more we ought to haste to humble our selues vnto God sith the blood of Christ is the only sacrifice for sinne Is the guilt of sinne in all men alike Esra 9.6 No for as the sinne increaseth so doth the guilt both in regard of the greatnes and of the number of our sinnes as appeareth out of this text whereas sin is said to bee gone aboue their heads so the guilt to reach vp to the heauens When the sinne is gone and past is not the guilt also gone and past No but when the act of sin is gone the guilt remaineth alwaies as the strong sauour of garlick whē the garlick is eaten or as the marke of the burning when the burning is past What is contrary to the guilt of sinne The testimonie of a good conscience which is perpetuall ioy and comfort yea and a heauen to him that walketh carefully in Gods obedience as the other is a torment of hell ROM chap. 6. vers 23. 23 For the wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. SO much of the guilt what is the punishment It is the wages of sin sent for the guilt Is the punishment limited in the word which shall come for sinne It cannot wholly be laid downe Deut. 29.20 28.61 it is so manifold and so diuers and therefore it is said that they shall come written and vnwritten Against what are these punishments addressed Against the whole estate of him that sinneth for whereas executions vpon obligations vnto men are so directed as they can charge either the person alone or his goods and lands alone so as if the Creditor fall vpon the one he freeth the other as if hee fall vpon the person he cannot proceed further then vnto his bodie the execution that goeth out from God for the obligation of sinne is extended to the whole estate of the sinner Can you draw this great number and diuersitie of punishments to certaine heads Yes for they are either in this life or in the life to come What are they in this life They are either in the persons themselues or in the things that belong vnto them What are they in the persons themselues They are either in the whole person bodie and soule ioyntly or in the parts seuerally What are they in the whole ioyntly Matth. 12 33.34.35 A necessitie of sinning but without constraint vntill they be borne againe by the grace of God What are they in the persons seuerally In the soule and in the bodie apart What are the vpon the soule apart Ephe. 4.17.18.19 When God striketh it with an ignorant spirit with want of iudgement to discerne betweene good and bad with forgetfulnes of holy things or hardnesse of heart which although they be for the time least felt yet are they more fearfull and dangerous then those the sense whereof is presently sharpe VVhat are they vpon the body apart Deut. 28. Hunger thirst wearinesse want of sleep all kinde of diseases euen to the itch which few make account of thereby to feele the anger of God and punishment of sinne VVhat are they in the things belonging vnto them Matth. 15.22 7.1.2 Calamities vpon their wiues children families goods and good name Hitherto of the punishments in this life What are they in the life to come Luke 16.22 They are most horrible first in the soule of the wicked 23. which after this life goeth immediatly to hell vntill the day of iudgement Secondly at the day of iudgement the bodie shall bee ioyned to the soule Matth. 10.28 both to be tormented in hell euerlastingly so much also the more as they haue had more freedome from paine of bodie and anguish of soule and losse of outward things in this life Is the punishment of all sinnes alike No for as the guilt increaseth John 19 11. Matth. 11.20.21.22.23.24 so doth the punishment and as the smallest sinne cannot escape Gods hands so as we heap sins he will heap his iudgemēts Hauing heard of the miserable and vnhappie estate of man by his sin guilt and punishment what is the remedie appointed of God for the recouerie of this cursed and damnable estate The word of God especially preached 2. TIM 3. vers 13 14 15 16 17. WHat is the word of God It is the will of God contained in the scriptures of the old and new Testament What is the Scripture It is a doctrine of sauing men written by inspiration Who is the author thereof God alone who inspired the hearts of holy men whom he chose to be his Secretaries to write it Which be those Scriptures The Testament Old and New What is contained in the old In the old Testament are the Law Prophets 1. The Law which are the fiue bookes of Moses Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numbers Deuteronomie 2. The Prophets which are either in Poesie and the same either Doctrinall only as Salomon Prouerbs Ecclesiastes Canticles Ieremies Lamentations Iob. both doctrinal and foretelling things to come also as Psalmes Prose which are either Historical as Iosuah Iudges Ruth 1. Samuel 2. Samuel 1. Kings 2. Kings Ezra Nehemiah Hester 1. Chronicles 2. Chronicles Doctrinal and foretelling things to come which are Prophets called Greater 4. Esay Ieremy Ezechiel Daniel Smaller 12. Hoseas Ioel. Amos. Abdias Ionas Micheas Nahum Habbacuck Sophonie Aggei Zachary Malachy Hitherto of the bookes of the old testament what are the bookes of the new They are of things reuealed before the writing of them which are either Historicall either of Christ Matthew Marke Luke Iohn His Apostles as the Acts. Doctrinall as the Epistles of Paul to the Romanes 1. Corinthians 2. Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1. Thessalonians 2. Thessalonians 1. Timothy 2. Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrewes Iames. 1. of Peter 2. of Peter 1. of Iohn 2. of Iohn 3. of Iohn Iude. After the writing of them as the Apocalyps What are the proper markes by which these bookes may be discerned from all other First they are perfectlie holy in themselues and by themselues whereas all other writings are prophane further then they draw some holines from them which is neuer such but that their holines is vnperfect Secondly they are perfectly profitable to instruct to saluation in themselues and all other imperfectly profitable thereunto further then they draw from them Thirdly a perfect concord between these writings notwithstanding the diuersity of persons by whom places where and times when and matters whereof they haue written Fourthly the admirable maiesty and force that is in them to incline mens hearts from vice to vertue 1. Cor. 1.17.21.24 2.15 Fiftly that in so great a plainenesse and easines of stile there shineth so great a maiesty 1. Tim. 5.21 Sixtly that there is such simplicity in the writers who neither spare their friends nor themselues Lastly the working of the spirit in the hearts of Gods children to assure them that these are
any preparation required to the receiuing of the Sacraments Yes verily Exod. 3.5 1. Cor. 11.28 for seeing men ought to come with preparation to the hearing of the word they ought by so much more come to the Sacraments as God by them offereth greater grace then by the word alone What is the preparation that is required in one that commeth vnto the Sacraments The children of the faithfull excepted and that alone in the Sacrament of Baptisme whereof they ought to be partakers there is required to a worthie participation of the Sacraments knowledge and feeling VVherein ought this knowledge and feeling to consist In the Law and in the Gospell Seeing no man is able to know the Law and the Gospell perfectly much lesse the simple and common people Tell me how farre is this knowledge and feeling necessarie It is necessarie first in the Law that hee bee able thereby to vnderstand the common corruption of all men both in the bitter root of originall sinne and in the poysoned fruits thereof together with the curse of euerlasting death due thereunto and that he be able to applie both these that is the sin and wages thereof to himselfe How far is the knowledge and feeling of the Gospell required First that hee vnderstand the couenant of grace which God in Christ hath made with the sonnes of men and then that by faith he be able to applie the the same to himselfe What ariseth from this knowledge and feeling to a further preparation thereunto Mat. 3.13 Acts 8.36 Luk. 22.15 A great and earnest desire to bee made partaker of them VVhat duties are required in the action of receiuing them First a graue and reuerent behauiour Secondly an attentiue heed for comparing the outward signes and actions in the Sacraments with the inward and spirituall things which they betoken VVhat is to bee done after the partaking of the Sacraments Out of the feeling of the gratious worke of God by them to reioyce with thankesgiuing or to enter into iudgement with our selues and to humble our selues for our want of feeling the fruit the Sacraments doe present vnto vs. And as we ought to bee humbled if wee feele not the worke of God in vs in or after the Sacraments as that which argueth want of preparation before or attention in them so yet ought we not therefore to bee altogether dismaied for as the sicke man feeleth not the nourishment of his meate because of his maladie and yet notwithstanding is nourished so is it in such faithfull ones as doe not so sensiblie feele the working of God by them through the weakenesse of faith which is in them And although we cannot feele it immediately yet after by the fruits wee shall be able to discerne of our profiting How many Sacraments are there There are two onely 1. Cor. 12.13 1. Cor. 10.1.2.3 1. Tim. 6.8 Galat. 3.27 1. Cor. 10.16 for first the two seales assure vs of all Gods graces as of our regeneration entrance and engrafting into Christ so of our growth and continuance in him and therefore we need no more Secondly when the number of Sacraments were most necessary as vnder the Law they had but two wherefore we need require no more Thirdly hauing meate drinke and cloth we ought therewith to be content now by the Sacrament of our entrance our spiritual clothing is sealed vnto vs and by that of our growth is sealed our feeding therefore those fiue other of Matrimonie of Orders Pennance Confirmation and of extreame vnction whereof the two latter coined by the Papists to bee made Sacraments are superfluous the other of them are agreeable to the Word but without the nature and number of Sacraments So much of the number of the Sacraments VVhat is the first of those two Baptisme VVhat is Baptisme It is the first Sacrament of the Gospell Tit. 3. whereby our regeneration or new birth or our entrance and ingrafting into Christ and the body of Christ which is his Church is sealed vnto vs. Why call you it the first Sacrament Mat. 28. Exod. 12.48 Because hee saith that after they haue taught men to beleeue they should be baptized thereby to bee enrolled amongst those of the houshold of God or entred into the number of the Citizens and Burgesses of the heauenly Ierusalem What abuse doth this take away That which sometimes the ancient Church was infected withall namely that they baptized men at their deaths and let them receiue the Lords Supper twice or thrice in a yeere whereas this is the first Sacrament of the Couenant How often is this to be done Ephes 4.5 Once only for they are heere charged to administer Baptisme not Baptismes And although in the Hebrues there be made mention of Baptismes Heb. 6.2 yet that is not to teach that one ought to bee often baptized but to declare the outward baptisme of the water and the inward of the spirit which we receiue at one time Act. 2.41 Secondly it is said the Church continued in prayer and breaking of bread not in baptizing Thirdly it is a pledge of our new birth now a man being borne but once hath no need of this Sacrament but once Mat. 28.19 VVhy is it said that we are baptized into the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 Act. 11.26 Because by Baptisme wee being consecrated to God are ioyned to him to beare his name as a wife beareth the name of her husband How is our coniunction with God wrought In children by the secret working of Gods spirit in riper yeeres by faith for being naturally after the fall cut off from God wee are as it were ingrafted into him againe as new plants and incorporate as Malchus eare once dismembred Luk. 22.50.51 was againe by the power of our Sauiour Christ set into his head VVhat is Baptisme to this ingrafting A Seale and a pledge of it wherein is grace exhibited and not the ingrafting or incorporation it selfe considering that we are baptized in the right onely of being members of Christ before though ordinarilie we are actually ingrafted by the Sacrament not by force simplie of the worke done but as it is Gods ordinance and a seale of his couenant VVhat ariseth of our vnion with God Another vniting of vs to the Church as a yong hence ingrafted on an arme of a tree is both one with the arme and tree it selfe What fruit ariseth of this vnion A new birth wherof we being once partakers can neuer be depriued What is the outward matter in Baptisme Water VVhat proportion is there of the visible element with the inuisible grace First the whole action of Baptisme Galat. 3.3 sealeth vp vnto vs our regeneration and putting on of Christ which is our receiuing into the house of God What after The couering of the childs head with water Rom. 6. is a seale that the childs sinnes are couered Secondly as the water doth wash and
of Christ be accomplished What is the cause of these signes appearing and consequently of the comming of Christ The faithfull prayers of the Saints of God which doe desire him to make an end of these dangerous wicked daies for they shall desire him to see one day of the son of man during the vexations of the false Christs Hitherto of the comming of our Sauiour Christ and the effects of it What followeth That hee shall send his Angels to the vttermost parts of the earth to gather the elect How shall they be gathered By the sound of the trumpet Numb 10.3.4.5 as sometimes the people of Israel did by Gods Commandement which shall not be of brasse or such like mettall for the Angels haue sufficient might and skill to make a sound like vnto the sound of a Trumpet Exod. 19.20 without any such instrument in which respect it is also said how that they shall see the signe of the sonne of man in the heauen as the Captaines set vp their flag and banner to gather their souldiers VVhat shall all the Angels vse the voice of one Trumpet Not so but as amongst the diuels Belzebab is said to be the chiefest so also among the Angels 1. Thes 4.16 there shall be an Archangell which shall blow the Trumpet What gather you of this Ioh. 5.20 First the vnspeakeable power of Christ in his Angels at whose sound not onely the liuing shall bee changed but the dead euen from Adam to that time shall be raised who shall not be preuented of the other but all appeare together before Christ it being all one with his power to gather the dead as the quicke Secondly also in that they shall bee changed suddenly in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump Shall there bee more trumpets then one or shall one trumpet be sounded oftentimes No verily but one trumpet being a great while founded at the last blast thereof all shall be changed What further learne you of this The infinite knowledge and wisedome of God in coupling euery bone to his proper ioynt in his owne body with the proper flesh and sinewes thereof notwithstanding the confused masse of all things that they shall be turned into whether dust aire or other element whatsoeuer Notwithstanding also that they are so diuersly distracted in place What is the reason thereof That those that haue glorified God in their bodies might bee also glorified in the same and contrariwise those that haue dishonoured him in their bodies might receiue dishonour of God How shall the sound of the trumpet raise vp the dead No otherwise but by the quickening of God by the power of his spirit whereby it shal come to passe that both the dead shall be raised out of the dust and the mortall made immortall But cannot God doe this without the sound of a trumpet Yes verily hee is able to doe it without any such instrument as he is also able to saue men extraordinarily without the preaching of his word yet hee will vse this outward meanes of a sound as of a trumpet in gathering of his saints as he vseth his word an ordinarie meanes to call them Is not this power of Christ exercised in vs whilest we are aliue Yes very effectually in quickening vs by the Gospell to his obedience who are by nature dead in sin and so not onely vnable but also vnwilling to any good wherefore God ioyneth power to his word to raise from death to life as well spiritually in the first as corporally in the second resurrection and that this first resurrection is a manifest pledge of the second there being greater difficultie in the former then in the latter resurrection for as in the latter there is no will to rise so there is no till or gaine saying which in the former is great After what manner shall the resurrection be First the godly shall arise to euerlasting saluation and then the wicked to eternall damnation What doe you gather of this That seeing our bed is fitly compared vnto the graue and our sleepe vnto death wee consider how wee lay our selues downe into our beds being assured that if we haue faith as a fetherbed under vs and good workes as a couerlet ouer vs then no doubt as a wearie man in the morning is refreshed so shall we after the troubles of this life rise againe in ioy and consolation and as if the sunne set faire it is a token that it will so rise so when the sunne of our soules sets well it is a token of a ioyfull rising of the body What is meant by this that one generation shall not passe That as it was said before that one generation should not passe vntill the destruction of Ierusalem were accomplished which indeed came about fortie yeeres after so verily all these signes of the false Christs and the darkening of the lights of heauen as hath beene spoken shall come within an age of the latter day Wherefore is this vehement asseueration vsed that heauen and earth shall passe but not one iot of the word shall passe Against those mockers which shall come in the latter time and charge the Ministerie of the Gospell with vntruth because they see no alteration in the course of nature But all this while heere is no mention made of the saying of Elias touching the time of the last day which is that there shall bee two thousand yeeres before the law two thousand vnder the Law and two thousand after the Law and then that these daies shall be shortened for the elects sake There is no cause why considering it is without authority of the word as that which is not in the Scripture and of Elias the Prophet but of another Elias neither Prophet nor son of a Prophet Beside that the vntruth therof doth manifestly appeare considering that both before the Law there were more then two thousand and vnder the Law there were lesse then two thousand by sundrie hundred yeers And where it is said that for the elects sake those daies shall be shortened it is spoken of the slaughter daies of the Iewes by the Romane in the destruction of Ierusalem and not of the latter day For it is rather true that the end of the world is deferred for the elect for that there shall be an end thereof assoone as the number of the elect be come into the world and fulfilled 2. Pet. 3. and for that the day of the Lord shall not come vntill all the prophecies in the booke of the Apocalyps be fulfilled Last of all that the iniquitie of the wicked be come to a full measure which the Lord obseruing in other iudgements will in that most fearefull iudgement much more obserue Howbeit this opinion is strengthened in that the world shall bee gouerned six thousand in a proportion of one thousand yeers to euery of the six daies wherein it was created the proofe whereof is drawne from Saint