Treatise called the Rule of Faith which you may easily finde out by the vse of the Index These things I thought good to acquaint thee withall for thy helpe and benefit as also to shew that by the diuine prouidence good supply euen out of the Authors owne workes may be made of that defect which by his immature death may be thought to be in this Rule of Faith That which is required on thy part is diligence and care to treasure vp in thy heart these wholsome and sound words contained in this Treatise that so thou maist walke according to this Rule knowing that as many of you as walke according to this Rule peace shall be vpon them and vpon the Israel of God Thine in the Lord ADONIRAM BIFIELD THE CREEDE OF THE CREED IN GENERALL Text 2. Timothie 1. 13. Hold fast the forme or Patterne of Sound words THere haue bin in all Ages of the Church since the giuing of the Scriptures two wayes by which the Ministers of the Church haue taught men the knowledge that is necessary to Saluation The one was to make choice of some Text of Scripture and to expound it to the people and thence to make vse of it Thus they did in Ezra his time Nehemiah 8. 4. 7. 8. and thus did our Sauiour Christ at Nazareth Luke 4. 16. 17 c. and it is noted in that place that it was our Sauiours custome so to doe Thus did Philip Acts 8. 30. 35. The other was without being tyed to any particular Text to handle the maâ—ne body of Doctrine as was most necessary for the people that were to be instructed Thus the Sermons of the Prophets were not the exposition of any particular Text but a solid and compleate collection of all that matter which at that time were needfull for the people And this course also did the Apostles hold in their Epistles and Sermons to the Churches choosing out so much matter out of the reuealed Will of God as was most behoouefull for the Christians to whom they writt or preached onely confirming what they taught by the Scripture Both these courses haue bin followed in the Christian Churches to this day onely amongst vs with this difference That the instruction out of a Text is vsed in Churches and the instruction without a Text in Schooles But that both these courses may bee held in popular teaching is manifest by the proofes before and it is manifest that if Diuines for the profit of their hearers would vndertake solidly to set before the people the whole body of Theologie and shew them at once all the choice things they are to beleeue concerning God or Christ or the Creation or the like it cannot but in some respects be much more profitable then to cleaue onely to the exposition of whole bookes of Scripture or particular portions because by the former course the people may see altogether that which by the other way they should heare but by peece and at seuerall times onely as the Texts will giue occasion I obserue not this to disgrace the godly course of preaching by Texts but rather to shew that both are needfull and as I conceiue it were much to be desired That Diuines euery where would teach the people the whole frame and body of the Doctrine of godlinesse The Apostle Paul in this place shewes that besides their course of instructing the Churches in particular Doctrines according to occasion they did extract into one body the Heads of all Religion which they did in all places carefully vnfolde and preach vpon vnto the people and these Heads thus gathered together as the principall things handled in all the Scriptures the Apostle calles heere the patterne of wholesome words and were diuided into two generall Heads or Titles Faith and Loue. Now there are also two waies of handling these heads of Religion the one more plainly and briefly by way of Catechizing the other more largely and exactly by way of Methodicall Doctrine The one is necessarie for young beginners in Religion and the other needfull to build vp a people in the knowledge begun in them Hauing therefore by Gods gracious assistance heretofore handled the bodie of Diuinity after the first sorte in the extract of principles and Doctrine of foundation onely with some explication of them I now intend by the like gracious assistance of God to goe ouer all the body of sacred Theologie in a more exact manner adding those Doctrines that may serue to build you vp in the larger knowledge of those glorious Mysteries of true Religion And long dilating with my selfe vpon what Foundation to raise this new frame I at length resolued vpon the Apostles Creed where I finde all the Doctrine of Faith collected into one faire body ready to my hands And in discourseing of these glorious Truthes I intende to obserue a mixt course of Teaching that both sorts of hearers may finde matter of profit Heere will be plaine things for the simple and more higher Contemplations for the more Iudicious Two things I especially intend in handling these Articles of Faith the one is the apparelling of each Article with the glorious furniture I finde made fit for it in any parte of the Scripture and this is by way of Exposition The other is the discouerie of the many and singular vses we may put such glorious truths to in the whole course of our liues and this by way of vse Now then for an Introduction in generall this Text giues vs occasion to consider of two things 1. What the Creed is 2. What we are bound to doe with the Creed For the first the Apostles owne words doe tell vs what such sound abridgements of the chiefest Mysteries of Religion are they are Patternes formes or frames of wholesome words where two things are said 1. That they are wholesome words 2. That they are Patternes They are wholesome words both by way of opposition to doctrines that poyson and corrupt the mindes of men and by way of difference from such truthes as for the present and in some respects are not wholsome to the hearers though in themselues they be wholesome We may obserue by diuerse passages in the Epistles of the Apostle what kinde of Doctrine hee accounts to be in it selfe vnwholesome as all false Doctrine contrary to the Gospell of Iesus Christ such as was Iustification by workes the forbidding of marriage and meates the denyall of the Resurrection and the like and this he calles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to teach other Doctrine Such corrupt stuffe the Apostles also accounted all the vaine ianglings of men with pride and peruersenesse wrangling about wordes or disputing of needlesse things and those he calles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1. Tim. 1. 3. 6. 4 5. â—0 Further vnwholesome words the Apostle accounts all their curiosities and vaine speculations in Philosophie
against the Donatists and Nouatian and the Communion of Saints against Sectaries and the Resurrection against the Sadduces and Cerinthians and the like 7. Lastly there is scarce any word in the Creed but it containes some vses of Consolation and therefore wee should attend vnto it and keepe it as a great treasure because there are so many springes of ioy that will euer flowe abundantly into our hearts if the fault be not in our owne carelesnesse ignorance or vnbeliefe The Vse should bee therefore to inflame our hearts to a desire after the vnderstanding and power of these Doctrines and hauing learned them to keepe them in the closet of our hearts as our greatest treasure on earth I know there is naturally in the hearts of the most hearers a kinde of desire to heare new doctrines and to be taught in things aboue the consideration of these principles but we must be altogether displeased with our selues â—f we find this intemperance in our desires It would argue a great loathing of Manna and a secret despising of the greatest part of the Word of God which is imployed about the propounding and vrging of these doctrines if wee should suffer our hearts to slight these grounds and first Truthes It is a signe of a narrow and base heart if there bee not roome to receiue with gladnesse this precious seede Men are loath to be accounted Babes and therefore affect not the doctrine is fit for them but looke too high and reach after things that are not so vsefull for them And thus in generall The Title of the Creed Ephes 2. 20. THe Creed hath two things in it to bee considered of The Title and the Articles of faith comprehended in it the Title vsuall and antient is the Apostles Creed Where is noted the Authors of these doctrines and the kinde of doctrine The Authors were the Apostles the kinde of doctrine is a Creed first of the Authors All men grant the Creed to bee the Apostles but yet all agree not about the sense How the Creed may bee said to be the Apostles for some thinke it is the Apostles Creed because the Apostles made it and compiled it in the forme as it now is Others thinke it is the Apostles Creed because it containes the substance of their Doctrine though it were not made by them The first sort conceiue thus That the Apostles after Pentecost when they had receiued the holy Ghost met together in Ierusalem and considering that they were to depart one from the other into diuers parts of the world they agreed vpon the substance of all that doctrine which they would teach all abroad the world and accordingly digested it into this forme that thereby it might appeare that their doctrine euery where did agree and that so false Teachers might bee discouered when they should in any place vnder pretence of preaching Christ oppose or conceale any parte of the necessarie Christian faith Of this opinion were some of the Fathers Some of the Schoolemen afterwards went so farre as to name which part of the Creed was made by each of the Apostles as That Peter should say I beleeue in God the Faâ—her Almighty and Iohn should say Creator of Heauen and Earth and Iames should say I beleeue in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord and so the rest of the Apostles cast in each one a parte till by them all the whole Creed was finished But this opinion cannot be true as may appeare by diuers reasons some probable some infallible It is not probable the Apostles digested it in the order it is for why needed it to be made by all the Apostles peice meale and not rather by one Apostle alone Secondly there are tearmes vsed in the Creed are no where vsed in the writings of the Apostles as the words of descending into Hell and the Catholique Church Thirdly the Apostles Catechisme intreated of faith and loue 2. Tim. 1. 1â— but this Creed intreates onely of faith But there is one Reason which is infallible for if this Creed had bin written by the Apostles it had bin Canonicall Scripture and must haue bin reâ—d in our Bibles which no man euer affirmed which I read of 2. The second sort of Diuines therefore are in the right opinion who conceiue that the Creed is the Apostles in respect of the matter not in respect of the forme It is the Apostles because the doctrine contained in it is that which all the Apostles with one consent did teach vnto the world and haue left confirmed in the Apostolicall writings in the New Testament And for this Reason we ought to attend to the doctrines heere to be intreated of as being such truthes as are not founded on the testimony of any ordinary man but euen of the Apostles themselues Quest But may some one say Is it not the Prophets Creed aswell as the Apostles or are not these Articles to bee found in the writings of the Prophets aswell as the Apostles or are there some truthes necessary now to Saluation that were not necessarie in the Olde Testament Answ I answer that the maine substance of the doctrine of the Creed was knowne and taught by the Prophets in the Old Testament as in generall concerning one God and the Messias and eternall life c. but there are some things peculiar in the Creed vnto the Christian Church and of necessity to Saluation as the more open and cleare doctrine of the Trinity the particulars about the Humiliation and Exaltation of Christ and the estate of the Catholique Church these being cleerely reueiled are now necessary to Saluation Quest Some one will say but how came the Creed then into the Church who made it or when was it made Answ I answer that it seemes cleare that it came not in all at once but that in the Apostles daies it was much shorter It is manifest that our Lord and Sauiour commanded to baptize men in the Name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Whence came the custome of examining those that were baptized about their faith Who in the first times answered briefly and for the most part but concerning the Trinity or concerning Christ which was chiefly then in question We may obserue that Philip would not baptize the Eunuch till he had confessed his faith Acts the 8. which imports that it was the manner then to admit none of yeeres to baptisme till they had professed their faith and that some kinde of short forme was then in vse What the precise forme was cannot bee certainely knowne but it is likely their confession went not further then the Trinity Now these Articles concerning the Trinity were inlarged for the preuention and repressing of sundrie Heresies as they did or were likely to spring vp in the Church But that the whole Creed as it is now was not verbatim in the first Ages may appeare in that the confession of faith in the daies of
many respects as first that God should bee pleased to deale so wonderfull gratioufly with them as to vouchsafe to put his Spirit into them Secondly they may thence gather that God that hath giuen them his Spirit will blesse them in many other things besides If Obed Edoms house was blessed because the Arke was there how much more reason haue wee to hope that God will blesse vs now his Spirit abides with vs. Thirdly it should be a great comfort to a Christian against all his feares and doubts arising from his ignorance or insufficiency or infirmities for by the holy Ghost that is giuen to him he may hence gather he may doe all things in time which God would haue him to doe Lastly this Article must needs be comfortable when God hath promised to giue the Christian the holy Ghost to bee his comforter and to abide with him for euer The ninth Article The holy Catholike Church HItherto of the Articles of the Creed that concerne God euen all the three persons in the Trinity Now followes the second part of the Creed which comprehends the Articles that concerne the Church of God Amongst all things that are in the world faith admires onely God and the Church The Church I say as next to God in glory and true honour Now the Articles concerning the Church concerne either the properties or the priuiledges of the Church The properties of the Church are two viz. that shee is holy and Catholike the priuiledges of the Church are such â—s shee enioyes in this life or such as she shall haue in another world The priuiledges of the Church in this life are two Communion of Saints and Forgiuenesse of sinnes And in the world to come two more viz. Resurrection of the flesh and Euerlasting life First of the properties of the Church But before I come to consider of the particulars mentioned I must first explicate the Doctrine to bee beleeued concerning the Church in generall and so I would shew 1. What the Church is 2. The originall of the Church 3. The estate of the Church 4. The markes and notes by which the true Church may be discerned And then the generall vses of all When I enquire what the Church is I meane the true Church for the false Church is no Church properly as an ill Gramarian is no Gramarian properly Now to finde out what the Church is we must first consider of the acceptation of the word and then of the definition of the thing it selfe The word Ecclesia was a word in vse among the Athenians and came of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signified an assembly of Citizens that were called out from the multitude aâ— it were by name or in their rankes by the voice of the publike Crier to heare some speech or sentence of the Senate and was thence borrowed by the Apostles for their purposes by way of similitude The Church or assembly of Gods people being a company that came together not by chance or without order but by the voice of Gods Ministers as it were Criers called out of the Kingdome of Sathan to heare the doctrine of the Gospell reuealed from heauen The common people in common speech call the places set apart for the exercises of Religion Churches But so it is not taken here In Scripture the word hath diuers acceptations for sometimes it signified the assembly of the men of the world for their owne businesses and so that tumultuous Assembly of the Ephesians was called a Church Act. 20. 17. Sometime it signified the Assembly of the enemies of Gods people Psal 26. 5. this was the malignant Church Sometimes it signified the meeting of a few Christians in a family for religious priuate duties so there were Churches in godly mens houses Rom. 16. 5. Sometimes it signified a company of men in one Citie or Prouince that did outwardly professe the true religion 1 Cor. 11. 18. 22. and so vsually in the writings of Diuines the company throughout the world so professing is called the visible Church and in this sense there may bee hypocrits and scandalous Christians in the Church as well as godly men as the Parable of the Tares and the Draw-net shew But so it is not taken in the Creed for besides that this Church is holy as these wicked are not and enioyeth remission of sins which they doe not besides this I say we are said in the Creed to beleeue this Church to be which argues that in it selfe it is inuisible and knowne to God and cannot bee discerned by outward senses in the essentiall things of it Sometimes by the Church is meant the publike Officers in the Church that haue power of gouernment and censure as Matth. 18. 17. but in the strictest sense by the Church in the new Testament is signified the number of Gods Elect onely considered as they are effectually called by the Gospell and doe cleaue vnto Christ their head by a true and liuely faith Thus of the Etimologie of the word The definition of the Church followeth The Church here meant in the Creed is a company of men dwelling euery where effectually called ordinarily by the voice of Gods Criers from the misery and prophanesse of the world to the supernaturall dignitie of Gods children being vnited vnto Christ as their head by Faith and among then selues by loue as fellow-members In these words the generall nature of the Church is to bee considered and then the speciall difference of the Church from all other companies or professions or assemblies of men The generall nature is expressed in these words A company of men dwelling euery where where diuers things are to be noted 1. That it is a company not one man 2. That it is of men as the materiall cause not of other creatures for none but reasonable creatures are capable of Gods Image and so none but they can make a Church and among reasonable creatures I exclude Angels though they had a kinde of calling to that excellent estate they are in yet the Scripture speakes so sparingly of it that we cannot tell how to define it and therefore I meddle not with it and besides the Church is here considered as it is purchased by the blood of Christ which Angels were not neither are they tyed to the ministery of the Word as the Church in her calling is 3. I adde dwelling euery where to note that I define the Church that is Catholicke as the Creed calls it which tearms in the most euident sense agree to the Church now vnder the Gospell since the partition wall between Iewes and Gentiles was broken downe and yet in some sense it may agree to the Church from the beginining for euen in the time of the Iewish Church the Nations were not simply barred from fellowship with the Iewes and therefore we read of three sorts of people that belonged to the Iewish Church to wit the Iewes themselues and Proselites that is Gentiles that professed the Iewish
as when out of the liking of the writings of olde Philosophers they brought in Angell worship into the Churches Colos 2. 8. 19. and such stuffe also was that which the Apostle condemnes vnder the name of traditions of men that is superstitious obseruations when the inuentions of men are vrged with opinion of holinesse or necessity Col. 2. 8. 20. of this nature were prophane and olde Wiues fables 1. Tim. 4. 7. and such is all that stuffe men haunt after that will not bee wise to Saluation but curiously search after things not reueiled Secondly true Doctrine may be vnwholsome and so wee finde diuerse instances in Scripture as first when the truth is so varnished by the inticing words of mans wisedome that the power of God is not obserued or regarded and the conscience is not intended to be informed When men in deliuering the truth studie to shew their owne wits more then the glory of Gods Truth this is not wholesome for the hearers and therefore exclaimed against and protested against by the Apostle in diuerse places 1. Cor. 1. 2. Colos 2. 4. Secondly the time is spent in knottie and obscure places that are neither easie nor necessary to be vnderstood and in handling whereof scandalous or dangerous conceits may bee raised in mens mindes Thus the hard places of the Apostle Paules writings were peruerted as the Apostle Peter complaines 2. Pet. 3. 17. Thirdly when disputations about things indifferent are brought in when the questions are doubtfull and the weake may be intangled Rom. 14. 1. Fourthly when the Word of God is diuided vnskilfully and ignorantly as when strong meate is giuen to Babes and strong men can get nothing but milke Thus as they are wholesome words Secondly they are said to be Patternes the Collection of the choisest truthes into one frame or body is called heere a Patterne and so the Creed may be said to be a Patterne of wholsome words because in the Creed there is as it were a short but liuely resemblance of all those truthes in a little roome which are at large and dispersedly handled throughout all the Bible and therefore fitly was the Creed called the little Bible Yea it may be called a patterne because we may compare with it all the truthes we reade of in Scripture and marke how they agree with or suite to the Articles of our Creed and because we may trie all Doctrine we heare and free our selues from the Intanglement of such controuersies about opinions that agree not with or belong not to our Creed As the Decalogue is a patterne of all duties to be done and the Lords Prayer a patterne of all requests to God so the Creed is a patterne of all Doctrine to be belieued Thus of the discription of the Creed as the words of the Apostle fitly serue for it The more manifest description of it will appeare afterwards The keeping of this patterne followes When the Apostle exhorts Timothie to the keeping of this patterne he may be vnderstood to speake to him as a Minister or as to a Christian in general As a Minister he is inioyned with all care to endeuour to preserue the purity of Doctrine and with great respect to teach often and powerfully those points of Doctrine which were exprest in the patterne as the principall truthes hee should aime at in the course of his Ministerie He should not through desire of vaine glory affect Curiosities or Nouelties but build vp his Hearers in all the knowledge he could infuse into them by continual teaching of those doctrines If hee speake to him as a Christian in generall then this is the point of Doctrine the Apostle aimes at that all Christians bee exceeding carefull to get the distinct knowledge of the maine Articles of the Christian faith and aboue all Doctrines keepe those as a great treasure And so in particular since we haue in the Creed such an excellent frame of the Doctrines of faith we must hence learne that it is our duties to regarde these Doctrines with all respect There be twelue Reasons why wee should bee in a speciall manner desirous to heare learne and make vse of the doctrine of these Articles of our faith 1. Because wee see heere it is the commandement of the Apostle that wee should keepe this patterne of wholesome words The Apostle saw it was a Doctrine of excellent vse for the Churches and therefore to be learned and kept as a great treasure and the Commandement to keepe them imports that whatsoeuer we are ignorant of yet we should not be ignorant of these points and whatsoeuer we forget yet these things we should bee sure to remember and whatsoeuer wee wanted affection in yet in these things wee should striue to be greatly affected It is therefore a sinne of great vnfaithfulnesse to neglect these points and shewes wee are too wise in our selues if we haue no minde to learne and keepe such things as God in his wisedome hath in some speciall manner charged vs to regarde 2. Because God himselfe is the immediate Author of these Doctrines it is God onely that opens this Schoole of Faith These are lessons that are to be learned not from wise men as many other things but from God himselfe to whom alone the glory of reuealing these high Misteries belonges 3. Because the matter heere contained is Doctrine of the highest nature that was euer taught or learned in the world what higher Doctrine can there be then of God the Church of God no Science hath such a Subiect The Phisickes intreats but of the naturall bodie Astronomie but of the heauens all the Mathematicks but of some particular and inferior subiects and so all Artes onely Theologie and in Theologie the Creed intreates of a number of most choise Mysteries in diuine things All the Doctrines heere are such as naturall reason or sense can say little or nothing to for except it be in the first Article nature is altogether silent in the rest And for this Reason wee should bee wonderfully desirous to bee imployed in these knowledges for to bee taken vp with easie things belonges vnto the Vulgar but to bee informed in things remoued from the senses belonges to the wise onely 4. Because the Doctrine of the Creed hath bin receiued in all Ages of the Church it is Catholicke Doctrine it hath bin entertained with great Honour in all Christian Churches that Doctrine which all Christians in all Ages of the world haue learned and admired should bee much attended to by vs and such is the Doctrine of the Creed The Creed is the confession of the whole Church of God since Christ and if wee reade and respect the confessions of particular Churches yea of particular men then how much more ought we to studie the confession of the Church vniuersall it containing the faith in which all the Martyrs and Saints of God liued and dyed 5. Because it is matter that is
men offend 1. When they labour not to know their owne faith when they will not trie their estates and make it sure they haue Faith 2. When they seeke not helpe for the diseases and weaknesses of their Faith but being often assaulted with doubting are so sluggish as they will not seeke found resolution for their doubts 3. When they instruct not their Faith in the particulars of Gods treasures nor imploy it to a daily vnlocking of the riches contained in the Chists of Gods particular promises 4. When they esteeme not Faith but through vnthankfulnes smother the acknowledgement of Gods singular gift herein 5. When they wearie their faith with doubâ—full disputations and will not direct it to the studie of necessarie and glorious truthes 6. When they leade not out their Faith to traine it in the day of peace against the day of battell when they â—â—y not vp prouision against the euill day and doe not before hand instruct their Faith how to hold out when tryall commeth 7. When men beleeue not so heartily and with such full assurance as becomes the excellency of the doctrines of Faith 8. When Faith is kept idle and men doe not daily exercise their Faith about the successe and crosses of their callings and about the labour and workes of loue Lastly many Instructions necessarily depend vpon this doctrine of Faith for 1. Such as want Faith should bee effectually moued to vse all courses to get them a sound Faith and there are many things may moue men to beleeue and helpe to breede Faith as First men must effectually consider vpon Motiues vnto faith on Gods part and especially such as are taken from his mercy and goodnesse to thinke on it how good and gratious God is should make men beleeue his promises and receiue his grace offered and the rather if they seriously ponder vpon these things in Gods goodnesse First that it is free he stands not vpon desert he offers loue loue to his very enemies Rom. 5. 10. Secondly it is exceeding great able to forgiue all sinne and supply all wants Psal 36. 108. 5. Ephes â— 4. 1. Pet. 1. 3. Thirdly it is inuiting God doth offer his mercy hee sends abroad his Proclamations to offer pardon and fauour in the Gospell yea he beseecheth men to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 19. 20. Fourthly it is indefinite hee offers Mercy to all sorts of men to the World to euery creature Col. 3. 11. Ioh. 3. 16. Marke 16. 16. Fâ—fthly it is naturall It is not against his nature as it is for a couetous man to be bountifull Mercy pleaseth him Micha 7. 18. He was neuer angry with any for beleeuing but extreamely displeased with men for not beleeuing Iohn 3. 16. 17. Secondly men must carefully auoid all the lets of faith and marke what keepes them from beleeuing Whether it bee any beloued sinne or some venomous obiections or the cares of the world and the fond excuses that belong thereunto or carnall wisedome and selfe conceitednesse in hearing the Word or procrastination or corrupt opinions about the possibility or necessity of beleeuing or the like and in particular some Christians must bee warned of that strange impediment namely when men iudge themselues vnworthy of Eternall life and so put off the promises of God through vnbeliefe Thirdly men must attend vpon the meanes of begetting Faith they must compell vpon themselues the care thereof They must pray God to giue them the spirit of Faith and to helpe their vnbeliefe They must cry to God with teares for this thing Marke 9. 24. and withall they must attend to the Word of Faith which is the Gospel so waiting vpon the publike Ministerie as they studie the promises of God exactly and seeke resolution of their doubts and direction about Faith in priuate Thus concerning such as want Faith Secondly such as haue Faiâ—h must bee carefull to looke to these things 1. They must with all watchfulnesse keepe their Faith as they would keepe their liues prouiding that they may abide in the Faith to the end and neuer denie their first Faith 1. Tim. 1. 19. Acts 14. 22. 1. Tim. 5. 12. 2. They must be carefull to imploy their Faith both euery day by learning how to liue by Faith and in the times of tryall to see to it that they cast not away their confidence Yea he should striue to shew forth such a power of beleeuing in all the effects of it that his Faith may be spoken of through the World Gal. 2. 20. Heb. 10. 35. Rom. 1. Hitherto of the maine body of the doctrine of beleeuing with the Vses Before I passe from it It will bee profitable to answer certaine questions that may arise in mens mindes about beleeuing Quest. 1. Whether the Apostles would haue vs beleeue no more then is contained in the Creed seeing the Creed is called their Creed Answ All doctrines of Faith may be reduced some way to the Articles of Faith in the Creed as being either expressed or implyed there We are bound to beleeue all things written in the Prophets and Apostles bookes that is so farre as they are reuealed vnto vs. But the doctrines contained in the Creed are such as none may be ignorant of without danger of damnation simple Ignorance in other truthes is not damnable so as these things be rightly beleeued Quest. 2. How can Faith be said to be one Ephes 4. 5. seeing in the manner of setting downe the Creed euery Christian hath a Faith of his owne because he saith I beleeue Answ There is but one Faith in respect of the Obiect or thing beleeued which is especially the grace of God in Christ which was the particular Obiect of Faith from the beginning of the world since the fall But there are many Faiths or gifts of Faith in respect of the Subiect that is the persons beleeuing for so there are as many Faiths as there are beleeuers Quest. 3. Is euery Christian bound alwaies to make profession of his Faith Answ 1. We must alwaies make profession by our deedes that is we must alwaies liue as becommeth the doctrine of Faith 2. Wee must in our words neuer for any cause deny any doctrine of Faith 3. If we be called vpon by lawfull Authority wee must giue answer to euery man that asketh a Reason of our Faith 4. In other causes we are bound to make profession in words so farre as we haue calling and fitnesse to doe it to the glory of God Quest. 4. Whether all true beleeuers doe beleeue these Articles alike with the same measure of Faith Answ No for Faith is wrought in men by degrees and so some haue a weake Faith and some a strong Faith Faith is formed in the soule as the body is in the wombe for in framing the body in the wombe there is first the braines and heart and then the veines sinewes arteries and bones and then afterwards all is couered and filled
they haue all one Nature and are one sort of creatures but God is one none of these waies but in number And yet to say God is one in number is not enough vnlesse we adde absolutely one for Peter the Apostle is one man though there be many other men but hee is not a man so as there is none but he whereas God is not Vnus onely but he is Vnicus also he is one and but one That there is but one God these Scriptures shew Deut. 4 35. 39. 6. 4. 32. 39. 1. Cor. 8. 4. Concerning therefore meate sacrificed vnto Idols we know that an Idol is nothing in the world and that there is none other God but one The Vses follow 1. Heereby is condemned the horrible Idolatry of the Nations in bringing in that Poluthritis or multitude of Gods for as the former doctrine that God is a Spirit doth condemne Image-mongers that resemble him that is incorporeall by outward and bodily shapes so doth this of the Vnity of his essence shew the lamentable Idolatry of the Gentiles and giues vs all cause from our hearts to blesse God that hath rescued our vnderstandings from those fearefull blasphemies and misconceiuings of Pagans and Heretickes vnto the onely acknowledgement of one true God 2. If God be God onely many Christians that beleeue not many Gods in opinion are yet in a fearefull case for setting vp Gods of their owne making they suffer miserable shipwrack by dashing vpon the glory of the one only true God Thus sinne they that make their bellies or their pleasures or their riches their God 3. It should teach vs with all possible reuerence to adore him whom alone all creatures are bound to serue and honour who hath no partner in his supreame soueraignty Psal 86. 9. 10. 4. If God be alone it should teach vs to loue him and trust in him alone seeing it is he onely that claimes this honour and homage from the creature and there is none like him in praises or that can helpe vs in miserie or bring vs to the best good Deut. 6. 4. 5. Marke 12. 29. 30. Esay 37. 16. Deut. 32. 37. 38. 39. 1. Sam. 2. 2. 3. 5. Hence we may be informed that wee neede but one Mediator seeing there is but one God 1. Tim. 2. 5. Lastly the Apostle Ephes 4. 3. 6. concludes from hence that therefore wee should liue in peace one with another and by no meanes breake the Vnity of spirit because wee haue all but one God Hitherto of the doctrine of the Nature of God Of Beleeuing I entreated before onely wee must know that these words I beleeue must be applied vnto each word and Article of the Creed and so we must heere consider what it is in particular to beleeue in God and what euery Christian should meane when he saith I beleeue in God It is to bee noted by the way that he doth not say I beleeue God but in God The ordinary distinction of beleeuing is not impertinent It is one thing to beleeue that God is Credere Deum or to beleeue God Credere Deo and another thing to beleeue in God Credere in Deum for to beleeue in God is first to know God as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his Word and so to conceiue of God according to the former doctrine of his Nature secondly to bee perswaded That that God is my God and thirdly to put all my trust in him and to rest vpon him alone for all happinesse Of the knowledge of Gods Nature before And of the work of faith in beleeuing God to be my God before This beleeuing in God heere exprest vrgeth principally vpon vs the third thing and that is that wee must imploy our faith in a daily relying vpon God and confident affiance and trust in his goodnesse and mercy towards vs. Now there are diuers Reasons profitable for vs to thinke much vpon which may not onely proue the point but frame in vs a spirituall confidence in God Wee may with all safety and confidence rest vpon God alone and his fauour and promises 1. Because he hath bound himselfe by his word and promises to be so good to vs and hath confirmed his promise by oath and by seale 2. Because he is of such power to doe vs good 3. Because he is of so good a Nature and it agrees so well to his disposition to performe his promises 4. Because God is so well pleased with our trust in his mercy Nahum 1. 7. 5. Because God can be so fearefully reuenged vpon our vnbeliefe 6. Because there hath bin such an vninersall experience of Gods care for all that euer trusted in God Who euer trusted vpon GOD and was destroyed or disappointed Is it required of vs that wee should beliue in God then these vses will follow 1. It shewes the difference in the relation of our faith as it lookes vpon men and vpon God Wee beliue men as the Apostle Paul and our Teachers but we doe not belieue in Paul or in our Teachers but in God alone 2. It shewes the follie of wicked men in pursuing the godly as if there were hope that they might driue them to such exigents that there should be no helpe for them for they trust in God and therefore can neuer be driuen beyond all refuge I trust in God saith Dauid how say ye then that I should flie hence as a bird beaten from his rest Psalme 11. 1. 3. It shewes what vse we should make of our insufficiencie to conceiue of God fully when our minds are beaten back from beholding his full glorie yet our faith will catch hold so as to make vs trust in him though we cannot fully comprehend him If we cannot receiue him by contemplation yet we may by belieuing 4. In as much as to belieue in God is the verie entrance into the Creede and the foundation of all the rest It she wes that many that are Christians in name are not indeed true Belieuers because they doe not belieue in God that is they doe not trust in him For it is manifest that these sorts of Christians that follow do not belieue in God 1. Such as liue in Ignorance without the meanes or the gift of the knowledge of God as the Apostle sayth How should they belieue in him of whom they haue not heard Rom. 10. 14. 2. Such as trust in their Wealth Friends Beauty Gifts Skill Strength Reuenewes Hopes or Sinnes The mis-placing of their trust shewes they belieue not in God 3. Such as make no Conscience to vse ill meanes to get out of distresse or to obtain their desires such as are resorting to Wizaâ—ds lying deceit vsurie oppression dissimulation or the like For he that belieueth will not make haste Esa 28. 16. Lastly all godly men should striue so to professe in words as also by their practice to proue it that they do indeed belieue in God and rest vpon him 1. By resting in the praise and
appellation of God 2. By liuing without care and therein being like little Children and this we do when we commit our soules and bodies and liues and children and states and all our waies vnto God 2. Tim. 1. 12. Psal 37. 3. When in Aduersitie wee runne to him for refuge and so make our moane to him that wee rest with patience and good perswasion that God will cause all to worke for the best to vs. It should much trouble vs if in soundnesse of practice we haue not learned this first lesson of belieuing in God Wee should be much displeased with our selues if our hearts be vnquiet and any way vnapt to rest and waite vpon God Psal 42. 12. and we should often beseech the Lord to helpe our vnbeliefe Hitherto of the Nature of God and of beleeuing in God The next thing Faith takes notice of is the Relations in the God-head and so God is the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost for this terme God is to bee applied not onely to the Father which is the next word but to the Sonne and holy Ghost as followeth after in the Creed and therefore wee must reade with a Comma after this word God thus I beleeue in God the Father to reade without a Comma that is Hereticall for if we reade thus I beleeue in God the Father it would sound as if the Creed should say that the Father were God only not leauing the terme God to be carried to the Son and holy Ghost Before then I come to speake of the Father I must entreate of God as he is three Persons both Father Sonne and holy Ghost And this is one of the deepest and dreadfullest Mysteries in all Religion where I must proceed in this order first to proue the Trinity by Scriptures secondly to explicate the doctrine And thirdly to answer certaine obiections might arise in mens mindes about it Because these things about the Trinity are most wonderfull and aboue the reach of the creatures we must seeke testimonies to ground our consciences in the beliefe of them such as may be firme and euident It is a difficult thing to bring the heart of men solidly to assent to such secrets as these as are not onely beyond the sight but aboue the reason of men and the minde may easily vanish into wilde speculations if we be not well grounded with sure Euidence nor can wee haue light from the booke of Nature to informe vs for what any Heathen man hath spoken of an Eternall mind word and spirit they spake by tradition from the Hebrewes and vttered it perhaps in a false and corrupt sense T is the booke of Scripture must only informe our faith herein The proofes for the Trinity are gathered both out of the Old and New Testament and so they either prooue there were more Persons then One or else expresly that there were Three Persons That there are more Persons then One is prooued by the terme ELOHIM which is vttered in the plurall number as if it should sound Gods as Gen. 1. 1. In the beginning Gods or ELOHIM created Heauen and Earth Created is in the singular number to shew the vnitie of the Essence and ELOHIM in the plurall to shewe the Trinitie of the Persons so Gen. 1. 26. Let vs make man in our Likenesse Let vs shewes more Persons and likenes being in the singular number shewes vnitie of Essence And verse 2. besides the Lord there is mentioned the Spirit of the Lord sitting vpon the waters Iosh vlt. 19. Ye cannot serue the Lord because he is ELOHIM sancti holy Gods And Ieremy 10. 10. The Lord is the liuing Gods or ELOHIM and King euerlasting Hos 1. 7. I will saue them in the Lord their God Gen. 19. 24. The Lord reigned from the Lord fire and brimstone Exod. 23. 20. 21. The The Lord sends his Angell whose name is IEHOVAH Dan. 9. 19. Heare oh Lord our God for the Lords sake Psa 110. 1. The Lord said to my Lord sit thou at my right hand Ier. 32. 5. 9. 33. 15 16. The Lord shall raise vp a Branch whose name is THE LORD Now that there are three Persons and no more nor fewer is proued by places more obscure or more expresse The Trinitie hath beene obserued in such places as these Esay 6. 3. where the Angells say thrice Holy and so where IEHOVAH is three times repeated Numbers 6. 23. Esay 33. 22. But the most expresse places are in the New Testament A manifest reuelation of the Trinitie was in the Baptisme of Christ The Father speaking from heauen the Sonne standing in the Riuer the Holy Ghost descending like a Doue Matth. 3. 16. 17. and so in the Institution of Baptisme we are to be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And Ioh. 14. 16. 17. I will aske the Father and he shall giue you another Comforter the Spirit of truth and the 1. Ioh. 5. 9. There are three in Heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit And the like euidence is in these places 2. Cor. 13. 13. Tit. 3. 5. 6. Eph. 2. 18. In the Explication of the doctrine of the Trinitie we must be wise to sobriety because it is wholly secret rather to be belieued then to be demonstrated or described It is a doctrine may be apprehended but neuer comprehended no not by the light of grace nor fully and wholly by the light of glorie as being aboue the reach not onely of men but of Angells A mystery to be adored by humble faith and piety not to be searched without curious yea furious temerity For it is so admirable as Reason cannot expresse it and so singular that example cannot declare it to vs for the Images or Similitudes borrowed out of the booke of Nature may rather shew that the doctrine of the Trinitie doth not destroy Nature then giue vs any pattern which can sample out the thing it selfe and besides to erre here is the most dangerous of all errors For as nothing is sought with more difficulty or found with more profit so nothing can bee mistaken with more perill And therefore as a Father sayd well seeing wee cannot finde out what God is wee must take heed that wee thinke not that of him which he is not yet must wee not wholly neglect the doctrine because a necessitie lyes vpon vs to belieue and therefore though men and Angels haue cause to stand and wonder at this secret that God should beget a Sonne and that from that Father and Sonne should proceed that Spirit the Sanctifier yet because God will bee so acknowledged of vs wee must make vse of our faith to belieue what our reason cannot describe to vs. Three things then for our capacities are to be thought vppon The first concernes the Matter of this Mysterie The second the termes by which it is exprest and the third the answere of certaine Obiections might arise in our mindes For the first
a vehement desire to bee made like vnto his nature If he come so neere to vs to take our nature wee should desire to approach to him to take his nature If he were made like vnto vs in infirmities we should striue to be made like vnto him in grace and holinesse shall hee descend to vs and shall not we ascend to him If he abase himselfe to tâ—ke the proprieties of our Nature how should we striue to be exalted in taking to vs the vertues of his nature and for our respect to other Christians the Apostle from this Doctrine tels the Philippians in what things they should be like-minded to Christ They should learne of him to be humble and to shew their loue to their brethren though it were to deny themselues and their owne profit or seeking the good of others and not their owne good which you may reade there vrged at large Phil 2. 6 7. Thirdly the Doctrine of the Incarnation might be very comfortable to all the godly and so in diuers respects First in that he did take our Nature into vnion with his diuine Nature we should ioy in it for is it not an admirable priuiledge that the nature of man is taken into such a society with the holy Trinity being a part of Christ who is the second person in Trinity who can sufficiently admire the honour done to our nature that it should now be one with the blessed Trinity Secondly if wee consider what he assumed He tooke my whole Nature that I might be wholly saued he left nothing of man which hee tooke not to himselfe Thirdly to comfort vs in all infirmities and distresses hee made himselfe like vnto vs He was poore with Lazarus wept with Mary thirsted with the woman of Samaria was an hungry in the wildernesse to satisfie for our eating in the Garden he was in bonds with Paul he was tempted that hee might succour vs that are tempted in all things he became like to vs that we might not sinke vnder the burthen of our infirmities or sufferings Fourthly it must it needes be a great deale of comfort to vs to haue such assurance giuen vs of his loue to vs that for our sakes would ioyne his Maiesty to our vilenesse his power to our weaknesse his immortality to our mortality that being in the for me of God would for vs vouchsafe to be in the for me of a seruant Fifthly it comforts vs in that it may wonderfully settle our faith in beleeuing in him we may safely rest vpon him that wants not power to saue vs seeing he is God nor will to saue vs seeing he is one of vs a true man that hath had experience of our miseries Sixthly it should greatly encourage our hearts in all our suits to God seeing our owne flesh and bloud sits at the right hand of God what can wee aske the Father in his Name that will be denyed He that was made like to vs in suffering will neuer bee strange to vs in praying He that became our brother by Incarnation will not shew himselfe a stranger in the businesse of Intercession Lastly in the hope of our glorification in Heauen we receiue hence great comfort for therefore did the Sonne of God become the Sonne of man on earth that the Sonnes of men might become the Sonnes of God in Heauen Lastly this Doctrine also is not without terrour to wicked men that will not receiue him whom GOD hath sent amongst them that God which hath beene so wonderfull in sending his Sonne to liue amongst vs in our nature if we will not beleeue in him and striue to be like to him will make himselfe wonderfull in our destruction This will be the condemnation of the world that so great a light came into the world and the world receiued it not Hitherto of the Incarnation in generall Now we come to consider of the parts of his Incarnation viz. his conception by the Holy Ghost and his birth of the Virgin Mary One thing is common to both these parts viz. the anunciation of them by an Angell God sent an Angell from Heauen to signifie both these wonders in the Incarnation of our Sauiour and the Ministery of an Angell is vsed in the beginning of our redemption by the Incarnation of our Sauiour partly because as in our perdition an euill angell came to the woman in the Serpent so would God haue a good Angell come to the woman to treat with her about our Redemption and partly because good Angels were in some respects witnesses in the worke of our Redemption for thereby the places amongst the Angels made void by the fall of diuels are by the Redeemer to be supplyed by holy men and withall the Angels receiuing their confirmation in goodnesse from Christ are now actually to subiect themselues together with Elect men vnder that one Head Christ Iesus Now concerning the Conception which is the first part of Incarnation these things are to be considered 1. The proofes that there was such a conception 2. Who was so conceiued 3. Of whom hee was so conceiued 4. What was done by the Holy Ghost in this conception 5. How it was done 6. When it was done 7. The effects of this conception in respect of vs. 8. Why it was necessary hee should bee thus conceiued 9. Where the Body of CHRIST was when it was thus conceiued 10. A question about the Virgin Mary and lastly the Vses of all For the first that our Sauiour was conceiued of the Holy Ghost is proued by this Text Luke 1. 35. as also Mat. 1. 18 20. and Rom. 1. 3 4. For the second if wee respect the matter conceiued then Christ man was conceiued but if we respect the person conceiued the second Person in the Trinity was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin for so it is said in this Text that it was the Son of the most High and the Prophet Esay saith it was Emmanuel God with vs for though the Virgin did not giue the diuine Nature to Christ yet the person that receiues the humane Nature in her wombe was the Sonne of God Ob. Then it seemes the whole diuine Essence was conceiued for the whole diuine Essence was in the second Person in the Trinity Answ This Incarnation was not according to his Essence but according to his person the person onely assumed our nature in this Conception Luk. 1. 31. 32. 35. Rom. 9. 5. 1. Tim. 3. 16. and therfore to speake properly we may not say that in this conception the humane nature began to be for that hath no subsistence in it selfe but the Person began to bee then in the humane nature Tylen For the third he was conceiued of the holy Ghost as the former proofes shew He was not conceiued as other men be by propagation or by generation in the coniunction of man and woman but without man by the working of the holy Ghost Ob. If he were conceiued of the holy Ghost then the holy Ghost
in Adam our perfidiousnesse in betraying the Truth to the Deuill and our ingratitude that had receiued of God so many benefits by Creation and yet so euill rewarded him and hee was betrayed with a kisse that hee might satisfie for vs that in Adam had admitted the flattery of the Serpent when hee told vs wee should be like God yea that had as it were flattered the Serpent obeying him rather than God 6. What end this Traitor had viz. He died miserably liued to see Christ suffer so much as filled his conscience with cruell torments and afterwards hanged himselfe so desperately that he burst afunder in the middest and all his bowels gushed out as you may reade in the Gospell and the Acts Matth. 27. 3 4 5. Act. 1. 18. Out of all this diuers vses may be made As 1. For Information and so two things may benoted First that Ministers if they be corrupt and lye in the practise of any grosse sinne proue very deuils incarnate Iudas for this cause is called a Deuill Iohn 6. 70. Nothing is more loathsome to God than a wicked Minister and no men proue more vile and impudent and fenselesse than they if they make not conscience of their wayes If Salt be vnsauoury where with shall it be salted Seldome doeiwe reade or heare of the conuersion of these men Againe if God forsake a man in his iust iudgement we see how impossible it is for a man to get out of the snare of sinne Iudas after Couetousnesse had infected him was still an Apostle had excellent gifts of preaching and working miracles enioyed the benefit of the daily doctrine holy example of our Sauiour saw his Miracles was enterrained into his familiar acquaintance and had manifest warning giuen Ioh. 6. 70. And now at the time of his Treason frequent admonitions as was shewed before and yet so corrupt was his nature and so had the Deuill bewitched him that he giues not ouer till he had fully finished his wicked deuice Yea let all men take heed how they trust vpon vaine euasions or pretended proiects to auoid the hurts and mischiefe may follow vpon their wicked actions It is probably gathered by some Diuines that Iudas though hee meant to betray Christ yet hee meant not to haue him killed but thought he might get the money of the Priests and yet Christ when he came to the pinch would escape from their hands as he had often done And this may beegathered two wayes For first when he comes to Christ and giues the signe to the Iewes by kissing him he so speakes to Christ as he seemes to will him to shift for himselfe when he said Master saue thy selfe or haile Master And secondly the Euangelist obserues that when Iudas saw that Christ was condemned he was horribly troubled and falls into despaire which imports that he thought he should neuer haue beene condemned But all this forecast notwithstanding by betraying him he became guiltie of Innocent bloud which he saw when it was too late Yea yet further all men may take warning too from Iudas to looke to the beginnings of discontent The Deuill can work strange mischiefes out of small beginnings for though Iudas was couetous yet what made him fall vpon this practise of betraying Christ at this time The Text notes that he was discontent about the losse of the oyntment grew sullen displeased that the woman was iustified in her course his reproofe not allowed Now vpon this discontent it is said the Deuill entered into him Let men receiue information from thence and take heed of anger and grudge and discontent for by giuing place to these things they may let in the very deuill into their hearts who may leade them to desperate and vile conclusions and practises as we reade the like in Iosephs brethren Saul Achitophel and diuers others Math. 26. 14. Ioh. 12. 4. Ephes 4. 26 27. Againe we may from hence note that a man may be a monstrous vile creature and yet liue amongst good company and speake Christ faire and professe to be his Disciple and salute him with a kisse and yet be a notable enemy to Christ Many Christians amongst vs draw neere to Christ with their lips when their hearts are farre from him Notorious wicked liuers are yet so impudent as to come and sit downe with Christ and eat at his table and dip their hands with him in the same platter but let them not deceiue themselues their place shall not priuilege them nor their hypocrisie couer them Christ knowes them to be Iudasses and will make them knowne in due time 2. For instruction and so all men from hence should learne to beware of couerousnesse if they doe not that which vndid Iudas will vndoe them Now that men may both discerne what couetousnesse is and what reason they haue to auoid it I will briefly define couetousnesse Couetousnesse is a spirituall disease in the heart of man arising from Nature corrupted and insnared by Satan and the world inclining the soule to an immoderate yet vaine care after earthly things for his owne priuate good to the singular detriment of the soule I call couetousnesse a disease because it hath such a priuation as hath not only want of vertue and happinesse but a disposition to euill and painfull disquietnesse and so Solomon cals it an euill sicknesse I say it is a spirituall disease to awaken couetous persons for that imports it is hard to be cured no medicine but the bloud of Christ can heale it and it is the worse because it is not felt of the most but hated only in the name of it The subiect of the disease is the heart of man there is the seat of it and therefore Saint Marke addes couetousnesse to those vices Saint Matthew had said did defile a man Mark 7. 22. Matth. 15. The internall efficient cause of this sinne is Nature corrupted it had need to be looked to because it is a disease the Nature of man is apt to be infected withall Yet I say Nature corrupted for Nature it selfe is content with a little The outward causes are the deuill and the world A couetous heart is neuer without the deuill in it or not for any long time and therefore the text notes that vpon the stirring or fits of this disease in Iudas the deuill entred into him The world also by varietie of baits and obiects excites this disease The forme of this sinne lieth in the inclination of the soule to an immoderate and confident care of earthly things I make earthly things the obiect because it were a great vertue to couet spirituall things 1 Cor. 14. I say immoderate because honest labour and desire after necessary things is not condemned and care is immoderate when it hath any of these signes following all which are euident signes of couetousnesse 1. When a mans affections are so set vpon earthly things that he is in loue with them and placeth his felicitie in them
be in this world 7. In the case of publike dangers and distresses vpon the Churches of Christ and the seeming prosperity of his enemies for from this Article we may gather and must beleeue that all the enemies of Christ and his Church shall come to confusion and that the Church shall be deliuered as these and many other Scriptures shew Eph. 1. 20. c. Psal 110. 1 2. 1 Cor. 15. 25 26 27. Dan. 2. 44. and 7. 14. The seuenth Article From thence he shall come to iudge both quicke and dead ACTS 10. 42. And he commanded vs to preach vnto the people and to testifie that it is hee that is ordained of God a judge of quicke and dead HItherto of the three degrees of the exaltation of Christ Some haue thought that this Article containes a fourth degree of his glory but I am rather of their minds that take it to be a declaration of the former especially of his Session at the right hand of God as shewing one point of his greatnesse aboue men and Angels that hee is appointed Iudge of all the world and so of all men and Angels Some diuide these foure Articles thus One tells of what he did on earth viz. Rose from the dead The second tells how he went from the earth the third tells of his estate in heauen and the fourth of his returne to the earth againe There is great need of teaching and explicating of this Article both because it is a thing so much vrged in so many places both of the old and new Testament and because it was made one of the most fundamentall principles of the Apostles Catechisme Heb. 6. 2. Act. 10. 42. and especially because it is a doctrine of all others most effectuall to awaken the carnall secure hearts of men Act. 24. 26. and if it may be to bring them to repentance Act. 17. 31. and the more proper for vs vpon whō the ends of the world are come not only because it is now at hand but because men are in so high a degree forgetful of it yea because there are so many scoffers against it according as S. Peter foretold 2 Pet. 3. 3. Concerning this iudgement I intend to shew by way of explication 1. What kinde of iudgement it will be 2. Who shall be the Iudge 3. Whence he shall come to iudge 4. When the day of iudgement shall be 5. Where the place will be 6. Who shall be iudged 7. The signes of this Iudgement 8. The forme or manner how it shall be performed For the first what kinde of Iudgement this shall be may appeare by the properties of it and the properties are seuen First it is certaine It is such a Iudgement as will certainly come vpon men There must needs be a Iudgement in the end of the world First because so many Scriptures haue foretold it it hath beene proclaimed and men warned and summoned from the beginning of the world Henoch gaue notice of it Iude 15. so did Moses Deut. 32. and Dauid Psal 50. and Salomon Eccles 11. 9 and Daniel ch 7. 13. and Ioel ch 3. and Malachi ch 4. so did Christ himselfe Matt. 24. and Paul 2 Thess 1. and Peter 2 Pet. 3. Iohn Reu. 20. and Iude v. 6. here is a cloud of witnesses Secondly because we see that in this world full Iudgement is not executed and therefore it stands vp ō Gods iustice that there should be a generall Iudgment for in this world many times godly men be in great affliction as Lazarus wicked men be in great prosperity as Diues Now if God be iust he wil render to euery man according to his works which because it is not done in this world it remains that we are yet to expect such a iudgement as will giue euery man his due If iudgement begin at Gods house in this world then certainly will God finde a time to auenge himselfe on Satans family Thirdly there must needs be a iudgement in the end of the world for the declaration of Gods iustice which is now in many things hid Rom. 2. 5. Many things we see not the reason of and many things are hid in darknesse which then shall be brought to light Mens hearts now boile against many things they heare in Gods word or obserue in Gods workes now the Lord will ouercome in iudgement Psal 50. And therefore he hath appointed a time wherein he will cleare himselfe before all men and Angels Fourthly Gods workes of iudgement done already shew that he conceiues such an infinite wrath against sin as he must needs finde a time to be reuenged on the sins of all men Such as are the drowning of the old world the burning of Sodom the destruction of Ierusalem the tormenting of mankind with a world of diseases and miseries the sweeping away of many thousands together by Pestilence or sword the irreuocable sentence of death vpon all men shews that God will take an account of mens waies and will not put vp the transgressions of his Lawes Besides euery mans conscience naturally feares a supreme Iudge and therefore since there shall be a iudgement men should liue so as to prouide that it may goe well with them in that day 2. It is immediate God himselfe shall iudge There is a iudgement in this world which is called Gods iudgement but that is a mediate iudgement when God iudgeth by man as Deut. 1. 17. Psal 72. 1. Psal 50. 3. It is the last iudgement men haue receiued their doomes sometimes from men sometimes from God either iudging them by his word or afflicting them by his particular iudgements but these are all the first things but this is the last iudgement after which there shall be no more triall or sentence or execution and therefore the more terrible for wicked men because there can be no reuersing of this sentence as in this life vpon repentance there may be of other iudgements Ier. 18. 7 8 9 10. And for this sentence there will be no appeale 4. It is a generall and vniuersall iudgement 2 Cor. 5. 10. all must appeare both quicke and dead as will be more distinctly shewed afterwards God hath his particular iudgement vpon man in this world both in life iudging both the righteous and the wicked euery day Psal 7. 12. and in death when he passeth a particular sentence vpon euery man but this is iudgement of all men together 5. It is an open and manifest iudgement where all things shal be brought to light euen the secret and hidden things of all men euen the hidden things of darknesse God hath his secret iudgements vpon wicked men in this world when he consumes them like a moth Esay 51. 8. and plagues them in their soules or bodies or states in the things the world obserues not But at this day of iudgement all shall be done and opened before all men and Angels Which serues for exceeding terrour to impenitent sinners Is it such a shame to doe
Humane Nature And whereas the Saints and Apostles are said to iudge the world Luk. 22. 30. 1 Cor. 6. it must be vnderstood thus That they iudge as members vnto that head who is Iudge Secondly as the Iudgement shall be performed before Christ and the company of the Elect Ioel 3. 2. Thirdly as they shall be Assessors and giue consent to the Iudgement being aduanced to the honour to sit as Iustices of the Peace on the Bench by the Iudge Fourthly the Apostles shall iudge because their doctrine which they haue preached shall be confirmed and auouched by the sentence of the Iudge So the word that men heare now shall iudge them at the last day Iohn 5. Fifthly the godly shall iudge the wicked because the example of their faith and repentance shall be alledged as a furtherance of the condemnation of the wicked Thus the Queene of the South and the Niniuites shall rise vp in Iudgement and condemne that generation Christ speaks of Luk. 11. 31. So that the point is cleare that Christ shall be Iudge The Vse is first for great comfort to the godly to free them from the terror of that day they need not bee afraid of the Iudge nor any hard sentence he will pronounce vpon them seeing the Iudge is their owne brother yea their owne flesh as their head it was he that was iudged for them on earth and redeemed them with his owne bloud he that hath continually made intercession for them in heauen that they might be deliuered from the wrath of God Yea he hath promised them that they shall speed well in that day Hebr. 2. 11. Eph. 5. 30. Ioh. 3. 36. and 5. 24. Secondly it is a terrible doctrine for all wicked men because this is a Iudge that cannot be corrupted but will iudge in righteousnesse as there is none higher than he to make appeale to and because also he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that knowes the heart and finally because it is he whom they haue reiected and would not let him rule ouer them but haue many waies vilified him and rebelled against him and his ordinances and persecuted him in his members Reuel 1. 7 8. The third question is whence Christ shall come when he comes to Iudgement And that is briefly exprest in the words of the Article He shall come from thence that is from Heauen where he sits at the right hand of God The reason why he comes out of Heauen to execute Iudgement is because Heauen is so pure a place as it is not fit for impure men and deuils so much as to make their appearance there And this point is not without Vse For first hereby we may clearly bee confirmed in the truth of Christs humanitie against the Vbiquitaries that say his bodie is euery where seeing he comes in his bodie out of Heauen at the last day And besides it may teach vs to send our hearts to Heauen to meet Christ and till he come from thence to looke for him Phil. 3. 20. The fourth question is about the time when the day of Iudgement shall be Now about the answer to this question there haue beene many opinions and the most of them strange and false 1. Some haue thought it should neuer be and such were those mockers mentioned 2 Pet. 3. whose argument to proue their damned opinion was twofold First that the first Fathers in the first ages of the world were dead many ages since and if there should haue beene a Iudgement it is likely it would haue beene before this time Secondly that all men see by experience that all things continued without alteration since the Creation and therefore why should men feare any alteration for the time to come To all this the Apostle answers first concerning the persons of these mockers that they are men that follow their lusts vers 3. or that they are willingly ignorant v. 5. and then concerning their reasons he saith against them three things The one that this world was made at the beginning by God both the vpper and nether world and therefore it may haue an end v. 5. The other that it is false that there haue been no alterations for the whole nether world was drowned by water which may assure men that God hates sinne and will generally iudge men for it vers 6. The third is that the continuance of the world for so many ages ought to bee no argument to proue that it is vnalterable for a thousand yeares with God are but as one day it is a small time that the world hath lasted in comparison of Gods eternitie and besides God hath vrgent reason for his so long patience in deferring the last iudgement vers 8 9. 2. Some others in the Apostles time taught that the resurrection and so by consequent the day of Iudgement was past already of this minde was Himenaeus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2. It is probable that they held there was no other resurrection than that which is of the soule spiritually rising out of sinne nor any other Iudgement than that which men passe through in repentance 3. A third sort of men that did hold a true resurrection of the bodie and a generall Iudgement of all the world did affirme before the Apostles were yet dead that the Iudgement would come vpon the world within a short time after euen in the age of them that then liued 2 Thess 2. 1 2 3. Now these false teachers are both described and confuted by the Apostle described both by the effect of their corrupt doctrine viz. that it would draw men away from their minds both for the present by making them lesse carefull of their callings and for the time to come when they should see that that day did not come as was foretold they might then grow either impatient vnder their crosse or else to fall away from religion beleeuing nothing because that they haue beleeued in this point did not come to passe and described they were by the manner of confirming their doctrine For they pretended first the Spirit that they had reuelations from the Spirit within Secondly the word that is either some speciall arguments of their owne or some words which the Apostles had vttered Thirdly Epistles either wresting the words of the Epistles of the Apostles as that 1 Thess 4. 7. or else counterfeiting Epistles and saying they were written by the Apostles The Apostle confutes them by shewing that the kingdome of Antichrist must come before the day of Iudgement The fourth sort of men are such as assigne the time of the comming of Christ to be further off from the age of the Apostles and offend in extreme curiositie in assigning the yeare or age when it should be and so mens wits haue beene ill imployed in all ages Saint Augustiae tells that in his time diuers computations were made of the end of the world and Christs comming Some said it would be 400. yeares after his Ascension some 500. yeares some
with eternal punishments why page 500 Sins remitted and retained how page 463 Sitting what it signifieth page 489 Christs Sessio at the right hand of God is comfortable in seuen respects page 492 Christs Soule how produced page 263 Excellency of mans Soule aboue other creatures appeares in seauen things page 197 Soule of man made in the Image of God page 197 Soule immortall page 198 What the Soule workes in the body Ibid. Soule resembles God in the Creation Ibid. Condition of our Soules in death page 449 Soule of Christ in his death indured a priuation of what it had before Ibid Soules of the righteous cry vnder the Alter Ibid. Our greatest care must be for our soules page 422 Christ the Sonne of God page 335 God hath many Sonnes page 336 Where the Spirit is there is liberty page 541 Spirit quenched by two sorts of men page 546 Happinesse of Christs subiects page 233 Christs subiects must doe seuen things page 234 Sufferings of Christ Suffering attributed to the diuine nature in respect of personall vnion page 305 Christs Sufferings full of wonder and amazement Ibid. They teach vs six things Ibid. He suffered not for all proued against the Arminians page 307 He Suffered from all sorts of enemies Ibid. To teach vs three things Ibid. Who haue part in Christs Sufferings page 308 Christs Sufferings a matchlesse patterne of his loue page 309 Iust Suffers for the vniust Ibid. Seuen reasons why he suffered page 310 Scriptures fulfilled in his Sufferings Ibid. His sufferings teach vs patience page 311 Two obiections against his Sufferings answered page 312 Difference betweene Christs Sufferings and Martyrs page 313 End of Christs Sufferings teach vs diuers things Ibid. Benefit of his Sufferings appeares in seuen things page 314 Hee suffered by waie of Imputation page 316 Hee Suffered from his conception to his resurrection page 317 What he Suffered from his Baptisme to his last Supper page 320 Where he Suffered page 325 When he Suffered Ibid. Hee Suffered Voluntarily page 326 348 421 Hee Suffered meane vsage why page 356 Christ suffers two things from Herod page 370 Christs Sufferings should make vs afraid of sinne page 397 We should Suffer any thing for Christs sake page 417 Superscription ouer Christs Head page 399 Pilates meaning in it Ibid. God by this giues testimonie to his Son Ibid. Superscription written in three Languages page 402 Deriuation of Symbolum with signification thereof T. ALL men need be Taught page 471 Teares haue power ouer Christ page 385 Christ Teacheth diuers waies page 221 Excellency of Christs manner of Teaching page 222 Christ Tempted for diuers reasons page 320 Christs Temptation teacheth vs fiue things page 321 Christ dwels not in Temples made with hands page 243 Thiefe conuerted page 404 Abuse not his example to procrastination page 405 Three fruits of his conuersion page 406 Thiefes confession page 408 Thiefes prayer hath in it three things obseruable page 409 Christs answer to the Thiefe page 411 How the Thiefe vnderstood what was meant by Paradise Ibid. Profitable to teach the people the whole body of Theology page 2 Thomas his vnbeleefe page 464 Thomas his confession page 465 Christ crowned with Thornes page 381 Thankefulnesse to God for the blessings of Heauen page 176 Thunder and lightning page 170 Times and seasons left to God page 427 Worldfull of Treachery page 334 Christs apparition to his Disciples the doores being shut no proofe for Transubstantiation page 462 Truth of God See God Christ beares witnesse to the Truth page 365 Truth will preuaile Ibid. Constancy for the Truth page 366 Christs subiects are of the Truth Ibid. Christ fastened to a Tree for three reasons page 390 Doctrine of the Trinity page 115 Proofes of the Trinity page 116 In handling the Trinity wee must bee wise to sobriety page 117 Trinity Essence Persons all brought in in the Primitiue Church page 123 Eleuen obiections against the Trinity answered page 124 Doctrine of the Trinity vsefull page 126 We must speake of the Trinity in vnity page 127 Vnsound speeches of the Trinity Ibid. What Heretikes haue assaulted it Ib. V. ORiginall of vegetable creatures page 185 Their variety and vse page 186 Vaile of the Temple rent page 413 What it was Ibid. What it signified page 414 Vbiquitaries confuted page 502 They gaue Christ Vinegar to drinke for three reasons page 398 Virgin Mary not conceiued without sinne page 265 Virgin ouer-shadowed page 265 Christ tooke his Body of a Virgin page 267 Wofull estate of vnbeleeuers page 35 240. Christ vpbraided his Disciples for vnbeliefe why page 470 Vnity of God See God W. GOds dearest seruants exposed to outward Wants page 466 Great Wants fore-runne extraordinary supplies Ibid. Christ speakes to Women page 285 Comfort for Women in Child-bearing page 269 Women chiefe witnesses of Christs death page 419 What wholsome words are page 3 Wicked men incorrigible page 348 Wicked desire Christs miracles not his Word page 369 Wicked men of more account then godly page 371 Wicked men within the Church may be as vile as they are without page 376 Wicked men are impatient vnder Gods hand page 386 Wicked men are like a dry Tree Ibid. Wicked men in a wofull case page 397 Wicked men how condemned already page 509 Wicked men are Goats page 418 Wicked men are cursed creatures page 527 Wicked men forget their sins page 528 Wicked men taste the Word of God without digestion page 540 Difference betweene godly and wicked men in their desire after Christ page 369 Great World a little Garden page 161 It is like a Booke Ibid. Like a faire House Ibid. Fiue things wonderfull in the making of the world page 162 Workes of God of two sorts page 144 Externall Workes of foure sorts page 145 When the world was made page 148 Giue God the Glory of his Workes page 149 Meditate on Gods Workes not delight in idle shewes Ibid. World fiered at the last day how page 531 Word doth not euer presently worke page 354 God Workes sometimes by vnlikely meanes Ibid. How the Word was made flesh page 251 Vnion of the Word and flesh differ from other vnions Ibid. Gods Wisdome moderates betweene his Iustice and mercy â—8 Three beare Witnesse of Christ in Heauen three on earth page 430 LONDON Printed by G. M. for R. R. P. Stephens and C. Meredith and are to be sold at their shop at the golden Lyon in Pauls Church-yard 1626. Pro. 335. * So much as now is published comes vnto thy hands as it was left fully perfected by the Author in his life time 2. Waies of Preaching 1. By Text. 2. Without Text. And both expedient The Apostles Patterne The method intended What the Creed is What wholesome words are Vnwholesome doctrines of two sorts 1. Corrupt doctrine Diuers sorts of corrupt doctrine How many waies true doctrine may be vnwholsome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How the Creed is a Patterne Note What great respect we should haue of the doctrines