The Uses are first against those of the Church of Rome that teach a double grace there is grace say they that God freely gives Secondly grace that makes us gracious to God Bellarmine saith This is not the grace of God which is in himselfe but a created grace in man as faith love and hope this is false for we have shewed the grace of God which brings us to salvation is that which is seated in God and not in man this is apparant in I know not how many places The Apostle when he speakes of grace makes opposition betweene it and workes Why so that he might exclude all workes both externall and internall and whatsoever may be tearmed by the name of workes So that we see that the Papists doe erre for in all the Epistles of Saint Paul if he had meant inherent graces he would have named them but he saith we are saved by grace as speaking of one but never doth he speake in all the Scripture that we are saved by graces but by grace I conclude It is a sencelesse thing to say that a created grace in us should deserve supernaturall glory and to say a defiled grace for so it is as it comes from us should deserve undefiled glory therefore we see the foulenesse of these things Vse 2. The second Use is against the Pelagians They tell us first that God created all to glory when they had fallen from God by sinne he elected them all to glory againe and he sent his Sonne to redeeme them all and hath given to all sufficient nay efficient graee whereby all may be saved and there be some of us which too much bend this way which some of you love well this by the way All these are false and full of blasphemy First That God created all to glory at first is false for they make election follow after creation God did not create all to glory Why the Scripture is manifest Rom. 9.22 there are vessels of honour prepared for glory and vessels of dishonour prepared for destruction First the Apostle speakes there of things uncreated it was not upon a second thought that God ordained some to honour and others to dishonour Againe this position of theirs is against the power of God against the wisdome and immutability of God What did God create all to be saved why then are they not saved Is God frustrate of his end it must be either because he cannot or because he will not and to say either of these is not farre from blasphemy The Lord never willed any thing absolutely but he did accomplish it if he did in the creation of man appoint all to glory why are they not all saved There is a damnable Booke which hath bin written of late shewing that all shall be saved For the conclusion of this If God created all to glory Why is this man glorified and not that Is it from the will of man or from the will of God who puts the difference It must be man but of this when we come to it but now we see the Apostle Paul saith he hath prepared some to honour and others to dishonour and therefore it is needlesse for me to stand longer upon this The next thing that they hold is that there is a universall election Concerning this it is false Why you heard the reason before but we will adde a little more now Certainly there can be no universall election for where all are chosen there can be no election election is the choosing of some out of many if so then all cannot be chosen Again if God did chuse all Why then are not all saved If there be an election of all then the election of God doth determine nothing who then men and so men are made the cause of their owne glory and there be some which meane well say that God hath elected all to salvation if they will beleeve where the election of God is made conditionall depending upon the will of man In this case who is it that determines election none but man and therefore they say Gods election stands thus I beleeve therefore I am elected thus they teach if any man will beleeve God hath elected him he is elected this is to make man determine his owne election Besides if Gods election be conditionall then it shewes that God before the foundation of the world could determine no thing hath God elected all why are not all saved hath men frustrated God of his election is the divell strong enough to pluck any man out of Gods hands therefore c. Againe is election universall then we conclude there is a universall reprobation but to say so they account it odious but there cannot be universall election unlesse there also be universall reprobation there are many things that might be said concerning this point but it is so absurd that I will not stand any longer upon it They further say that Christ hath redeemed all by his satisfaction I answer to this that it is as impious as before we would offend no man but those that are of that minde do too much helpe forward the Arminian heresie indeed the Scripture saith that Christ hath redeemed all but the Scripture tells us againe that it is all sorts not every particular man but let us heare them reason Redeemption say they appertaines to the Church now the Church is Catholique we answer are all men that is every singular man that are in the Church saved no yet salvation belongs to the Church and in it some Kings and Princes and of all manner and sorts of men are saved as the Apostle saith some not many mighty c. Againe Christs death saith some is sufficient for all but all do not receive it These being Divines I am very loath to oppose them sufficient for all because they say Christs death was infinite saving their judgements I cannot see it this is that I say to say that Christs death is sufficient either in the intent of God for all men or that he sent his sonne to die for all men and that Christ in their person did die and gave himself for them I hold to be false therefore I would have them speake more sparingly of this that it was never the intent of God I make it manifest it cannot stand with the wisedome of God to send his sonne to die for those whom he had determined should perish he had made a decree of reprobation and so to destruction Rom. 9.22 when God had ordained some to destruction would he send his sonne to die for them 1. Pet. 2.8 It is said that Christ was set A stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence c. and the Apostle saith they were ordained of old to this condemnation and is it likely that God would send his sonne to die for them this cannot stand with common reason Againe to say that Christ had an intent to save all by giving himselfe to death is absurd in as much
done yet God hath done it and we must rest satisfied that it is just hath God made vessels of honour and dishonour the Apostle teacheth us in these cases to answer objections with this Rom. 11.33 Oh the greatnesse and riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God c. how secret are his judgements and his wayes past finding out it is enough for us to stand amazed at them not to enquire into them Secondly if any aske further Why did he so the answer is Rom 9.14 that there is no unrighteousnesse with God These two things Saint Austin used to answer to the Pelagians I have this answer saith the Father Oh the deepenesse both of the wisdome and mercy of God c and if you will be wrangling yet I answer further Rom. 9.14 There is no unrighteousnesse with God and if you will know any more seeke you other teachers but beware you doe not finde presumptuous men that will take upon them to search Gods counsell happily here may be other Objections as this Quest Is it just seeing all men are concluded under sinne that God should free some men from sinne and leave other men in sinne how should this stand with Gods justice Answ To this I answer If God did free some men from punishment without satisfaction then he could not be just but when he frees none but those for whom he is fully satisfied his justice is not impaired It is true indeede that no man satisfies for himselfe nor could finde out a means of satisfaction but it was Grace not injustice for God out of the greatnesse of his mercy and wisdome to finde out a meanes to satisfie his justice which they that had sinned could never have thought of It was free for him to send his Sonne to redeeme some therefore the Apostle saith that our forgivenesse is of mercy but Iohn saith of justice 1 Iohn 4.9 God is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes the reason is from the 7. verse Because the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne hath cleansed us from all sinne and so he doth it for justice and not without mercy It is true his election was free in respect of man Justification was free in respect of man but it was grace that found out a meanes to save some and yet because he would have his justice satisfied he sent his Son that he might dye for them he would save Quest Happily some will say this seemes to he injustice that God should punish his wicked servants and also punish them upon the back of his dutifull Son Answ To this I answer with Saint Chrysostome true it is that to the righteousnesse of mans justice it seemes he doth injustice that for wicked servants doth give to death a good Sonne but saith the Father this is the admirable pietie that the greatnesse of his justice exceeded mans reason though this justice hath a shew of injustice to man that God should lay the sinnes of others upon him yet was it just because their sinnes were accounted his he was the mediator the head and husband of his Church and therefore for God to require their sinnes of him was no injustice Their sinnes were made his 1 Cor. 5.21 He that knew no sinne was made sinne for us a sacrifice for sinne Not to stand upon this our sinnes are all laid upon his score here mercy and justice kisse each other mercy in this that he found out a meanes to satisfie justice in this that he would have satisfaction And this he laid upon Christ because he willingly and freely tooke our sinnes upon him Vse 2. This doth manifest that there is a judgement of the last day wherein God will judge the world and so answers that objection against the justice of God which sometimes stumbled David Psa 73. Ierem 12.2 3. that the godly have their wayes hedged with thornes and are in much affliction but what is the estate of the wicked Now they have the Pipe and the Harpe and are in a prosperous and florishing estate c. Well amongst many other things that may be answered there is a day wherein he will judge them though now sometimes the Lord defers their punishment yet he is not unjust as one saith well that that is deferred is not taken away forbearance is no quittance God will justly reward both the good and wicked in a fit opportunity Quest Why doth he deferre the punishment of the wicked Answ Because by this meanes he would draw them to goodnesse or make his forbearance a greater meanes of their condemnation And so he deferres to recompence his owne because he would try their faith and constancy and goodnesse so that by this meanes they are more established in goodnesse wheras other men perish ease slayeth the foolish there are many secret sinnes that lye in good men that God oftentimes by these meanes makes them to finde out Of the wicked saith Saint Austin some are punished in this life and that but a few because he reserves them for an eternall punishment So then it is manifest there must be a day wherein God will judge the world and though the Lord spares the wicked it is no good to them nor mercy and it is not against justice to spare them that he might when he comes makes his justice more apparant afterwards so that there must needes be a judgement to come Vse 3. Is God just this is to awaken the secure and drowsie professor and also the carefull Christian though he must go through evill reproofes and slanders yet God is just howsoever he can call for nothing at his justice by merit desert yet by promise he may let him lay hold upon the promises and they should stay and strengthen his heart On the other side justice should make all carnall men to remember that they must come to give an account God should be unjust if he should not recompence the wayes and workes of every man therefore these men should be awakened out of that security wherein they are doe not thou thinke that thou hast lost thy good workes and thy practice of godlinesse shall goe unrewarded God is just in his promise on the other side if thou hast done wicked workes though God doth not come presently to punish them presume not of impunity if God be God certainly those sinnes which thou hast committed when thou wast a youth when thou wast a servant when thou wast a master shall not goe unpunished for God is just When the act is ceased and gone it may be thou thinkest thy sinne is gone it is not so the act is ceased the guilt remains still and God will call every worke to judgement every worke good and bad therefore labour that thou never forget it unlesse thou doe undoe it by repentance this should make every man carefull and watchfull over his wayes as Saint Bernard saith God hath two feet Mercy and Justice there be two signes of these feet in the heart of man feare
Father beget his Sonne then he is divided we hold no such thing he did not beget him in time and if they will follow humane generations then the Father must have another sexe to beget him upon and if you will have it as in humane generations then the mother must have a wombe to carry the Son nine or ten monthes if these be absurdities why would you tie us to this contrary to the word this we are to hold and to looke to that which is revealed and to goe no further we conclude this use with a speech of Saint Ambrose it is impossible saith the father for me to know the secrets of this generation he saith well for we may not search into these secret and high mysteries it is such a thing that when I thinke of it my minde failes me I know not how to utter it Phil. 4. the Apostle saith The peace of God which passeth all understanding How much more this the Father begetting the Son clap thine hand upon thy mouth and admire at these things thou knowest he did it but thou must not search how it was he did it let us rest with that which God hath revealed that we may not fall into error Vse 2. Secondly this commends the great love of God to man that when he had a Sonne a naturall Sonne begotten in and of himselfe yet he would adopt other sonnes to be heires of the same glory with this Sonne this is great love It is the love in men that if a man be childelesse and have not a son he adopts a stranger this is accounted great love that he will adopt anothers sonne and make him his own but when a man hath a sonne then to adopt and then to take an others it will be accounted exceeding love many men when they have a naturall sonne desire to have no more some men have many sonnes and desires to make the eldest great the eldest shall have all and the yonger nothing God made another law but we forget nature and law too this by the way but if parents love be such Gods is much more that when he had a naturall Sonne he adopted many to be heires with him Rom. 8.17 Iacob set forth this love to Ioseph that when he had twelve sonnes yet notwithstanding he loved Ephraim and Manasses the sonnes of Ioseph he would adopt them that they should be the heires of the land of promise and yet there was some reason but see here is greater love in God when he had but one Sonne he was content to adopt enemies to make them sonnes that they might be heires together with him of the same heavenly inheritance Object Some may say you talke so much of Gods love to others that you lesson his love to Christ surely the world will say he loves him not that he makes other heires with him Ans I answer the great Emperours of the world cannot make a division of their Empires but they must lessen them but such is the riches of God that this Sonne shall not have the lesse for divisions for as Saint Augustin speakes of the Sunne the Sun saith he God hath so created that it may enlighten many men and so every man hath abundance of the light of it and yet the Sunne hath nothing the lesse it selfe so God can communicate his celestiall glory and heavenly kingdome to all his sonnes he can make them all kings and sonnes and heires and fellow heires with Christ so that man shall have enough and he not the lesse for there is no dividing Vse 3. Againe this teaches us Hath he begotten the Sonne hath he an onely begotten Sonne we remember saith Saint Ambrose the first begotten because there was none before him and the onely begotten because there was none after him he was his owne and onely Sonne What Use make you of this This Consider of the Justice of God and the great strictnesse of justice that he had but one Sonne and he voluntarily tooke our nature upon him and also tooke our sinnes to stand in our roomes to answer for our sinnes yea that this naturall Sonne this onely Sonne intreated his Father that if it were possible this cup might passe from him yet notwithstanding he would have him drinke of it for the satisfying for our sinnes this would be counted great severity with an earthly King if his sonne should transgresse to cut him off but when he had not committed any thing to cut him off for others offences it would be counted great injustice If so be it was an evidence of strictnesse of justice which stories speake of heathen men that an Emperour when his sonne had offended the Law and both his eyes were to be put out put out one of his owne eyes and one of his sonnes to satisfie the law 1 Sam. 14.29 Or that of Saul he that hath done this shall dye though it be Ionathan my sonne how then doth this argue a great strictnesse and love of justice seeing there is one that for our sinnes though he was Gods naturall Sonne was given to death of his Father What of this Marke here the love and justice of God that he hath shewed toward men who that he might spare them would have his justice satisfied by his owne Sonne and though he intreated him yet he would not heare him know hence and see the severity of God to sinners and the mercy of God to us therefore let us make more conscience of sinne let us see the fearefull condition of those that reape no benefit of Christs satisfaction This serves to strike terrour and fear into the hearts of Gods owne children for if they sinne they are subject to the hand of God till they repent for if we be wanton and carelesse he will not spare his owne adopted sonnes that spared not his naturall Son therefore labour to know him and serve him and we shall have eternall life hereafter OF GOD THE SONNE CHAP. XXVI HEB. 1.5 Thou art my Sonne THE first person is the Father of whom we have spoken the second person is the Sonne of whom we are now to speake the ground of both this text of Scripture will manifest Quest What is the Sonne Ans He is the second person in the Deitie begotten of the Father redeeming the World To open this description the Scriptures speake of the sonnes of God foure wayes First by Creation and so are principally men and Angels whereupon in the first of Iob the Angels are said to be the sonnes of God and so Mal. 2.10 men are said to be the sonnes of God we have all one Father so Luke 2.3 Adam is said to be the son of God and successively all mankinde Secondly by Regeneration and so all the elect being begotten anew are sonnes Rom. 8.15 16. they that have the spirit of God are his sonnes Gal. 3.16 by faith we are all the sonnes of God Gal. 4.6 because we are sonnes c. many such testimonies there are but they
but hee could never burne them all he was but one and many opposed him But when whole Kingdomes and Countries even the whole world have violently for a long time and many ages set themselves against these and yet they are preserved the preservation of them argues a speciall divine care of them as of divine writings Mac. 1.7 Antiochus burnt this booke and made a law that whosoever had this book should die the death yet it is preserved that not so much as a syllable of it is wanting Writings and whatsoever else is of man may bee destroyed by man may faile of themselves as saith Gamaliel but the things of God and divine writings shall abide for ever See this difference in the writings of Solomon those of his owne wisdome are lost those inspired by God abide till this day c. Fourthly The persecutions that have been made at all times against the professors of this Book their constancy in beleeving it obeying it and laying downe their lives for it which none could have done had not the writing been divine Indeed a few desperate men have laid downe their lives for their owne writings but not any that hath so valiantly laid downe his life as the professors of the Gospel All these are sufficient proofes for this point Use 1. This must first teach us that the Word is cleare and plaine because the writing of God for the instruction of men certainly God would never write obscurely and in the darke 2 Pet. 1.13 It is a light in a darke place When we say it is plain and clear it is so in it self though the naturall man discerneth it not and to the regenerate man it may be hard Chrysostome saith the Saints never pray to God Make thy Law easie but Give us understanding and open our eyes that wee may see thy Law the truth is there are many difficulties in it but there is nothing difficult which in other places is not made plaine if necessary to salvation The Scripture as Saint Gregory saith is both meat and drink drink needs no chewing some places are easie that they need no chewing and some places are hard to stir up men to seek them out 2 Pet. 3.16 There are many things in Saint Pauls Epistles that are hard but to whom to the ignorant they are easie in themselves and to the regenerate therefore saith one What need have we of Commentaries added to the Word if Commentaries add not light to the Word but the Word makes Commentaries light Use 2. This teacheth us that because the Word was written to every man therefore every man was bound to studie it and to read it and seeing the Word was inspired by the Spirit of God therefore when a man goes about to read it and heare it hee ought to pray for understanding and for Gods Spirit by which hee writ it for they that wrote it did it not without Gods Spirit men should pray that God would give them his Spirit of wisdome to open their understandings surely the greatest light in the world cannot make a blinde man see in the mid-day an eye that hath not internall light cannot see The Scriptures in the old and new Testament are the two great lights that God hath ordained to rule the Church which though they shine never so brightly yet there is required an internall light in man that they may be seene A man may looke up to the heavens saith Saint Chrysostome where God doth sit and yet not know God nor see him shut up in heaven So many men reade the Scriptures and yet see not God shut up in them No man knowes what is in man but the Spirit of man and wee have received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are given us of God The Wisdome of God hath given the Spirit to man whereby hee is able to discerne If so be a King should write a Letter to his subjects in a strange language and not send his Secretary to interpret it they were never the better nor wee for the Scriptures without the Spirit Justin Martyr saith that Ptolomy wrote to the King of Judah for the Law and withall hee desired him to send him a man that might make him to understand it So they that will understand the language of the Scriptures must have the Spirit of God If a man had the Prophets themselves to preach to him they cannot make a man understand to salvation why because they can but teach the eare they cannot teach the heart When I cannot have Moses to tell mee the meaning saith Saint Augustine give mee that Spirit that thou gavest to Moses And this is that which every man that will understand must pray for this David prayed for Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law and vers 19. hide not thy Commandements from mee and Christ saith If you being evill can give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask of him Luk. 11.13 So that then wee shall see the secrets of God Use 3. If any man pray for the Spirit of God he must not think it comes without means and therefore neglect reading It is Gods finger that presseth the diligent care of reading and it is the means whereby wee may come to have the Spirit you must not look to have the Spirit in your heart unlesse you have the Word in your mouth that is the continuall reading thereof neither preferr a little ease before the Booke of God Thou hast no part in the Spirit if thou hast not a great desire to have a great part in the knowledge of the Word of God Use 4. In the fourth place Did God write it Then ought wee to make application of every part of it of the promises and of the threatnings and of the commandements c. Of the promises because it was God that promised them and hee will confirme and make them good of the commandements because if thou disobey them he is a just God and hee will be revenged of every contemner of the threatnings because if they had been written by man a mans word might have beene contemned but whither shall wee flee from God Therefore think of this Word and labour to apply it and give obedience to it they are Gods owne Lawes and it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God therefore let us feare and obey that which is Gods Commandement lest for our neglect he throw us to everlasting destruction CHAP. V. 2 TIM 3.16 All Scriptures are given by divine inspiration of God and are profitable THe last day wee spake concerning the Scriptures and therein wee handled the Author that wrote them and from whom they did flow and you heard it was from God himselfe and that by divine inspiration It remaineth then that wee should speake of the second thing that wee have thought fit to
that a man hath begun to run well there is danger to begin to sit down what if he should then be set upon by the dart of death was there not danger but if a man sit not downe let death come upon him he shall dye in peace If death finde thee walking thou shalt rest with God and shalt have all things in this life and in the life to come eternall happinesse THAT GOD IS MOST PERFECT CHAP. IX EXOD. 34.6 The Lord the Lord strong mereifull and gracious GOD hath revealed himselfe in his word wherein we are taught as you have heard what he is which we reduced to this short summe that he is a spirituall Essence most perfect distinguished into three persons in the which description are many things to be considered as First that he is an Essence Secondly that he is but one Essence Thirdly that he is a spirituall Essence Fourthly that he is most perfect all these belong to his Essence and lastly that he is distinguished into three persons Now the perfection of God is in his Attributes and is made manifest to us by them and therefore in the next place we are to speake of them and so I propound this question for orders sake Quest Wherein consisteth the perfection of the Divine Essence Answ In Attributes which God hath given unto it to make it better knowne to us which are either incommunicable or proper or else communicable these things are commonly spoken of Gods Attributes and properties and saving other mens judgements I like of them that doe distinguish between Attributes and Properties Attributes are those that belong to the Essence and Properties to the persons themselves so that the Attributes are to be spoken of when we speake of the Essence and Properties when we speake of the persons Attributes are nothing else but the divine Essence of God yet they are called Attributes because God hath taken them to himselfe to make himselfe better knowne to us so farre as we are able to conceive of his divine Essence now these Attributes are of two sorts either incommunicable and proper to God and not communicated to any other and of this sort are his simplenesse eternity immutability and his immensity others there are communicable they are not indeed in the same measure in us as they are in God for that they cannot be but they are the like therefore we say that they are communicable of which we will speake when we come unto them and so much shall serve for the first question Now the next question which is the point to be stood upon is concerning the Simplenesse of God Quest What is the Simplenesse of this Divine Essence Answ It is an incommunicable Attribute whereby God is conceived to be without all composition this must be confirmed and this place which I have read will prove it the Lord the Lord c. wherein it is manifest that he is Jehovah of himselfe and by himselfe and though there be many things that we take to be in him yet there is nothing in him but himselfe in him there is no composition therefore these Attributes that are given to God in the Scripture are given in the abstract to shew the simplenesse of his nature as Iohn 8.12 I am the light of the world 1 Iohn 1.5 God is light not a thing enlightened God is love 1 Iohn 4.16 What doth this intimate but that all these are his Essence without composition every thing that is loving is compounded but that which is love it selfe is simple he is so simple that he hath no composition no not so much as of accidents and this is grounded upon the place we have set downe the Lord the Lord c. then he addes his Attributes strong mercifull and gratious and thathe is such it is cleare Isa 43.22 I even I forgive thy sinnes for my selfe the Lord when he forgives sinnes he forgives not sinne for the merit of man but for his mercies sake and to shew that mercy and goodnesse is not in him as it is in man therefore he saith for my selfe Quest What grounds establish this truth Answ The answer is First he is most perfect Secondly he is truely eternall Thirdly he is not subject to any accident or quality To explane these I say he is most perfect then most simple Reason 1. Because every thing the more perfect it is the more simple for composition detracts from perfection we manifest it thus In mettalls the more simple the more perfect therefore Founders doe use their art to separate the drosse to make the mettall purer the purer it is from other mettalls the more perfect so all liquid matters as in wine the more perfect the more free from lees so for the Elements the purest water is in the bottom of the sea because we have not perfect things to resemble God by we use imperfect this shewes us that God is of a simple nature Reason 2. The second reason is because he is truly eternall and therefore free from any composition we say truly eternall for God is without beginning without ending therefore he must needs be without composition for if there be composition in God two things are required a compound and simples whereof he may be compounded but neither of these two can be in reference to God for God is eternall if another should make the composition God should not be before all things If he should compound himselfe he should be before himselfe and as there was no compounder so for the same reason there was no simple to be compounded because that God gives being to every simple Isa 43.10 I was before there was any God therefore it must needs follow that the Essence is without composition Reason 3. Because there are no accidents fall into God God is subject to no accidents or qualities from which if he be free it must needs follow that he is most simple for when we affirme that God is gracious and good c. when we speake of these things in God we speake of them not as they are vertues in men but as they are meerly his Essence In man they are qualities but in God they are his Essence those in man may be changed but in God they cannot S. Bernard speaking of the love of God breakes forth of a suddaine and saith Let no man think when I speak of Gods love that I mean qualities in God for when I say God is love I mean no new thing but that same which the Apostle saith 1. Ioh. 4.16 God is love now then there is a double love there is love giving love there is love the substance love the quality If it be the name of the substance it is given to God if the name of the quality it is given to man and whatsoever is said of love may be said of any other Attribute as mercy justice c. This teacheth us that there is but one Essence though there be three persons if thou aske
formes of oathes that they used Iudg. 8.24 As the Lord liveth So Ruth 3.3 As the Lord liveth attributing this to God himselfe Hereupon it is said that he is life I am life and therefore he cals him life 1 Iohn 5.10 the true God and eternall life this life is eternall and hath no beginning nor ending so Deut. 32.46 I live for ever I have a perpetuall life without change and so he is called the fountaine of life Psal 36.9 Quest Why is this life attributed to this divine Essence Answ Because he understands wils and workes of his owne power Secondly because he hath life in himselfe without any manner of participation from any other Thirdly because God gives life to all other living things whether life of nature life of grace or life of glory To explane this he is life because he understandeth willeth and worketh Reas 1. All these be actions which none can do but such as have life therefore it must necessarily follow if these be in God then life is in him If any should be so sencelesse as to deny these things in God he must be a Pagan rather then a Christian therefore as Salvian saith If I be to speake to Pagans that deny these things I contemne to prove them not because I cannot but because they are so sottish So I say if there be any that deny this I contemne to prove it not because I cannot for want of proofes but because I am in no hope to doe them any good These three things are three distinct things in man the soule the motion and life the soule is one thing the motion another and the life another whereupon these are three in man but in God his Essence is all one by which he willeth worketh and understandeth therefore it must needes be that God is life Reas 2. Secondly because he lives of himselfe without any participation from others therefore is life truely attributed to God Iohn 5.26 The Father hath life in himselfe and hath given to the sonne to have life in himselfe therefore he is said to be the fountain of life ecause as the fountaine receives not water from any other but conveys it to others so neither doth God receive life from any but doth communicate it to all things that live so then God hath life in himselfe whosoever shall seperate life from him shall seperate him from himself and destroy God therefore seeing that God lives without participating life from any other it must needs follow that life is truely given to God Reas 3. The third reason is because they that have life whether the life of grace the life of nature or the life of glory have it of God The Scripture speakes of all these three lives The life of nature is common to all living things trees beasts men live but not to speake of life but as it is in men men receive their naturall life from God therefore it is said God breathed in man the breath of life and man became a living soule Gen. 2.7 The life of grace is called in Scripture the life of God they were alienated from the life of God Ephe. 4. that is they had not that life that God gives to those that are his God gives a naturall life to all but not the life of grace which because it comes from God and leades to God is called the life of God he also gives the life of glory to those that by continuance in well doing seek glory immortality Rom. 2.7 eternall life c. so that seeing God is the author and giver of these lives it is plaine that life is truly attributed to God Vse 1. This teacheth us that certainly we serve the onely true God because we serve the living God for the true God is the living God that hath life in himself of himself the Gods of the Nations are false gods the heathen worship the host of Heaven stocks and stones silver and gold the workes of mens hands that have no life or if they had life they have no such life as is in the true God which hath his life in himselfe and of himselfe we may say of their gods as the Lacedemonians prophanely scoffed at Constantines god that he worshipt such a god as no man could tell from whence he came their gods are made with mens hands and have no life in them Vse 2. Secondly this shewes the heinousnesse of that sinne which is usually committed among men who when they speake earnestly say as the Lord liveth which is an asseveration a kinde of an oath and though men thinke they doe not sinne yet they doe abuse an oath and a greater oath then if they did sweare by God himselfe an oath ought to be taken with feare and reverence in truth righteousnesse and judgement and not to be abused as Salvian observes in his time as if they were not oathes to binde men but as meere complements of speech they who are now so bold to say the Lord liveth swearing falsely or prophanely shall one day finde and feele that the Lord liveth to take vengeance of perjury and prophanenesse and that it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Vse 3. This teacheth us how we may have life and length of daies it must be by serving and loving and cleaving to God the author and fountaine of life this is the way to obtaine life it is not my use but the use that Moses makes Deuter. 30.19.20 I have set before ye this day life and death chuse life how by serving and obeying and cleaving to the Lord for be is thy life Where he shewes that a man may have life and length of daies There is nothing that man desires more then life and length of dayes and therefore the divell that could not prevaile with Iob in other things yet for his life he thought he should There is no way to attaine this much desired long life but this to cleave to God the fountaine and giver of life This is the course in which God himselfe directed Solomon if thou wilt walke in my waies to keep my statutes and my commandements then I will lengthen thy dayes This is the argument which Hezechiah used and by which he prevailed not only reversed the sentence of death but obtained a lease of life for fifteene years Remember oh Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart it was not the strength of constitution but the sincerity of spirit that prolonged the life and vigor of Caleb and Iosua for forty yeares How should this consideration lift up our hearts in the waies of God What man is he saith David Psal 34-12 that desireth life and loveth many daies that he may see good nay rather what man is he that doth not Every man desireth life and prosperity then heare Davids direction Keep thy tongue from evill and thy lips from speaking guile depart from evill and doe good
as he knew who were to perish would Christ give himselfe to death for those that were to perish this stands not with the wisedome of Christ Christ knew the children of perdition Christ knew that Iudas was the sonne of perdition if these then were children of perdition Christ never died for them and therefore he died not for all Iohn 6. I have chosen you 12. and one of you is a divell Saint Austin well expounds that place he chose eleven by mercy and the twelfe by judgement he chose the eleven that he might be the instrument to powre out the bloud of Christ so that it is apparent by all this that Christ died not for all Finally that I may not stand upon this if Christ died for all why have they not all the benefit of his death why you will say because they will not beleeve then if they would beleeve they might but whence comes this will not from man for none could beleeve unlesse they were ordained to it but what is this but to make man the cause of his owne salvation I pray you why was Peter sanctified and Iudas wicked you will say because Peter beleeved and Iudas did not but I aske againe who put the difference not man I am sure but God did Christ redeem all then how are not all partakers of his redemption c. can any man pull them out of his hand he saith no man was able to pull them out of his hand he saith he had lost none if the Father had elected them and the Son redeemed them how should they perish finally did God redeem all why then is any man punished eternally is God unjust God forbid you do speak after the manner of men if Christ had redeemed all God could not in justice have punished any but God doth justly lay torments upon some casting them into hell therefore Christ never paid the price for all Those whom Christ redeemed he sanctified the Scriptures is apparant 1. Cor. 1.13 He hath redeemed them that he might sanctifie them whereupon I argue that Christ hath redeemed no more then he hath sanctified now how many millions have bin in the world that were never sanctified but those that Christ died for those he sanctified certainly let Divines say what they will that the death of Christ was sufficient in the value c. we are sure that it is not sufficient in the intent and purpose of God As for example a great Prince dies and gives a great legacy to redeem Captives not all but some thus and thus qualified now if a man should come to the Prison and tell them this news this would be a great comfort for the Captives indeed but yet onely to some so and so qualified not to all certainly the Scripture tels us that Christ gave himselfe for his sheep and for his friends unlesse thou be some one of these Christ never gave himselfe for thee Augustine saith this is the property of redemption in those that are in the Church the strong man is cast out of them and they are made the children of grace and therefore it is an idle thing that some go up and down and say that Christ died for all if they wil but believe that Christ died for them Brethren these things that I have delivered I have thought of therefore beware of such men they make way for them that say every man may be saved and such are the Pelagians c. Vse 3. To our selves the comfort was you heard grounded upon that of the Apostle that it must be of grace c. So that heer is certainty of salvation if God should leave a man in dissertion all his life time yet the promise is sure there is his comfort grounded upon the grace of God Vse 4. This should be a provocation of thankfulnesse to every man that hath at any time had an assurance of salvation to himselfe by his calling by his justification and sanctification why because God hath put a difference between him and others if the glory of this appertaine to God then it must not be placed upon our wills but on his free grace this is that the Apostle Paul saith Ephe. 1.6 To the glory of his grace hath he chosen us Beloved if it be to the glory and praise of his grace it must be free or else grace is no grace as you heard that men might not boast but might glorifie God therefore doe not insult over other men but pitty men that have not the same measure of saving grace and give God the glory and all too little for him Saint Chrysostom saith blessed be God that when we could not be saved by workes provided we should be saved by grace blessed be God that hath made a separation between us and others we ought to be thankfull Saint Austin hath this question why are some saved why are not all saved because God is a just Judge to the one and a mercifull Father to the other all this is to the praise of the glory of his grace be not therefore unthankfull but let him be thankfull that hath for he hath cause to acknowledge this that he hath left others in their condemnation and hath made choice of him therefore whosoever hath the feeling of these things tending to salvation c. let him blesse God that hath begun them he will perfect them c. OF THE MERCY OF GOD. CHAP. XVII PSAL. 145.8.9 The Lord is gracious and full of compassion slow to anger and of great mercy the Lord is good to all c. THE last Attribute of the divine Essence that we spake of was the Grace of God the next Attribute is Mercy of which we must say as we said of Grace that it is all one with the love of God but yet the divers handling of it apart from the other administers unto us good instruction now to speake of this and follow the same order we have done the words commend unto us the mercy of God and therefore according to our order the first question is Quest What is the mercy of God or of the divine Essence Answ It is a communicable Attribute whereby he freely and willingly helpeth succoureth and assisteth his creatures in all their misery though some especially more then others To open every part of Gods mercy it is attributed to God not as it is in man but as other affections according and after the manner of men are given to God so also is this that which is imperfect and joined with error in man is not so when we attribute it to God the mercy that we attribute to God is the same in substance though freed from the corruption that is in man The Stoicks doe define mercy after this manner they say it is a griefe of heart arising from other mens evills which we think or apprehend they unjustly suffer but in this manner it cannot be Attributed to God yet freed from the imperfection and passion and then it may
lighted two things the light and the fire if the question be what is the cause of the light the answer must be fire but if we should aske whether the light or heat were first we could answer they are both together if it may be thus in the creature how much more in the creator Vse 2. This in the next place commends unto us the love of Christ though he was God and equall to God the Father though he was the eternall and infinite God yet he became our redeemer the worke doth not so much commend his love as the manner of the working if comparisons may be here modestly admitted it seemes there is a greater love that Christ doth manifest then the Father c. the Father sheweth his love in appointing and sending and giving but the Sonne gives himselfe for us the Fathers love is apparent Isai 45.4.5 I will give men for thee c. where God shewes his love to the intent saith the Lord that I might free thee I put thee into their hands yet what are these these are nothing in comparison of his love in redeeming his elect he put his owne Sonne into his enemies hands so we may see Iohn 3.16 So God loved the world Rom. 5. God sets forth his love that when we were enemies Christ died for us Yet notwithstanding see the greatnesse of the love of Christ in this he being God humbleth himselfe to the lowest degree that he might redeem his as first he tooke flesh Secondly he dies c. Now all this is grounded upon this that he being God humbleth himselfe laying aside all his glory to the death of the crosse What shall I say what could he have done more this amplifies the love of Christ to give himselfe freely there was no necessity of nature or sinne compelled him but meerly voluntarily that he might redeem us Saint Augustine saith doe you thinke that the spears could have pearced him unlesse he himselfe had suffered it as he saith Matth. 26. I could intreat my Father and he could give me more then twelve legions of Angels but yet he being the mighty Sonne of God laies all aside and puts on all basenesse what of all this this should provoke us to thankfullnesse as David in 116. Psal to say What shall I render to Christ for all his benefits Israel when they were delivered out of Egypt and passed the red seas sung a song c. if such a small thing required this what doth this that we are delivered from sinne and Sathan require It is not enough that we sing songs and speake good words but let Christ have his end for which he hath redeemed us what is his end Luke 1. That we should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lives let us give our selves to his service and feare 2 Sam. 19.9 There the people reason after this manner David hath delivered us out of the hand of our enemies and shall we be slack thus we should speake to our hearts hath Christ delivered us from death and the thraldome of Sathan and shall we be slack in giving honour to Christ Ezra 9.13.14 the people reason thus that being delivered say they shall we turn back again c. how then should every one speake to his owne heart thou hast tasted of this and shall I turne backe againe and transgresse against Christ therefore learne to remember what the Apostle saith Titus 2.14 He hath redeemed us a people to himselfe to be zealous of good workes and thou that condemnest well ordered zeale thou hast no dram of religion in thee for no true zeale no religion thou criest out of zeale thou art a slave to Sathan still therefore let every man bring forth righteousnesse and deny ungodlinesse and live soberly in this presen world walking and glorifying God here that we may be glorified of him hereafter OF GOD THE HOLY GHOST CHAP. XXVII JOHN 15.26 The spirit of truth which proceeds from the faber he shall c THE third person of the Trinity is the holy Ghost Quest What is the holy Ghost Answ He is the third person of the Diety proceeding from the Father and the Sonne sanctifying the elect The thing that is described is the spirit which in the Scriptures signifies many things it may be reduced to these heads I will but name them First it hath relation to the creature Secondly to the creator as it hath relation to the creature the word signifies many things I will but name them sometimes it signifies power sometimes the soule of man sometimes the life of beasts sometimes Angels sometimes naturall motions in the heart of man and divers others which I passe over In respect of the creator it hath a double signification and it is taken Essentially and personally Essentially and so all the three persons of the Trinity are said to be a spirit according to this we have it Iohn 4.24 God is a spirit where the whole Diety is put under the name of spirit Secondly it is taken personally in the Diety concerning whom spirit may signifie two things either the person or the gifts the person it selfe it is manifest in this place the spirit that proceeds from the Father the gifts and graces of the spirit 2 Kings 2.19 Let thy spirit be double upon me So Numb 7.11 1 Thes 5.19 Quench not the spirit understanding it of the grace of the spirit againe I say the third person I need not stand upon that to shew that it is a person common to him with the other all persons are distinct one from another really and truly he is a person distinct three waies in order in property and working in order he is the third person in property he proceeds from the Father and the Son in working sanctifying the elect the Father is the first not in time not in dignity but in order so the Son the second and so the holy Ghost the third we adde the third person in the Diety that we may have occasion to manifest that he is God as well as the other that he is God there may be many testimonies Samuel 27.23 David the sweet singer of Israel the Lord God spake by me the Lord said that that is in the former the Lord and God in the next is said to be the spirit Acts 5.34 Peter said to Ananias why have you lied to the holy Ghost and in the fourth verse You have not lied to men but unto God that in 1 Gor. 3.16 You brethren are the temples of God and the holy Ghost dwelleth in you temples of God and temples of the holy Ghost both one The next thing I say is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne his property is proceeding he is as Athanasius Creed hath it not made not begotten but proceeding That he doth proceed from the Father and the Sonne appeares first by these places that he is affirmed to be the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne