THE SUMME of Sacred Diuinitie Briefly Methodically Propounded More Largly cleerely handled and explaned PUBLISHED by John Downhame Batchelor in Diuinitie LONDON Printed by William Stansby TO THE CHRISTIAN READER AS in materiall buildings the skil of those Workemen is commendable who can cunningly frame the singular parts and so beautifie set them forth as that they may bee pleasant to the eye and conuenient for vse as they that can make faire Walls and Windowes a gracefull Frontispice and comely Roofe but they are most praise-worthy who can well contriue the whole plot lay a good and sure Foundation and in due proportion can frame out and set vp the principalls and chiefe parts which sustayne and beare all the rest so in the spirituall Edifice they are worthily to be commended who skilfully handle particular points of Diuinitie in their Learned and Religious Tractates whereby the iudgement of the Reader is thorowly informed in those diuine Mysteries and the heart and will inclined to draw them into holy vse but yet none deserue better of the Church of God nor ought rather to haue their names registred with red Letters in the Kalender of the worthiest Saints then they who in their Writings or Sermons doe skilfully contriue the whole building or body of Diuinitie in a wel-framed plot lay a sound and sure foundation and thereupon erect the chiefe Principles and most substantial parts which are the strength and stay of all the rest For if the iudgement bee once thorowly informed in these mayne points then is it able to deduce from them innumerable particular Conclusions for speciall information and direction in the well-ordering of our liues in all singular actions then may wee with profit and without perill of falling into pernicious errours reade the holy Scriptures when we are able to interpret them according to these infallible Canons and Rules then may we heare the Word preached with vnderstanding and trie the spirits of those who preach vnto vs whether they bee of God or no when wee haue skill to examine their Doctrines according to this Analogie of Faith and can trie them by this neuer-deceiuing Touchstone whether they bee pure metall or but reprobate siluer and counterfait coyne Then shall we be more strongly armed against all assaults of enemies and aduersaries to the Truth false Seducers and subtill Heretikes and be better able to defend that Veritie which we professe and conuince them of their errours and lyes then wanting this helpe if we should spend our whole time in reading of Controuersies and euen dimme our eyes and tyre our braynes in the perusing and studying of Polemicall discourses For these many grounds of Truth doe yeeld from them such a cleere light that they do not only appeare in their owne brightnesse but also discouer the blacknesse of errour and from one Principle well vnderstood wee inferre the falshood of innumerable contrarie Conclusions whereof it is that we shall very rarely obserue any well-grounded in the fundamentall points of Religion to fall into the snares of subtill Seducers whereas contrariwise wee may commonly see that those who are ignorant of them though neuer so sharpe-sighted in curious speculations doe become an easie prey and are quickly catched in the nets of their Sophistrie In which respects it were much to bee wished that both Ministers would bee more frequent and diligent in laying these grounds in their Teaching and Writing and also that the people would receyue this more solid and substantiall foode with a better appetite The which of both is too much neglected because how soeuer these grounds are most necessarie yet they doe not make so glorious a shew as other points lesse substantiall because like a sure foundation they are plaine and vnpolished whereas the other being beautifully garnished with wit and eloquence doe delight the sense and more pleasingly worke vpon the heart and affections And yet we must acknowledge to Gods glorie who hath giuen these gifts to men and grace to vse them that there haue not beene wanting in these latter times many famous Worthies who haue happily laboured in this kind and with great soundnesse and perspicuitie haue deliuered and cleered these mayne points by their speaking and writing Among which Christian Reader I commend vnto thee the Author of this Booke as deseruing iustly to be ranked among the best both for Method and Matter sound handling of the chiefe points of Christian Religion and for cleering by the way diuers hard places of holy Scripture All which hee performeth in this worke with such learning iudgement and pietie that had he herein respected the prayses of men hee might well haue graced his Name with his Worke euen as his Worke would haue beene graced by his Name and not as one ashamed of so beautifull an off-spring haue suffered it to come abroad into the World as an Orphan the Father still liuing onely vnder the name of an vnworthy God-father The which I write not to commend the Author who as he is farre aboue my prayses in the high pitch of his owne worth so doth he not desire but rather shunneth them and as to the willing an iniurie is no iniurie so an officious dutie is no benefit but a kind of wrong where the partie nilling it is forced and obtruded Nor yet doe I prayse the worke for the Workers sake which though it commeth abroad without the Fathers name yet will I doubt not in short time bee famous in it owne name and excellencie but that I may with the weake thread of my censure draw thee to peruse it and so will it sufficiently commend it selfe and giue there iust cause of praysing God for stirring vp such Instruments of his Glorie and thy good The Lord make this and all other the godly labours of his faithfull Seruants effectuall for magnifying of his great Name and the further Eph. 4. 12 13. building vp of the body of his Sonne till we all come in the Vnitie of the Faith and the knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect Man and vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ that wee henceforth bee no more children tossed to and fro and carryed about with euery wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceiue but speaking the truth in loue may grow vp into him in all things which is the Head euen Christ. AMEN Thine in the Lord Iesus IOHN DOWNAME An Aduertisement to the READER THis Booke tending to explane another intituled The sacred Doctrine of Diuinitie wherein the whole body of Religion is set forth according to rules of Arte it was thought necessarie to place the Arte in the Margent on the one hand and some principall Heresies and Errors contrarie to the Doctrines here handled as they arise on the other Also for thy better helpe we haue herewithall printed the Arte by it selfe before the beginning of the Booke If it differ in any
Å¿ Gen. 31. 11 13 The Angell of God which appeared to Iacob in a Dreame and bade him to returne into the Countrey of his Natiuitie telleth him I am the mightie God of Bethel where thou anoyntedst a Pillar and there thou vowedst a vow vnto me But Vowes are onely to bee made to Iehouah And Moses in that Story had so called him t Gen. 28. 13. before yea Iacob in the Vow it selfe had said that u Gen. 28. 20 21. IEHOVAH should bee his GOD and in his * Gen. 32. 8. Prayer when he was afraid of his Brother ESAV O God of my Father ABRAHAM and God of my Father ISACK O IEHOVAH which saidst vnto me Returne * Gen. 38. 1. vnto thy Country c. And to him he is afterwards commanded to build an Altar This Angell therefore was Christ the true Iehouah Exodus 3. There appeared vnto Moses in the Mount of God an Angell of IEHOVAH in a fiery flame out of the midst of a Bush and when Moses turned aside to see that great Vision Iehouah seeing him cryed vnto him out of the midst of the Bush and said I am God of thy Father The God of ABRAHAM the God of ISACK and the God of IACOB Anon hee calleth himselfe by the name of Ehieh or I am and IEHOVAH So that Christ is that true Ehieh and IEHOVAH the God of ABRAHAM ISACK and IACOB the proper name of the euer-liuing God as appeareth by many places in the New Testament The comparing of the Olde Testament with the New will make this a great deale playner He that led the people to and fro in the Wildernesse was Christ For so the Prophet y Esay 63. 9. saith The Angell of his face saued them and setting them vpon himselfe carryed them continually And z 1. Cor. 10. 4. PAVL that Christ the spirituall Rocke of his Church figured by the Cloud by Manna and the Rocke that flowed out water to the People went together with them conducting and leading them the way But Moses expresly calleth him IEHOVAH a Exod. 13. 21. IEHOVAH went before them by day in a Piller of Cloud and by night in a Piller of fire And this is that which the Lord himselfe telleth them Exodus 23. 20 21. Behold I send mine Angell before thee to keepe thee in thy way and to lead thee into the place which I haue prepared Take heed to thy selfe of his presence and harken to his voyce Prouoke him not for he will not beare your rebellion for my name is in the middest of him As if hee had said he is Iehouah and not a created Spirit Likewise hee whom they tempted in the Wildernesse was God and Iehouah for so Numb 21. 5. 7. it is recorded That the people speake against God and against MOSES and afterwards pressed with the hand of GODS heauy Iudgement that he sent vpon them by flying Serpents they came to Moses and said We haue sinned in that we haue spoken against IEHOVAH and thee To which Story Paul b 2. Cor. 20. 9. alluding saith Let vs not tempt Christ as some of them tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents In Zachary c Zach. 3. 2. as in Genesis before there is a plaine difference made of two whereof each is IEHOVAH IEHOVAH said IEHOVAH rebuke thee Satan And this Iude d Iude verse 9. expresly noteth to be the voyce of Michael the great Arch-angell which is Christ our Lord the Angell of the Couenant and the Mediatour and Intercessor of his Church So that which Esay e Esay 6. 1. saith I saw IEHOVAH setting vpon a Throne c. IOHN f Iohn 12. 41. referreth vnto Christ These things said ESAY when he saw his glory and spake of him That in the 102. g Psal 102. 26. Psalme Thou JEHOVAH in the beginning madest the Heauens c. the Apostle h Heb. 1. â—0 to the Hebrewes applyeth vnto Christ as pregnant testimony to prooue the excellency of his Person aboue all Creatures yea aboue the Angels themselues Finally the Apostle i Rom. 14. 10. 11 Paul cleereth this Doctrine when to prooue that all of vs shall be presented before the Tribunall Seat of Christ he doubteth not to alleage the place of the Prophet k Esay 45. 23. ESAY As I liue saith the Lord to me shall euery knee bow which are the words of the great Iehouah euen there where he doth protest there is no other God but he Whereby it is most manifest that Christ is Iehouah the true and onely God Secondly The properties incommunicable to any Creature Singlenesse Infinitenesse Eternity are to be found in him wee haue shewed before that to bee called Life Light c. is proper vnto God for that it signifieth as much as to be perfectly so and the cause of it to all other Now these Epithites are giuen vnto Christ As in l Iohn 14. 6. IOHN I am the way the truth in which one his absolute and perfect goodnesse euery way is vnderstood and the life I am m Iohn 11. 25. the resurrection and life Againe this n 1. Iohn 5. 20. Iesus Christ is the true God and life eternall Why life Because he hath it of himselfe and giueth it to others And thereof it is that o Acts 3. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peter calleth him the Prince of life Hence it is that the Euangelist Iohn p Iohn 1. 9. calling him the true Light addeth the reason by and by which lighteneth euery man that commeth â—nto the World Hence also it is that in the Prophet Esay he is termed q Esay 9. 6. the Father of Eternity And in the r Pro. 1. 20. Prouerbs not onely Wisdome but Wisedomes in the plurall Wâ—sâ— armes saith Salomon that is the Wisedome of all Wisedome Wisedome it selfe and the Author of it Iesus Christ the very Wisedome of the most wise God cryeth abroad c. And that this is to be vnderstood not of a flitting and vanishing speech but of Christ the eternall Wisedome of his Father the whole course of the eighth Chapter sheweth so manifestly that it were in vaine to stand vpon it Moreouer he is Infinite and in many places at once Å¿ Ephes 3. 17. Hee dwelleth in the hearts of all the faithfull Being vpon Earth he was in Heauen as he saith t Iohn 3. 13. The Sonne of man which is in Heauen contrariwise continuing now in Heauen yet he is vpon the Earth Matth. 28. 20. I am with you to the end of the World And as hee is without circumscription of place so also hee is Omnipotent in Power Infinite in Knowledge and Goodnesse it selfe for his Power hee is expresly called u Reuel 1. 8. the Almighty one and of the Infinitenesse of his Knowledge what more honourable testimony can we haue then that of x John 21. 17. PETER Lord thou knowest all things yea things future and to
Fourthly Hee sendeth forth the Holy Ghost out of his owne substance and therefore is indeede and truth God if as shall bee prooued anon the Holy Ghost himselfe be God Fiftly The workes which only belong to God Christ doth the same and that in the same manner as hee saith in o John 5. 19. IOHH Whatsoeuer the Father doth the same the Sonne doth likewise And p Iohn 5. 18. againe My Father worketh hitherto and I worke Whereupon truely and rightly the Iewes concluded that hee made himselfe equall with God It were long to goe thorow all but to select the chiefe and principall among all the workes of God none is more neere and inward to the Sacred Maiesty then the Eternall Election which is within himselfe and knowne onely to himselfe and whereof he alone doth keepe the Booke This is attributed vnto Christ Iohn 15. You haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you that you might bring forth fruit and that your fruit may remaine which properly ment of the dignity and office of Apostle-ship whereunto Christ had chosen them giueth them withall this comfort that as they had this honour to be the Arch-Masons and Master-Builders of the Church which is the House of the liuing God so themselues were liuely stones of that spirituall Building and to haue part in the fruite which by their Ministery they should reach forth for the euerlasting good of many in q 2. Tim. 4. 6. sauing of themselues as well as others without which their ioy had not beene full And aptly doth this follow as the Root and Fountaine of that most Honourable Title to bee his friends which hee had vouchsafed to giue vnto them immediately before But more manifest is that Iohn 13. 18. I speake not of you all I know whom I haue chosen But it behooueth that the Scripture should bee fulfilled He that eateth bread with mee hath lift vp his heele against mee The circumstance of exempting one of the Apostles out of the number of the blessed making his Election the cause of this their difference referring the same to his owne secret knowledge and finally opposing to the Chosen him that should betray him the r Iohn 17. 12. sonne of destruction as afterwards he calleth him who yet in familiaritie of conuersation was a choice and speciall friend eating bread continually at his Table shew plainly that hee speaketh of Election vnto life As other Å¿ Mat. 24. 31. where hee doth when speaking of his second Comming vnto Iudgement hee saith The Sonne of man shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet Who shall gather together his Elect from the foure winds c. And no maruell though hee call them his Elect for since hee hath power and authority to t Reuel 3. 5. blot mens names out of the Booke of Life it cannot bee chosen but hee must haue interest to write them in for of contraries there is one and the same respect in nature Therefore to shut vp this point and to leaue it without question the Booke of Life in the u Reuel 13. 8. Reuelation is expresly called The Lambes Booke of Life Come to that which is more glorious in the World And first vnto the Creation the proper marke of the true God As the x Psal 124. 8. Psalmist teacheth Our helpe is in the Name of IEHOVAH that hath made both Heauen and Earth And y Ier. 10. 11. IEREMY The gods that made not Heauen and Earth let them perish from the Earth and from vnder the Heauen He it is that wrought with the Father in the creating of all things Iohn 1. 13. All things were made by him and without him was nothing that was made not a iot of any thing So saith Paul to the z Col. 1. 16. Colossians By him were created all things both in Heauen and vpon the Earth things visible and inuisible whether Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Therefore he is called The a Reuel 3. 14. beginning of the Creation of God or the first and prime cause from whence the Creatures take their beginning being all made and formed by him And notable is that of the 102. Psalme which the Apostle to the Hebrewes b Heb. 1. 10. applyeth vnto Christ Thou Lord in the beginning laydst the foundation of the Earth and the Heauens are the worke of thy hands And By him saith the same c Heb. 1. 2. Apostle God made the Ages that is Time and the course and succession of all things with this glory of Creation is coupled another not inferior of the cherishing and preseruing of the things created So Prou. 8. 30. he saith that he is with God his Father nourishing and gladding them continually Hither belong those Diuine Workes and Miracles manifestly pointing out his God-head He rebuked the Winds and they obeyed him raysed vp the dead opened the eyes of them that were blind cast out Deuils had power to send them into Hell to their fearefull place of torment for d Luke 8. 31. they besought him not to doe it And all this he did not as the Prophets and Apostles but by his owne Soueraigne Power As the Euangelist e Luke 5. 36. noteth that hereupon feare came on all the people maruelling what this might be For euen say they with Authority and Power he commandeth the vncleane spirits and they come out And how must not this Power needes be his owne when hee taketh vpon him to giue it to others The f Matth. 10. 8. Euangelist recording that hee gaue power vnto the twelue Apostles to clense Lepers to rayse the dead to cast out Deuils c. which authority they like faithfull Seruants did so pursue as it might easily appeare they deriued their whole vertue from him alone Hence is that of g Acts 3. 6. PETER In the Name of Christ arise and walke and h Acts 9. 34. AENEAS Iesus Christ doth heale thee I stand not heere to presse those glorious workes whereby his God-head shineth most cleerely in the Church in subduing the proud enemies thereof and generally all the Reprobates hardening their hearts and deliuering them vp vnto their owne damnation For so the i Iohn 12. 39 40. 41. Euangelist when hee had shewed that the Iewes could not beleeue because ESAY had said He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts lest they should see with their eyes and vnderstand with their heart and I should heale them immediately addeth These things said ISAIAH when hee saw his glory and spake of him Contrariwise he bestoweth vpon his Children all good graces Therefore the Apostle continually prayeth for Grace and Peace from him He sendeth the Holy Spirit vnto them The k Iohn 15. 16. Comforter whom I will send And Iohn 20. 22. He breathed vpon them and said Receiue the Holy Ghost He giueth Faith as appeareth by that Prayer
of the Apostles l Luke 17. 5. Lord increase our Faith Pardoneth and remitteth sinnes and that by his owne Authority He m Luk. 7. 48 49 said vnto her Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And they that sate downe with him began to say in themselues Who is this that doth also forgiue sinnes As n Luke 5. 21. elsewhere vpon the like occasion they said He did blaspheme grounding themselues vpon a certayne truth That none can forgiue sinnes but God onely He washeth and sanctifieth the Church as a glorious Spouse vnto himselfe which because it is the proper worke of God is therefore expresly o Rom. 1. 14. attributed to his Spirit or Diuine Power And by this Argument he confirmeth his God-head Ioh. 5. 21. As the Father rayseth the dead in sinne and quickeneth so also the Sonne quickeneth whom hee will This is he which is to iudge the World Iohn 5. 22. The Father iudgeth no man but hath committed all iudgement to the Sonne Hee rayseth vp by his mighty voyce the bodies of the dead Iohn 5. 22. p Iohn 5. 28. For the time shall come when all that are in the graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man and shall come forth So in q Iohn 6. 34 40 another place And I will rayse him vp in the latter Day Rom. 1. 4. he is said to haue raysed vp himselfe And in IOHN r Iohn 10. 18. I haue power to lay downe my soule and to take it vp againe Yea he is called the Å¿ Iohn 11. 25. Resurrection to note that hee doth this of himselfe and by his owne authority who were hee not God could not rayse vp himselfe much lesse rayse vp and quicken others To conclude as a Crowne of all the rest this is he which t Iohn 1. 12. to as many as receiue him giueth this dignity to bee the Sonnes of God u Reuel 1. 6. hath made vs Kings and Priests to God his Father and giueth euerlasting life which x Rom. 6. 23. is the gift of God alone To y Reuel 3. 21. him that ouercommeth I will giue to sit with mee in my Throne So Iohn 10. 27 28. My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue euerlasting life vnto them Sixtly maruellous are those markes whereby as by certaine steps and footings we may trace out the Maiesticall glory of his God-head Iohn 1. 14. We beheld his glory as the glory of the onely Begotten comming from the Father PAVL also calleth him The Lord of glory 1. Cor. 2. 8. For had they knowne they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory By which very phrase if there were no more wee may easily discerne him to be selfe-same mighty God full of Maiesty and of Power whom z Psal 24 9 10 Dauid termeth the King of glory and forthwith addeth Who is the King of glory IEHOVAH of Hosts he is the King of glory In the Acts a Acts 7. 56. when hee shewed himselfe to STEPHEN the Heauens are said to haue beene opened as it were the Creature to giue place vnto the Creator He is the b Col. 1. 15. Image of the inuisible God The c Heb. 1. 3. engrauen forme of his Fathers Person and resplendence of his glory hath one d Reuel 22. 1. and the selfe-some Throne with his Father whereby equall Power and Dignity is meant In e Iohn 1. 18. IOHN He is said to be in the bosome of the Father Hither belongeth that Honourable Title which the Father giueth vnto Christ when hee calleth him f Zach. 13. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man my fellow as it were another himselfe the representer of his Person as the Hebrew word doth signifie The Elect and holy Angels are called the Angels of God and neuer the Angels of any Creature as by way of noting out any authority ouer them But Christ is not onely the g Iude verse 9. Arch-angell chiefe h Dan. 10. 13. of the heauenly Princes and i Iâ—sh 8. 2. Prince of the Host of IEHOVAH but further they are said by name to be k Reuel 12. 7 8. Mat. 13. 4. his Angels and l Heb. 1. 6. willed to doe him homage Let all the Angels of God worship him In the Prophets you may euery where see how they minister to Christ are sent by him and runne at his Commandement Ezech. 10. 6. The man clothed in linnen with a Writers Inke-horne by his side which was Christ the Priest and Mediatour of his Church sealing them to eternall Life by the Bloud of the New Testament being commanded of his Father to fill his fists with coles of fire from betweene the Cherubins and to scatter it vpon the City Assoone as he came and stood by the wheeles one of the Cherubs an Angell tooke of the fire and put it into his fists prest and ready to serue him as he was to obey his Father In m Zach. 1 9 11 Zachary the Angell that spake to the Prophet being the same n Verse 9. Angell that stood betweene the two Myrrh-trees called also the man that stood betweene the Myrrh-trees that it might bee knowne to be meant of Christ taketh of the other Angels a reckoning and account of their doings The same Angell in the o Zach. 2. 3 4. next Chapter biddeth another Angell that came forth to meete him as it were to know his pleasure what he would command him to runne and informe the Prophet of those promises which there hee maketh to his Church So p Dan. 8. 16. Daniel hauing seene a great Vision which he vnderstood not heard the voyce of a man which was Christ calling and saying GABRIEL make this man vnderstand the Vision But in the times of the Gospell when the Propheticall Visions were more cleere then vnder shaddowes of the Law his also is more manifest For in the very beginning of the Booke of the q Reuel 1. 1. Reuelation the things which Christ receiued from his Father he is said to haue sent and shewed them by his Angel to his Seruant IOHN And in the r Reuel 2â— 16. coÌ„clusion of the Booke againe I IESVS haue sent my Angell to testifie these things vnto you The conference of which place with Å¿ Reuel 22. 6. that which went immediately before The Lord God of the holy Prophets hath sent his Angel to shew his Seruants the things which must come to passe shortly noteth him out plainly to bee that IEHOVAH The true God which spake by the holy Prophets Wee are t Mat 28. 19. Acts 2. 38. baptized into his Name A forme of speech signifying that we dedicate and consecrate our selues to him as to our GOD and Lord. Whereupon u 1. Cor. 1. 14. Paul worthily detesteth it to haue beene thought as if hee baptized any into his owne Name God x Mat. 4. 10. onely is to bee
Gouernments Chiefe k Dan. 10. 13. Princes c. 1. Pet. 3. 22. Ephes 1. 21. Col. â— 16. Fourthly For their Power the name it selfe of Power l Rom. 1. 38. is giuen to them And the m Psal 103. 20. Prophet by name doth set it forth Yea Angels mighty in power And to the Thessalonians n 2. Thess 1. 17. When the Lord Iesus shall bee reuealed from Heauen with his most mighty Angels The Angels saith PETER in power o 2. Pet. 2. 11. and might greater then these As if hee would say other manner of persons whereby hee doth insinuate their exceeding and incomparable power Fifthly For their Glory what it is that one place may serue in stead of many where it is coupled with the glory of the Father and the Sonne When the p Luke 9. 26. Sonne of man shall come in the glory of himselfe and of his Father and of the holy Angels In the q Luke 2. 9. second of Luke when the Angell of the Lord stood before the Shepheards it is forth-with added that the glory of the Lord shone round about them Hither it maketh that the Glory and Maiesty which the Lord made to appeare in the face of Stephen for the daunting of his Aduersaries is r Acts 6. 15. resembled to the countenance of an Angell In the Vision which Å¿ Esay 6. 1. Esay saw they are brought in with two of their wings couering their feet Thereby to meete with the infirmitie of men who are not able to abide the brightnesse of their glory DANIEL t Dan. 10. 5 6. excellently describeth this in that great Vision which hee saw by the Waters of Chiddekel Lifting vp mine eyes I saw and behold a man clothed with Linnen whose loynes were girt with excellent Gold of Vphaz his Bodie was like vnto Sea-coloured blue as if hee would say of an heauenly colour his face to looke to like the Lightening and his eyes like to Lampes of fire and his armes and feete like vnto the colour of polished Brasse glittering and twinkling like sparkles of fire the noyse also of his words were like vnto the noyse of a whole multitude At whose appearance the men that were with Daniel trembled exceedingly and flying hid themselues hee also himselfe had no strength left within him but euen his beautie and comelinesse were turned into corruption And hither belongeth their wonderfull and admirable wisedome growne into a Prouerbe As u 2. Sam. 18. 14 the wisedome of an Angell The holinesse wherein men were created is recorded Genes 1. 26 27. Let vs make man according to our owne Image after our owne likenesse And wherein this Image and likenesse of God doth stand the Apostle doth informe vs Ephes 4. 24. Put on the new man which according to God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Coloss 3. 10. Putting on the new man which is renewed in knowledge according to the Image of him that hath created him And in this respect Adam also in his innocencie is called The sonne of God Luke 3. 38. Touching the happinesse of Adam and Eue in their integritie First They were beloued of God his sonnes and children Secondly They enioyed his presence but vpon Earth which was their habitation and therefore lesse gloriously then the Angels did but that they also had it is apparant by Gods familiar conference with Adam Gen. 2. 29. Thirdly They had Dominion and Power ouer all the Creatures of the Earth and were set as the Monarches of the World Gen. 1. Let x Gen. 1. 26. vs make man after our image c. and let them rule ouer the fishes of the Sea and ouer the Fowles of the Ayre and ouer Beasts and ouer the whole Earth and all creeping things that creepe vpon the y Gen. 20. 19 20 Earth Which soueraignty of man is declared Gen. 2. First by Gods bringing to Adam all the Beasts of the field and all the Fowles of the Ayre putting him in seisin and possession of them and making them to present themselues before him as subiects are wont to doe at their Princes Coronation Then by the names hee gaue vnto euery one that so hee might know how to call for them whensoeuer hee should need them to attend vpon him and to doe him seruice Fourthly They were indued with strength of nature not subiect to sicknesse or other infirmities Insomuch as their very labour was without all wearinesse paine or griefe which sinne hath brought vpon vs as appeareth by the Curse z Gen. 3. 17 19. Gen. 3. Because thou hast obeyed the voice of thy Wife and eaten of the fruit of the Tree which I forbade thee Cursed be the Earth for thy sake In sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eat thy meate Fifthly They were all glorious both in their bodie which being naked had an excellent dignitie and comelinesse in it without the least vnseemelinesse that might make them ashamed and in their minde furnished with all Graces and namely of wisedome and knowledge vnderstanding the nature of all the Creatures and able according to their nature to giue apt names vnto them Last of all for a further increase of their happinesse they were seated in Paradise a place of al kind of pleasure where for the exercising of man to labour in some honest and lawfull calling GOD gaue him charge to dresse and keepe the Garden CHAP. IIII. Of Prouidence AFTER the euerlasting Epicures which deny all Prouidence of God Those Philosophers that held nature That is some Power or Vertue Spirit or Minde as they terme it mingled and infused into the parts of the World that holdeth vp and stirreth all things to bee God Whereas in truth nature is nothing else but that course order which God at the first Creation set in things and which hee altereth and changeth at his pleasure Deuter. 8. 3. Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of Iehouah Decrees of GOD and Prouidence is his gouerning of the things created the Creation of the World his Kingdome thirdly standeth in gouerning the things created Both the course which at the first Creation hee set in nature and the actions and euents of things Herein consider wee first the generalitie of this gouernment that it reacheth to all in generall and to euery thing in particular past present or to come To set forth this more distinctly that so we may make the better vse of the generalitie of his Prouidence it stretcheth First To all Persons and liuing Creatures euen the vilest and most contemptible The a Psal 145. 15 16. eyes of all things looke vp to thee and thou giuest to them their meate thou openest thy hand and fillest euery liuing thing with thy good pleasure The b Psal 104. 21. young Lyons roare for their prey seeking their meate from
the mightie God Hee c Psal 147. 9. giueth to the beasts their meate to the young Rauens when they cry who d Iob 39. 3. prepareth for the Rauen his Prouender when the young ones make a noyse vnto the mightie God wandering for want of meate Are not e Luke 12. 6. fiue little Sparrowes sold for a farthing yet one of them is not forgotten before God Secondly To all actions whereof hee is the supreme and first moouing cause He f Ephes 1. 11. worketh all things after the counsell of his will For g Rom. 11. 36. of him and to him and for him are all things In h Acts 17. 28. him we liue and mooue Thirdly To the particular disposition of euery accident and small circumstance time place c. So the wiseman i Pro. 16. 36. affirmeth of the whole manner of the Lottery that it is from Iehouah And this was the sense of that old Prouerbe k Gen. 22. 14. In the Mount of IEHOVAH it shall bee prouided meaning GOD in time and place will prouide as once in the Mount he did whereunto tend these and the like speeches The l Psal 145. 15. eyes of all things looke vp vnto thee thou giuest them meate in due season I m Ezech. 34. 26 will send raine in his time Euery n Iob 14. 5. mans dayes are precisely determined and the number of his Moneths With thee thou hast set his appointed time which he shall not passe My o Psal 31. 16. times are in thine hands I p Esay 60. 22. IEHOVAH will hasten it in his time When q Gal. 1. 15. it pleased God who had separated me from my Mothers wombe to reueale his Sonne vnto me When r Gal. 4. 4. the fulnes of time came God sent forth his Sonne Å¿ Ephes 1. 10. that in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times hee might gather together in one all things both which are in Heauen and which are in Earth anew in Christ None t Iohn 8. 20. layd his hands vpon him for his houre was not yet come It u Acts 1. 7. is not for you to know the times and seasons which God hath put in his owne power Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints Wicked men because x Psal 50. 21. God holds his peace deferring his vengeance thinke him to be like vnto themselues and because y Eccles 8. 11. there commeth no recompence of their euill quickly therefore the heart of men is full within them and they imb olden themselues to commit wickednesse But saith Salomon iudgeing aright as the Spirit of God directed him Though to a sinner that doth euill a hundreth fold God should euen prolong his dayes yet I know it shall bee well to them that feare God but it shall not bee well vnto the wicked Hitherto belongeth that The z Gen. 15. 16. wickednesse of the Amorites is not yet accomplished and God a 2. King 14. 27 had not decreed as yet to blot out the name of Israel from vnder Heauen therefore he saued them c. Also that of b Abac. 2. 2. Abacuck The Vision is yet put off to the appointed time which in his terme it will vtter and not lye If it linger waite for it for it will certainly come it will not stay These actions also for the more varietie of the Doctrine may be considered foure manner of wayes First In the greatest and smallest actions aswell as in those of a middle kinde Greatest It is he that c Dan. 4. 29. translateth Kingdomes d Psal 10â— 40. Iob 1â— 20. powreth contempt vpon Princes is c Psal 76. 13. terrible to the Rulers of the earth f Esay 19. 4. I saith God will deliuer Egypt into the hands of a strong Lord. Nebuchadnezzar was seuen yeeres taking foorth this Lesson As g Dan. 4. 29. hee walked in his Palace and in the pride of his heart said Is not this that great Babylon which I haue built to be for the Royaltie and ornament of my beautie by the power of mine owne strength Whilest the word was yet in his mouth a voice came from Heauen saying To thee it is told O King Nebuchadnezzar that thy Kingdome is gone from thee and thou shalt be driuen from men to haue thy dwelling with the Beasts of the field there shall be giuen thee grasse to eate as vnto Oxen and seuen times shall be made to passe ouer thee till thou acknowledge the most High to beare rule ouer the Kingdomes of men and that to whom he will he giueth the same He h Psal 135. 7. sendeth Lightnings Tempests and Thunders i Psal 113. 7. rayseth the poore out of the Dust the needie out of the Dunghill killeth k 1. Sam. 1. 6. and giueth life In this account come also to bee reckoned the changes and alterations which fall out in the World whereof the Prophet saith The right l Psal 78. 11. hand of the most High bringeth great changes A m Psal 107. 14 fruitfull Land he turneth into saltnesse for the sinne of the Inhabitants thereof He n Esay 10. 46. sendeth leanenesse vpon the fat ones maketh o Psal 113. 9. the barren a glad Mother of Children turneth p Psal 114. 8. the Rocke it selfe into a Poole the Flint into a Fountaine of Water But there being a GOD that rules the World it cannot with any reason bee thought that great things should bee neglected of him Let vs therefore see how this Doctrine may be made good not onely in those Actions that are of a middle sort but euen in the smallest and of least respect which Worldlings thinke that God regards not nor looke not after It was a prophane speech of me q 1. Kings 20. 23 Aramites that God is the God of the Mountaines and not of the Valleyes Yes our God is the God even of the Valleyes also hee looketh vnto great things and neglecteth not the meanest Can there be any thing of lesse account then a Sparrow to light vpon the ground or a haire to fall from our head yet r Mat. 10. 29. none of these is done without him The Å¿ Pro. 16. 1. Wiseman also most diuinely teacheth that the answere of the tongue is from IEHOVAH that is managed and ordered by him that one cannot so much as wagge his tongue without his direction howsoeuer his heart bee full of thoughts Dauid t Psal 31. 16. also acknowledgeth My times are in thy hand He saith not My whole time or course of life but times in the Plurall to shew that euery point and period of ones life euery turne and returne dependeth vpon God Secondly Gods Prouidence is to be seene in the most casuall things which foolish men ascribe to Chance and Fortune The u Pro. 16. 33. Lets saith SALOMON are cast into the lap but the euent is from IEHOVAH
Of the will the Apostle saith It is d Phil. 2. 13. God that worketh to will in you our e Heb. 13. 18. will is in all things to conuerse honestly the flesh f Gal. 4. 27. hindereth from doing the things ye would The contrary whereof is the will of g Ephes 2. 3. the flesh and of our owne thoughts called h 1. Pet. 4. 3. else-where The will of the Gentiles The last thing to be considered in the qualities of the soule are the affections of it to bee good and holy Thou i Deut. 6. 5. shalt loue IEHOVAH thy God with all thy soule The contrary whereof are those dishonourable and foule affections which the Apostle mentioneth Rom. 1. 26. Therefore God gaue them ouer to dishonourable affections Againe k Rom. 7. 5. When we were in the flesh the sinfull affections wrought in our members c. They l Gal. 5. 24. that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections thereof The particular affections which the Scripture aboue the rest doth recommend vnto vs as Bellowes to blow vp and increase spirituall Graces and to carry vs forward to a high degree of Holinesse are these that follow First Loue and liking of that which is good hatred and detestation of that which is euill as the Psalmist ioyneth them together Thou louest m Psal 45. 8. righteousnesse and hatest iniquitie Loue is the habit as it were and perfection of the whole Law both of the first and second Table Thou n Mat. 22. 37 38 39 40. shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde This is the first and great Commandement and the second is like it Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe On these two Commandements hang the whole Law and the Prophets And of the second Table Paul saith o Gal. 4 13 14. Serue one another through loue for all the Law meaning the whole second Table is fulfilled in one word in this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe Againe p Rom. 13. 8 9. He that loueth another fulfilleth the Law for this Thou shalt not commit adulterie Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not stoale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not couet and if there be any other Commandement it is summed vp in this word euen in this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe Generally 1. Tim. 1. 5. hee saith the end or perfection of the whole Law is loue c. And Coloss 3. 14. hee calleth loue The bond of perfection because it knitteth and bindeth together all the offices we owe to God or one vnto another So as what dutie soeuer we performe bee it neuer so glittering and shining in the World if it be not done in loue it is nothing at all worth As wee are taught 1. Cor. 13. yea our loue in this behalfe ought to extend it selfe not to our friends onely and them that loue vs againe but vnto all men to our q Mat. 5. 44. enemies and them that hate vs. The contrary hereof is hatred of God our Brethren and of good things Of God because wee see him iust to punish mens offences A fault so monstrous that one would thinke impossible it should fall vpon any Creature to hate and abhorre the Creator but that the Apostle hath noted our nature to be tainted with it Haters r Rom. 1. 30. of God and the Å¿ Psal 37. 20. 21. 9 c. 81. 16. 139. 21. Enemies or haters of IEHOVAH are oftentimes spoken of in the Psalmes and t 2. Sam. 12. 14. 2. Chron. 19. 2. else-where Of the hatred of our Brethren the Apostle saith He n 1. Ioh. 2. 9. 11 that hateth his Brother is in darknesse And againe He x 1. Ioh. 3. 15. that hateth his Brother is a Man-slayer Bloudie y Prou. 29. 10. men saith SALOMON hate him that is vpright And 1. Kings 22. 9. it is the voyce of wicked Ahab that hee hated the Prophet of the Lord because he neuer spake good vnto him With loue is coupled a liking and allowance of that which is good after the example of God himselfe of whom it is said that be z 1. Chro. 19. 17 delighteth in the things that are right Of this the Wiseman speaketh in the Prouerbs a Prou. 16. 13. Let the lips of the Righteous be acceptable vnto Kings The contrary whereof is an approbation of euill in other though it were so that we our selues did abstaine from it This fault the Apostle noteth to the b Rom. 1. 32. Romanes Who not onely doe so but are fautors and approâ—uers of these that die it And Dauid in the Psalmes c Psal 50. 18. When thou seest a Thiefe thou takest pleasure in him The next is hatred and detestation of euill both euill persons and things whereof the Psalmist saith O d Psal â—7 10. yee the louers of IEHOVAH hate the thing that is euill And of himselfe hee professeth I e Psal 26. 5. hate the congregation of euill doers I f Psal 31. 7. hate them that obserue vaine vanities O g Ps 139 21 22. IEHOVAH doe I not hate them that hate thee I hate them with a perfect hatred they are in stead of enemies vnto mee I h Ps 119. 104. hate euery euill way I * Ps 119. 161. hate lyes and abhorre them SALOMON also in his Prouerbs i Pro. 8. 13. ioyneth together the feare of IEHOVAH and the hatred of euil as special parts of the heauenly wisdome wherof he there treateth The contrary whereof is the loue of euill things when our k Psal 141. 4. heart which the Psalmist prayeth to be deliuered from is inclined to them This DAVID l Psal 52. 5 6. vpbraydeth vnto DOEG Thou louest euill rather then good lying rather then to speake Righteousnesse thou louest it wonderfully thou louest all pernicious words O deceitfull tongue In the m Psal 4. 3. fourth Psalme he cryeth out Yee sonnes of men how long will you loue vanitie seeke lyes c And Salomon in his n Prou. 1. 22. Prouerbes How long O yee Fooles will ye loue foolishnesse and Scorners long after scorning A second affection is Cheerefulnesse and ioy in that which is good sorrow and griefe of heart and an holy anger when we see men to doe euill Of cheerefulnesse and ioy in good things Dauid speaketh in the Psalmes I o Psal 119. 14. reioyce in the way of thy Testimonies as being aboue all substance Thy p Vers 110. Testimonies are the ioyes of my heart I reioyce q Vers 110. 4. in thy words as one that findeth a great bootie So is it said 1. Chron. 29. 9. The people were glad offering freely or cheerefully And Verse 17. I with a right heart freely haue offered all those things and thy people also that are heere
we were made framed to the perfectiō of it yet retayn some notions therof in this our corrupt estate Secondly The Image of this Righteousnesse being in manner quite defaced and done away by the Fall of Adam the same is by the mercifull prouidence of GOD for a more certaine direction of our wayes and to humble vs in seeing how short we come of the performance of it againe renewed and the summe of all compendiously abridged in ten Words Sentences or Commandements written z Exod. 34. 28. by the finger of GOD in two Tables Thirdly The same are expounded and handled more at large in the whole Volume of the Scripture where all this Doctrine is fully and absolutely taught Of both thse Lawes the Law of Nature and the written Law the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2. 14 15. For when the Gentiles which haue not a law doe by nature the things of the Law these hauing not a law are a law vnto themselues as those which declare the worke of the Law written in their heart their conscience bearing record vnto themselues and their thoughts accusing or excusing them c. For the vnderstanding of those ten Commandements and the better to discerne the large spread of Righteousnesse which they contayne take these few Rules that hold in euery one First They are vttered by a figuratiue speech of a part for the whole vnder one and that commonly the greatest comprehending not onely euery particular dutie whatsoeuer may fall into the life of man of the same nature with that which is there commanded or forbidden but the whole manner of performance that it bee with all the powers of ones minde soule and bodie which belonging to euery Commandement is once for all explayned in the definition I gaue of Righteousnesse Secondly Commanding one thing they forbid the contrarie forbidding one thing they command the contrarie Lastly this withall is to be remembred that all the things before spoken of in the definition I gaue Holinesse and Righteousnesse pertayne and haue their place in euery Commandement the corruption of nature and desire being as I thinke forbidden in euery one not alone in the tenth And that for these Reasons First From the nature of God that gaue the Law who being a a Iohn 4. 24. Spirit therfore piercing b Heb. 4. 12 13 into the most secret thoughts and intents of the heart euery Commandement of his not onely the ten Commandements layd together must needes bee c Rom. 7. 14. spirituall to binde the whole strength of nature and all the thoughts and desires which the Scripture is wont to call the spirit of our minde as before was noted Secondly Since it cannot bee denyed but that this is so in the duties of the first Table the same reason and proportion carrieth it to those of the second also Thirdly our Sauiour Christs interpretation of the seuenth Commandement is a sufficient warrant extending it to all kinde of Lust Math. 5. 28. As for the tenth it hath another sense as shall be seene when we come vnto it And that which Paul saith Rom. 7. 7. I had not knowne lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust I take vnder reformation of better iudgement to be meant not of the tenth Commandement onely but of the whole puritie that way which the Law of God thorowout requireth and that as well in the duties to God as to our brethren which the Apostle soundly gathereth to be commanded in the Law because the Law is spirituall Neither doth it follow because he saith Except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust that therefore he must needs point out the very words of one Commandement or because he saith many times that Commandement that therefore he meaneth a particular Commandement one of the tenne for the Law may as well be said to say Thou shalt not lust because in the generall doctrine thereof it forbiddeth all kind of lust as in the like case the same Apostle d Ephes 5. 14. writeth that God saith in the Scripture Arise thou that sleepest and Christ shall shine vnto thee Which notwithstanding are not the precize words of any one place of Scripture but the generall summe and doctrine of the Gospell The name also of Commandement comprehending the scope and substance of many Commandements you haue so vsed 1. Iohn 2. 7 8. And albeit Paul Rom. 13. 9. doe aptly truly render the meaning of the tenth Commandement by the same very words which heere he vseth that hindereth not but that in this place it may haue another sence the word seruing indifferently for e So is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken Luke 22. 15. Matth. 22. 17. and 1. Pet. 1. 12. for a longing and earnest desire coueting or for lusting and the diuersity of the Argument inforcing a diuers interpretation of these two places The Tenne Commandements which summarily conteine the whole doctrine of Righteousnesse whatsoeuer the Law or Prophets speake of our Sauiour Christ in his The doing whereof is tearmed Righteousnesse and hath two parts Pietio and Iustice infinite wisedome hath contriued into two The loue of God and of our brethren When vnto the Lawyer asking him which is the great Commandement in the Law he answereth f Math. 22. 37. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might This is the first and great Commandement and the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe on these two commandements hang the whole Law and the Prophets PAVL vseth the very termes of Pietie and Iustice Rom. 1. 18. For the wrath of God is manifest from heauen against all impiety and iniustice of men So he saith Tit. 2. 12. that the Grace of God manifested by the Gospell instructeth vs that wee should liue soberly and iustly and godly in this present world Where before Iustice and Piety which are the parts he putteth Sobriety or Soundnesse of minde as the forme that is to hold in both 1. Tim. 1 2. he deuideth it into Piety or Godlines and Honesty Sometimes in stead of Piety you shall finde the terme of Holinesse which is all one g Luke 1. 75. That being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies wee might serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse Put on h Ephes 4. 24. the new man which according to God is created in true righteousnesse and holinesse but i Acts 3. 14. yee haue denyed that holy and lust one HEROD k Marc. 6. 20. did reuerence IOHN knowing he was a iust and a holy man Yee l 1. Thess ◠10. are witnesses and God how holily and iustly and vnblameably wee were conuersant among you that beleeue Hee m Reuel 22. 11. that is iust let him become more iust hee that is holy let him become yet more holy According to this diuision of our Sauiour Christ wee commonly call these two The
day is holy to our Lord. So the people went to eate and to drinke and to send portions to celebrate great gladnesse And in Hester 9. 19. They celebrated the fourteenth day of the Moneth Adar with gladnesse and bankettings and merriments and sending of portions from one to another Generally the Law thereof giuen Deut. 16. 14. The Feast of Tabernacles thou shalt keepe seuen dayes thou shalt reioyce when thou keepest that Feast c. The contrarie is in this Day of gladnesse to mourne and weepe for which r Nehem. 8. 10. 11. 12. Nehemiah and the Leuites doe reprooue the people Hold your peace for this Day is holy be not sad therefore CHAP. VIII Of the fourth Commandement THE fourth Commandement enioyneth a This is the manner of Gods worship A holy rest is the sanctifying of a time vnto his Seruice which beside other times as occasion shall be offered in a Family or for ones selfe apart ought ordinarily to be in the morning and euening of euery day sanctifying of some time vnto his seruice both other times as occasion shall require and especially some set and solemne times which first in a Family or for ones selfe apart ought ordinarily to bee in the morning and euening euery day as the Psalmist Å¿ Psal 92. 2. saith It is good to declare in the morning thy Kindnesse and thy Truth in the night Therefore was the morning and euening Sacrifice instituted of God Exod. 29. 38 39. Some mens zeale hath carryed them further either in respect of the publike calamities of the Church or their owne more speciall and priuate wants to performe this dutie both morning euening and at noone Euening morning and at noone will I meditate and pray aloud saith DAVID Psal 55. 17. So Daniel thrice a day kneeled vpon his knees and prayed and confessed before his God Dan. 6. 11. which is there noted to haue beene his continuall course or else this at noone haply may bee thought when they came to receiue their meate with Prayer and Thankesgiuing Secondly For publike exercises and meetings of the For Church-meetings on such dayes times of the day as may stand with the conueniencie of that Church But of necessitie one whole day in seuen is thus to bee kept holy Church we must doe it on such dayes and times of the day as may stand with the conueniencie of that Church Thirdly One whole day in seuen is of necessitie to be kept holy This the Scripture calleth by excellencie the Sabbath Day without a difference as it were the elder brother to all the rest of the dayes of the weeke which is called t Leuit. 23. 15. 25. 8 8. Mat. 28. 1. Acts 20. 7. 1. Cor. 16. 2. Marke 6 2 9. Luke 24. 1. Iohn 20. 1. Sabbaths in the plurall The parts of the sanctifying of this day are two one to rest from worldly businesses and from those workes and duties of our calling which at other times are not onely lawfull but expedient and necessarie to bee done The particular workes that we are thus to abstaine from are of two kinds First great aswel as smal and smal aswel as great A greater and more excellent worke can hardly be imagined then the building of Gods owne House the materiall and outward Tabernacle yet euen That the Lord by a strict precise caution doth specially forbid vpon this day Exod. 31. 13. Yet saith hee yee shall obserue my Sabbaths Not setting your hand in that day vnto this worke though it be most holy Those holy women that had Odours Oyntments and all things in a readinesse yet in a religious obseruation of Gods Ordinance forbare on the Sabbath to embalme the precious bodie of our Lord and Sauiour Christ and are commended by the Holy Ghost for it They u Luke 23. 56. rested saith LVKE the Sabbath Day according to the Commandement Againe how small a thing is it to gather a few stickes But when one presumed to doe this and with an high hand in prophanation of the Sabbath wee know what his doome was from the mouth of God himselfe Numb 15. 32 33 34 35 36. In the second place come things both necessarie and delightfull of profit and of pleasure In seed time and in haruest the fittest seasons for all worldly commodities thou shalt keepe Sabbath saith the Holy Ghost Exodus 34. 21. Of this kinde are trauailing and iournying vpon that Day whereof the Law is giuen Exodus 16. 29. Tarrie euery man in his place Let no man goe out of his place the seuenth Day Likewise Faires Markets and all kinde of buying and selling for which cause x Nehem. 13. 19 Reade Verse 15 16 17 18. Nehemia that godly Magistrate When the gates of Ierusalem began to bee darke before the Sabbath commanded to shut the gates and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath and set some of his seruants at the gates that there should be no burden brought in vpon the Sabbath Day Sporting also banquetting and such like which distract our minds from Gods Seruice are then to be auoyded which is that the Lord calleth Not to do our owne delight vpon that Day Esay 58. 13. The doing of which things or of any of them is contrarie to this outward sanctifying of the Sabbath Yet can we not say that all these things are vtterly forbidden without exception certaine cautions must bee made First Things of common honestie and for necessarie safegard of that which would otherwise perish are lawfull vpon that Day Our Sauiour taketh that for granted euen amongst those that most straightly vrge the Letter of this Law What y Mat. 12. 11 man is there among you which hath a sheepe and if it fall vpon the Sabbath Day into a Ditch will not take it and plucke it out Secondly Such are allowed as take vs not away from the Seruice of God but serue for honest and needfull recreation to make vs fitter for holy things Thirdly Hither belong those labours and bodily workes which are done for the setting forth of Gods Glorie as hee that being made whole tooke vp his Bed Both with publike and priuate exercises and carryed it on the Sabbath Day Iohn 5. 8 9. The next part of the sanctifying of this Day is to imploy it in the Seruice of God which is that whereunto the outward rest tendeth Esay 58. 13. If thou wilt turne away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thine owne will vpon mine Holiday and call the Sabbath delight holy to IEHOVAH and honour him not doing thine owne wayes c. Of this kind are First All religious and holy exercises whereof these the Scripture noteth by name as duties to be performed vpon that Day First To heare the Word preached Acts 13. 14. 15. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets in the Synagogue on the Sabbath Day the Ruler of the Synagogue sent vnto them saying Yee men and
telleth vs that Hee which vpon Adams fall began his Mediation had a Being long before and together with his Father and Holy Spirit weilded a greater Scepter being the Lord and Creatour of Adams selfe and of the whole World besides and the great King out of whose Throne proceed those euerlasting counsels that rule and moderate whatsoeuer is or shall be Thy Throne is established before any time thou art from euerlasting The other degree is in the tayming and bringing downe of the proud enemies of his Kingdome whose rage and furie hee compareth with the loud noyse of mightie waters when the Waues and Surges of the Sea arise Christs Dominion that sitteth aloft as Lord Paramount with the stilling and ouer-ruling of them Then followeth the second mayne Arme and Branch of his Kingdome in the Scepter of his Word Thy testimonies are exceeding true And lastly the euerlasting Righteousnesse which by the Spirit of Sanctification hee bestoweth vpon his Church In thy House is comely holinesse O IEHOVAH for euermore The first of these is properly called his Iudicature or Office of a Iudge the second is his Propheticall Office the third is wont by excellencie to be called The Kingdome All most glorious and noble effects of his Ascension into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of God as the Apostle telleth vs Ephes 4. 8. Ascending on high he led captiuitie captiue whereby he meaneth the absolute power giuen vnto him for the gouernment of the World seene specially in the subduing of the proud enemies of the Church And gaue gifts vnto men which g Verse 10. by and by hee interpreteth to bee as much as to fill all things that is the whole bodie of his Church and all the parts of it with the varietie of his Graces Not that Christ had not this excellencie or did not raigne at all before his Ascension into Heauen for h Iohn 1. 49. Nathaniel telleth him Thou art the King of Israel And i Iohn 18. 37. hee himselfe when Pilate asked Art thou a King answereth Thou sayest true for I am a King But the full and reall manifestation of this Kingdome in his flesh or humane nature did then first beginne To prosecute now these parts in such order as wee One whereby he gouerneth all the World according to their owne nature since the fall did propound them The first is that which extendeth generally to all the World and to the whole gouernment and administration of it which hee himselfe is wont to call his Iudgeship or Office of iudging Iohn 5. 27. He hath giuen vnto him dignitie to execute iudgement as he is the Sonne of man And Iohn 5. 22. The Father iudgeth no man but hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne where that it may appeare how large his Power in this behalfe extendeth hee calleth it all iudgement Agreeable whereunto is that of the Apostle Heb. 1. 3. where hee is said to sustayne all things by the power of his Word Therefore Iohn 5. 17. he makes this generall proclamation My Father worketh hitherto and I worke without restraint of time or place or of the subiect or persons towards whom it is wrought God therefore who before gouerned immediately and by himselfe hath euer since the fall of Adam appointed Christ his Vicegerent and Lieutenant generall in whose person he would afterwards rule the World Not that himself sitteth idle in heauen as Iosephs Master did when he had committed vnto Ioseph the Administration of his house but being in him and with him and working all things by and through Christ who againe vseth to that end beside his Spirit and the power of his Word the seruice also the ministery of his holy Angels all which is figured by many excellent and goodly Similitudes in the Vision of k Ezech. 1. Ezechiel where the foure liuing Creatures representing the innumerable company of Angels whose Ministerie extendeth vnto all the foure parts of the Earth haue vnder their feet foure wheeles noting the whole vncertaine course of this changeable and vnconstant world which moue when they moue and rest when they stand still And when the liuing creatures lift vp themselues from earth into heauen to receiue from God new Commandements the wheeles also as it were doe follow them and cease from wheeling to wait their direction Aboue which Angels is a Curtaine or Extent betweene God and them all of Christal cleare and transparent thorow the which as he beholdeth these inferior creatures so they both Angels and men according to their mediocritie are able to see him and the brightnesse of his glorie Ouer that Extent higher than the highest heauens is a most glorious Throne erect whereupon doth sit the likenesse of the Sonne of man Christ the blessed Lord of glorie God and man whom all obey and stoope at his command All this for the good of his Church and people for whose sake it was necessarie he should be armed with so great a Command and Power In this part of his Kingdome I note First The largenesse thereof in that it reacheth euery where and no place exempted from it I will giue the Nations l Ps 2. 8. for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession m Zach. 9. 10. His dominion shall be from Sea to Sea and from the Riuer vnto the ends of the earth n Dan. 7. 14. And to him was giuen Dominion and a Glorie and a Kingdome that all people nations and tongues should serue him o Ps 72. 8. 11. He shal beare rule from one Sea vnto another and from the floud as farre as the ends of the earth All Kings shall bow downe vnto him and all Nations shall serue him p Math. 28. 18 All power is giuen me in heauen and vpon the earth Secondly In this Kingdome Christ alone perfecteth all things not like to other Kings and Potentates who rule by deputies but here hee himselfe doth all for though there he vsed instruments yet all commeth from his strength and vertue and hee himselfe is euery-where present by his Spirit Whereupon his Kingdome is called q Esay 9. 6. Wonderfull because the effects and working of Gods Spirit are strange and marueilous Thirdly the vertues and properties of this our King arming and inabling him for the effecting of those great things are two Counsell to aduise of things wisely and Strength to put them in execution beeing both the stayes and props of a Kingdome as it were the two pillers Iacin and Bohas whereupon r 1. King 7. 21. Salomons Porch was built Therefore Rabshake to discourage Hezekias vanteth of these two as of the things whereon the hope if battaile standeth as if Hezekias were not in them to be compared to the King his Master Å¿ Esay 6. 5. Say yet they are but lip words that thou haue counsell and strength for the warre yet in whom doest thou trust And Salomon though hee preferre the one maketh
required to the receiuing of them both to vnderstand what we doe through a true knowledge of our owne wretchednesse and of the Couenant of Grace in Christ to feele the fruit and the comfort which they bring and to desire and affect to be made partakers of it Great reuerence and attention in the receiuing of them by comparing the Signes and Spirituall things together Great thankefulnesse after to God for his mercies offered vnto vs in them All which being necessarie in the hearing of the Word is by so much the more necessarie here as God by them doth offer a greater grace and commeth more neere vnto vs wherefore the l 1. Co. 11. 28 29 Apostle saith Let a man examine himselfe and so eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cup for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh condemnation to himselfe not making a difference of the Lords Body Fiftly Those that come vnto them not onely to the Lords Table but if they be of riper yeeres to the Sacrament of Baptisme are publikely to testifie their Faith and Repentance So we reade Mat. 3. 5. Then came forth to him Ierusalem and all Iudea and all the Countrie round about Iorden and were baptized of him in Iorden after they had confessed their sinnes And Acts 8. 36 37. As they went by the way they came to a certaine water and the EVNVCH said Lo here is water what hindereth that I should not bee baptized And PHILIP said If thou beleeuest with thy whole heart thou mayst Then hee answered I beleeue that Iesus Christ is that Sonne of God Then hee baptized him And this is the generall rule giuen concerning the Passeouer which was as the Supper of the Lord with vs. If m Exod. 12. 48. any Stranger soiourne among you that would celebrate the Passeouer of IEHOVAH let euerie Male of them be circumcised whereby he may testifie his consent in the same Faith and Religion with you and so let him come to celebrate it None vncircumcised shall eate thereof Sacraments differ from Sacrifices besides other differences maynly in nature for First Sacrifices were giuen offered and presented vnto God Sacraments are taken and receiued of God by the hand of the Ministers of his Word Secondly Sacrifices were Signes and Figures of good things n Heb. 10. 1. to come Thirdly Sacraments are Signes and Remembrances of good things alreadie come The next head is a holy Ministerie which Christ hath It followeth to speake of Ministeries and Graces Ministeries are publike Functions in the Church giuen to his Church o Ephes 4. 12. for the perfecting of his Saints for the building vp of his body for this power is deriued from Christ as from the Head and Lord of the Prophets as we reade Mat. 23. 34. Therefore behold I Christ p Luke 11. 49. the Wisdome of God as Luke hath it send vnto you Prophets and Wisemen Ephes 4. 11. Hee therefore himselfe Christ gaue some to be Apostles c. Mat. 16. 19. I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen And from him haue all the Ministers euery one since the World was fetched their authoritie By his Spirit it was that they spake as wee heard before out of q 1. Pet. 1. 11. Peter Wherefore Reuel 22. 6. hee is called The Lord God of the holy Prophets as may appeare if you compare that place with Reuel 1. 1â— The difference betweene his Ministerie and theirs standeth in these two things First That hee their Head and Lord executed all the parts of his Ministerie in another sort and with greater authoritie and power then any Minister before or after him Mat. 7. 28 29. and Marke 1. 22. They were astonied at his teaching for he taught them as one that had authority and not as the Scribes Secondly The Prophets and the Ministers whom hee sent spake from him and in his Name But hee speaketh from himselfe and in his owne name r Mat. 5. 2â— 28 32 34 39. I say vnto you Of these Ministeries many things might be spoken full Specially for preaching of great varietie and of deepe and difficult questions concerning their Calling Election Ordination The keyes of the Church committed into their hands Their power of binding and loosing and the whole Order and Gouernment of Gods House But I will leaue them all and hold me onely to that of Preaching and Administring of the Sacraments Preaching therefore is the worke of the Ministerie and of those whom God hath lawfully called to execute that publike Function in the Church for Å¿ Rom. 10. 15. How can they preach except they be sent So that the handling of the Word by any other that hath no calling for it how well soeuer hee handle the same and how truely soeuer hee expound it is not that preaching which Christ hath ordayned to bring men vnto saluation by Not that it is vnlawfull for priuate men to deale with the holy Scriptures and to open and expound the same so euery one keepe him within the bounds and lists of his Calling and looke what is fit for him according to the gifts and graces he hath receiued but that is of the Master in his Family and within his priuate walls This which we speake of is publike in the Congregation and in the Church of God The dutie of Preaching carryeth with it and hath as which includeth the dutie of offering the Churches Prayers it were inclosed in the nature and bowels thereof another dutie of offering the Churches Prayers which can neuer be separated from the dutie of Teaching Samuel ioyneth them together 1. Sam. 12. 23. Moreouer touching me God forbid that I should sinne against IEHOVAH in ceasing to pray for you yea I will instruct you in the good and right way And the whole Colledge of the Apostles Acts 6. 4. But we will alwayes continue in Prayer and in ministration of the Word Publike Prayer is for the Minister to offer vnto God the Prayers and Supplications of the Church that as in Preaching hee is the Mouth of God vnto his people so in Prayer hee is the peoples mouth vnto God for the Church or Congregation is the place of publike Prayer and if one list to doe it by himselfe hee hath his house to pray in but in the Church all are to attend the Minister which is in CHRISTS place vnto them And that which he one man doth offer well appeareth to be the Prayers of the Church by the peoples giuing of consent to that hee prayeth and saying Amen vnto it which appeareth to haue beene the laudable vse of the old Church Nehem. 8. 7. Where EZRA blessing IEHOVAH the great God all the people answered Amen Amen with lifting vp their hands and stooped and bowed downe themselues to IEHOVAH with their faces to the ground-ward The Primitiue Church in the Apostles time did retayne the same as appeareth 1. Cor. 14. 14 15 16 17. in that
doth attribute to the vertue of his Resurrection whereat because the Glorie of his Kingdome did actually beginne though the efficacie thereof were euer since the fall of Adam it selfe obtayneth the name of the Kingdome m Mat. 16. 28. of the Sonne of Man being the ground-worke and foundation of our n 1. Pet. 1. 3. Regeneration o Rom. 4. 24. Iustification p Rom. 6. ◠5. Sanctification and q 1. Cor. 15 20. 1. Thess 4. 14. rising from the dead yea and of the r 1. Pet. 3. 21. The day of his rising sauing of our soules as in the particulars hereafter shall be seene A worthy fruit indeed of our Sauiours Resurrection and no doubt I may truely say a greater and a more noble worke then the first Creation whereupon the Day wherein hee arose and renewed the World againe being the ſ Mat. 28. 1. Marke 16. 9. Luke 24. 1. Iohn 20. 1. first day of the Creation which the Scripture is wont to call The first day of the weeke because it beganne next after the Iewes Sabbath is in perpetuall memorie of that benefit become the Day which wee Christians doe keepe holy the Day being changed but not a Day of rest abolished And that the Day was so changed is easie to be proued which was the first day of the Creation is an euerlasting remembrance of that benefit come in the place of the Sabbath out of the Scriptures for first on this Day the Apostles t Iohn 2. 19 26. Acts 2. 1. kept their solemne Assemblies and u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Congregation-meetings on this Day they came together to x Acts 16 13. Praier y Acts 20. 7. preaching of the Word breaking of bread c. on this Day were z 1. Cor. 16. 2. collections and gatherings for the poore And * Reuel 1. 10. Iohn on this Day gaue himselfe in a speciall manner to spirituall Meditations Paul a Acts 20. ◠7. likewise hauing election of seuen whole daies wherein he abode at Troas made onely choice of this Secondly Our Sauiour Christ himselfe gaue testimonie to this Day gracing it with his b Marke 16. 1◠Luke 24. 21. Iohn 20. 19 26. apparitions c Acts 2. 1. distributions of the Holy Ghost c. For the d Leu. 23. 15 16 Feast of Pentecost fell alwaies vpon this first Day of the weeke But you will say We reade no where of any Commandement giuen for such an alteration Neither is it necessary the constant practice of Christ and his Apostles and of the Churches then generally without exception is a rule to binde all Ages in perpetuitie seeing the Apostles did nothing of their owne heads but as they were taught of Christ during those fortie daies that he abode with them after his Resurrection And yet if a Commandement were needfull is not that an expresse Commandement 1. Cor. 16. 2. Touching the gathering for the Saints as I haue appointed in the Churches of Galatia so also doe yee Euery first Day of the weeke let euery one lay aside c. which is a speciall dutie of the Sabbath Day I verily thinke the Psalmist so long before pointed at it when he saith e Psal 118. 24. This same Day wherein Christ the Stone which the builders refused is by his rising from the dead become the head of the corner f Psal 102. 19. Prince of a new created people and Lord of the g Heb. 2. 5. c. World to come IEHOVAH hath made that is to say magnified and made famous to be celebrated with Prayses Thankes giuings in his Church for euer As the word made is taken 1. Sam. 12. 6. Esay 43. 7. and in diuers other places And what maruell though the Day suffered a change when the whole World it selfe was changed This besides the change of the Day it selfe brought and with it two other notable changes also First Of the name from the Sabbath to bee called called the Lords Day by a greater and more honourable Title h Reuel 1. 10. The Lords Day consecrated to his Seruice So as the very name is become a Badge of our Christian and holy Profession seuering vs from Iewes Turkes and other Enemies to the Name of Christ Neither shall you finde in all the New Testament that the Day which the Churches celebrate was at any time after Christs Ascension called The Sabbath Day Secondly In that it beginneth not on the Euening of beginning when he arose and began to renew the World the Day before as the Iewish Sabbaths did but at the dawning of the Day when i Marke 16. 9. Iohn 20. 1. our Sauiour beganne the worke of his Resurrection Now that the Day which wee are to sanctifie beginneth at that time is made good by the practice of Saint Paul who tarrying at Troas seuen whole dayes preached vpon this Day and continue in his Sermon vnto midnight spent the rest of the night in holy conference vnto the dawning of the day and then departed Act. 20. 7 11. Proceed wee now to the rest that followeth concerning This great worke hath two parts Regeneration and Saluation the excellencie of Christs Kingdom The beginning whe 〈…〉 Regeneration by his Spirit the fruits or qualities whereunto we are regenerate Wisdome Righteousnesse and Sanctification The end and accomplishment Happinesse and Immortalitie for so our Sauiour teacheth Iohn 3. 3 5. Vnlesse a man bee borne againe hee cannot see or enter into the Kingdome of God Regeneration being first and the ground-worke of Regeneration is the rest we are to see what Regeneration is I define it to bee our spirituall incorporating into Christ betweene which and the worke of Sanctification the difference lyeth plaine for as Creation is distinguished from the qualities wherein men were created so is this Now Creation from the qualities whereunto wee are regenerate And as Generation is one thing and the corruption that Parents beget vs in another so is our New birth one thing and the Holinesse or Sanctification which we haue thereby another This appeareth manifestly 1. Iohn 5. 8. where Spirit Water Bloud that is to say Regeneration Iustification Sanctification are distinguished And 1. Iohn 3. 1 2 3. where purifying of our selues is made an effect of being the sonnes of God So our Sauiour saith Iohn 3. 6. That which is borne of the Spirit whereby he meaneth our part regenerate is Spirit that is to say wholy spirituall holy and sanctified As that which is borne of the flesh meaning all of vs by fleshly Generation is flesh that is to say carnall in euery part and in all the powers both of bodie and soule impure and vncleane and subiect to the wrath of God Peter also when he saith a 1. Pet. 1. 22 23. Hauing your soules purified by obeying of the Truth through the Spirit vnto brotherly loue without hypocrisie from a pure heart loue one
more watchfull in time to come and more to wrestle with our owne soules against the temptations of sinne Secondly Heereby wee haue more plentifull matter and arguments ministred vnto vs to confirme our selues in Gods Mercies and to reach and instruct others which vse our g Luke 22. 32. Sauiour noteth in the Apostasie of Peter Thou when thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren And Dauid h Psal 51. 14. in the one and fiftieth Psalme professeth that when God shall bee mercifull to his sinnes and restore vnto him the ioy of his Saluation then saith hee I will teach transgressours thy wayes and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee The third consequence is a heape and multitude of and in the assurance whereof spirituall Graces wrought in our hearts by the Holy Ghost First Assurance of the loue of God in Christ sealed vp in our consciences by the testimonie of the Spirit for the i Rom 8. 16. Spirit beareth record to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God I am k Rom. 8. 38 39 perswaded saith the same Apostle vsing a word that secretly importeth a perswasion wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Ministerie of the Word that nothing shall separate me from the loue of God in Christ Secondly Peace of conscience we haue peace of conscience and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Thirdly Ioy in the Holy Ghost procceding from the testimonie of a good conscience as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 2. 12. For this is our reioycing the testimonie of our conscience The same Apostle Rom. 14. 17. coupleth these two together as speciall fruites of the Righteousnesse wee haue in Christ The Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but Righteousnesse and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Secondly in that we are made neere vnto him To come to the second of those generall heads wherin our happinesse heere standeth wee l Ephes 2. 13. which before were farre off are brought neere vnto God in Christ and m Ephes 2. 19. therefore are no more Strangers and Forainers but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of GOD. From whence another excellent fauour commeth that and haue continuall accesse with boldnesse into his presence wee haue continuall accesse vnto the Throne of grace and entrance with boldnesse into his presence as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 3. 12. In whome wee haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence through Faith in him And againe n Ephes 2. 15. By him we both Gentiles aswell as Iewes haue accesse through one Spirit vnto the Father For this and the rest that went before that place is verie singular Rom. 5. 1 2 5. Being iustified by Faith wee haue peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord by whom also we haue accesse through Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the Glorie of God for the loue of God is shed in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is giuen vnto vs whereas you see all are comprehended The third is our Soueraigntie renewed which you Thirdly in our former Soueraigntie and power ouer the creatures may consider in these three steps or degrees First Wee are restored to that Soueraigntie that once we had ouer all the Creatures of God which the o Psal 8. 5 6 7 8 9. Psalmist first and after him and out of him the p Heb. 2. 6 7 8 Apostle to the Hebrewes layeth foorth at large in the person of Christ by whom wee haue this benefit What is man that thou doest remember him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him for whose sake thou hast made him that is to say Christ a little lower then the Angels yet hauing vndergone death for our sakes thou hast raysed him vp againe and with glorie and honour hast thou crowned him and set him Christ our Head and vs in him ouer the workes of thine hands All things hast thou made subiect vnder his feet Sheepe and Oxen all of them and also the Beasts of the Field the Fowles of the Ayre and the Fishes of the Sea All which in Christ we see now accomplished in vs his members it being yet vnseene shall then become manifest when we with him shall be made perfect as the q Verse 8 9. Apostle there declareth Whereof followeth Christian libertie whereof commeth free libertie of vsing them all The Papists doctrine of Deuils forbidding flesh vpon certaine dayes in things indifferent By Christian libertie I meane that we may now lawfully and with a good conscience vse all the Creatures of God to our comfort not onely for necessitie but for Christian delight 1. Corinthians 9. 1. Am I not free This hath not beene alwayes so from the beginning it pleased God to make some restraints till the fulnesse of time came that by degrees this libertie might bee made knowne vnto the Church First Before the giuing of the Law in some few things and peraduenture for I speak heere but of things for common vse not of the Seruice of God onely that one of forbidding to eat bloud Gen. 9. 4. whereas otherwise r Gen. 9. 3. all meates were lawfull Secondly After that more plentifully and aboundantly in the Iewish Pedagogie when many meats drinks and other things were barred them The libertie then which we haue by Christ take from the Apostles words I know and am perswaded in the Lord Iesus that nothing is prophane Rom. 14. 14. And againe Euery Creature of God is good and none to bee reiect if it be taken with Thankesgiuing 1. Tim. 4. 3. Not that it is lawfull for vs to take so great a libertie herein as though we needed to respect no other but our selues wee must respect the infirmities of our weake Brethren that our libertie bee not vsed as a snare to intrap others and so make them to offend but to edifie and build vp their conscience whereof the Apostle many times taketh vs out the Lesson both by his owne practice and commandement 1. Cor. 9. 19. Being free from all I made my selfe a seruant vnto all that I might gaine many c. 1. Cor. 10. 23 24. All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient All things are lawfull for me but all things doe not edifie Let no man seeke his owne things but euery one another mans And againe Å¿ Verse 32 33. Be without offence to Iewes and Gentiles and to the Church of God Euen as I in all things please all men not seeking mine owne profit but the profit of many that they may be saued Rom. 14 13 c. Let vs not therefore iudge one another but this rather iudge not to lay a stumbling blocke before thy Brother or an offence Destroy not him by thy meate for whom Christ dyed Let not therefore your good so calling that libertie which Christ hath purchased for vs be euill spoken of Let vs therefore follow after the things of peace
and the order of the Text must be respected Seuenthly We must conferre it with other places of the Scriptures the darke and obscure ones with those that are more lightsome Eighthly We must alwaies hold the analogie or proportion of faith neuer framing any exposition to our selues that altereth or declineth from that The fourth and last qualitie is that in euerie age the the whole Truth of Christ whole Truth of God was deliuered by a liuely voyce as touching the substance of the Doctrine although in greater cleerenesse vpon the comming of Christ then euer it was before and lastly and perfectly wherein we are now to rest both for their substance manner of reuelation it is fully and absolutely comprehended in the Scriptures So as we shall not need to flye eyther to Visions and Reuelations Anabaptists Libertines that bring in Visions and Reuelations as if the Word of God were imperfect or to mens Traditions and Inuentions Papists that supply it by mens Traditions and Inuentions Vnwritten Verities Sentences of Fathers Canons of Councels c. to Vnwritten Verities Sentences of Fathers Canons of Councels c. for to helpe vs but all is to be had in the written Word for when our Sauiour saith p Iohn 5. 39. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures hee manifestly teacheth that all Truth is to bee learnt from thence And the q 2. Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Apostle commendeth the Scriptures as being able to make vs wise vnto saluation for the whole Scripture saith he is inspired of God and is profitable vnto Doctrine vnto Reproofe vnto Correction vnto Instruction which is in Righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect perfectly fitted to euery good worke Which foure things comprehending all that can bee necessarie seeing the Word of God is able thorowly to furnish a Minister withall who is to disclose the r Acts 20. 27. whole counsell of God vnto the people it must needs be able to informe a Common Christian vnto saluation Iohn ſ Iohn 20. 31. also giueth this testimonie of the Scriptures that they are written to the end that beleeuing wee might haue euerlasting life And the Booke of the Reuelation hee shutteth vp with this most earnest protestation If any man adde to the words of the Prophecie of this Booke God will adde vnto him the seuen plagues written in this Booke and if any man take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecie God will take away his part of the Tree of Life c. Reu. 22. 18 19. Which if it be true in that one Booke alone how much more shall it hold in all the Bookes of the Scripture set together Fourthly In the Ministerie of the Prophets and Apostles and had power to worke Miracles for the confirming of their doctrine I obserue that they had the power of working Wonders for the confirmation and sealing vp of their Doctrine being innobled of God with a rare and Heroicall Spirit for the working of mightie and powerfull things As first touching the Prophets what great and wonderfull matters God wrought by their hands the Stories euery-where doe testifie when Elias as it were a pettie God could fetch t 2. Kings 1. fire from Heauen by his Prayer u 1. Kings 17. 1 Iames 5. 17 18. shut vp Heauen that no raine should fall but at his word as the Minister of the Lord before whom he stood and by his Prayers open them againe when those that escaped from the hand of Iehu * 1. King 19. 17 Elisha could cause to dye when x Exod. 4. Moses with his staffe was able to turne the waters into bloud c. The Apostles also haue their Commission in this behalfe recorded Marke 16. 15. Goe into all the World and preach the Gospell c. and these Signes shall follow them that doe beleeue In my Name they shall cast out Deuils they shall speake with new tongues they shall destroy Serpents and if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them vpon the weake they shall lay their hands and they shall be well And this is it which the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes y Heb. 2. 4. that God himselfe gaue testimony to the preaching of the Apostles both by Signes and Wonders and many powers or powerfull things and distributions of the Holy Ghost Wherefore Miracles wherewith it pleased God to grace the extraordinarie Ministeries Heresies and Errors The Papists which make Miracles a note of their Church are 2. wayes faultie First The Miracles they so bragge and boast of are false and fayned Secondly They vse their Miracles such as they bee to a wrong end for aduancing of erronious and lying doctrines and to shake the truth of the Gospell for confirmation whereof all Miracles ought to serue In which case their pretended Miracles though they should be admitted true are of no worth Deut. 13. 1 2 3 4 5. for the Truth of God shineth of it selfe so bright that no Miracles to the contrarie are of force to obscure it But added for confirmation as they were by Christ and his Apostles and by the holy Prophets they make the same more glorious of the Prophets and Apostles are All other Ministeries are to fetch their light from the Doctrine of those that were so inspired long since ceased neither could they nowadayes serue to any vse the truth being long agoe aboundantly confirmed by Christ and his Apostles Lastly all other Ministeries in the Church are and alwayes were to fetch Graces are Gifts for the discharge of those publike Functions their light from the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that were so inspired To the Ministerie CHRIST hath added Gifts Gifts z 1. Cor. 12. 7. for profit as the Apostle speaketh that is for the Churches common good which is another of those rich endowments and necessarily coupled with the former for the Largesse of Christ vnto his Church had not beene so bountifull in the seuerall sorts of Ministeries vnlesse he had withall bestowed vpon them graces and abilitie to discharge the same for the glorie of God and edification of his people by giuing them knowledge to teach the Doctrine of Christ out of the Scripture by laying forth the Truth soundly and confuting of contrarie errours Wisdome to apply it also to all good vses of comforting casting downe stirring vp reproouing which in one word we terme exhorting and other the like graces for these also we haue not from our selues but all a 2. Cor. 3. 5. our sufficiencie to be Ministers of Christ vnto other is from God The Apostle calleth these kind of Gifts by the name of b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graces that make men apt and fit for the worke of the Ministerie 1. Cor. 12. 4. 5 6. Now there bee differences of Graces but the same Spirit and there bee differences of Ministeries but the same Lord. And there bee differences of
operations or faculties to worke great and wonderfull things but the same God there is that worketh all these things in all And so I distinguish those wordes in the question of the High Priests vnto the Apostles c Acts 4. 7. By what power or by what name haue you done this As if they should haue said By what Gifts or Calling noteth the Gift and Grace the other the Function or Calling it selfe Of gifts that are for a mans owne priuate is one knowledge Gifts for a mans owne priuate are knowledge of the Word of Christ and vnderstanding of the Word of Christ An excellent and a goodly grace for howsoeuer knowledge of it selfe without further The Popish assertion that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion which the Apostle maketh the Mother of Pride and of Rebellion against God Rom. 10. 3. grace bee not of power to reforme the hart yet it is so necessary that the holy Ghost pronounceth e Pro. 29. 2. Without knowledge the heart cannot bee good And this also is the proper worke of Christ for f Iohn 1. 18. No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne who is in the bosome of his Father he hath declared him But knowledge as I said a man may haue and yet be and a taste of the sweetnesse of it which being the highest step that it is possible for any Reprobate to ascend neuer a whit the neerer to his Saluation nor haue made one pace vnto the heauenly Kingdome as touching any reformation of the heart That which followeth bringeth a change and alteration with it which the g Heb. 6. 4. Apostle calleth A tasting of the good Word of God c. meaning the sweet promises of the Gospell and is the furthest step that it is possible for any Reprobate to goe Wherein I obserue foure things First That it is a peculiar worke of Christ and commeth not but from him and h Heb. 10. 29. the Spirit of his Grace Secondly That it is not a counterfeit shew of holinesse or in hypocrisie onely but a matter of truth and an excellent grace of GOD wrought indeed in them touching and affecting their hearts as the Apostle Peter plainly sheweth 2. Pet. 1. 8. They beguile those that i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed had escaped from them that were conuersant in errour Thirdly I obserue the neerenesse and affinitie that it hath with the sauing faith and the fruits of this with the fruits of that in which respect it pleaseth the Holy Ghost to call them both by one and the same name for they are said to bee k Heb. 6. 4. enlightened to l Heb. 10. 29. receiue the Spirit of Grace to m Luke 8. 13. They beleeued for a time Iohn 2. 24. Many beleeued yet he would not commit himselfe vnto them because he knew them all and what was in them Acts 8. 13 Then Simon also himselfe beleeued haue Faith to beleeue that the n Mat. 12. 43. vncleane spirit is gone out of them to flye o 2. Pet. 1. 20. the pollutions of the World to be p 2. Pet. 2. 22. washed to be q Heb. 10. 29. sanctified by the Spirit to be made r Heb. 6. 5. partaker of the Holy Ghost And the mayne sinne committed here-against is termed in the Scripture ſ Mat. 12. 13 32 Sinne against the Holy Ghost So that these men come to the skirt of the Holy Land and as Moses did from Mount Nebo behold it from afar or rather are at the very gate of the Kingdome of Heauen though for lacke of Faith they cannot enter in In nature it commeth so neere that they taste the changeth after a sort mans corrupt nature sweetnesse and excellency that is in Christ as we shewed before out of Heb. 6. 4. In the fruits and effects that a great and wonderfull change is wrought in them in all their parts and powers their Vnderstanding Will affections Wayes For touching their Vnderstanding they are t Heb. 10. 26. inlightened to the Knowledge and acknowledgement of Christ Touching their Will they desire to bee like Gods Children and to bee saued as Balaam did Numbers 23. 10. O that my soule might dye the death of the Righteous and that my last end might be like theirs For their Affections to omit those that comming from the Law and Couenant of workes may be in such as neuer heard of Christ as terrour and pricking of conscience for their sinnes which u Acts 24. 25. Felix had when Paul disputed of Righteousnesse Temperance and of the Iudgement to come to bee sorrie for them as x Heb. 12. 17. Esay that with teares sought the blessing and y Mat. 27. 35. Iudas that repented him and in the anguish of his soule hanged himselfe Those that properly belong to this place are First An imbracing of the Truth whereupon they are said to z Heb. 10. 25. receiue the Word and to receiue the acknowledgement of the Truth as it were taking it in their armes and imbracing it Secondly Ioy and Gladnesse in the sweet promises of the Gospell They a Heb. 6. 4 5. taste the good Word of God and the powers of the life to come they b Mat. 13. 20. receiue the Word by and by with ioy So did the c Iohn 5. 35. Iewes who willingly reioyced for a while in IOHNS light And d Marke 6. 20. Herod that heard him gladly Thirdly Zeale which was in the Galatians e Gal. 4. 15. that receiued Paul as an Angell and would haue plucked out their eyes to haue done him good and yet afterwards fell away So was f 2. Kin. 10. 16. Iehu zealous for Gods cause in the defacing of Idolatrie and yet a g 2. Kin. 10. 31 wicked man Fourthly Reuerence of the Ministers as HEROD h Marke 6. 20. reuerenced IOHN knowing him to bee a iust and a holy man and obserued him Changes in their actions and wayes Beside a confession of their faults with i Exod. 9. 27. PHARAOH I haue sinned this time IEHOVAH is most iust but I and my people are most wicked And k 1. Sam. 15. 24 26. 21. SAVL I haue sinned now c. And a conforming of themselues in the outward duties of holinesse as to heare the Word preached which l Marke 6. 20. Herod did to Prayer c. They haue these First Vexation in themselues and disquietnesse of minde before they commit sinne and feare to commit it So m Marke 6. 26. Herod was sore grieued to grant Herodias request when shee asked Iohn Baptists head and n Mat. 27. 24. Pilate much troubled in minde before he condemned Christ and sought all meanes to put it off Secondly Repentance and a kinde of humiliation for sinnes committed as o 1. Kings 21. 27 29. Ahab that rent his clothes and put sackcloth vpon him and fasted