Soule and body from God and Glorie is eternall death Secondly how the Soule can be said to dye It dyeth not in respect of existence and being but relatively in respect of Gods Grace and favour as the body being dead there is eares and eyes and handes and feete but without life so it is a carkasse till life be put into it being voide of motion so the Soule hath understanding memorie will and affections yet is dead by Nature having no spirituall motion hence t is said Men are dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes 2.1 Let the dead burie their dead Matth. 8.22 This thy brother was dead Luke 15.31 She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth 1 Tim. 5.6 Thirdly the cause of death is sinne there was an immortall lively estate in mans innocencie Death was threatned as a punishment and was accomplished when man had sinned Adam stood or fell for himselfe and his Posteritie as Levie paid Tithes in Abraham Heb. 7.9 So we sinned in Adam being in his loines so death went over all men in asmuch as all men have sinned Romans 5.12 Fourthly the signes and markes of death 1. Where a dead body is there in time is rottennesse so t is with the dead soule Psalme 53.3 All are corrupted that is loathsome and stinking Ainsworth 2. Where death is there is insensiblenesse So the Soules dead in sinne are past feeling Ephes 4.19 They are so sensles they feele nothing though the foundations of the earth be remooved Psal 82.5 They in greatest danger be as the drunkard asleepe on the top of the mâ—st Pro. 23.34 3. Where men are dead they feede not present to them the daintiest dish they taste not of it so men that are dead in sinne feede not on Christ the heavenly Manna nor on the word the foode of their Soules if wisedome make her feast and prepare her dainties the living are her guestes the dead in sinne heare not her invitations not come to her house nor eate with her at her table Of Gods Image on the Soule resolving First what an Image is 2. What the Image of GOD is 3. How Adam was made after Gods Image 4. Whether this Image still doth remaine 5. In whom t is repaired First what an Image is It is not onely a resemblance for the Sunne resembles God in light and brightnesse but yet the Sunne is not an Image of GOD an Image is a likenesse forme shape and similitude Gen. 1.26 Let us make man in our Image Exodus 20.4 Thou shalt not make any graven Image nor the likenesse The Image is substantiall so Adam begate Seth in his likenesse Gen. 5.3 So Christ is the substantiall Image of his Father Coloss 1.15 Heb. 1.3 Or an Image is artificiall Matth. 22.20 Whose Image is this saith Christ. By Art Images are molten graven carved painted or an Image is spiritually taken Ephesians 4.24 This Image is Holinesse and Righteousnesse Secondly what the Image of GOD is No corporall likenesse is Gods Image for he is a Spirit of infinite perfection the Image of God is Knowledge Goodnesse Soveraigntie Righteousnesse Immortalitie Blessednesse c. Thirdly how Adam was made after Gods Image 1. He was made Good Gen. 1 3. Simply good without mixture of evill 2. He was made in Knowledge Col. 3.10 He knew God and the Creatures after an excellent manner and gave the Creatures sutable names Gen. 2.19 3. He was created Holy Ephes 4.24 free from all sinne set apart for God So fourthly He was made Righteous Eccles 7.3 being conformable to the will of his Creatour fit to conceave a right of things in his mind fit to will righteousnesse to remember righteousnesse to love righteousnesse to speake righteousnesse and to doe it 5. He was made Glorious having these admirable endowments shining in his Soule and his body without infirmitie or deformitie strong nimble active healthie 6. He was Immortall heate and cold moisture and drought were as I take it perfectly compounded fire and water aire and earth so curiously mixed and so tempered by the Lord of the Artistes that man was not in this estate capable of sicknesse sorrow paine or death 7. He was Lord over Gods works and bare the Image of God in superioritie Psalme 8. Thus was man every way happy resembling the blessed God the favour of his Lord shined upon him the Creatures submitted to him the Aire did not distemper him the Lyon fawned on him like the dog he had no lusts nor passions within him he was ioyfull and wise and rich filled with contentment and satisfaction he most lively resembled and was the very Image of his Creatour Fourthly whether this Image of God doth still remaine in us Man being in honour he stood not in that condition but is like the beastes that perish insteed of goodnesse Now we are evill Matth. 7.11 Insteed of knowledge wee are Ignorant 1 Cor. 2.14 Wee were created holy in Adam but now are uncleane Iob 14.4 Insteed of righteousnesse wee have found out many Inventions contrarie to righteousnesse Eccles 7.31 Insteed of glorie we have shame which makes us cover the nakednesse of our bodies with garments and the nakednesse of our soules with excuses diminutions distinctions imputations to others Insteed of Immortalitie we have death attends on us and is sure of us although we be Lords over the Creatures sometimes they rebell 1 Kings 13.24 In steed of being happie now we are accursed in our Natures with sinfull dispositions Rom. 7.23 And accursed in our labours the Earth sometimes denyes fruits to releeve us and brings forth bryers and thornes to greeve us Micha 6.15 Gen. 3.18 Fifthly In whom is the Image of God repaired Onely in the Regenerate they so learne CHRIST that they are renewed in the spirit of their mindes Ephes 4.23 GOD shines in their hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 And turnes them from darknesse to light Act. 26.18 In the Gospell they so behold Gods glorie so as they are changed into Gods Image 2 Cor. 3.18 They put off the old man which is corrupt and put on the new man which maketh them like their first Creation in holinesse and righteousnesse Ephes 4 24. These new Creatures are after the Image of God by resemblance and are in this his Image 1. He is a God of knowledge 1 Sam. 2.3 And these are an understanding people being fed with knowledge Ier. 3.15 the Image of God is repaired in knowledge Colos 3.10 2. God is an holy God Leviticus 11.44 The Regenerate are a holy people 1 Pet. 2.9 3. God is a mercifull God Exodus 34.6 And these are mercifull like him Colloss 3.12 4. God is righteous Psalme 92.15 And these are a righteous people Psalme 11.6 5. God keepes his Covenants Daniel 9.4 And these people keepe their Covenants Psal 15.4 6. God cannot abide iniquitie Habakkuk 1.13 And these people hate evill Psalme 97.10 Adam had Gods Image in his body and soule the Image of God was in his Nature and if he had not
perfect in the superlative degree to the utmost to whom can be no addition hee is so compleatly perfect in his Essence Attributes and all his Workes 1. In his Essence having a perfect blessed absolute and independant being richly gloriously joyfully immutably 2. His Attributes which demonstrate him are all perfect He is perfectly eternall without beginning or end perfectly Almighty working without materials perfectly wise knowing all secrets perfectly mercifull in forgiving fully giving freely liberally aboundantly c. 3. Perfect in his workes Perfection is to accomplish and finish so is he perfect He finisht the worke of Creation Gen. 2.1 Hee then beheld his worke as compleate and * Willet on Gen. 2.1 page 15. Ainsworth perfect He finisht that is he perfected Ainsworth on Genesis So Moses saith Perfect is the work of the Lord Deut. 32.4 That is without blame or blemish Sect. 3 Thirdly Questions and Answers Quest 1 WHy did God make the World having all perfection in himselfe before Answ 1. To manifest his glory to the Creatures We onely acknowledge that that is in him which we cannot adde to him 2. For his Wills sake all was created It was his pleasure that is answer sufficient Rev. 4.11 Quest 2 How is Christ perfect seeing many of his mysticall body are not yet gathered to him and many are unborne Answ 1. He hath a Divine perfection being God 2. He is perfect in his Humane Nature in glory 3. He is perfect relatively as hee is a Head having perfect Wisedome Glory and Holinesse so that of his fulnesse we receive our measure Iohn 1.16 from him which hath not the Spirit of measure Iohn 3.24 4. Hee is perfect in his body in regard of Decree growth certainty and the accomplishment dayly drawes on 'T is decreed growing dayly and increasing certaine as good as done God calls things that are not as though they were c. Quest 3 How are Gods workes all perfect when some are borne blinde or lame or naturall fooles Answ 1. God in the beginning made all his workes good and perfect 2. All imperfections in Nature are from sinne and punishments 3. There may be a perfect worke in the wombe yet some secondary cause may hinder perfection in the birth 4. Wee are to conclude that the workes of God are perfect though we cannot finde out a Reason of his doings He is not to accompt to us Concerning defects of understanding in naturall fooles 1. The Creator may give wisedome and deprive of knowledge as he pleases and measure to every one after his owne Will 2. It is just that we should be all borne fooles having lost our wisedome by Adams fall 3. The Parents may be punishe with foolish children for divers Causes 1. Having over-eagerly desired children they may have a childe but a foole 2. For neglect of God and his service and the heaping up of wealth as the chiefe good they may be punisht with a foole for the Heire 3. Some children are fooles to teach us wisedome that as we mislike their naturall folly so we should detest our owne spirituall folly and to teach us thankfulnesse by seeing his Iudgement on others and well to use our Wit and Reason which he hath given us and exercise our mercy as to helpe them that are defective Quest 4 Are not the regenerate perfect in this life Answ No for grace and peace must be multiplied to them Gods grace towards them and his peâ—ce in them is capable of augmentation †Grace in their apprehension and they are to â—â—â—rease more and more 1. Thes 4 1. And the best had need to grow in grace 2. Pet. 3.18 Quest 5 Why then is perfeâ—â—ion named in the Scripture Mat. 5.48 Philip. 3 15. Heb. 6.1 Answ 1. Precepts shew not what we are but what wee should be 2. These precepts should put us in minde of our originall perfection and humble us God calls for what he gave us but we have lost it 3. These precepts are for excitation to stirre us up to be better and to presse forward Quest 6 May we not strive to be like God in perfection Mat. 5.48 We are bid to be perfect as God is Answ We are to be like him in resemblance not equality There is as he is in equality that which is impossible there is as he is in resemblance so the drop resembles the vaste Ocean Quest 7 What is the Christians perfection Answ 1. To bewayle his imperfection from the heart 2. There is perfection of parts and perfection of degrees A childe hath perfection of parts a man or * In his body growth 3. His perfection is in desire and endeavour a man may aime at the Sunne though his Arrow ascend but forty Ells upwards 4. He is perfect comparatively as Noah was a perfect man in his generation Gen. 6.9 5. He is perfect in Gods account being justified and Christs perfection imputed Quest 8 Who are the most perfect men on earth Answ Those that come the nearest to the rule of perfection such are they 1. Which have sound experimentall knowledge 2. That with most freedome of Spirit and the least distractions doe performe holy duties 3. That are most conversant with God in their inner man and are most heavenly minded 4. That are most patient and ready to forgive an acknowledgment of a wrong yea Iames 1.4 without acknowledgment and pray for persecutors and are sorry when evill befalls their particular enemies and are ready to helpe them 5. That are most in charity doing the workes of their callings with love to others that are least censorious because of the largenesse and soundnesse of their charity Object 2 We must not call evill good Isai 5. Answ Then we must not cal their rashnes wisdome nor their prejudice zeale nor are they to be justified that speake so much of othâ—â— errors that they are in danger to forget their owne their perfection is more devotion in the closet lesse talke at the table the want of perfections in the world begets great imperfections in them and they are delivered without a midwife it were good if they did herein miscarry Quest 9 Are not those most perfect that are united to Christ Answ They are and doe draw vertue from him whereby they shine in the aforesaid Iustification and in other vertues to the example of others Quest 10 What course may wee take to draw nearer to perfection Answ 1. We must set before us the best patterne 2. Keepe close to the rule of the word 3. Minde our particular duties in our places as souldiers in the army keepe ranke and letters in the line are of an evennesse 4. Forget thats behinde endeavour to goe forward against corruptions temptations persecutions 5. Use the holy meanes with holy preparations and affections 6. To doe all good better than before with more heedfulnesse reverence and better aimes 7. Examined daily the temper of the heart and be ever weeding that garden 8. The
hath enough for himselfe and all that doe come unto him 3. To sue and intreate for his favour All desire to be happy and they sue to have relation to great ones whom they judge to be in felicity and if they can get to be retemers or houshold servants they thinke themselves in a happy condition especially if they can get the affection of their Lord towards them above others Gaine this and gaine all namely the favour of this blessed God then all that we have shall be sweete all that wee want shall be supplyed with the sence of his love wheresoever we are wee are happy whatsoever we doe we shall be blessed in our deed doing it in way of obedience 4. This shews us who are the truely blessed and happy ones those that are the children of the blessed God A blessed Father he is and his children must needs be blessed They are the blessed of the Lord that made Heaven and Earth Psal 115.15 1. They are all of them blessed Psal 128.1 2. They are assuredly blessed Psal 128.4 3. Sometimes they are apparantly blessed which is evident by their unexpected conversion their eminent graces and famous deliverances 4. Sometimes they are sensibly blessed this is known to themselves by their sweet consolations and to others by their fervent praising of God 5. They shall be eternally blessed the perfection and consummation of blessednesse shall come upon them to their happinesse Mat. 25.34 Fifthly this should informe us to seeke blessednesse after a right manner 1. Let us lay the foundation of our happinesse in the pardon of our sinnes Psal 32.1 2. 2. Seeke blessednesse by beleeving Luke 1.55 Blessed is hee that beleeved Galat. 3.9 They that are of Faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham No faith no Christ no Christ no blessednesse Happinesse is by being united to Christ by faith 3. Labour for divine qualifications to evidence to our selves and others that we are blessed here and prepared for blessednesse hereafter As these 1. Poverty of spirit 2. Purenesse of heart 3. Meeknesse to beare wrongs 4. Patience to suffer 5. Spirituall hunger and thirst Matth. 5.4 the beginning 6. The feare of God Psalme 128.1 7. Meditation in Gods Law Psalme 1.2 8. Diligence in our places Mat. 24.46 9. Obedience to the Truth preached to us Luk. 11.28 10. To be raised from our sinnes Revel 20.6 11. To give to others Acts 20.25 12. To doe that our consciences call for and avoide that which our consciences cry against Rom. 14.22 13. To struggle with our tentations to victory James 1.12 14. To be very watchfull circumspect Rev. 16.15 Sect. 5 Fifthly Questions resolved Quest 1 WHat reason can you give that happinesse is not in the creature Answ 1. Because it cannot give satisfaction 2. They last but a season 3. They shelter us not from wrath Quest 2 Are not your merry jocund fellows happy Answ No for their mirth is but madnesse when 't is sinfull and as Lightning it blasts their goodnesse being soone past away Quest 3 Were not those Heathen happy that attained to morall vertues Answ They were more happy than bruitish sensuall ignorant and vicious Heathen yet not so happy as weake Christians whose vertues proceed from justifying faith are regulated by the Scriptures are a part of Regeneration and referred to the glory of God Quest 4 If Christians be most happy why are they so unchearefull Answ 1. It may be their joy is inward 2. They may be in the worke of mortification 3. They grieve for others sinnes and miseries 4. Some infirmities lie upon them as the sicknesse of their soules which hinders their joy 5. They finde themselves soone to erre in externall mirth and then they are growne more circumspect yet not male-content nor uncheerefull Quest 5 If happinesse here is to have divine qualifications how is it that some cannot endure to heare of qualifications Answ 1. Because they are led by errour and not by Scripture 2. They are ignorant that the same Spirit that seales them doth qualifie them as the same fire that gives heate gives light 3. They doe want qualifications themselves and in their frenzy oppose them in others out of their grossenesse and ignoraâ—ce 4. They have qualifications among themselves as 1. The qualification of Vagrants for they will be boundlesse and know no law for rule 2. The qualification of Atheists they say God sees no sinne in the justified 3. They have the qualification of divels to accuse the brethren and oppose faithfull preachers Thus they can admit of qualifications of abhomination but cannot endure qualifications of sanctification Quest 6 What is our happinesse at death Answ 1. That we have walked before God Isaiah 38. 2. That we have kept the faith 3. That there is prepared for us a Crowne 2. Tim. 4.8 Quest 7 What is our happinesse after death Answ 1. Our Soules shall bee accompanied to Heaven with good Angels and good workes the one to deliver their charge the other to receive their reward 2. Our bodies shall be raised at the last day in glory 3. Both body and soule shall be freed from sinne and ill company and all misery and we shall enjoy the presence of God the fulnesse of joy with the Angels and Saints and so be made immortally happy and blessed beyond that we now can comprehend Of Hatred 1. The description of it 2. The distinctions of it In persons in things in causes in degrees 3. Of Gods hating 4. Applications 5. Questions resolved Sect. 1 First What Hatred is IT is a disliking detesting and avoiding things contrary to us to our nature liking and welfare Hatred is of things contrary to us as God hates sinne being contrary to 1. His Nature 2. His Law 3. His Honour Man hates contrary to fight and feeling as stripes and torments and death and sicknesse contrary to our being or wel-being So then Hatred is a disliking a desire of separation a detesting a flying off that which we apprehend to be against us and our good Sect. 2 Secondly the distinctions of Hatred in persons IN God 't is most pure and holy what hee doth is good his will is the rule of righteousnesse nothing is in him or that proceeds from him but that is most righteous holy and good Hatred in man is sometimes a lawfull affection Psal 97.11 Yee that love the Lord hate evill Againe there is hatred causlesse as some hate cheese some hate some fruites which in themselves are lovely but the contrariety and hatred is in their natures this is in vegetables in beasts in fowles and fishes as between the Vine and the Colewort betweene the Serpent and the Spider c. So men of accursed natures hate God Rom. 1. hate Light Iohn 3. hate good men Psal 34. hate goodnesse without just cause as Caine hated Abel And there is a cause makes men hate as Iosephs brethren hated him because they thought his fathers love would be removed from them to him So
bee beleeved 2. It may be yet they have not learned to speak wel 3. Be not impatient but use their accusations and scandalls for preventions 4. Praises may prove more dangerous than scandalls they are better that speake evill of us than they that flatter us and better to us 5. Christ was evill spoken of though an innocent 6. Our patience will more vexe our adversary than our returning word for word Quest 5 How if my crosses come thicke one upon another as Iobs did Answ 1. Time and custome makes fooles patient get patience timely and speedily by resolution and meditâ—tion beare all with patience they come from God be thankfull for them because they are medicines be the more patient and chearefull because they are steppes to glory 2. Labour to get a further interest in God then all shall be supplyed and we having lost all may be patient and quiet because we enjoy him that is better than all The fruition of God is the maine good the onely good matchlesse changelesse alwaies everywhere with us above all casualties and uncertainties 3. Be not insensible as a blocke nor impatient as without faith and hope be patient as a Christian that though he be molested be enjoyes himselfe By patience we possesse our soules Luke 21.19 4. Labour for a rectified judgement looke not with a wrong eye on others prosperity The Iewes were impatient to heare the children cry Hosanna Matth. 21.15 and impatiently murmured at a supposed fault when Christ went in with Zacheus Errour in opinion doth much wrong others and disquiet our selves we having blinded eyes shall have impatient hearts Ignorance makes us full of mistakes we see not good in evill Our crosses are as Sampsons Lyon there is honey of instruction in them bitter Alloes may prove medicinable 5. Impatience cures us not it is not the remedy of a misery but a procurer of a judgement The Iewes murmured and were impatient their carkasses fell in the Wildernesse Achitophel and Judas in their impatience hanged themselves Ezekiel 36. 6. Set up a Sessions in the conscience and let us judge our selves worthy of all the sorrows of this life and the life to come thus abasing our soules before God will breed in us patience and submission in all our afflictions 7. Meditate in the Law of God continually search the Scriptures then we shall learne this lesson to be patient Rom. 15.4 8. Learne Gods providence he disposes of all things to be grieved at Gods ordering things is great impiety all creatures submit Man onely disquiets himselfe and is impatient 9. Abhorre sinne the cause of crosses remember that crosses should prevent sinnes and make us to forbeare pleasures and endure troubles the more patiently 10. By patience the Will of God is â—one by us Heb. 10.36 and the promises inherited Heb. 6.12 Goe on therefore suffering his will and waiting with patience for the inheritance 11. Let our troubles cause us to cry to our Physitian who will heare us though not according to our will yet according to our good 12. We suffer not alone the same afflictions yea worse it may be our brethren doe endure The griefe of the Saints being indifferent it is the easier borne if it be great the glory shall be greater If it seeme hard let us blame our tendernesse most commonly if it bee long it is the lighter if it be violent it is the shorter None are exempted I shall not escape that which never any did before me God had but one Sonne without sin but not one without affliction 13. Looke to Christs comming to Iudgement then the troubled shall have rest 2. Thess 1.6 7. Be patient therefore for the comming of the Iudge draweth neare Iames 5.7 8. 14. Affect no earthly thing over-much for we impatiently part with that which wee inordinately affected Jonah too much rejoyced in his Gourd and David too much affected his sonne which made the one exceeding angry and the other cry out O Absolon my sonne my sonne Quest 6 How may I have my patience enlarged Answ 1. We must pray more for it for increase of it our Reasons our Arguments our Rules and Directions are but as Alder-guns without earnest prayer 2. Be lesse disquieted at the smaller crosses that dayly befall us small wheales ake and small dust flies in our eyes learne to say My God will enable me to beare more than these 3. Looke to the most noble examples Christ endured Heb. 12. The Prophets are examples Iames 5. 4. Resolve for the worst our preparations are as Armour learne to take up the crosse by stooping for it as well as beare it if it be laid on us 5. Grow dayly lesse and lesse in our owne eyes then shall we be more patient and willing to suffer 6. Be sure that we affect not the praise of men then disgraces will be lesse irkesome Of the Will 1. What it is to will 2. Of the will of God 3. Of Mans will 4. Lessons to edifie 5. Questions resolved Sect. 1 First what it is to will TO will is to chuse or refuse to desire to wish or consent Phil. 2.13 God workes the will that is the motions and purposes * Wâ—lson When we doe pray we do will something optando by desiring when wee will have a servant doe any thing we will it jubendo by commanding The will is free and freely wills without compulsion we will by nature we will well by grace we are free to evill but bound in respect of grace Will properly belongs to the reasonable creature ubi non est ratio ibi non est voluntas Where there is not reason there is not will So much what it is to will Sect. 2 Secondly of the Will of God THe Will of God is Essentiall whatsoever is in God is good Also the will of God is his decree Ephes 1.11 after the counsaile of his will Rom. 9.15 We apprehend his will two fold secret and revealed Deut. 29.29 The secret will of God wee admire as a great depth Psal 36.7 which cannot be found out * Rom. 11.33 This will of God is free absolutely free hee wils without interruption and with delight Also his will is the rule of Justice therefore things are just because he wills them his will is simple with one act he wills all his will is immutable he alters not by accidents his will is holy he is not carried by corrupt reason Our thoughts pitch on three things concerning Gods will The first what he will doe with us The second Note what he will doe for us The third what he will have us to doe But we should mainely looke to the last what he will have us to doe then he will doe this with us he will make us vessels of mercy he will doe this for us he will blesse us here and hereafter What hee will have us to doe is revealed in the Law and the Gospell In both he wils three things 1. He wills us
THey were made in the beginning Gen. 1.1 there is first eternity secondly time thirdly beginning is the entrance of time fourthly there is end fifthly there is everlasting being indeed eternity againe eternity is before and after time time we doe live in beginning brings forth time end consummates time everlasting swallowes up time Reflections 1. Discerning 1. I see the difference of the Creator and the creatures none is eternall but God he had no beginning nor shall have ending Psalm 90.2 he is from everlasting to everlasting 2. Consideration 2. Once there was no time and an end will come and time shall be no more Revel 10.6 In this my day cause me O Lord to consider the things belong to my peace on this moment depends eternity cause me wel to spend my space of time and to take advantage of the opportunities of time that doing thy will in this world I may in the next world be eternally happy 3. Preparation 3. My beginning of time was my birth my measure of time is my life my end of time is my death my account for time is my judgement Oh that my waies were direct and straight that the midst might agree with both ends I was borne humble and meeke and so I must dye So let me live O Lord remembring the shortnesse swiftnesse preciousnesse and irrecoverablenes of time that is past is gone that to come is uncertaine time present is minâ— which I desire so to spend that it may appeare I had grace and time together Sect. 4 Fourthly for what all things were made THe blessed God made all things for his owne sake Prov. 16.4 He made them not because hee needed them he was essentially happy without them nor doe the Creatures adde to his glory onely wee acknowledge that is in God already the end God aimed at in the cretion was to make himselfe knowne to the creatures and that the Creatures should acknowledge him and give him glory Reflections 1. What cause have I to seeke his glory 1. Seeke the glory of God as my utmost end by such meanes as his word teacheth mee Cause me oh Lord to confesse my sinnes and so to give glory unto thee to turne from sinne that I may repent and give glory unto thee oh worke faith in my heart and let me be strentghened therein that I may give glory to thee and let my light so shine before men that they may be stirred up to glorifie thee grant that I may honour thee by sanctifying thy Sabbaths and by being fruitfull in grace let my praises glorifie thee and my wealth and my death if I bee called to suffer for thy truth 2. Of all sinnes to take heede of pride 2. Beware of Pride and vaine glory glory belongs to God to us shame and confusion God will not give his glory to another if man doe take it it will bee his destruction Lord purge out all pride and selfe-seeking out of my heart and whatsoever I doe let me labour to give thee all the honour and glory I am able 3. God aimed at his glory in the first place 3. How to aime at glory in his workes I am to aime at my glory in the last place in all my workes First Gods glory must be my aime next I must minde my duty and lastly my glory my reward when I beginne I must looke to the glory of God when I worke I must looke to the rule if I faint or be discouraged or indisposed Heb. 12.2 I may looke to the joy before me the glory prepared for me being the recompence of reward So much in generall Of Angels 1. Of their Nature 2. Of their number 3. Of their office 4. Divers errors concerning the Angels 5. Why Christ is called an Angel Sect. 1 First of the Nature of Angels NAture is the quality and disposition and motion which God variously giveth to the creatures to the heavens a firmnesse to the sunne a brightnesse to the water moystnesse the stone descends the fire ascends men have reason and Angels have swift motion all by nature the Toad is poysonous the Serpent is wise the Dove is meeke all by nature The Nature of Angels is spirituall incorporeall Luke 24.39 without flesh and bones They are 1. Substances 2. Excellent being Spirits 3. Invisible being Spirits 1. They are substances though we cannot make dimensions to measure their length and bredth yet wee learne they are spirituall natures reall substances having a true being a distinct essence 2. They are excellent natures excellent for holines (a) Mark 8.38 excellent for beauty (b) Acts 6.15 excellent for strength (c) Ps 103.20 excellent for wisedome (d) 2 Sam. 14.17 excellent for swiftnesse being said to have wings to declare their swift motion celerity exâ—edition (e) Isai 6.2 Thirdly they are invisible their matter and nature is so pure that our sence is not able to discerne if an Angell were before our eyes in the brightest light with the best advantage we could not see him For a corporeall view cannot apprehend a spirituall object of such an excellent nature Reflexions If the nature of Angels be so excellent Note 1. To admire Gods nature what is the Nature of the Lord of Angels 1. His Nature is uncreat theirs is an excellent but created Nature 2. His nature is independant the Angels nature is by participation 3. Gods nature is his essence and eternall theirs is begun once they had no being 4. Gods nature is every where at once theirs is by locall mutation and limitation 5. Gods nature is Omnipotent Angels can doe much but they cannot doe all things Secondly let me looke to Christ 2. To looke to Christ and there see my advantage he hath advanced our humane nature uniting it to the God-head so that those Spirits and holy natures are content to be Ministers for the good of the members of Christ Our flesh is carried upon high and now Christ which is both God and Man all the Angels of God doe worship him Heb. 1. Thirdly 3. Information I am informed by the Word of God concerning my behaviour towards the Angels both by a negative and an affirmative rule 1. Negatively I must not worship them for it is forbidden Colos 2.18 Rev. 19.10 2. I am not to make Angels my Mediators for there is one God and one Mediator which is Christ by him we are to offer our sacrifices 1. Pet. 2.5 3. Nor am I bound to put my trust and confidence in Angels nor to depend on any particular Angel for my Angel guardian 4. Nor am I to busie my head about the Hierarchie of Angels concerning their degrees and orders 5. Nor am I to looke for audible voyces from Angels nor visible apparisions least I fall to phantasies and delusions preachers not those Angels are our instructors Affirmatively 1. I am bound to beleeve the Angels are excellent creatures of excellent
Sun doth rule the day the Moone and Stars do rule the night 1. Distinctions are lawfull God teaches them both by his word and by his workes we may distinguish and separate chuse and refuse the Anabaptists which refuse them and call them turning of devices do speake out of their ignorance and emptines 2. Distinctions are not only lawfull but usefull and of absolute necessity we must distinguish of persons times places things of matter manner end c. Qui bene distinguit bene docet He which distinguishes well teaches well Go preach the Gospell to every Creature saith our Saviour we must distinguish betweene reasonable and unreasonable Creatures some have mistaken and preacht to fishes as it is reported God heares not sinners Iohn 9. there are repentant sinners and unrepentant sinners Separate your selves 2. Cor. 6. There is a separation from Infidels which is a duty and a separation from Christians holding the same Creede with us which is a Schisme Thirdly and fourthly The Starres doe shew the seasons of the yeare Iob 38.31 There is mention of Pleiades and Orion Iob 9.8 There is Arcturus a Starre neare Vrsa major by us called Charles-waine Pleiades is the starres which doe bring in the Spring with their sweete influence Orion brings in the winter and hath his bands the frost bindes in that season Arcturus is seven Starres and Canicula betokens heate beginning the 15 of August and ending fifty dayes after Thus the starres shew the season of the yeare and are usefull Applications 1. Here is great wisedome and Arte to learne effects by causes the Iewes could discerne the face of the sky Astronomers observe the course of the heavens and the conjunction of the Planets and Religion fore-sees the frost of misery the tempests of indignation the heate of judgement 1. When sinne is universall Gen. 6.11 Ier. 6.13 2. When faithfull Ministers are mis-used 2. Chron. 36.37 3. When God takes away the stay and strength of a nation Isai 3. 4. When men are incourageable and reforme not by former judgements Amos. 4.6 5. When the divorcing sinne of Idolatry is acted Iudges 2.11 Iudges 5.8 These evills fore-shew judgements as the Starres doe fore-shew the seasons 2. There are some seasons I am to have an especiall respect unto 1. The time of youth to be well seasoned 2. The time of the Gospell to steeeme it and submit 3. The company of the godly for edification 4. The time of prosperity to gaine saving grace 5. The time of adversity to gaine humility Fifthly The Starres have influence but the knowledge thereof is very obscure the influence of the the Sunne and Moone is more apparant The safest way is to consider the influence of the Starres negatively 1. Things cannot bee fore-told by the starres by casting mens nativities how long they shall live and what death they shall dye 2. Nor doe the starres fore-tell inevitably the daily weather long before it come to passe their strength that so studdie is but conjectures 3. Nor can men by the Starres finde out things that be lost 4. The Starres worke not the wills of men in the least degree Their exhalations their heat and light farre exceeds my capacity I admire them that gives them their operations Applications 1. Those men are too blame which out of pride and curiosity abuse the starres perverting them to a wrong end groundlesse predictions and casting nativities 2. Let Ministers who are Starres in the visible Church have by the word they preach a sweet influence on my soule that I may have the light of Knowledge the heate of zeale the exhalation of heavenly mindednesse this influence shall make me both fruitfull and joyfull Sect. 5 Fifthly of the glory of the Starres THeir glory is their bright shining 1. Cor. 15.44 They have glory They differ in glory There is difference of contrariety so blacke and white doe differ There is a difference of degrees so the starres doe differ all have excellency and glory but all have not equall glory Considerations 1. Gods workes are glorious and doe deserve our consideration our praises our aâ—miratjon Psalme 92.5 2. Variety proves Gods wisedome and soveraignty 3. As there is difference of Starres so there is difference of Christians in the hemisphâ—re of the Church 4. There shall bee degrees of glory at the resurrection 1. Cor. 15. and those which convert many shall have the greatest glory Dan. 12. Sect. 6 Sixthly Questions resolved concerning the Stars Quest 1 HOw did the Starres fight Iudges 5.20 Answ E suis aggeribus Trem. Some thinke the course of the Heavens and Stars in regard of storme and tempest was against Sisera in the battaile the Starres fought from their bulwarkes or trenches the influence of heaven was against him Quest 2 What is it to make the nest among the Starres Obad. 4. Answ To thinke they are in security and safety so be as presumptuous as if they were out of danger and lodged among the Starres Quest 3 How doe the Starres praise God Psal 148.3 Answ God is praised of his creatures 1. Perfectly without distinctions so the Angels in heaven and Saints praise him 2. Sincerely so the Church on earth doe praise him yet hath Infirmities 3. Declaratively so the Starres doe praise him and declare his excellency Quest 3 How is Christ called the Morning-starre Rev. 22.16 Answ 1. As the Morning-starre he brings light into the World Iohn 8. 2. Men rejoyce when the Morning-starre doth appeare so the Angels in heaven and men on earth rejoyced when this appeared Luke 2. 3. The Morning-starre communicates his light so Christ communicates his graces of his fulnesse wee all receive Ioh. 1. 4. The Morning-Starre is excellent for brightnesse so Christ is the chiefest of tenne thousand and annointed with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes Psalme 45. Quest 4 How are the Angels and the Starres alike Answ 1. The Angels are Celestiall Heavenly creatures so are the Starres 2. The Angels are glorious so are the Starres 3. The Angels are innumerable so are the Starres 4. The Angels doe service to man so doe the starres The disparity 1. The Angels shine in the invisible heavens the stars in the visible 2. Though the starres bee swift in motions yet the Angels excell them for celerity 3. The starres at the end shall fall from heaven Matth. 24. 1. Tim. 5.21 but the Angels as Gods elect stand for ever Quest 6 How are Preachers and starres alike Answ 1. The starres are above us in the heavens the Preachers are above us in their places being Elders Fathers shepheards 2. The starres are lights so are true preachers 3. The stars have degrees of brightnesse so have preachers diversity of gifts 4. The starres doe comfort us so doe the Preachers Isaiah 40.1 2. 5. Starres fore-shew the seasons the Preachers are 〈…〉 forewarne us 6. 〈◊〉 â—tars doe shine in the darke and the Preachers are shining among the prophane sinneful people â— The starres shine though some