earth rule ouer the fish of the sea ouer the foul of the heauen ouer euerie beast that moueth vpon the earth Psal 8.6 Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the works of thine hands thou hast put al things vnder his feete Only man he created for himself the rest for man that by man they might serue god Wherefore when we place creatures in the roome of god we cast our selues out of that degree in which we were placed by god Why god would haue this doctrine of the creation to be deliuered and held in the Church This doctrine of the creation of the world god would for these causes especiallie haue remaine extant in the Church 1. That the glorie of the creation might bee giuen wholy to god and his wisedome power and goodnes therein acknowledged 2. That neither the Sonne nor the holie ghost should be excluded but each should haue their owne parts yeelded them therein according as it is said that all might honor the sonne as they honor the father 3. That as the world was created by the sonne and the holie ghost so also we might knowe that by them mankinde is restored Colossians 1. For by him were all thinges made And hee is the heade of the bodie of the Church for it pleased the father that in him should al fulnes dwell 4. That seeing god created all thinges of nothing we may thinke that he is able to restore them being corrupted and ruinated into their first state againe 2. Cor. 4.6 For god that commanded the light to shine out of darkenes is he which hath shined in our harts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of god in the face of Iesus Christ 5. That we may not referre the original of corruption to god but knowe that it was purchased by the fault of Diuels and men Iohn 8. The Diuel is a lyer and a murtherer from the beginning whē he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world death by sin 6. That knowing god as in the creating so also in the maintaining and gouerning of all things not to be tied to second causes and to the order by him setled in nature but that hee may either keepe or alter it wee shoulde with confidence and full persuasion looke for and craue those things which he hath promised yea those things which in respect of second causes seeme vnpossible Rom. 4. He calleth those thinges which are not as if they were 7. That wee should celebrate for euer the knowē goodnes of god wherby he hath created all thinges not for his owne profit or happines for he wanteth nothing but for ours and seeing all other things were created for mans vse we aboue other creatures especiallie being restored from sinne and death to righteousnes and life shoulde acknowledge that we owe thankfulnes vnto god therfore Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the works of thine hands 8. That wee knowing god in as much as of nothing and through his meere goodnes hee created all thinges to owe nothing to anie but all his creatures to owe themselues all that they haue to him their creator should confesse that to be most iust whatsoeuer hee shall doe concerning vs and all his creatures Ierem. 45.4 Beholde that which I haue built will I destroie and that which I haue planted will I plucke vp euen this whole land And seekest thou great things for thy selfe seeke them not 9 That we should refer the vse of all thinges to the glorie of God since that we haue receiued al good things from him Rom. 11. Of him and through him and for him are al things 10 That seeing the works of god were therefore created and placed before our eies euen for vs to beholde them we doe not idlie but earnestlie and as much as euerie mans abilitie occasion and vocation permitteth him contemplate and consider them and learning out of them the wisedome power and goodnesse of the Artificer celebrate it both in this life and in the world to come Acts. 17.26 He hath made of one bloud all mankinde to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath assigned the times which were ordeined before the bounds of their habitation that they shoulde seeke the Lord if so be they might haue groaped after him and found him though doubtles he be not far off from euerie one of vs. OF ANGELS AMongst thinges created by GOD the chiefe and principal are those natures which are indued with reasō Angels men For in these hee imprinted the markes and image of his Diuinitie and woulde haue all other thinges to be the matter of his praise but of these he woulde bee knowen and praised and vnto them was his will to impart and communicate his blessednesse and ioy The questions concerning Angels are two the first whereof is what description is set downe in the Scripture of good Angels the other what description is deliuered of bad Angels 1 WHAT GOOD ANGELS ARE. ANgels both good and bad as holie Scripture recordeth 1 Angels spirites or incorporeal substances are spirites by which name here a spirituall person is vnderstood that is a substaunce incorporeall inuisible indiuiduall liuing vnderstanding incommunicable not susteined in another neither the part of an other as Luc. 24. it is taken A spirite hath not fleshe and bones Colos 1.16 All which are in heauen and in earth thinges visible and inuisible Heb. 1.14 They are all ministring spirits 1. King 22.21 There came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord. The Angels themselues are not seene but the bodies or shapes which they take That therefore both in times past there appeared oftentimes good Angels when as the gathering and establishing of the Church the doctrine of god beeing not as yet plainelie deliuered and the prophecies not fulfilled needed more extraordinarie and miraculous reuelations than now and now a daies also not seldome appeare bad Angels this first doth not proue their nature to be visible or corporall For those visible shapes or bodies which may be seene or felt are diuers substances from the incorporeall Essence of spirits being formed either of nothing or of some matter and carried and moued by a spirite for a time for the woorking and performing of certaine actions For both they put them off and lay them away againe and also they take formes of diuers sortes and kinds as the Serpent by whom the Diuel communed with Eue Mens bodies whose feete Abraham washed Gen. 17. A flame in the bush appearing to Moses Exod. 3. A piller of cloude and fier in the desert Horses and Chariots of fier 2. King 2. and 6. The error of the Sadduces And further this verie thing refuteth the opinion of the Sadduces Who Actes 23. said there was neither Angel
manifest vnto thee Vnto the manifestation of God is subordinated the preseruation of societie in mankinde For except there were men God shoulde not haue whom to manifest himselfe vnto The preseruation of the society of men I will declare thy name vnto my brethren To this preseruatiō there folow next in order the duties of nature and the mutuall good turnes and benefites of one man towards an other For no societie or coniunction or conuersing of men together can be or consist without mutuall dueties passing enterchangeably betweene them Wherefore the societie of men and mutuall communicating and imparting of dueties betweene them are the subordinate endes of man created seruing for the obtaining of the principall end which is the manifestation participation or fruition knowledge praise and worshippe of God When therefore God is saide to be the ende of man it is meant of him manifested participated knowne and worshipped And in this end as being the chief and last the whole felicitie and blessednes and glorie of man consisteth 1. Obiect Heauen earth and other creatures which are void of reason Other creatures are said to praise God as being the matter of his praise which yet they shoulde not bee if man and Angels were not are said to worshippe and magnifie God Therefore the worship and praise of God is not the proper end why man was created Answere This reason hath a fallacie of equiuocation or ambiguitie Creatures voide of reason are saide to worship and praise God not that they vnderstand ought of god or know and worship him But because they bearing certain prints and steps of Diuinitie in them are the matter of gods praise and worship But the creatures endewed with reason are said to praise and magnifie god not onely because in them are extant most conspicuous and notable testimonies of god but chiefly because they beeing endewed with a power facultie of vnderstanding of conforming themselues to the will of god know by the beholding contemplation of gods works in thēselues other creatures the infinite goodnes wisedome power iustice bounty and maiestie of god and are raised and stirred vp to worship god aright both in minde and in worde and in the whole obedience according to his diuine law And if god had not created creatures of reason and vnderstanding who might beholde consider and with thankefull minde acknowledge his workes and the order and disposing of thinges in whole nature other thinges which are voide of reason might no more be saide to praise and worship god that is to be the matter and occasion of praising him than if they had neuer beene at all 2. Obiection The felicitie and blessednes of man is a qualitie or condition and estate in which or with which man was created that is it is a part of the image of God and a forme or propertie of man Therefore it belōgeth to the first question what man was created and not to this of the end of mans creation Answere This hath no contrarietie in it for the same may be in diuers the finall cause the formal For the soule and the properties or faculties thereof are both the formal and final cause of a liuing bodie the forme as they actuate and giue life vnto the bodie the ende as the bodie is framed of nature for this that the soule may informe it and exercise by it his operations actions In like sort the blessednes of man or participation or fruition of god as also the knowledge of god is a propertie and part of the image of god in man in respect of the beginning when man by his creation beganne both to bee and to bee iust and blessed it is the ende of man in respect of continuance perseuerance that is as god created man wise iust and blessed for this that hee shoulde continue so for euer that is man was created iust and happie he was created for this that he might be iust and happie Wherefore albeit the existence of blessednesse and the continuance abiding of the same are the same in the thing it selfe yet in consideration and respect they are diuers By reason of which diuers respects felicitie wisedome holines are both a qualitie and an end of man that is are referred to the questions WHAT and FOR WHAT man was created This first creation of man is diligently to be compared with the miserie of mankinde as also the end for which we were created with the aberration and swaruing from the end that so by this meanes also wee may know the greatnes of our miserie For howe much the greater wee see the good was which wee haue lost so much the greater wee know the euils to be into which we are fallen OF THE IMAGE OF GOD IN MAN The chiefe questions hereof are 1. What the image of God in man is 2. How farre forth it is lost and how farre it remaineth 3. How it is repaired in man 4. How it is in Christ and how in vs. 1 What the image of God in man is The image of god to be considered not in the body but in the soule SEing god is not corporeal neither hath a body we must consider this image not in the body but in the soule of man and because it is very much darckened and almost blotted out by sinne wee must iudge of it not by that state in which men began to be after sinne was committed but by the repairing which commeth by Christ that is by the nature of man regenerated And to conclude whereas there is but a small beginning of regeneration in this life we shall at length in the euerlasting life and glorie behold and vnderstand perfitely the image of God wholy restored shining in vs. It is not to be sought onely in the substaunce but chieflie in the qualities and giftes of the soule Further that wee are not to seeke the image of God in the substaunce alone of the soule but chieflie in the vertues and giftes with which it was adorned of God in the creation it is euen thereby manifest for that the nature and substaunce of the soule remaineth euen in the vnregenerate but the image of God for the most part is lost yet notwithstanding because the soule is an vnderstanding spirite the more excellent spirite the more excellent part of mans substance separable from the body immortal the beginning and cause of life and mouing in a liuing body wee must confesse that the nature thereof though vnregenerat is some shadow of that Diuinitie But the image of God seeing the substance as of spiritual natures in generall so of the minde of man is vnknowne to vs in the mist and darkenes of this life is to be considered in those faculties and operations in which wee see man to excell other creatures and know him by the word works of God to bee agreeable and conformed vnto God These faculties are especially two The vnderstanding and will The
1. A griefe both for sin past and present which is called Sorrowe and also for sinne to come which is called Feare 2. An hatred of sinne committed both of present sinne and of sinne to come 3. An auerting from sinne committed both present and future sinne 4. A flying of sinne to come The griefe is in the heart The flieng is in the will in that we wil not here after commit sinne The auerting is in the hart and wil and it is an auerting vnto somewhat to wit an auerting from euil vnto good This former part of conuersion is called mortification 1. Because as dead men can not shew foorth the actions of one that is liuing so our nature the corruption thereof beeing abolished doth no more shew forth or exercise her actions that is doth no longer bring forth actuall sinne originall sinne beeing repressed For the dead bite not 2. Because mortification is not wrought without griefe and lamenting The flesh rebelleth against the spirite and for this cause mortification is also called a crucifieng Quiâ—â—ening Quickâ—â—â—â—g comprehendeth those thinges which are contrarie vnto mortification 1. The knowledge of Gods mercie and the applieng thereof in christ 2. A ioifulnesse thence arising which is for that God is pleased and for that newe obedience is begun and shal bee perfected 3. An ardent or earnest endeâ—â—ur and purpoâ—â— to sinne no more arising from thankefulnes and because we reioâ—â—e that we haue God appeased and pacified towardes vs a desire also of righteousnesse and of reteining gods loue and fauour That ardent desire both of not sinning and also of righteousnesse and of reteining Gods loue and fauour is newe obediencâ— it selfe This latter part of conuersion is called quickening for a cleane contrarie respect vnto that for which the former part was called mortification 1. Because as a liuing man doth the actions of one that liueth so quickening is a kindling of newâ— faculties and qualities of working in vs. For the loue of God is kindled in vs and the holy Ghost is giuen vs by whom we doe good woorkes By nature the vnregenerate are dead astouching good works The regenerate begin to doe good woorkes 2. In respect of that ioie which the conuerted haue in God which is a most pleasaunt thing This ioie in God which is the other part of quickening ariseth from hence to wit in that we know God now to be pacified towardes vs and that we are able to performe the Law and bee conformed and correspondent vnto the Law and God 4 What are the causes of conuersion THE principal efficient cause of conuersion is the holie Ghost Conuert vs and we shal be conuerted The instrumentall causes or meanes are first the Lawe then the Gospell and after the doctrine of the Gospel hath beene preached Lamen 5 2â— againe the doctrine of the Law For the preaching of the Law goeth before preparing vs to the preaching of the Gospel because without the Lawe there is no knowledge of sinne and therefore no griefe or sorrowe for sinne Afterwardes followeth the preaching of the Gospell because without the Gospel there is no faith after the preaching of the Gospel againe followeth in the church the preaching of the Law that it maie be the squire of our actions So doe the Prophets first accuse threaten and exhort and then promise and lastlie exhort againe Such was also Iohn Baptistes preaching And such is the preaching doctrine of repentance which comprehendeth the Law the gospel The next instrumentall cause is faith because without faith there is no loue of God and except wee knowe what the wil of God is as namely that hee wil remit vnto vs our sinnes by and for Christ conuersion will neuer be begunne in vs neither in respect of the first part thereof which is Mortification neither in respect of the second part which is Quickening For by faith are the harts of men purified without faith there is no true ioying iâ— God neither can wee without faith loue god And whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne All good works flow from faith as from their fountain We being iustified by faith haue peace with god The furthering causes of conuersion are The crosse chastisementes as also punishmentes benefites and examples of others The subiect or matter of conuersion which belongeth to the mind will and hart is 1. Jn the minde and vnderstanding a right iudgement concerning god his wil and workes 2. In the wil an earnest and ready desire and purpose to obey god according to al his commaundementes 3. In the hart a good reformed affection The obiect of conuersion is 1. Sin or disobedieÌ„ce which is the thing from which we are conuerted 2. Righteousnes or new obedience which is the thing whereunto we are conuerted The formal cause of conuersion is the conuersion it selfe and the properties thereof The chiefe finall cause of conuersion is gods glorie The next and subordinate ende is our good euen our blessednes and fruition of euerlasting life There is another end also of conuersion which is lesse principall to wit the conuersion of others When thou art conuerted confirme thy brethren Let your light so shine before men that they may glorifie your heauenly father which is in heauen 5 What are the effectes of conuersion THE effectes of conuersion are all good woorkes and an earnest desire both to obey God according to all his commandements without exception also to conuert and recall others into the way The conuerted or beleeuers sinne indeede oftentimes but they defend not their sinnes but endeuour more and more to shun and auoide them OF GOOD-WORKES THE chiefe Questions 1 What good-workes are 2 How they may be doone 3 Whether the works of Saints be perfectly good 4 How our woorkes though not perfectlie good please God 5 Why we are to doe good-workes 6 Whether good-woorkes merit any thing in the sight of God 1 WHAT GOOD-WORKES ARE. GOOD workes are such as are done according to the prescript rule of Gods Lawe with a true faith to the glorie of God onlie Three things are heere to be considered 1 The conditions cirumstances required for the making a woorke good 2 The difference betweene the woorkes of the regenerate and the vnregenerate 3 Jn what sort the morall woorkes of the wicked are sinnes 1 That a work which we do may be good these conditions are required necessarily vnto it 1 That it be commaÌ„ded of God Matt. 15 9. Jn vaine they woorshippe mee teaching for doctrines mens precepts No creature hath the right or wisedome and vnderstanding to institute and ordaine the worship of God But good woorkes wee speake of morall good and the worship of God are all one Nowe Morall good is farre differing from naturall good in as much as al actions as they are actions euen those of the wicked are good that is naturallie but all actions are not good morally that is agreeing with the iustice of God And thus is
excluded that coined deuise of good intentions when as namely men doe euill things that good things may come thereof likewise when they deuise and imagine woorkes which they thrust vpon God insteed of worship Neither doth it suffice if a woorke be not forbidden but it must also be commaunded if it shall serue for Gods worship 2 That the worke haue his original from a true faith which faith must be grounded and depending on the merite and intercession of the Mediatour and by which he may know both the person and the worke to be accepted of god for the mediatours sake For without faith it is vnpossible for anie man to please God Neither is such a faith â—â—ere sufficient which assureth thee that God will this â—r that this worke is commaunded of God For then the wicked also should doe that which God will but not with a true faith A true or iustifieng faith therefore stretcheth surder as both coÌ„prehending historicall faith and also which is the chiefest thing applieng the promise of the gospell vnto vs. Of this true faith are these things spoken Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Without faith it is vnpossible to please God And the reasons of both these sayings are not obscure because without faith there is no loue of God and so consequently no loue of our neighbour And whatsoeuer woorke ariseth not from the loue of God is hypocrisie 3 It is required that this woorke be referred principally iâ— the glorie of God onely Otherwise it shal proceed froÌ„ the loue of thy selfe not from the loue of God Whenas thou doest any thing thou must not heede or care what men speake whether they praise thee or no so that thou knowe that it pleaseth God But yet true glorie we may lawfully desire seeke for according to that Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good woorkes By these former conditions all these woorkes are excluded 1 Which are sins in themselues and repugnant vnto Gods Lawe and his will reuelled in the word 2 Which are not repugnant vnto the Law neither in themselues good or euill but which may yet by an accident be made good or euil Workes not repugnant vnto the Lawe are made euill or sinnes by an accident when as they beeing not commaunded of God but imposed by men are done with an opinion of worshipping God therein 3 Which are good in themselues and commanded by God but yet are made sinnes by an accident in that they are vnlawfully doone as not arising from those lawfull causes by which the doers of them should be moued to do them and which in doing them they should respect that is they are not done by faith neither to this end chiefly that God might therein be honored 2 The woorkes of the regenerate and vnregenerate differ because the workes of the vnregenerate First Proceed not of faith Secondly Are not ioined with an inward obedience and therefore are doone dissemblingly and are meere hypocrisie Thirdly As they proceed not of the right cause so are they not referred to the chiefe end which is Gods glory 3 This difference which appeareth in the workes of the godly the wicked coÌ„firmeth also that the very morall works of the wicked are sins though yet not such sins as those are which in their owne nature are repugnant vnto Gods Lawe For these are sinnes by themselues and in their own kind but those either are sins onely by an accident namely by reason of defect because neither they come of faith neither are doone for Gods glorie Wherefore this consequence is not of force Al the workes of the wicked and of Paynims are sins Therefore they are al to be eschued For the defects only are to be eschued not the worke 2 How good workes may bee doone GOod workes may be done through the grace or assistance of the Holy Ghost onely and that by the regenerate onely whose heart is regenerated of the holy ghost by the gospel and that not onely in their first conuersion and regeneration but also by the perpetual and continual gouernment of the holy ghost who both worketh in them an acknoweledgement of sinne faith new obedience and also doth daily more and more encrease and confirme the same gifts in them Vnto this doctrine Saint Ierome also consenteth Let him be accursed saith hee who affirmeth the Lawe to be possible without the grace of the holy Ghost Wherefore out of this doctrine wee learne that men not as yet regenerated are able to doe no good and that euen the holiâ—st men sinne also except the benefite and blessing of regeneration bee continued This wee maie see in Peter and Dauid Without regeneration no one part of a good work can bee so much as begunne because All our righteousnesse is as the cloth of a menstruous womaÌ„ In which saying also the Prophet comprehendeth himselfe and euen the holiest among men If in the Saintes themselues nought else is found before God what then in the vnregenerate What these are able to perfourme wee see in the Epistle to the Romanes in the two first Chapters Now as by our selues we are not able to beginne good workes So neither are we our selues able to accomplish anie good worke For it is God which worketh in you both the will and the deede euen of his good pleasure Without imputed righteousnes we are all in the sight God abomination filth and dung But the righteousnes of christ is not imputed vnto vs before our conuersion Therefore it is vnpossible before our conuersion that either our selues or our worke should please God Faith is the cause of good woorkes Faith commeth from God Therefore the effect also shall come from God neither shall it goe before the cause therfore good works caÌ„not be before conuersion 3 Whether the workes of the Saintes be perfectly good THE woorks of the Saintes are not perfectly good or pure 1. Because the Saints which doe good workes doe many things which are sinnes in themselues for which they deserue to be cast out into euerlasting paines Cursed be he that abideth not in al. Deut. 27.26 Yea the holiest men doe many euil works commit many sins and acts which are euill in themselues Such was the sinne of Peter thrise denying Christ and of Dauid murthering Vrias committing adulterie willing to couer it and numbering the people 2. Because there is not that degree of goodnesse in those good woorkes that proceede from the Saintes which ought to be For their good workes are not so pure and good as God requireth Yea when the Saintes perfourme most holy workes yet are they not perfect but haue alwaies in this life defectes and are stained with sins For faith and the loue of God and our neighbour whence good workes flow are imperfect in vs in this life The effect then shall not bee perfect because the cause is not perfect For we do not perfectly know and loue God and our neighbour and
out of what dignitie and felicitie man hath throwne himselfe by his owne vnthankefulnes Thirdly that we may know whence sin came and so not thinke God to be vniust Fourthly that we may know the greatnes of sinne in vs. Fiftly that there may be kindled and increased in vs an earnest desire of recouering our first felicitie yea and farre greater than that was Sixtly that we may be thankefull for the restoring of it But there occurre many thinges which proue God not to bee the author of sinne 1 The nature of God He is of his owne nature good God not the author of sinne which was also proued before pag. 101. and the chiefe good how then should anie euill thing come from him 2. It is written Gen. 1.31 All that God had made was verie good 3. It is proued by the lawe of God by which hee condemneth all euill thinges and sinnes and commandeth good thinges Wherefore he is not the author of sinnes For the lawe of God is as it were the glas of that puritie which is in God 4. It is proued by the punishmentes which God inflicteth vpon sinners but he were vniust if he shoulde punish that in man whereof himselfe were author 5. By the description of sinne which is a destruction of the image of God in man according to which man was made This image was righteousnes And therefore not sinne More vnto this purpose hath beene spoken in the former place of sinne To this place of the creation may be referred the place of the Image of God Likewise the place of the first sinne of Adam and Eue. Those two places we will handle next after this that so afterwardes wee may come to the place of freewill which is also ioined with this of mans creation THE QVESTIONS OF MANS CREATION ARE ESPECIALLIE TWO 1 What man was created of God 2 To what end or for what man was created 1 What man was created of God This question is proposed euen for the same causes for which the whole place it self is 1. That it may appeare that God is not the author of sinne 2. That wee may know the greatnes of the sinne of mans vnthankefulnes 3. That we may pray to God craue earnestlie for his grace our deliuerie from sinne 4. That wee may bee thankefull for our deliuerie from sinne MAn was created first consisting of bodie and soule His bodie was fashioned of a masse or lumpe of earth Man created perfect both in bodie and soule immortall if hee stoode still in righteousnesse mortall if hee fell for mortalitie ensued on sinne His soule is a substaunce incorporeall vnderstanding and immortall this was by god infused and vnited to an instrumentall body to informe or quicken it and together with it to make and constitute one person or Subsistent namely man to worke certaine motions and actions external and internal by the ministerie of the bodie and without the ministerie of the bodie iust and pleasing God all which the soule accomplisheth in the bodie and some also by the bodie as an instrument some by it selfe without the bodie that is not vsing the bodie or any part thereof as an instrument of his operations Secondly man was created perfectlie wise Thirdly Perfectlie holie and iust Fourthly Lord ouer other creatures Fiftly Truely and perfectlie blessed and happie And this is to be created to the image of God Obiect Perfect wisedome righteousnes blessednes are in god alone Man perfect but in a certaine degree and measure not infinitly as God Man is not God therefore these could not be perfect in man Aunswere This reason is a fallacie deceiuing by reason of the equiuocation or ambiguitie of the word Perfect For in the Maior proposition is vnderstoode The perfection of the Creator which is the very immensitie and vnmeasurablenes of his essence and properties by reason whereof nothing can be added more vnto God whereby he may be greater or better or happier of which perfection if the Conclusion also speake wee graunt the whole reason for this perfection is communicated reallie to no creature at all no not to the fleshe of Christ But it is an other perfection which is in creatures namelie a perfection in partes and degrees For all creatures euen the most excellent haue onely partes and degrees of good thinges distributed of the Creator vnto them euerie one such as are agreeable to their nature and place All things therefore are in their owne kind or sort most good and perfect when they are and remaine such as God woulde then haue euerie of them to bee when hee created them So in man at his creation was perfect wisedome or knowledge perfect Righteousnesse perfect Blessednesse not that nothing could bee added more vnto them or that they did match and equall the perfections of God but because they had that degree of perfection in which degree God woulde haue them to bee in man Wherefore for mans perfection it was sufficient if hee knewe all those thinges concerning God and his workes which God woulde haue him to knowe and further if hee did shewe and performe that conformitie which God exacted of him It was not required to mans happinesse that hee shoulde knowe all thinges or bee perfectlie iust holie blessed and happie for that had not perfected man but transformed him into God The same is to bee conceiued and thought concerning the perfect wisedome Righteousnesse and Blessednes of Angels 2 For what man was created THe last and principall end of mans creation is the glorie and praise of god The principal end of mans creation to praise worship God For therfore god created reasonable creatures that being known of them he might bee magnified It is an action proper vnto man to know magnifie god Therefore he was created to know and worship God that is to professe him to call vpon him to giue thankes vnto him to obey him Lastly to loue God his neighbour The worship of God comprehendeth Profession and Inuocation on the name of God Thankesgiuing Praiers Obedience Other ends of mans creation are The knowledge of God which consisteth in our loue and dueties towards God and men Many other endes are subordinated to this principall end For vnto the worship is substituted the true knowledge of God For God not being known can not be worshipped This is euerlasting life that they may know thee alone to bee the true God Further To the knowledge of God is subordinated or next in order the felicity blessednes of man which is the fruition and euerlasting participation of God Mans felicitie in which consisteth glorie and eternall life To this is subordinated the manifestation of God The manifestation of God or the declaration of Gods mercie in his chosen to euerlasting life and of his iustice and wrath against sinne to be punished in the reprobate For that thou maist know God and be happy it is needfull also that he make himselfe
inward senses are adioined to the vnderstanding and the affections to the will The image of God in man The description of the image of God is a vertue knowing aright the nature will and workes of God and a will freelie obeying God and a correspondence of all the inclinations desires actions with the will of God and in a word a spiritual and vnchangeable puritie of the soule and the whole man perfect blessednes ioy resting in God and the dignitie of man and maiestie whereby hee excelleth and ruleth other creatures Or The image of God in man is 1. The soule it selfe together with the faculties thereof endewed with reason and will 2. In the soule wisedome and knowledge of God his will and workes euen such as god requireth of vs. 3. A conformity with the lawe of god or holinesse and righteousnesse vnder which wee comprehende the heart and all affections 4. Felicitie without miserie and corruption perfect blessednesse ioie aboundance of all good thinges and glorie wherewith the nature of man was adorned 5. The rule and dominion of man ouer the creatures as fishes foules and other liuing creatures In all these thinges the creature after some sort resembleth his creator yet can he by no meanes be equalled vnto his Creator For in God all thinges are immense and without measure and euen his essence infinite Ephes 4.24 The Apostle Paul putteth Righteousnesse and holinesse as the chiefe partes of this image which yet doe not exclude but presuppose wisedome and knowledge For no man can worship God vnknowen But neither doth Paul exclude perfect blessednes glorie for this according to the order of Gods iustice is necessarily coupled with perfect holinesse or conformitie with God Whereupon it foloweth that where true righteousnesse and holinesse is there is the absence of all euils whether of crime and offence or of paine and punishment Righteousnesse and holinesse in this text of the Apostle may be taken for one and the same or distinguished So that Righteousnesse may be meant of the actions and Holinesse of the qualities Righteousnesie that is a conformitie and congruitie of the will and heart with the minde iudging aright that is according to the word of God 1. Cor. 15.47 The first man was of the earth earthlie the second man the Lord from heauen As the earthlie was such are they that are earthlie and as is the heauenlie such are they also that are heauenlie And as wee haue borne the image of the earthlie so shall wee beare the Image of the heauenlie The Apostle doth not here take away the image of the heauenlie man from Adam when he as yet stoode but compareth his nature estate aswell before as after his fall with that heauenlie glorie into which wee are restored by Christ that is not onely the nature of man corrupted through sin by death but the degree of the image of God in mans nature before the fall before glorification with that which foloweth his glorification 2 How far forth the image of god was lost and how farre it remaineth The remnants of the image of god THe image of god in man was not wholy lost but for the greatest part For there remaineth in all as well the vnregenerate as regenerate 1. The incorporeall substance of the soule together with the power thereof likewise libertie in his will which whatsoeuer it will it will freely 2. Manie motions as of those things which we know by sense as are naturall principles some motions also of god his will and workes 3. Some prints of vertues and an ablenes concerning outwarde Discipline and behauiour 4. The fruition of manie good thinges 5. The Dominion also ouer the creatures is not wholy lost He is able to rule many and to vse them Why God preserueth these remnants in vs. These remnants are therefore preserued of god 1. That they might be a testimonie of the bountie of god towards those who were vnworthie of it 2. That god might vse them to the restoring of his image in man 3. That he may leaue the reprobate without excuse Now the image of god remaineth not 1. What is lost of the image of God in vs. In respect of the true sauing sufficient knowledge of god his will 2. The integritie perfectiō of the knowledge of gods workes a dexterity of discerning the truth 3. Rightnes cōformitie of al inlinations desires and actions in our will hart and outward parts by the losse whereof ensue actuall sinnes and merite eternal damnation 4. Whole and perfect dominion ouer the creatures For those beastes which feared man before now assault him his enemies are hurtfull vnto him and doe not obey him The fieldes bring forth thornes and thistles 5. The right and interest of vsing these creatures was lost because hee graunted it to vs his children not to his enimies 6. Life euerlasting was lost and in place thereof is come death both temporal and eternal with calamities of all sortes that is we lost the felicity and happines both of this life and of the life to come Obiection The Heathen haue many great vertues and atchieue great workes Therefore it is not true that the image of god is lost in them Answere All these workes are not pleasing to god because they proceed not from the true knowledge of god neither are wrought to that end that all the glorie may redound to god Those their vertues are onely of outward behauiour discipline but not from the hart thereby to obey god whom they flie and to whose glorie they can doe nothing 3. How the Image of god is repaired in vs. THe repairing of it is wrought by god alone The repairing of the image of god in vs is the work of all three persons who gaue it vnto men For in whose power it is to giue life in his also it is to restore it being lost The maner of restoring it is this 1. The Father restoreth it by his Son 2. The Son by the holy Ghost immediately regenerating vs. We are changed into the same image 1. Cor. 3.18 from glorie to glorie as by the spirite of the Lord. 3. The holy ghost restoreth it by the word the gospel is the power of god vnto saluation 4. This is so done by god Rom. 1.16 as that in this life it is onely begunne in the chosen and then is confirmed and augmented vnto the end of their life is made perfect in the end of this life as cōcerning the Soule but as concerning the whole man at the resurrectiō of the bodies Wherefore it is to be obserued who is the author what the order and maner of this repairing How the Image of God is in Christ and how in vs. Christ both essentiallie the image of the father according to his Diuinitie and according to his humanitie a created image of God though in far more excellencie than Saints and Angels NOw if it
those thinges to themselues which they knowe out of the word of God What temporarie faith is Temporarie faith is to assent vnto the heauenly doctrine which is deliuered by the Prophets and Apostles to professe it and to reioice in the knowledge thereof and to glory therein for a time yet not for any feeling of gods grace towardes them but for other causes whatsoeuer Temporarie faith is lead in a string with the commodities of this world and with them doth liue and die and therefore without any true conuersion and finall perseuerance in the profession of that doctrine This faith or approbation of Gods truth and ioy therein is not true sound and perpetual but only dureth for a season because it ariseth and dependeth of temporary causes which may bee changed and taken away as the desire and pleasure of knowledge glory honours and other worldly commodities whether publick or priuate true or apparant in shew These commodities being gone once and persecution or some other temptation arising it must needs be also that this faith must fail This definition is drawn from the words of Christ Matth. 13.20 Hee that receiueth seede in the stony ground is he which heareth the word and incontinently with ioie receiueth it that is embraceth and professeth it and reioiceth in it yet hath he no roote in himselfe that is hee wanteth applying of the merit of Christ confidence therein and the regeneration of the holy ghost Wherefore it is only a resemblance and shew of godlines not true godlines and faith It differeth from historical faith 1. For that this temporarie doth fore put historicall Further it addeth something vnto knowledge as profession of doctrine and a certaine godlinesse gladnesse and glorying or reioicing because of the knowledge of the truth but at length it saileth Historical faith is onely aknowledge This difference is thereby confirmed in that the Diuels haue historicall faith for they beleeue tremble but they haue not this Temporarie faith First because that knowledge and faith which they haue neuer faileth or is extinguished but remaineth in them perpetually Againe neither ioy they in their knowledge neither doe they professe it but though they know it to be true yet do they horribly persecute it and would haue it wholy rooted out Now if any man had rather comprehend this temporary faith vnder historicall I am not against it But then must degrees be made of historicall faith to wit that in some it is ioined with a certaine ieioicing and profession as in those who reuoult from the doctrine of the Church and godlinesse in others not so as in the Diuels and damned persons and so the matter commeth all to one Obiection But the Diuel hath often professed Christ therefore he doth not oppugne his doctrine The Diuel Professed Christ that for his testimonies sake he might the lesse bee beleeued Aunswere He did this not for any desire of promoting and aduanncing Christs doctrine but for the hatred he bore vnto it that by his testimony he might cause it to be suspected and might mingle therewith his owne errors and lies Therefore doth Christ commaund him silence Matth. 1.25 As also doth Paul Act. 16.18 Wherefore it is but an accident vnto historicall faith for the Diuell to professe those thinges which he knoweth to be true although hee greatly detesteth them as also men for some cōmodity or vpon some other cause sometimes professe those thinges which they hate and the memory whereof they woulde haue abolished both out of their owne mindes and out of the minds of al men What the faith of working miracles is The faith of Miracles is an especial gift of working miracles that is it is a certaine persuasion springing from an especiall reuelation and promise of god whereby a man firmelie resolueth that some extraordinary or miraculous woorke and contrarie to nature shall come to passe by gods power which hee hath foretolde or woulde haue to bee doone in the name of God and Iesus Christ. This kinde of faith is prooued out of the Apostle 1. Corinth 13.2 If I had all faith so that I could remooue mountaines c. For although this speech bee vnderstoode of all the kindes of faith excepting iustifieng faith yet is it especially referred to the faith of Miracles as Christ also saith Faith of miracles cōmeth by speciall reuelation Mat. 17.20 If ye haue faith as much as a grain of mustard seede ye shal saie vnto this mountaine Remoue c. That this faith is diuerse from the other kindes neither to bee drawen simply out of the word of god but by an especial reuelation of god comming thereto without which miracles cannot be wrought we prooue by these reasons 1. By that saying of Christ If ye haue faith as much as a grain of mustard seede But manie holie men who both knewe the historie of Gods woorde and reioyced therein and applyed it vnto themselues had faith yet did they not remooue mountaines Therefore this is a diuers kind of faith from that which they had 2 Many endeuored to cast out Diuels without anie reuelation from aboue as the Sonnes of Sceua Act. 19.14 With whom it fell out ill the spirite of the possessed man inuading disarming and wounding them 3 Simon Magus Acts. 8.13 is saide to haue beleeued and yet could hee not woorke miracles and therefore he would haue bought and gotten this power with mony 4 The Diuell knoweth the storie of the Scripture neither yet dooth hee woorke miracles because none besides the Creatour is able to chaunge the nature of thinges 5 Iudas did woorke miracles and yet Ioh. 6.70 hee is saide of the Lorde to bee a Diuell that is not to haue a iustifieng faith He had therefore some other faith to witte the faith of Miracles Historicall and perhaps also Temporarie faith So Matthewe 7.22 Manie shall saie vnto Christ Haue wee not by thy name cast out Diuels But CHRIST will aunswere them I neuer knewe you Wherefore this gift of woorcking miracles is giuen to hypocrits also For albeit they haue alwaies Historicall faith ioined therewith yet haue they not alwaies Iustifieng faith The other kindes of faith extend to all thinges that are written in the woorde but this of Miracles is appropriated and restrained to some certaine workes or effects to come Iustifieng or sauing faith What Iustifieng faith is as it is described out of the word of God in the 21. question of the Catechisme is not onelie steedfastlie to assent to euerie woorde of GOD and in this also to the promise of grace for Christes merit but also a confidence and full perswasion applieng to euerie one that promise that is whereby euerie man in his minde is fully and certainely perswaded that not onely others but himselfe also hath God fauorable vnto him according to the promise of grace and therefore reioiceth in God and ouercommeth all pensiuenesse and feare The differences of Iustifieng faith from
all euill For these are the effectes to come of that present and perpetuall wil of God towards vs which wee apprehend by faith Rom. 8.24 Wee are saued by hope but hope that is seen is not hope But if we hope for that we see not we doo with patience abide for it 1 Obiection Life euerlasting is a thing to come We beleeue life euerlasting Wee beleeue therefore that which is to come that is faith is also of things to come and so faith is hope it selfe Ans The Maior must bee distinguished Life euerlasting is to come tru as concerning the consummation or accomplishment therof But it is present vnto vs as cōcerning the wil and vnchaungeable purpose of God who hath decreed from euerlasting that which he hath begun in vs and will also in due time accomplish it Againe it is present vnto vs as concerning the beginning therof For euerlasting life is begun here in the elect by the holy ghost Wherefore faith apprehendeth it as it is present both in respect of the purpose of God in respect of the beginning thereof in vs. For he that beleeueth feeleth and knoweth that he is quickened and resolueth this to bee the will of God that that quickening and reuiuing which is here begunne shall bee absolued in another life Iohn 5.24 He that beleeueth in the sonne hath passed from death to life Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall that they know thee to be the only verie God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ Gal. 4.6 God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne into your harts which crieth Abba father Rom. 8.24 We are saued by hope 1. Ioh. 3.2 Now are we the sonnes of God but it doth not yet appear what we shal be By faith thē we are certein that those blessings also which as yet we haue not are notwithstanding ours for Gods promise for the vnchangeable will in God to giue them vs but in certain hope wee looke for them as concerning their accomplishment Faith apprehendeth the promises of thinges to come hope relieth on the thinges promised The summe is There is one and the same act and operation of faith and of hope but they differ in consideration It is called faith as it doth apprehend things to come as if they were present in regard of the vnchangeablenes of Gods will It is called hope as it doth certainlie look for the bestowing of those things Therfore Heb. 11 1. it is shewed that faith is the ground substance of things which are hoped for that is it is that which maketh things which are hoped for to be extant and present in that manner as hath bin shewed Shorter thus Faith apprehendeth the promises concerning things to come as they are to come Hope the things themselues which are promised 2 Obiection Faith is the euidence of thinges which are not seene therefore not of thinges present Aunswere It is the euidence of thinges which are not seene to wit by the outward senses but they are seene by the eies of the mind euen as if they did lie open to the eies of the bodie Againe they are not seene in respect of their accomplishment or consummation 5 What are the causes of Faith THE first and principall efficient cause of faith is the holie ghost illightening the minde that it may vnderstand the word and moouing the will that it may assent vnto the woord once vnderstoode Yee are freelie saued by faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Ephes 2.8 Obiection The Diuel hath faith It is wrought therefore in him by the holie ghost Aunswere What faith is in the Diuel is wrought by the spirit of God but that by a generall woorking onely whereby hee worketh in all euen in Diuels and hypocrites what-soeuer knowledge or vnderstanding is in them 1. Cor. 12. c. not by a speciall and proper action or working wherby to regenerat or sanctifie them that they might truely acknowledge him to bee the author of this gift and magnifie him therefore after which maner hee woorketh faith in the elect alone The Diuels therefore and hypocrits haue faith from the spirit of God but the elect from the spirit of God sanctifieng them The instrumentall cause of faith in generall is the whole worde of God the Lawe and the Gospell written spoken readde heard The chiefe instrumental causes of ingendering iustifieng faith are the preaching of the word and the vse of the sacramentes meditated likewise many works miracles of God in the world But the chiefe and proper instrument of iustifieng faith is the preaching of the Gospell the vse of the sacraments For these doth the holy ghost vse as instruments yet not necessarie but arbitrarie at his own good pleasure both to stir vp faith in vs and to nourish strengthen increase the same Rom. 10.17 Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 1.16 The gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euerie one that beleeueth 1. Cor. 4.15 I haue begottē you through the gospel Mar. 16.16 He that shall beleeue and be Baptized shall be saued Act. 22.16 Wash away thy sins 1. Cor. 10.16 The bread which we break is the communion of the bodie of Christ Wherefore ordinarilie iustifieng faith is neuer engendred in those who are of yeares to receiue it without the preaching of the gospell The cause of that faith which worketh miracles is not simply the woorde of God but there must necessarily come thereto an especiall and immediate reuelation from God The formal causes of faith a sure and ful confidence in Christ The obiect of faith Christ and his benefites promised The final causes of faith Gods glorie our saluation The formall cause of iustifieng faith is a certaine knowledge confidence in Christ The obiect of it is Whole Christ and his benefits promised in the word Likewise God fauorable to vs through Christ The subiect wherein it remaineth is the vnderstanding will of man The end or finall cause 1 The glorie of God to wit the celebration of his trueth iustice bountie mercie which hee hath shewed in the sending of his Sonne and in the giuing of faith in him 2 Our Saluation that we may receiue the blessings which are promised in the worde 6 What are the effects of faith The effectes of faith iustification and regeneration THe effects of iustifieng faith are 1 The iustifieng of vs before God 2 Peace of conscience or ioy resting on God Rom. 5.1 Beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with god 3 Our whole conuersion which followeth faith and beginneth at the same time with faith For by faith are our hats purified 4 The fruits of conuersion repentance euen good woorkes For whatsouer is not of faith is sinne Hither may be referred also the consequences of faith that is encrease of spirituall corporal giftes The first then and immediate effect of iustifieng-faith is Iustification from this afterwardes flow al other benefites
and vnworthie his diuine Maiestie neither shoulde deeme that hee can bee perceiued by our bodilie senses or in thought imagined but shoulde consider his nature by his worde and woorkes that wee shoulde not dare to represent him by any bodilie shape and in a worde that wee shoulde remember that hee is to bee worshipped not with the gestures or other thinges of the bodie but with the minde and spirituall motion of the heart Lastly Seeing hee alone inspireth into vs temporall and euerlasting life wee shoulde acknowledge the gift of both to come from him Out of this fountaine onely wee should seeke it and indeuour to referre it wholy to his glorie Intelligent 1. Why God is saied to bee intilligent and against whom wee are to holde it Because hee is the cause both of the minde of man and of the notions shining in it and also of that order which it in the nature of thinges and common weales 2. Because all intelligence or vnderstanding of the creature commeth from him both in respect of the facultie as also in respect of the operation For neither can the efficient and preseruing cause of intelligent natures and of the vnderstanding it selfe and order in nature bee but intelligent and vnderstanding And therefore the holy Scripture also reasoneth on this wise Psalme 94.9 He that planted the eare shall hee not heare or hee that made the eie shall he not see Nowe this wee are to holde first against those who setting nature in the place of God imagine the world and the varietie and order of thinges in it to arise from the matter and the inclination thereof to this forme when as notwithstanding these thinges coulde not haue their beeing from a cause not intelligent Wee are to holde it also thereby to acknowledge not onely true knowledge it selfe but also all abilitie of vnderstanding and the sagacitie and perceueraunce of the senses and minde to be the gift of God Eternall That such an eternitie which can haue neither beginning nor any end of beeing agreeth to God alone both nature sheweth The eternitie of god without beginning or end for so much as hee is the first cause of all things and of infinite perfection power and the scripture also recounteth as Psal 90.2 Before the mountains were brought forth or euer the earth and world were made thou art God from euerlasting and world without end But we are to obserue that not therefore onely the eternitie of God is so often inculcated in the scriptures that in regard hereof hee may bee discerned from thinges created but also because hee will impart eternitie vnto vs that is hee hath purposed and promised that he will giue vs of his eternall goodnes and prouidence eternal blessings and will haue continuall care of vs through al eternitie and wil haue a kingdome in Angels men whereof shal be no end Therefore are wee giuen to vnderstand that God is eternal to vs God eternal vnto vs. that we may oppose the certain hope of eternall blessednes grounded vpon his eternitie against the shortnes of mortall life and against the frailtie of mans condition For seeing hee is eternal he can and seeing hee promiseth he will for euer preserue vs with his protection Psal 48.13 For this God is our GOD for euer and euer And Psalm 111.9 Hee hath commaunded his Couenant for euer Wherefore being vphelde by this consolation let vs neither refuse to suffer the short miserie of this life neither preferre the short felicitie thereof before eternal blessings and seeing God wil be not only bountifull towards the godly but iudge also of the vngodlie eternally let the cogitation of the eternal wrath of god keep and hold vs in the feare of god that we may not desire to buie the fading shewe of whatsoeuer good with eternal miserie That god is other from all his creatures we must hold first against Philosophers God other and diuerse from all creatures who wil haue the world or nature it selfe to bee god that is either a generall matter or a power or a minde and intelligence or some forme to be infused mingled tied to the bodies of the world them to informe quicken sustein and moue as the soule susteineth and moueth mans bodie Which Virgil calleth the spirit of the world others the soule of the world Secondly against those who imagine the creatures either all as Seruetus or some according to the doctrine of the Manichees to spring from the verie essēce or nature of god deriuing it selfe as they speake into others by propagation Thirdly that al prophane vnworthie idolatrous cogitation of god whereby god may be made like to anie creature may be excluded For that the essence of god is far other than the essēce of al the creatures both nature the word of god sheweth whē as it teacheth that god is wise Creator of the world now the world hath manie parts vnreasonable and it self cannot be Creator to it selfe it sheweth also that things are not deriued out of the substance of god that beeing vnchangeable and indiuisible And lastly that the Deitie is most vnlike different from all things created because there can neither be nor be imagined anie similitude of a finite nature and an infinite First therefore whereas the scripture saith How all thinges are saide to bee of God that al things are of god Rom. 11.1 Cor. 8. it doth not mean that al things are god or the essence of god or propagated from it For al other things are of god not as begotten of him or proceeding from him as the word and eternal spirite of god but as created that is made of nothing Rom. 4.17 Who calleth those things that are not as if they were Secondly when as the soule of man is called celestiall and diuine Likewise when it is said we are the generation of god Act. 17.29 This is not meant of the cōmunicating of the diuine substance as if the soul were deriued from the essence of god but of the similitude of properties of the creation The soule therefore is said to bee celestiall and diuine that is adorned with celestiall diuine powers gifts which although they be a certain shadowe of the diuine nature yet are they created qualities Thirdly whereas the elect and saints are said to bee of god to bee borne of god and his spirite and the sonnes of god and spirituall Iohn 1.13 8.47 3.6 Neither is this vnderstood of the propagation of the essence but of the similitude of the properties or of the image of God to the which they are refashioned by Gods spirite And fourthly when Paul also saith 1. Cor. 6.17 That he which is ioined vnto the Lord is one spirit and Peter 2. Pet. 1.4 That we are made partakers of the diuine nature we are taught both that the spirite of God dwelleth in vs by grace and is ioined vnto vs as also that there is begun
appointeth nor will nor speaketh thinges repugnaunt and contradictorie 2. Corinth 1.19 The Sonne of GOD Iesus CHRIST who was preached among you by vs was not Yea and Naie but in him it was Yea. Thirdly that hee faineth nothing nor deceiueth anie man but this is in trueth and indeede his will which hee openeth vnto vs. Roman 3.4 Let GOD be true and euerie man a liar Fourthly that hee neuer changeth his minde Psalm 89.34 My couenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Fiftly that it certainly commeth to passe whatsoeuer god auoucheth shal come to passe which experience also witnesseth many sayings of holy Scripture as Matth. 24. Heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe Sixtly that he is the louer autor and preseruer of the truth in the reasonable creatures and an enimie to all lies dissembling and hypocrisie Therefore Iohn 14.15 and 16. The holy Ghost is called the spirite of trueth who shoulde teach vs all trueth Prouerb 12.12 The lying lippes are an abomination vnto the Lord but they that deale truelie are his delight Mat. 24.51 He wil giue him his portion with hypocrits Seeing then the trueth of God is to bee considered out of his woorde and woorkes albeit men by nature confesse that GOD is true yet are they ignoraunt wherein his trueth consisteth For it is saide Iohn 17. Thy woorde is trueth and Psalm 89.5 Thy trueth in the congregation of the SAINTES Neither doth the conscience or the priuie knowledge of anie mans sinnes suffer him who knoweth not CHRIST the Mediatour to put any confidence in Gods promises For as 2. Corinth 1. it is said Al the promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen vnto the glorie of God God dissēbleth not when hee saieth hee will doe that which yet he doth not But if sometimes god foretold that hee would doe those things which he neuer decreed to doe he did not therein dissemble For what hee threatned that hee meant with this condition should so come to passe except the conuersion of men and praiers came betweene and what he promised hee meant with this condition if they repented either persisted in godlinesse or needed not affliction and chastisement Wherefore he would indeede haue punished the Niniuits if they had persisted in their sinnes And Christ Luke 24. was indeed departing except his disciples had desired him to stay in the Inne at Emaus How God is saide to deceiue a deceiued Prophet As for that which God saith Ezech 14 9. And if a Prophet be deceiued and hath spoken a thing that he hath deceiued him he signifieth not thereby that hee deceiueth by instilling lies into false Prophets but that they are by him in iust iudgement deliuered and giuen to bee seduced by the Diuell as 1. Kings 22. GOD is saide to haue giuen a lieng spirite in the mouthes of all the prophetes of Achab. Replie But yet GOD would that the false Prophetes should tel a false tale Aunswere Hee would but in diuerse respects and to a diuerse end God foretolde victorie to Achab by an ironie and that a sharpe and bitter one thereby to recall him from making his expedition to warre and to punishe him for not obeying by deliuering him to bee seduced by the Diuell The false Prophets foretolde victorie to flatter him the Diuel to destroy him and to die Why chastitie is one of Gods properties There is made also mention of Chastitie in the former description of God because amongst his especiall and most notable differences whereby he may be discerned from Diuels he wil haue truth to be and chastitie For as God will bee acknowledged to bee true and will haue trueth loued of vs that it maie certainelie appeare that he is and what hee is that men may think and speake the truth of him and through his knowledge be partakers of euerlasting life so the Diuell attēpteth to fil the worlde with lies that he may both darken the glorie of God and by forging lies of God destroy mankinde Whereupon the holy Ghost is called the spirite of trueth But the Diuell a liar and murtherer from the beginning the father of lies Ioh. 8. And as God both by reason of the exceeding puritie of his nature as also because hee will haue the spousal loue and coniunction of mariage to be the image of the vnspeakeable loue and spirituall coniunction betweene him and the Church as wee may see Ephes 5. Ezech. 16. Osee 2. and therefore will haue it accounted sacred and holy amongest men As God then in these respectes is the louer and author of chastity and dooth most seuerely detest and punish al vncleannes both internal externall which is repugnaunt to this order as the examples of the Sodomites of the tribe of Beniamin and others of all other ages and nations testifie So the Diuell both for his impurity as also because whatsoeuer God woulde haue helde most holie and venerable that for the hatred hee beareth to God hee studieth most to depraue and most foulie to defourme endeuoureth with obscenitie and filthinesse horriblie to pollute al mankinde and to withdrawe them from GOD. Therefore it is said 1. Thess 4.3 This is the wil of god euen your sanctification and that yee should abstein from fornication that euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour The mercie or fauourable and inclinable will of GOD to preserue his creatures and especiallie mankinde The mercie of God in preseruing his creatures the Scripture proposeth vnto vs opened by these degrees First that hee taketh delight in the saluation of all but in the destruction of none Ezech. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord god I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue Secondlie that he differreth mitigateth and taketh away punishmentes inuiting all men by his long suffering to repentaunce if not one waie yet by the testimonie of their conscience Heereof Exod. 34. and often elsewhere hee is saide to bee slowe to anger Thirdly that hee debaseth himselfe to relieue our infirmitie both by inwarde and outwarde supplies as by his spirit worde oathes Sacramentes and miracles Fourthly that he embraceth with singular loue his chosen so that he saueth and deliuereth them for euer from sinne and all euils and comforteth them also in afflictions Reuelat. 7. and 21. God shall wipe awaie all teares from their eies Isaie 49.15 Though a woman shoulde forgette her Childe yet will I not forgette thee Fiftlie that hee chose rather to bring to passe this our deliuery euen by the incarnation and death of his onelie begotten Sonne than that all mankinde shoulde perish Iohn 3. So god loued the woorlde that he gaue his onelie begotten Sonne Sixtlie that hee promiseth and perfourmeth all these thinges of his owne free goodnesse Exod. 34.19 I will shewe mercie to whome I will shewe mercie
was purchased by their owne fault as who freely and willingly departed from God and remaineth in them ioyned and accompanied with great desire delight Wherefore to this that they should merite punishment their own will sufficeth whereas especially the punishment was before denounced This solution or aunswere Aristotle himselfe in the same fifth Chapter giueth vs when as he sheweth that men are diseruedly reprehended and punished for vices either of minde or bodie though they can not auoid them or leaue them because themselues are the cause of their owne vices and haue purchased them vnto themselues of their owne accorde and voluntarilie Lastly of all they wrest also certaine places of Scripture by false interpretations Certaine places of scripture wrested against Gods prouidence against gods vniuersal prouidence As Iohn 8.44 When the Diuel speaketh a lie then hee speaketh of his owne and Iam. 1. God tempteth no man Eccles 15.20 He hath commaunded no man to doe vngodly as also other the like places which denie God to bee the author of sinne But those places attribute vnto the wicked and remooue from GOD the sinnes as lies and temptations to sinne but the actions themselues of the wicked as they are not sinnes but operations and motions seruing for the exercising and manifesting of Gods goodnesse or iustice the whole Scripture sheweth to bee doone by the will of God and also as they are sinnes by his iust permission As of satan deceiuing the Prophetes of Achab of the false Prophets by whom god trieth and openeth the hypocrisie or constancy of men in true religion Acts 5. Satan filled the hart of Ananias 2. Cor. 4. The god of this world hath blinded the harts of vnbeleeuers In these the like saiengs also is discerned the work of the diuel vniustly blinding men to destroy them and of God iustly blinding them by the diuel to punish them Act. 5.38 If this counsel be of men it wil come to nought And Isa 30. Woe to the rebellious children that take counsel but not of mee The counsels of men are said to be not of God but of themselues in respect of the endes which men letting passe the wil of God reuealed vnto them respect and attaine not vnto but not in respect of the ends which god doth respect attaineth vnto as wel by the wicked not knowing or contemning his wil as by the godly or which is in effect the same the coūsels of men are said to bee of them not of God as they are sins that is as they swarue from the known wil of god but not as they are the execution of Gods either secret or knowen wil. 1. Cor. 9. God doth not take care for Oxen Not principally or not in such sort as for men For he giueth also to beastes their meat Those words thē Thou shalt not mussel the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne was therefore spoken especially that God might thereby shewe what hee would haue by men vnto men to be performed So the wicked are often said to be cast out of the sight of God not that the prouidence of God is not extended to them but that he doth not tender them with his mercy bountie as he doth the godly For the godly also complaine that they are neglected of god when they are afflicted not that god is not present with them in affliction but that humane sense iudgement suggesteth this vnto vs. And God is saide to set his face against the wicked to cut them off Leu. 20.5 3 Why the knowlege of this doctrine concerning Gods prouidence is necessary The causes why this doctrine is to bee knowen 1 The Glorie of God THis doctrin is necessarily to be known 1 For the glory of god For he wil haue vs to ascribe vnto him most great liberty goodnes wisedome power iustice this he wil haue vs to acknowlege profes against the dreams dotings of Epicures Manichees and Stoicks But if the prouidence of god in mouing guiding al things euen the least both good bad be denied these also his properties are denied And if these bee denied god is not worshipped and magnified of vs but denied 2 Our comfort and saluation 2 For our own comfort saluation that by this means there maie bee stirred vp in vs First patience in aduersitie because all thinges come to passe by the most wise iust and most auaileable counsell and will of our heauenlie father And whatsoeuer either good or bad god sendeth vs in thē we consider the fatherly will of god towardes vs. Whatsoeuer commeth vnto vs by the counsel and will of god and is profitable for vs that we ought to beare patiently but all euils come vnto vs by the counsell and will of god and are profitable for vs Therefore wee ought to beare all euils patiently Secondly That wee may bee thankefull for benefites receiued of god Wee ought to bee thankeful because of whom wee receiue all good thinges both corporal and spirituall great and small to him wee ought to bee thankefull and to serue and worship him But from god the author of all good thinges we haue all thinges Therefore wee ought to bee thankefull vnto god and to worship him Nowe thankefulnesse hath two partes 1. Truth to acknowledge his benefite and to be thankefull both in worde and minde vnto him 2. Iustice to remunerate and make recompence Or Thankefulnesse consisteth 1. In acknowledging of the benefit 2. Jn celebrating it 3 In remunerating it Thirdly That we may conceiue a good hope and confidēce of things to come when as god by his prouidēce deliuereth vs out of euils He that hath decreed vnchangeablie to saue is able will saue beleeuers doth neuer suffer thē to perish Hope here signifieth such a hope as resolueth al things so to be gouerned of god as that also they shall hence forward be profitable for our safetie that he will neuer suffer vs to be pulled away or withdrawen from his loue nor will euer so forsake vs that we perish Because his will and power in preseruing sauing vs is vnchangeable far aboue the forces of al his enimies Fourthly the desire study of godlines praier and labour because although god indeed alone giueth all good things yet he giueth them with this rule and order that they bee desired and expected from him and sought by our labour and study which must bee guided by his word By this it appeareth Al the groundes of religion shaken in peeces if the prouidence of God bee denied that all the grounds and foundations of godlines or religion are pulled asunder if the prouidence of god be once denied such as before it hath been described out of the scripture For 1. We shall neuer be patient in aduersitie except we know it to come from God our Father vnto vs. 2 Wee shall neuer bee thankefull for his benefites except wee acknowledge them to bee giuen vnto
worketh also in them to be warie and to take heed thereof Rom. 8.3 Whom hee predestinate them hee iustified They therfore doe amisse who thinke to receiue comfort without any desire of a good conscience Replie But if they must take heed and beware they are vncertaine Aunswere No because they haue this as a spur to goe forwarde and perseuere But To bee certaine and not to haue a desire of repentance amendment of life implieth a contradiction as if thou shouldest say I am certaine of my reward therefore I will not runne for a rewarde is not giuen but to him that runneth These propositions doe mutuallie one follow another To bee certaine of saluation and to haue a desire of conuersion and amendement of life 2 What Predestination is PRedestination differeth from prouidence The difference bâ—tweene predestination and prouidence as a speciall from the generall For prouidence is the eternall counsell of God concerning al creatures but Predestination is the eternall counsel of GOD concerning the sauing of men and Angels Wherefore Predestination is the eternal most iust and vnchangeable counsel of God of creating men of permitting their fal into sinne and eternal death of sending his Sonne into flesh that hee might bee a sacrifice and of conuerting some by the woorde and the holie ghost for the Mediatours sake and sauing them in true faith and conuersion and of leauing the rest in sinne and eternall death raising them vp to iudgement casting them into eternal paines Here is spoken of men which shall bee saued and not saued therefore to them onely and not to Angels doth this definition of Predestination agree Election The partes of Predestination are Election and Reprobation Election is the eternal vnchaungeable free and most iust decree of god whereby hee hath decreed to conuert some to Christ to preserue and keepe them in faith and repentaunce and by him to giue them eternall life Reprobation Reprobation is such a decree of god as whereby hee hath decreed to leaue some according to his most iust iudgement in their sinnes to punish them with blindnesse and damnation and to condemne them beeing not made partakers of Christ euerlastingly That Election likewise as also Reprobation are both the decree of god these and the like sayinges doe prooue John 13.18 I know whom I haue chosen 2. Tim. 1.9 His grace was giuen to vs before the worlde was Rom. 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he wil. Both therefore election and reprobation were made by counsell and therefore both are a decree and that eternal because there is no new thing in God but all from euerlasting and the Scripture doth manifestlie saie Ephes 1.4 That God hath chosen vs before the foundation of the worlde Seeing then hee hath chosen vs hee hath therefore reiected the rest That which the verie word of choosing doth shew For whatsoeuer is chosen the same is chosen other thinges beeing reiected This Election is of grace and free that is not in respect of anie good foreseene in vs. He hath mercie on whom he will that is He giueth freely what he giueth Joh. 15.16 You haue not chosen me 3 What the causes of Predestination or Election and Reprobation The efficient cause of our election Gods good pleasure not any thing in vs. THE efficient and motiue cause is the good pleasure of God Matth. 11.26 Jt is so O Father because thy good pleasure was such God hath not foreseene any thing in vs for which he should choose vs for there can be no good in vs as of our selues For if anie good bee found in vs that hee dooth worke wholy in vs and hee woorketh nothing in vs which hee hath not decreed to woorke from euerlasting Wherefore the alone gracious and most free good pleasure of God or the alone free mercy of God is the efficient and motiue cause of our Election Ephes â— 5. God hath predestinate vs to be adopted through Jesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his wil. See further Roman 9.11 Coloss 1.12 2. Timot. 1.9.10 The cause of reprobatioÌ„ in God In like manner also the efficient cause of Reprobation is the most free good pleasure of God For wee beeing all by nature the children of wrath had al perished if sin were the cause of reprobation Wherefore the cause of reprobation is not in men themselues but that is in God his will of shewing foorth his iustice Therefore of particular men why this man is elected and he reprobated there can bee no other reason giuen but the good pleasure of God onely But the cause of damnation is altogether in men The cause of Damnation in men which is sinne The supreme final cause of Predestination is gods glorie and the last and proper final cause of Election is the manifestation of Gods goodnesse and mercie in freelie sauing the Elect. The next neerest finall cause of our Election is our Iustification when God dooth in his Sonne freely account vs for righteous Both which finall causes the Apostle compriseth in these wordes Ephes 1 6. He hath predestinate vs to the praise of the glorie of his grace wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued Likewise of the contrarie The first final cause of Reprobation is the declaration of gods iustice seueritie and hatred against sinne in the reprobate 1 Obiection God did foreknowe our workes Therefore he choose vs for our woorks Aunswere He did foreknowe those good thinges which he purposed to woorke in vs as also he foreknewe the persons otherwise he could not haue foreknowen any good workes So could he not haue foreseene any euill except he had purposed to permit the same 2 Obiection Christs merite applied vnto vs by faith is the cause of our Election Therefore not the good pleasure of God Answere Christes merit is not the cause of election but is reckoned among the effects thereof 3 Obiection Euil workes are the cause of reprobation therefore good workes are the cause of election Aunswere Euil workes are not the cause of reprobation but of that which followeth reprobation that is of damnation Good workes go not before in him that is to be iustified muchlesse are they the cause of election but they followe in a man beeing iustified and draw their original and their perpetual efficacy and vertue from gods meâ—e grace 4 Whaâ— are the effects of Predestination THE effect of election is the whole woork of our saluation and al the degrees of our redemption 1. The creation and gathering of the church 2 The sending and giuing of Christ the Mediatour and his Sacrifice 3. Effectuall calling of men to his knowledge which is the conuersion of the Elect by the holie Ghost and the woorde 4. Faith iustifâ—cation regeneration 5. Good woorkes 6. Finall perseueraunce 7 Raising vnto glorie 8. The effects of Reprobation Glorification and eternal life The effects of Reprobation are the creation of the reprobate priuation
and which is belonging vnto the office and function of teaching in the church and whereof mention also is made in the fourth commaundement but this propagation of true doctrine is that instituting and instructing which appertaineth to euery one because euery one priuatly in his place is bound to bring others to the knowledge worship of God Deu. 4.9 Teach them thy Sonnes and thy Sonnes Sonnes Deut. 6 20. When thy Sonne shal aske thee in time to come saying what meane these testimonies and ordinaunces and Lawes which the Lorde our God hath commaunded you Then shalt thou saie vnto thy Sonne wee were Pharaohs bondmen in Aegypt but the Lord brought vs out of Aegypt with a mighty hand Deut. 11.19 Yee shal teach them your children speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house when thou walkest by the waie and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp Luke 22.32 When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethen Coloss 3.16 Let the woord of Christ dwel in you plenteouslie in al wisedome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in Psalmes Hymnes and spiritual Songs 1. Thess 5.11 Exhort one another and edifie one another 2 The celebration lauding or magnifieng of God which is a commemoration and recounting of Gods woorkes and properties ioyned with a liking and admiration of them before God and his creatures to this end that we may signifie and declare our liking or approbation and reuerence towardes God that God may excell aboue all thinges and that so our subiection vnto him may appeare and be manifested They therefore which ban and curse sinne against this commaundement because they sin against the praising and magnifieng of God when they speak impious things of God as if he forsooth were their executioner to reuenge their quarell and they sinne against praier and inuocation when they craue of god those thinges which are flat against his word Some man wil here reply Vnto whō God doth imprecate wish euil to thē we maie also wish euil Vnto this we answer 1. All imprecations or euil-wishinges which are made absolutelie without some prophecy or special reuelatiō are sins 2. They must be done without priuate hatred and desire of reuenge 3. They must be done in respect of gods glorie onlie and the preseruation of the true church 4. Wee must not imprecate or wish euill as it is an euill that is as it is the destruction of them against whom wee wish it 3 The confession of the truth which wee knowe concerning GOD which is the shewing of our iudgement and opinion concerning god and his will certainely knowen out of gods word because according as our duty bindeth vs we signifie and declare our minde and knowledge for the setting forth of gods glory for the furthering of the saluation of others Rom. 10.10 With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation 1. Pet. 3.15 Bee readie alwaies to giue an aunswere to euerie man that asketh you a reasō of the hope that is in you with meeknes and reuerence And hence it appeareth that they who lead a vitious and bad life sinne against this commaundement because they sinne against the confession of the truth when as they boast themselues to bee Christians and shewe the contrarie in their life and maners These three partes or vertues of the right and lawful vsage of the name of god which haue bin now proposed agree in this that they are a commemoration of the truth concerning god again they differ in this that the doctrine or propagation of true doctrine tendeth to the instruction of others The celebration of God respecteth our liking and subiection The confession of the knowen trueth betokeneth the certainty of our opinion and iudgement 4 The zeale of god which is an ardent loue of god and a griefe for any reproch or contempt which is done to god and an endeuour to put awaie that reproch from the name of god and to auoide sinnes our selues and to banish them from others This zeale is required of euery one that euery one according to his place and calling and as hee is in duetie bound doe vindicate and maintaine the glorie of God 5 Jnuocation which is praier whereby we craue of the true God none other blessinges than God hath commanded vs to aske of him onely which praier and petition proceedeth from a desire in vs of gods bountifulnesse and liberality and is made in true conuersion and in a full persuasion of gods promises for the Mediatours sake Psal 105.1 Praise the Lord and cal vpon his name Matth. 7.7 Aske and it shal be giuen you seeke and yee shal find knocke and it shal be opened vnto you 1. Iohn 5.14 This is the assuraunce that wee haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his wil he heareth vs. 6 Thankes-giuing which is to acknowledge and confesse what and how great benefites blessings we haue receiued of god vnto what obedience towards god we are in respect of them bound and ready or prepared and that therefore we wil yeelde vnfaigned obedience vnto him to the vtmost of our power Colos 3.17 Whatsoeuer ye shall do in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Jesus giuing thanks to god euen the father by him 1. Thess 5.18 In all thinges giue thanks for this is the wil of God in Christ Jesus toward you Psal 107.1 Praise the Lord because he is good for his mercie endureth for euer 7 Right and lawful swearing which is comprehended vnder Inuocation as a special vnder the general The chiefe questions concerning an oath or swearing 1 What an oath is 2 By whom we are to sweare 3 Of what things we must sweare 4 Whether al oathes are to be kept 5 Whether a christian maie take a right lawful oath 1 WHAT AN OATH IS AN oath is an inuocating on god whereby is desired that god who is the viewer of the harts would bee a witnesse vnto him that sweareth that he wil not lie or deceiue in that matter whereof he sweareth and that God would punish him that sweareth if he doe lie or deceiue In this definition are the other foure questions also comprehended Furthermore an oath was ordained by God that it might be the bond of truth betweene men and a testimonie or recorde that god is the authour and defender of the truth An oath is oftentimes vnderstoode and taken for the whole worship of God because by whom a man sweareth the same himselfe professeth to account for god 2 By whom we must swear WE must sweare by god onlie 1. Because god hath commanded vs to sweare by him onlie as he alone is to bee feared and worshipped 2. God wil haue inuocation to be vsed vnto himselfe onelie Therefore hee will haue vs to sweare also by himselfe only because an oath is an inuocating on god 3. An oath doth giue and ascribe vnto him by whom wee sweare the inspection and
which persecute the church are swine and dogs And therefore wee according to Christs commaundment are not to make aunswere vnto them if they demaund our religion wee aunswere that this reason is a fallacy of the accident For if the Magistrates demaund our religion or any other by their commission and in their name we are necessarily to make aunswere of our confession vnto them both in respect of their office wherunto we owe obediēce also in respect of gods glory according as it is said of Christ Mark 8.38 Whosoeuer shal be ashamed of me and of my words among this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shal the Sonne of man be ashamed also when he commeth in the glorie of his Father with the holie Angels And Mat. 10. Luk. 12. When they shal bring you vnto the Synagogs and vnto the rulers and Princes take no thought howe or what thing ye shal aunswere or what yee shall speak For the holie Ghost shal teach you in the same houre what ye ought to say Fourthlie vnto lawfull confession is opposed the abusing of christian liberty or giuing of offence in things indifferent which is by the vsing of thinges indifferent to confirme errours in the mindes of the aduersaries or in their minds that are weake or to alienate them from true religion or by our example to prouoke them to an imitation accompanied with an euill conscience Rom. 14.15 Jf thy brother be grieued for the meat now walkest thou not charitablie destroie not him with thy meat for whom Christ died 21. Cor. 8.9 Take heede least by anie meanes this power of yours be an occasion of falling to them that are weake And Acts. 24. Paul maketh a vow that he might free himselfe from the suspicion of reuolting from Moses Fiftly vnto true confession are opposed all scandals and offences giuen in manners when as namely they which professe true religion lead a lewde and wicked life For thereby they giue occasion vnto the aduersaries those that are weake to iudge and speake ill of that religion whose followers they see to liue ill and therefore this is reputed and numbered among the chiefe contumelies and abuses of Gods name Rom. 2.24 The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you Psal 50.16 Vnto the wicked said god What hast thou to doe to declare mine ordinances that thou shouldest take my couenant in thy mouth 2. Tim. 3.5 Hauing a shew of godlinesse but haue denied the power thereof Vnto zeale for the glorie of God is opposed 1 In the defect Cowardnesse or lithernesse in maintaining Gods glorie which is either not to be stroken with a griefe when god is reproched and so neglect gods glory or not to haue and shew in words and deeds a desire to hinder according to his place calling the reproching of gods name or to faigne and pretend zeale for gods glorie They runne into this vice who forbidde not rashe oathes and blasphemies because they are not led with a zeale for the glorie of God whereby they should be mooued to reproue and forbid yet so as it bee according to their degrees and callinges that which God reprooueth and forbiddeth 2. In the excesse is opposed an erring and ignoraunt zeale or a zeale of errour which Paul Rom. 10. calleth a zeale not according to knowledge which is to bee displeased with woordes and deeds whereby Gods glory is falsly thought to be impaired Now this is done when as either wee take that to bee the glorie of God and endeuour to defend it which is not the glorie of God neither ought to be defended or when we take that to be an impairing or defacing of gods glorie and labor to repell it which is no impairing of gods glorie neither ought by anie meanes to be repelled and againe when either gods glorie is otherwise defended than it ought to be defended or the impairing of gods glorie is preuented and repelled otherwise then it ought to be repelled Vnto giuing of thanks is opposed 1. The omitting of thanksgiuing or ingratitude which doth either neuer or seldom times think of and magnifie Gods benefites or if hee thinke of them he doth it coldly 2. Hypocritical thankefulnes whereby we dissemble the greatnes of Gods benefits neither esteeme them to be so great as they indeede are 3. A deniall or extenuating and lessening of gods benefites or to make himselfe and others authors thereof 1. Corinth 4.7 What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why gloriest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it 4. The neglect of Gods gifts when as they are imploied not to gods glory but vnto abuses and the reproch of God Vnto right and lawful swearing is opposed 1. The refusing of a lawful oath when one auoideth to take an oath which tendeth to gods glory and to the safety of his neighbour 2. Forswearing when wittinglie and willinglie a man deceiueth by an oath either in bearing witnesse or in promise made concerning his owne wil and purpose 3. An idolatrous oath which is taken by another besides the true God 4. An oath made of an vnlawful thing as was Herodes to perfourme whatsoeeuer Herodias daughter should aske 5. A rash oath made of a lightnes that is without any necessity or vpon no great cause Hither belong those places which forbid swearing Mat. 5. and 23. and Iames. 5. Vnto inuocation is opposed first a neglect or omitting of inuocation which is required as being the fountain of al vngodlinesse This is neither to craue of God nor to wish for benefites blessings necessary for vs. Ps 14. They cal not vpon the Lord. Hither belong those places which forbid vs to giue ouer or bee weary of praieng if wee haue not helpe at the same time and after the same manner which we would as Luk. 18. The parable of the widow the wicked iudge Rom. 12. Continuing in praier 1. Thes 5.17 Praie continually Secondly vnto vocation is opposed all vnlawfull inuocation that is wherin is wanting some necessary circumstance of those which are required to the lawful and true inuocation of God The chiefe kindes of this vnlawfull inuocation are idle babling and vaine repetitions and praieng vnto God for such things as are repugnaunt vnto his wil and Law Thirdly Liplabour or praiers made without anie true motion of the heart without a desire of Gods bountifulnesse only in woords or outwarde motion of the body or without a submitting of our wil vnto Gods wil without true repentance without faith beleeuing to be heard without the knowledge of gods promises without confidence and trust in the Mediatour only and without acknowledgement of our owne weaknesse infirmity Fourthly Jdolatrous inuocation which either is directed vnto false Gods or creatures or tieth Gods hearing of vs and his presence to a certain place or thing that is without the commaundement or promise of God For as in the first commandement God forbiddeth that honor which is due
all three senses as a little after we shall vnderstand 3 To hallow or sanctifie is in Scripture vsed after three waies 1 Of vs. 2 Of God 3 Of Christ 1 Of vs it is affirmed after a double manner first when wee hallow and sanctifie our selues others And we sanctifie our selues and others when as touching externall and outward thinges we prepare our selues and others to glorifie God For there commeth some holinesse vnto vs by glorifieng of God but none to God Secondlie When we hallowe and sanctifie God Now we sanctifie God 1 When we acknowledge god to be holie or when we acknowledge God to be such as hee hath declared himselfe in his word and woorkes that is when we know and thinke the same of Gods Essence of his wil works of his omnipotency goodnesse wisedome and other his properties which God in his woorde hath commaunded and reueiled that we should know and thinke of them Secondly When we professe God to be holie and so magnifie him according to his will that is when our confession whereby we confesse god to be holy is agreeing with his diuine will And then is it agreeing with his diuine will when we professe the Holines of God both in minde and woorde and also in deede and woorkes Thirdlie When we refer the true doctrine knowledge and profession of Gods holinesse and likewise our praiers and actions and euen our whole life vnto that end whereunto wee ought and whither God hath commanded it to bee referred namely to the glorie and woorship of God himselfe And so wee are said to sanctifie God after the selfesame three waies after which a thing is saide to be holy Wherefore when we desire that the name of God may be hallowed or sanctified wee desire 1 That God would illighten vs with the knowledge of his holinesse 2 That he would giue vs a minde to professe the same in wordes deeds or that he would giue vs faith repentance whereby we may glorifie him and whereby wee may seuer him from Idols and prophane things or lastly that he would regenerate vs and this first by knowledge then by profession and lastly by conformitie according to this his commandement Be yee holie euen as I also am holie 3 That hee would giue vs a mind to professe that holinesse of his diuine Name to his own praise and glorie Hither may be referred that of Austen Giue what thou commaundest and commaund what thou wilt and then shalt thou not commaund in vaine Obiection God is holie enough there is no cause therefore why we should desire that he be hallowed or sanctified Aunswere God is holy in himselfe But wee desire that wee may acknowledge him to be holy and so magnifie him He sanctifieth vs by making vs holy wee sanctifie and hallow God himselfe when we speake that of him which he will haue vs to speake and knowe of him Obiection 2. What belongeth vnto vs to do that should we not desire another to doe But it belongeth to vs to hallow and sanctifie the name of God Answ What belongeth vnto vs to doe that wee ought not to desire another to doe if so we be able by our selues by our own strength to perfourme it But we are not able to doe this Therefore we must desire of God that he will giue vs strength wherby his diuine name may be of vs hallowed sanctified The worde hallowing is affirmed of God not that hee halloweth himself or that another halloweth him seeing he hath none aboue him but because he halloweth and sanctifieth others And others he sanctifieth inwardlie and outwardly Jnwardly by his holie spirit Outwardlie by his woorde Which he effectuateth 1 By separating them from their sinnes 2 By reuiuing quickning them by his holie spirit 3 By the continuing of both 3 The same worde is affirmed of Christ two waies Namely both passiuely and actiuelie Passiuelie 1 Because the Word was ordained and consecrated by the father to the office of the Mediatour 2 Because the humane nature of Christ was cansecrated out of that whole lump or masse that is was selected from among all creatures to the vnion with the Worde 3 Because his humane nature was preserued from sinne for the perfourmance of the Mediatourship The same is also affirmed of him passiuelie because Christ is hallowed and sanctified of vs. Now it is vsed of him actiuely because Christ sanctifieth both himselfe others He sanctifieth halloweth himself as he is the Word and Mediatour The Word did sanctify with his Father that flesh which he tooke by preseruing the same from sinne and by endowing it with al giftes and this so as the Father also himselfe preserued it from sinne and would that christ shoulde become our Ransome As he is Mediatour he sanctified himselfe by his voluntarie obedience towardes his father in offering himselfe a sacrifice for vs. He sanctifieth vs 1 By imputing his own righteousnesse 2 By a reall communicating of his holinesse which is wrought by the holy ghost Concerning all these read Zanch. de trib Eloh lib. 4. cap. 10. The same Zanchius in the same booke cap. 3. pag. 89. cap. 10. pag. 154. setteth downe three waies whereby Christ sanctifieth vs. 1 The Jmputation of his righteousnesse which is considered in his whole humiliation and obedience vnto death 2 The Jmputation of his most perfect holinesse for which he alleageth the place of Paul 1. Cor. 1.30 3 The reall communicating thereof But notwithstanding it is to bee obserued that Zanchius when he expoundeth the place of the Epistle to the Hebrues maketh that holinesse of Christ to cōsist in his voluntarie passion in which sense if we take it it seemeth not much to differ from the imputation of his iustice and righteousnesse which consisteth in obedience THE SECOND PETITION THY kingdome come Thy kingdome come that is let it by continual encreases be augmented and alwaies by a new enlargement and accession let thy kingdome bee extended and multiplied which thou O god in thy Church dost hold and possesse The special Questions concerning the kingdom of god 1 What the kingdome of god is A Kingdome in general is a certaine forme of ciuil gouernement wherein the soueraigntie of rule belongeth to some one person who is furnished with giftes and vertues aboue the rest and ruleth ouer al according to iust honest and certaine Lawes in requiring obedience making Laws defending the good punishing the bad The kingdome of God is the sending of the Son from the father euen from the beginning of the world who should ordain and maintaine a ministerie and should by the same be effectual forcible in working should gather a Church by the woorde and the holy ghost out of all mankinde rule and preserue the same raise it from death adorne it with heauenly glorie that so God may be all in all and maie be magnified by the Church of Angels and men for euer Out of this definition wee may gather