Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	ghost_n	holy_a	inspire_v	2,844	5	10.2489	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15824	A modell of divinitie, catechistically composed Wherein is delivered the matter and method of religion, according to the creed, ten Commandements, Lords Prayer, and the Sacraments. By Iohn Yates, Bachelour in Diuinitie, and minister of Gods word in St Andrewes in Norvvich.	Yates, John, d. ca. 1660.; Yates, John, d. ca. 1660. Short and briefe summe of saving knowledge. aut; Richardson, Alexander, of Queen's College, Cambridge.	1622 (1622)	STC 26085; ESTC S103644	253,897	373

liue in ignorance and blindnesse If such weake Governours had charge of instruction Masters must not thinke that they are exempted by the translation of the Ministery to others We indeed haue the charge of the Soules of diverse families but euery Master hath still the charge of his owne Gen. 18.19 2 Tim. 3.15 There is nationall domesticall and personall mourning enioyned Zach. 2.10.13.14 So teaching c. Q. How was the Church in a People A. As it did consist of many families and had the bounds thereof exceedingly inlarged from the dayes of Moses Vntill his time God had but a familie or two to worship him At the great Deluge but eight persons saued in the Arke Gen. 7. The world was growne so foule with sinne that God saw it was time to wash it with an vniversall flood and saw it meete to let it soke long vnder the waters so close did wickednesse cleaue to the authors of evill Q. What is here to be considered A. The writing of the rule of Religion which was done by such extraordinary Governours as God had fitted and inspired by his holy Spirit thereunto for the edification of his Church For even then God had both extraordinary and ordinary teachers now wee haue the rule completely delivered in writing and therefore need not any extraordinary Governours in the Church 2 Tim. 3.16 2 Pet. 1.20.21 And this is that that makes vs receiue a more sure word of Prophecie c. 2 Pet. 1.19 Q. How was it written A. According to the necessitie of the Church diversely and at sundry times Heb. 1.1 God increased the dyet of his Church as he saw it was fit to beare it Q. What are the Bookes called A. For the matter contained The word of God for the manner of Record The Scriptures by an excellencie of phrase as the most worthy writings that ever saw the light and being compiled into one volume are called Bibles or many little Bookes vnited in one body so that both worke and writing carry away the names of all other Scriptures and Bookes as most admirable for vse Ioh. 1.8 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17 Oh the shame of Christians that these workes should be counted as a strange thing vnto them Hos 8.12 whiles other bookes as baites for fooles shall be followed and applauded Q. How are these to be considered A. As they are either in the originall tongues or in the Translations in the purest fountaines or the derived streames and conduits In the Originalls not onely the matter which is the Divinitie Dogmaticall Historicall c. but also the meanes of inferring which is the Logicke the manner of expressing and enforcing which is the Grammar and Rhetorique are all immediately inspired 2 Tim. 3.16 All scripture is inspired from God 2. Pet. 1.21 The holy mon of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost In the translations the subiect matter or substance of Theologie is equally inspired though mediately The Logicall coherence also and consequence of argument retaineth the same necessitie of illation because it dependeth not vpon diversitie of Languages but communitie of notions But as for the proprietie of Grammar and vigor of Rhetorique there must needs be some abatement and embatement First and principally because the skill and diligence herein vsed by Translators is not divine or inspired but meerely humane at the best and in tryall prooueth to be lyable to much latitude sometime more sometime lesse Secondly for that many emphaticall words and rigorous figures both of Grammar and Rhetorique proper to the originall Tongues such as are especially deriuatiues agnominations proverbes c. cannot to the life be expressed in other Languages Thirdly and lastly because in vulgar Languages there is such mutabilitie and change of fashions almost as much as in apparell that after a few yeares we scarce vnderstand what our fore-fathers meant in some passages of the Scripture in our mother-tongue much lesse in the Latine which in the Vulgar is so pestered with Barbarismes in stile beside defects in notion that not onely S. Hierome would write invectiues if he should see such a brat layd at his dore but Priscian himselfe would call for the ferula It was therefore a very pious and laudable intention in our learned and judicious Soueraigne to appoint all our English Translations of the Scripture to be receiued and the best of them corrected by neerest reduction to the originals and to the proprieties of our Language Q. How in the originall Tongues A. As they are in the tongue wherein the Spirit did indite them and they are of themselues to be receiued without all exception as being Canonicall and hauing their authority primarily from the spirit and by themselues secundarily from the Church 1 Tim. 3.15 and 2 Ephist 3. chap. ver 16. The Church is the pillar on which the truth must hang to be shewed to others or the ground on which it resteth it selfe finding little stay else-where Next to the testimony of the Spirit and word it selfe wee are to admit the Churches testimony Q. Doth the Scripture containe the whole body of Religion A. It doth most fully and plainely and therefore there is no need of vnwritten verities or Popish Traditions It is the rule of all faith and controversies of faith It is the standard or the Kings beame by which wee are to try all doctrine that is tendred to vs. Wee are not to goe by the common beame of custome and opinion but by these ballances of Gods sanctuary not suffering a drams waight to be iniected that may incline these golden scoales as we please Isa 8.20 When the law was written Moses recalls both himselfe and the people to it for tryall when he had written his fiue bookes the Prophets that followed were content to haue their sayings brought to Moses law for tryall Christ himselfe never refused any tryall by the law and Prophets yea ever and anone is hee appealing vnto them for proofe of his owne doctrine and so all the A postles did tread in their masters steps onely the man of sinne will not indure any such tribunall he will iudge all and be iudged by none Q. But they seeme not to be so plaine and perspicuous A. Yes in themselues they are evident enough concerning things necessary to salvation and if at any time they seeme hard it is by reason of the weakenesse of our vnderstandings Pro. 14.6 Psal 25.14 2 Pet. 3.16 We must therefore in the obscure passages pray to God and conferre one place with another and consider duely the cirumstances of the places and wee shall find the true meaning if not God will pardon our ignorance and require no more of vs then himselfe giueth wee vsing his meanes aright Iam. 1.5 Q. What sense is to be giuen of Scriptures and whence must it be taken A. The Scriptures haue euer one literall sense and meaning and that which must be fetched from themselues 2 Pet. 1.20 It is of no private interpretation or as man

both of them before the holy Ghost Order requires that the begetter subsist before the begotten and the Spirants before the Spirit Ioh. 15.26 I will send from the father the Comferter even the spirit of truth As there is an order in subsisting so in working And here the well of life lies open before the godly though their eyes often like Agars are not open to see it whiles miserable worldlings haue neither water nor eyes And because to Christians there can be no comfort in their secret felicities seeing to be happy and not to know it is little aboue miferable let me here fell them some of that spirituall eye-salue which the Spirit commends to the Laodiceans that they may clearely see how well they are in the true apprehension of this order I know it to be vsuall with all men liuing that they doe not much more want that which they haue not then that which they doe not know they haue Assuredly there is nothing but a few scales of ignorance and infidelitie betwixt vs and our happinesse It lies in a narrow compasse but soundly trussed together for it is from the Father in the Sonne by the Spirit to Faith 2. Cor. 13.14 Loue from the Father as the beginner of our happinesse Grace from the Sonne as the dispenser of it And a blessed happy communion from the holy Ghost as the accomplisher or finisher of it Loue Grace and Communion are enough to passe the beleeuer from death to life The father cannot manifest his loue without the grace of his sonne neither can the spirit therein communicate with vs but as he is sent from both after both to manifest the loue of the one in beginning and the grace of the other in dispensing all things needfull for our saluation Thinke not much that this glasse of the word espies that in vs and for vs what our selues see not too much neerenesse oft-times hindereth sight and if for the spots of our owne faces wee trust others eyes and glasses why not this truth for our perfections wee are in heauen and know it not What greater happines then this to be made partakers of the purest Loue richest Grace and choicest Communion Eph. 1.13.15 Our election is begunne by the will counsell and decree of the Father dispensed by the complete and full redemption of the Sonne finished by the powerfull and effectuall application of the Spirit It is not without due consideration why in the beginning of the Apostolicall Epistles Grace and peace are wished from the Father and the Sonne without mention of the Spirit I may and will reine the question shorter then they doe that confound the persons in their workes The Spirit is sent from the Father and the Sonne to witnesse that grace and peace that wee haue from and with them both He that is from them both by inspiration is to them both with vs as lidger in execution When good things are wished from some persons it is requisite that there be some to carry newes of their will and pleasure therein The Church of God hath the glorious Gospell of life and saluation and therein is contained all grace and peace with God but how shall euery soule be certified that he is interessed in those good things except the Father and the Sonne send the Spirit as a witnesse and seale thereof vnto him in particular Therefore Paul in all his Epistles wishing grace and peace from Father and Sonne not mentioning the Spirit obserues the true order of personall subsisting and personall working And therefore peace purchased by grace whereby the Father is reconciled in his Sonne is wished to the Churches the fruition whereof followeth by the worke of the blessed Spirit in all that are ordained to be partakers thereof Q. What kind of properties are these A. Individuall and incommunicable and being giuen to the Father Sonne and holy Ghost make three distinct persons and therefore the Church of God hath done well so to name them though the word be not in all the Scripture for it is a Latine word and therefore cannot be found in the Originalls which are Greeke and Hebrew Thus far haue we freely dipped in this streame and not bin drowned pulled many fragrant roses and not pricked our fingers there is one thing more that may sting vs if godly discretion serue not to sever the good from the ill yet the former lessons well remembred are sufficient to them that are capable of observation and not carelesse of reposition to keepe them from danger but seeing remarkable consideration put into vs by others are as some loofe pearles which for want of filing vpon a string shake out of our pockets it shall be necessary both for the getting and keeping of the treasure of our vnderstanding to expresse it Q. Are then these properties qualities in the divine essence A. They are relatiue affections no inherent qualities for they doe no wayes change or alter the essence but leaue it still simply one I know naturall reason would here send forth distemper into our whole judgement The streame must needs runne like the fountaine and speeds well if at last by many changes of soile it can leaue an ill qualitie behind it so our judgement shall be well purged if by all these passages we can so farre master reason that the fardle of foolish fancies may here be vnloden and God may purely be apprehended as he is in himselfe But what can be expected from this age fitter to looke after Butter-flies or Birds nests or perhaps some gay coat of a Courtier then this sound and solide knowledge of Iehovah-Elohim Or if any trauell this way it is indeed like our yong travellers whose wealth is found to be in their tongues wherein they exceed and excell their parents parrats at home both for that they can speake more and know that they speake so our Aethiopian Christians white onely in the teeth euery where else cole blacke can speake well of God and godlinesse and that is all But God is not so learned for as among the three parts of the body there is one called Impetuous or impulsiue as the spirits which sets all on worke or as Physitians call the Arteries in the body Venas audaces or micantes from their continuall beating and working which running along with the other veines beate knock at euery gate and entrance for the members to take in provision saying as it were to euery part and portion here is meate and nourishment for you so true religion hauing put into vs the royall and celestiall Spirit of Faith calls vpon all powers and parts not to know and speake good things but to liue and practise them Papists teach that a man may and must both make and eate his God to his break-fast this hard meate wee leaue for their stronger mawes yet even here may wee begin with the spoone and offer nothing to our weaker stomackes but discourse of easie digestion Know God and liue by

Father had none to speake vnto but his Sonne let there be is that the word spoken might be done by the Spirit who finisheth what is spoken by both And here we see by what kind of motion the world was made by the least stirring for what is lesse then to effect all by a word And yet what greater then to effect by such a word and spirit Iob 26.13 The Spirit is said to garnish the worke of creation Ioh. 14.26 and 15.26 All that the word hath said or Father promised shall bee taught testified and remembred vnto vs by Gods spirit Rom. 8.10.11 13.14.15.16.26 c. A Spirit of life quickens those mortall bodies that are redeemed by Christ by whom they liue againe and are led in prayer as children of adoption c. 1. Cor. 12.11 All gifts and graces wee haue from the Spirit Rom. 8.9 1. Cor. 3.16 the Spirit is said to dwell for as the Father makes choice of his house and the sonne purchaseth it so the holy Ghost takes possession in casting out Satan and sinne and in keeping and holding the same in spite of all Satans assaults Act. 5.3 A lie against the truth is a speciall sinne against the holy Ghost whose proper worke is to testifie of the veritie he hath receiued from the Father and the Sonne And hence it comes to passe that sinning after the knowledge of the truth is most dangerous because it is opposite to the last act of God further then which he will not goe in the addition of any new supply of grace and goodnesse Q. What may wee learne for conclusion of all this A. That to him the worke is especially giuen in whom the manner of working doth most appeare as Creation to the Father Redemption to the Sonne and Sanctification to the holy Ghost This may a little be manifested vnto vs out of man who is said to doe all things by his wit will and power The first mouer of man to action is will then by wit and wisedome he proceeds and by his power concludes The will workes by wit and power wit workes from the will by power and the power workes from them both Will begins wit dispenseth and power doth finish the action Onely here is the difference that they are not alwayes able to worke inseparably for sometimes a man hath more wit then will Agrippa Act. 26.28 had more wit to be perswaded to be a Christian then will to imbrace so dangerous a profession Sometimes he hath more will then wit as Peter Mat. 16.22 Master spare thy selfe loue made him blind in seeing what was fit for Christ to doe Sometimes againe more will and wit then power as the Devill Mat. 4. in the temptation of our Sauiour he shewed all his wit and will to trap our Sauiour but he had not power thereunto somtimes also there appeares more power then eyther wit or will as in the Legion of vncleane Spirits Math. 8. who carried the whole Herd of Swine head long into the Sea By this wee may see the inseparable co-operation of the three persons as through a crevis or lettice a little glimmering light of their distinct manner of working The Father wills the thing to be done hence in Scripture will is oftner giuen to the Father then any other person Mat. 11.26 Ephes 1.11 Secondly the Sonne being the wisedome of the Father dispenseth what the Father hath willed And here wee vsually call the Sonne the wisedome of the Father and so indeed we finde him to be in our redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 Thirdly the holy Ghost as the power of both doth finish and consummate their works and so the Scripture stiles him the power of the Highest Luk. 1.35 For as the Father did will that his Sonne should take vpon him our flesh and as it was proper to the second person to assume so the finishing of this worke in the last act of it was due to the Spirit for as there is a naturall spirit to vnite the body and soule together so is there a divine spirit equall to the worke to vnite the divinitie and the humanitie of Christ together God wills that his sonne assume and his sonne will not assume but by the worke of the Spirit To conclude nothing is done no not in their most distinct manner of working but they will all haue an hand in it what more proper to the sonne of God then to take our flesh and become our wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption And yet he can doe none of this but from the will of his Father and by the power of his Spirit CHAPTER XII Of the Creation of things immediately made perfect Question HItherto of Gods efficiencie in generall what are the kinds Answere A. Two Creation and providence In the one we see the orderly production of the creatures in the other Gods carefull administration and preservation of them See for this Psalme 104. Of creation to the tenth verse of government to the 27. verse of preservation to the end Nehe. 9.6 Thou hast made the heauen with all their host c. Thou presoruest them all and they worship thee in regard of their Government Q. What is Creation A. It is the first part of Gods externall efficiencie whereby he made the world of nothing originally good Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God made Heb. 11.3 of things which did not appeare Gen. 1.3 and they were very good Psal 33.6.7.8.9 and 146.6 Ier. 10.11.12 Act. 17.24 All which places testifie of a Creator and his power wisedome and discretion in framing them so excellently and that minimo motu by his word and breath Q. What is here generally to be obserued A. That because things here originally had their beginning therefore the Fathers manner of working doth here pruicipally appeare to whom the originall of all things is giuen 1. Cor. 8.6 All are said to be of the Father so are they of the Sonne as God but as a person he is not the originall for in the same place it is said by the sonne And so in the Creed we giue all personally to the Father vntill wee come to the worke of redemption and here we are to learne that the Apostasie of Adam was especially against the Father and therefore could not he by way of satisfaction be our Redeemer for the person properly offended cannot satisfie himselfe by himselfe but by some other that must come betwixt the Father and vs and thus agrees it with the iustice of God that we should be reconciled by a second person Q. Did God make the world all at one instant A. No but in the space of sixe times 24. houres that wee might more distinctly consider all his workes And Aquinas giues a good rule Successiverum non simul est esse perfectio God could haue created all at once but in his wisedome he tooke daies for it Some glimps of reason hereof we may aime at thus as some creatures were to begin with the first instant

will haue it but it must be expounded as it was spoken And the same mouth must be both the maker and interpreter that is the holy Ghost No man knowes Grammar but by Grammar neither can wee see the Sunne without the Sunne so no man can expound Scripture but by Scripture There is the same Art both in the composition and resolution as there is the same way in going backward and forward Scriptures rightly vnderstood in our actions are as the heart in the body for conveying life to all the parts or as a dram of Muske perfuming the whole box of oyntment This is that godlinesse which breedeth an heedfulnesse in all our wayes and actions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae parit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Q. How are they to be considered as translated A. Howbeit the Scriptures as they be translated be not so authenticall and canonicall as the originalls yet ought they to be read publickely and privately of all and to bee receiued as the word of God Onely this must be the care of the learned that as much as lies in them they labour that the apographicall translations or transscriptions answere the autographicall and primary originals And if there be any mis-taking they must ever be reformed by the fountaines themselues The Hebrewes and Greekes drinke both of the well-head pure translations of the Streames the Latines in their authenticall Ierome of the very puddles Well may I say of Trent fathers as that Chian servant of his Master which sold his wine and dranke the lees whiles they had good they sought for that which was nought c. Q. But how shall the ignorant in the originals doe in this case A. They must referre themselues to their faithfull and learned Pastours whom God shall stirre vp for the faithfull teaching of his people And the Spirit of God which dwelleth in those that are his will inable them to discerne even in translations betweene truth and falshood so that if any errour should be if they attend the meanes ordained of God they shall not want information Luk. 1.4 if they confider how things are written from point to point they shall come to a certaintie of Scripture Psal 102.18 Q. Had the Church beside these extraordinary teachers no other A. Yes there were also ordinary teachers that euery congregation might be supplied with able men to instruct them and these were to depend vpon the extraordinary and so farre to be heard as they agreed with their words or writings Exod. 4.15.16 Moses receiues from God and Aaron from Moses c. In all points of Religion we must depend vpon God in prayers if he powre not vpon vs we cannot powre out vnto him Zach. 12.10 Q. How was the Church in a people A. First in the peculiar people of Israel secondly among all people The Church did grow from a domesticall societie to a nationall and from a nation to all nations I haue seene great Ryvers which at their first rising out of some hilles side might be covered with a Bushell which after many miles fill a very broad channell and drawing neere to the Sea doe even make a little Sea in their own bankes so the Church had but a small beginning which is now growne Catholicke over all the world Grace is compared to the wind Ioh. 3.8 which at the first rising is as a little vapour from the cranies of the earth and passing forward about the earth the further it goeth the more blustering and violent it waxeth So ought the Church and euery member of it to be daily increasing and thriuing in grace It was the Devils devise to bring that slaunder vpon carely holinesse A yong Saint an old Devill I beleeue that sometimes yong Devils may turne old Saints never the contrary for true Saints in youth will proue Angels in age Let vs therefore striue to be ever good and thinke with our selues surely if wee be not best at last wee may iustly feare wee were never good at all Psal 1.3 Ezek. 47.3.4.5 Q. What was this people of Israel A. A peculiar people whom the Lord chose to himselfe of whom Christ was to come according to the flesh and because he was yet to come they had both the Mossias promised them and by many types and ceremonies shadowed out vnto them Deut. 7.6.7.8 Rom. 3.1.2 and 9.4.5 O if God in these things set his loue vpon them how loues hee vs to whom the very graces themselues haue appeared Tit. 2.11 Q. What were the Congregations called A. Synagogues Although God would haue all his people sacrifice in one place yet would he haue praying and preaching in euery Towne Citie and mother townes had many Synagogues Abel is called a mother Citie 2 Sam. 20.19 And so the Church of the Gentiles had many mother churches out of which did spring many daughters Religion propagating from the greater Cities to the lesser townes and villages Act. 13.15 And here might wee trace the Separatists to Iordan by their babes and bottles in running away from their mother Q. Who were the extraordinary Governours A. Prophets of whom some did write the bookes of the old Testament in the Hebrew tongue which are in number thirtie nine all which by our Sauiour Christ are devided into the law and the Prophets Math. 11.13 22.40 or may be devided into Priestly Princely and Propheticall bokes in regard of Christ which is the subiect of them all or according to the most vsuall distribution first the bookes of the law written by Moses and they are fiue Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomie Secondly the foure first Prophets as Ioshua Iudges and Ruth two bookes of Samuel and two bookes of the Kings and the foure latter Prophets to wit the three great Prophets Isa Ier Ezek and the twelue lesser which for brevitie they comprehend all in one booke Hos Ioel Amos Obed Ion Mic Nah Hab Zeph Hag Zech Mal Thirdly the nine others they call Cetubhim or writings by an excellencie and they are Iob Psalmes Prov Eccl Can Dan Chron 2. Ezra 2. Hester Our Sauiour Christ Luk. 24.44 makes a tripartite division of the old Testament into Law Prophets and Psalmes and makes himselfe the subiect of them all The law was Morall Ceremoniall and Iudiciall And all were types of Christ The Morall which is for instruction did prefigure Christ as our Prophet the Ceremoniall which was for expiation did shadow him as our Priest the Iudiciall which was for Government as King The Prophets that foretold Christ were some of them Kings Governours some Priests and some purely Prophets The Psalmes are mixed of all three full of prayers prophecies and scepters c. There is a latter distribution obserued by Interpreters and that is quadripartite as into bookes Legall Historicall Poeticall and Propheticall The Legall are the fiue bookes of Moses Historicall the twelue following to Iob. Poeticall the six following from the beginning of Iob to Esay Propheticall the three great Prophets

part of thy life is the least part wherein thou hast liued for all is spent in vaine that helpes not to obtaine thy last end From hence forward recouer and recollect thy selfe before thou goe hence and be no more And if the excellencie of humane Arts exclude all meane and mediocritie thinke no extasie high enough for the obtaining of Diuinitie We must not like sullen lades lie vnder our burdens but reviue our spirits and with a maine and manly courage encounter all doubts and difficulties Q. But how shall we know it A. Psal 34.11 Come children hearken vntome and I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Knowledge is easie to him that hath a desire to vnderstand plaine and right if wee seeke after it as worldlings doe gold Pro. 14.6 and 8.9 and 2.4.5 The Mine and Mint of true happinesse is plainely and plentifully chalked out vnto vs in the holy Scriptures Nothing remaineth but that I call vpon you as Chrysostome did of old Heare O ye worldlings get you Bibles Hom. 9. in Epist ad Colof Here lie those glorious heapes which may eternally enrich vs so that if wee goe away with our hands and skirts emptie how worthy shall we be of a miserable want And who shall pitty them that will not pitty themselues Gods whip is the best alones for so lazie and wilfull a need Oh that in these our dayes wee might see those times spoken of in auncient Story wherein the secrets of the Scriptures were knowne familiarly to Taylors Smiths weavers Seamsters Delvers Near-heards c. Theod. de corrig Gracorum affect lib. 5. What a shame is it for vs in England to see daily so many heauenly showers fall beside vs whiles we still like a Gedeons fleece want moysture Where are our worthy Matrones that may be compared with S. Hieromes women Hieron in Psal 133. who contended in good earnest who should learne most Scripture without booke Alas alas most of our schollers like boyes slubber out their Bookes before they learne their lesson Old Origen in num Hom 27. sayd that of all torments to read the Scriptures was the greatest to the damned spirits against that blasphemous Papist that said it was the invention of the Deuill Mart. Pares de trad l. 44. But alas that which they cannot reade without soruple we read too often with neglect and contempt With whom doth the Apostles exhortation take place Coloss 3.16 Let the word of God dwell plenteously in you Let vs then to auoyd further shame like diligent Schollers which repeat their parts to each other to be made more perfect mutually recall ouer the rules of our well-liuing Giue me but one sayth Augustine that loueth and he shall feele what I say but if I speake to a cold Christian he vnderstandeth me not O then to prepare you for this art doe but as you vse to doe in the morning when the Sunne riseth in his strength open the dores and windowes of your hearts to partake of this comfortable brightnesse Let the beames of the glorious truth of Gods word shine cleerely open your eyes and endeuour to be illustrated by it It is not credible how much good Art and precepts may auaile vs. Wee cannot but speed well if wee begin well and proceed orderly A false methode is the bane of all hopefull indeuours We shall finde it in spirituall matters as in our estates small helpes with good thrift enrich vs when great patrimonies loose themselues in the neglect It is wonderfull to see what some can doe with the helpe of a little engine in lifting vp that weight alone which many helping hands by their cleare strength might endeuour in vaine I know grace is not tyed either to number or meanes yet vsually worketh by a common course of Art and precepts Onely this must be our care that wee mint not Gods worship in our owne deceitfull braines Q. What is Religion A. Religion is an Art or rather a doctrine to liue well Art is in the frame of the creature and may be learned by observation And so was Diuinitie by creation the very imprese of God but now by corruption both the Art and the frame are spoyled and as he that comes from a bright candle into a darke roome is so much more blinded as his light was greater and as the purest yvory turneth with the fire into the deepest black so man being fallen from God is so much the worse by how much hee was made more worthy in himselfe Teknee from Teknaomai because Art is euer to be seene in his owne fabricke facture or fashioning Man therefore hauing blurred blemished and blotted out his Art and excellencie is left to the teaching of Gods spirit to learne that by diuine instruction which he cannot by humane observation 1 Tim. 6.3 Paul calls the lesson a doctrine and Dauid prayes often in his Psalmes that the Lord would open his eyes teach him his statutes and bring him into the way he knowes not by nature Psal 119.18.33 The manifolde wisedome of God distinguished by proper subiects and broken as it were vpon them by creation gouernment and obedience from hence by irradiation or shining is acted and dispersed vpon the glasse of the vnderstanding as light vpon the eye and there receiued and vnderstood is againe from the mind reflected vpon others by word and then it is doctrine or discipline or writing and then we call it a booke or Bible and from hence may be obserued our teaching by Scripture doctrine discipline Art science and inspiration Hos 8.12 Heb. 1.1 Prov. 8.10 2. Tim. 3.16 c. God hath written spoken and inspired men to doe both and yet in all this a meere stranger to the iudgements thoughts affections speeches and actions of the most So that beside all this God must inlighten and inliuen our hearts or else there will neither be Art nor heart nor part to thinke vpon him It is safe no where to complaine of nature but where grace is and where that is once had and affected It will readily ascribe both inward and outward teaching to God Our rule may be called Scripture as it is written doctrine as it is taught discipline as it is learned Art as it is framed in vs againe science as it is knowne of vs and because none of these are now to be had by the irradiation of nature it pleaseth God of his infinite loue that wee should haue them by the inspiration of grace There are three things saith Bernard which God properly challengeth vnto himselfe from all co-workers men and Angels viz. pradestination creation and inspiration The husbandman may plant prune digge and dresse his Vine but raine vpon it he cannot if hee would water it yet must it be with Gods water Hee may draw from the fountaine but God must drowne it he may ducere rivum but it is God that must implore fontem Yea when he hath planted and watered he cannot giue clusters to the branches forme

set over seuerall Diocesses euery of which had a Bishop ouer it and these vnder the Emperour might call councels If the errour or schisme fell out within the Diocesse then might the Diocessan call a councell and if the error could be there ended and healed it went no further if not then the Province was assembled by the Arch-bishop If yet the error had so spred it selfe that the Province was too weak to conclude the greater number being infected then did the Patriarch call diverse Provinces and if there it could not be ended then came it to an vniversall Councell c. And by these meanes was the Church wonderfully eased of hard long travels This was holy and good But this excellent order was disturbed by the Patriarke in the West whose invasions and tyranny long haue and still doe tend to the destruction both of the Church and State Wee are free from this Westerne Patriarke not onely by reason of his intolerable tyranny but also because the dissolution of the Empire is the dissolution of the Patriarkes And euery Christian Prince is absolute in himselfe to call by his owne Arch-bishops or Bishops councels as he pleaseth And it is rebellion to the Prince not to come when he summons the guiltie to appeare A gaine if this authoritie were dissolued then would the power reside in the order of the spirituall Governours as they were left by the Apostles And so councels could not be called vniversall nationall provinciall Diocessan for as tyrants prohibite the publicke exercises of Religion so the publicke congregating of Councels And here let me sling this stone into the brasen foreheads of our adversaries which in their shamelesse challenges dare tell the world wee are an Antichristian Church What one iot of authoritie doe we borrow from the Pope Is not all jurisdiction and power in the Prince and for exercise in the Bishops Q. What further distinction is there of the Church A. Besides the visibilitie or invisibilitie Puritie or impuritie of Congregations and Churches It is distinguished by the times thereof as it was yet in a familie or people The Church was an Embryo in the hatching till Abrahams time In swathing bands till Moses In child-hood till Christ a man in Christ and shall be a man full growne in glory It did long sticke betweene the knees and want power to come into the light but at length by succession of times comes to perfection of parts and degrees As man is an epitome of the world so is euery Christian an abridgement of the Church best at his last Like the feast of Cana where the best wine was reserved to the end Wee must ever be growing from strength to strength for it is a fearefull condition to goe backward how can he be rich that growes euery day poorer Can he ever reach the goale that goes euery day a step backe from it Alas then how shall he ever reach the goale of glory that runnes euery day a step backward in grace He that is worse euery day can never be at his best True grace is contrary to nature for it will bee strongest at last Sure I am in regard of time that the Catholicke Church increaseth in number and grace yet visible Congregations are soyled with age and grow worse by the tracts of time Families a nation now the world growes decrepit in respect of their liuely beginnings Primitiue times were not pestered with those diseases that are now growne vpon the Church and vnder which it groaneth Like Ezekias Sunne wee are gone backe many degrees in the diall of perfection and yet the Catholicke Church like the Sunne till noone will ever be rising Fie on those Apostates whose beginnings like Neroes first fiue yeares are full of hope and peace and then decline into villany Hypocrites like the first moneth of a new servant out-goe all but like Horse-coursers Iades soone giue in and tyre Whose age is like vnto the foure ages of the world first gold at last iron Pictures of zeale like Nebuchadnezzars image from a precious head they fall to base feete These be the true hot-spurs that will soone runne themselues out of breath But we may well say such were never right bred for Gods Church gaines perfection with time Therefore all such as proue falling Starres never were ought but Meteors True Saints never loose light or motion Spirituall motion may be violent in respect of nature and perpetuall in respect of grace Psal 110.3 Isa 60.8 Zech. 14.20 Q. How long was the Church in families A. Vntill the time of Moses so long God had the first borne for his Priests and euery head of the familie was not onely Master but Minister c. Num. 3.12 Dainty mothers send their daughters a frosting betimes in a cold morning who seeking beautie indanger health but our heauenly Father kept his Church within doores till he saw it was safe to suffer it to goe abroad Q. Who were the Governours A. The extraordinary were the Patriarches Which were Prophets for the rule of Religion was alwayes to bee the same in the Church though God did diversely administer it Wee denie not but that the word of God may be devided into Tradition and Scriptures but our difference is about the kind of the distinction and distribution whether the word be so devided into his essentiall parts or into two distinct manners of deliverance Wee say the word is essentially the same whether it be spoken or written and that writing speaking are but two accidents of the same substance Furthermore wee say that the word delivered by tradition was as well inspired as when afterward it pleased God to reveale his will by Scriptures Tradition was fitter for a family then a Bible because dead letters had beene of no validitie to a weake Church Wee feed the childe with the spoone and dare not trust him with the knife Spoone-meat was fit for families though afterwards God would haue all his people vse the knife and learne to cut their owne meate and therefore he gaue the nation of the Iewes some Scriptures to feed on And here appeares the wrong Papists offer to the Churches of the Gospell who restraine them from Bibles as if they were still in the infancie c. To conclude God never taught by tradition but the deliverers were extraordinarily inspired otherwise the rest were no further to be trusted or beleeued then they had receiued their doctrines from the Patriarkes and extraordinary Prophets And if the Pope could make vs beleeue he had these inspirations wee should no more doubt of his Oracles then we doe of the Scriptures themselues The ordinary Governours were the heads and eldest sonnes of the families c. Gen. 4.26 and 18.19 Q. What were the Governed A. The residue of the familie And here wee may learne what was the most auncient kind of teaching to wit Catechizing or familie teaching and it is a shame to the master when he suffers his familie to