CAP. 3. The third order of teaching HEre followeth diuers Catechismes for confirmation of knowledge This order is for all that can conceiue well of the former how young or olde soeuer they be but in common and meaner capacities from 8. yeares and vpwards drawne out of the words of some place of holy Scripture Where I must admonish the Master or teacher in the familie to follow this order First to teach his people perfectly and distinctly to saye the place of Scripture without booke which being perfect to shew them the briefe meaning and then the seuerall poynts of doctrine and how they bee gathered out of the text For which cause he shall finde the addition of other textes and notes in the margin for his help and direction which he must keep to himselfe and giue them the meaning or substance onely Yet if he once get his family to conceiue deeper hee may acquainte them with all but he must take heede hee oppresse not their memories with ouer much at once but giue them more or lesse as hee perceiueth them able to conceiue and beare away and to remember at the next time for it is very needefull to repeate that which was first learned before he begin any more Therefore for a while after they can saye the place without booke and shew where it is written what chapter what verse and the meaning let them haue onely some two or three poyntes but after a while hee shall perceiue that by vse they will bee able to take a great deale more euen an whole Catechisme at once yea and by often practise to gather some poyntes of themselues yet must hee not cease going forward because that the k Philip. 3.1 oftener the safer it is and happier for them to bee grounded Now as ofte as they haue learned any one Catechisme thorough out cause them to repeat all that whole Catechisme together as the place of Scripture the meaning all the poyntes of doctrine and how they are gathered out of the text and after but not before begin the next Catechisme The first Catechisme for confirmation of knowledge is drawne out of this text or place of Scripture Gen. 3.15 I will put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seede and her seede he shall breake thine head and thou shalt * Heb. breake bruise his heele The interpretation or meaning THe Master must consider out of the text This is for the masters helpe that the diuell abused the bodie of the serpent to deceiue Euah therefore the punishment is pronounced vpon the serpent which partly and especially is in the words going before but although he speak to the serpent yet these l As these places expound Esay 27.1 Micah 7.17 Psalm 91.13 Luk. 10.18.19 Rom. 16.20 Reuel 12.7.8.9.10 wordes are properly to bee applyed against the diuell himselfe whose instrument the serpent was although they haue accomplishment euen against the beast it selfe in that hee is hated naturally of all mankinde therefore the Master hauing wayed the places in the margin may giue his familie this interpretation following By the serpent and his seede This is for the familie is meant Satan and his members wicked men by the seede of the woman is ment Christ and his members by breaking of head and heele is meant that either shall wound each other but the diuell shall bee vanquished The meaning is then that God will haue this to bee a punishment of the diuell that he should haue continuall warre with Christ and his Saints and finally be ouercome and all that take his part Out of which interpretation arise these poynts of Catechisme The poynts of doctrine 1. 1 This appeareth in the circumstāce of the text which inclusiuely cōdemneth Adā for his sinne to haue an enemie to him his seede for euer By the temptation of the serpent the diuell and Satanas man became a great sinner and subiect to great miserie 2. 2 This followeth of the former and is shewed cap. 1. and 2. Man was made good without sinne and miserie before this temptation 3. 3 Because the wordes are the indivial sentēce of God to that purpose and is to expounded Iohn 8.44.47 Acts. 13.10 2. Cor. 4.3.4 cap. 11.13.14 Eph 2 1. 1. Ioh. 3.10 God hath decreed what shall bee the estate of Satan and mankinde namely that some men shall be the seede of Satan and the children of perdition and some with Christ conquerers of them both 4. 4 So expounded Gal. 4.4 Here the person of Christ is declared that he is as all other men the seed of the woman that is the sonne of God made man 5. 5 Expressed in the meaning and is seene in Caine and all of like sort following There shall be alway enmitie of Sathan and his members against Christ and his members 6. 6 This is the breaking of the heele as appeareth Esay 53.2 Cor. 4.8 chap. 6.4.5 Ioh. 15.19 20. 2. Tim. 3.12 1. Pet. 5.8.9 Great sorrowes temptations and persecutions in bodie goods name and life come vnto Christ his members by Satan and his members 7. 7 This is the breaking of the serpents head is expounded Act. 26.18 Hebr. 2.14 Rom. 8.31.32 Mat. 5.10.11 19.28 Phil. 3.21 By the death of Christ and all the parts of his mediation hee for vs and wee thorow him doe ouercome the diuel to the restoring of the bodie in the resurrection of life and endowing with immortall riches both bodie and soule in the saluation of all beleeuers 8. 8 Plaine in the words and is expounded 2. Corint 6.14 Iam. 4.7 Eph. 6.10 5.6 7. Psal 15.4 The duetie of all Christian beleeuers is to resist the diuell and his members and to haue no fellowship with the workes of wickednes CAP. 4. The second Catechisme for confirmation The Text. Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed The Interpretation For the master THese words containe Gods promise touching the blessed seede made vnto Abraham when he called him to be his childe and father of the faithfull which m Gen. 3.15 before was spoken in generall hard to bee knowne but here is shewed more plaine and easie to bee found by the particular namely that it must be in Abrahams stocke and linage This clause For the familie in thee is to be vnderstood of Abrahams n Gen. 22.17 and Gal. 3.16 seede which is Christ who after a sort was in him that is in his loynes By all families is meant o Act 3.25 Galat. 3.6 all nations as well Iewes as Gentiles And by blessed is meant the p Gal 3.13.14 Rom. 5.12.13 1. Tim. 1.1 deliuerance from the cursed and damnable estate wherein we were by Adams fall The summe is God doth promise that both Iewes and Gentiles shall haue saluation in none other but in Christ who as touching his manhood was Abrahams seede This teacheth especially
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
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
vse namely that it is not now as common bread to feede our bodies onely but it hath a sacramentall and holy vse annexed for the feeding of our soules that is Wee shew the Lordes death herein till hee come The summe then is seeing hee deliuered vnto them onely that he receiued and that in this order and to this vse they must not prophane this holy Sacrament by their disorder or additaments what so euer to doe in any other order or to any other vse more or lesse then it was ordained Whereupon he proceedeth in the rest of the chapter to giue them certain canons or precepts out of the premisses namely how they should reforme themselues and doe it orderly and profitablie The Doctrine of the Catechisme 1. Out of both places These two places open vnto vs the couenant of God touching the saluation of his elect by two things First by doctrine as a writing declaratorie Secondly by Sacraments as seales of that writing confirmatory 2. The doctrine is in the description of the persons couenanting one with another and the couenant it selfe 3. 3 In the first place vers 4.5.6 The first person is he who offereth the couenant namely God who is described by the speciall worke which hee doth in the couenant hee maketh his bountifulnes appeare and is therefore intituled a Sauiour as one that seeketh vs and not we him 4. The second man 4 Vers 3. shutting out pure naturals free will c. who receiueth the couenants who is described voyde of all goodnes in minde will affections works for so * Ezech. 16.4.5.8 God findeth vs in our filthines before the couenant 5. 5 In the second place vers 24.25 The third person is the mediator of the couenant Christ who giueth his body and blood for the confirmation of the couenant 6. 6 This is out of both places The couenant it selfe is first called the new Testament that is * Ierem. 31.31 not of the lawe of workes but of mercie and grace Therefore on the partie that offereth it is thus described First God propoundeth himselfe to bee our God and Sauiour then hee receiueth vs to himselfe by mercie in Christ and not by our workes Thirdly he sheweth the effect of the couenant that wee should bee iustified by his grace and made heyres thorow hope of eternal life On our part the condition is no more but to receiue all this by faith in Christ which is giuen vs in the new birth and therefore * Rom. 8.15 called the spirite of Adoption by which wee call God Father And so the couenant is made on our part as it is * Gal. 3.26 written Yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Where you may see that Christ is the mediator * Eph. 2.18 to bring vs to God namely by beleefe in him Which couenant God will haue declared before men by the vse of his seruice as profession Sacraments c. and by obedience vnto euery good worke 7. In beholding which couenant wee may see all merit and reioycing in man vtterly excluded For before the couenant wee are altogether voyde of all goodnes in the couenant wee are receiued and saued by mercie without workes Christ is a mediator to God for vs paying the ransome of our sinnes by him is powred vpon vs the new birth and renewing of the holy Ghost by him we are iustified and made heyres of euerlasting life If we haue faith or hope they are all the giftes of God thorow Christ so that wee haue euery way cause of abasing our selues and onely to * 1. Cor. 1.30 reioyce in him Wherefore the Church ascribing nothing to her selfe maketh this ioyfull confession a Esay 61.10 I will greatly reioyce in the Lord and my soule shall be ioyfull in my God for he hath clothed mee with the garments of saluation and couered me with the robe of righteousnes c. Now not minding to shew euery particular poynt which these two places affoord An obseruation to the teacher we will come to the second parte of the Sacraments In handling whereof if any thing bee not in one of these two texts for it were much all to be I will set in the margine some other place as a supplie to their wants and this doctrine is in two things 1. How many Sacraments 2. What they be 8. There are but two Sacraments of the * I say couenāt because the word sacrament is vsed diuersly this shutteth of vnproper vses couenant that is to say Baptisme and the Lords Supper The other poynt What they bee will appeare easie if wee learne how they agree betweene themselues and how they differ both betweene themselues and also from others 9. Two Sacraments agree in foure things These two Sacraments agree in these things 1. In a generall definition A Sacrament is a signe and seale of the couenant of grace First they are signes 1 In a generall definition as water washing in Baptisme bread and wine eating and drinking in the Lords Supper They are both signes of the couenant for Baptisme signifieth Christs bloud in the couenant and so dooth the Lords Supper and they bee both more thē bare signes euen seales of assurance For as the seale is set to a will or deed to confirme the writing so are these two appointed by Christ to assure vs of the thing they signifie Therefore the one is called his body and the other the washing of the new birth not because they bee chaunged in nature but by such a neere speech to assure vs of the thing sealed or signed They both herein assure vs of our iustification and sanctification Secondly 2 They be as badges they bee both outward badges of our profession as by the one we shew the Lords death and by the other that wee are Gods children by a new birth Thirdly 3 Both commanded Mat. 28.18.19 they both haue a commandement from Christ Fourthly 4 Both haue a forme of administration Acts. 2.14.37.38 Mar. 16.15.16 they both haue a prescribed forme of administration in regard of the Minister and people The Minister is appoynted to preach and declare the couenant and to administer the Sacraments the people to heare and to receiue the Sacraments In Baptisme the Minister must wash with water in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost the person to bee admitted into the Church is to submit himselfe to such a washing In the Lords Supper the Minister by thanksgiuing is to set apart to this holy vse the bread wine seuerally to breake the bread and to giue afterwards seuerally first bread and then wine to the people bidding them to eate drinke c. and the people ought to receiue them both seuerally first bread and then wine and to eate the bread and drinke the wine not as common bread and wine but as sanctified to the
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.