we are to consider what a Person is and then how these three Persons do agree one with another and how they differ one from another A Person is an vnderstanding substance indiuiduall and incommunicable which is not sustained in any other or by any other It is an vnderstanding substance so it excludes plants and beasts which are no persons though they be substances and it is not sustained in any other and so excludes the humane nature of Christ which is therefore not a Person because it subsists in the Diuine Nature and it is incommunicable to distinguish it from the Essence which is communicated to all the Persons Foure things are common to each Person in the Trinitie First Truth and so each Person is the true God hauing all the properties of God and doing all the actions of God and receiuing all the worship of God Secondly Mutuall Immeation or Immanencie as they call it which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which none of the Persons are separate from the Diuine Essence but subsist in it and so all meet in the Essence Thirdly Perfection by which each of the Persons are not a part of the Diuine Essence but the whole Diuine Essence is in each Person Fourthly Distinction so as euerie Person is distinguished from the other Persons so as the Father is not the Sonne nor Holy Ghost nor the Sonne the Father or Holy Ghost nor the Holy Ghost the Father and the Sonne For the first of these things in common which is Truth so as each Person is the true God It needes not much explanation for the sense for vnder that Head three things are giuen to each Person in common First the properties of the God-head so as each Person is Eternall Infinite Immutable in life knowledge holinesse and glorie and so Secondly the Actions of the Deity are common to euery Person according to that Rule in Schoole Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa The workes of the Trinitie that issue outward are vndiuided So the Father creates the Sonne creates and the Holy Ghost creates as there is one worke so there is but one worker which is God in three Persons To make man in Gods Image is common to all three Persons Let vs make man c. Gen. 1. 26. soe Iohn 5. 19. what the Father doth the Sonne doth the same and in many other places And as they agree in working so doe they in worship all diuine worship doth equally belong to each Person For the second which is the mutuall seating or meeting of all the three Persons in the same Essence so as they are one in another diuers Scriptures proue so Christ saith I am in the Father and the Father is in me Iohn 14. 10. and this must needs be so because the essence of God is infinite and therefore euery person possessing it it must needs follow that wheresoeuer one is there the other are also and that one is in another so as there can bee no place or thing where one of them is but there the other are also Excellent is that saying of that Father concerning the three Persons in the Trinity Singula sunt in Singulis c. Each are in each other and all in each and each in all and all in all and one all Hee that seeth this in parte darkely as in a glasse let him reioyce that hee knowes God and as God let him honour him and giue him thankes He that seeth it nor let him tend to see it by godlinesse and not to calumniate by blindnesse for God is one and yet there is a Trinity c. Thus Hee For the third the whole Essence is in each Person They are all consubstantiall not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of like essence onely no◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a diuers essence nor are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such as haue one Nature common to them but not the same in number as it is with men nor are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such as haue euery one a nature that no other either person or thing hath as the Sunne and Moone haue such a Nature as no other haue there being but one Sunne and one Moone but they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is all of the same substance Coessentiall and Consubstantiall For the fourth That the Persons are distinguished is common to all the Persons how they are distinguished is that which is to bee considered in the next place Distinction imports Opposition Now there is a threefold opposition The greatest opposition is amongst contraries for these fight one against another There is also a middle opposition which is in things onely disparate as they call them as betweene men and beasts so as a man is not a beast The least opposition is betweene things that are relate as the Father is not the Sonne the Subiect is not the Prince and the like this opposition betweene things in relation is in things that doe in many respects agree and this distinction agrees to the Nature of God and is the least of all distinctions The difference of the Persons is two waies to bee considered for first they differ from the Essence and then one from another The Persons in the Trinity differ from the Essence which that it may bee vnderstood wee must know that some things differ Ratione not Re that is not in deed but in respect of our conceiuing as for instance The Attributes of God differ but how not in deed nor in themselues but onely in our cogitation of them and so the power of heating and of drying in the Sunne differs onely in respect of conceiuing for in the power it selfe there is no distinction to bee found it is found onely in our heads But this is not the difference in the Trinity for the Persons differ one from another really and would so doe if wee neuer thought of them A reall distinction is grounded either vpon the respect of the essence of things or in respect of the manner of being A distinction in respect of essence is not in the Trinity for all the Persons haue the same essence it remaines then that the Persons in the Trinity differ from the essence onely in respect of the manner of their being and so in short differs from the essence as the manner of a thing differs from the thing it selfe The manner of being in euery thing doth determine it Now things in respect of the manner are three waies to bee considered of for there is the manner of the essence the manner of hauing that essence or the manner of subsisting The manner of the Essence is shewed by Attributes as when we say It is true good Iust c. The manner of hauing that essence is either with or without dependance as in the creature the manner of their hauing their essence is by dependance vpon God and in the Creator the essence is had
all this heate of Anger flie to Christ Iesus and neuer cease begging of mercy from him to thy soule The wrath of God is such a fire as all the water in the Sea cannot quench It is a fire can bee quenched onely with bloud and teares No bloud will doe it but the bloud of Christ and no teares but the teares of the offender himselfe And let men take heede of Procrastination for euen the longer men stay in sinne the fiercer will his fire grow GOD heapes vp wrath as men heap vp sinne It may come to that at length that Gods anger may come to that degree as to be expressed by these words to be called Ira furoris sui magni the anger of his great fury Ira indignationis the furie of his Indignation Deut. 29. 24. Psal 78. 49. then God may sweare they shall neuer enter into his rest Let men therefore take heede how they abuse Gods patience and mercy any more Godly men also from the consideration of the fearefull Iustice of GOD towards wicked men may learne foure things 1. To get out from amongst them and euery one deliuer his owne soule from the fierce anger of the Lord which will fall vpon the wicked Ier. 51. 45. 2. Neuer to freâ—â—â— their prosperity seeing so fearefull things abide them 3. When they see Gods hand vpon the wicked they should sanctifie and exalt the God of Iudgement Esay 5. 16. 4. Euer the more terrible the wrath of God is towards the wicked the more heartily they should kisse the Sonne and make much of Christ by whom they are deliuered from so great wrath Psal 2. vlt. Hitherto of the Iustice of God The Glory of God followes The Glory of God is his wonderfull excellencie aboue all things and so his Glory is either absolute or Relatiue The absolute Glory of God is that in which hee is glorious in himselfe without relation to any other and so he is glorious foure waies 1. In the Excellencie of his Nature 2. In his Blessednesse 3. In his Liberty 4. In his Maiesty 1. The Glory of his Nature is nothing else but his surpassing Excellencâ—◠〈◊〉 all the praises belonging to his Nature and so he is gloâ—â—â—s in knowledge goodnesse Iustice greatnes omnipotencie c. And this glory of God is described in the doctrine of his Attributes and was the glory shewed to Moses Exod. 33. 18 c. 2. His Blessednesse is his essentiall glory whereby he is after a matchlesse manner most happie in himselfe 1. Tim. 1. 11. and his happinesse is to be adored 1. Because he abounds with all that can be possibly good to him any way and is seated in such felicitie that no euill can come neere him 1. Tim. 6. 15. 1. Ioh. 1. 6. 2. Because he perfectly knows all his happinesse and so hath infinite liking and ioy in his condition 3. Because he is sufficient to himselfe and from himselfe so as he needs not any good thing from vs or any thing without himselfe Psal 16. 2. 50. 7. 14. 3. He is glorious in his liberty and so he excells in a threefold liberty as he is free from compulsion from seruitude and from miserie He is free from compulsion because he is not tyed to second causes nor maistered by any higher cause but is and doth whatsoeuer he will without the Coaction of any necessity without himselfe Psal 115. 3. Esay 40. 13. Daniel 4. 35. He is also free from seruitude he is bound to none indebted to none subiect to none Rom. 11. 35. 36. He is also free from the burthen of miserie hee alone being such by nature that no kinde of miserie either of fault or punishment can befall him 4. He is glorious in his essentiall Maiesty which is an vnconceiueable splendor or beauty and shining brightnesse beyond all that Maiesty can befall any creature Thus God is said to be light and to dwell in the light which no man can approach vnto 1. Tim. 6. 16. and thus hee is the King of all Kings And in this absolute Glory God doth excell all the Kings of the earth 1. Because his Glory is aboue all praise and blessing so is not theirs Nehemiah 9. 5. Psal 145. 3. 2. Because the Kings of the earth doe giue him glory and praise him owe their Homage to his glory Psal 138. 4 5. God exceedes them in Glory more then they exceede their meanest subiects Daniel 4. 35. and no wonder seeing the glorified creatures in heauen throw downe their crownes before him as acknowledging him onely worthy to receiue honour c. Reuel 4. 10. 11. 3. Because their Glory is mortall but God is a King immortall and his Glory endureth for euer Psal 104. 31. 1. Tim. 1. 17. 4. Because hee hath it in himselfe and from himselfe as was shewed before Thus of his absolute Glory The Glory of God as it is in relation is either internall or externall The internall Glory of God as it is in relation is the personall Glory and so is the Glory either that is proper to each Person in the Trinity or else that peculiar Glory of the second Person in the Trinity as he is called the brightnesse of his Fathers Glory Heb. 1. 3. The externall Glory is that which comes vnto God from the creatures as hee stands in relation to them and so his Glory shines 1. In his workes which are therefore called his Glory and so both his works of Creation Psal 19. 1. and his workes of Iustice vpon the wicked Exod. 15. 6. 7. and his workes of Mercy in deliuering and sauing his people Psal 85. 9. 102 15. 16. 108. 5. Zach. 2. 5. and workes of omnipotencie and wonder Rom. 6. 4. 2. In the signes of his presence such as he gaue extraordinarily on earth as the cloud and pillar of fire Exod. 16. 8. 11. or that likenesse of consuming fire on the toppe of the Mount Exod. 24. 17. the cloude that filled the Temple 1. Kings 8. 10. 11. or the formes mentioned in Ezek. Chap 1. 28. 3. 23. 10. 4. 18. 11. 22 23. or else such as hee giues in heauen in the presence of his Glory to the Saints and this was that Glory of God which Stephen saw Acts 7. 55. 3. In his word especially the Gospel which is the doctrine of the Glory of the blessed God 1. Tim. 1. 11. 2. Cor. 4. 4. 4. In his children Israel he calls them his Glory Esay 46. 13. and so are the godly called because they resemble God and in that respect excell all other people All other men haue therefore failed of Gods Glory because they haue failed of his Image Rom. 3. 23. And in these foure waies of relation God is glorious but it is with a glory which himselfe hath printed and stamped vpon these things There is another way of glory which is in a speciall manner also called Gods glory and that is the glory which the reasonable creature giues vnto God
holy Ghost Phil. 2. 6. 7. Among the creatures the father and Sonne are two things in number but in this diuine generation it is not so for the Father and Sonne and so the holy Ghost are but one God 1. Iohn 5. 7. The Vse may bee either for information or instruction or consolation or terror first since GOD is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ by such an vnconceiueable generation wee may thence learne 1. The glory of our Sauiours condition He was before the world was he was with the father brought vp with him as his eternall delight more deere to the father then any created nature can conceiue of the Sonne of his Loue neuer father loued his son so as God the father loues Christ yea hee was God with the father Consubstantiall Coequall Coeternall Pro. 8. 22. c. 30. Iohn 17. 25. Philippians 2. 6 Rom. 9. 5. 2. The Originall of all father-hood The father of Iesus Christ was the first father euer was yea the Creed giues the Title of father to God onely as if there were no father but he and so Christ saith Mat. 23. 9. call no man father on earth for one is your father which is God and indeed properly none is a father but God other fathers that are called so haue the name only because there is in them a kind of Image or similitude of God the father and yet they beget so imperfectly in comparison of God the father that they resemble him rather in that generall that they doe beget then in the manner of begetting Thus for Information 2. Since God is the father of Iesus Christ wee should bee instructed 1. To acknowledge this Mystery and though wee haue cause to be abased for the defect of our vnderstanding heerein in that we cannot tell the fathers name nor what is the name of his Son Pro. 30 4. yet we should confidently beleeue as the very foundation of our Religion that Iesus Christ is the Son of the liuing God vpon the Rock of this confession is the Church built Mat. 16. 16 c. It is a glory Christ stands vpon to be acknowledged in the glory of the onely begotten Son of God Ioh. 1. 14. If we acknowledge the Son wee haue the father or else not 1. Ioh. 2. 23. Yea this is an honour God stands vpon to bee glorified with one heart and one mouth of all his seruants euen as the father of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 15. 6. 2. To be fully established in the perswasion of the sufficiency and efficacie of the obedience and passion of Iesus Christ for vs we may confidently call him the Lord our righteousnes seeing God is called his father for his obedience is more then the obedience of a man yea of more value then the obedience of worlds of men and besides hee is all in all with God the father who so loues him hee can denie him nothing c. 3. To rely vpon him for instruction The father loues him and shewes him all things that he doth or intends to doe and in him are all treasures of wisedome and knowledge therefore we should heare him alwaies in any thing hee will reueale to vs yea God the father chargeth vs with this duty as the very vse he would haue vs make of the knowledge of his eternal generation as appeares by the voice from heauen mentioned Mat 17. 5. While he yet spake behold a bright cloud shadowed them and behold there came a voice out of the cloud saying This is that my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him But especially this doctrine serues for consolation and so is frequently vrged in Scripture for if God be the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ then these comforts will manifestly follow to the beleeuing Christian 1. That God is well pleased with the sacrifice of Iesus Christ for our sinnes Mat. 3. 17. 2. That Christ is able to raise vp the dead hearts of men with spirituall life for as the Father hath life in himselfe so hee hath giuen to the Son to haue life in himselfe Ioh. 5. 26. 3. That in Christ we may haue supply for all our wants wee may receiue of his fulnes all sorts of graces needfull for vs as is from this doctrine gathered Iohn 1. 14. 18. 4. That Christ is able to giue vs eternall life and will performe euen that great gift at the time appointed to all that beleeue Iohn 3. 16. 17. 2. no beleeuer shall perish 5. That whatsoeuer he askes the Father for vs hee shall haue it yea that our prayers prescribed by him shall be heard 6. That nothing that is good for vs shall bee withheld from vs for if God hath giuen vs his Son how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Rom. 8. 32. 7. That God beares a great affection euen to vs for Christ hath besought the Father that he would loue vs with the Loue he loued him and that the warmth and comfort of that loue may be euer with vs Iohn 17. 24. 25. Lastly if God be the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ then vaine are all the consultations and rebellious proiects of wicked men against Christ and the meanes of his kingdom then also woe will bee vnto them for God will make Christs enemies his footstoole hee will bruise them with an iron rod and breake them like a Potters vessell for vnto the Son hath the Father giuen the ends of the earth and whatsoeuer rebels against him shall not prosper as from this doctrine is inferred Psal 2. 110. 1. Thus God is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Secondly Faith lookes vpon God as our Father especially in Christ 2. Cor. 1. 2. Gal. 1. 4. 2. Thes 1. 1. 2. 1. Thes â— 11. 13. God is our Father foure waies first by Creation and so principally in respect of our soules which he creates of nothing and infuseth into our bodies and so he is called Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 9. secondly by Regeneration because by his Almighty power he renewes spirituall life into our soules that were dead in sin 1. Pet. 1. 3. thirdly by Adoption when of his meere grace hee acknowledgeth vs for children Gal. 4 5. 6. fourthly by Resurrection because he giues a glorious being to our bodies that were rotted and dissolued in the earth and so as hee was said to beget Christ in the day that he raised him from the dead Act. 13. so is he said to grant vs the Adoption of sonnes when he restores our bodies to life out of the graue Rom. 8. 19. 21. And this terme of Father is giuen to these workes of God not vnfitly for the resemblance they haue to the relation betweene a Father and Son in Nature for 1. God giues vs a spirituall being making vs a soule or spirituall substance for as we call them Fathers because we haue our bodies from them so God is more fitly called a Father because we haue our spirits
and consists especially in conceiuing gloriously of God and in praising of God and in worshipping of God and in obedience and so God is wonderfull glorious in that he doth continually receiue all sorts of praise and adoration from the creatures both in heauen and earth And in respect of this true glory which is giuen vnto God God doth excell in glory all the great Kings and Potentates that euer were in the world The very Angels in heauen doe admire this glory of God on earth Esay 6. 3. and so his glory excells 1. In respect of praise and so diuers waies 1. Because from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same the Lords name is to be praised Psal 113. 3. all reasonable creatures are bound to ascribe praise and thankesgiuing to him and so it cannot be true of any Potentate on earth 2. Because from all persons and actions glory comes to God whatsoeuer wee are we are to his glory Ephes 1. 12. 6. 14. and whatsoeuer we doe all must be done to his glory 1. Cor. â—0 31. 3. Because in all the glory or praise giuen to the creatures the first and chiefe glory is due to God their glory is subordinate 4. Because it indureth for euer and euer no end of his praises 2. In respect of worship for that is a glory onely due to God no creature in heauen or earth may take it or can receiue it without infinite danger 't is a glory he will not giue to another 3. In respect of Obedience and so diuers waies 1. Because the obedience due to God is from all persons in the world and such an authority neuer had any mortall man 2. Because the obedience the creature owes to God is vniuersall and vnlimited and without exception whereas the obedience Princes can haue is a limited obedience and subordinate men must obey them so as they command nothing against Gods Law 3. Because his kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome there shall be no end of obeying him whereas the time wilcome when no obedience at all shall be due to Princes and that is when Christ hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God the Father and shall no more rule men by the ministerie of men Lastly the glory of men can bee no way comparable to the glory of God because all their glory they haue receiued from him for God is said to be the God of glory Acts 7. 2. the King of glory Psal 24. 10. the Father of glory Ephesians 1. 19. The Vse should bee first for instruction and so it should chiefely teach vs to acknowledge this glory of God to giue glory vnto God and by all meanes to ascribe glory to him It is a singular wrong not to giue God his glory Now wee giue God glory three waies 1. In our hearts and so diuersly first when wee labour to fill our hearts with the knowledge of Gods glory in all the branches of it the earth should bee filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters couer the seas Hab. 2. 14. secondly when our hearts stand still and wonder and admire at the glory of the Lord our hearts are not rightly affected towards God till they bee inflamed and rauished with the contemplation of his excellencie and blessednesse Ezek. 3. 12. thirdly we giue God glory when wee beleeue in him and from our hearts trust him in things that bee otherwise vnlikely to come to passe Thus Abraham Rom. 4. 20. fourthly when we mourne and sorrow for our sins for men are said to giue glory to God when they repent of their sinnes Reuelation â—6 9. fifthly when we doe from our hearts reioyce at any thing that excells in Gods Word or workes any way acccounting our selues the more happie that God is honoured or glorified any way sixthly when in all seruice done to God we conceiue of him with the highest degree of reuerence and excellency we can entertaining him into our hearts as the very King of glory Psal 24. 2. In our words and so we giue glory to God diuers waies also as first when men confesse secret wickednesse openly finding themselues sought after and pursued by God Thus Achan gaue glory to God Ioshuah 7. and thus the sinner when he feeles the rebukes or chastisements of God should humble himselfe and confesse his wickednesse before the Lord Ier. 13. 15 16. Malachie 2. 2. secondly when men giue him praise and thanks for his mercies with all possible affection see Luke 17. 18. So the Samaritane gaue glory to God when hee gaue thankes for the cure of his Leprosie and thirdly when men acknowledge the hand of God and his prouidence see Reuel 11. 13. 1. Sam. 6. 5. fourthly when in discourse men talke of the singular praises of God and so we should make his praise glorious Psal 66. 2. our mouthes should bee filled with his praise and with his honor all the day Psal 71. 8. 96. 2 3 4. fifthly when men take away praise from the creature and so from themselues and giue God onely the glory 1. Tim. 1 17. Iohn 7. 18. Reuel 4. 11. 5. 12. 1. Chron. 29. 11. 3. In our workes we giue glory to God and so first by glorifying his Sonne by acknowledging and praising and honouring of Iesus Christ and submitting our selues to his ordinances Iohn 11. 4. and so also when wee honour them that feare God and beare his Image secondly when men abound in good workes and the fruits of righteousnesse and grow in grace and knowledge and so make the Image of God more and more euident suffering themselues to be so framed by the doctrine of the Gospell as to bee changed from glory to glory by the power of the Word 2. Cor. 3. 18. Phil. 10. 11. 2. Pet. 3. 18. 4. 11. Reuel 1. 6. thirdly when men worship God in the beauty of holinesse not onely putting on their best clothes when they come to serue God but clothing themselues with their best deuotions and affections and reuerence and humble adoration 1. Chron. 16. 28 29. fourthly when men submit themselues vnto God and let him doe with them whatsoeuer he will they that ascribe dominion to him ascribe glory to him 1. Peter 5. 10. 11. Lastly when men doe all that they doe to the glory of God studying how God may bee acknowledged or praised for all they doe being in all things some way to the praise of his glory 1. Cor. 10. 31. Ephes 1. 12. 14. Thus we should learne from hence to giue God honour and glory Secondly seeing God is so wonderfull glorious we should be carefull by all meanes to get the knowledge of his glory into our hearts that we may throughout our liues be made happie in the contemplation of his glory which that we may attaine vnto we must looke to these Rules 1. We must resort to and loue his house for that is the place on earth where his glory dwells Psal 26. 8. 63. 3. there
the sense of the Text but to the words and yet the Word Person is found Heb. 1. 3. in the same sense in a manner as it is taken heere To bring in new words might bring in new errors and it were a great wrong to cast out such words as haue done such seruice against Heretickes and are so fit to reduce the mindes of men to vnderstand the right way of beleeuing in these high Mysteries But yet wee must bee warned that the termes doe not alwaies fully expresse the thing especially if wee iudge of the termes about the Trinity as wee doe of the same words amongst vs in other things As for instance a Person in the Trinity differs from a person among men or Angels as for example Peter Paul and Iohn are three persons to whom our humane Nature is common yet these three persons differ one from another first in Substance because each of them haue their substance of soule and body separate from the other secondly in Time one is younger then another thirdly in Will Paul contradicts Peter fourthly in Power Paul labours more then all the Apostles fifthly in Operation Peter workes amonst them of the Circumcision and Paul amongst the Gentiles But it is not thus in the three Persons in the Trinity Peter and Iohn are separate wholie one from another whereas in the Trinity the Father is in the Sonne and he in the Father 1. Iohn 3. 24. They may be farre asunder in place but God the Father and the Sonne are neuer asunder Iohn 8. 29. and in the Trinity there is in all one will one power all three Persons are Almighty all eternall and all worke the same worke Ob. Some may say it seemes impossible that three should be one Sol. In one and the same respect but not in diuers Three Persons cannot be one person but three Persons may bee one Essence As the Nature of man may be common to many persons as to Peter Iohn Paul c. Ob. He that seeth Christ sees the Father for he is in the Father and the Father in him therefore the Father and the Son are but one Person Sol. He that sees the Sonne sees the Father because the Son hath the same Essence with the Father and being manifested in the flesh reueales the whole will of God he is the same with the Father in Will and Essence not in person Ob. If the being of the Father be not the being of the Sonne or holy Ghost then it followes that there are three diuers beings and so three Essences Sol. The being of the Father notes the being of his Person not of his Essence and so three Beings are but three Persons subsisting in one Essence As the light of the Sun and the light of the Moone and the light of the Ayre in substance are one and the same light and yet three distinct lights the light of the Sun being of it selfe the light of the Moone from the Sun and the light of the Ayre from them both Ob. If there bee more IEHOVAHS then one then there are more Essences then one but heere are more IEHOVAHS for IEHOVAH raigned fire and brimstone from IEHOVAH in heauen Gen. 19. 24. Sol. IEHOVAH is a Terme giuen to the Persons aswell as to the Essence and so diuers IEHOVAHS notes diuers Persons not Essences Ob. The Sonne and holy Ghost had their beginning from the Father therefore it seemes the Father onely is God Sol. The Sonne and holy Ghost had the beginning of their Persons from the Father but their Essence they had of themselues as being common to all three Persons so as euery Person is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himselfe Ob. Three and one makes foure if in God there bee three and one then three is a Quaternity not a Trinity Sol. Three and one if they bee things essentially and really diuided make foure but one and the same thing may haue diuers relations or manners of being which are distinct one from another Ob. He that is the whole God-head besides him there can be no other in whom likewise should be the whole God-head but the Father is the whole God-head therefore the Sonne and holy Ghost are not so Sol. The Maior Proposition is false for the whole God-head is in euery Person as the whole Nature of man is in diuers men Ob. The power of the Persons is not one and therefore how can their Essence be one their power is not one because the Father can beget and so cannot the Sonne Sol. The naturall power of the Persons is all one the personall power differs Ob. How can the Essence begetting and the Essence begotten be all one the Father begets the Son is begotten how can they be one then Sol. Distinguish betweene Generation and Communication and betweene Essence and Person the Person begets and is begotten but the Essence neither begets nor is begotten but onely is communicated Ob. If the Essence of the Father and the Sonne bee all one then the Father was incarnate for the Son was Sol. The Essence of God absolutely considered was not incarnate but the Person of the Sonne who though he had the whole diuine Nature in him yet in respect of the manner of his subsisting did differ from the Father and holy Ghost Ob. Whose operations are distinct their Essences are distinct but the operations of the Persons in the Trinity especially those internall are distinct therefore they haue distinct Essences Sol. The Maior is true of Persons that haue a finite Essence but not of the Persons in the Trinity who haue an infinite Essence common to them The consideration of this Doctrine of the Trinity should serue for diuers Vses 1. It should strike vs with amazement and admiration of the glory of God and remoue the sense of our owne insufficiencie and narrownesse of heart and vnderstanding who are so ouercome with glory that our mindes are not able to conceiue of or behold these wonderfull secrets in the Diuinity It should worke in vs an vnspeakeable feare and Reuerence to thinke of the being of God that so infinitely excells the being of all creatures in heauen and earth 2. It should compell vpon vs more care and attendance of spirit in worshipping God so as we be sure we direct our seruice to him that is one in Nature and three in Persons for worship belongs equally to all three Persons And herein the Christian fundamentally differs from Pagans Turkes and Iewes and in heart becomes as one of those when he worships a God that is not three Persons 3. We are bound to take notice as of the common glory of all the Persons so of that speciall glory is due to each person as we finde it either described in the Word of God or expressed in the workes of God 4. We must take heede what wee speake of the Trinity
from him 2. God renewes our natures and begets them to bee like his Nature for being regenerated we partake of the diuine nature being made to liue Gods nature in holines and righteousnes and he may well be called a Father that begets that which is like to himselfe besides by Faith we put on Iesus Christ Gal. 3. 26. 27. 3. God giues vs the right and priuiledge of Sons and therefore is fitly called our Father for first hee findes vs foode and rayment Mat. 6. and teaching Esay 54. 13. and attendance not onely setting his Angels to looke to vs Psal 34. Heb. 1. but himself also carrying and bearing vs in his armes when any thing ayleth vs Esay 63. 9. 46. 4. Secondly he layes vp for vs as Fathers do for their children Psal 89. 28. 31. 19. and appoints vs the inheritance of Sons to be inioyed when we be of full yeeres Rom 8. 16. Before I passe from this point one thing must be added and that is that howsoeuer God be the Father of all men in respect of the Creation of their soules yet Faith lookes vpon him as a Father in Christ and so by Adoption and regeneration and therefore wee must diligently examine our selues whether we be sons and daughters to God by grace in Christ or no for all such as are by grace truely the Children of God haue in themselues such signes as these 1. They were borne by promise the preaching of the Gospell did mightily work vpon them to the renewing of their natures and infusing spirituall life into their soules Gal. 4. 29. Rom. 9. 8. 2. They are all beleeuers they come to Christ for happinesse and rely vpon him and so haue power to be the Sons of God Iohn 1. 12. 3. They lay hold vpon Gods couenant and consecrate themselues to his seruice and loue his name and to be his seruants and in particular are carefull to keepe his Sabboths Esay 56. 4. 5. 7. 4. They are children that will not lie they are noe Hypocrites they desire to be as good as they seeme to bee they abhorre counterfeiting and dissimulation their spirits are without guile Esay 63. 8. 5. They are led by the spirit and mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8. 13. 14. 6. They cry Abba Father they haue the spirit of prayer they can call vpon God in secret with affection and confidence esteeming nothing more then the Loue and fauour of God And thus how God is a Father and to whom The Vses follow and so In the first place this should teach Gods children many lessons as 1. To giue this glory to God to acknowledge him as a Father and daily so to call him from their hearts The first thing a childe speakes in nature vsually is the name of his parents and so the first thing in Religion should bee to call God Father we can doe nothing in Religion till we can call vpon God as vpon a Father this is the very foundation of the Church because all effectuall Religion is built vpon this principle that God is our Father 2. Thes 1. 1. Rom. 8. 15. 2. We should liue without care as our Sauiour shewes Mat. 6. for we haue a Father to care for vs and hee is a heauenly Father and therefore both knowes what wee need and is fully able to helpe vs and besides he daily feedes the foules of the ayre and yet he is not a Father to them how therfore can hee neglect vs whom hee hath begotten as children to himselfe ver 26. 32. 3. If God be our Father then we must honour him for wee are bound to honour our father and mother all our care should be to obey him and honour him and please him and doe our worke so as others might glorifie our Father which is in heauen Mal. 1. 6. Mat. 5. 16. liuin◠〈◊〉 â—as we shame not our fathers house 4. If God be our Father we must striâ—â—â—â— be like him and to imitate his nature and carriage and so we are vrged to follow and imitate him in mercie Mat. 5. 45. 48. in Loue Ephes 5. 1. 2. and in holines 1. Pet. 1. 14 15. 5. If God be our Father wee should be quickned vnto prayer wee should runne to him to make our moane in all our wants But withall it imports two things we should looke to in prayer first that we auoide vaine bablings and repetitions and affectation of length of prayer and the like for wee pray to a Father that needs not vaine and tedious discourses The words of a childe should bee humble and earnest and direct to the point but not tedious as our Sauiour shewes Mat. 6. 7. 8. secondly that wee pray in faith and not wauer because wee aske of a father If earthly fathers can giue good gifts to their children what will the heauenly father denie to his children Mat. 7. 7. 16. Yea if God himselfe should fight against vs with his terrors yet we must in prayer stick fast to this that he is our father and alwaies keepe this in our pleadings to wrestle with God by this Argument as the Church did in those straites mentioned Esay 64. 8. 4. 6. If God bee our father wee must then patiently beare his corrections seeing we indure correction at the hands of the fathers of our bodies who many times correct vs for their owne pleasure therefore much more should we submit our selues to the father of spirits who neuer corrects vs but for our profit And to desire to be without correction is to be in the condition of bastards and not of sonnes if we would haue God to loue vs we must be willing to let him correct vs Heb. 12. 4. to the 10. 7. If God be our father then nothing should more grieue vs then that wee haue offended him by our sinnes Ier. 31 18. Luke 15. 18. 8. If God be our father then wee must sort our selues with his children and auoid all needlesse societies and vnequall yoaking with the wicked of this world who are as like the diuell as euer childe was like his father Iohn 8. 2. Cor 6. 14 18. 9. We should in all welldoing rest in his praise as being our father that seeth in secret A childe seekes no more then to be accepted of his father Mat. 6. 1. 4. 10. We need not therefore the helpe of Saints or Angels to bring vs to God He is our father wee may goe to him our selues Esay 63. 16. 11. Therefore we should call no man father vpon earth hauing so great and gratious a father in heauen Mat. 23. 9. 12. Therfore also we should liue in peace one with another seeing we haue all one heauenly father Ephes 4. 4 6. Thus for instruction Secondly many consolations arise from hence if we beleeue that God is our father for then 1. He will spare vs as a father doth his son that serueth him he will beare with our infirmities Mal. 3. 17. 2. Though hee should correct vs yet hee
will not take his mercy from vs. 2. Sam. 7. 14. 3. We haue right to Gods house we may with great incouragement resort to all Gods ordinances because it is our fathers house and if hard times befall vs in respect of the meanes of Religion and that the enemies of the Church do inuade the Sanctuarie we must then go to God and pleade our right seeing his house belongs to vs and not to them thus did the godly Esay 63. 16. 18. 19. 4. Wee may cast all our care vpon God for hee careth for vs Iam. 4 9. Pro. 14. 26. 5. Wee shall bee deliuered from this present euill world for if God be our father he will prouide for vs in a better place then this Gal. 1. 4. 6. Our title to the creatures is restored which was lost in Adam But these consolations will appeare to be much the greater if we consider not onely that God is a Father but such a Father 1. He is a father in heauen not an earthly father 2. He is a father almighty he can doe more for vs then all the fathers in the world 3. He is an euerlasting father Esay 9. 6. our naturall fathers dye but our spirituall father liues for euer and makes vs liue for euer too for naturall fathers can giue but a temporall being to their children but God giues vs an eternall being and therefore are we called the children of the Resurrection because our very bodies must not perish but be made to liue for euer also The sonne he alwaies abides in the house Luke 20. 36. Iohn 8. 35. Rom. 8. 19. 21. 4. That he is such a father as makes his sons all heires Rom. 8. 16. all are as if they were first borne Ier. 31. 9. 5. That he is such a father as giues the highest kinde of inheritance therefore they are all heires of a kingdome Luk. 12. 32. Mat. 13. 43. And such a kingdome as is immortall and vndefiled and lieth in heauen 1 Pet. 1. 3. 4. in regard whereof they haue fellowship with his naturall son Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 1. 9. Rom. 8. 16. 17. In respect of all which we haue not onely good hope but euerlasting consolation and the more if we consider that we hold all this by no Naturall propagation but by the meere grace and mercy of God our father being in our selues the children of corruption Iob 17. 14. and of wrath Eph. 2. 3. And therefore vnto all the former Instructions from hence this must be added that we take heede of that vile ingratitude and impatiency at any time to repent vs of our repentance or to thinke the case of wicked men better then the case of godly men for so we shall sinne fearefully against God our father and against our owne right and against the whole generation of his children Psal 73. 15. Our life and the glory of it may by affliction be hid in God and it doth not fully appeare what we shall be but it is enough for vs that we are the sonnes of God for when Christ appeares in glory then shall we appeare also as he is aboue the glory of all the Potentates and Kings of the earth 1 Iohn 3. 2 Col. 3. 3. 4. Almightie Reuel 4. 8. COncerning the omnipotency of God Fiue things are to be considered 1. The Proofes that he is Almighty 2. The Sense in what respect he is said to be Almighty 3. Why Omnipotency is attributed to the father here only 4. Whether there be any things God cannot doe 5. That God onely is Almighty 1. That God is Almighty these places of Scripture euidently and expresly proue Gen. 17. 1. 28. 3. Luk. 1. 37. Reuel 4. 8. 19. 6. 2. God may be said to be Almighty in diuers respects 1. Because he hath power and authoritie ouer all things Omnipotent quia omnium teneat potestatem Ruffin 2. Because all the might and power in the creatures was from him all might from him they haue no power but what they receiued of him 3. Because he can performe whatsoeuer he saith promiseth or threatneth nothing is too hard for him to do Ier. 32. 17. 27. Luke 1. 37. Gen. 18. 14. 4. His Almightinesse is magnified in Scripture because he is able to giue to all the men in the world recompence according to their workes so as none can resist his power nor deliuer out of his hands Ier. 32. 19. Isay 14. 25. 27. Deut. 32. 39. 5. Because he can doe whatsoeuer he will Psal 115. 3. 6. Because he can doe more then hee will as he could send Christ many legions of Angels to deliuer him but would not He could raise vp children to Abraham of those very stones but he would not And this Omnipotency is called the absolute Omnipotence of God by which he is able to create 1000. worlds if he would The power to doe what he wils is called his actuall power 7. Because he can doe wonderfull things without helpe or Meanes as he made the World of nothing and can effect what he will in heauen and earth without labour onely by his becke or word Esay 40. 28. Psa 33. 8. Because he can do all things there is simply nothing that can be but God can doe it he is omnipotent because all things are possible to him euen things that are impossible to men and Angels Mat. 19. Kings may doe many great things but not all some things they cannot doe They can make many liuing men dye but cannot make one dead man liue which God can doe 9. Because he is mighty by his Essence by nature of himselfe His Almightinesse is his Essence and his whole Essence is almighty and therefore all in God is Mightie and therefore his Mightinesse must needes be infinite He is not mighty in respect of some part or faculty as the Creature is 10. Because he is alwaies Mighty great Princes may be wonderfull powerfull but they may dye or their power be diminished but God is almighty yesterday to day and foreuer Reuel 4. 8. For the third point Almightinesse is attributed in the Creed to the Father not to import that the Sonne and holy Ghost were not almighty but because when the father is said to be almighty it must needs follow that they are almighty also because the father being the fountaine and originall of the person of the Sonne and holy Ghost doth communicate to them his whole Nature and all the Attributes of the Diuinitie And the Father being first in the order of working fitly is the power of working giuen to him in the first place For the fourth point The things which God cannot doe may be referred to fiue Heads for first he cannot doe things that be false or sinfull Hee cannot lye or denie himselfe or doe vniustly as diuers Scriptures shew Secondly he cannot doe things that be contrary to his Nature he cannot dye or be finite or be ignorant of any thing or be corporeall or the like Thirdly he cannot
to inlarge his Dominions and to pull downe the Kingdome of Antichrist 4. To endeuour to carrie themselues as may become their Relation to Christ either as his Subiects or as made Kings by him as his Subiects they should consider that it behoues them 1. To study the Mysteries of his Kingdome Mat. 13. 11. 2. To send their Lambe to the Ruler of the whole earth Esay 16. 1. to doe their Homage and to acknowledge their King 3. To bow at the Name of Iesus Phil. 2. 11. making of legges will not serue the turne they must bee subiect with all feare and reuerence and submit themselues to his will 4. To shew themselues sensible of his dishonor and not bee silent or carelesse when they heare their King abused 5. To shew all meekenesse and patience for their King though he be a great King yet is meeke and humble Mat. 21. 5. 6. To obserue whatsoeuer he commands Mat. 28. vlt. prouing themselues to be his subiects by fearing to displease him in any thing Hosea 3. 5. 7. To seeke to him in all our necessities seeing hee is so highly exalted and able to helpe vs and delights to receiue petitions from his Subiects And in asmuch as we partake of his holy Oyle also and are by him made Kings vnto God wee should shew our selues to the world as spirituall Kings and that first by subduing our owne passions lusts inordinate desires carnall reason maintaining continuall warre against the remainders of corruption in our natures He is a King indeed that can rule ouer his owne perturbations secondly by shewing our selues resolute not to bee brought in bondage by the diuell or the world by the Baits of profit or pleasure or by the inforcements of scorne threatning or punishment we should let the world know they should assoone conquer the kings of the earth as win vs from our sincerity and fidelity to Iesus Christ thirdly by our conuersation in heauen wee should alwaies order our liues as if wee were presently to bee Crowned in Heauen Lastly such as are Kings Rulers or Gouernors ouer others should hence learne with feare and trembling to confesse the glory of Christ and acknowledge that they haue their Scepters and Authority from Iesus Christ and accordingly reckon their kingdomes on earth to be but as places of seruice in which they doe the worke which Iesus requireth of them Psal 2. 11. IOHN 1. 14. And we beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten of the Father His onely Sonne HItherto of the Titles Iesus and Christ now followes the third Title and so our Redeemer is called Gods onely Sonne About which ground of Faith wee haue these things to consider 1. The Proofes that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God for to beleeue God hath a Sonne is not inough we must beleeue that Iesus Christ is that Sonne of God Psal 2. 7. compared with Heb. 1. 5. Ioh. 10. 36. Mat. 16. 16. Rom. 1. 3. Iohn 9. 35. 2. What kinde of Sonne Christ is to God God hath many Sonnes some by Grace and one by Nature The sorts of sonnes which God hath by Grace see in the explication of the terme Father in the first Article of the Creed But Christ is his naturall Sonne because God the Father did communicate to him his owne nature so as he is by nature the Son of God he is the begotten Sonne of God because he receiued his Fathers Nature by Generation He is the first begotten Sonne of God so called in Scripture because hee hath the right of the first-borne ouer his brethren and was begotten before the world was he is the onely begotten Son of God because by Generation God hath no other Sonnes but he 3. In what Nature Christ is the onely Sonne of God It may be conceiued that he is so in respect of his humane Nature for no other Sonnes of God were conceiued of the holy Ghost or borne of a Virgin but hee onely but wee must vnderstand that Christ in his Incarnation hath the same Nature with vs it differs onely in the manner of receiuing it Now he is called the onely Son from the nature which hee receiues from the Father and he onely and so he is the onely Sonne of God as he is the second Person in the Trinity and in respect of the manner of receiuing his diuine Nature This is mightily opposed by the antient and moderne Arians who striue vehemently to carrie it that hee is called in Scripture the Sonne of God onely as he is man and that God hath no Son that was before Iesus was borne or conceiued Now to establish our Faith against their Heresie we should often thinke of these Scriptures where mention is made of a Sonne of God before Iesus was borne or was greater then man could be as Iohn 3. 16. God sent his Sonne into the world and God had a Sonne by whom he made the world Heb. 1. 2. Colos 1. 16. God had a Sonne of whom it was said that hee onely reuealed the Father Mat. 11. 27. now either he was before he was incarnate or else the Church in the Old Testament knew not God the Father and vnto the Sonne he saith Thy Throne O God is for euer and euer then he had a Sonne was God as well as man Heb. 1. 8. besides it is cleare he had many brethren as man Heb. 2. 12. and therefore as man could not bee the onely Sonne 4. How he was begotten To this question a perfect answer cannot bee giuen by vs in this mortality Pro. 30. 4. It is a Mystery exceeds all mortall capacity Yet the Lord is pleased to let fall certaine similitudes in Scriptures that giue vs some glimpse of it as when Christ is called the Wisedome or Word of his Father Pro. 8. Iohn 1. thereby we gather that as the soule begets reason or the word that is afterwards to be vttered beget I say within it selfe without ioyning with any other creature so doth God as an eternall minde beget his Sonne in himselfe so when Christ is called the brightnesse of his Fathers glory it imports that as shining is begotten of the Sun so is Christ of the Father Heb. 1. 3. So when Christ is called the Character or Image of his Fathers person is imported that as the print of the seale is set vpon waxe and doth resemble it perfectly without loosing any part of the seale so doth God communicate his whole Nature to his Sonne without loosing any thing from himselfe Heb. 1. 3. And as the minde of man begets an Image of what it conceiues so God that eternall minde when hee conceiued of himself he begat that Image of himself which we call the Sonne of God perfectly resembling the Father See in the Notes vpon that word Father in the first Article of the Creed seauen things wherein this eternall geneneration of Gods Son is vnlike to our generation by earthly parents 5. Why our Redeemer needed to be the Son of God
Christ the person by whom it is is described by her condition shee was a Virgin and by her name she was Mary and her name is added to bring to our remembrance the Genealogy of Christ who tooke flesh of her that was of the seed of Dauid in a right Linage that thereby the promises made to the Fathers might be accomplished Now concerning the Birth of Christ we must know that hee is said to be borne three waies Of his Father and of his Mother and in the minde of Man of his Father hee is borne eternally of his Mother temporally in the minde of man spiritually In Christ there are three things which haue Relation to his Natiuity Deity Flesh and Spirit of his Father he is borne God of his Mother Flesh and in the minde of Man Spirit so as this latter way be vnderstood Metaphorically of his Father hee was borne euer of his Mother he is borne once and in the minde of Man he is borne often According to diuine Natiuity he hath a Father without a Mother according to humane Natiuity he hath a Mother without a Father and according to his spirituall Natiuity hee hath both Father and Mother according to that saying of his he that doth my Fathers will is my Father and my Mother In the birth of Christ God was manifested in the flesh 1. Tim. 3. 16. manifested I say three waies as he was before three waies hid first from out of the bosome of his Father in whom he was couered secondly from vnder the shadowes of the Law in which he was prefigured thirdly from the wombe of his Mother in which he was formed The effects of the Natiuity of Christ were diuers for first in respect of God himselfe the effect was his glory Luke 2. 14. The glory I say of his truth wisedome goodnesse and Iustice secondly in respect of godly men the effect is their Saluation because he was borne to be a Propher Priest and King euen to effect all things that might tend to their Saluation Acts 4. 12. and in particular peace was a speciall effect of his Manifestation in the flesh Luke 2. 14. Peace I say aboue vs with God Peace within with our owne consciences and peace about vs with men and neighbours and peace below vs in respect of Sathan and Hell because we are deliuered from their power and furie What shall I say he was borne into naturall life that we might be borne againe into eternall life thirdly in respect of the wicked the effect of his Birth was their Iudgement for he was borne for the falling of many in Israel Luke 2. 34. and this is the condemnation of the world that light is come into the world and the world comprehended it not Ioh. 1. and that God should send his owne Son to be the light and yet men loued darkenesse more then light Ioh. 3. 19. The place where our Sauiour was borne was Bethlehem which howsoeuer it fell out by accident to be there in respect of the mother which did not by any purpose of her owne choose that place yet indeed it was the place forespoken of by the Prophet Mich. 5. 2. and was appointed of purpose by the Counsell and prouidence of God that euen hence the godly might bee warned of the fulfilling of the promise made to Dauid the Bethlemite Luke 2. 4. The time when he was borne was the time agreeing with the propheticall Oracles called the fulnesse of time Gal 4. 4. The time when the Scepter was departed from Iudah an Idumaean now sitting at the Sterne Gen. 49. 10. A time when the Iewish Church and Common-wealth was brought so low as there was no helpe to be expected but from Heauen The entertainment hee had at the time of his birth was very poore and meane he was borne of a poore Mother and hee was borne so poore that he might make vs rich 2 Cor. 8. and that he might thereby trample vnder his feet as vile that vaine pride of wordly men that so much bragge of their worldly glory and nobility of their birth And when he might not haue a place in the Inne hee was not ashamed to lye in a Manger that by choosing the weake things of this world he might confound the mighty and might prepare a place for vs and many Mansions in his Fathers house In the manifestation of the Natiuity of Christ God shewed maruellous wisdome who to shew himselfe to be no respecter of persons and that he brought this light into the world for all sorts of men He shewed it both to the Shepherds and to the wise men the one Israelites the other Gentiles the one poore and simple the other rich and wise the one neere the other farre of both sorts to be ioyned vpon the same corner stone The same light appeared to Anna a woman as well as to Simeon that iust man that it might be euident that in him that was then borne there was neither circumcision nor vncircumcision Iew nor Gentle Male nor Female Gal. 3. 28. Col. 3. 11. Thus of his birth in generall his birth of a Virgin followes Now that he was born of a Virgin is euidently proued not only by the History of the Gospell but by the Prophesie of God himselfe in Paradise when he said The seede of the woman should breake the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. And by the prophesie of Iacob the Patriarke Gen. 49. 10. Where Christ is named Shiloh that is the Sonne of his Secundines not the Sonne of his loynes now the Secundines belong to the Nature of the woman not to the man and by the Prophesie of Esay who said Behold a Virgin shall conceiue Esay 7. 14. And it was prefigured by the stone cut out of the Mountaine without any hands Dan. 2. And it was published by the Angell Gabriel Luk. 1. 31. The reasons why hee was borne of a woman without a man haue beene shewed before It is a worke most wonderfull He is borne in the armes of a woman that himselfe beares vp the whole world in the hand of his power Men hath beene produced foure wayes First without either man or woman as Adam was 2. Without woman as Eue was 3. Without man as Christ was 4. With man and woman as all other men were Christ was to the Virgin a Sonne and her first borne Hee was called her first borne not because she had any sonnes afterwards but because he was borne first though he were her onely Sonne Christs brethren were his Kinsmen nor doth the terme first borne import any following for the first borne in Law were so called before they knew whether they should haue a second childe and it is a godly profession of Diuines in all ages that she was a Virgin before birth and in the birth and after the birth though this latter be no Article of faith or principle of Religion The Bread of Life was borne in the house of bread and the most fruit-bearing Natiuity was
Christ verse 23. 6. That God would in his due time bring them all to him in heauen that they may for euer behold his glory there verse 24. These are maruellous things and should wonderfully affect vs and comfort vs. 5. By what arguments our Sauiour vrgeth these peâ—itions for his very reasons doe shew what care he had of vs and how he pities vs and that he stands vpon our right And so we shall finde that hee vsed foure Reasons why God should grant all he asked for them The first was because we are Gods thine they are vers 9 10. and therefore God should defend vs in that we are his owne and belong to his charge and care The second was because the world hates vs vers 14. we are likely to be so ill vsed in the world that God must needs looke to vs to protect and prouide for vs. The third was because our Sauiour himselfe should be now no more in this world to looke to vs in his owne person and therefore hee praies God to looke to vs vers 11. The last was because hee had sanctified himselfe for our sakes and therefore pleads his owne merits for vs vers 19. Lastly it is profitable for vs to marke the intimation our Sauiour giues all along his prayer by which he lets fall a description of what we must be if we would haue our part in his Intercession For in the 20. verse wee may see it plaine we must be beleeuers and verses 6 7 8. with 26. We may see further that we must be such as will receiue the words which God gaue to Christ to deliuer to vs by them will know Gods name and such as will keepe the word as the greatest treasure in the world They that heare not Christs preaching on Earth shall not haue benefit by Christs praying in Heauen Nor will hearing serue turne but there must be knowledge and beleeuing and keeping of the word as a treasure and for practise Thus of the prayers our Sauiour made for the Church The prayers he made for himselfe concerne either his Glory in Heauen or his Passion on Earth His prayer for his Glory in Heauen is recorded Iohn 17. v. 1. to 6. and in that prayer our Sauiour first layes downe the substance of his request vers 1. Secondly hee vrgeth it with arguments vers 1 2 3 4. Thirdly hee explaines his meaning for the manner how he would haue his petitions granted The substance of his suit is that God would glorifie his Sonne The Reasons are First because God is his Father and he his Sonne vers 1. Secondly because if God glorifie him hee will glorifie God againe verse 1. Thirdly because God had giuen him power before to bestow glory vpon others and therefore much more he should haue it himselfe verse 2 3. Fourthly because hee had glorified God on earth and should within a little time finish all his hard taske verse 4. Now the manner how hee would be glorified was by receiuing the same glory againe which hee had with the Father before the world was which referred to his humane Nature must be vnderstood of his exaltation aboue all things that are made in heauen or earth and so to be worshipped with the diuine Nature And as it is referred to the diuine Nature it must bee vnderstood of manifestation to the world that as alwaies he as second Person had glory equall with the Father so that God would let it be knowne to be so through the world which was accomplished after his resurrection when the Diuinitie of Christ was published to all Nations Thus of his prayer for his Glorification The prayer that concernes his Passion was made in the Garden a little before his enemies came to apprehend him And concerning that prayer diuers things may be obserued 1. The company was with him or neere to him at the time of his prayer and so the Text notes that he singled out of all the Disciples three of them whom he loued most viz. Peter and Iohn and Iames. Now this company hee tooke for two Reasons First that they might bee witnesses of this part of his Passion Secondly he chose them to be by him as such as to whom he could more freely discouer himselfe and in this our Sauiour did expresse that which is setled in the natures almost of all men and so of all godly men in the businesses of religion There be some persons before whom a man would more willingly pray or preach or doe any dutie and yet others haue no iust cause to take exceptions as if they were neglected or it was partialitie for we see here Christ himselfe did single out these men and leaue the rest of the Disciples further off Matth. 26. 36 37. and withall from hence we may learne that the very presence of such as we loue doth vs good when we are in distresse though they should say nothing to vs as here our Sauiour giues these Disciples a great charge to tarry by him and yet they say not a word to him no not when he makes his moane that his heart was heauy to the very death yea it seemes our Sauiour was not willing to be without them though they slept by him and seemed to take little notice of his distresse Further these three were they that had seene his Transfiguration on the Mount and therefore are now the fittest to behold this great abasement without wauering in the faith of his Diuinitie because they had seene him glorious whom now they are to behold so infirme 2. The gesture he vsed in prayer viz. He felt on his face and praied Euen the more grieuous the distresse was vpon him the more humbly did he demeane himselfe towards God When his heart was so heauy nothing but praying to God would helpe him for he had made his moane to the Disciples and that eased him not Nor doth hee rest in that simply to pray but his Agonie being great hee applies himselfe to that gesture might best fit the greatnesse of his distresse to teach vs what we should doe when our hearts are heauy and how we should striue to inlarge our affections and suit our whole behauiour in Gods presence according to his hand vpon vs or the great need we haue of his helpe 3. What befell him when he went to pray viz. a most grieuous Agonie in soule which with such speed increased vpon him that he cried out to his Disciples that his soule was euery way compassed about with sorrow euen vnto the death and he sweat in that Anguish very bloud as is noted by the Euangelist and he was maruellously amazed and afraid Now if any aske what made our Sauiour fall into this perplexitie I answer that wee must not thinke that it was the feare of bodily death that thus affrighted our Sauiour seeing we know that the Martyrs that were infirme men did yet embrace death without these Agonies though by the way we must remember that
one High Priest to another Secondly he was three times denied by Peter his owne seruant and Disciple Thirdly he was ill intreated by the men that kept him bound And that these things fell all out before the solemne Councell of the High Priests and in the night appeares by Saint Lukes narration of it Chap. 22. though the other Euangelists obserue not the order so precisely For the first The Captaine of the band and the Souldiers and Officers of the Iewes carried Christ first to Annas that was father in law to Caiaphas and then to Caiaphas afterwards Iohn 18. In which dealing two things may be noted First the glory these wretched men take in shewing their Prisoner one to another How glad they are to see Iesus bound and to know but that their deuices prosper so farre now was the time that the world reioyced and the Disciples wept Iohn 16. 20. Secondly it seemes Caiaphas playes the Politician for since the time he had beene author of that counsell that one must die for the people all the worke is directed to him If great men once become authors of mischiefe and ill counsell they know not how farre they may be lead on in wickednesse but Caiaphas perceiuing the worke must light vpon him subtilly giues order as is likely that he should first be carried to Annas that so hee might either decline the enuy of the people or haue him partner in it For the second The storie of Peters deniall is at large set downe by the Euangelists and therein three things are noted the occasions of his fall the manner of it and the euent The occasions are obserued by the Euangelists to be foure or by foure steps and degrees he is brought into the snare of this temptation For first he followed Christ afarre off Matth. 26. 58. That he followed him it was his affection and deuotion but that he followed him afarre off it was his feare and in this feare is laid the first ground of his fall To expose himselfe to danger when he felt his heart afraid of it especially when there was no necessary cause to venture himselfe vpon it was a strong occasion to the temptation Secondly a Disciple that was knowne to the High Priests and â—ent in with Iesus into the Palace spake to him that kept the doore and so got Peter in Iohn 18. 15 16. and this was a second step to his temptation The courtesie of his friend proues a snare to him and the rather because he went in out of curiositie and not out of any setled reason or cause to glorifie God for Saint Matthew saith he went in but to see the end that is to obserue what would become of Christ Matth. 26. 58. Thirdly he sate and warmed himselfe by the High Priests fire with the seruants of the High Priests Iohn 18. 18. He that was for a long time accustomed to the holy conuersation of Christ and his fellow Disciples where he was accustomed to goodnesse in words and deeds now comes into the company of the vngodly without calling whose tongues were bent to mischiefe and their throat an open sepulchre and here as a man comming suddenly into a new world receiues strong impressions of euill his fearefull heart being not able to cast vp the poison hee receiued from their Societie and this was the third degree or step to his fall Fourthly he was examined and accused to be one of Christs followers and so charged in that part in which he was weakest For first a Damosell that kept the doore asked him whether he was not one of them Ioh. 18. 19. and then the seruants by the fire-side charge him againe vers 25. gathering belike from his behauiour that hee was not one of their side in that he did not ioyne with them to discourse against Christ and therefore it was likely that he was Christs Disciple and they told him his speech bewrayed him hee spake like a Galilaean Then in the third place a kinsman to Malchus whose eare he cut off charged him that hee saw him in the Garden Ioh. 18. 26. The Deuill that desired greatly to sift him and to increase his misery plies him with obiections and all suddenly till his sinne was brought to the height Thus of the occasions of his fall The manner of it followes so the Euangelists shew that first he denied Christ saying that he knew him not Then he denied him again with an oath Then thirdly he began to curse sweare saying he knew not the man Oh Peter knowest not thou the man that before hadst confessed him to be God The euent was his Repentance there is obserued the means of it and the maner of it The means lesse principal was the crowing of the Cock according to the prophecie of his Sauiour The principall was that Christ looked backe vpon him and then Peter remembred Christs words which presently brake his heart Lukâ— 22. 61. The manner of his repentance was that he went out of that wicked place and wept bitterly He forsakes the needlesse society of the wicked and with much sorrow bewailes his great sinne Thus of the Story Now the reason why our Sauiour suffered this kinde of affliction to be denied thus of his owne seruant was that so he might satisfie Gods iustice for vs that had denied God in Paradise because we had denied God he was content to be denied by his owne seruant There may be many vses made of this lamentable Story of Peters fall 1. For first we may all be warned by his fall to take heed of the occasions that led him into this sinne and so especially to take heed of security and trust in our owne strength This is the man that a little before said he would not deny him though he should die with him Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall No man is strong by his owne might and therefore let vs work out our saluation with feare and trembling and know that we are kept onely by Gods power and true faith in him Againe we see how pernitious a thing it is to fall suddenly into carnall company without a Calling It is hard to touch Pitch and not be defiled especially in euill times when men are heated with malice we should altogether auoid their presence if it be possible The High Priests fire vndid Peter 2 Wicked men must take heed of abusing such examples as this by gathering from thence any libertie to sinne think not to sinne securely because Peter sinned so grieuously Remember two things if thou take liberty to sinne because Peter so sinned First that Peters sinne brought bitter griefe to his heart He went out and wept bitterly saith the Text If thou wouldest as well consider the sorrowes Gods seruants brought vpon themselues for their sinnes as the greatnesse of their offence thou wouldst finde small prouocation from such wofull presidents Againe it is true that Peter sinned and yet was saued and yet it is as true
inseparably Sol. The Diuine Nature of the Sonne did not forsake the Nature assumed but secretly susteined it but yet so as the glory of that vnion was hidden for the present Nor doth the Humanitie of Christ complaine that the second Person in the Trinitie had forsaken him but that God the Father did forsake him Ob. God loued his Sonne with an eternall loue how could he then be so wroth with him Sol. God loued Christ with an eternall loue and yet as he was our surety he powred out vpon him the vials of his wrath deserued by our sinnes The Vse of these grieuous torments in soule and Gods forsaking of him may bee diuers 1. It may confute their opinion that say he suffered not in soule at all when the Scripture saith His soule was made an offering for sinne and these words cannot without great iniurie to Christ be thought to be vttered by Christ in respect of his bodily torments then not onely the Martyrs but the Theeues on the Crosse should beare their paine and death more patiently than he 2. It may make vs all afraid of sin when we seriously thinke on it how wroth God is with his owne Sonne to pursue him so that was but a surety to make him vtter this pittifull complaint Can men euer thinke that God can endure sinne in them that in the spirit heare Christ making this moane Now was the time that the whole Sacrifice was on fire and burning in the flame of Gods wrath 3. It may greatly comfort Gods seruants when they are in great distresse Christ was forsaken of God for a time that they might not be forsaken for euer and therefore wee should take heed of doubting of Gods care for vs Esay 40. 28 and 49. 15. and resolue vpon it that though he leaue vs for a time yet he will receiue vs with euerlasting mercy Esay 54. 7 8 10. Yea and withall it may bee some comfort to weake Christians that doe too much feare lest God will leaue them to thinke that this feare was in Christ 4. We may hence gather what is the wofull case of all impenitent sinners if it were such a griefe to Christ to be forsaken for a time what is their case that shall be forsaken for euer If God thus torment his owne Sonne that neuer knew sinne how can he spare them that haue beene transgressors from the wombe 5. We should hence learne to pitie poore Christians that are afflicted in conscience no torments of the body are like the trouble of the conscience which our Sauiour shewes here in his owne case And withall we may hence learne to iudge charitably of such as say they are damned or forsaken of God for we see it may be found in Gods deare children though it be true that in some men these words are the fruits of hellish despaire Lastly note in the words of Christ that he expresseth his faith in the middest of his conflict My God my God are words of hope as why hast thou forsaken me are words of feare Whence we should learne to esteeme assurance and to make vse of it as the only thing will be left to vs to hold by if great extremities come vpon vs. To know that God is our God if the chiefe support of our spirituall life The last thing which he suffred while he was aliue on the Crosse was the Thirst of which he said I thirst Ioh. 19. and this thirst of body he suffered First that the Scripture might be fulfilled that said In my thirst they gaue me vineger to drinke Psal 69. 22. Secondly that thereby he might merit the satisfying of our spirituall thirsts and the desires of our hearts In his thirst they gaue him vineger to drinke that thereby the same Scripture might be fulfilled which was mentioned before Ioh. 19. 28. Secondly that thereby hee might expiate for the tasting of the Iuice of the forbidden fruit and for all our sinfull pleasures Thirdly that we might be warned not to looke for better intertainment from the world but to be serued with sharpe and bitter potions for we must drinke of his cup Matth. 20. 23. Thus of the things our Sauiour suffered while he hanged aliue vpon the Crosse The glorious Testimonies giuen to Christ on the Crosse while hee was yet aliue follow and they were foure The first was in the Superscription was written ouer his head The second was in the darknesse was ouer the Earth The third was in the wonderfull conuersion of one of the Theeues The fourth was in the rending of the veile of the Temple For the first Pilate caused a Superscription to be written ouer his head in Latine Greeke and Hebrew in these words Iesus of Nazareth the King of the Iewes or rather as the originall sounds Iesus that Nazarene that King of the Iewes Ioh. 19. 19. This Superscription it is likely was written in a Table and hanged ouer our Sauiours head for it is not probable that so many words in so many Languages in great Characters that might be read of them that passed by could be grauen vpon the head of the Crosse As for Pilates meaning herein some Writers thinke that it was the custome for the ludges to set ouer the heads of them that died the cause of their death Yet we reade not of any such custome in Scripture nor of any Title set ouer the heads of the two Theeues It is very probable that Pilate meant in this Title both to vp-braid the Iewes and withall to saue himselfe from blame with Caesar and to shew how carefull he had beene of Caesars right But God intended by a speciall prouidence herein to giue testimonie to his Sonne which we may gather two wayes First by the consent of the Euangelists who all make mention of this Title which must needs import that they saw some mystery in iâ— Secondly by the very words for besides that they containe a most exact description of the substance of our faith in Iesus they are not the words of the Iewes accusation vpon which he was condemned but an expresse affirmation of his glory which is the more plaine because when the Priests gowled by the Title would haue it mended thus He said he was King of the Iewes yet Pilate would not alter it his hand being stayed by the power of God This Title then was giuen from God from aboue and is of Gods owne deuising and she was vs for the confirmation of our faith what God himselfe acknowledgeth and what he would haue vs make vse of in the meditation of the Passion of Christ Many things may be hence noted 1. That God acknowledgeth his Name vpon the Crosse to be Iesus that is a Sauiour of his people from their sins This name was giuen him by an Angell before hee was horne with this signification yea with an acknowledgement of his Diuinitie that he was Emmanuel God with vs Matth. 1. 22 23. And now on the Crosse did he fulfill what was
had power to estate blessing vpon his Disciples and all true Christians for euer This blessing was the fruit of his Passion and Resurrection and belongs to all the godly to the worlds end and therefore he leaues his blessing on earth being now to ascend to heauen Vnto this blessed Father and Sauiour should we daily flie and seeke his blessing which is able to doe vs more good than all the blessings of men or Angels Thirdly that hee ascended visibly in the sight of his Disciples Act. 1. 9. and therefore he did not vanish and become inuisible in himselfe as the Vbiquitaries dreame Fourthly he made vse of the seruice of a cloud which receiued him as he departed and caried him vp as it were a Chariot and at length hid him from the eyes of his Disciples and thus he did to proue that it was he of whom it had been long before said Hee maketh his Clouds his Chariot Psal 104. 3. and withall to restraine curiosity he doth as it were draw a curtaine betweene his body and their eyes and betweene this mystery and our mindes that we should rest satisfied in beleeuing that hee did ascend and not busie our heads about vnprofitable and curious questions in things not reuealed And further it may be thereby was shadowed out the manner of our meeting with our Sauiour at the last day that as a cloud tooke him away so in the clouds should we meet him againe 1 Thes 4. 17. Thus of the second point The third question is When hee ascended and to that the answer is short viz. forty dayes after his resurrection why hee staied forty daies before he ascended was shewed before viz. that hee might instruct his Disciples about his Kingdome and withall to shew that the doctrine of the Gospell was not inferiour to the doctrine of the Law which Moses was in receiuing from the mouth of God forty daies in the Mount and as he was forty daies in the wildernesse meditating of his worke before he began to preach so is hee forty daies in preparing his Disciples before hee send them forth about that great Worke of the conuersion of the Nations The fourth question is From what place hee ascended and that is noted by the Euangelist S. Luk. Chap. 24. 50 Act. 1. 12. viz. that he went vp into heauen from off some part of the mount of Oliues that was neere the Towne of Bethania Now it is coniectured by Diuines that hee chose this place of purpose First that in the same place he might shew the proofe of his Diuinity and Glory in which before he had shewed the extreme proofe of his frailty and infirmity when in that place hee sweat blood strugling vnder the brunt of Gods fierce wrath and in that place hee began the declaration of his greatest glory where not long before hee had begun to feele suffer his greatest ignominie and paine Secondly this mountainish place serued somewhat to awake the affections of the godly to teach them to get as high as they can aboue the world and worldly occasions hasting after their blessed Sauiour that is gone vp to heauen before them Thirdly Bethania signifies the house of affliction and so by his ascending to the glory of heauen from that place he might leaue vs an assurance that a passage may be had yea vnto all the godly shall bee prepared to attaine vnto the ioyes of heauen euen through many tribulations we may ascend out of the house of sorrow bed of sicknesse vale of teares the land of captiuity vnto heauen as well as from Ierusalem a place of peace Yea such afflicted ones may much comfort themselues in the hope that Christ will take them to heauen out of these places of sorrow in his due time The fift question is Whither he ascended and the answer to that is in the Creed and the Scriptures before quoted into Heauen and Christ himselfe saith Hee went to his Father in heauen Ioh. 14. 12. and 20. 16. Heb. 9. 20. Now this heauen doth not signifie God himselfe or a heauenly conuersation or heauenly glory but by heauen is meant that place of eternall blessednesse which is without the corruptible world which is aboue all these moueable worldly heauens and to vs now liuing on earth is inuisible It is that place that Christ calls The house of his heauenly Father in which are many Mansions Ioh. 14. 12. and Solomon calls the place of Gods habitation the heauens Chron. 6. â—1 and the habitation of his holinesse in heauen 1 King 8. 31. Christ therefore is now in that highest heauen which must contain him til the times of the restoring of all things It is obiected that Christ ascended aboue all heauens Eph. 4. Answer It is true aboue all these visible heauens aboue the Aire and the coelestiall Orbes in which are the Sunne Moone and Starres and so went into that heauen called the third heauen which is the seat of the blessed It is further obiected if Christ ascended aboue all those worldly heauens then his body is in no place because Aristotle proues in his first booke of heauen that aboue all heauens is no place Answer It is false that aboue all heauens is no place for though there bee not such a place as Aristotle describes Physically yet there is a place for where there is a body there must needs be a space in which that body is contained according to that knowne saying Take away spaces from bodies they will be no where and if no where then they are not This space the Scripture calls a place But against Aristotle we oppose the expresse authority of Christ himselfe who affirmeth there are places in heauen Ioh. 14. 2 3. Now God would haue vs to know whither Christ ascended for three Reasons First that we might be certaine he remained still a true man euen in his glory in heauen Secondly that wee might know whither to conuert our thoughts and desires and where our hearts might finde Christ as Paul saith If yee be risen with Christ seeke those things that are aboue where Christ sits at the right hand of God Col. 3. 1. wee cannot find Christ on earth wee must looke him in heauen Thirdly that we might know where wee shall dwell and reigne when wee dye Ioh. 14. 2. and 17. 24. Now in heauen Christ ascended to his Father as he saith Ioh. 14. 12. and 20. 17. not that hee could not finde his Father any where but in heauen for he is euery where but because God the Father doth in a singular manner manifest his glory and loue in the heauen of the blessed and in that heauen doth collect his fâ—mily and houshold that shall for euer abide with him And for this cause doth our Sauiour teach vs to pray Our Father which art in heauen not which art euery where though that be true that we might thereby be admonished that we doe not belong to the society of this world but vnto that
Sometimes God is said to be at mans right hand and then it notes protection and helpe as Psal 16. 8. Sometimes the Church is said to be at the right hand of Christ as Psal 45. 10. Sometimes Christ is said to be at the right hand of God of which this Article makes mention But by the way we must note that this gesture is not attributed to Christ as a perpetuall gesture Sometimes hee is said to bee at the right hand of God as Rom. 8. 34. Sometimes to stand at the right hand of God as Act. 7. 55. But vsually the Scripture mentions his sitting at the right hand of God as that gesture which doth most fitly shadow out the eternall rest and felicity of Christ together with his Imperiall and Iudiciall power Now for the sense of the Article all together I conceiue that by the words of this Article eight things are meant as 1. That Christ after all his labours and sorrowes after his Crosse and death doth rest in heauen in vnspeakable ioy and felicity and blessednesse 2. That hee hath obtained dignity and power aboue all men and Angels as when Solomon set his mother at his right hād it was to signifie that she was to be esteemed of aboue all his subiects Thus Christ hath a name giuen him aboue euery name which is named in heauen and earth Heb. 1. 4. Eph. 1. 21. 3. That hee is partner with his Father in his Kingdome and therefore hence it is that in stead of He shall sit at Gods right hand mentioned Psal 110. 1. Saint Paul quoting the place saith Hee shall reigne teaching vs that to sit at Gods right hand is to reigne in Gods Kingdome 4. That his authority reacheth vnto all things in heauen and earth and therefore hee is said to sit at the right hand of God of God I say whose dominion is an vniuersall dominion This our Sauiour saith of himselfe Matth. 28. 18. 5. That the Father doth not cease to rule but doth administer his Kingdome by his Sonne Therefore in Psal 110. v. 1. the Father takes vpon him to subdue the enemies of Christ The Father and Sonne reigne together but yet so as the Father commits the rule and execution of all things to the Sonne vnder him as kings that admit their Sonnes to bee partners with them in their Empire and commit the trust of all to them 6. That this kingdome of Christ shall be deliuered vp vnto the Father againe 1 Cor. 15. 25. For the worke of Christ in this Kingdome is by meanes to gather and saue the Church and to subdue and ouerthrow the enemies of the Church now when there shall be no more enemies and the Church is perfectly gathered and glorified then this Kingdome shall cease But that men may not mistake the naturall kingdome of Christ which hee hath as God equall with the Father that shall neuer cease and the supreme glory that hee hath in eminence ouer man and Angels that shall not cease for so he is a King immortall and of this kingdome there is no end but after the day of iudgment he shall reigne no more that is First not in the middest of his enemies as he doth now Psal 110. 2. Secondly not by meanes or by the Word and Sacraments as he doth now but immediatly 7. That he vndertakes fully to accomplish and perform vnto all the Elect all that goodnesse and riches of grace and glory which God as a Father hath decreed or promised to his Church and therefore hee sits at the right hand of God as a Father 8. That he is furnished with all power to execute all that concernes either the subduing of the enemies of the Church or the saluation of the Elect and therefore he is said in the Creed to sit at the right hand of God as hee is Almighty and in Scripture to sit at the right hand of the power of God Luk. 22. 69. There are other things might be mentioned about the explication of this Article but they are either curious or else so difficult and perplexed and intricate in sense that they will not well agree with popular teaching and therefore I leaue them and come to the vse of this Article This Article may serue both for instruction and for consolation For instruction and so it should teach vs 1. Neuer to be ashamed of the Gospell and the profession of the seruice of Christ in this world seeing whatsoeuer worldly men thinke yet true Christians know that they serue him that sits at Gods right hand and hath all power in heauen and earth and is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revel 19. 2. To bee willing to let him rule ouer vs and with all reuerence and conscience to submit our selues to his lawes and to acknowledge his power and soueraignety Euery knee should bow at the name of Iesus Phil. 2. 11. 10. 3. To carry our selues as the members of so great a King as hath atchieued so many conquests ouer so great enemies Wee should striue to ouer come too euen the world and sinne and Satan and then he promiseth vs that we shall fit on his throne also Revel 3. 21. 4. All our minde should be on heauenly things as the Apostle shewes Col. 3. 1. 5. In all things to liue by Faith and in nothing to bee carefull and in all estates to bee content since by Christ wee may be able to doe all things and he is able to helpe vs and will not forsake vs. For consolation this Article serues many waies 1. In the case of trouble of conscience for our sinnes and infirmities for hence we know that wee haue an Aduocate with the Father and he sits at Gods right hand to make request for vs 1 Ioh. 2. 1. 2. In the case of feare of perseuerance for Christ sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty and therefore none can take his sheepe out of his hand Ioh. 10. 29. 3. In the case of defects and disability in gifts for from this Article S. Paul gathers that Christ will fill all in all things in all the members of the Church Eph. 1. 21. c. 4. In the case of feare of accusation by men or deuils Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Doth not Christ sit at the right hand of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 34. 5. In the case of difficulty in the successe of the Ministery of the Word Christ hath the Key of Dauid hee sits on the Throne of Dauid Hee will open and no man shall shut and hee will shut and no man shall open Rev. 3. 7. 6. In the case of outward wants on earth or ill entertainment in the world wee serue him that hath all power to preferre vs we haue his promise that we shal partake of his own glory and therefore we need not be carefull but rather magnifie his mercy loue to vs in admitting vs to his seruice vpon what termes soeuer it
of the Lord God Almighty when by the sword of Princes hee shall destroy that City of Rome which hath beene the very Throne of the Beast and of the Whore Rev. 16. 14. 16. and 17. 17. The sixt signe is a fearfull corruption of manners in the men of the world foretold 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3. This I reckon as a signe because I see all sorts of Writers haue a great minde to it but I take it to be so not because the sinnes there mentioned shall be then found in the world for they haue been alwaies in the world but in a threefold respect First because all those sorts of sinne shall reigne at once in the world Secondly because men shall grow in a high degree abhominable in sinning so as to ouer-passe the formet times in the vnheard excesse in sinning Thirdly because the corruptions of manners shall bee found in all estates and degrees of men and this signe I thinke belongs to this age I suppose there was neuer any age wherein men were growne generally so monstrous drunkennesse whordome swearing falshood and deceit besides the sinnes mentioned in the Apostles catalogue and these things do so prouoke the Iudge and dare him to his face that sure his comming cannot be long deferred but he will hasten the rest of the signes to be reuenged of so wicked a world The seuenth signe is yet to come and that is the calling of the Nation of the Iewes which that it shall be is plaine by the Prophecy of S. Paul Rom. 11. but how this shall bee performed and when I suppose it cannot be determined by Scripture The last signe I take it will bee but a very little time before his comming and that will be some fearefull alterations in the powers of heauen and in the ayre and in the earth and seas but what these will be it is hard to coniecture and the rather because S. Iohn tells of the noise of seuen Thunders that were vttered before the end of the world but he was forbidden to vtter them but to let them be sealed vp and kept vnknowne from the world yea and from the Church too Rev. 10. 5. Matth. 24. 29 30. It is very probable that this signe will be accomplished in the very letter as it is recorded by the Euangelist Thus of the signes going before our Sauiours comming to iudgment The signes ioyned with his setting out to come to iudgment are these the first is a speciall signe of the Sonne of man which shall bee in heauen and visible to all men on earth but what this signe shall bee is vnknowne and I am vnwilling to trouble the Reader with rehearsing the seuerall coniectures of Interpreters seeing they are without warrant from the Word The second signe is the wailing and lamentation of all Nations when they behold Christ comming in the clouds of heauen Matth. 24. 30. Some Diuines make the firing of the World to be a signe belonging to Christs comming forth to iudgment but that cannot be so because it is not probable that deuils and wicked men shall be in the new earth or the new heauens for there must dwell nothing but righteousnesse and therefore this firing of the world is to bee reckoned as a consequent of the Iudgment Thus of the Signes The last point to be opened is the forme and manner of the last Iudgment and here foure things are orderly to be inquired into 1. The manner of the preparation to the Iudgment 2. The manner of the triall of the causes to be tried there 3. The manner of the sentence vpon all sorts of men 4. The execution of the sentence The preparation to the Iudgment concernes either the Iudge or them that are to be iudged The Preparation as it respects the Iudge hath in it foure things 1. The Commission or singular power giuen to Christ for the execution of this iudgment vpon all the world Ioh. 5. 22. This Commission was granted him in his first comming and shall now be manifested to all men and Angels before he enter vpon the Iudgment as we see is done by earthly Iudges 2. The cloathing of the Humane nature with vnsearchable glory and maiestie aboue the glory of all men and Angels which glory our Sauiour calls The glory of his Father when he said He should come in the glory of his Father Matth. 16. 27. 3. The attendance of thousand thousands of Angels that shall shew themselues in the perfection of their glory waiting vpon him Iude 15. Dan. 7. 10. 2 Thes 1. 7. Matth. 25. 31. 4. The erecting of a most glorious Throne wherein he will sit as Iudge which hee calls The Throne of his glorie Matth. 25. 31. which is resembled by the glory of earthly Princes which sit in Thrones of Estate when they would shew their Maiestie to their people Which Throne will be the more glorious because before the erecting of it all earthly Thrones shall bee cast downe Dan. 7. 9. We must not be curious to enquire what this Throne shall bee made of Daniel saith It is like a fiery flame Dun. 7. 9. Thus of the preparation of the Iudge The preparation in respect of the Iudged hath likewise foure things viz. 1. The Citation of the world to come to iudgment and the world is three waies summoned to come to iudgment First by the ministery of the Fathers and Prophets in the old Tâ—stament that from the beginning of the world cited men to appeare before the iudgment Seat of God Henoch began before the Flood Iude 15. and others followed in euery age as hath beene shewed before Secondly by the ministery of Christ himselfe and the Apostles and the ordinary ministery of the Preachers of the Gospell in all the ages vnder the Gospell till the end of the World Now the last summons is this which shall be giuen at that instant when Christ is come in the clouds of heauen and set in his Throne and this shall bee performed by a shout from heauen and by the sound of the last Trumpet This cry or summons is called The voice of Christ Ioh. 5. 28. 1 Thes 4. 16. and yet it seeme sit shall be performed by the ministery of Angels Matth. 24. 31. Hee that imployes the ministery of men to call the World to repentance in this life will vse the ministery of Angels to bring those men to iudgment especially such as haue not repented of their euill waies 2. The Resurtection of the dead vnder which I comprehend the change of the liuing for vpon this voice all dead men shall receiue their soules into their owne bodies be quickned and rise out of the Graues or other places of the earth or waters wherin they haue lyen Rev. 20. 13. and those that shall bee then aliue shall bee changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the sound of the last Trumpe and this change shall bee in stead of death and a kind of resurrection they shall bee changed
be an Hypocrite page 365 I. I Dols are false Gods page 165 Christ suffered at Ierusalem page 325 He was buried neere to Ierusalem for two causes page 435 Iesus whence this word comes page 214 Why Christ was called Iesus page 215 The word Iesus is a short Gospel page 216 That Iesus may be our Sauiour wee must doe three things Ibid. The saued by Iesus must shew it in seuen things page 217 Diuers men know not Iesus Ibid. Calling of the Iewes page 414 Christ suffered Ignominie and disgrace in three things page 323 Hee bore this for foure reasons Ibid. Ignorance no plea. page 488 Immutability of God See God Gift of Illumination page 540 Humility of Christs Incarnation page 318 He sustained Infirmities of all sorts for foure reasons page 322 Christs Innocency page 37â— 440 God can giue testimony to the Innocencie of his page 373 Insufficient Ministers page 487 Christs Intercession shadowed out in the Law page 484 Incarnation of Christ page 248 How one Person is Incarnate and not the other Ibid What Christ assumed in his Incarnation page 249 When he was Incarnate page 250 Why Christ was Incarnate page 251 Gods glory shineth in Christs Incarnation page 257 Christ makes a threefold Intercession for vs. page 248 His Incarnation teacheth vs diuers things page 258 It is comfortable to the godly Ibid. Doctrine of Christs Incarnation terrible page 259 Christ like vs in all Infirmities page 258 Day of Iudgement shall bee in the end of the wâ—rld page 505 Why it is deferred so long Ibid. The precise time of this Iudgement vnknowne and why page 506 Christ did not know the day and houre of it how it is meant page 507 Place where the Iudgement shall bee Ibid. Who shall be Iudged page 508 Signes of Christs comming to Iudgement page 513 Euents no signes page 112 Corruption of manners a signe of Christs comming to Iudgement how page 514 Preparation of the Iudge to Iudgement hath in it foure things page 416 Preparation of the Persons ' Iudged hath in it foure things Ibid. The world summoned to Iudgement Ibid. Wicked men shall be Iudged according to their workes page 519 Diuers obiections answered Ibid. Infants how Iudged page 520 By what lawmen shall be Iudged â—â—0 Doctrine of the last Iudgement terrible to the wicked page 532 Comfortable to the godly page 534 Iudas his treason six things obseruable in it page 327 Why it was necessary that Iudas should betray Christ page 329 Iudas sin Informes vs of diuers things Ibid. Iudas meant not to haue Christ killed probable page 330 Good Iudges must learne expedition page 360 Christ Iudged in a polyticall court for foure reasons page 362 Church-men must abide the Iudgement of lay Iudges page 363 Why Christ Iudged by Pilate page 362 Iudges no accusers page 363 Iudges must haue cleane hands page 377 Needfull to vnderstand Christs comming to Iudgement page 496 Seuen properties of this Iudgement Ib. Particular Iudgement page 498 Last Iudgement manifest Ibid. It is sudden Ibid. Christs Iudgement a righteous Iudgement page 499 It is an eternall Iudgement how page 500 Christ shall be the Iudge page 501 This is comfortable to the godly Ibid. Terrible vnto the wicked page 502 How Saints and Apostles Iudge the world page 501 Whence Christ shall come to Iudgement page 502 When the day of Iudgement shall bee diuers opinions Ibid. Memoriall of the Iust blessed page 440 Iustice of God See God K. KIngdome of Christ page 229 Kingdome of Christ not of this world page 365 Christ clothed in habit of a King in way of scorne page 379 Christs Kingdome scorned page 380 Iesus that King by an excellency page 400 Kingdome of Christ deliuered to God page 532. 490 That Christ is a King appeares by seuen things page 229 Christ excells all other Kings in thirteene things page 230 Lawes of Christs Kingdome page 232 Christ our King what we learne from hence page 234 Diuers kinds of Knowledge in Christ page 253 Knowledge of God See God L. PVrge out the old Leauen page 310 Christs Legacy page 422 Lightnings Gods arrowes page 171 Liue not to our selues page 417 Iewes cast Lots vpon Christs garments for fiue reasons page 393 Beleeue that Iesus is our Lord. page 240 Christ is our Lord by a fiuefold right page 241 Excellency of Christs Lordship in six respects page 241 This teacheth vs diuers things page 243 Seuen Rules for the seruing of this Lord. page 244 Diuers vses of this point page 245 A threefold act in Loue. page 64 M. OBey Magistrates in the Lord. page 243 Malice in the wicked cruell page 327 372 Man the Epitome of all Gods workes page 194 Man miserable in respect of the euill of punishment diuers waies page 205 Christ the Son of Man page 268 Man hath eight prerogatiues aboue the creatures page 199 Notorious Malefactors may repent and be saued page 405 Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene page 460 Christ Manifested three waies page 270 Whether Mary may be called the Mother of Christ. page 267 Matter of Christs Body page 261 The sanctification of that Matter Ibid. God not tyed to the vse of Meanes in what cases page 559 Religion is vaine without Mercy page 528 How Mercy better then piety page 526 Ministers corrupt page 329 How Ministers betray Christ page 333 Qualifying of Ministers page 539 Publique Miseries to bee bewailed page 385 Christs care for his Mother page 421 He calls her woman Ibid. Mortality and Immortality in the same person page 256 Merit of workes confuted page 487 Meteors in the ayre page 169 Fiery Meteors page 170 Watery Meteors page 174 What vse God puts them to Ibid. N. Christs Natiuity HE was Borne three waies page 269 Bethlem the place of his Natiuity page 270 Time of his Natiuity Ibid. Christ borne poore why page 271 Borne of a Virgin why Ibid. Christ a first borne how page 272 Signes about the time of his Natiuity page 272 Three things haue relation to Christs Natiuity page 269 Diuers effects of Christs Natiuity page 271 Son of God tooke the Nature of Man page 248 He tooke it into vnion with his diuine Nature page 258 Mans estate by Nature hath need of mending page 205 No worke of Nature to beleeue in Christ page 207 Christ fastned to the Crosse with Nailes for foure reasons page 390 To destroy Niniuey a conditionall will in God page 108 O. CHrists Obedi nâ—e to his Father in death page 421 Auoid Occasions that leads to sinne page 353 Christs threefold Office page 226 Originall sinne page 204 A threefold Opposition page 120 P. PApists sin against Christs prophecie page 226 A twofold Paradice page 411 Paradice a Type of the glory of heauen page 412 Our life a continuall Passeouer page 310 Christ the true Passeouer page 428 Why Christ suffered at the Passeouer page 325 How Passion is in God page 107 Passions of two sorts Ibid. Christs primitiue Passion page 315 Extended to both Natures Ibid.