down to us. Chri&s;ts
Deity &s;urpa&s;&s;ing the highe&s;t Heavens infinitely, is the <HI>Top;</HI>
and his <HI>Humanity,</HI> fixed as it were on earth, is a &s;ure &s;tep
for us. The more careful we are to attain this End, the more
certainly &s;hall we promote that further End. God hath &s;o
wonderfully twi&s;ted our happine&s;s and his honour, that we
advance the one by furthering the other. One eye he allows
us for the <HI>recompence of Reward,</HI> that we may thereby ef|fectually
look through it, to his Glory. Is not this Know|ledge
a Jewel of Price, which conveighs and a&s;&s;ures all good to
us? The end of his Electing and prede&s;tinating us, of his
Ble&s;&s;ing and &s;aving of us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 3, 4, 5, 6.</NOTE> is it not <HI>that we might be to the
Glory of his Grace, whereby he hath made us Accepted in the Be|loved?</HI>
Chri&s;t him&s;elf de&s;ired Glory for that End, that he
might <HI>glorifie God.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 1. 17.</NOTE> This excellent Knowledge was never &s;o
dearly bought, to be a meer plea&s;ing of our &s;elves and &s;in,
but to &s;piritualize us throughly, in all the powers and parts of
&s;oul and Body, that we may be holy and happy, like unto him,
in the honouring and enjoying of him.</P>
<P>2. Relatively, the &s;ubordinate end thereof is the good of
<PB N="41" REF="33">
our Neighbour;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 11, 12, 13, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> that <HI>&s;peaking the Truth in Love, we may grow
up unto him in all things, which is the Head, even Chri&s;t.</HI> He
gave all the means of Knowledge,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 2. 18, 19.</NOTE> and all Teachers ordinary
and extraordinary for the <HI>perfecting of the Saints, for the work
of the Mini&s;try, for the edifying of his Body.</HI> God hath &s;o
contempered his gifts among the members of Chri&s;t, and his
Spirit doth &s;o variou&s;ly convey the &s;ame,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 12. 4, 5, 6, 14, 15, 21, 22, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> that the <HI>One cannot
&s;ay to the other I have no need of thee.</HI> He could in a moment,
and immediately from him&s;elf, bring them to their full perfe|ction.
But his infinite Wi&s;dom hath thought it be&s;t, that his
Body &s;hould be <HI>joined together and compacted by that which
every joint &s;upplies, according to his &s;everal workings in the
mea&s;ure of every part,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 16.</NOTE> <HI>to make an increa&s;e of it &s;elf in Love.</HI>
He loves not, he allows not &s;elffi&s;hne&s;s in any of his. By
his own example and Command he hath directed us to
<HI>&s;eek the things that make for Peace, wherein we may edifie one
another.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 14. 19.</NOTE> Convul&s;ions in his Members are mo&s;t direful and
dangerous Symptoms, proceeding from ill humors, vapors
and Spirits. Whil&s;t the Limbs fall a jarring, the body mu&s;t
needs decay. That Wi&s;dom from beneath, which cheri&s;hes
contentions and envy,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iam. 3. 14, 15, 16.</NOTE> is &s;en&s;ual and devil&s;h. The Devil
hath no better &s;port then in &s;uch troubled waters. The&s;e
Confu&s;ions of Tongue become <HI>Babylon</HI> better then <HI>Zion:</HI>
Mu&s;t not the &s;tones of Gods Temple be proportionably &s;qua|red
and fitted to each other, that his Sanctuary may be erect|ed?
Should not they that believe in one God, are &s;aved
by one Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> ju&s;tified by one faith, acted by one Spirit,
&s;ealed by one bapti&s;m, &s;upported by one hope, and ruled by
one Lord, walk in one Love al&s;o, and be &s;hod with the <HI>pre|paration
of the Go&s;pel of Peace?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 15.</NOTE> There is too much of hell
fire in unchri&s;tian Combu&s;tions. Such <HI>ignes fatui,</HI> and cheat|ing
Meteors lead many to de&s;truction. Do not &s;uch wan|dring
&s;tars and blazing Comets manife&s;t divine wrath and
portend woful Judgements? If our Light and fire burn bet|ter
then anothers, have we not cau&s;e to be more thankful
and communicative? What have we that we have not recei|ved
to impart to others?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 14. 1.</NOTE> Are not the <HI>&s;trong bid to bear with
the weak, and not plea&s;e them&s;elves?</HI> Our Neighbours good
<PB N="42" REF="34">
is co-ordinate <HI>&s;till</HI> with our own Intere&s;t, for we &s;hould <HI>love
our Neighbour as our &s;elves.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 22. 39.</NOTE> Is not this Jewel a very preci|ous
one,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iam. 2. 8.</NOTE> which is of &s;uch Import to the benefit of <HI>all?</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Rea&s;on 4. The Nature of this gracious Knowledge doth fur|ther
demon&s;trate its Excellency. There are three &s;pecial
parts that do make it up, being the choice Ingredients thereof,
Apprehen&s;ion, A&s;&s;ent, and Application.</HEAD>
<P>1. APprehen&s;ion of the matter under&s;tood,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 45. 22.</NOTE> is found in
every kind of knowledge,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 18.</NOTE> &s;pecially in this. A
view of Chri&s;ts Beauty and Excellency is taken by the mind
thus &s;piritualized.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Can. 5. 10, 11, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> The lively picture of Chri&s;ts al-&s;uffici|ency
is drawn in his Go&s;pel by the pencil of his own Spirit.
The Lord him&s;elf opens his very Bowels to the Pro&s;pect of
his peoples eyes therein. Is not this a precious &s;ight indeed, to
behold &s;uch a Saviour in all his proportions?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 23, 24 <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Doth not the
&s;en&s;ible &s;ight of our vilene&s;s and &s;infulne&s;s recommend &s;uch a
merciful Redeemer to our apprehen&s;ion? Can we behold our
own wretchedne&s;s. In&s;ufficiency and unworthine&s;s; and thence
ca&s;t a glance on his &s;utable and &s;ure Redemption,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 1. 14.</NOTE> without
admiration? Doth not the &s;urvey of divine fulne&s;s, thus ex|po&s;ed
to view, exalt the Lord Chri&s;t above all other Lovers?
Are not <HI>all</HI> his royal perfections, a magnificent &s;ight to a
gracious Soul?<NOTE PLACE="marg">3 Ioh. 5. 9, 10, 11, 12.</NOTE> Can there be any thing more &s;wett and &s;tate|ly?</P>
<P>2. A&s;&s;ent and Credit to the Truth apprehended attends
this knowledge in a &s;ingular way.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 3. 33.</NOTE> The God of Truth be|&s;peaks
this A&s;&s;ent by the word of Truth.<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Hebrew is very empha|tical in Ho&s;. 2. 24.</NOTE> Salvation by
Chri&s;t alone for true Believers upon conjugal terms, is the
&s;um thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>Et loquar ad animum ip&s;ius.</HI> God &s;peaks to the heart then as to the pur|po&s;e.</NOTE> He that believes his Te&s;timony, hath &s;et to his
&s;eal that God is true; divine Authority gaining thus credit to
his A&s;&s;ertion, &s;ways the Judgement to rea&s;on the ca&s;e, and
ca&s;t its re&s;olve upon Chri&s;ts &s;ide. Divine rea&s;on then per&s;wades
mans Rea&s;on, that &s;uch a Chri&s;t is worth the accepting upon
his own Terms. The &s;oul thereby judges <HI>all</HI> capitulations and
Re&s;ervations to be <HI>&s;infull, dreadfull, irrational.</HI> Mans rea&s;on
<PB N="43" REF="34">
is then brought over to &s;uch a &s;ubjection as Chri&s;ts rea&s;on
demands without delaies or exceptions. It &s;ees that in Chri&s;t,
which is better then <HI>All,</HI> and &s;uits its wants in every part
thereof. It &s;ees no help from any creature to be looked for,
and judges <HI>all</HI> to be but vanity and Lyes that hinders from
Chri&s;t. The &s;oul then learns feelingly to cry, <HI>None but Chri&s;t,
none but Chri&s;t,</HI> as the Martyr did, with due conviction of
&s;in and righteou&s;ne&s;s in order to Judgement through the Spi|rits
help. The &s;oul thus weary both of &s;elf and &s;in, readily
a&s;&s;ents to that truth of God which pre&s;ents Chri&s;t for a faith|ful
and loving Husband, for Saviour and Lord: And is not this
of &s;ingular worth?</P>
<P>Thirdly. Application and hearty con&s;ent is the main in|gredient
of all conjugal Knowledge, e&s;pecially of this. The
&s;oul is hereby effectually yielded into Chri&s;ts own hand up|on
his own terms. The Will in this Act accepts of Chri&s;t,
and renders up it &s;elf to his di&s;po&s;al. Conjugal Acception is
thus reciprocated, that the whole man may yield unto him
all loyal obedience of Faith and Love. This great wheel
thus moved, all the Affections turn accordingly Chri&s;t ward,
heaven-ward, that before &s;till moved &s;elf-ward and earth-ward.
The &s;oul being thus &s;urrendred to Chri&s;t, depends on
him, and derives from him &s;till Grace for Grace. All other
things then become &s;erviceable to the honor and &s;ervice of
Chri&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 1. 16.</NOTE> This Marriage-union brings with it a free and full,
a &s;ingular and &s;ure Communion.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ex cogno&s;cente &amp; cogn<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="2 letters">o fit unum. Axioma. Philo&s;oph.</NOTE> Then &s;aith the &s;oul, <HI>My
Beloved is mine, and I am his.</HI> I have all from him, and all for
him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Can. 2. 16.</NOTE> all in him and all through him. And is not this a very
rare Jewel,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Can. 6. 3.</NOTE> that makes a match between Heaven and Earth?
Is not this Knowledge of &s;ingular worth that marries &s;infull
man to God Almighty? Is not this thing of a rare value,
who&s;e nature appears &s;o &s;upereminent?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="44" REF="35">
<HEAD>Rea&s;on 5. The Properties of this Knowledge do much com|mend
its excellency al&s;o. They are expre&s;&s;ed by a pregnant
word, full of &s;en&s;e and vertue, being called a gracious know|ledge.</HEAD>
<P>1. IN regard of Gods favouring Grace, whence it flows,
which it manife&s;ts, and whither it leads. The glo|ry
of divine Grace doth &s;o admirably and &s;o wonderfully
&s;hine forth therein, that its preciou&s;ne&s;s is as remarkable, as the
Noon-Sun in a Summer-day.</P>
<P>2. In re&s;pect to his renewing Grace, this knowledge is
truly and incomparably gracious;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 5. 22. 23.</NOTE> being attended with all
the gracious Train and fruits of Chri&s;ts Spirit. So far as the
Lord is duly known by his people, &s;o far is this knowledge
attended with a proportionable mea&s;ure of &s;aving Grace.</P>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 45. 22.</NOTE> Its a fiducial knowledge that knows Chri&s;t with conju|gal
faith,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Zecha. 12. 10.</NOTE> di&s;cerning of him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 1. 12.</NOTE> looking up to him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 10. 27.</NOTE> clo&s;ing with
him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 26. 3.</NOTE> following after him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 6.</NOTE> tru&s;ting in him, feeding upon him,
drawing all from him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 1. 16.</NOTE> and returning all to him.</P>
<P>2. Its a loving knowledge that embraces Chri&s;ts love,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 36.</NOTE> and
retaliats Love for Love, loving his per&s;on fir&s;t, and then his
goodne&s;s. That &s;oul that knows Chri&s;t, loves him &s;incere|ly
and &s;elf-denyingly, fervently and con&s;tantly. That &s;oul
hears and &s;peaks,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 3.</NOTE> prays and acts in love to him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 14, 15.</NOTE> loving his
Word and ways,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 5. 2. 3.</NOTE> his name and honor, his &s;ervice and &s;er|vants,
out of Love to him. That &s;oul for his &s;ake, loves
his Saints with a Love of delight, and &s;inners with a Love
of pitty. The more &s;he knows of him, the more is her
heart melted into his heart, to be ca&s;t into the mold of his
Love. What's recorded of famous <HI>Ignatius,</HI><NOTE N="&dagger;" PLACE="marg"><HI>Amor meus crucifixus e&s;t,</HI> was his Motto &s;till. Chri&s;t my Love was crucified to crucifie all to me, and me to all but him&s;elf.</NOTE> is verified
of &s;uch, the name of Chri&s;t is engraven on their heart by the
finger of his own Spirit.</P>
<P><PB N="45" REF="35">
3. Its a penitential knowledge that melts the &s;oul with
godly &s;orrow,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Zach. 12. 10, 11, 12.</NOTE> as looking on Chri&s;t pierced by him, and for
him. The &s;ight of &s;uch a Saviour &s;o unkindly requited can|not
but make &s;in out of mea&s;ure &s;infull to &s;uch a tender heart.
The &s;weetne&s;s of Chri&s;t mu&s;t needs embitter every &s;in to &s;uch,
who have ta&s;ted <HI>how good the Lord is.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 3.</NOTE> Such do hate &s;in with
perfect hatred,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 34. 8.</NOTE> knowing the ba&s;ene&s;s and unrea&s;onablene&s;s
thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 128.</NOTE> Chri&s;t clears their eyes to de&s;cry and dete&s;t the
lea&s;t appearance of evil.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;&s;. 5. 22.</NOTE> The more beauty is di&s;covered in
him, the more ugline&s;s do &s;uch ob&s;erve in &s;in, his grand
Oppo&s;ite. They take mo&s;t pains to mortifie tho&s;e Lu&s;ts
which are mo&s;t oppo&s;ite to Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>4. Its an obediential knowledge, carefull to ob&s;erve the
Lords Will made known. If any &s;ay that he <HI>knows him,</HI> and
<HI>keeps not his Commands, he is a liar, and the truth is not in
him.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 3. 7, 8, 9, 24.</NOTE> If <HI>we know that he is righteous, we know that he that
doth righteou&s;ne&s;s is born of him.</HI> This knowledge is not
notional but practical.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 2. 29.</NOTE> It re&s;ts not in the brain, but conveys
Influence into the whole Life. Its not idle, but very active.
It &s;tudies his Will to fulfill it, and fulfills it in &s;tudying there|of.
Its obedience is neither blind nor lame, but a &s;piritu|al
Sacrifice,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 12. 1, 2.</NOTE> a rational Service. The whole man in heart
and life compleats this oblation of loyal ob&s;ervance. It
minds the precepts as much as the Promi&s;es, and de&s;ires
holine&s;s as much as happine&s;s. It would act like Chri&s;t, in
acting for him.</P>
<P>5. Its an humbling knowledge that puffs not up, but laies
the &s;oul low. The more any know of Chri&s;t aright, the
more &s;till do they know of their &s;ins. The be&s;t of Chri&s;t
being duly known, makes them to know the wor&s;t of them|&s;elves.
Chri&s;ts eye-&s;alve doth &s;o clear their eyes, that they
&s;ee ea&s;ily tho&s;e &s;infull motes of le&s;&s;er faults,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 3. 18.</NOTE> which by their
moon-light of notional knowledge they could not di&s;cern.
Their beholding of Chri&s;t in their Go&s;pel-gla&s;s, with open
face thus, &s;hews more of this &s;hame and of his Glory. Thus
<HI>Job</HI> was more humbled by &s;eeing of God in a clearer light.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob. 42. Gen. 18. 27.</NOTE>
<HI>Abraham</HI> acknowledges him&s;elf du&s;t and a&s;hes upon fami|liar
Conference with Chri&s;t. Their Affronts put on him
<PB N="46" REF="36">
in their time of darkne&s;s, humble them &s;oundly in this &s;ea&s;on
of Light.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 6. 21.</NOTE> They learn daily as <HI>Socrates</HI> &s;aid, <HI>to know their ig|norance.</HI>
As <HI>Simonides</HI> the more they &s;tudy the knowledge of
God,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>In</HI> Plutarch. Diogen. Laert. &amp;c.</NOTE> the more amazed are they with his glorious un&s;earch|ablene&s;s.</P>
<P>6. Its a grateful knowledge, that cannot endure &s;inful in|gratitude.
They know thereby the worth of Mercy, and
the high price, paid by Chri&s;ts blood for every favour afford|ed
to his. The bounty of Chri&s;t &s;o magnificently multi|plied
on them &s;till renders them thankful Debtors, mindful of
their Bonds. Their In&s;olvency they more throughly know,
which makes them the more beholding to him. What others
enjoy by common Providence, they receive &s;till by a Graci|ous
Promi&s;e. Ingratitude, the &s;um of all evil, they abominate
as the Devil him&s;elf. Their homage and rent do they bring
to him, whom they well know to be their chief Lord. Returns
of Duty they labour to make in &s;ome proportion to their
Receipts of Mercy.</P>
<P>7. All other Graces do beautifie this, attending on Chri&s;t
in following his Train. Patience and Prudence are found in
their Rank. Zeal and diligence will not be backward. Meek|ne&s;s
and &s;weetne&s;s will not be &s;trangers. Courage and Forti|tude
are ready at hand. Sincerity and &s;elf-denial are in&s;epa|rable
companions thereof. The Knowledge of Chri&s;t then
is a choyce Jewel, that is &s;o well &s;et and accompanied. Nothing
is wanting for knowledge or comfort, &s;o far as Chri&s;t is known
or enjoyed.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Rea&s;on 6.</HEAD>
<P>The Effects of this gracious Knowledge do add very much
to the price thereof. It works effectually upon the whole
man, in every Relation towards God and man. There is no
condition, nor occa&s;ion here, wherein its Influence is not
manife&s;ted. Its a precious Root, that bears much fruit, &s;olid,
&s;ub&s;tantial, and &s;till &s;ea&s;onable. It renders a man fit for every
good, and is a Pre&s;erver from all kind of evil. It makes a
man &s;till to look to Chri&s;t, and to &s;eek for him in every Ordi|nance.
The matter and means of Divine wor&s;hip with the
<PB N="47" REF="36">
manner and &s;olemn time thereof it &s;piritually minds.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 5. 3.</NOTE> In eve|ry
Providence Chri&s;t is al&s;o acknowledged by &s;uch, in every
Duty towards their Neighbor.<NOTE PLACE="marg">I am. 2. 8.</NOTE> As the fir&s;t Table of Chri&s;ts
Divine Law is unto them the Standard of Wor&s;hip;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 12, 14, 22.</NOTE> &s;o is the
&s;econd Table of his Decalogue their con&s;tant Rule of offici|ous
Duty towards every man. That order and &s;afety &s;etled
by Gods Word, for Beauty, &s;trength and u&s;e in this worldly
Fabrick, the knowledge of Chri&s;t teaches how to pre&s;erve
with all po&s;&s;ible care. The cha&s;tity and propriety of body
and goods, as well as of &s;ouls, it looks after. The credit and
content that concerns all men in their re&s;pective places is
much furthered,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 2, 3.</NOTE> and duly pre&s;erved by this gracious Know|ledge.
Its good phy&s;ick to purge out ill humours, for the cu|ring
of all di&s;tempers. It affords choice food for old and for
young,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 6. 52, 55, 56.</NOTE> for &s;trong and for weak, in all nece&s;&s;ities. What the
Rabbies &s;oy of the material manna, is truly verified of this
&s;piritual Meat: that its reli&s;h &s;uits every Palat, and may &s;a|tisfie
every de&s;ire.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 92.</NOTE> Its a Cordial again&s;t all faintings, to re|vive
the feeble in their Agonies. Armour of Proof it furbi|&s;hes
for war,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 12, 13, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> again&s;t all enemies inward and outward. It is the
Key of Chri&s;ts Magazin and of all his &s;tores,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 20.</NOTE> opening the
Trea&s;ures of our All &s;ufficient God, our <HI>El Shaddai.</HI> If you
can conceive any thing of worth either in Heaven or earth,
This Knowledge of Chri&s;t will both match it and get it for
you, &s;o far as may tend to your real good. Its in a word the
true <HI>Elixar,</HI> and Philo&s;ophers Stone, that turns all to Gold,
and puts a choice vertue into every thing towards felicity.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>&V;&s;e.</HEAD>
<P>This knowledge appears a &s;ingular Jewel upon good Rea|&s;on:
good u&s;e thereof &s;hould be made al&s;o. The be&s;t things
are made for the be&s;t u&s;e, and appear be&s;t therein. As Chri&s;t
him&s;elf is of infinite u&s;efulne&s;s, every kind of way; &s;o is his
Grace participatively and communicatively. This may be
improved then,</P>
<P>1. In a word of Information, 1. See hence by way of Co|rollary,
the &s;ingular Method that &s;hould regulate every mans
<PB N="48" REF="37">
&s;tudy. Men are naturally de&s;irous of Knowledge, by an In|&s;tinct
&s;uited to their rational Being. Mans &s;oul was at fir&s;t
made after Gods Image in perfect Knowledge.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 10.</NOTE> What &s;in lo&s;t
and defaced in <HI>Adams</HI> Trea&s;on,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 2. 7.</NOTE> Grace only Re&s;tores. The
Knowledge of Chri&s;t affords a Tree of Life;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 22. 1. 2.</NOTE> but mo&s;t follow
the Serpents advice &s;til, in longing after another knowledge,
both of good and evil. The &s;inful I&s;&s;ue of &s;inful <HI>Adam</HI> do &s;til
love to tread in his &s;teps, hearkening to Satan rather then to
God. They are &s;till Learning to know good and evil by &s;ad
experience. This Tree of Life is little ob&s;erved and le&s;s im|proved,
mens palats are &s;o far degenerated. Mo&s;t are &s;till
&s;crambling about that Tree for fruit, which can yield nothing
but &s;in and &s;orrow.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>See</HI> Plin. Io|&s;eph. Solin.</NOTE> The be&s;t of its fruit like to <HI>Sodoms</HI> Ap|ples,
look very fair but by the lea&s;t touch turned into A&s;hes.
Mo&s;t men break their necks in clammering about and climing
of that Tree who&s;e fruit brings death.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Some &s;uch are in the We&s;t <HI>Indies,</HI> fair and full of poi&s;on.</NOTE> If that fruit &s;eem hard,
its but a &s;hell; if it appear &s;oft, its through rottenne&s;s. In
every condition,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>See</HI> Hackluit, Purchas, Aco|&s;ta.</NOTE> men &s;tudy &s;omething, but mo&s;t mind lea&s;t
this choice Tree of Life. Chri&s;t is Divine Wi&s;dom, E&s;&s;enti|ally
and Per&s;onally. In him are <HI>hid all the Trea&s;ures of Wi&s;|dom
and Knowledge.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 6. 8.</NOTE> He keeps open &s;chool, and &s;ends his
Spirit to be his U&s;her.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 2. 3.</NOTE> He teaches within, by motions of
Con&s;cience;<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 24.</NOTE> and without us in his Word and Providence. The
Volumes of his Truth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 2. 19.</NOTE> and of all his works he gives us to read,
that the former may explain the latter.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12.</NOTE> He is the be&s;t Ma&s;ter
for skil and &s;weetne&s;s. Yet few do learn to any purpo&s;e, be|cau&s;e
they &s;light the knowledge of him. Men &s;tudy plea&s;ures,
profit &amp; honor in the world below, which are to be had only
from him. Arts and Sciences others would attain, but they
mi&s;s their aim im<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">mi&s;&s;ing of him. Some gaze at the &s;tars, and
&s;tumble in the dark, like the <HI>blind Philo&s;opher</HI> for want of
Chri&s;ts Light. Many &s;tudy words to tickle mens ears, neglect|ing
Chri&s;ts Word that would teach the heart. Some mind the
Law of men &s;o di&s;orderly, that they attend not to the Law of
Chri&s;t. The bodies of men are &s;tudied by many, whil&s;t their
own poor &s;ouls are wholly neglected. The care of &s;ouls is
profe&s;&s;ed by &s;ome, who yet little mind this &s;aving knowledge.
Divers, Parrot-like, do &s;peak of Chri&s;ts knowledge, not by ex|perience,
<PB N="49" REF="37">
but only by Roat. Too many are found &s;tudying
how to &s;in, without trouble and &s;ence, without &s;top and Re|mor&s;e.
Not a few tempt Satan to tempt them, and &s;tudy
how to act a Satanical part of tempting of others. Til Chri&s;t
be the Rule of all our &s;tudies, they will be fruitle&s;s, being with|out
Rule. Till he be our End, they will be &s;ure &s;till to prove
endle&s;s. Til he be the ground and the &s;trength thereof, they
will prove groundle&s;s and &s;upportle&s;s &s;till. If we learn him
well, he will teach us all that we need to know. If we know
him not,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Si Chri&s;tum di&s;cis, &s;atis e&s;t &s;i caetera ne&s;cis. Si Chri&s;tum ne&s;cis, nihil e&s;t; &s;i caetera di&s;cis, <HI>was the choice &s;aying of a choice Chri|&s;tian.</HI></NOTE> we &s;hall learn nothing, thats worth the knowing.
Knowledge is excellent, when its orderly learned and impro|ved
but it proves mi&s;chievous, when its once corrupted and
abu&s;ed. Such men like Toads, carry a &s;tone of worth in their
heads, being full of poy&s;on in their heart and Life. Like mon|&s;trous
<HI>Syrens,</HI> they have a fair face, but a &s;hameful Tail. The
<HI>tinkling Cymbal, and the &s;ounding Bra&s;s</HI> is the fit Emblem of
too many now.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 5.</NOTE> The Lord teach us to &s;tudy Chri&s;t &s;til, in all,
above all,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 13. 1, 2, 3.</NOTE> that we may know all in him and for him.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Second &V;&s;e is for reprehen&s;ion, both to the Gracele&s;s and to
Gracious &s;ouls.</HEAD>
<P>1. IT ju&s;tly reproves the Gracele&s;s and unregenerate, that
&s;till many wayes &s;tand again&s;t this Truth, as 1. All ig|norant
ones, that do not know and will not learn Chri&s;t. Such
live in the dark, as Moles under ground, and Owls or Bats in
the open ayr. They are born blind, and will continue &s;o, not
looking for cure.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ho&s;. 4. 1. 2, 6.</NOTE> It was &s;o of old, and its &s;o &s;til; my <HI>people
pari&s;h for lack of knowledge,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ho&s;. 6. 6.</NOTE> was the Lords complaint. A <HI>peo|ple
of no under&s;tanding &s;hall</HI> find <HI>no mercy from him</HI> that <HI>made</HI>
them.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 27. 11.</NOTE> Con&s;ider it well; Gro&s;s wilful ignorance will aggravate,
not le&s;&s;en your &s;ins. Under Go&s;pel-Light &s;uch Ignorance is
very dreadful.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 3. 19.</NOTE> This is a &s;ad condemnation indeed, that &s;eals
up the full mea&s;ure of all other &s;ins.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 5. 21.</NOTE> Men think they &s;ee, and
therefore remain blind.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 9. 41.</NOTE> None are &s;uch fools as the conceited
wi&s;e.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 26. 12.</NOTE> <HI>My people is fooli&s;h</HI> &s;aith the Lord; again, they <HI>have
not known me.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 4. 22.</NOTE> <HI>They are wi&s;e to do evil, but to do good they have
<PB N="50" REF="38">
no knowledge.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">See Hi&s;tory of the Nether|lands.</NOTE> Men pretend bu&s;ine&s;s, they have not lei&s;ure,
like the Duke of <HI>Alva,</HI> who had &s;o much to look after on
earth, that he had no time to look after Heaven. But is not
this egregious folly, to &s;light the Jewel, and mind only the
cask? If you have not &s;o much time as others, why do not
you Redeem what you have? &s;hould not you rather &s;pare it
from your &s;leep, work, or Recreation, then from this Jewel,
&s;o much concerning both Gods honour and mans good? Is
Chri&s;t &s;o little worth knowing and owning? Will not you
rue it to eternity? Is not &s;inful darkne&s;s the beginning of Hell
and utter darkne&s;s? Is it not the womb and Nur&s;e of all &s;in?
If Papi&s;ts be content with picture-Teachers, and blind obedi|ence,
&s;lighting and &s;landering the Word of God; &s;hould
their folly be followed among us? Is the Light of Chri&s;t &s;o to
be di&s;owned? If the &s;ervant that knows not his Ma&s;ters will,
&s;hall be beaten,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 12. 47, 48.</NOTE> though with fewer &s;tripes; what will become
of him that would not learn to under&s;tand his will?</P>
<P>2. All negligent ones, that will not take pains to attain un|to
this gracious knowledge. Such may po&s;&s;ibly enjoy &s;pecial
helps; they may have pregnant parts, profe&s;s fair, and &s;eem
to de&s;ire good; but they are &s;luggi&s;h, they improve not all
means, and prove lazy in their enquiries after Chri&s;ts wi&s;dom.
This is a &s;ad and common evil.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 13. 24.</NOTE> Many &s;uch <HI>&s;hall &s;eek to enter
in,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Qui timid&egrave; ro|gat, docet ne|gare.</NOTE> <HI>and &s;hall not be able.</HI> He that asks lazily, teaches denyal. The
lazy &s;ervant that hoarded up his Talent &s;marted &s;ore for it.
None can be excu&s;ed for &s;uch a neglect.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 25. 24, 27. 28.</NOTE> Is not Chri&s;t well
worth the taking pains for? Who looks for a conque&s;t without
trouble? Who expects a crop without care &amp; co&s;t? Who can
drive a Trade without pain and venture? Is not this the be&s;t
Trade and Husbandry,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 2.</NOTE> the be&s;t warfare and &s;ure&s;t Venture?
Who gets acquaintance with the Lords wi&s;dom,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 3.</NOTE> without cry|ing,
waiting and &s;earching?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 4.</NOTE> Why art thou content with a
Velleity,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 8.</NOTE> and a woulding will without endeavour, like the &s;lug|gards
wi&s;h?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 13. 4.</NOTE> Why art thou plea&s;ed with barren de&s;ires, and
fruitle&s;s Re&s;olves?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 20. 4.</NOTE> If thy &s;eeming longing make thee not
active and inqui&s;itive, impatient of delay, and un&s;atisfied, its
a fal&s;e longing.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 13,</NOTE> If thou be not better then the &s;tony ground,
la&s;ting but a while,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 8.</NOTE> and &s;oon bla&s;ted, what will thy end be?
<PB N="51" REF="38">
Do&s;t thou not hereby reproach Chri&s;t &s;adly, by preferring
creatures before him? Thou wilt Repent when its too late,
if <HI>Ephe&s;us</HI> warning do not rouz thee up. Be convinced then
of thy lazine&s;s;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 2. 5.</NOTE> be a&s;hamed and weary of it. It concerns thee
to &s;ee thy folly and thy mi&s;ery.</P>
<P>3.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 5.</NOTE> This Truth looks wi&s;hly upon Formali&s;ts, that have in|deed
a <HI>form of Godline&s;s, but deny the Power thereof.</HI> A bare
external painted form they have, a &s;hel of duty and carka&s;s of
Religion, but without the Life and inward vigour. Such are
Phari&s;aical monki&s;h Hypocrites;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 26. 23.</NOTE> varni&s;hed pot&s;heards, gar|ni&s;hed
Sepulchres. Chri&s;t was troubled with &s;uch, and &s;o are
we &s;till.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 23. 27.</NOTE> Profe&s;&s;ion is grown into fa&s;hion, &s;hifted by many as
men &s;hift their cloaths.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Las quentas en la mano y el diablo en el ca|pillo. Hi&s;p. Adag.</NOTE> They make u&s;e of God to &s;erve their
own turn, and enjoy their Lu&s;t. Such are on a round of duty
like a Mill-hor&s;e in a cour&s;e, perfunctorily. Religionis their
task and Burthen. They po&s;t from one Ordinance to ano|ther
as to a &s;tage, longing to be rid of their trouble. U&s;ed to
a Road, as a Carriers hor&s;e they carry their Load, and take
their turns.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 King. 17. 31, 32, 41, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> But this gracious knowledge they are &s;trangers
to. Their wor&s;hip is much like the mongrel <HI>Samaritans,</HI> that
knew the Lord in a mixt formal way,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 15. 9.</NOTE> but knew him not aright.
Is not this a woful condition! thinke&s;t thou to baffle Chri&s;t
thus?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 4. 24.</NOTE> Will this foppi&s;h way of dead performances be plea&s;|ing
to him who <HI>is a Spirit,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 5, 6, 7, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> <HI>and will be wor&s;hipped in &s;pirit and
Truth?</HI> Did not <HI>Paul</HI> him&s;elf &s;ee the vanity of his utmo&s;t
Phari&s;aical holine&s;s,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 16.</NOTE> wherein he re&s;ted before his conver&s;ion?
Ha&s;t thou not much more need to bewail thy coldne&s;s and
deadne&s;s,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>See</HI> Tit. Livius Flor. Tacit.</NOTE> thy cur&s;orine&s;s and heartle&s;ne&s;s? A &s;acrifice with|out
a heart, was alwayes ominous, as it proved among the <HI>Ro|mans.</HI>
Wilt thon put off God as Heathens &s;erve their Idols,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal. 1. 8.</NOTE>
with a livele&s;s wor&s;hip? If thou offer the lame and the torn,
is it not evil?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 6. 3.</NOTE> How far art thou from knowing of Chri&s;t, that
knowe&s;t not thy &s;elf,<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 1. 12, 13, 14, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> but art well conceited of thy good mea|ing,
and thy good Duties?<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 66. 3, 4, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Who hath required the&s;e things
at thy hand? Will not the Lord rebuke thee as he did <HI>I&s;rael</HI>
in the like ca&s;e.</P>
<P>4. It ju&s;tly reproves the Ju&s;titiary Legali&s;t, that &s;eems ex|act
in his way of good works, and re&s;ts thereon. He is not
<PB N="52" REF="39">
&s;o bad as the wor&s;t, and therefore thinks him&s;elf as good as
the be&s;t. His &s;eeming Ju&s;tice, equity and charity beguiles him
as much as the Formali&s;ts painted holine&s;s. He hopes to be
&s;aved by his good Deeds, and good Intentions, as the Papi&s;ts
do&punc; thinking that Chri&s;t will make up for him what is defective.
Alas wretched &s;oul, wilt thou patch up thus a Lin&s;ey Wool|&s;ey
Garment of thy own Righteou&s;ne&s;s, mingled with Chri&s;ts
Merits? Will thy fig-leaves cover thy nakedne&s;s? Will thy
crack'd peny make amends to God for millions of pounds
due to him from thee? Can&s;t thou do any thing without &s;in?
Art thou not bound to be wholly his? Can&s;t thou &s;atisfie his
Infinite Ju&s;tice,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 17. 10.</NOTE> or de&s;erve his Infinite Mercy? Did Chri&s;t
merit that thou mighte&s;t merit?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 4. 12.</NOTE> Is he a Remote Saviour, that
thy &s;elf might&s;t be thine immediate Saviour?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 2. 32.</NOTE> Can&s;t thou
climbe to Heaven with a Ladder of thy making,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 3. 27, 28, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> or waft thy
&s;elf over into the <HI>Indie's</HI> in thy own Nut-&s;hel of &s;elf-Righte|ou&s;ne&s;s?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 6.</NOTE>
Civil morality is good in it &s;elf, but not to Ju&s;tifie
thy per&s;on;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Secundum, non propter opera.</NOTE> as a piece of bra&s;s is good for &s;omething, but not
to pa&s;s for Gold,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 62.</NOTE> nor to pay an Infinite ran&s;om. God gives in|deed
a Reward to his according to their works,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 2. 23.</NOTE> but not for
their works &s;ake.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 25,</NOTE> Thou can&s;t not be &s;aved without good works;
and yet not by works.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 16.</NOTE> If thou knewe&s;t Chri&s;t graciou&s;ly, thou
would&s;t know thy &s;elf to be unworthy and in&s;ufficient &s;till.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2. Cor. 3. 5.</NOTE> See
thy folly and thy mi&s;ery,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 2. 8.</NOTE> in tru&s;ting to &s;elf; thou loo&s;e&s;t and
&s;lighte&s;t the only Pearl of Price.</P>
<P>5. This point ca&s;ts a very gha&s;tly glance upon all profane
licentious per&s;ons,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Jude 4.</NOTE> that turn Chri&s;ts grace into wantonne&s;s,
and delight in a &s;inful Liberty.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 3. 1, 2, 3, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Con&s;ider it thou Swearer
and drunkard, thou Lyar and unclean wretch; thou &s;coffer
and malicious;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 2. 2, 3.</NOTE> thou proud and wanton; thou &s;landerer and
riotous Liver. Why do&s;t thou profe&s;s the Knowledge of
Chri&s;t to abu&s;e him thus? Art not thou much wor&s;e then <HI>Pi|late</HI>
or <HI>Judas,</HI> then the <HI>Jewes</HI> and <HI>Romanes</HI> in affronting and
murthering of Chri&s;t? Do&s;t thou not give him ten blows for
one good word, de&s;troying thy &s;elf in di&s;gracing him? Do&s;t
thou pre&s;ume on his mercy &s;till, whil&s;t thou delighte&s;t in the
Devils work? Doth the Name and Bapti&s;m of Chri&s;t give
thee a Protection from Divine Ju&s;tice, whil&s;t thou remaine&s;t
<PB N="53" REF="39">
&s;till in open Rebellion?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 7. 21, 22, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Do&s;t thou hope &s;till to pacifie him
with a few faint words of <HI>Lord hove mercy, I am &s;orry,</HI> and
&s;uch like mock-&s;peeches? Is Repentance in thy own power,
or thy Life and Means, that &s;till thou putte&s;t off? Wilt thou
lay the whole Burthen on the tyred hor&s;e, and wave return|ing
till thy elder age? Wilt thou give Satan the creame, and
Chri&s;t the Refu&s;e of thy time and &s;trength? Can&s;t thou hope
for Chri&s;ts Salvation in the high Road to thy damnation?
Wilt thou &s;till delight in the Devils work, and yet hope for
wages from Heaven?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 2. 2, 3.</NOTE> Is not thy ca&s;e very de&s;perate, to follow
the Devil into every &s;in?<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 26.</NOTE> Could&s;t thou but &s;ee thy Infernal
Guide, that <HI>leads thee captive at his will,</HI> what a dreadful &s;ight
would that prove to thee? Ha&s;t thou lived &s;o long under the
Go&s;pel, as the Smiths Dog under the Anvil, to deafen and
harden thee? Will not thy later end prove mo&s;t de&s;perate, that
ha&s;t made &s;o much ha&s;te in the broad way to Hell? If Grace
prevent not miraculou&s;ly, thou &s;halt know that Chri&s;t to thy
confu&s;ion, whom thou would&s;t not know to thy conver&s;ion.</P>
<P>6. This Truth looks wi&s;hly on carnal Notioni&s;ts, who pre|tend
much to the Knowledge of Chri&s;t, and yet remain de&s;ti|tute
of his Grace. They have learned to prate about Chri&s;t,
and to u&s;e his Name for a Sanctuary to &s;in. From vain No|tions
they &s;peedily run into vile affections, and their devotion
lies mo&s;t in their fancy. Their Tongue is tipped with the Lan|guage
of <HI>Canaan</HI> to deceive the &s;imple in deceiving them&s;elves.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 13.</NOTE>
This age abounds with &s;uch,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 13.</NOTE> the Lord awaken them, who are
lulled a&s;leep in the Devils Lap. Alas wretched &s;oul, what will
be thy end, and what is thy ca&s;e in &s;uch delu&s;ions? If thy
head &s;wel much with giddy Notions, doth it not betoken a
woful di&s;ea&s;e?<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 11. 14.</NOTE> Whither will Satan transformed into an An|gel
of Light lead thee at the la&s;t?<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 3. 16.</NOTE> How &s;ad is it thus to poy&s;on
thy &s;elf &amp; &s;o many more,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 2. 17.</NOTE> in mingling fancies with Gods holy
Word, perverted by thee, to dream thy &s;elf into a fools Para|di&s;e,
whil&s;t thou &s;lighte&s;t Chri&s;t &amp; his Ordinances, how woful is
it? Thou playe&s;t like a Gnat and Moth about the Candle, till
thou be con&s;umed by the heat thereof. Golden Imaginati|ons
do tickle thy thoughts whil&s;t Satan is leading thee captive
at his Will. Are not &s;uch &s;piritual Judgements the wor&s;t of
<PB N="54" REF="40">
<HI>all</HI> to be given up thus to &s;trong delu&s;ions,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 2. 9, 10, 11, 12</NOTE> to believe &s;uch
Lies? Is it not becau&s;e thou receive&s;t not the Truth in the
Love of it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 81. 11, 12.</NOTE> that God gives <HI>thee up to thy own hearts Lu&s;ts?</HI>
How far art thou from a gracious knowledge, that turne&s;t
his Grace into wantonne&s;s? Did&s;t thou know Chri&s;t aright,
thou would&s;t know thy &s;elf better, and would&s;t &s;ee thy new
pretended Light to be but old darkne&s;s. Thy pretence of
Chri&s;ts name will do thee little good whil&s;t thou &s;lighte&s;t his
Word and Ways, his Sabbath and Wor&s;hip, his Service and
Saints.<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 50. 11.</NOTE> Satan may cea&s;e troubling of thee, and fill thee
with fal&s;e joyes;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccle&s;. 7. 6.</NOTE> but thy carnal Raptures will &s;oon end in wo,
like the crackling of Thorns.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 58. 7, 8, 9.</NOTE></P>
<P>2. The mo&s;t gracious may find ju&s;t cau&s;e from this very
point to humble and judge them&s;elves for the remaining of &s;o
much &s;in in them. The mo&s;t are totally guilty, and the be&s;t
in part of too much darkne&s;s and dulne&s;s, &s;elfi&s;hne&s;s and
&s;infulne&s;s again&s;t this precious Jewel. That Chri&s;t is no bet|ter
known unto thee after &s;o much of his glorious di&s;coveries,
what a &s;hame is it? that there is yet &s;o little of Grace, and &s;o
much of corruption in us, &s;hould it not deeply humble us?
that we &s;avour &s;o much of &s;elf, and &s;o little of Chri&s;t: Is
it not matter of &s;ad lamentation, that Chri&s;t &s;hould be &s;light|ed
and abu&s;ed, forgotten and for&s;aken in &s;uch a manner by
his very Friends? Is it not wofull? The more precious Chri&s;t
is unto us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 55. 12, 13.</NOTE> the more vile &s;hall we be to our &s;elves? Saith not
Chri&s;t to us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">As Cae&s;ar to Brutus, Tu eti|am mi fili?</NOTE> as <HI>David</HI> his Type to his bo&s;om friend that
wretched <HI>Anitophel?</HI> Is it not dreadfull to be abu&s;ed by
our neare&s;t and deare&s;t relations? Had&s;t thou &s;truck thy
be&s;t friend in the dark on mi&s;take, how would it break thy
heart?</P>
<P>3. This Truth will afford a needfull Te&s;t for a due exami|nation.
Hence may we trie our &s;tate per&s;onal and publique
to frame a Progno&s;tick of our hopes and fears. In this bal|lance
of the Sanctuary our ca&s;e &s;hould be weighed. Deceit is
common and very dreadfull.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 24. 24.</NOTE> <HI>Fal&s;e Chri&s;ts and fal&s;e Prophets</HI>
variou&s;ly delude them&s;elves and others too. Bring then all to
Gods Touch.</P>
<P><PB N="55" REF="40">
1. By the due review and application of all the former par|ticulars:
do we know Chri&s;t thus in his per&s;on and office,
in his Progre&s;s and Purcha&s;e, in his Relation and Influence?
Are we the &s;ubjects &s;o wrought upon by him? Are we thus
acquainted with the cau&s;e and nature, with the properties and
effects of this gracious knowledge? Are we not &s;till in that
unregenerate &s;tate of reigning Ignorance and neglect,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 2. 12.</NOTE> of for|mality
and &s;elf ju&s;tifying,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 3. 3, 4, 5, 6.</NOTE> of profane&s;s or notional delu&s;i|ons?
Is the &s;piritual Change yet wrought within us by the<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 14.</NOTE>
&s;pecial hand of Chri&s;ts renewing Spirit?<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 53.</NOTE> Our nature of it
&s;elf is as bad as the wor&s;t;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 2.</NOTE> Is it now &s;avingly transformed in
the Spirit of our mind?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 3.</NOTE> How far is this change wrought in
our &s;elves and others?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 18. 3.</NOTE> mind it exactly by the &s;tandard of
Truth.</P>
<P>2. How this Change was wrought, is as con&s;iderable. What
Method and Means did Gods Spirit u&s;e, and in what manner
did he prevail with us? Were we effectually convinced by him
of &s;in and Righteou&s;ne&s;s? Were we made to &s;ee the wor&s;t of
our &s;elves,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 16. 8, 9, 10.</NOTE> that we might embrace the be&s;t of Chri&s;t? Have
we felt at the heart &s;uch a clear di&s;covery of our emptine&s;s
and &s;infulne&s;s, of our Wretchedne&s;s and Unworthine&s;s, of
our In&s;ufficiency and nothingne&s;s, as to be wholly weaned
from &s;elf, and carried out to him? Have we duly ob&s;erved
the unability of all Creatures to afford us help? Hath the
&s;ight and &s;en&s;e of our wofull &s;tate &s;o oppo&s;ite to God, made
Chri&s;t truly precious to our &s;ouls? Are we more troubled
at the pollution then at the puni&s;hment of &s;in? Doth it
grieve us to the very &s;oul, that we have grieved &s;uch a dear
Saviour? Have we beheld our &s;tate in the Gla&s;s of his Law,
and of his Go&s;pel to make us &s;en&s;ible efficaciou&s;ly both of our
Malady and of his Remedy?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 9, 14.</NOTE> Hath he made his Word &s;o to
work on us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 23. 29.</NOTE> as to break our hearts and melt them kindly?
Have we found that hammer and fire of his killing our &s;ins
and quickning our &s;ouls? Hath he made us thereby cheer|fully
<HI>willing</HI> to give up all to him, and prefer him above <HI>all?</HI>
Hath he ble&s;&s;ed the means &s;o effectually, as to make us feel him
in and through them all? Hath he made every &s;in more bit|ter
to our Ta&s;te, then ever we found any &s;weetne&s;s therein?
<PB N="56" REF="41">
Hath he knock<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">d us off from all other props, that we might re&s;t
upon him alone?</P>
<P>3. Con&s;ider al&s;o how this Change works now to clear this
Inquiry with impartiality. Doth his holy Spirit operate on
us by this gracious knowledge, as the Soul doth upon the
Body through its variety of intermediate Spirits? Ob&s;erve
it we may in the re&s;emblance of that three-fold Life, which
mans &s;oule doth communicate to its proper &s;ubject. A vege|tative,
a &s;en&s;itive, a rational Life is afforded thereby: Doth
Chri&s;t do &s;o to us &s;piritually?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>1. A Vegetative Life is for Nutrition, Augmentation and Pro|pagation.</HEAD>
<P>1. FOR <HI>Nutrition,</HI> whereto &s;erve the &s;everal faculties
attractive and retentive, concoctive and expul&s;ive:
Doth this knowledge of Chri&s;t act thus within us?</P>
<P>1. Do we draw and attract &s;piritual nouri&s;hment to the
&s;upply of our renewed wants?<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 2.</NOTE> Do we &s;uck his brea&s;ts as new
born babs,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth, 5. 6.</NOTE> and de&s;ire that food that may &s;u&s;tain us to eternal
Life? Is it done in &s;ea&s;on and order, in quantity and quality
meet?</P>
<P>2. Do we retain and keep the &s;ame with all diligence, le&s;t
<HI>at any time we &s;hould let it &s;lip?</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 2. 1, 2.</NOTE> Is it laid up in our hearts,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 119. 11.</NOTE> and
indu&s;triou&s;ly kept,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 8. 15.</NOTE> that it may keep us.</P>
<P>3. Do we concoct and dige&s;t it well by &s;piritual fervour,
to be di&s;tributed unto every part?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 15. 16.</NOTE> Do we &s;hun and abhor
Crudities,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Micah 2. 7.</NOTE> Cloyings and Oppre&s;&s;ions that might hinder it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6. 55. 56.</NOTE></P>
<P>4. Do we expel <HI>all &s;infull</HI> Excrements that continually do
breed within us?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iam. 1. 21.</NOTE> Do we loath,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 1.</NOTE> dete&s;t, and ca&s;t out duly all fil|thine&s;s
of fle&s;h and Spirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 7. 1.</NOTE> and all &s;uperfluity of naughtine&s;s
from every part of us?</P>
<P><PB N="57" REF="41">
2. For <HI>Augmentation,</HI> Is our &s;piritual Life, like the
natural,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 92. 12, 13</NOTE> &s;till upon increa&s;e, &s;preading it &s;elf into eve|ry
part,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 1. 9.</NOTE> that our growth may be proportional,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;&s;. 1. 3, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> univer&s;al,
and perpetual? Doth this knowledge dilate all faculties in
Mind and Judgement, Rea&s;on and Con&s;cience, Will and Af|fections?</P>
<P>3. For <HI>Propagation,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 1. 10.</NOTE> Doth our &s;piritual Life, as the natu|ral,
labor &s;till to beget in us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 6. 10.</NOTE> and produce in others more
fruits of the Spirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 5. 22, 23.</NOTE> more i&s;&s;ues of Grace to perpetuate this
divine off-&s;pring? Is nothing more active and communica|tive?
Doth it diffu&s;e its <HI>&s;pecies</HI> round about, as being the
I&s;&s;ue and Image of him who is the chief and mo&s;t communi|cative
good?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>2. A &s;en&s;itive Life is for Sen&s;e, Motion and Appetite; &s;o it
our &s;piritual Life: Doth Chri&s;t do &s;o to us &s;piritually?</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">1. Doth he give us Sen&s;e external and internal, as in Nature,
&s;o in Grace?</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">1. External Sen&s;e is five-fold, by Sight, and Hearing, Smelling,
Ta&s;te and Touch.</HEAD>
<P>1. DO we &s;piritually di&s;cern and delight in the Beauty
of Chri&s;ts divine holine&s;s in <HI>all</HI> his perfections,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 18.</NOTE> in
<HI>all</HI> his Ordinances,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Can. 5. 10, 16.</NOTE> and in every Providence? Do we thereby
&s;ee all other things, and reflect on our &s;elves as becomes us,
that we may not behold vanity?</P>
<P>2. Is our Hearing &s;piritually employed in li&s;tning after the
Fathers Commands,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Can. 5. 2, 4, 5.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts invitations,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mic. 6. 9.</NOTE> the Spirits motions,
in his Word and Rod,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 21. 6.</NOTE> within and without us? Is our ear open|ed
to our Beloved,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 10. 26.</NOTE> and boared to the po&s;ts of his hou&s;e, that
we may not hearken after any Tempter?</P>
<P>3. Have we a &s;piritual Smell after the perfumes of Chri&s;ts
precious Garments; the droppings of his Graces and Bene|fits,
<PB N="58" REF="42">
and the fragrancy of his divine Spices:<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 45. 8.</NOTE> Do we odorare
the &s;weetne&s;s of his Garden,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 133. 3, 4.</NOTE> and prefer it before all the rank|ne&s;s
of &s;in,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Can. 1. 2, 3, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> &s;elf, of the World and Satan?</P>
<P>4. Is our Ta&s;te &s;piritually active to reli&s;h the dainties of
Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 34. 8.</NOTE> the plea&s;ures of his Table,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 3.</NOTE> the choicene&s;s of his fea&s;t?
Do we prefer his flaggons and apples,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Can. 2. 5.</NOTE> Do we reli&s;h him in his &s;weetne&s;s and com|fort
before all the worlds chear? <HI>all,</HI> and
<HI>all</HI> in him?<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 73. 25.</NOTE> Do we therefore abhor the bitterne&s;s attending
every &s;in, though &s;ugard with Plea&s;ure, Profit or Honor?
<HI>Do we ta&s;te and know how good the Lord is?</HI></P>
<P>5. Is our Touch al&s;o &s;piritually employed to feel the dif|ference
between heat and cold,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2. 15.</NOTE> between good and evil in the
things of Chri&s;t?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5. 14.</NOTE> Is this &s;en&s;e as others, &s;o well exerci&s;ed to
avoid <HI>all</HI> evil, and embrace the good?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>2. The Internal &s;en&s;e receives from tho&s;e Cinque Ports and
Gates, all &s;orts of Objects to be orderly view'd and compar'd,
laid up and improved by the faculties called Common &s;en&s;e,
Phanta&s;ie, and Memory. Are we thus &s;piritually &s;en&s;ible
through this gracions Knowledge?</HEAD>
<P>1. BY <HI>common &s;en&s;e</HI> and general Perception of the <HI>&s;pecies</HI>
of things, with their circum&s;tantiated differences of
Motion, Re&s;t, Magnitude, Number, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> to give thereof a de|finitive
intimation unto the Phanta&s;ie.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2. 15.</NOTE> Doth Chri&s;ts Spirit
thus help us to di&s;cern of <HI>all</HI> things pre&s;ented for a &s;piritual
u&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5. 14</NOTE> to be faithfully reviewed and tran&s;mitted for orderly
Improvement? Do we keep watch, and take due account of
all &s;orts of Pa&s;&s;engers and Gue&s;ts coming to vi&s;it our internal
man, that they may be punctually di&s;cerned and orderly dealt
with?</P>
<P>2. <HI>Phanta&s;ie</HI> or Imagination entertaining tho&s;e various
Objects,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 94. 19.</NOTE> compares, divides and compo&s;es them much like a
<HI>Printer,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 139&punc; 17.</NOTE> doth order his work with multitudes of variations
and flowri&s;hes.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 10. 4.</NOTE> Have we a like &s;piritual skill faithfully to
compare the things that differ, to &s;eparate the good from
the evil, to compo&s;e all things to &s;piritual advantage?</P>
<P><PB N="59" REF="42">
3. <HI>Memory</HI> laies up what is thus ordered, and laieth it out
again,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 45. 1 7.</NOTE> as there is occa&s;ion, in the na<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">ural man. Is it &s;o with
us in the &s;piritual man?<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 52, 55.</NOTE> Do we remember well the things of
Chri&s;ts Glory,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 78. 35. 39.</NOTE> and of our own Peace? Do we &s;o record what
he teaches us, as to improve it in &s;ea&s;on and order? Do we &s;o
lay up as to lay out in the be&s;t manner? Are we carefull not
to forget him, or any thing of his? Do we therefore be|ware
of oblivion-water,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 106. 7.</NOTE> that we become not like wretched
<HI>I&s;rael?</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>2. Sen&s;itive Life acts by way of motion, upward and downward,
to the right and left, forward and backward, in Pul&s;ation and
Re&s;piration. Do we move thus &s;piritually?</HEAD>
<P>1. DO we move upward towards Chri&s;t and Heaven,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 25. 1.</NOTE>
a&s;piring &s;till after Eternity?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3, 1, 2.</NOTE> Is our Center above,
and our Load-&s;tone there where Chri&s;t &s;its at the right hand
of God?<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 11. 31.</NOTE> Is there a divine fire within us, bending &s;till heaven-ward
to its fir&s;t original?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 12. 1, 2.</NOTE></P>
<P>2. Do we move downward again&s;t every &s;in?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 5, 24.</NOTE> Do we labor
&s;till to tread &s;elf and Satan under foot,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 6. 14.</NOTE> with all &s;ublunaries,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4.</NOTE>
as Chri&s;t and his &s;pou&s;e eminently do?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 2.</NOTE></P>
<P>3. Do we move to the right in compa&s;&s;ion and brotherly
Love,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 12. 10.</NOTE> friendly a&s;&s;i&s;tance and Chri&s;tian forbearance, as Chri&s;t
and his Apo&s;tles teach us practically?</P>
<P>4. Do we move to the left by pittying and bemoaning &s;in|ners,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5. 44, 45.</NOTE>
praying for them,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;&s;. 5. 14.</NOTE> reproving of them,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 3. 17.</NOTE> and directing and
exhorting them that yet remain in the gall of bitterne&s;s,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Jud. 22.</NOTE> and
in the bonds of iniquity,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5. 2.</NOTE> plucking &s;ome as brands out of the
fire? Chri&s;t him&s;elf did &s;o in the days of his fle&s;h.</P>
<P>5. Do we move forward &s;till,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 1, 2.</NOTE> toward the price of the hea|venly
calling,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 12, 13, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> looking at Je&s;us, <HI>&amp;c?</HI> Do we &s;o pre&s;s forward
towards the Mark, forgetting the things behind, that we may
lo&s;e no time in this race of ours?</P>
<P>6. Do we move back &s;ometime to ha&s;ten our pace,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 59.</NOTE> that
we may leap better,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 8. 6.</NOTE> in con&s;idering our ways with remor&s;e of
&s;in, and &s;trong re&s;olves to be more diligent in learning Wi&s;|dom
from former follies?</P>
<P><PB N="60" REF="43">
7. Doth our Pul&s;e beat &s;piritually with freene&s;s, &s;trength
and orderline&s;s, to &s;ignifie the due Compo&s;ure and harmoni|ous
Accord of all our Vitals in the ways of Chri&s;t? Doth
our heart keep a right Circulation of &s;piritual blood from the
Center to the Circumference with renewed Reciprocations?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 4.</NOTE>
Do the various Communications of his Spirit (&s;et out by the
Title of &s;even Spirits, to denote Perfection, Variety and
Sufficiency) manife&s;t them&s;elves in the con&s;tant Tenor of<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 1. 4.</NOTE>
of our &s;piritual Pul&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 12&punc; 4, 5, 6.</NOTE> by returning &s;till to Chri&s;t what we
are &s;till receiving from him? Are we &s;en&s;ible of any change
there in weakne&s;s,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 3. 4.</NOTE> inaequality and di&s;orderline&s;s for &s;peedy re|move<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 5. 6.</NOTE>
of all ob&s;tructions di&s;turbing the &s;ame?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Zach. 4. 6.</NOTE></P>
<P>8. Do we move al&s;o in Spiritual Re&s;pirations; 1. In&s;piring
the fre&s;h gales of his reviving Spirit;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 3. 8.</NOTE> who blows where
he li&s;ts,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 1, 2.</NOTE> and breaths into us by internal and external moti|ons
to temper our Spirits,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 42. 1, 2.</NOTE> and to revive them?<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 84. 1, 2.</NOTE> Do we there|in
imitate <HI>David</HI> and all the friends of Chri&s;t in their &s;piritu|al
Pantings and longings?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 1. 23.</NOTE></P>
<P>2. Expiring the fuliginous vapors of our &s;infull hearts,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7 23, 24.</NOTE>
and breathing forth the de&s;ires of our &s;ouls to be rid of tho&s;e
fumes that are &s;o noi&s;om to all our vitals,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 139. 23, 24.</NOTE> and &s;till breeding
feavouri&s;h heats in our internal man?<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 19. 12, 13.</NOTE> Do we long to eject the&s;e
unwelcome Gue&s;ts, who &s;till like that &s;erpent in <HI>Ae&s;op,</HI> will be
&s;ure to &s;ting and poi&s;on their ho&s;t, when they recover heat?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>3. Sen&s;itive Life acts by Appetite. Doth &s;piritual Life act &s;o
within us, both Concupi&s;cibly and Ira&s;cibly?</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">1. The concupi&s;cible Appetite acts the Affections of Love and
Hatred, Joy and Sorrow, De&s;ire and Di&s;dain. Is the like felt
in us &s;piritually?</HEAD>
<P>1. DO we love Chri&s;t as the be&s;t Object for &s;weetne&s;s
and beauty,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 116. 1.</NOTE> excellency and &s;utablene&s;s,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Can. 1. 7.</NOTE> the incom|parable
Paragon of all?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Can. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4.</NOTE> Have we none in Heaven but him,
and none upon earth in compari&s;on of him?<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 73. 24, 25.</NOTE> Do we love
all his for his &s;ake,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 3. 14.</NOTE> in &s;ubordination to him&s;elf? Do we
<PB N="61" REF="43">
therefore love all the ways and means wherein his Love is
&s;hewed towards us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 4. 19, 20, 21</NOTE> that our Love may reciprocate towards
him again?</P>
<P>2. Do we hate &s;in and all Chri&s;ts enemies as he hates them<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 139. 22.</NOTE>
upon his account?<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 104, 128.</NOTE> Do we abhor and dete&s;t what&s;oever is
contrary to that lovely Object, as contrary to our very be|ing
al&s;o?<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 97. 10.</NOTE> Hatred extends unto all the kinds.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iud. 23.</NOTE> Doth our Spi|rit
thus abominate all &s;inful habits and acts,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;&s;. 5. 22.</NOTE> inclinations and
allurements, provocations and examples, yea every appea|rance
of evil in our &s;elves and others?</P>
<P>3. Is our Joy &s;piritually delighted in that Soveraign good
pre&s;ented to us, to be certainly and intimately enjoyed, both
in free and pre&s;ent fruition?<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;&s;. 5. 16.</NOTE> Do we rejoice thus in the Lord
always from the po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of that Kingdom of Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 4. 4.</NOTE> which
is <HI>Peace,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 14. 17.</NOTE> <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;s,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 6. 8.</NOTE> <HI>and Joy in the Holy Gho&s;t?</HI> Doth the
Pledge and Earne&s;t of his eternal Glory given us thereby,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Neh. 8. 10.</NOTE> fill
us with that Joy, <HI>both un&s;peakable and full of Glory?</HI> Is this
<HI>Joy of the Lord our &s;trength,</HI> to quicken and &s;upple all the
wheels of our &s;ouls?</P>
<P>4. Is our Sorrow &s;piritually active in grieving for <HI>all</HI> &s;in,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 7. 10, 11.</NOTE>
Original,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 12. 15.</NOTE> habitual and actual; for the great di&s;honor &s;till done
to Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11. 3.</NOTE> the contempt of his Go&s;pel, abu&s;ing his Mercies,
breaking of his Laws,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5.</NOTE> &s;lighting his warnings, hardning under
his Judgements?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 9.</NOTE> Do we mourn for the failings and di&s;tempers
of his people, and make their ca&s;e ours among his Mourners,
marked for &s;afety?</P>
<P>5. Doth our De&s;ire move &s;piritually with un&s;atisfiable|ne&s;s
after that Good not yet attained,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 12.</NOTE> &s;etting an edge upon
all endeavours,<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 26. 9.</NOTE> &s;weetning all troubles in the way, facilitating
<HI>all</HI> difficulties, &s;purring on &s;luggi&s;hne&s;s, and teaching <HI>all</HI> Im|provements
of whats received in order thereto?</P>
<P>6. Doth our Di&s;dain act &s;piritually to &s;corn <HI>all &s;infull</HI>
ba&s;ene&s;s,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 6. 11.</NOTE> which might hinder us from the good de&s;ired?<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim 2. 2.</NOTE> Doth
it make us flie from what&s;oever might keep that from us by
keeping God at di&s;tance?<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 6. 18.</NOTE> Doth it make us di&s;own what might
grieve Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 10. 14.</NOTE> and offend his Spirit, who&s;e acquaintance is our
chief de&s;ire?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="62" REF="44">
<HEAD>2. The &s;en&s;itive Appetite moves ira&s;cibly again&s;t all difficulties
by the Affections of Hope and De&s;pair, Fear, Confidence, and
Indignation. Doth this knowledge of Chri&s;t act thus within
us?</HEAD>
<P>1. DOth our Hope &s;tir &s;piritually towards the full en|joyment
of eternal good,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 18.</NOTE> though &s;urrounded with
di&s;couragements from Earth and Hell?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 1. 5, 23, 27.</NOTE> Doth it ca&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="4 letters">eff. 5. 8.</NOTE> Anchor
within the vail upon the rock of Ages to &s;tay our &s;ouls in the<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6.</NOTE>
mid&s;t of all &s;torms?<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 3.</NOTE> Is it that Helmet which &s;afeguards our
head in all Conflicts with many Legions of &s;ins and devils?</P>
<P>2. Do we &s;piritually de&s;pair,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ie 1. 18. 12.</NOTE> not of Chri&s;t, but of &s;in, of
&s;elfe,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 57. 10.</NOTE> of all creatures, expecting all good only from Chri&s;t in
the u&s;e of good means appointed by him, but not from them|&s;elves,
much le&s;s from &s;elf or &s;in?</P>
<P>3. Is our fear &s;piritually active, le&s;t we &s;hould di&s;plea&s;e
him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2. 12.</NOTE> and fru&s;trate our own good by neglecting our duty, or
doing any thing contrary to him?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 11. 7.</NOTE> Doth this filial fear move
us with <HI>Noah</HI> by faith to prepare all things,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 28.</NOTE> and repair to the
Ark, ca&s;ting out all &s;lavi&s;h tormenting fears?</P>
<P>4. Doth our Confidence appear &s;piritually in Chri&s;tian
re&s;olutions again&s;t all Chri&s;ts enemies to the di&s;charge of our
proper Duty he calls us to?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 28. 1.</NOTE> Are we bold with a generous au|daciou&s;ne&s;s
to follow Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 2. 10.</NOTE> the Captain of our Salvation
through all Impediments?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 12.</NOTE></P>
<P>5. Doth our &s;piritual Indignation move in holy Zeal to
the removing of all ob&s;tacles that lie in the way of our Al|legiance
to our Soveraign Chri&s;t?<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 119. 139.</NOTE> Are we enflamed with that
prudent zeal which con&s;umed the very heart of Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 69. 9.</NOTE> for
the purging and &s;ettling of his hou&s;e?<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 59. 17.</NOTE> Is our fire kindled
again&s;t &s;in,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 2. 17.</NOTE> whil&s;t our heart melts for the &s;inners good as far
as po&s;&s;ible?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 2. 14.</NOTE> It it not a blind,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 3. 19.</NOTE> but a well-guided zeal?<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 7. 11.</NOTE> not a wild
fire,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 4. 18.</NOTE> but duly ordered.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="63" REF="44">
<HEAD>III. Natural Life appears in the Rational faculties, by the &s;e|veral
Acts of the Mind and Judgement, Con&s;cience and Will,
Memory and Affections; doth our &s;piritual Life appear there|in
al&s;o?</HEAD>
<P>1. DOth our mind act &s;piritually in under&s;tanding of &s;piri|tual
Matters,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Whether the&s;e faculties differ really, is not our bu&s;ine&s;s now to que&s;ti|on.</NOTE> and apprehending the mind of Chri&s;t
made known to us by his Spirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2. 16.</NOTE> Word and Providence?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 23.</NOTE></P>
<P>2 Doth our Judgment act in di&s;cerning of things that differ,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2 5.</NOTE>
and rea&s;oniug of things,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 14.</NOTE> an&s;werably to his divine Rea&s;on &s;ig|nified
to us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 1. 9.</NOTE> either expre&s;ly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 16. 10.</NOTE> or con&s;equentially? Do we judge
our &s;elves fir&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 11. 31.</NOTE> and our own &s;ins, that Satan may be judged in
us and by us?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 23. 1.</NOTE></P>
<P>3. Doth our con&s;cience move &s;piritually in a due reflection
on &s;elf,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 24. 16.</NOTE> with &s;ubordination to Gods Judgement?<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 1. 12.</NOTE> Doth it
&s;peak for God as becomes his Deputy and Sub&s;titute;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 9. 14.</NOTE> in Tea|ching
and Ruling,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 10. 22.</NOTE> in Witne&s;&s;ing and Recording,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 3. 21.</NOTE> in Judging
and Executing according to Gods Will?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 1. 15, 16.</NOTE> Is it not blinded,
bribed and feared? Is it not benum'd, deaded and gangren|ed
by &s;elf-love and corrupt Opinions?</P>
<P>4. Doth our will &s;piritually &s;tir in chu&s;ing true good,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 6. 17.</NOTE> and
refu&s;ing true evil?<NOTE PLACE="marg">See an Elegant Empha&s;is, <GAP DESC="foreign">, The mold int<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 letter"> which ye wer<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 letter"> ca&s;t.</NOTE> Is it brought over to &s;ubject freely and
fully to the will of Chri&s;t? Hath the Key of Heaven opened
the great Spring to lift up the&s;e <HI>everla&s;ting Gates</HI> to the <HI>King
of Glory?</HI> Is thy <HI>heart of &s;tone turned into fle&s;h,</HI> and this Iron
&s;inew melted into Gods mould?</P>
<P>5. Doth our Intellectual memory &s;piritually act in laying<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 24.</NOTE>
up tho&s;e things which tho&s;e faculties have committed to its<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 36. 26.</NOTE>
charge?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lam. 3. 19, 20, 21.</NOTE> Doth it recal &s;uch things to Remembrance by its
peculiar Acts of Remini&s;cency,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 4. 10.</NOTE> and recovering tho&s;e many
u&s;eful things, which accidentally had &s;lipt away?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 13 52.</NOTE> Doth it
carry it &s;elf like a good Steward indeed, bringing out of its
&s;tore good things, new and old?</P>
<P>6. Do our rational Affections move &s;piritually towards<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 21, 22&punc;</NOTE>
good again&s;t evil,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 9. 24, 25&punc; 26, 27&punc;</NOTE> under the guidance and Rule of the&s;e &s;u|periour
Powers,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 10 3, 4, 5.</NOTE> which are &s;til to follow the dictates of Hea|ven?
Do the&s;e wheels and weights &s;tir Regularly? Do the&s;e
wings and feet carry our &s;ouls orderly? Do the&s;e Sails and
<PB N="64" REF="45">
Oars convey us &s;afely through the current of all our Relati|ons
to the &s;ervice and enjoyment of God.</P>
<P>Thus may we take a due E&s;timate, by this &s;cantling and
Ab&s;tract of our &s;piritual Acquaintance with God, according
to our mea&s;ure of this gracious Knowledge, variou&s;ly acting
toward Chri&s;t and from Chri&s;t; for him and through him by
his Spirits Energetical motions.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 5. 12.</NOTE> <HI>He that hath the Son,
hath life; he that hath not the Son, hath not life.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>&V;&s;e 4.</HEAD>
<P>This Truth &s;peaks &s;ingular Con&s;olation to the real friends
of Chri&s;t. Choyce is the Jewel afforded to them, as former
particulars do fully evince. This precious Cordial will be of
excellent u&s;e again&s;t all corruptions and temptations; again&s;t
all Afflictions and de&s;ertions: There will a &s;ea&s;on come for
the benefit thereof to all Gods people. It concerns all to make
the be&s;t of it.</P>
<P><HI>Objection.</HI> This is good indeed, may the trembling heart &s;ay,
but its none of mine, that am &s;o far from the Knowledge of
Chri&s;t. I fear I am a &s;tranger to him yet.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Its bad indeed to be far from Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 9. 13, 14.</NOTE> but its good to
be &s;en&s;ible of it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Primus gradus poenitentiae, cog|nitio peccati.</NOTE> The knowledge of thy di&s;ea&s;e is a good &s;tep
to the cure. There is hopes of good in &s;en&s;ible &s;inners; no|thing
but wo to &s;en&s;le&s;s Perfectioni&s;ts.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 2. But what makes thee fear thy e&s;trangedne&s;s? Is
not thy de&s;ire to him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5. 3, 4, 5.</NOTE> and delight in him, thy de&s;ign for
him, and endeavour after him? If &s;o, thy fear is the fruit of
his Spirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 7. 11.</NOTE> &s;o far as it drives thee not from him, but draws thee
to him.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 3. What makes thee complain of thy Ignorance?
Is it not thy e&s;teem of the Knowledge of Chri&s;t? Art thou
weary and a&s;hamed of thy Ignorance?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7.</NOTE> Art thou &s;till wra&s;t|ling
again&s;t it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">throughout.</NOTE> for attaining of Knowledge? Ar thou diligent
in all the means he affords thee, to di&s;pel darkne&s;s and get
light from him? Do&s;t thou bewail thy deadne&s;s and dulne&s;s,
thy &s;loth and &s;elfi&s;hne&s;s, thy formality and hypocri&s;ie, thy
worldline&s;s and unfaithfulne&s;s? Is it thy greate&s;t trouble and
<PB N="65" REF="45">
grief, thy &s;hame and &s;orrow? Do&s;t thou act the more hum|bly
and &s;elf-denyingly, the more watchfully and indu&s;triou&s;ly
in thy general and particular calling? If &s;o, the comfort is
thine, and thou wilt know it in the be&s;t time.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 4. There are divers degrees in the &s;chool of Chri&s;t,
and divers manners of his dealing with his Di&s;ciples. Thou
mu&s;t not mea&s;ure thy condition by others &s;o much as
by his Rule.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Iohn 2 12, 13, 14.</NOTE> The lea&s;t degree of his Grace de&s;erves thanks,
though we mu&s;t not re&s;t there. There are many little weak|lings
in his hou&s;e which mu&s;t not be &s;lighted, nor mi&s;-judged
of, becau&s;e they are not &s;o &s;trong and healthy as others. The
<HI>&s;moaking flax,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 42. 3.</NOTE> <HI>and the brui&s;ed Reed,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 12. 20.</NOTE> are neither to be <HI>quenched</HI>
nor <HI>broken</HI> in his Hou&s;e, <HI>till he bring forth Judgement into vi|ctory,</HI>
according to <HI>Truth.</HI></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>&V;&s;e 5.</HEAD>
<P>This point &s;hould be improved in a pre&s;&s;ing Exhortation
to all Nominal and real Chri&s;tians. Doth it not concern
every &s;ort of men to look after &s;uch a &s;ingular Jewel? Doth
any need Incentives to move thereto? Is there not matter
enough already expre&s;&s;ed to inflame all our hearts after it?
Is not this knowledge the mo&s;t profitable, the mo&s;t plea&s;ura|ble,
the mo&s;t honourable that can be conceived? Is it not
&s;till of ab&s;olute need, and &s;ingular u&s;e? Is any good to be
had, any evil to be avoided without it?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 13. 44, 45, 46&punc;</NOTE> Is not this the Field
that holds the Trea&s;ure, and the Pearl of Price? Doth it not
bewray an ignoble &s;pirit to neglect and &s;light it? Is not this
Jewel the Quinte&s;&s;ence of Good, that will &s;anctifie all con|ditions
to any of us? Be we all pre&s;&s;ed then to make it our
bu&s;ine&s;s to look after it, as the <HI>wi&s;e Merchant</HI> after the <HI>Pearl
of Price;</HI> he <HI>&s;eeks</HI> and <HI>finds</HI> it, he <HI>&s;els all for Joy</HI> and <HI>buys it
out right.</HI> Do you &s;o likewi&s;e, that you may be enriched
thereby.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="66" REF="46">
<HEAD>Two &s;orts are &s;pecially invited hereto, the Nominal and real
Chri&s;tian.</HEAD>
<P>1. THe Nominal Chri&s;tian that hath but the Name, with|out
the Grace of Chri&s;t. Sinners of all &s;orts &s;till un|regenerate,
are comprized here. Such of all Ranks are called
to Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 5. 40.</NOTE> though they will hardly give him the hearing. We
&s;peak to all indefinitely;<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 19.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts Spirit will &s;peak to his pecu|liarly.
We offer to you a &s;ingular Jewel, to be obtained upon
Chri&s;ts own terms.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 55.</NOTE> Come and view it well, turn it every way;
there is no blemi&s;h in any part thereof. Doth any of you &s;ee
the worth thereof? Be then willing al&s;o to part with all for it.
Thy <HI>natural,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark 8. 34.</NOTE> <HI>&s;inful</HI> and <HI>Religious &s;elf</HI> thou mu&s;t deny,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 16. 24.</NOTE> that
Chri&s;t may be thine.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 9. 23.</NOTE> The de&s;truction of thy <HI>&s;inful</HI> &s;elf, is the
only way to thy &s;alvation. Thy &s;in is thy di&s;ea&s;e, thy poi&s;on
and plague; art thou unwilling to be rid of it? Thy <HI>natural</HI>
&s;elf will be bettered, by putting of it into his keeping, who
will be &s;ure to mend it for thee. Thy <HI>Religious</HI> &s;elf in thy be&s;t
duties, cannot be u&s;eful but by being put into Chri&s;ts own
hand. But where is the Price to buy it withal? Its in Chri&s;ts
Trea&s;ury, not thine own. Thy &s;ouls empty hand mu&s;t be rea|ched
forth to receive at once the Price and the Pearl.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 11. 28.</NOTE> Come
to Chri&s;t then,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6. 35, 37, 44.</NOTE> that thou mai&s;t get Chri&s;t, and through his
Spirit mai&s;t clo&s;e with his Father. The wor&s;t of thy &s;ins &s;hall
not keep thee off, when thou once come&s;t on conjugal Terms.
Wilt thou be moved thereto cordially? Hear the Emba&s;&s;y
&s;ent to thee from Heaven;<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 18, 19.</NOTE> We are Emba&s;&s;adors for the King
of Saints, to be&s;eech &s;inners to be reconciled. Con&s;ider how
much is laid up in this to draw home thy &s;oul mo&s;t effectual|ly.
Mind then</P>
<P>1. The Per&s;on offering, the Lord of Glory, thy Soveraign,
the Almighty God, All-&s;ufficient Saviour, provoked by thee
to the utmo&s;t; that needs thee not, and can in a moment cru&s;h
thee to nothing. Its the God of all Grace, full of mercy and
Truth: the Fountain of all good, mo&s;t precious, mo&s;t &s;weet,
a mo&s;t &s;uitable match; wilt thou refu&s;e him?</P>
<P>2, The matter offered, is the only Jewel, the &s;um of all
<PB N="67" REF="46">
Good, God him&s;elf to be thy portion; <HI>fulne&s;s</HI> of <HI>Grace</HI> to
pardon and purge, to quicken and &s;ave; Trea&s;ures of mercy
mo&s;t free and full, mo&s;t &s;ingular and &s;ure: its a match with
Heaven; an extract of Ble&s;&s;ings &s;uiting thy &s;tate mo&s;t exact|ly.
Here is Wi&s;dom to teach,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 30.</NOTE> Righteou&s;ne&s;s to ab&s;olve, Ho|line&s;s
to renew, Redemption to &s;ave thee: what can thy heart
wi&s;h that is not laid up here? Wilt thou refu&s;e it yet?</P>
<P>3. Mind his manner of offering, with intreaties and Invi|tations;
He waits, he knocks, he expo&s;tulates again and again:
Mercy kneels to thee, be&s;eeching, pleading, tendring all with
open arms; bearing with thee, forbearing of thee, attempt|ing
all means of doing thee good. Should not this pre|vail?</P>
<P>4. Con&s;ider the Per&s;on offered to, thy wretched &s;elf, a for|lorn
&s;inner, a Rebel in Arms, a de&s;perate enemy, full of Ve|nom
and deadly poi&s;on; a mi&s;erable worm, &s;inful du&s;t; a Trai|tor
at the Bar under condemnation; an abu&s;er of every fa|vor,
unworthy of the lea&s;t good; a vile Bankrupt; a riotous
Prodigal utterly undone; a &s;tarving beggar, a drowning
wretch, a &s;ervant of &s;in, a &s;lave of Hell, Satans pri&s;oner, emp|ty
of all good, full of all evil. Is not this thy picture, thy
name and &s;tate, and ten thou&s;and times wor&s;e? What mad|ne&s;s
keeps thee from coming to him that would help all
this?</P>
<P><HI>Que&s;t.</HI> What if I come not?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Then will thy ca&s;e prove de&s;penate indeed. Ju&s;tice
will &s;peedily &s;end thee to thy place.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 11. 24.</NOTE> Infinite wrath &s;hall be
thy portion,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 11. 12.</NOTE> thou &s;halt fare wor&s;e then <HI>Sodom</HI> and <HI>Gomorrah</HI>
in endle&s;s, ea&s;ele&s;s, remedile&s;s Torments. All thy mercies &s;hal
prove thy Judgements; thy own con&s;cience &s;hall be thy wit|ne&s;s,
Recorder, Judge and Executioner. This very Word
&s;hal ri&s;e again&s;t thee and &s;top thy mouth to eternity. Thou
wa&s;t fair offered once, and wilt know it when the time is pa&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>Que&s;t.</HI> What if I come?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Then thy ca&s;e is happy; all good is thine, thou
&s;halt be as welcom as the lo&s;t Son to thy Fathers arms, meet|ing
thee half way with Tears, with joy, with a fea&s;t, with a roy|al
Robe. Thou &s;halt be married to the Kings own &s;on, and
<PB N="68" REF="47">
<HI>Heaven &s;hall rejoyce at the Repentance of &s;uch</HI> a &s;inful wretch.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 15. 7, 10</NOTE></P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But I doubt I am not elected, and then all is in vain?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> How knowe&s;t thou that? Who hath told thee &s;o?
Finde&s;t thou thy &s;elf excluded by Name? No, no &s;uch matter.
<HI>Secret things belongs to God;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut 29. 29.</NOTE> <HI>revealed things to us.</HI> Come, and
thou &s;halt know thou wa&s;t elected. Exclude not thy &s;elf be|fore
he excludes thee.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But all are not &s;aved. Many do peri&s;h. May not I
be of them?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;.</HI> What then? Should it not quicken thy pace to Chri&s;t,
that thou mai&s;t be &s;aved? Do&s;t thou not &s;ee how many as
bad as thou can&s;t be po&s;&s;ibly, have been welcom to him; what
think&s;t thou of <HI>Mary,</HI> of <HI>Paul,</HI> of <HI>Mana&s;&s;eh?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But if I be a Reprobate, I cannot be &s;aved, the la|bour
is lo&s;t?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Were thou a Reprobate, thou would&s;t not be &s;o in|qui&s;itive
after Chri&s;t and Heaven; their heart never yields
unfeignedly to Chri&s;t as thine &s;eems to do. Thou can&s;t not be
&s;ure thou art &s;uch a one. Yea thou mai&s;t quickly be &s;ure thou
art not &s;uch by coming to him. But if thou refu&s;e &s;til, and har|den
thy heart, thy ca&s;e then will be very &s;u&s;picious.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But is it po&s;&s;ible, that &s;uch a wretch as I &s;hould ob|tain
mercy?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Yea, its po&s;&s;ible, its probable, it may be certain
quickly if thy heart be but yielded to him.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But this is but A may be?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 King. 7. 3, 4, 5, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> A may be is &s;ufficient Inducement to put thee on
trial. Remember the Leprous men about <HI>Samaria,</HI> A may be
&s;aved them.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 King. 20. 30, 31, 32, 33.</NOTE> Mind the <HI>Syrian</HI> Amba&s;&s;adors, and the <HI>Jewi&s;h</HI>
ca&s;e.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioel 2. 12.</NOTE> If thou try not, thou art certainly lo&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> I have often tried, but to little purpo&s;e.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Thou did&s;t not try aright, blame thy &s;elf, not God.
Is it not well worth the trial again? Ob&s;erve wherein thou
mi&s;&s;e&s;t, to amend the fault. Po&s;&s;ibly thou wa&s;t too cold and
formal, too ha&s;ty and unmannerly; too &s;elf-conceited and not
throughly humbled. Thou did&s;t not know the wor&s;t of thy
&s;elf. Thou wente&s;t in thy own &s;trength. Thou wa&s;t not wholly
taken off from &s;elf, and weaned from every creature. The
<PB N="69" REF="47">
Lord hath been preparing of thee by all his put-offs, to &s;pur
on thy de&s;ire &amp; pace. Try once again, come to better purpo&s;e.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> Alas I cannot come, my heart is dead and hard.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor 15. 45.</NOTE> Thats bad indeed; but hath he not a quickning Spi|rit?
Is not his Word a word of Life,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 5. 21.</NOTE> Power and Salvation?
Hath not he promi&s;ed a heart of fle&s;h,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 10. 10.</NOTE> in taking away of the
&s;tony heart?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6. 33.</NOTE> Is it not he that quickens the dead? Is not he
come to give Life to that world whom he cals his &s;heep, and
to give it them more abundantly?</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> I am not &s;ure I am one of them.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Neither art thou &s;ure thou art none of them. His
&s;heep hear his voyce with attention and affection,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 10. 26.</NOTE> with &s;ub|mi&s;&s;ion
and application; do&s;t thou not de&s;ire and delight, do&s;t
thou not de&s;ign and labour to do &s;o?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn. 5. 25.</NOTE> Is not the hour come,
wherein &s;uch a <HI>dead Lazarus as thou,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 11. 25.</NOTE> <HI>&s;hould&s;t hear the voyce of
the Son of God and live?</HI></P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But I have no free will of mine own to &s;piritual good.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Thou ha&s;t a moral will; capable of the means, and
doing thy duty, though in a weak manner. Be&s;tir thy &s;elf
therefore, and whil&s;t thou art making u&s;e of that, Chri&s;ts Re|newing
Grace thou mai&s;t meet with to &s;piritualize it, and
make it free from its &s;inful Bondage.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 8. 32, 33, 34 35.</NOTE> <HI>His Truth will make
thee free.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn. 6. 44.</NOTE> But none comes to the So<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="2 letters"> but &s;uch as the Father
draws.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Is not the Father drawing of thee now? Are not
his Ordinances, Mercies and Offers &s;trong cords of Love, and
the Bands of Man to fetch thee home?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ho&s;. 11. 4.</NOTE> Is not he drawing thee
internally al&s;o by the motions of his Holy Spirit upon thy con|&s;cience?
Re&s;i&s;t no longer, bur&s;t not his Divine Tre&s;&s;es, but
yield and follow.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But I.</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> No more Buts again&s;t God and thine own Good,
thou mu&s;t yield now. Chri&s;t is re&s;olved on it. He will have thee
home, thou mu&s;t come, its in vain to &s;truggle; All &s;ufficient
Grace will be all-efficient. Do&s;t thou not feel him turning of
thy heart, &s;ilencing thy doubts, &s;tirring in thy Bowels, opening
thine eyes, and drawing thy will to embrace his own terms?
<PB N="70" REF="48">
Are not the&s;e &s;ure &s;ignes of his &s;aving Grace? Come on then,
come home to thy Chri&s;t.</P>
<P><HI>Que&s;t.</HI> How &s;hall I come, that I may be welcom?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> 1. Come in&s;tantly, without any delay; demurs
are dangerous. This may be thy la&s;t moment of Life, and his
la&s;t word to thee. Strike, whil&s;t th' Iron is hot; come whil&s;t
there is hope.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay. 55. 5, 6.</NOTE> Seek now the Lord whil&s;t he may be found; ca&s;t
in thy mettle whil&s;t hot,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 6. 17.</NOTE> into his mould. Yield thy &s;oftned
wax to the Seal of his Spirit.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 1. 22.</NOTE> <HI>His &s;pirit will not alwayes &s;trive
with man.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 6. 3.</NOTE></P>
<P>2. Come &s;elf denyingly, not in thy &s;trength, but in his:
follow his effectual drawing, from the &s;ence of thine unabili|ty.
Let thy heart &s;till &s;ay with the Spou&s;e, <HI>Draw me, and we
will run after thee.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 1. 2.</NOTE> Know &s;till thy unworthine&s;s and in&s;uffici|ency,
laying thy &s;elf with recumbency upon his merits;<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 26. 3, 4.</NOTE> not
on any thing el&s;e.</P>
<P>3. Come &s;elf-re&s;igningly, on conjugal terms, to be wholly
given up to him. Make no capitulations, no Re&s;ervations of
any &s;in, of any creature, though as dear to thee as thy right
eye,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5. 30, 31.</NOTE> right hand, or right foot. Be content to be wholly his,
as he is content to be wholly thine. Thy skil and power, thy
will and comforts, thy time and credit, thy &s;oul and body, thy
Intere&s;t and friends, mu&s;t be wholly given up to him. Nothing
is his,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 12. 2.</NOTE> if all be not his; a <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 letter">eart and a heart, he cannot endure.</P>
<P>4. Come &s;incerely and cordially, without di&s;&s;embling with|out
ba&s;e de&s;igns. Come for his Per&s;on fir&s;t out of Love to him,
not meerly to his goods. Come chiefly to partake of him&s;elf,
and to enjoy him, though he &s;hould &s;eem to withold all things
el&s;e. Come to a Husband, not to a Fair. Come for marriage,
not for a Bargain. Chu&s;e him for him&s;elf, and all his good|ne&s;s
mu&s;t needs be thine too.</P>
<P>5.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 14. 26, 28, 30, 33.</NOTE> Come under&s;tandingly, not in a blind manner. Know what
thou art about,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 18. the Greek <GAP DESC="foreign">, &s;igni|fies a mo&s;t ra|tional &s;upputa|tion, ca&s;t up by divine Arith|metick exactly</NOTE> and be well advi&s;ed. Con&s;ult and rea&s;on the
ca&s;e to the full. Ca&s;t up thy accounts, what it may co&s;t thee.
Can&s;t thou be willing to live and die with him and for him?
View him throughly in all his Perfections, and in all his Pre|cepts
too. Be well acquainted with his marriage Covenant, en|gaging
to Duty, by engaging Mercy. He is a jealous God, as
he is Gracious.</P>
<P><PB N="71" REF="48">
6.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6. 35.</NOTE> Come fiducially, not di&s;tru&s;ting him. Study and apply
this Promi&s;e of marriage &s;o variou&s;ly and &s;o frequently ex|pre&s;&s;ed
to thee. That Promi&s;e is &s;et out both ab&s;olutely and
conditionally. Suck tho&s;e Brea&s;ts &s;till, and draw with com|fort
the water of life out of tho&s;e &s;aving Wels by the Bucket
of faith,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 2.</NOTE> let out by the cords of thine Affections; when thou
can&s;t not find in thee the Condition required,<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 66. 11, 12.</NOTE> then pre&s;s that
word upon him and thy &s;elf,<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 11. 3.</NOTE> which freely promi&s;es to give
that Condition.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 51. 6, 10.</NOTE> Do as <HI>David,</HI> begging for a new heart from
him that had faithfully promi&s;ed it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 30. 6.</NOTE> and therefore required the
&s;ame.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezech. 36. 26.</NOTE> There is no Precept nor Condition in Gods Word, that
hath not a Promi&s;e to an&s;wer it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezech. 18. 31.</NOTE> Do as <HI>Jacob</HI> did, to make u&s;e
of all.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 32. 9. 10, 12.</NOTE></P>
<P>7. Come penitentially with a bleeding heart to a bleeding
Saviour,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Zech. 12. 10, 11.</NOTE> looking upon him whom thou ha&s;t pierced, mourn|ing
over him, and judging thy &s;elf for abu&s;ing him. Come
from the &s;en&s;ible &s;ight of thy &s;infull Revolts, condemning
thy &s;elf as unworthy to be his Servant.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1. Sam. 29.</NOTE> Come as <HI>Abigail</HI> did
unto <HI>David,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 15.</NOTE> as the Prodigal did towards his Father. His
infinite kindne&s;s mu&s;t needs aggravate thy horrid unkindne&s;s.
He forgets thy &s;ins, but thou mu&s;t remember them. He for|gives
thee freely and fully, that thou mai&s;t for&s;ake them ac|cordingly.
Come then with a tender heart to &s;uch a tender
Chri&s;t with lively Repentance,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 7. 10, 11&punc;</NOTE> never to be repented of.
Such Mu&s;ick on the&s;e waters will be found mo&s;t &s;weet.</P>
<P>8. Come obedientially becau&s;e he commands it who is
thy Soveraign.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 45. 10, 11.</NOTE> Come to do thy homage in loyal Allegiance
to him that is thy God, to wor&s;hip and &s;erve him. Its a loving
and faithfull Obedience he expects from thee as his proper
due mo&s;t dearly bought. Thou art ran&s;omed with a divine price
that thou mai&s;t be his wholly and eternally.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 6. 19, 20.</NOTE> If any part of
thee be at any time given up to &s;in again&s;t thy husband, what
trea&s;onable Adultery will it prove? Come then to thy Lord
to be ruled by him in every Ordinance, in every Providence.
Come to thy Fathers hou&s;e to &s;hew all loving dutifulne&s;s
there,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 5. 13.</NOTE> not to be lawle&s;s or a &s;ervant to &s;in. His royal Law
cals to perfect Liberty,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iam. 28.</NOTE> that thou mai&s;t be as free as the Chil|dren
of the mo&s;t high God.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 16. 6</NOTE></P>
<P><PB N="72" REF="49">
9.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 22.</NOTE> Come lovingly with fervent Affections to this royal
fea&s;t of Chri&s;ts own wedding,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 1<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">.</NOTE> that &s;o nearly concerns thy
&s;elf.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Nehem. 8. 8.</NOTE> Let the Joy of the Lord be thy &s;trength herein to
tune the whole man to the highe&s;t &s;train of heavenly delight.
Is not this Solemnity &s;o incomparable to be ob&s;erved with
&s;utatable Enlargements? Stir up thy &s;oul in coming to Chri&s;t,
that the vigor of <HI>all</HI> thy faculties may &s;weetly embrace the
great King of Saints. Purity and Fervency meet here admi|rably
at the Celebration of this wonderfull match. Chri&s;t
comes to thee,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 59. 17.</NOTE> and <HI>all</HI> over with zeal; thou mu&s;t meet him in
the <HI>like apparell.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 45.</NOTE> Ob&s;erve the Brides Attire in that glorious
Type of <HI>Solomons</HI> marriage an&s;werable to his, that thou
mighte&s;t <HI>learn</HI> how to come to Chri&s;t thy divine <HI>Solomon.</HI></P>
<P>10. Come gratefully to thy Benefactor with hearty thanks
for his un&s;peakable Gifts.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 1. 12.</NOTE> Ca&s;t thy Crown at his feet, and
give him the Glory of all his Mercies.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 2. 14.</NOTE> Let him wear the
Crown who hath done and &s;uffered &s;o wonderfully for thee.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 9. 15.</NOTE>
Begin betime that Angelical Duty,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 5. 18.</NOTE> which &s;hall be thy task and
thy happine&s;s to Eternity.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 4. 10.</NOTE> Triumph in thy God that makes
thee to triumph. Let thy &s;oul be harmoniou&s;ly &s;et to &s;ing
forth his prai&s;es in the &s;weet Con&s;ort of all thy Powers and
Parts.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 3.</NOTE> In <HI>all</HI> things give thanks to the wonderfull Di&s;pen&s;er
of <HI>all</HI> things. Ble&s;s him continually who thus ble&s;&s;es thee.</P>
<P>11.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 104. 45.</NOTE> Come diligently in the u&s;e of <HI>all</HI> means appointed by
him.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 55. 6.</NOTE> Seek him in all his ways, attend him in his road, hearken
to his Spirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 3. 6.</NOTE> &s;tudy his Word, &s;eek his face often, think much
of him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 20. 24.</NOTE> inquire of others, neglect no help, and re&s;t on none
but on Chri&s;t him&s;elf.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 64. 5.</NOTE></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="73" REF="49">
<HEAD>Thus nominal Chri&s;tians &s;hould be per&s;waded to make &s;ure of
Chri&s;t in clo&s;ing with him upon his own terms, to make them
real Partakers of Chri&s;t and Po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ors as well as Pro|fe&s;&s;ors.</HEAD>
<P>Secondly. REal Chri&s;tians &s;hould al&s;o be pre&s;&s;ed to
make u&s;e of this gracious Knowledge, by
keeping clo&s;e to Chri&s;t in the &s;piritual Improvement thereof.
Each of us &s;hould &s;trongly be quickned thereto by all the
former Con&s;iderations. This &s;ingular Jewel is given for u&s;e,
not meerly to gaze at. The be&s;t find much need &s;till to be
quickned to their Duty herein, that this choice Mercy may be
well improved.</P>
<P>1. Per&s;onally in our &s;everal places; our fruitfulne&s;s &s;hould de|mon&s;trate
&s;till that we have learn'd to know Je&s;us Chri&s;t in a
&s;aving way. This gracious knowledge mu&s;t have influence
into every thought, every word and work. In every Duty
to be performed, in every Mercy to be improved, in every &s;in
to be mortified, in every Grace to be exerci&s;ed.</P>
<P>Remember Chri&s;tian who ever thou art that ha&s;t been ef|fectually
taught in the School of Chri&s;t, thy con&s;tant work
mu&s;t be to practi&s;e the Le&s;&s;ons got there. Action is the end
of Contemplation. Thy Speculations mu&s;t never be idle. Thy
general and particular Calling <HI>will &s;till</HI> find thee matter for
the &s;piritual u&s;e of this gracious knowledge. Mind Chri&s;t &s;till
then in every Duty towards God and Man.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>1. In thy generrl Calling look for him, attend him in every
Ordinance, The Charets and Walks of Communication be|tween
him and his.</HEAD>
<P>1. OB&s;erve him in his Word, &s;peaking to thee that thou
mai&s;t know his divine Oracles,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 25.</NOTE> hearken to this
voice,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 10. 40.</NOTE> who &s;peaketh from Heaven by men and means to us.
Hath not he promi&s;ed that all his people &s;hall be taught of<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 10. 16.</NOTE>
God? hear him then in hearing his &s;ervants,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 3. 23, 24.</NOTE> appointed and du|ly
called to his work, that you may not teach one another &s;till<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 6. 45.</NOTE><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 31.</NOTE>
<PB N="74" REF="50">
Phari&s;aically,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 8.</NOTE> as the Sect-ma&s;ters did; hearken to his order|ly
appointments,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1&punc; Iohn 20. 28.</NOTE> that you may receive his <HI>Anointing from
above to teach you all things</HI> gradually,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 1, 2.</NOTE> &s;o as you &s;hall not need
to be put a fre&s;h to your fir&s;t Elements, to &s;pell the princi|ples
in a childi&s;h manner. Minding of him will put you fur|ther
towards perfection, that you may be able to teach others
al&s;o.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 5. 39.</NOTE> Read often tho&s;e precious Love-letters &s;ent unto you
from your be&s;t friend above; and &s;earch the Scriptures for
the Records of him who is the Trea&s;ure of tho&s;e golden
Mines. Behold in that Go&s;pel-gla&s;s of his his glorious I|mage,
that thou maie&s;t be transformed into the &s;ame.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 3. 18.</NOTE></P>
<P>2.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;&s;. 5. 17. 18.</NOTE> Vi&s;it him often in &s;piritual prayer, &s;ecret, private publike.
This is the line of Communication between Heaven and
Earth, whereby Chri&s;ts Souldiers keep corre&s;pondency with
each other, as with their General. This fiery Chariot may
carry thy &s;oul <HI>Eliah</HI> like to thy dear Saviour in <HI>Abrahams</HI>
bo&s;om on any occa&s;ion.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 36. 37.</NOTE> Its a &s;ure and a &s;peedy Po&s;t for
any di&s;patch.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iam. 3. 16.</NOTE> Its a choi&s;e key that will unlock all the &s;tories
of his al-&s;ufficiency.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 14. 14.</NOTE> It will avail much if it be fervent; for
what ever thou aske&s;t in his name,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 5. 14, 15.</NOTE> thou mai&s;t be &s;ure he will
do it in the be&s;t way and &s;ea&s;on.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 65 1, 2.</NOTE> He is the God that heareth
prayers,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 29. 11, 12.</NOTE> that will be &s;ought and found in every thing.</P>
<P>3. In Meditation, retire thy &s;elf into a private walk, that
thou mai&s;t enjoy him the more freely to renew thy acquain|tance
more familiarly.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 18. 1.</NOTE> Thus a man <HI>having &s;eque&s;tred him|&s;elf</HI>
from the croud of Creatures, &s;eeks and intermeddles
with all divine Wi&s;dom. This choi&s;e Duty is the &s;ouls with|drawing
Room wherein Chri&s;tian &s;incerity appears mo&s;t in
its purity,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 24&punc; 63.</NOTE> nothing &s;o &s;ubject to hypocri&s;ie as other &s;ervices.
Attend Chri&s;t herein as <HI>I&s;aac</HI> did, retiring thy &s;elf in the
mo&s;t convenient &s;ea&s;on, to exerci&s;e the noble faculties of
thy rational &s;oul in the noble&s;t way of Intercour&s;e between
Chri&s;t and thy &s;elf.</P>
<P>4. Look for Chri&s;t al&s;o in Chri&s;tian Conference which he
hath promi&s;ed to honor and further with his &s;ingular Pre&s;ence
and Ble&s;&s;ing. He loves to &s;ee his Members helpfull to each
other this way.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 18 19, 20.</NOTE> The one cannot &s;ay to the other, I have no
need of thee.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal. 3. 16.</NOTE> The meane&s;t may be of great u&s;e therein.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 12.</NOTE>
<PB N="75" REF="50">
Thus <HI>Iron &s;harpens Iron,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro 27. 17.</NOTE> and the &s;ticks together do burn much
the better.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccle. 4 9. 11, 12</NOTE> <HI>Two are better then one, and a three-fold cord is
not ea&s;ily broken.</HI> A &s;adder wo there is to him that is alone.
Chri&s;t loves to meet with his friends this way.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 10. 1, 2, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE></P>
<P>5. In the &s;olemn Seals of his Covenant, Chri&s;t will be pe|culiarly
ob&s;erved.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26.</NOTE> Tho&s;e &s;acramental In&s;titutions are the
choice Remembrancers of him.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 14.</NOTE> Behold and attend him
there with a Spirit &s;utable to the Nature of &s;uch Ordinan|ces.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 22.</NOTE><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 28. 19, 20.</NOTE></P>
<P>6.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 1 10.</NOTE> In prai&s;ing of him and &s;anctifying his holy Sabbath, in
&s;piritual fa&s;tings and fea&s;tings,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 11.</NOTE> in every In&s;titution of his
thou wilt &s;till find the &s;weetne&s;s and &s;trength of this gracious
Knowledge,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 3.</NOTE> that Chri&s;t may &s;till be thy <HI>All in All.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 23.</NOTE></P>
<P>2.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 6.</NOTE> In thy particular Calling, each Relation towards thy
Neighbour, whereto Providence calls thee orderly, will re|quire
a &s;piritual u&s;e of it, according to the variety of his
di&s;pen&s;ations towards thee.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 3. 6.</NOTE> <HI>In all thy ways acknowledge him,
and he will direct thy paths.</HI> In Pro&s;perity and Adver&s;ity
Chri&s;t is &s;till to be experimentally known. Every &s;mile
and frown of his, every check and &s;troak comes as a Me&s;|&s;enger
with a &s;pecial Errand. All his Providential Ad|mini&s;trations
will declare much of his conjugal Care towards
thee. Thou mai&s;t learn thence to carry a Counterpane in thy
heart and life proportionable to the &s;everal motions of his
hand. In every Condition and occa&s;ion thou wilt find here|by
cau&s;e to ob&s;erve all his ways to be Mercy and Truth to|wards
&s;uch as know him. The Checker work of his Pro|vidence
will hereby appear to be mo&s;t beautifull in the Re|&s;ult,
when all <HI>things &s;hall work together for good,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 27.</NOTE> though &s;ome
particular pa&s;&s;ages may &s;eem har&s;h and di&s;orderly.</P>
<P>2. This gracious knowledge &s;hould be improved Rela|tively
in a Chri&s;tian way of Communication, doing good to
<HI>All,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 6. 10.</NOTE> <HI>e&s;pecially to the hou&s;hold of faith.</HI> Every one in his
place &s;hould therein labor to re&s;emble the God of all Grace,
who is always &s;treaming forth goodne&s;s round about.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5. 44. 45, 48.</NOTE> Its our
honor and happine&s;s to be faithfully active therein, for him,
and like him. By Faith and Prayer, Advice and Coun&s;el,
the meane&s;t may improve Opportunities of &s;erving his Pro|vidence
<PB N="76" REF="51">
for others help. But Superiors in their Relations,
Civil and Military, Oeconomical and Eccle&s;ia&s;tical, are e&s;pe|cially
called thereto by the Lord him&s;elf, who&s;e Sub&s;titutes
they are.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 82. 1, 2, 5.</NOTE> Each of them in their places will find mo&s;t com|fort
in the promoting and improving the gracious knowledge
of Chri&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 8. 15. 16.</NOTE> Encouragements and Directions he affords very
plentifully to all Magi&s;trates and Officers, as al&s;o to all his
Mini&s;ters and Governors of Families, to advance the &s;ame
in its Power and Purity,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 11. 9.</NOTE> that the earth may be filled with
the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the &s;ea. His
Spirit and Providence will &s;ea&s;onably remove <HI>all</HI> Lets and
Ob&s;tacles. Ble&s;&s;ed &s;hall they be who&s;e prudent zeal and
faithfull<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2. 2.</NOTE> Diligence &s;hall be &s;till found &s;ub&s;ervient thereto. To
<HI>know Je&s;us Chri&s;t, and him crucified</HI> was the &s;cope and &s;um of
the great Apo&s;tles preaching and practice; let it be &s;o of ours
that our conjugal Acquaintance with him may effectually be
demon&s;trated to his honor and mans good. This precious jewel
is daily endangered by variety of clo&s;e and open enemies.
Many fal&s;e Lights are daily &s;etting up by the &s;trong factions
of the Prince of darkne&s;s to counterfeit and di&s;grace divine
Light. The publique Intere&s;t as well as our private is wrap|ped
up together and &s;hipped in one Bottom with Chri&s;ts In|tere&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Chro. 28. 9.</NOTE>
Our be&s;t Politicks do wholly depend on the right u&s;e
of this gracious knowledge. Doth not the Lord &s;peak again
to each of his people, e&s;pecially to our noble Worthies, what
he &s;olemly expre&s;&s;ed by the royal Prophet to his famous Son,
<HI>And thou Solomon my Son, Know thou the God of thy Fa|ther,
and &s;erve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind;
If thou &s;eek him,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Corh. 28. 2, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> <HI>he will be found of thee; but if thou for&s;ake
him he will for&s;ake thee.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Chro. 19. 1, 2. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> The like charge he pre&s;&s;ed in effect
upon all Gods people in that great convention of &s;tate. To
further it, mind that.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="77" REF="51">
<HEAD>Doctrine 5. Growing in the Gracious Knowledge of Chri&s;t
is a &s;pecial Go&s;pel-Duty. It becomes Chri&s;tians to be &s;till
growing in that gracious Knowledge. The Apo&s;tle &s;ums all
up in this, as the great work of every Chri&s;tian, from which
none are exempted. Improvement of that &s;ingular Mercy,
mu&s;t needs be a &s;ingular Duty.</HEAD>
<P>THis Spiritual Growth is variou&s;ly expre&s;&s;ed in Scrip|ture-Dialect,
being compared to the growing of corn,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 13.</NOTE>
the encrea&s;e of Light, the &s;preading of a Tree, the augmen|tation
of the Body, the fermentation of Leaven, the ripen|ing
of Vegetables, <HI>&amp;c. All</HI> &s;orts of things natural, civil,
artificial, all vegetative, &s;en&s;itive and rational Beings con|tribute
towards the Illu&s;tration and Re&s;emblance thereof.
Growth &s;till attends Life,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 1. 80.</NOTE> the Principle of it. Chri&s;t him|&s;elf
grew in Grace and Statute before God and Man; &s;o doth
the knowledge of him in every gracious heart; Its thriving
&s;till. The mo&s;t &s;preading plants are u&s;ed &s;till in Scripture
to &s;et forth this &s;piritual Increa&s;e of divine Plants.<NOTE PLACE="marg">The <HI>Iewi&s;h Rabbeis</HI> tell great wonders of the Mu|&s;tard-&s;eeds increa&s;e.</NOTE> They
grow as the Mu&s;tard-&s;eed from &s;mall beginnings to a huge
increa&s;e, e&s;pecially in that Country. They &s;prout as the Lil|ly
for &s;uddenne&s;s, beauty, uprightne&s;s and u&s;e. They &s;pread
as the Vine for abundant fruitfulne&s;s, as the Oak for &s;trength
and durablene&s;s,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ho&s;. 14.</NOTE> as the Cedar for talene&s;s, &s;traightne&s;s and
medicinablene&s;s,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 15.</NOTE> as Ro&s;es for choicene&s;s, plea&s;ure and cordi|al
vertues.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Can. 2. 1, 2.</NOTE> Thus being planted in the hou&s;e of the Lord, they
flouri&s;h in the courts of our God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 92. 12, 13, 14, 15.</NOTE> and mo&s;t in their old age.
Its a choice Duty, obliging all &s;orts in their &s;everal capaci|ties,
which the Go&s;pel-commands and commends frequently
and &s;ingularly; the neglect whereof is as largely reproved,
threatned and vi&s;ited for. The variety of Ordinances and
&s;piritual Provi&s;ions which he affords, &s;o abundantly demon|&s;trate
the &s;ame.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 1. 3, 4.</NOTE> He compares them therefore to the Tree
planted by the water &s;ide,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 22. 1, 2, 14.</NOTE> who&s;e leaves flouri&s;h, and who&s;e
fruit comes &s;till to &s;olid, &s;avory and ripe fruit. Chri&s;t the
tree of Life by his own Growth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev 2 7.</NOTE> teaches them thus to grow,
affording &s;till the &s;weet &s;treams of his gracious Influence,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 17. 7, 8.</NOTE> in
<PB N="78" REF="52">
each Relation from his Per&s;on through his offices,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 23 1, 2.</NOTE> that the
fruits of his progre&s;s and purcha&s;e may be brought forth in<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 5 5. 1.</NOTE>
them Tho&s;e eminent places in <HI>Ezekiel,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 47. 1, 9, 12.</NOTE> and other Scrip|tures
hold this forth to the Life by the increa&s;e and Improve|ment
of the Sanctuary-waters. A fruitfull Parable the Lord
him&s;elf &s;preads before us to expre&s;s this emphatically by a
large and pregnant Allegory,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 15.</NOTE> who&s;e divine Branches have
been elaborately trimmed to this purpo&s;e by a very worthy
Pen.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Dr. <HI>Thomas Goodwin</HI> in his Chri&s;ts Growth.</NOTE> <HI>The God of all Grace likes not to &s;ee his gracious Off|&s;pring
wa&s;ted with Rickets in a decaying po&s;ture.</HI> His Me&s;&s;a|ges
from Heaven to the &s;even Churches of <HI>A&s;ia</HI> te&s;tifie the
&s;ame,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 2.</NOTE> and hold forth a lively re&s;emblance of his various
dealings with his people from that time hitherto,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 3.</NOTE> according
to the various proportions of their Growth or Decay.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Rea&s;on 1.</HEAD>
<P>Their Nature requires it; full of Spirit and Life they are,
and mu&s;t needs grow.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 36. 9.</NOTE> The more of Life in any thing,
the more of Growth.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 5. 12.</NOTE> The more of Spirit, the more of live|line&s;s.
Grace is &s;piritual Life,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 2. 20.</NOTE> the &s;eed of Glory, and eter|nal
Life.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 4.</NOTE> Its the Life of Chri&s;t, the operation of his holy
Spirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 1, 2, 3, 12.</NOTE> as far as man is capable thereof.
The be&s;t of a mans natural Life is but dull and dead, in com|pari&s;on
of this gracious Life. Union to the living God, and
Communion with him in Chri&s;t through the Spirit, is the
Principle of this &s;upernatural Life. The new Creature mu&s;t
needs grow that Partakes &s;o much of the divine Nature in
&s;imilitude,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 15. 6.</NOTE> though not in &s;amene&s;s; in quality, though not in
equality.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 2. 17.</NOTE> Want of lively Principles, makes &s;o many glori|ous
Profe&s;&s;ors to wither and wa&s;te &s;o mi&s;erably.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 129. 6.</NOTE> They were
but &s;eeming Branches,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 90. 5.</NOTE> &amp; as Cions meerly fa&s;tened about the
&s;tock,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 37. 27.</NOTE> but never incorporated therein intimately. They that
have their root and Life from earthly Nature,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 2. 6.</NOTE> &s;till may for a
while flouri&s;h, but will &s;oon be bla&s;ted. The Root and Life of
the new man is above in Gods bo&s;om, in the heart of Chri&s;t,
&s;till &s;upplied by his Spirit to &s;afeguard them from all winter-bla&s;ts
of renewed Temptations and corruptions.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="76" REF="52">
<HEAD>Rea&s;on 2.</HEAD>
<P>Gods honour cals for it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 16. 4.</NOTE> All things are made for him, as
they were framed by him.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 36.</NOTE> <HI>Of him, through him, and to him
are all things,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 60. 21.</NOTE> as in Nature, &s;o in Grace peculiarly. This
people hath he formed for his prai&s;es.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 61. 3.</NOTE> They are the plants of
his &s;etting,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 15. 8.</NOTE> the work of his hand, that he may be glorified. And
herein is <HI>their Father glorified, that they bring forth much fruit.</HI>
The growth of his Garden is the glory of that Divine Hu&s;|bandman.
The thriving of his children mu&s;t needs commend
his Fatherly care.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 28.</NOTE> His Love and &s;ervice cannot but pre&s;s
thereto. If his children be &s;o unlike him, they can neither ho|nour
nor &s;erve him aright.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 25.</NOTE> He hat much work for all his
&s;ervants in every Relation and occa&s;ion. If they be &s;ickly
and wa&s;ting, what are they fit for? Mu&s;t not his people be
lively like him, that they may be &s;til faithful and &s;ucce&s;sful?
The more Chri&s;t is known in a gracious way, the more doth &s;in
wa&s;te, and Grace flouri&s;h.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 14.</NOTE> The vigor of a Chri&s;tian is &s;till in
his Chri&s;t. The Love of Chri&s;t mu&s;t needs con&s;train him to
live more to him, in being more like him. Much &s;trength
and Spirit is &s;till required in every part of the Lords &s;ervice.
He would have us fervent in &s;pirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 1. 9.</NOTE> as <HI>Paul</HI> him&s;elf was there|in,
which doth require a &s;piritual growth to make us vigorous.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 12. 11.</NOTE></P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Rea&s;on 3.</HEAD>
<P>Mans Intere&s;t challenges it, their credit and comfort,
their honour and happine&s;s depend upon their growth. Their
profit and plea&s;ure, their helpfulne&s;s to others &s;till attend the
&s;ame. A wa&s;ting &s;ickly life is as uncomfortable as un&s;ervice|able
to our &s;elves and others. Rickets and Con&s;umptions ren|der
our children u&s;ele&s;s and burthen&s;om; &s;piritual decaies are
far more offen&s;ive unto Gods children. They can neither help
them&s;elves nor others, that are thus pining and con&s;uming.
The life of our life is in our health and &s;trength: without it
we cannot receive nor do good to any purpo&s;e. A di&s;ea&s;ed
Life is but a living Death, and a dying Life. Chri&s;t mu&s;t be
<PB N="80" REF="53">
known more graciou&s;ly &s;til, that we may enjoy more of his
comforts,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 12. 1, 2, 3. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> and be more u&s;eful to all his members. The more
any Limb receives from the head, the more a&s;&s;i&s;tance may the
&s;ame afford unto its Body.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 2, 3. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> We mu&s;t &s;till be deriving from
Chri&s;t, what we are &s;til to communicate to our fellow mem|bers.
Chri&s;tian &s;ympathie and communion will &s;till challenge
&s;erviceablene&s;s from every part of his my&s;tical Body.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>&V;&s;e 1.</HEAD>
<P>See the Nece&s;&s;ity and Benefit of a perpetual Mini&s;try and
Ordinances. They are the &s;pecial means appointed and
ble&s;&s;ed for the promoting of this &s;piritual growth. He gave
<HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 11, 12. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Prophets, Evangeli&s;ts, Pa&s;tors and Teachers for the
perfecting of the Saints, for the Work of the Mini&s;try, for the
edifying of the Body of Chri&s;t, untill we all come into a perfect
man in him, to the full mea&s;ure of his &s;tature; that we hence|forth
be no more children to&s;&s;ed to and fro with every wind of
Doctrine, but &s;peaking the Truth in Love, may grow up into
him in all things, who is the Head, even Chri&s;t.</HI> The &s;lighting
of Chri&s;ts In&s;titutions makes &s;o many to decay apace in their
profe&s;&s;ion and affection, in their parts and practice. They are
the food and refre&s;hings of Gods Hou&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 84.</NOTE> &s;uited to the ca&s;e of
all his children and &s;ervants therein.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 56. 5, 6.</NOTE> The neglect, abu&s;e and
poi&s;oning thereof mu&s;t needs be very &s;inful and woful. How
can they but langui&s;h and peri&s;h, that &s;corn and defile, that
&s;poil and pervert the precious Means of their Life and growth?
Providence ever knits the End and the Means. What the Lord
appoints, he doth &s;urely and &s;ea&s;onably ble&s;s. Out of his road
he will not be look'd for, nor a&s;&s;ure his Grace where he Re|cords
not his Name.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 20. 24.</NOTE> His General pre&s;ence fils all places in|deed,
and Rules in hell it &s;elf Judicially.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 6<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">. 5.</NOTE> But his favourable
and fatherly pre&s;ence,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 6. 46.</NOTE> is to be &s;ought and found in his graci|ous
Ordinances. What can Rebels expect from a Soveraign
who&s;e Orders they &s;til oppo&s;e and reject? Who can look for
the Ble&s;&s;ing of Heaven in following the waies of darkne&s;s?
What hope of growing in any good things, without an&s;wer|able
&s;upplies and relief? We wa&s;te a pace and need refre&s;hing
<PB N="81" REF="53">
&s;till, that we may grow in the knowledge of Chri&s;t.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>&V;&s;e 2.</HEAD>
<P>It may convince and humble all ignorant and negligent
Chri&s;tians. Its our &s;in, let it be our &s;hame and &s;orrow that we
grow &s;o little under &s;uch helps in the Lords husbandry.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Sam. 2. 12.</NOTE> This
evil reigns in mo&s;t, it remains in the be&s;t. Mo&s;t continue in
the love, under the power thereof, making a trade and a &s;port
of it; the be&s;t find much cau&s;e to be &s;till judging them|&s;elves
for the &s;ad Reliques of the&s;e unhappy weeds. The
dunghil abounds continually with filth and Vermin,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 17. 9.</NOTE> &s;o doth
mans unrenewed heart. The be&s;t Garden will ever be troubled
with &s;ome tra&s;h or other to be look'd after. Their ca&s;e is
&s;adde&s;t that are mo&s;t &s;en&s;le&s;s of it, and &s;ecure in it. The &s;ound|e&s;t
bodies retain &s;ome ill humors, that will augment too much
Putrefaction if not timely removed. Thence the cau&s;e of &s;o
many Di&s;ea&s;es that hinder the growth of the inward and out|ward
man. But how dreadful is their condition that &s;til feed
their di&s;ea&s;e, and love nothing but what increa&s;es di&s;tempers?
Corrupt nature &s;til will bring like to like, and undo it &s;elf by
pampering <HI>&s;elf.</HI> God provides us very whol&s;om food in his
Ordinances; but like fooli&s;h children we frowardly di&s;like it,
and prefer any tra&s;h rather. We feed on crude and corrupt
matter which breeds choler, phlegm and worms a pace. Thence
an increa&s;e of putrefaction, which &s;poils our appetite and
taints our palate. Want of exerci&s;e and orderly care in the
wayes of Chri&s;t, makes us &s;uch weaklings, and &s;uch punies in
his Grace and Knowledge. How doth it trouble us to &s;ee our
children wa&s;ting with Rickets, worms and Feavers through
their own folly? Is not our ca&s;e much wor&s;e under our ma|ny
&s;piritual con&s;umptions, &s;til contracted by our negligence?
Let is humble us and make us a&s;hamed, that we grow &s;o
little in that which is good, and &s;o fa&s;t in that which is evil; is
it not our folly and our mi&s;ery? Should not it be our &s;hame
and &s;orrow?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="82" REF="54">
<HEAD>&V;&s;e 3.</HEAD>
<P>Examination. Doth your &s;piritual Life appear to your &s;elf
and others by your growth? Is it univer&s;al, proportional, and
continual? Living things do grow in every part &s;til, with pro|portion
and continuance. Do you thus &s;piritually grow in
the gracious Knowledge of our Lord Je&s;us? Ob&s;erve it in
the particulars.</P>
<P>1. Is it an univer&s;al growth, both internally and externally?</P>
<P>1. Internally, do you grow in every faculty and power of
the inward man?<NOTE PLACE="marg">See Rom. 7.</NOTE> Doth your mind and Judgement, your rea|&s;on
and con&s;cience,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al 119. and other pieces of Saints experi|ences lively anatomized.</NOTE> your will and Affections, your memory
and Sen&s;e grow more &s;piritual, &s;olid and &s;ub&s;tantial? Are you
better acquainted with his Per&s;on and Office, Progre&s;s and
Purcha&s;e, Relation and Influence? Do you feel thereby more
vigor and &s;trength flowing into your &s;oul out of his fulne&s;s?
Do you find his Spirit quickning your &s;pirit by every Ordi|nance
and Providence of his, to an higher Degree of Grace
and Knowledge? Are you more &s;en&s;ible of your need there|of
as of your own in&s;ufficiency to &s;upport and &s;upply you in
every Relation? Do you long for it and delight in it, grieving
for the want, &s;triving after it, re&s;tle&s;s without it, refre&s;hed
with it? Is Chri&s;t &s;weeter, and &s;in bitterer to your &s;oul more
and more?</P>
<P>2.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Naturali&s;ts mention a &s;trange crea|ture, who&s;e skin is as big at its birth as ever after, the internal &s;ub|&s;tance filling it up by de|grees, like a pouch; a gra|cious &s;oul is no &s;uch Mon|&s;ter.</NOTE> Externally, do your leaves, buds and fruit encrea&s;e in
Loveline&s;s towards God and man? Do you grow, as Chri&s;t
did, in Grace and Favour? Is it your &s;tudy, de&s;ign and labour
to perfect holine&s;s in the fear of God, by putting away every
filthine&s;s of fle&s;h and &s;pirit, through the improvement of his
precious Promi&s;es? Is your growth uniform in its univer&s;al
augment? Do you abhor &s;ins of Omi&s;&s;ion, as much as you
do &s;ins of Commi&s;&s;ion? Have you an eye &s;till to the &s;econd
Table, in minding the fir&s;t; and to the fir&s;t, in minding the
&s;econd? Do you make con&s;cience of the lea&s;t Precept, in im|proving
every Promi&s;e? Doth not your Intere&s;t encroach
upon Chri&s;t, or your Neighbours various concernments?
Are you more &s;incere and&punc; &s;elf-denying, more couragious and
<PB N="83" REF="54">
zealous for Truth and for Peace? Do you grow in Patience
and Prudence al&s;o, as in diligence and Dependency? Are
formality and hypocrifie more loath&s;ome &s;til to you as to
God?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob 17. 9.</NOTE> Doth your hand grow &s;tronger and &s;teadier in all of|fices
of Ju&s;tice and Charity as of Piety and true Devotion? Is
your &s;peech active and lively? is your life &s;peaking?</P>
<P>2. Is your growth proportional? Doth it an&s;wer the
mea&s;ure of every part?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 14, 15.</NOTE> Its a Mon&s;ter that grows not aright
in Nature and Grace for quantity, order and quality. Ob|&s;erve
how Plants &s;pread with fit proportions, and &s;en&s;itives in
every member; mind the very growth of your own &amp; others
Bodies, to compare your &s;piritual ca&s;e therewith. Do you
grow downward in &s;elf-denial and humility, as well as upward
in knowledge and comfort? Is there no di&s;proportion be|tween
your profe&s;&s;ion and Conver&s;ation; your parts and
practice? Are not you &s;ick of &s;piritual Rickets that puff up
the head and wa&s;te other limbs? Do your &s;ence and motion
grow &s;piritually, orderly and fitly? Are you not like <HI>Mu&s;h|roms,</HI>
of a &s;udden mon&s;trous di&s;proportionable growth? Hath
every faculty its proper increa&s;e for the &s;ervice of all other
parts? Do you dige&s;t well &s;piritual Nouri&s;hment, which
every part mu&s;t a&s;&s;imilate into its proper &s;ub&s;tance and u&s;e?
Doth your increa&s;e of Gifts and Knowledge,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 1. 9.</NOTE> make you to
grow in all Judgement of Chri&s;tian helpfulne&s;s towards every
Relation above you, about you, under you? Do all the parts
of the New creature keep an harmonious &s;ymmetry and or|derly
motion within you? Is there no excre&s;cence, or exube|rance,
no di&s;location, or di&s;ruption there willingly &s;uffered?
Are not you like <HI>Hydropical</HI> Bodies, puffed up with wind, wa|ter
and humours? Is your Judgement &s;ound, and affections
warm; your will &s;upple, and con&s;cience tender; your tongue
&s;ea&s;oned, and your whole man &s;trengthened daily, by this gra|cious
Knowledge? Doth your Growth an&s;wer Chri&s;t provi|&s;ions?</P>
<P>3. Is it continual? Is it &s;til your de&s;ire and delight, de|&s;ign
and labour to be found ripening towards Gods Harve&s;t?
Is your way &s;til as the morning Light,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 4. 18.</NOTE> which &s;hines more and
more to the perfect day?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob 17. 9.</NOTE> Do you hold on in that <HI>gracious</HI>
<PB N="84" REF="55">
cour&s;e, <HI>waxing &s;tronger and &s;tronger,</HI> as he <HI>that hath pure hands?</HI>
Do you abhor &s;inful Remi&s;&s;ions and intermi&s;&s;ions in your
&s;elf and others? Ob&s;erve the growth of all living things,
how they ha&s;ten &s;til after their proper <GAP DESC="foreign"> and perfection?
Is it &s;o with you on a &s;piritual &s;core?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 12&punc; 13, 14.</NOTE> Have you learned with
<HI>Paul</HI> to forget things behind, and &s;til pre&s;s forward? Do you
therefore labour to <HI>ca&s;t off every weight that doth hinder you,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 1, 2.</NOTE>
<HI>and the &s;in that &s;o ea&s;ily be&s;ets you?</HI> The Lord is continually
dropping down fatne&s;s from Heaven upon you; Do you Re|turn
thither, an&s;wer your Receipts thence? Are you like a
Plant in the Lords Garden, &s;piritual and civil, in Church and
State, ripening &s;till towards a better &s;tate? Do you mark and
bewail your failings &amp; neglects? Do your fals and &s;lips quic|ken
your pace and your watchfulne&s;s? Doth others folly
teach you more wi&s;dom, to walk more &s;teadily in this &s;lippery
age,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 13.</NOTE> whil&s;t the <HI>Seducers</HI> do <HI>wax wor&s;e</HI> and <HI>wor&s;e,</HI> both in <HI>de|ceiving</HI>
and being <HI>deceived?</HI> Are you &s;til &s;triving to grow
better and better?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 13.</NOTE> Are you not like the high way, &s;tony, or
thorny ground,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 8.</NOTE> which are but for a time; but like the good
ground fruitful to perfection?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 12.</NOTE> Do you Re&s;emble tho&s;e true
Believers who through faith &amp; patience <HI>inherited the Promi&s;es;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 10. 36.</NOTE>
rather then <HI>Judas</HI> and <HI>Alexander,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 1. 20.</NOTE> <HI>Anannias</HI> and <HI>Saphira,</HI> with
thou&s;ands more that failed half-way?<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 17.</NOTE> Do <HI>Hymeneus, Phi|letas</HI>
and <HI>Demas</HI> awaken your care,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 4. 10.</NOTE> and quicken your dili|gence,
that you may not prove like to them in for&s;aking
Chri&s;t? Do you give your Lu&s;ts neither Peace nor Truce in
your warfare again&s;t &s;piritual evils?<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4. 15.</NOTE> Doth your profiting in
this Knowledge of Chri&s;t appear unto all in all occa&s;ions?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>&V;&s;e 4.</HEAD>
<P>Be we &s;tirred up to obey this divine Charge of growing in
Grace and in the Knowledge of Chri&s;t. Are not we all near|ly
concern'd therein? Doth not our profit, delight and cre|dit
challenge this from us? Is not Gods Intere&s;t of greater
moment to prevail with us? Should not our Relations to
others put as upon it?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 13. 45, 46.</NOTE> Are not Chri&s;tians &s;piritual Merchants?
Shall we not improve then &s;uch a precious Jewel? Should
<PB N="85" REF="55">
not we &s;till be trading with Chri&s;t in the great Commodities
of Heaven? Strong encouragements we have from all parts
thereof, if but duly weighed. The Trade, the Factor, the
Commodity, the Venture and Gain are beyond compare.
Men improve their grounds, and manage their &s;tate to the be&s;t
advantage, that they may live well. Should not we then im|prove
this &s;tock, and husband this portion upon better ground?
It is a field that will never fail; the more we till it, the more it
will yield. As Chri&s;t him&s;elf, &s;o the knowledg of him, are riche&s;t
Mines &s;till full of Trea&s;ure:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 2.</NOTE> &s;prings of all good &s;till inexhau|&s;tible.
The more you draw the more will follow it;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 3.</NOTE> like the
womans Oil that will never &s;top,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 King. 4. 5, 6.</NOTE> but for want of Ve&s;&s;els.
This improvement will improve all things el&s;e; and without
it nothing will do well. This &s;peak to dead and living.</P>
<P>1. Death Chri&s;tians &s;hould be excited, that they may get
Life, el&s;e they cannot grow. You mu&s;t get the &s;tock before
you can trade. Your heart mu&s;t be renewed that it may be
bettered. Former directions will &s;tand you in &s;tead if duly
minded and ob&s;erved.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 20.</NOTE> You mu&s;t be convinced of your &s;piri|tual
death,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark. <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">0. 46.</NOTE> to feel the need of the Prince of Life. Seek then
to him as blinde <HI>Bartimeus,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark. 8.</NOTE> cry hard after him, let him have no
re&s;t til he give you Life and Light at once. He never yet re|jected
any &s;oul that unfeignedly did attend on him. If you
wait long at <HI>Bethe&s;das</HI> pool,<NOTE PLACE="marg">John 7.</NOTE> its for your good, and he will be
found in the be&s;t &s;ea&s;on; if he put you off as he did that fa|mous
woman of <HI>Canaan,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 15. 22, 23, 24.</NOTE> it is but for trial and to quicken you.
If you cannot go&punc; &s;end your heart and friends, your Prayers
and Tears to give him a call. Be &s;ure to ob&s;erve what he &s;aith
to you in his Word and Providence, as by his Spirit. As
you de&s;ire Life, neglect no Means helping thereto, Looking
&s;til to him for his Ble&s;&s;ing in all. Retain no &s;in, and &s;light no
Duty Voluntarily; give him your bad heart to mend it for
you. Feel your deadne&s;s that he may quicken you. Know the
wor&s;t of your &s;elf by in&s;pection in his Gla&s;s, that you may
learn to know the be&s;t of Chri&s;t. Beware e&s;pecially of your
darling Lu&s;ts,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil 3. 5, 6, 7, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> your <HI>Dalilah</HI> corruptions, whether &s;inful plea|&s;ure,
profit or Pride. Know your wretchedne&s;s and empti|ne&s;s,
your in&s;ufficiency and unworthine&s;s:<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 3. 18.</NOTE> that Chri&s;t may
<PB N="86" REF="56">
be your all,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 30.</NOTE> for Wi&s;dom and Righteou&s;ne&s;s, Sanctification and
Redemption.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 1. 6.</NOTE></P>
<P>2.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"> to &s;tir up and blow the coals; to quic|ken the dying &s;parks, by an elegant Meta|phor.</NOTE> Living Chri&s;tians mu&s;t &s;tir up them&s;elves encrea&s;e this
Life. Rouz up the Grace of God that is within you. Blow
up tho&s;e &s;parks, and make it your work to grow &s;til in Grace
and in the knowledge of our Lord Je&s;us Chri&s;t. Food and
Exerci&s;e, Phy&s;ick and Diet, Temperance and Vigilance will be
found &s;pecial Helps, as for bodily, &s;o for &s;piritual improve|ment
of Life. There is an In&s;tinct in every creature, for &s;elf-pre&s;ervation
and increa&s;e, which moves &s;til towards proper
Objects in all due means.</P>
<P>1. Look well to your food then of a &s;piritual Nature, to
&s;hun what is evil,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob 23. 12.</NOTE> and improve what is good. You mu&s;t there|in
mind the quantity and quality,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 119.</NOTE> the order and &s;ea&s;on of Re|ceving
it for due concoction.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6.</NOTE> The Scripture Word will af|ford
you &s;till the living Bread,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem 15. 16.</NOTE> and the living Water; the fle&s;h
and Blood of Chri&s;t to feed on by Faith.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5. 12, 13, 14.</NOTE> Its <HI>milk for Babes,
and &s;trong meat for</HI> adult Chri&s;tians. Let it not be mixed nor
adulterated by humane additions or detractions.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 2.</NOTE> <HI>Hunger</HI> and
<HI>thir&s;t</HI> &s;til after the Word and Righteou&s;ne&s;s of Chri&s;t. Take
what &s;uits your ca&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5. 6.</NOTE> and ob&s;erve what Rules him&s;elf gives you.
Plain dre&s;&s;ing thereof will be &s;till be&s;t for your profiting. Feel
the need of it, and long after it; cry and &s;eek hard for it, make
good u&s;e of it. You mu&s;t feed well that you may thrive well.</P>
<P>2. See to your exerci&s;e; that it may be moderate, &s;uitable
and &s;ea&s;onable; &s;o will it be of &s;ingular help to di&s;cu&s;s ill hu|mours,
and to augment your native heat, by fit di&s;tribution of
food and Spirits.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts 24. 16.</NOTE> In all the waies of God exerci&s;e your &s;elf
unto Godline&s;s as the Apo&s;tle did for him&s;elf,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4. 7, 8.</NOTE> directing <HI>Ti|mothy</HI>
and all others to the &s;ame.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5. 14.</NOTE> Such an exerci&s;e hath the
<HI>Promi&s;es</HI> of <HI>this Life</HI> and <HI>of that to come,</HI> being &s;till <HI>profitable</HI>
for <HI>all things.</HI> Beware of &s;traying into the devils paths, and
training in his military Yard. You mu&s;t wra&s;tle again&s;t &s;in
and &s;elf, again&s;t &s;piritual enemies of all &s;orts. Your &s;inful bo|dy
mu&s;t be kept under, that you may be nimble and &s;wift in
your Race.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 9 25, 26, 27.</NOTE> The whole Armour of God is furbi&s;hed to your
hands, that you may put it on and u&s;e it with &s;ucce&s;s. Be thus
&s;trong in his &s;trength and in the power of his might,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 6. 10, 11, 12, 13, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> that you
may prevail in all your conflicts.</P>
<P><PB N="87" REF="56">
3. Mind &s;ea&s;onable Phy&s;ick which you will often find the
need of to purge out your peccant humors that are increa|&s;ing
and putrifying &s;till. Your Growth will be &s;topt if the&s;e
<HI>&s;infull</HI> &s;toppages and putrid matters be not duly removed. Ad|vi&s;e
therefore with the be&s;t Phy&s;ician for Pre&s;cripts and Me|dicines
&s;orted to your ca&s;e.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 14. 26.</NOTE> Deal very freely and fully with
him without di&s;&s;embling and re&s;ervation.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal. 4. 2.</NOTE> Give him exact
account of what you do know,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ho&s;. 6. 1, 2.</NOTE> that you may be dealt
throughly with for good;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 32. 39.</NOTE> ob&s;erve his directions with puncutual
care in receiving good,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 51. 9.</NOTE> and e&s;chewing evil. His Skill, Power
and Will are incomparable and unque&s;tionable. His blood
and Grace by his Holy Spirit he mingles in his Word to de|&s;troy
your &s;ins, and to &s;ave your &s;oul. If his Pils appear bit|ter
to, your ta&s;te, they are the fitter to kill your corruptions:
Your eure is certain if you be but ruled under his preparing,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Some di&s;ea&s;es are called <HI>Op|probria Medi|corum.</HI></NOTE>
purging and dre&s;&s;ing. No di&s;ea&s;e ever proved &s;hame to him;
tru&s;t him, obey him, and your ca&s;e is &s;afe.</P>
<P>4. Keep a due Diet as he doth in&s;truct, who orders
all things to his peoples good. To ab&s;tain from evil is &s;till
as needfull as to be doing and receiving good. Ob&s;erve then
what things are mo&s;t offen&s;ive to your con&s;titution,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 5. 22.</NOTE> that you
may avoid the fir&s;t beginnings and appearance thereof. Some
are more bent to pride, others to Pa&s;&s;ion, &s;ome to vanity,
others to wordline&s;s, &s;ome are more lazie, others more wan|ton,
&s;ome grow more &s;ecure, others more fooli&s;h. Error will
tempt you under various &s;hapes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 12. 14.</NOTE> putting on often the Gar|ment
of Light. Ignorance and Pride <HI>will &s;till</HI> cheri&s;h it; &s;elf-conceit
and folly <HI>will &s;till</HI> be its Nur&s;es. Meddle not with
pitch to avoid its filth.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 5. 21.</NOTE> <HI>Trie all things aright, that you may
&s;uck no evil.</HI> Advice from &s;ure hands will pre&s;erve you much
from the common Wo of this erring Age. Improve your
own and others Experience, confirmed to you by Scripture-Records.</P>
<P>5. Forget not Temperance,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil 4. 5.</NOTE> the Nur&s;e of Vertue and the
Ruin of vice. Let your moderation appear to all men, the
Lord is an hand. Sobriety in all things lawfull mu&s;t attend
ab&s;tinence from things unlawfull.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 5 6, 8.</NOTE> The &s;upream Phy&s;ician di|rects
often to this, both by his own mouth and his Servants
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page"><PB N="86" REF="57">
<GAP DESC="duplicate" EXTENT="1 page"><PB N="87" REF="57">
<PB N="88" REF="58">
Pen.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 13.</NOTE> Intemperance is the womb and brea&s;t of all &s;infull
evil that would weaken you. You may &s;oon &s;urfeit with
worldly Creatures, if you be not &s;ingularly carefull; that you
may grow apace in the things of Chri&s;t, be very moderate
in all other things.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Naturae pauca &s;ufficiunt. <HI>Senec.</HI></NOTE> Nature is content with little, and Grace
with le&s;s, where Inordinancy hath not bur&s;t the bounds. Know
well what becomes your Complexion and Condition, that
you may &s;till cut your garment to your cloth, and to your
wearing. He is rich indeed that hath learn't Contentment,
the choice Jewel which Chri&s;t alone gives. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;tudied
long and hard for the &s;ame,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 4. 11, 12.</NOTE> being in&s;tructed in the School of
Heaven.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 6 6, 8, 10.</NOTE> Follow his &s;teps to attain his End: &s;o &s;hall you
know how to want and abound. Godline&s;s with Content
will be your great gain; the Ble&s;&s;ing of the Lord will make
you &s;o rich,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 10. 22.</NOTE> as to add no &s;orrow thereto.</P>
<P>Sixthly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 24.</NOTE> Be very watchfull; this is Chri&s;ts own Rule, often
inculcated to &s;pur on our dulne&s;s.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 25.</NOTE> We naturally are very
drowzy,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark 14.</NOTE> much inclining to &s;loth and &s;lumber. In this &s;lee|py
age the wi&s;e&s;t Virgins contract infection among the foo|li&s;h.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 21.</NOTE>
They all &s;lumber and &s;leep through their own default,
the Bridgroom tarrying for &s;ome longer &s;pace then &s;ome ex|pected.
Watch and pray,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 5.</NOTE> watch and be &s;ober, le&s;t ye be
&s;urprized ere you be ware. You are &s;urrounded with mortal
enemies, very numerous, cruel and cunning: Look well to
your Guards, inward and outward; your danger within is of|ten
greate&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 5. 15, 16.</NOTE> Redeem the time well, walking circum&s;pect|ly,
not as fools,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 4. 2.</NOTE> but as wi&s;e in the&s;e evil days. Watch unto
all good again&s;t every &s;in, &s;o &s;hall you be ready for your
Ma&s;ters comming.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 25.</NOTE> The lazy Servant &s;hall &s;ee him with hor|ror,
whom the diligent &s;hall welcome with Joy. The night of
Ignorance, Error, and all &s;in, is the &s;ea&s;on that requires this
mo&s;t. Troubles of all &s;orts will attend the &s;ame if all due
care be not rightly u&s;ed. Chri&s;t comes as a Thief unexpectedly,
both on the former and this latter world, whil&s;t robbing Spi|rits
are catching abroad. <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed is he that watcheth, and keeps
his Garments.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 16. 15.</NOTE> If any of us be &s;tripped by their Wiles, we
&s;hall be found naked to our open &s;hame. Seducing Spirits do
haunt every place with their cheating drugs and Mountebanck
<PB N="89" REF="58">
Tricks. Look well to your &s;elves and to all under you, that
ye be not poi&s;oned by their Artifice. They can cog the dice,
and &s;huffle their Cards with all nimblene&s;s and &s;ecret me|thods.
The Prince of this world is &s;till teaching them to
abu&s;e Scripture, and corrupt its &s;en&s;e by wre&s;ting its words.
Watch therefore to improve the knowledge of Chri&s;t with
more vigor, zeal and diligence. Be moved thereto by further
viewing the following point, as the Remedy again&s;t &s;uch Ma|ladies.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Doctrine VI. Spiritual Growth is a Soveraign Antidote
again&s;t Error and Apo&s;tacy. This clearly appears from
the re&s;pective A&s;pect of this Text upon the Context, as is im|plyed
in the particle But.</HEAD>
<P>ERror is a &s;ubtile and a &s;trong Poi&s;on, as doth appear from
the former hints. It blinds the Judgement, and mi&s;leads
the &s;oul into Satans road of fal&s;hood and deceit. Spiritual
Errors are mo&s;t dangerous in the great matters of our Salva|tion.
Scruples and doubts are more un&s;ettled; Error grows
fixed, and radicates it &s;elf. In Circum&s;tantials of Religion
there is le&s;s danger among &s;ober and humble Chri&s;tians. If this
di&s;ea&s;e grow to greater height, near the foundation and the
noble parts, t'will be wor&s;e &s;till. If once it &s;trike at Fun|damentals,
its intolerable, not to be born with. The ve|nom
thereof is &s;et out in Scripture by the mo&s;t poi&s;onous
Creatures that can be. Minerals and Plants, Vermin and
Serpents do all come &s;hort in &s;etting it forth. The vile&s;t Ex|crements
and the wor&s;t di&s;ea&s;e cannot &s;ufficiently expre&s;s its
deadline&s;s. Its the &s;ad ab&s;tract of all kind of evil, wherein &s;in and
Sorrow do fully center. All &s;orts, even the be&s;t, being
&s;ubject thereto in different ways, &s;hould be made carefull
to provide again&s;t it. As Countryes vary, &s;o do their poi&s;ons;
as bodies vary, &s;o do their di&s;ea&s;es. This poi&s;onous di&s;ea&s;e
doth likewi&s;e vary on divers accouts to be di&s;tinctly known to|wards
a cure.</P>
<P><HI>Apo&s;tacy</HI> and Revolt from God is a pernicious evil, and the
<PB N="90" REF="59">
common Attendant of Error, which &s;till endangers a Chri&s;ti|ans
&s;tedfa&s;tne&s;s.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 12, 13, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> The word &s;ignifies a turning a&s;ide, and &s;et|ting
mans back again&s;t the living God.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 6. 5.</NOTE> Every &s;in is Gods
enemy,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 17. 9.</NOTE> and turning to &s;in is running from God. In the fir&s;t
<HI>Adam</HI> we revolted all,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 14.</NOTE> and corrupt nature is &s;till bent to &s;in,
through the <HI>&s;infull</HI> venom received from him.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 3. 10, 11. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Chri&s;t the &s;e|cond
<HI>Adam</HI> came into the world to &s;ave his people from
their &s;infull death by a gracious Covenant publi&s;hed in the
Go&s;pel.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 1. 21.</NOTE> Some do embrace it but externally, others cordially.
Satan is <HI>&s;till attempting</HI> to turn every man from it by various
<HI>Errors</HI> and Methods of his.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 1. 72, 73, 74.</NOTE> He prevails with-mo&s;t to their
undoing,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 3. 14.</NOTE> and gains too much credit with the be&s;t. This A|po&s;tacy
and turning from God is total, or partial. Total
Apo&s;tacy raigns &s;till in <HI>all</HI> the unregenerate that do &s;hake off
the good ways of Chri&s;t. Partial Apo&s;tacy often di&s;tempers the
Regenerate to a high degree, though it never proves total
nor final. They turn as far from God as they turn a&s;ide
into crooked ways, being di&s;turbed with the fumes of cor|ruption
and temptation. They turn from one Truth, and then
from another by following Satan and his counterfeit Lights;
from one di&s;ea&s;e they contract another, by the putrifying of
their ill humors to more malignity.</P>
<P>The&s;e dreadfull evils need a Soveraign Antidote, and a &s;u|table
Counterpoi&s;on, that they may not turn all into confu&s;i|on.
All Societies civil and &s;piritual, are very much endan|gered
thereby as well as mens &s;ouls. Spiritual Growth is a
choi&s;e Remedy fitted by the Lord for &s;uch a di&s;ea&s;e. In eve|ry
Country Providence affords &s;ome Pre&s;ervative again&s;t all
di&s;ea&s;es and poi&s;ons that infe&s;t the &s;ame. Wi&s;e Phy&s;itians
know this very well, though they make u&s;e of forraign drugs
al&s;o <HI>ex abundanti.</HI> God hath &s;hewed no le&s;s care of the
&s;ouls of men then of their bodies, having &s;ent his own Son
to be the Saviour and Lord of his people. He is held forth
indefinitely to all that will hear, and is peculiarly given to
&s;uch who&s;e heart is by &s;pecial Grace renewed efficaciou&s;&s;y to
the embracing of him. By his Spirit he draws home his Elect
from among the re&s;t to a conjugal acquaintance with him&s;elf.
This gracious knowledge is to be improved for a &s;ingular An|tidote
<PB N="91" REF="59">
again&s;t &s;infull Errors. It hath appeared to be &s;o in all
ages, and will &s;till be &s;o upon &s;olid grounds which divine Rea|&s;on
&s;ugge&s;ts to us.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Rea&s;on 1.</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">Becau&s;e it removes and prevents the cau&s;es thereof, External
and Internal. The cau&s;e removed, the Effect will cea&s;e.</HEAD>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sublata cau&s;a, tollitur effectus</NOTE> THE <HI>External</HI> Cau&s;es, called evident among Phy|&s;icians,
are all &s;uch as from without endanger men,
as ill Company, Di&s;orders, Infection, Wounds, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> from
Sin and Satan; thus &s;piritually many external cau&s;es do &s;till a&s;|&s;ault
us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5. 14.</NOTE> which the knowledge of Chri&s;t prevents and removes.
A well grown Chri&s;tian <HI>hath his &s;en&s;es exerci&s;ed to di&s;cern aright
between good and evil.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2. 13, 15.</NOTE> <HI>The &s;piritual man judges of all things,
comparing of them &s;piritually.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 22. 3.</NOTE> He is not ea&s;ily caught into
the &s;nare,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 27, 12.</NOTE> but wi&s;ely fore&s;ees it and e&s;capes. He believes not
every Spirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 4. 1, 2.</NOTE> but tries them all by the Lords Touch-&s;tone. He
is forewarned and forearmed &s;till again&s;t Infectious Tempta|tions
of all &s;orts.</P>
<P>2. <HI>Internal</HI> Cau&s;es are either Antecedent and remote, or
continent and proxime, which are bred within by conge&s;tion
and defluxion of &s;everal ill humors, putrifying gradually and
variou&s;ly to the di&s;tempering of the &s;everal parts, and of the
whole al&s;o. Thus &s;infull Corruption doth &s;piritually di&s;or|der
mens &s;ouls. Spiritual Growth affords Chri&s;ts own help
to the purging out of &s;uch ill Humors, Vapors and Spirits.
It kils the worms, takes away &s;toppages, clean&s;es the parts by
all convenient helps, internal and external. It purges the
whole, and then the parts in a due Method, u&s;ing revul&s;ions
and derivations with all &s;ort of evacuations. So far as Grace
is grown up within by the knowledge of Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 3. 3.</NOTE> &s;o far is cor|ruption
purged out gradually.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 13.</NOTE> He that knows him purifies
him&s;elf even as he is pure.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 3. 7, 8, 9.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts own Phy&s;ick di&s;penced
daily in his Word and Providence, is through his Spirit im|proved
that way. <HI>He that is born of God doth not &s;o &s;in,</HI> as he
<PB N="92" REF="60">
did before, neither can he &s;o &s;in, either totally or finally, be|cau&s;e
the &s;eed of <HI>God abides in him.</HI> As he finds corruption
breeding afre&s;h within, its his de&s;ire and de&s;ign, his delight
and labor to cru&s;h the Cockatrice in the &s;hell, and &s;uppre&s;s
the fir&s;t beginnings. He hath a tender heart, &s;en&s;ible of the
fir&s;t &s;tirs, of the lea&s;t vain thoughts, and keeps him&s;elf that the
ev<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">l one touch him not, as before.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>Rea&s;on 2.</HEAD>
<P>Becau&s;e it corroborates and fortifies the noble parts, and
thereby all the re&s;t again&s;t all internal Corruptions and out|ward
Temptations. Thus health and &s;trength are procured
and improved again&s;t the malignity of all &s;piritual di&s;tempers.
Corroboration is a &s;ingular help, as in the bodies, &s;o in the
Souls of men again&s;t all di&s;ea&s;es. Ill Humors do leave in
the parts affected an <GAP DESC="foreign"> and <GAP DESC="foreign">, a Di&s;compo&s;ure
which enfeebles it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sperma morbo|&s;um.</NOTE> and by a ferment and a &s;ickly Spawn, makes
it prone to new di&s;orders. Error and Sin work in the like
manner upon mens &s;ouls,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 21, 22, 23, 24.</NOTE> &s;triking chiefly at the Vitals
and Chief.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 6. 4, 5.</NOTE> The knowledge of Chri&s;t duly improved, doth
orderly eradicate and extirpate it by Communication of
his divine &s;trength to vivification of every Grace,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 3, 4, 5, 6.</NOTE> and
Mortification of the old man in all its Members. The
more a &s;oul lives in him and by him, the more of his re|newed
Supports and &s;upplies come in, which compo&s;e the
Chri&s;tian into &s;piritual health, rectifying every part. All
the faculties are &s;ecured and fortified thereby again&s;t Re|lap&s;es
and &s;truglings of &s;in.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 4. 13.</NOTE> Such can do all things through
Chri&s;t &s;trengthning them.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 3. 5.</NOTE> The &s;en&s;e of their own in&s;uffi|ciency
drives them &s;till to his Al-&s;ufficiency,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 10.</NOTE> that his Grace
may be &s;ufficient for them,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 12. 7, 8.</NOTE> and his Vertue perfected in
weakne&s;s.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="93" REF="60">
<HEAD>Rea&s;on 3.</HEAD>
<P>Becau&s;e it derives &s;till a &s;pecifick Vertue out of Chri&s;t
him&s;elf,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 103. 3.</NOTE> who&s;e Soveraign Property mingled with all due
means of his appointing,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 1. 4.</NOTE> affords &s;till a &s;ure Pre&s;ervative:
Phy&s;icians ob&s;erve the &s;pecifick Vertue of natural Medi|cines,
&s;imple and compound, which renders the whole effec|tual
towards bodily cures. Such a &s;ignally peculiar force
is found in the Lords choice Antidote, di&s;pen&s;ed to his Pa|tients.
The knowledge of Chri&s;t duly improved, fetches
out of him that wonderfull Grace which he mingles with
all the Medicines appointed for their good. His Blood is
that <HI>Aurum potabile</HI> and <HI>Panpharmacum,</HI> that Catholicon
and Elixer of Life which &s;anctifies all things effectually to
his Peoples good.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 8. 22.</NOTE> The more any &s;oul grows up into ac|quaintance
with him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Plin. Solin.</NOTE> the more u&s;e is made of that Sove|raign
Balm of <HI>Gilead,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 53. 5.</NOTE> flowing from the Phy&s;icians very
heart.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Jer. 17. 24.</NOTE> The <HI>Pelican</HI> is &s;aid to cure his little ones with his
own blood.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 24.</NOTE> Chri&s;t to be &s;ure makes this good to his. His
Grace is the Ba&s;is of every Do&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 4. 23.</NOTE> of every Topick, of
every means appointed by him.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">, greater and le&s;&s;er.</NOTE> The &s;tronge&s;t poi&s;on is
quelled thereby, the &s;toute&s;t humors are &s;ubdued, the &s;o|re&s;t
ob&s;tructions are removed, and the wor&s;t Maladies cured
by the &s;ame.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 105. 20.</NOTE> He healed all manner of di&s;ea&s;es and &s;ickne&s;&s;es
among the people in their bodies and &s;ouls,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 3. 7.</NOTE> in his progre&s;s
on earth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">A Magi&s;trate is a State-Phy|&s;ician.</NOTE> and he doth &s;o &s;till by his Spirit from heaven. His
Word and Ordinances are the proper means u&s;ed by him
for application thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 20. 26.</NOTE> He employes his &s;ervants of the
Magi&s;tracy and Mini&s;try to ob&s;erve his will in the right u&s;e
thereof by all fit helps Spiritual and Civil.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ho&s;. 7. 1.</NOTE> His Providence
points out the ca&s;e to be dealt with all &s;piritual skil. Our
Antidote improved affords every Chri&s;tian to manage all
aright. His &s;pecial Ble&s;&s;ing he affords in all according to Pro|mi&s;e.
The Rea&s;on is good; make good u&s;e of it.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="94" REF="61">
<HEAD>&V;&s;e 1.</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">Corollar. 1.</HEAD>
<HEAD TYPE="sub">Hence may we view the Ground and Cure of our &s;piritual Di|&s;tempers
in all Relations.</HEAD>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ho&s;. 7. 1.</NOTE> THE <HI>Ground</HI> is much from want of &s;piritual Growth
in the be&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 6. 14.</NOTE> as from want of Life in mo&s;t. Were
Chri&s;t known to better purpo&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 8. 11.</NOTE> both Church and State
would not be &s;o &s;ickly.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 15. 18.</NOTE> But the mo&s;t are ignorant of him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 51. 8.</NOTE> and
the be&s;t much too blame.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 34. 4.</NOTE> Thence &s;o many di&s;ea&s;es and &s;ores
in all Relations and Societies.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ho&s;. 11. 3.</NOTE> Every Per&s;on, every Fami|ly
finds cau&s;e to complain, becau&s;e the Lord Chri&s;t is &s;o
much &s;lighted.<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Evange|li&s;ts vary the phra&s;e; he would not &s;aith one, he could &s;aith the other; he would not, he could not.</NOTE> No wonder if the &s;ickne&s;s increa&s;e, and the
venom &s;preads, when &s;uch a Phy&s;ician with his Antidote are &s;o
ba&s;ely u&s;ed. Wi&s;e men ea&s;ily &s;ee whence this evil comes and is
aggravated. Gro&s;s wilfull unbelief is the fore&s;t di&s;ea&s;e that
aggravates the ca&s;e, making it de&s;perate. This was the ca&s;e
of Gods people of old in the wilderne&s;s and <HI>Canaan,</HI> again
and again.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 13. 58.</NOTE> They &s;lighted Chri&s;t and his Me&s;&s;engers, till they
were grown beyond all Remedy.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 6. 6.</NOTE> It may give us warning.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 17. 20. Heb. 3. 18, 19. P&s;alm 95. 2 Chron. 36. 16. Till there was no healing. <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>Sanatio.</HI></NOTE></P>
<P>2. The <HI>Cure</HI> and Method of Relief is hence ob&s;ervable;
the Lord hath not left us yet remedile&s;s. There is Balm
in <HI>Gilead,</HI> and a Phy&s;ician there with Soveraign Vertue to
cure our I&s;rael.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 8. 22.</NOTE> The Method thereof appears clearly from
what hath been &s;aid.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 57. 18, 19.</NOTE> This gracious knowledge will afford
us the &s;ure Medicines for a di&s;tracted Church and a di&s;com|po&s;ed<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 30. 17.</NOTE>
State.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 19, 21, 24.</NOTE> Any di&s;ea&s;ed &s;oul and di&s;ordered Family may
hence take Receipts with the be&s;t <HI>Probatum.</HI> Politicians would
prove far more pro&s;perous,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 8. 9.</NOTE> would they &s;tudy Chri&s;t more,
and <HI>Machiavel</HI> le&s;s.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 23. 22.</NOTE> Did Mini&s;ters know him more graci|ou&s;ly,
they would meet &s;urely with better &s;ucce&s;s. Did all
Superiors attend his Pre&s;cripts, every bu&s;ine&s;s would find un|der
<PB N="95" REF="61">
them much facility. Did private Chri&s;tians ob&s;erve this
better, they would &s;ure enjoy much of Truth and Peace, both
for the internal and external man. <HI>The Lord thy Phy&s;itian,</HI> is
his Title of honour,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exo. 15. 26.</NOTE> which Chri&s;t &s;ets up by his great Herauld,
and proclaims to his people for &s;peedy help in every trouble.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>&V;&s;e 2.</HEAD>
<P>It &s;hould admoni&s;h all carnal and notional Chri&s;tians, under
the total Reign, or partial Remainder of Spiritual Errors and
Revolts. What pity is it that &s;uch a choice Help &s;o freely
tendered &s;hould be &s;o ba&s;ely &s;lighted and abu&s;ed! Doth not
this Point then ju&s;tly Reprove.</P>
<P>1. Such as are under the total Reign of &s;in and Error, all
&s;inners in grain? Is not your ca&s;e very woful indeed, that
wilfully abide in a Chri&s;tle&s;s &s;tate, by &s;till abiding in a &s;inful
&s;tate? Sin is your plague and you know it not; Error Rules
in you and you feel it not; why are you &s;en&s;le&s;s in &s;uch a
danger? Becau&s;e &s;in is there in its Element. Your di&s;ea&s;e is
a &s;leepy feaver, or a phrantick madne&s;s; el&s;e you would never
&s;light Chri&s;ts Phy&s;ick no more then his Per&s;on. You <HI>feed</HI> upon
<HI>a&s;hes,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 44. 20</NOTE> <HI>a deceitful heart hath carried</HI> you a&s;ide that <HI>you cannot</HI>
&s;ee the <HI>lye</HI> in <HI>your right</HI> hand.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Object.</NOTE> It may be you think you Re|ject
not Chri&s;t: why then do you reject his Terms, and prefer
your own?<NOTE PLACE="marg">An&s;w.</NOTE> Why do you &s;til love what he loaths, and loath
what he loves? Why do you then continue &s;til in the love and
trade of your darling &s;ins, &s;ecret or gro&s;s? Why do you &s;til
provide for your Lu&s;ts, and plead for them, covering of them,
mincing the matter and returning &s;till thereto as the dog and
&s;wine?<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 22.</NOTE> Why do you &s;til then loath his Ordinances, his Word
and Sabbath, his &s;ervice and &s;ervants? Do you pretend Alle|giance
to him, and yet continue &s;til in Rebellion? Do you
profe&s;s to own his marriage terms, and yet remain &s;til wed|ded
to the world, to your gain and will, to &s;en&s;ual plea&s;ure and
windy honour? Do you profe&s;s to believe in Chri&s;t, and yet
will not do what he bids you, nor forbear what he forbids?
This is to mock,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 7. 23.</NOTE> not to honour Chri&s;t; he knows you not,
that wilfully and con&s;tantly work iniquity in opinion,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 13. 27.</NOTE> affecti|on,
or life.</P>
<P><PB N="96" REF="62">
2. Under the partial Remainders thereof will Regnerate
Saints be found, though not all alike. The be&s;t therefore may
ju&s;tly be Reproved for their &s;inful e&s;trangedne&s;s from Chri&s;t.
Is not this the cau&s;e of &s;o many Errors and Revolts, our not
growing in that gracious Knowledge that would prove our
Soveraign Antidote? Why do we &s;tudy the Lord Chri&s;t &s;o
little and the world &s;o much? Is not our ignorance and &s;elf-conceitedne&s;s,
our &s;loth and neglect about this main thing, the
great cau&s;e of our &s;ad di&s;tempers? Factions and Fractions
we ju&s;tly bewail in every Relation. Mo&s;t carry fire and fuel
to the common Incendy to encrea&s;e it &s;til; few mind the wa|ter
of the Sanctuary for to quench the &s;ame. Do not the be&s;t
find upon due &s;earch much of &s;elfi&s;hne&s;s in all di&s;putes and
controver&s;ies? Do they not al&s;o find in their private affairs
how much &s;elf is preferred before Chri&s;t? Should not this
great evil humble our &s;ouls deeply, that we thus <HI>for&s;ake the
Fountain of living Waters,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 2. 13.</NOTE> <HI>and dig unto our &s;elves broken emp|ty
Ci&s;terns that will hold no water?</HI> Is this our kindne&s;s to our
deare&s;t friend? Is this our Loyalty to our dread Soveraign?
Is this our love to our &s;elves and Neighbor, to de&s;pi&s;e thus the
only way of cure? Be we a&s;hamed of this vile neglect, that
Chri&s;ts Truth and Waies have &s;uffered &s;o much through our
great folly. Are our experiences of &s;o little worth, and our
acquaintance with Chri&s;t &s;o incon&s;iderable, that we &s;light all,
and yield to every a&s;&s;ault of temptation and corruption, draw|ing
us a&s;ide?</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>&V;&s;e 3.</HEAD>
<P>Enquiry and &s;earch into our &s;piritual &s;tate; our Complexi|on
may be hence ob&s;erved, that the Tokens of our Per&s;onal
and publike Con&s;titution may be duly brought to Divine
Te&s;t.</P>
<P>1. Hence may every one per&s;onally view his ca&s;e and &s;tate
towards Eternity. We are all by Nature deadly &s;ick of &s;in,
&s;till &s;ubject to Error and Apo&s;tacy of the ba&s;e&s;t kind. Our
hearts are full of mortal poi&s;on, carrying &s;till within the &s;eed
and Root of the wor&s;t di&s;ea&s;e naturally and &s;piritually. What
<PB N="97" REF="62">
Antidote have we got again&s;t all &s;uch dreadful evils? Have
we learned Chri&s;t in the truth of him, that our gracious know|ledge
might &s;til be growing? Are we thereby fenced again&s;t
the &s;inful cau&s;es of Error and Revolt? Are we daily morti|fying
&s;in, dying to the world, re&s;i&s;ting Tempters, denying
our &s;elves through the knowledge of Chri&s;t? Are we &s;till
fortifying our &s;ouls with his precious Grace, that all our Fa|culties
may be pre&s;erved in &s;piritual health again&s;t &s;in and Er|ror?
Do we rightly apply the vertue of this Chri&s;t in each of
his &s;pecifick properties, whil&s;t we attend his will and Ble&s;&s;ing
in the diligent u&s;e of all the means appointed by him? Do we
&s;till mind his Word and Blood, his Grace and Favour in every
Ordinance and Providence through his Spirits help?</P>
<P>2. May we not hence al&s;o take a Publick E&s;timate of the
&s;tate of Affairs in this place, in this Land, in this Republique,
yea of any place what&s;oever? The true Progno&s;ticks of pre|&s;ent
and future Weal, or Wo, will be hence made per&s;picu|ous.
Away with Star-gazers and carnal wi&s;dom, that we may
con&s;ult with Gods own Per&s;onal Wi&s;dom. How far are we
then in a publike po&s;ture acquainted with Chri&s;t? How far is
that Acquaintance improved? Re&s;olve the&s;e queries, and the
ca&s;e will be as clear as Noon-day. God may &s;ave us with A
Notwith&s;tanding miraculou&s;ly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 106. 8.</NOTE> at his own plea&s;ure. But we
mu&s;t judge of per&s;ons and things by the known Rule of his
Word, compared with Providence. So far as we &s;light Chri&s;t
publickly in any concernment of his, &s;o far may we rational|ly
expect that he &s;hould &s;light us in our concernments.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 21. 27.</NOTE> Let
every one make due application as he &s;hall &s;ee cau&s;e in all<NOTE PLACE="marg">Hag. 2. 6, 7.</NOTE>
publike Affairs,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 26, 27.</NOTE> whil&s;t God is &s;haking and overturning all
things in the Nations, and will do &s;o &s;till, til Chri&s;t come to his
Right to fill his hou&s;e with Glory.</P>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>&V;&s;e 4.</HEAD>
<P>May be for coun&s;el to all Chri&s;tian Profe&s;&s;ors; prize and de|&s;ire,
embrace and in&s;ure, Keep and improve this precious
Antidote. Its an infectious &s;ea&s;on, it concerns all to look
to them&s;elves, and therefore look well after this Antidote,
<PB N="98" REF="63">
to prevent and remove all &s;inful di&s;ea&s;es. That it may be yours
effectually thus,</P>
<P>1. Prize it, undervalue it not; con&s;ider its worth and &s;in|gular
u&s;e. Its Chri&s;t him&s;elf with his &s;aving Grace that is to
be duly known and improved. Let no creature then come in|to
competition. Chri&s;t will endure no Corrival nor Superi|our.
Let not any darling &s;in be cheri&s;hed now to undervalue
Chri&s;t. If he be not infinitely better, mind him not at all; if
he be, mind him above all.</P>
<P>2. De&s;ire it, di&s;dain it not. So lovely, &s;o needful an Object
&s;hould &s;et all your Affections on flames. You have di&s;dain|ed
him too long already; is it not high time to long for him,
to breath and pant, till you obtain him? What would a dy|ing
man give for a &s;ure cure? a condemned man for a pardon?
a drowning man for help? Let your heart give that, and all to
this Chri&s;t.</P>
<P>3. Embrace it, reject it not; accept of him if you love
your &s;elf, upon his own Terms. If you capitulate, or re&s;erve
any thing, Chri&s;t will none of you. This offer may be your
la&s;t. Let your whole &s;oul now clo&s;e freely with him in a Con|jugal
way,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 1. 12.</NOTE> by mutual con&s;ent. Receive and Take that you may
be One, and may know him thus and your &s;elf aright.</P>
<P>4.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor 1. 22.</NOTE> In&s;ure it, neglect it not; you have his In&s;uring Office
to make all clear and firm.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 1. 13.</NOTE> His Spirit within by his privy Seal;
his Sacraments and Ordinances without,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 4. 30.</NOTE> by a broad Seal rati|fie
his gracious Covenant.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 4. 11.</NOTE> Ob&s;erve and grieve not that Spirit
of Adoption, that mu&s;t witne&s;s within by evidencing Grace,
and operate without in all the means of Grace, for the Ob|&s;igation
and &s;ecurity of your Intere&s;t.</P>
<P>5.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Hipocrat.</NOTE> Keep it, lo&s; it not; &s;o Rare a Jewel, &s;o choice an An|tidote
&s;hould be laid up with all po&s;&s;ible care.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Paulus. <HI>See</HI> Ga|len. Avicen. A|verroes. Me&s;ue. Avenzoar, Serap. Reub. de Gemm. <HI>and all modern Phy&s;itians of all Nations.</HI></NOTE> Precious &s;tones
are found to be &s;pecifick Cordials again&s;t various di&s;ea&s;es and
poi&s;ons. This choi&s;e&s;t Jewel &s;hould be chiefly &s;et in the Gol|den
Ring of a gracous &s;oul, to be worn and kept again&s;t all
danger. Beware of &s;ullying, breaking and hurting &s;o curious
a Piece.</P>
<P>6. Improve it, abu&s;e it not; This precious knowledge was
never intended to feed vain Notions, or vile Affections: but
<PB N="99" REF="63">
to fence you again&s;t every evil, and help you effectually to
all true good. Improve it therefore unto &s;uch Ends, wherein
you may be &s;ure of Gods Ble&s;&s;ing. There was never more
need of &s;uch an Antidote, to pre&s;erve Chri&s;tians from Epide|mical
&s;ins. This gracious Knowledge of Chri&s;t well impro|ved
hath vertue enough to fortifie you again&s;t all the Wiles
of the wicked, and all the deceits of your &s;inful hearts; make
u&s;e of it then again&s;t every Temptation and corruption, e&s;pe|cially
again&s;t Errour, the woful di&s;ea&s;e of this &s;inful
Age; There was never more need of Chri&s;ts help again&s;t &s;o
many unclean &s;pirits, en&s;naring many &s;imple hearts. Prudence
and Zeal are here mo&s;t needful,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Sam. 15. 11.</NOTE> to di&s;cern aright of per&s;ons
and things.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 15, 16.</NOTE> Some good men are drawn in on mi&s;takes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 6. 16.</NOTE> as the
four hundred that followed <HI>Ab&s;alom</HI> in their &s;implicity.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 14. 1, 2, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Some
Errors are more &s;uperficial wherein Chri&s;tians mu&s;t bear with
each other,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 6. 1, 2, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> walking together as far as they agree, waiting for
the Lords further di&s;covery.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 1, 2.</NOTE> Many Errors are &s;o fundamen|tal,
that they are incon&s;i&s;tent with the hope of Salvation,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iud. 3. 22, 23.</NOTE> and
mu&s;t be earne&s;tly <HI>contended again&s;t,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 5.</NOTE> by due improvement of this
Antidote;<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4. 1, 2. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> all of them militate again&s;t Chri&s;t, either directly
or reflectively, in oppo&s;ition to all that is near and dear unto
him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 3. 10.</NOTE> variou&s;ly a&s;&s;aulting.</P>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Ioh. 7. 8, 9. 10.</NOTE> His Deity; which the <HI>Arrians,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 1. 8.</NOTE> and <HI>Sabellians</HI> bla&s;phe|mou&s;ly
denied, making him but a <HI>Deus factus;</HI> and the <HI>Soci|nians</HI>
after them, following therein both the <HI>So|cinus</HI>'s,
Uncle and Nephew;<NOTE PLACE="marg">About the&s;e &s;ee at large <HI>Epi|phan.</HI> Augu&s;tin. Eu&s;eb. Socrat. Concilior. Tom. Danaeum; Chamier. Iunium. Paraeum. <HI>Simp&s;ons</HI> Hi&s;tory of the Church. Hi&s;tory of <HI>Socin.</HI> Anatom. of <HI>Socin. Cheynels Trinunity. Centuriat. Magdeb.</HI> a Te&s;timony born to Chri&s;t by the <HI>London</HI> Mini&s;ters, with <HI>Lyfords</HI> Explanation thereof, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> who&s;e <HI>Italian</HI> Venom
carried &s;o much infection into <HI>Poland</HI> (lately re|vived
by too many among us, as by <HI>Paul Be&s;t.
Biddle,</HI> &amp;c.) as it hath been &s;cattered in <HI>Tran&s;il|vania,</HI>
and Neighbouring parts by divers &s;uch In|&s;truments.
<HI>Turks</HI> and <HI>Jewes</HI> agree with them
therein. For the prevention and cure of this
deadly plague, &s;piritual growth in the Grace and
Knowledge of Chri&s;t will be a &s;pecial Antidote
faithfully improved; fortifying your &s;oul with
his Truth, making you to feel the Power of his
Godhead through the beam of that Sun of Righteou&s;ne&s;s.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 10.</NOTE>
Rea&s;on and Experience thus &s;piritualized will demon&s;trate<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal. 4. 2,</NOTE>
<PB N="100" REF="64">
to you and to others by you, the Record which God bears of
his Son,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 2. 9.</NOTE> <HI>in whom dwels the fulne&s;s of the Godhead bodily,</HI> or
e&s;&s;entially as the Greek <GAP DESC="foreign"> imports.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 1. 3.</NOTE> The &s;ame Titles
and Attributes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 1. 2, 3.</NOTE> the &s;ame Wor&s;hip and works a&s;cribed to God
the Father,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb 3. 4.</NOTE> are al&s;o a&s;cribed to God the Son. The wretched
<HI>Arrians</HI> called Chri&s;t in &s;corn <GAP DESC="foreign">, a diminutive God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark 2. 7, 8, 9, 10.</NOTE>
and would grant him to be <GAP DESC="foreign">,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 6. 8.</NOTE> of a like &s;ub&s;tance, but
denied him to be <GAP DESC="foreign"> of the &s;ame &s;ub&s;tance.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 2. 23.</NOTE> Were he not
God co-e&s;&s;ential and co-eternal with the Father,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 15. 24, 26.</NOTE> how could
he be one with him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 1. 4.</NOTE> as him&s;elf affirms?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 4. 6.</NOTE> How could he have
made infinite &s;atisfaction and procured infinite Salvation?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 20. 28.</NOTE>
How could he have born Gods infinite wrath for his peoples
&s;ins?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 4. 10.</NOTE> What &s;hall we think of tho&s;e quaking Impo&s;tors, that
own no Chri&s;t above,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 10. 30.</NOTE> but whats in them, that renew the Ran|ters
bla&s;phemy of Gods being all things, their being Chri&s;t|ed,
<HI>&amp;c?</HI> Do they not affront the God of Glory? The God-head
of Chri&s;t takes up man to God, conveying from God
all good through his Manhood. There mu&s;t be our &s;trength
again&s;t every &s;in,<NOTE PLACE="marg">About this read <HI>Beckmans</HI> exercit. again&s;t <HI>Behmen.</HI> The Hi&s;tory of Fa|mili&s;ts: the an&s;wers to Quakers by many godly Mini&s;ters. <HI>Hornebeck de Anabapt. Ger|man. Epiphan. de haeret. Augu|&s;tin. Danaeum.</HI> Bi&s;hop <HI>&V;&s;her</HI> of Chri&s;ts In|car. <HI>&amp;c. Dow|names</HI> Body of Divinity, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> that Chri&s;t our &s;urety is the ble&s;&s;ed God.</P>
<P>2. His Humanity variou&s;ly a&s;&s;aulted by Notioni&s;ts of an
old and new &s;tamp, by many <HI>Behmeni&s;ts</HI> and the &s;warms of
Quakers, who have con'd too much of their my&s;terious ab|&s;urdities.
This poi&s;on once got into mens Brains ca&s;ts them in|to
&s;trange dreams about Chri&s;ts manhood; which they fancy
to have been but a fiction and figure, a Phanta&s;m and Appari|tion,
that vani&s;hed after a while, to repre&s;ent that within them
which they call Chri&s;t. To repre&s;s tho&s;e pe&s;tiferous fumes
from intoxicating your head and heart, your Antidote will
inform your Judgement with the Truth, and warm your heart
with the &s;ub&s;tantial goodne&s;s of his human Nature. It will
&s;hew you out of Scripture, that he is truly the <HI>Son of man,
who took on him the &s;eed of</HI> Abraham, <HI>was made fle&s;h, in all
things like to us except &s;in. Without controver&s;ie, Great is the
My&s;terie of Godline&s;s; God manife&s;t in the fle&s;h, ju&s;tified in the
Spirit, &s;een of Angels, believed on in the world, preached to the</HI>
Gentiles <HI>received up into Glory.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 2. 16.</NOTE> Had he not been a real man,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 1. 14.</NOTE>
how could he have &s;uffered on his peoples behalf?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 4. 15.</NOTE> How
could he have made his &s;oul an offering for &s;in?<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 3. 16.</NOTE> His &s;uffer|ings<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 53. 10.</NOTE>
<PB N="101" REF="64">
were mo&s;t real &s;ure,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 22. 44.</NOTE> that forced from him &s;uch a bloody
&s;weat,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"> qua&s;i grumo&s;us &s;anguis largi|ter defluens.</NOTE> in the open air of a cold &s;ea&s;on, and that in the night;
that made him cry out &s;o lamentably, <HI>My God, my God, why
ha&s;t thou for&s;aken me?</HI> that &s;pent him wholly to his la&s;t breath,
with a mo&s;t cruel and painful torment.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 23. 46.</NOTE> They might as well de|ny
the Sun-light at noon-day,<NOTE PLACE="marg">So far as Scri|pture teaches to Allegorize, as <HI>Galat.</HI> 4. Its very u&s;eful, &s;o as &s;till to re|tain the proper &s;ence of the place. But to &s;train Alle|gorles to the de&s;troying of Truth, is a dreadful wre&s;ting and wracking of Scripture, all &s;orts of mon&s;trous Errors in every Age.</NOTE> who deny this Truth. To turn
plain Scripture into Allegories, is to turn &s;ub&s;tance into a &s;ha|dow.
It co&s;t <HI>Origen</HI> a &s;elf-mutilation, for mutilating divine
writings thus. He was called <HI>Centaur,</HI> for mon&s;trous Opini|ons,
flowing from Allegorical &s;trainings of Scripture. Chri&s;ts
Manhood &s;hould be &s;o precious to us as not to endure af|fronts
put on it. Therein God and man do mo&s;t &s;weetly
meet; which will help weak faith in every time of need.</P>
<P>3&punc;<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>See</HI> Epiphan. Eu&s;eb. Augu&s;t. Socrat. Daneus. Calvin. Centur. Magdeb. Simp|&s;ons <HI>Hi&s;t. of the Church.</HI> Cha|mier. Pan&s;trat. Hornebeck de variis heretic. Chemnit. exam. Ame&s;. Bell. E|ner. <HI>Anatom. of the Ma&s;s by</HI> Mornay; Ana|tomie dela Me&s;&s;e, par Mou&s;ieur du Moulin. Willets Synop&s;. Perkins Reform. Catho|lick. Iun. An|tibellarm. <HI>Not. Books again&s;t Quakers.</HI> Pa|gets Here&s;iogr.</NOTE> Again&s;t both the parts of his humane nature, his &s;oul
and Body, many al&s;o fight: <HI>Apollinarius</HI> denying him a hu|man
&s;oul; as if the Godhead had &s;upplied the want thereof.
<HI>Eutyches</HI> de&s;troyed both, by his pretended &s;wallowing of them
up into the Divine Nature. The <HI>Manichees</HI> and <HI>&V;alentinians</HI>
allowed him but an aery phanta&s;tical Body, running through
the womb of <HI>Mary</HI> as through a Pipe. <HI>Mahometans</HI> fain it
to have pa&s;&s;ed through <HI>Maries</HI> Paps, and by the &s;mell of a
Ro&s;e. Divers Noveli&s;ts are daily broaching &s;trange conceits
about it. The <HI>&V;biquitarians</HI> give him a mon&s;trous Body, im|men&s;e
and filling all places; the Papi&s;ts as mon&s;trou&s;ly would
have his Body to be di&s;tinctly in many places at once; to be
without quantity, without exten&s;ion, without &s;en&s;ible acci|dents:
to be made a new daily at the Prie&s;ts will: to be broken
and not broken by him&s;elf, and by all their Prie&s;ts, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Many
&s;uch contradictions again&s;t Scripture and &s;ence, Rea&s;on and
all Sciences they are forced to for their fictitious Tran&s;ub&s;tan|tiation
&s;ake. All &s;uch Malignant vapours which infe&s;t many,
will be effectually di&s;pelled by the right u&s;e of your &s;piritual
confection. Chri&s;t was and abides ever a perfect man, con|&s;i&s;ting
of Soul and Body, both &s;ub&s;i&s;ting in his divine Per&s;on,
<PB N="102" REF="65">
being united to the divine Nature therein. It will &s;hew you,
that his &s;oul was &s;orrowful to death,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. 38.</NOTE> and was made &s;en&s;ible of
all humane affections, though without &s;in: as clear Chry&s;tal
water moved without any mud. It will teach you that his Bo|dy
had fle&s;h and bones after his Re&s;urrection as before, which
a &s;pirit hath not.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 24. 39.</NOTE> That the &s;ame Body did vi&s;ibly a&s;cend into
Heaven,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 1. 9. 11.</NOTE> before the Di&s;ciples eyes, and &s;hal return thence in the
&s;ame manner.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 3. 21.</NOTE> That the Heavens mu&s;t hold him, till the Re|&s;tauration
of all things.<NOTE PLACE="marg">The <HI>Seulicians</HI> of old &s;hewe'd their Enmity to Chri&s;t, as modern No|oni&s;ts in faigning a di&s;tinctive di&s;&s;iolution of Chri&s;ts hu|mane nature.</NOTE> That the glorifying of his Body hath
not, could not have annihilated it, or changed the &s;ub&s;tance,
though it hath bettered the qualities thereof. It will help
you to know the fle&s;h of Chri&s;t &s;piritually, though you learn
<HI>to know him no more after the &s;le&s;h carnally.</HI> It will teach you
that his bare fle&s;h, and the fle&s;hly &s;ence thereof, profits nothing
a Capernaiti&s;h &s;oul, being de&s;titute of his Spirit: but that its
his Spirit that quickens us, giving Life to his fle&s;h and to his
Word, that both may be Spirit and Life to us in a &s;piritual and
lively improvement.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 16.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts manhood is that precious Golden
Ring,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 6. 63.</NOTE> that &s;ets forth the Jewel of his Godhead to us. Its a cu|rious
Vail of his contriving, that his glorious face may through
it be beheld. Its a Chry&s;tal Gla&s;s of the Lords framing, to
reflect thereby his Image upon us. Out of Chri&s;t God is a
con&s;uming fire, but thereby he becomes a Reconciled Father.
If Chri&s;t were not man &s;till, there were no hopes for man; if
we know him not thus, we know him not at all. Its not a fig|ment
of our own divi&s;ing, but the man <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us</HI> that
mu&s;t be our Saviour. He cannot be ours unle&s;s wholly ours.</P>
<P>4.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Hi&s;tor.</HI> Con|cil. Eu&s;eb. Epiphan. Au|gu&s;tine, Baron. Annal. Gen|tur. Magde|burg. Chamier. Phan&s;tr. <HI>Anat. of</HI> Socin. <HI>Hi|&s;tor of</HI> Socin. Iun. de Trin. Cheynels Triunity, Calvin. Paraeus.</NOTE> Again&s;t his Per&s;on, appear, <HI>Ne&s;torius</HI> dividing it into two
Per&s;ons, <HI>Sabellius, Arius,</HI> all <HI>Antitrinarians,</HI> denying his
di&s;tinctly eternal Per&s;onality from the Father; The <HI>Socinians</HI>
and <HI>Notioni&s;ts</HI> that fancy the di&s;tiction of per&s;ons in God to
be but nominal according to various di&s;pen&s;ations, witne&s;s
<HI>Hob's Leviathan,</HI> among many other poi&s;onous books, &s;o
commonly &s;cattered abroad.</P>
<P><PB N="103" REF="65">
TO queneh the force of the&s;e pernicious Errors, your
Counter poi&s;on will &s;ea&s;on your &s;oul with the &s;criptural
de&s;cription of <HI>Emmanuel,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 7. 14.</NOTE> our <GAP DESC="foreign">, God with us. It
will prove him to be God-man, having both Natures, divine
and humane, &s;ub&s;i&s;ting in his per&s;on, the Son of God, the
&s;econd Per&s;on of the divine Trinity by Hypo&s;tatical Union;
it will clear him to be the <HI>Brightne&s;s</HI> of his <HI>glorious Father,</HI>
and the expre&s;s <HI>Image</HI> of his Per&s;on,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 1. 2.</NOTE> being that one Media|tor
between God and Man, and therefore God-man, that he
might conquer by &s;uffering,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 2. 5.</NOTE> and make his &s;uffering infinite for
vertue and value, for &s;atisfaction and acqui&s;ition. It will
&s;hew you that there are three in Heaven,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Iohn 5. 7.</NOTE> the <HI>Father,</HI> the
<HI>Word</HI> and the <HI>Spirit, and that tho&s;e three are one.</HI> That this
My&s;tery is not again&s;t Rea&s;on, though above it in its common
&s;hallow apprehen&s;ion; that the Son &s;ends the Spirit Comfor|ter
from the Father, and is therefore di&s;tinct from them
both, yet that he and the Father are one in E&s;&s;ence, though
di&s;tinct in per&s;on.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 14. 26.</NOTE> That Gods Rea&s;on is the Rule of ours,
being revealed to us in his divine monuments,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 15. 26.</NOTE> that we may
a&s;&s;ent to his A&s;&s;ertion, though we cannot fathom the Ex|plicitne&s;s
thereof, no more then Bruits can fathom our ratio|nal
expre&s;&s;ions. That the Per&s;on of Chri&s;t coming out of
the water, mu&s;t needs be di&s;tinct from that Per&s;on of the
Spirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 3. 17.</NOTE> who came in the likene&s;s of a Dove, lighting on him
at his Bapti&s;m, and from the per&s;on of the Father, who&s;e
voice from Heaven &s;aid, <HI>This is my Beloved Son, hear him.</HI>
Thus the Grace and Knowledge of Chri&s;t, will teach you,
that he who thought it no <HI>Robbery to be equal wtth God,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2. 6.</NOTE> (<HI>being
in the form of God &s;ub&s;tantially) made him&s;elf of no Reputation,</HI>
that as God-man he might re&s;tore man to God in the gloryfi|ing
of all divine Attributes. Our Faith is not true if we do not
own the true God truly, as he holds forth him&s;elf in three di&s;|tinct
per&s;ons. Tho&s;e divine per&s;ons are not meer <HI>modes,</HI> or man|ners
of Attribution or Manife&s;tation, but real &s;ub&s;i&s;tences.
The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit per&s;o|nally,
though they be one God e&s;&s;entially. The per&s;on of
<PB N="104" REF="66">
the Son alone was incarnate,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 1. 14.</NOTE> not that of the Father; he could
not be Son;<NOTE PLACE="marg">the &s;choolmen, <HI>Mornaeus de ve|ritate religionis Chri&s;ti,</HI> and many others are large on this Subject, &s;hadowing out this my&s;terie by Similes, from mans in|tellect, from the Sun, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> not that of the Spirit; there had been two
Sons then. <HI>The Word became fle&s;h,</HI> not the Father nor
Spirit. Divers Emblems are u&s;ed to &s;et forth this glorious
My&s;terie; but Scripture-Language de&s;cribes it be&s;t to a &s;o|ber
faith. The Word <HI>Per&s;on</HI> is a Scripture Word very pro|per
and &s;ignificant. They that deny this right u&s;e thereof,
make way for further denyal of Truth. The Per&s;on of Chri&s;t
is then to be owned by all that intend to be owned of him.</P>
<P>5. Again&s;t Chri&s;ts Spirit &s;tirs fir&s;t <HI>Macedonius,</HI> denying him
to be a divine Per&s;on di&s;tinct from the Father and Son. Se|condly,
All <HI>Antitrinitarians,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>About this read</HI> Concilior. Tom. Eu&s;eb. Danaeus. Calvin Magdeb. centur. Simp&s;ons <HI>Hi|&s;tory;</HI> Zonar. Sleidan com|ment. Bulinger. <HI>Hi&s;tor.</HI> David. George. Pagets Here&s;iogr. Luther <HI>again&s;t</HI> Enthu&s;. Hornebeck de haeret. Cha<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 letter">mier. Pan&s;tr.</NOTE> who oppo&s;e the di&s;tinction of
divine Per&s;ons. Thirdly, The <HI>Greeke,</HI> who deny the Pro|ce&s;&s;ion
of the Spirit from the Father through the Son.
Fourthly. The &s;everal Bla&s;phemers that vaunted them&s;elves
to be the Holy Gho&s;t, as <HI>Simon Magus, Montanus, David,
George,</HI> &amp;c. Fifthly, All <HI>Enthu&s;ia&s;ts</HI> who father their lies
on Gods Spirit, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<P>TO quell this wofull poi&s;on, your Pre&s;ervative will &s;et
your Judgement right by the Grace and Knowledge of
Chri&s;ts Spirit. Thereby you will &s;urely under&s;tand that the
holy Spirit hath in Scripture a&s;cribed to him the &s;ame Titles
and Attributes, the &s;ame divine wor&s;hip and works which are
a&s;cribed to the Father and to the Son, and therefore mu&s;t
needs be God, ble&s;&s;ed from ever and for ever. That the
working of all Scripture Miracles, the penning of all tho&s;e
divine writings,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 21.</NOTE> the wonderfull quickning of dead &s;ouls and
bodies,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 9, 11.</NOTE> and the daily experience of all &s;piritual Chri&s;tians
do fully demon&s;trate it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Chro. 13. 14.</NOTE> That therefore the fanatick illu&s;ions
and delu&s;ions of <HI>Revelationi&s;ts,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 1. 4, 5.</NOTE> being &s;o oppo&s;ite to Gods
Truth and Holine&s;s, mu&s;t needs proceed from that lying Spi|rit,
who per&s;waded &s;o many of <HI>Ahabs</HI> Prophets,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Kin. 22. 22.</NOTE> and &s;till
<PB N="105" REF="66">
po&s;&s;e&s;&s;es the fal&s;e Prophets of our days,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 18. 31, 32.</NOTE> to &s;peak and act
again&s;t the Dictates of Chri&s;ts Spirit. The malicious op|po&s;ing
of the Truth confirmed &s;o undeniably by the miracu|lous<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 9. 29</NOTE>
Operations of the Lord;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 6. 4, 5, 6.</NOTE> The Spirit hath therefore the
mo&s;t de&s;perate aggravations even unto death,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 10. 27, 28. 29</NOTE> attending the
&s;ame,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 5. 16.</NOTE> becau&s;e God the Father and Son both are thereby al|&s;o
de&s;perately oppo&s;ed.</P>
<P>6.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>About the&s;e at large &s;ee</HI> Hornebeck, Da|naeum, de hae|ret. Paraeum, Iunium, <HI>&amp;c. Anatomy of Sociniani&s;m.</HI> O&s;torod. Ca|tech. Cracov. &amp;c.</NOTE> Again&s;t his Office and Function of Al-&s;ufficient and
only Mediator, for his peoples Salvation, move Fir&s;t, All
the former Hereticks in denying his Deity or Humanity, his
Parts and Per&s;on. Secondly, All &s;uch who mangle the &s;aid
Function as the <HI>Socinians,</HI> who deny the need and u&s;e of his
&s;atisfaction for &s;in. Thirdly, All &s;uch who divide his Medi|ation
work, a&s;cribing part thereof to Saints and Angles, as the
Papi&s;ts with fond di&s;tinctions. Fourthly, All &s;uch as put the &s;aid
Mediation into the Virgin <HI>Mary's</HI> hand, calling her Queen
of Heaven,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>See</HI> Bellarmin. Concil. Trident. Becan, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> entitling the P&s;alter to her, placing her name
in&s;tead of the Lords name in the &s;aid P&s;alter, giving her Au|thority
over Chri&s;t her Son in Heaven, promi&s;ing and ex|pecting
more from her often then from Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chemnit. Ex|am. Chamier. Pan&s;trat. Ames. Bellar. Enervat. Willets Synop&s;. Nouveaute du Papi&s;m. Pard. Moulin. <HI>My&s;terie of Iniquity by</HI> Mornay, Rainold, Whitaker, Fox Monum. Pagets <HI>Here&s;iogr.</HI> See the Quakers Books and Confutations.</NOTE> as much at
lea&s;t, and telling doctorally that God hath divided his Mer|cy
and Ju&s;tice, giving her the Throne of Mercy, and re&s;er|ving
him&s;elf the Throne of Ju&s;tice, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> as the &s;aid Papi&s;ts.
Fifthly, All &s;uch who pretending to &s;inle&s;s perfection and
&s;elfi&s;h Righteou&s;ne&s;s do fru&s;trate and nullifie &s;o far his Me|diation,
as the Quakers, and &s;uch monki&s;h <HI>Phari&s;ees.</HI></P>
<P>To &s;uppre&s;s the violence of this poi&s;onous &s;tuff,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 9. 22, 23.</NOTE> the
Grace and Knowledge of Chri&s;t improved,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 9. 23.</NOTE> will &s;hew us
clearly &s;till the nece&s;&s;ity of Chri&s;ts &s;atisfaction and Al &s;uffi|ency
of his Mediation, that without the &s;hedding of this
blood there can be no remi&s;&s;ion of &s;in. That No Righte|ou&s;ne&s;s
but that of God-man could &s;atisfie divine Ju&s;tice.
That without &s;atisfaction there could be no Reconciliation of
God to man, that without Imputation thereof to many there
<PB N="106" REF="67">
could be no di&s;charge of mans Debt.<NOTE PLACE="marg">ons of the Leapers clean|&s;ed, and the living and dy|ing bird men|tioned, <HI>Levit. 14. 5, 6, 7. &amp;c.</HI> and the two propitia|tory Goats, the one dy|ing, the other e&s;caping, <HI>Lev. 16, 7, 8, 9, &amp;c.</HI></NOTE> That no purcha&s;e
could be made of eternal Life and divine favour, but by that
infinite Price paid by <HI>Emmanuel.</HI> That without &s;uch pur|cha&s;e
orderly applycable, there could be no &s;alvation for lo&s;t
man. That Chri&s;ts mediation alone is Al-&s;ufficient to all tho&s;e
purpo&s;es, and needs no partners in any &s;hare thereof, either
for Impetration or application. That to give the lea&s;t part
thereof to any meer Creature, whether in Heaven or Earth,
can be no better then Idolatry. That no Palliation or &s;hifts
by di&s;tinctions of <HI>Dulia, Hyperdulia</HI> and <HI>Latria</HI> can cover this
Bla&s;phemy, no more then <HI>Adams</HI> figs leaves could cover his
nakedne&s;s. That there cannot be on earth in any meer man
a &s;inle&s;s perfection,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 6. 53, 63.</NOTE> and if it could be had, yet it could not &s;a|tisfie
for the evil pa&s;t in the lea&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 7. 25.</NOTE> That the be&s;t are but un|profitable
Servants.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 63. 3.</NOTE> That the payment of a farthing due, can|not
&s;atisfie a thou&s;and pound debt in Arrears.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lev. 16. 17.</NOTE> To &s;ignifie em|phatically
the due application and Imputation of Chri&s;ts
Righteou&s;ne&s;s unto Believers,<NOTE PLACE="marg">The <HI>Grecians</HI> had propitia|tory Oblati|ons by devo|ting of men, called there|fore Obomi|nals to expiate for the peo|ples &s;ins, the Devil being &s;till Gods Ape in coun|terfeiting and &s;poiling his Wor&s;ip by humane In|ventions and mimical inno|vations among <HI>Pagans</HI> and <HI>Papi&s;ts.</HI> Luke 17. 10. God would have but one Altar and one Door, to which Sacrifices &s;hould be brought, Lev. 17. 3, 5.</NOTE> the Scripture cals<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Ier. 23. 6. <GAP DESC="foreign"> The Prie&s;ts were to put&punc; off their own Garments, and put on that &s;acred Ve&s;ture which was to &s;erve all the Lords Servants &s;ucce&s;&s;ively, typifying Chri&s;ts Righteou&s;ne&s;s, comming into his &s;pecial pre&s;ence for Acceptance and Oblation.
Chri&s;ts Oblation is called <GAP DESC="foreign">, the Mercy-&s;eat or Propitiation that mu&s;t cover our be&s;t Duties and Works. <HI>Ier.</HI> 33. 16. The Church being the Spou&s;e and Body of Chri&s;t, leaves her own name to borrow his.</NOTE> him <HI>Je|hovah-T&s;idkenu,</HI>
the Lord our Righteou&s;ne&s;s, repeating that
name again in the great Promi&s;e of Re&s;tauration to be afford|ed
to his I&s;rael by vertue of that Righteou&s;ne&s;s made theirs,
whence Chri&s;ts name is Synecdochically and Metonymically
a&s;cribed to the new <HI>Jeru&s;alem.</HI> To that import the Lord Je&s;us
incorporates his name with a Chri&s;tians Propriety into one
New name, framed by his own Spirit, which <HI>Paul</HI> expre&s;&s;es
by his being made unto us of God,<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 30.</NOTE> Righteou&s;ne&s;s and Re|demption,
and our being made<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">2 <HI>Cor.</HI> 5. 21. Gods high Prie&s;t alone was to enter into the mo&s;t holy place to explate and Intercede.</NOTE> the <HI>Righteou&s;ne&s;s of God in
in him, as he was made &s;in for us, who knew no &s;in,</HI> which mu&s;t
needs be under&s;tood by way of Imputation, there being no &s;in
inherent in Chri&s;t.</P>
<P><PB N="107" REF="67">
7. His Prie&s;thood is oppo&s;ed. fir&s;t, By all the formerly
named Errors. Secondly, by the Papi&s;ts, in making new
Prie&s;ts daily,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>About this read you may</HI> Bellarmin. Con|cil. Tridentin. Gratian. Lom|bard. Aquinat. Becan. Chamier. Pan&s;tr. Chem|nit Exam. Ames, Bell. Enerv. Willets Synop&s;. Arma|chan. Nov. <HI>Bi|&s;hop</HI> Potter, <HI>Bi&s;hop</HI> Dave|nant, is hitaker, Rainold. <HI>Bi&s;hop</HI> Iewel. Jun. Not. Antibell. Calvin. In&s;titut. Luther in Gal. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> and a new propitiatory Sacrifice, called <HI>incruen|tum,</HI>
to be offered by them for the living and dead. Second|ly,
In joining mans merits to his, and thereby patching up a
mongrel Righteou&s;ne&s;s for them&s;elves and others. Thirdly,
In pretended Works of &s;upererogation which are imputed to
others by way of Indulgence out of their Churches imagina|ry
Trea&s;ure. Fourthly, In denying the Imputation of Chri&s;ts
Righteou&s;ne&s;s for the pardon and Ju&s;tification of his Mem|bers.
Fifthly, In giving to mans Righteou&s;ne&s;s, dip'd in Chri&s;ts
blood, a meriting value and vertue to &s;atisfie and pacifie Gods
Ju&s;tice, and to procure his Mercy. Sixthly, In making Chri&s;ts
Merits to be but the remote and mediate cau&s;e; but mans
Merits to be the immediate Proxime cau&s;e of the pardon.</P>
<P>Thirdly,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>About this you may &s;ee</HI> Davenant, Wootten, Brad|&s;haw. Burges, Baxter, Dow|nam.</NOTE> By &s;uch who &s;ever his habitual and his active
Obedience from his meriting Oblation, given to God for his
people, and imputed to Believers, reckoning only his pa&s;|&s;ive
Obedience to be &s;o meritorious and imputative for the
reconciling of Man to God. Fourthly, By Quakers and
others, who find no need of, and little regard an high Prie&s;t in
Heaven.</P>
<P>Again&s;t &s;uch mortal wounds,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Qui&s;quis do|mus partem &s;u|per arena fun|dat, totius rui|nam cert&ograve; peri|clitatur; ip&s;ius etiam partis quae rupi vide|batur affixa.</NOTE> the Balm of our Chri&s;tian
<HI>Gilead</HI> will afford healing vertue from the due review of his
Grace and Knowledge. We &s;hall find thereby, that Chri&s;t
Je&s;us by his per&s;onal Righteou&s;ne&s;s, by that one <HI>Oblation hath
for ever perfected tho&s;e that are &s;anctified,</HI> once for all. That
a new order of Prie&s;ts brings a new Law, and nuls the former.
That it was an imperfect Prie&s;t and Sacrifice typically cere|monial
that needed renewing.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 10. 14, 18.</NOTE> That to give to a meer Man,
&s;uppo&s;e a Ma&s;&s;e-Prie&s;t, the power of making and renewing
a propitiatory Oblation at his Will upon his intent of con|&s;ecrating,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 7. 12, 23, 24.</NOTE>
is to &s;et him in Chri&s;ts room, yea above Chri&s;t,
and to deny Chri&s;t come in the fle&s;h by unavoidable Con&s;e|quence.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Joh. 4. 2, 3.</NOTE>
<PB N="108" REF="68">
The Oblation of Chri&s;t had not been compleat,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Totus Chri&s;tus Salus no&s;tra, adae <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">uatum fi|dei Objectum; totalis obedien|tia Chri&s;ti, pro|pitiatio adae quata ad illam complendam Solutem. <HI>Ioh. 10. 17, 18 good works are well &s;tiled</HI> via R<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">gni, non cau|&s;a regnandi.</NOTE> if
it had not been active as well as pa&s;&s;ive, and habitual as
well as actual; Heart-Obedience being the root and
life of all other. Redemption is indeed frequently a&s;cribed
to his blood and death, but its by a Synecdoche, including the
re&s;t of his whole Obedience whereof his death was the com|plement
and utmo&s;t. His whole life was a continual pa&s;&s;ion,
and he was mo&s;t active in his mo&s;t pa&s;&s;ive Obedience. He
laid down his Life of him&s;elf-freely, and &s;hewed his active
Power in his giving up the Gho&s;t. That perfection of his
Merits excludes the lea&s;t Ingrediency of mans Merits. Our
Obedience is required indeed and rewarded of Grace, not
for its worth or proportion. The Childs duty is required,
not to merit his Inheritance by, but to &s;hew his Ingenuity.
The Beggars reaching of his hand is a condition, yet no me|rit
of the Gift.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>You may &s;ee for this</HI> Concili|or. Tom. Bellar|min. Baronii, Annal. Chamier. Chemnit. Exam. Beckmans <HI>Ex|erc. Hi&s;tory of the Church.</HI> Calvin. <HI>contr. Fanat. Hi&s;t. of Famil.</HI> Horn|beck de haeret.</NOTE></P>
<P>8. His Prophetical Charge is undermined. Fir&s;t, By the
Errors forenamed. Secondly, By the Popi&s;h pretences of
Infallibility in their Church, Pope or Councel. Thirdly,
By the immediate Revelations and infallible Oracles of <HI>En|thu&s;ia&s;ts,
Quakers, Behmeni&s;ts,</HI> pretending extraordinary ac|quaintance
with God and Spirits, be&s;ides, above and
again&s;t his Word. Fourthly, By the Perfectioni&s;ts of di|vers
&s;orts, who pretend to a &s;inle&s;s &s;tate, wherein they need no
further teaching. Fifthly, By &s;uch as de&s;pi&s;e Chri&s;ts Pro|phets
and Apo&s;tles, Pa&s;tors and Teachers, extraordinary
and ordinary Me&s;&s;engers of his.</P>
<P>AGain&s;t &s;uch a di&s;ea&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Authority, Impartialty and Infallibili|ty, the proper|ties of a &s;u|pream Iudge, belong only to the Lord, the Spirit, and to his Word, <HI>Heb.</HI> 12. 25, 26.</NOTE> improve this Antidote to vindi|cate
the Lords Infalliblene&s;s, and to detect the cheats
of all Impo&s;tors pretending thereto. You will &s;ee thereby
that Chri&s;ts Spirit alone is the &s;upream infallible Judge, &s;peak|ing
to us by his written word, <HI>&egrave; Cathedra coeli.</HI> That we
need no other infallible Judge on earth. That every Chri|&s;tian
in his place, whether private or publique, Civil or Ec|cle&s;ia&s;tical,
<PB N="109" REF="68">
hath a Judgement of di&s;cretion to regulate him
in his own Acts by the Scripture Rule.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 10. 15.</NOTE> That Churches and
Coun&s;els have an Authoritative Judgement of direction to
the &s;everal members under their re&s;pective Charges,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 5. 12.</NOTE> &s;till in
&s;ubordination to Chri&s;ts writen Word.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 15. 28.</NOTE> That yet there is no
need of any Infallible,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 16. 4.</NOTE> immediate and &s;inle&s;s a&s;&s;i&s;tance, or &s;pi|rit
in any mortal man now &s;ince the Canon of Scripture our
perfect Rule was compleated by <HI>John</HI> the Beloved Apo&s;tle.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 22. 18, 19.</NOTE>
That all pretenders to &s;uch infallibility &s;ince the Apo&s;tles days,
have &s;ucce&s;&s;ively bewrayed their notorious Impo&s;tures and
contradictions, both notionally and practically. That Popi&s;h
Bi&s;hops and Councils, <HI>Enthu&s;ia&s;tical Behmeni&s;ts</HI> and Quakers,
have hitherto been found guilty of &s;uch ab&s;urd fal&s;hoods and
bla&s;phemous extravagancies, that they &s;ufficiently confute
them&s;elves.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 13. 12.</NOTE> That <HI>Paul</HI> him&s;elf after all his Raptures knew
but in part,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 2. 11.</NOTE> complaining &s;til of his own and others weakne&s;s
and in&s;ufficiency;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 12, 15.</NOTE> That <HI>Peter</HI> him&s;elf failed, and was repro|ved
by him openly. That there is indeed a perfection of &s;in|cerity
and Truth begun below in the Regenerate, and a per|fection
of Growth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 23.</NOTE> which is comparative &amp; progre&s;&s;ive: But
that a &s;inle&s;s perfection of fulne&s;s is re&s;erved for the Glory of<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 15. 15.</NOTE>
Heaven,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 20. 31.</NOTE> not enjoyed before mans di&s;&s;olution. That Chri&s;t
therefore is the grand Prophet,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 10, 11, 12.</NOTE> who teaches his people &s;til by
his Word and Spirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 1. 18.</NOTE> the Will of God for their Salvation
gradually.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioh. 2. 20, 27.</NOTE> That being taught all needful things by his <HI>A|nointing,
who writes his Law upon their heart,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 31. 33.</NOTE> they need <HI>not to
be taught</HI> by any <HI>Sect-ma&s;ter</HI> in a Phari&s;aical way, &s;o as
to pin their faith upon any mans &s;leeve upon his own credit;
but mu&s;t attend Chri&s;t <HI>who teaches from Heaven</HI> by men and
Means.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;&s;. 5. 19, 20, 21.</NOTE> That no meer mans word is to be believed upon his
own credit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 25, 26.</NOTE> but that all Doctrines mu&s;t be examined by the
Scriptural Teachings of Chri&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 10. 40.</NOTE> That tho&s;e &s;pirits and per|&s;ons
who pretend to bring Infallible Oracles and a new Go&s;|pel,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 10. 16.</NOTE>
are cur&s;ed of the Apo&s;tle,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 1. 7. 8.</NOTE> for &s;haking off Chri&s;t and his
Go&s;pel.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 3. 22, 23.</NOTE> That all Chri&s;ts &s;ervants are to be heard &s;o far as they
keep to his &s;criptural Commi&s;&s;ion but no further.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal. 2. 7.</NOTE> That Chri&s;t
him&s;elf is received or rejected,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4.</NOTE> &s;o far as his Emba&s;&s;adors, fol|lowing
his In&s;truction,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 10. 16.</NOTE> are owned or &s;lighted. Its the common
<PB N="110" REF="69">
and ominous Symptom of Error to de&s;pi&s;e the Mini&s;ters of
Chri&s;t, though Godly and Learned, and prefer their own Ima|ginations
before the plain Word of God. The Go&s;pel is to
us the only Gla&s;s of Heaven,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 3. 18.</NOTE> wherein the Glorious Revelati|ons
of Gods Image are made out, to transform us into the
likene&s;s thereof gradually through his Spirit.</P>
<P>9. The King&s;hip of Chri&s;t is much abu&s;ed, 1. by the Er|rors
forenamed.<NOTE PLACE="marg">For this read Hi&s;t. of <HI>Germ.</HI></NOTE> 2. By <HI>Libertines</HI> and <HI>Ranters</HI> of all &s;orts. 3. By
the <HI>Pontifician</HI> Supremacy, pretended to be over all things and
per&s;ons in the Pope,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Anab. Pagets <HI>Here&s;iogr.</HI> Da|naeus de haeret. Chamier. Pan|&s;tr. <HI>and</HI> Sup|plem. <HI>The Books again&s;t</HI> Quakers. <HI>Subject. to Chri&s;t by</HI> Thom. Sheph. Downam de Anti|chri&s;t, &amp;c.</NOTE> as <HI>Peters</HI> Succe&s;&s;or. 4. By <HI>Quakers</HI> and
others &s;lighting the Chri&s;t above under pretence of a Chri&s;t
within. 5. By &s;en&s;ual pretenders and abu&s;ers of a fifth Mo|narchy.</P>
<P>Again&s;t the&s;e Rebellious Tenets,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 19. 16.</NOTE> the Grace and Knowledge
of Chri&s;t will &s;atisfie us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 110. 1, 2, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> that <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us is the King of Kings,
and Lord of Lords,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 19. 27.</NOTE> who mu&s;t Reign even in the <HI>mid&s;t of all ene|mies,
till they be made his foot&s;tool,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 33. 22.</NOTE> That he will de&s;troy all
&s;uch who refu&s;e to &s;toop to his Golden Scepter,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;a. 32. 1. 2.</NOTE> but chu&s;e to
live in the kingdom of Darkne&s;s under the Rule of &s;in and Sa|tan.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 25.</NOTE>
That Con&s;cience is his &s;eat Royal in mans &s;oul,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 15. 15, 16.</NOTE> which is
by Sin,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 21. 27.</NOTE> Satan and &s;elf u&s;urped from him. That he will &s;urely
recover his Right,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Hag. 2. 6, 7.</NOTE> if not in mercy, yet in his ju&s;t wrath. That
pretence of con&s;cience to &s;hake off his Rule, is the highe&s;t
Trea&s;on under his <HI>Pavilion.</HI> That to &s;helter any &s;in or Error
under that covert, is but to cloath Traytors in his robes of
&s;tate. That he will not &s;ave where he doth not Rule, and
will not be our Prie&s;t if he be not our King. That to de&s;ire
or plead Liberty to &s;in, is to &s;et up Hell in Rule among men
under the habit of Heaven. That the more of Chri&s;t is in any
&s;oul, the more obedience in true faith and Love is given to
him. That to &s;et up a Pope or any other meer man for a &s;u|pream
Head over the con&s;cience, is to &s;et up a &s;inful wretch in
the Throne of Chri&s;t. That his Jealou&s;ie will not endure long
&s;uch a Rebellion. That <HI>Peter</HI> never had any Supremacy of
<PB N="111" REF="69">
Power or Authority, what ever priority of Order and Age
may be granted by &s;ome. That <HI>Peters</HI> being at <HI>Rome</HI> is very
uncertain, and yet to be proved, though many affirm it. That
if his being there were fully granted, yet his fixed charge and
continuance there &s;hall need as much proof. That upon &s;up|po&s;al
of his &s;etling there, yet mu&s;t it be &s;hewed that he acted
there &s;uch a Supremacy. That if that al&s;o were clear, it mu&s;t
be &s;hewed al&s;o, that his full power was made over to his &s;uc|ce&s;&s;ors
there, more then to any other Mini&s;ter of Chri&s;t at
<HI>Antioch,</HI> or el&s;ewhere. That in ca&s;e that &s;hould be proved
likewi&s;e, they mu&s;t demon&s;trate a clear &s;ucce&s;&s;ion from that
time till now, which is impo&s;&s;ible. And if that could be, yet
they mu&s;t evince their &s;ucce&s;&s;ion in Doctrine al&s;o;<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;&s;. 2. 3, 4, 7, 8.</NOTE> el&s;e all the
former will only prove Papacy to be the <HI>Man of Sin</HI> got into
Gods Temple:<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4. 1, 2, 3, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> the grand Antichri&s;t, and the &s;carlet Whore
riding on the Bea&s;t by this u&s;urped Supremacy. When all that
is di&s;patched,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 13.</NOTE> we &s;hall have more work for them, to clear their
Antichri&s;tiani&s;m in ruling by their own,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 17.</NOTE> not by Chri&s;ts Scep|ter;
by their will,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 11.</NOTE> not by his: which they have taught their
mongrel Brood quaking among us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 12.</NOTE> to &s;pread under di&s;gui&s;es,
their chymical &s;ublimations of old rotten Errors. As for the
fifth Monarchy, its a point needing much &s;obriety in the &s;ence
and u&s;e thereof. Chri&s;t indeed hath a kingdom in this world,
though not of this world; and his work is to Reform Rulers
and people, not to confound his own Ordinances.</P>
<P>10.<NOTE PLACE="marg">See to this purpo&s;e the &s;e|veral places again&s;t <HI>Qua|kers, Famili&s;ts,</HI> by <HI>Gataker, Featly, Ruther|ford, Burges, Baxter, Farmer,</HI> The New-Ca|&s;tle Mini&s;ters, <HI>Paget, Baily,</HI> &amp;c.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts humiliation &s;tate is oppo&s;ed much, as 1. by
the former, &s;o 2, by many Noveli&s;ts who make light of it,
accounting it but a type and figure of what was to be done
within them. Chri&s;ts Incarnation, Life and Pa&s;&s;ion are with
them but &s;tories and &s;hadows; the Life and &s;ub&s;tance is all
within them. There &s;ay they, lies Chri&s;t very deep in every
mans heart, covered with earth, to be born and rai&s;ed up, to
live and die, to do and &s;uffer. As for the Chri&s;t that died at
<HI>Jeru&s;alem,</HI> many do &s;light him, and many that &s;eem to own him
verbally, yet renounce him effectively. 3. By our late Qua|kers
who have revived tho&s;e rotten drugs from the Famili&s;ts
dunghil,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Beckmans</HI> Ex|ercit.</NOTE> adding a new dre&s;s and acce&s;s thereto, as <HI>Paracel&s;us</HI>
<PB N="112" REF="70">
and <HI>David George,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Baxter</HI> of the &s;in again&s;t the Holy Gho&s;t. Compare them with the rela|tion given of the old <HI>Valentinians, Ba&s;ilidians, Gno&s;ticks, Carpocratians,</HI> &amp;c. by <HI>Epiphan. Augu&s;t. Eu&s;eb. Socrat. Sozomen. Theodoret. Magdeb. Centur.</HI> Hi&s;tory of the Church, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Swenkfield</HI> and <HI>Battenburg, Manno</HI> and
<HI>Jacob Behmen</HI> with their <HI>German</HI> followers; So do our Mo|dern
<HI>Enthu&s;ia&s;ts</HI> rake up the kennels of old fanatick Dream|ers,
with di&s;gui&s;es and additions of their own.</P>
<P>Again&s;t this Venom, &s;piritual Growth will help, that we
may know Chri&s;t, as the great Apo&s;tle did labour for, in <HI>the fel|low&s;hip
of his &s;ufferings.</HI> It <HI>will inform us of his wonderful</HI> aba|&s;ing
of him&s;elf in every &s;tep from his fir&s;t conception till his
re&s;urrection.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3 10.</NOTE> It will &s;hew us the ab&s;olute need all his Elect had
of his miraculous Incarnation and Birth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2. 5, 6, 7, 8.</NOTE> Life and Death,
Burial and abode for three daies in the Grave. It will make
us feel the effects thereof in our very &s;ouls, that his Tran&s;cen|dent
Love in &s;tooping &s;o low, and parting withal, may direct
and pre&s;s Returns of the like to him and for him. That ex|perience
will engage our hearts to that Chri&s;t above,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 6. 10.</NOTE> who di|ed
once for &s;in,<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Greek word <GAP DESC="foreign"> is very emphatical, &s;ignifying the mo&s;t rational way of delibe|ration and de|termination upon the due con&s;ideration of all things. This is the mo&s;t di|vine Arithme|tick, and a &s;ure computation.</NOTE> but can die no more, living unto God, that we
<HI>may likewi&s;e reckon our &s;elves to be dead to &s;in, but alive to
God through him.</HI> That Knowledge of Chri&s;t will teach us
aright how to di&s;tingui&s;h of the Per&s;on of Chri&s;t that once
&s;uffered for us: and of the Grace of Chri&s;t, which is by his
Spirit formed within us in Regeneration. Chri&s;t Per&s;onal, is
the God of Heaven, that eternal Creator; But his Grace in
us which &s;eems &s;ometimes to be called by Chri&s;ts Name, (as
the Church is al&s;o by a Metonymical Metaphor, and Synec|dochically,)
is but a finite creature, a &s;piritual quality, not &s;ub|&s;i&s;ting
by it &s;elf, but inhering in a &s;ubject humane. Scripture
&s;aith indeed that Chri&s;t is within us, dwelling in us by his holy
Spirit. But may not he work within our heart by gracious
communications without a per&s;onal fixation there? The Sun
conveys Light and Life by his Beams to all parts, yet his &s;ub|&s;tance
abides &s;til in Heaven.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 12. 12.</NOTE> There is indeed a &s;piritual
Relative union between Chri&s;t and the Regenerate,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8.</NOTE> &s;et forth
in Scripture by divers Emblems.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 22.</NOTE> The Natural union between
the Head and Members;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 5. 32. Eph. 2. 20. 21.</NOTE> the civil union between Husband
<PB N="113" REF="70">
and Wife; the artificial union between Foundation and Buil|ding
&s;et it forth. But we mu&s;t not &s;train figurative &s;peeches
beyond their &s;cope. This union is Real, yet my&s;tical, full of
my&s;teries.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deus e&s;t Circu|lus, cujus Cen|trum ubi&abque; cir|cumferentia nu&s;quam, <HI>&s;aid the Philo&s;o|pher.</HI></NOTE> There is no confu&s;ion nor compo&s;ition, no Tran&s;|mutation
nor Annihilation here. Our per&s;ons are &s;til di&s;tinct.
Chri&s;ts Godhead is indeed a Circle, whereof the center is eve|rywhere,
the Circumference nowhere. He fils all places,
compri&s;ed in none. Hell it &s;elf feels him, though with little
comfort. But his manhood is not Infinite, being a creature,
though wonderfully glorified by a&s;&s;umption and hypo&s;tatical
union unto the Godhead in the &s;econd Per&s;on. Chri&s;t as Sa|viour
mu&s;t &s;til be con&s;idered in both his Natures, Divine and
Humane, &s;ub&s;i&s;ting in his own Per&s;on. Thus con&s;idered, he
dwells not in us per&s;onally. The per&s;on of the Husband is
one with the Wife Relatively, not per&s;onally. Chri&s;ts man|hood
cannot be per&s;onally within us.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 3. 21.</NOTE> The Heavens mu&s;t
hold,<NOTE PLACE="marg">The word <GAP DESC="foreign"> Em|phatically &s;ig|nifies to em|brace and re|tain.</NOTE> as <HI>they received him, till the Re&s;tauration of all. He dwels
in our hearts by Faith,</HI> and we in him mutually, as the Root in
the Branches, and the Branches in the Root by Relation and
communication. His whole Humiliation was for us, and
his Spirit enables us gradually to conform thereto by a fiduci|al
Improvement thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 15. 2, 3, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Thence he is &s;aid to be formed within
us, to be in us, (or among us<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>inter vos,</HI> among you, as the &s;ame phra&s;e imports, 1 Pet. 5. 1. The Elders <GAP DESC="foreign"> among you.</NOTE>) <HI>the hope of Glory,</HI> to live and act
in us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 3. 17.</NOTE> <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Hence the &s;ufferings of <HI>Paul</HI> are called <HI>Chri&s;ts
&s;ufferings,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 6. 3, 4, 5.</NOTE> not per&s;onally, but cau&s;ally; becau&s;e they are for
his &s;ake through his Grace undergone.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 1. 27.</NOTE> Its a &s;ad abu&s;e put on
Chri&s;t and his Word, thus to &s;light and de&s;troy Chri&s;ts per&s;o|nal
Humiliation whereon depends all our Salvation. If Chri&s;t
&s;uffered not, then he ro&s;e not again; and then are we <HI>&s;till in
our &s;ins, and of all men mo&s;t mi&s;erable.</HI> But Chri&s;t is as effe|ctually
Ri&s;en as he effectually &s;uffered. That effected Re|demption
by price in Impetration, this by Power in applicati|on.
Thus it became <HI>him to &s;uffer, and &s;o to enter into his King|dom.</HI>
How far the Ju&s;tice of God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.</NOTE> ab&s;olutely con&s;idered, may
be thought to require &s;uch &s;atisfaction in order to pardon, we
need not controvert.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 24. 26,</NOTE> It &s;uffices that upon &s;uppo&s;ition of his
purpo&s;e and Engagement, this way is of ab&s;olute need. By
this all his Attributes harmoniou&s;ly concur to the perfecting
of his peoples Salvation.</P>
<P><PB N="114" REF="71">
11.<NOTE PLACE="marg">About the&s;e you may &s;ee the many Books abroad, di&s;covering the my&s;terious de&s;igns of our Opinioni&s;ts; by Mr. <HI>Baxter,</HI> the <HI>London</HI> Mini&s;ters and others; as al&s;o the many de|tections of Je|&s;uitick de&s;igns touched, by <HI>Ie&s;uitic. &s;peculum,</HI> Hi&s;tor. <HI>Ie&s;uit.</HI> Mr. <HI>Prins</HI> books, <HI>Hornebeck,</HI> Some <HI>German</HI> Je&s;uits converted, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Chri&s;ts Exaltation is al&s;o much abu&s;ed, as 1. By the
former Errors: &s;o 2. By our Modern Sadduces, denying the
Re&s;urrection of the Body, as &s;ome did at <HI>Corinth.</HI> 3. By the
Quaking Rabble, who own no Chri&s;t but what is within them.
4. By our Noveli&s;ts who deny his A&s;cen&s;ion, and his Se&s;&s;ion
at the Fathers Right hand. 5. In effect al&s;o by the Papi&s;ts in
their Impanation, Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation, and &s;uch mon&s;trous
Doctrines. 6. The <HI>&V;biquitaries</HI> tre&s;pa&s;s too much thereon,
in divers fond conceits, broached and encrea&s;ed after <HI>Luthers</HI>
death, by <HI>Brentius, O&s;iander,</HI> &amp;c.</P>
<P>11. AGain&s;t &s;uch Oppo&s;ers the Knowledge of Chri&s;t is of
Soveraign force. Thence we learn to Believe ac|cording
to Scripture, the &s;everal &s;teps of his Re&s;urrection
and A&s;cen&s;ion, of his Se&s;&s;ion and Interce&s;&s;ion. It teaches us
to improve the many Arguments &s;o cogently pre&s;&s;ed by <HI>Paul</HI>
on the <HI>Corinthians</HI> as on the <HI>Romanes.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15.</NOTE> Thence we learn to
know Chri&s;t as the Apo&s;tle did,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 6.</NOTE> more experimentally in the
power of his <HI>Re&s;urrection,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 3. 9, 10.</NOTE> <HI>being made conformable to his death.</HI>
So it became <HI>Chri&s;t to &s;uffer and enter into Glory.</HI> As by Hu|miliation
he wrought out our Salvation by Price in way of
Impretation; So by his Exaltation he works it out by power
in a way of Application.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 15.</NOTE> The many cavils objected again&s;t it,
<HI>Paul</HI> fully confuted over and over. The Popi&s;h pretences for
their Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation, have been from Scripture &s;ufficiently
taken off by many choice Pens. That Capernaitical conceit
Chri&s;t him&s;elf took pains to refute.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6.</NOTE> It much wrongs the
Glory of Chri&s;t to bring him again from Heaven to earth,
daily to mangle and abu&s;e him by the hand of their Ma&s;s-Prie&s;ts,
and expo&s;e him to &s;hame and &s;uffering again. Though
they call their Ma&s;s an unbloody Sacrifice, yet do they make
them&s;elves the Butchers and Executioners of Chri&s;t, in pre|tending
to offer his corporal fle&s;h and blood. Scripture indeed
cals the Bread and Wine his Body and Blood, &s;o doth it call
<PB N="115" REF="71">
Chri&s;t the Door,<NOTE PLACE="marg">See for this <HI>Chamier. Cal|vin. Anatom.</HI> of the Ma&s;s, with the joint forces of our many writers. <HI>Crede, &amp; man|duca&s;ti,</HI> was the famous Axiome of St. <HI>Augu&s;tin</HI> in this ca&s;e.</NOTE> the Vine, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> by the like Metaphors; yet is
not Chri&s;t turned into a Door nor Vine; no more are the E|lements
turned into his Body and Blood. Chri&s;t explains the
meaning of tho&s;e phra&s;es, &amp; &s;o doth his Apo&s;tle to the full. As
for the <HI>&V;biquitarians</HI> conceit, to make Chri&s;ts Body pre&s;ent
corporally with the Elements and everywhere, the ab&s;urdity
thereof abu&s;es gro&s;ly Chri&s;ts Exaltation in his humane Na|ture;
and their Con&s;ub&s;tantiation is refuted with that Scrip|ture
Rea&s;on that di&s;pels the Popi&s;h Impanation. Their
&s;training of figurative &s;peeches beyond their &s;cope, fetches
Blood out of Scripture by dreadful violence and ab&s;urd con|&s;equence.
Yet will they admit figures in many other places
not controverted.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Hereticks of old are thus &s;et out by</HI> Epi|phan. Augu&s;tin. Ierom. Irenaeus. Cyprian. Eu&s;eb. Socrat. Ter|tul. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE></P>
<P>12, The Word of Chri&s;t &s;uffers much likewi&s;e, 1. From
the forenamed Tenets. 2. Formal Anti&s;cripturi&s;ts, old and
new, quite denying the need and u&s;e thereof; and que&s;tioning
the purity, &s;ufficiency, clearne&s;s and divinene&s;s of it. 3. By
Papi&s;ts,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>See</HI> Bellarm. Concil. Trid. Becan. Tolet. Staplet. Mal|don. Gordon. <HI>&amp;c. confuted by</HI> Chamier. Pan&s;trat. Rai|nold. Whitak. <HI>Bi&s;hop</HI> Iewel. Downame. Pot|ter. Morton. Davenant.</NOTE> charging it with ob&s;curity, corruption, in&s;ufficiency,
defectivene&s;s and needle&s;ne&s;s. They keep it from the peoples
common u&s;e, unle&s;s licenced, teaching that Ignorance is the
Mother of Devotion. They prefer their vulgar Latin ver&s;ion
before both Originals. They equalize their unwritten Tra|ditions
therewith, and the Church commands: yea prefer them
often before it. They bind all to receive its Interpretation
only from their mouth. They patch to the Canon many A|pocrypha's
and &s;purious books, &s;tored with lies and contradicti|ons,
ab&s;urdities and fables, a&s;cribing thereto the like divine
Authority. 4. The Quakers join with them in &s;lighting
Scripture,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Field. Willet. Ame&s;. Paraeus. Calvin. Luther.</HI> and multi|tudes of Pro|te&s;tant Wri|ters. Witne&s;s the many books by them and again&s;t them, be&s;ides their flying papers and daily &s;peeches. <HI>Beckmans Exercit. Era&s;tus</HI> again&s;t <HI>Paracel&s;us. Zuinger. Ge&s;ner.</HI> and others have particularly detected the &s;ad affinity of <HI>Behmens</HI> Doctrine with <HI>Paracel&s;us</HI> his Chymical delu&s;ions; Mr. <HI>Baxter</HI> in his late tract of the &s;in again&s;t the Holy Gho&s;t, from <HI>pag.</HI> 146. 147. he gives direful hints of this.</NOTE> equaling their pretended Revelations therewith,
abu&s;ing the words thereof to contrary &s;ences, wre&s;ting it to
the di&s;gui&s;ing of their gro&s;s Errors, giving to their pretended
Light within that Infallibility which the Papi&s;ts give to their
Pope and Council; 5. The <HI>Behmeni&s;ts</HI> and Notioni&s;ts that
turn it into Allegories and uncouth Eictions; changing Rea|lities
<PB N="116" REF="72">
into &s;hadowes, and the &s;ub&s;tance of Scripture into Chy|mical
Fumes, witne&s;s <HI>Paracel&s;us, Wigelius, Behmens</HI> &s;everal
Books, which are &s;tored with non-&s;ence and vile bla&s;phemies;
bold Intru&s;ions into hid My&s;teries; all under &s;pecious colours
with bomba&s;tical words.</P>
<P>AGain&s;t the&s;e woful Drugs, the Knowledge of Chri&s;t
will be &s;ucce&s;sfully improved, &s;hewing us the Excel|lency
and Nece&s;&s;ity, the &s;ufficiency and purity, the
clarity and utility of Scripture.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 15, 16, 17.</NOTE> It will take off all the mi|&s;takes,
objections and cavils made again&s;t the Divinity and
right u&s;e thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 19.</NOTE> It will clear it to be the &s;ole and &s;ure Stan|dard
and Rule of Religion;<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 119.</NOTE> being the full Declaration of
Gods Will and Mind,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 19, 20, 21.</NOTE> the Fountain of all Goodne&s;s &amp; Truth.
It will &s;hew the need that all have to &s;tudy it day and night,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 8. 20.</NOTE>
and ob&s;erve it in all things.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 5. 39.</NOTE> It will detect their folly who add
thereto their unwritten Traditions, additions and Revelations
be&s;ides, above, or again&s;t it as abominable to God. It will
di&s;cover their madne&s;s, who pretend to &s;peak and write as
good Scripture, and will not own the Bible to be the Word of
God. It will &s;hew that <HI>all Scripture was written by In&s;piration
from God,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 15, 16, 17.</NOTE> <HI>and is &s;ufficient to compleat the Man of God to every
good work.</HI> That <HI>it came not by the will of man, but that the
men of God writ as they were moved by the Holy Gho&s;t.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 19, 20, 21.</NOTE> That
the abu&s;e of it by &s;ome mu&s;t not prejudice the right u&s;e there|of;
<HI>corruptio Optimi pe&s;&s;ima;</HI> that <HI>if he be hid, its to them that
peri&s;h.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 4. 3, 4.</NOTE> That the <HI>Word is Light,</HI> and <HI>gives Light.</HI> That the <HI>Spirit
of Chri&s;t &s;till &s;peaks in his Word</HI> whether to Life or to Death,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 6. 23.</NOTE>
being in&s;eparable from it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 59. 21.</NOTE> That its never a dead Letter, though
it be &s;ometimes a killing Letter.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 2. 15, 16.</NOTE> That Tran&s;lations are but the
Taps of Scripture, to broach tho&s;e full ve&s;&s;els, which therefore
&s;hould be fitted to the u&s;e of all, and are &s;o far to be owned as
they agree with the original &s;en&s;e. That the &s;en&s;e of Scripture is
Scripture, though it may be variou&s;ly expre&s;&s;ed. That no mans
Interpretation is to be received further then it agrees with the
whole Scripture. That all &s;eeming contradictions therein
are ea&s;ily cleared by comparing of Scriptures, minding the
<PB N="117" REF="72">
context and &s;cope in a &s;ober humble manner with &s;tudious di|ligence.
That the &s;en&s;e of Scripture Tran&s;lations when dark,
mu&s;t be brought to the Original Light. That all things ab|&s;olutely
needful to Salvation are clearly laid down in Scrip|ture.
That Scripture Con&s;equence is Scripture. That &s;ome
things are ob&s;cure therein to exerci&s;e our &s;obriety &amp; indu&s;try.
That its &s;o fitted to every mans condition, that the &s;imple&s;t
may reap the benefit thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 8. 20.</NOTE> That Chri&s;t bids all &s;earch the
Scriptures, and &s;ends them to the <HI>Law</HI> and <HI>Te&s;timony</HI> for de|ci&s;ion
and prediction &s;til.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 13. 9, 10.</NOTE> That the wi&s;e&s;t Chri&s;tians are mo&s;t
&s;tudious of Scripture,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4. 13, 14, 15, 16.</NOTE> finding &s;til mo&s;t need of it, being mo&s;t
&s;en&s;ible of their remaining Ignorance. That pride and blind|ne&s;s
make men to conceive &s;o highly of their knowledge, as to
think them&s;elves wi&s;e enough without it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 6. 3.</NOTE> or as wi&s;e as it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 3. 18.</NOTE> That
they are fooli&s;h &s;elf-&s;educers, who thus think and &s;ay. That
God indeed &s;poke to our Fathers <GAP DESC="foreign"> in
<HI>divers parts</HI> and <HI>manners,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 1. 1.</NOTE> by piece-meal as it were; but he
hath now contracted all, <HI>in &s;peaking to us by his Son.</HI> That
therefore having clo&s;ed the Canon, and &s;ealed up tho&s;e Re|cords
by his Sons Apo&s;tles; who ever adds to or detracts from
it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rev. 22. 18. 19.</NOTE> is liable to that &s;entence there denounced by the Lord him|&s;elf.
That the Lords Will revealed in Scripture obliges all,
being the Beck and hint of our Soveraign, who can becken us
all into nothing at his Will. That &s;ince the compleating of
Scripture, immediate In&s;pirations are expired, being needle&s;s,
the divine Rule of all being perfectly given out. That all
pretended <HI>Enthu&s;ia&s;ms</HI> not agreeing with the Word, mu&s;t be
&s;u&s;pected to be from evil &s;pirits. The &s;everal Errors of the
<HI>Apocrypha</HI> are di&s;covered by Scripture Light, and have been
abundantly confuted by many worthy hands. The abu&s;e of
Scripture by feigned Allegories, is thereby detected al&s;o, when
men will be wi&s;e above whats written,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 4. 6.</NOTE> giving heed to <HI>Jewi&s;h</HI>
and Chymical Fables,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4. 4.</NOTE> yea to Magical Notions and Fictions,
as <HI>Paracel&s;us,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4 7.</NOTE> <HI>Behmen, &amp;c.</HI> they are ju&s;tly given up to believe
tho&s;e lies,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 1. 14.</NOTE> <HI>deceiving, and being deceived.</HI> The Scripture indeed
&s;ometimes Allegorizes and teaches the u&s;e of Tropes and fi|gures
by the be&s;t Rhetorick.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 16.</NOTE> We mu&s;t therefore be &s;ure to
keep clo&s;e to it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 13.</NOTE> lea&s;t we turn &s;ub&s;tantial Truth by Chymical
<PB N="118" REF="73">
Evaporations into Notional &s;moak.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Witne&s;s</HI> Sprig. Erbury. Iohn Sedgwick Sal|mon. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Too many of late have
followed tho&s;e woful cour&s;es of enervating Scripture by Alle|gorical
&s;trains, till they had lo&s;t Rea&s;on and Religion at once.
Such <HI>Paracel&s;ian</HI> Fumes quickly Intoxicate mens Brains,
breeding the Giddine&s;s, and then Convul&s;ions to extremity.</P>
<P>13.<NOTE PLACE="marg">See of this the Writers for|merly named, tho&s;e al&s;o hin|ted by Mr. <HI>Baxter</HI> in his Book of the &s;in again&s;t the Holy Gho&s;t, with divers others &s;uffici|ently known.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts Ordinances, by his Word appointed, are not
&s;pared, but are oppo&s;ed too. Fir&s;t, By the forenamed de|ceits.
Secondly, By our modern Seekers and Famili&s;ts, as
by the old Gno&s;ticks, accounting them but childi&s;h weak
things, fit only for inferior Chri&s;tians in their lower form.
Thirdly, By many Luke-warm <HI>Laodiceans</HI> of this Age, of a
neutral indifferent &s;pirit towards Chri&s;ts In&s;tituted Wor&s;hip.
Fourthly, By all Papi&s;ts and Traditioni&s;ts, who &s;et up wayes
and parts of Wor&s;hip of mans devi&s;ing: as religious u&s;e of
Images, prayer for the dead, Invocation of Saints and An|gels,
Veneration of Reliques, &s;ale of pardons and Indulgen|ces,
Fictions of <HI>Purgatory</HI> and <HI>Limbus patrum, &amp; infantium;</HI>
Prayer in an unknown Tongue by roat upon Beads, vain Bab|ling
and Tautologies repeated over and over; &s;uper&s;titious u&s;es
of Cro&s;&s;es and Cro&s;&s;ings; Altars and Tapers; Ve&s;tments and
Dre&s;&s;ings; Mimical Ge&s;tures and ridiculous Stage-playes in
Wor&s;hip: corrupting of every Ordinance by many foppi&s;h
additions and tricks. Fifthly, By Ranters and Quakers, who
jeer and bla&s;pheme Chri&s;ts In&s;titutions, as our &s;ad experience
te&s;tifies in all places.</P>
<P>AGain&s;t &s;uch gro&s;s Evils,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 12. 16.</NOTE> the right Knowledge of Chri&s;t
will arm us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1, 21.</NOTE> and prove that they are but fools who
think them&s;elves too wi&s;e for Chri&s;ts School.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Paul</HI> for in|&s;tance in all his Epi&s;tles.</NOTE> That the
highe&s;t Chri&s;tians have alwaies u&s;ed them, and pre&s;&s;ed all
others thereto with all diligence. That they are the Charets
and Conduits of communication between the Lord and us.
That they are all &s;uited to the ca&s;e of all Gods people on
earth. That we &s;hould live above them in the u&s;e, not in the
neglect of them. That our bodies &s;hal cea&s;e from needing food,
when our &s;ouls &s;hall cea&s;e to need Ordinances. That Chri&s;t
promi&s;es his pre&s;ence therewith to the worlds end. That he
<PB N="119" REF="73">
<HI>meets his people with a choice Ble&s;&s;ing,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod 20. 24.</NOTE> <HI>where ever he records
his name,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 105. 4.</NOTE> and therefore bids them <HI>&s;eek his face evermore.</HI>
That therein our Homage is paid unto him in a &s;pecial man|ner.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 64. 5.</NOTE>
<HI>That the Lord will be &s;ought and found in all his ways.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 3. 6.</NOTE>
That his familiarity is to teach us manners,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob 42. 6.</NOTE> not &s;aucine&s;s. That
to be neutral and meteor-like in the Lords wor&s;hip,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 18 27.</NOTE> is &s;ad
and &s;infull in a high degree.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. 30.</NOTE> That Prayer and Singing are
jointly pre&s;cribed and directed to for &s;piritual u&s;e.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark 14. 26.</NOTE> That
the abu&s;e thereof by any,<NOTE PLACE="marg">A<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">. 16. 25.</NOTE> &s;hould not, cannot excu&s;e us from
our duty.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 14. 15.</NOTE> All are bound and bidden to u&s;e them, yet none
can u&s;e them &s;piritually but by a &s;pecial Grace.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph 5. 19, 20.</NOTE> That a mo|ral
performance of Duty is better far then non-performance.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 16.</NOTE>
That men are to &s;erve God as well as they can,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Chro. 29. 30. <HI>Ezechias</HI> and the Lords &s;er|vants com|manded that they &s;hould &s;ing in the words of <HI>Da|vid</HI> &amp; <HI>A&s;aph.</HI> All men are bid and bound to &s;erve God morally, that they may learn to &s;erve him &s;piritually.</NOTE> &s;till learning
of him how to &s;erve him better. That God is ready to give
more &s;till to &s;uch as improve what they have received. That
its better to &s;erve Chri&s;t outwardly, then to &s;erve &s;in and Sa|tan
by omitting good, or committing evil. That the preach|ing
and hearing Gods Word, requires of nece&s;&s;ity meditati|on
and repetition, reading and &s;tudying thereof. That Chri&s;t
will be honoured in every Relation by every one, without
exception, as in publique and &s;ecret, &s;o likewi&s;e in our &s;everal
Families. That he threatens a cur&s;e to &s;uch Nations, and &s;uch
Families as know not, and call not on his name. That his
morning and evening Mercies challenge good manners in
duty from us.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 33. 8.</NOTE> That Chri&s;t him&s;elf taught how to pray and
prai&s;e on the &s;olemn u&s;e of the Lords creatures.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 67. 3, 4, 5, 7.</NOTE> That to
re&s;t on Duties is Idolatry,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 17. 30, 31.</NOTE> and to neglect the &s;ame is Rebellion
That all mixtures of humane Inventions do but &s;oil and de|face
the Lords pure wor&s;hip:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 10. 25.</NOTE> that therefore all Romi&s;h
Innovations are &s;ufficiently confuted by the bare reher&s;al.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 14. 4.</NOTE>
That Will-wor&s;hip can never plea&s;e him who will be wor|&s;hipped
in <HI>Spirit</HI> and <HI>Truth.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4. 4.</NOTE> That the Heathens pleaded
the like excu&s;es for their &s;uper&s;tition and Idolatry,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 15.</NOTE> as the
Papi&s;ts do for theirs.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 26.</NOTE> That a great part of the <HI>Pop<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;h</HI> tra&s;h
is but borrowed from <HI>Pagans</HI> with di&s;gui&s;es.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 21.</NOTE> That in ma|ny<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark 14.</NOTE><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 4. 23, 24.</NOTE><NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 15 9.</NOTE><NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 2. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.</NOTE><NOTE PLACE="marg">See the full parallel thereof in the I&s;le of <HI>Man,</HI> by Mr. <HI>Bernard</HI> in the charge drawn again&s;t Papi|&s;try.</NOTE>
<PB N="120" REF="74">
things they renew tho&s;e Rites, which by Chri&s;ts coming
were to have an end: that vows contrary to Scripture-Duty,
can &s;hew little &s;avour of Scripture-Verity: that
the ready way to ob&s;cure our Light, is to be&s;mear and
and paint our Windows. That Scripture-&s;implicity loves
not the dre&s;&s;ing of a pompous whore.<NOTE PLACE="marg">See Mr. <HI>Daille</HI> right u&s;e of the Fathers.</NOTE> That a fair Com|plexion
needs no painting, and truth hath mo&s;t power when
mo&s;t purity. That Antiquity pleads not at all for their
gro&s;&s;e&s;t Tricks.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rivet. Critic. Cen&s;ur. patr. Perkins Pro|blem. <HI>and all our Divines on that Sub|ject.</HI></NOTE> That in the things wherein &s;ome of the Fa|thers
&s;eem to plead for them, there is much mi&s;take and much
forgery. That however, Truth is the elde&s;t, and he wants
no Antiquity that wants not Scripture-Truth. Many words
were innocently u&s;ed by the Fathers as Merit, Altar, <HI>&amp;c.</HI>
which are turned quite into another &s;en&s;e among Papi&s;ts
now.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Many worthy Pens have largely confu|ted all <HI>Anti-Sabbatarians,</HI> witne&s;s. Dr. <HI>Twi&s;s,</HI> Dr. <HI>Bai|ly,</HI> Mr. <HI>Palmer,</HI> and <HI>Caudry,</HI> Mr. <HI>Shepheard,</HI> Mr. <HI>Le&s;trange,</HI> Mr. <HI>White,</HI> Dr. <HI>Ames,</HI> Mr. <HI>Gar|ter,</HI> &amp;c.</NOTE></P>
<P>14. Chri&s;ts holy-Day, his Sabbath of re&s;t, &s;uffers peculi|arly,
as, 1. From the fore&s;aid Enemies of Truth; So &s;e|condly,
From too many &s;eeming friends, &s;ome wholly re|jecting,
&s;ome mangling of it, and &s;ome indifferent to this
or to that. Thirdly, By Quakers and all Enthu&s;ia&s;ts, who
&s;light all, or mo&s;t of Chri&s;ts Ordinances, and this e&s;pecially.</P>
<P>Again&s;t &s;uch mi&s;takes and abu&s;es, the knowledge of Chri&s;t
will teach and enable us to ob&s;erve his day as becomes a Sab|bath.
Its called <GAP DESC="foreign"> the Lords Day, to expre&s;s his &s;peci|al
property therein, and &s;anction thereof, as the Euchari&s;t
is called the Lords Table and the Lords Supper <GAP DESC="foreign">.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 1. 10.</NOTE>
The Command enjoining it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 20. 10, 11, 12.</NOTE> is placed in the heart and Cen|ter
of the Decalogue; with a &s;ignal <HI>Memento</HI> prefixed. Its
largely expre&s;&s;ed,<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Particle <HI>ha,</HI> is not al|wayes Empha|tical to notifie a particular; &amp; if it &s;hould be &s;o taken here, it may notifie propor|tion, as well as Order.</NOTE> both po&s;itively and prohibitively. In the
precept and clo&s;e he names the Sabbath, though in the am|plification
he mentions the &s;eventh day, or a &s;eventh day.
He adds &s;trong Rea&s;ons to enforce it from his Propriety,
Example and Ble&s;&s;ing, as al&s;o from the Equity thereof. By
this one Command, he often expre&s;&s;es his whole Wor&s;hip,
He couples it &s;ometimes with one Precept of the fir&s;t Table,
and after with one of the &s;econd Table to &s;ignifie the great<NOTE PLACE="marg">As E&s;ay 56, 4, 5, 6, 7. Exod. 31. 12, 13, 14, 15, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Levit. 19. 3, 29, 30.</NOTE>
<PB N="121" REF="74">
Influence it hath into the ob&s;ervance of both. Its abundant|ly
confirmed, enforced and renew'd in every part of Scripture,
old and new. The rea&s;on that enforced the u&s;e of the &s;e|venth
day Sabbath extends as fully to the fir&s;t day Sabbath.
That was the Lords re&s;t day from his Creation-work; This
is his re&s;t day from his Redemption-work. The change of
the day in its <HI>quando,</HI> made by God him&s;elf, alters not the
force of the Comand, but ratifies it. He only could do it
that is the Lord thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 12. 8.</NOTE> There is no change made in the
<HI>quamdiu</HI> and continuance, nor in the <HI>quoties</HI> and frequency
of the &s;ame. The whole Precept being moral, in part natu|rally,
in part po&s;itively, is perpetual therefore, and not to be
altered by any Creature. That &s;ome &s;pecial time &s;hould be
ob&s;erved for Gods &s;olemn wor&s;hip, is moral natural. That
it &s;hould be &s;uch a proportion in &s;uch a Revolution, is moral
po&s;itive. That the duty &s;hould be moved from the &s;eventh
to the fir&s;t day of the week, makes no &s;ub&s;tantial change
therein, but only directs to the &s;ea&s;on thereof upon pregnant
ground.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.</NOTE> <HI>Paul</HI> clears this by a large demon&s;tration. The
fir&s;t day Sabbath was eminently typified in the mo&s;t notable
Providences of the old Te&s;tament.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 1.</NOTE> On the fir&s;t day Light was
created,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 8.</NOTE> <HI>Noahs</HI> Ark re&s;ted, Circumci&s;ion was fir&s;t ordained,
I&s;rael was redeemed from <HI>Aegyptian</HI> Bondage;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 17.</NOTE> on the &s;ame
day Chri&s;ts Law was fir&s;t given by him&s;elf to <HI>I&s;rael</HI> on mount
<HI>Sinai;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 12.</NOTE> the cloud of his &s;pecial pre&s;ence fir&s;t re&s;ted on them,
the Tabernacle with his pertinances was rear'd,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 19. <HI>c.</HI> 20.</NOTE> <HI>Aaron</HI> and
his Children fir&s;t executed their Prie&s;thood.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 30.</NOTE> On that day his
fire from Heaven fir&s;t came down to con&s;ume the Sacrifices
to make them acceptable in Chri&s;t by his Spirit.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 40.</NOTE> The <HI>I&s;raelites</HI>
were fir&s;t &s;olemly by the Lord him&s;elf ble&s;&s;ed;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Levit. 9.</NOTE> their Princes
fir&s;t publiquely offered to the Lord.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Levit. 9. 24.</NOTE> So for the new Te&s;tament,
Chri&s;t thereon fir&s;t &s;hewed his Miracles in <HI>Cana,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Numb. 16.</NOTE> he fir&s;t
ro&s;e and appeared to his Di&s;ciples;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Numb. 17. 1.</NOTE> the Saints that &s;lept then
ro&s;e out of their Graves;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 2.</NOTE> the holy Gho&s;t came down upon
the Apo&s;tles &s;olemnly met,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 24.</NOTE> and thereon &s;till they met for di|vine
wor&s;hip.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 20. 19.</NOTE> When the Jewi&s;h Sabbath ended by rea&s;on
of its Typicalne&s;s expiring with Chri&s;ts death,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 27.</NOTE> then began
the fir&s;t day to be the Chri&s;tian Sabbath,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 1.</NOTE> Chri&s;t &s;anctifying it<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 2.</NOTE><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 16. 1.</NOTE><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 20. 7.</NOTE>
<PB N="122" REF="75">
to that end by his re&s;urrection, honouring it in a &s;pecial man|ner,
which is the ground given by God him&s;elf for the keep|ing
of a Sabbath.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 20.</NOTE> So carefull were Chri&s;t and Chri&s;tians
of it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 24.</NOTE> that he bids them pray, <HI>that their flight be not in the
winter, nor on the Sabbath,</HI> le&s;t it &s;hould di&s;tract their bo|dies
and &s;ouls.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Numb. 15.</NOTE> Prophaning of the Sabbath hath ever been
threatned and puni&s;hed &s;ignally,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 22.</NOTE> as the due ob&s;ervance of it
hath been choicely encouraged and rewarded in all Superiors
and Inferiors.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 20.</NOTE> Its the Lords court-day wherein he expects
due Homage and Rents from all his Tenants.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 23.</NOTE> Its his Mu&s;ter|day
for all his Chri&s;tian Souldiers.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Nehem. 13. 17, 18.</NOTE> Its his &s;olemn Fea&s;t-day
to welcome all his friends.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 31. 14, 35, 2.</NOTE> Its his weekly Market for the
getting in of all heavenly provi&s;ions.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 17. 27.</NOTE> Its his Chancery-day for
the &s;ealing and grant of his deeds of Favour.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Carnal Pro|te&s;tants have learned of the <HI>Pagani&s;h Pa|pi&s;ts</HI> to pro|fane the Sab|bath, making it rather <HI>Dia|bolicus quam dominicus dies.</HI> Like their Pope <HI>Sylve|&s;ter,</HI> who com|manded the alteration of it, &amp; <HI>Thur&s;day</HI> to be ob&s;erved in lieu there|of, as <HI>Ho&s;pin</HI> relates, <HI>de fe&s;t. Chri&s;t.</HI></NOTE> What enemies
are they to his honor and mans good, who &s;light and abu&s;e
that Heaven upon earth! Its the beginning of an eternal
Sabbath. All Cavils again&s;t it have been fully di&s;pelled by
many choice pieces. When <HI>Paul</HI> condemns the di&s;tinction
of days, his meaning is cleared by the Context, to &s;peak of
Jewi&s;h Ceremonials, not of Chri&s;tian Morals. The neglect
and abu&s;e of the Chri&s;tian Sabbath hath been ob&s;erved for|merly
and lately to be &s;till the Inlet to all other errors. <HI>En|glands</HI>
pro&s;perity began in Queen <HI>Elizabeths</HI> time, when the
Sabbath began to be duly maintained by Authority. The
troubles of <HI>England</HI> began afterwards, when the Sabbath
was publiquely by Authority profaned, and by the &s;ame par|ty.
*<NOTE PLACE="marg">Witne&s;s <HI>Afred, Ivan</HI> &amp;c. in <HI>Saxon</HI> and <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> Hi&s;tory by <HI>Braiton, Britton, Forte&s;cue, Bacons</HI> Hi&s;tory of <HI>Engli&s;h Government.</HI></NOTE> The famous Kings and <HI>Witagen</HI> Mots among the Saxons,
&s;till; renew'd &s;trict Laws for due ob&s;ervance of the Chri&s;tian
Sabbath.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 14.</NOTE><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 4. Col. 2. The fir&s;t and great Blow given to the <HI>German</HI> Churches was upon the Sabbath Day which they had &s;o notoriou&s;ly prophaned. On that day <HI>Prague</HI> was taken by the Papi&s;ts</NOTE></P>
<P><PB N="123" REF="75">
15.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Many Cham|pions of Truth have contri|buted much to this Sub|ject, as the former Re|formers and Ancient Fa|thers; So of late, Mr. <HI>Bur|ges,</HI> Mr. <HI>Rutherford,</HI> M. <HI>Paget,</HI> Mr. <HI>Baxter,</HI> Mr. <HI>Cotton,</HI> Mr. <HI>Cobbet.</HI> Mr. <HI>Shepheard,</HI> Mr. <HI>Hooker,</HI> &amp;c.</NOTE> The Law of Chri&s;t is variou&s;ly abu&s;ed, 1. By the
the fore&s;aid Errors. 2. By <HI>Antinomians,</HI> denying the
Obligation of a Chri&s;tian to the moral Law. 3. By Pa|pi&s;ts
in mangling of it, and di&s;pencing therewith at plea&s;ure
many ways. 4. By Quakers, and other Innovators, join|ing
too much with Papi&s;ts. 5. By <HI>Socinians</HI> that re&s;t there|on,
teaching people the like, and &s;o making it their &s;atisfaction
to ju&s;tice and their Salvation.</P>
<P>AGain&s;t &s;uch evils, Scripture-knowledge of Chri&s;t will
help us to &s;ee the need and u&s;e of that Law of Chri&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 1. 26, 27.</NOTE> As
he printed it on mans heart at fir&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 23, 24.</NOTE> &s;o doth he by his Grace re|new
it there gradually.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3. 10.</NOTE> He publi&s;hed it him&s;elf from Mount
<HI>Sina</HI> to his people, adding the Ceremonials and Judicials af|terwards,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 31. 33.</NOTE>
as fit accommodations of that moral Law,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 32. 39, 40, 41.</NOTE> &s;uited
to the Jewi&s;h Church and State.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 36, 26, 27,</NOTE> The Decalogue then is the
&s;um of that Law,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 7. 37.</NOTE> which obliges all men without exception.
The &s;evetal Explications and Applications thereof we find
through the Old and New Te&s;tament.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 5.</NOTE> Chri&s;t ratified the
&s;ame from Mount <HI>Zion</HI> al&s;o,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 12, 14, 22.</NOTE> in taking away the Phari&s;aical
Rubbi&s;h,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 9. 21.</NOTE> which their fal&s;e Glo&s;&s;es had ca&s;t about it. The
Apo&s;tles further clear and confirm it in their &s;everal Epi&s;tles
and Writings.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iam. 2. 8.</NOTE> Where the Scripture &s;eems to &s;peak again&s;t
the Law,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 6. 1, 2.</NOTE> the &s;en&s;e is cleared by viewing the Context.</P>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 2. 16.</NOTE> They &s;peak again&s;t the ju&s;tifying Power of the Law,
through mans weakne&s;s &s;ince the fall,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 3. 10, 11</NOTE> none being able to keep
it without fault, or to make amends for his breach thereof.
Thus by the Law can <HI>none be ju&s;tified,</HI> and the regenerate are
not under it to get pardon and &s;alvation by a Law of works.
The <HI>Phari&s;ees</HI> thus pre&s;&s;ed and owned it, and were confuted
by Chri&s;t and his Apo&s;tles. Thus al&s;o do they &s;in, that do
re&s;t upon any Go&s;pel-duty, making it to them&s;elves thereby a
Law of Works.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 6. 14.</NOTE> Secondly, They &s;peak again&s;t the condem|ning
effect of the Law, which the regenerate are freed from
by Chri&s;ts Righteou&s;ne&s;s imputed to them. They are not
<PB N="124" REF="76">
under the cur&s;e of it, having their &s;ins pardoned by Chri&s;ts
&s;atisfaction,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 3. 25.</NOTE> made theirs actually through faith in his blood;
though their &s;in de&s;erves the Cur&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 1.</NOTE> yet that <HI>reatus</HI> and guilt
doth not redound upon their per&s;ons, being taken off by
Chri&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 15.</NOTE> Thirdly, They &s;peak often of the ceremonial Law
as not obliging any Chri&s;tian &s;ince Chri&s;t, though it was
u&s;ed indifferently for a while to bear with tender Converts
then un&s;atisfied about the abrogation thereof. Fourthly,
They &s;till own the royal Law of Liberty,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iam, 2. 8. 12.</NOTE> that moral Law
which is the Tran&s;cript of Gods holy Will for the Rule of
mans Duty in conformity to Gods Image. Its called there|fore
the Law of Chri&s;t, the perfect Law, and the Law of Truth,
which men do well when they ob&s;erve, and ill &s;o far as they
neglect it. God indeed writes his Law on his peoples heart,
but gradually and variou&s;ly; that is, to them an internal
Principle of Obedience,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25.</NOTE> which is &s;till attended by the Law of
their Members in oppo&s;ition thereto. This Principle moves
them &s;till to ob&s;erve that Law which God hath given to be
their &s;tanding Rule, perfect and unchangeable. Men are as far
from his Grace as they are from ob&s;erving his Law. God
never leaves his Children without Rule. He that breaks and
nuls any one part willingly, is guilty of all. The Papi&s;ts guilt
is great in hiding the &s;econd Command from the people in their
vulgar Liturgies, leaving it out, and making a gainful Trade
of di&s;pen&s;ing with Ince&s;t, undutifulne&s;s of Children, Forni|cation,
<HI>&amp;c.</HI> How great is their guilt then that take away
all the Commands at once, leaving man to his own deceitfull
heart under pretence of a Light and Law within? to be law|le&s;s,
is to be godle&s;s,; For whats Gods Law but the declara|tion
of Gods Will requiring mans Duty? who ever oppo&s;es
the Princes order, doth &s;o far oppo&s;e the Prince him&s;elf. <HI>A|thei&s;m</HI>
is the Source and Sum of &s;uch <HI>Antinomiani&s;m.</HI></P>
<P>16.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Worthy pains have been ta|ken by many of late, as by our former reformed Di|vines, by Mr. <HI>Bulkeby,</HI> Mr.</NOTE> The Lords Covenant in Chri&s;t is a&s;&s;aulted al&s;o, Fir&s;t,
By the former Errors. Secondly, By <HI>Socinians, Papi&s;ts, No|velli&s;ts,</HI>
who deny his gracious Covenant with <HI>Abraham,</HI> re|newed
with <HI>I&s;rael</HI> in <HI>Horeb,</HI> in <HI>Moab,</HI> and &s;o &s;ucce&s;&s;ively till
Chri&s;ts per&s;onal coming, who publi&s;hed a new Edition there|of.
Thirdly, By divers <HI>Anabapti&s;ts,</HI> and other week Chri|&s;tians,
<PB N="125" REF="76">
who mi&s;take and mi&s;call that Covenant many ways,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mr. <HI>Cobbet,</HI> M. <HI>Carter,</HI> Mr. <HI>Anth. Burges,</HI> Dr. <HI>Owen,</HI> Mr. <HI>Blake,</HI> Mr. <HI>Baxter,</HI> Mr. <HI>Mar&s;hal,</HI> Mr. <HI>Norton,</HI> &amp;c. who&s;e le&s;&s;er differences are compo&s;ed with facility by the &s;ober friends of Truth and Peace.</NOTE>
not di&s;tingui&s;hing the &s;ub&s;tance from the manner of admi|ni&s;tring
it, confounding works and Grace, Law and Go&s;pel
thereby.</P>
<P>AGain&s;t that Di&s;temper,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 3. 16.</NOTE> our Antidote will give a &s;ure
Remedy, &s;hewing the right nature and u&s;e of that gra|cious
Covenant made of God in Chri&s;t with his people in all
ages ever &s;ince mans fall.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 3. 15.</NOTE> God made fir&s;t an Overture there|of
to our fir&s;t Parents in the promi&s;ed &s;eed. It was further
cleared to <HI>Noah,</HI> and &s;ealed to <HI>Abraham</HI> and his &s;eed. At their
coming from <HI>Aegypt</HI> he renewed it by the Mediators voice
and hand.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 3. 37.</NOTE> Gods <HI>Mercy engaged, engaging mans Duty</HI> in
<HI>Chri&s;t and through him,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 4. 4, 5.</NOTE> is the &s;um thereof. Gods Mercy is
expre&s;&s;ed in every Promi&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 19. 20.</NOTE> mans Duty in every Precept. The
Ceremonials and Judicials were the &s;everal Garments of that
Covenant,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 26. 17, 18.</NOTE> &s;uited to their condition both in Church and State.
By this Covenant they had all good,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 29. 10, 11.</NOTE> and were freed from
evil temporal,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 89. 3, 28, 34.</NOTE> &s;piritual, and eternal. It was a Parental and
conjugal Covenant which the godly did embrace &s;piritually,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 105 8.</NOTE>
and other Profe&s;&s;ors but externally.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 59. 21.</NOTE> God owned them, whi|ther
Jews or Pro&s;elytes for his Children and Spou&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Zech. 9. 11.</NOTE> &s;o far
as they owned it either externally or internally.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 106. 45.</NOTE> Becau&s;e
this Covenant was much mi&s;taken and abu&s;ed in their latter
times,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 111. 5.</NOTE> Chri&s;t came in Per&s;on to renew it evangelically. Thence
the Go&s;pel is called a new Covenant,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezech. 16. 60, 62.</NOTE> becau&s;e the old renew'd
in a fairer Print.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mic. 7. 20, 21.</NOTE> Thus the old Command of Love being re|new'd
is a new Command.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 1 72, 73.</NOTE> Thus the old Moon renew'd, is cal|led
the new Moon.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 12. 48.</NOTE> Thus an old Lea&s;e revived, is a new Lea&s;e.
Its the old &s;ub&s;tantially,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 5.</NOTE> its a new one circum&s;tantially. The
former Edition was more dark,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 26.</NOTE> this more clear; that &s;traigh|ter,
this larger;<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Iohn 2. 7, 8, 9. 10.</NOTE> that heavier, this lighter: therefore the
Go&s;pel-Covenant is comparatively &s;aid to be better,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 9, 17, 20, 22.</NOTE> made on
better Promi&s;es,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 8, 6, 7, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> and more la&s;ting, being unchangeable till
<PB N="126" REF="77">
Chri&s;ts la&s;t coming; whereas the former is &s;aid to be grown
weak and antiquated.</P>
<P>Thence the Go&s;pel-Mini&s;try is comparatively called a Mi|ni&s;try
of Life of Glory,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 3.</NOTE> of the Spirit, and abiding, whereas
the former di&s;pen&s;ation was more accommodated to that In|fant
Age of the Church, and is &s;aid to have more of death,
of the letter, and le&s;s Glory. Thus the Scripture &s;peaks of|ten
po&s;itively of things under&s;tood comparatively. My Do|ctrine
&s;aith Chri&s;t, is not mine, <HI>John 7. 16. h. e.</HI> comparative|ly,
not barely mine, but his that &s;ent me. That this Covenant
mu&s;t needs be &s;ub&s;tantially the &s;ame now,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Levit. 13. 8.</NOTE> as then, though now
more plainly dre&s;&s;ed, appears in the Author and Mediator,
the &s;ub&s;tance and &s;cope, the parties and parts, the terms and
conditions which are &s;till e&s;&s;entially the &s;ame. Its &s;till of Grace
and from Grace,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mr. <HI>Hobbs</HI> in his <HI>Leviathan</HI> and other Books, hath many gro&s;s Errors oppo|&s;ing this and other Divine Truths dangerou&s;ly. The Fathers of old, both Greek, Latin, and all Refor|med Divines &s;ince have cleared this Point to the full, being followed by many Worthy Pens in our Age; <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> and <HI>French, Dutch</HI> and <HI>Danes.</HI></NOTE> for Grace, and through Grace in every
branch of it. All cavils objected have been abundantly re|futed
by others. The&s;e hints may &s;uffice now to point at tho&s;e
things which have been &s;o fully and &s;o frequently cleared by
&s;o many Champions of divine Truth.</P>
<P>17.<NOTE PLACE="marg">The <HI>Noveli&s;ts</HI> follies have have been de|tected &s;uffici|ently al&s;o, for|merly and lately. Infant Bapti&s;m in its purity, Anti|quity &amp; Right hath been ful|ly made out, as by all former Writers, &s;o lately by Mr. <HI>Mar&s;hal,</HI> Mr. <HI>Blake,</HI> Mr. <HI>Baxter,</HI> Mr. <HI>Cobbet,</HI> Dr. <HI>Winter,</HI> Dr. <HI>Featley,</HI> Dr. <HI>Goodwin,</HI> Mr. <HI>Cotton,</HI> Mr. <HI>Sidenham.</HI> Dr <HI>Worth,</HI> and many others.</NOTE> The Seals of Chri&s;ts Covenant are al&s;o abu&s;ed: as
1. By the fore&s;aid Evils; &s;o 2. By the Papi&s;ts defiling, man|gling
and corrupting them: adding five Sacraments of their
own Invention, <HI>viz.</HI> Penance, and Order, Confirmation, Mar|riage
and extream Unction. 3. By Quakers and Notioni&s;ts,
who &s;light and contemn them. 4. By the <HI>Anabapti&s;ts</HI> who
deny Bapti&s;m to Chri&s;ts Infant Members, the Believers &s;eed.</P>
<P><PB N="127" REF="77">
AGain&s;t tho&s;e Maladies we find Soveraign Help from the
Grace and Knowledge of Chri&s;t improved. Thence we
ob&s;erve the Lords care renewed in confirming his Covenant
now, as he did of old by &s;ignificant Seals called Sacraments,
becau&s;e &s;acred Rights, confirming the Engagement of Chri&s;ts
&s;ouldiers to him.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 10. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.</NOTE> What the <HI>Manna</HI> and <HI>Rock,</HI> the <HI>Cloud</HI> and
<HI>Sea, Circumci&s;ion</HI> and <HI>Pa&s;&s;e-over</HI> did of old ratifie; the &s;ame
is now con&s;igned by Bapti&s;m and Euchari&s;t. The Popi&s;h Re|ce&s;s
from Chri&s;ts In&s;titution therein &s;ufficiently di&s;proves all
their Innovations thereabout.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 15. 9.</NOTE> <HI>In vain do they wor&s;hip him,
teaching for Doctrines the commands of men.</HI> They agree not
among them&s;elves, nor with Scripture of Rea&s;on, in the ac|count
given of tho&s;e five Sacraments they have &s;uperadded.
Its pitty that any friend of Chri&s;t &s;hould join with them in
&s;lighting the purity and &s;implicity of Chri&s;ts &s;ealing Ordinan|ces.
There are extreams and abu&s;es about both of them. The
Lord gave them for Pledges and Helps of Chri&s;tian commu|nion;
Satan hath abu&s;ed them to foment unchri&s;tian divi|&s;ion.
The great Reformation in <HI>Germany,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Con&s;ult. Slei|den, Alling, Hornebeck, Bulinger, <HI>&amp;c. for the parti|culas.</HI></NOTE> <HI>Denmark</HI> and
<HI>Sweden,</HI> hath been &s;adly oppo&s;ed and abu&s;ed by Errors in
the&s;e two Seals. Rigid <HI>Lutherani&s;m</HI> and fanatick <HI>Anabapti&s;m</HI>
have been the great &s;tops there, and the fire-brands. Error
hath been acting in our parts al&s;o. Much plau&s;iblene&s;s from
mi&s;taken and mi&s;applied Scriptures hath been made u&s;e of to
palliate the &s;ore. But the nature of Chri&s;ts Covenant &s;uffi|ciently
clears our Infants Right to the Seal thereof, &s;o far as
capable. Intere&s;t in the Covenant mu&s;t needs import Intere&s;t
in the Seal.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 26.</NOTE> They may have the &s;eed of Faith, though the
fruit appears not yet.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 29. 10, 11.</NOTE> They do virtually profe&s;s in their Pa|rents
though not actually.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 17. 7, 8, 10</NOTE> The Statute of Heaven that took
them fir&s;t into Covenant, was never yet repealed nor expired.
Our children are as much members of Chri&s;ts Family and
Kingdom as the <HI>Jewi&s;h</HI> children.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 16. 20.</NOTE> Chri&s;t owns them and ble&s;|&s;es
them &s;till as he did before.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 19. 13, 14, 15.</NOTE> The Precepts and Promi&s;es
concerning them have &s;uffered no &s;ub&s;tantial change,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 2. 39.</NOTE> though
Admini&s;trations be circum&s;tantially altered.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 13. 8.</NOTE> <HI>The Ble&s;&s;ing of</HI>
Abraham <HI>comes &s;till on the</HI> Gentile <HI>through faith in Chri&s;t,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 1. 20. Gal. 3. 8, 9, 14.</NOTE> as
<PB N="128" REF="78">
it did on the <HI>Jewes.</HI> What Infidel <HI>Jews</HI> lo&s;t, <HI>Believing Gentiles</HI>
receive <HI>in Root and Branch.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 16, 17, 20, 23.</NOTE> The Believing <HI>I&s;ralites</HI> child
could be no lo&s;er by the change of the Seal, his Parent &s;till
abiding in Covenant. Look how the unbelieving <HI>Jewes</HI> were
<HI>broken off branch and twig,</HI> &s;o are Believing <HI>Gentiles graffed in
Branch and Twig.</HI> There is le&s;s &s;aid of this in the New <HI>Te&s;ta|ment,</HI>
becau&s;e &s;o much was &s;aid in the Old. This Point was &s;o
clear then without oppo&s;ition that a little &s;ufficed. The Be|lieving
<HI>Jewes</HI> would not have been quiet if their children had
been &s;hut out of Gods Hou&s;e, that made &s;uch &s;tirs at le&s;&s;er
matters. Chri&s;t, when a child, was Head of the Church; chil|dren
then may be members thereof. He cals them his <HI>Chil|dren,
Di&s;ciples, Saints, &s;ervants</HI> in the &s;ame Relation given to
their Parents.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod. 12. 48.</NOTE> When Families of old joyned to the Lord,
children were not excluded;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 16. 31.</NOTE> no more were they in Apo&s;tolical
dayes.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 19. 9.</NOTE> They that will deny Scripture-Con&s;equence, mu&s;t de|ny
all Duties of Chri&s;tianity, none whereof can be perform|ed
without &s;uch Rea&s;oning. Rea&s;on and Religion they mu&s;t
at once gain&s;ay, that gain&s;ay Inferences orderly drawn from
thence. The Condition of this Covenant is &s;ufficiently clea|red
by the Knowledge of Chri&s;t both for Entrance and conti|nuance,
both Internally and Externally. Chri&s;t invites &s;in|ners
to come by Faith to him for all needful Grace. <HI>None can
come to him except the Father draw them.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6. 44.</NOTE> He gives to his Elect
peculiarly, what he requires from all indefinitely. As far as
that Condition is performed either Externally or Internally,
&s;o far reaches the Covenant priviledge before God and men.
The profe&s;&s;ion and outward Priviledge may be utterly lo&s;t by
carnal hypocrites; but the di&s;tingui&s;hing Grace and internal
priviledge thereof cannot be totally nor finally lo&s;t by the Re|generate,
though they may be ecclip&s;ed for a time.</P>
<P>18.<NOTE PLACE="marg">About this Subject you may &s;ee mo&s;t of our Prote&s;tant Divines, as the Fathers al&s;o again&s;t &s;chi&s;m, as <HI>Irenaeus, Au&s;tin,</HI> &amp;c. More lately have written Dr. <HI>Field,</HI> B. <HI>Iewel,</HI> Dr. <HI>Willet,</HI> and within the&s;e few years the A&s;&s;em|bly of Divines, Mr. <HI>Hud&s;on,</HI> Mr. <HI>Hooker,</HI> Mr. <HI>Stone,</HI> Mr. <HI>Caudry,</HI> Mr. <HI>Cotton,</HI> M. <HI>Bax|ter,</HI> &amp;c. who&s;e circum&s;tantial differences are ea&s;ily reconciled by moderate Chri&s;tians; who &s;trive for Truth and Peace, not for contentious Victory.</NOTE> The Church of Chri&s;t &s;uffers much al&s;o, Fir&s;t, By
all the former. Secondly, By rigid Separati&s;ts of divers &s;orts.
<PB N="129" REF="78">
Thirdly, By the Popi&s;h Apo&s;tacy and U&s;urpations, a&s;&s;uming
to them&s;elves alone the Title of <HI>Catholicks,</HI> and unchurching
all that jump not with them. Fourthly, By Quakers and No|tioni&s;ts,
who &s;light and abu&s;e the communion of Saints mul|tipliciou&s;ly
and nefariou&s;ly.</P>
<P>AGain&s;t &s;uch Di&s;orders,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 23.</NOTE> the gracious knowledge of Chri&s;t
affords meet help.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 3. 15.</NOTE> Improve it to a right Union and
Communion, both with the Head, Chri&s;t; and with his Body.
His Church is his Hou&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 3, 4 5, 6.</NOTE> that cheri&s;hes Concord among Bre|thren
of different &s;izes.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 11, 19.</NOTE> There is but one <HI>God and Mediator</HI>
there; there al&s;o &s;hould be but <HI>one mind and heart.</HI> There
are divers Chambers and Stories therein, yet its one hou&s;e.
Though different flocks under various Shepherds,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 10. 16.</NOTE> yet are
they all under one great &s;hepherd. They that own Chri&s;t
as Head, &s;hould be owned of his Members. They that agree in
the main, may bear with each other in the means. Schi&s;m is a
&s;infull &s;eparation that breeds a Convul&s;ion in the Body of
Chri&s;t. Shame and Sorrow are the genuine fruits thereof, as
Pride and Ignorance the Parents of it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 16. 17, 18, 19.</NOTE> They bear mo&s;t with
others that know Chri&s;t and them&s;elves be&s;t. <HI>Paul</HI> would
have them both marked and &s;hun'd that make divi&s;ions as
&s;elfi&s;h Chri&s;tians that know little of Chri&s;t and them&s;elves.
He would have us &s;eparate from evil, but not from good, as
him&s;elf doth.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Iohn 3. 3.</NOTE> Chri&s;tians and Churches mu&s;t purifie them|&s;elves
as he is pure.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor, 5. 7, 8, 9, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> They &s;hould therefore labor more for
verity and Unity in the way to purity. They need all mutual
help.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 6. 10.</NOTE> Orderly Union affords much Beauty, &s;trength and u&s;eful|ne&s;s.
It makes Gods people like an Army with Banners;
&s;uch an Arch-Building is choice and &s;ure. All convul&s;ions
are painfull and direfull. Scripture repre&s;ents this harmoni|ous
compo&s;ure by that which excels in all frams, natural, civil
and artificial.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 14. 19.</NOTE> We &s;hould all labor then for things that tend
<HI>to Peace</HI> for mutual edification. Variety of helps he affords
to that end. The Popi&s;h pretence is as injurious as its ridicu|lous.
They make a particular Univer&s;al, a Roman Catho|tholick.
They fir&s;t di&s;own Chri&s;t in effect, and then mu&s;t
<PB N="130" REF="79">
they di&s;own and be di&s;owned of his friends. The Quakers
follow them too clo&s;ely in this, as in other things, ca&s;ting <HI>O|diums</HI>
upon our reformed Churches, and rejecting them. Its
&s;ad to &s;ee any of Chri&s;t friends, who &s;eem more &s;ober and &s;e|rious,
through mi&s;-interpretations and mi&s;-applications of
Scripture to imitate them in &s;uch dividing ways. <HI>To divide
and de&s;troy</HI> is Satans Motto, its his Method. We &s;ee it, we
feel it by woful experience. We mu&s;t learn of Chri&s;t Pru|dent
moderation in our zeal for Truth.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 34. 14.</NOTE> Both his Body and
Garment &s;hould be &s;o tendered,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 14.</NOTE> as not to rend the one by fa|vouring
the other.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign">, fol|low hard after, as with hue &amp; cry, with ut|mo&s;t diligence.</NOTE> Peace is to be pur&s;ued after as far as
po&s;&s;ible in con&s;i&s;tency with Holine&s;s. Much labor and care
mu&s;t often be u&s;ed in over-taking and pre&s;erving <HI>Peace,</HI> &s;till
endangered by many enemies.</P>
<P>19.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Augu&s;tin. Pro|pert.</HI> and many other Fathers cleared this point of old. The Reform|ed Churches have afforded &s;ucce&s;&s;ively many Cham|pions thereto, as <HI>Wickliff, Bradward, Cal|vin, Zanch. Pa|raeus, Iun. Cha|mier, Twi&s;s, Pemble,</HI> &amp;c. Lately Dr. <HI>Owen,</HI> Mr. <HI>Baxter,</HI> Mr. <HI>Re&s;bury,</HI> Dr. <HI>Kendal,</HI> Dr. <HI>Prideaux,</HI> &amp;c.</NOTE> The Grace of Chri&s;t nearly concerns his Church, and
meets with the contradiction of &s;inners. His Electing Grace
is much &s;landred by many. Fir&s;t, By mo&s;t of the forenamed
Errors. Secondly, By <HI>Pelagians, Socinians,</HI> and others de|nying
it to be eternal. Thirdly, <HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> and <HI>Arminians</HI> agree|ing
with the <HI>Semi-Palagians</HI> in making it conditional, not ab|&s;olute;
upon faith fore&s;een or on Good work, not of Gods
free plea&s;ure. Fourthly, By many of our Notioni&s;ts follow|ing
of tho&s;e blind Guides, in following the fal&s;e Lights which
<HI>Paracel&s;us,</HI> and <HI>Behmen, Swenkfield</HI> and <HI>Wigelius,</HI> the <HI>Ro&s;e-Crucians</HI>
and <HI>Enthu&s;ia&s;tical Reclu&s;es</HI> have racked out of old
Dung-hils, and dre&s;&s;ed anew.</P>
<P>AGain&s;t &s;uch deceits improve the knowledge of Chri&s;t, that
you may con&s;ider him in a double capacity. 1. As God
the Son, jointly with the Father and the Spirit, chu&s;ing his peo|ple
from eternity; <HI>divina opera ad intra &s;unt indivi&s;a.</HI> Se|condly,
As Mediator in Gods eternal purpo&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 11.</NOTE> in whom in all
the ve&s;&s;els of Mercy were ab&s;olutely elected without any re|&s;pect
to any thing in them,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 3, 4, 5, 6.</NOTE> but <HI>according to the good plea&s;ure
<PB N="131" REF="79">
of his Will, having prede&s;tinated us to the adoption of Children
by Je&s;us Chri&s;t to him&s;elf before the foundation of the world.</HI>
There is a double Election al&s;o mentioned in Scripture.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 28.</NOTE> 1. E|ternal,
which is to Glory.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 2.</NOTE> 2. Temporal, which is to office.
By eternal Election the Lords cho&s;en flock alone were fore-ordained
to Glory through Grace. By temporal Electi|on
reprobates as <HI>Judas</HI> may be cho&s;en to office,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6. 70.</NOTE> as he was to
the Apo&s;tle&s;hip. Gods electing Grace is called &s;ometimes his
<HI>fore-knowledge</HI> by an Hebrai&s;m,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 28.</NOTE> verbs of &s;ence with them im|porting
both affect and effect.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 25. 12.</NOTE> Thus Chri&s;t is &s;aid never to
have known the wicked, becau&s;e he never owned them for
his.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph 1. 5, 11.</NOTE> This foreknowing Grace is called his <HI>Plea&s;ure,</HI> his <HI>good
Will,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">The <HI>Arminian</HI> di&s;tinction of Gods Ante|cedent and Con&s;equent Will, is found in&s;ufficient to thei<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter"> &s;cope, &amp; cro&s;s to all Divine Attri|butes.</NOTE> <HI>his</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>Amor Bonevolentiae,</HI> chiefly looking at the
end, Gods Glorifying him&s;elf by glorifying them in Chri&s;t.
Prede&s;tination or fore-ordaining Grace, pre-determining tho&s;e
Elect <HI>Per&s;ons</HI> &s;o freely pitched upon by God&punc; regards the
means leading to that end; therefore it fore-appointed them
to Redemption and Adoption in Chri&s;t by Grace towards
Glory. Some being thus cho&s;en, others were pa&s;&s;ed by, and
are therefore called Reprobates; and Gods purpo&s;e or councel
about them is called <HI>Praeterition, Non-election,</HI> and <HI>non-prede&s;ti|nation.</HI>
God was not bound to any,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 2. 13, 14.</NOTE> and did chu&s;e and pa&s;s by of
his own Will, independently, eternally, di&s;tinctly, individually,
certainly.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 28, 29, 30.</NOTE> Tho&s;e per&s;ons &s;o pa&s;&s;ed by, con&s;idered in <HI>ma&s;&s;a nuda,</HI>
he did fore-ordain they &s;hould be left to &s;in,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 13. 48.</NOTE> and &s;uffer for
their &s;in;<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 19.</NOTE> &s;o con&s;idering them<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">The Apo|&s;tle, Rom. 9. brings three &s;ignal In&s;tan|ces of this great Truth for a &s;ure demon&s;tration; 1. In <HI>Jacobs</HI> Po&s;terity, <HI>ver.</HI> 5. 6. 2. In <HI>Abrahams</HI> &s;eed, <HI>ver.</HI> 7, 8, 9. 3. In <HI>I&s;aacs</HI> family, <HI>ver. 10. 11, 12, &amp;c.</HI> to take off all mi&s;takes, &s;hewing the fir&s;t ab&s;olute Ground of difference between man and man, to flow from Gods bo&s;om, for ordaining the future &s;tate of all his creatures, according to the purpo&s;ed plea&s;ure of his wil. As for the execution or Ju&s;tice, or decreeing thereof, he delights not in the &s;inners death, but in glorifying of Ju&s;tice.</NOTE> <HI>in ma&s;&s;a corrupta,</HI> this Act of
his purpo&s;e is called <HI>Praedamnation,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 5. 9.</NOTE> being an Act of his Ju&s;tice,
whereas the former is properly an Act of Soveraignty.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 22, 23.</NOTE> As
Soveraign he pa&s;&s;ed by them ab&s;olutely,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iude. 4.</NOTE> but as a ju&s;t God,
fore&s;eeing their &s;in,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 16. 4.</NOTE> he fore-appointed them to Wrath. The&s;e
various expre&s;&s;ions denote one intire, continued, perfect Act
of the divine E&s;&s;ence, &s;et out after our apprehen&s;ion diver&s;ly,
and having di&s;tinct Denominations, but externally from its
<PB N="132" REF="80">
&s;everal Objects, being &s;till immanent in God from Eternity,
non-tran&s;ient. They all &s;et forth his Grace in the freene&s;s
and fulne&s;s, in the &s;ingularity and &s;urene&s;s thereof. Thus
Chri&s;ts knowledge improved, will vindicate his Truth from all
a&s;per&s;ions of inju&s;tice, unmercifulne&s;s and unfaithfulne&s;s. In
all this he is ju&s;t, wronging none, being bound to none. He
is mercifull in chu&s;ing and prede&s;tinating &s;ome. He is faith|full
and true, ob&s;erving his word exactly. Blind eyes cannot,
&s;ore eyes will not &s;ee this clear Truth with delight, but fret at
it as Cavillers in <HI>Pauls</HI> time, with heavy charges. But the
Wi&s;dom of Chri&s;t mu&s;t be ju&s;tified of her Children now,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 14, 15, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> as
&s;he was by him&s;elf and by his Apo&s;tles then.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 19, 20, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> It mu&s;t needs
wrong the Grace of Chri&s;t much to make it depend upon the
fore&s;ight of faith,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iam. 1.</NOTE> or any thing el&s;e in the Creature, and gi|ving
the Creature a priority at lea&s;t &s;o far.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2.</NOTE> God fir&s;t appoints
what &s;hall be,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Iohn 3.</NOTE> and &s;o fore&s;ees that it &s;hall be, el&s;e he were not
the fir&s;t and la&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 6, 7, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> As God is eternal and certain, &s;o is his pur|po&s;e
eternal and certain.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Upon this Text &s;ee Mr.</HI> R. Resburies <HI>Elaborate Le|ctures.</HI> Dei voluntas rerum nece&s;&s;itas. Augu&s;t. de Gene&s;. ad liter.</NOTE> The figments of mens brains are
loath&s;om Idols that would bring God down to mans &s;hallow
reach, and fall as <HI>Dagon</HI> before the Ark.</P>
<P>20.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>Many choice Pleces of this Theme you may con&s;ult with, left by</HI> Augu&s;tin, Pro|pert. Brad|ward. Calvin, Luther, Parae|us, Zanch. Twi&s;s, Cha|mier, Molin, Downame <HI>and many more Ancient and modern. Dr.</HI> Owen, <HI>Dr.</HI> Kendal, <HI>Mr.</HI> Lyford, <HI>Mr.</HI> Resbury, <HI>&amp;c. have taken off many &s;ad mi&s;takes herein, in their late writings again&s;t</HI> Arminiani&s;m.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts redeeming Grace is much wronged. Fir&s;t, By
the former mi&s;takes. Secondly, By <HI>Pelagians, Papi&s;ts</HI> and
<HI>Arminians;</HI> Fir&s;t, In extending it to all and every man indivi|dually
alike; &s;o that <HI>Judas</HI> was as much redeemed as <HI>Peter</HI> in
their &s;en&s;e. Secondly, In re&s;training it to a meer &s;alvability
or putting mankind into a Power of being &s;aved, and acqui|ring
to God a new Power of &s;aving men. Thirdly, in un&s;et|ling
it, and making it an uncertain Meteor, wandring up and
down among men, waiting on their free Will to embrace or
refu&s;e it at their Li&s;t. Fourthly, In enfeebling it &s;o as that it
hath with them no Power or Efficacy to &s;ave tho&s;e &s;o redeem|ed,
but that a per&s;on whom God in Chri&s;t did &s;o redeem, may
<PB N="133" REF="80">
peri&s;h neverthele&s;s utterly. Fifthly, By divers of late who
appear much more &s;ober and godly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">See the wri|tings about them.</NOTE> yet incline too much to
tho&s;e dangerous Errors. Sixthly, By the <HI>Socinians, Famili&s;ts,
Behmeni&s;ts, Quakers,</HI> who either wholly deny it, or pa&s;s it in
&s;ilence as needle&s;s and u&s;ele&s;s.</P>
<P>AGain&s;t this Poi&s;on, Chri&s;ts Antidote improved will give
&s;ingular help; it will &s;hew the Al-&s;ufficiency and Effi|cacy
of Chri&s;ts oblation to all the Elect; <HI>for whom he did fore-know,
tho&s;e he did prede&s;tinate,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8 28, 29, 30</NOTE> <HI>he called, ju&s;tified and glorified.</HI></P>
<P>The nece&s;&s;ity and operation thereof it clears al&s;o. None
but God man could &s;ave lo&s;t man. Nothing but the full Obe|dience
of him could &s;atisfie infinite Ju&s;tice, and procure infi|nite
Mercy.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 20. 28.</NOTE> Chri&s;t had not died, had it not been of ab&s;o|lute
nece&s;&s;ity.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 9. 22.</NOTE> <HI>Without the blood of God there was no Remi&s;&s;ion.</HI>
That blood mu&s;t needs be efficacious and &s;aving to all redeem|ed
by him.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 5. 8, 9, 10.</NOTE> <HI>For if whil&s;t we were enemies, we were reconciled to
God by his death, much more being reconciled, &s;hall we be &s;aved
from wrath by his life.</HI> There is indeed, Fir&s;t, An external and
profe&s;&s;ed Redemption which is mentioned in Scripture that
proves ineffectual to eternal &s;alvation. Thus <HI>Apo&s;tates</HI> deny the
Lord that bought them generally &amp; profe&s;&s;edly.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 1.</NOTE> Thus he is &s;aid
to redeem the whole Creation.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4. 10.</NOTE> It mentions in that &s;en&s;e a tem|poral
Salvation generally,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 36. 6.</NOTE> for thus he <HI>&s;aves both man and bea&s;t,</HI>
All <HI>Apo&s;tates</HI> profe&s;&s;ed to be redeemed by him, and they
were outwardly redeemed from much gro&s;s evil.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>Salvabis. Sep|tuag.</HI> thou &s;halt &s;ave, an|&s;wering the Hebrew.</NOTE> Secondly,
There is an eternal Redemption of Grace to Glory, peculiar
to Gods elect. This differs from that as far as Heaven from
Earth. Chri&s;t the Redeemer is indeed Lord of all, and makes u&s;e
of all for the good of his redeemed ones. The devils them&s;elves
and brutes are thus generally under his dominion,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 28.</NOTE> as all Repro|bates.
Yet it follows not that he died for them. Gods
Elect are the proper Objects of redeeming Grace; All
things el&s;e below come in accidentally, &s;ecundarily, &s;ub&s;ervi|ently
and comprehen&s;ively under con&s;ideration in Chri&s;ts Re|demption,
which makes them all to advance Gods honor and
his peoples good. There is a dubious Homonymy in this word
<PB N="134" REF="81">
(<HI>Grace</HI>) which occa&s;ions much mi&s;take. Many take it gene|rally
for any favour &s;hew'd by God to man. But Scripture
limits the &s;en&s;e thereof in mo&s;t, if not in all places to his pecu|liar
favour &s;hew'd to his Elect in Chri&s;t, reaching their Re|demption
and Salvation efficaciou&s;ly and infallibly. Other
Creatures enjoy many gifts, as <HI>Abrahams</HI> &s;ecundary off&s;pring,
but his Elect as <HI>I&s;aac</HI> alone his Inheritance. This advances
the Glory of Chri&s;ts Grace in every con&s;ideration. To make
his blood impotent and uncertain, cannot but much eclip&s;e it.
His freene&s;s and fulne&s;s, his &s;urene&s;s and choicene&s;s appear
orientally in this redeeming Grace. Neither may any Crea|ture
complain of any wrong herein.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 20. 15.</NOTE> Is not he free to do with
his own what he plea&s;es?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11. 35.</NOTE> Was he ever bound to any Creature?
Doth any &s;uffer but for their &s;ins? Doth not God make good
every Word of his? Chri&s;t was never a half-Saviour. He
came not barely to make men &s;alvable,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 7. 25.</NOTE> but to &s;ave effectually,
and to the utmo&s;t. His Redemption is as ab&s;olute as the
Fathers Election, though the offers of Grace be conditional,
indefinitly tendred to all &s;orts. Chri&s;t came not to purcha&s;e
any new Power to God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 19. 9, 10.</NOTE> but to fulfill his purpo&s;e in his effec|tual
procuring of Salvation for all his.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh. 10. 16, 28, 29, 30.</NOTE> He came for his lo&s;t
&s;heep whom the Father Gave him, to fetch them home effica|ciou&s;ly.
The Sons Redemption mu&s;t needs keep parallel with
the Fathers election. Had &s;alvation been intended to each man,
what could have hindred the effecting thereof? If Chri&s;t died for
<HI>Judas</HI> as for <HI>Peter,</HI> then is <HI>Peter</HI> little more then <HI>Judas</HI> behol|ding
to Chri&s;ts Redemption. Its not Chri&s;t it &s;eems that makes
the difference, but &s;ome thing el&s;e. If he died for them both, but
not alike, then was his death therein peculiar to <HI>Peter,</HI> which
makes the difference. Then was it impo&s;&s;ible that <HI>Judas</HI> could
be &s;aved without that &s;pecial thing, and it was as impo&s;&s;ible
that he &s;hould have it, &s;eeing it was not intended to him. To
what purpo&s;e then did Chri&s;t die for him? He was not &s;alva|ble
it &s;eems by the grant &s;uppo&s;ed. What el&s;e he had was
common to him with other Creatures, good in it &s;elf, but abu|&s;ed
by man. That Chri&s;t came not to re&s;tore whole man|kind,
appears in that every one is never effectually re&s;tored
to primitive &s;tate. Where the Scripture &s;peaks of Chri&s;ts
<PB N="135" REF="81">
Dying for all, for the World, for &s;inners, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> the context
&s;till clears the re&s;triction of tho&s;e phra&s;es to all the Elect,
both Jews and Gentiles, that are of all &s;orts, and in all
places and ages. Its a common phra&s;e in every language
thus to &s;peak of all for many of all &s;orts indefinitely,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 3. 5.</NOTE> to be
explained by the matter in hand.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 1. 23.</NOTE> Thus all <HI>Judea</HI> came to be
bapti&s;ed. The Apo&s;tles preached to every creature under
heaven, yet &s;till with limitation. The word [<HI>World</HI>] in di|vers
places cannot &s;ignifie whole man-kind,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 1. 29.</NOTE> but mu&s;t be li|mited
to the ve&s;&s;els of mercy alone.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 32. 32.</NOTE> Thus Chri&s;t takes away
the &s;in of the world;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6 33.</NOTE> now ble&s;&s;ed is he who&s;e &s;in is taken
away;<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 19.</NOTE> every man is not &s;o. Many are in Hell beyond po&s;&s;i|bility
thereof; he gives Life to the world, not to them in Hell.
God was in Chri&s;t, reconciling the world, not imputing their
&s;in unto them: Is this every mans priviledge to have recon|ciliation
and pardon? In other places, the <HI>World</HI> can &s;ignifie
none but Reprobates,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Iohn 5. 19.</NOTE> that &s;hall never be &s;aved, that <HI>lie in
wickedne&s;s,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 17. 9.</NOTE> that Chri&s;t prayed not for, that die in their &s;ins that
cannot receive the Spirit of Grace,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 13. 3.</NOTE> <HI>&amp;c.</HI> U&s;ually its &s;ignifi|cation
is indefinite to be explained by the context.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 14. 17.</NOTE> But what
mu&s;t men blieve if Chri&s;t died not for every man?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 17. 25.</NOTE> They mu&s;t
believe that Chri&s;t alone is the full Saviour and Redeemer of
his people;<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 2. 5.</NOTE> that he that believes not &s;hall be damned, that
Believers are &s;aved through his Grace,<NOTE PLACE="marg">He di&s;tingui|&s;hes the <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">orld of the ungod|ly from the &s;aved Ones.</NOTE> <HI>&amp;c.</HI> as the Scripture
teaches.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> Bnt why is Chri&s;t offered to all then?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Becau&s;e that he &s;peaks to men by men, after the
manner of men. His Elect are to be gathered from among
all &s;orts. The Gardiner waters the weeds &s;ecundarily, but the
good plants primarily. The Sun &s;hines on the blind that can|not
make u&s;e thereof.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But is not &V;nbelief the great damning &s;in?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> It is &s;o, though not the only damning &s;in. Po&s;itive un|belief
is wor&s;e then negative and admits of Degrees too.
All &s;in is Damnable, a deadly di&s;ea&s;e: But Unbelief is the
refu&s;ing, the rejecting of the only Remedy that &s;huts the
&s;oul under its de&s;erved death.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But is not this Doctrine uncomfortable?</P>
<P><PB N="136" REF="82">
<HI>An&s;w.</HI> Its indeed to all unbelieving Imp<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="blotted" EXTENT="1 letter">nitent &s;inners
wilfully rejecting Chri&s;t;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 5. 3, 6.</NOTE> but its mo&s;t comfortable to all
humble &s;elf-denying &s;ouls, tho&s;e <HI>poor</HI> in <HI>&s;pirit,</HI> that <HI>hunger</HI>
and <HI>thir&s;t</HI> after Chri&s;ts righteou&s;ne&s;s.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 48. 22.</NOTE> There is no <HI>comfort to the
wicked from the Lord.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 57. 21.</NOTE> But much encouragement to every &s;oul
that is made willing to turn from al &s;in to God through Chri&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6. 37.</NOTE>
Such &s;hall duly know that Chri&s;t died for them when they find
him killing &s;in in them, that they may live to him. A general
Notion that Chri&s;t died for all and every One, can give no
more comfort to <HI>Peter</HI> then to <HI>Judas,</HI> till his heart do feel the
power of Chri&s;ts death. Is it not more comfort that Chri&s;t
died to &s;ave his Elect certainly, then that he died &s;o indefi|nitely,
that its uncertain for all his death whether any &s;hall
be &s;aved? If you grant he died ab&s;olutely but for &s;ome; then
its certain that only they &s;hall be &s;aved; and his dying for the
re&s;t conditionally, will not make them &s;alvable nor afford
any comfort to them. If any Inconvenience attend our
Doctrine it mu&s;t needs attend that al&s;o.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 15. 18.</NOTE> Yea, if Chri&s;t &s;hould
have died for all alike,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 19.</NOTE> yet &s;eeing all are not in the event &s;a|ved,
he mu&s;t needs fore-know it, or not be Omni&s;cient; and
fore-ordain it, or not be Omnipotent; and that certainly, or
not be Soveraign. The &s;ame difficulties will follow that way
with many more. Either God or the Creature mu&s;t be Inde|pendent.
It di&s;parages not Chri&s;ts death that its limited to
the Fathers purpo&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Its no di&s;|grace to the &s;ufficiency of the Sun, that &s;o many blind eyes &s;hare not in its Light. Some are wilfully, all naturally, &s;ome judici|ally, many &s;luggi&s;hly blind in &s;piri|tuals. All are born blind; Satan blinds further, &s;ome fall a&s;leep, others wilfully &s;hut their eyes; &s;ome are offended, others judicially blinded; There is no fault in the Natural or Spiritual Sun, but in the creature: &s;in is from &s;elf, Rom. 5. 1 Cor. 15. 22.</NOTE> by his Intention and Execution. All
Divine Attributes are wonderfully magnified this way; his
Wi&s;dom and Power, Mercy and Truth, Ju&s;tice and Holi|ne&s;s,
<HI>&amp;c.</HI> The Parallel drawn by the Apo&s;tle between the
fir&s;t and &s;econd <HI>Adam</HI> proves a parity and proportion of
Chri&s;ts Redemption, extended to all his &s;piritual &s;eed; as the
corruption and condemnation of <HI>Adam</HI> extends to all his na|tural
&s;eed. But all men individually con&s;idered, are not Chri&s;ts
&s;piritual &s;eed. The Elect are &s;uch intentionally before Con|ver&s;ion,
and actually Become &s;uch in their Conver&s;ion.
<PB N="137" REF="82">
All <HI>Adams</HI> children died by him, and all Chri&s;ts children were
redeemed by him. Its more to redeem one &s;oul, then to de&s;troy
all. Chri&s;t excels incomparably.</P>
<P>21.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>You may &s;ee largely on this Subject</HI> Au|gu&s;tin, Epi|phan. Pro&s;per, Chamier, Mag|deb. Centur. Calvin, Lu|ther, Chemnit. Paraeus, Zan|chius, Brad|wardine, Ame&s;. <HI>Dr.</HI> Twi&s;s, Ana|tom. <HI>and Hi|&s;tor. of</HI> Soci|nian. Trelca|tium &V;trum|que, Iun. The|&s;es, Davenant, <HI>Bi&s;hop</HI> Jewel, Rivet, Horne|beck, de Socin. Willets Synop&s;. <HI>Dr.</HI> Owens Di&s;play of Ar|minians, <HI>&amp;c. Mr.</HI> Ant. Bur|ges <HI>Lectures. Mr.</HI> Downams Sy&s;tem. <HI>Mr.</HI> Baxters Re&s;t. <HI>Mr.</HI> Perkins, Hooker, Shepheard, Cotton, <HI>Dr.</HI> Pre&s;ton, Sibs, <HI>&amp;c. See the Books about them.</HI></NOTE> Chri&s;ts renewing Grace is no le&s;s a Sufferer by, Fir&s;t,
The former Oppo&s;itions. Secondly, By <HI>Pelagians</HI> old and
new, a&s;&s;erting mans nature to be &s;o re&s;tored in every man, that
they are all born in Gods favour, continuing &s;o till they gro&s;ly
abu&s;e the Light given them, either natural or Evangelical:
making Grace as common as Nature, becau&s;e its a gift, though
diver&s;ifyed. Denying Original &s;in and Habitual corruption
before years of di&s;cretion. Thirdly, The <HI>Socinians</HI> who fol|lowing
them, deny that &s;pecial Renewing Grace, and pretend
the New Birth mentioned &s;o often to be but a moral change
upon men, which their nature by a common help from God
doth attain unto in imitation of Chri&s;t, whom they &s;uppo&s;e
to be a meer Patterne of Holine&s;s, not the Internal efficient
thereof. Fourthly, By the <HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> and <HI>Arminians</HI> who have
learned of them to advance mans &s;elf-&s;ufficiency, free Will
and Power by a common a&s;&s;i&s;tance of Gods Light indiffe|rently
afforded to all &s;orts according to their Improvements
of the common Gifts received to accept or reject Chri&s;t at
their plea&s;ure; and to ca&s;t away the be&s;t of his Gifts Recei|ved
when they li&s;t. In effect, placing a mans &s;trength and
&s;tanding, yea his chief All in his own mutable will: making
Faith but a common A&s;&s;ent given to Truth. Fifthly, By the
<HI>Quakers, Famili&s;ts</HI> and <HI>Notioni&s;ts,</HI> who carry too much com|pliance
with their Gho&s;tly Fathers in the&s;e as in other things.</P>
<P>AGain&s;t the&s;e Lethal Maladies, the knowledge of Chri&s;t
improved graciou&s;ly will afford effectual Remedies.
Thereby we learn to &s;ee by Scripture Light the total
corruption of mans &s;inful Nature;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 6. 5.</NOTE> the univer&s;ality thereof
reaching all places and per&s;ons:<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 14,</NOTE> its clo&s;ene&s;s and adherence,
its contagion and fruitfulne&s;s,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 53.</NOTE> its temptations and Rebellions,
its policies and power,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 17. 9.</NOTE> its fierce and incon&s;iderate madne&s;s;<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 51. 5.</NOTE>
<PB N="138" REF="83">
its indefatigable un&s;atisfiablene&s;s, and its multiplicious propa|gation,
not admitting of remi&s;&s;ion or intermi&s;&s;ion: This fully
manife&s;ts the in&s;ufficiency and emptine&s;s of man, his unskil|fulne&s;s
and aptne&s;s to any &s;piritual good. Thence the nece&s;&s;ity
of a &s;pecial Renewing Grace from above to work an effectual
change in all Gods Elect by an Almighty irre&s;i&s;tible power,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 3. 3, 5. 6.</NOTE>
&s;uch as quickned <HI>Lazarus</HI> and rai&s;ed up <HI>Chri&s;t Je&s;us</HI> from the
Grave.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 18. 3.</NOTE> This &s;anctifying Grace is con&s;idered in Scripture in
the gradual Renovation of man from his fir&s;t conver&s;ion from
Nature to Grace,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 17, 18, 19.</NOTE> unto his change from Grace into Glory.
The product of this Renewing Grace is called a <HI>new Creature,</HI>
and a <HI>Tran&s;lation from death to Life;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 17.</NOTE> a <HI>Turning of men from
darkne&s;s to Light,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Iohn 3. 14.</NOTE> <HI>and from the power of Satan to God,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 26. 8.</NOTE> by <HI>open|ing
of their eyes</HI> and renewing their Will. Its expre&s;&s;ed by
<HI>taking away the heart of &s;tone,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 36. 26, 27.</NOTE> and <HI>giving a heart of fle&s;h; in
putting his Spirit within us, and giving a new heart and a new
&s;pirit,</HI> in our &s;pecial effectual Calling. Its &s;aid to be our
<HI>Regeneration</HI> and <HI>being born again,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 3. 3, 5, 6, 7.</NOTE> ab&s;olutely needful to open
an entrance into Gods Kingdom. Though there be &s;ome Re|liques
of natural and moral Endowments left in men &s;ince the
fall in their powers and parts, as appears by the Heathens Im|provements:
yet the&s;e only te&s;tifie the wofulne&s;s of mans
de&s;perate fall in ruining &s;o glorious a Fabrick. Thence the
blindne&s;s and perver&s;ne&s;s of his mind and will are &s;o aggrava|ted,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 2.</NOTE>
the crooked di&s;tortions of his Affections,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 3.</NOTE> the &s;earedne&s;s
and corruption of his Con&s;cience with the di&s;order of every
part,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm. 58. 3.</NOTE> are &s;et forth &s;o Emphatically to convince every man.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 1 2, 3, 11, 12.</NOTE>
Thence men are &s;aid before Conver&s;ion to be Godle&s;s and
hopele&s;s,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 17, 18, 19.</NOTE> becau&s;e Chri&s;tle&s;s. Thence is the wonderful opera|tion
of Renewing Grace &s;o extolled &s;till in this new creation,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 1. 15, 16.</NOTE>
bringing forth <HI>Light out of darkne&s;s,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 25, 26.</NOTE> in making man partaker
of the Divine Nature. This &s;upernatural Work is carried on
rationally by the Spirit of Chri&s;t<NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg">Act. <GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">4. 27. Act. 16. 14.</NOTE> in a way &s;uitable to mans
rational Being.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 6. 5.</NOTE> He works &s;trongly, yet &s;weetly; he opens
their heart-&s;prings with a &s;pecial Key of his own framing.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 8. 21.</NOTE><NOTE PLACE="marg">The Par|ticle <GAP DESC="foreign"> in that &s;peech of God, appears to be not cau&s;al as many take it, but di&s;cretive, as <GAP DESC="foreign">, <HI>et&s;i,</HI> although, aggravating mans &s;infulne&s;s, as the Greek <GAP DESC="foreign"> &s;eems to import, 1 Tim. 1. 13. where he doth not extenuate, but aggravate his &s;in.</NOTE>
<PB N="139" REF="83">
This Renewing Grace runs parallel with the Fathers Electing
and the Sons Redeeming Grace;<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 16. 9.</NOTE> <HI>whom God did foreknow and
prede&s;tinate,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 4. 3.</NOTE> <HI>tho&s;e he calls effectually, &s;ea&s;onably, &s;avingly.</HI> Their
corrupt nature doth much re&s;i&s;t it till Grace prevails and con|quers
all its Forts.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 28, 29, 30.</NOTE> The outworks of the Mind and Judge|ment,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn. 6. 37, 44, 45.</NOTE>
Chri&s;ts Spirit conquers fir&s;t; thence breaking through
the Iron Gate of mans Will into the po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of all the
powers and parts of the &s;oul.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 36. 2, 26, 27.</NOTE> Many &s;ins remain &s;till in every
part like &s;o many <HI>Cananites</HI> and <HI>Tories</HI> to be gradually &s;ubdu|ed.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 31. 33.</NOTE>
The&s;e Rebels being broken in their Head and Reign,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ier. 32. 39, 40.</NOTE>
Grace doth orderly di&s;patch by mortifying exerci&s;e.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 89.</NOTE> The
Spirit of Chri&s;t carries on his work in &s;upporting and &s;upply|ing
&s;till tho&s;e gracious Beginnings,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7.</NOTE> which are weak at fir&s;t. By
the Go&s;pel Light he communicates his gracious Life.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 3.</NOTE> Thus he
per&s;wades &amp; enables his people to embrace Je&s;us Chri&s;t upon
Go&s;pel terms by a Covenant of Marriage and Adoption.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ho&s;. 2. 14, 19, 20.</NOTE> Thus
is mans dunghil heart by Renewing Grace broken up and
dre&s;&s;ed into a &s;piritual Garden &s;own and &s;et with the fruits of
his holy Spirit.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 9. 27.</NOTE> It differs exceedingly from common convi|ctions
and external Reformations,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="foreign"> as the He|brew reads Emphatically, God will effi|caciou&s;ly per|&s;wade <HI>Japhet,</HI> enlarging the heart of <HI>Gen|tiles</HI> towards Chri&s;t; <HI>il a hirera en dou|ceur,</HI> as the <HI>French</HI> reads it. He will &s;weetly and &s;urely draw them. Thence <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>per&s;ua|deo.</HI></NOTE> as earth differs from
Heaven. That difference is &s;till morally-&s;pecifical, though
it &s;eems to be Phy&s;ically, but Numerical and gradual. Its
the &s;ame Spirit that works conviction on the Reprobate and
on the Elect, but not in the &s;ame manner. He knocks at
both, and is re&s;i&s;ted. He leaves the Reprobate ju&s;tly; he
opens the Elects heart mercifully and prevailingly. The
Reprobate may be externally and profe&s;&s;edly &s;anctified
in a partial &s;uperficial way. Gods Elect are &s;pecially &s;ancti|fied,
univer&s;ally in every part; and gradually through every
part. Mans free will by &s;in &s;ubjected to Satan, is through this
Renewing Grace &s;et at liberty,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 3. 21.</NOTE> &s;o far as Grace prevails. The
unregenerate is free only to &s;piritual evil,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 7, 8.</NOTE> being an enemy to
&s;piritual good.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 2, 9.</NOTE> The Regenerate &s;oul is &s;o far free to &s;piritual
good,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7. 25.</NOTE> as its renewed. When Grace is compleated in Glory,
the &s;oul like good Angels &s;hall be free only to good.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Nece&s;&s;ity and liberty meet together in Heaven, on Earth, yea in Hell it&s;elf.</NOTE> The
Nature of mans will is thus bettered by Grace; which was
made a &s;lave by &s;in. The Devils and damned do freely will
&s;in, &s;o do unregenerate &s;ouls on earth, yet nece&s;&s;arily. Thus
<PB N="140" REF="84">
nece&s;&s;ity man &s;tand with freedom both to good and evil. By
this Renewing Grace the regenerate &s;oul is made conformable
to Gods Image,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 24.</NOTE> and is &s;o far called the <HI>new man,</HI> and gradually
learns to be holy as God is Holy.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 14, 15.</NOTE> That Seed and Root of
Grace ca&s;t into it at fir&s;t, grows up by degrees as the <HI>grain of
mu&s;tard &s;eed,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 13.</NOTE> as the <HI>corn,</HI> as the Light, as the living Child.
Thereby the &s;oul is enabled to believe and Repent,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 4. 18.</NOTE> and fur|ther
to actuate every &s;ort of Grace,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 13.</NOTE> being excited, corrobora|ted
and directed &s;till by the &s;ame Spirit.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mark 4.</NOTE> Thence is the conflict
&s;o continuall between the &s;pirit and fle&s;h,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 7.</NOTE> the Law in
the members, and the Law in the Mind? Grace and &s;in, which
ends not till the death of &s;in in bodily death. Thus <HI>acti agi|mus:</HI>
Implanted Grace then co-works &s;till with the Lords
gracious Spirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2. 13.</NOTE> <HI>who works in us both to will and to do of his
good plea&s;ure.</HI> This Grace appears al&s;o mo&s;t free and full,
mo&s;t choice &amp; &s;ure, to the glorifying of all Divine Attributes.
Man could not be conceived to have any skil, power or will
to procure the &s;ame.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 2. 8, 9, 10.</NOTE> By Grace the Lord cals unto Grace,
and &s;o to Glory. <HI>By Grace are we &s;aved through Faith, and
that</HI> not <HI>of our &s;elves, its the gift of God; not of works, lea&s;t
any man &s;hould boa&s;t:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 9. 16.</NOTE> <HI>for we are his workman&s;hip created in
Chri&s;t Je&s;us unto good works:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iam. 1. 18.</NOTE> <HI>&s;o that its not in him that wills,
nor in him that runs,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 6.</NOTE> <HI>but in God who &s;hews mercy: Of his own
will begat he us by the Word of Truth, that we might be to the
prai&s;e of his Glory.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But why then is man commanded to believe and
repent, to change his heart, <HI>&amp;c?</HI></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Becau&s;e as we hinted before, God deals with men
by men, rationally, orderly, to convince all of their Duty, and
in&s;ufficiency, to humble and awaken them, to put them upon
all due means, to render the mo&s;t inexcu&s;able, and moralize
many: to convey his Grace into his Elect through tho&s;e very
means peculiarly &s;anctified to the &s;piritualizing of their heart.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But is not God partial in &s;o doing?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> No. For he is not bound to any further then he plea|&s;es,
neither is he led by any &s;inful re&s;pects which render men
partial.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But why doth he yet complain of the Reprobates, if
<PB N="141" REF="84">
he give them not &s;ufficient Grace, as to others? how can they
help it?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Men &s;in wil|fully, though nece&s;&s;arily. Its a nece&s;&s;ity conditional, not ab&s;olute; It was con|tracted by a mans own fault; it op|po&s;es not his Liberty of choice; whe|ther in point of contradi|ction towards contrary acts; willing or nilling: or of contrarie|ty towards contrary ob|jects good or evil. The &s;in|ner chu&s;es evil in refu&s;ing good, willing|ly without con&s;traint. Gods Decree infu&s;es no evil into a man, nor his Providence. P&s;alm 58. 3. Iob 14. 4. Matth. 7. 16. Luke 6. 44. Iam. 3. 12. Eph. 2. 1, 2, 3. <GAP DESC="foreign"> and partial acceptation of per&s;ons, forbidden of God, is to be found only <HI>in debitis</HI> and matters of Duty, not in Gratulties and things of free Gift.</NOTE> God ju&s;tly complains of the wicked for in&s;olvency and
&s;quandring away his goods wilfully and rebelliou&s;ly, both in
their fir&s;t Father and by them&s;elves. They &s;mart not but for
their fault: their being Bankrupts is no payment, nor di&s;|charge
of their debts to him. He gives them more then they
could expect or make right u&s;e of. Though they cannot
change their own heart yet they might u&s;e the means better
then they do; they are &s;till wilfully negligent and &s;elfi&s;h in all
they do and &s;uffer ju&s;tly for their demerits. Can the wicked
&s;ay they &s;in not wilfully? Will not their own con&s;cience con|demn
them? Are they not all corruptly e&s;tranged from the
womb, and &s;peaking Lyes by time? Who can bring a clean
thing out of an unclean? Can the Bramble bear figs, or a &s;in|ful
man beget a &s;inle&s;s child? Is not the &s;pawn and brood of
venemous creatures venemous al&s;o? Can a dead corp&s;e rai&s;e
it &s;elf to Life, or a &s;oul dead in &s;in contribute ought to its
own quickning? Yet is this no excu&s;e for any &s;in, becau&s;e
man is condemned for the abu&s;e and neglect of that which is
given him. The be&s;t of them goes not &s;o far as he might.
Though he be &s;piritually dead, yet is he naturally alive, and
the abu&s;e of natural parts is a &s;ufficient condemnation to every
&s;inner, though variou&s;ly appearing. Thus is God &s;til ju&s;t, mer|ciful
and true, though man prove unju&s;t, unworthy and fal&s;e.
He is &s;til beforehand with every man, though unfaithful &s;er|vants
who improve not the talent lent them, charge him to be
a hard ma&s;ter. As he is free in di&s;po&s;ing of his gifts, &s;o will
every abu&s;e and neglect of each of them be duly reckoned for.</P>
<P><PB N="142" REF="85">
22.<NOTE PLACE="marg">About this Truth, be&s;ides the Fathers Greek and Latin, and our former Re|formed Di|vines, you may con&s;ult with late Wri|ters, as Dr. <HI>Pre&s;ton,</HI> Dr. <HI>Ames.</HI> Dr. <HI>Sibs,</HI> Mr. <HI>Bol|ton,</HI> Dr. <HI>Thom. Goodwin,</HI> Dr. <HI>Ward,</HI> Dr. <HI>Twi&s;s,</HI> Bi&s;hop <HI>Davenant,</HI> Bl. <HI>Morton,</HI> Mr. <HI>Hooker,</HI> Mr. <HI>Shepherd,</HI> Dr. <HI>Owen,</HI> Mr. <HI>Rutherford,</HI> Mr. <HI>Cotton,</HI> Mr. <HI>Burges</HI> Lectures, Mr. <HI>Baxter,</HI> Mr. <HI>Gataker,</HI> Mr. <HI>Lyford,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>Sleidan, Cloppenburg. Becman, Hornebeck, Altingius, Bulin|ger,</HI> &amp;c.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts &s;aving Grace is al&s;o abu&s;ed, 1. By the former
Errors. 2. By the <HI>Pelagians</HI> and <HI>Socinians,</HI> a&s;cribing mans &s;al|vation
to his own merits, the fruits of his own power and will.
3. By the <HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> and <HI>Arminians</HI> &s;acrificing al&s;o to their nets;
&s;ome owning merits <HI>de congruo</HI> before Conver&s;ion; others
only merits <HI>de condigno,</HI> after conver&s;ion; either <HI>ex propria
Natura,</HI> with &s;ome, or <HI>ex pacto</HI> with others; very few of them
are found more mode&s;t. 4. By the <HI>Quakers, Behmeni&s;ts</HI> and
<HI>Notioni&s;ts</HI> variou&s;ly treading in their &s;teps, and di&s;gui&s;ing
tho&s;e old Errors with the colours of new Light of a Chri&s;t
within, pretended Raptures, Chymical dreams and Magical
deceits. Their mon&s;trou&s;ly ab&s;tru&s;e expre&s;&s;ions and Fictitious
Raptures were much magnified in that <HI>German</HI> Tragedy acted
in various Scenes for many years, e&s;pecially from 1522. til
1540. and are now revived out of <HI>Paracel&s;us, Behmen, Wi|gelius,</HI>
and the like by their followers very perniciou&s;ly now.</P>
<P>AGain&s;t &s;uch a Poy&s;on the gracious Knowledge of Chri&s;t
will fortifie you by Scripture di&s;covery of the Nature
and Cau&s;e, the Method and Means, the Subject and Effects,
of that &s;aving Grace.</P>
<P>1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 1. 3, 4, 5.</NOTE> The Nature thereof is Gods Application of his &s;pecial
Favour unto his Elect,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 3. 4, 5.</NOTE> Redeemed by Chri&s;t, &s;aving them from
all &s;in on earth Inchoatively, in Heaven con&s;ummatively.</P>
<P>2.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 2. 13.</NOTE> The Fountain cau&s;e thereof is his own plea&s;ure: the
final his Honour, exalted in his Son, by his own Spirit apply|ing
the &s;ame.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 28, 29, 30.</NOTE></P>
<P>3.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6. 37, 39, 44, 45.</NOTE> The Method ob&s;erved is gradually to &s;hew this favour,
1.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 10. 27, 28, 29.</NOTE> Primitively in his Election and Redeeming Love. 2. Com|municatively,
in his Adopting and Ju&s;tifying,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 17. 2.</NOTE> his &s;up|porting
<PB N="143" REF="85">
and &s;upplying Love, from the beginning of Grace,
through per&s;everance unto Glory in Eternity.</P>
<P>4.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 25.</NOTE> The means appointed and employed therein are, 1. Chri&s;t
the Principal:<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 2. 13.</NOTE> The Spirits Operation as efficient:
and every Ordinance and Providence, his Word e&s;pecially, as
In&s;trumentally ble&s;&s;ed of him thereto.</P>
<P>5. The Subjects thereof are Gods Elect,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 1. 2, 3, 4.</NOTE> Redeemed by the
Son, Renewed by his Spirit, whom he Adopts for Children,
ju&s;tifying their per&s;ons, and keeping them through faith by his
Power unto Salvation;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 1. 19.</NOTE> &s;upporting and &s;upplying them &s;til by
the earne&s;t and fir&s;t fruits of his Spirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 4. 19.</NOTE> til the full po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion
of all.</P>
<P>6.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn. 1. 12.</NOTE> The Effects thereof are, the gaining of their hearts by
Divine Love to mutual Returns,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 13 48.</NOTE> to chu&s;e him in Chri&s;t by his
Spirit for their chief good and &s;overaign Lord,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 10. 3, 14, 15.</NOTE> delighting in
him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 2, 11, 12.</NOTE> depending on him, clo&s;ing with him, following of him,
drawing all from him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Iohn throughout.</NOTE> reducing all to him, loving what he
loves, hating what he hates, with an harmony of mind, heart
and hand. And all for his &s;ake and to his Glory, by his &s;trength
according to his Will.</P>
<P>THis Light will ea&s;ily di&s;pel all Cavils darkning the truth.
There are no merits but in Gods Mercy. He rewards in|deed,
but its of Grace. He pardons &s;in and doth it freely. Yet
he requires Faith and Repentance, not to merit, but to receive
it, emptying the &s;oul of &s;elf, to fill it with him&s;elf, letting out
&s;in to let in Chri&s;t: ca&s;ting out Satan to bring in his Spirit,
Purging out corruption by giving his Grace, preparing for
Glory. He therefore bids them <HI>take heed le&s;t they fall,</HI> to
keep them &s;tanding in the right u&s;e of Means. He appointed
the End and ble&s;&s;es the Means. He promi&s;es and a&s;&s;ures their
&s;tanding,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 6. 37, 38, 39.</NOTE> not by their own, but by his Might. Thus <HI>all that
the Father gave Chri&s;t, &s;hall come to him, and him that comes to
him, he will in no wi&s;e ca&s;t out, becau&s;e this is the will of the
<PB N="144" REF="86">
Father that &s;ent him,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 10. 27, 28, 29.</NOTE> <HI>that of all he hath given him he &s;hould
lo&s;e nothing. The father that gave them to him, is greater then
all; none &s;hall pluck them out of his hand,</HI> Ergo.</P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But may they not &s;lip away?</P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 8.</NOTE> Yea, if left to them&s;elves as <HI>Adam</HI> was in the Co|venant
of Works. But he hath made a better Covenant with
them in Chri&s;t, engaging his Grace to pre&s;erve and &s;ave to the
utmo&s;t <HI>all</HI> whom he cho&s;e in him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Sam. 23. 5.</NOTE> Redeemed by him, and
&s;anctifyingly renews by his Spirit. This is all their Hope
and all their <HI>Salvation,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 31. 33.</NOTE> though in a Winter of temptation it
&s;eems not to <HI>flouri&s;h.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 36. 26, 27.</NOTE> He therefore <HI>writes his Law in their
heart, and puts his Spirit within them,</HI> to <HI>cau&s;e them to walk
in his Statutes,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;alm 73. 23.</NOTE> that <HI>they &s;hall keep his Judgements and do them.</HI>
He <HI>will uphold them by his right hand till he bring them to Glo|ry.</HI>
He will Crown his own Grace in them,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 12. 9.</NOTE> and <HI>magnifie his
&s;trength in their weakne&s;s.</HI></P>
<P><HI>Object.</HI> But doth not this Doctrine lead to pre&s;umption and
Libetini&s;m?<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE></P>
<P><HI>An&s;w.</HI> Not at all, though it may be abu&s;ed as the be&s;t things
are.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 2. 10, 11, 12.</NOTE> It leads genuinely to all Chri&s;tian diligence and Grace,
as the &s;ure only way to Glory.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mirae Grada|tiones in divi|na Catena, &amp; in&s;eparabiles! 1^a^. decretorum</NOTE> This A&s;&s;urance he gives not
to all alike, nor to any alike at all times. Though his weak
children be &s;ure in his hand, yet he lets them often &s;tumble,
that they may know him and them&s;elves better. The Riches
of his Grace appear &s;till herein freely and fully,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 28, 29, 30. 2^a^. Virtutum,</NOTE> &s;urely and
choicely. Whats freer then pardon to an unworthy Rebel?
That Chri&s;t &s;atisfied,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.</NOTE> and that Faith is given to receive par|don,
is not that free al&s;o? Whats fuller then &s;uch a pardon,
that ju&s;tifies from all guilt Inchoatively,<NOTE PLACE="marg">3a. <HI>Officiorum,</HI></NOTE> progre&s;&s;ively, con|&s;ummatively?
whether you &s;ay the pardon is Renewed,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 5. 17, 18. 19, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> or
continued, or confirmed to the Regenerate, is it not &s;til full?
Doth he not blot out all &s;cores and remit all faults by appli|cation
of his Ju&s;tifying Grace?<NOTE PLACE="marg">4^a^. <HI>Privilegi|or.</HI> 1 Cor. 1. 30. 1 Cor. 3. 21, 22.</NOTE> His correcting of them is the
fruit of that Adopting Love which pardons them.<NOTE PLACE="marg">5^a^. Beatitu|dinum. <HI>Matth.</HI> 5. 3, 4, 5. &amp;c. Omnes i&s;ti Coele&s;tes nexus &s;unt firmiter contexti, &amp; nulla vi aut fraude di&s;&s;olvendi. Pendent enim omnes ab Optimi Maximi Throne, &amp; ip&s;ius Omnipo|tenti manu connectuntur &amp; con&s;ervantur.</NOTE> Becau&s;e
<PB N="145" REF="86">
they are children, they mu&s;t have Phy&s;ick and the Rod al&s;o.
Whats &s;urer then this Grace, which engages the Trinunity in
the cleare&s;t Bond, with the &s;ure&s;t Ties, with Word and Wri|ting,
with his Hand and Seal, with Promi&s;e and Oath, yea
with his own Blood to final performance on his &s;ide and
theirs?<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 13.</NOTE> They may break indeed, but he cannot break. Though
they act faithle&s;ly, yet he acts faithfully. He cannot <HI>Deny
him&s;elf nor them,</HI> becau&s;e his in Chri&s;t. And what's choi&s;er
then this &s;pecial Grace, that &s;aves his children when he pu|ni&s;hes
others? Whats more precious then this Miracle of
Grace that gives them God in Chri&s;t and all things with him?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8. 32.</NOTE>
What more &s;ingular then this marvellous Love,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe&s;. 1. 13.</NOTE> who
gives them his Spirit to &s;eal and &s;trengthen them,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 1. 22.</NOTE> that they
may clo&s;e with him and keep clo&s;e to him &s;till? This is Grace
indeed not to be abu&s;ed, nor to be oppo&s;ed by any pretence.
Its as compleat as his Salvation, which mu&s;t needs be an&s;we|rable
to &s;uch a compleat Saviour. An imperfect Chri&s;t is but
an Idol of mans fancy, &s;o is that Imperfect &s;alvation and in|effectual
Grace which many dream of.</P>
<P>23.<NOTE PLACE="marg">About this Subject you may read much in all Antiquity; and among Divines and Civilians of late, e&s;peci|ally in Engli&s;h you'l find it handled ex|actly by Mr. <HI>Cobbet</HI> of <HI>New England</HI> in 1653. and much in &s;cat|tered places among Mr. <HI>Baxters,</HI> and others Works, and in the Volumes of Sermons preached before the Parliaments &s;ince 1640. to this day. You may &s;ee about it our <HI>Libertine School'd,</HI> lately publi&s;hed.</NOTE> Chri&s;t &s;uffers al&s;o in his In&s;truments, his Civil Deputies, in
the Magi&s;tracy: 1. By the former evils. 2. By the Papi&s;ts,
who advance their Antichri&s;tian Head into the Magi&s;trates
Seat, putting the civil Key into the Popes hand, and loo&s;en|ing
the Subjects from their Allegiance to &s;uch Superiours who
do not plea&s;e him, encroaching much upon civil Affairs in
their Cannon Law, as about Marriage, Ince&s;t, Adultery, <HI>&amp;c.</HI>
obliging their Clergy to Forraign Supremacy; forbidding
the Magi&s;trate his Duty about Externals of the fir&s;t Ta|ble,
<HI>&amp;c.</HI> 3. By <HI>Quakers</HI> and <HI>Notioni&s;ts,</HI> who labour to bring
in confu&s;ion, as the <HI>German Anabapti&s;ts</HI> did. 4. Yea by many
who &s;eem more &s;ober, yet deny the be&s;t part of his Office:
that &s;pecial care of the fir&s;t Table in its Externals, wherein he
is to do mo&s;t for God. 5. By divers infirm Chri&s;tians that
by mi&s;taken apprehen&s;ions of a fifth Monarchy do actually
<PB N="146" REF="87">
re&s;i&s;t Chri&s;t in denying due homage to &s;uch Powers whom hi
Providence hath &s;et in Power.</P>
<P>AGain&s;t the&s;e Oppo&s;itions, the Knowledge of Chri&s;t gra|ciou&s;ly
improved will &s;ufficiently arm us, declaring from
Scripture the Magi&s;trates Duty and Dignity in being mo&s;t like
God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 13. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.</NOTE> and doing mo&s;t for God. His Power is Authoritative
about the external man, in all matters Religious and Civil,
Politically to regulate, reward and correct according to Gods
Word for the Lords honour and the Publique good. The
<HI>Genus</HI> is an Authoritative Power; the Object is the external
man, expre&s;&s;ed by word, &s;ign, or deed; the Subject is all
matters of the fir&s;t or &s;econd Table, religious and civil. The acts
of Power are to regulate, reward, countenance good, and
di&s;own and correct evil. The manner of acting is Political,
not Spiritual; by civil Cen&s;ures, not Eccle&s;ia&s;tical? The Rule
is Gods Revealed Will in his written Word, not his own Will
or mans fancy. The End is Gods honour as &s;upreme; pub|lique
good, as &s;ubordinate. Herein &s;hines the Magi&s;trates
Dignity in being thus employed as Gods Sub&s;titute, to look
to his Law in cheri&s;hing good, and &s;uppre&s;&s;ing evil. Herein
Gods Vicegerent &s;hall meet with comfort in the&s;e Politicks of
Gods own giving.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Sam. 2. 30.</NOTE> The Lord in all Ages hath honoured &s;uch
who have thus laboured &s;till to honour him. He requires it
&s;till,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 13.</NOTE> and rewards it in a &s;pecial manner. He gives many In|&s;tructions
about it to avoid error,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Sam. 23. 2, 3.</NOTE> neglect and abu&s;e. He &s;till
branded tho&s;e that neglected it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exod 18. 21.</NOTE> and &s;et up them&s;elves in
&s;lighting of him.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Nehem. 3. 5.</NOTE> They were threatned and puni&s;hed &s;orely
that would not and did not tender Chri&s;ts Intere&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Chron. 19. 5, 6, 7.</NOTE> No Book
of Scripture or humane Record but gives us &s;ignal demon&s;tra|tions
hereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay. 49. 23.</NOTE> The many Cavils ob&s;curing this Truth ea&s;ily
vani&s;h by the brightne&s;s thereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem, 30. 21.</NOTE> The <HI>Pontifician</HI> Crue by
their encroachments have taught our <HI>Libertines</HI> very &s;ad le&s;|&s;ons.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Their Queries and Objecti|ons you find an&s;wered in our <HI>Libertin School'd</HI> brief|ly, more large|ly in other Authors.</NOTE>
<HI>Corah</HI> with his Partners acted once this part, as the
<HI>German</HI> Rout did long afterwards from 1522 till 1534. Pre|tence
of Con&s;cience is much talked of, but it covers often the
abu&s;e of Con&s;cience. The Magi&s;trate meddles not with con|&s;cience,
<PB N="147" REF="87">
but with external evil, though pretending con&s;cience.
He is a <HI>terrour</HI> to all evil works whatever they be, where|ever
they appear, and a countenance to good. Thats his
Office by Gods Commi&s;&s;ion <HI>for thy good;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 13. 2, 3, 4, 5.</NOTE> Chri&s;t is King of
Kings by whom they all Raign,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Prov. 8. 15, 16.</NOTE> who calls all to account. If
&s;in and Satan po&s;&s;e&s;s a mans con&s;cience that &s;hould be Gods
Seat, it cannot excu&s;e their trea&s;onable acts, but aggravate
them. Much care indeed is to be &s;till u&s;ed lea&s;t this Power
be &s;lighted or abu&s;ed. Such Chri&s;tians who appear truly con|&s;ciencious
are to be dealt with in much tenderne&s;s. Yet can|not
Con&s;cience plead for any &s;in. Chri&s;t never intended it to
be Errors Sanctuary. He dallies with no &s;in, and would have
his &s;ervants like him. They that make no con&s;cience of his
Truth and Grace, nor of the publique Peace, &s;hew their con|&s;cience
to be very un&s;ound. The &s;tanding Rule of man, whe|ther
high or low,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 8. 20.</NOTE> is not his Con&s;cience, but the <HI>Lords Word.</HI>
An evil Con&s;cience is the wor&s;t of evils,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Pet. 1. 19, 20, 21.</NOTE> and the Nur&s;e of all
evil.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3. 15, 16, 17.</NOTE> Error is an infections Di&s;ea&s;e that &s;preads dangerou&s;ly
under the pretence of Con&s;cience &s;till. Con&s;cience mu&s;t rule
us &s;o far as its ruled by Gods Word, and no further. It can|not
bind <HI>to,</HI> nor di&s;charge any &s;in. <HI>Paul</HI> judges him&s;elf for
tho&s;e very &s;ins very hainou&s;ly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 1. 13, 14.</NOTE> which his con&s;cience through
mi&s;take &s;ugge&s;ted to be his duty.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 3. 3.</NOTE> If a Chri&s;tian &s;uffer <HI>as an
evil doer,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 26. 9.</NOTE> though he pretend Con&s;cience, he &s;hall have little
honour or comfort therein.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2. 20.</NOTE> The &s;in is aggravated that is com|mitted
by an evil of Con&s;cience, the Pre&s;ence Chamber and
the Royal Throne of our Soveraign Chri&s;t. The Magi&s;trate
therefore &s;hould be mo&s;t careful to &s;ee that all &s;orts enjoy
the be&s;t Means of informing Con&s;cience about the Will of
God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Ki<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="missing" EXTENT="1 letter">g. 17. compared with 2 King. 19.</NOTE> as Noble <HI>Jeho&s;aphat</HI> did, that all good Laws may be du|ly
ob&s;erved. Then Execution mu&s;t be look'd unto, the Life
of the Law. Its the great mercy promi&s;ed to Chri&s;ts King|dom,
that <HI>Kings &s;hall be Nur&s;ing Fathers</HI> to his Church,<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 49. 23.</NOTE> and
contribute their utmo&s;t to the help thereof;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 13.</NOTE> whereas before
they gave up their power to the Antichri&s;tian Bea&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 17.</NOTE> Chri&s;t
him&s;elf is wronged, when his Lieutenant the Magi&s;trate is
taken off from his Work or di&s;turbed therein. All Argu|ments
u&s;ed again&s;t the Magi&s;trates Power in Religion are &s;till
<PB N="148" REF="88">
under-charged or over-charged; either they prove only that
Con&s;cience is not to be forced, and that Chri&s;tians &s;hould be|gentle
and meek, bearing with each other in things indifferent,
which is not denied; or if there were any force in them to di&s;|prove
the Magi&s;trates dealing with the fir&s;t Table, the &s;ame
force would reach further again&s;t the &s;econd Table al&s;o. So
that they would make his office needle&s;s, &s;triking at Chri&s;t
through his vicegerents Loins to bring in confu&s;ion and A|narchy,
by exempting from his Cogni&s;ance whatever things
may pretend Con&s;cience. What evil &s;o horrid that may not
be covered under &s;uch a mask? Hath not experience &s;een it
fulfilled in the predigious Ranters are Quakers of our days?
Chri&s;ts Intere&s;t in the good of mens &s;ouls is &s;till the be&s;t part
of the Magi&s;trates care; they mu&s;t needs be &s;adly injurious to
both, that would deprive them of that choice Garland, and
that &s;ignal work.</P>
<P>24.<NOTE PLACE="marg">This Theme hath been fre|quently and fully handled in all Ages, and in ours by the A&s;&s;em|bly of Di|vines, the Mi|ni&s;ters of <HI>Lon|don,</HI> by Mr. <HI>Shepheard,</HI> Mr. <HI>Hooker,</HI> Mr. <HI>Rutherford,</HI> Mr. <HI>Gile&s;py,</HI> Mr. <HI>Norton,</HI> Mr. <HI>Cotton,</HI> &amp;c. who harmoniou&s;ly agree in the &s;ub&s;tantials, though they &s;ometimes vary in Circum&s;tantials of Order Eccle&s;ia&s;tical.</NOTE> Chri&s;t is oppo&s;ed likewi&s;e in his Servants of the Mini|&s;try,
as, Fir&s;t, By the former Errors; So, &s;econdly, By
the <HI>Socinians, Seekers, Behmeni&s;ts, Revelationi&s;ts, Quakers</HI> and
<HI>Libertines</HI> who deny, corrupt and oppo&s;e it. Thirdly, by
the <HI>Papi&s;ts,</HI> who &s;et up an Antichri&s;tian Head, and Hierarchy,
mangling and perverting it wofully. Fourthly, By Inno|vators,
who exalt a Power therein above others unknown to
Chri&s;t, and others &s;lighting what Chri&s;t hath &s;et up.</P>
<P><PB N="149" REF="88">
AGain&s;t the&s;e various Evils, the Knowledge of Chri&s;t
improved graciou&s;ly will fence our Judgements, and
make us to &s;ee the excellency and perpetuity, the nece&s;&s;ity
and utility of his Go&s;pel-mini&s;try. It was his care of old
to &s;et it up in his Church for their common good, <HI>that the
Prie&s;ts lips might pre&s;erve knowledge, and they &s;hould &s;eek the
Law at his mouth,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mal. 2. 7.</NOTE> <HI>becau&s;e he is the Me&s;&s;enger of the Lord.</HI>
The fir&s;t In&s;urrections again&s;t it, (which a&s;&s;aulted al&s;o the
Magi&s;tracy by a &s;trong levelling party under holy pretences,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Num. 16.</NOTE>)
were dreadfully rebuked and plagued by an extraordinary
hand from Heaven.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Num. 17.</NOTE> The Lord made al&s;o <HI>Aarons</HI> Rod to
blo&s;&s;om and fructifie miraculou&s;ly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Num. 31. 30, 47.</NOTE> that he might ratifie
this great Ordinance of his to all Ages.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Num. 35. 2, 8.</NOTE> He appointed the
<HI>Levites</HI> to be therefore &s;ettled in all the parts of I&s;rael,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 49 7.</NOTE> that
every one might be provided with mini&s;terial Help.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 33. 9, 10. their &s;cattering was for the publike good.</NOTE> Him&s;elf
promi&s;ed in a peculiar way to be their be&s;t Portion, and took a
&s;pecial care,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut, 12. 19.</NOTE> that among their Brethren they might never
want a plentifull portion.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 44. 28, 29, 30.</NOTE> From time to time did he renew
that charge,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Chron. 36. 15, 16.</NOTE> and &s;harply vi&s;ited for the neglect thereof. He
honor'd and pro&s;per'd tho&s;e Princes and people that did care|fully
ob&s;erve his Will therein.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Chro. 30. 22.</NOTE> His Magi&s;tracy and his Mini|&s;try
went &s;till hand in hand,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 48. 10, 11, 12, 13.</NOTE> both in doing good and &s;uffering
evil.<NOTE PLACE="marg">This Prophe&s;ie from the 40^t^h^. Chapter of Ezek. is Evan|gelical, though &s;et out by Mo|&s;aical Expre&s;|&s;ions, as the whole &s;cope demon&s;trates, &amp; Expo&s;itors harmoniou&s;ly agree.</NOTE> <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> and <HI>Aaron</HI> in all their Succe&s;&s;ors were &s;till duly ob|&s;erved
by God and good men. The Jewi&s;h Church and State
declined together by their &s;infull neglects of Chri&s;ts In&s;tituti|ons.
Chri&s;t therefore came at la&s;t him&s;elf per&s;onally, that he
might repair tho&s;e wofull Ruins. The vile abu&s;ing of his
Mini&s;try brought on them fir&s;t a Babylonian yoak, and after|wards
a Roman &s;lavery, after many Per&s;ian and Grecian Op|pre&s;&s;ions.
The Revolts of <HI>Ja&s;on</HI> and of <HI>Onias,</HI> with their
Anti-temples in <HI>Aegypt</HI> and <HI>Samaria,</HI> brought in many more
confu&s;ions then both on Church and State. Their corrupt
oppo&s;ings of Chri&s;ts Mini&s;try co&s;t them very dear. When
Chri&s;t came in the fle&s;h, the many di&s;orders of the mini&s;terial
Office and per&s;ons had di&s;ordered all.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Chron. 36. 15, 16.</NOTE> His great care was
then to rectifie things in the be&s;t method.<NOTE PLACE="marg">See <HI>Jo&s;ephus</HI> his <HI>Antiquity,</HI> and of the <HI>Iewi&s;h</HI> wars.</NOTE> An end of all
&s;hadows he made in him&s;elf by his own Mini&s;try, and &s;ettled
him&s;elf a &s;ub&s;tantial Mini&s;try that &s;hould continue unto the
<PB N="150" REF="89">
worlds end. His great bu&s;ine&s;s &s;till was to purge his Temple,
and to commi&s;sion his mini&s;terial Servants for the &s;ucce&s;sive
building of his hou&s;e. His twelve Apo&s;tles and &s;eventy
Di&s;ciples were to that end &s;uccesfully employed by him.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iohn 2. 14, 15 16.</NOTE>
When he a&s;cended and triumph'd over all,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 21. 12.</NOTE> he be&s;towed then
Coronation Gifts of a choice Nature.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luk. 19. 45, 46.</NOTE> Then gave he <HI>Apo|&s;tles,
Prophets</HI> and <HI>Evangeli&s;ts</HI> in extraordinary, <HI>Pa&s;tors</HI> and
<HI>Teachers</HI> in ordinary for Amba&s;&s;ados,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 9. 1, 2, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> for the perfecting of
the <HI>Saints, for the work of the Mini&s;try, for the building up of
his body,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luke 10. 1, 2, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> <HI>untill we all come to the full &s;tature of the Son of God.</HI>
Thus Chri&s;t &s;ettled this mini&s;terial function with &s;piritual
Authority,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 10, 11.</NOTE> by &s;etting apart in a regular Call, per&s;ons by him
duly qualified to the full employment of the Mini&s;try. The
Circum&s;tantials of the ceremonial Law he pared off thereby,
and &s;ettled the &s;ub&s;tance of his will therein in this &s;olemn of|fice
for his &s;pecial honor and his peoples good. The Father
and Spirit joined with God the Son in the Commi&s;&s;ion given
from above to &s;ettle this Office, and a&s;&s;ure thereon a &s;ignal
Ble&s;&s;ing till the end of all. As the Son gave the&s;e Re&s;idents
of his to his Church below,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 11, 12.</NOTE> &s;o did the Father <HI>&s;et them</HI> in the
Church,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 12. 28, 29.</NOTE> and the holy Gho&s;t &s;till makes them over&s;eers thereof.
In the renewing of their Commi&s;sion he enlarged it unto all
Nations,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 20. 28.</NOTE> gave them the <HI>keys of his Kingdom</HI> to act under him
as Deputy-&s;tewards;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 28. 18, 19, 20.</NOTE> Titles of Honor he gives them
many,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioh 20. 22, 23.</NOTE> fit Emblems al&s;o of their weighty work. They
are his Agents and the peoples Guides,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 13. 7, 17, 24.</NOTE> Shepherds and
Rulers,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3.</NOTE> Angels and Leaders. Elders they are and Over&s;eers,
as Amba&s;&s;adors acting in his name.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 2. and Chap. 3.</NOTE> As he taught his Apo&s;tles
the things of his Kingdom,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5. 19.</NOTE> &s;o were they carefull to in&s;truct
the re&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 4. 1.</NOTE> <HI>Pauls</HI> Epi&s;tles to <HI>Timothy</HI> and <HI>Titus</HI> are a directory
for all Church Affairs.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s; 5 12.</NOTE> The Apo&s;tles needed extraordinary
Gifts, as did the Prophets and Evangeli&s;ts in the fir&s;t planting
of Churches everywhere. That work being done, then end|ed
with them their immediate infallible Call. Extraordinaries
are but for a time to make &s;ure way to Ordinaries.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act 14. 22.</NOTE> Sncce&s;&s;ors
they had in the &s;ub&s;tantials of the Mini&s;try,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 5. 17, 22.</NOTE> though not in all
their Circum&s;tantials. <HI>Paul</HI> in his progre&s;s having &s;hew'd
<PB N="151" REF="89">
the way of ordaining &s;uch,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 2.</NOTE> gave <HI>Timothy</HI> and others further
Rules &s;till to pro&s;ecute that work.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tit. 1.</NOTE> Pa&s;tors and Teachers mu&s;t
abide in charge,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eph. 4. 13, 14.</NOTE> whil&s;t there is one &s;oul to be brought to
Chri&s;t and built up in Chri&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel. 1. 20.</NOTE> The&s;e &s;tars are kept in the
Lords own hand, being the Lights of his own &s;etting up.
Many Mini&s;ters and Churches may peri&s;h for their Apo&s;tacy,
as they of <HI>A&s;ia,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Revel 11.</NOTE> but the Mini&s;try in the Church of Chri&s;t
&s;hall be &s;ure to &s;tand. The&s;e witne&s;&s;es of his may be much
abu&s;ed to the very Death, but they &s;hall ri&s;e again very &s;pee|dily
to the confu&s;ion of all enemies. Le&s;t they &s;hould grow
proud and u&s;urp Lor&s;hip, Chri&s;t charged them timely to
act as Servants in his name and work.<NOTE PLACE="marg">About this you may &s;ee much in <HI>Smectymnuus, in Wa<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter">o Me&s;&s;a|linus, in Sal|ma &s;ii libro de primatu Papae;</HI> In the <HI>London</HI> Mini&s;ters, <HI>Jus Mini&s;t. &amp; Presbyt.</HI> in <HI>Gile&s;pie A-Aarons Rod Blo&s;&s;oming;</HI> where the Fa|thers, as <HI>Iren. Iu&s;tin. Tertul. Au&s;tin, Ierom,</HI> &amp;c. are quoted to your hand. See al&s;o <HI>Centur. Magdeb. Cal|vins In&s;titut.</HI> All our Di|vines about Church-Or|der. <HI>My&s;ter. In|quit. Morn.</HI> &amp;c. Revel. 13. Revel. 17. 2 The&s;. 2. 4, 5, 6, 7. 1 Tim. 4. 1, 2, 3, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Revel. 11. Revel. 12. Revel. 13. Revel. 17.</NOTE> His word holds forth
all Elders equal in ordinary, &s;ince extraordinaries removed
from men. Some priority of order and age the Primitive
Churches thought fit to admit. Pride and Ambition cor|rupted
the &s;ame, adding Juri&s;diction and Power thereto.
At fir&s;t they did chu&s;e a Moderator, who might be Speaker
in their regular meetings. That was fir&s;t elective, and then
became fixed, and gradually did degenerate. Under fair
colors many did encroach, and &s;ubjected Elders to Bi&s;hops
Power. Thence did Arch-Bi&s;hops and Patriarchs ri&s;e with
other Limbs of that Hierarchy. By Princes bounty too &s;ad|ly
abu&s;ed, this evil did ri&s;e, and brought forth a Pope. That
Antichri&s;tian Bea&s;t with his double horn, &s;peaking like the
Lamb, acted Dragon-like. He gradually &s;ubdued Chri&s;ts
Magi&s;tracy and Mini&s;try by u&s;urpations of the double
&s;word. That Pe&s;tilential Wen grew &s;o fa&s;t on the Church
that it did over-&s;pread and con&s;ume it in its noble&s;t parts.
Many Excre&s;cences did ri&s;e under it as their Cardinals, Arch|deacons,
Chancellors. Thence a further Rabble of <HI>Com|mi&s;&s;aries,
Porters, Acolyths, Subdeacons, Exorci&s;ts.</HI> Thence
al&s;o their <HI>Monks, Friers, Eremits, Nuns</HI> and <HI>Je&s;uits</HI> &s;warming
everywhere. Thus gradually did <HI>Abaddon</HI> prevail to wa&s;te
Chri&s;ts portion for a thou&s;and two hundred &s;ixty years. The
witne&s;&s;es whil&s;t prophecy in Sackcloth, the woman is fed in
<PB N="152" REF="90">
the wilderne&s;s.<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>See Bi&s;hop</HI> &V;&s;her de An|tiq. &amp; &s;ucce&s;s. Eccle&s;iar. Cen|tur. Magde|burg. Catalog. Te&s;t. veritat. My&s;ter. Inquit. Morn. <HI>Hi&s;tor.</HI> of the Church. Chemnit. Ex|am. Field of the Church. Iewels Apo|log. Whitaker, Rainold, Ius divinu~. Mini&s;t. Evangel. Fox. Monuments. Spelman de Chri&s;t. Relig. in Britan. I&s;a|ak's Chronolo|gy, Speed, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Voet. De&s;pera|ta cau&s;a papat. <HI>pag. 405. The</HI> Romi&s;h <HI>u&s;urpations were vigo|rou&s;ly oppo|&s;ed in</HI> England <HI>from time to time, witne&s;s</HI> Eademer, <HI>Hi&s;t.</HI> Nov. Selden, Speed, <HI>&amp;c.</HI></NOTE> Yet did not Chri&s;t forget his Intere&s;t, but in
the wor&s;t time maintained his Mini&s;try. <HI>Brittain, Ireland,
Germany</HI> and <HI>France</HI> &s;hew large Catalogues of undoubted
Truth to verifie it. <HI>Waldus</HI> and <HI>Wicklef, John Hus</HI> and <HI>Jerom</HI>
with many thou&s;ands te&s;tified the &s;ame. The Reformation
by <HI>Luther</HI> and <HI>Calvin</HI> was but a more &s;olemn carrying on of
the Work. We have antiquities of approved credit, &s;hewing
Succe&s;&s;ions of faithful Mini&s;ters from the Apo&s;tles time all
along to this day, as in other parts, &s;o in the&s;e Nations. The
Scriptures are not the wor&s;e, nor the Mini&s;try, for pa&s;&s;ing
through the hand of Romi&s;h Antichri&s;t. Gold lo&s;es not its
worth for touching a leprous hand, nor Gods Temple by
the &s;itting of the man of &s;in, when their pollutions are but
once removed. If any defilment be proved to attend our
Mini&s;try, we are ready to yield and remove the &s;ame. When
the Wen is cut off, and the body cured, health being re&s;tored,
is to be improved. If any will &s;til lord it over Brethren we &s;hall
di&s;clame &s;uch u&s;urpations. Chri&s;ts Mini&s;try is to feed and
teach, to rule and to cure Mini&s;terially. Our weapons and
work are &s;piritual, not Political, nor Monarchical. As Nur&s;es
appointed for the Childrens good, its our de&s;ire to attend
Chri&s;ts hou&s;e. An orderly Call unto this office as he doth
appoint, &s;o will he &s;till ble&s;s. <HI>How &s;hall men believe, if not
preached to? How &s;hall men preach right, if they be not &s;ent?</HI>
Internal gifts are very needfull, yet not &s;ufficient to make out
this Call. No man &s;elf-called is owned by God, no more then
<HI>Corah</HI> and <HI>Jeroboams</HI> Prie&s;ts. A Souldier, though able,
without Commi&s;&s;ion &s;hall never be owned for an Officer. A
per&s;on of Parts without Authority cannot act the part of
Ju&s;tice or Judge. Every Chri&s;tian is to improve Gifts, but
within his place and fit relation.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 5. 2, 3.</NOTE> Gods word doth appoint
an orderly way of Calling per&s;ons into the Mini&s;try.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 The&s;. 2. 7, 8.</NOTE> They
mu&s;t be well proved and approved of,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5. 4.</NOTE> then cho&s;en and
ordained to a proper charge.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 10. 13, 14, 17.</NOTE> He that hears and receives
per&s;ons &s;o called in the name of Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 23. 21, 22, 32, 38.</NOTE> hears and receives Je|&s;us<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 29. 31. Numb. 16. 1 King. 12. 30, 31. 1 King. 13. 34. 1 Tim. 3. Act. 14. 22. 1 Tim. 5. 22. Matth. 10. 40. Luke 10. 16.</NOTE>
<PB N="153" REF="90">
Chri&s;t him&s;elf by his own witne&s;s. He that abu&s;es and
rejects &s;uch, abu&s;es and rejects the Lord Chri&s;t thereby. If
any be bad, let them be que&s;tioned, and reap their de&s;erts. We
pretend to no Infallibility, but would be tried &s;till in Doctrine
and Life by the word of Truth.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 24.</NOTE> Chri&s;ts work its we are
&s;ent about;<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 4. 3, 4.</NOTE> the devil would marr it by &s;landering tongues.
Fal&s;e Chri&s;ts, fal&s;e Prophets are now very rife. Sick brains
are heaping Teachers to them&s;elves to plea&s;e itching ears.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 23. 32.</NOTE>
They that thus run before they are &s;ent, &s;hall not profit, but
deceive the people. The chief rage of Foxes and Wolves di&s;|gui&s;ed,
will &s;til be bent again&s;t the Shepherds.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 King. 17. 18</NOTE> <HI>Jeroboams</HI> Prie&s;ts
with his Golden Calves brought in divi&s;ion, deceit and ruin.
If the Lords Mercy do not prevent it, our &s;in and &s;orrow will
be too like theirs. The Cavils pleaded again&s;t this clear Truth,
have been fully di&s;&s;olved again and again. It was <HI>Julians</HI> at|tempt
to &s;tarve the Mini&s;try and Schools, as the &s;ure way to
ruin Chri&s;tianity. The like de&s;ign is revived of late to the
&s;ame end.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 9. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, <HI>&amp;c</HI></NOTE> The Laws of Nature and of Nations, as well as
Gods po&s;itive Laws, are brought in by <HI>Paul</HI> to prove the ju&s;t
Rights of Mini&s;ters maintenance. The <HI>Corinthiane</HI> are blamed
for putting him to &s;hift and work with his hands. He com|mends
them highly, that had been free towards his relief.</P>
<P>25.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Many choice Pleces are ex|tant of this Subject by the Ancient and Modern in all Nati|ons; About the&s;e &s;ee <HI>Picus Mirandula, Perkins,</HI> Mr. <HI>Gauls Maga&s;tromanier. &amp; Spanhemius,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>Cornelius Agrippa</HI> him&s;elf, once a great friend hereto, &s;aw at la&s;t the great danger thereof, and di&s;covered it to others.</NOTE> Chri&s;t &s;uffers al&s;o in his Providence, as by the former
Errors;</P>
<P>So fir&s;t, By <HI>Athei&s;ts, Stoicks, Epicures</HI> that a&s;cribe events
to fortune, fate or chance.</P>
<P>Secondly, By Divers <HI>Je&s;uits</HI> and <HI>Arminians,</HI> charging his
purpo&s;e and execution with Contingency and Dependency.</P>
<P>Thirdly, By Star-gazers and A&s;trologers who pretend to di|vine
of humane Events by their judicial Progno&s;tications.</P>
<P><PB N="154" REF="91">
AGain&s;t this Malady the gracious Knowledge of Chri&s;t
improved will give us &s;till a Soveraing Remedy. It
&s;hews by Scripture<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 1. 2, 3.</NOTE> Light, that the hand of Chri&s;t, who fir&s;t
made the world,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Amos 3. 6.</NOTE> doth uphold it &s;till with Rule and Order
by the word of his power.<NOTE PLACE="marg">God<GAP DESC="illegible" REASON="faint" EXTENT="1 letter"> not the Author of &s;in, though active about &s;in in his de|cree and exe|cution. There|in he acts 1. as the &s;upreme Mover, man as the proper &s;ubject: 2. God as the Author of Nature, man as a mo|ral Agent. 3. God by a pure Rule, man again&s;t Rule.</NOTE> His eternal purpo&s;e he &s;till ex|ecutes
in doing of good, and over-ruling evil. What evil of
&s;orrow, that the Lord &s;ends not? What evil of &s;in, that he
limits not? What good temporal or &s;piritual, that comes not
&s;till from his Providence? His Rule is &s;o &s;weet and &s;o &s;ove|raign,
that all fulfill his Will in fulfilling theirs; what ever op|po&s;es
his revealed Will, is &s;till over-ruled by his &s;ecret Will.
The Will of his purpo&s;e men do then fulfill, when they di&s;o|bey
the Will of his precept. The <HI>In&s;tance</HI> of <HI>Jo&s;eph</HI> and
<HI>Je&s;us</HI> &s;uffice to demon&s;trate Chri&s;ts Soveraign Rule. Things
mo&s;t contingent as to men and means, do yet come to pa&s;s by a
nece&s;&s;ary and &s;ure providence. The very Sparrows fall not to
the earth, nor the hairs of man without Gods &s;pecial hand.
A&s;trologers &s;in is &s;o much condemned by Scripture, Rea&s;on
and Experience, that they &s;hould not proceed any further,
&s;eeing their folly is made &s;o manife&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 50. 20.</NOTE> Some u&s;e we grant of
A&s;tronomy,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 4. 20.</NOTE> if mode&s;tly handled; natural A&s;trology may
hint at &s;ome things,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth 10. 21.</NOTE> though very uncertainly. But that judicial
A&s;trology which pretends to foretel the &s;ucce&s;s of affairs acted<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 47. 12, 13.</NOTE>
among men,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 18. 9, 10, 11, 12.</NOTE> is an Errand cheat and dreadfull Impo&s;ture: &s;uch
an Art de&s;cends from old <HI>Magicians,</HI> that learned of Satan
among the Nations.<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 King. 17. 17.</NOTE> <HI>Caldeans</HI> and Diviners with all South-&s;ayers
are noted in Scripture with <HI>Aegypts Magicians.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ierem. 14. 14.</NOTE> <HI>Indian
Gymno&s;ophi&s;ts,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 12. 24.</NOTE> <HI>Brachmans</HI> and <HI>Pawawes,</HI> the <HI>Druids</HI> of <HI>Gaul,</HI>
the <HI>Bards</HI> of <HI>Brittain,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezek. 13. 6, 7, 22.</NOTE> the <HI>Dervis</HI>'s of <HI>Turkie</HI> are of the like<NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 16. 16. The chief Hereticks who troubled the Church mo&s;t in all Ages, have been great pro|moters of this black Art, as <HI>Manes</HI> the <HI>Pri&s;cilliani&s;t,</HI> the <HI>Simonians, Menandrians, Marcioni&s;ts, Mark</HI> confuted by <HI>Irenaeus.</HI> &amp;c.</NOTE>
<PB N="155" REF="91">
&s;chool. The rules of this Art are certainly known to be mo&s;t ab|&s;urd,
vain and uncertain. <HI>Mirandula</HI> and <HI>Perkins,</HI> who &s;earched
into their depths, di&s;covered fully their juggling Impo&s;tures, as
their Writings te&s;tifie. Some profound Scholars, who had curi|ou&s;ly
pryed into their &s;ecrets,<NOTE PLACE="marg">The Laws Imperial, Ec|cle&s;ia&s;tick and Municipal have been zealous in all Ages again&s;t it, both among the &s;ober <HI>Pa|gans</HI> and all Chri&s;tians. The notori|ous Lyes and Impo&s;tures of the prime A&s;trologers &s;tand on Re|cord in Hi|&s;tory. <HI>Tully</HI> &s;hews how horribly they cheated <HI>Pompey, Cra&s;&s;us</HI> and <HI>Cae&s;ar. Alapide</HI> upon Act. 19. declares their horrid deceits in <HI>Rome.</HI> See their lives in print by &s;everal Authors, and many Hi&s;tories to that purpo&s;e in the Records of all Nations and Ages. Iob 9. 9. Iob. 38. 31. Amos 5. 8. If the <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>coeli</HI> may have a little Influence upon <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>corporis,</HI> it hath le&s;s upon <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>Ingenij,</HI> if any, lea&s;t of all upon <GAP DESC="foreign"> <HI>Rationis</HI> in &s;uch a mul|tiplicious variety of millions of men in all places and ages. How great then mu&s;t needs the uncertainty be, and how fallacious the Conjectures, that poor &s;inful worms below are put upon by judicial Progno&s;ticks from thence? Woful was the Cata&s;trophe of <HI>Ahab</HI> and <HI>Iezabel, Balak</HI> and <HI>Ahaziah, Haman</HI> and <HI>Bel&s;hazzar</HI> harkning thereto. In <HI>Malach.</HI> 4. 2. Chri&s;t is elegantly compared to the Sun to &s;et forth his Divine Per|fections, repre&s;ented to the Life by that ab&s;tract of Natures Wonder in its E&s;&s;ence and Attributes, Properties and Effects, Accidents and Adjuncts. Thus a &s;piritual u&s;e may be made of the Caele&s;tial Bodies, be&s;ides the natural and moral. But that horrid abu&s;e of their lying Vanities, and jugling Impieties, who pretend to divine future events of Contingent affairs and humane tran&s;actions, hath been &s;till branded as the &s;ervant of Satan.</NOTE> came off with remor&s;e and ab|horrings
thereof. This Profe&s;&s;ion hath been in all ages ju&s;t|ly
dete&s;ted by the wi&s;e and good. Such Affinity it hath had
&s;till with Satanical Oracles, that its un&s;ufferable in a Chri&s;tian
State. There is vertue indeed in heavenly bodies; But who
can find out the &s;ame di&s;tinctly? An <HI>Apollonius, Fau&s;tus,</HI> or
<HI>Hildebrand</HI> may pretend &s;omewhat from Satans teaching in
this black &s;tudy: But &s;hall Chri&s;tians go to the devils &s;chool
to learn Chri&s;ts mind? Starry Con&s;tellations have their In|fluence
on &s;ublunary bodies, but they cannot reach the &s;ouls
and Acts of men. How far they may affect this earth, none
can know; but that our Rea&s;on and humane Events are be|yond
their reach, is ea&s;ily known. The Con&s;tellations of
Chri&s;ts Providence compared with his word, are the proper
Rules of our Progno&s;ticks, per&s;onal and publique. Thence
&s;hould Chri&s;tians ca&s;t a divine figure to find out a true &s;cheme
of their State and Acts. Learn we to calculate our &s;piritual
<PB N="156" REF="92">
birth, and ob&s;erve the po&s;iture of &s;ouls under Chri&s;&punc; thence all
conjunctions and oppo&s;itions, total or partial, will rightly
mark out what our ca&s;e will prove. The Sun of Righteou&s;ne&s;s
pa&s;&s;ing through our hou&s;es will carry Light and Life into every
part. His A&s;pects direct, oblique or oppo&s;ite, &s;ignifie Influ|ence
benign or malign, according to the &s;tation of things
about it. When the Lord a&s;cendent doth rule all the re&s;t, it
progno&s;ticates all propitiou&s;ne&s;s. If quaking Saturn, and
the ranting Mars, if notional Mercury, and ambitious Ju|piter,
if un&s;table Luna, and voluptuous Venus come to cro&s;s
this Sun, what can men expect but a Combu&s;tion? Wandring
Planets, and floating Meteors are &s;till over-ruled by his fixed
motions. He is regular in his Light and heat, the only foun|tain
of benign Influx. He is no Retrograde, but &s;till in progre&s;s
to di&s;pell darkne&s;s and death from his friends. Would men
&s;tudy him in his word and works, they would &s;oon bani&s;h &s;in|ful
A&s;trology.<NOTE PLACE="marg">The com|mendation given to the ancient <HI>Magi</HI> or Wi&s;e men by <HI>Caelius Al|bertus,</HI> and other learned men, hath no colour of plea for our divi|ning A&s;trolo|gers what was commen|dable in the <HI>Chaldaean</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, as in the <HI>Grecian</HI> and <GAP DESC="foreign"> and <GAP DESC="foreign">, for natural and moral Philo&s;ophy, &s;hould not patronize any Juglers Tricks, or <HI>Satanical</HI> Divinations. The <HI>Chaldaeans</HI> and <HI>Phenicians</HI> had opportunity to learn much from <HI>Io&s;eph, Mo&s;es, Daniel, David, Solomon,</HI> and the other wi&s;e men of <HI>Judea;</HI> which the mo&s;t of them corrupted, and &s;o tran&s;mitted to the <HI>Greeks and Romans,</HI> Rom. 13. 3, 4, 5, 6.</NOTE> His Law and Go&s;pel &s;uffer &s;o much by it,
that no wi&s;e Chri&s;tian &s;hould plead for the &s;ame. Was there
ever a great A&s;trologer that hath not bewrayed &s;ome Satani|cal
cheat? May not <HI>London</HI> &s;peak loud in this ca&s;e, if late expe|rience
be but te&s;tified? We may challenge all Records divine &amp;
humane to &s;hew any good Prince or State owning it. Who
ever were found hearkning thereto, hi&s;tory brands them by
Tragical ends. Oh That great <HI>Brittain</HI> would con&s;ider
this, that Satan may not fix his Throne among us! Chri&s;t
will not endure &s;o ill a Neighbour, nor &s;uffer this Trade to go
unpuni&s;hed. Compacts with the Devil, though but indirect,
do challenge both frowns and Judgements from above. Supe|riors
mu&s;t act under Chri&s;t for him to puni&s;h this great evil
with &s;utable Wages. If men be &s;o bold and pre&s;umptuous,
Powers are ordained for terror to &s;uch. They are errand
cheats, or Conjuring knaves that fortell events of humane
<PB N="157" REF="92">
matters by their &s;tar-gazing.<NOTE PLACE="marg">E&s;ay 8. 19, 20.</NOTE> If men &s;light <HI>Gods Law and te&s;ti|mony,</HI>
to follow &s;uch <HI>peeping, muttering Wizards,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">What is ob|jected by &s;ome from the Star ob|&s;erved by the Wi&s;e men, Matth. 2. is impertinent to this purpo&s;e. That ca&s;e was tran&s;cendently extraordinary, and miracu|lous in every part thereof, as all learned Commentators ob&s;erve. The Star it &s;elf was of a nature, motion, appearance, &s;eat and re&s;t quite different from all the Caele&s;tial Stars. The Per&s;ons being wi&s;e <HI>Chaldaeans</HI> &s;urnamed <HI>Magi</HI> in tho&s;e <HI>Ea&s;tern</HI> Countries, had been in&s;tructed by many Prophe&s;ies of the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias</HI> coming at that &s;ea&s;on and of his Star. Be|&s;ides <HI>Balaams</HI> Prophe&s;ie, Numb. 24. 17. of Great repute with them; they had the <HI>Sybils Oracles,</HI> particularly that of <HI>Sybilla Erythraea</HI> which writ very plainly of Chri&s;ts Birth and Life. They had e&s;pecially the <HI>Iewi&s;h</HI> In&s;tructions received from <HI>Daniel</HI> and others &s;ucce&s;&s;ively, and mo&s;t e&s;pecially the Greek Tran&s;lations of Scripture very frequent In all tho&s;e parts, which foretold plainly the time, place and all Circum&s;tances of his coming, which was then generally expected, not by the <HI>Jewes</HI> only, but by all Nations al&s;o who minded Oracles and Prophe&s;ies. <HI>Cicer. 2. lib. de divinatione, Calcidius Pla|tonicus in Timaeum Platon.</HI> and divers others both of the <HI>Gentiles</HI> and <HI>Iews</HI> give preg|nant te&s;timony thereof. Hence the inqui&s;itive Greeks had received &s;o much of Scripture-truth, which they di&s;gui&s;ed under multiplicious fables; <GAP DESC="foreign">, was <HI>Apollos</HI> Oracle.</NOTE> its becau&s;e
<HI>there is no Light in them.</HI> Chri&s;t will right him&s;elf for all &s;uch
Affronts ca&s;t upon his Word and his Providence. The Lord
awaken all concerned herein, that we repent not when its too
late.</P>
<P>II. IMprove this Antidote again&s;t Apo&s;tacy the wofull
I&s;&s;ue of dreadful Errors.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 10. 12.</NOTE> <HI>Lot him that doth &s;tand, take
heed le&s;t he fall.</HI> Let none therefore &s;tand on his own &s;trength.
Be we of <HI>Pauls</HI> mind in &s;tudying Chri&s;t, to <HI>account all lo&s;s and
dung for him.</HI> Be we found in him, not in carnal &s;elf;
&s;tripp'd off our Righteou&s;ne&s;s,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil 3. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, <HI>&amp;c,</HI></NOTE> and cloathed with his. Let's
know him &s;till more fiducially, more improvingly in the power
<HI>of his Re&s;urrection,</HI> and in the <HI>fellow&s;hip</HI> of his <HI>&s;ufferings, con|forming
to his death.</HI> This will ha&s;ten our pace to the Re&s;ur|rection
that will make an end of &s;in and &s;orrow. We are not
yet perfect but mu&s;t pre&s;s forwards with Chri&s;tian bearing
and forbearing &s;till.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 3. 12.</NOTE> Beware we Brethren, le&s;t in any of us
be found an evil heart of unbelief, to make us depart from the
living God.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 15.</NOTE> See to it with all care po&s;&s;ible, that none of you
<HI>come &s;hort of that Grace of God, le&s;t any root of bitterne&s;s
<PB N="158" REF="93">
&s;pringing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. But ex|hort
one another daily whil&s;t its called to day,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 3. 13.</NOTE> <HI>le&s;t any of you be
hardened through the deceitfulne&s;s of &s;in.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 12. 14.</NOTE> <HI>And follow Peace
with all men in the pur&s;uit of Holine&s;s, without which none &s;hall
&s;ee the Lord.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Matth. 5. 9.</NOTE> <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed are &s;uch Peace-makers, e&s;pecially in this
dividing age, for they &s;hall be called the Children of God.</HI> About
this ble&s;&s;ed work of Chri&s;tian Peace-making we de&s;ign ano|ther
Piece, (if the Lord give &s;trength and time) to &s;tir up
all Gods people thereto in this &s;elfi&s;h generation, that we
may all be effectually helped thereto, and pre&s;erved from the
wofull delu&s;ions and divi&s;ions now &s;o prevailing. Be we all &s;o
much the more pre&s;&s;ed to <HI>grow in Grace and in the Knowledge
of our Lord and Saviour Je&s;us Chri&s;t, to whom be Glory
for ever,</HI> Amen.</P>
<P><GAP DESC="foreign">.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 16. 27.</NOTE></P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="93">
</DIV2>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
