no robberie to be equall with God Ioh. 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that Word was God It was requisite for the Mediatour to be God 1. That he might the better sustaine that great miserie wherewith mankind was ouerwhelmed the greatnesse whereof these foure things declare I. The grieuousnesse of sinne wherwith Gods maiestie was infinitely offended II. Gods infinite anger against this sinne III. The fearefull power of death IV. The diuels tyrannie who is prince of this world 2. That he might make his humaine nature both of pleÌ„tifull merite and also of sufficient efficacie for the work of mans redemption 3. That he might instill into all the elect eternall life and holinesse Esa. 43.12 I am the Lord there is none besides me a Sauiour I haue declared and I haue saued and I haue shewed when there was no strange god among you therefore ye are my witnesses saith the Lord that I am God I say the Godhead in as much as it is the Godhead of the Sonne is Christs diuine Nature not as it is the Godhead of the Father or the holy Ghost for it is the office of the Sonne to haue the administration of euery outward action of the Trinitie from the Father to the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.8 And he being by nature the Sonne of the father bestowetâ— this priuiledge on those that beleeue that they are the Sonnes of God by adoption Ioh. 1.12 As many as receiued him to them he gaue to be the sonnes of God If either the Father or the holy Ghost should haue beene incarnate the title of Sonne should haue beene giuen to one of them who was not the Sonne by eternall generation and so there should be moe sonnes then one Christs other nature is his humanity wherby he the Mediator is very maÌ„â— 1. Tim. 2.5 One God one Mediator betwene God man the man Christ Ieâ—â—s It was necessarie that Christ should be man First that God might be pacified in that nature wherein he was offended Secondly that he might vndergo punishment due to sinne the which the Godhead could not being void and free from all passion Furthermore Christ as he is man is like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted Heb. 2.17 In all things it became him to be made like vnto his brethren 1. Cor. 13.4 Christ therefore is a perfect man consisting of an essentiall and true soule bodie whereunto are ioyned such faculties and properties as are essentiall vnto both In his soule is vnderstanding memorie will and such like in his bodie length breadth and thicknesse yea it is comprehended in one onely place visible subiect to feeling neither is there any thing wanting in him which may either adorne or make for the beeing of mans nature Againe Christ in his humanitie was subiect to the infirmities of mans nature which are these I. to be tempted Matth. 4.1 Iesus was carried by the spirit into the desart to be tempted of the Diuell II. To feare Heb. 5.7 Who in the daies of his flesh did offer vp praiers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared III. To be angrie Mark 3.5 Then he looked round about on them angerly mourning also for the hardnesse of their hearts and said vnto the man Stretch forth thine hand IV. Forgetfulnesse of his office imposed vpon him by reason of the agonie astonishing his senses Matth. 26.39 He went a little further and fell on his face and praied saying O Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neuertheles not as I will but as thou wilt VVe must hold these things concerning Christs infinitenes I. They were such qualities as did onely affect his humane nature and not at all constitute the same and therefore might be left of Christ. II. They were such as were common to all men as to thirst to be wearie and to die and not personall as are agues consumptions the leprosie blindnes c. III. He was subiect to these infirmities not by necessitie of his humaine nature but by his freewill pleasure pitying mankind therefore in him such infirmities were not the punishment of his owne sinne as they are in vs but rather part of that his humiliation which he did willingly vndergoe for our sakes CHAP. 16. Of the Vnion of the two natures in Christ. NOwe followeth the Vnion of the two natures in Christ which especially concerneth his Mediation for by it his humanity did suffer death vpon the crosse in such sort as he could neither be ouercome nor perpetually ouerwhelmed by it Three things belong to this vniting of Natures I. Conception by which his humaine nature was by the wonderfull power and operation of God both immediately that is without mans help and miraculously framed of the substance of the Virgin Marie Luke 1.35 The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee the power of the most high shall ouershadow thee The holy Ghost cannot be said to be the father of Christ because he did minister no matter to the making of the humanitie but did onely fashion and frame it of the substance of the Virgin Marie II. Sanctification whereby the same humane nature was purified that is altogether seuered by the power of the holy ghost from the least staine of sin to the end that it might be holy be made fit to die for others Luk. 1.35 That holy thing which shall be borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of God 1. Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust 1. Pet. 2.22 Who did not sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth III. Assumption whereby the Word that is the second person in Trinity tooke vpon him flesh and the seed of Abraham namely that his humaine Nature to the end that it beeing destitute of a proper and personal subsisteÌ„ce might in the person of the Word obtaine it subsisting and as it were beeing supported of the Word for euer Iohn 1.14 That Word was made flesh Heb. 2.16 Hee tooke not vpon him the nature of Angels but the seede of Abraham In the assumption we haue three things to consider I. The difference of the two natures in Christ. For the diuine nature as it is limited to the person of the Sonne is perfect and actually subsisting in it selfe the other not II. The manner of vnion The person of the Sonne did by assuming the humane Nature create it by creating assume it III. The product of the VnioÌ„ Whole Christ God and man was not made a newe person of the two natures as of partes compounding a new thing but remained still the same person Nowe whereas the ancient Fathers tearmed Christ a compound person wee must vnderstand them not properly but by proportion For as the parts are vnited in the whole so these two natures doe concurre togither in one person which is the
the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God Hence it is that Christ is saide to sanctifie himselfe as he is man Ioh. 17.19 For their sakes sanctifiâ— I my selfe Math. 23.17 As the altar the gift and the temple the gold Math. 23.17 Christ is the Priest as he is God and man Heb. 5.6 Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec 1. Tim. 2.5,6 One Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men to be a testimonie in due time III. God the fathers acceptation of that his sacrifice in which he was wel pleased For had it beene that God had not allowed of it Christs suffering had beene in vaine Matth. 3.17 This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased Eph. 5.1 Euen as Christ loued vs and gaue himselfe for vs to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God IV. Imputation of mans sinne to Christ whereby his Father accounted him as a transgressour hauing translated the burden of mans sinnes to his shoulders Esai 53. 4. He hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes yet we did iudge him as plagued and smitten of God and humbled But he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities c. and v. 12. He was counted with the transgressours and he bare the sinnes of many 2. Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him V. His wonderfull humiliation consisting of two parts I. In that he made himselfe of small or no reputation in respect of his Deitie Philip. 2.7,8 He made himselfe of no reputation c. he humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse We may not thinke that this debasing of Christ came because his diuine nature was either wasted or weakened but because his Deitie did as it were lay aside and conceale his power and maiestie for a season And as Irenaeus saith The Word rested that the humane nature might be crucified and dead II. In that he became execrable which is by the law accursed for vs. Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that remaineth not in all things written in the booke of the Law to doe them This accursednesse is either inward or outward Inward is the sense of Gods fearefull anger vpon the crosse Revel 19. 15. He it is that treadeth the winepresse of the fiercenes and wrath of Almightie God Esai 53.5 He is grieued for our transgressions the chastisment of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we were healed This appeared by those droppes of bloode which issued from him by his cryings to his Father vpon the crosse and by sending of Angels to comfort him Hence was it that he so much feared death which many Martyrs entertained most willingly His outward accursednes standeth in three degrees I. Death vpon the crosse which was not imaginarie but true because blood and water issued froÌ„ his heart For seeing that water and blood gushed forth together it is very like the casket or coate which inuesteth the heart called Pericardion was pierced As Columbus obserueth in his Anatomie 7. booke Ioh. 19â—4 His death was necessarie that he might confirme to vs the Testament or Couenant of grace promised for our sakes Heb. 19.15,16 For this cause is he the Mediator of the new Testament that through death c. they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance for where a testament is there must be the death of him that made the testament c. ver 17. II. Buriall to ratifie the certentie of his death III. Descension into hell which we must not vnderstand that he went locally into the place of the damned but that for the time of his abode in the graue he was vnder the ignominious dominion of death Act. 2.24 Whome God hath raised vp and loosed the sorrowes of death because it was vnpossible that he should be holden of it Ephes. 4.9 In that he ascended vvhat vvas it but that he also he descended first into the lowest part of the earth It was necessarie that Christ should be captiuated of death that he might abolish the sting that is the power thereof 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie Thus we haue heard of Christs maruelous passion whereby he hath abolished both the first and second death due vnto vs for our sinnes the which as we may further obserue is a perfect ransom for the sinnes of all and euery one of the Elect. 1. Tim. 2.6 Who gaue himself a ransome for all men For it was more that Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God yea God himselfe for a small while should beare the curse of the Law then if the whole world should haue suffered eternall punishment This also is worthie our meditation that then a man is wel grounded in the doctrine of Christs passion when his heart ceaseth to sinne is pricked with the griefe of those sinnes whereby as with speares he pierced the side of the immaculate lambe of God 1. Ioh. 3.6 Who so sinneth neither hath seene him nor knowne him Zach. 12.10 And they shall looke vpon him whome they haue pierced and they shall lament for him as one lamenteth for his onely sonne and be sorie for him as one is sorie for his first borne After Christs passion followeth the fulfilling of the Law by which he satisfied Gods iustice in fulfilling the whole Law Rom. 8. 3,4 God sent his owne Sonne that the righteousnes of the Law might be fulfilled by vs. He fulfilled the Law partly by the holines of his humane nature and partly by obedience in the works of the Law Rom. 8.2 The Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death Matth. 3. 15. It becommeth vs to fulsill all righteousnes c. Ioh. 17.19 Now succeedeth the second part of Christs priesthood namely intercession whereby Christ is an Aduocate and intreater of God the Father for the faithfull Rom. 8.34 Christ is at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. Christs intercession is directed immediately to God the Father 1. Ioh. 2.1 If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ the iust Now as the Father is first of the Trinitie in order so if he be appeased the Sonne and the holy Ghost are appeased also For there is one and the same agreement and will of all the persons of the Trinitie Christ maketh intercession according to both natures First according to his humanitie partly by appearing before his Father in heauen partly by desiring the saluation of the Elect. Hebr. 9.24 Christ is entred into very heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs. and chap. 7. 25.
I. The instinct of Nature it selfe II. The examples of the Patriarks and other holy personages Abraham buried Sarah Gen. 23.19 Iaakob is buried by his sonnes Gen. 50.12 Steuen by religious and deuout men Act. 8.2 III. The Lords owne approbation of buriall in that he numbreth it amongst his benefits For the want thereof is a curse Ier. 22.19 He vz. Iehoiakim shall be buried as an asse is buried euen drawne and cast forth without the gates of Ierusalem Therefore rather then Moses should be vnburied the Lord himselfe did burie him Deut. 34.5,6 Moses the seruant of the Lord died in the land of Moab according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab ouer against Beth-peor but no man knoweth of his sepulchre vnto this day IV. There is no dead carkase so lothsome as man is the which both argueth the necessitie of buriall and how vgly we are in the sight of God by reason of sinne V. The bodie must rise againe out of the earth that it may be made a perpetuall mansion house for the soule to dwell in VI. The bodies of the faithfull are the temples of the holy Ghost therefore must rise againe to glorie VII Buriall is a testimonie of the loue and reuerence we beare to the deceased A funeral ought to be solemnized after an honest and ciuil manner namely agreeable to the nature and credit as well of those which remaine aliue as them which are dead Concerning the liuing they must see that I. their mourning be moderate and such as may well expresse their affection and loue to the partie departed Ioh. 11.34 He said Where haue ye laid him they answered Lord come and see â—5 Then Iesus wept And vers 36. the Iewes said Behold how he loued him II. They must auoid superstition and not surmise that funerall ceremonies are auaileable to the dead Such are the rites of the Church of Rome as to be buried in a Church especially vnder the altar and in a Friars coole III. They ought to take heede of superfluous pompe and solemnities For of all ostentations of pride that is most foolish to be boasting of a loathsome and a deformed corps Esai 22. 15 16. Thus saith the Lord God of hostes Goe get thee to that treasurer to Shebnah the steward of the house and say What hast thou to doe here and whome hast thou here that thou shouldest here hew thee out a sepulchre as he that heweth out his sepulchre in an high place or that graueth an habitation for himselfe in a rocke To this commandement belongeth these duties I. Before the vintage or haruest wâ—â—ught to permit any man for the repressing of hunger to gather grapes or â—â—ucke off the eares of corne in the field Deut. 23.24,25 When thou commest into thy neighbours vineyard then thou maist eate grapes at thy pleasure as much as thou wilt but thou shalt put none in thy vessel When thou commest into thy neighbours corne thou maist plucke the eares with thine hand but thou shalt not mooue a sickle to thy neighbours corne Math. 12. 1. Iesus went on the Sabbath day through the corne and his Disciples were an hungred and began to plucke the eares of the corne and to eate c. II. In the vintage and time of haruest we ought neither to leaue the trees naked of grapes nor rake vp after the reaping eares of corne but to leaue the after gatherings for the poore Leu. 23.22 When you reape the haruest of your land thou shalt not rid cleane the corners of thy field when thou reapest neither shalt thou make any after gathering of thy haruest but shalt leaue them vnto the poore and to the stranger I am the Lord your God Ruth 2.8 Goe to none other field to gather neither goe from hence but abide here by my maidens 7. So shee gleaned in the field vntill euening III. Concerning the soule of our neighbour I. We must seeke all meanes to winne him to the profession of Christian religion 1. Cor. 10. 33. I please all men in all things not seeking mine owne profit but the profit of many that they might be saued Hebr. 10.24 Let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes II. We must liue amongst men without offence 1. Cor. 10.32 Giue no offence neither to the Iewes nor to the Grecians nor to the church of God 1. Cor. 8.13 If meate offend my brother I will eate no flesh while the world standeth that I may not offend my brother III. The light of our good life must be as a lanterne to direct the waies of our neighbours Act. 24.14 This I coÌ„fesse vnto thee that after the way which they call heresie so worship I the God of my fathers beleeuing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets 15. And haue hope towards God that the resurrection of the dead which they themselues looke for also shall be both of iust and vniust 16. And herein I endeauour my selfe to haue alway a cleere conscience toward God and toward men IV. If our neighbour offend we are to admonish him 1. Thess. 5.14 We desire you brethrenâ— admonish them that are vnruly comfort the feeble minded beare with the weake be patient towards all men V. If our neighbour runne the waies of Gods commaundement as Dauid speaketh we ought to encourage him in the same VI. Wee may referre such things vnto this commandement as appertaine to the peculiar preseruation of euery seuerall mans life 1. Recreation which is an exercise ioyned with the feare of God conuersant in things indifferent for the preseruation of bodily strength and confirmation of the minde in holines Eccles. 2.2 I said of laughter thou art madde and of ioy what is this that thou doest Esay 5.12 The harpe violl timbrell pipe and wine are in their feasts but they regard not the worke of the Lord neither consider the works of his handes 1. Cor. 10.7 Neither bee ye idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people sate down to eate and drinke rose vp to play Luk. 6.25 Wo be to you that laugh for ye shall waile and weepe Deut. 12.7 There ye shall eate before the Lord your God and ye shall reioice in all that you put your handes vnto both ye and your households because the Lord thy God hath blessed thee To this end hath the worde of God permitted shooting 2. Sam. 1.18 He bade them teach the children of Iudah to shoot as it is written in the booke of Iashur And musicall consort Nehem. 7. 67. Besides their seruants and maides which were seuen thousaud three hundreth and seauen and thirtie they had two hundreth and fiue and fortie singing men and singing women And putting forth of riddles Iudg. 14. 12. Sampson said vnto theÌ„ I will now put forth a riddle vnto you and if you can declare it me within seuen daies of the feast and finde it out I
of afflicted conscience 129 Commemoration of the creature 55 Commendation for well doing to be vsed 100 Commaundements to man in innocencie 13 Companie 85 want of Compassion 74 Complaints 74 Compunction 165 Concupiscence 100 Conception of sinne 21 Condemnation is by man 164 Confession of sinnes 119 Confidence in creatures 41 Cookes must keepe the sabbath 63 Coniuring 50 Coniunction with God 115 Conscience corrupted 18 not Comforted by a generall election 172 Concealing of sinnes 21,99 Consent in sinne 21 Contentation 92 Contentions 74 Contempt of superiours 71 Contempt of Gods seruice 48 Corne for the poore 75 Conuersation 58 to Couet what â—00 Counterfait wares 89 Countenance austere 74 Couetousnes 89 Couenant of grace and workes 36 102 Couenant with sathan 49 who are in the Couenant 108 Contracts how with whome 88 Contingencie not taken away by gods decree 9 Controuersies how decided 75 Conuersion to God whence 19 Crauing pardon for sinnes 119 Credulitie 98 Creation 10 creatures must not be vsed hardly 74 Cryings 74 Crosses 136 Crueltie 72 Cursings 55 Custome in sinne 21 ConstaÌ„tine what figure he saw 4â— D Damage in goods a punishment 23 Damnation 164,171 Dauncing 85 Death a punishment 23 Death not to be feared 142 Death of the elect 141 Death driuen farre off 20 Decalogue 36 Decree of God 8 it is secret 164 Degrees in sinning 20 Degrees in deuills 15 Defence of a mans selfe 81 Deniall of our selues 1â—8 Derision is persecution 74 Derision of Gods creatures 55 of superiours 71 Desire to please God 40 desires of the flesh how auoided 135 holy Desperation 117 Deuils 36 what they can doe 49 Differences of actuall sinne 21 Disdaine 95 Disobedience 71 Distinction of dominions a punishment 23 Distinction of persons 6 Distrust in God 40 Dissolute life 58 Doubtfulnes 40,132 Dreames 19 Diuination 50 Discerning 126 Duties of man to himselfe 71 E Eares of corne may be pulled to satisfie hunger 80 Eating with circumstances 87 Edict of the law 36 Edification 140 Elders fathers 66 Elect know themselues elect 163 election 23,114,146 by Christ. 24,114 meanes of election 24,36 it is Gods gift 114 it is not generally of all 168 notes of election 177 elect can not finally fall 160 elect haue dominion ouer creatures 124 Elohim what 1 eleuation in the masse 48 enchantments 51 enterludes 85 enuie 74,95 entising to sinne 21 encourage such as feare God 81 equalitie in contracts 93 errours of Predest confuted 149 estate of infidelitie 16 estate of the elect after death 141 143,144 estate of wicked men 175 estimation of our selues 20 eternall life 144 eternall ioy 145 eternall destruction 23,174,175 euangelicall promises indefinite 132 euill things how good with God 9 10 euill thoughts 20 excellencie of gifts reuerenced 69 excuse of sinne whence 18 execution of Gods decree 23 execution of election 25 execution of the decree of reprobation 164 exposition of scripture to xpe 33 externall obseruation of the sabbath 65 extolling of a mans selfe aboue others 72 eyes full of adulterie 84 F the Fall of a christian souldier 130 131 the remedies 131 before my Face what 39 the Fall 14 Falling from God 166 decreed of God 16,173 Faith 117,120,155 a temporarie faith 166 how faith is begotten 33,103 degrees in working it 118 degrees in Faith 120 Faith how shaken 120 not commaunded in the morall law 121 Faires may not be on the sabbath 65 the Faithfull alone haue title to Gods goods 124 False witnesse 95 False sentence 91 Fasting 53,88 Father what 66 Fatherlesse 74 Feare of God 40 of deâ—th 166 to offend God 127 Feasts 87 to idols 45 at Feasts leaue somewhat 87 Feeble not to be inuried 74 Fighting ibid. Flatterie 97 Flight in persecution 140 Forgerie 99 Foreknowledge of God 9 Fornication 82 Found things restore 89,94 Free-will not taken away by Gods decree 9 Free-will 151,153 Frowardnes 74 Funerals how to be solemnized 79 Fulnes of bread 85 G Gaine lawfull 91 vnlawfull ibid. Gaming for gaine ibid. Gate what 63 Gifts of the holy Ghost not saleable 89 Gleanings 80 Glorification 141 perfect Glorie 144 Glorie of God sought aboue all 100 it is the ende of all 146 176 Gospell 103 thought follie 20 God is and what 1 he is denied 20 his nature 1 simplenes 2 infinitenesse 2 he hath neither subiect nor adiunct 2 his essence ibid. immutabilitie ibid. searcher of the heart 3 the life of God ibid. how he willeth euill 3 his loue mercie c. ibid. what God can doe 5 his glorie knowne onely to himselfe ibid how God is knowne to man ibid. God the Father 7 his properties ibid. God the Sonne ibid. he onely incarnate 24 how sent 7 how the Word ibid. his properties 7 God the holy Ghost 8 Gods operation and operatiue permission 9 thy God what 38 others gods what 38 39 Good meaning 20 Good name 99 Goodnes of the creature 11 Gouernment of Christs Church 35 when corrupted 48 Grace can not be extinguished 160 Grapes may be plucked 79 Grief for others our own sins 127 Grauen image 43 Grudges 74 Guiltlesse what 54 H Hallow the sabbath 61 Hardnes of heart 23 Hard and soft heart 42 Hatred of God 42,164 of our neighbour 74 Heauens threefold 11 Hellenisme 40 Heresies spring froÌ„ original sin 17,18 Hell fire 176 Holy Ghost 8 not Christs father 25 Holines of mind 126 of memorie ibid. conscience ibid. will 127 affections ibid. bodie 128 Honour what 83 Hope 39,127 Hope of pardon 118 House coueted 100 Humilitie 40 Hungring after grace 118 Hunting 81 Husbandrie on the sabbath 65 Hypocrisie 47,48 I Idlenes 88 Iealous what 43,44 Iesting at scripture 58 Iewes 35 Idolatrie 45 Idolaters 35 Idol 43 Idolatrous seruice may not be heard 45 Idolaters sorie when they omit their fained worship 18 Illumination 126 Iehouah 38 Image of God 11 how much of Gods Image we reteined 17 Ingrossing commodities 90 Infamie a punishment 23 Infants how saued 114 Infants in the couenant 108 Infants which condemned 164 Ingratitude 72 Inhabitants of the world 11 Inholders dutie 63 Ignorance from Adam 17 sinne of Ignorance 21,22 Impatience in afflictions 41 Impotencie of minde 17 of will 19 Inclination to euill 17 Impuritie of conscience 18,19 Inescation 21 Iniuries 74 Indulgences 47 ImputatioÌ„ of mans sins to Christ. 31 Imputation of Christs righteousnes to man 122 imputatiue iustice prooued 123,156 Iosephs pietie 98 Iourneies on the sabbath day 65 Iudaisme 40 Images in Churches vnlawfull 44 Infirmities to be concealed 78,97,99 Infirmities of the bodie couered by Christ. 33 Infidels how damned 167 Ioy in the holy Ghost 128 Iudgements of God must be regarded 58 Iudging 99 last Iudgement 143 Iust dealing 92 Iugling 51 Iustice. 129 of the faithfull 160 Iustification 121,122 second Iustification confuted 157 Intermission of Gods seruice 48 Interpreting amisse 75 Interpreting wel 98 Iustice inherent 156 K to Kill what who when 73 the Knowledge of Gods law bruiseth the heart 177 the Knowledge of the Gospel 118 Kings are fathers 66
wrought in and by the outward ministerie of the Gospell accompanied by the inward operation of the spirit and that not suddenly but by certaine steps and degrees as nature frameth the bodie of the infant in the mothers wombe 1. by making the brain and heart 2. by making veines sinewes arteries bones 3. by adding flesh to them all And the whole operation of the spirit stands in two principall actions First the enlightening of the minde the second the moouing of the will For the first the holy Ghost inlightens mens minds with a further knowledge of the law then nature can affoard and thereby makes them to see the sinnes of their hearts and liues with the ouglines thereof and withall to tremble at the curse of the law Afterward the same spirit opens the eye to vnderstand and consider seriously of righteousnes and life eternall promised in Christ. This done then comes the second worke of the holy ghost which is the inflaming of the will that a man hauing considered his fearefull estate by reason of sinne and the benefits of Christs death might hunger after Christ and haue a desire not so much to haue the punishments of sinne taken away as Gods displeasure and also might enioy the benefits of Christ. And when he hath stirred vp a mā to desire recōciliation with god in Christ then withall he giues him grace to pray not onely for life eternall but especially for the free remission and pardon of all his sinnes and then the Lords promise is Knocke and it shall be opened seeke and ye shall finde After which he further sendes his spirit into the same heart that desireth reconciliation with God and remission of sinnes in Christ and doth seale vp the same in his heart by a liuely and plentifull assurance thereof The differences degrees of faith are two I. a weake faith II. a strong faith Concerning the first this weake faith shewes it selfe by this grace of God namely an vnfained desire not onely of saluation for that the wicked and graceles man may haue but of reconciliation with God in Christ. This is a sure signe of faith in euery touched and humbled heart and it is peculiar to the elect and they which haue this haue in them also the ground and substance of true sauing faith which afterwardes in time will grow vp to greater strength Reasons I. Promise of life euerlasting is made to the desire of reconciliation Psal. 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the poore Psal. 143. 6. My soule desireth after thee as the thirstie lande Psal. 145. 19. He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him Matth. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Reuelat. 21.6 I will giue vnto him which is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely II. The hungering desire after grace is a sanctified affection where one affection is sanctified all are sanctified where all are sanctified the whole man is sanctified and he that is sanctified is iustified and beleeues III. God accepts the will and desire to repent and beleeue for repenting and beleeuing indeed wherefore this desire of reconciliation if it be soundly wrought in the heart is in acceptation with God as true faith indeede But carnall men will say If faith yea true faith shew it selfe by a desire of reconciliatiō with God in Christ for all our sinnes then we are well ynough though we liue in our sinnes for we haue very good desires I answer That there be many sundrie fleeting motions and desires to doe good things which grow to no issue or head but in time vanish as they come Nowe such passions haue no soundnesse in them and must be distinguished from the desire of reconciliation with God that comes from a bruised heart◠and brings alwaies with it reformation of life therefore such whatsoeuer they are that liue after the course of this world and thinke notwithstanding that they haue desires that are good deceiue themselues Now faith is saide to be weake when a man either failes in the knowledge of the Gospell or else hauing knowledge is weake in grace to applie vnto himselfe the sweet promises thereof As for example we know that the Apostles had all true sauing faith except Iudas and when our Sauiour Christ asked them whome they thought that he was Peter in the person of the rest answered for them all and said Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God for which our Sauiour commended him and in him them all saying Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke that is vpon Christ which Peter confessed in the name of them all will I build my Church And yet about that time we shall finde in the Gospell that they are called men of little faith Now they failed in knowledge of the death of Christ and of his passion and resurrection and were caried away with a vaine hope of an earthly kingdome And therefore when our Sauiour shewed them of his going downe to Ierusalem and of his sufferings there Peter a little after his notable confession beganne to rebuke Christ and said Master haue pitie on thy selfe this shall not be vnto thee And vntill he had appeared to them after his death they did not distinctly beleeue his resurrection Again weake faith though it be ioyned with knowledge yet it may faile in the applying or in the apprehension appropriating of Christs benefits to a mans owne selfe This is to be seene in ordinarie experience For many a man there is of humble and contrite heart that serueth God in spirit and truth yet is not able to say without great doubtings and wauerings I know and am fully assured that my sinnes are pardoned Now shall we say that all such are without faith God forbid Nay we may resolue our selues that the true child of God may haue a hungering desire in his heart after reconciliation with God in Christ for all his sinnes with care to keepe a good conscience and yet be weake sometime in the apprehension of Gods mercie and the assurance of the remission of his owne sinnes But if faith faile either in the true knowledge or in the apprehension of Gods mercies how can a man be saued by it Ans. We must know that this weake faith will as truly apprehend Gods mercifull promises for the pardon of sinne as strong faith though not so soundly Euen as a man with a palsie hand can stretch it out as well to receiue a gift at the hand of a king as he that is more sound though it be not so firmely and steadfastly And Christ saith that he will not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoking flaxe The Church of Rome beares men in hand that they are good Catholicks if they beleeue as the Church beleeues though in the meane season they can not tell what the Church beleeues And some Papists commend this faith by the example of an old deuout father
custodie of God Fewe or none can practise this and therefore when any euill befalls them either in bodie or in goods or any other way whatsoeuer then they presently shewe them-selues rather beastes then men in impatience For in prosperitie they had no care to put their trust in God and therefore in aduersitie when crosses come they are void of comfort But when a man hath grace to beleeue and trust in God then he commits all into Gods handes and though all the world should perish yet he would not bee dismaied And vndoubtedly if a man will bee thankefull for the preseruation of his goods or of his life he must shewe the same by committing all he hath into God hands and suffer himselfe to be ruled by him Nowe followes the consolations and comforts which Gods Church and children reape hereby Hee that beleeues in God and takes God for his God may assure himselfe of saluation and of a happie deliuerance in all daungers and necessities When God threatned a plague vpon Israel for their idolatrie good King Iosiah humbled himselfe before the Lord his God and hee was safe all his daies And so King Hezekiah when Senacherib the King of Ashur offered to inuade Iudah hee trusted likewise in the Lord and praied vnto him and was deliuered Whereby wee see if a man puts his whole trust in God he shall haue securitie and quietnesse as Iehosaphat saide to the men of Iudah And our Sauiour Christ when hee was vpon the crosse and felt the whole burden of the terrible wrath of God vpon him cried My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And it appeareth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes that Christ was heard in that he feared whereby we are giuen to vnderstand that they shall neuer be vtterly forsaken that take God for their God And King Dauid hauing experience of this vseth most excellent speeches for this ende to shewe that the ground of his comfort was that God was his God And it is saide that Daniel had no manner of hurt in the Lyons denne because he trusted in the Lord his God And contrariwise such as distrust God are subiect to all miseries and iudgements The Israelites in the wildernesse beleeued not God and trusted not in his helpe therefore God was angrie and his fire was kindled in Iacob and wrath came vpon Israel God the Father Almightie Some haue thought that these words are to be coupled to the former without distinction as if the title of God had beene proper to the first person the Father and not common to the rest◠and thus haue some heretickes thought But in deede there must a pause or distinction be made that the name or title of God may bee set in the fore-front as common to all the three persons following For that is the very intent of the order of this Creede to teach vs to beleeue in one God who is distinct into three subsistances or persons called the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And here offers it selfe to bee considered euen one of the greatest mysteries of our religion namely that God is the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost and againe that the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are one and the same God Some at the first may possibly say that this cannot stande because it is against all reason that one should bee three or three one The aunswere is that indeede if one and the same respect bee kept it is not possible but in diuers considerations and respects it may And thus the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are three namely in person and againe they three are one not in person but in nature By nature is meant a thing subsisting by it selfe that is common to many as the substance of man consisting of bodie and soule common to all men which wee call the humanitie of a man is the nature of man By person is meant a thing or essence subsisting by it selfe not common to many but incommunicable as among men these particulars Peter Iohn Paul are called persons And so in the mysterie of the Trinitie the diuine nature is the godhead it selfe simply and absolutely considered and a person is that which subsisteth in this Godhead as the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Or againe a person is one and the same godhead not absolutely considered but in relation and as it were restrained by personall or caracteristicall proprieties as the godhead or God begetting is the Father God againe considered not simply but so farre foorth as hee is begotten is the Sonne and God proceeding of the Father and the Sonne the holy Ghost And if any man would conceiue in minde rightly the diuine nature hee must conceiue God or the godhead absolutely if any of the persons then hee must conceiue the same godhead relatiuely with personall proprieties Thus the godhead considered with the proprietie of fatherhoode or begetting is the father and conceiuing the same godhead with the proprietie of generation we conceiue the Sonne and the godhead with the proprietie of proceeding we conceiue the holy Ghost Neither must it seeme straunge to any that we vse the names of nature and person to set forth this mysterie by for they haue beene taken vp by common consent in the primitiue Church and that vpon weightie consideration to manifest the trueth and to stop the mouthes of hereticks and they are not vsed against the proper sense of the scriptures nay they are therein contained Thus wee see howe it comes to passe that the three things signified by these names Father Sonne holy Ghost are ech of them one and the same God And this mysterie may well be conceiued by a comparison borrowed from light The light of the sunne the light of the moone and the light of the aire for nature and substance are one and the same light and yet they are three distinct lights The light of the sunne beeing of it selfe and from none the light of the moone from the sunne and the light of the aire from them both So the diuine nature is one the persons are three subsisting after a diuers manner in one and the same nature And for the further clearing of this point we must yet further marke and remember two things namely the vnion and the distinction of the persons The vnion is whereby three persons are one not simply but one in nature that is coessentiall or cōsubstantiall hauing all one godhead For the Father is God the sonne is god and the holy ghost is god now there are not three distinct Gods but one God because there is one God and no more in nature considering that the thing which is infinite is but one and is not subiect to multiplication and the Father is this one God as also the Sonne and the holy Ghost And as these three persons are one in nature so whatsoeuer agrees to God simply considered agrees to them all
three They are all coequal and coeternall all most wise iust mercifull omnipotent by one and the same wisdome iustice mercie power And because they haue all one godhead therefore they are not onely one with another but also ech in other the Father in the Sonne and the Sonne in the Father and the holy Ghost in them both And we must not imagine that these three are one God as though the Father had one part of the Godhead the Sonne another part and the holy Ghost a third For that is most false because the infinite and the most simple godhead is not subiect to composition or diuision but euery person is whole god subsisting not in a part but in the whole godhead and the whole entire godhead is communicateâ— from the father to the sonneâ— from both father and sonne to the holy Ghost But some may yet say that this doctrine seemes to bee impossible because three creatures as for example Peter Paul Timothy beeing three persons and so remaining cannot haue one and the same nature that is the same body the same soule Answ. Three or moe men may haue the same nature in kind but the truth is they cannot possibly haue a nature which shal be one and the same in number in them all three For a man is a substance created and finite and the bodies of men are quantities and therefore diuisible and separable one from another Hereupon it comes that the persons of men are not only distinguished by proprieties but also diuided and sundered one from another And though Peter Paul Timothy haue all one common and vniuersall forme yet they three are not one man but three men Nowe it is otherwise with the diuine nature or godhead which is vncreated and infinite and therefore admits neither composition nor diuision but a distinction without any seperatioÌ„ so as the three persons subsisting in it shal not be three gods but one and the same God Yet further some wil obiect that it is truely said of the father that he is god but the same godhead is not in the sonne nor in the holy ghost for the sonne and the holy ghost haue their beginning from the father Ans. The sonne and the holy ghost haue not a beginning of their nature or of their godhead from the Father but of their person onely the person of the Sonne is from the Father and the person of the holy ghost is both from the father and from the Sonne but the godhead of all three persons is vncreate and vnbegotten and proceeding from none Yet some may say both the sonne and the holy ghost haue receiued from the Father al their attributes as wisdome knowledge power c. Nowe he that receiueth any thing from another is in that respect inferiour to him that giueth it and therefore the Sonne and the holy Ghost are not God as he is Ans. We must knowe that which the Sonne receiueth of the Father he receiueth it by nature and not by grace and he receiueth not a part but all that the father hath sauing the persoâ—all proprietie And the holy ghost receiueth from the Father and the Sonne by nature and not by grace and therefore though both the sonne and the holy Ghost receiue from the Father yet they are not inferiour to him but equall with him And thus much is both necessary and profitable to be learned of the vnion betweene the three persons in Trinitie whereby they beeing three haue all one and the same godhead The second point to be considered is that that though these three haue but one godhead and all make but one God yet they are distinguished one from another for the father is the father and not the sonne or the holy Ghost the sonne is the sonne and not the father nor the holy Ghost and the holy ghost is the holy ghost not the father nor the sonne This distinction of the persons is notably set forth vnto vs in the baptisme of our Sauiour Christ where it is said that vvhen Iesus was baptized he came out of the water there is the second person and the holy Ghost descended vpon him in the forme of a doue there is the third person and the father the first person pronounced from heauen that he was his onely beloued sonne in whome he was well pleased And wee must conceiue this distinction in such manner as though these three Father Sonne and holy Ghost were three names of one God For the three persons doe not in name or word but really in trueth distinctly subsist in the same diuine nature Neither must we imagine that the three persons are three formes or differences of one God as some hereticks haue dreamed who taught that the father alone is God and that he is called a father in one respect the sonne in another and the holy Ghost in a third For this were nothing els but to make the personall proprieties to be nothing but imaginarie accidents which indeede or at the least in mans conceit might come and goe and be either in the persons or forth of them For the personall râ—lations though in minde they may be distinguished from the diuine essence yet indeede they are one with it But some will say if they make this distinction there is rather a quaternitie then a trinitie for the godhead is one the father an other the sonne a third and the holy Ghost a fourth Thus some heretikes haue obiected against the distinction of the trinitie but it is vntrue which they say For the godhead must not be seuered from the Father nor from the Sonne nor from the holy Ghost for the father is God or the whole godhead so also is the sonne and the holy Ghost and the godhead likewise is in euery one of these three persons and euery one of them subsisting in the godhead and the godhead must be conceiued to be in them all and not as a fourth thing out of them And therefore we must still mâ—intaine that these three persons are distinguished and not deuided as three men are deuided in beeing and substance for this diuision can not be in them because all three haue one drâ—ine nature and one godhead This is the mysterie of all mysteries to be receiued of vs all namely the trinitie of the persons in the vnitie of the godhead This forme of doctrine must be retained and holden for these causes I. because by it we are able to distinguish this true God from all false gods and idols II. because among all other points of religion this is one of the chiefest beeing the very foundation thereof For it is not sufficient for vs to know God as we can conceiue of him in our owne imagination but we must know him as he hath reuealed himselfe in his word And it is not sufficient to saluation to beleeue in God confusedly but we must beleeue in one God distinct into three persons the Father the Sonne the holy
any of Gods creatures or ordinances wee must sanctifie them by the direction of his word and by praier the reason is this because he is Lord ouer all and therefore from his word we must fetch direction to teach vs whether we may vse them or not and when and how they are to be vsed and secondly we must pray to him that he would giue vs libertie and grace to vse them aright in holy maner Also we are so to vse the creatures and ordinances of God as being alwaies readie to giue an account of our doings at the day of iudgement for we vse that which is the Lords not our owne we are but stewards ouer them and we must come to a reckoning for the stewardship Hast thou learning then imploy it to the glory of God and the good of the Church boast not of it as though it were thine owne Hast thou any other gift or blessing of God be it wisdome strength riches honour fauour or whatsoeuer then looke thou vse it so as thou maist be alwaies readie to make a good account thereof vnto Christ. Lastly euery one must in such manner lead his life in this world that at the day of death hee may with cheerefulnes surrender and giue vp his soule into the handes of his Lord and say with Steuen Lord Iesus receiue my soule For consider this with thy selfe that thy soule is none of thine owne but his who hath bought it with a price and therefore thou must so order and keepe it as that thou maiest in good manner restore it into the hands of god at the ende of thy life If a man should borrowe a thing of his neighbour and afterward hurt it and make a spoile of it he would be ashamed to bring it againe to the owner in that manner and if he doe the owner himselfe will not receiue it Vngodly men in this life doe so staine their soules with sinne that they can neuer be able willingly to giue them vp into the handes of God at the day of death and if they would yet God accepts them not but casts them quite away We must therefore labour so to liue in the world that with a ioyfull heart at the day of death we may commend our soules into the handes of our Lord Christ Iesus who gaue them vnto vs. This is a harde thing to bee done and he that will doe it truely must first be assured of the pardon of his owne sinnes which a man can neuer haue without true vnfained faith and repentance wherefore while we haue time let vs purge and clense our soules and bâ—dies that they may come home againe to God in good plight And here all gouernours must be put in mind that they haue an higher Lord that they may not oppresse or deale hardly with their inferiours This is Paul reason Ye masters saith he doe the same things vnto your seruants putting away threatning and knowe that euen your master is also in heauen neither is there respect of persons with him Inferiours againe must remember to submit themselues to the authoritie of their gouernours especially of magistrates For they are set ouer vs by our soueraigne Lord and king Christ Iesus as Paul saith Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers For there is no power but of God and the powers that be ordained are of God And againe Seruants be obedient to your Masters according to the flesh with feare and trembling in singlenes of your hearts as vnto Christ. The comfort which Gods Church may reape hence is very great for if Christ be the Lord of lords and our Lord especially whome he hath created and redeemed we neede not to feare what the deuil or wicked men can doe vnto vs. If Christ be on our side who can be against vs wee neede not feare them that can destroy the bodie and doe no more but we must cast our feare on him that is Lord of body and soule and can cast both to hell Thus much of the fourth title Nowe followes Christs incarnation in these wordes Conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie And they containe in them one of the most principall points of the doctrine of godlines as Paul saith Without controuersie great is the mysterie of godlinesse which is God is made manifest in the flesh iustified in the spirit c. And that we may proceede in order in handling them I will first speake of the incarnation generally and then after come to the parts thereof In generall we are to propound fiue questions the answering whereof will be very needefull to the better vnderstanding of the doctrine following The first question is who was incarnateâ— or made man Answ. The second person in Trinitie the sonne of God alone as it is set downe in this article according to the Scripture S. Iohn saith The Word was made flesh and the angel saith The holy one which shall be borne of thee shall be called the sonne of the most high And Paul saith that Christ Iesus our Lord was made of the seede of Abraham according to the flesh And there be sundrie reasons why the second person should rather be incarnate then any other I. By whom the father created all things and man especially by him man beeing fallen is to be redeemed and as I may say recreated now man was at the first created of the father by the sonne and therefore to be redeemed by him II. It was most conuenient that he which is the essentiall image of the father should take mans nature that he might restore the image of God lost and defaced in man but the second person is the essentiall image of the father and therefore he alone must take mans nature III. It was requisite that that person which was by nature the sonne of God should be made the sonne of man that we which are the sonnes of men yea the sonnes of wrath should againe by grace be made the sonnes of God now the second person alone is the sonne of God by nature not the Father nor the holy Ghost As for the Father he could not be incarnate For to take flesh is to be sent of an other but the Father can not be sent of any person because he is from none Againe if the Father were incarnate he should be father to him which is by nature God and the sonne of a creature namely the virgin Marie which things can not well stand And the holy Ghost could not be incarnateâ— for then there should be more sonnes then one in the Trinitie namely the second person the sonne of the father and the third person the holy Ghost the sonne of the virgin Marie It may be obiected to the contrarie on this manner The whole diuine essence is incarnate euery person in Trinitie is the whole diuine essence therefore euery person is incarnate Ans. The whole Godhead indeede is incarnate yet not
our nature tooke our infirmities also it is a wonderfull comfort vnto Gods Church for it shewes that he is not only a Sauiour but also a very compassionate and pitiful Sauiour As the holy Ghost saith In all thinges it became Christ to be like vnto his brethren that hee might be mercifull and a faithfull high priest in things concerning God Let a man be sicke of a grieuous disease and let a friend come that hath beene troubled with the very same disease he will presently shewe more compassion then twentie others and so Christ hauing felt in his owne soule and bodie the anguish and the manifold perplexities that we feele in our temptations and afflictiōs hath his bowels as it were yearning towards vs euermore being prest and readie to releeue vs in all our miseries In the daies of his flesh he wept ouer Ierusalem when he sawe it a farre off because shee continued in her olde sinnes and did not knowe the time of her visitation and no doubt though now he be exalted in glorie in heauen yet his compassion to his poore members vpon earth is no whit diminished Now we come to speake of the Incarnation more particularly the creed yet further expresseth it by two parts the first is the conception of Christ in these words Conceiued by the holy ghost the second is his birth in the words following Borne of the virgine Marie The conception of Christ is set downe with his efficient cause the Holy Ghost as the angel said to Ioseph Feare not to take Marie for thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the holy ghost Here it may be demanded why the conception of Christ should be ascribed to the Holy Ghost alone which is common to all the persons in Trinitie as all other such actions are Ans. It is not done to exclude the Father or the Sonne himselfe from this worke but to signifie that it comes of the free gift and grace of God which commonly is tearmed by the holy ghost that the manhood of Christ beeing but a creature should be aduanced to this dignitie that it should become a part of the Sonne of God And againe the Holy Ghost is the author of this conception in a speciall manner for the father and the sonne did cause it by the holy Ghost from them both immediately In the conception of Christ we must obserue and consider three thinges The framing of the manhood the sanctifying of it and the personall vnion of the manhood with the Godhead And howsoeuer I distinguish these three for orders sake yet must we know and remember that they are all wrought at one and the same instant of time For when the holy Ghost frames and sanctifies the manhood in the wombe of the Virgin at the very same moment it is receiued into the vnitie of the second person In the framing of Christs manhood two things must be considered the matter and the maner The matter of his bodie was the very flesh and blood of the virgin Marie otherwise he could not haue beene the sonne of Dauid of Abraham and Adam according to the flesh As for his soule it was not deriued from the soule of the virgin Marie as a part thereof but it was made as the soules of all other men be that is of nothing by the very power of God and placed in the bodie both of them from the first moment of their beeing hauing their subsistance in the person of the sonne And here we must take heed of two opinions the first is of the Anabaptists which holde that the flesh of Christ came downe from heauen and passed through the virgin Marie as through a pipe without taking any substance from her the places which they alleadge for the purpose are manifestly abused For whereas Christ saith of himselfe that he descended from heauen his speech must be vnderstoode in respect of his Godhead which may be said in some sort to descend in that it was made manifest in the manhood here vpon earth And whereas Paul calleth him heauenly and the Lord from heauen it is not in respect of the substance of his bodie but in respect of the glorious qualities which he receiued after this resurrection The other opinion is of the Papists that hold the bread in the sacrament to be turned substantially into the bodie of Christ which thing if it be true then the bodie of Christ is made of bread kneaded and tempered by the hand of the baker and not of the substance of the virgin Marie As for the manner of the making and framing of the humane nature of Christ it was miraculous not by generation according to the ordinarie course of nature but by an extraordinary operation of the holy Ghost aboue nature and for this cause it is not within the compasse of mans reason either to conceiue or to expresse the manner and order of this conception The Angel ascribes two actions to the holy Ghost in this great worke the one to come vpon the virgin Marie the other to ouershadow her by the first is signified the extraordinarie worke of the holy Ghost in fashioning the humane nature of Christ for so much the phrase elsewhere importeth The second signifieth that the holy Ghost did as it were cast a cloud ouer her to teach vs that we should not search ouer much into the mysterie of the Incarnation It may be obiected against this which hath bin said that if Christ be in this manner conceiued by the holy Ghost then the holy Ghost shall be father to Christ and Christ his sonne Answ. The reason is not good For he that is a father is not a bare efficient cause but one which in the effecting of any thing conferres the matter vnto it from himselfe whereof it shall be made Now the holy Ghost did not minister any matter vnto Christ from his own substance but did onely as it were take the masse and lumpe of mans nature from the bodie of the virgin Marie and without ordinarie generation made it the bodie of Christ as Basil saith Christ was conceiued not of the substance but of the power not by any generation but by the appointment and benediction of the holy Ghost The second point in the conception is the sanctifying of that masse or lumpe which was to be the manhood of Christ. And that was done vpon speciall cause first that it might be ioyned to the person of the Sonne which could not haue beene if it had beene defiled with sinne Secondly Christ was a Sauiour as he is both God and man now then beeing man if he had beene sinnefull himselfe he could not haue saued others but should haue stoode in neede of a Sauiour for himselfe This sanctification hath two parts the first is the stay and stoppage of the propagation of originall sinne and of the guilt of Adams sinne which was on this manner God in the beginning set downe
this order touching man that what euill or defect soeuer he brought vpon himselfe he should deriue the same to euery one of his posteritie begotten of him and hereupon when any father begets his childe he is in the roome of Adam and conueies vnto it beside the nature of man the very guilt and corruption of nature Now for the preuenting of this euill in Christ God in great wisdome appointed that he should be conceiued by the holy Ghost without any manner of generation by man And by this meanes he takes substance from the Virgin without the guilt and corruption of the substance But it may further be obiected thus All that be in Adam haue sinned in him but Christ was in Adam as he is man therefore he sinned in him Ans. The proposition is false vnlesse it be expounded on this manner All that were in Adam haue sinned in him so be it they come of him by generation Paul saith not out of one man but by one man sinne entred into the world to shew that man propagates his corruption to no more then he begets Againe Christ is in Adam not simply as other men are but in some part namely in respect of substance which he took from him and not in respect of the propagation of the substance by ordinarie generation other men are both from Adam and by Adam but Christ is from him alone and not by him as a begetter or procreant cause The second part of sanctification is the infusion of all purenesse and holinesse into the manhoode of Christ so farre forth as was meete for the nature of a redeemer The duties to be learned hence are these First whereas Christ was sanctified in the wombe of the virgin Marie we likewise must labour to be sanctified in our selues following the commandement of God Be ye holy as I am holy S. Iohn saith that he which hath hope to be with Christ in glorie in heauen purifieth himselfe euen as he is pure no doubt setting before himselfe the example of Christ as a patterne to follow in all his waies And because our hearts are as it were seas of corruptions we must daily cleanse our selues of them by little little following the practise of the poore begger that is alwaies peecing and mending and day by day pulls away some ragges and puts better cloath in the roome And if we shall continually indeauour our selues to cast off the remnants of corruption that hang so fast on and make a supplie thereof by some new portions of Gods heauenly grace we shall be vessells of honour sanctified and meete for the Lord and prepared vnto euery good worke Christ could not haue beene a fit Sauiour for vs vnlesse he had first of all bin sanctified neither can we be fit members vnto him vnlesse we be purged of our sinnes and in some measure truly sanctified The comfort which Gods people may reape of the sanctification of Christs manhood is great For why was he sanctified Surely if we marke it well we shall finde it was for the good and benefit of his Elect. For Adam and Christ be two rootes as hath beene shewed Adam by creation first receiued Gods image and after lost the same for himselfe and his posteritie Now Christ to remooue the sinne of man is made the second Adam and the roote and very head of all the Elect. His manhood was filled with holinesse aboue measure that from thence as from a storehouse it might be deriued to all his members And therefore by his most holy conception our sinnefull birth and conception is sanctified and his holinesse serues as a couer to hide our manifolde corruptions from the eyes of God Yea it serues as a buckler to award the temptations of the deuill for when he shall say to our hearts on this manner no vncleane thing can enter into the kingdome of heauen but thou by reason of the remnants of originall sinne art vncleane therefore thou canst not enter into the kingdome of heauen we returne our answer saying that Christs righteousnesse is our righteousnesse seruing to make vs stand without blame or spot before God And as Iacob put on Esaus garments that he might get his fathers blessing so if by faith we doe put on the white garment of righteousnes of our elder brother Christ Iesus and present our selues in it vnto our heauenly father we shall obtaine his blessing which is eternall happines Now remaines the third and last part of the conception which is the Vnion of the godhead and the manhood cōcerning which many points are particularly to be handled The first is what kinde of Vnion this is Ans. In the Trinitie there be two sorts of vnions vnion in nature and vnion in person Vnion in nature is when two or moe things are ioyned and vnited into one nature as the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost beeing and remaining three distinct persons are one and the same in nature or Godhead Vnion in person is when two things are in that maner vnited that they make but one person or subsistance as a bodie created by God and a reasonable soule ioyned both togither make one particular man as Peter Paul Iohn c. And this second is the vnion whereof we intreat in this place by which the second person in Trinitie the sonne of God did vnite vnto himselfe the humane nature that is the bodie and soule of man so as the Godhead of the Sonne and the manhood concurring togither made but one person The second point is in what thing this vnion doth consist Answ. It consists in this that the second person the Sonne of God doth assume vnto it a manhood in such order that it beeing voide of all personall being in it selfe doth wholly and onely subsist in the same person As the plant called Missell or Misselto hauing no roote of his owne both growes and liues in the stocke or bodie of the Oke or some other tree so the humane nature hauing no proper substance is as it were ingrafted into the person of the sonne and is wholly supported and sustained by it so as it should not be at all if it were not sustained in that manner And for the better vnderstanding of this point we must consider that there be foure degrees of the presence of God in his creatures The first is his generall presence and it may be called the presence of his prouidence whereby he preserueth the substances of all creatures and giueth vnto them to liue mooue and haue beeing and this extendeth it selfe to all creatures good and bad The second degree is the presence of grace wherby he doth not onely preserue the substāces of all his creatures but also giueth grace vnto it this agreeth to the Church people of God vpon earth The third degree is the presence of glorie peculiar to the Saints and angels in heauen and this stands in three things for God not onely preserues their substances and giues
of the world Secondly all oblations and meate offerings were sprinkled with salt and euery sacrifice of propitiation which was to be burned to ashes was first salted and hereby two things were signified The first that euery one of vs in our selues are loathsome or vile in the sight of God like vnto stinking carrion or raw-flesh kept long vnpoudered A dead and rotten carkeise is loathsome vnto vs but we in our selues are a thousand times more loathsome vnto God The second that we are as it were salted and made sauorie and acceptable to God by the vertue of the sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse Our dutie then is to labour that we may feele in our selues the biting and sharpnes of the oblation of Christ to wast and consume the superfluities of sinne and the corruptions of our natures And we must withall indeauour that the whole course of our liues and our speech it selfe be gratious and poured with salt least God at length spue vs out of his mouth To this ende hath God appointed his ministers to be the salt of the earth that by their ministerie they might apply the death of Christ and season the people And it hath pleased God to be sprinkle this land with more plentie of this salt then hath beene heretofore But alas small is the number of them that giue any relish of their good seasoning The more lamentable is their case For as flesh that cannot be seasoned with salt putrifies so men that cannot bee sweetned and changed by the sacrifice of Christ doe rot and perish in their sinnes The waters that ishued from vnder the threshold of the Sancturie when they came into the dead sea the waters thereof were holesome but myrie places and marishes which could not be seasoned were made saltpits Now these waters are the preching of the gospel of Chrtst which flowing through all the parts of this I le if it doe not season change our nation it shal make it as places of nettles saltpits at length be an occasion of the eternal curse of god Thirdly Christs priesthood serues to make euery one of vs also to be priests And being priests we must likewise haue our sacrifice and our altar Our sacrifice is the cleane offering which is the lifting vp of pure handes to God without wrath or doubting in our prayers also our bodies and soules our hearts and affections the workes of our liues and the workes of our callings all which must be dedicated to the seruice of god for his glorie and the good of his Church The altar wheron wee must offer our sacrifice is Christ our redeemer both God and man because by the vertue of his death as with sweete odours he perfumes all our obedience and makes it acceptable to God The ministers of the Gospell are also in this manner priests as Paul insinuateth when hee calleth the Gentiles his offering vnto God And the preaching of the word is as it were a sacrificing knife wherby the old Adam must be killed in vs we made an holy acceptable sweete smelling oblation vnto God sanctified by the holy Ghost Therefore euerie one that heareth Gods worde preached and taught must indeauour that by the profitable hearing thereof his sinnes and whole nature may be subdued and killed as the beast was slaine sacrificed vpon the altar by the hand of the Leuite Lastly the exhortation of the holy ghost must here be considered Seeing saith he we haue an high priest which is ouer the house of god let vs draw neere with a true heart in assurance of faith sprinkled in our hearts from an euill conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water the meaning of the wordes is this that if Christ haue offered such a sacrifice of such value and price which procureth pardon of sinne iustification sanctification and redemption then we must labour to be partakers of it to haue our bodies and soules purified and clensed by his blood and sanctified throughout by the holy ghost that thereby we may be made fitte to doe sacrifice acceptable to God in Christ. This is the vse which the Apostle maketh of the doctrine of Christs priesthood in that place which also euery man should apply vnto himselfe for why should we liue in our sinnes and wicked waies euery houre incurring the danger of Gods iudgements seeing Christ hath offered such a sacrifice whereby we may be purged and clensed and at length freed from all woe and miserie Thus much of Christs sacrifice now followes his triumph vpon the crosse That Christ did triumph when he was vpon the crosse it is plainly set downe by the Apostle Paul where he saieth that putting out the hand writing of ordinances that was against vs which was contrarie to vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vpon the crosse and hath spoiled the principalities and powers and hath made shewe of them openly and hath triumphed ouer â—hem in the same crosse This triumph is set forth by signes and testimonies of two sorts I. By signes of his glorie and maiestie II. By signes of his victorie on the crosse The signes of his glorie and maiestie are principally seuen The first is the title set ouer his head vpon the crosse Iesus of Nazareth king of the Iewes The ende why titles were set ouer the heads of malefactours was that the beholders might knowe the cause of the punishment and bee admonished to take heede of like offences and be stirred vp to a dislike of the parties executed for their offences And therfore no doubt Pilate wrote the title of Christ for the aggrauating of his cause and that with his owne hand Yet marke the straunge euent that followed for when Pilate was about to write the superscription God did so gouerne and ouer-rule both his heart and hand that in stead of noting some crime he sets downe a most glorious and worthie title calling him Iesus of Nazareth king of the Iewes which wordes containe the very summe and pith of the whole gospel of Christ deliuered by the Patriarches and prophets from age to age We must not thinke that Pilate did this of any good minde or vpon any loue or fauour that he bare to Christ but onely as he was guided and ouerruled by the power of God for the aduancement of the honour and glorie of Christ. The like did Caiphas who though a sworne enemie to Christ yet he vttered a prophecy of him saying that it was necessarie that one should die for the people not that he had any intent to prophecy but because the Lord vsed him as an instrument to publish his trueth And when Balaam for the wages of vnrighteousnesse would haue cursed the Lords people for his life he could not nay all his cursings were turned into blessings By this then it appeares that it is not possible for any man doe what he can to stoppe the course of
is giuen to me in heauen and earth The third circumstance is concerning the person at whose right hand Christ sits noted in the words of the article of God the father Almightie whereby is signified that he receiues all the honour power glorie of his kingdome from his father as he that is set at the right hand of a prince receiues the honour authoritie which he hath from the prince Nowe if it be alleadged that by this meanes Christ shall be inferiour to his father because he which receiueth honour of another is inferiour to him of whome he receiueth it the answer is that in Christ we must consider his person and his office in respect of his person as he is the eternall sonne of God he is equall to the father and is not here said to sit at his right hand yet in respect of the oâ—fice which he beares namely as he is mediatour and as he is man he is inferiour to the father and receiues his kingdome from him As he is God he is our king and head and hath no head more then the father as he is mediatour he is also our head yet so as hee is vnder the father as beeing his head And we must not thinke it strange that one and the same thing should bee both equall and inferiour to another diuers respects considered Nowe in that Christs placing at the right hand of his father argues inferioritie betweene the father him hence we learne that they are deceiued which from this article gather that in the glorification of Christ there is a transfusion of the proprieties of the godhead as omnipotencie omniscience omnipresence c. into his manhood For this is to abolish all inferioritie and to make an equalitie betweene the creature and the creatour And whereas againe the word Almightie is repeated it is done vpon special reason because Christs sitting at the right hand of God doth presuppose omnipotencie For in vaine were all power in heauen and earth giuen to him vnlesse he were omnipotent as the father to execute the same And therefore the song of the Elders was on this manner Worthie is the Lamb that was killed to receiue power and riches and wisdome and strength and honour and glory and praise The benefits which redound vnto vs by Christs sitting at the right hand of God are two one concernes his priesthood the other his kingly office The benefit rising from his priesthood is his Intercession for vs for this is one of the endes why Christ is now exalted in glorie and sits at the right hand of his father namely to make request in the behalfe of all that come vnto him as Paul saith Christ is risen againe and sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. Nowe that we may rightly vnderstand what his intercession is wee are to consider these points First to whome it is made secondly in what manner thirdly whether it be made by Christ alone or no fourthly what be the fruits and benefits thereof fiftly the duties whereunto wee are mooued thereby For the first Intercession is to make suite request or intreaty in some ones behalfe to another and this is done by Christ for vs vnto God as Paul saith there is one God and one mediatour betweene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus Here at the verie first ariseth a difficultie for in euery intercession there be three parties the person offended the person offending the intercessour distinct from them both Now if Christ the sonne of God make intercession to God for man then hee maketh intercession to himselfe because he is true God which cannot be howe then shall Christ be mediatour Ans. This point hath so troubled the Church of Rome that for the resoluing of it they haue deuised an errour auouching that Christ is mediatour onely as he is man not as he is God which is vntrue For as both natures doe concurre in the worke of satisfaction so likewise they doe both concurre in the worke of intercession and therefore a more meete and conuenient answere is this Christ Iesus God-man in both natures is directly our mediatour to the first person the father as S. Iohn saith If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust And thus we haue three persons in the worke of intercession really distinguished The partie offended is God the Father the partie offending is man thirdly the intercessour distinct froÌ„ them both is Christ the secoÌ„d person in Trinitie For howsoeuer in Godhead he the Father be one yet in person they are really distinguished and hee is as it were in the middle betweene the father and vs for the father is God and not man wee that beleeue in Christ are men not God Christ himselfe both man and God It may be further replyed that this answere will not stand because not onely the father is offended but also the sonne and the holy Ghost and therefore there must be a mediatour to them also Answer The intercession of Christ is directed to the father the first person immediately nowe the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost haue all one indiuisible essence and by consequent one and the same will whereupon the father beeing appeased by Christs intercession the Sonne and the Holy Ghost are also appeased with him and in him Thus then intercession is made to the whole trinitie but yet immediately and directly to the first person and in him to the rest The second point to be considered is the maner of his intercession vnto his father We must not imagine that Christ nowe in heauen kneeles downe on his knees and vtters wordes and puts vp a supplication for all the faithfull to God the father for that is not beseeming the maiestie of him that sits at the right hand of God But the manner of his intercession is thus to be conceiued When one is to speake to an earthly prince in the behalfe of another first of al he must come into the presence of the king and secondly make his request and both these Christ performeth for vs vnto God For the first after his ascension he entred into heauen where he did present vnto his father first of all his owne person in two natures and secondly the inualuable merits of his death and passion in which he was well pleased And we must further vnderstand that as on the crosse he stood in our roome so in heaueÌ„ he now appears as a publike person in our stead representing all the elect that shal beleeue in him as the holy Ghost saith Christ Iesus ascended vp into heauen to appeare in the sight of God for vs. And for the second Christ makes request for vs in that he willeth according to both his natures and desireth as he is man that the father would accept his satisfaction in the behalfe of al that are giuen vnto him And that he makes request on
to teach all ignorāt persons and impenitent sinners repentance and humiliation for their sinnes and to mooue them with all speede to seeke vnto Christ for the pardon of the same When Paul preached to the Athenians he willed them to repent vpon this ground and reason because the Lord hath appointed a day wherein he will iudge the world in righteousnes To speake plainly we can be content to heare the word and to honour him with our lipps yet for the most part all is done but for fashions sake for still we liue in our old sinnes our hearts are not turned but in the feare of God let vs bethinke our selues of the time when wee shall come before the iudge of heauen and earth and haue all our sinnes laide open and wee must answer for them all This is the point which the holy Ghost vseth as a reason to mooue men vnto repentance and assuredly if this will not mooue vs there is nothing in the world will Secondly to this purpose Paul saith If wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged Wouldest thou then escape the iudgement of Christ at the last day then in this life iudge thy selfe Nowe a man in iudging of himselfe must performe foure things I. he must examine himselfe of his owne sinnes II. he must confesse thē before the Lord. III. he must condemne himselfe as a iudge vpon the bench giue sentence against himselfe Lastly he must plead pardon and crie vnto God as for life and death for the remission of all his sinnes and he that doth this vnfainedly shal neuer be iudged of the Lord at the last day but if we slacke and neglect this dutie in this life then vndoubtedly there remaines nothing but eternall woe in the world to come Thirdly by this we may learne one not to iudge or condemne another as Paul sayeth Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who lighten all things that are in darknes make the counsels of the hearts manifest And Christ saith Iudgement is mine and iudge not and ye shall not be iudged And againe Paul saith to the Romans Why doest thou iudge thy brother for we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ but some will aske howe doth one iudge another Ans. Thus I. when a man doth well to saie of him that he doth euill II. when a man doth euill then to make it worse III. when a thing is doubtfull to take it in the worst part And by any of these three waies we are not to iudge either of mens persons or of their actions Fourthly wee must endeauour our selues to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men This is the practise of S. Paul who in consideration and hope of a resurrection vnto iudgement as well of the iust as of the vniust endeauoured himselfe to haue alwaies a cleare conscience both towards God and towards men His example is worthie our marking and imitation for fewe there be that vpon this occasion make any conscience either of duty to God or to their brethren Fifthly the last iudgement must stirre vs vp to a reuerend feare of God cause vs to glorifie him as the Angel saith in the Reuelation Feare God and giue glorie to him for the houre of his iudgement is come And doubtlesse if any thing in the world will mooue a man to feare the Lord it is this to remember the fearefull and terrible daie of iudgement Nowe hauing spoken hitherto of the first person the father and also of the sonne it followeth in the next place to speake of the third person in these wordes I beleeue in the holy Ghost In which wee may consider two things the title of the person and the action of faith repeated from the beginning The title is Holy Ghost or spirit It may here be demanded howe this title can be fit to expresse the third person which seemes to bee common to the rest for the father is holy and the sonne is holy againe the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirit Ans. Indeed the father and the sonne are as wel to be tearmed holy in respect of their natures the third person for all three subsisting in one and the same godhead are consequently holy by one and the fame holinesse but the third person is called holy because beside the holinesse of nature his office is to sanctifie the Church of God Nowe if it be said that sanctification is a work of the whole Trinitie the answer is that although it be so yet the worke of sanctification agrees to the Holy Ghost in speciall manner The father sanctifieth by the sonne and by the holy Ghost the sonne sanctifieth from the father and by the Holy Ghost the holy Ghost sanctifieth from the father and from the sonne by himselfe immediatly and in this respect is the third person tearmed holy Againe the third person is tearmed a Spirit not onely because his nature is spirituall for in that respect the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirit but because hee is spired or breathed from the father and from the sonne in that he procedes from them both Thus wee see there is a speciall cause why the third person is called the Holy Ghost Nowe the action of faith which concernes the third person is to beleeue in him Which is I. to acknowledge the Holy Ghost as he hath reuealed himselfe in the word II. In special to beleeue that he is my sanctifier and comforter III. To put all the confidence of my heart in him for that cause In these wordes are comprised foure points of doctrine which are to be beleeued cōcerning the holy Ghost The first that he is very God For we are not to put our affiance or confidence in any but in God alone And no doubt the penners of the Creede in that they prefixed these wordes I beleeue in before the article of the third person meant thereby to signifie that he is true God equall with the father and the sonne according to the tenour of the Scriptures themselues Peter saith to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thine heart that thou shouldest lie vnto the Holy Ghost and continuing the same speech he changeth the tearme onely and saith Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto God Whereby hei nsinuateth that the Holy Ghost is very God In the vision of the Prophet Isai the wordes by him set downe are thus I heard the voice of Iehoua saying Whome shall I send c. and he said God and say to this people Ye shall heare indeed but ye shall not vnderstand But Paul quoting the same place spake on this manner Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esay the Prophet saying Goe vnto this people and say vnto them Now these places being compared togither make it plaine that the title of Iehova agreeth to the holy Ghost But yet the enemies of this truth which thinke that the Holy
Ghost is nothing els but the action or operation of God obiect out of the Scriptures to the contrarie I. God knoweth the sonne the holy Ghost knoweth not the sonne for none knoweth the sonne but the father ergo the holy Ghost is not God Ans. That place excludeth no person in Trinitie but onely creatures and false gods and the meaning is this None that is no creature or idol god knoweth the sonne of God but the father And the opposition is made to exclude creatures not to exclude the holy Ghost Againe they obiect that the holy Ghost maketh request for vs with grones and sighes that can not be vttered therefore say they the Holy ghost is not God but rather a gift of God For he that is true God can not pray grone or sigh Ans. Pauls meaning is thereby to signifie that the Holy Ghost causeth vs to make requests and stirreth vp our hearts to grone and sigh to God for he said before we haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father Yet further they obiect the words of the Angel Gabriel to the virgin Marie saying The vertue of the most high hath ouershadowed thee and hence they gather that if the holy Ghost be the vertue of God then he is not God indeede Ans. As Christ is called the Word of God not a worde made of letters or syllables but a substantial word that is beeing for euer of the same substance with the father so in this place the holy ghost is called the vertue of the most highest not because he is a created qualitie but because he is the substantiall vertue of the Father and the sonne and therefore God equall with them both Furthermore they alleadge that neither the scriptures nor the practise of the Primitiue Church doth warrant vs to pray to the holy Ghost Ans. It is not true For whēsoeuer we direct our praier to any of the three persons in him we pray to them all Besides we haue example of praier made to the holy Ghost in the word of God For Paul saith to the Corinthians The grace of our Lord Iesus the loue of god the father the fellowship of the holy ghost be with you all And the words are as if S. Paul had said thus O Father let thy loue O Sonne let thy grace O holy Ghost let thy fellowship bee with them all And therefore this first doctrine is true and as well to bee beleeued as any other that the Holy Ghost is God The second point is that the Holy Ghost is a distinct person from the father and the sonne Hereupon the articles touching the three persons are thus distinguished I beleeue in the father I beleeue in the sonne I beleeue in the holy Ghost This point also is consonant to the Scriptures which make the same distinction In the baptisme of Christ the father vttereth a voice from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased and not the sonne or the holy ghost Secondly the sonne stood in the water and was baptized by Iohn and not the father or the holy Ghost Thirdly the holy Ghost descended from heauen vpon Christ in the forme of a doue and not the father or the sonne but the holy Ghost alone Christ in his commission vnto his disciples saith Goe teach all nations baptizing them into the name of the father the sonne and the Holy Ghost Now if the Holy Ghost had beene the same person either with the father or with the sonne then it had bene sufficient to haue named the father and the sonne onely And the distinction of the third person from the rest may be conceiued by this that the Holy Ghost is the Holy Ghost and not the father or the sonne The third point to bee beleeued is that the holy Ghost proceedeth from the father and the sonne For a further proofe hereof consider these places Paul saith Ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit for the spirit of God dwelleth in you But if any man haue not the spirit of Christ hee is not his And againe Because ye are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of the sonne into your hearts where we may obserue that the holy Ghost is the spirit both of the father and of the sonne Now the holy Ghost is called the spirit of the father not only because he is sent of him but because hee proceedeth from the father as Christ saith to his disciples When the comforter will come whome I shall send vnto you from the father euen the spirit of trueth vvhich proceedeth of the father hee shall testifie of me And therefore likewise he is the spirit of the sonne not onely because he is sent of the sonne but also because hee proceedeth from him Againe in the Trinitie the person sending doth communicate his whole essence and substance to the person sent As the father sending the sonne doeth communicate his essence and substance to the sonne For sending doth presuppose a communication of essence Nowe the father and the sonne send the holy Ghost therefore both of them communicate their substance and essence vnto the same person Thirdly Christ saith The holy Ghost hath receiued of mine which he shall shewe vnto you namely knowledge and trueth to be reuealed vnto his Church Whence we may reason thus the person receiuing knowledge from another receiues essence also the holy Ghost receiues truth and knowledge from Christ to be reuealed vnto the Church and therefore first of all he hath receiued substance and essence from the sonne But some peraduenture will say where is it written in all the bible in expresse wordes that the holv Ghost proceedes from the sonne as he proceedes from the father Answer The scripture saith not so much in plaine tearmes yet we must know that that which is gathered forth thence by iust cōsequence is no lesse the truth of god then that which is expressed in words Hereupon all Churches saue those in Greece with one confent acknowledge the trueth of this point The fourth and last point is that the holy Ghost is equall to the father and the sonne And this we are taught to acknowledge in the Creede in that wee doe as well beleeue in the Holy Ghost as in the father and the sonne And though the holy Ghost be sent of the father and the sonne yet as I haue said before that argues no inequalitie for one equall may send another by consent but order onely whereby the Holy Ghost is last of all the three persons Againe in that the holy Ghost receiueth from the sonne it prooues no inferiority Because he receiues frō the sonne whatsoeuer he receiues by nature and not by grace And he receiues not a part but all that the sonne hath sauing the proprietie of his person Nowe followe the benefits which are giuen by the holy Ghost and they are of two sorts some are common to all
creatures some are proper to men The benefit of the Holy Ghost common to all creatures is the worke of creation and preseruation For all things were created and made and afterwarde perserued by the holy Ghost So Elihu saith The spirit of God hath made me And Moses saith In the beginning the spirit mooued vpon the waters The phrase is borrowed from a bird who in hatching of her young ones sits vpon the egges mooues her selfe vpon them and heats them And so likewise the holy Ghost in the beginning did by his own power cherish and preserue the masse or lumpe whereof all things were made and caused it to bring forth the creatures This beeing euident that the Holy Ghost hath a stroke in the worke of creation and preseruation wee must vnfainedly acknowledge that we were first created and since that time continually preserued by the benefit euen of the third person The benefits proper vnto men are of two sorts some are common to all men both good and bad and some proper to the elect and faithfull The benefits common to all men are diuers I. the gift of practising a particular calling As in the bodie seuerall members haue seuerall vses so in euery societie seuerall men haue seuerall offices and callings and the gifts whereby they are inabled to performe the duties thereof are from the holy Ghost When Gedeon became a valiant captaine to deliuer the Israelites it is said he was clothed with the spirit Bezaleel and Aholiab beeing set apart to build the tabernacle were filled with the spirit of God in wisdome and in vnderstanding and in all workemanship to finde out curious works to worke in gold and in siluer in brasse also in the art to set stones and to carue in timber c. By this it is manifest that the skill of any handicraft is not in the power of man but comes by the holy Ghost And by this we are taught to vse al those gifts wel wherby we are inabled to discharge our particular callings that they may serue for the glorie of God and the good of his Church and those that in their callings vse fraud and deceit or else liue inordinately doe most vnthankfully abuse the gifts of God and dishonour the spirit of God the author of their gifts for which thing they must giue an account one day The second gift common to all is Illumination whereby a man is inabled to vnderstand the will of God in his word The Iewes in the reading of the old testament had a vaile ouer their hearts and the like haue all men by nature to whome the word of God is foolishnes Paul at his conuersion was smitten blind skales were vpon his eyes the like also be ouer the eyes of our mindes and they must fall away before we can vnderstand the will of God Now it is the worke of the holy Ghost to remooue these skales and filmes from our eyes And for this very cause he is called the annointing and eye-salue for as it doth cleare the eyes and take away the dimmenes from them so doth the holy Ghost take away blindnes from our mindes that we may see into the truth of Gods word This beeing a common gift and receiued both of good and bad it standeth vs in hand not to content our selues with the bare knowledge of the word but therewithall we must ioyne obedience and make conscience thereof or else that will besall vs which Christ foretold that he which knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes The third gift of the holy Ghost is the gift of prophecie whereby a man is made able to interpret and expound the Scriptures Now albeit this gift be very excellent and not giuen to euery man yet is it common both to good and badde For in the day of iudgement when men shall come to Christ and say Master we haue prophecied in thy name he shall answer againe I neuer knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Hereupon those that are in the calling of the ministerie and haue receiued the gift of prophecie must not herewithall be puffed vp For if they be not as well doers of Gods will as teachers their gifts will turne to their further condemnation As the carpenters that built Noahs arke when the flood came were drowned because they would not obey Noahs preaching so those that haue the gifts of prophecie and are builders in Gods house if they build not themselues as well as others for all their preaching at the day of iudgement they shall be condemned and therefore it standeth them in hand not to content themselues with this that they know and teach others Gods will but they themselues must be the first doers of the same The fourth common gift of the Holy Ghost is Abilitie to bridle and restraine some affections so as they shall not breake out into outragions behauiour Haman a wicked man and an enemie to Gods Church when he sawe Mordecai the Iewe sitting in the kings gate and that hee would not stand vp nor mooue vnto him he was full of indignatiō neuertheles the text saith that he refrained himselfe And when Abimelech an heathen king had taken Sara Abrahams wife God said vnto him I knowe that thou didst this with an vpright heart and the text addeth further I haue kept thee that thou shouldest not sinne against me And thus the Lord giueth to men as yet without the spirit of sanctification this gift to bridle themselues so as in outward action they shall not practise this or that sinne For why did not Abimelech commit adulterie surely because God kept him from it Againe in the histories of the heathen we may read of many that were iust liberall meeke continent c. and that by a generall operation of the holy Ghost that represseth the corruption of nature for the common good Here then if any man aske howe it commeth to passe that some men are more modest and ciuil then others seeing all men by nature are equally wicked the answer may be not as the common saying is because some are of better nature then others for all the sonnes of Adam are equall in regard of nature the child newe borne in that respect is as wicked as the eldest man that euer liued but the reason is because God giues this common gift of restraining the affections more to some then to others This must be considered of vs all For a man may haue the spirit of God to bridle many sinnes and yet neuer haue the spirit to mortifie the same and to make him a newe creature And this beeing so we must take heede that we deceiue not our selues For it is not sufficient for a man to liue in outward ciuility and to keepe in some of his affections vpon some occasion for that a wicked man may doe but we must further labour to feele in our selues the spirit
of God not only bridling sinne in vs but also mortifying and killing the same Indeed both of them are the good gifts of Gods spirit but yet the mortification of sinne is the chiefest being an effectuall signe of grace and proper to the elect The fifth grace and gift of the holy Ghost is to heare and receiue the word of God with ioy In the parable of the sower one kind of badde ground are they which when they haue heard receiue the worde with ioy And this is that which the authour of the Hebrues calls the the tasting of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come We knowe that there is great difference betweene tasting of meate and eating of it They that sit down at the table do both tast and eate but they that dresse the meate do onely see and taste thereof so it is at the Lords table Many there be that haue this gift truely both to tast and eate of the bodie and blood of Christ offered in the word and Sacraments and some againe doe onely taste and feele the sweetnesse of them and reioice therein but yet are not indeede partakers thereof Nowe if this be so then all those which heare the word of God must take heede how they heare and labour to finde these two things in themselues by hearing I. that in heart and conscience they be throughly touched and humbled for their sinnes II. that they be certenly assured of the fauour and loue of God in Christ and that the sweete promises of the Gospel doe belong to them and in consideration hereof they must make conscience of all sinne both in thought worde and deed through the whole course of their liues And this kind of hearing bringeth that ioy which vanisheth not away Thus much of the benefits of the holy Ghost common to all men both good and badde nowe followe such as are proper to the elect all which may be reduced vnto one namely the inhabitation of the spirit whereby the elect are the temples of the holy Ghost who is said to dwell in men not in respect of substance for the whole nature of the holy Ghost cannot be comprised in the bodie or soule of man but in respect of a particular operation and this dwelling standes in two things The first that the holy Ghost doth abide in them not for a time onely but for euer for the word dwelling noteth perpetuitie Secondly that the holy Ghost hath the full disposition of the heart as whē a man commeth to dwell in an house whereof he is lord he hath libertie to gouerne it after his owne will Nowe this disposition of the hearts of the faithfull by the holy Ghost stands in fiue special and notable gifts euery one worthie our obseruation The first is a certen knowledge of a mans owne reconciliation to God in Christ. As it is said in Esai By his knowledge my righteous seruant shall iustifie many And Christ saith This is life eternall that they knowe thee to be the onely verie God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. This knowledge is not generall for then the deuils might be saued but it is particular whereby a man knoweth God the father to be his father and Christ the redeemer to bee his redeemer and the holy Ghost to bee his sanctifier and comforter And it is a speciall worke of the holy Ghost as Paul saith The spirit of God beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the children of God And we haue receiued the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are giuen vnto vs of God The second gift is regeneration whereby a man of a limme of the deuill is made a member of Christ and of a child of Satan whome euery one of vs by nature doe as liuely resemble as any man doeth his owne parent is made the child of God Except a man saith our Sauiour Christ be borne againe by water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Iohn Baptist in saying that Christ baptized with the holy Ghost and fire compares the spirit of god to fire and water To fire for two causes I. as it is the nature of fire to warme the body that is benummed and frozen with colde so when a man is benummed and frozen in sinne yea when he is euen starke dead in sinne it is the property of the Holy Ghost to warme and quicken his heart and to reuiue him II. Fire doth purge and eate out the drosse from the good mettall now there is no drosse nor canker that hath so deepely eaten into any mettall as sinne into the nature of man and therefore the Holy Ghost is as fire to purge and eate out the hidden corruptions of sinne out of the rebellious heart of man Againe the holy Ghost is compared to cleare water for two causes I. man by nature is as drie wood without sappe and the property of the holy Ghost is as water to supple and to put sap of grace into the dead and rotten heart of man II. the propertie of water is to clense and purifie the filth of the bodie euen so the holy Ghost doth spiritually wash away our sinnes which are the filth of our nature and this is the second benefit of the Holy Ghost By this we are taught that he which would enter into the kingdome of God and haue the Holy Ghost to dwell in him must labour to feele the worke of regeneration by the same spirit and if a man would knowe whether hee haue this worke wrought in him or no let him marke what Saint Paul saith They that are of the spirit sauour the things that are of the spirit but they that liue after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh If therefore a man haue his heart continually affected with that which is truely good either more or lesse it is a certaine token that his wicked nature is changed and he regenerate but contrariwise if his heart be alwaies set on the pleasures of sinne and the things of this world hee may iustly suspect himselfe that he is not regenerated As for example if a man haue all his minde set vpon drinking and gulling in of wine and strong drink hauing little delight nor pleasure in any thing els it argues a carnall minde vnregenerate because it affects the things of the flesh and so of the rest And on the contrarie he that hath his minde affected with a desire to doe the will of God in practising the workes of charitie and religion he I say hath a spirituall and a renued heart and is regenerate by the holy Ghost The third worke of the holy Ghost is to gouerne the hearts of the elect this may be called spirituall regiment A man that dwelleth in a house of his owne orders and gouerns it according to his own will euen so the holy ghost gouerns all them in whome he dwelleth as Paul saith
And the earnest in a bargain it may be is but a penie laid down for the paying of twentie thousand pound The second question is whether the graces of the holy Ghost may be wholly lost or not Ans. The common gifts of the spirit may be lost and extinguished But the gifts proper to the Elect can not Indeed they may be diminished couered as coales vnder ashes and as the sappe in the roote of the tree in the winter season not appearing at all in the branches the feeling of them may be lost but they can not either finally or totally be abolished It is true that God doth forsake his children but that is onely in part as he left Ezechias to prooue and trie what was in his heart A mother that loues her child most tenderly sets it downe in the flore lets it stand and fall and breake the face and all this while shee hides her selfe not because her purpose is to leaue her child quite or to make it hurt it selfe but that wheÌ„ shee taketh it vp againe it may loue her the better So dealeth the holy Ghost with men to make them see their owne weaknes and frailtie he hides himselfe as it were in some corner of the heart for a season that they may the more earnestly hunger after grace the want whereof they feele The vse of this article whereby we confesse that we beleeue in the holy Ghost is manifold First considering that all the gifts which any man hath whether they be gifts of knowledge in the word of God or of humane learning or againe gifts whereby men are inabled to practise their trades or handicrafts doe come not from our selues but from the holy Ghost we are taught this dutie Looke what gifts soeuer we for our parts haue receiued of the spirit of God we must vse them so as they may euer serue for the glorie of God and good of our brethren and not to the practising and setting forth of any manner of sinne and by consequent to the seruice of the deuill For that is as if a man receiuing riches and reuenues of his prince should straight way goe to the princes enemie and employ them for his benefit which were a point of exceeding trecherie Furthermore in euery place the greater part of men are blinde and ignorant persons both yong and old and aged folkes as they are ignorant themselues so they nuzzle vp their youth in ignorance Conferre with them you sâ—all finde that they can say nothing but that which may be learned by common talke as that there is a God and that this God must be worshipped but aske them further of the meanes of their saluation and of their duties to God and man and they will answer you that they are not booke-learned tell them further that the ordinarie meanes to bring men to knowledge is the preaching of the word which if they will not vse they shall be inexcusable they will say alas we are dull of memorie and cannot learne Wel for all this thou saiest thou beleeuest in the holy Ghost and he is thy schoolemaster to teach thee though thy capacitie be dull yet he is able to open thine vnderstanding for as there is outward teaching by the minister so the worke of the holy Ghost is ioyned withall to enlighten the conceit of the mind that they which heare the word with reuerence may profit thereby and get knowledge But if for all this men will not learne but remaine ignorant still then let them marke the example of the sonnes of Eli he in some part did rebuke them for their wickednes but yet they would not obey and the reason is there set downe because the Lord would destroy them In the same manner howsoeuer we may not iudge of any mans person yet this may be said that if men refuse to heare the word of God when they may or if in hearing they will not obey it is a fearefull signe that God will at length destroy them When a trumpet is sounded in a mans eare and he lies still not stirring at all he is certenly dead And surely when the trumpet of the Gospel is sounded in the eares of our hearts if we awake not out of our sinnes to newnes of life we are no better then dead men before God Wherefore the case beeing thus dangerous and the punishment so great let vs labour in time for the knowledge of Gods will preuent Gods iudgements before they light vpon vs. Thirdly as the Apostle saith If we liue in the spirit we must walke in the spirit that is if we be dead vnto sinne by the power of the holy Ghost and be raised vp to newnes of life then we must walke in the spirit Now to walke in the spirit is to lead our liues in shewing forth the fruits of the spirit In Esai the holy Ghost is compared vnto water powred forth on the drie land which maketh the willowes to blossome and to beare fruit wherefore those that haue the gifts of the spirit must be trees of righteousnes bringing forth the fruits of the spirit which as they are set downe by Paul are principally nine The first fruit is loue which respects both God and man Loue vnto God is an inward and spirituall motion in the heart whereby God is loued absolutely for himselfe This loue shewes it selfe in two things I. when a mans heart is set and disposed to seeke the honour and glorie of God in all things II. when a man by all meanes striues and endeauours himselfe to please God in euery thing counting it a most miserable estate to liue in the displeasure of God and the heart that is thus affected can haue no greater torment then to fall into sinne whereby God is offended and his displeasure prouoked By these two signes a man may know whether he loue God or no and by them also must he testifie his loue Now our loue to man is a fruit of this loue of God for God is to be loued for himselfe man is loued for God This loue must not be in shew onely but in deede and action S. Iohn biddeth vs not to loue in word and tongue onely but in deede and truth Brotherly loue doth not alwaies lie hid but when an occasion is offered it doth breake forth into action it is like fire which though for a time it be smothered yet at length it breakes forth into a flame And so much loue a man sheweth to his neighbour as he hath and where none is shewed none is The second fruit is Ioy when a man is as glad at the good of his neighbour as at his owne good and this is a speciall worke of the holy Ghost For the nature of man is to pine away and to grieue at the good of another and contrariwise it is a worke of grace to reioyce thereat Paul saith Reioyce with them that reioyce And this was the holy practise of the
we pollute our soules and bodies with any manner of sinne we make them euen stables and styes for our wretched enemie the deuill to harbour in For when Satan is once cast out if afterward we fall againe to our old sinnes loosenes of life and so defile our bodies they are then most cleane and neat for them to dwell in whereupon he will come and bring seuen other deuills worse then himselfe so a mans last end shall be worse then his beginning Now what a fearefull thing is this that the bodie which should be a temple for the holy Ghost by our sins should be made a stable for the deuil Furthermore S. Paul biddeth vs not to quench the spirit The graces of the holy spirit in this life are like sparkes of fire which may soone be quenched with a little water Now so oft as we sinne we cast water vpon the grace of God and as much as we can put out the same therefore it stands vs in hand to make conscience of euery thing wherein we may offend and displease God And we may assure our selues that so long as we liue and lie in our corruptions and sinnes the holy Ghost will neuer come and dwell with vs. He is a spirit most pure and chast and therefore must haue an vndefiled temple to dwell in Thus we haue heard what is to be beleeued concerning the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Now looke as we beleeue in God distinguished into three persons so we must remember that when we performe diuine worship to him we may distinguish the persons but we are not to seuer them when we pray to the Father we must not omit the Sonne or the holy Ghost but make our prayers to them all for as in nature they are one and in person not deuided but distinguished so in all worship we must neuer confound or seuer the persons but distinguish them and worship the Trinitie in vnitie and vnitie in trinitie one God in three persons and three persons in one God Hitherto we haue intreated of the first part of the Creede concerning God now followes the second part thereof concerning the Church and â—t was added to the former vpon speciall consideration For the right order of a confession did require that after the Trinitie the Church should be mentioned as the house after the owner the temple after God and the citie after the builder Againe the Creede is concluded with points of doctrine concerning the Church because whosoeuer is out of it is also forth of the number of gods children and he can not haue God for his father which hath not the Church for his mother Question is made what the words are which are to be supplied in this article the holy Catholike Church whether I beleeue or I beleeue in and ancient expositours haue sufficiently determined the matter One saith In these words in which is set forth our faith of the godhead it is saide In God the father in the Sonne and in the holy Ghost but in the rest where the speech is not of the Godhead but of creatures aud mysteries the preposition In is not added that it should be in the holy Church but that we should beleeue there is an holy Church not as God but as a companie gathered to God And men should beleeue that there is remission of sinnes not in the remission of sinnes and they should beleeue the resurrection of the bodie not in the resurrection of the bodie therefore by this preposition the Creatour is distinguished from the creatures and things pertaining to God from things pertaining to men Another vpon these words This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him saith If ye beleeue in him ye beleeue him not if ye beleeue him ye beleeue in him for the deuills beleeued God but did not beleeue in him Againe of the Apostles we may say we beleeue Paul but we doe not beleeue in Paul we beleeue Peter but we beleeue not in Peter For his faith that beleeueth in him which iustifieth the vngodly is imputed to him for righteousnes What is it therefore to beleeue in him by beleeuing to loue and like and as it were to passe into him and to be incorporated into his members Now the reasons which some Papists bring to the contrarie to prooue that we may beleeue in the creatures in the church are of no moment First they alleadge the phrase of Scripture Exod. 14.31 They beleeued in God and in Moses 1. Sam. 27. 12. And Achis beleeued in Dauid 2. Chron. 20.20 Beleeue in the Prophets and prosper Ans. The Hebrewe phrase in which the seruile letter Beth is vsed must not bee translated with a preposition that ruleth an accusatiue or ablatiue case but with a datiue case on this manner Beleeue Moses Dauid the Prophets and it doth not impart any affiance in the creature but onely a giuing of credance by one man to another Secondly they alleadge that ancient fathers read the article on this manner I beleeue in the holy Catholike Church Answ. Indeede some haue done so but by this kind of speech they signified no more but thus much that they beleeued that there was a Catholike Church Thus hauing found what words are to be supplied let vs come to the meaning of the article And that we may proceede in order let vs first of all see what the Church is The Church is a peculiar companie of men predestinate to life euerlasting and made one in Christ. First I say it is a peculiar company of men for Saint Peter saith Ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation and a peculiar people He speakes indeede of the Church of God on earth but his saying may be also extended to the whole Church of God as well in heauen as in earth Nowe because there can be no companie vnlesse it haue a beginning and a cause whereby it is gathered therefore I adde further in the definition predestinate to life euerlasting Noting thereby the ground and cause of the Catholike Church namely Gods eternall predestination to life euerlasting and to this purpose our Sauiour Christ saith Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers will to giue you the kingdome signifying thereby that the first and principall cause of the Church is the good pleasure of God whereby he hath before all workes purposed to aduance his elect to eternall saluation Therefore one saith well onely the elect are the Church of God And further because no companie can continue and abide for euer vnlesse the members thereof be ioyned and coupled together by some bond therefore I adde in the last place made one with Christ. This vnion maketh the Church to be the Church and by it the members thereof whether they be in heauen or in earth are distinguished from all other companies whatsoeuer Now this coniunction betweene Christ and the Church is auouched by Saint Paul when
into one whole Mystical bodie Now that we may the better cōceiue the nature of it sundrie questions are to be mooued The first what kinde of coniunction this is Ans. In the scripture we meete with three kinde of coniunctions The first is coniunction in nature when sundrie things are coupled by one and the same nature As the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost being three distinct subsistances are all one and therefore ioyned in one godhead or diuine nature Nowe Christ and the beleeuer are not ioyned in nature for thē they twaine should haue one bodie and soule The second coniunction is in person when things in nature different so concurre togither that they make but one person as the bodie and soule make one man and the godhead of the sonne with his manhood make but one Christ in whome there is an vnion of distinct natures with vnity of person Nowe Christ and a Christian are not ioyned in person for Christ is one person Peter a second and Paul a third distinct from thē both so many men as there bee so many seuerall persons The third coniunction is in spirit and this is the coniunction meant in this place whereby Christ and his Church are ioyned togither for the verie same spirit of God that dwelleth in the manhood of Christ and filleth it with all graces aboue measure is deriued thence and dwelleth in all the true members of the Church and filleth them with the like graces in measure and therefore S. Iohn saith Hereby wee knowe that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit Hence it followes that the bond of this coniunction is one and the same spirit descending from Christ the head to all his members creating also in them the instrument of faith whereby they apprehend Christ and make him their owne The second is what are the things vnited Ans. Not the bodie of the beleeuer to the bodie of Christ or the soule to his soule but the whole person of the man to the whole person of Christ yet in this order we are first of al immediately ioyned to the manhood of Christ by the manhood to the godhead The third question is what is the manner of this coniunction Answ. Wee must not thinke that Christ and his Church are ioyned by imagination as the minde of man and the thing whereof he thinkes or by consent of heart as one friende is ioyned with another and as the Iewes conuerted were all of one heart and soule or by any abode in one place or by touching as sea and lande are both ioyned togither and make one globe or by any composition or cōmixtion of substances as when many ingredients are put togither to make one medicine But this coniunction is altogither spirituall as the former Giuing was and incomprehensible to mans reason and therefore wee must rather labour to feele it by experience in the heart then to conceiue it in the braine Yet neuerthelesse it shall not be amisse to consider a resemblance of it in this comparison Suppose a man hauing the parts of his bodie disioyned farre asunder his head lying in Italy one arme in Germanie the other in Spaine and his leggs with vs in England suppose further all these parts or quarters haue all one soule extending it selfe vnto them all and quickening each of them seuerally as though they were neerely ioyned togither and though the parts be seuered many hundred miles asunder yet the distance of place doth not hinder the coniunction considering one and the same soule doth inlarge it selfe and giue life vnto them all In the same manner the head of the Mysticall bodie Christ our Sauiour is nowe in heauen and some of his members in heauen with him and some in earth and of these some in England some in Germanie some in Italy some in Spaine distant many thousand miles asunder and the spirit of God is as it were the soule of this bodie which giueth spirituall life to all the members distance of place doth not hinder this coniunction because the holy Ghost which linketh all the partes togither is infinite The benefits which we receiue by this Mysticall vnion are manifold For it is the ground of the conueiance of all grace The first is that by means hereof euery Christian as he is a Christian or a man regenerate hath his beginning and being in Christ howesoeuer as he is a man hee hath his beeing and subsisting in himselfe as Paul saith Ye are of God in Christ. And We are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones Howe will some say can this be After this manner The comparison is taken from our first parents Eue was made of a rib taken out of Adams side he beeing cast into a slumber this beeing done Adam awaked and said This nowe is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh Christ was nailed on the crosse and his most pretious blood was shed and out of it arise and spring all true Christians that is out of the merit of Christs death passion whereby they become newe creatures Secondly euery one that beleeueth in Christ by reason of this vnion hath an vnspeakable prerogatiue for hereby he is first vnited to Christ and by reason thereof is also ioyned to the whole trinitie the father the sonne and the holy Ghost and shall haue eternall fellowship with them Thirdly sundrie men specially Papists deride the doctrine of iustification by imputed righteousnes thinking it as absurde that a man should be iust by that righteousnesse which is inherent in the person of Christ as if we should say that one man may liue by the soule of another or be learned by the learning of another But here we may see that it hath sufficient foundation For there is a most neere and strait vnion betweene Christ and all that beleeue in him and in this vnion Christ with all his benefits according to the tenour of the couenant of grace is made ours really therfore we may stande iust before God by his righteousnesse it beeing indeede his because it is in him as in a subiect yet so as it is also ours because it is giuen vnto vs of God Nowe there is no such vnion betweene man and man and for that cause one man can not liue by the soule of another or be learned by the learning of another Fourthly frō this fountaine springes our sanctificatiō wherby we die to sin and are renued in righteousnes and holines Wormes flies that haue lien dead al winter if they be laid in the sunne in the spring time begin to reuiue by vertue thereof euen so whē we are vnited to Christ are as it were laid in the beames of this blessed sonne of righteousnes vertue is deriued thence which warmeth our benummed hearts dead in sinne and reuiueth vs to newnes of life whereby we begin to affect and like good things and put in practise all
commandement to pray and then after giues a direction for the keeping of it this he doth to stir vp our dulnes and to allure vs by all meanes to this heauenly exercise of prayer wherefore still I say imploy your selues in praier feruently and continually and if you cannot doe it learne to praie Thus much of the commandement of our Sauiour Christ now follow the words of the praier Our Father which art c. THese wordes containe three partes 1. A preface 2. The praier it selfe containing sixe petitions 3. The testification of faith in the last worde Amen Which although it be short yet it doth not containe the smallest point in the praier It is I say a testification of our faith whereas the petitions that goe before are onely testifications of our desires Nowe of these three partes in order We must consider howe our Sauiour Christ doth not set downe the petitions abruptly but he first begins with a solemne preface Whereby wee are taught this lesson that hee which is to pray vnto God is first to prepare himselfe and not boldly without consideration as it were to rush into the presence of God If a man be to come before an earthly prince hee will order himselfe in apparell gesture and wordes that he may doe all things in seemelinesse and dutifull reuerence how much more are men to order themselues when they are to appeare before the liuing God Eccl. 5.1 Bee not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hastie to vtter a thing before the Lord. And Dauid Psal. 26.6 Washed his hands in innocency before he came to the altar of the Lord to offer sacrifice The meanes whereby men may stirre vp their dull and heauie hearts so prepare themselues to praier are three The first is to read diligently the word of God concerning those matters about which they are to pray what then this will be a meanes not onely to direct him but also to quicken the heart more feruently to deliuer his praier This is euident by a comparison The beames of the sunne descending heat not before they come to the earth or some solide bodie where they may reflect and then by that meanes the earth and aire adioyning is made hot euen so the Lord sends down vnto vs his blessed word euen as beames and the goodly sunshine and thereby he speakes to our hearts now when we make our praiers of that which we haue read Gods word is as it were reâ—â—ected and our hearts are thereby warmed with the comfortable heat of Gods holy spirit to poure out our pâ—aiers to God more feruently The second meanes is to pray to God that hee would strengthen vs with his spirit that we might be able to praie as it is practised Psal. 143.1 The third meanes is the consideration of Gods most glorious maiestie wherein we are to remember first his fatherly goodnes and kindnesse whereby hee is willing and secondly his omnipotencie whereby hee is able to gâ—ant our requests One of these imboldened the leaper to pray Lord if thou wilâ— thou canst make me â—leane Mat. 8.2 Therefore both togither are more effectuall Now let vs come to the preface it selfe Our father which art in heauen It coÌ„taines a description of the true Iehoua to whome we pray and that by two arguments the first is drawne from a relation Our Father the second is taken from the subiect or place Which art in heauen Father 1. The meaning IN the opening of this word or title of God two questions are to be opened 1. Quest. Whether by thit title Father is signified the whole Trinitie or some one person thereof Ans. Otherwhiles this name is attributed to all the persons in Trinitie or any of them Mal. 2. 10. Haue wee not all one father c. Luk. 3.38 Which was the sonne of Adam which was the sâ—nne of God And in Esai 36. Christ is called the Father of eternitie because all that are truely knit to him and borne anew by him they are eternally made the sonnes of God Againe oftentimes it is giuen to the first person in Trinitie as in those places where one person is conferred with another And so in this place principally for some speciall respects this title agrees to the first person For first he is the father of Christ as he is the eternall word of the father and that by nature because he is of the same essence with him Secondly he is the father to Christ in respect of his manhood not by nature or adoption but by personall vnion because the humane nature doth subsist in the person of the word Thirdly he is a father to all the faithfull by adoption in Christ. 2. Quest. Whether are we to praie to the sonne and the holy Ghost as to the Father Ans. Inuocation belongs to al the three persons in Trinitie not only to the Father Act. 7.59 Steuen praieth Lord Iesus receiue my spirit 1. Thâ—s 3.2 Now God our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ guide our iourney vnto you 2. Cor. 13.13 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God and the communion of the holy ghost be with you And men are baptized in the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost that is by calling on the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Some may say this praier is a perfect platforme of all praiers yet we are taught to direct our praiers to the Father not to the Sonne or holy spirit I answere the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are three distinct persons yet they are not to be seuered or deuided because they all subsist in one and the same godhead or diuine nature And further in all outward actions as in the creation and preseruation of the world and the saluation of the elect they are not seuered or diuided for they all worke togither onely they are distinguished in the manner of working Nowe if they be not diuided in nature or operation then they are not to be seuered in worship And in this place wee principally direct our praiers to the father because he is the first in order yet so as then we implie the Sonne and holy Ghost For we pray to the Father in the name of the Sonne by the assistance of the holy Ghost And to what person soeuer the praier is directed we must alwaies remember in minde and heart to include the rest 2. The vse TThe vses of this point are manifold 1. First whereas we are taught to come to God as to a father therefore in the name of his Sonne our Sauiour Christ we learne to lay the first ground of all our praiers which is to hold and maintaine the vnion the distinction of the three persons in Trinitie This beeing the lowest and the first foundation of praier it is requisite that all which would pray aright should haue this knowledge rightly to beleeue the Trinitie and to know how the three persons agree and how
mindfull of others For a man that hath wealth is made a steward to distribute his goods to the poore and the good of Gods Church True loue seekes not her owne things the branches of the vine are loden with clusters of grapes not for themselues but for others the candle spends it selfe to giue others light Giue If bread be ours wherefore are we to aske it it may seeme needlesse Answ. Not so for hereby we are taught to waite on God who is the fountaine and the giuer of all blessings Men vsually driuen to any distresse vse euill meanes as robbing deceiuing consulting with wizzards c. 2. Againe here we learne that though a man had all the wealth in the world all is nothing without Gods blessing Question The rich neede not say Giue vs c. for they haue abundance already and what neede they aske that which they haue Answer Let a man be neuer so rich and want nothing that can be desired yet if he want Gods blessing in effect he wants all Wherefore euen Kings and the greatest personages that be are as much bound to vse this petition as the poorest Gods blessing is riches saith Salomon Prou. 10.22 Thou maist eate and not haue enough be clothed and not warme earne wages and put it in a broken bagge Hag. 1. 6. if God doe not blesse thee This blessing of God is called the staffe of bread Esay 3. 1. In bread there bee two things the substance and the vertue thereof proceeding from gods blessing this second that is the power of nourishing is the staffe of bread For take away from an aged man his staffe and he falls and so take away Gods blessing from bread the strength thereof it becomes vnprofitable and ceaseth to nourish Lastly here we see that all labour and toile taken in any kind of calling is nothing and auailes not vnlesse God still giue his blessing Psal. 127.1 3. The wants which are to be bewailed SInnes which we are taught in this petition to bewaile are two especially I. Couetousnesse a vice which is naturally engrafted in euery mans heart it is when a man is not content with his present estate This desire is vnsatiable men that haue enough would still haue more Wherefore he which shall vse this petition must be grieued for this sinne and pray with Dauid Psal. 119. 36. Incline my heart to thy commandements and not to couetousnes And he must sorrowe not so much for the act of this sinne as for the corruption of nature in this behalfe Couetous people will plead that they are free from this vice but marke mens liues and we shall see it is a common disease as Dauid noted Psal. 4.6 where he brings in the people saying who shall shew vs any good This then is a common sinne that we are taught to mourne for 2. The second want is diffidence and distrustfulnes in Gods prouidence touching the things of this life Men also will shift this off and say they would be sorrie to distrust God But if we doe but a little looke into the corruption of our nature we shall see that we are deceiued For beeing in prosperitie wee are not troubled but if once we be pressed with aduersitie then we howle and weepe and as Paul saith 1. Tim. 6.10 Men peirce themselues through with many sorrowes If a man shall loose a part of his goods what then doth he straight hee goes out to the wise man is this to beleeue in God No it is to distrust God and beleeue the deuill 4. Graces to be desired THe grace to be desired is a readines in all estates of life to rest on Gods prouidence whatsoeuer fall out Psal. 37.5 Commit thy way to the Lord trust in him and he shall bring it to passe Prou. 16. 3. Commit or role thy workes vpon the Lord and thy thoughts shall be directed Whereby we are admonished to take paines in our callings to get meate and drinke c. If the Lord blesse not our labour we must be content if he doe we must giue him thankes Now for this cause we are further to pray to God that hee would open our eies and by his spirit teach vs in all his good creatures to see his prouidence and when meanes faile and are contrarie then also to beleeue in the same and to followe Pauls example Phil. 4.12 5. Errours confuted PApists teach that men by workes of grace may merit life eternall and increase of iustification in this life But howe can this be for here we see that euery bit of bread which we eate is the free gift of God without any merit of ours Now if we can not merit a peece of bread what madnes is it to thinke that we can merit life euerlasting 2. They also are deceiued who thinke that any thing comes by meere chance or fortune without Gods prouidence Indeede in respect of men who know not the causes of things many chances there are but so as that they are ordered and come to passe by Gods prouidence Luk. 10.31 By chance there came downe a certaine priest that way Forgiue vs our debts 1. The Coherence THis is the fift petition and the second of those which concerne our selues in the former we craued temporall blessings in this and the next which followeth we craue spirituall blessings Where we may note that seeing there is two petitions which concerne spirituall things and but one for temporall that the care for our soules must be double to the care of our bodies In the world men care for their bodies their hearts are set for wealth and promotion they can be content to heare the word on the Sabbath yet neither then nor in the weeke day doe they lay it vp in their hearts and practise it which argues that they haue little or no care for their soules Question What is the cause that first we craue things for the bodie and in the second place those which concerne the soule Ans. The order of the holy Ghost in these petitions is wonderfull for the Lord considers the dulnes and backwardnes of mens natures and therefore he traines them vp and drawes them on by little euen as a schoolemaster doth his yong schollers propounding vnto them some small elements and principles and so carrying them to higher points For the former petition is a step or degree to these two following The ruler by the healing of the bodie of his child is brought to beleeue in Christ. Ioh. 4.53 He then that will rest on Gods mercie for the pardon of his sinnes must first of all rest on Gods prouidence for this life and he that can not put his affiance in God for the prouision of meate and drinke how shall he trust Gods mercie for the saluation of his soule Here we may see the faith of worldlings they say that God is mercifull and that they beleeue in Christ which can not be true seeing in lesser matters as meate and drinke they
a gap to all licentiousnes therefore they agree to mans corrupt nature for who almost will not sinne when he may get a pardon for his sinnes for a little peece of money as twentie shillings or foure nobles And what is it but cosonage to sell pardons which shall be in force many yeares after the ende of the world as the Pope doth It is naturall to a man to serue God in certaine ceremonies without the power of godlines and this seruice is prescribed by the religion of the Church of Rome which standeth only in outward and corporall ceremonies as the outward succession of Bishops garments vestures gestures coloures choice of meat difference of daies times and places hearing seeing saying touching tasting numbring of beads gilding and worshipping of images building Monasteries rising at midnight silence in cloysters abstaining from flesh and white meat Fasting in Lent keeping Imber daies hearing Masse and diuine seruice seeing and adoring the bodie in forme of bread receiuing holy water and holy bread creeping to the crosse carrying Palmes taking ashes bearing Candles Pilgrimages going censing kneeling knocking altars superaltars candlestickes pardons In orders crossing annointing shauing forswearing marriage In baptisme salting crossing spatling exorcising washing of hands At Easter confession penance dirge satisfaction and in receiuing with beards new shauen to imagine a bodie where they see none and though he were there present to be seene yet the outward seeing and touching of him of it selfe without faith conduceth no more then it did the Iewes At Rogation daies to carrie banners to followe the Crosse to walke about the fieldes After Pentecost to goe about with Corpus Christi plaie At Hollowmasse to watch in the Church to say Dirge or commendation and to ring for all soules to pay tithes truly to giue to the hie Altar And if a man will be a priest to say Masse and Mattens to serue the Saint of that daie and to lift well ouer the head In sickenes to be anneled to take his rites after his death to haue funerall and Obites said for him and to be rung for at his Funerall moneths minde and yeare minde This is the summe of the catholike religion standing in bodily actions not in any motions or worke of the holy Ghost working in the heart The morall law containing perfect righteousnes is flat opposite to manâ— corrupt nature therfore whatsoeuer Religion shall repeale and make of none effect the commandements of the morall lawe that same religion must needs ioyne hands with the corruption of nature and stand for the maintenance of it This doth the religion of the Church of Rome it may be it doth not plainly repeale them yet in effect it doth if it shall frustrate but any one point of any one commandement yea the whole lawe thereby is made in vaine 1. The first commandement requireth that we haue the true Iehoua for our only God Church of Rome maketh other gods beside this true God it maketh the body of Christ to be god because they hold it may bee in many places in heauen in earth at the same time which thing is only proper to God It maketh euery Saint departed to bee God because it holdeth that Saints doe heare vs now being vpon the earth that they know our thoughts when we pray to them which none but the true God can doe It maketh the Pope to be God and that in plaine words Pope Nicholas saith Constat summum Pontificem à pio principe Constantino Deum appellari It is well known that the Pope of the godly prince Constantine was called God Againe in the extraâ—agants of the same Cannon law it is written Dominus Deus noster Papa Our Lord God the Pope And againe Christopher Marcellus said to the Pope Tu es alter Deus in terris Thou art another God vpon earth and the Pope tooke it to himselfe As the Pope in plaine wordes is made God so the power giuen to him declareth the same He can make holy that which is vnholy and iustifie the wicked and pardon sinnes hee may dispense contrarie to the saying of â—n Apostle he can change the nature of things and of nothing make somewhat What is all this but to place the Pope in Gods roome and to robbe the Lord of his Maiestie Againe the Church of Rome maketh Marie the mother of Iesus to bee as God In the Breuiary reformed and published at the commandement of Pius the V. shee is called a Goddesse in expresse words and she is further tearmed the Queene of heauen the Queene of the world the gate of heauen the mother of grace and mercy Yea shee is farre exalted aboue Christ and he in regard of her is made but a poore vnderling in heauen for papists in their seruice vnto her pray on this manner saying Shew thy selfe to be a mother and cause thy sonne to receiue our praiers set free the captiues and giue light to the blind Lastly the very crosse is made as a God For they salute it by the name of their only hope and pray it to increase iustice to the godly and to giue sinners pardon Wherfore the Church of Rome beside the one true God distinguished into three persons the father the sonne and the holy ghost maketh also many other and so in trueth hath repealed his first commandement And they haue very plainely repealed the second commandement in that they teach it lawfull to make images of the true God and to worship him in them For the flat contrarie is the very scope of this commandement namely that no image must be made of the true Iehoua nor any worship be performed vnto him in an image which appeareth thus In Deutronomie Moses maketh a large Commentarie of this commandement and this very point he sets down expressely saying take heed to your selues for ye sawe no image in the day that the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb out of the middest of the fire that ye corrupt not your selues and make you a grauen image or representation of any figure c. His argument I set downe thus As God appeared in mount Horeb so he is to be conceiued and represented but hee appeared in no image in mount Horeb only his voice was heard therefore he is not to be conceiued or represented in any image but men are to be content if they may heare his voice Againe that sin to which the people of Israel were specially giuen euen that doth the Lord specially forbid but to this were the people of Israel specially giuen not so much to make images of false gods as to make images of the true God and to worship him in them which I prooue thus In the booke of Iudges it is said that the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and serued Baalim Now these Baalims what are they Surely Idols resembling the true God as the Prophet Hosea declareth
law Sathan Be it so for all this thou art farre enough from the kingdome of heauen into which no vncleane thing shall euer enter then although that Christ hath suffered death and fulfilled the law for thee yet thou art in part vncleane thy cursed nature and the seedes of sinne are yet remaining in thee Christian. Christ in the virgins wombe was perfectly sanctified by the holy Ghost and this perfect holines of his humane nature is imputed to me euen as Iaacob put on Esaus garments to get his fathers blessing so I haue put on the righteousnes of Christ as a long white robe couering my sinnes and making me appeare perfectly righteous euen before Gods iudgement seate Sathan Indeede God hath made promise vnto mankinde of all these mercies and benefites in Christ but the condition of this promise is faith which thou wantest and therefore canst not make any account that Christs sufferings Christs fulfilling the law Christs perfect holinesse can doe thee any good Christian. I haue true sauing faith The conflicts of Sathan with the strong Christian. Sathan THou saiest that thou hast true faith but I shall sift thee and disprooue thee Christian. The gates of hell shall neuer preuaile against my faith doe what thou canst Sathan Tell me then doest thou thinke that all the world shall be saued Christian. No. Sathan What shall some be saued and some condemned Christian. So saith the word of God Sathan Thou then art perswaded that God is true euen in his merciful promises and that he will saue some men as Peter and Paul and Dauid c. and this is the onely beleefe by which thou wilt be saued Christian. Nay this I beleeue and more too that I particularly am in the number of those men which shall be saued by the merit of Christs death and passion and this is the beleefe that saueth me Sathan It may be thou art perswaded that God is able to saue thee but that God will saue thee that is that he hath determined to aduance this thy bodie and this thy soule into his kingdome and that he is most willing to performe it in his good time herein thou wauerest and doubtest Christian. Nay Sathan I in mine owne heart am fully perswaded that I shall be saued and that Christ is specially my redeemer and O Lord for Christs sake helpe thou my doubting and vnbeleefe Sathan This thy full perswasion is onely a phantasie and a strong imagination of thine owne head it goeth not with thee as thou thinkest Christian. It is no imagination but truth which I speake For me thinkes I am as certen of my saluation as though my name were registred in the Scriptures as Dauids and Pauls are to be an elect vessell of God and this is the testimonie of the holy spirit of Iesus Christ assuring me inwardly of my adoption and making me with boldnes and confidence in Christ to pray vnto god the Father Sathan Still thou dreamest and imaginest thou louest and likest thy selfe and therefore thou thinkest the best of thy selfe Christian. Yea but God of his goodnesse hath brought forth such tokens of faith in me that I cannot be deceiued I. I am displeased with my selfe for my manifold sinnes in which somtime I haue delighted and bathed my selfe Rom. 7.15.24 II. I purpose neuer to commit them againe if God giue me strength as I trust he will III. I haue a very great desire to be doing those things which God commandeth IV. Those that be the children of God if I doe but heare of them I loue them with my heart and wish vnto them as to my selfe 1. Ioh. 3.14 V. My heart leapeth for gladnesse when I heare of the preaching of the word VI. I long to see the comming of Christ Iesus that an end may be made of sinning and of displeasing God Apoc. 22.70 VII I feele in my heart the fruits of the spirit ioy loue peace gentlenes meeknes patience temperance the works of the flesh I abhorre them fornication adulterie vncleannes wantonnes idolatry strife enuie anger drunkennes bibbing and quaffing and all such like Gal. 5. 19,20,22 All these cannot proceede from thee Sathan or from my flesh but onely from faith which is wrought in me by Gods holy spirit Sathan If this were so God would neuer suffer thee to sinne as thou doest Christian. I shall sinne as long as I liue in this world I am sure of it because I am taught to aske remission of my sinnes continually But the manner of my sinning now is otherwaies then it hath beene in times past I haue sinned heretofore with full purpose and consent of will but now doubtles I doe not Before I commit any sinne I doe not goe to the practising of it with deliberation as the carnall man doth who taketh care to fulfill the lusts of the flesh but if I doe it it is flat beside my minde and purpose in the doing of any sinne I would not doe it my heart is against it and I hate it and yet by the tyrannie of my flesh being ouercome I doe it afterward when it is committed I am grieued and displeased at my selfe and doe earnestly with teares aske at Gods hand forgiuenes of the same sinne Sathan Indeede this is very true in the children of God but thou art solde vnder sinne and with great pleasure doest commit sinne and louest it with thy whole heart otherwise thou wouldest not fall to sinne againe after repentance and commit euen one and the same sinne so often as thou doest Thou hypocrite this thy behauiour turneth all the fauour of God from thee Christian. Indeed it is dangerous to fall againe into the same sinne after repentance yet it is the order of the Prophets to call men to repentance which haue fallen from the feare of God and from the repentance which they professed and God in thus calling them putteth them in hope of obtaining mercie And the law had sacrifices offered euery day for the sinnes of all the people and for particular men both for their ignorances and their voluntary sins which signifieth that God is readie to forgiue the sinnes of his childrē though they sinne often Abraham twise lied and swore that Sara was not his wife Ioseph sware twise by the life of Pharao Dauid committed adulterie often because he tooke vnto him Bathsheba Vriahs wife and also kept sixe wiues and ten concubines Gods will is that men forgiue till seuentie seuen times and therefore he will haue much more mercie And for my part so oft as I shal fall into the same sinne so oft I shall haue Christ my aduocate and intercessour to the Father for me who will not damne me for the infirmitie which he findeth in me I will abstaine from externall iniquitie and I will not make my members seruants vnto sinne and so long I trust my imperfections shall haue no power to damne me for Christs perfection is reputed to be mine by
death in our selues because we should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead Hauing thus seene what bee the duties of the sicke man to himselfe let vs nowe see what bee the duties which hee oweth to his neighbour and they are two The first is the dutie of reconciliation whereby he is freely to forgiue all men and to desire to be forgiuen of all In the olde testament when a man was to offer a bullocke or lambe in sacrifice to God he must leaue his offering at the altar first go be reconciled to his brethren if they had ought against him much more then must this be done when we are in death to offer vp our selues our bodies and soules as an acceptable sacrifice vnto god Quest. What if a man cannot come to the speech of them with whome he would be reconciled or if he doe what if they will not be reconciled Ansvv. When any shall in their sicknesse seeke and desire reconciliation and can not obtaine it either because the parties are absent or because they will not relent they haue discharged their conscience and God will accept their will for their deed As put case a man lying sicke on his death bedde is at enmitie with one that is then beyond the sea so as hee can not possibly haue any speech with him if he would neuer so faine howe shall he stay his minde why he must remember that in this case a will and desire to bee reconciled is reconciliation it selfe The second dutie is that those which are rulers and gouernours of others must haue care and take order that their charges committed to them by God be left in good estate after their death and here come three duties to be handled the first of the Magistrate the second of the Minister the third of the master of the familie The Magistrates dutie is before he die to prouide as much as he can for the godly and peaceable estate of the towne citie or common-wealth and that is done partly by procuring the maintenance of sound religion vertue partly by establishing of the execution of ciuil iustice outward peace Examples of this practise in Gods word are these When Moses was an hundred and twentie yeare olde and was no more able to goe in and out before the people of Israel he called them before him and signified that the time of his departure was at hand and thereupon tooke order for their wel-fare after his death And first of all he placed Iosua ouer them in his stead to be their guide to the promised land secondly he giues speciall charge to all the people to bee valiant and couragious against their enemies and to obey the commandements of God And Iosua followes the same course For hee calls the people togither and shews thē that the time of his death is at hand and giues them a charge to be couragious to worship the true God which done he endes his daies as a worthie captaine When king Dauid was to goe the way of al flesh and lay sicke on his death bedde he placed his owne sonne Salomon vpon his throne and giues him charge both for maintenance of region and exequution of iustice The dutie of ministers whē they are dying is as much as they can to cast prouide for the continuance of the good estate of the Church ouer which they are placed Consider the example of Peter I will saith hee indeauour alwaies that ye also may be able to haue remembrance of these things after my departure If this had beene well obserued there could not haue bin such aboundance of schismes errors and heresies as hath beene and the Church of God could not haue suffered so great hauocke But because men haue had more care to maintaine personall succession then the right succession which stands in the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles therfore wolues haue come into the roomes of faithfull teachers and the Apostasie of which Paul speakes hath ouerspread the face of the Church Thirdly housholders must set their families in order before they die as the Prophet Esai saith to Ezechiah Set thine house in order for thou must die For the procuring of good order in the family after death two things are to bee done The first concernes this life and that is to dispose of lands and goods And that this may bee well and wisely done if the Will bee vnmade it is with godly aduise and counsell to be made in the time of sicknes according to the practise of auncient and worthie men Abraham before his death makes his Will and giues legacies so did Isaac and Iacob in whose last will and testamēt are contained many worthie blessings and prophesies of the estate of his children And Christ our Sauiour when he was vpon the crosse prouided for his mother specially commending her to his disciple Iohn whom he loued And indeede this dutie of making a will is a matter of great weight and importāce for it cuts off much hatred and contention in families staies many suites in law It is not therefore alwaies a matter of indifferencie which may bee done or not done as many falsly think who vpon blind sinister respects abstaine from making wills either because their wealth should not bee knowne or because they would haue their decaied estate to bee concealed or because they feare they shall die the sooner if the will be once made Now though the making of wills belong to another place and profession yet so much may be spoken here as the holy ghost hath vttered in the worde and that I will reduce to certaine rules The first is that the will must be made according to the lawe of nature and the written worde of God and the good and holesome positiue lawes of that kingdome or countrie whereof a man is a member The will of God must be the rule of mans will And therefore the will that is made against any of these is faultie The second is that if goods euill gotten be not restored before they must euen then be restored by will or by some other way It is the practise of couetous men to bequeath their soules when they die to God their goods euill gotten to their children friends which in al equitie should be restored to them to whome they belong Quest. Howe if a mans conscience tell him that his goods bee euill gotten and hee knowes not where or to whom to make restitution Ansvv. The case is common the answer is this When the partie is known whom thou hast wronged restore to him particularly if the partie bee vnknowne or dead restore to his executors or assignes or to his next kinne if there be none yet keepe not goods euill gotten to thy selfe but restore to God that is in way of recompence and ciuill satisfaction bestowe them on the Church or common-wealth The third rule is that heads of
liue here we are in the fight and as long as we are in the fight we haue no certaine victorie V. Some places speaks of the vncertentie of other mens saluation which we grant The author of the booke de vocat Gent. 1. clast saith We can pronounce of no man before his ende that he shall be in the glorie of the elect August lib. de perseuer cap. 13. Men are not with any certaine asseueration to auouch that others belong to this calling VI. Some speake of that certaintie which comes by reuelation without the word Greg. lib. 6. epist. 22. to Gregoria Whereas you adde in your epistles that you will be earnest with me till I write that it hath beene made known vnto me that your sinnes are forgiuen you haue required a hard and vnprofitable thing Hard because I am vnworthie to whome a releuation should be made Vnprofitable because you must not be made sure touching your sinnes vnlesse it bee in the last day of your life for then you should not be able to bewaile the same sinnes VII Some places denie vnto man that certentie which is proper to God which is to discerne in himselfe all things to come plainely as they shall come to passe without helpe of testimonie and outward signes Bernard â—erm 1. de Septuages Who can say I am of the Elect I am of the predestinate to life certenly we haue none as yet but the affiance of our hope comforteth vs. Conferre these words with those that follow For this cause certaine signes and manifest tokens of saluation are giuen that it may bee a thing out of doubt that hee is in the number of the elect in whome these signes are Thus I haue in some part made manifest that an vnfallible certentie of pardon of sinne and life euerlasting is the propertie of euery renued conscience Now therefore I will proceede further to consider howe this certentie is caused and imprinted in the conscience The principall agent and beginner thereof is the holy Ghost inlightning the mind and conscience with spiritual and diuine light and the instrument in this action is the ministerie of the Gospel whereby the word of life is applied in the name of God to the person of euery hearer And this certaintie is by little and little conceiued in a forme of reasoning or practicall syllogisme framed in the mind by the holy Ghost on this manner Euery one that beleeues is the child of God But I doe beleeue Therefore I am the child of God The proposition is made by the minister of the word in the publike congregation and it is nothing else but the promise of eternall life applied to the particular hearers The second part or the assumption is the voice of conscience regenerate or the voice of Gods spirit in the same Nowe Papists write and auouch that the assumption is false but the reasons which they vse to prooue the same are of small moment First they alleadge that many are deceiued in their perswasions thinking they haue that which they haue not I answer againe that many doe falsly presume of Gods mercie and imagine they haue that faith which they haue not and in all such the assumption is false yet in all them that are chosen to saluation and truely called it is vnfallibly true For such as haue receiued the gift of true faith haue also another gift of discerning whereby they see and knowe their own faith It is further obiected that Ieremie saith 17.9 The heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who caÌ„ know it But the intent of this place is only to shew that no man can search his heart to the very bottome to see all and euery want infirmitie and wicked inclination that is therein For originall sin wherewith the heart of man is tainted is a pronnes or dispositioÌ„ to all the sinnes that are or may be And though men can not discerne all their sinnes yet many of them are certenly knownâ—â— why may not then many of the graces of God be certenly knowne especially those which be of the principall as faith sanctification repentance Againe it is alleadged that Peter beleeued that hee was able to lay downe his life for Christs sake and yet indeede was not as the euent declared for when the time came he denied Christ. Ans. Peter at that time was but weake in faith and hee was much carried away with a confidence of his owne strength which made him speake those wordes of presumption and though he failed in this one particular action yet failed he not in the principall that is in the perswasion of the pardon of his owne sinnes and of life euerlasting In a word it is certaine that many perswade themselues of Gods mercie and yet are deceiued neuerthelesse all such as doe truely beleeue are not deceiued The holy Ghost making them to see that in themâ—elues which by nature they cannot discerne as Paul signified when hee said I speake the trueth I lie not my conscience bearing me witnes by the holy Ghost Rom. 9.1 Againe the same testimonie is giuen otherwise thus Euery child of God hath the pardon of his sinnes saith Gods word But I am Gods child and therefore haue the pardon of my sinnes saith the renued conscience by the direction of Gods spirit Rom. 8.16 Gal. 4.6 After that this testimony is once begun it is confirmed by the same means as also by praier and the Sacraments But it may be demanded howe a bodily element as bread wine water should be able to confirme a perswasion of our adoption that is in the conscience Answ. The element in the sacrament is an outward seale or instrument to confirme faith not as a medicine restores and confirmes health whether we thinke on it or not whether we sleepe or wake and that by his owne inherent vertue but by reasoning in a syllogisme made by the good conscience that medium thereof beeing the outward signe in the Sacrament By meanes of which syllogisme the holy Ghost mooues and stirres the minde yea cherisheth and increaseth faith on this manner He which vseth the elements aright shall receiue the promises But I doe or I haue vsed the elements aright Therefore I shall receiue the promises Whereas presumption and the illusion of Satan vse as wel to tel a man that he is the child of God as the true testimonie of regenerate conscience the way to put difference between them is this I. Presumption is natural and from the very wombe but this testimonie of conscience is supernaturall II. Presumption is in them that make no account of the ordinarie meanes of saluation This testimonie comes by the reuerent and carefull hearing of Gods worde III. Presumption is in them that vse not to call on the name of God but this testimonie of conscience is ioyned with the spirit of adoption which is the spirit of praier IV. Presumption is ioyned with loosenes of life this testimonie brings with it alwaies an happy change
power but God workes to wil in vs. For looke at what time God giues grace at the same time he giueth a will to desire and will the same grace as for example when God workes faith at the same time he workes also vpon the will causing it to desire faith and willingly to receiue the gift of beleeuing God makes of the vnwilling will a willing will because no man can receiue grace vtterly against his will considering will constrained is no will But here we must remember that howsoeuer in respect of time the working of grace by Gods spirit and the willing of it in man goe togither yet in regard of order grace is first wrought and mans will must first of all be acted and mooued by grace and then it also acteth willeth and mooueth it selfe And this is the last point of consent betweene vs and the Romane Church touching freewill neither may we proceede further with them II. The dissent or difference The point of difference standeth in the cause of the freedome of mans will in spirituall matters which concerne the kingdome of God The Papists say mans will concurreth and worketh with Gods grace in the first conuersion of a sinner by it selfe and by it owne naturall power and is onely helped by the holy Ghost We say that mans will worketh with grace in the first conuersion yet not of it selfe but by grace Or thus They say will hath a naturall cooperation we denie it and say it hath cooperation onely by grace beeing in it selfe not actiue but passiue willing well onely as it is mooued by grace wherby it must first be acted and mooued before it can act or will And that we may the better conceiue the difference I will vse this comparison The church of Rome sets forth the estate of a sinner by the condition of a prisoner and so doe we marke then the difference It supposeth the said prisoner to lie bound hand and foote with chaines and fetters and withall to be sicke and weake yet not wholly dead but liuing in part it supposeth also that being in this case he stirreth not himselfe for any helpe and yet hath ability and power to stirre Hereupon if the keeper come and take away his bolts and fetters and hold him by the hand helpe him vp he can and will of himselfe stand walke and goe out of prison euen so say they is a sinner bound hand and foot with the chaine of his sinnes and yet he is not dead but sicke like to the wounded man in the way betweene Ierico and Ierusalem And therefore doth he not will and aâ—fect that which is good but if the holy Ghost come and doe but vntie his bands and reach him his hand of grace then can he stand of himself and will his owne saluation or any thing els that is good We in like manner graunt that a prisoner fitly resembleth a naturall man but yet such a prisoner must he be as is not onely sicke and weake but euen starke dead which can not stirre though the keeper vntie his bolts and chaines not heare though he sound a trumpet in his eare and if the said keeper would haue him to mooue and stirre he must giue him not onely his hand to helpe him but euen soule and life also and such a one is euery man by nature not onely chained fettered in his sinnes but stark dead therein as one that lieth rotting in the graue not hauing any abilitie or power to mooue or stirre and therefore he cannot so much as desire or do anything that is truly good of himself but God must first come and put a new soule into him euen the spirit of grace to quicken and reuiue him and then beeing thus reuiued the will beginneth to will good things at the very same time when God by his spirit first infuseth grace And this is the true difference betweene vs and the Church of Rome in this point of freewill III. Our reasons Now for the confirmation of the doctrine we holde namely that a man willeth not his owne conuersion of himselfe by nature either in whole or in part but by grace wholly and alone these reasons may be vsed The first is taken from the nature and measure of mans corruption which may be distinguished into two parts The first is the want of that originall righteousnesse which was in man by creation the second is a pronenes and inclination to that which is euill and to nothing that is truly good This appeareth Gen. 8.21 the frame of mans heart saith the Lord is euill froÌ„ his childhood that is the disposition of the vnderstanding wil affections with all that the heart of man deuiseth formeth or imagineth is wholly euill And Paul saith Rom. 8.7 The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie against God Which wordes are very significant for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated wisdome signifieth that the best thoughts the best desires affections and indeauour that be in any naturall man euen those that come most neare to true holines are not onely contrarie to God but euen enmitie it selfe And hence I gather that the very heart it selfe that is the will and minde from whence these desires and thoughts doe come are also enmitie vnto God For such as the action is such is the facultie whence it proceedeth such as the fruit is such is the tree such as the branches are such are the rootes By both these places it is euident that in man there is not onely a want absence or depriuation of originall righteousnes but a pronenesse also by nature vnto that which is euill which pronenesse includes in it an inclination not to some fewe but to all and euery sinne the very sinne against the holy Ghost not excepted Hence therefore I reasons thus If euery man by nature doth both want originall iustice and be also prone vnto all euill then wanteth he naturall freewill to will that which is truly good But euery man by nature wants originall iustice and is also prone vnto all euill Ergo Euery man naturally wants freewill to will that which is good Reason II. 1. Cor. 2. 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnes vnto him neither can know them because they are spiritually discerned In these wordes Saint Paul sets downe these points I. that a naturall man doth not so much as thinke of the things reuealed in the Gospell II. that a man hearing and in mind conceiuing them can not giue consent vnto them and by naturall iudgement approoue of them but contrariwise thinketh them to be foolishnes III. that no man can giue assent to the things of God vnlesse he be enlightened by the spirit of God And hence I reason thus If a man by nature doth not know and perceiue the things of God and when he shall know them can not by nature giue assent vnto them then hath he no power to will
them But the first is euidently true Ergo For first the minde must approoue and giue assent before the will can choose or wil and when the mind hath not power to conceiue or giue assent there the will hath no power to will Reason III. Thirdly the holy Ghost auoucheth Eph. ◠1 Coloss. 2. 13. that all men by nature are dead in sinnes and trespasses not as the Papists say weake sicke or halfe dead Hence I gather that man wanteth naturall power not to will simply but freely and frankly to will that which is truly good A dead man in his graue can not stirre the least finger because he wants the very power of life sense motion no more can he that is dead in sinne will the least good nay if he could either wil or do any good he could not be dead in sinne And as a dead man in the graue cannot rise but by the power of god no more can he that is dead in sinne rise but by the power of Gods grace alone without any power of his owne Reason IV. Fourthly in the conuersion and saluation of a sinner the scripture ascribeth all to God and nothing to mans freewill Ioh. 3.3 Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God Eph. 2. 10. We are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus to good workes And c. 4. v. 24. the new man is created to the image of God Now to be borne againe is a worke of no lesse importance then our first creation and therefore wholly to be ascribed to God as our creation is Indeede Paul Philip. 2. 12 13 biddeth the Philippians worke out their saluation with feare and trembling not meaning to ascribe vnto them a power of doing good by themselues And therefore in the next verse he addeth It is God that worketh both the will and the deede directly excluding all naturall free-will in things spirituall and yet withall he acknowledgeth that mans will hath a worke in doing that which is good not by nature but by grace Because when God giues man power to will good things then he can will them and when he giueth him a power to doe good then he can doe good and he doth it For though there be not in mans conuersion a naturall cooperation of his will with Gods spirit yet is there a supernaturall cooperation by grace enabling man when he is to be conuerted to will his conuersion according to which S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 15.10 I haue laboured in the faith but least any man should imagine that this was done by any naturall power therefore he addeth yet not I that is not by any thing in me but Gods grace in me inabling my will to doe the good I doe Reason V. The iudgement of the auncient Church August The will of the regenerate is kindled onely by the holy Ghost that they may therefore be able because they will thus and they will thus because God works in them to will And We haue lost our freewill to loue God by the greatnes of our sinne Serm. 2. on the words of the Apostle Man when he was created receiued great strength in his freewill◠but by sinning he lost it Fulgentius God giueth grace freely to the vnworthie whereby the wicked man beeing iustified is enlightened with the gift of good will and with a facultie of doing good that by mercie prruenting him he may beginne to will well and by mercie comming after he may doe the good he will Bernard saith It is wholly the grace of God that we are created healed saued Coūcil Arausic 2. cap. 6. To beleeue and to will is giuen from aboue by infusion and inspiration of the holy Ghost More testimonies and reasons might be alleadged to prooue this conclusion but these shall suffice now let vs see what reasons are alleadged to the contrarie III. Obiections of Papists Obiect I. First they alleadge that man by nature may doe that which is good and therefore will that which is good for none can doe that which he neither willeth nor thinketh to doe but first we must will and then doe Now say they men can doe good by nature as giue almes speake the truth doe iustice and practise other duties of ciuill vertue and therefore will that which is good I answer that a naturall man may doe good workes for the substance of the outward worke but not in regard of the goodnes of the manner these are two diuers things A man without supernatural grace may giue almes doe iustice speake the truth c. which be good things considered in themselues as God hath commanded them but he cannot do them well To thinke good things to doe good things are naturall workes but to thinke good things in a good maner and to do them well so as God may accept the action done are workes of grace And therefore the good thing done by a naturall man is a sinne in respect of the doer because it failes both for his right beginning which is a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained as also for his ende which is the glorie of God Obiect II. God hath commanded all men to beleeue and repent therefore they haue naturall freewill by vertue whereof beeing helped by the spirit of God they can beleeue and repent Ans. The reason is not good for by such commandements God sheweth not what men are able to doe but what they should doe and what they cannot doe Againe the reason is not well framed it ought rather to be thus Because God giues men commandement to repent and beleeue therefore they haue power to repent and beleeue either by nature or by grace and then we hold with them For when God in the Gospell commandeth men to repent and to beleeue at the same time by his grace hee inableth them both to will or desire to beleeue and repent as also actually to repent and beleeue Obiect III. If man haue no freewill to sinne or not to sinne then no man is to be punished for his sinnes because he sinneth by a necessitie not to be auoided Ans. The reason is not good for though man cannot but sinne yet is the fault in himselfe and therefore he is to be punished as a bankrupt is not therfore freed from his debts because he is not able to pay them but the bills against him stand in force because the debt comes through his own default The second point of Originall sinne The next point to be handled is concerning Originall sinne after baptisme that is how farreforth it remaineth after baptisme A point to be wel considered because hereupon depend many points of popery I. Our Consent I. Conclus They say naturall corruption after baptisme is abolished and so say we but let vs see how far it is abolished In originall sinne are three things I. the punishment which is the first and second death II. Guiltines which is the binding vp of the creature vnto punishment
the foundation of the world but nowe in the ende he hath appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe and v. 22. without shedding of blood is no remission of sinnes By these words it is plaine that the scripture neuer knewe the twofold manner of sacrificing of Christ. And euery distinction in diuinity not founded in the written word is but a forgerie of mans braine And this distinction be good how shal the reason of the Apostle stand He did not offer himselfe but once because he suffered but once Reason II. The Romish Church holds that the sacrifice in the Lords supper is all one for substance with the sacrifice which hee offered on the crosse if that be so then the sacrifice in the Eucharist must either be a continuance of that sacrifice which was begun on the crosse or els an alteration or repitition of it Now let them choose of these twaine which they will if they say it is a continuance of the sacrifice on the crosse Christ beeing but the beginner and the priest the finisher thereof they make it imperfect for to continue a thing till it be accomplished is to bring perfection vnto it but Christs sacrifice on the crosse was then fully perfected as by his owne testimonie appeares when he saide Consummatum est it is finished Againe if they say it is a repetition of Christs sacrifice thus also they make it imperfect for that is the reason which the holy Ghost vseth to prooue that the sacrifices of the old testament were imperfect because they were repeated Reason III. A reall and outward sacrifice in a sacrament is against the nature of a sacrament and especially the supper of the Lord for one ende thereof is to keepe in memorie the sacrifice of Christ. Now euery remembrance must be of a thing absent past and done and if Christ be daily and really sacrificed the sacrament is no fit memoriall of his sacrifice Againe the principal ende for which the sacrament was ordained is that God might giue and we receiue Christ with his benefits and therefore to giue and take to eate and drinke are here the principall actions Now in a reall sacrifice God doth not giue Christ the priest receiue him of God but coÌ„trariwise he giues offers Christ vnto God and God receiues some thing of vs. To helpe the matter they say that this sacrifice serues not properly to make any satisfaction to God but rather to applie vnto vs the satisfaction of Christ beeing alreadie made But this answer sâ—ill maketh against the nature of a sacrament in which God giues Christ vnto vs whereas in a sacrifice God receiues from man and man giues something to God a sacrifice therefore is no fit meanes to applie any thing vnto vs that is giuen of God Reason IV. Hebr. 7.24,25 The holy Ghost makes a difference betweene Christ the high priest of the new testament and all Leuiticall priests in this that they were many one succeeding another but he is onely one hauing an eternall priesthood which cannot passe from him to any other Now if this difference be good then Christ alone in his owne very person must be the priest of the new testament and no other with or vnder him otherwise in the new testament there should be more priests in number then in the old If they say that the whole action remaines in the person of Christ and that the priest is but an instrument vnder him as they say I say againe it is false because the whole oblation is acted or done by the priest himselfe and he which doth all is more then a bare instrument Reason V. If the priest doe offer to God Christs reall bodie and bloode for the pardon of our sinnes then man is become a mediatour betweene God and Christ. Now the Church of Rome saith that the priest in his masse is a priest properly and his sacrifice a reall sacrifice differing onely in the manner of offering from the sacrifice of Christ vpon the crosse and in the very canon of the masse they insinuate thus much when they request God to accept their gifts and offerings namely Christ himselfe offered as he did the sacâ—ifices of Abel and Noe. Now it is absurd to thinke that any creature should be a mediatour betweene Christ and God Therefore Christ can not possibly be offered by any creature vnto God Reason VI. The iudgement of the auncient Church A certaine Councill held at Toledo in Spaine reprooueth the Ministers that they offered sacrifice often the same day without the holy communion The wordes of the Canon are these Relation is made vnto vs that certaine priests doe not so many times receiue the grace of the holy communion as they offer sacrifices in one day but in one day if they offer many sacrifices to God in all the oblations they suspend themselues from the communion Here marke that the sacrifices in auncient Masses were nothing else but formes of diuine seruice because none did communicate no not the priest himselfe And in an other Councill the name of the Masse is put onely for a forme of praier It hath pleased vs that prayers supplications Masses which shall be allowed in the Councill be vsed Aâ—d in this sense it is taken when speach is vsed of the making or compounding of Masses for the sacrifice propitiatorie of the bodie and blood of Christ admits no composition Abbat Paschasius saith Because we sinne daily Christ is sacrificed for vs mystically and his Passion is giuen in mysterie These his wordes are against the reall sacrifice but yet he expoundes himselfe more plainely cap. 10. The blood is drunke in mysterie spiritually and it is all spirituall which we eate c. 12. The priest distributes to euery one not as much as the outward â—ight giueth but as much as faith receiueth cap. 13. The full similitude is outwardly and the immaculate flesh of the lambe is faith inwardly that the truth be not wanting to the sacrament and it be not ridiculous to Pagans that we drinke the blood of a killed man cap. 6. One eates the flesh of Christ spiritually and drinkes his blood another seemes to receiue not so much as a morsell of bread from the hand of the priest his reason is because they come vnprepared Now then considering in all these places he makes no receiuing but spirituall neither doth he make any sacrifice but spirituall IV. Obiections of Papists I. Gen. 14. v. 18. When Abraham was comming from the slaughter of the Kings Melchizedech mette him and brought forth bread and wine and he was a priest of the most high God Now this bread and wine say they he brought forth to offer for a sacrifice because it is said he was a priest of the most high God and they reason thus Christ was a priest after the order of Melchizedek therefore as Melchizedek offered bread and wine so Christ vnder the formes of bread and wine offers himselfe in sacrifice
his merits is a kind of apprehension And thus we see the kinds of implicite or infolded faith This doctrine is to be learned for two causes first of all it serues to rectifie the consciences of weake ones that they be not deceiued touching their estate For if we thinke that no faith can saue but a full perswaâ—ion such as the faith of Abraham was many truly bearing the name of Christ must be put out of the role of the children of God We are therefore to know that there is a growth in grace as in nature and there be differences and degrees of true faith and the least of them all is this Infolded faith This in effect is the doctrine of M. Caluin that when we begin by faith to know somewhat haue a desire to learne more this may be tearmed an vnexpressed faith Secondly this point of doctrine serues to rectifie and in part to expound sundrie Catechismes in that they seeme to propound faith vnto men at so high a reach as few can attaine vnto it defining it to be a certen and full perswasion of Gods loue and fauour in Christ whereas though euery faith be for his nature a certen perswasion yet onely the strong faith is the full perswasion Therefore faith is not onely in generall tearmes to be defined but also the degrees and measures thereof are to be expounded that weake ones to their comfort may be truly informed of their estate And though we teach there is a kinde of implicite faith which is the beginning of true and liuely faith yet none must hereupon take an occasion to content themselues therewith but labour to increase and goe on from faith to faith and so indeede will euery one doe that hath any beginnings of true faith be they neuer so little And he which thinks he hath a desire to beleeue and contents himselfe therewith hath indeede no true desire to beleeue The difference The pillars of the Romish Church laies downe this ground that faith in his owne nature is not a knowledge of things to be beleeued but a reuerent assent vnto them whether they be knowne or vnknowne Hereupon they build that if a man know some necessarie points of religion as the doctrine of the Godhead of the Trinitie of Christs incarnation and of our redemption c. it is needelesse to know the rest by a particular or distinct knowledge and it sufficeth to giue his consent to the Church and to beleeue as the pastours beleeue Behold a ruinous building vpon a rotten foundation for faith containes a knowledge of things to be beleeued and knowledge is of the nature of faith nothing is beleeued that is not knowne Isai 53.11 The knowledge of my righteous seruant shall iustifie many and Ioh. 17.2 This is eternall life to know the eternall God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. In these places by knowledge is meant faith grounded vpon knowledge whereby we know and are assured that Christ and his benefits belong vnto vs. Secondly this kind of assent is the mother of ignorance For when men shall be taught that for sundrie points of religion they may beleeue as the Church beleeues that the studie of the Scriptures is not to be required of them yea that to their good they may be barred the reading of them so be it they know some principall things contained in the articles of faith that common beleeuers are not bound expressely to beleeue all the articles of the Apostles Creede that it sufficeth them to beleeue the articles by an implicite faith by beleeuing as the Church beleeueth fewe or none will haue care to profit in knowledge And yet Gods commaundement is that we should grow in knowledge and that his word should dwell plenteously in vs Col. 3.16 Againe the Papists say that the deuotion of the ignorant is often seruice better accepted then that which is done vpoÌ„ knowledge Such say they as pray in latin pray with as great consolation of spirit with as little tediousnes with as great deuotion and affection and oftentimes more then the other and alwaies more then any scismaticke or hereticke in his owne language To conclude they teach that some articles of faith are beleeued generally of the whole Church onely by a simple or implicite faith which afterward by the Authoritie of a generall Counsell are propounded to be beleeued of the Church by expresse faith Roffensis against Luther giues an example of this when he confesseth that Purgatorie was litle known at the first but was made knowne partly by Scripture and partly by reuelation in processe of time This implicite faith touching articles of religion we reiect holding that all things concerning faith and manners necessarie to saluation are plainely expressed in Scripture and accordingly to be beleeued The 17. point Of Purgatorie Our consent We hold a Christian Purgatorie according as the word of God hath set downe the same vnto vs. And first of all by this Purgatorie we vnderstand the afflictions of Gods children here on earth Ier. 3. The people afflicted say thou hast sent a fire into our bones Psal. 65.12 We haue gone through water and fire Malach. 3.3 The children of Levi must be purified in a purging fire of affliction 1. Pet. 1.7 Afflictions are called the fiâ—rie triall whereby men are clensed from their corruptions as golde from the drosse by the fire Secondly the blood of Christ is a purgatorie of our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.7 Christs blood purgeth vs from all our sinnes Heb. 9.14 It purgeth our consciences from dead workes And Christ baptizeth with the holy Ghost and with fire because our inward washing is by the blood of Christ and the holy Ghost is as fire to consume and abolish the inward corruption of nature To this effect saith Origen Without doubt we shall feele the vnquenchable fire vnles we shall now intreat the Lord to send downe from heauen a purgatorie fire vnto vs whereby worldly desires may he vtterly consumed in our mindes August Suppose the mercie of God is thy purgatorie The difference or dissent We differ from the Papists touching purgatorie in two things And first of all for the place They hold it to be a part of hell into which an entrance is made onely after this life we for our parts denie it as hauing no waraant in the word of God which mentioneth onely two places for men after this life heauen and hell with the two-fold condition thereof ioy and torment Luk. 16.25 26. Ioh. 3.36 Apoc. 22.14 15. and 21.7,8 Matth. 8.11 Nay we finde the contrarie Reu. 14.13 they that die in the Lord are saide to rest from their lâ—bours which can not be true if any of them goe to purgatorie And to cut off all cauills it is further said their workes that is the reward of their workes follow them euen at the heeles as an Acoluth or seruant doth his master Augustine saith well After this life there remaines no
is eaten his owne flesh which he was to giue for the life of the worlde and what can be said more of the Lords supper Augustine saith that beleeuers are partakers of the bodie and blood of Christ in baptisme and Hierome to Edibia that in baptisme we eate and drinke the body and blood of Christ. If thus much may be said of baptisme why may it not also be said of the word preached Again Hierom vpon Ecclesiastes saith It is profitable to be filled with the bodie of Christ and drinke his blood not onely in mysterie but in knowledge of holy Scripture Nowe vpon this it followes that seeing the worke done in the word preached conferres not grace neither doth the worke done in the sacrament conferre any grace Reason II. Math. 3.11 I baptize you with water to repentance but he that cōmeth after me is stronger then I hee shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire Hence it is manifest that grace in the sacrament proceedes not from any action in the sacrament for Iohn though he doe not disioyne himselfe his action from Christ and the action of his spirit yet doth he distinguish thē plainely in number persons and effect To this purpose Paul who had said of the Galathians that he trauelled of them and beget them by the Gospell saith of himselfe that he is not any thing not onely as hee was a man but as hee was a faithfull Apostle thereby excluding the whole Euangelicall ministerie wherof the Sacrament is a part from the least part of diuine operation or efficacy in conferring of grace Reason III. The blessed Angels nay the very flesh of the sonne of God hath not any quickning vertue from it selfe but all this efficacie or vertue is in and from the godhead of the sonne who by meanes of the flesh apprehended by faith deriueth heauenly and spirituall life from himselfe to the members Now if there be no efficacie in the flesh of Christ but by reason of the hypostatical vnion how shall bodily actions about bodily elements conferre grace immediatly Reason IV. Paul Rom. 4. stands much vpon this to prooue that iustification by faith is not conferred by the sacraments And from the circumstance of time he gathereth that Abraham was first iustified and then afterward receiued circumcision the signe and seale of his righteousnes Nowe we knowe that the generall condition of all sacraments is one and the same and that baptisme succeeded circumcision And what can be more plaine then the example of Cornelius Act. 10. who before Peter came vnto him had the commendation of the feare of God and was indued with the spirit of praier and afterward when Peter by preaching opened more fully the way of the Lord hee and the rest receiued the holy Ghost And after all this they were baptised Now if they receiued the holy Ghost before baptisme then they receiued remission of sinnes and were iustified before baptisme V. Reason The iudgement of the Church Basil. If there bee any grace in the water it is not from the nature of the water but from the presence of the spirit Hierome saith Man giues water but God giues the holy Ghost Augustine saide Water toucheth the bodie and washeth the heart but he shewes his meaning else where There is one water saith he of the sacrament another of the spirit the water of the Sacrament is visible the water of the spirit inuisible That washeth the bodie and signifieth what is done in the soule By this the soule is purged and healed Obiect Remission of sinnes regeneration and saluation is ascribed to the sacrament of baptisme Act. 22.21 Eph. 5. Gal. 3.27 Tit. 2. Ans. Saluation and remission of sinnes is ascribed to baptisme and the Lords supper as to the word which is the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue and that as they are instruments of the holy ghost to signifie zeale and exhibite to the beleeuing minde the foresaid benefits but indeede the proper instrument whereby saluation is apprehended is faith and sacraments are but proppes of faith furthering saluation two waies first because by their signification they helpe to nourish and preserue faith secondly because they seale grace and saluation to vs yea God giues grace and saluation when we vse them well so be it we beleeue the word of promise made to the sacrament whereof also they are seales And thus we keepe the middle way neither giuing too much nor too little to the sacraments The XX. point Of sauing faith or the way to life Our Consent Conclus I. They teach it to bee the propertie of faith to beleeue the whole whole word of God and especially the redemption of mankind by Christ. Conclus II. They auouch that they beleeue looke to be saued by Christ and by Christ alone and by the meere mercy of God in Christ. Conclus III. Thirdly the most learned among them hold confesse that the obedience of Christ is imputed vnto them for the satisfaction of the lawe and for their reconciliation with God Conclus IV. They auouch that they put their whole trust and confidence in Christ and in the meere mercy of God for their saluation Concl. V. Lastly they hold that euery man must apply the promise of life euerlasting by Christ vnto himselfe and this they grant we are bound to doe And in these fiue points doe they and we agree at least in shewe of wordes By the auouching of the fiue conclusions papists may easily escape the handes of many magistrates And vnlesse the mysterie of popish doctrine bee well known any common man may easily be deceiued take such for good protestants that are but popish priests To this end therefore that we may the better discerne their guile I will shew wherein they faile in each of their conclusions and wherein they differ from vs. The difference Touching the first conclusion they beleeue indeed all the written word of God and more then all for they also beleeue the bookes Apocryphal which antiquitie for many hundred yeares hath excluded from the canon yea they beleeue vnwritten traditions receiued as they say from Councills the writings of the Fathers and the determinations of the Church making them also of equall credit with the written worde of God giuen by inspiration of the spirit Now we for our parts despise not the Apocrypha as namely the books of the Machabees Ecclesiasticus and the rest but wee reuerence them in all conuenient manner preferring them before any other bookes of men in that they haue beene approoued by an vniuersall consent of the Church yet wee thinke them not meete to bee receiued into the Canon of holy scripture and therfore not to be beleeued but as they are cōsenting with the written word And for this our doing we haue directiō from Athanasius Origen Hierom and the Councel of Laodicea As for the vnwriten Traditions they come not within the compasse of our faith neither can
hand depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angels The Scriptures for proofe were onely quoted by the author to moue thee to search them the wordes themâ—elues I haue expressed at the earnest request of many that thou maiest more easily learne them if yet thou wilt be ignoraÌ„t thy malice is euident if thou gaynest knowledge giue God the glorie in doing of his will Thine T. S. THE EXPOSITION OF THE PRINCIPLES The first Principle expounded Question WHat is God A. God is a spirit or a spirituall substance most wise most holy eternall infinite Q. How doe you perswade your selfe that there is such a God A. Besides the testimonie of the Scriptures plaine reason will shew it Q. What is one reason A. When I consider the wonderfull frame of the world me thinks the silly creatures that be in it could neuer make it neither could it make it selfe and therefore besides all these the maker of it must needes be God Euen as when a man comes into a strange country and sees faire and sumptuous buildings and yet findes no liuing creatures there besides birds and beasts he will not imagine that either birdes or beasts reared those buildings but he presently conceiues that some men either were or haue beene there Q. What other reason haue you A. A man that commits any sinne as murder fornication adulterie blasphemie c. albeit he doth so conceale the matter that no man liuing know of it yet oftentimes he hath a griping in his conscience and feeles the very flashing of hell fire which is a strong reason to shew that there is a God before whose iudgement seat he must answer for this fact Q. How many Gods are there A. No more but one Q. How doe you conceiue this one God in your minde A. Not by framing any image of him in my minde as ignorant folks doe that thinke him to be an old man sitting in heauen but I conceiue him by his properties and workes Q. What be his chiefe properties A. First he is most wise vnderstanding all things aright and knowing the reason of them Secondly he is most holy which appeareth in that he is most iust and mercifull vnto his creatures Thirdly he is eternall without either beginning or ende of daies Lastly he is infinite both because he is present in all places and because he is of power sufficient to doe whatsoeuer he will Q. What be the workes of God A. The creation of the world and of euery thing therein and the preseruation of them beeing created by his speciall prouidence Q. How know you that God gouerneth euery particular thing in the world by his speciall prouidence A. To omit the Scriptures I see it by experience Meate Drinke and clothing beeing void of heate and life could not preserue the life of man vnlesse there were a speciall prouidence of God to giue vertue vnto them Q. How is this one God distinguished A. Into the Father which begetteth the Sonne into the Sonne who is begotten of the Father into the holy Ghost who proceedeth from the Father the Sonne The second Principle expounded Q. Let vs nowe come to ours selues and first tell me what is the naturall estate of man A. Euery man is by nature dead in sin as a loathsome carrion or as a dead corps lyeth rotting and stincking in the graue hauing in him the seede of all sinnes Q. What is sinne A. Any breach of the Lawe of God if it be no more but the least want of that which the Lord requireth Q. Howe many sortes of sinne are there A. Sinne is either the corruption of nature or any euill actions that proceede of it as fruites therof Q. In whome is the corruption of nature A. In all men none excepted Q. In what part of man is it A. In euery part both of body and soule like as a leprosie that runneth from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote Q. Shew me howe euery part of man is corrupted with sinne A. First in the minde there is nothing but ignorance and blindenes concerning heauenly matters Secondly the conscience is defiled being alwaies either benummed with sinne or else turmoyled with inward accusations and terrors Thirdly the will of man onely willeth and lusteth after euil Fourthly the affections of the heart as loue ioy hope desire c. are mooued and stirred to that which is euill to imbrace it and they are neuer stirred vnto that which is good vnlesse it be to eschewe it Lastly the members of the body are the instruments and tooles of the mind for the execution of sinne Q. What be those euill actions that are the fruites of this corruption A. Euill thoughts in the minde which come either by a mans owne conceiuing or by the suggestion of the deuill euill motions and lusts stirring in the heart and froÌ„ these arise euill words and deeds when any occasion is giueÌ„ Q. Howe commeth it to passe that all men are thus defiled with sinne A. By Adams infidelitie and disobedience in eating the forbidden fruite euen as we see great personages by treason doe not only hurt themselues but also staine their blood and disgrace their posteritie Q. What hurt comes to man by his sinne A. He is continually subiect to the curse of God in his life time in the end of his life and after this life Q. VVhat is the curse of God in this life A. In the bodie diseases aches paines in the soule blindnesse hardnesse of heart horrour of conscience in goods hinderances and losses in name ignominie and reproach lastly in the whole man bondage vnder Sathan the prince of darkenes Q. VVhat manner of bondage is this A. This bondage is when a man is the â—laue of the deuill and hath him to raigne in his heart as his God Q. How may a man know whether Sathan be his God or not A. He may knowe it by this if he giue obedience to him in his heart expresse it in his conuersation Q. And howe shall a man perceiue this obedience A. If he take delight in the euill motions that Sathan puts into his heart doe fulfill the lusts of the deuill Q. What is the curse due to man in the ende of this life A. Death which is the seperation of bodie and soule Q. What is the curse after this life A. Eternal damnation in hel fire whereof euery man is guiltie and is in as great danger of it as the traitour apprehended is in danger of hanging drawing and quartering The third principle expounded Q. If damnation be the reward of sinne then is a man of all creatures most miserable A dog or a toade when they die all their miserie is ended but wheÌ„ a man dieth there is the beginning of
they that are the sonnes of God are led by his spirit a most notable benefit for looke where the h. Ghost dwelleth there he will be Lord gouerning both heart minde will and affections and that two waies I. by repressing all badde motions vnto sinne arising either from the corruption of mans nature from the world or from the deuil II. by stirring vp good affections and motions vpon euery occasion so it is said The flesh that is the corruption of mans nature lusteth against the spirit the spirit that is grace in the heart lusteth against the flesh that after a double sort first by labouring to ouermaster and keep down the motions thereof secondly by stirring vp good motions and inclinations to pietie and religion In Esay the holy Ghost hath most excellent titles The spirit of the Lord the spirit of wisdome and vnderstanding the spirit of counsel of strength the spirit of knowledge of the feare of the Lord. Now he is so called because he stirres vp good motions in the godly of wisdome of knowledge of strength of vnderstanding of counsell and of the feare of the Lord. And S. Paul saith that the fruits of the spirit are ioy peace loue long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meekenes temperance c. all which are so tearmed because where the holy Ghost ruleth there he ingendreth these good gifts and motions of grace but among all the inward motions of the spirit the most principall are these I. an vtter disliking of sinne because it is sinne And that is when a man hath an eye not so much to another mans sinnes as to his own seeing them is truely sorrowfull for them and disliketh them and himselfe for them not so much because there is a place of torment or a day of iudgement to come wherein hee must answer to God for them all but as if there were no hell or iudgement because God is displeased by them who hath beene vnto him a most louing and mercifull father in redeeming him by Christ. The second is an hungring desire aboue all things in this worlde to be at vnitie with God in Christ for the same sinnes This is a motion of the holy Ghost which no man can haue but he in whome the holy Ghost doth dwell The third the gift of hearty praier For this cause the Holy Ghost is called the spirit of supplications because it stirreth vp the heart and makes it fit to pray and therefore Paul saith that the spirit of God helpeth our infirmities for we knowe not what to pray as we ought but the spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed This is an ordinarie worke of the holy Ghost in all that beleeue he that would knowe whether he haue the spirit dwelling truely in his heart shall knowe it by this A mother carrieth her child in her armes if it crie for the dugge and sucke the same it is aliue being obserued many daies togither if it neither crie nor stirre it is dead In like manner it is an vnfallible note of a true child of God to crie to his father in heauen by praier but he that neuer crieth nor feeleth himselfe stirred vp to make his mone to God is in a miserable case and he may well be thought to be but a dead childe and therefore let vs learne in praier vnfainedly to poure out our soules before God considering it is a speciall gift of the Holy Ghost bestowed on the children of God The fourth worke of the holy Ghost in the heart of the elect is comfort in distresse and therefore our Sauiour Christ calleth him the comforter whome he will send and in the Psalme hee is called the oyle of gladnesse because he maketh glad the heart of man in trouble and distresse There be two things that fill the heart full of endlesse griefe the first outward calamities as when a man is in any danger of death when he looseth his goods his good name his friendes and such like The second is a troubled conscience whereof Salomon saith A troubled spirit who can beare it and of all other it is the most heauie and grieuous crosse that can bee When as the hand of God was heauie vpon Iob this was the sorest of all his affliction and therefore he crieth out that the arrowes of the almightie did sticke in his soule Nowe what is the comfort in this case Ans. In the middest of all our distresses the holy Ghost is present with vs to make vs reioice and to fill vs with comforts that no tongue can expresse out of the word of god and specially the promises thereof And hereupon the vngodly man when afflictions befall him is readie to make away himselfe because he wants the comfort of the holy Ghost The last benefit wrought in the hearts of the elect is the strengthening of them to doe the weightiest duties of their callings and hence the holy Ghost is called the spirit of strength There be diuers things to bee done of a Christian man that are farre beyond the reach of his power as fiâ—st when he seeth his owne sinnes and is truely humbled for them then to lift vp the hand of faith to heauen and thereby to catch holde on the mercy of God in Christ is the hardest thing in the whole world and this doe all those knowe to be true in some part which knowe what it is to beleeue Secondly it is as hard a thing in the time of temptation to resist temptation as for drie wood to resist the fire when it begins to burn Thirdly when a maÌ„ is put to his choice either to loose his life goods friends and all that he hath or els to forsake religion euen then to forsake all and to sticke vnto Christ is a matter of as great diffâ—cultie as any of the former Fourthly when a man wanteth the ordinary meanes of Gods prouidence as meate drinke and cloathing then at the very same instant to acknowledge Gods prouidence to reioyce in it and to relie theron is as much as if a man should shake the whole earth It is against our wicked nature to trust God vnlesse he first lay downe some pawne of his loue mercie to vs. How then will some say shall any one be able to doe these things Ans. The holy Ghost is the spirit of strength and by him we do all things as Paul saith I am able to doe all things through the helpe of Christ which strengtheneth me Concerning these gifts of the holy Ghost two questions may be mooued First what is the measure of grace in this life Answ. Small in respect In this world we receiue as Paul saith not the tenths but the first fruits of Gods spirit the earnest of the spirit Now the first fruits properly are but as an handfull or twaine of corne to a whole corne field containing many acres furlongs of ground
therfore they who feele in themselues a sure testimonie of their election neede neuer to despaire nay this sinne is not in euery reprobate for many of them die before they haue this illumination by Gods spirit VI. This sinne cannot be forgiuen not because it is greater then that Christs merit can satisfie for it but because after a man hath once committed this sinne it is impossible for him to repent For the gift of repentance proceedeth from the holy Ghost and the holy ghost remaineth in vs through Christ apprehended by faith now no man doth apprehend Christ that doth malitiouslie despise and contemne him VII It is very hard to knowe when a man committeth this sinne because the roote thereof namely set malice lurketh inwardly in the heart and is not so easily discerned Out of all this which hath bene spoken we may thus define this sinne The sinne against the holy Ghost is a voluntarie and obstinate deniall of and blasphemie against the Sonne of God or that trueth which was before acknoweledged concerning him so consequently an vniuersall defection from God and his true church We haue an example of this sinne partly in the diuel who albeit he knewe well inough that Iesus was that Christ yet he neuer ceased both wittingly and willingly with all his power to oppugne the sacred Maiestie of GOD togither with the kingdome of Iesus Christ and as farre forth as he could vtterly to supplant the same partly in the Pharises Matth. 12.32 Ioh. 3.2 After Apostasie followeth pollution which is the very fulnesse of all iniquitie altogether contrarie to sanctification Gen. 15.16 And in the fourth generation they shall come hither againe for the wickednesse of the Amorites is not yet full The third degree is damnation whereby the Reprobates are deliuered vp to eternall punishment The execution of damnation beginneth in death and is finished in the last iudgement Luk. 16.22 And it was so that the begger died and was carried by the Angel into Abrahams bosome the rich man also died and was buried 23. And being in hell torments he lift vp his eies and sawe Abraham a farre off and Lazarus in his bosome The execution of the decree of reprobation in Infidels which are not called is this First they haue by nature ignorance and vanitie of minde After that followeth hardnesse of heart whereby they become voide of all sorrowe for their sinnes Then commeth a reprobate sense which is when the naturall light of reason and of the iudgement of good and euil is extinguished Afterward when the heart ceaseth to sorrowe then ariseth a committing of sinne with greedinesse Then commeth pollution which is the fulnesse of sinne Lastly a iust reward is giuen to all these to wit fearefull condemnation Eph. 4. 18. Hauing their cogitations darkened and beeing strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnes of their hearts Rom. 1.28 For as they regarded not to know God euen so God deliuered them vp to a reprobate minde to doe those things which are not conuenient CHAP. 54. Concerning a newe deuised doctrine of Predestination taught by some new and late Diuines CErtaine newe Diuines of our age haue of late erected vp a new doctrine of Predestination in which fearing belike least they should make God both vniust and vnmercifull they doe in the distribution of the causes of saluation and damnation turne them vpside down as may appeare by their description in this table But this their doctrine hath some foule errours and defects the which I according as I shall be able will briefly touch The I. errour There is a certaine vniuersall or generall election wherby God without any either restraint or exception of persons hath decreed to redeeme by Christ and to reconcile vnto himselfe all mankind wholly fallen in Adam yea euery singular person as well the Reprobate as the Elect. The Confutation The very name of Election doth fully confute this for none can be said to be elected if so be that God would haue all men elected in Christ. For he that electeth or maketh choice cannot be said to take all neither can he that accepteth of all be said to make choice onely of some Obiect Election is nothing els but dilection or loue but this we know that God loueth all his creatures therefore he electeth all his creatures Answer I. I denie that to elect is to loue but to ordaine and appoint to loue Rom. 9.13 II. God doth loue all his creatures yet not all equally but euery one in their place Furthermore this position doth flatly repugne the most plaine places of holy Scripture Tit. 2.14 Who gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iâ—iquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe Ioh. 10. I giue my life for my sheepe Exception All men are the sheepe of Christ. Answer Iohn addeth And my sheepe heare my voice and I knowe them and they followe me and I giue vnto them eternall life neither shall they perish Eph. 5.23 Christ is the head of the Church and the same is the Sauiour of his body vers 25. Christ loued the Church and gaue himselfe for it Redemption and remission of sins is the inheritance of the Saints and of such as are made heires of the kingdome of Christ. Coloss. 1.13 Againe looke for whom Christ is an Aduocate and to them onely is he a Redeemer for redemption and intercession which are parts of Christs priesthood the one is as generall and large as the other and are so surely vnited and fastened togither as that one cannot be without the other But Christ is only an Aduocate of the faithfull Ioh. 17. in that his solemne praier he first praieth for his own namely his disciples elected not only to the Apostleship but also to eternall life and then vers 20. he praieth likewise for them that should beleeue in him by their worde Nowe against these he opposeth the worlde for which he praieth not that it may attaine eternall life And Rom. 8. Who shall accuse Gods elect Christ sitteth at the right hand of the father and maketh intercessâ—on for vs. Furthermore the members of Christs Church are called the Redeemed of the Lord Psalme 87. Therefore this priuiledge is not giuen to all alike Exception This vniuersall reconciliation is not in respect of man but God himselfe who both made it for all and offereth it to all Ans. If Christ became once before God a reconciliation for all mens sinnes yea and also satisfied for them all it must needes followe that before God al those sinnes must be quite blotted out of his remembrance For the actuall blotting out of sinnes doth inseparably depend vpon reconciliation for sinnes and satisfaction doth infer by God and that necessarily the very reall and generall abolishment of the guilt and punishment of sinne Obiect I. Christ tooke vpon him mans nature therefore he redeemed mans nature generally Answer I. It followeth
not except we would say that Christ redeemed his owne humanitie which cannot be any waies possible II. Euery woman doth partake the humane nature of euery man yet is not euery man each womans husband but hers alone with whome by the couenant in matrimorie he is made one flesh and in like sort Christ did by his incarnation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 take also vpon him mans nature and that common to all Adams progenie yet is he the husband of his Church alone by another more peculiar coniunction namely the bond of the spirit and of faith And by it the Church is become flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone Eph. 5.20 And therefore shee alone may iustly claime title to the death of Christ and al his merits Obiection II. Christs redemption is as generall as Adams fall was and therfore it appertaineth to all Adams posteritie Answer Adam was a type of Christ and Christ a counter-type correspondent to Adam Adam was the roote of all his successors or all that should come of him from the which first Adam was sinne and death deriued againe Christ he is also a roote but of the elect onely and such as beleeue to whome from him proceede righteousnes and life eternall He cannot be said to bee the roote of all and euery singular man because that all doe not drinke and receiue this his righteousnesse and life neither are they actually by him made righteous Romans 12.17.19 Obiect The benefit of Christs death redounded to all Answer It did to all that beleeue For as Adam destroyed all those that were borne of him so Christ doth iustifie and saue all those that are borne anewe by him and none other Obiect If thaâ— Adams sinne destroyed all and Christs merit doth not saue all then is Adams sinne more forcible to condemne then Christs mercie is to saue Answer We must not esteeme of the mercie of Christ by the number of men which receiue mercie for so indeede I grant that as Adams fall made all vniust so the mercie of Christ and his redemption should actually iustifie all but we muâ—t rather measure it by the efficacie and dignitie thereof then by the number on whom it is bestowed For it was a more easie thing to destroy all by sinne then by grace to saue but one Man being but meere man could destroy all but to saue euen one none could doe it but such an one as was both God and man Obiect III. Many places of Scripture there are which affirme this that the benefit of Christs death doth appertaine vnto all Rom. â—1 God hath shutte vp all vnder sinne that he might haue mercie vpon all 1. Tim. 2.4 God would haue all men to bee saued 2. Pet. â— 9 God would not haue any to perish but all come to repentance Answer I. You must vnderstand all that beleeue as it is Math. 11.28 All that are wearie and heauie laden Ioh. 3.6 All that beleeue Gal. 3.23 The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them which beleeue Act. 10.43 All which beleeue And surely there is as well a generalitie of them that beleeue as of the whole world II. We may vnderstand by all of all sorts some not euery singular person of all sorts So Reuel 5.9 Christ is said to haue redeemed some out of euery kinred and tongue and people and nation And Gal. 3.28 There is neither Iew nor Grecian neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus Matth. 4. Christ is said to haue healed euery disease that is euery kind of disease And Augustine to this purpose hath a fit rule All is often vsed for many as Rom. 5.18,19 Augustine in his Manuel to Laur. chap. 103. It is thus saide saith Augustine God would haue all to be saued not because there was no man which he would haue damned who therefore would not doe miracles amongst them which would as he saith haue repented if he had done miracles but that by all men we should vnderstand all sorts of men howsoeuer distinguished whether Kings priuate persons c. And in his booke de Corrept gratia chap. 14. It is saide he would haue all to be saued so as we must vnderstand all such as are predestinate to be saued because amongst them there are all sorts of men as he said to the Pharises You tythe euery hearb III. These two to be willing to saue man and that he should come to the sauing knowledge of the truth are inseparably vnited together 1. Tim. 2.4 But the second we see doth not agree to all and euery singular person therefore the first cannot Obiect IV. In many places of Scripture Christ is said to redeeme the world as 1. Ioh. 2.2 He is a propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world Ans. This word world signifieth I. the frame of heauen and earth II. All men both good and bad together III. The companie of vnbeleeuers and malignant haters of Christ. IV. The congregation of the Elect dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth and to be gathered out of the same In this fourth signification we must vnderstand such places as are aboue mentioned Abraham is called the heire of the world Rom. 4.13 that is of many nations Gen. 17.45 Obiect V. God will not the death of a sinner but rather that he repent and liue Ezech. 18.23 Answer Augustine in his 1. booke to Simplicius 2. quest answereth this question You must saith he distinguish betwixt man as he is borne man and man as he is a sinner For God is not delighted with the destruction of man as he is maÌ„ but as he is a sinner neither wil he simply the death of any as he is a sinner or as it is the ruine and destruction of his creature but in that by the detestation and reuenge of sinne with eternall death his glorie is exceedingly aduanced God therefore will the death of a sinner but as it is a punishment that is as it is a meanes to declare and set out his diuine iustice and therfore it is an vntruth for a man to say that God would haue none condemned For whereas men are once condemned it must be either with Gods will or without it if without it then the will of God must needes suffer violence the which to affirme is great impietie if with his will God must needes change his sentence before set downe but we must not presume to say so Obiect VI. God is the Father of all Malach. 2.10 Ans. This place is meant of Gods Church out of which all men standing in that corrupt estate by AdaÌ„ are the children of wrath and of the deuill Eph. 2.2 Ioh. 8.44 Obiect VII If God did elect some and reiect others he must needes be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a respecter of persons Ans. I. One is said then to accept or haue respect of persons when as he