in thy natiuitie when thou wast borne thy nauell was not cut c. And when I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thine owne blood and I said vnto thee when thou wast in thy blood Thou shalt liue euen when thou wast in thy blood I said vnto thee thou shalt liue I caused thee to multiplie as the budde of the fielde c. Who duely considering this forlorne estate of the Church and of euerie member of it as the Lorde findeth it and the great pittle which hee taketh on it and the manifold blessings which hee bestoweth vpon it Who I say duelie considering these things can doe lesse then acknowledge that God is most highlie to be honoured and praised for euer therein and that the forgetfulnes thereof is a most hainous sinne And herewith also howe can it be thought but that it must be one bounden duetie to loue the Sonne of God with a singular loue in so much as God is not our Father but by meanes of him According to that which our Sauiour Christ himselfe saith Iohn 8.42 If God were your father then would you loue mee And likewise it is our dutie to loue the children of God for Gods cause who is their Father 1. Iohn 5.1.2 Euerie one that loueth him which begate loueth him also which is begotten c. Secondlie that this reason ought effectuallie to mooue vs to withdraw our selues from the lusts of sin c the Apostle Iohn telleth vs plainly saying 1. Epi 2.15.16 That the loue of the Father cannot be in them that loue the world the lusts thereof c. And ch 3. verse 3. That euery one that hath the hope of euerlasting life and glorie through the mercie and goodnes of God purgeth himselfe that is more and more indeuoureth after it by vsing all good and holie meanes appointed of God considering that God our heauenly father is pure and that no vncleane thing can haue any abiding with him Read also verse 9. Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not c that is hee doth not giue himselfe ouer to sinne but earnestlie resisteth it c. Moreouer read Deuteron 14.1.2 Ioshua 24.1.2 c. Read also 2. Corinth 6.14 c. The want of this care in the people of God who glorie in this that God is their father it is no lesse iustlie then vehementlie reproued in the holy Scriptures as Deuteron 32.4.5.6 Isai chapt 1. verses 2.3.4 and Ierem chap 2.26.27.28 and chap 3. verses 2.3.4.5 and verses 19.20.21.22 The third part of the Answere resteth vpon as good reason and is a consequent of the former For wherfore is vndutifulnes reprooued but to the ende that the children of God should be stirred vp to care and conscience of all good dutie To this purpose therefore let vs thinke often of the holie and zealous exhortation of the Apost Pet 1. Epist chap 1. verses 13 14 15 16. c. in these words Wherefore gyrde vp the loines of your minde c. as obedient children c As hee which hath called you is holie so be ye holie c. And if yee call him Father who iudgeth without respect of persons c. Let no word of so weightie and preâ—ious an exhortation be vnweighed and vnvalued of vs. Read also Iohn 4.23 The hower cometh and now is saith our Sauiour Christ to the woman of Samaria when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth for the Father requireth euen such to worship him And 2. Cor. chap 7.1 The holy Apostle of our Sauiour Christ hauing made mention of the most gratious promise of God that hee will be a Father to all such as shall forsake Idolatrie and the fellowship of Idolaterâ— he thervpon inferreth this his earnest exhortation Seeing then we haue these promises dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all filthines of the fleshe and of the â—pirit and grow vp vnto full holines in the feare of God Read also 2. Epist of Iohn verses 4.9 And Mal cha 1.6 A Sonne honoureth his Father saith the Lorde by his Prophet and a seruant his maister If then I be a Father wher is my honour And if I be a maister where is my feare saith the Lorde of Hostes c. In all these places of holie Scripture wee see how the spirit of God calleth for all manner of good duetie toward God in this respect especiallie that he is a most gratious and honourable Father aboue all other And hee doth it most iustlie For seeing ther are no naturall parents which doe not or which may not of good right looke for readie and constant dutie from their children while they themselues performe the care of good parents toward them And on the contrarie if children shall stubbornelie refuse to yeelde good duetie to their parents they aâ—e so farre from taking delight to heate their children to call them Father that they rather enter into purpose to cast them off and to refuse to take them for their children Infinitelie much more may the Lorde God our heauenly Father cast off all such as hypocriticallie call him Father and in the meane sâ—ason denie the obedience of children vnto him For in verie truth they shew themselues not to be the kâ—ndely children of God but the base borne of their father the Deuill as wee shall haue further occasion to obserue and to produce some proofe of it by and by In the meane while for the shutting vp of this pointe worthie is the example of him whom our Sauiour Christ describeth for the common imitation of euerie true childe of God that after former â—eglect of his dutie shall returne to performe the dutie of a childe againe Father saith he and so is euerie one of vs to say in remembrance of our former vndutifulnes I haue sinned against heauen and against thee I am not worthie to be called thy Sonne c. Now further as touching the fourth branch of the answere which sheweth that it is required of euerie true childe of God that he bee an imitator of God himselfe in all goodnes and helpfulnes towards others read Matth 5.43 c. and Luk 6.35.36 And Ephes chapt 5.1.2 Be yee therefore followers of God as deare children and walke in loue c. And Coloss â— 12 Nowe therefore as the elect of God holie and beloued put on tender mercie kindenes c. And 1. Iohn â— 10 in this are the children of God knowen and the children of the Deuill Whosoeuer doth not righteousnes is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother For this is the message that yee hearde from the beginning that we should loue one another Not as Caine who was of the wicked and slewe his brother c. Reade a so in the Gospell according to Iohn chap 8.44 They that doe the lusts of the Deuils as our Sauiour Christ saith they are not the children of God but of their father the Deuill To conclude this fourth branche that the houshold of Faith
is set downe in the same 2. ch of St. Luke as it followeth froÌ„ the 41. vâ— to the 51. Question Rehearse the words of the Euangelist How doth he set them downe Answere 41 Now saith the Euangelist his Parents went to Ierusalem euery yeere at the feast of the Passe-ouer 42 And when he was twelue yeere old and they were come vp to Ierusalem after the custome at the feast 43 And hâ—d finished the daies thereof as they returned the child Iesus remained in Ierusalem and Ioseph knew not nor his mother Beliefe in God the Sonne who â—ed most holy and iust life full of tentations sufferings 44 But they supposing that he had beene in the company went a daies iourney and sought him among their kinsfolke and acquaintance 45 And when they found him not they returned back to Ierusalem and sought him 46 And it came to passe three daies after that they found him in the Temple sitting in the middest of the Doctors both hearing them and asking them questions 47 And all that heard him were astonied at his vnderstanding and answers 48 So when they saw him they were amased and his mother said Sonne why hast thou thus dealt with vs behold thy Father and I haue sought thee with heauy hearts 46 Then said he vnto them How is it that ye sought me knew ye not I must goe about my fathers busines 50 But they vnderstood not the word that he spake vnto them ExplicatioÌ„ proofe In this text we see many things recorded concerning Ioseph and Marie whereby both their godly care of worshipping God themselues and also of performing the dutie of godly Parents in bringing vp their child with religious education wherein they are most memorable examples to all Parents to put them in minde of their dutie in that behalfe Yet in so much as all that is recorded doth principally respect our Sauiour himselfe who was more willing and readie euen from his youngest yeares of discretion to practise euery good and holy duty then they were to moue him vnâ—o it we will therfore principally coÌ„sider all things as they do concerne him And first of all among the admirable things recorded in the words of our text let vs obserue his most willing readines to goe vp with his Parents to the Temple according to the commandement of God wherein he giueth streight charge that euery male should doe so yea euen chi dren so soone as they might be sit to endure the trauell of the iourney according to the nearenes or far remoued distance of their dwelling places from the Temple of Ierusalem Wherefoâ—e our Sauiour most willingly taketh paines to goe a great iourney thither with his Parents at this twelfth yeare of his age And as he went vp to Ierusalem at this feast so no doubt he had ordinarily accompanied them to the Synâ—gogue at home from Sabbath to Sabbath So that he is therein to be esteemed of vs in his childhood for a most notable example to all children how they ought euen from their first yeares to settle their hearts to seeke rightly to know God and accordingly to worship and serue him and to this end obediently to harken to the instructions and counsells of their godly Parents and together with them gladly to frequent the house of God the place of his publike worship and in the priuate housen of their Parents to delight in reading of the word of God and in conferring and talking of it as we may perceiue that our Sauiour did being yet but a childe And secondly let vs obserue from the effect the admirable profiting of our Sauiour vnder his domesticall education and gouernment though it was not after the manner of Schollers set to schoole or sent to the vniuersity c. but after the manner of the bringing vp of the poorer sort who if they be taught at all are taught at the leasure of their Parents at home For notwithstanding any defect in his education through the pouerty of his Parents he did neuertheles so behaue himselfe at the Temple in the exercise of conference and catechising which was euen then in vse among the Teachers of the word an exercise allowed by God and iustified by our Sauiour Christ in his ioining with them therein and also by his expresse testimony in that he calleth it by the honourable name of his heauenly Fathers busines that all the Doctors and so many as heard his most wise questions and answers were astonied thereat and for a declaration of their admiration at his wisedome the Doctors take him vp and set him among themselues as the Euangelist giueth plainely to vnderstand So that out of question euen in the learned Doctors iudgement our Sauiour cleared many things concerning the true doctrine of God and the holy Prophesies concerning the Messias c. in such sort as was far aboue that which might be expected from a childe of his yeares and from such kinde of education as he had according to that which was afterward with a bad minde obiected against him as we read Matth. 13. the end of the chapter Herein therefore seemeth to be performed at the least touching some excellent beginnings Beliefe in God the Son who was born â—y the Virgin Marie and as a hand sell of that which followeth that which the Prophet Isaiah foretold ch 50.4 The Lord God hath giuen me a tongue of the learned that I should know to minister a word in time to him that is wearie he will raise me vp in the morning in the morning he will awaken mine eare to heare as the learned c. For no doubt this singular measure of grace at this time of his age which neuer diminished but grew continually declareth plainely that our Sauiour was specially taught of God euen from the holy Ghost immediately rather then from any humane instruction whereof to speake simply he stoode in no need as we and all other doe from our childhood and thenceforth continually saue that in all things he would humble himselfe to the vsing of the meanes to the performance of all obedience in our behalfe and to leaue a most notable example to vs what we ought to doe concerning the same Thirdly whereas it might be thought that our Sauiour should in this extraordinarie action of his through that zeale he bare to the glory of God his heauenly Father something forget his dutie to Marie his naturall mother and to Ioseph his reputed naturall Father in which respect Marie beginneth to charge him and that with no small appearance of reason because he put them to great griefe of minde and trauell of bodie by reason of his conveying of himselfe from them let vs notwithstanding dulie consider the matter from the defence of our Sauiour and we shall finde all things so cleared that all the blame if there were any due belonged to his Parents and not to him For as our Sauiour giueth plainely to vnderstand the duties to God who is
we reade 1. Pet. 3.19 20. The people at that time regarded not to preuent the day of their visitation though a time was set them if they would not repent Therefore that is because of their great sinnes and securitie in sinning the Lord said My Spirit shall not alwaies striue with man because he is but flesh Gen. 6.3 and his daies shall be a hundreth and twenty yeares to wit before his destruction if he will not repent Wee regard not to repent though we are altogether vncertaine how soone we may be called to our generall reckoning and account So then as touching the world it is all one whether they haue a time of repentance or no time limitted vnto them In St. Luke there is also though likely vttered by our Sauiour at another time the example of the daies of Lot added to this of Noah to the very same purpose and therefore may we well make mention of it here Likewise saith our Sauiour Luke chapter 17. verses 28 29 30. as it was in the daies of Lot they did eate they dranke they bought they sold they planted they built But in the day that Lot went out of Sodome it rained fire and brimstone from heauen and destroied them all After these ensamples shall it be in the day when the Sonne of man shall be reuealed This vncertaintie of the time to our knowledge though most certaine and exactly determined in the counsell of God Beliefe in God the Sonne who shall come from heauen to iudge both the quicke and the dead it is in the last place of the description of the tâ—me amd manner declared from the sodaine and contrarie effects instanced by two combined examples as one may say the first of two men in the field working together the one receiued to wit into the kingdome of heauen as Luke 17.17 the other refused that is as one adiudged to euerlasting torment The second example is of two woman grinding at the mill the one receiued the other refused And in the Euangelist Luke the chapter before alledged verse 34. there is a third instance expressed I tell you saith our Sauiour in the night there shall be two in one bed the one shall be receiued and the other shall be left And beside this there is also this vse prescribed from the former examples of the daies of Noah and Lot that euery one ought to be so willingly prepared to meete the Lord that they should haue their mindes sequestred from all desire after earthly things or else that all contrary desires and indeauours in seeking after the enioying of them should be in vaine yea perillous and damnable vnto them At that day therefore saith our Sauiour he that is vpon the house and his stusse in the house let him not come downe to take it out and he that is in the field likewise let him not turne backe to that which he left behinde Remember Lots wife Whosoeuer will seeke to saue his soule to wit by any vnlawfull practises against the Lord Zoogonesei A metaphore in like sense as it is said The blood of the Martyrs is the seede of the Gospel For it is as the seed of their owne saluation as in seeking to elude or escape his iudgement they shall loose it and whosoeuer will loose it that is to say willingly in the waies of God he shall get it life Thus much out of St. Luke in another place though belonging to the same doctrine But as touching the use it followeth to be more fully considered of vs from the words of our Sauiour recorded by Saint Matthew when we shall proceed to a new portion of our text But before we come to that let vs obserue two things more First concerning the former three couple of instances in the which the one of euery couple were receiued the other refused yea though they were about lawfull businesse of this life or at their naturall rest what then shall we thinke of those both couples and companies that shall be found vnlawfully busied either in bed or at board as we vse to speak such as giue themselues to wantonnesse and vncleannesse or to any other lewd practise or that spend their time wholly or principally at dicing and carding or in any other exercise of vaine pleasure and delight without regard of the honest and godly duties of some good and profitable calling The nature also of the refusing which our Sauiour speaketh of would diligently be considered of vs. For it is a most terrible thing to be left so as a man shall remaine for euer seperated from the Lord world with out end to remaine in extreame anguish of soule and bodie in a conuiction of all former contempt and sinne and rebellion against the holy word and Gospel of God Neuerthelesse we must not so take the words of our Sauiour concerning the receiuing of one and the refusing of the other as though no two or more in a company shall not be receiued together For out of question though thousands of the elect faithfull and dutifull children of God should be gathered together in one place at a sermon or vpon any other iust occasion no one of them should be refused And yet for all that let none being without faith and care of godlinesse in himselfe thinke that because he is with the godly in neare society in outward and ciuill respects that therefore he shall be saued Nay rather the wife liuing with a godly husband and is not godly herselfe or the husband liuing with a christian wife and is not himselfe carefull to serue and obey Christ and so of parents and children c they shall the rather be condemned because they profit not by such excellent examples which God hath set before them in a continuall view to put them in minde of their dutie This ought therefore not onely to cause euery one to be carefull for himselfe but also as much as lieth in him for his neare companion the husband for the wife the wife for the husband the parents for the childe and euery friend for his friend that they also may be saued with them Thus much concerning the first of the two obseruations mentioned before Now secondly let vs obserue that whereas our Sauiour in describing the security of the old world in the daies of Noah and of Lot maketh menâ—ion of their marrying and giuing in marriage of their eating and drinking of their buying and selling of their building planting it is not because these things or any of them are vnlawfull in themselues For we know that marriage is the ordinance of God yea an honourable ordinance And God that hath giuen vs appetite and made his good prouision with a bountifull hand for the feeding of vs it is his good will no doubt that we should eate our meate yea not onely for necessitie but also sometimes for daintie It is lawfull also to buy and sell yea necessary for a Commonwealth and benefite to all
whom did our Sauiour Christ call but sinners to repentance Yea and among theÌ„ whom rather did he call then such sinners as were of most infamous condition and offence of life in comparison of many others Matt. 9. vers 10.11.12.13 And doth not our Sauiour Christ himselfe professe that he came not to call the righteous that is not onely such as in their owne proud opinion were such but euen such as were indeed free from the coÌ„mon crimes that some other were stained withall whosoeuer of theÌ„ would not humble themselues in respect of their more inward and hidden corruptions Doth he not plainly affirme that Publicans and harlots truely repenting should goe before hipocrites and iusticiaries into the kingdome of heauen Matt. 21.31 And hereof the woman of Samaria Iohn 4. and that other sinfull woman Luke 7.37 c. And the Apostle Paul also 1. Tim. 1.13.14.15.16 Likewise that sinnefull thiefe vpon the crosse may be liuely examples And all according to those comfortable promises of God Ier. 31.33.34 Heb. 8.12 Isai cha 53. Ezek 18. At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes I will blot all his wickednes out of my remembrance saith the Lorde But heere I beseech you let none take that with the left hand and by a sinister and wrong interpretation which is deliuered with the right hand That it let none abuse that to encourage himselfe to anie licence to sinne which is onely spoken to magnifie the great mercie of GOD and to prouoke and incourage sinners in the comfortable hope thereof speedily to leaue and forsake their sinnes It is as wee know or ought to know euery one of vs the duety euen of children from their yongest yeeres according to that which our Christian baptisme challengeth at all our hands to settle their heartes What iustification is to serue God their Creator and Father Much more then ought euerie one of vs as we are of more yeeres and haue hetherto neglected our duety to be without delay most heartily sory for it and therefore henceforward to be the more carefull c. For albeit it is an vndoubted truth that God will receiue euery sinner that shall come vnto him and truelie beleeue in the name of Iesus Christ vnfeinedly repenting them of their sinnes yet how knowest thou that hee will hereafter giue thee the gift of faith and repentance if thou doe despise the present offer which is tendered for to daye according as wee reade To daye if yee will heare his voyce harden not your hearts c. True repentance is in deed neuer too late as one truelie saith but late repentance is seldome true Heerein delayes are most dangerous as wee shall further perceiue when wee come to inquire out the doctrine of repentance In the meane while wee will conclude this point with the words of the holie Apostle Paul Rom 6.1 Shall wee continue still in sinne that grace may abounde God forbid VVhat Iustification is THese things thus hetherto obserued now to the end we may vnderstand the matter in hand to our more full vse and comfort three things are yet a little further to be inquired into of vs. First what the meaning of this word to Iustifie is Secondly what is meant by Saluation or to saue Thirdlie what Repentance is For to the end we may vnderstand the minde of God it is meete that wee should be carefull to vnderstand the words which God vseth to expresse the same vnto vs by speciallie such as be in the science of Religion the most high and excellent science of all other as it were wordes of Arte the which haue a peculiar sense proper vnto them Question First therefore what doth this word to Iustifie signifie in this our Christian doctrine of Iustification by faith Answere This word Iustification or to iustifie it signifieth a full and perfect clearing and discharging of the offendor from the euerlasting wrath and condemnation of God by the free pardon of his sinnes for Iesus Christs sake It signifieth also therewithall the imputing of the perfect righteousnesse of Christ to euery sinner trulie beleeuing in him and that of the â—ame most free grace and mercie of God Explication proof That this is so wee may euidently perceiue by that which is written Rom. 4. verses 5.6.7.8 the place alledged a little before Likewise by that which wee reade further verse 22. euen to the ende of the same 4. chapter Moreouer by that which wee reade 2. Cor. 5.21 God hath made him to be sinne for vs who knew no sinne that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Whence also it is that the Pophet Ieremiah pophesied long before that he should be called and acknowledged the Lord our righteousnes chap. 23.6 and againe ch 33.16 Read also Galat 4. verses 4.5 The Sonne of God saith the Apostle was made vnder the law that hee might redeeme them which were vnder the law that wee might receiue the adoption of sonnes And this also according to the prophesie of Isaiah The knowledg of Christ put for the saâ—th of Christ cha 53.11 By his knowledge saith the Lord by his holy Prophet shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for he shall beare their iniquities But among all other testimonies we may not passe ouer in silence that of the Apostle Paul Rom. 3.24 c. Wee are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnes by the forgiuenes of the sinnes that are passed through the patience of God To shewe at this time his righteousnes that hee may be iust and a iustifier of him that is of the faith of Iesus And cha 5.19 As by one mans disodience of one shall many also be made righteous And chapt 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth c. No maruell therfore though the faithfull seruaÌ„ts of God according to the doctrine of the holy Scriptures do so highly aduance this doctrine of our free iustification onely by faith in Christ the Sonne of God that they acccount it the touc-stone of all truth of doctrine and the ground of all true comfort to the soule and conscience of man It is a saying worthy to be noted from M. Fox that herein lyeth the touh-stone of all truth and doctrine and that this doctrine beateth downe all errors Act MonuÌ„ pa 770. immediatly before the history of the life and doctrine of D. Martin Luther a most memorable zealous preacher and iustifier of this most holy and heauenly doctrine Whervnto accordeth M. Caluin who likewise truely affirmeth that the right vnderstanding of the doctrine of iustification is praecipuus sustinendae religionis cardo M Charke in his disputatioÌ„ against Campion the principall support of the true Christian religion And another learned man that it is as the soule or life of
the forgiuenes of their sinnes the which iustification alone and no other can endure strict examination before the iudgement seate of God agreeable to the confession of the holy Prophet Psal 130 3 4. If thou ô Lord straightly markest iniquities ô Lord who shall stand But mercy is with thee that thou maiest bee feared So that euen of necessitie we must all as well as he come into the house of the Lord in the multitude of his mercie and worship him in feare Psal 5 7. Praying to him as we read Ps 143 2. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified Hereunto also doth the example of the holy Ap. Paul lead vs in that he maketh his protestation 1. Cor 4 v. 3 4 in these words As touching me saith Paul I passe very little to be iudged of you or of mās iudgement no I iudge not mine owne selfe For I knowe nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but he that iudgeth me is the Lord c. And the example of righteous Iob in his confession chap. 9 v. 1 2 3. I know verily saith he that it is so for how should man compared vnto God be iustified If he should dispute with him he could not answere him one thing of a thousand And v. 19 20 21. If we speake of strength saith Iob behold he that is God is strong if wee speake of iudgement who shall bring me in to pleade If I would iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth should condemne me If I would be perfit he shal iudge me wicked Though I were perfit yet I know not my soule therefore doe I ahhorre my life And ch 25 4. in the same booke Bildad likewise speaking by the holy Ghost saith confidently How can a man be iustified with God or how can he be cleane that is borne of woman Wherefore as Iudah saith to Ioseph Gen. 44.16 How shall we iustifie our selues He professing thereby that they could not cleare thēselues Much rather may we yea ought we to say and confesse before the Lord that we cannot possibly iustifie our selues before his iudgement seate but must needes appeale to his throne of free mercy and grace For assuredly none shall be iustified by their owne righteousnes but such as shall perfectly fulfill the whole lawe of God according to that Ro. 2 13. The hearers of the law are not righteous before God but the dooers of the lawe shall be iustified But this can no man possibly performe For as touching the righteousnes of the best it is vnperfect and we must euery one of vs labour to better and increase it from day to day as Reuel 22 11. He that is iust let him be iustified still and he that is holy let him be sanctified still That is let euery such one not onely continue but also in continuance let him more and more encrease in righteousnes and holines and so declare the truth of that righteousnes holines which is in him For as our Sa Christ saith To him that hath shall be giuen he shal haue in a boundance c. But the righteousnes of God by the gift whereof he iustifieth his adopted children namely in that he imputeth the righteousnes of his owne naturall sonne our Lord Iesus Christ vnto them it is fully perfect at the very first instant and so continueth alwaies euen as the righteousnes of Christ himselfe is perfect once and for euer howsoeuer in the faithfull the dutie yea and the comfort of their iustification may appeare and be more fully manifested in processe and tract of time as Abraham beleeuing and by his faith being iustified in the sight of God long before shewed the truth and power of his faith in offering vp of his onely sonne Isaak at the commandement which God gaue him for the triall of his faith many a yeare after And thus by the grace of God may we perceiue what iustification by faith is according to the doctrine of the Apostle Paul to wit that we are accoūted righteous before the iudgement seate of God onely for the merit and worthines of the righteousnes and obedience of our Sauiour Christ imputed to vs of God and apprehended of vs by faith and not otherwise Now when the same word to iustifie is referred to workes as the Apostle Iames vseth it the Apostle is in no wise to bee vnderstood as though a man might by his workes bee made perfectly righteous in the iust and strict iudgement of God For that cannot be insomuch as it was said euen now al our own works yea euen the best of them they are vnperfect And besides that as the Apostle Iames himselfe teacheth vs In many things we sin all And therefore it must needs be in his iudgement a grieuous sinne for any to goe about to iustifie thēselues by any worthines of their own workes in the sight of God according as it is expresly noted to be a sin in the Pharisies by our Sa Christ Luk. ch 16. v. 15. Ye are they which iustifie your selues before men c. And againe ch 18 19 c. For if it be a sin to stand in a vaine ostentation of our righteousnes before men much more sinful is it in opiniō therof to lift vp a mās mind in the sight of god as Hab. ch 2 4. Behold he that lifteth vp himselfe his mind is not vpright in him but the iust shal liue by his faith They onely haue the fruit and reward of their works who doing them in conscience of most bounden duty in obedience to God doe most vnfeinedly renounce al opinion of merit according to the instruction of our Sa Christ acknowledge themselues when they haue done al that they can to be vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 And ch 18. 9. c. it may in a good part be euident by the comparison which our Sa Christ maketh betwixt the Pharisie iustifying himselfe the poore Publican humbly confessing bewailing his sins of whom our Sa saith that he went to his house iustified rather then the other And it may be more fully confirmed by these reasons following First we are iustified in the sight of God in such manner onely as may most perfectly take away al reioycing from our selues As Ro. 3 27. All reioycing in works is excluded by faith And ch 4 1 2. Abrahā being iustified without works hath nothing concerning himselfe to reioyce in before God Likewise Eph. 2 9. Not of works lest any man should boast himselfe This because it was not duly regarded of the vnbeleeuing Iewes who sought after their own righteousnes it turned to their destruction Ro. 9 30 31 32 33. ch 10 1 2 3. Wherefore as it is written 1. Cor. 1 31. He that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord. Who hath made Christ to be perfect wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption vnto vs. And herein is included a second reason which is that we are so iustified as
that God doth by faith purifie the heart And chap 26.18 Wee are sanctified by faith in Christ And Galat 5.6 Faith worketh by loue And 1. Iohn 3.3 He that hath hope in God purgeth himselfe This hope is the next and immediate supporter of faith And verily if there were not hope of mercie through faith in God the Father that it is his good pleasure to forgiue sinnes and to receiue sinners to fauour for his Sonne Iesus Christes sake who would yea rather who could haue power comfort to repent theÌ„ of their sins and to turne to God with their whole heartes and mindes c. And yet againe so do we affirme faith to go in order before repentaÌ„ce speaking generally that though the knowledge of the Gospell is one particular grace of repentance yet it is neuertheles the fore-runner of faith like as faith taking his originall from the knowledge of God in Christ passeth into the heart and taking vp seate residence there doth more more purifie both minde and heart yea tongue hand and foote and life and all For as the Apostle Paul teacheth vs With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes Rom ch 10. verse 10. And all true wisedome is euerie where in the holy Scriptures called the wisdome of the heart euen of that heart which is sanctified by faith the which faith as was said euen now hath his seate and as it were his fining refining shoppe or furnace there Read Pro 2.10 8.5 ch 14.33 16.21 ch 22.17.18.19 ch 23.12.15.19.26 and Dan 10.12 Finally Prou 17. v. 16. Wherefore saith the most wise king is there a price in the hand of a foole to get wisedome and he hath no heart As though he shuld say All meanes are in vaine to him that wanteth a hearty affection towards that which is to be sought after c. Surely no grace is any grace of sanctification vntill it descend to the heart and there be allowed and sealed as it were for lawfull and currant by the stamp of faith Now thirdlie that repentance noteth the changing altering of the minde memory will affection froÌ„ that which they are by naturall birth euen erroneous vaine corrupt euery way altogether sinfull to the renewed image and likenes of God in inward puritie soundnes integrity with daylie increase of holy wisdome vnderstanding c it may be proued from that which we read Ephes 4.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24 Col 3.10 2. cor 3.18 And wheras two things are requisite to this spirituall change first a dying to sin secondlie a quickening or rising vp to newnesse of life wee haue both of them from our Sauiour Christ by the hand of faith the first from the grace and power of his death the other froÌ„ the vertue of his resurrection as the Apo Paul doth most notably declare in the 6. chap of the epist to the Rom. From the beginning wherof he entreth to treate of our sanctification by the Spirit of Christ as a fruit of that our iustification by faith in Christ which hee handled before Finallie that repentance comprehendeth the altering and changing of the outward speaches and actions of life answerable to the inward changing of the minde and affections of the heart from the common course of the children of this wicked world Read Rom chapt 12.1.2 And 1. Corin 6.20 Iames 4 4. and 1. Iohn 2.15.16.17 1. Thessalon 5.3 where the holy Apostle prayeth for the sanctification of the bodie together with the soule the Spirit of the children of God The Practise of Repentance Read also Act 8.22 2. Cor 12.21 Reuel 2.21.22 Luk 3.9.10 and Matth 21.32 In the which places the doctrine of repentance is extended to the reformation of the outward works of the flesh and to the contrarie practise of good outward duties And so Repentance which is principallie inward breaketh forth in the outward fruites thereof that it becommeth a visible thing to the viewe of all men according to the speach of our Sauiour Christ touching Repentance in sack-cloth and ashes Matth 11.21 The Practise of Repentance THis therfore to speak generallie is the nature of true Christian Repentance according to the former description of it The which because it may be made the more cleare and familiar vnto vs from the practise of the people of God in whom God hath wrought this excellent worke of his holy Spirit let vs now proceede to take a viewe therof that so wee may the better informe our selues how wee are to beginne and proceed in a right course after the examples of those who by the grace of God haue gone before vs therin Tâ—e practise is answerable to the doctrine Yet so as it is not alwaies after one vsuall course but sometimes more speciall vpon more speciall occasions namely in respect of some more grieuous and predominant sinne at the first conuersion whether of one or of many and by reason of some particular relapse of such as haue formerly repented them For in such cases the inferiour helping causes or as one would say the common affections of repentance whether going before as preparatiues or following after and accompanying the seuerall partes therof eyther touching mortification of sinne or quickening to newenesse of life they ought to be so much the more vehement and intentiue The profession also of repentance is either more publike or more priuate Ordinarie by meanes of Gods word and Gospell preached and the execution of the prescribed censurâ—s and discipline of the Church of God or extraordinarie as it pleaseth God to worke either by the same meanes or any other way in a more then ordinarie course Examples hereof wee haue in the holy Scriptures both of the olde and of the newe Testament Of the more publike and extraordinarie practise and profession of repentance by many we read Exod. 32 verse 19 c. to the ende of the Chap. And Chap. 33 5 6. Where we read that Moses and the Leuites did by the sword take vengeance of the chiefe of them that were most forward in the sinne of making and worshipping the Idoll-calfe And that Moses praied to God for the people And that all the people humbled and abased themselues in the sight of God A declaration whereof was their sorrowing and laying aside of their costly raiment they thereby acknowledging themselues vnworthy of the common mercies of God and much more vnworthy to be accepted for a peculiar and holy people vnto him And Iudges Chap. 2 4 5. At the fearefull threatening of God that because of the great sinne of his people in sparing the heatheÌ„ Idolaters he would not cast them out before theÌ„ but that they should remaine among them as thorns in their sides c. They mourned and wept so aboundantly that the place where they did so doth beare the name of weeping And 1. Sam 7.6 The people of Israel in their fast did as it were poure out riuers of teares in great
of this point of our inquirie for this time Question What is the comfort of all these laide as it were in the ballance together I meane that the Lord our God one onely alwaies without any change is both infinitely w se and also infinitely mercifull and righteous and most constant faithfull and true whereunto let vs adde that he is also of an infinite and almightie power What I say is the comfort of all these laide as it were in the scholes together Answere Explication and prooâ—e The comfort hereof shall be found by due estimate to be aboue all valuation waight It shall verily be found to be so to all true beleeuers If as was said in the beginning of this part of our inquirâ—e God did onely perfitly know how to doe vs good but were not able to performe it or if being both wise and able hee were not likewise willing or being wise and able and willing if he were not faithfull and constant to confirme and establish his mercy toward vs there might be some cause of doubt and discomfort But seeing all these meete and are perfectly linked together yea infinitely aboue all that perfection which we are able throughly to discerne so that God is euery way good yea perfect goodnes it selfe and therefore may iustly be called the God of all consolation and comfort as was answered before the comfort of the faith of euery true beleeuer must needes exceede all comfort of sence yea of the vnderstanding it selfe Let vs therefore I pray you here call againe to minde The Duties the holy exhortation of the holy Psalmist Psal 31 24. All yee that trust in the Lord be strong c. Psal 34 8. Tast yee and see that the Lord is good blessed is the man that trusteth in him Let vs againe and againe to the increase of our comfort consider that which is written Psal 37 3 4 c. and 55 22 Heb. 13 56 and ch 6 17 18. Where the Lord to the end hee might certifie vs of his immutable counsell and purpose of confirming his mercy to his faithfull children hee hath added his oath to his promise Doubtlesse the Lord will not leaue the least of his in the least of their troubles much lesse will he leaue theÌ„ in the greatest of them Pro. 24 16. Ps 27 3 4 c. and 76 7 8 145 14 and 146 7 c and Ps 91. Which is to this purpose a most comfortable Psalme And thus feeding and solacing our soules with the comforts of our faith in our one onely true God Let vs cheerefully proceed to the consideration of the duties belonging to the same FOr is it not thinke you most equall that according to the comfort of faith which as hath beene shewed is vnspeakable that there should be at the least in some speciall measure an answerable care and desire to shewe forth speciall fruites of true thankfulnes and obedience to so good a God who is all perfection of goodnes it selfe Question I say is it not thinke you so meete Answere It cannot with any reason be denied but that it is most equall and iust that it should bee so according to the determination of God himselfe who in the beginning of the 17. ch of Gen. saith thus to Abraham the father of the faithfull I am God all sufficient walke thou before me and be vpright ExplicatioÌ„ proofe This indeed may well be a general ground of all obedience as a iust fruite due to the manifold comfort of our faith in one onely true God For in that the Lord saith I am God alsufficient he giueth therby assurance of al protection and blessing according to that ch 15,1 I am thy buckler and thine exceeding great reward And the wordes following in the 17. ch Walk before me they are words requiring all good seruice and dutie as it is further expressed in the other wordes next after them Be thou vpright Or as they may well be englished Be thou entire that is See thou detract no part of holy obedience but obey in one dutie as wel as in another And accordingly there is no doubt but Abraham had conscience and care of walking in such a kinde of obedience before God euen from the comfort of Gods couenant made with him as the former words of God doe declare Read also the notable example of Iosua and of the people of God Iudges ch 24 14 15 16 17. We wil serue the Lord say they all For he is our God But it shall be profitable for vs to inquire more particularly into the seuerall duties as we haue done into the seueral comforts The which though peraduenture it will be found painfull to doe yet in so much as this our labour is imploied about the getting of treasure to the most precious inriching of our poore soules let vs therfore account no paines or trauaile too great to be spent about it remembring well what toile with extreame danger worldly minded men are usually content to indure in an vncertaine hope of obtaining earthly that is to say transitorie and deceiuable riches as our Sauiour Christ calleth them Luke Chap. 16 9 c. And further also let vs herewithall obserue concerning the duties of faith that some of them may be accounted as more appertaining to the truth vprightnes of iudgement Others to the purenes of affection answereable to the vprightnes of the same good iudgement holy discretion And some againe are belonging to life and conuersation as outward fruites of both the former Of these duties therefore let vs henceforth inquire according as the occasion shall be ministred vnto vs and that in such order as we haue inquired after the comforts And first which are the duties belonging to the comfort of this that the Lord who hath created vs vouchsafeth to be our God and that he hâ—th choseÌ„ vs for his inheritance and therefore hedgeth and walleth about buildeth and planteth among vs as it were in his fee-simple esteeming the children of the world but as coÌ„mon or wast and heath ground in comparison of his church Which Answere I say are the duties belonging vnto this comfort Question As the Lord of his most free grace hath set vs vp to be a precious and peculiar people euen as it were a choise inheritance to himself as we haue seene before â—ort is our most Founden dutie as a necessarie fruite of our faith to set vp and aduance him aboue all in our hearts esteeming him as our most honourable portion and inheritance for euer yeelding also at al times the best and most plentifull fruites of obedience which possibly we may Explication and proofe It must needes be so according to thâ—t we read Dâ—ut 26 verses 16 1â— 18. 1â— And Psal 1â— verse â— and Psal 119. verse 57. And Isay chap. â— 1 c. Read also Leuit 1â— â— 4 c. in many verses of that chapter Ye shall doe thus and thus c
O my God take mee not away in the middest of my dayes thy yeares endure froÌ„ generation to generation Thou hast aforetime laid the fouÌ„dation of the earth the heauens are the work of thy hands They shall perish but thou shalt endure They shall euen all waxe olde as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them they shal be changed But thou art the same and thy yeares shall not faile And Ps 35.10 Lord who is like vnto thee who deliuerest the poore froÌ„ him that is too stroÌ„g for him c These are the second sorte of duties SHewe now in the third place which those duties are which faith yeeldeth frâ—m the coÌ„fort of this that the Lord our God is of a most spirituall nature iÌ„finite euery wher present vnmeasurable inuisible and incomprehensible Which be they Question Aâ—â—â—â—â—â— From the considerations saith doth withdrawe the thoughts of our mindes from thinking God to be like any bodily creature in outward forme or shape much more the hands fâ—â—m making and setting vp any bodily representation of him most of all the heart from yeelding any diuine worship to any creature the which it doth acknowledge to belong only to the Lord our God Exâ—lâ—cation and prâ—â—â—e This indeede is one speciall dutie of faith touching the spirituall nature of God in that he is infinite and euery where presâ—nt c. accoâ—ding to that we reâ—d Isay 4â— 18. Ier. 16 6. Deut. 4 15 16 17 18 19. And Act. 17 v. 24 c. 29 What other duties doe belong to the same comfort of faith Question Answere It requireth of euery true beleeuer that he be wise vnto sobrietie without all curious search into the diuine nature of God the which may so onely be known as it is alwaies to be acknowledged infinitely exceeding all that our weake knowledge and vnderstanding can reach vnto It teacheth vs to worship God in spirit and truth It warneth vs to beware of all hypocrâ—â—â—ie and to take heede that we do in no wise peruert or corrupt the most holy and pure doctrine of his truth These and such like are the duties belonging to the former comfort of faith Explicatiâ—n anâ— prooâ—e They are so in very deed as may appeare first froÌ„ that generall admonition which we read Rom. 12 3. Let no man vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vndeâ—stand but let hâ—m vnderstaÌ„d accoâ—ding to sobrietie as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of faith For if we may not in things reuealed boast of a greater measure of knowledge theÌ„ God hath giueÌ„ much lesse may we pry curiously into his vnsearchable secrets Read also Deut. 29. v. 29. Pro. 25 1 2 1â— 2â— And Iudg ch 13 18 22. There is also a wise admonition though Apocriphâ—ll to the same purpose Eccles ch 3 22. Seeke not out the things that be too hard for thee neither search the things rashly that be to mightie for thee Secondly call agâ—ine to mind herein this place that excelleÌ„t example of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 4 24. God is a spirit they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth For such as God is such also must his worship be Thirdly read Ps 44 â—â— â—1 If we haue forgotten the name of our God and holden vp our hands to a strange God shall not God search this out For he knoweth the secrets of the heart And Ps 1 29. O Lord thou hast tried and knowne Thou knowest my sittinâ— my rising c. The whole Psal is of exceeding good vse to this purpose Finally read Ier. 23 v. 23 24 25. Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God farre oft Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I shall not see him saith the Lord Doe not I file heauen and hearth saith the Lord I haue heard what the Prophets said that prophesie lyes in my name saying I haue dreamed I haue dreamed c. And Ps 119 verse 168. I haue kept thy precepts and thy testimonies for all my waies are before thee Hetherto of the third sort of duties Question Let vâ—â—â—me to the fourth what duties belong to this comfort of faith that although all creatures should forsake vs yet the Lord our God will not leaue or 〈◊〉 vs Answere Thâ—â— ought to cause vs to preferre the Lord our God in our hearts and to loue and imbrace him infinity aboue all creatures so that euery one of vs should resolutely say in â—â—m else as we read Ps â—â— â—â— whoÌ„ haue â—â—n heauen but thee and I haue desired none to the earth with thee And so forth as it followeth to the end of the Psalme â—â—ought to cause vs to doe so indeede â—â—â—â—ion ANd what are the duties belonging likewise to this comfort of faith that the Lord our God is the most worthy and excellent yea euen infinitely worst high and excellent aboue all Anâ—â—â—â— We ought for this to reuereÌ„ce him with most high reuereÌ„ce aboue al as much as we may pâ—â—â—bly attaine vnto according to that in the 89. Ps v. 6. 7. Who is equal to the lord in heauen and who is like the Lord among the sonnes of the mighty God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be reuerenced aboue all that are about him This also is very right and meet and our bounden duty Question NOw what are the duties of faith in respect of this comfort that the Lord our God is infinite in his diuine wisedome and that accordingly hee doth rule and gouerne all things Answere The duties heereof are these First that we denie our owne naturall and fleshly or worldly wisedome condemning it as meere folly and enmitie against God Secondly that we make it our wisedome to be wise in the Lord and according to the instructions limits and bounds of his holy word Thirdly that we iudge reuerendly of all those counsels and waies and works of God whereof we cannot sound the reason Fourthly that while wee walke in his holy wayes yea or hauing erred from them doe vnfainedly returne and repent and seeke the Lord we doe hope for a blessed issue out of the most intricate and confused temptations feares and dangers and euen out of death it selfe And therefore also as a further fruit hereof that touching all such deliuerances and blessings we submit euen our most holy prayers desires indeuours herein to the most gratious wisedome of God as to him that knoweth best both what and when and how euery thing may proue best for vs and accordingly will most gratiously dispose of the same Finally that we acknowledge all wisedome whatsoeuer is in men or Angels or in anie creature else according to their kind to be the gift of our only wise God and that we glorifie him in this behalfe vsing our wit all other his good gifts onely to that end For the proofe of the first of these duties read Rom. 8.7 The wisedome
doe enter into couenant with God in all holy care and conscience of walking in all good dutie before him as Abraham and all the faithfull of his posteritie did For as our Sauiour Christ saith The duties the children of Abraham will doe the workes of Abraham c. And verily all the dutie that we yea that all the Church of God can yeeld is too shallowe a fruite of obedience and thankfulnes to God for the reuelation and comfort of this most deepe and high mysterie For insomuch as the Lord God our onely Lord of his infinite mercie wholly consenteth both in vnitie of nature and according to the eternall distinctioÌ„ of the persons to the endles perfitting of our redemption saluation what dutie of ours though we were able to yeelde him all the seruice both of vnderstanding and reason of will and affection yea both of spirit soule and body could be answerable to this his infinite goodnes and mercy But to speak something more particularly it is the duty of the whole church of God and of euery true beleeuer to hold maintaine and defend this most holy doctrine against all Anti-trinitarians Atheiests or Profane persons whosoeuer shall shewe themselues to be despisers gainesayers and blasphemers thereof In which respect the holy and diligent labours of Athanasius Nazianzene and many other in former times as also of Caluin Beza Vrsinus Zanchius c. they are in these our daies very excellent The aduersaries of this most high point of doctrine haue beene from time to time many and great in the church of God the lesse to be maruelled at because it is the doctrine of a most secret and high mystery infinitely exceeding all comprehension of corrupt naturall reason The lesse also is it to be maruelled at because the Diuel who in all things enuieth the glory of God and euery way maliceth the saluation of his people taketh all the occasions he can to hinder yea to corrupt and vtterly to peruert the true knowledge faith of this most glorious and healthfull mysterie The former and more ancient of these wicked aduersaries as learned Danaeus hath gathered and sorted them together in his booke of heresies they were first the Apellites Messaâ—ians Deïtes and Monarchites who denying the distinct Persons held that God is onely as it were a sole and solitarie Monarch of the world Secondly the Simonians Ptolemies Colarbasies Montanistes Noâ—tians Praxcans Sabellians Apolanaristes who affirmed that there is but one person in the Trinitie onely called by these three sundry names Father Sonne and holy Ghost Thirdly the Marcellians who taught that the Trinitie is but an extension or dâ—lating of â—ne and the same thing as it were waxe Fourâ—hly the Hieracites who said that the Persons in the Trinitie are but as it were two lights of one candle Fâ—f ly the Metangismonites who imagined the Persons to be like to diuerse vessels the one contained within the other and as a scroule of diuers skinnes Sixtly the Tritheïtes and Triformians who contended that the three Persons are three diuerse and sundry Gods Seauenthly the Marcites and Tetratheïtes who make a quaternitie of Persons The which hereticall blasphemie when Anastasius the Emperour attempted to establish by his Edict about the yeare of our Lord 485. he was by the hand of God stricken with lightening and died miserably Danaeus chap. 47. in his booke of Heresies The last of thâ— more ancient aduersaries which the same writer rehearseth were the Actians who made no more account of the three Persons then of three qualities All these were worthily resisted and refuted by the excellent Mâ—nisters of Gods word in former times Now in these latter daies rose vp one Seruetus and other who went about to reuiue the former heresie of the Simonians and such like heretikes of their rancke Wherefore by how much the Diuel raiseth vp more hostile warre against this sacred ground of our Christian faith to the dishonour of our God The Danger of not beleeuing this Article and to the endangering of our soules to euerlasting perdition as also to the opening of the mouthes of the profane and vngodly to blaspheme that most holy and sacred mysterie which they knowe not neither haue learned to reuerence and adore by so much ought all the seruants of God at this day and from time to time according to the example of those that haue beene befâ—re vs to be the more studious and carefull both to settle our owne vnderstanding and faith more firmely and also more wisely soundly and faithfully euery one according to his place and calling to teach and strengthen one another and all of vs with one consent to pray the more feruently to God that it would please his diuine maiestie still to vphold this his blessed truth of doctrine which teacheth the truth of his most blessed nature the maÌ„ner of his glorious Essence against all aduersaries thereof as euer heretofore he hath done Amen THat which now remaineth concerning this article is the danger of not beleeuing in the blessed Trinitie Question What is that Answere It is vnpossible that any which beleeue not in the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost three Persons one onely true God should either know rightly the fountaine from whence or the meanes by whom or the manner how life and saluation is brought to light much lesse can they feele the comfort of it here and least of all shall they be partakers of the happines and glory of it in the kingdome of heauen ExplicatioÌ„ proofe It is vnpossible in very deed For all is contained within the reuelation and faith of this most blessed mysterie as wee may clearly perceiue by calling to minde that which wee reade in the places of holy Scripture before alledged Ro 5.1.2.3.4.5 Eph. 2.18 1. Pet. chap. 1. v. 2. 2. Cor. ch 13. v. 13. which is the last of the whole chapter Yea so is all contained and treasured vp in this mystery that whosoeuer doe not rightly beleeue it * Vnderstand it of those that be willingly ignorant or heretically minded against this holy Mysterie they shal most assuredly wofully perish for euer froÌ„ the most glorious presence of God haue their portion among the most hellish and diuellish aduersaries of his glorie According as it hath beene long since well acknowledged and determined and so is stil in the true churches of Christ that whosoeuer desire to be saued must necessarily and before all things hold the true Christian and Catholike faith And that whosoeuer doe not keepe it holy and vndefiled shal without doubt perish euerlastingly The which Catholike faith that is to say the common faith of all true beleeuâ—rs is this that we doe acknowledge and worship one God in Trinitie and the Trinitie in vnitie Neither confounding the Persons nor diuiding the substance c. Whosoeuer doe not beleeue thus it is most certaine that they doe not beleeue in the true God rightly Nay it is
vpon the glory of Moses his face after became from the Lord out of the mount Neither could Moses himselfe see any more but as it were the back partes of the Lord and that through a crannie of the rocke Exod 33.18 c. and chapter 34.33 c. and 2. Corinth 3.7 Read also Ier 10.6 Isai 40.12 c. Rom 11.33 c. And as touching those things which apperteine to the kingdome of heauen they are farre aboue those which the eye hath seene or eare heard or euer came into mans heart 1 Corinth 2.7.8.9 It foloweth therefore according to the second parte of the answere that these things and this euerlasting mansion place is by all good reason to bee principallie sought after and affected according to that of our Sau Christ First seeke the kingdome of God c Herevnto also doth the example of the holie Patriarches call vs according to that which wee read Hebr chapt 11. verses 13 14.1â— 16. Neither may wee in any wise neglect the holie exhortation of the Apostle Paul Coloss 3. â— c. Set your affection on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth c. And verse 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are on the earth fornication vncleannes c. For as wee read Reuelat 21. verse 27. There shall enter into the heauenly Ierusalem no vncleane thing neither whatsoeuer worketh abomination and lies but they which are written in the Lambes bo ke of life O therfore how vaine yea how absurd and madde a choise is this of the children of this world who for earthlie things which are but smoke and dost yea for the pleasure of sinne which is abominable skum and filthy dish-wash doe lose the most durable pure and pleasant ioyes of the kingdom of heauen And for the loue of houses of clay whose foundation as Eliphaz saith truely in the book of Iob 4.19 is in the dust and shall be destroyed before the mothe that is most sodeinlie as a flying mothe may be crushed to nothing with a mans finger to loose the glorious and eternall Palace of heauen Th s verilie is intollerable madnesse and follie But let vs who minde the kingdome of heauen proceede to consider the waies which guide vs thervnto Question In the next place therefore which are the Duties that belong to the comfort of this that God our heauenly Father hath created the holie Angels to be his ministring Spirits for our manifolde benefit both in bodie and soule in this life and concerning the life to come as wee are hereafter in the Prouidence of God more fullie to consider Answere As wee ought from Gods creating of the holie Angells for our comforte to prouoke our hearts to most an tifull thankefulnes to God our heauenly Father who thereby doth exceedingly commend his loue and regarde of vs though most vnworthie so ought wee from the example of the holie Angels themselues who at the commandement of God doe willinglie attend vppon vs their inferiours yea euen vpon vs most vnworthy and miserable sinners to learne to be so humble and lowlie euerie one of vs for our parts that wee bee not onelie dutifullie subiect to all higher powers according to the ordinance of God but euen to the owest also Yea and that euen the chiefest themselues should likewise willinglie be the seruants of God for the benefit and comforte of the poorest and lowest of the whole Church and people of God ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe The reason is plaine and lightsome of it self and hath great force in it to perswade euery faithfull magistrate of Iustice and euery faithfull and beleeâ—ing minister of the Word euen with their best gifts and with their most royall power which they haue receiued of God to be therewithall willing seruants to the lowest of the Church and therein also to thinke themselues nothing abased but greatly honoured of God Moreouer the wicked may by this ministerie of the holie and mightie Angels if they had grace to consider it be feared from all wicked attempts against the Church or any the least members thereof Numb chapt 22. verse 22. c. Math 18.10 And wee our selues that wee doe nothing vnbeseeming the presence of so holie ministers and glorious seruants of God who though inuisiblie are yet oftener present with vs and among vs then wee are ware of 1. Corinth 11.10 According also to that Exod 23.21.22.23 For notwithstanding that is spoken of our Lord IESVS the Prince of Angels yet such as the Lord and Maister-Angell is such also are the seruants on their Lords behalfe according to that Commission which he giueth vnto them Thus much for the Duties from the comfort of Faith concerning the inuisible creatures of God Let vs make speede to the Duties concerning those that are called visible ANd first concerning the creation of other Creatures besides our selues Question What are the Duties belonging to the comfort of Faith in that God hath giuen vs assurance that hee hath created them for vs and giuen vs the free vse of them to wit of the light of the Sunne and of the Moone c. of foode and of apparell of flowers of all sweete smells of all pleasant and Musicall soundes c. What I say are the Duties belonging to the bountifull and Fatherly goodnes of God herein Answere It is our bounden Dutie to vse euerie of them with all wise and holie discretion and in all good and sober moderation as becommeth those that are called the children of the light euen to those blessed ends onely whervnto God himselfe hath appointed them And furthermore to the ende we may in all hoâ—e wise and sober manner vse these kindes of creatures it is likewise our bounden dutie to blesse God in all and for euerie of his blessings which wee beholde with our eyes which wee heare with our cares wherewith we cloth our bodies c. And according to the approoued examples of the holie seruants of God it is our dutie in speciall manner and with open profession of thankfulnes to blesse God for the continuall renewing of our food which is the most sensible and necessarie meanes for the ordinarie maintenance of our life Such is our bounden Dutie indeede according to that ancient preceptorie admonition of the Lord by the Prophet Moses Deut 8.10 ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe When thou hast eaten and filled thy selfe thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good land which hee hath giuen thee Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God c. This holie commandement hath bene regarded of the faithfull in the Church of God from time to time no doubt And it is approued euen by the practise of our Sauiour Christ himselfe Of whom it is recorded in the Gospell that hee blessed God for the bodilie foode wherwith he fed the people Matth 14.19 Yea after his Resurrection his disciples knew him by his breaking of bread in that as it is most likely hee vsed a forme of
die their death Num. 23.10 so yea much more no doubt when the reuenging hand of God fell vpon him would he haue wished to haue beene as the least among the people of God to wit when the sword came against him in the slaughter of the Midianites Num. 31.8 And thus questionlesse would all the wicked desire when they are terrified by the vengeance of God breaking forth against them like as was noted before concerning the Egiptians at that time when the water began to returne forcibly vpon them Thus the iudgements of God vpon the wicked are many waies profitable and comfortable to the godly NOw let vs come to those fruites and benefites which the children of GOD doe in time reape to their comfort from the iudgements of God vpon themselues while they did liue in their sinne and after that also by his chastisements from the time that they began to repent and to turne vnto him Question And first what are the comfortable fruites or benefites proceeding from the iudgements of God vpon them while they lay in their sinnes and were not mooued to repentance or to say the most were onely entring into it Answere While the children of God are in this estate God vseth his iudgements or punishments as effectuall helpes First to humble them in the sight of their sinnes by a taste of that horrible wrath and miserie which is in the iustice of God due vnto them Secondly to stirre them vp to seeke for mercie and forgiuenesse Thirdly to make their deliuerance and saluation the more sweete and pretious vnto them Finally that by the recordation and calling to minde of the same their former punishments they being once turned to God might thenceforth take warning that they doe neuer returne to their former wickednes againe ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe You say well that the iudgements of God are effectuall helpes to the ends you haue rehearsed For it pleaseth God for the better expedition and more speedie effecting of his worke to adde vnto the threatnings of his word the execution of his curse in some measure euen vpon his owne elect children whom he findeth to bee by nature children of wrath and knoweth that they haue neede of such vehement awaking and rowsing vp out of their dead sleepe of sinne To this purpose reade in the booke of Iob. cha 33. verse 17 c. Where afâ—er that he hath spoken of the sundry afflictions wherewith God doth humble his children preparing them first by his bodily chastisements and then sending the instruction of his word vnto them then saith Elihu to Iob verses 2â— 30. Lo all these things will God worke twice or thrice with a man That he may turne backe his soule from the pit to be illuminated with the light of the liuing That is that he hauing his life prolonged may learne the way to the kingdome of heauen And hereof we haue the most wicked King Manasses for a notable example 2. Chron. 33.12 13. Of whom it is written that howsoeuer hee exceeded in wickednes and despised the ministerie of the Prophets which were sent vnto him yet when God cast him into tribulation that is gaue him into the hands of the King of Ashur who put him in fetters and bound him in chaines and carried him to Babel then he prayed to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers And he praying to God God of his infinite mercy was intreated of him and heard his prayer and brought him againe to Ierusalem into his kingdome And then as the text saith Manasses knew that is he acknowledged the Lord to be God To this purpose also it is well obserued by a godlie learned man that by affliction as by a speciall helpe God vseth commonly to call them whom he will saue and make instruments of his saluation to others To the which end he alledgeth the example of Paul from the testimonie of the holy Scriptures and from Ecclesiasticall storie the example of Constantine the first Christian Emperour and of Edwine the first Christian King of Northumberland Of the which Edwine thus he writeth that notwithstanding he had married a Christian woman the daughter of Ethelbert a christened King of Kent who perswaded with him all that shee could and Paulinus also a preacher of the Gospel yet could he not be wonne till God had bumbled him by sundry afflictions No not till at the last hee was sore wounded by a wicked and desperate â—â—t throat who was suborned to kill him This is the obseruation of Mr. Foxe in the historie of King Edwine about the yeare of our Lord 630. Where also he alledgeth to the same end the late example of Martin Luther whose spirituall conflicts and agonies were many before hee could bee made fit to preach the doctrine of iustification by Christ openly And so saith hee bo all they most commonly which come to any liuely feeling or sensible working of Christ the Lord in them Hence it is that this confession is heard often in the mouthes of the seruants of God after that they are once truly and effectually humbled vnto him Blessed be God for such a sharpe checke that I had for such a losse for such a disgrace for such an imprisonment for such or such a danger for such a languishing sicknes for such a paineful or loathsome disease for such a wound for such a terrible feare in a grieuous thunder and lightening c. For if I had not bin thus or thus afflicted humbled I had not knowne my selfe I had not regarded Gods word I had neuer come to the feare of God I had perished in my sinnes c. If I had not lost such or such a friend or worldly stay I should not haue depended vpon Gods prouidence as now by the grace of God I see that I ought to doe Thus much therefore for the two former vses of afflictions or punishments or iudgements howsoeuer we doe thinke good to call them Now thirdly how the bitternes of such iudgements or afflictions sent of God doe make the saluation of God and his tender mercies the more sweete and comfortable I neede not to speake seeing no man can truly discerne what sweetnesse meaneth vnles hee haue tasted before what the sower is Finally touching the last point it cannot be doubted but that speciall iudgements of God are sent to the end they might leaue behinde them a memorable impression of his reuerend feare in the hearts of his children and so to nourish in them a continuall care of dutie answerable to the first entrance of their calling remembring alwaies that the anger of God against sinne is as great as any feare that is euer apprehended of vs. Psal 90.11 Who knoweth the power of thy wrath For according to thy feare is thine anger The practise of this memoriall is commended vnto vs Lament chapter 3. verses 19 20 21. in these wordes of the Prophet Remembring mine affliction and my mourning the worme-wood
Answere as all scrupulous and seruile feare of heathenish and fatal Destinie Secondlie it is likewise our bounden dutie to abandon all inordinate or distrusting and distracting cares and desires with all wicked and vniust practises concerning earthly things Yea it is our dutie from faith in the Fatherlie prouidence of God to moderate all lawfull and honest studies or labours about them and that wee doe enterprise nothing in confidence of our owne wit or strength but onely by the leaue or permission and as wee may well saye vnder the correction of the Diuine prouidence of the Lorde our God Thirdlie as was said before concerning the workes of Gods creation so must wee likewise say and acknowledge concerning all the workes of his continuall Prouidence that it is our bounden dutie to thinke and speake alwaies most reuerendlie of them and for the defence and iustifying of them against all who-soeuer shall presume to depraue the least yea if wee may so speake those that doe seeme the vilest and basest of them Fourthlie from all former experience of the fatherlie prouidence of our God watching ouer vs for our benefit it is our dutie to incourage our selues to waite comfortablie vpon him for all time to come without all seruile feare of our enemies or distrust in his most gratious and Fatherlie good will In prosperitie it is our dutie to be soberlie minded and to prepare for aduersitie that is in health howe to beare sicknes in wealth howe to indure pouertie in honour how to suffer reproche and finallie in all our life howe to die and to be willing to lye downe in the dust a lesson very harde to be learned that wee may at the last enioye a more sure foundation and building from the Lord. And moreouer when aduersitie commeth wee knowing well that it is from the most wise and gratious good hand of our heauenlie Father it is our dutie as obedient children patientlie and meekely to submit our selues vnto it as to his Fatherly correction and triall labouring to make all good vses thereof to our bettering Likewise wee beleeuing all aduersitie to proceede of the fatherly and prouident hand of God it is our dutie chearefullie and comfortablie to hope and expect a good and blessed issue Furthermore also from all former succoures and deliuerances the which it pleaseth God from day to day to renewe vnto vs it is our partes to grow and increase in loue to God and therby to hearten our selues to indure greater affliction if God will so haue it for the time to come Finallie it is our dutie both in prosperitie and also in aduersitie in life and euen in death it selfe and for all the iudgements of God against the wicked to be thankeful to his diuine Maiestie in so much as by all meanes hee doth most wiselie fit and prepare vs yea guide and bring vs home to his heauenlie Kingdome and glorie Explicatiō proofe These in deed are all of them most bounden duties belonging to the comfort of our faith in the most gratious and Fatherlie prouidence of God And more also in the particulars aboue that could here for this time be conueniently expressed as was said before For manifolde and great comfortes doe iustlie call for manie and great duties at our handes But for the ground oF those that haue ben mentioned let vs first of all consider that euen among the wiser sorte of the heathen the prouidence of God hath bene alwaies after a sort acknowledged yea so farre forth that some of them haue called God by the name of Pronoia euen prouidence or fore-sight it selfe Wherevpon also a learned writer obserueth verie well that they easilie saw that it should be as vnreasonable a thing to acknowledge a God yet to denie his prouidence as it should be to ascribe an eye vnto him without sight a hande without power and a minde without vnderstanding c. Though herewithall it must be considered that the wisest of the heathen not in lightened from the holie word of God did neuer knowe rightlie this Fatherlie Prouidence of God wherof we speake Neuertheles thus farre the wiser sort of them sawe that the prouidence of God wadeth most skilfullie betweene blinde Fortune and that which is called the Fatall or Stoïcal destinie Yea and euen touching that which is called Fortune or chance here among men on earth as beeing altogether vncertaine and accidentall to them yet vulgarlie they placed it as a Goddesse in heauen as though they should acknowledge that with God all things yea these that come by the greatest happe-hazard as men deeme are certainly knowne and foreseene according to that saying of the Poet Nullum Numen abest si sit prudentia sed te Nos facimus Fortuna Deam coeloque locamus That is No power Diuine doth want on earth if wisely men would deeme T' is wee like fooles who Fortune place Farre off Shee-god in heauen Or thus Ther wants no God at all wher wisedome doth aduise Wee fooles doe Fortune Deïfie and place aboue the Skies Much rather then ought all the children of God who are taught and instructed from the holie worde of God to banishe both from their mouthes and also from their hearts all false ascription or imputation of any thing to Fortune or lucke c. And likewise it is our dutie to put away all blasphemous and desperate thoughts and speaches such as are found in the mouthes of those that neither shame nor feare rudely and barbarously to say If I be ordained to this or that destinie I cannot possiblie auoide it I must of necessitie be hanged or drowned I thinke I was borne vnder an ill Planet c. These and all such like speaches and thoughts are most carefullie to be auoided yea to be vtterlie abhorred and reiected of all the children of God For most certaine it is that God hath not by his most holie Prouidence excluded that gratious priuiledge which hee hath granted to faithfull Praier Neither is it his holie will and pleasure to frustrate that godlie circumspection and wise fore-sight which it pleaseth him from time to time to giue vnto his seruants for the preuenting and auoiding of imminent dangers yea euen for the auoiding of sinne it selfe the verie cause of all euill and danger whatsoeuer Much lesse hath hee tyed and snared the most free libertie of his owne Diuine counsell to anie necessarie or fatall connexion and knitting together of naturall causes and their effects as it is manifest in that hee hath oftentimes wrought against the vsuall and ordinarie course of naturall things for the benefite of his people As in the leading of his people out of Egipt toward the land of Canaan through the red Sea on drie land when ther was no naturall cause sufficient for the diuiding of the waters And by his feeding of them in the barren wildernes with Manna from heauen by the space of fortie yeares together c. And as touching the spirituall work of our
beare witnesse to the truth And the Apostle Paul 2. Tim. chap. 1. verse 10. Our holy calling to saluation The Duties is made manifest by the appearing of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel And here note also that it is no small comfort to vs the Gentiles that as it is euident in the Genealogie of our Sauiour hee descended on the mothers side from some of the Gentiles as from Rahab and Ruth and not altogether from the Iewes Neither is it to be neglected that our Sauiour did not onely descend of the godly but also of some wicked progenitours that it might the more clearely appeare that no sinne of ours could either staine him or hinder the sanctification either of Iew or Gentile beleeuing in him Touching the third branch of the answer adde vnto that parcell of the speech of the holy Angells alledged before In earth peace the saying of the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.17 If we be children we are also heires of God and heires annexed with Christ c. To conclude in all these respects worthily doth the same Apostle determine it to be a most great and gratious mystery of godlines that God is manifested in the flesh and thereby hath declared the light of his countenance most clearely toward his people It is a ioyous and comfortable thing as we know for any people to see the face of their earthly Prince to looke chearefully vpon them But all the comfort arising from the chearefull face of earthly Princes is a small comfort in comparison of that which the christian heart may take from the light of Gods countenance shining vpon vs in the most sweete and amiable face of our Sauiour Christ in whom he hath adopted vs to be children to himselfe and heires with our Sauiour as was said euen now Wee may likewise conclude this point from the practise of the Prophet Isaiah who chap. 7 14. and chap. 9.6 7. and chap. 11.1 repeateth this as a speciall comfort to the Church of God against all discouragements that may befall it Behold saith he a Virgin shall conceiue and beare a Sonne c. And againe For vnto vs a childe is borne c. And yet againe But there shall come a rod forth of the stocke of Ishai c. These comforts haue indeede a further respect or rather prospect as we may say to our Sauiour Christ not onely borne but also dead buried and risen againe c. Neuertheles we cannot but deriue them from his birth seeing they haue as it were their birth together with him ANd thus froÌ„ the Comforts let vs come to the Duties of faith which ought to grow from the seedes of the same sowen in our hearts by the preaching of the Gospell Question Which may or rather which ought these duties to be Answere They may be considered of vs as I haue beene taught either more generally Or else somewhat more particularly Be it so How therfore in the first place may they be more generally coÌ„siderd First we may yea we ought to learne from the example of the Virgin Mary to keepe in faithfull memorie and diligently to ponder and weigh in our hearts the natiuitie it selfe with all those things that are spoken and done for the manifestation confirmation and iâ—lustration of the same Secondly according to the nature of the mystery of the birth and Person of him that is borne and according to the blessed ends of his comming into the world which are altogether most holy spirituall graue and reuerend such also must be the nature and quality of all our ioy and reioycing concerning the same that is to say nothing carnall wanton or licentious but altogether spirituall holy sober and heauenly And answerable to this kind and nature of our ioy must be all the fruits and effects of the same continually ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe It is very reasonable and meet indeed that they should be so And out of all doubt vpon the due meditation and weighing of the birth together with the most worthy things belonging therevnto very excellent and holy effects will follow through the blessing of God euen according to the working of his holy Spirit in the hearts of those whom he hath made and propounded to be patterns and examples vnto vs herein both Angells from heauen and also men and women on earth such as we haue heard of before It is our bounden duty therefore euen to the same ends so to meditate as we must neuer cease pondering weighing of this part of the mysterie of faith vntil we haue preuailed with our harts to draw theÌ„ to reuereÌ„ce admire at the most high holy wisedom mercy goodnes of the lord our God herein And in this respect as was said in the first part of the answer the example of the Virgin Marie is notable as well for meditation as for the holy heauenly fruits therof Luk 2.19 Mary kept al those sayings pondered theÌ„ in her heart c. But as touching the popish that is to say the superstitious manner or the profane and carnall manner which alwaies accompanieth superstition in the remembrance solemnization of the natiuitie of our Sauiour by keeping of a good Chrismas vnto him in inordinate and gluttonous belly cheare with greater dispensation and licence to all kinde or reuell and disorder then at any other time of the yeare in dicing and carding in masking and mumming in setting vp Lords of mis-rule as they are rightly tearmed it will vpon due examinatioÌ„ be found to be a most absurd abhominable kind of solemnizing euen as farre remoued froÌ„ the due celebratioÌ„ of the memoriall of the holy birth of our Sauior as it draweth more neare to the profane superstitious festiuities vsed at the birth daies of the heatheÌ„ such as was the more priuate solemnitie of Herods birth day when Iohn Baptist lost his head the publike feasts of Bacchus in the which the reines were laid loose to drunkennes and all other filthines of the flesh The right way of celebrating the remembrance of the birth of our Sauiour is cleane contrary to this The feast of the Lord are al of them called holy conuocations by his owne holy ordinance Leuit. 23.1 2 3 4. c. That is to say It is not onely for a few daies at one time or season of the yeare but on euery day throughout the whole yeare and all the yeares of our liues to be more and more carefull to deny all worldly lusts and euery practise of vngodlines and to set our hearts to lead our liues as righteously soberly and godly as we may by all good meanes and helps sanctified of God attaine vnto According to the notable instruction of the holy Apostle Tit. 2.11 12 c. yea according to the teaching of the appearaÌ„ce of the grace mercy of God it selfe being duly weighed thought vpoÌ„ Read also Eph. 5
of vs euen from the first moment of his conception to the last breath and so remaineth for euer as we are hereafâ—er to consider Neuerthelesse as he began not his publike Prophetship 〈◊〉 he was about thirtie yeares of age so he began not the publike execution of his office of high Priesthood vntill neare the end of his life like as also albeit he gaue forth some glimse of his kingly dignitie Matth. 21.5 6 7 8 9. Luke 19.35 36 37 c. And Iohn chap. 12. verses 1â— c. Yet he was not fully blazoned as we may say and publikely proclaimed crowned King and Prince ouer his people vntill he was risen againe according to that Act. 5.30 31. The God of our fathers hath raised vp Iesus whom yâ— sleâ— and hanged on a tree Him hath God lifted vp with his right haÌ„d to be a Prince a Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and forgiuenes of sinnes And we are his witnesses saith Peter and the rest of the Apostles And according to that Rom. 1.4 Whereof the Apostle Paul testifieth that he was declared mightily to be the Sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead And Phil. 2.9 That since that time he hath a name giuen him aboue euery name c. Moreouer it may not be denied but that our Sauiour Christ abased and humbled himselfe and suffered all his life time euen from the wombe yea we may say euen in the wombe of his mother in that he tooke our base nature and in that it could not otherwise be but troublesome both to Marie and also to the blessed fruit of her wombe to trauaile so long a iourney as Bethlem was from Nazareth when she was great with childe euen neare vpon the time of her deliuerance Likewise it must needes be troublesome to the childe after that he was borne and that so poorely circumcised on the tender part of the flesh and a few daies after carried a further iourney into Aegypt and there to remaine with hard education some three or foure yeares as it seemeth and further in that as the childe grew to strength so he gaue himselfe to a laboursâ—me and base course of life induring paines wearines hunger and thirst working with his hands for his liuing euen such works as Ioseph wrought vnto whom he was in all duties of seruice willingly subiect till the time was c me that he must leaue all other works to doe the will of his heauenly Father in the publike duties of his heauenly calling But from that time also it was not lesse troublesome and painefull but full of humiliation to him in respect of humane infirmity and passion euen from his enterance thereinto as it appeareth in that he was forth-with carried into the sollitarie and vncomfortable wildernes to be among the wilde beasts tempted of the Diuell without lodging without foode suffering hunger And likewise in the time following when he came and preached among the people great was his paines in going about from place to place finding oftentimes very hard entertainement yea being sometimes refused and reiected and many times reproched and cruelly laid in wait for with violent attempts against his life namely at Nazareth where they offered and for their parts did what they could to haue throwne him downe headlong from that steepe hill whereon their Citie was built Luke 4.29 And afterward in Iudea the Iewes went about to stone him Iohn 8.59 And againe chap. 10.31 and chap. 11.8 And thus it was with our Sauiour euen to the time of his last most low humiliation and most bitter sufferings which were vnder Pontius Pilate approching the time of his death as was obserued of vs. Of these last sufferings therefore and of this most low humiliation the which as they were to the speciall debasement and in a great part of them most bitter and dolefull to our Sauiour Christ so were they and be they still most beneficiall and comfortable vnto vs we will by the grace of God with speciciall diligence inquire as after a speciall ground and portion of our christian beliefe According to that of the Apostle Peter 1. Epist ch 5.1 Where professing himselfe a speciall witnes of Christ he giueth the instance concerning the suffering of Christ as being a matter worthy to be in speciall manner testified and confirmed to the Churches of God in so much as our Sauiour Christ by the sacrificing of himselfe hath vtterly remoued and taken away the guiltines and wrath due to sinne c. Heb. 9.26 The same his sufferings being also the perfect sealing vp and as we may say the crowne or garland of his obedience and of his expiation or satisfaction made for our sinnes Col. 2.14.15 and finally the onely way whereby hee was on our behalfe to obtaine all the glorie which followed after according to that Luk. ch 24. ver 25 26. and Iohn 12.23 24 25 26. and 1. Pet. 1.11 and 2. Tim. 2.8 9 10 11 12. Question BVt that we may proceed in order First of all what ground of holy Scripture haue you for the testimony or declaration and warrant of these sufferings and of this speciall humiliation vnder Pontius Pilate in the execution of his most holy office of Priesthood to wit in that he was crucified c. to such singular ends and purposes as hath beene said Where are they most faithfully and fully reported vnto vs Answer They are at large and with all faithfulnes recorded vnto vs as it were in a perfit harmonie by all the foure Euangelists ExplicatioÌ„ proofe It is very true as we reade Matth. ch 26. and ch 27. Mar. ch 14. and ch 15. Luke ch 22. and 23. and Iohn ch 18. and ch 19. And they are thus diligently and fully set downe by all the Euangelists and commended to the Church of God as being a most worthy part of the most holy historie of our Sauiour Christ most diligently to be read heard meditated and conferred vpon of all christians all the daies of their liues And that to many the most excellent ends purposes as was said as by the grace of God shall hereafter be declared But before we come to inquire of those excellent ends or any other of those excellent things which are to be considered concerning the chiefe humiliation and sufferings of our Lord Iesus Christ let vs inquire of the sufferings themselues and of the same his humiliation and that also in as commodious an order as we may for the helpe both of our vnderstanding also of our memorie Question touching so great and memorable a matter as this is How therfore may they be distinguished as may best serue to so good ends and purposes Answer The chiefe sufferings of our Sauiour Christ may not vnfitly be considered vnder these heads or seuerall branches following First those that belong to his preparing of himselfe to the induring of his sufferings at such times as he entered into the most serious thought and meditation of
teacheth vs that it is our dutie not onely to abstaine from desire of reuenge against our aduersaries but also to pray earnestly to God for the forgiuenes of their cruell dealing against vs and that it may please God to turne the hearts of so many as doe belong to his most holy and blessed election To this purpose indeede the most blessed example of our Sauiour is very notable And though it be a hard lesson for vs to learne yet the grace of God is sufficient to teach it to euery one that will indeuour to learne it of him And therefore it is that the Apostle Peter doubteth not to holde forth the example of our Sauiour to inuite and incourage all Christians therevnto 1. Ep 2 18 c. 23. Moreouer in that our Sauiour Christ praying for sinners saith that they doe they knowe not what and so giueth to vnderstand as hath beene obserued before that ignorance is the cause why many doe that which otherwise they would not doe if they knewe how great and grieuous the euill is which they doe commit We ought therefore from hence to learne that it is our dutie to seeke after knowledge that so comming to the knowledge of sinne wee may bee sorie for that which is past striue against present tentations and bee more prudent and circumspect to preuent much sinne for the time to come Yea therefore ought we to stirre vp our selues to a careful seeking after knowledge to the end we may know how to keepe a good conscience in the doing and minding of those things onely whereof we may haue good warrant from the word of God that they are agreeable to his most holy and blessed will And then may we be sure that through the blessing of God we shall not onely abstaine from euill which we are wont to commit aboue knowledge but wee shall doe more good then we can throughly know that we doe As for those that doe otherwise that is to say which haue no care to seeke after knowledge they easily working more mischiefe then they would think doe thereby procure greater wrath against themselues then they are aware of For he that rashly thrusteth himselfe into sinfull actions hee dealeth as if one should bring fire among barrels of gun-powder not considering that the nature of it is to blowe vp and ouerthrowe all so soone as it taketh any sparkle of fire As for example who knoweth how many soules perish or at the least are hindered from their more speedie conuersion by an ignorant and wicked or vnconscionable Minister of the word of God Who knoweth likewise how much good he hindereth that is a wicked instrument of the Diuel to disgrace or displace any godly and faithfull Preacher of the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ Finally what loue of ours can answere the wonderfull loue of our Sauiour in praying and suffering for vs miserable sinners all of vs being naturally enemies vnto him as well as these his persecutors mentioned in this Story were Rom 5 verses 6 7 8. c. Such are the duties belonging to that comfort which faith apprehendeth from the lifting vp and fastening of our Sauiour naked vpon the crosse LEt vs now come to those things which doe concerne the time of his continuance vpon the crosse Question And first what dutie may we learne generally from this his coÌ„tinuance by the space of many houres in extreme dolour and paines Answer This we learne that it is our dutie patiently to beare our affliction and crosse whatsoeuer and how grieuous soeuer it may be euen so long as it shall please God to continue the same vpon vs. ExplicatioÌ„ prooâ—e You say well Neither ought we to doubt of a good issue according to that in the Ep to the Heb chap 12.1.2.3.4 Question Nowe more particularly what are wee to learne from this that our Sauiour endured patiently to see his garments diuided among the Souldiers Here againe we are to learne to be content to loose all for Christs sake and to thinke our selues to haue sufficiency of all things when we haue Christ euen naked Christ or Christ alone to be ours by faith But in no case must we be riflers of Christ to take away any thing that is due vnto him as these souldiers did and as many robbers and thieues doe which liue in the bosome of the Church ExplicatioÌ„ proofe God forbid we should doe so But if we shall account our Sauiour Christ to be our portion doubtlesse we shall haue sufficiencie of all things in the midst of all wants and our greatest losses in this world shall bring our greatest aduantage in the world to come Philip. 1.21 and chap. 3.7 8 c. Question NOw after this what dutie are wee to learne from hence that our Sauiour Christ being in this grieuous passion vpon the crosse had neuerthelesse vpon the sight of his mother a most louing and tender care to prouide for her comfortable maintenance seeing hee was nowe to leaue this world Answere All children haue a most worthie paterne of that great honour and dutie which they owe vnto their Parents in tendering the peace and comfort of their life of whom they haue receiued their naturall life as from those speciall instruments which it pleased God to vse therevnto ExplicatioÌ„ proofe The example of our Sauiour is an euident paterne hereof in very deede And herewithall our Sauiour had no doubt a tender regard to mitigate the present sorrow of his mother in her heauy beholding of his calamitie which could not but pierce her tender and motherly soule As touching our selues it is true that wee shall neuer be able to performe so perfect loue and dutie to our naturall Parents as our Sauiour did to his Mother and namely at this time neither shall wee haue nor could we endure at any time the like occasion that is out of so great an agony to shewe so tender and strong an affection But contrariwise we finde rather that euery little head ache or other trouble is able to make vs forgetfull of all good dutie and loue toward any We may be compared to the snaile whose propertie it is as wee know if it be touched neuer so little to draw it selfe altogether into the owne shell The like is our practise we care onely for our selues All as we thinke is little enough to procure our owne ease selfe-loue so wholly possesseth vs. Neuerthelesse the example of our Sauiour sheweth vs what we are to striue vnto To the which purpose also serueth the example of Dauid that notable figure of our Sauiour Christ who had care of his Parents in the time of his afflictions as we reade in the holy story 1. Sam. ch 22.1 3 4. Neither is the example of Iohn the Dâ—sciple of our Sauiour to be neglected of vs who in obedience to the word of Christ did willingly entertaine Marie the mother of our Sauiour and did the dutie of a sonne vnto her And note we
sertò se quisque nostrûm excutiat meritò nos pudefaciet immensa scelerum nostrorum congeries vt hominem perditum qui meragratia salutem adeptus est ducem antesignanum habere minimè pigeat That is If so be saith he euery one of vs doe truly and in good earnest sift himselfe iustly will the vnmeasurable heape of our sinnes so shame vs that it shall be nothing irkesome vnto vs to haue a forlorne man who hath of meere grace obtained saluation to be our leader as one going next to the standard before vs. And thus God hath most gratiously admonished vs by the impenitencie of the one example of these two robbers to take heede of all presumptuous or secure delaying of repentance seeing vsually the end of all such is like to the former course of their life that is deuoid of true repentance and by the other he doth exceedingly comfort such poore sinners as doe yet at the last truly repent them of all their sinnes For to this end no doubt God would set forth his wonderfull mercy in one notable example repenting at the point of death though no more then one is mentioned in all the Bible of so late repentance as he was The duty of which comfort hath also beene declared Question Now what may we learne to be our duty furthermore from that comfort which is coÌ„taâ—ned in the answer of our Sauiour to the request of the repenting and beleeuing thiefe saying To day shalt thou be with mâ— in Paradise Answere We learne from hence that we beleeuing in our Sauiour Christ and repenting of our sinnes are to dispose of our selues comfortably to depart this life nothing doubting of the blessed estate of our soules in the kingdome of heauen immediately after our naturall life is at an end here in this world ExplicatioÌ„ proofe That we may boldly and comfortably doe thus beside this particular example wee haue the generall warrant of the holy Ghost Reuel 14. expressed heretofore in the Comforts So that we neede not be in feare of the sleeping of our soules till the last day as some fondly imagine neither yet of the danger of any purgatory fire for them to passe through For who might haue beene more like to goe to purgatory then this robbing thiefe before he should haue beene admitted to heauen if there were any such place ordained of God for such as liue not to worke out their owne satisfaction as the popish Teachers would make vs to beleeue But as wee see our Sauiour saith plainely To day shalt thou be with me c. Neuerthelesse it will peraduenture be replied and said that though our Sauiour Christ made an exception in this particular and that he may as pleaseth him dispence with whoÌ„ he will yet the other is the ordinary course for such as he was We may answer them vpon better ground that if there were any such matter as is pretended for a place of purgatory our Sauiour would rather haue taken this so singular an occasion to haue made it knowne for the common admonition of all such kinde of persons and not to haue beene vtterly silent concerning such a point These are the duties to be learned from this part of the Story Question LEt vs proceede to those that follow And first what are we to learne from that fearefull darknes which God cast vpon the land of the Persecutors of our Sauiour Answer We are to take heede that we ioyne not our selues with the wicked in conspiracie against Christ lest wee be partakers with them of their punishments threatned and portended by that darknes such as are ignorance and hardnes of heart and all outward calamities yea and euen Hell it selfe and vtter darknes at the last ExplicatioÌ„ proofe All these euills indeed were aptly threatened and portended hereby And it standeth with good equity that all the companions in one and the same sins should be partakers of one the same kindes of punishment Re. 14. â— 10 Question Now what duties doth this require at our hand that we see and heare it proclaimed with so lowd a voyce that wee cannot but heare it that our Sauiour hath endured wonderfull paines and torments for vs yea so that he hath been as one euen for the time forsaken of God for vs Answere The extremitie of the sufferings of our Sauiour are most fit and effectuall if we haue any grace in vs to teach vs how infinitely we stand bound in all loue The Duties in respect of his agony vpon the Crosse and good dutie to serue and honour Christ our Lord and Sauiour and God our heauenly Father for his infinite mercy toward vs in him And againe how deadly we are to hate and abhorre sinne and that we ought to be very willing and ready to suffer any the most sharp sufferings that may fall vpon vs for his sake Explication and proofe It must needes be so indeede according as vpon like occasion hath beene obserued once or twice before For who duly weighing the vnspeakeable dolour and torment of soule and body which our Sauiour indured for his sinne but the same partie must needes be out of loue with his sinne yea in an earnest loathing and hatred against it so as he will be no longer a retainer or vâ—ssâ—ll to sinne and Satan but contrariwise a faithfull seruant to God choosing affl ction for godlinesse sake and not the pleasures of sinne It is vsed for a good reason to draw children to a due regard of their dutie toward their naturall parents euen because their fathers haue begotten them and their mothers haue brought them forth and because either of them haue had a tender and diligent care of their education The Spirit of God himselfe vseth these reasons Pro chap. 23. verse 22. and chap. 31.2 O therefore how much more ought the consideration of the sufferings of our Sauiour for vs be effectuall to moue vs vnto good duty toward him seeing his care hath beene infintely more tender toward vs all and his sufferings a thousand folde more painefull for our sakes then the trauell of all mothers can bee in their childe-bearing or of all both fathers and mothers care or sorrow about the bringing vp of their children To this end therefore let vs well thinke of that which a good and very learned Preacher of the Gospel hath prompted vs with to wit that insomuch as the cause of all the wrath of God toward our Sauiour was in vs and from vs deriued to him as being our Suerty we ought in him to behold as in a glasse what sinne is to the end that wee should all that we can turne away and flye from it and not to cocker the inticements thereof as we vse ouer much to doe Beza Hom. 5. vpon the history of the Passion Sect. 12. And againe in his 32. Hom. Sect. â— as was in the Comforts noted before And yet againe more fully in the same Hom. Sect. 9. writing
owne duties how wee may liue and dye as God may be glorified in vs and by vs then to be curious about others howe long they shall liue or what death they shall dye If I will that he tarie till I come what is it to thee saith our Sauiour wee see our Sauiour doth sharply reprooue him And therefore also we may easily perceiue that it is no smal sinne for any to be inquisitiue to knowe such things as doe rather concerne others then our selues or at such time as we ought rather to try our owne hearts then to be inquisitiue about others c. As in the bodily warfare euery man must keepe his own rancke and standing so it must be in the spiritual warfare of the Lord. And euery man standeth bound in dutie to take vp his own crosse to stand to his owne lot and to beare his owne burden c. No doubt the Lord will deale gratiously both in life and also in death with euery one that putteth his trust in him and continueth to walke faithfully before him It is the dutie of euery Christian to be carefull ouer other the magistrate and minister of the word ouer the people the maister of the family ouer his children and seruants and euery neighbour ouer other as the cause shall require and as their callings will beare But none of these cares must be with neglect of our owne duties nor exceeding the limites or boundes of our seuerall callings It must be as maister Caluin saith notably well cura non curiositas quae nos impediat that is It must be care and not curiositie which would be hurtfull to vs the busie bodies care is neither good to himselfe nor to any other Verily euery man well minded shall finde so much to doe to keepe himselfe in an euen course of good dutie that he shall haue litle leisure to prie curiously into the state of other and what may afterward become of them c. And therefore it is that our Sauiour in the second part of his answere doth very earnestly repeate vnto Peter his former commandement which it had beene more meete for him to haue looked vnto whether wee consider his bodily attendance vpon our Sauiour for a short time in his going aside or that we referre it to his constant imitation of him euen vnto the death or that we referre it vnto both not onely according to the letter but also according to the intended allegorie in such sence as the Apostle Paul saith Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ 1. Cor 11.1 And as our Sauiour himselfe had said before both to Peter and to the rest He that taketh not vp his crosse and followeth after me is not worthy of me He that will saue his life shall loose it c. Mat 10.38.39 And as he said at the first calling Followe me and I will make you fishers of men Wherein no doubt our Sauiour did not onely respect their bodily attendance but also the fruite thereof in imbracing and following that instruction which they should receiue from him to the fitting and furnishing of them for his seruice Touching these wordes If I will that hee tarie till I come I know not well whether our Sauiour meant onely vntill he should returne vnto the rest of the eleuen after that Peter had gone aside with him for a while or that they are to be vnderstood concerning Iohns tarrying in life and so comming of Christ to be extended to his comming againe at the last day according to that Iohn 14.3 I will come againe and receiue you to my selfe And Act chap 1.11 But from either circumstance the rebuke might well agree to Peter And the latter sence would amplifie the rebuke Howsoeuer it was this we are sure of from the testimonie of the Euangelist Iohn that albeit it may be that our Sauiour would by these wordes intimate that Iohn should out-liue Peter yet they did vtterly misvnderstand the mind of our Sauiour whosoeuer from those wordes imagined that Iohn should neuer dye For so S. Iohn himself giueth plainly to vnderstand as it followeth in the 23. verse then saith he went this word abroad among the brethren that this Disciple should not dye yet Iesus said not to him he shall not dye but if I will that he tarie till I come what is that to thee In which speeches there is great difference the one being simple and enunciatiue the other conditionall and vpon a supposition or putting of the case as we may say And besides our Sauiour might well meane of his tarying till he came againe with Peter Yet so farre as the Euangelist saith preuailed the conceite of Iohns not dying that some of the brethren not ill minded were deceiued in this point Whereby wee may well take this profitable instruction that in our good meaning we be very carefull to vnderstand things aright to the end we doe not mistake one thing for another lest wee embrace an error in stead of the truth as without good diligence discretion specially in speeches of doubtfull interpretation we may easily doe And in this point it is strange to see how the diuel besotted one euen in this age as maister Beza reporteth who deluded by the diuell vnder this pretence as it is like feined himselfe to be this Euangelist Iohn as if he had bin then liuing But he was not vnworthily burnt for his labour at Tolouse a citie of Narbon in France as the same Beza saith for if he had bin suffered to liue who knoweth how far he being a phantasticall deceiuer might haue deluded many poore soules vnder the pretended and feined authoritie of Iohn the Euangelist But leauing all fancies let vs inquire somewhat more diligently into that point following our Sauiour not bodily but spiritually whereof he chiefly speaketh to Peter that so we may drawe to an end of those things which belongeth to this seuenth appearance of our Sauiour Question Wherein doth this kind of following or imitation as we call it consist It consisteth in these two things First in godlines of life both toward God and towardes all men according to the duties of our seuerall places and callings wherein we are placed of God Secondly in patient bearing of the crosse for the truth and Gospels sake or otherwise while we walke in the waies of God euery one according to that measure of triall which God shall thinke good to lay vpon vs. That this is so first as touching godlines of life from an vnderstanding and beleeuing heart it is cleare in that our Sauiour Christ doth not onely in respect of his doctrine but also of his most godly life call himselfe the light of the world as Iohn 8.12 I am the light of this world he that followeth me shall not walke in darkenes but shall haue the light of life And chap 9.5 As long as I am in the world I am the light of the world that is one specially appointed to glorifie
al the children of God as if the holy Apostle should haue spoken thus Maruel not at this that I say all the enemies of God shall be subdued vnto him for euen the Son of God himselfe in that he is man yea in that being both God and man and bearing the office of the Mediator he shall in regard of the same his office willingly submit himselfe vnder God as to his head 1. Cor 11 3. though he shall neuertheles for that but rather more gloriously rule and raigne ouer vs as our head to our infinite benefit Eph 1.22 and ch 4. 15. Colos 1.18 and ch 2 19. And thus may we perceiue that the cleare manifestation of the subiection of our Sauiour such as it shall be containeth a most sure ground of perfect comfort to vs insomuch as we shall at that time and thenceforth for euer continually behold and enioy the most blessed presence of our Mediatour by whom wee being once reconciled and vnited to God our heauenly Father shall by him and vnder him bee held in so sweete a bonde of subiection to ou◠God that we shall neuer haue any minde to lift vp ourselues against God or at any time to withdrawe our dutifull obedience and seruice as in Adam out first Father all of vs did and are still of our selues alwaies apt so to doe But yet one thing more remaineth concerning this great point of our faith Quest What doth Saint Paul meane when he saith that our Sauiour shall be subiect to the end God may be all in all Is it his meaning that then our Sauiour Christ shall cease to be any longer Christ and that hee shall lay aside his humane nature c. Answer Far be it from vs once to admit any such thought The meaning of the holy Apostle is that by the subiection of our Sauiour which he speaketh of the diuine Maiestie of the Godhead both Father Sonne and holy Ghost shall be so clearely manifested that the bright glory thereof shall not onely infinitely excell the glory of all other creatures but euen the humanitie of the Sonne of God himselfe So that though our Sauiour Christ shall retaine his eternall glory euen in that he is the head and mediator of the Church yet the perfection of all glory yea euen touching our redemption iustification sanctification and glorification shall be ascribed to the Deitie both Father Sonne and holy Ghost by whom we were with one most holy consent eternally elected and chosen and through whose grace toward vs and the whole Church the Father did send the Son in due time to take the nature of man by the holy Ghost and so to obtaine this high grace to be the Redeemer and Sauiour of men Explication This is indeede the holy meaning of the blessed Apostle so farre as wee in our weakenes could attaine to the glimse at the least of so high a mysterie The which doubtles neither wee nor any other shall be able fully to vnderstand vntill the time come that wee shall knowe as wee are knowne as the some Apostle speaketh and that we see it fulfilled before our eyes in the blessed season appointed of God Hitherto of the comforts of faith arising vnto vs from the sitting of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ at the right hand of God the Father almightie NOw let vs come to the vse of the same comforts touching those fruites of obedience and thankes which we stand bound to yeeld vnto God our Sauiour for the same Question Which are they Answer To speake more generally As all the fruites and benefites of our redemption are by this last and highest degree of our Sauiours exaltation most comfortably sealed vp and assured vnto vs and to the whole Church for euer so are wee in euery respect both of his princely prophesie and also of his royall Priesthood and k ngdome exceedingly to reioyce and comfort our selues in him as in an al sufficient Prince and Mediatour of our eternall redemption and saluation And accordingly with the greatest chearefulnesse of soule and spirit that may be to yeelde him all the duties of the greatest loue reuerence and obedience that we can possibly attaine vnto Explicatiō proofe It is indeede most reasonable and meete that it should be so as euery one must needes acknowledge in his heart though wee should say no more For seeing hee is a most high and holy Prophet wee are to reioyce in him more then euer the people of Israel did or might lawfully reioyce in Moses though he was the blessed instrument of God to deliuer them out of that heauie bondage of Egypt wherein they had beene a long time sore oppressed And more then any other of the same people might afterward reioyce in any other of the holy Prophets though God made them to bee as Fathers vnto them and as the horses and chariotes of Israel according to that which one of the Kinges acknowledge concerning the Prophet Elisha 2. King 13. verse 14. Seeing he is a royall high Priest it is our dutie to take more ioy in him spiritually then all the sweete perfume and all the glorious garments of Aaron or any other of the high Priests of the lawe could yeeld outwardly to those that beheld and sinelled to the same Exodus 28. Psal 133. Seeing he is the King of Kings The Duties and so crowned of God in the Lighest heauens we ought to reioice in him with ioy infinitely exceeding the ioy which the people tooke at the anointing and coronation of King Salomon heere vpon earth though at the blowing of the trumpet all of them said God saue King Salomon and piped with pipes and reioyced with great ioy so that the earth rang with the sound of them 1. Kings chap. 1. verses 39 4◠And hereunto we are in speciall manner exhorted by the Spirit of God in the Song of Songs in that sweet allegorie borrowed from the same anointing and crowning of King Salomon in that he was a type of our Sauiour Christ chapter 3.11 For Come forth ye daughters of Sion saith the Church and behold King Salomon that is our Salomon the great King of the whole Church both in heauen and in earth with the Crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his mariage and in the day of the gladnes of his heart But this beholding must be with the eye of faith for otherwise we cannot pierce so high as to see the glory of the coronation of this our Salomon whom we now speake of Thus I say more generally wee are to reioice with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious in respect both of his princely Prophetship and also of his kingly high Priesthood and Kingdome though with our naturall eyes as the Apostle Peter saieth we doe not see him And this is the next and most immediate duty which doth kindly follow vpon the former doctrine For insomuch as there is so great a ground or Sea full of comfort what may more aptly
of the peace of our conscience we doe comfortably looke vp vnto him and behold him aduanced to the right hand of God on our behalfe For so the holy Apostle teacheth vs. Heb. 4.14.15.16 in these words Seeing then saith he that we haue a great high Priest which is entred into heauen euen Iesus the Sonne of God let vs hold fast our profession For we haue not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne Let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpeth time of need And cha 10. verse 10. c. Seeing therefore brethren saith he that by the bloud of Iesus we may be bold to enter into the holy place By the new and liuing way which he hath prepared for vs through the vaile that is his flesh And seeing we haue an high Priest which is ouer the house of God Let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and wished in our bodies with pure water Let vs keepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faithfull that hath promised c. Thus from the humiliation of our Sauiour and from that experience which he had of our infirmities while he was vpon the earth we are with reuerence to approach neere vnto him by faith euen to the heauenly throne of Gods grace If we should rush immediatly to the right hand of God without faith in the merit of his death without humiliation in casting downe of our selues wee might iustly looke for the repulse yea for a mighty fall as a iust punishment of such our inordinate presumption and pride The onely lawfull and allowed mediator for vs vnto God is our Sauiour Christ And if we would needs haue a Mediator for vs vnto our Sauiour himselfe being now in heauen what other can we haue or any way looke for then the death of our Sauiour in that he hath thereby alreadie made request for vs vnto God in the daies of his humiliation here vpon earth and namely in the time of his most bitter sufferings vpon the Crosse That is to say we neither can haue neither may we looke for any other Mediator to Christ then Christ humbled to Christ exalted If we will with the Papists looke after any other Mediators or any other mediation to God for vs we shall with them vainely and foolishly deceiue our owne selues And heerein I beseech ye let euery one of vs labour so strengthen our faith because doubtlesse the want of faith in this point hath brought most grosse idolatry into the Church of God For who hauing learned to behold our Sauiour an euerlasting and perpetuall mediator for him at the right hand of God by the eyes of his faith would be so base minded as to set vp a dead and dumbe Idoll or once vouchsafe to cast an eye toward it being set vp and fastened to the wall before him by any other Moreouer as touching our owne praieâ—s or any other dutie and seruice that we can any way performe wee must take religious heede that wee doe not trust to any godlines or deuotion that wee imagine and perswade our selues to be therein but rather euermore to humble our selues in the sight of the imperfections thereof And looke what grace and godlines there is in anie and namely the grace of prayer it is our dutie to acknowledge that it is not of our selues but of the holy Ghost Neither are wee to thinke that anie prayers which we make are heard nor any other dutie accepted for any worthinesse of vs but because the holy Ghost raiseth vp sighes and groanes in vs and maketh request for vs vnto God together with our Sauiour Christ Rom. 8.26.27 And Reuel 8.3.4 And euen this that wee haue the grace to offer vp our prayers vnto God it is a fruite of our Sauiours heauenly intercession for vs. And the same grace also of our care to make our prayers to God in the name of our Sauiour heere from earth it may be a good proofe vnto vs that our Sauiour is an intercessour in heauen for vs. But our manifold failings both in prayer and in all other duties ought iustly to cause vs vnfainedly to acknowledge our selues euen when wee are at the best to be but vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17. verse 10. Thus hauing seene the duties belonging to the aduancement of our Sauiour in his roiall Priesthood let vs come to his aduancement in his roiall kingdome Question Which are the duties of faith belonging therevnto Answer First inward reuerence of soule and spirit in the most dutifull acknowledgement of his most roiall soueraigntie ouer his whole Church and euery member thereof Secondly all religious worship and seruice both inward and outward according to his word and commandement Thirdly obedience and submission to those that rule ouer the rest in his name both ciuill Magistrates and Church gouernours Yea all christian obedience to his lawes and commandements in the common actions and conuersation of our whole liues Finally all diuine honour praise and glorie for the whole worke of our redemption and saluation That we doe stand bound in respect of the royall or princely aduancement and soueraigne Lordship of our Sauiour at the right hand of God to yeelde him all reuerence in the acknowledgement of the same his high soueraigntie we haue a sufficient warrant from that great and solemne proclamation made from the God of heauen by the Apostle Peter in that first publike Sermon of his which hee made Acts 2. by the which three thousand soules were conuerted and brought to the faith and obedience of this great and glorious Lord our Sauiour Dauid saith the Apostle verses 34 35 36 c. is not ascended into heauen but he saith The Lord saide to my Lord sit at my right hand vntill I make thine enemies thy foote-stoole Therefore let all the house of Israel know for a suretie that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this Iesus I say whom ye haue crucified Now when they heard it they were pricked in their hearts c. And againe chap. 5. verse 31. God hath lifted vp Iesus with his right hand to bee a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and forgiuenesse of sinnes According also to that propheticall instruction by a sweete allegorica l description of the spirituall marriage of our Sauiour with his Church Harken O daughter saith the Psalmist and consider and incline thine eare forget also thine owne people and thy fathers house so shall the King haue pleasure in thy beautie for hee is thy Lord and reuerence thou him The word which the Prophet vseth noteth such a reuerence as is declared by outward bowing or falling down before him vehashtahaeui-lo Hence therefore wee haue a fit occasion giuen vs to proceede from the inward reuerence to
of God how this is vrged from the force of the same argument read 1. Ioh 2.28.29 Litle children saith the Apostle abide yee in him that when he shall appeare wee may be bold and not be ashamed before him at his comming If ye know that he is righteous knowe ye that he which doth righteously is borne of him And chap 3. verses 2.3 Dearly beloued now are we the Sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shal be we know that when he shal appear we shal be like him for we shal see him as he is And euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure Read also 1. Tim 6.13.14 and 2. Ep 4.1.2 Where a most earnest charge is laide vpon the Ministers of the Gospel that they be faithfull in their office as they will answer it at the appearing of our Sauiour to iudge all flesh This moued the Apostles themselues to be carefull in the discharge of their dutie in their Preaching of the Gospel 2. Cor 5.9 10. And generally it ought to moue all to the like care in the duties of their seuerall callings 2. Pet 3.11.12.13.14 To this end also tend all the parables of our Sauiour whereof we haue heard before Mat ch 24. 25. and Luke 12.35 36. c. And in other places of the Euangelists Touching constancie in godlines the holy Apostles did earnestly pray for it on the behalfe of the Christians to whom they wrote euen from this consideration as Philip 1 9. c. And 1. Thes 3 12.13 And chap 5 23.24 For the obtaining of which grace of constancie they giue all incouragement that they shall be partakers of it whosoeuer will chearefully seeke after it according to that 1 Cor 1 8 9. Our Lord Iesus Christ shall confirme yee to the ende that ye may be blameles in his day God is faithful c. And in the Epistle of Iude verse 24. God is able to keepe vs that we fall not and to present vs faultles before the presence of his glory with ioy And 1. Thes 5 9 10. Of the duties of loue and mercy toward Christians being in outward want and distresse how they are perswaded from the description of the last iudgement by our Sauiour himselfe we haue seene before And that it is mightie to moue vs to pitie poore sinners that lye in their sinnes to their extreme perill without repentance whether they be our children or seruants or friends or euen our very enemies we may consider from the exhortation of the Apostle Iude verses 20 21 22 23. But yee beloued edisie your selues in your most holy faith c. And haue compassion of some in putting difference And other saue which feare pulling them out of the fire c. We may consider it also from the example and practise of the Apostles themselues mentioned a litle before 2. Cor 5. Wee knowing the terrour of the Lord saith Paul doe perswade men c. And Colos 1.28 We Preach Christ saith the same Apostle whom in the verse before he calleth the hope of glory admonishing euery man and teaching euery man in all wisedome that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus c. And who I pray you can but rue to thinke in his heart that either his wife or his child or his friend yea or his enemies as was said should through any default or negligence on his part be throwne into endles easeles and remediles extremitie of vnspeakable torment Among other duties it may not be forgotten of vs that we do stand bound to be very carefull to celebrate most gratefully the memoriall of the death of our Sauiour Christ by our often resorting to the table of the Lord from time to time in euery generation euen till his comming againe as we are admonished 1. Cor ch 11.26 To conclude this point The care of performing these duties faithfully and constantly in our seuerall callings with regardfull remembrance of this comming of our Sauiour to iudgement It doth cause exceeding ioy to the conscience of euery Christian as may appeare from the example of the holy Apostles and of other Christians For they hauing care to haue a good conscience in the hope of the resurrection of the dead c. Act 24 15 16. they did likewise obtaine exceeding peace and ioy to the same their consciences in hope of the same at the last day according to that which we read further Phi 3.20.21 1. Thes 2.19.20 For what is our hope or ioy or crown of reioycing Are not you euen it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming yes yee are our glory and ioy And 2. Tim. 4. verses 6 7.8 A like notable place to the same purpose Now fourthly concerning patience with ioyfulnes in all present troubles from the consideration of the same argument beside the example of Paul last alledged 2. Tim 4.5 c. wherein the same is euident let vs hearken to the exhortation of the Apostle Iames ch 5. v 7. Be ye patient therefore saith he vnto the comming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruite of the earth c. Read also Heb 10.32.35.36 And 1. Pet 1.3.4.5.6.7.8.9 And ch 4 12.13 Moreouer wee haue the promise that if wee suffer with our Sauiour Christ we shall be glorified with him Rom 8 17 18. And 2. Tim 2.11.12 It is a true saying c. And Luke 22. verses 28.29.30 Ye are they saith our Sauiour who continued with me in my tentations Therefore I appoint vnto you a kingdome as my Father hath appointed to me That ye may eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome and fit on seates and iudge the twelue tribes of Israel Fiftly that the reuerend consideration of the last iudgement of our Sauiour Christ ought to restraine vs from rash vnaduised iudging of others the Apostle Paul teacheth vs Rom 14. v. 10. c. Why saith the holy Apostle doest thou iudge thy brother or why doest thou despise thy brother For we shall all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ. For it is written I liue saith the Lord euery knee shall bowe to mee and all tongues shall confesse vnto God So then euery one of vs shall giue accounts of himselfe vnto God Let vs not therefore iudge one another any more but vse your iudgement rather in this that no man put an occasion to fall or a stumbling blocke before his brother And Iames chapt 4.12 There is one Lawgiuer which is able to saue to destroy Who art thou that iudgest another man 1. Cor 4.5 Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten thinges that are in darknes make the counsels of the hearts manifest then shall euery man haue praise of God It is the same precept which our Sauiour himselfe gaue Matth 7.1 Iudge not that ye be not iudged c. Luk 6.37 Iudge not ye shall not be
who I say duly considereth these things but he must haue his minde greatly incouraged to looke for all grace and comfort from him And the rather because wee are certified by himselfe in his holy Scriptures that he is minded to dwell wth vs and in vs as in the Temple of God Euery particular consideration may well bring with it a speciall and seuerall comfort that he will make vs wise that he will leade vs into all truth sanctifie reuiue quicken and leade vs vnto euerlasting life in his due time Yea so that though wee should for the present finde our selues very ignorant vnholy weake in faith fainting in hope destitute of all grace and euen as it were in the darke shadow of death yet wee may conceiue good hope that wee shall be inlightened with knowledge washed from filthines fined from drosse cheared in heart and made bold against all tentations and enemies of our spirituall ioy and peace Thus comfortable yea infinitely aboue that I can expresse may the comfort of beliefe in the holy Ghost be and that not onely in respect of priuate persons but also of whole Churches in so much as by him they are gathered to Christ and by his comfort multiplied and increased from day to day according to the testimonie of Saint Luke Act. 9.31 and Ephes 2 20.21.22 Question HEtherto therefore of the vse of this Article for the comfort of faith It followeth now that we are to inquire into the vse of it touching the obedience of faith What say you to this point Answer As this Article sheweth vs by whom alone all holy and spirituall comfort is immediatlie wrought sealed vp in our hearts so it doth in special manner require that all holy and spiritual fruits of obedience be most willingly chearfully constantly yeelded vnto him Beliefe in God the holy Ghost Question There is good equity in it in deede The Duties Which therfore ought those holy fruites to be At the least which are some of the principall of them For to rehearse them all we were not able at this one time Answer First our faith in God the holy Ghost who is the onely immediate worker of all grace and comfort in our hearts requireth that we vnfainedly acknowledge our owne miserable nakednes and pouertie of soule and spirit and that wee are alltogether carnall and corrupt in our selues neither to haue any power to attaine to any holy grace or true comfort of our selues but that all spirituall riches and inward beautie or ornament of grace with all sound consolation doth proceed to vs immediatly froÌ„ his gratious working alone Secondly it is for the same cause our dutie to giue most willing ioyous and reuerend entertainment vnto him as to our most welcome guest or rather as to the most honourable Lord and gouernour of the house whensoeuer he shall by his holy word or anie other meanes knocke at the dore of our hearts Thirdly it is our like bounden dutie to take most diligent heed lest after we haue giuen him entertainment wee doe at any time grieue him by any vnkinde and vnseemely dealing but contrariwise that we doe by all meanes procure as much as lyeth in vs that he may take good contentment and pleasure to abide for euer with vs. Fourthly it is to the same end and purpose our dutie to follow his blessed regiment and direction in all things and chiefly in the holie matters of Gods diuine worship according to the instructions and commandements of the word of God which hee himselfe hath set forth vnto vs. Finallie as was answered in the beginning all and euery one of the same spirituall duties of diuine worship honour they are of most bounden dutie to be yeelded and performed to the holie Ghost as well as to the Father and to the Sonne to wit faith loue reuerence prayer thanks-giuing and such like ExplicatioÌ„ proofe For the first of these points and to induce our hearts to the performance of the dutie there specified read Matth 5.3 Wher our Sauiour Christ beginneth that his large excellent Sermon vpon the mount with this asseueration that the poore in Spirit are assuredly blessed and that the kingdome of God is theirs But on the contrarie it is as certainely affirmed in the holie scriptures that God resisteth the prowde in Spirit And Reuel 3.17 the holy Ghost sharply reproueth the Church of Laodicea for that ouer-prowd conceite which it had of it selfe Whervpon it is euident that we cannot trulie beleeue in the holy Ghost so by faith haue him dwelling in vs vnles we be humble in our selues and doe acknowledge that nullitie of goodnes that is of our selues in our owne wicked nature For the second pointe read in the same 3. chapt of the Reuel verse 20. Behold I stand at the dore and knock if any man heare my voice open the dore I will come in vnto him and I will sup with him and be with me To him that ouercommeth c. Our Sauiour by his holy Spirit commeth as a Prince to the poore mans house bringing all his furniture and prouision with him not onely for necessitie but also for delicacie as it were hangings plate iewells and all kinde of spirituall delights and dainties And shall we not thinke it our parte to giue his holy Spirit most reuerend and ioyfull entertainment For the third point read Eph 4.30 Grieue not the holie Spirit of God by whom yee are sealed to the day of redemption A deede of gift or anie other euidence of writing is ratified when it is once sealed and so are wee as belonging to the Lord by the impression of his most holie and heauenlie Spirit Yea so firmelie that none can disable our title if wee our selues doe not cancell it Nowe therfore to the end we may not breake off or deface this blessed seale of God let vs haue tender and charie regard of that which the Apostle saith Grieue not the Spirit of God Yea let vs diligentlie obserue that which he saith to the same ende both in the wordes going before and also following after wherin he sheweth wherwith the holy Ghost is grieued namely by corrupt communication by bitternes c by idolatrie euery other kinde of sinne Iâ—st therefore is the reproofe which Peter giueth Ananias and his wife Act Beliefe in God the holie Ghost 5. verses 3.9 And that also which Stephen giueth the wicked rulers of the Iewes chap 7. verse 51. Read also Heb 3.7 8.9.10 Such vnkind dealing with the holy Ghost is the most vnworthy and greatest indignitie that may be Wherefore let vs on the contrarie considering that the holy Spirit of God vouchsafeth of his infinite mercie to be our nearest and in-most friend let vs I say esteeme of him and vse him alwaies as the most honourable dearest and best welcome friend vnto vs infinitely aboue all other The acceptable fruites of the Spirit are reckoned to be of three sorts Ephes
5.9 The fruite of the Spirit is in all goodnes and righteousnes and truth And Gal 5. verses 22 23 The same Apostle maketh mention of nine The fruite of the Spirit saith he is loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes temperance For the interpretation and distinction of which graces See Maister Perkins vpon this Article in his Exposition of the Creed The way both of entertaining and also of retaining this our best friend as it were in the chamber of our hearts is by giuing our selues to the exercises of praier of reading hearing and meditating of the word of God to the furthering of our knowledge faith and repentance and by carefull vsing of the present measure of grace which wee haue receiued to the honour and glory of God The way to loose this so honourable a guest and the comfort of his abode in our hearts is by the neglect of these holy duties wherewith onely he is delighted And therefore saith the holy Apostle counselling vs for our owne singular benefit Quench not the Spirit to the same end that we doe in no wise despise Prophesying but that we pray continually c. 1. Thes 5.17.18 19.20 And that we stirre vp the gift which is alreadie giuen vs by the Spirit 2. Tim 1.6.7 It is the conclusion of euery Epistle which our Sauiour sent by the ministerie of his Angell and the Apostle Iohn to the 7 Churches of Asia Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches Reuel ch 2. and ch 3. To the which end according to the fourth point of the Answer let vs consider further that God requireth to be worshipped in Spirit and truth Iohn 4.24 and Philip. chap. 3. verse 3. And Rom. 8.1 where it is generally required that Christians doe in all things walke after the Spirit and not after the flesh And in the same chapter that they doe sauour the things of the Spirit And mortifie the deedes of the flesh by the spirit c. Likewise Gal. 5.25.26 If wee liue in the Spirit saith the same Apostle let vs also walke in the Spirit Let vs not be desirous of vaine glory prouoking one another enuying one another And chap. 6. verse 1 he calleth such as be more firmely setled in godlines spirituall men And verse 8. If we would haue it goe well with vs and that wee might be partakers of a good haruest we must sowe to the Spirit And Ephes 6.17 we must fight with the sword of the Spirit We must pray in the Spirit verse 18. And for the Spirit that it may be giuen and continued vnto vs. Psalm 51.10.11.12 And Psalme 143.10 Finally touching the duties of diuine worship and honour that they are to be yeelded to the holy Ghost as well as to the Father and the Sonne it may appeare First concerning faith insomuch as wee are baptized into his name together with theirs For we are to beleeue in him into whose name we are baptized And Math. 10.20 our Sauiour incourageth his Disciples to be without feare of their aduersaries and not to be distrustfully carefull what to answere vnto them Because the holy Ghost will be present with them And Luk. ch 12. ver 12. The holy Ghost will teach ye in the same houre what ye ought to say Secondly concerning the duty of loue it may be euident from that which hath beene alledged concerning our duty of not grieuing the Spirit c. For wee will neuer haue this care vnlesse we shal beare a dutifull loue and affection toward the holy Ghost We regard not to grieue them whom we loue not Thirdly concerning reuerence or feare it may easily be proued to be due The danger of not beleeuing this Article yeat that it standeth vs in hand so to doe left we prouoke his most fearefull wrath against vs as Ananias Sapphira did as Iudas did as all those shall do whosoeuer rise vp in contempt and rebellion against him Moreouer baptizing into the name of the holy Ghost is a kinde of inuocation and calling vpon his name And so is the desire of the Apostle that the communion of the holy Ghost might remaine with the Corinthians 2. Epist chap. 13. verse 13. And insomuch as ingratitude against the holy Ghost is worthily condemned for a most grieuous sinne Heb. 10.29 iustly is thankfulnesse to be esteemed a speciall duty belonging vnto him Neither is it to be neglected that the Apostle maketh diuine and honourable mention of the holy Ghost in taking a religious oath Rom. 9.1 I say the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost Thus the same duties of diuine worship and honour are due to the holy Ghost as well as to the Father and the Sonne insomuch as he is in the vnitie of the Godhead very true God together with them NOw therefore hauing hitherto seene so plentifull and sure a ground and warrant for this Article and also what the meaning of it is and what a gratious promise we haue for it and of how singular an vse it is both for comfort also to moue vnto all obedience now that we may at the last conclude the whole doctrine of it Question What is the danger of not beleeuing and so consequently of not yeelding that obedience which it requireth of all Christians Answer Whosoeuer doe not rightly beleeue in God the holy Ghost nor vnfeinedly obey him they haue no true knowledge nor faith which is according to godlinesse neither doe they neither can they possibly yeeld any true honour and obedience either to the Father or to the Sonne And therefore also it must needes be that all such shall abide in the corruption of their profane nature and perish for euer therein It must needes be so insomuch as the holy Ghost according as it hath bin truly affirmed sundry times before is of all the three Persons of the blessed Trinitie Explicatiō proofe the onely immediate worker of all grace from the Father and the Sonne in euery one that shall finde any fauour before the diuine Maiestie of God For without his illumination and sanctification we cannot but remaine in darkenesse and profanenesse according to the expresse testimonie of our Sauiour Christ as hath been also alledged before out of the 3. chapter of Iohn saying Except a man be borne againe of the holy Ghost hee cannot see nor enter into the kingdome of God And according to the testimonie of Paul the Apostle of our Lord Iesus Christ The natuarall man vnderstandeth not the things of the spirit of God c. 1. Cor. 2.14 And Rom. verse 9. If any man hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his c. And Ephes 1.18 We can haue no enterance to the Father but by the spirit of our Sauiour Christ And as no entrance so no continuance but onely by continuance in that grace faith which the holy Ghost once giueth Whence it is that
the continuall and as we may say essentiall exercises of a true and liuely faith And all that you haue answered standeth with uery good reason to the ende we may alwaies keepe our soules in true humilitie vnder the holy hand of God and in greater watchfulnes against sinne and in greater thankfulnes to God in the continuall remembrance of his most gratious mercy toward vs herein And let vs marke this specially well that we doe not say that wee must continually pray for forgiuenes of sins past as well as of sinnes present as though we were to be in continuall doubt of the forgiuenes of them but to this ende that by the renuing of our praiers we may grow more and more assured that they are forgiuen Like as wee doe pray continually that the kingdome of God may come that is that it may more and more come though we know that God doth alreadie in some measure rule and raigne in vs by his word and holy Spirit and so in the first and third Petitions of the Lords Praier But that we may make all things as cleare as wee can touching this point yet one thing more and that is this Insomuch as God of his most aboundant grace forgiueth the sinnes of his children most freely perfitly for his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christes sake and so are we vndoubtedly to beleeue how coÌ„meth it then to passe that the faithfull doe suffer afflictions all their life long and that they die at the last Question as well as other men Can it be thought therefore that God doth perfitly forgiue sinne for our Sauiours sake seeing it seemeth that he retaineth the punishment still Answer God neither sendeth death nor any affliction at all vpon his children as punishments for any satisfaction touching the guiltines of sinne for the which our Sauiour Christ hath by his sufferings and death perfitly satisfied the iustice and wrath of God but onely of his fatherly goodnes he chastiseth them to very gratious ends and namely to send them to Christ and to further them in the way of their saluation So it is in deed 1. Booke page 234. c. to page 248. â— 2. Booke pâ—ges 295. 2â—â— And page 304. as it hath beene more fully laid open in the doctrine of Gods Fatherly Prouidence ExplicatioÌ„ proofe For all the afflictions or punishments for sinne call them what ye will which God laieth vpon his children to whom he forgiueth sinnes they are appointed and sanctified of God to further their repentance to exercise their faith and patience to nourish the reuerend feare of God in their hearts to make them more watchfull against sinne to bring them out of loue with this sinfull world to stirre them vp to a greater longing after the kingdome of heauen and to other such like gratious ends and purposes all which cannot proceede from any other cause then from the fatherly loue of God toward them And therefore they must needes be of another nature then those plagues and punishments are which God casteth vpon the wicked Yea the very nature of death is changed to the godly in that it onely setteth the soule free from a sinfull and corruptible body that it may mount vp to the kingdome of heauen and there be perfited among the soules of the faithfull departed before And touching their bodies also though they descend to the earth yet their very putrifying is but a preparation and as one would say a sowing of them against the day of the glorious resurrection which shall be as the day of a most ioyfull haruest to all the faithfull children of God These thinges thus inserted by the way let vs nowe returne to the second branch of the duties touching thankfulnes due to God for this so inestimable a benefit of the forgiuenes of sinnes For the proofe whereof see the example and practise of Dauid Psal 103.1.2.3 c. See also the example practise of Paul 1. Tim. 1.12.13 And Rom. 7.24.25 who in either place giueth great glory praise to God in this behalfe And that also by good reason For seeing it belongeth to God onely to forgiue sinnes therefore also doth the glory of forgiuenes belong to his diuine Maiestie For the third branch read Psal 116.1 c. I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my praiers c. And Luk 7.47 c. She loued much saith our Sauiour concerning the sinfull woman there mentioned because many sinnes are forgiuen her For the fourth branch read Psal 13â— 4 Mercy is with the Lord that hee may be feared And Iohn 5.14 Behold thou art made whole saith our Sauiour to the sick man whom he had healed sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee Read also 1. Cor. 6.15 And Iohn 1. Ep. ch 2.1 My babes these things I write vnto you that ye sinne not c. What things Euen this that the blood of Christ cleanseth vs from sinne c. as wee read in the former chapter And Ezek. 16.63 the vse of Gods mercy to Israel is noted to be this that the people might remember their sinnes and be ashamed c. The contrary neglect of Gods mercy is vehemently reproued Ier. 2.19.20 in these words The danger of not beleeuing this article Thine owne wickednes saith the Lord by his holy Prophet shall correct thee c. For of olde time I haue broken thy yoake and burst thy bonds and thou saiedst I will no more transgresse but like an harlot thou runnest about vpoÌ„ all high hilles vnder all greene trees c. Read also Ezek. ch 33.13 It is a most vnworthy absurd thing that any should so abuse the mercy of God in forgiuing them many great sinnes that they should thereby be the more licentious and bold to coÌ„mit sinne This doubtlesse is such a wickednes as God cannot but seuerely punish as the Apostle Iude doth vehemently denounce against such as turne the grace of our God into wantonnes For the fift branch read Luk. 6.36 Be ye mercifull saith our Sauiour as your Father is mercifull Ephes 4.32 Be ye curteous one to another saith the Apostle of our Sauiour and tender hearted forgiuing one the other euen as God for Christes sake forgaue you And Colos 3.13 Forbearing one another and forgiuing one another if any man haue a quarrel to another euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doe yee To speak generally Repentance is vsually in the holy Scripture ioined with Faith when forgiuenes of sinnes is promised or offered to poore sinners Neither doth our Sauiour Christ giue the one without the other Whereof also our Baptisme is iointly a signe and seale Act. 2.38 and cha 3.19 and cha 5.31 And Rom. 6.1 c. God forbid saith S. Paul that we should sinne that grace may abound Nay rather by how much God is more loth to punish vs yea rather more ready to forgiue vs as hee is by so much doe wee stand the more straitly bound
is chieflie to be respected in the practise of the offices and duties of loue and kindenesse The Danger of not belieuing let vs call to remembrance the wise aduertisement of the Apostle Gall 6.10 c. As for the fifte which is the last branch of this Answere wee haue partelie seene the ground and proofe of it in one pointe of the former answere and wee shall haue further occasion to set downe more to this purpose in the doctrine and vse of Gods holie Prouidence and therefore wee will here by reference to other places passe it ouer for this time Thus much therfore shall for the present suffice concerning the duties belonging to God in that of his great mercie hee vouchsafeth to be our Father NOwe for the full conclusion of this pointe of our Faith according to the order of our examining the doctrine and vse of it what is the danger of not beleeuing in this first Person of the most blessed Trinitie the naturall Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ and in him our Father through the adoption and Couenant of his most free grace and fauour Question What I say is the danger of not beleeuing in him to bee so and of not obeying him as his duetifull and obedient children Answere All such are hetherto the base-borne of this worlde They lye yet in the filth of their sinnes They are the seede of the Serpen◠euen the children of the Diuell and so consequently the children of Gods wrath and of euerlasting miserie and condemnation They are not to be reputed among the honourable Off-spring of God nor to haue any parte or portion with the children of God in their spirituall inheritance or heauenly preferment and dignitie Explicatiō and proofe It is verie true For by faith onely we haue assurance that wee are the children of God as Iohn chapt 1.12 before alledged And likewise Gal 3.26 Yee are the Sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus And Acts 15.9 By faith our hearts are purified And Acts 26.18 It is faith whereby wee are deliuered from the power of Satan Whereby also wee ouercome the world 1. Iohn 5.45 and whereby wee are still preserued against the power and rage of the Diuell 1. Pet. 5.9 Finallie faith is that wherby wee attaine to euerlasting saluation Ephes 2. By grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Wherefore it cannot bee but as it was alledged a little before out of the 8. chapt of Iohn verse 42. c. and 1. Epis 3.8 and as we may perceiue furthermore by that which wee read Act 13.10 and Ephes chap 2.2 that all such as bee without faith in God the Father are hetherto in the state of the children of the Diuell They may iustlie say to corruption Thou arte my Father and to the worme thou art my mother and my sister as we read in the book of Iob ch 17.14 But not as Iob who by faith ouercame this feare as wee haue seene before from the 19. chap of his booke in so much that he knew that his redeemer liued c But so farre from all conceite of true comfort in affliction that euery former punishment may be vnto them a forerunner of a farre more heauie and terrible wrath shortly to follow and the feare of death it selfe may iustlie be most horrible to them as beeing the very mouth of hell to swallow them vp into the gulfe of euerlasting and most woefull destruction And that they haue no portion with the children of God read Gal 4.30 The sonne of the seruant shall not be heire with the sonne of the free woman According to that also which the Apostle Peter saith to Simon the sorcerer Acts. 8.21 Thou hast no parte nor fellowship in this busines c. To conclude Touching this Article albeeit as is obserued by some of the learned no heretick either old or newe haue euer denied God to be a Father personally subsisting in himselfe Yea and the heathen also haue declared by their writings that they haue acknowledged God to be a Father Neuertheles in so much as manie of the same heretikes which seeme to acknowledge the person of the Father doe as is afterward more fully to be considered of vs denie the eternall person of the Sonne in respect of whom and his Eternall Deitie God is naturallie and chiefelie The groūd of it yea onely and properlie a Father and likewise Almightie insomuch as the Heathen haue for the most part esteemed God a Father onely as a fountaine or autor of goodnesse towardes his creatures Yea to speake of the chiefe of them in so much as they haue for anie thing wee can perceiue by their writings onely some darke conceit of the Deitie of the Sonne either by tradition from the first Fathers or Patriarches in the church of God before the dispersion of the Nations or by conference with some true worshippers of God in latter times or by reading some of their writings but neuer apprehended God as a Father to his elect children according to his free couenant of Grace made in his eternall Sonne in regard of his mediatorship by taking the nature of man c for this hath allwaies ben a secret trulie knowne and acknowledged onely in the true Church of God as that wherin standeth the very marrow as we may say life of faith Vpon all these considerations I say wee may boldlie conclude that neither the one nor the other haue beleeued God to be a Father according to the true sense of this Article and therfore also that they could not haue the true comforte and benefit which belongeth therevnto The same in effect may we affirme of all Idolatrous and obstinate Papists who though in words they goe further and acknowledge God a Father in respect of the eternall Sonne incarnate yet doe they not worship the Father in the Sonne spirituallie and in truth For herein they are within the compasse of the Idolaters of Israell of whom the Lord himselfe speaketh shame and refuseth to be their father because they set vp Idolls vnto him as we read Ier chapt 2. verses 26.27.28 As the thiefe is ashamed when hee is found saith the Lorde by his Prophet so is the house of Israell ashamed hee sheweth how it was or at the least how it ought to haue beene with them they their Kings their Princes and their Priestes and their Prophets Saying to a tree thou arte my father and to a stone thou hast begotten mee For they haue turned their backe vnto me and not their face but in the time of their trouble they will say Arise thou and help vs. But where are thy Gods that thou hast made thee let them arise if they can helpe thee in the time of thy trouble for according to the number of thy Cities are thy Gods ô Iuda Wherefore will yee pleade with me yee all haue rebelled against mee saith the Lorde Thus farre of our true