prooued by Paules words I haue deliuered saith he Hymenaeus and Alexander vnto Satan But our Ministers and Pastours of churches cannot do this Therefore it must needes be that Paul did it by special autoritie Aunswere This whole reason I graunt Wee must not follow his example if he did it alone But hereof it followeth not Therefore we maie not excommunicate For so more is in the conclusion than in the premisses And againe the Minor may bee denied because in the text alleadged it is reported only that Paul did it not in what sort and maner he did it THE THIRD PART OF MANS THANKFVLNES 86 Whenas wee are deliuered from all our sinnes and miseries without any merit of ours by the mercy of God onlie for Christes sake for what cause are we to doe good-workes BEcause after that Christ hath redeemed vs with his bloud he renueth vs also by his spirite to the Image of himselfe that wee receiuing so great benefits should a Rom. 6.13 12.1.2 1. Pet. 2.5.9.10 1. Cor. 6.20 shewe our selues all our life-time thankefull to God and b Mat. 5.16 1 Pet. 2.12 honour him Secondly that euery of vs may bee c 2. Pet. 1.10 Mat. 7.17.18 Gal. 5.6.22 assured of his faith by his fruite And lastly that by our honest and good conuersation wee may d 1. Pet. 3.1.2 Mat. 5.16 Rom. 14.19 winne others vnto Christ 87 Cannot they then be saued which be vnthankefull and remaine still careleslie in their sinnes and are not conuerted from their wickednesse vnto God By no meanes For as the Scripture beareth witnesse neither vnchast persons nor Idolaters nor adulterers nor theeues nor couetous men nor drunkardes nor slaunderers nor robbers shall e 1. Cor. 6.9.10 Ephes 5.5.6 1. Ioh. 3.14.15 enter into the kingdome of god 88 Of what parts consisteth the conuersion of man vnto God It consisteth of the a Rom. 6.4.5.6 Ep. 4.22.23.42 Col. 3.5.6.7.8.9.10 1. Cor. 5.7 2. Cor. 7.11 mortifieng of the oulde man and the quickning of the new man 89 What is the mortifieng of the old man To bee truely and hartily sorry that thou hast offended god by thy sinnes and daily more and more to hate and b Rom. 8.13 Ioel. 2.13 Ho. 5.15 6.1 eschew them 90 What is the quickening of the new man True ioy in God through c Rom. 5.1 14.17 Isa 57.15 Christ and an earnest and ready desire to order thy life according to gods will and to d Rom. 6.10.11 Gal. 2.20 doe all good woorkes 91 What are good-workes Those only which are done by a true e Rom. 14.23 faith according to f 1. Sam. 15.22 Eph. 2.10 gods law are g 1. Cor. 10.31 referred only to his glorie and not those which are imagined by vs as seeming to vs to be right and good or which are h Deut. 11.32 Ezec. 20.18.19 Js 29.13 Mat. 15.9 deliuered and commanded by men 92 Which is the Law of God God spake all i Exo. 20. Deu. 5. these wordes 1 I am the Lorde thy God which hath brought thee out of Aegypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue no other Gods in my sight 2 Thou shalt make to thee no grauen Image nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauē aboue or in the earth beneath nor in the water vnder the earth Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them for I the Lord thy God am a ielouse God and visit the sins of the fathers vpon the childrē vnto the third fourth generatiō of thē that hate me shew mercy vnto thousands of them that loue me and keepe my commandementes 3 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine for the Lorde will not holde him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 4 Remember thou keepe holy the sabboth day sixe daies shalt thou labour and doe al that thou hast to doe but the seuenth day is the sabboth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no maner of works thou and thy son thy daughter thy man-seruant thy maid seruāt thy cattle the stranger that is within thy gate For in six daies the Lord made heauen earth the sea all that in them is and rested the seuenth daie wherefore the Lorde blessed the seuenth daie and hallowed it 5 Honor thy father thy mother that thy daies may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee 6 Thou shalt doe no murther 7 Thou shalt not commit adultery 8 Thou shalt not steale 9 Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour 10 Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house nor his wife nor his seruant nor his maide nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is his 93 How are these commandements diuided Into two a Exo. 34.28 Deut. 4.13 10.3.4 tables whereof the former deliuereth in foure commaundementes how we ought to behaue our selues towards God The latter deliuereth in sixe commaundements what duties we b Mat. 22.37.38.39 owe vnto our neighbour 94 What dooth God require in the first commaundement That as dearlie as I tender the saluation of my own soul so earnestlie should I shun flie all c 1. Cor. 6.9 10. 10.7.14 Idolatry sorcery enchantmēts d Leu. 19 31. Deut. 18.11 superstitiō praying to Saints or anie other e Mat. 4.10 Apoc. 19.10 22.8.9 creatures should rightly f Joh. 17.3 acknowledge the only true god g Ier. 17.5 trust in him alone h Heb. 10.36 Col. 1.11 Rom. 5.3.4.1 Cor. 10.10 Phi. 2.14 submit subiect my self vnto him with al i 1. Pet. 5.5.6 humility patience k Ps 104.27.28.29.30 Js 45.7 Iac. 1.17 look for all good things from him alone and lastly with the entire affection of my hart l Deu. 6.5 Mat. 22.37 loue m Deu. 6.2 Ps 111.10 Prou. 1.7 9.10 Mat. 10.28 reuerence n Mat. 4.20 Deu. 10.20 worship him so that I am ready to renounce and forsake al creatures rather thā to o Mat. 5.29.30 10.37 Act. 5.29 commit the least thing that may be against his wil. 95 What is Idolatrie It is in place of that one God or besides that one and true God who hath manifested himself in his word to make or imagin and account any other thing wherein thou reposest thy a 1. Para. 16.26 Phi. 3.19 Eph. 5.5 Gal. 4.8 Eph. 2.12.1 Ioa. 2 23.2 Ioan. 9. Jo. 5.23 hope and confidence 96 What doth the second cōmandement require That wee shoulde not b Deut. 4.15 c. Is 40.18 c. Rom. 1.23 c. Act. 17.29 expresse or represent god by any image or shape figure or worship him anie otherwise than he hath commaunded in his word himselfe to be worshipped 97 Maie there then at all anie images or resemblances of things be made God neither ought nor can be represented by
and ouerthrow of the Citie Aunswere They er that restraine Christs benefit to those things or promises only without the performance whereof the promise made vnto Dauid concerning the Messias could not haue beene kept For all the benefits blessings of god both corporall and spirituall both before and after the Messias was exhibited as well those without which the promise of the Messias could as those without which it could not be fulfilled are all perfourmed vnto the Church for the Messias sake 2. Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of god in him are Yea are in him Amen And so doth the Scripture expound the like kinds of speaking as 2. Kings 13. Deut. 7. Lastly the benefits which god also performeth vnto the wicked posterity of the godly are attributed vnto the godlinesse of their godly parents not of merit but of mercy for the truth of gods promises As Exod. 20. 32. Deut. 4.16 Gen. 48.16 Iacob saith of Iosephs sons Let my name be named vpon them and the name of my fathers Abraham and Jsaacke Here Iacob willeth himselfe and his fathers to be called vpon after his death Therefore it is lawfull to call vpon the Saints departed Aunsw It is an Hebrue phrase which signifieth an adopting of Sons so that the sense is let them be called by my name or let them take their name from mee that is let them be called my Sonnes hauing the dignitie title of Patriarks that two tribes of Israell may come therein The like phrase is in Isaiah Cap. 4.1 In that daie shal seuen weomen saie to one man * According to the old Latin LET THY NAME BE CALLED VPON VS Let vs be called by thy name that is let vs bee called thy wiues 17 Iob 5. Call now if anie will aunswere thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne Heere Elephas exhorteth Iob to craue the aid of some Saint Aunswere The words which go before doe shewe that these wordes belong to a comparison of men with Angels whom he saith so farre to excell men in purity that they doe not so much as make aunswere or appeare being called by men Wherefore this place doth more make against than pleade for the inuocation of Angels 18 * This is translated according to the old Latin translation the words whereof the Papists vrge Iob 33. Jf there be an Angel one of a thousand to speake for him to declare mans righteousnesse He will haue mercie vpon him and will saie Deliuer him that he go not downe into the pit J haue found one in whom I am reconciled vnto him Ans Here the old translation speaketh vnproperly For the woordes are thus Jf there be an Angel with him or an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse Then will hee haue mercy vpon him and will say Deliuer him that hee go not downe into the pit for I haue found a reconciliation Now then albeit this were the sense that Angels pray for men distressed and in affliction yet this made nothing for their inuocation But it is manifest that this is the sense If a man diseased or afflicted be in his calamitie instructed of the will iustice and goodnesse of god either by an Angell or by a Prophet or by some teacher for these also are called Angels and repenteth him of his sinnes and assenteth vnto the Doctrine and comfort ministred vnto him him will God deliuer by their ministerie by whom he doth instruct him 19 Matth. 25.40 Jn as much as saith Christ ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren yee haue done it to me Therefore what honour of inuocation we giue vnto the Saints the same is also giuen vnto Christ himselfe Answere That honour of the creature maie and ought to bee referred vnto God which God willeth to bee done vnto him but that honour of the creature which God forbiddeth to bee giuen vnto the creature is not honourable but reprochful and contumelious vnto god Now the reason is sottish whereas they wil seem to draw it from the words of Christ when Christ speaketh of the duties of charitie which god willeth vs to perfourme in this life towardes those that stand in neede of our aide and help 20 Jf the Angels vnderstanding our necessities praie for vs and so are to be praied vnto it is lawful also to praie vnto Saints But that the Angels pray for vs is confirmed by the woords of Zacharie 1.12 The Angel of the Lord aunswered and said O Lorde of hostes how long wilt thou be vnmerciful to Ierusalem and to the citties of Judah Aunswere The Maior is not wholy to bee graunted namely that all the Angels vnderstand all the wantes and necessities of al men For the calamities of Iurie were open not onely to the sight of Angels but also to the sight of men 2. We denie the consequence which they frame from the Angels vnto the Saintes departed For vnto the Angels god committeth the care and protection of his Church in this life Therefore they beeing also here on earth see and know our miseries which the Saints see not vnto whom this charge is not committed they pray particularly for many which we cannot affirme of the Saints by any testimonies of Scripture 3. There is another fault in the consequence in concluding that wee must pray to them because they pray for vs because not euerie one who praieth for vs is straight waies to be inuocated as was before declared The same is to be answered of the dreame of Iudas Maccabeus 2. Macab 15. Wherein hee sawe Onias the High-Priest and Ieremias the Prophet praying for the people As for that which is said in the booke of Baruch cap. 3.4 Hear now the praier of the dead Israelites the Israelites are there said to be dead which were yet liuing and inuocating on god in this life but by reason of their calamities like vnto those that are deade Wherefore this sentence standeth true and certaine that the inuocation of whatsoeuer thing besides the true God manifested in the church is idolatrous and is repugnaunt vnto the honour of Gods name which God in true inuocation will haue exhibited and done vnto him THE FOVRTH COMMANDEMENT REmember thou keepe holy the sabboth day six daies shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to do but the seuenth daie is the sabboth of the Lorde thy God in it shalt thou doe no manner of work thou and thy Sonne and thy daughter thy man-seruaunt and thy maide-seruaunt thy cattel and the straunger that is within thy gate For in six daies the Lord made heauen and earth the sea and al that is in them and rested the seuenth day wherefore the Lord blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it The parts of this fourth commaundement are in number two A commaundement and a reason of the commaundement The parts of the commandement are also two The first is Moral That the sabboth be sanctified that
confirming the doctrine of the Church which were but in vaine for vs to doe Fathers and councels ar cited if their sentences had not the force and authoritie of Ecclesiastical doctrine But we neither bring nor receaue the Testimonies of the ancient Church with that mind as if without the authority of the holie Scripture they were sufficient for confirmation of anie point of doctrine Neither yet is the regard had of them in vaine For both they which are rightlie minded after they are instructed by the voice of the Scriptures concerning the truth are yet more confirmed by the Church as by a Testimonie of lower degree and they which attribute more authoritie vnto them then they should or abuse their sayings against the trueth are very wel refuted by the testimonie of them whom they have made their iudges Also they say That order decencie in the Church is necessary Obiection 9 by the commandement of God according as it is said Traditions are order 1 Cor. 14. Let al thinges be done comelie and in order For God is not the author of confusion Now the order and discipline of the Church doth a great part consist in traditions Ecclesiasticall wherefore they conclude that by the violating of these mens consciences are wounded and God offended But as God commaundeth some order to be appointed and kept in the Church Answere Of mere particulars there is no concluding so hath he given a double libertie in it vnto his Church first that it be arbitrarie for the Church to appoint as may bee most commodious for it what order shal be in euerie place and at euery time obserued Then that also after any thing is certainelie ordained may be kept or not kept without hurt of conscience both of the whole Church and of euerie one of the godly if there bee no danger of offence For it is necessarie that euer a difference be put betwixt the commaundements of God by the obseruing whereof God is worshipped and offended by the breaking of them and those things which God hath left to men to appoint neither is worshipped or offended as himselfe pronounceth either by the altering or omitting of them so long as there is no cause or danger of offence And the same Apostle Gal. 5. who commandeth all things to be done comelie and in order willeth vs to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made vs free and that we should bee condemned of no man in meate or drink or in respect of an holy day Wherefore not they who without contempt of diuine things or wantonnes or danger of offence doe something otherwise in there things then is appointed but they rather offend against the commaundement of God concerning keeping order who either woulde haue no order in the Church or trouble that which is wel appointed Obiection 10 Obscure things do not suffice without interpreration Aunswere The minor is false if they respect the ground These men find fault also with the obscuritie of the holy Scriptures which they proue both by exāples of hard places of Scripture also out of the second epistle of Peter cap. 3. where it is said That there are some thinges hard to be vnderstood in the epistles of Paul And therefore since that thinges darckly spoken without they bee expounded can not suffice to perfect and wholesome doctrine they vrge that the interpretation of the Church also is necessarily to bee receaued with the Scripture But here aboue all thinges they iniurie the holie Ghost ascribing darkenes obscuritie vnto him who of purpose endeuoured to applie himselfe in simplicitie of speech to the capacitie of the common people and the rudest For those thinges which appertaine to the ground of doctrine which is necessarie to be knowen of all as are the articles of our beleefe the tenne commaundementes they are so plainly recited so often repeated so plentifully expounded in the Scriptures that they are open and easie to any but to him who will not learne euen as the 119. Psalm teacheth Where the woorde of the Lord is called a Lanterne to our feete and a light to our pathes Againe The enterance into thy woordes sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple And 2. 1 Instance The ground of doctrine is vnknown to manie Peter 1. The woorde of the Prophets is called a light shining in a darke place To which yee doe well saith hee that yee take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hartes And Salomon in the first of the Prouerbes affirmeth that hee writeth to giue the simple sharpnesse of witte and to the child knowledge and discretion Again that wisedome crieth without uttereth her voice in the streetes Paul also 1. Cor. 1. saith that Christ sent him to preach the Gospell not with wisedome of woordes least the crosse of Christ should be made of none effect The ground therefore and summe of doctrine is not obscure except it bee vnto the reprobates who contemne the truth or stubburnlie reiect it as the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 4. If our Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded their mindes that is of the infidels that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ should not shine vnto thē And the prophet Esai 65. and the Apostle Rom. 10. All the day long haue I stretched foorth my handes to a disobedient and gainsaying people And Psalm 36. The woordes of his mouth are iniquitie and deceite he hath left off to vnderstand and to doe good And Mat. 11. I giue thee thankes o Father Lord of Heauen and Earth because thou hast hidde these thinges from the wise men and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes Now if they replie againe 2 Instance Diuine matters are obscure vnto al men that diuine matters are hard and obscure to all men as it is said 1. Cor. 2. The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know thē because they are spiritually discerned they should first haue called to mind that this ignorance and hardnes riseth not of the obscuritie of the scripture but of the blindnes of mans mind and furthermore that this obscuritie since in verie deed it is not in the Scripture but seemeth to bee the fault of our nature doth not alwaies remaine in those who are regenerate but is remoued from them by the illumination of the holie Spirite according to those sayinges Luc. 8. It is giuen vnto you to know the secrets of the kingdome of God but to others in parables that when they see they should not see when they heare they should not vnderstand And 2. Cor. 3. Vntil this day when Moses is read the vaile is laid ouer their hartes Neuerthelesse when their hart shall be turned vnto the Lord the vaile shal
most holy shal be annointed And of the ciuill Lawes it is saide Ezech. 44 24. Jn controuersie shall the Priest stand to iudge and they shall iudge it according to my iudgements Ierem 23.5 Behold the daies come saith the Lorde that I will raise vnto Dauid a righteous branch and a king shall raign and prosper and shall execute iudgement and iustice in the earth Wherefore that forme of woorshippe and ciuill gouernment was ordained of god principally vnto this that thereby the old people might be aduertised of the thinges signified and to be performed by the Messias Now whereas the allegories or figuratiue speeches of all the Lawes are not in speciall expressed and expounded in the woorde of god First we are to make or receiue none but such as reteineth an analogy with faith and loue againe these onlie are to be accounted and held for true and certaine which can bee prooued by Scripture But those which are not declared either by plain expositiō or by the maners of speaking in the scripture the same may be verily tolerated as orher similitudes which are brought by way of example but may not be admitted as certain and as proofes of doctrine And in those which are not declared in speciall it is sufficient to rest in the general signification Secondly by these as by visible markes and eminent differences God would haue his people with whom the true worship of god and the promise of the Messias was left to bee discerned and sorted out from al other nations that both for his own glorie that the true god and true religion might be discerned from Idoles and the inuentions of men and also for mens saluation that they seeking after the church in the world might find and behold it Deut. 4.6 Keepe them therefore and doe them for that is your wisedome and your vnderstanding in the sight of the people c. And chapter 12.30 Beware that thou aske not after their gods saieng How did these nations serue their gods that I may do so likewise Thou shalt not doe so vnto to the Lord thy God for all abomination which the Lorde hateth haue they done vnto their gods Eph. 2.14 Which hath made of both one and hath broken the stop of the participation wall In abrogating through his flesh the hatred that is the Law of commandementes which standeth in ordinances The third vse is obedience or the obseruing performāce of the moral ordināces For because the moral law requireth not only internal obedience but also external whereof the vse of the ministerie of the church and ciuil order are not the lowest parts that these two therfore may be maintained preserued a defining or limitation of many circūstances is necessarie without the equable form obseruatiō wherof order cannot bee maintained in the church and common wealth As therfore in the new testamēt god hath left free in the ministery cōmonwealth such constitutions ordinances as may be necessarie for the maintaining of this order so in the old Testament what he would haue obserued himselfe did constitute and ordaine For this is Moral That there be a publique and solemne inuocation and seruing of God The furtherance and forme hereof god would haue the ceremonies to bee which himselfe prescribed Againe this is Moral that there be a iust and vpright ordering of iudgementes contractes punishmentes in the common wealth This order God prescribed vnto the Iews by Iudicial Lawes Wherefore the ceremonies are an adherent of the first table and the iudiciall lawes are an adherent of the second because those informe concerning the outwarde and externall forme of the ministery of the church or diuine seruice and worship these concerning the functions and duties of the Magistrates and of the citizens of that common wealth towardes their Magistrates and towardes one another Fourthly that manifold obseruation of rites and ceremonies was also an exercise and a testification of their obedience towardes God For he that dooth willingly and diligently perfourme burdensome and vnpleasaunt thinges if he know the same to be pleasing to God he then dooth shew himselfe to loue God and to obey him with a readie mind Therefore saith god to Abraham beeing now ready to sacrifice his Sonne Now I know that thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onlie Sonne So the ceremonial and iudicial ordinances of the old Testament are called a yoke Acts 15. and seruitude Galat. 4. Fiftly vnto most of the ceremonies namelie such as signified Christes benefites was proper and peculiar the sealing of Gods couenaunt or the confirmation of faith For this is meant when they are said to be the signes of the couenant Gen. 17. Rom. 4. Exod. 31. Ezech. 20. namely to signifie and testifie what benefites God would giue by the Messias vnto beleeuers Sixtly the iudiciall or ciuill Lawes in asmuch as they were the verie forme of the Mosaical common wealth serued for the preseruation of that regiment kingdom vntil the comming of the Messias Seuenthly Albeit now the ceremonial and iudicial Lawes are so abolished that the obseruation of them is not required as concerning the types yet those things are perpetual which are signified by them And therefore they are a confirmation of the newe Testament as well as the oracles and prophecies of the ould Testament concerning the Messias and his kingdome For types are visible promises Wherefore when as wee see those thinges to be fulfilled in Christ which were foretold of him by the prophecies and shadowed or prefigured by the old types it is also cōfirmed vnto vs that both he is exhibited that this Iesus in whom wee beleeue is that Messias which of oulde was promised And although also we are not bound to keep and obserue the same rites yet notwithstanding out of those ould pictures wee learne and vnderstand what spirituall obedience holynesse and worship god continuallie requireth in his church Whence it is said Hosea 14.2 We wil render the calues of our lyps Hebr. 13.15 Let vs by him offer the Sacrifice of praise alwaies to God that is the fruite of the lyps which confesse his name 1. Pet. 2.5 And yee as liuely stones be made a spiritual house and holy Priesthoode to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ These maie suffice for the refuting of Anabaptistes and such like who shut the old testament out of the church of Christ Furdermore of the Morall Lawe there are other and greater vses because the worshippe of God dooth properly consist therein and other Lawes were made for this About these chiefely doe mens mindes dispute when they heare mankind so to bee plunged into sin that the reprobate cannot so much as begin any obedience acceptable to god neither the Elect in this life attain by any means to the perfectiō thereof yet notwithstanding god wil haue the Lawe preached both to the regenerate and vnregenerate For they maruel to what vse or end the Law
is agreeing vnto the true god only This kind of Idolatry is especially forbidden in the first commandement and furder also in some part in the third commandement 2 When mē er in the kind of woorshippe that is when worship or honour is imagined to be doone vnto the true god by some such woorke which himselfe hath not commanded This kind is properly condemned in this second commandement and is called will-worshippe or superstition They are saide to be superstitious whosoeuer ad humane inuētions to the commandements of God 2 Hypocrisie which is a pretending or faining true godlinesse and worship of God doing the external works commaunded by god whether morall or ceremoniall without true faith and conuersion This vice is depainted and described in these woordes by the Prophet Isaias This people come neere vnto me with their mouth and honour mee with their lips but haue remooued their heart far from me and their fear toward me was taught by the preceptes of men In the same words and those that followe and also euery where thoroughout the whole Scripture is hypocrisie condemned of the Lord. 3 Prophanenes which is a voluntary letting goe or contempt of all religion and of the whole worship of God both internal external or else of some part of diuine worship This prophanenes is repugnant also to the whole worship of God in the first and second table Now let vs entreate a little more at large of superstition That Wil-worship whereof we before made mention is reprehended of the Lord in many places of holy Scripture So by Moses it is forbidden Deut. 12.8 Yee shall not doe after al these things that we do here this daie that is euerie mā whatsoeuer seeemeth good in his owne eies And in the end of the same chapter he saith Whatsoeuer I commaund you take heede you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought there-from It is also reprehended by Isaias whose woords before recited are alleadged by Christ himselfe Matth. 15.8 for the condemning of superstition or Wil-woorshippe The same is condemned also by Paul Col. 2.8 Beware least there be any man that spoile you through Philosophy and vaine deceite through the traditions of men according to the rudimentes of the world and not after Christ Obiection Such places and saiengs speak of the wicked and vngodlie commaundementes of men and of Mosaical and Jewish ceremonies Aunswere That this is false which is replied some demonstrances which are added vnto certaine places declare which also reiect those humane Lawes and ordinaunces that commaund any thing in regard of diuine worshippe which is not commaunded by God although the same be a thing in his own kind not forbidden of God So Christ reiecteth the Iewes tradition of washing of handes whereof he saith Matth. 15.11 That which goeth into the mouth defileth not the man but that which commeth out of the mouth that defileth the man Hither also may that be referred which Christ speaketh 23.25 Wo be to you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites for ye make cleane the vtter side of the cup and of the platter but within they are ful of briberie and excesse Now that these and the like thinges are lawful setting aside of an opinion of superstition in them the Apostle in sundry places doth shew Roman 14.6 He that obserueth the daie obserueth it to the Lord and he that obserueth not the daie obserueth it not to the Lord Hee that eateth eateth to the Lord for hee giueth god thanks and he that eateth not eateth not to the Lord and giueth God thankes Againe 1. Corinth 10.25 Whatsoeuer is sold in the shamble eate yee and aske no question for conscience sake For the earth is the Lords and al that therein is Wherefore they are not simplie so condemned but onely so far as they are prescribed for diuine worship In the same respect is single life also condemned especially seeing the same is not a thing indifferent but to those only who haue the gift of continēcy according as it is said of Christ Matth. 19 12. He that is able to receiue this let him receiue it For al men as in the same place Christ saith cannot receiue this thing saue they to whom it is giuen And this is the difference between things indifferent or of middle qualitie and those things which are properly the worshippe of god Which difference we must diligently obserue 1. Bicause when men faigne other worships of god in them they faigne another wil of god which is to faigne another god 2. Because by confounding of the true worshippe with false worships the true god is confounded with Idoles Rom. 14.23 which are worshipped with those worships inuēted by men 3. Because whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne And when any man doth a thing as thereby to worship God his conscience not knowing whether God wil be worshipped after this manner or no he doth it not of faith but is ignoraunt and doubteth whether God be pleased or displeased with his work and therefore he presumeth to do that albeit it may displease god Wherefore hee dooth not thereby worship but contemne god OF TRADITIONS MOreouer that wee may make that difference of diuine worship and of things indifferent fully and wholy manifest and answere to an obiection of theirs who defend worshippes inuented by men with such places of Scripture as where god willeth vs to obey the commandements of mē we wil note and obserue that there are foure sorts of those things which men commaund 1. The ordinaunces of god which god wil that men propose vnto others to be obserued but not in their own name but in the name of god himselfe as being themselues the ministers and messengers not the autors thereof So the ministers of the church propound the heauenly doctrin of god to the church parents to their children Maisters to their scholers so Magistrates propound the commaundements of the Decalogue vnto their subects The obedince of these commaundementes is and is called Gods woorship because they are not humane ordinances but diuine which are necessarily to bee obeied although no autoritie or commaundement of any creature came thereto yea although all creatures should commaund the contrary Hither appertaine many places of Scripture As Prouer. 6.20 My Sonne keepe thy Fathers commaundement and forsake not thy Mothers instruction 1. Thessal 4.2 Yee know what commaundementes we gaue you by the Lord Iesus He therefore that despiseth these despiseth not man but god Matth. 23.2 The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses seate Al therefore whatsoeuer they bid you obserue that obserue and doe These and the like sayinges will vs to obey men as the ministers of god in these thinges which belong vnto the ministery that is which god by expresse commaundement hath testified that hee will haue published and commaunded by them but they graunt not authority vnto any to institute newe worshippes of god at their owne pleasure according as it is said Prouer. 36. Put
doth not good fortune followe a good conscience And therefore hee murmureth against God and fretteth as did Cato and others 5. The finall causes in their chastisementes trials 5. The final causes of their afflictions and Martyrdomes Those causes are first Gods glorie The torment is lesse to the godly when they know that GOD is honoured by their sufferings and that thereby they shewe their thankefulnesse vnto him Psalm 119.75 Thou art iust O Lorde and thy iudgements are right Secondly Our saluation which is accomplished by afflictions Psalm 119.71 It is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted 1. Cor. 11.32 When wee are iudged we are chastened of the Lorde because wee shoulde not bee condemned with the woorlde Thirdly the saluation of others that is their conuersion and confirming For Actes 5. The Apostles reioyced euen because they sawe many by their ministerie to bee conuerted vnto GOD and faith to bee confirmed in others by the example of their afflictions and constancy in the truth and doctrine that they were counted woorthy to suffer rebuke for Christs name The Philosophers say It is a good end for which thou sufferest that thou maiest saue thy country and attaine vnto euerlasting renowme and glory But yet in the meane season wretched man hee thinketh what will these thinges profite me when my selfe perish But we are chastised that wee may not perish with the world 6. The comparing of ends euentes 6. The conference and comparing together of euentes It is better for a short time to be chastised of the Lord with certaine and assured hope of a glorious deliuery than to liue in plenty and aboundaunce of thinges and to be pulled from God and to run into euerlasting perdition The Philosophers conferring and comparing euils together finde but little good arising out of so manie euils 7. The hope of recompence Because the true good for the obtaining whereof they suffer euils they are wholy ignoraunt of 7. The hope of recompence Matth. 5.12 Your rewarde is great in heauen Wee knowe that there remaine other blessinges for vs after this life nothing to be compared with these momentary afflictions Euen in this life also the Godlie receiue grater blessinges than other man For they haue GOD pacified and pleased with them and other spirituall giftes and the beginning of eternall life Therefore also corporall blessinges are profitable for their saluation Marc. 10.29 There is no man that hath forsaken house or bretheren or children or landes for my sake and the Ghospels but hee shall receiue a hundred-fould nowe at this present and in the woorlde to come eternall life Psalm 37.16 A small thing to the iust man is better than great riches to the wicked Roman 5.3 Wee reioyce in tribulations A recompence in small euils doth in some sort comfort the Philosophers but in great euils not at all because they thinke that they hadde rather want that recompence than buie it so deare the reason whereof is because the recompence is but vncertaine small and transitorie 8. The example of the Sonne of GOD. For the seruaunt is not aboue his Maister Iohn 15.20 8. The Examples of Christ and his Saintes who haue suffered before vs. And God will haue vs to bee made like to the image of his Sonne Roman 8.29 And Philip. 2.5 Let the same minde bee in you that was euen in Christ Iesus 2. Cor. 8.9 IESVS CHRIST beeing rich for your sakes became poore Let vs accompany therefore Christ in ignominy and in glory For both the thankfulnesse which we owe requireth this and seeing Christ hath died not for his owne profite but for ours why shoulde wee refuse to suffer any thing for our owne profite and commodity Likewise the examples of other holy and godly men who haue suffered with the sauing both of themselues others haue not perished in afflictions but haue beene maruailouslie saued preserued Mat. 5. So did they persecute the Prophets which haue beene before you The examples therefore of holy Martyrs doe comfort and hearten vs while we thinke that we are not better than they but rather woorse And therefore ought wee much more patiently to beare our crosse Againe seeing they haue beene preserued by GOD amiddest their afflictions and haue escaped out of them wee haue confidence also that wee shall bee preserued and deliuered because the Loue of GOD towardes his is immutable and knoweth no chaunge 9. 9. The certaine presence and assistance of goâ—â— The presence and assistaunce of GOD in all cases and chances of our life Wee know that God hath a care of vs euen in our crosse that he will defend comfort strengthen and establish vs by his spirite that wee may not through griefe and paine forsake him 1. Cor. 10.13 God doth not suffer vs to be tempted aboue our power Psal 19.15 I am with him in his tribulation Iohn 14.16 I will send you another comforter Iohn 14.23 I my father will come vnto him Ioh. 14.18 I will not leaue you comfortles Esay 49.15 Can a woman forget her child and not haue compassion on the Son of her wombe Though shee should forget 10. The final and ful deliuerie yet will I not forget thee 10 The finall and full deliuerie For as of punishment so also of deliuerie there are three degrees The first is in this life where we haue the beginning of eternall life The second is in our bodily death when the soul is caried into Abrahams bosome The third is after the resurrection of our bodies when wee shall bee both in body and soule perfectly blessed that is fully deliuered from all both sinne and punishment Ioh. 10.28 No man shall plucke them out of mine hande Rom. 8.30 Whom he iustified them also he glorified Reu. 21.4 God shall wipe away all teares from their eies Wherefore as the first consolation is the foundation and beginning so this last is the finishing and accomplishment of all the rest THE SECOND PART OF MANS DELIVERIE 12 Seeing then by the iust iudgement of God we are subiect both to temporall and eternall punishments is there yet any meanes or way remaining whereby we may be deliuered from these punishments be reconciled to God GOD will haue his iustice a Exod. 20.5 23.7 satisfied wherefore it is necessary that b Rom. 8.3 wee satisfy either by our selues or by another 13 Are we able to satisfie by our selues Not a whit Naie rather we doe euerie day c Iob. 9.2.3 15.15 Mat. 6.12 increase our debt 14 Is there any creature able in heauen or in earth which is only a creature to satisfie for vs None For first God will not d Heb. 2.14 punish that sin in any other creature which man hath committed And further neither can that which is nothing but a creature sustaine the wrath of god against sinne and e Psal 130.3 Iob. 4.18 25.5 deliuer others from it 15 What manner of Mediatour
distinct Answere The Maior is true of finit persons but not of infinite Obiect 7. The diuine Essence is incarnate The three persons are the diuine Essence Therefore the three persons are incarnate Aunswere Here also are meere particulars whereof nothing can be concluded For the Maior speaketh not of the Diuine Essence generally but particularly as it is the Sonne Obiection 8. The Sonne is Mediatour vnto Iehoua But the Sonne is Iehoua Therefore hee is Mediatour to himselfe Aunswere Here also are meere particulars and therefore nothing concluded For not all that is Iehoua is Mediator Obiect 9. Christ hath a head aboue him Therefore hee is inferiour to GOD and by a consequent hee is not of one and the same essence with GOD. Aunswere Hee hath indeede a Head but that first in respect of his Mediatourshippe secondly in respect of his manhoode Obiection 10. This is saith Christ life euerlasting that they do know thee to bee the onelie verie God Therefore the Sonne and the holie Ghost are not true God Aunswere In this place is opposed not the father to the son and the holy ghost but God to Idoles and creatures Moreouer the particle onelie dooth not belong to the subiect thee but to the predicate God which the greeke Article sheweth Obiection 11. Iehoua is the Trinity The father is Iehoua Therefore he is the trinity Aunswere Iehoua is not taken for the same but varieth in this Syllogisme For Iehoua in the Maior is meant of all three persons in the Minor of one only Reply The father is Iehoua one in number Therefore the father is the Trinitie Heere those diuerse manners of beeing are of no force Aunswere He is one in number of essence not of persons Obiection 12. Where are three one there are four But in god are three one namelie three persons and one essence Therfore there are four in God Aunswere Where there are three and one reallie distinct there are foure But in God the persons are not really distinct from the essence for the three persons of the Diuinity are one and the same essence Obiection 13. The same works are atributed to the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost in the Scripture Aunswere This hindereth not the distinction of persons For mo persons may concurre to one action the distinct order of woorking beeing obserued Obiection 14. Christ saith Iohn 14. He that seeth me seeth the father Aunswere Christ meaneth not hereby that he is the father but that he sheweth and resembleth the person wisedome omnipotency goodnes and wil of the father in his doctrine and woorkes as it is saide The Sonne which is in the bosome of the father hee hath shewed Againe Who is the inuisible image of GOD. And as himselfe addeth here The father in mee and I in the father Obiection 15. The wisedome and power of the father are not distinct persons from the father but are the father himselfe as also mercie goodnesse chastitie trueth and other properties of God But the Sonne and the holie Ghost are the wisedome and power of GOD Therefore they are not persons distinct from the father but the father himselfe wise and powerful Aunswere There is an ambiguity in the woordes wisedome and power which in the Maior signifie the wisedome and power whereby not only the father but the Sonne also and holy Ghost is wise and forcible or effectuall that is the common nature or essence of the father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost But in the Minor they signifie the persons of the Sonne and the holy Ghost the Son beeing called the wisedome and the holy Ghost the power of GOD because by them the Deitie sheweth foorth and declareth the wisedome and power thereof OF CREATION NEXT vnto the Doctrine concerning God the Doctrine of the woorkes of GOD is most fitly placed as we see to be done also in the Creede The woorks of God are of two sortes Generall and Speciall The general are diuided into the works 1. Of creation the works whereof are read in Genesis to haue bin accomplished in 6. daies are by daily increase furthered and multiplied in the world 2. Of preseruation whereby God still susteineth the heauens and earth and the things that in them are that they fal not to ruine and decay 3. Of administration whereby through his immense and great wisdome he administreth and gouerneth all things These two latter are comprehended vnder the name of his prouidence And therefore next vnto creation is annexed the place concerning Gods prouidence The Special woorkes of GOD are those which are wrought in the Church and company of his elect and chosen to iustifie sanctifie and glorifie them and are either works of Reparation or restoring whereby hee repaireth al things which for the sinne of man are subiect to corruption or of perfection and accomplishment whereby hee bringeth all things to their certaine appointed end The principall questions of creation are these 1 Whether the world were created of God 2 How it was created 3 For what cause it was created 1 WHETHER THE WORLD WERE CREATED OF GOD. THE name of the world is diuerslie vsed in the Scripture 1. It signifieth the vniuersal frame of all thinges namelie Heauen and Earth and al thinges which are them visible and inuisible besides God himselfe 2. Woorldlie concupiscences 3. All mankind 4. The wicked or those that are not regenerate in the world 5. The elect Here we consider it in the first sense To create signifieth 1 to ordaine or constitute as the latines vsed it creare Consulem to create a Consul 2 To make something of nothing without any motion with a becke or woorde only So is it taken in this place 3 The continuating of creation or creation continued Which is the prouidence of God That the worlde hath not beene from euerlasting but had when it seemed best to the creatour according to his eternal counsel and wil a beginning once and was created of that only true God who hath manifested himselfe in the Church that he is the eternal Father and Sonne and Holy Ghost we know First by testimonies of holy scripture as by the whole historie of the creation set downe by Moses Likewise out of other testimonies of Scripture verie many Psalm 33 6.9 By the woorde of the Lorde were the heauens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Ps 104.113.124.136.146 Isay 44. Act. 4. 17. He spake and it was doone he commaunded and it stood or was created There are other places also in the Psalmes where more largely and amply the wonderfull woorkes of God and the principall partes of the woorlde created by God are proposed to be considered of vs that through the consideration thereof wee may learne to put our trust and confidence in God For to this purpose did the Lord himselfe propose vnto Iob his marueilous and incomprehensible woorkes conspicuous in heauen Iob. 38. 39. and earth other thinges also
Thirdly Christ did rise truly and indeed so that his soule did truelie and indeede returne vnto his bodie and he did truely come foorth euen out of the graue also in despite of the watchmen they beeing withal amased and stroken therewith Fourthly he rose the third daie as it was foreshadowed in Jonas and because that type of Ionas was so fulfilled thence it certainly followeth that this Iesus is the Messias promised vnto the Fathers 3 FOR WHAT CAVSE HE ROSE CHrist rose 1. In respect of the prophecies which were vttered of his resurrection Thou shalt not leaue my soul in the graue neither shalt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Psa 16.10 And Isai 53.10 When hee shall make his soule an offering for sinne hee shall see his seede and shall prolong his daies He shall see of the trauaile of his soul and shal be satisfied Matth. 12.39 No signe shall bee giuen vnto it saue the signe of the Prophet Ionas For as Ionas was three daies three nightes in the Whales bellie so shall the sonne of man bee three daies and three nightes in the heart of the earth Matth. 17.23 They shal kill the sonne of man but the third day shall he rise againe Ioh. 20.9 As yet they knew not the Scripture that hee must rise againe from the dead 2. He rose for his Fathers and his owne glorie Rom. 1.4 Declared to be the son of God by the resurrection from the dead Ioh. 17.1 Father glorifie thy Sonne that thy sonne maie also glorifie thee 3 For the worthinesse and power of the person that rose For first Christ is the beloued and onlie begotten Son of God Ioh. 3.35 The father loueth the sonne and hath giuen al thinges into his hand Secondlie Christ is true God and autor of life Ioh. 10.28 I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand It had beene absurd then that hee should not bee raised who giueth life to others Thirdly Christ is righteous in himselfe and satisfied for our sinnes which were imputed to him Now where sin is not there dooth not death raigne any more 4 In respect of the office of the person who rose For first the Mediatour who was true God and man should raigne for euer 2. Sam. 7.13.14 I wil stablish the throne of his kingdome for euer J will bee his father hee shall bee my son Psa 45.6 Thy throne O God is for euer euer the scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnesse Psal 89.3 I haue made a couenaunt with my chosen I haue sworne to Dauid my seruaunt Thy seede will I stablish for euer and set vp thy throne from generation to generation And againe I haue sworne once by my holynes that I will not faile Dauid saieng His seede shall endure for euer and his throne shall bee as the sunne before mee Hee shall be established for euermore as the Moone Ezech. 37.23 24. They shall bee my people and I will bee their god And Dauid my seruaunt shall bee king ouer them and they all shall haue one sheephearde Dan. 7.27 The kingdome and dominion and the greatnes of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shall bee giuen to the holy people of the most high whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome and al powers shall serue and obey him Luk. 1.33 Of his kingdome shall bee none ende Secondly The Mediatour who was to bee our brother and true man should euer make intercession for vs and as an euerlasting Priest appeare for vs before God Psa 110. Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Rom. 8.34 It is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. Thirdly The Mediatour which is to bee true man should bee Mediatour both by his merit by his efficacie or power For it sufficed not that hee died for vs but hee was furder to bestow through his power his benefites vpon the Church and vs all who by dying or by his death had obtained for vs righteousnes that is the Holy Ghost life and glorie eternall For both belong vnto the Mediatour who therefore obtaineth them for vs by his intercession and death and in whom also the same benefites are therefore placed by the Godhead that hee should make vs partakers of them Ioh. 1.16 Of his fulnesse haue al wee receiued Neither ought it to seeme any maruell that Christ doth bestow the same benefites on vs which hee obtained of the Godhead by his death for vs. For a man may both obtaine a thing of one for another and also bestow the same on him for whom hee obtained it As be it that one maketh request for thee vnto the Prince for a gift of a thousand crounes the prince doth this for his sake that requested it and bestoweth also that gift on him that he may bestow it on thee hee then shall obtaine this gift for thee of the Prince and withall shall bestow the same on thee Now albeit Christ could haue bestowed the benefits of his death vpon vs by his Godhead by the meanes wherof wee are iustified and regenerated and beginne faith and new life by the holy Ghost yet notwithstanding as God decreed by man to raise the dead for by man came the resurrection 1. Cor. 15.21 and by man to iudge the worlde so also hath hee decreed to bestowe these giftes by Iesus man that the same might be and continue mediatour who is true God and man Therefore also it was requisite that Christ should remaine for euer our brother and our head that we of the other side being engraffed into him by a true faith shoulde alwaies remaine his members Which thing al the testimonies doe confirme which attribute an eternall kingdome vnto the seede of Dauid For on that kingdome is our saluation grounded and the kingdome of Christ the Sonne of Dauid could by no meanes haue been eternal if his humane nature had continued in death Obiection But in the old testament before his incarnation or humiliation Christ without his humanitie did bestow the same benefits on the Fathers which hee bestoweth on vs in the new Testament and was no lesse before the taking of flesh Mediatour than since also he did the same thinges before his comming which he dooth after his comming in the flesh Ans But neither had hee then doone those thinges except hee should haue beene afterwards man and haue continued alwaies man so neither now should he doe the same if hee did not reteine the nature which he tooke for euer Iohn 5.27 The father hath giuen the sonne also power to execute iudgement in that hee is the sonne of man 5 He rose for vs and that in three respectes 1. For our Iustification Rom. 4.25 our Lord Iesus christ was deliuered to death for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification Now the
of conuersio or conuersion For repentaunce dooth not comprehend both that from which wee reclaime our selues and that whereunto we are changed But conuersion comprehendeth the whole because it addeth that mutation and chaunge on which ensueth a beginning of newe life Nowe repentaunce signifieth onelie the griefe which is conceiued after the fact or sinne Moreouer the name of repentaunce is of a larger compasse than the name of conuersion For conuersion is spoken onlie of the godly who alone are conuerted vnto God and in like manner is the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine Resipiscentia spoken of the godly only because by these three names is signified the new life of the godly But repentaunce is spoken of the wicked also as of Iudâ—s who indeede repented of his wickednes but was not conuerted because the wicked when they sorrowe or are grieued are not afterwardes conuerted or corrected Whereby also it appeareth how necessarie conuersion is vnto the godlie or those who are to be iustified therefore that moâ—â— exhortatioÌ„s to amendment of life or conuersion the foundation or ground is to be laid concerning the absolute and simple necessity of conuersion it selfe in al those which are to be iustified Nowe let vs see then what conuersion is Conuersion is 1. A griefe for sinne knowen 2. An hatred and flieng of sin 3. A ioy in respect that God is pacified and pleased by our Mediatour and an earnest purpose and desire to obey God in all thinges This definition is proposed by his seuerall partes and the same is wholy and iointly set downe in the Actes of the Apostles To open their eies saith Christ that they maie turne from darknesse to light Act. 26.18 and from the power of Satan vnto God that they maie receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and inheritaunce among them which are sanctified by faith in mee It is also defined on this wise Conuersion is a mortifieng of the old man and a quickning of the new Or It is a change or mutation of a corrupt mind life and wil into a good stirred vp by the holy Ghost through the preaching of the Gospel in the chosen on which ensue good woorkes or a life directed according to all the commaundementes of God This definition conteineth the verie causes and essence of conuersion and is confirmed by diuerse testimonies of Scripture As Isai 1.16 Wash you make you cleane 1. Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but yee are sanctified Psal 34.14 Eschue euil and doe good 2 In what the conuersion of the godly differeth from the repentaunce of the wicked THE difference betweene the conuersion of the godly The wicked and godly repent after a diuers sort 1 Their griefe diuers Gen. 4.13 and the repentaunce of the wicked consisteth 1. In their griefe The wicked are greeued only for the punishmeÌ„t torment ensuing not for that they offend displease God So was Caine grieued onely in respect of his torment My iniquitie the punishment of my iniquity is greater than J can beare Behold thou hast cast me out this daie from the earth Now the godly hate indeed the punishment but they are greeued especially for that God is offended and for their sinne So Dauid Against thee Psal 51.4 against thee onlie haue I sinned my sin is euer before mee The good hate to sin for the loue they beare to vertue the wicked for the feare they stand in of punishment So in Peter was a sorrow and griefe for that hee had offended God In Iudas for his torment ensuing not for the sinne it selfe 2 Jn the cause which breedeth repentaunce in both 2 The cause of their griefe diuers The wicked repent by reason of a despaire distrust and dissidencie so that they runne more and more into desperation murmuring and hatred against God But the godlie repent by reason of faith and a confidence which they haue of the grace of God and reconciliation and so comfort and erect themselues againe in the Mediatour they trust in God and relie on him with Dauid Psal 51. Purge mee with Hyssope and J shal be cleane 3 Jn the effect 3 The effect of their griefe diuers which their repentaunce wooâ—â—â—eth in them In the wicked newe obedience dooth not follow repentaunce but they goe forward in their sinnes they are mortified indeed themselues and quite destroied but the old corruption of their nature that is sin is not mortified in them and how much the more they giue themselues to repentaÌ„ce so much the more is in them an hatred of God murmuring flying and turning away from God and an approching vnto the Diuel But in the godly newe obedience followeth accompanieth repentance and how much the more they repent so much the more dieth the old man in them and the studie and desire of righteousnes liuing well is in them so much the more encreased For the conuersion of the godly is a reuersioÌ„ or returning vnto God from the Diuel from sins and from their old nature 3 What are the parts of Conuersion THE parts of Conuersion are in number two The 2. parts of conuersion 1 Mortification 2 Quickening as the Apostle sheweth The mortifieng of the old man and the quickening of the new man So speak we better with the Apostle than if wee should follow them who make Contrition and Faith the parts of conuersion Nowe by contrition they vnderstand also mortification by faith they vnderstand the ioy which followeth the studie of righteousnesse newe obedience which are indeede effects of saith but not faith it selfe and coâ—â—ition goeth before conuersion neither is conuersion it selfe nor any pâ—rt thereof but only a preparing of men vnto conuersion and that in the Liect only not in others And this is the reason why they beginne the preaching of Repentance from the Law then come vnto the gospell so come backe againe vnto the Law The Old man which is mortified is a meere sinner onely namely our corrupt nature The New man which is quickned is he who beginneth to cease from sinnes namely as our nature is regenerated Mortification Mortification conteineth 1 A knowledge of sinne 2 A griefe for sin and for the offending of God 3 The flieng and shunning of sinne By this appeareth that conuersion or mortification is verie vnproperly attributed vnto the wicked because in them is not any hatred or shunning of sin neither any griefe for sinne all which mortification doth comprehend Furdermore The knowledge of sinne goeth before that griefe which is vnfained proceeding from the hart which mortification conteineth because the affections of the hart folow knowledge Wherefore knowledge or acknowledgement shall be a part or at least a cause of the other two partes in both parts of conuersion The griefe which is in the wicked when they repent is a griefe for the euill either to come or present which is punishment But the griefe which is in the godlie when they repent is
publicke seruice of God but rather furder foster and aduance the same So Matth. 12. Christ defendeth his Disciples pulling the eares of Corn on the sabboth day to driue awaie hunger and himselfe healeth a man hauing a dried hand Luk. 14. Christ saith that an Ox or any beast falling into a pit on the sabboth may be drawen out thence without any sin Macchabaeus fighteth on the sabboth day that there might be some preserued which should keep the sabboth 2. Mac. 15. And of the like actions there are two reasons giuen 1. Mac. 2.40 Jf wee all doe as our brethren haue done and fight not against the Heathen for our liues and for our Lawes then shall they incontinently destroy vs out of the earth Therefore they concluded at the same time saying whosoeuer shall come to make battle with vs vpon the Sabboth day wee will fight against him For the maintenance of their life and religion they say it is lawfull to fight euen on the Sabboth day By the same reasons doth Christ defend his Disciples and himselfe Mat. 12. citing a place of Hosea cap. 6. If yee knew what this is J will haue mercie and not sacrifice yee would not haue condemned the innocent And Mar. 2. The Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth that is ceremoniall woorks must giue place to morall woorkes so that rather the ceremonies must be omitted than such woorks of charity as our necessitie or the necessity of our neighbour requireth And Mat. 12.5 Haue ye not read in the Law how tha◠on the sabboth daies the Priests in the Temple break the Sabboth are blamelesse But I saie vnto you here is one greater than the Temple Also Ioh. 7.22 Ye on the Sabboth daie circumcise a man If a mā on the Sabboth receiue circumcisiō that the Law of Moses should not be ye broken be angrie with me because J haue made a man euerie whit whole on the Sabboth daie By which words hee sheweth that such workes as hinder not the vse of the Sabboth but rather further establish it such as are the workes which appertaine so to the seruice of god or sacred ceremonies or to charity and loue towards our neighbor as that present necessitie will not suffer them to bee differred vntill another time do not breake or violate the Sabboth but are most of all required to the right and lawfull obseruation and keeping of the Sabboth Now we are furder here to obserue that there is a three-fold difference of forbidding works and sinnes 1. Labors are forbidden but in a respect only to wit as they hinder the ministery of the Church or as they giue offence to our neighbour But sinnes are simply forbidden 2. Labours are forbidden onlie to be vsed on the sabboth daie sinnes are forbidden at al times 3. The ceasing from labors is a type of ceasing from sinnes which is the thing signified by that type What things are remaining to bee knowen concerning the sabboth wee will now consequently goe forward to declare And because one part of this commandement is ceremonial we shall not vnfitly afterwards adioine the common place cōcerning ceremonies Lastly we wil annex in brief wise vnto these the common place concerning the ministery of the church because by this commaundment is the external publique seruice of god enacted and therefore also the ministery it selfe of the church and the vse honor thereof OF THE SABBOTH The chiefe Questions 1 How manifold the sabboth is 2 The causes for which the sabboth was instituted 3 How the sabboth is sanctified or kept holy 4 How the sabboth is broken or prophaned 5 How the sabboth belongeth vnto vs. 1 HOW MANIFOLD THE SABBOTH IS THE sabboth signifieth a quietnesse or rest or ceasing from labours 1. Because god rested on that daie namely from making any new or moe kindes of creatures though not from preseruing of the same which he had made or from continuing the generation of the singulars of euery kind 2. Because the sabboth is an image of the spiritual rest to come 3. Because wee also and our families and our cattel are to rest and cease from our woorkes on that daie not from al woorkes but from houshold and ciuil works and from others of the like kind that god may then shew and exercise in vs his works And this concerning the name of the sabboth Furthermore the sabboth is of two sorts Internal and external The Jnternal or Moral or spiritual is the studie of the knowledge of God and his works of auoiding sinnes and of worshipping God by confession and obedience To be short The spiritual sabboth or spiritual rest is a ceasing from sinnes and an exercising of the workes of God This sabboth although it bee continuall perpetual with the godly yet is it begun in them in this life and is called the sabboth both because this is that true rest from labours miseries and the consecration of vs to gods worship and also because it was in times past signified by the ceremonial sabboth And this spritual Sabboth shall be perfectly perpetuallie continued in the life to come wherein is a perpetual worshipping magnifieng of God al those labours being left and surceased wherein wee are now busied and occupied The external or ceremonial sabboth is a certaine time ordained and instituted by god in the church dedicated to a ceasing from workes and labours and giuen to the ministerie of gods word to the administration of the sacraments or to the external publick worship of god This ceremonial sabboth was necessary in the old Testament to be the seuenth day that on that day as also on other holy daies the Leuitical ceremonies should be obserued This selfesame ceremoniall sabboth is a thing Indifferent in the Newe Testament This Externall sabboth is also of two sortes Immediate and Mediate Immediate is that which was immediatelie instituted by god himselfe this was diuersly takē in the old Testament Namely 1. It signified daies as euery seuenth day which was in a more peculiar sense called the sabboth both in respect of Gods rest from the creation of the worlde and in respect of that rest which was commanded the people of God to bee kept on that day It signified also other festiual daies wherein the people were to rest as on the seuenth day So it is the first day of the Paschal feast called the sabboth Leuit. 23 and in the same place the feast of Trumpets is called a sabboth likewise the feast of Tabernacles 2 It signified also the whole seuen daies or the whole weeke was called by the name of the chiefe day the sabboth Matth 28. Now in the end of the sabboth when the first daie of the sabboth that is of the weeke began to dawne 3. It was taken for euerie seuenth yeare wherein the Iewes were commaunded to intermit the tillage of their fieldes The commaundement is giuen them in Leuit. 25 4 26.35 And hereof