giuen vnto much wine but teachers of honest things that z 1. Pet. 5. 3. they may instruct the younger women to be sober-minded that they loue their Husbands that they loue their children Not as though yee were Lords of Gods Heritage but that ye may be ensamples to the flocke a Iob 29. 8. The young men saw me and hid themselues and the aged rose and stood vp his wise and graue carriage procuring reuerence and credit to him Secondly Vsing of the things wherein they are preferred And vsing of the things wherein they are preferred to the others benefit to the others benefit being content to yeeld vnto them when they are in the right as to their brethren So Deut. 17. 20. it is specially commanded to the King That his heart bee not lifted vp aboue his brethren And b Iob 31. 13. Iob professeth his care to practise this Lesson If I did condemne the iudgement of my Seruant and of my Maid when they did contend with mee Thus did c 2. King 5. 13 14. NAAMAN harken to the aduice of his Seruants and returning washed in Iordan and was made whole The Dutie of such Superiours as are in authoritie From them in authoritie First instruction of their Inferiors in the things of God and of their speciall callings whatsoeuer the same be is Instruction of their Inferiours in the things of God and of their speciall callings as Ioshua did the d Iosh 24. Israelites And in this respect Iob e Iob 29. 15. saith of himselfe that he was eyes vnto the Blind and feet vnto the Lame Secondly Due recōpence of good or euil actions which Peter f 1. Pet. 2. 14. Then due recompence of good or euill actions sheweth to bee the cause why Magistrates are erected for the punishment of euill doers and prayse of them that doe well And g Ro. 13. 2 3 4 Paul saith that Princes are not to be feared for good workes but for euill Wilt thou then be without feare of the Power Doe well so shalt thou haue prayse of the same for he is the minister of God for thy wealth In h Col. 4. 1. another place Ye Masters saith hee doe vnto your Seruants that which is iust and equall knowing that yee also haue a Master in Heauen Thirdly Protection from wrongs for whither should And lastly protection from wrongs the eyes i Psal 123. 2. of the Seruant looke but to the hand of the Master and the eyes of the Mayden but to the hands of her Mistris Hereupon Gen. 20. 16. Abimelech telleth SARA that ABRAHAM her Husband was the couering of her eyes and the man that was to protect her Iosias also Lam. 4. 20. is said to be vnto the people the breath of their nostrils The Dutie of Magistrates From publike authoritie that is to say from Magistrates maintenance aswell of true Religion as of peace and honestie of life Anabaptists which reiect Magistracie The Papists which teach that it belongeth not to the Magistrate to deale in matter of Religion And also exempt their Clergie from the Iurisdiction of the Ciuill Magistrate is First Maintenance of true Religion Secondly Maintenance of peace and honestie of life for to him hath God committed the maintenance of both the Tables So the k 1. Tim. 2. 2. Apostle teacheth that the Ciuill Magistrate is raysed vp of God vnto that high estate of Dignitie that we might liue vnder them a peaceable and a quiet life in all godlinesse and honestie A part of this Dutie is the deciding of Controuersies betweene man and man and the true ministration of Law and Iustice as Moses did Exod. 18. 13. For the performance of both these God hath furnished him with power and to this end put the Sword into his hands which hee may not suffer to rust in the Scabbard but must draw it out to punish all offenders l Rom. 13. 4. If thou doe euill feare for hee beareth not the Sword for nought for he is the Minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth euill In all which punishments a proportion is to be obserued That euery one be according to the nature and qualitie of the offence Those against the first Table most seuerely and sharply after the example of God himselfe whom the Prophet m Ier. 5. 7. bringeth in saying How should I spare thee for this Thy children haue sworne by them that are no Gods In the second Table Murder Incest Rape with death Trespasse with the recompence of the hurt c. In all which the Iudiciall Lawes of Moses albeit wee are not tyed to the precise and strict forme of that Common-wealth are notable precedents to goe before vs for the equitie and substance of them The contrarie whereof is the not punishing or light censuring of capitall crimes and letting them escape whom God bringeth into our hands Of the first we haue a Law Numb 35. 31 33. Ye shall take no recompence for the life of the Murderer which is worthy to dye but he shall be put to death for bloud defileth the Land and the Land cannot be clensed of the bloud that is shed therein but by the bloud of him that shed it And 1. Kin. 20. 42. A Prophet telleth the King of Israel as from the Lord Because thou hast let goe out of thy hands a man whom I had appointed to dye thy life shall goe for his life and thy people for his people For the second ELI is reprooued 1. Sam. 2. 23. who for foule and shamefull faults committed by his sonnes such oppressing of the people as made men abhorre the Seruice of the Lord lying with the women that assembled at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation c. reprooued them onely with a few words and that in a milde sort Why doe you such things for of all this people I heare euill reports of you Doe no more so my sonnes for it is no good report which I heare of you that you make the Lords people to trespasse Take here-with-all some cautions First That the Magistrate being Gods n Rom. 13. 1. Minister in this behalfe doe all things holily and reuerently as in his presence whereof we haue Ioshua o Iosh 7. 19. 25. for a worthie patterne who said vnto ACHAN My sonne I beseech thee giue glorie to IEHOVAH the God of Israel and make confession vnto him and shew me now what thou hast done hide it not from me Afterwards when the fact was confessed by him IOSHVA said In as much as thou hast troubled vs IEHOVAH shall trouble thee this day And all Israel threw stones at him and burnt them with fire and stoned them with stones Secondly He must propound a right end before him that is to say first the parties good and reformation not his shame and destruction for that the p Pro. 20. 30 Wiseman teacheth vs to bee the scope and marke
and the declaration of those wonderfull things that are in him which by no other way then this could be made knowne appointed first beside the setting forth of his power patience hatred of sinne loue of righteousnesse and other vertues to manifest the riches of his Mercie in certaine both Angels and men knowne vnto himselfe who should be saued and in like sort the greatnesse of his Iustice in certaine both Angels and men to bee condemned wherein in looking to nothing else either present or to come within vs or without vs in Heauen or in Earth but to himselfe alone hee chose vs of his free good-wil and pleasure After which for men themselues the All-wise God much more aduise of nothing but they set the end before them and first the end then the meanes concurring to it After this therefore in order of the causes not in course of time all his purposes being from eternitie and none before or after other hee purposed to create them both holy and righteous like vnto himselfe who hauing free-will to imbrace either good or euill and a nature subiect to temptation should of their owne accord voluntarily fall away thereby subiecting themselues to his wrath and indignation First of the Angels those onely appointed to destruction whom hee neuer would repayre The rest hee did decree to establish by his Grace that they might not lose their standing but abide fast for euer in that integritie which at the first he gaue them Touching Mankinde who were wholy to fall in Adam for those whom he did select and separate to bee saued by his Mercie he purposed in the loue he bare them not to spare his owne onely Sonne the Sonne of his Loue most deare vnto him but to send him into the World to take vpon him our flesh In whom adopting vs for his sonnes being by faith in graffed into him and made one together with him hee would in his good time bestow freely through Grace Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption The rest hee did decree to leaue in their sinnes and deseruedly to harden and so their destruction to come from themselues the others Saluation from him and from his Mercie So haue you in generall the state and as it we 〈◊〉 the proiect of this Doctrine But before we proceed Those which make the name of Predestination proper to the Elect as though God had not predestinated the Reprobate but onely foreknowne that they should bee such whereas Predestination is spoken of wicked actions Acts 4. 28. and the word equiualent thereunto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fore-appointed is vsed for reprobation Iuae 4. The word prescience or fore-knowledge is misse-vnderstood of many for a bare knowledge in God of all things that shall be especially of the qualities that God fore-saw would be in men whereby he was led to choose or reiect them as Faith or Infidelitie good or euill workes And so they make it a cause by it selfe seuered from his Decree teaching that the Reprobate are onely fore-knowne not predestinate wherein is a double errour beside the mistaking of the word Predestination for First Prescience or fore-knowledge is neuer separate from the Decree of God but alwayes taken for an ordayning and fore-appointing when it is referred to him and therefore his bare knowledge wherby he vnderstandeth all things that shall bee commeth not within the compasse of this word Secondly It pointeth out the free fauour of God and therefore hath place onely in the Elect. to the further vnfolding of it let vs for our better vnderstāding distinguish these words Purpose Predestination and Prescience or Fore-knowledge a word which in this Argument we often meet withall Purpose is Gods generall Decree of all things for the manifesting of his Glorie Predestination is one branch of this Decree to glorifie himselfe by the saluation of some and destruction of other some in the one to shew his Iustice in the other to set forth his Mercie Prescience or Foreknowledge is restrayned to that part of his Decree which concerneth those that shall bee saued signifying a Decree with a loue and liking and when you apply it to the persons is alwayes spoken of the Elect neuer of the Reprobate as Rom. 8. 30. Whom hee did foreknow he did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne Rom. 11. 2. God hath not reiected his people whom hee fore-knew 1. Peter 1. 2. Fore-knowne before the foundation of the World So that where the Apostle Acts 2. 23. telleth the Iewes that by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God they had staine and crucified Christ then the which there was neuer a fouler deed nor more hatefull to God committed vpon the Earth hee doth purposely make choice of this word to shew that GOD not onely decreed this Action so foule and detestable in the Iewes which determinate counsell noteth But howsoeuer in Iudas and the Iewes hee hated it yet as it was the meanes of redeeming of the World hee loued and imbraced it and therefore saith He was deliuered or giuen vp of God vnto them in his speciall grace and goodnesse These three words therefore Purpose Predestination and Prescience or Fore-knowledge are euery one more speciall then other for Rom. 8. 29. which may seeme to make Predestination subordinate to Foreknowledge speaketh not of Predestination vnto life which in regard of vs is the extreme and end but of Predestination to bee adopted in Christ that is of Predestination to one subordinate meanes as we shall heare anon The words being cleered let vs now open the particular Doctrines that arise wherein I shall not need to meddle with the Angels hauing spoken of them in the former Booke First That there is a Those which teach that God hath not from euerlasting purposed any such Decree but that it lyeth in the hands of euery one to purchase vnto himselfe life if hee will beleeue or death if he lye in sinne Those which hold that God hath predestinated all vnto saluation but the vnfaithfulnesse of many to bee the cause that God either cannot effect that which he purposed or altereth his counsell Predestinate decree and appointment of GOD both vnto life and vnto death to punishment and to glorie wherein all men are not chosen to life nor all ordayned vnto death but some to the one and some to the other g Acts 13. 24. They beleeued saith the Holy Ghost as many as were ordayned to life This is that Booke of Life so oft spoken of in the Scripture The h Ex. 31. 32 33 Booke of IEHOVAH to be i Psal 69. 28. written amongst the iust and in the k Ezecl 13. 9. writing of the house of Israel Againe of the Reprobate Iude l Iude 4. saith Which were before appointed to this damnation And m 2. Pet. 2. 3. PETER For whom damnation since of old lingreth not and their destruction doth not slumber n 1. Thes 5. 9. PAVL to the
Thessalonians comprehendeth both for when hee incourageth them by this Argument that God had not appointed them for wrath but to the purchasing of saluation through IESVS CHRIST he manifestly noteth some ordayned to Saluation other to destruction as many as come not to haue their part in Christ But that to the o Rom. 9. 21 â—2 Romanes is more manifest Hath not the Potter power ouer the clay of the same lumpe to make one Vessell for Honour and another to dishonour And what if God willing to shew forth his wrath and to make knowne his power hath borne with much long suffering the vessels of wrath framed for destruction and that he might make knowne the riches of his Glorie vpon the vessels of Mercie which he hath before ordayned vnto Glorie Behold how he calleth them heere the one Vessels to Honour Vessels of Mercie prepared vnto Glorie the other vessels to dishonour vessels of wrath framed for destruction which selfe-same phrase Vessels to Honour and to shame or dishonour he keepeth also in the Epistle to p 2. Tim. 2. 20. TIMOTHIE Now in a great house there are not onely Vessels of Gold and Vessels of Siluer but of Wood also and of Earth and some verily for Honour some for dishonour This shall yet further appeare if we cast our eye vnto those meanes whereby this predestinate Decree of God is brought vnto effect for sith it is manifest that some beleeue the Gospell and testifie the same by the fruits of their conuersation other are obstinate and stubborne and giuen vp to their lusts blinded with infidelitie and hardnesse of heart thereof we may conclude that some are ordained vnto life other vnto destruction Notable also to this purpose is that vnto the q 2. Thes 2. 9. Thessalonians The comming of Antichrist shall bee with all power to them that are to perish but wee ought alwayes to giue thankes to God who hath chosen vs to Saluation and called vs by the preaching of the Gospell where these two sorts are manifestly distinguished as also Iohn 17. 19. I pray not for the World but for those whom thou hast giuen me out of the World The very scope of the Apostles disputation Rom. 9. 22. driueth heere unto in the person of Ismael and of Isack children one of the flesh the other of the promise And againe in Isacks two sonnes one loued the other hated to set before vs the generall state of all Mankinde yea God hath not onely predestinated men to ioy or to paine but to the measure of it more or lesse according as there be degrees both of glorie and of punishment Mat. 20. 23. vpon the request of the Sonnes of Zebedy our Sauiour Christ granting a difference of Glorie saith It shall be theirs for whom it is prepared of his Father And of the Reprobate the place in IVDE r Iude v. 4. is manifest Which long agoe were appointed to this damnation In saying this he noteth not a common but a rare and as it were an extraordinary Damnation for so I refer the word Damnation to the end aswell as to the meanes to the iudgement it selfe as to the sinne and disobedience which was the cause of it The truth heere of is euident in Iudas the Traitor of whom Å¿ Acts 1. 25. Peter saith that he turned aside from the lot of his Ministerie whereunto Christ had called him to goe vnto his owne place In the words his owne hee noteth his proper degree of punishment and calling it his place sheweth that it was reserued for him and allotted from Eternitie Secondly Euery particular person is thus predestinate So as both the number how many and the persons who they bee are before all Eternitie most certainly knowne to God Therefore our t Luke 10. 20. Sauiour saith Their names are written in Heauen And in u Iohn 10. 3. IOHN A good Shepheard calleth his sheep by Name And hither belongeth that in x 2. Tim. 2. 19. TIMOTHIE The foundation remayneth firme hauing this seale God knoweth who are his Agreeably whereunto our Sauiour Christ saith I y Iohn 13. 18. know whom I haue chosen This number of Gods Elect in comparison of the Reprobate is but small for z Mat. 20. 16. Many are called but few are chosen If but few euen of those that haue an outward calling how much more few if you consider the rest of the World beside And this may teach vs the rather to admire Gods goodnesse to our selues as nature and reason doe instruct vs to set more by that which is common but with a few Thirdly The cause of this difference is the The Papists teach that those who God foresaw would willingly beleeue the Gospel do good works them hee chose though not by reason of their workes but freely of his Grace yet so as hee had respect to the good things would bee in them Wherby they make Gods free election in some sort to haue his cause in man and in his goodnesse which in truth is but an effect comming from that Election free-will and pleasure of God without any motiue to it but in and of himselfe Which the name of Predestination speaketh that the Will and Decree of GOD not in time onely but in the very order and nature of causes is first and before all other things And the Apostle a Ephes 1. 11. saith plainly Hee worketh all things after the counsell of his Will God therefore notwithstanding any thing that hath beene â—â—id is no respecter of persons nor mooued by any qualitâ— that is in man but by his owne free-will No fore-knowledge of faith or infidelitie good or euill workes were the cause of this Decree for they are but b Ephes 1. 4. Titus 2. 12. consequences that follow and depend vpon it but all here is free the roote it selfe and all the branches Election free therefore the Apostle calleth it c Rom. 11. 5. The election of Grace d 2. Tim. 1. 9. Calling free e Phil. 1. 29. We beleeue freely through Grace Are f Rom. 3. 24. freely iustified through Faith Our g Ezech. 36. 37 Sanctification free and h Titus 3. 5. eternall life the free gift of God through Iesus Christ Election therefore commeth from the onely will and pleasure of God for aboue this or out of this it is impietie Rom. 6. 13. Luke 12 32. for to goe Therefore the Apostle wrappeth vp all in sinne He i Ephes 1. 6. chose vs in himselfe according to the free pleasure of his will And the sole and onely cause both of Election and Reprobation of one rather then another is his own good wil and pleasure for causes vnknown to vs but yet most holy and iust and righteous in themselues So he saith to the Romans Whom k Rom. 9. â—8 he will he pittieth whom he will he hardeneth Exemplifying both the parts of this diuision by two most singular and
thing from this at the Margent follow that which is by it selfe at the beginning Difference in substance there is not any but the Copie for that at the Margent was not altogether so perfect THE FIRST BOOKE OF DIVINITIE OF GOD THE CREATOR CHAPTER I. Of GOD the FATHER the SONNE and the HOLY GHOST DIuinitie is a Doctrine of glorifying God whereof there bee two parts One that concerneth God The other concerning Emanuel God with vs. God is Iehouah three Persons Iehouah which is Being or Perfection it selfe signifieth a Nature that hath all good and perfect things in a most perfect and incommunicable manner The perfect things in God beside Life Vnderstanding and Will without which no perfection can bee are Holinesse and Blessednes Holinesse is the puritie of his Nature from whence commeth a Righteousnesse in all his Wayes specially seene to vs in foure chiefe and principall Vertues which in the Scripture you shall find for the most part to goe by couples or payres The first couple are Kindnesse and Truth Kindnesse in being ready to bestow all good things Truth faithfully to performe whatsoeuer he speaketh The other couple are Iustice and Mercy flowing from the former Iustice to render to euery one his due Mercy in being ready to helpe in time of need This is the Holinesse of GOD and his Righteousnesse comming from it Blessednes is his All-sufficiency of things that make one happy and standeth in Kingdome and Power or Glorie Kingdome is his Soueraigntie of commanding whatsoeuer he will Power his ablenesse to doe whatsoeuer hee commandeth Glorie comprehendeth all the excellencies of his Nature as Wisedome and other Graces of the minde Strength Comelinesse and Beautie Graciousnesse or an amiable and louely Nature a complete furniture of Riches Honour and of all kind of Pleasures and Delights These are the Perfect themselues His perfect and incommunicable manner of hauing of them is Infinitenesse and Eternitie Infinitenesse whereby he is without circumscription and therefore of a most single Nature that whatsoeuer is in God is God himselfe and therefore also inuisible and incomprehensible Eternitie whereby Hee is without beginning or ending and therefore of himselfe and vnchangeable This is it we meane by IEHOVAH who vpon all that hath beene said is nor can be but One. The three Persons are each of them that one Iehouah diuersly subsisting and are the Father and the Sonne or the Holy Ghost The Father is a Person who from all eternitie hath begotten the Sonne The Sonne is a Person from all eternitie begotten of the Father The Holy Ghost is a Person eternally proceeding from the Father and the Sonne CHAP. II. Of the Eternall Decrees of God GOD being thus in his Nature and Person most glorious hath further embroidered himselfe in glorie by two notes of excellencie which he taketh to him Kingdome and Honour Kingdome is that whereby hee doth exercise an absolute Soueraigntie toward others 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 The Kingdome of God hath two parts Purpose and Works Purpose is his Decree before all times of euerything CHAP. III. Of Creation THe Works of God are the execution of his Purpose and are Creation and Prouidence Creation is his making all things of nothing finished in sixe dayes and was of euery Creature in excellencie of perfection Of the reasonable Creatures Angels and Men it was after his owne Image and Likenesse in Holinesse and Happinesse Holinesse in a mind inlightned with the knowledge of the whole Will of God and all the strengths of Nature conformed thereunto Happinesse in the fruition of Gods loue and from thence comming a Coniunction and Communion with him Coniunction is an inioying of his Personall presence Communion is a participation in some sort of his Blessednes both Kingdome Power and Glorie CHAP. IIII. Of Prouidence PRouidence is his gouerning of the things created CHAP. V. Of the Morall Law SO much of the Kingdome of God the honour due vnto him is That the reasonable Creatures Angels and Men doe his Will with that whole strength of their naturall integritie Euery thing with so much the greater strength as the dutie doth more excell the doing whereof is termed Righteousnesse CHAP. VI. The first Table and the first Commandement RIghteousnesse hath two parts Pietie and Iustice Pietie is of the immediate duties to God whereof this is the whole that wee haue God to be our God The parts are two One to cleaue vnto him Louing Reuerencing Feating Beleeuing Trusting and Hoping in him from whence arise Patience and Humilitie The other to worship him which worship comprehendeth all kind of Seruice publike and priuate One principall part whereof is Prayer both petition for the obtayning of good things or turning away of euill and thanksgiuing for all wee doe inioy A piece also of this Seruice when iust cause requireth is swearing and cursing by his Name making our Vowes vnto him and by lotterie to commit into his hands the successe of our doubtfull affaires CHAP. VII Of the second Commandement TO the worship of God two things doe belong a holy manner of worshipping God and a holy rest The manner standeth in Obedience and Reuerence Obedience is the worshipping of him according to his Commandement CHAP. VIII Of the third Commandement REuerence is a religious affection in the seruice of God whereunto are requisite Preparation and Humiliation and when need is both Fasting to quicken vs to petition in the acknowledgement of our vnworthinesse and wants and Feasting to expresse our thankefulnesse for his benefits CHAP. IX Of the fourth Commandement THis is the manner of Gods worship A holy rest is a sanctifying of a time vnto his seruice which beside other times as occasion shall be offered in a Family or for ones selfe apart ought ordinarily to bee in the Morning and Euening of euery day for Church-meetings on such Dayes and Times of the day as may stand with the conuenience of that Church But of necessitie one whole day in seuen is thus to be kept holy both with publike and priuate exercises In which number the duties of brotherly loue as distributing to the Poore according to Gods blessing vpon vs visiting the Sicke helping our Neighbour or any thing that is his in their distresse come also to bee reckoned when they are done as works of Mercy This Day in the first institution was the seuenth Day from the Creation and called the Sabbath Day beginning on the euening of the day before when the Creation of the World was finished CHAP. X. Of the second Table of the Law and of the fift Commandement IVstice followeth which is of the duties among our selues and is honour or the generall duties of Loue. Honour is a performance of duties in respect of a degree First among vnequals from Inferiours to their Superiours and contrariwise As To all Superiours in
Dauid to Murder and Adulterie Lot to Incest Noah to Drunkennesse c. And the best of all their actions are stayned with some corruption that is his and commeth from him But is not God hereby made the Authour of sinne God forbid The Manichees indeed when they knew not how otherwise to excuse him plunged themselues into a foule and monstrous absurditie for they made two beginnings of things God from whom all goodnesse commeth and the Deuill from whom all euill or which is all one two gods a good and an euill god This is a horrible and a fearefull Blasphemie and striketh at the verie roote of all Religion But for auoyding all danger that may grow hereby it is necessarie first to know how and in what sence wee say that God hath a stroke in vnrighteous and sinfull actions not because he instilleth or powreth into his Creatures a poyson which before they had not or inclineth them vnto wickednesse for that were indeed to make God the authour of sinne but partly in that hee forsaketh and leaueth them to their owne naturall corruption either by taking away the grace they had or not bestowing new grace which they want whereby they runne head-long vnto euill partly that he letteth Satan loose vpon them to bee by him blinded and misse-led because they haue refused to be ruled and gouerned by Gods Word and Spirit To the former those places are to be referred where he is said to tempt or try them as the Holy Ghost recordeth y 2. Chron. 32. 21 of EZECHIAS that when hee dealt with the King of Babylons Ambassador God forsooke him trying him what was in his heart And Moses z Deut. 8. 2. in Deuteronomie Remember all this way wherein IEHOVAH thy God hath led thee now fortie yeeres in the Desart that he might afflict thee in trying what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest obey his Precepts or not So afterwards a Deut. 29. 3. 4. he vpbraydeth the people that notwithstanding these great tryals signes and wonders which Iehouah had done for them Yet he had not giuen them a mind to know eyes to see and eares to heare wherin we may not think God vniust who is indebted to none For who b Rom. 11. 35. gaue vnto him first and he shall be recōpenced And who according to his owne free pleasure bestoweth the measure of his graces how and where he will I c Rom. 9. 15. will haue mercie vpon whom I will haue mercie And is d Mat. 20. 15. it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine own Of the latter we haue an Example 1. Kin. 22 23. IEHOVAH hath sent a lying spirit into the mouth of all thy Prophets And the 1. Sam. 16. 15 16. An euill spirit from IEHOVAH vexed SAVL And that nothing herein falleth from the holinesse and Iustice of the Lord as all men not forsaken of common sence doe easily discerne for else as the e Rom. 3. 6. Apostle reasoneth how should God iudge the World So the Holy Ghost in many places teacheth very plainly for when the f Hosh 13 9 Prophet cryeth out Thy destruction is from thy selfe O Israel doth it not follow of necessitie that the cause also of destruction which is sinne is wholly from our selues and that GOD hath no part in it Which g Iames 1. 13. Iames more plainly vttereth Let no man when he is tempted say I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted of euill neither tempteth he any man And 1. Iohn 2. h 1. Iohn 2. 15. Whatsoeuer is in the World as the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not from the Father but is from the World For this cause sinne is called The i 1. Iohn 3. 8. he that committeth sinne is of the Deuill for the Deuill sinneth from the beginning For this cause was the Sonne of God manifested that he might destroy the worke of the Deuill worke of the Deuill And our Sauiour Christ saith When k Iohn 8. 44. he speaketh a lye hee speaketh of his owne The sinne therefore of the Action is wholly to bee ascribed to the depraued nature and corruption of men wherein God is no way to be blamed l Eccles 7. 29. Who made all righteous but they haue sought many inuentions to themselues To illustrate this by one or two Similitudes Hee that spurreth a lame Horse is the cause of his stirring but not of his halting The Sunne that shineth vpon a filthie carcasse maketh the sauor yet it is no cause of any stench for out of sweete Flowres it bringeth a pleasant odour Such is the worke of God in the actions of wicked men And the better to apprehend how God in all this remayneth without any touch of sinne wee must consider that sinne hath alwayes three things going with it whereof it is impossible that any one should fall vpon God First To bee subiect to a Law For m Rom. 5. 13. where no law is there is no transgression And the n 1. Iohn 3. 4. Apostle defineth sinne to bee a breach of the Law Now God who made his Lawes for others is not himselfe to bee tyed to them Secondly Impuritie and corruption a thing most contrarie to the nature of God who is not onely holy and pure but holinesse and puritie it selfe and so farre off from being euill that he o Iames 1. 13. cannot be tempted of it Thirdly An euill and a wicked end Whereas GOD euermore seeketh his owne glorie which is absolutely good and the chiefe Good of all Therefore beside that the will of God is the Rule of all goodnesse the difference in these sinfull actions betweene that hee worketh and the worke of wicked men lyeth plaine aswell in the cause that mooueth him as in the end hee setteth before him and in the manner of doing all which though they bee in respect of wicked men vniust and sinfull yet as they proceede from God they are most iust and holy for first by reason of this diuersitie of the causes moouing and of the diuers ends which these two Agents God and wicked men set before them it falleth out that the selfe-same Action which in respect of the corruption of wicked men becommeth vnto them sinfull and damnable is as in regard of God most holy and righteous being led thereto for most gracious and iust respects either to set forth the riches of his Iustice or Mercie or for the chastizement and tryall of his Children or for some other cause as he seeth good which ends the wicked neuer set before them but all the contrarie what more blessed or glorious worke and of greater loue to vs was there euer or can possibly be then the reconciling of the World by the death of his Sonne And what more iust in respect of God then to inflict all these punishments vpon him who was our suretie and tooke
all goodnesse tomorrow may bee altered and so long as this life continueth so long there is a space left for Repentance many are called at the eleuenth houre at the winding and shutting vp of the day in the last act of their life And so was the m Luk. 23. 40. Thiefe vpon the Crosse And our n Math. 21. 31. Sauiour telleth vs that Publicans and Harlots vile and despised persons oftentimes enter into the Kingdome of Heauen before many that carrie a fairer shew Thou oughtest therefore vsing the meanes and setting still at the feete of Christ to esteeme God faithfull that when hee offereth thee grace he meaneth it for thy good and that howsoeuer now thou feele no working of it yet the moments of time are in his hands who calleth how and when he will and still to haue comfort and neuer to despayre Fiftly as Predestination is eyther to Life or Death and giuen vnto him so it is to those subordinate things whereby God hath purposed to bring his determinate Counsell to passe both in the Elect and Reprobate And those are To the Elect an appointment of Christ to be their Mediator and of them to be in Christ which in Gods good time commeth to be wrought by an effectuall calling through faith in him that beeing iustified and sanctified by his Spirit they may so in the end be glorified To the Reprobate hardnesse of heart not to beleeue the Gospell that so they might lye in their sinnes without repentance vntil the wrath of God come vpon them to the vttermost Touching the former the Apostle in one o Rom. 8. 29 30 sentence hath all the lincks of that golden Chaine for whom hee fore-knew and chose vnto life which is Election them also he predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first borne among many brethren Here is the first step as if the Apostle should say For them he purposed that his Sonne should die that Christ might be their Head and they through him the adopted sons of God and whom he predestinated thus to be his sonnes This is euerlasting life to know thee the true God and whore thou hast sent â—esâ—s Christ The perfect distribution of all Diuinity Math. 22. 38 39 40. He diuideth the tenne Commandements into the first and second Table and the whole Scripture then extant that is to say the old Testament into the Law and the Prophets 〈◊〉 6. 33. Seeke first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse where he seemeth to abbreuiate the Lords Prayer and that his Sonne should be theirs them he also called effectually to beleeue in him which is the second step and whom he called them he also iustified or made righteous through Christ from whence doth proceed as an effect from the cause Sanctification or holinesse of life the third and the fourth steps and whom hee iustified and made righteous in Christ them hee also glorified which is the end and last step of all Our p Iohn 6. 37. Sauiour as he is q Iohn 17. 3. wont in all his doctrines shortly reduceth them vnto two giuing vnto Christ and comming vnto him But to speake of all these things apart The first and the fundamentall ground of all vnto the Elect hidden in the secret counsell of God is Christ himselfe r 1. Pet. 1. 20. foreknowne or predestinated and Å¿ Reuel 13. 6. slaine for vs in his eternall purpose before the foundation of the World was layde and we in like sort elect t Eph. 1. 4. in him that is that being by faith vnited vnto Christ we might be saued by the merit of his death and suffrings And againe u Eph. 1. 5. predestinate to be the adopted Sonnes of God by Iesus Christ This is that our Sauiour saith Ioh. 17. 6. I haue manifested my Name to the men whom thou hast giuen me out of the World for that by giuing he doth not meane the manifestation of his Election by an effectual Calling through faith in Christ but the verie purpose of God to adopt vs in him appeareth Ioh. 6. 36. All that my Father giueth me shall come vnto me Where he doth manifestly distinguish betweene these two making Gods giuing vnto Christ the cause why in their time they come vnto him Christ therefore is Mediator nor any thing that God so respects in him is not the first cause of his Election but onely a subordinate meanes vnto it vnlesse which were absurd a man will say that the disease is not in nature to be thought of before the remedie nor the fall before the meanes of raising vp againe Our Sauiour Christ himselfe for this may be our warrant Iohn 17. 6. where hauing said I haue manifested thy name to the men whom thou hast giuen me out of the World that they should be adopted in and through me By and by he riseth vp a degree higher Thine they were in thine euerlasting purpose for causes onely knowne vnto thy selfe higher and aboue any consideration or respect of me written vnto life and then keeping the respect of order and not of time Thou gauest them vnto me The Apostle likewise to the x Ephes 1. 4 5. Ephesians shewing we are elect in Christ in the verie next words doth explaine it to bee meant of predestinating to adoption through Christ in himselfe that is onely for causes resting in God himselfe not in Christ as he is a Mediator This is it which as we haue heard the Apostle teacheth in the Epistle to the Romanes y Rom. 8. 29 30 Whom hee did foreknow or predestinate vnto life them hee did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne What is that Verily the same albeit the Apostle specially apply it to afflictions which wee heard before of giuing vnto Christ and so the words following doe import That he might bee the first borne among many brethren through whom by faith which is the next degree and first manifestation of this counsell being incorporate into him and made one together with him wee obtayne Righteousnesse and Sanctification which are the immediate steps whereby we ascend to glorie Now that men are predestinate vnto both these it is verie plaine for so the Apostle telleth the z â— Thes 2. 13. Thessalonians that God had chosen them to Saluation through sanctification of the Spirit and the faith of Truth Of faith particularly our a Iohn 8. 47. Sauiour saith He that is of God heareth the Word of God you therefore doe not heare because you are not of God So it is in the Acts b Acts 13. 48. They beleeued as many as were ordayned vnto life And for this cause faith is said to be c Titus 1. 1. proper to Gods Elect. Concerning Sanctification of life and the fruits therof the place is very euident Ephes 2. 10. Wee are created in Christ to good workes which God hath before prepared that we
Teachers teach and instruct vs after a lame and imperfect manner But then saith he when that which is perfect commeth I shall know as I shall bee taught to know Hauing so excellent a Master as Christ himselfe for our Teacher of whom we shall heare things which it is not possible for any mortall man to vtter and for the way of our Instruction the beholding of him and the presence of his face from whose immediate Spirit all is to come our knowledge also shall be perfect The second benefit is Righteousnesse The Apostle Iustification whereby forgiuing our sins distinguisheth two parts of it Forgiuenesse of sinne◠and Imputation of Righteousnesse whereby wee are iustified in his presēce Ro. 14. 25 Who was deliuered vp for our offences and raysed for our Iustification 2. Cor. 5. 19 21. God was in Christ reconciling the World vnto himselfe not imputing vnto them their offences And by and by For him that knew not sinne hee made to bee sinne for vs that wee might become the Righteousnesse of God in him DANIEL also z Dan. 9. 24. in his ninth Chapter speaketh of them both Seuentie weekes are determined touching thy people to seale vp sinne and to purge iniquitie and to bring in euerlasting Righteousnesse Forgiuenesse of sinnes I call it when the guilt and fault of our offences are taken away pardoned and forgiuen vs as if we neuer had committed them so as they come not once in account or reckoning before the Iudgement feat of God against vs which being a benefit of all benefits the Scripture is wont to expresse by many formes of speech Forgiuenesse of sinnes that is the doing and taking of them away a 1. Iohn 1. 9. if we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and righteous to forgiue vs the sins b Rom. 4. 7. Blessed are those whose sinnes are forgiuen them Secondly The free remitting of them c Coloss 2. 13. You that were dead hath he quickened freely remitting vnto you all transgressions Thirdly The sealing by which is meant the hiding and the couering of them d Dan. 9. 24. Seuentie weekes are determined to seale vp sinne Fourthly Gods casting of them behind his backe and into the botome of the sea as that good King Hezekia speaketh in his Prayer e Esay 38. 1◠Thou hast cast behind thy backe all my sins And Mica the Prophet f Mica 7. 19. Thou wilt cast all their sinnes into the bottome of the sea Of which sort is that Psal 103. 12. As farre as the East is from the West hath he set farre from vs all our transgressions Fiftly A passing by of them g Mica 7. 18. Who is a mightie God like vnto thee forgiuing iniquitie and passing by the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance Sixtly The forgetting and blotting of them out h Esay 43. 12. I I for my selfe blot out thy transgressions and remember not thy sinnes Beside a number more as that i Num. 23. 25. Hee beholdeth not iniquitie in IACOB nor seeth frowardnesse in Israel and such like Dauid in the 32. k Psal 32. 1 2. Psalme setteth it forth by three Metaphors First of a heauie burthen and loade that doth presse and keepe vs downe Blessed is he that is eased of his sinne Secondly Of a menstruous and filthie cloth or sluttish corner that men will be carefull to hide and to couer and whose sinne is couered Thirdly of a Debt or Obligation cancelled or forgiuen Blessed is the man to whom IEHOVAH imputeth not iniquitie And thus the guilt of our sinnes being pardoned and forgiuen the punishment must also needs be abolished and done away In all which God cannot be said vniust that remitteth by his taking them vpon him thus offences because hee hath laied them vpon Christ and set them vpon his Score l 2. Cor. 5. 21. Who not knowing sinne became Sinne for vs washing vs from the same by his bloud Reu. 1. 5. which is one great vse and benefit of his sufferings Wherefore PAVL saith Coloss 2. 14 15. that He nayled vpon the Crosse the handwriting of Ordinances that was closely against vs. Where hee compareth God the Father to a Creditor and vs vnto Debtors as by bill or writing vnder our hand which bill or writing is both the morall Law so farre forth as it is a couenant of Workes and that by it Iustification and Saluation should be sought and also the Law of Ceremonies a priuie and a secret enemie that carrying a shew of the discharge of our debt did indeed hold vs faster bound and serued for nothing else but for an euidence against vs of our filthinesse and vncleannesse by the legal washings and purifications of the death we doe deserue by the Sacrifices c. This Debt saith the Apostle which wee had neuer beene able to come out of Christ our Surety paying by his death to the vttermost farthing cancelleth the bond which is the Law and nayleth it to the Crosse and so hath set vs free Imputation of he doth account Osiander taught that to be iustified is to be indued with the essentiall Righteousnesse of God himselfe And so maketh our righteousnesse to bee God himselfe mouing vs to doe well Papists teach that our first Iustification is not by that Iustice which was inherent in Christ but which he infuseth into man specially Hope and Charitie and that there is a second Iustification whereby men of iust are made more iust the cause whereof is Faith ioyned with good works righteousnesse is the reckoning and accounting of all the holinesse and righteousnesse that was in Christ to be ours as truely and verily in the presence of God and before his Iudgement seat as if we our selues had wrought it For as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one man many are made righteous Rom. 5. 18. Hereupon he hath the name of m Ierem. 23. 6. 33. 16. IEHOVAH our Righteousnesse And n Esay 45. 25. Esay saith In IEHOVAH shall the whole seed of Israel be iustified PAVL likewise exhorteth o Rom. 13. 14. Put on the Lord IESVS clothed with his Righteousnesse for those are p Reuel 3. 18. the white garments spoken of in the Reuelation q Reu. 7. 9. The long white Robes washed and r Reu. 7. 14. whited in the bloud of the Lambe And againe ſ Reu. 19. 8. 2. Pet. 3. 11. It was giuen vnto her to bee arrayed in fine linnen cleane and bright for the fine linnen is the righteousnesses of the Saints Which sauing better iudgement I doe not vnderstand of a double righteousnesse one before God by faith the other before men by the fruits of Sanctification wrought by the Spirit But to bee an Hebraisme such as the New t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Testament vseth oft by the plural Righteousnesses noting the most absolute righteousnesse which we haue in Christ for
to doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth mee Thirteenth Wee haue innumerable Angels that attend to helpe vs Psal 34. 7 8. The Angell of IEHOVAH pitcheth his Tents round about them that feare him 2. Kings 6. 16 17. Feare not there be more with vs then that are with them Then praying to IEHOVAH hee opened the eyes of his seruant who looking saw that behold the Mountaine was full of Horses and Chariots of fire that is of holy Angels round about ELISHA Fourteenth There is no cause why wee should â—aint vnder this burden seeing Prayer ministreth abundant comfort to vs which comming from Gods Spirit with so much the greater vehemencie sighes and grones as the troubles that lye vpon vs are more pressing and weightie must needes bee effectuall for the working of some good blessing To which purpose the Apostle inforceth this Argument Rom. 8. 26 27. Fifteenth Howsoeuer it bee no affliction can debase vs or make vs poore for hauing Christ who is t Heb. 1. 2. Heire of all things and Lord of Heauen and Earth wee cannot but bee rich in him By this Argument the Apostle u Rom. 8. 31. there mollifieth the bitternesse of afflictions He that hath not spared his owne Sonne but for vs all hath giuen him vp to death how shall he not together with him giue vs all good things I haue beene too long in these The rest of the markes that follow to shut them vp shortly are First Humilitie Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth IEHOVAH require of thee but to doe right and to loue kindnesse and to walke humbly with thy God Secondly Loue of the Brethren because they are Brethren and Children of the same Father 1. Iohn 3. 14. We know we are passed from death to life because we loue the Brethren The practice of this one dutie to the members of Christ for Christs sake casteth such a shining Light in the eyes of God and Man that our Sauiour Mat. 25. 35 36. by it our Faith and consequently the righteous iudgement of God in the sauing of our Soules shall be made manifest to all the World in the latter Day Thirdly To loue our Enemies and to forgiue them their offences Mat. 5. 44 45. Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that molest you and persecute you that you may bee the children of your Father which is in Heauen c. Ephes 4. 32. Forgiue one another as God in Christ hath forgiuen you Fourthly Open profession of Christ and of the Gospell Rom. 10. 10. With the heart men beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluatition Fiftly Humble confession of our sinnes Prouerbs 25. 13. Hee that confesseth his sinne and forsaketh it shall obtayne Mercie Sixtly The vsing of good meanes to clense vs from them Psal 19. 1â— His ignorance who vnderstandeth O clâ—nse me from my secret sinnes Seuenthly Holily religiously to sanctifie the Sabbath Day for this binding vs to the good abearing from following our owne pleasures and profits and the things that are so sweete vnto the flesh cannot rightly bee performed but of those that indeed make a conscience of their wayes wherefore the x Esay 58. 13 14 Prophet setteth it as a speciall marke vpon the Childe of God If thou wilt keepe backe thy foot on the Sabbath from doing thine owne pleasure in my holy Day and shalt call the Sabbath delight holy to IEHOVAH glorious and shalt honour it not to doe thine owne wayes nor to find out thy pleasure nor to speake a word then shalt thou delight thy selfe in IEHOVAH and I will make thee to ride vpon the high places of the Land and make thee to eate the Inheritance of thy Father IACOB So y Ier. 17. 14 c Ieremie 17. many sweet and gracious promises are made to those that keepe the Sabbath and sharpe and to the end of the Chapter seuere Iudgements threatened to the contrarie And seeing it pleaseth God to set such a speciall Memento vpon this Commandement aboue the rest Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath Day it should teach vs what a deepe Roote the same ought to haue in our heart and how it should affect vs. Of this that our Sanctification is here imperfect two things doe follow a Christian Warfare and Repentance Christian Warfare is a Warre proclaymed of GOD himselfe for men to try all their strength and valour in when hee saith I z Gen. 3. 15. will set enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and betweene her seed Meant principally of Christ the Seed of the Virgin but withall comprehending all his members Therefore heere is a Flag of defiance set vp and a perpetuall and endlesse Warre denounced wherein we may take no truce nor euer be weary of it Of this it is written in the a Reuel 12. 7. Reuelation that a great signe was seene in Heauen MICHAEL and his Angels meaning specially the Saints vpon Earth fighting with the Deuill and his angels And to this spirituall Combate the Scripture euery-where doth incite vs b 1. Tim. 1. 18. Fight that good fight Let c Heb. 12. 1. vs runne with patience the strife that is set before vs and such like Whereupon the Church of God in this life is called The militant Church and all Christians d 2. Tim. 2. 3. Souldiers though principally the same be giuen to the Ministers whose part it is to goe before the people in this spirituall Conflict So PAVL Phil. 2. 25. maketh mention of EPAPHRODITVS his fellow-Souldier And so doth hee and Timothy call Archippus in the e Verse 2. Epistle to Philemon being a Phrase of speech borrowed from the Law where the Ministery of the Priests and Leuites is called a Souldiership or f Num. 4. 3. 8. 24 25. Warfare In this spirituall Battaile I consider fiue things First The Enemies we are to fight with Satan and all his brood the name of Satan comprehending all impure spirits of whom he is the Head being not onely our g Mat. 13. 39. enemy that hateth vs and h 1. Pet. 5. 8. goeth about as a roring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure but withall our i Reuel 12. 10. accuser that accuseth vs before our God day and night and the k 1. Pet. 5. 8. pleader against vs. This the Apostle notably describeth Ephes 6. Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the Deuill for we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities against Powers and against the worldly Gouernors the Princes of the darknesse of this World against most wicked spirits which are in the high places Satans brood I call the World and the Flesh By World meaning First The malignant Church the companie of the wicked and vngodly The sonnes of that
as Mat. 10. 42. Whosoeuer shall giue to one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple shall not lose his reward Ephes 6. 8. What good soeuer euery man doth that he shall receiue of the Lord Heb. 6. 10. God is not vniust to forget your workes and the labour of loue which yee shewed towards his Name ministring to the Saints c. But the reward they haue is not for themselues or of their owne desert since there is nothing absolutely good and worthy of reward that commeth from vs and everlasting life with all the parts of it is the free gift of God in Iesus Christ Rom. 6. 23. but because they proceed from Faith that is by the promise of Grace not by the promise of the Law Good works therefore The Popish doctrine that we are iustified by the workes which Christ worketh in vs by his Spirit So ioyning workes together with Christ in the matter of Iustification and their doctrime of Merits reaching that the good works of such as are in the state of Grace doe ex condignâ— that is of a sufficient worthinesse and desert that is in them merit eternall life auaile no whit to the purchasing or meriting of our Saluation neither in the whole nor in part First Because the best of all our workes in this life is stayned with some pollution and therefore not able to stand before God whose exact Iustice cannot abide the least defect Secondly The Apostle saith expresly Rom. 3. 20. By the workes of the Law none can be iustified Where by the workes of the Law hee meaneth not workes done by our owne strength without Faith and the Grace of God as Papists absurdly teach for whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. And therefore a question too vnworthy for the Apostle to dispute whether or no works meerly sinfull without any manner of Goodnesse in them may iustifie in the sight of God neither can the Law bee done in any measure at all by our owne strength for the wisdome of the flesh or of the naturall and vnregenerate man destitute of Gods Spirit is enmitie vnto God and neither is nor can be subiect to the Law of God as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 7. and thereof setteth himselfe in the former Chapter for an example that albeit in his minde or part regenerate hee serued the Law of God yet in his flesh or part not regenerate he serued the law of sinne Rom. 7. 22. Wherefore the very drift of the Apostle appeareth to be to exclude all workes from iustifying euen those that are done by regenerate men in some measure according to the rule and direction of the Law For which purpose hee doth in this Argument apply the doctrine to the best and most righteous Iewes that liued vnder the Law Rom. 3. 19. Whatsoeuer the Law saith it speaketh to those that are within the Law And Gal. 5. 4. 5. not onely to the Galatians that beleeued but to himselfe as one of that number who not by the works of the Law but by Faith waited for the hope or hoped-for reward of Righteousnesse Which he teacheth cleerly Phil. 3. 9. That I might be found in him Christ that is not hauing mine owne Righteousnesse that which is by the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousnesse which is of God through Faith This further appeareth by i Ier. 23. 6. Ieremie calling Christ IEHOVAH our Righteousnesse Therefore Saluation commeth not by our owne And when the k 1. Cor. 1. 30. Apostle saith that Christ is made vnto vs of God both Righteousnes Sanctification if the Popish doctrine of being iustified by the workes which Christ worketh in vs by his Spirit were true it should follow that Iustice and Sanctification which the Apostle distinguisheth should bee one But that to the l Rom. 1. 17. Romanes In the Gospell the Righteousnesse of God is reuealed from Faith to Faith as it is written The righteous by Faith shall liue is notable to this purpose First In that the Apostle calleth it The Righteousnesse of God which is by Faith for seeing Faith apprehendeth not the workes contayned in the Law but Christ alone it must needes follow that Christ whome Faith apprehendeth is our Iustice and not the workes of the Law wrought by the Spirit of Christ which is not the subiect of Faith And thereupon the Apostle teacheth Gal. 3. 12. The Law is not of Faith but the man that doth these things shall liue by them Secondly When hee saith that this Righteousnesse is reuealed from Faith to Faith he declareth that wee are iustified by Faith not onely at the time when wee first beleeue but that our whole and continuall Iustification is by Faith otherwise hee should not haue said From Faith to Faith but From Faith to Workes And if Christ were not our Righteousnesse himselfe but obtayned onely power for vs that wee might haue Righteousnesse in our selues then hee should not be our Sauiour but an instrument of our Saluation As for that which Iames saith that m Iam. 2. 21 25 ABRAHAM was iustified by workes and so of Rahab weighing the circumstances of the Text I suppose hee vnderstandeth by Workes a liuely and a working Faith for Iames opposeth not the Workes of the Law to a true Faith as Paul doth but Workes that is to say an effectuall liuely Faith that sheweth his life and vigor by the fruits to a dead and fruitlesse Faith which is no Faith but a shaddow and carcase of Faith So the semblance of difference betweene the two Apostles may bee conceiued to be not in the word Iustifying which with them both goeth for that â—â— is to be made righteous in the sight and iudgement of God but in the terme of Workes Paul taking them literally Iames by a Metonymie for Faith that bringeth them forth ascribing that to the effect which he intendeth proper to the cause from whence of necessitie and vnseparably it commeth And this to bee his meaning may be gathered by n Verse 17 20. many passages but especially Verse 23. where that which he had said o Verse 11. immediately before Was not ABRAHAM iustified by workes he explaineth to be as much as ABRAHAM beleeued God and it was imputed to him for Righteousnesse But albeit good workes doe not iustiâ—e is there therefore no need to doe good Workes O yes very great for many and those most waightie causes First God is hereby glorified as our Sauiour teacheth vs p Iohn 15. â— Herein is my Father glorified that yee bring forth much fruit q Mat. 5. 16. Let your Light so shine before men that they may see your good Workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen Secondly Wee gather from hence assurance that wee are the Children of God and they serue as Testimonies and Pledges both to our selues and others that wee belong to him for which cause
present doe I see with cheerfulnes freely offering vnto thee By this argument the r 2. Cor. 9. 7. Apostle exhorting to liberalitie willeth euery one to doe as he purposeth in his heart that is freely and of his owne accord determineth with himselfe For saith hee God loueth a cheerefull giuer And thereupon the Children of God are euery-where called A Å¿ Psal 110. 3. Cant. 6. 9. free-hearted people Whereunto the same Apostle there maketh griefe and necessitie to be contrarie Griefe when wee performe good duties heauily and with grudging not of a franke and readie minde Necessitie when wee doe them indeed but against our will onely because wee must needs doe so to saue our credit and reputation among men whereas otherwise wee would not doe them And so doth Peter also oppose these two 1. Pet. 5. 2. Of the other vertue we haue a notable Example in our Sauiour t Marke 3. 5. Christ who was angry and sorrie withall at the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts The contrarie whereof is vnaduised anger such as the Apostle speaketh of Iam. 1. 20. The wrath of man worketh not the Righteousnesse of God or that which God prescribeth For this Ionas is reproued of God Ionas 4. 9. And Ahab u 1. King 21. 4. taxed that he was discontented and angry because NABOTH would not let him haue his Vineyard The third affection is feare of offending in any thing which Salomon maketh the Badge of Gods Children Blessed x Pro. 28. 14. is the man that feareth alwayes And y 1. Pet. 1. 17. Peter doth exhort vs If yee call him Father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your dwelling heere in feare The contrary is carnall securitie when a man runneth on in the hardnesse of his heart without Repentance for so Salomen doth there oppose it But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill Thou saith z Rom. 2. 5. PAVL after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest to thy selfe wrath against the Day of Wrath. And a Deut. 19. 19. Moses in Deuteronomie Take heed that there be not any among you that when he heareth the words of this curse blesse himselfe in his minde saying Peace shall be vnto me though I walke after the fantasie of mine owne heart So adding a drunken soule to a thirstie one Lastly our whole bodie and all the members of it ought holily to expresse the inward holinesse of our mind soule Ye are b 1. Cor. 6. 20. bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirits which are Gods present c Rom. 12. 1. your bodies a liuing Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God Giue your d Rom. 6. 19. members seruants vnto Righteousnesse in Holinesse The vnmarryed e 1. Cor. 7. 34. woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may bee holy both in body and in spirit And the Apostle f Heb. 10. 22. speaketh not onely of the sprinkling of our hearts from an euill conscience but of the washing of the body by the bloud of Christ with cleane water For this cause our Sauiour g Heb. 10. 5. Christ comming into the World saith Sacrifice and Oblation thou wouldest none of but a body thou hast fitted for me wherein to yeeld your absolute and perfect obedience that is better then all Sacrifice The contrary whereof is the dishonouring or defiling of our owne bodies wherof the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. 24. And the giuing of our Members seruants vnto vncleannesse and to iniquitie to commit iniquitie Rom. 6 19. which is there opposed to the former of giuing themselues vnto Righteousnesse in Holinesse In this part of the Members of our bodie the senses first are to be acquainted with good things especially the sight and hearing Incline h Pro. 4. 20. thine eares vnto my words Blessed i Mat. 13. 16. are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare The contrarie whereof is the abusing of them as our first k Gen. 3. Parents did Next is the Tongue for by it as the Apostle l Iam. 3. 9. saith blesse we God Of this it is said m Rom. 14. 11. Euery tongue shall giue thankes vnto God that euery n Phil. 2. 11. tongue may confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord vnto the glory of God the Father The contrary whereof is when the mouth speaketh vaine things as it is Psal 144. 8. To the tongue belongeth open profession of God and of all good duties Be readie o 1. Pet. 3. 15. alwayes to make profession to euery one that asketh of you an account of the faith which is in you p Rom. 10. 10. for with the mouth men make confession to saluation Ye q Exod 23. 13. shall make no mention of the names of other gods neither shall they be heard out of thy mouth Their r Psal 16. 4. sorrowes shall be multiplyed that endow another god I will not powre their burnt Offerings of bloud nor take their names in my lips And hither are to be referred all outward markes of this profession as in Gods seruice The calling vpon of his Name Bowing and kneeling Lifting vp of hands eyes c. as the people did Nehem. 8. 16. answering all Amen Amen with the lifting vp of their hands and stooped and bowed downe to IEHOVAH with their face to the ground ward In doing reuerence to Superiours Å¿ Leuit. 9. 32. vncouering our head and rising vp before them c. The contrary whereof is Open profession of wickednesse when a man need not to digge to finde out their sinnes as the Prophet speaketh Ier. 2. 34. they are so plaine and manifest vnto all or as it is in t Ezech. 24. 7. EZECHIEL When they set their sinne vpon the cliffe of the Rocke in the open face and view of the World and do not powre the same vpon the earth to couer it with dust loth it should be seene Such is that Esay 3. 10. The obstinacie of their face testifieth against them and they doe not conceale but vtter their sinne openly shamelesly and obstinately as Sodom whose impudencie of sinning was such and so audacious that the u Ier. 20. 16. Prophet saith of them God heard a cry in the morning and a shooting at noone day And IEREMIE x Ier. 2. 25. When I said Keepe thy foot from being vnshod and thy throte from being athirst thou saidst desperately No for I loue strange gods and them will I follow Againe y Ier. 18. 12. They say desperately We wil go after our own thoughts and euery one do after the fancie of our own wicked heart And hither Their errour which hold it lawfull to bee present at Idolatrous seruice keeping a mans Conscience to himselfe And where such beare themselues bold vpon the example of Naaman the Syrian 2. King 5. 17 18 let
famous examples one in the Family of Abraham who hauing two sons Isack and Ishmael Isack onely was accounted for his Seed and that by Gods owne appointment to make it appeare that the Fountain of Predestinatiō is the pleasure of God not the goodnesse of man The other of two Twins in the Family of Isack Iacob Esau both borne of the same father of the same mother and at the same conception whereas neuerthelesse onely Iacob was chosen Esau reiected and that before their birth that neither any good thing in Iacob could bee the cause of the choosing of him nor any wickednesse in Esau of his reiecting but the onely will and pleasure of God for if men were not more brutish then the beasts themselues their owne sence would teach them that since the Will of God is God himselfe a higher and a further reason then his owne Will cannot be sought for vnlesse there were some higher then hee to goe vnto And when Christ himselfe the Wisdome of GOD resteth in this reason Euen l Mat. 11. 26. so O Father because so is thy good pleasure why should wee wretches enquire any further Worthily therefore doth the Apostle there conclude What m Ro. 9. 2◠23. if God willing to shew forth wrath c. haue suffered the vessels of wrath framed to destruction and to make knowne the riches of his Glorie vpon the Vessels of Mercie which hee hath before prepared vnto Glorie As if hee should say What hast thou O man to doe with it if such bee his pleasure But if cursed men will needes ransacke the secrets of the blessed God and inquire a reason of his most holy counsels let them heare how the Apostle n Rom. 9. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23. answereth these Cauillers cleering the Lords Iustice First in regard of the subordinate meanes which hee hath appointed to bring those his counsels to passe namely towards the Elect Mercy comprehending an effectuall Calling through faith whereby they attayne Righteousnesse and Sanctification vnto the Reprobate hardening the fruites whereof are Incredulitie and sinne the proper and immediate causes of their Damnation so that no way can the Lord be accused as vnrighteous either in sauing the Elect vpon whom he first bestoweth Faith and Holinesse of life or in destroying the Reprobate whose incredulitie and sinne doth come betweene And if he should deale with all men so who could complaine of wrong Againe if you looke to the end of Gods counsels in the damnation of the wicked the Apostle saith it is not absolutely and simply their destruction as if God were like an vnmercifull and a cruell hard-hearted Tyrant that taketh pleasure in other mens ruines but it is as he setteth out in the example of PHARAOH to shew forth his power and to haue his Name published in all the Earth making his Glorie to shine in their deserued punishment whilest thereby hee doth declare himselfe an Enemie and Reuenger of sinne Mightie in the execution of his Iudgements Wonderfull in the riches of his Mercie towards the Elect as one contrarie doth set forth another Lastly for the thorow iustifying of Gods most righteous Decree especially of Reprobation which prophane Dogges doe most of all barke against hee both alleageth the Will of God as the rule of all Righteousnesse and his Soueraigntie as the Lord and Creatour of all things in whose hands wee bee as Clay in the hands of the Potter to deale with vs as seemeth good in his owne eyes and to conclude his wonderfull lenitie and mildnesse not onely in so long suffering and forbearing of the wicked but besides in the aboundance of blessings wherewith hee loadeth them which bring vpon them a more iust Damnation Wherefore that which some obiect out of the Prophet that God will not that Ezech. 18. and else-where is delighteth not nor taketh pleasure in the death of a Sinner hath a readie answere for God so farre forth as it is the ouerthrow and destruction of his Creature hath no pleasure in it but as it is a punishment of sinne and a meanes to declare his Iustice Neither can God therefore be said first and of himselfe to hate his Creature for he hateth none which haue not in themselues the cause of hatred euen their own sin being that for which alone he actually hateth any thing his Decree to destroy them was not because hee hated them for the cause of this Decree is his owne most holy pleasure that so he might manifest in them the glory of his Iustice Fourthly Predestination is from euerlasting Ephes 1. from eternity 4. Hee hath chosen vs before the foundations of the World were laid And of o Rom. 9. 11. Iacob and Esau it is said that before that they had done good or euill or before they were the one was hated the other loued In the Epistle to TIMOTHIE p 2. Tim. 1. 9. that the purpose and grace of God to saue vs was giuen to vs that is prepared for vs in Christ before the euerlasting times meaning the whole course of yeeres which hath runne on euer since the beginning of the World in one word before the World was Which saith hee is now made manifest vnto vs by the appearance of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Therefore it is called Predestination as if you would say The fore-determinate counsell of God When before Euen before all ages So Paul q Rom. 9. 23. saith Whom he hath before prepared vnto glorie And r Iude v 4. Iude addeth that the Reprobate are before of old euerlastingly ordayned to Damnation ſ 2. Pet. 2. 3. PETER also that Damnation since of olde expecteth for them So then our Election being from Eternity is certaine and immutable so as none of the Elect can euer come to perish no more then a Reprobate can euer come to bee saued the Decrees The Papists make Gods Predestination mutable of God being all vnchangeable as he himselfe is So doth Paul strengthen the t Ephes 1. 4. Ephesians in the assurance of Gods loue towards them in that being eternall it was not subiect to any change Who hath chosen vs saith he before the foundation of the World This Doctrine is plentifully layd downe in the Scripture comfortable is the place u Rom. 9. 12. Before they had done good or euill that the purpose of God might remayne firme according to the election not by workes but by grace it was said The elder should serue the yonger As many words so many Arguments for the vnchangeable hold of our Election first because it was the Decree and Purpose of Whom Of God particularly made of Iacob and Esau For what cause Not of workes but of his owne grace Therfore doth the Lord after a most wise and wonderful manner cause all things to fall out vnto the best to those that loue God which are called according to his purpose by afflictions by diuers lets
feare him and belong to his Election Not alwayes visible and to bee seene with the eye but members through faith of the true Catholike and inuisible Church of Christ The Papists which say the Church cannot erre Church soeuer in such sort professeth Christ as the members truely holding that they doe professe are thereby made members of the Mysticall Bodie of Christ the same what imperfections soeuer it haue beside and how vnsound soeuer it may bee in many parts yet it hath the heart and life of a Church otherwise it cannot bee said a Church For albeit the Church of God be not subiect to fundamentall errours that take away the life and being of a Church for then how could it bee any Church at all yet in other points not of manners onely but of Truth and Opinion it doth and may erre both particular Congregations the whole Church Vniuersall did not the whole Church of the Iewes erre And euen they that heard our Sauiour Christ so long when they dreamed of the Kingdome of the Messias to be an earthly y Acts 1. 15. Kingdome and that it should come in brauerie and ostentation And was it not the z Acts 10. 34. 11. 2. common errour of al the Church and of the Apostles themselues after his Ascension that they thought the Gentiles to be vncleane and that the Gospell pertayned not to them Fundamentall errours I call these two especially First When the Doctrine and Profession of the Gospell is corrupt in substance as the Papists doe corrupt it three manner of wayes First Denying Iustification by faith alone in the onely Merits of Christ and seeking to bee saued by their owne Merits or Righteousnesse for which cause the Apostle casteth off the Iewes Rom. 10. 3. and 11. 20. and threatneth asmuch to the Galatians Gal. 5. 2. If yee bee circumcised ioyning Circumcision or the workes of the Law together with Christ in the matter of Iustification Christ shall profit you nothing Secondly Denying the sole sufficient Sacrifice of Christ and setting vp in their blasphemous Masse a daily reall sacrifice of his bodie for the quick and the dead whereas Christs Sacrifice must either bee a perfect Sacrifice once for all neuer to be iterated nor repeated or else it is no Sacrifice at all as the Apostle teacheth at large in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Thirdly Denying the true and onely Head-ship of Christ by placing Antichrist in his roome which is a mayne and fundamentall Heresie not to hold fast the head Col. 2. 19. Secondly Idolatrie when the Worship of God is corrupted in the verie substance of it In which sort the old Church of the Iewes corrupting themselues a Exod. 32. 7. became no more the People of God and had their b Exod. 33. 3 7 11. Bill of Diuorce for it c Exod. 32. 30 31 32 33 34. till at Moses intercession vpon the publike Repentance of the people it pleased God to be reconciled to them And herein also the Papists doe offend as grieuously and more grossely then euer the Iewes did in worshipping of Images of Saints deceased and of their breaden god in that their Idolatrous Masse By all which it is euident that the Church of Rome is a corrupt and vnsound Church if a Church at all For touching the Sacraments and other holy things or rather the Prophanations of the same which are to bee found among them for in truth out of the Church there are not any Sacraments rightly administred they can no more make a true Church then the bare writing and setting to of a Seale can make a Deed without the parties deliuerie for God neuer deliuered his Sacraments to any out of his Church though they presume to take them and to set as it were his Scale to them And where the Apostle saith 2. Thes 2. 4. that Antichrist must sit in the Temple or Church of God hee meaneth that which once was the Church of God though now it bee not Like to the speech of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 24. 15. When you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place that is the place which once was holy whilest it was a figure of Christ and of his Church but so was it not when this which hee fore-telleth should come to passe But what are wee to doe in these cases Surely where the errour is dangerous and ouerthroweth the foundation wee are there to seuer our selues and to haue no fellowship with them as wee are taught in the case of erronious doctrine 1. Tim. 6. 3. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse he is puffed vp from such separate your selues Hee himselfe that taught this Lesson made no bones to practize it Acts 19. 9. When certaine men at Ephesus were hardened and disobeyed speaking euill of the way of God hee departed from them and separated the Disciples And the like he did at Rome Acts 28. 28. Of the other that is to say Idolatrie we haue a Commandement 2. Cor. 6. 14 15. 16 17. Bee not vnequally yoked with Infidels for what fellowship hath Righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse or what communion hath light with darknesse or what concord hath Christ with BELIAL or what part hath the Beleeuer with the Infidell or what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lord. So did the Priests and Leuites come to Iudah and Ierusalem to serue God when Ieroboam had set vp Idols in Israel 2. Chron. 11. 14. Worthily therefore in both these regards and by good warrant from the Word haue wee separated our selues from the Church of Rome as from a Strumpet and a Harlot not in any respect the true Spouse of Christ But for other blemishes or corruptions that onely stayne and disfigure the Church but strike not at the heart and roote there to make separation is a grieuous offence and the sinne of Schismatikes Fourthly Being but the Church of them that are called with an outward calling there are among them oftentimes many Hypocrites as the Apostle teacheth 1. Iohn 2. 1 19 They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue abidden with vs. But this is to make it manifest that all are not of vs. Vpon all that hath beene said it followeth that the Church which now wee speake of is a Church visible I call it not visible as if the Church of GOD were alwayes to bee seene and knowne in the The errour of Poperie that would haue the Church of God to be alwayes visible in the World World for as the Moone is sometimes eclipsed sometimes at the full so the Church sometimes lifted vp aboue the Mountaines is other sometimes thrust into the Wildernesse c Reu. 12. 6. that no true Professors seeme to be remayning So 2.
whilest they liued vpon the Earth can hee not immediately before sprinkle them with one iot of Knowledge asmuch Faith as the graine of a Mustard Seed and make them by the tip of the hand of the soule and as it were the fingers end to touch him whom they shall immediately haue the full fruition of Secondly The example of Iacob is very forceable for his and his brothers rushing together in the Wombe or dashing one against another Iacobs holding of Esau by the heele the Prophet y Hosh â—2 3. interpreteth to bee a kind of striuing with him for the Grace and Blessing Thirdly z Ier. 1. 5. Ieremie was sanctified before hee came out of the Wombe and a Luke 1. 15. Iohn the Baptist filled with the Holy Ghost being yet in his Mothers belly shall we thinke that in the Wombe they were in Christ and so sanctified one way and when they came to yeeres of vnderstanding by another Fourthly Forasmuch as there is but one way of ioyning vs to Christ when wee come to Heauen which is b 2. Cor. 5. 7. Sight whereunto our faith now is answerable being of the same nature and qualitie onely differing in the measure for faith is nothing else but to c Iohn 6. 40. 12. 44 45. see and to behold him I cannot make my selfe beleeue but the same way which serueth here for all the rest of Gods Elect especially being of such neere affinitie with that wee shall haue then and rather to bee termed a kinde of d 1. Cor. 13. 21. sight then a deuided member from it doth serue for children also that as there is but one life e Iohn 5. 24. 6. 47. begunne here and perfected in Heauen so there should bee but one line to leade vnto it namely the light of the minde to see and behold Christ now in a Looking-glasse hereafter face to face Fiftly Of any other way or meanes for Infants to come by Righteousnesse or Saluation but by beleeuing the condition of the Couenant of Grace as doing is of the Couenant of workes the Scripture so farre as I can learne speaketh not a Word but to the contrarie giueth generall and vniuersall rules without any incling of exception as Iohn 17. 3. This is life euerlasting to know thee the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Therefore some sparke of knowledge cannot bee denyed to these who hauing the Sonne f 1. Ioh. 5. 11 12 in whom this life is must needes bee confessed to haue euerlasting life Againe Iohn 6. our Sauiour defining first what it is to come to him g Iohn 6. 35. He that commeth to me shall not hunger and hee that beleeueth in me shall not thirst immediately addeth h Verse 37. Whatsoeuer the Father giueth mee meaning all those whom God in his euerlasting counsell hath appointed to be Christs shall come vnto mee or beleeue in mee The opposition that is made Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture hath shut vp all things that is all men and whatsoeuer is of and in man vnder sinne that the promise by Faith in Iesus Christ might be giuen to those that beleeue proueth that Faith which is the remedie must needs bee as generall as the disease that spreads ouer all So the similitude which our Sauiour doth inforce Iohn 3. 14. As MOSES lift vp the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the Sonne of man bee lift vp that euery one which beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life The brazen Serpent was figure of Christ and as none were holpen by the Serpent but those that looked vpon it No more doth any vertue come from Christ but to those that beleeue in him Lastly i Gal 3. 7. Those that are of Faith they are the sonnes of ABRAHAM for k Rom. 4. 16. to all his seed the promise is firme by Faith and his title is l Rom. 4. 11. The father of the faithfull But the Scripture maketh him m Rom. 4. 16. the father of vs all and that all n Rom. 9. 8. the children of the promise that is the whole number of Gods Elect for of that primarie cause of our saluation Gods holy Election Paul there disputeth are reckoned in his seed for since the cause why wee are said the seed of Abraham is o Gen. 22. 18. Gal. 3. 16. signed to be for the interest we haue in that blessed seed in whom Abraham and all his posteritie are partakers of the heauenly Inheritance To exclude Infants from being Abrahams seed were as much as to barre them from hauing part in Christ whereupon it followeth and so the Apostle doth conclude Gal. 3. 8 13 14. that in the same manner as he obtayned the blessing which was by Faith so doe all Nations of the World Iewes and Gentiles and euery particular person all and as many as lay vnder the curse before But of this enough we come vnto the causes Faith commeth not from our selues it commeth from the Holy Ghost and is the speciall worke of the Spirit of Christs a may appeare by the Prayer of the Apostles Lord p Luke 17. 5. increase our faith and by him that said q Marke 9. 24 I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeliefe This worke of the Spirit making vs so to beleeue is termed A drawing of vs to Christ Iohn 6. 4. Cant. 1. 3. A Calling Rom. 8. 30. but in a more strict signification then the calling spoken of before and many wayes differing from it for That is but a Calling to the Profession of Christ and therefore outward and externall onely This to the participation and enioying of Christ himselfe and therefore a true and effectuall Calling That but to the visible Church This to be a member of the true Catholike and inuisible Church of God The cause that moueth God to bestow this gift of Faith vpon vs is his owne speciall Grace and the good pleasure of his Will So saith the Apostle Phil. 1. 29. To you it is freely giuen to beleeue in Christ and Acts 28. 27. Hee did much helpe them that had beleeued through Grace We come therefore to apprehend Christ onely because through his Grace and Goodnesse wee are apprehended of him wrought ordinarily by preaching The onely instrument that God vseth ordinarily to beget faith is the preaching of the Word as the r Ro. 10. 14 17. Apostle saith How can they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how can they heare without a Preacher concluding Therefore Faith is by hearing and hearing by the Word or Ordinance of God And Å¿ 1. Cor. 1. 21. againe Because in the wisdome of God this Frame and Gouernment of the World wherein the wisdome of God shineth so cleerely the World yet by that Wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue those that beleeue as in another t Rom. 1. 16. place he saith
17. 21. That all may be one as thou Father in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. And by reason of this vnion which the members haue with the head and euery member one with another it is that the whole bodie that is to say Christ himselfe the Head and all the Church which are his members are called n 1. Cor. 11. 12. Christ as we heard before And so taking Christ together with his Elect the Catholike Church is called The Mother of the Spouse himselfe Cant. 8. 2. and the Church that is all the Elect his Sister Cant. 4 9. and 8. 8. The third thing is Adoption or the making of vs the we become children by Adoption sonnes of God by grace being regenerate and borne againe in Christ who is the Sonne of God by nature as it is said o Iohn 1. 12. 13 To them that receyued him hee gaue this dignitie to bee the sonnes of God p Gal. 3. 17. for all of you are the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus q Gal. 4. 4. When the fulnesse of time came God sent forth his Sonne c. that wee might receiue the Adoption Fourthly Beeing one with Christ wee also haue his and haue his Spirit to be ours Spirit to bee ours for if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his Rom. 8. 9. Because yee are sons saith the Apostle Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father And hereupon the Spirit of Christ whom we receiue is called The Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8. 15. Now let vs in a few words recapitulate the summe of all we are to know concerning Regeneration for so we shall make a better passage to that which followeth First It is a meere r Psal 102. 18. Esay 65. 18. Bâ—t â—e glad c. yee whom I create Eph. 2. 10. Gal. 6. 15. Creation God findeth no more matter to worke vpon for the making of a man anew then when he made that lumpe whereof heauen earth were framed Secondly the manner of this Creation is by a new birth when a hollow person one as emptie and voyd of heart as the hollow of a tree is of substance is made to haue a heart and a wild Asse-Colt borne a man by spirituall Regeneration as Tsophar speaketh Iob 11. 12. A maruailous a strange birth wherin there is no more matter to beget him of then there is in the hollow of a tree to fetch out heart of Oke Thirdly Therefore this Birth is not naturall as parents beget their children but legall as Iechonias begat Salathiel whether hee adopted him or rather that as next of DAVIDS line without adoption he succeeded in the gouernement But howsoeuer it were in the case of Salathiel we speake of that which is adoptiue Fourthly There is a difference of this Adoption from all other for men adopt children when themselues are childlesse God hauing a Son of his own adopteth vs vnto him therfore all Adoption Å¿ Eph. 1. 15. is in through Christ Fiftly Because GOD was purposed to bring many children this way vnto glorie it pleased him to found a most noble Incorporation whereof all other bodies politique are but counterfait Of this Incorporation Christ God and man is the Head all beeing adopted by him and incorporated into him the members are euerie one Kings and Priests two of the most sacred and venerable things that euer were in the world euen among the Heathen the bone and ligament that tyeth all together is the holy Spirit the soule as it were of this Incorporation That where other Corporations are said to consist of a bodie without a soule this hath the Spirit of God himselfe to bee the soule of it So the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit wee are all baptized into one Bodie and all made to drinke into one Spirit Againe t Eph. 4. 4. There is one Bodie and one Spirit that knitteth all the parts together Sixtly Therefore also we liue u Gal. 5. 25. all by one Spirit the same Spirit that quickned our Head quickning also vs that are his members in that whosoeuer is Christs hath his Spirit Rom. 8. 11. The verie words of the promise imply as much x Ezech. 36. 27 I will put my Spirit in the midst of them And thereupon is the Gospel called y 2. Cor. 3. 8. The ministerie of the Spirit And z Gal. 3. 2. PAVL saith Receyued ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith And as certainely and verily as the naturall man liueth by his reasonable soule so certainely and verily doth the Regenerate man liue by the Spirit dwelling in him beeing now no more a naturall man so farre as he is Regenerate but hauing all his life from and in that Bodie politique a Gal. 1. 20. I liue no more I but Christ liueth in me b Coloss 3. 4. When Christ which is our life shall be manifested c. Therefore is the whole Bodie comprehending both the Head and members called c 1. Cor. 12. 12. Christ and euerie particular d Iohn 3. 6. 1. Iohn 5. 8. Spirit because as he is begotten of the Spirit so he liueth in and by the Spirit This is the summe of all whereunto let me adde First Where the Spirit is it e Acts 15. 9. purifieth and clenseth the heart maketh all whole and cleane as a griffe set into a Stock doth alter and change the nature of it wherefore Sanctification of the whole man is an vnseparable companion of the Regenerate estate f Iohn 3. 6. That which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit heauenly and spirituall Secondly That liuing in the Spirit it is as naturall for vs so farre as wee doe liue in the Spirit that is to say are Regenerate and consequently sanctified to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit Loue Ioy Peace c. as they are reckoned Gola 5. 22. as it is for fire to burne for the wind to blow c. which is it the Apostle saith there g Gal. 5. 25. If wee liue in the Spirit let vs also walke by the Spirit And so are the graces of the Spirit distinguished from the Spirit dwelling in vs as the effects from the cause in the verie same manner as the worke of reasoning and disputing is from our reasonable soule it selfe But of these two things the worthie fruits and effects of Regeneration wee are to speake in that which followeth Of a Regenerate estate there be two degrees as it Sealed vp during the infancie of Regeneration were two ages Infancie and Mans estate of both which the Apostle speaketh Eph. 4. 14. Till we meet all together in the vnitie of Faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the age of the
of Gods goodnesse in the things they pray for Thirteenth Gods Children are constant in their prayers and continue in them Giue vs this day c. euery day renewing their supplications The wicked faint and quickly giue ouer or pray but by starts These circumstances to be obserued out of the manner of the Lords Prayer lead mee by the hand to some consideration of the matter it selfe and parts of that Prayer wherein also vnlesse I deceiue may selfe we shall nothing digresse from our purpose There be two parts of that as of all other Prayers for it standeth partly in petition partly in thankes-giuing The Petitions are sixe in number all in that course and order as the Doctrine before was handled whereof the first three compreheÌ„ded in the first part of Diuinity are of those things that belong vnto Gods glory without any respect of our owne good as the particle Thy in euery one doth shew And this one thing whâ—eein the soundest Diuines agree being well obserued bringeth a great light for the distinguishing of all the sixe Petitions according to their proper bounds and limits in such sort as hereafter followeth The first Peticion Hallowed bee thy name O thou the blessed and great IEHOVAH Father Sonne and holy Spirit three persons and one onely true and euer-liuing God whose i Esay 9. 3. name is wonderfull and who alone art glorious and excellent thy Mercie great vnto the Heauens thy Truth vnto the Cloudes thy Righteousnesse as the mightie Hills thy Iudgements like the bottomlesse Deepe exalt thy selfe O God aboue the heauens thy Glorie ouer all the earth And make it knowne vnto thy creatures that thou the Creator blessed for euer Amen art a Nature Spirituall and Diuine of thy selfe and in thy selfe and by thy selfe subsisting Eternall Immeasurable Incomprehensible Infinite in Power Wisdome Holinesse Truth Mercie Iustice and whatsoeuer good is yea Goodnesse and Perfection it selfe So that both whatsoeuer thou doest is absolutely good and holy and all good and perfect gifts are thine there being no iot of good in any creature but that onely which they haue from thee who art the Father of Lights And this respecteth the first branch of that part of Diuinitie concerning the Nature Persons and Properties of the Godhead The second Petition Thy Kingdome come Aduance the Throne and Scepter of thy Kingdome in the Gouernment of the World according to all thy counsels and purposes decreed from Eternitie Whether of sauing the Elect or destroying of the Reprobate or of the businesses and affaires pertayning to this life and the generall Prouidence ouer all things that thy hands haue fashioned and made together with the meanes which thou hast sanctified thereunto thy Gospell with the Ministerie and preaching thereof the Sacraments Censures and Discipline of the Church and all other good things thou hast ordayned may prooue to thy Children a sauour of life vnto life and to none of them a sauour of death vnto death And that thou wouldest so dispose of things by thy hidden and secret prouidence that all persons and creatures although they many of them sinfully and wretchedly mooued with other causes and ends then in obedience vnto thee yet in regard of thy worke most holily and iustly may concurre to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell hath fore-determined to be done Neither let any power or policie of Satan or man or any other creature hinder the execution of thy most glorious and magnificent most wise and iust Decrees But let them all bee as the Mountaines of Brasse that cannot be remooued but stand fast for euer And this respecteth the second branch touching the Kingdome of God and the dispensation of his Counsels The third Petition Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heauen Haue thou alwayes in the World euen here among men as thou hast among thy holy Angels and Spirits of the Righteous that are deceased a Church and chosen Companie which may k Zach. 8. 8. refresh and delight thy Spirit by yeelding with free and readie hearts all cheerfull obedience to thy knowne and reuealed will whilest they bee seene to preferre the loue they beare to thee before the loue of themselues their owne pleasure profit or liues or whatsoeuer else that is most deare vnto them And this which is the third branch the honour due to God riseth by a necessarie consequence from the former two for he that is in himselfe and in his workes so glorious is worthie and alone worthy to be honoured and serued of vs. The three latter Petitions comprehended in the second part of Diuinitie are of those things that concerne our owne and our Neighbours good whereof the first being the fourth Petition in number is for the Fountaine of all good that excellent l Iohn 4. 4. gift of Christ himselfe and all the meanes and Graces Faith especially whereby he may be ours and we come to be his The fift and sixt are for the streames of Righteousnesse that flow from it and spring vnto euerlasting life So that in these last Petitions the whole substance of the Gospell is contayned for touching the other Righteousnesse which is our owne or by the Law the same being impossible through our owne corruption to be had our Sauiour teacheth vs not to pray for it But contrariwise in teaching Regeneration and Righteousnesse through him he doth vtterly exclude all Righteousnesse from our selues or by our owne Creation And in willing vs to pray to bee deliuered from euill he sheweth the right vse of the Law whereby euill is discouered to be the rule of our obedience The fourth Petition Giue vs this Day that Bread of ours that bread aboue substance or better then all wealth and riches which consume and perish whereas this indureth to euerlasting Life being the Bread of God that commeth downe from Heauen and giueth life vnto the World euen Christ himselfe the spirituall Manna promised in Paradise figured in the Wildernesse forespoken by the Prophets shaddowed in the Law manifested in the Gospell thy onely Sonne of thine owne eternall nature and Essence conceiued and borne of the Virgin by the wonderfull worke of thy holy Spirit sanctified from the Wombe to bee the mightie and powerfull Instrument in and by whose flesh or humane nature vnited to the God-head personally hee quickeneth all those that by Fâ—ith are ingraffed in him replenished with all Righteousnesse and fulnesse of the Spirit aboue measure And therefore in himselfe most blessed and happie but for vs and for our sakes accursed in that he bare the whole wrath due to our sinnes and became subiect to death the most ignominious death of the Crosse it selfe vnder which notwithstanding he did not lye for that it was impossible he should bee holden of it but loosing the pangs and sorrowes of death hee arose againe and ascended into Heauen where he sitteth at the right hand of thy most excellent Maiestie to make continuall Intercession for those that are his
our Sauiour sheweth how in that great Day of his most glorious Comming all flesh shall be iudged not by their Faith or vnbeliefe but by their Workes as sure Arguments to approue to all the World the righteous Sentence of God especially to our selues they seale vp Gods Election and make it sure to vs for whosoeuer findeth not that hee hath in some measure the Spirit of Sanctification the Grace of Addoption and Iustification hath not yet laid hold vpon him Hither tend those exhortations so common in the Scripture r 2 Pet. 1. 10. Make your Calling and Election firme by your Workes c. True it is as Å¿ 2. Tim. 2. 19. the Apostle saith that there is a double Seale one resting in God himselfe which is firme and sure and neuer can be shaken but the other resteth in vs who are by good Workes to set that Seale vpon our Soules and Consciences The foundation of God remayneth firme hauing this Seale God knoweth who are his And Let euerie one that nameth the Name of CHRIST depart from iniquitie Thirdly Good Workes in those that professe Christ stop the mouth of the Aduersarie who otherwise is readie to slander the Gospell and to speake euill of it as of a doctrine of libertie So saith t 1. Pet. 2. 15. PETER For so is the will of God that doing well you might stop the mouth of the ignorance of foolishmen as free and not hauing libertie as a couer of naughtinesse Fourthly By this meanes wee giue a good Example vnto other and winne many to the profession of the Gospell Whereupon the same u 1. Pet. 3. 12. Apostle exhorteth Wiues so to behaue themselues that by the beholding of their chaste and modest carriage their Husbands that beleeue not the Word may without the Word bee gayned vnto Christ Fiftly God is pleased and hath promised of his free Mercie and Goodnesse to bestow a reward vpon them which ought to quicken vs to this dutie 1. Cor. 3. 8. Euery one shall receiue his owne reward according to his owne labour 2. Iohn Verse 8. Take heed to your selues that we lose not the good things we haue wrought but that we may receiue a full reward And thus farre touching our Sanctification in this Hereafter wee shall haue an Angellike perfection life weake and imperfect which in Heauen shall be fully and wholy perfected and we when receiued vp vnto Christ shall bee made x Ephes 5. 27. glorious without spot or wrinkle or any such thing and y Mat. 22. 30. like to the holy Angels This absolute perfection and Angellicall puritie free from the least spot of sinne whatsoeuer is a thing that must necessarily be attayned vnto First Because else we should not haue by the Mercie of God in Christ as good and holy an estate as we had by our first Creation and lost by our owne sinnes in Adam Secondly So long as man is imperfectly holy hee can neuer bee perfectly happie by inioying the presence of God before whom no sinfull thing can come Now this I mean that in this estate we shal be perfectly righteous not onely by Christs obedience imputed vnto vs made ours but by a righteousnes also inhereÌ„t in our selues for in the life to come the Elect shal bee restored to that perfect inherent Holinesse wherein Adam was created but in a more excellent measure euen in the full height and top of all perfection and great reason there is why we shall then so much excell First Because the faculties of our soule and bodie shal then bee made spirituall and glorified in an excellent manner as wee shewed before whereby to bee more quicke and readie for the performance of euery good and holy dutie then Adam was Secondly In respect of the place where wee shall be in Heauen where z 1. Cor. 13. 12. wee shall see God face to face and haue familiar conuersation in his presence This Celestiall Holinesse is all one with that which we haue in this World euen as our bodies and soules are the same but differing in the excellent measure of it That which followeth of this Angellicall perfection is First That there shall bee no more strife nor warfare against sinne Satan himselfe and all our spirituall foes being trodden vnder our feete and the Goale wee now striue for gotten and wonne whereupon the Church of God in Heauen is called The Church Triumphant for a Reuel 14. 13. they cease from their labours Secondly That there is no more Repentance no more sorrow and griefe for sinne b Reuel 21. 4 5 neither paine nor crying nor labour for all teares shall bee wiped from their eyes After the Doctrine of Sanctification order requireth Redemption whereby to speake of Redemption A double Redemption or to speake more properly Redemption in a double sence we find spoken of in the Scripture One the paying of the price by the sheading of Christs Bloud to free vs from the seruitude of sinne and death which the Apostle toucheth Ephes 1. 7. and Coloss 1. 14. and is the ransome or matter of our Redemption The other a fruit and effect of the former which in that place to the Ephesians c Ephes 1. 14. is also mentioned when by him wee are set free indeed And that is the Redemption meant 1. Cor. 1. 30. in the purting away of euill and the bestowing of freeing vs from the curse himselfe be comming a curse for vs all good Wherfore two parts here offer themselues One is the remoouing of our cursed estate setting vs free from Death Hell and Condemnation and from the Curse of the Law by his Death and Sufferings for by death hee hath abolished him that hath the power of death that is the Deuill and set them free who through feare of death were all their life long subiect vnto bondage saith the Apostle to the d Heb. 2. 14. Hebrewes And Gal. 3. 8. Christ hath redeemed vs from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for vs as it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth vpon the Tree The other is the making of vs blessed by the participation hee maketh vs blessed by the participation of his Blessednesse of his Blessednesse A reward that followeth our Iustification through Christ So wee are plainly taught Gâ—l 3. 8. The Scripture fore-seeing that by Faith God would iustifie the Nations published the glad tidings before vnto ABRAHAM that in thee that is in thy Seed Christ Iesus shall all Nations be blessed for being approoued of God as righteous in Christ consequently in him wee are to haue a reward Reuel 16. 6. They shall walke with mee in Whites for they are worthy The distinct degrees of Blessednesse come now to be Our Blessednesse in the estate we now are in standeth considered for truly may the Children of God be said euen in this life blessed meaning it in part as a step and stayre to climbe