free Gift then as he is LOVE it self so he is the Great Benefactor of the World but specially to his chosen faithful People And no Man or Angel hath any thing that is good by way of merited exchange from God but all is of free Gift And we owe him our superlative Love and and Thanks and Praise Q. 15. Why are Heaven and Earth named as the parts of his Creation A. They are all that we are concerned to know We partly see the difference between them and Gods Word tells us of more than we see Earth is the place of our present abode in our Life of Tryals in Corruptible Flesh Heaven is the place where God doth manifest his Glory and from whence he sendeth down those Influences which maintaiâ— Nature and which communicate his Grace and prepare us for the Glory which we shall enjoy in Heaven By Heaven and Earth is meant all Creatures both Spirits and Corporeal Q. 16. Were there no more Worlds made and dissolved before this It seems unlikely that God from all Eternity should make nothing till less than Six Thousand Years ago when he is a communicative Good and delighteth to do good in his Works A. It is dangerous presumption so much as to put such a Question with our Thought or Tongue and to pry into Gods Secrets of which we are utterly uncapable unless it be to shame it or suppress it God hath by Christ and the Holy Ghost in Scripture set up a Ladder by which you may ascend to the Heaven that you are made for But if you will climb above the top of the Ladder you may fall down to Hell CHAP. XI Of the Person of Iesus Christ the only Son of God Qu. 1. VVHo is Iesus Christ A. He is God and Man and the Mediator between GOD and Man Q. 2. When did he begin to be God A. He is the Eternal God that had no Tempoporal beginning Q. 3. When did he begin to be a Man A. About One thousand six hundred eighty one Years ago Q. 4. If he be GOD why is he called the Son of God Are there more Gods than One And how doth God beget a Son A. There is but One God I before opened to you the Mystery of the Trinity in Unity to which you must look back Begetting is a word that we must not take carnally and a Son in the Deity signifieth not another substance If the Sun be said to Beget its own Light that maketh it not another Substance But Christ is also as Man begotten of God in a Virgins Womb. Q. 5. Was Christ GOD in his low condition on Earth A. Yes but the GODHEAD appeared not as in heavenly Glory Q. 6. Is Christ a Man now he is in Heaven A. Yes He is still God and Man But his Glorified Manhood is not like our corruptible Flesh and narrow Souls Q. 7. Hath Christ a Soul besides his Godhead A. Yes for he is a perfect Man which he could not be without a Soul Q. 8. Then Christ hath two Parts One part iâ— God and the other Man A. The name of PART or WHOLE is not fâ—… for God God is no PART of any thing no noâ— of the Universe of Being For to be a PART iâ— to be less than the whole and so to be imperfect And every WHOLE consisteth of PARTS but so doth not God Q. 9. Is Iesus Christ one Person or two viz. A Divine and Humane A. It 's dangerous laying too great a stress on words that are either not in Scripture or are applyed to God as borrowed from similitude in Man As the word PERSON signifieth the Eternal Word the Second in the Trinity Christ is but One Person And though his humane Soul and Body assumed be Substances they are not another Person but another Nature united to his Eternal Person yet noâ— as a Part of it but by a Union which we have no proper Words to express Christ hath two Natures and but one Person But if you take the word PERSON only for a Relation as of a King a Judge c. so Christ as MEDIATOR is a PERSON distinct from the same Christ as the Eternal Second Person in the Trinity Q. 10. It seems then Christ had three Natures a Divine a Soul and a Body A. This is a Question about meer Names He hath only the Nature of GOD and of Man But if you go to anatomize Man you may find in him on Earth perhaps more Natures than two Spirit Fire Air VVater and Earth But this is a frivolous dispute Q. 11. In what Nature did Christ appear of Old before his Incarnation A. If it were not by an Angel as his Agent it must be by some Body Light or Voice made or assumed for that present time Q. 12. I hear some say That Christ is not One God with the Father but a kind of under-God his first Creature above Angels A. The Scriptures fully prove Christ to be God and one God with the Father The form of Baptism proveth it There be some Learned Men that to reconcile this Controversie say That Christ hath Three Natures 1. The Divine 2. A Super-angelical 3. A Humane And that God the Eternal Word did first of all produce the most perfect of all his Creatures above Angels like an Universal Soul and the God-Head uniting it self to this did by this produce all other Creatures and at least did in and by this Unite it self hypostatically to the humane Nature of Christ. They think divers Texts do favour this threefold Nature and that the Arrians erred only by noting the Superangelical Nature and not noting the Divine united to it But I dare not own so great a point which I find not that the Universal Church ever owned nor do I see any cogent Proof of it in the Scripture Q. 13. But God doth all his Works in Order And he made Angels far Nobler than Man And is it like then that he setteth a Man so far aboâ—â— all Angels as Personal Union doth import A. It is not like if we might judge by the coâ—jectures of our Reason But Gods lower Works aâ—â— none of them perfectly known here to us Muâ—â— less the most Mysterious even the Glorious Persoâ— of the Son of God If God will thus glorifie hâ—â— Mercy to Man by setting him above all the Aâ—gels who shall say to him What dost thou Aâ— if there be in Jesus Christ a first created Super angelical Nature besides the Divine and Humanâ— we shall know it when we see as Face to Face â—â— the mean time he will save those that truly believâ— in him as GOD and Man Q. 14. Why is Christ called Our Lord A. Because he is God and also as Mediator Aâ—â— Power in Heaven and Earth is given him and â—â— is made Head over all things to his Church Mâ—â— 28. 28. Eph. 1. 22 23. Q. 15. What do his Names Jesus Christ siâ—nifie A. Iesus
For 1. The difference between Heaven and Hell is so great that there must needs be a great difference between them that shall go to each And therefore it may be known Christ's Spirit is not an undiscernable Mark and Pledge to them that have it 2. And we are commanded to search and try our selves and many Marks of difference are told us and the Persons plainly described that shall be Justified and Condemned And they are already here Justified and Condemned by that Law by which they shall be judged 3. And what comfort could we have in all the Redemption and Grace of Christ and all the Promises of Salvation if we could not come to know our Title by them Q. 13. Who be they that Christ will then justifie or condemn A. I must not here answer that Question because its proper place is afterward under some of the following Articles Q. 14. But I find some Scriptures saying That we are not justified by works but by Faith in Christ and yet in Mat. 25. Christ passeth the Sentence upon Mens Works as the Cause and it 's said We shall be judged according to our works A. By works Paul meaneth All works that are conceived to make the reward to be not of Grace but of Debt All works which are set in competition or opposition to Justification by Faith in Christ The Question between him and the Iews was Whether the Divine excellency of Moses's Law was such as that it was given to justifie the doers of it as such Or whether it was but an Index to point them to Christ the end of the Law by whom they must be justified But it is not Believing in Christ nor begging his Grace nor thankfully accepting it that Paul meaneth by Works in his exclusion It is this that he sets against these works And as we are here made Justified Persons by meer Grace giving us Repentance and Faith in Christ that is making us Christians so this obligeth us to live and die as Christians if we will be saved And therefore the final justifying Sentence at Judgment doth pass on us according to such works only as are the performance of our Covenant with Christ without which we shall not be saved and therefore not then justified our Justification then being the justifying of our Title to Salvation and therefore hath the same conditions Q. 15. What may we further learn by this Article of Christ's coming A. 1. We must learn to Fear and Obey him that must judge us And to live as we would then hear of it and to make it all the work of Our lives to prepare for that day and final doom And diligently to try our Hearts and Lives that we may be sure to be then justified 2. We must not be discouraged that we see not Christ but remember that we shall shortly see him in his Glory In the Sacrament and all his worship let us do it as expectants of his coming 3. We have no cause to be dismayed at the Prosperity of the Wicked nor at our Prosecutions or any sufferings while we foresee by Faith that glorious Day 4. We should live in the joyful Hopes of that Day when he that died for us and Sanctified us shall be our Judge and justifie us and finally judge us to endless Life And we must love and long and pray for this Glorious coming of Christ. Come Lord Iesus come quickly Amen CHAP. XVII III. I Believe in the Holy Ghost Qu. 1. WHat is meant by believing in the Holy Ghost A. It meaneth our Believing what he is and what he Doth and our Trusting to Himself and to his Works Q. 2. What must we believe of Himself A. That he is God the Third Person in the Trinity One in Essence with the Father and the Son Q. 3. What must we believe of his Works A. We must believe 1. That the Holy Ghost is the great Agent and Advocate of Jesus Christ on Earth by his works to be his Witness and to plead his Cause and communicate his Grace 2. That the Holy Ghost was the Author of those many uncontrolled Miracles by which the Gospel of Christ was Sealed to the World And therefore that those Miracles were the certain attestation of God 3. That the Holy Ghost was given by Christ to his Apostles and Evangelists to enable them to perform the extraordinary Office to which they were Commissioned to teach the Nations to observe all things that Christ had commanded and to lead them into all Truth and bring all things to their remembrance 4. That therefore the Doctrine of the said Apostles and Evangelists first preached by them and after Recorded in the Sacred Scriptures for the use of the Church to the end of the World as the full Doctrine and Law of Christ is to be received as the Word of God indited by the Spirit 5. That it is the work of the Holy Ghost to Sanctifie all Gods Elect that is to illuminate their understandings to convert their Wills to God and to strengthen and quicken them to do their duty and conquer Sin and save them from the Devil the World and the Flesh And to be in them a Spirit of Power and Love and a sound mind And so that the Holy Ghost is an Intercessor within us to communicate LIFE LIGHT and LOVE from the Father and the Son and excite in us those Holy Desires Thanks and Praise which are meet for Gods acceptance All this is contained in our Believing in the Holy Ghost Q. 4. If all this be in it it seemeth a most necessary part of Faith A. The Perfective works of God are used to be ascribed to the Holy Ghost This is so weighty and necessary a part of Faith that all the rest are insufficient without it Millions perish that God created and that Christ in a general sort as aforesaid dyed for but those that are Sanctifyed by the Holy Ghost are saved It is the work of the Holy Ghost to Communicate to us the Grace of Christ that the work of Creation and Redemption may attain their Ends. Q. 5. How is it proved that the Holy Ghost is God A. In that we are Baptized into the Belief of him as of the Father and the Son And in that he doth the works proper to God and hath the Attributes of God in Scripture Which also expresly saith There are Three which bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and these three are One 1 Joh. 5. 7. Q. 6. I have oft marvelled that the Creed left out 1. The Authority of the Apostles 2. And their Miracles and Christs 3. And the Authority of the Scriptures and now I perceive that all these are contained in our believing in the Holy Ghost A. No doubt but it is a Practical Article of Faith in which we profess to believe in the Holy Ghost in his Relation and Works on Man and therefore â—â— Christ's Agent in gathering his
Will of God which is our Law It is not another Substance that Grace maketh in us but another Order And all sin is nothing but the contrary Disorder And that manâ— Words be the true and just Expression of his Mind is a great part of the Order of his Words withouâ— which it were better Man were speechless And 2. You must consider that God hath mad man a sociable Creature and each one a part of thâ— World which is One Kingdom of God the Universal King And that each part is more for the whâ—â— than for it self because the common welfare of thâ— whole is better than of any part as being a highâ— End of Government and more illustriously shewiâ— the Glory of God And 3. You must consider that because God only knoweth the Heart there can be no Society and Conversation but by Words and other Signs And that without mutual Trust there can be no Society of Love Concord or mutual Help But utter distrust is a Virtual Warre There can be no Prince and Subjects no Husband and Wife no Pastor and Flocks without some trust And Trustiness is Truth-telling So far as a Man is taken for a Lyer he is not believed or trusted 4. You must consider that if God should leave it to mans discretion in what cases to Lie and in what not and did not absolutely forbid it Selfishness Interest and Folly would scarce leave any credibility or trustiness in Mankind For how can I know whether your Iudgment now bid you not Lye for some reason that I know not 5. So that you see that Leave to Lie when we think it harmless would be but to pluck up a flood-gate of all deceit untrustiness and utter confusion which would shame and confound and ruine Societies and the World And then it 's easie to know that it is better that any mans Commodity or Life miscarry which yet was scarce ever done meerly for want of a Lye than that the World should be thus disordered and Confounded As men sick of the Plague must be shut up rather than go about to insect the City and some Houses must be blown up rather than the fire not be stopt And as Souldiers burn Suburbs to save a City c. so no mans private good must be pretended for the Corruption and Misery of the World 6. And Remember that Lying is the Devils Character and Work and so the work and Character of his Servants And Truth is the effect of Gods Perfection and his Veracity so necessary to Mankind that without it we could have no full assurance of the future blessedness which he hath promised If God could Lye our hopes were all shaken for we should be still uncertain whether his Word be true And Gods Laws and his Image must signifie his perfection Q. 5. Wherein doth the Truth of words consist A. In a threefold respect 1. In a suitable significancy of the Matter 2. In an agreeable significancy of the Mind of the Speaker 3. And both these as suited to the Information of the hearer Q. 6. What is false-speaking A. 1. That which is so disagreeable to the Matter as to represent it falsly 2. That which is so disagreeable to the Speakers Mind as to represent it falsly to another 3. That which speaketh the Matter and Mind aptly as to themselves and other hearers but so as the present hearer who we know takes the Words in another sence will by our design be deceived by them Q. 7. Is all false speaking Lying or what is â— Lye A. Lying properly signifieth a culpable speaking â—â— falshood And it hath divers degrees of culpability When falshood is spoken without the speakers fault it is not morally to be called a Lie Though improperly the Hebrews called any thing a Lye which would deceive those that trust in it and so all men and Creatures though blameless are Lyars to such as overtrust them Q. 8. Which are the divers degrees of Lying or Culpable false speaking A. 1. One is privative When men falsly represent things by Diminutive Expressions Things may be falsly represented by defective as well as by Excessive speeches He that speaks of God and Heaven and Holiness faintly as Good saith a graminatical truth But if he speak not of them as Best or Excellent it is Morally a false Expression through defect He that saith Coldly To Murder to be Perjured to Silence Christs Ministers unjustly is not well as Eli said of his Sons Wickedness or only saith I cannot justifie it or It 's hard to justifie it saith a Grammatical Truth but a Moral falshood by the extenuating words as if he would perswade the hearer to think it some small or doubtful matter and so to be impenitent 2. He that speaketh falsly through rashness heedlesness neglect of just Information or any ignorance which is Culpable is guilty of some degree of Lying But he that knowingly speaketh falsly is a Lyar in a higher degree 3. He that by Culpable forgetfulness speaks falsly is to be blamed But he that Remembreth and Studieth it much more 4. He that lyeth in a small matter which seemeth not to hurt but perhaps to profit the Hearer is to be blamed But he that lyeth in great matters and to the great hurt of others much more 5. He that speaketh either contrary to his Mind or contrary to the Matter culpably lyeth But he that speaketh both contrary to his Mind and the Matter lyeth worse 6. He that by Equivocation useth unapt and unsuitable expressions to deceive him that will misunderstand them is to be blamed But he that will stand openly bold-faced in a Lie much more 7. It is sin to speak Untruths of our own which we might avoid But it 's much worse to father them on God or the Holy Scripture 8. It is sin by falshood to deceive one but much more to deceive multitudes even whole Assemblies or Countreys 9. It is sin in a private man to Lie to another about small things But much more hainous for a Ruler or a Preacher to deceive multitudes even in matters of Salvation 10. It is a sin rashly to drop a falshood But much greater to write Books or dispute for it and justifie it 11. It is a sin to Lie from a good intent But much more out of envy malice or malignity 12. It is a sin to lie in private Talk But much more to lie to a Magistrate or Judge who hath power to Examine us 13. It is a sin to assert an Untruth as aforesaid But much greater to swear it or offer it to God in our Profession or Vows Q. 9. Is all Deceiving of another a sin A. No There is great difference 1. Between deceiving one that I am bound to inform and one that I am not bound to inform 2. And between deceiving one to his benefit or harmlesly and to his hurt and injury 3. And between deceiving him by just means and by unjust forbidden means