signified plainely both by words and signes that his death approched where wee are to learne that if the Sonne must prepare himselfe to death Preparation to dye well much more ought wee most miserable sinners who by reason of our manifold weaknesses and wants haue need of a thousand preparations more then hee Secondly that his willingnesse in this action might the better appeare he makes choice of a place well knowne to * Iohn 18.2 Mat. 26.36 Iudas where his enemies might apprehend him safely without any feare or danger of the people Thirdly in that hee prayed so earnestly against the dangers and temptations which were then so imminent and death approching Watchfulnes wee bee taught to bee watchfull in the like case in all kinde of prayers and supplications vnto God Fourthly wee are often to record his agonies in the garden and all that euening before his passion for the Euangelists in many words testifie the same Mark 14.33 He tooke Peter and Iames and Iohn with him and hee beganne to bee afraid and in great heauinesse and hee spake the very same vnto them My soule is very heauy euen vnto the death Luke 22.43 There appeared vnto him from heauen an Angell comforting him but being in an Agonie hee prayed more earnestly and his sweat was like clods of bloud Math. 26.37 He began to wax sorrowfull and grieuously troubled Herein by this exceeding heauinesse most admirable sweat and extreeme passions of minde such as neuer man bare nor can beare by his strong cries and tears by all these and the like arguments Heb. 5.7 wee see if God open the eyes of our vnderstanding by his holy spirit Eph. 1.16 how the burthen of sinne and the heauie wrath of God vpon him for the sinnes of all the Elect pressed him and yet is hee not oppressed but cries vnto his Father and an Angell is sent to comfort him So ought we to doe when wee are plunged in the greatest temptations Obiect It may bee doubted touching his prayer when he cryeth Father if it bee possible let this cup passe c. It may seeme I say that there should bee some combat and fight in the minde will and affections of Christ therefore some sinne Ans There bee three kindes of combats Three kinds of combats in man the one beetweene the reason and the appetite and this fight is alwaies sinfull and was not in Christ the second is betweene the flesh and the spirit as Gal. 5.17 Rom. 7. and this is in the regenerate but not in Christ The third is a combat of diuerse desires drawing a man to and fro this may be in man without fault and was in Christ hee desires to doe his fathers will striuing with another desire of nature struggling as it were or endeuouring to preserue it selfe Fiftly wee bee here to obserue in this blessed example of the Sonne of God that whereas we make so light an account of sinne as if it were nothing to sinne against God here wee may behold as in a glasse how the horror of Gods wrath for our rebellions brought downe euen the Sonne of God himselfe and filled him with extreeme agonies and heauie passions of minde Sixtly and lastly wee bee here to obserue the long and wearisome combat hee had also with his bloudy enemies the instrumēts of Sathan in all that conflict first the maner of the apprehēsion They came to take him as a theef with swords staues Lu. 22.52 Secondly they hurry him being taken from Annas to Caiphas and from Caiphas againe to Annas in the night and that bound as a felon Ioh. 18.13 and 24. Thirdly in the high Priests house they smote him with a reed on the face they blindfolded him they mocked him smiting him they spake scornfully prophecie who smote thee Io. 18.24 Luk. 22.64 they condemned him in their Counsell sent him bound to the secular power or ciuill Magistrate Iohn 18.28 Fourthlie bloudy Pilate hauing acquitted him yet to please the Iewes hee scourgeth him Iohn 19.1 Fiftly to fill him with reproches contempt and paine as an Vsurper of the kingdome they platted a crowne of thornes vpon his head Iohn 19. ver 2. and to the same purpose they put on him a purple garment saluting him scornefully Haile King of the Iewes Iohn 19. ver 3. Sixtly Pilate againe to gratifie Herod sent him to him and hee with his Souldiers despised him and mocked him Luke 23.11 Seauenthly all this tossing and harrying to and fro was after his precious body was scourged and sore wounded all ouer and his head brused and rent with thornes Eighly and lastly they put vpon his wearied body his crosse wheron hee should bee crucified vnder which burthen hee fainted Iohn 19.17 Luke 23.26 And thus the Sonne of God was tryed by the prince of darknes with all kindes of extreeme passions that hee could inuent in that short space of time before his Crosse Thus I say Iewes and Gentiles crucified him first the Iewes they kept him all night in Caiphas hall and at the breake of day gathered a councell and did proceede in iudgement against him and condemned him Mat. 27.1 and forth-with lead him bound to Pilate and hee made as quick a dispatch as they Quest 35. Proceed to speake of the next Article of the passion of Christ which is concerning his execution in these words I beleeue in Iesus Christ crucified Ans All the Euangelists testifie with one accord that this was the forme of his execution hee was crucified on a Crosse and to fill him with paine his hands and feet were fastned with nayles vnto the crosse And all this was done to accomplish Gods eternall decree manifested beefore by the Prophets The brasen Serpent was a picture of this Act. 3.18 Gal. 3.1 Phil. 2.8 Num. 21. Io. 3. for so hee saith himselfe As Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the Sonne of man bee lifted vp that all that beleeue in him perish not but may haue life euerlasting And againe Ioh. 12. And when I shall bee lift vp from the earth I will draw all vnto my selfe of this the Psalmist prophecied saying they peirced my hands and my feete Secondly that wee might in conscience bee resolued that Christ came vnder the Law and suffred the curse thereof for vs Gal. 3.13 and bare in his owne body and soule the extremitie of the wrath of God for vs. And albeit other punishments were notes of Gods curse yet was the death of the crosse in speciall manner aboue the rest accursed by vertue of a particular commandement and speciall word pronounced by God himselfe fore-seeing and fore-shewing what manner of death Christ our Lord should dye Thirdly the Apostle assureth vs that in this forme of execution wee may beehold how Christ did vndertake all the malediction due vnto all the elect on himselfe for he saith Gal. 3.13 that hee was made a curse for vs and againe in the like
state he was naked yet not ashamed Ge. 2.25 such was the glory and maiestie of that body Now his deformitie is such that notwithstanding hee bee receiued to grace and reformed in some measure in Christ yet till hee bee refined in the resurrection hee cannot well thinke of much lesse looke vpon his owne nakednesse without shame as we see in our first Parents Gen. 3.7 If our bodies in this mortalitie haue not a shadow of that excellent glory of the first Adam it is all lost That body was blessed void of all griefes This body wee know by our common experience is subiect to euils innumerable for wanting the guarde and fense of Gods prouidence the weakest creatures euen wormes and flies in a moment of time destroy and consume it That body had a wonderfull perfection in all senses This feeble body hath many wants and great weaknes in all parts therof That body was immortall this is subiect to death and mortalitie euery houre and to death eternall if it be not freed from the second death by the precious death of Iesus Christ Retentum mentis Secondly for his soule and spirituall substance where shined most the Image of God it hath euer since lost all grace and beautie Some poore light it hath in naturall things and a generall sight of God and goodnesse seruing onely to make him inexcusable Rom. 1.19.20 Heere first the bright shining light of Gods wisedome in the mind is cleane put out and darkenesse hath possest the very seate of reason Eph. 5.8 Iohn 1.5 And that wisdome which the Scripture calls carnall earthly Receptum mentis sensuall and diuellish 1. Cor. 1.20.21 Iames. 3.15 By this we cannot comprehend God Ioh. 1.5 1. Cor. 2.14 for this is enemy to God and all goodnesse Rom. 8.7 Next this facultie is become so vaine that in spirituall things it cannot discerne between truth and errour euill and goodnesse Eph. 4.17 Lastly this man is apt onely by nature to thinke and conceiue in minde that which is euill Gen. 6.5 2. Cor. 3.5 Ierem. 4.22 so that we haue by nature the spawne of all heresie and errour Gal. 5.20 Secondly the conscience of the first man was full of true ioy peace and consolation This deformed Adam 1. Retentum conscienciae first hath left in him some conscience to check and bridle the rage of his disordered affections Rom. 2.15 2. Receptum conscientiae But his conscience is vncleane and vncomfortable Tit. 1.15 before it be purged by the bloud of Christ from dead works Heb. 9.14 Thirdly Free will is proper onely to God and no creature whatsoeuer the first man had freedome and strength to will and performe that which was good holy and right yet was he and his will mutable for God alone is immutable This man hath a certaine libertie of will in all naturall ciuill and morall actions and in euill things but no strength to will or desire that which is good and acceptable vnto God 1. Retentum voluntatis 2. Receptum voluntatis beefore grace and faith in Iesus Christ be giuen him as is manifest by these holy Scriptures Rom. 5.6 Phillip 2.13 2. Cor. 3.5 Fourthly and lastly the first Adam had a wise heart a meeke spirit and all his affections well ordered and well gouerned by the light which was in his minde This second man hath his affections but so distempered and so disordered that he cannot gouerne them Receptum affectionum but is rather ruled and gouerned by them till grace in Christ come to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 The fourth argument of the first mans excellencie The fourth Argument was his soueraigne dominion and rule and power which God gaue him ouer all creatures Psal 8. But now this second Adam hath lost all that dignitie for the creatures all repine disdaine and grone to serue him Rom. 8.22 and haue all lost their first grace and beauty Tit. 1.14.15 Quest 4. What is the vse of all these arguments concerning the miserie of this deformed Adam or man without Christ Ans First the former meditation serues to humble vs by due consideration of that glory and beautie we lost and of the deformitie and miserie wee bee come vnto Secondly this meditation ought to curbe and bridle vs that we neuer let lose our hearts to sinne against God for if God spared not the first man for sinne in his excellencie he will not spare vs in this miserie Thirdly this ought to awake all sinners seeing they find themselues thus miserable without Christ to labour in all holy meanes to put on Christ that they may be freed from this bondage and recouer their former excellencie againe specially seeing that by his Gospell he reacheth forth daylie his louing hand calling such from darknesse into his meruailous light Quest 5. The second demonstration of a mans misery in vnbeleefe or without Christ what is it Ans It is the historie of mans first rebellion and apostacie from God recorded Gen. 3.1.2 Quest 6. What must we principally note in this story Ans First a conference or disputation Secondly the issue and end of it in the conference first the persons confering and disputing where consider two things First The tempter and deceiuer Sathan Secondly the tempted and deceiued Eaue Secondly the conference it selfe where consider two things First the argument waightie life and death 2. the manner 1. The tempters challenge 2. The womans answere 3. Sathans reply The issue of the conference First high transgression and rebellion is committed First they ioyne in league with Sathan Gods arch-enimie Secondly they fall into flat rebellion and breach of Gods Law Gen. 3.6 Secondly great miserie ensued The arguments whereof are First feare and trembling within Secondly shame and nakednes without Quest 7. This Scripture is very excellent what speciall points are wee to obserue in this story Ans First that Sathan is an old murtherer as our Lord Christ cals him Iohn 8.44 For that he murdred as heere wee see our first parents in the beginning Secondly how that our first parents in their first state of excellency being left of God for that instant for iust causes onely knowne to himselfe and hauing no strength but their owne they fell by degrees into many fearefull sinnes for all their wisedome and graces failed them when Gods good spirit left them Thirdly Sathans choise for instruments is to bee noted for like as then hee chose the subtellest of all beasts for that worke So in all ages for the like attempts hee desires the best wits and most apt to deceiue For Magick in Egipt and Chalde the Priests and the Astrologers serued him well in that facultie In Absolons conspiracie Achitophell serued him well for that practise Iohn 13.27 for heresie and schisme none more fit to seduce men from Gods truth as false Teachers false Prophets false Priests 1. Pet. 3.7 1. Tim. 2.14 By such
seale the word how much more haue we Againe if they then could not preserue life but by the Lord of life Iesus Christ where shall we looke for life if we turne vs to any other but vnto this blessed tree of life Iesus Christ Sixtly for the tree of knowledge of good and euill to passe by mens coniectures sufficient it is for vs to know that it was so called not for any poyson or deadly infection that this tree had in it selfe more then any other tree or more then our Sacramentall bread and wine containe any speciall bane or poyson in them and yet he that eateth these vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne iudgement 1. Cor. 11. but metonymically Effect for the cause or by a figure it was so called beecause that who so did eate thereof God hauing made a law to the contrary should forthwith feele and finde the losse of their excellent libertie and bee possest with extreame and present miserie Seauenthly when the woman gaue the Serpent some intertainement in misleadging Gods holy Law yee shall not touch it a Fight against all doubts of Gods word Eph. 4.14 Col. 2.2 and in doubting of the truth thereof least ye dye for to doubt is to wauer concerning Gods truth neither to be with it nor against it Then began hee to be more bold and vehement and following her doubtfull conclusion makes it more doubtfull saying ye shall not so dye or so * Thus speakes he in all vnbeleeuers against the word certainely dye and hereunto he addeth a speciall confirmation full of sophistrie and deceit For his confirmation and proofe stands of notable blasphemies and lyes you neede not so doubt to eate of the forbidden tree First 1. Blasphemie for that God in this prohibition doth know this fact would turne to your great good Secondly for that it is very manifest 2. blaphemie and lye that the feeding on this tree shall cause you to abound in great knowledge of deepe misteries Thirdly 3. Blasphemie for that by this tree ye shall haue such a change of nature that ye shall after some sort be Deified equall to God or to his glorious Angels and so hee tempted Christ Mat. 4. for the wings of vaine glory makes many follow after Sathan and flie aloft to their vtter ruine and perdition Eightly wee may here obserue Sathans boldnesse to vtter many lyes and blasphemies one after an other when hee seeth vs to let goe our fast * Diabolus non est repentè pessimus hold and lâ—ne of Gods holy truth and not to tremble when wee heare his name or truth blasphemed Wherefore let vs keepe fast the word of truth in an honest and a good heart for if we forsake it God will forsake vs and giue vs ouer to beleeue lyes and blasphemies as here we see 2. Th. 2.9.10 Ninthly where as Sathan doth promise her that by eating the forbidden fruite their eyes should bee opened hee deceiues with a phrase or sentence full of ambiguitie as may appeare by these speciall differences following For the eyes of the body are opened First when the blinde are cured Iohn 9. Secondly when a man seeth that hee could not see before albeit he was not blinde as Balaam and Gehezi Num. 22.31 2. Kings 6.17 Gen. 16.21 2. King 6.19 and Agar the Angels of God Thirdly when men see plainely that which they saw before darkely as Elishas enemies comming to Samaria and the two disciples going to Emaus Secondly the eyes of the minde are opened First by instruction Act. 26.18 Secondly by aduersitie Iob 33.16 Psal 119. Luke 15. Thirdly by the biting griping and tormenting of the conscience for sinne and thus were Adams eyes opened And this the diuell intendeth what so euer he pretendeth Tenthly To conclude corcerning this conference First here remember this instruction to hold fast the word of truth and hide it in thine heart Prou. 2.1.2.3 So soone as a man begins to let goe his hold and lightly to regard it or to doubt of it hee begins to shake off the true feare of God It is our faith which knitteth vs vnto God and vnbeleefe seuereth vs from him Secondly next remember it is a bad signe of a cold heart emptied of Gods spirit if we can heare the holy name of God or his blessed word blasphemed without griefe and trembling Verse 6. Quest 12. Thus farre of the conference Now let mee heare of the fact and euent which followed Ans First actuall rebellion followed after the former inward and secret sinnes of the minde and heart as we see Gen. 3.6 The signes the forerunners of the first secoÌ„d death immediately possest them Secondly This actuall rebellion and apostacie from God brought present miserie vpon their soules and bodies ver 7. Rom. 5.12 By sinne came death Quest 13 First as touching the rebellion and fact here recorded what learne we thereby Ans First we may note the three speciall baytes wherby Sathan hooketh and deceiueth all the world Saint Iohn also noteth them and numbreth them First the Lust of the flesh for our flesh boyleth before it be crucified as a pot on fire full of lusts Rom. 13.14 Gal. 5.17.24 shee saith in her heart this forbidden fruit it was good for meate that is good for the belly Secondly The Lust of the * All euill enters into vs by the sences and thoughts The euill eye is the Diuels porter which lets in the beasts of hell to destroy the Soule eyes shee saith in her heart it is faire and pleasant to the eyes Thirdly The pride of life shee saith finally in heart that it was a tree to bee desired to get knowledge And so to come to honour and great glory The premises embraced the conclusion must bee practised say the Lord what hee will to the contrarie Secondly * PeccatuÌ„ completum Consider wel First the person offended Secondly the persons offending Thirdly the time when Fourthly the place where Fiftly the maÌ„ner how A conspiracie with Sathan the arch-enemie of God how after inward conspiracie and subscription of heart to Sathans lyes and blasphemies shee comes to the practise of open rebellion and manifest treason against God For this fact was not a light a The greatest sin pardonable that euer was committed against God offence as some haue deemed as shall appeare by the consequents for it hath brought the whole frame of heauen and earth out of frame and an heauie curse vpon our first Parents and all their posteritie Rom. 5.12 Thirdly how she became Sathans instrument to deceiue the man first by the same deceitfull perswasions wherewith Sathan seduced her secondly by example shee preuailes with him so that both fell most dangerously into the same forme of transgression and condemnation although hee thought himselfe so deere vnto God that the Lord would not at this time draw out against him any sword of iustice Quest 14. Now I desire to haue some short
say sought vnto Christ to bee purged and healed of thy running sores or rather when Christ hath cryed in thine eares Prou. 1. Reue. 3. and offred himselfe vnto thee thou hast not hardned thine heart and resisted the heauenly calling of God and the motions of his holy spirit if thy conscience herein pleades guiltie this law condemnes thee Sixtly inquire with what inward affections and loue thou hast sought the good of thy neighbour for if in procuring his good thou hast labored but in the outward as is for forme sake and to bee seene of men and not with inward affection thy conscience pleads gultie and this law condemnes thee Seauenthly inquire what holy thoughts what Godly meditations what profitable and pertinent discourses of minde concerning God and Godlinesse thou hast how thou hast diuided thy times reseruing a good portion dailie for the exercises of godlinesse to bee spent specially in holy meditations and praiers for if these holy exercises bee wanting thy conscience pleads guiltie and this Law condemnes thee Quest 153. Thus farre haue wee seene the sence and meaning of the decalouge what the Lord commendeth and what hee condemneth in his people and how far this most holie Law excelleth all the Lawes of men Now proceede yet a little further and tell mee first how and in what sence this Law is said to bee abrogate by the Messias Ans The Iewes had three distinct kindes of Lawes giuen them of the Lord The Ceremoniall the Iudiciall and the Morall The Ceremoniall did serue the infancie and pedagogie of the old Church Heb. 1.1 for the Lord by shadowes and pictures of heauenly things in diuerse formes and measures manifested his will vnto his people Of these the Prophets testified they should haue an end and cease at the comming of Christ for wee neede not the picture when the bodie is present Daniell 9.27 The complement of his prophecie wee see in the practise of the Apostles Act. 15.9 and ver 28.29 And the Apostle assureth vs they were but shadowes of things to come and the bodie or substance of them was to bee found in Christ Heb. 7 and 10. Chapter Col. 2.16 The Iudiciall Lawes so farre as they respect that kingdome onelie began and ended with it but so farre as they haue a common equitie concerning the good of all mankinde they binde all kingdomes throughout all generations The morall Law is not abrogate nor neuer shall cease to the worlds end The curse onely annexed thereunto is abrogate to all such as are found to be in Christ for there is no condemnation to any one of them Rom. 8.1 And whereas the Apostle saith wee are freed from the Law and bee vnder grace Rom. 6.14 Hee doth plainely expresse himselfe that hee meaneth not that wee are exempted from the obedience of the Law morall but onely from the curse of it for so hee speaketh Gal. 3. Christ hath freed vs from the curse of the Law for that hee was made a curse for vs. And as touching our holie obedience to it This is the end of all Gods fauours vpon vs 1. Iohn 3.6.8 and the cause wherefore Christ hath losened vs from the bands of the Diuell sinne and death that wee might serue him in holinesse and true righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Luke 1. Quest 154. How may the true Christian performe obedience to the morall Law acceptable vnto God Ans The question is not who can or how wee may worke perfect righteousnesse for if any could worke perfect righteousnesse the Apostle would soone conclude that for such Christ died in vaine Gal. 2.21 But how a man may serue and please God in the obedience of this Law the answere is in and through Iesus Christ more distinctly in the true seruant of God these things are required first Iohn 3. Ephe. 4.18 that the spirit of grace and regeneration haue quickned him and put the life of God in him for before this grace hee is reputed of God as dead Eph. 2.1 and a dead man can not work the workes of God beefore his first repentance and freedome from dead works Iob. 6.2 Secondly if after grace receiued this man fall to sinne against God hee must recouer the former state againe by renuing his repentance beefore that in any worke hee can please God This is cleare in Dauid who during his continuance in sinne and before his humiliation Psal 51. could not please God The third point required in vs to make vs fit to serue God is a singular delight in the Law of God this also is commended vnto vs in Dauids practise Psal 1.2 and 119. ver 14.16.24.47.92 The fourth poynt is faith in Christ for without it all is but sinne Rom. 14.23 Faith will finde an allowance for euerie thought and iudge it by the word and desire an exceptance for euery thing in Christ The fift point is earnest prayer vnto God that he would renue our strength by a new supplie of grace The verie Apostles desire others to bee mindefull for them in this dutie that they may more faithfully serue Christ in the ministrie of the Gospell Ephes 6.14 Col. 4.3 Heb. 13.27 2. Thes 3.1 Quest 155. What are the speciall vses of the Morall Law Ans First we learne thereby the originall iustice and perfection of our first parents for they could obserue it and contrarily wee see by our natiue and inherent corruption for there is as it were a Law and poyson rather in our members continually rebelling against the Law of God Secondly it is a glasse for vs whereby wee may daylie view and beewaile our deformitie that beeing so humbled wee may runne to Christ Rom. 7.7 and 3.20 Gal. 3. Thirdly By it also the faithfull must bee directed as by a lanterne in euery good way to serue God in soule spirit and body in thought word and deed Psal 119. Fourthly it forewarneth vs also of iudgement and the fearefull condemnation that shall fall vpon the world that is as many as are without Christ for that they lye fast bound vnder the curse of the Law Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 Quest 256. Now proceed and tell me what the curse of the Law is and how wee be freed from it Ans The Curse due vnto man-kinde by the Law of God for sinne implieth in it a three fold death First a death in sinne noted Ephe. 2.1 Secondly the death and mortalitie of the bodie which by creation was immortall as the soule Gen. 3.15 Thirdly the death of body and soule in hell torments or that finall separation from the presence of God 2. The. 1.7.8.9 commonly called the second death The third part of the Historie of man or of the reformed Adam or man in Christ renued by the Gospell restored to Grace and preserued to Glorie Question 1. IF man by nature bee so miserable and so deformed as wee haue seene by the Historie of his fall by the fearefull consequents of his apostacie and lastly most
by the 23. Psalme on this manner When the great shepeheard of our soules our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ shall haue fed vs well in the greene pastures of his word when we haue druncke well of his sweete waters the graces of his spirit when by his word and spirit hee hath couerted our soules when hee hath well trayned and schooled vs in the pathes of holinesse and true righteousnesse then beegin wee to make this comfortable conclusion of faith in our hearts The Lord Iesus Christ is my true Sauiour and shepeheard of my soule 3. Conclusions of faith against 3. kindes of feares commō to all the faithfull 1. Feare of wants 2. Feare of death 3. Feare and doubt of election and perseuerance Psal 15.1 And out of this argument wee conclude three other conclusions of Faith first I am well assured I shall neuer want any thing that is good for my body and soule Secondly I shall not feare that is bee oppressed with feare in the valley of the shadow of death euen when death it selfe approcheth Thirdly against all doubts of election and grace of perseuerance Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercie shall follow me for euer that is I shall liue in Gods fauour and Church on earth for a time and in heauen for euer Thus by degrees wee grow vnto that comfortable assurance of Faith and to that sweet * Rom. 5.1.2 reioycing in hope of the glory of God And yet when a man is come to this ripenesse and perfection of faith this man otherwhiles may bee so weake in the apprehension of Gods mercie and in the assurance of the pardon of sinnes specially if either hee hath liued in grose sinnes before his conuersion or hath fallen to anie one after grace receiued that albeit grace and peace bee offred most comfortably both by the outward ministrie of the word and the inward working of the spirit vnto the conscience yet the assurance of grace and the spirit of adoption seales not the pardon till a man bee well humbled and hath renued his repentance albeit the Lord long before hath past the graunt of the pardon of those sinnes vnto him Dauids example cleeres this vnto vs The Lord pardons his grieuous sinnes of Adultrie and Murther this is published by the Prophet and put as it were into his hand and heart yet hee is not comforted in the assurance of the pardon nor receiues the blessed seale of adoption before he had long exercised and humbled his heart in repentance Confer 2. Sam. 12.13 with the 51. Psalme Quest 11. What are those things which a Christian must of necessitie beleeue and in beleeuing professe and confesse in the visible Church of God before his people and before his enemies men and Angels Ans To beleeue with the heart brings a man to the assurance of righteousnesse Rom. 10.10 and to professe with the mouth is the way to saluation Wee are to beleeue all and euerie word of God specially the promises of the Gospell which are vnto vs as the legacies of the last will of Iesus Christ and when we shall haue knowne and beleeued them wee must for our further confirmation and that wee may be discerned from all Atheists and vnbeleeuers learne to make true confession of the faith we hold in that forme we haue most excellently set downe in the Creede commonly called the Apostolicall Symbole or the Apostles Creed Quest 12. Tell me how many Creeds be there and which is the best and what they containe Ans There haue beene many formes set downe since the Apostles time and yet all of one and the same in substance And they may well bee referred to three kindes First generall Creedes receiued with the authoritie and the generall consent of the Catholick Church as the Apostolicall and * Nicene Creede Secondly particular Ruff. 1. ch 5. Creedes either nationall or of particular Churches as of the Church of England France Scotland Thirdly proper Creeds as that of Athanasius and that of Constantine to the king of Persia or of any one man and these we may call the confessions of priuate men The Apostolicall Creed is most worthy most ancient most Catholike and of greatest authoritie commonly called the Symbole of the Apostles Symbolum Apostolorum a Simbole because it is a speciall note to discerne Christians from vnbeleeuers Apostolicall because it was gathered out of the writings of the Apostles and is most consonant with all the holy Scriptures and all other Creedes are but an exposition and enlargement for the better cleering of this This Creed was deliuered in this forme because the conuerts in elder ages which came to professe Christ in their Baptisme were to make answere before the congregation to this question How dost thou beleeue or what beleeuest thou The answere hee made was according to the forme of the Creed I beleeue in God c. This Creede sets beefore in a short view to helpe our memories all whatsoeuer wee are principally to hold and beeleeue concerning saluation And these points here set downe be so necessarie and so linked together that if ye denie any one yee deny all if yee renounce any one yee can not bee saued Againe they are commonly diuided into twelue Articles or branches which for our better edification may be set downe in this forme as followeth 1 I beleeue in God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth 2 I beleeue in Iesus Christ his onelie Sonne our Lord. 3 I beleeue that Iesus Christ was conceiued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 4 I beleeue that Iesus Christ suffered vnder Pontius Pilat was crucified dead and buried descended into hell 5 I beleeue that Iesus Christ rose againe the third day from the dead 6 I beleeue that Iesus Christ ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almightie 7 I beleeue that Iesus Christ shall come from thence to iudge the quick and the dead 8 I beleeue in the holie Ghost 9 I beleeue the holie Catholike Church the communion of Saints 10 I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes 11 I beleeue the resurrection of the flesh 12 I beleeue the life euerlasting Amen Quest 13 What are the speciall parts of this Creed Ans This Confession of the Faith hath two principall parts First the confession of our Faith concerning God first the Father Act. 1. secondly the Sonne 2.3.4.5.6.7 thirdly the holy Ghost Act. 8. Secondly the confession of our faith concerning the Church that first it is Catholike Act. 9. Secondly it hath the communion of Saints Act. 9. Thirdly it hath remission of sinnes Act. 10. Fourthly that it shall haue a holy resurrection Act. 11. Fifty that it shall haue euerlasting life and glory Act. 12. Quest 14. First what beeleeue and professe you in this Creed and according to this Creed concerning God Ans I professe and say in this Creede that I beleeue in God the Father I beleeue in God the Sonne and I beleeue
the Father then the light of one torch or great light doth the light of an other from which it is taken Sundrie persons most impiously haue taken this title vppon them falsely to bee called Gods Christ is the Sonne of God Note it well whosoeuer did it from the beginning of the world to this day he neuer wanted the fearefull signes of Gods wrath vpon him our first parents for affecting diuine honour Gen. 3. lost all their excellencie and beecame the children of wrath Herod was ambitiously impious this way but sodenly the Angell of God smote him The conuersion of the Gentiles is an argument of arguments to assure vs that Iesus Christ was the onely Sonne of God against all Atheists of all ages for how could that be that so many nations should turne subiects to his scepter but that the diuine power of God was in this worke and that this our Lord and God manifested in the flesh was so mightie and powerfull in and by his Gospell to conuert soules vnto him 2. Cor. 10.3.4.5.6 Lastly That Christ is very God speciall rules of proportion require this that Iesus Christ bee very God first It is a worke of omnipotencie to bee a Sauiour of body and soule such a Sauiour was Christ secondly there must bee a proportion betweene the sinne of men and the punishment of sinne The sinne of men being against the infinite maiestie of God must haue a punishment infinite therefore such an infinite Redeemer Thirdly there was nothing could so quench the fierie darts of Sathan Epe 6. and the pollution of sinne in our consciences but the bloud of such an infinite Mediator Fourthly God herein doth manifest his grace and loue vnto vs in that he giues vs such a redemption by his Sonne Rom. 5. and such a satisfaction as should not onely bee equall to our sinne but also by many degrees goe beyond it And these very words that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God yee haue often set downe in the Scriptures Confer these places 2. Pet. 1.17 Mat. 3. and 17.5 c. So also is hee called the onely begotten Sonne of God Iohn 1.14 Ye saw the glory thereof as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and truth and ver 18. and Chap. 3.16 And thus Iesus Christ our Lord is the onely begotten Sonne of God not by creation nor by adoption nor by reason of the personall vnion of two natures but by nature and as hauing of the substance of the Father before all worlds Quest 25. What vse is there of this title and what comforts follow this Faith 1. Vse Humiliation Ans This serues well both for humiliation and consolation First for humiliation thus When I see that nothing could appease the wrath of God for sinne but the hart-bloud of his onely begotten Sonne I see it cleere that without this Sauiour all the Sonnes of Adam were in the wofull state of damnation hauing so offended the high maiestie of God that nothing could serue for reconciliation but the death of the Kings owne Sonne the consideration and meditation of this I say ought to smite my heart with a holy feare of sinning against God for that so great a price was laid downe for my sinnes 2. Vse Consolation Secondly for our further consolation I am continually as to behold here the inspeakable and infinite loue of God Iohn 3.16 so also to esteeme and value all the works following acted and done by Iesus Christ for mee according to the worthinesse and excellencie of his person Thirdly this gift of God in giuing vs his Sonne Rom. 8 5â— in not sparing his owne Sonne but giuing him for vs all to death this gift I say should moue vs continually to sing in our hearts 3. Praise God alwaies and to say with Dauid My soule praise thou the Lord and all that is within mee praise his holie name my soule praise thou the Lord and forget not all his benefites which forgiueth all thine iniquitie and healeth all thine infirmities which redeemeth thy life from the graue and crowneth thee with mercie and compassion Quest 26. Proceede to the fourth title Where is Iesus Christ called our Lord and wherefore Ans Hee is so called often in the scripture the Angell to the shepeheards so cals him Luke 2.11 and Christ himselfe teacheth it out of the 110. Psal that hee must bee so called And hee is truly and iustly so called because that redeeming our soules and bodies from the bondage of sinne death and damnation not with gold and siluer but with his owne precious bloud hee may challenge vs for his * 1 Pet 1.12 1. Cor. 6.20 owne by good right And this may hee doe also by right of câ—eâ—tion as also by right of his place and office as beeing the head of the Church which is his body whereof I am a member Duties and Consolations which follow this Faith are these First I binde my selfe to an absolute obedience of euerie word of Christ without any exception and that I obey all my Superiours onely in him and for him Act. 4.19 And I must doe him homage in body and soule because he is Lord of both 1. Cor. 6. Secondly seeing hee is become my Lord I must stand firme by faith in him and rest on him in all feares and euils of this life for hee will neuer faile mee nor forsake mee Ioh. 1.5 hee will not suffer any of his to perish Ioh. 10.28 for that all power is giuen him Mat. 28. Thirdly all Gouernours must remember to be as louing fathers to their inferiours for if they be not so they must giue an account to an higher Lord who is set ouer them this the Apostle teacheth Ephe. 6.9 Yee Masters doe the same things vnto your seruants putting away threatning and know that euen your Master is also in heauen Quest 27. Thus farre of the foure titles and of the first most excellent and diuine nature of the Sonne of God now followes his humane nature incarnation and the vnion of both natures in one person in these words Conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary Tell me first where is Christ said to bee conceiued by the holy Ghost Ans In all Scriptures wheresoeuer he is called the Son of God as Rom. 1.4 Mat. 3.17 Ioh. 1.14 But these very words are found set downe by Saint Mathew Conceiued by the holy Ghost Chap. 1.19.20 Feare not to take Mary for thy wife for that which was conceiued in her is of the holy Ghost And Luke 1.35 The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most high shall ouershadow thee therefore also that holy thing which shall bee borne of thee shall bee called the Sonne of God Concerning the Incarnation of the Sonne of God wee must know that it is a great * 2. Tim. 3.16 misterie and therefore here obserue First who is Incarnate the second
Iewes payed deerely for this mocking and for crying his bloud bee vpon vs and our children for their children abide vnder the heauie wrath of almighty God for it vnto this day Seauenthly and lastly when the Lord Christ had made an end of all things and had giuen full satisfaction to his fathers iustice after all his wrastling with Sathan and sinners and after many passions in soule and body hee concludes all this wearisome fight with this prayer immediately before his death Father into thy hands I commend my spirit Luke 23.46 By his example hee teacheth vs to recommend our spirits to the father of spirits who can preserue any work so wel as the crafts-master shall not the faithfull Creator of soules doe this more carefully then man In great dangers we commit our Iewels to our best friends so do thou thy soule vnto Iesus Christ that thou maist say with Saint Paul 2. Tim. 1.12 I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I haue committed to him against that day Quest 36. The passion of Christ is a mirrour of all vertues which are the more excellent for that they bee set before vs not in rules and doctrines but in his owne holy practise name some of them in order Ans The Prophet Esay names sixe vertues or speciall graces proper to Christ and communicate by him in some measure to all his members Chap. 11.2 The spirit first of Wisedome secondly of Iudgement thirdly of Councell fourthly of Fortitude fiftly of knowledge and sixtly of the feare of the Lord. First for Wisedome and Iudgement they bee two speciall graces differing as I take it in men on this manner The former is the generall comprehension or knowledge of things the latter is the experience of that knowledge in particular actions experience in other things will cleere this distinction Wee see in Phisick and other Arts many by much reading to haue obtained singular knowledge so that they thinke with themselues they could doe great matters yet when they come to haue the vse of their knowledge in some particular matters they are oftentimes to seeke and their knowledge for want of experience doth soone faile them Now for the Sonne of God hee was full of wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding and yet respecting his humanitie it is testified of him Luke 2.52 that hee increased in wisedome His wisdome did appeare in the whole work of our redemption in fore-seeing and fore-shewing to his Apostles all things which should happen and bee done to him by the Iewes Christs wisedome and iudgement in his passion assuring them that this was his fathers will manifested by the Prophets his singular iudgement is to bee seene in his preparation to that conflict with Sathan and sinners by meditation and praier in choosing so fitlie the time and place for his apprehension and in all his most apt and fit answeres to all questions and demands made vnto him Secondly for Counsell The Lord Christ was full of the spirit of Counsell for he was able to withstand and to answere all the counsell of hell and Sathan of Annas and Caiphas of Pilate and Herod against him hee was ready in all temptations to answere all doubts which the Prince of darknesse was able to obiect against him he was not doubtfull nor to seeke for councell in the whole worke nor in any part of the worke of our redemption The spirit of councell did appeare notably in him in all his arraignement and passion Thirdly the spirit of Fortitude was in him in a most rich measure for hee wrestled not in this action with flesh and bloud but incountered with spirituall powers and principalities euen with all the power of hell This is the strong Lion of the tribe of Iudah and the seede of the woman which in his great strength breakes the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 hee was so full of might that with one word speaking hee cast downe all that came to take him euen to the ground Fourthly hee was full of the spirit of Knowledge to discerne all his enemies and to discerne what was in them for so it is testified of him Iohn 18.4 Iesus knowing all things that should come vnto him c. Hee knew all their purposes desires persons places and all their designements Fiftly the Spirit of the feare of the Lord hee was also replenished with it as appeareth in all his seruice and obedience to his heauenly father for hee honoreth him in all his worke and faithfully performeth all that seruice in all respects for the which hee had sent him euer seeking his glory Ioh. 13.31 Now the Sonne of man is glorified and God is glorified in him Sixtly for humilitie The humilitie of Christ hee is the onely patterne that euer was on earth for this cause the Apostle willeth vs to carrie within vs the same minde that was in Christ Iesus that is the same spirit of humilitie for saith hee He being in the forme of God and thinking it no robberie to bee equall with God yet hee made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the Crosse The meeknes of Christ Seauenthly for the Spirit of Meekenesse hee was full of mildenesse and meekenesse in the whole course of his life as himselfe truely testifieth of himselfe Math. 11.28.29 Come vnto mee all yee that are wearie and laden and I will ease you take my yoke on you and learne of me that I am meeke and lowly of heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules This vertue did notablie appeare in his passion for the prophecie of Esay was accomplished in him He was oppressed and afflicted yet did hee not open his mouth For so wee finde it testified for when false witnesses vrged him and Caiphas yet hee was silent because hee was willing to die and saw there was no place to speake either for the * When to speake glory of God or the good of men Eightly as Saint Iames commends Iob for patience so much more may the Sonne of God bee recommended as a mirrour of patience to all the world Christs patiēce for hee was soft in his answeres and calme in all speeches to all his most bloudy enemies to Iudas betraying him with a kisse hee said Mat. 26.50 friend wherefore art thou come and to the high priests officers which smote him Iohn 18.23 If I haue euill spoken beare witnesse of the euill but if I haue well spoken why smitest thou me Herod thought him a foole for his silence and patience whereby wee bee taught in all vniust railings and iniuries not to giue rebuke for rebuke but either to keepe silence or else to speake so much as shall bee for our iust defence Christs loue Ninthly hee was full of loue mercie and
compassion in the midest of his passions euen to his enemies he cured Malchus eare which Peter had cut off with his sword And when they were practising against him all trecherie euen then hee performeth the work of a Mediator praying for them vnto his Father Luk. 23.34 saying Father forgiue them for they wot not what they doe for his friends hee is most mindefull of them louing vnto them euen in his greatest passions in his apprehension he desireth his Disciples might be let goe freely Ioh. 18.8 If ye seeke mee let these goe their way As for Peter after hee had renounced him with bitter execrations he turned backe and looked gratiously on him and quickned him againe Luke 22.61 Hee shewed mercie on the theefe which did hang by him on the Crosse comforting him in these words Verily I say vnto thee to day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise ver 43. Lastly he recommends his mother to the custodie of Iohn Iohn 19.26.27 where hee teacheth children to giue all honour and to performe all duties of loue care and reuerence to their parents Tenthly finally we finde in Christs passion a notable president for perseuerance for hee wades through all the Sea of his temptations hee neuer flincks back nor turnes aside to rest him till hee comes to the very ende of all his wearisome rase notwithstanding all the torments and teares hee had within and without yet hee rested not till hee came to the mark hee set before him then he cryed It is finished all my worke is accomplished and so hee departed from euill men and euill Angels vnto God and vnto the spirits of righteous men and holy Angels Thus then wee see in his passion the practise of many most excellent vertues whereby he did not onely gaine merits to saue vs but also gaue speciall instructions to guide and direct vs in the whole course of our life Quest 37. Thus farre wee haue heard your faith concerning the passions of Christ vnder Pontius Pilate doe you beleeue also that the Sonne of God dyed Ans I doe so beleeue in veritie and shall professe and confesse it to my liues end by the assistance and grace of Gods holy spirit for that I am so taught and commanded of God to beleeue The death of Christ no fained thing his death was not a fiction or imaginarie death but a true death indeed according to the prophecies which were before deliuered concerning him Esay 53. He was cut off from the land of the liuing Dan. 9. The Messiah shall hee cut off The types and Sacrifices of lambes daily in the temple did foreshew and preach the death of the Lambe of God The accomplishment and truth of the types and prophecies are recorded faithfully Iohn 1.29 and Iohn 19. Chapter Mat. 26. and 27. Chapters Marke 15. Luke 23.26 First hee dyed to satisfie the iustice of God for the elect that hee might free them from death and from the feare of death as it is written Heb. 2.14 forasmuch as the children were partakers of flesh and bloud hee also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had power ouer death that is the Diuell and that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life time subiect to bondage Secondlie he dyed to fulfill all the promises of God from the beginning Gen. 3.15 Death of Christ voluntarie Thirdly I say his death was voluntarie and an accursed death first voluntary for so he speaketh Ioh. 10.18 No man taketh my life from mee but I lay it downe of my selfe Secondly it was an accursed death for so it is written Gal. 3.13 Christ was made a curse for vs and how he sheweth it in the words following Cursed is euerie one that hangeth on a tree as if hee should auouch in effect that Christs death was accursed that is that it contained in it the first and second death that is the separation of body and soule and a separation of both for a time from God for that for a time hee did apprehend and vndergoe the wrath of God due to man for sin yet was hee neuer out of Gods fauour for in the midest of his loud cries hee cals God his God Mat. 27.46 hee was neuer so oppressed of death as the damned are Christ died the first death onely suffring the pangs of the second Hee suffred the bodily death without any corruption of body so hee suffred the extreame pangs of the second death but not as forsaken of God more then in his owne apprehension and feeling Fourthly the comforts and vse wee haue of this faith or the blessings wee reape by the death of Christ are many and very precious neuer to bee forgotten of true hearted beleeuers First this voluntarie and true obedience of Christ vnto death euen this accursed death is our righteousnesse before God as it is written Rom. 5. As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one righteous many are made righteous In this righteousnesse of Christs death lyeth the cheefe matter of all our felicitie and reioycing as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should reioyce in any thing but in the Crosse of Christ There is no one thing more recommended in so many and so euident prophecies then this So by the death of Christ I am freed from the second death Secondly by this faith in Christ crucified and dead for vs I behold to mine exceeding comfort a diuine proportion betweene the infinite debt of Gods elect and the sanctification done by the death of Christ vnto Gods iustice for the same as infinite as the debt Thirdly I see the inspeakable loue of God to his Elect continually preached vnto me and manifested as before mine eyes Ioh. 3.16 Fourthly I see that Gods diuine iustice is satisfied by Christs death in the same nature which offended him Gen. 3.15 Heb. 2.14 to mine exceeding great consolacion Fiftly my trembling conscience by this faith is quieted and pacified for I feele hereby that the pollution of my conscience is done away because my heart is sprinckled with the bloud of Christ Heb. 9.14 and the scorching heate of it is delayed by this water of life which streames vnto mine heart from the side and heart of Iesus Christ Zac. 12.10.11 and 13. Chap. ver 1. Sixtly the first death which is a part of Gods curse for sin by the death of Christ is turned into a blessing and made vnto mee a gate to life So that now I may truly say that the day of death is better vnto me then the day wherein I was borne Seauenthly the death of Christ doth ratifie his last will and testament vnto me Thus it pleased the father to make authenticall and to seale vnto me the couenant of grace Heb. 9.15.16 Eightly by his death hee hath not onely taken away the condemnation of sinne Rom. 8.1 for vs but also hath broken
contrary in religion a man must first beleeue and then comes experience afterward The true beleeuer can speake after his experience thus like as though I were blinde and could not see with mine eyes the body of the Sunne in the heauens yet because I feele the heat and comfort of the Sunne therefore I beleeue the Sunne shines vpon the earth euen so I finding the worke of the Sonne of God in mine heart and in my first resurrection must verily beeleeue his blessed resurrection Quest 43. Tell me next what was the manner of his resurrection and lastly what vse we haue of this Article and of this faith Ans First the Lord Iesus being truely dead and buried rose againe by his owne almighty power as is often testified Iohn 18. No man taketh my life from me but I lay it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and haue power to take it againe And so his Apostles Paul and Peter assure vs hee quickned himselfe by his owne spirit Rom. 8.11 1. Pet. 18.19 Whereby hee doth approue himselfe comfortably vnto vs to bee the very Sonne of God as Saint Paul noteth Rom. 1.4 saying hee was declared mightely to bee the Sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead Secondly as touching the forme he rose in or how his body was qualified I answere that after his resurrection his body was glorified richly yea most gloriously qualified with supernaturall graces his body was incorruptible and it was made a shining body a resemblance whereof some of his Disciples saw in the mount and it was indued with agility to moue as well vpward as downeward as may appeare by the ascention of his body to heauen which was not caused by constraint or by any violent motiue but by a propertie agreeing to all bodies glorified Yet in the exaltation of Christs manhood wee must remember two caueats first that hee did neuer lay aside the essentiall properties of a true body as length bredth thicknesse visibilitie locallitie or to be in one place at once and no more but keepeth all these still because they serue for the being of his body Secondly wee must remember that the gifts of glory in Christs body are not infinite but finite for his humane nature being but a creature and therefore finite could not receiue infinite graces c. Christs body is not omnipotent and infinite for this is to affirme he had no humane body and to make the creature the creator That it might appeare vnto the Disciples hee had a glorious body and was changed hee was not alwayes in their presence but came often sodenly into their presence and once the doores being shut the doores giuing place and being opened they knew not how he that thickned the water to walk on can cause doores and rockes to giue way vnto his comming without any peircing or passing through them as Papists haue imagined Christ had a reall and true body after the resurrection Finally that hee had a true body a reall body the very same wherein hee suffred and not a fayned body as heretiques haue auouched is testified by many arguments vnto vs hee shewed some scars wounds and blemishes of his passion in his body now glorified as then remaining for the confirmation of men and to this end he conuersed with men he did eate and drinke often in the presence of his Apostles after his resurrection The vse of this Article concerning Christs resurrection and of this Faith is this First the resurrection of Christ is a publike testimony that hee hath perfect righteousnesse for all such as trust in him 2. Tim. 1.12 for if there had remained but one of our sinnes either vnperfectly punished in him or not fully satisfied by him hee could not assuredly then haue risen from the death for where but one sinne is there must bee death Rom. 6.23 as God hath decreede Like as then the father by deliuering Christ to death hath indeed condemned our sinnes in Christ Rom. 8.3 so by rasing him from death hee hath absolued Christ from our sinnes and vs in Christ 1. Cor. 15.17 Rom. 4.25 As our sinnes are condemned and punished in the death of Christ so our absolution and discharge is in his resurrection Christ was giuen to death for our sinnes and risen againe for our iustification Secondly the beleeuer is truely said to be dead to sinne or to be dead with Christ because the vertue of Christs death works effectually in his heart the death of sinne and next to be buried with Christ into his death Rom. 6.2.3.4 beecause of the vertue which proceedes from Christs buriall to cause him so to bury sinne that it neuer can rise vp any more to bee so stirring in him as it was before he came to Christ And lastly The beleeuer truly said to be dead with Christ buried and risen with him the beleeuer is as truly said to be risen with Christ Col. 3.1 beecause a speciall vertue and grace proceedes also from Christs resurrection to the beleeuing heart to quicken it vnto newnesse of life And this is that grace which the Apostle desires more and more to feele and find to abound in himselfe when hee desires to know Christ better and the vertue of his resurrection Phil. 3.10 Wherefore we must embrace Christ risen in the armes of our precious faith and so apply him vnto our hearts that wee may sensibly feele vertue to come from him not onely to crucifie our old affections but also to stir vp dayly new holy and heauenly affections in our harts Col. 3. If ye be risen with Christ seeke those things which are aboue c. 1. Pet. 1.3 We are regenerate to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead As it was in the cure of the woman which had the bloudy issue so it is in the curing and quickning of sinners which are full of bloudie issues all which must bee stanched and cured by a certaine vertue deriued from Christ into them Mar. 5.29.30 This is the prayer Eph. 4.19 Thirdly the third fruit which is ioyned with the second is the assurance of our perseuerance in grace and of our full victory against sinne and death For they that are ingrafted into Christ by faith draw from him such a spirituall life and power Rom. 6.9.10 as they shall neuer loose no not in the parting a sunder of soule and body Rom. 8.38 Iohn 8.51 If any man keepe my word he shall neuer see death Fourthly the last benefite of his resurrection is the resurrection of our bodies The truth is this that good and bad shall rise againe yet there is a great difference in the rising of the one and the other for the Godly shall rise by vertue of Christs resurrection 1. Cor. 6.14 Rom. 8.11 Phil. 3.21 1. The. 4.14 and that to eternall glory but the vngodly rise by the power of Christ not as hee is a redeemer
Paul the Corinths so in like manner the Hebrewes Heb. 5.11.12 it is very plaine they had beene well catechised and albeit they had suffered much for Christ Heb. 10.32.33 yet now they were become very dull haue need to bee well Catechised againe Sixtly so was Theophilus first instructed Luke 1.4 as appeareth in the originall Seauenthly the Church which followed immediately the Apostles continued the same methood and forme of doctrine for they had speciall men appointed to Catechize all Nouices and all Conuerts as that learned Origen was appointed in Alexandria by Demetrius Bishop there Againe it seemes they kept a true Register of their Catechized in their Churches For Eusebius lib. 6. cap. 7. 3. names three of them in one Chapter for speaking of their martyrdome hee saith 1. Heraclides that Heraclides was but once Catechized or entred in his Catechisme when he was martyred And Heron being well Catechised 2. Heron. he was but newly baptized when he was martyred 3. Rhais And Rhais was but in her Catechisme when shee was baptized in the fire And thus wee see how in elder ages the babes in Christ were carefully taught the first grounds of Religion and so being well grounded they were admitted by confirmation * Heb. 6.3.4.5 and laying on of hands to the Lords Supper and to communicate with the Church in other exercises of Religion Rom. 14.1 Tertul. de praescriptione Hereti ante sunt perfecti cathechumenoi quaÌ„ edocti The breach of this order Turtulian cryes out against it saying that with the Heriticks there was no care of this distinction They are men growne or perfect men with you saith he before they be any thing grouÌ„ded in the Catechisme I would this were no iust complaint against vs and our time The ages following kept the same course see August Tom. 4. de catechiz rudibus To. 6. serm ad catech Cyrils Catechisme Quest 11. But our people cannot abide to bee Catechised publikely nor know not how to Catechize their families priuately Ans The most part are enemies to their owne saluation they haue these and the like carnall obiections and excuses 1. Obiect They are ashamed so to be taught Answ They ought more to be ashamed of their ignorance 2. Ob. They haue no time to Catechise their families Ans God will not so be mocked first he hath commaunded his Sabboth for it and more also the euening morning and the noone time of the day Deut. 6.6 3. Ob. This strict order would scare away all seruants Ans Such seruants are better lost then found 4. Ob. They are too young as yet they will to morrow Ans If thou wilt not heare this day it may be thou shalt not the next day Heb. 3.15.16 Pro. 1.5 Ob. They are too old Ans The blinde doting sinner is still accursed albeit an hundred yeares old Esa 65.20 6. Ob. Our Fathers prospered without all this Preaching and Catechizing Ans The Pagans and vnbeleeuers best prosper in the world Psal 73.1.3.4 Iob. 21.8 And this was the old Idolaters complaint 7. Ob. Such as haue learned the Catechisme are as lewd as they were before Such as haue eyes can see better then the blinde Seruants are not accepted for their good meaning Ans The Seruant which knoweth his Masters will doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes 8. Ob. Wee meane as well as the best Ans Such as haue killed the Prophets thought they did God good seruice Iohn 16.2 wee must not goe by our owne good meaning Of the vvell formed Adam 2. Sunday or of man in his first excellencie in his creation when the beautifull Image of God shined in him Question 1. WHat is that most cheareth and comforteth thine heart both in life and death Answere That both in a 1. Cor. 6.19.20 soule and body whether I liue b Rom. 14.8 or dye I am not mine owne but I belong vnto my most faithfull Lord and Sauiour c 1 Cor. 3.23 Iesus Christ in whom I finde a full d Esa 53.2 1. Iohn 1.7 1. Pet. 1.23 redemption from all power of sinne Sathan e Gen. 3.15 Heb. 2.14 Col. 1.13 death and hell all which held me as captiue f Luke 1 71. before That the God of all grace and comfort hath of his owne free mercie called me by his Gospell out g 2. Th. 2.13.14 1. Pet. 2.9 of darkenesse into his meruailous light and sanctified h Eph. 1.13 Iude ver 1.2 me by his holy spirit to serue him and doth reserue me vnto Iesus Christ for euer that hath wrought this faith in mine heart Iohn 6.29 Quest 2. How many things must be knowne to attaine this assured consolation in life and death Ans Foure things First Adam constitutus what the excellencie was of the first Adam whom wee may for difference sake call the well formed Adam in communion with God and holy Angels Secondly how base and wretched man is by nature Adam destitutus The man without Christ AdaÌ„ restitutê° The man in Christ or of Adam after his fall whom we may call the deformed Adam or the man without Christ in communion with the Diuell and vncleane spirits Thirdly how blessed the man is which is restored to grace by faith in Christ and this man we may call the reformed Adam Fourthly how all the reformed Adams 1. Pet. 2.9 or all which haue put on Christ must striue to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into his maruailous light euer zealous in good * Adamus fidus gratus Tit. 2.11 works Quest 3. Now let me heare what arguments haue you to manifest the great excellency of the first Adam Ans The holy Ghost in the glorie of mans creation commends his excellencie by this which followeth Gen. 1.26 Psal 8. 92. Finis primus in intentione vlt. in actione First from the day and time of his creation he was created the sixt day after the creation of all creatures in heauen and earth as if the Lord had decreed to make him Lord of all the visible creatures in heauen and earth his most speciall instrument on the earth to set forth his glory Wherefore no doubt he was vnto God more deare then all the frame of heauen and earth Secondly from the prouident care of God for him before his creation for the Lord as a wise father purposing to aduance this Adam to the seat of the Empyre of all the world hee leaues nothing vnprouided beefore hand but settes all things in a most comely frame and order to serue him Est profatio patris ad filiuÌ„ Tertul. de resurrectione These words were not spoken to the creatures wanting reason nor to the Angels least they should be thought to be partakers of this glorie Thirdly from the great consultation of the holy Trinitie in his creation Let vs make man That creature which
view of all their sinnes which apertaine to this apostacie or contumacie as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5. Ans The first sinne is vnbeleefe shee begins in the first entrance into the conference to doubt of the truth of Gods holy word ver 2. Secondly to b 2. to cōtinue a conference with Sathan disputing against the knowen truth against our consciences continue conference with the arch-enemie of God blaspheming the Lord and oppugning his holy truth Thirdly c 3. Curiositie Curiositie they seeke after strange knowledge not contented with Gods holy word ver 5. Fourthly d 4. Pride Pride they desired greater glory and to haue some greater excellency or to bee like the Lord himselfe in glory ver 5. Fiftly e 5. Cōtumacie manifest rebelliō against knowledge conscience manifest Contumacie they proceede to the breach of his Law against their knowledge and conscience ver 6. Sixtly they f 6. To preferre Sathan or to beleeue lies reiect the truth preferre Sathan and his lies beefore God and his holy truth ve 6. Seuenthly they are g 7. vnthankfulnesse vnthankfull vnto God for the manifold and inspeakable pledges of his fauour and loue towards them Eightly they sinne * 8. Presumption presumptuously a When any childe of God falleth into any foule sin against God against his knowledge conscience as Dauid into adultry he falleth into many sins together presuming to bee so highly in Gods fauour that hee would not so afflict them for their transgression Ninthly and lastly after a full resolution in great presumption they proceed to the b 9. The practise of the treasō in committing the outward act practise of this high treason against God and did eate against Gods manifest charge of the forbidden fruite and so murthered themselues and their posteritie Quest 15. Now tell me what were the consequents of this c Verse 7. rebellion or contumacie as the Apostle speaketh of our first Parents Ans They beecame forthwith the children of wrath and of death By sinne they became subiect to all the euils of this life and the euerlasting curse of God after death So the Law speaketh Gen. Chap. 2.17 So the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5.12 So the euent speaketh by sundry effects as after shall appeare Quest 16. What is death Gen. 5. ver 7.8 Ans A separation from the comfortable presence grace loue and fauour of God both in this life and life to come a state contrary in all respects to that first state of his excellencie Quest 17. How many kindes of death are mentioned in Scripture 3. kinde euill Ans Foure first death in sin the forerunner and messenger of the second death Rom. 6.2 Ephe. 2.1 the state of all vnregenerate Secondly death vnto sinne Rom. 6.2 the state of the regenerate Thirdly the naturall death of the body called a dissolution 2 Tim. 4.6 Fourthly death eternall or the second death 2. Thes 1.9 Reuel 20.6 Gen 3.8.9.10 c. Quest 18. And were our first parents after their transgression subiect to these three kindes of death Ans Yea first they beecame dead in sinne as appeares from the 7. verse to the 19. by the effects of sinne in them their nakednesse their shame their deformitie their feare and trembling their hiding of themselues their couering of sin with all their might vtterly ignorant how to please God all which are markes of an eulll conscience or of a man dead in sinne Secondly for the naturall death or dissolution in the first death the decree is here manifested and recorded which was neuer yet repeated ver 19. Heb. 9.28 Thirdly they came also by sinne vnder the heauie curse of God for the second death against the which the Gospell concerning their mediator and redeemer Iesus Christ is preached vnto them Gen. 3.15 and Gal. 3.8 Quest 19. How doth the Lord preach the Gospell and offer the meanes of reconsiliation and repentance vnto our first Parents Ans First the Lord to awake them gaue them some visible signe of his presence verse 8. Secondly but when his presence did but amaze them he spake distinctly and called them in a speciall manner to accounts ver 9. Thirdly hee ript vp their hearts and set their sins in order beefore them Note the great goodnesse and patience of God in the conuersion of sinners verse 11. Psal 50. to driue them to the full confession of them by two questions or arguments as thus first who told thee of this nakednesse where there was none to tell thee or cause thee to sin but thy selfe Secondly I see by thy trembling thou hast broken my Law for where there is no feeling of sinne there is no contrition no confession no remission Quest 20. Where are now all the gifts of nature and free will How forward findeth the Lord our first Parents to repent them of their apostacie Ans Adam had no strength at all to reclaime himselfe nor to attend Gods voyce when God beganne to reclaime him to repentance as appeares by these arguments First like a man in a feuer cries onely of his heate so all his thoughts run vpon his nakednesse and shame Gen. 3. ver 10. vtterly vnmindeful of Gods free mercie that as yet hath kept him from hell and euerlasting perdicion Secondly hee seekes by all meanes to couer and lessen his sinne and regards not how iniurious hee is to God and man Faemina Verse 12. Contrary before Gen. 2.23 first to the woman This woman that is this foolish vaine woman is cause of my sinne secondly hee saith God gaue her and sent her to him as the cause of his ruine and destruction Verse 12. Note these degrees in an extorted and involuntary confession Thirdly hee comes to an extorted and confused confession I did eate that is I haue eaten indeed but as being seduced I wot not well how nor of what tree So the woman hid her sinne in like maner And thus doe all the sonnes of Adam when God in mercie sends them meanes of repentance a 1. Non feci first they denie stoutly that they haue sinned b 2. Feci quidē sed bene feci secōdly they ad impudently being vrged I haue done so indeed and haue I not well done c 3. Si male non multum male thirdly if their fact bee conuinced to bee a sinne they answere if it bee sinne it is not so hainous nor so great a sinne d 4 Non mala intentione fourthly and if yet they bee further vrged as touching the greatnesse of their sinne they say their purpose and intention was not so euill e 5. Aliena suatione fiftly and lastly if their intention and purpose bee manifested they confesse they haue sinned but being lured perswaded and occasioned by others but when a man seeketh sufferage by excuse hee misseth his pardon Quest 21. And how did the Lord proceed to worke in them a true
cloud vnto the people of the Iewes did serue as a speciall simbole of the presence of Iehoua Father Sonne and holy Ghost yet neuer painted to resemble God or to bee adored or to worship God by it in the Church of the Iewes 3. Obiect of the picture of Christ Thirdly it is obiected that the humanitie of Christ and the picture of Christ crucified may be allowed not for adoration but in signe of loue and commemoration Ans First I answere in the words of the Apostle Gal. 3.1 labour that Iesus Christ may be so pictured by the preaching of the Gospell in the minde that thou maist by the eie of faith behold him as clearelie and more effectually then if hee were described in thy sight and crucified beefore thee For by faith wee behold him which is inuisible Heb. 11.1.27 Secondly I say we be bound to discerne betweene the precious body of the Sonne of God and the sinfull carkases of mortall men for that this is a misterie most admirable that God should be manifested in the flesh 1. Tim. 3.6 that God and man should bee so vnited together that both natures make but one person so as albeit death parted the naturall soule from the naturall body yet that precious bodie was still the body of that person which was the Son of God no way subiect to any change or corruption Act. 2.27 An Image will teach vs to disioyne in our mindes those holie natures which God hath so conioyned as man ought not in the thoughts of his heart to separate them but euer by spirituall wisdome and faith to distinguish them Thirdly The Turks Present sent to the pope is but a fabulous ground for any true harted Christian by such a picture to dishonor his Lord and maister Iesus Christ I say if no man on the earth can at this day giue vs the true picture of Christ then is it intollerable audaciousnesse for any earthlie man to counterfaite falselie his holie parts and members But no man can giue vs his iust stature or truly discribe his phisiognomie therefore this ought not to be practised And if a man cannot beare to be abused and falsely or vntruly resembled and conterfaited by picture shall we thinke it none offence to the Sonne of God Fourthlie wee may reason from the writings of the holie Euangelists who were appointed and sent from God purposely to discribe the Sonne of God Iesus Christ for if they with one consent denie vs any helpe at all or any one liue concerning the externall lineaments and forme of his bodie then ought not man to presume to picture Christ after his owne inuention but wee see clearely how the foure Euangelists purposelie passe ouer this matter the holie Ghost foreseeing the superstition of Antichrist and how the Popish painted Christs should bee worshipped to the great dishonour of our euerlasting Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Fiftlie wee may reason against this Popish God on this manner if that picture of Christ which was allowed and commanded of God himselfe Num. 21.8 Io. 3.14 being superstitiouslie abused must be burnt to ashes 2. King 18.4 then much more these false pictures of Christ neuer allowed but dissalowed of God and most impiouslie adored of vaine men ought to bee reiected with a farre greater detestation If any doubt of the Popish Idolatrie to their crosse their owne booke a O crux aue spes vnica hoc passionis tempore Agne pijs iustitiam reisque dona veniam Againe Ecce lignum crucis venite adoremus Againe Crucem tuam adoramus Domine resurrectionem tuam sanctam glorificamus Concil Trid. fess 9. and dailie practise in their false Church testifie against them The fourth obiection they say the picture of Christ serues well to confute the old Heretikes The Martionites and Valentinians which denied that Christ had a true naturall humane bodie Ans First if these and the like Heretikes beleeue not the words nor respect the works of Christ if they will not beleeue Moses and the Prophets testifiing of Christ with his Apostles and Euangelists they will not beleeue any one that shall returne from the dead and much lesse a dead and painted Christ The Godly Emperours Valens and Theodosius made a law that none should make any Image of our Sauiour Christ and if any were found it should bee vtterly defaced and reiected Againe Epiphanius rent in peeces the picture of Christ on a cloth Anno. 565. because said hee it was contrary to holy Scripture Epiphan Epist ad Iohan. Epis Hierosolymit Eusebius saith that some conuents of the Gentiles carried about in tables the pictures of Peter and Paul and Christ also because this was a custome saith hee to remember their Patrons and benefactors Eus lib. confes cap. 36. Their very words are these As our care is in and by all meanes to maintayne the religion of the most high God so permit wee none to purtraite engraue or picture in colours stone or any other matter whatsoeuer the Image of our Sauiour moreouer wee command that wheresoeuer such an Image can bee found it bee taken away and all those to bee chastised with most greeuous punishment that attempt any thing against our commaund Petr. Crinitus lib. 9. de honest discipl Quest 80. What is the second sinne here forbidden Ans In the second place wee bee here charged not to worship the Image wee haue made nor the true God in by with or before an Image or in an Idols Temple for if man proceede to erect an Image vnto God hee will bee no lesse bold to honor it and his God as hee best fancieth in it and before it First for this Idolatrie it is flatly forbidden in the expresse words of the Law Thou shalt not make any grauen Image c. Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them And the Psalmist saith confounded bee all they that worship carued Images And the Lord requires all holy and religious worship to bee reserued for himselfe Mat. 4.10 Ob. Their blind vnlearned distinction of douleia and latria will not serue for the light of God hath taught vs now to dispell such Popish misteries and the Scripture doth often confound these words and indifferently vse the one for the other Rom. 1.9 1. The. 1.9 Mat. 4.10 Reuel 19.20 And wheras here they say they worship not the Image but Christ his holy mother before their Images Ans The holy Scripture discouers this vaile by the like practise of elder ages for as these men say the old Israelites did not worship Baal as God but God in Baal confer Iudg. 2.11 with Hosh 2.16 they did not imagine that Baal was the inuisible God almightie but that the seruice which was done before that Image was done to the Lord himselfe Againe Michahs superstition is condemned by the holie Ghost Iudg. 17. and yet did he not repose any great confidence in his Image but thought his worship done beefore that Image was very acceptable
as any ship without mast or sterne in the middest of the sea from hauen surely therefore I will vnload my euill wares and goe vnto the holy word of God that I may buy more without monie that I may search for wisedome as for treasure and for knowledge aboue precious stones O my soule thou hast too long dwelt among these rocks of offence and vnprofitable friends therefore yet at the last sit downe at the feete of this mountaine bee not afraid of the voice of God hee that harkneth to him hath chosen the better part which shall neuer bee taken from him The third Law Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine Exod. 20.7 for the Lord will not hold him * Or Impunem guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Question 86. Scope NOw Let vs heare first what the scope and summe is of this Law Answere The scope and principall purpose of Gods spirit in this Law is that we haue the excellent Maiestie and name of Iehoua in most high and honourable estimation with vs. The true worshipper beeing taught to worship Iehoua alone and in that forme and manner hee hath prescribed here hee is straitlie charged to thinke and speake of Iehoua with most high reuerence as in the first petition of the Lords prayer our first request and desire must bee that God would giue vs a most religious and tender care of his glory that his name might bee euer hallowed and no way dishonoured by vs. Quest 87. Proceede to shew what the parts are of this Law and what is the sense and meaning of the words Part â— Ans This precept hath two parts First the Law it selfe Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine Secondly the confirmation of the Law for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine The sence and meaning of the words is this Name First by the word name is ment here any title or attribute of God whereby he is knowne and discerned from the creatures We cannot say properly that God hath a name because plurality for which cause names are vsed falleth not into the single and vndiuided nature of God This word hath these acceptions and significations in Scripture First it is taken for God himselfe Psal 116. ver 13. Secondly it is vsed to signifie the properties and speciall attributes of God properties as strong almightie Exod. 6.2.3 15.3 Ielous Exod. 34.14 Attributes as mercie iustice power and goodnesse Thirdly it signifieth our affiance and trust in God Micah 4.5 Wee will walke in the name of the Lord our God for euer Fourthly for his holy misteries the Word and Sacraments Mat. 28.19 Act. 9.15.16 Fiftly for all the holy worship of God and of Christ as Act. 21.13 I am readie to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Sixtly it is vsed for Gods holy will and commandement Deut. 18.19 1. Sam. 17.45 Seauenthly for the glorie of God as Psal 8.1 O Lord how excellent is thy name in all the world which hast set thy glory aboue the heauens Take or assume that is a metaphor taken from precious things which may not bee touched with polluted hands as if hee had said vse not thinke not speake not of my name but with feare and reuerence with care and conscience In vaine that is without iust and good cause and respect Think not of God vnreuerently speak not rashly falsely hipocritically c. Heb. Io linke non expiabit none of the commandements hath these words Maister Caluins sweete words of this Law Labour with all thy minde and thoughts with all thine hart and affections in by all thy words and works to glorifie the name of God For the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse A metonymie for the Lord will not leaue him vnpunished and Saint Iames saith here the meaning is least yee fall into the Lords iudgement or condemnation chap. 5.12 First generally concerning this Law we be here charged so to order our selues in our mindes and tongues that wee neither thinke nor speake any thing of God himselfe or his misteries but reuerently and with much sobrietie that in waying his works wee conceiue nothing but honourably towards him that whatsoeuer our mind conceiueth of him whatsoeuer our tongue vttereth it may agree with his excellencie and with the sacred maiestie of his name and so may serue fitly to set forth his praise and glory that wee neuer rashly or vnreuerently thinke or speake of his holy word and misteries or abuse them to ambition couetousnesse or vainly to seeke our owne praise and glory but that as they beare the dignitie of his name imprinted in them so they may keepe their honour and estimation among vs lastly that wee neuer carpe against nor speake euill of his works as wicked men are wont reprochfully to iest and scorne at them but that whatsoeuer wee heare or see done by him we report it with words to the praise of his wisedome greatnesse and goodnesse Quest 88. Let vs proceed as in the two former Lawes first to consider by what speciall sinnes and vices Gods name is prophaned next by what vertues and good works it is honoured Ans Here first the Lord condemns all the idle and common oathes whereby his name is rashly and vainly abused and prophaned among men quite contrary to this Law and to his great charge Mat. 5.33.37 Iames. 5.12 Three kinds of oathes with vs Of these vaine and common oathes there are three sorts First the impious and terrible swearing by the essentiall names of God Secondly ciuill oathes by the creatures Thirdly superstitious oathes The first kinde are these common among the prophane Sonnes of Beliall in all nations to sweare by God by the Lord by Iesus by Christ by his blood by his bones by his wounds by his death by his life 2. Ciuil oathes Of this kinde were those oathes among the Iewes by my head by the earth by the heauens Mat. 5.33 34 35 The second kinde of vaine oathes among blinde people are these and such like By my soule by this bread by this drink by this monie by this light I see by these ten bloody bones by this good day And many more such like inuentions of Diuells in Papisme and Paganisme and these for distinction sake wee may call ciuill oathes for that they passe as freely as any ciuill speach without check of man or conscience among this kinde of people 3. Superstition The third kinde of oathes sauors altogether of that superstition where it was first borne and bred of this kinde are these specialls following By the Masse by the Rode by my faith by my truth by Saint Anne by Saint Iohn by Saint Mary by the will of God by my holidome by this booke by the foure Euangelists Against this kinde wee haue a speciall charge by the holy Ghost Iosh 23.7 Keepe no companie with
cursing all which and the like testifie cleerely of the crueltie of the heart if concerning these thy conscience plead guiltie this Law condemnes thee Sixtly inquire also if thou hast euer actually hurt mayned murthered or indangered the life of any man by secret or open practises whatsoeuer or desired the hurt or consented to the hurt of any mans life if thy conscience plead guiltie this law condemnes thee Seauenthly inquire if thou dost not in a holy selfe loue desire and care for thine owne saluation and the saluation of others in exercising thy selfe in the meanes which God in his wisedome hath hereunto appointed as reading and hearing the word of God read and preached prayer meditation conference fasting and such like if thy conscience pleads guiltie this law condemnes thee Eightly inquire how negligent thou hast beene in shewing mercie to the poore and in commiseration to such as thou hast seene and knowne in any miserie if thy conscience plead guiltie this Law comdemnes thee Ninthly inquire whether thou hast refused reconcilement when thy neighbour hath desired it or hast outwardly pretended reconciliation but inwardly intended any crueltie in thine heart if thy conscience plead guiltie this Law condemnes thee Ministers Tenthly inquire if thou bee the Minister of Christ how thou hast respected the soules of men whether thou hast euer poisoned the soules of men with any false doctrine or matter of contention or hast done the worke of the Lord negligently if thy conscience plead guilty this Law condemnes thee Ciuill magistrate Eleauenthly inquire if god hath set thee in the magistracie how thou hast done iustice and punished crueltie and bloudshed and protected the life and state of the innocent if thy conscience plead guiltie this Law condemnes thee Twelfthly let euere man inquire in euery calling if hee hath greeued or vexed the soule of any man if he hath impaired the health maimed or hurt the body of any man as Impostors vnlearned presuming in the practise of phisicke and vnskilfull in the practise of chirurgerie to the great hurt of many if thou hast any way beene the cause of any mans death thy conscience pleads guiltie and this law condemnes thee Thirteenthly and lastly inquire with what mercifulnesse thou hast tendred the life of man and beast with what loue and lenitie in word and action thou hast conuersed with men how thou hast by all well doing desired to cheere and comfort the hearts of men for the want of these vertues thy conscience pleads guiltie and this Law condemnes thee The seauenth Law Thou shalt not commit Adultry Question 125. NOw proceede to giue vs the summe and true interpretation of this Law Answere The next iniurie that is done to a mans person is Adultrie Order because a mans wife is next to a man himselfe and most deere vnto him as his life therefore to commit Adultry is euen a second murther Summe The summe is this that God doth abhorre all vncleannesse and pollution of bodie and minde Scope To preserue chastitie and therefore so must wee with all care and watchfulnesse striuing to keepe and possesse our vessels in holinesse and honour as meet temples for his holy spirit to rest in 1. Thes 4.1 Cor. 6. The best interpreter of this Law as of the former is our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Mat. 5.27.32 where first he reiecteth the Pharisaicall glosse and then hee addeth his owne true interpretation The Pharises standing first vpon the bare letter of the Law and next vpon the authoritie of their auncients did affirme and teach that this Law was onely to be vnderstoode of actuall Adultrie but our Lord and Sauiour assureth vs this Law searcheth more deepely into the most secret chambers of men hearts In this Law wee are to consider First what is forbidden All kindes of Adultrie either of the heart Mat. 5.28 to lust after an other mans wife or of the other sences as of the eie Mat 5.29 in vnchast and vnseemely sight or of the eare in hearing of rotten and vnsauerie speeches Eph. 4. or of the tast in all intemperancie gluttonie and dronkennes or of the smelling by all whorish prouocations of lust in odoriferous smells or of feeling by all vnchast touching or handling of women Or the Adultrie of the tongue is to vent the vncleane lusts of the hart by vncleane speches Eph. 4. Or actuall or corporall whoredome and adulterie where wee bee to consider first of the causes which breed this sin secondly of single whoredome thirdly of incest fourthly of vnnaturall lusts Fiftly of diuorcement Secondly what is commanded wee bee commaunded to keepe our vessels in holinesse and honour and to this end wee be first to keepe the heart watchfully exercised in holy and cleane thoughts and Godly meditations Secondly to watch ouer all the sences as Iob did his eies Chap. 21 or Ioseph did his eares Thirdlie to watch ouer the tongue that it may vtter chast holie and profitable speeches Fourthly to looke we be well fenced and guarded with the walls and bars of a pure and chast life as these First mariage Secondly temperancy and sobrietie in meat or in apparall Thirdly Religious fasts Fourthly inuocation and prayer Fiftly the societie and communion of Saints Quest 126. Now let me heare what saith Christ of this Law Ans Christ saith that actuall Adulterie is not here onely forbidden but that whosoeuer fastneth his eye on an other mans wife to the stirring vp of his hart to any vncleane motions hath offended against this Law Christ first condemneth here the adultrie of the heart Christ here teacheth that wee must keepe the fountaine cleane Prou. 4.23 for that all the actions of life streame from it The Lord condemneth an vnchast heart first for that from it proceed euill thoughts adulteries fornications Mar. 7.20.21 Secondly for that he will haue vs to obay his Lawes with all the soule all the minde and all the heart Deut. 6.4.5 Thirdly the Apostle requireth chastitie both in body and minde that is holines both in body and spirit for that man is rather that in veritie which hee is in heart and minde then what he is in outward appearance 1. Cor. 7.34 Fourthly we must be like our God and put on by Christ that image which wee lost in our first parents hee reasoneth with vs thus 1. Pet. 1.13 Be yee holy for I am holy Leu. 20.26 in soule spirit and body 1. The. 5.23 Rules for the preseruation of the heart from Adultrie are these First make a couenant with thine eyes and thine heart Iob. 31.1 and 26.6 not to thinke vpon vncleane thoughts for that they are the seed and spawne of all vncleane lusts Prou. 12.2 Secondly dispute not with the Diuell alone for hee will soone inflame thee as hee did Eue to lust after the forbidden fruit and Dauid to lust after Vriahs wife Gen. 3.3.2 Sam. 11. Thirdly if lust begin to stirre in thee Iames. 1.15 1. Pet.
iniquitie like water And againe thus hee testifieth of mans nature Eph. 2.3 We are all by nature the children of wrath Iewes and Gentiles that is all men vnder the Sunne without any exception of any but onely of the immaculate Lambe the Sonne of God Iesus Christ Secondly the holie Saints of God haue found this true by their owne experience beeing enlightned by a supernaturall grace for they professe and confesse that there is nothing by nature good in them Dauids experience and confession is this Psal 51.5 Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued mee Pauls experience and confession is this Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh or nature dwelleth no good thing Master Hooper the Godly Bishop and Martirs experience and confession in this in his holy praiers in the dungeon he saith O God euen Hell it selfe is in me meaning his very nature was hellish and prone to follow Sathan Eph. 2.2 Thirdly I answere that God here condemnes all the vncleane motions thoughts and desires wee haue vnto sinne albeit our hearts neuer consent nor subscribe vnto them The minde of man is euer full of motions and the heart of affections as the Sea neuer at rest Where wee must be aduertised that wee are not here to vnderstand all fansies and dreames which are in the head but those onely which being before in our mindes bite and strike also the heart with lust for wee neuer wish for any thing wee affect but our heart is stirred vp and leapeth therewithall giuing inwardly some signes of ioy in the possession and vse of that wee desire Here then the Scripture principally condemneth the heart of man as the very fountaine and head-spring of all vncleane and euill thoughts Ge. 6.5 All the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are onely euill continually Againe Ier. 17.9 The heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who can know it Againe Christ teacheth vs. Mark. 7.21 that out of the hart of man proceed euill thoughts and how much these first euill motions to sin displease god howsoeuer men thinks thoughts bee free attend his owne words Prou. 12.2 Prou. 21.27 A good man getteth fauour of the Lord but a man of wicked thoughts will he condemne To this agrees well Saint Peters speech to Simon Magus Act. 8.21.22 Pray God that if it be possible the thought of thine hart may be forgiuen thee The author of that Apocriphal booke called the booke of Wisedome Chap. 1.3 saith that wicked thoughts separate from God And ver 5. that the spirit of God withdraweth himselfe from the thoughts that are without vnderstanding And ver 9. Inquisition shall bee made for the thoughts of the vngodly And here wee ought euer to remember what great euill follow these first motions vnto sinne for if they be not slaine in the breeding they will grow vp like Serpents and in time poyson and bring euerlasting perdicion on the whole man for this cause the Apostles forewarne vs of these secret and hidden seedes of sinnes deceitfulnesse that if wee suffer our selues to bee caried away by them from God then Sathan will lay so many baites and traps for vs that he will cause vs to entertaine them and as it were to conceiue and wax big with sinne Iames. 1.13.14 and then these deceiuable lusts will breake forth so dangerously that our hearts being once softned by grace Principijs obsta meet with a mischeefe in the beginning shall againe be hardned by sinne which is most perillous for few returne after such relapse but proceed on without Gods speciall grace preuenting them from euill to worse to their owne endles destruction both of bodie and soule Heb. 3.12.13 Againe whereas these speciall examples are here set downe of House Wife Man Maid Oxe Asse We must bee warned that the Lord hath set downe these for that at all times and in all places wee feele these to stirre in vs and to desire as it were to kindle in vs wherefore our charge is foorthwith to quench this flame of lust and not suffer our hearts to bee possest with any such motions but so often as they offer themselues in sight to reiect them as vncleane greefes And here for our better instruction concerning this present argument wee bee taught of God that there are three kindes of motions which touch and stirre our hearts often The first is an insensible impression which Sathan in a strange maner which we can hardly conceiue nor perceiue at the first much lesse expresse breath or iniect into mens hearts This kinde of motion the naturall man doth embrace as the motion of his owne heart yea otherwhiles albeit his iudgement and conscience fight against it yet his heart entertaines it and likes it as wee see in Iudas betraying his Master Iohn 13.3.4 hee knew hee was moued to betray innocent bloud in iudgement yet Sathan so preuailed with his heart and affections that hee ceased not till he had brought forth the monster which his heart conceiued This kinde of motion doth much disquiet Gods children for that they feare much it is a serpent of their owne broode and next for that they haue within a great fight of the spirit against it But the Godly howsoeuer hereby they haue iust cause to be humbled to fight strongly and to pray instantly against such monsters which Sathan seeks to fasten on them yet they are not to bee dismaide so long as they feele their iudgement conscience heart and affections reiect such motions For I haue knowne some godlie persons euen in their flesh and whole bodie to tremble at these motions and yet not able to recouer and to be freed from them for a long season and to grone and mourne at the sight of such euils stirring in their hearts The best of the Saints of God haue neede otherwhiles that Sathans messenger bee sent vnto them not to kill but to cure them least they bee puffed vp and poisoned with spiriturall pride 2. Cor. 12.7 The second kinde of motions which smite the heart proceede from our owne inherent corruption These the regenerate doe obserue and albeit they tickle the heart with the lures baites and pleasures of sinne yet by grace they are resisted and reiected And yet by this Law the Godly be here taught to bee humbled and to obserue well what a hidden puddle and vnsauery sincke of corruption and vncleannesse they carry about with them which sends foorth and fomes continually such vncleane matter euen in the presence of the most mightie God the searcher of all hearts This humbled euen the holy Apostle for he cryeth against his corruption saying Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death The third kinde of motions workes more effectually and makes a deeper impression in the heart for the heart yeelds consent subscribe or as saint Iames speaketh the heart so intertaines them that there followeth a
phrase 2. Cor. 5.21 He was made sinne for vs. By which manner of speaking wee may not feare that any manner of reproch is offred the sonne of God for both sinne and the curse following are his but by imputation Though in regard of himselfe hee was no sinner yet as hee was our suretie hee became sinne for vs and consequently the curse of the Law for vs in that the curse euerie way due vnto vs by imputation and application were made his Instructions and Consolations which follow this Faith First we learne here with bitternesse to bewaile our sins for Christ suffred here the whole wrath of God not for any offence that euer hee committed but all for vs and therefore iust cause haue we to mourne for our owne sinnes which brought our Sauiour to this low and base estate If a man should bee so farre in debt that hee could not bee freed vnlesse the suretie should bee cast into prison for his sake nay which is more be cruellie put to death for his debt it would make him at his wits end if there were left but naturall and ciuill humanitie in him and his very heart would bleed And this is the case with vs by reason of our sinnes wee are gods debters yea bankrupts beefore him yet haue wee gotten a good surety euen the Sonne of God himselfe who to recouer vs to our former libertie was crucified and dyed for the discharge of our debt And therefore as the Prophet saith wee should looke vpon him whom wee haue peirced and lament for him Zach. 12.10 Looke as the bloud followed the nailes that were stricken through the blessed hands and feete of Christ so should the meditation of Christs passion bee as nayles and speares to draw bloud from our hands and hearts for our sinnes Secondly if thou doubtest where to see and find Christ crucified because the Prophet Zacharie bids thee looke on him be aduertised that he is set before thy face as nailed and fastned on a crosse wheresoeuer his Gospell is truly preached in thine hearing for so the Apostle teacheth vs. Gal. 3.1 Oh foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you that yee should not obay the truth to whom before Iesus Christ was described in your sight and among you crucified wee must seeke Gods face in Christ who is the liuely forme or most bright glory wherein wee behold God himselfe and we must euer seeke Christs face in the Gospell if wee finde it not there wee perish euerlastingly 2. Cor. 4.3.4 wee need not goe to crosses nay we must not goe but to the glasse hee hath himselfe appointed for vs. And remember it that till such time as we come thus by faith and meditation of the Gospell we lye continually as poysoned by Sathan that old Serpent and as stung to death Thirdly wee learne to follow Christ in the pursute and crucifying of our sinnes for so wee bee thaught Gal. 5.24 They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof That is they endeuour to kill the power of sinne in themselues by repentance prayer fasting meditation conference with the Saints and by auoyding all occasions of offence Fourthly wee here learne in this president that seeing the Sonne of God was not onely thus racked and crucified by men but also bare the whole wrath of God in his soule that therefore wee must beare to make so little account of sinne as commonly wee doe Fiftly whereas the person crucified was the very Sonne of God it is manifest that the loue of God vnto vs in our redemption is endlesse like the deepe sea without bank or bottome as it is testified Iohn 3.16 and if wee shall not acknowledge this to bee so our condemnation will bee the greater Sixtly the curse of God beeing here once and full borne of the sonne of God not for himselfe but for his elect it standeth not with Gods iustice to lay any curse on them any more wherefore when they bee afflicted their punishments are but temporarie and not curses but crosses chasticements which proceed not from anger but from a most louing Father and so euer to bee accounted Psal 103. Heb. 12.5.6.7.8 Quest 35. Now let me heare yet a little more of the proceedings of his enemies against him Iewes and Gentiles and of his passions on the Crosse what herein we be specially to obserue Ans First they stone him not as many malefactors were executed as Achan Ioshua 7. and Naboth 1. King 21.13 but for a greater reproch they crucifie him and this was the most shamefull death among the Iewes Secondly they crucifie him naked after much beating bleeding and fainting and so make his greene wounds againe to lye open euen before the Sunne to his greater greefe and paine the Sonne of God is crucified naked to couer our ignominious nakednesse hee bare all the punishments due to sinne nakednesse was one Gal. 3.7.8 and couers our spirituall nakednesse which is when a man hath his sinnes lying open before the eyes of God whereby hee lyes open to all Gods iudgements Againe in that Christ suffers himselfe on this wise to bee stript naked of all that hee hath on his back to redeeme vs wee must remember that if God call vs to any tryall hereafter wee must bee content in like manner to part with all for his sake that wee may possesse him and follow his example Thirdly they peirced his hands and feete according to the prophecie of the Psalmist Iraen li. 2. c. 42. August lib. so hom 3. Author libri de passione inter opera Cypriani Psal 22.16 in those parts which are most liuely and sensible and so the waight of his body was borne vp by hands and feete fastned to the Crosse but not in that grosse manner that blinde Papists haue imagined but the feet nailed a sunder with two distinct nailes as godly Auncients haue deliuered Fourthly they gaue him vineger and gall to drinck tempered with mirth Mat. 27.34 Some think to take away his senses and memory by intoxicating as it were his braine Thus they hastned his death not hauing any respect at all of his soule whether hee dyed in peace and fauour with God yea or nay Others thinke it was to hasten his death howsoeuer it was euery sinner here is to bee aduertised that it was and is hee as well as the Iewes tempers or hath tempered such a cup of poison for Iesus Christ Fiftly they crucified him betweene two theeues Mat. 27.38 for his greater shame Esay 53.6 whereby they testifie that they esteemed him no common sinner but the captaine of all theeues and malefactours So think thou thy selfe with Paul that thou art the greatest of all sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 Sixtly they all mocked him Iewes and Gentiles wagging their heads and speaking spitefull words against him Mat. 27. ver 39.45 Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it vp in three daies saue thy selfe And againe He saued others let him saue himsefe The
the power and infection of it in vs. The act of Christs death is past but the vertue and power thereof endureth for euer When we haue grace to denie our selues and to put our trust in Christ and by faith hold him fast in our hearts then as Christ himselfe by the power of his God-head ouercame death hell and damnation in himselfe so shall wee by the same power of his God-head and grace dwelling in vs. Eph. 3.20 Gal. 2.21.2 Cor. 13.5 crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5.25.26 Ninthly the death of Christ ought to bee to all impenitent sinners the greatest motiue to moue them and turne them vnto Christ and to humble them because they haue peirced him by their sinnes This I say ought to cause them to mourne for him as the Prophet Zacharie speaketh Chap. 12.10 whom euen they themselues and not the Iewes haue wounded Esay 53. wherefore if this moue them not their case is dangerous Tenthly be ready if thou beest a beleeuer to lay downe thy life for Christ if neede so require as hee hath done for thee and to dye rather then to doe any thing which thou knowest manifestly to bee contrary to his will of this mind were all the Martyrs and faithfull people of God in all ages Eleauenthly furthermore speciall instructions if it bee doubted what the alter was whereon Christ offred his sacrifice because the Priests auouch it to bee the Crosse I beleeue rather that Christ himselfe was the Priest the Sacrifice and the Alter the Sacrifice as hee is man the Priest as hee is both God and man the Alter as hee is God for the propertie of an Alter is to sanctifie the Sacrifice as Chirst saith Mat. 23.9 Now Christ as hee was God sanctifieth himselfe as hee was man Ioh. 17.19 for their sakes sanctifie I my selfe and this hee did first by setting apart his manhood to bee a Sacrifice vnto his Father for our sinnes Secondly by giuing vnto this Sacrifice merit and efficacie to bee a meritorious sacrifice wherefore the wodde crosse was not his Altar as Papists haue imagined Twelftly the Prophet Haggai saith that the second temple built by Zerubbabel was nothing in beautie vnto the first which was built by Salomon for it wanted fiue things which the first Temple had first the appearing and presence of God at the mercie seate betweene the two Cherubins Secondly the vrim and thummim on the brestplate of the high Priest Thirdly the inspiration of the holy Ghost vpon extraordinarie Prophets Fourthly the Arke of the couenant which was lost in the captiuitie Fiftly fire from heauen to burne their Sacrifices And yet notwithstanding all this losse the same Prophet in the same Chapter the tenth verse following assureth that the glorie of the last house shall bee greater then the first because the Sacrifice of Christ at his comming should giue glory and dignitie to it and for that his presence preaching and teaching in it gaue it more glory then the former fiue speciall graces and gifts of God did or could giue vnto the first temple Quest 38. The Apostle saith that Christ triumphed ouer his enemies on the Crosse Col. 2.14.15 I pray you how may that appeare Ans Two manner of waies First by arguments which hee gaue then and there of his glorious maiestie and diuine excellencie Secondly by signes of victorie The signes of a diuine maiestie in him then and there so crucified are these following First the title set ouer his crosse Iesus of Nazareth king of the Iewes Pilate intending hereby to aggrauate his offence the ouer-ruling hand of God ruling his hart and hand caused him to write that which Patriaches and Prophets in all former ages had taught and prophecied of him This was done by the prouident hand of God for the aduancement and glorie of Christ So did Caiphas he prophecied of him that it was necessarie that one should die for the people God turnes Balaams cursings into blessings When a man is most disgraced in the world then commonly God and his children most honour him And the superscription which Pilate set on the Crosse was in three languages of the best note no doubt by Gods speciall prouidence to publish the death of the Sonne of God to all nations Secondly the conuersion of the theefe crucified with him is a very worthy argument of his diuine excellencie for by it he giues a notable experience vnto the world of the power of his death and vertue of his passion He gaue the theefe as great a sinner as it is like as the other a penitent and beleeuing heart so that albeit his hands and feete were nayled to the crosse yet his hart and tongue were at libertie to speak good words Luke 23.40 both to ask the Lord Christ mercie and to reproue his fellow for his sinne The grace of God in a man is like new wine in a vessell which must haue vent as Elihu speaketh Iohn 7.38 If the life of God be in vs it will be seene in some motions or actions or both for Christs spirit in him caused him First to reproue and to endeuour to reduce his fellow to grace Secondly to condemne humble and cast downe himselfe Thirdly to excuse Christ euen then when all accused him Peter denyed him and all forsooke him Fourthly to beg mercie and grace at Christs hands infallible notes of grace and sound repentance Eclipse of the Sunne Thirdly the eclipsing and darkning of the Sunne from the sixt houre to the ninth was a miraculous signe of his diuine excellencie and maiestie for this eclipse was not an ordinarie eclipse which euer hapneth in the new Moone by the interposition of the body of the Moone beetweene our sight and the Sunne for it was at the time of the Passeouer Luke 23.44 which alwaies was kept at the full Moone Thus one of the best and worthiest creatures in the world did preach Christ when men condemned Christ Mat. 27.11 Fourthly the rending of the vaile of the Temple was one speciall argument seruing to the same purpose hereby was signified first that heauen which was shut against vs for sinne is now set open Secondly that by Christ the mediator wee haue free accesse to God by prayer in the name of Christ without any stop Thirdly that the Iudaical and ceremonious seruice was then at an end Fourthly that when we forsake god his word God wil take from vs the best signes of his presence and fauour as the Temple was to the Iewes Fiftly his maiestie was set forth by an earth-quake An earthquake Mat. 27.51 for the very earth trembled and desired as it were to speake and preach his power when men denyed him and crucified him Sixtly the dead bodies of the Saints The resurrection of the Saints came out of their graues to preach him the power of his death and of his resurrection because of the dead silence of men and hardnes of their hearts
The signes that Christ had the Victorie and triumphed ouer his enemies on the crrsse are these First the monument of the victorie is this Col. 2 14.15 Christ tooke the hand-writing or debt-bill which was against his elect euer testifying their sinne and debt namely the ceremoniall law and curse of the morall law and nailes them to the crosse Secondly on the Crosse hee also triumphed ouer his enemies as the Apostle speaketh Col. 2.15 for the Diuell and his Angels death hell and condemnation were taken prisoners their armour weapons and stings taken from them so as they shall neuer hurt his elect any more Ro. 8.1.1 Cor. 13.58 Quest 39. Proceede to speake of the second degree of Christs humiliation as namely of his buriall do you beleeue he was buried Ans That I doe for so I am taught of God Christs buriall and commanded and this Faith is exceeding comfortable And here also the Faith of the Church before Christ is the same with the Faith of the Church vnder the Gospell for the elder ages were taught thus to beleeue according to the prophecie Esa 53.9 Hee made his graue with the wicked and with the rich in his death though hee had done no wickednesse neither was there any deceit in his mouth The accomplishment for our further confirmation and setling of our hearts in this faith we haue testified by all the foure * Ioh. 19.38 Math. 27 59. Luke 23.52 Mark 15.46 Euangelists who record the persons time place and manner of his buriall First the persons were honorable and reuerend Ioseph of Aramathea Io. 3.2 19.39 and Nicodemus that disputed with him of regeneration and came vnto him by night These two secret disciples that before this persecution were little seene in following Christ now in the heat of the persecution when the best professours forsooke him the Lord gaue them the spirit of fortitude to professe him openly and to burie him honourably Secondly the manner of his buriall was very honorable for the persons before named prouided richly for it Mat. 27.59 Iohn 19.40 Ioseph for his part brought cleane and fine linnen clothes and Nicodemus of Aloes and Mirrh the waight of an hundreth pounds And the body being wrapped vp in the clothes and sweete odours they laid it in a tombe hewen out of a rock wherein was neuer man before laid Next they make the place sure closing it vp with a stone to couer the mouth of it Mar. 15.43 Lastly the Iewes seale vp the stone that none might presume to open it and for this they set Souldiers to watch it And all this was done that it might more cleerely yet bee manifested by his glorious resurrection from the dead Rom. 1.3.4 that hee was the Sonne of God The vse of this Faith and what consolation and confirmation we haue hereby is this First wee haue by his buriall a further confirmation of his death for in that this is sufficiently testified vnto vs it is most manifest that hee certainely dyed for that hee thus far humbled himselfe to haue his precious body inclosed in the graue Againe his resting for a time in the graue serues well for the same purpose against all enemies which will denie the truth of his death Secondly wee bee taught here that like as Christ being now dead for our sinnes rested in the graue so wee also hauing a misticall and admirable communion with him by faith and the secret working of the holy Ghost in our hearts wee I say must doe as hee did that is like as he by the power of his God-head did ouercome the graue and power of death in his owne person Rom. 6.3 and 8.11 so must we by the very same power receiue grace to kill sinne and bury sinne in our selues Thirdlie let vs neuer feare the power of the graue any more nor the wrath of God in it for that Iesus Christ by his death and buriall hath taken away the power of the graue from vs yea hath made it a bed to sleepe in for his elect vnto the day of his glorious appearance Quest 40. What can you say of the third and last degree of his humiliation doe you beleeue hee descended into hell Ans I doe so albeit this Article hath beene a Ruff in exposi Symboli doubted of many and of many Churches in their confessions pretermitted for it seemes vnto me the holy Ghost speakes to this effect Act. 2.24.25.26 Thou wilt not leaue my soule or my life or my person in the hell or in the graue neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Here the greatest is what the word which is of some translated Hell of others Graue here should signifie for that it hath many acceptions or signification in Scripture First it signifieth the graue as Gen. 37.35 I shall discend to the * Sheolah so Gen. 42.38 graue sorrowing Secondly by translation or a Metaphor it signifieth the place of the damned as Psal 49.14 and Num. 16.33 So they and all that they had went downe into the graue Psal 49.14 or hell Thirdly this word signifieth also extreeme sorrowes as Psal 18.4 Psal 18.5 The sorrowes of the graue haue compassed me about 1. Sam. 2.6 Fourthly it is also taken for the state which is in buriall and which followes the graue as that condicion of the dead lying now as lookd vp and as it were swallowed vp of death as Esay 14.11 Thy pompe is brought downe to the graue speaking in contempt of the pride of the king of Babilon Now I can not beleeue that hell in this Article signifieth the graue for that were but to darcken and obscure that which was cleerely set downe before which is not vsuall with Gods spirit specially in so short an abstract Secondly I can not vnderstand this place of the hell of the damned Luke 1.3 First for that the Euangelists specially Luke promising so exactly to write of all points spake nothing of locall descention to the place of the damned Secondly If he descended into hell it must be in his god-head or man-hood the God-head can neither ascend nor descend for it fils at all times all places If in his man-hood hee descended it was either in soule or body the soule was the same day in Paradise Luke 23.43 the body three daies and three nights in the graue and I can not see how in eyther of these parts hee descended into hell Thirdly there is an analogie betweene the first Adam and second Adam the first Adam the same day he sinned was cast out of Paradise the second Adam the same day he made satisfaction for sinne went immediately into paradise Fourthly many confessions of faith in former ages mention no such locall descention of Christ yea a great number haue clean omitted it as is aforeshewed I know there is great strife concerning this poynt but wee may not striue for that wee bee brethren but aske that wisedome
of God which hath these holy properties Iames. 3.15.17 it is pure next peaceable sober tractable ful of mercie and good fruits without iudgeing or dissembling The Papists endeuor to defend the locall descension with traditions and authoritie of the Church some Protestants which hold this defend it or desire to doe it by Scripture And albeit both agree touching his descent yet they disagree touching the end of his descension The Popish tradicion or vnwritten veritie is that there bee foure chambers in hell The first is purgatorie the second is the Limbo of the fathers beefore Christ the third is the Limbo of infants not baptised the fourth is the lowest place or hell of the damned Now they affirme forsooth that Christ went downe to the Limbo or lake where the Fathers were before his comming kept as it were in a barren drie cold wildernesse as in a prison for they spake of this place as of the porch or entrance into hell and they say they haue Scripture for it Psa 107.16.18 Zach. 9 11. Es 38.10 I answere first this popish inuention is farre from Scripture for wee neuer read of any such place or words tending to such a purpose Secondly the Scripture neuer speakes but of two places one for the elect and an other for the reprobate men and Angels thirdly as for Abrahams bosome it can not signifie either Purgatorie or any Limbo First for that there was ioy in Abrahams bosome but here as they say is none Secondly for the distance of place was so great betweene it and the hell of the damned Luke 16. that it can not bee any Limbo which as they say is so neere hell as if there were but an hedge betweene them Thirdly wee say the Fathers had the same Christ with vs. He. 13. the same faith Heb. 11. the same Sacraments in substance 1. Cor. 10.1.2.3 Ergo they had the same glory and therefore neuer came to Limbo Lastly it is cleerly auouched that the soules departed before Christ went to God that gaue them Eccles 12. The Protestants which defend a locall descention are of this iudgement for that they finde some Scriptures which seeme to serue well for this purpose The first Scripture which is most cited to this ende is 1. Pet. 3.19 Christ was quickned in spirit by the which spirit hee went and preached to the Spirits which are in prison First for this Scripture it is like that hee alludes here to that which is written Gen. 6. ver 3. My spirit shall not alwaies striue with man For it was the spirit of Christ which then preached by Noah and the ancient Patriarches before him against whom those Gigantine spirits of Cains progenie did so resist to their owne perdition I say therefore that the spirit of Christ which is here said to preach was not his soule but his God-head or the holy Ghost who proceedes from the Father and the Son And againe this is said here that this spirit did quicken him or rased him from the dead Now it is cleere that the holy Ghost quickned Christs dead body vniting his soule and body againe together in his resurrection and that by his owne almightie power Rom. 1.3.4 and 8.11 Further it is here said that he went to preach to the spirits that are in prison whereby they vnderstand the damned I answere take the words following which were disobedient in the dayes of Noah And now see what can they make of it But that he must goe preach to a few damned Ghosts and not to all in hell To be short then the meaning of this place is this that Christ in his eternall God-head did preach by Noah as by other Patriarches vnto the soules that are now in prison which in the dayes of Noah were men liuing on the earth at which time Christ did preach vnto them and neuer since The same Apostle hath the like speech 1. Eph. chap. 4. ver 6. Vnto this purpose was the Gospell preached vnto the dead The second Scripture most vrged for this purpose is the place before cited Act. 2.37 Thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption I answere Saint Peters drift here is plaine hee alleadgeth this Scripture to proue the resurrection as ver 33. He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ what spake he namely these words his soule was not left in hell Now I trust no man will say there is any resurrection of the soule The word Soule signifies often the whole person Rom. 13.1 1. Cor. 15.41 Reue. 20.14 1. Co 1.15.55 as Leu. The Soule that sinneth shall dye The word here translated Hell signifies also as often the graue And Peters opposition betweene Dauids graue and Christs hell is to be obserued for Dauid saw-corruption in his graue but Christ did not albeit hee were locked vp in the graue as sure as he for three dayes Quest 41. I pray you passe by all other arguments and controuersies concerning this Article and let mee heare your iudgement and beleefe plainely as you can and what vse you make of this faith Ans I must then passe ouer their iudgement also which take the word Hell for the extreeme hellish sorrowes which Christ suffred on the Crosse and in the Garden And I will doe so willingly for I trust none of them loue to bee contentious Yet to giue reason of my dislike of this acceptation I answere such as bee brethren on this wise breefly First that Christ in his death and before did suffer extreeme sorrowes and therefore the same set downe clearely before may not here bee obscurely repeted Secondly that his passions before death were inuisible and inexplicable not terrors but hellish torments his bloudy a Luk. 23.24 sweat his b Mat. 27.47 strong crying his c Heb. 5.7 amazednesse are cleare and most euident demonstrations I doe therefore iudge these words hee descended into hell are best vnderstood in the fourth acception of the word for by the graue or this word Hell that base condition of the body lying in the graue as it were in the dungeon and bondage of death is often vnderstood and in this state was Christ in the graue all which time the Diuell and the Iewes and death seemed to triumph ouer him for thus the Scripture speakes as of him Es 53.8 Hee was taken out from prison wherefore for a time hee lay as swadled in the bands of death so of his type Ionas cha 2. ver 2. In mine affliction haue I called vpon the Lord and he hath heard me from the belly of Hell haue I called vpon thee and thou hast heard my voyce And albeit Christ was exceedingly humbled on the crosse and accounted as one forlorne and forsaken of God yet the rage and madnesse of his enemies had not beene satisfied vnlesse hee had wholy lyen shut vp and bound vp in the graue For they were not quieted nor secure touching their victorie
ouer him Mat. 27.62.63 till the sepulcher was sealed and kept with a certaine number of armed men And thus the enemies of grace labored for the cutting off of the Messias Dan. 9. and to triumph ouer him But he was soone loosened of the sorrowes of death and these bands of hell as Saint Peter speaketh it was impossible for this Sampson to bee long so bound vp of his enemies Act. 2.24 And like as they seemed to triumph ouer the Lord and head vntill the resurrection so the same enemies Sathan death and the graue seeme to haue swallowed vp all the blessed members of Iesus Christ and to triumph ouer them in like manner but their deliuerance also commeth for which cause the Apostle teaching vs to cast the eye of our faith on the resurrection breakes forth into this holy exclamation 1. Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory And thus the Sonne of God humbled himselfe and made himselfe as nothing Phil. 2.7 The Comforts and Fruits which follow this Faith are these First I am comforted by this lowest degree of Christs humiliation on this manner I see nothing was left vndone for the full acomplishment of the whole worke of my redemption for the Soune of God was left as it were for a season fast bound in the hands and in the bands of death Secondly I must bee comforted in extreeme dangers and afflictions of body and minde when I seeme to bee forsaken of God for I see the Son of God pressed but not oppressed cast downe into the danger of death yet not forsaken of god Thirdly when the feares of death and of the graue terrifie me I must record my former experience of Gods loue in mine illumination conuersion and sanctification Psal 23. and so ouercome the feares of death but specially to this end must I record this humiliation of the Sonne of God For his graue and buriall hath merited for vs that our graues shall bee for vs as beds of downe to keepe vs in safetie till the day of the resurrection and glorious appearance of the Sonne of God for I must bee assured that his precious body beeing thus humbled and as it were forsaken he shall take away all shame from the bodies of all his members by the merit of his buriall and descention into hell Quest 42. Thus far shall suffice of the degrees of Christs humiliation now proceed to speake of the three degrees of his exaltation and first let me heare what you can say of his resurrection from the dead Ans First I know and professe with mouth and beleeue in mine heart that Iesus Christ the onely beegotten Sonne of God being truely dead and buried rose againe in the same very body wherein hee dyed from death to life againe And of this I haue most pregnant proofe and cleere euidence to rest my faith vpon from the Scriptures and testimonies of holy men and Angels First the testimonie of Scriptures Thus the Apostle beginneth to proue the Resurrection 1. Cor. 15.3.4 I deliuered vnto you that which I receiued how that Christ dyed for our sinnes according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he arose the third day according to the Scriptures Rom. 4.25 Hee dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification 1. Cor. 15.14 If Christ bee not risen then is our preaching in vaine and our faith is also in vaine The prophecies are these Esay 53.8 He was taken out from the prison and from iudgement Psal 16.10 For thou wilt not leaue my soule in the graue neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption The accomplishment of these prophecies are often recorded in the new Testament namely in these places Act. 2.31 Dauid knowing before spake of the Resurrection of Christ that his soule should not be left in the graue neither his flesh should see corruption Againe of the same prophecie Paul speaking of the Resurrection of Christ alleadgeth it Act. 13.35 He saith also in another place Thou wilt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption Howbeit Dauid after he had serued his time by the counsell of God he slept and was layd with his Fathers and saw corruption but hee whom God raised vp saw no corruption The signe or type of this buriall and resurrection was Ionas The thing signified and the accomplishment of that prophecie is expresly recorded Mat. 12.39.40 Secondly the testimony of men accepted and approued of God in the Scriptures first the holy women which conuersed with him in his life saw the sepulcher and testified his resurrection Mat. 28.1 and their testimonie is allowed of God Secondly Peter saw him and testified it Act. 2. and his testimony is accepted for a good euidence 1. Cor. 15.5 Thirdly the twelue Disciples or witnesses which he had chosen they saw him and testified 1. Cor. 15.5 Ioh. 20.19 Fourthly the Apostle assureth vs that hee was seene of more then fiue hundred holy men at once and their testimony is good 1. Cor. 15.6 Fiftly hee addeth that hee saw Christ himselfe 1. Cor. 15.8 and his testimony is good Or thus his fiue appearances the first day first to Mary Magdalene Mar. 16.5.9 Iohn 20.11 The second appearance againe to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary Mat. 28.9 The third appearance to the two Disciples going to Emaus Luke 23.13 The fourth appearance to Peter alone 1. Cor. 15.5 The fift appearance was to al the Disciples Iohn 20.19 The sixt appearance in the fortie dayes following first eight dayes after his Resurrection to the Disciples in a house together Iohn 20.16 Secondly to sixe or seauen as they went to fishing Iohn 21.1 Thirdly to Iames alone 1. Cor. 15.7 Fourthly to all the Disciples in the mountaine where hee Mar. 16.6 Ioh. 20.12.13 gaue them the Apostolicall commission Mat. 28.16 Fiftly the fift and last was in the mount of Oliues when hee ascended Act. 1.12 Thirdly the testimony of Angels The Angels also as they did preach and testifie vnto men being sent from God his conception his birth so they serued attended and ministred vnto him in his life in his passion in his graue in his Resurrection and ascention as they also testifie of all these Articles of the faith Mat. 28.5.6.7 The Angell of the Lord said to the women feare ye not for I know that ye seeke Iesus which was crucified he is not here for he is risen as hee said come see the place where the Lord was laid and goe quickly and tell his Disciples that he is risen from the dead and behold he goeth before you into Galilie there yee shall see him lo I haue told you Fourthly the fourth testimony is the testimony of euery beleeuing heart Euery beleeuer feeles in some measure and desires more and more with the Apostle Phil. 3.10 To feele and know the vertue of his Resurrection In things naturall a man must first haue experience in seeing and feeling and then beleeue but it is
vnto it in the word of God doe expresse in some measure according to our capacitie so much thereof as may abundantly serue to expresse and allure or to draw vnto god any well minded man yea though it were through all the dangers of this present world For if Ruth followed her mother in law Naomi vpon no promise out of her owne country onely for loue of her how much more ought all men to follow God and forsake this world that haue so many promises hopes declarations and figures of their glorified estate First of all in the old Testament the happinesse of them which are departed in the fauour of God is expressed by that saying of Moses Gen. 5.24 And Enoch walked with God and was no more seene for God tooke him away This taking away of Enoch is the first expressing of the estate of blessed and saued men for by it is represented vnto vs that their first happinesse is to bee rid of all the miseries and calamities of this world which made the Apostle to cry out betwixt heauen and earth when hee considered them Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death And herein also a good man might loose himselfe to meditate and contemplate a little while of this freedome which hee cannot haue in this world although hee were an Emperour or Constantine commanding the whole world Men are afflicted by and in themselues by and in others sometimes angry sometimes sorry sometimes sicke sometimes weary sometimes hungry sometimes cloyed with ouer much care of that they possesse sometime pinched and haue not what to solace themselues or to put into their mouthes sometimes afraid of God of Angels of men of Diuels of apparitions of beasts of waters of fire of earthquakes of dearth of warre of impietie of irreligion of idolatry of blaspheming of murders of wrongs of robberies of wastings of prodigalities of rapes of temptations of apostacies and therefore consider what it is for a man to bee freed from all these as Enoch was whom God tooke away And if a man could liue and neuer suffer bodily paine yet cannot hee keepe his heart from disquietnes and extreame compassionate sorrow yea euen to death to see to heare and vnderstand the miseries of other Nehemiah was a great officer in the king of Media his court and wanted nothing but his heart reioyced in fauour riches youth garments loue strength plenty entertainment and all the comforts that this world could afford him so that in regard of his outward estate hee might well haue said to his soule O soule take thy rest for thou hast goods enough layed vp in store for many yeares and no affliction doth annoy thee But marke all this light was put out by one dampe and all the fire of this ioy quenched with one drop of water and all the beautie of these comforts dazeled and distained with one letter For Neh. 1.2 ve Came Hanani one of my brethren he and the men of Iudah and I asked them concerning the Iewes that were deliuered which were of the residue of the captiuitie and concerning Ierusalem ver 3. And they said vnto me the residue that are left of the captiuitie there in the prouince are in great afflicton and in reproch and the wall of Ierusalem is broken downe and the gates thereof are burnt with fire Here is the newes but what was all this to Nehemiah he was wise enough to keepe him from that banquet and therefore let them sorrow for themselues he wanted nothing alas saith Saint Paul who is offended and I burne not Can the winds blow vpon the waters and the reedes not bend can the ship bee tossed to and fro on the sea and the mast not bee mooued therewithall can old age appeare in the head and skin and the heart and blood haue no sence of the decay of vitall power Can good men leaue of compassion towards their brethren man-kinde and was not all Israell mooued and sorrowed to see one common vvoman cut in peeces Iud. 19. No no there is a watchtower in the nature of man wherein standeth a watchman that at the sight and hearing of euill ringeth a bell in their eares that maketh their hearts to yearne and bleede and therefore it followeth of Nehemiah ver 4. And when I heard these words I sate downe and wept and mourned certaine dayes and fasted and prayed before the God of heauen and this hee did from Chislew to Nisau that is from Nouember to March euen foure monethes together Such was the sorrow and compassion of Enoch beecause the wicked world went astray from god did not care for Sethes posterity but followed Caines and therefore because hee was innocent God tooke him away that the hart which mourned might neuer mourne againe What might bee sayde of Rahel of the women of Israell that saw their sonnes destroyed of Moses for the golden Calfe of Hannah the wife of Elkanah of Ieremy of Daniell of the woman which saw her seauen sons haue their hands and feete cut off and were afterwards put into a seithing caldron to bee sod to death of Mary the mother of Christ seeing her righteous sonne suffer naked the most shamefull death of the world and of many others both Martyrs and holy Confessours who haue beene so far touched with pittie and compassion that inward griefe hath distempered them euen to death This shall bee sufficient that if thou bee a Magistrate and bearest vpon thee the burthen of the state if thou be a Minister and carriest in thy brest the care of all the Church if thou bee a Father and fearest the miscariage and ill proofe of thy children and wealth if thou bee a woman and art combred with the vniust and vngentle soueraigntie of an vngodly husband if thou bee a Seruant oppressed with the tyranny of a cruell and vnconscionable maister if thou bee a good man and fearest the decay of religion or apostacie or idolatry and finally if thou bee sicke lame blinde sorry poore wronged pinched imprisoned reproched slaundered threatned or indangered of a violent death thy estate in heauen shall be like Enochs The Lord shall take thee away from all these miseries A second phrase of holy Scriptures expressing the ioyes of heauen is that 1. King 8.27.28.29.30.31 it is called the throne and habitation of God By which also a good man hath another occasion of excellent meditation that he shall but see the throne of the king of heauen and earth and the place where his maiestie is ten thousand times more bright then the Sunne in the fairest sommer day more glorious then all the kings of the earth in the prime of their honour and first entrance or coronation Now what will a man imagine that God hath treasured vp for himselfe in that place where his owne maiestie dwelleth The kings of Israell yea all the kings of the earth keepe their owne dwellings replenished withall delight and there is not