crie with a loude voice vnder the aultar saying How long Lord holy and true doost not thou iudge and auenge our bloode on them that dwell on the earth Wherefore the soules liue 8. Luk. 16.22 Lazarus is said to bee carried into Abrahams bosome and out of the same place also it is apparent concerning the souls of the wicked For the rich glutton is also saide of the contrarie to bee caried downe to hell These testimonies therefore of Scripture teach and confirme most euidently that not onely in the bodie before death and after the resurrection of the bodie but also in the whole space and time comming betweene the soules are liue feele vnderstand out of the bodie though the manner of their operations bee to vs vnknowen Wherefore also this gift of immortalitie hath some similitude with God who alone as the onely fountaine and author of life hath immortalitie 1. Timot. 6. Man should haue liued immortallie if hee had not sinned But furdermore that man should haue lead a blessed life immortallie and for euer not in soule onely but also in bodie if hee had not purchased death and mortalitie vnto himselfe by sinne is first hereby proued because by sin death entered into the worlde as the wages of sinne Rom. 5. 6. Next because wee being freeed from sinne by christ are also freed from death And lastly because God him-selfe did withdraw from man being made by sinne subiect vnto death the signe or sacrament of immortalitie which was the fruite of the tree of life Gen. 3. Wherefore their obiections are nought worth who imagine the soules after death to sleepe or vanish away For Gen. 1. and 1. Cor. 15. Adam is saide to haue beene made a liuing soule not simplie as these will haue it like as other liuing creatures are termed in the same place liuing soules but as being made to the image and similitude of God which hee hath not in common with other creatures Gen. 2. When God saieth Jn the day that thou eatest of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death hee doth not threaten vnto man the destruction or extinguishing of his soule but eternal death that is Sundrie places of scripture alleaged against the immortality of the soule interpreted according to their right sense and meaning the horrible feeling and terrour of Gods wrath and iudgement and to liue forsaken and cast from God subiect to all miseries and tormentes an adioint of which death is the separation of the soule and body which at that time through the mercy of God that mankind might be saued was differred For so was Adam dead while yet hee liued in Paradise according to Gods denouncement euen assoone as he had eaten of the forbidden fruite So in eternal death liue all the damned and reprobate Whose fire shall not bee put out and their worme not dy So Ephes 2. they are said to be dead through sinne who liue in sinne without repentaunce And Ephes 5. Hee is willed to rise from the dead who is reclaimed from sinne to God And Rom. 7 5. Paul saith that he was dead through the knowledge of his sinne and the wrath of God Iob. 11. Act. 7. 1. Cor. 11. 1. Thess 4. The deade are saide to sleepe but this is by a * Synecdochâ— figure of speech translating that which is proper vnto the bodie to the whole man For that this belongeth to the bodie which is to bee recalled from death to life as it were from sleepe to wake againe manie places declare as Iob 7. Beholde now I sleepe in the dust For not the soule but the bodie onely sleepeth in the dust and graue The Preacher saith The condition of the children of men Eccle. 3 1â— and the condition of beastes are euen as one condition vnto them Therefore there is no immortality of the soul Ans It is a fallacie concluding that which is in some respect so to bee simplie so 1. Men die as beastes in that men must needes once die and depart out of this life because men are not here to continue for euer nor haue heere a setled place 2. Men die as beastes that is in the sense and iudgement of the wicked Blessednesse and the kingdome promised to the Godly is saide then first to fall vnto them at the last daie Mat. 24.25 Mar. 13. Dan. 12. But these places shewe not that the soules of the godly doe not presentlie when they depart from their bodies enioie celestial blessednesse and ioy but that at the last daie when their bodies are raised againe their felicitie and glorie shall bee consummated and made absolute For so we praie thy kingdome come when yet God now also raigneth in vs. Of that which is saide 1. Corint 15. If in this life onelie wee haue hope we are of all men most miserable they thus reason He that is blessed and happie before the resurrection is not without the resurrection most miserable But we without the resurrection should be of al men most miserable Therefore we are not before the resurrection blessed and happie But the Maior wee aunswere Hee is not miserable without the resurrection who cannot onely before it but without it also bee blessed But wee are in such wise blessed before it that notwithstanding without it following and ensuing wee cannot enioie that former blessednesse because God hath ioyned with so vnseparable a knot the beginning and proceeding and finishing or perfection of the Electes blessednesse that none can haue the beginning who must not come to the ende consummation thereof Wherefore either we must rise again or wee must want also that celestiall blessednesse before the resurrection Rom. 8.11 Jf the spirit of him that raised vp Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shal also quicken your mortal bodies Heb. 11.39 These all through faith are deade and receiued not the promise Therefore they receiued not their countrie We aunswere first Although they dying had not found their countrie yet would it not follow of these woordes that they are not at al or haue no sense after death For he that is not or hath no sense seeketh not his countrie Secondly The author of that Epistle doth not speak of the life after death which is lead in the celestial countrie 2. Cor. 5. but of this life in which the faithful walking their pilgrimage sought for the celestiall countrie not finding their countrie on earth Psalm 78.39 They are flesh a winde that passeth awaie and commeth not againe By these and the like speeches the breuitie of mans life and the frailtie and perishing of all humane affaires without God is described and bewailed For as here they are compared to a wind eftsoones vanishing awaie so Psalm 103. they are compared to dust grasse and flowers of the field Likewise Job 14. Hee shooteth forth as a flower and is cut downe and vanisheth as a shadowe Isaie 40.6 All flesh
is grasse But if they vrge the verie woorde in these speeches it will followe that not onely after death there is nothing remaining but that there is not any resurrection when hee saith a wind that passeth and commeth not againe as also flowers and shadowes whereunto man is compared doe so perish that they are not recouered Psalm 88.5 I am counted as the slain lying in the graue whom thou remembrest no more In these wordes the Prophet doth not signifie either himselfe or the dead to bee exempted from Gods prouidence but he complaineth that he is forsaken of God euen as the deade seeme to men not to bee cared for of him and therefore he speaketh not according to the sense of faith but of his owne opinion and weaknes miserie who iudgeth those to be forsaken and neglected of God whose deliuerie for a while he dooth differre But what faith in the meane season suggesteth and telleth the godly euen when they wrestle with temptation he sheweth Psalm 11.2 when hee saith The iust shall bee in euerlasting memorie Psal 146.4 His spirit departeth and he returneth to his earth thē his thoughts perish Here he saith not the spirit or soul of men perisheth or vanisheth or dieth or is bereaued of sense but that it departeth to wit from the bodie wherein it dwelleth and that not the spirit but the man returneth to his earth that is as concerning his bodie which was made of earth as is written Gen. 3 and Eccles 12. And lastly he saith that his thoughtes perish which is not that the soule is after this life bereaued of reason iudgement and sense of the mercy or wrath of God but that his purposes and counsels are made frustrate which man in this life had setled with him-selfe to bring to passe in which sense it is said Psalm 112.10 The desire of the wicked shal perish They gather also other sayings which take away all praising and worshipping of God from the dead As Psal 88.10 Wilt thou shew a miracle vnto the dead Or shall the dead rise and praise thee But in such speeches death and hell or the graue haue two significations They who are spiritually dead whether before or after the death of the bodie that is they who are depriued of gods grace forsaken and reiected of god and are in hell that is in the place torments of the damned or else in this life despairing and destitute of comfort shall not praise god at all neither in this life nor in the life to come But they who are dead not spiritually but corporally onely albeit they shall not praise god in this life while their bodies are in hell that is in the graue yet in soul they shal not cease to acknowledge and praise god in the other life vntill when receiuing their bodies againe they shall magnifie him in both in the celestial eternity But in the meane season because god will also be agnised and magnified of men in this life therefore both the whole Church and euerie one of the faithfull not only pray that they may not fall into that forsaking into that sense of gods wrath wherewith the wicked are oppressed but also desire that they may bee in this mortall life preserued and defended vntill the end thereof by god appointed be expired For the Saints doe not simply stand in feare of the bodily death and graue but that they may not be forsaken of god neither fall into desperation and destruction or their enimies insult against god when they are ouerthrowen this with daily and ardent praiers and petitions they beg and craue continually Nowe that which the aduersaries ad farther out of the Psal 146.2 I will praise the Lord during my life as long as J haue anie beeing I will sing vnto my God this maketh nothing with thē For he restraineth not the praising of God to the time of his mortal life but only he saith that he wil spēd all that time in Gods praises which notwithstanding in manie other places he extendeth to continue al eternity as Psal 34. I wil praise the Lord continually But oftentimes this particle vntill or as long as signifieth a continuance of the time going before some euent without any excluding of the time following as 1. Cor. 15.25 He must raign vntil he hath put al his enemies vnder his feete Iob. 10.20 Let him cease and leaue off from mee that I maie take a little comfort before I goe and shal not returne Hee denieth in these wordes that he shall returne into this mortall life and to conuerse among men in this woorlde but hee denieth not that hee in the meane season hath his beeing and doth liue vntil againe he see God in his flesh euen the same Iob who thē was afflicted As himself saith ca. 19.26 Iob 3.11 Why died I not when I came out of the womb Here also Iob dooth not denie the soules after death to bee liue feele and vnderstand but only he saith the miseries of this present life are not felt If they vrge that neither the euils of the life to come are felt because then Job shoulde wish for a bad chaunge we aunswere that Iob wisheth not for the death of the wicked but of the godly But if they ad furder That Job dooth make Kings and Princes also which gather gold vnto them smal and great that is al men good and bad partakers of this rest our aunswere is out of the processe and course of his whole speech that Iob dooth not teach here what is the state of men after this life but onely desireth to bee rid of his present miserie and therefore through humane infirmity and impatiency doth compare the sense and feeling of his present miseries with the death and state of the dead whatsoeuer it be as they who are grieuously tormented with present distresses and calamities prefer any thing whatsoeuer before that which they suffer So also chapter 7. hee speaketh as one despairing of deliuerie in this life Remember that my life is but a wind and that mine eie shal not returne to see pleasure For so hee expoundeth himselfe when he addeth He shal returne no more to his house neither shall his place knowe him anie more So likewise cap. 17. My breath is corrupt and the graue is readie for me They are woords of one despairing of life and saluation god being wrath and angry But chapter 34.14 when it is said If he set his hart vpon man and gather vnto him selfe his spirit and his breath Al flesh shal perish together it is not saide that the soule dooth sleepe or perish but that by the departure thereof the body dieth and is dissolued Further they adde Jf presently after death the godlie were blessed then iniurie was doone vnto them who were called againe into this mortall life But to this we aunswere That neither god can be iniurious to any man whereas he is in no mans debt neither can any thing happen better
not hurting the safetie of men THESE are of three sortes For we are said not to hurt three waies to wit either being not hurt or prouoked or being prouoked or both waies In the first maner of not hurting consisteth Particular iustice hurting no man This particular iustice not hurting anie man is a vertue shunning all harmings which are done either by violence or by deceit or by neglect of our owne and others safetie and so neither by indeuour nor by neglect hurting the life or bodie of any of whome wee are not hurt except God commaund it This is expressed in the woordes Thou shalt doe no murther In the second manner of not hurting consist Mildnes Equabilitie For vnto these vertues is it proper not to hurt albeit we be prouoked Mildnes or placabilitie or easinesse in forgiuing is a vertue moderatresse and gouernesse of anger which shunneth al iust anger so that a mild man wil neither be angry for no cause neither vpō a light cause where there is cause of iust anger he doth then also so moderat that iust anger as that he is not angry beyond measure or passeth the bounds and limits by God prescribed that is he doth not wish the destruction of the person that hurt him nether burneth with a desire of reuenge but pardoneth offences and also grieuous iniuries and is displeased only at the reproch of Gods name or for vniustice or for the hurt of his neighbour admitting not into his mind the desire of reuenging any iniury be it neuer so great and wishing also from his heart the safety and good estate of his enemies and such as haue ill deserued of him and endeuouring to maintain the same according to his ability and their necessity Matt. 5.5 Blessed are the meeke for thy shal inherit the earth Equabilitie or equity is a vertue of neere affinitie with mildenesse which is a moderatresse of strict iustice which equalleth punishments with the faults vpon good and reasonable cause as when in respect of the publique safety or priuate safetie of them which transgresse or for the auoiding of offence or for anie other good cause we yeeld somwhat of our right in punishing offences or in pursuing iniuries Gal. 6. Brethren if a man bee fallen by occasion into anie fault yee which are spiritual restore such a one with the spirite of meeknes considering thy selfe least thou also be tempted In the third maner of not hurting consisteth peaceablenesse which is a vertue shunning al offences and occasions of enmities and discords and endeuouring to take them away if any doe arise Briefly Jt is a studie of peace and concord that is a diligence both in auoiding causes and occasions of offences discords contentions and hatreds and also in reconciling those which are offended either with vs or with others and lastly in reteining and keeping of peace for the reteining whereof not to refuse troubles the dissembling and forbearing of iniuries whereby we haue bin harmed so as it bee without the reproch of Gods name and any grieuous impairing either of our owne or others safety The vertues helping and furthering mens safety GOD wil not onely that we hurt no man but also that we help both our selues and others according to our power And wee are saide to helpe two waies 1. By repelling euils daungers and iniuries 2. By doing good or by benefiting our selues or others Of Helping vertues then there are two sortes namelie vertues repelling euils and vertues benefiting and doing good The vertues repelling euils which namely are exercised in driuing away euils and iniuries are these Commutatiue iustice in punishmentes fortitude and indignation Commutatiue iustice in punishmentes is a vertue obseruing equality of offences and punishmentes inflicting either equall punishmentes vnto the faultes or lesser beeing induced thereto vpon good cause according to the respect and consideration to be had of circumstaunces in ciuil iudgement for the mainteinaunce of Gods glory and for the preseruation of mens society For when God forbiddeth the society of men to be harmed or impaired and wil haue the Magistrate to be the maintainer of discipline according to the whole decalogue he wil also haue them with iust punishmentes restrained that make any grieuous breach of this order Wherefore a Magistrate may offend not onely in cruelty or vniust seuerity but also in lenity or remisnes and in licencing men to hurt iniury others 1. King 20.42 Because thou hast let go out of thine hands a man whom I appointed to dy thy life shal goe for his life and thy people for his people Leuit. 24.17 He that killeth anie man he shal be put to death Num. 35.31 Ye shal take no recompence for the life of the murtherer which is worthy to die but he shal be put to death Exod. 21.23 Life for life eie for eie tooth for tooth Deut. 24.16 The fathers shall not bee put to death for the children nor the children put to death for the fathers but euerie man shal be put to death for his owne sinne Deut. 19. Thou shalt make citties of refuge that innocent bloud be not shed within thy land Here therefore is commaunded for the defence and safegard of mens safety seuere iustice which remitteth not punishment without good cause and obserueth equality of the offence punishment Whereof it is manifest that this commaundement doth not take away but ordaine and establish the office of the Magistrate in punishing transgressours For when God commaundeth a man to be slaine not men now but God himselfe putteth him to death by them vnto whō he giueth this in charge And that the licentiousnesse of doing violence or outrage might not grow strong and encrease he would haue transgressours to bee curbed and kept short by punishmentes Wherefore the reuenge due to Magistrates is comprehended in that saying Roman 13.19 Vengeaunce is mine J wil repaie saith the Lord. And hereby is aunswere made vnto this obiection It is said here Thou shalt doe no murther Therefore we must not at al put anie man to death by consequent this iustice doth not appertain to this commandement as which cannot be kept except manie be put to death Vnto which wee aunswere 1. We must therfore put some to death least the society of men be destroied by theeues and robbers 2. Jt is said Thou shalt doe no murther that is not according to thy owne pleasure and lust For God punisheth when the Magistrate punisheth Fortitude is a vertue which aduentureth dangers according to the rule of wel informed reason that is such daungers as right and ruled reason willeth to aduenture that for the glory of God the safety of his Church the defence and preseruation either of our selues or ours or others against grieuous iniuries Nowe this Fortitude of Gods Saintes ariseth from faith and hope and the loue of God their neighbor But that heroical fortitude which is a special gift of god as in Iosua Sampson Gideon Dauid is to be
instruments of gods working idle as the sun the raine the earth husbandmen food So god conuerteth men ruleth their purposes wils actions that is teacheth moueth them to approue chuse what he wil by laws by magistrats by doctrine by rewards by punishments and lastly by their owne wil which al he vseth as instruments not as if he could not without these illighten the mind with notions and incline the wil but because it so seemeeh good to him to exercise his power by these Albeit God was able to haue wrought what he would without the will yet because he will worke by the wil the working of the will is not in vaine If they reply That that wold necessarily come to passe so which is don euen without them therefore they are in vain vsed we deny the antecedent For although god were able to moue mens wils without these and if he had so decreed to doe men doubtles should doe without these what now they do beeing mooued by these yet whereas god hath once so decreed the effects as he hath also appointed their secōd instrumentall and impulsiue causes that verily shal be doone which god wil haue done but yet not without middle and second causes by whose means and working comming betweene and interposed god wil bring his purposes and decrees to passe Luk. 11. Hee wil giue his holy spirite to those who aske him Rom. 8.10 Whom he hath predestinated them hath he also called If they reply again Although it be grāted that these are not in vaine in those in whom god wil shew his force and be effectual by them yet in others who are not moued by them ther is no vse of them we answere 1. Although there were no vse yet because that is not knowen vnto vs whom god wil mooue or not moue we are to labour in teaching and vrging all and to commit the euent and fruit of our labour to God 2. Tim. 4. Preach the word bee instant in season c. Ezech. 3. If thou warn the wicked he turne not from his wickednes he shall die in his iniquitie but thou hast deliuered thy soule Secondly we aunswere the consequence followeth not from the denial of one particular to the denial of the generall or from a not sufficient enumeration For although many obey not teaching admonitions neither are moued with rewards and punishments yet this vse is great that by this meanes their naughtines and stubbornnes is opened and so the iustice of God made more manifest in their punishment Ioh. 15. If I had not done workes among them which none other man did they had not had sinne Rom. 1. God hath shewed it vnto them to the intent that they might be without excuse 2. Cor. 2. We are to God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and them who perish Seauenthly Heb. 9. Externall Discipline is called the righteousnes of the flesh Therefore it dependeth on mans will The consequence of this reason is to bee denied which doth not holde from the position or putting of the second cause to the remouing of the first cause For as it foloweth not the Sun causeth day therefore God doth not so neither doth this folow the vnregenerate performe outwarde Discipline therefore they doe it god not causing it in them nor ruling and directing them 8 Obiection They alleage testimonies also How the scriptures admit libertie of will which confirme that men doe euill or good with freewill As Exod. 35. The children of Israell offered free gifts vnto the Lord. Deut. 30. I haue set before thee life death good euil blessing cursing therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may liue But in these al the like places only that liberty of mans will is affirmed which hath beene spoken of before that is that the will obeieth or withstandeth the precedent iudgemēt of the vnderstanding with free and voluntarie motion without any constraint but the gouernement of god is not at all remoued from voluntarie actions For it was shewed before that this liberty of will doth not stand against that necessitie which by the prouidence of God doth accompanie it 9 Obiect What necessitie the scripture remoueth from voluntarie actions They bring forth testimonies also in which necessitie is remoued taken away from voluntarie actions Leuit. 22. Of these ye shal offer willingly Act. 5. Whils it remained appertained it not to thee And after it was solde was it not in thine owne power 1. Cor. 7. vers 37. Hee that standeth firme in his hart that hee hath no necessitie but hath power ouer his owne will c. 2. Cor. 9. As euery man wisheth in his heart so let him giue 1. Pet. 5. Feede the flocke of God caring for it not by constraint but willingly But these sayinges speake of obligation or binding which somtimes is signified by the name of necessity as the freeing from any bond by the name of libertie as Leuit. 22. Act. 5. partly of coaction or constraint as 2. Cor. 9. and 1. Pet. 5. or also of neede as 1. Cor. 7. which yet may be referred to obligation or bonde by which the Parentes are bounde to haue regard of the infirmitie of their children So also the power of will in the same place signifieth the right or power of determining any thing no obligation or bond hindering it But the remouing of any obligation or coaction doth not at all take away the vnchaungeablenes of voluntary actions which vnchangeablenes hangeth on the decree of God For as well his will who is not bound neither by any neede or want constrained is guided and moued by the purpose and counsell of Gods prouidence as his whom either bond or neede constraineth to resolue of any purpose Wherefore the scripture denieth not that the will is moued and ruled by God when it is not driuen by bonde or want or feare to doe any thing for there are besides these many other reasons and causes by which God can moue it either to will or not to will How in scriptures God is said not to will that which yet he will 10 Obiection They bring places of scripture which testifie that men will or doe somewhat God bidding and willing otherwise Ierem 7. Because I haue called you and ye haue not answered I will doe vnto this house as I haue done to Sylo Mat. 23. Hierusalem Hierusalem how often would I haue gathered thy children euen as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her winges and ye would not If then they did that which God would not their actions did depend onely of their owne will and not of Gods Anwere It is a fallacie concluding that which is in some sort so to be in all respects and simply so For God will not the actions of sinners as they are sinnes But hee wil them as they are punishmentes of sinnes and the execution of his iust iudgement Wherefore this
that the Maior is false in respect of him who for his wisedome knoweth means to mitigate punishmēts or to exercise mercy as that notwithstanding his iustice may remaine inuiolated and himselfe bee satisfied So god doth execute extreame and exquisite iustice in punishing our sinnes shewing neuerthelesse exceeding and maruelous equabilitie and lenity while hee punisheth them in his Sonne and not in vs. And therefore one degree of mercie denied doth not straight enforce the deniall of others God punisheth sinne in the reprobate with eternal punishments yet is he merciful while he is not delighted with the death of him that dieth but doth by differring and mitigating the punishment and by bestowing benefites inuite all men to repentance When a Iudge putteth a robber to death he executeth extreame iustice yet may he be mercifull withall if hee reioice not at the destruction of the man but had rather hee were saued if so the lawe permitted Temporal afflictions belong both to the wicked and the godly Temporall afflictions belong to both both vnto the godly and to the reprobate These are either punishments or the Crosse The punishment is either destruction or torment inflicted by order of iustice on the person giltie of sinne And this is proper vnto the reprobate because it is inflicted on them to this ende that Gods iustice may bee satisfied For the law bindeth all men either to obedience or to punishment In the wicked they are punishmentes in the godly the crosse Obiection But the euils which the wicked suffer in this life are lighter than that they shoulde satisfie Gods iustice Answere They are a part of their punishment though not their whole punishment Nowe as euerie part of the Aire is called Aire so euerie part of punishment is punishment The degrees therefore of the punishment and paines which the wicked suffer are to bee obserued The first degree is in this life For when the conscience of their misdeedes and wickednesse doth gnawe vexe and terrifie them then beginneth their hellish and infernall worme The second degree is in temporall death When they departing out of this life without comfort come into the place of torment and vexations Luke 16. The third degree is at the day of iudgement when againe to euerie of their bodies raised from the dead their soules shal bee reunited For then at length shall the paines of hell bee consummated and shall fall in troupes together on both bodie and soule The Crosse is the affliction of the godly The Crosse of the godly is of foure sortes For this is not properly a punishment because it is not inflicted that thereby Gods iustice shoulde bee satisfied for their sinnes Nowe the Crosse is of foure sortes which are drawen from the endes for which it is laid on the godly First the Chastisementes 1. Chastisements which GOD layeth on the godly for the remnaunts of sinne in them and oftentimes also for some peculiar sinnes committed by them that they may bee admonished of their vncleannesse and stirred to repentaunce and the studie of godlinesse and good workes least persisting in their sinnes they bee condemned For they are not according to iustice inflicted to bee any satisfaction or recompence for their sinnes but according to mercie for their amendment and saluation For by these chastisementes they are admonished of the anger of GOD against sinnes and of eternall punishment which GOD will inflict on them if they repent not Secondly 2. Tryals The proofes and tryals of their faith hope inuocation feare of GOD and patience that the elect may goe forwarde in these vertues and the same also bee made knowen to others Such was the affliction of Iob. Thirdly Martyrdomes 3. Martyrdomes which are testifications concerning their doctrine For when the godly are for the confession of true doctrine pressed with calamities or slaine these afflictions are no punishmentes of certaine transgressions but martyrdomes whereby they testifie and witnesse the doctrine of the gospell which they professe to bee true and doubt not to seale this with their bloud and whereby also they witnesse that they in exceeding tormentes and death feele and haue experience of that comfort which they did promise out of that doctrine in their teaching vnto others They witnesse also and testifie that there remaineth another life and an other iudgement after this life Fourthly lastly the Crosse is their Raunsome euen the obedience of Christ alone 4. Raunsome which is a satisfaction for our sinnes consisting of his whole humiliation from the very first point of his Conception in the wombe to his last agonie on the Crosse A briefe type or table of mans afflictions Afflictions are some Temporal In the wicked as punishmentes properly in speciall so called In the godly as the Crosse and that is 1 Chastisements 2 Trials 3 Martyrdome 4 Raunsome Eternal as the hellish torments of the damned 2 What are the causes of afflictions The impellent cause sinne SInne is the impellent cause because it is an euill merite and deserueth euill of punishmentes in the wicked and also of the Crosse in the godlie yet after a diuers maner and in diuers respects It is a cause of punishment in the wicked that sinne may bee recompensed with iust punishment In the godly the cause of the Crosse is not to satisfie Gods iustice but that sinne may be knowen and so relinquished and put off The impellent cause then of punishmentes in the wicked is their sin to be punished or recompensed The chiefe efficient Gods iustice The principall efficient cause is the iustice of god inflicting punishmēt for sin Instrumentall causes thereof are diuers Instrumental causes all creatures Angels and men both good and bad and all other creatures which are all armed against sinners and fight vnder GODS banner The finall cause is that the iustice of GOD may bee satisfied The causes of the crosse of the godly The causes of the crosse of the godlie are 1 The acknowledgeing and purging out of sin God doth not giue the bridle vnto the godly but by fatherly chastisementes restraineth recalleth and amendeth them 1. The acknowledging and relinquishing of sinne 1. Corin. 11.32 When wee are iudged wee are iudged of the Lord. Psalm 119.71 It is good for mee O Lord that thou hast humbled mee But hee giueth the raines to the wicked that they may gallop to destruction he endoweth them with the commodities of this life and suffereth them to enioy a short ioy thereby to shewe his loue towardes his creatures and to conuince them of vnthankfulnes and to take away al excuse from them 2. The hatred of the Diuell and the wicked 2. The hatred of the Diuel and wicked men Iohn 15.19 If ye were of the world the world would loue you The Diuel especially lieth in wait ambush against the church and assaulteth it both by tyrants and by heretiques to pul many from God 1. Pet. 5 8.
that is a Sauiour Because he saueth vs from al our Å¿ Mat. 1.21 Heb. 7.25 sinnes Neither ought any safety to bee sought for from any other nor t Act. 4.12 can elsewhere be found 30 Doe they then beleeue in the only Sauiour Iesus who seeke for happinesse and safety of the Saintes or of themselues or elsewhere No. For although in worde they boast themselues of him as their sauiour yet indeed they deny the onlie Sauiour a 1. Cor. 1.13 30. c. Ga. 5.4 Iesus For it must needes be that either Iesus is not a perfect Sauior or that they who embrace him as their Sauiour with a true faith possesse all thinges in him which b Heb. 12.2 Isa 9.6 Col. 1.19.20 2.10 Isa 43.11 25. Ioh. 1.16 are required vnto saluation 31 Why is he called Christ that is annointed Because hee was ordained of the Father and annointed of the holy Ghost the c Ps 45.8 Heb. 1.9 Deut. 18.15 Acts. 3.22 chiefe Prophet and d Ioh. 1.18 15 15. Mat. 11.27 Ps 110.4 Heb. 7.21 10.21 Doctour who hath e opened vnto vs the secret counsaill and all the will of his father concerning our Redemption And the high-Priest who with that one onely Sacrifice of his bodie hath f Rom 8.34 5.9.10 redeemed vs and doth continuallie g Ps 2.6 Luk. 1.33 make intercession to his father for vs. And a king who ruleth vs by his word and spirit and defendeth and h Mat. 28.18 Ioh. 10.28 maintaineth that saluation which hee hath purchased for vs. 32 But why art thou called a Christian Because through faith I am a member of Iesus i Acts. 11.26 1 Cor. 6.15 christ and k 1. Ioh. 2.27 Is 59.21 Ioe 2.28 partaker of his annointing that both I may l Mat. 10.33 confesse his name present my selfe vnto him a liuely m Rom. 12.1 Apo. 5.8.10.1 Pet. 2.9.2 Tim. 2.12 Rom. 6.12.13 Apo. 1.6 sacrifice of thankfulnes and also may in this life fight against sin and satan with a free good coÌ„science afterward n 1. Tim. 1.18.19 enioy an euerlasting kingdom with christ ouer al creatures 33 For what cause is Christ called the only begotten sonne of God when we also are the sonnes of God Because christ alone is the coeternal natural son of the eternall o Ioh. 1.14 Heb. 1.2 Ioh. 3.16 4.9 father we p Rom. 8.5 Eph. 1.6 Ioh. 1.12 1. Ioh. 1.3 are but sonnes adopted of the father by grace for his sake 34 Wherefore callest thou him our Lord Because he redeeming ransoming both our body and soul from sins not with gold nor siluer but with his precious blood deliuering vs froÌ„ al the power of the diuel hath set vs a 1. Pet. 1.18 10.1 Cor. 6.20 7.23 Ep. 1.7 1. Tim. 2.5.6 free to serue him 35 What beleeuest thou when thou saist He was conceiued by the holy ghost borne of the Virgine Mary That the sonne of God who b Ioh. 1.1 17.5 Rom. 1.4 Col. 1.15 c. Ps 2.7 Mat. 3.17 16.16 is and continueth true and euerlasting c Rom. 9.5 Is 7.14 9.6 1. Io. 5.20 Io. 20.28 God d Ioh. 1.14 Gal. 4.4 tooke the verie nature of man of the flesh and bloode of the Virgine Mary by the woorking of the holy Ghost f Ps 132.11 Act. 2.30 c. Rom. 1 3. that withal he might be the true seed of Dauid like vnto his brethren in al things sin excepted a Mat. 1.18.20 Luc. 1.35 36 What profit takest thou by Christs holy conception and natiuity That hee is our i Heb. 2.16.17 Mediatour and dooth couer with his innocency and perfect holines my sins g Phil 2 7. in which I was conceiued h Heb. 4.15 7.26 that they may not come in the sight of k Psal 32.1.1 Cor. 1.30 Ro. 8.3.4 Gal. 4.4.5 God 37 What beleeuest thou when thou saist He suffered That hee all the time of his life which hee lead in the earth but especially at the end therof l 1. Pet. 2.24 3.18 Is 53.12 susteined the wrath of God both in body and soule against the sin of al mankind that he might by his passion as the onely m 1. Ioh. 2.2 4.10 Rom. 3.25 propitiatory sacrifice deliuer our body and soule from euerlasting damnation and purchase vnto vs the fauour of God righteousnes and euerlasting life 38 For what cause should hee suffer vnder Pilate as being his iudge That he being innocent and n Luk. 23.14 Ioh. 19.4 condemned before a ciuil iudge might o Psal 69.4 Is 53.4.5 2. Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 deliuer vs froÌ„ the seuere iudgement of God which remained for al men 39 But is there any thing more in it that hee was fastned to the crosse than if hee had suffered any other kind of death There is more For by this I am assured that he took vpoÌ„ himself the curse which did lie on me For the death of the crosse was p Deut. 21.23 Gal. 3.13 accursed of god 40 Why was it necessary for Christ to humble himselfe vnto death Because the iustice and truth of God could by no a Gen. 2.71 other meanes be satisfied for our sins but by the very death of the b Heb. 2.9.14.15 Phil. 2.8 Sonne of God 41 To what end was he buried also That thereby he might make manifest that he was c Acts. 13.29 Mat. 27.60 Luk 23.53 Io. 19.38 c. dead indeede 42 But since that Christ died for vs why must we also die Our death is not a satisfaction for our sinnes but the abolishing of sinne and our passage into d Ioh. 5.24 Phi. 1.23 Rom. 7.24 euerlasting life 43 What other commodity receiue wee by the sacrifice and death of Christ That by the vertu of his death our old man is crucified slaine and e Ro. 6.6.7 c. buried together with him that hencefoorth euill lustes and desires may not f Rom. 6.12 raigne in vs but wee may g Rom. 12.1 offer our selues vnto him a sacrifice of thankesgiuing 44 Why is there added He descended into hel That in my greatest paines and most grieuous tentations I may support my selfe with this comfort that my Lorde Iesus Christ hath h Isay 53.10 Matth. 27.46 deliuered me by the vnspeakable distresses torments and terrors of his soul into which he was pluÌ„ged both before and then especially when hee hanged on the crosse from the straits and tormentes of hel 45 What doth the resurrection of Christ profit vs First by his resurrection he vanquished death that hee might i 1. Cor. 15.16 54.55 Rom. â—4 25 1. Pe. 1.3 c. 21. make vs partakers of that righteousnes which hee had gotten vs by his death Again we are now also k Rom. 6.4 Col. â— 1. c. Ep. 2.5 stirred vp by his
commandment of Christ and his Apostles vsing the keies of the kingdome of heauen ought to driue them from this Supper till they shall repent and chaunge their manners 83 What are the keies of the Kingdome of heauen Preaching of the Gospell and Ecclesiasticall Discipline by which heauen is opened to the beleeuers and is d Math. 16.19 18.18 shutte against the vnbeleeuers 84 How is the kingdome of heauen opened and shut by the preaching of the Gospel When by the commaundement of Christ it is publickely declared to all and euerie one of the faithfull that all their sinnes are pardoned them of God for the merite of Christ so often as they imbrace by a liuely faith the promise of the Gospel but contrarily is denounced to all Infidels hypocrites that so long the wrath of God and euerlasting damnation doth lie on them as they e Ioan. 20.21.22.23 Mat. 16.19 persist in their wickednesse according to which testimonie of the Gospel God wil iudge them as wel in this life as in the life to come 85 How is the kingdome of heauen opened and shut by Ecclesiasticall Discipline When according to the commaundement of Christ they who in name are Christians but in their doctrine and life shewe themselues f Rom. 12.7.8.9 1. Cor. 12.28 aliens from Christ after they hauing beene sometime admonished wil not depart from their errours or wickednesse are made knowen vnto the Church or to them that are appointed for that matter purpose of the Church and if neither then they obey their admonition are of the same men by interdiction from the Sacramentes shut out from the Congregation of the Church by God him selfe out of the kingdome of heauen And again if they professe and indeede declare amendment of life are g Mat. 18.15.16.17 1. Cor. 5.3.4.5.2 Thes 3.14.15 2. Ioh. 10.11 2. Cor. 2.6.7.10.11 â— Tim. 5.17 receiued as members of Christ and his Church AFter it hath beene shewed in the first part that men are become obnoxious vnto euerlasting pains and punishmentes by reason of obedience not yeelded vnto the lawe a question by and by ariseth Whether there is or bee graunted anie escape or deliuerie from these punishmentes To this question the lawe maketh aunswere that a deliuerie is graunted so that perfect satisfaction be made vnto the law and the iustice of God by sufficient punishment paied for the sinnes committed For the lawe bindeth either to obedience or that beeing not performed to punishment The performance of both which both of obedience punishment is perfect righteousnes and iustice and on both followeth the approbation allowing of him in whom that righteousnesse is Now the meanes and manners of satisfaction are two one by our selues which the lawe teacheth and the iustice of God requireth for wee haue sinned But this satisfaction deliuereth not from eternall malediction because it is neuer sufficient and finished but indureth to all eternity The other meanes of satisfiyng is by an other that is by Christ This meanes doth the Gospell shewe and the mercie of God freely offer neither yet is it repugnaunt to his law and iustice because in no place the lawe misliketh or reiecteth it This satisfaction or punishment is temporall and yet sufficient that is equiualent to euerlasting punishment and therefore a price worthie inough for our deliueraunce Wherefore since Christ hath paied in our behalf vnto the law a sufficient punishment for our sinnes the iustice of God and the sentence of the lawe altogether willeth and requireth that we bee admitted vnto a reconcilement with him that is be approued of God and receiued into fauour Furthermore by the questions of the Catechisme a little before propounded two things are taught concerning mans deliuerie The first is that it is possible and after what sort The second is by whom and by what maner of Mediatour it may be atchieued The places here to be discoursed of are three 1 Of Mans deliuerie 2 Of our Mediatour 3 Of the Couenant OF THE DELIVERIE OF MAN THe questions to bee considered hereof are fiue 1 What mans deliuerie is or in what things it consisteth 2 Whether anie deliuerie might be wrought after the fall 3 Whether it bee necessarie and certaine 4 What manner of deliuerie it is and whether it bee perfect that is a deliuerie from the euill both of crime and paine 5 By what meanes it may be wrought 1 WHAT MANS DELIVERIE IS THis worde Deliuerie is respectiue For all deliuerie and libertie hath a respect to somewhat to wit it is a graunt whereby any one is licensed according to honest lawes or the order of nature to be free from subiections defects and burdens not proper vnto his nature and to doe thinges agreeable vnto his nature without lette or hinderaunce The deliuerie of man an immunitie from miserie and the gilt of sinne So the Deliuerie of man is an immunitie from miserie that is from the guilt and subiection or tyrannie of sinne or it is the right and power restored by Christ to liue freely according to GODS lawe and to inioy those commodities which were at the beginning graunted by GOD vnto mans nature without prohibition or impediment For thus to liue agreed vnto mans nature in respect of his creation and not to liue thus is mans most miserable and shamefull seruitude As therefore the miserie and seruitude of man comprehendeth sinne and death or punishment so his deliuerie is a deliuerie from sinne and death or a restoring of righteousnes and life euerlasting Nowe Deliuerie from sinne is the perfect both pardoning of sinne that it may not for euer bee imputed And also the abolishing of it in vs by regeneration or newnesse of life which is begunne here but to bee perfected in the world to come Deliuerie from death is a Deliuerie both from Desperation or the feeling of GODS wrath which beeing in the wicked here begunne shall continue euerlastingly and is called euerlasting death and secondly from corporall death and all calamities and miseries by our Resurrection and Glorification In summe That Deliuerie is a full restoring of life euerlasting that is of Holinesse Righteousnesse and felicitie or perfect Blessednesse and so of all good thinges which are contrarie to those euils It is called Deliuerie because men without Christes satisfaction are helde as it were fettered in gyues and Captiues of sinne and hell 2 Whether anie Deliuerie might be wrought after the fall THis question is necessarie For if there be no deliuerie of vs out of miserie in vaine make wee question of the rest Againe there is some cause to doubt thereof to them especially The deliuerie of man possible The causes of which possibility in God onelie vnto whom the doctrine of the Gospell is vnknowen The Deliuerie therefore of man is possible And the causes of the possiblenesse thereof are in GOD alone declared in the sacred Scripture The first is his mercie and immeasurable goodnesse which that hee woulde
tormentes ignominies paines and grifes vnto all which Christ was subiect and obnoxious as wel in soule as in body from the point of his natiuity vntill the howre of his death resurrection Mat. 26.38 My soul is very heauy euen vnto the death Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Isa 53.4 Surelie he hath carried our sorrowes But principally by the name of Passion is signified the last act of the humiliation and pains of Christ the chiefe part of which his pains and dolours was in his soule wherein hee felt the ire and wrath of God against sinne which also was the cause why he so trembled and shooke at death was so faint-harted in his death whereas other Martyrs of Christ haue susteined stoutlie and couragiouslie extreme torments For the torments punishments of others haue no proportion with the torments and punishments of Christ For others as Stephen Laurence and the like susteined only corporall paines and torments but were vpheld within by the holy ghost But Christ suffered the paines both of body soule For he suffered first our infirmity that is the infirmities of humane nature he hungered thirsted was wearie was stroken with sadnesse and griefe 2 Hee suffered pouertie Luk 9.58 The sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head 3 He suffered infinite iniuries contumelies slaunders layings in wait for him backbitings reproches blasphemies annihilating and contempt Psalm 22.7 I am a worme and not a man Isay 53.2 He hath neither forme nor beutie when wee shall see him there shall bee no forme that we should desire him 4 Hee suffered the Tentations of the diuel Mat. 4.1 He. 4.15 He was in all thinges tempted in like sort 5 Hee suffered the death of the bodie and that reprochefull and contumelious euen the death of the Crosse 6 He suffered the most grieuous torments of soule that is he found the sense and feeling of the wrath of God against sinne to be laide on him Hereof it was that he cried with a loude voice My God why hast thou forsaken me as if he should saie why doost thou not driue and put away from me so great torments For he signifieth by those words not a diuulsion or separation of his Godhead from his manhood but the differring and delaying of help and succour We see then what and howe great thinges Christ hath suffered for vs which are therefore proposed vnto vs and sette before our eyes to giue vs to consider 1. The history it selfe of Christs passion agreeing with Gods sacred oracles and prophecies 2. The cause or fruites of Christes Passion 3. His example that wee are also to enter into eternal life and heauenlie glorie by death as did Christ and these three thinges are especially to be considered in Christs Passion Obiection There is no proportion betweene temporal punishment and eternal Christ suffered only temporal paines and punishmentes Therefore he could not satisfie gods iustice Aunswere There is no proportion betweene temporall and eternall punishment if they bee considered as beeing both in the same degree and in the same subiect Question But how may the raunsome of one person answere for the sins of an infinit number of men Aunswere It may and that for these two causes 1. Because he is true God which suffered Obiection But god cannot die and suffer Aunswere God cannot suffer in that he is God Or further we graunt that Christ was not God in that he suffered died Obiect Christ is not God in that he suffered Therefore it is false which is saide Acts 20.28 That God hath purchased the Church with his owne bloode Ans This was spoken by a communicating of the properties but this was in the person not in the nature that is That person which is God and man purchased the Church The communicating of properties is to attribute that to the whole person which is proper vnto one nature and this is attributed in a concrete voice not in an abstract because the concrete voice signifieth the person in which are both natures and the property of that nature whereof some thing is affirmed But the abstract name signifieth the nature which is in the person but not the person And therefore it is that nothing hindereth why that which is proper to one nature may not bee affirmed of the whole person so that propertie it selfe be in the person But contrarie of the abstract name onely the properties of that nature are affirmed vnto which they properly belong As of the God-heade which is the abstract name no propertie of the man-hoode maie be affirmed but onelie the properties of the God-heade because the God-heade signifieth not the person which hath both natures but onelie the diuine nature it selfe But of God which is the concrete name the properties not of the God-head only but of the manhood also may be affirmed because God signifieth not the diuine nature but the person which hath both the diuine nature and humane The second cause why the raunsome of one person may aunswere for the sinnes of an infinite number is the grieuousnesse of his punishment because hee suffered that which wee should haue suffered for euer His Passion therefore is equiualent to euerlasting punishment yea it surpasseth it For that God should suffer is more than that all the creatures shoulde perish euerlastinglie 2 According to which nature Christ suffered CHRIST suffered not according to both natures neither according to his God-head but according to his humane nature onely both in body and soule For his diuine nature is immortal Now he so suffered according to his humanity that by his death and Passion he made satisfaction for infinite sinnes of men Question But why could not his God-head suffer Answere Because it is not changeable neither can that which is life it selfe dy This susteined vpheld the humane nature in paines after death restored it to life Obiection God purchased the Church with his owne bloode Actes 20.28 Therefore the god-head suffered Aunswere It doth not follow because an argument from the concrete which is God to the abstract which is the God-heade is if no consequence Againe the kind of affirmation is altered God is said to haue died by a figure of speech which is Synecdoche vsed whē we signifie the whole by a part as whole Christ by God and by a communicating of the properties But when it is said The god-head died that admitteth no figure as beeing a meere abstract The concrete signifieth the subiect or person hauing the nature or forme But the abstract signifieth the bare nature and forme onelie Wherefore the argument doth not follow A man is compounded of the elementes and is corporeal Therefore his soul also is corporeal This cannot follow Because al things agree not to the forme which agree to the subiect the soule is the forme of man man is the essentiall subiect of the soule Wherefore neither doth it follow Christ God died Therefore Christs God-heade died For
death of the onely begotten Sonne of God 2 That it might be an exasperating of the punishment and so wee so much the more confirmed in a true faith when wee consider Christ by this kinde of punishment to haue taken vpon him our gilt euen our punishment also and curse according to that Cursed is euerie one that hangeth on tree Deut. 21.23 Gal. 3.13 3 That the trueth might answere according to the types and figures so we might know the types to be fulfilled in Christ For 1 The sacrifices which shadowed the sacrifice of Christ were hung vpon trees thereby to signifie that Christ should be fastned on a tree and accomplishing his sacrifice offer a holy sacrifice vnto his Father 2 The sacrifices being lifted vp on high before they were burned did signifie the exalting and listing vp of Christ on the Altar of the Crosse 3 The same was shadowed in Isaack who being laid on wood was to haue beene sacrificed of his Father 4 The brasen Serpent which Moses set vp vpon a pole in the wildernesse depainteth this kind of punishment Christ himselfe interpreted of himselfe this type of the brasen Serpent Joh. 3.14 DEAD I Beleeue in Christ dead that is I beleeue Christ not onely to haue suffered extreame torments for my sake but also death it selfe hath by his death obtained for me remission of sinnes and reconciliation with God consequently also the holy Ghost who beginneth in me a new life that I may againe bee made the Temple of God and at length attaine vnto euerlasting life wherein I shall woorship and magnifie God for euer OF CHRISTS DEATH THE chiefe Questions hereof are 1 How Christ is said to haue bin dead 2 Whether it was requisite and necessarie that Christ should die 3 What are the fruits of Christs death 1 HOW CHRIST IS SAID TO HAVE BEENE DEAD IT is needful to moue this question because of the heretikes who haue depraued the sense of this article Marcion denied that hee died indeed as also hee affirmed the whole ordinarie dispensation and ministerie of the humane nature in Christ and all those thinges which hee did vndergoe for vs to haue bin but imaginarie and that hee onely seemed to bee as a man Nestorius separated the two natures in Christ neither would haue the sonne of God but man onely to haue died Doe not boast thou Jewe saieth Nestorius thou hast not crucified God The Vbiquitaries beleeue that the humanitie of Christ from the moment of his incarnation was so indowed with all the properties of the Godhead as that only in this the humanitie differeth from the Godhead that the humanitie hath by an accident whatsoeuer the Godhead hath by and of it selfe Hereof it commeth that they imagin that Christ was in the time of his death yea when hee was inclosed in the Virgins wombe in heauen and eueriewhere not onely as touching his Godhead but with his bodie too This is it which they call the forme of God Wherefore against all these wee affirme that Christ died truely and corporallie euen by a true diuulsion separation of his soule from his bodie so that not onely his soule and body were not together euerie where but were not together in one place Mat. 27.50 Thē Iesus cried again with a loud voice yeelded vp the Ghost Mar. 15.37 Iesus cried with a loude voice and gaue vp the Ghost Luk 23.46 Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And when hee had saide these words hee gaue vp the Ghost Iohn 19.30 Hee bowed his head and gaue vp the Ghost But yet this is further to be added that although his soule was separated from his bodie yet the Word notwithstanding did not forsake neither bodie nor soule but remained neuerthelesse ioyned both to bodie and soule and therefore the two natures in Christ were not diuelled or sundered by that diuulsion of the soule and bodie Obiection Why then cried hee Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Aunswere Because of his delay and differring of help and succour For the two natures in Christ ought not to haue beene diuelled or sundered because it is written God hath purchased the Church with his owne bloude And hee was to be the sonne of God who shoulde die for our sinnes that hee might bee a sufficient price for them Hereby also it doth clearely appeare that The vnion of both natures in Christ is no Vbiquitie For the soul being separated from the bodie was not in the graue with the bodie and by a consequent not eueriewhere because that which is euerie where can neuer bee separated Obiection But as vertue that is his diuinitie is saide to haue gone out of him so also hee gaue vp the Ghost Aunswere There is a dissimilitude in these Because the diuinity remaining vnited with the humane nature yet did worke abroade without it The soule did depart from the bodie The reason of this dissimilitude is because the act of his diuinitie is increate and infinite but the act and power of his soul finite and created 2 Whether it was requisite and necessary that Christ should die IT was requisite and necessarie that Christ should die 1. In respect of the iustice of God that so his iustice might be satisfied which required the death of men by whom it was violated For the hurting offending of the greatest good is to bee expiated with the greatest punishment or with the vtmost destruction of nature that is with the death of the giltie condemned for sinne according to that Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is death Now it was requisite that the sonne of God should die that hee might bee a sufficient ransome for our sinnes For no creature coulde haue sustained such a punishment as should haue beene equiualent to eternall punishment and yet withall should haue beene temporal Obiection They haue deserued eternall punishment whosoeuer are not reconciled to God by Christ. Therefore the soules ought not to be separated from their bodies that they might suffer eternal damnation Aunswere It dooth not followe but this rather That therefore both bodie and soule must bee together that they maie suffer it which at length shall so come to passe 2 Jn respect of gods truth that the truth of GOD maie bee satisfied For GOD threatned and denounced death when euer wee sinned which denouncing was to bee fulfilled after sin was once committed And this is that commination or threatning pronounced by God himselfe Gen. 2.17 In the daie that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Obiection But Adam did not presently die Aunswere Truely he died spirituallie eternal death and now was dead I hard saith he Gen. 3.10 thy voice There was a terrour in him and a feeling of Gods wrath a strife with death the losse of al the giftes both of body and mind But there followed the equity moderation and lenitie of the Gospell For God had not expressely saide that hee shoulde certainelie die wholy and that
presently For so had hee perished for euer Wherefore the Sonne offered a mitigation and lenifieng raised him vp to a new life that stil notwithstanding he should remaine subiect to the corporal death which yet should not be deadlie and pernicious vnto him 3 In respect of the promise made to the fathers both by words as in Isa 53.7 He is brought as a sheepe to the slaughter and as a sheepe before the shearer is dum so openeth he not his mouth by sacrifices wherby god promised that christ should dy dy such a death as should be an equiualēt price for the sins of the whole world This could not be the work of any meere creature but of the son of god only and therefore it was requisite necessarie that the Sonne of God should suffer so grieuous a death for vs. Obiection Then they doe not satisfie gods iustice who are punished because their punishment is endlesse and eternall Answere They satisfie by eternal punishment Replie So then might we also be deliuered from the curse by our selues Aunswere So then shall wee neuer bee deliuered but shall susteine punishment eternall which is without ende Out of this which hath beene saide we may draw this doctrine 1 That sinne is most of all to bee eschued of vs which could not bee expiated but by the death of the sonne of god 2. That wee ought to bee thankefull to the sonne of god for this his so great a benefit of vnspeakable grace fauour bestowed vpon vs. 3. That all our sinnes how many how great and how-greeuous soeuer they be are expiated and done awaie by the death alone of Christ 3 The fruit of Christs death THE fruite cōmoditie of Christs death is the whole work of our redemption 1. Iustification or remission of sinnes because the iustice of God requireth that God should not punish a sinner twise but hee hath punished our sinnes in Christ Therefore hee will not punish againe the same in vs. 1. Iohn 1.7 The bloud of Iesus Christ purgeth vs from all sin as well originall as actuall as well of fact or doing what we should not as of omission or not dooing what we should The cause of this effect is the death of Christ 2. The gift of the Holy ghost through his working regeneration a new life because Christ by his death hath not onely obtained for vs pardon for our sinne and reconciliation with god but also the gift of the holy Ghost that by his working and vertue the old man might bee crucified with Christ that is that by the Holy Ghost through the efficacie of Christs merite our engraffing into him our corrupt and as yet not regenerated nature might bee abolished in vs and that of the contrarie righteousnesse might be begunne in vs the image of God destroied by the Diuel in vs might bee restored and wee by the same spirit moued to shew yeelde all thankefulnes for so great a benefite 1. Cor. 1.30 Christ is made vnto vs righteousnesse wisedom sanctification and redemption Col. 2.10 Ye are compleat in him The death of christ is the impellēt or motiue cause in effectuating our regeneration in two respectes 1. In respect of god because for the death of christ god pardoneth vs our sinne and giueth vs the holie ghost Galat 4.6 Because yee are Sonnes god hath sent forth the spirite of his Son into your harts which crieth Abba Father 2. In respect of vs also it is an impellent cause because they who apprehend Christs merit by a true faith and apply his death vnto themselues for them it is vnpossible to be vnthankfull For all after they are once iustified prepare and addresse themselues to do those things which are grateful vnto God for regeneration or the desire and endeuour of obeying God cannot bee separated from the applying of his death vnto vs nor the benefite of regeneration from the benefite of iustification All who are iustified are also regenerated and sanctified And all who are regenerated are also iustified Obiection 1. Pet. 1.3 The Apostle attributeth our regeneration to Christes resurrection why then is regeneration here attributed to his death Aunswere It is attributed vnto Christes death as touching his merite for hee merited regeneration for vs by dieng And it is attributed to Christes resurrection in respect of the applieng of it for by rising from the dead he applieth vnto vs regeneration and giueth vs the Holie Ghost 3. Eternal life is also the fruit of Christs death Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the woorld that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life 1. Iohn 5.11 GOD hath giuen vnto vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne Obiection Jf Christ died for vs why then die we too For hee should not die for whom another hath alreadie died otherwise the satisfaction would seeme double Aunswere He for whom another hath died should not dy as thereby to satisfie that is so that his death should be any merite or satisfaction but there are other causes why we must die For wee die not to satisfie the iustice of God but by death as a meane to receiue those giftes which Christ by his death hath merited for vs. For this our temporal death is 1. An admonition of the greatnesse of sinne 2. A purging and cleansing of vs. For by death are purged out the reliques and remaines of sinnes in vs. 3. A translating into eternal life For by corporal death is the passage of the faithfull made into eternall life Reply If the cause be taken away the effect is takē away but the cause of death in vs which is sin is taken awaie by Christ therefore the effect also which is death it selfe ought to be taken awaie Ans Where al cause is taken awaie the effect also is taken awaie but in vs all cause of death is not taken awaie as concerning the purging out of sinne albeit it bee taken awaie as touching the remission of sinne Or we maie aunswere vnto the Minor proposition That sinne is indeede taken awaie as touching the guilt but it is not taken away as touching the matter of sinne which as yet remaineth AND BVRIED THE causes of Christes buriall are 1 That we might knowe that hee was dead indeed For the liuing are not buried but the dead only And hither belong some parts of the storie penned by the Euangelists as that christ was pearced with a launce that he was taken downe from the Crosse that he was annointed wrapt in linnen clothes For as by the touching feeling of him by his eating appearing after his resurrection we gather that he did indeed rise again so of the other we collect that he was indeede dead 2 That the last part of his humiliation whereby hee did debase himselfe for our sakes might bee accomplished That was his burial in which his body was as well cast into the earth as any other
dead corps A dead body is indeed void of sense and feeling but yet notwithstanding ignominious is it for the bodie to be committed vnto the earth as it is said To dust shalt thou returne And as Christes resurrection from the dead and death is a part of his glore so his burial that is the debasing of his bodie to bee in the same state with other dead carcases is a part of his humiliation 3 A certaine type was to be fulfilled It was foretolde by the type of Ionas remaining 3. daies in the Whale That the Messias should be buried Therefore for the fulfilling of this type he ought also to be buried and to remaine vntill the third day in the graue 4 He would be buried that he might not be afraid of the graue but might knowe that our head Christ Iesus had laid open the waie vnto vs by the graue and death to celestiall glorie and therefore shall wee bee raised out of the graue albeit we die giue vp the Ghost 5 That we might knowe how we are indeed deliuered from death For in his death a testimonie and record whereof is his buriall consisteth our saluation 6 That it might be apparent and manifest as concerning his resurrection euen that hee was able indeede to rise againe and to shew that hee hath ouercome death and that his resurrection was not imaginarie but the resurrectiō of a reuiuing corps 7 That we beeing spirituallie dead that is to sin might rest from sinne Rom. 6.4 Wee are buried with Christ by Baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so we also should walke in newnesse of life HE DESCENDED INTO HEL I Beleeue in Christ who descended into Hel that is I beleeue that Christ for me sustained in his soule infernall hellish pains tormentes that exceeding ignominie which is due vnto the wicked in Hell that thereby I might not descend into hell and that I might neuer bee forced to suffer them all which otherwise I should suffer in hell eternallie but that of the contrarie rather I might ascend with Christ into heauen and there enioie with him exceeding happinesse and glory for euer and euer This is the vse and profite of this Article of Christes descension into hel Now wee are a little more at large to declare what is the meaning of that Article or what is properlie that Descension of Christ into hell Hell in Scripture is taken three waies For it signifieth 1. The graue Genesis 42.38 Then yee shall bring my graie heade with sorrowe vnto hell Psalm 16.10 Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption 2. The place of the damned As in the storie of the rich man and Lazarus 3. The paines of hell that is the terrours and tormentes of the soule and conscience Psal 116.3 The griefes of hel caught me 1. Sam. 2.6 The Lord bringeth downe to hel and raiseth vp that is into exceeding pains and torments out of which afterwards he again deliuereth In this third sense is it taken in this Article for it cannot be vnderstoode of the graue because there goeth before He was buried If anie say that this latter Article is an exposition of the former hee saith nothing For as often as two speeches expressing the same thing are ioyned together so that the one is an exposition of the other it is meete that the latter bee more cleare and open than the former againe it is not likely in this so briefe succinct a confession that the same thing should be twise spokē in other words Neither cā this place be vnderstood of the place of the damned For Christ said Into thy hands I commend my spirit to the Theef This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise as if he should saie This day shalt thou be with me as touching my soule in Paradise that is in the place of euerlasting saluation or happinesse where thou shalt being deliuered from al tormentes enioie most pleasaunt quiet and repose This is not to bee vnderstoode of the Godheade of Christ as if that shoulde bee the same daie together with the soule of the Theefe in Paradise For the God-head is and shall bee euery where But thou shalt be in Paradise with me euen whom thou seest hanging on the crosse The descension of Christ therefore into Hell signifieth 1 those extreme torments and griefes which christ suffered in his soule namely the wrath of God against sinnes and that such as the damned feele partly in this life partlie in the life to come 2. The Exceeding and extreme ignomine and reproche which christ suffered That Christ suffered these thinges is prooued by the Testimonie of Dauid before alleaged The griefes of Hell caught mee which is sayde of Christ in the person of Dauid There are other the like sayings whereby the same is prooued Isa 53.10 The Lord would breake him and make him subiect to infirmities Mat. 26.38 My soule is verie heauie euen vnto the death The same doo those his vexations also shewe in the garden when he swet blood Isai 53.6 The Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs all Therefore hee crieth out Mat. 27.49 My God my god why hast thou forsaken mee The same is proued also by this reason euen because hee ought to suffer not onlie in body but in soule to for vs that hee might also redeeme our soules Obiection 1. The articles of faith ought to be vnderstood properlie Aunswere True except an article beeing taken according to the proper signification be disagreeing from other places of scripture But this Article of Christs descension into Hell beeing taken properlie is much repugnant to that saying of Christ Iohn 19.30 It is finished For if Christ fulfilled and finished all the parts of our redemption on the Crosse there was no cause why hee should descend into Hell that is vnto the place of the damned Obiection 2. Hee descended into Hell and that by a locall descension as the papists affirm to deliuer the Fathers thence Answere 1. Wee denie that christ descended locallie into Hell and that for this reason Jf christ did locallie descend into Hell hee descended either as touching his Godhead or as touching his soule or as touching his body Not as touching his Godhead For that is euerie where Not as touching his soule because he saith Father into thy handes I commend my spirite Replie But hee might also bee in the hand of his Father that is in his Fathers protection euen in Hell According to that Psalm 139.8 If I lie downe in Hell thou art there that is there also will god haue care ouer mee and there also will hee keepe me that I perish not Answere One place enterpreteth another for he had said before vnto the Theefe This daie shalt thou be with mee in Paradise that is in the place and state of the blessed where both
Thirdly Christ did rise truly and indeed so that his soule did truelie and indeede returne vnto his bodie and he did truely come foorth euen out of the graue also in despite of the watchmen they beeing withal amased and stroken therewith Fourthly he rose the third daie as it was foreshadowed in Jonas and because that type of Ionas was so fulfilled thence it certainly followeth that this Iesus is the Messias promised vnto the Fathers 3 FOR WHAT CAVSE HE ROSE CHrist rose 1. In respect of the prophecies which were vttered of his resurrection Thou shalt not leaue my soul in the graue neither shalt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Psa 16.10 And Isai 53.10 When hee shall make his soule an offering for sinne hee shall see his seede and shall prolong his daies He shall see of the trauaile of his soul and shal be satisfied Matth. 12.39 No signe shall bee giuen vnto it saue the signe of the Prophet Ionas For as Ionas was three daies three nightes in the Whales bellie so shall the sonne of man bee three daies and three nightes in the heart of the earth Matth. 17.23 They shal kill the sonne of man but the third day shall he rise againe Ioh. 20.9 As yet they knew not the Scripture that hee must rise againe from the dead 2. He rose for his Fathers and his owne glorie Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the son of God by the resurrection from the dead Ioh. 17.1 Father glorifie thy Sonne that thy sonne maie also glorifie thee 3 For the worthinesse and power of the person that rose For first Christ is the beloued and onlie begotten Son of God Ioh. 3.35 The father loueth the sonne and hath giuen al thinges into his hand Secondlie Christ is true God and autor of life Ioh. 10.28 I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand It had beene absurd then that hee should not bee raised who giueth life to others Thirdly Christ is righteous in himselfe and satisfied for our sinnes which were imputed to him Now where sin is not there dooth not death raigne any more 4 In respect of the office of the person who rose For first the Mediatour who was true God and man should raigne for euer 2. Sam. 7.13.14 I wil stablish the throne of his kingdome for euer J will bee his father hee shall bee my son Psa 45.6 Thy throne O God is for euer euer the scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnesse Psal 89.3 I haue made a couenaunt with my chosen I haue sworne to Dauid my seruaunt Thy seede will I stablish for euer and set vp thy throne from generation to generation And againe I haue sworne once by my holynes that I will not faile Dauid saieng His seede shall endure for euer and his throne shall bee as the sunne before mee Hee shall be established for euermore as the Moone Ezech. 37.23 24. They shall bee my people and I will bee their god And Dauid my seruaunt shall bee king ouer them and they all shall haue one sheephearde Dan. 7.27 The kingdome and dominion and the greatnes of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shall bee giuen to the holy people of the most high whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and al powers shall serue and obey him Luk. 1.33 Of his kingdome shall bee none ende Secondly The Mediatour who was to bee our brother and true man should euer make intercession for vs and as an euerlasting Priest appeare for vs before God Psa 110. Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Rom. 8.34 It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. Thirdly The Mediatour which is to bee true man should bee Mediatour both by his merit by his efficacie or power For it sufficed not that hee died for vs but hee was furder to bestow through his power his benefites vpon the Church and vs all who by dying or by his death had obtained for vs righteousnes that is the Holy Ghost life and glorie eternall For both belong vnto the Mediatour who therefore obtaineth them for vs by his intercession and death and in whom also the same benefites are therefore placed by the Godhead that hee should make vs partakers of them Ioh. 1.16 Of his fulnesse haue al wee receiued Neither ought it to seeme any maruell that Christ doth bestow the same benefites on vs which hee obtained of the Godhead by his death for vs. For a man may both obtaine a thing of one for another and also bestow the same on him for whom hee obtained it As be it that one maketh request for thee vnto the Prince for a gift of a thousand crounes the prince doth this for his sake that requested it and bestoweth also that gift on him that he may bestow it on thee hee then shall obtaine this gift for thee of the Prince and withall shall bestow the same on thee Now albeit Christ could haue bestowed the benefits of his death vpon vs by his Godhead by the meanes wherof wee are iustified and regenerated and beginne faith and new life by the holy Ghost yet notwithstanding as God decreed by man to raise the dead for by man came the resurrection 1. Cor. 15.21 and by man to iudge the worlde so also hath hee decreed to bestowe these giftes by Iesus man that the same might be and continue mediatour who is true God and man Therefore also it was requisite that Christ should remaine for euer our brother and our head that we of the other side being engraffed into him by a true faith shoulde alwaies remaine his members Which thing al the testimonies doe confirme which attribute an eternall kingdome vnto the seede of Dauid For on that kingdome is our saluation grounded and the kingdome of Christ the Sonne of Dauid could by no meanes haue been eternal if his humane nature had continued in death Obiection But in the old testament before his incarnation or humiliation Christ without his humanitie did bestow the same benefits on the Fathers which hee bestoweth on vs in the new Testament and was no lesse before the taking of flesh Mediatour than since also he did the same thinges before his comming which he dooth after his comming in the flesh Ans But neither had hee then doone those thinges except hee should haue beene afterwards man and haue continued alwaies man so neither now should he doe the same if hee did not reteine the nature which he tooke for euer Iohn 5.27 The father hath giuen the sonne also power to execute iudgement in that hee is the sonne of man 5 He rose for vs and that in three respectes 1. For our Iustification Rom. 4.25 our Lord Iesus christ was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification Now the
remission of sinnes is giuen REmission of sins is giuen by faith Remission of sinnes giuen by faith through the working of the Holy Ghost by which being wrought and kindled in vs by the holy Ghost wee receiue the same Therefore the purpose and decree of God of remitting sinnes is euerlasting but the executing and performance thereof is when by faith we applie remission of sins vnto vs. So also God doth alwaies loue his elect but that loue is not poured out in their hearts before their repentance For they haue that certain testimonie of conscieÌ„ce by the gift of the holy Ghost that they are loued of god so haue their sins remitted who truly conuert and repent Oâ— THE RESVRRECTION OF THE FLESH THE chiefe quâ—stions 1 What the Resurrection is 2 The Errours concerning the Resurrection 3 Whence it may appeare that the Resurrection shall certainelie be 4 For what end the Resurrection shal be 5 By whom 6 How 7 When. 8 What bodies shall rise 9 Whether the soule be immortall 1 WHAT THE RESVRRECTION IS THE Word Resurrection signifieth sometime preseruation The resurrection of the flesh is a restoring of the substance of our bodies after death euen of the same matter whereof they now consist and a reuiuing and quickening of the same bodies with life immortall and incorruptible by the same immortall soule whereby they now liue which God will woorke by Christ in the ende of the woorlde by his diuine vertue and power which restoring also shal be of the elect vnto the eternall glorie of God but of the reprobate vnto eternall paines That is 1. There shal be a restoring of the same bodie which is a recollecting gathering together of the same matter which was scattered and seuered into al the Elementes 2. An vniting of it with the same soule and a reuiuing of it 〈◊〉 the same soule which also it had before 3. A putting off of al infirmities a putting on of immortality 2 The Errours concerning the Resurrection THE Errours helde of the resurrection are of three sortes Some haue vtterlie denied it and haue auouched the souls to die together with the bodies 2. Some haue granted the immortalitie of the soule but haue constred the resurrection to bee a resurrection in this life but the bodies they denied to rise at all although the soules of the godlie haue fruition after death of euerlasting happinesse 3. Some as Anabaptistes deny that the verie selfe same bodies which we now haue shal rise again but they saie that Christ at his second comming will make new bodies 3 Whence it maie appeare that the Resurrection shall certainlie beâ— IT maie be verily collected probably out of philosophie that there shal be sometime a resurrection Probable proofes of the Resurrection yeelded by philosophie but no necessarie demonstrance but no necessarie demonstration can bee yeelded thence that the Resurrection shall certainly bee For in philosophy are manie principles which accord not with the sacred writinges of Gods spirite Againe in philosophy the knowleege which it hath of Gods iustice and trueth is but a maimed reason But in the holie writ of God the reasons are firme true Hence alone therefore is demonstration giuen for the most certaine accomplishment of the Resurrection And this first by testimonies of scripture then by reasons drawn out of scripture The testimonies of Scripture The Testimonies of scripture for demoÌ„strance of the Resurrection which confirme the certaintie of the resurrection hereafter to come are most euident and those taken both out of the olde and new Testament Iob 19.25 I am sure that my redeemer liueth and hee shall stand the last on the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this bodie yet shal I see God in my flesh Iohn 5.28 The hour shal come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice And they shal come forth that haue doone good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue doone euil vnto the resurrection of condemnation Iohn 6 40. I wil raise him vp at the last day 1. Corint 15.13 If there bee no resurrection of the deade then is Christ not risen And if Christ be not risen then is our preaching vaine and your faith is also vaine Reasons drawen out of the scripture for proofe thereof The reasons which are drawen also out of Scripture are diuerse 1. God promiseth eternall life not to the soule onelie but also to the bodie of the godly and contrarie to the vngodly hee threatneth eternall punishment and paines both of bodie and soule and these promises and threatninges of God must bee fulfilled For the certainty of them is vnchaungeable But they shal not bee fulfilled if the deade shal not rise Seeing therefore God dooth most certainelie in his good time accomplish that which hee promiseth to the godly and menaceth to the wicked it followeth of necessitie that the dead must rise againe 2. The mercie of God is perfect as which extendeth it selfe to the whole man and which will haue vs wholy saued Therefore our bodies also shal rise again 3. The mercie and loue of God towardes the godly is perpetuall and vnchaungeable so that what hee once will of his fatherly loue towardes them perfourme vnto them the same he euer will But he wil haue the godly saued both in soule and bodie therefore they must be both in soule and bodie euen whole saued and therefore that they maie bee whole saued they must needes rise againe 4. The perfect iustice of God requireth that the same wholie whereby they sinne should be punished with eternall paines But they sinne both in their whole bodie and in their soule Therefore their bodies also must be raised againe because they ought no lesse in body than in soule to suffer eternal pains 5. Christ is risen therefore wee also shall rise This sequele is most sure For first Christ therefore rose againe that hee might raise vs. Secondly Christ is our head and we his members Seeing then Christ our head is risen we also his members doubtles shal rise For the glorie of the head requireth this that he haue his members sutable in like condition with him Wherefore if the members should continue rotten the head should not be glorious Thirdly The same spirite is in vs which is in Christ raised he ioineth and vniteth vs with Christ and worketh the same in vs which he doth in Christ neither is at anie time not like himselfe But he hath raised Christ Therefore also hee will raise vs. 6. It is saide that Christ shall haue an euerlasting kingdome but this he should not haue if our bodies should alwaies continue in death for neither would it suffice that our soules are immortall or eternal without our bodies For that Christs kingdome may be eternall he must haue eternall subiects and those wholy eternall Therefore our bodies also shall rise that so wee whole may bee subiect eternally vnto Christ our king
or more acceptable vnto the godly than to serue for the manifesting of gods glory either by life or by death As Phil. 1. it is said As alwaies so now Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it bee by life or by death c. Last of all if they say that the soule hath neither sense nor action but by bodilie instruments and therefore being naked and destitute of these is destitute also of sense motion and operation To graunt vnto them this Antecedent of the soule being in the bodie yet notwithstanding of the soule freed from the bodie both learned Philosophers confesse the contrarie the word of god testifieth the contrarie as 1. Cor. 13.9 We know in part we prophecie in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shal be abolished OF EVERLASTING LIFE THIS Article is placed in the end 1. Because it is perfectlie fulfilled after the rest 2. Because it is an effect of all the other articles that is we beleeue all the other articles for this and all things that we beleeue were done that we might beleeue this article and so at length inioy euerlasting life This article is the end and roofe of our whole saluation and life The chiefe questions of euerlasting life 1 What euerlasting life is 2 Of whom it is giuen 3 To whom it is giuen 4 Wherefore it is giuen 5 When it is giuen 6 How it is giuen 7 Whether in this life wee may bee assured of euerlasting life 1 WHAT EVERLASTING LIFE IS What life is in generall LIFE is defined among Philosophers diuersly and it is indeede a word of diuers significations signifiyng diuers things In generall it is either the verie existence and being of the soul with the bodie or the operation of a liung thing that is it signifieth to be or to doe those things which are proper vnto a liuing nature for it is taken both for the first act and for the second Therefore death is the destruction of a liuing thing and of the power or facultie of woorking Or Life is an aptitude of a liuing thing to worke the operations proper vnto it and is also the operations themselues by reason of the Vnion of the bodie with the soule Generally both as touching god and Angels and men it is the existence or being of a liuing thing and the facultie or power wherewith euerie liuing thing beeing endewed dooth exercise the operations and actions of life Spirits also liue but they haue not that from life but from their very nature essence Now when we mention euerlasting life we restraine the word for then it speaketh of the euerlasting life of men Angels That is called Euerlasting 1. Which hath neither beginning nor ending Life euerlasting hath a beginning but no end 2 Which hath no beginning and hath an ending as the decrees of god 3. Which hath a beginning but shal haue no end as euerlasting life But this question seemeth vnexplicable because it is said thereof Jsai 64.4 and 1. Cor. 2.9 Neither eie hath seene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart the things which god hath prepared for them that loue him Yet we will see what may be knowen concerning this question of the holy Scripture 1. Life in generall signifieth to liue or to be as wee restraine beeing to a thing liuing that is to bee endued with a soule which soule is that whereby we liue and the naturall life is the remaining or dwelling of the soule in a liuing bodie and the operation of the soule or the facultie of the soule working those actions which are proper to a liuing thing For the soule is the essential forme of life which who haue liue 2. Euerlasting life is nothing else but to be as we restrain being to a regenerate man which To be The full definition of euerlasting life is to haue the Jmage of god restored according to which we were at the first created But to explane expouÌ„d this we haue need of a more ful definitioÌ„ Wherefore euerlasting life is the habitation or dwelling of god in Angels and men by the holie ghost and the true knowledge of god his will and all his woorkes kindled by the same spirite in their hearts and true and perfect righteousnes and wisedome that is a perfect conformitie and correspondence of their will and powers and operations with the minde and will of god as also a ioy resting on god and a sufficiencie of all good thinges in god as touching both soule and bodie which shall neuer be interrupted hindered or haue an end Life euerlasting is 1 The knowâ—ege of God and wisedome The proofe and confirmation of the partes of this definition is easie 1. It is the knowlege of God and wisedome Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall that they know thee to bee the onelie verie God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ 2. 2 Righteousnes It is righteousnesse Luk. 20.36 They are equall vnto the Angels 3 Ioy. 4 Sufficiencie in God and are the sonnes of God since they are the children of the resurrection 3. It is ioy Ioh. 16.22 Your ioy shall no man take from you 4. It is sufficiencie in god Reuel 21.22 The Lord god almightie and the Lambe are the Temple of it And the Citie hath no neede of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glorie of god did light it and the Lambe is the light of it All those good things which we possesse here shall then be perfect 1. Cor. 13.10 When that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be abolished 5 Without interruption 5. It shall not be interrupted Reuel 21.4 God shall wipe away all teares from their eies Luk. 1.33 Of his kingdome shall bee no end Dan. 7.27 And the kingdome and dominion and the greatnes of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shall bee giuen to the holy people of the most high whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome that is which hath neither beginning nor ending 3 Euerlasting life is that which hath a beginning but is without end In this third sense also shall wee enioy euerlasting life Obiection Euerlasting life is to liue euerlastinglie But the wicked also shall be raised and be immortall because they shall liue eternally Therefore the wicked shall haue euerlasting life Answere By the name of euerlasting life is not meant the presence of the soule in the bodie that is the naturall life but this being presupposed there is furder meant a spirituall life which the holy Ghost woorketh by his proper function and office Now with the naturall life in the wicked shall bee ioyned 1. A reiection from God 2. A priuation and want of the knowledge and grace of God 3. A perpetuall and vnutterable torment and vexation Their worme shal neuer die There shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Here-by is vnderstoode that euerlasting
is vrged when obedience cannot possibly bee performed But here it is necessarie that we distinguish and discerne the nature of men corrupted from it selfe being vncorrupted For in nature beeing not as yet depraued or corrupted through sinne there were and shal be againe also in nature perfectly restored these two vses of gods lawe especially The first is the whole and entire conformity of man with god For there did shine and againe shall shine in the minde of man the perfect knowledge of god and his will and the same did woorke againe shal worke the correspondence and congruity of all our inclinations and motions with this diuine order that is perfect iustice and righteousnesse before god For the mind iudging aright doth rightlie also gouern guide the hart wil not being through stubburnesse peruerted depraued Nowe that both there was perfect knowledge of the law in mans nature not yet fallē and did woorke also in it perfect conformity with god the doctrine concerning the image of god doth testify whereunto man was created which is by Christ in vs restored The other vse of the Law in nature vncorrupted is a good conscience or a certaine perswasion of gods fauour and a certaine hope of eternall life For when as the Lawe both commandeth perfect obedience and promiseth eternall life to those that perfourme it Therfore it worketh in nature vncorrupted as perfect obedience so also certaine expectation of the reward according as it is saide Leuit. 18. Rom. 10. Gal. 3. He that doth them shall liue in them Mat. 19. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements But in nature now corrupted there are other effects or vses of the Law those partly accidental partly the remaines of those proper effectes which it hath in nature vncorrupted partly in the regenerate partly in the vnregenerate As therefore the whole Law is a Schoolemaster to Christ so likewise is the Morall whereof the first vse is both in the regenerate and vnregenerate the preseruing and mantaining of discipline both in the church and without also For the Lawe both being by god himselfe engrauen in the mindes of all men and speaking by the voice of teachers magistrats doth by binding of the conscience and by denouncing ordaining of punishments by shame bridle restraine the vnregenerate also so that they shunne open and manifest wickednesse and some order is thereby kept in the world amiddest the furies of Diuels and wicked men that mankinde may be preserued and the church thence collected and gathered 1. Tim. 1.9 The Law is giuen to the lawlesse and disobedient But albeit this vse of the law doth chiefely belong vnto the vnregenerate who are not bridled by the loue of god and righteousnesse but by the feare of punishment onely shame not to make open profession of wickednesse yet hath it place also in the godly For they indeede haue another bridle whereby they are guided euen the holy ghost illightening and inclining their harts vnto obedience but yet by reason of the weakenes and corruption of the flesh prone to sinne experience teacheth that this chaine and bonde also is profitable and necessary for them for the shunning and auoiding of transgressions Many places also of Scripture witnesse this which threaten euen vnto the saintes if they run into grieuous offences grieuous punishments As Ezech. 18. If the righteous turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquity hee shall die for it And the examples of punishmentes as of Eli of Dauid and many others For therefore both threatnings and examples are set before the godly to keepe them in good order The second vse is the acknowledgement and accusing of sinne in the regenerate and vnregenerate Rom. 3.20 By the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 7.7 J knew nothing but by the Lawe for neither had I knowen lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust This vse of the Law belongeth vnto all men because all haue so much knowledge of the Lawe as is sufficient to breede in them a pricke and remorse of conscience But there is a double effect hereof For in the vnregenerate the knowledge of sin of the iudgement of God against sin engendereth an hatred of god an increase of sinne For so much the more doth nature not yet regenerated desire to commit and excuse sinne and murmureth against gods iudgemēt how much the more the law vrgeth and presseth the prohibition and condemnation of sinne Rom. 4.15 The Law causeth wrath Rom. 7. Sinne took an occasion by the commandement and wrought in mee al manner of concupiscence Moreouer if those vnregenerate be also reprobate then woorketh it at length in them despaire and blasphemy Therefore 2. Cor. 3. it is called the ministery of death But in the elect the knowledge of sinne is a preparing of them vnto conuersion For it woorketh in them a desire of Gods fauour and of deliuerance from sinne enforceth them despairing of their own righteousnesse to seeke for righteousnesse and life in Christ their Mediatour And after they are once conuerted it continually instructeth them with due contrition truely to humble themselues in the sight of God and maketh them to profit and goe forwarde daily in true conuersion vnto God and in the dread fear of God Now although many wicked men beeing blinded with security doe not acknowledge their sinne for a time yet the Law accuseth all and the terrours and torments of conscience doe at length oppresse them Vnto the regenerate also although they neither are subiect to damnation neither liue without the acknowledgement and bewailing of their sinne yet necessary is the preaching meditation of the Law that thereby they more and more knowing the remnants of sinne which are in them may continue and go foreward in true repentance and amendment of life Moreouer concerning both these vses namely the maintenance of Discipline and acknowledgement of sinne it is said that the Lawe is a Schoolemaster vnto Christ For neither can men be instructed concerning god neither doth the holy ghost woorke faith and conuersion in their heartes except open and manifest transgressions be eschewed and they persist not in sinnes against their conscience Jsai 66. J will regard the poore and contrite in spirite Rom. 8.13 If yee mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the spirite ye shall liue but if yee liue after the fleshe ye shall die Neither do they indeede seeke for desire earnestly deliueraunce from sinne and death who doe not truely knowe and agnise the greatnesse of sinne Joh. 9.41 If yee were blind yee should not haue sinne but now yee say Wee see Therefore your sinne remaineth The third vse of the moral Law is proper vnto the regenerate to witte an instructing and informing of them concerning the true seruice and woorship of God This is done by the doctrine of the Lawe in teaching and exhorting For seeing there are yet remaining manifold ignorāces
his glory and our saluation We in the meane season must doe our duetie and leaue the euents to God Euerie one hath a double vocation and calling The one is common which compriseth those vertues that are common to all Christians The other is particular which belongeth to euerie ones proper calling Wee aske for both callings and vocations in this petition namely that euerie one as was a little before saide may abide in their proper and common calling committed vnto them and doe their duetie Obiection But the former petition doth desire also that we maie rightlie perfourme our duetie Therefore this petition is superfluous Aunswere In the former wee desire that God will beginne his kingdome in vs by ruling vs by his spirit who regenerateth our will that so hence forward we rightly perfourming our duety may yeeld all obedience to our King as becommeth the subiects of that kingdome But in this petition wee desire that in perfourming rightly and faithfullie our duetie we may execute the vvil of god 2 Wherefore we desire that gods will be done THIS petition is necessarie 1. That the kingdome of god maie come vvhereof vvee spake in the second petition For except god himselfe bring to passe that euerie one in his calling duetie doe diligently his vvill this kingdome cannot be setled florish and be preserued 2. That we maie be in this kingdome For except vve doe the vvill of god vve cannot be citizens of his kingdome And vve are not able of our selues by reason of the corruption of our nature to doe his vvill Therefore vvee must desire of him that vvee may doe it 3 Of whom Gods will is done in Heauen IN Heauen the will of God is doone 1. Of the sonne him selfe who doth all the will of his Father 2. Of the Angels and blessed men Of the Angels the will of God is so done in Heauen as that euerie Angel standeth in the presence of God being readie to doe whatsoeuer God commaundeth They doe both his generall and his speciall will none seaseth vpon that which belongeth to another none is ashamed to serue although we anoy them with the noysome sauour of our sinnes and offend God They are ministring spirites Hebr. 1.14 Nowe Christ addeth heere as in Heauen 1. To prescribe and draw vs a patterne and example of perfection whereunto we must striue 2. That by this desire of perfection we maie be assured that God will giue vs here the beginning and the perfection in the life come Obiection That which is alwaies done shall certainlie come to passe though we desire it not the same is not to be desired The will of God is doone alwaies and shall certainly be doone though we desire it not Therefore it is not to be desired Aunsvvere The Minor of this reason vve denie For it is false 1. As concerning the calling and vocation of euerie man because they that desire not that they may be able in their vocation to doe their duety rightly faithfully and happily the same shal neuer doe it 2. It is false also as concerning gods decrees because god hath decreed many euents but yet so as that hee hath also decreed the meanes of comming thereunto There is also a fallacy in the Maior proposition putting that for a cause which is no cause because we do not therefore desire that gods wil be done as if it should not bee done if we should not desire it but we desire it for other causes namely that all euents may be good and prosperous vnto vs. For euēts shal not be good vnto vs neither tending to our safetie except vve submit them to the vvill of god so that vvee desire that only to be done vvhich he hath decreed vvill haue done Reply The decrees of god are vnchangeable Aunsvver The Decrees of god not only as touching the euents or ends but also as touching the meanes are vnchangeable Hee hath decreed to giue the ende but by the meane vvhich is of this condition that vvee desire it and pray for it Obiection God wil haue our Parentes to die Therefore wee must desire that they maie die Answere I deny the consequent of this reason for vve must subiect our selues to the vvill of god and desire that vvhich hee commaundeth vs to desire So neither doth this follovv The church shall bee subiect vnto the crosse Therefore J wil praie for affliction Neither yet hereof may it be concluded that our vvil disagreeth from gods will because thou desirest vvith that end whereby thou must desire her deliuerie God vvill haue our parents to dy yet vvil he not haue vs to vvish their death god wil haue his church to be vnder the crosse yet he wil not haue vs to desire her crosse but to pray for her deliuery patiētly to beare it if it afflict her In like maner God wil not in this life giue vs perfect deliuerance frō sin yet wil he haue vs to vvish it euery momēt to desire that we may be wholy deliuered frō sin Wherefore some things are to be desired which God wil not doe some things which hee wil doe are not to be desired but patiētly to be suffered But neuerthelesse it belongeth nothing at al vnto vs to search what thinges God hath decreed seeing we haue this prescribed vs for a rule that wee aske desire but with a condition of gods wil. Obiection Vnpossible thinges are not to bee desired for hee that desireth thinges vnpossible desireth in vaine But to desire that Gods wil be done in earth as it is in heauē or that we maie do our duetie like as do the Angels in heauen is to desire a thing vnpossible yea it is to desire that which is contrarie to Gods decree Therefore that is not to be desired seeing God will haue this to be our state in the life to come not in this life Aunswere 1. The Maior is to be distinguished Vnpossible thinges are not to be desired except God will at length graunt them to those that desire them but God will giue the performance of his will to those that desire it and that in this life as concerning the beginning thereof in the life to come as concerning the consummation ful accomplishment Wherfore this consummation is to be desired and the impossibilitie is patiently to bee suffered in this life And the consummation is therefore to bee desired in this life that wee may at length obtaine it because he that dooth not nowe desire it shal doubtles at no time obtaine it It is one thing not to be able to attaine vnto this consummation and another thing not to desire it 2. We denie the Minor wherin is a fallacie putting that for a cause which is no cause For neither doe wee desire that in this life the consummation or perfection of our obedience towards God may bee accomplished but that heere may bee wrought the beginning and continuaunce and encrease thereof and after this
not of it owne nature but because of the corruption of men it killeth that is it terrifieth mens mindes with the iudgement of God and doth stir vp a murmuring and hatred against God as wee are plainly taught by the Apostle Rom. cap. 7. The Law is holie and the commaundement is holy and iust and good Was that then which is good made death vnto me God forbid But sinne that it might appeare sinne wrought death in me by that which is good that sinne might be out of measure sinful by the commaundement For we know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold vnder sinne But the proper effect of the Scripture is to quicken men that is to lighten them with the true knowledge of God and to mooue them to the loue of God As it is said 2. Cor. 2. We are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and in them which perish c. Secondly albeit the letter that is 2 It killeth as it is without the Spirit the doctrine without that spiritual motion killeth yet the operation of the holy ghost accompaning it when now it is not the letter but the spirite and power of God to saluation vnto euery one that beleeueth it doth not kil but quicken as it is said Psal 119. Thy word quickneth me Wherefore that the letter kil vs not we must not cast awaie the Scripture but the stubburnes of our harts and desire of God that he would let his doctrine bee in vs and others not the letter but the spirit that is that he would forcibly moue our harts by it turn them to him The spirit quickneth agreeing with the word Thirdly that it is added that the spirit quickneth that calleth vs not awaie from the Scripture to other opinions or reuelations For that spirit quickneth which dissenteth not from the Scripture but teacheth and mindeth the same which he hath vttered in the scripture But that spirit which leadeth men awaie from the Scripture it quickneth not but may bee said much more truely to kill then the letter that is not by an accident or external cause but of it owne nature For the spirit of Antichrist is a liar and a murderer and therefore be it accursed vnto vs. 4 The Apostle misconstrued by them Fourthlie they who by the letter vnderstand either the characters of letters or the proper and literall sense whether it be of the whole Scripture or of those speeches which are allegorically and figuratiuely spoken and by the spirite the interpretation of those speeches it is manifest that they swarue farre from the minde of Paul both by those thinges which haue beene spoken concerning the meaning of Paul and also because not onely euerie sentence of Scripture whether it be proper or figuratiue but also euerie interpretation of it is and remaineth the killing letter except the quickning force of the holie Ghost come vnto it Wherefore since that neither for interpretation nor reuelation nor authoritie nor any other pretence it is lawful leauing the Scripture of the Prophets and Apostles to depart to whatsoeuer decrees of religion which are not confirmed by the Testimonie of the Scripture let vs hear it as an oracle sounding from heauen bringing to the reading thereof not minds forestalled neither with opinions conceiued either of our owne brains or elswhere neither with affections neither with preiudices but the loue of God a desire of knowing the truth So shall it come to passe that both wee shall know the true meaning of the Scripture and by it godlines and sure and sound comfort shall bee kindled in vs and get increase OF THE TRVE COMFORT of the Godlie THE scope and ende of this doctrine is that wee may haue sure comfort both in our life at our death And that wee may haue this wee are especiallie to learne the doctrine of Christianitie Now the summe of this comfort doth consist in this that wee are the members of Christ that is that we are engraffed into Christ by faith that he is carefull of vs and that by him wee are loued of God reconciled to God and conioyned with him This comfort the diuel goeth about to take from vs after this maner 1. Thou art a sinner therefore thou art not acceptable in the sight of God Answere But Christ hath made satisfaction for me with his precious blood 2. But thou must die the death Answere But Christ hath deliuered me from the power of death and I know that by Christ I shall scape out of the hands of death 3. But how if thou leese the grace of Christ For thou maist fall and perish because it is a long way to heauen Answere Christ hath not onely merited his benefites for mee but also bestoweth them on me and preserueth them in mee and giueth mee perseuerance that I may not fall from grace 4. But what if these thinges appertaine not vnto thee and how knowest thou that thou art Christes Answere 1. Because I haue the testimonie of the holie Ghost within me 2. Because the generall promise appertaineth to all the faithful If I haue faith therefore that promise appertaineth vnto me But I know I haue faith by the effectes of faith 1. Because I haue a will to obey and beleeue God albeit I am but weake 2. Because I haue good woorkes which are signes of true faith Therefore I haue true faith and by a consequent Christ and his benefites appertaine vnto mee This comfort is necessarie 1. For our saluation that we despaire not 2. For the woorshipping of God For that wee may woorship God wee must come out of sinne and death not rush into desperation but bee susteined with a sure comfort vnto the ende This comfort though other sectes promise yet can they not make performance thereof because their conscience and experience oftentimes goeth against them The doctrine of the Church alone maketh performance of it so that mens consciences are at rest because this alone sheweth the fountaine of all miseries vnto which mankind is subiect and this also alone prescribeth the waie of escaping them The partet of this comfort are 1. Our reconcilement to God by Christ to which Christ alone we belong and therefore wee are not at our own libertie so that wee may freelie sin neither lieth our saluation in our handes or power For if it were so we should leese it euery moment 2. The maner of our reconcilement euen by the blood of Christ 3. Our deliuerie from miseries 4. The preseruation and maintenance of our reconcilement and deliuerie Mat. 10.30 so that not so much as an haire may fal from our head without the will of our heauenly father Obiection But the godly are daily slaine Aunswere These things do not hurt but helpe forward our saluation Rom. 8.28 All thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God 5. The testimonie of the holie Ghost woorking true comfort in our hartes
hand than the other 3 Obiection It is said Mat. 12. Euerie sinne and blasphemie shal be forgiuen vnto men but the blasphemie against the holy Ghost shal not be for-giuen to men neither in this worlde nor in the world to come Hence they will gather That some sinnes are for-giuen in this woorlde some in the worlde to come that is in purgatory and some are neuer for-giuen of which these be mortall but the others veniall in their owne nature But first neither heere neither else-where doth Christ teach that some sinnes are forgiuen in the worlde to come Sins are remitted in this world onely For that all other sins are forgiuen not in the woorld to come but in this woorlde both Christ signifieth in this place and the Scripture elsewhere teacheth because it is certaine that sinnes are not remitted but only to those who repent No sinne which may not be remitted except the sin against the holy Ghost But he denieth that the sinne against the holy Ghost is remitted either in this world or in the worlde to come that hee might more significantly expresse the deniall of pardon to it Secondly Whether they say for-giuenesse to bee in this woorld or in the woorlde to come yet this standeth immoueable that it commeth not of the nature or corruption of the sinne but of free mercy for Christs sake And if euery sinne be so grieuous that it could not be purged but by the blood of the Sonne of God then doubtles they do great despite contumelie vnto that blood who so extenuate any sin as to deny that it deserueth eternall punishment vnto which the death of the Sonne of God is equiualent Farther euen by their owne confession There are manie mortal sins which notwithstanding are forgiuen in this life Wherefore either they must make all these to be euen in their own nature venial or they wil neuer proue out of this place that the smalnes of the sin is the cause of forgiuenes 4 Obiection It is said Rom. 1. The wrath of God is reueiled from heauen against al vngodlinesse And 1. Cor. 6. Know yee not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God Out of these and the like places they gather that seeing they are mortal sinnes which shut men out of the kingdome of God and all sinnes do not so therefore there are some sinnes which in their own nature are not mortall But they conclude more than followeth by force of reason For that some sinnes are venial there is no doubt but that commeth by grace remitting those sinnes which without remission would shut men doubtlesse from the kingdome of God 5 Obiection It is said 1. Cor. 3. If anie mans worke burn Al sinnes shut men out of the kingdom of gods were they not remitted by the grace of God he shal loose but he shall be safe himselfe neuerthelesse yet as it were by fire Therefore say they some sinnes cast men into fire that is into some punishment but not eternall This also we grant not in respect of the nature of sin but in respect of pardō which befalleth to those who hold the foundatiō which is christ For to build on the foundation wood stubble that is to parch the word of god with vnnecessary questiōs humane opinions traditions which oftē are occasions of schisms in the Church often of Idolatry and errours it is not so light a sinne as they deeme it who do it but deserueth eternall malediction except remission be made for the Sonne of God as it is declared in the Reuelation Chapt. 22. 6 Obiection It is said Heb. 5. A high priest taken frō among men is bound to offer for sins as wel for his own part as for the peoples This place sheweth that the sinnes of the priest are not venial by themselues or of their own nature but for the sacrifice of Christ which was signified by the typicall sacrifices therfore it quite clean ouerthroweth the opinion of our aduersaries For if al sins euen of a righteous Priest are in the sight of God so great that they cānot be purged but by the death of the Son of God it necessarily foloweth that they of their own nature deserued euerlasting death 7 Obiection It is said Iam. 1. When lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sin sin when it is finished bringeth forth death Here say they Iames saith that there is one sin finished when as the wil vpon deliberation consenteth to euil lust Actual sinne is an effect of Originall sinne a cause of death which though purchased by Originall yet is aggrauated by Actuall another not finished when a man sinneth without deliberation to sin finished he ascribeth that it bringeth foorth death We answere that the consequence of this is not of force because that a property which belongeth to diuerse kindes when it is ascribed to one kind it foloweth not thereof that it is to be remooued frō the other For S. Iames distinguisheth the kindes or degrees of sins Original Actual saith that death foloweth after Actual not as if death did not follow after Original but because that Actual is a middle between Originall sin death as a cause of this an effect of that and doth aggrauate death or punishmēt which already was purchased by originall sinne Neither doth he chiefly speak of the degrees of punishmentes but of the cause and originall of them to be sought in the corruption of our own nature 8 Obiect It is said Iam. 3. In manie things we sin al. Hence our aduersaries wil proue that the sins of the iust are venial because they fal either into few sins or into no mortall sins To this as also to most of that which hath gone before we answer that the sins of the iust who by faith retein or receiue righteousnes are venial not of their own nature but by grace Gods iustice is not at variance with his mercie though it iudge the least sinne worthy of eternall death 9 Obiection God is not cruell but mercifull neither light in his loue but constant Wherefore he doth not for euerie light sin iudge a man worthie of eternall punishments But they imagine that the iudgement of God concerning sin is at variance with his mercy which are not at variance but do very well agree For God is in such wise merciful as he is also iust Now the iustice of God requireth that he iudge all euen the least offence and contempt of his maiesty worthy of eternall damnation This iudgement against euery sin the mercy constancy of Gods loue doth not take away but for the shewing and declaring thereof it is sufficient that he reioiceth not at the destruction of them that perrish that for testimony thereof he inuiteth all to repentance forgiueth them who repent their sinnes which by thēselues were worthy of euerlasting death that is he punisheth them causeth satisfaction for them not in
Li. 3. de libero arbitrio cap 4. And Augustine God is a iust reuenger of those thinges of which yet he is not an euill autor Wherefore those sinnes which ensue and followe are in respect of god considered as most iust punishments which as they are punishments haue their beeing from him as their author and causer but as they are sinnes in respect of men they come God neither willing nor causing them but permitting onely seeing he doth not cause men to do that which he would haue done for a punishment to this end as for to obay therein his will For one and the same work is good and holy in respect of God and sin in respect of men by reason of the diuersitie both of the efficiences of the ends For first man by reason of his great both ignorance and corruption will and worketh euill only But God because hee is exceeding good and the verie rule of goodnesse and righteousnesse doing in all things what he wil will and worketh alwaies only that which is good Secondly men haue such an end of their actions as is disagreeing frō the Law of God that is what they doe they do not to that end to obay God but to fulfill their bad and corrupt desires But God hath the end of all his woorkes agreeing with his nature and Law euen that he may declare and execute his iustice goodnesse and mercie By these two thinges it commeth to passe that the reasonable creature woorking together with God God woorking vprightly and holily doth neuerthelesse it selfe woorke vnholylie and corruptly 5 What are the effects of sinne NOw that it is defined what sinne is and from whence it came we are to consider also what be the euils which follow sinne For except this also be knowen we know not yet how great euil there is in sinne and with how great hatred God pursueth it It hath been said before that euil was of two sorts one of crime or offence which is sinne the other of paine or punishment The euil of punishment is the effect of the euil of offence That this maie be the better vnderstoode we must here againe remember that of punishments Some are onlie punishments as are the destruction of nature or tormentes others both punishments and sins as al sins which haue followed since the first fal 1 The sinnes which follow are effects of those which go before Sinnes ensuing effects of sinnes which go before So original sinne is the effect of the sinne or fal of our first parents By one mans disobedience manie were made sinners And secondly All actual sinnes are effects of original sinne Sinne took occasion by the commandement and deceiued me And thirdlie The effect of actual sins is the increase of them that is greater guiltines by reason of the most iust iudgement of God because God punisheth sins with sins Wherefore God also gaue them vp to their hearts lustes Rom. 1.24 2 Thes 2.11 Mat. 25.29 Other mens sins oftentimes effectes of actual sinne And therefore God shal send them strong delusiō that they should beleeue lies Frō him that hath not shal be takē away also that which he hath And fourthly The effects of actual sins are also oftentimes other mens sins by reason of scandale or example wherby some are made worse of others are entised or moued to sin So the persuasion of the diuel caused man to decline from God and now it worketh in stubburn-minded men The diuel put it into the heart of Iudas to betraie Christ Ioh. 13. Euil speeches corrupt good maners So euill teachers doe withdrawe men from god to errours idolatry and other sins So a vse of liberty out of season offendeth and draweth men to sinne An euil conscience an effect of sinne 2 There followeth sin in the immoueable and perpetual order of Gods iudgement an euil conscience which is the knowledge and dislike which we haue in our mind of our own sinne and the knowledge of the iudgement of God against sin and that proceeding out of the knowledge of Gods Law vpon which ensueth the fear of the wrath of God and punishment according to the order of gods iustice and a flieng and hatred of God who destroieth sinne which is the beginning of desperation and eternall torments except it bee cured by the comfort of the gospel Rom. 2. The gentiles shewe the effect of the Law written in their harts their conscience also bearing witnes and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing And Isaiah There is no peace to the wicked Temporall and spiritual euils effects of sin 3 Temporall and spirituall euils as temporall death and in a worde all the calamities of this life These euils are onely punishments that is torments and dissolution of nature If any man obiect that they also are subiect to temporall death and other calamities who haue all their sinnes remitted them and therefore al temporall euils are not the punishmentes or effects of sinne Temporal euils in the regenerate are effectes of sinne not as punishmentes but as chastisements but some haue other causes we answere that the consequence holdeth not from the denial of one particular to the denial of the general For albeit the calamities of the regenerate are not effectes of sin as a punishment which is inflicted on men sinning that so the iustice of God might be satisfied yet are they effects of sinne as chastisementes and exercises whereby sinne is repressed and more and more purged out vntill at length by corporall death the whole be abolished Now that of the blind man Ioh. 9. Neither this man hath sinned nor his parents Christ meaneth not simply that they had not sinned or that their sins were not a cause of this calamity but that their sinnes were not the principal cause why he was borne blind but that the woorkes of God should be shewed on him Christ by a miracle opening his eies 4 Eternall death which is the effect of al sinnes Eternall death the effect of sin as they are sinnes For al of what quality soeuer they bee are punished either with eternal paine as in the reprobate or with equiualent paine to eternal as in the sonne This death doth begin in the reprobate euen in this world that is anxiety and torment of conscience which we also should feele except we were deliuered by the grace of God Now by the name of eternal death is not vnderstoode the destruction of the soule or body or the separation of them but the abandoning and banishing of the soule and bodie liuing from the face of God a continuall horror and torment and a feeling and flying of Gods wrath and iudgement and a horrible murmuring against God taking vengeance of their sinnes If they obiect that the sinnes of those who beleeue in Christ The regenerate though they sin are not punished with this death because Christ hath suffered an equiualent punishment for them are not punished with eternall
inward senses are adioined to the vnderstanding and the affections to the will The image of God in man The description of the image of God is a vertue knowing aright the nature will and workes of God and a will freelie obeying God and a correspondence of all the inclinations desires actions with the will of God and in a word a spiritual and vnchangeable puritie of the soule and the whole man perfect blessednes ioy resting in God and the dignitie of man and maiestie whereby hee excelleth and ruleth other creatures Or The image of God in man is 1. The soule it selfe together with the faculties thereof endewed with reason and will 2. In the soule wisedome and knowledge of God his will and workes euen such as god requireth of vs. 3. A conformity with the lawe of god or holinesse and righteousnesse vnder which wee comprehende the heart and all affections 4. Felicitie without miserie and corruption perfect blessednesse ioie aboundance of all good thinges and glorie wherewith the nature of man was adorned 5. The rule and dominion of man ouer the creatures as fishes foules and other liuing creatures In all these thinges the creature after some sort resembleth his creator yet can he by no meanes be equalled vnto his Creator For in God all thinges are immense and without measure and euen his essence infinite Ephes 4.24 The Apostle Paul putteth Righteousnesse and holinesse as the chiefe partes of this image which yet doe not exclude but presuppose wisedome and knowledge For no man can worship God vnknowen But neither doth Paul exclude perfect blessednes glorie for this according to the order of Gods iustice is necessarily coupled with perfect holinesse or conformitie with God Whereupon it foloweth that where true righteousnesse and holinesse is there is the absence of all euils whether of crime and offence or of paine and punishment Righteousnesse and holinesse in this text of the Apostle may be taken for one and the same or distinguished So that Righteousnesse may be meant of the actions and Holinesse of the qualities Righteousnesie that is a conformitie and congruitie of the will and heart with the minde iudging aright that is according to the word of God 1. Cor. 15.47 The first man was of the earth earthlie the second man the Lord from heauen As the earthlie was such are they that are earthlie and as is the heauenlie such are they also that are heauenlie And as wee haue borne the image of the earthlie so shall wee beare the Image of the heauenlie The Apostle doth not here take away the image of the heauenlie man from Adam when he as yet stoode but compareth his nature estate aswell before as after his fall with that heauenlie glorie into which wee are restored by Christ that is not onely the nature of man corrupted through sin by death but the degree of the image of God in mans nature before the fall before glorification with that which foloweth his glorification 2 How far forth the image of god was lost and how farre it remaineth The remnants of the image of god THe image of god in man was not wholy lost but for the greatest part For there remaineth in all as well the vnregenerate as regenerate 1. The incorporeall substance of the soule together with the power thereof likewise libertie in his will which whatsoeuer it will it will freely 2. Manie motions as of those things which we know by sense as are naturall principles some motions also of god his will and workes 3. Some prints of vertues and an ablenes concerning outwarde Discipline and behauiour 4. The fruition of manie good thinges 5. The Dominion also ouer the creatures is not wholy lost He is able to rule many and to vse them Why God preserueth these remnants in vs. These remnants are therefore preserued of god 1. That they might be a testimonie of the bountie of god towards those who were vnworthie of it 2. That god might vse them to the restoring of his image in man 3. That he may leaue the reprobate without excuse Now the image of god remaineth not 1. What is lost of the image of God in vs. In respect of the true sauing sufficient knowledge of god his will 2. The integritie perfectiō of the knowledge of gods workes a dexterity of discerning the truth 3. Rightnes cōformitie of al inlinations desires and actions in our will hart and outward parts by the losse whereof ensue actuall sinnes and merite eternal damnation 4. Whole and perfect dominion ouer the creatures For those beastes which feared man before now assault him his enemies are hurtfull vnto him and doe not obey him The fieldes bring forth thornes and thistles 5. The right and interest of vsing these creatures was lost because hee graunted it to vs his children not to his enimies 6. Life euerlasting was lost and in place thereof is come death both temporal and eternal with calamities of all sortes that is we lost the felicity and happines both of this life and of the life to come Obiection The Heathen haue many great vertues and atchieue great workes Therefore it is not true that the image of god is lost in them Answere All these workes are not pleasing to god because they proceed not from the true knowledge of god neither are wrought to that end that all the glorie may redound to god Those their vertues are onely of outward behauiour discipline but not from the hart thereby to obey god whom they flie and to whose glorie they can doe nothing 3. How the Image of god is repaired in vs. THe repairing of it is wrought by god alone The repairing of the image of god in vs is the work of all three persons who gaue it vnto men For in whose power it is to giue life in his also it is to restore it being lost The maner of restoring it is this 1. The Father restoreth it by his Son 2. The Son by the holy Ghost immediately regenerating vs. We are changed into the same image 1. Cor. 3.18 from glorie to glorie as by the spirite of the Lord. 3. The holy ghost restoreth it by the word the gospel is the power of god vnto saluation 4. This is so done by god Rom. 1.16 as that in this life it is onely begunne in the chosen and then is confirmed and augmented vnto the end of their life is made perfect in the end of this life as cōcerning the Soule but as concerning the whole man at the resurrectiō of the bodies Wherefore it is to be obserued who is the author what the order and maner of this repairing How the Image of God is in Christ and how in vs. Christ both essentiallie the image of the father according to his Diuinitie and according to his humanitie a created image of God though in far more excellencie than Saints and Angels NOw if it
he thought not that God could would inflict on man transgressing his commandement that punishment which he had threatned Wherefore he tempted God and charged him with a lie For God had saide Thou shalt die the death The Diuell denied it saying Ye shall not die and Adam beleeued the Diuell Now not to beleeue God and of the contrarie to beleeue the Diuell is to account god for no true god 3 In stubbornes and disobedience 4 In vnthankefulnes 5 In vnnaturalnes 3. Stubbornes and disobedience For he is become disobedient vnto God 4. Vnthankefulnes for benefites receiued at his creation as for these that he was created to the image of god and to eternal life 5. Vnnaturalnes iniustice and crueltie For there was a neglect of loue in him towardes his posteritie because those good thinges were not giuen vnto him onely but also to his whole posterity Therefore he had them that he should keep them for himselfe and his 6. In Apostasie or should make losse of them from both But al this he neglected 6. Apostasie or manifest defection from God to the Diuel whom he obeyed whom he beleeued whom he set in the place of God withdrawing and sundring himselfe from God He did not aske of God those good things which he was to receiue but reiecting the wisedome and direction God by the aduise of the Diuel wil aspire to be equal with god Whereof it is apparent that Adams first sinne was no light fault but horrible sin and woorthy of so great punishment as it was punished withall 2 What were the causes of the first sinne THe first cause of the first sin was the Instigation of the diuell The second The cause of sinne The diuels instigation mans will freely yeelding vnto it God no willer or causer of it but permitter onely Mans wil freely consenting to the Diuel against Gods commandement Now although God would that man should be tempted by the diuel did withdraw that his grace frō him whereby he should resist the temptations of the Diuell yet he was not the cause of that sinne which Adam destitute of diuine grace did committe For he was not at all obliged or bound vnto man to keepe and mantaine that grace in him which he had giuen him And further he withdrewe it from man willing and also himselfe reiecting it neither yet therefore withdrew he it as that he would or did purpose or intend sin or were delighted therewith but to proue and to trie man to shew how vnable the creature is to doe or reteine ought that is good God not preseruing and directing him by his spirite Wherefore hee suffered together with his triall of Adam the sinne of Adam to concurre but he was no cause or efficient of it 3 What are the effects of the first sinne THe first next effect is Originall sin or the corruption of mans whole nature the destruction of Gods image as well in our first parents as also in all their posterity 2. A further later effect are all actual sins for that which is the cause of the cause is also the cause of the effect If original sin be an effect of the first sin thē are also actual sins which are the effects of originall effects of the first sin 3. Whatsoeue euils of paine or punistment because it is the cause of sins therefore is it also the cause of punishments Now although that first sin was committed many ages past yet notwithstanding the effect thereof which is a priuation or want of the true wisedome and direction of god of rightnesse in our inclinations and desires remaineth euer since that sinne was committed in the whole posteritie by gods iust iudgement Wherefore those things also which necessarilie ensue this priuation continu except by the singular benefit and mercy of God the prauity of our nature be corrected our sin being pardoned and remitted 4 Why God permitted the first sinne GOD permitted it that is gaue not his grace of resistance to our first parēts as to the blessed Angels 1. because as the Apostle saith The causes of gods permission of the first sinne 1 To shew his owne iustice and power Rom. 9. he would shew his iustice anger and power in punishing eternally the sinnes of the wicked but his mercie loue towardes mankinde in sauing his Chosen not imputing sinne vnto them for his Sonnes sake And Rom. 11 32. Gal. 3.22 God hath concluded all vnder sinne that hee might haue mercy on all 2 To shew mans weakenesse and infirmitie that euerie mouth may bee stopped 2 That it might stand for an example of the weaknes infirmitie of al creatures euen the most excellent if they enioy not the special blessing of their creatour and be preserued in that rightnes wherein they were created The necessitie vse of this doctrine of mans creation This doctrine concerning the creation of man is necessary for the Church for many causes and vses which it hath Wee must knowe that man was created of God without sinne least God bee imagined the authour or cause of sinne Whereas mans bodie was fashioned of cley let vs thinke of our frailtie that wee be not lifted vp with pride Seeing that the workemanship of God is so admirable in the framing of mans bodie and seeing it was created for the ministerie of Gods worship for god to dwell in and for euerlasting life let vs neither abuse it to dishonesty neither willingly destroy it nether make it a fly of diuels but keeping it chast cleane endeuour that it be a temple and instrument of the holie ghost to worship god Seing that god would haue mankind to consist of two sexes each is to haue his due place and honor neither is the weaker to be contemned or oppressed by tyrannie or lust or to bee entertained with iniuries contumelies but iustly to bee gouerned and protected But especially seeing man was created to the image and likenes of God this great glory is to be acknowledged and celebrated with a thankeful mind neither through our leudnes and malice is the image and likenesse of god to bee transfourmed into the image and likenesse of Satan neither to be destroied either in our selues or others And seeing it is destroied by sinne thorough our owne fault we must acknowledge and bewaile the greatnesse of this vnthankefulnesse and the euils which followed by comparing therewith those good things which we haue lost We must earnestly desire the restoring of this felicity and glorie And because the glory and blessednesse which is restored vnto vs by the sonne of god is greater than that which we lost in Adam so much the more must the desire of thankefulnesse and of profiting and encreasing in godlinesse be kindled in vs. And seeing we hear that all things were created for the vse of man and that the dominion ouer the creatures lost in Adam is restored vnto vs in Christ we must
his law therfore euen the least sin meriteth eternal abiection and casting away Most certainelie both in respect of his iustice which abhorreth and punisheth whatsoeuer is not agreeable vnto it and in respect of his truth because hee had denounced before that he woulde punish men if they obeied not his commaundement God therefore seeing he is true doth neuer change this his sentence 1 Obiection But the wicked florish here Aunswere The wicked florish but for a short time to bee cast at length into eternal tormentes except they repent Yea in this life also they are punished First they are miserablie vexed with the torments and terrors of conscience which in the reprobate are the beginning and sense of eternall paines 2. Euen those good things which they vse with greatest pleasure serue for their punishment and destruction and verilie so much the more how much the lesse they know and acknowledge them for a punishment For it is a most grieuous punishment not to receiue gods gifts in respect of gods promise nor to know the right vse of them neither with his giftes to receiue a will and abilitie also to vse them well For if these thinges concurre not in the fruition of good things mens sinnes and punishment must needs be the more encreased and exasperated and thereby except there come conuersion eternal destruction or death is certainely purchased 3. They are afflicted with other punishmentes also most grieuous oftentimes yet with more grieuous in the life to come where it shal bee a continuall death not to bee dead 2 Obiection But God made not euil and death Aunswere The euils of sin and punishment had not come if man would He made them not in the beginning and further also after the beginning neither euill nor death shoulde haue beene except our selues had woulde For they ensued on the voluntarie sinne of man God forcibly inflicting them as a most iust punishment 3 Obiection If God punish sinnes with present and euerlasting punishments he punisheth the same twise is vniust but God punisheth sinnes with present and euerlasting punishmentes therefore he punisheth the same sinne twise and is vniust Answ The Minor is to be distinguished for it is but one punishment but hath seueral parts For present punishments are the beginning of euerlasting because they are not sufficient to satisfie Gods iustice 4 Obiection If God punish sinnes with eternall punishments Then either all of vs perish or Gods iustice is not satisfied Aunswere If God should punish our sinnes in vs with eternal punishments we should all perish neither should we euer recouer vs thence but hee doth not so punish them in vs neither yet is Gods iustice impeached or violated because hee punisheth our sinnes in Christ with a punishment temporall but yet equiualent to euerlasting This equability doth the Gospel adde vnto the rigour and seueritie of the law 5 Obiection The iustice of God permitteth not that the same sinne be twise punished but our sinnes are most fullie punished in his sonne and this punishment is imputed vnto the godlie or beleeuers Therefore the same ought no more to bee punished in the godlie and so they are vniustlie afflicted Aunswere The afflictions of the godly are not punishments and satisfaction for their sinnes but onely fatherly chastisementes and the Crosse whereby they are brought to humility Which that it may bee better vnderstoode wee are necessarily here to speake of afflictions or calamities OF AFFLICTIONS The chiefe questions are 1 How manie kindes of afflictions there be 2 What be the causes of them 3 What comforts are to be opposed against them 1 How manie kindes there be of afflictions SOme afflictions are temporal and some eternall Eternal are the tormentes of the soule and bodie proper vnto the wicked into which all the Diuels are to bee throwen and all wicked men who are not conuerted in this life The qualitie of these tormentes is expressed when they are called in scripture a worme fire horror euerlasting torment likewise euerlasting death which is not a destruction of the bodie and soule or a perpetuall senselesnes but an infinite and endlesse continuaunce of those tormentes which the wicked in this life dispairing begin to feele or it is neuer to be dead yet to die continually that is to liue forsaken and abiected of God subiect to all tormentes both of bodie and soule But wee are here to collect testimonies of scripture against Epicures of which heard not a fewe are found euen in the Popes court thereby to demonstrate that the pains torments of the wicked both in bodie and soule Why the punishment of sinne ought to bee eternall shal be eternal 1. Isai 66.24 Their worme shal not die their feare shal not be put out Mar. 9.43 Into hell into the fire that neuer shal bee quenched where their worme dieth not the fire neuer goeth out Mat. 25.41 Go into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuel his Angels 1. Pet. 4.18 If the righteous scarcelie be saued where shall the vngodlie sinner appear Mat. 10.28 Feare him who can cast both bodie soul into helfire The soul is the cause fountain of sins the body as a thing without reason and brutish doth execute that which the soul sheweth commandeth wherefore both the author instrument of sins shal be punished 2. The reason also why the paines and punishments of sins should be eternal infinit is euident because for sin committed against the infinit good an infinit punishment is iustlie exacted neither coulde there be made by anie temporall punishment of a meere creature sufficient satisfaction vnto gods infinit eternal iustice therefore the temporal punishment of Christ that it might be sufficient to deliuer the elect was to be equiualent to eternall pains Here the Epicures obiect He that is exceeding mercifull How Gods mercie and his iustice stand together in inflicting eternall punishment cannot behold the eternal torments of his creatures much lesse inflict such on them God is exceeding merciful because his mercie doth far exceed our sins Therefore he doth not suffer his creatures to remain in eternal torments Answ The Maior is true when exceeding most exact iustice such as is in god doth not exact require that exceeding sinne haue exceeding punishment Replie Exceeding strict iustice doth not stand with exceeding mercie because that admitteth no mitigating equabilitie In God is exceeding iustice therefore not exceeding mercie Answ Both the Maior and the proofe thereof is false Because God punishing of his exceeding iustice our sin with exceeding punishment doth notwithstanding shewe exceeding equability and fauorablenes whiles he translateth the punishment thereof from vs laieth it vpon his sonne They frame also the same reply on this wise With him that followeth extreme or strict iustice mercie and equabilitie hath no place But god in punishing sinnes foloweth strict iustice Therfore he is not merciful To which we answer 1.
Crosse and of all his benefites Because Christ hath commaunded me and all the faithfull to eate of this breade broken and to to drinke of the cup distributed in remembrance of him with this promise g Mat. 26.27.28 Mar. 14.22.23.24 Luc. 22.16.20 1. Cor. 10.16.17 11.23.24.25 12.13 adioined First that his bodie was as certainly broken and offred for me on the Crosse and his bloud shed for me as I behold with my eies the bread of the Lord broken vnto me and the cup communicated to me and further that my soul is no lesse assuredly fed to euerlasting life with his bodie which was crucified for vs and his bloud which was shedde for vs than I receiue and tast by the mouth of my bodie the bread and wine the signes of the bodie and bloud of our Lord receiued at the hand of the Minister 76 What is it to eate the bodie of Christ crucified and to drinke his bloud that was shed It is not onely to imbrace by an assured confidence of minde the whole passion and death of Christ and thereby to h Ioh. 6.35.40.47.48.50.51.53.54 obtain forgiuenes of sins and euerlasting life but also by the holy Ghost who dwelleth both in Christ and vs so more and more to bee a Ioh. 6.56 vnited to his sacred bodie that though he be in b Act. 3.21 Act. 1.9 c. 1. Cor. 11.26 heauen and we in earth yet neuerthelesse are wee flesh of his flesh and bone of his c Eph. 5.29.30.32 1. Cor. 6.15.17.19 1. Ioh. 3.24 4.13 Ioh. 14 23. bones and as all the members of the bodie are by one soule so are wee also quickened and d Io. 6.56.57.58 Io. 15.1.2.3.4.5.6 Eph. 4.15.16 guided by one and the same spirite 77 Where hath Christ promised that he will as certainely giue his bodie and bloude so to bee eaten and dronken as they eate this breade broken and drinke this cup In the institution of his supper the wordes whereof are these e 1. Cor. 11.23 c. Mat. 26.26 c. Mar. 14.22 c. Luc. 22.19 c. Our Lord Iesus Christ in the night that he was betraied tooke bread And when he had giuen thankes he brake it and said Take eate this is my bodie which is broken for you this doe you in remembrance of me Likewise also he tooke the cup when he had supped and saide f Exod. 24.8 Heb. 9.20 This cup is the Newe Testament in my bloud g Exod. 13.9 this doe as often as yee shall drinke it in remembrance of me For as often as ye shal eat this bread and drinke this cup ye shewe the Lordes death till he come This promise is repeated by Saint Paul when he saith The cup of thankesgiuing wherewith we giue thankes is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ h 1. Cor. 10.16.17 For wee that are manie are one bread and one bodie because wee all are partakers of one bread 78 Are then the bread and wine made the verie bodie and bloud of Christ No verily But as the water of baptisme is i Math. 26.29 Mar. 14.24 not turned into the bloud of Christ but is only a sign and pledge of those thinges that are sealed to vs in Baptisme So neither is the bread of the Lords Supper the verie bodie of k 1. Cor. 10.16 c. 11.26 c Christ Although according to the manner of Sacramentes and that i Gen. 17.10 c. Exod. 26.27.43.48 13 9. Act. 7.8 Exo. 24.8 Le. 16.10 17.11 Isa 6.6.7 Tit. 3.5 Act. 22.16 1. Pet. 3.21 1. Cor. 10.1 forme of speaking of them which is vsuall vnto the holy Ghost the bread is called the body of Christ 79 Why then doth Christ call breade his bodie and the cup his bloud or the new Testament in his bloud and Paul also calleth bread and wine the Communion of the bodie and bloude of Christ Christ not without great consideration speaketh so to wit not onely for to teach vs that as the bread and wine sustaine the life of the body so also his crucified body and bloudshed are indeed the meat drinke of our soul whereby it is a Iohn 6.51.55.56 nourished to eternall life but much more that by this visible signe and pledge he may assure vs that wee are as verily partakers of his bodie and bloud through the working of the holy ghost as wee doe b 1. Cor. 10.16.17 perceiue by the mouth of our bodie these holie signes in remembraunce of him and further also that his suffering and obedience is so certainely ours as though we our selues had suffered punishments for our sinnes and had satisfied God 80 What difference is there betweene the Supper of the Lord and the Popish Masse The Supper of the Lord testifieth to vs that we haue perfect forgiuenesse of all our sinnes for that only Sacrifice of Christ which himself once fully c Heb. 7.27 9 12.26.28 10.10.12.14 Iohn 19.30 Mat. 26.28 Luc. 22.19.20 wrought on the Crosse Then also that we by the holie Ghost are graffed into d 1. Cor. 6.17 10.16 12.13 Christ who now according to his humane nature is onely in heauen at the right hand of his e Heb. 1.3 8.1 c. Father and there will be f Ioan. 4.21.22.23 20.17 Luc. 24.52 Act. 7.55.56 Col. 3.1 Phil. 3.10 1. Thes 1.9.10 worshipped of vs. But in the Masse it is denied that the quicke and the dead haue remission of sins for the onely passion of Christ except also Christ bee daily offered for them by their Sacrificers Further also it is taught that Christ is bodilie vnder the formes of breade and wine and therefore is to bee a In canone Missae item de consecrat distin 2. worshipped in them And so the verie foundation of the Masse is nothing else than an vtter denyall of that onelie Sacrifice and passion of Christ Iesus and an accursed Idolatrie 81 Who are to come vnto the Table of the Lord They onely who are trulie sorrowfull that they haue offended GOD by their sinnes and yet trust that those sinnes are pardoned them for Christes sake and what other infirmities they haue that those are couered by his passion and death who also desire more and more to go forward in faith and integritie of life But hypocrites and they who doe not truely repent do eate and b 1. Cor. 10.21 11.28 c. drinke damnation to themselues 82 Are they also to be admitted to this supper who in confession and life declare them-selues to bee Infidels and vngodlie No. For by that meanes the couenaunt of GOD is profaned and the wrath of GOD is c 1. Cor. 11.20.34 Is 1.11 c. 66.3 Ier. 7.21 c. Ps 50.16 c. stirred vp against the whole assemblie Wherefore the Church by the
none Answere It is free vnto God to saue either al or none or some for he was not bound to vs that he should saue vs. Rom. 11.35 Who hath giuen vnto him first and he shal be recompensed Yet is it necessarie that he should saue some not by any absolute necessitie but by such as is called necessitie by supposition First because God hath most freely and vnchangeably decreed The necessitie not absolute but depending on the vnchangeable will and decree of God promised this deliuerie published A syllogisme thereof may be framed on this wise It is impossible that God should either lie or deceiue But God hath auouched and promised by an â—th that hee will not the death of a sinner but will that hee bee conuerted and liue The conuersion therefore and deliuerie of man not onelie may bee wrought but necessarily also is wrought Secondly In the beginning God created maÌ„ that he might for euer be magnified of him Epes 1.6 He hath made vs to the praise of the glorie of his grace And Psalm 89.48 Hast thou made al men for naught Wherefore seeing God is not frustrated of the end of his counsels it is necessarie that some be deliuered Thirdly God did not in vaine send his sonne into the world and deliuer him ouer vnto death Iohn 6.39 I came downe from heauen to doe his will which hath sent me And this is the fathers will which hath sent mee that of al which hee hath giuen mee I should loose nothing Mat. 9.13 I am come to call sinners to repentance 18.11 The Sonne of man is come to saue that which was lost Rom. 4.25 He died for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification Fourthly God more enclineth to the exercising and setting forth of his mercy than of his anger But he sheweth his anger in punishing the wicked Therefore he must shew his mercy in sauing the Godly 4 What manner of Deliuery this is THe deliuerie and setting of man at libertie is necessarilie compleat that is in al ponites perfect Our deliuerie most perfect euen from both euils both of crime and of paine First because God is not a deliuerer in part onely but saueth and loueth perfectly those whom hee saueth 1. Iohn 1.7 The bloode of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne to witte as touching both the formall partes thereof the guilt and the corruption of sinne Secondly because he doth perfectly punish the wicked that his iustice may bee exactly satisfied by their punishment Therefore doth hee perfectly deliuer the godly from punishment because he is more inclining propense to mercy than to anger Thirdly because we were fully perfectly lost in Adam But Christs benefit is not imperfecter or of lesse force than the sin of Adam which it would be if he did not perfectly deliuer because al haue lost al their righteousnesse saluation and blessednes in Adam Therefore righteousnes and felicity is restored by Christ Each of these deliueries both from the euill of crime and from the euil of paine or punishment is necessarily perfect Because the image of God glory and blessednes which is restored vnto vs by Christ our redeemer is more glorious greater than that Our deliuerie from eternall death perfect in this life from other calamities in the life to come which we lost in Adam Our deliuery from euerlasting death or damnation is most perfect euen in this life both as touching the parts thereof and also in degree Because Christs satisfaction for our sinnes which is imputed vnto vs is a most perfect conformity and correspondence with the law of God Now from other calamities we shal be fully deliuered in the life to come when as the remnants of sin in vs shal be vtterly abolished In the meane season they are mitigated vnto the godly euen in this life turned into fatherly chastisements Our deliuerie from sinne in part here by regeneration but perfect in the life to come Our deliuery from crime or sinne by regeneration is perfect not at once in a moment but successiuely by degrees For in this life it is perfect as concerning the partes thereof but as by a beginning onelie that is all the partes of obedience are begunne in the redeemed or beleeuers so that as long as we liue here it is daily augmented by new accessions and encreasings But after the departure of the soule out of the body this deliuerie is perfecter because then man doeth wholy cease from sinne After the resurrection and glorification it shall bee most perfect both as touching the partes thereof and in degree For then shall God bee all in all that is hee shal immediatly blesse vs with exceeding happinesse so that nothing shall remaine in vs repugnaunt to God but whatsoeuer shal be in vs that shal be of god But now there is somewhat in vs which is not of GOD euen sinne it selfe 5 By what meanes mans deliuerie may be wrought THe meanes whereby we may be deliuered from the curse and beeing reconciled to God may be accounted iust before him is only one euen a full and condigne or worthy satisfaction that is punishment for sinnes committed or obedience omitted For the Lawe The law being transgressed no satisfaction but by suffering due punishment when as wee haue not perfourmed obedience dooth iustly exact punishment of vs this being sufficiently paied wee are receiued of God into grace and beeing indued with the holy spirit are renued to the image of God that wee may hence-forward obey his Law and enioy euerlasting blissefulnes Beeing therefore reconciled vnto God by satisfaction most fully perfourmed vnto the Law we are deliuered then from sinne also that is from corruption it selfe by regeneration that is by the forcible working of the holy Ghost abolishing it in vs and restoring true holines and righteousnes heere by beginning it and in the life to come also by perfecting and absoluing it This deliuery is necessarily knit with the former as a necessary effect with his proper nearest cause For God wil of that condition accept of this satisfaction and for it pardon our sinne so that wee leaue off to offend him hereafter thorough our sinnes and be thankfull vnto him for our sinnes pardoned and other his benefites For to bee willing to bee receiued into Gods fauour and yet not to be willing to cease from sinning is to mock God Wherfore they who are receiued of God into fauour are withall regenerated and satisfaction is the cause as of acceptation so also of regeneration Now that if satisfaction or sufficient punishment come not betweene there is no deliuery from the guilt or from sinne it selfe the cause hereof is gods great iustice and truth which his mercy dooth no way ouerthrowe Deut. 27.26 Cursed bee hee that confirmeth not all the woordes of this Law to doe them Matth. 5.18 It is not possible that one iot of the Law should fall that is be frustrate till al thinges
our wisedome 2 Hee is called our Righteousnesse that is our Iustifier 2. Righteousnes For in him our righteousnesse is as in the subiect and is made ours by his merite and forcible operation For 1. hee suffered the punishment of our sinnes which is iustice and righteousnesse and the merit for-which we are reputed iust and righteous Furthermore he by his power maketh vs righteous in the sight of god by imputing vnto vs that his righteousnesse and by giuing vs faith whereby our selues also receiuing it may apply it vnto vs. 3 He is called our Sanctification 3 Sanctification 4. Redemption because he doth regenerate vs by his holy spirit 4 Redemption because hee finally deliuereth vs. For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we interpret Redemption dooth not onely signifie the price but also the effect thereof For abstractes are put for their concretes according to the vsuall maner of the Hebrewes 4 What manner of Mediator ours ought to bee IT is manifest by those thinges which are gone before that there is giuen vs a recouerie out of eternal paines wherunto we were adiudged by reason of our sin by a sufficient satisfaction perfourmed by some Mediator in our behalfe Now therefore it may bee well demaunded what manner of Mediatour is required to performe pay a recompence and ransome equiualent to our sins and of sufficient worthinesse to redeeme vs To this answere is made in the 15. question of the Catechisme That such a one is required who must bee True man that is Our Mediatour must bee true man and true God who must haue mans nature comming of mankind and sprung from Adam and stil retaining it not as that it should be created of nothing or made anie way than of our bloode 2. A man perfectlie iust 3. True God Nowe the Demonstrations and proofes concerning the person of the Mediatour are drawne from his office For because such is his office him-selfe also ought to bee such a one Hee must bee true man subiect vnto all our infirmities except sinne 1 He ought to be true man and that a seruaunt that is subiect to al infirmities Phil. 2.7 Isa 53.3 First because it was man that sinned As by one man sinne entered into the woorlde Secondly That he might suffer death For he ought to make satisfaction for vs by shedding his blood Hee coulde not haue suffered death except he had bin true man Thirdly That he might help and relieue our infirmities Fourthly That hee might bee our brother and our head and wee his members Heb. 2.14 For as much as the children were partakers of the flesh and bloode hee also himselfe likewise tooke part with them It was requisite therefore that our Mediatour shoulde bee true man and that borne of the same mankind which sinned not created of nothing 1. Because of Gods iustice which required that the selfesame nature which hadde sinned should pay for those sinnes because the same was to bee deliuered But our nature which sprang from Adam sinned Wherefore true man of the same nature with vs ought to pay for men that which was required at their handes Gen. 2.17 In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Ezech. 18.20 The same soul that sinneth shall die 1. Cor. 15.21 By man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead Hereof the Apostle also saith Coloss 2.12 That wee are buried with him thorough Baptisme in whom wee are also raised vp together Augu. Lib. de vera relig And Augustine in his booke Of true Religion saith The same nature was to bee taken which was to bee deliuered 2. For our comfort which consisteth in this that wee may know our Mediatour to bee very man sprung of the same bloode of which our selues were and to be our brother For except hee were such a one wee should neuer bee able to resolue that he is the Messias and promised Sauiour vnto vs and that the benefite of redemption dooth certainely belong to our flesh and to vs men neither shoulde wee freely fly and betake vs vnto him in our temptations For of the seede of the woman it is saide Gen. 3.15 Gen. 12. 22.26 that hee shall break the head of the Serpent the Diuel and In Abrahams seede are all nations to bee blessed It was requisite therefore that our Mediatour shoulde bee borne of mankinde very man And furthermore I adde that it was requisite that he should be subiect to al our infirmities sinne onely excepted And that 1. For the truth of God who often by the Prophetes describeth our Mediatour to bee such a man as is poore weake contemptible And of Esaias especially is hee described to bee such a one 2. Isai 53.3 Heb. 2.11 For our comfort Hee that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are al of one that is of the same humane nature Wherefore he is not ashamed to cal them brethren 2 It is requisite that hee bee a man perfectly iust Why our mediatour was to bee voide of sinne that hee might worthily bee our Sauiour that is that his passion might bee a ransome for the sinnes of others For had he bin a sinner or vniust he should not haue beene able to haue satisfied so much as for his owne sinnes and to haue auoided the wrath of God much lesse to merit gods fauour for others 2. Corinth 5.21 God hath made him to bee sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we should be the righteousnesse of God in him Hebru 7.26 Such an High-Priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners 1. Pet. 2.22 Who did no sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth 1. Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust that hee might bring vs to god Nowe foure manner of waies is Christ perfectly iust Christ said to be perfectly iust foure waies or hath perfectly fulfilled the Lawe 1. By his owne righteousnesse For Christ alone perfourmed perfect obedience such as the Lawe required For hee was conceiued by the holie ghost neither was there guile in him 2. By paying sufficient punishment for our sinnes It was necessary that this double fulfilling of the Law should be in Christ For except hee were iust for himselfe that is hadde perfect conformitie with the Lawe he could not haue fulfilled the Lawe for vs by making satisfaction for our sinnes or by suffering the punishment which the Law exacted of vs not of him And except his suffering of punishment had beene sufficient wee shoulde as yet remaine in our sinnes and death Furthermore that righteousnesse of Christ whereby himselfe did perfectlie keepe the Lawe is called the fulfilling of the Lawe by obedience and his suffering of punishment due for our sinnes is termed the fulfilling of the Lawe by punishment likewise obedience perfected and absolued in suffering punishment And the punishment verily vnto which we were bound he of his owne accord
vnto the end among which none is so little that deserueth not euerlasting death and all of them are so euill and grieuous that they cannot bee expiated or doone away no not by the eternall punishment of any creature The third is That he may restore by his forcible operation power the Image of God in vs. The fourth is That he should make knowen vnto vs the secret wil of God concerning the receiuing of mankind againe into fauor For of this except he were God himselfe should bee ignorant so should not be able to reueale it vnto others Ioh. 1.18 No man hath seene God at anie time the onlie begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hee hath declared him The fift is That he might giue the holie ghost by whome hee might bestowe on vs mantaine and perfect in vs the benefits purchased by his death to wit remission of sinnes righteousnesse new obedience and life euerlasting For it is not sufficient for our Mediatour to make intercession for vs to be made a sacrifice to open and manifest the decree of God but it is necessarie also that he promise in our behalfe that wee shall embrace the decree concerning our redemption by our mediator and cease at length to offend God through our sinnes which is the other part of the couenant made betweene God and vs and is performed by vs that the couenant may remaine firme and ratified But this by-reason of our corruption could bee promised of no man in our behalfe except hee haue the power also of giuing the holie ghost by whom he might woorke in vs to assent and to be more and more conformed to the Lawe of God But to giue the holy ghost and by him to woorke forcibly in the harts of men faith conuersion and saluation belongeth to god alone whose also is the spirit Ioh. 15.26 Whom I wil send you from the father Obiection The partie offended cannot bee Mediatour Christ as he is God is the partie offended Therefore as hee is God hee cannot bee Mediatour Aunswere The Maior proposition is true if the partie offended be such a one in whom there are not more persons But a most cleare Testimony whereby are taught in few words those three to wit That the Mediatour is both true man and perfectly iust and true God is extant Act. 20.28 when it is said God hath purchased the Church with his blood For he is true man who sheddeth his owne blood He is perfectly iust who sheddeth it for the redemption of others He is true God to whom both the name and properties of true god are giuen which is to be a redeemer both by his merit and also by his efficacy and power and that of the church that is of the elect and chosen 5 Who is and may be that Mediatour OF the person who should be that Mediatour mention hath beene made by the way in the former question but the handling of it dooth chiefly appertaine vnto this The Mediatour was to bee God yet not the father nor the Holy Ghost That Mediatour who must be both very god and very man is not neither can be any other than the naturall sonne of god who also is the sonne of Mary that is Iesus Christ 1. Our Mediatour must be true god But god the father could not be Mediatour because he worketh not by himselfe or immediatly but mediately by the Sonne and the holy Ghost though yet he dooth all things of himselfe neither is hee the messenger or is sent but he sendeth the Mediatour Neither yet could god the holy ghost be Mediator because he was to be sent of the Mediator into the harts of the elect Therefore necessarily the sonne was to be our Mediatour 2. That which a man imparteth to others he must needes haue himselfe first But it belongeth vnto the Mediatour to conferre and bestowe grace and the name of the children of God vpon vs that is to woork that through him we might be adopted of God to bee his sonnes now this the holy Ghost doth not giue for hee is not the Sonne neither had the father it because hee was to adopt vs by his Sonne to bee his Sonnes Therefore the Mediatour himselfe was to haue the right and name of a Sonne and that not by grace onelie but by nature that is hee was to bee a Sonne by nature that hee might make vs the Sonnes of adoption Iohn 8.36 If the Sonne shall make you free yee shall bee free indeede Iohn 1.12 As manie as receiued him to them hee gaue power to bee the Sonnes of GOD. Ephes 1.5 Who hath predestinate vs to bee adopted thorough Iesus Christ vnto himself vers 6. With his grace he hath made vs accepted in his beloued 3. The Sonne alone is that person by which the father openeth his will concerning our redemption giueth his holie spirit maketh vs new creatures Therefore is the sonne called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the price ransome of our redemption and the scripture ioineth the first creation with the second sheweth that we are again to be created by him by whom we were created of God 2 Cor. 5.17 Gal. 6.15 Eph 2.10 Ioh. 13. But this was proper vnto the Mediatour to be a messenger truceman betweene God vs to remake or regenerat vs by his spirit Therefore the sonne must be this Mediatour 4. It belongeth to the Mediatour to send the holy Ghost But the son sendeth the holy Ghost Therefore the sonne is Mediatour The father also indeede sendeth the holy Ghost but mediately by the Sonne the Sonne immediatly 5. It belongeth to the Mediatour to suffer die for vs. But the son is he who taking our flesh vpō him hath suffred in it died Therefore he is the Mediator 6. That the son is the Mediatour is proued by conference of reuelations prophecies in the old testament by the fulfilling of the same in the new 7. The same is proued by the works miracles which Christ wrought Ioh. 5.36 The works that I do beare witnes of me that the father sent me Ioh. 1.38 Beleeue my works 8. This is also apparant by the office of the son His office is to declare the counsail of his father whence he is called the word Ioh. 1.18 The onely begotten son which is in the bosome of the father he hath declared him Hee hath also opened vnto vs the true knowledge of god his secret wil concerning our redemption 9 By testimonies of Scriptures both others this of the Apostle 1. Cor. 1.30 Christ is made of god vnto vs wisedome righteousnes or iustice sanctification redemption Here are put the * That is wisedome is put for the maker of vs wise Iustice for our Iustifier sanctification for our sanctifier redemption for our redeemer abstracts for their concrets Iustification and Sanctification in vs before the fall were one the same thing as in the holie Angels
but now they are different and diuers in vs. For Iustification now is the imputatiō of Christs righteousnes whereby we are accounted righteous before God Sanctification is the working of a conformity with god in vs which conformitie is here vnperfect but shal be perfected in the life to come where holines righteousnes shal be againe one the same euen in vs. The sūme is In the person of the mediatour three things are to be considered which all the scripture ascribeth to Christ alone First that hee is God which many places of the scripture do confirme As Ioh. 1.2.3 The word was God All thinges were made by him Act. 20.28 God purchased the Church with his bloud Rom. 1.4 Who was declared mightilie to be the Sonne of God touching the spirit of Sanctification Rom. 10.11 Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed 1. Iohn 5.7 There are three which bear record in heauen the father the word and the holie Ghost these three are one To these also are to bee added those places in which is attributed to Christ diuine worship inuocation hearing of our praiers workes proper to God alone In like manner those which attribute vnto Christ the name Iehoua Hierem. 23. Zach. 2. Math. 3. Likewise those in which those thinges which are spoken of Iehoua are applied to Christ as Isai 6.9 and Ioh. 12.40 c. Secondly that he is true man Hither belong those places which call Christ man the son of man as when Math. 1.1 he is called the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham Luc. 1.31 The fruite of the wombe And when Romans 1.3 9.5 he is said to be made of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh As also to haue a bodie of flesh not to be an imaginarie but a true bodie 1. Iohn 4.2 Euerie spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God Hither belong also those places which attribute vnto Christ things proper vnto man as to grow to eat to drink to be ignorant of some thing to rest to be wearie to be baptised to bee circumcised to lament reioice c. Thirdly that two natures in Christ make one person Hither are referred the places which by communicating of the properties of each nature attribute those to his diuine nature which are proper to his humane nature and so contrariwise As Ioh. 1.14 The word was made flesh Heb. 2.14 He was made partaker of flesh and bloud Act. 20.28 God purchased the Church with his bloud Ioh. 8.58 Before Abraham was I am Mat. 28.20 I am with you alway vntil the end of the world Heb. 12. Hee spake vnto vs by his sonne by whom he made the world 1. Ioh. 4.3 Iesus Christ is come in the fleshe Roman 9.5 Christ is God ouer all blessed for euer Amen 6 That there is but one Mediatour There can bee but one mediatour because there is but one natural Sonne of God THere is but one mediatour 1. Tim. 2.6 The reason is because the Sonne onely is mediatour and can performe the office of the mediatour And there is but one onely naturall Sonne of God 1 Obiect The Saintes also make intercession for vs. Therefore they also are mediatours Answ There is a difference betweene the intercession of Christ and of the Saintes who liue in the world and pray for others yea for their persecutours and for vnbeleeuers For the Saints depend vpon the merit of Christ Christ offered himselfe a suertie and a satisfier he sanctifieth himselfe for vs that is presenteth himself in our steed 2 Obiect Where are manie meanes there is not one mediatour But there are manie meanes of our saluation Therefore there is not one onely mediatour Answ The Maior proposition wee denie For it is one thing to be a meanes another thing to be the mediatour of our saluation OF THE COVENAVNT IT was said The couenant is that reconciliation which Christ the mediatour hath wrought between God and man that the mediatour is a person reconciling parties which are at variance Nowe this reconciliation in the scriptures is termed the Couenaunt and Testament which is the correlatiue that is hath a mutuall respect to the mediatour Wherefore the Doctrine which treateth of the Couenaunt is linked with the place concerning the mediatour because euerie mediatour is the mediatour of some Couenaunt and a reconciler of parties who are at enmitie The chiefe questions are 1 What a Couenaunt is 2 Whether it can be made without a mediatour 3 Whether there be but one and the same Couenaunt or more 4 In what the old and new Couenaunt agree and in what they differ 1 WHAT A COVENAVNT IS A Couenaunt in generall signifieth a mutuall promise or agreement betweene the parties who are ioined in that Couenaunt whereby is made a bond or obligation for the performance of certaine thinges on both parts solemne ceremonies and tokens beeing added thereto to testifie and confirme that promise and agreement For the making therefore declaring confirming of a Couenaunt serue mutual promises and outward signes and tokens of the Couenaunt A Testament is called the last will of a Testator whereby he at his death disposeth of his thinges what he woulde haue done concerning them this is ratified by the death of the Testator In speciall the Couenaunt betweene God and men is a mutual promise and agreement made by our Mediatour confirmed by othes and solemne tokens which we call Sacraments whereby God bindeth himselfe to remit their sins vnto them that beleeue and to giue them euerlasting life for by his son our Mediator men bind themselues to receiue this so great a benefite with faith and to yeeld true obedience vnto God which is to liue according to his will that so they may declare their thankefulnes vnto god The summe is This Couenaunt is gods bond to yeelde vs his grace and fauour and of the otherside our bond to receiue this grace by faith and to yeelde new obedience Why the reconciliation between God and vs is called a couenaunt Furthermore the name of Couenaunt and Testament shew the same thing to wit our reconcilement with God or the mutuall agreement betweene God and men This reconcilement is called a Couenaunt because as it hath been said both God vnto vs we vnto god haue promised certain things to be performed of both parts adding certaine signes and pledges of this our mutuall agreement Why also it is called a Testament It is called a Testament because this reconciliation was made by the death of the Testator Christ comming between that so it might be firme and ratified It could not haue bin a Testament except Christ the Testator had died For while the Testator liueth he retaineth a right to change detract or adde any thing This reason is alleadged in the epistle to the Hebrews cap. 9.16.17 The Testament saith the Apostle is confirmed when men are dead For it is yet of no force
in the old Testament were special certaine and definite as the promises of the Land of Canaan of the Church of the gouernement and Mosaical ceremonies to be obserued in that region and nation vntil the comming of the Messias and lastly of the Messias to be borne out of that people In the new Testament there are no speciall promises of certaine corporall benefites but onely generall as that god will alwaies in this life giue his Church some abiding and resting places although it be dispersed and scattered throughout all Nations 2. They differ in a circumstaunce of the promise of grace For in the olde Couenaunt they were reconciled vnto god and saued for the Messias sake who shoulde come or be exhibited we in the newe Couenaunt are saued for him beeing come and exhibited 3. In the signes or symboles of the promises In the old were many and diuers signes and Sacramentes as the Circumcision the Passeouer the Sacrifices in the new few and plaine euen Baptisme and the supper of the Lord. 4. In the olde Couenaunt were types and figures of good thinges to come and so all thinges were the more obscure and darke in the newe is an accomplishment and exhibiting of those things and so all thinges more cleare The doctrine and knowledge of the Gospell especially nowe Christ beeing come and manifested is more bright and plentifull for that a declaration of thinges done vseth to bee more perspicuous than the fore-telling of thinges which shall bee done 5. In the olde the pouring out and effusion of the gifts of the holie Ghost is more narrow and sparing in the new more large plentifull Hierem. 31. vers 31. I will make a newe Couenaunt 2. Cor. 3.6 The olde was but for a time during vntil the comming of the Messias The newe is for euer According to that I will make an euerlasting Couenaunt with them How they differ in respect of men They differ in respect of men First For that in the olde testament the Church stood bound to the obedience of the whole Mosaicall lawe Morall Ceremoniall and Ciuill In the newe testament wee are bounde onelie to the spirituall or morall worship and the vse of the Sacramentes The Ceremoniall and Ciuil lawes of Moses binde not vs. Secondly The olde was made to one certaine Nation The Prophets therefore were sent vnto the people of Israell and to them they applyed their speeches The newe belongeth to all Nations For God will that all bee saued of what Nation language or condition so euer they bee The Apostles therefore were sent to the whole world to gather the Church of Christ out of all Nations or which is the same in the old testament the Church was tied vnto a certaine Nation In the newe it is Catholicke and vniuersall that is spread through all Nations Why the old couenant was taken for the law and the New for the Gospel Here is to be obserued that the old Couenāt is takē by a figure of speach called Synecdoche which we vse when wee take the whole for a part or a part for the whole for the law in respect of that part which was especially handled there For in the old testament the law was more vrged there were many partes thereof Contrariwise the gospel was then more obscure The newe also is taken for the Gospell because in the newe testament a great part of Moses law is abrogated and the manifestation and knowledge of the gospell is to vs more cleare and ample OF THE GOSPEL THis 19. question of the Catechisme which is cōcerning the gospel is like to the third For as that so this also sheweth that our deliuerance by the Mediator is knowen learned out of the gospel Seeing then it hath beene alreadie spoken of the Mediator we are necessarily also to speake of the doctrine in which the Mediator is declared described and offered vnto vs. That doctrine is the gospell Afterwardes wee are also to speake of the meane whereby we are made partakers of the Mediatour that meane is Faith First therefore the common place concerning the Gospel commeth to be handled which is fitly annexed to the former doctrine concerning the Mediator Couenant between god men 1. Because Christ the Mediatour is the subiect or matter of the Gospel which teacheth who what maner of Mediator this is 2. Because he is the Autor and publisher of the same For it is part of the Mediators office to publish the gospel as it is said Ioh. 1.18 No mā hath seen god at any time the only begottē son which is in the bosome of the father he hath shewed him 3. Because the gospel is part of the couenant the new couenant is often taken for the gospel The principall questions are 1 What the gospel is 2 Whether it hath bin alwaies knowen 3 How it differeth from the Law 4 What are the proper effects of the gospel 5 Whence the truth and certainty of the gospel maie appeare 1 WHAT THE GOSPEL IS THe greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for which we vse Gospel signifieth 1. A ioiful message or news 2. The sacrifice which is offered to god for this ioiful news 3. The reward which is giuen to him who bringeth these glad tidings Here it is takē for the doctrin which intreateth of Christ because it declareth ioiful things euē our deliuery frō sin death or remissiō life euerlasting There is a difference also to bee obserued betweene the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the doctrine concerning Christ now manifested and is a cleare declaration of things done or of the promises nowe fulfilled by the Messias being manifested But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the promise and as it were a certaine shadowing out or a darke expressing of things to be fufilled by the Messias who was after to bee manifested and so is it more obscure The Gospell for so we interprete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of the new Testament the fulfilling of the promises of the old Testament Neuertheles this difference of these words is not perpetuall neither consisting in the thing it selfe For both of them declare the same benefites of the Messias but the difference is onely in the circumstance of time in the maner of his manifestation exhibiting Ioh. 8. Abraham saw my daie and was glad Ioh. 14.5 No man commeth to the father but by me Now the Gospell is the doctrine made manifest of God by his Sonne the mediatour presently after the fall of mankind into sinne and death The definition of the Gospel promising all beleeuing and repentant sinners remission of sinnes and their receiuing into fauour and life euerlasting freely to be graunted through and for his sonne the Mediatour By which doctrine the holie ghost doth forcibly kindle and worke in the hartes of the chosen faith repentaunce and the beginning of euerlasting life Out of
all euill For these are the effectes to come of that present and perpetuall wil of God towards vs which wee apprehend by faith Rom. 8.24 Wee are saued by hope but hope that is seen is not hope But if we hope for that we see not we doo with patience abide for it 1 Obiection Life euerlasting is a thing to come We beleeue life euerlasting Wee beleeue therefore that which is to come that is faith is also of things to come and so faith is hope it selfe Ans The Maior must bee distinguished Life euerlasting is to come tru as concerning the consummation or accomplishment therof But it is present vnto vs as cōcerning the wil and vnchaungeable purpose of God who hath decreed from euerlasting that which he hath begun in vs and will also in due time accomplish it Againe it is present vnto vs as concerning the beginning therof For euerlasting life is begun here in the elect by the holy ghost Wherefore faith apprehendeth it as it is present both in respect of the purpose of God in respect of the beginning thereof in vs. For he that beleeueth feeleth and knoweth that he is quickened and resolueth this to bee the will of God that that quickening and reuiuing which is here begunne shall bee absolued in another life Iohn 5.24 He that beleeueth in the sonne hath passed from death to life Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall that they know thee to be the only verie God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your harts which crieth Abba father Rom. 8.24 We are saued by hope 1. Ioh. 3.2 Now are we the sonnes of God but it doth not yet appear what we shal be By faith thē we are certein that those blessings also which as yet we haue not are notwithstanding ours for Gods promise for the vnchangeable will in God to giue them vs but in certain hope wee looke for them as concerning their accomplishment Faith apprehendeth the promises of thinges to come hope relieth on the thinges promised The summe is There is one and the same act and operation of faith and of hope but they differ in consideration It is called faith as it doth apprehend things to come as if they were present in regard of the vnchangeablenes of Gods will It is called hope as it doth certainlie look for the bestowing of those things Therfore Heb. 11 1. it is shewed that faith is the ground substance of things which are hoped for that is it is that which maketh things which are hoped for to be extant and present in that manner as hath bin shewed Shorter thus Faith apprehendeth the promises concerning things to come as they are to come Hope the things themselues which are promised 2 Obiection Faith is the euidence of thinges which are not seene therefore not of thinges present Aunswere It is the euidence of thinges which are not seene to wit by the outward senses but they are seene by the eies of the mind euen as if they did lie open to the eies of the bodie Againe they are not seene in respect of their accomplishment or consummation 5 What are the causes of Faith THE first and principall efficient cause of faith is the holie ghost illightening the minde that it may vnderstand the word and moouing the will that it may assent vnto the woord once vnderstoode Yee are freelie saued by faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Obiection The Diuel hath faith It is wrought therefore in him by the holie ghost Aunswere What faith is in the Diuel is wrought by the spirit of God but that by a generall woorking onely whereby hee worketh in all euen in Diuels and hypocrites what-soeuer knowledge or vnderstanding is in them 1. Cor. 12. c. not by a speciall and proper action or working wherby to regenerat or sanctifie them that they might truely acknowledge him to bee the author of this gift and magnifie him therefore after which maner hee woorketh faith in the elect alone The Diuels therefore and hypocrits haue faith from the spirit of God but the elect from the spirit of God sanctifieng them The instrumentall cause of faith in generall is the whole worde of God the Lawe and the Gospell written spoken readde heard The chiefe instrumental causes of ingendering iustifieng faith are the preaching of the word and the vse of the sacramentes meditated likewise many works miracles of God in the world But the chiefe and proper instrument of iustifieng faith is the preaching of the Gospell the vse of the sacraments For these doth the holy ghost vse as instruments yet not necessarie but arbitrarie at his own good pleasure both to stir vp faith in vs and to nourish strengthen increase the same Rom. 10.17 Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 1.16 The gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth 1. Cor. 4.15 I haue begottē you through the gospel Mar. 16.16 He that shall beleeue and be Baptized shall be saued Act. 22.16 Wash away thy sins 1. Cor. 10.16 The bread which we break is the communion of the bodie of Christ Wherefore ordinarilie iustifieng faith is neuer engendred in those who are of yeares to receiue it without the preaching of the gospell The cause of that faith which worketh miracles is not simply the woorde of God but there must necessarily come thereto an especiall and immediate reuelation from God The formal causes of faith a sure and ful confidence in Christ The obiect of faith Christ and his benefites promised The final causes of faith Gods glorie our saluation The formall cause of iustifieng faith is a certaine knowledge confidence in Christ The obiect of it is Whole Christ and his benefits promised in the word Likewise God fauorable to vs through Christ The subiect wherein it remaineth is the vnderstanding will of man The end or finall cause 1 The glorie of God to wit the celebration of his trueth iustice bountie mercie which hee hath shewed in the sending of his Sonne and in the giuing of faith in him 2 Our Saluation that we may receiue the blessings which are promised in the worde 6 What are the effects of faith The effectes of faith iustification and regeneration THe effects of iustifieng faith are 1 The iustifieng of vs before God 2 Peace of conscience or ioy resting on God Rom. 5.1 Beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with god 3 Our whole conuersion which followeth faith and beginneth at the same time with faith For by faith are our hats purified 4 The fruits of conuersion repentance euen good woorkes For whatsouer is not of faith is sinne Hither may be referred also the consequences of faith that is encrease of spirituall corporal giftes The first then and immediate effect of iustifieng-faith is Iustification from this afterwardes flow al other benefites
purchased by the blood of Christ which all we beleeue to be giuen vs by faith If therefore faith be the next cause of our Iustification in respect of vs it is also the cause of those thinges which necessarily followe Iustification Luk. 8.48 Thy faith hath saued thee In a worde The effects of faith are Iustification and Regeneration which is begunne here and is to bee perfected in the life to come Rom. 3.28 10.10 Acts. 13.39 7 Vnto whom faith is giuen IVstifieng faith is only proper to the elect Iustifieng faith giuen to all the Elect and to them onely and that to all of them For it is giuen to the elect alone and to all the elect euen to infants as concerning some inclnation Ioh. 6.44 No man cā come to me except the father which hath sent me drawe him Ioh. 20.16 Ye beleeue not for yee are not of my sheepe Mat. 13.11 It is giuen to you to knowe the secrets of heauen but vnto them it is not giuen Act. 13.48 And they beleeued as many as were ordained to euerlasting life Rom. 8.30 Whome hee predestinated them also hee called and whome hee called them also hee iustified Ephes 2.8 Faith is the gift of God Rom. 10.16 All haue not harkened to the gospell 2. Thes 3.2 For all men haue not faith Temporarie faith and the faith of miracles is giuen to those who are members of the visible Church only that is hypocrites But now neuerthelesse this faith of miracles ceaseth which florished in the Primatiue Church for that nowe the Doctrine is sufficiently confirmed Historicall faith all they haue who are by profession of the Church whether they be of the godly or reprobates yea and they also who are not members of the Church but enimies as Diuels Tyrants Historicall is a part of Iustifieng faith because there can bee no assent or perswasion of a thing which is not first knowen Obiection Historicall faith is a good worke Historical faith which is good in it selfe made ill The Diuels haue Historicall faith Therefore they haue good woorkes Aunswere Historical faith is a good worke if it be ioyned with an application of those thinges whereto it assenteth that is with confidence Reply Historicall faith is a good woork though it bee not ioined with confidence because it is an effect of the spirite of God Therefore the Diuels haue good woorkes Aunswere Historical faith is a good woorke in it selfe but is made ill by an accident for that the reprobate doe not apply those thinges to themselues which they knowe and beleeue to bee true Wherefore the Diuels are saide to tremble for that they doe not think that God is towardes them also such as is described in his woorde good mercifull c. The summe is As the substaunce it selfe of the Diuels and other things which they retaine still of their first creation so also both the knowlege and faith which they haue concerning diuine matters are in themselues very good because they are the effects and gifts of god but they are made euil by an accident euen by reason of their abusing of them for that they referre them not to this end as to shewe themselues gratefull vnto God the author of these good things and to magnifie him for them A beleeuing inclination in infante though not an actual beleefe Obiection Against this that all the Elect are saide to haue faith some thus reason Many infantes are of the Elect and yet haue not faith Therefore al the Elect haue not faith Answere They haue not indeede actuall faith but they haue a power or inclination to beleeue which the holy Ghost as is fittest for their capacity and condition woorketh in them Wherefore that remaineth stil which before was confirmed That all the Elect haue faith And further this I adde that not only faith but the confession also of faith is necessary for al the Elect which are growen to years and vnderstanding 1. Because of the commandements of God Exod. 20. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine Therfore thou shalt take it aright He that shal confes me c. Mat. 10.32 2. Because of the glory of god Let your light shine before the woorlde Mat. 5.16 3. Bicause faith is not idle for it is as a fruitful tree 4. That we may bring others to Christ And thou beeing conuerted confirme thy brethren Luc. 22.32 How to know that wee haue faith Now we know that we haue faith 1. By the testimony of the holy ghost and by a feeling of true faith in our selues or by the thing it selfe that is by a true and vnfained desire of receiuing the benefits offered by Christ For he that beleeueth knoweth that hee dooth beleeue 2. By the strife and conflict within vs of the faith of doubtfulnes 3. By the effects that is by an earnest purpose of obeying God according to all his commandements Against the certainty of faith The certaintie of faith whereof we spake in the definition of faith some dispute on this wise Obiect 1. They who may fal before the end of their life into sin dānation cannot be certain of their saluation euerlasting life This is proued because to be certaine and to be in possibility to fall are contrary one to the other It is false therefore which is taught in the definitiō of Iustifieng faith to wit that euerlasting life is giuen vs and so our faith to be certaine and assured of it Ans To be in possibility of falling or failing that is finally True faith may faint for a time but cannot fail finallie is contrary to the certainty of our saluatiō But they who are once inriched by god with true faith doe not fail finally Reply 1. All that are weak may faile finally We are al weak Therefore we maie fail finally Auns The Maior is to bee distinguished All that are weak may faile finally true if they stoode by their owne strength But we who are beleeuers stand preserued and vphelde by the grace and power of God Therefore can wee not finally fail For whom God hath once embraced with his fauour them he wil not nor suffereth to fal vtterly from his grace Reply 2. But god hath no where promised that he wil keep and preserue vs in his grace Answere Yes he hath promised and expressed it Ioh. 1.28 I giue vnto them eternal life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any pluck them out of mine hand My father which gaue them me is greater than all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand I and my father are one Rom. 8.38 I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come c. shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus Reply 3. But it is saide 1. Corint 10.12 Let him that thinketh hee standeth take heede least hee
purposed from euerlasting And seeing god both foreseeth all things vnchangeable and his counsailes concerning the euent and end of thinges are certaine and vnchangeable it must needes be also that the second causes and meanes or Antecedents without which those euents were not to followe must bee certaine and vnchangeable And because in things created especially in humane affaires there is great vncertaintie and mutabilitie neither is there any cause of vnchangeablenesse but the will of god God could not haue appointed any thing certaine or vnchangeable concerning the euent and end except hee had also made all the meanes by which the end is attained vnto and which as concerning their owne nature are most vncertaine and chaungeable by his euerlasting counsaile and decree certaine and vnchangeable Wherefore it is saide Isay 14.27 The Lord of hostes hath determined it and who shall disanull it Thirdly the whole vse and force and declaration of the promises threatnings and examples of Gods goodnesse power iustice mercie and wrath both olde and newe to teach vs and to erect vs with comfort or by feare to holde and keepe vs in our duetie and the feare of God dependeth of Gods vnchaungeable nature For all those do then affect vs when wee thinke that the same nature and will of God which was in times past is nowe also and is and will bee such to vs repenting or persisting in our sinnes as wee see it was in times past and nowe is towardes others And then doe wee truelie relie vpon the promises of God when wee knowe that his counsell shall neuer bee chaunged Fourthlie This doctrine inclineth mens mindes to obedience and subiection which is necessarie in asking thinges at Gods handes that wee desire not GOD to doe those thinges for vs or others which hee hath before time assuredlie toulde vs that hee will not doe and further that wee submit and leaue with reuerence those thinges to his pleasure whereof hee would not as yet haue knowen vnto vs what hee hath decreede Fiftlie The vnchaungeablenesse of Gods will is the grounde and foundation of the hope and comfort of the godlie in this life For it is most absurd to conceiue of GOD that nowe hee loueth and nowe hee hateth vs nowe hee will assuredlie giue vnto vs euerlasting life and a little after againe hee will not And therefore when once true faith and conuersion vnto GOD is begunne in our heartes and the spirite of God hath begunne to witnesse to our spirite that wee are the sonnes of GOD and heires of euerlasting life God will haue vs certainlie to resolue that as hee had this his will towardes vs from euerlasting so to euerlasting hee will not change it but will assuredlie bring vs at his pleasure out of this wicked and miserable life through al tentations and daungers what-soeuer to eternall and euerlasting life according to that article of our Faith I beleeue life euerlasting When as Omnipotencie is attributed to GOD What is signified by gods omnipotencie thereby is first vnderstoode That whatsoeuer hee will or whatsoeuer not impairing his nature and maiestie hee is able to will he is also able to perfourme Secondie That he is able to performe all those thinges without anie difficulty labour euen with his only beck will Thirdly That all the force power of working and effecting anie thing is so in god only that there is not the least abilitie or efficacie of anie creature but what he continuallie imparteth preserueth at his pleasure And therefore the power of God is to bee considered of vs not as beeing idle but as creating sustaining mouing and ruling al thinges The reasons are 1 God is the first cause of all thinges Therefore he hath all thinges in his power and their abilitie is so much as he giueth vnto them 2 Hee dooth such thinges as can bee done by no created finit power as are the creation gouerning of all thinges the preseruation of common weales the deluge the deliuerie out of Aegypt all his miracles 3 He is vnchangeable Therefore in him to be able to do and to doe is the same which to will and so of the contrary But although al men affirme God to be omnipotent yet there is a double difference betweene the sacred Doctrine of the Church How the doctrin of the church and philosophie differ in conceiuing of Gods omnipotencie and Philosophie concerning gods omnipotency For first without the doctrine of the Church men only know the vniuersall and generall power of god whereby hee createth preserueth and gouerneth the whole world but they know not that power whereby he saueth men and restoreth the world by his sonne gathering and preseruing an euerlasting Church and deliuering it from sin and death and endowing it with life and glory euerlasting by which works God especially sheweth forth his power as it is said Hag. 2.7 Yet a litle while I wil shake the heauens the earth and the sea and the drie land Secondly neither doe they professe of the generall power of god so much as is sufficient For albeit they are enforced to confesse that God is the author and preseruer of the woorld yet are they not able to saie that al things were created of nothing by the woorde of God alone for as much as they are ignorant fo the cause of sin confusion they cannot affirme al things so to be administred and gouerned by gods omnipotency as that al which is good is done by the powerful working of Gods will but they attribute many things to chance fortune humane wisdome or vertue and so imagine the power of god to be idle in these and doing nothing Furthermore that god cannot either sinne or wil and allowe of sinne or be changed or diminished or suffer any thing or make things doone vndoone or wil thinges flat repugnant and contradictorie or create another god or some nature equal to himselfe or bee perceiued by bodilie senses or doe other thinges proper to a create or finite nature or admit the same into himselfe this doth not diminish or weaken but rather augment strengthen his power For that is the greatest and most perfect power which can neither be destroied nor weakned nor diminished and that none susteining it but only by it selfe But contrariwise to be able to be corrupted impaired is a token of imbecillity and imperfection of exceeding immense wisedome Gods exceeding wisedome whereby both hee knoweth all thinges perfectly and is the fountaine of all knoweledge and vnderstanding That we may rightly and with profit and commoditie know the power of God it is necessarie not to consider it but as it is ioyned with his immense wisedome and goodnesse which moderateth it Further of his diuine wisedome first we learne That God doth of himselfe in one act or view vnderstand and behold perpetually and most perfectlie in maruellous manner and that vnknowen to vs himselfe and the whole
earth rule ouer the fish of the sea ouer the foul of the heauen ouer euerie beast that moueth vpon the earth Psal 8.6 Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the works of thine hands thou hast put al things vnder his feete Only man he created for himself the rest for man that by man they might serue god Wherefore when we place creatures in the roome of god we cast our selues out of that degree in which we were placed by god Why god would haue this doctrine of the creation to be deliuered and held in the Church This doctrine of the creation of the world god would for these causes especiallie haue remaine extant in the Church 1. That the glorie of the creation might bee giuen wholy to god and his wisedome power and goodnes therein acknowledged 2. That neither the Sonne nor the holie ghost should be excluded but each should haue their owne parts yeelded them therein according as it is said that all might honor the sonne as they honor the father 3. That as the world was created by the sonne and the holie ghost so also we might knowe that by them mankinde is restored Colossians 1. For by him were all thinges made And hee is the heade of the bodie of the Church for it pleased the father that in him should al fulnes dwell 4. That seeing god created all thinges of nothing we may thinke that he is able to restore them being corrupted and ruinated into their first state againe 2. Cor. 4.6 For god that commanded the light to shine out of darkenes is he which hath shined in our harts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of god in the face of Iesus Christ 5. That we may not referre the original of corruption to god but knowe that it was purchased by the fault of Diuels and men Iohn 8. The Diuel is a lyer and a murtherer from the beginning whē he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world death by sin 6. That knowing god as in the creating so also in the maintaining and gouerning of all things not to be tied to second causes and to the order by him setled in nature but that hee may either keepe or alter it wee shoulde with confidence and full persuasion looke for and craue those things which he hath promised yea those things which in respect of second causes seeme vnpossible Rom. 4. He calleth those thinges which are not as if they were 7. That wee should celebrate for euer the knowē goodnes of god wherby he hath created all thinges not for his owne profit or happines for he wanteth nothing but for ours and seeing all other things were created for mans vse we aboue other creatures especiallie being restored from sinne and death to righteousnes and life shoulde acknowledge that we owe thankfulnes vnto god therfore Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the works of thine hands 8. That wee knowing god in as much as of nothing and through his meere goodnes hee created all thinges to owe nothing to anie but all his creatures to owe themselues all that they haue to him their creator should confesse that to be most iust whatsoeuer hee shall doe concerning vs and all his creatures Ierem. 45.4 Beholde that which I haue built will I destroie and that which I haue planted will I plucke vp euen this whole land And seekest thou great things for thy selfe seeke them not 9 That we should refer the vse of all thinges to the glorie of God since that we haue receiued al good things from him Rom. 11. Of him and through him and for him are al things 10 That seeing the works of god were therefore created and placed before our eies euen for vs to beholde them we doe not idlie but earnestlie and as much as euerie mans abilitie occasion and vocation permitteth him contemplate and consider them and learning out of them the wisedome power and goodnesse of the Artificer celebrate it both in this life and in the world to come Acts. 17.26 He hath made of one bloud all mankinde to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath assigned the times which were ordeined before the bounds of their habitation that they shoulde seeke the Lord if so be they might haue groaped after him and found him though doubtles he be not far off from euerie one of vs. OF ANGELS AMongst thinges created by GOD the chiefe and principal are those natures which are indued with reasō Angels men For in these hee imprinted the markes and image of his Diuinitie and woulde haue all other thinges to be the matter of his praise but of these he woulde bee knowen and praised and vnto them was his will to impart and communicate his blessednesse and ioy The questions concerning Angels are two the first whereof is what description is set downe in the Scripture of good Angels the other what description is deliuered of bad Angels 1 WHAT GOOD ANGELS ARE. ANgels both good and bad as holie Scripture recordeth 1 Angels spirites or incorporeal substances are spirites by which name here a spirituall person is vnderstood that is a substaunce incorporeall inuisible indiuiduall liuing vnderstanding incommunicable not susteined in another neither the part of an other as Luc. 24. it is taken A spirite hath not fleshe and bones Colos 1.16 All which are in heauen and in earth thinges visible and inuisible Heb. 1.14 They are all ministring spirits 1. King 22.21 There came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord. The Angels themselues are not seene but the bodies or shapes which they take That therefore both in times past there appeared oftentimes good Angels when as the gathering and establishing of the Church the doctrine of god beeing not as yet plainelie deliuered and the prophecies not fulfilled needed more extraordinarie and miraculous reuelations than now and now a daies also not seldome appeare bad Angels this first doth not proue their nature to be visible or corporall For those visible shapes or bodies which may be seene or felt are diuers substances from the incorporeall Essence of spirits being formed either of nothing or of some matter and carried and moued by a spirite for a time for the woorking and performing of certaine actions For both they put them off and lay them away againe and also they take formes of diuers sortes and kinds as the Serpent by whom the Diuel communed with Eue Mens bodies whose feete Abraham washed Gen. 17. A flame in the bush appearing to Moses Exod. 3. A piller of cloude and fier in the desert Horses and Chariots of fier 2. King 2. and 6. The error of the Sadduces And further this verie thing refuteth the opinion of the Sadduces Who Actes 23. said there was neither Angel
in it For God to will a thing is taken sometimes as for him to approue and woorke it sometimes for his permitting or not hindering a thing from being doone This to permit is in some sort to will as that he will not inhibit it although he dislike and punish it Sinne then is said to be doone GOD willing it not as if hee dooth intend like and work sinne as it is sinne but because he doth permit it that is he by his iust iudgement suffereth sinne which riseth from the corruption of his instruments to concurre in the action which he exerciseth by vitious corrupt creatures with his holy woork while he indeede mooueth and bendeth them by obiectes whither himselfe will but dooth not correct them by his spirit that so with God working well they also may worke well that is according to the knowledge of his diuine wil and with purpose of beeing obedient thereunto 4 Reply The priuation or bereauing of the knowledge of gods wil of rightnesse is from god Not to bereaue but to be bereaued of Gods knowledge is sinne as worker and effect or thereof This priuation is sinne Therefore sinne is from god as efficient thereof Aunswere There are foure termes in this Syllogisme For priuation in the Maior is taken actiuely to depriue bereaue forsake to withdrawe the grace of his spirite not to keep the creature in that goodnesse wherein hee was created nor to restore him to it beeing lost This woorke of GOD is most iust nothing repugnaunt to his nature and Lawe either because it is the most iust punishment of sinne or because God oweth nothing to any creature and therefore cannot be iniurious to any or an accepter of persons whatsoeuer hee dooth determine of his creatures In the Minor priuation is taken passiuely and signifieth as much as to want or the want of rightnesse which ought by the right of their creation to be in reasonable creatures This want bicause it is receiued is in the creatures they themselues willing procuring it against the lawe of god it is sinne in them and is not wrought by god but God not continually ruling these reasonable creatures by his holy spirit it is in them voluntarily without god either furthering or enforcing it To rule sinnes is not to worke them 2 Obiection When a creature is said to be ruled of God it is meant that his actions are from God and are directed to the glorie of God and the safetie of his chosen But the creatures euen when they sinne are ruled of God Therefore sinnes are wrought by god Answere The conclusion pulleth in more than was in the premisses For this only foloweth of them therfore the actions also of sinners as they are actions that is as they are not sins but motions wrought by god are froÌ„ god are ruled of him for he wil the action but the prauity naughtines of the action which is from men he wil not Moreouer God through his great goodnes ruleth guideth sins also as they are sins yet not by woorking them but by permitting them and destining and directing them to certain ends and those most good 3 Obiection Of those thinges which are done by Gods prouidence God himselfe is autor and efficient But all euils euen of crimâ—â—ded offence are doone by the prouidence of God Therefore God 〈◊〉 author of all that is euill Aunswere The Maior is to be distinguished Those thinges which are doone by Gods prouidence that is Gods prouidence working them or are done aâ— proceeding from it God worketh them But al euil thinges are doone by gods prouidence yet not all alike Euils of punishment because they haue in them a respect and consideration of good are doone as proceeding from the prouidence of god for god hath from euerlasting decreed them and in time order and maner determined by him woorketh them Euils of crime or sinnes as they are such are not done as from or of the prouidence of God but according vnto the prouidence of god that is they are done by the prouidence of god not working them but permitting determining and directing them to most good endes and most agreeable to his nature and Lawe For god did not decree or wil woorke them but he decreed to permit them and not to hinder them from being done by others from concurring in actions with the holy and sacred word of god The third sophisme of contradictory wils HE that will that to bee done which hee forbiddeth hath in him contradictorie and flat repugnant willes But God will that to be done which he forbiddeth in his law as robberies spoils rapes murthers Therefore hee hath contradictorie wils Aunswere The Maior is to be distinguished He contradicteth or is contrary to himselfe who will and will not the same woorke that is in the same manner and respect GOD will and will not the same but in a diuerse manner and respect Hee will and woorketh it as it is a motion and action and also a punishment of sinne or any thing agreeing with his Lawe and iustice as a triall or exercise or martyrdom of the godly He wil not neither alloweth nor commandeth nor woorketh anie thing as by reason of the corruption of the instrument by which he exerciseth his woork it swarueth from his diuine iustice and Lawe Nowe in a diuerse manner and respect to will and not to wil the same and yet to determine on that part whereof the reasons seeme strongest is not in vs much lesse in GOD absurde or repugnaunt The waste of Israel which the Assyrians wrought GOD wil as a punishment which his iustice of right did require hee wil not but condemneth and afterwardes most grieuouslie reuengeth in the Assyrians in as much as it was not the execution of Gods wrath God will the obedieÌ„ce of all as concerning his commaunding it vnto all but not as concerning his secret working of it in whom hee will but a fulfilling of their owne wrath and lustes against his Lawe So God will that all should obeie his worde and bee saued 1. In respect of his loue towardes al. for he is delited with the death of no man 2. In respect of his commaundement and inuiting of al to repentaunce But he wil not that al be conuerted so be saued in respect of his working or efficacy that is he commaundeth al men indeed to repent and beleeue and promiseth life to all that beleeue but he doth not any where promise that hee will work by his spirit in al that they should beleeue and be saued For if he would this it must needs bee that either all should obey Gods commaundements and be saued or that God should not be omnipotent Reply If god wil one thing in signification or by his commaundement and will effectuallie or by his efficacie and working another God no dissembler he shal be changeable and dissembler Aunswere This doth not thereof followe For euen when he wil
19. By the obedience of one manie shall bee made righteous Isay 53.5 Hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes wee are healed All wee like sheepe haue gone astraie we haue turned euerie one to his owne waie and The Lord hath laide vpon him the iniquitie of vs all 2. Cor. 5.21 Hee hath made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe when he was made a curse for vs that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Iesus that wee might receiue the promise of the spirite through faith Gal. 4 4. God sent forth his sonne made of a woman and made vnder the lawe that is made an execration or curse Gal. 3.13 For we are deliuered not from the obedience but from the curse of the lawe that hee might redeeme them which were vnder the lawe that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the bloud of christ which through the eternall spirite offered himselfe without spot to god purge your conscience from dead woorkes to serue the liuing god Heb. 10.10 By the which will we are sanctified euen by the offering of the bodie of Iesus christ once offered By these and verie many the like places of Scripture it is manifest that for Christes merite wee are not onely freed from punishment the remission of our sinnes being obtained but are also reputed righteous before GOD adopted of him to bee his sonnes blessed endewed with the holy GHOST sanctified and made heires of euerlasting life Nowe this so great force and power fully and perfectly to deliuer vs Why Christs death was of such force as fully and perfectly to saue vs. and further to bestowe most perfectly saluation on vs the death and punishment of Christ which is a most perfect merite hath first by the worthinesse of the person because hee that suffered it is God Acts. 20.28 God hath purchased the church with his owne bloud Hebrewes 9.14 which through the eternall spirite offered himselfe Hereof therefore is it that the obedience of the Sonne in punishment or satisfaction surpasseth the righteousnes and punishment or satisfaction of all the Angels and is a sufficient price and merite for so many and so great blessinges Againe it hath this force by the greetiousnesse of the punishment because hee susteined the torments and feeling of GODS wrath for all the sinnes of the whole woorlde Hee descended into hell For hee suffered so great torments thâ—t euen those who are euerlastingly damned cannot sustaine so great and so sufficient afflictions and tormentes and therefore cannot satisfie the wrath and iustice of God Obiection The sufficient punishment for sinne must needes bee eternall But the punishment of CHRIST for our sinnes was not eternall Therefore was it not sufficient neither dooth it merite Aunswere The Maior hath not a sufficient enumeration either it must bee eternall as the reprobates punishment or equiualent to eternall as was the punishment of Christ for the causes euen now specified Secondly Christ saueth vs by his efficacie power 2 Christ saueth vs by his efficacie and powerful working operation whereby hee effectually applieth vnto vs his merited deserued benefits that is 1. He iustifieth vs by imputing vnto vs that satisfaction which he performed vnto the law for our sins 2. He giueth vs by the ministerie of his word the holy ghost by whom he worketh in vs both faith whereby we appling Christs merite vnto our selues maie be assured of our iustification in the sight of god through the force thereof also conuersion or the desire loue of new obedieÌ„ce and so by his word spirit he gathereth his Church 3. He confirmeth this his collected gathered Church defendeth and preserueth it in this life against the force of Diuels and the world and against all the corporal and spiritual assaultes of all enimies euen to the end so that not one of those which are conuerted perisheth 4. And at length their bodies being raised from the dead he fullie deliuereth his church aduanced vnto euerlasting life and glorie from all sinne and euill The efficacie therefore whereby the sonne saueth vs compriseth the whole benefit of our redemption which hee bestowed on vs by faith through the vertue and woorking of his spirite For what benefites he merited by his death hee dooth not retaine them vnto him-selfe but beestoweth them on vs. For saluation and life euerlasting which him selfe had before hee purchased not for him-selfe but for vs as beeing our Mediatour The gift of the holy Ghost is part of our saluation Hereby wee may vnderstand that the giuing of the holie Ghost is a part of our saluation or deliuerie by Christ Iesus our Mediatour For the holy Ghost is hee by whom Christ effectually performeth this which hee beeing our intercessour with his Father hath promised his Father in our behalfe that is hee teacheth vs by illuminating our mindes with the knowledge of GOD and his diuine will and regenerateth or sanctifieth and guideth and establisheth vs that we may begin the studie of holines persist and profit therein vntil sinne be fully abolished in vs and sinne being abolished death must also needs be abolished which that hee might together with death destroy Christ was sent of his Father into the woorlde Of this efficacie or effectuall operation speake these places Colos 1.14 In the Sonne wee haue redemption through his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes Isai 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous seruaunt iustifie manie Iohn 1.9 That was the true light which lighteth euerie man that commeth into the world that is hee is the author and fountaine of all light both naturall in all Angels and men and spirituall in his elect and chosen Iohn 5.21 As the Father raiseth vp the dead and quickeneth them so the Sonne quickeneth whom hee will Iohn 15.26 I will send vnto you from the Father the spirite of truth Matthew 3.11 Hee that commeth after me will baptize you with the holie Ghost and with fire Ephes 4.8 When hee ascended vp on high hee gaue giftes vnto men Hee ascended that hee might fill all thinges Luc. 10.22 No man knoweth who the Father is saue the Sonne and hee to whom the Sonne will reueile him Iohn 1.18 No man hath seene GOD at anie time the onelie begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hee hath declared him Matthew 28 2. I am with you alway vntill the ende of the woorld Iohn 14.18 I will not leaue you comfortles Iohn 10.28 My sheepe shall neuer perish neither shall anie plucke them out of mine hand 1. Iohn 3.8 For this purpose appâ—â—â—ed the Sonne of God that hee might loose the woorkes of the Diuel Iohn 16.54 I will raise him vp at the last
is most absurd or hee was this from the beginning of the worlde Heb. 3. Hee is made the builder of the house whereof Moses also was a part Hebr. 13. Iesus Christ yesterdaie and to daie and the same for euer Our Second aunswere is by denying their interpretation For Saint Iohn there speaketh of the first creation Which we shewe First Because he speaketh of the second afterwardes As manie as receiued him to them hee gaue power to be the Sennes of God Likewise Of his fulnesse haue all wee receiued and againe Grace and trueth came by Iesus Christ Now he therefore setteth down the first creation before because both creations are the worke of the same That therefore he might shew that the second creation was wrought by the woorde it was necessarie for him to teach that the first also was wrought by it For the same is the Creatour and repairer of the worlde Secondly Because he saith the world was made by him Reply The woorlde heere is taken for the Church Aunswere No for hee addeth And the woorlde knewe him not The same woorlde which was made by him knewe him not Therefore hee meaneth the wicked whether elect or reprobate Thirdly other places demonstrate the same Iohn 5.17 My Father woorketh hitherto and I woorke Wherefore both of them from the beginning of the woorlde woorke the workes of both creations In the same place verse 19. Whatsoeuer thinges the Father dooth the same thinges dooth the Sonne also And vers 20. The Father sheweth him all thinges whatsoeuer hee himselfe dooth Therefore not onlie the workes of the second creation but also of the first creation preseruation and administration of the world In the same place it is said As the Father quickeneth so the Sonne quickeneth whom he wil. But the Father was from the very beginning the giuer of corporal spirituall life Col. 1.16.17 By him were all things created which are in heauen and which are on earth thinges visible and inuisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all thinges were created by him and for him And hee is before al thinges and in him al things consist Thus farre of the first creation that which followeth speaketh of the second creation Reply 1. All these speake of the instauration of the Church Answer No. Because that comprehendeth also the Angels Reply 2. The Angels also were restored by Christ and ioined to their head Auns But the new creation is called a restoring from sinne death to righteousnesse and life this agreeth not to the Angels Reply Heb. 1.2 By whom also he made the worldes The worlds that is the new Church Aunswere 1 God made the old also by him because it is one Church hauing one head and foundation 2 The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is vsed in that place signifieth in Scripture the world not the Church And faâ—der when it is there added Bearing vp al thinges by his mighty worde those words speak of the preseruation not only of the Church but of al things And moreouer he rendereth a cause why he is the heire not only of the Church but of all Creatures namely because he is the creatour preseruer of all thinges Heb. 1.10 Thou Lord in the beginning hast established the earth the heauens are the works of thine hands Reply In these wordes he conuerteth his speach to the Father to prooue that he was able by his power to lift vp the Sonne to diuine maiestie Aunswere This is â—â—â—mpudent shift and elusion 1 Because it is saide before But vnto the Sonne which appertaineth to both places of the Psalme cited by the Apostle 2 Because the Psalme dooth entreat of Christes kingdome and therefore those words which there are spoken of the Lord are to be vnderstood next immediatly of his person secondarily and mediately of the father Reply 1. If he made all thinges then then father made them not by him Aunswere Both he made them and they were made by him Ioh. 5. Whatsoeuer things the Father dooth the same dooth the Sonne also And yet the father dooth them by him Reply 2. The creatour cannot be compared with the creatures But Christ is there compared with the Angels Therefore creation of thingeâ—â—s not attributed vnto Christ Aunswere He is not comparâ—d with the creatures in any proportion but without proportion This the place it selfe of the Psalme prooueth â—he heauens shall perish but thou doost remaine Reply 3 Iâ— hee were creatour and equall with the Father hee could not sittâ— at his right hand Aunswere Wee may inuert this and saâ— of the contrarie rather if he were not equal he could not sitte at his right hand Because none but the omnipotent and true God is able to administer the kingdome of heauen earth Phil. 2.6 who beeing in the forme of god thought it no robberie to be equal with God Isay 45.23 Thus saith the Lorde that created heauen Euerie knee shall bowe vnto me This is saide of Christ Rom. 14.11 Phil. 2 10. Againe Isay 48.12 I am I am the first and I am the last My hand hath laide the foundation of the earth and my right hand hath spanned the heauens when I call them they stand vppe together These wordes Christ applieth vnto himselfe Reuelat. 1.18 and 22.23 In it was life In the word was life and the life was the light of men Wee interpret That the sonne of God is by himselfe the life as is the Father and the fountaine giuer and maintainer of al life as wel corporall and temporall as spirituall and eternall in all from the verie beginning of the world Iohn 5. He hath giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe as the father hath life in himselfe They conster it That the man Iesus is the quickener or giuer of life because in him is the life of all that no man without him and all by him are saued These are their words Vnto which we reply If hee giue eternall life to all so that no man hath is without him Therefore either no man was quickened before hee was borne of Mary which were absurd or hee was the quickner giuer of life from the beginning Euen as Ioh. affirmeth this of him as beeing verified in him also before hee was made fleshe Neither can this be vnderstood onely of his merit whereby hee deserued this life for men For that life is in him signifieth that hee is by his efficacie and effectuall woorking the quickner and reuiuer as himselfe expoundeth it Iohn 5. and 10. and the aduersaries themselues confesse So are wee also to vnderstand his illightening of men that is the knowledge of God the author whereof hee was in all euen from the beginning as himselfe saith No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and hee to whome the Sonne will reueile him And Iohn Baptist saith No man hath seene God at ANY TIME the Sonne hath declared him And the light shineth in the darckenes
from the concrete to the abstract the reason doth not follow Christ therefore suffered according to his humane nature onelie making a sufficicnt and most perfect satisfaction thereby for our sins Which his satisfaction is made ours by applicatioÌ„ which is double The one from god who iustifieth vs for christs merit maketh vs to cease from sin The other from our selues who by faith apprehend applie vnto vs Christs merit by being fully persuaded that God for the ransome of his Son doth pardon vs our sinne Nowe that there was another nature in christ which nether suffered nor died is proued by these testimonies Ioh. 2.19 Destroie this Temple in three daies I wil raise it vp again 1. Pe. 3.18 was put to death concerning the flesh but was quickned in the spirit Reu. 1.18 I was dead and behold J am aliue Ioh. 18. I haue power to laie downe my soule and power to take it vp againe 3 The causes impellent or motiues of Christs Passion 1 THE loue of God towardes mankind Ioh. 3.16 So God loued the world that he gaue his onlie begotten Sonne 2. The mercy of God towards men fallen into sin 3. The wil of God to reuenge the iniurie of the Diuel who in reproch and despite of God auerted vs from him and maimed the image of God in vs in despite of the creator But here it maie be demaunded whether Christ fulfilled the Lawe or no and secondly if he did why then hee shoulde suffer so bitter a Passion Whereunto we aunswere first that he fulfilled the Law 1. By his righteousnes in obseruing it 2. By satisfaction in suffering punishment for our sinnes who had transgressed it Both which are most perfect Nowe to the second demand then why if Christ fulfilled the law was he so grieuously punished of God seeing punishment is the wages of sinne and sinne was not in him who neuer committed anie We answere that it was not for himselfe but for vs that hee was punished Reply A righteous man ought not to be punished for the vnrighteous Aunswere True except first he voluntarilie offer himselfe for them Secondly except he willinglie do suffer in such sort for them as that he yeelde a sufficient ransome and payment Thirdly except he haue the power of recouering himselfe out of the punishment once suffered Fourthly except he be able to bring to passe that they also for whom he offereth himselfe to satisfie leaue off to transgresse and sinne hereafter Fifthly except he bee of the same nature with them for whom he satisfieth If such a satisfier bee substituted there is nothing committed against the iustice of God for in so suffering both are saued both he that suffereth and they for whome hee suffereth Now such a suretie and satisfier was Christ who is not onelie man or of the same nature with vs but wee are also his members when the whole suffereth punishment the members also and partes are punished And for this coniunction of ours with Christ our head the Apostles commonly say that he suffered in Christ 4 The final causes or ends of his Passion THE first final cause or end of his passion is That his passion might bee a sufficient ransome for our sins or the redeeming of vs. 2. The mâ—nifesting of the loue goodnes mercie righteousnes of God while he punnisheth his sonne for vs. The chiefe finall causes then are Our saluation and the glorie of God To the former belongeth the knowledge of the greatnesse of sinne that we may knowe how great an euil sinne is and what it deserueth and further to knowe that death is not now pernicious and hurtfull to the Godly and therfore not to bee feared To the latter belongeth our Iustification wherein all the benefites are comprehended which Christ merited by dying euen our deliuery from death which hee bestoweth vpon vs. Obiection If hee haue satisfied for all then al should be saued Answere He satisfied for al as touching his satisfaction but not as touching the application thereof al not applying it vnto them Wherefore hee hath satisfied for al but doth not deliuer all but only those who by faith applie it And those he deliuereth 1. Because the Father ordeined him to this or because the Father will 2. Because the Son willingly offereth himselfe 3 Because this ransome is sufficient SVFFERED VNDER PONTIVS PILATE MEntion is made of Pilate in Christs passion 1. Because Christ would receiue from him a testimony of his innocencie that thereby we might knowe that he was pronounced innocent by the voice of the iudge himselfe 2. Beecause it was requisite that he should be solemnly coÌ„demned that we might know that hee though innocent was notwithstanding condemned that we might not be coÌ„demned as also he sustained death that we might be freed from it 3. That wee might be aduertised of the fulfilling of the Prophecy Gen. 49.10 The scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giuer from betweene his feete vntill Shilo come For then was the Scepter taken from Iudah when Christ was a little after condemned of Pilate a Romane gouernour of whom before he was absolued This circumstance therefore is diligently to be coÌ„sidered in Christs passion that we may know him to be the Messias because al conditions are fulfilled in him which are required in the Messias Whereof this Prophecie of the taking away of the Scepter from Iudah was one 4. That we might know that Christ was condemned of God himselfe also and therefore that hee satisfied God for vs. For the head and gouernour of ordinarie iudgement is God himselfe Wherefore Christ was not to haue beene priuily taken away by the Iewes neither to be drawen to death by tumult and disorderlie but by lawefull order and iudgement and by inquisition made concerning all the accusations of Christ God would haue him first to be examined that his innocencie might appeare Secondly to be condemned that it might appeare that hee beeing before pronounced innocent was now condemned not for his owne fault but for ours and that so his vniust condemnation might be insteed of our most iust condemnatioÌ„ Thirdly to be put to death both that the prophecies might bee fulfilled and also that it might appear that both Iewes Gentils did put Christ to death CRVCIFIED I Beleeue in Christ Crucified that is I beleeue Christ did vndergo this punishment and this curse of the Crosse for my sake and that he was made obnoxious for my sake to Gods curse which I and we all deserued a type also of which curse was the death of the Crosse cursed by God himselfe Now for three causes would God haue his Sonne suffer the punishment of so ignominious a death 1 That we might knowe The curse due for our sinnes to haue laine vpon him so should be stirred vp to greater thankefulnesse considering how detestable a thing sinne is so that it could not be expiated or satisfied for but with the most bitter and most opprobrious and shamefull
are free from these paines that is hee speaketh of felicity and liberty which is not in Hell Whereupon also it is clear that Christ spake this to the Theefe not of his God-head but of that which suffered which was his soul For the godhead was with the Theefe neither did Christ suffer or was deliuered as touching his God-heade but as touching his soule Lastly Christ descended not into Hell locally as touching his bodie because his body was in the graue neither rose from any other place but from the graue It followeth therefore that this article cannot bee vnderstood of a locall descension into Hell Aunswere 2 Albeit it were true that Christ descended locally into Hell yet hee shoulde not haue descended for this cause which they imagine as namely to deliuer the Fathers Which also is prooued by this reason If Christ descended locally into Hel he descended either to suffer or to deliuer Not to suffer because now all thinges were finished on the Crosse as christ himselfe also hanging on the Crosse said Jt is finished He descended not to deliuer the Fathers 1 Because he did this before in suffering for them on earth 2 Hee did the same by the power and efficacie of his God-heade from the verie beginning of the worlde not by the descension of his soule or bodie into Hel. 3 The Fathers were not in Limbo Therefore they could not be deliuered thence As it is saide Luk. 16.46 Betweene you and vs there is a great gulfe set so that they which would go from hence to you cannot neither can they come from thence to vs. And in the same place Lazarus is said to bee in Abrahams bosome not in Limbo The soules of the iust are in the hand of God 3 Objection Christ indeede did not descend into Hell either to suffer or to deliuer but as some wil to shewe the Diuell and Death his victorie and so to strike a terrour into them Which they say is confirmed by that place of Peter 1. Pet. 3.19 By the which he also went preached vnto the spirits that are in prison which were in time passed disobedient Answere That for this cause Christ descended into Hell is not found in scripture that place of Peter is thus to be vnderstood Christ went that is beeing sent from the beginning of the Father vnto the Church by his spirite that is by his God-head and vnto the spirites that are now in prison that is in Hell hee preached in time passed when as yet they liued were disobedient namely before the flud and in the time of Noah inuiting them to repentance So is also another saieng of Peter to be vnderstood 1. Pet. 4.6 The Gospel was also preached vnto the dead That is vnto those which are now dead or were then dead when Peter wrote this and who then liued when the Gospel was preached vnto them Reply Christ descended into the lowest partes of the earth Ephes 4.9 Therefore to Hell Aunswere Into the lowest partes of the earth that is into the earth which is the lowest part of the world This interpretation is prooued by the scope and drift of the Apostle who maketh in that place an opposition of christs great glory his great humiliation But were it so that these places which some alleage for to establish this opinion were to be vnderstood of a locall descension of Christ into Hell yet would they not make for them but rather for the papists who teach That christ preached vnto the Fathers in Hell and thence deliuered them Now if these testimonies help not the Papists muchlesse wil they helpe them For it is certaine that it cannot be thence prooued that Christ descended into Hell to strike a terrour into Death and the Diuell This opinion indeed is not impious or vngodly is approoued by manie of the Fathers but yet I leaue it because it is not grounded on anie firme reasons and contrarie reasons are at hand easie to be had For 1. Christ himselfe said which testimonies haue now often beene recited This daie shalt thou bee with mee in Paradise Father into thy hands I commend my spirite Againe It is finished 2. Jf hee descended to triumph this Article should bee the beginning of his glorification But it is not likelie that Christ tooke the beginning of his glorification in hell For it is apparent by the opposition of the Article following That christes Descension was the lowest degree of his humiliation And yet I confesse withall that christ stroke a great terrour into the Diuels but that was by his death whereby hee disarmed and vanquished the Diuel sin and death THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAINE FROM THE DEAD I Beleeue that Christ shooke off death from himselfe quickened his deade body reunited his bodie vnto his soule restored vnto himselfe a blessed celestial and glorious life and that by his owne proper power The chiefe Questions of christs resurrection are 1 Whether Christ rose againe 2 How he rose 3 For what cause he rose 4 The fruit of his resurrection 1 WHETHER CHRIST ROSE AGAINE THat Christ rose againe is prooued by the testimonies of Angels weomen Euangelistes Apostles and other Saintes who after his resurrection sawe him felt him and talked with him And wee were to beleeue the Apostles in respect of the authority which they had from heauen although they had not seene him 2 HOW CHRIST ROSE CHRIST rose first by his owne power euen by his Godheade Iohn 2.19 Destroie this temple and in three daies I will raise it vp againe Ioh. 10.18 I haue power to laie downe my soule and haue power to take it vp againe Ioh. 5.21 As the Father raiseth vp the dead and quickeneth them so the Sonne quickeneth whom he will Obiection But the Father raised him Rom. 4.24 Therefore hee raised not himselfe Aunswere The Father raised the Sonne by the Son himselfe not as by an instrument but as by another person of the same essence and power with the Father The Sonne is raised of the Father by himselfe Himselfe hath raised vp himselfe by his spirite Secondlie Iesus Christ true God and man rose according to that nature according to which he suffered namelie according to his humane nature euen the true humane nature and the same in essence and properties and that not deified but glorified al infirmities thereof beeing done away Luk. 24.39 Behold my handes and my feete for it is I my selfe handle me and see me for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see mee haue And truely nothing else coulde rise againe but that which had fallen The same bodie therefore which fell did rise againe which is the greatest comfort vnto vs. For hee must haue been one and the same Mediatour who should merit for vs a communicating and participation of those benefits which we had lost by sin who should restore the same vnto vs and applie them to euerie one Againe except Christes fleshe hadde risen neither shoulde ours rise
resurrection of our Mediatour was requisite for our iustification first because except his punishment had beene finite wee coulde not haue recouered out of euerlasting death from which the Mediatour was so to deliuer vs as that hee shoulde vtterly ouercome it in vs. If then our Mediatour was vtterlie to vanquish and ouercome death in vs hee ought then so to die as to ouercome death first in himselfe and so to fulfill indeede that which was foretolde Ose 13.14 1. Cor. 15.54 Death is swallowed vp into victorie O Death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie Againe Except Christ had ouercome death he could not haue bestowed his benefites on vs which by his death hee had merited for vs neither should we knowe that hee had satisfied for vs because if hee had continued in death it had beene a certaine argument that he had not satisfied but was ouercome of death of the burdē of sin For where death is there is sinne or if he had satisfied yet had remained in death this had been contrarie to the iustice of God Wherefore Christ was to rise both that wee might knowe that hee had promerited benefites for vs and also that himselfe might applie the same vnto vs that is that by his merit and efficacy we might be perfectlie saued and iustified 2. Christ rose for our regeneration For iustification or remission of sinnes sufficeth not without the inchoation and beginning of a new life 3. For our saluation and glorification God wil by this meanes euerlastinglie quicken and glorifie vs that beeing inserted and engraffed into the masse of his Son that is his humane nature wee maie for euer bee carried of it and out of it drawe life For these causes it was necessarie that Christ shoulde rise againe that is that his soul which was laide downe from the body should be againe ioined with the same body For resurrection is nothing else than a coniunction or reuniting of the same body with the same soule 4 What are the fruites of Christes Resurrection ALL the causes of Christs Resurrection are not fruites of his Resurrection And after a diuerse maner are the causes and the fruites of his resurrection considered and moreouer the benefites of Christ bestowed by his resurrection are one way considered as causes of Christs resurrection and otherwise as fruites of the same For the Questions are diuerse Wherefore christ rose And What fruits Christs resurrection bringeth vnto vs. Furdermore the fruite of Christs resurrectiō of two sorts the one respecting christ the other vs. For first as the Apostle sayth Rom. 1.4 Hee is declared by the resurrection to bee the Sonne of God euen the onely begotten and beloued Sonne of God who is also God himselfe Againe Christs humane nature also was by his resurrection adorned with that glorie which becommeth the nature of the Son of God The fruit of Christs resurrection which respecteth vs is of many sorts But to speake in general all the benefites of christes death are the fruites which we receiue by his resurrection For Christes resurrection maketh that his death hath his effect Christ by his resurrection dooth applie vnto vs those benefites which he merited for vs by his death by this means the same are the benefits both of his death resurrection which are otherwise merited for vs thā they ar bestowed on vs. For it was not necessarie that the verie act of meriting deseruing should dure all the time both of the old and the new Church but onely the act of bestowing or applieng the same and therefore it was necessarie also that the Mediatour should be continually that hee might bestow those benefites on the Church which hee was once to merite for this can not bee doone without a Mediatour and therefore neither can the Church be for one moment without a Mediator In the old church Christ the Mediator did bestow on the Fathers the benefits of his death to come by the force and efficacy of his resurrection to come nowe he bestoweth them on vs by the efficacie of his resurrection alreadie past It remaineth now that wee in speciall reckon the chiefe fruites which the resurrection of Christ bringeth vnto vs. First then by the resurrection of Christ wee know him to be the Messias as in whom the prophecies were fulfilled Secondly We are confirmed and warranted by Christes resurrection 1. Of his merit That hee hath fullie and perfectlie satisfied for our sinnes For one onelie sinne not being satisfied for had withheld christ still in death He was cast into such a prison as that except he had paied the vtmost farthing he had not beene let goe But he was let goe and dimissed Therefore he paied the vtmost farthing 2. We are confirmed of the application of Christes benefites which could not haue been bestowed if he had not risen For as was said before it was necessarie that the selfesame Mediatour beeing man should rise againe Ioh 7.39 The holy Ghost was not yet giuen Iesus was not yet glorified Wherefore wel saith Saint Paul Rom. 4.25 That Christ is risen again for our righteousnes that is to confer and apply righteousnesse vnto vs. Thirdly A fruit of christes resurrection is the gift of the holie Ghost by whom christ regenerateth vs and giueth vs eternal life Before time the Godlie were also endued with the holie Ghost and regenerated but more sparingly than nowe in the newe Testament and yet both by the force and vertue of his resurrection For the holy Ghost by whose vertue and operation onely wee are regenerated cannot be giuen but by the resurrection and ascension of christ Fourthly We must also ascribe and attribute it vnto christes resurrection that hee preserueth vs by his perpetuall and applied righteousnesse that hee beginneth in vs eternal life and so dooth also ascertaine and assure vs of the consummation and accomplishment of eternall life whereof wee cannot bee certaine except wee haue the beginning thereof and the beginning we should not haue except we had the holy Ghost Fiftlie The resurrection of our bodies is the fruite of christes resurrection 1. Because christ is our Heade and wee his members Now it is expedient for the Heades glorifie that the members bee glorious Christ indeede shoulde bee by himselfe though hee had no members or if his members continued in death but hee should not be Head because he is not heade but in respect of his members Neither shoulde hee bee a king without a kingdome according to the nature of correlatiues whose verie beeing dependeth vppon necessarie relation which one hath to the other and according to the nature of correlatiues a glorious head doth require glorious members and such as are correspondent vnto it 2. Because if Christ be risen he hath also abolished sinne If he hath abolished sinne either hee hath abolished his own sin or ours but not his owne therefore ours If he hath abolished our sin he hath abolished death also For if the cause
All other proofes and arguments may be referred vnto these 2 What is the last iudgement IN euerie iudgement are the Accused the Accuser the iudge the cause examination hearing of the cause the Law according to which iudgement is giuen the sentence of absolution and condemnation and the execution thereof according to the Lawes Judgement then in generall is an inquisition or examination of a cause by an ordinarie and lawfull iudge according to iust Lawes and a pronouncing of sentence and the exequution thereof according to iust Lawes Nowe is it easie to define this iudgement of God This iudge hath no neede of inquisition or examination of the cause or of witnesses and accusers seeing he is himselfe the searcher of harts Therefore there shal be only the iudge men of whom sentence shall be giuen the law according to which sentence shal be giuen execution The definition of it is this 1 The last iudgement is a iudgement which God shal exercise in the end of the world by christ who should then visiblie descend froÌ„ heauen in a cloud in the glorie maiesty of his Father Angels by whom also then shall be raised from the dead all men which haue died since the beginning of the world vnto the end thereof but the rest who are then liuing shal be sodainly chaunged and all presented before the tribunall seate of Christ who shall giue sentence of al and shal cast the wicked with the diuels into euerlasting tormentes but shall receiue vp the godlie vnto himselfe that they maie with him and blessed Angels enioie eternal happinesse and glorie in heauen It may be defined more brieflie on this wise The last iudgement shall bee a manifestation or declaration and separation of the iust and vniust who euer haue liued or shall liue from the beginning of the woâ—ld vnto the end proceeding from God by christ and a pronouncing of sentence on these men and an execution thereof according to the doctrine of the Law and Gospel The partes of this definition wee wil now in few wordes confirme 1. That iudgement shall be a manifestation of the iust and vniust For Reuel 20.12 The books shall be opened that the secrets of hartes may bee laied open 2. There shall bee a separation of the iust and vniust For Mat. 25.32 Christ shall place the sheep on his right hand but the goats on his left hand 3. This manifestation and separation shal be wrought of God by Christ If of God then shal it bee a most diuine and iust iudgement Rom. 3.6 Jf God bee vnrighteous how shall hee iudge the world Jt shall bee made and wrought by christ because Iohn 5.22 The Father hath committed all iudgement vnto the Son And Act. 17.31 God hath appointed to iudge the worlde by a man 4. Jâ— shall bee a pronouncing of sentence Mat. 25.34 Come yee Blessed of my Father We are Blessed of God not in Adam but in his seed and therefore the sentence shall bee giuen according to the gospel For by nature wee are subiect vnto the wrath of God Therefore also shall the godly say When saw wee thee hungering or thirsting They shall confesse that the retribution of rewardes commeth not by their merit but by his grace Furder after this manner the wicked and the godly shall bee iudged according to the Lawe and Gospell Absolution shall bee principally according to the Gospel but shal be confirmed by the Law Condemnation shal bee principally by the Lawe but shall be confirmed of the Gospel Sentence shal bee giuen on the wicked according to their owne merite Sentence shall be giuen on the godlie according to Christes merite applyed vnto them by faith a testimonie and witnesse of which faith shal be their workes Now to be iudged is to bee declared iust before the tribunal of Christ and to enter into euerlasting life and that with a respect and condition of faith which is required in the Gospell Obiection But vnto euerie man shall be giuen according to his workes Therefore iudgement shall be giuen on al according to the doctrine of the Law Aunswere In this sense shal be giuen also vnto the elect according to their works not that their works are merites but in that they are the effects of faith Wherefore vnto the elect shal be giuen according to their woorkes that is they shal be iudged according to faith to be iudged according to faith is to be iudged according to the Gospel But the iudge maketh mention of our woorks and not of faith First because he wil haue it knowen to others why he so iudgeth least the vngodly condemned persons might obiect that hee giueth vs eternal life vniustly Wherefore he wil shew them our workes and will bring them forth as testimonies to refute them that we haue in this life applyed vnto vs Christes merit Secondly That wee maie haue comfort in this life that we shall hereafter according to our works stand at his right hand 3 Who shall be iudge CHrist shall bee the iudge Iohn 5.22 Hee hath committed all iudgement vnto the Son Neither yet are the Father the holie Ghost remoued from this iudgement But Christ immediatly shal speake and giue sentence and that in his humane nature And when he speaketh God shal speake not onely because he himselfe is God but because the Father shal speake by him The iudgement then shall belong vnto all three persons of the God-head as concerning their consent and authority but vnto Christ as touching the publishing and exequuting of the iudgement For Christ shall visibly giue sentence of all which sentence he shal also together execute The church also shal iudge as touching the approbation and allowing of this iudgement as Christ saith Luk. 22.30 That the Apostles shal sit on twelue seates and shall iudge the twelue tribes of Israel that is they shall subscribe vnto Christes iudgement and approoue his sentence The causes why Christ man shall bee iudge are these 1. Because the church is to bee glorified by the same Mediatour by whom and for whom it was iustified Act. 17.31 God wil iudge the woorld in righteousnesse by that man whome hee hath appointed Matth. 24.30 They shal see the sonne of man come in the cloudes of heauen with power and great glorie Ioh. 5.27 The Father hath giuen power to the Sonne to execute iudgement in that hee is the Sonne of man 2. That we maie haue comfort knowing him to bee our iudge who hath purchased vs with his bloode and who maketh vs his brethren yea his parts and members For he is 1 Our brother and our flesh 2 He hath promised and saide Ioh. 3.36 He that beleeueth in the Sonne hath eternall life cap. 6.24 Verilie verily I say vnto you hee that heareth my word beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life The third cause why he commeth is to deliuer his Church
are not al alwaies estrâ—iâ—ged from the church but are sometimes made members of the visible Church though sometimes they depart from it 1. Ioâ— 2.19 They went our â—ro vs. Act 2â— 29 Grieuous wolues shall enter in among you Obiect These terms are mutuallie affirmed one of the other To be saued Elected To Beleeue For al beleeuers are Elected and to be saued And al who are to be sâ—uâ—d and are Elected do beleeue Aunswere These termes indeed are mutually one affirmed of another but yet with a certaine limitation All true beleeuers and al that are to be saued are Elected and that alwaies and at all times But all that are Elected are both beleeuers and to bee saued but yet not alwaies The Elect are to be saued alwaies but are not both beleeuers and to be saued alwaies For at one time they maie bee saide that they are to bee saued and at another that they are beleeuers at another that they are saued Thus faire then are these terms mutually affirmed each of other as that al the Elect doe beleeue or shal beleeue before the ende of their life For now is the time of grace then shall be the time of iudgement Obiection Christ notwithstanding calleth those which were not as yet câ—nuerted of the Gentiles his sheepe J haue saith he other sheepe which are not of this fold that is of this part of the Church which is to be gathered out of the Jewes Wherefore those other sheepe seeme to bee of the general flock Aunswere They were then sheepe according to the prouidence and counsel of God but they were not sheep as concerning the fulfilling of his decree that is they were predestinated sheep In sum The Elect are not alwaies members of the church but yet it is required of necessity that in this life they bee brought vnto the Church though it be sometimes euen at the very point of death This is it which is said That all the Elect must in this life beginne eternal life The Reprobate are indeed sometimes members of the church neither are they alwaies estranged from it but their comming is no true comming to the Church neither are they euer members of the inuisible Church that is of the Church and companie of Saintes For from this they are euer aliens 8 Whether the Elect may fall from the Church and the Reprobate abide alwaies in the Church THIS question is cleared laid open by those things which are spoken of the vnchangeablenes of election and of the perseuerance of the Saints The Elect cannot 〈◊〉 holy and 〈◊〉 â—om the Church and godly The Elect when they are once indeede come vnto the Church of the Saints they may sometime fall from it but wholy and finally forsake it they neuer can Not wholy because they neuer so defect or fall that they become enimies of God and the Church Not finally because they persist not in this Apostasie but at length returne to repentance 1. Jâ—h 2.19 They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. Isai 42.3 A bruse breede shall hee not breake and the smoking flaxe shall he not quench Ioh. 10.28 No man shall plucke my sheepe out of mine hand The reprobate at the length fall finally from it All the reprobate hypocrites do at length finally depart from the Church and together with those giftes which they had they leese also those gifts which they seemed to haue Obiect The Godlie also oftentimes fal away as Dauid and Peter Ans They fall but neither wholy nor finally which also befel vnto Peter For he retained still in his minde the loue of Christ although for fear of danger he denied him He acknowledged also afterwards his offence and did truly repent him thereof Dauid also did not wholy fall away but beeing rebuked of the Lord by the Prophet hee truely repented and shewed that his faith was not quite dead but in a slumber rather for a season But hypocrites and the reprobate doe at length wholy and finally reuolt and fall away For they doe so at last fall away that they neuer returne to repentance And because the true loue of God was neuer in theÌ„ so neither themselues euer were of the number of gods elect Saints therfore at length they wholy and altogether depart and fall away from the Church 9 What is the vse of this doctrine THE vse of this doctrine is 1. That the glorie of our saluation be in whole ascribed and giuen to God What hast thou that thou hast not receiued 2. That we may haue sure and certain comfort This we shall haue when as wee shall not doubt of those things which are here taught and that especially if euerie of vs be certainely perswaded that the decree of God of sauing his elect is altogether vnchangeable and further that himself also is of the number of the elect euen a member of the inuisible Church and therefore shâ—ll neuer depart from the Church and communion of Saints because it is sanctified of God and therefore is holy and conformed vnto God not in perfection but is holy first by imputation by reason of the holines of Christ imputed vnto it next by inchoation because the holy Ghost dooth by little and little renew it and repuâ—ge it from the filth of sinne and lastly it is holy because it is dedicated to a holy sacred and diuine vse and seuered from the wicked which are without the church To beleeue therefore the holy Church is to beleeue that in this visible companie and society are some true repentants and truely conuerted and my selfe to be a liuely member of the inuisible and visible Church OF THE COMMVNION OF SAINTS THE Articles following are concerning the benefits of Christ bestowed on the Church by the holy ghost The Communion of Saints signifieth 1. The communion of Christes members with him and among themselues The Vnion of the Church with Christ and of his members among themselues 2. The communion or participation of all Christs benefites For all the Saints haue the same reconciliation redemption righteousnes saluation sanctification by and for Christ All the Saints haue the same benefits common which are necessarie to saluation Eph. 4.4 There is one bodie and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation one Lord one Faith one Baptisme 3. Jt signifieth the distribution of speciall giftes These particular giftes also are common to the whole Church as which are bestowed on some members of the Church for the saluation of the whole bodie euen For the gathering together of the Saints Eph 4.12 for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ But they are so distributed vnto euerie member as that some excell and goe before othersome in gifts and graces in the Church For the gifts of the holy Ghost are diuers and to euerie one of vs is giuen grace
7. Christ is a perfect Sauiour because he hath saued and reconciled to god whole man Therefore our corrupt bodie also shall be raised by Christ and rise againe 8. Christ is not of lesse force to saue than Adam to leese Nay Christ hath restored vnto vs al that which Adam lost destroied by sinning yea and far more and greater things by his merit Adam had lost from vs among other gifts the eternall life also of our bodies Therefore Christ hath restored it vnto vs and consequently we shall certainely rise againe 9. God is the God of whole man This reason Christ also vseth against the Sadduces Mat. 22.31 Haue yee not read what is spoken vnto you of God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Jsaac and the god of Jacob God is not the god of the dead but of the liuing And so God is the God of whole man not of a part onely For if he were God of a part that is of the soule onely he were not perfectly and fullie our God 10. He published his lawe vnto man after the fall Therefore hee will haue man once keepe it But that is not done in this life Therefore it shall be done in the life to come and therefore men shall rise againe 11. The wages of sinne is death Therefore sinne being abolished death shal be abolished and so death being abolished we shall rise againe vnto euerlasting life To this end also our bodies were made that in them as temples the holy Ghost might dwell for euer 4 For what end the Resurrection shall be THE last end of the Resurrection is gods glorie The endes of the resurrection 1 Gods glorie For to this end shall the Resurrection be that God may manifest and together fullie and perfectly exercise both his mercy towards the faithful and his iustice toward the reprobate and so may declare the vnutterable certainty of his promises The next and subordinate end to the former is the saluation and the glorie of the Elect and of the contrarie 2 The saluation and glorie of the elect and the damnation of the reprobate the damnation and punishment of the reprobate For the Elect or Saints of god shall rise to euerlasting life Reuel 3.21 To him will J graunt to sit with me in my throne Reuel 7.13 They shall be araied in long white robes Dan. 12.3 They shall shine as the Sunne But the wicked shall rise to be drawen to euerlasting paines and torments Mat. 25.41 Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuel and his Angels and a little after And these shall goe into euerlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall Obiection Christs Resurrection is the cause of our Resurrection and also the benefite of Christs Resurrection is our Resurrection But this cause and this benefite belongeth not to vnbeleeuers and Jnfidels Therefore they shall not rise Aunswere This whole reason is graunted namely that the wicked shall not rise because of Christs Resurrection but hence it foloweth not that they shall not rise because they shal rise in respect of another cause which is that they may be punished There is but one end indeede of our Resurrection in respect of God which is his glorie but the manner of comming to this end is diuers 5 By whom the Resurrection shall be The Resurrectiō by Christ THE Resurrection shall be by Christ for by the force and vertue of Christ our Sauiour we shall rise Joh. 6.44 J will raise him vp in the last day Which speech of Christ is to bee vnderstood of the bodie For hee doth not raise vp the souls because they die not Now Christ man shall raise vs though by the vertue of his Godhead Joh. 5.28 The houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare the voice of the Sonne of man Act. 17.31 God hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnes by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath giuen assurance vnto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead And hence ariseth vnto vs great consolation and comfort Because he is true man who shall raise vs he will not neglect his owne flesh and members but wil raise them euen vs will he raise to eternal life for which cause he tooke our flesh and redeemed vs. Obiection But the father is saide to raise vs yea to raise Christ himselfe Rom. 8.11 Hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies because that his spirite dwelleth in you Therefore wee shall not bee raised by Christ nor by the power of Christ Answere The Father shall raise vs by his Sonne mediately But the Sonne shall immediately raise vs with his spirit as being our only Redeemer Phil. 3.20 We looke for our Sauiour from heauen euen the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby he is able euen to subdue all thinges vnto himselfe But the spirite shall immediately raise vs by himselfe 6 How the Resurrection shall be At the resurrection 1. The dead shall bee raised 1 THE dead shall bee raised with a shoute and with the voice of the Archangell with the trumpet of god and shal be presented before the high and most iust iudge Iesus Christ The resurrection therefore shall bee in glorious manner and openlie not fearefullie nor in secret and shall bee far other than that which was wrought in some men at the resurrection of Christ For it shall bee done all beholding it yea with the exceeding ioy of al the godly with the exceeding feare and trembling of the wicked 2. They who then shall remaine aliue 2 The liuing shall bee changed shall bee in a moment of time changed and bee made of mortall immortall Read Cap. 15 of the former to the Corinthians and Cap. 4. of the former to the Thessalonians 7 When the Resurrection shall be THE Resurrection shall be in the end of the world In the last day Joh. 6.40 J will raise him vp at the last day This question is to bee helde and proposed of vs that our faith bee not troubled while wee are forced to expect and tarry or that we may not imagine to our selues any certain time when we thinke these things wil happen and so beginne to doubt and thinke our selues to be deluded when those thinges fall not so out nor come to passe at the time appointed by vs. This question maketh for the increase of hope and faith in vs. 8 What bodies shall rise THese selfe same bodies shall rise The same bodies shall rise Iob. 19 26. Eph. 6.8 2. Cor. 5.10 and not others created of christ as the Anabaptists will haue it For Iob saith Jn this flesh shall J see my Lord. And the Apostle saith Euery man shall receiue in his bodie according to
death is The euerlasting death of the wicked and is so called not because the reprobate by once dyeng shall fulfill it but because they shall die perpetuallie and shall feele perpetuall tormentes 2 Who giueth euerlasting life Euerlasting life the worke of all three Persons GOD alone giueth eternall life the Father giueth it by the son the holy ghost Of the Father it is said Ioh. 5.21 As the Father raiseth vp the dead and quickneth them so the son quickneth whom he will In which place the same is affirmed of the son also as in like maner in these folowing Ioh. 14. In him was life Isai 9.6 The Father of eternitie Iohn 10.28 I giue vnto them eternall life that is not by merit onely but also by power and working Of the Holy Ghost likewise it is saide Iohn 3.5 Except a man bee borne of water and the spirit hee can not enter into the kingdome of God Rom. 8.11 Hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit dwelling in you And this testimonie is to bee obserued for the confirmation of the Godhead of both Obiection But the ministers also giue life according to that of Paul 1. Cor. 4.15 In Christ Iesus J haue begotten you through the Gospel Aunswere Christ and the holy Ghost giue life by their owne power the ministers are onely instruments by whom Christ worketh through thâ— vertue of his spirite Replie But Christ giueth life by a communicated power Therefore not by his proper power Answere He giueth it by a power communicated but communicated from euerlasting as he was begotten from euerlasting Ioh. 5.26 As the Father hath life in himselfe so likewise hath he giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe 3 To whom euerlasting life is giuen EVerlasting life is giuen to all the Elect All the Elect they alone are partakers of euerlasting life and to them onely Joh. 10.28 I giue vnto them eternal life that is to my sheepe who are his elect and chosen Iohn 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen me for they are thine and verse 12. Those that thou gauest me haue I kept and none of them is lost but the childe of perdition Againe faith and repentaunce are proper vnto the Elect only but these are part of eternal life Therefore eternal life belongeth to the Elect onely Rom. 11.7 The Elect haue obtained it and the rest haue beene hardened Wee must obserue in this place whereas the question is To whom euerlasting life is giuen that it is better to answere That eternal life is giuen to the Elect than to say it is giuen vnto the conuerted * As they are elected so theâ— are but chosen to eternall life as they are conuerted so they are in part admitted vnto it and begin to bâ— put in possession of it For conuersion and faith are the beginning of eternal life And to say Eternal life is giuen to the conuerted were all one as if you woulde say life is giuen to the liuing 4 For what cause euerlasting life is giuen THE impellent or motiue cause of euerlasting life giuen vnto vs is the alone free mercy of God For a good thing doth communicate it selfe and make others partakers of it and his loue towardes mankinde God of his â—ree mercy giueth vs for Christs sake euerlasting life that wee might praise and magnifie the same his mercy for euer And he will that euerlasting life bee giuen vs and himselfe giueth the same vnto vs for the alone intercession and merit of Christ imputed vnto vs by the comming and interposing whereof gods mercy is more illustrated and manifested than without it But no work of man either foreseene in vs or present is the cause of this eternall life whereunto notwithstanding wee are brought by many meanes Before the beginning of eternal life our woorkes merit eternall death after the beginning thereof all our woorkes are effectes thereof and nothing is cause of it selfe The final cause or end for which eternal life is giuen vs is that the mercy of God might be acknowledged and magnified of vs. Eph. 1.6 To the praise of the glorie of his grace wherewith hee hath made vs accepted in his beloued For the same cause God giueth vs eternall life for which hee chose vs. 5 When euerlasting life is giuen Euerlasting life is beguâ— here by conuersion IN this life is giuen the beginning of eternal life and that necessarily For vnto whom life euerlasting is not begunne to be giuen here that is who beginneth not here to feele a part of eternal life to wit faith and conuersion vnto him life euerlasting shal neuer be giuen after this life 2. Corinth 5.2 Therefore we sigh desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heauen Because that if we be clothed we shal not bee found naked It is consuÌ„mated in the worlde to come by glorification The consummation of euerlasting life is after this life for vnto whom euerlasting life is begunne to bee giuen here to them shal it be giuen finished compleate and consummated And of this consuÌ„mation ther are two degrees one when the soule is presently carried into heauen because by the death of the bodie we are freed from all infirmitie the other degree is greater higher and more glorious when in the resurrection of the bodies the soules shall againe be vnited to their bodies because after the resurrection we shal be made glorious and shall see God euen as hee is Iohn 5.24 He that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life 1. Iohn 3.2 Nowe are wee the Sonnes of GOD but yet it dooth not appeare what wee shall bee and wee knowe that when hee shal appeare we shal bee like him for we shal see him as he is 6 How euerlasting life is giuen vnto vs. EVerlasting life is giuen vnto vs by the holy Ghost God giueth vâ— euerlasting â—iâ—â— by the outwâ— ministerie 〈◊〉 thâ—â—warde miâ— of the spirit and the holy Ghost giueth it vs in this life by the ministerie of the word by the worde he worketh in vs the knowledge of God and his wil This knowledge hath following it a study and desire more and more to know God and to liue according to the prescript of his will It is giuen heere vnto infants so that they haue an inclination to repentaunce and faith But the consummation and accomplishment of euerlasting life shal be giuen vs after this life immediately Now that it is heere giuen vs mediately by the woorde is prooued by plaine testimonies of Scripture John 6.68 Whither shall wee goe say the Disciples Thou hast the words of life 1. Corint 4.15 Jn Christ Jesus J haue begotten you through the gospel Rom. 116. The gospell is the power of
posteritie Vnto other Nations but not vnto the Iewes it was free to be circumcised or not to be circumcised Wee must here obserue that they of the olde testament were of three sorts 1. Jsraelites which were of Abrahams posteritie and were necessarily bound by the Lawe to obserue circumcision the ceremonies 2. Proselytes who of the Gentiles were conuerted vnto the Iewes did more more for cōfirming of their faith submit thē selues vnto circumcision and the whole ceremonial lawe 3. Those of the gentiles who were conuerted vnto the Iewes but did not obserue the ceremonies For vnto the gentiles and Prosylites it was free to keepe or not to keepe circumcision and the ceremonies These latter were called also Religious men who embraced onely the doctrine and promises of god Obiect The males onelie were circumcised therefore the women were shut out from the couenant of grace Aunswere The women were comprehended in the circumcision of the males And God spared the weaker sex And it sufficed for them to come of godly progenitors 2 What are the ends of circumcision CIrcumcision was instituted 1. That it might bee a signe of the grace of God towardes Abrahams posteritie and that doubly First that God woulde receiue the beleeuers by the Messias who was to come Secondly that he would giue them the land of Canaan and graunt his church a certaine place there vntill the comming of the Messias 2. That it might be a bond to bind Abraham and his seede vnto thankefulnes or to faith and repentance and so to keepe the whole law 3. That it might bee a marke to distinguish the Iewes from other Nations and Sects 4. That it might bee a sacrament of initiating and receiuing them into the church 5. That it might bee an accusation and a signification of vncleannes For that rite did shewe that all men were subiect to sinnes and vnclean 6. That it might bee a signe which shoulde shewe and signifie that the meanes of their deliuerance through Christ which was to come shoulde not come elsewhence than from the bloud of Abraham 3 Why circumcision is abolished CIrcumcision is abolished 1. Because the thing signified is exhibited For among other things it signified that the Messias promised vnto the Fathers should come at length in his appointed time and should in our behalfe take our nature 2. Because circumcision was instituted for the seuering of the Iewes from all other Nations but now the church that difference being abolished is collected and gathered out of al Nations And now the sacrament of baptisme performerth the same vnto vs which circumcision did vnto them Moreouer as circumcision was a signe vnto them of their receiuing into the people of God So is baptisme vnto vs the first mark which seuereth the church from the wicked 4 Why Christ was circumcised CHrist was circumcised 1. That hee might signifie that hee was also a member of that circumcised people 2. That hee might shew that he receiued and tooke our sinnes on himselfe that he might satisfie for them 3. That he might testifie that he did entirelie and fullie fulfill the law in our behalfe 4. The circumcision of Christ was a part also of his humiliation and Ransome OF THE LORDS SVPPER THE chiefe questions 1 What the Supper of the Lord is 2 What are the ends thereof or wherefore it was instituted 3 What is differeth from Baptisme 4 What is the sense and meaning of the words of the institution 5 What is the difference betweene the Lords Supper and the Papists Masse 6 What is the right vse of the Supper 7 What the wicked receiue in the Supper 8 Who are to come and to be admitted vnto the Supper 1 WHAT THE SVPPER OF THE LORD IS FIrst we wil see by what names the Supper of the Lorde is called then wee wil in few woordes define what it is This action or ceremony or rite instituted by a Christ a little before his death is called A supper Why it is called a Supper from the first institution of it that is in respect of the originall or first beginning of this rite or in respect of the time wherein this ceremony was instituted which circumstance of time the church hath chaunged Jt is likewise called Synaxis that is Why a conuent a conuent in respect of the assembly and conuent of the church because some either few or many assemble and meete together in celebrating of the supper For in the first celebration the Disciples were present Take this and diuide it among you Wherefore it must needs be that there was some number there which also appeareth by the Apostle repeating the first institution 1. Cor. 11. where in the end he addeth When ye come together to eat tarry one for another And further that moe ought to come together to celebrate the supper this end of the supper doth euidently enough shew in that it was instituted to be a token and euen a bond of loue For we that are many are one bread and one bodie It is called also the Eucharist Why the Eucharist Why a sacrifice Why Missa because it is a rite and ceremony of thankesgiuing Last of all it is called also a sacrifice because it is the commemoration of christs propitiatory benefit And at length it was also called Missa frō the offering or from the dimissing of the rest who might not communicate after the sermō which went before the celebration was finished Now let vs come to define the Lords Supper The definition of the Lordes Supper THE Lords supper is a ceremonie or sacrament instituted and appointed of christ vnto the faithfull for a memorial of him whereby christ dooth certainly promise and seale vnto mee and all the faithfull first that his body was offered and broken on the crosse for mee and his bloode shed for me as truely as I see with my eies the bread of the Lord to be broken vnto me and his cup distributed and moreouer that hee doth as certainlie with his body crucified and his blood shed feed and nourish my soul vnto euerlasting life as my body is fed with the bread the cup of the lord receiued from the hand of the minister which are offered to me as certaine seales of the body blood of Christ It may be also more briefly defined on this wise The lords supper is a distributing receiuing of bread and wine commaunded of Christ vnto the faithfull that by these signes he might testifie that hee hath deliuered and yeelded his body vnto death and hath shedde his bloode for them and dooth giue them those thinges to eate and drinke that they might be vnto them the meate and drink of eternall life and that thereby also he might testifie that he would dwel in them for euer And againe that of the otherside hee might by the same signe bind them to mutuall dilection and loue seeing Christ spareth not to giue his body and bloode for vs. This
are receiued of vs namelie earthly externall and visible signs as are bread and wine and besides these also heauenlie internall and inuisible gifts as are the true bodie of Iesus Christ together with al his gifts and benefits and heauenlie treasures Thirdly that in the supper we are made partakers not onlie of the spirit of Christ and his satisfaction iustice vertue and operation but also of the verie substaunce and essence of his true-bodie and bloud which was giuen for vs to death on the crosse and which was shed for vs and are trulie fed with the selfe-same vnto eternal life and that this verie thing christ should teach vs and make knowen vnto vs by this visible receiuing of this bread and wine in his supper Fourthly That the bread and wine are not changed into the flesh and bloud of Christ but remaine true and natural bread and wine that also the bodie and bloud of christ are not shut vp into the bread and wine and therefore the bread and wine are called of christ his bodie and bloud in this sense for that his bodie and bloud are not onlie signified by these and set before our eies but also because as often as we eat and drink this bread and wine in the true and right vse Christ himselfe giueth vs his body and bloud indeed to be the meat and drink of eternal life Fiftly That without the right vse this receiuing of bread and wine is no sacrament neither anie thing but an emptie and vaine ceremonie and spectacle and such as men abuse to their own damnation Sixtly That there is no other true and lawful vse of the supper besides that which Christ himselfe hath instituted and commaunded to be kept namelie this that this bread and this wine be eaten and drunken in remembrance of him and to shew forth his death Seuenthly that Christ in his supper dooth not commaund and require a dissembled and hypocritical remembraunce of him and publishing of his death but such as embraceth his passion and death and all his benefites obtained by these for vs by a true and liuelie faith and with earnest and ardent thankefulnesse and applieth them vnto those which eate and drink as proper vnto them Eightly that Christ will dwell in beleeuers onelie and in them who not through contempt but through necessitie cannot come to the Lords supper yea in al beleeuers eueÌ„ from the beginning of the woorld to all eternitie euen as well and after the same manner as hee will dwell in them who came vnto the Lords Supper They disagree in these pointes FIRST that one part contendeth that these woordes of Christ This is my bodie must be vnderstood as the words sound which yet that part it selfe doth not but the other part that those words must be vnderstoode sacramentallie according to the declaration of Christ and Paul according to the most certaine and vnfallible rule and leuil of the articles of our christian faith SecoÌ„dly that one part wil haue the bodie bloud of christ to be essentiallie Jn or With the bread wine so to be eaten as that together with the bread the wine out of the haÌ„d of the minister it entereth by the mouth of the receiuers into their bodies but the other part wil haue the body of christ which in the first supper sate at the table by the disciples now to be coÌ„tinue not here on earth but aboue in the heauens aboue and without this visible world and heauen vntill hee descend thence againe to iudgement and yet that we notwithstanding here on earth as oft as wee eate this bread with a true faith are so fed with his bodie and made to drink of his bloud that not onlie through his Passion and bloudshed we are cleansed from our sinnes but are also in such sort coupled knit and incorporated into his true essential humane bodie by his spirit dwelling both in him and vs as that we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones and are more neerly and firmlie knit and vnited with him than the members of our bodie are vnited with our head and so wee drawe and haue in him and from him euerlasting life Thirdly That one part will haue all whosoeuer come to the Lordes supper and eate and drinke that breade and wine whether they bee beleeuers or vnbeleeuers to eate and drinke corporallie and with their bodilie mouth the flesh and bloud of Christ beleeuers to life and saluation vnbeleeuers to damnation and death the other holdeth that vnbeleeuers abuse indeede the outwarde signs bread and wine to their own damnation but that the faithful onelie can eate and drinke by a true faith and the fore alleaged working of â—he holie Ghost the bodie and bloud of Christ vnto eternal life OF THE KEIES OF THE KINGDOME OF HEAVEN AND OF EXCOMMVNICATION SEEING it hath beene shewed in the treatise next going before who are to bee admitted by the church vnto the Lords Supper very commodiously and fitly shall this doctrine follow concerning the power of the keies wherein besides other things this chiefly is taught How they who are not to be admitted must bee restrained and excluded from the Sacraments least approching vnto them they prophane them The chiefe questions 1 What the power is of the keies giuen vnto the church 2 Vnto whom that power is committed 3 Why the power of the keies is necessarie 4 What that power of the keies committed vnto the church differeth from the ciuil power 5 What order ought to be obserued in exercising the power of the keies 1 WHAT THE POWER OF THE KEIES GIVEN VNTO THE CHVRCH IS THE power of the keies of the kingdome of heauen which CHRIST gaue vnto his church is the office or charge imposed on the church by Christ of denouncing by the preaching of the gospel and church-discipline Gods will and euen of declaring the grace of God and remission of sinnes vnto the penitent that is to them who liue in true faith and repentance but of denouncing vnto the wicked the wrath of God and exclusion or banishment from the kingdome of christ and of casting such out of the church as long as they shall shew themselues in doctrine and life estranged from christ and of receiuing them againe into the church when afterwardes they shall repent Hereby it appeareth that the chiefe and principall parts of this power of the keies giuen vnto the Saints are the preaching of the gospel or ministerie of the word and church-iudgement which is called also spirituall Discipline or iurisdiction And verily necessarilie is Ecclesiasticall Discipline ioined and linked with the ministerie of Gods word Of the ministerie of the word there is no doubt but all the Prophets Christ and the Apostles haue preached Of the iurisdiction of the church likewise it is not to be doubted in as much as Christ himselfe and the Apostle haue both by precepts and practise confirmed and established it Now in both is conteined that power
If therefore the necessitie and safety of our neighbour require the omitting of a ceremony the ceremonie is rather to be omitted than the safetie of our neighbour to bee neglected Hosea 6. Matth. 9. I wil haue mercie and not sacrifice Mat. 15.4 God hath commanded saieng Honour thy Father and Mother and hee that curseth Father or Mother let him die the death But yee saie whosoeuer shall saie to Father or Mother By the gift that is offered by mee thou maiest haue profite Though he honour not his Father or his Mother shal be free Thus haue yee made the commaundement of God of no autority by your tradition Offeringes and sacrifices were commanded by God but if they be don with the neglect of the necessities of our parents kinred Christ saith that they are not an obseruing but a breach of Gods commaundement So is that which Dauid did commended by Christ who did rather eate the shew-bread against the ceremonial Law than endanger the safetie of himselfe and his by famine against the Moral law Wherefore this rule is also necessarie for the right vnderstanding of the Law CERTAINE CONCLVSIONS OF THE DECALOGVE 1 THE first table commandeth the duties towards God The second commaundeth the dueties towardes man But yet so notwithstanding as that the first is immediatelie this mediatelie referred vnto God 2. The first commaundement when as it commaundeth vs to holde and repute the onelie true God and GOD that is manifested in the Church for our GOD comprehendeth chieflie the inward worship of god which consisteth in the mind wil and heart 3 The chiefe partes or points of this woorshippe are the true knowledge of god faith hope loue of god feare of god humility lowlinesse in the sight of god and patience 4 God may be knowen of reasonable creatures so far forth as he will manifest himselfe vnto euerie one 5 The knowledge of god is either simplie and absolutelie perfect whereby god onelie knoweth himselfe thas is the Eternal father sonne and holie ghost know themselues in seueral and each other mutuallie and vnderstand wholie and most perfectlie their owne infinite essence and the manner of each persons existing and beeing For vnto the perfect knowledge of an infinite thing none but an infinite vnderstanding can attoine Or there is a knowledge of god belonging vnto reasonable creatures whereby Angels and men know indeed the whole and entire nature and Maiestie of god as being most simple but they knowe it not wholie that is they so farre onelie vnderstand it as he reueileth it vnto them 6 That knowledge of god which is in creatures if it be cōpared with that whereby god vnderstandeth and knoweth himselfe is to bee accounted vnperfect But if the degrees thereof in it selfe bee considered it is also either perfect or vnperfect yet not simplie but in comparison that is in respect of the inferiour and superiour degree The perfect knowledge of god in creatures is that whereby Angels and men in the celestial life know god by a most cleare and bright beholding of the minde so much as sufficeth for the conformitie of the reasonable creature with god The vnperfect is that whereby men in this life know god not so much as they could at first by the benefite of their creation and therefore were notwithstanding bound vnto it still by gods commandement 7 The vnperfect knowledge of god which men haue in this life is of two sorts One Christian or Theological the other Philosophicall That is receiued from the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles This from the principles and generall rules naturallie knowen vnto men and from the beholding of the woorkes of god in the nature of things 8 The Christian knowledge of god is also of two sorts the one spiritual or true liuelie effectual sauing the other Literal The spiritual is that knowledge of god and his will which is kindled by the holie ghost in our mindes according to the woorde and by the word woorking in the will and heart an inclination and desire more and more to knowe and doe those things which god commaundeth so to be done The Literal is that knowledge of god which either hath beene in men from the creation or is wrought in their mindes of the holie ghost by the word which hath not accompanieng it an endeuour and desire of framing and conforming themselues vnto the commaundements 9 Both the spirituall and literall knowledge are also immediate or mediate Immediate which is wrought by the instinct of the holy Ghost without ordinarie meanes Mediate which is wrought of the holy ghost by the voice of heauenly doctrine heard read meditated 10 The ordinary meanes to knowe God which is prescribed vnto vs by God himselfe is by the study meditation of heauenly doctrine Wherefore we must striue this way vnto the knowledge of God neither require or looke for from god any extraordinary and immediate illumination except he of himselfe offer it and confirme it also vnto vs by certaine and euident testimonies 11 Now albeit so much as god would haue knowen of himselfe vnto vs in this life he hath sufficiently declared in his woorde yet notwithstanding those natural testimonies of god are not superfluous because they conuince and reprooue the impiety of the reprobate and confirme the godlinesse of the Elect chosen and therefore are by God himselfe often commended in Scripture and are of vs to be considered 12 But yet concerning them this we must holde and know that they are true indeede and agreeing with gods woorde but not sufficing for the true knowledge of god 13 Moreouer although naturall testimonies teach nothing that is false of god yet men except the light of gods woorde come thereto gather and conceiue out of them naught else but false and erronious opinions concerning god both because these testimonies shew not so much as is deliuered in the word and also because euen those thinges which may bee perceiued and vnderstood by naturall iudgement men notwithstanding by reason of that blindnesse and corruption which is engendred in them take and interpret amisse and diuerslie depraue and corrupt 14 Wherefore in the first commaundement of the Decalogue the ignorance of those thinges is forbidden and condemned which god hath proposed vnto the Church to be knowen of vs concerning him in his woorde and in his woorkes both of our creation and redemption Likewise all errours are condemned of such as imagin either that there is no god as the Epicures or mo gods as the Ethniches Manichees and those that praie vnto Angels dead men and other creatures and the vanitie of superstitious men which put their trust in other creatures or thinges diuerse from him who hath manifested himselfe in the church as Iewes Mahumetistes Sabellius Samosatenus Arrius Pneumato machists and such like who acknowledge not god to be the eternall Father with the Sonne and holie ghost coeternall Now are wee to speake of the sentence and meaning of the
affect an excellencie aboue others but to bee well contented with those gifts which God hath giuen vs and to employ all our gifts studies to the glorie of God the safetie of our neighbours euen those which are of the baser and vnwoorthier sort neither at anie time to murmour against GOD if wee faile of our hope or if wee bee despised but in all things to ascribe the praise of wisdome iustice vnto God 1. Cor 4.6 These thinges I haue figuratiuelie applied vnto mine owne selfe and Apollos for your sakes that yee might learne by vs that no man presume aboue that which is written that one swell not against another for anie mans cause For who separateth thee And what hast thou that thou hast not receiued 1. Pet. 5.5 God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Humble your selues therefore vnder the mightie hand of god that he may exalt you in due time Matth. 18.4 Whosoeuer shal humble himselfe as this title child the same is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen Phil. 2.3 Doe nothing through contention or vaine glorie but in meekenesse of minde euerie man esteeme other better than himselfe 4 Patience is the knowledge agnising of Gods Maiestie wisedome iustice goodnesse resoluing through a confidence in gods promises and so in hope of gods assistance deliuering to obey god in suffering those euils aduersities which he sendeth on vs willeth vs to suffer neither in respect of the griefe which they bring to murmur against God or to doe any thing against his commandements but in our dolor griefe to retaine still the confidence and hope of gods assistaunce and to aske deliueraunce of him and by this knowledge and ful persuasion of Gods will to mitigate and assuage our griefe and paines Humilitie and Patience belong vnto the first commaundement not onely because they are partes of that internall obedience which god requireth immediately to be performed vnto him but also because they follow and accompany the true knowledge confidence loue and fear of god as necessarie effects of the same 5 Hope is a sure and certaine expectation of euerlasting life freelie to be giuen for Christes sake and of a mitigation or assuagement of present euils and of a deliueraunce from the same euils of this life and lastly an expecting and looking for al blessinges necessarie vnto saluation according to the counsell and will of God Now hope springeth from faith Because he that is certain of the present wil of God towardes him hath also certaine and assured promises of the time to come For God is not changed and the giftes and calling of God are without repentance Moreouer Faith and Hope differ in these considerations Faith embraceth the present benefites of god and his wil towardes vs. Hope embraceth the effectes and fruites which are to come of this present and perpetual wil of god Heb. 11.1 Faith is that which maketh those things to be which are hoped for and which sheweth those thinges which are not seen Hope that is seene is not hope for how can a man hope for that which he seeth 6 The loue of god is to acknowledge God to bee exceeding good and exceeding bountifull and mercifull not only in himselfe but also in vs and towards vs and that therefore he dooth employ his power wisedome iustice mercy goodnes to our saluation so through the acknowledging of this his infinit goodnes towards vs to loue God as that we more couet and desire our conioyning and conformity with him and the execution of his will than all other things whatsoeuer and further had rather leaue and relinquish all thinges than be bereaued of his communion and fellowship or offend him in any thing and are ready to part with all other thinges which wee loue for his sake nothing is more cared for of vs than how we maie doe thinges acceptable and gratefull vnto him 7 The feare of God is to acknowledge the infinit anger of God towards sinne his great power to punish sinne his wisedome and iustice and that right and dominion which he hath ouer al creatures and of the contrary to acknowledge our owne corruption and infirmity and therefore to submit our selues to god according to all his commaundementes and to account for the greatest euil our offending of God and estranging from him and in respect thereof highly to hate and detest al sinne and to bee ready rather to suffer al other euils whatsoeuer than that we will offend god in any thing Leuit. 14 19. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy god because J am the Lord. Ier. 10.7 Who would not fear thee O King of natiōs For to thee appertaineth the dominion for among al the wise men of the Gentiles and in all their kingdomes there is none like thee The feare and loue of god differ For the loue of god ariseth from a knowledge of gods goodnesse The fear of god ariseth from a knowledge of gods iustice and of his power to punish sinnes and of that right which he hath ouer al creatures Againe Loue pursueth good to wit god and our coniunction with him wherefore the loue of god is not to abide to be bereaued of god who is the chiefe good But fear flieth euill to wit the displeasure and wrath of god and our separation from him Wherefore also the fear of god is to beware that we offend not god Moreouer the fear of god which was in the nature of man vncorrupt differeth from that which is now in the regenerate in this life and which is in the blessed Angels and Saintes in the celestial life The feare of god which is in the blessed in euerlasting life is a high detestation of sinne and punishmentes without griefe because neither anie sinne is in them or any punishment of sin and they are assured that they shall neuer sinne or be punished Jsa 25.8 Hee wil destroie death for euer and the Lord God wil wipe awaie the tears from al faces The feare of god which is in the regenerate in this life is an acknowledging of sinne and the wrath of god an earnest griefe for the sinnes committed for the offending of god and for those calamities which by reason of sinnes both we and others susteine and a feare of future sins and punishments and an earnest desire of flying and shunning these euils by reason of the knowledge of that mercy which is shewed vnto vs through Christ Matth. 10.28 Feare yee not them which kil the bodie but are not able to kil the soule but rather feare him which is able to destroie both soule and bodie in hell Luk. 23.40 Fearest thou not god seeing that thou art in the same condemnation This feare is commonly called Sonne-like feare because it is such as Sonnes beare towardes their parents who are sorrie for the anger and displeasure of their father and yet notwithstanding are alwaies persuaded of the loue and mind of their father
towardes them therefore they loue him and for this loue of him whom they haue offended they are the more grieuouslie sorry So is it saide of Peter Matth. 26 75. So he went out and wept bitterly This Sonne-like fear differeth from a seruile or slauish fear because this son-like feare ariseth from a confidence and loue of god and therfore principallie it shunneth the displeasing and offending of God and is certaine of euerlasting life Seruile feare ariseth from a knowledge and an accusing of sinne and from a feeling of gods iudgement and anger against sinne and is a shunning and hatred of God and punishment not of sinne and is so much the greater how much the more certaine expectation there is of euerlasting damnation and howe much the greater despaire there is of the grace and mercy of God This feare of God is in diuels and in the wicked and is that beginning of euerlasting death which the wicked feele in this life Gen. 3.10 J heard thy voice in the garden and was afraide Iames 2. The Diuels beleeue and tremble Isai 57. There is no peace vnto the wicked Wherefore seeing it is an hatred and shunning not of sinne but of God and is repugnant to the faith and loue of God it is not commanded but forbiddden in this commaundement 1 John 4.18 There is no feare in loue but perfect loue casteth out feare for fear hath painfulnesse and he that feareth is not perfect in loue Now because in the Saintes in this life neither faith nor loue are perfect but are often shaken with many tentations and doubts therefore albeit this Sonne-like feare is begunne in them yet is it neuer in that puritie but that some seruile feare is mingled with it Examples hereof are rise and frequent in the Psalmes and in the booke of Iob. Psalm 32.3 When J held my tongue my bones consumed when J roared al the daie Psalm 38.4 Mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head and as a weightie burden they are too heauie for mee Mine heart panteth my strength faileth me Iob. 13.24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face and takest me for thine enimy We are further hereto obserue that oftentimes in scripture the loue of god and the fear of god is taken for the whole worship of god or for the generall obedience according to all Gods commaundementes As Prou. 1.7 The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome 1. Timot. 1.5 The ende of the commaundement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfeigned 1. Iohn 5.2 In this wee know that wee loue the childen of god when we loue god and keep his commandments The reason heereof is because the knowledge of God the feare and loue of God and faith are causes of our whole obedience and they who truly loue and feare God wil not offend him in any thing but endeuor to do al thinges pleasing vnto him and acceptable The vices which are opposite or contrary to the vertues of this first commaundement NOT to haue the true god is either to haue no god or to haue moe gods or another than the knowen god or not to acknowledge god to bee such vnto vs as he is manifested Likewise not to trust in god not to subiect and submit our selues vnto God in true humilitie and patience not to hope for all good thinges from him alone not to loue and feare him The parts of this impietie are those vices which are contrarie vnto those vertues which were before recited Vnto the knowledge of God is repugnaunt 1. The ignorance or not knowing of the true God and his will which is not to know those things of God or to doubt of them which we ought to know by the benefit of our creation by his manifestations This ignorance is either naturall or engendred in men which is of those things which we are ignorāt of or cannot vnderstand thorough the corruption of our nature or else it is a purposed or endeuoured ignoraunce which is of those thinges that our conscience telleth vs must bee inquired after neither yet doe wee inquire after them with an earnest desire namely with a desire of learning them of obeying God Of this ignorance it is said Psal 14.2 There is none that doth vnderstand and seeke God 2 Errors conceiued or false imaginations opinions of him as when some imagine there is no God some faigne that there are moe Gods or if they professe it not in words yet indeed they make Gods while they ascribe those things to creatures which are proper to God only as they who make their praiers vnto Angels and to men departed For praier and inuocation attributeth vnto him who is inuocated infinite wisdome and power Wherefore Paul saith that they who pray vnto creatures Rom. 1.23 Turne the glorie of the vncorruptible god to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man of birds and of foure-footed beasts Apoc. 19.10 and of creeping things So neither will the Angel suffer Iohn to worship him and addeth this reason J am thy fellow seruaunt and one of thy brethren which haue the testimonie of Jesus worship God In like manner also they imagine false opinions of God who knowe God to bee but one but knowe not the true god as Mahumets Sectaries And so they also who know that one and true God but neglect him and are not moued to worship him to trust in him to loue him For the knowledge of good doctrine doth not suffice alone because then the Diuel also should haue this vertue but there must also accompany it an inward motion of the minde to embrace and follow the same 3 Magike Sorcery Witchcraft which is most repugnaunt and contrary to the knowledge of God For it is a league or couenant with the Diuel the enimy of God with certain woordes or ceremonies adioined that they doing and saieng this or that shal receiue thinges promised of the Diuell and such thinges which are to be asked and receiued of god alone as that by his aide and assistaunce they shal know or woorke things not necessarie tending either to the fulfilling of their euil lusts or to ostentation or to the commodities of this life Now in these ceremonies and wordes which they vse there is no efficacy or force but the Diuel himselfe accomplisheth those things which he hath promised to this end that they may reuoult from God to the Diuel Magus as also Magia that is Magike is a Persian word signifieng a Philosopher or a teacher But men perceiuing their owne ignoraunce sought for the Diuels help Leuit 20 6. Deut. 18.10 so the names grue infamous Now as Magicians so they also are condemned by this commaundement whosoeuer vse the help of Magicians Vnto Magike belong enchauntments which are the vsing of certaine woords or ceremonies according to a couenaunt before entered with the Diuel which being doone and spoken the Diuell should perform that which the
Gods word and administring his Sacraments according to his diuine ordinaunce The partes then of the Ministerie of the Church are two 1 To preach Gods woord 2 Rightlie to administer the Sacraments 2 What are the degrees of Ministers OF Ministers some are immediatelie called of God some mediatelie by the Church Jmmediatelie were called the Prophets and Apostles The Prophets were Ministers immediatelie called of God to teach and open the doctrine of Moses and of the promise the Messias to come as also to correct their maners in the Church and common-wealth of Moses and to vtter prophecies of euentes in and without the Church hauing a testimonie and warraunt that they could not erre in doctrine The Apostles were Ministers immediatelie called by Christ to preach the doctrine concerning the Messias nowe exhibited and to spreade it throughout the whole world hauing a testimonie warrant that they could not erre in doctrine Mediatelie were called 1. The Euangelists who were helpers of the Apostles in their labour and were sent of the Apostles to teach diuerse Churches 2. Bishops or Pastours which are ministers called by the Church to teach the woorde of God and to administer the Sacraments in some one certaine Church 3. Doctors who are ministers called by the church to teach in some certaine church 4. Gouernors who are ministers chosen by the iudgement of the church to administer discipline and to ordaine thinges necessarie 5. Deacons who are ministers chosen by the church to take care for the poore and to distribute Almes 3 For what end and purpose the ministerie was instituted GOD would that in all ages of the world there should be publike assemblies of the church in which the true doctrine concerning God and his will might bee heard chieflie for these causes 1. That God maie bee magnified and inuocated in this life by mankinde not onelie priuatelie but also by the publique voice of the church Psal 68. Giue thankes vnto God in the congregations 2. That the publique and ordinarie preaching of the doctrine the pouring out of praiers and giuing of thankes and the vse of the sacramentes maie bee an exercise to stirre vp and cherish faith and godlines as which without exercises doth easilie through our infirmitie waxe colde Ephes 4. He gaue some Apostles some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Doctors for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ 3. That men maie prouoke one another by their example vnto godlines and to the magnifieng and praise of God Psalm 22.22 I wil declare thy name vnto my brethren in the middest of the congregation will J praise thee 4. That there maie bee preserued and maintained a consent and agreement in the church in the doctrine and worship of God Eph. 4. He gaue Pastors and Doctors for the gathering together of the Saints till we all meete together in the vnitie of faith 5. That the church maie be seene and heard among men and maie be discerned from the other blasphemous Idolatrous multitude of men And he wil haue the church to be seen beheld that the elect may be gathered vnto it that the reprobate may be made more excuseles while they contemne and endeuor to represse the voice and calling of God which they haue heard Rom. 10.18 But haue they not heard No doubt their sound went out through all the earth and their woordes into the ends of the world 2. Cor. 2.14 Now thankes bee vnto God which alwaies maketh vs to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the fauour of his knowledge by vs in euerie place for we are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and in them that perish to the one we are the sauour of death vnto death and to the other the sauour of life vnto life 6. That God maie applie himselfe vnto our infirmitie in teaching men by men 7. That hee maie shewe his loue towards man in that he will haue men to be ministers of that great worke which also the sonne of God did administer Nowe these causes belong not to any one certaine time but to all times and ages of the Church and world Wherefore god wil alwaies haue the ministerie of his Church preserued and the vse thereof frequented and therefore the generall ground of this commaundement or the morall part thereof doth bind all men euen from the beginning of the woorld vnto the end namely that some Sabboth be kept by them that is that some time be allotted vnto publique sermons and praiers and to the administration of the sacraments 4 Vnto whom the ministerie is to be committed VNTO whom the ministery of the Church ought to be committed Saint Paul plainly deliuereth in his Epistles to Timothy and to Titus And briefly to comprise them The ministerie of the Church is to bee committed 1. Vnto men 2. hauing a good testimonie in and without the church 3. able to teach that is Rightly vnderstanding the doctrine and hauing giftes in some measure rightly to propound the same 5 What are the duties and functions of Ministers THE duties and functions of Ministers are 1. Faithfullie to propound and deliuer the true and sound doctrine of God that the church maie know vnderstand it 2. Rightlie to administer the sacraments 3. To go before and shine vnto the church by their example of Christian life and conuersation 4. To giue diligent attendaunce vnto their flock 5. To yeelde their seruice in such iudgementes as are exercised by the church 6. To take care that regard and respect be had of the poore THE FIFT COMMANDEMENT HONOR thy Father and thy Mother that thy daies maie be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Now followeth the Lawes of the second table of the Decalogue the obedience whereof doth as well verilie respect God as the commaundements of the first table but the woorkes are immediately exercised towards men For the subiect of the second table is our neighbor Of which subiect this is affirmed Thou shalt loue him as thy selfe like as Christ also briefly comprised the summe of the second table saying Matt. 22.39 And the second is like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe He saith that the second commaundement is like vnto the first or great commaundement or the second table is like vnto the first table which is thus to be vnderstoode 1. As touching the kind of the chiefe worship of God the second table is like vnto the first and so is the second said to be like vnto the first in respect of the ceremonial which are not the chiefe worship 2. As touching the kinds of eternal punishment because the transgression of both tables meriteth eternal punishment 3. As touching the vnseparable coherence of the loue of God and our neighbour For our neighbor cannot be loued without the loue of God the loue of God is declared
From what euils he saueth vs 433 How he saueth 434 VVhom he saueth 437 Of Christ What is signified by the name of christ 437 What Christes vnction or annointing is 438 What his Prophetical function 444 VVhat his Priesthood 448 VVhat his kingdome 451 Of the communion of the faithful with Christ vvhat the Annointing of Christians is 452 In what sense christians are called prophets 456 vvhat is the Priesthoode of christians 456 vvhat is the kingdom of christians 458 Of Christ the Sonne of God How manie waies men are called sons 461 How christ is the son of God 463 vvhy christ is called the only begotten and first begotten sonne of God 464 Of Christs Diuinitie The sonne of God is a subsistent in the flesh borne of the virgin and before the flesh 467 The sonne of God Christ is a person reallie distinct from the Father and the holy Ghost 498 The Worde is equall consubstantial with the Father 500 503 Other rules whereby the obiections of the Arrians are dissolued 507 The principall arguments against the Diuinitie of the Sonne and the Holie Ghost with the answeres vnto them 509 Of Christ our Lord. In what sense christ is called Lord 514 For what causes he is our Lorde 515 Of christs conception by the holy ghost and birth of the Virgin Marie 518 The common place of the two natures in Christ vvhether there be two natures in christ our Mediatour 520 vvhether christ be one person or moe 525 vvhat maner of vnion this is of the two natures in christ and how made 529 A rule to bee obserued touching the proprieties of both natures in christ 536 A rule to bee obserued touching the proprieties of christ the Mediatour 544 vvhy it was necessary that two natures should bee vnited in the person or subsistence of the sonne of God 550 Of Christs humiliation that is of his Passion vvhat Christ suffered 554 According to which nature christ suffered 556 The causes impellent or motiues of christes Passion 55â— The final causes oâ— ends of his Passion 558 Of Christs death How christ is said to haue beene dead 561 vvhether it was requisite and necessary that christ should die 562 The fruit of christs death 564 His burial 566 His descension into hel 567 Of Christs glorification that is of his Resurrection vvhether christ rose againe 571 How christ rose 571 For what cause he rose 572 vvhat are the fruits of christes Resurrection 576 Of Christs Ascension into heauen vvhither christ ascended 580 How wherefore christ ascended into heauen 582 587 vvhat is the difference between christs Ascension and our 588 vvhat are the fruits of christs AscensioÌ„ 589 Of Christs sitting at the right hand of GOD. vvhat the right hand of God signifieth 591 vvhat is to sit at Gods right hand 591 vvhether christ did alwaies fitte at the right hand of God 595 vvhat are the fruites of christes sitting at the right hand of the father 597 Of Christs comming to iudgement vvhether there shal be any iudgement 599 vvhat the last iudgement is 601 vvho shal iudge 603 vvhence and whither christ shal come 604 Howe christ shall come to iudgement 605 vvhom christ shal iudge 605 vvhat shall be the senteÌ„ce executioÌ„ 606 For what cause that iudgemeÌ„t shal be 607 vvhen it shal be 608 vvherefore God woulde haue vs certaine of the last iudgement 608 For what causes God would not haue vs certain of the time of iudgement 609 For what cause GOD differreth that iudgement 609 Whether the last iudgement be to bee wished for 610 The third part of the Creede of the Holie Ghost the sanctifier What the name spirite signifieth 610 Who and what the holie Ghost is 611 What the office of the holy gost is 617 Of whom the holie Ghost is giuen and wherefore 621 To whom the holie Ghost is giuen 622 How he is giuen receiued 624 How the holie Ghost is reteined 625 Whether and how the holie ghost may be lost 625 wherefore the Holie Ghost is necessarie 626 Howe wee may knowe that the holie ghost dwelleth in vs. 627 Of the Church What the Church is 627 How many waies the Church is taken 629 What are the tokens and markes of the church 631 Why the church is called Holy Catholicke 633 In what the church differeth from the common weale 634 Whence ariseth the difference of the church from the rest of mankinde 635 Whether any one may be saued out of the church 636 Of Predestination Whether there be Predestination 636 What Predestinâ—tion is 641 What are the causes of Predestination or Election and of Reprobation 642 What are the effects of Predestination 644 Whether Predestination be vnchangeable 645 How far forth Predestination Election and Reprobation are known vnto vs. 645 Whether the elect be alwaies meÌ„bers of the church the reprobate neuer 646 Whether the elect may fall from the church and the reprobate abide alwaies in the church 648 What is the vse of this doctrine 649 Of the communion of Saints 649 Of the remission of sinnes What remission of sinnes is 651 Who giueth remission of sinnes 652 For what remission of sinnes is graunted 653 Whether remission of sinnes agreeth with Gods iustice 653 Whether remission of sinnes be freely giuen 654 To whom remission of sins is giuen and how 655 Of the Resurrection of the flesh What the Resurrection is 656 The Errours concerning the Resurrection 656 Whence it may appeare that the Resurrection shall certainely be 657 For what end the Resurrection shall be 659 By whom the Resurrection shal be 660 How the Resurrection shal be 660 When the Resurrection shal be 661 What bodies shal rise 661 Whether the soule be immortall 662 Of euerlasting life What euerlasting life is 670 VVho giueth euerlasting life 672 To whom euerlasting life is giuen 673 For what cause euerlasting life is giuen 673 VVhen how euerlasting life is giuen vnto vs 674 675 VVhether wee can bee assured in this life of euerlasting life 675 Of Justification VVhat iustice or righteousnes is in generall how manifold it is 677. 678 In what iustice differeth from iustification 679 VVhat is our iustice 680 How Christs satisfactioÌ„ is made our iustice and righteousnes 681 VVhy Christs satisfaction is made ours 683 VVhy Christs satisfaction is made ours by faith onely 684 Obiections against this doctrine of iustification aunswered 685 Of Sacraments VVhat sacraments are 694 VVhat are the ends of sacraments 697 In what sacraments differ from sacrifices 699 In what sacramentes agree with the word and in what they differ from it 700 How the sacraments of the old new Testament agree how they differ 702 VVhat the sacramentall vnion is 703 In what the thinges differ from the signes 704 VVhat phrases and formes of speaking of the sacraments are vsuall vnto the church and scripture 705 VVhat is the right and lawful vse of sacraments 705 VVhat the wicked receiue in the vse administration of the sacraments 706 How
power to a new life Lastly the resurrectiō of our head christ is a l 1. Cor. 15.12 c. Rom. 8.11 pledge vnto vs of our glorious resurrection 46 How vnderstād you that He ascended into heauē That Christ his Disciples looking on was a Act. 1.9 Ma◠16 19. Luc. 24.51 taken vp from the earth into heauen and yet still b Heb. 4.14 7.25 9.11 Rom. 8.34 Eph 4.10 Col. 3.1 is there for our sakes and wil be vntill he come againe to iudge the quick and c Act. 1.11 Mat. 24.30 dead 47 Is not Christ with vs then vntill the ende of the world as he hath d Mat. 28.20 Mat 26.11 Io◠16.18 17.11 Acts. 3.21 promised Christ is true God and true man and so according to his manhood he is not now on earth but according to his godhead his maiesty his grace and spirit he e Ioh. 14 17. c. 16.13 Ep. 4.8 August tract 50. in Ioh is at no time from vs. 48 Are not by this means the two natures in Christ pulled asunder if his humanity bee not wheresoeuer his diuinity is No for seeing his diuinity is incomprehēsible euery where f Act. 7.49 17.27 c. Ier. 23.24 present it followeth necessarily that the same is without the bounds of his human nature which he took vnto him and yet is neuertheles in it g Col. 2.9 Ioh. 3 13. 11.15 Mat. 28.6 abideth personally vnited to it 49 What fruite doth the ascension of Christ into heauen bring vs First that he h 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 Rom. 8.34 maketh intercession to his father in heauen for vs. Next that wee haue our flesh in heauen that wee may bee confirmed thereby as by a sure pleadge that it shal come to passe that he who is our head will i Ioh. 14.2 20.17 Eph. 2.6 lift vp vs his mēbers vnto him Thirdly that hee k Ioh. 14.16 16.7.2 Cor. 1.22 2. Cor. 5.5 sendeth vs his spirit insteed of a pledge between him and vs by whose forcible working we seeke after not earthly but heauenly things where he himselfe is l Col. 3.1 Phil. 3.20 c. sitting at the right hand of God 50 Why is it further saide Hee sitteth at the right hand of God Because Christ therefore is ascended into heauen to m Ep. 1.20 5.23 Col. 1.18 shewe there that hee is the head of his church by whō the father n Mat. 28.18 Ioh. 5.22 gouerneth al things 51 What profite is this glorie of our head christ vnto vs First that through his holy spirite he a Eph. 4.10 powreth vpon vs his members heauenly graces Then that hee shieldeth and b Ps 2.9 101. 2. Ioh. 10.28 Ephes 4.8 defendeth vs by his power against all our enimies c Lu. 21.28 Ro. 8.23.24 Phi. 3.20 Tit. 2.13 52 What comfort hast thou by the comming againe of Christ to iudge the quicke and dead That in all my miseries and persecutions I looke with my head lifted vp for the verie same who before yeelded himselfe vnto the iudgemēt of God for me and d 2. Thess 1.6.7 1. Thess 4.16 Mat. 25.41 tooke away all malediction from me to come iudge from heauen to throw al his my enimies into euerlasting paines but to e Mat. 25.34 translate me with all his chosen vnto himself into celestiall ioies and euerlasting glory OF THE HOLIE-GHOST 53 What beleeuest thou concerning the holy-ghost First that he is true and coeternall God with the eternal father the f Gen. 1.2 Is 48.16 1. Cor. 3.16 1. Cor. 6.19 Act. 5.3.4 Son Secondly that he is also g Mat. 28.19 2. Cor. 1.2 giuen vnto mee to h Gal. 3.14 1. Pe. 1.2 1. Cor. 6.17 make mee through a true faith partaker of Christ and all his benefits to i Act. 9.31 comfort me and to k Ioh. 14.16 1. Pet. 4.14 abide with mee for euer 54 What beleeuest thou concerning the holy Catholicke Church of Christ I beleeue that the Sonne of l Ioh. 10.11 God doth from the m Gen. 26.4 beginning of the worlde n Rom. 8.29.30 Ep. 1.10 1. Pet. 1.20 to the end gather defend and o Is 59.21 Ro. 1.16 10.14.17 Eph. 5.26 preserue vnto himselfe by his spirite and p Act. 2.46 Eph. 4.3.4.5 woorde out of whole q Mat. 16.18 Ioh. 10.28 mankinde a company r 1. Ioh. 3.21 2. Cor. 13.5 chosen to euerlasting life and agreeing in true faith and that I am a liuely ſ 1. Ioh. 2.19 member of that company and so shall t 1. Cor. 1.8.9 Rom. 8.35 c. Psal 71.18 remaine for euer 55 What meane these wordes The communion of Saints First that al and euerie one who beleeueth are in common a Ioh. 1.3 Rom. 8.32 1. Cor. 12.13 21. 1. Cor. 6.17 partakers of Christ all his graces as being his members And then that euerie one ought readily b 1. Cor. 13.5 Phil. 2.45.6 cherefully to bestow the giftes graces which they haue receiued to the common commodity and safety of all 56 What beleeuest thou concerning remissiō of sins That god for the satisfaction made by c 1. Ioh. 2.2 2. Cor. 5.19.21 Christ hath put out all the remembrance d Ier. 31.34 Ps 103.3.4.10.11 Rom. 7.24.25 Rom. 8.1.2.3 of my sinnes also of that corruption within me wherewith I must fight all my life time and doth freely endowe me with the righteousnesse of christ that I e Ioh. 3.18 come not at any time into iudgement 57 What comfort hast thou by the Resurrection of the flesh That not only my soule after it shal depart out of my body shal presently be f Luc. 23.43 Phil. 1.23 taken vp to christ but that this my flesh also being raised vp by the power of christ shal be again vnited to my soul shal be g 1. Cor. 15.53 Iob. 29.25.26 1. Ioh. 3.2 Phil. 3.21 made like to the glorious body of christ 58 What comfort takest thou of the article of euerlasting life That for asmuch as h 2. Cor. 5.2.3 I feel already in my hart the beginning of euerlasting life it i 1. Cor. 2.9 Iohn 17.3 shal at length come to passe that after this life I shal enioy ful perfect blisse wherein I may magnifie God for euer which blessednesse verily neither eie hath seene nor eare hath heard neither hath any man in thought conceiued it 59 But when thou beleeuest all these thinges what profit redoundeth thence vnto thee That I am righteous in Christ before God and an heir of k Heb. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 Ioh. 3.36 eternal life 60 How art thou righteous before God l Rom. 3.21.22.24.25.28 5.1 Gal. 2.16 Ep. 2.8.9 Phil. 3.9 Only by faith in Christ Iesus so that although my conscience accuse me that I haue grieuously trespassed against al the commandemēts