A Brief Sum of Divinity, Title page – To the reader
A Briefe Summe OF DIVINITIE, Shewing The plainest way, how a man ought to examine his waies in this life, to the attainment of ETERNITIE. Wherein The whole Doctrine of Christian Libertie is briefly handled, and may serve for instruction of all such as desire to exercise their Guifts aright, which are in these our daies very much abused.
Published by G. DOWNHAM: B of D. Minister of the word of God.
PROV: 8.32.
Now therefore harken unto me, O yee children, for blessed are they that keep my waies.
Printed for W. WEBB Bookseller in Oxford, and W. GRAVES of Cambridge. 1652.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.
THE creation of our first Parents in the image of aGen. 1.26.GOD, was blest with foure excellencies. 1. Reasonable and immortall soules or spirits, called bJob. 10.12.the life of men. 2. Divine knowledge cJo. 1.4.true wisdome, dCol. 3.10.and holinesse ePs. 51 6.adorning their soules, wherein especially they resembled their Creator. 3. Bodies endued with beauty, strength, and immortality, fEph. 4, 24.answerable to their soules. 4. Dominion over the creatures g1. Cor. 11.7.When created holinesse without teinture or sinfull blemish shined in them,hGen. 1▪ 26. they conversed familiarly with the God of glorious majestie, their corporall nakednesse (not having trāsgressed) caused not their confusion of face, the perfection of all parts added thereunto a glorious seemlinesse and decencie. God in them found absolute contentment iGen. 1.26., they in God enjoyed a full fruition and assurance of the favourable blisfull presence kPsal. 17.15.Adams sanctity by creation, his own innocency and integrity before his prevarication, gave him to name lLuk. 3.38.the sonne of God. This son-ship was accompanied with power dispositive, and ability preparative, with skill and will, and strength of grace to doe that which was pleasing to Almighty God. The naturall sonnes of mortall men, having (by originall corruption, traduced from the loynes of Adam) l…st this liberty unto that which is good, and contracted to themselves an aptnesse and proclivity unto all manner of evills, they can be but, as our Saviour saith mMath. 7.…3., workers of iniquitie. They cannot think a good thought, (for that is gratia infusa;) nor speak a good word, (for that is gratia effusa;) nor doe a good work (for that is gratia diffusa.)
We that are Saints by calling, and the sonnes and daughters of a heavenly Father by spirituall regeneration, are by our naturall birth abominably defiled with the bloud of originall corruption. Our Fathers were Amorites,Ezek 16 3 our Mothers Hittites. In this state there is none that doth good, no not one.Jam. 3.2. In many things (saith S. James) wee offend all: nay, in all things we sinne all, comming short of the glory of God, that is, of that righteousnesse and holinesse which leadeth unto glory. And albeit no man can justifie his owne integrity, saying, Mine heart is cleane, and my righteousnesse c…mpleat and perfect, yet a renued justified child of grace, from whom the Lord hath taken away the aEph, 4.17, 18, 19.blinded minde, misleading the understanding bIsay 44.20.; that pravity of nature, which benummed cTit. 1.15 Eph. 4.19.or abused the conscience dMar. 10.20. 2 Cor. 87.; enthralled eRom, 7.23.6.20.and hardened the will; disturbed, and disordered the affections fIam. 4.1. G…l. 5.17. Job. 15.16, and having rectified and renued those corporall senses, which were trecherous Porters gMath. 5.29▪30.to let in sinne unto the soule, or forward instruments to execute it hRom. 3.13.6.12.13.This New-borne Christian, who hath not only the restraining, but renuing spirit, he may in a qualified sense be said not to commit sinne. For,
1 His sinnes committed are not imputed, because in Christ he is justified.
2 Comparatively he is no sinner but a Saint, his errours and erregularities not resembling for nature and degree others foule enormities.
3 The New borne Christian seldome sinneth purposely, never plenary, with full and pleasing consent; neither totally and finally unto the end, because his seed remaineth in him.
How farre Gods generall providence in the effectuall restraining power of the spirit,iJoh. 3 9 worketh in them to preserve them from sinne, and of what force the grace of regeneration is unto them, to keepe them unspotted of the world, and prepare them for growth unto full holinesse, thou hast (courteous Reader) herein described & discovered unto thee.
Make use of this Modell of Divine instructions, apply the meditations thereof to thine owne heart and conscience, then Gods grace prevailing in thee shalt thou not be indulgent to thy sinfull corruptions, as others unrenued; but intercept the course, and stop the sloudgates of sinfull concupiscence, from making an inundation to overspread thy soule: then shalt thou not favour sinne, foster, or harbour it within thine heart, but detesting, resist it couragiously: being at any time through thine owne infirmities, and Sathans temptations, drawne to commit sin, thou shalt doe it unwillingly▪ grieve for it heartily, weepe with Peter bitterly, endevouring constantly for the time to come, to hold fast thine innocencie, to preserve thine integritie, and in all things to approve thy selfe unto thy heavenly Father, by a gracious antipathie and contrariety unto sin, by holinesse of affection, and pliablenesse of imitation, so from thy religious conversation shalt thou reap the blessings of this life, health, wealth, peace, and prosperity; grace, joy, godly contentment, the assurance of thy sinnes remission, and soules salvation: howsoever, in the life to come thou shalt be sure to receive thy reward, having purged thy selfe as God is pure, and beheld Gods face in righteousnesse, in the resurrection when thou awakest, thou shalt be satisfied with his image, and by beholding of it, shalt be changed into the same from glory to glory. Farewell.
Thine in the Lord Jesus, G. D.