and the Gospel that of his mercy 2 Cor. 3. 8. it is called his glorious Gospel Luke 2. 14. All his works set forth his glory both those of creation and preservation or providence Psalm 19. the whole creation must needs shew forth his glorious power and wisdom the sound is said to go over all the world that is All creatures must needs gather that if the Heavens be such glorious Heavens the Sun so glorious a Sun how much more must that God be a glorious God who is the author and worker of them The whole Platform of saving the Church by Christ sets forth Gods glory principally Phil. 2. 11. Luke 2. 14. glory to God in the highest In some works the excellency of Gods power in others the excellency of his wisdom patience but in this all the Attributes of God shine out in their utmost perfection 1. His wisdom that all the three persons of the Trinity should joyn in one work to one end wherein mercy power grace justice patience all meet together 2. Power in upholding Christ to undergo the weight of Gods vindictive Justice 3. Free-grace to do all this without any motive in the world but himself nothing was foreseen in them and some rather then others were saved 4. His revenging Justice and Wrath here were manifested as much as they be in Hell it self 5. His Holinesse he can have no communion with those that are unclean 6. His Majesty none may be admitted to speak or come nigh to him but in the mediation of Christ. The Gospel is The glorious Gospel of the blessed God 1 Tim. 1. 11. that is The glory of all the Attributes of God doth appear in the Gospel more brightly then in all the works which God hath made Mr. Burrh God is glorious in all his works upon the hearts of believers he puts a glory upon them so that in this sense he is effectually glorious Ephes. 5. a glorious Church and Psalm 43. The Kings daughter is all glorious within this glory is grace when God makes one holy heavenly minded meek zealous hereafter we shall have glorious bodies and souls God made all things for his glory for of him and to him are all things Rom. 11. All the unreasonable creatures are for Gods glory 1. In that they are serviceable to man for herein God is glorified in that they can accomplish those ends for which they were made and that is for man Gen. 1. the Sun and Stars are for him as well as creeping things These creatures are for a twofold use 1. To give him habitation and to be means of his corporeal life 2. To be continual quickners of him to praise Gods glorious power and wisdom God is said Acts 4. not to leave himself without witnesse the reasonable creatures are made chiefly for his glory because they know and love him That God is Glorious appears 1. God hath made many of his creatures glorious Dan. 10. 8. so there is one glory of the Sun another of the Moon the King clad with gorgeous attire and being arrayed with the Ensigns of his Soveraignity is glorious so Solomon 2. This glory shall continue for ever because God hath it from himself and deriveed it not from another He is a perfect being independent all things are under him the inferior cannot work without the Superior There is a double glory in things 1. Inherent in themselves which is partly visible as that of the Sun partly intelligible an excellency in a thing which affects the understanding 2. From without given by others so there is a kinde of glory and excellency in some precious stones which affect a man with a kidde of wondering so in an Angel a great shining as in that which appeared to Zachary so in the vision that Paul saw and when God appeared to Moses There is an inward glory standing in being worthy of highest esteem and an outward glory standing in being highly accounted of God is worthy to be esteemed above all and is so by the Saints The chiefest and highest cause of any benefit shewed to us is not our selves but the name of God even his glory and the clear declaration of his own excellencies Ezek. 20. 9. 14. 22. Psalm 25. 1. Ezek. 36. 22. Reas. 1. The thing which induced God to make all things must needs be the cause of all other benefits bestowed after the creation now he made all things for himself and his own name for neither had they any being nor could they have any before and therefore could not be any moving cause to their own creation therefore neither of any other thing 2. All creatures are nothing and lesse then nothing in comparison of God therefore he could not by them be moved to work any thing but doth it for his own names sake Things mean and trifling are not fit to be the highest end of an excellent work God is most high and glorious and all creatures are lesse then nothing before him therefore himself must be moved by himself not by them chiefly to do any thing for them for as God hath no efficient material or formal cause at all but is to himself instead of all these because he is of himself so neither can he have any final cause but himself for if he have any other end then himself that is his own glory he were some way dependent upon some other thing which is impossible If it be objected How is it said then that God doth this or that for Abraham Isaac and Iacobs sake as often Moses presseth him in his prayers The Answer is he looks upon them still in subordination to his own name so that they are motives but in reference to his name and no otherwise He glorifieth himself and aimeth at his own glory in keeping covenant and promise with them Gods glory is the end of predestination both reprobation Prov. 16. 1. and election Ephes. 1. 5 6. of the creation and administration of all things Rom. 11. 36. of all benefits obtained in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. and should be of all our actions 1 Cor. 10. 35. Quest. Whether the infinite glory which God hath as God be communicated to Christs humane nature Answ. That being a creature cannot have that glory which is due to the Creator It is true Christ is infinitely to be glorified because he is God and man but not therefore his humane nature Our Divines distinguish between a glory meerly divine and a Mediators glory which is next to Divine far above all creatures Object Christ prayed for the glory which he had before the beginning Answ. Christ had it in decree and predestination and that was not Gods essential glory which is a property for he requires he may have it now which could not be if he had it from eternity We glorifie God not by putting any excellency into him but by taking notice of his excellency and esteeming him accordingly and making manifest this our high esteem of him There
and so are many able Protestant Divines Rivet in Gen. 28. Exercit. 125. and in his Iesuita vapulans Capel in Thes. Theol. Salmur Mr Cartw. against the Rhemists on Heb. 7. 4. and in his necessity of Discipline Mr Dod. Bishop Carleton Dr Prideaux Dr Sclater and Mr. Whateley were for the affirmative The Question saith Mr. Mede on Act. 5. 3 4 5. should not be Whether Tithes are due to the Ministers of the Gospel meaning as a duty of the people unto them but rather Whether they be not due unto God for so is the style of the Scripture All the tithes are mine these I give to Levi and not you There are many other uses for the imploiment of Bona Sacra if they be more then is competent for them and theirs Of Preaching It is in a setled state of things the publick interpretation and application of Scripture by a Minister assigned to the Office to a Congregation assembled for that purpose Or it may be defined A sound explicating of Gods Word with application of it in the way of Power and Office by him who is thereunto called 1. An Explication of Gods Word Nehem. 8. 8. The Levites when they read the Law of God or gave the distinct sense and meaning of the words So must the Minister he is commanded to divide the Word aright See Luke 24. 27 32. 2. Sound or right Explication for there is a depraving of the Scripture 3. With Application Reprove Rebuke Exhort with all long-suffering and Doctrine See 1 Cor. 14. 3. 2 Tim. 4. 2. 4. By Office and Power in him that is called So the general duty which lies on every Christian may be distinguished from the peculiar Office â—â— a Minister private Christians are to teach and admonish one another there is an Exhortation Charitative and Potestative which belongs to him that is called One saith It is an Ordinance of Christ whereby persons have received Gifts from Heaven and are separated to that Office to make known the will of God for the perfecting of the Saints The efficient cause is 1. Supream and principal Jesus Christ. 2. Instrumental persons which have received Gifts from heaven are called and set a part to the Ministery Secondly The material cause of it the Doctrine of Salvation Thirdly The formal making it known and applying it Fourthly The final for the perfecting of the Saints By the Word preached 1. Light shines in unto men Psal. 19. 7. to the end 2. It helps the Saints to mortifie their corruption Psal. 119. 9. 3. By it we conquer the devil Ephes. 6. 4. We overcome the World Iohn 5. It inableth us to perform the duties of our relations Col. 3. 16. to bear all crosses Rom. 5. 4. 6. Fils us with consolation and keep us from being Apostates The word is interpreted aright by declaring 1. The order 2. The Summe or Scope 3. The Sense of the words which is done by framing a Rhetorical and Logical Analysis of the Text. Preaching consists of these Ingredients 1. Right Understanding 2. True dividing 3. Faithful interpreting 4. Zealous uttering 5. Powerfull applying It is not I suppose simply necessary one should take a set Text. Christ when he executed the Office of a Minister here on earth and taught the people sometimes interpreted a place which he took out of the Scripture as Luâ— 4. 17. out of Isaiah sometime without any set Text he spoke those things which were most apt for the edifying of the Church For the most part Christ preached sitting as Matth. 5. 1. Matth. 26. 55. Luk. 4. 16. Iohn 8. 2. so did others who came to great place and dignity in the Church ordinarily preach sitting too and therefore their Churches were called Cathedral because they preached sitting in chairs The Apostles were wont more often to stand as is manifest from Act. 13. and other places Christ sate to shew his great and eminent authority The Apostles stood to shew their respect to Gods people Raynold de lib. Apoc. Whether private persons not in office may preach If they have a Calling either it is Ordinary or Extraordinary if ordinary then they are not only gifted but tried and separated to it That men though gifted without being called to the Ministery and by Ordination set apart for it should take upon them the Office or ordinary exercise of preaching seems repugnant to those Scriptures Rom. 10. 15. Heb. 5. 4. 1 Tim. 5. 22. Christ therefore frequently urgeth this That he was sent from his Father Punishments have been inflicted on those that have medled beyond their Call as Uzziah Three places are alledged for Lay-mens preaching Rom. 12. 6. 1 Cor. 14. 31. Act. 8. 14. for their venting their experiences as they call it For the first place he means those that are by Office Prophets and Ministers or Deacons they must preach not those that have abilities only for then it will follow those that have ability may baptize and rule too The word Gift is used in Scripture for the Office it self or gifted calling Ephes. 4. 8 11. Two things are required to a calling Gifts and Authority Iohn 20. 21 22. For 1 Cor. 14. some think Paul speaks in that place not of ordinary preaching but of prophesying by the Spirit that is by Revelation Mr Cotton tels us these were not ordinary private men but such as had extraordinary Gifts the Gift of Tongues and the like liberty of preaching is not allowed them that want the like Gifts See 1 Cor. 12. 28 29 30. That place Act. 8. may receive answer from my Annotations on Acts. 11. 20. a like place Some learned Divines though they hold none may enter into the Ministery without a peculiar Call yet do say that a private man sufficiently gifted if he have the approbation of the Church may teach publickly they build it on that place 1 Cor. 14. where when the beleevers did meet together they are allowed to prophesie Mr Lyford in his Apology for our publick Ministery and Infant-Baptism Conclus 2. pag. 27 28. proves by three Reasons that the prophesying 1 Cor. 14. was extraordinary and not a standing ordinary Gift in the Church and others are of his judgement as Mr. Norton in his answer to Apolloâ—ius Chap. 11. and vers 30. of this Chapter proves as much The Scriptures lay down these Rules First No man must preach except he be sent take any office upon him unlesse he be approved a Gospel-order is to be preserved the Deacon the meanest order is to be approved A man is not to call himself nor to be a Judge of his own sufficiency Secondly People are admonished to take heed what they hear Mark 4. 24. and whom they hear 2 John 10 11. Thirdly Some will undertake to be teachers though they be never so ignorant of the things they teach 1 Tim. 1. 7. Fourthly Under this pretence false Prophets go forth into the world to corrupt the truths of God and poison the
it cannot be The Angels have an efficient cause and end and they do as much stand indebted to God for their being and continuance as the poorest worm and would no more have been without God nor continue to be then the silliest Gnat but God is altogether Independent of himself by himself for himself he hath no causes but is to himself in stead of all causes He is what he is without any help from any other thing as himself shews in his Name I am that I am There are many things which have a beginning from some other thing there must be something therefore that is of it self or else we should wander infinitely a self-essence and subsistence Gods being is neither ab alio ex alio per aliud nor propter aliud We should acknowledge God to be a Necessary and Independent Essence 3. God is wholly one Deut. 6. 4. Gal. 3. 20. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Hos. 13. 4. Mal. 2. 10. All creatures are subject to multiplication there may be many of them and are many many Angels Men Stars and so in the rest Not one of them is singular and only one so but one might conceive that there should be more for he that made one of them can make another and another and as many as he pleaseth but God is simply one singular and sole Essence there neither is nor can be more then one God because he is the first and best Essence and there can be but one first and one best He is Infinite and there can be but one Infinite because either one of them should include the other and so the included must needs be finite or not extend to the other and so it self not be Infinite There was a first man and a first in every kinde of creature but not any Absolute first save God one Eternal and one Incomprehensible saith Athanasius in his Creed There can be but one chief Good which we desire for it self and all other things for it say the moral Philosophers and this must needs be God for no infinite Good can be conceived but He. Some places of Scripture simply deny other gods and others exclude all but this one God Though there be gods many and Lords many that is that are so called and reputed by men who deceive themselves in their own imaginations yet to us in the Church there is but one God Zech. 14. 9. after Christ shall come the Gentiles with the Jews shall all worship one and the same true God That which is perfect in the highest degree can be but one because that one must contain all Perfections that which is omnipotent can be but one if one can do all things what need is there of many gods if there were more gods then one we might and ought to do service to more then one to acknowledge them praise and love them and be at least in minde ready to obey them If they should command us any thing we might lawfully seek to them for what we need and give thanks to them for what we received But the Lord professeth himself to be a jealous God and cannot endure any Copartner in worship The Romans refused Christ because they would have had their gods with him and he would be worshipped alone without them He is one God Not numerically as one is a beginning of number for that is a quantity but transcendently as Ens and unum are counted only one solely and alone God there cannot be two Infinites in Essence for then one should not have all the other hath in it God is Infinite for of his Greatnesse there is no end Secondly Others would be imperfect or superfluous he being Infinite and Perfect Thirdly From his Absolute Lordship and Dominion over all He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords My God said Luther to the Pope will make your God know that you are too weak for him If there were two Gods there would be a strife between them as between Caesar and Pompey who should be the greater and chiefest of all God may be said in a special manner to be one two several wayes 1. For the Purity and Simplicity of his substance which is not compounded with any thing else For that is most truly and properly one which is nothing but it self and hath no other thing mixed with it God is so pure and simple an Essence that he is not compounded so much as of parts 2. From his Singularity because there are no more Gods but one God is not only One but he is also the only One. He is such a one as hath no Copartners in worship Both which Titles are expresly ascribed unto God in the Scriptures Both that he is One and that he is the only One. God is not only Unus but also Uniâ—us or to use St Bernards word Unissimus If that word may be used he is of all things the Onest Socrates and Plato in their definition of God ascribe to him Unity with particular respect unto his singularity Pythagoras his advice to his Scholars was to search the Unity There is a threefold Unity First of Persons in one Nature so there is one God Deut. 6. 4. The second of Natures in one Person so there is one Christ 1 Cor. 8. 6. Thirdly of sundry Natures and Persons in one quality so there is one Church Cant. 6. 8. The Socinians reject these three Unions because they so far transcend reason and they receive not those things which their reason cannot comprehend The more we content our selves with God only the happier we are he is the only infinite Riches Wisdom Goodnesse how happy are they that have him in quo omnia spend all thy pains in getting him 2. If he be your enemy there is none else to rescue you he is God and there is none else he will destroy and none shall be able to deliver out of his hands 3. It shews the wickednesse of those which set up other gods besides the true God The Epicure makes his belly and the covetous man Gold his god Some worship stocks and stones this is a great dishonour to him the Papists worship the Crosse Invocate Saints and Angels make a god of the Pope The Heathens were guilty of Polytheism they worshipped many gods they had their Dii majorum and Minorum gentium Hesiod reckons up thirty thousand gods They had their Dii mortui Idols Mortales men and Mortiferi lusts The Romans had their Capitol full of gods yet the Geese preserved it whom Augustine thus derides Dii dormiebant anseres vigilabant The Manichees said there were two gods The Tritheites that there were three The Heathens multiplied gods because men cannot be happy without Associaâ—â—s they thought God could not see Isa. 55. 8 9. This is the very first of all Gods Commandments Thou shalt have no other gods before me If there were more for us not to acknowledge adore and honour them were a
above others The Doctrine of Creation is a mixt principle partly discovered by nature and chiefly in the word Consider it 1. Ex parte rei so the thing it self was known to the Heathens 2. Ex parte modi faith onely teacheth what it is the manner and circumstances of the Creation how and wherefore the world was made was wholly unknown to them because these things are not matters of sense but depend on the limitation of Gods will nor matters of reason but depend on the exuberancy of his power The same individual assent to the same truth may be both Cognitio Scientiae and Cognitio Fidei By Faith we know that the worlds were made and assent to it And by demonstrations it may be proved that the world was made and these also are sufficient to perswade assent Now we from both grounds jointly assent to this proposition that the world was made The which Assent in respect of the Ground propter evidentiam rei is an assent of Science or natural knowledge In regard of the other Ground propter anthoritatem dicentis is an assent of Faith or supernatural knowledge Mr. Wallis Truth tried ch 8. Secondly and probably the light of nature shining in these reasons 1. The original of Nations laid down by Moses Gen. 10. and elsewhere which could not be fained by him since some memory of them was then extant among many which yet in progresse of time was extinguished 2. The beginning of Arts the first inventers whereof are known and in what time they flourished for it is not probable that so many ages before mankinde lived without Arts and that in these last times they were all both invented and perfected 3. The newnesse of all Heathenish Histories the ancientest of which tell of nothing before Noah's flood or the beginning of the Assyrian Empire under Ninus The holy History it self is only of 4000 yeers or thereabout which neverthelesse is the greatest mouument of antiquity Now it would be a most unworthy reproach and contumely cast upon all those men who had lived so many infinite ages ago to say they were so ignorant that they could not or so slothful that they would not deliver in writing what was done in their times 4. The decay of mans body and age which from a great strength quantity bignesse and time of life is now come down to a narrow scantling which if had decreased so alwaies in infinite ages it would by this time have been brought almost to nothing 5. The certain series and order of causes and impossibility of their proceeding in infinitum for it must needs be that there should be one first which is the universal cause but first it is not unlesse it be One nor One except it be God 6. As a thing is so it works but God doth not depend upon another in his being therefore neither in working doth he require a pre-existent matter 7. Art presupposeth nature and nature matter but God in working is a more excellent cause then art or nature therefore presupposeth nothing in working 8. The first cause viz. God is infinite therefore he can do whatsoever implyeth not a contradiction but the Creation of things in time implieth it not 9. Whatsoever perisheth hath a beginning the world doth perish because all its parts decay and are subject to corruption therefore the whole The Angles and souls of men are changeable by nature as appears by the fall of the Devil and mans fall 10. Either the world was eternal or had a beginning It could not be eternal 1. Because it is compounded of divers parts and those in nature contrary one to another which could not meet together in that order themselves therefore it was made by some-what and then either by it self which could not be for that which makes is before that which is made and the same thing cannot be before it self or else it was made by some creature which could not be because that is but a part of the whole and therefore meaner then it considered as whole and not able to make it 2. The world could not be eternal because it is limited in respect of place quantity power therefore it is not infinite in time That which is eternal is the first thing and consequently the best therefore God is only so having no parts nor being subject to corruption By these reasons it is evinced that the world is not eternal but was created by the chief work-man of all things in time But concerning the time of the yeer when the world was made whether in Summer Autumn or the Spring we will not raise any curious and unprofitable questions See Sarsans Chronologia vapulans page 123. Let it suffice to know that it was created by God in the beginning Gen. 1. 1. that is in the beginning of time or rather together with time then in time for the instant and moment of Creation was the beginning of all following but not the end of precedent time Hitherto concerning the efficient cause there followeth the matter of Creation Of the first and immediate Creation there was no matter at all the Divine power drew out nature it self not out of any Pre-existent matter but out of meer nothing Materiam noli quaerere nulla fuit Nothing but nothing had the Lord Almighty Whereof wherewith whereby to build this City Thus were created all incorporeal and immaterial Substances the Angels the reasonable soul and the highest Heaven as some say for those things which are void of matter cannot be framed out of matter 2. The mediate Creation is when a thing is brought forth of a praeexistent matter yet so rude and indisposed that it may be accounted for nothing so Adams body was created of the dust or slime of the Earth Gen. 2. 7. Beasts and birds out of the Earth Gen. 1. 19. which God did meerly of his good pleasure no necessity compelling him nor the matter he took any way helping him in working it was nothing privatively as they call it Divines observe four things in Gods Creation 1. His Command whereby he said Let there be light and there was light Gods words are things 2. His Approbation whereby all things are acknowledged as good God saâ— they were good They were so in respect of their own kinde and nature 2. In respect of the universe that is apt for the end for which they were made free from all defect and deformity God made all the creatures to be serviceable one to another especially to man 1 Tim. 4. 4. I cannot tell by what Logick we call a Toad a Bear or an Elephant ugly they being created in those outward shapes and figures which best expresse those actions of their inward forms And having past that general visitation of God who saw that all that he had made was good that is conformable to his will which abhors deformity and is the rule of order and beauty D. Browns
rains nor merchandize doth need Nilus doth all her wealth and plenty breed The Romans accounted it their Granary Lastly The greatnesse of the works which must meet together for making and distributing of ram doth magnifie the work The Sunne by his heat draws up moist steams and breath from the earth and water these ascending to the middle region of the Air which is some what colder then the lower are again thickned and turn into water and so drop down by their own heavinesse by drops not all together as it were by cowls full partly from the height of place from which they fall which causeth the water to disperse it self into drops and partly because it is by little and little not all at once thickned and turned into water and so descends by little portions as it is thickned So the Sun and other Stars the earth the water windes and all the frame of Nature are put to great toil and pains as it were to make ready these Clouds for from the ends of the earth are the waters drawn which make our showrs God is the first efficient cause of rain Gen. 2. 5. It is said there God had not caused it to rain Iob 5. 10. Ier. 14. 22. Zech. 10. 1. 2 The material cause of it is a vapour ascending out of the earth 3. The formal by the force of the cold the vapours are condenâ—ed into clouds in the middle region of the Air. 4. The end of rain to water the earth Gen. 2. 6. which generation and use of rain David hath elegantly explained Psal. 147 8. The cause of the Rain bow is the light or beams of the Sun in a hollow and dewy cloud of a different proportion right opposite to the Sun-beams by the reflection of which beams and the divers mixture of the light and the shade there is expressed as it were in a glasse the admirable Rain-bow We should be humbled for our unthankfulnesse and want of making due use of this mercy the want of it would make us mutter yet we praise not God nor serve him the better when we have it Ier. 14. 22. intimating without Gods omnipotency working in and by them they cannot do it If God actuate not the course of Nature nothing is done by it let us have therefore our hearts and eyes fixed on him when we behold rain sometime it mizleth gently descending sometimes fals with greater drops sometime with violence this ariseth from the greater or lesse quantity of the vapour and more or lesse heat or cold of the Air that thickneth or melteth or from the greater or smaller distance of the cloud from the earth or from the greater purity or grosnesse of the Air by reason of other concurring accidents either we feel the benefit or the want of rain likely once every moneth Let not a thing so admirable passe by us without heeding to be made better by it Want of moisture from above must produce praying confessing turning 1 King 8. 35 36. The colours that appear in the Rain-bow are principally three 1. The Cerulean or watery colour which notes they say the destroying of the world by water 2. The grassie or green colour which shews that God doth preserve the world for the present 3. The yellow or fiery colour shewing the world shall be destroyed with fire Dew consists of a cold moist vapour which the Sunne draweth into the Air from whence when it is somewhat thickned through cold of â—he night and also of the place whether the Sunne exhaled it it falleth down in very small and indiscernable drops to the great refreshment of the Earth It falleth only morning and evening Hath the rain a Father or who hath begotten the drops of Dew Out of whose womb came the rain and the hoary frost of Heaven who hath genared it saith God to Iob Chap. 38. 28 29. A frost is dew congealed by overmuch cold It differs from the dew because the frost is made in a cold time and place the dew in a temperate time both of them are made when the weather is calm and not windy and generated in the lowest region of the Air. Hail and ice is the same thing viz. water bound with cold they differ only in figure viz. that the hail-stones are orbicular begotten of the little drops of rain falling but â—ce is made of water continued whether it be congealed in rivers or sea or fountains or pools or any vessels whatsoever and retains the figure of the water congealed Though Ice be not Crystal yet some say Crystal is from Ice when Ice is hardned into the nature of a stone it becomes Crystal more degrees of coldnesse hardness and clearness give Ice the denomination of Crystal and the name Crystal imports so much that is water by cold contracted into Ice Plinie in his natural History saith The birth of it is from Ice vehemently frozen But Dr Brown in his Enquiries into Vulgar Errors doubts of it The windes are also a great work of God he made and he ruleth the windes They come not by chance but by a particular power of God causing them to be and to be thus he brings them out of his treasures he caused the windes to serve him in Egypt to bring Frogs and after Locusts and then to remove the Locusts again He caused the winds to divide the red Sea that Israel might passe He made the winds to bring quails and the winds are said to have wings for their swiftness the nature of them is very abstruse The efficient causes of them are the Sun and Stars by their heat drawing up the thinnest and driest fumes or exhalations which by the cold of the middle region being beaten back again do slide obliquely with great violence through the air this way or that way The effects of it are wonderful they sometimes carry rain hither and thither they make frost and they thaw they are sometimes exceeding violent and a man that sees their working can hardly satisfie himself in that which Philosophers speak about their causes The winde bloweth where it listeth we hear its sound but know not whence it cometh nor whether it goeth It is a thing which far surpasseth our understanding to conceive fully the causes of it They blow most ordinarily at the Spring and fall for there is not so much winde in Winter because the earth is bound with cold and so the vapour the matter of the winde cannot ascend nor in Summer because vapours are then raised up by the Sun and it consumes them with his great heat These windes alter the weather some of them bringing rain some drinesse some frost and snow which are all necessary there is also an universal commodity which riseth by the only moving of the air which air if not continually stirred would soon putrifie and infect all that breath upon the earth It serves to condemn our own blindnesse that cannot see God
compleatly righteous 2 Cor. 5. 21. Our sinne was in Christ not inherently but by way of imputation therefore his righteousnesse is so in us See Act. 13. 38 39. Phil. 3. 9. The Papists acknowledge all to be by grace as well as we but when we come to the particular explication there is a vast difference they mean grace inherent in us and we grace without us that is the love and favour of God Arguments against them 1. That grace by which we are justified is called the love of God Rom. 5. 8. not love active whereby we love God but love passive that is that whereby we are loved of him Rom. 9 15. All our salvation is ascribed to the mercy of God which is not something in us but we are the objects of it Titus 3 4. Those words imply some acts of God to us which we are only the objects of To be justified or saved by the grace of God is no more then to be saved by the love the mercy the philanthropy of God all which do evidently note that it is not any thing in us but all in God 2. Grace cannot be explained to be a gracious habit or work because it is opposed to these Rom. 11. 4. Titus 3. 5. Ephes. 2. 8. by grace is as much as not by works not of our selves 3. It appears by the condition we are described to be in when justified which is set down Rom. 4. a not imputing sin a justifying the ungodly the Apostle there instanceth in Abraham who had so much inward grace in him yet was considered in Justification as unholy and he was justified in this that God imputed not to him the imperfections he was guilty of For the imputation of Christs righteousnesse there is justitia mediatoris that is imputed not justitia mediatoria as they say in Logick Natura generis communicatur non natura generica The righteousnesse by which the just are justified before God is justitia legis though not legalis Isa. 53. He bore our sins in his body on the tree He was made sin for us See Rom. 3. 25. To speak properly the will or grace of God is the efficient cause of Justification the material is Christs righteousnesse the formal is the imputing of this righteousnesse unto us and the final is the praise and glory of God so that there is no formal cause to be sought for in us Some say but falsly the righteousnesse by which we are formally justified before God is not the righteousnesse of Christ but of faith that being accepted in the righteousnesse of the Law Fides tincta sanguine Christi Whether inherent justice be actual or habitual Bishop Davenant cap. 3. de habituali justitia saith a certain habitual or inherent justice is infused into all that are justified Iohn 1. 13. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 6. 15. 1 Cor. 6. 11 19. 2 Pet. 1. 4. All those that are justified do supernatural works Ergò It is certain that they are endued with supernatural grace and holinesse We are said to be righteous from this inherent justice we are said to be just and that by God himself Gen. 6. 9. Heb. 11. 4. Luk 1. 61. 2. 25. 1 Pet. 4. 18. Bellarmine lib. 5. de Iustificatione cap. 7. prop. 3. saith Propter incertitudineâ—â— propriae justitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam in sola Dei misericordia benignitate reponere By which saying he overthrows all his former Dispute about inherent righteousnesse Whether we be justified by the passive obedience of Christ alone or also by his active In this Controversie many learned Divines of our own differ among themselves and it doth not seem to be of that importance that some others are about Justification We are justified in part by Christs active obedience for by it we obtain the imputation of that perfect righteousnesse which giveth us title to the Kingdom of Heaven Seeing it was not possible for us to enter into life till we had kept the Commandments of God Mat. 19. 17. and we were not able to keep them our selves it was necessary our Surety should keep them for us Dan. 9. 24. Rom. 10. 4. Rom. 3. 21. The Scripture seemeth to ascribe our Redemption wholly to Christs bodily death and the bloud that he shed for us Eph. 1. 7. Rev. 5. 9. but in these places the holy Ghost useth a Synecdoche it putteth one part of Christs passion for the whole 1. Because the shedding of his bloud was a sensible sign and evidence that he died for us 2. This declared him to be the true propitiatory Sacrifice that was figured by all the Sacrifices under the Law Some urge this Argument By Christs active Obedience imputed to them the faithful be made perfectly righteous what need is there then of his passive righteousnesse need there any more then to be made righteous Christ fulfilled the duty of the Law and did undergo the penalty that last was a satisfaction for the trespasse which was as it were the forfeiture and the fulfilling the Law was the principal Psal. 40. 4. Ior. 31. 3. Gal. 4. 4. Some to avoid Christs active Obedience question Whether Christ as man was not bound to fulfill the Law for himself All creatures are subject to Gods authority Yet this detracts not from his active Obedience partly from his own free condescension and partly because his whole person God and man obeyed CHAP. VII Of the Parts and Termes of Iustification Remission of sins and Imputation of Christs Righteousnesse JUstification is used so largely in the Scripture as to comprehend under it Remission of sins but if we will speak accurately there is a difference between Remission of sin and the justification of the sinner The justification of a sinner properly and strictly is the cleansing and purging of a sinner from the guilt of his sins by the gift and imputation of the righteousnesse of his Surety Jesus Christ for which his sins are pardoned and the sinner freed from the punishment of sinne and received into the favour of God Remission or forgivenesse of sins may be thus described It is a blessing of God upon his Church procured by the death and passion of Christ whereby God esteems of sinne as no sinne or as not committed Or thus It is an act of grace acquitting the sinner from the guilt and whole punishment of sin Every subject of Christs Kingdom hath his sins pardoned Isa. 33. ult This is one of the priviledges of the Church in the Apostles Creed Acts 2. 38 39. and all his sins totally pardoned Exod. 34. 6 7. Micah 7. 18 19. This is a great priviledge Psal. 32. 1. Exod. 31. 34. It is no where to be had but in the Church because it is purchased by Christs bloud and is a fruit of Gods eternal love Remission of sins is the principal part of Redemption Col. 1. 14. Ephes. 1. 7. one of the chief things
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
Epithete The holy Scriptures Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15. The Scriptures of the Prophets Rom. 16. 26. Some think that Enoch the seventh from Adam wrote but Iude 14. speaketh only of his prophesying which might rather be by word of mouth then writing because our Saviour citing Scripture ever gives the first place to Moses and undertaking by the Scriptures to prove himself to be the Messiah that he ought to suffeâ— began at Moses Luke 24. 27. No doubt if there had been any more ancient then Moses our Saviour would have alledged it because all the Scripture that was before him was to give testimony of him The Author of the Scriptures was God himself they came from him in a special and peculiar manner commonly called inspiration which is an act of Gods Spirit immediately imprinting or infusing those notions into their brains and those phrases and words by which the notions were uttered 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by Divine inspiration or by inspiration of God Prophecy came not of old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved or carried by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. They did not write these things of their own heads but the Spirit of God did move and work them to it and in it 2 Sam. 23. 2. The spirit of the Lord spake by me that is did immediately guide me and tell me what matter to utter and in what words Stephen saith they resisted the Holy Ghost when they did disobey the Scriptures The Holy Ghost by the mouth of David and the mouth of Isaiah spake Acts 1. 16. 4. 25. 28. 25. The Inscriptions of many Prophetical Books and Epistles Apostolical run thus The word of the Lord which come to Hosea Amos Ioel Paul Peter Iames a servant of God and an Apostle of Christ. The Proeme that is set before divers Prophecies is this Thus saith the Lord and the Prophets inculcate that speech The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it because they would take off the thoughts of the people from their own persons and lift them up to consideration of God the chief Author It is all one to say The Scripture saith Rom. 4. 3. 10. 11. 11. 2. Gal. 4. 30. 1 Tim. 5. 10. and God saith Rom. 9. 25. Heb. 4. 3. 8. 5. 13. 5. and the word Scripture is put for God speaking in the Scripture The Scripture saith to Pharaâ—h Rom. 9. 7. and The Scripture hath shut up all men under sin Galat. 3. 22. for which in another place God hath shut up Rom. 11. 32. All other disciplines were from God and every truth whosoever speaks it is from the Holy Ghost but the Scripture in a singular manner is attributed to the Holy Ghost he immediately dictated it to the Holy men of God The efficient principall cause then of the Scripture was God the ten Commandments of which most of the rest is an exposition were written after a secret and unutterable manner by God himself therefore they are called the writings of God Exod. 32. 16. Secondly all the rest which was written though men were the instruments was done by his appointment and assistance Exod. 17. 14. â—sai 8. 1. Ier. 30 2. The Scripture is often attributed to the Holy Ghost as the Author and no mention is made of the Pen-men Heb. 10. 15. The Prophets and Apostles were the Pen-men of the Scripture whose Calling Sending and Inspiration was certainly Divine for whatsoever they taught the Church of God or left in writing they learned not before in the Schools 1 Cor. 2. 13. The Divine Authority of the Word may be defined a certain dignity and excellency of the Scripture above all other sayings or writings whatsoever whereby it is perfectly true in word and sense it deserves credit in all sayings narrations of things past present and to come threatnings and promises and as superiour doth binde to obedience if it either forbid or command any thing 1 Tim. 1. 15. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Iohn 5. 39. Heb. 6. 18. Rom. 1. 5. 2 Cor. 10. 5 6. 13. 3. 12. 12. Gal. 1. 1 12 13. though the things in mans judgement seem unlike or incredible or the Commandments hard and foolish to the carnal minde Hereticks have laboured to prove their corrupt and damnable opinions out of the Scripture and have received some books if not all as Divine The Turks at this day so esteem the five books of Moses as they will kisse such patches of Paper as they finde having any part thereof written in the same Aristaeus an Heathen when he had determined to have disputed against Scripture confesseth that he was forbidden by God in a dream Plato is termed Moses Atticus Moses speaking Greek The holy Scripture in it self is Divine and Authentical though no man in the world should so acknowledge it as the Sun in it self were light though all the men in the world were blinde and could not or would not see it but in respect of us it is Divine and Authentical when it is acknowledged and esteemed so to be The Scripture is the word of God written by holy men as they were inspired by the holy Ghost divinely containing all Divine Truth necessary to salvation for the edification and instruction of Gods Church thereunto and for the glory of God The holy Scriptures are that Divine Instrument and means by which we are taught to believe what we ought touching God and our selves and all creatures and how to please God in all things unto eternal life Robins Essayes 8th Observ. Divines have given almost fourty several Arguments to prove the Scriptures to be the word of God That the Scriptures were from God may appear by several Reasons 1. Intrinsecal taken out of the Scriptures themselves 2. Extrinsecal acts of God and works of providence about them 1. Intrinsecal 1. From the excellency of their matter which is heavenly the divine and supernatural matter contained in it It telleth us of such things as do far exceed the reach of mans reason and which it was impossible for any man to counterfeit and feign and which being told are so correspondent to reason that no man can see just cause to call them into question as the Doctrine of Creation of all things in six dayes the Doctrine of the fall of our first Parents the Story of the Delivering Israel out of Aegypt of the Delivering of the Law and ten Commandments the Doctrine of the incarnation of Christ Jesus of the Resurrection of the dead of the last Judgement of the life to come and of the Immortality of the soul for though this last was taught also by Philosophers yet it is so doubtfully and unperfectly handled by them in comparison of the delivering thereof in Scripture that it is apparent it was another Spirit which guided the teachers of it here then they were guided withall What Angel
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
rule in the Old Testament to the Law and the Testimony in the New they confirmed all things by the Old it directs in every case 2. To all persons this is able to make a Minister yea a Councel a Church wise to salvation to reform a yong man whose lusts aâ—e unbridled Psal. 119. 9. to order a King Deut. 17. 29 30. Object Faith was before the Scripture therefore the Scripture is not the rule of Faith Answ. The word of God is twofold 1. Revealed that preceded faith 2. Written that did not Though it be a rule yet first it doth not exclude other Ministerial helps as Prayer Preaching the knowledge of the Tongues and the Ministery of the Church these are means to use the rule and subordinate to it we need no more rules Therefore it is a vain and absurd question of the Papists Let a man be lockt up in a study with a Bible what good will he get by it if he cannot read 2. There must be reason and judgement to make use of it and apply it Iudge What I say saith Paul 1 Cor. 10. 15. The Scripture should rule our hearts thoughts and inward cogitations our words and actions we should pray hear receive the Sacrament according to the directions of it buy sell cloathe our selves and carry our selves toward all as that bids us 2 Sam. 22. 23. the people of God wrote after this copy followed this rule Psal. 119. 5 59 111. because they desired in all which they did to please God now God is pleased when his own will is done and to glorifie him in their lives and therefore they framed themselves according to his statutes We cannot better express an high esteem of God and his excellencies then by following him in all things Every one esteems that person most excellent to whom he gives up himself most to be ruled and ordered The Scripture is necessary In respect of the substance thereof it was always necessary in respect of the manner of revealing it is necessary since the time that it pleased God after that manner to deliver his word and shall be to the worlds end It is not then absolutely and simply necessary that the word of God should be delivered to uâ— in writing but onely conditionally and upon supposition God for a long time for the space of 2400 years unto the time of Moses did instruct his Church with an immediate living voyce and had he pleased still to go on in that way there had been no necessity of Scripture now more then in that age there was a continual presence of God with them but now there is a perpetual absence in that way and the word of God was written 1. For the brevity of mans life See the 5 the 11 Chapters of Genesis The Patriarchs were long lived before and after the flood to the times of Moses they lived some centuries of years therefore afterward the purity of the word could not fitly be preserved without writing By writing we have the comfort of the holy word of God which from writing receiveth his denomination in being called Scripture which is nothing else but Writing 2. That the Church might have a certain and true rule and Canon whereby it might judge of all questions doubts and controversies of Religion Luke 1. 4. Every mans opinion else would have been a Bible and every mans lust a Law 3. That the faith of men in Christ which was to come might the better be confirmed when they should see that written before their eyes which was done by the Mâ—ssias and see all things that were foretold of him verified in the event 4. That the purity of Gods worship might be preserved from corruption and the truth propagated among all Nations 5. To take off excuses from men that they did not know Rom. 10. 18. Civil Laws are written and published that offenders may be inexcusable The Pen-men had a command from God 1. A publike and outward command as Ieremie 30. 2. and 36. 2. Moses Exod. 17. 14. and 34. 17. and Iohn was commanded twelve times in the Revelation to write Rev. 1. 11. and 2. 1. 8. 12 18. and 3. Ch. 1. 7. and 14. and 14. 13. and 19. v. 9. 21. 5. 2. an inward command by private inspiration and instinct 2 Pet 1. 21. 5. The Scripture is Pure and Holy it commands all good and forbids reproves and condemns all sin and filthiness it restrains not onely from evil words and actions but thoughts glances Those are frequent adjuncts of the word of â—od holy pure and clean Psal. 12. 6. and 18. 31. and 119. 40. Prov. 30. 5. It is pure in its narrations it speaks purely of things evil and unclean It is termed holy Rom. 1. 2. and 2 Tim. 3. 15. 1. From its efficient principal cause God who is the holy of holies holiness it self Isa. 6. 3. Dan. 9. 24 he is the author and inditer of it Luke 1. 67. 2. In regard of the instrumental cause the Pen-men of it were holy men 2 Pet 1. 21. Prophets and Apostles 3. From its matter the holy will of God Acts 20. 27. the Scripture contains holy and Divine Mysteries holy precepts of life holy promises Psal. 105. 42. holy Histories 4. From its end or effect the holy Ghost by the reading and meditation of the Scripture sanctifieth us Iohn 17. 17. it sanctifieth likewise all the creatures to our use so as we may use them with a good conscience 1 Tim. 4. 5. From the purity of it the Scripture is compared to a glass Iames 1. 23. to fire Ier. 23. 29. to light Psal. 119. 105. The reason of it is because God himself is pure most pure Psal. 92. ult Hab. 1. 13. It is pure 1. Subjectively in it self there is no mixture of falshood or error no corruption or unsoundness at all in it Psal. 12. 6. Prov. 8. 6 7 8. 2. Effectively so as to make others pure Iohn 15 3. It begets grace Iames 1. 18. 1 Pet. 1. 23. and preserves and increaseth it Acts 20. 32. Ephes. 4. 11 12. The assertory part is pure what it affirms to be is and what it denies to be is not Psal. 19. 7. and 93. 5. Iames 1. 18. 2. What it promiseth shall be performed and what it threatneth shall be executed Numb 23. 19. 1 Sam. â— 30. Zach 1. 6. 3 What it commandeth is good and what it forbiddeth is evil Deut. 4. 8. Psal. 119. 108. and 19. 8 9. Rom. 7. 12. In other Books some truth is taught some good commmended some kinde or part of happiness promised But in the inspired Oracles of God all truth is taught all goodness commanded all happiness promised nay we may invert the words with Hugo de sancto victore and say Quicquid ibi docetur est veritas quicquid prâ—cipitur bonitas quicquid promitâ—itur felicitas All that is there taught is truth all that is there commanded is goodnesse all that is
there promised is happinesse It is a wonderful thing that all the particulars which the Canticles contain being taken from marriage are handled so sincerely that no blemish or spot can be found therein Therefore the Scriptures should be preached read and heard with holy affections and should be reverently mentioned The Jews in their Synagogues will not touch the Bible with unwashed hands they kiss it as often as they open and shut it they sit not on that seat where it is laid and if it fall on the ground they fast for a whole day The Turk writes upon the outside of his Alcorar Let no man touch this Book but he that is pure I would none might meddle with ours Alcoran signifieth but the Scripture you need not be afraid of the word but such as indeed are what other men do but think themselves 6. The Scripture is Perfect The perfection of the Scripture is considered two ways 1. In respect of the matter or the Books in which the holy doctrine was written all which as many as are useful to our salvation have been kept inviolable in the Church so that out of them one most perfect and absolute Canon of faith and life was made and this may be called the integrity of the Scripture 2. In respect of the form viz. Of the sense or meaning of these Canonical Books or of Divine truth comprehended in them which Books contain most fully and perfectly the whole truâ—h necessary and sufficient for the salvation of the Elect and therefore the Scriptures are to be esteemed a sole adequate total and perfect measure and rule both of faith and manners and this is the sufficiency of the Scriptures which is attributed to it in a twofold respect 1. Absolutely in it self and that in a threefold consideration 1. Of the principle for every principle whether of a thing or of knowledge ought to be perfect since demonstration and true conclusions are not deduced from that which is imperfect therefore it is necessary that the holy Scripture being the first onely immediate principle of all true doctrine should be most perfect 2. Of the subject for it hath all Essential parts matter and form and integral Law and Gospel and is wholly perfect Both 1. Absolutely because for the substance it either expresly or Analogically contains the doctrine concerning faith and manners which is communicable and profitable for us to know which may be proved also by induction that all necessary opinions of faith or precepts of life are to be found in the holy Scâ—ipture 2. Relatively because as it hath a perfection of the whole so of the parts in the whole that perfection is called essential this quantitative For all the Books are sufficient with an essential perfection although integrally they have not a sufficiency of the whole but onely their own yet so that at distinct times every part sufficed for their times but all the parts in the whole are but sufficient for us 3. In its effect and operation it makes men perfect 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. Rom. 15. 4. Iohn 2. ult 5. 39. 2. As opposed to unwritten Traditions all which it excludes by its sufficiency but we do not understand by Traditions generally a Doctrine delivered in Word and Writing but specially all Doctrine not written by Prophets or Apostles whether Dogmatical Historical or Ceremonial for a perfect reason of the primary opinions belonging to Faith and Manners is delivered in Scripture and those things which are out of beside or against the Scripture do not binde the Conscience 2. Historical the Sayings and Deeds of Christ and the Apostles are perfectly contained in the Scriptures as many as suffice us for our salvation Iohn 20. 30 31. Those things which are delivered out of Scripture are to be esteemed mans writings 3. Ceremonial or secondary opinions concerning Ecclesiastical Rites and Customs are for Essentials Substantials and Fundamentals generally contained in the word of God the accidentals accessaries and circumstantials are free and mutable If Traditions agree with the Scripture they are confirmed by it if they oppose it they are disproved by it The perfection of the Scriptures is not First Infinite and unlimitted That is an incommunicable property of God every thing which is from another as the efficient cause is thereby limitted both for the nature and qualities thereof Secondly we do not understand such a perfection as containeth all and singular such things as at any time have been by Divine inspiration revealed to holy men and by them delivered to the Church of what sort soever they were for all the Sermons of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles are not set down in so many words as they used in the speaking of them for of twelve Apostles seven wrote nothing which yet preached and did many things neither are all the deeds of Christ and his Apostles written for that is contradicted Iohn 20. 30 31. and 21. 25. but we mean onely a Relative perfection which for some certain ends sake agreeth to the Scripture as to an instrument according to which it perfectly comprehendeth all things which have been are or shall be necessary for the salvation of the Church Thirdly The several Books of Scripture are indeed perfect for their own particular ends purposes and uses for which they were intended of the Lord but yet not any one Book is sufficient to the common end the whole Scripture is compleat in all the parts thereof one speaking of that which another doth wholly pass over in silence one clearly delivering what was intricâ—te in another Paul speaks much of Justification and Predestination in the Epistle to the Romans nothing of the Eucharist or Resurrection Fourthly Since God did reveal his will in writing those writings which by divine hand and providence were extant in the Church were so sufficient for the Church in that age that it needed not Tradition neither was it lawful for any humane wight to adde thereto or take therefrom but when God did reveal more unto it the former onely was not then sufficient without the latter Fifthly The holy Scripture doth sufficiently contain and deliver all doctrines which are necessary for us to eternal salvation both in respect of faith and good works and most of these it delivereth to us expresly and in so many words and the rest by good and necessary consequence The Baptism of Infants and the consubstantiality of the Father and of the Son are not in those words expressed in Scripture yet is the truth of both clearly taught in Scripture and by evident proof may thence be deduced That Article of Christs descent into Hell totidem verbis is not in the Scripture yet it may be deduced thence Acts. 2 27. Some Papists hold That we must not use the principles of Reason or Consequences in Divinity and require that what we prove be exprest in so many words in scripture These are opposed by Vedelius in
thus to conclude and determine Rom. 8. The Spirit witnesseth with our Spirit Those that finde this in themselves should feed upon this eternal comfort it is absolute eternal immutable nothing shall oppose it who shall lay any thing to the Elect It is full of love and grace We may make our election sure by our calling Rom. 8. 29 30. and our effectual calling by two things 1. By a new light 2. A new life 2 Cor. 4. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Iohn 12. 36. Ephes. 5. 8. We have a new knowledge wrought in us of our selves we see our misery by sin and our inability to help our selves Rom. 2. 23. 2. Of God God in Jesus Christ is discovered to us 2 Pet. 1. 3. We see our need of Christ and know him to be a mediatour who must reconcile God and us 3. A new life is wrought in us Ephes. 2. 1. We now die to sin and live to God 1. By faith Rev. 17. 4. These three are put together faithful chosen and called 2. By new obedience 1. It is every mans duty to give diligence to make his election sure both for the glory of God and the comfort of his soul but in Gods way and according to his Ordinance first Calling then Election 2. When he hath used his utmost diligence if he cannot make it sure it is his misery not his sin 3. When the Spirit of God reveals to a man either the truth of his own graces or else Gods eternall love to him then a man is bound to beleeve it It is 1. A certain assurance 2. Secret Rev. 2. 17. 3. Exceeding sweet rejoyce in that your names are written in the Book of life 4. It is an imperfect assurance the assurance of faith not of sight it may be eclipsed CHAP. II. 2. The Execution of Gods Deeree GOD executes his Decree by Actions Creation and Providence Gods works are in time 1. Past Creation of all things 2. Present Government and preservation Creation is taken 1. Strictly when God makes any Creature of nothing meerly of nothing not as if nothing were the matter but the terme so the souls of men and Angels are created of nothing 2. Largely when of some prejacent matter but very unfit and indisposed a creature is made as Adam of the earth Creation is the action of God whereby out of nothing he brought forth nature it self and all things in nature both substances and accidents in and with the substances and finished them in the space of six daies both to his own glory and the salvation of the Elect. Or It is an action whereby God the Father by his word and holy Spirit made all things exceeding good for the glory of his Name Or thus Creation is a transient or external action of God whereby in the beginning He made the world by a meer command out of his own free will in six dayes space to the glory of his Name 1. An action not a motion or change motion argueth some succession but in the things created the fieri factum esse is all one nor is it a change because that supposeth some alteration in the Agent 2. Transient it passeth from the Agent to the thing created whereas in immanent actions as Gods will decrees and personal actions they abide in himself 3. Of God The efficient cause of all things is God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Creation is the proper work of God alone so that he is God which created the world and he created the world who is God Ier. 10. 11. It is without controversie that the work of creation agrees to God the Father the same is expresly given to the Son Iohn 1. 3. Col. 1. 16. and to the Holy Ghost also Psal. 33. 6. He brooded on the waters Gen. 1. 1 2. Aquinas parte prima Qu. 44. Artic. 1. hath this question Utrum sit necessarium omne ens esse creatum a Deo The Schoolmen much dispute whether God may not give a creating power to a creature and answer no creature can be so elevated as to concur to the execution of an almighty act In Scripture it is alwaies made the work of God Gen. 1. 1. Prov. 16. 4. Psal. 33. 6. 8 9. Creation is an act of omnipotency The Apostles when they dealt with the Heathens urged the works of creation Acts 14. 10. 7. 26. Rom. 1. 19 20. 4. In the beginning by the Scripture it is a matter of faith to hold that the world was not from all eternity in the beginning notes not that there was time first and then God created the world for time is a creature and concreated but it denotes order that is at first 5. The world that is the Heaven and Earth and all things contained in them Act. 4. 4. and 17. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that well ordered decent beautiful and comely frame of heaven and earth 6. By his meer command as appears Gen. 1. Let there be light let there be heavens which argues his omnipotency 7. Out of his own free will for God did not need the world and therefore he created it no sooner He was happy enough in himself without men or Angels Psal. 115. 5. Prov. 8. 30. 8. The final cause to the glory of his Name Rom. 2. 30. Three Attributes especially manifest themselves in this work of Creation Gods power wisdome goodnesse his power in that he made all things by a word and of nothing Isa. 40. 16. his wisdome is seen in the order and variety of his works Psal. 136. 5. and their exceeding wonderful and particular uses his goodnesse in that he would communicate being to the creatures Plutarch writeth that the old Philosophers the ancientest Divines amongst the Pagans were wont to describe pourtrayed out in stone wood and other matters the Images of their Gods with musical Instruments in their hands not that they would teach others or did beleeve it themselves that the Gods were Fidlers or Pipers or used to solace themselves with Lute or Viol but because they held nothing more fit or answering to the nature of God then to do all things in sweet harmony and proportion which the Wiseman calleth in number in measure and in weight Mountague against Seld. c. 1. The work of Creation say some is set out generally in a general proposition In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth Which proposition He after explains by its parts That the world was not from eternity but was made by God these arguments may perswade First and principally Faith Heb. 11. 3. which is grounded upon divers places of Scripture as the first and second chapters of Genesis 38 39 chapters of Iob and some Psalms almost whole as 104 136. this also is the first Article of our Creed that the world was created in time by God The Apostle Paul Acts 14. 15. 17. 24. 28 doth point out God to the Heathen by this work
Religio Medici 3. Ordination and Appointment whereby he assigned unto all creatures their use Ier. 52. 15. He made nothing in vain 4. A Sanction of a Law and Decree which the creatures must alwayes observe called a Covenant with day and night Hitherto of the efficient cause and the matter there followeth the form of Creation which may be considered either in respect of God or in respect of the things created 1. The manner of Creation in respect of God is this He did not create the world by a necessity of nature but according to the Eternal and Immutable yet most free decree of his will 2. By his word and beck alone without any change weariness or toil he made and established all things The form of Creation in respect of the things created is two-fold 1. Internal viz. the very force and power of nature imprinted by God both in all things in a common manner and respect and in the several kinds according to the particular essence and condition of every thing by which they are made powerful to proper or common operations 2. The external form is two-fold partly a suddain and momentary production of all things partly a most beautiful disposing and excellent order of all things produced both in themselves and among one another Gen. 1. 3. There is order 1. In making them In simple things as the Elements God began with those that are most perfect the light or fire the purest creature Psal. 104. 2. and then went on to the lesse perfect in mixt bodies he began with things more imperfect First made things that have being and no life then plants after beasts and men 2. In disposing all things in their proper places for the beauty and service of the whole the beasts in the earth the fishes more in number and greater in bulk in the Sea The world hath its name in Greek from beauty God could have created them all at once but he made them in the space of six dayes that he might shew 1. His power in producing whatsoever effects he would without their general causes while he enlightened the world made the earth fruitful and brought plants out of it before the Sun and Moon were created 2. His goodnesse and liberality while he provides for his creatures not yet made and brings the living creatures into the earth filled with plants and nourishment men into a world abundantly furnished with all things for necessity and delight 3. That we might thereby more easily conceive that the world was not made confusedly or by chance but orderly and by counsel and might not perfunctorily but diligently consider the works of Creation How should we deliberate in our actions which are subject to imperfection since it pleased God not out of need to take leisure So much for the form of Creation there remains in the last place the End which is two-fold 1. The last and chiefest the glory of God the Creator in manifesting his Goodnes Power and Wisdom which excellencies of God shining forth in the existence order and wonderful workmanship of all creatures and in the wise Government and administration of them God would have acknowledged and praised by reasonable creatures Psal. 19. 1. 10. 24. Prov. 16. 5. Isa. 40. 26. Rom. 1. 20 36. 2. The next End for the work it self that all things should serve man and be useful to him especially to further the salvation of the Elect Gen. 1. 20. Psal. 8. 4 5 6. 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. It serves to confute sundry errors 1. The Arians which said the world was made by Christ as the instrument and secondary cause that place Rom. 11. 36. doth not prove an inequality of persons 2. The Manichees which held two beginnings contrary to themselves God the author of good things and the Devil the author of evil this is blasphemy against God and is contrary to what Moses saith Gen. 1. 31. 3. Aristotle that held the world was eternal as Ludov. Viv. de veritate Fidei Christ. l. 1. c. 10. saith though some say he did not Democritus who held that the world was made by a casual concourse of Atomes and that there were infinite worlds when the Scripture speaketh but of one God sent his Sonne into the world not worlds See the Discovery of the World in the Moon Proposit. 2. Mr Rosse opposeth those Atomes Refutat of Dr Browns Vulgar Errors c. 17. Ubi sunt aut unde ista corpuscula cur illa nemo praeter unum Leucippum somniavit à quo Democritus eruditus haereditatem stultitiae reliquit Epicuro Lactant. Divin Instit. l. 3. de falsa sapientia p. 190. Vide plura ibid. 191. Galen who having read the fifth Chapter of Genesis said That Moses said much but proved little 2. It condemns 1. Those which set their affections on the creature If there be beauty in that what is in the Creator 2. Those that abuse the creatures by cruelty or pretended Lordship 3. Those which mock at the parts of any man if born lame or deformed this is to despise the Workman to murmur at the Potter 3. It shews that God hath first chief absolute and perpetual Soveraignty over all his creatures so that he can use command and do with them as in equity seems good to his henvenly wisdom 4. When we'behold the Heavens the Earth Air and Sea how they are filled what use and commodities they have we should contemplate God in these things we see with our eyes 2. We should learn what a one God is 1. Eternal He that made Heaven and Earth is ancienter then both 2. Almighty Great works cannot be brought to passe without great strength he must needs be infinite in power which made Heaven and Earth and hangs the Earth as a Ball without any pillar to support it 3. Most Wise strength separated from wisdom is little worth God knows all things the nature of the Heavens Earth Water perfectly because he put such a Nature into them Tell your selves that God is a wise understanding Essence can order all to the best 4. Exceeding Good He hath infused goodness into the Heavens Waters Earth they are helpful and serviceable to man how much more goodness is there in God! He is good and doth good Psal. 119. 5. See his Love in making man best of the creatures here below we should honour God in our mindes account him the chiefest and onely good and his favour the chiefest felicity bring our wils to long after him to desire him above all other things chusing him as our happinesse loving him and desiring to enjoy him fully Learn to fear him above all not daring to offend him Acts 4. 24. and obey and please him what more agreeable to reason then that the Maker of all should be Ruler of all We are more his then a childe his Parents a servant his Masters We should also acknowledge that he made us Psal. 100.
of aire as winds 3. Watery which retain the nature of the water as snow and rain 4. Earthly which being begot of earthly vapours are also digged out of the Earth as metals stones The efficient cause is God according to that of the Psalmist haile snow ice winde and storm do his will The remote matter of the Meteors are Elements the next matter are exhalations which are two-fold fumus vapor smoak is of a middle nature between earth and fire vapour between water and aire If it come from the earth or some sandy place it is fumus a fume or kinde of smoak if it come from the water or some watery place it is a vapour Vapours or exhalations are fumes raised from the water and earth by the heavenly bodies into one of the three Regions of the aire whence divers impressions are formed according to the quality and quantity of the exhalations Thunder is a sound heard out of a thick or close compacted Cloud which sound is procured by reason of hot and dry exhalations shut within the cloud which seeking to get out with great violence rend the cloud from whence proceeds the tumbling noise which we call Thunder The earth sends out partly by its own innate heat and partly by the external heat and attraction of the Sun certain hot and dry steams which the Philosopher cals exhalations and these going up in some abundance are at last enclosed within some thick cloud consisting of cold and moist vapours which finding themselves straightned do with violence seek a vent and break through the sides or low part of the cloud There is first a great conflict and combate there of the contrary qualities a great rumbling and tumbling and striving of the exhalations within the cloud until it break forth into a loud and fearful crack Then the exhalation by its heat incensed in the strife proves all on a slame as it comes in the aire and that is Lightning Lastly the exhalation falling down upon the earth is so violent that sometimes it breaks trees sometimes it singeth and burneth what it meets with it kils mâ—n and living creatures and in the most abundance of it there is a Thunder-bolt begotten through exceeding great heat hardning the earthly parts of it God hath power over the Thunder He commands it rules it orders it for time place manner of working and all circumstances the Thunder in Egypt at the delivering of the Law proves this Therefore in the Scripture it is called the voyce of God and the fearfulnesse and terriblenesse thereof is made an argument of the exceeding greatnesse of God that can at his pleasure destroy his enemies even by the chiding of his voyce in Egypt he smote them with haile lightning thunder and with stormy tempest At the delivering of the Law mighty thunder-claps made way to the Lords appearance and were his harbingers to tell of his coming and prepare the hearts of the people with exceeding great awfulnesse and obedience to receive directions from him The Lord puts down Iob 40. 9. with this question Canst thou thunder with a voyce like God speak terribly and with as big and loud a voice as thou canst and if thy voice be answerable to loud thunder either in terriblenesse or loudnesse then will I confesse my self to be thy equal and Elihu reasoned for God by consideration of this great work David Psal. 29. sheweth the greatnesse of God in the greatnesse of this mighty sound But it pleaseth God to effect this work not immediately but mediately using natural and ordinary causes according to his own good will and pleasure for the effecting thereof There do arise from the ends of the earth as the Scripture speaks that is from all quarters of this inferiour part of the world consisting of earth and water certain steams or fumes partly drawn up thence by the heat and influence of the Sun and other Planets or Constellations partly breathed out of the earth by the natural heat thereof Whereof some are hot and moist being us it were of a middle nature betwixt water and aire some hot and dry being of a middle nature betwixt fire and aire as some Philosophers think of which two as of the matter are brought forth these strange things which we see in the aire and among the rest Thunder Though thunder be first in nature being by the violent eruption it makes out of the cloud the cause of fulgurations yet we see first the lightning before we hear the Thunder because of the swiftnesse of the fire above the aire and because the eye is quicker in perceiving its object then the ear This is done for the benefit of the world that by shaking of the aire it might be purged and made fit for the use of man and beast being cleansed from those ill and pestilent vapours which otherwise would make it too thick grosse and unwholsome for our bodies for this is one special end of winds thunders and the like vehement works that are in the aire besides the particular work for which God assigneth them and therefore with thunder likely is joyned much rain because the cloud is dissolved at the same time and sometimes violent winds and tempests because the exhalation inflamed snatcheth with it self such windy fumes as it meets withal in the aire and so by violent stirring the aire purgeth it and openeth the parts of the earth by shaking and moving it 1. We must turn all this to a spiritual use viz. to instruct us in the fear of him that is Lord of Hoasts who shews his greatnesse in these mighty deeds of his hand to which purpose alwaies the Scripture speaks of it exhorting the mighty to give unto the Lord glory and strength in regard of this 2. We must observe God so in this and all his great works as to cause our minds to increase in the knowledge of his excellency and our hearts in the love and fear of him All his works are therefore exhorted to praise him because we by all should learn his praise and greatnesse How able is God to destroy sinners how quickly and in a moment can he bring them to ruine let him but speak to the thunder haile tempest and they will beat down and consume his adversaries before his face O then tremble before him 3. We must learn to put our confidence in God and boldly to promise our selves deliverance when he promiseth it God is wonderful in making and ruling the clouds This is a work which God doth often alledge in Scripture to prove his greatnesse Iob 37. 26. He binds the waters in a garment Prov. 30. 4. that is makes the Clouds How as it were by an even poysing of one part with the other God makes these Clouds to hover a great while over the earth before they be dissolved is a thing worthy admiration and greatly surpasseth our knowledge Iob 38. 34. Psal. 14. 78. and Prov. 8. 28. Psalm 104. 3. The
cloud is water rarified drawn upward till it come to a cold place and then it is thick and drops down They are but nine miles say some from the earth but they are of unequal height and are lower in Winter then in Summer when the Sun hath the greater force then they ascend higher and in his smaller force they hang the lower Vide Vossium de orig progress Idol l. 2. c. 83. Let us consider the causes of these clouds and the uses of them The efficient causes are thought to be the heat and influence of the Sun and the Stars which doth rarifie the water and draw thence the matter of the clouds as you shall perceive if you hold a wet cloth before the fire that a thick steame will come out of it because the fire makes thin the thicknesse of the water and turns it into a kinde of moist vapour and the earth hath some heat mixed with it through a certain quantity of fire that is dispersed in the bowels of it which causeth such like steams to ascend out of it and the coldnesse of the middle region doth condensate and thicken these steams or breaths and turn them again into water at length and at last to thick clouds 2. The matter is the steams that the waters and earth do yeeld forth by this heat The uses of it are to make rain and snow snow is nothing but rain condensated and whitened by the excessive cold in the winter time as it is in descending for the watering of the earth and making it fruitful or else for the excessive moistning of the earth to hinder the fruitfulnesse of it if God see fit to punish The earth without moysture cannot bring forth the fruit that it should and some parts of the earth have so little water near them below that they could not else be sufficiently moystened to the making of them fruitful God hath therefore commanded the Sun among other offices to make the vapours ascend from the Sea and Earth that he may poure down again upon the forsaken wildernesse or other places whether for punishment or otherwise Obj. How can it be conceived that the clouds above being heavie with water should not fall to the earth seeing every heavie thing naturally descendeth and tendeth down-ward Ans. No man by wit or reason can resolve this doubt but only from the word of God which teacheth that it is by vertue of Gods Commandment given in the Creation that the Clouds fall not Gen. 1. 6. Let the Firmament separate the waters from the waters by force of which commanding word the water hangeth in the clouds and the clouds in the aire and need no other supporters Iob 26. 7 8. setting out the Majestie and greatnesse of God in his works here beginneth that He hangeth the Earth upon nothing he bindeth the waters in the Clouds and the Cloud is not rent under them Philosophy is too defective to yeeld the true reason of this great work of God which commonly attributeth too much to Natura naturata Nature and too little to Natura naturans the God of nature Now we must here also blame our own carelesnesse and folly which forbear to consider of this work that hangs over our heads The Clouds are carried from place to place in our sight and cover the Sunne from us They hinder the over-vehement heat of the Sunne from scorching the earth and yet we never think what strange things they be and what a merciful Creator is he that prepared them Not seeing God in the works of nature shews great stupidity and should make us lament Let us endeavour to revive the thoughts of God in our minds by his works When we see the Clouds carried up and down as we do sometimes one way sometimes another swiftly then let us set our heart a work to think there goes Gods Coach as it were here he rides above our heads to mark our way and to reward or punish our good or bad courses with seasonable rain for our comfort or excessive showers for our terror O seek to him and labour to please him that he may not find matter of anger and provocation against us When the Clouds either favour or chastise us let us take notice of Gods hand in these either comfortable or discomfortable effects and not impute it all to the course of nature By means of the Clouds God waters the earth yea the dry wilderness without moisture there can be no fruitfulness without clouds no rain without that no corn or grasse and so no man or beast Rain is as it were the melting of a Cloud turned into water Psal. 104. 13. It is a great work of God to make rain and cause it fitly and seasonably to descend upon the earth It is a work often named in Scripture Deut. 11. 14. 28. 12. Levit. 26. 4. Ier. 5. 24. It is noted in Iob divers times ch 36. 27. He maketh small the drops of water God propounds this work to Iob as a demonstration of his greatness Iob 38. 25 34. See Ier. 30. 13. Psal. 137. 8. Now this work is the more to be observed in these respects 1. The necessity of it in regard of the good it bringeth if it be seasonable and moderate and the evil which follows the want excesse or untimelinesse of it 2. In regard of mans utter inability to procure or hinder it as in the dayes of Noah all the world could not hinder it and in the dayes of Ahab none could procure it The Hebrews say God keeps four Keys in his own hand 1. Clavis Pluviae the Key of the Rain Deut. 28. 12. 2. Clavis Cibationis the Key of Food Psal. 145. 15 16. 3. Clavis Sepulchri the Key of the Grave Ezek. 37. 12. 4. Clavis Sterilitatis the Key of the Womb Gen. 38. 22. 3. In regard of the greatness of the work in the course of nature for the effecting of which so many wonders concur First Without this drink afforded to the fields we should soon finde the world pined and starved and man and beast consumed out of it for want of food to eat It is the cause of fruitfulnesse and the want of it causeth barrennesse and so destruction of all living creatures that are maintained by the increase of the earth As mischievous and terrible a thing as a famine is so good and beneficial a thing is rain which keepeth off famine Secondly It procureth plenty of all necessaries when the Heavens give their drops in fit time and measure the earth also sends forth her off-spring in great store and fit season and so both men and beasts enjoy all things according to their natural desire this so comfortable a thing as plenty is so worthy a work of God is the effect of rain I mean rain in due season and proportion Terra suis contenta bonis non indiga Mercis Aut Iovis in solo tanta est fiducia Nilo Lucan Egypt no
indeed it was in some respect a false notion for they conceived them to be a certain kinde of petty Gods and did perform worship unto them the evil angels beguiling them and if there be evil angels there must needs be likewise good The Angels are diversly called in Scripture Spirits Psal. 104. 4. to express their nature and Angels to express their Office as Messengers sent from God They are called Sons of God Job 1. 6. 38 7. Yea Elohim Gods Psal. 8. Cherubims Gen. 3. 24. Ezek. 10. 1. from the form they appeared in viz. like youths Caph is a particle of similitude and Rabiah signifies a young man in Chaldee witness R. David But Ludov. de Dien in his Animadversions upon Mr. Medes Clavis Apocalyptica saith Hoc est puerile frivolum Seraphim Isa. 6. 2. Burning quasi accensi ardore justitiae divinae they execute those things which God commands when he sits in the Throne of his justice and according to it judgeth mankinde Not from their burning love toward God as some imagine Watchmen or the watchfull ones Dan. 4. 10. 13. being in heaven as a watch-tower and keeping the world Starres of the morning Job 38. 7. from their brightness of nature A flaming fire Psal. 104. 4. because God useth their help to destroy the wicked In the New Testament they are called Principalities for their excellency of nature and estate and Powers for their wonderfull force Reasons why God made Angels The will and power of God therefore they are because God saw it fit to make them yet two reasons may be rendred of this work 1. God saw it â—it to raise up our thoughts from meaner to more excellent creatures till we came to him First things say some were made which had no life then living things without fense as plants and trees then sensible then reasonable 2. It was convenient that every part and place of the world should be fill'd with inhabitants fit for the same as the air with birds the earth with beasts and men the sea with fishes and the heavens which we behold with stars and the highest Heavens with Angels God is the maker of Angels These glorious Creatures which shall have no end had a beginning as well as the silliest beast bird or fish and they are equally beholding nay more because they have received more excellent endowments unto God for their Being with the silliest worm And though Moses mentions not in particular either the act of creating them or the time yet St Paul saith that By him were all things made visible and invisible and it is evident by discourse of reason that the Angels were made by God That is too bold an assertion of Mr. Hobbes his in his Leviathan part 3. c. 34 Concerning the creation of Angels there is nothing delivered in the Scriptures See more there What can be meant but the Angels by Thrones and the words following Col. 1. 16. Vide Grotium in loc For either they must be made by God or some other maker or else they must be eternal for whatsoever is not made by some maker cannot be made at all and whatsoever is not at all made is eternal Now if the Angels were eternal then were they equal with God in self-being they might be called self-subsisting essences and so should be equal with God standing in no more need of him then he of them owing no more service homage and praise to him then he oweth to them and so they were Gods as well as he and then we should have multitude of Gods not only one God and so should not God be the first and best Essence there being so many others beside him as Good and Omniscient as he wherefore they must be made by some Maker because they cannot be Eternal and if made then either by themselves or some other thing besides themselves not by themselves because that implies an absolute contradiction and if by some other thing then by a better or worse thing not by a more mean for the lesse perfect cannot give being to a more perfect thing for then it should communicate more to the effect then it hath in it self any way which is impossible that any efficient cause should do not by any better thing then themselves for excepting the Divine Majesty which is the first and best there is no better thing then the Angels save the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ which could not be the Maker of them because they were created some thousands of years before the humanity was formed in the Virgins womb or united to the second person in Trinity We are not able to conceive of their Essence they are simple incorporeal Spiritual substances therefore incorruptible An Angel is a Spiritual created compleat substance indued with an understanding and will and excellent power of working An Angel is a substance 1. Spiritual that is void of all corporeal and sensible matter whence in Scripture Angels are called Spirits Psal. 104. 4. Heb. 1. 14. Therefore the bodies in which either good or evil Angels appeared were not natural to them but only assumed for a time and laid by when they pleased as a man doth his garments not substantial but aerial bodies they were not Essentially or personally but only locally united to them so that the body was moved but not quickned by them The Hebrew Greek and Latine words for Spirit signifie breath there is no more subtill being that we are acquainted with then breath being condensed by the cold indeed it may be seen The Angels good and bad are Spirits because 1. They are immaterial and incorporeal 2. Invisible 1 Tim. 1. 16. That was a foolish fancy of the disciples Luke 24. 37. If Christ had been a Spirit he could not have been seen 3. Impalpable Luke 24. 37. compared with vers 39. 4. Incorruptible and immortal they end not of themselves and no creature can destroy them God alone hath immortality 1 Tim. 6. 16. Origine in himself so as to communicate it to others 5. They are intellectual beings all understanding 6. Their spirituality appears in the subtilty of their moving It is a question whether they do transire ab extremo ad extremum without going through the middle parts yet they â—ove like lightening 7. In respect of their strength and power there is a great deal oâ—â—orce in a natural spirit extracted Isa. 31. 3. 2. Created By which name he is distinguished from the Creator who is an infinite Spirit Iohn 4. 24. Nihil de Deo creaturis univocè dicitur 3. Compleat By which an Angel is distinguished from the reasonable soul of man which also is a spiritual substance but incompleat because it is the essential part of man 4. Indued with 1. An understanding by which an Angel knoweth God and his works 2. A will by which he desireth or refuseth the things understood 3. An excellent power of working by which he effects what the
they were so esteemed by those which worshipt them First We must walk warily and watchfully against Satans temptations We should be sober 1 Thess. 5. 6 8. Strong 1 Cor. 16. 13. 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Watchfull 2 Tim. 4. 5. Matth. 26. 41. Prov. 4. 23. Wise Heb. 5. 14. Prov. 2. 9 10. and of good courage Josh. 1. 9. 1 Chron. 28. 10. Taking unto our selves the whole armour of God Ephes. 6. 12 13 14. that we may be able to stand in the evil day Secondly Believe not Satan though he flatter 2 Cor. 11. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 14. Foar him not though he rage 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Hearken not to him though he tell the truth 2 Cor. 11. 14. Acts 16. 17. For if he transform himself into an Angel of light it is to sâ—duce He assaulted our first Parents in innocency and Christ himself 1 Cor. 7. 5. But 1. He cannot hurt the people of God 1 Iohn 5. 18. 2. All his assaulting is by leave Luk. 22. 32. See Matth. 8. 31. he hath not onely a general warrant to tempt but a new commission for every act of temptation Compare Iob 1. 12. with 2. 6. 3. God looks after him still 4. This opposition of Satan is more for the honour and safety of our spiritual life 5. He is a foiled enemy Christ hath conquered him Col. 2. 15. 6. Wait till death and thou shalt then have a full conquest over him 1 Pet. 5. 11. Rom. 16. 20. Thirdly See Gods great goodnesse who offers us repentance and Christ when he absolutely refused the Devils Fourthly See the exact justice of God no greatnesse can priviledge one from punishment none can be greater nearer holier then Angels yet if they sinne they shall be tumbled out of heaven Therefore we must leave all sin if we desire to go to heaven it would not hold the Devils when they had sinned No unclean thing shall come thither Fifthly Be not like the Devils then thou art one of his children Wicked men are called sons of Belial Certain particular sins make us like the Devil 1. A liar or murderee is like to him John 8. 44. 2. A slanderer or an accuser of another 3. Envious and malicious persons as Witches 4. He that tempts others or perswades them to sin the Devil is called the tempter Eve spoke for the Devil therefore she hath two punishments more then man sorrow in childe-bed and subjection to her Husband 5. He that goes about to hinder others from godlinesse as Elimas Act. 13. Thou childe of the Devil 6. A drunkard 1 Sam. 1. 15 16. 7. A proud person especially take heed of pride in spiritual Illuminations and Gifts Sixthly See the folly of those who do the Devil service how ill will he repay them Never did any trust in the Devil but he deceived him even for the base things of this life Witnesse all Witches his most devoted and professed servants if ever he made any one of them wealthy all Ages are not able to shew one Seventhly Satans great businesse in the world is to study men Hast thou considered my servant Iob When he comes near to us in his temptations there is something in us to take part with him 1 Iohn 5. 6. there is abundance of self-love selfâ—lattery and natural blindenesse 2 Cor. 2. 11. He hath a strange power to make all his suggestions take with us they are called fiery Darts fire will quickly take We are led Captive to doe his will He comes to us sometimes in the Name of God and can transform himself into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. He can raise up in mens spirits strange ravishments and can swallow them up with joy as well as sorrow CHAP. VIII 2. Of MAN VVHen God had created Heaven and Earth he rested not in Heaven nor any heavenly thing neither in Earth nor any earthly thing but only in man because he is a heavenly thing for his soul and earthly in regard of his body Prometheus fashioned the bodies of men out of clay but was fain to steal fire from Heaven for the quickning of them with souls Man is a living creature made after the image of God Gen. 1. 26. The efficient cause of man was the holy Trinity God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost In the Creation of man three things are considerable 1. The consultation of the Trinity Let us make man Gen. 1. 26 Quia rationalis creatura quasi cum consilio facta videretur 2. The work made not an Hermaphrodite as some would have 〈…〉 Adam comprehended both sexes but he is distinguished into both sexes 〈…〉 lows after male and female The man was made of the dust of the earth the woman was made of the mans rib to shew the near and social conjunction between man and wife She was not made of his head because she should not rule over him nor of his feet because she should not be servilely subject to him So Aquinas 3. The patern of it the image of God 1 Cor. 11. 7. Col. 3. 10. Bellarmine distinguisheth between an image and similitude the first saith he consists in natural endowments the other in supernatural graces rather image and similitude represent an exact likenesse These two words are in an inverted order joyned together Chap. 5. 3. Iam. 3. 9. mentions only likenesse leaving our image which is a certain sign that there is no difference between them but that the second is added to insinuate the perfection of the image Mans primitive and pure condition was the enjoying of Gods image Gen. 1. 26. his Apostate condition is the losse of Gods image his renewed condition is the repairing of Gods image 1 Cor. 3. ult his blessed condition in the state of glory is the perfection of Gods image Psal. 17. 15. The image of God in Adam and the Saints is not specifically distinct though his image was conveyed to him by God immediately and ours by a Mediator Rom. 8. 29. the old image is renewed in his people Col. 3. 10. Man is said to be after Gods image Gen. 1. 27. in that he was indued with perfect knowledge and with true holinesse and righteonsnesse Col. 3. 10. Ephes. 4. 24. There is a four-fold image or likenesse First Where there is a likenesse with an absolute agreement in the same nature and so the Son of God is called the expresse image of the Father Secondly By participation of some universal common nature so a man and beast are like in the common nature of animality Thirdly By proportion only as when we say the Governor of a Commonwealth and the Pilot of a ship are like Fourthly By agreement of order when one thing is a patern or exemplar and the other thing is made after it Now when man is said to be like God it is meant in those two last wayes Christ was the essentiall image of God Mans was Imago representantis aliter Imago imperatoris
pardon Nullum peccatum est veniale dum placet sicut nullum mortale si verè displicet August Ambrosius saith All mortal sins are made venial by repentance Object Mat. 5. 22. There are two punishments lesse then hell fire Therefore all sins are not mortal Answ. That which our Saviour speaketh here of three several punishments is spoken by allusion to the proceeding in the Civil Courts in Iudaea and all that can be gathered from thence is but this That as there are differences of sins so there shall be of punishments hereafter 2. Maldonate the Jesuite ingeniously confesseth that by councel and judgement the eternal death of the soul is understood yet with this difference that a lesse degree of torment in hell is understood by the word Judgement then Councel and a lesse by Councel then by hell fire Object Mat. 5. 26. 7. 5. Luke 6. 41. 1 Cor. 3. 12. Some sins there are compared to very light things as hay stubble a mote a farthing Answ. 1. Some sins in comparison of others may be said to be light as a mote is little to a beam a farthing to a pound yet no sinne committed against God may be simply termed light or little Zech. 1. 5. being committed against an infinite God and having cost an infinite price 2. A mote if it be not taken out of the eye hindereth the sight so the least sinne hindereth grace and is sufficient to damn the soul. 3. Christ by the farthing Matth. 5. understands the last paiment of debt not sinne and the Apostle light and vain Doctrine by hay and stubble Purgatory is to cleanse men from their lesser sins but precious Doctrines or good works are there tried by fire Object James 1. 15. Sin When it is perfected brings forth death therefore not every sin not sin in every degree Answ. The Apostle there sets forth the method and order how sin comes to the height the word he useth for sin is of the feminine gender speaking of the conception and production of sin he saith Sin when it is finisht brings forth death actually the least sin merits death or the Apostle shews when death appears to us most not in its conception and production but when it is finisht Object Mat. 12. 36. He saith not we shall be condemned for every idle word but only that we shall be called to answer for it Answ. The same phrase is used concerning all kinde of sins yea those that are greatest and most grievous Object There is a mortal sin 1 Iohn 5. 16. therefore a venial sin Answ. He speaks of a mortal sinne not by nature or by merit but by event the event of which shall certainly be death and the person out of all hope of pardon Vide Bezam Of all words sin hath no diminutive not in any tongue known to us commonly only the Spaniard hath his Peccadillo a petty sin Dr Clark Sinnes considered in reference to the object are all great so Peccata sunt aequalia 2. The least sin that ever was committed had in it the whole nature of sin it is tam peccatum as truly sin as the greatest CHAP. VIII Of the Cause of Sinne. SIn properly is nothing formally subsisting or existing for then God should be the author of it but it is an ataxy or absence of goodnesse and uprightnesse in the thing that subsisteth Psal. 5. 4. 1 Iohn 2. 16. 1 Iohn 1. 5. Hab. 1. 13. Iob 34. 10. The Church of Rome slanders the Protestants and saith that they maintain God to be the cause of sin but we hold that the Devil and mans corrupt will are the cause of it Sin in man at first came from Satan Iohn 3. 8. 8. 44. Iohn 6. 17. Matth. 16. 23. the cause of sinne now man is fallen is from our selves Matth. 15. 19. God hath no hand in the acting and approving of sinne Rom. 3. 5. 9. 14. He is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity with approbation He is the wise permitter powerful disposer and eternal avenger of it God cannot sin or cause others to sin 1. Because his will is most holy and pure and the rule of perfection Isa. 6. He is holy in his Nature Actions he hath so confirmed his Angels in holinesse that they cannot sin 2. To sinne is to turn away from the chiefest and last end therefore he cannot sinne 3. God threatens sinners in his word and punisheth them therefore he allows it not 4. All deservedly hate the Manichees Marcionites and Libertines who would make that sacred and dreadful Majesty the cause of their detestable enormities therefore Bellarmine doth wickedly in imputing to Protestant Divines that which they detest with the greatest loathing That is a great Question in Divinity An Deus author peccati ex reformatorum placitis statuatur Four several kinds of power though not in yet over sinne may be ascribed to God a permissive desertive restrictive and disposing power First A permissive power else it could not be he may permit what he is not bound to hinder Secondly A desertive power it would not be if he withdrew not his grace sinne needs no efficient cause no more then darknesse Causa deficiens in moralibus efficiens Thirdly A restraining power there may be an act of restraining grace on the Devil Fourthly A disposing power whereby he disposeth and ordereth sinne to some excellent and good end his glory When God doth dispose or order the sin of any man 1. He doth not infuse this evil but use it 2. He useth it not as an evil or sin but as an instrument 3. He would not use it to such an end but that he is able to raise more good by it and to counterpoise all the evil in the action 4. God did not infuse malice into Iosephs brethren but made use of it rather to a sale then a murder he sent him before to save much people alive Gen. 45. 8. In the beginning of sin Gods will is exercised First By way of inhibition in giving a Law against it Secondly By way of permission leaying a lawlesse man to a lawlesse way In the progresse of sin God either hinders or over-rules it in the end he either punisheth or pardoneth it And all this without sin or the least blemish of sin For in the beginning of sin he sheweth his Wisdome In the progresse he sheweth his Power In the end he maketh manifest both his Justice and his Mercy Mr Wischart on the Lords Prayer Petit. 3. Those places Acts 2. 23. 2 Sam. 1. 43. besides a permission do expresse an active providence he is said to harden and deceive Gods permission is not otiosa but efficax permissio 1. God permits sin 2. Cooperates to the act as natural 3. Decreed it 4. As a just Judge he denieth grace 5. As the supream Judge he useth all these as instruments of his glory Papists and Arminians allow God no other power about sin but what is
constitution he can bear it without any disturbance and this hath a woe Woe to those that are strong to drink that have strong brains and bodies to carry their liquor away and never cry out with him Duos soles video 2. Actual either total and compleat when reason is fully intercepted and that is to be stark drunk to be a vivum cadaver as Chrysostome cals it well a breathing carkasse one cals them Ventri-dâ—mones belly-devils who like Dâ—genes could live in a barrel all their life time 2. Partial when a mans fancy is not wholly disturbed yet he is so farre tipled that both his fancy and judgement are darkned and the house runs round with him Means to avoid it 1. Shun the company of drunkards and all occasions 2. Cry to God to help you against this vice and consider the terrible threats against it 1 Cor. 6. 9. 3. Get thy sensual appetite mortified 4. Taste of Christs wine the sweetnesse of having Communion with him Ephes. 5. 18. CHAP. XVIII Of Envy Error Flattery Gluttony ENVY ENvy is a grief for the prosperity of others Est aegritudo suscepta propter alterius res secundas quae nihil noceant invidenti The first instances that we have of sinne are Adams pride and Cains envy Envy is the mother of strife they are often coupled Rom. 1. 29. 13. 13. 1 Cor. 3. 3. 2 Cor. 12. 20. Gal. 5. 20. Iam. 3. 14. Natural corruption doth most of all bewray it self by envy The Devil first envied us the favour of God and ever since we have envied one another The children of God are often surprized with it Numb 11. 29. Iohn 21. 20 21. It breaketh both Tables at once it beginneth in discontent with God and endeth in injury to man Macrobius l. 2. Sat. c. 2. saith acutely of Mutius a malevolous man being sadder then he was wont Aut Mutio nescio quid incommodi accessit aut nescio cui aliquid boni The Heathens when they saw an envious man sad they would demand whether harm had happened unto him or good unto his neighbour Aristotle cals it the Antagonist of the Fortunate Parum alicui est si ipse sit foelix nisi alter fuerit infoelix Livor semper lippus est saith Petrarch this humour is alwayes ill-sighted All blear-eyed men are offended and hurt with the light so envy is provoked at anothers good and honour The better the party envied is the better he behaveth himself the more bitter the envier doth grow against him and the more his hatred increaseth Saul had still a more violent spleen against David by how much he discovered more wisdom courage and the more the hearts of his servants were set upon him Who can stand before envy saith Salomon Prov. 27. 4. It is the rottennesse of the bones Pro. 14. 3. and so the justest of all vices because it bringeth with it its own vengeance Sed videt ingratos intabescitque videndo Successus hominum carpitque carpitur unà Suppliciumque suum est Ovid. Met. 11. Fab. 12. As the rust consumes iron so this vice the envious man Anacharsis cals it serram animae and Socrates Ulcus When Hercules had vanquished so many fierce monsters Comperit invidiam supremo fine domandam He grapled at last with envy as the worst Erasm. lib. 17. of his Epist. in an Epistle to Sir Thomas More saith of Conradus Goclenius Invidere quid sit ne per somnium quidem unquam intellexit tantus est ingenii candor The objectum quod of it is Good of any kinde true apparent honest profitable pleasant of minde body fortune fame vertue it self not excepted the objectum cui is generally any other man Superiour Inferiour Equal We envy a Superiour because we are not equalled to him an Inferiour least he should be equal to us an Equal because he is our equal Men of the same Trade or Profession envy each other Figulus figulo invidet Faber Fabro Death frees a man from it Extra omnem invidiae aleam Pascitur in vivis livor c. The chief cause of it is pride and inordinate love of a mans self the impulsive cause is manifold as if he be an enemy a corrival Hatred when one loaths and wisheth ill to another agrees with envy 1. In the subject alwayes he which envies another hates him but not on the contrary Secondly In the efficient cause which is pride and a blinde love of a mans self It differs from it First In the subject for hatred may be in one in whom envy is not Secondly In the objectum quod which in envy is only good but in hatred it may be evil Thirdly In the objectum cui which is larger in hatred then envy for we envy men only not God nor our selves but others but we may hate not only other men but our selves and other creatures yea God himself Error Error is to judge otherwise then the thing is taking truth for falshood or falshood for truth Usquequaque fidei venena non cessant spargere saith Augustine of his times In Gregory Nazianzens dayes there were six hundred errors in the Church Selat on 1 Cor. 11. 18 19. The Doctrine onely of the Trinity remains undefiled in Popery Obstinately to defend an error in things indifferent makes a man a Schismatick and in points necessary and fundamental an Heretick It is the greatest judgement in the world to be given over to error Revel 13. 8. Iudâ— v. 4. 2 Thes. 2. 11. All the primitive Fathers spend most of their zeal and painful writings against heresies and errors All the Primitive Churches to whom the Apostles wrote Epistles areexpresly warned either positively to stand fast in the truth to hold fast their profession or negatively to beware of and to avoid false teachers and not to be carried about with divers and strange Doctrines See Mr Gillesp. Misc. c. 11. 12. It is not difficult to enumerate those heresies which gave occasion for the introducing of every Article in the Creed Vide Sanfordum de Descensu Christi ad inferâ—s l. 4. p. 29 30. It was well concluded in the 39 Session of the Councel of Constance That every tenth year at the farthest there should be a general Councel held to reform such errors in the Church as probably in that time would arise Preservatives from error 1. Have a care to be established in the truths of God 2 Pet. 1. 12. specially the main truths of religion look to repentance faith daily examination Matth. 13. 45. Rom. 6. 17. Corrupt teachers beguile none but unstable souls 2. Get experimental knowledge Ephes. 3. 17. and mourn to see the truths of Christ corrupted Revel 11. 3. 3. Love not any sin 2 Tim. 2. 19. 4. Try the Spirits 1 Iohn 4. 1. Every man pretends to speak by the Spirit bring their Doctrine to the rule try to what end the Doctrine tends whether to exalt God and abase man Matth. 7.
turned into flesh as the water was made wine not by any confusion as if the Divine Nature were made the Humane or the Humane the Divine When we say the Divine Nature took our Humane Nature upon him we must not think that that humane Nature consisting of a soul and body was one entire person as it is in us for though it was particular yet it did not subsist of it self before the Union of the God-head to it Thirdly This personall Union is inseparable for when Christ appeared like man in the Old Testament that was nâ—â— an Incarnation because separable Fourthly By this means the Virgin Mary is truly called Deipara the mother of God so in Scripture she is expresly called The mother of the Lord for she brought him who was God and Man though she did not bring forth his Deity the whole Person of Christ was the subject of conception and nativity though not all that was in that Person Consider lastly The end of this Incarnation which is this God and man became one in Person that God and man might become one in the Covenant of Grace Gal. 4. 4 5. Before this man was at as great a distance with God as the apostate Angels but now by this means as he is made sinne for us so are we made righteousnesse by him not that this benefit extends to all but onely to those men who are under the Covenant and therefore Gal. 3. all the mercies which Abraham had are limited to a spiritual seed therefore as the mystery is great for the truth so for the comfort of it and why should faith think it such an unlikely matter to adopt for his children when God hath united our nature to him CHAP. IV. Of Christs Offices SO much may serve concerning Christs Natures both what they be Manhood and God-head And Secondly How they are united into one Person by a personal Union Christs Offices in the next place are to be treated of Wherein consider 1. His calling to his Office 2. The Office to which he was called or which is all one The efficient cause of these Offices and the matter or parts of them For the cause of the Lords undertaking these Offices it was the will and calling of his Father who is said to anoint him that is to say to appoint him to them and sit him for them and himself saith Him hath God the Father sealed that is to say ratified and set apart to that work as a Prince by his Seal doth give Commission to any of his Subjects to undertake such and such a work furnishing him with Authority to fulfill the same And therefore the Apostle to the Hebrews saith particularly concerning his Priesthood that he did not make himself a Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee and this calling was ratified with an Oath saying That the Lord hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever to let us know the certainty and immutability thereof Now this observation makes to the exceeding great commendation of the goodnesse of God that he himself would take care to provide for us a perfect and sufficient helper against this our misery If we had bethought our selves of a remedy and procured it for our selves so much lesse had been the glory of his grace But when he to whom it little pertained in regard of any good he should get by it but that he counts it a benefit to manifest his grace by doing good to us when he I say bethought himself of a way to effect this work and took order to send a Person that was perfectly sufficient to work it out Now this honour is enlarged exceedingly and the glory of the work redoundeth wholly to him and then it must be confessed to be altogether of his grace It is true indeed that Justice and Mercy do meet together in this work and each shew it self in perfection for that he pardoneth our sins and saveth us Now that Jesus Christ hath deserved pardon of sin and salvation for us it is a part of righteousnesse For he is righteous saith the Scripture to forgive us but in that he himself found out a means to satisfie his Justice and after a sort to tie his righteousnesse to do this for us this is of meer mercy and grace for mercy is the beginning and first cause of our deliverance but yet mercy sees justice satisfied and so accomplisheth the whole work not with any wrong injury or offence to justice and with the help of it So we see our Lord Jesus Christ came to undertake this work the manhood of his own accord did not put himself to do it the Angels did not perswade him we did not intreat him or hire him Nay we nor any other creature had an hand in assigning him to it but the Father being offended with us and finding the way of his justice shut against us by our sins made a Covenant with the Sonne that he should undertake it and appointed it to be done by the way of taking our felsh resolving that that Person should be the raiser up of lost and fallen man to happinesse and felicity Now for the Offices themselves which Christ undertook we must learn them by the Titles which the Scripture giveth unto him These Titles are a Saviour a Redeemer a Mediator a Surety a Christ a Lord and in explicating these six Titles I shall sufficiently declare the Offices of our Lord. First I say he was a Saviour A Saviour is a Person that undertaketh to free any that are in distresse through the want of good things and the presence of evil from that misery under which they lie by taking away those evils from them and conferting those good things upon them Now he is therefore called by the name of Iesus which signifies a Saviour because he was to deliver his people from that misery whereinto Adam and themselves had plunged themselves removing those extream evils which lay on them and bringing unto them those great benefits wherof they were deprived Even among us when any City or Commonwealth is oppressed by a Tyrant who spoileth them of their Liberty and Lands and holds them in slavery and beggery if any person arise and put down that Tyrant and restore every man his Goods and Liberty free them from their miseries and restore them the free use of their Countrey and Laws this man is a Saviour of such a City so is the Lord Jesus to us Therefore is he frequently entituled The salvation of God Mine eyes have seen thy salvation and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God and our God the God of our salvation So was he figured by all the Judges whom God raised up to help his people for it is said God raised them up Saviours which saved them out of the hands of their enemies and God raised them up a
that all the labour and pains for the effecting of the agreement lieth upon Christ and he hath done it all God would not trust us for he knows that we cannot satisfie his Justice nor would ever turn to him Christ saith well I will cause them to turn We would never trust God through the conscience of our sins which knowing him to be angry doth bitterly accuse but Christ undertaketh let us not fear he will pacifie him and free us onely let us turn So you see the reason of this Title a Surety of the new Covenant For Christ could not be a Mediator by any other means but by being a Surety seeing without him neither could God in Justice accept us nor would nor could we yeeld him satisfaction or turn to him It is a Question between the Papists and us An Christus aliquid sibi morte meruerit The Papists say Christ merited something for himself viz. Corporis gloriam nominis exaltationem the exaltation of the Name Jesus wherein he was despised that men should bow to it and all the good things he was possest of after death The Scripture seems to oppose this Isa. 9. 6. Zech. 9. 9. Iohn 17. 19. 1 Cor. 1. 30. He suffered for our sins and rose again for our justification He went to the Father to prepare a place for us to intercede for us and that we might sit together with him in heavenly places The Surety quà Surety cannot do or suffer any thing for himself but for those for whom he is a Surety All that Christ did was for us he was a Prophet and Priest for us The humane nature when it is united to the Godhead is worthy of all the glory Bellarmine urgeth that place Ephes. 2. 8 9 10. His humiliation is not held to be the meritorious cause of his exaltation but his exaltation is described as a following reward of his humiliation By the name Jesus Christ is meant Jesus himself as Estius confesseth see Act. 3. 16. 5. Now follows the Title Christ to be considered the word signifies Anointed John 1. 41. 4. 25. Quis nescit Christum ab Unctione appellari August Anointing is pouring oyl upon a thing or person this oyl was used to Kings as Saul David Salomon Iehu Ioash and to Priests as to the High-priest at the time of his admission to succeed in his Fathers room and to all the Priests when they were first admitted unto their function for them and theirs and it was also used to Prophets sometimes and to holy things that were to be consecrated to God Thus the Tabernacle and other instruments were anointed It served to set these things apart to cause God to accept them for his own use and so to design those persons to those offices assuring themselves and others that God would accept and assist them in their places that he did give them Authority and would give them gifts fit for that place Now therefore our Lord Jesus is called Christ because he was anointed with the Spirit The oyl of gladnesse above his fellows as the Apostle speaketh in which Title are comprehended three special offices of his a Priest Prophet and King Christ had the wisdom of a Prophet the holinesse of a Priest and the power of a King He was a King to take away our Rebellion a Prophet to take away our ignorance a Priest to take away our guilt Some were Priests and Prophets so was Samuel Some a Priest and a King so was Mâ—lchisedech some a Prophet and a King so was David none but Christ was a Priest a Prophet and a King Trismegistus a great King a great Priest and a great Prophet There is a difference between the anointing of the Kings Priests and Prophets of the Old Testament and the anointing of Christ. 1. In the efficient cause they were anointed mediately by other Prophets and Priests Christ immediately by God himself 2. In respect of the matter they were anointed with external oyl he with internal that is invisible of the Spirit 3. In respect of the end they were anointed for an earthly and worldly Kingdom he for an heavenly and eternal 4. In respect of the effect Christs anointing profits us the anointing of the Spirit descends from him as the Head upon us his members Ioh. 1. 16. He was anoin ted 1. Extensivè so as King Priest and Prophet 2. Intensivè others were but sprinkled Psal. 133. Now for his priestly function it is the first in order of nature though in time of executing it be not first For God must be first reconciled unto the creature by the taking away of sinne afore any good thing can be done to him or for him He is called our Priest Psal. 110. 4. A great high Priest in the house of God Heb. 2. 17. 3. 1. A faithful high-Priest Heb. 2. 17. A high-Priest of good things to come Heb. 9. 11. Our Advocate 1 John 2. 2. A Ransom 1 Tim. 2. 6. The Lamb of God John 1. 29. The Lamb slain from the beginning of the world Revel 13. 8. A Propitiation Rom. 3. 25. Our Peace Ephes. 2. 14. The Kingly and Prophetical Office are both grounded on his Priestly Office the end of this was to apply the fruit and benefit of all though Christ entered upon all his three Offices at once This Priesthood must be considered in its properties and parts The properties of Christs Priesthood are these 1. It is not a Typical but a Real Priesthood in which not the shadows of things which cannot take away sin are offered but the thing which it self was the complement of all the shadows so it differs from the Aaronical Priesthood for it was but a type for the time being 2. This is an eternal Priesthood not to be determined sooner then this whole world must determine Christ is called A Priest for ever See Heb. 7. 24. 8. 6. The vertue of this Priesthood began with the first sinner that was pardoned and continues to the last by him are all accepted that are accepted and without him none were nor can be accepted The Fathers that lived before he was offered enjoyed the benefit of his offering as well as we that live after neither was the fruit any other or lesse to them then to us because that bloud was reputed by God as shed from the beginning and the Priesthood a Priesthood that hath no end in regard of the efficacy of the Sacrifice 3. It is a holy Priesthood Heb. 7. 26. 9. 14. It behoveth us to have an holy Priest separate from sinners the high-Priest offered for his own and the peoples sins but Christ was stricken for our iniquities He was holy in his Nature harmlesse in his Life undefiled in both All the Sacrifices of the Law were to be without blemish the Priests were to be without corporal blemishes a type of Christs moral holinesse 2 Cor. 5. ult 4. It is an unchangeable Priesthood because it was made not
I have shewed in my first Book of the Scriptures Secondly It tends to the extream dishonour of Christ 1. In making other Intercessours 2. In making each man his own Saviour by his own works 3. In feigning a Purgatory Thirdly It tends to the damnation of mens souls 1. In drawing them to put confidence in their own works 2. In making them content with lip-labour in stead of prayer 3. In mocking them with counterfeit confession 4. In teaching them to commit Idolatry 5. In teaching them the doctrine of venial sins and that these may be pardoned without either confession or contrition There is a double way of advancing Antichrist First In way of Worship and Superstition Some conceive that course was taken here formerly when there was so much cringing and bowing toward the Altar Secondly By publishing and maintaining the Doctrines of Popery the most refined Doctrines conditional Decrees Free-will Auxilium sufficiens omnibus ad salutem media scientia in God and Universal Redemption in Christs intention final Apostasie These are the Jesuites Doctrines Arminius had it from them Christians that have cast off Popery should be so farre from returning again to Babylon that they should pray for the destruction and utter ruine of that man of sinne and with confidence expect the accomplishment of the Prophecies in that kinde The End of the sixth Book THE SEVENTH BOOK OF OUR VNION And Communion WITH CHRIST And our Spiritual Benefits by him and some special Graces CHAP. I. Of our Union with Christ. HAving handled the work of Redemption in the Nature and Person of it Now I shall speak of the Application of it by the holy Ghost That is a special part of Gods Providence whereby those things which Jesus Christ hath purchased are by the operation of the holy Ghost made effectual to all those for whom they were appointed Four things are considerable in it 1. The foundation of it 2. The efficient cause or worker of it 3. The persons who shall be made partakers of it 4. The parts of this work 1. Union and conjunction with Christ. 2. Communion with him The ground work of it lies in three things 1. The donation of God the Father Iohn 6. 39. All that my Father hath given me shall come to me 2. The intendment of Christ in all the work he wrought Iohn 17. 19. For their sakes do I sanctifie my self that is separate my self to the work I undertook 3. The Fathers accepting it done for them as heartily as if they had done it in their own persons 2 Cor. 5. 19. 2. The efficient cause of it the holy Ghost that is the third Person in the Trinity who is equal to the Father and the Son The making of man was in some respect appropriated to the Father redeeming him to the Son the making it effectual and applying it was the work of the holy Ghost 14 15 and 16. Chapters of Iohn I will send the holy Ghost The Comforter he shall lead you into all truth Convince you of sinne righteousnesse and judgement There is no one branch of our partaking of Christ but what is totally ascribed to the holy Ghost The sending of the Gospel is by the holy Ghost they are the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost Faith Union with Christ and Communion with him in all his Offices are from the holy Ghost the Spirit teacheth governeth comforteth Reason Because no inferiour person could effect it Ephes. 1. 19 20. Thirdly The Persons to whom this work of application belongs or who shall be made partakers of Christ but the Decree of Election and Reprobation have been handled already There are a certain number whom God hath appointed to come to life by Christ the Spirit of God will make the means effectuall to all his Fourthly The parts of this work 1. Union and conjunction with Christ. 2. Communion with him 1 Ioh. 5. 12. I shall first speak of our Union with Christ. Christ is said to dwell and abide in us and we are said to be Christs to be partakers of Christ to be cloathed with Christ and abide in him The Spirit of God sets it out in five similitudes 1. Of food made one with the body Ioh. 6. 5 6. 2. Of Head and Members Ephes. 1. 22 23. 3. Of the foundation and building Ephes. 2. 20 21 22. 1 Pet. 2. 4 5 6. 4. Of the stock and branches Ioh. 15. 4 5 6 7. 5. Of the Husband and Wife Ephes. 5. 31 32. We must be one with Christ as we were one with the first Adam say some two wayes 1. Naturally as we bore his image 2. Voluntarily as we consented to his Covenant so with the second Adam 1. Naturally by receiving of his Spirit 2. Voluntarily consenting to his Covenant Though it is not easie to conceive how we can be said to have consented to his Covenant but as being in him and so his consent did include ours The Union begins on Christs part he layes hold on me by his Spirit Rom. 8. 9. Phil. 3. 12. Gal. 4. 5 6. 1 Iohn 4. 13. This Spirit works a principle of faith in us that layes hold on Christ and accepts him for our Head and Husband for ever Iohn 1. 12. Ephes. 3. 17. He will take Christ 1. With all his Offices for a Lord as well as a Saviour 2. With all his graces 3. With all his inconveniences Christ with poverty with disgrace with the stake There is a three-fold Union between Christ and a Believer 1. Mystical with Christ as a Head the fruit of that is intimacy 2. Moral with Christ as a patern or example 3. Judicial with Christ as a Surety whereby we are concerned in every act of Christs mediation the fruit of this is interest This Union between Christ and us is wrought by the Spirit Ephes. 4. 4. He unites God and us and us one with another He works it by the Ministery of the Word 1 Cor. 1. 9. Iohn 6. 44 45. and a religious use of the Seals 1 Cor. 12. 13. Rom. 6. 3 5. 1 Cor. 10. 16. Some make our Union with Christ to be only a relative Union others an essentiall personall Union as if we were Godded with God and Christed with Christ. I would not be too bold with those expressions of Nazianzen because I see they are abused 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First There is more then a relative Union as that place 1 Cor. 6. 17. forcibly proves 2. These Reasons 1. This Union is set forth by similitudes which shew a real Union Iohn 15. 1. 1 Cor. 12. Head and Body 2. Because our Union with Christ is compared to the Mystery of the Trinity and is like to the Union of the Persons in the Divine Nature Ioh. 6. 57. 14. 20. 17. 21 22 23. We are one not in the same kinde or degree of Union nor in so high and glorious a manner 3. Because it is not a Union founded only in terms of Scripture but
Ordinances Iob 22. 21. in every duty and act of worship look to enjoy God Get some excitements to grace resolutions of obedience displeasure against sinne use a holy boldnesse in thy addresse to God Heb. 10. 9. Ephes. 3. 12. we come not to a tribunal of Justice as malefactors but as friends and favourites to a throne of grace Iob 22. 26. Use 1. Prayer Psal. 86. 11. 2. Attend on the Gospel reade it meditate on it daily 3. The Sacraments make use of thy Baptism we were baptized into Christ and frequently use the Lords-Supper We should praise God when he meets with us in duties and repent his with-drawing himself Lam. 3. 44. 4. We should be one with all believers because we are one with Christ. Christ seldom speaks of his peoples union with him but he speaks of their conjunction one with another and seldom presseth them to brotherly love but from this union with Christ 1 Cor. 12. per tot 1. 10. Ephes. 4. CHAP. II. Of Effectual Vocation OUr union with Christ by the Spirit is wrought in our Effectuall Calling This is the first work which God works upon the soul it is Temporalis Electio 1 John 5. 19. it is the act of God the Father Ioh. 6. 44 45. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Ephes. 1. 17 19. He hath called us with an holy Calling It is the act of Gods free grace and almighty power whereby souls are gathered out of the world into the kingdom of Christ to be made one with him and holy and happy by him It is an act 1. Of Gods free grace called according to Gods free purpose Rom. 8. 28. See 30 31. verses 2. Of his almighty power a moral perswasion will not do it Ephes. 1. 19. Ioh. 6. 44. This grace works powerfully therefore God is said to draw yet sweetly and secretly therefore man is said to come This power of God is put forth on the understanding by enlightening it Ier. 37. 33. Iohn 6. 45. it apprehends the guilt of sin the horror of Gods wrath sweetnesse of Communion with him 2. On the will effectually inclining it Ier. 31. 33. Psal. 110. 3. to embrace and follow those glorious objects the understanding represents 3. Whereby souls are gathered out of the world into the Kingdom of Christ. All mankinde are brought into two ranks either they are men of the world or called out of it Iohn 15. 19. The Elect themselves while they are in their natural condition are men of the world Ephes. 3. 5. Fiunt non nascuntur Christiani Col. 1. 13. The Scripture expresly witnesseth that God works in us both to will and to do Phil. 2. 13. That Faith and Repentance are the gift of God Ephes. 2. 8. 2 Tim. 2. ult 4. The end of Vocation is to be made one with Christ Iohn 16. 44. and holy and happy by him 2 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Thes. 4. Rom. 8. 30. Regeneration saith Dr Twisse is to be preferred before salvation the one a translation from the state of nature into the state of grace the other is only a translation from the state of grace into the state of glory By the one we are made the sons of God by the other we only obtain the inheritance of the sons of God First The Causes of Vocation 1. The principal efficient cause is the holy Ghost man is not the authour of his own conversion 2. Instrumental the Ministery of the Word Secondly The Subjects or Persons on whom it is wrought all the elect Ioh. 10 Other sheep have I that shall hear my voice Thirdly The manner how this Vocation is wrought The Spirit of God works after such a mighty manner that it is irresistible though the word be grounded on Acts 7. 51. yet some dislike it but the Lord brings them not in violently against their wils he takes away prevailing obstinacy He never made any creature too hard for himself He cals them once for all There is more in it then a moral swasion Iohn 6. 44. a real efficacy God circumciseth our hearts quickens us raiseth us from the dead gives a new heart Fourthly The parts of this work of Vocation wherein it stands In two things 1. The Lord makes a gracious offer of Christ to the soul. 2. The soul accepts of Christ when and as he is tendred Christ is offered in the Gospel First Externally Matth. 20. 16. This is a Declaration or Publication of the great goodnesse of God to a poor lost sinner willing to be reconciled to him in Christ. It stands in four particulars 1. God hath sent his Son Christ who by his own obedience hath paid a sufficient ransom for the most miserable wretches 2. God is willing to make this good to all poor sinners who will take him on the terms he is offered 3. The terms on which Christ is offered in the Gospel are most free and nothing required but only freely to receive him 4. Because the humble and broken sinner is most ready to be discouraged therefore he declares that those which are vilest in their own eyes are most welcome to him Secondly Internally Rom. 8. 30. which is the work only of the Spirit of God Act. 10. 44. Marks of an effectual Calling First God breaks the heart by some preparatory conviction to make the soul fit to receive the grace of God the proper Call is by the Gospel 1 Thess. 2. 14. but the previous work of the Law is conviction of sinne and the evil of it Hos. 2. 14. Gal. 3. 1. See Iohn 16. 8. This conviction hath not the like effects in all in some anxiousnesse in others horror all see themselves in a wretched condition The second note may be taken from the instrument or means of conversion 2 Thess. 2. 14. most usually it is by the Word preacht though it may not work always in the time of hearing Cant. 5. 3 6. Mat. 26. 8. Ioh. 10. 3. Thirdly When the heart is over-powred and prevailed with to obey the Call when we answer his Call Iohn 20. 16. Gods Call is the offer of grace our answer is the receiving of it Iohn 12. 3. Ier. 22. the direct answer to a Call is the consent and full purpose of heart to take Christ upon his own terms Fourthly The disposition of the soul in making this return and in answering this Call of God godly sorrow Ier. 31. 18. holy wonders 1 Pet. 2. 9. free resolution and confidence come what will come they will obey God Luke 5. 5. Fifthly The fruits and effects of a Call it infers a change from the former state in heart the whole heart it now finds comfort and satisfaction in God and hates sin Hos. 4. 8. Ephes. 4. 12. I know there is little difference between effectual Calling Conversion and Regeneration yet because some of our Divines handle the work of Grace under the notion of Conversion and effectual Calling too I shall speak of Conversion in the next place CHAP. III. Of
Conversion and Free-will I. Of Conversion COnversion is a coming back again to God from whom one departed by sin Hos. 14. 1. Turning is a word borrowed from Travellers who being out of the way get into it again by turning that is by leaving the way in which they did walk and taking another different way from it contrary to it if one have gone the quite contrary way There is first Habitual Conversion the first infusion of life and habits of grace conversion from a state of sin Act. 3. 19. Secondly Actual the souls beginning to act from that life and those habits a conversion from some particular grosse acts of sinne Luke 22. 32. It is so called because of the great breach grosse sins make on ones Justification 1. Puts a damp on all his graces Psal. 51. 10. 2. There is a suspension of all the comforts of grace vers 12. so that one may be said Quodammodo excidere in respect of the use and comfort Isa. 63. 10 17. Mans aversion from God by sinne and conversion to God by grace is the summe of all Divinity A sinner departs from God two wayes 1. As the chief good 2. As the utmost end therefore conversion is a change of these two when one makes God his chiefest good and his glory his utmost end A man in turning to God First Makes God the chief good 1. If he make him the chief object of his contemplation Psal. 139. 17. Where our treasure is there will our hearts be also 2. If he choose him as his portion Iosh. 24. 22. Psal. 119 57. 3. If he desire all things else in subordination to him Prov. 30. 8. sine summo bono nil bonum 4. Judgeth of all times or persons according as they have this good or are serviceable for it 5. Fears sin above all things which will separate between God and him Secondly He makes Gods glory his chiefest end this is Gods end Prov. 16. He makes God the utmost end of his being Rom. 14. 8. and acting 1 Cor. 10. 31. Rom. 11. 30. From him as the first cause To him as the last end God is our chiefest good therefore must be our utmost end See Psal. 73. 25 26. It is the first Question in the Assemblies Catechism What ought to be the chiefest and highest end of every man in this life The Properties and Qualities which ought to be found in true Conversion It must be 1. Present and seasonable While it is called to day call upon the Lord while he is near and seek him while he may be found The present time is the only time of converting not the future now at this instant time God offers mercy exhorts cals To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts the future time is uncertain we cannot assure our selves of another hour We have many examples daily of the falshood of late repentance The longer we defer it the more difficult it will be as a sore without a plaister the more hardly it is healed 2. Universal or General we must turn from all sinne without exception or reservation of any and chiefly from our own sins Grace is called Light Leaven The Law of God forbiddeth all sinne God hateth all sin Christ died for all sin the conscience condemneth all sin and in our Covenant with God we renounced all sinne Cast away all your transgressions hate every false way 3. It must be hearty sincere unfeigned God complains of some that turned unto him feignedly 4. Constant persevering to the end a continuing still more and more to convert a daily renewing these acts and reforming our faults we must cleave to the Lord with full purpose of heart The order and manner of this work how and in what measure it is wrought in the Saints First The Doctrine of the Gospel is propounded and made known in both the parts of it viz. that which concerns mans misery in himself and the perfect and only remedy in Christ to all penitent sinners Secondly The soul is enlightened and enabled to assent unto this Doctrine Thirdly It is yet further stirred up to consider of this Doctrine so beleeved and to give heed to it as Lydias minde was wrought upon when Paul preacht Fourthly It begins to apply that Doctrine to it self so farre as to be affected with the sense of its misery but so as there is wrought also a hope of getting out of this misery and a perswasion that he shall be accepted and hereupon follows conversion For he that sees himself in an ill state and sees also a certain way out of it being perswaded that he may by such and such means escape and avoid will undoubtedly apply himself to seek his own good and the Spirit of God by working this perswasion converts the soul We may plainly see this order in Davids renewing of his conversion after his sinne and in the hearers of Peters Sermon Act. 2. where first they heard and marked Peter then were pricked in heart then asked What they must do to be saved and being instructed by Peter to convert did so and were saved Marks or Signs of Conversion 1. Such a one hath had experience of the discovery of sinne as the greatest evil and of misery to himself by sin Sin revived and I died 2. The Lord hath wrought in him a glorious discovery of Christ and an instinct after union with him which is faith Phil 3. 10. 3. He is brought under the guidance and power of the Spirit Ioh. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Mat. 11. 5. Gospellized brought under the power of it hath a spiritual bent in his soul a new principle new ends 2 Cor. 5. 17. He sees things with another eye He hath a new law planted within him which will make all duties easie and sweet to him Ier. 31. 33. 4. He is made like to God every Saint is a living Image of God He will love persons the more he seeth of God in them and Ordinances the more pure they are 5. Where there is life there will be growth 1 Pet. 2. 3. they will grow up as willows as calves of the stall Mal. 4. True Conversion differs from false 1. In the efficient cause for first the true spring comes from the Spirit of God by means of faith in the Gospel stirring up a desire of Gods favour and freedome from sinne for attaining that favour the false from a natural desire of ones welfare that he may escape the punishment of sin 2. In the formal or manner of doing true Conversion is a willing and deliberate act out of choice false a forcible act done out of compulsion 3. Final the true seeks to please God the false to ease it self Motives to and Means of Conversion By Motives I mean certain considerations and arguments that in all reason should prevail to make men resolve upon the work By Means some things tending to enable men the better to do it when they have
Paul sheweth what is that which justifieth and Iames sheweth what kinde of faith justifieth viz. a lively effectual faith Iames sheweth that faith justifieth Quae viva Paul sheweth that it doth not justifie Qua viva which is a great difference though the Remonstrants scoffe at such a nicety Who would give a Lemmon-paring for the difference Whether Sanctification precede Justification Bishop Downame in his Appendix to the Covenant of Grace doth oppose my worthy Tutor M. Pemble for holding this opinion but perhaps a distinction may solve all As Sanctification is taken for the act of the holy Ghost working holinesse into us so it goes before Faith and Justification so the Apostle puts it before justifying saying 1 Cor. 16. 21. But ye are sanctified justified but as it is taken for the exercise of holinesse in regard of amendment of heart and life so it follows Justification in nature but it is joyned with it in time The Apostle Rom. 8. 30. placeth Vocation before Justification which Vocation is the same thing with the first Sanctification or Regeneration See Act. 26. 18. CHAP. XI Of Sanctification HAving spoken of the relative Change or of our State in Adoption Justification I shall now speak of the moral Change of our Persons and Qualities in Sanctification Although we distinguish between Justification and Sanctification yet we acknowledge that they are inseparable and that one doth necessarily follow the other To sanctifie sometimes signifies First To acknowledge the holinesse of a thing so God is said to sanctifie himself and his own name or to use it according to its holinesse so we are said to sanctifie the Lord and the Sabbath-day that is use it holily Secondly To make holy so a person or thing may be said to be made holy three wayes 1. When it is separated from a common use 2. When it is devoted to God made peculiar to him so one might sanctifie a house or beast 3. When it is cleansed and purged from all filthinesse and naughtinesse In the two first senses it is opposed to common and prophane in the last to unclean in Scripture such are goods houses the Temple What Sanctification is Some describe it thus It is the Grace of God dwelling in us by which we are inabled to live a holy life It is a supernatural work of Gods Spirit whereby the soul and body of a beleever are turned to God devoted to him and the image of God repaired in all the powers and faculties of the soul. It is a resolution of will and endeavour of life to please God in all things springing from the consideration of Gods love in Christ to mankinde revealed in the Gospel Sanctification is a continued work of the Spirit flowing from Christ as the Head purging a man from the image of Adam and by degrees conforming us to the image of Christ. 1. It is an act of the Spirit The special work of the Father is Creation of the Sonne Redemption of the holy Ghost Sanctification The Father proposed and plotted the work of Reconciliation Christ undertook the service but the Spirit is the Unction that takes away all enmity that is within us The Spirit dwels in the Saints virtually and operatively by his Gifts Graces Comforts and by exciting them Some dislike that passage of Luther Habitat ergo verus Spiritus in credentibus non tantum per dona sed quoad substantiam though others of our Divines follow him The Spirit of God is the efficient cause of Sanctification The sanctified are called such as are in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit If we mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit we shall live If any be led by the Spirit he is the Son of God and if any have not the spirit he is none of his Eze. 36. 27. The holy Ghost useth the Word of God the doctrin of the Gospel as its immediate instrument to work this holiness of heart and life Christ sends his Spirit that by the Word works faith and all Graces An act of the Spirit flowing from Christ as the Head common works of the Spirit flow not from Christ as the Head Iohn 1. 16. Col. 1. 19. Christ is the common treasury of all that Grace God ever intended to bestow 1 Iohn 2. 20. the intendment of union is communication 2. A continued work of the Spirit to distinguish it from Vocation Conversion Regeneration it is stiled Vocation because it is wrought by a heavenly Call Conversion because it is the change of a mans utmost end Regeneration because one receives a new Nature and new Principles of action The carrying on of this work in blotting out the image of old Adam and by degrees introducing the image of Christ is Sanctification 2 Cor. 7. 1. therefore we must have supplies of the Spirit Psal. 92. 10. Sanctification is answerable to original corruption and intended by the Lord to be a Plaister as broad as the sore That was not one sinne but a sinne that had all sinne so this is not one distinct Grace but a Grace that comprehends all Grace It is called the new man in opposition to the old man because it makes us new changing from the natural filthinesse of sinne to the righteousnesse and holinesse whereof we were deprived by the fall of Adam and to note the author of it which is the Spirit of God working it in us called the holy Spirit because he is so in himself and works holinesse in us the Divine Nature because it is a resemblance of that perfection which is in God and the image of God for the same cause because it maketh us in some degree like unto him The moving cause is the consideration of the love of Christ to mankinde revealed in the Gospel the matter of it a resolution and constant endeavour to know and do the whole will of God revealed in his Word Psal. 119. 30. 73. 10. the forme a conformity to Gods Law or whole will so revealed Psal. 119. the end principal to glorifie and please God secondary to attain his favour and eternal happinesse The extent must be in all things the subject of it is the whole man the whole soul and body Sanctification reacheth to the frame of his heart David hid the Law of God in his heart the inward man therefore called a New-Creature and outward Conversation therefore called a living to God 1 Thess. 5. 23. The Parts of it are two Mortifying and Crucifying the old man with its lusts and affections quickning the new man bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit The Properties of it 1. It is sincere 2. Constant therefore it is called a walking in the way of the Lord. 3. Imperfect here 4. Grows and proceeds toward perfection A godly life is distinguished 1. From the false goodnesse of the Hypocrite for that is willing sometimes to do Gods will not with such a setled will as to indeavour it and willing in some things not in
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
liberality prodigality in the excesse or covetousnesse in the defect be worse Covetousnesse is the worse because 1. It is the root of all evil Iudas sold Christ for it 2. The covetous doth good to none nor to himself neither the prodigal doth good to many 3. Age is some remedy as against other vices so against prodigality covetousnesse then grows young II. Humility It is that grace whereby a man doth make little or no account of himself Iob 42. 6. Ezek. 20. 43. Or It is a grace of the Spirit of God whereby a man out of true knowledge of himself his state and condition accounts himself vile and walks accordingly before God and man Every good man is humble Prov. 30. 2. Luke 18. 13. Poverty of spirit is the first step to heaven Matth. 5. 3. High in worth and humble in heart saith Nazianzen of Athanasius All the Stars the higher they are the lesser they appear so must all the Saints Humilitas virtus Christianorum prima secunda tertia Aug. Augustin being asked What vertue was most to be desired he answered Humility being asked What was the second he answered Humility Which was the next he said still Humility Primislaus the first King of Bohemia kept his shoes by him to put him in minde from whence he rose We reade of Agathocles that King which was at first but a Potters son and after advanced to the Kingdom of Sicily that he would together with his plate of gold and silver have earthen vessels on his cup-board to put him in minde of that condition he was in before Iacob saith I am lesse then the least of all thy mercies Abraham cals himself dust and ashes David terms himself a dead dogg 1 Sam. 2. 4. a flea that is a poor mean base worthlesse person Paul terms himself The least of all Sainis and the chiefest of sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. Though I be nothing saith he and I am the least of all the Apostles not worthy to be called an Apostle God often cals for this grace Ephes. 4. 2. Col. 3. 12. Phil. 2. 3. God teacheth the humble exalts the humble He hath two thrones one in the highest heavens and the other in the lowest heart Humility hath the promise both of temporal benefits Prov. 22. 4. and Spiritual Prov. 3. 34. Grace Prov. 11. 4. Wisdome Prov. 22. 4. the fear of God and finally Blessednesse Matth. 5. 3. Reasons 1. Because a godly man knows Gods excellency the foulnesse of sin and his own littlenesse and sinfulnesse therefore must needs be mean in his own eyes Iob 42. 6. Isa. 6. 6. Secondly There is no way to exalt mercy but by abasing self it will not be prized unlesse self be abased Deut. 26. 5. The whole have no need of the Physician but the sick Marks of this excellent grace 1. We may judge of it by the efficient cause the Spirit of God must be the worker of it God when he converts a man shews him his own misery and the excellency of Christ. 2. The effects of humility It discovers it self in its carriage to God upon his dispensations toward us if his waies be waies of mercy and enlargement it admires free-grace in them all 1 Chron. 29. lat end that I should enjoy such blessings if God send afflictions he acquits his severity and saith The Lord is righteous and submits to him 3. Such a one rejects himself as vile and abominable in the sight of God Paul after his conversion saith I know that in me dwels no good 4. Such a one willingly imbraceth every service belonging to his relation Christ washed his Disciples feet Queen Bathsheba taught Salomon her son 5. He is far from censuring and undervaluing of others Be not many masters Iam. 3. 1. The whole design of the Gospel lies in two things 1. To make the creature nothing 2. To make the grace of God in Christ all things Quickning Motives to provoke us to get Humility Meditate on three things 1. The absolute necessity of it 2. The difficulty of it 3. The excellency of it 1. The necessity of it God takes no pleasure in men till he hath brought them into such a frame Humility is necessary also for every condition of life if God send crosses thou wilt never bear them till he have humbled thy spirit 2. The difficulty of it It is hard to get the heart into such a temper all that is in thee is against thee The Grecians and Philosophers thought humilitie was not a vertue but a despondency of Spirit all thy corruptions are against it thy excellencies wit authority thy graces against it grace will be against grace thou wilt be proud because thou art humble 3. The excellency of it Thy heart shall be Gods Temple a broken Spirit is in stead of all Sacrifices it will nourish all graces in thee a humble man seems to creep but he flies to heaven saith Parisiensis not one administration of God will passe without doing thee good if thou hast an humble spirit Means to get it First See thy pride all sin is resolved into pride Ier. 13. 17. Secondly Meditate 1. Of the basenesse of thy beginning and original thou comest immediately from the slime of thy parents loins and mediately from the dust of the earth and just nothing 2. Consider thy extream sinfulnesse How little do we know in comparison of what we should know how little do we love serve and obey God in comparison of that our duty bindeth us What a deal of atheism blindenesse vanity is in our mindes How forgetful are we of God and our later end how foolish and sensual 3. We must put our selves in minde of our death and later end we must shortly rot putrifie stink and crawl with worms we must return to the dust lie down in the grave must be without wealth honour beauty strength wit learning knowledge celebrate thy own funerals 4. Consider of the torments and wofull condition which we have deserved to which we must go if we be not humbled in the sense of our having deserved it we cannot escape Thirdly Adde to these meditations hearty prayers to God to humble you to convinte you of sinne to open your eyes to know your selves and him The knowledge of Gods holinesse excellency majesty glory will also abase us Isa. 6. 5. Iob 42. 5 6. The worst pride is an overweening of our selves because of our graces Consider 1. That this holinesse is received from God 1 Cor. 4. 17. 2. It is imperfect 3. It is in its own nature defective being a creature Grace is depositum as well as donum a talent or pledge that the Lord hath left with you as well as a gift Iustice. Iustinian defines it thus Est constans perpetua voluntas suum cuique tribuendi he begins his Institutions so D. Ames de consc lib. 5. cap. 2. saith it is a vertue by which we are inclined to perform all due offices
Christ consented to all this he voluntarily came into the world to save sinners he hath paid the ransome hath promised that those which come to him he will in no wise cast away Means to get and improve or strengthen faith 1. To get it 1. Labour to see your selves in a lost condition 2. Know that there is no way in the world to save you but by Christ. 3. Bewail your condition to God tell him that you are a lost creature and say Lord help me to believe 4. Plead the promises there are promises of grace as well as to grace say Lord thou hast said thou wilt be merciful and why not to me 5. Wait upon God in the use of the means hearing and the like Rom. 10. Acts 10. 44. 2. To improve and strengthen it You that have faith labour to improve it 2 Thess. 1. 3 4. I shall premise four Cautions 1. There is a common dead faith an ungrounded presumption gotten by the devil and mens false hearts which is rather to be destroyed then increased When men put all their confidence in Christ and yet can live in all kinde of ungodlinesse whereas true faith is wrought by the Spirit of God and brings forth a holy life 2. Among true believers there are several sizes as it were of faith some are strong and some weak in the faith 3. The weakest faith if true will certainly save the soul the weakest believer is united to Christ adopted reconciled justified hath the Spirit all promises belong to him and shall partake of glory 4. There is none of Gods servants in this world do attain so much faith as they might the Apostles Luke 17. 5. make this their joynt Petition Lord increase our faith 1. It increaseth in the use of it To him that hath shall be given Spiritual things increase by exercise 2. Diligently attend on all the Ordinances and treasure up experiences 3. Study thy self daily see what a wretched worthlesse creature thou art what a dead barren heart thou hast real self-abhorring makes a man to hang on Christ. 4. The more thou knowest Christ the more thou wilt believe in him Psal. 9. 9. study to know Christs person Offices the tenour and indulgence of the Covenant of Grace 5. Labour to get some evidence of the work of faith in thee that thou art in a league of love with Christ if the wayes of Christ be sutable to thy Spirit and the bent of thy heart be against all sins and especially thy bosome sinne it is a good sign 6. Remove all impediments II. Repentance It is taken sometimes largely and so it comprehends all the three parts of Conversion Contrition Faith and new Obedience 2. Strictly for contrition alone Act. 13. 24. In General it is a turning from sinne to God Or thus It is a supernatural work of Gods Spirit whereby the humbled converted sinner doth turn from all sinne with grief and detestation of it because thereby God is offended and to the wayes of God loving and embracing them and resolving to walk in them for the time to come 1. The efficient cause or authour of repentance is Gods Spirit Acts 1. 51. 11. 18. 2 Tim. 2. 18. it is a supernatural work such a work as never is nor can be wrought in any but by the almighty work of Gods Spirit in a way above corrupt nature Ier. 31. 18 19. A man can do something toward legal duties but one hath no principle for evangelical duties but something against them 2. The Subject in whom this grace of repentance is found say some is an humbled and converted sinner 1. Humbled that is legally sensible of the misery it is brought to by sinne 2. Converted that is by God one whose inward man is changed Ezek. 25. 26. Repentance seems rather to precede conversion Act. 3. 19. though full Repentance be Conversion 3. The general nature of it a turning with the terms from which and to which an aversion from sin and a conversion to God Ioel 2. 12. Ezek. 16 lat end 4. The manner of it with detestation of sinne with delight in Gods will and wayes Hos. 14. 8 Surely shall one say in the Lord I shall finde righteousnesse and peace It is a mournâ—ng for sinne as sinne as it is offensivum Dei aversivum à Deo as it is an act of disobedience an act of unkindnesse There are several kindes of Repentance 1. Antecedent which goes before Remission and Justification Acts 2. 38. 3. 19. 8. 22. 2. Consequent Repentance melting of the heart toward God after assurance of pardon Luke 7. 47. 1 Tim 1. 12 13 14. Ezek. 16. ult Initial Repentance when one is converted Act. 8. 22. 2. Continual Rom. 7. 24. Iohn 13. 10. 3. Personal or Ecclesiastical Some say the parts oâ— Repentance are to eschew evil and do good Psal. 34. 15. Isa. 1 15 16. 55. 7. Amos 5. 15. Rom. 12. 9. In sinne there is an aversion from God and a conversion to the creature 2. In repentance there must be an aversion from the pleasures of sinne and a returning to Communion with God The vertue and grace of Christ is not onely to mortifie but vivifie Rom. 6. 11. Sinne must be mortified before the image of God can be superinduced into the soul Col. 1. 13. In renouncing of sinne four affections are to be exercised true humiliation is begun in fear continued in shame carried on in sorrow and ends in indignation 1. Fear ariseth from application of the curse to the provocation we compare the sins we have committed with the threatnings of the Word Iob 22. 23. Heb. 12. 28. Shame ariseth from comparing filthinesse Psal. 73. 22. Ezra 9. 6. Rom. 6. 21. Sorrow ariseth from thoughts of Gods goodnesse and our own unkindenesse Zach. 12. 10. Ezek. 36. 31. Luke 7. 47. Indignation the highest act of hatred ariseth from the unsutablenesse of it to our interest in Christ Isa. 30. 22. Hos. 14. 8. Rom. 6. 2. Fear looks on sinne as damning shame looks on it as defiling sorrow looks on it as offensive to God indignation looks on it as misbecoming our profession In turning to the Lord 1. There is a serious and solemn consideration of our state and danger out of Christ Psal. 22. 27. 119. 59. Hab. 1. 5. 2. A firm resolution Luk. 15. 18. Psal. 32. 5. 119. 106. 3. A mutual exercise of holy affections desire hope and delight Psalm 119. 49. 4. A consecration or resignation of our selves to God Rom. 12. 1. 2 Cor. 5. 16. 5. A constant care of making good our ingagement Prov. 23. 26. Hos. 5. 4. Dr Twisse against Corvinus saith there are three parts of Repentance The Confession of the mouth Contrition of the heart and Amendment of life M. Calamy on Acts 17. 3. p. 37. saith it consists in five things 1. There must be a true and right sense of sinne as to Gospel-faith there must be a true sight of Christ Iohn
Christ who wore a Crown of Thorns for me e In the Primitive times they were wont to call Martyrdom by the name of Corona Martyrii the Crown of Martyrdom and Stephen the Protomartyr had his name in Greek from a Crown Erant torti torquentibus fortiores Cyprian Reformati ligneas sanctorum Papistae vivas Dei comburunt Imagines Qui primi relictis patriis ritibus ac lege qui abjectis repudiatis rebus omnibus quae solent esse hominibus in vita gratissima charissima Christum sunt sequuti qui ilii noâ—a atque admirabilia dicenti fidem tribuerunt gravia dura praecipienti obedierunt denique cervices suas obtulerunt pro illius Doctrina Gloria aliquid certè in co majus excellentius animadverterunt humana sapientia potentia Lod. Viv de verit Fid. Christ l. 2. c. 14. f Non paena sed causa facit Martyrem g Lib. 2. c. 25. Meminerunt Mosis Diodorus Siculus Strabo Plinius Tacitus quoque post eos Dionysius Longinus de Sermonis sub limitate Iamnis autem Mambris qui in Aegypto Mosi restiterunt praeter Talmundicos Plinius Apulcius Grotius de verit relig Christ. * Bish. Andrews in his large exposition on the ten Commandments h Credite me vobis folium recitare Sybille i Vid. Spanhem Dub. par 2. Dub. 34. Sect. 6 7. k Exercit. 1. ad Annal. Bar. * Isa. 8. 20. Psal. 19. The Authors often testifie that they speak not of themselves or by any humane instinct but from Gods command and the Spirit inspiring l Christ commends Moses the Prophets and Psalms by which names are meant all the Books belonging to the Canon of the Hebrews m The holy Ghost inwardly witnesseth in the hearts of the faithfull that the Scriptures are the Word of God 1 Joh. 2. 20 27. 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 12. 12. 3. Joh. 16. 23. 14. 26. Isa. 51. 16. Isa. 59. 21. Rom. 8. 16. The inspiration of the Spirit is considered as an efficient cause which disposeth our faculties to believe the truth and not as an argument of the truth The Pelagians say The faculties of the soul are well enough disposed to understand and believe the things of God without the inward inspiration and illumination of the Spirit Scripturam tanquam mortuam literam intuentur meros spiritus inflatis buccis crepant interim tamen neque verbum neque Spiritum retinentes Hic autem audis Paulum Scripturae testimoniis ut firmissimis potissimum nitâ— c. Luth. in 1 Cor. 15. 3 4. Quocirca noli esse immodicus jactator Spiritus si non apertum externum verbum habueris neque enim bonus eâ—â— quâ—m jactâ—s Spiritus sed ipsissimus Diabolus Id. ibid. Omnes homines quantumvis illustrati Spiritu sancto tamen manent discipâ—li â—erbâ— Luth. Tom. 4. The work of the Spirit now is not to perfect Scripture or to adde any thing to its discovery or to be â—â— stâ—aâ— of a Scripture where it is wanting much lesse where the Scripture is But to remove the darknesse from our understanding that we may see clearly what the Scripture speaks clearly Before the Scripture was perfected the Spirit did enlighten the Prophets and Pen-men of Scripture both wayes But now I know no teaching of the Spirit save only by its illuminating â—â— sanctifying works teaching men no new lesson nor the old without book but to read with understanding what Scripture Nature Creatures and Providences teach Mr Baxters Saints everlasting Rest Part 1. Sect. 51. n 1 John 3. 8. 1 John 2. 20. * Fides Christiana non acquiritur sed infunditur n Leviculum est quod objiciunt qui contra sentiunt Si omnis Scriptura Divinitus sit inspirata sequuturum inde etiam Graecorum Gentilium Scripturas esse divinitus inspiratas nam ut benè respondet Theophylactus oportebat eos novisse quod Paulus ante dixerat Sacras literas nosti Rivet Isag. ad Script Sac. o Aliud sanè Propâ—â—tas hoc vel illud scripsisse aliud verò scripsisse ut Prophetas Spanhem Vide Lod. Viv. de verit Fid. Christ. l. 5. c. 1. p Nothing crosseth humane wisdom more then the Scripture Authoritas sine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scripturâ— Illud authenticum dicitur quod sibi sufficit quod se commendat sustinet probat ex se sidem ac authoritatem habet Whitaker q Every principle is known by it self The Scripture is the primum credendum the first thing to be believed we must believe it for it self and all other things for their conformity with it r Eccius reckons this among heretical Assertions Major est Scripturae quam Ecclesiae Authoritas s Nisi Deus hominibus placuerit non erit Deus said Tertullian in Apol. If God please not man he shall not be God as truly and certainly as God is God so truly is the Scripture the Scripture Spiritus sanctus Spiritus veritatis loquitur semper in Scriptura in Ecclesia verò quandoque Spiritus humanus spiritus erroris Rainoldus Thesi. 3. l. 11. t See Chamiâ—rs sixth Book de Canone divers Chapters and Mr Pembles Vindiciae Gratiae pag. 207. to 222. u Superfluus mihi labor videtur eorum qui adco sollicite illud quoad nos inquisiverunt quia nâ— cogitari quidem potest ulla corum librorum authoritas nisi quoad nos Cham. x Matth. 28. 20 18. 20. John 15. 26. 16. 13. y Scriptura est vel ipsa scriptio literarum per lineas certas pictura vel ipsa doctrina per eas Scripturas significata in iis literis contenta Scriptione fatemur Ecclesiam esse antiquiorem sed negamus esse antiquiorem ea doctrina quae significatur ea scriptione Chamier Tom. 1. l. 1 c. 22. z Fuit Scriptura ante Moysen materialiter non formaliter Quibus lect is verbis adeo exultant quasi reperissent id quod puâ—â—i in faba se reperisse clamitant tamque considenter ac â—i ad plenum victoriae fructum sola triumphi gloria deesset Chamierus a So Musculus Calvin Peter Martyr and Whitaker expound those words observe the composition of the word it signifieth to move with other things b Gerson saith he taketh the Church for the Primitive Church and that Assembly which saw and heard Christ. c Ecclesiâ— non habet magisteriâ—â—m supra Scripturas sed Ministerium circa Scripturas There are two causes why the Apocrypha are cast out of the Canon 1. External the Authority of the Church decreeing and the quality of the Authours 2. Internal the style the fabulous and wicked things Chamier d Ecclesiae id est Romano Pontifici vel soli vel cum Concilio magisterium tribuunt summum adeo ut solennis sit apud eos formula indicet magister sidei Amesius e Dr Chalonero Credo Ecclesiam Catholicam Ecclesia dicitur Fundamentum metaphoricè impropriè fundamentum
regula fidei Chamierus The Scripture is therefore called canonical because it prescribes a rule of our faith and life Phil. 3. 16. Gal. 6. 16. Tertullianus appellat Scripturam regulam veritatis Augustinus de doctrina Christiana l. 2. c. 8. ait in Scripturis inveniri omnia quae continenâ— fidem moresque vivendi Advers Helvid cap. 9. Sacra Scripturae regula credendi certissima tutissimaque est Bellarm. de verbo Dei l 1. c. 2. k Hoc primum credimus cum credimuâ— quod nihil ultra credere debemus See Mr. Anthony Burâ—â—â— on Mark 1. 2 3. Deut. 5. 29. Isa. 8. 20. l Verba Scripturae non sunâ— legenda sed vivenda Doctrinae saâ—itas servatur confirmando verum refellendo â—alsum vitae sanctimionia fugiendo malum saciendo bonum Satis habet Scriptura quo veritatem doceat errorent redarguat iniquitatem corrigat instituat ad justiciam Nec haecâ—â—tiliter praestat solummodo quae sophistarum cavillatio sed etiam sufficienter nempe ut perfectus â—it homo c. Rainoldus m Deut. 17. 18. Isa. 8. 20. Luke 16. 29. Acts 24. 14. Christians shall be judged by that hereafter Iohn 12. 48. 2 Thess. 1. 8. n Iudaei docenâ— exhoc loco teâ—eri regem sua maâ—â— sibi legem describere etiamsi alià s cum privatus esset descripâ—isset Chamierus Regula fidei est quasi causa exemplaris fidei quam videlicet fides in omnibus sequi cui se conformare debet Formale objectum â—idei est Causa objectiva fidei seu est principium propter quod fotmaliter principaliter credimus Baron contra Turnebul Nos discamus ex verbo non tantum sapere sed etiam loqui Be â—â—â—â— Epist. 7. David Psa. 119 desires that all his counsels thoughts manners actions might be directed according to Gods word The Scriptures contain 1. A necessary doctrine viz. Of the Law and Gospel Mat. 22 37. Iohn 13. 16. without which we cannot be saved Rom. 7. 7. It is 2. Necessary in respect of the efficient cause Of the Form Matth. 22. 29. 4. The end Iohn 20. 31. o Writing doth a larger good to a greater number and for a longer time then speaking Psal. 102 19. vox audita perit litera scripta manet To shew how much a more faithful keeper record is then report those few miracles of our Saviour which were written are preserved and believed those infinitely more that were not written are all lost and vanished out of the memory of men p Among the Turks Polygamy is lawful Theft was permitted among the Spartans q Literae sacrae dicuntur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scripturae ut non solùm à saecularihus proâ—anis litâ—ris sed etiam a quibuscunque quae de sacris rebus agunt discernaâ—tur r Mahomet said his doctrine came from God but the blasphemy and villany therein contained sheweth it came from Satan whereas the purity and perfection of the doctrine contained in the Scripture sheweth that it is from above Mahomet puts in some ingredients of the flesh gives them liberty to revenge themselves and to have as many wives as they would There is in the Precepts of Philosophers little condemning of fornication and of the desire of revenge Dr Featleys Preface to Newmans Concordance s The General view of the holy Scriptuâ—es Notatur verecunda casta scripturâ— loquutio ex genere per Synecdochen designantis specialem congressum sic 1 Cor. 7. 1. Non est bonum tangere Gen. 6. 2. ingredi ad filias hominum Quo major est spurcities eorum qui ex sacris scripturae loquendi formulis ansam arripiunt sermonis impuri Cartw. in Harm Evang. in Matth. 1. 18. Quidam Hebraeorum linguam Hebraeam linguam sanctam dici putant eò quod nulla propria vocabula in ea inveniantur quibus pudenda utriusque sexus Egestio aliaque obsâ—â—na significantur Paulus Fagius Annotat. in Deut. 25. 11. t Sancta sanctè Mr Gregory in his preface to observations upon some passages of Scriture u Luke 16. 29. Iohn 5. 39. Psal. 19. and 119. Augustinus affirmat omniaquae continâ—â—t fidem mores in illis inveniri quae apertè posita sunt in scriptura Chrysostomus manifesta itidem in divinis Scripturis esse perhibet quaecunque necessaria Tertullianus adorat Scripturae plenitudinem Et vae denunciat Hermogeni si quid iis quae scripta sunt vel detraâ—â—t vel adiiciat Rainoldus 1 Thesi. Deut. 4. 2. and 12. 32. De Scripturae plenitudine perfectione quâ—â— sentiat Maldonatus vide ad Joan. 7. 4. De Scripturae integritate vide Estium ad Galat. 3. 10. See Bishop Ushers Body of Divinity p. 18 19. 20 21. 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. John 15. 15. Acts 20. 27. Beâ—e habet ut iis quae sunt Scripta contentus siâ— Hilary In every age there was revealed that which was sufficient to salvation and yet now no more then is sufficient the Word it self is not now but the revelation only is more perfect The Old Testament was sufficient for the Jews but both the New and Old make but one compleat body for the Church now Singâ—li libri sâ—â—t sufficientes sufficientia pâ—rtium ad quam ordinatio sunt â—â—â—â—â—â—rò sâ—ripâ—urâ— est sufficiens essentiali sufficientia per â—i bros singulos suâ—â— Iun. Animad â—â— Bellarm Conâ—râ—â— Pâ—tmae câ—piâ—â— quarto The scriptures are a perfect rule for matters of Faith but not a perfect register for matters of fact Mr Geree Whitakerus de Script c. sexto quaest 6. Stapleton and Serrarius are more wary then some other Papists We are abused say they when we are said to hold that the Scriture is not perfect for say they a thing is said to be imperfect not when it wants any perfection but when it wants a perfection due as a man is not imperfect if he have not an Angels perfection because this is not due unto him they say it is not a perfection due to the Scriptures to teach us every thing necessary to salvation Perinde sunt ea quae ex scripturis coll guntur atque ea quae scribuntur G. eg Naziaâ—zen l. 5. Theol. Mat. 28. 29. Catholici in perfectione Scripturae Papistae in imperfectione totius causae id est omnium controversiarum de Religione proram puppim constituunt Chamierus Tom. 1. de Canonâ— lib. 8. cap. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3 Mat. 8. 11. Luk. 19. 9. Gal. 3. 7 8 29. Rom. 4. 15 16. Some Papists say the Scripâ—uâ—es are not imperfect because they send us to the Church which is he perfect Rule and therefore they are perfect implicitè though not explicitè but so I might say every rustick were a perfect Rule of Faith because he can shew me the Pope who is the infallible Judge If the Scripture send to the Church to learn that which is not in the Scripture by this sending she confesseth her imperfection See Moulins Buckler of Faith pag. 45. Joh. 1. 18.
2. 24. There is a justification 1. Ad Regnum which brings one into the state of Grace of which Paul speaks 2. In Regno Abraham was justified by works and he was called the friend of God of that Iames speaks Sanctification is of the same time with Justification but Justification doth in order of nature go before it for all the graces of Sanctification are bestowed on a man as in Christ Ephes. 1. 3. so one God made man a holy creature he was peculiarly devoted to Gods service when man fell the devil defiled this Temple God departed from us he aâ—ain cleanseth away this filth and repaireth his image in us * Loc. Commun Class 1. c. 11. There is a total change of the whole man the Mind Rom. 12. 2. Spirit Ezek. 36. 26. Heart Deut. 10. 26. Conscience Heb. 9. 14. Will Phil. 2. 13 Affections Gal. 5. 24. The body it self Col. 2. 11. Rom. 6. 12. Christ is our Sanctification three several wayes 1. Meritoriously he hath purchased it from God by his being an offering for all our defilement 2. As he is the exemplar or copy of it 3. He is by his Spirit the efficient cause that brings into the soul the vertue of his Death to kill sinne and of his Resurrection whereby his life is communicated to us See Dr Willet on Exod. 30. 34. Impuritas uniuscujusque rei consistit in hoc quòd rebus vilioribus immiscetur Non enim dicitur argentum esse impurum ex permixtione auri per quam melius redditur sed ex permixtione plumbi vel stanni Aquinas 2a 2ae Quaest. 7. Artic. 2. Puritan in the mouth of a Drunkard doth mean a sober man in the mouth of an Arminian it means an Orthodox man in the mouth of a Papist it is a Protestant and so it is spoken to shame a man out of all Religion It hath been an old custom of the world to hate and maligne the righteous to reproach them to call them Puritans though very Heathens have acknowledged that there is no Religion without purity Cicero Horace and others describing a man that is religious say that he is an entire man a man pure from sinne Mr Fenner on John 3. 20. See Mr Burrh on Hos. 2. 5. pag. 307. There is 1. A beauty in holinesse 1. Every grace is an ornament 1 Pet. 5 5. See Psal. 45. 1â— 14 16. Ezek. 8. 14. 2. Holinesse is called a new Creation Eph. 2. 10. A Resurrection Ephes. 4. 5. 3. Sinne is a deformity 2 Pet. 3. 14 filthinesse it self 2 Cor. 7. 1. Ephes. 5. 27. Corruptio optimi pessima sinne is not only malum triste but turpe 2. This beauty of holinesse consists in four things 1. It is a conformity to the image of God 2 Cor. 3. 18. 2. Beauty consists in indeficiency when no part is wanting 1 Thess. 5. 23. 2 Tim. 3. 17. they are in parts perfect as children though not in degree 3. Beauty consists in a symmetry a due proportion of parts the understanding guides the man the will submits to the dictates of an enlightened understanding the affections are subject to the command of reason John 11. 33. 4. There is a lustre in beauty the Spirit of grace is called the oyl of gladnesse Psal. 45. 7. because it makes the face to shine Sincerity is the harmony and zeal the lustre or varnish of all graces Psal. 42. 11. 3. There is that beauty in holinesse which is not to be found in any thing here below 1. It is in the inward man 1 Pet. 3. 3. Absolom though outwardly beautifull was inwardly deformed 2. This commends a man to God 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. 3. All other beauty will decay by sicknesse or old-age not this Prov. 31. 30. 4. This prepares you for the wedding the time of this life is the time of Espousals the Marriage shall be in the life to come Revel 19. 7. Holinesse is the image of Christ. Sin is wounded at our first conversion Rom. 6. 13 14. but this work is carried on by degrees till it be utterly extinct Rom. 6. sin is called the the old man for its weaknesse and decay See 1 Thess. 5. 22 23. Anno Christâ— 1262. exorta est secta Flagellantium qui ingenti turba obeâ—ntes pagos oppida nudi umbilico tenus facie tect a sese flagellis cruentabant manfit hic mos Romae ubi septimana quae diom Paschatis proximè antecedit poenitentes longo ordine nudis seapulis larvata facie publicè se diverberant flagellis Quem morem ipsi vidimus Lutetiae sub Henrico tertio Homines ad furorem usque superstitiosi nesciunt Deum amare immutationem cordium non verò dilaniationem corporum Molinaei Hyperaspistes lib. 1. cap. 29. Vide Novar Schediasm Sac. prophan lib. 1. cap. 22. They are hostes naturae not peccati Sin 1. abuseth us Man being in honour continued not a wicked man is called a vile person Psa. 15. 2. It deâ—iles us and stains all our actions Tit. 1. 15. 3. Deceives us Heb. 3. 12. Ephes. 4. 22. 4. It keeps away all good Isa. 9 2. 5. It lets in all evil Jer. 2. 19. The death of Christ is useful for mortifying of sin 1. By way of representation it shews us the hatefulnesse of sin Isa. 53. 10. Consider his agony and sorrow on the Crosse though sin was but imputed to him 1 Cor. 5. 21. 2. By way of irritation it stirs up in the soul a displicency against sin Isa. 43. 24. shall sin live that made Christ die 3. By way of pattern and example therefore the Scripture often expresseth our Mortification by our crucifying Gal. 2. 20. 5. 24. 6. 14. Of all deaths crucifying is the most painful and shameful it notes that sorrow and shame which Christians feel in the remembrance of sinne that which was done really in Christ must be done in us by analogy Phil. 3. 10. 4. By way of merit Christ shed his bloud to redeem uâ— 1. From the world Gal. 1. 4. that it might not be so pleasing an object 2. From our vain conversation 1 Pet. 2. 24. Grace is a part of Christs purchase as well as pardon 5. By way of stipulation and ingagement Christ â—â—ood as a Surety before Gods Tribunal He was Gods Surety and ours on Gods part he undertook to bestow on us not only remission of sins but the Spirit of God to become a principle of life to us and of death to our corruptions Rom. 8. 13. 1 John 3. 19. on our part he undertook that we should no longer serve sin Rom. 6. 13. About means of mortification of sin See Mr Hilders on Psal. 51. 5. Lect. 64 65 66 67. Spiritual life is that supernatural grace by which the whole man is disposed to live to God 1. A supernatural grace because it comes from our union with Christ Joh. 6. 57. 2. By which one is disposed to live to God Gal. 2. 20. The supream or fundamental principle of spiritual
duo requiruntur Primò quidem quod aliquis non leviter sed ex necessaria causa discretè juret Et quantum ad hoc requiritur judicium scilicet discretionis ex parte jurantis Secundò quantum ad id quod per juramentum confirmatur ut scilicet neque sit falsum neque sit aliquid illicitum quantum ad hoc requiritur veritas per quam aliquis juramento confirmatquod verum est justitia per quam confirmat quod licitum est Aquinas secunda secundae Qu. 89. Art 3. Sors est petitio divini testimonii per determinationem eventus in mera contingentia manifestandi ad controversiam aliquam dirimendam Ames Medul Theol. l. 2. c. 11. Sors est actio humana in hunc finem instituta ut ex ejus eventu rem nobis incognitam divinitus agnoscere possimus Zanchius in Miscell Sors est res in dubitatione humana divinam judicans voluntatem Aug. in Psal. 30. A Lot is nothing else but a casualty or casual event purposely applied to the determination of some doubtful thing Of Lots some are meer some mixt Meer Lots are those wherein there is nothing else but a Lot or wherein there is nothing applied to determine the doubt but onely meer casualty Mixt Lots are those wherein something else besides casualty is applied to determine the doubt as namely wit skill industry and the like Lots are 1. Extraordinary those wherein God and his immediate and special Providence inevitably conducteth the Lot to that end whereunto it was intended 2. Ordinary those wherein God by his general Providence supporting the natural abilities of the Creatures suffereth it to work according to that power wherewith it is enabled Mr. Downe in his defence of the lawfulness of Lots in gaming Quod Latini sortem id Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant Neque magâ—i faciâ— quod ad meum institutum quae alij de originatione utriusque asserunt esse nempe fortem à serie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dictam quod minime seriem id est ordinem servet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vero à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 factum quod frangit hoc est dirimit lites controversias Medi problema An alea sit sâ—rtitio Sortes Deus regit speciali manu virtute extraordinaria alioquin quid novi aut proprij dixerat Salomon Prov. 16. ult cum nihil in toto mundâ—â—it quod non â— Dei providentia gubernetur sed communi ordinaria non verò speciali ista Idem ibid There is a great controversie between Gataker Dr. Ames and Voetius about this point This is a special Ordinance of God to decide a controversie from Heaven by God himself when all means on earth fail therefore Lots must not be used without great reverence and prayer because the disposition of them comes immediately from the Lord Prov. 16. 33. and not but in great matters not for recreation for it is said to cause contentions to cease among the mighty Prov. 18. 18. Neither do we reade it was ever used but in very great things as the dividing of the Land of Canaan the election of high Priests and Kings and the surrogation of Matthias into the place of Iudas Dr. Taylor on Christs Temptation The gain that comes that way is worse then usury yea it is flat theft for by the law we may recover things stoln but there is no law to recover things woâ—ne And yet if play be but for a small matter the loss whereof is no hurt to him that loseth it and it be applied to a common good it is lawful otherwise not Mr. Perk. case of consc 390. Things sanctified to some especial and holy use must not be made a recreation therefore I think with divers godly and learned men that the use of a Lot for recreation is unlawful because a Lot is an especial means whereby God hath ordained by himself from Heaven to end such controversies as otherwise cannot conveniently be ended 2. The Scripture maketh a Lot so the sentence of God as in the most weighty matters of God and man of life and death it is the very Oracle and Declaration of God his will wherein man must rest without any contradiction or motion to the contrary So Act. 1. 24 26. Numb 26. 55. Levit. 16. 8. for matters of God and Josh. 14. for matters of life yea the Gentiles themselves knew it to be the very Oracle of God Jon. 1. 7. Such Oracles of God must not be used for recreation seeing they are his Name and must not be vainly used Therefore Dice dealing of Cards where the matter is laid on hazard as they call it or rather Gods providence without using any cunning of ours to dispose it is upon the same reason of a Lot unlawful A Lot is abused in those games of Dice and Cards c. which wholly consist in chance for in toys and sports we are not to appeal to the immediate judgement of God Prov. 6. 33. B. Down Abstract on the third Precept To make a gain of play is a theft and against the eighth Commandment and Precept of the Law Ephes. 4. 28. Their course is an unjust taking into their possession that which no law of Christ or man doth warrant them by any manner of lawful contract the Civil Law and Augustine condemn that gain which is gotten by play Dr. Taylor Prov. â—6 3. 18. 18. Vide Fabritium in octavum praeceptum Decalogi p. 450 451. Dudley Fenners Treatise of recreat see more there See Rivetus Mr. Dod on the eighth Commandment p. 275 276. and Mr. Elton on the eighth Commandment p. 311. the Theatre of Gods Judgem part 1. c. 43. A Lot must be in weighty matters if in vain things it is a breach of this Commandment therefore Dice Cards and Tables are unlawful for we may not use a Lot in so light a matter as we may not swear lightly these things must not be used at our pleasure Mr. Richardson in his Manuscript See Mr. Clarks second part of the life of Iohn Bruen l. 18. c. 3. A gracious heart sees God in every thing God would have his people finde all in him Gen. 15. 1. Zach. 2. 5. and the Saints have alwaies resolved all into God Psal. 18. 1. 27. 1. 84. 11. 90. 1. 16. 5. 43. 11. See 1 John 4. 16. He that expects not all from God as the chiefest good and resolves not all into him as the utmost end is an Atheist Ephes. 2. 12. To see God in every thing is 1. Continually to see all good things to be eminently in God Rev. 21. 7. Psal. 73. 25. 2. To see all things come from God causativè or permissivè as the efficient cause if good as the permitting cause if evil 3. To observe in all things what of God is to be seen 1 Pet. 1. 12. 4. To hope onely in him and to fear none but him He is called the fear