teach theÌ„ to sing some short psalmes as the 117. the 131.133 and such like as they are in English meter CAP. 2. The second order of instruction for the opening of the vnderstanding This order is best from sixe yeare olde and vpwards in some capacities before and for such as are ignoraÌ„t of what age so euer AFter that they can handsomely do these things then this catechisme following will be most necessarie for the opening of their vnderstanding where the master of the house must not binde the learner to the very words as before here set downe but so teach as euery time he repeateth any question there may bee some little difference in his wordes And for that cause I will shewe him diuers formes of speaking in some of the most needefull pointes teaching the meaning of one poynt which a childe or young man will quickelie conceiue and by the variation be able to vnderstand and beare away and to answer with his own words in diuers sortes at diuers times and all to one sense The Catechisme for the second order b Or thus How many Gods are there But one only and three persons c. VVHat thinkest thou of God I beleeue there is one God and three persons God the Father God the Sonne and God the holy Ghost c Was there not a time wheÌ„ there was neither heaueÌ„ nor earth c. Yea How did they begin God created them by his word c. How came the World God made all things of nothing in sixe dayes In what day made he man The sixt day Was the woman made the same daye Both man and woman were made in one daye How were they made God made man of the dust of the grounde and breathed in his face the breath of life and the man was a liuing soule that is a liuely creature hauing bodie and soule After God cast Adam into an heauie sleepe and tooke out one of his ribbes and closed vp the flesh and of that rib hee made the woman so there was man and woman the mans name was Adam and the womans Eue. Was man made any whit more excellent then other creatures Yes in two things he was made after Gods image and clothed with happines What was that image of God Knowledge holines and righteousnes What was the happines He was made Lord ouer the creatures and being naked was not ashamed What did God with man after hee had thus made him Hee set him in a most pleasant place of the world called the garden of Eden appoynted him to keepe and dresse the garden gaue him leaue to eate of all the trees in the garden sauing one called The tree of knowledge of good and euill and if he eate of that tree he should die the death What death Of bodie and soule Was there not another tree of speciall name Yes the tree of life which was a Sacramentall signe that if man continued in his vprightnes he should liue for euer d If AdaÌ„ were made good and happie how came wickedneâ— and punishments By eating the forbiddeÌ„ fruit sinne shame damnation and all other miseries came vpon mankinde Did man continue in his vprightnes No for the diuell abusing the bodie of a serpent tempted the woman Eue and shee did eate of the forbidden fruite and she gaue Adam and he did eate and then they were ashamed And so Adam and Eue and all mankinde were dead in sinne and vnder damnation of bodie and soule e How shall we 〈◊〉 deliuered 〈◊〉 How shall we escape sinne and damnation Onely by Iesus Christ f 〈◊〉 â—â—leefe in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was he 〈◊〉 Of God 〈…〉 â—â—man Of â—â—ngin Ma 〈◊〉 If Mary 〈◊〉 this Moâ—er who was 〈◊〉 He as â—uching his Godhead and she touching his manhood What is Christ He is the eternall sonne of God made man that is perfect God and perfect man What did he for vs to saue our soules Hee died and shed his most precious blood to redeeme vs from our sinnes Is it not possible for a man to liue so iustly and vprightly that he may g Deserue or merit obtaine his owne saluation by well doing No man hath such a gift or power Why Because no man can keepe al the commandements of God if we breake any one we be guiltie of all How shall we doe then If we beleeue in Iesus Christ we shall be saued All All doe not beleeue What neede we then care to do h To liue honestly or godly good works We must doe good works because they are commanded by God and it is our duetie to obey him that made and saued vs wee ought to bee thankefull and to glorifie him and to declare our faith by our workes for the good ensample of others and for many other necessarie vses How are we saued by Christ seeing we die daylie This bodily death is but the parting of the soule from the bodie for a time but the bodie shall rise againe euen as Christ rose the third day for at the last day when Christ shall come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead all that beleeue in him shall rise againe vnto euerlasting life and all other to euerlasting damnation How come we to know these things God sendeth his word to bee preached vnto vs. Doe all beleeue who heare the worde None but they whose hearts are opened by his holy spirit Are there no other helps of i Beleese faith Many as the experience of all Gods doings according to his word and namely in tribulation the exercise of all good works and especially the right vse of the seales of the promise which are commonly called Sacraments Which be they Baptisme and the Lords Supper What is to be seene in them The outward signe as water bread and wine and the signification which is the * The death or promise of Christ the benefits of Christes death grace of Christ Wherefore bee children baptized with water In token that their sinnes are washed away by the blood of Christ Why doe men receiue the bread and wine in the Communion In token that Christ gaue his bodie and blood for our redemption Are they onely tokens or bare signes No they are also as seales to assure vs of the grace of Christ and his last will How doe Baptisme and the Lordes supper differ Baptisme is outwardly with water and the Lordes Supper with bread and wine secondly Baptisme signifieth the washing of our sinnes to enter vs into the Church the Lords Supper is for the strengthening of our faith thirdly Baptisme is once signifying that wee which are by nature the children of wrath are once borne in Christ to be Gods children but the Lords Supper is often signifying by eating bread and drinking wine the davly nourishing of our faith in and by Christ that wee may continually grow stronger and stronger vnto eternall life What is eternall life To liue with God and to bee partakers of his glorie for euer
and cause thē to shew it him againe Christ teacheth Nichodemus after many other argumentes to vnderstand the doctrine of regeneration spoken of vers 3. by the cause namely by the first and principall cause which is a God God in whom there is rehearsed no b So loued outwarde cause to moue him but onely that of his owne goodnes his singular loue did this worke namely hee loued c The world the world which by no meanes had deserued it The greatnes of which loue is shewed by the d He gaue worke that he gaue his sonne not purchased by any prayers merits or rewarde of ours but of his free gift And e His sonne what gaue he the earth the heauen cattell infinit treasures heauenly spirits Nothing so yea rather that which excelleth al these things euen his sonne And what f Onely begotten sonne an adopted sonne or counterfeit sonne No but his only begotten sonne And g Not perish but haue eternall life why did hee giue him that we should bestow any thing vpon him or that wee can doe any thing for him Least of all but that he might deliuer vs from euerlasting perdition and giue vs eternall life Vpon what h Whosoeuer beleeueth in l.im. condition that we should do all his lawe and satisfie by contrition pilgrimage or workes of condignitie or supererrogation No such thing but whosoeuer beleeueth in him So that wee with Nichodemus may learne that God giuing his sonne of his singular loue doth work this new birth when by the preaching of the Gospell the spirit frameth in vs faith in Christ and when by faith he maketh vs partakers of euerlasting saluation then doe we enter into the kingdome of heauen And so it is expounded by the a Tit. 3.5.6.7 Apostle God of his mercie saueth vs by the new birth which is shed vpon vs thorow Christ that being iustified by his grace wee may bee made heires thorow hope of eternall life Now there are in these wordes certaine things to bee further explaned that seeing their meaning more cleerely wee may more fitly gather out the seuerall braunches of doctrine First in this word * Loued what loued I vnderstand the goodnes of God according to his eternall decree which is called b Eph. 1.5 The good pleasure of his will As the c Esay 53.10 Prophet also sayth The Lord would breake him c. Secondly I vnderstand this word * World what world for the vniuersall and whole mankinde according to the couenant of God made vnto d Gen. 12.3 which is expounded before Abraham namely that hee loued both Iewes and Gentiles as is plainly taught Rom. 3.29.30 Yet e Reade Deut. 10.14.15 Rom. 9.7.8 Acts. 10.34.35.43 euery particular and singuler person is not meant thereby as Christ expoundeth himselfe when he addeth this limitation that whosoeuer beleeueth c. Thirdly this word * Perish what perish signifieth the miserable condition of mankinde in himselfe by sinne yet when hee sayth should not perish he meaneth not that in this world wee should not dye for a time but that f Ioh. 11 25.26 although we be dead we should be quickened and rise againe vnto eternall life Neither doe I thinke that this bodily death is that death which was threatned to g Gen. 2.17 Adam which is properly the death h Eph. 2.1 in sinne and to bee banished from the presence of God as was Adam Gen. 3. Therefore this is our life to bee i 1. Pet. 3.18 brought by Christ vnto GOD to k Psal 16.11 enioy whose presence is euerlasting life it selfe The summe then is this The free good will of God hath giuen his onely begotten sonne vnto all mankinde that whomsoeuer hee by his spirit thorow hearing the Gospell dooth regenerate and make to beleeue should bee deliuered from eternall death in sinne and obtaine the euerlasting glorie of God As I haue been somewhat longer in opening this most worthie place Direction to the gouernour of the house so I finde here a most large field of Catechisme Where I will obserue this order for the direction of the gouernour of the house whom I perswade my selfe by that time he hath beaten the former Catechismes into his peoples heads shal perceiue them better able to receiue stronger meate I will shewe the manifest beautie of this sentence as a most goodly tree where the master shall guide his folke to gather very many kindes of fruites to the comfortable feeding and nourishing of the soule and how to discerne by the good fruite that which is euill First therefore the doctrines shall offer themselues out of this sentence with most sweete comforts annexed vnto them and in the second place mine hand shall poynt out vnto him how he may descrie vnto his familie the errors contrary vnto the same Vnto euery doctrine I will adde some one place of Scripture for the further enlightning of their vnderstanding The doctrines 1. 1 This is shewed out of the whole sway of the text especially in the words loued gaue and the end of giuing which shewe his liuely working towards his creatures preseruation c. and so would hee bee knowne Exod. 34.6 Malac. 1.2 1. Ioh. 4.16 Psalm 9.16 God is euerliuing the most holy creator and wise gouernour and Sauiour of the world 2. 2 This is expressed sauing of the holie Ghost which is shewed by the effect beleeue which is set for his cause vers 5.1 Ioh 5.7 In this one God are three distinct persons God the Father God the Sonne God the holy Ghost Here he must begin to shewe the distinction of the persons thus 3. 3 This is in a manner expressed sauing of the holy Ghost reade Ioh 15.16 The Father begetteth the Sonne begottē the holy Ghost proceedeth from thē both 4. 4 The beginning of the father to loue and send c. the dispensation it is done by the Son the perfection the holy Ghost worketh faith c. the like Gen. 1.1 Tit. 3.6.7 Heb. 1.2 1. Cor. 12.11 The beginning of euery action is giuen to the Father the dispensation to the Sonne the perfection or consummation to the holy Ghost 5. 5 Made man is in the word gaue for by incarnatiō he was giuen Ioh. 1.14 Mat. 1. all the rest is clecre enough The person and office of Christ person Christ is the onely begotten sonne of GOD made man his office he is our Sauiour 6. 6 1. Pet. 2.9.10 The estate of mankinde by Adams fall is here shewed for vnlesse God had giuen his onely begotten sonne we had perished 7. 7 Eph 1.5.6.7.8.9.10 and cap. 4.11.12 The causes of our saluation and their concurrence and proceeding first the good pleasure of Gods will who freely loueth vs the first cause secondly the matter or meanes he vseth Christ by his incarnation suffering c. thirdly the ioyning of these causes into his forme that is
truth iustice and mercie For it is written as a thing that faith not m Galat. 6.7 Whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape Hoping therefore that such as bee wise in heart will earnestly follow my counsaile and carefully stirre vp others to the same I will hasten to the matter it selfe by which euery one may bee as I hope greatly guided in the performance of the same I beseech almightie God of his infinit mercie in Iesus Christ to prosper this our godly purpose to his glorie and comfort of his people His glorious name be praised for euer Amen Your faithfull seruant in Christ Iesus Iosias Nichols The Booke to the Householder COme buy me but passe not by me for by me thou shalt winne To light thy people by my light to trauell light from sinne The word with words of trueth and ioy doth shew his word by me A way which if thou way it waies thee to felicitie Two houres each weeke sixe monthes to stay with thee no more I begge To stay thy people on that stay which hell gates cannot wagge Then trie how trie my triall is if God doe helpe with grace Both man and child as wit doth grow shall see the heauenly place Yet know that knowledge and no more by thee to thine I giue The spirit of Christ pray thou therefore workes faith that thou maist liue And as by proofe thou proues me true to proue the thing I say So double time for double gaine and grant me longer stay An order of houshold instruction by which euery master of a familie may easilie and in short space make his whole houshold vnderstand the principall and chiefe poyntes of Christian religion without the knowledge whereof no man can be saued The first booke CAP. 1. The first order of instruction IN this order some things are for the young tender yeres and some for yeres of greater capacitie for confirmation and helpes till they may bee grounded in the principles with good vnderstanding to giue a reckoning of their faith by the holy Scriptures First from the time that children speake it is good to drop in this good licour of heauenly doctrine For as Salomon saith a Prou. 22.6 Teach a childe the trade of his waye and when hee is olde hee shall not depart from it The first order from the time that children can speake Therefore from that time it shall bee good to teach them as the manner of all christians is to say without book distinctly The Lords prayer the Creede and the ten Commaundements And as hee perceiueth their capacitie to growe to droppe into them by familiar wordes the name of God how hee made vs the name of Christ how hee shed his blood for vs the name of the holy Ghost who sanctifieth vs and that there is but one God and three persons c. Also the name of death that for sinne all men die and the name of the resurrection that through Christ we shall liue againe in heauen alwaies applying himselfe with tearmes to their capacitie and alluring the childe to the feeling and loue of God of Christ and of eternall life and to the hatred of sinne as by saying and causing the childe to say God loueth vs for he made vs and giueth vs all things as our meate drinke apparell c. God loueth vs for he gaue Christ to die for our soules God loueth vs for he giueth vs life after we he dead in heauen We must not doe sinne and Wickednes for it bringeth paine sicknes death c. Then the capacitie encreasing make them pronounce how many petitions in the Lords praier and which they be how many cōmandements which they be til they can tell you euery one being asked sodainely out of order as the tenth the fourth the seuenth c. After that they haue been thus trayned a while and can answer as children readily to these then let them learne that short Catechisme without booke which beginneth after this sorte Who made thee God What is God he is almightie c. Wherefore did he make thee to serue him c. Which may be bought for the valew of a pennie in the bookesellers shops After all this teach them some short stories and sentences of holy Scripture stories such as these Gen. 4. vers 2. the trade sacrifice and death of Abel Gen. 11.1 the building and ouerthrow of Babel Mark 10.13 Christ receiueth children and blesseth them Now some stories may bee taught them worde for worde as in the text such is that of Elisha 2. King 2. vers 23.24 onely adding the Prophets name which is verse 22. and in the end of this storie teach them the vse Children may not mocke Some stories must be gathered more short then the text as that of Dinah Gen. 34. Dinah the daughter of Iacob went out to see the maides of the countrie and one Shechem sonne of Hamor Lord of that countrie saw her and defiled her and for this cause Simeon and Leui slew Shechem and all the towne with the edge of the sworde The vse Maides must not wander or goe a gadding The sentences may be such as these are Prouerbs 29.15 The rod and correction giue wisdome but a childe set at libertie maketh his mother ashamed Mark 8.36 What shall it profit a man though hee should win the whole world if he loose his owne soule Luk. 9.10 The sonne of man is come to seeke and to saue that which is lost Then teach them an ensample of euerie commaundement to the sence of this following The first commaundement brake Ahab taking Baal for his God 1. King 18.21 or 1. King 16.31 The second Ieroboam that worshipped golden calues 1. King 12.28 The third an Israelitish womans sonne striuing with a man of Israel blasphemed the name of the Lord and cursed Leuit. 24.10.11 The fourth one that gathered sticks on the Sabbath day Numb 15.32 The fift Absalom who rebelled against his father 2. Sam. 15. The sixt Cain who slew Abel Gen. 4.8 The seuenth a Leuites Concubine who played the whore Iudg. 19.1.2 The eyght the Shabeans tooke away Iobs oxen and asses Iob. 1.14.15 Ninth Potiphars wife falsely accused Ioseph Gen. 39.17 Tenth Ahab lusteth for Naboths vineyard 1. King 21.2 And in all these it will not bee amisse to cause the learner to repeate without booke the places where all the stories and sentences are written and herein the teacher may vse his discretion to teach them more or lesse of like sort and easines so that hee ouercharge them not at any one time but let them as it were creepe vpon them by often repeating and he shall finde that a little childe will beare very much more then a man that hath not tried would beleeue And if he cause them to learne without booke the 1.15.112.127 and 128. Psalmes or some of them they will no doubt worke very godly impressions in the tender minds And it is a good recreation to quicken them to
faith apprehending Christ wrought by preaching thorow the spirite Lastly the thing for men euerlasting life 8. Here is taught who are saued 8 This Christ so expoundeth in the next verses and cap. 6.40.53 those onely who beleeue which is not to beleeue there is a God or that God made the worlde c. which yet are necessarie but to beleeue in him that is in Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God 9. Our saluation is most free certaine 9 It dependeth vpō Gods loue Ioh. 13.1 T it 1.2 10. 10 In the worde giue Eph 2.8 Our saluation is of the free grace of God without our deseruing 11. 11 This is seen in his person aboue all sacrificers Heb. 10.11.12.13 Our Saluation is perfectly wrought by Christ alone 12. 12 1. Pet. 2.6 7.8 Mat. 7.13 Mar. 16.16 There are two waies of mens life by the decree of God some by beleefe in Christ shall be saued some for vnbeleefe shall perish 13. There is a double life 13 Heb. 9.27 1. Thess 4.14 Matth. 25. and a double death one of the body onely and the other of bodie and soule 14. 14 Matt. 16.18 Mark 16.16 1. Ioh. 1.3 Eph. 4.15.16 Here is the catholike Churche the communion of Saintes remission of sinnes resurrection of the bodie and life euerlasting taught For the catholike Church is of all that beleeue in Christ the communion is our fellowship with God in Christ thorow the spirit in the vse of all his giftes or there is one God one Christ one faith and one saluation to all Remission of sinnes the resurrection of the bodie are part of those giftes which are shadowed is this eternall life for by forgiuenes of sinnes and the resurrection of the bodie wee come to eternall life 15. 15 1. Ioh. 4.11.19 1. Cor. 6.11.20 This place is most strong to teache men to liue godly soberly and righteously in this present world for what may more moue then the free loue of God the great price of our saluation the onely begotten sonne of God the order of our calling by the spirite to be regenerate vnto faith and lastly the saluation it selfe which is to bee deliuered from sinne 16. 16 This is taught Rom. 4 11. cap 6 2 3. 1. Cor. 10.16 You may ioyne vnto these though not expressed in the text as the rest That the Sacraments are signes to teach vs as seales to applie vnto vs this doctrine Comforts out of this doctrine HEre is the place to explaine the sweete comfortes of this doctrine which I may terme the pleasant taste of these good fruites which I desire that euery Master would carefully and painefully drop into his familie that they may taste how good the Lorde is and feele that they knowe for this will mightelie worke towards faith so that his labour shall be ioyfull in the ende The comforts are gathered by the consideratiō of the persons meditation of the things Comforts by the consideration of the persons 1. 1 Psal 23.1 Rom. 8.31.32 Eph. 1.13.14 Beholde here the great loue of the almightie and glorious God the loue of Christ his sonne and of the holy Ghost What was greater in God then his sonne That hee gaue for to vs. What is greater in the sonne then himselfe That he bestowed vpon vs. What is more precious then the power and goodnes of the spirit that hee powreth into vs renewing and endowing vs with faith and sanctification O how vnspeakeable is the goodnes of God for the assurance of our saluation so that no man can doubt but euery soule that knoweth and feeleth these things must needs reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious 2. 2 Rom. 5 6.7 8.9.10 1. Ioh. 4.9.10 Marke who they bee vpon whom this glorious God bestoweth this great gift vpon the world euen vs men who hauing offended him by sinne are his enemies by euill mindes and are weake being able to doe nothing to recompense him or to comfort or helpe our selues but he chooseth vs he redeemeth vs he sanctifieth vs he glorifieth vs. Must not this being well wayed make vs burst out with the blessed virgin a Luk. 1.46 My soule doth magnifie the Lorde and my spirite reioyceth in God my sauiour Comfort by the meditation of the things 3. 3 Eph. 2.1.2.3.4.5.6 1. Pet. 2.9.10 cap. 1.3.4.5 Coloss 1.12.13 Reuel 1 5.6 Philip. 3.20 2. Tim. 4.8 Call to minde in what miserie danger and wofull condition we be of ourselues into what happines freedome and blessed estate we bee brought by Gods loue in Christ from sinne from death from hell from the curse of the lawe from the power of Sathan from the wrath of God and eternall corruption anguish and searefull sorrow into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God to immortalitie and in corruption to the crowne of righteousnes and to be the sonnes and daughters of God heyres of the kingdome of Heauen to the fulnes of ioyes in the presence of God for euermore Mine heart cannot conceiue my pen cannot write the vnsearcheable riches of Christ the price of this pearle for which a man would sell all that he hath And this is freely giuen vs perfectly wrought for vs assuredly kept for vs how may we triumph and glorie in our God Reioyce in the Lorde alway and againe I say reioyce When the soule is thus seasoned with the taste of this heauenly doctrine Admonition to the householder then may the Master of the familie boldlie descrie vnto them the errors which are contrarie to these trueths And this he shall finde a perfect rule that the true doctrine being once vprightly taught whatsoeuer is not agreeing thereunto is falsehood and to be auoyded as a Epist 2. ver 9 Iohn teacheth Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God Now the errors are infinite as there are many by-waies and but one true waie So b Eccles 7.31 God made man righteous but they haue found out many inuentions I will name but a fewe in comparison yet so many as I would the Master of the house should vse discretion in rehearsing of them to his familie namely some fewe at once and so it wil much further them euen as by all contraries euery good thing is the more perceiued felt and esteemed In repeating of these he must rehearse the true doctrine and so compare them together that they may perceiue this to bee contrary to that as light vnto darknes And therefore by figures answering to the doctrines I wil shew him which are contrarie to each other and with a little heede taking and attention hee shall finde it easie The errors and heresies contrarie to the good doctrine 1. THe first doctrine condemneth all these i. the Atheists of whom Psal 14.1 Secondly the Philosophers who make God to bee idle and not to haue care of the world thirdly the gentiles who turned the glory of the incorruptible God
saluation expressely and some to damnation by consequent Iud vers 4. Pro. 16.4 1. Pet. 2.8 The performance of this predestination is by election in Christ expressely by reprobation from Christ by consequent such as refuse Christ Ioh. 8.42.43.47 CAP. 4. Of the execution of Gods decree Psalm 33.6.7.8.9.10.11 The execution of Gods decree is that he performeth his eternal purpose by creating all things vers 6.7.8 By gouerning all things in their times seasons vers 10.11 CAP. 5. Of the creation Gen. chap. 1. and chap. 2. These two chapters teach vs. 1. God made all things by his word of nothing 2. In sixe daies 3. Man in the sixt day 4. God made man and woman that is male and female in one day cap. 1.26.27 5. God made man of the dust of the earth touching his body and breathed in him his soule so he had both body soule cap. 2.7 6. The woman was made of the man God cast him in a deepe sleepe took out one of his ribbes and closed vp the flesh and of the ribbe made the womā the mans name was Adam the womans Eue chap. 2.21.22 chap. 3.20 7. The excellencie of man aboue other earthly creatures is in two thinges 1. They were created after the image of God which shineth principally in the soule chap. 1.27 which is in knowledge Coloss 3.10 and practise of holines righteousnes Eph. 4.24 2. They were created in most perfect happines where vnto the image of God these things were ioyned they had authoritie and Lordship ouer the creatures chap. 1.28 they were so beautifull that being naked they were not ashamed cap. 2.25 CAP. 6. Gouernment before the fall Gen. cap. 2. God placed man in a most pleasant place of the world called the garden of Eden vers 15. 2. He gaue him commandement to keepe and to dresse the garden vers 15. 3. He gaue him the tree of life in the middest of the garden as a Sacrament that if hee continued in well doing he should liue for euer vers 9. cap. 3.22 4. He gaue him this order he might take of all the trees in the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and euill and in that day he should eate thereof he should dye the death vers 16.17 5. Hee instituted marriage to bee of one man and one woman that they two should be one flesh vers 24. CAP. 7. The fall of man Gen. 3. In this chapter the storie of the fall of man is set forth in these poynts 1. The diuell abusing the tongue of a serpent entised the womā Eue and she did eate of the forbidden fruite and she gaue to her husband Adam he did eate and so the cōmandemēt of God was broken ver 1.2.3 c. 2. By this disobedience Adam and Eue and all mankind were dead in finne and vnder damnation of bodie and soule that is hee lost his excellencie and became ashamed of himselfe vers 7.8.9.10 expounded Eph. 2.1.2.3 Rom. 5.12.13.14 3. To make man to see his owne miserie God cursed the earth for his sake that it shuld bring forth briers thistles and thornes made the man to get his liuing with toile and paine till hee dyed the woman with sorrowe and griefe to bring forth and bring vp her childrē and banished them both out of the garden of Eden vers 16.17 c. CAP. 8. Gouernment after the fall The restoring of man The two couenants Iere. 31.31.32.33.34 This place teacheth 1. For the restoring of man from the death of sinne and damnation God made two couenants the couenant of workes and the couenant of mercie 2. The couenant of works is that God will be our God if wee keepe all his commaundements vers 31.32 3. The couenant of mercie is God will bee our God by forgiuenes of sinnes thorow Christ and write his lawes in our hearts vers 33.34 Heb. 10.12.13.15.16 4. We are not saued by the couenant of workes that is by keeping of Gods commandements for no man can do them vers 32. But wee are saued by the couenant of mercie that is by beleefe in Iesus Christ by whom our sins are forgiuen vers 33.34 Rom. 8.3 Eph. 2.8.9 CAP. 9. Of the first couenant which is of workes and the true force and perpetuall vse of the law Rom. 3.10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. The lawe bewrayeth sinfulnes pronounceth vs guiltie maketh vs vnable to open our mouthes to claime any things at Gods hand for our owne righteousnes or well dooing that we might run vnto Christ in the couenant of mercie to be iustified and saued by beleefe in him Gal. 3.21.22 Ephes 2.8 9 10. Although we cannot bee saued or iustified by our workes or well-dooing yet God hath ordayned the good workes commanded in his lawe for those who shall be saued by the couenant of mercie to walke in as a perpetuall rule of right liuing to all beleeuers 1. Thess 4.2.3.4 with 1. Ioh. 3.6 7 8 Here the ten Commaundements are to be expounded CAP. 10. Of the couenant of mercie and the mediator thereof 2. Cor. 5.19 This teacheth the order of the couenant of mercie namely thus God calleth vs by his Gospell vnto his mercie thorow Christ and offereth to reconcile vs vnto himselfe thorow him by forgiuenes of sinnes and we are in couenant with him when he giueth vs faith in Christs blood Rom. 3.25 Gal. 4.4.5 This place sheweth the mediator Christ by his person and office His person that he is the sonne of God made man that is to say perfect GOD and perfect man in one person man to be like his bretheren as Heb. 2.17 God to be holy harmeles c. as Heb. 7.26 His office to be the mediator of the couenant of mercie in that by his death he redeemeth vs from vnder the lawe to bee made the children of God Psal 110.1 2 3 4. This text sheweth the parts of Christs office of mediatorship namely that hee should bee King verse 1.2.3 and Priest verse 4. CAP. 11. Of the Priesthoode of Christ 1. Pet. 3.18.19 This declareth that Christs Priesthoode is fulfilled in two points 1. in his perfect obedience as a iust and holy man vnto death and all other priestly actions thereunto adioyned verse 18. Secondly in his propheticall function verse 19. Rom. 8.33.34 This declareth the priestlie actions of Christ to be of two sortes 1. the sacrifice of his death and his resurrection to put away our sinnes and to make vs righteous Rom. 4.25 2. sitting at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs. CAP. 12. Of the Kingdome of Christ and namely before and vntill the last iudgement Ephes 4.11 12 13 14 15 16. Here is the kingly office of Christ described 1. Hee is head of his church who nourisheth it and furnisheth it in all things verse 16. 2. This furniture is in the applying of the workes of his priesthood both before and vntill the last iudgement and at the iudgement verse 11.12.13 3.