to passe An. Sometimes by meanes and sometimes without meanes (u) Act. 27.30 By meanes the Lord saued Paul and the rest that were in the ship (x) Isa 37.21 And recouered Hezekiah of his sickenesse by meanes applying the plaisters of dryed figs to the sore (y) Dent. 8.4 Without meanes when he caused the Children of Israel to passe through the Wildernesse and their garments nor their shooes waxed old Qu. Of what thing chiefely is this prouidence An. Of men and Angels Qu. What of them especially is to bee considered Concerning the prouidence of God in the fall of man and Angels An. The fall of both and restoring of some men Qu. What doe you consider of the fall of man An. Two things 1. The causes of the fall 2. The fall it selfe Qu. What are the causes of the fall An. They are either Without man Or in man Qu. What are the causes without man An. Two 1. Principall as the diuell 2. Instrumentall as the Serpent Qu. What are the causes in man An. Two 1. The outward sences 2. The inward affection Qu. What was the fall it selfe An. Concerning the fall of man A voluntary transgression of that law which God gaue man from whence came originall and actuall sinne Qu. What is originall sinne An. A priuation of originall purity Concerning the originall sinne and a corrupting of the powers and faculties of nature Qu. How is originall sinne called in the Scriptures A. (z) Rom. 6.6 The old man concupiscence sinne that dwelleth in vs the body of sinne (a) Rom. 7.20.23 The law of the members When doth this originall sinne begin An. In the very conception (b) Psal 51.5 Behold I was conceiued in sinne Qu. What is actuall sinne An. It is the breaking of the law of God either in thought word or deed (c) 1 Iohn 3.4 Sinne is the transgression of the law Qu. Are all sinnes equall and alike An. All sinnes are damnable euen the least e uill thought and yet are pardonable except the sinne against the Holy Ghost (d) Mat. 12.31 Wherefore I say vn-you euery sinne and blasphemie shall bee forgiuen vnto men but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiuen vnto men Qu. What followed sinne An. Two things 1. Guilt 2. Punishment Qu. What is guilt An. It is the desert of sinne whereby the Creature becometh subiect to the wrath and punishment of God Qu. What doth this guiltinesse worke in the person guilty An. It doth worke accusations and vnquietnesse in the mind (e) Rom. 2.15 Their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another Qu. What is the punishment of sin An. It is all euill both in this life and in the life to come Qu. What are the euils in this life An. Two-fold first vpon the soule ignorance darkenesse of mind hardnesse of heart pronenesse to sinne (f) Eph. 4.18.19 Hauing their cogitation darkened and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their harts hauing giuen themselues vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse Secondly vpon the body all calamity and misery both in goods and name as it is largely set forth in the 28. Deuteronomie The Lord shall send vpon thee cursing troble and shame in all that thou settest thine hand to doe vntill thou bee destroyed Qu. What is the euill in the life to come An. Euerlasting destruction of body and soule in hell (g) Rom. 6.23 For the wages of sinne is death Qu. Did this sinne guilt and punishment rest in Adam and extend it selfe no farther An. It did not rest in him but spred it selfe vnto all his posterity (h) Rom. 5.12.19 Wherfore as by one man Adam sinne entred into the World Concerning the extent thereof vnto all the posterity of Adam with guilt and death by sinne and so death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned and by one man disobedieÌ„ce many were made sinners Qu. Why should the posterity of Adam bee guilty of the sin they neuer coÌ„mitted An. Because all man-kinde was in Adam's loynes when he sinned (i) Heb. 7.8 As in Abraham Leuie is said to haue payed tithes to Melchesedec so that it was committed in their natures though not in their persons and therefore they sinne Qu. What followes vpon this An. That by propagation from the last Parents all are partakers of the transgression of their first Parents and of the guilt and punishment both temporall and eternall and so are all borne Children of wrath and fire-brands of hell Qu. Is not God vniust in so seuere punishment of that one sinne of Adam that all his posterity perish as hath beene shewed An. No because such is the infinite pure righteous nature of God that hee must needs curse and abhorre the creature that is defiled with sinne all sinne is committed against an infinite God and therefore in instice deserueth an infinite punishment (k) Habak 1.13 He is of purer eyes then to behold iniquitia Qu. Can man no wayes by no mèanes helpe himselfe out of this miserable condition An. Concerning 〈…〉 No but still runne themselues deeper into condemnation Qu. Hath God then appointed that all men should euerlastingly perish in this miserable condition An. No God hath appointed to glorifie the attribute of his mercy in the saluation of some as well as to glorifie the attribute of iustice in the condemnation of others Qu. What is the restoring of man An. Concerning th◠〈◊〉 of man and the 〈…〉 It is a deliuering of all the Elect from the Estate of sinne and misery and a restoring them to a farre better Estate then euer they had in Adam (l) â—om 5 1â— For if through the offence of one many be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one Man Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many Qu. What is the way which God hath appoynted for his Elect to attayne to this new estate and condition An. Onely Iesus Christ apprehended by Faith (m) Joh. 14.6 Iesus said I am the way the truth and the life Qu. How doth that appeare An. Because the Scriptures sheweth that the Fathers before the Law and vnder the Law and vnder the Gospell were by this way onely iustified and saued (n) Gen. 15.6 And Abraham beleeued the Lord and hee accounted that to him for righteousnesse (o) Heb. 13.8 Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same also for euer Qu. Haue not the Angels some part in this restoration by Iesus Christ An. No. Qu. Why did it not belong vnto them also An. First because the promise of restoring was made onely vnto man and not vnto them (p) Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall break the head of the serpent Secondly because this restoration was wrought in the nature of man and not in the nature of
Angels (q) Heb. 2.16 For he in no sort tooke the nature of Angels but hee tooke the seede of Abraham Qu. What are the outward meanes in which God doth ordinarily reueale and make knowne effectually vnto man this three-fold Estate and condition which we haue before set forth An. The Word of God Qu. Concerning the outward meanes in which God doth reucal the three-fold estate of man What are the parts of the Word of God An. Generally they be two Qu. Which be they An. First the Law called the Couenant of workes Secondly the Gospell commonly called the Couenant of grace or new Testament Qu. Which is that you call the Law or Couenant of workes An. The decalog or Ten Commaundements commonly called the Morall Law Qu. What doth the Law or Couenant of workes require An. Perfectly to keepe and performe all thinges which it requireth both for matter and manner vppon paine of the curse and wrath of God for the least breach of the same either in thought word or deed (r) Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them Qu. Is any man now able thus perfectly to keepe the Law An. No man is now able perfectly to keep the Law but continually break the same both in thought word and deed (Å¿) 1 Ioh. 1.8 In many thinges wee sinne (t) Gen. 6.5 And all the thoughts and imaginations of mans heart were onely euill continually Qu. Is not God vniust in giuing such a Law to man as hee is no wayes able to keepe An. No because God did giue man power and ability to keepe it in his first Creation and in that hee is not now able to keepe it the fault is from himselfe and God is iust in that hee requireth but his owne (u) Eccle. 7.31 Onely this haue I found that GOD made man righteous but they haue sought many inuentions Qu. Seeing man is not now able to keepe the Law nor cannot bee iustified by it is there then no more vse of the Law An. Yes the Law is still of great vse in the Church of God (x) 1 Tim. 1.7 And wee know that the Law is good if a man vse it lawfully Qu. Of what vse is the Law An. The Law is of great vse both to the reprobate and to the Elect. Qu. Of what vse is the Law to the Reprobate An. Concerning the vse of the Law to the Reprobate First that they may iustifie God in their owne consciences in his pronouncing of the sentence of death and condemnation against them (y) Rom. 2.15.16 VVhich shew the effect of the Law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men Secondly to bee as a hooke or bridle to keepe in curb or restraine their violent corruptions from breaking forth that so bloud may not touch bloud (z) 1 Tim. 1.9.10 Knowing this that the law is not giuen vnto a righteous man but vnto the lawlesse disobedient to the vngodly and to sinners to the vnholy and to the prophane to murtherers of Fathers and Mothers to man-slayers to whoremongers to buggerers to to lyars to periured Qu. Of what vse is the Law to the Elect An. Concerning the vse of the Law to the Elect. It is two-fold first before their calling Secondly after their calling Qu. Of what vse is the Law to the Elect before their calling An. First to discouer vnto them their lost miserable estate by nature Concerning the vse of it to them before calling by reason of sinne as well as others (a) Rom. 3.19 Now wee know that whatsoeuer the Law faith it sayeth to them that are vnder the Law that euery mouth may bee stopped and all the World guilty before God Secondly to aggrauate their sinnes (b) Rom. 7.11 But sin took occasion by the Commandement (c) Rom. 3.20 For by the law cometh the knowledge of sinne (d) Rom. 7.8 And I had not knowne sinne except the law had sayed thou shalt not lust Thirdly to kill them and slay them that so they may receiue the sentence of death in themselues But sinne that it might appeare sinne working death in mee (e) Rom. 7.13 by that which is good that sin might bee out of measure sinfull by the Commandement (f) Rom. 7.9 I was once aliue without the Law but when the Law came sinne reviued and I dyed Fourthly to bee a Schoole-maister to driue them to Christ (g) Cal. 3.24 Wherfore the Law was our Schoole-maister to bring vs vnto Christ Qu. Hath the Law this power in it selfe to worke these effects An. No the Law in it selfe is a dead letter but the Law is a meanes or an instrument which God vseth his spirit being the efficient accompanying the same working these effects (h) Ioh. 16.8 The spirit shall convince the World of sinne that is the Spirit of GOD without man the Law being the ordinary instrument Qu. Are all the Children of God conuinced alike by the Law of their lost condition An. All those that liue vnder the meanes being capable are convinced alike for quality that is they all see themselues and feele themselues all lost in Adam and borne Children of wrath but not alike in quantity measure or degree as doth appeare by the example of Zacheus and Lydia whom for ought wee finde were nothing so deepely convinced by the law as others of whome we reade as the three thousand that were convinced at Peters Sermon and the Iaylor the like and yet no doubt but they were truly convinced Qu. What may bee the reason of this difference An. I conceiue chiefely because the Lord by his Spirit will not be tyed vnto any ordinary course or meanes But worketh where when and after what maner he will because the Lord will not alwaies haue man to render a reason of all his works (i) Joh. 3.8 The wind bloweth where it listeth Againe it may bee in regard of those secret seeds of grace which God bestoweth vpon his Children euen in their infancie ordinarily in Baptisme Now in some these seedes doe begin to spread forth and to bee expressed euen in their very child-hood so that they begin to haue some measure of apprehending of Gods free grace bestowed vpon them in their Baptisme before they goe on in a customed course of sinne but contrariwise the seed of grace which many receaued in their Baptisme lyeth hid a long time before it breake forth and manifest it selfe and they goe on a long time in a customed course of sinning by reason whereof when they come to bee convinced they are ordinarily stroken with amore deeper apprehension of their misery by reason of sinne questioning whether God euer did or euer will bestow any mercy vppon such miserable sinners as they are Qu. Of what vse
and power (a) Mat. 5.17.18 Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it for verily I say vnto you till heauen and earth perish one iot or one tittle of the Law shall not escape till all thinges bee fulfilled Qu. How is the Law to bee preached vnto men An. Concerning the manger of the preaching of the Law First to shew vnto men what a pure perfect estate they once had by their creation when they had power and ability perfectly to keepe such a most pure and perfect Law Secondly to shew and discouer vnto men their corrupt lost miserable estate and condition by reason of sin Thirdly to shew and discouer vnto men the pure righteous nature of God by the purity of his most pure righteous law which he must haue perfectly kept or else he cometh to iudge and condemne men (b) Exod. 34.7 For hee is a God that cannot quit the guilty Qu. Seeing men in themselues are now no wayes able to keepe the Law are they not to bee commanded and exhorted to doe the Law or the thinges contained in the Law An. First the law is to be preached or vsed by the Magistrate politically to curbe bridle restrayne and keep in the vnruly corruptions of grosse wic ked men by the threatnings and terrors of the same Secondly the law is to be preached vnto men that are ciuill or out wardly religious being in the estate of nature perfectly to be done vpon paine of the eternall curse and wrath of God that so they may not rest in that their way of workes nor in their indeauours desires to keepe the law but that they may be wearied and tyred in their condition that so they may haue that preparatiue disposition being robbed and spoiled of all that so way may be made for Christ And this was the end of Christs preaching the law to the rich yong man that came to him (c) Mat. 19.17 Keep the commandements Thirdly men that are brought vnto Christ are to be exhorted stirred vp by the ministery of the Word to walke in the matter of the law out of loue and thankefulnesse vnto Christ to shew forth declare the truth of their faith before men (d) Mat. 5.26 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heauen Qu. What rules are to bee obserued for our better vnderstanding of the Law An. Concerning what rules are to bee obserued for the vnderstanding of the Law First that in euery commandemét there is a figuratiue speech wher by more is commaunded or forbidden then is named Secondly that in euery commandement there is two parts affirmatiue and a negatiue whereof one is expressed and the other is implyed Thirdly that whatsoeuer euery commandement commands or forbids it commands and forbids all meanes and occasions thereunto Fourthly that the law is spirituall and therefore it bindes the spirit of man or inward man so that the least motion of the heart is a breach of the same Qu. Why is euery commandement set out in the second person and singular number Thou An. That euery particular person may know that God speakesto him or her in particular as it were by name Qu. How is the Law diuided An. Into two Tables the First Second Qu. What is the summe of the First Table An. (e) Mat. 22.37 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart Concerning the summe of the first and second table of the Law with all thy soule and with all thy might Qu. What is the summe of the Second An. (f) Mat. 22.39.40 It is like vnto the First Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe On these Two commaundements hangeth the whole law and the Prophets Hitherto of the Law of Couenant of workes Qu. What is the Gospell or Couenant of grace or new testament Concerning the Gospell or couenant of grace An. It is that God will freely giue eternall life through Iesus Christ to all his Elect. (g) Ezâ—k 16.6.8 I saw thee in thy bloud and I sayed vnto thee Liue yea I swore vnto thee and entred into a couenant with thee and thou becamest mine (h) Iere. 31.32 And in those dayes sayth the Lord I will make a new couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iacob (i) 1 Ioh. 5.11 And this is the record that God hath giuen vs eternall life this life is in his Sonne Qu. Why was this couenant of grace giuen An. Because (k) Rom. 8.3 The couenant of workes cannot by reason of the infirmity of mans flesh giue life to any Qu. When was this couenant of grace giuen An. It was first giuen so soone as Adam was fallen though darkely in these wordes (l) Gen. 3.24 The seed of the woman shall breake the head of the Serpent after ward renewed to Abraham in a more plainer manner and so from time it was more dearly reuealed euen vntil Christ came in the flesh by whom it was fully reuealed and made knowne Qu. Is there no condition requyred on mans part in this couenant An. No because then should it not be freely giuen by grace (m) Rom. 3.24 And are iustified freely by his grace Qu. Did not the Lordrequire a condition in his couenant made with Abraham in these wordes Walke before mee and be thou perfect An. No mans walking with God in workes can be any condition of that couenant because then it should bee partly by works so that by those words walke before me and be thou perfect we are to vnderstand Abrahams walking the life of faith by liuing of which life in belieuing Gods promise his perfection did consist Qu. Is not faith then a condition of this new couenant of grace An. No Faith is no condition required on mans part but rather a disposition or power of receiuing and laying hould of the couenant which God freely giueth vnto man so that there is nothing required on mans part to bee done but onely to receiue that freely which God freely giueth and that power which he hath to receiue cometh not by his owne industry striuing labour or paines but it commeth meerely and alone from the grace of God (n) Ephes 2.8 For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Qu. What is the substance of this new couenant An. Concerning christ the substance of the same The second person in the Trinity Christ Iesus the only son of God Qu. What doe you consider in Christ An. His Person and his Office Qu. What consider you in his Person An. Concerning the Person of Christ His Godhead that maketh his person far to excell in power and dignity either men or Angels Qu. What consider you in his Godhead An. That hee is the onely Sonne of God his Father coequall with his Father and the