here are forbidden those only wherto the hart doth not consent VVhence doe these motions arise Eyther of our owne corruption or else are offered by Sathan or else by men Are all these sinnes in vs. All that arise of our own corruption are but those which the deuill or men offer vnto vs are not vnlesse wee be infected with them How are we infected by them When we take pleasure in them when we be intangled by them or when wee suffer theÌ„ to tary in our minds although our harts do not giue consent How is this commaundement broken 1 When euill motions arise of corruption moouing vs to hurt our neighbour 2 When we be infected with those euil motions which sathan or euill men put into our minds 3 When we doe not with like affection desire the good of our neighbour as we doe our owne VVhat is commaunded To loue my neighbour as my selfe Who is your neighbour Euerie one that is neere me and standeth in need of my helpe and it lyeth me tâ—â—elpe him though he be a stranger or my foe Why iudge you so Because of the image of God in him and that he is mine owne flesh in respect of our first parents Doth the law of God prescribe the perfect rule of righteousnes Yea For there is no good thing in déed word or thought but it is heer coÌ„manded likewise no euil but heerâ—it is forbidden Can euerie one keepe the Lawe perfectly They that are not borne againe of God cannot keep it at all in any point as pleasing God therby in respect of themselues For except he be borne againe of God he cannot sée the kingdome of God nor enter therein much lesse keepe the commaundements of God Moreouer all men by nature being borne and conceiued in sinne are not onely vtterly insufficient to any good thing but also disposed and ready to all sin wickednes What punishment is due to the breakers of Gods law In this life the curse of God and death with manifold miseries of bodie soule or both And where this curse is not taken away euerlasting death and damnation of bodie and soule in hell But God is mercifull Yea and God is iust righteous which righteousnes must fully be discharged or else we cannot be pertakers of his mercy And cannot we by ourselues make satisfaction for our sinnes No But rather from day to day increase our debt But doth not God wrong to man to require of him that which he is not able to performe No For God made man so that he might haue performed it but he by his sinne spoyled himself and his posteritie of those godly gifts Can any creature in heauen or earth which is onely a creature satisfie his righteousnes None at all for 1 God will not punish that in another creature which is due to be paid by man. 2 None that is onely a creature can abide the wrath of God against sinne and deliuer other from the same What manner of man is to be sought out to be our Mediator and deliuerer Hée which is indeed a verie right man and perfectly righteous more mighty then all creatures beside that is hee which also is God. Why must he be man and perfectly righteous Because the righteousnes of God requireth that the same nature which had sinned should pray and make amendes for sinne Why must he be God withall That by his godly power he may abide the burthen of Gods wrath in his flesh and may get againe and restore to vs the righteousnes and life which we in Adam lost Who is that Mediatour which is verie God and very man and perfectly righteous withall Our Lord Iesus Christ who is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption What is the vse of all which hath hitherto beene taught To bring vs to a sound perswasion and féeling of our sinnes because they haue deserued so grieuous punishment as eyther the death of the Sonne of God or hell fire Are they deliuered from the curse of the Law and made partakers of Christs merits that are truly humbled Yea For heauen and earth shal passe but one tote or tittle of Gods lawe shall not faile till all be fulfilled How is the truth of Gods law fulfilled Both in Gods children and in the wicked In them because it bringeth them to be truly humbled in themselues for their sinnes and then sendeth them to Christ who doth quite fulfil it In these because it declareth to them their iust confusion when to the ende they eyther perseuere or dispaire Is sorrow for sinne sufficient to bring vs to saluation No But wée must also haue a true faith which is a true perswasion of the mereies of God merited by our Sauiour Iesus Christ. How shall we attaine to this true faith By the spirit of God giuing vs the true vnderstanding and perswasion of the Gopell VVhere is the Gospell declared vnto vs. It is generally declared vnto vs in the holy Scriptures but the Church of God hath gathered out of them a certaine sum thereof which is the articles of our Christian faith commonly called the Creed Rehearse those articles I beleeue in God the Father almightie c. How many parts are ther in these articles There are two 1 Touching our faith in God. 2 Of our faith concerning the Church What beleeue you in the first part I declare that I beléeue in God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Why say you I beleeue in God and not in Gods For that there is but one onely true God vpoÌ„ whom my faith is wholy staied If there be but one God why name you three the father the son the holy ghost Because God hath so opened himselfe in his word that these thrée sundry persons are but one true euerlasting God. Why say you I beleeue in God and not rather that there is a God. By saying I beléeue in God I declare that I put my whole trust assurance in God whereas the deuils wicked men beleeuing that there is a God yet cannot put their whole trust confidence in him vvhy say you I beleeue not we beleeue Because I must be saued by my owne faith and not by the faith of another Why call you God Father Because he is the Creator of heauen and earth so the father of all creatures Why say you Creator and not Maker of heauen c. Because he created all things of nothing but to make is to make somthing of that which was before Why call you him Almightie Because as he created all things of nothing so he doth preserue guid theÌ„ by his mighty power wisdom iustice mercy What comfort hence do we receiue 1 That al the good angels of god shal watch ouer me pitch their tents about me 2 That neither the deuil nor men shal haue any power to hurt me but when and so farre as God will permit them 3 That I shal haue a
profitable conuenient vse of all Gods creatures 4 Though I suffer hurt by sathan or want of his creatures yet all this shall turne to my good in the end How can this be Because God can doe it as an almightie God and will doe it as a most mercifull and louing father True it is that by creation we had this benefit but we haue lost it and are become the children of wrath how then can God become our father and shew vs thys mercy Hee is become my father by faith in Christ the sonne of God What beleeue you of GOD the Sonne First that he is able to worke my saluation 2. That he hath wrought it indeed after the manner that is heere set downe How can you beleeue that he is able to worke your saluation I beléeue it because he is both God and man and hath receiued an office from God the Father to worke my saluation By what words in the Creed do you beleeue that Christ is God. By these His onely sonne I declare that I beleeue in Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God begotten of his Father before all worlds God of God light of light verie God of verie God begotten nor made being of one substance of the father by whom all things were made Why call you him the onely begotten Sonne of God. Because he is the alone Sonne of God by nature How can this be seeing the Angels Adam and we also be the Sonnes of God. Adam was the sonne of God by creation which state we haue lost but now we be the sonnes of GOD by regeneration VVhy was it requisite hee should be God. Because nothing but God was able to abide and ouercome the wrath of God and the punishment due vnto sinne What comfort haue you by this that Christ is God. Héereby I am assured that he is able to saue me by reconciling me to the Father that he may make me the child of God. By what words in the Creede doe you shew that you beleeue that Christ is man. By these words Borne of the Virgine Mary where I shew that he was borne as other men bee and subiect to all infirmities of man sinne onely excepted Why are these words added Conceiued by the holy Ghost To shew that Christ by the holy Ghost was conceiued in the womb of the virgin Mary she continuing still a pure virgin and that he was borne holy and without sinne whereto all other by nature are subiect VVas it needfull that Christ should be without sinne Yea For otherwise the Godhead and manhood could not haue him ioyned together besides if he had béene a sinner hee could not haue satisfied for others sinnes Why was it requisite that he should be man Because the righteousnes of God requireth that the same nature which had sinned should also pay and make amends for sinne What coÌ„fort is in this that Christ is man I am thereby assured that Christ is fit to suffer the punishment of my sinne and beeing man himselfe will be more pittifull and mercifull to me vvhat fruit haue you by his holy conception I am assured that his holy conception hath couered the corruption of my nature and that his pure conception shall be imputed vnto mee vvhat comfort haue you by this that he is both God and man That hee is able to finish most fully my saluation seeing as hee is man hee is fit to suffer for sinnes as hee is GOD hee is able to beare the punishment of sinne and to ouercome in suffering and therefore to be called Iesus vvhat doth Iesus signifie It signifieth a Sauiour which name agreeth to Christ because hee saueth mee from all my sinnes because there is no other meanes whereby I may in part or whole bee deliuered from them vvhat comfort haue you by this Euen the same which I said and the rather because GOD from heauen gaue him this name and the Church on earth hath subscribed thereunto What signifieth Christ. Annoynted for he was annoynted to be a Prophet a Priest and a King for all his people and so for mee How gather you this By the annoynting Prophets Priests and Kinges which were figures of him VVas Christ annoynted with materiall oyle as they were No But with all gifts of the Spirit without measure Why call you him Prophet Because he was is and euer shal be the onely teacher of the Church What were then the Prophets and Apostles They were his disciples and seruants speaking onely by his spirit What comfort haue we by this Héereby I am assured that he will lead me into all truth needful for Gods glory and my saluation Why call you him Priest. Because offering vp himselfe a sacrifice once for all he hath satisfied for all my sinnes and maketh continuall intercession to the father for me What comfort doe wee reape by his Priesthood That I am sure that he is my Mediatour and that I am made a Priest. How is that By him I haue fréedome and boldnes to draw néere and offer vp my selfe and all that I haue to God the Father Why call you him King. Because he doth guide and gouerne me to euerlasting life by his word and spirit What comfort haue you by this Héereby I am assured that by his kingly power I shall finally ouercome the flesh the World Death and Hell. Why call you him Lord. For that not with gold or siluer but with his precious blood he hath purchased â–ª vs to be a peculier people to himselfe VVhat comfort haue you thereby â–ª Séeing hée hath paid so precious a price for me that he will not â–ª suffer me to perish VVhat is the second thing wherein thy faith in Christ consisteth I beleeue that he hath wrought my saluation in deed after that manner that is set downe in the Creed â–ª How is that 1 First by his most painefull sufferings for sinne 2 By his most glorious victorie and triumph ouer sinne In what words are his paineful suffrings expressed In these Suffered vnder Pontius â–ª Pilate was crucified dead and buried c. vvhat is the generall meaning of these words Therein I shew my selfe to beléeue that Christ indured most grieuoâ—s torments both of bodie and soule vvhat comfort haue you ny this I am fréed from all those punishments of bodie and soule which my sins haue â–ª deserued How then commeth it to passe that we are so often afflicted with grieuous torments of bodie and soule Our sufferings are not by desert any satisfaction for our sinnes in any part but being sanctified in the most holy sufferings of Christ they are medicines against sinne vvhy are those words set downe Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Not onely for the truth of the story but also to teach that he appeared willingly and of his owne accord before an earthly Iudge of whoÌ„ he was pronounced innocent yet by the same man condemned vvhat comfort haue you hereof That my Sauiour thus suffering not for his owne sinnes but wholy for
haue in Christ all that the Law requireth But yet they remayne transgressors of the Law. They are transgressors in themselues and yet righteous in Christ and in their inner man they loue righteousnesse and hate sinne VVhat then is the state of the faithfull in this life They are sure in Christ and yet fight against sinne VVhat fight haue they 1 Within they haue the battaile of the flesh against the spirit 2 Without the temptations of sathan and of the world How shall they ouercome By a liuely faith in Iesus Christ. VVhat call you the flesh The corruption of our nature wherein we were borne and conceiued Doth that remaine after regeneration Yea it dwelleth in vs and cleaueth fast vnto vs so long as we carry the outward flesh about vs. How doth the flesh fight against the spirit By continuall lusting against it and that is two waies 1 By hindering or corrupting vs in the good motions works deeds of the spirit 2 By continuall moouing vs to euill motions words and déeds What call you the spirit The holy spirit which God in Christ hath giuen vs wherby we are begottē againe Doe wee not receiue the spirit in full measure and in perfection at the first No But first wee receiue the first fruits afterward daily increases of the same vnto the end if that fault be not in vs. How doth the spirit fight in vs. By lusting against the flesh and that is also two waies 1 Partly by rebuking and partly by restrayning in vs the euill motions and déeds of the flesh 2 By continuall inlightening vs affecting vs with thoughts words déeds agreeable to Gods will. What call you the world The corrupt state condition of men and the rest of the creatures How doth the world fight against vs. By alluring and drawing vs to the corruptions thereof and the meanes it vseth héerein are two 1 Oft times by false pleasures profit and glory of this world from our obedience to God. 2 Oft times it draweth vs by paines and losses and reproches to distrust Gods promises How shall we ouercome the pleasures profit and glory of this world 1 By a true faith in Iesus Christ who desposed all these things to work our saluation and to make vs able to ouercome them 2 By a faith in Gods word that feareth vs from doing any thing that is against his will. How shall we ouercome the paines losses and reproches of this world 1 By a liuely faith in Iesus Christ who suffered all these things to worke our saluation and inableth vs to suffer them 2 By a stedfast faith in Gods prouidence that we shall want no good thing and that all things soeming hurtful shall be turned to the furtherance of our saluation What call you sathan The aduersarie and enemie of God and his people How doth he fight against vs 1 By subtilty alluring vs to sinne and therefore he is called a tempter and a Serpent 2 By laying fearfully to our charge our sinnes committed and therefore he is called the deuill that is an accuser 3 By séeking by manifold inward terrors and outward troubles to swallow vs vp and therefore hee is called a roaring Lyon. How shall we fight against him and his temptations 1 By faith in Iesus Christ who ouercame all his temptations in his owne person to the end we might ouerthrow him 2 By resisting the inward motiens and outward occasions of sinne How shall we doe that By beleeuing that we are baptised into the death and resurrection of Christ. How shall we ouercome sathan and his accusations 1 By faith in Iesus Christ who hath iustified vs for all the sinne for the which he can accuse vs. 2 By all those comfortable promises of the forgiuenes of sins which in Christs name is made vnto vs. How shall we ouercome him in our terrors and troubles 1 By faith in Iesus Christ who was heard in all his terrors and troubles to giue vs an assurance that we shall not be ouercome by them 2 By faith in Gods prouidence wherby we knowe that he can doe no more vnto vs then the Lord doth direct for our good VVe haue hard that the word is the first chiefe means not only to beget but also to strengthen and increase faith in vs what is the next principall meanes That is Prayer chiefly seruing for the strengthning and increasing of faith vvhat is Prayer Prayer is a lifting vp of the minde and a powring out of the hart before God. Is there any prescript rule of Prayer left vs in the Scriptures Yea euen that which our Sauiour Christ taught his disciples called the Lords Prayer Is it lawfull to vse no other manner of words Yea we may vse an other forme but we must pray for the same things and with like affection as are prescribed ther. How is that Prayer deuided Into three parts 1 The preface or enterance thereto 2 The prayer it selfe 3 The cōclusion or shutting vp of that same vvhich is the Preface Our Father which art in heauen vvhat doth this put vs in minde of 1 Of him to whom we pray 2 Of our owne estate in prayer To whom doe we pray To God the Father the Sonne and the the holy Ghost vvhy doe you heare name the father Because discerning the persons wee pray vnto the father secretly vnderstanding that wee doe so in the mediation of his sonne by the working of the holy Ghost vvhy must we pray to the father in the mediation of Christ his Sonne Because God beeing displeased for sinne we can haue no dealing with him but only by the meanes of his sonne in whom he is well pleased vvhy must we pray by the working of the holy Ghost Because the holy ghost assureth vs that God is our Father whereas we know not what to pray nor how he teacheth vs. vvhat must we be perswaded of our owne estate in prayer Partly concerning our selues and partlie concerning others VVhat perswasion must wee haue touching our selues We must be truly humbled and withall haue a certaine confidence that wee shall be hard How shall we be truly humbled 1 With a perswasion of our sinfull miserie and vnworthines to be holpen 2 With a most certaine perswasion of the most glorious Maiestie of God in heauen that must helpe vs. How shal we be assured that we shall be heard 1 By being perswaded that God loueth vs as his own children in our Lord Iesus Christ. 2 By faith being perswaded that God our Father is able to doe whatsoeuer he will in heauen and earth What must wee be perswaded concerning other 1 That all Gods people pray for vs. 2 We must be perswaded that it is our bounded dutie to pray for other as well as for our selues How are the petitions duided 1 We make our requests for those things which concerne Gods Maiestie 2 For those things which concerne our owne welfare Which be those that concerne Gods Maiestie The thrée first 1 Hallowed be thy name 2 Thy kingdome come 3 Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen What is meant by the name of God. 1 The names and titles of God as Iehoua the Lord of Lords c. 2 The wisedome power mercy goodnes truth righteousnes and the eternitie of God. Why be these called the names of God. Because as names serue to discerne things by so by these things GOD is knowne to be God. What is meant by this word sanctified We pray that God as he is glorious in himselfe so he may be declared and made knowne to men How shall Gods name be declared to be holy and glorious 1 We pray that his wisedome power mercy c. may more and more be imparted into vs and other of Gods people 2 We pray that according as wee know these things so the fruits of them may appeare in ours all Gods peoples liues that so Gods name may be honoured and praised What doe we pray against in his petion 1 Against all ignorance of the holy things we should know and want of good workes whereby God wants of his glory 2 Against all false religion wickednes and vngodlines by which Gods name is dishonoured FINIS Com. 1. Com. 2. Com. 3. Com. 4. Com. 6. Com. 7. Com. 8. Com. 9. Com. 10. The Beleefe 1. Cor. 15 20. Act. 1. 2. 9. Heb. 9. 15. 1. Pet. 3. 22. Math. 6. 26. c. 1. Cor. 15. 51. 52. Reue. 22. 20 Rom. 8. 1.