to open more largely the parts of this description there bee eight mayne points lye obuious before our eyes First The nature of Faith Secondly The persons to whom it is appropriate Thirdly The causes efficient both primarie and secondarie principall and instrumentall the begetting and the preseruing causes Fourthly The prerogatiue of the faithfull Fiftly The qualities or adioynts of Faith Sixtly Of sight the full perfection of it Seuenthly Of Hope the sister and companion And eightly the fruits or effects The nature of Faith is to know Christ to lay hold vpon him and with confidence and assurance to apply him to ones selfe Wherein we are to consider both the Obiect of Faith and the Actions The Obiect of Faith is Christ for albeit Faith sometimes take hold of a particular promise as the q Mat. 15. 29. blind men did for the opening of their eyes yet it resteth not in that particular good but thorow it looketh at the generall good which is Christ But Christ is the Obiect of Faith not as he is in himselfe and present but absent in his Word Whereupon it is called r 2. Thess 2. 13. The Faith of Truth or that which imbraceth and layeth hold vpon the Word and Truth of God that is to say the Doctrine of Iesus Christ and Christ himselfe in and by the same And this Word is the Word of the Couenant the Word of Reconciliation published and preached and sealed vp by the Sacraments in regard whereof it is also called Å¿ Phil. 1. 27. The Faith of the Gospell So that to speake properly Faith seeth not so much Christ himselfe as a certaine Image and Picture of Christ in his Word and Sacraments wherein wee behold him but as it were in a Looking-glasse So Paul telleth the Galatians Gal. 3. 1. that by the Gospell which hee preached vnto them Iesus Christ was pictured out before their eyes and among them crucified And hereof are the speeches 1. Cor. 13. 22. We see now as it were in a Glasse in a Riddle 2. Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a Glasse the Glorie of the Lord c. The Actions are three to know to apprehend to apply First Faith hath her seat in the mind and vnderstanding of man for without knowing of Christ how can one embrace and lay hold vpon him since no t Ignoti nulla Cupido man longeth for that he knoweth not This is apparant by those titles which are giuen to Faith euery-where in the Scripture as where it is called Knowledge Vnderstanding Sight Iohn 6. 40. Euerie one that seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him shall haue euerlasting life Wherefore 1. Iohn 4. 16. these two are ioyned together Wee know and beleeue Faith and other Knowledges differ thus Knowledge is by Reason or from the Testimonie of the Sences Faith grounding vpon the authority and truth of him that promiseth giueth a u Heb. 11. 1. being to things that are not or bee inuisible Secondly In Faith there is an assent of the mind and certaintie or assurance that the promises of the Gospell are true and good not onely in generall but especially to and of ones selfe for there is a double knowledge of Christ one a generall knowledge which the x Iam. 2. 19. Deuils haue and tremble the other proper to the faithfull which is an apprehending Knowledge or knowing apprehension When y Iohn 6. 40. 12. 44 45. men see and beleeue in him And this assurance euery one that beleeueth hath for seeing Faith whereby we enioy Christ is nothing else but to lay hold vpon him and to receiue him as our owne how weake soeuer ones hold bee for that maketh not a difference of Faith from other things but onely of the measure and degree of Faith it followeth that euery mans conscience may assure him whether hee beleeue and so haue Christ or no as his sences can tell him whether hee reach forth his hand or no. Therefore the Apostle saith z 1. Iohn 5. 10. Hee that beleeueth hath this testimony in himselfe Howbeit wee cannot say that assurance is an inseparable companion of Faith alwayes and at all times for as a hand that is benummed may hold a thing though it doth not feele nor discerne the hold it hath so may it be in Faith That though indeed and truely it apprehend Christ yet sometime by the rage and violence of sinne that lulleth vs asleepe and sometimes by other meanes it may fall out that wee shall haue no sence nor feeling that we haue him Thirdly The peculiar and speciall propertie wherein the verie point of Faith doth lye is in the heart and will particularly applying to one selfe that which he iudged to bee so true and good for Faith is the hand of the soule to apprehend Christ and lay hold vpon him as the hand of the bodie apprehendeth outward things and layeth hold vpon them And therefore hereby wee apply Christ vnto our selues and receiue him for our owne And this to be the nature of Faith the Euangelist expresly teacheth when hee saith a Iohn 1. 12. As many as receiued him or laid hold vpon him he gaue them this dignitie to bee the sonnes of God euen to those that beleeue in his Name And againe b Iohn 6. 35. He that commeth vnto me shall neuer hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Where comming vnto Christ is expounded by the words following of beleeuing in him and that this carryeth with it a particular application as the word it selfe doth shew So the Apostle c 1. Pe. 1. 2. Peter The Papists teach that Faith layeth hold onely vpon a general mercie propounded generally to the Church and not offered particularly to the seuerall members thereof doth more expresly declare when he calleth it The sprinkling of the bloud of Christ particucularly and specially applyed to our soules for the washing and scowring of them for albeit the promises of the Gospel are generall d Ioh. 3 16. Whosoeuer beleeueth in the Son shall not perish but haue life euerlasting yet the same are to be vnderstood singularly and particularly as if they were spoken to thee and mee and to euery one by himselfe in seuerall Otherwise what should our faith differ from the faith of the e Luk. 4. 41. Deuils who knew him and proclaymed him to be that Christ that Holy one of God Hence are these speeches so common in the Scripture f Psal 17. 15. I in righteousnesse shall see thy face I shall bee satisfied when I awake with thy likenesse g Iob 19. 25 26. I know my Redeemer lineth whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and not any other for mee h Gal. 2. 20. Who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for mee i 2. Cor. 5. 1. Wee know that if this our earthly Tabernacle be dissolued we haue a Building from God a House not made
Lords Supper 391 CHAP. VI. Of the Church of Gods Elect. 399 Of Faith The nature of it the persons to whom it is appropriate the causes principall and instrumentall the prerogatiue of the Faithfull the weakenesse and degrees of it the growth that it neuer can be lost the fruit and effect of it 401 Of Hope 418 Of Sight 417 CHAP. VII Of a new World 419 Of the alteration of the Sabbath for the Day Name Time of Beginning 425 Of Regeneration Of Christ the Head and our vnion with him of 4. Petition the Spirit of Adoption the Infancie of Regeneration and Mans estate 427 CHAP. VIII Of Saluation 5. Petition Of remouing the Vayle of Ignorance of Wisedome Of forgiuenesse of Sinnes Imputation of Righteousnesse Iustification Of Mortification and Sanctification 1. Branch of the 6. Petition Of imperfect Sanctification and the degrees thereof Of the notes and markes of Sanctification Of the Lords Prayer Of the Church Militant The enemies we fight against the two Generals of the Field the Weapons which both the enemies and we fight withall the Goale or Mastrie we fight for The Issue of the Conflict Of Repentance The Notes or Signes the Fruit and whence wee haue it Of Fasting The outward abstinence the end and true vse the time of keeping a Fast it is in the nature of a Sabbath Gods acceptation of our Workes and how The reward due vnto them they no whit merit the necessitie of doing good Workes Of Celestiall Holinesse and of the Church Triumphant Of Redemption 2. Branch of the 6. Petition Of the Blessednesse of Gods children in this life Of the state of the faithfull departed Of the generall Resurrection Who shall rise by what power and in what sort Speciall things touching the resurrection of the Elect. Of the last Iudgement The persons to be iudged The Iudge Christ Of his comming to Iudgement the place from whence he shall come the signes and manner of his Comming The Place where the Iudgement shall be Of the Sentence The preparation to it the order of the Sentence the Sentence it selfe the Reason the execution of the Sentence and the order of execution Of our taking vp into Heauen and by what right we come thither Of our full Blessednesse The root and foundation of the same the parts the measure and quantitie the degrees of Glory and whence it groweth the eternitie Of certaine that rose vpon our Sauiours Resurrection Of Enoch and Elias Of the sudden change of those that shall be aliue at Christs comming Of the renewing of the Creatures FINIS THE FIRST BOOKE OF DIVINITIE OF GOD THE CREATOR CHAP. I. Of God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost AS all other Sciences are Diuinitie is a Doctrine of glorifying God commended by their end and euery one esteemed so much the more eminent as the end doth more excell so it is the worthie prayse of the Doctrine of Religion which is the same that we call Diuinitie that it looketh to such an end as is incomparably most to be desired most to be loued and embraced of vs that is to say the glory of God a Rom. 11. 39. From whom and by whom and to whom are all things And whose glory ought to be a thousand-sold more deare vnto vs then our liues yea then the saluation of our soules This therefore is the scope and marke Heresies and Errors A Theists that say There is no God whom not onely the Word of God but all the Things created especially this goodly Frame and Workmanship of the World and euen their owne Consciences sufficiently confute since they cannot but see vnderstand hereby that there must needs be some Diuine Power before all and aboue all of whom these things were made and by whom they are gouerned in so wise and gracious sort as the â—postle teacheth Rom. 1. 20. For his inuisible Things that is his Eternall Power and Godhead being vnderstood by the things created are clearely seene by this Frame of the World to the end that men might be vnexcusable And therefore these Wretches that striue against their Conscience to put out so cleare a Light which will they nill they shineth thus bright in their eyes are to be left vnto themselues and Gods iust hand vpon them as vtterly vnworthie to be dealt with by any further Arguments The whole Doctrine of Poperie which in all the points of their Religion spoyleth God of his glorie for 1. In stead of the true blessed God they set vp an Idoll of their owne braine one neither perfectly righteous which accepteth an imperfect satisfaction as whatsoeuer proceedeth from man whom they will haue able to satisfie for his owne sins must of necessitie be nor perfectly mercifull if he do not freely forgiue sinne but receiue some part of recompence at our hands contrary to that of Esay 43. 25. I I for my selfe that is freely for mine own mercie and glorie do away iniquities 2. His incomprehensible and incorruptible glorie they transforme into the image of a corruptible creature as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. 23. painting him out sometimes after the likenesse of an old man sometimes in one shape sometimes in another as if Time did weare him or Age alter him who is the Eternitie of Israel and neuer changeth 3. Their prayers to Hee Saints Shee Saints and angels which is a glorie proper vnto God Psal â—0 15. Call upon â—â— and I will deliuer thee so shalt 〈…〉 fie mee And their bowing to Stocks and Stones whereof the Lord saith Esay 4â— â— I will not give my glorie to another nor my praise to carued Images 4. They teach that the predestinating as well of the elect to life as of the reprobate to condemnation is for their workes fore-seene which the Apostle Rom. 9. 22 23. sheweth to be of his owne free pleasure to shew forth the riches of his might and glorie 5. Touching 〈◊〉 â—â—w of God they are not only altogether ignorant of the true vse thereof which is by a right humiliation of ones selfe to prepare the way and to lead him vnto Christ but spoyle God of the glory due vnto him whilest they teach That it is possible for a man to fulfill the Law himselfe and so falsifie that goldeÌ„ saying of the Apostle Rom. 11. 32. God hath shâ—t all vnder sinne that he might haue mercie vpon all 6. The means of saluation they attribute in part to the worthinesse of men and to their due desert which is the free grace and gift of God that he that glorieth might glorie in the Lord 1. Cor. 1. 32. 7. Whereas the wonderfull glorie of God in his loue vnto mankind hath herein shined forth most clearely that when we were dead in sinnes and enemies vnto God he hath quickened and reconciled vs to himselfe they contrarily imagine that the wound is not to deepe but that there remaineth still a kind of life in man and a disposition to receiue
proofe of the God-head of the Spirit This is the summe of our most precious Faith concerning the God-head of the Sonne and Holy Ghost against Arrius Seruetus and all that hellish crue which either bring in a multiplicitie of gods and so in truth make no God at all or imagine a secondary kind of God-ship making them inferior to the Father or of the like but not of the selfe-some essence against whatsoeuer Heresies else that Hell hath forged and Satan set abroch to the dishonour of these three Persons the one onely true and euer-liuing GOD Coequall Coeternall and Consubstantiall whom we onely honour and serue CHAP. II. Of the Eternall Decrees of God THE glory of God which from all Eternitie God being thus in his nature and Persons most glorious hath further embroidered himselfe in glory by two notes of excellency which he taketh to him Kingdom and Hanour Kingdome is that whereby he doth excite an absolute soueraigntie toward other The order whereof answerable to the relation betweene the persons themselues is from the Father in the Sonne by the Holy Ghost to whom is attributed the immediate doing of them did shine in and to himselfe it hath further pleased him both to manifest in the exercising of a Kingdome and to inlarge by taking honour vnto him Therefore our Sauiour in the Lords Prayer after the Name of God comprehending his nature and persons which hitherto haue beene handled addeth these other two Thy Kingdome come thy will bee done c. By the one he ruleth by the other his rule is obeyed This to speake properly is not any other Kingdome then that which he had before but the actuall exercise and putting into practice of that Kingdome or Soueraigntie which is of his very nature as our Sauiour doth distinguish them Matth. 6. when saying Thy Kingdome come c. he addeth by and by For thine is the Kingdome c. The order or the administration of it is in this manner The Father is first in Order not in Power nor in Time is the supreme working cause who doth whatsoeuer hee doth in the Sonne and they both by the holy Spirit To whom is attributed the immediate doing of them nor as if eyther the Sonne or Spirit were instruments to worke by but both of them be principall efficient causes and they all that one and the same God that worketh all in all The place for this diuersitie of working is manifest â—n the Epistle to the Romanes a Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raysed Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raysed Christ from the dead will quicken also your mortall bodies by his Spirit dwelling in you Here as you see all is comprehended The Father quickening in Christ by his Spirit that dwelleth in vs for to this end hee maketh mention of Christs raysing from the dead More cleere betweene the Father and the Sonne is that to the b 1. Cor. 8. 6. Corinthians But vnto vs there is one God The Father from whom are all things and one Lord Iesus Christ through whom are all things From he giueth to the Father as the Fountaine of the Action Through to the Sonne in regard of the personall Distinction So in the Epistle to the c Heb. 1. 2. Hebrewes Through his Sonne hee made the World Of the Holy Ghost also it is said By his d Iob 26. 13. â—pirit he beautified the Heauens And our Sauiour Iohn 16. 14. He shall glorifie me for he shall receiue of mine and shew it vnto you whose proper kind of working as the next and immediate cause of all things is most liuely set forth e 1. Cor. 12. 4 5 â— 7 â— 10 11. 1. Cor. 12. Now there are differences of gifts but the same spirits there are differeÌ„ces of Ministeries but the same Lord. And there are differences of working but there is the same God who worketh all in all But to euery one is giuen the manifestation of the Spirit to profit for vnto one by the Spirit is giuen the Word of Wisedome and to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit and to another Faith by the same Spirit and to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit and to another the working of Powers and to another Prophecie and to another discerning of Spirits and to another kinds of Tongues and to another interpretation of Tongues But all these things worketh one and the same Spirit distributing them seuerally to euery one as he pleaseth This Kingdome standeth in three things whereof the first are his Purposes or Decrees Then his Creation and The Kingdom of God hath two parts purpose workes Purpose is his Decree before all times of euery thing thirdly the Gouernment of the World the Apostle reduceth them vnto two purpose and workes Ephes 1. 21. Who worketh all things after the counsell of his will In the Counsels and Workes of God putting them both together fiue things may be noted one proper to the purpose of God the other in common appertayning both to his Workes and Purpose The first is as touching the Eternitie of this Decree that it is before all times that is to say from euerlasting The second is the generalitie of his Dispensation that it stretcheth it selfe to all things to wit to all kinds and each particular of euery kind Thirdly the relation betweene his Purpose and Workes that he effecteth nothing which before he hath not decreed decreeth nothing which in time hee doth not effect whereupon followeth the ineuitable necessitie of the execution of his counsels The fourth is touching the Lords most free and absolute stroke in this whole dispensation Lastly That all this is proper vnto God within the compasse of one of which will fall whatsoeuer wee are to speake concerning the Gouernment and Kingdome of God The Apostle in that one sentence elegantly comprehendeth all for in saying Him that worketh c. meaning God he sheweth the supreme cause before assigned and maketh it proper to God by calling him as it were by that name and saying all things hee leaueth nothing free Now where he addeth recording to the purpose after the counsell he giueth to vnderstand that nothing is wrought but that which is decreed nothing decreed but in time it is effected In which words of purpose counsell the Eternity of this Decree is also included as fore-running all his Works yea the first worke of Creation it selfe Lastly the free-will of God is expressed in adding after the counsell of his will But for a better view to be taken of them all let vs handle these three apart Therefore to begin with his Purposes or Decrees obserue in them three things First The Eternitie of those Decrees for as God himselfe is eternall so are his deep and vnsearchable counsels all of them written and decreed or euer the World was And as f Psal 93. â— He is from euerlasting so is
o Mat. 26. 37. heauinesse p Mar. 14. â—3 amazement The difference of Christs Hebion Cerinthus and others said he was conceiued by ordinarie procreation of man and woman as other men are humane nature from all other mens standeth in this that hee was not conceiued according to the ordinary procreation of man and woman but of a Virgin and therefore by the immediate power of the Holy Ghost not begetting him of his owne substance as fathers doe their children but by his Almightie Power framing and fashioning the same after a wonderfull manner miraculously and without mans helpe in the wombe of Marie That she was a Virgin the Storie is plaine q Mat. 1. 23. Mat. 1. according as it was r Esay 7. 14. long before prophecied Behold that Virgin shall conceiue and beare a Sonne The Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word in both the Tongues signifieth one hidden vnknowne vnto a man And fondly doe the Iewish Rabbins pretend the place t Pro. 30. 19. Prou. 30. to delude the truth of this Interpretation which indeed doth confirme and giue strength vnto it for when Salomon saith The way of a man in a u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maide Is it not plaine that hee speaketh by an Ironie meaning a Strumpet of that brazen fore-head and so impudent as notwithstanding her filthinesse will needs goe for as good a Mayde as the best Therefore he addeth in the next Verse Shee eateth and then wipeth her mouth saying I haue done none iniquitie yea this seemeth though more obscurely to haue beene pointed at in that promise The seed of the woman shall tread downe the head of the Serpent for in saying the seed of the woman and not of the man who in the ordinarie course of generation hath the first and chiefest place what can else bee meant but a wonderfull and strange conception of a woman without the helpe of man And of this interpretation Esay may bee the Authour who doth not say simply A Virgin shall conceiue but that Virgin that is to say that Virgin so famously and so long before spoken of to Gods people of whom as touching the flesh Christ should come which no other Scripture but this doth warrant Last of all the efficient and worker of this so wonderfull by the Holy Ghost a conception is expressed Mat. 1. 20. That which is conceiued in her is of the Holy Ghost And lâ—st you should take of here for the materiall cause which is repugnant to the Diuine Nature of the Spirit of God and ouerthroweth the true humane Nature of our Sauiour Christ the Angell Luke 1. 35. declareth the whole order and manner of this conception The Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most High shall ouer-shaddow thee Next is the vnion of Who is also these two Natures Nestorius deuided the Person and made two persons one God the other man Eutyches confounded the two natures and made them but one attributing to the Man-hood all the properties of the God-head as to be vncreated omnipotent euerywhere c. and to the God-head to be subiect to suffer and whatsoeuer else belongeth to the humane Nature Both which in the first moment of his Conception inseparably knit together and still remaining in substance propertie and action distinct one from other and each keeping his seuerall and proper qualities make one Person Iesus Christ as the soule and bodie personally conioyned make one man A Mysterie of all Mysteries that a man should make one Person with GOD whom the glorious and blessed Angels are not able to behold and yet cleerly and manifestly taught in the Scriptures x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2. 16. For he tooke not to an Angellike nature but hee tooke to the Seed of ABRAHAM This taking to which must needs bee meant vnto his God-head doth it not most manifestly shew a distinction of the Natures not a drowning or swallowing vp of either against Eutyches and againe a personall vnion of them in an vnspeakeable sort against Nestorius The place to the y Col. 2. 9. Coloss 2. 9. as it spake before for the God-head of Christ So it speaketh for the vnitie of his natures For in him that is in Christ whom he opposeth to those traditions of men dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily When he saith In him dwelleth the God-head hee distinguisheth two Natures one the God-head dwelling the other the man in whom it dwelleth By which phrase of dwelling also he noteth not an abode for a time but a perpetuall habitation for which cause he vseth the present time And adding bodily hee signifieth that the same is not by communication of his power and vertue in which sence God is said to dwell in all his Saints nor in a Sacramentall manner as God is said to dwell in his Temple but by a substantiall and personall vnion of both Natures making one Christ Therefore Paul vnto the Romanes speaking of both apart his Manhood first and then his God-head afterwards knitteth them in one IESVS CHRIST z Rom. 13. 4. concerning his Sonne made of the Seed of DAVID according to the flesh mightily declared to bee the Sonne of God as touching the Spirit of Sanctification by rising from the dead euen IESVS CHRIST our LORD Againe a Rom. 9. 5. that CHRIST as touching the flesh came from the Father being also ouer all God to be blessed for euer And 1. Peter 3. 18. CHRIST was put to death as touching the flesh and quickened touching the Spirit To conclude this was plainly fore-told by the Prophet Esay 7. 14. that hee should be EMANVEL that is God with vs. Wherefore that of Iohn 1. 14. The Word became flesh and whatsoeuer other speeches like to that may not be vnderstood of a confusion but of an vnion of the natures and as the natures themselues are not mingled no more are their properties it being impossible that the properties of one nature should agree vnto the other for as the God-head cannot die no more can the Man-hood be infinite omnipotent euery-where c. By reason of the vnion of these natures into one person these two things follow First Beside that touching the Deitie he is the Sonne of God by nature In which respect hee is indeed most properly called the Sonne the b Heb. 7. 3. Apostle witnessing that He was without Father according to his Man-hood and without Mother according to his God-head hee is also in his humanitie the Sonne of God by this personall vnion Luke 1. 35. That holy One that is borne of thee shall be called The Sonne of God And yet for all that there is but one onely Sonne of God not two though the same by reason of this personall Vnion bee in two respects the Sonne Secondly Hereof it is that hee is to bee adored of all his Creatures euen the holy Angels Heb. 1. Let all the Angels of God