the Scriptures being silent let us not press the knowledge of the place but rather duly prepare our selves wherever and whensoever it be that also being uncertaine I meane so as to us uncertaine but certainly knowne to God t Mat 24 26 Act 17 30 that Christ shall come to judge the quick and the dead which is our fourth note in this Article The quick they that u 1 Cor 15 51 then shall be found alive and the dead all them sleeping in their dust from the first man Adam to the last that ever shall dye all others whoever w Rom 14 10 all the world x Act 17 31 2 Cor 5 10 And all in this manner shall then appeare in Judgement where shall be Christ the Judge sitting on his throne of glory with his Assessors the twelve Apostles y Mat 19 28 on theirs assenting to his glory and judgement Then the Parties to appear at this judgement all Natitions z Mat 25 31 32 When this shall be the proceeding of it The cause shall be pleaded the good and the bad severed one from another a vers 33 When they that have done good shall go into life everlasting b vers 34 they that have done evill into everlasting fire c vers 41 Applic. That first there shall be a Judgement a general Judgement of all at the last day may teach us all carefullnesse in faith and holinesse to prepare for it to repâ—nt us of our sins done to others d â—uk 12. 58. not to repine at injuries done unto us by others e 1 Cor. 4. 4. as knowing there is a righteous Judge shall take due cognizance of both which is Christ When secondly that he is the Judge labour should we to be found in him as without whom all is but as losse f Phâ— 3. 78 and but in him no life at all g Rom. 8. 1. To avoid whose severer sentence and happily to hand his milder one see we that we displease not this Judge but labour we in all we may to please him h 2 Cor. 5. 10. That thirdly Christ shall certainly come from heaven though uncertaine it be where he shall judge may prompt us to prepare for him when and wherever he comes From that uncertainty of his coming gathering that this is our certaine duty at all times to looke for his coming patiently to waite for that his coming i Hab. 2. 3. Then fourthly that come he shall to judge quicke and dead may hint us the impartiall proceeding at this Tribunall when now there will be no excuse of appearance no shifting off this appearance but that all shall appeare Let then all duly prepare for it Labour to be of the number of the godly who then shall be called to glory and be carefull not to be of the number of the ungodly shall then go into condemnation which may teach us by well living to love the presence of Christ who then shall present us to this glory and not by ill living to incur that condemnation but as of fire the tormenting Agent to be as much affraid of doing or committing sinne the cause of this torment as of running headily into the fire the tormentor Come we now next to expound the third part of the Creed which some make all the Articles following othersome onely that one that next followes which is the VIII Eighth Article I beleeve in the holy Ghost where is to be considered these two particulars as first what or who the holy Ghost is and then secondly what we must beleeve as touching the holy Ghost As to the first The holy Ghost is a Spirit as God is and is even the same or that very God that is a Spirit k Jo. 4 24 is the third Person in the Trinity distinct from the other two also distinct persons Father and Son a reall subsistence though one be the substance of all three and that God l Act. 5 3 4. 1 Jo. 5 7 He is called Spirit because of his spirituall being not that more a Spirit he is then or Father or Son but that spired or breathed he is by them both and breathes in the hearts of Gods chosen And holy he is called not that properly he is more holy then any of the rest of the Persons for they also have this like Title or attribute of holy both the Father m Jo 17 11 and the Son n Act 4 30 are termed holy yea men o 2 Pet 1 21 women p 1 Pet 3 5 Angels q Mark 8 38 have sometimes this Epithet of holy but that his proper office it is to sanctifie and make holy r 1 Cor 12 3 11 by him to acknowledg Christ of him to receive what ever gift or grace he hath he rules s Act 2 4 he leades t Rom. 8 14 he regenerats u Mat 3 11 he teacheth w Jo 16 13 he comforts x Act 5 41 he confirmes y Jo 14 16. And as he is this all so 2. this all must we beleeve this ought to be every particular mans Creed as of Father and of Son so also of the holy Ghost I beleeve must be every ones Profession of every one of them of this third Person the holy Ghost as well as of the first or second Father or Son to beleeve as we have said a distinct person a true God equall to both Father and Son though a distinct subsistence another person yet for substance the same God though proceeding from Father Son all three one God from whom all good cometh z Jam 1 17 yet as holy Ghost the third Person the distributer dispenser of that good as of knowledge a 1 Cor 2 12. utterance b Act 2 4. love c Cal. 5 22. joy peace d and the whatever like gifts and graces holy men are endued with Applic. That first the holy Ghost is thus God as God let us love and honour him by faith and obedience make our selves fit Temples for him d 1 Cor. 6 19. by sin not to grieve or reject him e 1 Cor. 3. 16. Eph. 4. 30. And then secondly that he is the Author of holâ—nesse may teach us faithfully to acknowledge that Author not to any power of our own but to him to ascribe the working of it by the energy of his word and working to accost still our Christianity to come to Christ by him f 1 Cor. 12 3. by them both to God g 1 Jo. 4. 12 13 14 15. And thus much of the third part the fourth and last followes in the following Articles of which next Or otherwise we may consider this Creed being as saith a Father the Rule how to order our faith concerning God and the Church of God as divided into these two Parts first of God secondly of the Church of God 1. Of God that as already explained there are three
secondly that the third day he rises nor sooner which may teach us not to despaire but patiently wait the salvation of God that though a while we may be miserable or afflicted yet in the end we shall be blessed And then that no later he stayes before he rises may teach us not to distrust that salvation but waiting Gods appointed time which though unknown to us yet this to know that salvation shall come h Ps 30. 5. And then thirdly that from the dead he rises what comfort may that administer that our weaknesse buried in his death shall be strengthned by the power of his resurrection i 1 Cor. 15. 43. See we next those two steps of his Exaltation how in the VI. Sixt Article He 1. ascended into heaven and then 2. sitteth on the right hand of God the father Almighty He first ascended into Heaven that he might not onely on earth by his resurrection testifie his power but by his ascention also into heaven creat also our happinesse and that there to prepare a place for us k Jo. 14. 4 to send and showr downe his gifts and graces on us l Jo. 7. 39 17. 7. Eph. 4. 8 11 12 c. And then secondly he sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty where by Gods right hand is meant not that he hath hands or feet or the like who is a Spirit m Jo. 4. 24. but as spoken after the manner of men who by right hand meane all manner of preheminence n Phi. 2. 9. Ep. 1. 20. 21. which now Christ hath at Gods right hand meaning thereby his o Ex. 15. 2 power p Ps 118. 15. his goodnesse and glory q Psal 16. 11 110 1 Mat. 28 20. Heb. 1. And there so sitteth to manifest the full of mans Redemption r Heb. 10. 12. Not onely at first by his Humiliation to plead for us but by this Exaltation on this step of judicature continually to plead for us s Rom. 8. 38. Heb. 7. 15. Thence to give out writs and mandats for the managing of his Church and chosen by the power of his spirit more fully ruling in the hearts of his people t Joh. 14. 16. and by the rule of his Word speaking by that spirit u Heb. 4 12. by both that Word and Spirit drawing unto himselfe his chosen as fore-prophefied of him w Jo. 15. 11. that he should do as afterwards x Act. 2. 41. 47. is the doing testified When though in his humane nature he ascended into heaven y Mat. 26. 11. Act. 7. 56 where he is thus in power on Gods right hand yet is he with us too though not as before in Body z Jo. 16. 28. Heb. 8. 4. yet more fully then before in Spirit a Mat. 28. 20. Jo. 14. 18. 26. Applic. That first he ascended and that to showr his gifts and graces on us may administer our carefull attendance on him that our hearts be prepared happily to entertain those gifts and graces and that by obedience to his Word and Spirit that we by sin grieve not the one b Ep. 4 30 nor pervert the other c Col. 3. 16. That he ascended into Heaven the place of all blisse and true happinesse may prompt when ever he shall please to call for us our both readinesse and willingnesse to be with him yea our desire to be with him d Ph. 1. 23 and in the meane time to count him most deare to have faithfull dependance on him e Phil. 3. 8 9 10. Then secondly that he sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty and that to manifest the full of mans Redemption to intercede for us in heaven by his word and spirit to governe us upon earth How in this advocate may we have Confidence f Jo. 14. 13. that not only Heaven at last shall be our home g Jo. 14. 3. but that here till we come at that home hereafter have we his word and spirit to direct us which may teach us not to faint under crosses nor lanch out into carelessenesse but to take to us these armes of God to draw us to God such as the preaching of his word h Rom. 10 17. the blessed influence of good motions of his spirit that we attend the one by our diligent hearing of it and quench not i 1 Thes 5 19. the other by our contempt or carelessenesse Seein Christ at Gods right hand humbly to submit our selves to Christ k Psa 2. 6 11. 12. And as he gloriously overcame death and hell and the Devill and those whatever enemies of ours that erst surprised us so that we be carefull to overcome those whatever our sins and lusts may without this our care surprize us This by the holy spirit of God is still commended to our care l Rom. 6. 12. 1 Jo. 2. 1. And but by our conquest over this no promise of being happy with Christ m Mat. 19. 28. Rev. 3. 21. Thus of these two steps of Exaltation the fourth and last of which lets now next see as in the VII Seventh Article From thence he shall come to judge the quicke and the dead which Article offers to our consideration these foure particulars as first That there shall be a judgement 2. That he Christ shall be the Judge 3. the place whence he shall come to bâ—come this Judge from thence to wit Heaven where he sits at Gods right hand and fourthly when as a cloze to this part of the Creed and explaining this Article consider we may the Manner of the Judgement what it is and the proceeding of it whom it is he shall judg quick and dead 1. There shall be a judgement and Christ though yet deferring his coming shall yet thus come to judge T is not the mocks n 2 Pet 3 4 of scorners shall trustrate it but this reason were it no other were enough for it that Gods justice to both good and bad may require it o Eccl 12 13 14 Luk 16 25 2 Rom 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 12 Th 1 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 But besides not only Scriptures back'd thus with reasons but they also infallible which we must rather beleeve then question evidence the same truth that there shall be a judgement p Dan 7 13 14 Mat 10 15 12 36 Act. 17 31 1 Thes 4 16 Heb 9 21 2. Christ shall be Judge the same that ascended shall descend q Act 1 11 and to this purpose to judge as who hath now all power thereof r Jo 5 22 Act 10 42 3. From Heaven he shall come s Mat 26 64 Phil 3 20 that place whence implying a place whither which though uncertaine where yet must conclude that it must be on the earth there where we have done good or evill to have this last sentence But
to our God who dwelleth in inaccessible light whose love blessings and comfort love of God as our deare and loving father blessing of Christ as his dear son and our Saviour comfort of the Holy ghost that proceedeth from them both to comfort and establish us in the truth 3 persons and one God be with us and be by us and all the Church of God ever called upon and blessed to the blessing and preserving of our soules from whatever siâ— our bodies from whatever sicknesses or calamities our estates from whatever ruine and destruction Now and for ever Amen A Morning Prayer for a Familie O come let us worship and bow down and kneele before the Lord our maker O eternall everliving and everloving Lord God and saviour thou that art most powerfull yet gratious most just yet merciful too rich in graces and superabundant in goodnes give us O give us both of that thy grace goodnesse that in this humble offerture of our morning Exercise we be duly prepared for it And that in the first place in the due acknowledgment of our many and manifold sins and transgressions that though we thus come nigh thee in this weighty busines of prayers praises yet shouldest thou come nigh us and weigh us in the ballances of thy justice we might be found lighter then vanity so horrid so hideous have been our sins so many so infinite our transgressions So as whilest looking on them alas what can we look for but a fearefull downefall to death and damnation Ouâ— pride our covetousnes our drunkennes our deboyshery or deceit our hypocriasic our neglect of thy word our disobedience to thee our God despite to our neighbours an aggravation of that desobedience with whatever other breach of thy blessed commandments have so far broken in upon us that when but seriously laying it to heart we may not have heart to hope our aÌ„y wise evading that downfal Yea so besotted are we with sin that notwithstanding our daily both hearing and handling thy blessed word we heare but heede it not yea we know what 's good but practise it not A sort of arrand hypocrites we are that mock thine house of prayer thy word thy sacraments and whatever other seemly ducies of Religion and devotion bâ—t stales to our lewdersin cloaths to cover our licenciousness Yea and too too oft the very practise of prayer but a practise also to bolster up our carnall desires not therein heeding the due Method end of it thy endlesse praise and our eternall Salvation No though covertly so contemne thy word we do by our careless unconscionable regard of doing thereafter so grieve thy good spirit by our sin so abuse thy mercy by our presumption so forget thy judgments cauteriz'd as t' were and hardned in that sin presumption that looking upon us so many sinkes of sin so many presumptuous vassalls of indignation what can we expect but our portion with the wicked and with them that forget God but to be turned into hell the place appointed for the Devill and his Angels Bâ—t yet O Lord there is mercy with thee weigh us in the ballanees of that when then our hopes may be it may poize down the scale of thy justice and being turned from our sins by thy mercy we may so evade the fury of thy justice and by true faith timely repentance happy sanctification of life knowledge of thy will love of thy name zeale of thy glory sincerity for thy truth boldnesse in the profession of thy word perseverance in godlinesse and goodnesse patience under whatsoever crosse or calamity contentment with our whatever estate so arme us against the evill of sinne the evill of punishment may not fray us so order our steps to God by good that no step be made to either of those evils When to further our dayly morning exercise yea our alwayes excecises in these like duties what especial obligations have we as thy continual mercies which should stir up our continual thankfulnesse for those thy mercies our own miseries which should also force our prayers for the continuance of those thy mercies thy mercies that we are not confounded our miseries that they become not that our confusion Let us O let us in a due acknowledgement of those thy mercies both to free us from and prevent our those whatever miseries let us make conscience of all our doings not to do any thing contrary to the law of good conscience but as directing to that good Conscience to go by the rule and directions of thy good word in the Scriptures and be guided by the dictates of thy good spitit in that Word Try we thereby and prove we all our thoughts examine we thereby and therein all our words and works that so we may seek thee our good God in all and find thy good grace in the execution of our goodnesse Nor for our selves O Lord let 's onely become thus suppliant to thee but let our prayers also extend to the good both of our selves and others and be now next extended for a blessing upon thine holy Catholike Church c. Here go on as occasion serves as in the genenerall Prayer till you come thus to conclude And now O Lord having thus made a tender of our bounden duty in this our first offerture of this morning worke of thine in thus calling upon thee be favourable now next to us in the workes of our owne callings that by effecting them to our comfort we may effect them also to thy glory That even every one of us in our severall places and callings may as not onely thus opening the day thy glory by this thy worke bâ—t by thy goodnesse may goe through with it to our comfort in our own workes When now to conclude these our imperfect requests we have thus made to thee both for our selves and others imperfect in as much as many things are omitted we should pray for for our selves many things omitted we should praise thee for to supply that imperfection of both our prayers and praises let us now at last make our addresse unto thee for them in that most absolute forme that perfectly compriseth them all saying as our Saviour himselfe hath taught us to say unto thee Our Father which art in Heaven c. The peace of God which passeth all understanding preserve us in peace and keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and understanding of him our God and Father that his out-stretched arme be our defence stretched out in the mercifull exhibition of his Sonne Christ our Saviour Whose salvation let be our auspicious aid and that made good to us by the grace of that good spitit of grace the holy Ghost the Comforter he hath sent to be with us To which Father of peace Son of mercy holy Spirit of comfort and consolation three Persons and one God be by us and all the faithfull ascribed all honour and glory praise power might Majesty and Dominion