THE APPROBATION. Libellum hunc, à viro Anglo, docto & pio, perlegendum curavimus; eiusque iudicio probatum, imprimendum duximus. 25. januarij. 1599 Mathias Archiepus Mechliniensis. THE SUM OF ALL, (namely) GOD'S service, and Man's salvation. And A Brief of Man's duty to God concerning both: Which is, seeking To serve God while he lives, And To be saved, when he dies. By WILLIAM CHIBALD, Rector of S. Nic. Col. Abbey in Old Fish-street. LONDON, Printed for Robert Bostocke, at the Sign of the King's head in ●aules Churchyard. 1630. TO MY DEAR beloved Neighbours, the Inhabitants of the Parish of S. Nic. Col. Abbey in Old Fish-street, LONDON. ALL divine truths and duties are therefore worthy to be known, and practised by men, because they have been worthy to be revealed, and commanded by God: But of them all, the heavenly truths of God's service, and Man's salvation; & the holy duty of seeking after both, are most worthy of their knowledge and practice. For if those things be chief to be sought after, that are best woe thy of our seeking: If those things be best worthy of our seeking, that do most nearly concern us. And if God's service and Man's salvation do most nearly concern us; because the one most nearly concerns our duty to God, and the other our happiness from God: then ought Christians chief to seek after God's service, and their own salvation. The rather: Partly because all other Divinity doth but serve to further Christians in seeking after these two: and partly also, because all other without these, will never make them wise with that wisdom, Psal: 111. ●0 2 Tim: 3 15. The beginning whereof is God's fear, and the end their own salvation. Upon these and the like grounds, (my dear beloved people and Parishioners) I have endeavoured to instruct you in these two points, and what I have taught you concerning them in my Sermons, I have now put into a little book, with some additions; to the end, your eyes by reading, as well as your ears by preaching, may witness how unfeignedly I desire you should serve God, Rom: 10.1. and he saved. The book is but little, (it is the fit to be carried in your pockets, & kept in your memories.) And it is framed in a Dialogue, or familiar conference betwixt myself and one of you, hoping to draw you, better to like of the matter therein contained, by my friendly manner of handling it. Though the Dialogue and conference be betwixt but one of you and myself: yet is it in the name and for the benefit of you all; upon whom it is bestowed for a New-year's gift by him, who hath bestowed himself upon you these many years, 2 Cor: 12.15. & who will yet he spent upon you (to God's pleasure) for the furthering of you in the service of God unto your salvation. What remains, but that as I have made my labours yours, by publishing them for you, and dedicating them unto you; so you would endeavour to make them your own, by perusing them, and labouring to benefit yourselves and families, by reading them together, by conference about them, and prayer to God for his blessing upon them to your edification. I have heretofore made and published other books (besides this) for your learning: but how you have used and perused them to this end, is better known to God, yourselves and Households, than unto me. If you have endeavoured to build up yourselves in grace by them, I shall be glad to see the fruits thereof: But if you have only contented yourselves with this, that they were made for you, given unto you, and that you have them lying on your shelves or in your chests, I will rejoice to hear of your amendment in using this book better; Ios. 14.15. if now you and your household will seek to serve the Lord, and to be saved. You shall do this the better, if you will observe these Directions. 1. I would have you to read it often, because the subject matter of it, is of such necessary, ordinary, and excellent use. 2. I would have you (as you read it) to examine & consider, how you have known the truths, and practised the duties taught therein, concerning God's service, and man's salvation, that so you may see cause, either to repent of your ignorance, and negligence herein for time past; or to grow in your knowledge and diligence concerning those points in time to come. 3. I would have you to call to mind, and use, the several duties that are peculiar to God's Attributes of greatness, or goodness, or to God's works of mercy or justice, as by God's providence they shall come into your thoughts, or fall out in the world: and specially that (before you go to any holy Ordinance of God, appointed for his public service) you would look into this book for the particular duties which belong unto them severally; to the end you may address yourselves to perform those Ordinances, with those duties accordingly. The like direction I give for the reading over my book of the Lords Supper, before you go to the Communion. And this is the greatest recompense that I will require of you for my love, and it is the least requital you can make me for my labour. 2 Chron. 30.18. The good Lord direct and encourage every one of you, to set your hearts to seek God, the Lord God of your fathers, (that is) to seek to serve God, while you live on earth; that when you die, you may be saved in heaven by jesus Christ: in whom I am Yours all, and all yours WILLIAM CHIBALD SEEKING to serve God, while we live Parishioner. With your leave Sir; if I should not be too troublesome to you, I would fain speak a word with you in private. Minister. You are welcome, I pray you come in, and sit down, good neighbour. P. Sir, I humbly thank you for your kindness, and pray you to pardon my boldness. M. You are not so bold as welcome: I pray you be covered, and tell me what is your will with me. P. Sir, I have lived in your parish, under your public Ministry a good while, and yet I remain very ignorant; therefore am I come unto you, for some private instruction. M. And I am as willing to instruct you, as you are to learn; if you come not (as many do) to ask curious questions, which tend not to godly edification; but contention, and vain glory. P. Surely Sir, (if I may be believed) my coming is to no such end; but to learn such things, as are most chief and necessarily to be learned. M. Your intent is good, and I am as willing to instruct you, as you are to be instructed; but tell me your mind yet more plainly, and fully, P. I will Sir, & it is this by your favour; The whole Bible is large, it contains many books, chapters, and verses, and in each of them are comprehended many divine truths: All these are worthy of my learning, if I had either time or wit to attain the understanding of them: but of these many, some (me thinks) should be more needful to be learned than others, are they not I pray you? M. Yes, that they be: for though you must not neglect the knowledge of any truth revealed by God in the holy Scriptures; yet must you chief seek to know some things above others. P. And I pray you (Sir) may not these chief points be drawn to some general heads for the help of my memory, which is but weak? M. Yea. There be two general heads of them: whereof the first is, to seek to serve God while you live; and the second is, to seek to be saved when you die. P. God forbidden but we should all seek after both these things. But I pray you (good Sir) first declare the first point unto me at this time, and then handle the second at some other opportunity: for I would be loath to hold you too long at once. M. I will. For the handling then of the 1. point, which is this; You must seek to serve God while you live: you must observe that there be 3. branches of it, and that are contained in it. 1. That you must serve God. 2. That you must seek to serve God. 3. That you must seek to serve God while you live. Of the first I shall have just occasion to speak, when I come to treat, how you may be affected with the service of God; for there I shall speak of the necessity of God's service, and that it is commanded us by God, and therefore we must serve God. P. I pray you then, good Sir, follow your owwe mind and order: let that point alone till then, and now go on to show me the second branch, which is, that I must seek to serve God. M. I will: and in the handling of this I would have you to observe these 5. particulars. 1. That we must seek to serve God. 2. Why we must seek to serve God. 3. How, and in what manner. 4. In what measure. 5. What are the marks of them, that seek to serve God. P. I pray you prove unto me, that I must seek to serve God, for I would fain bind my lose heart to obedience. M. It is proved by many places of Scripture, specially these, 1 Chron. 28.9. wherein David in the name of the Lord, exhorts and commands Solomon, and all Israel, to seek to serve God: So did Asa the people of Israel, 2 Chron. 14.4. P. Now I pray you show me why I must seek to serve God. M. The reasons why are these. 1. You must encourage others to seek to serve God, Ezra. 4.2. therefore you must much more do it yourself. 2. You have many examples hereof in the Scriptures, which are patterns for you to follow, as the Israelites, 2 Chron. 14.7. & 15.15. jehosaphat, 2 Chron. 22.9. David, Psal. 119.45. and many other. 3. The benefits of seeking to serve God should move you herunto, which are that God will reward them, Heb. 11.6. that God's hand shall be upon them for good, Ezra. 8.20. that they shall find God, (namely) to be gracious to them; 1 Chron, 28.9. and that they shall not be confounded, (that is) of their sins or afflictions, Psal. 96.6. 4. You ought to be moved herunto, by the danger of not seeking God to serve him; which danger appears: 1. in that it is a sign and mark of a man in his natural estate, & without grace, Rom. 3.11. and 2. because such as seek him not, are liable to punishments temporal, that they shall not prosper, jer. 10.21. but be destroyed, Zeph. 1.3.4.6: and also eternal, because God's power and wrath is against them. Ezra. 8.20. P. Show me (I pray you) now, how I must seek to serve God. M. The manner how you must seek to serve God is this. 1. You must prepare your heart to it, 2 Chron. 30.18. 2. You must do it joyfully, 2 Chron. 15.15. 3. You must seek to serve God sincerely, 1 Chron. 28.9. Ios. 24.14. P. Tell me also (I pray you) in what measure I must seek to serve God. M. The measure is, 1. Betimes, not putting it off to old age, 2 Chro. 34.3. Zech. 8.21. 2. Diligently, Hebr. 11.6. 3. Earnestly, with all our souls, Deut. 4.29. jer. 29.13. 4. Continually, Psal. 16.11. P. What are the marks of them that seek to serve God? M. They are these. 1. They have pure hearts and hands, (that is) affections and actions, Psal. 24.4.6. 2. They desire to know God's ways, Isay. 58.2. and they shall know (and understand all things, Prov. 28.5.) 3. They call upon God, and are frequent in prayer, Zech. 8.21. jer. 29.12, 13. Isay. 55.5. 4. They forsake their wicked ways Hos. 7.10. Isay. 55.5, 6.5. They fear to offend God, Hos. 3.5. 6. They delight in God, Mal. 3.1. 7. They wait upon God by faith, and stay his leisure for the accomplishing of his promises, Lament. 3.25. Psal. 69.6. P. But why must we seek to serve God whilst we live here? M. Because, this present life is the time of doing service to God, Luk. 1.74, 75. Tit. 2.12. and the life to come is the time of receiving our reward from God (in his free favour) for our faithful service done unto him here: Matth. 25.23, 34. P. Sir, I thank you; for these are good reasons indeed; for they show both that we must seek to serve God, and why we must, and other excellent points; but I would also fain know, By what means I may seek to serve God here in this world? M. That is to be learned also; and the means are threefold: 1. by seeking to know what Gods service is: 2. by seeking to desire and affect God's service: 3. by seeking to perform and practise it. I pray you (Sir) what is the service of God, and wherein doth it consist? M. Serving God, is obeying his will, and doing what he bids us, Deut. 13.4. Rom. 6.16. for to serve an ordinary Master is, to obey his will, and to do as he would have us: Matth. 8.9. Eph. 6.5. P. Wherein is God's will obeyed for his service? and what things must they do to that end? M. That Christians may serve God, and obey his will, they must do diverse duties; and these duties have respect, either, 1. to God, or, 2. to our neighbour, or, 3. to ourselves. P. What duties concern God? M. They are of 2. kinds, for they have respect unto God, either 1. immediately, as he is in himself, and in respect of some things in him; or 2. mediately by the means, and in respect of some things, that proceed, and come from him. P. What duties concern God immediately as he is in himself? Duties to God in respect of himself immediately. M. They are either 1. general, or 2. special. P. What are the general duties? M. 1. Knowledge and belief, 1 Chron. 28.9. Psal, 100.2, 3. 1. that there is a God, Hebr. 11.6. 2. that there is but one God, Eph. 4.6. 3. that in the Godhead there be three glorious persons, namely, the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost, 1 joh. 5.7. 4. that the God of Israel is this God, Deut. 5.6. 2. The having of a God, and the taking, choosing, and acknowledging of the God of Israel only for our God: Exod. 20.3. Iosh. 24.22. P. And what are the special duties which concern GOD immediately? M. They be such as concern his Nature, being, and essence. P. What is God in his Nature? M. God is a Spirit, infinite in all perfections: joh. 4.24. 2 Cor. 3.17. Psal. 147.5. 1 Tim. 1.17. P. What are the perfections in God? M. Certain divine Attributes, whereby (as it were) a part of his divine nature, or some holy quality of God, is shadowed out unto us; and they are of two kinds, for they betoken either 1. his greatness, or 2. his goodness. P. What are the Attributes of God, God's Attributes of Greatness. which set forth his Greatness? M. They are faculties, whereby he is able to work, and do, what he knows is to be done, and what he wills shall be done; and they are these six: 1. Simpleness, or absoluteness, 2. Infiniteness; 3. Eternity; 4. Immensity; 5. Wisdom; 6. Almightiness, or All-sufficiency. P. What is the Absoluteness, or Simpleness of God? M. Simpleness is a faculty in God, which removeth from him all composition of parts, (as soul and body, &c) and whereby he is God of himself, and every thing in God, is God himself: Exod. 3.14. 1 joh. 4.16. P. What is the Infiniteness of God? M. Infiniteness is a faculty in God, which denieth unto him all limitation, and whereby the perfections that are in God are in him without all measure: Io●● 11.7. Psal. 147.5. P. What is the Eternity of God? M. Eternity is a faculty in God, whereby he is uncapable, of beginning, succession, or ending: Psal. 90.2.4. 1 Tim. 1.17. P. What is the Immensity of God? M. Immensity is a faculty in God, whereby he is every where, and cannot be comprehended in any one place 1 Kings. 8.27. Psal. 139.7. P. What is the Wisdom of God? M. Wisdom is a faculty in God, whereby he perfectly knoweth himself, and in himself all things, that have any kind of being: job 9.3, 4. Acts. 15.18. P. What is the All-mightinesse, or All-sufficiency of God? M. Almightiness is a faculty in God, whereby he is All-sufficient to do whatsoever he can will: Psal. 113.3. & 135.6. Gen. 17.1. P. O Sir, I humbly confess to God's glory, and mine own shame, that I was ignorant of most of these points, and I bless God for the knowledge of them thus fare by your means; but proceed (I pray you) to teach me also what are the Attributes of God, which betoken his Goodness. M. I will, God's Attributes of Goodness Neighbour; & they are virtues, whereby he is willing and ready, to do and work well: and they are these four. 1. Holiness, 2. Mercy, 3. justice, 4. Love. P. What is the Holiness of God? M. Holiness is a virtue in God, whereby he is pure from all evil and sin in himself, and utterly dislikes it in all others: Psa. 99.5. Habac. 1.13. P. What is the Mercy of God? M. Mercy is a virtue in God, whereby he pitieth his children in all their miseries, and is ready to deliver them out of the same: Psal. 103.8. Eph. 2.4, 5. P. What is the justice of God? M. justice, or righteousness is a virtue in God, whereby he rendereth to all, according to his promise, for the good of the godly, and according to his threatening, for the punishment of the wicked: Dan. 9.13. 1 john. 1.9. P. What is the Love of God? M. Love is a virtue in God, whereby he is infinitely delighted in himself, and is so fare affected to his creatures, as he is pleased to impart any goodness unto them: Revel. 3.9.19. P. Good Sir, I thank you, for making me know God better than I did, by teaching me his Attributes; but now also I pray you teach me to serve God in respect of them; and therefore tell me what duties I am to perform to God in respect of these divine faculties and powers, holy virtues and qualities in God? M. The duties of service which you own to God in respect of these Attributes of his Nature, are of two kinds: 1. General, which concern them all. 2. Special, which belong to the several kinds of them. P. I pray you what duties of service must I perform to God, in respect of his Attributes, both of Greatness and Goodness? M. They are two: 1. Admiring and adoring all these perfections and excellencies that are so infinitely in God: Psal. 139.5. 2. Praising and extolling, commending and magnifying God, in and for them: Psal. 150.2. Revel. 5.11. P. What special duties of service to God belong unto him, in respect of his Attributes of Greatness severally? M. They are two: 1. an awful reverence of the Majesty, and glorious presence of God, wheresoever we be: Psal. 89.7. 2. Fear and trembling to offend this great God by sin, in any time or place: Psal. 4.4. Genes. 39.9. 1 Cor. 10.22. P. And I pray you what special duties of service to God must I do unto him, in respect of his Attributes of Goodness? M. They are two principally. 1. Faith, whereby we believe whatsoever he speaks, or writes, and also we put trust & confidence in him for all good things which he hath promised in his word, joh. 20.31. 2. Love, whereby our hearts are so knit unto, and our affections so set upon God, that we desire nothing more than him, nor delight in nothing equal unto him: Psal. 116.1, 2. & 97.10.12. P. Sir, I hearty thank you for these savoury lessons; the Lord bend my heart to practise these duties of service which concern God immediately in respect of some things in himself: Duties to God immediately in respect of some things that come from him: as his Ordinances. you told me also of some other duties, that I am to do, in respect of some things that proceed and come from him; what are these things I pray you, and what mean you by them? M. They are either 1. his Ordinances; or 2. his Works. P. What mean you by an Ordinance of God? M. I mean, not a civil ordinance, as food and physic appointed by God for civil and bodily uses and ends; but an holy ordinance or means, appointed by God, for spiritual and religious uses and ends, (namely) to beget and begin, to increase and confirm grace and holiness in us. P. Then I pray you, what be these holy and religious Ordinances of God? M. They be either 1. holy things, or 2. holy actions. P. What are the holy things which God hath ordained for holy uses? M. The holy Scriptures, The holy Scriptures. or the holy writings of the Prophets and Apostles. P. What duties of service to God must I perform to him in respect of the holy Scriptures? M. These four. 1. Believing that the 39 Books of the Old Testament, and the 28 of the New, were indicted by God's Spirit: 2 Tim. 3.15. 2 Pet. 1.21. and that they contain all truths necessary to God's service, & our salvation: 2 Tim. 3.15.17. 2. Reading, searching and perusing them, 1 Tim. 4.13. joh. 5.29. 3. Praise and thanks to God for giving and keeping them unto, and in his Church: Psal. 147.19, 20. 4. Desire and endeavour to understand, and make a right use of them for our direction, conversion, consolation, and satisfaction: Acts. 8.34. Psal. 119. P. What are the holy actions ordained by God for holy uses, in the doing of which I must serve God? M. Holy exercises. They are certain religious exercises, ordained, and specially appointed by God, for holy uses, (namely) the honour of God, & edification of his Church, and for God's public service; and they are these four specially: 1. Hearing the word, 2. receiving the Sacraments; 3. praying to God: 4. praising God. We serve God in performing any or all these holy exercises, for God hath commanded that they be done: But (besides the doing of them) we are also to perform them in a manner prescribed by God, and this manner of performing is service to God also; and the duties that are to be done for this end, are such as are either 1. common to all the four exercises; or 2. peculiar to each of them. P. What are the duties, common to them all? M. They are threefold; for they concern the time, either 1. before we come unto them; or 2. when we are in doing them; or 3. after we have done them. P. What duty is to be done, before we come to these religious exercises? M. We must prepare ourselves to them and not come hand over head: Eccles. 5.1. and this we shall do, by considering, 1. that we which perform them are but dust and ashes, yea miserable sinners, and unworthy to perform them: 2. that herein we have to do with the great God of heaven and earth, Heb. 4.13: that we are in his special presence taking notice of us, and our behaviour, Acts. 10.31: and that he will not hold us guiltless, if we take his name in vain, Exod. 20.7. P. What duty is to be done in the instant time we perform these religious exercises? M. Generally we must perform them as God hath commanded both for substance and circumstance, Exod. 25.9. Hebr. 8.5. Specially we must perform them with worship, and reverence to God, 2 Chron. 29.29. P. What duties are to be done after we have been at these religious exercises? M. When we have done and performed them, we must endeavour to be bettered by them, and remember to keep our Covenant with God of serving him, (which we profess to renew by our daily resorting unto them) and not return to our former sins again, 1 Sam. 7.3. 2 Pet. 2.20, 21. Ezra 9.14. P. Oh Sir, you told me even now, that when I serve God in doing religious exercises to him, that I must also worship God at the same time; I would feign better understand what it is to worship God? M. What it is to worship God. To worship God is to perform a religious exercise to God immediately, with an humble affection of our soul, and reverend gesture of the body, joh. 4.24. Psal. 95.6. Or, to humble the soul, and to bend the body immediately to God for his honour, though we be not in doing any such special religious exercise, Gen. 24.52. Exod. 4.31. P. But I have heard that to serve God, and to worship God are all one, are they not? M. How it differs from the service of God. In common speech amongst many, the service of God is taken for God's worship; but in propriety of speech, and in the nature of the thing they are not: for God's service is a more general duty, and it is as much as obedience to God, and it reacheth unto all things that are to be done, whether they be natural and civil, or holy and religious, for in all these things we must serve God. But the worship of God is but a particular duty, & it is used only in holy and religious actions and exercises; and it is but obedience to one particular commandment. 2. All worship commanded by God is service to him, in as much as it is an obedience to God which hath commanded it: But all service to God is not worship to God, as will easily appear by this. Faithfulness in our civil calling is service to God, because it is obedience to God, who hath commanded it, Mat. 25.21. but it is not worship to God: because worship to God is performed in religious actions only, & unto God only, & that immediately only; but faithfulness in our calling is performed in civil actions, and mediately to men, ourselves, or others. P. I pray you good Sir, make this a little more plain unto me. M. I will: you may better understand it, by a familiar comparison, taken from the service of men. To serve a Master is to do as he bids him, Matth. 8.9. Eph. 6.5. But to worship or reverence him, is to do obeisance to him, and to give him an humble and submissive respect, in looks, words and gestures, of putting off the hat, making a leg, or the like: 1 Chron. 29.20. Dan. 2.46. Mat. 18.26. Luk. 14.10. P. Sir, I thank you; I now perceive clearly the difference betwixt God's service, and worship: But now I pray you proceed to the duties of serving God, which are peculiar to each of these four religious exercises even now named, and because the hearing of the word was the first, therefore tell me what is that exercise? M. Duties in respect of hearing the word read and preached. The hearing of the word is a part of God's public service wherein we diligently hearken and attend unto it, whensoever it is read, or preached and published, (that is) expounded and applied unto us: Act. 16.14. P. What duties of service to God are we to perform at the hearing of the word? M. They are of two kinds, for they belong to the hearing of it, either first both read and preached, or preached only. P. What duties belong to the hearing of the word, both read and preached too? M. These six. 1. Earnest heeding, marking and minding of it, Deut. 32.46. 2. Believing or assenting to the truth of it, joh. 5.47. 3. Loving and delighting in it, Psal. 119.127.159. 4. Laying it up in our hearts, Deut. 11.18. 5. Keeping it in our hearts Luke 8.15. Luke 2.51. 6. Calling of it again to mind and memory, and meditating upon it, jam. 1.25. Iosh. 1.8. P. And what duties belong to the hearing of the word preached only? M. They are of two kinds, for they be either 1. common to all, and every part of the word preached; or 2. peculiar to some parts only. P. What duties are common to the hearing of any and every part of the word preached? M. These two: 1. receiving it not as the word of man, but of God, 1 Thess. 2.13. 2. Examining ourselves how we profit by it, (that is) whether we be converted and saved by it, and whether we be guilty of the sins which it reproves, or do the duties which it commands, or be refreshed with the comforts it affords, or be terrified from sin, with the threatenings of it? P. What are the several parts of the word that we must perform duties unto, when they are preached? M. They are four chiefly: 1. the commandments of the word: 2. the promises: 3. the threatenings: 4. the good examples of the godly doings and sufferings of godly persons recorded in it. P. What are the Commandments of the word? M. The commandments of the word, The commandments of God. are those parts thereof which bind and enjoin the doing of good actions, and which forbidden the committing of evil actions, in thought word and deed. P. And what duties of service to God, do properly concern the commandments of the word preached? M. These three. 1. Obedience in doing the good actions commanded, and in leaving undone, and forbearing to do the evil actions forbidden, Rom. 2.13. joh. 13.17. Matth. 7.24: and that for conscience sake, Genes. 39.9. jam. 2.11: and constantly, Rom. 2.7. Gal. 3.10. 2. Using all good means whereby we may be furthered in our obedience, Psal. 119.10.11. 3. Refraining all means occasions and opportunities, whereby we may be hindered in our obedience, Psal. 119.101. P. What are the promises of the word? The promises of the word. M. God's promises are those parts of the word, wherein God covenants with his people, to bestow upon them, (upon their faith and repentance) the things of this life, (that may be good for them) and of the life to come, 1 Tim. 4.8. Psal. 34.10. P. And what duties do properly belong to the promises of the word preached? M. These four. 1. Faith whereby we believe the truth of them, and trust in God's power, goodness and faithfulness, for the performance of them, 2 Tim. 1.12. 2. Hope in God assuredly to look for the performance of them, Psal. 119.81. & 42.5. 3. joy or rejoicing in the good things promised and hoped for, Psal. 119.162. 4. Patience to wait God's leisure, till we be made partakers of them, without limiting God, the time or means, Heb. 10.36. & 6.12. Rom. 8.25. Psal. 130.6. & 123.2. Isay 28.16. P. What are the threatenings of the word? M. God's threatenings are parts of his word, The threatenings of the word. wherein God denounceth to bring upon sinners, for their infidelity and impenitency, temporal, spiritual, and eternal judgements. P. And what duties of service to God, do properly concern these threatenings? M. These two. 1. Trembling and astonishment, at the very hearing of them, jer. 36.16.24. 2. Fear to sin against God, lest the evils threatened in them, do come upon us, Revel. 18.4. P. What are the examples of the word? M. Certain precedents, The examples of the word. and particular patterns of the faith, obedience and patience of God's servants and children, recorded in the Bible. P. And what duties properly concern these holy examples? M. These two. 1. An honourable memorial of them, and of their good name, seeing God was glorified by them, Matth. 28.13. & 5.16. 2. A sincere purpose and endeavour, to imitate and follow their patterns, in the practice of the like duties, Luke 10.37. Heb. 6.12. P. Sir, I thank you for your labours touching my service to God, in respect of the first religious exercise, and part of God's public service: I pray you go on now with the second, which is the receiving of the Sacraments: and first tell me what the receiving of the Sacraments is? M. Receiving the Sacraments, Duties in respect of receiving the Sacraments. is a part of God's worship, wherein by taking certain creatures, and using certain actions about them, (appointed by God) and by setting them apart, by the word and prayer (from common and civil use to a sacred use) there is thereby signified and remembered, Christ his death; and also the benefits and merits thereof, are sealed and assured to all true believers, 1 Cor. 11.28. Rom. 4.11. & 6.2, 3. P. How many be there of these Sacraments, that are to be received? M. Two: 1. Baptism, 2. the Lords Supper. P. What duties of obedience and service to God, belong to the receiving of these Sacraments? M. They be of two sorts. 1. Some which be common to the receiving of both the Sacraments. Some that be proper to each of them. P. What be the duties that be common to the receiving of both the Sacraments? M. These two. 1. In respect of our bodies, we must look upon the creatures and actions about them, appointed by God to be used in the administering of them for the remembering of Christ, and for the setting forth of his death; and we must permit the Minister, to administer unto us those creatures and actions to this end; and also receive them from him, when they are administered to us by him, Act. 8.38. Mark. 16.16, Ezra 6.21. 2. In respect of our souls; 1. we must meditate on the nature and parts, use and end, benefit and comfort of the Sacraments. 2. We must remember with thankfulness the death and bloodshedding of Christ shown and set forth therein. 3. We must by faith apply to ourselves the merits of Christ's bloody death, to the washing away of our sins, and to the nourishing of our souls in the life of grace, to the life of glory, 1 Cor. 10.16. P. What duties to God are proper, to the receiving of the Sacrament of Baptism? M. These two. 1. Duties in respect of praying to God. Desire and endeavour, by prayer and examination, to find in ourselves the efficacy and benefit thereof to the cleansing of us from the power and punishment of our sins, Rom. 6.3, 4.2. Conscience to do what we have professed, and to perform what we have promised, (when we were baptised) namely, to renounce the service of sin, and to continue Gods faithful servants. For hereby we shall manifest to ourselves and others, that our souls are inwardly and spiritually baptised with Christ's blood and Spirit, as well as our bodies are outwardly by the water and Minister, joh. 3.5. 1 Pet. 3.20, 21. P. And what duties are proper to the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper? M. The duties proper to that Sacrament have been (as you know) plainly and largely delivered, by me in a Book, called Spiritual exercise, to procure a good appetite unto, and a good digestion of the Lords Supper; to which I refer you for more particular instruction. P. Sir, I bless God for these your directions, touching the receiving of the Sacraments, which is the second religious exercise of God's public service: I pray you proceed to the third, which is Prayer, and therein first tell me what it is? M. Praying to God is a part of his public service, wherein we call upon him, and beg of him, either the bestowing of good things upon us, or the removing of hurtful things from us, Psal. 50.15. P. What duties of service concern prayer to God? M. They are of three kinds; for they belong either 1. to the matter of our prayers, or 2. to the manner; or 3. to the end of them. P. What duties concern the matter of our prayers, or the things we pray for? M. Two. 1. We must pray for such things as be in themselves lawful, and be warrantable by God's word, jam. 4.3. 2. We must pray according to Gods will, (that is) for such things, as may stand with God's secret will in giving of them, 1 joh. 5.14. Matth. 26.39. P. What duties concern the manner of our praying? M. These four: we must pray, 1. with humility in conscience of our unability and unworthiness to ask or receive, Luke 18.13. 2. with fervency in a sensible feeling of our want of the things we beg, and in an earnest desire to enjoy them: 3. with faith trusting in God, through Christ, for receiving what we pray for, jam. 1.6.4. with patience waiting God's leisure and pleasure, till we be made partakers of that we desire and beg, Ps. 40.1 P. And what duties concern the end of our praying to God, or the cause why we pray? M. These three. 1. In respect of God, we must aim at this, that he may be glorified by his giving, and our receiving, & using of the good things which we pray for, even as he is glorified by our seeking to him for them; for thereby we acknowledge him to be the giver of all, which is an honour to him, jam. 1.17. 1 Cor. 10.31. 2. In respect of ourselves, we are to pray for God's blessings, not that we might spend them upon our sins; but that in the use of them we might be furthered in God's service, jam. 4.3. Rom. 2.4. 3. In respect of our brethren, we must aim in our prayers that we may be helpful to them, and enabled by receiving good things from God, (through prayer) not to heap up all for ourselves and ours; but to distribute it amongst God's poor servants and children, that are in want, according to their need and our ability, P. These are indeed holy and heavenly directions, concerning my duty in praying to God, which is the third religious exercise and part of God's public service: But I pray you, let me be beholden to you, for further instruction in the fourth and last, which is praising of God; and to tell me first, what praising of God is? M. Praising God, Duties in respect of praising God. is a part of God's public service, wherein we magnify, commend and extol God, for those excellent perfections of greatness and goodness that are in him, Psal. 150.2: and also give him thankes for his benefits bestowed upon us, Revel. 7.12. P. What duties of obedience to God concern our praising him? M. They are of two kinds; for they belong either 1. to the parts of our praising God; or 2. to the means whereby it is performed, (namely) singing of Psalms. P. What duties concern the parts of praising God? M. They are these four. 1. An high esteem and opinion (beyond that which we are able to express) of the holy and happy perfections that are in God, Psal. 8.1.9. 2. A free acknowledgement of the receipt from his bountiful hands, of all the good things we enjoy, 2 Chron. 29.16. 3. An humble confession of our unworthiness to receive any good things from God, or to return any praise or thankes unto him, for the things we have received, Gen. 32.10. 4. A full resolution to use & employ all God's blessings which he gives us, to his glory, Prov. 3.9. to the good of others, 1 Tim. 6.17. and our own furtherance in godliness, Rom. 2.4, 5. P. And what duties of servince to God, do concern our singing of Psalms? M. Three especially. 1. For the matter which we must sing, it must be holy and spiritual; not foolish and profane songs and ballads, made by wicked men; but hymns and psalms of Gods making, or according to them, Col. 3.16. 2. For our manner of singing, it must be with the spirit, and with an holy and sanctified heart and affection, with grace in our hearts, Col. 3.16. 3. For our end in singing, it must be, not to take pride in our own sweet voice and breast, nor to please other men's ears, who are more delighted in the sound and music, than in the matter: but to make melody in our hearts to God, and to comfort ourselves in him, Col. 3.16. P. I cannot but acknowledge, (good Sir) that you have been very large and profitable in your Instructions concerning my duties of service to God, concerning the first sort of things that proceed from God, namely his ordinances, there remains the second sort of things that proceed from God, and that is his works, in respect whereof also I must serve God: I pray you therefore direct me herein also, and first tell me what these works of God be? M. God's works are either 1. general, which have respect to all the world, as the creating, preserving, and governing of all things therein, Rom. 11.36: Or 2. they are special works of his, which concern ourselves, and which proceed either from his mercy, as blessings; or from his justice, as crosses and afflictions. P. What duties of service to God belong to him in respect of these his works? M. They are of 3. Duties in respect of God's works. kinds; for they concern either 1. God's general works on the whole world; or 2. God's special works of mercy on ourselves and others: or 3. God's special works of justice on ourselves and others. P. What duties concern Gods general works of creating, preserving and governing the whole world? M. These three. 1. We must look upon them with our eyes, Psal. 19.1. job 36.24. 2. We must talk of them with our tongues, Psal. 26.7. 3. With our minds we must take notice, and observe in these his works, his infinite wisdom, power and goodness, Rom. 1.20: and magnify God for them accordingly, Psal. 148.5. etc. P. What duties concern Gods special works of mercy, or his blessings, on ourselves or others? M. 1. Thankfulness, Eph. 5.20. 1 Thess. 5.18. whereof you have heard in the ordinance of praising God. 2. Rejoicing in God, and in the use and enjoying of his blessings, Rom. 12.15. Deut. 12.7. P. And what duties concern Gods special works of justice, or afflictions on ourselves and others? M. These following. First, in respect of all afflictions on ourselves, we must 1 meekly subject ourselves with patience to bear them, in consideration, 1. that they are God's hand on us, 1 Sam. 3.18. which we cannot resist Psal. 39.9. 2. That they are justly deserved by our sins, Micah 7.9. 3. That we are not alone therein; but have many fellows in temptations common to men, 1 Cor. 10.13. 1 Sam. 7.14. 4. That after them there is a rest prepared for them that endure them, Hebr. 4.11. Revel. 14.13. 5. That God will either give us assistance in the trial, or deliverance out of it, 1 Cor. 10.13. 2. We must wisely endeavour to profit by them to amendment of life, and new obedience, joh. 5.14. Hebr. 12.11. Secondly, in respect of all afflictions on our brethren, we must 1. have a fellow-feeling of the same upon them, as if they were on ourselves, Rom. 12.15. Heb. 13.5. 1 Pet. 3.8. 2. We must pray for them, for their ease, remedy and deliverance, if it be Gods will; or a sanctified use of them, jam. 5.14. Psal. 35.13. 3. We must help to relieve them in the same (as we are able) and to deliver them out of the same, Matth. 14.14. job 31.20. Thirdly, in respect of some temptations and afflictions that have been sanctified to us, or our brethren, so that we have received from them, (through God's good grace) some holy fruit of righteousness, we must 1. acknowledge God's goodness in them, Psal. 73.1. & 119.69.71. 2. We must bless God for them, job 1.21. 3. We must rejoice and comfort ourselves in them, jam. 1.2, 3. because 1. they are not God's vengeance, but chastisement, Hebr. 12.5. 2. They come from God not as an enemy, but as a father reconciled in Christ, 2 Sam. 7.14. Hebr: 12.5. 3. God is moved to send them in love, Rev. 3.9. and that they shall not separate us from the love of God in Christ, Rom. 8.38, 39 4. God aimed in these afflictions at some spiritual good, Hebr. 12.10. Phil. 3.10. 5. The event of them shall be their and our furtherance in grace, Psal. 119.71. & 37.37, unto salvation, Phil. 1.19.28. P. Sir, you have been very large and long, (to your great pains) in teaching me how to serve God, with duties that have respect to himself in consideration of his divine Attributes that be in him, and also of his Ordinances and works proceeding from him: I pray you proceed to my duties unto my Neighbour. M. They are of 2. kinds; 1. such as are common to all and every one: 2. such as are peculiar to some. P. What are those duties that are common to all? M. They are 1. general, namely 1. to love our neighbour as ourselves, Matth. 22.39: 2. to do unto him as we (being guided by true reason) would have him to do to us, Math. 7.12. 2. special, which are five. P. Which are they? M. The first is to maintain his place and authority, office and pre-eminence, in commonwealth, Church or family, Exod. 20.12. which is the 5. Commandment. The second is to preserve his life, health, and bodily strength, Exod. 20.13. which is the 6. Commandment. The third is to cherish the chastity of our neighbour, and neither by looks or gestures, words or actions, to assault or violate the same, Exod. 20.14. which is the 7. Commandment. The fourth is, to further the profit and lawful gain of our neighbour, and in nothing of the least worth to seek his loss and damage, Exod. 20.15. which is the 8. Commandment. The fifth is, to uphold his credit and good name, and not to disgrace him, by word or action in the least manner or measure, Exod. 20.16. which is the 9 Commandment. P. What are those duties that are peculiar to some of our Neighbours? M. 1. Such as are due to godly and sincere Christians, as namely, 1. brotherly love and religious affection, Hebr. 13.1: when we therefore love them, not because they are men, or our kindred, or beneficial to us; but because of their graces, and Christian virtues eminent in them. 2. Patience to bear with their weaknesses, and cover their infirmities, Gal. 6.2. 1 Pet. 4.8. 2. Such as are due to some, namely, as they are tied to us by any bond of nature, or law, as husbands and wives, parents or children, Masters or Servants, or the like: of which duties you may read at large in a book made by D. Gouge, D Gouge of Household duties. who hath written fully, and to excellent purpose thereof. P. Sir, my desire is to know and do the whole revealed will of God, and therefore as you have instructed me in my duty, 1. in respect of God, and 2. in respect of my Neighbour: so I beseech you also to tell me in the third place, what is my duty of service unto God, in respect of myself? M. I will: and because you consist both of a body, and of a soul, Duties in respect of ourselves. and have a double calling to live in, namely a civil calling, and a Christian calling; therefore will I briefly show you the sum of your duty in respect of all four. P. Sir I thank you, I pray you then show me my duty in respect of my body. M. It is this, to possess your vessel in holiness and honour, (that is) in chastity, temperance and sobriety, without pride or luxury, chambering or wantonness, continually restraining the senses, parts and members thereof, from being weapons and instruments to let in, or let out sin; and withholding them from the occasions and opportunities of doing evil, 1 Thess. 4.4, 5. Tit. 2.12 Rom. 13.13. P. What is my duty in respect of my soul? M. To be watchful over it, and over all the powers and faculties thereof, that you grow not lose or secure in sin; yea to be circumspect in all your ways, that you be not deceived by your own deceitful heart, the world's vanities, and Satan's subtleties, Prov. 4.23. 2 Tim. 4.5. Eph. 5.17. & 6.13. to 19 P. What duties appertain to me in my Christian calling? M. These seven chief. 1. To be zealous and discreet, humble and sincere, in the profession of Christian religion, Revel. 3.19. Rom. 12.3. jam. 3.17. Tit. 1.16. 2. Daily to repent of our sins, and to cry God mercy by faith in Christ, as we sinne daily, Matth. 6.12. 3. So to live, as those that look to die, and to rise unto judgement, at the second coming of Christ, Acts 17.30, 31. & 24.17, 18. Deut. 32.29. 4. To mortify our sinful and corrupt nature, 1. by applying to ourselves the commandments, promises and threatenings of the word, Col: 3.5: and 2: by denying to ourselves all occasions, means and opportunities of sin, Matth. 5.29, 30. 5. To moderate our desires to the profits, pleasures and honours of the world, (considering the vanity of them Eccles: 1.2) and not to be discontent with our present state, nor to covet our neighbours, Hebr: 13.5. Tit: 2.12. Exod: 12.17. Rom: 7.7. 6. To make sure unto ourselves, our calling, election and salvation, by growing in the number and measure of Christian graces, 2 Pet: 1.5. & 10. 7. To strive and endeavour to continue and persevere in well-doing, and patiented suffering for conscience sake, Matth: 10.22. Iam: 1.25. Rev: 2.25. 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. P. And I pray you (good Sir) what duties appertain to me in my civil calling, course, and trade of life? M. These seven principally. 1. Diligence & painfulness without idleness, 2. Thess. 3.7, 8. 2. Cheerfulness and joyfulness, without being weary of well-doing, Deut: 12.7.2 Thess. 2.13. 3. Moderation, without plodding and moiling, carking and caring (through distrust) to the neglect of our bodily health and salvation, Hebr. 13.5. Matth: 6.33. 4. Honesty and righteousness, without wronging others, or deceiving them, 1 Thes: 4.6.12. 5. Charity, in seeking not our own profit and good only, and to be all for ourselves, but the benefit of others, Phil: 2.4. 1 Cor: 10.33. 6. Sincerity, in performing the duties of our callings, not as before men only, and to be seen of them; but as unto God, to approve ourselves to him Col: 3.22, 23. 7. Piety in going about them, not in confidence of our own wisdom, Prov. 3.5; but with prayer to God in affiance of his blessing, Genes: 24.42.48. 1 Cor: 3.6. P. Oh good Sir, this is abundantly enough to teach me to know what Gods service is, & wherein it doth consist: now I pray you affect me with God's service, and teach me how to be affected, and in love with it? M. I will: Seeking to be affected with God's service. for what good will it do you to know what Gods service is, except you desire to serve God. For this end therefore you must know & believe, consider and lay to heart, certain motives concerning his service, that may stir you up to desire, love and affect it; and they are these five; 1. the possibility of serving God; 2. the necessity of it; 3. the excellency of it; 4. the equity of it; and 5. the reward of it. P. How may the possibility of God's service appear, and that it is possible for us to serve God here in this world? M. Two ways: 1. by the promise of the Spirit to be given to them that seek it, whereby he will put God's laws in their hearts, and write them in their inner parts for his obedience and service, Luke 11.13. Ezek: 11.19. jer. 31.33. 2. By the many examples of godly men, who have been called by God himself, his Servants, as Moses, josh 1.1. joshuah: ch. 24.29: job, ch. 1.8: David, Psal. 18.1: Isaiah, ch. 20.3: Zerubbabel, Hag: 2.23: and others. P. How may the necessity of the service of God be made plain unto me? M. By considering 1. the commandment of God, which enjoins it often and earnestly in his word, Deut: 10.12.20. & 6.13. & 13.4. Iosh: 24.24. 2. The danger of not serving God, for they who neglect it are guilty of great sins, judg. 10.6. Nehem: 9.35. and are liable to greater punishments. Deut, 28.47. Rom. 2.8. and 6.21. P. How may the excellency of the service of God be proved? M. By knowing and laying to heart, 1 That it is no base or mean thing, to be God's servant: but that it is an honour, and a great favour, Rom. 9.4. Iosu. 1.2. 2. That God's service is not a bondage but a liberty, 1 Cor. 7.22. 3. That God is the best Lord and Master to serve, and that his wages is the best reward, & ●●st pay, Deu: 10.20 〈◊〉 Col. 3.24. P. How may the equity of God's service appear? M. It will easily appear, that it is equal & just you should serve God if you consider: 1. That God, deserves it of you by his many benefits bestowed upon you, as namely your creation, Psa. 100, 2. and your preservation: Ios. 24 17: but specially your salvation: Luk. 1.74.75 2. That before your conversion unto him, you have made God to serve with your sins, Isai, 43.24. 3. That before your conversion you served the world, the Devil, and your own lusts for the greatest part of your life, & too long; and that now you know not how little time you have to serve him, 1 Pet. 4.4. Ezech. 44.6. P. What is the reward of God's service? M. It is this: God will not only graciously accept of our service, Ezech. 40.41. passing by the failings of it, 2 Chron. 30.18: But will also bestow upon his faithful servants, 1 Temporal things: as long life, health, wealth, children, and a good name, job. 1.9. & 42.10 Deut: 28. Psal. 112. and 128. 2. Spiritual, as increase of grace, and peace, joy, and comfort of a good conscience: Prov: 15.15: Ps: 119 Isai 56.6: 7. 2 Cor. 1.21. Gal. 6.16. 3 Eternal, which is deliverance from all eternal misery, and participation of all like happiness and glory, Rom. 2.7. Math: 25.34. P. These are indeed powerful motives to persuade Christians to be affected with God's service, and (I bless God) I am much moved therewith: but one thing is yet wanting whereof you told me●, which is the third and last thing in seeking to serve God, namely, Seeking to perform and practise it; I pray you instruct me therein also. M. I will, and indeed there is good reason you should learn this lesson too, Seeking to practise the service of God. because the end of your desire of God's service is to practise it, and it had been better for you never to have been affected with the love and liking of God's service, if you do not perform it to God accordingly. Now then in the performance and practice of God's service, these four things are to be considered and handled: 1, the manner how: 2, the measure wherein: 3, the end whereunto: and 4, the means whereby it is to be done. P. Sir I thank you, and I pray you further instruct me in each of them, for they are material points indeed; and first tell me in what manner the service of God is to be performed. M. The manner of performing service and obedience to God, consists in these six particulars chief: 1. Understandingly, with knowledge and judgement, 1 Chron: 28.9. Psal: 47.7. 1 Cor: 14.15. 2. Humbly, in regard of our unability and unworthiness to serve him, Act. 20.19. 3. Faithfully, with affiance and trust in God's mercy through Christ's merits for acceptation, laying hold on the covenant of grace, Col: 1.17. Isay 56.6. 4. Conscionably, in obedience to God, who in his word wills and commands us to serve him, Acts 23.1. Iam: 2.11. 5. Holily, with a religious, godly and heavenly mind in newness of spirit and life, Rom: 12.1. & chap: 7.6. 6. Sincerely, and with an upright and honest heart, 1 Chron: 28.9. Iosh: 24.14. Gen. 17.1. P. In what measure is our service to God to be performed? M. The measure in which the service of God is to be performed, may thus be laid down on this manner: 1. Generally, we must serve God with all our might, (that is) with all the parts and members of our bodies & with all the powers & faculties of our souls, Deut: 6.5. & 10.12. Iosh: 14.8. Num. 14.24. 2. And more specially we must serve God, as touching the measure: 1. Cheerfully, & with a willing mind, Isay 58.13. 1 Chron: 28.9. Psal: 40.7, 8. 2. joyfully, and with a glad heart, Psal: 100 2. & 119.132. 3. Zealously, and with earnest affection, and devotion, Acts 21.20. Tit. 2.14. Acts 10.2. 4. Constantly, continually, and with perseverance unto the end, Luke 1.74, 75. 1 Chron: 28.7. P. Oh this constancy and perseverance is a rare grace indeed, but I feel my heart very fleeting and unsettled; I pray you how may I get to continue in the serving and obeying of God? M. For this purpose you must do these things: 1. You must give & consecrate yourself to God's service, Rom: 6.19. & 12.1. Set your heart and soul to seek God, Deut: 32.46. and to obey his Commandments, Deut: 32.46. Yield yourself to the Lord, 2 Chron: 30.8. and subscribe unto him, Isay 44.5. 2. You must be rooted and grounded in the knowledge & love of God's service, Deut: 10.11. & 11.13. Isay 56.6. Eph: 3.17. 2 Thes: 2.10. 3. You must often renew your promise and purpose, vow, covenant and oath of serving God, Psal: 119.106. & 39.1. & 17.3. & 61.8. Ezra 10.3. 2 Chron: 15.32. 4. You must not be formal and ceremonial only in God's service, to do it publicly in the Church only, or privately in the family only, where others may see you; but secretly in your closet, where none is present but God; and you must serve God with the intention of your mind, and affection of your heart, carefully & conscionably, 2 Tim: 3.5. Tit: 1.16. Acts 23.1. & 26.7. 5. You must be jealous and suspicious of yourself, lest there be in you a deceitful and an unfaithful heart to withdraw you from God's service, Hebr: 3.13. 6. You must seriously consider the danger of apostasy, and the benefit of perseverance in God's service, 1 Pet: 2.20, 21. Heb: 6. & 10. chapters: Matth: 10.22. Revel: 2.10. 7. You must pray to God to keep you in his name, joh. 17.11. jude 24 2 Cor: 12.8, 9 P. I pray you good Sir, now show me the end why I must serve God. M. Not to be justified and saved thereby, for this is to work for wages as a base servant, and not as a good son; nor yet out of any carnal worldly ends or respects, as vain glory, and the good opinion of men, or worldly profit; but for a threefold end. 1. In respect of God, that he may be glorified thereby, whose service it is by appointment, and to whom it is to be performed, Matth: 5.16. 1 Cor. 10.31. 2. In respect of others, that they may be either won to the same service with us, or confirmed in it, 1 Pet: 3.5. 3. In respect of ourselves, that we may make good proof of the truth of our faith, and thereby make sure unto ourselves the good will of God towards us, and that he means to save us, Rom: 12.1, 2. P: Now in the last place I pray you show me, the means whereby I may come to practise this service of God. M: That you may indeed practise God's service which you know and affect, you must do these things: 1. You must put away, renounce and wholly leave, & shake off your former service of sin, the world, and Satan: 1 Sam: 7: 3: else you cannot serve God: josua 24 19: You must be purged from dead works: Heb 9: 14. you must dye to sin, 1 Pet. 2.24. Put off the old man. Eph. 4.22.23. 2 You must seek to God for grace to enable you to serve him. Heb: 12.28. 3. You must stir up the grace of God in you, & when you have received it, you must use it well, 2. T●m. 1.6. Matth. 25.20.22. P. How may we be moved to leave the service of sin, Satan, & the world? M. By believing, and laying to heart, remembering and considering the sinfulness, and damnableness of that service, together with the excellency of God's service, & remedy, whereof we have heard before in the motives to God's service. P. How may I be moved to seek to God for grace, to enable me to his service? M. 1. By knowing and feeling your need of grace, and that without it you are unable to serve God, Luke 17.10. 2 Cor: 3.5. 2. By believing, and considering the sufficiency and essicacie of grace, to enable you to serve God, and to abide in you, and to keep you in his service, 2 Cor: 12.9. I joh: 2.27. Ioh: 4.14. P. How may I be stirred up, well to use the grace of God when I have received it? M. By considering, 1. that the grace of God is given to you for this end, namely, that you might serve God with it, Heb. 12.28 Luk. 19.13. 2. that God is worthy to be served with the grace which himself hath given; for without him we can do nothing that good is, Revel: 4. 3. That if you will use a little measure of grace, and stir up yourself to serve God with it, then shall your talon hereof increase, Mat. 25.20.21 P. Sir I humbly thank you for your pains with me, and patience towards me. I am loath to be overbold with you at once, and to interrupt your studies too long: I hope it will not be offensive to you if when I have sufficiently thought upon these your instructions touching seeking to serve God, (which is the first thing you propounded unto me:) if at another time. I repair unto you, in the second, which is, seeking to be saved. M. You shall be welcome, if you come at the beginning of the week, at which time, I have most leisure. In the mean time, the Lord be with you, and bless my labours, for the furtherance of you, & the rest of my people, in the service of God, unto salvation, by jesus Christ. Amen. SEEKING to be saved, when we die. Minister. Well met (good Neighbour:) how have you done, since you were with me last, and how doth your family? Parishioner. The for you (Sir, I praise God) and for your good ●nstructions you gave me. M. Much good may they do you. I desire, that God may have the praise of them, and you the profit: I hope, that at least, you remember what was the sum of our conference then. P. I were much to blame, if I should forget that, being a point that so nearly concerned me, and which you handled so largely: (By your favour) it was this, that I ought to seek to serve God, while I live in this world. But (good Sir) you mentioned there another duty like unto this, which I greatly desire you would instruct me in at your convenient leisure: If I should not be too tedious, I would resort unto you at the beginning of the week for further instruction in that also. M. You shall not be troublesome, but welcome; I would I had in my Parish more of your mind, for than should I conceive hope that they minded good things, seeing they inquired after them, and repaired unto me for private information, over and above my public Ministry. If you will (Neighbour) go home with me now, and we will confer together about it. But can you tell me, what that second point of Christian duty was? P. Yes that I can, I thank God; though my memory be bad enough: It was this, I take it; I must seek to be saved when I die. Me thinks it is a necessary duty, and it is good reason I should practise it: but I would fain have some good arguments, to bind me to the practice of it, that I might not fail to do it, being so needful. M. I will satisfy your desire, and the reasons that I shall propound unto you to persuade you to the practice of this duty, shall be drawn into some heads, for the help of your memory. The heads are four: whereof the first concerns God; the second yourself; the third other men; and the fourth hath respect unto salvation itself. P. Which be those reasons that concern God, and which may persuade me to seek to be saved? M. They are three. That Christians must seek to be saved, and why. The first is taken from God's commandment, that bids Christians to seek the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness; yea to seek it first, (that is) before & above all worldly things, Matth: 6.33: To strive to enter in at the straight gate, Luke 13.24: To labour for the meat, that endures to eternal life, john 6.27: and to labour to enter into that rest, Hebr: 4.11. The second reason is drawn from God's promise, Why Christians must seek to be saved. which is 1. in general, that they which seek shall find, Matth: 7.7. 2. in special, that they which seek the Lord shall find him, Ier: 29.13. 3. and in particular, that they which seek God's Kingdom, it will be their Father's pleasure to give it unto them, Luke 12.31, 32. The third argument is taken from Gods dealing with sinners, in his seeking that they might be saved. For 1. God the Father expostulates with sinners, why they will dye, and not be saved, Ezck: 33.11: yea he entreats (by his Ministers) that they would be reconciled to God, 2 Cor. 5.20. 2. jesus Christ came to seek and save lost sinners, Luk: 19.10: yea he invites them to come unto him, (that is) to believe in him, that they may be eased, and saved, Matth: 11.28. Ioh: 6.35. And 3. the Holy Ghost strives with them by exhortations, Gen: 6.3: and testifies to them, (that is) forewarns and chargeth them by threatenings, that they would be converted, to the end they may be saved, Nehem. 9.30. 1 Thess: 4.6. Now there is no reason that God should seek to us to be saved; and not we to him. P. What is the reason that concerns ourselves, that may move us to seek to be saved? M. It is this: we must seek to be saved, because we need to seek it, and we need to seek for salvation; partly, because we are (by nature) ignorant of the way thereunto, 1 Cor: 1.22, 23. & 2.14: (and the Devil seeks to keep us in this ignorance, 2 Cor: 4.4:) partly, because salvation will not be obtained without diligent seeking, for the violent take it by force, Matth: 11.12: and partly also, because, if we do neglect to seek salvation, we sinne fearfully, and cannot escape condemnation, Hebr: 2.4. john 3.19. P. What is the reason to persuade me to seek for salvation, that is taken from other men? M. It is this. First, God's Ministers do seek us, that we might be saved, 2 Cor: 12.14. for they beseech us to be reconciled to God, 2 Cor: 5.20: they exhort us to save ourselves from the wicked generation of this world, Acts 2.40: yea their hearts desire and prayer to God for us is, that we might be saved, Rom: 10.1. And there is no reason, that Ministers should be more careful of our salvation, than we of our own. Secondly, the Church of God in all ages, hath afforded many memorable examples of holy people that have sought for salvation, and found it, Acts 2.37. & 16.30. Hebr. 11.6. P. What is the fourth and last reason, taken from some consideration concerning salvation itself? M. It is this: You ought to seek for salvation, because it is worth your seeking; for it is called by way of excellency, so great salvation, Hebr: 2.4: the salvation of God, Acts 23.28: yea salvation with eternal glory, 2 Tim: 2.10 P. These indeed are good arguments to prove, both that I must seek it, and why I must: but when must I seek it? M. Though I say you must seek to be saved when you dye; I do not mean, you must seek when you dye; but that you must seek to be saved, while you live. You must seek God while he may be found, Isay. 55.5: and God will be found in this life; for now is the day of salvation, now is the accepted time, 2 Cor: 6.3: for now the means of grace are afforded unto us, in the use of God's ordinances, appointed for that end. Dives was carried to hell when he died; and out of it there is no redemption, Luke 16.23.26. The foolish virgins wanting oil in their lamps, when the bridegroom came, were shut out of the bride-chamber, though then they desired to get oil, Math. 25.12. P. But I pray you (good Sir) how, and by what means may I seek for salvation? M. Even in the same manner, How Christians must seek to be saved. and by the same means, that I taught you to seek to serve God; namely by seeking 1. to know the chief points of the doctrine of salvation: 2. to affect and desire it: 3. to get and obtain salvation. P. I pray you then Sir in the first place tell me, what are the chief points of the doctrine of salvation, that are to be known. M. They are three, To know the chief points of salvation. for we must know & believe: 1. What it is to be saved, and this we may know, for God hath ordained means to give us knowledge of salvation, Luk. 1.77. And to show us the way of it. Act, 16.17.2. The several degrees, by which salvation is attained, which is not all at once: 3. The means whereby it is effected and brought to pass, in these several degrees. P. Sir, (I think) I know already the first point, which is, what it is to be saved, (namely) it is to be freed from hell and damnation. M. It is some thing which you say; but that is not all. For to be saved is not only to be freed from all eternal curssednesse, which is to escape the damnation of hell: Math. 23, 33. to be delivered from the wrath to come, 1, Thes. 5.10: to have your soul saved from death eternal: Iam: 5.20: and to be kept that ye perish not, nor be condemned, john 3: 16, 17. But to be saved is to partake of all eternal blessedness in another life and world, which is, to obtain eternal glory: 2. Tim: 2: 10: to inherit the kingdom of God, Math: 25: 34: to enter into our Master's joy: Math: 25.34: to be ever with the Lord Christ: 1 Thess. 4.17. Ph●l: 1, 23: namely, to behold and partake of his glory, john 17.24. P. I perceive now my failing, and it must needs be so, as you say, touching the nature of salvation: but I pray you also proceed to the second general point of the doctrine of salvation, to show me what are the degrees, by which it is attained. M. They are three. The degrees of salvation. 1. In this life, Luke 19.9. 2. At the end of this life, Acts 7.59. 3. At the end of the world, Hebr: 9.28. P. What degree of salvation is attained unto in this life? M. It hath three branches. 1. justification, whereby the faithful are fully acquitted and discharged, from the guilt and punishment of all their sins, by free pardon and forgiveness of them all, and whereby also they are accepted as righteous in God's sight by the merit of Christ's righteousness, both of his life & death imputed unto them, Mat: 9.2. Rom: 3.25. & 4.6, 7. 2 Pet. 1.1. 2. Reconciliation, whereby sinners being freed from God's anger and displeasure, justly incurred and provoked by their sins, they are again received into his love, favour, and friendship, Matth: 3.17. Col: 1.21. 3. Adoption, whereby of the children of disobedience, of wrath, and of the Devil, (which they were in Adam, and by their sins, Ephes: 2.2. & 5.6. Ioh: 8.44) they are made the children of God, and heirs of the Kingdom of heaven, Gal: 4.4. & 5.6. Eph: 1.4, 5, 6. P. What degree of salvation do the faithful attain at the end of this life? M. It is this. First, and generally, they depart in peace, Luke 2.29: for their souls are parted from their bodies in God's favour; they are carried to heaven, Luk: 16.22. and received thither, Acts 7.50: They die in Christ, 1 Thess: 4.16: they sleep in jesus, verse 24: they die in the Lord, Revel: 14.13: they die the death of the righteous, Num: 23.10: they depart to the Father, john 13: 1. As soon as they are departed this life, their souls are with Christ in Paradise, which is Christ's Kingdom, Luke 23.42.43: even when their bodies are unburied, or lie in the grave: and therefore this salvation is called the salvation of the soul, 1 Pet: 1.9. Heb: 10.39: for the spirits of just and perfect men are in heaven, Hebr: 12.25. And well may the faithful depart in peace when they die, seeing when they lived they were justified by faith, and had peace with God, Rom. 5.1: Good cause have they, (if they forget not to consider it) not to fear to dye, seeing they know, that the sting of their death is taken away, 1 Cor: 15.55, by Christ, who through his death hath overcome him that had the power of death, (that is) the Devil, Hebr: 2.14: and seeing they are persuaded that death shall not separate them from the love of God which is in Christ jesus, Rom: 8.38, 39 Secondly, and more specially: 1. The bodies of the faithful at the end of this life, are at rest from their labours pains and diseases, and are free from sense of all miseries and vexations, Revel: 14.13. Isai: 56.1, 2. 2. Their souls are wholly freed from original and natural corruption; for the flesh which was therein while they lived, is wholly killed & destroyed. For they are carried into heaven Luk: 16, 22. into which no unclean thing can enter: Revel: 21: 27. 1 Cor: 15.50. P. And what degrees of salvation do the faithful attain unto at the end of the world? M. It consists of 2 branches, whereof the first concerns the body; the second belongs to the soul and body too. P. What happiness receives the body at the end of the world? M. It is this: Of a natural, dead, weak, corruptible, and mortal body, (which it was when it was alive in the world, and lay in the grave) it is raised a spiritual, living, strong, incorruptible, and immortal body; and being raised from death to life, it is restored to its former being and shape, complexion and proportion, yet without any defect or blemish, in a most comely manner; for it is a glorified body, 1 Cor: 15.42. to 46. P. Yea but it seems to natural reason an impossible thing, for a dead body to rise and live again? M. True: but Christians know by the light of the holy Scriptures, that the dead body shall rise from death to life, not by any power in itself, or by the means of any natural cause; but by a supernatural, even the power of God, Matth: 22.29. Iosh: 22.1 Thess. 4.16. P. How may I be drawn better to believe the Resurrection from the dead? M. By these seven Reasons. 1 The testimony of Christ, who said, that all that are in the graves shall hear Christ's voice, and come forth unto the Resurrection: john 5, 28 29. 2 The promise of it made by God unto the Patriarches, Act, 26: 6: 7: 8. 3 The faith & hope of God's children, who in all ages believed it, hoped and looked for it, Acts 23: 6: & 24: 15. john 11: 24. 4 The practice of many Heathen, who in hope of the Resurrection, washed the dead bodies of their friends departed, before they buried them, 1 Cor: 15: 29. & Acts 9: 36. 5 The proof and experience of many recorded in the Scriptures, who have risen from death to life, Mat. 27: 52: 53. joh. 11: 35. 6 The appointing of a day of judgement, at the second coming of Christ: Act: 17.30, 31, 32. Ioh: 5: 28: 29. Dan: 12.2. 7 The Resurrection of Christ himself from death to life, to be the first fruits of them that sleep: 1 Cor: 15: 20. 1 Thes: 4: 14. 1: Pet: 1.3. For the gathering in of the first ripe fruits, do give hope to the husbandman, of ripening & gathering in of the rest afterwards. P. Indeed these Reasons clearly and unanswerably do prove that the dead shall rise again, and that there shall be a Resurrection from the dead. But you said it was a branch of happiness unto the faithful, that their bodies rose from death to life, how may this be proved? M. This also may be sufficiently proved out of the Scripture, and that, by these 7 reasons also. 1 Because it is said that they are counted worthy of the Resurrection: Luke 20, 35. Therefore the Resurrection is a favour, & consequently a branch of happiness unto them. 2 Because they are called the children of the Resurrection, Luk: 20: 36. and they are so called (as in other respects so in this) because they rise Gods children, (as they lived and died) & are in his favour, which is a great happiness. 3. Because they are said to be equal to the Angels, (when they are raised) Luke 20.36: and the Angels are happy, for nothing but happiness can befall them. 4. Because the Apostle saith, that if the faithful did not rise, they were of all men most miserable, 1 Cor: 15.19: therefore because they do rise again, they are happy. 5. Because when they are raised from death to life, they are called blessed: for Christ will call unto them, and say, Come ye blessed of my Father, Matth: 25.34. 6. The resurrection from the dead is a degree of happiness, because (as it hath been said before) the naturalness, weakness, corruption and morrality of the body is abolished and destroyed; and by the resurrection, it is made a spiritual, strong, incorruptible, and immortal body; yea it is raised a glorified body, to be made fit to enter into and enjoy the glory of heaven, 1 Cor: 15.41.50. 7. And lastly, the resurrection of the body from death to life, is a degree of happiness because the assured expectation of it did work in the faithful, both more grace, and also more peace and comfort in their consciences, Acts 24.15, 16. Psal: 16.9. 1 Thess. 4.17. P. Sir, I cannot deny, but these reasons do prove the point most clearly: but one thing there is, that I am not as yet resolved of, namely, I would fain learn, how the resurrection from the dead should be a happiness to the faithful, more than to the wicked and unfaithful; for all both good and bad arise. M. It cannot be denied, but all both good and bad, just and unjust, must arise from death to life, john 5.28. Acts 24.15: but though this be true, yet there is a great difference in their rising, and this difference shows the happiness of the one, and the unhappiness of the other. P. Wherein, I pray you, is the difference betwixt the resurrection of the godly and of the wicked? M. It appears specially in three things. 1. All arise not the same manner of persons, for some rise just, and godly, as they lived and died, Luke 14.14: yea they rise Gods children, Luke 22.36: but others rise unjust, unrighteous and wicked, as they lived and died, Acts 24 15. 2. All arise not by the same means; for the godly arise by Christ's mediation and resurrection, as his members, 1 Thess: 4.14. 1 Pet: 1.3, 4. 2 Cor: 4.14. But the wicked arise from death to life only by God's power, and as his creatures. 3. All arise not to the same end, for the godly arise to the resurrection of life, and eternal blessedness, Ioh: 5.29. Matth: 25.32.34: To shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars for ever and ever, Dan. 12.2. Whereas the ungodly arise to the resurrection of condemnation, john 5.29: and to shame and everlasting contempt, Dan: 12.2. Some also have thought, that there is a fourth difference between the resurrection of the just and unjust, (namely) that the dead in Christ shall arise before them that have died out of him: and for that they allege a place in S. Paul, 1 Thess: 4.16. But I answer, though it be not a thing improbable, that the godly shall arise before the wicked, yet do I not think that that place proves it; because that place speaks not of an order betwixt the rising of the godly and wicked; but of an order betwixt the dead in Christ, and the living in Christ at his second coming: and that order is, that the dead in Christ shall not prevent, (or go before unto heaven and happiness) the living, or them that shall be alive at Christ's second coming. P. But I pray you forget not that degree of happiness, whereof both the souls and bodies of the godly partake at the end of the world. M. This happiness hath 6 branches: 1. Both soul and body shall be joined together, even the very same, job 19.25, 26. 2. They shall be freed from ever dying any more, Luke 20.36. 3. They shall be perfectly sanctified with that measure of grace whereof a creature can be capable for the fitting of him to enjoy the heavenly glory, 1 Cor: 15.49. 4. Being sanctified, they shall be translated and received into the kingdom of heaven, Matth: 25.34. 5. Being translated, they shall partake of glory with God and Christ, john 17.24. 6. Partaking of heavenly glory, they shall enjoy it for ever, 1 Thes: 4.17. P. These indeed are excellent degrees of happiness, (the Lord fit us to partake of them.) but I pray you remember to show me the third general point necessary to be known in the doctrine of salvation; which was, the means whereby it is effected, and brought to pass in the several degrees thereof. M. I will, The means whereby salvation is effected. (by the grace of God:) These means are certain actions of God. P. What are the actions wrought by God, that bring to pass man's salvation? M. They are actions that properly belong to the several Persons of the sacred Trinity, namely 1. God the Father; 2. God the Son; and 3. God the Holy Ghost. P. What were the actions of God the Father, whereby man's salvation was effected? M. Twofold: 1. In respect of Christ, his appointing and sending him into the world to save it, john 3.16: and his setting him in the office of his Mediatorship, joh. 6.28. Matth: 3.17. 2. And in respect of the faithful, his justifying of them, his being reconciled unto them, and his adopting of them to be his children, and heirs of heaven, whereof you have heard before in the degrees of salvation. P. What were the actions of God the Son, which he did to bring to pass our salvation? M. They were those, whereby he merited and procured, that the Elect should be surely brought into God's favour again, and safely carried to heaven; for he is called the Author of our salvation, Hebr: 5.9: and the Capta●ne of our salvation, Hehr: 2.10. And he is called a Saviour, and our Saviour, 23 times in the New Testament. And these actions of Christ concerned either 1 his conception and birth: or 2. his life: or 3. his death: or 4. his resurrection: or 5. ascension: or 6. his sitting on God's right hand. P. What was Christ's conception and birth, and the merit of them to our salvation? M. Christ's conception and birth was his incarnation, whereby he took into the unity of his Person, (being the Son of God) the man then in framing in the womb of the Virgin Mary: By this (being a great abasing to him, Phil: 2.6, 7. Hebr: 2.14:) he merited and procured, that our original sin, wherein we were conceived and borne of our parents, should be pardoned and purged, Psal: 51.3. P. What were the actions of Christ's life, whereby he wrought our salvation? M. They were these principally. 1. In his life he was just & righteous, 1 Pet. 3.18: for he knew no sin experimentally, 2 Cor. 5.21: But was holy, and separate from sinners, Hebr: 7.26: He was Gods righteous servant, Isay 53.11: He was made unto us righteousness, 1 Cor: 1.30: That by the imputation of the merit thereof to all true believers, their imperfect righteousness might be covered, and they therein accepted, and presented as faultless, jude verse 24: holy and without blame, Eph: 5.25: Yea that he might establish them unblameable in holiness before God, 1 Thess: 3 13. 2. In his life, Christ made many heavenly prayers to God his Father, for his Elect; and by them Christ merited, that their faith might not fail, Luke 22.32: nor they fall from grace; but be brought safe to glory in heaven, joh. 17.11.24. 3. In the life of Christ 1. he endured much poverty, Mat: 8.20: having not a house to put his head in of his own, though he were Lord of all, Acts 10.36. 2. He was much shamed and disgraced, being reviled and railed upon, Mat: 27.30. And 3. he was put to much pain, being buffeted and scourged, Matth: 27.26. Ioh: 19.1. Matth: 26.6, 7. But Christ merited and procured for us hereby, that by his poverty we might be made rich, 2 Cor: 8.9: that by his disgrace we might be honoured with this prerogative of being God's children, john 1.12: that by his stripes we might be healed, 1 Pet: 2.24: And that all our afflictions might be sanctified and seasoned, to our reformation and consolation in Christ. P. What was Christ's action at his death whereby he merited our salvation? M. He willingly la●d down his life, when (by his divine power) he might have held it, and none could have taken it from him, john 10.17. 1 john 3.16. Hereby Christ offered up himself a propitiatory sacrifice to God his Father, for the ransom of mankind, Gal: 4.5. Heb: 10.6, 7, 8: and hereby he redeemed the Elect from the second death, which is damnation, and from the tyranny of the Devil, Hebr: 2.14. Iam: 5.20. Acts 26.18. P. What was Christ's resurrection, and the merit of it for our salvation? M. Christ's resurrection was the freeing of himself from the power of death, under which he was held in the grave, some part of three days; and the uniting again of his soul which was in heaven, to his body which lay in the grave: Christ merited hereby, that the faithful should rise again from death to life, as members of his mystical body, and be begotten to a lively hope of their own resurrection by the power of his, 1 Cor: 15.19, 20. 1 Pet: 1.3. 1 Thess: 4.14. P. What was Christ's Ascension, and what did he merit thereby, tending to our salvation? M. Christ's Ascension was his leaving to live any longer on the earth as man, and his entering into heaven both in soul and body, there to continue till the end of the world, Acts 1.9, 10, 11. Hebr: 4.14. By Christ's Ascension into heaven, he took possession of it for the faithful, that at the end of their lives, he might receive their souls thither, Acts 7.59: and at the end of the world he might receive into it both their souls and bodies, john 14.2. Heb: 6.20. P. What was Christ's sitting on the right hand of God the Father in heaven? and what did he merit thereby for our salvation? M. Christ's sitting on the right hand of the Father in heaven, is his partaking (as man) of heavenly glory, fare above all creatures, Hebr. 1.3. The merit thereof, is his Intercession for us, Hebr. 7.24, 25: for in heaven he continually appears in God's presence for us, Heb: 9.24: to present all his merits unto God his Father, for our benefit; that God beholding the worth of them, he might continually apply the virtue and benefit of them, to the conversion and salvation of his Elect, successively to the world's end. P. Now you have showed mec, what were the act on's of God the Father, and God the Son, which they wrought for the effecting of man's salvation; I pray you also tell me, what were the actions of the Holy Ghost for that end? M. They were of two kinds: The actions of the holy Spirit for effecting man's salvation. 1. Such as he wrought in Christ, that was to be the Saviour of the world: and 2. such as he wrought in them that are to be saved by him. P. What were the actions, wrought in jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost, for the bringing to pass of man's salvation? M. They were three: 1. the sanctifying of the seed of the woman, for the framing of his body thereof, as he was man, Luke 1.35. 2. The declaring of him to be the Saviour of the world, by descending upon him like a dove, Matth: 3.16. john 3.33. 3. The filling of him with the gifts and graces of the Spirit above measure, john 3.34: and above his fellows, Hebr: 1.9. P. What are the actions of the Holy Spirit, which he works in them that are to be saved, for the effecting thereof? M. They are two. 1. Regeneration, or bringing them into the state of grace. 2. Preservation, or keeping them therein. P. Sir, I have heard much of Regeneration, but I do not well understand it: I pray you therefore cause me to understand better what it is? M. Regeneration is an action of the holy Spirit, The Regeneration of the holy Spirit. whereby Christians are begotten again, borne again; and renewed, or made new again, 1 Pet: 1.3: john 3.5. Tit. 3.5. P. Wherein doth the holy Spirit regenerate Christians? M. Not in making new the substance of their souls, nor in enduing their souls with new parts, powers and faculties: But Regeneration consists in healing and recovering, rectifying and amending, purging and sanctifying (with a new supply of grace) the former parts, powers and faculties, that were wholly depraved, and corrupted with sin, through Adam's disobedience, Ecclefiast: 7.29. P. To what end doth the holy Spirit regenerate Christians by his grace? M. For a twofold end, in respect of themselves. P. Which is the first? M. To enable them to serve God sincerely and acceptably in this world, Hebr: 12.28: in newness of spirit, Rom: 7.6: and in newness of life, Rom: 6.4. For they are created (anew) in Christ jesus unto good works, which God had before ordained that they should walk in, Eph: 2.10. This they could not do, as they were begotten of their parents, for so they were begotten in sin, Psal: 51.5: and borne of, and after the flesh, john 3.3. Gal. 4.29: which cannot please God, Rom: 8.8. And therefore to the end, they may be fitly disposed, and effectually enabled, to do the holy duties of God's service, they must be made new men and women: for the image of God, which (through Adam's sin) was defaced in them, as touching right knowing, willing and doing Gods will, must again be renewed in them, Col: 3.10. Eph. 4.24. P. What is the second end, why the holy Spirit doth regenerate Christians? M. It is, to order them, and to set them in the way to heaven; which is, to make them meet partakers of that inheritance, Col: 1.12. For without holiness no man shall see the Lord, Hebr. 12.14. Into the new jerusalem of heaven, shall in no wise enter any unclean thing, Revel. 21.27. And flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 15.50. Now they can not go to heaven as they are begotten of their natural parents; for so they are the children of disobedience, Eph. 5.6: the children of wrath Eph: 2.3: and the children of the Devil, john 8.44. And therefore to the end they may be made capable of salvation, they must by the holy Spirit be turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive an inheritance with them that are sanctified, Acts 26.18, 19 For holiness is the way to happiness, and grace unto glory. P. But by what means doth the holy Spirit regenerate Christians, and make them new? M. By the incorruptible seed of the word of truth, Iam: 1.18: which is the word of God: 1. Pet. 1.23. which is the Gospel, 1 Cor. 4.15. 1 Pet. 1.23. which is the Preaching of jesus Christ: Rom. 16.25: and of salvation: Act. 13.26. In whom they are begotten again: 1 Pet. 1.3. and created anew: Eph. 2.10. And therefore you ought carefully to attend upon this ordinance, which is the power of God to salvation to them that believe: Rom. 1.16. P. I pray you Sir, What is Preservation, which, you said, was the second act on of the holy Spirit, which he works, to bring to pass man's salvation? M. Preservation, The Preservation of the Spirit is an action of the holy Spirit, whereby he upholdeth them that are regenerate, that they fall not away from grace, but be kept to continue therein. That the regenerate are kept in the state of grace, is plain by S. Peter; who saith, that they are kept unto salvation, 1 Pet: 1.3.5. And that they do receive the end of their faith, which is the salvation of their souls, verse 9 And that they are kept thereunto by the holy Spirit, is as plain by the same Apostle, where he saith, they are kept by the power of God, 1 Pet: 1.5: which is the power of the holy Ghost, Rom: 15.13. For they are led by the Spirit, Gal: 5.18: They walk in the Spirit, Gal: 5.16. Rom: 8.14. They live in the Spirit, Gal: 5.25: They are sealed by the Spirit, Eph: 1.13: strengthened by the Spirit in the inner man, Eph: 3.16: And they are sanctified by the Spirit wholly, and preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord jesus Christ, 1 Thess: 5.23. 2 Thess: 2.13. And if the regenerate be kept by the holy Spirit unto salvation, than (in respect of Gods keeping) can they not fall from grace, to miss salvation in the event & end I know the strongest Christian is not able to stand of himself, for even he that standeth must take heed lest he fall, 1 Cor: 10.12: And therefore he must not be highminded, but fear, Rom: 11.20. I acknowledge also, that there is nothing in grace itself, (as it is man's) but that it might fail; for it is received but in part in this life, 1 Cor: 13.9. And that which is but in part, is imperfect; and that which is imperfect, may (of itself) fail. Neither is there any thing in the particular grace of faith, but that it might fail too; for Peter's faith might have failed, if Christ had not prayed that it might not fail, Luke 22.32: (and Peter faith was the same, (for nature and kind) with the faith of all that are regenerate.) But though both these be true, both of grace generally, and of faith particularly; yet for all this the truly regenerate do not fall from grace; but are preserved therein: for first, touching grace in general, I say, that it fails not; for it is the anointing which they receive, and which abides in them 1 john 2.27: and that which abides, fails not: for by it they are strengthened and preserved to God's heavenly kingdom, 2 Tim: 4.18. Secondly, touching the particular grace of faith, I say, that that fails not neither: 1. because Christ prayed not only for Peter's faith, that it might not fail; but for the faith of all the Elect and Regenerate, that theirs might not fail; for he prayed that they might all be kept by the Father in his Name, that they may be one in God, as the Father and the Son are one, john 17.11.15.20, 21: And Christ was heard and answered in all his prayers, john 11.42. 2. The faith of the regenerate fails not in the end, because they are kept by the power of God through faith, 1 Pet: 1.5. Now if they be kept through faith, then must they keep the faith, and be kept in it also, else they cannot attain salvation in the end: for if the regenerate do receive the salvation of their souls as the end of their faith, 1 Pet: 1.9: then must they by some means keep their faith to the end. I know and confess, that there be many which think of themselves, that they have indeed the true faith and grace, (and so are thought by others to have it) when indeed they have it not; and these (after a sort) may be thought to fall from faith and grace, because in time they discover their hollowness; for their faith works not by love, Gal: 5.6: nor their love by obedience, john 14.15: Nor is their obedience a sincere endeavour to keep all God's commandments, Iam: 2.10. But this can not be called truly falling from grace; (because they had not grace indeed, and they cannot fall from that they had not:) but from the profession of grace and faith. And therefore for all this, they that have true grace, do by God's power keep it, and persevere in it; for Paul did fight a good fight, he finished his course, and kept the faith, 2 Tim. 4.6. They do not withdraw themselves, but believe to the salvation of their souls: Heb, 10, 28: therefore they believe to the end. P. Me th●nkes you prove this point so directly by the word, that I cannot tell what to say to the contrary: but there be many learned men of a contrary mind, and therefore I pray prove it unto me by some reason also. M. I will, and it shall be by this which shall include divers branches. If the regenerate be not preserved by God in the state of grace, so as they shall certainly be saved in the end, than it is either, 1 because God cannot keep them, or 2 because he will, not keep them; or 3 because they have no need of his keeping: or 4 Because God thinks it best, to leave every man to himself, to keep himself; and to the use and choice of his own freewill, to persevere in grace, and faith, or to fall from it. But neither of these are true, as shall appear in the particulars. Therefore the Regenerate are preserved by God, in the State of grace unto the end. These four particulars, on which the truth of this argument doth stand; shall all be proved in order. 1 That God is able to keep the regenerate in the state of grace, is plain by Paul who saith, that God was able to keep that which he had committed unto him: 2. Tim. 1.12: By the Apostle jude, who saith that God is able to keep them from falling: jude v. 24. And no marvel seeing they are in his Father's hands and in his, Christ saith none is able to pluck them out of his, or his Father's hands, john. 10.28 29: and therefore they shall never perish, ibid. 2 That God is willing to keep the truly Regenerate that have grace indeed, is as evident by Saint Paul, where he saith, that God shall confirm them unto the end, 1 Cor. 1.4.8.9. He that had begun a good work in them, will perform it until the day of Christ: Philipp. 1.6. and God is faithful, who shall establish them and keep them from evil, 2 Thess: 3.3: and Paul affirms, that God would preserve him to his heavenly kingdom, 2 Tim: 4.18. 3. That the regenerate had need to be kept by God, in the state of grace, will easily be proved, if we consider, 1. that their corrupt nature, and infidelity (a fruit of it) are not quite subdued in them as long as they live, Rom: 7.17, 18. Heb: 3.12. 2. That grace is but imperfectly received in this life, as hath been showed even now. 3. That Satan seeks to winnow them, that their faith might fail, Luke 22.32. And lastly, that they are subject to many afflictions and persecutions, which make many fall away, Matth: 13.21. Luke 8.13. 4. That God doth not think it best to leave every man to himself, to keep himself, and to the use and choice of his own freewill, to persevere in grace and faith, or to fall from it, shall be proved by two Reasons. P. Which is the first? M. If man were left by God to the use and choice of his own free will to keep himself, and to persevere in grace, or fall from it, than would these two great mischiefs follow thereupon: 1. that then not God, but man himself, should make the difference betwixt him that perseveres, and him that falls away. But this is denied by Paul, who saith, It is not in him that willeth, nor in him that runneth, but in God that shows mercy, Rom: 9.16. And again, Who maketh thee to differ from another, and what hast thou, that thou hast not received? 1 Cor: 4.7. 2. This mischief will follow thereupon also, that not God, but man himself must have the chief praise of his own salvation. Indeed God might have some thankes: 1. for appointing and sending a Saviour into the world: 2. for offering grace and salvation to man by him: and 3. for moving him by his Spirit to believe in Christ, that he may be saved. But that he doth indeed actually consent to the motion of grace and receive it, doth indeed believe in Christ, and actually persevere in grace: so as to be saved in the event, this proceeds from himself merely, and only from the good use and choice of his own freewill, when God left him to himself to believe or not believe, and to persevere or not persevere: and therefore himself must have the chief praise of his being saved; and not God, who of right is to have all the glory, of the beginning, proceeding, and accomplishing of the work of our salvation. P. I pray you give me also the second reason, why God thinks it not best, to leave every man to himself, to persevere or fall from grace. M. If every man were a like left to himself, and to the use & choice of his own freewill, to persevere or not persevere, and none were actually kept unto salvation, nor effectually caused by the holy Spirit to persevere in grace to the end, so that in the event they might certainly be saved, then were it uncertain, whether any man should in the event be saved or no; (for it is uncertain in respect of the event, whether any man should persevere in the faith or no, because it is uncerteine whether any man should well use his freewill to persevere or no:) and if it were uncertain, whether any man should be saved or no in the event, than were it uncertain, whether the blood of Christ shed on the Cross for man's salvation, should be spilt in vain or no. For salvation is purchased by Christ's blood only, Act. 20.28, without it there is no remission: Heb. 9.14.22. And they only that persevere in the faith shall be saved: Mat: 10.22. Reve: 2.10. and therefore the Regenerate are preserved in the state of grace by the holy Spirit, to the end, that Christ may not die in vain, nor the salvation of the Regenerate be uncertain, nor the chief praise of their salvation redound to themselves, but to God only and wholly. P. Sir I thank you, I am fully satisfied in this point: you have said enough, touching the first point of seeking to be saved; which was seeking to know the chief points of the doctrine of salvation: The last branch whereof was, the means whereby man's salvation is effected. I pray you now proceed to the second point, Seeking to be affected with salvation. which is, seeking to be affected with salvation. M. That you may be moved to desire to be saved, and to affect it, you must consider these four things chief: 1. the possibility of attaining it: 2. the necessity of getting it: 3. the excellency of it, when it is had and enjoyed: and 4. the certainty of holding it when we have it. P. How may it be proved, that it is possible for us to be saved, if we seek it? M. By these reasons. 1. Because it is revealed, offered, and promised in the Gospel, Luke 1.77. & 12.31, 32. john 3.16. Acts 10.23. Rom: 10.10. 2. Because it is merited and procured by jesus Christ, who hath done and suffered all things needful for the purchasing of it, Eph: 1.14. Acts 20.28. 1 Pet: 1.18, 19 1 Cor: 6.20. 3. Because salvation is already possessed and enjoyed, by infinite millions of Christians, who have sought and obtained it, Hebr: 11.3.5. & 12.1. Luke 23.42, 43. Matth: 11.12. P. How may the necessity of salvation appear? M. By these three reasons also. 1. By the commandment of God which bids us seek it; and by the threatening of the word, which denounceth judgement to them that neglect to seek it; whereof you have heard more particularly before. 2. By the words of our Saviour, who (speaking of taking the present opportunity of hearing himself preach the Gospel of salvation) saith, One thing is necessary, Luke 10.42. 3. By considering and laying to heart the miserable estate of not being saved, 1 Cor: 15.18, 19 For it had been better for them they had never been borne, Matth: 26.24. And no marvel, seeing the Lord will one day pronounce that direful sentence, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Matth: 25.41. P. How may the excellency of salvation be showed? M. By these four things. 1. The excellency of God's love, and free grace, which is the foundation of it, and which moved God to appoint and provide it, 1 john 3.1. Ephes. 3.18, 19 Tit. 2.8. 2. The excellency of the price by which it was purchased and procured for us, namely Christ himself, Gal: 1.4. Eph: 1.24. His life, 1 john 3.16. Rom: 3.10: His blood, Acts 20.28. 1 Pet: 1.23: His death, Hebr: 2.10: Yea a cursed death on the Cross, Phil: 2.8. Gal. 3.13. 3. The excellency of the nature and parts, degrees and privileges, benefits and comforts of our salvation, whereof you have heard at large before in the two first points. 4. The excellency of the persons, that in the event are to be made partakers of it, namely the Elect, and the beloved of the Lord, 2 Tim: 2.10. Tit: 1.1: To whom the very Elect Angels are ministering spirits, to attend upon them, Hebr. 1.14. P. I pray you how may the certainty of salvation be proved? M. By three things. 1 The Decree and purpose of God to save true believers in Christ Eph, 1.5.9. which standeth sure: 2 Tim: 2.19. and cannot be changed, because with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning: Iam: 1: 17. 2 The promise, covenant, and oath of God, to save them that are in Christ: Luke 1.72.73. all which are immutable: Heb: 6.17. 3 The power and goodness, righteousness, & faithfulness of God, in performing the promise of salvation to them to whom it belongs, and is intended: Rom: 4.21. Heb, 11.19. 1 john 1.9. P. Oh good Sir: it may be, that salvation may in itself, and in the event be sure to the faithful, but may they themselves be sure of it? M. Yea, they they may, (being truly faithful) at one time or other, before they die, & in one measure or other of assurance, (namely, such as shall be suitable to their trials, and sufficient to comfort them in their afflictions, 2 Cor: 1.5:) but all have not like assurance of salvation; neither hath any one the like assurance always, nor in the same degree, free from doubting. P. How may it be proved? M. By these two reasons: 1. Because it is witnessed to their spirit by God's Spirit, (who shedds Gods love abroad in their hearts, Rom: 5.5:) that they are Gods children; and consequently that they shall be saved: for none are saved but only God's children, Romen 8.16: And they may be sure of that which Gods Spirit doth witness unto them, because he is the Spirit of truth, 1 Ioh: 5.6. 2. Because true believers in Christ are sealed with the Spirit of promise; and receive an earnest of their inheritance, Eph: 1.13, 14. Now an earnest penny, it gives assurance of the bargain, and a seal confirms & assures a writing, to which it is put. 3. Because the Apostles were assured of it; for Paul was persuaded & assured, that nothing should separate them from the love of God in Christ, Rom: 8, 38. & john knew the love of God to him, 1 Ioh: 4.16. & 5.19. Now the Apostles had not this persuasion & knowledge or assurance as they were Apostles, but as they were Christians, because they were not saved as Apostles, but as Christians. P. Oh, but how can they be sure to be saved, when they cannot be sure to persevere to the end? for they only are saved that persevere to the end. M. They that only profess to have grace and faith in Christ, (but have it not indeed) can never be sure to be saved, because they cannot be sure to persevere, for they cannot persevere in that which they have not: But (for all this) they that have grace indeed, and are truly regenerate, may be sure to persevere: 1. because God loves them to whom he gives saving grace, 2 Cor: 13.13: And whom he loves once, he loves to the end, john 13.1. And therefore they persevere in grace to the end, that they may be loved in the end: and therefore are they loved to the end, that they may persevere to the end. john 13.1. 2 They may be sure to persevere, because the Lord hath promised that the peace of God shall keep their hearts and minds in jesus Christ: Phil: 4.7, 3 They may be sure to persevere, because the Spirit of God so assists them: that by the motion and efficacy thereof, they (that are truly & indeed borne of God and begotten of him, and not Sacramentally only) they do keep themselves, and that wicked one toucheth them not: 1 john 5.18. For they building up themselves in their most holy faith, and praying in the holy Ghost for continual assistance, they keep themselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord jesus Christ unto eternal life: jude v 20.21. 4 They may be sure to persevere in grace, if the Anointing which they have received abide in them; and if his seed remain in them: and this hath God promised to the truly regenerate, 1 john 2.27. & 3.9. For though in respect of some things in themselves, (whereof you have heard in the point of Preservation by the Spirit) and as of themselves they could not persevere, nor be sure to persevere, but fall away; yet in other respects they do, as hath been showed. P. Sir, I am much beholden to you for your great pains in the teaching me the second point of seeking to be saved; and ●n all the branches thereof: I pray you now in the last place show me the last point, which is, seeking to get salvation. M. You must get salvation, Seeking to get salvation. by performing some actions, which God requires, on your part to be performed, for the attaining thereof. P. Me thinks it seems strange to me, how man can get and attain salvation by any action of his, which he doth himself? M. When I speak of some actions of men whereby they attain unto salvation, I would have you to consider two things: 1. That I do not mean that man doth these actions, by any absolute activity or efficiency that is in, and of himself, or the power and dominion he hath over his own will: for he doth them by God's will, and by his effectual grace, disposing and enabling him thereunto, who works in him to will and to do of his own good pleasure, Phil: 2.13. But I mean that these actions are done by their own understanding and will; (for they are not ignorant of what they do, nor are they compelled to the doing of them.) Man's supernatural and godly actions are Gods, as he moves him thereunto by his grace, and procures him actually to consent to the motion of grace: but they are man's own actions, as he is the next and immediate doer of them; and as they proceed from him, as a vital, and reasonable creature. And therefore it is said, that the just shall live by faith, Hab: 2.4. And therefore the actions of believing are applied to men in all the three persons: I believe, Acts 8.37: Thou believest, Rom: 10.9: He believes, Mark 16.16. 2. When I say, man gets and attains unto salvation by some actions of his own, I do not mean, that there is any merit or worth, in these his actions to procure or deserve salvation, in the least measure or degree as they come from man: But that God hath appointed such actions of men to be conditions to be performed on their part to make their persons capable of salvation, and that these actions have this efficacy to this end, not as they be done by them, but as they are appointed by God for them; and as he enables them to do them according to his appointment. P. Sir, I am fully satisfied: But I pray you, what be those actions of men appointed by God, as conditions on their part to be performed for the attaining of salvation? M. They be of three kinds, whereof the first prepare them to get it: the second give them title and interest to claim it, and receive it: and the third give them assurance of it. P. What be the actions that prepare them to get salvation? M. They are these: First, they must know and acknowledge their sin and misery, they must believe and feel the guilt and punishment of their sins, Acts 2.37. For this will make them to feel their need of salvation, and their unability to save themselves: Mat: 9.13: and that they need to repent, and cry God mercy, Luke 15.9: And this is wrought by the preaching of the law, Rom. 3.20. & 4.11. 2. They must also believe the Gospel, (that is) consent in their opinion & judgement, that there is salvation to be had; and that this is a truth of God, that it is possible for men to get salvation; and this is wrought by the Gospel, Mark 1.15. Acts 4.4. 3. They must hearty be sorry for their past sins, and unfeignedly purpose to leave them, (which is Repentance begun in the root) Matth: 21.32. 4. They must hunger and earnestly desire to be saved, Matth: 5.6. Isay 55.1. 5. They must consult what to do, and inquire further into and after the way and the means of salvation, with a mind to follow those directions accordingly, Act. 2.37. & 16.30: And these three last actions are wrought by the Law and Gospel, whereby they are both drawn and driven to seek and get salvation. P, What be the actions of men, which give them title and interest unto salvation: to claim and receive it of God? M. Actions that g●ue title to claim and receive salvation. They are believing or trusting in jesus Christ: Rom, 10: 9 Eph. 1: 13. whereby weary and heavy laden sinners come to Christ for salvation, Math: 11, 28. john 6, 35: and rest only upon the merits of the righteousness of his life and death, for salvation in all the several degrees thereof. For by this faith, they get and lay hold upon the Saviour himself, even the Lord jesus Christ, and are engrasfed and united to him: Rom, 11: 19.20. for by faith, Christ is in true believers, 2 Cor: 13, 5. he life's in them: Gal: 2 20 and dwells in them: Eph. 3.17. P. What reasons may be brought from the Scripture to prove this which you say, concerning the action of believing in Christ? M. These: 1 Believing in Christ is the action appointed by God, to be performed by man for receiving salvation, because it is required of him as the condition to obtain forgiveness of sin's Act, 10, 43. reconciliation and peace with God: Rom: 5, 1. & 3: 25. justification: Act: 13, 29. adoption: john 1.12. blessedness, Gal. 3, 9: eternal life: john 3, 16. ease from the burden of sin: Matth: 11, 28. quenching all Satan's fiery darts, Eph: 6, 16. not being confounded of our sins: Rom. 10.11. and of pleasing God: Heb. 11.6. 2 Believing in Christ is the action required by God, to be performed on man's part for receiving salvation; because by this means, salvation comes to him by the free grace and mercy, love & favour of God: Rom, 4: 16. Eph, 2, 8. 3 Believing in Christ is the action and condition required on man's part, for obtaining salvation; because hereby the promise of salvation will be sure to the faithful, Rom: 4.16: which by the action of obeying the Law it could not be, because he could not perform it, Acts 13.39. Rom: 8.3. 4. Believing in Christ is the action and condition required, to be performed by man, for the getting of salvation; because it makes a man renounce his own righteousness, and to go out of himself to another for it, (namely) to jesus Christ, to be saved by his righteousness, Matth: 11.28. Ioh: 6.35. Phil: 3.9. Gal: 2.19. P. What are the actions, which Christians must perform to make their salvation sure unto themselves? M. They are diverse: Actions that assure salvation. for they concern either 1. God, or 2. our brethren; or 3. ourselves. P. What actions concern God? M. They are such as belong either 1. to God the Father; or 2. to God the Son: or 3. to God the holy Ghost. P. What actions belong to God the Father? M. They are three principally. 1. Fearing to offend God, and caring to please him, 1 Pet. 1.17. 1 Cor: 7.32: For unto such, and for their comfort is the word of salvation sent, Acts 13.26: and such may work out their salvation, (that is) the assuming (not the procuring of it) unto themselves, Phil: 2.12. And no marvel, seeing God's mercy is on them that fear him for ever, Luke 1.50. Such know that they are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, 1 Pet: 1.17, 18: and such are blessed, Psal: 128.1. 2. Loving God, and setting our hearts and delight upon him; for such may know that they are of the truth, and shall assure their hearts before him, 1 john 3.18, 19: And that they may have boldness in the day of judgement, 1 john 4.16, 17. And no marvel, seeing their love to God will assure them that they are borne of God, 1 john 4.7: that they dwell in God, and God in them, 1 john 4.19: that they are known and acknowledged, and approved of God: The first to the Corinthians, the 8 chapter, 3 verse: that all things shall work to their good, (that is) to the furtherance of their sanctification and salvation, Rom. 8.28: And that the crown of life eternal, and the Inheritance of the kingdom of heaven is promised to such as love God, Iam: 1.12. & 2.5. 3. Christian's must hope in God, (that is) assuredly expect & look for, yea patiently abide and wait for the accomplishment of all God's promises, specially that of the resurrection of the body, and of eternal life; for they are saved by hope, Rom. 8.24: And Hope is a helmet of salvation to them, 1 Thess. 5.8: And an anchor to the soul both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into heaven, whither the forerunner is for us entered, even jesus, Heb: 6.19, 20. And no marvel, seeing their hope will not deceive, nor make them ashamed, Rom: 5.5: Because into the hearts of such as hope in God, the love of God is shed abroad by the holy Ghost, Rom: 5.5: And they rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, Rom: 5.3. P. What actions of Christians concern jesus Christ, that will assure them of their salvation? M. They are these two principally. 1. They must obey him in all his Evangelicall precepts and commandments, which belong to the hearing and believing of the Gospel preached; and to the administering and receiving the Sacraments in remembrance of him, Matth: 28.20. Mark 1.15. Luke 10.16. Matth. 26.26, 27. 1 Cor: 11.24, 25. For unto such as obey him herein, jesus Christ is become author of eternal salvation: Heb: 5.9. & no marvel, seeing they are blessed of God: Luk 11.28. Revel. 1.3. they are of God (that is) chosen & beloved of him: john 8, 4.7. and they are the sheep of Christ, to whom he will give eternal life: john 10: 27.28. 2 They must love & long for, look and wait for, the second appearing or coming of Christ. For such believe that there is laid up for them a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give them at that day: 2 Tim. 4.8. Titus: 2.13.14. Such the Lord Christ will deliver from the wrath to come: 1 Thess. 1.10: and to such he will appear the second time unto salvation: Hebr. 9.28. P. What actions of Christians concern the holy Spirit, that will assure them of salvation? M. These. Not to resist, or vex the holy Spirit: Act, 7, 51. Isai 63.10. not to quench or grieve it: 1 Thess. 5.19. Eph. 4.30: but to be led thereby, and to walk after the direction and guidance thereof; for such are sealed to the day of Redemption, Eph: 4.30. They are Gods children: Rom. 8.14. and unto such there is no condemnation, for they are in Christ jesus: Rom. 8.1: and in them the righteousness of the Law is fulfilled: Rom. 8.4: (namely) sincerely, & in God's acceptation. P. What actions that concern our neighbour, must Christians do to assure them of salvation? M. Loving him; which is manifested, chiefly in giving, Heb. 13, 16. and 9, 10. and forgiving: Eph: 4.32. & is exercised toward all men, but specially toward the household of faith, and all sincere Christians: Gal. 6: 10. For these loving affections and actions accompany salvation; Heb: 6, 9 and they which are exercised therein with diligence unto the end, do attain the full assurance of hope: Heb, 6.11. Hereby Christians that love in deed and in truth, do know that they are translated from death to life: 1 john 3.14: and that they are of the truth, and shall assure their hearts before God: 1 joh. 3.19. and unto such God will one day say, Come ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared from the beginning of the world; because when I was hungry ye fed me, when I was naked ye clothed me, and when I was sick and in prison ye visited me in my members Math. 25.34.35.36. P. What actions be they, that concern ourselves, the doing whereof will assure us of salvation? M. They are these Nine chiefly. P. Which is the first? M. Daily repenting of our daily sins, with purpose and practise of amendment, and crying God mercy in Christ. For such godly sorrow for sin causing amendment, is unto salvation: 2 Cor. 7 10. Such departing from iniquity, is a seal unto them, that the Lord knoweth they are his, & belong unto him. 2 Tim 2, 19: and such purging of themselves from sin, is an assurance unto them, that they are vessels of honour: 2. 2 Tim: 2.21: and vessels of honour are vessels of mercy, prepared unto glory, Rom: 9.23. P. Which is the second? M. Giving and consecrating ourselves to the service of God with an upright heart, 1 Chron: 28.9. For such prove what is that good, that acceptable, and perfect will of God, Rom: 12.1: that is, they understand thereby that it is Gods will and purpose to save them: and no marvel, seeing Gods servants have the fruit of their service in holiness here, and the end eternal life hereafter, Rom: 6.19.22. P. Which is the third? M. Mortifying the old man, (that is) subduing and weakening the power of our corrupt nature by the word, prayer, and fasting, and by denying to ourselves the occasions and opportunities of sin; specially of those sins to which we are most inclined by nature or custom, Col: 3.5: For such shall live in heaven, Rom: 8.13: such may with rejoicing look for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of that great God, and of our Saviour jesus Christ, Tit: 2.12.13: And no marvel, seeing such are Christ's, and members of him, Gal: 5.24. P. Which is the fourth? M. Strengthening the new man, or the inner man by the word, prayer, and Sacraments, 2 Cor: 4.16. 1 Pet: 2.2: And thereby growing in the number & measure of their Christian virtues and graces; for thereby they shall make their calling and election sure; and an entrance shall be ministered unto them abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, 2 Pet: 5. to 12. And such shall be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth and height of the love of God toward them in jesus Christ, Eph: 3.16.18: Yea God will establish their hearts unblameable in holiness before God even the Father, at the coming of our Lord jesus Christ with all Saints, 2 Thess: 3.12, 13. P. Which is the fifth? M. Moderating our desires to the pleasures, profits and honours of this world, 1 Cor: 7.29, 30, 31: and setting our affections upon holy and heavenly things, Col: 3.1. For such have their conversation in heaven, and that their end is salvation, Phil: 3.19, 20: Yea it is a sign, that such as be thus sober, 1 Thess: 5.5.8: and are not besotted and drunk with the things of this life, they have not their portion in this life, as the wicked have, Psal: 17.14: but that God hath appointed them to obtain salvation by our Lord jesus Christ, 1 Thess: 5.8, 9 P. Which is the sixth? M. Professing Christianity, the Gospel and godliness before men, zealously and sincerely, discreetly, & devoutly, Rom: 14.11: For Christ will confess, and acknowledge such before the Angels of God, Luke 12.8: such lay hold on eternal life, 1 Tim: 6.12: Yea such confess unto salvation, and shall be saved, Rom: 10.9, 10. P. Which is the seventh? M. Getting and keeping a good conscience, being in all things desirous and endeavorous to please God, Hebr: 13.18. Acts 23.1. For such may draw near unto God with full assurance of faith, Hebr: 10.22: such have hope toward God of a joyful resurrection to eternal life, Acts 24.15, 16: and may have confidence toward God, and assure their hearts before him, 1 john 3.19 21. P. Which is the eighth? M. Striving and endeavouring to persevere in right believing, well doing, and patiented suffering, 1 Cor: 15.1. Gal: 5.1 Hebr: 4. & 10.22. For such shall be saved, Matth: 10.22: shall have the crown of life, Rev: 2.11: When Christ shall appear, they shall have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming, 1 john 2.28: And they may assure themselves, that there is laid up for them a crown of righteousness, which the righteous judge will give unto them at that day, 2 Tim: 4.8. P. Which is the last action, whereby Christians may assure themselves of salvation? M. The proving, and trying, approving and warranting of our Christian virtues and graces: 2 Cor. 13.5: For by the proof of them, namely works of faith, labour of love, and patience of hope, by these effects S. Paul knew that the Thessalonians, were elected of God, and that consequently they should be saved: 1 Thes. 1.3. and what he knew of them by this means, they might also know of themselves by the same. P. How may we try and prove our graces, so as to approve of them for good? M. On this manner. 1 Our faith or belief of the Gospel is good, when in our judgement we do not join the works of the Law with faith in Christ for salvation, but stand fast in this belief, Gal: 5.2. 1 Cor: 15.1, 2. Acts 15.5. to 24. 2. Our repentance is good, when we are sorry for sin, not only as it is dangerous to our souls, but as it offends God by breaking his Law, Psal: 51.4: and when being rooted in the heart, it shows itself in the actions of the life, by leaving former sin, and amending our lives, 1 Sam: 7.3. Matth: 3.8. Acts 26.18. 3. Our faith or belief in Christ is good, when it works in us by love to God and our neighbour, Gal: 5.6: and is showed by good works, Tit: 3.8. Iam: 2.18: and when it stirs us up to sincere obedience to God's commandments Hebr: 11.8. 4. Our fear of God is right, when we fear him as much for his mercy as for his justice, Psal: 130.2: and fear more to sin against him, than to be punished by him, Psal: 4.4. Gen: 39.9. 5. Our love of God is good, when it stirs us up to keep his Commandments, john 14.15.23: when we love him for those excellent perfections of wisdom and goodness that are in him, as well as for the benefits that come from him; and when it stirs us up to hate evil and sin, Psal: 97.9, 10. 6. Our hope in God, namely, for the resurrection to eternal life, and for Christ's second coming, is right; when being grounded on the Scriptures, Rom: 15.4, we comfort ourselves in our afflictions with it, 1 Thess: 4.13.18: when we patiently wait God's leisure for the obtaining of things promised, 1 Thess: 1.3. Rom: 8.23: and when it purifies our hearts, 1 john 3.3: and makes us deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live righteously and godlily, and soberly in this present world, Titus 2.12, 13. P. Good Sir, I humbly acknowledge myself beholden to you, for your care over me, and pains with me; I hope I shall never forget it; but endeavour to show myself thankful. The Lord requite your labour of love to me in private, by a greater blessing upon your ministry in public; and by prolonging your life, health and strength, for God's glory, and the good of his Church in jesus Christ. The Lord be with you (Sir) and with your studies. FINIS. A PRAYER FOR GRACE., TO Seek to serve God, and be saved. MOst glorious Lord God, and heavenly Father, Reu: 4, 11 who art worthy of all honour and service, Iam: 4, 12 and who art able to save and destroy; Luk: 17, 10 Thy unprofitable servant, unworthy of salvation, Acts 13 46 doth desire to humble himself before thee; freely acknowledging, that howsoever I am convinced in my judgement, that nothing in this world doth so nearly concern me to look unto, as thy service, and mine own salvation; yet my heart tells and smites me, that I have minded nothing less than these, and that I have with much greediness sought after health and wealth, worldly pleasures and treasures, (which only belong to the body & this present life) as if they only were worth my seeking, and were more able to afford me true content, than thy service, and my salvation. Thou hast brought me into the world, and made me a member of thy Christian Church, (chief) for to get grace into my heart, that I might serve thee, and live in thy fear; and also to get peace into my conscience, that I might dye in thy favour, and be eternally saved; 2 Cor: 6; 2 for now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation: But I have neglected the prerogative of thy service, Rom: 9, 2 Hebr: 2, 4 and so great salvation; and have spent my precious time and thoughts, in the pursuit of carthly things, which I should have counted but as loss and dung, Phil: 3, 8 in comparison of winning Christ, and with him salvation: as if I had been borne to no other end, but to serve the world, sin and Satan, and to make provision f●r the flesh, Rom: 13, 14 to fulfil the lusts thereof. O Lord God, when I call to mind and consider my vanity and folly, yea ungracious wickedness in trampling under my feet such precious pearls as are thy service, Hebr: 10, 29 and my salvation; I am confounded in myself, wondcring at thy patiencc, that couldst so long endure such an ungrateful wretch to live in thy Church; yea I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face to thee, because this mine iniquity is increased over my head, Ezra 9, 6 and my wickedness is grown up unto heaven, crying for vengeance upon such contempt of thy grace, john 3, 19 it being condemnation to love darkness more than light, earth more than heaven, and the world more than thee, or mine own soul. But thy mercy (O Lord God) is over all thy works, Psal: 145, 9 138, 8. and endures for ever: It is as great as thy Majesty, and thy goodness is as much as thy greatness, and the blood of jesus Christ is able to wash me so clean from my sins, Revel: 1, 5 that I shall be holy, Eph: 5, 27 and without blemish before thee: therefore there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. Ezra 10, 2 And therefore upon the bended knees of my heavy laden soul, I most humbly cry thee mercy, (most merciful Father) for this and all other my sins original and actual, committed against the Law and the Gospel: and with all the powers of my soul most earnestly beseech thee for the Lords sake, Dan: 9, 17 Isay 53, 11 Acts 3, 14. Mat: 3, 17 thy righteous servant, the holy One, and the just, in whom thou art well pleased, to forgive me, to be reconciled unto me; and to shed thy love into my heart by thy holy Spirit, Rom: 5, 5 which may bear witness to my Spirit, etc. 8, 16. that I am thy Child, beloved in thy holy Child jesus. Acts 4, 27 Let thy mercy move thee to look upon his righteousness to justify me, when thy justice would make thee look upon my sins to condemn me: Accept of him for my surety, Hebr. 7.22 and of the price of his blood for my ransom. 1 Pet: 1, 23 Thou hast said (O blessed God) that whosoever comes: Mat: 11, 28 unto thy Son jesus Christ, Ioh: 6, 35. and believes in him, with an heavy laden soul, weary of their former wickedness, thou wilt ease and forgive them. 1 john 1: 9 Oh be just and faithful, to make good this promise unto me, to ease and to save me. I desire to honour thy infinite mercy, and thy Sons unvaluable merits, by seeking to them only, and trusting in them alone for salvation. O be thou pleased also to magnify them upon me; for I have as much need of them as any, 1 Tim: 1, ●5 (being the chief of sinners) and the saving virtues of them shall be magnified in the cure of my soul, as well as of any other. It hath pleased thee (heavenly Father) to give unto me (in some measure) a sight and sense of my sins, (particularly) of my neglect and contempt of thy service, and my salvation: Oh be pleased (I beseech thee) yet more and more to discover unto me the folly and foulness of this and all my sins, that my heart may be so broken with godly remorse and sorrow for them, that I may leave them, and live no longer in them; but cleave unto thee, to serve thee in new obedience; for what will it profit me to win the whole world, Mat. 16.26 and to lose thy favour, and mine own soul? Oh, 1 Pet: 4.3. it is enough, and too much, that I have already spent so much time of my life passed in worldly vanities, and I cannot tell how little I have to spend hereafter; and therefore I beseech thee give me conscience to redeem it, Eph: 5.16. and to spend the remainder in thy service, and in the assuring to myself my calling, 2 Pet: 1.10 Phillip 2.12. election, and salvation; that I may yet at length (before it be too late) seek thy kingdom, Mat: 6.33. and righteousness, Luk: 13.24 Hebr: 4.11. john 6.27 strive to enter into thy straight gate: and labour to enter into that rest: and for the meat that endures to life eternal. I beseech thee enlighten my mind more and more with the knowledge of those chief points of thy service, and my salvation, which do most nearly concern me, and which are revealed in thy holy word: Inflame my heart with the love of them, that I may set it upon them; and quicken up my conscience to endeavour (in the use of all holy means afforded for this end) to practise thy service in such a manner and measure of sincerity, and constancy, that in the end I may attain the salvation of my soul. For this end I most humbly beseech thee to give me power, wholly to renounce the service of sin, Satan, and the world, that I may give myself to thy service; to moderate my desires to earthly things, (using the world, 1 Cor: 7, 31 Col: 3, 1. as not abusing it) that I may set my affections on things above; because I see I cannot serve God and Mammon. Mat 6.24. Yet give me (I pray thee) a sufficiency of Necessaries for this life, without which I cannot well serve thee in my place, and with my charge; 1 Tim 6, 8. Prov 30.8. even food and apparel convenient; and a sanctified use of them; or a holy want of them, in being content, that I enjoy thee as my portion, though I had nothing else beside. Good Lord, (I beseech thee) strengthen my faith in Christ daily, and renew my repentance for my daily sins. Confirm my hope of a joyful resurrection to eternal life; and increase my patience under all afflictions, learning daily to take up my Cross, Luke 9.23 and to follow Christ. Make me watchful over my deceitful heart, jer: 17.10. Prov: 4. to keep it with all diligence, that it let not sin either in or out; and give me wisdom to cut from the senses and members of my body, Mat: 5, 29 all occasions and opportunities of doing ill. Work in me conscience to be diligent and faithful in my place and calling wherein I live, to do all the duties thereof as unto thee, Col: 3, 22 Rom: 14, 12 Deutr. 32, 29 Psal: 90, 12 to whom I must give an account. And for that end give me wisdom to consider my latter end, to number my days; and to remember that one day, (I know not how soon) I must die, Eccle: 11, 9 and come to judgement. Remember in mercy (O heavenly Father I beseech thee) with me, thy whole Church, to settle peace and the Gospel therein. Continue thy blessings of thy pure worship, and safety to our Land, and the other Kingdoms; and for that end govern all our Governors, (specially our Sovereign Lord King CHARLES, and our Royal Queen MARY) with that wisdom of thy Spirit, Psal: 111, 10 2 Tim: 3.15 the beginning whereof is thy fear, and the end their own salvation. Be comfortable (oh Father of mercy) to all thy children in affliction; ease the pained, cure the diseased, relieve the distressed, visit the sick, and either deliver Israel out of her troubles, Psa. 25, 22 or sanctify their several crosses to their humiliation and conversion, consolation and salvation in jesus Christ. Forget not to bless my kindred, allies and friends, with a long, holy and prosperous life (if it be thy will) in this world, with a comfortable departure in peace out of the same, Luke 2, 29 and with an eternal and happy life in the world to come: and for that end make them dear unto thee in jesus Christ, and by thy holy Spirit, as they are near unto me in any bond of nature or grace, of law or love, and of neighbourhood or friendship. Lastly, oh heavenly Father, according to my bounden duty I 〈…〉 give thee thankes 〈…〉 thy mercy's bestowe● 〈…〉 me, mine, and all thine, 〈◊〉 things temporal, spiritual and eternal; for this prosent life, and a better that is to come, upon our bodies and souls. Of them all I acknowledge thee the bountiful giver and blesser; and of them all I confess myself to be a most unworthy receiver, by reason of my sins, (specially my great unthank fullness:) Notwithstanding I do desire unfeignedly, and (by thy grace) will earnestly endeavour, that thou mayst have more sincere and constant service, with and for all the good benefits which I have received from thee. And therefore unto the King immortal, 1 Tim: 1, 17 invisible, and only wise God, and merciful Father, be given with all the parts and powers of my soul and body, in jesus Christ, by the holy Spirit, all glory and thanks, with obedience & service, from this present time, and from henceforth for evermore: Amen. THE TABLE. A. ATtributes of God what they be. Pag. 19 Of Greatness. Pag. 20 The duties belonging to them. Pag. 28 Of Goodness. Pag. 24 Duties to them. Pag. 29 The Almightiness of God. Pag. 23 Adoption. Pag. 138 B. Duties of Christians in respect of Baptism. Pag. 59 Duties of Christians to their bodies. Pag. 87 C. Duties belonging to our Christian Calling. Pag. 88 The Commandments of the word, and duties to them. Pag. 48.49 D. The two chief duties of all Christians. Pag. 5 E. The Eternity of God. Pag. 21 Holy Exercises. Pag. 34 Duties before we come to them, Pag. 36 2. At the time of them. Pag. 37 3. After them. Pag. 38 Examples of the word. Pag. 53 Duties in respect of them. Pag. 54 F. Faith. Pag. 29 Faculties in God. Pag. 20 G. What GOD is. Pag. 19 What general duties belong to him, Pag. 17 What special duties. Pag. 18 How we may be moved to seek grace. Pag. 114 To use grace. Pag. 115 The regenerate fall not from grace. Pag. 181 H. The Holiness of God. Pag. 24 What the hearing of the word is, Pag. 44 Duties in respect of it. Pag. 45 I. The Immensity of God. Pag. 22 Infiniteness of GOD. Pag. 21 justice of GOD. Pag. 25 justification. Pag. 137 K. What things we must know of God. Pag. 17 L. The love of GOD to us, Pag. 26 Our love to GOD. To our Neighbour. M. The Mercy of GOD. Pag. 25 N. Duties to our Neighbour. 1. General. Pag. 81 2. Special. Pag. 82 Common to all. Peculiar to some. Pag. 83 O. What GOD'S holy Ordinances are. Pag. 31 Of what kinds they are. Pag. 32 Duties belonging to them. Duties to ourselves. Pag. 86 P. Promises of the word. What they be. Pag. 50 Duties to them. Pag. 51 Praying to GOD, what it is. Pag. 61 Duties about it. Pag. 62 Praising GOD, what it is. Pag. 67 Duties about it. Pag. 68 Preservation of the holy Spirit. Pag. 181 Perfections in GOD. Pag. 19 R. The Resurrection proved. Pag. 144 That it is a blessing to the faithful. Pag. 148 The difference betwixt the raising of the godly and wicked. Pag. 153 Reconciliation with God. Pag. 137 Regeneration of the Spirit. Pag. 174 Whereunto. Pag. 176 Whereby. Pag. 180 S. Christian's must seek to be saved. Pag. 124 Why. Pag. 125 By what means. Pag. 132 What salvation is. Pag. 133 The degrees of it: In this life. Pag. 137 At the end of it, Pag. 139 At the end of the world. Pag. 143 The means to effect salvation. Pag. 159 Actions of GOD the Father. Pag. 160 The Son. Pag. 161 The holy Ghost. Pag. 174 Seeking to be affected with salvation. Pag. 202 The possibility of salvation. Pag. 203 The necessity of it. Pag. 205 Excellency of it. Pag. 207 Certainty of it. Pag. 209 Seeking to get salvation. Pag. 218 Actions of men that prepare them to salvation. Pag. 223 To claim and receive it. Pag. 226 To assure it. Pag. 231 That we must serve. Pag. 8 Why we must. Pag. 9 The manner how to seek to serve GOD. Pag. 11 The measure. Pag. 12 The works of them that seek to serve GOD. Pag. 13 What GOD'S service is. Pag. 15 Why we must seek to serve GOD while we live. Pag. 14 Service to GOD immediately in respect of himself. Pag. 17 Duties to our souls. Pag. 87 Seeking to be affected with his service Pag. 94 The Necessity of it. Pag. 96 Excellency. Pag. 97 Equity. Pag. 98 Reward. Pag. 99 Duties in respect of the holy Scriptures. Pag. 32 Seeking to practise GOD'S service. Pag. 101 The manner of practice. Pag. 102 Measure. Pag. 104 End, why. Pag. 110 Means, whereby. Pag. 112 How we may seek grace to serve GOD. Pag. 114 The Simpleness of GOD. Pag. 21 Duties about receiving the Sacraments. Pag. 55 T. Threaten of GOD, what they be. Pag. 52 Duties about them. Pag. 53 V. Virtues in GOD. Pag. 24 W. The Wisdom of GOD. Pag. 22 What it is to worship GOD. Pag. 39 Difference betwixt service and worship. Pag. 40 The works sf GOD. Pag. 72 Duties about them. Pag. 73 GOD'S works of mercy. Pag. 74 justice. Pag. 75 Faults escaped. Page 10. line 2. after them, read that seek him. p. 30 in the margin; for immediately r. mediately; and put out as his ordinances. p. 52. l. 13. for and r. or. p. 97. l. 1. for greater r. great. p. 114. l. 5. for remedy r. reward thereof. p. 116. l. last; after unto you, r. for instruction. p. 131. l. 4. after dye r. and not till then. p. 135. l. 8. after is r. also. p. 187. l. 18. after end r. through faith. p: 220: l: 19: for by faith r. by his faith. p: 221: l: last, for their r. them. p: 232: l: 9: for assuming r. assuring. p: 247: l: 11. put out that.