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lord_n	word_n	workmanship_n	world_n	24	3	4.0730	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08188	A day-starre for darke-wandring soules shewing the light, by a Christian controuersie: or briefely and plainely setting forth the mysterie of our saluation. Diuided into principles, obiections, and answeres. By Richard Niccolls, th'elder, of the Inner Temple London, Gent. deceased. Published for the generall benefit of all those who heartily, and with a true path desire their owne saluation: by I.C.	Niccols, Richard, of the Inner Temple.; I. C., fl. 1613.	1613 (1613)	STC 18526.5; ESTC S119830	27,183	96

Ministers as in the second Chapter three thousand who gladly heard the Gospell preached by Peter the Apostle receiued the holy Ghost and beleeued and in the tenth Chapter and in diuers other places it doth appeare that many of the Gentiles by hearing of the Apostles Paul and B●…rnabas preach receiued the holy Ghost and beleeued the like appeareth in that Booke to haue beene done at the preaching of other Ministers of Gods Word as of Philip and Steuen and almost nothing else in effect is taught through the whole Booke but examples how the holy Ghost and Faith are giuen vnto the bearers by attentiue and reuerend hearing the word of God preached by his Ministers And these examples doe manifestly confirme the truth of Christs promise made to his Apostles and their successours that at their preaching of the Gospell he would be present with them by his holy spirit to worke Faith inwardly in the hearts of their hearers And hence for that sauing Faith is wrought in the hearts of the hearers by the operation of the holy Ghost accompanying the Word preached Faith is called the gift of God and the outward ministerie of the Word wherewith the cooperation of the spirit is ioyned is by the Prophet Esoy called the Sterne of God that is by the instrument whereby the Lord declareth his might and power to bring vs to saluation and by the Apostle Paul it is accounted the wisedome of God to bring men to saluation for saith hee seeing the world by wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God that is by the consideration of the workemanship of the world whereby God maketh manifest his exceeding Power and Wisedome it pleased God by foolish preaching to saue beleeuers as if he should say although by the wisemen of the world the preaching of the word of God is no otherwise made reckoning of then of a foolish thing yet with God it is the greatest and chiefest wisedome to bring men vnto saluation being heard and receiued with due reuerence Let vs therefore from hence know and vnderstand and lay vp in our hearts for euer that he or shee who doth not heare or negligently heareth the word of God preached by the lawfull Minister yea and doth not compasse and effect the hearing thereof without sparing cost or paines neglect their owne saluation and willingly remaine in the cursed state of damnation vnder the tyrannie of the Deuill because they neglect and despise the meanes offered vnto them by God by which they may be made members of Christ and of the house-hold of God For marke well also the prayer of Christ made a little before his Passion how hee prayeth first for his Apostles to be made one with him and then for them who shall beleeue by the preaching of them and their successours Hence let vs conclude these notes with the saying of the Apostle Saint Paul that there is no saluation without faith and no faith but by hearing the Word of God preached The sixt PRINCIPLE AS Faith is wrought in vs by the Ministerie of the word of God so it is afterward by the same word during the whole course of our liues increased and made stronger in vs. Ephes. 4. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Notes vpon the sixt Principle EVery Christian as hee is a naturall man was borne of his Father and Mother and is flesh of their flesh and after his birth hee hath his beeing and subsisting in himselfe and not in his Parents but otherwise it is of euery Christian as hee is a Christian and of the Sonne of Adam is in Christ made a new creature or regenerate man and is become the Sonne of God hee hath in Christ both the beginning of his new creation or regeneration and also his being a new creature or regenerate man and his continuing a new Creature to wit Hee hath in Christ his beginning to be and his being and continuing an holy member of his holy body of his flesh and of his bones But as a yong childe begotten after the flesh after it is borne standeth in need of nourishment thereby to be nourished and increased so he that is made a new creature or borne anew in Christ by the seede of Gods word must be fed with the same word that hee may grow in strength and spirituall increase till as the Apostle saith he become to be a perfect man and to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that is vntill he be come to perfection it selfe vvhereunto because vvee shall neuer attaine so long as vvee liue in this world vvee must all our life long be fed with the Word of God the want of which foode is a greater punishment then famine of victuals as God testifieth by his Prophet Amos 8. 11. Behold the dayes come that I will send a Famine in the Land not a Famine of bread nor a thirst of Water but of hearing the Word of God to wit eyther publikely read or preached by both vvhich vvee are effectually fed But who must preach the same such as are thereunto lawfully called for as in a Kingdome vvell ordered there is no man vvhich ought or may exercise any publike office but by the appointment and commandement of the King so none ought or can be accounted a Preacher Minister or Pastor of the Church of God to preach his word except according to Gods owne ordinance hee be lawfully called and by his lawfull calling haue from God his Commission to preach his Word for onely to the Apostles immediately and extraordinarily sent by Christ and to their Successors lawfully called by Apostolicall succession hath Christ giuen Commission publikely to preach with speciall promise of his presence with them at their Preaching by ioyning the cooperation of his Spirit vvith their Preaching Also Christ in his Prayer made a little before hee vvent into the Garden prayed onely for his Apostles and them who shall beleeue by the Preaching of the Apostles and their Successors The seauenth PRINCIPLE FAith inwardly begotten and lying bid in the heart of the true Belcener or Regenerate man is by him made manifest vnto others by the exercise of good workes appointed of God for him to walke in Ephes. 2. Marke 5. Rom. 8. Iames 2. 14. Notes vpon the seauenth Principle AMong good workes appointed for vs to walke in are principally to be remembred the Exercise of Prayer both publike and priuate the vse of the Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper hearing the Word of God preached with reading and conference relieuing the Poore willing obedience to Lawes both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill in our seuerall vocations strong striuing against and subduing of our owne lusts and affections by temperancie continencie humblenesse kindnesse patience and such like wherein vvec are admirably holpen if with feruent Prayer wee euery one particularly ioyne an earnest examination of our owne thoughts words and deedes by the tenne Commandements of

in Adam and shall be for euer in Adams posteritie but libertie from sinne and libertie from miserie cannot be had in this life but for as much as this bondage of sinne or necessitie of sinning is come vnto vs by our owne voluntarie acts for in Adam by eating the forbidden fruit wee all being in his loynes voluntarily sinned wee are all with the bondage of sinne and miserie iustly punished in him for his and our owne disobedience 5 Obiection To feede the hungry to clothe the naked to honour our Parents to serue our Maisters faithfully to obay our lawfull Gouernours to dye in defence of our Country and such like deedes done by Infidels are good deedes and no sinnes and therefore men by Nature before regeneration haue choise and libertie of will to doe some good deeds which are no sinnes Answere S. Augustine in his fourth Booke cap. 3. against Iulian the Pelagian answereth that such acts done by Infidels are doubtlesse sinnes not that in their owne nature they are sins but because they are not of Faith for whatsoeuer 〈◊〉 not of faith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. For that without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6 Againe the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whatsoeuer wee doe it must be done to no other end then to the glory of God and therefore the said acts done by Infidels cannot be said to be done to his glory because the said acts being done without faith cannot possibly please God and therfore such acts done by Infidels are doubtlesse sinnes though in their owne nature they be no sins but Morall Virtues 6 Obiection If the premisses be true then may an Infidell as well robbe his neighbour as relieue him with food or ●…aiment and so of the rest Answere God doth deepely graue Morall Virtues or the workes of the Law in the hearts of the Infidels and thereby they are guided to doe some Morall Virtues and restrained from doing many wickednesses but they being without Faith doe nothing to the right end Also the Infidels for Morall Virtues which beare but a shew of good workes are by God rewarded with the praise and fauour of men and other temporall blessings for which the Morall Virtues were done as the principall end of their action The second PRINCIPLE WEe of our selues without CHRIST can by Nature lo●…ke for no grace or pardon for our sinnes a●… Gods han●…s but hatred wrath and eternall condemnation for the same Ephes. 2. 3. Notes vpon the second Principle VVHen wee offend or sinne against GOD whose person is of infinite worthinesse our offence by consequence must needes be infinite and therefore greater then by any meanes wee of our selues can satisfie with condigne compensation because Men and Angels and all Creatures are vncapable of euery infinite action they are finite both in strength and power to doe or suffer Wherefore seeing God of his Iustice cannot pardon sinne without condigne compensation which man cannot possibly make therefore man of himselfe can looke for no grace of saluation at Gods hand who is perfectly iust true and faithfull and alwayes the same and like to himselfe with whom there is no variablenesse or shadow of changing All Virtues attributed to God are essentiall and eternall and not variable as the Virtues in men vvhich may be increased or diminished All his Curses and Iudgements against sinne must be performed as well as his mercifull promises Heauen and Earth shall passe but no word of the Lord shall passe away vnperformed The third PRINCIPLE THe Bloud of Christ Iesus crucified because of the worthinesse of his person is the onely meritorious cause thing and price which can satisfie Gods Iustice for all mens sinnes and so make them away to his fauour and mercy Act. 20. 28. Iohn 1. 7. Rom. 3. 23. 24. 25. Iohn 3. 14. Notes vpon the third Principle FIrst let vs behold Christ crucified as the Scriptures doe describe him according to which he had no part from top to toe free from paine and griefe but hung on the Tree hauing his flesh torne with whips his checkes swolne with buffets his face defiled with spittle his head stucke full with Thornes his eyes deiected for shame his eares burning with taunts his mouth sowred with Vinegar his hands and his feete wounded with Iron Spikes his bones vnioynted his sinewes pricked and strayned his whole body hanging by the sorenesse of his hands and feete and lastly though he were dead his heart pierced vvith a Speare whence issued bloud and vvater And here further let vs aduisedly obscrue in his Stripes that Pilate hauing a purpose to saue the life of Christ and not neglecting to satisfie the people who were incensed against him caused him extreamely to be whipped and to be shewed to the people in that plight with these words Behold the man to let them see that Christ had receiued very sufficient correction no crime being proued against him and so to with-draw them from secking his death In crowning him with Thornes let vs aduisedly note that the Souldiers did not onely wreath him a thicke Crowne of Thornes to sticke his head full of them but after the putting it on to fasten it they did strike him on the head with their Caues In his nayling to the Crosse or crucifying let vs aduisedly obserue that besides the greatnesse and sorenesse of his wounds which were worthy to be marked they so strayned his body least hee should stirre hand or foote that all his bones might be numbred The greatnesse of his Wounds Dauid fore-sheweth in these words They digged my hands and feete noting how wide wounds they made which were rather digged then pierced How tender and sensible the hands and feete are aboue other parts of the body and what paine and anguish the pricking strayning and tearing of the Sinewes Ligaments and ●…oynts which are very thicke and full of sense in those places did breede and kindle in the whole body Nature can teach vs without any further proofe Of the racking of his Ioynts Bernard maketh this collection out of Dauid I am so strained saith Dauid in the person of Christ that my body naked being stret●…hed like the head of a Timbrell or Drum all my bones may be numbred all my bones are out of ioynt or pulled one from th●…ther In this horrible torment of Stripes Thornes Wounds Sinewes and Ioynts our Sauiour hung on the Crosse aboue three houres in most perfect sense with extreame paine vntill the very instant that hee miraculously breathed out his Soule Hee who shortneth and lightneth the force of torments in his Saints when they be grieuous in his owne would doe neyther hee spared not himselfe who knew how to spare his hee dyed not by degrees as his Saints doe his Senses did not decay no pangs of death tooke holde vpon him but in perfect sense Patience and Obedience both of body and soule hee did voluntarily by his infinite power resigne his Spirit as he

th●… hast 〈◊〉 rec●…iued and if thou hast receiued it why dost thou boast as if thou hadst not 〈◊〉 it Thirdly the Kingdome of heau●…n is of ins●…te value and therefore cannot possi●…ly be purchased by the 〈◊〉 and deserts of finite 〈◊〉 And hence Saint Paul saith I co●…t th●…t the afflictions of this pres●…nt life are not w●…rthy of the glory which shall be reueal●… a vnto vs. Moreouer admit that the regenerate mans car●…iage and gouernement be such of his out●…ard parts and also of his desires 〈◊〉 and lusts that they br●…ake not forth into co●…mitting of grosse sinnes nor that hee giue so much as consent to his wicked lusts but hate them and is against them and bringeth forth many good workes yet for so much as hee is not so cleane washed in the La●…ar of Regeneration but that some part of his inbred corruption though it be not imputed vnto him yet remaineth in him hee can in Gods Iustice deserue nothing at Gods hands but his wrath and condemnation for the reward of sinne is death and He●… b●…aketh the whole Law wh●… by his inbre●… lusts break●…th the tenth Commandement which doth not onely forbid consent vnto wicked lusts which is also formerly forbidden by the other Commandements but goeth further and forbiddeth that vvee be not so much as ●…kled with any kinde of Concupiscence or wicked lust although our will consent not yea●… be against it Also from this inbred corruption of the regenerate man springeth not onely omission of some good which ought to be done but also wants and defects of his best deeds and to speake all in a word Imperfection of Chariti●… For Charitie which is a vertue with which wee loue that which ought to bel●…d and so is the ground of all vertues and good workes is in some more in some lesse but perfect Charitie such as the Law of GOD requireth which cannot be increased is found in none no not in the regenerate man during his life For hee cannot perfectly performe the Law of GOD and loue God with all his soule with all his heart vvith all his minde and his neighbour as himselfe Hee must needs confesse vvith the Apostle Saint Iohn If wee say wee haue no sinnes we deceiue our selues and the truth 〈◊〉 not in vs. This imperfection of Charitie wrought through the force and violence of inbred corruption is cleerely set forth and described by S. Paul in his owne person propounding himselfe a true patterne of a man regenerated Romanes 7. For in the 15. and 19. verses hee saith that this inbred corruption made him to omit the good be would and to do the euill he hated and in the 18. verse that to will was present with him but he found no meanes to performe that which was good and in the 23. verse that his inbred corruption ●…ebelled against the law of the minde and led him captiue or prisoner to the law of sinne and in the 25. verse that it made him serue the law of sinne and in the 22. verse it appeareth that hee speaketh of himselfe as a man regenerated who delighteth in the Law of God concerning the inner man VVherefore howsoeuer wee profit by the worke of regeneration by God wrought in vs yet doth our charitie good workes by reason of the force and violence of ou●…●…bred corruption or originall sins want somewhat of that they should be and the wants and defects of our good deeds we doe and the omission of the good deeds wee ought to doe are such and so many that wee of necessine though wee be regenerated must alwayes without presuming vpon our merits and deserts humbly for his mercie 〈◊〉 craue at Gods hands forgiuenes of our trespasses with this assurance that if we acknowledge our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs all our sinnes and to clense vs from all our vnrighteousnesse Obiection It seemeth that there is little difference betwixt the true beleeuer or regenerate person and the vnbeleeuer Answere The difference betwixt them is very great for sinne doth onely dwell in the regenerate person against his will but it reigneth not nor is imputed to him because hee is iustified and clensed from his sinnes by faith in CHRIST I●…VS and in this sense in the Scriptures the regenerate man is sometime said to sinne and sometime is said not to sinne The regenerate man sinneth in regard that sinne dwelleth in him though it raigne not in him And he sinneth not because sinne is not imputed vnto him but hee is notified and clensed from his sinne by the blood of Christ Iesus But in the vnregenerate man sin raigneth with his will and consent and his sinnes are imputed vnto him because hee want●…th faith to iustifie him and to cleere him from his sinnes by the rightcousnesse of Iesus Christ. Also the regenerate man may say with Saint Paul I doe not the 〈◊〉 I would but the vnregenerate man contrariwise saith I ●…not so much euill as I would which howsoeuer hee speaketh it not in expresse words yet hee hath it in his heart as may appeare in couetous ambitious and contentious persons and in Thecues Fornicators Drunkards and such like whose lusts are neuer satisfied moreouer whereas the vnregenerate man waxeth euery day vvorse and worse the regenerate man contrariwise maketh proceedings in goodnesse In vvhich though they be small it doth appeare that sinne doth not raigne in him but in some measure is ouercome by him and in him is in some manner mortified The ninth PRINCIPLE THE true beleeuer or regerate person may assure himselfe that hee shall neuer be moued from the state of saluation whereunto hee is effectually called by the ●…nisterie of the Word and that hee shall haue life euerlasting and eternall glorie in Heauen Notes vpon the ninth Principle THE Gifts and Calling of God are without repentance and with him there is no variablenosse or shaddow of change as God doth testifie of himselfe I am the Lord and I change not Wee cannot attribute vnto GOD any change of decree counsell or will concerning election or reprobation vvithout vvicked blasphemie for he that changeth his decree his counsell or his vvill doth it because he seeth he might haue beene better aduised or because hee seeth he could not haue brought his purpose to passe as he would both which doe argue imperfection and weakenesse which are abhorring and farre from the nature of God who is most perfect and infinite in his Wisedome Will and Power and in all his attributes Whatsoeuer pleaseth the Lord that doth hee both in Heauen and in Earth and in all places and hee saith of himselfe my Counsell shall stand and my Will shall be done Therefore it is doubtlesse true that some whom God hath elected to Saluation shall certainely be saued and others whom God hath reprobated shall certainely be condemned But how may a man assure himselfe that hee is of the