above and his Israel lying here below are conjoyned together and the onely ladder vvhereby Heaven may bee scaled by us is the Son of man the type of whose flesh the veile vvas therefore commanded to bee made vvith Cherubims to shevv that wee come to an innumerable company of Angels when wee come to Jesus the Mediatour of the New Testament who as the Head of the Church hath power to send forth all those ministring spirits to minister for them who shall bee Heirs of salvation Lastly wee are to take into our consideration that as in things concerning God the main execution of our Saviours Priesthood doth consist so in things concerning man hee exerciseth both his Propheticall Office whereby hee openeth the will of his Father unto us and his Kingly whereby hee ruleth and protecteth us It was indeed a part of the Priests office in the Old Testament to instruct the people in the Law of God and yet were they distinguished from Prophets like as in the New Testament also Prophets as well as Apostles are made a different degree from ordinary Pastours and Teachers who received not their doctrine by immediate inspiration from Heaven as those other Holy men of God did who spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Whence S. Paul putteth the Hebrews in minde that God who in sundry parts and in sundry manners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken unto us by his Son Christ Jesus whom therefore hee stileth the Apostle as vvell as the High Priest of our profession who was faithfull to him that appointed him even as Moses was in all his house Now Moses wee know had a singular preheminence above all the rest of the Prophets according to that ample testimony which God himself giveth of him If there bee a Prophet among you I the Lord will make my self known unto him in a vision and will speak unto him in a dream My servant Moses is not so who is faithfull in all mine house with him will I speak mouth to mouth even aparently and not in dark speeches and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold And therefore wee finde that our Mediatour in the execution of his Propheticall office is in a more peculiar manner likened unto Moses which hee himself also did thus foretell The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy Brethren like unto mee unto him yee shall hearken According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly saying Let mee not heare again the voyce of the Lord my God neither let mee see this great fire any more that I dye not And the Lord said unto mee They have well spoken that which they have spoken I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and hee shall speak unto them all that I shall command him And it shall come to passe that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which hee shall speak in my Name I will require it of him Our Prophet therefore must bee a Man raised from among his Brethren the Israelites of whom as concerning the flesh hee came who was to perform unto us that which the Fathers requested of Moses Speak thou to us and wee will heare but let not God speak with us lest wee die And yet that in this also wee may see how our Mediatour had the preheminence when Aaron and all the children of Israel were to receive from the mouth of Moses all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai they were afraid to come nigh him by reason of the glory of his shining countenance so that hee was fain to put a vaile over his face while hee spake unto them that which hee was commanded But that which for a time was thus made glorious had no glory in respect of the glory that excelleth and both the glory thereof and the vaile which covered it are now abolished in Christ the vaile of whose flesh doth so overshadow the brightnesse of his glory that yet under it wee may behold his glory as the glory of the onely begotten of the Father yea and wee all with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. And this is daily effected by the power of the Ministery of the Gospel instituted by the authority and seconded by the power of this our great Prophet whose transcendent excellency beyond Moses unto whom in the execution of that function hee was otherwise likened is thus set forth by the Apostle Hee is counted worthy of more glory then Moses in as much as hee who hath builded the house hath more honour then the house For every house is builded by some one but hee that built all things is God And Moses verily was faithfull in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were to bee spoken after but Christ as the Son over his own house This house of God is no other then the Church of the living God whereof as hee is the onely Lord so is hee also properly the onely Builder Christ therefore being both the Lord and the Builder of his Church must bee God as well as Man which is the cause why wee finde all the severall mansions of this great house to carry the title indifferently of the Churches of God and the Churches of Christ. True it is that there are other ministeriall builders whom Christ employeth in that service this being not the least of those gifts which hee bestowed upon men at his Triumphant Ascension into Heaven that hee gave not onely ordinary Pastours and Teachers but Apostles likewise and Prophets and Evangelists for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ. Which what great power it required hee himself doth fully expresse in passing the graunt of this high Commission unto his Apostles All power is given unto mee in Heaven and in Earth Goe yee therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World Amen S. Paul professeth of himself that hee laboured more abundantly then all the rest of the Apostles yet not I saith hee but the grace of God which was with mee And therefore although according to that grace of God which was given unto him hee denyeth not but that as a wise Master-builder hee had laid the foundation yet hee acknowledgeth that they upon whom hee had
will or nill things in respect of the creatures as men that seeing a miserable man are moved to pity whereas God of himself and in himself is moved to save or reject we speak here of reprobation not of condemnation to receive some and to cast away others What else That all which he doth is perfect howsoever he deals with us Wherein doth the perfection of Gods essence principally consist In simplenesse or singlenesse and infinitenesse Why be these two counted the principall properties of God Because they are not onely incommunicable themselves whereas those which concern the life of God have some resemblance in the creature but also make all other properties of God incommunicable What is simplenesse or singlenesse in God It is an essentiall property in God whereby every thing that is in God is God himself therefore without parts mixture or composition invisible impassible all essence whence he is not called onely holy but holinesse not onely just but justice c. Exod. 33. 19 20 What gather you from hence First that God hath no qualities nor adjuncts in him as the creatures have but such as are attributed unto him for our capacity when it is his nature this is such 1 John 1. 5. 7. John 5. 26. John 14. 6. Secondly that Gods essence or substance cannot be augmented or diminished that his nature and will cannot be changed but he remaineth constant without shadow of change and will be always such as he hath been from all eternity Numb 23. 19. James 1. 17. Psal. 33. 11. Esa. 46. 10. By what light of reason may it be proved that God is thus unchangeable Whatsoever is changed must needs be changed either to the worse or to the better or in a state equall to the former but God cannot be changed from the better to the worse for so hee should become of perfect imperfect and to exchange from the worse to the better it is impossible also for then he should have been imperfect before Lastly if he should alter from an equall condition to an equall so that he should forgoe some good which before he had and assume some other which before he had not both before and after this change he should be imperfect being destitute of some part of that good which appertained to him which to affirm is high blasphemy Obj. 1. But divers things are objected against that immutability of Gods nature and will as first that in the mystery of incarnation God was made man which before he was not That was done not by any conversion or change of the divinity but by the assumption of the humanity Obj. 2. If God cannot change his mind why is it said that he repented that he made man The repentance attributed so often to God in the Scriptures signifieth no mutation in Gods nature but in his actions mutably decreed from all eternity and the Scripture in this speaketh after our manner that we may better understand what is the nature of God against sin Declare how that is When we are grieved with any thing we doe then repent us that ever we did that thing for which we are grieved and so is God said to repent him that ever he made man with whom he was angry to shew that he was unfainedly and highly displeased with the evill ways of mankind Did not God then change his mind when he drowned the world No but then he did execute that which from everlasting he had decreed Obj. 3. It is said Exod. 32. 14. The Lord changed his mind from the evill which he threatned to his people That is still after the manner of men for man because he is but man cannot speak unto God but as a man and therefore Gods speaks again unto man like a man because else man should not understand what God is nor what his will is Shew me one example hereof in the Scripture When Moses prayed for the Israelites he used many reasons to perswade the Lord but especially to confirm his own hope at the last he said thus Turn from thy fierce wrath and change thy mind from this evill towards thy people thus did Moses speak to God and if he had spoken to a mortall man he could have said no more nor no lesse for mans speech is according to his capacity and both are limited and beyond himself he cannot goe therefore when he shews what the Lord did he saith he changed his mind which was as much as he could conceive of God concerning that matter Thus we speak as well as we can yet in a broken and imperfect manner to God as little children speak to their nurses and Almighty God speaks in a broken and imperfect language to us again for our weaknesse and understandings sake as the nurse doth to the child for if the nurse should speak so perfectly to the child as she could to one of greater capacity the child would not understand her so if God should speak unto us as he could and according to his own nature we were never able to understand him nor conceive his meaning Obj. 4. The promises and threatnings of God are not always fulfilled therefore it seemeth that sometimes he changeth his mind His promises are made with condition of faith and obedience Deut. 28. 13. and his threatnings with an exception of conversion and repentance Psal. 7. 12. What use may we make of this doctrine of the simplenesse and unchangeablenesse of Gods nature First it ministreth comfort unto the faithfull for strength of their weak faith whilest they consider that the mercy and clemency of God is in all perfection and without change unto them for this is the foundation of our hope and comfort in this life that he doth not now love and now hate but whom he loveth to the end he loveth them Joh. 13. 1. Secondly it giveth matter of terror unto the wicked whilest they consider his wrath and severity against them to be in most ful measure the one and the other being God himself It may also make us fear to offend him because all his threatnings are unchangeable except we repent What is infinitenesse It is an essentiall property of God whereby all things in his essence are signified to be without measure quantity consequently that the substance of God his power and his wisdome and whatsoever is in him is incomprehensible Psal. 139. 1 Kings 8. 27. John 11. 7 8 9. Rom. 11. 33. Wherein doth the infinitenesse of Gods essence especially consist In immensity or exceeding greatnesse and eternity or everlastingnesse What is his immensity or exceeding greatnesse It is an essentiall Attribute or property in God whereby he contains all things and is contained of nothing that either is or may be imagined and consequently is free from increasing or decreasing and all comprehension of place being present every where both within and without the world and filling all places wholly at all times with his presence for he is in all
all his works even in his ordaining of some to eternall life and other some to everlasting destruction That his infinite justice and infinite mercy over all his creatures but especially over his Church may be reverenced and adored by all men but especially by my selfe That the name of God may be reverently and holily used of all men but especially of my selfe That when the glory of God commeth in question between my selfe and any thing that belongeth unto me I may preferre that unto this Finally that God would vouchsafe to plant and encrease in me and others such graces whereby his name may be glorified What are those graces for which we pray here in particular 1. Knowledge of God Psalme 100. 3. 67. 2. That God would give us the knowledge of himselfe his Word and Works for we cannot glorifie his name unlesse we know it 2. Beliefe of his Word that wee and others may sanctifie God in believing his Word how unlike soever Iohn 3. 33. Wherefore Moses and Aaron are said not to have sanctified the name of God because they beleeved not Numb 20. 12. Contrariwise Abraham glorified God in beleeving Rom. 4. 20. 3. Fearing the Lord alone and not men That the Lord be our feare Esa. 8. 12 13. 1 Pet. 3. 14 18. 4. Humility for our selves and others without which wee cannot glorifie God as it is meet Psalme 115. 1. 2 Sam 7. 18. Psal. 8. 4 5. 144. 3. Luke 1. 48. 5. Patience arising from thence whereby wee doe willingly submit our selves unto the correcting hand of God as Eli 1 Sam. 3. 18. Hezekiah Esa. 39. 8. 6. Thankfulnesse that we may praise him for his benefits more particularly where we are to hallow Gods name as well by praising it for the benefits we have received as for his wonderfull works in the Creation and government of the world the Church especially 7. Lips opened and tongues tuned to speak of him with reverence Psal. 51. 15. 44. 1. 45. 1. 8. A life so ordered that men may say he is a holy God who by his grace maketh us an holy people Matth. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Tit. 2. 10. That according as we know the vertues of our good God so the fruits of them may appeare in ours and all good peoples lives that so his name may be honoured and praised and he may get glory by the godly conversation of us and others VVhat doe we pray against in this Petition We pray against all ignorance of holy things we should know Hos. 8. 12. and against infidelity and want of good works whereby God wants of his glory we pray against all lofty and high things that hinder that God onely cannot be exalted Esa. 2. 11 12 13 14 15 16. especially the pride of our hearts which we are to confesse and lament Prov. 8. 13. Against all false religion and prophanenesse impatience unthankfulnesse Rom. 1. 21 c. those tongue-wormes of swearing blasphemy and unreverent speaking of God Exod. 20. 7. Esa. 2. 11 12 13 14 15. Prov. 8. 13. together with all wickednesse and ungodlinesse whereby Gods Name is dishonoured In a word we pray that God would remove and root out of our hearts tongues and lives all such vices by and for which his name is dishonoured especially an evill and scandalous life for which the name of God and his religion is evill spoken of in the world Rom. 2. 23 24. What doth this teach us Our dulnesse is hereby condemned who by nature are so ill-disposed to glorifie God and to use his name holily and reverently What is to be considered in the second Petition Let thy Kingdome come Matth. 6. 10. Luke 11. 2. One of the meanes how to have the name of God sanctified which is a dependance of the former Petition What is the summe of this Petition That God may reigne in our hearts and not sinne and that the Kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ both by the inward working of his Spirit and also by the outward meanes may be enlarged dayly untill it bee perfected at the comming of Christ to judgement that the Kingdome of sinne and Satan being more and more abolished Acts 26. 18. Col. 1. 13. Christ may now reigne in our hearts by grace Col. 3. 15 16. and we with him for ever in glory 2 Tim. 2. 12. What is meant here by Kingdome That government which our Saviour Christ exerciseth first in the world then in the last day both in the whole Church and in every member thereof For by the Kingdome of God wee must understand here not so much that univerall soveraignty which as Creator he exerciseth over all creatures disposing them all to their proper ends for his glory Esa. 5. 6. Psal. 95. 3 c. as the spirituall regiment Psalme 110. 2. 1 Cor. 15. 25. of the Church and of all things for the good of the Church wherein God hath appointed Christ to be the King Psalme 2. 6. Hos. 3. 5. the Saints his Subjects Rev. 15. 3. the Word his Law Job 22. 22. the Angels and all creatures his servants Heb. 1. 6 the Ministers his Heralds and Ambassadors 2 Cor. 5. 20. Finally the Devills kingdome Matth. 12. 26. that is wicked Angels and men enemies to the Kingdome of Christ Luke 19. 27. his foot-stoole Psalme 110. 1. How is this Kingdome said to come 1. In regard of the meanes where the word of the Kingdome is published Matth. 12. 28. 13. 19. Marke 4. 15. 2. In regard of efficacy where from the heart obedience is yeelded Rom. 6. 17. 3. In regard of perfection it hath these degrees 1. Increase of grace in the time of this life Matth. 13. 18. 2. The translation of blessed soules into heaven in the moment of death Luke 23. 42 43. 3. Finally the full redemption of glorification of the Saints in soule and body in the life to come Matth. 25. 34. VVhat doe we then desire concerning the kingdome of God in this Petition We pray either for that he exerciseth in this world or for that hee exerciseth in the world to come called the kingdome of glory How many sorts are there in that kingdome he exerciseth in this world Two First that he exerciseth over all men and other creatures called kingdome of power Secondly that he exerciseth over all the Church called the kingdome of grace What desire we of God concerning the government he exerciseth over all Creatures That he would governe all the creatures both in the naturall course of things and in the civill and domesticall government of men yea in the rule of Devils themselves in such sort as they may serve for the good of his Church Psal. 97. 1. Mat. 6. 13. John 17. 2. What desire we concerning his government in the Church That it may be here in this world inlarged and that it may be accomplished in the last day Psalme 112. 6. Isa. 62. 7. What doe we desire for the
they did at the first from the Creation untill the time of Moses for the space of 2513. years First because then God immediately by his voice and Prophets sent from him taught the Church his truth which now are ceased Heb. 1. 1. Secondly traditions might then be of sufficient certainty by reason of the long life of Gods faithfull witnesses for Methusalem lived with Adam the first man 243. years and continued unto the Flood Shem lived at once with Methusalem 98. years and flourished above 500. yeares after the Flood Isaac lived 50. years with Shem and died about 10. years before the descent of Israel into Aegypt So that from Adams death unto that time three men might by tradition preserve the purity of Religion but after the comming of Israel out of Aegypt mans age was so shortened that in the dayes of Moses the first Penman of the Scriptures it was brought to 70. or 80. years as appeareth by the Psal. 90. 10. Thirdly God saw his true religion greatly forgotten in Aegypt Israel then falling unto Idolatry Ezekiel 20. 8. and having brought Israel then his people from thence did not onely restore but also encreased the same adding thereunto many more particulars concerning his service which were needfull for mens memories to be written Fourthly God having gathered his Church to a more solemn company then before it was his pleasure then to begin the writings of his will and therefore first with his own finger he wrote the ten Commandements in two Tables of stone and then commanded Moses to write the other words which he had heard from him in the Mount Exod. 34. 27 28. Fiftly thus God provided that the Churches of all ages and times might have a certain rule to know whether they embraced sound Doctrine or no and that none should be so bold as to coin any new Religion to serve him with but that which he had delivered in writing What is Scripture then The Word of God written by men inspired by the holy Ghost for the perfect building and salvation of the Church or holy Books written by the inspiration of God to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. 2 Pet. 1. 21. 1 Pet. 20. 21. Joh. 20. 31. If that the Scriptures be written by men which are subject unto infirmities how can it be accounted the Word of God Because it proceeds not from the wit or mind of men but holy men set apart by God for the work of God spake and writ as they were moved by the holy Ghost therfore God alone is to be counted the Author therof who inspired the hearts of those holy men whom he chose to be his Secretaries who are to be held only the Instrumentall cause thereof When Jeremy brought the Word of God to the Jews they said it was not the Word of the Lord but he spake as Baruc the son of Neriah provoked him Jer. 43. 2. and so some perhaps in these days are so ungodly as to take the Jews part against Jeremy and all his fellowes How may it appeare therefore that this Book which you call the Book of God and the holy Scriptures is the Word of God indeed and not mens policy By the consonant testimony of men in all ages from them that first knew these Penmen of the holy Ghost with their writings untill our time and reasons taken out of the Word themselves agreeable to the quality of the writers both which kind of arguments the holy Scriptures have as much and far more then any other writings wherefore as it were extream impudency to deny the works of Homer of Plato Virgil Tully Livy Galen c. when as consent of al ages have reached delivered them unto us which also by the tongue phrase matter and all other circumstances agreeable are confirmed to be the works of the same Authors whose they are testified to be so it were more then brutish madnesse to doubt of the certain truth and authority of the holy Scriptures which no lesse but much more then any other writings for their Authors are testified and confirmed to be the sacred Word of the ever-living God not onely testified I say by the uniform witnesses of men in all ages but also confirmed by such reasons taken out of the writings themselves as doe sufficiently argue the Spirit of God to be the Author of them for we may learn out of the testimonies themselves as David did Psa. 119. 125. That God hath established them for ever Let me hear some of those reasons which prove that God is the Author of the holy Scriptures First the true godlinesse and holinesse wherewith the writers of the Scriptures shined as Lamps in their times and far surpassed all men of other religions which sheweth the work of Gods Spirit in them and how unlikely it is that such men should obtrude into the Church their own inventions in stead of Gods Word Secondly the simplicity integrity and sincerity of these Writers in matters that concern themselves those that belong unto them doing nothing by partiality 1 Tim. 5. 21. neither sparing their friends nor themselves so Moses for example in his writing spared not to report the reproach of his own Tribe Gen. 34. 30. 49. 5. 7. nor the incest of his parents of which he himself was conceived Exod. 6. 20. nor the Idolatry of his brother Aaron Exod. 32. nor the wicked murmuring of his sister Miriam Numb 12. nor his own declining of his vocation by God to deliver the Children of Israel out of Egypt Exo. 4. 13 14. nor his own murmuring against God in his impatiency Num. 11. 11 12 13 14. nor his want of faith after so many wonderfull confirmations Num. 20. 12. 27. 14. Deut. 32. 51. And though he were in highest authority and having a promise of the people to beleeve whatsoever he said Exod. 19. 8. 20. 19. 24. 3. he assigneth no place for his own sons to aspire either to the Kingdome or to the high Priesthood but leaveth them in the mean degree of common Levites all which things declare most manifestly that he was void of all earthly and carnall affections in his writings as was meet for the Penman and Scribe of God hereunto also may be added that he writeth of himself Numb 12. 3. that he was the meekest of all the men that were upon the face of the whole earth which no wise man would in such sort report of himself if he were left to his own discretion Thirdly the quality and condition of the Penmen of these holy writings some of whom were never trained up in the school of man and yet in their writings shew that depth of wisdome that the most learned Philosopers could not attain unto Some also were before professed enemies to the truth whereof afterwards they were Writers Amos was no Prophet but an Heard-man and a gatherer of wilde figges Amos 7. 14. Matthew a Publicane
employed onely in the gathering of Toll Matth. 9. 9. Peter James John Fishermen whose liberty of speech when the chief Priests the Elders of Jerusalem beheld and understood that they were unlettered and ignorant men it is recorded Acts 4. 13. that they marvelled and took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus Paul from a bloody persecuter converted to be a Preacher and a writer of the Gospel shewed by that sudden alteration that he was moved by a command from heaven to defend that Doctrine which before he so earnestly impugned Fourthly the matter of the holy Scripture being altogether of heavenly Doctrine and savouring nothing of earthly or worldly affections but every where renouncing and condemning the same declareth the God of heaven to be the onely inspirer of it Fiftly the Doctrine of the Scripture is such as could never breed in the brains of man three Persons in one God God to become man the Resurrection and such like mans wit could never hatch or if it had conceived them could never hope that any man could beleeve them Sixtly the sweet concord between these writings and the perfect coherence of all things contained in them notwithstanding the diversity of persons by whom places where times when and matter whereof they have written for there is a most holy and heavenly consent and agreement of all parts thereof together though writen in so sundry ages by so sundry men in so distant places one of them doth not gain-say another as mens writings doe as our Saviour Christ confirmeth them all Luke 24. 44. Seventhly a continuance of wonderfull prophesies foretelling things to come so long before marked with their circumstances not doubtfull like the Oracles of the Heathen or Merlins prophesies but such as expressed the things and persons by their names which had all in their times their certain performance and therefore unto what may we attribute them but to the inspiration of God Vide Calvins Institut lib. 1. cap. 8. Thus was the Messias promised to Adam 4000. years before he was born Gen. 3. 15. and to Abraham 1917. years before the accomplishment Gen. 12. 3. The deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt to the same Abraham 400. years before Gen. 15. 13 14. The prophesies of Jacob Gen. 49. concerning the twelve Tribes which were not fulfilled till after the death of Moses and that of the continuance of the Tribes and Kingdomes of Judah held untill the comming of Christ In the first Book of Kings the 13. ch 2 3. there is delivered a prophesie concerning Josias by name 331. years Esa. 45. 1. concerning Cyrus 100. years before he was borne Daniels prophesies and that especially of the 70. weeks Dan. 9. 24. are wonderfull so likewise are those of the rejection of the Jews the calling of the Gentiles the kingdome of Antichrist c. some of which now we see fulfilled Eightly the great Majestie full of heavenly wisdome and authority such as is meet to proceed from the glory of God shining in all the whole Scripture yea oftentimes under great simplicity of words and plainnesse and easinesse of style which neverthelesse more affected the hearts of the hearers then all the painted eloquence and lofty style of Rhetoricians and Oratours and argueth the holy Ghost to be the Authour of them 1 Cor. 1. 17. 21. 24. 2. 15. Ninthly in speaking of the matters of the highest nature they go not about to perswade men by reasons as Philosophers and Orators but absolutely require credit to bee given to thē because the Lord hath spoken it they promise eternall life to the obedient and threaten eternall woe to the disobedient they prescribe Laws for the thoughts to which no man can pierce they require sacrifice but they preferre obedience they enjoin fasting but it is also from sin they command circumcision but it is of the heart they forbid lusting coveting c. which is not to be found in any Laws but in his that searcheth the heart Tenthly the end and scope of the Scriptures is for the advancement of Gods glory and the salvation of mans soule for they intreat either of the noble acts of God and of Christ or the salvation of mankind and therefore by comparing this with the former reason we may frame this argument If the Author of the Scripture were not God it must be some creature if he were a creature he were either good or bad if a bad creature why forbiddeth he evill so rigorously and commands good so expresly and makes his mark to aim at nothing but Gods glory and our good if he were a good creature why doth he challenge to himself that which is proper to God onely as to make Laws for the heart to punish reward eternally c if it were no creature good nor bad it must needs be God Eleventhly the admirable power and force that is in them to convert and alter mans mind and to encline their heart from vice to vertue Psal. 19. 7 8. Psal. 119. 111. Heb. 4. 12. Acts 13. 12. though they be quite contrary to mens affections Twelfthly the Writers of the holy Scriptures are the most ancient of all others Moses is ancienter then the gods of the heathen that lived not long before the wars of Troy about the time of the Judges and the youngest Prophets of the Old Testament match the antientest Philosophers and Historians of the heathen Thirteenthly the deadly hatred that the devill and all wicked men carry against the Scriptures to cast them away and destroy them and the little love that most men doe bear unto them prove them to bee of God for if they were of flesh and blood then flesh and blood would love them and practise them and every way regard them more then it doth for the world loveth his own as our Saviour Christ saith Joh. 15. 19. But wee being but carnall and earthly savour not the things that bee of God as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 14. and untill the Lord open our hearts and we bee born again of Gods Spirit and become as new-born babes wee have no desire unto them 1 Pet. 2. 2. Fourteenthly the marvellous preservation of the Scriptures though none in time bee so ancient nor none so much oppugned yet God hath still by his providence preserved them and every part of them Fifteenthly the Scriptures as experience sheweth have the power of God in them to humble a man when they are preached and to cast him down to hell and afterward to restore and raise him up again Heb. 4. 12. Shew now how the holy Scriptures have the consonant testimony of all men at all times since they were writen that they are the most holy word of God First Joshua the servant of Moses the first Scribe of God to whom God spake in the presence and hearing of six hundred thousand men besides women and children who was
is of good report whatsoever is praise-worthy c. As for baptisme of Infants it is sufficiently warranted by reasons of Scripture though not by example Obj. 2. They object that it is by Tradition and not by Scripture that we know such and such Books to be Scripture Though new beginners doe first learn it from the faithfull yet afterwards they know it upon grounds of Scripture as an ignorant man may be told of the Kings Coin but it is not the telling but the Kings stamp that maketh it currant and good Coin Obj. 3. It is objected that it was by Tradition and not by Scripture that Stephen knew Moses to be 40 years old when he left Pharaoh Acts 7. 23. That Luke knew a great part of the Genealogie of Christ Luk. 3. That Jude knew Satans striving for Moses body Jude v. 9. and the Prophesie of Enoch ver 5. 14. That Paul knew Jannes and Jambres 2 Tim. 3. 8. and the saying of Christ that it is more blessed to give then to receive Acts 20. 35. Such particular Histories or speeches might be received from hand to hand but no different Doctrine from that which was written Obj. 4. The Apostles testimony is objected 1 Cor. 15. 3. 2 Thess. 2. 15. Hold the traditions which you have been taught whether by word or our Epistle He meaneth the doctrine he delivered unto them which was nothing different from that which is contained in the Scriptures The Scriptures you say are a rule and a line but are they not as the Church of Rome imagineth like a rule of lead which may be bowed every way at mens pleasures They are as a rule of steel that is firm and changeth not Matth. 5. 18. Psal. 19. 9. for seeing they are sufficient to make us wise unto salvation as is before proved it followeth of necessity that there is a most certain rule of faith for instruction both of faith and works to be learned out of them by ordinary means of reading prayer study the gifts of tongues and other sciences to which God promiseth the assistance of his grace Joh. 5. 39. Jam. 1. 5. And this sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God written as the example of Christ our generall Captain sheweth Mat. 4. is delivered unto us by the holy Ghost both to defend our faith and to overcome all our spirituall enemies which are the Devil and his instruments false Prophets Hereticks Schismaticks and such like Eph. 6. 17. Therefore the holy Scriptures are not as a nose of wax or a leaden rule as some Papists have blasphemed that they may be so writhen every way by impudent Hereticks but that their folly and madnesse as the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 3. 9. may be made manifest to all men Are the Scriptures then plain and easie to be understood There are some hard things in the Scripture that have proper relation to the time in which the Scripture was written or uttered or which are prophesies of things to be fulfilled hereafter which if we never understand we shall be never the worse for the attaining of everlasting salvation there are other things in Scripture belonging to the saving knowledge of God all which are dark and difficult unto those whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded 2 Cor. 4. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 5. Joh. 8. 43. but unto such as are by grace enlightened and made willing to understand Psal. 119. 18. howsoever somethings remain obscure 2 Pet. 3. 16. to exercise their diligence yet the fundamentall Doctrine of faith and precepts of life are all plain and perspicuous for all Doctrine necessary to be known unto eternall salvation is set forth in the Scriptures most clearly and plainly even to the capacity and understanding of the simple and unlearned so far is it that the Scriptures should be dangerous to be read of the Lay folks as Papists hold How prove you this which you have said Deut. 30. 10. 11 c. Moses taketh heaven and earth to witnesse that in the Law which he had written he hath set forth life and death and that they can make no excuse of difficulty or obscurity This Commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far off c. which Paul also Rom. 10. 16. applieth to the Gospel Psalm 19. 8. the Prophet David testifieth that the Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimonies of the Lord are true giving wisdome to the simple and Psalme 119. 105. Thy Word is a Lampe or Candle unto my feet and a Light unto my pathes Prov. 1. 4. It giveth subtilty to the simple and to the young man knowledge and discertion and Prov. 8. 9. All the words of wisdome are plain to them that will understand Esa. 45. 19. The Lord saith I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the earth I have not said in vain to the seed of Jacob Seek mee 2 Cor. 4. 3. Paul saith If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost c. 2 Pet. 1. 19. S. Peter commendeth Christians for taking heed to the word of the Prophets as unto a light that shineth in a dark place c. The Scripture is our Fathers Letter to us and his last will to shew us what inheritance he leaveth us but friends write Letters and Fathers their wils plain It were to accuse God of cruelty or desire of mans destruction for to say that he should make the means of their salvation hurtfull unto them Women and children have read the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 15. Saint Paul affirmeth that Timothy was nourished up in the Scriptures from his infancy namely by his Grandmother Lois and his Mother Eunice whence the same Apostle commendeth chap. 1. 5. If little children are capable of the Scriptures by the small understanding they have and lesse judgement there is none so grosse which hath the understanding of a man but may profit by it comming in the fear of God and invocation of his name Obj. 1. But here the Papists have many things to object against you to prove that the Scriptures are darke and hard to be understood and First that the matters contained in them are Divine high and beyond mans reason as the Trinity the Creation of nothing c. These matters indeed are above humane reason and therefore are we to bring faith to beleeve them not humane reason to comprehend them but they are delivered in Scripture in as plain tearms as such matter can be Obj. 2. Peter saith that something in Pauls Epistles be hard and wrested by men 2 Pet. 3. 16. First he saith not that all Pauls Epistles are hard but something in them which we grant Secondly they are the wicked and unsetled in knowledge that wrest them as the Gluttons and Drunkards abuse meat and drink Obj. 3. If Scriptures were not dark what need so many Commentaries upon them and why are they
his name Psal. 145. 1 2 3. among which the chief and principall are his Attributes or Properties What are the Properties or Attributes of God They are essentiall faculties of God according to the diverse manner of his working 1 Joh. 4. 16. Psal. 145. Are they communicable with the creatures No yet of some of them there are some shadows and glimpses in Men and Angels as Wisdome Holinesse Justice Mercy c. other some are so peculiar to the divine Essence that the like of them are not to be found in the creatures as simplenesse infinitenesse eternity c. How may these Properties be considered They may be considered either in themselves as they are essentiall or in their works or effects which are all perfect either as they be absolute or as they be actuall absolute in himself by which he is able to shew them more then ever he will as he is able to doe more then ever he will doe Mat. 3. 9. God is able of stones to raise children unto Abraham actuall is that which he sheweth in the Creation and government of the vvorld as Psal. 135. 7. All things that he will he doth c. Again something we may conceive of his Essence affirmatively knowing that all perfections which vve apprehend must be ascribed unto God and that after a more excellent manner then can be apprehended as that he is in himself by himself and of himselfe that he is one true God and holy but much more by deniall or by removing all imperfections whatsoever as of composition by the titles of simple spirituall and incorporeall of all circumscription of time by the title of eternall of all bounds of place by that of infinite of all possibility of motion by those titles of unchangeable incorruptible and such like What description can you make of God by these Properties God is a Spirit eternall or more fully God is a spirituall substance having his beeing of himself infinitely great and good Joh. 4. 24. 8. 58. Exod. 3. 14. 34. 6 7. Ps. 145. 3. 8 9. What learn you hence To acknowledge both my beeing and wel-beeing from him and for him alone Acts 17. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 30. Eph. 2. 10. What mean you when you say that God is a substance God is such a thing as hath a beeing in himself of himself and which giveth a beeing to all other things What mean you by that addition Of himself It hath a secret opposition to all creatures which have a beeing but not of themselves whereas God alone is he in whom we live and move and have our beeing Acts 17. 28. which proveth that he alone hath his beeing of himself How many things conceive you of God when you say that he is a Spirit Sixe things First that he is a living substance Secondly that he is incorruptible Thirdly that he is incorporeall without body flesh bloud or bones for a spirit hath no such matter Luke 24. 39. Fourthly that he is invisible i. he cannot be seen with any mortall eye neither can any man possibly see him Fiftly that he is intangible not felt Sixtly that he is indivisible i. he cannot be divided How prove you that God is invisible and not to be seen with carnall eyes That no man hath seen God is plainly set down 1 Joh. 4. 12. that no man can see God is as plainly proved Exod. 33. 20. 1 Tim. 6. 16. and besides Scripture the same is also manifest by reason for we cannot see our own souls which are ten thousand times a more grosse substance then God much lesse can we see God which is a most pure and spirituall substance Obj. 1. We read Gen. 18. 1. that God appeared to Abraham and Deut. 5. 24. that he shewed himself to the Israelites God gave them indeed some outward sights whereby they might be certain of his presence and therefore it is said that the Lord appeared unto them but his substance or essence they saw not for to know God perfectly is proper to God onely Joh. 6. 46. Obj. 2. We read Gen. 1. 26. that man was made according to the image of God It would seem therefore that God is corporeall and visible as man is The image of God consisteth not in the shape and figure of his body but in the mind and integrity of nature or as the Scripture saith in wisdome righteousnesse and holinesse Col. 3. 10. Eph. 4. 24. Obj. 3. Why then doth the Scripture attribute unto him hands feet c The Scripture so speaketh of him as we are able to conceive thereof and therefore in these and such like speeches humbleth it self to our capacity attributing members unto God to signifie the like actions in him To what use serveth this doctrine that God is a Spirit It teacheth us first to worship him in spirit and in truth Joh. 4. 23 24. Secondly to drive away all fond imaginations and grosse conceipts of God out of our hearts and all pictures similitudes of God out of our sights that we frame not any image of him in our minds as ignorant folks doe who think him to be an old man sitting in heaven c. For seeing that God was never seen wherunto shall he be resembled Moses urgeth this point hard and often to the Israelites saying Deut. 4. 12. they heard a voice but saw no similitude and addeth ver 15. Take ye therefore good heed unto your selves he saith not only take heed but take good heed and therefore take good heed for saith he again ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire then he commeth in the next four verses to the thing that they must therefore take heed of that ye corrupt not your selves and make you a graven Image the similitude of any figure the likenesse of male or female c. Rom. 1. 23. How may the Attributes or Properties of God be distinguished Some doe concern the perfection of his essence some his life which in God be one and the same thing distinguished onely for our capacity What call you the perfection of Gods essence His absolute constitution by which he is wholly compleat within himself and consequently needeth nothing without himself but alone sufficeth himself having all things from himself and in himself Or thus perfection is an essentiall property in God whereby whatsoever is in God is perfect Gen. 17. 1. Psa. 16. 2. 50. 12. Rom. 11. 35 36. What ariseth from hence All felicity and happinesse all endlesse blisse and glory What is the felicity of God It is the property of God whereby he hath all fulnesse of delight and contentment in himself What learn you from the perfection of God That he is to seek his own glory and not the glory of any in all that he willeth or willeth not doth or leaveth undone What gather you thereof They are confuted that think God is moved to
the unity of the Godhead But doe you not beleeve the Godhead is to be divided whilst you beleeve that in one God are three persons No not divided into divers essences but distinguished unto divers persons for God cannot be divided into severall natures nor into severall parts and therefore must the persons which subsist in that one essence be onely distinct and not separate one from another as in the example of the Sun the beames and the heat What be those resemblances that are commonly brought to shadow out unto us the mystery of the Trinity First the Sun begetteth his own beams and from thence proceeds light and heat and yet is none of them before another otherwise then in consideration of order and relation that is to say that the beams are begotten of the body of the Sun and the light and heat proceed from both Secondly from one flame of fire proceed both light and heat and yet but one fire Thirdly in waters there is the well-head and the spring boyling out of it and the stream flowing from them both and all these are but one water and so there are there persons in one Godhead yet but one God Fourthly in man the understanding cometh from the soul and the will from both May it be collected by naturall reason that there is a Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the God-head No for it is the highest mystery of Divinity and the knowledge thereof is most proper to Christians for the Turkes and Jewes doe confesse one God-head but no distinction of persons in the same How come we then by the knowledge of this mystery God hath revealed it in the holy Scriptures unto the faithfull What have we to learn of this That those are deceived who think this mystery is not sufficiently delivered in the Scripture but dependeth upon the tradition of the Church That sith this is a wonderfull mystery which the Angels doe adore we should not dare to speak any thing in it farther then we have warrant out of the word of God yea we must tye our selves almost to the very words of the Scripture lest in searching we exceed and goe too farre and so be overwhelmed with the glory How doth it appear in the holy Scripture that the three Persons are of that divine nature By the divine names that it giveth to them as Jehovah c. By ascribing divine attributes unto them as Eternity Almightinesse c. By attributing divine works unto them as creation sustentation and governing of all things By appointing divine worship to be given unto them What speciall proofes of the Trinity have you out of the old Testament First the Father is said by his word to have made the world the Holy Ghost working and maintaining them as it were sitting upon them as the hen doth on the egges she hatcheth Gen. 1. 2 3. Gen. 1. 26. The Trinity speaketh in the plurall number Let us make man in our Image after our likenesse Gen. 19. 24. Jehovah is said to rain upon Sodom from Jehovah out of heaven that is the Sonne from the Father or the Holy Ghost from both 2 Sam. 23. 2. The Spirit of Jehovah or the Lord spake by me and his Word by my tongue there is Jehovah the Father with his Word or Sonne and Spirit Prov. 30. 4. What is his name and what is his Sonnes name if thou canst tell Isa. 6. 3. The Angels in respect of the three Persons doe cry three times Holy Holy Holy Isa. 42. 1. Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soule delighteth I have put my Spirit up on him Hag. 2. 5. The Father with the Word and his Spirit make a Covenant What are the proofes out of the new Testament As all other doctrines so this is there more cleare as Matth. 3. 16. 17. at the Baptisme of Christ the Father from heaven witnesseth of the Sonne the Holy Ghost appearing in the likenesse of a Dove John Baptist saw the Sonne in his assumed nature going out of the water there is one Person he saw the Holy Ghost descending like a Dove upon him there is another Person and he heard a voyce from heaven saying This is my beloved Son there is a third Person Matth. 17. 5. At the transfiguration the Father in like manner speaketh of his Son Matth. 28. 19. We are baptized into the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost John 14. 16. 26. 15. 26. 16. 13 14 15. The Father and Son promise to send the Holy Ghost Luke 1. 35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Acts 2. 33. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you now see and heare 2 Cor. 13 14. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Tit. 3. 4 5 6. God saved us by the washing of the new birth and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour What clear proof have you that these three are but one God and so that there is a Trinity in Vnity 1 Joh. 5. 7. It is expresly said there are three that bear Record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one What learn you of that the Apostle saith they are three Wee learne that the word Trinity although it bee not expresly set down in the word yet it hath certaine ground from thence What learn you of that that they are said to be three witnesses The singular fruit that is in the Trinity of persons in one unity of the Godhead whereby great assurance is brought unto us of all things that God speaketh in promise or threat seeing it is all confirmed by three witnesses against whom no exception lyeth What are they said here to witnesse That God hath given eternall life unto us and that this life is in that his Sonne 1 John 5. 11. How are these being three said to be but one They are one in substance beeing or essence but three persons distinct in subsistence Acts 20. 28. 1 Cor. 12. 4 5. Deut. 6. 4. Mark 12. 32. 1 Cor. 8. 4 5 6. Joh. 14. 16. 15. 26. 17. 1. If three persons among men be propounded whereof every one is a man can it be said that these three are but one man No but we must not measure Gods matters by the measure of reason much lesse this which of all others is a mystery of mysteries For the better understanding of this mystery declare unto me what a person is in generall and then what a person in the Trinity is
Secondly in men the thing which is understood and the understanding it self is not all one but in God it is all one What reason have you for this The reason is because only God is altogether life and his life is altogether understanding and his understanding is the highest degree of life and therefore he hath his conceiving and begetting most inward of all What mean you when you say most inward of all I mean that the Father conceiveth of himself and in himself and his conceiving is a begetting and his begetting abideth still in himself because his understanding can no where meet with any thing but that which he himself is and that is the second subsistence in the Trinity which we call Everlasting Son of God Now let me hear what the holy Ghost is and how he proceedeth from the Father and the Son For the understanding of this matter wee must consider two things First that in the essence of God besides his understanding there is a will Secondly what be the properties of this will in God Esa. 46. 10. What are the properties of Gods will First it applieth his power when where and how he thinks good according to his own mind Secondly it worketh everlastingly upon it self as his understanding doth What doe you gather by this That because it hath no other thing to work upon but it self it doth delight it self in the infinite good which it knoweth in it self for the action of the will is delight and liking And what of that That delight which God or his will hath in his own infinite goodnesse doth bring forth a third Person or subsistence in God which we call The holy Ghost What is that same third subsistence in God The mutuall kindnesse and lovingnesse of the Father and the Son What mean you by this mutuall lovingnesse and kindnesse The Father taketh joy and delight in the Son or his own Image conceived by his understanding and the Son likewise rejoyceth in his Father as he saith himself and the reason thereof is this the action of the will when it is fulfilled is love and liking What resemblance can you shew thereof in some thing that is commonly used amongst us When a man looketh in a glasse if he smile his image smileth too and if he taketh delight in it it taketh the same delight in him for they are both one If they be all one then there are not three beeings The face is one beeing the image of the face in a glasse is another beeing and the smiling of them both together is a third beeing and yet all are in one face and all are of one face and all are but one face And is it so in God Yea for even so the understanding which is in God is one beeing the reflection or image of his understanding which he beholdeth in himself as in a glasse is a second beeing and the love and liking of them both together by reason of the will fulfilled is a third beeing in God and yet all are but of one God all are in one God and all are but one God Which of these three is first There is neither first nor last going afore or comming after in the essence of God but all these as they are everlasting so they are all at once and at one instant even as in a glasse the face and the image of the face when they smile they smile together and not one before not after another What is the conclusion of all As we have the Son of the Father by his everlasting will in working by his understanding so also we have the holy Ghost of the love of them both by the joint working of the understanding and will together whereupon we conclude three distinct Persons or in-beeings which we call the Father the Son and the holy Ghost in one spirituall yet unspeakable substance which is very God himself But what if some will be yet more curious to know how the Son of God should be begotten and how the holy Ghost should proceed from the Father and the Son how may we satisfie them Well enough for if any will be too curious about this point we may answer them thus Let them shew us how themselves are bred and begotten and then let them aske us how the Son of God is begotten and let them tell us the nature of the spirit that beateth in their pulses and then let them be inquisitive at our hands for the proceeding of the holy Ghost And what if they cannot give us a reason for the manner of their own beeing may they not be inquisitive for the manner of Gods beeing No for if they must be constrained to be ignorant in so common matters which they daily see and feel in themselves let them give us leave to be ignorant not only in this but in many things moe which are such as no eye hath seen nor ear hath heard nor wit of man can conceive Let us now hear out of the Scriptures what the holy Ghost is He is the third Person of the Trinity by communication of essence eternally proceeding from the Father and from the Son Are you able to prove out of the Scripture that the holy Ghost is God Yes because the many properties and actions of God are therein given to him as to the Father and to the Son Let us hear some of those proofs 1t. Gen. 1. 2. the work of Creation is attributed to the Spirit of God 2ly Esa. 61. 1. the Spirit of the Lord God is said to be upon Christ because the Lord anointed him c. 3ly 1 Cor. 3. 17. and 2 Cor. 6. 16. Paul calleth us Gods Temples because the Holy Ghost dwelleth in us Saint Augustine in his 66. Epistle to Maximinus saith it is a cleare argument of his God-head if we were commanded to make him a Temple but of timber and stone because that worship is due to God only therefore now we must much more think that he is God because we are not cōmanded to make him a temple but to be a temple for him our selves What other reason have you out of the Scripture Peter reproving Ananias for lying to the Holy Ghost said that he lyed not to men but to God Acts 5. 3 4. Have you any more reasons from the Scripture Yea two more one from Saint Paul and another from Saint Paul and Esay together What is your reason from Saint Paul When he sheweth how many sundry gifts are given to men he saith that one and the selfe-same Spirit is the distributer of them all therefore he is God for none can distribute those gifts which Paul speaks of but God 1 Cor. 12. ver 6. 11. What is your reason from Esay and Saint Paul together Esay saith in the Chapter 6. 9. I heard the Lord speaking which place Paul expoundeth of the Holy Ghost Acts 28. 25. But how can you prove out of the Scriptures that the Holy Ghost is God proceeding from
Such as are made of the four Elements equally mingled together How many kinds be there of them The things that have 1. A being without life 2. A being and life without sense 3. A being life and sense without reason 4. A being life sense and reason as man What is common to the three last kinds That together with life there is power and vertue given unto them to bring forh the like unto themselves for the continuance of their kind which blessing of multiplication is principally in the two last sorts of creatures that have the life of sense beside the life of increase and therefore the Lord is brought in to speak to them in the second person Gen. 1. 22. 28. which he did not to the grasse corne and trees which are creatures of the second kind What learn you from hence That the chiefe and speciall cause of the continuance of every kind of creature to the worlds end is this will and word of God without the which they or sundry of them would have perished ere this by so many means as are to consume them Declare now in order the severall works of the six dayes and shew first what was done the first day The rude masse or matter of heaven and earth being made of nothing the first night of the world as hath been declared God did afterward create the light and called it day Gen. 13 4 5. What note you hereof The wonderfull work of God not onely in making something of nothing but bringing light out of darknesse 2 Cor. 4. 6. which are contrary and distinguishing betwixt day and night before either Sun or Moon were created What was the work of the second day The Firmament was created to divide the waters above from the waters below What was done the third day The third night as it seemed God caused the waters to retire into their vessels and severed them from the dry land calling the one seas the other earth Then in the third day which followed that night he clad the earth with grasse for the use of beasts only corn and trees for the use of man also What shape is the water and earth of They both together make a round globe Whether is the water or the earth bigger The water Why then doe they not overwhelme the earth They are restrained and kept in by the mighty power of God How many sorts of waters be there Two salt waters as the sea and fresh waters as floods springs lakes c. What be the parts of the earth First Hills Secondly Valleys and Plaines How many benefits doe you receive by the earth in generall Foure First we are made of the earth Secondly we dwell on the earth Thirdly it giveth fruits and nourishment to all living creatures Fourthly it is our bed after death What benefit receive you by the hills They are a shadow against storms and heat they be fit for grasing of cattle they are fit places to set Beacons on to shew that the enemies are at hand c. What benefits receive you by the Valleyes and Plaines 1. They receive water to water the earth 2. They are most fit places to bring forth all kind of fruit and herbes and grasse How cometh it to pass that God first maketh the grass corne and trees ere he made the heavenly bodies of the Sunne Moon and Starres from whose influence the growth of these proceedeth To correct our errour which tye the increase of these so to the influence of the heavenly bodies even to the worshipping of them therein forgetting the Lord who thereby sheweth that all hang upon him and not on them forasmuch as he made them when the heavenly bodies were not What doe you gather from hence That the fruitfulness of the earth standeth not so much in the labour of the husband-man as in the power which God hath given the earth to bring forth fruit Thus much of the works of the 3d. day what was made the 4th day Lights which are as it were certain vessels wherein the Lord did gather the light which before was scater'd in the whole body of the heavens How are these lights distinguished Although they be all great in themselves to the end they might give light to the dark earth that is farre removed from them yet are they distinguished into Great Small Sunne Moon Starres Why doth Moses call the Sun and Moon the greatest lights when there are Starres that exceed the Moon by many degrees First because they are greatest in their use and vertue that they exercise upon the terrestriall bodies Secondly because they seem so to us it being the purpose of the Holy Ghost by Moses to apply himselfe to the capacity of the unlearned What is the use of them First to separate the day from the night Secondly to be signs of seasons and dayes and yeares Thirdly to send forth their influences upon the whole earth and to give light to the inhabitants thereof How are they signs of times and seasons First by distinguishing the time spring summer autumne winter by their work and naturall effect upon the earthly creatures Secondly by distinguishing the night from the day the day from month the month from the yeare Have they not operation also in the extraordinary events of singular things and persons for their good and evill estate No verily there is no such use taught of them in the Scriptures What creatures were made the fift day Fishes and birds What were the fishes made of Of all four Elements but more it seemeth of the water then other living things Gen. 1. 20. VVhat were the birds made of Of all foure Elements yet have more of the earth Gen. 2. 19. and therefore that they are so light and that their delight is in the ayre it is so much the more marvellous VVhat did God make in the sixt and the last day of Creation It is probable that he made in the Night thereof the beasts of the earth going creeping Tame or home-beasts Wilde or field-beasts Day man in both sexes that is both man and woman the history of whose creation is set down Gen. 1 26 27. in the discourse of the sixt days work and repeated in cap. 2. v. 7. and more at large after the narration of the Lords rest in the seventh day vers 18 19 20 c. Why was man last made of all the creatures 1. Because he was the most excellent of all the works of God in this inferiour world 2. Because he was the end of all unreasonable creatures and therefore that he might glorifie God for all the creatures that he saw the world was furnished with for his sake 3. Because God would have him first provided for ere he brought him into the world that so he might have this world for which God had made him Prince as it were his Palace furnished with all things convenient and if he had care
let that he would not have done if with his will how can his justice be defended if they were not some good things for which hee doth willingly permit it For if a Captain should willingly suffer his souldiers to be murthered when he might hinder the slaughter of them although he put no hand to the murther he is not therefore excusable and free from the blood of his souldiers What else can be alledged against the permission that is separated from the government of the providence For that by this means God should bee spoyled of the greatest part of the government of the world seeing the greatest part and most of the world are wicked all whose actions are as they themselves are wicked Is there yet any other matter against this distinction If in that God doth permit sin he should have no hand in guiding and governing it then he should have no hand in guiding and governing of good things for as it is said that he permitteth sin so it is also said that he permitteth the good Heb. 6. 3. What use is to be made of the doctrine of Gods Providence First as in the Creation so in the continuation preservation and government of all things the power wisdome and goodnesse of the only true God is set forth and therefore in all things is he to be glorified Rom. 11. 36. yea even in the sins of men for the good things he draweth forth from their evill Secondly the consideration of this that nothing can come to passe without the Providence of God should move us to fear God and make us afraid to commit any sin far otherwise then the wicked who upon that that it is taught that all things come to passe by the Providence of God according to that he hath decreed Eccl. 3. 11. 14. would conclude that then a man may give himself liberty to doe any thing considering that it must needs be executed that God hath decreed Thirdly we must banish all slavish fear out of our hearts knowing that nothing can come to passe without the Providence of God Fourthly this should breed thankfulnesse to God in prosperity and in all things that come unto us according to our desire whatsoever blessing we receive we must acknowledge it to come from God and give him the praise and glory Rom. 11. 36. not sacrifice to our own nets Hab. 1. 16. or stay our minds in the instruments thereof without looking upto him by whose speciall providence and government we obtain our desires Fiftly this should cause humility under the hand of God when things come otherwise then we desired Sixthly in adversity we should patiently suffer whatsoever affliction the Lord layeth upon us for this consideration hath wrought patience in Gods servants It is the Lord let him doe whatsoever pleaseth him 1 Sam. 3. 18. Seventhly we must mark and observe the providence of God in former times that thereby vve may gather arguments of his goodnesse unto us in the time to come Having thus spoken generally of the Providence of God we are now to descend unto the speciall consideration of that which doth concern the principall creatures upon whom God hath declared the glory of his mercy and justice and first to begin with Angels Shew how they are upheld in their beeing They are all sustained by the power of God so that they shall never die or return to nothing Luk. 20. 36. How doth God dispose of them First concerning their everlasting condition they had a law given them in their Creation which the elect observe and are established in their perfection but the reprobates sinning against it have lost their first estate and are reserved unto further Judgement for all being by God created good at the first Gen. 1. 31. some continued in humility and obedience according to that dignity in which they were created others continued not in the truth Joh. 8. 44. and so kept not their beeing or excellency in which they were created of God by whom nothing could be made but good but trangressed and fell from it by their sin and wickednesse becomming Devils Jude ver 6. Secondly for their employment God useth them all both good and evill Angels as his servants and ministers for the accomplishment of his will and work Job 1. 6. How are the good Angels called in the Scripture 1. Elohim or gods for their excellency and power Psal. 8. 5. compared with Heb. 2. 7. Psal. 97. 7. with Heb. 1. 6. 2. Sons of God Job 1. 6. 3. Angels of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. 4. Elect Angels 1 Tim. 5. 21. 5. Heavenly Souldiers Luk. 2. 13. 6. Men of God for their Office 7. Principalities and Powers and Dominions 8. Seraphims and a flame of fire for their swift zeal to doe Gods will 9. Cherubims from the form of young men wherin they appeared Have they any proper names Some for our capacity have names given unto them as Gabriel c. How many are there of them They be innumerable Mat. 22. 30. Heb. 12. 22. Dan. 7. 10. Psal. 61. 15. 17. Are there divers degrees of Angels Yes for some are Principalities and Powers and Dominions and Thrones Col. 1. 16. which sheweth not so much a difference in nature as in diverse employment in office But what those degrees are it is not observed out of Scripture and therefore to us is unknown With what properties are these Angels specially endued They are endued with wisdome holinesse willingnesse to put in execution the will of God power swiftnesse industry glory c. far above any man What measure of knowledge have they Very great in comparison of man both by Creation and otherwise How many sorts be there of their knowledge Three first naturall which God endued them with at ther Creation far above any man as their nature is more heavenly Secondly experimental which they doe mark and observe farre more carefully then man in Gods government of the world and out of all creatures Eph. 3. 10. Luk. 15. 10. Thirdly Divine of which God informeth them according to the severall matters that he sendeth them about and hereby they know things to come as Dan. 9. the Angel telleth before to Daniel the time of Christs death and Matth. 1. God telleth the Angel Josephs thoughts Doe not Angels of themselvess know the thoughts of men No for that is Gods property only 1 Kings 8. 39. 2 Chro. 6. 30. But in some messages as that in the first of Matthew God is pleased to manifest it unto them Have they not knowledge then of all things done here upon earth No for all things are only known to God alone Heb. 4. 13. yet they know the matters of those men and places where God appointeth them a message as Cornelius his alms Acts 10. 4. and the uncomlinesse of women in the Congregation where they are 1 Cor. 11. 10. Can the good Angels fall at any time No God hath confirmed them in their well beeing that they might never
calling of God thereunto 1. Because he is too subtile for us we being simple in regard of him 2. Because he is so desperately malicious that he will give place to no good thing we can alledge to make him leave off his malicious purpose What shall we then doe We must turn our selves unto God and desire him to command him away at whose only Commandment he must depart Is there any thing blame-worthy in Eves answer to the question of the Serpent Notwithstanding that so far she answered truly that God had forbidden them to eat of the fruit of that tree and telleth also the punishment truly that would follow thereof yet began she to slip in the delivery both of the charge and of the punishment for where she saith they were forbidden to touch it it is more then the Lord made mention of and she thereby seemeth to insinuate some rigour of the Lord forbidding even the touch of the fruit and where the Lord had most certainly pronounced that they should die if they eat of the forbidden fruit she speaketh doubtfully of it as if they should not certainly die What learn you from this latter Observation That albeit men are oft perswaded they sin yet that they are not perswaded of the Justice of God against it whereby the door is opened to sin which is to make God an Idoll in spoiling him of his Justice as if he were so all mercy as he had forgotten to be just when as he is as well justice as mercy as infinite in the one as in the other which correcteth sharply the sins of such as he will save What learn you of the abuse of the tongue in this conference That as the tongue is a singular blessing of God whereby man excelleth all the creatures upon the earth so the abuse of it is most dangerous because it setteth on fire the whole course of nature and it is set on fire of hell Jam. 3. 6. What observe you of that it is said that Eve saw the fruit was delectable to look on Her lustfull and wicked eye in suffering her mind to be allured to look on the beauty of the fruit with a purpose to affect the eating of it How is it said that she saw it was good to eat when shee had never tasted of it Shee knew by the beautifull colour it was so for if we are able in this darknesse we are fallen into to discerne commonly by the sight of the fruit whether it be good and the skilfull in Physick by the colour onely of the hearb to tell whether it be hot or cold sweet or sowre how much more were Adam and Eve who had the perfection of the knowledge of those things more then ever Solomon himselfe What learn you by the abuse of these outward senses That they are as it were windowes whereby sin entred into the heart when there was no sin and therefore will much more now the heart being corrupted What instructions gather you from thence First that we must shut them against all evill and unlawfull use of their objects and open them to the use of good things make a Covenant with them as Job did with his eyes Job 31. 1. by a strong and painfull resistance of the evill that commeth by the abuse of them as it were and cut them off and throw them away as our Saviour giveth counsell Mat. 5. 29 30. Secondly that as the senses are more noble as the hearing and sight called the senses of learning so there should be a stronger watch set upon them those being the senses that Adam and Eve were especially so deceived by What observe you of that it is said shee saw that it was desirable for knowledge That was only her errour which shee having begun to sip of by communication with the Devill did after drink a full draught of by beholding the beauty of the fruit and receiving the delicate tast thereof and withall observe how we can heap reasons true and false to move us to follow our pleasures What learn you from thence That the heart inclining to errour doth draw the senses to an unlawfull use of them and that the abuse of the senses doth strengthen the heart in errour What gather you hereof That before the heart was corrupted there was no abuse of these outward senses But that being corrupt the abuse thereof doth settle the heart deeper in errour What was the effect of all these outward and inward meanes First Eve yeelded to Satan and put his will in execution in eating of the fruit that was forbidden Secondly shee gave it also to Adam to eat What force hath the word also here used by the holy Ghost Thereby as by a speciall word of amplification the sin is aggravated against her to shew her naughtines not only in committing the sin her selfe but also in alluring the husband to doe as she had done What learn you from thence 1. The nature of sinners to draw others to the condemnation they are in as Satan Eve and Eve her Husband even those that are nearest them whose good they should procure 2. That we should take heed of that the Apostle warneth us not to be partakers of other mens sins as if we had not enough of our own to answer for which especially belongeth unto those in charge 1 Tim. 5. 22. 3. How dangerous an instrument is an evill and deceived wife which the Lord commandeth men should beware to make choice of and if the man which is strong much more the woman What learn you of that Adam eat forthwith First that which hath been before noted that the Devill by one of us tempteth more dangerously then in his own person so that Satan knew he could not so easily have deceived Adam by himself as by Eve Secondly for that in excesse of love he yeelded it teacheth husbands to love their wives but it must be in the Lord as the wives must doe their husbands How doth it agree with the goodnes or with the very justice of God to punish mankind so fearfully for eating of a little fruit Very well for first the heynousnesse of an offence is not to be measured by the thing that is done but by the worthinesse of the person against whom it is committed And how much more the Commandement our first parents brake was easie to be kept as to abstain from one onely fruit in so great variety and plenty so much more grievous was their sin by breaking it Secondly though God tryed their obedience in that fruit especially yet were there many other most grievous sinnes which in desiring and doing of this they did commit Insomuch that we may observe therein the grounds of the breach in a manner of every one of the ten Commandements For the transgression was horrible and the breach of the whole Law of God yea an Apostasie whereby they withdrew themselves from under the power of God nay rejected and denied him and not so little an offence
a debt is a debt though a man knoweth it not and it is by so much the more dangerous as not knowing it he will never be carefull to discharge it till the Lords arrest be upon his back when his knowledge will doe him no good VVe may see many which heap sinne upon sinne and know also that they sinne and yet for all that cease not to make good cheer and make their hearts merry The countenance doth not alwayes speake truth so that sometimes under a countenance in shew merry there are stings and pricks in the Conscience Rom. 2. 15. which yet is oftentimes benummed and sometimes through hypocrisie it is seared as it were with a hot iron 1 Tim. 4. 2. but the Lord will find a time to awaken and revive it by laying all his sinnes before his face Psal. 50. 21. VVhen it is known what is the remedy of it It were wisdome not to suffer our guilt to run long on the score but reckon with our selves every night ere we lie down to sleep and look back to the doings of the day that in those things which are well done we may be thankefull and comfort our own hearts and in that which passeth otherwise from us we may call for mercy and have the sweeter sleep for if Solomon willeth us in that case of debt by suretyship to humble our selves to our Creditor and not to take rest untill we have freed our selves Prov. 6. 1 2 3 4 5 6. much more ought we to haste the humbling our selves unto God sith the bloud of Christ is the onely sacrifice for sinne Is the guilt of sin in all men alike No for as the sin encreaseth so doth the guilt both in regard of the greatnesse and of the number of our sins as appears out of Ezra 9. 6. where as sin is said to be gone above their heads so the guilt to reach up to the heavens VVhen the sin is gone and past is not the guilt also gone and past Christ taketh away both the guilt and the sin of the godly except originall sin which continueth during life but in the wicked when the act of sin is gone the guilt remaineth always as the strong savour of garlick when the garlick is eaten or as the scarre of a wound or the mark of a burning when the wound or burning is past VVhat is contrary to the guilt of sin The testimony of a good Conscience which is a perpetuall joy and comfort yea and a heaven to him that hath walked carefully in Gods obedience as the other is a torment of hell So much of the guilt what is the punishment It is the wages of sin sent for the guilt Rom. 6. 23. namely the wrath and curse of God by whose just sentence man for his sinne is delivered into the power both of bodily and spirituall death begun here and to be accomplished in the life to come Gen. 2. 17. John 3. 18 19. 5. 24. 28. 29. Lamen 3. 36. Esa. 64. 5 6. Rom. 6. 12. Gal. 3. 10. VVhat do you understand by bodily and spirituall death By the one I understand the separation of the soule from the body with all personall miseries and evils that attend thereon or make way thereto by the other the finall separation of both from God together with present spirituall bondage and all forerunners of damnation Are all the particular punishments expressed in the word which shall come for sin They cannot wholly be laid down they be so manifold and so divers and therefore it is said they shall come written and unwritten Deut. 29. 20. 28. 61. Against whom are these punishments addressed Against the whole estate of him that sinneth For whereas executions upon obligations unto men are so directed as they can charge either the person alone or his goods and lands alone so as if the Creditor fall upon the one he freeth the other as if he fall upon the person he cannot proceed further then unto his body the execution which goeth out from God for the obligation of sin is extended to the whole estate of the sinner both to the things belonging unto him and likewise to his own person VVhat be the punishments that extend to the things belonging to him Calamities upon his family wife children servants friends goods and good name the losse and curse of all these and unhappy and miserable posterity Matth. 15. 22. Psalme 109. 12. hinderances in goods Deuter. 28. in name ignominy and reproach Matth. 7. 12. Job 18. 17. Prov. 10. 7. losse of friends acquaintance c. What are the judgements executed upon his person They are executed either in this life or in the life to come What punishments are inflicted in this life They be partly outward partly inward What be the outward punishments 1. His want of dominion over the creatures and the enmity of the creatures against him calamities by fire water beasts or other means disorder in the world in summer winter heaven earth and all creatures 2. Shame for the nakednesse of body 3. All hunger in extremity thirst nakednesse penury poverty of estate and want of bodily necessaries 4. Wearinesse in following his calling with sweat of his browes with trouble and irksomnesse Gen. 3. 19. 5. Outward shame and infamy 6. Servitude 7. Losse of limbs or of the use of his senses deformities in body 8. Weaknesse of beeing want of sleep pains of body aches soars sicknesses and diseases of all sorts Deut. 28. Mat. 9. 2. even to the itch which few make accompt of therby to feel the anger of God and punishment of sin hither is to be referred pain in Child-bearing Gen. 3. 16. What be the inward punishments in this life 1. Sorrow and anguish of soul for these plagues and the like 2. Madnesse frenzy and foolishnesse 3. Blindnesse and distemper of the soul when God striketh it with an ignorant spirit with want of judgement to discern between good and bad with forgetfulnesse of holy things or hardnesse of heart Eph. 4. 17 18 19. which although for the time they be least felt yet are they more fearfull and dangerous then those whereof the sense is presently sharp 4. Terrour and vexation of spirit driving into hell guiltinesse and horrour of Conscience the fury of a despairing soul beginning even in this life to feel hell torments Deut. 28. 28. Heb. 10. 27. Esa. 33. 14. 5. Strangenesse and alienation from God 6. Spirituall bondage whereby sinfull man is become subject to the lust of the flesh the curse of the Law the rule of Satan and the custome of the world yea even blessings are cursed Malac. 2. 2. and prosperity causeth ruine Psal. 69. 22. In what sort is man in bondage unto Satan Both soul and body is under the power of the Prince of darknesse whereby man becommeth the slave of the Devil and hath him to reign in his heart as his God till Christ deliver him Col. 1. 13. Ephes. 2. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 26.
who so asketh God denieth nothing Iohn 11. 42. and therfore howsoever we are not alwayes answered at the present Psal. 77. 1. or in the same kind that we desire 2 Cor. 12. 9. yet sooner or later we are sure to receive even above that we are able to aske or thinke if we continue with constancy patience and importunity to sue unto him according to his will Luke 11. 5. 18. 1. 1 Iohn 5. 14. What things must we come to God in prayer for Not for trifles and toyes but for things needfull and necessary and such as God hath made us promise of some whereof doe immediately concerne the glory of God others the necessity of man either in things belonging to this present life or those especially which belong to the life to come But how can we remember all the promises that God hath made therein to ground our Petitions especially being unletter'd There are generall promises that whatsoever wee shall aske according to his will it shall be given us 1 John 5. 14. Againe whatsoever we read or heare that the servants of God have uncontrollably demanded in the Scriptures or without speciall calling that is a good warrant for us to demand at the hands of God Where then is that will of God revealed according whereto we must direct our prayers Throughout the whole booke of the Scriptures of God which enforme us as concerning other duties so especially concerning this of prayer Recording also for this purpose many excellent prayers as of Moses David Daniel Nehemiah Paul c. But most absolutely in that passage or portion delivered by our Saviour himselfe and therefore commonly called the Lords Prayer What learne you from thence That for helpe of our weaknesse and rudenesse in prayer we are to look to the prayers of the holy men of God set downe in Scripture according to the state wherein they were at the time of those prayers may best sort with the speciall cases wherein we are when we pray But especially and above any other yea above all of them together wee are to looke unto that most absolute prayer which our Saviour Christ hath taught us in the Gospell VVhat is the speciall end and use of Prayer To recover our peace and to nourish our communion with our God Dan. 9. 9. Phil. 4. 6 7. John 17. or 1 John 1. 7. What gather you hence That such as have least care and make least conscience to call upon him have also least acquaintance and acceptance with him Psalme 14. 3. What is the excellency of this duty It setteth head and heart and all our best affections aworke giving God the praise of his Majesty and mercy goodnesse and greatnesse both together 1 Sam. 10. 12 13. Jam. 5. 13. 14. Psal. 50. 23. and therefore it is compared to Incense or sweet perfume Psalme 141 2. for that it is acceptable to the Lord as perfumes are to men and to the drops of honey as it were dropping from the lips of the Church as from an honey-combe Cant. 4. 11. Thy lips ô my Spouse drop as the honey-combe honey and milk are under thy tongue How can God so infinitely wise take delight in our Prayers that are so rude Because in Christ he taketh us for his children and therefore as Parents rather take pleasure to heare their children stammer then some other to speak eloquently so doth the Lord take pleasure in the weake prayers of the Saints Hitherto of Invocation and Prayer in generall what are the parts thereof Two principally Psalm 50. 15. 23. 1 Thes. 5. 17 18. 1 Tim. 2. 1. Phil. 4. 6. Petition or Request properly called Prayer whereby we crave things needfull and Thanksgiving or Praise whereby we magnifie the goodnesse of God and give thanks for benefits received to both which is annexed confession of sinnes and of the righteous judgement of God against them at the view whereof we being humbled may come more preparedly to prayer in both kindes What is Petition Petition or prayer properly so called is a religious calling upon the name of God by sute or request in which we desire and beg all things necessary Luke 11. 1 2. 3. Phil. 4. 6 7. Psalme 50. 15. And it is either for things of this present life with this exception so farre forth as the same shall bee thought good unto the wisdome of God or and that especially for the things of the life to come without exception Matth. 8. 2. 2 Sam. 15. 25. 26. What learne you of this that it is a religious calling upon God First that we may not rush unadvisedly into Gods presence but approach his Throne with feare and reverence Heb. 12. 28. Eccl. 5. 1. Secondly that the best hearing is in heaven and readiest help from Gods hand 2 Chron. 7. 14. What doe you meane by calling upon God Not the calling of the tongue but the cry of the heart as Hannah called upon God when her voyce was not heard 1 Sam. 1. 13. and Moses cryed unto the Lord when yet he spake not a word Exod. 14. 15. VVhat gather you hence That the heart without the tongue may pray with fruit and feeling 1 Sam. 1. 10. But the tongue without the heart is nothing but vaine babling Matth. 6. 7. What doe you meane by the name of God God himselfe considered in his attributes and properties whereby as men by their names hee is knowne unto us Exod. 34. 6 7. Psalme 145. 12 c. What learne you hence First that neither any may claime nor we may yeeld this duty but where we may find the power and properties of the Deity Psa. 44. 20. 21. Secondly that it is a good ground of prayer to stay our hearts on such of Gods properties as are best suiting with our necessities 2 Chron. 20. 6 7 8 9. Neh. 1. 5. Thirdly that they that will not settle their hearts on God alone by faith can never lift up their hearts to him alone in prayer Rom. 10. 14. Psal. 44. 20. Lam. 3. 41. Fourthly that in every state and condition they that pray best speed best and live best Dan. 9. 23. Psalme 50. 15. 66. 18 19. It seemeth to be of no use to make our Petitions to God seeing he both knoweth what we want either for his glory or our good and hath determined what to bestow upon us Yes verily we must aske and that continually that is at set times without intermission by the Commandement of Christ himselfe bidding us aske and we shall receive seeke and we shall find knocke and it shall be opened to us Mat. 7. 7. wherein we should rest For as God hath fore-appointed all necessaries to be given us so hath he also appointed the meanes whereby they should be brought to passe whereof Prayer is a chiefe What other reason have you for this We should therefore pray for the things we have need of that having received them we may be assured we had them of God and not by
our hearts far from him Isa. 29. 13. 2. Shamelesse impiety when turning our eares from his precepts he turneth away his from our prayers Prov. 28. 9. 3. Senselesse impenitency when the cry of our sins unrepented of drownes the voice of our prayers that are offered Zach. 7. 13. 4. Mercilesse cruelty when we either cause or suffer the afflicted to cry without hearing the Lord hearing us cry in our affliction without helping Gen. 42. 22. What is the generall subiect of our requests Good or evill Good to obtaine it and evill to remove or prevent it Col. 1. 9. 2 Thes. 3. 1 2. That wherein we pray for good things is called supplication 1 Tim. 2. 1. That wherein we pray against evill is called Deprecation What doe you meane by Good or Evill Whatsoever is helpfull or hurtfull either for soule or body goods and graces sins and sorrowes mercies and judgements in spirituall or in carnall things Phil. 1. 9. Luke 18. 13. Dan. 9. What gather you hence 1. That as Prayer is the key of the heart to open all our necessities unto God Iames 2. 9. so it is also the key of his treasury to obtaine his mercies from him Mat. 7. 7. 2. That the gift of Prayer is a pledge and earnest penny of all other good gifts and graces whatsoever Rom. 8. 26 27 32. and that so long as we can pray the greatest evill cannot hurt us Ionah 2. 1. 2 Cor. 12. 7 8. nor the greatest good without Prayer can ever bee profitable unto us 1 Tim. 4. 5. Are we only bound to pray for our selves by request for good and against evill things No we are also bound to pray likewise for others which kinde of prayer is called Intercession 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. What is Intercession It is the sute of the heart unto God for the good of others As Abraham prayed for Abimelech Gen. 20. 17. Jacob for his sonnes Gen. 49. Paul for the people 1 Thes. 1. 2. and they for him Why doth the Lord require this duty of us 1. For communicating our gifts and his graces James 5 5. 14 15. 2. For nourishing our love 3. For increase of our comforts 4. For mutuall support and reliefe in all crosses What gather you hence That all such persons as are linked together in neerest bonds of societie are also mutually bound to discharge this duty 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. James 5. 10. As first in the houshold of Faith the stronger is to pray for the weaker that he faile not Phil. 1. 9. and the weaker for the stronger that hee fall not 2 Thes. 3. 1 2. Secondly the Soveraigne for the Subject that he may obey in piety and loyalty 2 Cor. 6. 13 14. The Subject for the Soveraigne that he may rule in righteousnesse and religious policy 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. and so in all societies whether of publick assemblies or private families Job 1. 5. Deut. 33. 6. 1 Chron. 29. 19. What followeth of all this Strong consolation that when we finde small power or comfort in our prayers the Lord hath ordained that we may seeke and finde both in the prayers of his Church and children James 5. 14 15. Acts 12. 5. 7. You have now spoken of the first part of Invocation namely Petition what followeth The second which is Praise and Thanksgiving 1 Thes. 5. 18. What is this Praise and Thanksgiving It is a reverent calling upon the name of God wherein the heart being cheared with some taste of his goodnesse acknowledgeth all from his mercy and purposeth all for his glory Luke 10. 21. 1 Chron. 29. 10 11 12 13. And it is either in praising all his goodnesse wisedome power and mercy and generally for the government of his Church or for those particular favours that by Petition wee have received from his mercifull hand Whence doth this duty of praise arise As Petition ariseth from the feeling of our miserie so praise from the feeling of Gods mercy Petition beggeth what we want and praise acknowledgeth what and whence we have it Rev. 15. 3. 1 Chron. 29. 12. What gather you hence That when the Lord hath granted unto us our Petitions we are forthwith bound to render unto him his due praises Exodus 15. 1 Psalme 66. 19 20. Wherein doth this duty of praise specially consist 1. In emptying our selves of all worthinesse Gen. 32. 10. 2. In acknowledging him the author of every good gift and fountaine of living waters James 1. 17. Jer. 2. 13. 3. In speaking good of his name unto others Psalme 40. 9 10. 4. In rejoycing before him in all his mercies Deut. 26. 11. 5. In resolving to bestow all for his honour and service 1 Chro. 29. 2 3. Wherefore doth the Lord require praise and thanksgiving at our hands First because it is the fairest and sweetest fruit of true Piety Psal. 92. 1. Secondly it entirely preserveth Gods glory Thirdly it boweth the heart to true humility Fourthly it is the condition of the Covenant when he gives and wee receive any mercy Psalme 50. 15. Fiftly it provoketh others to faithfulnesse and cheerefulnesse in Gods service Psalme 95. 1. Sixtly it maintaineth the intercourse of mercies and duties betwixt God and man What be the properties of true praise 1. It must be faithfull without glossing with a simple not with a double heart Psalme 145. 18. 2. It must be plentifull Psalme 18. 1 2. If God give his mercies by showers we may not yeeld our praises by drops 3. It must be cheerfull 1 Chron. 29. 14. hee gives freely and wee must offer willingly for he loves a cheerefull giver 2 Cor. 9. 7. 4. It must be powerfull with the best measure with the best member Psalme 81. 1 2. 5. It must be skilfull in the best manner suting his severall properties with their due praises according to the nature of the present blessings Ex. â—5 2. 3. Psal. 144. 1 2. 6. It must be continuall as long as his mercy endureth and life lasteth Psal. 146. 1 Thes. 5. 18. What meanes may we use to attaine unto this duty 1. Serious consideration of the great things hee hath done for us so vile creatures 1 Sam. 12. 24. 2. To desire to taste Gods love in the least of his mercies Genesis 28. 20 21. 3. To give him a taste of our love in the best of our services Psalme 116. 12. 4. To rest content with our allowance and estate wherein he hath set us Phil. 4. 11. 5. To compare our estates with many of Gods Saints who want many comforts which we enjoy and feele many sorrowes which wee feele not Psalme 147. 20. 6. To be faithfull in all Talents and fruitfull in all graces will be great meanes to make us praise God in all his mercies Matth. 25. 23. Phil. 1. 11. What motives have we to provoke us to this praise 1. It is a good comely and pleasant thing to praise God Psal. 147. 1. 2. It is his will thus
forgiven us our sinnes he will be pleased also to mortifie our flesh and quicken our spirit which are the two parts of sanctification and never severed from true justification What learne you of this That we cannot rightly desire God to forgive us our sinnes unlesse we crave also power to abstaine from the like in time to come else our prayers is but babling so that here we would be stirred to pray for strength to avoid those sinnes whereof we craved pardon for before So farre is it that men should thinke that they are justified when they have not so much as a purpose to leave their sinne For who being delivered from a great disease will returne to it again and not rather desire a Diet whereby he may escape it Swine indeed after they are washed and dogs after their vomit returne the one to their mire the other to their vomit Prov. 26. 1â— 2 Pet. 2. 22. As doe also the Papists who after auricular confession being discharged in their opinion will goe to their sins afresh but those that are truly washed by the bloud of Christ will never give themselves over to their sins againe If they cannot returne to their vomit what need have they to pray Yes very great because God hath ordained prayer one meanes of keeping them from revolt and they ought to be so much the more earnest in prayer as they are more subject to be beaten and buffeted with tentations then others Zach. 1. 11. Luke 11. 21. What learne you from hence Much comfort in temptations in that it is a token of Gods favour and of pardon of our sins that we are subject to temptations What other cause is there to pray that we be not lead into temptation For that the condition of them that are called to the hope of life will be worse then the state of those that never tasted of the good word of God if they give themselves to evill As a relapse in diseases is more dangerous then the first sicknesse was John 5. 14. 2 Pet. 2. 22. Mat. 12. 43. May we pray simply and absolutely against all temptations No verily For first the best men that ever were yea the Son of God himselfe were subject to temptations Secondly all temptations are not evill but some are trials of our faith and hope and oftentimes make for our good In which regard they are pronounced blessed that fall into divers temptations and therefore ought we not to pray simply and without exception to be delivered from them James 1. 2. Deuter. 8. 2. 13. 3. but only from the evill of them What then doe we pray for concerning them That if the Lord will be pleased to take tryall of the grace he hath bestowed upon us either by afflictions or by occasion of temptation to sin offered us that we be not given over to them or overcome by them but that we may have a good issue and escape from them 1 Cor. 10. 13. And that if either we must goe under trouble or offend the Lord we may rather chuse affliction then sin John 36. 21. Why are they called Temptations Because by them God trieth our obedience and to notifie our faith and patience both to our selves and others whether we will follow him or not and therefore we may be assured that so often as we beat backe or overcome the temptations we have as many undoubted testimonies of his love What is here meant then by the word Temptation Sin and whatsoever things by the corruption of our nature are occasions to leade us into sin as prosperity adversity c. Prov. 30. 9. which otherwise simply are not to be numbred among these temptations we desire here to be delivered from How many wayes may a man be tempted Three 1. By God 2. By Satan and his wicked instruments 3. By a mans owne corruption How may God be said to tempt Though God tempteth no man unto evill as he is tempted of none James 1. 13. yet sometimes he leadeth men into temptations of probation Mat. 4. 1. 6. 13. and that first by unusuall probatory precepts as when he commanded Abraham to kill his sonne Gen. 22. 1 c. Secondly by sending an extraordinary measure of prosperity or adversity Deut. 8. 16. Thirdly by letting loose Satan his band dog to buffet and molest the godly as Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7. or to seduce the wicked as Ahabs Prophets 1 Kings 22. 22. Fourthly by desertion leaving men to themselves whether for a time Hos. 5. 15. as Ezechias in the businesse of the King of Babels Embassage 2 Chron. 32. 31. or utterly as those whom he justly giveth up to their owne lusts Rom. 1. 26 28. and the power of Satan Acts 5. 3. How agreeth it with the goodnesse of the Lord to leade thus into temptation When all things are of him and by him it must needs follow that the things that are done are provided and governed of him yet in such sort as none of the evill which is in the transgressor cleaveth unto him But how can that be without staine of his righteousnesse It is a righteous thing with God to punish sin with sin and to cast a sinner into further sins by way of just punishment Therefore we desire God not to give us over to our selves by withdrawing his Spirit from us as when men doe delight in lies he giveth them over to beleeve lies 2 Thes. 2. 11. and for Idolatry he justly punisheth them with corporall filthinesse in the same degree Hos. 4. 14. Rom. 1. 24. Now being naturally prone to sin when by the just judgement of God we are left to our selves we rush into all evill even as a horse into the battell to whom we put the spurres or as an Eagle flyeth to her prey May not earthly Magistrates thus punish sin No verily it were a cursed thing in Magistrates so to doe But God is above all Magistrates who even for our naturall corruption may justly give us over to all naughty affections Why doe the Papists say and suffer us not to be led into temptation In a vaine and foolish feare of making God to be guilty of sin if he should be said to leade us into temptation and therefore they lay the Lords words as it were in water and change his tongue and set him to the Grammar Schoole to teach him to speake which teacheth all men to speake whose folly is so much the greater as it is the usuall phrase of Scripture Exod. 4. 21. 9. 16. 1 Kings 22. 20 21 22. Rom. 1. 24. 2 Thes. 2. 11. What inconvenience followeth upon this addition Very great For by this bare permission of evill they rob God of his glory working in the most things that are done of men yea even of the best things the doing whereof is attributed to his permission Heb. 6. 3. May we not offer our selves unto temptation as Christ did In no wise for he was carried extraordinarily by the power
Christians enabled by understanding and grace to judg and aright to performe this weighty duty Zach. 12. 12 c. unlesse any be exempted by present debility Matth. 12. 7. 1 Sam. 14 29 30. but differently according to the divers occasions of fasting and the kindes thereon depending whereof before hath been spoken May those that are under the government of their Parents or Masters fast without leave of them No but in the publike all may fast Are all persons meet for this exercise of fasting By the unfitnesse of his owne Disciples for it our Saviour Christ teacheth that they that are meet for this exercise must not be Novices in the profession of the truth no more then hee that is accustomed with the drinking of old wine can suddenly fall in liking of new wine Luke 5. 33. Is it so hard a matter to abstaine from a Meales meat and such bodily comforts for a small time which the youag sucking babes and the beasts of Nineveh did and divers beasts are better able to performe then any man No verily but hereby appeareth that there is an inward strength of the mind required not onely in knowing of our behaviour in this service of God but also of power and ability to goe under the weight of the things we humble our selves for which strength if it be wanting the fast will be to those that are exercised in it as a peece of new cloath sewed into an old garment which because it is not able to beare the stresse and strength of hath a greater rent made into it then if there were no peece at all What gather you hereof That it is no marvell that where there is any abstinence and corporall exercise in Popery yet that the same makes them nothing better but rather worse having not so much as the knowledge of this service of God much lesse any spirituall strength and ability to performe it with What then are the parts of a true Christian Fast They are partly outward partly inward 1. Bodily exercises serving to the inward substances 1 Tim. 4. 8. 2. An inward substance sanctifying the bodily exercise and making it profitable to the users What is the bodily exercise in fasting It is the forbearing of things otherwise lawfull and convenient in whole or in part for the time of humiliation so as nature be chastised but not disabled for service and the delights of the sense laid aside but yet without annoyance and uncomelinesse What are those outward things that are to be forborne during the time of fasting First food Esther 4. 16. Ionah 3. 7. from whence the whole action hath the name of Fasting and the word doth signifie an utter abstinence from all meats and drinkes and not a sober use of them which ought to be all the time of our lives Wherefore this outward exercise is thus described Luke 5. 33. The Disciples of John and the Pharisees fast but thine eat and drinke What is here to be considered A charge upon Popery For the greater sort of people amongst them in the day of their Fast fill their bellies with bread and drinke and the richer sort with all kinde of delicates flesh and that which commeth of flesh onely excepted So that the fasting of the one and the other is but a fulnesse and the latter may be more truely said to feast then a fast It seemeth you make it unlawfull for those that fast to eat any thing during their fasting Not so if for help of weaknesse the taking of meat be moderately and sparingly used as before hath been observed What other things are outward The ceasing from labour in our vocations on the day of the Fast Num. 29. 7. to the end wee may the better attend to the holy exercises used in fasting in which respect such times are called Sabbaths Levit. 23. 32. The laying aside of costly apparell or whatsoever ornaments of the body and wearing of homely and courser garments Exodus 33. 4 5. Jonah 3. 5 6. The forbearing of Sleep Musicke Mirth Perfumes c. Dan. 6. 18. 10. 2 3. And this abstinence is required of all that celebrate the Fast But of married persons there is further required a forbearance of the use of the marriage bed and of the company each of other 1 Cor. 7. 5. Joel 2. 16. What is the meaning of the abstinence from these outward things By abstinence from meat and drinke by wearing of courser apparell by ceasing from labour in our Callings and by separation in married persons for the time wee thereby professe our selves unworthy of all the benefits of this present life and that we are worthy to bee as farre underneath the earth as wee are above it yea that we are worthy to be cast into the bottome of hell which the holy Fathers in times past did signifie by putting ashes upon their heads the truth whereof remaineth still although the ceremony be not used What is the spirituall substance of duty whereto the bodily exercise serveth It is an extraordinary endevour of humbling our souls before the Lord and of seeking his face and favour Ezra 8. 21. wherein that inward power and strength whereof we speak is seen Wherein doth it consist 1. In the abasing of our selves Joel 2. 13. by examination confession and hearty bewailing of our own and the common sins Ezra 9. 3 4. Neh. 9. 1 2 c. Dan. 9. 3 4 5 c. 2. In drawing near unto the Lord by faith Luk. 15. 18 21. and earnest invocation of his name Iona. 3. 8. Esa. 58. 4. The former is grounded upon the meditation of the Law and threats of God the later upon the Gospel and promises of God touching the removing of our sins and Gods judgments upon us for them How agreeth this with the Popish Fast It faileth in both parts for in stead of humbling themselves and afflicting their soules they pride themselves and lift up their mindes in thinking they deserve something at Gods hands for their fasting which is great abomination Neither have they upon the dayes of their Fast any extraordinary exercise of prayer more then upon other dayes of all which it may appeare how small cause they have to boast of their fasting which in all the warp thereof hath not a thread which is not full of leprosie What is required in our humiliation Anguish and grief of our hearts conceived for our sins and the punishment of God upon us for which we ought to be humbled in fasting For the effecting whereof we are to set before our eyes 1. The glasse of Gods holy Law with the bitter curses threatned to the breakers thereof 2. The examples of vengeance on the wicked 3. The judgments now felt or feared of us 4. The spirituall contemplation of our blessed Saviour bleeding on the Crosse with the wounds which our sinnes have forced upon him Zach. 12. 10 c. What is required in our drawing neare unto the Lord by Faith Not onely