Because some make more thereof then of God and his worshippe for all that they can doe and get is little inough for their bellies when they should serue God they serue their bellies beastlie appetites Q. Why are Idoles called gods A. Not because they are so indeed but because Idolaters haue such an opinion of them Q. What other thing doe the Scriptures teach vs of God A. That in this one God are three persons or beings for Mathew saith that Iohn Baptists sawe the holy Ghost descending like a Doue vpon Christ there is one person he heard a voice from heauen saying this is my beloued sonne there is another person and he sawe Christ going out of the water there is a third person And Paul saith thus God saued vs by the washing of the newe birth and renewing of the holie Ghost which he shed on vs aboundantlie thorough Iesus Christ our Sauiour Here be three authors of our saluation Q. How proue you that these three are but one God A. I proue it by the wordes of Saint Iohn there are three that beare witnes in heauen the Father the word and the holie Ghost And these three are one Q. What resemblances can you shewe me of the Trinitie in some thinges which be commonly knowen amongst vs A. The sunne begetteth his owne beames and from thence proceede both light and heate and yet is not one of them before another otherwise then in consideration of order and relation that is to say in respect that the sunne beames are begotten and the light proceeding which is an apparant image and resemblance of the three persons in one God Againe in waters there is the well head the spring boyling out of it and the streame flowing from them both and all these are but one water and so there are three persons in one Godhead and yet but one God Againe from one flame of fire proceede both light and heate and yet but one fire So in God be three persons or beings and yet but one God Q. How do these three persons differ one from another A. Two wayes First according to their names Secondly according to their actions Q. What is the name of the first person A. The first person is called the Father and that in two respects First in respect of his naturall Sonne Iesus Christ begotten of his owne nature and substance Secondly in respect of vs his adopted sonnes Q. Adopted sonnes What meane you by that A. I meane those whome he hath chosen to bee heires of heauen through the mediation of his naturall sonne Iesus Christ. Q. What is the second person called A. The second person is called the sonne of god because he is begotten of his fathers nature and substance not because hee was begotten of the substance of God for so in respecte of substance they be all one but in respect of the father he is called the sonne Q. Where finde you that he is called the sonne A. In Pro. 30.4 What is his name and what is his sonnes name Q. What is the third person called A. The thirde person is called the holy spirite Q. Why is he called a spirite A. For two causes First because he is spiritual without bodie flesh bloud or bones for a spirite hath no such matter as our Sauiour Christ saith Secondly because he is as it were the breath of grace which the father the sonne breatheth out vpon the Saints Q. Why is he called holie spirite A. For two causes First because he is holie by nature Secondly because hee is the sanctifier of the Saints Q. Now shewe mee how they differ according to their actions A. The father begetteth The sonne is begotten The holie Ghost proceedeth Q. How was the sonne of God begotten of his Father A. For the better vnderstanding of this point we must consider that there are two manners of begetting One is carnall and outward and this is subiect to corruption alteration and time The other is spirituall and inwarde as was the begetting of the sonne of God in whose generation there is neither corruption alteration nor time Q. Declare then after what manner this spiritual generation of she sonne of God was and yet in sobrietie according to the scriptures A. For the better finding out of this mysterie we must consider in God two thinges First that in God there is an vnderstanding Psal. 139.2 Secondly we must consider how this vnderstanding is occupied in God Q. Declare after what manner it is in God A. This vnderstanding is his verie being and is euerlastingly and most perfectly occupied in God Q Whereupon doth Gods vnderstanding worke A. Vpon nothing but it selfe and that I proue by reason for God being infinite and all in all it cannot meet with any thing but himselfe Q. What worke doth this vnderstanding in God effect A. It doth vnderstand and conceiue it selfe for as in a glasse a man doth conceiue and beget a perfect image of his owne face so God in beholding and minding of himselfe doth in himselfe beget a most perfect and a most liuely image of himselfe which is that in the Trinitie which wee call the sonne of God Q. Where do you find that the sonne is called the perfect image of God A. Yes he is called the brightnesse of his glory and the ingrauen forme of his person which is all one Q. What meane you by ingraued forme A. That as waxe vpon a seale hath the ingraued forme of the seale so the sonne of God which his father hath begotten of his owne vnderstanding is the verie forme of his fathers vnderstanding so that when the one is seene the other is seene also Q. Why then he is vnderstanding it selfe for so is his father A. Yea he is so and he saith so of himself I haue counsaile and wisedome I am vnderstanding Q. But where finde you that he was begotten A. He saith so himselfe in the name of wisdome in these wordes When there was no depthes then was I begotten Before the mountaines and hils were setled was I begotten Q. Yea he was made the sonne of God when hee was borne of the virgine Marie was he not A. He was in deed then the sonne of God but he was not then made the sonne of God Q. When was he made the sonne of God A. He was neuer made in time for he was begotten of the substance of his Father from all eternitie without beginning or ending Q. How proue you that the sonne of God was not made but begottē eternally of the substāce of his father A. I proue it first by scripture for he saith no lesse himselfe I was set vp from euerlasting from the beginning and before the earth And therefore he prayed that he might be glorified of his father with the glory which he had with his father before the world Secondlie I proue it by reason for Gods
of the 2. person Q. What names are giuen to the second person A. He hath some names as he is the son of God He hath some names as he is man And he hath some names as hee is both God and man in one person Q. What names hath he as he is the sonne of God A. First onely begotten Sonne of God because he is onely begotten of the nature and substaunce of the Father Secondly first begotten not as though he begat any after but because he begat none before Thirdlye th'image and brightnesse of the Fathers glorye because the glorie of God which we cannot see in him is by his effects expressed in his sonne Fourthly the worde because euen as a man reuealeth the meaning of his harte by the worde of his mouth so God reuealeth his will by his sonne Q. What names hath he as he is man A. 1. Sonne of man because he was of the nature of man according to the flesh 2. Sonne of Dauid because he sprange of the linage and stocke of Dauid Q. What names are giuen him as he is both God and man in one person A. 1. Iesus that is a Sauiour because he came to saue the people from their sinnes 2. Christ that is annointed For he was annointed of God to be a Prince to rule his Church a Prophet to teach his church and a Priest to offer sacrifice for his Church 3. Mediatour aduocate because he praieth for vs to the Father and pleadeth our cause before his iudgement seate Q. What names are giuē to the holy ghost the 3. person A. The holy ghost who is the spirite of the Father speaking in the old Testament hath these names and properties 1. The good spirit because he is the fountaine of goodnes 2. The spirit of God because he is good and proceedeth from God 3. The finger of God because God worketh by him as a man by his hand 4. The comforter because he strengtheneth the weake harts of his Saints 5. The spirit of Adoption because he assureth our harts that we be adopted the Saints of God 6. The spirit of loue power sobrietie wisdome c. because it worketh all these things in vs. God is incomprehensible Q. Of what nature is God A. First by nature God is incomprehensible Q. What meane you by that A. I meane that God cannot be contained in any compasse of place as is a man or Angell or any other creature but he is in all places and filleth all places at once is beyond all compasse of place that we can imagine as appeareth by the testimonie of the Scriptures Q. Though the substance of God be incomprehensible yet his power and wisedome are not so are they A. Yes and whatsoeuer is in God is incomprehensible as may be prooued by the Scriptures Q. To what purpose and vse serueth this doctrine A. It serueth to driue all grosse and idolatrous conceipts of God out of our mindes 2. It detecteth and bewraieth the impietie blasphemie of the popish Church or any other persons whersoeuer who either by making of pictures as they thought of God or by maintaining of them being made or by suffering of them to stand still especially after it bee knowne haue thereby denyed God to bee incomprehensible For those pictures and resemblances of God which ignorant men haue forged in their owne braine doe tell vs and say that God may be comprehended and contained within a place yea in a small place or in anie place as a man or other creatures which is most high blasphemie against the maiestie of almightie God God is inuisible Q. What els is God by nature A. Inuisible that is he hath not bene seene with any mortall eye neither can any man possibly see God Q. How proue you that A. Two waies First by Scripture 2. By reason That no man hath seene God It is plaine set downe in 1. Iohn 4.12 That no man can see God It is as plainlie proued in Exod. 33.20 1. Tim. 6.16 By reason it is manifest First we can not see our owne soules which are ten thousand times a more grosse substance then God much lesse can we see God which is a most pure and spirituall substance Q. We reade in Gen. 18.1 that God appeared to Abraham And in Deut. 5.24 that he shewed himselfe to the Israelites therefore he is not inuisible how answere you this A. God gaue them in deede some outwarde sights wherby they might be certaine of his presence and therefore it is said that the Lorde appeared vnto them but his substaunce or essence they saw not For to know God perfectly is proper to God onely Q. We reade in Gen. 1.26 that man was made according to the image of God therefore God is visible for man is visible How answere you this A. The image of God consisteth not in the shape and figure of the bodye but in the minde and integritie of nature or as the scripture saith in wisedome righteousnesse and holinesse Q. To what vse serueth this doctrine A. For manie vses but especially to driue away all grosse conceites of God out of our harts and all pictures and similitudes of God out of our sight for seeing that God was neuer seene whereunto shall he be resembled Moses vrged this point hard and oftē to the Israelites saying Ye hard the voice but saw no similitude Take therefore good heede vnto your selues marke how he saith not take heed but take good heed And therefore take good heed For saith hee againe yee sawe no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb c. Now he cometh to the thing that they must therefore take heed of That ye corrupt not your selues and make you a grauen image or representation of anie figure whether it be of male or female c. Q. VVhat else is the nature of God A. By his nature hee is euerie where that is in all places of heauen and earth and the sea and hell and all at one time and this is witnessed by the Scriptures as well as the rest Q. Is God euery where bodily A. No for he hath no bodie Q Is God euerie where in speculation onely A. No. For he worketh in euerie thing which hee beholdeth Q. How then is he euerie where A. Hee is euerie were essentially For his essence is not contained in any place because hee is incomprehensible Q. Is he not halfe in one halfe of the world and halfe in the other halfe of the world A. No. But as the whole soule is wholy in euerie part of the bodie so God is whole and wholy in euerie part of the world 1 Obiection If God be euerie where essentially then he is in the most filthie sinke and puddle Answere To this obiection I answere three wayes First it is no abasing of the glory of his maiestie to say that hee
is so taken Q. From whence springeth this mercie of God A. The essence and being of God is most simple without any mixture or composition therfore in him there are not diuers qualities and vertues as there be in vs wherof one dependeth vpon another or one differ from another but for our capacitie and vnderstanding the scripture speaketh of God as though it were so that so wee may the better perceiue what maner of God how good our God is What is the cause of mercie in God Q. Wel then seeing the scriptures do speake so for our vnderstanding let vs heare whereof this mercie commeth A. The cause is not in vs but onely in God him selfe and mercie in God doth spring out of his free loue towardes vs. Q. Why do you saie out of the free loue of God are there more loues in God then one A. There are two kindes of loue in God one is where with the father loueth the son and the son the father which the holie Ghost beareth towards both the father and the son and this loue I call the natural loue of God so that the one cannot but loue the other but the loue wherwith he loueth vs is voluntarie not being constrained thereunto and therefore is called the free loue of God And heereof it commeth also that mercie is wholy free that is without reward or hope of recompence and excludeth all merit Q. How proue you that the mercie of God ariseth out of his loue A. That the loue of God is the cause of his mercie it is manifest in the scriptures 1. Tim. 1.2 Paul saluteth Timothie in this order Grace mercie and peace from God the Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ to shew that that peace which the world cannot giue the mercy of God is the cause of it the cause of his mercy is his grace and his grace is nothing els but his free fauour loue towards vs. The same order doth Paul obserue in Tit. 3.4 5. where he saith When the goodnesse and loue of God our Sauiour towards man appeared not by the workes of righteousnesse which wee had done but according to his mercy he saued vs c. First hee sets downe the goodnes of God as the cause of his loue 2. His loue as the cause of his mercy And 3. his mercy as the cause of our saluation our saluation as the effect of all And therfore there is nothing in vs which may moue the Lord to shew mercy vpon vs but only because he is goodnes it selfe by nature And to this doth the Psalmist beare witnesse saying That the Lord is good his mercy is euerlasting and his truth is from generation to generation Q. Towardes whom is the mercie of God extended or shewed A. For the opening of this point we are to consider that the mercie of God is two folde First generall 2. speciall God as a God doth shewe mercie generallie vpon all his creatures being in miserie and chiefly to men whether they be iust or vniust and so doth succour them either immediatly by himselfe or els mediatly by creatures as by Angels or men by the heauens by the elements and by other liuing creatures And this generall mercie of God is not extended to the eternall saluation of all although it be but temporarie and for a while Of this reade in Luke 6.36 Q. What saie you of the speciall mercie of God A. That I call the speciall mercy of God which God as a most free God hath shewed to whome he would and denied to whome hee would And this perteineth onelie to the elect and those which feare him for hee sheweth mercie vpon them to their eternall saluation and that most constantlie while he doth effectuallie call them vnto himselfe while hee doth trulie and freelie pardon their sinnes iustifie them in the blood of the Lambe Iesus Christ while hee doth sanctifie them to his owne glorie and doth glorifie them onelie in eternall life and of this speciall mercie we may reade in Eph. 2.4.5.6 Q. How great is the mercie of God A. It is so great that it cannot be expressed nor conceiued of vs that is proued by these scriptures following Psal. 145.9 Iam. 2.13 1. Cor. 11.32 Psal. 57.10 Q. How long doeth the mercie of God continue towardes vs A. Although the mercie of God bee great and infinite in Christ yet for that mercie which pardoneth our sinnes and calleth vs to faith and repentance by the Gospell c. there is no place after death but onlie while we liue in this world which is warranted by these places ensuing Gal. 6.10 Let vs doe good whiles wee haue time to shew that a time will come when wee shall not be able to do good Apo. 7.17 Bee faithfull vnto death and I wil giue thee a crowne of life to shew that the time which is giuen vnto death is a time of repentance and of exercising of faith and of workes but after death there is no time but to receiue either an immortall crowne if we haue bin faithfull or euerlasting shame if we haue beene vnfaithfull Besides these see Apoca. 14.13 Marke 9.45 Esaie vlt. 24. Luke 16.24.25.26 Matth. 25.11.12 Ioh. 9.4 The vses of Gods mercie Q. What vses may we make of Gods mercie A. First it serueth to humble vs for the greater mercie is in God the greater miserie is in vs. 2 We must attribute our whole saluation to his mercie 3 Wee must flie to God in all our troubles with most sure confidence 4 Wee must not abuse it to the libertie of the flesh in sinne for although wee might finde mercie with God after death for the mercie of God perteineth especiallie to those that feare him 5 The meditation of Gods mercie towardes vs should make vs to loue God Psal. 116.1 Luke 7.47 2 To feare God Psal. 130.4 3 To praise God for his mercies Psal. 103.2.3.4 6 It must make vs mercifull one to another Luke 6.36 Matth. 18.32.33 Of the iustice or righteousnes of God Q. What is meant in the scripture by the righteousnesse or iustice of God A. There bee foure principall significations of the word Iustice. Sometime it is taken for absolute goodnesse or for a vertue which conteineth al other vertues in it in full perfection wanting nothing that they should haue in euerie part and dutie And so it is taken in 1. Tim. 1.9 where Paul saith The law is not giuen to a righteous man For what law shalbe made for him that is without sinne and is filled with all vertues both in himselfe towardes all men Such a one is God who is most perfectlie good and goodnesse it selfe both in himselfe and of himselfe and towards others also therefore iustice is rightly attributed vnto God in the scriptures Q. What els is meant by iustice A. Secondlie it is put onelie for that honestie sinceritie and vprightnesse which is requried of