the sanctifying of them vnto obedience 1 Pet. 1 2. 2 Thess 2. 13. and this the Spirit doth by quickning them and stirring them vp to good works both by inward motions and by the ministerie of the word made effectually Thus the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth Ephes 5. 9. and It is the Spirit only that quickens Ioh. 6. 63. and further he doth it by purifying the soule from such drosse as might hinder obedience 1 Pet. 1. 22. such as pride hypocrisie and worldly lusts and by helping our infirmities when we know not what to doe as we ought Rom. 8. 26. and by putting life into v in the manner of well-ding Rom. 8. 10. and besides by causing vs to keepe Gods statutes and to doe them Ezech. 36. 27. as it were working our works for vs setting vs to worke and directing all the worke of our hands and finally by sanctifying the offering vp both of our selues and of our seruice vnto God as the Altar sanctifies the gift Rom. 15. 16. and by opening of an accesse vnto God in all our seruice Eph. 2. 18. The fourth worke of the Holy Ghost in the elect is Consolation for he is giuen vnto them of Christ as an vnspeakable Comforter all their daies Ioh. 14. 16. such a Comforter as the world neuer had nor can receiue as Christ saith in that place and this ioy in the Holy Ghost is a prime part of the kingdome of God Rom. 14. 17. and thus he comforteth them with ioyes vnspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 9. and this makes the godly to walke on in the feare of God with great incouragement Act. 9. 31. and as he is a Comforter to them in all estates so especially in the daies of affliction and distresse he rests vpon them as a Spirit of glory giuing them such tastes of the ioyes of heauen as makes them contemne all earthly things 1 Pet. 4. 14. and this ioy they finde not only by an habituall gladnesse of heart at all times but especially in the word 1 Thess 1. 5. and in Prayer and Sacraments and fellowship with the godly The fifth worke of the Holy Ghost in the godly is strength for perseuerance and so it is his office to see to it that grace goe not out which in many Christians is but like a bruised reed or smoaking flax and thus he abideth in them for euer Ioh. 14. 16. to strengthen their inward man Eph. 3. 19. and this he performeth both by nourishing the seeds of all grace in them Esay 44. 3. and by supplying their wants Phil. 1. 19. and by a powerfull assistance in all times of triall and temptation 2 Cor. 12. 9 10. and by establishing their faith that they may hold out to the end which he doth both by bearing witnesse vnto their spirits still that they are the children of God Rom. 8. 15. and by being Gods priuie seale to all his promises and an earnest or pledge of the glory to come Eph. 1. 14. 2 Cor. 1. 22. and 5. 5. The Vses of this Article follow and First diuers sorts of men may hence be warned to looke to themselues in many things which perhaps they little thinke of men must take heed of sinning against the Holy Ghost seeing he is God and so wonderfull in nature and works Now the sinnes against the Holy Ghost are either pardonable or vnpardonable There is one sinne against the Holy Ghost cannot be forgiuen The first sort are grieuous but yet may be repented of and forgiuen and thus men sinne against the Holy Ghost 1. When they liue without the Holy Ghost as all wicked men doe that are not sanctified by the Holy Ghost Iude 19. 2. When men acknowledge not the glory of the Holy Ghost in ascribing to him the praise of all those skils or abilities they haue in any estate of life 3. When men order their affaires without seeking counsell or direction from the Holy Ghost by such meanes as he hath appointed Esay 30. 1. 4. When men will not giue eare or regard when the Holy Ghost speaks vnto them in the ministerie of his seruants Neh. 9. 20. 30. 5. When men despise the counsell which the Holy Ghost giues in the word 1 Thess 4. 8. 6. When men are so far from regarding the word that they doe purposely confirme their hearts and striue to be insensible like an Adamant lest they should heare the word God sends in his spirit by his Prophets Zach. 7. 12. 7. When men openly rebell against the doctrine of Gods word and set themselues to vex the Spirit of God in their Teachers Esay 63. 10. Such were they of whom S. Stephen said Yee resist the Holy Ghost alwaies Act. 7. 51. 8. When men tempt the Holy Ghost and that is when they will doe such things as they know are euill and put it to the triall whether they shall be punished or discouered Thus Ananias tempted the Holy Ghost that was in Peter by lying and dissembling Act. 5. 3. 5. 9. By receiuing the grace of the Spirit in vaine and this is a sinne in such as haue beene inlightned and haue had some common graces yet fall away and all comes to nothing in that no sound reformation followes 10. By quenching the Spirit and this may be committed by two sorts of men First by wicked men that haue temporarie gifts of the Spirit with some speciall tastes of remorse or ioy or of the powers of the life to come and then fall away and hauing begun in the Spirit will end in the flesh 1 Thess 5. 19. Gal. 3. 3. Secondly godly men may for a time quench the Spirit when after calling they fall into grosse sinnes which will cause the Spirit to cease working sensibly and put out the ioy and life they finde in Gods seruice and presence There is another way of quenching the Spirit and that is when the people carry themselues so as they discourage the spirit of their Teachers and make them lesse willing or able to preach in their wonted power and vigour Lastly when men grieue the Spirit of God by whom they are sealed to the day of their redemption and this is a sin the children of God are to be warned of and this they may commit if they wilfully persist in any knowne sinne either secretly or in domesticall cariage or in their conuersation abroad Eph. 4. 30. Thus of the sinnes against the Holy Ghost that may be forgiuen if men repent and beleeue in Christ There is one sinne against the Holy Ghost that can neuer be pardoned Matth. 12. 31. Hebr. 6. 4 5. and 10. 26. 29. To finde out the exact nature of this sinne is very hard but vpon the euidence of those three places of Scripture I vndertake to define it thus The sinne against the Holy Ghost that is vnpardonable is a sinne after illumination and sanctification by which a man doth wilfully and wholly fall away contemning the Gospell and
doth despight the works of the power and grace of the Holy Ghost without remorse to the death 1. When I say the sin vnpardonable I exclude all the sins against the Holy Ghost named before 2. When I say a sin after illumination and sanctification I exclude all the sins of such people as neuer had the powerfull meanes of saluation or neuer so as to worke a manifest change in them The person that commits this sin must be such a one as was before inlightned Hebr. 6. and sanctified Heb. 10. 29. that is such a one as did attaine to diuers gifts which he had not before which were wrought in him by the Holy Ghost and had a taste of the doctrine he heard and of the powers of the life to come but yet he was not sanctified with any sauing grace or repentance from all sinne or effectuall relying vpon Iesus Christ for his owne saluation He had tastes of many things but did not soundly digest any thing 3. When I say he doth wilfully and wholly fall away I meane diuers things First that this sin cannot be committed by such as continue in the same manner they were in relation to Religion it must haue apostacie in it Secondly it must be a wilfull apostacie which is when a man falls into sin not only against his knowledge but without any temptation Heb. 10. 26. and this excludes the sins of Dauid and Peter Thirdly I say it must be a totall apostacie not a falling into some one or two grosse euils but a falling away from respect of all parts of truth that should master his nature or works though he shew not all this openly but in heart he is an Apostata from all grace He doth as it were depose or abrogate all the Law Heb. 10. 28. 4. When I say contemning the Gospell I meane two things The one that he doth loath that way of saluation by Christ and the other that he doth extremely scorne the meanes of publishing the Gospell that is effectuall to worke sanctification in men and that meanes which had before power to worke change in the partie himselfe both these I take it are imported Heb. 10. 29. He may brooke the generall vse of exercises of Religion still as the Pharisees did but not that meanes that hath power and life in it 5. I adde the word despight from Heb. 10. 29. to include the sins of persecuting and blaspheming and both out of desperate malice without any colour of cause or measure of dislike This person is alwaies a knowne aduersarie and withall doth reproch godly persons and godlinesse but it is of wilfull malice which excludes persecuting or blaspheming that is done of ignorance as in Paul 1 Tim. 1. 13. 6. When I adde the works of the Holy Ghost I difference this sin from the blasphemie that is against the nature or person of the Holy Ghost for so it is no greater sin than to blaspheme the nature or person of the Father or Sonne but it is the speciall operation of the Holy Ghost that is the obiect of this sin by which God comes more neere vnto man than he is in nature or person 7. I adde works of power or grace because as vsually this sin is committed by despighting the worke of grace in other true Christians so sometimes also it is committed by despighting the works of power as the miracles wrought by Christ were reproched by the Pharisees Matth. 12. 8. I adde without remorse because I thinke that he that commits this sin is so far from being capable of true repentance that it is impossible he should get but that remorse or repentance he had when he was first inlightned So I take that place Heb. 6. and so I thinke such as haue any remorse or despaire arising from the sense of the greatnesse of their sins cannot be guilty of this sin 9. I adde to the death only to note that this is that sin which the Apostle calls the sinne vnto death in a speciall sense Finall impenitencie in any sin is vnto death but then it hath not the description going before Nor doe I meane that it cannot be knowne till death but that it will last vnto death without returning from it Now this sin is said to be vnpardonable not because it is greater than Gods mercy or Christs merits but because God hath resolued to shew his iustice vpon this sin without mercy and because in that way of sauing of men which God hath now resolued vpon all meanes of salustion are disappointed to the vttermost else if they could repent God could forgiue and this iustice of God may not seeme strange since he declares himselfe willing to forgiue all sins and doth except but this one Now the explication of this sin should serue for a warning to such heareres as haue had remorses and illumination and finde themselues in many things changed I say they should be warned to looke to themselues since this sinne can be found in no other persons and to this end they should take counsell in two things 1. Now that they are neere the kingdome of God by these effects of the Holy Ghost in them they should be carefull to goe on and neuer rest till they attaine to sound conuersion and true sauing grace and that they will doe if they humble themselues before God for euery knowne sinne especially those sins that haue beene most loued of them or most rooted in nature and secondly if they will be at the paines to vse all good meanes to get the particular assurance of Gods loue to them for these two things were neuer found in any of those that so fall away 2. My next counsell is that they take heed of those speciall sins that were in such as at length grew faultie in this vnpardonable sin that when they feele any of them in themselues they make haste to get out lest they proue forerunners of the sin against the Holy Ghost such as were in the Pharisees and others these or the like the forsaking of that meanes by which that inlightning was wrought as the Pharisees did the ministerie of Iohn Baptist Secondly the constant affectation of the praise of men more â—â—an the praise of God Thirdly habituall alienation of 〈◊〉 heart from God and goodnesse Fourthly wilfull euill practises without temptations Fifthly constant enuie at the gifts and praises of the godly Sixthly wilfull misinterpretation of all that godly men doe euen their best works especially if they be gone so far as to feele themselues to bee tempted to fall into a course of open opposing and persecuting of good men and good causes if it bee possible let them breake off and by speedy repentance preuent the horrible mischiefes they may fall into lest from these oppositions and the custome in them they fall into malice and despighting of the worke of grace Thus of the Vse of Admonition The Vses for Instruction follow and so the consideration of this Article should
they haue all one Nature and are one sort of creatures but God is one none of these waies but in number And yet to say God is one in number is not enough vnlesse we adde absolutely one for Peter the Apostle is one man though there be many other men but hee is not a man so as there is none but he whereas God is not Vnus onely but he is Vnicus also he is one and but one That there is but one God these Scriptures shew Deut. 4 35. 39. 6. 4. 32. 39. 1. Cor. 8. 4. Concerning therefore meate sacrificed vnto Idols we know that an Idol is nothing in the world and that there is none other God but one The Vses follow 1. Heereby is condemned the horrible Idolatry of the Nations in bringing in that Poluthritis or multitude of Gods for as the former doctrine that God is a Spirit doth condemne Image-mongers that resemble him that is incorporeall by outward and bodily shapes so doth this of the Vnity of his essence shew the lamentable Idolatry of the Gentiles and giues vs all cause from our hearts to blesse God that hath rescued our vnderstandings from those fearefull blasphemies and misconceiuings of Pagans and Heretickes vnto the onely acknowledgement of one true God 2. If God be God onely many Christians that beleeue not many Gods in opinion are yet in a fearefull case for setting vp Gods of their owne making they suffer miserable shipwrack by dashing vpon the glory of the one only true God Thus sinne they that make their bellies or their pleasures or their riches their God 3. It should teach vs with all possible reuerence to adore him whom alone all creatures are bound to serue and honour who hath no partner in his supreame soueraignty Psal 86. 9. 10. 4. If God be alone it should teach vs to loue him and trust in him alone seeing it is he onely that claimes this honour and homage from the creature and there is none like him in praises or that can helpe vs in miserie or bring vs to the best good Deut. 6. 4. 5. Marke 12. 29. 30. Esay 37. 16. Deut. 32. 37. 38. 39. 1. Sam. 2. 2. 3. 5. Hence we may be informed that wee neede but one Mediator seeing there is but one God 1. Tim. 2. 5. Lastly the Apostle Ephes 4. 3. 6. concludes from hence that therefore wee should liue in peace one with another and by no meanes breake the Vnity of spirit because wee haue all but one God Hitherto of the doctrine of the Nature of God Of Beleeuing I entreated before onely wee must know that these words I beleeue must be applied vnto each word and Article of the Creed and so we must heere consider what it is in particular to beleeue in God and what euery Christian should meane when he saith I beleeue in God It is to bee noted by the way that he doth not say I beleeue God but in God The ordinary distinction of beleeuing is not impertinent It is one thing to beleeue that God is Credere Deum or to beleeue God Credere Deo and another thing to beleeue in God Credere in Deum for to beleeue in God is first to know God as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his Word and so to conceiue of God according to the former doctrine of his Nature secondly to bee perswaded That that God is my God and thirdly to put all my trust in him and to rest vpon him alone for all happinesse Of the knowledge of Gods Nature before And of the work of faith in beleeuing God to be my God before This beleeuing in God heere exprest vrgeth principally vpon vs the third thing and that is that wee must imploy our faith in a daily relying vpon God and confident affiance and trust in his goodnesse and mercy towards vs. Now there are diuers Reasons profitable for vs to thinke much vpon which may not onely proue the point but frame in vs a spirituall confidence in God Wee may with all safety and confidence rest vpon God alone and his fauour and promises 1. Because he hath bound himselfe by his word and promises to be so good to vs and hath confirmed his promise by oath and by seale 2. Because he is of such power to doe vs good 3. Because he is of so good a Nature and it agrees so well to his disposition to performe his promises 4. Because God is so well pleased with our trust in his mercy Nahum 1. 7. 5. Because God can be so fearefully reuenged vpon our vnbeliefe 6. Because there hath bin such an vninersall experience of Gods care for all that euer trusted in God Who euer trusted vpon GOD and was destroyed or disappointed Is it required of vs that wee should beliue in God then these vses will follow 1. It shewes the difference in the relation of our faith as it lookes vpon men and vpon God Wee beliue men as the Apostle Paul and our Teachers but we doe not belieue in Paul or in our Teachers but in God alone 2. It shewes the follie of wicked men in pursuing the godly as if there were hope that they might driue them to such exigents that there should be no helpe for them for they trust in God and therefore can neuer be driuen beyond all refuge I trust in God saith Dauid how say ye then that I should flie hence as a bird beaten from his rest Psalme 11. 1. 3. It shewes what vse we should make of our insufficiencie to conceiue of God fully when our minds are beaten back from beholding his full glorie yet our faith will catch hold so as to make vs trust in him though we cannot fully comprehend him If we cannot receiue him by contemplation yet we may by belieuing 4. In as much as to belieue in God is the verie entrance into the Creede and the foundation of all the rest It she wes that many that are Christians in name are not indeed true Belieuers because they doe not belieue in God that is they doe not trust in him For it is manifest that these sorts of Christians that follow do not belieue in God 1. Such as liue in Ignorance without the meanes or the gift of the knowledge of God as the Apostle sayth How should they belieue in him of whom they haue not heard Rom. 10. 14. 2. Such as trust in their Wealth Friends Beauty Gifts Skill Strength Reuenewes Hopes or Sinnes The mis-placing of their trust shewes they belieue not in God 3. Such as make no Conscience to vse ill meanes to get out of distresse or to obtain their desires such as are resorting to Wizaâ—ds lying deceit vsurie oppression dissimulation or the like For he that belieueth will not make haste Esa 28. 16. Lastly all godly men should striue so to professe in words as also by their practice to proue it that they do indeed belieue in God and rest vpon him 1. By resting in the praise and
was his Father and the rather because in the Originall the proposition imports that this Conception was not onely by him but of him Answ The holy Ghost did worke this Conception not materially but effectually by causing it to be not by giuing matter out of himself to the Nature of Christ As Damascen said the holy Ghost begetteth not spermatically but operatiuely And Bernard saith that 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 Rom. 11. vlt. all things are said to be of God Now it were senselesse therefore to conclude that God is the Father of all things for though he made all things yet hee did not make them out of his own substance for he is Father that makes a thing to be out of his owne substance so the holy Ghost did not make the humane Nature of Christ For the fourth there were two things done by the holy Ghost in this conception the first was the production of the humane Nature the other was the vniting of it to the second Person in the Trinity The first of these is most properly the worke of the holy Ghost the secoÌ„d but in som respects for the secoÌ„d Person in Trinity did assume the matter so prepared wrought by the holy Ghost The humane nature produced was both the body and soule of our Sauiour now in the production of the body of Christ there are two things to be considered first the preparation of the matter of his bodie secondly the sanctification of it The matter of the body of Christ prepared in the conception was the very substance of the flesh of the Virgin that is the seed or purest bloud of the Virgin separated by the holy Ghost and carried to the place of conception and therefore is Christ called the fruit of her wombe Luk. 1. 42 The sanctification of this matter containes in it two things first the washing of that substance from the staine of sin with which it was infected by nature so as now it should neuer more haue any spot or staine of sin in it and the stopping of the imputation of Adams sinne secondly the infusion of all purenesse and holinesse which belongs vnto the soule aswell as the body in that very moment it was ioyned to the body Now that Christ was conceiued without sinne of that there was no sin in that flesh when it became the flesh of Christ is manifest by these Scriptures he was made like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted Heb. 4. 15. and Rom. 8. 3. he was said to be made onely in the similitude of sinfull flesh Against this diuers things are obiected as Ob. 1. That the Scripture saith that Christ was made sinne for vs. Answ He was made sinne for vs as he was made a Sacrifice for sinne so the sinne offerings in the Old Testament were called sinne Againe he was made sinne for vs by imputation because our sinnes were charged vpon him but he had no sinne in his Nature 1. Pet. 2. 21. Ob. 2. Whosoeuer were in Adam sinned in Adam Rom 5. 12. But Christ was in Adam as appeareth by the Genealogie which is drawne vp euen to Adam Luke 3. Answ It is not true that all that were in Adam sinned in him for they onely sinned that were in him not onely in respect of the substance of the flesh but in respect of the carnal manner by which ordinarily man is begotten by man but Christ was in Adam in respect of the substance of his flesh but not in respect of the manner of propagation by him because he was conceiued without the seed of man and therefore sinned not in Adam or thus Originall sin is deriued vnto Adams Posterity by propagation only now Christ to preuent that came into the world by this wonderfull conception by the holy Ghost Paul saith not of one man but by one man sin entered into the world Christ is onely from Adam other men are from him in respect of substance and by him in respect of propagation Ob. 3. But the flesh of the Virgin Mary was sinfull and therefore his flesh must needs be so Answ That flesh of hers was first sanctified made cleane by the holy Ghost before it was the flesh of Christ Ob. 4. If it be granted corruption of nature was not in Christ yet there is another part of Originall sinne and that is guiltinesse of Adams sinne in Paradise for all his posterity being in him sinned in him as Leui paid Tythes in Abraham and therefore that flesh of Christ sinned in Adam and was guilty of Adams particular offence though it neuer was propagated for propagation caries downe onely corruption of nature or an euill disposition to sinne after conception Answ If Adams offence bee imputed to none but to such as come of him by propagation as the Apostle imports Rom. 5. 12. then this scruple is so auoided secondly doth not the sanctification of that flesh in the wombe of the Virgin clense it from Adams actuall offence aswell as from euill disposition thirdly what inconuenience will follow if we grant that Adams sin was imputed to Christ so as we vnderstand it in respect of the Malediction for Christ was a surety for all sinnes Adams sin and all the sin of his posterity Ob. 5. Vpon whomsoeuer death came he sinned but death came vpon Christ therefore it seemes he sinned Answ It is true that whomsoeuer death by his owne power doth preuaile against that party surely sinned because death is the wages of sinne But death did not exercise any power ouer Christ for hee was not compelled to die but laid downe his owne life voluntarily Iohn 10. 17. 18. besides death befell him not as a sinner but as a surety for sinne and so though death came vpon him for sinne yet it was not for his sinne but for other mens The Papists to auoid sinne in the flesh of Christ say that the Virgin Mary was conceiued without sinne and so it came to passe that Christ was without sinne But this is a senselesse doâ—age for first where doe they proue it by Scripture that shee was without sinne Secondly if shee were conceiued without sinne then her parents were so too and if her parents then theirs and so into an infinite thirdly then what needed Christ this conception by the holy Ghost Thus of the producing of the body of Christ His soule was produced as the soules of other men are that is It was immediately created by the holy Ghost and infused into his body onely there is difference amongst diuines about the time of the infusing of the soule of Christ for in the ordinarie course Nature proceeds in this manner first there is the masse of bloud or seed receiued in the wombe but there is no parts of a body framed at the first after a certaine number of weekes
wrought therefore he would signifie that the new world had a Paradise prepared as well as the old world had at first In this answer of Christ diuers errours are confuted as 1. Theirs that said that the soules of men after death did either sleepe or perish 2. Theirs that dreame that mens soules must goe into Purgatory for this Theese had been a great offender and had not performed the satisfactions they talke of and yet went to heauen presently 3. Theirs also that say the soules of the faithfull before Christs Ascension were not in heauen but in Limbo 4. Theirs that say the soule of Christ went downe into hell locally after his death Paradise is not Hell and into Paradise he went 5. Theirs that say that outward Baptisme with water is precisely necessary to saluation whereas this Theefe was not baptised and yet saued 6. Theirs that thinke heauen is had for mens merits euen for the deserts of their good workes that is false for as Adam was placed in Paradise by Gods free gift and Creation so are all the godly placed in heauen and therefore doth Christ liken it to Paradise Eternall life is the gift of God Rom. 6. 23. Thus of the Conuersion of the Theefe The fourth testimony giuen to Christ on the Crosse before he died was the miraculous rending of the Veile of the Temple from the top to the bottome and that this fell out before the death of Christ appeares by Saint Luke Chap. 23. 45. The Temple had three roomes in it the one more inward as it were our Chancell and into that roome came only the High Priest once a yeare and was called Sanctum Sanctorum The Holy of Holies and in that roome was the Arke and the Mercy Seat The next to that was the Holy place as it were the body of our Church and into this place came the Priests only to offer sacrifice for there was the Altar for burnt offring and the Altar of Incense and the Table of the Shew-bread Now without this was a third roome whither the People came to worship and was called the Court and Solomons Porch It is resembled by our Church porch but it was a very great roome able to receiue a multitude of people Now the Veile was that parted the Holy of Holies from the Holy place and was made of Blew and Purple and Skarlet and fine twined linnen of cunning worke hanged vpon foure pillars of Shittim wood ouer-layed with gold The most holy place was a type of Heauen and the holy place a type of the Church Militant on Earth as it consists only of Gods elect as a Nation of Priests offering holy sacrifices to God The outward Court was a type of the visible Church as it confists both of good and bad professing the true worship of God The rending of the Veile signified diuers things 1. That God did abhorre and despise the Temple of the Iewes and was departed from them with indignation and had reiected that Nation for their reiecting of Christ his Son and that he did dissolue all their priuiledges and staine their glory If the Iewes will forsake God he will forsake them and so will hee deale with all Nations where he hath dwelt if they despise his word and Gospell and will not walke worthy of his mercies shewed to them 2. That there was now an end of ceremoniall worship the rending of the Veile was the seale of the words of Christ saying It is finished Now that Christ had fulfilled all was shadowed by these ceremonies by the tearing of the Veile he signified that there was now no further vse of those rites 3. That now we haue accesse freely to goe to the Mercy-seat euen to the Throne of Grace with our suits and requests in the name of Christ Iohn 1. 51. Eph. 2. 18. Heb. 4 16. 4. That whereas heauen was shut for our sinnes now it is opened by Christ and we may enter in as the Apostle expresly shewes Heb. 10. 19 20. The passage into heauen is now set open Only we should looke to our assurance and sound sanctification as followes vers 22. Dead 1 THESS 5. 9 10. 9. For God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath but to obtaine saluation by the means of our Lord Iesus Christ 10. Which died for vs that whether we wake or sleepe we should liue together with him HItherto of the crucifying of Christ His death followes And concerning his death I shall first consider of the Proposition Reasons and Vse in generall and then consider of diuers particular things that concerne the explication of the doctrine and storie of his death That Christ died is abundantly testified by the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 3. Now the reasons why it was necessarie that Christ should die are these 1. To satisfie the iustice of God for our sinnes The wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23. Christ therefore taking vpon him the similitude of sinfull flesh as our surety God condemned sinne in his flesh by inflicting death vpon him and so satisfied his iustice Obiect But can the death of one man satisfie so as to be accepted for the death of many men Sol. The death of one bare or meere man cannot bot the death of him that is the Sonne of God both God and man is of infinite price and so an infinite satisfaction Act. 20. 28. 2. In respect of the truth of God God had said The day thou eatest thereof dying thou shale die Gen. 2. 17. which presently fell vpon Adam in respect of spirituall death and in time inuaded his body and seazed vpon the bodies of his posteritie Now Christ comming in the first Adams stead must suffer what God had threatned and beare that punishment he had appointed 3. For the fulfilling of the types and prophecies of Scripture the Sacrifices were slaine and Esay had said He must be as a sheepe led to the slaughter Esay 53. 7. and Christ himselfe had foretold his owne death and buriall diuers times 4. For the ratifying of the New Testament and the confirming of his last Will wherein he grants by vertue of the new couenant with God all those Legacies that comprehend the spirituall and eternall felicitie of the Church This will is not of force without the death of the Testator Heb. 9. 15 16 17. 5. That he might abolish the power and kingdome of death and so deliuer vs from eternall death and from the authoritie of the Deuill who had power to inflict death vpon vs Rō 6. 10. 2 Tim. 1. 10. Heb. 2. 14. Ob. But seeing eternal death was due to vs for our sins how could Christ deliuer vs from it seeing he suffered not eternall death Or how did he suffer al was due to our sins seeing he suffered not eternall death Answ Death in it self is the wages of sin growes eternal only because men or deuils that suffer it cānot ouercome it performe sufficient satisfaction in a shorter time Now Christ in a short time
cannot imagine any true praise of friendship that can be there wanting to any of that society The fourth is the actuall donation of power ouer all things euen the kingdome of the whole world God will then suffer them to enioy what their hearts can wish in heauen or earth they receiue then as their own all that euer God made Now from the possession of all these ariseth ioy vnspeakable and delight aboue imagination not only the heart of man but all his senses being taken vp with perpetuall admiration and refreshing being as it were continually inâ—â—riated with those riuers of pleasures that are at the right hand of God The second part of the Execution containes the thrusting of all the wicked with the Diuell and his Angels into Hell where all the damned must suffer first abiection from the face of God and depriuation of the very sight of all that might comfort in heauen or earth Secondly the gnawing of conscience vpon the eternall remembrance of all their sinnes Thirdly vnutterable torments in fire vnquenchable Fourthly the horrid presence of the Deuill and his Angels all which are made more grieuous by the impossibilitie to find either ease or end The life they loath they must liue and the death they desire they shall neuer finde Oh that men could be warned in time to prouide that they neuer come into that place That message Diues would haue sent to his brethren is brought vnto men now by the Gospell and therefore let them awake to liue righteously that they perish not in this great damnation where shall be the Chaos of darknesse the horror of tribulation the feare of confusion the griefe of fearfull visions the voice of men lamenting the biting of wormes gnawing cold intollerable fire vnquenchable stinch intollerable darknesse palpable and an absolute despaire of all that is good The third thing is the creation of new heauens and new earth according to these Scriptures Esay 65. 17. and 66. 22. Reu. 21. 1. 2 Pet. 3. 13. Now about this Creation we are to consider of two things 1. The firing of the world 2. The libertie of the creatures For the first of these it is manifest that the world that it may be made new shall be cast into the fire as into a furnace The heauens and the earth are reserued vnto fire the heauens shall perish and shall all wax old as a garment and as a vesture God shall fold them vp and they shall be changed the heauens being on fire shall passe away and be dissolued with a noise and the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes thereof shall be burnt vp Psal 102. 27 28. 2. Pet. 3. 5 7 10 11 12. The substance of the heauens and the earth shall not be annihilated but the qualities only shall be altered that is bettered The figure of this world shall passe away not the nature 1 Cor. 7. 31. For the second of these all things shall be so made new as all creatures that were brought into bondage shall then be set at libertie and receiue restitution as is manifest Acts 3. 21. Rom. 8. 23. That this point may be the more clearely vnderstood I must consider of two things First how the creatures are in bondage now and then how they shall be at liberty then The creatures be now in bondage many wayes First as any of them are corruptible so in bondage to corruption Secondly as they are subiect to mutations and confusions as in the case of the Aire and Seas Thirdly as they are forced to serue the turnes of wicked men and their vses Fourthly as they are teachers of the world and men will not learne the creatures are Gods great booke and it is a bondage to teach and lose their labour Fifthly as any of them are either the instrument or the subiect of mans punishment Sixthly as since the fall they haue lost their vigorous instincts as they are dulled and distempered in them Now for the second point they shall then be freed from all that vanitie or paine or misery or mutabilitie fell vpon them since the fall of man and withall they shall be restored into a glorious estate when the Elect are glorified and so they partake of the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God But this restitution shal not be made to each particular creature that hath beene but to each sort of creatures shall be then found aliue at the last day But what shall be their glorie or how long they shall continue cannot be determined without curiositie and rashnesse The fourth effect or consequent of the Iudgement is the deliuering of the kingdome of Christ into the hands of God the Father 1 Cor. 15. 24. which is to be vnderstood not of the glorious estate of Christ but of his temporall gouernment ouer the world and the Church as he ruled by means in this world for this kingdome ends when hee hath fully subdued the deuils and death and wicked men and hath fully deliuered the Elect from all sinne and misery Then there shall be no need to gouerne men by Magistrates or Preachers or Sacraments or discipline or of any of the helps of naturall or spirituall life Thus of the explication of this Article The vse that may be made of this Article in generall followes and so first it may extremely affright all men that lies in their sins without repentance for there are many things in this doctrine terrible as 1. That God hath set them a day wherein he will certainly bring them to account 2. That this day is most certaine and God will not alter his minde Act. 17. 31. Heb. 9. 27. 3. That this day will be a day of wrath to them and not of mercy The date of mercy vnto impenitent sinners will then be out Rom. 2. 5. 4. That all his sins shall then be discouered euen all his secret sins and none can be forgotten in as much as the euidence shall bee giuen out of so many bookes where all things are written as it were with a pen of iron and the point of a Diamond 1 Cor. 4. 5. Reuel 20. Ier. 17. 1. 5. That euen the longer hee liues the more hee heapes vp wrath against that day Rom. 2. 5. 6. That no meanes will then be auaileable to deliuer them Riches will not helpe them Iob 36. 18 19. nor multitude cannot shelter them Iude 15. 7. That though thou hast excelled in many gifts and done much good in the world yet if thou die in sinne without repentance thou shalt not escape Gods vengeance 1 Cor. 13. 3. 8. That it is but a little while thither 1 Pet. 4. 7. Iam. 5. 8. The signes of Christs comming are the most of them run out and we see that diuers of the last signes run together as if the Lord made haste to make an end of all things and if generall iudgement were yet further off yet death is at hand which giues a particular iudgement vpon thee
It teacheth vs diuers things page 62 It is comfortable to the godly page 63 God is good in himselfe two wayes page 63 Gods goodnesse shewed to man fiue wayes page 64 GOD vnited to man foure wayes Ibid. God delights in his people page 65 He procures all good for them Ibid. Gods loue fiue properties of it Ibid. Gods mâ—rcy six praises of it 66 Effects of his mercy Ibid. God visits from on high three wayes Ibid. Gods graciousnesse page 67 Gods bounty shewed to all though in a different manner page 68 Gods bounty in offering the meanes of grace which are three page 69 Gods patience admirable in foure respects Ibid. Gods patience in great prouocations Ibid. Aggrauations of Gods prouocations from the person prouoking page 70 God prouoked by great euils Ibid. Manner of Gods exercising his patience Ibid. Ends of Gods patience page 71 Causes of Gods patience Ibid. Knowledge of Gods goodnesse informes vs of foure things Ibid. No goodnesse comparable to Gods for fiue reasons page 72 Gods goodnesse should compell vs to seuen duties Ibid. Gods goodnesse praysed foure waies page 73 Gods goodnesse set out in fiue things page 36 Gods goodnesse must force vs vnto Repentance diuers wayes Ibid. Gods goodnesse must make vs loue him page 74 Esteeme of Gods loue Ibid. Striue to imitate Gods goodnesse page 75 Gods goodnesse comfortable against our sinnes Ibid. And in case of affliction 4. waies page 76 It may humble 4. sorts of men Ibid. God is truth in himselfe three wayes page 77 God is true towards the creatures in his workes Ibid. And in his words foure wayes Ib. Gods truth manifested in two things page 78 Gods truth teacheth vs seuen duties Ibid. It comforts the godly page 79 It informes vs of 3. things page 80 Gods righteousnes magnified 6. waies Ibid. Iustice of Gods grace shewed in seuen things page 82 Gods Iustice to the godly teacheth them three things Ibid. God is iust to the wicked in two things page 83 God most terrible to the wicked proued by six arguments page 84 Examples of Gods Iustice Ibid. Gods Iustice vnauoidable page 85 86. Obiections of the wicked against Gods Iustice answered page 86 Gods Iustice must humble wicked men page 88 Yet they must not despaire Ibid. Nothing will quench Gods wrath but the Bloud of Christ Ibid. Gods Iustice vpon wicked men teacheth the godly foure things page 89 Gods glory Ibid. Gods happinesse to be adored for three reasons page 90 Gods glory excels the glory of Kings in foure things page 92 Excellency of Gods praise set out foure wayes Ibid. Gods glory excels in respect of obedience three wayes page 92 Man giues glory to God three waies page 93 We giue glory to God in our hearts six waies Ibid. In our words fiue waits Ibid. In our workes fiue waies page 94 Fiue rules for the attaining to the knowledge of Gods glory page 95 Gods glory comfortable in diuers things page 96 Gods infinite greatnesse what it is page 97 What it comprehends Ibid. Perfection of Gods nature Ibid. This serues for diuers vses Ibid. Gods Omni-presence page 98 Obiections against it answered page 99 How God returnes to the godly Ibid. Gods Omni-presence serues for diuers vses page 99 Gods immutability page 105 How God is immutable Ibid. In what respects he is immutable Ibid. Obiections against Gods immutability answered page 106 Gods immutabilty may serue to humble men page 108 It teacheth three things page 109 It is comfortable in foure respects Ibid. God is a Spirit it teacheth fiue things page 110 God is one Ibid. How he is one page 111 Six vses of Gods vnity page 112 Gods promises must be relyed vpon for six reasons page 113 What things God cannot doe page 140 Gods omnipotency teacheth vs ten duties page 140 God rested vpon in all dangers page 141 We sinne against Gods power six waies page 142 Mistery of godlinesse page 483 Six priuiledges of the godly page 337 Golgotha why so called page 683 Christ suffered here for three reasons Ibid. Ghost what it signifies page 536 A full possession of glory at the last day page 524 A signe of grace to thinke honourably of Gods Seruants page 408 Graues open page 432 Christ in the Graue till the third day page 441 Why three daies page 442 H. OVr Hearts must be clensed page 551 Hades what it signifies page 446 Wicked hate the godly for their goodnesse page 394 Heare Christ page 224 239 Heauen not had for merits page 413 525 Elect in Heauen possessed of foure incomparable benefits page 529 Our conuersation must be in Heauen page 488 What is meant by Heauen page 151 It consists of two parts Ibid. Of that Heauen where God is The names giuen vnto it page 152 Substance of it Ibid. Glory of Heauen admirable page 153 Three questions about this Heauen answered page 154 Consideration of this Heauen should worke in vs three things page 155 Manifest our desire after Heauen by seuen things Ibid. Second Heauen called the Firmament God the maker of them page 165 His praise magnified for this in fiue things Ibid. Strange constitution and nature of those Heauens Ibid. End why they were made page 166 Hosts that people the Heauens praised for foure things Ibid. This teacheth vs 4. things Ibid It is comfortable in diuers respects page 167 Christs soule went not locally to Hell page 413 Descension into Hell page 444 These words not in the most ancient Creeds Ibid. Yet haue beene receiued for many ages Ibid. Diuers acceptions of the word Hell in the Originall page 445 How Christ may be said to descend into Hell Ibid. He may be said to descend in respect of the whole man in foure respects page 445 Christ descention an Epitome of all his â—assion page 448 Christ in his body descended into Hell or the graue Ibid. He bore hellish sorrowes page 449 Christ would not work myracles before Herod why page 366 Herod clothes Christ in a white Robe what it signifies page 370 Heretiques called Patri Passiani page 305 Disciples receiue the Holy Ghost page 463 What it is to beleeue in the Holy Ghost page 537 Holy Ghost is God Ibid. Holy Ghost his nature page 538 Operations of the Holy Ghost Ibid. 7. Operations common to all men page 539 Operations of the Holy Ghost in the Elect page 541 Infusion of diuine gifts a worke of the Holy Ghost page 542 Holy Ghost makes a man resemble God page 543 Holy Ghost our Comforter page 544 Men sinne against the Holy Ghost diuers wayes page 545 The sinne against the Holy Ghost described page 546 How it is vnpardonable page 547 Fore-runners of this sinne page 549 Signes of the inhabitation of the Holy Ghost page 550 Fruits of the Holy Ghost page 552 Inhabitation of the Holy Ghost comfortable page 553 Care of a Holy life page 488 Christs Humanity glorified not deified page 463 An ill Husband may make others suffer for their faults page 376 It is hatefull to