changeth We here also are to hold against the Anabaptists that Infants which are borne in the Church are also of the Church OF PREDESTINATION THis common place of Predestination or election and reprobation ariseth out of the former place of the Church and is joyned with it The special questions are 1. Whether there be Predestination 2. What it is 3. What is the cause thereof 4. What are the effects thereof 5. Whether it be unchangeable 6. How farre it is knowne unto us 7. Whether the Elect be alwayes members of the Church and the Reprobate never 8. Whether the Elect fall from the Church and the Reprobate remaine ever in the Church 9. What use there is of this doctrine 1. Whether there be Predestination WHen the Question is Whether there be Predestination then this is the Question Whether there be any such counsell of God which hath severed some to be saved and others to be reprobate Some say that Election when as mention thereof is made in Scripture is taken for some excellency for which a man is worthy to be elected or chosen As we may say A choice and gallant horse So also they interpret Reprobation but falsly for it is the eternall counsell and purpose of God That there is Predestination Predestination proved by testimony of Scripture Mat. 20.16 John 15.16 John 10.16 Ephel â— 4 5. Acts 18.10 Acts 13.64 Rom. 2.30 Reprobation proved by Scripture that is election and reprobation in God these testimonies of Scripture doe confirme Many are called but few are chosen Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you Other sheep have I also which are not of this fold He chose us in him before the foundation of the world He predestinated us to be adopted through Jesus Christ unto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will I have much people in this City As many as were ordained unto eternall life beleeved Whom he predestinate them also he called Of Reprobation these places in speciall make mention God doth shew his justice on the vessels of wrath It is given unto you to know the secrets of the kingdome of heaven Rom. 9.22 Mat. 13.11 Jude 4. Mat. 11.25 John 10.26 Prov. 16.4 but to them it is not given Who were before of old ordained to this condemnation Thou hast hid these things from the wise Yee are not of my sheep He hath made all things for his owne sake even the wicked for the day of evill Object 1. But the promise of grace is universall Answ It is universall in respect of the faithfull that is it belongeth to all those who beleeve But it is particular in respect of all men Our adversaries say that those which are converted may fall away Which is to weaken and diminish the generall promise Repl. But it is said 2 Tim. 2.4 Mat. 10.16 Mat. 13.15 Places of Scripture reconciled concerning Gods will to save and not to save men Prov. 1.26 That God willeth that all men be saved Answ But contrary Many are called but few chosen This peoples heart it waxed fat saith the Lord lest they should returne that I might heale them And here it is said that God willeth that some be not saved therefore these testimonies are contrary one to another God forbid God willeth that all be saved as he is delighted with the salvation of all Albeit else-where it is said That he rejoyceth at the destruction of the wicked yet he rejoyceth not thereat as it is a vexation or destruction of his creature but as it is an execution of his justice 2. He willeth that all be saved in as much as he inviteth all to repentance But he will not have all saved in respect of the force and efficacy of calling He doth good to all if so be they might have groaped after him and found him The elect obtaine it Acts 17.27 Rom. 11.7 the rest are hardened He saith verily unto all Honesty of life pleaseth me ye owe it unto me But he saith not to all I will work it in you but to the elect only because from everlasting it hath so pleased him Object 2. He that giveth unequally to those that are equall is an accepter of persons Answ It is true 1. If he giveth to those which are equall unequally for any outward causes or respects that is for such causes as are not that condition in respect of which equall rewards or punishments were to be given or not to be given that is when the cause which is common to both is neglected and other things regarded which are not the cause as riches honours and the like But here God respecteth not these personages but requireth faith for the receiving of this benefit and conversion and giveth eternall life to them which have these and denieth it to them which have them not 2. He that giveth unto those which are equall unequally being bound to any were an accepter of persons But God giveth most freely of his meere mercy and grace He is bound to no man because we were his enemies therefore he might most justly have excluded all And if unjustice should any way fall into God which God forbid that we should think he should be unjust and an accepter of persons in that he giveth any thing at all Whereas then he hath mercy on some and not on others he is no accepter of persons as if thou being moved with pity and compassion shouldest give a farthing to one beggar and a penny to another thou art not therefore an accepter of persons Why then O man accusest thou God that he hath mercy on whom he will and hath not mercy on whom he will not have mercy seeing he is bound unto none Mat. 20.15 Rom. 11.35 Is it not lawfull for me saith Christ to doe as I will with mine owne Is thine eye evill because I am good Who hath given first unto the Lord To know this is behovefull for the glory of God Object 3. It is meet and just that he who hath taken a sufficient ransome for all sinnes should receive all men into favour God hath received a sufficient ransome in his Sonne for the sinnes of the whole world Therefore he should receive all men into favour Christs ransome though sufficient for all yet not applyed to all doth not save all John 17.9 Ans It must not onely be a sufficient ransome for all but must be also applied unto all receiving it by faith but it is not applied unto all because it is said I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me Repl. 1. A sufficient ransome ought to be applyed unto all That a sufficient ransome ought to be applied unto all is proved because this is a property of infinite mercy to doe good unto all Ans We deny that infinite mercy consisteth herein It consisteth not in the number of those that are saved but in the manner how they are saved Moreover he will not give
same chapter By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight Vers 20 21 22 23. for by the law cometh the knowledge of sinne But now is the righteousnesse of God made manifest without the law having witnesse of the law and of the Prophets The righteousnesse of God by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all that beleeve for there is no difference For all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Conferring like places together To conferre places of Scripture where though the same words be not spoken of the same thing yet the words and formes of speaking are used of the like things For if the interpretation of the like place be certaine and there be the same causes for the like interpretation to be given in the place in controversie which are in the other then of the like places we must give one and the same judgement Mat. 5.29 30. The Lord willeth to put out our eye to cut off our hand if they be a cause of offence unto us Now whereas the Law forbiddeth us to maime our body Thou shalt not kill that therefore by this figure of speech the Lord would have us that wee should rather forsake things most deare unto us than by the rust and motion of them wee should suffer our selves to be withdrawne from God the like forme of speech other-where used Jeremy 22.24 Deut. 32.10 to signifie things most deare and precious doth shew as If Jechoniah were the signet of my right hand yet would I plucke thee thence and Hee kept him as the apple of his eye Consent of the catholike Church with 3 rules of direction therein John 8.37 When once according to that rule the controversies concerning the text and meaning thereof are judged we may lawfully also descend to the consent of the Church yet putting great space betwixt and not without great advisement For lest by the name of the Church we be beguiled 1. No sentence or meaning is to be received which these rules of examining and judging which have been now declared do not suffer 2. Wee must consider what times and what writings are purest what points of doctrine have beene and in what ages either rightly expounded or depraved with errours 3. Whose interpretation either is of the authour or may be of 〈◊〉 confirmed by the testimonies of the Scripture And to this deciding of all controversies about the meaning of the Scripture drawne out of the Scripture it selfe doe all the godly and lovers of truth agree even as it is said Hee that is of God heareth the words of God Now the testimony of the ancient and catholike Church so farre as they see it to accord with the Scripture they doe with glad and thankful mindes embrace and are so much more assured of the knowne truth But if any quarrelling men doe not yeeld unto the testimonies of the Scriptures we must not seeke because of them a Judge higher then the word of God but must leave them unto the judgement of God as the Apostle counselleth us Reject him that is an hereticke after once or twice admonition Titus 3.20 knowing that he that is such is perverted and sinneth being damned of his owne selfe 1 Cor. 14.38 Rev. 22.11 And If any man be ignorant let him be ignorant Hee that is filthy let him be more filthy Neither verily doth he whom the word of God doth not satisfie rest on the authority of men as the truth it selfe doth shew but as these things are sufficient to shut the mouthes of them who gainesay the truth or at leastwise to manifest their impudency so is there further required for the fencing of the consciences of all the godly in debate of Religion besides a care of learning the doctrine of the word of God Prayers An ardent and daily invocating of God by which wee may desire that wee may be taught and guided by his holy Spirit This if wee shall doe hee will not suffer us to make stay in errour which may pull us from him but will open unto us the true and certaine meaning of his word concerning all things necessary to our salvation that our faith may depend not on humane but divine authority even as it is promised Mat. 7.7 Aske and it shall be given you seeke and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you Luke 11.13 James 1.5 For whosoever asketh receiveth and hee that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Ghost to them that desire him If any of you do lack wisedome let him ask it of God which giveth to all men liberally and reproacheth no man and it shall be given him but let him ask in faith and waver not Object 11. It is unmeet that the holy Ghost should be subject unto another Answ We make him not subject to any other but compare him with himselfe To their former arguments our adversaries adde That it is a shame that the holy Ghost speaking in the Church should be subject to the examination and judgment of another and therefore we must not examine him by the rule of the Scripture But seeing that the same Spirit speaketh in the Church and in the Scripture when wee doe examine the voice of the Church by Scripture we do not subject the holy Ghost to another but we compare him with himself And by this means 1. We give unto him the praise of truth and constancy while we do acknowledge and restifie that he is alwaies like himself and doth never square from himself 2. We confesse that the supreme authority of pronouncing the will of God belongeth unto him while we doe not seek whether those things be true and certaine which he hath spoken but whether those be his words which men ascribe unto him and this doe we even after the selfe same manner which he hath prescribed us and after we find out by the rule of the written word that any thing hath proceeded from him to that without making any controversie we submit our minds and wils Contrariwise it is easie to see 2 Contumelies against the holy Ghost issuing out of the Papists opinion of the Judge of the Scripture that our adversaries themselves are guilty of that contumely against the holy Ghost of which they accuse us For while they will have the authority of giving judgement concerning the meaning of the Scripture and deciding of controversies not to belong unto the Scripture but unto themselves by this very thing 1. They imagine that the holy Ghost may dissent from himselfe 2. They make themselves Judges higher then the holy Ghost and Word of God Lastly whereas Paul saith That he is the Minister of the New Testament Object 12. The Letter killeth the Spirit quickneth 2
God in all our inclinations desires and actions in our will heart and outward parts in whose roome is invested a horrible disorder and corruption of the inclinations and motions of our heart and will whence actuall sinnes are hatched 4. Whole and perfect dominion over the creatures For those beasts which feared man before now assault him they lie in waite for him and violence him The fields bring forth thornes and thistles 5. The right and interest of using those creatures which God granted to his children not to his enemies 6. The felicity and happinesse both of this life and of the life to come in place whereof is come death both temporall and eternall with all sorts of calamities Object The Heathen excelled in many vertues and atchieved great workes therefore it seemeth the image of God was not lost in them Two causes why the vertues of Ethnicks please not God Answ The noble vertues and famous exploits of Heathen men pertaine indeed to the reliques and remainder of Gods image in man but so farre are they from being that true and perfect image of God that they rather are meere maskes and shewes of outward behaviour and discipline 1 They proceed not from a true knowledge of God without any obedience of the heart towards God whom they know not and fâ—ie from therefore these workes are not pleasing unto God 2 They have not Gods glory proposed for their end whereas they neither proceed from the true knowledge of God neither are wrought to that end that all the glory may redound unto God 3 How the image of God is restored in us The repairing of the image of God in us is the work of all three persons THE repairing of the image of God in man is wrought by God alone who gave it unto man for in whose power it is to give life in his also it is to restore it being lost The manner of restoring it is this 1. God the Father restoreth it by his Sonne because he hath made him unto us wisdome justification sanctification and redemption 2. The Sonne by the holy Ghost immediately regenerating us 1 Cor. 1.30 2 Cor. 3.18 Rom. 1.16 Wee are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord. 3. The holy Ghost restoreth it by the Word and use of the Sacraments The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation Now this renuing is so wrought by God as that in this life it is onely begun in the chosen and in them confirmed and augmented unto the end of their life as concerning the soule but as concerning the whole man at the resurrection of the body Wherefore it is to be observed who is the author and what the order and manner of this repairing Quest 7. Whence then ariseth this wickednesse of mans nature Answ From the fall and disobedience of our first Parents Adam and Eve a Genes 3. the whole chapter throughout Romanes 5.12 18 19. Hence is our nature so corrupt that wee are all conceived and borne in sinne b Psalme 51.5 Genesis 5.3 Wisdome 12.10 The Explication HEre wee are first to meditate on the fall and first sin of man whence the corruption of mans nature had his beginning Secondly on sin in generall and especially on Originall sinne Of the fall and first sinne of man Concerning the fall and first sinne we are to consider and know 1 What and what manner of sinne it was 2 What are the causes thereof 3 What are the effects 4 Why God permitted it 1 What and what manner of sinne that first sinne of Adam and Eve was THE fall or first sin of man was the disobedience of our first parents Adam and Eve in paradise or the eating of the apple and fruit forbidden by God Gen. 2.16 17. Thou shalt eate freely of every tree of the garden but of the tree of knowledge of good and evill thou shalt not eate of it for in the day that thou shalt eat thereof thou shalt die the death This commandement of God man through the perswasion of the Divell trangressed and hence is our corruption and misery derived Is then the plucking of an apple so heinous a crime Yea verily a grievous offence The manifoldness of the first sin because in it many horrible sins are fast linked together In pride against God Pride against God ambition and an admiration of himselfe for man not content with that state wherein God had placed him desired to be equal with God This God doth charge him with when he saith Gen. 3.22 Behold the man is become as one of us to know good and evil In incredulity Incredulity and unbeliefe and contempt of Gods justice and mercy for he tempted God and charged him with a lye For God had said Thou shalt die the death The Divel denied it saying Ye shall not die Gen. 2.17 and farther the Divel accused God of envie saying But God knoweth that when ye shall eate thereof Gen. 3.4 5. your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and evil Here Adam gave credence to the Divel did eat of the forbidden fruit neither did he beleeve that God would therefore inflict that punishment on him which he had threatned Now not to beleeve God and of the contrary to beleeve the Divel is to account God for no God nay to seat and install the Divell in the place of God This sin was heavie and horrible above measure In stubbornness and disobedience Stubbornnesse and disobedience towards God because against the expresse commandement of God he did eate of the apple In unthankfulnesse Vnthankfulnesse for benefits received at his creation as for these that he was created to the Image of God and to eternall life for which he rendered this thankes that hee rather hearkened and inclined to the Divel then God In unnaturalnessâ— Vnnaturalnesse and neglect of love towards his posterity because miserable and wretched man he thought not with himselfe that as he had received those good things for himselfe and his posterity so he should by sinning against God make losse of them both from himselfe and them In Apostasie Apostasie or manifest defection from God to the Divell whom hee beleeved and obeyed rather then God whom he set up in the place of God with-drawing and sundring himselfe from God Hee did not aske of God those good things which he was to receive but rejecting the wisdome and direction of God by the advice of the Divell will aspire to be equall with God Wherefore the fall of man was no light and simple or single fault but was a manifold and terrible sinne for which God justly rejected man with all his posterity Hence wee easily answer that objection Object No just Judge inflicteth a great punishment for a small offence God is a just Judge Thorefore hee should not have punished the eating of an Apple so
grievously Answ The eating of the Apple was no small sinne but manifold and outrageous in which was conceived Pride Vnthankefulnesse Apostasie c. as hath been already proved Therefore God justly inflicted a great punishment on mankind for the same Repli Yet at the least hee should have spared mans posterity because himselfe hath said Ezek. 18.20 The sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father Answ True if so the sonne be not partaker of his fathers wickednesse But here all are partakers of Adams iniquity 2. What were the causes of the first sin The causes of sin are the Divels instigation mans will freely yeelding unto it THe first sinne of man sprang not from God but from the instigation of the Divell and from the free-will of man For the Divell provoked man to fall away from God and man yeelding to the inticing allurements of the Divell freely revolted from God and wilfully forsook him Now although God left man destitute in his temptation yet he is not the cause of his fall or sinne or destruction of man For in that dereliction or forsaking of man God neither intended nor effected any of these but he proved and tried man to shew how impotent and unable the creature is to doe or retaine ought that is good God not preserving and directing him by his Spirit and together with his triall of man hee in his just judgement suffered the sinne of man to concurre but he was no cause or efficient of it Fleshly wisdome thus reasoneth against this doctrine Object Whosoever with-draweth grace in the time of temptation without which the fall cannot be avoided hee is the cause of the fall but God with-held from man his grace in the time of temptation without which hee could not but fall Therefore God was the cause of the fall Answ The Major is true onely of him who with-holdeth grace when hee is obliged and bound not to with-hold it and him who with-draweth it from such a one as desireth it not from such a one as wilfully rejecteth it and of him who of despight and malice with-draweth it But it is not true of him who is neither bound to preserve and maintaine the grace which hee sometime gave and who with-holdeth it not from such a one as desireth to have it continued but from him who is willing hee should so doe and voluntarily refuseth it and who denieth it not therefore because hee envieth the offendors righteousnesse and life eternall or is delighted with the sinne but onely to this purpose to try him to whom hee hath imparted grace For hee who forsaketh any man on this manner is not the cause of sinne howsoever in him who is thus forsaken sinne necessarily followeth this dereliction and with-drawing of grace Now God in the temptation of man with-held his grace from him not after the former but the latter manner here expressed Wherefore God is not the cause of mans sinne and destruction for with-drawing but man for wilfull rejecting of grace Repl. Whosoever will that such a one be tempted whom he certainly knoweth that he will fall if he be tempted he willeth his sinne which falleth but God would that man should be tempted of the Divell whom he certainly knew that hee would fall for otherwise and against the will of God man could not have been tempted Therefore God is the cause of mans fall Answ This Major is denied as false if it be simply and precisely taken For he is not the cause of sin who will that he who is apt to fall be tempted onely for cause of triall and to make manifest the creatures infirmity Now God in this sense and with this intent suffered man to be tempted that is to be proved But the Divel tempting man to the end that he might sinne and be separate and distracted from God and man willingly obeying the Tempter against the commandement of God they both are the true causes of sinne But of the causes of sinne more shall be spoken hereafter 3 What the effects of the first sinne are THE effects of mans first sinne are Guilt of death Guiltinesse of death and a privation and destruction of Gods Image in our first Parents Originall sinne Originall sinne in us their posterity that is to say the guilt of eternall death and the corruption and aversenesse of our whole nature from God Actuall sinne All actuall sinnes which are sprung of originall for that which is the cause of the cause is also the cause of the effect But the first sinne in man is the cause of his originall sinne and this of his actuall sinne Punishments inflicted for sin All the evils of punishment which are inflicted for sinnes Therefore the first sinne of man is the cause of all other his sins and punishments Now whether it stand with Gods justice to punish the posterity for the sinne of the parents it shall hereafter in the common place of Originall sinne be fully resolved 4 Why God permitted the first sin of man GOD could have kept man from falling if hee would The causes of Gods permission of the first sin but hee permitted him to fall that is hee gave him not the grace of resistance against the temptation of the Divell and that for two causes To shew mans weaknesse and infirmity That it might stand for an example of the weakenesse and infirmity of the creature were it not supported and preserved in originall righteousnesse by the Creator To shew his mercy justice and power That by this occasion God might shew his goodnesse mercy and grace in saving the Elect by Christ and that hee might shew his justice and power in punishing the wicked and reprobate for their sinnes according to these sayings of Scripture God hath shut up all in unbeliefe Rom. 11.32 Rom. 9.22 23. that he might have mercy on all and every mouth might be stopped And God to shew his wrath and make his power knowne suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction and that hee might declare the riches of his glory upon the vessels of mercy which hee hath prepared unto glory This doctrine concerning the Creation and fall of man is necessary for the Church for many causes and uses which it hath 1. Wee must know that man was created of God without sinne The necessity and use of this doctrine of mans creation lest God be imagined the authour or cause of sinne 2. Whereas mans body was fashioned of clay let us thinke of our frailty that wee be not lifted up with pride 3. Seeing that the workmanship of God is so admirable in the framing of mans body and seeing it was created for the ministery of Gods worship and for God to dwell in and for everlasting life let us neither abuse it to dishonesty neither willingly destroy it neither make it a stie of Divels but keeping it chaste and clean endeavour that it be a temple and
fruit also which we have triall and experience of in this life Heretofore it hath been said All sins mortall in their own nature but pardonable by the grace of God Psal 32.5 Pro. 24.16 That all sins are in their owne nature mortall Against this sentence some oppose that which is said I will confesse my wickednesse unto the Lord and thou forgavest the punishment of my sin And A just man falleth seven times and riseth againe Whence they gather that there are some sinnes the committers whereof continue still just and therefore deserve not eternall death But they reason amisse from that which befalleth to sinne but by an accident to that which is by it selfe in sin For it is true indeed that there are many sins for which the Saints doe not lose holiâ—â—sse and righteousnesse neither become obnoxious to the wrath of God But this cometh to passe not by the smalnesse or nature of the sin whatsoever it be but by the grace of God who doth not impute neither will punish with eternall death those sins which yet in their owne nature deserved it This doth the Prophet most evidently shew in the same Psalme Psal 143.2 when he saith Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiven Enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall none that liveth be justified Object 2. Mat. 5.22 It is said Whosoever is angry with his brother unadvisedly shall be culpable of judgement And whosoever saith unto his brother Racha shall be worthy to be punished by the Councell And whosoever shall say Foole shall be worthy to be punished with hell fire Whence they conclude Seeing Christ himselfe maketh degrees of punishments and sins so that of these former hee threatneth hell fire but unto the third onely therefore there are some sins smaller then those which deserve eternall punishment But the answer unto this is manifest out of the words themselves which is that Christ doth not speak of civill judgements and punishments when he mentioneth Judgement and a Councell For he doth not here speak of the civill order but disputeth against the corruptions of the Pharisees concerning the true meaning of Gods Law and concerning the judgement of God against both inward and outward sins For neither can nor ought to be punished by the Magistrate with corporall punishment either such gestures as signifie some bitternesse or contempt or bad affections if they have not accompanying them an endevour to doe any man injury Now whereas in the third place hee nameth hell fire hee doth not exempt the other two kinds of sin from eternall punishments but signifieth that the third shall receive a sharper punishâ—â—nt at Gods hand then the other Object 3. It is said Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men Mat. 12.31 but the blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men neither in this world nor in the world to come Hence they will gather That some sinnes are forgiven in this world some in the world to come that is in Purgatory and some are never forgiven of which these be Mortall but the others Veniall in their owne nature Answ 1. But Neither here neither else-where doth Christ teach that some sins are forgiven in the world to come Sins are remitted in this world only For that all other sins are forgiven not in the world to come but in this world both Christ signifieth in this place and the Scripture else-where teacheth because it is certain that sins are not remitted but only to those who repent No sin which may not be remitted except the sin against the holy Ghost But hee denieth that the sinne against the holy Ghost is remitted either in this world or in the world to come that he might more significantly expresse the deniall of pardon to it 2. Whether they say forgivenesse to be in this world or in the world to come yet this standeth immoveable that it cometh not of the nature or corruption of the sin but of free mercy for Christs sake And if every sinne be so grievous that it could not be purged but by the bloud of the Son of God then doubtlesse they doe great despite and contumely unto that bloud who so extenuate any sin as to deny that it deserveth eternall punishment unto which the death of the Son of God is equivalent 3. Even by their owne confession there are many mortall sins which notwithstanding are forgiven in this life Wherefore either they must make all these to be even in their owne nature Veniall or they will never prove out of this place that the â—â—nalnesse of the sin is the cause of forgivenesse Object 4. It is said The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse Rom. 1.17 And Know yee not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of God 1 Cor. 6. â— Out of these and the like places they gather that seeing they are mortall sins which shut men out of the Kingdome of God and all sins do not so therefore there are some sins which in their owne nature are not mortall But they conclude more then followeth by force of reason For that some sins are Veniall there is no doubt All sins shut men out of the Kingdome of God were they not remitted by the grace of God 1 Cor. 3.15 but that cometh by grace remitting those sins which without remission would shut men doubtlesse from the Kingdome of God Object 5. It is said If any mans work burne he shall lose but he shall be safe himselfe neverthelesse yet as it were by fire Therefore say they some sins cast men into fire that is into some punishment but not eternall This also we grant not in respect of the nature of sin but in respect of pardon which befalleth to those who hold the foundation which is Christ For to build on the foundation wood and stubble that is to patch the Word of God with unnecessary questions humane opinions and traditions which often are occasions of Schismes in the Church and often of Idolatry and errors it is not so light a sin as they deem it who doit but deserveth eternall malediction except remission be made by the Son of God as it is declared in the Revelation Chap. 22. Object 6. It is said A high Priest taken from among men is bound to offer for sinnes Heb 5.1 as well for his owne part as for the peoples Ans This place sheweth that the sins of the Priest are not Veniall by themselves or of their owne nature but for the sacrifice of Christ which was signified by the typicall sacrifices and therefore it quite and cleane overthroweth the opinion of our adversaries For if all sins even of a righteous Priest are in the sight of God so great that they cannot be purged but by the death of the Son of God it necessarily followeth that they of their owne nature deserved everlasting death Ob. 7. It is said
visible shapes were not the very substance of God is hereby manifest for that the Scripture with great consent reacheth that God is seen of no man neither can be seen and incomprehensible and unchangeable But those visible shapes were not alwayes the same Object 2. To these they add that which is said Gen. 32.30 Exâ—d 33.11 Deut 34.10 Deut 5.24 2. Cot. 13.13 How God is said 〈◊〉 seen face 〈◊〉 â—ace that God was seen of Jacob face to face and of Moses and of all the people and that all of us shall see God face to face in the life to come By which Metaphor or borrowed speech is signified a cleer and conspicuous manifestation and knowledge of God which is perceived not-with the eyes of the body but of the mind either by means as by the word by his works and outward tokens and such as run into the senses whence the minde may gather somewhat of God or without means by inward revelation And albeit in the life to come shall be a farte more bright knowledge of God then now yet to know God most perfectly is proper to God onely as it is said Not that any man hath seen the Father save he which is of God 〈◊〉 c. 46. hee hath seen the Father So far is it that the invisible infinite and everlasting Deity may ever be conceived by bodily eyes whose nature is not to perceive any objects but such as are finite and limited Object 3. They have alledged also those sayings wherein the parts of mans body are attributed to God But these also are not properly Hâ—w the parts of 〈◊〉 â—odvaâ—e attriâ—â—â—ed unto God but by a Metaphor spoken of God whereby is signified to us a power in God working after an incomprehensible manner his works a certain shadow whereof are those actions which men doe by the ministery and help of their bodily parts as the eyes and ears signifie the wisdome of God whereby hee understandeth all things the mouth the publishing of his word the face the declaration tokens and feeling of his divine goodnesse and grace or severity and anger the heart his love the hands and armes his power the feet his presence Object 4. They have affirmed also because man was made according to the image of God that therefore God hath an humane shape The image of God in man doth not argue a bodily shape in God Ephes 4.24 Not marking that the image of God consisteth not in the shape and figure of the body but in the minde and integrity of nature in wisdome righteousnesse and true holinesse As for Tertullian whereas he reasoneth that God is a body that he speaketh improperly therein and abuseth the word body in stead of substance not only Augustine witnesseth in his Epistle to Quod vult Deus but this is also an argument and proof thereof because he termeth also the souls and Angels oftentimes bodies Wherefore let us know that therefore we are taught the nature of God to bee spirituall Why wee must know God to be spirituall that we may not conceive of God any thing which is grosse terrene carnall and unworthy his divine Majesty neither should deem that he can be perceived by our bodily senses or in thought imagined but should consider his nature by his word and works that wee should not dare to represent him by any bodily shape and in a word that wee should remember that he is to be worshipped not with the gestures or other things of the body but with the minde and spirituall motion of the heart Lastly seeing he alone inspireth into us temporall and everlasting life we should acknowledge the gift of both to come from him out of this fountain only we should seek it and endeavour to referre it wholly to his glory Two reasons why God is to be intelligent Intelligent 1. Because he is the cause both of the mind of man and of the notions shining in it and also of that order which is in the nature of things and Common-weals 2. Because all intelligence or understanding of the creature cometh from him both in respect of the faculty as also in respect of the operation For neither can the efficient and preserving cause of intelligent natures and of the understanding it selfe and order in nature be but intelligent and understanding And therefore the holy Scripture also reasoneth on this wise He that planted the ear shall he not hear Psal 94.9 or hee that made the eye shall he not see Now this wee are to hold against those who setting Nature in the place of God imagine the world and the variety and order of things in it to arise from the matter and the inclination thereof to this forme when as notwithstanding these things could not have their being from a cause not intelligent We are to hold it also thereby to acknowledge not only true knowledge it selfe but also all ability of understanding and the sagacity and capability of the senses and minde to perceive to be the gift of God Eternall That is such an eternity which can have neither beginning The eternity of God without beginning or end Psal 30.2 nor any end of being agreeth to God alone both nature sheweth forasmuch as hee is the first cause of all things and of infinite perfection and power and the Scripture also recounteth as Before the mountains were brought forth or ever the earth and the world were made thou art God from everlasting and world without end But we are to observe that not therefore only the eternity of God is so often inculcated in the Scriptures that in regard hereof hee may be discerned from things created but also Because hee will impart eternity unto us that is he hath purposed and promised that he will give us of his eternall goodnesse and providence eternall blessings and will have continuall care of us through all eternity and will have a kingdom in Angels and men whereof shall be no end Therefore we are given to understand God eternall unto us that God is eternall to us That we may oppose the certain hope of eternall blessednesse grounded upon his eternity against the shortnesse of mortall life and against the frailty of mans condition For seeing hee is eternall he can and seeing he promiseth he will for ever preserve us with his protection For this God is our God for ever and ever And Psal 48.11 Psal 111.9 He hath commanded his covenant for ever Wherefore being upheld with this consolation let us neither refuse to suffer the short misery of this life neither preferre the short felicity thereof before eternall blessings and seeing God will be not only bountifull towards the godly but judge also of the ungodly eternally let the cogitation of the eternall wrath of God keep and hold us in the fear of God that we may not desire to buy the fading shew of whatsoever good with eternall misery God other and diverse from all
of the creature But if any man will further reply That this very worship and obedience profiteth him unto whom it is done To grant this concerning the creatures as who may be furthered and enriched by the mutuall duties of each other yet will it by no means agree to God seeing no man can help or harm him and the true agnizing and magnifying of God as also the whole conformity and agreement with him is not his happinesse and perfection but the creatures Object 4. To whom is given that which is due unto him to him something cometh thereby more then bee had before Unto God is yeelded our obedience and worship which is due unto him Therefore somewhat cometh to him from us Answ The Major is true of that which is due of need or want or which he needeth Our obedience through◠due to God yet bringeth 〈◊〉 increate to him and is furthered thereby to whom it is given But our obedience is no such due but that which God by order of his justice requireth of us and that not for his but our perfection and felicity Lastly if any man urge That hee who rejoyceth doth receive some good of those things wherein hee rejoyceth And therefore some fruit certainly to redound unto God out of our obedience and salvation seeing he pronounceth that he rejoyceth therein We grant verily that in men rejoycing and the like affections are stirred up by outward objects But we must not deem that our vertues are the cause of that rejoycing which is in God For therefore is a thing thought right and honest because it is agreeing to the will and nature of God and because God from everlasting is delighted with his owne goodnesse and uprightnesse and with things agreeing therewith therefore doth hee create and work such in men and that everlasting approbation or liking which was the cause why God created good things is the cause also why hee now cherisheth and preserveth them being created Gods rejoicing in out obedience salvation is the cause thereof but not our obedience and salvation the cause of his rejoycing Wherefore the everlasting rejoycing in God for our obedience and salvation is the efficient cause of our obedience and salvation but not contrariwise our obedience the efficient cause of that rejoycing in God as it cometh to passe in men who are affected by outward objects Or thus God rejoyceth at our good as being an object but not a cause because objects are not the cause but effects of Gods approbation and rejoycing Unchangeable When God pronounceth himselfe to be unchangeable he sheweth that he will be alwayes such as he hath been from all eternity Three things meant by Gods unchangeablenes Five reasons of unchangeablenesse so that 1. Neither his essence nor whatsoever is proper thereto can be augmented or diminished 2. Neither his nature and will be changed 3. Neither himselfe hath need to transport himselfe from place to place This doe Philosophers induced thereto by reasons confesse For 1. Whatsoever is changed that must needs have either some outward cause or some originall or beginning in it selfe of moving and changing or both But God cannot be moved or changed by any thing which is without him for so himselfe should not be the first mover and maker of all that is good in nature Neither can hee suffer change from any inward originall beginning of change For whatsoever is so moved or changed that must needs have parts whereof some must move and some be moved Now that God should be divided into parts neither doth his immensity suffer nor his great perfection for seeing every part is imperfecter then the whole and in God is nothing which is not most perfect it is impious to imagine any parts in him Wherefore neither by any outward nor inward cause is hee moved or changed 2. Whatsoever is changed that must needs be changed either to the worse or the better or into a state equall to the former It is impossible that God should be made worse for he should so become of perfect imperfect And to be made better is also impossible for so he should have been once imperfect But neither can hee be translated into an equall condition and state as thereby to leave some good which before he had and to receive some good which before he had not for thus should hee be neither before nor after his change most perfect as wanting some part of those good things which belonged unto him 3. That which is infinite neither can be made greater for so it should not have been infinite before nor lesser for so it should be made finite Seeing then both the essence and power and wisdome and all the vertues of God are incomprehensible and all things in God immense therefore cannot any of them be either diminished or increased 4. For the same cause God doth not transport and remove himselfe from place to place as creatures seeing by reason of his immensity whereby he filleth heaven and earth he can neither depart nor be absent from any place 5. Seeing he is most wise and therefore from everlasting hath most well purposed decreed and fore-seen all things change of purpose and will cannot fall into him And therefore God would have this in many places of holy Scripture inculcated unto us that his nature and will is subject to no mutations as being a thing most respecting his glory God is not as man that he should lie Numb 23.19 nor as the son of man that he should repent Hath he said it then and shall he not do it Hath hee spoken and shall he not accomplish it The counsell of the Lord shall endure for ever Psal 33.11 and the thoughts of his heart from generation to generation With whom is no variablenesse James 1.17 neither shadow of change Object 1. But God is said to repent Ans He is said to repent Two reasons why God is said to repent when yet he doth nothing which he decretd not from everlasting not that he changeth his will but 1. Because he earnestly detesteth sins and is not delighted with the destruction of men 2. Because by reason of this hatred against sin and this mercy toward repentant sinners hee maketh change of things and events which from everlasting hee decreed as men are wont to doe who repent them of their purpose for among men every change is an amending of that which disliketh them amending riseth from repentance wherefore the name of repentance as also the names of other humane affections are said to be attributed to God by an Anthropopathy because the Scripture speaketh of God after the manner of men for our infirmity that we understanding those things which are in us to be shadowes of those which are in God may in some sort conceive something of the nature of God and his will towards mankind Wherefore these forms of speaking do not signifie any perturbation in God or change or passion
and his will 8. And in this his Church towards his chosen Angels and men to whom by his Son he giveth life and glory everlasting And further whom he is angry with and on whom he inflicteth punishment he is not angry with their substance or nature which himself created but with that corruption which came by other means to his divine work Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodlinesse Object No creature visible is subject to so many evils as man Therefore he is not bountifull towards men Answ He is subject to these evils by an accident that is because of sin but withall he is enriched above other creatures with great blessings even when hee is out of the Church but is most happy and blessed if he repent For what cause God is said to be most free Most free God also alone is most free because he alone by nature is such 1. That no fault or misery can fall upon him 2. Neither can he be constrained of any 3. Neither is he bound to any 4. Neither is he subject or tyed to the rule or lore of another Wherefore whatsoever he willeth and doth that hee willeth and doth himselfe most freely when as much and in what manner he will and what he will that is most good and just But here chiefly is considered the freedome of will or liberty from constraint which is the power and ability whereby God without any necessity hath from everlasting decreed the whole order of creation preservation and rule of all things and doth accomplish the same not being constrained or tyed to other causes yet so that he never swerveth from his rightnesse To this bear witnesse his miracles and many examples of deliveries and punishments and many places of Scripture as Whatsoever pleased the Lord that did hee in the heaven and earth Psal 135.6 in the sea and in all the depth It is not hard to the Lord to save with many or with few 1 Sam 14.6 Object 1. That without which second causes which worke necessarily cannot worke doth it selfe also work necessarily Without the first cause which is God second causes which necessarily worke cannot work Therefore the first cause also which is God worketh together with them necessarily Answ The Major is true of such causes as work with absolute necessity but it is false of such as work only of a conditionall necessity that is because it so pleased God who notwithstanding could move them otherwise or else at all not move them or not so much as make them that they should work and should worke after that manner which they do work Therefore all second causes depend on the first but not the first any way on the second Object 2. God is unchangeably good Therefore not freely good Ans This unchangeablenesse doth not diminish but establish the liberty of Gods will for it is not the unchangeablenesse of a nature but constraint and coaction which is contrary to liberty and so much the more freely the will chuseth with how much the greater and surer force and motion it is carried unto her object Object 3. It is said also of particular events that God can only will those things which are best But only those things which he hath decreed are best Therefore he cannot will other things But answer is made to the Minor What things God hath decreed those are best not before but after his decree for Gods will being the rule and square of rightnesse therefore are all things good because hee willeth them Wherefore if hee would have from everlasting had any other thing that then should have been best As that Joseph should be sold and made lord of Egypt and give sustenance to his fathers family was best because God would so Now if God would have any other way exercised Joseph and taken vengeance on his brethren that should then have been the best It followeth therefore that God willeth no other thing after he hath once decreed what he will have done but that hee was able from everlasting to have decreed some other thing for whatsoever he would that from everlasting he would most freely Object 4. Some places of Scripture seem to intimate that the will of God may be sometimes hindered by his creatures as I desire not the death of the wicked Ezek. 33.11 Mat. 23.37 How often would I have gathered thee and thou wouldest not Answ These and the like places only shew with what God is delighted and to what he inviteth and calleth all but not what by his mercy and Spirit he hath purposed to work in every one Wherefore this doctrine of the liberty and free will of God let us diligently maintain that both the glory of God may be vindicated from Stoicall blasphemies and in us faith hope invocating on God and sedulity and earnestnesse in performing our duty may be established if acknowledging God most freely to govern all his creatures we be neither secure in prosperity nor in adversity doe cast away hope and good endeavours The anger of God against sin Angry and wroth with sin Lastly in the description of Gods nature is put That he is angry and wroth with offences and sins which horrible anger and wrath of God whereby hee detesteth and punisheth all sins although all the wicked at length too late perceive and have experience of when they rush into eternall despaire yet such his displeasure and indignation as God will have to be knowne they cannot so much as conceive who are without the Church seeing they neither judge all those evils to be sins which God in his law threatneth hee will punish with everlasting torments neither know the death and punishment of the Son of God then which God could not shew a greater token and argument of his anger against sin The elect and chosen alone are throughly moved by a right and saving knowledge thereof gathered out of Gods punishments and threatnings to conversion and the fear of God But the greatnesse of it no man can fully conceive according as it is said Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thy wrath An Admonition to the Reader CHristian and courteous Reader whereas in the conference of the two copies I found in the former a large Paraphrase delivered by Uâ—sinus on the description of God and in the latter a brief Abstract thereof collected by David Pareus I judged it meet to retain the Paraphrase for help of weaker understandings and to adjoyn the Abridgement for help of weaker memories If on this advertisement thou advisedly peruse both the one and the other I hope the fruit of both will be neither to thee nor me lost labour A briefe Epitome or Abridgement of the former large Explication of the description of God GOd is an essence That is a thing which hath his being from none but himself and is preserved and sustained of none but subsisteth by himselfe and is the only cause unto
duty Whereupon we pray Let thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven They are also called gods 5. Gods Psalm 8.5 Hebr. 2.7 What is meant by the names Gabriel Raphael and Michael Dan. 10.13 12.2 Jude 9. Rev. 12.7 because the nature and Majesty of God shineth in their strength vertues functions and marvellous works Which is also signified both by the name of Gabriel that is the strength of God and by the name of Raphael that is the medicine of God For the same cause also the name of Michael that is who is like God is given to the Son of God an Angel who is called the Arch-angel either because the Son of God is head of the Angels or because God doth according to that measure which seemeth best to him distribute his gifts to the Angels and shew forth his powerfull operation by them 2. Of evill spirits or Angels THey which now are evill spirits or Angels although they also were at their creation good and adorned by God with the same holinesse and righteousnesse and blessednesse wherewith the rest were yet notwithstanding by their owne will and that free and therefore by their owne fault they averted themselves from God and revolted from his love and from obedience due unto him so that they left the habitation of God and no longer continued their conformity with God but ever burn with an horrible hatred of God and men and that they may despight God force men to sin and by force and fleights attempt to cast all down headlong into destruction God spared not the Angels that had sinned 2 Pet. 2.4 but cast them downe into hell and delivered them into chains of darknesse Jude 6. to be kept unto damnation The Angels which kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation hee hath reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse unto the judgement of the great day Yee are of your father the Divell and the lusts of your father yee will doe John 8 4â— Hee was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth When hee speaketh a lie then speaketh hee of his owne for hee is a liar and the father thereof 1 John 3.8 Hee that committeth sin is of the Divel for the Divell sinneth from the beginning John 13.25 Sathan entred into Judas Sathan filled Ananias his heart that hee should lie unto the holy Ghost Acts 5.8 Ephes 2.2 and keep away part of the price of the possession According to the course of this world and after the Prince that ruleth in the ayr the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience 2 Thes 2.9 The divels appellations with their reasons 1. The wicked 1 Joh. 3.12 Ephes 6.16 It is said of Antichrist Whose coming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders and in all deceivablenesse of unrighteousnesse among them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved And therefore hee is called The wicked Cain which was of the wicked That yee may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked And every where in the Scripture hee is called Satanas that is 2. Satanas 1 Chro. 21.1 the adversary of God and men And Sathan stood up against Israel and provoked David to number Israel And hee is in like manner called Diabolus Divell because hee depraveth the word of God 3. Divell and is a slanderer of men as in Paradise 4. Serpent and Job 1. 2. And the Dragon that old serpent Revel 12. 20. because speaking by a serpent in Paradise hee seduced mankind through his subtiltie neither ceaseth hee to seduce them still The great Dragon that old Serpent called the Divell and Sathan was cast out which deceiveth all the world Again The accuser of our brethren 5. Accuser Rev. 12.10 6. Destroyer Rev. 5.11 7. The god and prince of this world 2 Cor. 4.4 Joh. 12.31 14.30 16.11 which accuseth them before our God day and night And hee is called Abaddon and Apollyon that is destroying Hee is also called The god of this world blinding the eyes of unbeleevers and the prince of the world both for his power and forcible working which hee sheweth on the wicked and for that tyrannie which hee exerciseth against the godly also by Gods permission as withall for that obsequie homage and obedience which is done him by the wicked even those who professe the worship of the true God Ephes 6. 1 Pet. 5. 1 Kings 22. 1 Cor. 10. John 8. The refutation of the Manichees who held two first causes By these places is made manifest the impiety of the Manichees who fained two causes or two gods co-eternall the one good whom they called the light and minde the other evill whom they termed the darknesse and matter the former whereof had created good natures the latter bad abusing those testimonies of Scripture where the Divell is called The god and prince of the world the father of the wicked authour of sin and death the power of darknesse and standing most of all on this argument That a good God should not make the cause of evill For neither hath the Divell any more power either over the godly or over the wicked or over other creatures for which hee is called The prince and god of the world then is granted him of God as appeareth by the first and second Chapters of the story of Job Matth. 31.22 and by the invasion of the swine Neither is the creation of the wicked but the corrupting and enforcing them to evill attributed to the Divell Neither is there any need lest God should be made authour of sinne to make another God of the Divell seeing the Scripture teacheth of Divels and men that both were created good and holy by God but the Divell revolting from God and seducing men corrupted both himself and men The evill spirits are unchangeably evill and damned And although of their own proper and free will they rush and bend themselves against God yet by the just judgment of God they are so forsaken and abjected of him that they are without all change or alteration unrecallably evill and subject to everlasting torments Wherefore Jude saith Jude ver 6. Mat. 15.41 that they are reserved by God in everlasting chains under darknesse And Christ Go ye cursed from me into everlasting fire which is prepared for the Divell and his angels For though doubtlesse these evill spirits were even from their fall dispoiled of the celestiall habitation and blessednesse yet notwithstanding both they and reprobate men shall be at the last judgment adjudged to more grievous punishment as contrariwise the felicity and glory of the godly shall then at length after the resurrection of their bodies be in all respects consummated and made perfect 2 Pet. 2.4 Jude ver 6. Matt. 8.29 Therefore these spirits are said to be reserved unto
and corruption to will and permit that together with the action which God worketh by his creature and in respect of God most just the sin of the creature may concurre by the comming whereof that action in respect of the creature is made evill and highly displeasing God 3. Because notwithstanding God so moveth inclineth and ruleth by his secret and generall providence the will and all the actions of the creature so forsaken as that by the creature sinning himselfe doth execute the most just decree of his owne will For such is the liberty wisedome goodnesse and power of God that no lesse by vicious than by good instruments he moâ—t well justly and holily worketh what he will Neither is Gods worke by reason of either the goodnesse or badnesse of the instrument more or lesse good as neither the worke of the wicked men is made good for that God doth well use it For God doing in all things what he will willeth alwayes doth that which is right The creature worketh together with God working well if God correct him Now that together with him working well the creature may also worke well it is necessary that the speciall working of God therin concurre with his generall working that is that he correct the creature by his spirit When as therefore God doth move the creature only by a generall working and not by a speciall the creature doth necessarily though yet freely swerve and defect from rightnesse God himselfe notwithstanding working holily and accomplishing by his creature the just good worke of his will and providence God correcteth whom he will If any man demand why then God doth not correct vicious instruments that God using them well themselves also may worke well God himselfe answereth him I will have merry on whom I will have mercy O man Exod. 33.19 Rom. 9.15.20 11.35 who art thou that pleadest against God Hath not the Potter power of the clay who hath given unto him first and it shall be recompenced God performeth nothing of duty but all of mercy unto his creatures It is free therfore to him to do what and in what sort how far forth and to whom he will according as it is said Is it not lawfull for me to doe as I will with mine owne Math 20.15 What permission 15. Permission therefore is the withdrawing of the grace of God whereby God when hee executeth the decrees of his will by reasonable creatures 1. Either doth not open his will wherby he would have that worke done to the creatures 2. Or doth not incline the will of the creature to obey his will in that action Or Permission is the secret providence or will power of God 1. Whereby he effectually willeth moveth and moderateth the motions actions even of men sinning as they are actions and punishments both of them and others 2. But sin it selfe he neither willeth nor worketh neither yet hindereth it but in his just judgment suffereth it to concurre with their actions 3. And this also he useth to the illustrating of his glory This description of Gods permission of sins Permission of sin confirmed by sundry places of Scripture according as it was before described Psal 5.4 is confirmed by many places of Scripture For first that God neither willeth nor worketh sins as they are sins is confessed by all the godly and all such as are of found judgment seeing both the infinite goodnes of God cannot be the cause of evill which hath in it no respect and quality of good and God himselfe doth often avouch this of himselfe I am not a God that loveth wickednesse Neither are there fewer places of Scripture which teach most clearly that the actions of the wicked which they doe when they sin are done and ruled though by the secret yet by the good and just will of God Joseph saith Gen. 45.8 That he was sent of God into Egypt We learne Exod. 7. 10. 11. Deut. 2. Jos 11. Judg. 3. 4. that the indurating hardning of Pharaoh other enemies of the Israelites was wrought by the Lord and that to this end thereby to punish his enemies and to shew forth his glory 2 Sam. 12.11 16.10 24.1 Job 12.25 Psal 119.10 Esay 20.6 63.17 Lam. 3.37 Jer. 48.10 Acts 2.23 4.28 Rom. 11.8 13.23 These the like places of holy Writ doe shew by two reasons or arguments That God did not permit without some working also of his owne but did effectually will that working of Pharaohs will and others whereby they opposed themselves against Israel For 1. These Scriptures referre the cause of their indurating wrought by themselves to an indurating wrought by God that is that therefore they would not the dismissing of the people or the entering of a peace or league with them because God did incline their wils to this that they should not will it 2. These Scriptures adde further the finall causes of this counsell and purpose of God even that his enemies might be punished and the glory of God magnified For seeing God would the ends hee would also most justly the means by which he would come unto them the Kings notwithstanding and people themselves neither respecting nor knowing it neither being inforced or constrained thereto and therefore sinning and perishing through their owne fault and demerit Moreover by these few and other infinite places of Scripture it is apparent that God though by his secret yet effectuall consent motion instinct doth most justly work those actions or works by his creatures which they with sin perform for because that they being destitute of the grace of the holy Ghost either are ignorant of the will of God concerning those works Or when they doe them they respect not this to execute the knowne will or commandements of God but to fulfill their own lusts against the law of God Therefore they working together with God work ill when God worketh well by them For neither doe the creatures therefore sin for that God doth by their will and actions execute his judgments for then also should the good Angels sin by whom God sometimes punisheth the wickednesse of men but because in their action they have no respect to Gods commandement neither doe it to that end as thereby to obey God Further that God doth in such sort permit sin Permission is the withdrawing of Gods grace as that he doth not illighten their minds with the knowledge of his will or doth not bend their hearts and wils which by his arcane and secret efficacy he inclineth whither himself listeth unto this as for the obeying of God to pursue or flie these or those objects that is doth not conforme the wils of sinning creatures to his will Rom. 14.23 Deut. 13.1 2 3. these sayings of Scripture witnes Whatsoever is not of faith is sin If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of dreames saying Let us goe after other gods
workes of both creations Whatsoever things the Father doth the same things doth the Son also The Father sheweth him all things whatsoever hee himselfe doth Therefore not only the workes of the second creation but also of the first creation preservation and administration of the world In the same place it is said As the Father quickneth so the Son quickneth whom he will But the Father was from the very beginning the giver of corporall and spirituall life By him were all things created which are in heaven and which are on earth things visible and invisible whether they be thrones Coâ— 1.16 17. or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him And he is before all things and in him all things consist Thus far of the first creation that which followeth speaketh of the second creation Repl. 1. All these speake of the instauration of the Church Ans No Because that comprehendeth also the Angels Repl. 2. The Angels also were restored by Christ and joyned to their head Ans But the new creation is called a restoring from sinnes and death to righteousnesse and life this agreeth not to the Angels Repl. 3. By whom also hee made the worlds Heb. 1.2 The worlds that is the new Church Ans 1. God made the old also by him because it is one Church having one head and foundation 2. The Greek word ' 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is used in that place signifieth in Scripture the world not the Church And further when it is there added Bearing up all things by his mighty word those words speake of the preservation not onely of the Church but of all things And moreover hee rendreth a cause why hee is the heire not onely of the Church but of all creatures namely because he is the Creator and Preserver of all things Thou Lord in the beginning hast established the earth and the heavens are the worke of thine hands Repl. In these wordes hee converteth his speech to the Father to prove that hee was able by his power to lift up the Sonne to divine majesty Answ This is an impudent shift and elusion 1. Because it is said before But unto the Son which appertaineth to both places of the Psalme cited by the Apostle 2. Because the Psalme doth intreat of Christs kingdom and therefore those words which there are spoken of the Lord are to be understood next and immediatly of his person secondarily and mediately of the Father Repl. 1. If hee made all things then the Father made them not by him John 5. â—9 Ans Both he made them and they were made by him Whatsoever things the Father doth the same doth the Sonne also And yet the Father doth them by him Repl. 2. The Creatour cannot be compared with the creatures But Christ is there compared with the Angels Therefore creation of things is not attributed unto Christ Answ Hee is not compared with the creatures in any proportion but without proportion This the place it selfe of the Psalme proveth The heavens shall perish but thou dost remanine Repl. 3. If hee were Creatour and equall with the Father hee could not sit at his right hand Ans Wee may invert this and say of the contrary rather if he were not equall he could not sit at his right hand Because none but the omnipotent and true God is able to administer the kingdome of heaven and earth Who being in the forme of God Phil. 2.6 Esay 45.23 Rom. 14.11 Esay 41.12 Rev. 1.18 22.23 thought it no robbery to be equall with God Thus saith the Lord that created heaven Every knee shall bow unto mee This is said of Christ Againe I am I am the first and I am the last My hand hath laid the foundation of the earth and my right hand hath spanned the heavens when I call them they stand up together These words Christ applyeth unto himselfe In it was life and the life was the light of men Wee interpret that the Sonne of God is by himselfe the life In the Word was life as is the Father and the fountaine giver and maintainer of all life as well corporall and temporall as spirituall and eternall in all from the very beginning of the world John 5.26 Hee hath given to the Sonne to have life in himselfe as the Father hath life in himselfe They construe it That the man Jesus is the quickner and giver of life because in him is the life of all that no man without him and all by him are saved These are their words Unto which we reply If hee give eternall life to all so that no man hath it without him Therefore either no man was quickned before he was born of Mary which were absurd or he was the quickner and giver of life from the beginning Even as John affirmeth this of him as being verified in him also before he was made flesh Neither can this be understood only of his merit whereby he deserveth this life for men For that life is in him signifieth that he is John 5.21 10.26 by his efficacy and effectuall working the quickner and reviver as himself expoundeth it and the adversaries themselves confesse So are we also to understand his illightning of men that is the knowledge of God the authour whereof he was in all even from the beginning as himselfe saith No man knoweth the Father but the Son and hee to whom the Son will reveale him And John Baptist saith Mat. 11.27 John 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the Son hath declared him The light shineth in darknesse And the light shined in the darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not Wee interpret it That this word even from the beginning hath both by naturall light and by the voice of heavenly doctrine shewed God unto men but those who were not regenerated by his Spirit have not knowne this light They say That he shined not before hee began to preach Ans 1. If so then should he not have been the true light that is the authour of light and the knowledge of God but only a minister thereof as was John Baptist but the Evangelist in this respect maketh John Baptist diverse from Christ 2. He should not have been the illuminaâ—or of all men which yet themselves are faine to confesse Christ himselfe saith of himselfe and Saint John here of him Hee lighteth every man that cometh into the world that is either with naturall light or spirituall Hee was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not Wee as touching the time hereof say He was in the world it was from the beginning of the world unto his incarnation all which time the Son of God hath in the world which was created by him shewed God unto men but is not knowne of men They construe it of the time of his preaching when he was not heard but despised and persecuted Ans
but also our soules Therefore he ought to suffer not only in body but in soule also 2. Christ was to deliver us from the paines and torments of hell Therefore hee of force must suffer them which being so he either suffered them before his death or after death The Papists themselves confesse that hee suffered not after death Therefore it must needs be that he suffered them before death But these paines he suffered not in the body for the sufferings of the body were only externall Therefore he suffered those griefs in his soule 3. It is very convenient that the extremest and most grievous part of Christs Passion which was these dolours of minde should not be passed over without mention in the Creed But if the Article of Descension into hell concerne them not they should be left unmentioned sith that the former Articles treat only of the externall sufferings of the body which Christ suffered without him There is no doubt therefore but that by this Article the ghostly passions or sufferings of his soule are signified This is the true meaning of the Descension into hell and wee are to maintaine and defend against the Papists that which is certain namely that Christ so descended as hath been proved in this discourse Howbeit if any man be able to maintain with sure grounds and proofs that Christ descended in any other sense it is well I cannot Object 1. See D. Tho. Bils Bish of Winchin his Tract touching the redemption of mankind Pag. 154. c. John 19.30 The Articles of faith are to be understood properly and without any trope or figure Answ True except an Article being taken according to the proper signification be disagreeing from other places of Scripture But this Article of Christs descension into hell being taken properly is much repugnant to that saying of Christ It is finished For if Christ fulfilled and finished all the parts of our Redemption on the Crosse there was no cause why he should descend into hell that is into the place of the damned Object 2. The terrours and torments of the soule in Christ went before his buriall But the descension into hell followeth his buriall Therefore the descension into hell concerneth not those torments Ans The Minor of this Syllogisme is faulty in alledging that for a cause which is no cause For in the Creed the descension into hell followeth the buriall not that it was performed after the buriall but because it is an illustration of that which went before touching the Passion Death and Buriall lest any thing should be detracted from them as if it were said He suffered not only in body hee died not onely a bodily death hee was not onely buried but also suffered in soule the extreamest vexations and hellish dolours such as all the reprobate shall suffer for ever The chiefest therefore and weightiest part of Christs passion followeth in good order For the Creed proceedeth from the griefs of the body to the vexation and anguish of the minde and from the visible Passion to the invisible as it were from a lesse to a greater matter and circumstance 2. The fruits and use of Christs descension into hell CHrist descended into hell 1. That we might not descend thither but rather that hee might free us from the eternall paines and torments thereof 2. That he might transport and carry us triumphantly with him into heaven What it is to beleeve in Christ who descended into hell Wherefore to beleeve in Christ which descended into hell is to beleeve that Christ sustained for mee in his soule infernall and hellish paines and torments and that exceeding ignominy which is due unto the wicked in hell that thereby I might not descend into hell and that I might never be forced to suffer them all which otherwise I should suffer in hell eternally but that of the contrary rather I might ascend with Christ into heaven and there injoy with him exceeding happinesse and glory for ever and ever This is the use and profit of this Article of Christs descension into hell ON THE 17. SABBATH Quest 45. What doth the Resurrection of Christ profit us Answ First by his Resurrection he vanquished death that he might make us partakers of that righteousnesse which hee had gotten us by his death a Rom. 4.25 1 Pet. 1.3 1 Cor. 15.16 Again wee are now also stirred up by his power to a new life b Rom. 6.4 Col. 3.1 c. Eph. 1.3 2.5 Lastly the Resurrection of our head Christ is a pledge unto us of our glorious resurrection c 1 Cor. 15.20 21. The Explication THus farre have we continued the Treatise of Christs humiliation It remaineth that wee proceed unto his glorification for which hee rose the third day from the dead For the humiliation of the Mediatour was not to endure for ever but it was enough that he suffered once and died notwithstanding the efficacy and power thereof in preserving and maintaining the blessings issuing and flowing thence with full stream endureth for ever Now in Christs Resurrection two things are especially to be considered the history Two things to be considered in Christs resurrection and the fruit thereof In the history wee are to observe Who rose Who it was that rose from the dead 1. The history and therein to wit Christ both God and man in that body in which he died For this the Word never put off How he rose The manner of his rising which was that he who was verily dead revived from death recalling his soule to his body and gloriously came forth of his Sepulchre on the third day according to the Scriptures and that both by his Fathers and his own force and power I say not the power of his flesh but of his God-head For he was raised of the Father by himself because the Father worketh by the Son The testimonies of his rising The testimonies of his true resurrection Hee shewed himself openly to many women and Disciples the Angels bare witnesse thereunto 4. The fruits of Christs resurrection c. The fruits of Christs resurrection are expressed in these questions following The chief questions of Christs Resurrection are 1. Whether Christ rose againe 2. How he rose 3. For what cause he rose 4. What are the fruits of his resurrection 1. Whether Christ rose again INsidels beleeve that Christ died but beleeve not that he rose from death Neverthelesse that Christ rose again is proved by the restimonies of Angels Women Evangelists Apostles and other Saints who after his resurrection saw him felt him and talked with him And we were to beleeve the Apostles in respect of the authority which they had from heaven although they had not seen him 2. How Christ rose THe maner of Christs Resurrection is declared by these circumstances following 1. Christ did rise truely and indeed so that his soule did truely and indeed returne unto his body from which it was
locall true and visible translation and removing of Christs body into that heaven which is above all visible heavens to that light which is not to be come unto to the right hand of God where he now is and remaineth and whence he shall returne to judgement What Christâ— alcension is In this Article as in the former touching the Resurrection two things are to be considered the history and the fruit In the history these circumstances are to be examined 1. Who ascended The same Christ which suffered and died 2. According to what part of him According to his humane nature 3. Whither Up into heaven above these visible heavens 4. By what meanes By the power alone of his owne God-head 5. To what end Even to be our head and heavenly Bishop 6. In what manner Visibly his Disciples beholding him by a true and locall elevation of his body out of earth into heaven 7. When The fortieth day after his Resurrection 8. Where In Bethany at the mount of Olives Of the fruits we shall have fit occasion to intreat in the forty and ninth Question of the Catechisme But all these nine Questions even now proposed may be reduced unto these five immediatly following 1. Whither or to what place Christ ascended 2. How he ascended 3. Wherefore he ascended 4. What is the difference betweene Christs ascension and ours 5. What are the fruits of Christs ascension 1. Whither Christ ascended JEsus Christ-man when he was together with his Disciples in Bethania forty dayes after his resurrection after he had often proved and confirmed his resurrection his true flesh and humanity to his Apostles ascended in their sight into heaven Heaven in Scripture signifieth 1. The aire Behold the fowles of the heaven 2. The skiey region and celestiall Spheres When I behold thine heavens What heaven signifieth Mat. 6.26 Psal 8.4 Ephes 4 10. the works of thy fingers He ascended farre above all heavens namely these visible heavens 3. The place of the blessed which is that space immense most lightsome glorious without and above the whole world and the visible heavens where God sheweth himselfe to the blessed Angels and men where is prepared the seat of our blisse with Christ and the Angels God is said to dwell there not that he is contained or circumscribed in any place but because there doth his glory especially appeare unto the blessed Angels and men It is called in Scripture the new world the new heaven the heavenly Jerulem Paradise the bosome of Abraham This heaven is not everywhere but above separate from earth and hell Betweene you and us there is a great gulfe set Luke 16.25 so that they which would go from hence to you cannot neither can they come from thence to us Heaven is my seat and earth is my foot-stoole In this third signification is heaven here taken Esay 66.1 Christ then ascended into heaven that is Acts 2.21 was carried up into the place of the blessed The holy Ghost came from heaven in the day of Pentecost 2 Kings 2.11 2 Cor. 12. 2. Elias was taken up into heaven Paul calleth it the third heaven Into this heaven namely into the place of the blessed Christ ascended and now is there and shall thence come againe to judgement as many most evident places of Scripture testifie unto us which that Divell the subtle Sophist and deceiver shall never be able to wrest or elude While they beheld he was taken up for a cloud took him up out of their sight Acts 1.9 10 11. And while they looked stedfast towards heaven as he went behold two men stood by them in white apparell Which also said Ye men of Galilee why stand yee gazing into heaven John 14.2 This Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come as yee have seene him go into heaven In my Fathers house are many dwelling places that is many houses in which we may dwell and remaine I go to prepare a place for you He was taken up into heaven Luke 24 5â— Markâ— 16.19 Acts 7.56 He was taken up I see the heavens open and the Sonne of man standing at the right hand of God He saw with his bodily eyes indued from above with a new seeing force and sharpnesse beyond and through all the visible heavens Christ in the same humane nature Colos 3.1 Ephes 4.10 in which he had been annihilated and humbled Seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God He ascended farre above all heavens He is extred into heaven Heb 4.14 7.26 9â—4 Phil. 3.20 Made higher than the heavens He is entered into very heaven to appeare now in the sight of God for us Our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Saviour even the Lord Jesus Christ Object But we converse on earth Therefore heaven is in the earth Answ Our conversation is in heaven 1. In respect of the hope and certainty we have thereof 2. In respect of the inchoation or beginning which we have here of that heavenly life which is to be consummated in the world to come In this heaven that is in the house of God and all the blessed Christ ascended God would therefore have us to know the place whereinto Christ ascended 1. That it might be apparent that Christ is true Man and that he vanished not away but doth continue Three causes why the place whither Christ ascended is made known unto us and shall continue for ever true Man 2. That we might know whither our cogitations were to be converted and where we ought to invocate and call upon him that so Idolatry might be avoided 3. That we might know our dwelling place into which Christ will bring us and in which we shall converse and dwell with Christ 2. How Christ ascended into heaven CHrist ascended into heaven first not simply but in respect of his humane nature onely In respect of his humane nature only and that the very same which was borne of the Virgin dead buried and which rose againe Object 1. He that ever is in heauen did not ascend into heaven for then he should have beene sometime out of heaven But the Son of Man was ever in heaven Therefore he is not ascended Answ He that ever was in heaven as touching that whereby he was ever there that is his Divinity did not ascend and so we grant Christ according to his Divinity not to have ascended for that was before in heaven and as when Christ was on earth the same did not therefore leave heaven so when he is now in heaven his Divinity doth not therefore depart from us Cyprian saith The Lord ascended into heaven not where the Word of God before was not sith he was alwayes in heaven abiding in the Father but the Lord ascended thither where the Word being made flesh sate not before Object 2. That which descended did also ascend His
14.2 Our glorification or ascension For seeing Christ our head is ascended we are certaine that we also shall ascend into heaven as being his members I go to prepare a place for you And though I go to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receive you unto my selfe that where I am there may yee be also Object But Elias and Enoch ascended before Christ Therefore Christ is not by his ascension the cause of our ascension Answ They ascended in respect of Christs ascension which was to come Christs ascension and glorification is the cause and example of our ascension and glorification because except he were glorified we should not be glorified For the Father hath decreed to give us all things by the Messias and hath put all things in his hands And how should Christ have given us a Kingdome except himselfe first as being the first-borne had taken possession thereof but for this cause also he ascended into heaven that he might there reign Therefore he will translate his Citizens thither And seeing wee are his members and he our head is already ascended and glorified Therefore shall we also ascend and be glorified Where I am there shall also my servant be John 12.26 14.3 I will receive you unto my selfe that where I am there may yee be also The sending of the holy Ghost The sending of the holy Ghost by whom he gathereth comforteth and defendeth his Church to the worlds end Hee was given also to the godly which were under the Law before Christs ascension and coming But that was 1. In respect of this ascension and glorification of Christ which was then to come and whereof that sending and powring out of the holy Ghost is not a fruit only but also a part and so in respect also of this sending which was now after Christs ascension accomplished the holy Ghost was given unto the godly in the Old Testament 2. Now after Christs glorification it was given more abundantly as in the day of Pentecost that which also was fore-told And it shall be in the last dayes saith God I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh Now Jâ—el 2.28 Acts 2.17 that Christ did not powre out the holy Ghost in such plenty before his ascension that befell only as before was said in respect of the decree of God For God would that the holy Ghost should be given by the Messias as well man as God wherefore man also was to be glorified who should doe this It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you John 16.7 By the efficacy and working of this his spirit we seek things above because there is our treasure there are our goods and that because Christ hath therefore ascended that he might make those good things ours which were there long before And this is the Apostles argument Col. 3.1 There are other fruits also of Christs ascension For Remission of sins John 16.10 it is a testimony That our sins are fully pardoned us who doe beleeve For except hee had suffered the punishment for sins he could not have entered into the throne of God For where sinne is there is death also Hee shall reprove the world of righteousnesse because I goe to my Father Conquest or victory over death It is a testimony That Christ is indeed Conquerour of death sinne and the Divell The comfort of the Church John 16 7. Eph. 4 8. It is a testimony That wee shall never be left destitute of comfort because he therefore ascended to send the holy Ghost If I goe not away the Comforter will not come When hee ascended up on high hee led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men The defence of the Church It is a testimony That Christ will for ever defend us because wee know that our head is a glorious head and placed above all principalities The meaning of the Article He asceâ—ded into heaven Now what it is to beleeve in Jesus Christ which ascended into heaven Answ It is to beleeve 1. That he did truly and not in shew only ascend into heaven and now is there resident in his humanity and sitting at the right hand of his Father untill he thence returne unto judgment would be called on by us 2. That he hath ascended for our sakes and now appeareth in the prescence of God maketh intercession for us sendeth us his holy Spirit and will one day take us unto himselfe that wee may be where he is and reigne with him in glory Quest 50. Why is it further said He sitteth at the right hand of God a Ephes 1.20 21 22 23. Col. 1.18 by whom the Father governeth all things b Ans Because Christ therefore is ascended into heaven to shew thereby that he is Head of the ChurchMat 28.18 John 5.22 The Explication Christs sitting at Gods right hand differeth from his ascension TO sit at the right hand of God and to ascend into heaven are things different for one may be without the other Wherefore this Article differeth three waies from the former In order Because in this Article is declared the end of his ascension For Christ did therefore ascend into heaven that he might sit at the right hand of the Father In continuance Because Christ sitteth alwaies at the right hand of the Father but into heaven he ascended but once In end The Angels do ascend and we shall also ascend into heaven but yet neither they nor we shall sit at the right hand of God For To which of the Angels said God at any time Sit at my right hand Heb. 1.13 untill I have made thine enemies thy foot-stoole much lesse did God say thus unto any man Christ alone excepted The Questions of Christs sitting at the right hand of the Father are 1. What the right hand of God signifieth in the Scriptures 2. What it is to sit at GODS right hand 3. Whether Christ did alwaies sit at Gods right hand 4 What are the fruits of Christs sitting at the right hand of the Father 1. What the right hand of God signifieth THe right hand as also other members are attributed unto God by an Anthropopathy or resemblance after the maner of men and in Scripture the right hand of God signifieth 1. The omnipotency or exceeding vertue of God Him hath God lift up with his right hand Acts 5.31 Psal 118.16 Exod. 15.6 to be a Prince and a Saviour The right hand of the Lord hath done valiantly Thy right hand O Lord hath bruised the enemy 2. It signifieth perfect glory perfect dignity and full divine majesty and in this sense it is here taken 2. What it is to sit at Gods right hand TO sit at Gods right hand is to be a person equall to God in power and glory by whom the Father worketh immediately
contradiction as if thou shouldst say I am certain of my reward therefore I will not run for a reward is not given but to him that runneth These propositions do one mutually follow another To be certain of salvation and To have a desire of conversion and amendment of life 2. What predestination is The difference between predestination and providence PRedestination differeth from providence as a speciall from the generall For providence is the eternall counsell of God concerning all creatures but predestination is the eternall counsell of God concerning the saving of men and angels Wherefore predestination is the eternall most just and unchangeable counsell of God of creating men of permitting their fall into sin and eternall death of sending his Son into flesh that he might be a sacrifice and of converting some by the word and the holy Ghost for the Mediatours sake and saving them in true faith and conversion justifying them by and for him raising them up to glory and bestowing on them eternall life and of leaving the rest in sin and eternall death and raising them up to judgment and casting them into eternall pains Here is spoken of men which shall be saved and not saved therefore to them onely and not to angels doth this definition of predestination agree The parts of predestination are Election and Reprobation Election is the eternall Election unchangeable free and most just decree of God whereby he hath decreed to convert some to Christ to preserve and keep them in faith and repentance and by him to give them eternall life Reprobation is such a decree of God as whereby he hath decreed to leave some Reprobation according to his most just judgement in their sins to punish them with blindnesse and damnation and condemn them being not made partakers of Christ everlastingly That election likewise as also reprobation are both the decree of God these and the like sayings do prove I know whom I have chosen His grace was given to us before the world was John 13.18 2 Tim. 1.9 Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will But therefore election and reprobation were made by counsell and therefore both are a decree and that eternall because there is no new thing in God but all from everlasting and the Scripture doth manifestly say Ephes 1.4 that God hath chosen us before the foundation of the world Seeing then he hath chosen us hee hath therefore rejected the rest that which the very word of choosing doth shew For whatsoever is chosen the same is chosen other things being rejected 3. What are the causes of predestination or election and reprobation THe efficient and motive cause is the good pleasure of God It is so O Father The efficient cause of our election Gods good pleasure not any thing in us Ephes 2.3 because thy good pleasure was such God hath not foreseen any thing in us for which he should choose us for there can be no good in us as of our selves seeing we are by nature the children of wrath as well as others For if any good be found in us that he doth work wholly in us and he worketh nothing in us which he hath not decreed to work from everlasting Wherefore the alone gracious and free good pleasure of God or the alone free mercy of God is the efficient and motive cause of our election Our election I say is of grace and free that is not in respect of any good foreseen in us Rom. 9.18 John 15.16 He hath mercy on whom he will that is he freely giveth what he giveth Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you God hath predestinate us to be adopted through Jesus Christ unto himselfe The cause of reprobation is in GOD. Ephes 1.5 according to the good pleasure of his will See further Rom. 9.11 Col. 1.12 2 Tim. 1.9 10. In like manner also the efficient cause of reprobation is the most free good pleasure of God For we being all by nature the children of wrath had all perished if sinne were the cause of reprobation Wherefore the cause of reprobation is not in men themselves but that is in God his will of shewing forth his justice Therefore of particular men why this man is elected and the reprobated there can be no other reason given but the good pleasure of God only But the cause of damnation is altogether in men which is sin For God will declare his justice in the damnation of the reprobate He therefore condemneth no man not ordaineth unto condemnation unlesse it be for sin neither willeth he the damnation as it is damnation but as it is a just punishment Now punishment taketh not place but there where sin was before seated The cause of damnation is the free will of divels and men The principall cause therefore of damnation is the free will of Divels and men because of their owne accord they fell from God But the first cause of salvation is the eternall and free election of God whereof God foresaw no cause in us why he would convert us unto Christ rather than others why he would save and redeeme us out of the common and generall destruction wherein all were plunged rather than others The supreme finall cause of Predestination is Gods glory and the last and proper finall cause of election is the manifestation of Gods goodnesse and mercy in freely saving the Elect. The next and nearest finall cause of our election is our justification when God doth in his Sonne freely account us for righteous Both which finall causes the Apostle compriseth in these words He hath predestinated us to the praise of the glory of his grace wherewith he hath made us freely accepted in his beloved Ephes 1.6 Likewise of the contrary The first finall cause of reprobation is the declaration of Gods justice severity and hatred against sinne in the reprobate Rom. 2.9 God would to shew his wrath and to make his power knowne suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction Object 1. God did foreknow our workes therefore he chose us for our works Ans He did foreknow those good things which he purposed to work in us as also he foreknew the persons otherwise he could not have foreknowne any good workes So could he not have foreseene any evill except he had purposed to permit the same Object 2. Whomsoever God chose in Christ them he found in Christ for he in Christ benefiteth none but those who are in Christ Ephes 1.3 God chose us in Christ Therefore he found us in Christ that is he foresaw that we should be accepted of Christ that we would beleeve rather than others and would become better than others and therefore he chose us Answ We deny the Major For the reason alledged holdeth not true in election but in the effects of election and in the consummation of Christs benefits which are imparted unto none but such as are in
Christ by faith according to that saying of Christ Except ye abide in me John 15.4 ye shall have no life in you In election and the first cause thereof it is apparently untrue by that testimony of Paul which the objection citeth For he chose us before the foundations of the world were laid not because we would be but that we should be holy and blamelesse Ephes 1.3 not because we were already in Christ but that he might engraffe us into Christ and adopt us to be his sonnes Wherefore our foreseene faith and holinesse is not the cause but the effect of our election in Christ He chose us not then being sons but hereafter to be adopted sons Augustine saith He chose not us because we were then holy neither yet because we would hereafter prove holy but be rather chose us to this end that in the time of grace we might be holy through good works But the Pelagian here contradicting the truth saith God foreknew who would be holy and unspotted by reason of their free-will and therefore he in his foreknowledge chose them such as he knew they would be But the Apostle here stoppeth the mouth of the Pelagian whilest he saith that we should be holy Object 3. Christs merit applyed unto us by faith is the cause of our election Therefore not the good pleasure of God Answ Christs merit is not the cause of election but is reckoned among the effects thereof and amongst the causes of our salvation Hee chose us in Christ that is as in the head Wherefore he first chose the head and ordained him unto the Office of the Mediatourship as Peter testifieth Afterwards he also chose us as members in that head 2 Pet. 1.10 John 3.16 So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. Wherefore Gods love that is his free election is the cause of his sending of the Son and not the sending of his Son the cause of his love Object 4. Evill works are the cause of reprobation Therefore good works are the cause of election Answ Evill works are not the cause of reprobation but of that which followeth reprobation that is of damnation For if sin had been the cause of reprobation wee had been all reprobates because we are all the sons of wrath Rom. 9.11 12. For ere the children were born and when they had done neither good nor evill that the purpose of God might remain according to election not by works but by him that calleth it was said unto her The elder shall serve the younger Good works goe not before in him that is to be justified much lesse are they the cause of election but they follow in a man being instified and draw their originall and their perpetuall efficacy and vertue from Gods meer grace 4. What are the effects of Predestination THe effect of election is the whole work of our salvation The effects of election Ephes 1.4 5 6 7.8 11. John 6.39 and all the degrees of our redemption 1. The creation and gathering of the Church 2. The sending and giving of Christ the Mediatour and his sacrifice 3. Effectuall calling of men to his knowledge which is the conversion of the elect by the holy Ghost and the World 4. Faith justification regeneration 5. Good works 6. Finall perseverance 7. Raising unto glory 8. Glorification and eternall life The effects of reprobat on Rom. 9.17 Mat. 11.21 Isa 6.9 The effects of reprobation are 1. The creation of the reprobate 2. Privation of Gods grace 3. Blinding and hardening 4. Perseverance in sin 5. Raising to judgement 6. Casting into eternall torments Obj. 1. Divers or contrary causes have contrary effects The effects of election are good works Therefore evill works are the effects of reprobation Answ The Major is not alwaies true in voluntry causes which can work diversly and yet produce no contrary effects as in this place there is a dissimilitude Because God purposed only to permit evill works but to work good in us But the proper cause of evill works is the divell and evill men Obj. 2. But God hardeneth and blindeth men Blindnesse is an effect of reprobation and a sin Therefore sin is an effect of reprobation Ans Blindnesse is a sin in respect of men who admit it and as it is received of them and purchased by their own demerit but as it is inflicted of God it is a just punishment and that God doth deliver some from that blindnesse is of his mercy Obj. 3. Hardnesse or induration is an effect of reprobation and is a sin God is authour of reprobation Therefore of hardnesse also and of sin Ans Hardnesse is an effect of reprobation but so that it is done according to reprobation but cometh not from it Hardnesse and blindnesse or excecation are according to reprobation or according to predestination as they are sins but they are effects of reprobation or predestination as they are most just punishments 5. Whether Predestination be unchangeable Predestination unchangeable PRedestination is firm sure and unchangeable which may appear even by this generall reason because God is unchangeable and doth not depend on the interchangeable course of things but the same rather dependeth on his decree What therefore hee hath from everlasting decreed of saving the elect and condemning the reprobate that hath he unchangeably decreed And therefore both election and reprobation is firm and unchangeable For whom he would and hath decreed from everlasting should be saved them also hee now will and so hereafter perpetually The same also we are to think concerning reprobation neither are there wanting testimonies of Scripture John 6.36 whereby the same is confirmed This is the Fathers will Isa 46.10 that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing My counsell shall stand and I will doe whasoever I will Mal. 3.6 Joh. 10.28 29. 2 Tim. 2.19 I am the Lord I change not None shall pluck my sheep out of my hand Ye beleeve not for ye are not of my sheep The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seal The Lord knoweth who are his The foundation which Paul so calleth is the decree of saving the elect 1. Because it is the beginning and well-spring of our salvation and the end thereof and of all the means tending to salvation 2. It is called the foundation for the surenesse and firmnesse thereof because the same is never shaken These things are needfull for us to know that wee may have firme comfort and consolation that we may beleeve eternall life and so all other articles of Christian faith The reason is often repeated and therefore often to be meditated of because hee that denieth himselfe to be certain of the grace to come is uncertain also of the present grace of God For God is unchangeable 6. How far forth Predestination or Election and Reprobation is known unto us and whether wee may and ought to be certain thereof IT
worketh by his holy Spirit in their hearts a sense and feeling of that pardon whereon they may for ever rest setled and confirmed Therefore the purpose and decree of God of remitting sins is everlasting but the executing and performance thereof is when by faith wee apply remission of sins offered unto us in the Gospel So also God doth alwayes love his elect but that love is not powred out in their hearts before their repentance For they have that certain testimony of conscience by the gift of the holy Ghost that they are loved of God and so have their sins remitted who truly convert and repent ON THE 22. SABBATH Ques 57. What comfort hast thou by the resurrection of the flesh Answ That not only my soule after it shall depart our of my body shall presently be taken up to Christ her head a Luke 6.22 23.43 Phil. 1.21 23. but that this my flesh also being raised up by the power of Christ shall be again united to my soul and shall be made like to the glorious body of Christ b Job 19.25 26. 1 John 3.2 Phil. 3.21 The Explication The chief Questions hereto belonging are 1. Whether the soule be immortall 2. Where it abideth being separated from the body 3 What the Resurrection is and the errours concerning the Resurrection 4. Whence it may appeare that the Resurrection shall certainly be 5. What bodies shall rise 6. How 7. When. 8. By whom and by whose power 9. For what end the Resurrection shall be 1. Whether the soule be immontall BEsides that this Question belongeth to the Article of the resurrection The causes for which this question is to be moved the â—xplication also theâ—eof in it self shall not be altogether unprofitable or fruitleâ—â— For not now onlâ— do they begin to dispute against the immortality of the soul but the Sadduces also denyed it as they likewise that said Matth. 22.23 2 Tim. 2.17 the resurrection was past already unto him that beleeved neither made any other resurrection besides that spirituall resurrection of the regenerate Likewise also some Anabaptists deny the immortality of the soul Moreover Paul the â—hird Pope of Rome when he was breathing out his soule and ready to die said That now at length hee should try and know three things whereof in his whole time hee had much doubted 1. Whether there were a God 2. Whether soules were immortall 3. Whether there were any hell Oftentimes also in the Psalmer and in Solomon we meet with these and such like Aphorismes Eccles 3.19 Psal 115.17 Man dieth like a brute beast The dead shall not praise thee O Lord. Wherefore it ought not to seem strange if this question be moved neither shall it be altogether vain and needlesse both because it serveth for the controuling and refuting especially of Epicures as also because it maketh for the better understanding of some places of holy Scripture But because there have been and even now are who have taught That the soule of man like as of brute beasts is nothing else but life or the vitall power arising of the temperature and perfection of the body and therefore dieth and is extinguished together with the body and as some of them speak who will seem to beleeve the resurrection of the dead doth sleep when the body dieth that is is without motion or sense untill the raising of the body which indeed is nothing else then that the soul is mortall that is a meer quality only in the body and when the body is dissolved becometh nothing because if it were an incorporeall substance it could not be without sense and motion Against these we are to hold the records of Gods word and writ concerning the spirituall and immortall substance of mans soule The soul an incorporeall substance That the soul of man is not onely a form or perfection or temperament or force and power or an agitation arising out of the temperature of the body but a substance incorporeall living understanding dwelling in the body and sustaining and moving it these places following of holy Scripture doe shew Psal 48. His soule shall be blessed in life Heb. 12. God is called the Father of spirits And it is said of the faithfull Heb. 12.9 22. Ye are come to the celestiall Jerusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the spirits of just and perfect men No man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 In these and the like places of Scripture both the soule of a man is called a spirit and the properties of a living and understanding substance are attributed unto it Wherefore to no purpose do the adversaries of this doctrine oppose those places in which the name of the soule is taken for the life and will of man as Mat. 5.25 The soul is more worth then meat I put my soul in my hand For by the fore-alledged places it is manifest Job 13 14. that this is not generall but is used by a figure of speech whereby wee call the effect by the name of his cause Now the immortality of the soule is proved by many places of holy Scripture The soul immortall Luke 23.43 Christ hanging on the crosse said to the thiefe This day shalt thou be with me in paradise But he could not be there in body because that was dead and buried Therefore his soule was gathered with Christs in Paradise and so consequently the soule liveth Phil. 1.23 Paul saith I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ he speaketh of the rest and joy which he should injoy with Christ But they who feele nothing what can their joy or happinesse be Wherefore they also are refuted in this place who say mens soules sleep Wisd 3.1 Mat. 22. â—2 Luke 23.46 1 Cor. 5.8 and so withall deny the immortality of the soule The soules of the just are in the hands of God God is not the God of the dead but of the living Therfore the souls live Into thy hands I commend my spirit When we remove out of the body we go unto the Lord. Wherefore the soules sleep not as some Anabaptists will have them but injoy immortall life and celestiall glory with the Lord. The soules of the godly that were killed Revel 6.10 are said to cry with a loud voice under the Altar saying How long Lord holy and true doest thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Luke 16.21 Wherefore the soules live Lazarus is said to be carried into Abrahams bosome and out of the same place also it is apparent concerning the soules of the wicked For the rich Glutton is also of the contrary said to be carried downe to hell These testimonies therefore of Scripture teach and confirme most evidently that not only in the body before death and after the resurrection of the body but also in the
wheresoever he dwelleth is effectuall in working the Word and Sacraments are not so Quest 66. What are the Sacraments Ans They are sacred signes and seales set before our eyes and ordained of God for his cause that he may declare and seale by them the promise of his Gospel unto us to wit that he giveth freely remission of sinnes and life everlasting not onely to all in generall but to every one in particular that beleeveth for that onely sacrifice of Christ which he accomplished upon the Crosse a Gen. 17.11 Rom 4.11 Deut. 30.6 Levit. 6.25 Heb. 9.7 8 9 24. Ezek. 20.22 1 Sam 17.36 Esay 6.6 7. Esay 54.9 The Explication THe right and direct method of interpreting this doctrine of the Sacraments requireth that first we speak of the Sacraments in generall And this way may we not unfitly intreat in special of the Supper and Baptisme to wit if we take in declaring each Sacrament in speciall the same questions and that course and order of the same questions which we must observe and follow concerning the Sacraments in generall and lastly if we apply those testimonies which speak of the Sacraments in generall to the handling and declaring of the Sacraments in speciall The chiefe Questions concerning the Sacraments 1. What Sacraments are 2. What are the ends of Sacraments 3. In what Sacraments differ from Sacrifices 4. In what they agree with the word and in what they differ from it 5. How the Sacraments of the Old and New Testament agree 6. What are signes and what the things in the Sacraments and in what the things differ from their signes 7. What sacramentall union is 8. What formes of speaking of the Sacraments are usuall to the Church and Scripture 9. What is the lawfull use of the Sacraments 10. What the wicked receive in the use thereof 11. How many Sacraments there are of the New Testament 1. What Sacraments are The originall of the word Sacrament THat we may know what Sacraments properly are the name it selfe of Sacrament is first to be considered Among the ancient Romans this word Sacrament signifieth a peece of money which two parties putting one the other in suite laid down in some sacred place or left in custody of the High-Pontife or Priest with this condition that he who gained the suite should have his part entire againe and he who was cast in the cause should lose his part to the common Treasury in lieu of his wrongfull molesting the other party This signification nothing pertaineth to this place It also signified a solemne forme of an oath taken in warre which they called a military Sacrament so called of Sacrando that is of sacring or consecrating them because by that oath every one was consecrated or destined to his Captaine and not to any other to serve him Hereof it is that some will have these ceremonies instituted by God therefore to be so called for that as Souddiers did oblige and binde themselves by that military Sacrament unto their Captaine so we binde our selves unto our Captaine Christ by a solemne oath in the presence of God Angels and Men. This truly is no unapt or unmeet Metaphor but yet I think rather that the originall of this name came from the old Latine Translations in which wheresoever the word Mystery is used in the New Testament for the same they commonly in Latine put the word Sacramentum Now Mystery cometh from the Greek verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to institute instruct or initiate one in the holy matters or matters of Religion But that Greek verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is derived from another which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to shut because as Eustathius saith they who are initiated or entered in holy rites were to shut their mouth and not to utter those things which were secret Now a mystery is said to be either a secret thing it selfe or the signe of a secret thing or that which hath a secret signification which none understand but they who are initiated in holy rites By a signe we understand an externall and corporeall thing and action or a ceremony instituted and ordained by God which betokeneth a certaine internall thing and spirituall Which the Grecians call a Mystery and is otherwise called of the Latine Divines a Sacrament And some such signes God alwayes would have to be extant in his Church whereby both the good will of God towards men might be recorded and made known and that men of the other side might declare and shew their faith towards God and other duties of piety and godlinesse Sacraments therefore are so called Mysteries because they have a secret signification which none understand but they who are initiated and instructed concerning the substance of sacred matters or the points of Christian Religion Neverthelesse the word Sacrament is used in divers significations in the writings of famous Divines of which these are chiefe 1. For a rite or externall ceremony which sense is proper and naturall to the word 2. For the signes themselves 3. For the thing signified by the signes 4. For the signes and thing signified both together Having seen now what the name of Sacrament signifieth it resteth that we consider the thing it selfe and define what Sacraments are The definition whereof is this Sacraments are rites or ceremonies instituted by God to this use The definition of Sacraments That they might be signes of the Covenant to wit of Gods good will towards us and of the bond of the Church whereby it covenanteth faith and repentance and that they may be marks and cognizances whereby to distinguish Gods Church from Gentiles and Sectaries The definition of Sacraments In the Catechisme they are thus defined Sacraments are sacred signes and feales object to our eyes ordained and instituted by God that by them he might the more declare and seale the promise of his Gospel unto us The parts of this definition are in number three The first part appertaineth to the kinde of Sacraments the latter two to their difference To the kinde whereof they are it appertaineth The Sacraments are sacred seales that they are sacred and ocular signes and seales that is divine and signifying or betokening sacred things such as belong to Gods worship and the salvation of men A signe and a seale differ one from the other as a generall thing from a thing more speciall For every seale is a signe but not every signe a seale A seale certifieth and confirmeth a thing What a signe is A signe onely sheweth it A signe is a thing signifying somewhat else then that which it sheweth to the senses and inducing something else into the cogitation as Augustine defineth it or a signe is that whereby the understanding understandeth some things else besides the signe it selfe apprehended by the sense So words are the signes of things Moreover signes are of two sorts some are onely signifying others are confirming also Two
and through the doores is no where expressed in Scripture and therefore we deny it The rest of the prerogatives are there expressed indeed but they abrogate not the truth of humane nature For Peter also walked on the waters and we shall be transformed and lifted up but ubiquity and presence of Christs flesh in all or many places is no where extant in Scripture and it suffereth not Christs flesh to be any longer a creature much lesse a true body For to be every-where or in divers places at once in its owne substance is the property of the unmeasurable Deity alone but every creature is finite God only is every where because he is infinite and by his finitenesse is discerned from his Creatour Now that which is finite cannot be in moe places then one Hence it is that the Scripture and and Doctors of the ancient Church produce this property of presence in many places as a certain argument of true and sole Divinity as Christ himselfe speaking of himselfe saith The Son of man John 3.13 which is in heaven And Dydimus saith The holy Ghost himself if he were a creature Lib. 1. Cap. 1. de Spiritu sancto should at least have a circumscribed or limited substance as all things else which are made For although the invisible creatures be not circumscribed in place yet they are finite in the property of their substance But the holy Ghost being in many hath no circumscribed or limited substance Tertullian also saith If Christ be man only Lib. de Trin. how then is he present wheresoever he is called on sith this is not the nature of man but of God To be present in every place Our adversaries therefore thus reasoning that those prerogatives are the cause of his presence every-where or in many places which verily are no causes hereof commit the fallacy of alledging a false cause For indeed the reason of those prerogatives and the ubiquity are very diverse 3. From the Article of the communion of Saints 1. Such is the communion of Saints with Christ now as it was of old ever since the beginning and shall be ever hereafter as well of those who use the Sacraments as of them who are by necessity excluded from them 1 Cor. 10.3 4. Ephes 4.4 Rom. 8.9 1 Cor. 6.17 1 John 4.13 John 15.5 Ephes 1.22 Ephes 4.15 Ephes 5.30.31 Ephes 4. 1 Cor. 10. Rom. 8. For there is but one only communion of Saints with Christ because we are all one body with Christ But this communion of Saints with Christ was alwayes spirituall as the Apostle doth shew He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit He is the Vine we are the branches He is the Head we are the members He is the Bridegroome and we with the whole Church are his Spouse Or the argument may be thus formed All the Saints have the same communion with Christ both in the Old and New Testament as well they who have power to approach and partake of the Supper as they who have not and we cannot eat Christ any otherwise then his Disciples did eat him in the first Supper But they did eat him spiritually Therefore we eat him also spiritually Out of the selfe same Article we thus argue 2. Such is our eating of Christ as is his abiding in us But this is spirituall Therefore our eating of him is spirituall The Major is out of question because he is therefore eaten that he may remaine in us and we in him not that being once eaten he should forthwith vanish away John 6.56 He which cateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him The Minor namely that Christs abiding in us is spirituall is sufficiently proved and perceived by this in that such is his abiding in us as is his Fathers John 14.23 If any man love me he will keep my word and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and will dwell with him But how doth the Father dwell in us or abide with us Truly by his holy Spirit Therefore Christ also so abideth with us or dwelleth in us 1 John 4.13 Hereunto belong those sayings By this we know that he dwelleth in us and we in him because he hath given us of his Spirit That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith I am the Vine ye are the branches he that abideth in me and I in him Ephes 3.17 the same bringeth forth much fruit 3. Christ abideth in us perpetually Therefore that abiding or presence is not corporall because as touching his humane nature John 15.5 he saith Me ye shall not have alwayes Therefore he is not eaten of us corporally nay he cannot be eaten of us corporally except he be in us corporally and that also perpetually 4. From the Article of remission of sinnes If Christ be corporally in the bread and be reached out and delivered unto us by the hand of the Minister then we are to crave remission of sinnes at Gods hands for his sake who is in the bread and whom the Minister handleth whether the bread still remaine together with him or no. For remission of sinnes is most especially to be craved then when we celebrate the Supper So then every communicant must thus pray I beseech thee O heavenly Father to be gracious and mercifull unto me for this thy Sonnes sake who is here present in this bread and whom the Minister handleth and whom I eat with my mouth But this is that horrible Idolatry which is practised in the Popish Masse which without doubt is so abominable in the sight of God that it were better for us to suffer a thousand deaths then once commit the same For the Gospel teacheth us to begge of God remission of sinnes not for that Christs sake who is in the bread and is carried about in the Ministers hands and eaten with mens mouths but for that Christs sake who suffered and died for us who is now in heaven at the right hand of his Father and maketh intercession for us So then thus we reason That which establisheth the horrible Idolatry of the Masse is to be avoided of the true professors of the Gospel But the corporall presence of Christ and the eating of him with our mouths in the bread establisheth the horrible Idolatry of the Masse Therefore it is to be avoided by all true professors of Christs Gospel 5. Unto the former may be adjoyned also arguments taken from the sacrifice and adoration of Christ. Wherefore Christ is present corporally whether it be after a visible or invisible manner there he is so to be adored to wit by our minds and the motions of our bodies converted and turned thither But he is not thus to be adored in the Supper Therefore he is not present in the Supper corporally either in the bread or
Lib. 4. Dut. 11. c. Quidam The age and parentage of Consubstantiation This opinion Lombard relateth and testifieth that it was before his time maintained by some but he calleth it a Paradox a strange or wonderfull opinion Guitmund fathereth it on Berengarius after his recantation and termeth it Impanation Others impute it to one Walrame against whom Anselme hath two books extant Some fasten it on Rupert Abb. Tuit who lived not long after Guitmond about the year of the Lord 1124. Petrus de Alliaco Cardinall of Cambray saith In lib. 4. sentent q. 6. art 2. that he had rather defend Consubstantiation the Transubstantiation unlesse the Church of Rome had defined the contrary He lived about the year of our Lord 1416. Lib. de Ca. Babyl At length Luther approving the judgement of this Cardinal of Cambray as himself witnesseth first thought it no article of faith to beleeve that the substance of bread remaineth or remaineth not but either point might be held without heresie Afterwards it seemed more probable unto him that the bread should remaine and the body of Christ should be under in and with the bread And this is now their opinion who name themselves Lutherans Wherefore they interpret Christs words This is my body thus In this with this under this bread is my body and they glory and boast no lesse then the Papists that they retain the letter without any trope or figure And so have they ranked themselves that if they combate with Papists then the particle This noteth with them bread only and the bread it self is the body of Christ If they bend their forces against us whom they call Sacramentaries then the particle This shall not signifie bread only but bread with the body of Christ lodged invisibly therein and the sense shall be This is my body that is This bread and my body lying hid in this bread is my body They illustrate this their glosse with vulgar similies as they call them that Christ when he gave his invisible body in the bread in like manner said This is my body as the Country-man saith of the graine in his sacke This is corne pointing at the sack or the Merchant of the money in his purse This is money pointing at his purse or the Mother of the Infant in his cradle This is my child shewing the cradle only or the Vintner of his wine This is Rhenish wine when he reacheth out the Goblet These formes of speech are noted and observed out of their books and disputations But good men they have that luck which the Poet alotteth unto fooles Fooles when they seeke to avoid an inconvenience Horat. Serm. lib. 1. sat 3. fall into an evill For in place of that absurd miracle of the subsisting of accidents without any subject they have induced another more absurd of the penetration of two bodies and whether we respect the letter or the sense they have wandred departed farther from Christs words then the Papists For the letter thus lieth This that is This bread is my body The sense standeth thus The visible bread broken and distributed is my true and essentiall body given for you It is my true body not by any change of essence and nature as the Papists would have it for bread was not assumed by the Word for us neither was bread given and crucified for us but it is my true body in a mysticall sense and Sacramentall kind of speech according to the interpretation of the sounder antiquity of Paul yea and of Christ himselfe The Transsubstantials glosse is farte wide of this the letter and meaning of Christs words As then the Papists retaine not the letter when in stead of Christs words This is my body they annex this seraphicall or super-angelicall glosse This thing or substance whatsoever undeterminate contained under these formes is my body so much lesse doe these reserve entire the letter and sense of Christs words when instead of them they place their own saying My body is in with under the bread or The bread and the body lying hid invisibly in the bread is my body For neither is the bread alone nor the bread with the body inclosed therein properly Christs body as an empty or full purse is not properly and without all figure of speech termed money Now the phrases they use are too improper and too much unfitting that they would expresse For as for the instances produced by them we know as soone as the Countrey-man Merchant Mother or Vintner speaketh that graine is in the sacke money in the purse an infant in the cradle and wine in the goblet But when these men tell us This is Christs body we know not forth-with that Christs body is in the bread neither can it be proved because an Article of the Christian faith testfieth that it is in heaven Of the Schisme of the Consubstantials LUthers foundation and maine ground at first was those words onely of Christ This is my body Afterwards in a disputation bad with the adversaries of this opinion pinion the 27. and 28. yeere he retired and fled to the Ubiquity and for that one foundation or ground afore-named he assumed four other 1. The personall union of the natures in Christ The right hand of God which is every where 3. The truth of God which cannot lie 4. The three fold manner of the existence of Christs body in any place But being at length repulsed from these holds he betook himselfe againe to Christs words and desired that all disputation of Ubiquity should quite be revoked Notwithstanding since his time some Lutherans by profession finding no sufficient warrant for their cause in Christs words have set Ubiquity on foot againe and at this day account it the best stake in their hedge Three sorts of Lutherans though others utterly disclaime it Hence arose a faction and division among the Consubstantials some are * 1. Simplices simply Lutherans who by Christs words only defend the being of Christs body in the bread and the eating it with the mouth some are * 2. Multipraesentiarii Omnipotentiarii multipresentiarie and omnipotentiarie Lutherans that is such as think Christs body to be present at once in many hosts by reason of the omnipotency really communicated therewith Lastly some are * 3. Omnipraesentiarii Ubiquitarii omnipresentiarie Lutherans who to assoile the presence of Christs body in the bread lay hold on the shield of Ubiquity and teach that Christs body is every where present by vertue of the union with the Word and therefore is present in the bread both before and after the use thereof in the Supper and that the right of consecration doth effect only that it be eaten in the bread Of this our young Divines for the understanding of this controverfie may not be ignorant For hereby they perceive that at this day there are two maine columnes or pillars erected to under-prop Consubstantiation namely The two principall
is conveyed by an Angel into heaven lyeth corporally under the formes of bread and wine is really carried up and downe in the hands of the Minister and received by the mouth of the Communicants These forgeries are repugnant to the Articles of Faith the Incarnation the Ascension and Intercession and the returne of Christ unto Judgement and to the nature of Sacraments in which the signes must needs remaine and not lose their nature 3. The Lords Supper teacheth us That Christ is to be worshipped in heaven at the right hand of his Father For it overthroweth not but establisheth and ratifieth the Articles of Faith and doctrine of the whole Gospel which sheweth that Christ is to be sought and worshipped Above Colos 3.2 Seek the things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Acts 7.55 And Stephen when he was stoned saw Christ and worshipped him Above standing at the right hand of God The ancient Church also sang in their Liturgy or common Service and Prayer Sursum corda Wee lift up our hearts unto the Lord. On the other side the Masse telleth us That Christ is to be worshipped in the bread which adoration and worship questionlesse is idolatrous For To worship Christ in the bread is to direct our worship in soule minde cogitation and as much as may be in the motion of our bodies to the place in which the bread is and turning hereto to yield reverence unto Christ as if he were present there more than else-where So of old they worshipped God at the Arke turning thereto with their minds and as much as might be with their externall grace and inclination of body That this is idolatry we prove 1. Because no creature hath power to tie the worship of God to any thing or place Exod. 25.22 29.42 1 King 8.33 12.29 10 31. Dan 9.11 2 Kings 12.13 Amos 4.4 wherein God hath not commanded by expresse word himselfe to be worshipped and wherein God hath not promised to heare us And hereby is the cause of that difference plainly seen why the Jews directing their prayer to the Propitiatory or Mercy-seat did notwithstanding withall in spirit worship the true God and were by promise from him assured to be heard but worshipping in Dan and in Bethel and in the high places and in the Temple of Samaria were Idolaters not knowing what they worshipped and the cause of this thing is more at large declared 1 Kings 17.9 2. Because in the New Testament all worship which is tyed to any certain place on earth is utterly taken away and spirituall worship only required stirred and kindled by the holy Ghost and done with a true faith and knowledge of God Joh. 4.21 22 23. So Christ teacheth Yee worship that which yee know not wee worship that which wee know But the houre cometh when ye shall neither in this mountaine nor at Jerusalem worship the Father But the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth Whereas Christ saith in spirit not in this mountaine nor at Jerusalem he doth plainly take away worship tied and restrained to any certaine place on earth Wherefore we must also take away and have in detestation this impious invention of Christs corporall presence in the Mass or in the bread and wine which is the foundation of idolatrous adoration or worship For this being put that Christ is in body present in the bread whether it be said to be done by Transubstantiation or Consubstantiation the Popish adoration standeth fast For as in ancient times before the Ascension it was not only lawfull but behoovefull also to worship Christ wheresoever he was so now also if he be in the bread he must be worshipped in the bread whether he be there seen or not seen For much more were we to beleeve the voice of God then any sense of ours if it expressed and specified any such matter Likewise of the contrary side the presence of Christs body in the bread is taken away if we take away by Gods commandement this foule and shamefull Popish adoration of Christs body lying covertly by their judgements under the formes of Bread and Wine Here the Ubiquiraries except against us on their behalfe that Christ is present in the bread not to be worshipped but to be eaten and that he commanded not himself to be adored but to be eaten Answ In both these asseraions they conclude no more then that which is in controversie for Christ commanded neither of these If he be in the bread he must there be worshipped because of the generall commandement Let all the holy Angels of God worship him Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God They therefore imagine Christ in the bread and yet say it is not lawfull to worship him which is an open deceit and mockery Wherefore Musculus and others to salve this sore are content to fall downe before the Bread and worship Christ therein But Heshusius replyeth against us thus The Divinity is not adored in all the creatures though it be present in all Therefore neither is it necessary that the humanity should be adored in the bread though it be corporally present therein Ans The examples are not alike The adoration of the Divinity is not tyed to all creatures but it is tyed to the humanity assumed as to a proper peculiar Temple Wheresoever then Christs humanity is there the Divinity will be worshipped in it and with it And indeed by this their own maine argument The Ubiquity of Christs manhood confuted by the Ubiquitaries own argument the Ubiquity of Christs manhood is quite overthrowne For seeing the manhood is not to be worshipped in all creatures and every-where it followeth that it is not present in all peares apples ropes cheeses c. as the Ubiquitaries write thereof These differences did D. Vrsine in the yeare of our Lord 1569. thus inlarge and deliver 1. The Supper testifieth that Christs onely sacrifice justifieth The Masse-Priests say that the Masse justifieth for the very worke done as they use to speake that is through the externall rite and action 2. The Supper teacheth us that Christ redeemed us by offering himselfe for us The Masse-Priests say that we are redeemed by Christ offered by them 3. The Supper telleth us that our salvation is perfected by Christs owne sacrifice The Masse-mongers report that it is perfected by infinite numbers of Masses 4. The Supper instructech us how we are ingraffed into Christ by faith by means of the holy Ghost The Masse falsly feigneth that Christ entreth into us corporally or wee are ingraffed into Christ by his corporall conveyance into us 5. The Supper teacheth us that Christ having ended his sacrifice ascended into heaven Our Massemongers tell us that he in his body is on the Aliar 6. In the Supper bread and wine remaine and change not their substance because Sacraments retaine and change not the substance of the signe The Masse-Priests declare unto us that
bloud is no remission Heb. 9.22 7. The Masse is repugnant unto the Articles of our faith concerning the true humanity of Christ concerning his true ascension into heaven and his returning from thence at the day of judgement For it fastneth on Christ a body made of bread it feigneth that Christ lieth hid corporally under the formes of bread and wine 8. The Masse is contrary to the communion of Saints with Christ For it imagineth an execrable invention which is that Christs body doth descend into our bodies and remaineth as long within our bodies as the formes remaine of bread and wine But the Supper teacheth that we are made members of Christ by the holy Ghost and ingraffed into him 9. The Masse is repugnant to the true worship of God because it maketh Christ to be there corporally present and so by consequent there to be worshipped Even as of old before his ascension it was not only lawfull but in duty required that Christ should be worshipped in whatsoever place he was and so also did his Disciples alwayes worship him when he was present as also when he ascended from them but after his ascension they did not from that time adore and worship him turning unto any one particular place more then other Wherefore seeing the Papists in their Masse tie the worship and adoration of Christ to a thing whereunto Christ himselfe by expresse word hath not tyed it They professe themselvs to be idolaters and doe no lesse absurdly and impiously in this then if they should worship Christ at a wall or if they should worship a pillar falling downe before it Hence it is evident that the Masse is an Idoll made by Antichrist out of divers and those horrible errours and blasphemies and substituted in place of the Lords Supper and for this cause is justly and rightly supprest Object 1. The Masse is an application of Christs sacrifice Therefore it is not to be taken away Ans I deny the Antecedent because we apply Christs merit by faith only as it is said Ephes 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Object 2. There must be a perpetuall sacrifice in the Church Esay 66.23 Mal. 1.11 because Esay foretold that it should be from Sabbath to Sabbath and Mal. They shall offer a pure offering Ans The sacrifices of the new Church of the Gentiles is the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and the Prophets insinuate unto us such a Sacrifice perpetuall and pure Such a Sacrifice of thanksgiving the Fathers termed the Eucharist 1. Because it is a remembrance of Christs Sacrifice 2. Because almes were given in the Primitive Church after the Supper was ended which were a Sacrifice But that the Supper should be a propitiatory Sacrifice the Fathers never so much as once dreamed Quest 81. Who are to come unto the Table of the Lord Ans They only who are truly sorrowfull that they have offended God by their sins and yet trust that those sins are pardoned them for Christs sake and what other infirmities they have that those are covered by his passion and death who also desire more and more to go forward in faith and integrity of life But hypocrites and they who doe not truly repent doe eat and drink damnation to themselves a 1 Cor. 11.28 10.19 20 21 22. The Explication Here are three things to be handled and declared 1. Who ought to approach unto the Lords Supper 2. What the wicked receive if they come 3. What is the right and lawfull use of the Supper 1. Who ought to approach unto the Lords Supper THese are distinct questions Who ought to approach unto the Supper and Who ought to be admitted to the Supper The former concerneth the duty of the Communicants the latter the duty of the Church and Ministers The former is stricter the latter larger and more generall for touching the former the godly alone ought to come touching the latter not the godly onely but Hypocrites also who are not known to be such are to be admitted by the Church unto the Supper Wherefore all that ought to come ought to be admitted but on the other side not all that ought to be admitted Who ought to come unto the Lords Supper ought to come but they only ought to approach unto the Supper 1. Who acknowledge their sinnes and are truly sorry for them 2. Who have a confidence that they are pardoned and forgiven them by Christ and for his sake 3. Who have an earnest purpose and desire of profiting and going forward more and more in faith and purenesse of life that is they only ought to approach and draw neer unto the Lords Supper and are worthy guests of Christ who live in true faith and repentance Herein a mans true proof and examination consisteth whereof Saint Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 11.28 What it is to prove himselfe Let a man examine himselfe and soâ—let him eat of this bread To prove thy self is 2 Cor. 13.5 How we may be assured that we have true faith and repentance Rom. 1.1.5 To examine whether thou have faith and repentance according as it is said Prove your selves whether yee are in the faith whether Christ dwell in you But how shall a man know that he hath these things 1. By a confidence and tranquillity of conscience because Being justified by faith we have peace towards God Hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us 2. By effects that is by the beginnings of true outward and inward obedience and by an earnest purpose to obey God according to all his commandements They who have and perceive this in themselves ought to draw neere and partake of Christs Supper namely whoso have faith and repentance not in possibility only but also actually Therefore infants are not capable of the Supper because they save faith only potentially and in possibility not actually they have an inclination to faith or they have faith only by inclination but they have not an actuall faith But here is required an actuall faith which is both a knowledge and confidence or assurance on Christs merit a beginning of new obedience and a purpose of living godly also an examination of himselfe and commemoration or remembrance of the Lords death Foure causes why wicked men and hypocrites ought not to approach unto the Supper It is not lawfull for the wicked to approach unto the Supper 1. Because Sacraments are instituted only for the faithfull and those which are converted to seale to them the promise of the Gospel and confirm their faith The word notwithstanding is common to the converted and unconverted that the converted may heare it be confirmed by it and that the unconverted also may hear it and therby be converted But the Sacraments pertaine to the faithfull alone and Christ instituted his Supper for his Disciples alone Luke 22.15 as he said I have earnestly
have not sorrowed signifieth ye have not been earnest in taking away that scandall which should be removed from you from you I say because in the end Paul saith Put away from your selves that wicked man Therefore these words That he might be put from among you signifie that he was to be cut off not by Sathan but by the Church Repl. Paul useth the same word of himselfe 2 Cor. 12.21 I shall * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bewaile many of them which have sinned already and have not repented c. Here to bewaile signifieth not to be carefull of removing a scandall from the Church Therefore neither in the former place Answ We answer out of the text In that place he saith If I come againe I will not spare 2 Cor. 13.1 Where he noteth the cause of this his griefe in that he is constrained to punish severely the obstinate that is in the end to excommunicate them out of the Church Object 4. The Apostle expoundeth himselfe that he did not enjoyne the Corinthians to excommunicate the incestuous person when he saith 2 Cor. 2.6 It is sufficient unto the same man that he was rebuked of many Therefore those words Account him for a Heathen and a Publican and Put him away from among you signifie onely a rebuking Answ This reason deceiveth by a fallacy of consequent because a generall rule is not builded upon an example For because here was need of rebuking only seeing the party repented it doth not therefore follow that alwaies the same only is required Repl. What they did that Paul commanded But they did only reprehend and rebuke Therefore Paul commanded them onely to reprehend him when he commanded them to put him away from among them and to deliver him up to Sathan Ans Paul commanded that they should reprehend him but not that only because he commanded also that they should reject him if he repented not But if he repented it should be sufficient to reprehend and rebuke him Wherefore it doth not follow They only reprehended him Therefore Paul commanded them only to reprehend him This is a true answer unto the former reply but there is another also cleere and manifest For the Greek word which the Apostle here useth signifieth not only reprehension and rebuking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also that excommunication which is by words only And in this sense not onely it may but also must be taken because he saith So that now contrariwise yee ought rather to forgive him Therefore he was now excommunicated and not as yet received but to be received Neither was he only reprehended and rebuked but also cast out and rejected Matth. 18. And when also he saith Of many hereby is confirmed that by the name of the Church whereof Christ speaketh is not understood the common multitude but the chiefe Governours of the Church Againe For this cause did I write saith the Apostle that I might know the proofe of you whether you would be obedient in all things He praiseth them therefore because they obeyed Wherefore before repentance he forbiddeth That they company not together with the excommunicated person And further he also saith I pray you that you would confirme your love towards him The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we interpret to confirme signifieth by publike sentence to speake a thing So it is taken Galat. 5.15 A mans covenant when it is confirmed that is ratified by publike authority The Apostles meaning therefore here is that they should declare their love towards that man by publike testimony Therefore to forgive is to receive the excommunicated person into favour and that doth he often repeat Now there was also some space betweene the writing of the former and the later Epistle to the Corinthians Therefore he stood in the meane time excommunicated In the former Epistle Paul saith That he heareth that some wicked persons were among the flocke Them he willeth to be excommunicated And it is likely that the Corinthians obeyed this his commandment in excommunicating them and so wrote to Paul that they had obeyed him therein because in his second Epistle Chap. 2. he commendeth them and willeth them to receive againe the incestuous person upon repentance Object 5. Excommunication needeth no excuse but Paul excuseth himselfe for that he had commanded him to be delivered up to Sathan Therefore he commanded not that he should be excommunicated but enjoyned some more grievous penance Answ The Major is false because excommunication from the Church and Kingdome of Christ whereas it is a most grievous punishment it requireth a farre greater excuse than any bodily punishment Object 6. The Ministers cannot shut men out of the Kingdome of God Therefore Paul commandeth them no such matter Ans To the Antecedent we answer that they indeed cannot by their owne authority but they can in Christs name according to the Apostles direction When ye are gathered together and my spirit in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Againe they cannot cast men out of Gods Kingdome but they both can and ought to denounce rejection unto such as God professeth in his word that he doth reject For to excommunicate is nothing else but by denouncing to obstinate offenders their rejection from God to subscribe unto Gods divine censure Now this the Church not onely can but ought also to doe Therefore Paul reprehended the Corinthians because they excommunicated not the incestuous adulterer but expected untill they were admonished hereof Therefore he reprehendeth them because they had swerved from the common rule that is performed not the known and ordinary office of the Church that according to the commandement they should account of him as of an heathen or publican Obj. 7. Paul commandeth that he should be delivered to Sathan for the destruction of the flesh But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importing destruction signifieth every-where in Scripture violent death Therefore here in this place also is insinuated a miraculous slaying of the body by Sathan that the soule might be saved Ans It appeareth out of the circumstances that destruction here signifieth the mortifying of the old man for the opposition of the flesh and the spirit and the very phrase is most usuall with Paul in this sense The whole scope also of the matter ratifieth the same for he will that he should be delivered unto Sathan that the flesh may be mortified and the spirit saved that is that he may be converted in this life and saved in the life to come Therefore his meaning is not that he should be miraculously destroyed and deprived of life Rep. But no man can be delivered unto Sathan for his conversion or the mortification of the old man in him Ans It is true that this delivery and giving over to Sathan of it selfe worketh no such effect but by accident that is it is of Gods mercy that the elect are reformed by chastisements And in the same sense wherewith
in God How beit they are acceptable unto him in Christ the Mediatour through faith that is for the merit and satisfaction of Christ imputed unto us by faith and for his intercession with the Father for us For as wee our selves please God not in our selves but in his Son so also our works being imperfect and defiled in themselves yet are accepted of God for the righteousnesse of his Son wherewith whatsoever is imperfect and uncleane in them is covered so that it cometh not into Gods sight The person who is the Agent of good works must first be acceptable to God and then the workes please him Otherwise the very best works of man without faith are not gratefull unto God but are an abomination unto him because they are nothing but hypocrisie And the works of the person which pleaseth God so please God as the person himself doth Now the person pleaseth God for the Mediatours sake that is by the imputation of the righteousness and sanctification or satisfaction of Christ being clad therewith as with a garment before God and therefore the works also of the person are for the Mediatours sake pleasing and acceptable unto God God doth not examine our imperfect justice and our works as they are in themselves according to the strict rigour of the law according to which he should rather condemne them but regardeth and considereth them in his Son Hence is it that God is said to have had respect unto Abel Gen. 4.4 and to his offering to wit in his Son in whom Abel beleeved Whence Christ also is called our High Priest by whom our workes are offered unto God Heb. 11.4 He is called also the Altar whereon our prayers and works being put are pleasing to God whereas otherwise they should stink in the fight of God Wherefore it followeth that we doe as it were supply and repaire our want and defect with the perfection of Christs satisfaction in Gods judgement Therefore saith Paul Phil. 3.9 That I might be found in him that is not having mine owne righteousnesse which is in the Law but that which is of the faith of Christ c. 5. Why we are to doe good workes and whether they be necessary BEfore in the 86. Question certain impulsive causes unto good works were specified and expressed which pertain unto this place namely Our regeneration having a necessary coherence with our Justification Our gratefulnesse for our Redemption Our glorifying and magnifying of God The confirmation of our faith and election and our good example unto others whereby to winne them unto Christ These weighty causes may most amply be enlarged if we reduce them to these three Classes or principall heads to wit if we say that good works are to be done by us in respect 1. Of God 2. Of our selves 3. Of our neighbour I. Inrespect of God they are to be done In respect of God that Because of the commandement Mat. 5.16 1. Because of the commandement of God Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven God requireth the beginning of obedience in this life and the perfection thereof in the life to come Wherefore we are necessarily to give our selves to good works John 15.12 Rom. 6.13 1 Theff 4.3 that we may perform due obedience unto God who requireth it of us This is my commandement that ye love one another Being made free from sin yee are made the servants of righteousnesse This is the will of God even your sanctification For Gods glory For the glory of God For the setting forth of Gods glory is the chief end why God commandeth and will have good works to be done of us that both by them we may worship and magnifie God and others seeing the same may glorifie out heavenly Father like as that saying of Christ before alledged out of S. Matth. doth teach us To testifie our thankfulnesse Because of that thankfulnesse which the regenerate owe. It is right and just that by whom we are redeemed and from whom we receive exceeding great benefits and those of all sorts we should also love magnifie worship reverence him and declare our love and thankfulnesse towards him by our good works and obedience But God deserveth all our duties by his benefits and wee merit not his benefits by any or all our duties therefore wee owe unto him thankfulnesse in lieu of them which is to be declared in our obedience and good works Rom. 2.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercy of God that you give up your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable serving of God Ye are made an holy Priest-hood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ II. We are to doe good works also in respect of our selves In respect of our selves and that For confirmation to our selves of our faith Mat. 7.18 James 1.20 Phil. 1.11 That by our good works we may make testimony of our faith and may be assured thereof Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit That faith which is without works is dead Filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God Now by our works wee must needs know that wee have faith because the effect is not without his cause and wee must know the cause by his proper effect When as therefore we finde not in our selves good works or new obedience wee are hypocrites neither have we faith but an evill conscience For true faith only which never wanteth all her fruits bringeth forth as a fruitfull tree good works obedience and amendment of life and these fruits likewise discern and distinguish true faith from historicall and temporary faith and so also from hypocrifie For our assurance of remission of sins That we may be assured that we have obtained remission of sinnes through Christ and are for Christs sake justified before God for justification and sanctification are benefits linked together which so cleave together and that necessarily as they never can be severed or pulled asunder For Christ obtained both for us at once namely both remission of sins and the holy Ghost who stirreth up in us by faith the study and desire of good works and new obedience For our assurance of our Election 2. Pet. 1.10 That we may be assured of our Election and Salvation Give diligence to make your calling and election sure These proceed from the cause next going before For God hath chosen from everlasting of his free mercy those only which are justified for the merit of his Son Whom hee predestinated Rom. 8.30 them also he called and them also he justified Therefore we are assured of our Election through Justification and that we have received from Christ our Justification which is never given unto the Elect without Sanctification wee know by faith And that we have faith
and re-established by the Messias Ans The Major of this Syllogisme is not simply and universally true because there the Prophet indeed prophesieth of the kingdome of the Messias but not only thereof For withall he describeth the restitution of the ceremoniall worship in Judea which should be after the returne of the people out of the captivity of Babylon and should stand in force untill the coming of the Messias Wee deny also the Minor For in the alledged Prophecie not onely the restoring of the Jewish types is promised but under the description of the types the spirituall state and stateliness of the Church which should be under the kingdom of the Messias is shadowed and insinuated which state and statelinesse was to be begun in this life and to be perfected in the life to come Whereof good proofe may be made by these evident arguments Arguments to prove that under the typicall description before alledged the spirituall condition and estate of the Church is figured 1. The story of Esdras testifieth unto us that this restoring was not accomplished untill the coming of Christ and withall other Oracles also of the Prophets concerning the base and contemptible coming and kingdom of the Messias in this world suffer us not to beleeve that there shall be any such magnificent and pompous estate of the Church on earth as the Jewes dreame of no not after the coming of the Messias Wherefore that fore-mentioned restoring of Jerusalem that is the Church is either to be understood spiritually or of force we must grant this absurdity namely that this Prophecy never was nor shall be performed 2. That promise delivered by the Prophet The house of Israel shall no more defile mine holy Name neither they nor their Kings doth necessarily enforce a spirituall sense and meaning touching the perfection of the life to come Ezek. 43.7 For usuall and customable it is with the Prophets to unite the entry of Christs kingdom with the full and perfect establishment thereof Ezek. 47.1 3. Furthermore those waters issuing out of the Temple spoken of in the same Prophecy may not be interpreted to be elementary waters but shadow and represent unto us the plentifull effusion from heaven of the gifts of the holy Ghost in Christs kingdom 4. Lastly we Christians have for our Interpreter the Apostle S. John in his Revelation Chap. 21 22. where the spirituall and heavenly Jerusalem that is the glorified Church of the New Testament is desciphered in words and termes literally borrowed from this description of Ezekiel Wherefore this Prophecie maketh nought to prove the continuall observation of ceremonies in the kingdome of the Messias Object 3. The best and most just forme of government is alwaies to be followed But there can be none better or juster than that which God himselfe settled among his people the Jewes therefore that is to be followed and retained Answ Either the Major of this reason may be distinguished or the Minor denied with an exposition For that which in positive lawes that is such as define the circumstances of the duty of Magistrates and subjects and Citizens one towards another is in every place and at all times most just the same are Law makers to follow But in that forme of the Mosaicall government many things are applied to the state and condition of that Nation Region Time and Ceremoniall worship the observation whereof would now be neither just nor profitable because the causes for which those lawes should be given to the Jewes are taken away or changed as of giving a bill of divorce of marrying the widowes of their kinsmen Wherefore God will not that all Nations and ages be tyed unto those lawes An argument whereof is that even at that very time when he commanded these lawes to be observed hee bound not all Nations but only Abrahams posterity unto them and yet some that lived according to such civill laws of other Nations as were not wicked and ungodly did please him as Naaman the Syrian and whosoever of the Gentiles were converted who yet notwithstanding did not observe the ceremonies and civill lawes of the Jewes And Paul saith wee must obey not only those which governe according to Moses laws but also other Magistrates as the ordinance of God as long as they command nothing contrary to the commandements of God And himself also submitted himselfe to the Romane lawes when hee appealed unto Caesar Rom. 13.2 and when he said it was unlawfull to binde one uncondemned which was a Romane Furthermore if any man will hence conclude That seeing it is lawfull to use the Lawes of other Common-weales as the Athenian Romane and such like it is therefore much more lawfull and beseeming to imitate and follow the forme of that Common-wealth which was immediately ordered and constituted by God himselfe We easily grant that wise and discreet Magistrates and Law-givers may take as well thence as out of other governments if there be any thing convenient and agreeing with their subjects with whom and the time wherein they live so that all opinion of necessity be taken away that is so that it be not therefore commanded or retained because it was prescribed by Moses to the Jews but because there are good reasons wherefore now also it should be done so and if the causes be changed then that the liberty also of changing these lawes by publike authority be retained Neither yet is Moses law any whit impeached by this liberty of cleaving to it or leaving it and appointing other ordinances in place thereof sith in so doing we doe no more than cease to observe that which was never imposed on us How far forth the morall Law is abrogated Hitherto have we intreated of the abrogation of the Ceremoniall and Civill lawes Touching the morall law it is in some part abrogated by Christ and in some part not abrogated It is abrogated in respect of the faithfull two waies 1. As touching the curse of it 1. As touching the course of it Psal 143.2 so that it cannot condemne such as are justified by faith in Christ by reason of the merit of Christ imputed unto them or as touching justification because judgement is not given of us according to the Law but according to the Gospel John 3.36 For the judgement of the Law would condemne and cast us away whose dreadfull voice is Rom. 8.1 In thy sight shall no man living be justified But the judgement of the Gospel is He that beleeveth in the Son of God hath everlasting life This abrogation of the Law is the first and principall part of Christian liberty whereof it is said There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 6.14 Ye are not under the law but under grace 2. As touching constraint 2. As touching constraint For now the Law doth not any more expresse and wrest obedience from us as a Tyrant or as a Master enforcing and constraining a
protecting of wedlocke among men Whatsoever therefore maketh for the preserving of chastity and for the protecting of wedlocke is commanded in the Law and the contrary is withall forbidden The vertues of this Commandement 1. Chastity The vertues of the seventh Commandement are in number three Chastity Shamefastnesse Temperancy I Chastity Chastity is a vertue preserving cleannesse of minde and body agreeing with the will of God and avoiding all lusts forbidden by God all unlawfull companying and inordinate copulation and all the desires occasions effects and suspicions either in single life or in wedlocke Chastity hath his first originall from a Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to adorne because it is an ornament not onely of the whole man but also of all the rest of the vertues Wherefore that name was given by speciall regard and preheminence to this vertue because it is one of those principall vertues that make the image of God God is chaste and will be called on by such as are of a chaste minde Twofold chastity and suffereth chaste prayers to take effect with him Now there is a double chastity 1. Of single life one of single life another of marriage Chastity of single life is a vertue avoiding all lusts 2. Of marriage remaining in a sole estate without marriage Chastity of marriage is to observe in marriage the order instituted by the wonderfull counsell of God The causes of chastity are Foure causes 1 Thes 4.3 4. 1. The Commandement of God This is the will of God even your sanctification and that ye should abstaine from fornication that every one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. 2. The preservation of Gods image 3. A study and desire to avoide the defacing of Gods image and the conjunction that is betweene God and the Church Heb. 12.14 1 Cor. 6.15 18. Flee fornication Know ye not that your bodies are the numbers of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of an Harlot God forbid The contrary vices 4. Rewards and punishments The extremities of chastity are counterfeit chastity uncleane single life whore-hunting keeping of concubines incest adultery and all wanton and unwieldy wicked lusts their causes occasions and effects all unlawfull conjunctions all corrupted desires that violate and hurt the conscience also in marriage Three kinds of lusts Now all sorts of lusts may be referred unto three severall kinds Of the first kinde are those which are contrary to nature and from the Devill namely such as are even against this our corrupt nature not onely because they corrupt it and bereave it of that conformity with God but also because this our corrupt nature abhorreth them Of this kinde are those which are recited by the Apostle Rom. 1. as confounding of kinds and sexes likewise the unnaturall abusage of woman-kinde These haynous sins and horrible trespasses are to be punished by the Magistrate with extraordinary punishments Incest hath for a great part a repugnancy with this our nature albeit there were examples of incest in our first Parents because those were done of necessity and by dispensation from God himselfe Therefore this was an exception from the generall rule Of the second kinde are those which proceed from this our corrupt nature as fornications amongst those that are free from marriage adulteries betweene persons that are both married companying of married persons with others that are unmarried If a married person have company with another married person Double adultery it is a double adultery for he violateth both his owne wedlocke and the others If a married man have to doe with an unmarried woman Simple adultery Simple fornication it is simple adultery Simple fornication is of those that are unmarried Magistrates are by duty bound severely to punish incests and adulteries For they are much more haynous then thefts and robberies God appointeth death for adulteries Now although God did not ordaine that simple fornication also be punished with death yet when he saith after Let there not be a whore amongst you he signifieth that it is to be punished in his kinde There are other things also which are committed of this our corrupt nature with an evill conscience as lust and evill desires unto which we yeeld or wherewith we are delighted neither endeavour to avoide them Such vicious and lewd desires and the like although they be not punished in the Civill court yet are they joyned with an evill conscience and are punished of God Of the third kinde are corrupt inclinations unto which yet good men doe not yeeld but withstand them and take away from them all occasions and their conscience is not troubled because God is invocated and called upon and the grace of resistance is desired and there is remaining in their hearts a testimony of the remission of their sins And for a remedy for these sins after the fall was marriage appointed Therefore against those inclinations it is to be said It is better to marry then to burne 1 Cor. 7.9 But yet S. Paul neverthelesse by those words doth not allow such marriages as are untimely hurtfull to the Common-wealth entred into before a lawfull age or unhonest that is against good orders and manners II Shamefastness Shamefastnesse is a vertue abhorring all filthinesse joyned with a shame griefe and sadnesse either for some former uncleannesse or for feare of falling into any hereafter and having a purpose and desire to flye not onely uncleannesse it selfe but also the occasion and tokens and signes of uncleannesse Shamefastnesse is required unto chastity as a furtherance and cause of chastity and also an effect consequent and signe thereof The extremities or vices contrary to shamefastnesse are The contrary vices 1. Shamelesnesse or impudency which maketh light of uncleannesse 2. A rude and uplandish bashfulnesse or an uncivill and perverse bashfulnesse when a man is ashamed of that whereof he ought not to be ashamed as of a thing which is good and honest and requireth not any bashfulnesse to be shewed therein 3. Obscenity and scurrility or ribaldry III Temperancy Temperancy is a vertue observing the meane agreeable to nature honesty mediocrity and order of persons places and times according to the law and rule of nature in things concerning the body as meate and drink and in the desire of them Temperancy is required unto chastity as a cause without which we cannot be chaste and is the mother and nurse of all other vertues Take heed to your selves Luke 21.34 lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfeiting and drunkennesse and cares of this life Ephes 5.18 Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse Walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in
said to be free 164.165 Free-will The state of the maine question about free-will 75. What it is 76. The difference of it in God Angels and Men. ibid. 77.78.79 Whether there be any free-will in us and what it is 82.83 The manner and degrees of mans free-will 83.84.86.87 The beginning of mans will to good whence it is 91. Reasons why the Regenerate use liberty not onely to good but to evill also 92.93 G GOds Whence sprang the multitude of gods 163. But there is but one proved by eight arguments 168.169 Glory Two things signified by Gods glory 156. God How he is the cause of sinne not as sinne but as punishments 67. Vide plura 68.69.70 Sin is not made of God because it is no creature but the corruption of a creature 71. God though the mover of wicked wils yet not the mover of the wickednesse of the will 80. God is said to wish any thing two waies 87. Meerly GOD could satisfie for man 114. Three causes of mens doubting whether there be a God 146. Reasons proving that there is a God ibidem c. Who and what God is 149.150 Why Nature cannot throughly shew what GOD is 150. The Theologicall and Philosophicall descriptions of GOD. 151. A threefold difference of God and Idols ibidem How the parts of mans body are attributed to GOD. 152. More concerning the explication of Gods attributes 152.153.154.155 c. Three things meant by Gods unchangeablenesse and five reasons of it 157. How he is said to repent ibidem Of his goodnesse and righteousnesse 160. Proofes that there is but one God 168.169 Two significations of the word GOD. 169. God a Father in divers respects 179. Gods providence what and why to be knowne 193.197 Arguments against the Divinity of the Sonne and holy Ghost 262.263 How GOD is said to be Our God 532. What it is to have other gods 533. Errours touching God ibid. God Foure significations of Gods Name 556. Goodnesse Six significations of Gods goodnesse in Scripture 160. All good is done by the will of God 199. what things are said to be good ibid. Gospel The differences betweene the Law and Gospel are two pag. 2.126 yea foure 130. The Gospel what and its threefold signification 127. What order is to be observed in teaching the Law and the Gospel 128. It s perpetuity in the Church ibid. c. How the Gospel was promised to our Fathers 129. It s proper effects 131. It s certainty how it appeareth ibid. Grace Gods deniall of grace no cruelty but oft a way to greater mercy 85. Readinesse of minde to receive grace is not before conversion but after 89. Gravity What. 594. H HAllow What it signifieth 632. How wee pray for the hallowing of Gods name 633. Hand What the right hand of God signifieth 322. Foure things wherein Christs sitting at Gods right hand consisteth 322. A full description of it 323. How he may be said to sit alwaies there 324. With other circumstances 325.326 Head Christ is our head in three respects 235. Heaven Two Arguments why GOD is said to be specially in heaven 184. Heaven is the seate of the Elects blessednesse ibid. What heaven signifieth 313. How Christ ascended thither 314. Vide Ascension Hell Of Christs descending into hell 303. The significations of the word hell in Scripture ibid. c. The use of Christs descending into hell 306. Heresies Divers sorts of them confuted 296. Holy What it signifieth 632. Vide Hallow Holy Ghost Of the sinne against the holy Ghost 59. Why called Vnpardonable ibidem c. Why so called 60. Rules touching this sinne ibid. The differences betweene other sinnes pardoned and this of the holy Ghost 60.61 It is not incident to the Elect. ibid. c. We may not judge any man to sin against the holy Ghost untill we see him dead in apostasie and blasphemy 61. How the Sonne was conceived by the holy Ghost 270.271 What we beleeve concerning the holy Ghost 335. With many necessary circumstances concerning that person in Trinity à pag. 335. and 346. It s proceeding from the Sonne proved three waies 338. It s divers titles 341. Its gifts of two sorts 342. What is meant by giving the holy Ghost 343.344 The sending of it is no locall motion 344. How retained and how lost 345. A distinction between blasphemy against God and against the holy Ghost 558. vide Spirit Hope Faith and Hope how they differ 137. Vices contrary to Hope 536. Humanity What. 600. Humility What. 538. Hypocrisie What. 541. I JEhovah No English word will retaine it but the word Lord. 261. Jesus Why the Son of God was called Jesus 220. What the name signifieth and the differences between his name and others so named 121. How the whole three persons may be said to be Saviours ibid. From what evils and how Jesus saveth us 222.223 Whom he saveth 224. Why Jesus is called Christ 226. Two causes for which Jesus was called Christ 227. Idols Idolatry A three-fold difference of God and Idols 151. Idolatry what it is 527. Two sorts of Idols 334. A twofold Idolatry 540. Image What the image of God is in man 42. How far lost 43. How repaired 44. Christ called the image of God in two respects 43. So Angels and Men. ibid. The ends for which God preserveth a remnant of his image in man 44. Whether any images may be made 546.547 The divers names of an image 547. Images not simply forbidden 547. Two sorts of unlawfull images 548. Foure reasons of the unlawfulnesse of making an image of God 548. A Table for the distinction of images 549.550 Whether all worship at images be forbidden 590. Why images are to be abolished 551. Eight causes why images are to be abolished in Churches ibid. How and by whom they are to be abolished 552. Three differences between the images in Solomons time and ours 553. Impossibilities Whether God were unjust in imposing impossibilities pag. 99. The causes and ends of his commanding them 100. Incarnation A confession of the incarnation of the Word by the father of Antioch 289. c. Inclinations Proofes that corrupt inclinations are sin 51. Indifferent Things indifferent are diligently to be discerned from Gods worship 541. Indignation What. 599. Infants Whether they sin wanting will 54. Their baptisme proved to be meet and lawfull by foure arguments 417. Anabaptists objections against it answered 418.419 How infants beleeve 420. Two reasons why infants may not be admitted to the Lords Supper though they are to Baptisme 421. Intercession How Christ maketh intercession for us 318. Judge Judgment Of the last Judgement with 13. circumstances thereof See à pag. 327. ad 334. Just Justice Christ perfectly just foure waies 115. How we are just before God 379.382 What our justice is and how manifold 380.381 In what Justice differeth from Justification 381. How Christs satisfaction is made our justice 383. Vide Righteous or Righteousnesse Communicative Justice what 606. What originall justice towards God and our
157. Patience What. 539. Perfection In what sense the Scripture doth attribute perfection to the works of the Regenerate 94. How God is most perfect in himselfe 155. Whether our conversion hath perfection in this life 505. Whether our works be perfectly good and being not so how they can please God 510. 511. Whether those that are converted may perfectly keep the commandements of God 615. 616. Permit Permission Three causes why God is said to permit sinne 201. Gods permission of sin confirmed by Scripture 202. Gods permission is the withdrawing of his grace ibid. Person Of the three persons in the Trinity and why named three being but one in substance 146. What a person is 170. The difference betweene Essence and Person ibid. 171. The reason why this difference is to be held ibid. What reference Essence hath to Person 172. The properties of the Persons are distinct and divers 257. 258. Whether Christ be one person or more 275. 276. Objections against it answered ibid. c. Philosophy It s nature and lawfull and fruitfull use thereof 3. The differences betweene it and Church doctrine ibid. worlds creation unknowne to Philosophers 182. Their Arguments against it ibid. Prayer What 624. Foure sorts of it ibid. why prayer is necessary for Christians ibid. Eight conditions of true prayer 626. A difference of things to be prayed for 627. A difference betweene the prayer of the godly and of the wicked 628. The Lords Prayer expounded ibid. c. The causes why Christ taught us that forme ibid. c. Predestination Vide Election Nine circumstances thereof 352. c. what 355. the difference between it and Providence ibid. Its causes 355. 356. The effects of it 357. Whether unchangeable 357. 358. whether we can be certaine of our predestination 358. Presence A five-fold maner of Christs presence 317. Pride What. 538. Priest Priesthood What Christs Priesthood is 231. The high Priests prerogative under the law ibid. Three differences betweene the Priests and Prophets under the law 232. Christ the true prefigured high-priest ibid. Foure differences betweene Christ and other priests 232. 233. What a Christians priesthood is and its particulars 236. How Christ maketh us Priests ibidem Promises Gods promises not unprofitable to the unregenerate 91. Prophanenesse What. 541. Prophet Propheticall What Christs propheticall function is and the signification of the name Prophet 229. Two kinds of Prophets ibid. Foure testimonies of the truth of the Prophets doctrine of old ib. What a Prophet of the New Testament is 230. Christ a Prophet from the beginning ibidem Six differences betweene Christs being a Prophet and others before him ibid. c. Providence What Gods providence is 194. 197. The proofes of it 194. 195. 196. 202. Two parts of it 197. The degrees of Gods providence and testimonies of it 203. Proofes of his generall and particular providence 204. 205. c. Places of Scripture wrested against Gods providence 218. What the knowledge of Gods providence profiteth us ibid. Just causes why it may be knowne 219. The deniall of it shaketh all the grounds of Religion ibid. Punishment How God may be said to will punishment 68. The degrees of punishments of the ungodly 103. 104. The conditions of him that may be punished for another 113. The evill of punishment is a morall good and is done by God for three causes 199. Q. QUickning How the spirit quickneth pag. 23. Three parts of quickning 503. why the latter part of our conversion is called quickning 504. Quietnesse Two significations of the word in Philosophy 183. R REason How far we listen to Reason in divine matters 443. Reconcile It hath foure parts 120. No reconciliation without a Mediatour ibid. Regeneration It is but begun in this life pag. 55. The regenerate lose the grace of God in part but not whole in this life 56. The good workes of the regenerate not perfect in this like 93. 94. In what sense the Scripture attributes perfection to the works of the regenerate 94. Regeneration doth assure us of Justification 95. Christs Godhead proved by our regeneration 251. 252. Whether the regenerate can perfectly keep the law 616. A threefold difference betweene the regenerates and unregenerates sinning ibid. Repentance How God is said to repent 157. Reprobation How reprobates are said to be lightned and sanctified 61. Resurrection What Christs resurrection profiteth us 306. The manifold circumstances of his resurrection 306. 307. 308. The fruits of it 310. Five Reasons for our resurrection 311. more of it 364. 365. c. What it is and the errours concerning it 370. Proofes of its certainty ibid. c. The same body shall rise 372. How when and by what power the resurrection shall be 373. For what end and to what estate we shall rise 374. Reward No good worke of the creature meriteth reward pag. 217. 387. Three causes why God promiseth to reward our works 388. Riches Whether it be lawfull to desire them 644. Or to lay them up for hereafter 645. Righteousnesse The righteousnesse of God both generall and particular 160. How we are righteous before God 379. What righteousnesse is in generall and how manifold 380. Vide Justice Imputed righteousnesse is eternall 392. S SAbbath Three causes why the commandement of the Sabbath was so severely commanded 576. What the Sabbath is and how kept both by God and men ibid. What works are forbidden on the Sabbath 577. Two reasons why our children and families must keepe the Sabbath ibid. Objections about the Sabbath answered 577. 578. Why our cattell must rest on the Sabbath 578. How manifold the Sabbath is 578. 579. Many Sabbaths in the Old Testament 579. A Table of the distinction of the Sabbath 580. How the Sabbath belongeth to us Christians ibid. A double difference betweene the Christian and Jewish observation of the Sabbath 582. The causes why the Sabbath was instituted ibid. How the Sabbath is sanctified and how profaned 583. 584. 485. Saints What is meant by the Communion of Saints 360. Popish objections for invocation of Saints answered 562. 563. 564. c. Sacraments They are signes of the Covenant 124. 393. The originall word Sacrament what 394. It s definition with its difference from other signes 395. Their ends 396. 397. Sacrament and Sacrifice how different 397. How the old and new Sacraments differ 398. The difference of the signes and things signified in the Sacraments 399. What is the right and lawfull use of Sacraments 341. What the wicked receive in the Sacraments ibid. in what the Word and Sacraments agree and in what they differ 402. their number 403. Vide Baptisme and Supper of the Lord. Satisfaction Of Legall and Evangelicall satisfaction 108. We can make no satisfaction for two reasons 112. No other creature could satisfie for man but man 113. Meerely God could not satisfie for man 114. Christs satisfaction is made ours two waies 383. When we may be assured of Christs satisfaction imputed unto us 384. Why and how 384. 385. Sacrifice
to obedience and punishment together for it were great iniquitie to oblige them to punishment that obey the Law but dis-junctively either to obedience of his humane justice with the Law as the chiefe perfection of the person of the Mediatour without which he could not be our High-Priest and Saviour so the justice of his merit or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not onely the bloud and death but comprehends also all the obedience of his humiliation from the minute of his conception even till the death of the Crosse For the whole life of Christ being full of miseries and sorrowes what else was it then a perpetuall suffering and punishment for our sins For by the order of divine justice whereas Christ was most just his life should not have been miserable and calamitous but altogether sorrowlesse fortunate and happy but in that it was miserable it was by reason hee suffered and satisfied for our sins 4. Therefore when the Scripture points out to us justice in the bloud crosse and death of Christ he doth not speak exclusively as if the sufferings that went before his death did nothing belong to his merit but synecdochically comprehending under the complete finishing of our redemption all the antecedent degrees also that is the beginning encrease and consummation The beginning was in his Incarnation when having assumed the forme of a servant hee became poore c. for us The encrease was throughout all his life which he led in perpetuall miseries tentations and dangers being subject to Gods wrath for us Lastly the consummation was in his crosse and death when giving up the ghost he cried out It is finished All these the Prophet conjoynes in the price of our redemption which Christ paid for us He did truly beare our infirmities Isa 53. and took upon him our sorrowes he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and with his stripes we are healed So the Apostle 2 Corinth 5. When he was rich be became poore for us that we by his poverty might be rich So Herb. 2. He was made somewhat inferiour to the Angels by suffering of death But chiefly Phil. 2. Being in the forme of God he emptied himselfe taking the forme of a servant and he humbled himselfe being made obedient even to the death of the Crosse Nor will their cavill availe in saying that the Apostle speaks not here of the matter of our justice it is enough that he here extends Christs obedience which elsewhere he shewed was our justice to his whole humiliation Neither is that place Hebr. 9.22 against us Without shedding of bloud there is no remission It onely followes from hence that the shedding 〈◊〉 bloud is not excluded from the cause of remission but that it is the cause sine qua non of this But it will not follow that it is the onely cause or that death which followed or the antecedent sufferings are excluded Therefore to Christs death belongeth the whole obedience of his humiliation even to the death of the Crosse 5. But why the Scripture ascribes merit which Christ hath purchased for us in all the course of his obedience to his death as if it were peculiar onely and proper to that the reason is because the sufficiencie of merit consisteth in the death of Christ alone for had hee not dyed the obedience of his humiliation had not been absolute neither had the wrath of God in threatning death to Adam been satisfied Therefore all the rest of Christs obedience without dying had been an insufficient merit and unprofitable to us But they who attribute the merit of justice to his active obedience or naturall holinesse they make void doubtlesse the death of Christ This explication true and consonant to Scripture being observed it will appeare 1. That there is something amisse in both sides of the controvertents in the former because they confound the justice of the person with the justice of merit and by dividing merit into many heterogeneall parts they doe not onely disturbe our faith and comfort but also against Scripture they separate justification from Christs death In the later because from the justice of merit they exclude the whole life of Christ with his humility and sufferings that went before his death And they oppose the exclusive particle Alone in their phrases as when they say The death of Christ alone justifieth His bloud alone purgeth to his life and antecedent obedience whereas it is opposed in meritorious or materiall causes partly to personall justice partly and chiefly to mens merits and all other externall causes except they restraine this particle Alone to sufficiency of which wee have said in the fifth position Againe it will appeare that this will be an easie way to reconcile the controversie if all of them will agree to urge against the Papists and mens merits all these common passages in which as I said already they agree concerning free justification of faith by Christs imputed justice and that they would not use scrupulous disputations concerning this justice or the matter of imputative justice before the people in their Sermons but that they would use Scripture phrases and be content that we are justified not by workes but by faith not by our owne righteousnesse but by anothers obedience to wit by the bloud and death of the Son of God imputed to us and applyed by faith c. For these are sufficient to beget true comfort to all and to refute humane merits As for the controversie it selfe if it must at all be handled in the Schooles it is needfull for a tolerable reconciliation to beware on both sides that the Disputants minds may not be too much alienated The later sort are offended at the partition of merit into so many divers pieces because they see many absurdities spring from thence and the Scripture to be wronged On the other side the former are offended by restraining merit to the death of Christ because they feare lest his life and antecedent obedience be excluded against the Scripture What shall be done then It is needfull that the one forbeare to divide the matter of merit into two three or foure as they use and that they doe not separate the merit of justice from Christs death nor justification from remission of sins That the others restraine not merit to the effusion of bloud upon the Crosse or to the three dayes death and that they exclude not his life and antecedent obedience And both must distinguish with the Scripture personall justice from merit as the efficient cause or sine qua non from the materiall seeing many inconveniences must arise of confusion by which the sense of Scripture is overthrowne the consciences are disturbed and occasion of cavilling is ministred to Papists as we shewed in the first and second Position 2. Let the personall justice of the Mediatour be rightly limited according to the third Position 3. Let the justice of merit be rightly defined and let the Synecdoche
all men it is well if they meane of the greatnesse of the price of Christs death which was most sufficient for all men but if they meane the fruit and efficacy impetrated or purchased for all men although both in life and death they be strangers to Christ they do not assent to Scripture and to the event but to the Massilian Semi-pelagianisme 4. It is true that of all men some in order after Christs death become faithfull but 't is false that in order after Christs death some become unfaithfull for Christ being to die in order found all men in impiety sin and enmity Rom. 5. v. 6.8 9. therefore he found all in infidelity 5. In that they know how to discriminate betweene the state of a sinner in his infidelity and before it they doubtlesse had not this knowledge in Scripture which knoweth not the state of sin or of sinners before infidelity or without it Rom. 11.31 Ephes 2.2 5.6 Col. 3.6 but testifieth that all men are borne the sons of wrath of infidelity and of disobedience This then is that corrupt lurking sort of mystery of the new Prophesie and the first lye upon which the five Articles and divers other both manifest and occult are built to wit that man is borne without infidelity and that there is no infidelity till man be growne up and rejects the Gospell and from hence that originall sin if any such be is a punishment not a fault and hence is it that the naturall man hath free-will to good and evill otherwise wrongfully is faith demanded of him who hath not the faculty of beleeving hence are predestination and election of fore-seene faith hence an universall impetration of reconciliation by Christs death hence is resistible grace or indifferent hence is the apostacy of the Saints uncertain perseverance doubtful faith other hid matters which time wil reveale Out of all this two things we have to observe One is that by this cunning shift of the order of faith to Christs death the contradiction is not unfolded or avoided by which they are forced to entangle themselves in this Article That Christ died absolutely for all and singular and obtained reconciliation for all and yet that he died not for Infidels whereof there be many nor obtained reconciliation for them which is an evident argument of an evill cause For when the Adversary is driven to admit of contradictions he is gone The other because this Article troubles the Church with contradictions and equivocations and overthrowes it selfe that it is not to be suffered in the Church ARTICLE III. Man hath not saving faith from himselfe nor by force of his free-will seeing that in the state of defection and sin he cannot of himself either thinke or do any good which is good indeed such as saving faith is but it is necessary that he be borne over againe by God in Christ through his holy Spirit and that he be renewed in his minde will affections and all his faculties that he might think understand will and performe that which is good according to that of Christ John 15.5 Without me yee can do nothing ARTICLE IV. This grace of God is the beginning progresse and perfection of all goodnesse and that so far that the regenerate man himselfe without this first or adventitious exciting consequent and co-operating grace can neither will thinke or do any good nor resist any evill tentation so that all the good workes which we can imagine are to be ascribed to the grace of God in Christ As for the true manner how that grace worketh that is not irresistible for it is said of many They resisted the holy Ghost Act. 7. and else-where in many other places The Examination ALthough these two Articles in some sort differ for the third is concerning the operating cause of faith and conversion in an unregenerate man the fourth in the former part is concerning the operating cause of the progresse increment and perfection of all good in the regenerate man the other part is concerning the manner by which that cause produceth both faith and conversion in the unregenerate and the progresse increment and perfection in the regenerate notwithstanding they do altogether cohere and therefore in the Conference were conjoyned by the parties that conferred yea and the fifth which is concerning the perseverance of the Saints Coll. p. 206. 225. 237. 268. is knit to the fourth because the way of operating grace hath relation as well to that perfection which is obtained by perseverance as to its beginning and progresse The third needs not much examination if we follow the naturall sense of the words in both parts it is consentaneous to holy Writ 1. That the procreating cause of saving faith in man is not man himselfe or his free-will because in the state of sin man is not fit to think or doe any good thing of himselfe according to Scripture Ephes 2.9 2 Cor. 3.5 c. 2. That man necessarily must be by God in Christ through the grace of the holy Ghost regenerated or illuminated in his minde renewed in his will affections c. to understand think will and perfect that which is good according to the place alledged John 15.6 The fourth also in the former part if you looke upon the words is true and gives glory to God because it ascribes the beginning progresse and perfection of all goodnesse in the regenerate man to God or to grace according to these sayings Jam. 1.7 Ephes 2.9 Phil. 1.6 c. Neither would the orthodox men in the Conference reprehend any of these if they be understood according to the meaning of holy Scripture But there is poyson in the taile The closure concerning the way of the operation of that grace takes away what before was granted They deny this way of operation to be irresistible in the Conference they call it resistible These words in their very sound are horrid and barbarous and not without a Solecisme they are barbarous because not knowne to Latine Writers for ought I know nor to the holy Scriptures unheard also in the Schooles of orthodox Protestants and perhaps of the Jesuites too I have not read all the Jesuites but Bellarmine the chiefest of them an exact Disputer of generall and speciall assistance or indifferent and not indifferent motion and grace in his Books of Grace Free-will hath it no where as I remember It seems that Arminius his party hath devised this high buskin of irresistible grace to the great benefit of their cause to make the truth the more envied As if forsooth the orthodoxall party did teach that grace were irresistible that is coactive or coaction Even in sense and signification the termes are barbarous for that is irresistible which cannot be resisted resistible which may be resisted By what Authour will they prove this to be spoken passively Why may not rather actively irresistible signifie that which cannot resist resistible which can resist Many verbals indeed in
To love thy neighbour as thy selfe is for the love thou owest unto God that is because thou lovest God to do well unto thy neighbour according to the commandements of God or to wish and doe all things unto him which thou wouldest in equity and according to the law to be done unto thee Our neighbour is every man Why the love of our neighbour is called the second Commandement Now every man is our neighbour The second It is called the second commandement 1. Because it containeth the summe of the second Table or the duties which are immediately performed unto our neighbour For if thou love thy neighbour as thy selfe thou wilt not murther him thou wilt not hurt him c. 2. Because the love of our neighbour must rise out of the first Table even from the love of God therefore it is in nature inferiour to the love of God Why it is said to be like unto the first Is like unto this It is called like unto the first in three respects 1. In respect of the kind of worship which is morall or spirituall and principall because it is there in the second Table no lesse commanded then in the first and is opposed unto the Ceremonies 2. In respect of the punishment which is eternall because God doth inflict this punishment for the breach of either Table 3. In respect of the coherence because neither can be observed without the other Wherein it is unlike It is also unlike to the first 1. In respect of the immediate object which in the first Table is God in the second our neighbour 2. In respect of their processe and order the one being a cause the other an effect of that cause For the love of our neighbour ariseth from the love of God but it falleth not so out on the contrary 3. In respect of the degrees of love For we must love God above all things We must love our neighbour not above all things nor above God but as our selves Hence riseth an answer unto that objection Object The second commandement is like unto the first Therefore the first is not the greatest Or therefore our neighbour must be set equall with God Answ and equally worshipped For it is indeed like to the first not simply and in every point but in some few and unlike unto the first in some other points as before hath been shewed On these two Commandements hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets that is all the doctrine of the Law and the Prophets is reduced unto these two heads and all the legall obedience which is contained in Moses and the Prophets doth spring from the love of God and our neighbour Object Yea but the promises and doctrine of the Gospel are found also in the Prophets Therefore it seemeth that the doctrine of the Prophets is unfitly restricted and limited within these two Commandements Answ Christ speaketh of the doctrine of the Law not of the promises of the Gospel which appeareth by the question of the Pharisee demanding which was the chiefe Commandement not which was the chiefe promise in the Law Quest 5. Art thou able to keep all these things perfectly Answ No truly a Rom. 3.10 20 23. 1 Joh. 1.8 10. For by nature I am prone to the hatred of God and of my neighbour b Rom. 8.7 Ephes 2.5 Titus 3.3 Genes 6.5 Genes 8.21 Jer. 17.9 Rom. 7.2 The Explication THis question together with the two former Mans misery known two waies teacheth that our misery as there are two parts thereof before specified so it is known out of the Law two wayes 1. By a comparing of our selves to the Law 2. By an applying of the curse of the Law unto our selves The examining of our selves after the Law What it is to examine our selves by the Law Rom. 8.7 Ephes 2.3 Tit. 3.31 and comparing the Law with our selves is a consideration of that purity and uprightnesse which the Law requireth whether it be in us or no. The comparison sheweth that we are not such as the Law requireth for the Law requireth a perfect love of God in us there is a hatred and back-sliding from God The Law requireth a perfect love of our neighbour in us there is a hate of our neighbour So then out of the Law is knowne the former part of our misery I mean our corruption whereof the Scripture elsewhere convicteth us How we do apply the curse of the Law to our selves The application of the curse of the Law unto our selves is made by the framing of a Syllogisme practicall that is assuming and inferring our action whose Major or former proposition is the voice of the Law thus Cursed is he who continueth not in all which is written in the book of the Law to doe them Conscience prompteth and telleth us the Minor or latter proposition thus I have not continued c. The conclusion or shutting up of all is the allowing and approving of the sentence of the Law thus Therefore I am accursed Every mans conscience frameth such a Syllogisme nay every mans conscience is nothing else but such a practicall Syllogisme Conscience a practicall Syllogisme formed in his mind and understanding whose Major is the Law of God the Minor is the pondering and weighing of our fact which is contrary to the Law The Conclusion is the approving of the sentence of the Law condemning us for our sin which approbation grief and despaire follow at the heeles unlesse the comfort of the Gospel interpose it selfe and we perceive the remission of our sins purchased by the Son of God our Mediatour In this sort the guilt of eternall malediction which is the second part of our misery is disclosed unto us by the Law For we are all convicted by this reason and argument The Law bindeth all men to obedience or if they performe it not to everlasting punishment and malediction But no man performeth this obedience Therefore the Law bindeth all men to eternall malediction On the third Sabbath Quest 6. Did God then make man so wicked and perverse Answ Not so But rather he made him good a Gen. 1.31 and to his owne Image b Gen. 6.26 27. Ephes 4.24 Col. 3.10 that is endued with true righteousnesse and holinesse that he might rightly know God his Creatour and heartily love him and live with him blessed for ever and that to laud and magnifie him c 2 Cor. 3.18 The Explication HAving hitherto laid downe and proved this Proposition Mans nature is subject unto sin the next question to be discussed is Whether it were so created by God And if not so What manner of nature was created in man by God And Whence sin entred and set foot in man Wherefore the Common place of the Creation of man and of the Image of God in man is hitherto duly referred Here also we are to make an Antithesis or comparison of mans originall excellency before his
fall and his originall misery since the same for these causes 1. That the cause and fountain of our misery being discovered it might not be imputed unto God 2. That the greatnesse of our misery might the more appeare For look how much more open and eminent our originall excellency is unto us so much more obvious and evident is our misery as also the benefit of our delivery is so much the more precious and honourable in our eyes by how much the greatnesse of the evils whence we are freed is more apparent OF THE CREATION OF MAN The speciall points touching mans Creation are 1 What manner of creature man was made by GOD. 2 To what end man was made by GOD. 1 What manner of creature man was made by God THis question is proposed even for the same causes for which the whole place it selfe is namely 1. That it may appear how man was created by God without sin and that therefore God is not the author of our sin corruption and misery 2. That we may perceive from what a heighth of dignity and honour into how deep a gulfe of wretchednesse and misery we are plunged through sin and thence may acknowledge the tender mercy and compassion of God who vouchsafeth to hale and pull us out of the same 3. That we further acknowledge our thankefulnesse for benefits heretofore received and our unworthinesse of receiving any heretofore 4. That wee may the more earnestly thirst after the recovery of the dignity and happinesse wee have lost and seeke it in Christ 5. That we may be thankefull unto God for the restoring of it Now what manner of creature man was fashioned by God in the beginning is shewed in the Answer of this sixth Question where it is said He made him good and to his own Image c. Which words require a more ample declaration Man therefore was created by God on the sixth day of the Creation of the world consisting of body and soule 1. His body was fashioned of a masse or lump of earth immortall if he stood still in righteousnesse mortall if he fell for mortality ensued on sin as a punishment thereof 2. His soule was made of nothing but immediatly inspired by God into his body and was an incorporeall substance understanding and imortall God breathed in his face breath of life Gen. 2.7 and man was made a living soule This was by God infused and united to an instrumentall body to inform or quicken it and together with it to make one person or Subsistent namely man to worke certain motions and actions proper unto man both externall and internall in the body and without the body by the ministry of the body and without the ministry of the body just holy and pleasing unto God 3. After the Image of God that is perfectly good wise just holy blessed and sole soveraigne of the creatures Of this Image of God in man more shall hereafter be spoken 2 To what end man was created THE Catechisme maketh answer That he might rightly know God his Creator and heartily love him and live with him blessed for ever and that to laud and magnifie his name Wherefore the last and principall end of mans creation is The glory and praise of God The glory and praise of God For God therefore created reasonable creatures Angels and men that being knowne of them he might be magnified for ever Man therefore was principally created to the knowledge and worship of God that is to the profession and invocation of his Name to praise and thankesgiving to love and obedience which consisteth in the performance of those duties which concern God and man For the worship of God comprehendeth in it all these Obj. Heaven earth and other creatures void of reason Psal 19. 146. are said to worship and magnifie God therefore the worship and praise of God is not the proper end why man was created Ans This reason hath a fallacy of equivocation or ambiguity Creatures void of reason are said to worship and praise God not that they understand ought of God or know and worship him but because they bearing certain prints and stamps of Divinity in them are the matter of Gods praise and worship which is properly performed by reasonable creatures For Angels and men by the beholding and contemplation of these Gods works disery in them the infinite goodnesse wisdome power justice bounty and majesty of God Rom. 1. 20. and are raised and stirred up to magnifie God by these his creatures And if God had not formed creatures of reason and understanding who might behold consider and with thankfull mind acknowledge his works and the order and disposing of things in whole nature other things which are void of reason might no more be said to praise and worship God that is to be the matter and occasion of praising him then if they never had bin at all Therefore that which David saith is spoken by the figure Prosopoeia or counterfeiting of some other person under that which is presented as Praise the Lord ye heavens sea and earth c. That is let Angels and men at the sight and view of these Gods creatures take occasion of lauding and magnifying his Name Many other ends are subordinated to this principall end For unto Gods worship is substituted The knowledge of God The true knowledge of him For God not being known cannot be worshipped And it is the proper work of man wherein eternall life consisteth to know and worship God aright This is everlasting life that they may know thee alone to be the true God John 17.3 To the knowledge of God is subordinate or next in order Mans felicity The felicity and blessednesse of man which is the fruition and everlasting participation of God and heavently blessings For out of these appeareth the goodnesse mercy and power of God Obj. The felicity and blessedness of man his knowledge and worship of God are qualities and properties in which or with which man was created that is they are a part of the Image of God and the forme or proper nature of man Therefore they belong unto the first Question which was What man was created and not to this Of the end of mans creation Answ They are a part of mans form and nature and they are mans end in a diverse respect in which there is no contrariety For God made man such a creature as being blessed and happy should know and worship him aright and again he made him to this end that thenceforth for ever he might be acknowledged and magnified by him and might continually communicate himself with all his graces blessings unto him Wherefore man was created happy holy and religious and â—â—us was his form which he received in the Creation and moreover he was so created that he should so continue for ever and this was his end Therefore both these are fitly spoken to wit that man both is created holy
And thou preservest them all I forme the light and create darknes I make peace and create evill I the Lord doe all these things Wisedome reacheth from one end to another mightily and comely doth shee order all things Gods particular providence over creatures renewed with reason Ge. 45.8 50.20 Exod. 4.11 Jos 11.6 21.45 2 Sam. 16.10 1 Kings 22.20 Pro. 21.1 19.14 22.14 Esay 10.5 Lament 2.37 Dan. 4.32 Of the speciall providence of God over reasonable creatures the history of Joseph yeeldeth us notable testimonies Ye sent mee not hither but God When ye thought evill against mee God disposed it to good Likewise the indurating and hardening of Pharaoh Exod. 3.4 7 8 9 10 14. Who hath given the mouth to man or who hath made the dumbe or the deafe or him that seeth Have not I the Lord Therefore goe now and I will be with thy mouth The Lord said unto Josuah Be not affraid for them for to morrow about this time I will deliver them all slaine before Israel There failed nothing of all the good things which the Lord had said unto the house of Israel but all came to passe The Lord hath bidden him curse David Who shall entise Ahab that he may goe and fall at Ramoth Gilead and so forth Thou shalt entise and shalt also prevaile The Kings heart is in the hand of the Lord he turneth it whither-soever it pleaseth him A prudent wife cometh of the Lord. The mouth of strange women is as a deep pit He with whom the Lord is angry shall fall therein Likewise the Lord calleth the King of the Assyrians the rod of his fury Who is he then that saith and it commeth to passe and the Lord commandeth it not According to his will he worketh in the army of heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand nor say unto him What doest thou Herod and Pontius Pilate Acts 4.27 with the Gentiles and the people of Israel gathered themselves together to doe whatsoever thine hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done His providence over creatures voide of reason Psal 34.20 Job 37. Psa 104. 134.7 Gen. 8.1 Psal 147.8 9. Mat. 6.20 30. Of his providence in creatures which are without reason whether they bee living or not living testimonies are extant every where in the Sacred Scriptures The Lord keepeth all the just mans bones Likewise Hee bringeth up the clouds from the ends of the earth and maketh the lightnings with the raine hee draweth forth the winde out of his treasures God remembred Noah and made a winde to passe upon the earth Which giveth to beasts their food and to the young Ravens that cry Your heavenly Father feedeth the fowles of the aire If God so clothe the grasse of the field shall hee not doe much more unto you 4. Of the providence of God governing things contingent fortuâ—ing and casuall these places of Scripture speake If a man hath not laid wait 2. His providence over things casuall fortuning Exod. 21.11 Mat. 10.21 30 Joâ— 1.21 Prov. 16.33 Josua 7. but God hath offered him into his hand then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father Yea and all the haires of your head are numbred The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken it blessed be the Lords Name The lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is of the Lord. Thus God openeth the theft of Achan by lot Gods providence in necessary events John 19.36 Exod 12.46 Luke 24.46 Marke 18.7 Mat. 24 2â— John 10 2â— Two necessities depending on Gods decree Job 37.5 6 9 10. Job 38.27 28 32. Psal 104.13 14 15. Of Gods providence in necessary events if their necessity depend on the decree of God revealed in his word we have these evidences These things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled Not a bone of him shall be broken Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead the third day It must needs be that offences shall come If it were possible they should deceive the very Elect. My sheep shal never perish neither shall any pluck them out of mine hand If their necessity depend on the order settled by God in nature that iâ— on naturall causes working by a naturall necessity we have also these proofes thereof God thundreth marvellously with his voice he saith to the snow Be thou upon the earth likewise to the small raine and to the raine of his power The whirle wind cometh out of the South and the cold from the North-wind At the breath of God the frost is given He causeth the bud of the herbe to spring forth by raine he begetteth the deaw the frost the ice he bringeth forth Mazzaroth in their time he guideth Arcturus he guideth the motions of heaven and effectually worketh by them in these lower regions Hee watereth the mountaines from his chambers and the earth is filled with the fruit of thy workes He causeth the grasse to grow for the cattell and herbe for the use of man that he maâ— bring forth bread out of the earth and wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oyle to make the face to shine and bread that strengtheneth mans heart He appointed the Moone for certaine seasons the Sun knoweth his going downe Thou makest darknesse and it is night To those testimonies of Scripture which ratifie Gods providence in such necessary events as depend on his decree revealed in his word those places also may be added which confirme the resurrection and raising again from the dead of those bodies which we carry about with us in this life as Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body Genes 3. Job 10. according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe This corruptible must put on incorruption and this morâ—all must put on immortality For seeing we see the substance of our bodies to be so many waies changed and scattered after death when as they are moldred into dust it followeth therefore necessarily that there is a providence of God which taketh a most strait and exact care even of the smallest dust whereby the substance of out bodies so often altered and dissipated into infinite formes and parts is againe in such wise to be recollected gathered together and reduced to their first masse and forme as that not other but the selfe same bodies which wee have in this life shall rise againe Against these places of Scripture alledged some make exception That the examples whereof these places speake are particular and propheticall events administred by the speciall counsell of God and that therefore there may not be framed a generall rule universally extending to all events But against
these we returne a threefold answer For 1. The like causes are found in all events for which the Scripture affirmeth those events afore recited to have beene done or to be done by the counsell and decree of God namely the glory of God and the safety of his chosen The causes therefore of all events being like we are to judge alike of all For all wise men confesse that a generall is well gathered out of the enumeration or numbring of many singulars or particulars then when as there cannot be alledged any different or unlike example Neither doth any of the godly and such as conceive aright of the immeasurable wisedome of God deny that God hath most good reason for all things which are done albeit they are not known to us whereby all things are referred to those two last ends Wherefore those things which God hath not fore-told or hath not by the speciall testimony of his word shewed to be done by his will are no lesse to be thought to depend upon his secret government than those things which he hath by plaine words expressed that himself either would doe hereafter or before had done 2. We see the Scripture it self not only to attribute the particular events of all both specials and generals unto Gods providence but further to transferre and apply the same to all the specials and generals which it speaketh of singular and particular examples Wherefore the Scripture will have the same also to be understood of all individuals and singulars For Gen. 8.1 Psal 135.7 John 9.3 Exod. 4.11 2 Sam. 17.14 Psal 53. 1 Kings 174. Mat. 10.29 As God brought the winde upon the earth so doth he bring the winde out of his treasures As he would that he of whom it is spoken should be borne blinde so doth he make the deafe and the dumbe him that seeth and the blinde As he destroyeth the counsell of Achitophel so he frustrateth the counsels of the Gentiles As he commanded the Ravens to feed Elias so one Sparrow falleth not to the ground without him As Christ could not be taken before the time appointed by God so can no evill happen to any of us but at such time and place and such manner as pleaseth God For therefore doth the Scripture to teach us how to collect and gather recount so many examples of Gods providence 3. There are also places of Scripture wherein the general referring of all things to the providence of God is plainly expressed or is signified by a Synecdoche which figure of speech we use when we signifie the whole by a part or a part by rhe whole or by the comparing of lesser things with greater or greater with lesser Ezek. 12.25 The things that I shall speake shall come to passe And God speaketh not only those things which he revealeth unto us but whatsoever also from everlasting he hath decreed and purposed with himself Infinite almost are the testimonies which demonstrate that the providence of God extendeth it self to all things but these now shall easily suffice For by these verily it is apparent That even every the least and smallest thing both good and bad is ruled by the providence of God yet in such wise as that those things that partake of the nature of good are not only done according to the providence of God that is God not willing neither commanding nor working them but permitting by his providence and directing them unto the ends by him appointed but also by the providence of God as the cause but those thigns which are evill are done according to the providence but not by the providence of God that is God willing commanding and working them For all good things are done God willing them evill God permitting And God willeth those things by his will which he liketh worketh and commandeth He permitteth those things which he neither liketh nor commandeth nor worketh nor furthereth but which he condemneth forbiddeth and punisheth That appeareth especially out of those testimonies which are alledged concerning reasonable creatures For they shew that all reasonable creatures both Angels and men and those both good and bad are ruled and governed by Gods providence but so that whatsoever good is in them that is from God himself who worketh this in reasonable creatures but whatsoever ill is in them is of themselves being by nature evill not of God who is most good All good things God himself worketh in reasonable creatures but evill things he permitteth in respect of other things that are good The reasons and arguments to prove things to be done by the providence of God The reasons whereby is demonstrated That the providence of God extendeth it selfe to all things are almost the same with those which prove that there is a providence of God Gods omnipotency Nothing can be done without his will who is omnipotent Therefore nothing can be done God simply not willing it because he is omnipotent Wherefore whatsoever is done in the world that must needs be done God willing it either simply as God simply willeth good things or after a sort as hee in some sort willeth even those things which are evill His wisedome It is proper to him that is most wise not to suffer any thing which is in his power to be done without his will and counsell And how much the wiser he is so much the more largely doth his government extend it selfe But God is a governour infinitely wise Isa 40 2â— and hath in his power all things Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel My way is hid from the Lord and my judgment is passed over of my God Therefore he suffereth nothing to come to passe without his certain and determined counsell And further if the number of things were infinite yet were God sufficient for the administring of them seeing he is of an exceeding and infinite wisdome And therefore he easily taketh care of all things that are created which although they be many yet in themselves and most of all in respect of Gods infinite wisedome they are finite and limited God willeth the ends of all things He that willeth the end or consequent of any thing or event he willeth also the meanes or antecedent of that event whereby the end is come unto But GOD willeth the ends of all things and events whether good or bad Therefore he willeth universally all things which are and are done if not simply yet in some sort and respect For whatsoever things are or are done in the world either they are the end and consequent or the antecedent and meane whereby to attaine unto the end The Major is manifest The Minor is thus proved God will that is good But of all things there are some ends most good otherwise God by reason of his immense goodnesse would not permit them to be done Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake yea even the wicked for the day of evill Therefore the