thing from this at the Margent follow that which is by it selfe at the beginning Difference in substance there is not any but the Copie for that at the Margent was not altogether so perfect THE FIRST BOOKE OF DIVINITIE OF GOD THE CREATOR CHAPTER I. Of GOD the FATHER the SONNE and the HOLY GHOST DIuinitie is a Doctrine of glorifying God whereof there bee two parts One that concerneth God The other concerning Emanuel God with vs. God is Iehouah three Persons Iehouah which is Being or Perfection it selfe signifieth a Nature that hath all good and perfect things in a most perfect and incommunicable manner The perfect things in God beside Life Vnderstanding and Will without which no perfection can bee are Holinesse and Blessednes Holinesse is the puritie of his Nature from whence commeth a Righteousnesse in all his Wayes specially seene to vs in foure chiefe and principall Vertues which in the Scripture you shall find for the most part to goe by couples or payres The first couple are Kindnesse and Truth Kindnesse in being ready to bestow all good things Truth faithfully to performe whatsoeuer he speaketh The other couple are Iustice and Mercy flowing from the former Iustice to render to euery one his due Mercy in being ready to helpe in time of need This is the Holinesse of GOD and his Righteousnesse comming from it Blessednes is his All-sufficiency of things that make one happy and standeth in Kingdome and Power or Glorie Kingdome is his Soueraigntie of commanding whatsoeuer he will Power his ablenesse to doe whatsoeuer hee commandeth Glorie comprehendeth all the excellencies of his Nature as Wisedome and other Graces of the minde Strength Comelinesse and Beautie Graciousnesse or an amiable and louely Nature a complete furniture of Riches Honour and of all kind of Pleasures and Delights These are the Perfect themselues His perfect and incommunicable manner of hauing of them is Infinitenesse and Eternitie Infinitenesse whereby he is without circumscription and therefore of a most single Nature that whatsoeuer is in God is God himselfe and therefore also inuisible and incomprehensible Eternitie whereby Hee is without beginning or ending and therefore of himselfe and vnchangeable This is it we meane by IEHOVAH who vpon all that hath beene said is nor can be but One. The three Persons are each of them that one Iehouah diuersly subsisting and are the Father and the Sonne or the Holy Ghost The Father is a Person who from all eternitie hath begotten the Sonne The Sonne is a Person from all eternitie begotten of the Father The Holy Ghost is a Person eternally proceeding from the Father and the Sonne CHAP. II. Of the Eternall Decrees of God GOD being thus in his Nature and Person most glorious hath further embroidered himselfe in glorie by two notes of excellencie which he taketh to him Kingdome and Honour Kingdome is that whereby hee doth exercise an absolute Soueraigntie toward others The order whereof answerable to the relation betweene the Persons themselues is from the Father in the Sonne by the Holy Ghost to whom is attributed the immediate doing of them The Kingdome of God hath two parts Purpose and Works Purpose is his Decree before all times of euerything CHAP. III. Of Creation THe Works of God are the execution of his Purpose and are Creation and Prouidence Creation is his making all things of nothing finished in sixe dayes and was of euery Creature in excellencie of perfection Of the reasonable Creatures Angels and Men it was after his owne Image and Likenesse in Holinesse and Happinesse Holinesse in a mind inlightned with the knowledge of the whole Will of God and all the strengths of Nature conformed thereunto Happinesse in the fruition of Gods loue and from thence comming a Coniunction and Communion with him Coniunction is an inioying of his Personall presence Communion is a participation in some sort of his Blessednes both Kingdome Power and Glorie CHAP. IIII. Of Prouidence PRouidence is his gouerning of the things created CHAP. V. Of the Morall Law SO much of the Kingdome of God the honour due vnto him is That the reasonable Creatures Angels and Men doe his Will with that whole strength of their naturall integritie Euery thing with so much the greater strength as the dutie doth more excell the doing whereof is termed Righteousnesse CHAP. VI. The first Table and the first Commandement RIghteousnesse hath two parts Pietie and Iustice Pietie is of the immediate duties to God whereof this is the whole that wee haue God to be our God The parts are two One to cleaue vnto him Louing Reuerencing Feating Beleeuing Trusting and Hoping in him from whence arise Patience and Humilitie The other to worship him which worship comprehendeth all kind of Seruice publike and priuate One principall part whereof is Prayer both petition for the obtayning of good things or turning away of euill and thanksgiuing for all wee doe inioy A piece also of this Seruice when iust cause requireth is swearing and cursing by his Name making our Vowes vnto him and by lotterie to commit into his hands the successe of our doubtfull affaires CHAP. VII Of the second Commandement TO the worship of God two things doe belong a holy manner of worshipping God and a holy rest The manner standeth in Obedience and Reuerence Obedience is the worshipping of him according to his Commandement CHAP. VIII Of the third Commandement REuerence is a religious affection in the seruice of God whereunto are requisite Preparation and Humiliation and when need is both Fasting to quicken vs to petition in the acknowledgement of our vnworthinesse and wants and Feasting to expresse our thankefulnesse for his benefits CHAP. IX Of the fourth Commandement THis is the manner of Gods worship A holy rest is a sanctifying of a time vnto his seruice which beside other times as occasion shall be offered in a Family or for ones selfe apart ought ordinarily to bee in the Morning and Euening of euery day for Church-meetings on such Dayes and Times of the day as may stand with the conuenience of that Church But of necessitie one whole day in seuen is thus to be kept holy both with publike and priuate exercises In which number the duties of brotherly loue as distributing to the Poore according to Gods blessing vpon vs visiting the Sicke helping our Neighbour or any thing that is his in their distresse come also to bee reckoned when they are done as works of Mercy This Day in the first institution was the seuenth Day from the Creation and called the Sabbath Day beginning on the euening of the day before when the Creation of the World was finished CHAP. X. Of the second Table of the Law and of the fift Commandement IVstice followeth which is of the duties among our selues and is honour or the generall duties of Loue. Honour is a performance of duties in respect of a degree First among vnequals from Inferiours to their Superiours and contrariwise As To all Superiours in
Testament In the New as all other Mysteries of God so this especially is more cleerely reuealed by that great Prophet which was to come into the World the High Priest and Apostle of our Profession y Mat. 3. 16 17 and 2. Pet. 1 17. Christ Iesus vpon whom in his first imitation to the worke of our Redemption being himselfe the Sonne one of these three Persons the other two shewed themselues from Heauen The Holy Ghost in his Gifts and Graces represented by the visible shape of a Doue the Father by his voyce from the Seate of Glory This is my Beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased In his last farewell to his Disciples being to leaue the World and to goe vnto the Father hee left this Doctrine as a perpetuall Monument religiously to bee obserued of the Church to the end of the World willing to baptize all Nations z Mat. 28. 19. In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost That as in other respects so in this it is most worthily said a Iohn 1. 18. No man hath seene God at any time The onely begotten Sonne who is in the bosome of the Father hee hath reuealed him With these two Testimonies I willingly content my selfe as most pregnant of all the rest And therefore I passe ouer diuers other that might bee alleaged to this purpose because these twaine may stand in stead of many Onely I will adde that golden testimony of his beloued Disciple b 1. Iohn 5. 7. There bee three that beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost It is cleere that to the earthly witnesse or testimony of men in the things which we feele and haue experience of within our selues Regeneration Righteousnesse Sanctification hee opposeth the heauenly Witnesse or Testimony of these persons greater in regard of the excellence of the witnesses but equall in the number whereby appeareth the cleere euidence of this place The third point is that these persons Tritheites who though they acknowledge the three Persons to bee euery one God indeede yet teach that they are not onely distinct but seuered and deuided haue euery one the whole God-head and Diuine nature and are all three that one onely true and euer-liuing God For both the Apostle c 1. Iohn 5. 7 9. there calleth them so expresly and the testimony of all three hee knitteth vp in one when he saith If wee receiue the testimony of men the testimony of God is greater Euen as Moses d Deut. 6. 4. also doth when from the multitude of the Persons hee calleth them to the vnity of the substance Therefore the Apostle Paul e Col. 2. 9. saith In him Christ the Sonne of GOD manifested in the flesh dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily that is personally which is to bee extended to all the other Persons For to whomsoeuer God communicates his nature he must needes communicate it wholly as hath beene said And this mystery how in that most simple and single essence of God there bee certaine substances or persons truly subsisting three in one and one in three differing but not deuided seuerall but not sundred many and yet the same all one for their nature all distinct for three persons is a secret of all secrets passing all reach and vnderstanding of man rather reuerently to be adored then too curiously to be searched into The fourth last point is the incommunicable properties whereby these persons are distinguished in theÌ„selues To the Sonne is proper to be begotten to the Holy Ghost to proceede the Father is of himselfe neyther begotten nor proceeding but which from all Eternity hath begotten his Sonne and hee and the Sonne together send forth the holy Spirit Of the Father wee shall not neede to speake But that the Sonnes proper subsistence is to be begotten as the name of Sonne importeth giuen vnto him of God Marke 3. 17. This is my well beloued Sonne and so called before hee tooke flesh Psal 2. 13. Kisse the Sonne lest hee be wroth But most cleerely in the f Pro. 30. 4. Prouerbs What is his Name or his Sonnes Name So the Scripture in many places sheweth Iohn 1. 18. The onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father And a g Iohn 2. 14. little before Wee beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten of his Father The like wee say of the Holy Ghost who is sometimes called the Spirit of God sometimes the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9 10. 11. But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you but if one haue not the Spirit of Christ this man is not his But if the Spirit of him that raysed Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raysed Christ from the dead will also quicken you by his Spirit dwelling in you Sometimes hee is said to bee sent from the Father or to proceed from the Father which is all one sometime to be sent from the Sonne Iohn 1. 5. 26 The error of the Greeke Churches who deny the Holy Ghosts proceeding from the Sonne But when the Comforter shall come whom I will send vnto you from the Father the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father As touching the God-head of Arius denyed Christ to be of the same nature with his Father but as it were a secondary god acknowledging hee was an excellent Creature created before the World by whom God created the World and saued Mankind and therefore as a God in office to bee adored not in essence The like of the Holy Ghost But since it is plaine that God made all things in six daies both the Sonne and the Spirit if they were creatures must haue beene comprehenced in that worke these three Persons Of the Father no man euer doubted But the God-head of the Sonne and Holy Ghost some Heretikes haue called in question wherefore to confirme our faith herein let vs take Arguments for them both For the God-head of the Sonne we haue these He is IAH IEHOVAH EHIEH that is to say being or perfection it selfe Psal 68. 19. Ascending on high thou leddest captiuity captiue and gauest gifts vnto men euen the Rebels thou dwelling there that is to say in Heauen leddest captiue O IAH God meaning Christ To whose Ascension the Apostle doth apply it Ephes 4. 8. EHIEH hee calleth himselfe manifestly Iohn 8. 58. Before ABRAHAM was made I am Not made but of my selfe and from my selfe without beginning for that iâ— the force of am elegantly opposed vnto made The name Iehouah is giuen him Genes 4. 1. h This interpretation floweth naturally from the Hebrew Text. Beside it there be two other which of all the rest seeme most probable One is Ieromes With or by â—ehouah that is by his goodnesse and blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But in that sence it should haue beene 〈◊〉
Gouernments Chiefe k Dan. 10. 13. Princes c. 1. Pet. 3. 22. Ephes 1. 21. Col. â— 16. Fourthly For their Power the name it selfe of Power l Rom. 1. 38. is giuen to them And the m Psal 103. 20. Prophet by name doth set it forth Yea Angels mighty in power And to the Thessalonians n 2. Thess 1. 17. When the Lord Iesus shall bee reuealed from Heauen with his most mighty Angels The Angels saith PETER in power o 2. Pet. 2. 11. and might greater then these As if hee would say other manner of persons whereby hee doth insinuate their exceeding and incomparable power Fifthly For their Glory what it is that one place may serue in stead of many where it is coupled with the glory of the Father and the Sonne When the p Luke 9. 26. Sonne of man shall come in the glory of himselfe and of his Father and of the holy Angels In the q Luke 2. 9. second of Luke when the Angell of the Lord stood before the Shepheards it is forth-with added that the glory of the Lord shone round about them Hither it maketh that the Glory and Maiesty which the Lord made to appeare in the face of Stephen for the daunting of his Aduersaries is r Acts 6. 15. resembled to the countenance of an Angell In the Vision which Å¿ Esay 6. 1. Esay saw they are brought in with two of their wings couering their feet Thereby to meete with the infirmitie of men who are not able to abide the brightnesse of their glory DANIEL t Dan. 10. 5 6. excellently describeth this in that great Vision which hee saw by the Waters of Chiddekel Lifting vp mine eyes I saw and behold a man clothed with Linnen whose loynes were girt with excellent Gold of Vphaz his Bodie was like vnto Sea-coloured blue as if hee would say of an heauenly colour his face to looke to like the Lightening and his eyes like to Lampes of fire and his armes and feete like vnto the colour of polished Brasse glittering and twinkling like sparkles of fire the noyse also of his words were like vnto the noyse of a whole multitude At whose appearance the men that were with Daniel trembled exceedingly and flying hid themselues hee also himselfe had no strength left within him but euen his beautie and comelinesse were turned into corruption And hither belongeth their wonderfull and admirable wisedome growne into a Prouerbe As u 2. Sam. 18. 14 the wisedome of an Angell The holinesse wherein men were created is recorded Genes 1. 26 27. Let vs make man according to our owne Image after our owne likenesse And wherein this Image and likenesse of God doth stand the Apostle doth informe vs Ephes 4. 24. Put on the new man which according to God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Coloss 3. 10. Putting on the new man which is renewed in knowledge according to the Image of him that hath created him And in this respect Adam also in his innocencie is called The sonne of God Luke 3. 38. Touching the happinesse of Adam and Eue in their integritie First They were beloued of God his sonnes and children Secondly They enioyed his presence but vpon Earth which was their habitation and therefore lesse gloriously then the Angels did but that they also had it is apparant by Gods familiar conference with Adam Gen. 2. 29. Thirdly They had Dominion and Power ouer all the Creatures of the Earth and were set as the Monarches of the World Gen. 1. Let x Gen. 1. 26. vs make man after our image c. and let them rule ouer the fishes of the Sea and ouer the Fowles of the Ayre and ouer Beasts and ouer the whole Earth and all creeping things that creepe vpon the y Gen. 20. 19 20 Earth Which soueraignty of man is declared Gen. 2. First by Gods bringing to Adam all the Beasts of the field and all the Fowles of the Ayre putting him in seisin and possession of them and making them to present themselues before him as subiects are wont to doe at their Princes Coronation Then by the names hee gaue vnto euery one that so hee might know how to call for them whensoeuer hee should need them to attend vpon him and to doe him seruice Fourthly They were indued with strength of nature not subiect to sicknesse or other infirmities Insomuch as their very labour was without all wearinesse paine or griefe which sinne hath brought vpon vs as appeareth by the Curse z Gen. 3. 17 19. Gen. 3. Because thou hast obeyed the voice of thy Wife and eaten of the fruit of the Tree which I forbade thee Cursed be the Earth for thy sake In sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eat thy meate Fifthly They were all glorious both in their bodie which being naked had an excellent dignitie and comelinesse in it without the least vnseemelinesse that might make them ashamed and in their minde furnished with all Graces and namely of wisedome and knowledge vnderstanding the nature of all the Creatures and able according to their nature to giue apt names vnto them Last of all for a further increase of their happinesse they were seated in Paradise a place of al kind of pleasure where for the exercising of man to labour in some honest and lawfull calling GOD gaue him charge to dresse and keepe the Garden CHAP. IIII. Of Prouidence AFTER the euerlasting Epicures which deny all Prouidence of God Those Philosophers that held nature That is some Power or Vertue Spirit or Minde as they terme it mingled and infused into the parts of the World that holdeth vp and stirreth all things to bee God Whereas in truth nature is nothing else but that course order which God at the first Creation set in things and which hee altereth and changeth at his pleasure Deuter. 8. 3. Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of Iehouah Decrees of GOD and Prouidence is his gouerning of the things created the Creation of the World his Kingdome thirdly standeth in gouerning the things created Both the course which at the first Creation hee set in nature and the actions and euents of things Herein consider wee first the generalitie of this gouernment that it reacheth to all in generall and to euery thing in particular past present or to come To set forth this more distinctly that so we may make the better vse of the generalitie of his Prouidence it stretcheth First To all Persons and liuing Creatures euen the vilest and most contemptible The a Psal 145. 15 16. eyes of all things looke vp to thee and thou giuest to them their meate thou openest thy hand and fillest euery liuing thing with thy good pleasure The b Psal 104. 21. young Lyons roare for their prey seeking their meate from
worship him Phil. 2. 9. Therefore God did also exceedingly exalt him and gaue vnto him a name aboue all names that al the Name of IESVS euery knes should bow of things in Heauen and vpon the Earth and vnder the ground Thirdly Hence groweth a borrowed manner of speech which the Learned in other Professions call Synedoche Diuines for the most part The c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communication of properties whereby sometimes that is attributed to whole Christ which agreeth to him but in respect of one of his natures As when wee say d 1. Cor. 15. Christ suffered was crucified dead and buried wee meane it of his Man-hood onely not of the Godhead which could not suffer when he saith of himselfe e Iohn 8. 58. Before ABRAHAM was Iam this is to bee vnderstood of his God-head onely not of his Man-hood which came of the Seed of Abraham Sometimes it is spoken of some one nature which agreeth to his whole person as that of the Apostle There f 1. Tim. 2. 5. is one Mediator betweene God and men the Man CHRIST IESVS meaning he which is so God as hee is also Man Sometimes of one nature which fitteth not that but the other As when the Apostle saith g 1. Tim. 3. 16. God was taken vp in Glorie h 1. Cor. 2. 8. If they had knowne him they would not haue crucified the Lord of Glorie i Acts 20. 28. God hath purchased his Church by his bloud And when our Sauiour saith k Mar. 13. 23. The Son himselfe knoweth not of that Day of Iudgement who seeth not that it is spoken of Christ by the Name of God which belongeth but to his Man-hood Againe in saying l Iohn 3. 13. The Sonne of man which is in Heauen hee giueth to himselfe as Man that which appertayneth to the God-head But note this phrase of speech or communication of properties hath place in the Name of m The Learned say in concreto not in abstracto God and Man not of the God-head and Man-hood Therefore as it is most certaine against Nestorius deuiding the person that the Man Christ was God and therefore eternall not in his Man-hood but in his God-head that Christ God was also Man and therefore crucified taken vp into Heauen c. not in his God-head but in his Man-hood So it is most wicked and blasphemous to say that the Man-hood of Christ is his God-head vncreated omnipotent euery-where c. or that his God-head is his Man-hood subiect to suffer c. as Eutyches did confounding the natures Thus farre of the person of Christ who it was necessarie should indeed be man First That God might be pacified in that nature that had offended Secondly that hee might vndergoe the punishment due to sinne which the God-head free from all suffering could not And therefore also it was necessarie hee should haue a soule and not his God-head stand in stead of a soule for our soules must haue perished euerlastingly except his soule had suffered for them Thirdly That he might be a fit Intercessor for vs hauing tasted of our miseries All this the Apostle teacheth Heb. 2. from the tenth Verse to the end of the Chapter setting forth most notably the rich and plentifull comfort that we reape from hence by many goodly Arguments And Heb. 4. 15. hee saith Wee haue not an High Priest that cannot suffer together with vs in our infirmities but one that was tempted in all things like vnto vs. Againe it was necessarie he should be God First Because none but God could reueale vnto vs the will and pleasure of God For none hath ascended into Heauen but the Sonne of man that descended from Heauen and is in Heauen Iohn 3. 13. that is to say No man euer did nor by nature can attayne to the true knowledge of heauenly things but hee that is also God to wit the Sonne the eternall Wisdome of the Father as Iohn also saith No n Iohn 1. 18 man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne of God which is in the bosome of the Father that is of one nature and essence with him hee hath reuealed him Neither had hee beene able to sustayne the infinite wrath of God due to our sinnes much lesse to ouercome it if himselfe had beene but a finite nature Yea meete it was hee should be the Sonne of GOD for being so by nature hee is able to bestow this priuiledge on those that beleeue to bee the sonnes of GOD by adoption Iohn 1. 12. The Vnion of both natures into one person was also necessarie First That in him God and Man wee might see and behold the Father for seeing God in his owne essence and nature is inuisible and no conceit can possibly bee framed of him the Apostle sheweth that for the staying of our faith and that our minde and vnderstanding might haue somewhat to rest vpon we haue Christ o Col. 1. 15. the Image of the inuisible God the p Heb. 13. brightnesse or resplendence of his Glorie and the ingrauen forme of his Person whom whosoeuer seeth seeth the Father also as he himselfe speaketh Iohn 1. 2. For the Sonne being q 1. Tim. 3. 16. God himselfe the second Person in Trinitie manifested in the flesh is as a Glasse in whose substantiall and visible Glorie as hee was made Man the Father giueth vs to see and almost to grope and feele his owne infinite Maiestie and Loue that cannot be comprehended without whom if we looke vpon God wee see indeed some small sparkes of Glorie to terrifie and amaze vs but in Christ God and Man we behold the liuely and expresse face of God not any more as a fearefull and terrible Iudge to affright vs but as a most gracious and louing Father to comfort and refresh vs. Secondly That thereby the obedience of Christ performed in the Man-hood might be of infinite merit as being the obedience of God himselfe 2. Cor. 5. 12. Him that knew not sinne he made to be sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him After the person of Christ followeth his Office of Christ or Anoynted Mediation to set vs at one with God whereof the Apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 2. 5. There is one Mediator betweene God and men the Man Christ Iesus In this Office of Mediation three things may bee considered First The persons both of the Mediatour and of those for whom Mediation is made Secondly The point and propertie of the office of Mediation Thirdly The meanes to effect it The Mediator is Christ the Sonne of God whom his Father in his infinite Wisdome Goodnesse and Mercie prouiding a meanes when there was no other meanes left in Heauen or vpon the Earth to saue vs sent downe his owne Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh to saue all Beleeuers whereupon it is not onely said that Christ died but that he was r Rom.
first of the Nature Persons and properties of the Godhead then of his soueraigntie and command together with the duty of Allegiance which wee owe vnto him which if men were able to performe as the Law of their Creation not enioyneth onely but inabled them vnto and as the Angels doe in Heauen they neede goe no farther but should be blessed in the doing of it But because that is a path which no foot of man can tread he propoundeth in the other three to miserable man fallen now away the blessed Sonne of God that peerelesse Pearle and inestimable Treasure of the World Iesus Christ the righteous who hath gone the tracke for vs and regeneration righteousnesse and sanctification through him more briefly Iohn 17. 3. hee noteth the perfect distribution of Diuinity To know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ These two parts lacking apt names to expresse them you may perhaps till we light vpon some better not altogether vnfitly call Theologie and Christianitie for so Theologie doth in his proper and naturall signification sound a Speech of or concerning God The name of Christianity taking it for the Doctrine of Christianitie as is vsuall in words of art may aptly bee deduced from diuers t Act. 13. 26. and 26. 18. 1. Pet. 4. 16. places of holy Writ and is the same in sense which the u Col. 3. 16. Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ. But till these termes by custome and vse bee worne and made familiar and our eares better acquainted with them I thinke it not amisse to forbeare the names let the thing be vnderstood To define God perfectly as that great and Christian God is Iehouah three persons Iehouah which is Being or perfection it self x Ramus in his Theology Logician said wee had neede of Gods owne Logicke whose nature knowne onely to himselfe infinitely exceedeth all thought and apprehension that can possibly bee in any creature wherefore to keepe vs within the limits of sobriety not taking vpon vs to define that wee know not which were folly and madnesse much lesse attempting it in the God-head which were extreme vngodlinesse we must remember the answere that God made vnto Moses desiring to see the Maiestie of his presence that he should see his hinder y Exod. 33. 23. parts but his face could not be seene There is then in God a forepart and a face there is a hinder part and backe By his face that is his very Maiestie and Essence no man or Angell is able to define GOD but by those steps and markes of his glory whereby he hath manifested himselfe in his Word and Works as it were by his hinder and backe parts we may in some sort describe him which what they are appeare in the next Chapter when passing by Moses whom he set in the hollow of a Rocke and couered with his hand till he were gone by he cryed z Exod. 34. 6. IEHOVAH IEHOVAH the mighty God mercifull and gracious long suffering and full of kindnesse and truth preseruing kindnesse for thousands forgiuing iniquity and rebellion and sinne by no meanes freeing the guiltie visiting the iniquity of fathers vpon children and vpon childrens children to the third and fourth Generation All which and whatsoeuer notes of his glory else scattered here and there in the whole Volume of the Scriptures or shining euery-where in the large Volume of the Heauens are many times comprehended in one onely word as Iah Iehouah or Ehieh that is to say I am as if you would say Being or perfection it selfe For these three comming from the same a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 root and being in effect but one are that essentiall and proper name of God whereby he calleth himselfe when he would paint out men the excellency of his Nature and distinguish it from all other things that are in Heauen or vpon the earth or vnder the earth So Exod. 3. 13 14 15. vnto Moses asking him When I shall say vnto them The God of your fathers hath sent me vnto you and they say to me What is his name what shall I say to them IEHOVAH answered MOSES EHIEH or I am for I am And he said Thus shalt thou say to the Children of Israel EHIEH that is I am hath sent me vnto you Againe God said to MOSES Thus shalt thou say vnto the Children of Israel IEHOVAH the God of your fathers the God of ABRAHAM the God of ISACK and the God of IACOB hath sent me vnto you This is my Name for euer and this is my Memoriall vnto all Ages Of the other we reade Psal 68. 5. Exalt him for his Name IAH It is most certaine that b Plato in his Dialogue entituled Cratylus the name of a thing if it be rightly giuen serueth to set out the true nature property of the thing wherein consisted a great part of that wisedome which was in Adam who c Gen. 2. 19. gaue apt and fit names to all the Beasts of the Field and to all the Fowles of the Ayre according to their quality and condition much more is the same to be thought of this Name which the most wise God taketh to him and is neuer giuen to any Creature Man nor Angell to Temple Sanctuary nor any holy place else not so much as in a Sacramentall signification if the places seeming to serue for that purpose be rightly skanned These words therefore doe truly and perfectly comprehend that backe part of his or d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 19. whatsoeeuer may be knowne of God so farre as our slender capacity is able to reach For first hereby appeareth that all that is is in him subsistence life vnderstanding will holinesse happinesse and whatsoeuer else all proper to him all his and commeth from him all essentiall vnto him and of his nature all infinite eternall and vnchangeable Or to speake more plaine in that he is Being first he must needs haue in himselfe the very life soule and perfection of all things that be subsistence life vnderstanding will holinesse happinesse and whatsoeuer else Secondly all this hee hath infinitely for what can bee imagined where Being should be excluded Thirdly nothing is in him but essentiall and of his nature for all is his Being Fourthly how can being it selfe otherwise be then of and from it selfe Fiftly Being can neuer leaue to bee nor haue beginning of his Being and therefore is eternall Lastly it is not possible that any thing should bee whom Being doth not make to bee In briefe God is being life vnderstanding will holinesse happinesse essentially infinitely eternally causally to himselfe and others And so doth the Apostle at once expound all those names when hee saith e Rom. 11. 36. For of him and by him and to him are all things But this needeth some larger explication Therefore it shall not bee amisse more particularly to deduce these things and
and part in another and therefore they are many men But God because he is a most single and perfect and infinite essence to whomsoeuer hee communicateth his nature as hee hath before all times to his Sonne and holy Spirit must needes communicate the same wholly and perfectly and infinitely So as there can be but one God for if there be many one must differ from another in hauing that the other hath not so can they not be perfect much lesse can they be perfection it selfe perfection being that which both is perfect of it selfe and giueth perfection to all other things But being many gods if one should giue perfection to the other that other were not God For hee had not his God-head of himselfe if all had of themselues none should giue to other so none of them were God And infinite how can that be which is distributed among many for where there be many all must be circumscribed because where one is there cannot bee the other But our God is such a one as filleth Heauen and Earth and cannot be circumscribed therefore in trauelling with a multitude of gods they bring forth no God at all But because in so high and deepe a point of Christian Religion we are not to rest vpon naturall reasons leauing them I come vnto the vndoubted Oracles of holy Scripture whereby it is most cleerely and euidently confirmed Deut. 6. 4. Harken Israel IEHOVAH thy Gods meaning the persons in the God-head are one Iehouah or one diuine Essence Deut. 32. 39. See now that I am he and there is no God with mee For who k Psal 18. 32. saith the Psalmist is God beside IEHOVAH Esay 44. 6. Thus saith IEHOVAH I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God Againe l Esay 45. 5. I am IEHOVAH and there is none but I beside me there is no God And the m 1. Cor. 8. 4. Apostle to the Corinths We know there is no other God but one for albeit there be that are called gods both in Heauen and vpon Earth as there be in the vaine conceits of men many gods and many lords yet to vs there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and one Iesus Christ c. The same hee inforceth in the n Ephes 4. 5. Epistle to the Ephesians There is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all c. which also is a notable reason For if there were many gods there must also be many faiths one beleeuing in this god another in that god And here the sleights of Satan haue from time to time beene wonderfull who not able to wring out of mens minds the opinion of a God so strongly settled in them hath cunningly abused the World by bringing in an imaginary multitude of gods bewitching them to worship partly fained powers partly bare creatures neglecting the Creatour blessed for euer Amen By how much The three persons are each of them that one Iehouah diuersly subsisting and are the Father and the Sonne and the Holy Ghost the more wee are to striue for the holding fast of this Truth as the Piller of Faith and ground of all Pietie howsoeuer it bee a truth of all other most true and certayne that there is nor can be but one onely God for the causes before alleaged ye the Scripture telleth vs that in this most simple and single essence there bee three subsistences or persons truely subsisting whereof euery one is distinct from other and each hath the whole God-head in him The Father which eternally begat the Sonne The The Father is a Person which from all eternitie hath begotten the Sonne Sonne eternally begotten of the Father The Holy Ghost eternally proceeding both from the Father and the Sonne And these three Persons are all one God or one Diuine Nature The Scripture is wont to expresse them vnder the name The Sonne is a Person from all eternitie begotten of the Father The Holy Ghost is a Person eternally proceeding from the Father and the Sonne of Elohim gods not as if there were more gods then one but to note the diuers subsistences in the God-head as you may see Deut. 6. 4. Esay 54. 5. and in a number of other places and therefore vseth for the most part to couple it with a Verbe singular Wee call them Persons because they are liuing and vnderstanding natures subsisting by themselues which are the things that make a Person For first brute creatures are no persons because hauing life yet they want vnderstanding Secondly euery person must subsist that is bee some one particular thing as Iohn Peter c. For the whole nature of man wee doe not call a person but a thing common to many persons Thirdly this subsistence must be by it selfe neyther the part of another thing nor sustayned of another thing as the Soule of a man whilest it is coupled with the Body subsisting all that while not alone but together with the Body is not called a person And so wee rightly say that the humanity of Christ consisting of a reasonable Soule and Body as all other men doe yet in him maketh not a person as it doth in Iohn and Peter because it subsisteth not alone but in the Deitie which supporteth it To prooue the Sonne and Holy Ghost Samosetan ' Seruetus c make the Sonne and eternall Word of God a bare Idea and imaginary thing The Holy Ghost nothing else but an operation or moouing whereby God worketh in his Children And so rob the Church of the true God blessed for euer Amen to bee persons truly subsisting indued with Iudgement will vnderstanding and a liuing nature not bare qualities or actions the place of Genesis o Gen â— 26 is most cleere and subiect to no cauill Let vs make man according to our Image God the Father consulteth not there with his Angels for the glory of Creation he reserueth to himselfe alone neyther was man made to the Image of Angels but of God he speaketh not of himselfe in the plurall number for honour sake for that kind of speech you shall not finde so ancient nor knowne to the former Ages but he speaketh and consulteth after his manner which is Diuine and Spirituall with his Sonne Holy Spirit which how could it be if they were not vnderstanding substances So in the diuision of Tongues he taketh counsell Come p Gen. 11. 7. let vs goe downe and confound their speech This was not with the Angels but with the Sonne and Holy Ghost For straightway Moses addeth So IEHOVAH scattered them Touching the Sonne In the beginning was the Word Iohn 1. 2. was that is truely subsisted for so is the nature of that word How could hee bee the q Iohn 1. 18. onely begotten Sonne of God r Colâ—s 1. 15. borne before any thing was created if hee were not a liuing person He that Å¿ Dan. 9. 13.
come aswell as others which hee declareth afore hand vnto his Church As the same y 1. Pet. 1. 16. Apostle saith The fore-witnessing Spirit of Christ declared the things that were to befall vnto him and the glory that was to follow And by this Argument is his God-head manifestly prooued z Esay 42. 22 23 26. Esay 41. where God prouoking all false gods and their worshippers to bring their proofes and to vse their strongest arguments hee saith Let them vtter and declare vnto vs the things that shall fall out The former things what they were declare that we may set our minde vnto them and know the end of them or the things to come declare vnto vs nay saith hee declare but the signes of the things hereafter that wee may know you to be gods At the length hee concludeth There is none that can declare there is none that can fore-tell there is none that can heare your wordes A chiefe man in Sion in whom behold behold these things and to Ierusalem a Publisher of glad tydings I will giue The summe is none can declare things immediately nor at the length to come to passe nor giue any incling or signification of future things but all this glory God taketh to himselfe in Christ yea so infinite is this his Knowledge that euen the secrets of all hearts which God onely discerneth are knowne vnto him for that is it which the Euangestlist Iohn a Iob. 2. 24 25. expresly noteth Hee committed not himselfe into the hands of the Iewes which after a sort beleeued in him because hee knew all men and had no need that any should testifie of man for himselfe knew what was in man In another b Matth. 9. 4. place hee is said to haue seene their thoughts and Reuel 2. 14 to search the hearts and the reines Neyther doth this knowledge rest here but it soundeth the bottomlesse counsels of God his Father vnsearchable of all his Creatures Reuelation 5. The Booke with seuen Seales in the right hand of him that sate vpon the Throne which none in Heauen nor vpon the Earth nor vnder the Earth was able to open nor so much as to looke vpon it this Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah the root of Dauid by his owne Power preuayled to open Hereof it is that in the Prophet c Dan. 8. 13. Daniel wee find him set forth by the name of PALMONI Then I heard saith he a certaine Saint speaking for the Saint said vnto PALMONI the speaker that is to Christ the Interpreter of his Fathers will How long shall this Vision be PALMONI is a compound word and signifieth as much as to haue all hidden and secret things ready told and as wee vse to speake at ones fingers ends most absolutely and perfectly knowne which is the proper Epithete of our Sauiour Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of Wisedome and Vnderstanding and who is said to bee in the Bosome of the Father yea who is the very Wisdome of God as manifestly appeareth by conference of the two Euangelists Matthew and Luke for that which Christ saith in MATTHEW d Matth. 23. 24 Behold I send among you Prophets and Wise-men and Scribes c. LVKE c Luke 21. 49. hath it Therefore also the Wisedome of God saith I will send among you Prophets and Apostles c. Last of all hee is called Eternall Psalm 93. 2. Thy Throne is established from before then meaning any time whereof a man may say then thou art from euerlasting And that this Psalme is spoken of Christ appeareth in the very first beginning Iehouah raigueth Salomon in his Prouerbs f Prou. 8. 22. doth notably inforce the same IEHOVAH possessed mee in the beginning of his way before his workes before then Before the World was I anoynted before the beginning before the first things of the Earth when yet there were no deepes was I brought forth when there were no Fountaines heauy with water when yet Mountaines were not fastened before the Hils was I brought forth yet he had not made the Earth nor streets no not the beginning nor dusts of the inhabited World When hee fitted the Heauens there was I when he appointed the circuit vpon the face of the Deepe when he fortified the Cloudes aboue when he strengthned the Fountaines of the Deepe when he laid his Decree vpon the Sea that the waters should not passe the commandement of his mouth when hee appointed the foundations of the Earth And hereunto serueth that to the Colâ—ssiâ—â—s g Col. 1. 15. Begotten before all Creation or before any thing was â—reated and therefore from euerlasting Agreeable whereunto is that whereby he calleth himselfe in the h Reuel 18. Reuelation Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end which was and which is and which is to come And in IOHN i Iohn 8. 5 8. before ABRAHAM was made I am Againe k Iohn 17. 15. Glorifie mee O Father with the glory which I had before the World was with thee That also to the l Heb. 9. 14. Heb. 1. 2. Hebrewes where hee is said to haue offered vp himselfe by his euerlasting Spirit is verie pregnant to prooue his Eternall Deitie And when by him God made all Ages the times and courses of all things must not he the Maker and Beginner of Time be himselfe before all Time But that of all other is most emphaticall where he is called m Esay 9. 5. The Father of Eternity not onely eternall but Eternity it selfe and the Author of it Thirdly being the Sonne and begotten as before appeared hee must needes bee vnderstood to bee of his Fathers Essence For he that begetteth and they that are begotten are all of one nature especially he that hath not the like but the same very Essence and whole God-head in him As he is therefore Consubstantiall so is he coequall with his Father A sonne is inferiour to his father because his father is more excellent then hee in priority of Time in priority of Dignity For his Wisedome and other parts which the sonne by instruction receiueth from him Againe because hee bestoweth freely this benefit vpon his sonne to beget him for fleshly Parents in gender voluntary of their free will and election not by nature These things set aside a sonne who hath not the same but the like nature with his father were equall with him How much more therefore is this true in the Sonne of God who is not of the like but of the selfe-same nature and Essence with his Father and in whom none of the things before alleaged can take place Priority of Times there is none for all are Coeternall nothing vnperfect for what is the God-head but perfection it selfe Neyther doth the heauenly Father like vnto fleshly Parents beget his Sonne voluntarily so as he might haue begotten him or left him vnbegotten or may beget moe but hee begetteth him by nature and therefore him alone
of the Apostles l Luke 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith Pardoneth and remitteth sinnes and that by his owne Authority He m Luk. 7. 48 49 said vnto her Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And they that sate downe with him began to say in themselues Who is this that doth also forgiue sinnes As n Luke 5. 21. elsewhere vpon the like occasion they said He did blaspheme grounding themselues vpon a certayne truth That none can forgiue sinnes but God onely He washeth and sanctifieth the Church as a glorious Spouse vnto himselfe which because it is the proper worke of God is therefore expresly o Rom. 1. 14. attributed to his Spirit or Diuine Power And by this Argument he confirmeth his God-head Ioh. 5. 21. As the Father rayseth the dead in sinne and quickeneth so also the Sonne quickeneth whom hee will This is he which is to iudge the World Iohn 5. 22. The Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement to the Sonne Hee rayseth vp by his mighty voyce the bodies of the dead Iohn 5. 22. p Iohn 5. 28. For the time shall come when all that are in the graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man and shall come forth So in q Iohn 6. 34 40 another place And I will rayse him vp in the latter Day Rom. 1. 4. he is said to haue raysed vp himselfe And in IOHN r Iohn 10. 18. I haue power to lay downe my soule and to take it vp againe Yea he is called the Å¿ Iohn 11. 25. Resurrection to note that hee doth this of himselfe and by his owne authority who were hee not God could not rayse vp himselfe much lesse rayse vp and quicken others To conclude as a Crowne of all the rest this is he which t Iohn 1. 12. to as many as receiue him giueth this dignity to bee the Sonnes of God u Reuel 1. 6. hath made vs Kings and Priests to God his Father and giueth euerlasting life which x Rom. 6. 23. is the gift of God alone To y Reuel 3. 21. him that ouercommeth I will giue to sit with mee in my Throne So Iohn 10. 27 28. My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue euerlasting life vnto them Sixtly maruellous are those markes whereby as by certaine steps and footings we may trace out the Maiesticall glory of his God-head Iohn 1. 14. We beheld his glory as the glory of the onely Begotten comming from the Father PAVL also calleth him The Lord of glory 1. Cor. 2. 8. For had they knowne they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory By which very phrase if there were no more wee may easily discerne him to be selfe-same mighty God full of Maiesty and of Power whom z Psal 24 9 10 Dauid termeth the King of glory and forthwith addeth Who is the King of glory IEHOVAH of Hosts he is the King of glory In the Acts a Acts 7. 56. when hee shewed himselfe to STEPHEN the Heauens are said to haue beene opened as it were the Creature to giue place vnto the Creator He is the b Col. 1. 15. Image of the inuisible God The c Heb. 1. 3. engrauen forme of his Fathers Person and resplendence of his glory hath one d Reuel 22. 1. and the selfe-some Throne with his Father whereby equall Power and Dignity is meant In e Iohn 1. 18. IOHN He is said to be in the bosome of the Father Hither belongeth that Honourable Title which the Father giueth vnto Christ when hee calleth him f Zach. 13. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man my fellow as it were another himselfe the representer of his Person as the Hebrew word doth signifie The Elect and holy Angels are called the Angels of God and neuer the Angels of any Creature as by way of noting out any authority ouer them But Christ is not onely the g Iude verse 9. Arch-angell chiefe h Dan. 10. 13. of the heauenly Princes and i Iâ—sh 8. 2. Prince of the Host of IEHOVAH but further they are said by name to be k Reuel 12. 7 8. Mat. 13. 4. his Angels and l Heb. 1. 6. willed to doe him homage Let all the Angels of God worship him In the Prophets you may euery where see how they minister to Christ are sent by him and runne at his Commandement Ezech. 10. 6. The man clothed in linnen with a Writers Inke-horne by his side which was Christ the Priest and Mediatour of his Church sealing them to eternall Life by the Bloud of the New Testament being commanded of his Father to fill his fists with coles of fire from betweene the Cherubins and to scatter it vpon the City Assoone as he came and stood by the wheeles one of the Cherubs an Angell tooke of the fire and put it into his fists prest and ready to serue him as he was to obey his Father In m Zach. 1 9 11 Zachary the Angell that spake to the Prophet being the same n Verse 9. Angell that stood betweene the two Myrrh-trees called also the man that stood betweene the Myrrh-trees that it might bee knowne to be meant of Christ taketh of the other Angels a reckoning and account of their doings The same Angell in the o Zach. 2. 3 4. next Chapter biddeth another Angell that came forth to meete him as it were to know his pleasure what he would command him to runne and informe the Prophet of those promises which there hee maketh to his Church So p Dan. 8. 16. Daniel hauing seene a great Vision which he vnderstood not heard the voyce of a man which was Christ calling and saying GABRIEL make this man vnderstand the Vision But in the times of the Gospell when the Propheticall Visions were more cleere then vnder shaddowes of the Law his also is more manifest For in the very beginning of the Booke of the q Reuel 1. 1. Reuelation the things which Christ receiued from his Father he is said to haue sent and shewed them by his Angel to his Seruant IOHN And in the r Reuel 2â— 16. coÌ„clusion of the Booke againe I IESVS haue sent my Angell to testifie these things vnto you The conference of which place with Å¿ Reuel 22. 6. that which went immediately before The Lord God of the holy Prophets hath sent his Angel to shew his Seruants the things which must come to passe shortly noteth him out plainly to bee that IEHOVAH The true God which spake by the holy Prophets Wee are t Mat 28. 19. Acts 2. 38. baptized into his Name A forme of speech signifying that we dedicate and consecrate our selues to him as to our GOD and Lord. Whereupon u 1. Cor. 1. 14. Paul worthily detesteth it to haue beene thought as if hee baptized any into his owne Name God x Mat. 4. 10. onely is to bee
lesse from desperation for euen when hee cryed out in the anguish of his soule Why hast thou forsaken me yet he ceaseth not to call him his God of whom he complayneth himselfe to bee forsaken but it grew out of a meere humiliation for howsoeuer as touching his Diuine Nature he were equall with GOD the Father yet he found in his humanitie wherein hee was to pay our ransome an exceeding vnabilitie to satisfie Gods Iustice vnlesse hee might bee pleased fauourably to accept the Sacrifice of his Bodie not as the Sacrifice of a man but as the Sacrifice of his onely begotten Sonne and what was wanting in the weaknesse of his humane Nature to account sufficiently made vp in the worthinesse of his God-head Besides he feared not an vtter desertion or forsaking which to feare were desperation but lest his humane Nature should for a time be left alone without any comfortable assistance of the God-head fearing in that distressefull agonie of his and the verie confusion of the powers of his nature how long it might hold him and how infinitely more it might increase vpon him seeing that hee was not yet come to the greatest of his Passion from whence by a meere naturall desire abhorring paine which may well be without sinne he would haue gladly beene released And therefore praying it might passe from him yet presently submitteth himselfe vnto it Mat. 26. 39. O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me Neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt And againe Verse 42. O my Father if this Cup cannot passe away from mee but that I must drinke of it thy will bee done y Mar. 14. 36. MARKE hath it thus Father all things are possible to thee take away this Cup from mee Neuerthelesse not as I will but as thou wilt The third thing to bee obserued in his sufferings is All which hee fully satisfied that by the power of his God-head hee did indure and went thorow with them and did not take the foile for as a huge stone falling vpon a piece of britle glasse grindeth it all to powder but if it light vpon a thing as huge as it selfe it is not able for to wagge it so the infinite power of his God-head strengthened the humane Nature of Christ to indure the brunt of the infinite wrath and displeasure of his Father in such sort as it did not ouer-whelme him but that in the middest of all his sufferings hee did in a manner conquer and ouercome laying in his humilitie the beginning as it were and foundation of his Glorie and of his Kingdome in his lowe estate Whereof it followeth First that in the middest of his most bitter sufferings he was freed from hatred of God finall desperation and such like which are not of the substance of the punishment but lamentable and fearefull effects in those that are ouercome of it Secondly That hee was not nor could not bee crushed with the waight of it into Hell the place of the damned Thirdly That making satisfaction he did not lye for euer vnder it But how then did hee pay the ransome of our sinnes which is Hell fire the second Death euerlasting condemnation if he neither were in Hell to suffer there and came so quickly out of his suffering here These things as hath beene shewed are no part of the punishment but effects and things annexed to it when the punishment it selfe is not able to bee indured and hath no place where that is borne and satisfied And yet it is more that Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God yea God himselfe should for a small while thus beare the Curse of the Law then if the whole World had suffered eternall punishment in Hell fire The fourth thing is how and which way he satisfied our cursednes here in the whole course of his life all this and when First Our cursednesse here he satisfied in the whole course of his life as z Mat. 8. 16 17 the Euangelist out of the Prophet noteth He healed all that were sicke that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esay the Prophet saying Hee tooke our infirmities and bare our sicknesse Secondly the infinite wrath of God his Father hee our full cursednesse vpon the Crosse satisfied vpon the Crosse for thither doth the Scripture euer call vs a 1. Pet 2. 24. Who bare our sInnes vpon the Wood that b Ephes 2. 16. hee might reconcile both in one bodie vnto GOD through the Crosse killing enmitie through it c Coloss 2. 14. blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances that was against vs which was secretly contrarie to vs hee tooke it away nayling it to the Crosse Thirdly Death in the graue where beeing solemnely and death by dying vnder the power whereof he lay three daies in the graue buried to assure vs his death was a true death and not counterfeit nor fayned he lay three dayes vnder the ignominious dominion of it The fift and last thing is the end which is also the vse and fruit of his sufferings Forgiuenesse of sins Mortification or Abolishing of our sinful lusts and the Freeing of vs from death and condemnation as shall appeare hereafter To come vnto the last of those foure heads our Sauiours The glories of Christ that followed his suffrings humbling of himselfe so farre as to be obedient vnto death the death of the Crosse it pleased God to crowne with an infinite waight of blisse as the Apostle teacheth Phil. 2. 9. Agreeable whereunto is that of the Prophet d Esay 53. 10. Esay Seeing he giueth himselfe an Oblation for sinne hee shall see a seede and prolong his dayes And Reuel 5. 12 13. It is the voyce of infinite thousands of holy Angels applauded by all the creatures in heauen and vpon the earth and by the foure liuing creatures and the foure and twentie Elders Worthie is the Lambe that was slaine to receiue power and riches and wisdome and strength and honor and glorie and praise In which two e 1. Pet. 1. 11. Psal 22. the sufferings of Christ the glories that did follow the whole substance of the Gospell standeth as he himselfe teacheth his Disciples Luk. 24. 26. Must not Christ haue suffered these things and so enter into his glorie But had he no glorie at all before he had finished his sufferings Indeed during the time of his humiliation which was all his life long whilest he bare the infirmity of our natures and the punishment due to the same the great happinesse belonging to him was smothered in some sort that it did not so appeare neyther was the time for the full manifesting thereof yet come Howbeit euen then he did not obscurely make ouerture of it many wayes For first in that weakenesse of his flesh he gaue so liuely tokens of his glorie that the f 1. Tim. 3. 16. Apostle feareth not to say euen then When he was manifested in the
for the World but for those whom thou hast giuen me Fiftly For what things this Intercession is made Not for some one or few benefits but that we may be partakers of all the good things that he hath wrought Faith or Vocation Vnion with himselfe that is to say Regeration Righteousnesse and Sanctification through him Constancie and Perseuerance in the estate of Grace and finally Eternall Happinesse for all these parts are particularly set downe Iohn 17. as namely Verse 20. 21. I pray for all that are to beleeue in me by their Ministerie that all may be one as thâ—â— Father in me and Iâ—n thee So that they also may be one with vs that the World may beleeue that thou hast sent mee Verse 17. Sanctifie them by thy Truth Verse 11 Holy 〈…〉 er keepe them in thy Name Verse 15. I pray not that thou 〈…〉 them out of the World but that thou keepe them from th 〈…〉 one Verse 13. That they may haue my ioy fulfilled to them Verse 24. Righteous Father whom thou hast giuen vnto me I desire that where I am there they also may be that they may behold my Glorie which thou hast giuen me And Verse 26. That the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be vpon them So hee doth expresse the Intercession hee made for Peter to bee That his faith should not faile Luke 22. 32. Intercession therefore of our Sauiour Christ is as it were a continuall plaister for the curing of the manifold slips frailties and sins whereunto the faithfull through infirmitie doe continually fall that so by a speciall and continuall application of his Merit our persons may remayne iust and our workes acceptable to God 1. Iohn 2. 1. If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate c. Sixtly That as in his humanitie hee desireth all these things for our Saluation and the applying of his Merits and death vnto vs so by the power of his Deâ—â—e he doth indeed apply them whereunto his being in t Heb. â— â—4 Heauen and in the sight of God his u Rom. â— 34. sitting at the right hand of his Father and his x Heb. 7. 25. euerliuing doe much 〈…〉 le making that Intercession of his as in it selfe more glorious so for vs more gracious and acceptable and able perfectly to saue them that come to God by him Seuenthly That y Rom. 8. 26. making Intercession for vs hee teacheth vs also by his Spirit to make Intercession to God with Prayers sighes and grones that cannot bee expressed CHAP. III. Of Christs Gouernment of the World in generall AFter the Priesthood of Christ next followeth Such is the Priest-hood of Christ his Kingdome followeth his Kingdome which is euerywhere spoken of in the Scriptures and most honourable and glorious promises made vnto it Esay 9. 7. A Child shall bee borne vnto vs and a Sonne giuen to vs vpon whose shoulder the Dominion shall lye Esay 32. 1. Behold a King shall raigne in Righteousnesse And Ierem. 23. 5. A King shall raigne and prosper Generally in his Kingdome I obserue three things Kingdome First A calling of Christ by God his Father to it for as hee intruded not himselfe into the Office of a Priest but expected the calling of his Father so he tooke not vpon him to raigne before hee had a Kingdome giuen him Therefore Psalme 2. 6. God is brought in saying I haue appointed my King ouer Sion my holy Hill And Dan. 2. 44. it is said In those dayes shall the God of Heauen rayse vp a Kingdome So Luke 1. 32. the Angell telleth MARIE The Lord shall giue vnto him the Throne of his Father DAVID And PETER z Acts 2. 36. Him hath God made both Lord and Christ Secondly The inuesting of him into the Princely Honour and Administration of his Kingdome whereof he had full seizin and was put into the actuall and reall possession of it when he ascended into Heauen which a man may call his going vp vnto his Coronation Daniel a Dan. 7. 13 14 in his seuenth Chapter hath a notable description of it seeing in a Vision Christ God and Man comming out of Heauen into the lower parts of the Earth to worke the mysterie of our Redemption and that done ascending into Heauen to the Ancient of dayes God his Father to present himselfe before him And to him saith hee was giuen Dominion Glorie and a Kingdome Thirdly The fruit and end of all this the same wherevnto is in the things which he doth from God for those Elect the whole worke of his Mediation tendeth which is our b Ephes â— 16. Peace and Reconciliation with God in and through him Therefore hee is called The c Esay 9. 6. Prince of Peace d Heb. 7. 2. The King of Righteousnesse and The King of Peace figured by MELCHISEDECH King of Shalem And heereupon the e Rom. 14. 17. Apostle saith that the Kingdome of God is Righteousnesse Peace and loy in the Holy Ghost More specially to treat of this his Kingdome It parteth The kingdome of Christ hath two parts it selfe into three mayne Armes or Branches rising by so many steps or stayres one is his Gouernment of the World in generall taking things in such sort as the Fall did leaue them without vouchsafing any further fauour And this may bee called the footstoole of his Kingdome Another standeth in the bestowing of his Word and the fruits thereof matters of speciall grace though such as fall vpon the Reprobate and this may be called the Scepter of his Kingdome The third Is the giuing of his Spirit whereby of carnall he maketh vs spirituall and heauenly Creatures and this may be called the Seate and Throne or rather the Life and Power of his Kingdome as these three parts are so distinguished and in the same order Psal 93. The first words of which Psalme in a holy triumph and reioycing-wise expresse the generall argument that Iehouah which is Christ our Lord raigneth and not raigneth onely but hath his Raigne accompanied with two Noble Adiuncts Glorie and Power Then hee commeth to distinguish the parts First his Gouernment of the World considered in two degrees One the stay and sustentation of all things the same which the f Heb. 1. 3 Apostle so highly magnifieth to the Hebrewes for whereas Adams sinne had turned vpside downe the whole frame of Nature and according to the curse What day thou eatest of the forbidden fruit thou shalt certainly dye had brought man and all the Creatures for mans sake to vtter ruine and desolation Christ the Mediator steppeth forth and there beginneth his Kingdome in holding vp the World which otherwise had instantly come to nothing This you haue in the latter end of the first Verse The inhabited World is settled it shall not be remoued And that so wonderfull a thing as this a worke of such admiration might haue a reason sutable to make it not seeme strange the Prophet
full and perfect yet as touching the measure and cleernesse of Reuelation there was something still behind more fully to bee manifested till hee spake lastly and perfectly by his Sonne vpon his owne comming in the flesh And this the silly woman of Samaria may teach vs to haue beene a doctrine which euermore sounded in the Church z Iohn 4. 25. When the Messia commeth he will teach vs all things cleerly and in all perfection Wherein that the Church was not deceiued appeareth by his owne testimonie Iohn 15. 15. Whatsoeuer I haue heard from my Father I haue made knowne vnto you And Iohn 8. 26. The things which I haue heard from him that sent me those doe I speake in the World Vpon these two differences it must follow that whilest the Church was in her infancie vnder the Rudiments of the Law the Fathers seeing by that darke and dimme light neither could their knowledge be so perfect nor were the Graces dealt vnto them so plentifull and so many The Euangelist teacheth it excellently Iohn 1. 14 15 16 17. comparing the Ministerie of Moses which stood in Rites and Ordinances with Christ and his Ministerie The a Verse 14. Diuine Maiestie saith he that shone in Christ the Resplendence of his Fathers Glorie euen as wee consider him clothed in our flesh was conspicuous to the World in two eminent Vertues Grace and Truth which hee had not in measure nor by participation but the whole nature and fulnesse of them b Verse 15. Whereunto Iohn Baptist himselfe bare record highly magnifying the Person and Office of Christ aboue his owne Who though he were in the number of his Auditours and did follow him as Schollers vse to come behind their Master yet had the precedence and was infinitely preferred before him for so his worth and excellencie farre beyond Iohns did require But both these vertues really residing in himselfe he hath beene pleased to communicate vnto vs in large and aboundant manner first touching Grace c Verse 16. From the fulnesse of Christ anointed with the substance of it wee receiue grace for grace the same very grace all the graces that are in him though not in the same measure as the Waxe doth the print of the Seale print for print and the childe the fathers lineaments limme for limme d Verse 17. Whereas the Law the Ceremoniall Law deliuered by Moses hauing but a shaddow of good things to come was not able to set a liuely print and to stampe grace vpon them Heb. 10. 1. Secondly For Truth e Verse 18. He onely Hee one with his Father and of the same nature and essence hath euidenced him and made him visible who before was hidden vnder the shaddowes and Ceremonies of the Law The Apostle to the Corinths handling the same Argument hath in effect the same Metaphore 2. Cor. 3. 13 14 18. In the Old Testament a vayle or couering kept away the cleer Light that their eyes were rather dazeled then able to looke into the bottome of Moses Ministery But now in these times of the Gospell wherein wee behold the Glorie of the Lord in his Sonne manifested in the flesh as in a Glasse or Mirrour the beames of his Glorie reflecting leaue an Image or print behind them to make vs also glorious by a secondarie kind of Glorie Hereunto it maketh that the state of the Church vnder the Messiah hath the name of The f Mat. 3. 2. 5. 19. Kingdome of Heauen because therein shineth the brightnesse of heauenly glorie first in the person of Christ and the blessings vpon him then in the good things which he bestoweth vpon his Church All which are called heauenly things Heb. 8. 5 and 9. 23. Not shaddowes or figures of heauenly things to come but themselues the true heauenly things which those vnder the Law were Types and Samplers of This bountie of Christ to fill all things with the rich Graces of his Spirit the Scripture maketh an effect of his Glorification or sitting at the right hand of GOD Ephes 4. 7 8. To euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Therefore he saith Ascending on high hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts vnto men So Iohn 7. 39. The Holy Ghost yet was not because Iesus was not yet glorified And Acts 2. 33. Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God and hauing receiued the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath powred out that which you now see and heare Not that Christ did it not before for he gaue from the beginning all spirituall blessings to his Church and people But it is spoken comparatiuely because then indeed vpon his Ascension or Glorification hee set open as it were the Windowes of Heauen to raine downe all the showres of his graces in a farre more excellent manner and measure then euer hee did before As Peter g Acts 2. 16 17 18. Acts 2. confirmeth out of h Ioel 2. 28. Ioel applying it to those present times It shall be in the latter dayes that I will powre out of my Spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes shall prophecie and your daughters and your young men shall see Visions and your old men shall dreame Dreames Yea verily vpon my Men-seruants and Mayd-seruants will I powre forth of my Spirit and they shall prophecie Which notwithstanding is to bee vnderstood of the common and ordinarie dispensation of God in the generall gouernment of his Church not of particular persons seeing among the Fathers there are so many to bee found that went farre before the best of vs in faith knowledge and all other Christian vertues whose names the Scripture celebrateth as mirrors and examples for vs to follow But of the whole dispensation of God towards the Fathers full of so great varietie of matter because it would aske a Volume and is too large for this place and our purpose you haue a treatise by it selfe entituled The Old Testament or The Promise Let vs now come to the Sacraments of the New Testament and the seuerall sorts of Ministeries There be two Sacraments of the new Testament Baptisme Touching the Sacraments and Ministeries of the new Testament There be two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper Baptisme is a washing with water and the Lords Supper as the Apostle reckoneth them 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 12 13 14. Baptisme is a washing with water to assure our incorporating into Christ Where the outward signe is double first The Element or matter is Water and not any other Liquor Matth. 3. 11. I baptize you with Water vnto Repentance Secondly The action and forme of Baptisme as the Ministers washing of the baptized person which in the East hote countries was wont to be by the dipping diuing as it were of all the bodie into the water whence Baptisme hath his name with vs it is by sprinkling to assure our entrance into the Couenant for that young
and hath obtayned a Name aboue all names a Crowne of Glorie and a Kingdome whereof there shall not bee any end gouerning all things in Heauen and vpon the Earth vanquishing and subduing the proud Enemies and Rebels to his Kingdome and leading captiuitie captiue gathering out of the wicked World a holy Nation a peculiar people euen in respect of their outward calling to the prayse of his glorious Name opening their eyes to behold the vnsearchable riches of himselfe in whom are hidden all the treasures of Wisdome and Vnderstanding filling their hearts with manifold Graces and Blessings of his Spirit separating and choosing out from among them Pastors Teachers and other Officers for the well ordering and guiding of his House which is the Church of the liuing God and not onely reaching forth to manie of them from aboue a comfortable taste of the sweetnesse and excellencie that is in him but vpon such and so many as God the Father through him hath from euerlasting purposed vnto Glorie powring downe that most excellent and precious gift of Faith proper to the Elect whereby he giueth himselfe to be theirs and taketh them to bee his knitteth and vniteth them as members to that Mysticall Bodie whereof himselfe is the Head maketh them in a spirituall and vnspeakeable sort bone of his bone flesh of his flesh and one together with him and so becommeth vnto them that heauenly and supernaturall Bread whereby their soules are fed vnto euerlasting life Good Lord this m Mat. 6. 11. Day and euery n Luke 11. 3. Day giue this our bread vnto vs that we may so come vnto him as we may neuer hunger so beleeue in him as wee may neuer thirst so be regenerate and borne againe by the incorruptible seed of the Word of God which liueth and abideth for euer that it may neuer dye within vs but confirmed still in our most holy Faith by the preaching of thy Gospell participation of thy Sacraments Prayer and other holy meanes wee may grow vp thorowly in him which is our Head till wee come to the full age of men growne in Christ by the ioyfull and blessed beholding of him in his Glorie The fift Petition And forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs is for Iustification through the Righteousnesse we haue in Christ forgiuenesse of sinnes which is but one part being put for the whole Pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes by the death and sufferings of thy Sonne and so remooue both the guilt and punishment away from vs Clothe vs with all his sufficient and most absolute and perfect Holinesse and Obedience that being made the Righteousnesse of God in him we may appeare in thy presence not onely as no sinners but as perfectly iust in thy Sonne hauing that Righteousnesse that is able to abide the rigour of thy sentence so as thou thy selfe iustifying and absoluing none may bee able to accuse And looking vpon vs no otherwise then thou doest vpon thine onely Sonne wee may at the barre of thy Tribunall Seate and in thy most holy Iudgement bee freed from wrath and condemnation and declared worthie of euerlasting life The last Petition hath two branches One to bee deliuered from the euill of sinne the other from the euill of punishment In both the contrarie good is prayed for The Holinesse or Sanctification which wee haue from Christ in the one Blessednesse in the other The first branch And leade vs not into temptation Being now ingraffed into the noble stocke of the Bodie of thy Sonne and iustified through him sanctifie vs also by his Spirit dwelling in vs mortifying and subduing sinne that it beare not the sway in our mortall bodies that neither the Deuill the World nor the flesh or our owne corruption preuaile against vs to make vs to fulfill the lust thereof but goe forward with the worke of our new Birth quickening and renewing vs in our Memorie Iudgements Will Affections and in all the parts and powers of our Soule and Bodie from dead works to serue thee the true the liuing God that euen now in this life whilest here we struggle with those spirituall foes of ours wee may attayne to that measure of perfection which may be pleasing and acceptable in thy Sonne and that after this life ended and all our enemies subdued vnder vs wee may bee taken vp without spot or wrinkle to bee presented as a pure Virgin vnto Christ in the Day of our spirituall Marriage The second branch But deliuer vs from euill Together with the friut of Righteousnesse which is to be sanctified by the Spirit of thy Sonne giue vs also the free reward which thou hast promised to all that are found in him Hale and pull vs as a beast that sticketh in the myre out of the miserable condition whereinto sinne hath plunged vs the curse of the Law Hell Death and Condemnation and from him that hath the power of death that is to say the Deuill So make vs happie and blessed through the communion of the Blessednes which is in thee that euen now in some measure we may haue our part in all and so much as is able to fall into this life where the testimonie and assurance of thy loue and the hauing and inioying in and from thy loue of all the good things of this present life both for necessitie and Christian Delight Maintenance Health Credit Friends Comfort of Wife Children Seruants a Blessing vpon our Labours the fruit of Magistracie and of Gouernment and good order in the World together with the sanctifying of all things euen our very troubles and crosses of this life vnto our good so as thou in thy Mercie hast appointed for vs Peace of conscience and Ioy in the Holy Ghost doe excell and by these degrees as it were by so many steps and stayres make vs to climbe vp to that perfect and eternall Happinesse which is reserued for thy Saints in Heauen when Hell Satan sinne weaknesse shame trodden vnder foot we shall be all spirituall and glorious and raigne as Kings with thee for euermore Wherefore here is set before vs that in estimable benefit we receiue by Christ which comming last crowneth the rest and in the lauding o Reuel 5. 8 9. 10 11 12 13. and magnifying whereof all Eternitie shall bee spent the full and finall Redemption of our soules and bodies vnto the glorious Inheritance purchased for the sonnes of God Whereupon after the Petitions ended followeth Prayse and Thankesgiuing vnto God the Fountaine of all good in these words For thine is the Kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer that is to say all absolute and perfect Blessednesse both for thy might and Soueraigntie of commanding all things being all thy creatures and the worke of thy hands and for the power of effecting whatsoeuer thou wilt and doest command and lastly in regard of the infinite Graces that shine so gloriously in thy person and which thou
bee moe with vs then are with them Then praying to Iehouah the Seruants eyes were opened and he saw the Mountaynes were full with Horses and Chariots of fire round about ELISHA And our Sauiour Christ by the same argument sheweth how able he had beene to free himselfe from the hands of his enemies p Mat. 26. 53. Could not I pray vnto my Father and he would giue mee more then twelue Legions of Angels Eighthly and lastly by their willingnesse vnto this Seruice declared for the most part by three circumstances First They stand continually in Gods presence wayting as it were for a Commission from him to doe vs good Mat. 18. 10. Their Angels see alwayes the face of my Father which is in Heauen Secondly They are glad and reioyce at the good of his Saints So Luke 2. 13 14. they declare themselues not a little affected with the ioy of the glad tydings which they brought vnto the Shepheards They praysed God and said Glorie vnto God on high in Earth peace and good will towards men And our Sauiour telleth vs There q Luk. 15. 7 10 is ioy in Heauen with the Angels of God for sinners that repent Thirdly They are prest and readie at Gods Commandement with all speed to put the same in practice This the r Psal 103. 20. Psalmist commendeth in them Blesse IEHOVAH ye his Angels which doe his Word which harken to his voice Our Sauiour likewise teacheth vs to pray Thy will bee done in Earth as it in Heauen The speed and cheerfulnesse they vse in executing Gods Commissions was figured vnder the Law by the Cherubins in the Tabernacle painted with wings wherefore Psalme 18. 10. God is said to come riding vpon them as vpon Chariots and flying as it were with wings In the Vision of Å¿ Esay 6. 2. Esaia they haue each of them six wings whereof with two they flye yea so swiftly and so earnestly doe they flye that as it were they wearie themselues with flying as of the Angell t Dan. 9. 21. Gabriel it is expressely spoken These qualities before named are all of them figured in the Vision of u Ezech. 1. 10. 10. 14. Ezechiel where the foure liuing creatures which are the holy Angels are said to haue each of them foure faces the face of a man the face of a Lyon the face of an Oxe and the face of an Eagle By the Similitude of a man their wisedome and vnderstanding is incled which among all earthly Creatures is onely to be found in man in a Lyon their strength and power their labour and industrie in an Oxe or Heifar without whom the Crib is emptie but much increase commeth by his trauell saith the Wiseman in his Prouerbs And lastly their swiftnesse in an Eagle which the better to recommend in that Fowle x Reuel 4. 7. Iohn giueth him the Epithete of a flying Eagle The glorie of these Angels hee describeth saying that y Ezech. 1. 4. out of the middest of that fire the visible signe of Gods presence sparkled as it were a most liuely hiew which he explayneth z Verse 13. afterwards to be like vnto coles of fire burning as Lampes not onely themselues set on fire but affecting all the creatures with the glittering of their glorie as the Lampes disperse their flame The last of those generall heads wherein we place our Fourthly in a spirituall glory and wisdome and other graces happinesse in this life is a spirituall glorie and wisdome and other graces whereof the Preacher a Eccles 8. 1. speaketh The wisdome of a man maketh his face to shine And Paul b 2. Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a Glasse the glorie of the Lord are transformed into the same Image from glorie to glorie that is by the participation of his glorie our selues become glorious as it were by the reflexion of his beames Our perfect Blessednesse or Redemption which commeth After this life commeth the fulnesse of Blessednesse in the last place to bee handled wee consider in foure steps or degrees of glorie which all the members of Christ shall bee made partakers of answerable to their Head To them all two things pertayne in common the more or lesse according to the diuers measure of our Faith here To the soule in Heauen presently after death till the latter Day place where wee shall enioy it Heauen and the differing measure of glorie But these two will come in better when the rest are once handled Wherefore the first degree is that which is to the soule onely and that presently after death till the latter Day our bodies resting in the graue vnto the time of the restoring of all things as the bodies of the wicked also doe betweene whom and vs there is in this respect no difference But for our soules assoone as the period Popish Purgatorie and Limbus Patrum of this life is runne out they are forthwith carryed into Heauen by the Ministerie of the holy Angels So the Preacher saith c Eccles 12. 9. Dust that is the bodie of man returneth to the Earth as it was before and the Spirit returneth vnto God that gaue it And the Apostle PAVL Wee d 2. Cor. 5. 1. know when this our earthly Tabernacle is dissolued we haue a building from God not made with hands euerlasting in Heauen And the same dwelling in the Heauens hee e Verse 6 7 8. by and by interpreteth to bee as much as to goe and dwell with the Lord We know that while wee dwell in the bodie wee are absent from the Lord for we walke by Faith not by sight Therefore we desire rather to remooue out of the bodie and to dwell with the Lord. So to the f Phil. 1. 23. Philippians I do desire to loose from hence that is to haue my soule depart from my bodie A Metaphor taken from Ships that loose or set from the shore to be with Christ And this to be his meaning the next words make it very plaine but to continue in the flesh is more necessarie for you This is it which our Sauiour g Luke 23. 43. Christ saith to the Thiefe This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise In the h Reuel 6. 10. Reuelation the soules of the Martyrs are said to be at rest vnder the Altar And the Apostle to the i Heb. 12. 23. Hebrewes reckoneth the Spirit of the righteous that are perfiâ—ed For this cause our Sauiour k Luke 23. 46. Christ vpon the Crosse commendeth his Spirit into the hands of his Father that it might be an assurance vnto vs that our spirits also shall goe to him when they depart out of this bodie And this estate both of the Elect and Reprobate our Sauiour Christ expresly sheweth in the Parable of the Rich man The very scope whereof driueth vnto this that although the wicked in this life for the