haâ—endi eandem Essentiam Subsistentia in Schools signifies a being with an individual property whereby one is not another Person say some is a Law term it is any thing having reason with an individual property A Person is such a subsistence in the Divine Nature as is distinguished from every other thing by some special or personal property or else it is the God-head restrained with his personal property Or it is a different manner of subsisting in the God-head as the nature of man doth diversly subsist in Peter Iames Iohn but these are not all one It differs from the Essence as the manner of the thing from the thing it self and not as one thing from another one Person is distinguisht from another by its personal property and by its manner of working We have no reason to be offended with the use of the word Person if we adde a fit Epithete and say The Father is a Divine or Uncreated Person and say the same of the Sonne and holy Ghost The word Person signifies an understanding Subsistent 2 Cor. 1. 11 Persona quasi per se una This word doth expresse more excellency then the word subsistence as one doth import for it is proper to say that a beast doth subsist but it is absurd to say a beast is a person because a Person is an understanding subsistent Dr Cheynels Divine Trin-unity The personal property of the Father is to beget that is not to multiply his substance by production but to communicate his substance to the Sonne The Sonne is said to be begotten that is to have the whole substance from the Father by communication The holy Ghost is said to proceed or to be breathed forth to receive his substance by proceeding from the Father and the Sonne joyntly in regard of which he is called The Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Sonne both Gal. 4. 6. The Father only begetteth the Sonne only is begotten and the holy Ghost onely proceedeth both procession and generation are ineffable When Gregory Nazianzen was pressed by one to assign a difference between those words Begotten and Proceeding Dic tu mihi said he quid sit generatio ego dicamquid sit processio ut ambo insaniamus Distinguere inter Processionem Generationem nescio non velâ—o non sufficio Aug. In the manner of working they differ for the Father worketh of himself by the Sonne and through the holy Ghost the Sonne worketh from the Father by the holy Ghost the holy Ghost worketh from the Father and the Sonne by himself There is so one God as that there are three Persons or divers manners of being in that one God-head the Father Son and the holy Ghost 1. Whatsoever absolutely agrees to the Divine Nature that doth agree likewise to every Person of the Trinity 2. Every Person hath not a part but the whole Deity in it self A Person is one entire distinct subsistence having life understanding will and power by which he is in continual operation These things are required to a Person 1. That it be a substance for accidents are not Persons they inhere in another thing a person must subsist 2. A lively and intelligent substance endued with reason and will an house is not a Person nor a stone or beast 3. Determinate and singular for man-kinde is not a Person but Iohn and Peter 4. Incommunicable it cannot be given to another hence the nature of man is not a person because it is communicable to every particular man but every particular man is a person because that nature which he hath in particular cannot be communicated to another 5. Not sustained by another therefore the humane nature of Christ is not a person because it is sustained by his Deity 6. It must not be the part of another therefore the reasonable soul which is a part of man is not a person That there are three Persons in the Deity viz. Father Sonne and holy Ghost is manifest by expresse Testimonies of Scripture Gen. 1. 26. Let us make man in our image after our likenesse Deus qui loquitur ad Deum loquitur Ad Patris Filii imaginem homo conditur nomen non discrepat natura non differt Hilary lib. 5. de Trin. Vide plura ibid. Gen. 19. 24. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomâ—rrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heaven The Lord rained from the Lord the Son from the Father Mercer on the place saith Sed efficaciora in Iudaeos aut alios qui Trinitatem negant argumenta sunt proferenda Num quid saith Hilary de Trin. non verus Dominus à vero Domino aut quid aliud quà m Dominus à Domino vel quid praeter significationem Personae in Domino ac Domino coaptabis memento quod quem solum verum Deum nosti hunc eundem solum justum judicem sis professus Adime filio quod iudex est ut auferas quod Deus verus est Vide plura ibid. Psal. 110. 1. The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot stool Rabbi Saadia Gaon on Daniel interprets this of the Messias Vide Grotium in Matth. 22. 42. It is of Christ that he speaks so Peter Paul and Christ himself shew Mat. 22. 43. and the Pharisees acknowledge it since he cals him His Lord although he ought to descend of his race and should be called the son of David Psal. 33. 7. there three are named the Word the Lord and the Spirit Isa. 6. 3. Holy Holy Holy But this truth is most clearly taught in the New Testament Matth. 3. 16. Luke 3. 22. The first Person in the Trinity utters his voice from Heaven This is my beloved Sonne The Sonne is baptized in Iordan the holy Ghost descends in the shape of a Dove upon Christ. Pater auditur in voce Filius manifestatur in homine Spiritus Sanctus dignoscitur in Coâ—umba Aug. Tract 6. in Joh. Adde to this the History of Christs Transfiguration described Mat. 17. 5. Mark 9. 7. Luke 9. 35. In which likewise the voice of the Father was heard from Heaven This is my beloved Son the Son is transfigured the holy Ghost manifests himself in a bright cloud Matth. 28. 19. The Apostles are commanded to baptize in the Name of Father Son and holy Ghost Cameron thinks that is the most evident place to prove the Trinity But that it is as apposite a place as any for this purpose 1 Iohn 5. 7. For there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost The Arrians wiped this place out of many Books 2 Cor. 13. 14. The grace of the Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all The Arrians Samosateâ—ians Sabellians Photinians and others deny the Trinity of Persons in one Essence of God Servetus a Spaniard was burnt
say that men might know Gods being and bounty by his works Others urge Rom. 1. 19. Act. 14. 17. The Scripture is the only means of knowing God savingly therefore it is called salvation Heb. 2. 3. See 2 Tim. 1. 10. Quid erit mundus sublato verbo quam infernus merum Satanae imperium Luther loc commun 1. Clas cap. 23. If that were true Doctrine then men may be saved without Christ or they may be saved by Christ who either know him not or believe not in him for the works of God can never reveal Christ. Solus Christus medium speculum est per quod videmus Deum hoc est cognosâ—inus ejus voluntatem Luther loc commun Clas 1. c. 1. Non solum periculosum sed etiam horribile est de Deo extra Christum cogitare Id. ibid. No man comes to the Father but by me See Iohn 17. 3. Acts 4. 12. Col. 2. Ephes. 2. 12. saith That the Gentiles were without hope and without God in the world therefore they could not conceive hope of remission of sins from the creatures Rom. 1. 20. The invisible things of God viz. his Power and God-head may be known by the contemplation of the creatures but not his mercy in pardoning sins and the hope of salvation by redemption For that power and God-head strikes a fear into a man and requires perfect obedience but doth not promise remission of sins It is true that God instructed the Heathens by his works of Creation and Providence But never any yet could instance in one of them and say assuredly that by using well their naturals he came to eternal life Zuinglius said That God did extraordinarily work grace and faith in the Heathens which opinion of his is much exagitated by the Lutherans and he is justly forsaken by the Orthodox in this point The Papists and Arminians say That God gives an universal sufficient grace to all men even to Pagans Paul Rom. 1. speaking of them all saith They became vain in their imaginations That is an excellent speech of Augustines Qui dicit hominem servari posse sine Christo dubito an ipse per Christum servari possit See Mr Burgesse of Grace Sect. 12. Serm. 120. It were a worthy work for one to collect the several places in Scripture where the relations of Christ to his Church are mentioned his various denominations also and representations are expressed they being all great props of faith CHAP. II. Of CHRIST I. His Person IN Christ we must consider two things 1. His Person 2. His Offices In his Person also we must consider two things His Natures and the Union of them His Natures are two The God-head and the Manhood The Union of them is such as is called Personal which is a concurrence of two Natures to make one Person that is an individual subsistence as the soul and body in one man I shall therefore treat of these three things The God-head of Christ. The Manhood of Christ. The uniting of these two in one Person Concerning the God-head having shewed that Christ is God even the second Person in Trinity I now will shew how he is God and why he was to be God He is God the Son the Sonne of God he calleth himself the Son and is so called of his Church Not the Father nor the holy Ghost but the Son took our nature upon him for we are admitted into the Church with this faith being baptized Into the Name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost He became our Saviour that he might make us sons unto his Father But consider how he is God not by Office nor by Favour nor by Similitude nor in a Figure as sometimes Angels and Magistrates are gods but by Nature he is Equal and Co-essential with his Father there is one God-head common to all the three Persons the Father the Sonne and the Spirit and therefore it is said That he was in the form of God and thought it no robbery to be equal with God Phil. 2. 6. Loe an equality to God the Father is ascribed to him he is not God in any secondary or inferiour manner but is in the very form of God equal to him the God-head of all the three Persons being one and the same In the next place I shall shew why he must be God There are four Reasons of it 1. That he might be able to suffer 2. To merit 3. To do those things which must be done after suffering and meriting And 4. For the further manifestation of Gods love to man First I say that he might be of power to suffer what was to be suffered by our Redeemer that is the punishment due to our sins For our Redeemer must no otherwise redeem us then by being our Surety standing in our very stead supplying our room and sustaining in his own person that punishment which all our sins had deserved at the hands of Gods Justice He must be a propitiatory Sacrifice for sinne he must be made sinne for us our iniquity must be laid upon him and he must bear our sins in his body upon the Tree Christ must suffer for sin Now the punishment due to our sins was the horrible wrath of God a burden so heavy as no shoulder of any meer creature could bear it for there is no proportion betwixt the weaknesse of man and the anger of God Wherefore he was to be God that the omnipotent power of the God-head might uphold the frailty of the manhood to the end that it might not be oppressed with the weight and sink down in despair discouragement impatiency dejectednesse or the like inconveniences which had he been driven unto he had sinned and so should have lost himself in stead of redeeming us This seems to be meant by the brazen Altar upon which the Sacrifice must be burnt and which was made with wood but covered with brasse so Christ was man but the weaknesse of the humane nature was covered with the power of the Deity that it might not be consumed Wood would have been burnt with fire brasse would not man would have been swallowed up with those sufferings had not the Divine Power upheld the same Secondly He must be God that the God-head might give worth value meritoriousnesse unto the sufferings and obedience both which the humane nature performed To the end that one man might stand in the stead of all men and that God might account himself as much satisfied in his Justice by his sole and short sufferings as if all men had suffered everlastingly and as much honoured by his obedience as if all men had obeyed it was requisite that that one man should be made more excellent then all men put together and so he was made by being God and man For the humane nature of Christ in that it is personally united unto God and hath the God-head dwelling in it bodily so that the body is the body of God and more worth then all the
which space of time none of those things were consummated of which the Angell so specially prophesieth Weeks are also taken in Scripture for years not daies so that every week makes seven ordinary years so that phrase is used Gen. 29. 47. Levit. 25. 8. So it is here taken by Interpreters generally and they fill up the summe of Four hundred and fifteen years in the space of which the God of heaven would work wonderfull things which the Angel Gabriel recites here particularly Montac Appar 2. By this the times of the Messiah are past for when the Messiah came the Sacrifice was to cease and there was a sealing up of the vision and Prophets this is ceased there is now no Vision nor Prophecy among the Jews Here only in Hebrew and twice here 25. 26. verses Messias cometh a meer proper name hence made famous Iohn 1. 41. 4. 25. Broughton on Dan. 9. 25. Some Hereticks opposed Christs Deity Arius said Christ was an excellent creature but not of the same substance with the Father Paulus Samosatenus more fitly Semisathanas held Christ was but a meer man so did Ebion He was homo verus but not homo merus Augustine on 1 Iohn 1. A true man but not a meer man He was truly God equal to the Father and truly man like to us in all things sin only excepted Servetus a Spaniard burnt at Geneva in Calvins time denied that Christ was Gods Sonne till Mary bore him He said Christ was not the eternal Son of God but the Son of the eternal God If this be truly believed that Christ is the Son of God and Saviour of the world it will work a resolution to cleave to Christ though all the world forsake him nothing will make us shrink from Christ though it cost us our lives and all our comforts 2. If we believe this because it is written in the Bible in the Old and New Testament the word of truth then we must forbear what the Word forbids and give our selves to be ruled by him and expect salvation from him according to the direction of that Word then we will believe the whole Word if we believe this which of all other parts of it hath least of sense and humane reason Some Hereticks opposed Christs manhood 1. The Marcionites which held that Christ had not the true substance but only the semblance or shew of a man alledging Phil. 2. 7. but there a true not counterfeit likenesse is understood even as one man is like another and Rom. 8. 3. similitude is not referred to flesh but to sinful flesh Iohn 1. The Word was made flesh not by mutation as the water was turned into wine Iohn 2. 19. nor by confusion by mingling the God-head and manhood together but the second Person of the Trinity took a humane body and soul into his Divine Nature Secondly The Manichees which said He had the true substance of man but that he brought his body from heaven alledging 1 Cor. 15. 47. and had it not by birth of the Virgin Mary but that is spoken of the Person of Christ not of his manhood itself Thirdly The Valentinians who held that Christ had an aerial body and assumed nothing of Mary but only passed as thorow a chanel Fourthly Apollinaris confessed the flesh of a man in him but not the soul but that this Deity was in staed of his soul. See Matth. 26. 39. The whole man must be redeemed and in its own nature the soul is the principal part of man sinne specially adheres to it and it is a true rule What Christ did not assume he did not redeem Fifthly The Ubiquitaries will have his manhood every where and so they destroy the very being of his manhood Each Nature retains their several essential Properties and it is the property of the humanity to be contained in one place at once The Papists also offer indignity to Christs manhood in that they would have his body to be in divers places at once 6. Others held his body impassible His body was not immediately created by God nor did he bring it from Heaven but he was a man of our stock and nature Heb. 2. 11 16 17. he is often called the Son of man 7. The Jews look for a Messiah to come in outward pomp yet some of their Rabbins say In regio Messiae nihil mundanum aut carnale By those Arguments Iohn 5. 30. Acts 17. 2 3. 18. 28. Rom. 16. 26. one saith many Jews have been convinced So you see what the Scripture tels of the Incarnation of Christ and how he was made of the seed of David according to the Prophecy that went before Now we are to speak something of the Union of these two Natures They are united in a personal Union such I mean as that both Natures concur to the constituting of one individual Subsistence as it is evident by this that the works and sufferings proper to one of the Natures are ascribed unto the whole Person which could not be truly affirmed if both of these Natures were not conjoyned in one Person The Actions or Properties of the God-head and Manhood both could not be given to whole Christ if the God-head and Manhood both do not constitute one Person of Christ. For the second Person in Trinity did assume to it self that frail Nature so soon as ever it had a being but had no personal Subsistence in it self so that it personally subsists by vertue of its so close and near an Union with the Person of the Son and so whole Christ might be the Sonne of God and the God of Glory might be crucified and the bloud of God might redeem us and so whatsoever was done or suffered might be attributed to the whole Christ the God-head being interessed into that which the Humanity did and suffered because of this unspeakable Union betwixt them Union ordinarily and in things natural is the joyning together of two things by one common bond but this Union is not so effected but it is performed by the voluntary and powerful Act of the one of the things to be united assuming and taking to it self the other after a manner incommunicable There have been many similitudes to make us conceive how God should become man from iron thorowly fired there is iron and fire too of the soul and body which make one Person of the Scion ingraffed in the Tree of the Jewel in a Ring of a Planet in its Orb all which may something illustrate but there is as much dissimilitude as similitude in them Only there are these rules which are good to observe First There are two Natures but not two Persons Aliud aliud but not Alius alius as there are in the Trinity it is a Union of Natures yet not a natural but a supernatural and mystical Union Secondly The Scripture expresseth it 1 Iohn 14. The Word was made flesh it was not
the Lord Psal. 91. 14. 145. 20. Psal 63. 8. 1 Iohn 4. 7. Iohn 16. 27. 1 Iohn 4. 16. Iohn 14. 23. 16. 27. Rom. 8. 28. Psal. 145. 20. Deut. 30. 19 20. 1 Corin. 2. 9. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Iames 1. 12. 2. 5. God is the proper Object of Love He is the chief good absolute allsufficient the rest and stay of the minde beyond which nothing can be desired in whom incredible joy and comfort is to be found and possessed for evermore God by Covenant is our God our Father our Husband He hath loved us and we ought to love him again His love to us is free and of meer grace our love to him is debt many waâ—es due from us and deserved by him Adam was to love God his Creator and happiness but Christians must love God as he is become their God in Christ in whom they are knit unto him The object of Charity is God in Christ God is to be loved in Christ in whom he is well pleased and greatly delighted in us Love of God must be most fervent and abundant more for degree and measure then to our selves or all creatures yea it must be with the whole power of our souls it is the summe of the Law Matth. 10 37. Luke 14. 26. 7. Fear which is a retiring or flying back from a thing if good because it is too high and excellent above the reach and without the extent of our power and condition if evil because it is hard to be escaped The fear of God is an affection of heart arising from the apprehension of Gods infinite Majesty and absolute Soveraignty both by Creation and Covenant whereby we are drawn to behave our selves more reverently dutifully uprightly respectively before him then before the greatest Monarch in the world and stand prepared to walk before him in holy manner shunning his displeasure and avoiding whatsoever might procure it God is to be feared in respect of his incomprehensible greatness absolute Soveraignty as Lord and Father and exact righteousness whereby he judgeth every man without respect of persons great Power and tender Mercies whereby he is ready to pardon them that humble themselves and intreat his favour God is absolutely called Fear Isa 8. 12 13. as unto whom all fear and dread is due Thus Iacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaac Gen. 32. 42 53. Reverence differs from simple fear which respecteth a thing as evil and so we are not bound to have it working but when we have occasion to conceive of God as angry and doth look to things as excellent and therefore must move so often as we have occasion to conceive of his Excellency Heb. 12. 28. 8. Humility when rightly discerning the infinite distance and difference that is betwixt God and us acknowledging his unspeakable Excellency and our most vile baseness in comparison of him his riches of Grace and our poverty his Power and our weakness his free undeserved Mercy and our misery we submit our selves to the good pleasure of his will wholly depend upon his Grace and ascribe every blessing we receive to his meer favour every good thing in us or that is done by us to his free goodness 9. Patience which is a full purpose of heart arising from the acknowledgement of Gods Wisdome Majesty Power Goodness Providence and Mercy with all quietness and without any pining reluctation or fainting revolting or tempting of God though the senses and appetite cannot but feel a repugnancy to sustain any evil that He will inflict upon us 10. Joy whereby the soul doth receive comfort and content in a good thing and is moved to embrace and possess the same And because God is the chief good therefore ought the soul to be moved with more vehement and fervent motions of gladness for his Love Favour Good Will and excellent Glory then for any or all other things whatsoever What we make our chiefest Joy that is our God for the heart resteth principally in that with which it is most delighted Iob 31. 25. It appears evidently by Gods Word that as a Father would have his children to live cheerfully so would God and therefore doth he so much call upon them to rejoyce Psal. 60. 19. 68. 3. Psal. 33. 1. 149. 1 2. 11. Zeal or fervour of will whereby the soul is moved and carried towards God with the strongest hottest and most fiery inclinations willing his Grace Favour and Glory infinitely above all things because it is the highest of all things that are to be loved willed desired or cared for and detesting loathing abhorring whatsoever tendeth to his dishonour Examples of thiâ— zeal we have in Moses Phineas Lot Elias David Iohn the Baptist and Christ himself In Ieremy Paul Peter and many others 12. An earnest and constant desire of Gods presence in Heaven Cant. 8 14. Phil. 1. 23. Rev. 22. 20. Each thing by nature doth covet perfection in its kinde and what nature hath taught every thing in its proper kind that Grace hath taught Christians in the best kinde viz. to desire perfect communion with God in whose presence is fulness of joy for evermore It cannot be that God should be known to be good clearly distinctly certainly and not be desired And if we know God to be the chiefest of all good things we cannot but set our affections upon him and covet above all things in the world to dwell in his presence Hitherto of those particular duties whereby we take God to be our God in minde will and affections now let us hear what be the effects of these 1. Meditation which is a staying of the minde in the serious thought and consideration of Gods Power Goodness Grace Mercy Love and Wisdome shining in the Word and Works of God specially in Jesus Christ the brightness of his glory with an holy delight and admiration at that most perfect and Divine Excellency which casteth forth the comfortable beams thereof upon the soul of him that so thinketh upon them Each particular duty before mentioned calleth for meditation knowledge is not gotten without meditation meditation kindleth love and love carrieth the thoughts after it Reverence is not raised without meditation and being raised keepeth the heart within compass that it doth not straggle up and down The glory of God as it shineth in Jesus Christ is most amiable and delightsome that if once it be truly discerned we shall take great pleasure to behold and view it What actual sight is to the eye that thought is to the mind Glorious pleasant objects draw the eye after them and what is apprehended to be Divine Excellent Pleasant Beautiful and Comfortable that will take up the mind If all thoughts affect and profit according to the nature of the object about which they are exercised then seeing God is the best most excellent most glorious object the minde that is most serious in the meditation of his Grace Power and Love in
vers 14. 1 Pet. 3. 15. Christians should be ready to give an answer to every man which doth ask them a reason of the hope which is in them the foundation is that which is first and surest laid and hath an influence into all the building Men should do all upon trial and solid conviction 1 Thess. 5. 21. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. The Papists would have the people take things upon trust they say those places concerne the Doctours of the Church not the people but compare the 20 and 21. vers in the Thessalonians and 1. vers with 6. in Iohn and we shall see the contrary This trial is profitable First Because truth then will have a greater force on the conscience Secondly This is the ground of constancie 2 Pet. 3. 17. Thirdly Hereby we shall be able to maintain the truth Matthew 11. 19. The Scriptures are fundamentum quo the fundamental writings which declare the salvation of Christians Iohn 5. 37. Christ fundamentum quod the fundamental means and cause which hath purchased and doth give it Iohn 4. 42. The person we must build on is Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. He is called the foundation of foundations Isa. 28. The doctrinal foundation is the written Word of God which is not only the object and matter of our faith but the rule and reason of it Hold Christ as your Rock build on him the Scripture as your rule and the reason of your believing this is general there are some particulars First Some things are simply necessary It were a notable work for one to determine this how much knowledge were required of all Secondly Not absolutely necessary Some make the foundation too narrow some again too wide some say that if a man nean well and go on according to the light he hath though he know not Christ he shall be saved Others say that all are bound to know distinstly the Articles of the Creed Fundamental truths are all such points of Doctrine which are so plainly delivered in Scripture that whosoever doth not know or follow them shall be damned but he that doth know and follow these though erring in other things shall be saved All the principles of Religion are plain and easie delivered clearly in 1. Scripture they are to be a rule to judge of other Doctrines 2. They are very few say some reduced to two heads by Iohn Baptist Mark 1. 15. and by Paul 2 Tim. 1. 13. 3. In all principles necessary to salvation there hath been agreement among all the Churches of Christ Ephes. 4. 5. though they may differ in superstructures Quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditur Catholicam est Vincent Lyrin These Fundamentals said a Reverend Divine now with God are twelve three concerning God three concerning Man three concerning the Redeemer three concerning the means of attaining good by this Redeemer Concerning God 1. There is one God which is an Infinite Perfect and Spirituall Essence 2. This one God is distinguished into three Persons or manners of subsistence after an incomprehensible way which we believe but cannot perfectly understand The Father begetting the Son begotten and the holy Ghost proceeding 3. This one God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost is the Maker Preserver and Governour of all things by his Wisdom Power Justice Providence Concerning man 1. That he was made by God of a visible body and an immortal and spiritual soul both so perfect and good in their kindes that he was perfectly able to have attained eternal life for himself which was provided as a reward of his obedience 2. That being thus made he yielded to the temptations of the Devil and did voluntarily sin against God in eating of the Tree forbidden and so became a childe of wrath and heir of cursing an enemy to God and slave to the Devil utterly unable to escape eternal death which was provided as a recompence of his disobedience 3. That he doth propagate this his sinfulnesse and misery to all his posterity Concerning Christ. 1. That he is perfect God and perfect Man the second Person in the Trinity who took the Nature of man from the Virgin Mary and united it to himself in one personal Subsistence by an incomprehensible Union 2. That in mans Nature he did die and suffer in his Life and Death sufficient to satisfie Gods Justice which man had offended and to deserve for mankinde Remission of sins and Life everlasting and that in the same Nature he Rose again from the Dead and shall also Raise up all men to receive Judgement from him at the last Day according to their Deeds 3. That he is the only sufficient and perfect Redeemer and no other merit must be added unto this either in whole or part Lastly Concerning the Means of applying the Redeemer they are three 1. That all men shall not be saved by Christ but onely those that are brought to such a sight and feeling of their own sinfulnesse and misery that with sorrow of heart they do bewail their sins and renouncing all merits of their own or any creature cast themselves upon the mercies of God and the only merits of Jesus Christ which to do is to repent and believe and in this hope live holily all the remainder of their life 2. That no man is able thus to see his sinnes by his own power renounce himself and rest upon Christ but God must work it in whom he pleaseth by the cooperation of his Spirit regenerating and renewing them 3. That for the working of this Faith and Repentance and direction of them in a holy life he hath left in writing by the Prophets and Apostles infallibly guided to all truth by his Spirit all things necessary to be done or believed to salvation and hath continued these writings to his people in all ages Observe those places Act. 15. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Let a man hold this that there was nothing but death in the world till Christ came and that he is come to save sinners Ioh. 17. 3. Secondly There are practical places 1 Cor. 6. 9. Titus 3. 8. Let us 1. See our selves dead without Christ and wholly trust in him 2. Let us be exemplary in our lives and conversations There are other Fundamentals which are only comparatively necessary that is expected from one man which is not expected from another and more from those that live in the Church Have these six Principles of the Apostle not only in your heads but hearts 1. That a man is dead in himself 2. That his remedy lies out of himself 3. Know the Doctrine of the Sacraments 4. The Word of God 5. Have some apprehension of the life to come 1. That there is a passage from death to life 2. That there is a fixed and irrevokable estate after this life 6. Hold the Doctrine of Faith so that Christ may live in you and you be delivered up into that forme of Doctrine lay hold on
329 Chap. 11. Signs of a Christian in regard of sin and that great corruptions may be found in true Christians Pag. 332 Chap. 12. Two Questions resolved about sin Pag. 335 Chap. 13. Of the Saints care to preserve themselves from sin and especially their own iniquities Pag. 336 Chap. 14. Of the cause of forbearing sinne of abhorring it and of small sins Pag. 338 Chap. 15. Of some particular sins and especially of Ambition Apostacy Backsliding Blasphemy Boasting Bribery Pag. 339 Chap. 16. Of carnal confidence Covetousness Cruelty Cursing Pag. 348 Chap. 17. Of Deceit Distrust Divination Division Drunkennesse Pag. 352 Chap. 18. Of Envy Error Flattery Gluttony Pag. 357 Chap. 19. Of Heresie Hypocrisie Idleness Impenitence Injustice Intemperance Pag. 361 Chap. 20. Of Lying Malice Murmuring Oppression Pag. 366 Chap. 21. Of Perjury Polygamy Pride Pag. 368 Chap. 22. Of Railing Rebellion Revenge Scandall Schism Pag. 372 Chap. 23. Of Sedition Self-love Self-seeking Slander Pag. 377 Chap. 24. Of Tale-bearing Vain-glory Violence Unbelief Unkindness Unsetledness Unthankefulness Usury Pag. 381 Chap. 25. Of Witchcraft Pag. 387 BOOK V. Of Mans Recovery by CHRIST Chap. 1. Of Mans Recovery Pag. 389 Chap. 2. Of Christ. I. His Person Pag. 394 Chap. 3. Of Christs being Man Pag. 396 Chap. 4. Of Christs Offices Pag. 404 Chap. 5. Of Christs double state of Humiliation and Exaltation Pag. 424 Chap. 6. Of Christs Exaltation Pag. 438 BOOK VI. Of the Church the Spouse of Christ and Antichrist the great enemy of Christ. Chap. 1. Of the Church of Christ. Pag. 447 Chap. 2. Of Pastors Pag. 454 Chap. 3. Of Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction and Government Pag. 466 BOOK VII Of our Union and Communion with Christ. Chap. 1. Of our Union with Christ. Pag. 485 Chap. 2. Of Effectual Vocation Pag. 489 Chap. 3. Of Conversion and Free-will Pag. 491 Chap. 4. Of Saving Faith Pag. 499 Chap. 5. Of the Communion and Fellowship Beâ—ievers have with Christ and their Benefits by him specially of Adoption Pag. 510 Chap. 6. Of Iustification Pag. 512 Chap. 7. Of the parts and terms of Iustification Remission of sins and Imputation of Christs Righteousness Pag. 519 Chap. 8. Of the Imputation of Christs Righteousness Pag. 522 Chap. 9. Whether one may be certain of his Iustification Pag. 524 Chap. 10. Whether Faith alone doth justify Pag. 528 Chap. 11. Of Sanctification Pag. 530 Chap. 12. The parts of Sanctification are two Mortification and Vivification I. Mortification Pag. 535 Chap. 13. II. Of Vivification Pag. 537 Chap. 14. The Sanctification of the Whole Soul and Body Pag. 540 Chap. 15. Of the Sanctification of the Will Pag. 542 Chap. 16. Of the Sanctification of the Conscience Pag. 544 Chap. 17. Sanctification of the Memory Pag. 546 Chap. 18. Sanctification of the Affections Pag. ib. Chap. 19. Of the particular Affections Pag. 549 Chap. 20. I. Of the Simple Affections Pag. 551 Chap. 21. II. Of Love and Hatred Pag. 555 Chap. 22. II. Desire and Flight Pag. 558 Chap. 23. Ioy and Sorrow Pag. 561 Chap. 24. Of Sorrow Pag. 565 Chap. 24. Of Hope and Fear I. Of Hope Pag. 568 Chap. 25. II. Of Fear and some mixed affections Pag. 571 Chap. 27. Of the sensitive Appetite Pag. 579 Chap. 28. Of the Sanctification of mans body and all the external Actions Pag. 580 Some special Graces deciphered Pag. 584 BOOK VIII Of Ordinances or Religious Duties Chap. 1. Something general of the Ordinances Pag. 605 Chap. 2. Of ordinary religious Duties first Of Hearing the Word Pag. 607 Chap. 3. Of Singing Psalms Pag. 609 Chap. 4. Of Prayer Pag. 611 Chap. 5. The sorts and kindes of Prayer Pag. 625 Chap. 6. Of the Lords Prayer Pag. 637 Chap. 7. Of the Sacraments Pag. 655 Chap. 8. Of Baptism Pag. 662 Chap. 9. Of the Lords Supper Pag. 678 Chap. 10. Of the Masse Pag. 700 Chap. 11. Of extraordinary religious Duties Fasting Feasting and Vows I. Of Fasting Pag. 735 Chap. 12. II. Holy Feasting or religious Thanksgiving Pag. 739 Chap. 13. Of a Religious Vow Pag. 740 BOOK IX Of the Moral Law Chap. 1. Some things general of the Commandments Pag. 749 And the ten Commandments in so many Chapters following BOOK X. Of Glorification Chap. 1. Of the General Resurrection Pag. 857 Chap. 2. Of the Last Iudgement Pag. 859 Chap. 3. Of Hell or Damnation Pag. 864 Chap. 4. Of Everlasting Life Pag. 868 THE FIRST BOOK OF THE Scriptures CHAP. I. Of Divinity in General IN the Preface or Introduction to Divinity six things are to be considered 1. That there is Divinity 2. What Divinity is 3. How it is to be taught 4. How it may be learnt 5. Its opposites 6. The Excellency of Divine Knowledge I. That there is Divinity That is a Revelation of Gods will made to men is proved by these Arguments 1. From the natural light of Conscience in which we being unwilling many footsteps of heavenly Knowledge and the divine Will are imprinted 2. From the supernatural light of Grace for we know that all Divine Truths are fully revealed in Scripture 3. From the nature of God himself who being the chiefest good and therefore most Diffusive of himself must needs communicate the Knowledge of himself to reasonable creatures for their Salvation Psal. 119. 68. 4. From the end of Creation for God hath therefore made reasonable creatures that he might be acknowledged and celebrated by them both in this life and that which is to come 5. From common Experience for it was alwayes acknowledged among all Nations that there was some Revelation of Gods will which as their Divinity was esteemed holy and venerable whence arose their Oracles and Sacrifices II. What Divinity is The Ambiguity of the Word is to be distinguished Theology or Divinity is two-fold either first Archetypal or Divinity in God of God himself by which God by one individual and immutable act knows himself in himself and all other things out of himself by himself Or second Ectypal and communicated expressed in us by Divine Revelation after the Patern and Idea which is in God and this is called Theologia de Deo Divinity concerning God which is after to be defined It is a Question with the Schoolmen Whether Divinity be Theoretical or Practical Utraque sententia suos habet autores But it seems saith Wendeline rather to be practical 1. Because the Scripture which is the fountain of true Divinity exhorts rather to practice then speculation 1 Tim. 1. 5. 1 Cor. 8. 3. 13. 2. Iam. 1. 22 25. Revel 23. 24. hence Iohn so often exhorts to love in his first Epistle 2. Because the end of Divinity to which we are directed by practical precepts is the glorifying of God and the eternal salvation of our souls and bodies or blessed life which are principally practical Wendeline means I conceive that the blessed life in Heaven is spent practically which yet seems to be otherwise Peter du Moulin in his Oration in the praise of Divinity thus
determines the matter That part of Theology which treateth of God and his Nature of his Simplicity Eternity Infinitenesse is altogether contemplative for these things fall not within compasse of action that part of it which treateth of our manners and the well ordering of our lives is meerly practick for it is wholly referred unto action Theology is more contemplative then practick seeing contemplation is the scope of action for by good works we aspire unto the beatificall vision of God Theology amongst the Heathens did anciently signifie the Doctrine touching the false worship of their gods but since it is applied as the word importeth to signifie the Doctrine revealing the true and perfect way which leadeth unto blessednesse It may briefly be defined The knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness teaching how we ought to know and obey God that we may attain life everlasting and glorifie Gods name or thus Divinity is a Doctrine revealed by God in his Word which teacheth man how to know and worship God so that he may live well here and happily hereafter Divinity is the true wisdom of divine things divinely revealed to us to live well and blessedly or for our eternal Salvation Logica est ars benè disserendi Rhetorica ars benè loquendi Theologia ars benè vivendi Logick is an art of disputing well Rhetorick of speaking well Divinity of living well Tit. 2. 11 12. Iam. 1. 26 27. It is such an art as teacheth a man by the knowledge of Gods will and assistance of his power to live to his glory The best rules that the Ethicks Politicks Oeconomicks have are fetcht out of Divinity There is no true knowledge of Christ but that which is practical since every thing is then truly known when it is known in the manner it is propounded to be known But Christ is not propounded to us to be known theoretically but practically It is disputed whether Theology be Sapience or Science The genus of it is Sapience or Wisdom which agreeth first with Scripture 1 Cor. 2. 6 7. Col. 1. 19. 2. 3. Prov. 2. 3. Secondly with Reason for 1. Wisdom is conversant about the highest things and most remote from senses so Divinity is conversant about the sublimest mysteries of all 2. Wisdom hath a most certain knowledge founded on most certain principles there can be no knowledge more certain then that of faith which is proper to Divinity The difference lurketh in the subject Wisdom or Prudence is either Moral or Religious all wisdom whether moral and ethical political or oeconomical is excluded in the definition and this wisdom is restrained to divine things or all those Offices of Piety in which we are obliged by God to our neighbour The third thing in the definition is the manner of knowing which in Divinity is singular and different from all other arts viz. by Divine Revelation The fourth and last thing in the definition is the end of Divinity which is 1. Chiefest The glory of God 2. Next A good and blessed life or eternal salvation begun in this life by the communion of Grace and Holinesse but perfected in the life to come by the fruition of glory This end hath divers names in Scripture it is called The knowledge of God John 17. 3. Partaking of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. Likenesse to God 1 John 3. 2. Eternal Salvation the vision and fruition of God as the chiefest good The next end of Divinity in respect of man is eternal life or salvation of which there are two degrees 1. More imperfect and begun in this life which is called Consolation the chiefest joy and peace of Conscience arising 1. From a confidence of the pardon of sins and of freedom from the punishment of it 2. From the beginning of our Sanctification and Conformity with God with a hope and taste of future perfection in both 2. More Perfect and Consummate after this life arising from a full fruition of God when the soul and body shall be perfectly united with God III. How Divinity is to be taught In the general it is to be handled Methodically There is a great necessity of method in Divinity that being usefull both to enlighten the understanding with the clearnesse of truth and to confirm the memory that it may more faithfully retain things therefore in Divinity there will be a special need of art and orderly disposal of precepts because the minde is no where more obtuse in conceiving nor the memory more weak in retaining There is a different way of handling Divinity according to the several kinds of it Divinity is threefold 1. Succinct and brief when Divine Truth is summarily explained and confirmed by Reasons and this Divinity is called Catechetical Systematical 2. Prolix and large when Theological matters are handled particularly and fully by Definitions Divisions Arguments and Answers this is called handling of Common-Places Scholastical and Controversal Divinity 3. Textual which consists in a diligent Meditation of the holy Scriptures the right understanding of which is the end of other instructions This again is two-fold either more Succinct and applied to the understanding of the Learned as Commentaries of Divinity or more Diffuse and Popular applied to the Capacity and Affections of the Vulgar as Preaching which is called Patheticall Divinity and is especially usefull to correct the manners of men and stirre up their Affections IIII. How Divinity is to be learned There is need of a four-fold minde to the study of it 1. Of a godly and heavenly minde most ardent Prayers in our learning being frequently poured out to God the fountain of light and wisdom that dispelling the darknesse of ignorance and errour he would deign to illuminate our minds with the clear knowledge of himself we cannot acquire Divine Wisdom as we do the knowledge of other arts by our own labour and industry it is a praise to learn humane aâ—â— of our selves here we must be taught of God 2. Oâ— a sober minde that we may not be too curious in searching out the profound Mysteries of Religion as about the Trinity Predestination we must be wise to Sobriety and not busie our selves about perplexed and unprofitable Questions being content to know such things which are revealed to us for our Salvation 3. Of a studious and diligent minde other arts are not wont to be gotten without labour this being the Queen of arts requires therefore much pains both for its difficulty and excellency 4. Of an honest and good minde Luk. 8. 40. We must learn 1. With a denial of our wit and carnal reason not measuring the unsearchable wisdom of God by our shallow capacities 2. With denial of our wicked affections 1 Pet. 1. 2 3. 3. With a firm purpose of Obedience Ioh. 7. 17. Psal. 50. 23. Prov. 28. 28. V. The things contrary to Divinity are 1. Heathenism being altogether ignorant of and refusing the true and saving knowledge of
God 2. Epicurism scoffing at Divinity 3. Heresie depraving and corrupting Divinity VI. The Excellency of Divine Knowledge or the study of Divinity appeareth in these particulars 1. In the subject Matter of it which is Divine either in its own Nature as God and Christ Psal. 70. 7. Ioh. 5. 46. or in relation to him as the Scripture Sacraments It is called The wisdom of God Prov. 2. 10. 3. 13. 1 Cor. 2. 6 7. and That wisdom which is from above Jam. 3. 17. If to know the nature of an Herb or the Sun and Stars be excellent how much more to know the Nature of God Aristotle held it a great matter to know but a little concerning the first mover and Intelligences Paul desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. that is he professed no other knowledge Si Christum discis satis est si caetera nescis Si Christum nescis nihil est si cetera discis In this Mystery of Christ God is revealed in the highest and most glorious way 2 Cor. 4. 6. there is more wisdom holinesse power justice discovered in the Mystery of the Gospel then was known before to men and Angels Christ is the summe of all divine revealed truths Luk. 24. 27. Acts 10. 43. Here is the onely knowledge which is necessary to make the man of God perfect Col. 2. 3. The Metaphysicks handle not things properly divinely revealed but that which the Philosophers by the light of nature judged to be Divine 2. In the End The principal and main end of Divinity is the glory of God that is the Celebration or setting forth of Gods infinite Excellency the secondary end is mans blessednesse Iohn 17. 3. 3. In the Certainty of it Gods Word is said to be sure and like Gold seven times refined there is no drosse of falshood in it The Academicks thought every thing so uncertain that they doubted of all things 4. In the Cause of it These truths are such as cannot be known but by Gods revealing them to us All Scripture was given by Divine Inspiration Flesh and bloud hath nor revealed this unto thee a humane light is enough to know other things 5. In the Holinesse of it Psal. 19. 5. By them thy servant is fore-warned 1 Tim. 3. 15. The word of God is able to make us wise to Salvation and to furnish to every good work Christ makes this a cause of the errour and wickednesse in mans life that they do not read and understand the Scriptures 6. In the Delight and Sweetnesse of it Iob 23. 12. preferred the Word of God before his food David before thousands of Gold and Silver before the honey and the honey-comb Psal. 19. 10. 119. 103. and when he ceaseth to compare he beginneth to admire Wanderfull are thy Testimonies Archimedes took great delight in the Mathematicks Augustine refused to take delight in Tullies Hortensius because the name of Jesus Christ was not there Nomen Iesu non erat ibi He saiâ—â— in his Confessions Sacrae Scripturae tuae sunt sanctae deliciae meae 7. In the Excellency of the Students of it 1. The Saints of God in the Old Testament the Patriarks and Prophets 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. 2. The Saints of God in the New Testament Matth. 11. 25. Col. 1. 27. 3. It is the study of the Angels and Saints of God sn heaven 1 Pet. 1. 12. Ephes. 3. 10. 1. The natural knowledge and enquiry of the Angels could never have discovered to them the Mystery of Christ in the Gospel 2. They know it by the Church that is saith Oecumenius by the several dispensations of God to his people under the Gospel 8. In that the Devil and Hereticks oppose it The Papists would not have the Bible translated nor Divine Service performed in the vulgar tongue CHAP. II. Of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures TWo things are to be considered in Divinity First The Rule of it the Scripture or Word of God Secondly The Matter of Parts of it concerning God and man Principium essendi in Divinity is God the first Essence Principium cognoscendi the Scripture by which we know God and all things concerning him I shall handle both these principles but begin with the Scripture as many Systematical Writers do IT is necessary that the true Religion have a rule whereby it may be squared else there could be no certainty in it but there would be as many Religions as men It appears by the light of nature the Heathen had known rules for their Rites Ceremonies and Services the Turks have their Alcoran the Iews their Talmud the Papists their Decretals every Art hath its Rule neither can any thing be a Duty which hath not a Rule There are three general Characters whereby we may know any Word to be the Word of God and a Religion to be the true Religion 1. That which doth most set forth the glory of God 2. That which doth direct us to a rule which is a perfect rule of holinesse toward God and righteousnesse toward man 3. That which shews a way sutable to Gods glory and mens necessity to reconcile us to God The word of God sets forth Gods glory in all the perfections and is a compleat rule of holinesse to God and righteousnesse to men All the wisdom of the world cannot shew what is more sutable to the glory of God and the nature of man to reconcile God and men then for him that is God and man to do it God revealed himself divers wayes to the Fathers Heb. 1. 1. The manner of revealing Gods will is three-fold according to our three instruments of conceiving viz. Understanding Phantasie and Senses to the understanding God revealed his Will by engraving it in the heart with his own finger Ier. 31. 33. by Divine inspiration 2 Pet. 1. 21. 2 Chron. 15. 1. Heb. 8. 11. Iohn 14. 26. and by intellectual Visions Numb 11. 5. to the phantasie God revealed his Will by imaginary Visions to Prophets awake and by dreams to Prophets asleep Gen. 40. 8. 41. 8 9. Acts 16. 10. 10. 3. Numb 14. 4. to the Senses God revealed his Will and that either by Vision to the Eye or lively Voice to the Ear Gen. 3. 9. 4. 6. 15. 4 5. Exod. 20. 1 2. 3. 1 2 3. 33. 17. And lastly by writing This Revelation was sometimes immediate by God himself after an unspeakable manner or by means viz. Angels Urim and Thummim Prophets Christ himself and his Apostles The written Word for the Matter contained in it is called The word of God Rom. 9 6 for the manner of Record The Scripture John 10. 35. 2 Tim. 3. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 6. or Scriptures Matth. 22. 29. John 5. 39. Rom. 15. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 16. By an Antonomasie or an excellency of phrase as the most worthy writings that ever saw the light sometimes with an
could ever have found out such an admirable temper and mixture of Mercy and Justice together as the Gospel revealeth in the reconciliation of God with man God hath declared himself to be most just yet most merciful Rom. 3. 24 25 26 Justice requires that there should be no freeing of a guilty person without satisfaction sinne deserved an infinite punishment that satisfaction could not be made by man himself mercy therefore provides a Saviour which God bestows on him vers 25. God in giving and establishing his Law useth no other Preface but I am the Lord Exod. 20. nor Conclusion but I the Lord have spoken it upon his absolute authority without other reasons to perswade commanding what is to be done though it be contrary to our natures forbidding what is to be left undone though pleasing to us he promiseth things incomprehensible requiring Faith he relateth and teacheth things strange above likelihood above mans capacity and yet will have them to be believed to be understood There is nothing in the Law against reason or common equity A Jesuite reports in his History that when his fellows came first to preach in the East-Indies the Gentiles and Indies there hearing the ten Commandments did much commend the equity of them See Sr Walter Rawleighs History 2. It teacheth the Nature and Excellency of God and the Works of God more clearly and distinctly than any other writings nay then any without God could have contrived viz. That there are three Persons and one God that God is Infinite Omniscient Omnipotent most Holy that he created all things that he doth by a particular Providence rule all things that he observes all mens actions and will call them to account and give every man according to his works that he alone is to be worshipped and that he must be obeyed in his Word above all creatures 3. It requireth the most exact and perfect goodnesse that can be such as no man could ever have conceited in his brain and yet such as being taught and revealed the conformity of it to right reason will enforce any well-considering man to acknowledge it to be most true and needful for example that a man must love God above all and his neighbour as himself that he must keep his thoughts free from all the least taint of sinne that he must lay up his treasures in Heaven not care for this life and the things thereof but all his study and labour must be to provide well for himself against the future life that he must not at all trust in himself nor in any man but only in God and that he must do all he doth in Gods strength that he can deserve nothing at Gods hand but must look for all of free favour through the merits and intercession of another 4. The end of the Scripture is Divine viz. The glory of God shining in every syllable thereof and the salvation of man not temporal but eternal These writings leade a man wholly out of himself and out of the whole world and from and above all the creatures to the Creator alone to give him the glory of all victories therefore they are from him and not from any creature for he that is the Author of any writing will surely have most respect of himself in that writing The Scriptures manifest Gods glory alone Ier. 9. 23 24. 1 Cor. 1. 31. ascribe infinitenesse of being and all perfections to him Nehem. 9. 6. The Doctrines Precepts Prohibitions and Narrations tend to the setting forth of his glory and bring solid and eternal comfort and salvation to their souls which follow their direction They make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15 23. Shew the path of life Psal. 16. 11. Guide our feet into the way of peace Luk. 1. 79. Christ Iohn 7. 18. proves that he came from God because he sought not his own glory but the glory of him that sent him 5. Another reason is taken from the difference of these writings from all other whatsoever in regard of their phrase and manner of writing There is a certain authoritative or God-like speaking unto the creature from place to place See the first Chapter of Isaiah and 53. and the eighth Chapter to the Romans The Prophets and Apostles propound divine truths nakedly and without affectation 1 Cor. 2. 1. Habent sacrae Scripturae sed non ostendunt eloquentiam August They expresse the things they handle with a comely gravity the form of speech is fitted both to the dignity of the speaker the nature of the thing revealed and mans capacity for whose sake it was written All other Writings use perswasive and flourishing speeches these command and condemn all other Gods all other Religions all other Writings and command these only to be had in request and esteem and acknowledged as the will of God without adding or diminishing requiring every conscience to be subject to them and to prepare himself to obedience without any further objecting or gain-saying and to seek no further then to them for direction Both the Simplicity and Majesty of stile shew it to be from God the wonderfull plainnesse and yet glorious Majesty the Simplicity because it is plain in no wise deceitful and because it describes great matters in words familiar and obvious to the capacity of the Reader the Majesty since it teacheth so perspicuouslâ— the chiefest mysteries of Faith and divine Revelation which are above humane capacity Whether we read David Isaiah or others whose stile is more sweet pleasant and â—hetorical or Amos Zachary and Ieremiah whose stile is more rude every where the Majesty of the Spirit is apparent There is an Authority and Majesty in them above all other Writings of other Authors the Scriptures command all both King and People Ier. 13. 18. 1 Sam. 12. ult and binde the heart to its good abearing Ierom could say As oft as I read Paul it seems to me that they are not words but thunders which I hear Iunius reading the first Chapter of Iohn was stricken with amazement by a kinde of Divine and stupendious Authority and so he was converted from Atheism as himself saith in his life Divinitatem argumenti authoritatem sentio Iohannes Isaac a Jew was converted by reading the 53. of Isaiah Our Saviour spakâ— As one having Authority not as the Scribes So this book speaks not as men it simply affirms all things without proof other Authoâ—s use many Arguments to confirm the truth of what they say Therefore Raimundus de Sabunda hence proves That he who speaketh in the Bible is of that Authority that his bare word ought to be believed without any proof whereas Galen Atheistically urged it the other way The Socinians reject all things in Religion which they cannot comprehend by reason Nihil credendum quod ratione capi nequeat They hold That a man is not bound to believe any Article of Faith nor any Interpretation of
Scripture except it agree with his reason what is above reason cannot be comprehended by it Bernard in 192 of his Epistles speaks of one Petrus Abailardus which vented the Socinian Doctrine in his time Christianae fidei meritum vacuare nititur dum totum quod totum Deus est humana ratione arbitratur posse comprehendere Cum de Trinitate saith he loquitur sapit Arium cùm de â—ratia Pelagium cùm de persona Christi Nestorium He was a man of a fair carriage professing holinesse conversatioâ—es doctrina venenum But Abailar dus denies this in his Works lately published Tertullian called the Philosophers who followed reason Patriarcâ—as haerâ—tiâ—orum pessimum est illud principium recta ratio non potest statuere de â—ulâ—u divino There are these uses of reason 1. To prepare us that we should hearken to the Word 2. After we have believed it will help us to judge of things 3. To prevent fanatick opinions Mysteries of Religion are not repugnant to reason 4. That we may draw necessary consequences from truths revealed The Philosophers called the Christians by way of scorn Credentes Iulian derided the Christian belief because it had no other proof then Thus saith the Lord. There is an obedience of faith Rom. 1. 5. 6. Another Argument is taken from the experience of the truth of the Predictions and Prophecies thereof For seeing it is generally confessed that only the Divine Essence can certainly foresee things contingent which are to come many ages after and which depend upon no necessary cause in nature therefore in what writings we meet with such things fore-told and do finde them fully and plainly accomplisht these writings we must confesse to have their birth from Heaven and from God Now in the Scripture we have divers such predictions The two principal and clearest which are most obvious and evident are 1. The Conversion of the Gentiles to the God of Israel by means of Christ. For that was fore-told exceeding often and plainly In him shall the Gentiles trust and he shall be a light to the Gentiles Iacob lying on his death-bed said The obedience of the Gentiles shall be to him And David All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God and Isaiah In him shall the Gentiles trust and Malachy My name shall be great to the ends of the earth See Isa. 49. 6. 60. 3 5. Scarce one of the Prophets but have spoken of the conversion of the Gentiles Now we see the Gentiles turned from their Idols a great number of them and imbracing the God of the Jews and the Scriptures of the Jews by means of Christ whom they see and acknowledge to be the Messias fore-told to the Jews Again it was fore-told that Christ should be a stone of offence to the Jews that they should reject him and so be rejected by God from being a people Do we not see that to be performed The accomplishment of these two main Prophecies so long before delivered to the world by the Pen-men of holy Writ shews manifestly that they were moved by the holy Ghost That Promise Gen. 3. 15. was made 3948 years before it was fulfilled as Scaliger computes it It was fore-told of Christ that they should cast lots about his Garments and that his bones should not be broken Look upon this in the inferiour causes the souldiers that brake the other mens bones and it seems to be a very hap and chance yet there was a special ordering of this in Gods providence The predictions of Satan were doubtfull and ambiguous but these are distinct and plain Satans predictions are of things which might be gathered by conjecture for the most part false though Satan cover his lying by likelihoods but these are above the reach of Angels most true and certain Satans end was confirmation in sin and Idolatry 7. The Commandments are 1. Most righteous and equal 2. Impartial they binde all men and all in men the affections thoughts and consciences and that perpetually The severest Law-givers never made Laws for the thoughts because they had no means to discover and controll them Cogitationis poenam nemo patitur We say commonly Thoughts are free therefore it is the Word of God which searcheth the heart Exod. 20. 17. True love to our selves is required and we are to love our neighbour as our selves The Laws of men do not binde the conscience at least primarily and immediately Conscientia immediatè Deo tantùm subjicitur He onely can command the conscience that knows it and can judge it Secondly The Threatnings are general 1. In respect of Persons 2. In respect of things Deut 28. 59 60. 3. The Promises are comprehensive blessings of all kinds Lov. 26. and strange Exod. 34. 24. of eternal life Mark 10. 29 30. 1 Pet. 1. 4. 8. Another reason may be taken from the Antiquity of the Scripture many wonder at the Pyramids of Aegypt being the most ancient structure in the world The Bible contains a continued History from age to age for the space of four thousand years before Christ even from the beginning No Writer of any humane Story can be proved to be more ancient then Ezra and Nehemiah who wrote about the year of the world 3500. Amongst the Grecians some say Homer is the most ancient Author that is extant who lived long after Troy was taken for that was the subject of his Poem Now those times were not near so ancient as those in which the Scripture was written Homer was after Moses six hundred and odde years saith Peter du Moulin That which the Aegyptians brag of their Antiquity is fabulous by their account they were six thousand years before the Creation unlesse they account a moneth for a year and then it maketh nothing against this Argument History is an usefull and delightfull kinde of Instruction Among Histories none are comparable to the Histories of sacred Scripture and that in their Antiquity Rarity Variety Brevity Perspicuity Harmony and Verity Dr Gouge on Exodus 13. 13. That Song of Moses Exod. 15. was the first Song that ever was in the world Orpheus Musaeus and Linus the most ancient of the Poets were five hundred years after this time 9. The Power and Efficacy of the Scripture upon the souls of men sheweth it to be of God and the wonderfull alteration that it makes in a man for God when he doth entertain and believe it in his heart it makes him more then a man in power to oppose resist and fight against his own corruptions it brings him into a wonderfull familiarity and acquaintance with God It puts such a life and strength into him that for Gods sake and his truth he can suffer all the hardest things in the world without almost complaining yea with wonderfull rejoycing Psal. 119. 92. The holy Ghost by means of this word works powerfully in changing and reforming a man 1. It overmasters the
then godlinesse and yet though carefull of keeping them they have not been able to preserve them from perpetual forgetfulnesse whereas on the other side these holy Writings hated of the most part and carelesly regarded of a number have notwithstanding as full a remembrance as they had the first day the Lord gave them unto the Church The Roman Empire for three hundred years set it self to persecute and extirpate this new Doctrine and in all these troubles the Church grew and inâ—â—cased mightily Acts 12. 1. Herod killed Iames with the sword yet v. 24. the Word grew and multiplied Calvin with all his Works since the time they were written scarce made so many Protestants in France as I have credibly heard it reported that the Massacre made in one night L. Falk reply about the Infallibility of the Church of Rome The Miracles wrought in the confirmation of Scripture differ much from the wonders wrought by the false Prophets Antichrist and Satan himself Mat. 10. 8. Mat. 24. 24. 2 Thes. 2. 11. Apoc. 13. 13 14 they are neither in number nor greatnesse comparable to these 1. They differ in Substance Divine Miracles are above the force of Nature as dividing of the red Sea the standing still of the Sunne the others seem wonderfull to those which are ignorant of the cause of them but are not true miracles simply above the ordinary course of nature but effected by the art and power of Satan or his instruments by natural causes though unknown to men and many times they are but vain delusions 2. They differ in the end those true miracles were wrought by the finger of God for the promoting of his glory and mans salvation these to seal up falshood and destroy men confirmed in Idolatry and Heathenism 2 Thes. 2. 9. See Deut. 13. 1 2 3. Those were not done in a corner or secretly but openly in the presence of great multitudes nay in the sight of the whole world by the evidence of which an unknown Doctrine before contrary to the nature and affections of men was believed Bainham said in the midst of the fire Ye Papists Behold ye look for miracles and here now ye may see a miracle for in this fire I feel no more pain then if I were in a bed of Down but it is to me as sweet as a bed of Roses The miracles done by our Saviour Christ and his Apostles received Testimony of the bitterest enemies they had 2. The Testimony 1. Of the Church and Saints of God in all ages 2. Of those which were out of the Church 1. Of the Church Both Ancient and Judaical And the present Christian Church 2. Of the Members of the Church 1. The Church of the Jews professed the Doctrine and received the Books of the Old Testament and testified of them that they were Divine which invincible constancy remaineth still in the Jews of these dayes who though they be bitter enemies to the Christian Religion do stifly maintain and preserve the Canon of the Old Testament pure and uncorrupt even in those places which do evidently confirm the truth of Christian Religion 2. The Christian Church hath also most faithfully preserved the Old Testament received from the Jews and the new delivered by the Apostles as a depositum and holy pledge of the Divine Will Col. 4. 16. 2. Of the Members of the Church the constant Testimony which so many worthy Martyrs by their bloud have given to the truth Rev. 6. 9. Four things are to be considered in this Argument 1. The Number which suffered for the same is numberlesse many millions that none can imagine it to arise from pride weaknesse or discontent More Christians were slain as hath been observed under the ten bloudy persecutions then Paschal Lambs were offered up under the State of the Old Testament 2. The Quality and condition of them which suffered noble and base learned and unlearned rich poor old young men women children those which were tender and dainty all these could not suffer out of vain-glory that stubbornly they might defend the opinion which they had taken up 3. The torments used were usual unusual speedy slow some hewed in pieces burnt with slow fire cast in to Lions given to be devoured by the teeth of wilde beasts some beheaded some drowned some stoned with stones 4. All this they endured constantly patiently with great joy even a chearfull heart and merry countenance singing Psalms in the midst of the fire so that the madnesse of the enemy was overcome by the patience of them which did suffer Luther reports of the Martyr St Agatha as she went to prisons and tortures she said she went to Banquets and Nuptials That Martyr Hawks lift up his hands above his head and clapt them together when he was in the fire as if he had been in a triumph So that their testimony was not only humane God enabling them so stoutly to die for the truth Phil. 1. 29. See the History of the Councel of Trent pag. 418. and Dr Taylors Sermon on Dan. 3. 22 23 24. stiled The Roman Fornace Martyrs of other Sects differ from the Martyrs of the true Church 1. They were fewer 2. They suffered not with joy of Conscience which the godly Martyrs did 3. They were punished for their errours discovered the Martyrs were burned for having any part of the Bible and the Bible sometime with them where the Inquisition reigns it is death to have any part of the Bible in the vulgar tongue The Gentiles also which were out of the pale of the Church did give testimony to sundry Stories and Examples in the Bible Suetonius and Tacitus speaks of the miracles of Christ Pliny of the miracles of Moses and of the wise mens Starre Macrobius of the slaughtering of the Infants Iosephus of the death of Herod the Poets of the Floud Plutark of the Dove which Noah sent out Iosephus a Jew saith in his time there was a monument of the pillar of Salt into which Lots wife was turned Of Sodoms destruction speaketh Sâ—rabo Diodorus Siculus Galen in his Book of Simples Pliny Solinus Polyst hist. Tacitus lib. ult Mela acknowledging that the remainders of Gods wrath are still to be seen there as the dead Lake the Fruit fair to the eye but falling to cinders and smoke in the hand The Oracles of the Sybillae were in greatest account among the Heathen and held as true of all men and if those be they which we have there is nothing which can more plainly set forth the birth of Christ his life and death Causabon makes it apparent that those prophecies of Sybil were counterfeited pieces and at first entertained by such as delighted in seeing the Christian Religion strengthned with forreign proofs Hereticks also prove the Scripture to be Divine for they quote that and therefore Luther cals the Bible Librum Haereticorum
understand Hebrew And how came this Authenticall Copy and Prototype to be lost for it is not now extant How ever the Greek edition is Authentical because it came forth when the Apostles were living and was approved by them which the Ancients confirm Of the time when Matthew wrote Authors agree not Eusebius saith that he wrote in the third year of â—ajus Caesar others say he wrote after Claudeus He wrote his Gospel in the fifteenth year after Christs Ascention saith Nioâ—phorus the one and twentieth saith â—â—enâ—us in the eighth year saith Theophylact It consists of twenty eight Chapters in which the person of Christ and his three Offices of Prophet Priest and King are described The best Expositors of it are Hilary Musculus Paraeus Calvin Aquinas was wont to say That he desired but to live so long till he might see the golden-mouthed Father St Chrysostom his imperfect work upon Matthew finished Dr Featleys Preface to his Stricturae in Lyndo mastigem Mark He was the Disciple of Peter and wrote his Gospel from him in the fourth year of Claudius Caesar say some He wrote not in Latine as Bellarmine saith but in Greek Concerning the Archetypal Language in which the Gospels of Mark and Luke were written See Mr Selden in Eutichii orig It consists of sixteen Chapters in which Christs three-fold Office is also explained The best Expositors of it are Calvin Beza Piscator Maldonate Iansenius Luke He was for Countrey of Antioch for profession a Physician there is mention made of him Col. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 4. 11. Philem. 24. He was companion to Paul the Apostle in his travels and in prison He only makes a Preface before his Gospel that he may briefly shew the cause which induced him to write The best Expositors of it are Calvin Beza Piscator Maldonate Iansenius Iohn In Hebrew signifieth the grace of God he soareth higher then the other Evangelists to our Saviours Divinity and therefore as Nazianzen among the Fathers he is called the Divine by an Excellency because he hath so graphically and gravely described the Divinity of the Son and hath written also of things most Divine and Theological Melancthon called Calvin a Divine by an Excellency and then when Calvin being but a young man did most gravely treat of divine matters He hath the Eagle for his Ensign assigned him by the Ancients He was called Presbyter by reason of his age being the longest liver of all the Apostles He wrote the last of all when he returned from the Isle Patmos therefore there is something more in every Chapter of Iohn then any other of the Evangelists He alone describeth the admirable Sermon which our Saviour made at his last Supper and his Prayer It is generally thought and I think not untruly that the blasphemous heresies of Ebion and Cerinthus who denied that our Saviour was God or had any being before he took flesh of the holy Virgin his mother was one especial occasion of writing this Gospel Mr Wotton Serm. 2. on 1 Ioh. 1. 2. It consists of one and twenty Chapters in which the Person of Christ consisting of the Divine and humane Nature is described In his Gospel is described first Christs person in the first Chapter 2. His Office in the second Chapter to the twelfth 3. His death from the twelfth to the end The best Expositors of him are Calvin Beza Piscator Rollock Tarnovius Musculus Acts Luke in the Proem of it makes mention of the Gospel written by him that he might profess himself to be the Author of both It consists of eight and twenty Chapters Luke calleth his History The Acts of the Apostles though it be specially of their sufferings because even their passions were actions they enlarged the Kingdom of Christ by their sufferings The best Expositors of it are Brentius De Dieu Calvin Sanctius The thirteen Epistles of Paul one to the Romans two to the Corinthians one to the Galatians one to the Ephesians one to the Philippians one to the Colossians two to the Thessalonians two to Timothy one to Titus and one to Philemon the Primitive Church unanimously received into the Canon and never doubted of their being Apostolical They have their name Epistles à forma Epistolari qua conscriptae sunt A Lapide Estius Grotius and Vorstius have done well on all the Epistles Imprimis Estius ex Pontificiis saith Voetius The Epistles are for the most part written in this order they have 1. An Inscription wherein is the name of the Writer and of them to whom he writes and his wish 2. The matters of the Epistle which are sometimes meerly religious concerning certain Articles of faith or piety of life or about the use of things indifferent or else familiar things witnessing their mutual good will 3. The Conclusion in which are Exhortations Salutations Wishes or other familiar matters There are 21 Epistles fourteen written by Paul and seven more written by Peter Iohn Iames and Iude. Concerning the time and place in which the several Epistles were written it is not easie to determine I will premise something about the order of the Epistles before I speak of them particularly Some of Pauls Epistles were written before his imprisonment some in his bonds both former and later Before his imprisonment the first of all that was written were both the Epistles to the Thessalonians they were written from Corinth the 8th or 9th year of Claudius Titus was written by Paul in those two years that he stayed at Ephesus Galatians At the end of the two years that Paul was at Ephesus the Epistle to the Galatians seems to be written 1 Cor. 16. 2. by which words the Apostle seems to intimate that this Epistle to the Galatians was written before that to the Corinthians Corinthians Paul living two years at Ephesus in the 11th and 12th year of Claudius the Corinthians wrote to him 1 Cor. 7. 1. and that by Stephanus and Fortunatus which they sent to him Chap. 16 17. by whom Paul seemeth to have written back the first Epistle to the Corinthians for in that he exceedingly commends them of Corinth It was not written from Philippi as the Greek superscription hath it but from Ephesus as the Arabick interpreter hath it as is manifest Chap. 16. 8. The second Epistle to the Corinthians and the first of Timothy strive for priority Et sub judice lis est Both of them were written a little after Paul departed from Ephesus and while he departed to Macedonia but it is not manifest which was the first First Epistle to Timothy Some think that this Epistle was written by Paul in his bonds but not rightly for he makes no mention of his bonds in it It is probable that it was written from Athens as it is in the Arabick subscription when he came from Macedonia to Greece and so it was written after the first Epistle to the Corinthians Romans The Epistle
Infinite in him He alone is good Matth. 19. 17. and onely wise Rom. 16. 27. and King of Kings 1 Tim. 6. 15. They are affirmed of him both in the concrete and abstract He is not only wise and good but wisdom and goodness it self Life and Justice it self Fifthly They are all actually and operatively in God He doth know live and will his holiness makes us holy Every Attribute in God as it is an excellency in him so it is a principle to conveigh this to us Gods wisdome is the fountain of wisdome to us We are to seek Eternal Life from his Eternity Rom. 6. 23. 6. All these are in God objectively and finally our holiness looks upon his holiness as the face in the Looking glasse on the man whose representation it is and our holiness ends in his The Attributes of God are Everlasting Constant and Unchangeable for ever in him at one time as well as another The Qualification of every service we perform ought to be taken from the Attribute of God which we would honour He is a great King Mal. 1. 14. therefore great service is due to him The Attributes of God are the objects of our Faith the grounds of our Prayer and the matter of our Thankfulness If one cannot pitch upon a particular promise in prayer yet he may bottome his Faith upon an Attribute 2 Chron. 20. 6. Iohn 17. 17. This may minister comfort to Gods people Gods Attributes are not mutable accidents but his very Essence his Love and Mercy are like himself Infinite Immutable and Eternal In the midst of all Creature comforts let thy heart rise up to this But these are not my portion 2. If God at any time take away the comforts from thee say Satis solatii in uno Deo his aim is when he takes away creature-comforts that you should enjoy all more immediately in himself Matth. 6. 21 22. This shews that the Saints self-sufficiency lies in Gods All-sufficiency Gen. 17. 1. Prov. 14. 14. exercise Faith therefore upon every Attribute that thereby thou maist have the use and improvement of it Ephes. 6. 10. and give unto God the praise of every Attribute Psal. 21. 13. 2. We should imitate God and strive to be immutably good and holy as he is Levit. 11. 44. Mat. 5. 48. These Attributes are diversly divided They are affirmative and Negative as Good Just Invisible Immortal Incorporeal Proper and Figurative as God is Good Wise Members and humane affections are also attributed to him Absolute and Relative without any Relation to the creatures as when God is said to be Immense Eternal he is likewise said to be a Creator King Judge Some describe God as he is in himself he is an Essence Spiritual Invisible most Simple Infinite Immutable and Immortal Some as he is to us he is Omnipotent most Good Just Wise and True Some declare Gods own Sufficiency so he is said to be Almighty Infinite Perfect Unchangeable Eternal others his Efficiency as the working of his Power Justice and Goodness over the Creatures so he is said to be Patient Just Mercifull Some are Incommunicable and agree to God alone as when he is said to be Eternal Infinite Others are Communicable in a soâ—t with the creatures as when he is said to be Wise Good The communicable Attributes of which there are some resemblances to be found in the creature are not so in us as in God because in him they are Essential The incommunicable Attributes are communicable to us in their use and benefit though not in their Nature they are ours per modum operationis the others per modum imaginis his Omnipotency acts for us 1 Pet. 2. 9. These Properties in God differ from those Properties which are given to men and Angels In God they are Infinite Unchangeable and Perfect even the Divine Essence it self and therefore indeed all one and the same but in men and Angels they are finite changeable and imperfect meer qualities divers they receiving them by participation only not being such of themselves by nature God doth some great work when he would manifest an Attribute when he would manifest his Power he created the World when he would manifest his Holinesse he gave the Law when he would declare his Love he sent his Sonne when he would shew his Goodness and Mercy he made Heaven when he would discover his Justice and hatred of sinne he made hell Psal. 63. 2. and 106. 8. Arminians and Socinians indeavour to corrupt the Doctrine of God in his Essence Subsistence and Decrees Under the first Covenant three Attributes were not discovered 1. Gods pardoning Mercy that was not manifested till the fall 2. His Philanthropy or love to man Hebr. 2. 16. 3. The Patience and Long-suffering of God he cast the Angels into hell immediately after their sinne All the Attributes are discovered in the second Covenant in a higher way his Wisdom was manifested in making the world and in giving a Law but a greater Wisdom in the Gospel Ephes. 3. 10. the Truth and Power of God were more discovered under the second Covenant It is hard to observe an accurate method in the enumeration of the Attributes Zanchy D. Preston and M. Stock have handled some few of them none that I know hath written fully of them all CHAP. III. That GOD is a Spirit Simple Living Immortall GOd in respect of his Nature is a Spirit that is a Substance or â—ssence altogether Incorporeal This the Scripture expresly witnesseth Iohn 4 24. 2 Cor. 3. 17. An understanding Spirit is either created or uncreated Created Spirit as the soul of man or an Angel Psal. 104. 4. 1 Cor. 6. ult uncreated God Whatsoever is affirmed of God which is also communicable to the creatures the same must be understood by a kinde of Excellency and Singularity above the rest Angels are Spirits and the souls of men are spirits but God is a Spirit by a kinde of Excellency or Singularity above all spirits the God of Spirits Numb 16. 22. the Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 9. the Author of Spirits and indeed the Spirit of spirits The word Spirit in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew Ruach is used chiefly of God and secondarily of the creatures when it is used of God it is used either properly or metonymically properly and so first essentially then it signifieth the God-head absolutely as Iohn 4. 24. or more restrictively the Divine Nature of Christ Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 18. Secondly Personally for the third Person in the Trinity commonly called the holy Spirit or Ghost 1 Cor. 2. 11. If the word be taken metonymically it signifieth sometimes the effects of grace either the common graces of Gods Spirit prophetical 1 Sam. 10. 6 10. miraculous or the sanctifying graces Ephes. 5. 18. Angels and mens souls are created spirits but God is an infinite Spirit the word is not applied to God in the same sense Nihil de Deo creaturis
recovered Prov. 27. 1. God is most Simple Ens simplicissimum Simplicity is a property of God whereby he is void of all composition mixtion and division being all Essence whatsoever is in God is God Simpleness is the first property in God which cannot in any sort agree to any creature God is Simple because he is free from all kindes of composition which are five 1. Of Quantitative parts as a body 2. Of essential parts matter and form as a man consists of soul and body 3. Of a genus and difference as every species 4. Of subject and accidents as a learned man a white wall 5. Of act and power as the spirits Every creature is subject to composition and consequently to division All things which are created are made by joyning together more things then one in one and so they consist of divers things Some have a more grosse and palpable composition of parts both essential and integral as a man of soul and body and the body of flesh bloud bone and such parts The Spirits which have not so plain a composition are yet compounded of substance and accidents sustained by that substance and inherent in it for the substance of an Angel and his faculties and qualities are different things his life is one thing his Reason another his Will another his Power Wisdom Nimblenesse other things So the soul of a man and all created things are made up of many things conjoyned in one God is absolutely Simple he is but one thing and doth not consist of any parts he hath no accidents but himself his Essence and Attributes are all one thing though by us diversly considered and understood If he did consist of parts there must be something before him to put those parts together and then he were not Eternal Isa. 43. 10. In God to be to will and to doe are the same Iohn 15. 26. compared with Iohn 14. 6. and 1 Iohn 1. 7. compared with 1 Ioh. 1. 5. where to have life and be life to be in the light and be light are the same God is therefore called in the Abstract Light Life Love Truth Iohn 14. 6. 1 Iohn 4. 8. This is one Reason why God is so perfect because he is Ens Simplissimum In every kinde a thing is so much Perfect by how much it is more Simple and Pure Whence the same Hebrew word signifieth both Simple and Perfect 2. No Accidents are in God when we affirm that God is good and gracious we mean it not as when we say so of men in men they are Qualities Vertues in God they are his Essence 1. We should be simple as Doves Matth. 10. 16. Simplicitas Columbina non Asinina Carthusian Eph 6. 5. 2 Cor. 1. 12. It is called godly sincerity which God worketh and which is pleasing to him Simplenesse and Simplicity of heart is the main thing in Christianity Eph. 6. 5. Col. 3. 22. 2. Here is matter of joy and comfort to the good Mercy and Love are Gods Essence Isa. 54. 8. and of Fear and Terror to the wicked because Gods Anger and Justice are his Essence and he is Unchangeable God is Living He is often called the living God in opposition to dead Idols Turn from Idols to serve the living God Gen. 16. 14. 24. 62. 25. 11. Deut. 5. 26. Ruth 3. 23. Iud. 8. 19. Isa. 3. 10. Ier. 10. 10. Ezek 3. 11. Dan. 4. 34. Matth. 16. 76. Acts 14. 15. He is called Life 1 Iohn 5. 18. The fountain of Life Psal. 36. 9. He hath his name in Greek from life He saith often of himself I live as if he should say I alone do truly live and he often adds for ever Deut. 32. 40. The Oath which the Father 's used is most frequent The Lord liveth Jer. 5. 2. and 12. 16. for they swore by him who truely and alwayes lives He himself swears by nothing but by his Life and Holinesse Iud. 8. 24. Ruth 3. 3. This Oath is used fourteen times in Ezekiel Zeph. 2. 9. Jer. 46. 18 22 24. Isa. 49. 18. Deut. 32. 40. Numb 14. 21 28. God is called the living God 1. To distinguish him from the false gods of the Gentiles which were dead and senslesse stocks Acts 14. 15. 1 Thess. 1. 9. 2. To represent unto us the active Nature of God he is all life 3. To direct us to the Fountain or Well of Life from whom all Life is derived unto the creature by a threefold stream 1. Nature God is the Author of the life of Nature Gen. 2. 7. Acts 17. 28. We could contribute nothing to natural life 2. Grace he is the Author of that life Iohn 1. 2. Ephes. 4. 18. 3. Glory he is the Author of the life of glory Rom. 2. 7. A reasonable life to which God resembleth his is a power to perform variety of regular and limited actions to a certain known end and that out of choice and councel Gods life is his power of working all things according as seems good to himself after his own councel for his own glory to say he liveth is to say he doth perpetually work The life of God is an essential Property of the Divine Nature whereby it is and is conceived of us to be in perpetual action living and moving in it self and of it self Life in things bodily ariseth from the union of the body and the soul together and in things that be not bodies but spirits from the perfection of the matter and qualities of them Our own life is a power by which we are able to produce lively actions Gods life is that power whereby he is fit to work or produce all sorts of actions suitable to the perfect Essence of his Divine Majesty Or it is that whereby he knoweth willeth and affecteth and can doe all sort of actions beseeming his excellent Nature Reasons First From the Effects of life God understands wils loves therefore he truly lives for these are all the Properties of livers therefore Aristotle often concludes from this that because God understands all things he lives a blessed Life Secondly Those things live which move and stir themselves God doth all things by himself he is the first and perfectest cause of all therefore he most properly lives and that a most blessed life Thirdly From his Name Iehovah he is Iehovah who is by himself and most perfectly and of whom all things are which are and live God therefore so lives that he is the author of all life to all livers and therefore he is called our life Deut. 30. 20. Iohn saith of Christ in him was the Author of life and Acts 3. Ye have killed the Author of life Amongst the creatures which are subject to our sense there is a threefold kinde of life Two more imperfect the third more perfect The former is the life of Vegetation or growth by which things are able to doe what is requisite for the attaining
a We should love God intensively with our chiefest affection and extensively above all things He is an infinite Ocean of all joy and happiness he is a continual object of joy and delight to the Saints and Angels in heaven they are not weary of him our desires are fully satisfied with him alone that is infinite God is Immense or Omnipresent Psal. 139. 7 8 9 10. Iosh. 2. 11. Iob. 11. 8. Ier. 23. 23 24. Immensity is taken 1. Largely so it is the same with infiniteness signifying that God is neither measured by place or time nor by any other thing but is in his own nature and essence infinite and immense Immensum proprie est quod non possis metire 2. Strictly so it differs from infiniteness as the Species from the Genus there being two kindes of infiniteness Immensity and Eternity Immensity is such a property of God by which he cannot be measured nor circumscribed by any place he fills all places without multiplying or extension of his essence He is neither shut up in any place nor shut out from any place but is immense he is without place and above place present every where without any extension of matter but in an unspeakable manner He is above all in all and through all Ephes. 4 6. over all men by his power in all the Saints by his Spirit and through all the world by his providence God is every where by his Essence Presence and Power Enter praesenter Deus hic ubique potenter 1. By his Essence because he fills all places and spaces with his Immensity â— Kings 8. 27. Isa. 60. 61. Acts 17. 27. 2. By his Presence 3. By his Power and Operation because he works all in all 1 Cor. 6. 26. This Immensity and Omnipresence of the Divine Essence is proved to be essential to God 1. From Scripture and that 1. Affirmatively when he is said to be every where present David proves it by a particular enumeration of places Heaven and the Grave the farthest parts of the earth yea all things Psal. 139. 7 8 9 10. He compares places most opposite together and shewing that God is present in them he understands that he is present in the places between Amos 9. 2. Iovis omnia plena 2. Negatively when he is denyed to be concluded and comprehended in a certain place 1 King 8. 27. 2 Chron. 2. 6. and 6. 18. Acts 7. 48. and 17. 24 27. 3. Symbolically Isa. 66. 1. Acts 7. 49. 2. From Reasons 1. From the simplicity of the Divine Essence God is a pure act therefore altogether indivisible and therefore he is in every thing and in every part of every thing whole and undivided 2. Whatsoever is in its Essence Infinite that also is every where present else it should be terminated in place God is infinite in his Essence and Being therefore also of an infinite presence e Each creature is limited by place though spirits do not fill up a place by Commensuration of parts yet they have a certain compass as I may call it beyond which their Essence extendeth not they are so here that they are not there so in heaven that they are not the same time on earth But God is altogether above place he is Omnipresent not by any material extension but after an incomprehensible and unexpressible manner He is quite above all place wholly without and within all and every place and that without all local motion or mutation of place He is every where totally and equally he was as well in the Jewish Synagogues as in the Temple of Ierusalem or Holy of Holiâ—s as well in earth or hell as in the Heavens in respect of his Essence Gods being in every place is not first by multiplication there is not a multiplication of his being as loaves were multiplyed so that they held out to do that which otherwise they could not for then there should be many Divine Essences nor secondly by division as if part of his nature were in one part of the world and part in another but he is wholly wheresoever he is Nor thirdly by commixtion as if he came into composition with any creature He is not the air or fire but he is every where effectively with his Essence and Being repletively he fills all places heaven and earth Yet he fills not up a place as a body doth but is present every where by being without limitation of place so that he coexists with every creature He is every where ineffably where any creature is there is he more then the creature and where no creature is there is he too All the sins that we commit are done in his presence and before his face Isa. 65. 3. Psal. 51. 4. as if a Thief should steal the Judges looking on We should set the Lord therefore always before us as David Psal. 16. 8. We should be comforted in troubles and patient Phil. 4. 5. a childe will not care so long as he is in his fathers presence Psal. 23. 4. Object God is said to descend and ascend Answ. This hinders not his being every where 1. He is said to descend as often as by any visible shape objected he testifieth his presence as Gen. 18. 21. Exod. 3. 8. when God withdraws that presence he is said to ascend as Gen. 35. 13. 2. When God by the destruction of his Enemies and deliverance of his own testifieth to his Church that he is with it on earth Isa. 64. and the contrary Psal. 68. 19. Object If God be every where how is he then said to dwell in heaven Psal. 2. 4. From those places Isa. 66. 1. Mat. 6. 9. Vorstius thus argues The Scripture placeth God there therefore he is there onely Answ. In respect of his Essence God is every where and in every thing as well as in heaven but he doth more manifest his glory wisdom power and goodness and bestows his grace more liberally on his Angels and Elect in heaven then he doth here below Object How can God be said to depart from man if he be every where Answ. He departs not in respect of his essence but in respect of the manifestation of his presence The Schoolmen say God is five ways in the creatures 1. In the Humanity of Christ by hypostatical union 2. In the Saints by knowledge and love 3. In the Church by his essence and direction 4. In Heaven by his majesty and glory 5. In Hell by his vindicative justice 1. This may teach the godly to be sincere and upright because they walk before God Gen. 17. 1. he is present with them understands their secret thoughts and imaginations Psal. 139. 7. 8 Ier. 23. 23 24. This should curb them from committing secret sins and incourage them to perform private duties Mat. 6. 6. approving themselves to their father who seeth in secret Solitariness should not imbolden us to sin nor hinder us from well-doing It was Iosephs
the guilt of our sins was upon him He loves his people 1. Before conversion Amore benevolentiae with a love of good-will and of pity which is properly shewed to one in misery Ezek. 16. 5. 2. After Conversion with a love 1. Of sympathy Isa. 63. 9. Heb. 4. 15. and 5. 2. 2. Of Complacency and delight Psal. 16. 10 11. that Psalm is a Prophecy of Christ see Ephes. 2. 5. This love of his delight is discovered four wayes 1. By his valuing of his people Since thou wast precious in my sight thou wast honorable 2. By his commendation of his Church and people as often in the Canticles 3. By his frequent visits Luke 1. 68. Rev. 3. 20. 4. By revealing his counsels to them Iohn 15. 15. 2. The effect or manner of Gods love is that God makes the person happy whom he loves For he doth amploy reward that joy and delight which he takes in the holinesse and obedience of the Elect while he pours plentifully upon them all gifts both of grace and glory This love of God to the Elect is 1. Free Hosea 15. 5. he was moved with nothing but his own goodnesse Ezek. 16. 8. 2. Sure firm and unchangeable Rom. 5. 8 10. 1 Iohn 4. 10. Iohn 13. 1. and 31. 3. Infinite and Eternal which shall never alter Iohn 3. 16. It is without cessation Psal. 27. 10. Diminution Cant. 8. 7. interruption Rom. 8. 35. to the end or alteration every created thing is imutable 3. Effectual as is declared both by his temporal and eternal blessings 1 Iohn 3. 1. Dei amare est bonum velle 4. Sincere It is a love without any mixture love and nothing but love This is the motive which perswades Gods to communicate himself and act for his people Isa. 63. 9. Rev. 3. 19. and hath no motive but it self Deut. 7. 6 7 8. 1 Iohn 4. 8. God hath no need of us or our love nor doth not advantage himself by loving us Iob 22. 2. 5. Great and ardent Iohn 3. 16. and 15. 13. Rom. 5. 6 7. God bestows pledges of his love and favor upon them whom he hath chosen and sometimes he sheds the sence of his love abroad in their hearts transforms us into his own image Cant. 4. 9. and 6. 5. see Zeph. 3. 17. We must love God Appreciativè love him above all things and in all Psal. 73. 24. Mat. 10. 37. Intensivè and Intellectivè with all our might and strength Affectu Effectu love him for himself and all things for the Lords sake else it is not 1. A Conjugal love 2. Not an equal love to love the gifts and not the giver We should love 1. All the Divine persons in the Trinity 1. The Father Ye that love the Lord hate evil 2. Christ for taking our nature upon him He gave himself to us and for us Cant. 5. 16. 3. The Holy Ghost for drawing our hearts to the knowledge of this great mystery Rom. 5. 5. 2. All the Divine properties and excellencies whereby God makes himself known to the sons of men Love him for his holiness Es. 6. beginning fidelity 1 Cor. 10. 13. Omniscience and Dominion The Scepter of thy Kingdom is a Righteous Scepter 3. We should love all his Ordinances Psal. 27. 4. and 84. beginning and all his discoveries to us in his word 2 Thess. 2. 10. We should expresse our love to him by our care in keeping his Commandments 1 Iohn 2. 3. Iohn 14. 25. and 15. 10. and earnest desire of his presence Psal. 4. 2 3. 2. Our love should be conformed to Gods in loving the Saints Psal. 16. 3. Gal. 6. 10. Iohn 3. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 21. and Christ above all desiring to be united to him 1 Cor. 5. 44. 1 Pet. 1. 8. 3. We should admire the love of God 1 Iohn 3. 1. For the sureness greatnesse and continuance of it it passeth our knowledge Ephes. 3. 19. he hath given his son for a price his spirit for a pledge and reserves himself for a reward That Tantus so great a God should love Tantillos so little creatures as we before we were Rom. 9. 11. tales when we were Enemies Rom. 5. 10. tantum so much Means to love God 1. Beg this love much of God in Prayer 2. Study much to know him his nature attributes excellencies 3. Labour to injoy communion with him 4. Mortifie other loves contrary to this inordinate self-love and love of the world 1 Iohn 2. 15. There are many promises made to the love of God 1. Of Temporal blessings Psal. 91. 14. Rom. 8. 28. 2. Spiritual all the comforts of the Gospel 1 Cor. 2. 9. 3. Of heavenly and eternal blessings Iames 1. 12. and 2. 5. 1. God is Maximè amabilis he is truly lovely 2. Consider the great benefits we receive from him Psal. 116. 12. 3. He desires us to love him Deut. 10 4. Mark 12. 33 4 This affection onely and joy abide for ever 1 Corinth 13. ult The second affection in God contrary to love is Hatred which is an act of the Divine will declining disproving and punishing of evil ' prevailing and reigning in the reasonable creature In which definition three things are to be noted 1. The object of Gods hatred 2. The cause and condition of the object hated 3. The effect of Gods hatred 1. The object of Gods hatred is the reasonable creature for that onely sins He hateth iniquity Psal. 71. 59. Hab. 1. 13. Prov 11. 1. and the creature which ob stinately and stubbornly persisteth in evil so that he doth rejoyce in the calamity and destruction thereof Psal. 11. 5. and 5. 6. Prov. 16. 5. 2. The cause and condition of the object hated is sin for which God abhors the delinquent creature onely the reasonable creature hath left his station and defiled himself with the filth of sin all the rest of the creatures whether brute beasts or insensible creatures persist in the state of goodnesse wherein they were created although perhaps not in the same degree of perfection and excellency for mans sin But although God cannot hate the creature unlesse as sinful yet not every degree of sin but a high measure of it makes the person hated It is true that God abhors the least sin yet he doth not abhor the persons of the godly in which are the reliques of sinne as he doth those of the wicked in whom sinne reigns 3. The effect of Gods hatred is to punish the person whom he hates Psal. 9. 11. whom when once it is rejected by God troops of evil do invade God both permitting and commanding and this actual hatred or outward manner of manifesting it it may not unfitly be referred to the Divine justice Hatred in God is a vertue and fruit of his justice and not a vicious passion Consider 1. The unsupportable horrors of conscience Prov. 18. 14. 2. The painful death of little children Rom. 5. 14. 3. How grievously God
holinesse of God Rev. 4. 9. Ephes. 5. 1. his holinesse is a rule to it self we should have the Law written in our hearts Amongst the Turks Jews Indians Persians and the Papists themselves at this day the most zealous and holiest as they conceive them in their Religion are most esteemed and honored and onely in the greater part of the Protestant Churches the most knowing and tenacious of the Evangelical truth and the most strict and godly in their lives are hated nicknamed disgraced and villified Sir Simonds D' Ewes Primitive practice for preserving truth Sect. 17. 1. This condemns the Pope who proudly arrogates the Title of the most holy and holinesse it self the high Priest was to be holy Numb 16. 7. but he will be termed most holy 2. Hypocrites civil honest men and prophane men who scoff at purity and holinesse which is Gods excellency it was the Devils device to bring that slander on earthly holinesse A yong Saint an old Devil Angelicus juvenis senibus satanisat in annis Erasmus in his pietas puerilis saith that proverb was devised by the Devil himself it is contrary to that of Solomon Prov. 22 6. It was a great commendation of Origen that he learned the Scripture of a childe Eusebius The like Paul saith of Timothy 2 Tim. 3 15. 3. Confutes merits the Angels are impure in his sight 4. We should be holy like God not in degree but in resemblance 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. we should be holy in our affections actions Holinesse should be prized and admired the Seraphims sing one to another Holy holy holy Isa. 6. 3. They choose this out of all Gods Attributes to praise him for We should pray to God with pure hearts worship him holily Iohn 4. 24. Zach. 14. 20 21. that is men should be holy in those ordinary natural actions of eating and drinking 5. This ministers comfort to the Saints and assures them that they shall finde favor with him and is for a terror to the unholy which are altogether carried to themselves led by themselves and set up themselves and these things below They love that which God loathes God must necessarily hate sin because it is so contrary to him That he doth so it appears 1. In his depriving man of an infinite good infinite glory and happinesse 2. In inflicting on him infinite torments A holy heart may draw much comfort from Gods holinesse 1. He will distinguish between the precious and the vile they have to do with a holy God Num 16. 2 3. Mal. 3. ult 2. Thou hast communion with this holy God there is sweetnesse and comfort in conversing with holy men after this life they shal behold the beauty of Gods holinesse and give him the glory of it 3. He will take special care of them that they shall not be polluted Exod. 29. 33 34. 4. What holinesse is there in any of their services it shall be accepted and their holinesse begun shall be perfected 6. We should labor after holinesse 1. To go quite out of our selves and all creatures and go wholly as it were unto God making him the ground measure and end of all our actions striving above all things to know him esteem him and set all our powers upon him This is the felicity of the creature to be holy as God is holy this is the felicity of the Saints in heaven they care for nothing but God are wholly and altogether carried to him and filled with him He is all in all unto them as he is all in all unto himself In being thus carried to him they are united to him and enjoy him and are blessed There are Saints on earth as the Scripture shews Psal. 16. 3. and 132. 9 though the Papists deny this Men are said to be Saints here 1. In regard of Sacramental holinesse Baptism is called the laver of Regeneration Tit. 3. Sanctum quasi sanguine tinctum Isidore Such are dedicated to God and set a part for a holy use 2. In regard of inherent holinesse the denomination is from the better part so man is called a Reasonable creature from his reasonable soul and men though in part corrupt are called Saints from the image of God in the better part 3. In regard of imputed holinesse Christ is made to us Wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification Sanctification is 1. The end of our Election Ephes. 1. 4. 2. Of our Redemption Luke 1. 75. Holinesse is 1. A beautiful thing Psal. 110. 3. therefore Christ calls his Spouse The fairest of all women 2. A beneficial thing makes one bear all afflictions easily makes all our services acceptable to God will give us a sight of God Matth. 5. 8. 9. God is Kinde Exod 34. 7. Keeping Kindenesse for thousands so it should be rendred he spake of Gods mercy in the sixth verse see Ephes. 2. 7. Titus 3. 4. it is called Great kindenesse Neh. 9 17. Marvellous kindenesse Psalm 31. 21. Merciful kindnesse Psalm 119. 2. Everlasting kindenesse Isa 54 8. Excellent loving kindenesse Psalm 36 7. Multitude of loving kindenesse Isa. 63. 74. We should shew loving kindenesse unto Christ and one unto another 2 Peter 1. 3. 1 Corinth 13. 4. Some mention two other vertues 2. Gods Jealousie by which he will have all due glory given to him and suffers not the least part of it to be communicated to the creature This care of his honor and fame is manifest by the grievous punishments inflicted on those who have dared to arrogate part of the Divine glory to themselves as on the building of Babel Gen. 11. â— the Bethshemites 1 Sam. 6. 19. Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 29 30. and Herod Acts 21. 22 23. 2. His Humility by which God descends to our capacity and graciously provides for our weaknesse examples of which are both Gods familiar conversing and conference with Moses and Abraham interceding for Sodom with David and others and especially the incarnation of Christ. CHAP. XIV Of GODS Power SO much be spoken concerning Gods Will Affections and Vertues there followeth Power in God by which God by the bare beck of his Will effecteth all things which he will and howsoever he will perfectly without labour and difficulty and can do perfectly all things which he wills this is called Absolute Power by which he can do more things then either he doth or will Actual Power is when God causeth those things to exist which he will have exist Both Gods Absolute and Actual Power is Active onely and no way Passive This Power of God is Infinite First In respect of the Divine Essence since it slows from the Infinite Nature of God for it is a most certain Rule that the faculties and powers of the Subject slow from the form and agree with the form Secondly In respect of the Object and Effects for God doth never so many and so great works but he can do more and greater although we must hold that God
cannot make a creature of infinite Perfection simply or creatures indeed infinite in number for so they should be Gods for the Divine Power is so farre exercised on the object as the passive Power of the object extends it self but Infinite Perfection imports a pure Act. Thirdly In respect of Duration which is perpetual as his Essence is therefore this force and power of God is deservedly stiled Omnipotency Iob 42. 2. Gods Power is not only Potentia or Multipotentia but omnipotentia for degree infinite Shall any matter be hard for the Lord The Scripture confirms the Omnipotency of God 1. Affirmatively when it cals God Abbir Job 34. 20. Shaddai Alsufficient Gen. 35. 11. Deut. 10. 17. Psal. 89. 13. Gibbor Powerful Deut. 10. 17. 2. Effectively when it witnesseth that God can do all things Mat. 3. 9. 19. 16. Mark 14. 36. Luk. 18. 26. Eph 3. 20. Hitherto belong all the works of the Divine Power and supernatural Miracles 3. Negatively when it denies any thing to be difficult to him muchlesse impossible Gen. 18. 14. Ier. 32. 17 27. Luke 1. 37. Matth. 19. 36. 4. Symbolically when it gives him a strong right hand a stretched out arm 1 Chron. 29. 12. Ier. 32. 17. Ephes. 1. 19. Reason proves it also 1. His essence as was said is infinite therefore his power 2. He is most perfect therefore most powerful 3. Whatsoever good thing is to be found in any creature the same is perfectly and infinitely in God Some observe that this is expressed seventy times in Scripture that God is Almighty He is the onely Potentate 1 Tim. 6. 15. The Psalmist saith Power belongs to God The first Article of our faith teacheth us to believe that God is Omnipotent God can work by weak means without means contrary to means It shews one to be a skilful Artist when he can effect that by an unfit instrument which another can scarce do with a most fit one As it is reported of Apelles that with a coal taken from the fire he so exprest him by whom he was invited to Ptolâ—mies dinner that all at the first sight of it knew the man But it is no wonder for God to perform what he will with unfit instruments since he needs no instruments at all to effect what he pleaseth Gods power is Essential and Independent it is the cause of all power Iohn 19. 8. it reacheth beyond his will Mat. 26. 35. 2. It extends to things that are not nor never will be as to raise up children of stones to Abraham Matth. 3. 9. to give Christ more then ten Legions of Angels The object of Divine power are all things simply and in their own nature possible which neither contradict the nature of God nor the essence of the creatures those which are contrary to these are absolutely impossible such things God cannot do because he cannot will them nor can he will and do contrary things as good and evil or contradictory as to be and not to be that a true thing be false that any thing while it is should not be God cannot sinne lie deny change or destroy himself suffer for all these things do ex diametro oppose the Divine Immutable Simple most true and perfect essence God cannot create another God nor cause a man to be unreasonable nor a body to be infinite and every where for these things contradict the essential definitions of a creature of a man and a body not to be able to do all these things is not impotency but power for to be able to do opposite things is a sign of infirmity being not able to remain altogether in one and the same state God is therefore omnipotent because he cannot do these things which argue impotency as if I should say The Sun is full of light it cannot be dark Yet it is not so proper a speech to say God cannot do these things as to say these are acts too mean base and worthlesse to be effects of Divine power Haec non possunt fieri rather then Deus non potest facere saith Aquinas Gods omnipotence lies in this * that he is able to do whatsoever is absolutely simply and generally possible A possible thing is that the doing of which may be an effect of Gods wisdom and power and which being done would argue power and perfection an impossible that which cannot be an effect of wisdom and power but if it should be done would argue weaknesse and imperfection in God The Arminians say That God is often frustrated of his end which derogates from his power 2. In respect of manner he doth it with a Word Let there be light saith he and there was light 3. He can do all things of himself without any creatures help Gods power is stiled Might of power Ephes. 1. 19. and it is seen in his works of creation making all things of nothing therefore that follows the other in the Crred 2. In his works of providence Christ is a mighty God and Saviour to his people Isa. 7 6. Psal. 89. 19. Isa. 63. 1. Heb. 7. 25. Rev. 18. 8. He is strong in himself He was mighty 1. In suffering he bore the revenging justice of God he suffered the wrath of God upon the Crosse. 2. In doing 1. Made all Iohn 1. 5. Col. 1. 16. 2. Preserves all Col. 1. 17. 3. As he is the head of the Church 2. He is strong in his Saints 1. In the gathering of his Church 2. In upholding it 3. In raising all people out of their afflictions 4. In his Ordinances Prayer Sacraments Word Rom. 1. 16. 5. In his Graces Faith Heb. â—1 Love 1 Cor. 13. Gods power is limited and restrained 1. By his nature he cannot contradict himself 2. Regulated by his wil he cannot do evil 3. By his glory he cannot lye he is truth it self nor be tempted of evil Iames 1. 13. There is a difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potentia and potestas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or potestas is properly authority right to do a thing as a King hath over his Subjects a father over his children a husband over his wife a master over his servants of which Christ speaks Iohn 17. 2. Mat. 28. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or potentia is properly strength to do something as some great King may have power to overcome his enemies over which he hath no authority A Lay-man hath power to give Bread and Wine but he hath not potestatem a calling or right to do it It serves both for a spur to do well since God is able to save Gen. 17. 1. and a bridle to restrain from evil seeing he hath power to destroy we should therefore humble our selves under his mighty hand 1 Pet. 5. 6. Luke 12. 5. It reproves the wicked which care not for Gods power but provoke the Almighty God Matth. 10. 28. and so contend with power it self none shall deliver
them out of his hand 1 Cor. 10. 22. and it condemns the godly which distrust the power of God Num. 11. 21. Iohn 21. 32. Remembring not that he hath unlimited power The Lords Prayer ends thus For thine is the power This ministers comfort to those which have God on their side they need not fear what man or Devil can do against them He can strengthen them in spiritual weaknesses against sin and unto duty all the Devils in hell are not able to pluck them out of his hands Mat. 16. 18. Iohn 10. 28 29. if a people fall from him he is able to graff them in again Isa 44. 22. Rom. 11. 23. they are kept by his power through faith to salvation 1 Pet. 1. 5. he can protect them against their enemies though they be never so many Dan. 3. 17. Psalm 3. 6. he can and will make you strong in his power to bear patiently all afflictions God is able to raise them up again when they are rotten in the grave at the general resurrection Heb. 11. 19. We should not despise a weak Christian God is able to make him strong we should by this strengthen our faith in Gods promises as Abraham Rom. 4. 22. it is prefixed in the Creed as the prop of our belief in the Articles of our Christian faith That Commandment Be strong in Christ and in his power includes a promise that he will give us his power if we seek to him and rest on him for it were a very mocking to bid us be strong in him if he would not communicate his strong power to us if we have any strength either of body or minde to do any thing we must return to him the glory of it and be ruled by him in the use of it because we have it from him and hold it at his meer pleasure Oh saith God to Iob Can you do this and that and then Who made the clouds by which qustion he would cause Iob to see his own impotency and Gods Omnipotent power CHAP. XV. Of Gods Glory and Blessednesse FRom all these before mentioned Attributes ariseth the Glory or Majesty of God which is the infinite excellency of the Divine Essence Heb. 1. 3. Exod. 33. 18. Psal. 29. 9. This is called The face of God Exod. 33. 20. and light inaccessible 1 Tim 6. 16. which to acknowledge perfectly belongs to God alone yet the revelation and obscurer vision thereof is granted to us in this life by the ministery of those things which are seen and heard the clearer in the life to come where we shall see God face to face 1 Cor. 13. 12. Mat. 18. 10. God is and ever shall be exceeding Glorious Exod. 15. 11. Deut. 28. 58. Glory is sometime taken for outward lustre and shining as one glory of the Sun sometimes for outward decking and adorning as long hair is a glory to a woman but the proper signification of it is excellent estimation by which one is preferred before others It is the splendor clarity or shining of a thing resulting and rising from the perfection eminency or excellency it hath above other things The glory of God is the perfection of his Nature and Attributes infinitely surpassing and outshining the perfection of all creatures Things that are good we praise things that are excellent we honor and things that are transcendently good we glorifie Glory is used metonymically for that which is the ground and matter of glory as Prov. 19. 11. 20. 29. Sometimes the glory of God signifieth the very essence and nature of God as Exod. 33. 18. Sometimes it is used to signifie some of Gods Attributes Ephes. 1. 12. that is his grace and good will by shewing forth of which he makes himself glorious Sometimes it is put for some work of God which is great and marvellous Iohn 11. 40. that is the grace and powerful work of God in raising up thy brother Lazarus unto life again Exod. 25. 16. 40. 35. that is some extraordinary splendor as R. Moses expounds it which God created thereby to shew forth his magnifience and glory Glory is essential so it signifieth the incomprehensible excellency of the Divine Nature Exod. 33. 13. or else it signifieth manifestatively the acknowledgement and celebration of his excellencies and this is called properly glorification this may have more or lesse Or secondly much to the same purpose the glory of God may be taken two wayes 1. For the inward excellency and worth whereby he deserves to be esteemed and praised 2. For the actual acknowledging of it for glory is defined a clear and manifest knowledge of anothers excellency therefore the glory of God is twofold First Internal which is again twofold 1. Objective that glory of God is the excellency of his Divine nature for such is his Majesty and excellency that he is infinitely worthy to be praised admired and loved of all 2. Formall is his â—own knowledge love and delight in himself for this is infinitely more the glory of God that he is known and beloved of himself then that he is loved and praised by all Creatures Men or Angels because this argueth an infinite worth in Gods own nature that an infinite love and delight is satisfied with it God hath this kinde of glory objective and formal most fully even from all eternity therefore when he is said to make all things for himself or his glory it is not meant of this inward glory as if he could have more of that Secondly External and that again 1. By way of object viz. when he made the Heavens and Earth and all these glorious creatures here below which are said to shew forth his glory Psal. 19. that is objectively they are the effects of his glorious wisdom and power and so become objects of mens and Angels praises of him and as the glory of men consists in outward ornaments so Gods glory consists in having such creatures men and Angels to be his followers 2. Formal when men and Angels do know love and obey him and praise him to all eternity The Scriptures every where extol the Majesty and glory of God 1. Essentially when it calls God Great Most high glorious The God of glory Acts 7. 2. King of glory Psalm 24. 8. Father of glory Ephes. 1. 17. 2. Efficaciously when it affirmeth that all the earth is full of the glory of God Isa. 6. 3. and propounds the glorous and wonderful works of God to be considered by us Exod. â—2 18. He means he will shew him so much of his glory as it is possible for a creature to behold and live we cannot behold the fulnesse of it God is glorious in his nature 1 Cor. 11. 7. his glory obscureth all other glory Isa. 6. 2. Gen. 18. 17 1 Kings 10. 13. His glory is manifested 1. Extraordinarily â—n the cloud in apparations and visions 2. Ordinarily in his word and works The Law sets forth the glory of his justice
more but also because fulnesse of all good that can be wished is to be found in God Therefore our happinesse is Compleat and Perfect when we enjoy God as an object wherein the powers of the soul are satisfied with everlasting delight This may suffice to have spoken concerning Gods Essence and Attributes by which it appears that God is far different both from all feigned gods and from all creatures The consideration of the Divine Persons followeth for in one most simple nature of God there are distinct Persons CHAP. XVI Of the Trinity or Distinction of Persons in the Divine Essence VVE say God may be known by light of nature Quod attinet ad unitatem Naturae but not Quod attinet ad Trinitatem Personarum We cannot by the light of nature know the mystery of the Trinity nor the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 2. 7 8. Aquinas par 1. Summae Theol. Quaest. 32. Art 1. Conclus saith Impossibile est per rationem naturalem ad Trinitatis divinarum personarum cognitionem pervenire It is impossible by natural reason to come to the knowledge of the Trinity of the Divine Persons He there shews that he which indeavours to prove this mystery by natural reason derogates from faith in respect of drawing others to believe Cum enim aliquis faith he excellently ad probandum fidem inducit rationes quae non sunt cogentes cedit in irrisionem infidelium Credunt enim quod hujusmodi rationibus innitamur propter eas credamus When a man to prove any Article of faith urgeth reasons that are not cogent he exposeth himself to the derision of Infidels For they suppose that we rely on such reasons and believe because of them We think saith Cloppenburg in his Answer to Bidel Argum 1. that the mystery of the holy Trinity as many mysteries of faith can neither be demonstrated nor refuted by reason 2 Cor. 10. 5. Adam in the state of innocency was not able by natural reason to finde out the Trinity But when by faith we receive this Doctrine we may illustrate it by reason The similâ—es which the Schoolmen and other Divines bring drawn from the creature are unequal and unsatisfactory since there can be no proportion between things Finite and Infinite Two resemblances are much used in Scripture the Light and the Word The Light which was three dayes before the Sunne Gen. 1. and then condensed into that glorious body and ever since diffused throughout the world is all one and the same Light So the Father of Lights which inhabiteth Light which none can approach Iam 1. 17. and Sunne of Righteousnesse Mal. 4. 2. In whom all the fulnesse of the God-head dwelleth bodily and the holy Ghost the Spirit of illumination are all one and the same God Again It is the same thing that the minde thinketh and the word signifieth and the voice uttereth so is the Father as the minde conceiving the Son as the Word conceived or begotten the holy Ghost as the voice or speech uttered and imparted to all hearers and all one and the same God A studious Father meditating on the mystery of the Trinity there appeared unto him a childe with a shell lading the Sea into a little hole he demanding what the childe did I intend said the childe to empty the Ocean into this pit It is impossible said the Father as possible said the childe as for thee to comprehend this profound mystery in thy shallow capacity The Mystery of the Trinity is necessary to be known and believed of all that shall be saved it was not so plainly revealed to the Jews of old as it is to us in the New Testament a perfect and full knowledge of this mystery is not attainable in this life Although Trinity in its native signification signifie the number of any three things yet by Ecclesiastical custome it is limited to signifie the three Persons in the Trinity This is not meant as if the Essence did consist of three Persons as so many parts and therefore there is a great difference between Trinity and Triplicity Trinity is when the same Essence hath divers wayes of subsisting and Triplicity is when one thing is compounded of three as parts they are three not in respect of Essence or Divine Attributes three Eternals but three in respect of personal properties as the Father is of none the Sonne of the Father and the holy Ghost of both three Persons but one God as to be to be true to be good are all one because Transcendents The acts of the Persons in the God-head say some are of three sorts 1. Essential in which all the Persons have equal hand Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa the outward works which concern the creature belong to one Person as well as the other as to create govern 2. Some ad intra opera propria The personal properties or internal works are distinguished as the Father begets the Son is begotten of the Father and the holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son 3. Appropriata as the Schools speak acts of office more peculiarly attributed to one Person thâ—n another Eph. 4. 7. So the Father is said to give the Son the Son to redeem the world to be made flesh the holy Ghost is the bond of union See Dr Hampton on Gen. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Gods plot in the work of Redemption was not only say some to exalt the Attributes of the Nature but to glorifie the Persons distinctly according to their appropriated acts There is in the Trinity alius alius another and another but not aliud aliud another thing and another thing as there is in Christ the Father is another Person from the Sonne but yet there is the same Nature and Essence of them all They differ not in their Natures as three men or three Angels differ for they differ so as one may be without the other but now the Father is not without the Sonne nor the Sonne without the Father so that there is the same numerical Essence The Father in some sense is said to be the onely God Iohn 17. 3. that is besides the Divine Nature which is common to the three Persons there is not another God to be found the word Onely is opposed to all feigned gods to every thing which is not of this Divine Nature So when it is said None knoweth the Father but the Sonne and the Sonne but the Father that excludes not the holy Ghost which searcheth the hidden things of God but all which are not of that Essence Though there be no inequality in the Persons yet there is an order not of dignity but of beginning The Father in the Sonne by the holy Ghost made the world not as if there were so many partial causes much lesse as if God the Father were the Principal and these Instrumental but only meer order A Person is Diversus modus
at Geneva in Calvins time he denied that Christ was Gods Son till Mary bore him Servetus Trinitatem idolum item Cerberum Tricipitem vocabat The Ministers of Transylvania in a most pestilent book of theirs often contumeliously call him Deum Tri-personatum whom we holily worship Hoornbeeck Anti-socin l. 2. c. 5. sect 1. p. 415. Those of Polonia in their Catechism say That there is but one Divine Person and urge Iohn 17. 3. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Ephes. 4. 1. Zanchy long since hath vindicated the truth and refuted them Socinus cals him Deum tripersonatum ridiculum humanae curiositatis inventum Infaustus Socinus omnium haereticorum audacissimus saith Rivet See Cheynels rise of Socinianism chap. 3. and ch 1. p. 6. Some glory in this as a great argument against the three Persons in the Trinity If there be Persons in the Trinity they are either something or nothing Nothing they cannot be Non entis nullae sunt affectiones if something they are either finite or infinite finite they cannot be nor infinite then there should be three Infinites It is 1. plain in Scripture there is but one God 1 Cor. 8. 4. 2. The Scripture speaks of Father Sonne and holy Ghost or Spirit these are said to be three 1 Iohn 5. 7. 3. The God-head is attributed to all and the essential Properties belong to all 4. Something is attributed to one in the Scripture that cannot be said of all The Sonne was made flesh and the Sonne is begotten this cannot be said of the other the Sonne and the Spirit are sent but this cannot be said of the Father It is not strange among the creatures that a Father should be distinguished from himself as a man the Persons are something and infinite each of them infinite as each of them is God yet not three Infinites nor Gods so Athanasius in his Creed A Person is Essentia divina cum proprietate sua hypostatica the divine Nature distinguished by an incommunicable property though we cannot expresse the manner of this great mystery yet we should believe it The ground of Arminianism and Socinianism is because they would examine all the great truths of God by their Reason That saying of Bernard here hath place Scrutari haec temeritas est credere pietas est nosse vero vita aeterna est That the Father is God is confessed by all and it is manifest from Scripture we are directed to pray to him The Apostle saith Grace to you and peace from God our Father Philem. v. 3. See Rom. 1. 7. 1 Cor. 8. 6. Ephes. 1. 3. That Christ is God is proved 1. By clear Texts of Scripture affirming this truth in so many words The Prophet fore-telling of him saith this is his name by which you shall call him Iehovah or The Lord our Righteousnesse Jer. 23. 16. and The mighty God Isa. 9. 6. Paul saith Rom. 9. 5. Who is God over all blessed for ever and St. Iohn saith 1 Iohn 5. 20. This is very God and St. Paul saith 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the mystery of Godlinesse God manifested in the flesh and accordingly Thomas made his confession Ioh. 20. 28. My Lord and my God which title he accepteth and praiseth Thomas for believing and that he could not have done without extream impiety had he not been God Vide Bellarm de Christo l. 1. c. 4 5 6 7 8 9. 2. By evident Reasons drawn from the Scripture He hath the Name Titles Works essential Attributes and worship of God ascribed unto him in Scripture 1. Divine Names and Titles are given to Christ He is the only blessed Potentate 1 Tim. 6. 15. The King of Kings Revel 1. 5. and Lord of Lords Apoc. 17. 14. and 19. 16. He is called The Image of the invisible God Col. 1. 15. The brightnesse of his glory Heb. 1. 3. The word and wisdom of the Father Prov. 8. 12. and 9. 1. He is called the Word because he is so often spoken of and promised in the Scripture and is in a manner the whole subject of the Scripture he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum articulo Joh. 1. 1. Act. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 3. 16. The great God Titus 2. 13. The true God 1 John 5. 20. God over all or Blessed above all Rom. 9. 5. The most high Luk. 1. 76. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which name the Septuagint have expressed Iehovah the proper name of God alone Iohn 20. 28. My Lord Jude 4. The only Lord Acts 10. 36. The Lord of all 1 Cor. 15. 48. The Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 2. 8. The Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. The Lord of Heaven and Earth Matth. 28. 18. These Titles are too high and excellent to be given unto any meer man whatsoever God therefore who will not have his glory given to another would never have given these Titles to another if he were not God 2. The works of God even the principal and most eminent of all which are proper to the Lord only are ascribed to Christ. 1. The work of Creation even of creating all things Iohn 1. 3. and Col. 1. 16. He for whom and by whom all things were created is very God For Christ and by him all things were created therefore he is very God Heb. 1. 10 11 12. The foundation of the earth and the creation of the Heavens and the change which is to happen to both at the last day are attributed to the Sonne of God 2. The work of Preservation and Government is attributed to him also he is before all things and by him all things consist Heb. 1. 2. He who upholds all things by his powerful word is God So doth Christ therefore he is God 3. The working of Divine miracles raising up the dead by his own power is given to him Ioh. 6. 54. and Ioh. 5. 21. He that can quicken and raise the dead is God So doth Christ therefore he is God 4. Redeeming of mankinde Luke 1. 68. Matth. 20. 28. Ephes. 1. 7. Revel 1. 5. 5. Sending of the holy Ghost Iohn 21. 22. and 14. 16. and of Angels is ascribed to him Mat. 13. 41. Revel 1. 1. He forgives sins Mark 9. 2 5. He gives eternal life 3. The principal and incommunicable Attributes of God are given to him 1. Omniscience Iohn 2. 24 25. He knew all men and he knew what was in them Ioh. 21. 17. Lord thou knowest all things 2. Omnipotency Revel 1. 8. and 4. 8. and 11. 17. Phil. 3. 21. 3. Eternity Ioh. 17. 5. Revel 1. 18. Iohn 1. 1. Isa. 9. 6. He is called The everlasting Father 4. Omnipresence Matth. 18. 20. 5. Unchangeablenesse Heb. 1. 11 12 13. and 13. 8. He that is Omniscient Omnipotent Eternal Omnipresent Unchangeable equal to the Father in Majesty and Glory Phil. 2. 16. is God So is Christ therefore he is God Lastly Worship due to God is ascribed to him Heb. 1. 6. Let all
the Decrees of man are Works or Actions from man and really distinct from his understanding and will by which we conceive the Decrees of God or rather God decreeing 2. Externall Creation and Providence 1. Of Gods Decree Decree is a speech taken from the affairs of men especially Princes in the determination of causes between parties at variance whose sentence is called a Decree or secondly it is a resolution of things consulted of either negatively or affirmatively according to the latter use of the Phrase it is applied to God Esay 46. 10. Decretum in the Latine is indifferent to signifie either in the Abstract Gods Decree or in the Concrete a thing decreed Gods Absolute Decree is that whereby the Lord according to the Counsell of his own Will hath determined with himself what he will do command or forbid permit or hinder together with the circumstances of the same Acts 2. 23. and 4. 28. Luke 22. 22. Iohn 7. 30. Or Gods Decree is an eternall and infinite act of the Divine Essence by which he doth determine to do or not to do whatsoever is or shall be done from the beginning to all eternity that good is and to permit or suffer whatsoever evil is done or shall be Gods Decree is called Counsel because it is done most wisely all things being so ordered as is most agreeable to truest reason as if things had been long de bated or consulted of before though the Divine Nature be free from all need of consulting and it is called the Counsell of his Will because his Will doth determine all things agreeably to that Counsel It is an eternall determining of all things which have been are or shall be so as himself saw fittest to have them upon best reasons known to him though not to us The Decree of God extends to all things good and bad and the rule of it his own wisdome and good pleasure guided by his wisdome the end is for his glory that is the manifestation of his excellencies His mercy moved him to decree his wisdome orders the Decree his power perfects it and brings it to passe The Properties of Gods Decree 1. It is compleat that is it comprehends the determination of every thing whatsoever the Creature it self works or God concerning it that was decreed from eternity so to be Mat. 10. 29. it reacheth to greater matters the Incarnation and coming of Christ Psalm 40. 6 7 8. Compared with Heb. 10. 5 6 7. the Kingdome of Christ Psal. 2. 2. to lesse matters in things which befall the Church as the ordering of things in Egypt when the Israelites were in Captivity Nothing comes to passe but what God hath decreed shall come to passe and nothing comes to passe otherwise then as he hath decreed it shall come to passe we do not onely subject res ipsas but modos rerum to the Will and decree of God Neither hath God decreed onely good things but even justly the evil works of evil men for evil in respect of Gods ordering it habet rationem boni viz. that by it the glory of God may be revealed in his Justice and Mercy He doth order determine and direct the sinfull actions of men but not effect them 2. It is most wise Ephes. 1. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Rom. 11. 33. In decretis sapientum nulla litura 3. Just. Rom. 9. 13 14. 4. Free Rom. 9. 18. Nothing moved the Decree of God without or beyond himself Even so O Father saith Christ because it pleaseth thee 5. Certain firm 2 Tim. 2. 19. infallible unchangeable Matth. 18. 14. 6. Eternall Acts 15. 18. Ephes. 1. 4. 2 Tim. 1. 9. It was one of Vorstius prodigious Doctrines to maintain that Gods Decrees are not eternall then he would be changeable 7. Absolute not so as to exclude means but Causes Merits and Conditions The Decree is two-fold 1. Common and Generall which concerns all Creatures the Decree of Creation and Government or Providence So that nothing comes to passe unawares but it was ordered by an eternall Decree Zach. 6. 1. Mountains of brasse that is stable and eternall Decrees 2. Speciall which belongs to reasonable Creatures Angels and Men and orders their eternall estate It is called the Decree of Predestination Psal. 135. 6. and it consists of two parts viz. of a Decree of Election about saving and of Reprobation about damning some Angels and Men. The Execution likewise of the Decree is two-fold 1. Common the execution of the Decree of Creation which is Creation and of Government called Providence 2. Speciall 1. the execution of the Decree of Election in good Angels their confirmation in that state and in elect men Redemption and Restauration and all the gracious works of God 2. the execution of the Decree of Reprobation partly in evil Angels casting them out from their state and condition and their punishments in Hell partly in men viz. their rejection obduration and all effects of Divine anger upon them But I shall handle the speciall Decree first called Predestination and speake briefly concerning the two parts of it Election and Reprobation and then proceed to treat likewise of Creation and Providence Of Predestination To Predestinate is to Decree the attaining of some end by such like means as counsel shall prompt us with It differs from Election Election is in the Will Predestination in the understanding Act. 4. 28. Election is onely of the end this is of the means also By Divines Predestination is used to signifie the Decree of God concerning the eternall and supernaturall estate of Angels and men or of men elect and reprobate although predestination concern Angels and men alike yet the Scripture especially inculcates to us men the Predestination of men Predestination in Scripture say some is all one with Election almost every where as Rom. 8. 30. When they are distinguished Election is especially and properly referred to the End it self Predestination to the Means With the ancient Latines Destinare is used of punishment as well as reward and ancient Divines make a Predestination to punishment as well as to glory Predestination is the Sentence or Decree of God according to Counsel determining with himself from all eternity to create and govern man-kinde for his special Glory viz. the praise of his glorious Mercy or excellent Justice Or thus Predestination is the secret and immutable purpose of God whereby he hath decreed from all eternity to call those whom he hath loved in his Son Christ and through faith and good works to make them vessels of eternal glory Or thus Predestination is the infallible purpose of God whereby he hath made choice of some and rejected others according to the pleasure of his own will It is part of Providence 1 Pet. 1. 2. There is a double difference between Predestination and Providence 1. In respect of the Object all things are the object about which Providence is conversant reasonable
above others The Doctrine of Creation is a mixt principle partly discovered by nature and chiefly in the word Consider it 1. Ex parte rei so the thing it self was known to the Heathens 2. Ex parte modi faith onely teacheth what it is the manner and circumstances of the Creation how and wherefore the world was made was wholly unknown to them because these things are not matters of sense but depend on the limitation of Gods will nor matters of reason but depend on the exuberancy of his power The same individual assent to the same truth may be both Cognitio Scientiae and Cognitio Fidei By Faith we know that the worlds were made and assent to it And by demonstrations it may be proved that the world was made and these also are sufficient to perswade assent Now we from both grounds jointly assent to this proposition that the world was made The which Assent in respect of the Ground propter evidentiam rei is an assent of Science or natural knowledge In regard of the other Ground propter anthoritatem dicentis is an assent of Faith or supernatural knowledge Mr. Wallis Truth tried ch 8. Secondly and probably the light of nature shining in these reasons 1. The original of Nations laid down by Moses Gen. 10. and elsewhere which could not be fained by him since some memory of them was then extant among many which yet in progresse of time was extinguished 2. The beginning of Arts the first inventers whereof are known and in what time they flourished for it is not probable that so many ages before mankinde lived without Arts and that in these last times they were all both invented and perfected 3. The newnesse of all Heathenish Histories the ancientest of which tell of nothing before Noah's flood or the beginning of the Assyrian Empire under Ninus The holy History it self is only of 4000 yeers or thereabout which neverthelesse is the greatest mouument of antiquity Now it would be a most unworthy reproach and contumely cast upon all those men who had lived so many infinite ages ago to say they were so ignorant that they could not or so slothful that they would not deliver in writing what was done in their times 4. The decay of mans body and age which from a great strength quantity bignesse and time of life is now come down to a narrow scantling which if had decreased so alwaies in infinite ages it would by this time have been brought almost to nothing 5. The certain series and order of causes and impossibility of their proceeding in infinitum for it must needs be that there should be one first which is the universal cause but first it is not unlesse it be One nor One except it be God 6. As a thing is so it works but God doth not depend upon another in his being therefore neither in working doth he require a pre-existent matter 7. Art presupposeth nature and nature matter but God in working is a more excellent cause then art or nature therefore presupposeth nothing in working 8. The first cause viz. God is infinite therefore he can do whatsoever implyeth not a contradiction but the Creation of things in time implieth it not 9. Whatsoever perisheth hath a beginning the world doth perish because all its parts decay and are subject to corruption therefore the whole The Angles and souls of men are changeable by nature as appears by the fall of the Devil and mans fall 10. Either the world was eternal or had a beginning It could not be eternal 1. Because it is compounded of divers parts and those in nature contrary one to another which could not meet together in that order themselves therefore it was made by some-what and then either by it self which could not be for that which makes is before that which is made and the same thing cannot be before it self or else it was made by some creature which could not be because that is but a part of the whole and therefore meaner then it considered as whole and not able to make it 2. The world could not be eternal because it is limited in respect of place quantity power therefore it is not infinite in time That which is eternal is the first thing and consequently the best therefore God is only so having no parts nor being subject to corruption By these reasons it is evinced that the world is not eternal but was created by the chief work-man of all things in time But concerning the time of the yeer when the world was made whether in Summer Autumn or the Spring we will not raise any curious and unprofitable questions See Sarsans Chronologia vapulans page 123. Let it suffice to know that it was created by God in the beginning Gen. 1. 1. that is in the beginning of time or rather together with time then in time for the instant and moment of Creation was the beginning of all following but not the end of precedent time Hitherto concerning the efficient cause there followeth the matter of Creation Of the first and immediate Creation there was no matter at all the Divine power drew out nature it self not out of any Pre-existent matter but out of meer nothing Materiam noli quaerere nulla fuit Nothing but nothing had the Lord Almighty Whereof wherewith whereby to build this City Thus were created all incorporeal and immaterial Substances the Angels the reasonable soul and the highest Heaven as some say for those things which are void of matter cannot be framed out of matter 2. The mediate Creation is when a thing is brought forth of a praeexistent matter yet so rude and indisposed that it may be accounted for nothing so Adams body was created of the dust or slime of the Earth Gen. 2. 7. Beasts and birds out of the Earth Gen. 1. 19. which God did meerly of his good pleasure no necessity compelling him nor the matter he took any way helping him in working it was nothing privatively as they call it Divines observe four things in Gods Creation 1. His Command whereby he said Let there be light and there was light Gods words are things 2. His Approbation whereby all things are acknowledged as good God saâ— they were good They were so in respect of their own kinde and nature 2. In respect of the universe that is apt for the end for which they were made free from all defect and deformity God made all the creatures to be serviceable one to another especially to man 1 Tim. 4. 4. I cannot tell by what Logick we call a Toad a Bear or an Elephant ugly they being created in those outward shapes and figures which best expresse those actions of their inward forms And having past that general visitation of God who saw that all that he had made was good that is conformable to his will which abhors deformity and is the rule of order and beauty D. Browns
in nummo aliter in Filio Augustine The Image of God in which man was created is the conformity of man unto God 1. In his soul. 2. In his body for his soul. 3. In the whole person for the union of both The soul of a man is conformable to God in respect of its Nature Faculties and Habits First In respect of its Nature Essence or Being as it is a spiritual and immortal Substance The Scripture witnesseth 1. That the soul of a man is a spirit Mat. 27. 20. Acts 7. 59. as appears by comparing the 1 Pet. 4. 19. with Heb. 12. 9. in Peter God is called The Creator of souls in the Hebrews The Father of spirits in the same sense 2. That it is immortal 2 Cor. 5. 8. Phil. 1. 21 22. 2 Pet. 1. 14. The Sadduces indeed denied the immortality of the soul this opinion of theirs began on this occasion Antigonus Sochaeus the Disciple of Simeon the just said We must not serve God for hope of reward or wages Hence his Disciples Sadok and Baithos took occasion to teach that there is no reward or punishment after this life whereas Antigonus meant that there ought to be in us so great love of the Divine Majesty and of vertue it self that we should be willing to serve God and ready to suffer any thing without looking for any reward or wages Reasons of its immortality 1. Because it cannot be destroyed by any second cause Mat. 10. 28. 2. Being severed from the body it subsists by it self and goes to God Eccl. 12. 7. Luk. 16. 22. 3. Because it is a simple and immaterial substance not depending on matter the minde works the better the more it is abstracted from the body when it is asleep or dying 4. Because it transcends all terrene and mortal things and with a wonderful quicknesse searcheth after heavenly divine and eternal things There is an invincible argument for the thing secretly imprinted in the instinct and conscience of the soul it self Because it is every good mans hope that it shall be so and wicked mans fear 5. The food of the soul is immortal 1 Pet. 1. 23. the evident promises of eternal life prove the soul to be immortal He that beleeveth in me hath eternal life and To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Nothing can satisfie the soul but God 6. Man is capable of vertue and vice of immortal desires and affections 7. The souls of Adam and Eve were not made of any matter but came by immediate Creation in whom God gave a specimen what he would perpetually do with other men That is but a cavil that Solomon Eccl. 12. 7. speaks only of our first Parents See Dr Rainolds of the Passions c. 34. Children are called the fruit of their Parents body to note that they are only fathers of their flesh they have another namely God which is Father of their spirits S. Paul teacheth it Heb. 12. 9. and the use of it And this checks their opinion who will have souls propagated no lesse then bodies Many collect the immortality of the soul and salvation of Iobs children because they were not doubled as the rest of his estate was The soul of man is as it were the breath of God God did not say of mans soul as of other creatures Let it be made Let there be a soul in mans body No but when he had formed the body he breathed the soul into him It was to note that the soul of man had a more heavenly and divine original then any of the other creatures that are here in this world Vide Bellarm. de Amis gratiae lib. 4. cap. 11. See Sir Walter Rawleighs Ghost lib. 2. per totum And Master Rosse his Philos. Touchstone Conclusion 2. The soul of man is conformable to God in respect of its faculties in its Understanding Will and Memory is like the Trinity 3. In the Qualities Graces and admirable endowments of it In the Understanding there was First An exact knowledge of God and all Divine things Col. 3. 10. Knowledge is a principal part of Gods Image by reason he was inabled to conceive of things spiritual and universal Secondly A perfect Knowledge of all inferiour things Adam knew Eve and imposed names on the creatures sutable to their natures He had most exquisite prudence in the practical part of his understanding in all doubtful cases He knew what was to be done 2. In the Will there was holinesse Ephes. 4. 24. God had the highest place in his soul his glory was his end His liberty then stood not in this that he could stand or fall a possibility to sin is no perfection Thirdly The image of God in our affections stood in four things 1. All the affections were carried to their proper objects Adam loved feared and desired nothing but what God had commanded him to love fear and desire 2. They were guided by a right rule and carried in a due proportion to their objects Adam loved not his wife more then God 3. They were voluntary affections he loved a thing because his will made choise of it 4. They were whetstones of the soul in acting From this Image did necessarily follow peace with God fellowship and union He knew God to be his Creator and to love him in all good things he enjoyed God and tasted his sweetnesse Mans body also after a sort is an Image of Divine Perfection Observe first The Majestical form of it of which the Heathens took notice by the structure of the body a man should be taught to contemn the earth which his feet tread upon and to set his heart upon Heaven whether his eyes naturally tend It was convenient for man to have an erect stature 1. Because the senses were given to man not only to procure the necessaries of life as they were to other living creatures but also to know 2. That the inward faculties may more freely exercise their operations whiles the brain is elevated above all the parts of the body Aquinas part 1. Quaest. 91. Artic. 3. he gives two more reasons there of it Secondly Gods artifice in it Psal. 139. 15. Thou hast curiously wrought me and I was wonderfully made Vide Lactantium de opificio Dei Materiam superabat opus of the basest matter dust God made the noblest creature Thirdly The serviceablenesse of every part for its end and use Fourthly There is matter of humiliation because it was made of the dust Gen. 3. 19. Iob 14. 18 19. 5. 15. The Greek name makes man proud cals him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bids him aspire look up but the Hebrew and Latine humble him bids him stoop look down Adams body was mortal conditionally if he had not eaten of the Tree there could be no outward cause of his death for Gods protection kept that off nor no inward cause because original righteousnesse was in his soul and for old age
full of doubts fears and horrours and make him grow worse and worse 3. With due care and diligent observing of our selves a godly man may much prevail to keep himself innocent from great transgressions and unspotted of the world Secondly The Saints can and will keep themselves from sin Reasons 1. Because they have received the divine nature by which they shun the pollutions that are in the world through lust by which they are made sensible of the evil of sin and framed to a loathing and hatred of sin every true Christian hath the spirit which will make him lust against the flesh The wisdom of the world is to keep themselves from misery the wisdom of Saints is to keep themselves from that which is the cause of all misery and the worst of all misery from iniquity The godly will not only be carefull to abstain from evil acts but to subdue their lusts to crucifie sin in the thoughts and desires Rom. 7 8 9. 1. The chief dominion of sin is in the heart there is the evil treasure the root 2. This is contrary to the chief part of the law the letter of the law is against the acting of sin the spirit of it is against lusting 3. This is the strongest part of sin and hardliest subdued 2 Cor. 10. 5. The way to keep our selves from sin 1. Often and earnestly call upon God to keep you by his Spirit of wisdom and strength for you are not able to keep your selves 2. Often renew and settle in your own hearts a resolution of not sinning and that upon spiritual grounds and considerations taken out of Gods word 1 Pet. 4. 11. David saith I hid thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee This hiding the word is a calling to minde and serious pondering the commandments threats promises exhortations examples and reasons of Gods word against sin in the generall and against such and such sins in particular and pressing them upon our selves till they have wrought in us a setled and determinate resolution I will not sin I will not do this and this evil 3. It is requisite to observe and oppose the first rising of sin in the motions and desires thereof in the thoughts of it with a sigh groan ejaculation calling to minde some text of Scripture against it and stirring some detestation of it and calling upon our selves to keep our former resolutions against it The conception of sin is by the stirring and moving of ill desires within 4. Shun the occasions of evil Gen. 39. 10. Prov. 11. 14. all those things which our selves have found in our experience to provoke and stir our corruptions and to give them advantage against us Solomon saith Look not on the wine when it is red Prov. 23. 31. Secondly Our care of avoiding sin must shew it self specially against our own sins Ezek. 18. Cast away all your transgressions by which you have transgressed Psal. 18. 23. Reasons 1. Where the danger is greater the care of preventing must be most used Every man is soonest and most easily overtaken with these sins 2. What will be a greatest proof of his truth and sincerity and so the surest foundation of his comfort that should he be most carefull to practise this will make it appear that he strives against sin because it is sin when he striveth against those evils that are most pleasing to him 3. What will most further him in the works of sanctification and amendment of life that ought he most diligently to indeavour now in prevailing against ones corruptions he shall most further the work of grace and holiness in himself kill that sin and the rest will be more easily killed 4. There we should bestow most pains in which if we do not use care we lose our labour in other things Means were prescribed before to be used against sin in generall you must apply these in particular against your particular sins Pray often against these meditate and resolve most against these observe and resist most the first rising of these shun the occasions of these first A diligent and constant care to resist a mans own corruption is a sure proof of uprightnesse and such a one shall enjoy the comfort of his sincerity in due time CHAP. XIV Of the cause of forbearing Sin of abhorring it and of small Sins THe main cause of our forbearing any sin should be the sinfulnesse of it that is because it is repugnant to Gods will and offensive to him Isa. 59. 2. So Ioseph How shall I do this great evil and sin against God Loe what did curb him from that wickednesse which in the verdict of carnall reason he had so much cause to have committed and he might have done with so much safety and assurance even this It was a sin against God Ier. 44. 4. Nehem. 13. 27. Psal. 51. 3. Psal. 97. 10. Reasons 1. This is the very proper cause of all the other evil effects of sin and herein doth the very evilnesse and vilenesse of it consist The foul nature of sin stands in this that it is offensive to God and opposite to the will of that excellent Majesty to whom all creatures ought to be subject 2. Our forbearance of sin is no otherwise a fruit and effect of love to the divine Majesty then if we forbear it on this ground and further then it ariseth from this ground it is nought worth to our comfort nor shall bring us any everlasting reward Ezra 9. 14. Eadem velle nolle ea demum firma est amicitia 3. Unlesse this thought make us flye from sin we shall never forbear it constantly nor universally because no other motive will still and every where hold We must not only avoid sin but abhorre it Psal. 97. 10. Isa. 30. 22. Rom. 12. 9. David saith I hate vain thoughts Paul mentioning divers evils saith God forbid The wicked and much more wickednesse is an abomination to the just 1 Sam. 26. 11. Rom. 6. 2. Sin is often exprest by abomination 't is so to God it should be so to men Reasons 1. Because our affections must be conformable to God's Prov. 6. 16. He hateth nothing simply but sin and sinners for sins sake 2. Sin in it self is most hatefull because most hurtfull to man and injurious to God The ground of hatred of any thing is the contrariety of it to our welfare as we hate wilde fierce and raging beasts for their mischievousnesse a toad and serpents for their poisonousnesse which is a strong enemy to life and health so we hate thieves and murderers Sin is the most mischievous and harmfull thing in the world Our hatred against sin must have these properties 1. It must be universall we must hate all sins Psal. 119. 104. Iames 1. 21. 1 Pet. 2. 1. our own as well as others sins gainfull and profitable sins as well as others Hatred is of the whole kinde See Iob 34. 32. 2.
〈◊〉 saith he de Eccles. Different forms of Churches and Church-government in one State must needs lay a foundation of strife and division therein It is no wisedom saith M. Durie in a Letter in a State to reject an approved way of government which all the best Reformed Churches have received all this while and acknowledged to be Gods way and by experience found to be safe sound and instead of it to take up another which it is not yet known what it is nor was ever tried but in two or at the most three Churches and that for the space of a few years The slighter the cause of Separation the greater the fault of Schisme when men hold the same Faith and Orthodox truths yet separate for lesser matters The true Saints in the 7. Churches of the Revelation were never bid go out of them though they were very corrupt as they were out of Babylon M. Vines The first Separatist in the Scripture saith one was Cain Gen. 4. 16. Enforcements to love are clear 1 Cor. 13. 1. That question of Separation in Scripture is dark See M. Gillespy miscel c. 10. and 15. and M. Manton on Jam. 3. 17. Schisma est secessio in religionis negotio vel temeraria vel injusta Cameron de Eocles Schisme is a causelesse separation from externall communion with any true Church of Christ M. Ball against Separation c. 8. Schism is a breach of the unity of the Church D. Field l. 3. of the Church c. 5. We do not leave communion of true Churches for corruptions and sins but only abstain from the practice of evil in our own persons and witnesse against it in others still holding communion with the Churches of Christ. You send me unto such a Book of M. Robinson as himself doth begin to revoke pubpubliquely as being unsound in divers things whereas I refer you unto a later book of his made with riper deliberation and in no part that I hear of publikely revoked His Book which you send me unto being his Iustification of Separation is sick of King Iehorams incurable disease the guts of it fall out day by day yea he openly plucks out some of the bowels thereof with his own hands This is to be observed by them especially who much follow M. Robinson CHAP. XXIII Of Sedition Self-love Self-seeking Slander SEDITION SEdition is a sin whereto people are much inclined It is to leave our present Governours which rule us according to law and follow other Governours who rise up of their own accord to leave a David and follow a Sheba The Israelites raised sedition against David by means of Absalom and Achitophel and proceeded so farre in their rebellion that they brought it to a pitcht field and would not give over till their Captain with twenty thousand more were slain in the battell 2 Sam. 19. Corah Dathan and Abiram stir up a great multitude against Moses and Aaron At another time of themselves they rose against Moses and were ready to stone him because they wanted water At another time they cry to have a Captain and return back to Egypt M. Hobbs in his Rules of government c. 12. reckons up these two among other wilde ones as seditious opinions that the knowledge of good and evil belongs to each single man and saith Legitimate Kings make the things they command just by commanding them and those which they forbid unjust by forbidding them This is to make Subjects beasts and the Magistrate God 2. That faith and holinesse are not acquired by study and naturall reason but are supernaturally infused and inspired unto man which if it were true saith he I understand not why we should be commanded to give an account of our faith or why any man who is truly a Christian should not be a Prophet This opinion is so contrary to Scripture and the judgement of all sound Divines that I need not spend time to confute it See Phil. 1. 29. Eph. 1. 8. Heb. 12. 2. One indeed saith the habits of Faith Hope and Charity are infused after the manner of acquisite God having ordained not to infuse them but upon the means of hearing praying caring studying and endeavouring Some say there are no graces wrought in us but severall actings of the Spirit as the Spirit acteth with us where grace is wrought we need the Spirit to excite and draw it forth but the Scripture is plain for infused habits grace is called a good work in us Phil. 1. 6. the Law written in our hearts God is said to shine into our hearts 2 Cor. 4. 6. we are said to be partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. See Eph. 2. 10. 1. It is a sin it is plain by Scripture how severely did God punish it in Korah and his accomplices making the earth to gape wide and swallow them up Solomon condemns it saying meddle not with such as be given to change Gal. 5. 20. yea it is a great sin as is evident 1. It is contrary to the light of Scripture in the Law he that cursed that is railed upon or used ill wishes against the Ruler of his people was to be put to death how much more then he that shall rise up against him The Scriptures of the New Testament are full of precepts for duty and subjection Rom. 13. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 13. 14. Give unto Caesar that which is Caesars saith our blessed Saviour Give to every one his due fear to whom fear honour to whom honour belongeth You must needs be subject for conscience sake And the Apostle willeth Titus to put them in minde to obey principalities and powers and be subject to Magistrates and ready to every good work as if a man were unfit for any good work if he be not duly subject to authority The Jesuites are still tampering about Kingdomes Monarchies Common-wealths and temporall States how to bring them into mutinies contentions seditions rebellions and uproars Watsons Quodlibets of Religion and State Quodl 5. Answer to the fourth Article They are like unto Aesops Trumpetter who being taken in war made his lamentation saying that he never drew his sword against any nor shot at any but the enemy answered Thou hast animated others thou hast put courage rage and fury into all the rest Saint Peter and Iude do blame them which despise government and speak evil of them in authority Secondly It is contrary to the light of nature for even among those Nations which never had any divine revelation yet the necessity of duty to Magistrates was alwaies maintained as a thing which they perceived absolutely requisite for the welfare of humane societies seeing without government the societies of men could never continue in a good estate No man could possesse his own goods enjoy his own lands and house live comfortably with his own wife and children or give himself to any profitable calling and endeavour Thirdly It is contrary to those principal vertues by which all men
and practice 2. A prosecuting such intent and practice with might of any kinde as in one instance the Prophet noteth They covet fields and take them by force A man of violence is he who will bear out a bad matter with mony favour wit strength or any outward helps he can use for that purpose That this is evil appears by that place where David affirms of God that the man which loveth violence his soul hateth that is he hates him in all extremity with an utter hatred the reason is because he hath sold over himself to sin he sins of wilfulnesse is an obstinate sinner a despiser of God he hath buried all justice and equity love and charity and shamefully abuseth those gifts to mischief which God hath furnished him with for better purposes it begins in very children the stronger bigger and craftier will wrong the weaker and sillier Violence bursting forth into any extremities of dealing was in the old law punished with the like of that that was done Lev. 24. 17. Unbelief Infidelity was the first sin Gen. 3. 4 and is the mother of all sins Heb. 3. 12. The evil heart is called the heart of unbelief as faith is the fountain of all graces Act. 15. 9. Our Saviour often checks his disciples for this Matth. 6. 30. It is against those most lovely and soul-ravishing Attributes of God his mercy goodnesse free-grace longanimity patience bowels of compassion It is called a provocation Psal. 78. 4. Heb. 3 8. which notes the highest act of displeasure the unbeliever is abominable to God and good men Psal. 15. 4. It is a departing from God Heb. 3. 12. see Iohn 3. 33. Christ marvelled at it Mark 6. 6. It is hard to finde out unbelief to be a sin not that unbelief whereby we assent not to the doctrine of the Scripture but that whereby we do not apply Christ for our only Saviour for seeing the Law of God is partly ingraâ—ted in our nature we easily beleeve that what opposeth that is a sin but the Gospel being wholly supernaturall and meerly by divine revelation therefore what opposeth that is not presently acknowledged to be a sin the Scripture discovers this unbelief The Spirit convinceth us of unbelief and the sinfulnesse of that state Iohn 16. 9. 1. It discovers the nature of it and therein our ignorance 2 Cor. 4. 4. 1. In respect of the reality of the Gospel that there is such a thing as pardon a reconciled justified state faith hope 2. In respect of the glory of the Gospel 2 Cor. 4. 4. 2 Cor. 3. ult Christ is precious to them that beleeve 2. Shews the distance that unbelief makes between God and us in our approaches to him Heb. 3. 12. 3. Discovers our rebellion and opposition to God and the righteousness of Christ Rom. 10. 3. by cavilling objecting and hard thoughts of Christ. Secondly The Spirit convinceth us of our unbelief in respect of the objects and effects of it 1. Its objects 1. Christ as he hath all merit and satisfaction in our approaches to God we cannot set that which is in Christ by way of satisfaction against our own guilt 2. We are not able to see pardoning promises speak pardon to us through the bloud of Christ as that promise Isa. 1. 18. 2. We improve not the Covenant we look not upon Christ as the Head of it As he is the party that makes good the Covenant with God for us though I have many miscarriages yet he hath fully satisfied and made reconciliation with God for me as he is the Head of the Covenant also to us what need I doubt but I shall have strength pardon is given into the hands of my Mediator 2. In reference to the effects of unbelief 1. The Spirit shews a man what weaknesse and corruption he lies under still by reason of unbelief 2. Le ts him see how much terrour and guilt he still lies under he cannot call God father Heb. 10. 22. 3. Discovers the comforts and joyes of beleevers both from Scripture and the experiences of others of Gods people 1 Iohn 1. 4. 15. 11. and yet much wrath and guilt still lies upon his conscience 4. The Spirit convinceth of unbelief by a Saints often being at a losse in the things of the Gospel 1. He goes a long time together and cannot meet with one promise to suit his condition 2. When he hath a promise he can make no use of it cannot plead it with faith and expectation 3. He cannot walk in the strength of a promise Lastly Gods Spirit convinceth us also of the sinfulnesse of unbelief 1. By clearing up to the soul that he lies under the breach of the great Gospel-command 2. By shewing what it is to neglect the love and grace of the Gospel Heb. 2. 3. Matth. 24. 51. 3. By presenting to the soul how ill God takes it when we will not beleeve him There are divers aggravations of this sin 1. Other sins deserve damnation but this formally opposeth the way of salvation Some say only unbelief damns a man which is not true in a rigid sense for every sin damns a man unrepented of but only unbelief is more opposite to the way of curing then other sins 2. It is opposite to the chiefest grace faith Illud est optimum cujus privatio est pessima The Scripture honours faith giving remission of sins the righteousnesse of Christ and salvation it self to it 3. It dishonours God and Christ and the holy Ghost it is the glory of Gods love that he becomes thy God though he so great and thou so vile this is the honour of Christ to thee A Son is born a Childe is given God shews the riches of his free-grace here thou grudgest him the honour to be the pardoner of thy sins 4. It is most rooted in us hence the Lord so often checks his disciples for their unbelief and faith is called The work of God in a speciall manner because of the difficulty of it and the contrariety of our natures Hence Comfort you comfort you again and again because the heart of man terrified for sin doth utterly refuse all true comfort in a right way 5. It hath more fair pretences for it more arguments then any other sin that is a dangerous sin which comes upon us as a duty I am unworthy 6. It puts the lie upon God Iohn 1. 5. God saith he will be thy God Christ saith he will put away thy sins thou saiest he will not 7. The devil most tempts a godly man to this sin as the incestuous person the devil had almost tempted him to finall despair as he would hold the prophane man in security so the penitent sinner in irksome unbelief 8. It hath the most terrible and sad effects it breeds daily unsetlednesse and tossings of heart therefore doubting and uncertainty is opposed to faith at last it will breed secret impatience and grudging against God and in the end open hatred
Vine he sate upon the Well he went from Iericho toward Ierusalem He opened his mouth and taught them he touched the Leaper saying I will be thou clean he did sleep He cried with a loud voice and gave up the ghost So he took upon him the very nature of man and was made in all things like unto us but without sinne 6. He had likewise the affections of a man His soul was heavy to death he sighed in his Spirit he was straitned in his Spirit and testified that one of them should betray him he mourned and wept for Lazarus he looked upon them angerly he cried out I thirst Joy Luk. 10. 21. Anger Mark 10. 14. Grief Mat. 26. 38. Love Mark 10. 21. Ioh. 11. 5 13. Zeal Ioh. 2. 17. Fear Heb. 5. 7. as in a man were found in him Now there are divers good Reasons why Christ was to be Man First He was to be a Mediator a middle person betwixt God and Man and therefore was to take upon him mans nature that he might familiarly converse with man and acquaint them with the whole counsel of his Father and therefore the Apostle saith There is one Mediatour betwixt God and man the man Christ Iâ—sus And St Iohn That which we have heard and have seen and have looked upon with our eyes of the word of life He must be man that he might converse with men and be subject unto their senses and so was a fit person to interpose himself and make concord betwixt God and man Secondly He was to be man 1. That he might satisfie Gods justice in suffering for man the things which mans sins did deserve and which were to be inâ—â—â—cted upon man according as it was threatned In the day thou sinnest thou shalâ— dye Mans nature had sinned mans nature must suffer for sin that as by a man came sin and so death so by a man might come righteousnesse and the resurrection from the dead The Godhead was too strong to suffer for it is not possible that the excellent Essence of God should endure or bear any punishment any evil any misery without which yet mans sins could not be expiated therefore did the Godhead cloath it self with flesh that he might suffer in the humane nature that which it was impossible it should suffer in that high and superexcellent nature The Manhood was too weak to bear and overcome in suffering and to deserve by suffering The Godhead was too strong to bear or suffer wherefore the Godhead was to borrow weaknesse as I may so say of the manhood and to lend power to it that that great work might be done which could not be effected without a wonderfull concurrence of exceeding great weaknesse and exceeding great power The Justice of God required that the same nature should be punished that had offended Rom. 8. 3. He could not else have suffered the penalty Gen. â— 24. See Heb. 7. 27. 9. 22. Without shedding of bloud there could be no expiation of sâ—â— there must be active obedience performed in our stead to the Law Gal. 4. 4 5. else he could not have communicated to us Union is the ground of Communion Ephes. 1. 21. Titus 3. 4. 2. That he might honour and dignifie the nature of man by advancing it farre above all Principalities and Powers yea above every name that is named and so God might declare his infinite and unsearchable grace to that frail and feeble nature which came of the dust by making it the chief of all his workmanship and head over all Therefore hath he attained by inheritance a more excellent name then Angels being called the Sonne of God in carrying as I may term it the humane nature to the Divine that nature was exalted above all other natures A woman of some place is dignified by matrimony with a King above all those that were her superiours before so that now of all natures next to the Divine nature the humane nature by being so nearly united to it is become the most excellent and glorious nature So God willing to shew the height and length the bredth and depth of his love which passeth all understanding hath thus glorified the seed of Abraham even above the nature of Angels for he took not the nature of Angels but took the seed of Abraham Thirdly This was done to foil crush and confound Satan so much the more in causing that nature which he envied supplanted and polluted to become so pure perfect and glorious and to triumph over him and lead him captive and tread him under foot and make a shew of him openly The Lord would punish Satan in his envy and make him feel the effect of his power and goodnesse in doing so very much against him by a man to fulfill that that The seed of the woman should crush the serpents head and to cause him to fall from heaven like lightening before the second Adam how much soever he gloried as it were in his conquest over the first Adam Last of all The Lord pleased to do this for our greater consolation and assurance that we might know without all doubt we should finde him a faithfull and a mercifull high-Priest For in that he suffered temptation he knows how to succour them that are tempted Christ was to be a man of sorrow and to have experience of infirmities that by bearing our sorrows he might be fitted to relieve and succour us in all our sorrows for he that hath indured any misery himself is made more tender in compassion and more able in knowledge to afford comfort unto them that must after taste of the same afflictions He knows the weight of sin the intolerablenesse of Gods wrath the violence of Satans temptations and the trouble of being wronged and abused by men We can bring no misery to him but what himself bare or the like so now we are assured to finde him most pitifull to us that for our sakes was content in our nature to be most afflicted You see now that Christ was man and why he was to be so Consider how he was made man and that was wonderfully miraculous above the course of nature and beyond the common custom that he might be wonderfull in his entrance into the world who was to be wonderfull in the course of his life For he was not made of the seed of man by copulation as other persons are but a Virgin did conceive and bring forth a Son Mary descended by direct line from David and Abraham a mean and contemptible maiden whom no man regarded because she was poor she was a chosen vessel to be the Mother of our Saviour and the holy Ghost did over-shadow her and the power of the most High come on her to frame a man in her womb of her substance as you have the Angel telling Ioseph in the first of Matthew and Mary in Luke 1. 35. This was so done 1. Say some of our Divines To free the
manhood from the stain of sin wherewith those are polluted which are begotten by carnal generation though the holy Ghost could as easily have sanctified the substance of a man as of a woman to frame of it the humane nature of Christ. 2. To shew the greatnesse of his love to man by transcending the course of nature for his restitution and that the making of the second Adam might no lesse commend the power of God then the making of the first for it is no more beyond the power of nature to produce a man of a Virgin then to frame a man of the dust of the earth This is a great mystery God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. The second person did assume humane nature to it so as these two make one person Iohn 1. 14. Rom. 1. 3. The second person I say for it is not proper to say that the Divine nature was made flesh but the second person though the second person have the Divine nature in him and is God For though God was made flesh yet it was not the Divine nature in all the persons that was incarnated but the very person of the Son subsisting in the Godhead The Schoolmen have divers curious questions 1. Whether it was convenient for God to be incarnate 2. Whether it was necessary for the repairing of mankinde that the Word should be Incarnate 3. Whether God should have been Incarnate if man had not sinned Aquinas part 3. quaest 1. Artic. 1 2 3. That Christ should have come although man had not sinned will scarce be made good The Scripture acknowledgeth no other cause of Christs coming in the flesh but to save sinners and redeem them who are under the Law and so subject to the curse Matth. 1. 21. 9. 13. 18. 11. Gal. 4. 5. Christ was born of a Virgin but such a one as was espoused to a man Luke 1. 27. and that for these reasons 1. To avoid the infamy and suspition of immodesty 2. That her Virginity might be the better evidenced viz. He bearing witnesse to whom it specially belonged to understand how things were and who was most worthy to be beleeved in that matter 3. That she might have a most intimate helper in bearing all other cares and troubles 4. To represent our spiritual conjunction with Christ for we are espoused to him and yet we ought to be virgins cleansed from all pollution both of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. see 2 Cor. 11. 2. Rev. 14. 4. The place where Christ was born was Bethlehem which signifies a house of bread the best place for the Bread of life and in Ephratah a most fruitfull place In the year 3967. say some others say it is uncertain in what year In the 42 year of Augustus his reign For the moneth there is great difference also Epiphanius thinketh he was born in the 6th of Ianuary Beroldus at the middle of September Clemens Alexandrinus at the Spring-time Others at the 25th of December Scaliger objects that the winter time was not fit for a Master of a Family to undertake so long a journey with his wife to be taxed also that Shepherds are not wont in the night time to watch their flocks at that time of the year Vossius de Natali Iesu Christi Dr Drake in his Chronology gives probable grounds why Christ was not born in December but rather about August or September God of purpose concealed the time of Christs birth as he did the body of Moses as well foreseeing how it would have been abused to superstition had it been exactly known Interpreters indeed render the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vigilare or excubare but it may be better translated sub dio agere It properly notes to live in the fields as the original of the word shews which agrees to the day-time as well as to the night In England saith Vossius we have travelled both before and after the Nativity of Christ. For the day of our Saviours Nativity it is not certain this was the day which we celebrate Some learned Divines gather from the computation of the time when the Angel saluted our Lords Mother being the sixth moneth Luke 1. 26. that this cannot be the day though 't is true the tradition is ancient Scultetus thus concludes the fourteenth Chapter of his Delit. Evang. Tacâ—nte Scriptura taccamus nos Christum servatorem in tempore natum adoremus et si in quo temporis puncto natus sit ignoramus A late Writer saith that opinion of the Romans is true which held that Christ was born on the 25 day of December and undertakes to demonstrate it As for the day saith scaliger Unius Dei est non hominis deâ—inire This Jesus of Nazareth perfect God and man is that Messiah promised of old What ever was said of the Messiah was accomplished by him and him alone The first Christians beleeved in him Luke 1. 68. Christ much instructed his Disciples in this great truth Luke 24. 25 26 27 44 verses The Apostles proved this great doctrine Acts 18. 24 27. 26. 22 23. 28. 23. Arguments that prove this Jesus to be the Messiah All the times of exhibiting the Messiah delivered in the old Testament are expired Acts 13. 32. See 1 Pet. 1. 10. The old Testament speaks of a twofold coming of Christ in a state of humility and glory The Jewish Rabbins could not reconcile these two the Talmudists distinguished of a twofold Messiah Ben-Israel or Ben-Ephraim and Ben-David The Prophets speak not of several persons but of several states of one person See Ezck. 37. 24. Gen 49. 10. The power of ruling and authority of judging is departed from Iudah and hath been a long time Therefore Shiloh the Messiah is come Hag. 26 7. 9. The outward glory of the first Temple was greater all the vessels of the first Temple were beaten gold Dan. 5. 2 3. of the second brasse but Christ honoured the second Temple by his own Presence Doctrine and Miraâ—les 〈…〉 Jews confesse that there were five things in which the latter Temple was inâ—â—â—â—â—ur to the former First Heavenly fire came down visibly on their Sacrifices They had the Ark of the Covenant The Cloud a witnesse of the Divine presence Urim and Thummim And lastly a succession of Prophets which the latter Temple wanted Rain in loc de lib. Apoc. tom 2. Praelect 134 135. Dan. 9. 24 26. Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy City to finish the transgression That is The time that the Jews were to live in their own land and enjoy their own worship after their return out of Captivity We are wont to apply the seventh number to daies that a perfect week should comprehend seven full daies So Dan. 10. 2. Levit. 23. 15. The Prophecy cannot â—e understood in this common and usual manner so Seventy weeks rise but to Four hundred and ninety daies within
turned into flesh as the water was made wine not by any confusion as if the Divine Nature were made the Humane or the Humane the Divine When we say the Divine Nature took our Humane Nature upon him we must not think that that humane Nature consisting of a soul and body was one entire person as it is in us for though it was particular yet it did not subsist of it self before the Union of the God-head to it Thirdly This personall Union is inseparable for when Christ appeared like man in the Old Testament that was nâ—â— an Incarnation because separable Fourthly By this means the Virgin Mary is truly called Deipara the mother of God so in Scripture she is expresly called The mother of the Lord for she brought him who was God and Man though she did not bring forth his Deity the whole Person of Christ was the subject of conception and nativity though not all that was in that Person Consider lastly The end of this Incarnation which is this God and man became one in Person that God and man might become one in the Covenant of Grace Gal. 4. 4 5. Before this man was at as great a distance with God as the apostate Angels but now by this means as he is made sinne for us so are we made righteousnesse by him not that this benefit extends to all but onely to those men who are under the Covenant and therefore Gal. 3. all the mercies which Abraham had are limited to a spiritual seed therefore as the mystery is great for the truth so for the comfort of it and why should faith think it such an unlikely matter to adopt for his children when God hath united our nature to him CHAP. IV. Of Christs Offices SO much may serve concerning Christs Natures both what they be Manhood and God-head And Secondly How they are united into one Person by a personal Union Christs Offices in the next place are to be treated of Wherein consider 1. His calling to his Office 2. The Office to which he was called or which is all one The efficient cause of these Offices and the matter or parts of them For the cause of the Lords undertaking these Offices it was the will and calling of his Father who is said to anoint him that is to say to appoint him to them and sit him for them and himself saith Him hath God the Father sealed that is to say ratified and set apart to that work as a Prince by his Seal doth give Commission to any of his Subjects to undertake such and such a work furnishing him with Authority to fulfill the same And therefore the Apostle to the Hebrews saith particularly concerning his Priesthood that he did not make himself a Priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee and this calling was ratified with an Oath saying That the Lord hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever to let us know the certainty and immutability thereof Now this observation makes to the exceeding great commendation of the goodnesse of God that he himself would take care to provide for us a perfect and sufficient helper against this our misery If we had bethought our selves of a remedy and procured it for our selves so much lesse had been the glory of his grace But when he to whom it little pertained in regard of any good he should get by it but that he counts it a benefit to manifest his grace by doing good to us when he I say bethought himself of a way to effect this work and took order to send a Person that was perfectly sufficient to work it out Now this honour is enlarged exceedingly and the glory of the work redoundeth wholly to him and then it must be confessed to be altogether of his grace It is true indeed that Justice and Mercy do meet together in this work and each shew it self in perfection for that he pardoneth our sins and saveth us Now that Jesus Christ hath deserved pardon of sin and salvation for us it is a part of righteousnesse For he is righteous saith the Scripture to forgive us but in that he himself found out a means to satisfie his Justice and after a sort to tie his righteousnesse to do this for us this is of meer mercy and grace for mercy is the beginning and first cause of our deliverance but yet mercy sees justice satisfied and so accomplisheth the whole work not with any wrong injury or offence to justice and with the help of it So we see our Lord Jesus Christ came to undertake this work the manhood of his own accord did not put himself to do it the Angels did not perswade him we did not intreat him or hire him Nay we nor any other creature had an hand in assigning him to it but the Father being offended with us and finding the way of his justice shut against us by our sins made a Covenant with the Sonne that he should undertake it and appointed it to be done by the way of taking our felsh resolving that that Person should be the raiser up of lost and fallen man to happinesse and felicity Now for the Offices themselves which Christ undertook we must learn them by the Titles which the Scripture giveth unto him These Titles are a Saviour a Redeemer a Mediator a Surety a Christ a Lord and in explicating these six Titles I shall sufficiently declare the Offices of our Lord. First I say he was a Saviour A Saviour is a Person that undertaketh to free any that are in distresse through the want of good things and the presence of evil from that misery under which they lie by taking away those evils from them and conferting those good things upon them Now he is therefore called by the name of Iesus which signifies a Saviour because he was to deliver his people from that misery whereinto Adam and themselves had plunged themselves removing those extream evils which lay on them and bringing unto them those great benefits wherof they were deprived Even among us when any City or Commonwealth is oppressed by a Tyrant who spoileth them of their Liberty and Lands and holds them in slavery and beggery if any person arise and put down that Tyrant and restore every man his Goods and Liberty free them from their miseries and restore them the free use of their Countrey and Laws this man is a Saviour of such a City so is the Lord Jesus to us Therefore is he frequently entituled The salvation of God Mine eyes have seen thy salvation and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God and our God the God of our salvation So was he figured by all the Judges whom God raised up to help his people for it is said God raised them up Saviours which saved them out of the hands of their enemies and God raised them up a
of wonder in regard of the strangenesse of some accident beheld as the people were amazed at Christs miracles and doctrine 2. An amazement of horror when a man stands agast and astonished at the greatnesse of some evil befalling him or like to befall him and so was our Saviour taken with the highest degree of fear even amazement Mark 14. 33. It was not such a fear as did drive him out of his wits or take away from him the use of reason but such as did even surcharge his soul and so afflict him that as we use to say he knew not what to do nor how to bear it these two passions put him in an agony that is to say an extraordinary great strife or wrestling The infinite wrath of God due to him for our sins as much as if he had committed them for the surety is as much liable to the paiment of the debt as if he had in person borrowed the mony himself for himself did discover it self to him in all extremity procuring to him the extreamest sorrow that might be because he felt the tediousnesse of it for the present and the extreamest fear that might be because he feared the continuance of it for the future not with a fear of reason that did doubt of the event of his sufferings but with a passion of fear which the beholding of a terrible thing so terrible as Gods infinite anger will stirre up in a creature though he be never so sure to escape it and hence came that extream conflict which dissolved his flesh and made him sweat bloudy drops whilst his faith and obedience strove against his fear and sorrow to keep him from murmuring or impatient fits from all repenting of his having undertaken the work from all doubting or despairing of Gods love or unwillingnesse to go through with the work but to hold his heart still in the highest pitch of obedience which he shewed saying Matth. 26. 39. Not my will that is natural desire not resolute purpose be fulfilled but thine Hence the Schools distinguish of a double will in Christ 1. His Divine will so as God he desired the same thing with his Father 2. Humane and that is either Voluntas desiderii naturalis the bent of nature to its own conveniency or Veluntas desiderii rationalis deliberati his sanctified judgement submitted the desires of humane nature to the will of God Here is no repugnancy but a diversity of wills Christ is to be considered under a different relation in the first part of the prayer he speaks as man in the second as Mediatour see Matth. 26. 42. Heb. 4. 16. 2. If we consider Christ as man there is no repugnancy of wills we must distinguish between the innocent vellieties of humane nature and the resolutions of reason This prayer was conceived 1. With submission If it be possible not my will 2. Drawn forth upon convenient reason If it be objected How could this stand with Christs holinesse the Law requires a conformity in the first motions and the very inclinations of the heart It may be answered 1. That Christs sufferings were rather appointed by Gods Decree then his Law 2. Suppose Gods Decrees were a Law to Christ as they were to him being a Mediator yet positive Laws blot not out natural affections Though Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his son yet he was to have a natural affection to save his life Christ was indeed obliged to this and it was a duty in him to declare 1. His bitter sense of Gods wrath Psal. 90. 11. 2. The reality of his humane nature by abhorring what was destructive to it 3. To shew his esteem of Divine consolation Now Gods Justice was satisfied now his Name was honoured with an obedience as honourable to him as all the service of all the men in the world could have been Thus did our blessed Saviour suffer in the garden from God alone Then follows from the Jews his Apostles and friends and his enemies and the common people His Apostles one betraies him sels him for ready money and for a little too the price of a slave thirty silverlings so many half crowns in all three pound fifteen shillings Lo the goodly price at which the Pharisees and this Iudas valued him O infinite indignity But what did the other disciples Most of them left him and fled The Shepherd was smitten and the flock was scattered they afforded him no more assistance then a company of sheep would to him that tended them if theeves come to murder him but runne one this way another that and left their Saviour all alone in the same sort did all his friends that had received so many and great benefits from him by his miraculous cures of themselves or their friends they all disappeared not one would open his lips to defend and justifie him against the leud aspersions that were cast upon him but one of his disciples among all the rest denies him forswears abjures him Now for his enemies the Pharisees first they send their ministers and servants with the Traitor to take him who coming to the place laid violent hands upon him and binding his hands behinde him like a thief they carry him away to them that had appointed them that service Secondly Themselves hire false and perjured wretches to bear witnesse against him of many things and when that course would not take effect at last upon his own most true holy and constant consession that he was as indeed he was the Son of God in solemn manner with pretended gravity and grief and with rent garments the high Priest stands up and condemns him of blasphemy and unto death to which sentence each of the Elders gave his suffrage Then the servants buffet him with their gracelesse hands spit on him with their slovenly mouthes and mock and jest at him with their petulant tongues and thus they passe away the time abusing him all night till in the morning early the high Priests quickly up for a bad businesse bring him to the Civil Governour and there accuse him of the falsest crimes that might be Sedition and Treason as if he forbad to pay Tribute moved the people and sought to make himself a King besides his blasphemy in counterfeiting as they interpreted it to be the Son of God Now see what he suffers from the Gentiles and Jews both together Pilate to rid his hands of him sends him to Herod Herod intertains him with mocks and taunts and sends him away scoffingly araied in purple Pilate dares not loose him but to please the people and asswage their rage by a little yielding causeth him to be sorely scourged with rods according to the manner of the Romans till his back was all gore bloud and his skin and flesh torn with wounds and wailes and then clapping a Crown of piercing thorns upon his head he brings him forth in this fashion to be gazed upon by the people who all shouting
I have shewed in my first Book of the Scriptures Secondly It tends to the extream dishonour of Christ 1. In making other Intercessours 2. In making each man his own Saviour by his own works 3. In feigning a Purgatory Thirdly It tends to the damnation of mens souls 1. In drawing them to put confidence in their own works 2. In making them content with lip-labour in stead of prayer 3. In mocking them with counterfeit confession 4. In teaching them to commit Idolatry 5. In teaching them the doctrine of venial sins and that these may be pardoned without either confession or contrition There is a double way of advancing Antichrist First In way of Worship and Superstition Some conceive that course was taken here formerly when there was so much cringing and bowing toward the Altar Secondly By publishing and maintaining the Doctrines of Popery the most refined Doctrines conditional Decrees Free-will Auxilium sufficiens omnibus ad salutem media scientia in God and Universal Redemption in Christs intention final Apostasie These are the Jesuites Doctrines Arminius had it from them Christians that have cast off Popery should be so farre from returning again to Babylon that they should pray for the destruction and utter ruine of that man of sinne and with confidence expect the accomplishment of the Prophecies in that kinde The End of the sixth Book THE SEVENTH BOOK OF OUR VNION And Communion WITH CHRIST And our Spiritual Benefits by him and some special Graces CHAP. I. Of our Union with Christ. HAving handled the work of Redemption in the Nature and Person of it Now I shall speak of the Application of it by the holy Ghost That is a special part of Gods Providence whereby those things which Jesus Christ hath purchased are by the operation of the holy Ghost made effectual to all those for whom they were appointed Four things are considerable in it 1. The foundation of it 2. The efficient cause or worker of it 3. The persons who shall be made partakers of it 4. The parts of this work 1. Union and conjunction with Christ. 2. Communion with him The ground work of it lies in three things 1. The donation of God the Father Iohn 6. 39. All that my Father hath given me shall come to me 2. The intendment of Christ in all the work he wrought Iohn 17. 19. For their sakes do I sanctifie my self that is separate my self to the work I undertook 3. The Fathers accepting it done for them as heartily as if they had done it in their own persons 2 Cor. 5. 19. 2. The efficient cause of it the holy Ghost that is the third Person in the Trinity who is equal to the Father and the Son The making of man was in some respect appropriated to the Father redeeming him to the Son the making it effectual and applying it was the work of the holy Ghost 14 15 and 16. Chapters of Iohn I will send the holy Ghost The Comforter he shall lead you into all truth Convince you of sinne righteousnesse and judgement There is no one branch of our partaking of Christ but what is totally ascribed to the holy Ghost The sending of the Gospel is by the holy Ghost they are the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost Faith Union with Christ and Communion with him in all his Offices are from the holy Ghost the Spirit teacheth governeth comforteth Reason Because no inferiour person could effect it Ephes. 1. 19 20. Thirdly The Persons to whom this work of application belongs or who shall be made partakers of Christ but the Decree of Election and Reprobation have been handled already There are a certain number whom God hath appointed to come to life by Christ the Spirit of God will make the means effectuall to all his Fourthly The parts of this work 1. Union and conjunction with Christ. 2. Communion with him 1 Ioh. 5. 12. I shall first speak of our Union with Christ. Christ is said to dwell and abide in us and we are said to be Christs to be partakers of Christ to be cloathed with Christ and abide in him The Spirit of God sets it out in five similitudes 1. Of food made one with the body Ioh. 6. 5 6. 2. Of Head and Members Ephes. 1. 22 23. 3. Of the foundation and building Ephes. 2. 20 21 22. 1 Pet. 2. 4 5 6. 4. Of the stock and branches Ioh. 15. 4 5 6 7. 5. Of the Husband and Wife Ephes. 5. 31 32. We must be one with Christ as we were one with the first Adam say some two wayes 1. Naturally as we bore his image 2. Voluntarily as we consented to his Covenant so with the second Adam 1. Naturally by receiving of his Spirit 2. Voluntarily consenting to his Covenant Though it is not easie to conceive how we can be said to have consented to his Covenant but as being in him and so his consent did include ours The Union begins on Christs part he layes hold on me by his Spirit Rom. 8. 9. Phil. 3. 12. Gal. 4. 5 6. 1 Iohn 4. 13. This Spirit works a principle of faith in us that layes hold on Christ and accepts him for our Head and Husband for ever Iohn 1. 12. Ephes. 3. 17. He will take Christ 1. With all his Offices for a Lord as well as a Saviour 2. With all his graces 3. With all his inconveniences Christ with poverty with disgrace with the stake There is a three-fold Union between Christ and a Believer 1. Mystical with Christ as a Head the fruit of that is intimacy 2. Moral with Christ as a patern or example 3. Judicial with Christ as a Surety whereby we are concerned in every act of Christs mediation the fruit of this is interest This Union between Christ and us is wrought by the Spirit Ephes. 4. 4. He unites God and us and us one with another He works it by the Ministery of the Word 1 Cor. 1. 9. Iohn 6. 44 45. and a religious use of the Seals 1 Cor. 12. 13. Rom. 6. 3 5. 1 Cor. 10. 16. Some make our Union with Christ to be only a relative Union others an essentiall personall Union as if we were Godded with God and Christed with Christ. I would not be too bold with those expressions of Nazianzen because I see they are abused 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First There is more then a relative Union as that place 1 Cor. 6. 17. forcibly proves 2. These Reasons 1. This Union is set forth by similitudes which shew a real Union Iohn 15. 1. 1 Cor. 12. Head and Body 2. Because our Union with Christ is compared to the Mystery of the Trinity and is like to the Union of the Persons in the Divine Nature Ioh. 6. 57. 14. 20. 17. 21 22 23. We are one not in the same kinde or degree of Union nor in so high and glorious a manner 3. Because it is not a Union founded only in terms of Scripture but
really wrought by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 12. 13. 4. Because there are real effectual comforts and graces derived to us from hence Rom. 6. 4. Phil. 3. 10. Secondly It is not an essential Union 1. Because the Union is mystical not personal the two Natures in Christ are essentially united because they are made one person it is a Union of persons our persons are united to Christ yet not a personal Union we make not one person but one body with Christ and not one body natural but mystical 1 Cor. 6. 17. 2. Those that mingle and confound the persons make the mystical Union higher then the personal the personal Union did not confound the Natures make the man God Object The whole Church is called Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. and we are made partakers of the Divine Nature Answ. We must not apply that to Union which is proper to Communion Communion is the common union of all the members with Christ. It is folly to apply that to one part which is proper to the whole body Head and Members is Christ mystical the parts are of the body but not the body There is a great deal of difference between the Divine Nature as it was in Christ and as it is in us Col. 2. 6. compared with that of 2 Pet. 1. 4. He had the fulnesse of the God-head we are only partakers of the Divine Nature the God-head dwels in him personally in us spiritually 1 Iohn 4. 16. there is a likenesse wrought in us to the Divine Nature This Union between Christ and us is 1. Real though he be in Heaven we on earth because the same Spirit that dwels in him dwels in us it is not only notional nor moral as betwixt friends 2. Mutual I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine and total whole Christ God and man is ours and the whole man soul and body must be his Psal. 45. 10. therefore we are said To eat his flesh Drink his bloud 3. Spiritual Christs Spirit is communicated to us and abides in us 4. Operative where Christ dwels by his Spirit he casts out Satan and takes possession of the soul and furnisheth it with his graces repairs his Image in us communicates his life to us gives us strength to bear crosses 5. Intimate Iohn 17. 21. Cant. 8. 12. it was not enough to say My vineyard but my vineyard which is mine 6. Strong and inseparable Death dissolves marriage not this Union Rom. 8. 34 35 36 37 38. It brings us nearer Christ by vertue of this mystical Union with Christ the dead bodies of the Saints are raised up at the last day This Union with Christ is one of the deep things of God one of the great mysteries of the Gospel Ephes. 5. 30 32. Our Saviour in his preaching began with the Doctrin of Repentance Mat. 4. 17. then went to that of Sanctification in general in the fifth sixth and seventh Chapters of Matth then he proceeds to the Doctrin of Faith sixth seventh and eighth Chapters of Iohn and lastly to his Union with the Saints fourteenth fifteenth and sixteenth Chapters of Iohn There are three mystical Unions not to be understood by a creature 1. The Mystery of the Trinity wherein three distinct Persons make but one God Deut. 6. 4. 2. Wherein two distinct Natures make one particular person so there is one Christ 1 Cor. 8. 6. 3. When two distinct Natures and Persons are united by one Spirit so there is one Church Cant. 6. 8. How to know whether I am united to Christ. I have then received the Spirit of Christ 1 Iohn 3. 24. Rom. 8. 26. He walks in the Spirit lives by the Spirit is led by the Spirit Two Rules to know that Christ is then first A Spirit of Mortification he 1. Helps thee to subdue thy darling sins 1 Iohn 3. 8. 2. Helps thee to overcome thy secret spiritual sins the power of natural conscience may keep under grosse sins but what power have you to subdue contempt of God impenitency hardnesse of heart pride envy Secondly Christ is also a Spirit of Sanctification 1 Pet. 1. 2. 1. In renewing the inward man That which is of the Spirit is Spirit 2. In transforming the outward man 1. He is willingly ignorant of no truth 2. He lets it break forth into practice 3. Layes out whatever is dear to him for Christ as Nehemiah Esther Benefits which flow from our Union with Christ 1. Reconciliation God looks not upon us as enemies Luk. 2. 14. 2. Union with the holy Trinity God the Father Christ dwels in God and God in him 1 Thes. 1. 1 2. The Spirit he is said to abide in them and they in him 3. He hath an interest in all Christs relations Iohn 17. I go to my Father and your Father my God and your God this gives boldnesse and accesse to the throne of Grace 4. The Promises come to be yours by your union with Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. they are made with Christ and with you in him he is Primus foederatus say some yet others say Christ is Mediator of the Covenant but not a party with whom the Covenant is made I will forgive their iniquities c. this they say is not made with Christ who knew no sinne Besides they urge that it is expresly said I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel c. And all spiritual priviledges 1 Ioh. 5. 12. this is the ground of all imputation of righteousnesse 5. We are presented to the Father through Christ he not onely presents your services but persons Exod. 12. 29. Heb. 7. 24 28. Eph. 1. 6. Phil. 3. 9. The end or intendment of this Union 1. To be the highest exaltation to his people that their persons are capable of the Angels are not so united to Christ as the Saints they are his servants not his members 2. That this might be the foundation of all Communion betwixt Christ and the soul he is the head we the members by vertue of the hands union with the head are all living operations He is the foundation we the building He the stock we the branches He the Husband we the Spouse by vertue of this conjunction he looks for duties from us there is a living in him a bearing fruit in him and we for priviledges from him we partake with him in his Righteousnesse Victories Graces Inheritance Directions to preserve our Union or Conjunction with Christ He is united to us by the in-dwelling vertue of his Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 13. 1 Iohn 3. 24. 4 13. and by faith Iohn 1. 12. 1. Do not grieve Gods Spirit Ephes. 4 23. Delicatares est Spiritus sanctus Tert. if he counsel rebel not 2. Maintain thy faith beleeve strongly against all doubts and apprehensions of thy own unworthinesse the Spirit comes by faith Gal. 3. and it is kept by it faith is the bond of union on our part as the Spirit on Gods 3. Use the
ordinary custome among the Romans It is a gracious sentence of God the Father on a believer whereby for Christs sake he cals believers his children and really admits them into the state and condition of children He cals us sons Gal. 3. 26. 4. 4 5. and admits us into the state and condition of sons I will be their Father and they shall be my children It is amongst men a remedy found out for the solace of a father which hath no childe by taking one to the right of an inheritance who by nature hath no claim to it 1. There is the election of him that would have him 2. The consent of the adopted 3. He called him Son in the Court when the Lord makes believers his children he thus adopts them There is a difference yet between divine and humane adoption 1. Man puts not a new nature into the party adopted God when he adopts he makes them new creatures 2. Man is moved to this many times by some perfection or apprehended excellency in the party so Pharaohs Daughter because she saw Moses a fair childe took him for hers but it is not so with God there is no good but what he works Ezek. 16. 6. 3. They adopted for their comfort and because they had no sons on whom to bestow their inheritance but God infinitely delighted in his own natural Son and he needed not us he hath his Angels to glorifie him How this Adoption is wrought It is done by applying of Christs Sonship to them The applying of Christs righteousnesse to us makes us righteous and the applying of his Sonship to us makes us the sons and daughters of God Christ being the first-born is heir and all Gods people co-heirs with him Rom. 8. 16 17 18. What Benefits have we by it All the whole work of our Redemption is sometimes exprest by it Iohn 1. 11. The glory of heaven is laid down in this one word Rom. 8. 15. We groan that we might receive the adoption of Sons The Benefits thereof are brought to two heads 1. We are really cut off from the family from which we sprung old Adam sin hell we are now no more in a sinful condition 2. We are ingraffed into Gods family and have all the priviledges of a natural son By the Law of the Romans one might do nothing to his adopted childe but what he might do to his own begotten Son By this means 1. They receive the Spirit of Sanctification Rom. 8. 15. 2. They have the honour of sons Iohn 8. 35. 3. They have the boldnesse and accesse of sons May cry Abba Father they may come to God with open face as men freed from condemnation Ephes. 3. 12. 4. They have the inheritance of sons Rom. 8. 27. they have a double right to heaven Titulo Redemptionis Adoptionis Three things will shew our Adoption 1. Likenesse to the Spirit of Christ thou wilt be holy as he is 2. Thou wilt bear an awful respect to God the childe honours the Father 3. There is the Spirit of prayer the childe comes to the Father to supply his wants CHAP. VI. Of Iustification THis word is used in Scripture sometimes to celebrate with praise Luke 7. When they heard this they justified God 2. To commend ones self being puffed up with the thoughts of our righteousnesse so the Lawyer willing to justifie himself 3. To be freed as he that is dead is justified from sin 4. It is taken for the declaration of our Justification as some expound that Was not Abraham justified by works Justification or to justifie in Scripture is not to infuse in a man righteousnesse by which God will pronounce him righteous but is taken for Gods absolving of him in the Court of free-grace not laying his sins to his charge and withall giving him the right to eternal life because of the obedience of Christ made his It is a judicial act Psal. 143. 2. 2. It is opposed to condemnation a Law term Prov. 17. 15. Rom. 8. 33 34. taken from the Courts of Judicature when the party accused and impleaded by such adversaries is acquitted There is a great difference between Vocation and Justification Vocation precedes Justification follows Justification praesupponit aliquid viz. Faith and Repentance Effectual Calling ponit haec non autem praesupponit The Doctrine of Predestination is handled in the ninth Chapter of the Romans and the first of the Ephesians of Justification in the third and fourth Chapter of the Romans of the first sinne of Adam in the third of Genesis and fifth of the Romans of the Lords Supper in 1 Cor. 11. of the Office of Ministers 1 Tim. 3. of Excommunication 1 Cor. 5. of Assurance â— ep Iohn Some say Justification hath a twofold notion Sometimes to justifie us to make us just thus God did make Adam just and justified him by making him a perfect holy good creature this is called the Justification of infusion But properly it is a Law term and to justifie is to declare one just and righteous Thus we are said to justifie God that thou maist be justified when thou judgest we do not make but pronounce him just Justification is a judicial Act of God the Father upon a beleeving sinner whereby his sins being imputed to Christ and Christs righteousnesse to him he is acquitted from sin and death and accepted righteous to eternal life In which description there are four things 1. The Authour who it is that justifieth God the Father Rom. 3. 29 30. 18. 33. it is God that justifieth and it is done by God as a Judge of the quick and dead 2. The object of it who it is that is justified a believing sinner Rom. 3. 16 17. Iohn 8. 21. 3. The matter of it the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to him the righteousnesse of Immanuel of God made man 1 Cor. 1. 30. He is the Lord our righteousnesse 4. The form it is a sentence pronouncing or declaring us free from sin and death and accepted of God There is an imputation which ariseth from inherent guilt so our sins were not imputed to Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. 2. Which is founded in a natural Union so Adams sinne is imputed to us but neither the filth nor guilt of Adams sinne were conveyed to Christ he came of Adam in a singular dispensation by vertue of that promise The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head 3. By way of voluntary susception Christ submitted to our punishment he was made sin by Covenant by treating with his Father The debt of a believing sinner is reckoned to Christ and the obedience of Jesus Christ is really reckoned to a believing sinner The result of which exchange is the acquitting of a sinner from sinne and death All the punishments due to us for our sins are reckoned to Christ by vertue of those transactions between God and him Christ became our Surety God layed on him the iniquity of us
Paul sheweth what is that which justifieth and Iames sheweth what kinde of faith justifieth viz. a lively effectual faith Iames sheweth that faith justifieth Quae viva Paul sheweth that it doth not justifie Qua viva which is a great difference though the Remonstrants scoffe at such a nicety Who would give a Lemmon-paring for the difference Whether Sanctification precede Justification Bishop Downame in his Appendix to the Covenant of Grace doth oppose my worthy Tutor M. Pemble for holding this opinion but perhaps a distinction may solve all As Sanctification is taken for the act of the holy Ghost working holinesse into us so it goes before Faith and Justification so the Apostle puts it before justifying saying 1 Cor. 16. 21. But ye are sanctified justified but as it is taken for the exercise of holinesse in regard of amendment of heart and life so it follows Justification in nature but it is joyned with it in time The Apostle Rom. 8. 30. placeth Vocation before Justification which Vocation is the same thing with the first Sanctification or Regeneration See Act. 26. 18. CHAP. XI Of Sanctification HAving spoken of the relative Change or of our State in Adoption Justification I shall now speak of the moral Change of our Persons and Qualities in Sanctification Although we distinguish between Justification and Sanctification yet we acknowledge that they are inseparable and that one doth necessarily follow the other To sanctifie sometimes signifies First To acknowledge the holinesse of a thing so God is said to sanctifie himself and his own name or to use it according to its holinesse so we are said to sanctifie the Lord and the Sabbath-day that is use it holily Secondly To make holy so a person or thing may be said to be made holy three wayes 1. When it is separated from a common use 2. When it is devoted to God made peculiar to him so one might sanctifie a house or beast 3. When it is cleansed and purged from all filthinesse and naughtinesse In the two first senses it is opposed to common and prophane in the last to unclean in Scripture such are goods houses the Temple What Sanctification is Some describe it thus It is the Grace of God dwelling in us by which we are inabled to live a holy life It is a supernatural work of Gods Spirit whereby the soul and body of a beleever are turned to God devoted to him and the image of God repaired in all the powers and faculties of the soul. It is a resolution of will and endeavour of life to please God in all things springing from the consideration of Gods love in Christ to mankinde revealed in the Gospel Sanctification is a continued work of the Spirit flowing from Christ as the Head purging a man from the image of Adam and by degrees conforming us to the image of Christ. 1. It is an act of the Spirit The special work of the Father is Creation of the Sonne Redemption of the holy Ghost Sanctification The Father proposed and plotted the work of Reconciliation Christ undertook the service but the Spirit is the Unction that takes away all enmity that is within us The Spirit dwels in the Saints virtually and operatively by his Gifts Graces Comforts and by exciting them Some dislike that passage of Luther Habitat ergo verus Spiritus in credentibus non tantum per dona sed quoad substantiam though others of our Divines follow him The Spirit of God is the efficient cause of Sanctification The sanctified are called such as are in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit If we mortifie the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit we shall live If any be led by the Spirit he is the Son of God and if any have not the spirit he is none of his Eze. 36. 27. The holy Ghost useth the Word of God the doctrin of the Gospel as its immediate instrument to work this holiness of heart and life Christ sends his Spirit that by the Word works faith and all Graces An act of the Spirit flowing from Christ as the Head common works of the Spirit flow not from Christ as the Head Iohn 1. 16. Col. 1. 19. Christ is the common treasury of all that Grace God ever intended to bestow 1 Iohn 2. 20. the intendment of union is communication 2. A continued work of the Spirit to distinguish it from Vocation Conversion Regeneration it is stiled Vocation because it is wrought by a heavenly Call Conversion because it is the change of a mans utmost end Regeneration because one receives a new Nature and new Principles of action The carrying on of this work in blotting out the image of old Adam and by degrees introducing the image of Christ is Sanctification 2 Cor. 7. 1. therefore we must have supplies of the Spirit Psal. 92. 10. Sanctification is answerable to original corruption and intended by the Lord to be a Plaister as broad as the sore That was not one sinne but a sinne that had all sinne so this is not one distinct Grace but a Grace that comprehends all Grace It is called the new man in opposition to the old man because it makes us new changing from the natural filthinesse of sinne to the righteousnesse and holinesse whereof we were deprived by the fall of Adam and to note the author of it which is the Spirit of God working it in us called the holy Spirit because he is so in himself and works holinesse in us the Divine Nature because it is a resemblance of that perfection which is in God and the image of God for the same cause because it maketh us in some degree like unto him The moving cause is the consideration of the love of Christ to mankinde revealed in the Gospel the matter of it a resolution and constant endeavour to know and do the whole will of God revealed in his Word Psal. 119. 30. 73. 10. the forme a conformity to Gods Law or whole will so revealed Psal. 119. the end principal to glorifie and please God secondary to attain his favour and eternal happinesse The extent must be in all things the subject of it is the whole man the whole soul and body Sanctification reacheth to the frame of his heart David hid the Law of God in his heart the inward man therefore called a New-Creature and outward Conversation therefore called a living to God 1 Thess. 5. 23. The Parts of it are two Mortifying and Crucifying the old man with its lusts and affections quickning the new man bringing forth the fruit of the Spirit The Properties of it 1. It is sincere 2. Constant therefore it is called a walking in the way of the Lord. 3. Imperfect here 4. Grows and proceeds toward perfection A godly life is distinguished 1. From the false goodnesse of the Hypocrite for that is willing sometimes to do Gods will not with such a setled will as to indeavour it and willing in some things not in
God with Flute and Harp they think is moral and binds in respect of the thing it self and warrants in respect of the manner Musick say they is a natural help to devotion which doth not further it by any mystical signification but by a proper and natural operation and therefore is not a typical Ceremony Nature it self and God have fitted it to accompany a holy Song Paul bids us edifie our selves in Psalms and a Psalme is a Song upon an instrument Not only Dr Ames opposeth it but Aquinas Rivet Zanchius Zepperus Altingius and others dislike of Organs and such like Musick in Churches and they do generally rather hinder edification CHAP. IV. Of Prayer IT is a calling upon God in the name of Christ with the heart and sometimes with the voice according to his will for our selves and others Or It is a calling upon God in the name of Christ with Petitions and Thanksgivings joyned with confessions of sinne and deprecations of punishment Or thus Prayer is a lifting up of the heart to God our Father in the name and mediation of Christ through the Spirit whereby we desire the good things he hath promised in his Word and according to his will First It is a lifting up of the heart to God by way of desire and this is represented by those natural gestures of lifting up the hands and eyes to heaven See Lam. 3. 41. Psal. 25. 1. To thee O Lord do I lift up my soul. Which phrase implieth 1. That the soul is sluggish and pressing downward for sensible helps 2. It denotes confidence a heavenly temper It is not your eyes voice or bodies lifted up but your hearts and spirits thy heart in prayer must be with God in heaven thy heart must beleeve lay hold on the promise To pray then is a difficult duty how hard is it to call off the heart from other things to get it united in prayer to seek the Lord with our whole hearts if there be distraction lazinesse or deadnesse we cannot say With my whole heart have I sought thee Secondly The object of prayer is only God Rom. 10. 14. faith and calling upon God are linked together as none but God is the object of faith so neither of prayer as it is the property of God to hear our prayers Psal. 65. 1 2. so invocation is a worship proper to him alone therefore the Papists prayers to Saints Angels and the Virgin Mary are sinful since prayer is a divine religious worship and so may be given to none but God himself All worship is prerogative and a flower Of his rich Crown from whom lies no appeal At the last hour Therefore we dare not from his Garland steal To make a Posie for inferiour power Herberts Poems the Church To pray to one supposeth in him two things 1. Omniscience knowledge of all hearts of all our wants desires and groanings 2. Omnipotence power in his own hand to help and these are peculiar to God alone Psal. 65. 2. 1 Kings 8. 39. M. Lyf Princip of faith and a good consc c. 42. Therefore our Saviour when he informs us how we should pray he bids us say Our Father Luk. 11. 2. Rom. 8. We cry Abba Father it is a familiar intercourse between God and the soul. Thirdly All our prayers must be made in the name of Christ Iohn 14. 13. 16. 23 24. Themistocles when the King was displeased brought his Sonne in his arms there is no immediate fellowship with God As God and man are at variance Christ is Medium reconciliationis as reconciled he is Medium communionis Ephes. 3. 12. The Father is the ultimate object of our faith and hope Christ the intermediate by whom we come to God Iohn 15. 16. The Priest only in the Law burnt incense to God Exod. 30. Revel 5. 3. See chap. 8. 3. by the incense our prayers are shadowed out and figured Psal. 141. 2. the Sacrifice was to be brought to the Priest and to be offered by his hands Levit. 17. 3 4. We must pray to the Father through the Son by the holy Ghost Deus oratur à nobis Deus orat in nobis Deus orat pro nobis Some say the prayers of Gods people are not only to be directed unto God but Christ as Mediator Luke 11. 5. Mat. 15. Iesus thou Sonne of David not Son of God afterwards she cries Lord help me all the Petitions in the Canticles they say are directed to Christ as the Churches husband They give these reasons for their opinion 1. We ought to beleeve in Christ as Mediator Ioh. 14. 1. See Rom. 3. 25. therefore we ought to pray unto him as Mediator The worship of all the reasonable creatures is appointed to him Heb. 1. 6. 8. The Saints have directed their prayers to him 1. Before his Incarnation Abraham Gen. 18. Iacob Gen. 32. 24. 2. In the dayes of his flesh the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. 22. the thief on the Crosse. 3. Since his Ascension into heaven Acts 7. 51. There is a double Object of worship 1. Materiale whole Christ God man in one Person Heb. 1. 6. 2. Formale the God head of Christ when we pray to him we pray to his Person but the ultimate and proper object of our prayers is the Divine Nature 1. In all our duties we are to take in the whole object of faith Iohn 14. 1. 2. This is the right way of honouring the Father according to the plot of the Gospel Iohn 14. 13. 5. 23. 3. This is the onely way to come to the Father to obtain any mercy of him Iohn 14. 6. 6. 57. 4. This answers the grand design of the Gospel that each Person of the Trinity may be glorified with a distinct glory In him onely we are accepted 1 Pet. 2. 5. We need no other Mediators nor Intercessours They who pray to God without a Mediator as Pagans or in the name of any other Mediator but Christ as Papists pray not aright We bear a natural reverence to God we must honour Christ also Iohn 5. 23. put up our requests into Christs hand that he may commend them to his Father and look for all supplies of grace to be dispensed in and through him Ephes. 2. 18. and 3. 12. Rom. 5. 2. In which three places the word rendred Accesse is one and the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It properly signifies a manuduction or leading by the hand The Israelites under the Law were tied to pray either in the Tabernacle and Temple Deut. 12. 5 14. Psal. 99. 6. or else towards the same 2 Chron. 7. 38. 1 Kings 8. 44 48. Psal. 138. 2. Dan. 6. 10. yet now all such distinction and difference of place being but ceremonial is abolished For that one place of prayer and Sacrifice was a type of Christ Jesus the alone Altar and the praying in or towards the same did figure out thus much that only in the mediation of Jesus Christ
eat the Bread and drink the wine which signifies the particular applying of Jesus Christ with all the benefits of his mediation to ones own soul. Whether Christ be corporally present with the symboles in the Eucharist Corpore de Christi lis est de sanguine lis est Lis est de modo non habitura modum Christ is ascended into heaven and he is contained there Acts 3. 21. till he come to Judgement therefore he is not there under the shape of bread and wine See Matth. 26. 11. Iohn 16. 7. Acts 3. 21. 2. All the circumstances about the first Institution of the Sacrament do declare that Christ was not bodily there especially Christ eating and drinking of it himself which Cloppenburg Peter du Moulin and D. Featley hold urging Matth. 26. 29. Mark 14. 25. for that purpose Those words say they necessarily imply that before he uttered them he had drunk of the Cup which he gave to them Aquinas also holds this and the Fathers likewise saith Peter du Moulin The nature of the action saith Peter du Moulin in the place last quoted required that Christ should communicate to shew the Communion he had with us as also he did partake of our Baptism Matth. 3. 16. from whence cometh the custome of the Church that the Pastor first communicates and the people afterwards When the publick Authority of this Land were for the Papists subscription was not urged upon such violent and bloudy terms unto any Articles of their Religion as unto that of the real presence D. Iack. Epist. to the Read For the same Christ was not visibly at the Table and spake and yet invisibly under the bread and wine he did not eat and drink himself The end of the Sacrament is a remembrance of Christs death Do this in remembrance of me and You shew forth his death till he come Now how can there be any remembring of him when he is present His corporal presence and eating is made unprofitable Iohn 6. though Christ said his flesh was meat indeed yet he did not mean that it should be eaten and and drunk corporally the flesh profiteth nothing but his words are Spirit and Life Our Union and Conjunction with Christ is inward and spiritual which consists in Faith and Love it is true we are united to his body but not after a bodily manner It is against reason and sense We believe Christ to be present spiritually in the hearts of the Communicants sacramentally in the Elements but not corporally Real is 1. Opposed to that which is imaginary and importeth as much as truely 2. To that which is meerly figurative and barely representative and importeth as much as effectually 3. To that which is spiritual and importeth as much as corporally or materially The presence of Christ in the Sacrament is reall in the two former acceptions of real but not in the last for he is truly there present and effectually though not carnally or locally Doctor Featleys Transubstantiation Exploded Really and corporally are not all one that which is spiritually present is really present unlesse we will say that a Spirit is nothing The bloud of Christ is really present in Baptism to the washing away of sinne Christ is really present to the faith of every true believer even out of the Sacrament Downs Defence against the Reply of M. N. We deny that Christ is so present in the Sacrament under the forms of bread and wine as that whosoever receive the Sacrament do truely receive Christ himself The Papists say Christs natural body is present we that the merit and vertue of his body broken upon the Cross and of his bloud shed upon the Cross is present to the believing soul in the Sacrament The body of the Sun is in heaven in its sphere locally and circumscriptively but the beams are on the earth And when the Sun beams shine into our house we say here 's the Sun though it be the beams not the body of the Sun So the Scripture saith of the Sacrament This is my body Christ ascended up into Heaven as for that exception he is visibly in heaven but invisibly here it answereth not those testimonies which prove he is so there that he is not here Mat. 28. 6. q. d. he could not be in both places at once an angelical argument Aquinas saith It is not possible by any miracle that the body of Christ should be locally in many places at once because it includeth a contradiction by making it not one for one is that which is not divided from it self It is impossible say the Papists according to the course of nature but not absolutely impossible by divine miracle it may be Consubstantiation overthroweth the grounds 1. Of reason the body of one and the same man cannot be present in many places all together but must needs remain in some definite and certain place 2. Religion because Christ was taken up into heaven there to abide till the end of the world It was above a hundred years before Transubstantiation They did adore Christ as co-existent with the bread which perhaps gave occasion to Averroes to say That Christians did adore their God and then eat him Averroes his resolution was Quandoquidem Christiani adorant quod comedunt sit anima mea cum Philosophis The quarrel between Luther and Zuinglius was about Christs presence in the Sacrament which Luther held to be by way of Consubstantiation which how it could be unlesse the body of Christ were every where Zuinglius and others could not conceive Luther being pressed therewith he and his followers not being able to avoid it maintained that also But how By reason of the hypostatical Union and Conjunction thereof with the word For the word being every where and the humane nature being no where severed from it How can it be say they but every where The humanity of Christ according to its Essence or natural Being is contained in one place but according to its subsistence or personal being may rightly be said to be every where Zanch. Misc. Iud. de Dissid Coen Dom. and D. Field lib. 3. c 35. of the Church The Papists constant Doctrine is That in worshipping the Sacrament they should give unto it Latriae cultum qui vero Deo debetur as the Councell of Trent hath determined that kinde of service which is due to the true God determining their worship in that very thing which the Priest doth hold betwixt his hands This is artolatry an idolatrous worship of the bread because they adoâ—e the host even as the very person of the Sonne of God It is true they conceive it not bread but the body of Christ yet that doth not free them from bread-worship for then if the Heathen did take his stone to be a God it did free him from idolatry Hence saith a Jesuite If the bread be not turned into the body of Christ we are the greatest
like Paracelsian Physick if it do not cure it will kill 4. None do lose such high services Matth. 7. 22 23. they do not the work of the Gospel with a Gospel-spirit and out of a Gospel principle 5. Satan will insult and triumph over none so much as Gospel-sinners Matth. 12. 43 44. 6. The worm of conscience will not feed so fiercely on any Mar. 9 43. when he compares his former hopes with his present irrecoverable condition because no sinners had those helps nor were raised to those hopes Ponder on your own sins what they are and what they have deserved Look on original corruption the foul sea of all wickednesse which is called a body of sinne Rom. 6. 6. A Law in our members Rom. 7. 23. Consider that thou hast a naughty nature whereby thou art averse from God and goodnesse and extreamly prone to all sin Psal. 51. 5. Isa. 48. 8. all men in every part are under the guilt and power of it Rom. 3. 16 23. 2. Humble thy self Labour to be base for this though thou hast not committed such foul sins as others yet if God should leave thee to thy self and thine own evil heart thou wouldst soon be as bad as the worst 3. Call to minde likewise the grosse actual sins thou hast committed before or since thy calling Wast not thou given to all manner of pollution before the Lord gave thee knowledge of him and since thy calling 4. Consider thy continual daily slips and infirmities thy sins of omission and commission how apt thou art to be angry impatient thy carnalnesse in good duties and distraction in the performance of them thy forgetfulnesse of God and thy later end 5. Consider also whether there be not some unknown secret fault that thou hast not yet repented of and pray to God to discover it to thee Lastly Call to minde what sins thou hast committed since the last Sacrament and bewail them Meditate also on the sufferings of Christ for these grosse sins and daily iniquities His great abasement Psal. 22. 6 7 14. to 19. v. Isa. 53. 3 4 5 6 7. to the 11. v. He was born like a beggar lived like a beggar the Devil tempted him he was falsly accused betrayed by one of his Disciples denied by another forsaken by the rest He was amazed with fear and incompassed with sorrow Mark 14. 34. Two of the most tormentful passions was in an agony and did sweat drops of cloddy bloud in such abundance as it fell to the ground was condemned mocked spit upon whipped with rods after the manner of the Romans crowned with thorns laden with the Crosse nailed on it stretched and retched in all his joynts He suffered much in his body but his chief sufferings were in his soul Isa. 53. 10 11 12. He took our soul as well as body and came to redeem it that being the chief part Quicquid induit Christus obtulit He suffered 1. As a publick person as the second Adam Rom. 5. 14. 2. For our sakes and benefit Isa. 53. he is said six times to bear our iniquities 3. Not only for our good but in our room Heb. 7. 22. not onely nostro bono but nostro loco 1 Tim. 2. 6. Mat. 20. 28. for otherwise he should have suffered no more then other men the Martyrs suffered for the good of the Church Col. 1. 24. 2 Tim. 2. 10. 4. He took upon him the burden of our sins by way of imputation 1 Pet. 2. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Smite on your brests and say For my worldlinesse anger all these evils befell my Saviour Lord for thy mercy sake in Christ pardon and heal me Shall I pollute my body with uncleannesse when Christ suffered so bitter things Shall I ever be angry again O Lord by thy grace I will not Let me have thy power to kill these sins See the strictnesse of divine justice and the dreadfulnesse of Gods wrath God spared not his own Sonne and when his Fathers wrath lighted on his soul he was much troubled and the great evil of sinne it caused Christs humane nature to be â—â—raid Matth. 26. 38. The desert of sinne is seen in Christs suffering 1. In respect of the person who suffered for it Gods only Son who never provoked him Iohn 3. 16. Rom. 8. 31. 2. In respect of the penalties he underwent for sinne it made him to cry sweat and pour out strong supplications Isa. 53. 10. The Law shewed the filthinesse and evil of sinne by the many Sacrifices and aspersions of bloud which it required but they were of beasts and their bloud but the Gospel shews the demerit of sinne more fully and how odious it is to God since Christ must die to expiate it and also the abundant love both of the Father in delivering his own Sonne to death for the salvation of sinners Iohn 3. 16. 1 Iohn 4. 9 10. Rom. 8 32. and of Christ in taking upon him our nature and in exposing himself to so much misery here on earth and at last to an accursed death for us Phil. 2. 7 8. We are to remember Christ in the Sacrament 1. Because the Lord will have in the Sacrament of the New Testament the great end of the Passeover to be accomplisht Exod. 12. 14. 2. That we may answer the goodnesse of Christ to us he hath us alwayes actually in remembrance Exod. 28. 21 29. 3. Because if we have any benefit by this Sacram nt God must remember Christ for us 4. Upon our actual and affectionate remembrance of Christ depends all our benefit by this Sacrament We have dispatched the examination of our sins in the next place our graces are to be examined The graces that must be tried and examined are our Knowledge Faith Re 〈…〉 Love and hungring after Christ the truth growth or wants of them 〈…〉 examined The truth of them 1. Knowledge The words examine shew forth discern and judge all betoken knowledge We must get Knowledge 1. Of the Law of God 2. Of the Doctrine of Redemption by Jesus Christ. 3. Of the Nature Necessity and Use of the Lords Supper We must know our estate by nature and by grace 1. Because otherwise we cannot be thankful to God for his benefits as we ought 2. In the Sacrament Christ is offered and the Covenant sealed By nature we are dead in sin and bondslaves of Satan by grace we come to be children of God and heirs of salvation We must know what the elements and actions in the Sacrament signifie That the bread signifies the body of Christ and the wine his bloud that the breaking of bread betokens the crucifying of Christ that the giving of the bread and wine notes the action of God the Father offering Christ to all and bestowing him effectually upon every worthy receiver the receiving of the bread and wine signifies our receiving and feeding upon Christ by faith 2. Faith is required in those that come worthily to the
in us and the full accomplishment of happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven One Reverend Divine now with God saith The duties required more particularly may be referred to two heads Some respect the Essence and Nature of God some the Authority and Dominion of God even as Subjects owe some things to their Prince in regard of his Person some things in regard of his Power of Government so do we the Creatures to our King and Creator The former may fitly be tearmed duties of dependance because they do naturally flow from that total dependance upon God the first being which must needs be found in all secondary beings and because they be certain necessary acknowledgements of our such dependance The latter may be termed Duties of Conformity because in and by them we do conform our selves unto the Will and Authority of God and by both become perfectly subject unto him Duties of dependance in general are those by which we exercise all the powers of our souls upon God principally and above all other things so far as his excellent Nature is fit to be their object for seeing He is the most excellent of all things and doth please to make known unto us his excellencies we should labour to be wholly united to him that is so excellent Duties of Conformity in general are all those by which we order the powers of our souls toward other things according to his good will and pleasure made manifest unto us Our duty concerning God is to know him and his will to believe in him according to his Promises to remember him alwaies and to esteem him above all things to trust wholly upon him to love desire fear and delight in him above all other things and with all our hearts Our duty in respect of good things Spiritual and Temporal is to exercise our wils affections thoughts speeches much more on Spiritual good things then Temporal and to keep them very moderate towards earthly benefits Our duty concerning sin is to hate it fly from it grieve for it be ashamed of it and angry with it more then any natural evil thing The particular duties here required are 1. Perfect knowledge of God in Christ which is a conceiving and apprehending of him to be such a one as he hath revealed himself in his Word and Works specially in the Covenant of Grace and that for measure and degree fully We cannot comprehend God as he is in himself but as he hath manifested himself we ought to know him for knowledge is the guide of the affections the beginning of grace the ground of Worship When we know God as he hath manifested himself then do we come to believe desire fear and love him and trust in him as he requireth We cannot have God our God till we come to know him in Christ therefore it is promised to all the godly in the new Covenant they shall all know me 2. Acknowledgement which is an effectual and affectionate perswasion of the heart not onely that God is but that he is the onely Lord Eternal and Almighty most Wise most Holy most Righteous most Gracious and Merciful most Faithful and True the Creator Governour and Preserver of all things the Supreme Soveraign Judge of all the world and peculiarly the God and Saviour of his people that he hath chosen unto himself and with whom he hath entred Covenant of his free mercy in Jesus Christ. 3. Estimation which is a most high prizing of God according to his Worth and Dignity as the chief Good and our onely all-sufficient portion The estimation we have of any thing must be correspondent to the goodness of it But God is good above measure and our estimation of him should know no measure 4. Faith which is a lively motion of the heart whereby the soul doth invincibly cleave and stick unto God in Christ and unto the word of his Covenant as containing the chief good of man To believe is not barely to assent to the thing which is propounded to be believed for the authority of the speakers who cannot lie as the assenter is perswaded but to adhere to the Word of Truth as certain good and sweet both simply and in comparison Two things are required in Faith Something true and good to be believed and a firm certain assent and adherence to it Thus we are commanded to believe in God through Jesus Christ neither doth Faith respect the Promises Narrations and Prophecies of the Word onely but the Commandments and Threatnings also Psal. 119. 66. 2 Chron. 34. 19 21 27. Ioh. 3. 5. By Faith we possess the Lord as our own and hold fast unto him in whom all help and comfort is to be found 5. Confidence or Affiance whereby we trust lean rely or stay upon the Grace of God in Christ Jesus with assured security in the way of his Commandments for pardon of sin deliverance from all evil and the supply of all good Temporal and Spiritual according to his faithful and never-failing promise This is ever joyned with the true knowledge of God and in nature is of great affinity or rather all one with justifying Faith Who so reposeth all his confidence in God he taketh him in so doing for his God We are to trust in God for the giving and maintaining of all our good both temporal and eternal leaning on him for all defence and deliverance from evils spiritual yea and corporal casting all our care on him having no confidence in the flesh no duty is more frequently pressed in Scripture then this of confidence in God Hope in God is an inseparable companion of Trust which is an assured quiet expectation of what good promised is not yet accomplished grounded upon the free and undeserved kindness and grace of the Lord in Christ Jesus Psal. 119. 166. Heb. 11. 1. Lam. 3. 24. Rom. 15. 4. Hope is commanded in many passages of Scripture commended by many promises Psal. 27. 14. 31. 14. 34. 8. Lam. 3. 26. Psal. 37. 7. 131. 3. 130. 5. Mic. 7. 7. Isa. 8. 17. Psal. 119. 43. Isa. 30. 18. Psal. 146. 5. 40. 4. 84. 12. Isa. 6. 8. Psal. 147. 11. Psal. 33. 18 19. Psal. 31. 24. 33. 20. Psal. 35. 21. 37. 9. 34. Psal. 9. 18. Isa. 49. 23. 40. 31. 6. Love of God in Christ which is a spiritual motion in the reasonable part presupposing Knowledge and Affiance whereby the soul goeth forth to embrace and possess God as the chief Good and with most pure earnest and constant affection to maintain communion with him Love is an affection of union it knits to the thing beloved and would not want the possession of it Love we see makes man and woman one and so doth couple us to God The body is carried by weight into his proper place so is the soul by love which is the weight of the soul unto its proper object Many promises are made to them that love
restrained to a several degree of sin but a differing and distinct kinde of sin from those that went before 6. Our Saviour Christ the best Interpreter of the Law doth so expound it Mark 10. 9. when reckoning up all the Commandments of the second Table in stead of Thou shalt not covet he saith Thou shalt not deprive or bereave a man of ought he hath that is covet or desire to have any thing that is his though it be neither by wrong nor fraud which two are forbidden in the words next before but rest in that which God hath given thee Mr. Lyford therefore adds the particular coveting here forbidden is discontentednesse with that we have wishing and longing after that which is anothers Christian contentation is the inward quiet gracious frame of spirit freely submitting to and taking complacency in Gods dispose in every condition It is said of Socrates though he were but a Heathen that whatever befel him he would never so much as change his countenance he got this power over his spirit meerly by strength of reason and morality All contentment ariseth from conjunction of suitables This is the difference between contentment and satisfaction contentment is when my minde is framed according to my condition satisfaction is of a higher nature when a mans condition is fitted to his minde Motives to contentednesse 1. From God 2. From our selves First From God Consider 1. Whatsoever we have more or lesse is the portion which God hath allotted us and whatever portion he allots any it is from his free grace 2. He is infinitely wise and regards not one man alone but his purpose which he hath to all men 1 Cor. 1. 25. 3. He hath just reason to give us no more because we provoke him 4. God hath given to every Christian such things as they are bound to be content withal He hath freely pardoned them He hath given them the promise of eternal life and He doth all this in a continual exercise of free and rich grace Secondly In respect of our selves we have reason to be contented Consider 1. The good we have had from God already 2. Remember the submission we made to God in the day of our conversion Levit. 26. 41 42 43. Luke 19. 23. 14. 33. 3. It is our wisdome to be contented because it is to make a vertue of necessity 4. There is nothing so unhappy as for a man to have his portion in this life Psal. 17. lat end 5. We are freed from many and the worst temptations if God keep us low a full body is subject to diseases 6. We shall use the good things God gives us the better Phil 4 11. 7. We need not much Give us this day our daily bread nature is content with little grace with lesse The way to get contentednesse 1. Aim at a right end in thy life viz. The glory of God this cannot be crossed 2. Get humility think your selves worthy of no good all evil 3. Use discretion in considering indifferently both what good thou hast as thou art and what evil thou shouldst have if thou hadst thy deserving and weigh thy comforts and crosses together Every Christian is to make conscience of his thoughts Isa. 55. 7. Reasons 1. They fall under the notice and judgement of God Psal. 139. 2. Amos 4. 13. Matth. 9. 4. 2. Most of Gods displeasure hath been declared on men for their evil thoughts Gen. 6. 5. Ier. 6. 19. Luk. 1. 51. 3. One of the chief things taken notice of in the day of judgement is mens thoughts 1 Cor. 4. 5. 4. Because of all sins thoughts are most considerable First For the danger of them 1. They beget carnal affections first we think and then we love they blow up the sparks of lust 2. They are the ground of actions Isa. 59. 4. Secondly In regard of their number Isa 57. 20. 5. Because one is best known by his thoughts Prov. 12. 5. They are the most native off-spring of the minde and freest from constraint Isa. 32. 8. The principal lust ingrosseth the thoughts 6. It is a great note of sincerity to make conscience of our thoughts Phil. 2. 10. Prov. 6. 18. 15. 20. Psal. 119. 113. 7. Gods eye is especially on them The cure of evil thoughts 1. Pray for a new heart a principle of regeneration Ephes. 4. 23. 2. Get those sins mortified which specially ingrosse the thoughts pride envy covetousnesse uncleannesse revenge Prov. 6. 14. 3. Get a stock or treasure of sound knowledge the minde of man is alwaies working My reins instruct me in the night season Prov. 6. 22. Deuter. 6. 6 7. Matth. 13. 52. 4. Inure your selves to holy meditation Psal. 119. 59 99. 5. Be diligent and industrious in some lawful imployment a soft and easie life is full of vanity and temptation too much imployment hinders duty and too little furthers sin 6. Constantly watch over the heart for suppressing evil thoughts Prov. 4. 23. and over the senses for preventing of them Iob 31. 1. 7. Be much humbled for evil thoughts they grieve the Spirit his residence is in the minde Acts 8. 32. we should labour to approve our thoughts to God as well as our actions to men Psal. 139. 23. The Law of God cannot be perfectly fulfilled in this life The Papists say a man may fulfil the Law We say the perfect fulfilling of the Law to man fallen is impossible originally it was not so but accidentally it is See Down of Justification l. 7. c. 6. There is a difference between the keeping or observing of the Law and the fulfilling of it which the Papists seem to confound All the faithful by their new obedience keep the Law according to the measure of Grace received Ephes. 4. 7. but none fulfill it Iohn 1. 2 3 4 5. 3. 22 24. They have received a new and Divine Nature by which they are made like unto God and Christ God puts his Spirit within them and inableth them to keep his Commandments and to walk in his Judgements and to do them The Law is spiritual 1. It requires a holy nature Luke 10. 27. with all thy strength that God gave thee and the Law requires 2. It requires holy inward dispositions Deut. 6. 5. 3. Holy actions Gal. 3. 10 11 12. There is more required of an unregenerate man then of Adam in his innocency as the righteousnesse which will justifie an Angel will not justifie a sinner The Precept of the first Covenant is not abolished by the Law but the Lord requires of every man out of Christ perfect personal and perpetual obedience as he did of Adam in the state of innocency 1. Because the Soveraignty of God is still the same when he gave Adam a Law it was an act of Soveraignty 2. The Law is the same it was before the fall just holy and good 3. Mans obligation to God under the Law is the same 4. God ever intended to keep
Attributa Dei essentialia quibus essentiae Divinae veritas ac Majestas nobis innotescit ab aliis distinguitur Wendelinus God revealed his Simple undivided Essence under several Attributes because he would be honoured in every Attribute These Attributes differ not among themselves nor from the Divine Essence Isa. 43. 5. For my self not for my Mercy to teach us that his mercy is himself and not different from his Essence as it is with us These Divine Properties are most perfect in their kinde Ergo Equal in perfection 2. They are all one and the same real and individual divine Essence God is so light that in him there is no darknesse at â—ll 1 Ioh. 1. 5. John 8. 12. John 4. 16. Psal. 105. 8. â—am 1. 17. Psal. 136. 1. and 100. 5. Psal. 117. 2. Namb. 23. 10. Propriâ—tates Dei sunt primi vel secundi generis Primi generis propriâ—tates sunt quae ita Deo competunt ut earum contrariae omni infint croaturae Cujusmodi sunt Independentia simplicitas immutabilitas immensitas aeternitas Secundi generis sunt quae ita Deo competunt â—t earum expressae imagines in creaturis reperiantur Wendelinus Christian. Theol. l. 1. c. 1. God is called a Spirit 1. Negatively because he is not a body 2. Analogically or by a certain likenesse because there are many perfections in spiritual substances which do more shadow forth the Divine Nature then any bodily thing can D â— Ames Medul Theol. At enim quem colimus Deum nec ostendimus nec videmus Immâ— ex hoc Deum credimus quod eum sentire possumus videre non possumus Minut. Fel. Octav. God is of a pure and spiritual Nature To be a spirit implies 1. Invisibility 2. Efficacy and activity Ezek. 1. 20. 3 Simplicity God is invisible Luke 24. 39. Col. 1. 15. Iohn 1. 18. a Iâ—b adver Prâ—â— de aâ—â—ma Rom. 1. 23. 〈…〉 ‑ 〈◊〉 a soâ—t of â—e â—â—iâ—ks so called because they misconceived that God had a bodily shape like man Consectaries Psal. 34. 16. Zech. 4. 10. Quod de Deo dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligi debet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dextra Dei significat potentiam majestatem Dei Oculi Aures Omniscientiam The Scripture referring Eyes to God by them intends 1. His Knowledge and notice of things Prov. 15. 3. 2. His Care Psal. 34. 15. 3. His Direction Psal. 42. 8. c Lib. 2. de Imag. Sanct. cap. 8. Consectaries from Gods being a spirit and invisible See Phil. 3. 3. Rom. 1. 9. Rom. 1. 20. c Matth. 5. 12. d Invisibile aliquid dicitur dupliciter inquit Chamier Primò per se ipsa sui natura Ut Deus ut Spiritus sunt invisibiles Secundò per accidens cum quid in se tale est quidem ut possit videri sed aliqua externa superveniente causa sit invisibile iis à quibus vel alias potuit vel etiam debuit videri quomodo ils qui sunt ad Septentrionem invisibiles sunt stellae ad Austrum quomodo stellae quaedam minutissimae sunt invisibiles Preferre spiritual excellencies priviledges and comforts be spiritual in duties and performances The Divine Essence is simple and altogether uncompounded Simplex propriè dicitur quod compositum ex diversis non est 2 Cor. 1 2. 3. The Gospel and the wayes of it are not Simple as Simplicity is opposed to the the depth of wisdome For therein is made known the manifold wisdom of God Ephes. 3. 10. But as Simplicity is opposed to mixture Every thing the more simple in this sense the more excellent In Deo idem est esse essentia viveus vita quia Deus non vivit per aliud essentiae superadditum sed vitam habet in seipso est ipsa vita vivit a scipso per seipsum Unum quodque quo simplicius co Deo similius say the Schoolmen c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consectaries of Gods simplenesse Simplex quasi sine plicis Sinâ—erus sine cera See Prov. 11. 20. * A great French Pear is called Le bon Chrestien the good Christian because they say it never rots in the core Matth. 22. Christ opposeth a single eye and corrupt one an Israelite in whom is no guile is worth an Ecce a rare man Mistresse Elizabeth Iuxton said She had nothing to comfort her but poor Sincerity Lactantius observes that the Heathens counted it the greatest honouring of their gods to be like unto them one would be drunk because he would be like Bacchus 1 Joh. 5. 20 21 Psal. 115. 4 5. Psal. 42. 2. Rom. 9. 26. Graeci Deum vocant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à vivendo quoniam solus verè vivit omnia vivificat ut meritò sic ut vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita appellari possit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 10. 10. f Vivere est esse actuosum in se per se singulari vi unde Latinis vivo à vi ut Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur Deut. 30. 20. Act. 17. 28. Gen. 2. 7. God lives because life is originally in him Psa. 36. 9. Iohn 1. 4. In him was life A man hath four kindes of faculties in the exercise of which he liveth and life in him is an ability to exercise them He hath understanding will affections and a power to move and work outwardly The living God sees it sit to ascribe all these to himself Their life hath a cause his none His life consisteth in rest and he possesseth all his life in one instant our life is a flux and succession of parts Consectaries from Gods life Dan. 6. 27. Heb. 9. 14 15. Rev. 4. 9 10. Psal. 18. 46. This upheld Luther amidst his opposition Christus vivit regnat St Augustine prefers a flie before the Sun because a flie hath life and the Sun hath not g The Latine word for men is mortales Ipso vocabulo suae conditioniâ— admonentur Erasm. in Collâ— Psal. 17. 15. Zanchius de immortalitate l. 2. c. 8. Col. 3. 3. Exod. 40. 12 15 17. Psal. 145. 3. Spiritu infinitus non corpore non inquam quantitate magnitudine mole sed qualitate virtute bonitate siquid praestantius ab homine de Deo dici vel cogitari potest Mornaeus cap. 4. de veritate Relig. Christ. Infinitas absoluta est essentiae Dei proprietas qua neque causae neque meâ—surae ullius terminis finitur Gomarus Dupliciter potest aliquid dici infinitum Primò In ratione entis sic Deus est absolutè infinitus quia Scriptura Divina tribuit ipsi absolutam infinitatem Psal. 145. 3. 147. 5. Secundò In certo genere Estius g Infinitenesse is that whereby God cannot be limited measured or determined of any thing being the first cause from whom and the end wherefore all things were made h All his properties are infinite Limitatio est duplex in natura
speak falshood out of error and mistake I am weak if wilfully I am wicked if I keep not promise it is either because I cannot and then I am weak or will not then I am wicked therefore God cannot possibly lye 1 Kings 22. 23. Ezek. 14 9. Consectaries from Gods truth Ephes. 4. 25. Heb. 10. 23. We should observe how Gods truth is fulfilled Gen. 32. 10. Luke 1. 70. 1. This heightens gratitude Psal. 108. 4. 56. 10. 2. It strengthens faith Psal 18. 30. 116. 1 2. For this end 1. We should get an interest in Christ 2 Cor. 1. 20. the promises are the Churches dowry as she is Christs Spouse 2. Observe all providences and compare them with promises Col. 4. 2. especially observe the fulfilling the promises 1. When God makes good the letter of them Iosh. 23. 19. 1 Kings 8. 56. 2. When you have pleaded them in prayer Psal. 119. 49. 34. 6. 1 All the saints are heirs of all the promises yet many of the temporal promises shall not be fulfilled unto them in this life as the ungodly are heirs of wrath and subject to the curses yet they are not all accomplished on them here God bestows the promises in a kinde of prerogative way 2. God will exercise the patience of the Saints in not accomplishing many temporal promises Patience is shewed in waiting as well as in suffering 3. Those to whom God denies temporal promises in this life he will make them amends to all eternity they shall be gainers not onely by their services and sufferings but deprivements Consectaries from Gods faithfulnesse Heb. 2. 15. 3. 5. What faithfulnesse is Nahum 1. 3. Isa. 30. 18. a Patientia est qua ita iram suam modoratur Deus erga creaturas ut vel poenas disserat vel iram uno momento non essundat Wendelinus b God is sensible of the wrong offered to him and provoked to wrath thereby 2 Pet. 3. 13. he not onely restrains his anger but gives them time to repent Master Bolton saith If but any tender-hearted man should sit one hour in the Throne of God Almighty and look down upon the earth as God doth continually and see what abominations are done in that hour he would undoubtedly in the next set all the world on â—ire Amos 9. 2 3. When man begins through Gods forbearance to have high Atheistical thoughts about him Psal. 50. 20. and to strengthen himself in a way of sinning Eccles. 8. 11. and to grow to that height as to mock at his judgements Isa. 43. 14. 2 Pet. 3. 2 3. Matth. 26. 39. This is in effect the same with patience Num. 14. 18. Nehem. 9. 17. 2 Pet. 3. 9 15 20. Longanimity is toward them of whom we can patience toward them of whom we cannot be revenged Nisi Deus expectaret impium non inveniret quem glorificaret pium Aug. Consectaries from Gods patience and long-suffering * Prov. 14. 29. Posse nolle nobile The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and his glory is to passe by an offence saith Solomon What patience is It is a grace of the sanctifying Spirit of God whereby the soul doth freely submit to the will of God in bearing its own burthen without inordinate for row or fretting discontent Patience is 1. Commanded Luke 1. 19. Iames 5. 7. 2. It is commended to us by special examples 1. Of Christ Heb. 12. 2. Rev. 1. 9. 2. Of all the Saints 1 Pet. 2. 20 21. Iames 5. 10. Periissem nisi periissem There is a twofold holiness 1. Original absolute and essential in God which is the incommunicable eminency of the divine Majesty exalted above all and divided from all other eminences whatsoever For that which a man taketh to be and makes an account of as his God whether it be such indeed or by him fuâ—cied onely he ascribes unto it in so doing a condition of eminency above and distinct from all other eminencies whatsoever that is of Holinesse Psal. 49. 18. Isa. 17. 7. Habak 1. 12. 2. Derived or relative in the things which are his properly called Sacra holy things Mede on Matth. 6. 9. There is a threefold holinesse 1. Essential the holinesse of God all one with God himself Exod. 15. 11. 2. Habitual an inherent holinesse such as it the holinesse of righteous men so Abraham Iob David and all the Patriarchs are called Saints and holy men this the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Sanctimonia 3. Relative a peculiar relation which a thing hath unto God in regard of propriety of possession or speciality of presence That which is holy after this manner the Greeks call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Sacrum for persons things times Mr. Mede on Deut. 3. 8. Our holinesse is terminated in him Exod. â—â— 26. Why God must be holy God hath manifested his holinesse 1. In his word his precepts 2. By instituting the Sabbath to be kept holy Isa. 58. 3. 3. By causing a holy Tabernacle and Temple to be erected wherein were all holy thing 4. By instituting holy Priests 5. By inflicting his judgements on those which prophane holy things 2 Sam. 6. 7. and 6. 19 20. In his works 1. Of creation Acts 17. 28. Eccles. 7. ult 2. Of providence Psal. 45. 17. 103. 1. unusquisque operatur ut est Mr Scudder Holinesse is as it were the Character of Christ Jesus the Image of God the beauty the strength the riches the life the soul of the soul and of the whole man It is a very beam of the Divine light called therefore by the Apostle The Divine Nature * Qua de re Iepida fabula acciâ—isse narratur in concilio Tridentino de quodam Episcopo quem offendit ille Papâ— titulus propterea Nam si Deus inquicbat tantum sanctus quomodo cjus vicâ—â—iâ—us dici potest sanctissimus Adut magnum periculum â—ade causa Drusius in 15. num c. 64. Consectaries from Gods Holinesse See Eccles. 12. 1. Psal. 119. 9. It is a great honor to seek the Lord betimes Mâ—ason was an old disciple See Rom. 16. 17. This of all Attributes is the most over-awing to a sinful creature We should especially think of the holinesse of God when we worship him Iohn 17. 11 22. Psalm 3. because then we draw nigh to God Levit. 10. 3. and his end in ordering ordinances is that we might be partakers of his holinesse If we may judge of the privation by the habits perfection how great an evil must sin be when God is so great a good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qâ—â—st 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lâ—y the Eâ—ymâ—logists holy is as much as not earthly Holinesse is a separation both from sinne and the world The will of God is the rule of holinesse as his nature is the patern of it Sec Act 13. 22. This Attribute of kindenesse is the same with goodnesse before spoken of viz Communicative goodnesse Isa. 48. 11. 42. 8. Exod. 20. 4.
meruit de nobis qui immeritis dedit scipsum nobis â—bid Nimis durus est animus qui dilectionem etsi non vult impendere nolit rependere John 14. 21. 8. 4â— 15. 9. 16. 27. 1 Cor. 16. 22. Deu. 6. 5 Deu. 10. 12 20 1 Per. 2. 17. Levit. 19. 14. Hag. 1. 2. Jon. 1. 9. Mal. 2. 5. Deut. 28. 58. Prov. 1. 7. Timor cultus timor culpae It is the grace of not daring to offend God Mal. 1. 6. Deut. 10. 17. Psal. 76. 7 8. 66. 4â—5 2 Chr. 19. 7. Jos. 4. 24. Dan. 6. 26 27. Deut. 13. 4. Prov. 3. 7. Psal. 5. 7. 2. 11. 33. 8. 76. 11. Eccles. 12. 13. Hab. 3. 16. Mat. 10. 28. Jer. 10. 7. 5. 22. Psal. 130. 4. Psal. 119. 120. Job 31. 23. Isa. 40. 15 16 17. Humilitas propriè respicit subjectionem hominis ad Deum T. Aqu. 2. 2. q. 162. art 5. 161. art 1. ad arg 5. 2 Sam. 7. 18. 1 Chron. 29. 14 15 16. Gen. 22. 10. See Gen. 18. 27. 1 Cor. 12. 11. Rom. 12. 12. 1 Thess. 1. 3. Heb. 12. 1. Jam. 1. 2. 5. 8. Rom. 5. 4. Psal. 38. 13 14. 39. 9. Jer. 14. 22. Matth. 11. 29. Joy is puâ— for Hope Isa. 8 6. Spes enim bono gaudium parit Deut. 12. 12. 16 14. Psal. 32. 11. Iohn 3. 1. Phil. 4. 4. 1 Thess. 5. 16. Psal. 97. 12. Ier. 9. 23. 1 Cor. 1. 31. 2 Cor. 10. 17. Psal. 48. 11. Ioy in God is that Grace whereby the soul doth rest it self contented and satisfied in God as in its sole and perfect happiness Psal. 4 6 7. Psal. 69. 9. 119. 139. G 〈…〉 4. 8. Exod. 32. 19. Num. 15. 9. 2 Peâ— 2. 8. 1 Kings 19. 10. Psal. 119. 136 Matth. 4. â—4 Iâ—h 2. 14. 5 16. Ier. 23. 9 10 11. Act. 17. 16 17. Mans imagination or thinking power is to be set upon God with most life earnestness and constancy he is to frame in his soul thoughts of his excellency continually Psal. 139. 17 18. Psal. 63. 6. Psal. 119. 44 97. Mat 6. 21. Mal. 3. 16. Psal. 104. 34. Psal. 143. 5. 105. 2. Pâ— 63 6. We must remember nothing so firmly nor so often as God Psal. 22. 27. Eccles. 12. 1. Prov. 2. 1. Psal. 77. 3. Psal. 42. 6. 78. 34 35. Psal. 63. 6. 119. 55. Isa. 63. 7. 64. 5. Psal. 20. 7. Num. 15. 39. 40. 1 Thess. 5. 13. Psal. 147. 2. Psal. 33. 1. Psal. 145. 5. Psal. 147. 13. 979. 1 Chr. 29. 12. 1â— Psal. 148. 1 He cals upon all creatures to praise God meaning men should take occasion from all these to praise him Deut. 6. 13. 10. 20. Isa. 19. 18. Isa. 65. 16. 45. 23. Ier. 12. 16. Psal. 63. 11. Gen. 14. 22. Rev. 10. 5 6. Matth. 8. 2. Mark 1. 40. Luke 5. 12. Exod. 34 8. 2 Chro. 20. 18. Exod. 4. 31. 1 Kin. 19. 18. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat sese instar humilis catelli ad pedes alicujus sui domini provolâ—cre atque prosternere honoris ac reverentiae causa quasi illius pedes deosculaturum Valla deducit Adoro ab ad oro Orare autem est ore precari sicut supplico est plicando caput aut genu aliquid petere Zanch. de religione Vide plura ibid. Vide Jun. Thes. Theol. de Adoratione 2 Chron. 17. 3. Act. 15. 17. Isa. 55. 6. Isa. 31. 1. Psal. 27. 8. Zeph. 2. 3. Psal. 83. 16. 78. 34. Psal. 10. 4. 14. 2. 69. 6. 1 Pet. 3. 15. Mat. 10. 32 33. 2 Chron. 25. 3. Iam. 4. 12. Mat. 23. 9. Psal. 10. 4. 11. 14. 1. Mal. 3. 14. Psal. 94. 7. Ephes. 2. 12. Psal. 14 2. 3. â— Thess. 4. 13. Rom. 12. 3. 2 Cor. 12. 4. Deut. 29. 29. Act. 1. 7. Luk. 13. 24. John 21. 22. 1 John 2. 22. 5 10. Gal. 5. 20. Col. 2. 18. 1 Tim. 6. 4 5. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Isa. 1. 3. Jer. 2. 8. 8. 7. 1 Sam. 2. 12. 2 Pet. 3. 5 Psal. 28. 5. Ps. 106. 7. Deu. 29. 4. Isa. 5. 13. Psal. 92. 6. Isa. 53. 3. 5. 12. Mat. 22. 5. Heb. 2. 3. Luk. 14. 18. Heb. 12. 25. Jam. 1. 8. John 20. 27. Luk. 24. 25. Mark 9. 24. Zeph. 3. 2. Gen. 4. 13. 1 Thess. 4. 13. Isa. 28. 15 17. Mat. 24. 37. Ps. 30. 6. Num. 30 31. Isa. 32. 9. 11. Deut. 17. 13. 13. 11. Jer. 5. 22. Zech. 1. 11. Deut. 28. 58 59. Eccles. 8. 13. Superbia est perversae celfitisdinis appetitus Isa. 2. 11 12. 9. 8 9. Eze. 2. 10 Ex. 5. 21. 14 11. 17. 2 3. Job 33. 13. 1 Cor. 3. 2. Amos 6 3 4 5. Hoâ— 9. 1. Isa. 22. 13. John 16. 20. Deut. 6. 12. 8. 11. 32. 18. 2 King 17. 38. Psal. 144. 53. Isa. 62. 7. Psal. 42. 20 21. Ezek. 18. 12 13. They call the Virgin Mary the mother of mercy and compassion the hope of our salvation They pray unto the Crosse O Crux ave spes unica hoc passionis tempore Aâ—ge piis justitiam Reisque dona veniam Mark 16. 14. 10. 5. Mat. 19. 8. Job 17. 7. Mark 3. 5. Rom. 1. 21. Exod. 23. 13. Jer. 5. 7. Zeph. 1. 5. Deut. 6. 13 Zeph. 1. 6. Amos 4. 10. Ier. 4. 1. Dan. 9. 13. 2 Chr. 16. 12. Deut. 12. 30. 11. 16 Herein it differeth from the first Commandment that commanded the worship of God which is natural this the worship which is by divine institution Downams Sum of Divin Cultus naturalis is that which nature directeth all people to or which ariseth from the nature of God This belongs to all reasonable creatures He that acknowledgeth theâ—e is a God will acknowledge that he is to be be believed feared trusted loved and prayed to this was performed by Adam in Paradiâ—e and by the Angels in Heaven Isa. 6. 3. Heb. 1. 6. Cultus institutus instituted worâ—â—ip â—â—pâ—ndâ— on the revelation of the will of God this was commanded Adam in his innocency as the Tree of Knowledge of Gâ—od and Evil and the Tree of Life shew Natural worship is the chief instituted worship may be interrupted A time of worship is Iuris naturalis the seventh day Iuris positivi Some in these dayes say all institutions are meer forms and men may use or not use them at their pleasure according to their light Qui non est religiosus non est Christianus Cultus institutus est medium ex Dei voluntate ordinatum ad cultum naturalem exercendum pro novâ—ndum indicaâ—tur hujusmodi media omnia à Deo instituta in secundò praecepto per prohibitionem oppositorum mediorum omnium cultus ab hominibus excogitatorum sub titulo sculptilis imaginis que cum praecipua fuerunt olim hominum inventa cultum Dei depravantia aptissimè proponuntur per Synâ—â—dochen in Decalogo