A65285:671
A Body of Practical Divinity
A body of practical divinity consisting of above one hundred seventy six sermons on the lesser catechism composed by the reverend assembly of divines at Westminster : with a supplement of some sermons on several texts of Scripture / by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed for Thomas Parkurst, 1692
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
In those days there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in. All this is but the sour Core in that Apple our first Parents eat, viz. Fruit of Original Sin. Besides, all the Deformities and Diseases of the Body, Fevers, Convulsions, Catarrhs, Macies & nova febrium terris incubu•t cohors—These are from Sin. There had never been a Stone in the Kidneys, if it had not been first a Stone in the Heart. Yea, the death of the Body, is the Fruit and Result of Original Sin, Rom. 5.12. Sin entered into the world, and death by sin. Adam was made Immortal, conditionally, if he had not sinned; Sin digged Adam's Grave. Death is terrible to Nature: Lewis King of France forbade all that came into his Court to mention the name of Death in his Ears. The Socinians say, That Death comes only from the Infirmness of the Constitution. But the Apostle saith, Sin ushered Death into the World: By sin came death. Certainly had not Adam eat of the Tree of Knowledge, he had not died, Gen. 2.17. In the day thou eatest, thou shalt surely (die,) implying, if Adam had not eat he should not have died. O then see the Misery ensuing upon Original Sin! Sin dissolves the [Greek or Hebrew], the Harmony and good Temperature of the Body, it pulls this Frame in pieces.
In those days there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in. All this is but the sowr Core in that Apple our first Parents eat, viz. Fruit of Original Sin. Besides, all the Deformities and Diseases of the Body, Feavers, Convulsions, Catarrhs, Macies & nova febrium terris incubu•t cohors—These are from Sin. There had never been a Stone in the Kidnies, if it had not been first a Stone in the Heart. Yea, the death of the Body, is the Fruit and Result of Original Sin, Rom. 5.12. Sin entred into the world, and death by sin. Adam was made Immortal, conditionally, if he had not sinned; Sin dig'd Adam's Grave. Death is terrible to Nature: Lewis King of France forbad all that came into his Court to mention the name of Death in his Ears. The Socinians say, That Death comes only from the Infirmness of the Constitution. But the Apostle saith, Sin usher'd Death into the World: By sin came death. Certainly had not Adam eat of the Tree of Knowledge, he had not died, Gen. 2.17. In the day thou eatest, thou shalt surely (die,) implying, if Adam had not eat he should not have died. O then see the Misery ensuing upon Original Sin! Sin dissolves the 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, the Harmony and good Temperature of the Body, it pulls this Frame in pieces.
4. Original Sin without Repentance exposeth to Hell and Damnation. This is the second Death, Rev. 20.14. Two things in it:
1. Poena Damni: Punishment of Loss; the Soul is banished from the Beatifical Presence of God, in whose Presence is Fullness of Joy.
1. Poena Damni: Punishment of Loss; the Soul is banished from the Beatifical Presence of God, in whose Presence is Fulness of Joy.
2. Poena Sensus: Punishment of Sense; the Sinner feels the scalding Viols of God's Wrath: It is penetrating, abiding, Joh. 3.36. Reserved, 2 Pet. 2.17. If when God's Anger be kindled but a little, and a Spark or two of it flies into a Man's Conscience here in this life, it be so terrible, what then will it be when God stirs up all his Anger? In Hell there is the Worm and the Fire, Mark 9.44. Hell is the very Accent and Emphasis of Misery: There's Judgment without Mercy. O what Flames of Wrath, what Seas of Vengeance, what Rivers of Brimstone, are poured out there upon the Damned! Bellarmine is of Opinion, That one Glimpse of Hell-fire were enough to make the most flagitious Sinner turn Christian; nay, live as an Hermit, a most strict mortified Life. What is all other Fire to this, but painted Fire? Ejus adesse intolerabile, ejus abbess impossibile: To bear it will be intolerable, to avoid it will be impossible. And these Hell-torments are for ever; have no Period put to them, Rev. 9.6. They shall seek death and shall not find it. Origen fancied a Fiery Stream in which the Souls of sinful Men wer• to be purged after this Life, and then to pass into Heaven: but it is for ever. The Breath of the Lord kindles that Fire; and where shall we find Engines or Buckets to quench it? Rev. 14.11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no rest night nor day. Thank Original Sin for all.
2. Poena Sensus: Punishment of Sense; the Sinner feels the scalding Viols of God's Wrath: It is penetrating, abiding, Joh. 3.36. Reserved, 2 Pet. 2.17. If when God's Anger be kindled but a little, and a Spark or two of it flies into a Man's Conscience here in this life, it be so terrible, what then will it be when God stirs up all his Anger? In Hell there is the Worm and the Fire, Mark 9.44. Hell is the very Accent and Emphasis of Misery: There's Iudgment without Mercy. O what Flames of Wrath, what Seas of Vengeance, what Rivers of Brimstone, are pour'd out there upon the Damn'd! Bellarmi•e is of Opinion, That one Glimpse of Hell-fire were enough to make the most fla•itious Sinner turn Christian; nay, live as an Hermit, a most strict mortified Life. What is all other Fire to this, but painted Fire? Ejus adesse intolerabile, ejus abesse impossibile: To bear it will be intolerable, to avoid it will be impossible. And these Hell-torments are for ever; have no Period put to them, Rev. 9.6. They shall seek death and shall not find it. Origen fancied a Fiery Stream in which the Souls of sinful Men wer• to be purged after this Life, and then to pass into Heaven: but it is for ever. The Breath of the Lord kindles that Fire; and where shall we find Engines or Buckets to quench it? Rev. 14.11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no rest night nor day. Thank Original Sin for all.
Use. 1. What sad thoughts should we have of this Primitive Original Sin, that hath created so many Miseries. What Honey can be got out of this Lyon, what Grapes can we gather off this Thorn? It sets Heaven and Earth against us: While we choose this Bramble to Rule, Fire comes out of the Bramble to devour us.
2. How are all Believers bound to Jesus Christ, who hath freed them from that Misery to which Sin hath exposed them, Eph. 1.7. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood. Sin hath brought Trouble and a Curse into the World. Christ hath sanctified the Trouble, and removed the Curse. Nay, he hath not only freed Believers from Misery, but purchased for them a Crown of Glory and Immortality, 1 Pet. 5.4. When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away.
Of the Covenant of Grace.
Quest. XIV. DID God leave Mankind to perish in this state of Sin and Misery?
Resp. No; He entered into a Covenant of Grace to deliver the Elect out of that estate, and bring them into a state of Grace by a Redeemer.
Resp. No; He entred into a Covenant of Grace to deliver the Elect out of that estate, and bring them into a state of Grace by a Redeemer.
Isa. 55.3. I Will make an Everlasting Covenant with you. Man being by his Fall plunged into a Labyrinth of Misery, and having no way left to recover himself, God was pleased to enter into a New Covenant with him, and so restore him to Life by a Redeemer.
Isa. 55.3. I Will make an Everlasting Covenant with you. Man being by his Fall plung'd into a Labyrinth of Misery, and having no way left to recover himself, God was pleased to enter into a New Covenant with him, and so restore him to Life by a Redeemer.
The great Proposition I shall go upon is, That there is a New Covenant ratified between God and the Elect.
Quest. What the New Covenant is?
Resp. It is a solemn Compact and Agreement made between God and fallen Man, wherein the Lord undertakes to be our God, and to make us his People.
Quest. What Names are given to the Covenant?
Resp. 1. It is called a Covenant of Peace, Ezek. 37.26. because it Seals up Reconciliation between God and humble Sinners. Before this Covenant there was nothing but Enmity; God did not love us. A Creature that offends cannot be loved by an holy God; and we did not love him; a God that condemns, cannot be loved by a guilty Creature: so that there was War on both sides. But God hath found out a way in the new Covenant to reconcile differing Parties, so that it is fitly called a Covenant of Peace.
2. It is called a Covenant of Grace, and well it may; for 1. it was with Grace, that when we had forfeited the first Covenant, God should enter into a new Covenant, after we had cast away our selves. The Covenant of Grace is Tabula post naufragium, as a Plank after shipwreck. O the Free-grace of God, that he should parley with Sinners, and set his Wisdom and Mercy awork to bring Rebels into the Bond of the Covenant.
2. It is called a Covenant of Grace, and well it may; for 1. it was with Grace, that when we had forfeited the first Covenant, God should enter into a new Covenant, after we had cast away our selves. The Covenant of Grace is Tabula post naufragium, as a Plank after shipwrack. O the Free-grace of God, that he should parly with Sinners, and set his Wisdom and Mercy awork to bring Rebels into the Bond of the Covenant.