a Candlestick doth a Candle Revel 2. 1. 4. To interpret the Scripture by the Scripture Since many things in Scripture are doubtfull and hard to be understood without an Interpreter Acts 8. 31. it doth belong to the Church to expound the same to interpret and give the sense Nehem. 8. 8 9. Luke 24. 27. provided that this exposition be by the Scriptures Some of the Papists say That the Church may condere articulos fidei facere Canonicum quo ad nos and though they talk of Councels and Fathers yet all is as the Pope concludes The testimony and tradition of the Church especially the Primitive Church is necessary to know that the Gospel of Matthew is divine Scripture by an historical and acquired faith to know this by a divine and infused faith besides the Authority of the Church the matter character and contents of every Book and comparing of it with other Scriptures do serve as an inward cause to produce the said infused faith Object We are sent to the Church to determine all Controversies 1 Cor. 11. 16. Sol. Controversies are either Dogmaticall concerning Faith or Rituall concerning true Order The Proposition is about these not the first Secondly From this fundamental truth that the Scripture is immediately from God the Basis indeed of all Religion 1 Cor. 15. the wickednesse of the Church of Rome is farther to be condemned which will not suffer the Scriptures to be read in their Churches but in an unknown tongue nor in private by the common people without special leave and certain cautions from their superiours Of old they would not suffer them to be read at all of late they are forced to give licences to some and they teach them that they should not make the Scripture judge of the Doctrine and Practice of the Church but the Doctrine and Practice of the Church must be the Interpreter and Judge of the meaning of the Scripture that is they must take the Scripture to mean none otherwise whatsoever it seem to say then what is agreeâ—ble to that which the Pope doth teach and practise There cannot be a surer sign of a bad cause then that it fears to be tried by the writings which it self cannot deny to be written by God for correction for reproof for instruction in righteousnesse Some Papists are more modest herein as Bellarmine lib. 2. de verb. Dei c. 15. Catholica Ecclesia statuit ne passim omnibus concedatur Scripturae lectio some more rigid as Huntly and Hosius The Papists object the obscurity of Scriptures as an argument to hinder Lay-men from reading them and account it a matter of profanation to allow men women and children and all promiscuously the use of the Vulgar Translation and think they will rather be hurt then benefited by them taking occasion of erring from them Hosius urgeth that Give not holy things to dogs Cast not pearls before Swine to prove the people must be barred from reading of the Scriptures It is Pope Innocents Glosse a Beast might not touch the Mount a Lay-man may not meddle with Scripture Lindan saith Nihil noxae inferretur in Ecclesiam salvo traditionis fundamento if there were no Bible and another Scriptura citius faciet Haereticum Lutheranum quam Catholicum Because we will have all proved by Scripture and make that the compleat Rule for what we believe or do in all Theological matters they call us Scripturarios Scripture-men and Atramentrarios Theologos and so to carry or read a Bible is matter of scoff we may stile them in Tertullians phrase Scripturarum Lucifugae and Traditionaries St Gregory who is blessed in their Church exhorteth a Lay-man to the serious study of the Scriptures that thereby he might learn the will of God alledging that the Scripture is the Epistle of God unto his creature Quid est autem Scriptura sacra nisi Epistola omnipotentis Dei ad Creaturam Greg. lib. 4 epist. 40. ad Theodorum mediâ—um Proving further That obscurity of Scripture is so frothy an argument for perswading any devout Christian not to reade it that it should rather incite them to greater Diligence therein and therefore he elegantly compâ—res the Scripture to a River wherein saith he there are as well shallow Fords for Lambs to wade in as depths and gulphs wherein the Elephant may swim Chrysostom held it a thing necessary for all men daily to read the Scriptures Audito quaeso saeculares comparate vobis Biblia animae pharmaca St Ierom did exhort divers women thereto and commended them for exercising themselves therein he writes to Laeta and Gaudentia and shews them how they should bring up their daughters Scripturas sacras tenebat memoriter Hieron de Paula in Epitaphio He commends the Husbandmen about Bethlem for being so perfect in the Scripture That they had the Psalms of David by heart and sang them as they followed the Plow Arator stivam tenens cantat Davidicum melos Epist. ad Demetriad The Apostle would not have commended this in Timothy 2 Tim. 3. 15. That from his childehood he knew the holy Scriptures nor noted it to the praise of his Grandmother and Mother that they had trained him up so if he had not known that the holy Scriptures are so plain that even a childe may be able to understand them What may we judge of the other easier books when the holy Ghost would have the Revelation the obscurest book of all the Scripture to be read Revel 1 3 The people took occasion of erring and blaspheming from the humiliation of Christ many abuse Preaching and the Sacraments 2. By this reason the Latine Bibles should not be suffered to be read publickly because many understanding Latine from the reading of them may take occasion of erring There is a greater reason to be had of Gods elect which are edified by reading of the Scripture then of those who wrest them Peter by this reason stirred up the faithfull to reade the Scriptures with greater devotion 2 Pet. 3. 14 15 16 17. 3. This is common both to the Ecclesiastical Persons and Laity to take occasion of erring and blaspheming from the Scripture If we peruse the Histories of times past we shall finde that learned and Ecclesiastical men did oftner fall into Heresies and Blasphemies from misunderstanding and wresting the Scriptures then any of the common sort of people who were often also by the learned drawn into Heresie The Papists are not afraid the people should be corrupted by reading their legends and lying fables by their Images which doe naturally teach Idolatry The Papists further object That the Hebrews did not permit young men to read part of Genesis Canticles Ezekiel We must know that the reading of those Scriptures non ablatam hominibus sed dilatam fuisse was not taken away from them but delayed only They permitted all men before thirty to read all other Chapters of holy Scripture and after thirty these
he followeth it for the most part and preferreth it before all the rest Maxima ex parte amplector caeteris omnibus antepono He speaks of the New Testament onely and of that Latine Translation of the New Testament in comparison of all other Latine Translations which were before him as Erasmus Castalion and such like These places may serve to shew that the vulgar Latine is corrupt no Book being entire or free from error Isidore Clarius Brixianus praefat in Biblia a great learned man of their own affirmeth That it hath 8000 places in which the sense of the Holy Ghost is changed Since the Councel of Trent two Popes have set forth this vulgar Edition diversly which of these shall be received as authentical How often do the Papists leave the vulgar in all their controversies when it is for their advantage so to do it is a matter ordinary with them and needless to be proved There is no Edition Ancienter then the Hebrew if the Latine hath been used a 1000 years in the Church the Hebrew hath been used almost 3000 years the Chaldee Arabick Syriack and Greek Editions also have been used above a 1000 years and so should be authentique by the Papists Argument Having spoken of the authority of the Scriptures the Canonical Books and the authentical Editions I now go on to treat of the end of the Scripture its adjuncts or properties fitted to that end and Interpretation of Scripture The end of the Scripture comes next to be considered of this I have spoken somewhat afore but shall now inlarge my self The end of the Scripture is considered 1. In respect of God 2. In respect of us In respect of God the end of the Scripture is a glorifying of him Iohn 7. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 6. by it we may learn to know love and fear him and so be blessed The glory of God is the chief end of all things Prov. 16. 4. In respect of us The end of the Scripture is 1. Intermediate Temporal Edification which is fitly referred to five principal uses The two first respect the minde the other three the heart will and affections It is profitable for Doctrine it serves to direct to all saving truth nothing is to be received as a truth necessary to salvation but what is proved out of Scripture Where that hath not a tongue to speak I must not have an ear to hear Hoc quia de scripturis non habet autoritatem eadem facilitate contemnitur qua probatur Hieron 2. Reproof or Confutation to refute all errors and heterodox opinions in Divinity By this sword of the Spirit Christ vanquished Satan Mat. 4. 4. 7. 10. by the Scripture he opposed the Jews Iohn 5. 45. 46. 47. 10. 34. by this he refuted the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 9. 13. and 22. 1. Luke 10. 25 26. 27. Matth. 19. 34. and 21. 12 13. the Sadduces Matth. 22. 29. Thus Apollus convinced the Jews who denied Jesus to be the Christ Acts 18. 28. Thus the Apostles convinced those which urged Circumcision and the observation of the Jewish Law Acts 15. 15. Hâ—reticks are to be stoned with Scripture-Arguments Lapidandi sunt Heretici sacrarum literarum argumentis Athanasius By this Austin refuted the Pelagians Irenaeus the Ualentinians Tertullian the Mareionites Athanasius the Arrians 3. Correction of iniquity setting straight that which is amiss in manners and life 4. Instruction to righteousness Instruunt Patriarchae etiam errantes Basil saith The Psalms are a common Store house and Treasury of good Instruction The Title of the 32 and some other Psalms is Maschil that is A Psalm of Instruction 5. Comfort in all troubles Psal. 19. 8. and 119. 50. and 92. the Greek word for Gospel signifieth glad-tidings The Promises are the Christians best Cordials as Gods Promises are the rule of what we must pray for in faith so they are the ground of what we must expect in comfort All things which belong to the Gospel are comfortable 1. God the Author of the Gospel and revealed in it is the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1. 3. 2. Jesus Christ the Subject of the Gospel is called Consolation in the abstract Luke 2. 25. 3. The Holy Ghost which breathes in the Gospel is called The Comforter Iohn Chap. 15. 16. 4. The Ministers or Ambassadors of the Gospel are the Messengers of peace and comfort 2. Ultimate and chiefest our Salvation and Life eternal Iohn 5. 39. and 20. 31. 2 Tim. 3. 15. It will shew us the right way of escaping hell and attaining Heaven It will shew us what to believe and practise for our present and eternal happinesse This was Gods aim in causing the Scripture to be written and we shall finde it fully available and effectual for the ends for which it was ordained by God CHAP. VIII Of the Properties of the Scripture THe properties which the Scripture must have for the former end are these It is 1. Of Divine Authority 2. True and Certain 3. The rule of Faith and Manners 4. Necessâ—ry 5. Pure and Holy 6. Sufficient and Perfect 7. Perspicuous and Plain 1. It s of Divine Authority we must believe it for its own sake It is Divine 1. In its Efficient cause and Original which is God the Father dictating in his Son declaring and publishing by his holy Spirit confirming and sealing it in the hearts of the faithful He wrote the Decalogue immediately with his own finger and commanded the whole Systeme and all the parts of Scripture to be written by his servants the Prophets and Apostles as the publique Actuaries and Pen-men thereof therefore the authority of the Scripture is as great as that of the Holy Ghost who did dictate both the matter and words Those speeches are frequent The Lord said and The mouth of the Lord hath spoken 2. In the subject matter which is truth according to godliness certain powerful of venerable antiquity joyned with a sensible demonstration of the Spirit and Divine presence and with many other things attesting its Divine Authority Whence it follows that the Authority of the Holy Scriptures is 1. Infallible which expresseth the minde and will of God to whom truth is essential and necessary 2. Supreme and Independent into which at last all faith is resolved from which it is not lawful to appeal By which singular authority the Scripture is distinguished both from all prophane and Sacred writings and Paul honors it with this Elogie A faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation 1 Tim. 1. 15. A more sure word 2 Pet. 1. 19. the Comparative for the Superlative in which there is no doubting and uncertainty but all things firm As God is Iehovah of himself so is his word Authoritative of it self and is true and to be obeyed whether thou think it Scripture or no. There is no higher authority for thee to appeal to it is above opinions of men conscience and therefore it must
when ye become men ye must put away these childish things Blow at the Root p. 82 83. The expresse testimonies of Scripture forbidding even Angels to adde any thing to those things which are commanded by the Lord do prove the perfection of the Scripture Deut. 4. 5 12. and 12. 32. and 30. 10. and 5. 12 13 14. and 28. 58. Ioshua 1. 7 8. Prov. 30. 5. wherefore the Apostle commands That no man presume above that which is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. Divers reasons may be drawn from this last place to prove the perfection of the Scripture 1. The Apostle teacheth That the Scriptures are able to make a man wise to salvation therefore there needeth no further counsel nor direction thereunto but out of the Scriptures 2. The Scriptures are able to make the man of God that is the Minister of the Word perfect and compleat unto every work of his Ministery whether it be by teaching true Doctrine or confuting false by exhorting and putting forward to that which is good or dehorting from that which is evil Paul would not have us think that all and every writing viz. of Plato Aristotle is divinely inspired for in ver 15. he not only useth the plural number calling them the holy writings thereby to note the word of God and not one sentence or Book but all the sentences and Books of the Scripture and also useth the Article which hath force of an universal note therefore the Greek words the whole Scripture signifieth the whole altogether and not every part severally in this place 2. No one part of holy Scripture is able to make the Minister perfect therefore it must needs be understood of the whole body of holy Scripture wherein this sufficiency is to be found The Ancient Fathers and other Divines have from this place proved the perfection and sufficiency of the Scripture in all things necessary to salvation We do not reason thus as the Papists charge us it is profitable therefore it is sufficient but because 1. The Scripture is profitable for all these ends viz. to teach sound Doctrine to refute false opinions to instruct in holy life and correct ill manners therefore it is sufficient or it is profitable to all those functions of the Ministery that a Minister of the Church may be perfect therefore much more for the people Argumentum non nititur unica illa voce utilis sed toto sententiae complexu Chamierus Hitherto of the perfection of the Scripture absolutely considered now follows the sufficiency thereof in opposition to unwritten traditions or verities as the Papists speak D Davenant premiseth these things for the better understanding of the sufficiency of the Scripture 1. We speak of the state of the Church saith he in which God hath ceased to speak to men by the Prophets or Apostles divinely inspired and to lay open new Revelations to his Church 2. We grant that the Apostles living and preaching and the Canon of the New Testament being not yet sealed their Gospel delivered Viva Voce was no lesse a rule of Faith and Worship then the writings of Moses and the Prophets 3. We do not reject all the traditions of the Church for we embrace certain Historical and Ceremonial ones but we deny that opinions of faith or precepts of worship can be confirmed by unwritten traditions 4. We call that an opinion of Faith to speak properly and strictly when a Proposition is revealed by God which exceeds the capacity of nature and is propounded to be believed as necessary to be known to Salvation Fundamentall opinions are those which by a usuall and proper name are called Articles of Faith 5. What is not in respect of the Matter an Article of Faith may be a Proposition to be believed with a Theological Faith if you look to the manner of revealing as that the Sun is a great light the Moon a lesse Gen. 1. 16. that Rachel was beautifull Leah blear-eyed The Papists do not cease to accuse the Scripture of imperfection and insufficiency as not containing all things necessary to salvation The Councel of Trent Sess. 4. decret 1. saith That the Truth and Discipline is contained in libris scriptis sine scripto traditionibus The Papists generally divide the word of God into the word written and traditions They affirm that there are many things belonging to Christian faith which are neither contained in the Scriptures openly nor secretly This opinion is maintained by the Papists but it was not first invented by them The Jewish Fathers did use the traditions of the Elders and it hath been said of old Mark 75. Matth. 5. 21. for their errors and superstitions yea at length they affirmed that God gave to Moses in Mount Sinai the Scripture and the Cabala or a double Law the one written the other unwritten The Tridentin Fathers Sâ—s 4. do command Traditions to be received with the same reverend affection and piety with which we imbrace the Scripture and because one Bishop in the Councel of Trent refused this he was excluded In the mean space they explain not what those Traditions are which must be so regarded none of them would ever give us a List and Catalogue of those Ordinances which are to be defended by the authority of unwritten Traditions not of the Word committed to writing onely they affirm in general whatsoever they teach or do which is not in the Scripture that it is to be put into the number of Traditions unwritten The cause of it self is manifest That at their pleasure they might thrust what they would upon the Church under the name of Traditions Vide Whitak de Script contro Quaest. 6. c. 5. See also Moulins Buckler of Faith p. 51. Lindan the Papist was not ashamed to say That it had been better for the Church if there had been no Scripture at all but onely Traditions For saith he we may do well enough with Traditions though we had no Scripture but could not do well enough with Scripture though we had no Traditions Baldwin saith a Testament may be either Scriptum or Nuncupativum set down in writing or uttered by word of mouth But a Nuncupative Testament or Will made by word of mouth without writing must be proved by solemn witnesses The solemn witnesses of Christs Testament are the Prophets and Apostles Let Papists if they can prove by them that part of the Testament of Christ is unwritten Any indifferent Reader will conceive that the Scriptures make most for them who stand most for their Authority and perfection as all the reformed Divines do not only affirming but also confirming that the Scripture is not only a most perfect but the onely infallible rule of faith Titus 1. 2. Rom. 3. 4. God cannot lie and Let God be true and every man a lier that is subject to errour and falshood Every Article of Divine Faith must have a certain and
the Mysteries of the Revelation the exposition rather of modern Interpreters then Fathers is to be received because in our times not theirs there is an accomplishment of those Prophecies and many things were more clearly known by them in those days the Ceremonies and Types of Moses his Law were better perceived by the Jews then us God the Author of the Scripture could speak perspicuously for he is wisdom it self and he would speak so because he caused the Scripture to be written to instruct us to our eternal salvation Rom. 15. 4. and he commands us to seek in the Scripture eternal life We do not account the prophecy of Isaiah touching Christ which the Eunuch read to be a dark and obscure prediction but we know it was clear and plain enough though the Eunuch a raw Proselyte understood not the meaning of it The Fathers proved their opinions out of the Scriptures therefore the Scriptures are more clear then the writings and Commentaries of the Fathers To every one which readeth with humility and invocation of God the Book of the Apocalipse the obscurest and hardest Book to understand of all other blessedness is promised when it cannot befal to any that understandeth nothing it is manifest that the promise of blessedness includeth a warrant of understanding of it so much as is necessary to salvation We affirm that many places in the Scripture are very obscure and that either from the obscurity of the things as in the Prophecies of future things the event must interpret them as Daniels Prophecies of the four Monarchies were in times past very dark but easier since when all things were fulfilled so the coming of Antichrist in the New Testament drew the Fathers into divers opinions so even yet there are many things obscure in the Revelation which are not accomplished So those things which are spoken of the Messiah in the Old Testament are either not understood or not fully without the New Testament Sometimes the ambiguity of words breeds a difficulty as I and the Father are one the Arians understood it of a union of will as when Christ prayed Iohn 17. that the Disciples might be one Hitherto may be referred those places which are to be understood allegorically as the Canticles the first Chapter of Ezekiel 3. Some places are obscure from the ignorance of ancient Rites and Customs as that place 1 Cor. 15. 29. of Baptizing for the dead is diversly explained by Interpreters both old and new There are six Interpretations of it in Bellarmine l. 1. de purgatorio c. 8. Viginti praeter hujus loci expositiones deprehendo saith one in a Theological disputation De baptismo veterum Ambrose saith Paul had a respect to that custom of some who baptized the living for the dead Piscator and Bucane say The custom of the ancient Church is noted here who baptized Christians at the Graves that so it might be a symbole of their belief and confession of the Resurrection of the Dead Tarnovius proves that that rite was not in use in the Apostles time Calvin interprets it of those who were baptized when they were ready to die but Beza thinks by Baptizing is understood the Rite of Washing the bodies before the Burial that ablution used upon the dead as if the Apostle should thence confirm the Resurrection of the dead q. d. that that is a cold vain and foolish Ceremony if the dead should not rise again And truly it is certain that those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being considered in themselves may as well be rendred Super mortuos as pro mortuis Andreas Hyâ—â—rius sheweth in a particular Tract what various opinions there are about this place Voetius hath written a Tract Dâ— insolubilibus Scripturae Estius and Dr Hall on the hard places of Scripture Divers reasons may be rendred why God would have many things in the Scripture obscure and difficult 1. To make us diligent both in Prayer to him to open to us the meaning of the Scriptures and likewise in Reading Meditating searching and comparing the Scriptures 2. To remove disdain from us we quickly slight those things that are easie 3. That we might more prize heavenly Truths gotten with much labor 4. To tame our arrogance and reprove our ignorance Ioh. 16. 12. 5. God would not have the holy Mysteries of his Word prostituted to Dogs and Swine therefore many a simple godly man understands more here then the great Rabbies 6. That order might be kept in the Church some to be Hearers some Teachers and Expounders by whose diligent search and travel the harder places may be opened to the people Here the Lamb may wade and the Elephant may swimme saith Gregory The Scriptures have both Milk for Babes and strong Meat for Men saith Augustine It is a note of a learned Interpreter That the benefit of knowing the Prophecies concerning the Church Christ before he was slain had it not so as he had after his death it was the purchase of the blood of Christ to have those things opened We do not therefore hold that the Scripture is every where so plain and evident that it needs no interpretation as our Adversaries do slander us and here they fight with their own shadow We confesse that the Lord in the Scriptures hath tempered hard and easie things together But this we affirm against the Papists First That all points of Faith necessary to Salvation and weighty matters pertaining to Religion are plainly set forth in the Scriptures Secondly That the Scriptures may with great profit and to good edification be read of the simple and unlearned notwithstanding the hardnesse of some places which in time also using the means they may come to the understanding of Therefore I might save that labour in answering the Arguments of our Adversaries since they are of no force against us nor indeed touch our cause proving onely that some places in the Scripture are difficult which we deny not But I shall first take off their Answers whereby they would evade the strength of our Reasons for the perspicuity of the Scripture and then refute their own Objections First When we urge divers places to prove the Scripture to be a Light the use of which is to dispell darknesse which it would not if it self were obscure Bellarmine answereth That those places are not to be understood of all the Scripture but only of the Commandments and that these also are called a Light not because they are easily understood although that be true but because being understood and known they direct a man in working 2. If it be understood of all the Scriptures they are called Light not because they are easily understood but because they illustrate the minde when they are understood But the Apostle Peter speaks not only of the Precepts of the Decalogue but of all the Scripture of the Old Testament which if it be Light much more shall the
of the course of nature and so is the Author of all things under himself under nothing and that is none but God The certain and plain predictions of future Contingents long afore whose events could by no wit of man be either gathered from their causes or conjectuced from their signs Miracles are wrought beyond and above the course of nature therefore some supreme power must work them Secondly Arguments may be drawn from the contrary to prove that there is a God Reasons From the contrary are two 1. From the being of Devils There is a Devil an Enemy to God which sets himself against God and desires and strives and prevails in many places to be worshipped as God therefore it must needs be there is a God to whom the service and honor is due of being confessed and adored as God which these do unduly affect and seek Again the Devil is a Creature for strength wisdom nimbleness able to destroy all mankinde quickly and out of his malice and fury very willing to do it Yet he cannot do it it is not done of this restraint there is some cause therefore there must be something which over-commands and over-rules him and that can be no other then a God that is something of higher Power and in Wisdom far beyond him Now there are Devils it is apparant by the horrible temptations which are cast into the hearts of men quite against and beyond their natural inclinations as Blasphemous suggestions and as appeareth by the practices of Conjurers and Witches who practise with the Devil and of those Countreys which worship him instead of God Vide Lod. Viu de Ver. Fid. Christ. l. 2. c. 16. 2. From the slightness of the Reasons brought to disprove this truth or to shew the contrary The Reasons produced to shew there is no God are fond and weak and what is opposed alone by weak and false Reasons is a truth 1. If there were a God some man should see him and sensibly converse with him This is a brutish Reason What cannot be seen is not then man hath no soul God is above sense more excellent then to be discerned by so poor weak and low a thing as sense is 2. God daily makes himself after a sort visible to men by his works 2. If there were a God he would not suffer wicked men to prosper and oppose better men then themselves nor himself to be so Blasphemed as he is Those things that to us seem most unjust and unfit if we could see the whole tenor of things from the beginning to the ending would appear just and wise Look on the whole story of Ioseph and then it is a rich peice All Divine Religion say the Atheists is nothing else but an Humane invention artifically excogâ—tated to keep men in aw and Scriptures are but the device of mans brain to give assistance to Magistrates in Civil Government This Objection strikes at the root and heart of all Religion and opposeth two main principles at once 1. That there is a God 2. That the Scripture is the word of God which though it be but a meer idle fiction yet it prevailed too much with some learned men Tullie and Seneca were the chief Patrons of that conceit Thaâ— Religion is no better then an humane invention 1. Religion is almost as ancient as man when there were but three men in the world we read that two of them offered up their sacrifices unto God 2. The Universality of Religion declareth that it is not a Humane invention but a Divine impression yea and a Divinity-Lesson of Gods own heavenly teaching Lactantius accompteth Religion to be the most proper and essential difference between a man and a Beast 3. The perpetuity of Religion proveth also that it was planted by God For the second part of the Objection about the Scriptures I answer Nothing is more repugnant to prudence and policy What policy was it in the Old Testament to appoint circumcision to cut a poor childe as soon as he comes into world two and twenty thousand Oxâ—n and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep were spent by Solomon at the dedication of one Altar To slaughter so many Oxen and Sheep such useful creatures was enough to bring a famine They were to give away the seventh part of their time to God Christ was not the Son of the Emperor Augustus to commend him to the Grandees of the world but the supposed Son of a poor Carpenter a Star leads the wise men to a stable though that shined gloriously without yet there was nothing within but what was base and contemptible Christ fell on the Pharisees the great Doctors Mat. â—3 called them fools and blinde and threatned them with hell he cryed down the Ceremonial Law the Ministry which had been practised divers hundred years the Jews were naturally tenacious of their Customs Christ chose silly unlearned men to propagate the Gospel Nothing crosseth humane wisdom more then the whole Scripture from the beginning to the end Martin Fortherby Bishop of Salisbury who wrote Atheomastix addes another reason to prove that there is a God and it is taken from the grounds of Arts There is no Art saith he neither liberal nor illiberal but it cometh from God and leadeth to God 1. From Metaphysicks he urgeth that the bounding of all natural bodies is the work of God to be unlimitted and boundless is onely the Prerogative of the Maker of all things Every finite body being thus limited must needs have those bounds prescribed unto it by some other thing and not by it self For every thing by nature seeking to inlarge it self as far as it is able if it had the setting of its own bounds it would set none at all but would be as infinite as God himself is who hath the setting of limits unto all things Who could circumscribe all things within their limits but onely God himself who is both the Maker and Ruler of all things Psal. 33. 7. Iob 38. 11. 2. From Philosophy Every thing that is must needs have a cause and nothing can be the cause of it self and among all the causes there can be but one first and principal cause which is the true cause of all the rest and of all those effects which proceed from all of them Then the first cause can be nothing else but God for what can that be which giveth being unto all things but onely God 2. All motion depends on some mover the motion of sublunaâ—y things depend on the motion of the Heavens and their motion must needs be caused by some supreme first mover Therefore we must necessarily come at last to some first mover which is moved of no other and that is God This was the common argument of Plato Aristotle and all the best Philosophers Every thing hath a peculiar end appointed whereunto it is directed by nature as the Bird to build her nest and the Fox to make
Salomon for his wisdom and praise Rom. 16. 27. 4. The order and variety of things ariseth not from nature but the Divine working 5. We should be content with the portion which God gives us that weather which he sends those troubles he brings on us since he is wisest and knows best what is fittest for us and when is the best time to help us 6. Admire that in the works of God which we understand not Gods wisdom is unsearchable and his counsel like unto the great depth 7. Be constant and diligent in reading and pondering upon the Scriptures they will make you wise to Salvation to which adde Prayer and Practice A holy close conversation walking according to the rule of the Gospel is a Christians only wisdome Ephes. 5. 15 16. Fifty times in the Proverbs a godly man is called a wise man and every wicked man a fool see Prov. 4. 7. Reasons 1. Such a conversation is most conformable to the rule of wisdom the word of God 2. All the Properties of wisdom are to be found in it 1. A great part of wisdom is to choose that which is a real good to propound the greatest good for his end Eccles. 12. 13. 2. A wise man searcheth into the bottom of things sees them inwardly many things appear good that are not so this is onely found in a holy conversation 3. Another property of wisdom is to take a right way to attain his end 4. He will loose no opportunity but pursues the chiefest good with all his might A wise mans eyes are in his head A fool hath a price in his hand but no heart to it 5. He will part with a lesser good for obtaining a greater 6. Wisdom acts men by the highest principles and is seen in a right judging and esteeming of things and persons Daniel 4. 17. puts men upon the noblest actions Prov. 15. 24. Gods Prescience or Fore-knowledge is that whereby God fore-knew all future things necessarily certainly immutably and from everlasting Neither fore-knowledge nor remembrance are properly in God all things both past and to come being present before him Although Gods prescience bring not a necessity upon events yet it is necessary for all things to happen so as God hath fore-told because God so fore-knows as he hath decreed and wil'd it shall be but his decree give existence A certain Science and Prediction of future and contingent things is that first mark by which we are taught to distinguish the true God from Idols Isa. 41. 23. Vide Voet. Thes. de Scientia Dei p. 251 252 253. So much for Gods Understanding his Will follows by which God freely immutably and efficaciously wils and approves of Good and that only both the chiefest and first viz. himself and his own glory as the end Prov. 16. 4. and Rom. 11. 36. Iohn 8. 50. and also the secondary inferiour and subordinate good viz. that of the creature as farre as it hath an Image of that chiefest good and tends as a mean to that ultimate end God wils 1. Most freely for as liberty is essential to every will so it is chiefly proper to the Divine because it is a will especially yet God wils good necessarily with a necessity of Immutability but not with a necessity of coaction for he is necessarily aud naturally Good and that which he once willed he alwayes wils immutably and yet freely 2. God wils efficaciously for no man resisteth nor can resist his Will Daniel 4. 32. Rom. 9. 19. Voluntas Dei semper impletur aut de nobis aut à Deo in nobis Augustine 1. For a faculty or power of the soul whereby we will so we say there are these faculties in the soul the understanding and the will So for that faculty of willing which is in God so it is one with Gods Essence 2. For the act of his willing called volitio so it is one also with his Essence For as he is Eternal and Immutable so is also his will 3. The Object or thing willed so Iohn 6. This is the will of my Father that is that which he willeth and hath decreed So we say It is the Princes will that is that which the Prince willeth he willeth his own glory chiefly Gods will is his Essence whereby he freely willeth good and nilleth evil or it is a faculty whereby God chooseth all and only good and refuseth all and only evil The Will of God is 1. Most holy Rom. 12. 2. Psal. 119 137. the rule of justice Lam. 3. 37 Ephes. 1. 11. Deut. 29. 29. Isa. 8. 20. 2. Eternal Rom. 9. 11. 3. Unchangeable Mal. 3. 6. Rom. 11. 1. The will of God is one and the same but it is distinguished 1. In respect of the object into voluntatem beneplaciti placiti God wils good things and good effects with the will of his good pleasure approving them first of all and by himself he intends their end and means Ephes. 1. 5. but evil and evil effects as they are evil he nils disapproves and dislikes Yet he voluntarily permits evil and as there is a good end of it he wils it with the will of his pleasure for it is good that there should be evil Psal. 81. 12. Acts 14. 16. 1 Cor. 10. 5. Divines thus distinguish there is volitio mala mali to will sin to be is not sinful it had never come into the world if God had not will'd it 2. In respect of application to the creature into 1. Absolute when God willeth and concludeth any thing concerning us without any condition in us 2. Conditional when he wils some condition being put in us so God would have all men saved on this condition if they can believe The first of these is by another name called Voluntas beneplaciti the last Voluntas signi Gods will is 1. Secret Voluntas propositi that whereby he hath absolutely and freely determined with himself what he will do permit or hinder 2. Revealed Voluntas praecepti that whereby God hath manifested what he would have believed done or left undone by his reasonable creatures Mark 3. 35. 1 Thess. 4. 3. That distinction of Gods will into beneplaciti signi differs little from this Signi is the same with revealed Beneplacitum is the decree properly so called which may be either hidden or manifest It serves first to comfort us in adversities God is a most free Agent therefore he is not bound to second causes so as he cannot help without them Psal. 115. 3. Secondly To exhort us to Sobriety in our judgement of Gods works He is a most free Agent therefore we should not rashly exact of him a reason of his deeds 2. We should labour first to know Gods will so did Eli 1 Sam. 3. 17. 2. Our wils should be pliable to the will of God All goodnesse and truth in the creature is a conformity cum Archetypo say the Schoolmen of truth to
whatsoever is amiable and gracious is so from him Gods Graciousnesse is that whereby he is truly amiable in himself and freely bountiful unto his creatures cherishing them tenderly without any defert of theirs Psal. 86. 15. and 111. 5. Gen. 43. 29. Pelagius taught that grace is given to men in respect of their merits Gratia Dei datur secundum merita nostra he said that Gods will had respect to merits foreseen for this Pelagius was condemned for an Heretique in three Synodes S â— Austin refuteth this error and referreth the matter to Gods will and purpose onely B. Carleton against Mountague Ch. 3. Vide Bellarm. de Gratia lib. arbitrio l. 6. c. 4 5 6. Iohn Scotus was the greatest Pelagian that lived in his time for it was he that brought in the doctrine of Meritum ex Congruo he teacheth that Faith Charity Repentance may be had ex puris naturalibus which some of the most learned Papists do confesse to be the true Doctrine of Pelagius Vide Bellarminum de Gratia libero arbitrio l. 6. c. 2. God is gracious to all Psal. 145. 8 9 10. but especially to such whom he doth respect in his well-beloved Son Jesus Christ Exod. 33. 19. Isa. 30. 19. Luke 1. 30. Gen. 6. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 10. Gods free favor is the cause of our salvation and of all the means tending thereunto Rom. 3. 24. and 5. 15 16. Ephes. 1. 5 6. and 2. 4. Rom. 9. 16. Titus 3. 5. Heb. 4. 16. Rom. 6. 23. 1 Cor. 12. 4 9. The gospel sets forth the freenesse fulnesse and the powerfulnesse of Gods grace to his Church therefore it is called The word of his grace Acts 14. 3. and 20. 32. The Gospel of the grace of God Acts 20. 24. Deus expandit gratiae immensum Coelum Luther Gods Graciousnesse is firm and unchangeable so that those which are once beloved can never be rejected or utterly cast off Psal. 77. 10. God bestoweth 1. Good things 2. Freely 3. Plentifully Psal. 111. 4. 4. In a special manner he is gracious toward the godly Love is 1. Grounded often on something which may deserve it the grace of God is that love of his which is altogether free 2. Grace is such a kinde of love as flows from a superiour to an inferior love may be in inferiors toward their superiors We should be also liberal in our services toward God in our prayers and good works We should desire and strive to obtain the grace and favor of God David often calleth on God to cause his face to shine upon him and to lift up the light of his countenance upon him The holy Patriarchs often desired to finde grace in the eyes of the Lord. It is better then life to him that hath it it is the most satisfying content in the world to have the soul firmly setled in the apprehension of Gods goodnesse to him in Christ. It will comfort and stablish the soul in the want of all outward things in the very hour of death 2. It is attainable Those that seek Gods face shall finde him Means of purchasing Gods favor 1. Take notice that your sins have worthily deprived you of his favour and presse these thoughts upon you till you feel your misery meditate on the Law to shew you your cursednesse 2. Consider of the gracious promises of the Gospel and see the grace of God in Christ. His grace was exceeding abundant saith the Apostle 3. Confesse and bewail your sins with a full purpose of amendment and cry to God for grace in Christ. 4. This stayes our hearts when we apprehend our own unworthinesse God is gracious and shews mercy to the undeserving the ill-deserving 2. We should acknowledge that all grace in us doth come from him the fountain of grace and should go boldly to the throne of grace and beg grace of him for our selves and others Heb. 4 16. Paul in all his Epistles saith Grace be unto you The Apostle Ephes. 1. 3. and so on speaks of Redemption Vocation Justification Glorification And all this saith he is to the praise of his glory and 12. 14. verses we should give God the praise of all He is the first cause and last end The Arminians will seem to say That all comes from grace and that faith is the grace of God but they say it is a power given to all and that God hath done alike for all onely some improve the power of reason and will better then others without any special discriminating grace from God then God is not the first cause that I believe it is the free working of God within me We should take heed of encouraging our selves in sin because God is gracious this is to turn Gods grace into wantonnesse We should frequent the Ordinances where God is graciously present and reâ—dy to bestow all his graces on us The word begets grace prayer increaseth it and the Sacraments seal it It refutes 1. The Papists which boast of their own merits By the grace of God I am that I am 1 Cor. 15. 10. Rom. 11. 6. By grace we are saved Ephes. 2. 8. They distinguish grace into that which is gratis data freely given as the work of miracles the gift of prophesying and that which is gratum faciens making us accepted as faith and love are graces making us accepted but the grace which maketh us accepted is freely given therefore they are not opposite members There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace and the gift of grace they differ as the cause and the effect as Lux in sole and Lumen in aere one is in God subjectivè the other in man objectivè 2. The Arminians the Patrons of mans free will and enemies of Gods free-grace who say that a man may so far improve naturals as to merit grace and that God gives effectually grace to the wicked which shall never be saved to Iudas as well as Paul How is that effectual which moving men unto faith and repentance doth never bring them to one nor other it seems these Remonstrants never learnt this Lesson Arminio praeceptore for he defines effectual grace to be that quâ— sortitur effectum which obtains the effect They say that a man without Gods grace may keep all the Commandments whereas Christ saith not as Augustine notes Iohn 15. 5. without me you can do little but Without me you can do nothing Never had the Church of God saith Dr. Featly in his Pelagius Redivivns 2. Parallel since the Apostle St. Paul a more valiant and resolute Champion of Grace then St. Augustine Pelagius would change himself into divers forms as is manifest by the History of him although sometimes he seems to restrain the whole operation of grace to external perswasions yet being pressed by Augustine and others both he and his disciples have often been compelled also to confesse the inward gifts of grace and the Holy
Creatures onely are the object of Predestination 2. In respect of the End Providence directs all things as well to natural as supernatural ends but Predestination onely directs reasonable Creatures to their supernatural ends The Lord hath not onely decreed in general that he will save some which believe and condemn those which continue in infidelity but he hath determined whom and how many he will bring to holinesse and life eternal for the praise of his Grace and how many he will leave to themselves and punish for sin for the praise of his Justice The ancient Fathers call that Verse Rom. 8. 30. the golden chain of our salvation The parts of Predestination are two Election and Reprobation This Doctrine of Election is profitable to be taught in the Church of God for it sets forth the profound depth of the Lords love the glory and riches of his grace and mercy ascribing the whole praise of our Vocation Justification Adoption and Glorification to the Mercy of God it holds forth the wonderful Wisdom of God Rom. 11. 33. It sets out his Power and Soveraignty Rom. 9. 20. The word Election signifieth 1. The chusing or taking of one into some office 1 Sam. 10. 24. Luke 6. 13. and 17. 12. either in the Common-weale Psal. 78. 70. or Church Iohn 6. 70. 2. The making choise of a Nation to be Gods peculiar people upon whom passing by others he will bestow his Laws Ordinances and singular pledges of his love Dâ—ut 4. 37. and 7. 7. and 10. 15. and 32. 8. Rom. 11. 5. 25. 3. It is put for the Elect themselves as Rom. 11. 7. 4. It notes Electionem salutem the eternal Decree of God separating some men to holinesse and glory for the praise of his rich grace Ephes. 1. 4. 11. 2 Tim. 1. 9. 1 Tit. 1. 2. Particularis completa electio neminem spectat nisi morientem say the Arminians 5. It is taken for the execution of Gods eternal Decree or the separation of certain men in time by effectual vocation Luke 18. 7. Col. 2. 12. Apoc. 17. 14. Election is the Decree of Gods good pleasure according to Counsel whereby he hath from eternity chosen and determined with himself to call some men to faith in Christ to justifie adopt sanctifie and give them eternal life for the praise of his incomprehensible grace and rich mercy Or it is an action of God ordaining some men out of his meer good will and pleasure to eternal life which is to be had by faith in Christ for the manifestation of his grace and mercy Or it is an unchangeable Decree of God whereby he hath out of his own Free-will in Christ appointed some Angels and men to holinesse and happinesse for the praise of the glory of his Grace 1. A Decree of God in Christ Ephes. 1. 4. and 3. 11. Christ is first elected as the Head we as the Members 2. Of certain Angels and men they are called elect Angels Iacob have I loved Moses his name was written in the book of Life Rev. 13. 20. and 8. 17. It is unchangeable Zach. 6. 1 2 4. It is to the Means as well as the End Ephes. 1. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 1 2. a Decree founded on Gods free-will Ephes. 1. 11. 1. The general nature of it it is an action of God ordaining 2. The impulsive Cause of his meer good will Ephes. 1. 6. Rom. 9. 16 18. There can be no other reason given when men have wearied themselves out in disputes but onely Gods will Even so Father because it pleaseth thee Matth. 11. God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy Gods meer free will makes us differ in naturals thou art a man and not a Toad how much rather must it make us differ in supernaturals To flie to a scientia media or a congrua motio divina or to the preparation and use of Free-will is to wander and to say any thing in man makes a difference 3. The Object of Election whether man absolutely considered or respectively as good by Creation miserable by sin Some make homo condendus man to be made the object of Election some man made but not fallen some man made and fallen But these opinions may be reconciled for those who hold homo Condendus or massa pura to be the object do extend Election further then the latter do even to comprehend in it a decree to make man and to permit him to fall but as for that actual Election and Separation Austin Calvin Beza Rivet hold it to be from the corrupted Masse and so doth B. Carleton and others of which opinion these reasons may be given 1. We are chosen that we might be holy and unblameable this supposeth that we were considered in Election as sinners Ezek. 16. 6. 9. Election is of God that sheweth mercy and we are called vessels of mercy mercy presupposeth misery 2. We are elected in Christ as our head and he is a Mediator and Saviour which presupposeth sin he came to save sinners Mat. 20. 16. the means of salvation are given to few few are holy the effect of Election Matth. 7. 13. 3. Man simply considered is the object of Predestination in respect of the preordination of the end but man corrupted if we respect the ordination of the means which tend to that end or man absolutely in respect of the supreme or last end not in respect of this or that subordinate end 4. The end of Election is two-fold 1. near and immediate eternal life 2. farther off and ultimate the glory of his Name Ephes. 1. 3 4 5 6. 5. The means to bring about these ends Christs merits apprehended by faith Consider also the adjuncts of this Decree the eternity immutability and certainty of it There is a certain and determinate number of the Elect which cannot be diminished or augmented Christ prayed to his Father that the Faith of his Elect might not faile Iohn 17. 16 20. It is impossible they should be deceived Mat. 24. 24. The Papists think that the certainty of immutable Election begets in a man carnal security and prophannesse but Peter thinks far otherwise 2 Peter 1. 10. God was not moved by any thing outwardly to choose us to eternal life but it was onely the meer will of God Some of the Papists say God did choose man to eternal life upon the foresight of his good works and his perseverance in them The Lutherans say for faith foreseen not because of any dignity in faith but for Christ apprehended by it Object If God should not predestinate for some thing in us he is an accepter of persons for all were alike Iudas was no more opposite then Peter why then should one be elected and not another Ans. 1. This makes the Doctrine of Election such a depth that God loveth Iacob and hateth Esau in the Angels some are elected and some fallen 2. To accept of persons is then when we prefer one
The Psalmist describes the creation of the earth Psal. 104 5. Who hath laid the foundation of the earth or founded the earth upon his Basis that it should not be iremoved for ever The earth is the heaviest and lowest element It is so made that it doth stand firm in its place so that neither the whole earth is moved out of its place nor yet the great parts of it This is an exceeding wonderful work of God to settle the earth so upon certain foundations that it is not shaken out of its place Take a little piece of earth not bigger then ones fist â—ay then ones eye or the apple of it hold it up in the aire let it fall it will never cease moving till it come to lye upon some solid body that it may hold up and stay the motion of it Now how is it that this whole lump of earth the whole body I say of the earth hangeth fast in the wide and open aire and doth not sway and move now hither and now thither what is it that holdeth it up so stedâ—ast in the very midst of the aire It is Gods work who hath founded it on his Basis that it cannot be moved This work is often mentioned in the Scripture Iob 26. 7. There is nothing which might hold it up and yet behold it hangeth still and quâ—et as if it had some pillar or base upon which to rest it self The Lord doth in larger words commend it to the consideration of Iob when himself comes to speak with him Iob 38. 4. 6. God there compareth himself to a builder that layes the foundation and then sets up the building by line and measure and convinceth Iob of his weaknesse that knoweth not how this earth should be set up or founded whereas the Lord himself effected this building long before Iob was David telleth of it Psal. 24. 2. as a ground of Gods right unto it and to all things that are in it for saith he He hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the flouds And Solomon mentions it Prov. 8. 29. and 30. 4. Eccles. 1. 4. This is a great work because it is both necessary and unsearchable It is necessary for it is the cause of the order of things in all the world and of their not being jumbled and confounded together If the lowest part of any building be not firm all that is built upon it will totter and tumble and come down quickly so if the earth this lowest part of the world should shake or reel and be apt to move hither and thither the things that be upon it by nature or that are built upon it by the workmanship of man could not possibly subsist or endure Rivers and Channels would be daily altered dry ground would ever and anon become Sea and Sea dry ground trees would often totter and fall or else be chan ged from place to place buildings and houses would still be falling and tumbling down off the earth did it not keep its own room nay heaven and earth would come together utter confusion would overcome the face of the earth and men beasts and all things below would come to nothing So needful it was for this great Architect to set the Corner-stone of the earth fast firm and immoveable But the cause of it is unsearchable who can finde out to the full the reason of this so necessary a work Every heavie thing we see must have something to keep it up something on which to rest it self that it may go no further but abide where it is but what doth this earth rest on How is it held so even in the very midst and sweyed neither one way nor another who can tell me a full just satisfactory reason in nature We must not think that God doth hold it up by an immediate violent supernatural or miraculous working but in a natural way by ordering the principles of nature so that they shall necessarily concur to effect this setlednesse Philosophers give this reason of it they say the simple bodies were made some of a light subtil thin and spiritual nature and their property is to ascend to go upward still so as the light still flies higher and some of a more grosse thick and heavie nature and the property of these is to move downward and still the heavier to make it self a way through the lighter and to presse toward the Center that is the middle point of the whole round of the world for it must be confessed that the world is round Wherefore seeing every part and portion of the earth presseth toward the very middle point of all it cannot be but that all must stand fast in the midst seeing each part thronging the other and leaning upon the other toward the very middle all will be quiet if the parts be even poised But now how heavie things should be made so to move toward the Center and how each part should so evenly move and a number of other questions more let them answer that are able especially seeing the earth doth not carry in it self to sense a perfect even and smooth roundnesse it is hard then to answer to the question which God propounded to Iob Upon what be the sockets of it fastned It is a work of God exceeding our capacity and must therefore quicken and call up our admiration We should blame our selves for so seldome putting our selves in minde of this great work to stir up our selves to magnifie the Author of it and make it an argument of our blessing his Name for which David speaketh of it Psal. 104. or of humbling our selves before him in acknowledgement of his power and wisdome and of our weaknesse and folly to which end it is mentioned in other places or indeed to any good purpose of informing our selves the better either of his nature or our duty Oh how brutish and blockish are we So strange and so mighty a work is done and continued in our sight here it was done before I was here and here it will remain and be continually done after I am gone hence I enjoy the benefit of it as well as any other and with all others and yet when did I take it into consideration When did I once offer it to the serious meditation of my mind When did I say to my self How doth this great ball of earth remain unmoveable in the midst of this wide and spacious Heaven Why doth it not reel or totter toward the North or South the East or West or now upward now downward What hand doth hold it up and that so stedfastly that for thousands of yeers it hath not moved surely some potent and intelligent workman hath in such a wonderful manner reared up and founded this building This is he whom we call God why do I not fasten in my self a more sure and firm notion of his being and a more lively firm and effectual acknowledgement of his excellency We are worthy of
full of doubts fears and horrours and make him grow worse and worse 3. With due care and diligent observing of our selves a godly man may much prevail to keep himself innocent from great transgressions and unspotted of the world Secondly The Saints can and will keep themselves from sin Reasons 1. Because they have received the divine nature by which they shun the pollutions that are in the world through lust by which they are made sensible of the evil of sin and framed to a loathing and hatred of sin every true Christian hath the spirit which will make him lust against the flesh The wisdom of the world is to keep themselves from misery the wisdom of Saints is to keep themselves from that which is the cause of all misery and the worst of all misery from iniquity The godly will not only be carefull to abstain from evil acts but to subdue their lusts to crucifie sin in the thoughts and desires Rom. 7 8 9. 1. The chief dominion of sin is in the heart there is the evil treasure the root 2. This is contrary to the chief part of the law the letter of the law is against the acting of sin the spirit of it is against lusting 3. This is the strongest part of sin and hardliest subdued 2 Cor. 10. 5. The way to keep our selves from sin 1. Often and earnestly call upon God to keep you by his Spirit of wisdom and strength for you are not able to keep your selves 2. Often renew and settle in your own hearts a resolution of not sinning and that upon spiritual grounds and considerations taken out of Gods word 1 Pet. 4. 11. David saith I hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee This hiding the word is a calling to minde and serious pondering the commandments threats promises exhortations examples and reasons of Gods word against sin in the generall and against such and such sins in particular and pressing them upon our selves till they have wrought in us a setled and determinate resolution I will not sin I will not do this and this evil 3. It is requisite to observe and oppose the first rising of sin in the motions and desires thereof in the thoughts of it with a sigh groan ejaculation calling to minde some text of Scripture against it and stirring some detestation of it and calling upon our selves to keep our former resolutions against it The conception of sin is by the stirring and moving of ill desires within 4. Shun the occasions of evil Gen. 39. 10. Prov. 11. 14. all those things which our selves have found in our experience to provoke and stir our corruptions and to give them advantage against us Solomon saith Look not on the wine when it is red Prov. 23. 31. Secondly Our care of avoiding sin must shew it self specially against our own sins Ezek. 18. Cast away all your transgressions by which you have transgressed Psal. 18. 23. Reasons 1. Where the danger is greater the care of preventing must be most used Every man is soonest and most easily overtaken with these sins 2. What will be a greatest proof of his truth and sincerity and so the surest foundation of his comfort that should he be most carefull to practise this will make it appear that he strives against sin because it is sin when he striveth against those evils that are most pleasing to him 3. What will most further him in the works of sanctification and amendment of life that ought he most diligently to indeavour now in prevailing against ones corruptions he shall most further the work of grace and holiness in himself kill that sin and the rest will be more easily killed 4. There we should bestow most pains in which if we do not use care we lose our labour in other things Means were prescribed before to be used against sin in generall you must apply these in particular against your particular sins Pray often against these meditate and resolve most against these observe and resist most the first rising of these shun the occasions of these first A diligent and constant care to resist a mans own corruption is a sure proof of uprightnesse and such a one shall enjoy the comfort of his sincerity in due time CHAP. XIV Of the cause of forbearing Sin of abhorring it and of small Sins THe main cause of our forbearing any sin should be the sinfulnesse of it that is because it is repugnant to Gods will and offensive to him Isa. 59. 2. So Ioseph How shall I do this great evil and sin against God Loe what did curb him from that wickednesse which in the verdict of carnall reason he had so much cause to have committed and he might have done with so much safety and assurance even this It was a sin against God Ier. 44. 4. Nehem. 13. 27. Psal. 51. 3. Psal. 97. 10. Reasons 1. This is the very proper cause of all the other evil effects of sin and herein doth the very evilnesse and vilenesse of it consist The foul nature of sin stands in this that it is offensive to God and opposite to the will of that excellent Majesty to whom all creatures ought to be subject 2. Our forbearance of sin is no otherwise a fruit and effect of love to the divine Majesty then if we forbear it on this ground and further then it ariseth from this ground it is nought worth to our comfort nor shall bring us any everlasting reward Ezra 9. 14. Eadem velle nolle ea demum firma est amicitia 3. Unlesse this thought make us flye from sin we shall never forbear it constantly nor universally because no other motive will still and every where hold We must not only avoid sin but abhorre it Psal. 97. 10. Isa. 30. 22. Rom. 12. 9. David saith I hate vain thoughts Paul mentioning divers evils saith God forbid The wicked and much more wickednesse is an abomination to the just 1 Sam. 26. 11. Rom. 6. 2. Sin is often exprest by abomination 't is so to God it should be so to men Reasons 1. Because our affections must be conformable to God's Prov. 6. 16. He hateth nothing simply but sin and sinners for sins sake 2. Sin in it self is most hatefull because most hurtfull to man and injurious to God The ground of hatred of any thing is the contrariety of it to our welfare as we hate wilde fierce and raging beasts for their mischievousnesse a toad and serpents for their poisonousnesse which is a strong enemy to life and health so we hate thieves and murderers Sin is the most mischievous and harmfull thing in the world Our hatred against sin must have these properties 1. It must be universall we must hate all sins Psal. 119. 104. Iames 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1. our own as well as others sins gainfull and profitable sins as well as others Hatred is of the whole kinde See Iob 34. 32. 2.
15 16. or to set up the dark wisdom and proud will of man as Free-will Universal Redemption the denying of Gods Decrees and Perseverance Sub laudibus naturae latent inimici gratiae Aug. 5. Beware of communion with false teachers Rom. 16. 17. Titus 3. 10. 2 epist. Iohn 10. 6. Make use of the Ministry Flattery Flattery is a speech fitted to the will and humors of others for our own advantage One may please others much and yet not flatter them when he seeks not his own advantage in it 1 Cor. 3. ult We flatter First When we ascribe to them good things which they have not Or Secondly Applaud their evils as goodnesse Or Thirdly Amplisie their good parts above their merit Or Fourthly Extenuate their evil more then is meet Isa. 5. 10. Flatterers are men that dwell at Placenza as the Italian saith Isa. 30. 10. They may well be called Caementarii Diaboli the Devils daubers Ezek. 13. 10. Dionysius the tyrant had flatterers about him who like dogs would lick up his spittle and commend it to him to be as sweet as nectar Diogenes compared flattering language to a silken halter which is soft because silken but strangling because a halter and saith As tyrants are the worst of all wild beasts so are flatterers of all tame None can be flattered by another till he first flatter himself Canutus King of England and Denmark well repressed a flatterer at Southampton who bare the King in hand that all things in the Realm were at his will and command He commanded that his chair should be set on the shore when the Sea began to flow and then in the presence of many said to the Sea as it flowed Thou art part of my dominion and the ground on which I sit is mine wherefore I charge thee that thou come not upon my Land neither that thou wet the cloathes or body of thy Lord but the Sea according to his usual course flowing did wet his feet then he said None was worthy the name of a King but he to whose command the earth and sea were subject and never after would be King Chalac in Hebrew signifies either blandus smooth or Mollis soft because the flatterer useth smooth and soft speeches or dividere to divide because in flatterers the tongue is divided from the heart See Prov. 27. 6. 29. 5. Open hostility is better then secret flattery An ungodly mans sins are acts of hostility his duties acts of flattery Psal. 78. 36. We should shut our ears to flattererâ— and rather seek to do what is commendable then to hear our own commendation Plus aliâ—â— de â—â— quam tu tibi credere noli Gluttony Gluttony is a sinne Isa. 56. 12. Amos 6. it is an immoderate delight in meats and drinks This was Dives his sinne one of the sins of Sâ—dom Fulnesse of bread and of the old world This sinne is committed five wayes Praeproperè Lautè Nimis Ardenter Studiosè Reasons 1. From the causes of it it ariseth from sensuality a brutish vice where by one metamorphoseth himself into a swine in disregarding the divine spiritual excellent supernatural good offered to his reason and by that alone to be conceived and placeth his happinesse in corporal delights and pleasures that tickle his senses Such a one that so feeds eats not to live but lives to eat and in that sense is said to serve his own belly and not the Lord. Secondly The effects of this vice are very bad 1. It hinders Mercy and Liberality to the poor Lazarus could not have the crums of the Rich mans Table either they have no heart to give or nothing to spare 2. It often overthrowes Estate He that loves Wine and Oyl shall not be rich 3. Oppresseth the heart and burieth all good Meditations and Affections for fat is alwayes senslesse 4. Draws men to the practice of Unjustice as 1 Sam. 21. 30. A Christian must take heed of all excesse in food 1 Cor. 9. 29. Reasons First A moderate Diet keeps the body healthful that we may glorifie God and have ability of strength to serve him Secondly Excesse of Diet will breed lusts and further the power of concupiscence in men Thirdly The Body is to be an Instrument of the Soule in all service to God glorifie God in Soul and Body much eating unfits and is sinfull Fourthly We must eat to the glory of God when we are hungry that hereby God may be glorified in our calling Fifthly It is Idolatry to minde the belly Phil. 3. 19. Rom. 16. 16. such belly-gods were the Monks and many of the Romans Sixthly It is a sin against the body the Apostle aggravates fornication from this consideration Seventhly It indisposeth to any spiritual duty Luke 21. 34. a full belly cannot study Impletus venter non vult studere libenter In Scripture a fat heart is as much as stupid and senslesse First Many like Iosephs master Potiphar take account of nothing but what they must eat and drink that they may be sure to fare well our feasts usually are turned meerly to an exercise of this vice Secondly All should exercise Temperance in Diet let a little content thee let the end of thy eating be strength and health not a pleasing of thy tooth the rich must inure themselves sometimes to a hard short meal that they may do more good to others Motives First Gluttony is a beastly sin yea it makes men worse then beasts for they can take delight in such things yet will not exceed Secondly It is an abuse of the creatures which are given to us for our good Thirdly Injurious to the poor CHAP. XIX Of Heresie Hypocrisie Idlenesse Impenitence Injustice Intemperance HERESIE I Dolatry was the prevailing sinne of the Old Testament and Heresie of the New It is a pertinacious defending of any thing which overthrows the Fundamentall Doctrine of faith contained in the Word of God An obstinate errour against the foundation Dr Halls Case of Consc. 5th Case It was a wilde fancy of the Weigelians That there is a time to come which they call Seculum Spiritus Sancti in which God shall by his Spirit reveal much more knowledge and light then was revealed by Christ and his Apostles in Scripture Mr Gillesp. Miscel. c. 10. The Gnosticks had their name propter excellentiam scientiae from profound knowledge and greater light They which pretended to know above all others yet were but a prophane sect as the Ancient Writers tell us The Socinians doctrine is as it were a filthy sink into which all the Heresies of former and later ages have emptied themselves They will receive no interpretation of Scripture nor article of faith unlesse it agree with reason Scriptura est norma recta ratio est judex all is ultimately resolved into reason Infaustus Socinus omnium Hareticorum audacissimus Rivet What doth Socinus think more highly of Christ then the Turks of Mahomet yea what doth he think
brought to a sense of his sin and to repentance for it Matth. 21. 31. 2. In the life to come because they have sinned against greater means and light they shall receive the greater damnation Matth. 11. 24. Many an hypocrite will 1. Constantly hear and frequent the best Ministry Isa. 58. 2. Ezek 33. 31 32. 2. Will keep a constant course in prayer and that not in ordinary prayer only but even in extraordinary too Luke 18. 12. compare Zach. 7. 5. 8. 19. together 3. Is a strict observer of the Sabbath day Luke 13. 14 15. Iohn 5. 10. 4. Loveth the sincerity of Religion and hateth Popery will-worship and idolatry with all the reliques and monuments of it Rom. 2. 22 23. 5. Goeth a great deal farther in the reformation of his life then the civil man doth 2 Pet. 2. 20. Luke 11. 42. We should labour for a spirit without guile Psal. 2. 2. That spirit is 1. An humble spirit before in and after duty 2. An honest spirit carried equally against all sin 3. A plain spirit Idlenesse Idlenesse is a vice of spending time unprofitably It is vivi hominis sepultura Salomon often condemneth sluggishnesse Prov. 6. 9 10 11. which saying he repeats again Proverbs 24. see Proverbs 20. 13. An idle man is a burden to himself a prey to Satan the devils cushion semper aliquid age ut te diabolus inveniat occupatum A grief to Gods Spirit Ephes. â— 28. 30. Bodily sloth you cannot bear and soul-sloth Christ cannot bear Matthew 25. 26. Sins accompanying idlenesse 1. Inordinate walking 2 Thess. 3. 11 12. 2. Talebearing 1 Tim. 5. 13. Prov. 11. 13. 3. Theft Ephes. 4. 28. 2 Thess. 3. 12. 4. Drunkennesse Amos 6. 1. 5. Filthinesse see 2 Sam. 11. Ezek. 16. 49. Idlenesse is the mother and nurse of lust Quaeritur Aegistus quare sit factus adulter In promptu causa est desidiosus erat Otia si tollas periere cupidinis arcus Ovid. Water standing still will putrifie and breed toads and venemous things so ease will breed diseases The punishments of idlenesse 1. Diseases Cernis at ignavum corrumpunt otia corpus 2. Dulnesse idlenesse is the rust of wit 3. Poverty Prov. 10. 4. 20. 13 19. 6. 10 11. 24. 34. 4. Shame Prov. 10. 5. 6. 6. 12. 11. It is against the order of nature which God set in all his creatures at the first the heavens stand not still but by miracle Adam laboured in Paradise much more since the fall Iob 5. 7. The rust fretteth unused iron and the mothes eat unworn garments This is the sin of great persons who â—â—ve received great mercies from God Cretians idle slow-bellies This sin is condemned 1. Exceedingly in the word by Salomon Prov. Eccles. Isaiah and by Paul and in morall Philosophy 2. It is a mother-sin as was shewed before 3. Produceth many plagues rheums obstructions and other inconveniences as hath been also shewed and exposeth one to great danger A good remedy against idlenesse is diligence in some honest calling Iacob and his sons Moses and David were shepherds 1 Sam. 12. 1 2. Let him that hath an office wait upon it This humbleth the minde profits the estate and makes a man able to do good to himself and others interests a man to the things of this life he that labours not must not eat in all labour there is abundance It fits him for religious duties if it be moderate makes the life cheerfull prevents evil fancies Impenitence Impenitence is a great sin under the Gospel Acts 8. 22. The longer one lies in any sin the more is the heart hardened Ier. 16. 1. Ephes. 4. 18 19. He which hardeneth his heart against many reproofs shall surely perish obstinate impenitent sinners shall be destroyed 1 Sam. 12. 25. Impenitence perfectly conforms one to Satan who is in malo obfirmatus and sins without remorse In malo perseverare diabolicum Reasons 1. Repentance is Gods gift therefore denying of it is Gods curse 2. Hereby the highest favour of God is despised the offering of repentance is a mercy that belongs to the second Covenant obstinacy in sinning is a denying of Gods justice and abusing his mercy 3. So long as one lives in any sin without repentance so long God looks on him as continuing in that sin his minde is not changed 4. Without repentance there is no remission Acts 5. 31. Luke 24. 47. therefore the sin against the holy Ghost is unpardonable Heb. 6. 6. because one cannot repent 5. Final impenitency is a certain evidence of ones reprobation Rom. 2. 5. Heb. 12. 17. 6. Under the Gospel there are the greatest arguments and motives to repentance Matth. 3. 2. Acts 17. 30. Christ himself sent Iohn before him to preach the doctrine of repentance and he himself did also preach it he bad men amend their lives because the Kingdom of God was at hand and his Apostles also preacht the same doctrine of repentance He is a wilfull sinner which either holds in himself a purpose that he will sin or is irresolute and not settled in a firm purpose of not sinning or that purposeth to mend but not till hereafter Injustice Injustice is a sin Every man is to have his own and to be permitted the quiet enjoyment of that wherein he hath interest They execute no judgement Salomon saith in the place of judgement there was iniquity I looked for judgement and behold oppression Isaiah Reasons 1. The excellency of the thing abused judgement is a part of Gods authority It is Gods judgement which you execute saith Iehosaphat therefore it is a foul thing to abuse a thing so sacred and of such high respect 2. The causes of it are covetousness distrust of Gods providence shaking off the fear of God and extinguishing the light of nature denying Gods Lordship over the whole world 3. The effects of it are bad 1. It defiles a mans conscience Iudas cast away the thirty pieces which he came unjustly by 2. It will ruinate his state and family A man shall not rost what he caught in hunting 3. It blemisheth the name and stains a mans reputation The Publicans were in such hatefull esteem among the Jews that they were ranked with the very harlots and most notorious sinners because they cared not what nor from whom they gat 4. Riches deceitfully gotten is vanity tossed to and fro by them which seek death a man shall be damned for unjust gain unlesse repentance and restitution come between The Apostle saith God is an avenger of all which do such things Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Intemperance It is an inordinate appetite or immoderate desire and use of meat and drink and this is when a due mean is exceeded either in the costly preparation of them for our selves or others or in the too liberall and excessive use of them so prepared Degrees of intemperance 1. More secret
against Arius who denied the Deity of Christ. The first Constantinopolitan Councel called by the Emperour Theodosius the elder against Macedonius who denied the Deity of the holy Ghost The first Ephesine Councel called by the Emperor Theodosius the younger against Nestorius who held that there were two Persons in Christ. Fourthly The Chalcedonian called by the Emperour Martian against Eutyches who held that the one Nature in Christ consisted of the Divine and Humane These Councels were celebrated within five hundred years after Christs birth Councels there have been called Ancient because lesse Modern and General because lesse Particular for the first was not till more then three hundred years after Christ nor to the largest appears it that ever any were summoned beyond the bounds of the ancient Roman Empire though Christianity were much far extended Rainold part 2. Plenariis Conciliis quorum est in Ecclesia saluberrima Authoritas Augustin epist. 118. cap. 3. That a Synod be general and lawful three things are necessarily and essentially required 1. The first which concerns the generality of it is That the Calling and Summons to the Councel be general and Oecumenical Quod omnes tangit ab omnibus approbari debet The lawfulnesse of Synods consists partly in their orderly assembling by lawful authority and partly in their orderly Government and proceedings when they are assembled Crakanth Vigil Dormit c. 19. The nature of Synods is all one when they be Provincial National or oecumenical and they only differ as greater or lesser Their power is not meerly consultatory and swasive but authoritative and to be submitted unto by those for whom their delegation is so farre as their acts are according to the Word of God In Synodo est authoritatis apex totius Ecclesiae unitas ordinis firmamentum Leyd profess de concil A few private men yea one man or woman may counsel advise or perswade M. Hudsons Vindicat. c. 7. It is a Question between us and the Papists Cujus sit congregare Concilia Who hath the power of calling a Councel The Papists generally say the Pope Vide Bellarm. de Concil lib. 1. cap. 12 13. We the Emperour and other Christian Princes The four first general Councels were called by four Emperours as was before mentioned The Pope of Rome out of his own Province hath no right nor authority of calling a Councel The true cause saith Doctor Ames why general Councels were called by the authority of the Emperour was because the Emperour alone not the Pope had universal power It is a Question between us and the Papists Quinam sunt ad concilium convocandi Who are to be called to a Councel The Papists hold only the Clergy may be of the Councel and of the Clergy only Bishops as Judges Men that are famous for wisdom holinesse of life and experience of things men that are inflamed with a zeal to God and to the salvation of men with the love of the truth and peace From Acts 15. 6. 23. it is manifest that not only the Apostles but also the Elders and the people likewise and the whole Church were present and had their voices in this Councel See Acts 16. 4. That famous Paphnutius was a Lay-man A general Councel represents the Universal therefore there ought to be present there some of all kinds and orders of men An Concilia possint errare Whether general Councels may erre Every Assembly which consists of members subject to errour may be seduced But General Councels are Assemblies consisting of members subject to errour for all men are so Rom. 3. 4. Secondly If the determination of General Councels were infallible all Christians were necessarily bound to stand unto them and to submit to their authority Thirdly If General Councels may contradict the one the other they may certainly erre The General Councel held at Laterane under Leo the tenth contradicteth the Councel of Constance in the point of the Councels superiority above the Pope Fourthly That which hath befallen some General Councels may befall any other unlesse they can alledge some special priviledges to the contrary See 1 Kin. 22. 12. Mat. 26. 65. Ioh. 11. 52. Mark 14. 64. Bellarmine saith they cannot erre if confirmed by the Pope De concil lib. 2. cap. 2 3 4 5. That General Councels though gathered and confirmed by the Pope may erre not only in fact as the Papists confesse but also in faith and manners Vide Whitaker controv 3. de Concil Quaest. 6. In eo Pontificii se praebent ridendos nam Papae confirmatio sequitur Concilii decreta non praecedit Cameron The Rhemists bring Iohn 16. 13. Luk. 1. 3. Some urge Matth. 18. 20. for this purpose None amongst them is like to Luke nay all of them gathered together are not like him he was an extraordinary instrument of the holy Ghost Iohn 16. 13. speaks not of the Church but of the Apostles but if it be applicable to the Church yet it belongs only to the Spouse of Christ not that she doth not sometimes erre also even in Doctrine but not deadly she shall not erre in things which are necessary to salvation See Cameron Miroth in loâ— If from this promise an infallibility of judging might be gathered it would agree not only to Bishops gathered together but severed neither only to the Pope of Rome as the Jesuites would have it but also to the Successours of the rest of the Apostles saith B. Davenant That place Mat. 18. 20. means any particular Assembly of the Saints Vide Calv. in loc Act. 15. 22. is also brought This Councel consisted of Apostles which had an extraordinary assistance and illumination of Gods Spirit there is not the like authority of other Councels Panormitan the great Popish Canonist and Lawyer saith Plus credendum est simplici Laico Scripturam proferenti quam toti simul Concilio There is another great controversie not so much as Whitaker hath well observed between us and the Papists as between the Papists themselves An Concilia sint supra Papam Whether Councels be above the Pope Many amongst them and those of great note prefer a General Councel before the Pope but others a Pope before the Councel If Peter himself saith Whitaker in the place before-quoted be sent to the Church as to a certain superiour judgement and tribunal and be commanded to bring the faults and offences of others to it then it follows that the Church is greater and superiour to Peter or any other in authority The Assumption saith he relies in expresse words of Scripture The consequence of the major is evident from the confession of the Adversaries For they say That a Church is represented in a Councel Secondly The Universal Church is called the mother of all the faithful and Christians Gal. 4. 26. The Pope is the Churches son if he be faithful But the son is not above his mother only God and his word is above the Church of God
the world others natural moderate in things indifferent and shunning the occasions of sinne the meditating on the death of Christ is the purest and most effectual way of mortifying sinne 1 Pet. 4. 1. Look upon Christs death not only as a pattern but cause of Mortification Iohn 3. 14. Heb. 12. 2. 1. Look upon sin as the causes of Christs sufferings Zech. 12. 10. Act. 2. 37. 2. Consider the greatnesse and dreadfulnesse of his sufferings Rom. 8. 32. 3. The fruit of his sufferings Col. 2. 15. 4. Reason must argue from the end of Christs sufferings which was Mortification as well as comfort and pardon 1 Iohn 3. 6. Ephes. 5. 27. Improve the death of Christ 1. By faith Rom. 6. 6. 7. 25. 2. By Prayer Heb. 10. 19. 5. A preparation to this duty Labour daily to finde out thy sins we are naturally very prone to entertain a good opinion of our selves and discern not many evils in us 1. Study the Law Rom. 7. I was alive without the Law but when I saw the inward motions of sinne were abominable to God I died compare thy own soul with it 2. Study thy own wayes When thou art crost how art thou troubed say Is not this anger when others reproach thee how art thou troubled say Is not this pride and self-love 3. Have an ear open to the admonition of faithful friends leave not thy heart till it plead guilty 4. Make use of Ordinances the Word read and heard Prayer the Sacrament after he had commanded them to put off the old man Colos. 3. he saith Let the Word dwell plentifully in you David begs of God to strengthen him 5. Take heed and shun all the occasions that foment and cherish thy corruptions 1. Inward thy own thoughts we cure the itch by cleansing the bloud Iob 31. 1. Why should I think on a maid 2. Outward there are two of all sins 1. Idlenesse the devils cushion 2. Evil company 6. Upon special seasons there must be the solemn exercise of fasting and humiliation because we must mortifie the inclinations of sin Iam. 4. 9. CHAP. XIII II. Of Vivification THere are two parts of a Christians duty Dying to sinne and Living to God It is called living to God Rom. 14. 8. Gal. 2. 19. to holinesse the life of righteousnesse rising to Christ. It is first Habitual when the Spirit of God infuseth such principles where by we are able to live unto God Secondly Practical Vivification is the constant endeavour of a beleever to exercise all those Graces which the Spirit of God hath planted in him The life of a thing is the acting according to the principle of it so something daily draws out the exercise of those holy Graces the Spirit of God hath wrought in him Prov. 4. 23. Practical Vivification reacheth to all things which concern Christianity but consists in two things 1. The active bent and propensenesse of the inward man to the things of Gods Kingdom 2. Strength and ability to act according to the rule The School-Divines make this spiritual bent to stand in five things 1. In oppugnatione vitiorum the same with practical Mortification 2. In contemptu terrenorum 3. In repulsione tentationum 4. In tolerantia afflictionum 5. In aggressione bonorum operum quamvis arduorum This strength comes 1. From the principle within the life of the habits 2. The Spirit of God dwels in them and stirs them up to act This new life is Christs rather then our own He is the root and author of the life of Grace Iohn 8. 12. The Gospel is the ministration of life Col. 3. 4. 1 Iohn 5. 11 12. 2 Tim. 1. 10. There is a threefold life 1. Natural or personal 2. Politick 3. Divine or Spiritual 1. The natural life flows from the Union of soul and body 2. The politick life comprehends all those things which people perform one to another by vertue of their Relations and Associations of people together by Lawes Thirdly Spiritual life which ariseth from the intercourse between God and the soul. There is a great similitude and dissimilitude between also the natural and spiritual life They agree in these things 1. Natural life supposeth some generation so doth spiritual life therefore it is called Regeneration 1 Iohn 2. 27. 2. What the soul is to the body in the natural life that is God to the soul in a spiritual life As the soul is the principle of all the actions and operations in the body so in the spiritual life Christ works all but by the man 3. So long as the soul is in the body one is an amiable creature when that is gone he is but a carkasse so so long as God is with the soul it is in good plight 4. Where there is life there is sense and feeling spiritual life is seen by the tendernesse of the heart Ephes. 4. 18 19. it is sensible of injuries done to it by sin Rom. 7. 24. or the decayes of it by Gods absence 5. Where there is life there is a nutritive appetite an instinct to preserve life 1 Pet. 2. 2. This life is nourished by the Ordinances and constant influences of the Spirit 6. Where there is life there will be growth Gods people grow more wise solid They differ thus 1. The Union between the soul and body is natural between God and the soul from free grace 2. In the natural life there is an indigence till the soul and body be joyned but there is no want on Gods part though he be not united to the soul. 3. The soul and man united make one person so do not God and the soul. 4. The natural life comes wholly from corrupt principles and it is a fading life Iam. 4. 14. but he that lives this one life once lives it for ever Ioh. 6. 5. This divine spiritual life stands in two things First We by our Apostasie are fallen off from God when God restores us to life he restores us to his favour Ephes. 2. from v. 11. to the end and so sin and the curse is removed Secondly There is wrought in the soul a sutable frame of Spirit to do the thingâ— agreeable to the will of God an inward principle of holinesse the repairing of Gods Image in us Ephes. 1. 2 ch quickned by him Christ is our life and the fountain of this spiritual life three wayes 1. He is the meritorious cause of it he hath purchased all this for us by his bloud he bare the wrath of God for us by his active and passive obedience He hath merited that all this life should be communicated to us 2. He is the efficient cause of it works all this in and to us he sends his holy Spirit into the souls of all those whom he means to save applies to them their peace and pardon and quickens them 3. As he is the exemplar rule and copy how our life should be led The preaching of the Gospel is the ministration of
another I. The rectitude of it In the state of Innocency there was little use of it while man did not offend God nothing offended him Christ was perfectly holy and yet angry at the hardnesse of mens hearts and the pollution of the Temple so man might have been angry at the sin of the devils when he knew it Then it would have been no perturbation to his spirit nor blinding of his minde II. The corruption of it Wherein observe 1. The Object this corrupt anger is conversant about and the measure of it 2. The Causes which produce it 3. The many cursed Effects it produceth in mens lives Of the first There are many Objects of anger The right object is dishonour done to Gods name sin that only displeaseth God The object of it is mistaken 1. When I am angry with God he is exempted in regard of his excellency and spotlesse holinesse Ionah was faulty this way and Salomon notes it of men who have perverted their wayes that they fret against God 2. When I am angry with my Superiours it being the passion of correcting punishing the faults of such should grieve us not anger us therefore Ionathan was not altogether blamelesse for being angry against his father Saul in the behalf of David 3. When I am angry with an innocent party where there is no fault there should be no displeasure Lastly In most cases to be angry with unreasonable or senslesse creatures which are too mean to be the objects of anger as Balaam was wroth with his Asse so to be angry with a horse for stumbling or starting unlesse when they be exorbitant from their natural goodnesse as when the Lion and Bear would worry a sheep Secondly One offends in the measure or quantity of anger when he is angry more then enough The proper end of anger is to awaken courage and set it a work to chastise evil or to resist and beat it down that the minde may not be surprized with it such a moderate stirring of this passion as doth serve thus to set the minde a work to resist and oppose a fault or evil thing is allowable but if it come to a greater heat or flame then so then it exceeds and is naught If it be more vehement where the offence is less then it is excessive There may be a fault in the defect when we are not moved a just occasion of anger being offered as in admonishing reproving or correcting Secondly The Causes which produce it Since the fall the natural humours of the body The immediate cause of it is pride and arrogancy the fruit of self-love Proud and haughty scorner is his name that deals in fierce wrath Should such a one as I be thus dealt with 2. Our low esteem of others in comparison of our selves 3. Those things which should cause us to be meek and quiet as learning wisdom any affront done to that excellency which God hath given us whereas these should cause us to be meek our weaknesse which should also make us meek puts us into passion simple and sick folks are most passionate Thirdly The cursed Effects and fruits of this passion of anger 1. It produceth a great deal of sorrow and woe in this world The angry man never wants woe who hath reproaches enemies 2. It disarms the soul of its own force and layes it open to be invaded by an enemy In patience possesse your souls Prov. 25. ult 3. Puts out the eye of our reason Ira furor brevis Eccles. 7. 9. Impedit ira animum ne possit cernere verum Ionah said to God I do well to be angry to death 4. It hurries all the other passions of the soul it s own way 5. It is destructive to one of the principal ends of mans being to humane society Prov. 22. 24. 6. It sets the tongue on fire whence comes reviling raging Moses when he was angry spake unadvisedly with his lips 7. It produceth abundance of wicked actions swearing cursing quarrelling hurting and rude carriage crying stamping staring 8. It hinders a man from any communion with God 1. From hearing Receive the ingrasfed word with meeknesse 2. Prayer 1 Tim. 2. 8. Unbelief and anger hinder our prayers 3. The Sacrament that is a feast of love 9. It quencheth all the motions of Gods Spirit and closeth with the devil he by it possesseth the very soul Ephes. 4. 26 27. Mans nature is enclined to causlesse ungrounded and excessive anger 1 Sam. 20. 30 31. Eliab was angry with David when he spake valiantly Nebuchadnezzar raged against the three children for not worshipping his golden Image and against the Wise-men of Babel for not being able to declare his dream Herod also was wroth against the Wisemen because they returned another way and brought him not word back again concerning the childe Jesus whom they came to enquire of and worship A godly man may fall into passionate fits be over-cholerick as David and Ionah Reasons why man is so prone to this unreasonable distemper 1. The abundance of those vices in every one which concur to the working of unjust anger 1. Self-love which makes one prone to anger because it is so wakeful jealous observative 2. Folly Anger rests in the bosom of fools A fool in the day of his wrath is known An angry man exalteth folly gives it a high room in his heart makes it a great ruler and commander within him now all men are in the corruption of nature fools and have that title given them by the holy Ghost 3. Pride By pride alone cometh contention saith Salomon 2. Anger is a common fault therefore Salomon saith Make no friendship with an angry man lest thou learn his wayes 3. Men make small account of it a little passion choler they say 4. The bodily temper in the farre greater number furthers it the fiery choler which is in a mans body is the instrument of this hot vice So having a soul defiled with those vices which beget anger a body consisting of such humours as will set anger on work finding many examples of it and making little account of it no wonder if a man do prove a wrathfull creature This anger is greatly disgraced in Scripture Prov. 12. 16. 14. 17 29. 21. 24. 19. 19. 22. 24. 29. 22. it is a fruit of the flesh Lastly The work of grace in sanctifying anger 1. The efficient cause of holy anger The principal cause is the Spirit of God in planting a new nature in the soul and so in this affection Morall Philosophy may go a great way in moderating anger but the Spirit of God only makes it holy 2. Sanctified reason is the immediate caller of it out and orderer of it if it be holy anger it is a grace and therefore must be called out by reason Secondly The motive or occasion of it we are angry for what we should 1. Grosse and presumptuous sins done wilfully openly as Christ was angry
with the Pharisees and Peter Sins grosse for matter presumptuous for manner and mischievous in effect not common imperfections weaknesses 2. Insolencies against the Church and Commonweal 3. For wrongs offered to us in a publick place a place of Authority as Moses Thirdly The object about which it is conversant only sinne the persons with whom we may be angry are Our Inferiours or near Equals not our eminent Superiours though they do us some wrong Eccles 8. 3. It is an affection of punishing and we may punish no others least of all must we be angry with God Prov. 19. 3. Fourthly For the quicknesse of it we must be slow to anger Eccles. 7. 9. Pro. 14. 17 29. Mat. 5. 22. not without a cause or unadvisedly Fifthly The measure of it 1. It must be alwayes temperat so much as to quicken spirits not darken reason 2. It must not exceed the proportion of the evil when God is much dishonoured it must be more as in Moses Sixthly For continuance It never must be long The Sunne must not go down upon our wrath it must not be a bed-fellow There must not be more anger then is requisite for the true and proper end of anger The corrupt end of corrupt anger is revenge But the true and proper end for which God did plant it in the heart was twofold 1. That it might serve as a means to inable the body and minde more to procure its just defence against any evil or hurt that should be offered it especially against any sinful temptation Christ was angry with the Devil when he tempted him to worship him Iacob with Rachel Gen. 30. 2. 2. To stir us up when need is to use earnestnesse for the reforming of sinne in others which have committed it so Christ was angry against them that did buy and sell in the Temple and often against the hypocritical Pharisees which made him so sharp with them oftentimes Marks of sanctified anger 1. What is the thing which stirres this passion Is it because God is dishonoured Moses his spirit was never stirred above twice in his own cause but he was impatient when the Israelites worshipped the golden Calf The zeal of Gods house consumed Christ. 2. Such a one is most of all angry with himself because he knows no man commits more injuries against that which is dear to himself Gods glory his own peace against his own wanderings failings 3. He observes that rule Be angry and sin not because it is against sin 4. Holy anger will provoke him to his duty Nehemiah was troubled when the Sabbath was prophaned 5. It doth not exceed for measure Means 1. To provoke this affection against sin 2. To bridle our inordinate passion about things for which we should not be angry Of the first Consider first how amiable a thing it is for a man to be impatient for God a great part of our holy zeal which is the edge of the soul is anger against sinne It is intensus gradus purae affectionis zeal is a composition of love and anger Secondly God himself is extreamly angry with sinne and the workers of iniquity He is jealous wrathfull he drowned all the world burned five Cities made his Sonne drink of the cup of his wrath was never angry for any thing but sinne Thirdly Rightly understand the nature of sinne what ever may call out anger meets only in sinne it is an injury against God a contempt an ingratitude against him who is the holiest wisest excellentest in heaven and earth who are they that do this base creatures worms potsherds that receive every thing which is good from him Secondly How to bridle our inordinate passions 1. Take heed of pride and overweening thy self Pro. 11. 2. 21. 24. David was much provoked at Nabal but suffered Shimei to rail at him there is nothing to be esteemed but the glory of God his favour communion with him 2. Avoid suspition love which is opposite to anger is said not to be suspicious 3. Abstain from all occasions of anger take heed of tale-bearers resist it in the beginning 4. Consider the excellency of meeknesse and long-suffering rightly understand the hand from which every injury comes real or supposed Shimei cannot curse David but God bids him he orders it 5. Look to thy own thoughts passe the thing over doe not think of it Matth. 15. 19. 6. Consider the glorious examples of Moses David Christ himself 7. Often disgrace this vice unto your selves call to minde how earnestly God hath condemned it how he hath vilified it and those that give themselves unto it Anger rests in the bosom of fools the holy Ghost bids us put away anger and wrath bitternesse crying and evil speaking he bids us Walk not with an angry man nor have fellowship with a furious man he saith An angry man aboundeth in transgression it is opposite to Love the best of vertues a very drunkennesse and disgrace thy self to thy self Reverence It is an affection by which the soul is stirred to entertain the good which appeareth to be of some worth or excellency according to its worth It must be exercised upon fit objects things and persons reverend The holy things of God his Sanctuary Sabbath Word Sacraments and other Ordinances in which men draw near unto him Levit. 26. 2. The Image of God consisting in righteousnesse and holinesse Salomon saith that wisdom shall give a comely ornament The Persons to be honoured are 1. The godly and vertuous whom we must respect for the image sake of God that is in them 2. Governours and rulers of all sorts Commandment 5th 3. The Ministers of the Gospel 4. Aged persons having a stamp of Gods eternity Reverence is properly exercised upon a person esteemed excellent and eminent in grace and vertue especially if it be also joyned with Soveraign Authority If Authority be separated from Vertue yet in well considering men it will beget Reverence for the place will be loved though not the party If Vertue be separated from Authority that will beget a great measure of Reverence in a well-judging soul. Secondly For the measure we must honour and reverence things and persons more or lesse as they are more or lesse reverend every person and thing according to its degree We must not reverence 1. Idols and false gods I mean the image of any God-head set up to worship or any conceited imaginary God To kisse the Calves a sign of Reverence was a sinne 2. Vile and base men of sinful and wicked carriage in regard of wealth wit beauty and other paintings Masters Parents Kings must be reverenced for their Authority but not for other vain things Zeal Zeal is by some defined the heat and intention of all the affections as varnish is no one colour but that which gives glosse and lustre to all Act. 26. 7. It is a holy warmth wrought by the Spirit of God whereby all the affections are drawn out unto the utmost for the
it self shall last h The Heathens called the soul of man divinae particulam aurae a parcel of the divine essence but that speech must be taken cum grano salis Civil Effects â—olitiae Leges proâ—ant menâ—em esse divinam intelligentem illas hominibus tum monstraâ—tem tum consâ—â—vantem ne Diaboli impiooum oâ—io machinationibus dissolutae corruant Deus enim est â—eus ordinis Miraculous Effects Exod. 15. 11. Psal. 72. 18. and 136. 4. Iâ—a 41. 23. A Miracle is a work of infinite strength or omnipotency surpassing the wholâ— power of created nature as to turn water into wine to multiply seven loaves to the â—eeding and satisfying of 4000 meâ— to give the use of sight to one born blinde to raise up a man indeed dead to cure a leprosie with the word Miraculum proprie dicitur quod sit praeter ordinem totius naturae creatae Aquin. part 1. Quaest. 114. Artic. 4. ibid. quaest 110. Artic. 4. The bridling of wicked spirits and men Plutarch saith some men were converted from Atheism by seeing of Ghosts and Apparitions Attende totum laudabis totum Aug. Non est judicandum de operibus Dei ante quinâ—um actum Pet. Mart. The Atheists third objection that Religion is but an humane invention It is the actual acknowledâ—ement of God which preserveth his respâ—ct in the world Gen. 3. 3. Gâ—n 3. 3. Soâ—â—â— homo sa 〈…〉 uctus est ut religionem Solus intelligat haec est hominis atque mutorum vel praecipua vel sola diâ—â—antia Lactantius de Ira Dei Mat. 15. 1â— i He spends his whole second Book about this Reason The Greeks insinuate that all Arts come from God in making Mineroa the daughter of Iupiter and to have had her generation in his Divine brain as God the Son is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Grammer Logick Rhetorick carry upon them the same name There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbum that is Grammer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ratio that is Logick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oratio and that is Rhetorick The sea is bound up in a sandy girdle All second causes depend on the first and we cannot proceed in Infinitum All the Reasons of the Natural Philosopher for this purpose may be reduced to three principal heads viz. Ex Motu ex sine ex causa efficiente arguments drawn from the motions ends and the efficient cause of Creaâ—uâ—es Bunnys Resolut part 2. Ch. 2. Quicquid movetur ab alio movetur Some derive Deus from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear because the fear of him is planted in the very natures and consciences of all reasonable Creatures others a dandâ— in English God quasi good his daily mercies and blessings shew that there is a God Acts 14. 17. The pure Atheist according to the propriety of that name is he which generally and constantly denieth all Deity and believeth as he saith The stoutest Atheist that ever lived cannot resolutely and constantly believe there is no God a Diagoras made a very eloquent Oration that there was no God but the people coming to him applauded him saying that in his oration â—e had almost perswaded them but he did iâ— so eloquently that they thought he was the god b Morneus cap. 1. de verit Relig. p. 16. Anonymus quidam qui praesente Calvino iâ— Hospiâ—io omnem Dei cultum spem melioris vitae deridens subiâ—de nefariè ingâ—minabat blasphemam Scripturae detorsionem Atheis uâ—itatam Coelum Coeli Domino terram autem dedit filiis hominum à Deo diris torminibus repâ—â—e dercussus est quo sactum ut â—â—binde magno boatu vociferaretur ô Deus ô Deus cui quidam ex hospitibus homo probut sed facctus Tune Deum invocas an Philosophiae tuae oblitus es Cur non in suo Coelo sinis Deum quiescere Et quotiâ—s ille toâ—abat ô Deus hic alter subsannans regerebat ubi nunc est illud tuum Coelum Coeli Domino Sic Calvin Comment in Psal 115. Voâ—t Theses de Atheismo part 2. c When he wanted fire he took one of Herculâ—s wooden Images and made a fire of it saying Go to Hercules thou shalt now go thorow thy thirteenth labour * Clement the seventh Psal. 14. 1. and 53. 15. So Genebrard and Muis expound that Ps. 14. of indirect Atheists who deny Gods Providence Heb. 11. 6. It is not only innatum sed etiam in animo insculptum esse Deos. Cic. l. 2. de natura Deorum No Atheists almost can be named neither in the holy Scriptures nor in Ecclesiastical Histories nor in Heathen writings which came not unto some fearfull end See Atheomastix lib. 1. c. 15. The Saints of God have still stuck to principles Psal 73. 1. and Jer. 12. 1. * Marbury on Gen. 9. 27. d So Demitian Dominus Deus noster sic fieri jubet Suetonius Edictum Domini Deique nostri Martial More Caligulae Dominum se Deumque vocarâ— coegit Aurelius Victor e Psal. 48. 14. f Isa. 40. 5 8. Quid sit Deus a â—ùm dicunt multi ex antiquis paâ—iter recentioribus Deâ—â— esse à seipâ—o hoc intelligâ—â—â—um est negâ—â—ivè ad ex cludendum principium externum ita ut Deus dicitur esse à seipso hoc est ab alio nullo habeat esse non autem positivè seu affirmativè ponâ—ndo principium internum quasi revera à se duceret originem cùm manifestum sit Deum esse absolutè initium omnino nullum habere posse vel à se vel ab alio Barlo exercit 5. b Intelligences are acts not pure acts because it may be said Potuerunt esse Job 11. 7 6. and 26. 24. * In the Epistle to my Hebrew Critica Sacra and in the Book it self Being is Gods Excellency The being of the creatures is no being compared with God Isa. 40. 17 Iudaei in legendis scribâ—ndis nominibus Dei oppidò quam superstitiosi sunt interpretantur tertium praeceptum nomen Iehovae non esse pronunciandum librum in quo integrè scriptum est nudis manibus non esse contrectandum Of those two Greek names see my Greek Critica Sacra * As Iehovah Iah Ehâ—eh Exod. 13. 19. * Vocantur Attributa quia ea sibi attribuit Deus nostrâ causâ Zanchius de Attributis l. 2. c. 11. Attributa illa Dei dicuntur vel negativa ut immensus immutabilis c. vel relativa orta ex Dei variis extra se tendentibus actionibus ut Creator salvator c vel denique absoluta positâ—va Deo extra relationem ordinem ad creaturas sem â—r convenientia qualia esse sapientem bonum c. Hoornbeeck Antisocin l. 2. c. 4. Attributum est Divinae simplicissimae essentiae pro diversa agendi ratione diversa vera habitudo conceptio nobis expressa Mr Stock of Gods Attributes * Proprietates Divinae Naturae seu Essentiae sunt
written well of Eternity Psal. 117. 2. and 146. 6. Heb. 13. 8. Precious are the serious thoughts of eternity the treasures of eternity are opened in the times of the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. Dicamus Deum immutabilem non modo mutatione substantiali quia esse vivere non modo nunquam definet qued Angelis competit animabus rationalibus sed fieri non potest ut definat Dicimus etiam ne accidentalis mutationis capacem esse quia transferretur à potentia ad actum aliquem accidentalem Twis Animadvers in Colat. Arm. cum Iun. propofit 6. Sect. 3. Vide Aquin. part 1. Quaest. 9. Artic. 1 2. Quaest. 9. Art 7. Iob. 4. 18. And his Augels he charged with folly the good Angels with possible though not actual folly * Geâ—h loc commune Martinus de Deo Wendelinus Christ Theol. l. 1. c. 1. Psal. 120. 27 28. Heb. 4. 13. Mat. 5. 18. * Cum nos paenitet destruimus quod fecimus Sic Deus paeâ—tuisse dicitur secundum similitudinem operationis in quantum hominem quem fecerat per diluvium à terrae facie delevitâ— Aquinas Quaest 19. Artic. 7. partis primae * Mutat facta non mutat consilia August Aliud est mutare voluntatem aliud velle mutationem Aquinas Quaest. 19. Art Septimo partis primae * Jer. 18. 8. and 26. 2 3. Windelinus Christ. Theol. l. 1. c. â— Consectaries from Gods Immutability 1 Sam. 15. 18 19. Adam supported himself with that one promise Gods promises are faithful and firm words What good thing the Lord hath promised what grace or priviledge as Christians any ever received or succoâ— found the same may the faithful iook for Gal. 6. 9. 2 Tim. 3. 14. 1 Cor. 15. ult Queen Elizabeths word was Semper eadem Deut. 32. 3. Nihil magnum niâ—i magnus Deuâ— Of Gods Perfection Greatness is attributed to God metaphorically and denoteth an incomprehensible and unmeasurable largeness of all excellencies * The Apostle by an Hebrew pleonasm saith the same thing twice illustring it by the contrary Reasons of Gods Perfection 1. That which is the chiefest being and Independent is most perfect 2. That which is infinite in Essence can want nothing 3. The more simple a thing is the more perfect * Psal. 7. 10. and 7. 6 8. and 137. 9. Psal. 56. 3. and 11. 1. Rom. 12. 2. Perfect in the general is that to which nothing is wanting therefore that is most perfect to which agreeth no imperfection Little works of nature and of providence have a greatness in them considered as done by God 2 Sam. 22. 31. All Gods works are perfect Gen. 1. 31. Alphonsus was wont to say If he had been of councel with God in the making of his works he should have made some of them melius ordinatius Ezek. 36. 23. Iob 38. 34 35 37. Isa. 40. 12. Elihu alledgeth Gods works to Iob to shew his greatness Iob 36. 27. 28 29. and 37. 1. to 7. Reasons why Gods works are great 1. He that worketh most universally unlimittedly supremely must work great things 2. He that works most wisely must needs do great things Psal. 104. 24. 2. He that works most mightily and powerfully must needs do great things Isa. 43. 13. 4. He that does all this most easily must needs do great things Psal. 33. 6. God is great in his Authority He is King of Kings the only Potentate God is most high The Greatness of Gods authority standeth in two things 1. The universality of it Gods authority reacheth to all things the whole world and all creatures in it are subject to his will and disposing 2. The absoluteness of it what he willeth must be done Absolute Dominion is a Power to use a thing as you please for such ends as you think good God hath a double power and authority over the Creature 1. As an absolute Lord. 2. As a Judge according to which double power he exerciseth two kindes of acts Actus Dominii and Iudicii 1. He hath an absolute soveraignty over all the Creatures and hath no rule to govern the Creature by but his own will Dan. 4. 17 32. Ephes. 1. 11. He can do the creature no wrong in any of his dispensations Four things he doth to the creatures as an act of Soveraignty 1. He gives the Creature what being he pleaseth 2. He appoints it to what end he pleaseth Rom. 9. 22. 3. He gives it what law he will here come in acts of Justice and Mercy 4. Orders all their actions by his effecting or permitting will 2. He resolves to govern these creatures Modo Connaturali suitably to their own natures He gives reasonable creatures a Law which they must know and approve and the service they perform to him must be reasonable Gods Soveraignty here below is seen in ordering 1. Natural causes which act from an instinct of nature and are carried to their end by a natural necessity 1. In acting them according to their natures for the ends he appointed them 2. In restraining their acting sometimes that fire shall not burn 3. In acting them above their natures the rock shall yield water 4. In acting them contrary to their natures fire shall descend 2. Voluntary causes acting from a principle of reason and the liberty of will Prov. 16. 11. Psal. 33. 15. Prov. 21. 1. in ordering their thoughts apprehensions counsels affections Rom. 9. 17. Rom. 9. 20. Heb. 12. 9. Consectaries from Gods greatness in his nature Corollaries of Gods perfection Deut. 18. 13. Matth. 5. 48. Psal. 18. 22. 1 Cor. 13. 10. Consectaries from Gods great works There is a twofold greatnesse in the works of God 1. In the bulk or quantity of them as the work of Creation 2. Of quality or vertue Gen. 1. 16. The Moon is a great light in regard of light and influence excellency and usefulnesse to the world See Iob 37 38 39. Consectaries from Gods being most high Mihi verò dicendum videtur Nihil extra Deum esse absolutè necessarium sed tantum ex hypothesi Attamen esse necessarium secundum quid viz. ex hypothesi reicuique fateor vel contingentissimae poterat accidere Twiss Animadvers in collat Armin. cum Iun. IndepeÌ„dentia est proprietas Dei qua quoad essentiam subsistentiam actiones à nulla aelia dependet causa cum à seipso fit subsistat agat Wendelinus John 1. 3. Act. 17. 25. Ab independentia Dei non differt sufficientia qua ipso in se à se sibi nobis sat habet nullaque re indiget cum omnia alia uti à Deo dependent ita sibi ipsâ—s minimè sufficiant Proprietatem hanc indigitat nomen Dei Schaddai Gen. 17. 1. 35. 11. Wendelinus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Il. β Rex unus est apibus dux unus in gregibus in armentis rector unus multo magis mundi unus est rector qui universa quaecunque sunt verbo jubet