like as in the day of resurrection when wee shall be all raised up out of the dust of the earth and the corruptible put on incorruptible and the mortall put on immortality and the vertue of the power of God shall be declared much better than if we had still lived and continued in this life without corruption and death And further whereas by the sinne committed man-kind perished and fell into so great corruption It was not Gods fault that man sinned and lost his innocency depravation and death it is not such that it ought to be imputed unto God but rather such as the justice of God may appeare therein therefore it was meet and needfull that Christ should not be conceived and borne in the wombe of the Virgin of the seed of man lest he should be borne partaker of sin but only by the working of the Holy Ghost Lastly seeing the sinne of Adam by the intisement of the woman did so deface the excellence and innocence of our nature as that the corruption thereof did descend from him to all posterities this ought to abate the pride of man that no man dignifie or exalt himselfe in the pride of his nature for all men are of one and the same nature and all men in one and the same condemnation there being no power in mans nature to raise himselfe to the dignity of Gods favour that being onely in the power of him that first created us holy and innocent who againe will restore us if we faithfully spend our indeavours in holy actions Againe it ought to move all men to beare indifferent favour to all the children of God and not to despise any either for the defect of nature or fortun but to pitty and commiserate the common calamities because there is no judgement or punishment inflicted upon any man How to judge calamities but it is generally caused by all men all men having offended God with Adam and all men for that sin of Adam being subject to all misery for those calamities and greater are due to us though other men indure them and those benefits which some injoy Gods favour is not by desert but by benevolence and others want they have them not of desert but of benevolence from the favour of God who giveth them according to the pleasure of his will without respect of persons Seeing that Adam who had such extraordinary indowments of grace and whose nature God had so adorned with excellence that hee delighted in his company and seeing he was innocent and his nature unstained with corruption or infirmity We farre more easie to be tempted then Adam did notwithstanding run in contempt of Gods Commandement and thereby did purchase Gods indignation Let us therefore be extraordinary carefull to withstand all provocations that may tempt us to any sinne for our nature is much more easie to be tempted than Adams was his being innocent and holy ours in corruption stained he having power in himselfe to withstand his tempter we having no power in our nature to resist but rather an appetite and affectation to evill naturally inclined to neglect that grace which should make us able to resist temptation and to withstand the assaults of the divell The depravednesse of nature and because our nature is thus depraved and that our owne blind directions would but leade us to condemnation let us therefore with humble confidence implore the favour of God How to prevent the power of temptation that by his spirit hee would give us directions and that by his mighty hand hee may support us against the power of all temptations for we know our strength is but weaknesse and if God take his hand of favour from us If we will affy in God we must deny our selves wee shall fall into the hands of our tempters and remaine their spoile for if Adam in his innocence was vanquished we in our sinne cannot bee able to withstand them therefore let us not trust in our owne strength but deny our selves and repose our whole confidence in the strength of his arme for it is thou O God that savest and defendest us from and out of the hands of our enemies and puttest them to confusion that hate us Thus let us practise against our spirituall tempters and thus we shall prevaile Againe seeing God hath not spared Adam nor the Angels that sinned who in their natures were much more excellent then we but for their sinne gave them over to condemnation 2 Pet. 2.4 how much lesse will he spare us if wee continue in the committing of sinne and not endeavour our selves with all diligence in godly exercise Assuredly this should make us fearefull to commit any sinne with consent or knowledge Let us therefore flie all sinne The wages of sin in death as we would death because the earnest of sinne is certainely rewarded with death sinne and death being inseparable in fellowship for the soule that sinneth must die the death and no soule dieth but the sinfull Therefore let us resort our prayers to the holy presence of God Resolution let us earnestly intreat that his providence may direct us in an holy course to an holy end let us avoyd all acquaintance with sinne let us hate it in our selves Charity will pitty misery let us hate it in others pity their misery and pray for their amendment let up prove our selves vowed enemies to sinne and practise in that profession thus let us perswade thus let us resolve Againe seeing Adam and his posterity were not cast into condemnation Man was not condemned without hope as the angels were without hope without mercy as the angels that sinned were but had hope given him to be againe restored to the favour and blessed presence of God by the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ the Sonne of God this admirable degree of love and favour of God to mankind should keepe all our actions in awe and make us carefully feare to offend our God who hath so farre exceeded to us in the favours of his love therefore let us not onely feare him because hee hath power to destroy us but let us feare him for the reverence of his love and preferre his love even before our soules our meditations cannot present to our soules a greater Heaven of joy To meditate God and his favours then to understand our selves to be beloved of God neither can wee have more delightfull action then to meditate his love and to love him againe for his love to us for to love him for the safety of our owne soules is most necessary but to love him for his love only is more commendable and declareth a notable degree of Christian zeale Thus did Moses love the Israelits Exod. 32.30.31 32. thus did St. Paul the Iewes and thus will I my God by whom I was created by whom I am restored and in whom I will alwaies trust Amen Of the Divels trecheries and how to
and hid himselfe from Gods presence If therefore wee compare his sin to the Commandements of the Law wee shall find it to be a direct breach of some and a consequent breach of all For Gods first Commandement saith Exod. 20. Thou shalt have no other Gods but mee Adams sin by the eating of the forbidden fruit by the temptation and perswasion of the divell doth contradict the Commandement of God and saith Nay but my wife and I will both be gods Gen. 3.5 Againe Caine the second man he committed murther and thereby directly broke the sixt Commandement which when God and his conscience made him to understand Gen. 4.8 hee made a most desperate acknowledgement of his sin Vers 13. so that the Law being nothing but a reasonable duty which the creature oweth to his Creator there was therefore a generall knowledge of this Law in the reasonable nature of man at his creation and so to the succession of them of the old world unto the time that the Law was given to Moses by the ordinance of Angels Gal. 3.19 the old world then from Adam to Moses were not lawlesse and free from the service of the Law but had the law of nature for their direction which being grounded upon reason was even the very same with the law of the ten Commandements and the law of the ten Commandements before it was given to Moses was in the ages before going commonly transgressed and that law did both judge and condemne them the which law God gave man when he gave him his nature every man having the knowledge of this law in the naturall use of his reason This was the state of the old world before Moses all sinned and all were judged by the law of nature Now when iniquity began to raigne and be strong in the hearts of men and that their conscience became senslesse of sin neither would they admonish and judge their transgressions then God thought convenient to publish to mankinde this law binding the consciences of men to a strict and dutifull observation of every particular statute of the law Baruch 4.1 denouncing the judgement of condemnation to all them that transgresse against the least breach and particular of those Commandements A second reason why God ordained the Law Reason 2 was that men might rightly understand themselves and thereby know in what degree of holinesse they were because that men are often partiall in their owne judgement and willingly blinde themselves in the view of their owne calamities wherefore then serveth the Law Gal. 3.19 it was added because of transgressions that by the Law men might know wherein they have transgressed A third reason of the ordination of the Law is Reason 3 to provoke men to endeavour themselves with all diligence in a holy course to travell in godly exercise and to avoid both evill actions and idlenesse the Law giving every man sufficient matter of imployments wherein he is bound to spend his houres 4. Esd 9.31 his daies nay his life in the carefull service of his God For behold I sow my Law in you that it may bring forth fruit in you and that yee may be honoured by it for ever Fourthly the reason that the Law was given Reason 4 is that by the severity thereof we might be disciplined and made fit for the mercy of the Gospell for the judgement of the Law will humble us make us understand our misery Gal. 3.24 and provoke us to implore mercy for by the documents and directions of the Law wee are led to salvation in Jesus Christ wherefore the Law is our Schoolemaster to teach and bring us to Christ that wee might be made righteous by faith in him Lastly the Law was given for the glory and Majesty of God that all the world might judge of his infinite mercy to mankind In this respect that notwithstanding all men are judged and condemned by the law of nature and by the Law of his Commandements yet in the greatnesse of his love hee is content to forgive the trespasse and the judgement therefore due unto mankind Gods admirable mercy and finally to entertaine these transgressors his enemies into the bosome of his mercy giving them Mercy in stead of Justice and eternall life Rom. 5.20 when they deserved death and damnation 21. Moreover the Law entered thereupon that the offence should abound neverthelesse Where Sinne abounded there Grace abounded much more that as Sinne had raigned unto death so might Grace also raigne by righteousnesse unto eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord and this is an admirable degree of love in God that he will decline or lay by his Majesty and to miserable wretched nay sinfull creatures exercise his Mercy in restoring and advancing us that have so highly offended his Majesty and abounded in transgressions for these causes was the Law given and delivered to man Deut. 27.26 The matter of the Commandements God thereby commanding every mans absolute obedience upon forfeiture of his soule to the paines of everlasting condemnation In the Law of the ten Commandements is to be considered the substance which is the matter of the Law and the circumstance which is the manner of the delivering it The matter is contained in ten Commandements the first foure teacheth us directly our duty to God the six last our duties to our neighbour In the manner of giving the Law we may principally consider these circumstances First the principall giver of the Law God Secondly the servants attending this office the Angels Thirdly to whom it was given to Moses Fourthly for whom it was given for the children of Israel who were then the people of God and by consequence to every people that professe themselves the servants of God these are the maine particulars in the circumstance of giving the Law First Exod. 20.1 Exo. 19.18 c. God was the principall authour of this worke to give it countenance and authority for who dare quarrell his worke and the operation of his hands therefore did God himselfe speake all the words of the Commandements he also spake in a fearefull and terrible manner to gaine the businesse a fearefull estimation Vers 9. he spoke in the hearing of the people that they might know it was Gods owne act and to prevent the distrust they might have in his servant Moses Secondly the Angels attend this holy service to declare the most excellent Majesty of God who in all his occasions is served and attended by an infinite number of that excellent nature Againe the Angels were there because they are most desirous of the good of mankind Heb. 1.14 Luke 15.7 10. and doe willingly attend the service of our salvation having joy among themselves in Heaven at the conversion of a sinner they were also to be witnesses betweene God and his people that the covenants might remaine established for ever therefore S. Paul saith The Law was ordained by the
holy and heavenly minded towards God we must be friendly and loving to our neighbours slow in taking advantages renewing or revenging of wrongs wee must be humble and lowly in our owne eyes meeke and sober in all our actions and because herein are exhibited and offered things of such wonderfull valew and price to the worthy receivers wee must bee cleansed of our spirituall leprosie before wee presume to communicate in the company of Saints We must therefore assure our selves that we are in the number of those to whom these holy things doe appertaine for whosoever is prophane in his person and an unsanctified creature let him forbeare to come to this holy banquet till he have first used the meanes of better assurance by repentance for his sinnes and amendment of his corrupt and sinnefull life let him often call upon God by zealous and faithfull prayers for the remission of his omissions and transgressions let him earnestly crave the assistance of his holy spirit to assist him in the mortifying and beating downe of sinne and that his heart and conscience may be sanctified and made fit for so holy an exercise When he is thus cleansed let him shew himselfe to the Priest his Pastour and let him take knowledge by his outward confession of his inward contrition And then in all reverence and in the feare of God let him come to this holy Table let him eate the body and drinke the blood of that Lambe that taketh away the sinnes of all penitent sinners and will present him pure unto the Lord for the Lords eye is pure and can abide no wickednesse the Sacrament is holy touch it not rashly if thou have not the wedding garment of sincerity come not thereto Math. 22.11 12 13. for the Lord will finde thee out and thrust thee forth out of his presence among the unbeleevers whose portion shall bee with the divell and his angels Let us therefore search and examine our waies let us lift up our hands with our hearts unto God and feed on this holy mystery 1 Cor. 11.25 26 the life of our soules in remembrance that Christ died for us untill his second comming Blesse me O Lord so that my sins may wholly be remitted by thy blood my conscience sanctified by thy Word my mind enlightened by thy Truth my heart guided by thy Spirit and my will in all things subdued to thy blessed Will and pleasure Blesse mee with all graces which I want and increase in mee those good gifts which thou hast already bestowed upon mee Of the Ordinance of Christ concerning the translation of the Sabbath THe Primitive Church had farre greater reason to celebrate Sunday in memory of Christs resurrection then to keepe the Sabbath because that by his resurrection from the dead Isay 65.17 66.12.13 there is wrought a new spirituall creation of the world without which all the sonnes of Adam had beene turned to everlasting perdition and destruction and so all the workes of the first creation had ministred no consolation unto us In respect of this new spirituall creation 2 Cor. 5.17 18. Rev. 21.1 Gal. 6.15 1 Pet. 2.10 Ephes 4.24 Colos 3.10 Matth. 26.28 2 Pet. 3.13 Isay 66.12.13 Chro 4.9 c. the Scripture saith that old things are passed away and all things are become new new creatures new people new men new knowledge new Testament new Commandements new Heaven new Earth and therefore there is in stead of the old a new holy day to honour and praise our Redeemer and to meditate upon the workes of our redemption and to shew the new change fo the old Testament because that on this day Christ rested from all the sufferings of his passion and finished the glorious worke of our redemption If the finishing of the worke of the first creation whereby God mightily manifested himselfe unto his creatures deserved a Sabbath for to solemnize the memoriall of so great a work Esay 58.13 to the honour of the worker and therefore God calls it mine holy day much more doth the new creation of the world effected by the resurrection of Christ whereby he mightily declared himselfe to be the Sonne of God Rom. 1.3 4. deserve an holy festivall for the perpetuall commemoration thereof to the honour of Christ and therefore most worthily called the Lords day Apoc. 1.10 for as the deliverance out of the captivity of Babylon being greater tooke away the name from the deliverance out of the bondage of Egypt Jer. 23.7 8. 16.13 so the day whereon Christ finished the redemption of the world did more justly deserve to be kept holy than that day wherein God ceased from creating the world Gen. 2.2 as therefore in the creation the first day wherein it was finished was consecrated for a Sabbath Lev. 23.32 Neh. 13.19 so in processe of time after our redemption the first day wherein it was perfected was dedicated to a holy rest The Jewes kept their Sabbath on the last day of the week beginning it with the night when God rested from finishing the worke of his creation but Christians honour the Lord better on the first day of the weeke when the Lord arose They kept their Sabbath in remembrance of the worlds creation but Christians celebrate it in memoriall of the worlds redemption Matth. 28 1. Acts 20.7 2.46 yea the Lords day being the first day of the creation and redemption puts us in minde both of the making of the old world and redeeming of the new world Many godly Writers doe record many memorable things which were done upon the first day of the weeke as so many types that the chiefe worship of God should under the new Testament be celebrated upon this day Exod. 31. as that on this day the cloud of Gods Majesty first sate upon his people Aaron and his children first executed their Priest-hood God first solemnely blessed his people the princes of his people first offered publikely unto God the first day wherein fire descended from heaven the first of the world of the yeere of the moneth of the weeke all shadowing that it should be the first and chiefe holy day of the new Testament Gen. 17.12 and circumcision being commanded on the eighth day which was foreseene by the holy Fathers and Prophets to be a type of the Lords day Esay 58.13 that the Sabbath should cease and give place to the eight or first day of the weeke If this mysterie were so clearely seene by the Fathers and Prophets under the shadowes of the old Testament 2 Cor. 4.4 surely the God of this world hath deepely blinded their mindes who cannot see the truth thereof under the cleere shining light of the Gospel This change of the Sabbath under the new Testament was nothing but a fulfilling of that which was solemnly prefigured and fore-prophesied under the old 1 Cor. 14.36 37 therefore all true Christians according to the Lords minde and Commandement
Apostle doth call the election made in Christ wherefore wee must consider of this mystery of our election as it is whole and sound with both the parts of it joyned together with sincere faith with all devotion honour and thankfulnesse in Christ our Mediatour Head and Saviour and for the confirmation of the certainty of our salvation in our hearts wee must ponder also in our selves how that the election and choosing of us is grounded and builded upon the same purpose and counsell of God 1 Pet. 1.20 21 22. in the same eternity yea and the very same certainety that the mystery of Christ is but concerning those which be chosen of God they be chosen generally to this purpose to be made happy for evermore To this point of true felicity those things doe belong which be rehearsed particularly by the Apostle Psal 32. for what can we make of it else but to bee holy and blamelesse then to bee adopted to be the children of God to be beloved redeemed and favourably pardoned of our sinnes to be lightned with the wisedome and knowledge of Gods will and purpose to be called to the portion of inheritance and to be signed with the holy Spirit as the earnest-penny of our inheritance but to bee made happy forever and to be the heires of God and coheries with Christ and to be taken into the glory of his children If the Prophet pronounce him happy whose sinnes bee forgiven Vers 1 2. how much more are they to be counted happy which bee chosen to that intent from everlasting that they should be adopted the children of God made holy and blamelesse and partakers of the heavenly inheritance this grace of Gods election is incomprehensible and therefore can never be so esteemed of us as it ought to be This certainty doth beget exceeding joy in the elect for what can raise a greater joy in faithfull hearts then this that wee know and believe verily that we shall see the infinite good pleasure of the Lord Psal 27.15 The infinite joy of the faithfull in the Land of the living and shall have an inheritance not earthly but eternall in the heavens and what greater joy can any man desire to enjoy then to believe himselfe to be elected to eternall joy This assurance in the elect is the more excellent Note considering the woe of the reprobates which want it and the wearisome sighs and inexplicable terrors of such as are swallowed up in despaire This privilege is the more to be accounted of because wee may enjoy it daily thoroughout our life and that the longer we be partakers of it the sweeter it is unto us for this assurance is infallible so long as we have true faith in us Rom. 4.20 Heb. 11.1 by which we come to Christ approach to the Father and hasten to Heaven for faith is an undoubted certainty or perswasion in us and an enemy to doubting and incredulity This election of God is most free without obligation compulsion externall instigation For hath not the Potter liberty over his clay c Who can compell the Almighty who can resist his power Rom. 9.21 or what is before his will for the election of God is constant perpetuall immutable inviolable and unresistable Esay 43.13 it is firme grounded stable and unmovable for those things which be contingent mutable and uncertaine are barred and utterly excluded from being an originall cause or ground thereof Now the decree of election is the foundation and scaturidge of salvation and is certaine stedfast and unchangeable therefore God the authour of election Jam. 1.17 18. Mal. 3.6 doth seriously and effectually separate and elect the faithfull unto himselfe and the reprobate unbelievers therefore his decree must be fulfilled the Scriptures are manifold and evident in avouching this truth In the beginning saith the Lord I shew the end of things Esa 46.10.11 and I tell before things that are not yet come to passe my device standeth stedfastly stablished and I will fulfill all my pleasure as I have spoken so will I bring to passe as soone as I deviâ—â— thing I doe it The foundation of God saith Saint Paul remaineth sure 2 Tim. 2.19 having the seale the Lord knoweth them that are his Therefore this decree of election is the foundation because it is the wel-spring and beginning of our salvation and of all the meanes tending to salvation and is sure and firme and never shaken but remaines immutable for ever for whosoever are elected shall still remaine elected and shall never be rejected Joh. 6.39 This is my Fathers will saith Christ that of all which he hath given mee I should lose nothing John 13.1 those whom he ever loved hee loveth for ever For neither any of those can perish whom God hath predestinated unto the kingdome of heaven nor that any of those can come whom hee hath not predestinated unto life neither doth God offer the least injury to any though he doth not choose all because he is not tied to choose any his Lordship is above all Rom. 9.18 his authority is absolute hee may doe with his owne what hee will who can hinder him the doctrine of election doth manifest the glory of God Thes 1. for it sheweth that we are elected to the honour of God and to the praise of his glorious grace and it argues and illustrates his essentiall properties as his omnipotency omniscience eternity and mercy and doth both demonstrate and defend the free grace of God against all contrariant heresies and errors and will arme us against impetuous enemies of the truth therefore it is worthy to be learned Now the love of God is the ground of election and Gods love is best knowne by his best gifts the best things he reserveth for those he best loveth as Joseph sent unto Benjamin more messes of meat Gen. 43.34 and gave him richer gifts and more costly apparell than to the rest of his brethren Gen. 45.22 So the Lord bestoweth the best gifts upon the elect his owne children Now the graces of regeneration and spirituall gifts of faith hope and love are without comparison the most principall therefore hee that hath faith hope and love may assure himselfe of Gods love and that hee is in the number and ranke of Gods elect these being infallible tokens and undoubted effects of election and fore-runners of eternall life Now this knowledge in God brings â—orth another knowledge in us Gal. 4.5.9 whereby we know God to be our God and this election of God workes in the elect another election whereby they choose God for their God and the love whereby God loveth us works in us another love whereby we love God for Christ first apprehends us and this apprehension of his Rom. 4.20 workes in us the apprehension of faith wherby wee lay hold upon him and his promises If these things therefore be in us wee may conclude infallibly
that their glory multitude and wealth with such as rejoyce in her shall descend into it Thus hath a man a fall and is brought low and the high lookes of the proud shall be cast downe Vers 15. Psal 36.12 there are they fallen all that worke wickednesse they are cast downe and shall not be able to stand To the Reader IF thou wouldst understand the Deity Behold the mystery of the holy Trinity An Essence divine eternall infinite is hee Spirituall and of wonderfull magnanimity Of power of might and majesty Of goodnesse greatnesse and excellency Of glory continuance and quality And is perfectly good unchangeably From everlasting and perpetually And is every where present repletively Essentially potentially and vertually Which is seene by his admirable works apparantly With our eyes and minde continually From age to age universally This Almighty God incomprehensible Omnipotent invisible and incomparable Immortall incorruptible and unspeakeable Dwelleth in light inaccessible And is coequall coessentiall and coeternall Of one substance immutable and unsearchable This high blessed Heavens Creatour Is the earths creatures Conserver Increaser nourisher repairer and governour By his omnipresent power Although he dwels in Heaven principally Yet hee is and dwels on earth effectually In the faithfull his elect especially In his wisedome grace and mercy Therefore be praised evermore the Trinity Father Sonne and holy Ghost in unity This to believe is godly charity Saving faith and holy piety For speaking of Gods simple verity Nought more beseemes then true simplicity If further thou wouldst understand his Majesty Goe in behold and see his excellency For what I know of his all-knowing worth With single heart I have simply here set forth Thus wishing that my labours may To heavens rest thy soule convey No attributes can sufficiently expresse the essence of God but the attributes which be given unto God be taken out of the usage of mens speech and so applyed unto the nature of God to the end that those things which cannot be properly expressed by any toung nor language may yet at the least wise be by the figures of mens speeches in some sort shadowed whatsoever therefore is spoken of God is so in God as it serveth to helpe our weake understanding to conceive in our reason and to utter in our speech the majesty of his divine nature quality and essence for of himselfe he is infinite and ineffable in his essence might power and working THE SOVLES PROGRESSE TO THE Celestiall CANAAN Of the Essence of God and how he is to be understood in his holy Attributes so farre as hee hath revealed himselfe in holy Scriptures for otherwise no man is able to define what God is ALL men are by a certaine instinct of nature desirous of knowledge and account ignorance evill and unseemely like a defective body or lightlesse house for knowledge is the eye of the mind the light of the soule the ornament of grace and nature and is a collection of understanding gathered in the grounds of learning by the instruction of wisedome Eccles 1. shee is the exercise of memory in the actions of the mind and the imployer of the senses in the will of the Spirit and such Riches as will swimme with the master when he suffers shipwracke and sees his whole estate sinke before his eyes Now the more excellent a thing is the more worthy it is of our knowledge for it is discommendable and uncomely for anyman to bee ignorant of himselfe especially of the causes the meanes and manner of his eternall Salvation and Redemption from horrible and intolerable Misery To further this knowledge my purpose is out of the Scriptures and by the helpe of sundry learned and orthodoxall Writers briefly to shew and set forth how God is to be understood and so we shall as in a glasse behold what course the Lord hath in his wisedome taken to manifest his grace unto us and to make us partakers of his glory 3 Meanes to know that there is a God Touching this matter there are three waies whereby God doth manifest and open himselfe to the knowledge of man the first way and most generall consisteth in his working where the Majesty of God setteth himselfe to be seene in all his workes throughout the compasse of all the world in Heaven as well as in the earth Rom. 1.20 this way is most generall because it is so set forth to all people of all Nations that no man can excuse himselfe for not knowing God Vers 19. It cannot be denied but that there is in us a certaine quicknesse of understanding and strength of reason Wisd 13. as might be the eye of our minde whereby we may know in Gods Workes God himselfe the worker thereof but unlesse the brightnesse for the workes of God were so great that they did set forth the Majesty of the worker to bee seene throughout all the earth our reason should have had no cause or meanes to have knowne that there had beene a God Therefore the first cause of our knowledge of God is attributed to the light and brightnesse of the Workes of God whereby the Philosophers did acknowledge the Majesty of the invisible God Rom. 1 c. How the Philosophers knew God by his Workes as the Apostle witnesseth For first they did observe in the Workes of God an exceeding great Majesty an infinite multitude a wonderfull variety a most constant order a seemely agreement an endlesse continuance a pleasant vicissitude or entercourse of things comming and going briefly Wisd 13. such wisedome in creating governing and bestowing of things and in conserving of them such power and might that they could ascribe the whole workemanship of all things Heavenly and earthly to no other nature but to the Nature of God Besides this they tasted indeed of the wonderfull goodnesse of God by the infinite number of commodities growing unto them both from Heaven and earth which the Apostle rehearseth saying Acts 14.17 Verely hee left not himselfe without witnesse doing good and helping them from Heaven giving raine and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladnesse Thirdly they felt a marvellous terrour of lightning earthquakes Math. 24. pestilences gapings of the ground strange sights and apparitions from Heaven in the Sunne Moone Starres and Comets the fore-shewers of great mischiefes and slaughters and withall that the prophesies of things to come such as were Sibyls Iob. 37. Iob 38. and of the Prophets were so certaine and true that they plainly passe the limits of mans fore-knowledge and proved the power of the God-head to governe all things in the world They that bee so unfaithfull and grosse Some believe nothing but what they see with their eyes as the Stoicks and Epicures that they cannot apply their understanding and credite to things invisible be so affected for the most part that they believe nothing neither of the life felicity and glory of Heaven neither of the
angels spirits and divels of hell because they suppose there is nothing farther and besides that which is seene with our eyes and so they acknowledge not God in their hearts for that he is not seene neither they consider not that there bee also some other things invisible which for all they see them not yet they cannot deny them to bee who ever saw a voice who hath seene the winde who ever saw a savour these things indeed are invisible but yet notwithstanding no man of any perceivance will deny them to be and whereby are they judged to bee but by the perceivance of their efficacy and working the voice is not seene yet is it heard the winde is not seene yet is it perceived by feeling and his working and violence in that which it bringeth to passe a savour is not seene but by smelling is perceived most effectually who ever saw at any time his soule The faculties of the soule yet no man is so unwise to deny that his soule is within him by whom hee perceiveth hee hath life sight and hearing smelling feeling tasting and power to move from place to place who ever saw his owne minde and is there any man so voyd of reason that hee will say hee hath none because hee seeth none and yet thereby conceiveth understandeth and judgeth no man ever saw the power of his will and heart God is known by his creatures and workings yet there is no man but perceiveth he hath such a power whereby he loveth hateth desireth and envieth mourneth and rejoyceth Rom. 1.20 21. why judge wee not likewise of God he is indeed invisible of himselfe but through his working vertue and goodnesse hee declareth himselfe so that the minde of man except it be altogether blinded may easily judge by the godly workes that there is a God by whom all things are made and by whom all is governed so that any man of understanding must needs grant that hee doth not understand God in his minde by his workes onely but also that hee seeth him with his eyes Iob 13.1 c. heares him with his eares and perceiveth him in his smell and feeling and the faithfull man surely maketh tryall of God even in his taste Psal 34.8 so the Prophet saith Taste and see how sweet the Lord is Unlesse Honey be tasted ye cannot know how sweet it is even so unlesse you taste of God ye shall not know how sweet he is the taste of his sweetnesse is the understanding of his goodnesse perceived by faith The second way whereby God doth manifest himselfe unto men consisteth in the Word God is known also by his Word for so God hath opened himselfe to our fathers by word and speaking even from the beginning of the world untill the daies of the new Testament whereof the Apostle speaketh saying Hebr. 1.1 2 3. Divers and many waies hath God spoken to our fathers by the Prophets but last of all hee hath spoken unto us by his Sonne this is a speciall way for it happened not so to every Nation as it did by a speciall grace happen to the Israelites Psal 147. hee that declared his Word to Iacob his Righteousnesse and his Iudgements unto Israel he did not so unto all nations and yet this Word and Christ also is the only Sonne of God The third way is by inspiration God is opened to the Elect by inspiring and the secret revelation of the holy Spirit and this is called most speciall for a difference from the other two that be indifferent to good and evill and this may pertaine to the elect onely who beside the light of workes and the declaration by word getteth almost certaine knowledge of God yet rather a feeling and a taste of him Ephes 3.5 by the lively and effectuall inspiration and revelation of the holy Spirit of God by these three waies man may certainly know there is a God What God is in his Essence and how to be understood in his holy Attributes Secondly it seemeth that this question hath troubled many mens mindes also who it is that is God Certainly knowne by so many manifest and many testimonies of godly workes Further to know what God is God is a divine Essence and Incomprehensible Immutable Indivisible Impassible Incorruptible Immortall 1 Tim. 6.16 2 Cor. 3.17 Unspeakable perfect and everlasting dwelling in Inaccessible light spirituall and infinitely perfect whose being is from eternitie to eternity In the God-head there are three divine persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost these three persons are not three severall substances but three distinct subsistences or three divers manner of beings of one and the same substance and divine essence so that a person in the God-head is an individuall understanding and incommunicable subsistence absolute of it selfe and not sustained by any other The persons in this Mysterie or divine Essence are but three there is another and another but not another thing and another thing the divine Essence in it selfe is neither divided nor distinguished but the three persons in the divine Essence are distinguished amongst themselves by their names Mat. 11.27 Mat. 3.17 Esay 63.16 Eph. 3.16 17. by their order and by their actions in this manner the first person of the glorious Trinitie is named the Father first in respect of his naturall sonne Christ secondly in respect of the elect his adopted sonnes not by nature but by grace Christ the sonne is the second person of the glorious Trinitie and the onely begotten sonne of his Father not by grace but by nature Hebr. 1.3 Esay 36.10 Ioh. 20.21 22. 1 Pet 1.15 and Thes 1.2 the third person is named the holy Ghost first because he is spirituall without a bodie secondly because hee is spired and as it were breathed that is proceedeth from them both because hee is holy in his owne nature and the immediate Sanctifier of all Gods elect people Hence it is that for as much as the Father is the fountaine originall of the Trinitie the beginning of all eternall working the name of God in relation and the title of Creator in the Creed Ioh. 14.1 are given in especiall manner to the Father our Redemption to the Sonne and our sanctification to the Person of the holy Ghost as the Immediate agents of these actions Rom. 8.3 4. 1 Cor. 15.24 This divine order excepted there is neither first nor last neither superioritie nor inferioritie among the three persons for nature they are coessentiall Ioh. 1.1 for definitie coequall and for time coeternall For the essence doth not beget an essence but the person of the Father begetteth the person of the Sonne Ioh. 5.19 and so hee is God of God and hath from his Father the beginning of his person and order Rom. 8.9 but not of essence and time And the holy Ghost proceedeth equally from both the Father and the Sonne by an eternall and incomprehensible
spiration for as the Sonne receiveth the whole divine essence by generation so the holy Ghost receiveth it wholly by spiration Rom. 11.36 But because the Father created As Redemption Act. 20.28 and Sanctification and still governeth the world by the Sonne in the holy Ghost therefore these externall actions are indifferently in the Scripture often times ascribed to each of the three persons and therefore are called Communicable and divided actions 1 Pet. 1.23 so that when wee say that the divine essence is in the Father unbegotten in the Sonne begotten and in the holy Ghost proceeding we make not three essences but onely shew the divers manner of subsisting by which the same most simple eternall and unbegotten essence subsisteth in each person namely that it is not in the Father by generation that is in the Sonne communicated from the Father by generation and in the holy Ghost communicated from both the Father and the Sonne by proceeding These are incommunicable and doe make not an essentiall accidentall or rationall but a reall distinction betwixt the three persons And because the divine essence common to all the three persons is but one we call the same Unitie But because there be three distinct persons in this one indivisible essence we call the same Trinity So that this Unitie in Trinity and Trinity in Unitie is a holy Mysterie rather to be religiously adored by faith Iob 11.7 then curiously searched into by reason That God is one in Trinity 1. These things be manifest and must with a simple and cleare faith be believed that God is one in essence nature God-head will moving and working three in three persons of which every one hath severall subsistence and propertie which for all that be so in God that the Essence Nature God-head Majesty working will power honour and continuance for ever is common to them all all coessentiall all coeternall The Appellations of the persons for wee see that these three persons are called in holy Scriptures God the Word the Spirit but more plainly by Christ the Father the Sonne and the holy Spirit Matth. 28.19 We see that the faith of this holy Trinitie is not meant to be three Gods but three unsearchable subsistences or persons in one true God set forth to man for the better knowledge of Christ his only begotten Son and for the increase of his glory according to the measure of his revelation A Similitude For as two divers and sundry natures joyned together in one man doe not make two men but both doe still conserve the unitie of one person so that it remaineth still one man made of soule and body why then should it not sinke into our heads that three subsistences in one God neither in being neither in nature be divers but altogether equall and even doe not let but that the unitie of God remaineth still one A Similitude of the Sunne Who is so weake of judgement or so foolish of understanding to believe that there are three sunnes being indeed but one because there is three qualities or effects in the sunne First as it were a fountaine of light Note never ceasing Secondly the cleare shining brightnesse which commeth thereof Thirdly the heate breathing out and proceeding from them both The similitude of man who is so mad to determine or Imagine that a man hath three spirits because there are found three as it were divers substances the soule the minde and the will the soule whereby man liveth and moveth the minde whereby hee understandeth judgeth and discerneth the heart or will whereby hee willeth or willeth not hateth or loveth is sorry or glad becommeth good or evill these things are manifestly found in our selves wherby we may be led as by the hand to know the one and true God in this holy Trinity of Persons and in Trinity a perfect unity of God-head how may it bee rightly understood Iob 11.7 how the soule breedeth the minde and how the will commeth of them both By what way then can wee understand the divine birth of the Word of God and the proceeding of the holy Spirit thus in briefe I thought meete to note concerning this question what God is for the simpler sorts sake to the intent they may understand how farre forth the use thereof may doe them good that be desirous to apply their knowledge and understanding to God to the study of true godlinesse and not unto curiosity Iohn 1.1 2 c. And take this by the way that as the naturall sonne of man is naturally man so is the naturall Sonne of God naturally God and of one Essence with his Father but this knowledge of the holy Trinity was somewhat hidden till the revelation of the Word that tooke flesh When the holy Spirit began more especially to worke then this mystery of the Trinity in God was openly set forth by Christ when he said Goe teach all People Math. 28.19 The revelation of the holy Trinity baptising them in the Name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost and then conferred his grace upon them whereby the ministery of the holy Trinity began to be opened unto the world should bee a manifest witnesse to the people that whosoever should bee received into that grace should in the Sacrament of the first admission confesse themselves to bee sanctified in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Thus farre of the divers manner of being in the divine essence Now of the Attributes thereof and first of the Nominall The Attributes of God are of two sorts either Nominall or Reall The Nominall attributes are of three sorts the first which signifie Gods Essence Secondly the Persons in the Essence Thirdly those which signifie his essentiall workes The first is named a Exod. 6.3 c. Exod. 15.3 c. Psal 83.18 Esay 48.11 Jehovah which signifieth Eternall being of himselfe in whom is being without all beginning all other beings both begin and end he is named Iehovah not onely in respect of being and causing all things to be but especially in respect of his gracious promises which without faile hee will fulfill in his appointed time and so causeth that to be which was not before Esay 55.7 Iohn 14.2 3. and upon our true repentance hee will assuredly pardon and forgive us all our sinnes at the time of death receive our soules and in the resurrection raise up our bodies in glory to life everlasting therefore this Name is a golden pledge unto us that because hee hath promised hee will surely performe unto us Exod. 3.14 Vers 13. The second Name denoting Gods Essence is Eheieh but once read and of the same roote that Iehovah is and signifieth I am that I am for when Moses asked God by what name hee should call him God then named himselfe Eheieh Ascher Eheieh I am that I am or I will be that I will
part thereof essentially and vertually but more especially in the Memorie Will They are the faculties of the soule and Understanding so every man by his contemplative and imaginarie presence is every where as when wee doe set before us as present Ephes 1.18 those things which by considering we doe see within our mind in diligent contemplation and imagination and by this we doe present unto our minds both things farre off past and to come 1 Cor. 5.3 and this spirituall presence is that whereby we be present in spirit though farre off absent in body Againe God is present every where in his might power and working For as an earthly king is royally present in every place of his kingdome and dominions by his Officers Magistrates and Ministers though not in his corporall presence and this kinde of presence is more fit and convenient for the majestie of a king Eccles 17. then if hee were every where present in his person so it is with God for though he is and dwelleth in heaven principally in his majestie and glorie 1 Cor. 12.6 yet by his might Ephes 4.6 power and working he is every where present on earth and worketh all in all and through all for it is not in mans power to order his own waies or to rule and governe himselfe Jerem. 10.23 his steps and goings It is not here meant nor determined that the qualitie of Gods nature be that wherein consisteth the habite disposition naturall power or lacke of power affection God is three waies to be considered and distinguished that is to say of what quality he is in his Essence what in Person and what in Nature forme fashion and the like which the Logicians consider in qualitie but the same which hath his greatest propertie to distinct the nature of God which distinction is made from all others which be made of him according to the which God is of that qualitie as agreeth onely to himselfe which passeth all things else not onely in excellencie worthinesse and majestie but also that by his wisedome might power and great goodnesse hee maketh governeth preserveth and nourisheth all things for looke of what qualitie the works of God and the holy Scriptures doe set forth and declare him to be of such qualitie wee may well say is his nature for hee is such in the qualitie of his nature as hee is tried and found to be in his working Eccles 8.17 It is neither necessarie or possible to finde and search out exactly the qualitie of his majestie and worthinesse Job 11.7 8. much lesse of his Essence but it is sufficient for the godly man to adore the Unitie of his Essence and the exceeding and incomprehensible highnesse of his Majestie and worthinesse in spirit Wisd 12. and to seeke the qualitie of his nature in his workes and in the holy Scriptures and so content himselfe with the testimonie of them both And thereby and therein let him learne understand and know that the nature of God in it selfe is to it selfe all-sufficient in all points and that it is everlasting infinite unsearchable incomprehensible and Almightie towards those things which hee hath made Jer. 32.20 21. and that hee hath might power and authoritie over all things and ruleth preserveth and governeth all things that be in heaven earth and waters and that hee is good favourable and loving towards men gentle Wisd 11. and mercifull fore-seeing and fore-knowing all things present every where slow unto anger true wise just judging every man rightly according to their deserts which is reported and set forth of him in holy Scriptures and thereby wee may be assured of what qualitie Gods nature is And seeing these things be peculiar and naturall unto him and in him it followeth that they are perpetuall voluntarie accustomable and very readie in him without any moving cause in us therefore when we doe consider that universall providence and sufficiencie of God whereby he provideth for the necessitie of all his creatures generally that be in heaven earth and waters that thereby they may live increase and continue that one and the same God is the bottomlesse fountaine of all things that be created by him hee his alone sufficient to all and whatsoever is in heaven earth or waters is of him Jam. 1.17 both whatsoever hath or be without life heavenly or earthly creatures and living in the waters reasonable Colos 1. Jerem. 32.17 19 20 17. or unreasonable having soule or without soule is of him all matter substance essence nature life sustentation of life food powers qualities both of spirit soule or body all-sight hearing understanding 1 Cor. 12.4.11 Wisd 13. wisedome knowledge fore-sight all strength of imagining reason judging remembring loving hating desiring refusing strength and motion is of him yea whatsoever things else which doe outwardly happen or come either by Angells men or beasts or otherwise is of him For as Saint Paul saith That of him through him Rom. 11.36 and for him are all things The holy Scriptures doe manifestly teach Who can magnifie him so greatly as he is to be magnified and almost point out unto us as it were before our eyes not onely what and of what qualitie Gods workes be but also what his Spirit intent and purpose is towards man-kind wherein no doubt the nature of God is sufficiently declared unto us wherefore it is needfull and to great purpose to joyne the lessons of the holy Scriptures unto the workes of God for as much as in them both we are instructed of the nature of God but the knowledge of his workes is more generall unto us For as much as the visible points of Gods nature his everlasting vertue and God-head may be seene in them in the understanding of mans reason if diligently wee consider and ponder them in our hearts by those things which have beene done and be daily done by him universally Psal 107.43 That God through the brightnesse of his workes doth rebound upon the mindes of wise men and so doth open and manifest himselfe unto them by the daily experience which the long and continuall order of Gods workes doth yeeld and set forth unto them of understanding Wisd 13 but the knowledge which is obtained and gotten out of holy Scriptures must have faith whereby to credite and believe the testimonies of the holy Spirit Thus by experience and faith the Elect and faithfull may to their salvation attaine to the knowledge of Gods nature Rom. 1.18 c. which the Reprobates pervert to their owne judgement God cannot worke but according to the quality of his Nature But he cannot worke but according to the quality of his nature for as one said as each man is such is his saying and doing which though it bee verified of men yet it may be better verified of God and applied to him then to man for mans wit is so perverse that by
is guilty of injustice and must answer the fault at the barre of death for God hee maketh his Sunne to shine upon all indifferently and hee hath given the world and the Creatures therein to mankinde generally and not to one man one family or one kingdome this may both teach and judge the mercilesse who can see and not relieve the extremities of men distressed men their brethren The meditation of this power of this love of God in creating a world of Creatures for the service of man and seeing it hath pleased him to make a reasonable soule and a sharer of these infinite blessings I have resolved with my selfe to declare my selfe in all dutifull demonstrations to my God and to use the Creatures hee hath given mee with moderation as hee hath commanded I have made a covenant with my soule that I will not appropriate that to my private which God hath made common If God give mee abundance I will open my liberality Luk. 16.2 How to employ Gods Talents I will give as God doth to all but carefully to the wants of faithfull men distressed I will remember that what I have I must use what I use not I must bestow lest Gods talents be without imployments and so God discharge mee of trust if God give me wisdome and knowledge more then some others I will not be silenced How to occasion an holy meditation I will not obscure the grace and gift of God I will not deny my God I will not deny the world my service but in whatsoever God shall enable me in that I will be industrious if I can doe nothing of desert or common profit yet will I spend my houres in holy meditation I have resolved I will still travell in holy exercise when I cannot profit generally I will pray generally wee are all the Creatures of one God the Word of God gave forme to every Creature therefore every thing that presents my eye shall move my holy meditations When I shall behold the wonderfull frame of heaven I shall revise on the creation and admire God his Mercy his Majesty I shall remember the happinesse of heaven and refresh my selfe in adversity with hopefull confidence Where to repose our confidence When I consider the earth I shall remember the basenesse of my beginning what I was in sinne what I am in grace this shall teach me to deny my selfe and wholly to depend on the favour of my God When I see unreasonable noysome and evill Creatures I shall have cause of acknowledgement for God might have made me so or worse Lastly when I shall see wicked men pride themselves in their vanities Pitty can respect our enemies I shal both pity and glory pity the misery of their soules and glory in the fortune of my owne and thus with these and such meditations my soule shall breath content Of the Angels their Nature their Office their Fall Moses of purpose did leave to speake any thing of the creation of Angels because of the disposition of the people bent to Idolatry It is supposed they were Created the first day of the Creation as appeareth Job 38. THat the Angels were created is most certaine the time of their creation is not certaine but doubtfully and diversely believed many men have spent their judgements in conjectures all such are more curious than wise because the truth thereof cannot certainly be determined neither if it could the knowledge thereof were not necessary or materiall to salvation for whatsoever knowledge is necessary for the happinesse of our soules is by God himselfe taught in the testimony of holy Scriptures This knowledge of the time of the creation of Angels being not taught by God doth make the search thereof unprofitable unlawfull for God doth nothing at peradventure but all things in judgement and with the advice of his divine wisdome God having denied this knowledge doth forbid the search of this unknowne unprofitable knowledge that which I desire to know which I desire to make knowne is contained in the testimony of holy Scriptures the which denying me this knowledge of the creation of Angells I forbeare to search the knowledge of Gods secrets and rather to be thought ignorant than audaciously bold with forbidden knowledge That which is needfull to be knowne of Angells is their nature their office in their nature must be considered what they are in substance what in quality they be heavenly invisible Creatures pure and spirituall of the substance and nature of our soules eternall in respect of ending without corruption in their quality is considered their power being at all times and upon all occasions able and ready to performe the excution of Gods service their office is that they are Gods messengers their imployment is either in Judgements or Mercies this Compendium is the knowledge of them all in generall The good and evill Angells were all created in one nature before the fall and apostacy of Angels The Angells and those that now are divells being at the first creation of one quality of one power and one excellence of nature after the fall of Angells who for their unsupportable pride were cast from the presence of God into eternall darknesse 2 Pet. 2.4 and damnation the Angels divided themselves the better part keeping their first estate kept their entertainment with God Math. 18.10 and continued his favour and service Iude 6. the worst dividing themselves left the service of God and the fellowship of good Angels and bend their whole endeavour against God and against his blessed Angels and against the Saints that love and serve him this apostacie and division of Angels have divided them in their nature and in their offices The full opposition of the good and evill Angels the good Angels ever labouring the good of men the evill angels to hinder and prevent the goodnesse of God and his good Angels labouring by all meanes to bring mankind to their owne condemnation In their offices likewise they disagree for God doth commonly imploy his good Angels in his workes of mercy and favourable protection the divels hee imployeth in the execution of his judgements and corrections not that hee needeth their service but that hee forceth them against their will to his obedience God can enforce the divels in workes of his own glory These severall imployments of the good and evill angels are not alwaies of necessity though very common for God when hee pleaseth maketh good Angels destroy and inflict vengeance and the divels hee can and doth use in his workes of greatest mercy and this the divels doe not with consent but are either forced by the unresistable power of God or else deceive themselves in the end of their owne working God making that which they intend for evill to tend to a good end farre beyond and contrary to their purpose and expectation Iude 6. The good Angels have both liberty and pleasure in the service of
that thou so foolishly lost heavens joyes and incurred hellish paines which last beyond eternity how shall the understanding be racked to consider how for momentany riches thou hast lost the eternall treasure and changed heavens felicity for hels misery where every part of the body without any intermission of paine shall be alike tormented continually In these hellish torments thou shalt be deprived of the beatificall sight of God wherein consists the soveraigne good Math. 25 10. and life of the soule for when the Virgins that are prepared are entred in with the Bridegroom the gate shal be presently shut against the reprobate and damned that is the gate of indulgence the gate of mercy the gate of consolation the gate of hope and the gate of holy conversation the damned shall hate all the creatures of God they shall hate one another they shall hate the holy Angels and the Elect of God and even God himselfe but not properly in his owne nature but in the effects of his justice All the evils present in this life are single and by degrees one is troubled with poverty another is tormented with sicknesse another is oppressed with grievous wrongs another with hard servitude another over-burthened with calamities and another contaminated with reproches but there all at once shall be tormented with all evils the paines there shall be universall Every member for his sinnes shall have his proper punishment in all the sences members of both body and soule in this life hope of release mitigateth all troubles but there is left no hope of deliverance there is no hope of mitigation or ease not so much as for one moment but the punishment of hell is eternall there shall be no order but horror no voice but blasphemers and houlers no noise but of tortures and of the tortured no society but of the divel and his angels who being tormented themselves shall have no other ease but to wreak their fury in tormenting their fellowes damned there shall be punishment without pity misery without mercy sorrow without succour crying without comfort mischiefe without measure torment without ease where the worme never dieth nor the fire never quenched Mark 9.44 Esay 66.24 in which flame thou shalt be ever burning and never consumed ever dying and never dead ever rowing in the paines of death never rid nor knowing no end of those pangs So that after thou hast endured them so many 1000 yeeres as there is grasse on the earth or sands on the sea shore thou art no neerer to have an end of thy torments then thou wast the first day that thou wast cast into them yea so farre are they from ending that they are ever but beginning but if after a thousand times so many thousand yeeres the damned soule could but conceive a hope that those her torments should have an end this would be some comfort to thinke that at length an end will come but as oft as the mind thinketh of this word never it is another hell in the midst of hell Therfore O devout soul think upon the eternity of hell torments thou shalt the more truly understand the grievousnes thereof Oh! eternity not to be termed O eternity not to be measured by any space of time O eternity not to be conceived by any humane understaÌ„ding how much dost thou augment the punishment of he damned after innumerable thousands of yeeres they shall be compelled to thinke that then is but the beginning of their torments Oh eternity eternity it is thou alone beyond all measure that dost encrease the punishment of the damned grievous is the punishment of the damned for the cruelty of the paine yet it is more grievous for the diversity of the punishment Math. 21.13 but it is most grievous for the eternity of the punishments that life shall be mortiferous The damned shall seeke death and shall not finde it because they had life and lost it and that death shall be immortall if it be life why doth it kill if it be death why doth it alwaies endure What eternity is is not perfectly knowne and it is no wonder for what created mind can comprehend that which cannot be measured by any time but if thou wilt guesse what the space of eternity is think upon the time that was before the world was created if thou canst finde Gods beginning then mayst thou finde when the punishments of the damned shall have end not before hence shall arise their dolefull wo and alasse for evermore Oh Lord Jesus which by thy passion hast made satisfaction for our sins deliver us from eternall damnation This is the second death the generall perfect fulnesse of all cursednesse and misery which every damned reprobate must suffer so long as God and his Saints shall enjoy blisse and felicity in heaven for evermore Thus farre of the misery of man in his state of corruption unlesse he be renewed by grace in Christ This is the portion this is the state of the evill disposed wicked wise men of this world and are here adverrised of their greedy groping after the sweet temptations of the divell wherein such doe rejoyce and take their pleasure till death comming suddenly upon them then fall they into the horrible pit of desolate darknesse due unto their sinnes and wicked deserts Thus farre I have proceeded in the first part of this tractate of the divine essence of God and how hee is to be understood in his holy attributes and of the state death and misery of man put for the whole passage of the old Testament from the creation of man to the incarnation of the Son of God which doth humble us with the knowledge of our own unworâ—hines therby doth prepare us and make us fit for the mercy of the Gospell and to apprehend and apply the righteousnes of Jesus Christ to our Salvation Thus endeth the first part of this tractat Now let us see how blessed and happy a godly man is in his state of renovation being reconciled to God in Christ Esay 40.1 2. COmfort my people O ye Prophets comfort my people saith your God Comfort Ierusalem at the heart and tell her that her trauell is at an end and that her offence is pardoned Esay 43.1 3 11 Now the Lord that made thee O Jacob and hee that fashioned thee O Israel saith thus Feare not for I have redeemed thee for I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour I am even I am the onely Lord and besides me there is no Saviour Esay 54.8 When I was angry I hid my face from thee for a little season but through my everlasting goodnesse have I pardoned thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Vers 10. The Mountaines shall remove and the Hils shall fall downe but my loving kindnesse shall not move and the bond of my peace shall not fall from thee saith the Lord thy mercifull lover Esay 55.6 7.
salvation be our continuall exercise let us exercise our pleasure in reading and meditating the excellent variety of matter and Majesty of the phrase in the Gospel being the rhetorique and eloquence of the holy Ghost let us also exercise in studying rightly to understand the covenant of our salvation to keepe which covenant wee shall therein often be admonished by promises threats intreaty and by examples in all which the knowledge and meditations of the Gospel will instruct us This doctrine is very usefull and solatious and may be applyed to many notable purposes for it shewes us the true causes of all our happinesse it also confuteth the Pelagians who ascribe salvation to mens owne strength and merits and it serves to correct the course of those that hinder their owne happinesse by their owne presumption diffidence incredulity prophanenesse sensuality and other irregular and irreligious courses Lastly it proves the deity of Christ for in that he hath elected his faithfull unto eternall life we conclude that he is very God for these respects and reasons let us enter covenant with our soules to be carefull in keeping our covenant with God Of the Incarnation of the Word Christ IT is necessary and meet to shew something of the Incarnation of Christ for because that the same doth chiefly belong to the worke of our Redemption we will note those things onely which shall seeme to helpe towards the stay of the purity and certainnesse of our faith and to cut off all curious and unprofitable questions it is needfull for them that will consider the mystery of the word Incarnate Not of mans word but of Gods Word For as much as this Incarnation is reported not of every word but of the Word of God it is first needfull for the confirmation of our faith that wee doe heare the testimony of holy Scripture that the word is in God it is declared even in the beginning of Genesis wherein the History of the Creation of all things is so oftentimes reiterated Gen. 1 c. and God said let it be and it was done he said and they were made he commanded and they were created and in another place By the Word of the Lord the heavens were fastened in the beginning was the Word John 1.1 and the Word was God and God was the Word Paul saith By the vertue of his Word and the brightnesse of his Glory Hebr. 1 c. upholding all things by the word of his Power Againe By faith wee understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God Hebr. 11. so that our faith is confirmed in this by the testimony of holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament that we doe believe the word to be in God of which thing there be found sufficient testimonies also in the writings of the Ethnickes which did attribute unto God-head the Mind the Word and the Spirit wherefore wee Christians may so much the more stedfastly stand unto our faith because that those things which wee doe believe of God the Father and his Word are so certaine and manifestly true that they be approved not onely by the infallible testimonies of holy Scriptures but of Ethnickes also Act. 7.51 c. and doth openly reprove the blindnesse of the unhappy Jewes but how the word is in God no Christian man must be too curious to search those things which be spoken of God which be so attemperate unto our capacity that they be spoken upon some likenesse rather then according to any exact property of Gods Nature and Essence And because we should not thinke of God to be onely but an Essence but as a most high and excellent Essence dissevered and separated from all others as well spirits as bodies he is called Jehova Ebrew word as existent every where in all places and making Greeke preserving and governing all things and is called God which is piercing and passing thorow and to signifie that he is the same to the end of the world as the minde is in man they called him the Mind the Word and the Spirit to give us to understand that the same infinite Essence in Godhead doth not altogether rest in it selfe and keepe his vertue goodnesse and wisdome to himselfe alone but rather set it forth and reveale it even as the mind of man cannot be idle but doth expresse in word whatsoever it doth conceive in it selfe by the meane of the spirit which is as it were the Conduit whereby the word is brought forth from the deepe secret parts of the mind Similitude As for example Imagine that God the Father were like as a lively and endlesse Fountaine and his Sonne the Word to be as a River continually flowing out of this Fountaine and that the holy Spirit might be the very moving and flowing out whereby the water floweth out of the compasse of the Fountaine which moving cannot be without the moving of the aire The Word is the Sonne of God Now whereas this Word is called the Sonne of God it is like as if a man should call the River the sonne of the Fountaine and our word that wee doe speake the sonne of the Mind but all this is but by way of accommodation to our weakenesse for no Angel were able to utter nor no man able to understand him if he did only speake of the Nature and Essence of God as it is in it selfe What wee ought to judge of this Word of God no man is able better to set it forth then the holy Scripture did expresse by the Evangelist Saint John where he saith In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word John 1.2 3 4 5. the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made In it was life and the life was the light of men and the light shined in the darkenesse and the darkenesse received it not and a little after Verse 14. and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among uâ— and we saw his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten Sonne of the Father full of Grace and Truth Now touching the Incarnation it is said 1 Joh. 4.3 that the Word was made flesh which is nothing else but the Word was made man now whereas hee saith that the Word was made man of which he said now before that it was God he doth without contradiction say that God was made man or flesh and though the Apostle saith God the Word is made flesh it is not said of the Father neither of the holy Spirit but the Word to be Incarnate not onely for that that he is the Sonne in Godhead and that by him the world was made but for this cause also chiefly because the Word is that Counsell coeternall with God the Father purposed to save man-kinde in whom our Redemption is predestinated even from everlasting in whom also wee
labour in the minde and a peaceable trouble in the senses Wherefore love exceedeth all the knowledge of all other mysteries and cannot be but in the godly The reason why our love of God is not perfect in this life because the measure of our love is according to the measure of our knowledge 1 Cor. 13.12 13. now in this life we know God but in part as in a glasse but then shall we know him face to face and then shall wee be perfectly blessed and because wee shall then perfectly know him therefore we shall then perfectly love him but no man can hope to have the perfect love of God in the world to come Note which beginneth not first to love God in this world The kingdome of God must begin in the heart of man in this life or else it cannot be consummated in the life to come without the love of God in this life there is no desire of eternall life How then can that man be partaker of the chiefest good which seeketh it not which desireth it not which loveth it not such as thy love is such art thou because thy love transformeth thee into it selfe for love is the chiefest couple because the lover and the thing beloved becommeth one What hath conjoyned the most just God and wretched sinners being infinitely distant in worth Note one from the other but the infinite love of God And because the infinite justice of God might not be weakned the infinite price and love of Christ interceded betwixt sinfull man and the infinite justice of God Againe what hath joyned together God the Creator and the faithfull soule created things infinitely distant but love In the life which is eternall wee shall be joyned to God in the chiefest degree because wee shall then love him in the chiefest degree love uniteth and transformeth therefore he that loveth carnall things shall be carnall if thou lovest the world thou shalt become worldly 1 Cor. 48.49 50 c. but flesh and blood cannot inherite the kingdome of God neither doth corruption inherite incorruption but if thou lovest God and celestiall things thou shalt become celestiall Note The love of God is the Chariot of Elias ascending up into heaven the love of God is the joy of the mind the Paradise of the soule it excludeth the world it overcometh the Divell it shutteth hell it openeth heaven unto us and pleadeth mercy in the justice of the Almighty the love of God is that seale with which God sealeth his servants the elect Rev. 7.3 4. Ephes 4.30 At the last judgement God will acknowledge none to be his but those that are sealed with this seale For faith it selfe the onely instrument of our Justification and Salvation is not true faith unlesse it doe demonstrate it selfe by true love for there is no true faith unlesse there be a firme confidence and there is no firme confidence without the love of God and that benefit received is not acknowledged for which wee doe not give thankes and we doe not give thankes to him which wee doe not love If therefore thy faith be true it will acknowledge the benefit of our redemption wrought by Christ Jesus it will acknowledge and give thanks Note it wil give thanks and love that gracious God who hath bestowed all these saving benefits upon us the love of God is the life and rest of the soule when the soule by death departs from the body then the life of the body departeth but when God departeth out of the soule by reason of sins then the life of the soule departeth Againe God dwels in our hearts by faith Ephes 5.17 Rom. 5.5 God dwels in the soule by love because the love of God is infused into the hearts of the elect by the inspiration of the holy Spirit there is no tranquillity of the soule without the love of God the world the flesh and the divell doe much disquiet it but God is the true rest of the soule Ephes 3.19 and the fulnesse of the knowledge of Christ is the fulnesse of the knowledge and love of God there is no peace of conscience but to those that are justified by faith in Christ there is no love of God but in them that have a filiall confidence in God To conclude in the praise of this peerelesse vertue love is the grace of nature and the glory of reason the blessing of God and the comfort of the world therefore let the love of the world the love of our soules and the love of the creatures die in us that the love of God may live and abound in us which God of his grace beginne in us in this world and perfect in the world to come This love of God is wrought by the meanes of the same spirit dwelling in Christ and the faithfull and incorporateth the faithfull as members unto Christ their head Rom. 8. and so makes them one with Christ and partakers of all the graces holinesse and eternall glory which is in him as sure and as verily as they heare the Word of promise and are partakers of the outward signes of the holy Sacrament Verse 39. What then can be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord The properties of Charity and true Love to our Christian brethren CHrist Jesus our Saviour gave himselfe for us to redeeme us from all our sinnes and wickednesse Titus 2.14 and to purge us a peculiar people followers of good workes To this purpose wee are admonished of the Lord Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes Math. 5.16 c. and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Therefore whilst wee have time let us doe good towards all men and especially towards them of the household of faith To this use the holy Scriptures were given unto us for all Scripture inspired from God 2 Tim. 3.16 17 is profitable to teach to reprove to correct to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God bee perfect and instructed to all good workes It is cleare then that we be not so justified by faith that wee should bee unprofitable barren and unfruitfull of good workes but rather that giving our selves continually unto good workes wee should advance the glory of Gods grace and shew it before the eyes of all men as the light of our new creation for we are regenerated in Christ Eph. 4.23 24. and thereby wee doe declare our selves to bee justified before men Therefore let us not onely shew our selves to be Christians in name but to become good of evill and to declare that goodnesse received of Christ by good workes for they be as certaine fruits of our life witnessing the goodnesse of our mind and declaring the nature of our heavenly Father Good workes bee the workes of faith which worketh by love they be the workes of God which hee worketh in us and by
government of his creatures the creatures not being ordained for the service of them but man for whom all things were made and from whom was to be derived a world of people when he sinned God himselfe punished him and his posterity and the creatures he had made and had given him For as the sin of man had infected the whole world mans house so the curse of God and the worke of his displeasure was seated on that house the world all things then being subject to alteration and evill change from this curse is the inecessity of regeneration all things being now in their owne nature in the state of corruption and death therefore Saint Peter saith When Christ shall come to â—udgement 2 Pet. 3.10.7 the heavens shall passe away with noyse and the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes therein shall be utterly burned up and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth according to the promise of God Verse 13. wherein dwelleth righteousnesse What manner of persons ought wee then to be in holy conversation and godlinesse of life Verse 11. seeing that all these things shall perish so that nothing shall be able to abide the glory of Gods presence but that which is reformed and regenerate not the elements nor earth no nor heaven it selfe but as all have endured for sinne the bad alteration so must they endure by grace the good alteration all were transformed by the sin of one man Adam all must be reformed againe by grace in Christ or else remaine still in their deformity Saint Paul is peremptory in this opinion Gal. 6.15 for he saith in Christ Jesus neither circumcition availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature that is a regeneration by a lively faith in Christ is onely necessary at many â—n walke according to this rule peace be upon them and meâ—â—y upon them that be of God Verse 16. all ceremonies being insufficient and not effectuall and our Saviour Christ preached to Nichodemus the necessity of regeneration and affirmeth his doctrine with a double asseveration saying Verily verily I say unto thee John 3.3 except a man be borne againe hee cannot see the kingdome of God if not to see the kingdome of God we cannot inherit it This may suffice to perswade the necessary knowledge and the necessary care of regeneration being that without which it is impossible to be saved now to know what regeneration is it is an act of the holy Ghost in Gods elect whereby they are admitted and entred into a constant and faithfull exercise of godly life for as it is said before all grace is the gift of God Iam. 1.17 18. and every motion to good is caused onely by the spirit of God of his owne good will hee begat us by the Spirit of truth our selves being meerely passive in the first action of grace God himselfe being the actor and principall mover thereof for the holy Ghost by whose directions we learne the use of all spirituall exercise doth move both our capacity and power to understand the knowledge and use of necessary and Christian performance without which wee should never be able to comprehend the rudiments and first elements of divine learning regeneration being then a Christian office of most necessary performance it must needs then be caused in us by the inspiration of the holy Ghost who is the first mover of every grace This Doctrine Saint Peter concludeth in expresse words saying Blessed be God 1 Pet. 1.3 even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his bâ—â—â—den mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead so that wee are regenerate and new begotten by God in Jesus Christ at the motion and instance of his abundant mercy cowards us Regeneration or sanctification is the gift of God whereby our corrupt nature is renewed to the Image of God by the operation of the holy Ghost or it is an inward change of man justified Hippocates whereby the Image of God is restored in him for as one saith that physicke is an adjection and a substraction an adjection of things wanting and a substraction of things redounding in the bodies of men Even so is sanctification a removing of the corrupt humours of our soules and adjection or infusion of spirituall graces which are wanting in us Greenham for in every generation there is a corruption and we see that the seed sowne is much changed before it grow up and beare fruit then it is needfull in generation that there be a corruption of sinne so that as the seed in the ground so sinne in our mortall bodies must decay that the new man may be raised up by the Spirit of God taking possession of our soules Heb. 12.14 This transformation of man is very requisite to salvation for without holinesse no man shall see God Therefore if wee will not live to God by grace upon earth Ezech. 18.30 31 32. Rom. 6.23 we shall not live with him in glory in the Heavens if we will not die to sin in this world we shall not escape death the wages of sin in the world to come if we do not live to God in holinesse in this life wee shall not live in happinesse with God in the life to come it is not onely necessary to him that is to be saved that sinne bee abolished by remission but that it bee likewise mortified by regeneration our regeneration must then of necessity be wrought in the whole man according to both soule and body Albeit our sanctification be the worke of the whole Trinity yet it is immediately performed by the holy Ghost yea and like also This act of regeneration is caused by the holy Ghost in the hearts of the Elect and Gods labour is never fruitlesse but what he willeth to attempt is finished there being no resistance of his power nor any greater then himselfe to countermand him as holy David saith The Lord hath done whatsoever pleased him By this act of grace they are entred and admitted into the exercise of godlinesse which doth promise us an extraordinary degree of hope that wee are in Gods favour yet have we then our best assurance when we are adopted his children by regeneration for then wee bring our holy purpose of reformation into act and faithfully endeavour those duties which before wee had onely determined we are then made fruitfull and the Sonnes of God and not before for wee are then Gods first fruits because we are then first made fruitfull we must therefore bee constant and faithfull in the exercise of good workes because that not those that faint in the race of godlinesse but those that goe on with hope and alacrity shall obtaine to the ends of their progresse and have the garland for so saith Saint Iohn Revel 2.26 Hee that overcommeth and keepeth my workes to the end
and obey God in every one of his commandements but if at any time through frailty thou slippest into any sin wallow not in it but speedily rise out of it by unfaigned repentance praying for pardon till thy conscience be pacified thy hatred of sin increased and thy purpose of amendment confirmed God gives many blessings lest through want being his childe thou shouldest despaire and he sendeth thee some crosses lest by too much prosperity playing the foole thou shouldest presume but in all thy will have an eye to Gods Will lest thy selfe action turne to thine owne destruction count therefore Christ thy chiefest joy and sin thy greatest griefe estimate no want to the want of grace nor any losse to the losse of Gods favour and then the discontentment which grows by outward meanes 1 Tim. 6.8 9. shall the lesse perplexe thine inward mind and bestow no more thought of worldly things then thou needes must Col. 3.1 2. for the discharge of thy place and the maintenance of thine estate but still let thy care be greater for heavenly then for earthly things and be more grieved for dishonour done unto God than for an injury offered to thy selfe but if any private injury be offered unto thee Psalm 139.21 c. Eccles 28. Rom. 12.13.20.21 beare it as a Christian with patience Never was an innocent man wronged but if patiently hee bare his crosse he overcame in the end but if thou frettest and vexest at thy wrongs offered the hurt which thou doest to thy selfe is more then that which thine enemies can do unto thee neither canst thou more rejoyce him then to heare that it throughly vexeth thee but if thou canst shew patience on earth Deut. 32.35 36. God will shew himselfe just from heaven but if thine enemy still continueth in his malice and increase in his mischiefe give thou thy selfe unto prayer Jerem. 11.20 committing thy selfe and commending thy case unto the righteous judge of heaven and earth and in the meane while waite with David on the Lord Psal 27.14 be of good courage and he shall comfort thine heart undertake not an evill case for no mans sake for it is not that man but God that shall judge thee doe not therefore preferre the favour of men before the grace and favour of God and esteeme no sinne little For the curse of God is due to the least and the least would have damned thee had not the Sonne of God died for thee Ezek. 9.4 Mark 3.5 bewaile therefore the misery of thine owne estate and as occasion is ministred mourne for the iniquity of the time pray to God to amend it and be not thou one of them that make it worse in thy conversation be thou courteous towards all grievous to none familiar with few live piously to God-ward to thy selfe chastly to thy neighbour justly shew favour to thy friend shew patience to thy enemy let thy good will be towards all and shew thy bounty to them that have need thinke often of the shortnesse of thy life and the certainety of thy death and wish rather a good life then a long die daily to thy selfe and mortifie the vices of the flesh so in death thou shalt live unto God let mercy appeare in thy affection goodnesse in thy action curtesie in thy countenance humility in thy attire modesty in thy neighbourhood and patence in tribulation alwaies thinke upon three things past the evill which thou hast committed the good which thou hast omitted and the time which thou hast pretermitted thinke alwaies upon three things present the brevity of this life the difficulty of being and the paucity of them that shall be saved alwaies thinke upon three things to come death then which nothing is more horrible judgement then which nothing is more terrible and the paines of hell then which nothing is more intolerable Every evening reconcile thy selfe to God by prayer for thy sins past that day and give thankes to God for giving thee time to repent there are three things above thee which never let slip out of thy memory the eye that sees all the eare that heares all and the dreadfull Judge which punisheth all bewaile the evils past remember thy sinnes grieve for them and pray for amendment remember Gods justice that thou maist bee kept in feare remember Gods mercy that thou maist not dispaire as much as thou canst withdraw thy selfe from the world and the vanities therof and addict thy selfe wholly to the service of God study to please none but Christ and feare to displease none but him pray unto God to pardon and forgive thee what is past and to governe and amend in thee what is to come God hath communicated himselfe wholly unto thee therefore communicate thou thy selfe wholly unto thy neighbour that is the best life that is busied in the service of others shew reverence and obedience unto thy superiour instruct and defend thy inferiour give counsell and ayd unto thy equall let thy body be subject to thy minde and thy minde to God for thy workes doe not passe away but are cast as certaine seeds of eternity Gal. 6.8 Therefore if thou sowest in the flesh of the flesh thou shalt reape corruption if thou sowest in the Spirit of the Spirit thou shalt reape life everlasting after death the honour of the world shall not follow thee neither shall thy heape of riches follow thee Revel 14.13 neither shall thy pleasures follow thee neither shall the vanities of the world follow thee but thy workes shall follow after thee Therefore to day appeare to be such in the sight of God as thou desirest to be esteemed at the day of judgement learne to live in this life as thou wouldest obtaine eternall life for in this life is eternall life obtained or lost therefore let holy meditations bring forth in thee knowledge Prov. 15.8 and knowledge compunction and compunction devotion and let thy devotion make earnest intercession unto God by prayer for the silence of the mouth is a great good for the peace of the heart James 1.19 O the shame when a man 's owne tongue shall be produced as a witnesse against himselfe to the confusion of his owne shame Therefore let thy words be few but advised forethinke whether that which thou art to speake be fit to be spoken affirme no more then what thou knowest to bee true and be rather silent then to speake to an ill or no purpose Let thy heart and tongue ever goe together in honesty and truth 1 Pet. 2.1 hate lying and dissembling in an other detest it in thy selfe or God will detest thee for it for he hateth a lyar and his father the divell alike let not thine anger remaine when thou seest the cause removed and ever distinguish twixt him that offendeth of infirmity and against his will Prov. 6.30 Acts 3.17 1 Tim. 1.13 Psal 59.5 and him who offendeth maliciously and of set purpose