An Expoſition on Mr. Perkins his Thirteen Principles.

THe high calling that every child of GOD is called unto, is not this temporall calling which God hath placed us in, but out Election ſtandeth in obedience to know Gods will, and to know what we are by nature, the children of wrath and fire-brands of hell, if we labour not to know God, and to be aſſured that Chriſt hath redeemed us from the ſecond death, and that the4•ates of Hell ſhould not preaile againſt us; therefore our true happineſſe is, to labour while we have time, to know our duty to God and man, and to labour to know, that of our ſelves we are loſt in Adamstranſgreſſion, and that Chriſt hath made us frée citizens by his death and reſurection. For man by nature in himſelfe. out of Chriſt, is the unhappieſt of all creatures that God made: therefore in theſe ſad and perilous times, we muſt fit our ſelues for a better life, and whilſt it is to day, har­den not your hearts, but redeem your mis ſpent time, for the dayes are evill: Broad is the way that leadeth to deſtruction, and many there be that find it; but narrow is the way that leadeth to everlaſting life, and few there be that finde that ſtrait gate.

Therefore to labour to know Chriſt crucified that you may be ſealed for the day of redemp­tion:

Firſt, faſt not as Adam faſted in eating the forbidden fruite, for which he loſt Paradice, for in this world Paradice is wonne or loſt? Mans life is ſhort, and fraile, in compariſon but a ſpan long, therefore Chriſt bids us come buy milke without mony or price, Gods Word is ſwéeter then the honey or the honey combe: therefore let us taſte the benefit that we have5 by Chriſt and let us reliſh that by belief, Abra­ham, Iſaack, Jacob, and all the Patriarkes, were juſtified: It wet not Arons beard alone, but drencht his beard throughout, and finally it did rain downe his rich attyre. How precious it is and joyfull for to ſée Brethren to hold together in the love of Chriſt, in the bouds of Unitie: and he that created us for this thing is God, who hath given us the earneſt of his Spirit, For he died for all, that they which live ſhould not henceforth, live unto themſelves, but unto him: which died for us and roſe againe.

Therefore all they that deſire to be in Chriſt, let them deny themſelves, and hunger and thirſt after Him and His righteouſneſſe aboue all the things in the world: For old things are paſt away, behold all things are become new, Now is the axe laid to the root of the Tree, eve­ry tree that bringeth not forth fruit, ſhall be hewen downe and caſt into the fire. Therefore let us deny our owne righteouſneſſe, and cry out with Saint Paul; O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this body of death;

Therefore theſe thirteen Principles holds forth our happineſſe to know what the eſſence of God is, in creating the world.

Secondly, to know what we are by Adams diſobedience in eating of the forbidden fruit6 the which all Mankind ſtandeth guilty of (which is our originall ſinne which wee brought into this world) till we are grafted and baptiſed into Chriſts Flocke and made lively Members of the ſame.

Thirdly, the mercies of God in Chriſt, that the ſeed of the woman ſhould bruiſe the ſerpents head, and pierce his héel.

All that by the eye of Faith lay hold upon this promiſe, are juſtified, and in fulneſſe of time God ſent his only begotten Son born of the Uirgin, which was conceived by the Holy Ghoſt; of whoſe Life, Death and Reſurrection, his twelve Apo­ſtles are witneſſes: And to confirme his Death and Reſurrection the night before he was betray­ed (inſtituted at the eating of his Paſſeover) the Sacrament as a pledge.

Firſt in the breaking of Bread, which ſets forth the breaking of his Body.

Secondly he took the cup, drink ye all of this in remembrance that my body was broken, and my blo•d ſh•d for you, and for many, for the remiſſion of ſins.

Chriſts ſufferings upon the croſſe is our glo­rification, which frees us from the ſecond death: Therefore while wee have time, let us have re­courſe to God in his Ordinances, for the righte­ous man ſinned ſeven times in a day: nay, ſe­venty times in a day. Therefore, how much néed have we to renew our covenant with God, and to forſake our ſins and to loath them, and conditi­on with God to become new creatures, that the guilt of ſinne may be taken away.

For Chriſt preſt upon man, ſo oft as you take this ſacrament by beliefe you are healed, and re­new your covenant with GOD, to become new creatures.

Let us take héed that we put not off this pre­tious time leſt we be numbred with the Fooliſh Uirgins th•t while they went to buy Oyle, the wiſe Uirgins entred into the wedding chamber with the Bridegroome: ſo many put off this du­ty, excuſing themſelves that they are not fitted; that is the Divels policy: Firſt, labour to try your ſelves what you are by nature, then the be­nefit you haue by Chriſt; He bids us, To day if you will hear my voyce, harden not your hearts, to morrow is not ours again: Chriſt ſaith, Come unto me, all that are weary and heavy laden, and I will eaſe you.

Therefore, wee ought to crave a bleſsing of GOD by prayer, on all dur endeavours, whe­ther in our callings, or in our walking abroad, or what ever we take in hand, we ought alwayes to pray to GOD for his bleſſing, and to deſire his Kingdome to come, and his will to bee done. 8For God requires nothing of us but thankfull­neſſe, and obedience to walke with him, with a purpoſe of knowledge of life: Therefore let us beſeech the Lord, in mercy to open our blinde underſtanding, and to guide us in the right way, th•t the commandements, the Articles of our Beliefe, and the Lords Prayer, may be a ſavour of life unto life, and not a ſavour of death unto death.

Therefore let us remember our creatour in the dayes of our youth〈◊〉adverſitie, before the evill dayes come or the yea•es approach, when we ſhall have no joy in them, and to caſt off our ſinnes by repentance. For the Lord hath pro­miſed, he will not leave us nor forſake us hough we ſuffer for a ſeaſon.