to anger and of great mercy c. Chap. 18. Of the Iustice of God Pag. 199. Deut. 32.4 He is a righteous Lord and all his waies are judgement Chap. 19. Of the Anger of God Pag. 212. Jer. 64.5 Behold thou art wrath for we have sinned Chap. 20. Of the Hatred of God Pag. 224. Psal 5.5 Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity Chap. 21. Of the Authority of God Pag. 236. Psal 22.28 For the Kingdome is the Lords and he is the governour amongst the Nations Chap. 22. Of the Power of God Pag. 246. Job 9.19 If I speake of strength loe he is strong Chap 23. Of the Persons in the Trinity Pag. 256. John 5.7 There are three which beare record in heaven the c. Chap. 24. ibid. Chap. 25. Of God the Father Pag. 268. Text. Heb. 1.5 Thou art my Son this day c. Chap. 26. Of God the Sonne Pag. 279. Heb. 1.5 Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee c. Chap. 27. Of God the holy Ghost Pag. 291. John 15.26 The spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall c. OF GOD AND HIS ATTRIBUTES CHAP. I. JER 9.23 24. Thus saith the Lord Let not the wise-man glory in his wisdome c. But let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord. QUESTION WHerein consisteth the chiefest wisdome of man Answer In the true knowledge of the true God The first thing observable in this Text is this That the chiefest wisdome of every man consisteth in the true knowledge of the true God For out of it I reason thus That is mans chiefest wisdome in which hee ought more to rejoyce then in all worldly wisdome or worldly strength or all earthly riches in which most men have their chiefest rejoycing But every man is bound to glory more in the knowledge of God then in worldly wisdome c. Therefore c. This is confirmed Jer. 31.33 34. I will make a covenant with the house of Israel and this is the summe of the covenant They shall all know mee from the least of them to the greatest In which place is shewed what is the chiefest end of mans new creation viz. the true knowledge of God and therefore the people Hosea 6.3 after that the Lord had raised them from death to life say And we shall know the Lord. Qu. Why doth the chiefest wisdome of man consist in this Reason 1. Because without the knowledge of God a man cannot know himselfe The knowledge of a man in things naturall is an excellent knowledge yet it is nothing without the knowledge of himselfe as Saint Augustine saith Though a man know all mysteries to the breadth of the earth and the depth of the sea and know not himselfe hee is like to a man that makes a building without a foundation but without the knowledge of God no man can know himselfe because of that wicked pride that is naturally in man that when hee lookes upon himselfe hee thinkes himselfe so holy just pure c. that hee thinks injustice to bee justice impurity to be purity c. but if once he comes to see the face of God then hee sees his owne justice to be injustice and his owne purity to be impurity and his owne righteousnesse to be folly therefore it is the principall thing for a man to know God Reas 2. Because without this a man cannot worship God aright which is the end of his creation and to this purpose there are many places of Scripture call upon us Pro. 12.13 Psal 100. Come let us worship the Lord for hee hath made us The worship of God is commanded in the first Table and the principall thing in the first Table is the knowledge of God intimating thus much That there is no worship of God where there is no knowledge of God and therefore that man might know how to worship him he first declareth himselfe saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage and this is the method which David layes downe to Solomon first Know thou the God of thy Father and then serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde 1 Chron. 28.9 Reas 3. Because without this a man cannot be partaker of true happinesse Christ saith John 17.3 This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God that is to say There is no way to attaine to life but in the knowledge of the true God It is not the knowledge of all the things in the world that can make a man happy but the knowledge of God can for as Saint Augustine saith Hee is an unhappy man that knowes all things and is ignorant of the knowledge of God but saith he hee that knowes thee and is not vaine in his conversation but labours to worship thee hee is the happy man but every man else is worse then a Toade or Snake And he saith the same Father that hath a tree and can tell the height and breadth of it by a Jacob's staffe and knowes not the Creator of it is an unhappy man but another man that hath a tree and cannot tell the height of it nor knowes the number of the branches of it yet knowes thee the Creator of it hee is the happy man if hee bee never so poore nay if hee be as poore as Job hee is the true happy man but if he know all things and know not thee there is no way but he must needs perish Use 1. This then shewes That the chiefest folly of men is their ignorance of God whether it be a necessary ignorance in them to whom God hath denyed the meanes of knowledge or a negligent ignorance in them who have the meanes and doe not apply themselves to them or a wilfull ignorance in them who pull themselves from the meanes whether they bee Ideots that know nothing or men of understanding and learning that know other things yet are fooles in the knowledge of God Where is the Scribe where is the learned Egyptian where is the disputer of the Law but God hath chosen the poore and the base things of this world that they should confound the mighty 1 Cor. 1.20 So I may say Where is the learned Egyptian hath not God made the wise men of the world fools We have a Proverb The greatest Clerks are not alwayes the wisest men True if ignorant of God and see not that true wisdome stands in this I may say as the Wise-man saith Why is there a price in the hand of a foole to get wisdome and hee hath no heart to it Pro. 17.16 Why is there such understanding in other things and men have no heart to seeke after this Certainely the holy Ghost calls them fools for Solomon in Eccles 4.13 faith hee preferrs a young and wise child before an old and foolish King that will not be instructed So I say a poore man if wise
if the stile doth not agree to this of the Prophets and Apostles they are to be rejected If wee will know all true authority wee must know it by the stile for howsoever a false Writer may take to him the name and frame of another man yet hee cannot take his stile for as every man hath his severall countenance and severall colour that though two bee never so like yet there are some things whereby they may bee discerned so the writings of other men may bee knowne from the Scriptures on which the holy Ghost hath set such a stile as is not to bee found in all or any the writings of all the world besides Reas 3. The third ground was the consent of Christ and the Apostles with the Prophets that went before them the latter Prophets consent with the former and the former agree with them therefore this must needs be from a divine direction For amongst men who have written of the same subject wee may finde often variance but these did never really contradict one another there is no discrepance in them to bee found there were some thousands of yeers between the first Prophets writings and the Apostles and some thousands of miles betweene the Prophets and Apostles that wrote at the same time yet all doe agree together the ground is this because Truth as God is ever constant to it selfe Therefore the Prophet Jeremy reproves Hanani Jer. 28. because hee did not consent to the Prophets that went before him and the Apostle pronounceth an anathema against himselfe or an Angel or whosoever should teach any other doctrine All which shewes that there is a marvellous consent in the Scriptures and therefore they must needs be written by God and not by men Quest What other internall Arguments are there in the mindes of men to prove the Scripture the Word of God Answ It is proved first by the Spirit of God who witnesseth the same in the hearts of the Elect Secondly by the power and efficacie of the Word and the working it hath in the hearts of men To explaine this First the Spirit of God witnesseth this in the hearts of the Elect God is the best witnesse of himselfe so is the Spirit the best witnesse of the Word which is not beleeved untill it be settled in the heart of man by the Spirit that wrote it for till then wee reject it Some apply that of the Prophet Isa 59.21 My Spirit that I have put upon thee and my words that I have put in thy mouth c. In this manner the Spirit and the Word must agree together and continually bear witnesse each to other whatsoever is suggested by the Spirit and agreeth not with the Word is to bee rejected whatsoever is expressed in the Word is not beleeved till witnessed by the Spirit I add to these Christs owne speech to the Jewes John 8.42 43. who bragged that God was their Father if God bee your father why doe you not beleeve my words for if God be your Father then you have the Spirit of God but it is apparant that you have the Spirit of God because you beleeve not my words and therefore God is not your Father John 10.27 My sheepe heare my voice that is they doe acknowledge that this is my voice Ver. 16. I have other sheep that are not of this fold them also I must bring in and they shall heare my voice and ver 3 4. the shepheard calleth his sheep by name and they follow him and a stranger will they not follow where he sheweth that the sons of God have the Spirit of God in them whereby they are able to discerne the writings of God from other writings the Spirit of God giving them a cleare understanding to see and a perswasion to beleeve the truth of them and such a perswasion as no man knowes out of himselfe but in himselfe It is true as wee said before That the majestie of the stile and the consent of the Writers are great arguments to prove the Scriptures Gods Word but yet they give a man no assurance but onely breed in him a kinde of reverence as Salvian saith But if a man bee once enlightened with the Spirit of God hee rests not on his owne judgement nor on the judgement of all the world because hee hath inward judgement in himselfe which is the Spirit And thus much for the first internall argument The second argument is taken from the mindes of men and from the power and efficacie that the Word hath in the hearts and consciences of all men It hath a power to convert them to God to terrifie and awaken them and also to comfort them in distresses to wound them and to make them whole which no other writing can doe therefore it cannot be humane but divine This is manifest Psalm 19. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule No Philosopher can convert the heart though hee may bring men to outward civilitie like unto this The Word gives wisdome to the simple and therefore is divine It was that which made S. Paul to know that hee was dead for before the Law came hee was alive but when the Law came he was dead This the Apostle Saint Peter presseth to the Gentiles Act. 2.27 28. by which hee wounded them and with the same Word hee healed them no other Word could ever bring them to despaire of their owne righteousnesse no other could sustaine them despairing this is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Finally it is powerfull in operation Heb. 4.11 it is mighty to make a man at variance with himselfe the father against his sonne the mother against the daughter nothing was ever able to doe this but the Word of God Quest What externall proofes are there Answ First the fulfilling of the Prophecies in the Scripture in the same manner and the same circumstances in the same time and in the same persons things many hundred yeers before foretold are so accomplished as foretold this therefore cannot bee but a divine prediction Isa 41.22 The Prophet speaks of the Idols Come and let them tell us what shall come to passe hereafter arguing that to doe so must bee a divine thing The Divell cannot foretell things to come hee may ghesse at them but hee hath alwaies his shifting holes but the holy Scripture hath set downe in plaine termes the time and the persons and other circustances as 1 Reg. 13.2 Isa 45.1 Gen. 15.13 c. therefore it must needs bee a divine wisdome that did indite and inspire them Secondly The second externall argument is the antiquity of these they are ancienter then any other writings whatsoever the Egyptians indeed brag That they had writings before Moses but it is nothing but bragging and untruth Thirdly The great opposition that hath beene made against them and their preservation It is true that Aristotle burnt the books of his Master Plato a great Philosopher that himselfe might bee the more observed
and therefore as it is said of the Sonne that he is the onely begotten Son of the Father so it is said in the same place of the spirit that he proceeds from the Father and the Sonne but how may we understand this he received the whole Essence how he received it without division he received it without multiplication because that which is infinite cannot be multiplied yet he received it without alienation because he received so the whole Essence as it abides still in the Father and the Sonne Quest How is he said to sanctifie the elect Answ Because he dwells in the elect creating faith in them incorporating them into Christ applying Christ his death and resurrection to them To explane this First he dwells in them first he is said to sanctifie the elect in that he dwells in them in this we doe not exclude the Father and the Sonne any more then we did in the former they are all workes ad extra and therefore undivided yet understand the manner of working the holy Ghost is said to dwell in the elect it is he that creates faith in their hearts c. they all sanctifie the Father and the Son mediatly by the spirit the spirit immediatly by himselfe and why first he dwells in them namely not as by his gifts but a person therefore we may say this is his worke the Father not by any phrase of Scripture is said to dwell in them though they are said to be the temples of God he dwells in them not by his gifts onely but by his person because he is called the spirit of his Sonne when he dwells in them and again God hath sent the spirit of his Son Rom. 8. If the spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in you therefore they goe together Rom. 5. God hath shed his love in our hearts there is love which was the gift and the spirit which was the person againe he created faith that the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12.9 By the same spirit he gave to one the gift of miracles and to another the gift of faith c. 2 Cor. 4.13 He is called the spirit of faith faith is that that doth sanctifie as an instrument Acts 15. After that he had purified their hearts by faith Next that he doth incorporate men into Christ Rom. 8.9 He that hath not the spirit of Christ he is none of his intimating he that hath the spirit of Christ he is his Iohn 4.13 Hereby we know that God dwells in us by his spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 We are all baptised into one body by the spirit then we are all united into one body by one spirit for as Rom. 8 10. If the spirit be in you the body is dead by reason of sin but the spirit is alive for righteousnesse sake and by this he doth apply unto us the death of Christ to the death of sinne and the resurrection of Christ to the life of grace Rom 6.3.4.5 As many as are baptised into Christ are baptised into the death of Christ by baptisme we are also ingrafted into the similitude of his resurrection therefore the spirit sanctifies when he dwells in every one of the elect c. it is necessarily and fitly said that it is he that sanctifies the elect and thus I have explaned this point so much as I thought fit to communicate unto you Vse 1. This teaches us that we ought to labour for the knowledge of this that we may keep our selves from error it was a commendable diligence of the ancient Fathers that taught when the spirit was taken for the person and when for the gifts because heresies have sprung from hence because they understood the words amisse therefore that we may hold the truth we are to labour to know it and in this case although we finde not a proper name given to the third person yet we must acknowledge him distinctly because we know there is a Father a Son and a Spirit Object You tell us he is a Spirit Answ We answer so is the Father and so is the Sonne but so the name of Father is common to all and the Sonne is said to be the Father and the holy Ghost also therefore there is no reason why we should conceive them to be three names given to the same God in divers respects but rather conceive that there was but a common name given to him because he was the common substantiall joy and love between the Father and Son Vse 2. This serves to confirme us in the faith against all hereticks that deny the holy Ghost not to stand upon their arguments the Macedonians stand up as it were to oppose the Diety of the holy Ghost and say he is not God and they thinke they have a colour for it from the counsell of Nice in which we say we beleeve in the Father God and Lord and in the Sonne God and Lord but when they come to the holy Ghost we beleeve in the holy Ghost and therefore these hereticks say that he was not God Saint Basil answering to this objection from the Nicen counsell saies they had no reason to explane this concerning the spirit as they had done the Father and Sonne for no man then made any question of the divinity of the holy Ghost nay saies Nazianzen this is a sufficient confession of his Deity for they say a particular thing assenting by it that he is God because they beleeve in him and whereas they observe that the spirit is taken for the gifts of the spirit true it is it is so but it is put for the person also and therefore though it be taken sometime for the gifts yet it doth not overthrow that he is a person as the Arians that could not deny of Christ that he was a person said notwithstanding he was but a made God so these say of the spirit that he is not a God by nature but it is manifest that he must needs be a God by nature when he hath the name Jehovah and the proper workes of God attributed to him yea but say they if he were a God by office yet he had a created nature and so not God from eternity the Fathers called these by that name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies fighters against the spirit of God for they say there was no spirit till after Christs glorification grounded upon Iohn 17.39 The spirit was not given because that Christ was not yet glorified and hereupon they added that blasphemy the Church in the beginning was content to beleeve in one God afterwards the counsell of Nice must have two persons and after this the counsell of Constantinople must have three but to answer their cavill that he was before all these appears Iohn 1.32 I saw the holy Ghost saith Iohn Baptist at Christs baptisme Iohn 1.33 Thou seest the holy Ghost to discend after he was risen Iohn 20.21 He breathed upon the Apostles and saies receive the holy Ghost Object But
c. Act. 14.17 that though they had not his Word yet they might grope after God the Apostle alledgeth a proofe out of one of their owne Poets that taught them you are Gods generation if you bee of Gods generation you must have reason and understanding that you may in your selves finde out the knowledge of God This specially appeares in mans body because the body of man is called a little world upon any part whereof if a man looke hee may finde God so that a man by naturall knowledge may come to know that there is a God and what he is And this is the Answer to the first Question Quest 2. Why is God to be knowne naturally Answ 1. The Answer stands in three things First because there never was any Nation Citie or Family without religion and a kinde of worship 2. Because that men by this naturall knowledge might be provoked to search for a more perfect knowledge 3. Because all men might be without excuse First the answer stands thus There have beene many Nations that knew not God by Revelation but there never was any Nation Citie or Family without some kinde of worship From whence we inferr that they have some naturall knowledge of God for where there is religion there is some knowledge that there is a God This principle of the being of God was so deeply planted in them that rather then they would not have a God they worshipped the works of their owne hands and this shewes they have some naturall knowledge Secondly God hath still kept his Church in some eminent place whither they moved by this naturall instinct might flie to bee more fully instructed in the knowledge of the true God as Esay speaks Come and let us goe up to the house of God for hee will teach us his wayes Indeed we know something of him by nature but we know nothing as wee ought to know as it appears further by the Apostle S. Paul Thirdly Because all men might be without excuse so the Apostle affirmes Rom. 1.20 that the invisible things of God as his eternall power and Godhead were seene in his works that they might bee without excuse they had such a knowledge as told them that God was their Creator that when they knew God and glorified him not as God c. they might have no excuse and for this cause it was that they had such naturall knowledge And this is the first thing Use 1. Is there then such light naturally in the heart of man this drawes us to this good meditation Oh what an excellent knowledge was that in which wee were first created Wee may gather this from the light that is left in us even as the bignesse of Hercules his bodie was gathered by his foot and as a man may see the bignesse of a Lion by his claw or by looking upon the ruines of a great house may see what a Palace it sometimes was so when we looke upon the ruines of nature wee may see in what an excellent estate we were at the first For conclusion then Let us take notice of our losse that it may bee a provocation to make us recover our selves seeing that wee had such a knowledge that we knew God perfectly wee may endeavour to know him so againe or as men that have had great estates and are fallen to decay are carefull to recover themselves and neglect no meanes whereby they may recover their losse so wee looking upon our selves may see our losse and labour to recover it Use 2. Then ought wee continually to see God in the heavens and in the earth that by these visible things wee may come to see the invisible God as the eternall power and Godhead these things should not be passed over slightly The Apostle S. Paul to draw us to a consideration of this calls it the knowledge of God so Christ teacheth us to consider the Lilies of the field and the Ravens to see God in these this David doth Psal 104. which whole Psalm doth notably set forth God to be known by his works so that in the least creature wee may see God yea even in the least Fly as well as in the greatest Elephant so that by the meditation of the creature we may see the beauty of the Creator Saint Augustine meditating or looking upon the creature Lord saith hee thou art beautifull therefore hast thou made them beautifull thou art good therefore they are good thou hast a being therefore thou gavest them a being This we know yet this our knowledge being compared with the knowledge we had is nothing but ignorance therefore let us labour to meditate on this that by searching wee may finde out God Hee is a good Clerk that can read in these books and shall bee drawn to see the wisdome power and justice of God but as the Prophet Isa 5.11 12. complaines that no man considers the works of the Lord they have the Pipe and Lute in their Feasts So wee may say that many are so taken up with pleasure and other vanities that they will not consider the works of God and therefore no marvell that they are so ignorant because they will not goe out of themselves Quest How is God knowne above nature Answ By Revelation and that either by his Word or Spirit The knowledge of God which is by Nature is a common knowledge it belongs to all men but this that is above nature is the particular voice that sounds in the Church The first way whereby God is knowne to us above nature is the Word whereof David speaking Psalm 19 7. saith The Testimonies of the Lord are sure enlightning the eyes revealing the object enabling the organ He hath given his Lawes and his Statutes unto Israel hee hath not dealt so with every Nation and Christ saith that No man hath seene God at any time but the onely begotten Sonne of God and hee to whom hee will reveale him John 1.17 So Saint Paul Act. 17.23 speaks to the Athenians him doe I declare unto you whom you ignorantly worship The second way that hee reveales himselfe is by his Spirit Mat. 11.25 I thank thee O Father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes Also 1 John 2.27 You have an oyntment saith the Apostle and you need not that any one teach you but the Spirit of God teacheth you all things Quest Why hath God made himselfe manifest after this manner Ans For three reasons First because that knowledge which we have by nature is obscure Secondly because that knowledge without this is imperfect and partiall Thirdly because the knowledge of the Word is not effectuall without the Spirit For the first God hath revealed himselfe by his Word because the discovery which nature makes is marvellous obscure Simonides a great Philosopher being asked by Hieron the Tyrant what God was desired two daies respite and then being asked he desired two dayes more and then being
thou hast need of thy servant that he may serve thee but God is the true God and hath no need of any man but every man hath need of him therefore it is necessary that every man should returne his being to him Againe he hath no need of mans piety as Iob speakes can a man be profitable to God there is no benefit that a man can yeeld to God but man receives all from him and he may take all away at his pleasure and therefore we ought to serve him no man will say that God had need of us If a man goes to a River drinks to satisfie his thirst wil a man say the River had need of him no but that he had need of the River so here therefore every one ought to serve this God with feare for that God who made thee a man might have made thee a beast or a snake but hath not and therefore seeing we doe but draw our breathes from him there is reason that we should feare him and serve him that we may have the continuance of our lives here and eternall life hereafter and this shall suffice for this use Quest The next question is whether this Essence be one or many Answ The answer is made that there is but one simple Essence without division or partition we instance this my text I am that I am here is no more but one simple Essence without any partition like unto this is Zach. 14.9 And they shall worship one God The meaning is that after Christ shall come the Gentiles with the Jewes shall all worship one and the same true God And this is that which Christ speaks I and the Father are one this argues a plurality of persons in that he saith I the Father but when he comes to the Essence he saith are one and there he instances in the singular number Iohn 5.7 There are three that bare witnesse in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit these three are one Where the Apostle doth shew that these three persons are one in Essence Quest Seeing there are three persons why should there be but one Essence Answ First because there can be but one God Secondly because this Essence is most perfect Thirdly because these three are alike Coeternall Reas 1. First there can be but one God therefore there can be but one Essence for it is a true position that the learned have that the Essence of God is God therefore if there were many Essences there would be many Gods but there can be but one God as hath beene shewed marke the reason if the Essence were devided there must be three Gods for where the Essence is devided there are three as Peter Iames and Iohn are three why because their Essence is devided but in the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost these are not three Essences but one Essence as Saint Bernard saith this God is the true God which is so simple that he cannot have parts and so one that he cannot have number therefore if he be but one God he must needs be but one Essence Reas 2. Because this Essence is most perfect in the highest degree that which is perfect in the highest degree can be but one because that one must containe all perfections If there should be many there could be none most perfect because in every one some perfection or some degree of perfection would be wanting Therfore these three persons being in the highest degree perfect can be but one Essence Reas 3. Because they are all eternall alike that is manifest for it is a maine Article of Religion to be believed that the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are Coeternall there can be but one eternall and wheras the Father is before the Sonne in regard of order yet not in time they are alike eternall therfore there are not severall Essences Vse 1. The first use serves to condem all those hereticks that denied the diety of the Son and holy Ghost yet denied not simply that they were God but that they were Gods by nature we say they are heere confuted for if the God head be but one Essence it must needs follow that these persons are Gods by nature or not at all In created things they that have a like nature are sayd to be the same Essence as in birds beasts and men whatsoever hath the nature of a man we say it is a man though he have not the same singular nature that others have yet we say he hath the nature of a man there is difference as the Learned observe betweene the like Essence and the same Essence he that hath the like Essence of some one man hath not the same Essence of that man but the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are one and the same Essence Vse 2. Here is direction for our faith what we must believe of God if we will be saved we must believe aright in God and we cannot believe aright unles we understand him what he is and here our knowledge and faith must distinguish these three persons one from another Father Sonne and holy Ghost but yet our faith may not divide the Essence we must distinguish the Essence from the persons that doe subsist in it therfore if we believe aright though there be three persons yet there is but one Essence and we must hold this as a maine Article of Christian faith Salvian sayth speaking of the Creed he that denies the first Article overthrowes all the rest so I say he that holds not this hath no faith at all Vse 3. The third use is this here is matter of comfort to those that are Gods and that which is the especiall meanes of comfort is prayer they may come boldly to the throne of grace and go away assured that they are heard because there is but one Essence you will aske me how it follows upon this I explaine it thus they that pray and pray aright cannot pray to God the Father but in the name of the Sonne neither can they pray of themselves but the spirit makes request for them Rom. 8. those that the Father commands to pray and the Son praies for and the spirit helpes shall they not have assurance seeing that God entreates himselfe for them for prayers are made to the Father through the Sonne and by the holy Ghost Saint Augustin speaking of Christ saith Christ praies for us and in us and is praied to of us Christ prayes for us as he is our Priest he prayes in us as he is our head and he is prayed to of us as he is our God now no doubt but we shall prevaile when we haue the Sonne a mediator and the spirit of God our helper therefore we may goe away with assurance for if a great Prince would not only vouchsafe to let poore creatures put ut Petitions for them and his Son to present them to him but also appoint his secretary to drawe their petitions for them and his Sonne to
present them to him undoubtedly they should speed and therefore they should goe with assurance so God vouchsafes this mercy that he will let us come to put up our petition to him and he gives us his spirit to make them his Sonne to present them and these three are one and therefore we may goe with boldnesse as Cyprian sayth if any man pray to God and use that prayer his Sonne made he may have good hope to be heard and we say he may be assured to be heard when he makes that prayer which the spirit of God made and thus have we comfort in this that the Father Son and holy Ghost are but one Essence OF GOD AND HIS ATTRIBUTES CHAP. VIII JOHN 4.24 God is a spirit and they that worship him c. THE last day you heard these things concerning God that he is one spirituall Essence distinguished into three persons In which description of God I have shewed you that we are to speake of these particulars First that he is an Essence Secondly that he is one Essence Thirdly that his Essence is spiriuall Fourthly that it is perfect of his Essence and that he is but one was spoken of the last day Now to proceed to the third viz. that it is a spirituall Essence according to our order the question and answer stand thus Quest What is meant when it is said that God is a spirituall Essence An. That God is a spirit his nature substance is indivisible and corporeall we may come to see what he is by that which he is not as it is not possible to tell what God is so it is hard to describe what a spirit is but yet by that which he is not we may see in part what he is as Saint Austin saith to know what God is is the safest way to know what he is not To prove this description of God that he is a Spirit 2. Cor. 3.17 The Lord is a spirit invisible that a spirit is invisible Christ saith Luke 24.34 see feele me for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see I have 1. Tim. 1.17 To God only wise invisible and he is described by negatives Col 1.15 The Image of the invisible God where it appeares that God is a Spirit invisible and incorporeall Quest How do you confirme this by reason Answ By three reasons First because he is most simple without composition Secondly because he cannot be contained in any space or place Thirdly because he is insensible he cannot be perceived by any sense therefore he must needs be invisible and incorporeall to explane every one of these Reason 1. First that God is most simple without composition as you have heard out of Saint Bernard he is so simple that there are no parts in him if he have no parts then he must needs be simple and without composition and indeed of what should he be compounded He was before all things therefore necessarily he must be without all composition all created spirits are without bodies but all created spirits have a kinde of composition but God hath none all created spirits both Angels and soules of men have a kinde of composition they are compounded of act and power but God hath neither matter nor forme nor is compounded of act and power therefore he is without composition and it may well be said that he is a spirit invisible and incorporeall Reason 2. The second reason is because he cannot be comprehended or contained in any place or space corporeall things are comprehended as the bodies that are in this place may be circumscribed the reason is because they have length bredth and depth but no such thing is in God I say all spirits are without these and free from circumscription then much more this Spirit this is that Solomon speaks of 1. Kings 8.2 Doth God indeed dwell among men behold the heavens of heavens are not able to containe thee So Ier. 23.24 I fill heaven and earth Saint Cyprian saith God is such an essence as is spirituall and is in every place and excluded out of no place nor included in any place but fills every place therefore he must needs be a spirit invisible and incorporeall Thirdly because he is insensible it must needs follow he is a spirit for spirits are not subject to senses so you heard out of Luk. 24. feel see a spirit hath not flesh bones as you see me have The reason is because spirits have not sensible qualities which are the object of mens senses much lesse hath God any such qualities in God there is no mutability nor change therefore he is not subject to sense for whatsoever is subject to sense is mutable that which is the snarpest sense and best able to comprehend is the eies but this cannot comprehend God God is infinite therefore cannot possibly fal under finit sense of man that which is subject to sense is subject to mans understāding but God exceeds mans understanding he is great we know him not saith Elihu we know him no futher then he doth reveale himselfe and when we know the most how little of him do we perceive Therefore it followes from hence that God is a Spirit Vse 1. The first use if this be so it reproves the error of those heretiques called the Anthropomorphite that taught that God had a bodily shape they are confuted by this that God is a Spirit in whom there cannot be any such thing Ob. Yea but say they the Scriptures give these things to God hands eies eares and feet Answ These are given to God by a Metaphor by a kinde of borrowed speech namely that which man doth with these members God doth without them and these are given to God in Scripture for our capacity when we say God hath a head feet or other members it is by effect and not by nature we say that God is life saith St. Ierom wisdome and hath eies c. we say God hath eies because he is wholly an eie and sees every thing in every place and so we say he hath feet because he is wholly feet he is in every place and doth behold all things and workes all things Obje And whereas it is said that man is made after the Image of God Answ He is indeed but not in bodily shape but in the soule in righteousnesse in wisdome holinesse knowlege c. therefore these are but cavells of theirs Vse 2. Secondly this reproves any representations of God in any Images either internall in the minde by thoughts or externall by Pictures there cannot be any representation of God for God is a spirit and a spirit cannot be represented by any grosse or earthly matter much lesse can God who is more spirituall then spirits It is not befitting his Majesty to to be pictured and hereupon it is that he forbids all representations of him neither did the people of God howsoever God did appear to them in bodily shapes at any time in any
seeke peace and pursue it This is the way to obtaine them In humility and the feare of the Lord are riches and honour and life It is true some wicked men live long but no wicked man can promise himselfe long life he is under the curse Psal 55. The bloudy and deceitfull man shall not live out halfe his daies It is true some good men die in their youth but not till they are glutted with life The child shall die an hundred yeares old Isa 65.20 that is as well satisfied with life as if he had lived an hundred yeares Thus to feare God is the way to live long in the earth nay it is the way never to die Eternall life is promised to those who with patience continue in well doing To conclude God is life God is the Fountaine of life unto him we must seek for the continuance of the life of nature the inchoation and preservation of the life of grace and the obtaining of the life of glory The next Attribute that is communicable is the wisdome of God and so according to our order the question is Quest What is the wisdome of the divine Essence Answ The answer is that it is that by which God knowes and understands himselfe and all things else not successively nor by discourse or reasoning but in a moment by one eternall act of understanding this needs a little explaning and First that it is a communicable Attribute because there is the like in man though not the same 2. By which he understands and knowes himselfe and not himselfe only but all things else with the causes circumstances and whatsoever else thereto belongeth how Not successively and by discourse and reasoning for though they be distinct one from another and come one after another yet he in a moment understands them all by one act of understanding Therefore howsoever the Scripture tells us of three things in God that there is presence science and remembrance yet they are all one in God for God to speake properly hath neither presence nor remembrance for he knowes all things by one eternall act of understanding he admits no succession howsoever in respect of us God doth foreknow yet in God there is nothing but science for by one act of understanding he knowes all things and that it is so that he understands himselfe is manifest Matth. 11. No man knoweth the Father but the son no man hath seen the Father Iohn 1.18 No man knowes the things of God but the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 In which places though Christ and the Apostle expresse the Sonne or holy Ghost yet they exclude not the Father but intimate him teaching Psal 147.5 that this knowledge is in them all as he knowes himselfe so also all things else The wisedome of God is infinite if it be infinite then is nothing to be excluded from it Heb. 4.15 Every thing is manifest before him with whom we have to doe He knowes things past present and to come Prov. 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evill and the good he knowes all Gen. 6.5 He knew the wickednesse of mans heart was great So Psal 139.4 Thou seest my thoughts a farre off there is not a word in my mouth but thou knowest it Whither shall I goe from thy presence the night and the day are all one Againe he knowes all things without succession of time as well that which is present as that which is to come Therefore saith David Psal 90.4 a thousand yeares are with the Lord but as yesterday when it is past Whatsoever is to be done with the Lord a thousand yeares after is as present with him or as a thing already past The Apostle Saint Peter speaketh A thousand yeares is but as one day So that we see God understands all things past present and to come Quest Why is this wisedome Attributed to the Divine Essence Answ The answer is because this wisedome is this Essence it selfe Secondly because he is the Creator and governor of all things Thirdly because he is infinite both in time and place these things opened will manifest that he hath this infinite wisedome For the first this wisedome of God is his Essence it selfe as his will his holinesse his justice his mercy are himselfe so also the wisedome of God is himselfe You heard the rule because he is most simple and therefore of no composition nothing but himselfe therefore in this case seeing all is himselfe it will follow that his wisedome is himselfe Secondly because he is the Creator and governor of all things therefore he must needs know all things else the holy Ghost reasons not substantially Psalm 94. He that planteth the eare shall he not heare He intimates thus much that God knowes all things because he made all things And in the 11. verse he saith he knowes the thoughts of men that they are but vaine therefore he must needs know all secret things as it is with an Artist that hath made a Clock or some other instrument that hath motions in it both secret and open those that are open he seeth and all others may see them but those that are secret none knowes but he that made them so is it with God Those things which are in man no man knowes yet the Lord knowes them because he is the maker of them Secondly God governes and guides all things to their proper ends so that he must both know the things and the ends they are made for he made all things for his owne glory Thirdly he sustaines and bears up althings by his power then he must needs know every thing that he hath in his hand Againe he is the Judge of all men then he must needs know all that he may rightly judge for it is unrighteous judgement if it be not according to knowledge but God judgeth righteously I the Lord search the heart to give to every one according to his works to add to this that he is not only a Judge but a most wise Judge that will assure any thing upon his own knowledge Mal. 3.5 I will be a swift witnes against you saith God he will be both the Judge and witnes therefore he must needs know all things Finally he knowes all things not successively and by discourse of reason but by one act of understanding because he is infinite in place and in time without beginning and without ending this is the same which Saint Augustine speakes of that he is not prevented by any time or place but by one act of knowledge knowes all things and thus much for this Vse 1. The first use then teacheth us that we serve the true and living God because we serve the alknowing God we may heere discerne the true God from false gods Thus the Lord himselfe in the Prophet reasons Let them bring forth and shew us what shall happen let them shew the former things what they be or declare us things to come shew the
their calling their grace is of the power of God and God is able to keepe them God is able to doe whatsoever he will I say he can doe it if he will and he will doe it for he hath called them and given them grace without themselves and promiseth by Ieremiah 52.40 that he will marry them to himselfe with an everlasting covenant that he will never turne away from them to doe them good But how shall this be made good Here is the assurance He is able to doe whatsoever he will and none can ever faile whom God will uphold Indeede if God will change his will and loose his power a man that is called might fall away but who shall make him to faile Bernard saith that God hath two hands one latitude and the other fortitude the one is rich in mercy the other ability in power by the one hand he gives bountifully and by the other he powerfully defends whatsoever he hath given He that thinkes such a man may fall away he cuts off as it were one of Gods armes 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have beleeved we have beleeved on him that is omnipotent whilst we have his word and power we are sure not that we should presume and grow desperate but that we should worke out our salvation with feare and trembling and labour to see how weake we are in our selves and yet when we looke up to the power of God should triumph and rejoyce Is God thus This teaches us to labour to feare this great God Who will not feare thee oh King of Nations Ier. 1.10 are you stronger then God who art thou then that darest provoke God to his face and please thy self in sinne if he were a weake God that thou mightest make thy party good with him it were somewhat but when he is a spirituall God of such might and power to avenge himselfe how should this worke feare in thee two evils draw men into sinne and are occasions of much evill presuming on Gods mercy and fearing mans power these two saith Saint Austin are a cause of much evill many perish by presuming others by fearing the power of men because they can kill the body how shall men be able to prevent these in few words to resist these poysoned darts consider of the power of God when thou considerest he is mercifull and gracious thinke withall that he is powerfull and just that by presuming thou sinne not against him if he were a God of patience without power then a man might doe what he list againe if a man take this God to be omnipotent then he will not feare him that can kill the body when these stand not together the power of men and the power of God then feare the great power of God which is able to take thee body and soule and throw thee to hell And thus much for this Attribute OF THE TRINITIE CHAP. XXIII IOHN 5.7 There are three which beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one THE knowledge of God as was propounded was to be sought in his written Word which taught us not onely that there is a God and that there is but one onely God but also what that God is the description of whom out of the Scriptures you have heard that he is one Essence most perfect distinguished into three persons c. to the perfection of God belongs all the Attributes as you have heard of all the proper attributes of God we have spoken at large there be other attributes which the learned call Metaphoricall there are but few of them but may well be reduced under these We are now to goe on with the last thing of our description that is that God is distinguished into three persons for the ground of handling the Trinity we have made choyce of this Text that there are three that beare record in heaven This mystery is onely to be found in the word of God and so onely knowne of the Church of God which hath the true word of God and the Church hath endeavoured to speake as plaine as it can in such a mystery I remember a speech of Saint Augustine who wrote a booke of the Trinity of this great and excellent point we must speake with modesty and feare we ought to heare with great attention for where unity of the Trinity is to be shewed saith the Father men erre most dangerously and nothing is enquired with more difficulty nor found with more profit so that we must have great care to endevour to understand it so farre as it is revealed God hath revealed it and it is sinfull and damnable negligence not to seeke after that which is revealed by God but let us labour for humility that we looke not into this mystery further then is needfull The weakenesse of man can looke on the beames of the Sunne but not on the body of the Sunne so man in this case if he looke too farre may lose his eyes The men of Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 4.6 had the hand of God upon them when they looked into the Arke of God will it not therefore follow that we must be sober in this seeing God hath really manifested his anger against them in that manner Hence comes the blasphemy of Hereticks because they have looked into this mystery further then is meet therefore we will labour with feare to keepe our selves within the bounds of modesty and sobriety much time may be spent in explaning of words as of unity and trinity and Essence c. but I thinke that our time shall be more profitablely spent if we apply our selves rather to the matter then to explane words once take this for a trueth and as a thing granted and as a ground that will hold That as it was with Adam before the fall he gave names to every beast so in this case the Church may give names and use expressions of her owne to declare this great mystery without just offence to any and therefore now to come to the matter This is a great and principle thing to bespoken of That there are three persons and that they are three distinct persons for the opening of this mystery the better we must first describe what a person is and then shew why they are such Quest What is a person Answ The answer is It is a substance subsisting of it selfe undivideable incommunicable living understanding and willing of which description to open every word briefely because it is but an introduction to that which followes First it is a substance subsisting I doe not say that it is a substance barely but subsisting with such a property and in such a manner that it cannot be another then it is for instance Peter Paul are two persons they are both substances subsisting but Peter is in such a manner Peter as he cannot be Paul and I say after this manner a person is a substance subsisting Secondly by it selfe so it is
Saint Austin hath a pretty similitude to expresse there are three the Spring and River and a portion taken out of these are three distinct c. but if any man should aske what is the Spring water what is the River water what is the portion taken out water come to a Well saith he fill three cups with water we can say they are three but we cannot say that they are three severall waters these mysteries being hard ought to be studied and praied for Saint Augustine saith give me that I love what is that when I set my self to know thee I beseech thee give me a heart that I may know thee even these great mysteries of salvation thus every man ought to pray c. CHAP. XXIV IOHN 5.7 There are three which beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit Quest HOw are these persons distinguished or how are these three distinguished Answ The answer is they are three not divided but distinguished truely and really not essentially but personally and that by their order properties and workes I say they are distinguished not divided there is a double distinction of persons one is called an essentiall distinction then the persons are so distinguished as they are divided and there is a personall but not essentiall distinction then one person is not severed from another because the Essence is not severed Three persons of men essentially distinguished are three men but the persons of the Trinity distinguished onely personally are not three Gods but one The former three persons are three men because their essences may be divided although not in the generall yet in the speciall the latter three persons are not three Gods because their essence cannot be divided Three men have all one nature all one humanity in the generall but they have not all one nature in the speciall for the nature of one is not the nature of another now in this the reason is manifest because that their essence is finite and divisible but here there are three persons and cannot be three Gods because their essence is infinite and indivisible so that in the Trinity there is as a Father speakes alius alius not aliud aliud that is there is but one substance yet many persons As the Father is another person but not another thing from the Sonne and the holy Ghost another from them both and this is manifestly proved after this manner Three must needs be a personall distinction they are three witnesses and a witnesse cannot change his habit as Hereticks say yet so as they are but one Iohn 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the last of these manifests that the Essence is not distinguished but the persons for the Word was God That there is such a distinction Psal 110.1 The Lord said unto my Lord there the person speaking and the person spoken unto are distinguished the Lord said to Sathan The Lord rebuke thee where in the first place is the Son the Lord rebuke thee he meanes the Father Iohn 5.32 there is another that beareth witnesse of me and in Iohn 8.18 I beare witnesse of my selfe Iohn 14.10 I am with the Father he doth not say I am the Father but I am with the Father whereupon it must needes be that there is distinction betweene the Father and Sonne and the holy Ghost is distinguished personally from them both Mat. 3.15 there is a voyce from heaven and the Spirit descended like a Dove the Father speaking and the Sonne is he of whom he speaks the holy Ghost he that descended Iohn 14.16.27 I will pray the Father and he shall send another comforter in my name whence it followes that therefore the Father who sends and the Sonne who prayes and the holy Ghost who is sent are three persons really distinguished This may suffise to shew unto us that there are three distinct person Quest But how are they distinguished in their orders Answ First because they are one before and after another by an unchangeable order first second and third they are not one before another in dignity but in order and that is unchangeable for the first cannot be the second nor the third the Father cannot be the second person nor the Sonne cannot be the first nor the third c. the reason of this is because the Father is of himselfe not of another having the foundation of personall existance or substance in himselfe and of himselfe therefore it must needs be that he must be the first that is that which some thinke Christ intended Iohn 5.26 The Father hath life in himselfe that is first and originally Secondly the Sonne is of another and therefore he cannot be the first person because he hath the foundation of a personall subsistance from the Father and so he cannot be the third person because he hath it onely from the Father this is that same in Iohn As the Father hath life in himselfe so hath he given to the Son to have life in himselfe c. he receiveth it from the Father The holy Ghost is neither of the Father alone nor of the Sonne alone but he is of them both therefore he is the third person receiving the foundation of personall subsistance from the Father and the Sonne then this immutable order doth distinguish them It is true that the Scripture places the Sonne before the Father and the holy Ghost before the Sonne 2 Cor. 1.13 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God the Father c. 2 Thes 2.16 Iesus Christ our Lord Revel 1.4 5 Iohn wishes salvation to the Churches first from the Father secondly from the Spirit this is not to change their order but because the matter they speake of requires it and to shew that there is none greater or lesser then other Quest How are they distinguished by their properties Answ They have every one incommunicable properties by which they are distinguished the Father begetting the Sonne the Sonne being begotten and the holy Ghost proceeding these properties are such as cannot be communicated to others without them nor amongst themselves such as they had before there was any beginning of the world this is as some Divines say nothing but the proper manner of existing for they say the Father is the nature of the Divine Essence subsisting by the incommunicable property of begetting The Sonne is the nature of the divine Essence subsisting by the incommunicable property of being begotten The holy Ghost is the nature of the divine Essence subsisting by his incommunicable property of proceeding I say by these relations they were distinguished amongst themselves before there was any creation The Father is unbegotten begetting the Sonne The Sonne is begotten by an unsearchable generation the holy Ghost is of the Father and the Sonne after a wonderfull manner which is called procession That they are thus distinguished is gathered out of the Scriptures thus
because the Scriptures never tell us of any originall or beginning that the Father had therefore is unbegotten Againe the Scriptures tell us that there was one begotten and that was the Sonne Psal 2.7 Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee Iohn 1.14 the onely begotten Sonne Rom. 8.32 he is called his owne Sonne then it is manifest that there is a second which is begotten Lastly the Scriptures tell us of one that proceeded from them both it is manifest Iohn 15.26 The comforter that I shall send is the holy Ghost and thereupon he is called the Spirit of the Father Mat. 10. and the Spirit of the Sonne whom the Father will send in your hearts why because he proceeds from them both observe a little more these are the particulars of the persons the Father begets I doe not say the Essence begets the Sonne is begotten I doe not say the Essence is begotten this is understood of the person not of the Essence why because they must have the Essence of themselves or else they cannot be God These personall actions which they exercise one to another are called internall works and hereupon that ground is that the Schooles hold that their internall works are divided that they cannot be communicated the Father in begetting the Sonne in being begotten and the holy Ghost proceeding Quest How are they distinguished by their works Answ Their workes are creation redemption sanctification and the like which in the substance are common to them all three but in manner of working are proper to some one To explane this There is a rule that the works of the Trinity without them are undivided these three persons are together and worke together for there is but one worke they worke all together The Scripture speakes plainly Gen. 1.26 Let us make man where we see there is a common worke the Father faith not to the Sonne I will make man or make you the man c. but let us make c. This is that which Christ speakes Iohn 5.25 The Father workes hitherto and I worke and so Iohn 16.15 All that the Father hath is mine whatsoever it is that is the Fathers is mine the difference is in the order and manner of working this is manifest 1 Cor. 15. Thankes be unto God that hath given us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ where God gives the victory but by Christ The Fathers use much one testimony of Paul to this purpose Rom. 11.36 Of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for ever Amen The Apostle speakes there of works which we call works a dextra he nameth three manners of working and yet he saith there is but one God and therefore to him be glory Now on the other side as the Essence may not be divided so the persons are not to be confounded for he saith of him and through him and for him are all things the Father workes all things of himselfe by the Sonne and the Sonne workes from the Father by the holy Ghost this is the manner of working And before I come to the Reason let me adde one thing more a distinction which Martin Luther had the workes of the Trinity are to be considered absolutely as they are God so they are common to them all and relatively that is to say that every one workes according to his personall property and so one creates and another redeemes and another sanctifies The reason is this for the Father he is of himselfe and therefore workes of himselfe the Son is not of himselfe as a person but from the Father and therefore he workes from the Father and the holy Ghost from them both and is not of himselfe as a person and therefore workes not of himselfe but from them both thus the ground of their working is the manner of their subsisting therefore we give the Father the beginning of the worke and the Son the forwarding and framing and the holy Ghost the effecting c. So that we see by this that I have opened first what is communicated to them all wherein they differ and how they differ viz. by order properties and manner of working Vse 1. This takes away an imputation that Heretiques have laid upon the Church that it hath brought in vaine appellations in expressing this misstry and they tell us that it is forbiden that a woman should speake in the Church the meaning of which place they say is that Phylosophy which is but a handmaid should not speake in the Church Arius Sabelliens the great grand hereticks denied the diety of the Sonne and the holy Ghost they had this cavell for themseves we speake no other way then God speakes we are cast out of the Church and excommunicated because we will not admit these prophane voices of Trinity and Unity but the Church is not worthy of blame neither is there any excuse for them for the Church doth not take up these names out of any affectation of novelty but as Saint Austin speakes meerly out of a necessity of speech namely because that otherwise they could not meet with nor distinguish hereticks that they might be better knowne when Hereticks began to oppose this doctrine they would say there was one God and when they saw there was three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost they would say these three were one God but how as it is said Acts 2. the Saints had all one heart therefore the Church takes these termes one in Essence to discover these Hereticks so they will say that there was a Father Sonne and holy Ghost but that the Father was sometimes the Sonne and sometimes the holy Ghost so that he was the Father in one respect and the Sonne in another hereupon the Church upon warrant of the Scriptures found out these words that whereas Hereticks would speake with the Church and would not conceive and meane with the Church they might be severed and known to be Hereticks Vse 2. Secondly here is direction for every man that will truely and savingly beleeve in one and three in one Essence and three distinct persons not dividing the Essence nor confounding the persons he that beleeves in a God and not in three persons hath a fiction of his owne braine which he beleeves in he that beleeves that there are not three persons distinguished and one Essence cannot be saved for a man cannot be saved but by true faith but he that beleeves not in the trinity as he hath revealed himselfe hath not true faith every man therefore must labour after this manner to beleeve whereupon brethren we inferre the necessity of the knowledge of this mystery for a man cannot beleeve unlesse he know it therefore every one ought to bend his eares and his head to know it if God had revealed himselfe in generall it had bin enough to know him so but God hath revealed himselfe in particular how he is one and how he is three therefore the Church knowing that this
lighted two things the light and the fire if the question be what is the cause of the light the answer must be fire but if we should aske whether the light or heat were first we could answer they are both together if it may be thus in the creature how much more in the creator Vse 2. This in the next place commends unto us the love of Christ though he was God and equall to God the Father though he was the eternall and infinite God yet he became our redeemer the worke doth not so much commend his love as the manner of the working if comparisons may be here modestly admitted it seemes there is a greater love that Christ doth manifest then the Father c. the Father sheweth his love in appointing and sending and giving but the Sonne gives himselfe for us the Fathers love is apparent Isai 45.4.5 I will give men for thee c. where God shewes his love to the intent saith the Lord that I might free thee I put thee into their hands yet what are these these are nothing in comparison of his love in redeeming his elect he put his owne Sonne into his enemies hands so we may see Iohn 3.16 So God loved the world Rom. 5. God sets forth his love that when we were enemies Christ died for us Yet notwithstanding see the greatnesse of the love of Christ in this he being God humbleth himselfe to the lowest degree that he might redeem his as first he tooke flesh Secondly he dies c. Now all this is grounded upon this that he being God humbleth himselfe laying aside all his glory to the death of the crosse What shall I say what could he have done more this amplifies the love of Christ to give himselfe freely there was no necessity of nature or sinne compelled him but meerly voluntarily that he might redeem us Saint Augustine saith doe you thinke that the spears could have pearced him unlesse he himselfe had suffered it as he saith Matth. 26. I could intreat my Father and he could give me more then twelve legions of Angels but yet he being the mighty Sonne of God laies all aside and puts on all basenesse what of all this this should provoke us to thankfullnesse as David in 116. Psal to say What shall I render to Christ for all his benefits Israel when they were delivered out of Egypt and passed the red seas sung a song c. if such a small thing required this what doth this that we are delivered from sinne and Sathan require It is not enough that we sing songs and speake good words but let Christ have his end for which he hath redeemed us what is his end Luke 1. That we should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our lives let us give our selves to his service and feare 2 Sam. 19.9 There the people reason after this manner David hath delivered us out of the hand of our enemies and shall we be slack thus we should speake to our hearts hath Christ delivered us from death and the thraldome of Sathan and shall we be slack in giving honour to Christ Ezra 9.13.14 the people reason thus that being delivered say they shall we turn back again c. how then should every one speake to his owne heart thou hast tasted of this and shall I turne backe againe and transgresse against Christ therefore learne to remember what the Apostle saith Titus 2.14 He hath redeemed us a people to himselfe to be zealous of good workes and thou that condemnest well ordered zeale thou hast no dram of religion in thee for no true zeale no religion thou criest out of zeale thou art a slave to Sathan still therefore let every man bring forth righteousnesse and deny ungodlinesse and live soberly in this presen world walking and glorifying God here that we may be glorified of him hereafter OF GOD THE HOLY GHOST CHAP. XXVII JOHN 15.26 The spirit of truth which proceeds from the faber he shall c THE third person of the Trinity is the holy Ghost Quest What is the holy Ghost Answ He is the third person of the Diety proceeding from the Father and the Sonne sanctifying the elect The thing that is described is the spirit which in the Scriptures signifies many things it may be reduced to these heads I will but name them First it hath relation to the creature Secondly to the creator as it hath relation to the creature the word signifies many things I will but name them sometimes it signifies power sometimes the soule of man sometimes the life of beasts sometimes Angels sometimes naturall motions in the heart of man and divers others which I passe over In respect of the creator it hath a double signification and it is taken Essentially and personally Essentially and so all the three persons of the Trinity are said to be a spirit according to this we have it Iohn 4.24 God is a spirit where the whole Diety is put under the name of spirit Secondly it is taken personally in the Diety concerning whom spirit may signifie two things either the person or the gifts the person it selfe it is manifest in this place the spirit that proceeds from the Father the gifts and graces of the spirit 2 Kings 2.19 Let thy spirit be double upon me So Numb 7.11 1 Thes 5.19 Quench not the spirit understanding it of the grace of the spirit againe I say the third person I need not stand upon that to shew that it is a person common to him with the other all persons are distinct one from another really and truly he is a person distinct three waies in order in property and working in order he is the third person in property he proceeds from the Father and the Son in working sanctifying the elect the Father is the first not in time not in dignity but in order so the Son the second and so the holy Ghost the third we adde the third person in the Diety that we may have occasion to manifest that he is God as well as the other that he is God there may be many testimonies Samuel 27.23 David the sweet singer of Israel the Lord God spake by me the Lord said that that is in the former the Lord and God in the next is said to be the spirit Acts 5.34 Peter said to Ananias why have you lied to the holy Ghost and in the fourth verse You have not lied to men but unto God that in 1 Gor. 3.16 You brethren are the temples of God and the holy Ghost dwelleth in you temples of God and temples of the holy Ghost both one The next thing I say is the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne his property is proceeding he is as Athanasius Creed hath it not made not begotten but proceeding That he doth proceed from the Father and the Sonne appeares first by these places that he is affirmed to be the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne
not because he was sent but because he proceeds both from the Father and the Sonne and that is this which Saint Augustine observes when he gave the Spirit he breathed upon the Apostles Iohn 20. to signifie that when he gave the spirit it was proceeding and this is the same which the Psalmist called the breath of God Psal 33.6 by the word of God were the heavens made and the host of them by the breath of his mouth and thereupon he is said to be the breath of the Sonne also in 1 Thes 2.8 he shall consume Antichrist with the breath of his mouth further that he did proceed from the Father is manifest by the place which we have read Iohn 15.26 and that he proceeds from the Son Iohn 15 16. all that the Father hath is mine so he saith he shall receive of mine therefore the procession is from them both so that when our Saviour Christ saith that it proceeds from the Father he doth not exclude himselfe but after a speciall manner of speaking he sets his name after the name of his Father Why because he hath his person from the Father and the holy Ghost received it from them both therefore we may give it to the Father as the beginning and this shall suffise to manifest this therefore we will conclude as Saint Nazianzen doth How is it that the Sonne is of the Father and the holy Ghost is of them both comming from them both differently the Sonne from the Father as the light from the light hee shines by the manner of begeting the holy Ghost he is from the lights not by manner of generation but by manner of procession The third distinction by which he is different from the other is the worke of Sanctification Rom. 1.4 therefore the name of life is given to him it is he that mortifies the old man and quickens the new man Rom. 8.7 The law of the Spirit of life hath freed us from the law of sinne and of death therefore he is after compared to water Iohn 3.5 Except a man be borne of water and the holy Ghost now the nature of water is to cleanse and to make fruitfull and to revive things that are ready to dye so the Spirit is he that cleanseth us from our filthinesse so in Ezek. 36.21 I will power cleane water upon you and you shall be cleansed from all your filthines What is that in the 27. verse I will powre my Spirit upon you so that the Spirit you see is compared to water In this respect also it is compared to fire Mat. 3. He shall baptise you with the holy Ghost and with fire that doth quicken up the heart and cheare it and sanctifie it therefore hence it is in many places that holinesse is called the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 the fruits of the spirit are joy and peace gentlenesse meeknesse long-suffering c. all these are fruits of the spirit therefore it followes that the holy Ghost is he that hath this worke of sanctifying the elect Quest Why say we that he is the third person in the deitie and so God Answ Because he hath the name of Jehovah Secondly Essentiall Attributes Thirdly workes proper to God Fourthly divine worship and therefore he is God First the name Jehovah is given unto him that appeares by these texts of the old testament Ier. 1.14 Ezek. 1.4 and so in the new testament is given him the name of Jehovah Act. 7.51 You stiffe necked that resist the spirit of God as did your fathers so doe you they resisted him in the Prophets and you now do follow them resisting him in the Apostles one place more Isai 6.9 that which is said The Lord saith go and make the heart of this people fat that same 28. Acts 20. the Apostle Paul saith The holy Ghost spake by Esai as the Prophet and therefore the name Jehovah being a peculiar name given to none but to him that is naturally God the spirit having this name must needs be God Secondly there are given unto him Essentiall Attributes now Essentiall Attributes are foure principally eternity ubiquity omniscience omnipotency all these are given to the spirit first he is eternall for before the beginning he moved upon the waters and Heb. 9.14 He is called the eternall spirit Secondly omnipresence Psal 139. Whither shall I goe from thy spirit the holy Ghost is said to dwell in the Saints Rom. 8.9 2 Cor. 1.16 1 Iohn 2.27 arguing that it is proper to him to be every where Thirdly he is omniscient and knowes all things Iohn 14.26 He shall teach you all things Iohn 16.13 He shall lead you into all truth 1 Cor. 2.10.11 He searches the hidden things of God and no man knowes the hidden things of God but the spirit Fourthly omnipotent because it is he that casts out divells Matth. 12. The spirit of God casts c. this cannot be done by any created power but he must be God that doth it 1 Cor. 12. It is God that worketh all in all And in the 11. verse The spirit worketh all these things and therefore he must be omnipotent and so by these foure Attributes we see he is God Againe he must needs be God for the proper works of God are given to him Gen. 1.2 The spirit moved upon the waters that is preserving them Iob 26.13 The spirit of God hath garnished the heavens So in the 33. Iob 4 The spirit of the Almighty hath made me Psal 33.6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth Fourthly because divine honour and worship cannot be without sacriledge given to any person that is not God but is given to him Mat. 28.19 Baptizing them in the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost And so the Apostle praies the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the father and the Communion of the holy Ghost Nazianzen hath sufficient to this purpose he saith he whom the Church doth professe to believe in is God now the Church doth professe to believe in the holy Ghost so that by these it necessarily followes that hee is God Quest How comes he to proceed from the father and the Sonne Answ Because he received from the father and the sonne the whole Essence communicated to him by way of procession that we manifest thus the Sonnes begetting of the Father you heard to be by receiving the whole Essence from him by way of begetting so the holy Ghost is sayd to proceed from the Father and the Sonne because he received the whole Essence from them by way of proceeding the thing is manifest that he proceeded from the Father and the Sonne and therefore is not said to be begotten but to proceed and as the Scripture hath been strict and carefull to reserve these relations unconfounded so the Church hath diligently imitated them and alwaies saies that the Sonne is begotten and the holy Ghost proceeds
A STOCK OF DIVINE KNOVVLEDGE Being a lively description of the Divine Nature OR The Divine Essence Attributes and Trinity particularly explaned and profitably applied The first shewing us what God is the second what we ought to be By the late learned and laborious Preacher and worthy instrument of Gods glory RICHARD STOCK Sometimes Rector of Alhallowes Breadstreet in London This is life Eternall to know thee and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 LONDON Printed by T. H. for Philip Nevil and are to be sold at his shop in Ivie Lane at the signe of the Gun 1641. TO THE WORTHILY HONORED THE RELIGIOVS and vertuous Lady the Lady ANNE YELVERTON Wife to the right Worshipfull Sir CHRISTOPHER YELVERTON of Easton Maudet in the County of Northampton Knight Grace and Peace THE whole counsell of God concerning mans salvation is comprised by the Apostle in these two (a) Acts 20.21 cúm 27. Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ The whole duty of man is contained in Davids charge to Solomon his son (b) 1 Chron. 28.9 Know thou the God of thy Fathers and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing minde The whole matter of condemnation is (c) 2 Thess 1.8 Ignorance of God and disobedience to the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ This last is the naturall condition of all mankinde (d) Titus 3.3 wee were foolish and disobedient deceived serving divers lusts c. He that thinkes himselfe the wisest is (e) Job 11.12 Acuti ad vana hebetes ad aeterua Amb. hex l. 5. borne like the wilde Asse colt it may bee quick-sighted in vain and earthly things in matters spirituall (f) 1 Cor. 2.14 neither receiving the things of God nor able to know them in this point worse then the Divels (g) James 2.19 for they beleeve and tremble and like the senselesse stones or (h) Psal 49.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. adm ad gen the beasts that perish Every man is a childe of disobedience a servant to divers lusts stuffed with rebellion against God in this point (i) Joh. 8.44 like the Divels and worse then the senselesse creatures of which the Psalmist (k) Psal 119 91 Non intelligere belluinū est intellecta non agere ultra belluina immanitatis rabiem esse videtur Hil. de Trinit l. 1. They are all thy servants Therefore the Apostle pronounceth universally concerning all that they are children of wrath by nature (l) Ephes 2 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. ubi supra We the Apostles and beleevers were children of wrath by nature as well as others no lesse then Pagans and unbeleevers The freeing of men from this estate is the work of the Spirit the Spirit of (m) Eph. 1.17 wisedome and revelation of wisedome to (n) 1 Cor. 10.11.12 search the deep things of God of revelation to discover them the spirit (o) Joh. 16.13 of truth to lead into all truth the spirit of holinesse (p) 1 Thess 5.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Joh. hom 1. to sanctifie throughout the whole soule the whole spirit and body It is the end of the Scriptures they were written (q) Psal 19.7 to give wisedome to the simple and to convert the soule It is the end of the Ministery which was ordained by Christ (r) Ephes 4.10 for the collection and edification of the Church (ſ) Act. 26.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil hexa hom 1. in Psal 1. in initio to turne men from darknesse to light and from Satan to the living God Contrariwise to hold men in the estate of Darknesse and to drowne them in perdition and destruction through either ignorance or disobedience or both is the whole businesse and employment of the Divill the Prince of darknesse he alwayes compasseth the earth (t) 1 Pet. 5.8 like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devoure Madam it is a wofull spectable to behold how exceedingly this Prince of darknesse prevailes how many eyes the (u) 2 Cor. 4.3 4 God of this world hath blinded that the glorious light of the Gospell cannot shine unto them how many (w) Gal. 3.1 fooles he hath bewitched that they should not obey the truth how many have (x) Psal 36.3 left off both to understand and to do good most men live (y) Ephes 2.12 without God in the world Some like naturall bruit beasts (z) Jer. 2.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Mat. Hom. 2. neither knowing him nor asking nor inquiring after him Others worse then these (a) Job 21.14 rejecting knowledge and saying unto God Depart from us wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes shutting their eyes against the light stopping their eares against the word and despising the meanes of knowledge many miss-led by seduced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad Smyrnen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. orat 1. or willingly seducing guides beasts in the shape of men as Ignatius tearmes them when they thinke they know God are farther from and harder to bee taught true knowledge then they that know nothing at all Many say (b) Tit. 1.6 Ignat. ad Magnesios 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alexan. they know God and by their workes deny him being corrupt and abominable divorcing what God requires should bee joyned together obedience from knowledge adulterate and false money that have the imprease of God in their understandings and the image of the Divel in their hearts like Toads that have a pretious stone in their beads and in their whole bodies nothing but poyson The serious and sad consideration of the imminent danger and infinite multitude of those that know not God or disobey him being known should excite in all that tender the everlasting welfare of their immortall soules a more then ordinary solicitude of joyning these two together Repentance to their Faith Obedience to their Knowledge which if seene in one like Castor and Pollux appearing at once doe promise a prosperous navigation if they bee separated each from other they menace a ship-wracke They that know God and disobey him are like the Gentiles (c) Rom. 1.28 who when they knew him did not worship him as God but captivated the truth under unrighteousnesse They that thinke to serve him and know him not are liable to the Samaritans condemnation (d) Joh. 4.22 Yee worship yee know not what and equally guilty with the superstitious Athenians (e) Acts 17.23 who erected an altar to the unknowne God Both these misse salvation the one for want of knowledge the other for want of obedience both these fall into the pit the one blind-fold and not seeing it the other seeing it and desperately leaping into it If wee desire to attaine salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Gen. hom 13. and escape hell saith Chrysostome we must bee adorned both with the
but hee could never burne them all he was but one and many opposed him But when whole Kingdomes and Countries even the whole world have violently for a long time and many ages set themselves against these and yet they are preserved the preservation of them argues a speciall divine care of them as of divine writings Mac. 1.7 Antiochus burnt this booke and made a law that whosoever had this book should die the death yet it is preserved that not so much as a syllable of it is wanting Writings and whatsoever else is of man may bee destroyed by man may faile of themselves as saith Gamaliel but the things of God and divine writings shall abide for ever See this difference in the writings of Solomon those of his owne wisdome are lost those inspired by God abide till this day c. Fourthly The persecutions that have been made at all times against the professors of this Book their constancy in beleeving it obeying it and laying downe their lives for it which none could have done had not the writing been divine Indeed a few desperate men have laid downe their lives for their owne writings but not any that hath so valiantly laid downe his life as the professors of the Gospel All these are sufficient proofes for this point Use 1. This must first teach us that the Word is cleare and plaine because the writing of God for the instruction of men certainly God would never write obscurely and in the darke 2 Pet. 1.13 It is a light in a darke place When we say it is plain and clear it is so in it self though the naturall man discerneth it not and to the regenerate man it may be hard Chrysostome saith the Saints never pray to God Make thy Law easie but Give us understanding and open our eyes that wee may see thy Law the truth is there are many difficulties in it but there is nothing difficult which in other places is not made plaine if necessary to salvation The Scripture as Saint Gregory saith is both meat and drink drink needs no chewing some places are easie that they need no chewing and some places are hard to stir up men to seek them out 2 Pet. 3.16 There are many things in Saint Pauls Epistles that are hard but to whom to the ignorant they are easie in themselves and to the regenerate therefore saith one What need have we of Commentaries added to the Word if Commentaries add not light to the Word but the Word makes Commentaries light Use 2. This teacheth us that because the Word was written to every man therefore every man was bound to studie it and to read it and seeing the Word was inspired by the Spirit of God therefore when a man goes about to read it and heare it hee ought to pray for understanding and for Gods Spirit by which hee writ it for they that wrote it did it not without Gods Spirit men should pray that God would give them his Spirit of wisdome to open their understandings surely the greatest light in the world cannot make a blinde man see in the mid-day an eye that hath not internall light cannot see The Scriptures in the old and new Testament are the two great lights that God hath ordained to rule the Church which though they shine never so brightly yet there is required an internall light in man that they may be seene A man may looke up to the heavens saith Saint Chrysostome where God doth sit and yet not know God nor see him shut up in heaven So many men reade the Scriptures and yet see not God shut up in them No man knowes what is in man but the Spirit of man and wee have received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are given us of God The Wisdome of God hath given the Spirit to man whereby hee is able to discerne If so be a King should write a Letter to his subjects in a strange language and not send his Secretary to interpret it they were never the better nor wee for the Scriptures without the Spirit Justin Martyr saith that Ptolomy wrote to the King of Judah for the Law and withall hee desired him to send him a man that might make him to understand it So they that will understand the language of the Scriptures must have the Spirit of God If a man had the Prophets themselves to preach to him they cannot make a man understand to salvation why because they can but teach the eare they cannot teach the heart When I cannot have Moses to tell mee the meaning saith Saint Augustine give mee that Spirit that thou gavest to Moses And this is that which every man that will understand must pray for this David prayed for Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law and vers 19. hide not thy Commandements from mee and Christ saith If you being evill can give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask of him Luk. 11.13 So that then wee shall see the secrets of God Use 3. If any man pray for the Spirit of God he must not think it comes without means and therefore neglect reading It is Gods finger that presseth the diligent care of reading and it is the means whereby wee may come to have the Spirit you must not look to have the Spirit in your heart unlesse you have the Word in your mouth that is the continuall reading thereof neither preferr a little ease before the Booke of God Thou hast no part in the Spirit if thou hast not a great desire to have a great part in the knowledge of the Word of God Use 4. In the fourth place Did God write it Then ought wee to make application of every part of it of the promises and of the threatnings and of the commandements c. Of the promises because it was God that promised them and hee will confirme and make them good of the commandements because if thou disobey them he is a just God and hee will be revenged of every contemner of the threatnings because if they had been written by man a mans word might have beene contemned but whither shall wee flee from God Therefore think of this Word and labour to apply it and give obedience to it they are Gods owne Lawes and it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God therefore let us feare and obey that which is Gods Commandement lest for our neglect he throw us to everlasting destruction CHAP. V. 2 TIM 3.16 All Scriptures are given by divine inspiration of God and are profitable THe last day wee spake concerning the Scriptures and therein wee handled the Author that wrote them and from whom they did flow and you heard it was from God himselfe and that by divine inspiration It remaineth then that wee should speake of the second thing that wee have thought fit to
from these there was none to be had any where else and in this case it is manifest 1. Pet. 1.14 Give attendance saith the Apostle to reading in what in the written word of God Acts 26.22 The Apostle speakes of nothing but of Moses and the Prophets so the Ministers of God should speake of nothing else and as Lactantius saith learne to teach that which hath been taught before so shalt thou teach no new thing Vse 3. This seems to instruct men if they want counsell if they want advice where it is to be had let them resort to the booke of God to the law and to the testimonies this shall make them wise this shall comfort them the Scripture is able to make the man of God perfect to salvation how much more a private man That booke that can teach a man to be a Captaine can teach a common souldier how to order himselfe if he cannot finde sufficiency in it then he must blame himselfe for the defect is in his own part Saint Augustine having given certaine rules by which a man might understand the Scriptures saith thus if any man by these rules cannot understand the Scriptures let him not blame the Scriptures but let him blame himselfe as if I saith the Father do shew a man a star with my finger and he hath a weake sight and cannot see it let him not blame my finger but his owne weaknesse for conclusion every man ought to get a bible what wants any man for salvation and spirituall comfort that is not here there is distresse but here is a remedy for it no discomfort but here is a comfort c. It is like the Apothecaries shop there is no wound but there is a remedy but if a stranger come unto the Apothecaries shop though all these things be there yet he cannot tell where they are but the Apothecary himselfe knoweth so in the Scriptures there are cures for any infirmities there is comfort against any sorrowes and by conferring Chapter with Chapter we shall understand them the Scriptures are not wanting to us but we to our selves let us be conversant in them and we shall understand them when great Clerks who are negligent are kept from them CHAP. VI. HEB. 11.6 He that commeth unto God must beleeve that God is and that he is the rewarder of them that c. HAving spoken of the ground of the true knowledge of God and of so many things concerning the word as were thought necessary It remaines that we proceed to that which God teacheth us first concerning himselfe Secondly concerning his will First that there is a God Secondly that there is but one God Thirdly what this one God is in the unity of Essence and trinity of persons and now concerning these Quest What doth the word teach us concerning God Answ The answer is first that there is a God for the proofe of this my text shall serve for many he that comes to God must beleeve that he is and that he is the rewarder of them that seek him also the first of Gen. hath this many times In the beginning God created c. And in the verses following God saw that all that he had created was exceeding good Therefore it shall be needlesse for me to bring more proofes for all men confesse there is a God Quest What reasons have you to confirme this There be divers reasons first in man secondly without man within man the very being of body and soule with the powers and parts of them and secondly the terrors of conscience when they have done ill and joy and comfort when they have done well these and the like works in man doe manifest that there is a God Secondly without man the wonderfull frame of the world was not made by it selfe nor by nature nor by man therefore by God with the motions that are in it each of these we will explane that these proves that there is a God appeares by the bodies of men whence have they themselves of themselves No Psal 108. It is he that hath made us and not we our selves It appeares manifestly in that a man cannot comprehend one part of his body he knowes not himself nor the several secrets that God hath made in him but it may be sayd though a man made not himself yet his parents did no nor his parents because his parents did not know what they did beget and conceive but if parents were the cause then they should know the effect therfore it was God that made them Their soules are made by him who is above reason there is nothing that hath reason but men and Angels but they made not the soule and nothing is above reason but God This is apparant for the body Psal 94.4 He that made the eare shall he not heare it was God that planted the eare and not man And for the soule Eccles 12. The spirit returnes to God that gave it God made man and he breathed into him the breath of life Gen. 2.7 and he became a living soule Wherupon the Poet Arratas of whom St. Paul speakes saith that we are of the generation of God because we have our soules from him which are indued with reason and knowledge and in this respect he is called the father of spirits so that if we looke to the beginning of man when he was first endued with wisdome and reason and made with noble qualities it appeares that there is a God Secondly the second ground is in mans self the conscience of man when he hath done ill is full of horrors all men are so Adam hid himselfe Davids heart smote him 2 Sam. 24.10 Esa 33.14 Sinners in Sion are afrayd feare hath suppressed the hypocrites And this is that in Psal 53.15 They were afrayd where no feare was that is where no outward cause of feare was conscience the deputy of God did terrifie them This was that which did fill Iudas so full of terrors Yea but say some they may feare lest those things they have done should come to the knowledge of the Magistrate and so law should take hold of them I answer this adds to their feare but Adam had none to feare because he was the first David had none to feare because he was king and so above all but yet the deputy of God was in them and that made them afraid to add to this if a man commit a thing in the wildernesse where no man knowes it yet he is afraid for somtimes he tels it in a frensie and somteme in sleepe as the Prophet Esai speaketh Esai 66.14 Enforced by the worm in them that never dies Secondly the comfort that it gives unto men when they have done wel when they know the acceptation of their owne works and live in expectation of reward and this is not only when they have done wel in the sight of men but also whē their left hand knoweth not what their right hand doth nay when men mock at them
the reason why It is because the Essence is most simple and without composition where there is no composition there is no number therefore there cannot be many Essences and again from hence it appeares that howsoever these things are attributed to God that he is love mercy favour and anger howsoever they are spoken as though they were many and different yet in God they are but one and the same True it is that we are of a compounded understanding they are as severall things to us because we cannot conceive God as he is yet by faith we are brought to beleeve that there is no such difference between them in God that which is the love of God is the hatred of God and that which is his wisdome is his power also because there is but one and the same Essence Saint Austin speakes to this purpose God is simple he is great and without weight or bulke and he is wise without any wisdome we cannot say that his justice is one thing and his mercy another both these are his Essence but we are of a compounded understanding and cannot but distinguish them Vse 2. Is God thus simple that his love his mercy and his justice are his very Essence we then will joine these two together here then is matter of joy and comfort and matter of terror and feare first matter of joy and comfort mercy and love are Gods Essence What is the comfort of a male factor that he hath a mercifull Judge 1. King 20.31 The servants of Benadad say we have heard that the Kings of Israel are mercifull Kings So is a man in misery what is his comfort he hath a compassionate friend full of compassion and yet these are but accidents in man and may deceive how much greater comfort then is this that God is love it selfe mercy it selfe justice it lelfe with reverence may I speake it he may cease to be before he can cease to be mercifull and good c. This is that the Prophet useth to comfort the children of God with Isai 54.8 For a moment have I hid my face from thee but with everlasting compassions will I imbrace thee So Ieâ— 31.3 I have loved you with an everlasting love Man loves and he loves but for a time the same man that loved upon a small occasion comes to hate as extreamly as he loved tenderly the reason is because man is mutable but God loves more earnestly then man can do for it is his Essence and he never changes heer is the comfort Isa 49.15 Can a mother forget her son her son new born though some mother can be so unnaturall saith God yet I will not forget you yea Christ himselfe saith if you being evill can give good things how much more shall your heavenly father give his holy spirit to those that aske him Secondly this serves also for feare and terror why because Gods anger his mercy his justice are his Essence and he is unchangeable The anger of a King is much to be feared it is like the messenger of death Prov. 14 7. yet the anger of a King is mutable for a man of wisedome will appease it but Gods anger when he sets it upon any it should make him tremble it is his Essence God himselfe is against that man these Attributes are his Essence therefore there 's no reason why any man should presume upon the mercy of God for God is justice nor despaire for God is mercy thus we have ground of comfort and fear there is no sound comfort where there is no true feare these two ever goe together true feare of his justice and comfort of his mercy Saint Bernard speakes to this purpose Bernard sex bre 25. Duo sunt pedes c. God hath two feete and one of these two feete is feare the other love and with these two God walkes in the hearts of men when he comes to the crevice of the heart of man he puts in the foot of feare and looke how much feare so much comfort If thou wilt know that God walks in thy heart in love he first sets in his left foot of feare and therefore know thus much thou must have part in these two first in the feare of God and so in the love and comforts of God these must both goe together and therefore get thy heart smitten with the feare of God or else thou art but a vaine man to presume of comfort and thus much forthe simplenesse of Gods divine Essence The next thing is the Eternity of God and the question is Quest What is the eternity of the divine Essence Answ The answer is it is an incommunicable attribute whereby the divine Essence is without beginning or ending and without succession the parts of this we will explane first it is said to be an incommunicable Attribute because it is communicated to none but proper to God Secondly that it is without beginning or ending all this appeares because God hath this name of eternity given to him Gen. 31.33 Abraham made an Altar and offered to the God of eternity Psal 90.2 From everlasting to everlasting thou art God Isai 44.6 I am the Lord and before me there was no God neither shall there be after me Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of God as his eternall power and god-head are seene To what tends all this but to tell us that he had no beginning neither any ending Thirdly the third thing is that he is without succession that is hath neither first nor latter neither present nor to come There can be no succession without time there is no succession with God for a thousand yeeres with God are but as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 so that with man there are successions but with God there are no successions for all things are naked and bare before him so the holy Ghost Psal 2. speaking of the eternall begetting of the same saith Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Quest What grounds have you for this Answ The answer is first because he is the true Jehovah that is hath his being of himselfe c. Secondly he is the creator of all things and of time it selfe Thirdly He is the author and giver of eternall life to those that have it To explane these Reas 1. First He is Jehovah so we have heard the word explaned a God that hath his being of himselfe and not receiving it from any other for if he have his being from any he must receive it from himselfe or from some other receive it from himselfe he could not for nothing can be the efficient cause of it selfe againe he could not receive it from any other because that all other have their being after him and from him he is the first and the last Revel 7.8 10. If the first then none before him then he received it not of any other so that this is true which Saint Austin speakes This eternall can speake to the heart of man I am
hast thou that thou hast not received and who hath caused thee to differ from another thou art most proud and boastest most of thy selfe boast onely of that which is thy owne it is vanity to boast of that which is not thine thou hast nothing thy owne but sinne nothing is due to sinne but shame and death thou couldest doe nothing to helpe thy selfe out of this condition if thou art delivered out of it be not high minded it is God that delivered thee and not thy selfe of his free grace not according to thy merits Vse 3. This teacheth us that if a man have once assurance of election and salvation he may have it for ever as he was chose freely so also immutably God cannot change his will so that here is the comfort of a man that hath any assurance God is immutable therefore I cannot perish So then is any tempted from Sathan or from his owne weaknesse when he seeth so much rebellion in himselfe and when he heares great Doctors teach that a man may be good to day and nought to morrow this may comfort him God is immutable this is that I stand upon God is immutable therefore none can resist him there is corruption enough in man but God is not overcome by the wickednesse of man but as he will punish those that stand unreformed so hee will bee good to those that walke before him humbly Object I but say they Gods salvation stands upon condition and being upon condition therfore is changeable Ans To this I answer that the faith and repentance of them which have it is mutable in them and may in it selfe be lost but it is God that wrought it it is God that will not forsake his owne worke it is God by whose power we are kept to salvation and have not our faith repentance life salvation in our owne keeping A man of himselfe may fall away but God gives him perseverance Austin saith This guift of perseverance may be humbly sought of God and when a man hath it he shall not with Caine be cast out for God is so good that he will never suffer a man to goe so farre as that he should cut himselfe from him and what is the reason for the seed of God abideth in him In the first conversion a man is unwilling and retains grace unwillingly but God gives him grace to make him willing so that the grace he hath and the estate he hath he holds it not by his owne will but so that God keepes it for otherwaies the heart of man would soone goe from God whereupon it followes that God and his will are immutable The next question is Quest What is the truth of the Divine Essence Answ It is a communicable Attribute whereby he knowes all things certainely without any ignorance or error speaking and working indeed and in truth without fraud and dissimulation and performing constantly whatsoever he hath said To explane these First I say it is the truth of God not truths though there be many yet the Scripture speakes but of one Iohn 14.6 I am the truth Secondly I say it is a communicable Attribute because that howsoever truth is in a speciall manner Attributed to God yet it is by proportion in man whereby he knowes all things without error for it is a generall speech he is a true man that knowes all things without any ignorance or error such is the truth of God without any ignorance and error he cannot deceive nor be deceived he knowes all things whatsoever he cannot deceive Iohn 16.7.13 He tells the truth the spirit leads into truth he cannot be deceived All things are naked and bare before him with whom we have to doe Againe whatsoever he hath spoken and wrought is in truth and indeed without faining and dissimulation so that there is no active falsitie in his waies he deceives none in any of his words or in any of his deeds The truth of the word is when the words are answerable and agreeable to the truth of the minde for when a man speakes otherwaies then he knowes is to lye the old description of a lye is for a man to tell a thing contrary to his owne minde Now then whatsoever is in God is true and so the Apostle speakes let God be true and every man a lyer and againe when we came to you our words were not yea and nay but yea that is a certaine truth Psal 111.7 The works of God are true Psal 119.51 The lawe of the Lord is true and this might be shewed in all the works of creation regeneration and sanctification they are all true works Againe constantly performing whatsoever he speakes this is made manifest in his promises and threatnings whatsoever he hath promised or threattened shall come to passe A man is a true man when he hath done that he said he would doe Psal 89 33.34.35 I never falsifie my truth I have sworne and looke what I have sayd I will performe heaven and earth shall passe but not one jot or tittle of my word shall passe Psal 119.19 Thy word endures for ever Isai 40.6 All flesh is grasse but the word of the Lord endures for ever God will accomplish and doe all those things that he hath promised 2 Cor. 1.20 All the premises are yea and amen in Christ Quest Why is it said truth as speaking of one Ans Because though there be many truths in words and works of men yet all flow from one truth as all light comes from one sunne so all truth comes from one God he is the truth as his goodnesse is the cause of all good so his truth is the cause of all truth Truth is either morall or metaphysicall and this either in the minde of God or in the minde of the creature or in the things that exist Truth in the mind of God is that certaine and distinct knowledge and Idea of the nature of things according to which they are created in time Truth in the minde of the creatures Angells or men consists in the apprehension and knowledge of things as they are in themselves Truth in the things that exist is their existens it selfe sutable to their Idea in the minde of God The truth in the minde of God is that which the Schooles call exemplar is or the patterne truth and is but one and first is in God and from thence conveighed to the things and mindes in which it is Truth is in things and the mindes of men formally as the Schooles speake and so there are many truths but all derived from the first truth in the minde of God and they are first in the things knowne and then in the understanding that knoweth Truth in the mind of God measures the truth in things and minds of men but is not measured by them Truth in things measures the truth in the mindes of men and is measured by the truth in the mind of God Truth in the minde of man is
measured by both those truths and is not the measure of them And thus we see truth is but one because all flowes from one there is no truth in things which God implants not in them nor in the minds of men which the spirit of truth doth not lead into No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Saint Ambrose saith whatsoever truth is in any man is from God and all lies are from the divell he is the father of them when the Saints and holy men have lied it came from the Divell when wicked men speake truth as Cayphas speaking of the death of Christ it came from God Quest Why say you he knowes all things certainly without error Answ Because he is of infinite wisdome his wisdome is infinite as himselfe Psal 147.5 A finite wisdome may erre because it doth not know all things perfectly but infinite wisdome apprehends all things perfectly therefore it cannot erre Quest Why say you he speakes and workes truth without faining and dissimulation Answ Because he is the chiefest good into which no evill can fall God is the chiefest good then dissembling cannot befall God there can be no darknesse in him because he is light it selfe then no falshood fals into God because he is truth it selfe Moreover faining and dissembling is the corruption of the understanding this cannot fall into God The workes of Sathan when they are good works are dissembling as when he testifieth of Christ that he was the Sonne of God it was a lying speech because whatsoever he doeth he doeth it to deceive for if men will beleeve him in one thing he hopes they will in another and so all the works of Sathan are lying works but on the other side all the works of God are good and so certain and true without faining or dissimulation Quest Why doth he constantly performe whatsoever he hath spoken Answ Because he is faithfull and just to performe whatsoever he hath promised or threatned Promises he any thing he will performe it because he is true and this is verifyed by the holy Ghost Psal 90.12 Deut. 7.8 That thou mightest know that the Lord thy God is a faithfull God that will keepe covenant and mercy Mercy makes him promise but truth makes him performe Promises Justice makes him threaten and truth makes him recompence his enemies to their face Thus Saint Augustin saith God hath made himselfe our Debter by promises and Bernard that man should pay that he promiseth because he makes himselfe a debter and if the Lord keepes his promises with those that are unworthy will he not much more keepe them with those he hath made worthy in his Sonne OF THE TRVETH OF GOD. CHAP. XIV PSAL. 34.8 Taste and see how gracious the Lord is YOU have heard the last day the description of the trueth of God both what it was and the confirmation of the severall parts of it and now we will lay downe some Uses Vse 1. The first If God be true in word and work this serves to awaken up secure men and to rouse them out of their naturall security These usually blesse themselves when they heare the judgements of God threatned against them and see them not presently executed I say they blesse themselves because God doth forbeare and is not a word and a blow therefore say they the Lord will neither doe good nor evill howsoever his Prophets the Ministers speake thus But let them know the Lord is true and while they thus speake or thinke of him they make him a lyer they beleeve not the truth and hereupon it is that they sit in the seat of the scornfull Psal 1.1 scorne and scoffe at those meanes which holy men use to escape judgement I meane prayer and fasting because they make God a lyer But these men shall know that the patience of God should lead them to repentance and therefore the Lord speakes because he would shew mercy he could execute as well as speak but they do abuse the patience of God to bring upon themselves greater damnation God is true and every man a lyer and their deceitfull hearts that have deceived them God shall awaken For most certainly true it is that God will make good his threatnings he will shew himselfe true in executing his judgements in his due time He hath his owne time for mercy and for judgement and he will punish them who carry it out the most stoutly for the Lord hath spoken against them and they shall feele it with a heavie hand And therefore though he doe delay let them not be secure judgement will be the more heavy when it comes The wise man in Eccles 11.9 speaking to the yong man saith Goe toyong man take thy pleasure goe on you young men and also ancient men but know for all this God shall bring you to judgement God is true he hath said it and shall he not doe it Psal 1.4 5. they then shall be as stubble before the winde therefore be awakened out of that blindenesse and security or else you shall know it to your cost Vse 2. Here is matter of comfort to every one that rests upon God by faith and constant obedience for that which he hath promised their faith shall never faile God is true it is builded upon God and his word and trueth that is the comfort of every one that beleeveth that he shall obtaine that which he hopes for Certainly God shall make it good according to his trueth therefore if any man finde weakenesse of faith if any man be troubled with doubting What is the comfort It is not our faith that makes the promise here but the promise makes our faith sure if God be true and perpetually true certainly God shall make it good and whosoever thou be that buildest upon God in that case he will performe it 1 Tim. 2.12 I know whom I have beleeved saith Saint Paul some expound this place thus As a man that hath a great debt to pay and relyes upon other men for the money and some cast doubts in his minde what if they should faile you the Apostle answers I know whom I have beleeved so that having tasted of the sweetnesse of God in his soule saith I know whom I have beleeved so ought every man to comfort himselfe upon God Rom. 4.13 that howsoever there be doubtings he may have joy the holy man Abraham was stedfast in beleeving because he knew he was able to performe what he had promised we neede not be weake in faith because he is true as Saint Austin speaking of the Promises saith they are thy Promises whom should we feare It is trueth that hath promised that cannot deceive neither can be deceived So that if a man beleeves here will be comfort Ier. 29.11 I know the thought I have toward thee of peace and not of evill but how will he doe it and when will he doe it God knowes how to doe it though we see no means how
you being evill can give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly father give his holy spirit to those that aske it of him as Luke 11.13 so Mat. 5.45 he maketh the sunne to shine upon the just and unjust So Acts 14.7 he hath not left himselfe without witnesse in that he hath filled our hearts with food and gladnesse that as we know the goodnesse of the tree by the fruit thereof so we know this goodnesse of God by the fruits thereof in the creatures and so we have this description proved The next Question is Quest Why is such a goodnesse attributed to God and his divine Essence Answ The answer is because he is desired of all and above all Secondly Because he communicates his goodnesse freely To explane these First Because God is desired of all and above all The object of the will is good for the will desires nothing but that which is good either truely or at least in appearance Trueth is the object of the understanding whatsoever the understanding imployes it selfe about is trueth so whatsoever the will imployes it selfe about is goodnesse nothing is good but God and nothing can be good but it is desired Now then if goodnesse be that which all desire and if all desires be bent upon goodnesse it must needs follow that all must desire God the author of all goodnesse as Saint Austin saith thou hast made our hearts for thy selfe because thou art goodnesse or thus thou hast made us for thee and our heart is never at quiet till it come to thee Reas 2. Secondly Because he communicates his goodnesse to others this is the onely property of goodnesse that it will communicate it selfe The better and more holy any man is the more he desires to make himselfe common The good man is mercifull and lendeth Psal 145. and Psal 9. God is good to all and his goodnesse is seene in the workes of his creation and in the workes of redemption and the worke of his desposing of all things thus we shall finde he communicates his goodnesse to all The next question is Quest Why is it said that he is absolute good in and of himselfe Answ The answer is Because his goodnesse is perfect It is infinite therefore cannot be from others It is eternall What is eternal but to have being when all other things are nothing Who then can make that which is eternall Hence it must needes be that God is good in and of himselfe But besides this his goodnesse is perfect whatsoever is communicated to others by participation is imperfect but Gods goodnesse is not imperfect therefore it is not communicated by participation but is absolute in and of it selfe In him goodnesse is most perfect in us it is unperfect as the heat that is in the Sunne is perfect but the reflection is imperfect the reason is because the heat is most principally in the Sunne So the goodnesse that is in others is imperfect but the goodnesse of God is perfect If he should receive his goodnesse it must be finite if finite then imperfect A finite and imperfect creature cannot communicate infinite and perfect goodnesse of which themselves are not capable Therefore we see that God is not sustained in his goodnesse by any but is good in and of himselfe The next question is Quest Why is it said that he communicates goodnesse and is good to all creatures Answ The answer is Because what goodnesse soever is begun and continued in any is from God and the cause is in him onely It is not the creatures owne goodnesse Psal 30.11 The goodnesse of God hath made my mountaine to stand strong where he sheweth that this estate and condition wherein he was was nothing from himselfe all came from God Therefore when as Esau asked Iacob how he came by that wealth Gen. 33.11 The Lord hath bin good to me c. therefore I have all meerely of his goodnesse and hereupon Iacob saith Gen. 33.10 I am lesse then the least of all thy mercies where he cals Gods goodnesse his mercy because it comes from the mercy of God 2 Sam. 7.8 Lord what am I said David or what is my fathers house c So every man may say whatsoever he is whatsoever he hath Lord what am I that thou hast brought me to this c So whatsoever any man hath it comes from the goodnesse of God There be many Uses of this point but we will content our selves with some Vse 1. The first Use is briefly this It teacheth us that of the Apostle Saint Iames is true Iames 1.13 God tempts no man God is not tempted why his goodnesse is such that which is good of it selfe hath no evill mixed with it hony hath no sowre in it the sun hath no darknesse God nothing but goodnesse so that this is true God tempts no man the ground why man is tempted is in himselfe not in God because there is no evill in God tempting is when there is some setting upon and receiving an assault with rejection how can a man cast darts into the sun God being good in himselfe c. cannot tempt nor be tempted Vse 2. Secondly this teacheth us that we should not sinne against this God the reason is because he is good nay because he is goodnesse therefore we ought not this should be a restraint to us how doth every man condemne wrongs done to a poore innocent that hath done no evill so if we see a man full of goodnesse brought to misery every man will cry out of them that brought him to it and do we so in respect of men ought we not so to reason in respect of God that if God be so good in himself why should I commit this wickednesse against him when Sathan tempts the world provokes c. What should be the answer if I should commit such a wickednesse you your selves and Sathan would accuse me for sinning against such a good God and indeed the divill inticeth to sin for nothing but to accuse us when we have sinned therefore get thee behind me Sathan shall I sinne against this God that is not only so good in himselfe but is good to all his creatures looke which way thou wilt thou canst not but see the goodnesse of God Oh what ingratitude what impiety were this for a man to offend this God that is so good in himselfe and good to all creatures and why hath God shewed thee this goodnesse but because he would have thee good to him S. Bernard hath this saying for a man to do good for good is naturall for a man to do evill for good is diabolicall now then if there be but so much as common reason we will returne good for good but to returne evill for good is divelish and the more good any man hath received the more good he ought to be as Salvian saith God hath given us good then we ought to be good to him againe remember what
for he being the chiefest good and goodnesse it selfe can have nothing in him but that which is good and most perfect in man mercy is with imperfection and error and so we may not Attribute it to God but first we must free it from imperfection for the proofe of this that God is mercifull we need not stand long Exo. 20.2 He will shew mercy to thousands Psal 103.8 The Lord is mercifull and gracious Lamen 3.2 It is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed In the next place mercy of the divine Essence is a communicable attribute because men have a kinde of mercy in proportion answerable to it The next followes I say it is that by which he doth freely succour his creatures freely It is manifest I will haue mercy c. Rom. 9.18 he doth it willingly and freely Psal 100.5 The Lord is gord and his mercy endures for ever c. Againe his mercy as it is in the latine word is Misericordia which is compounded of two words miseria and cordis and then Saint Augustine will have it thus the misery of a man conceived by others moves mercy in the heart of others Againe he is mercifull to some more then others there is a double mercy a generall and a speciall A generall mercy is that by which God is willing and doth helpe all his creatures besides experience the Word manifests the same Psal 104.27 All things wait upon thee and 147. Psalme Thou feedest them and thou givest them food yea the Ravens that cry c. Luke 6.15 Be you mercifull as your heavenly Father how is that it hangs upon the 35. verse for he is kinde unto the unkinde and to the evill The speciall mercy is that which is shewed more specially to some it is not onely a temporall mercy but also a spirituall for he shewes mercy more specially to some to those that are his owne not onely in temporall but also in spirituall things as it is manifest Exod. 20.6 shew mercy to thousands as a father pittyeth his sonne so doth the Lord them that feare him Psal 103.13 Heb. 12.7 God offers himselfe as a father So 1 Tim. 1.13 I was a blasphemer c. but I found mercy Rom. 9.18 I will have mercy c. And so I have briefly explaned the meaning of this description Quest Why is mercy thus attributed to God Answ Because mercy in him is naturall and eternall First it is naturall 2 Cor. 1.3 he is called the father of mercy and Saint Bernard saith Why the father of mercy because it is himselfe it is his nature to shew mercy and this mercy is eternall for as God is eternall and hath no beginning and no ending so is his mercy Psal 107. Praise the Lord for he is good and his mercy endures c. It was not first in man and then in God but first in God and then in man and so communicated to man as other graces he is the father of mercy therefore it is first in himselfe and men are perswaded to imitate him as you heard in Luke 6. be ye mercifull as your heavenly father is mercifull here is the difference mercy in God is the will of God mercy in man is in the will of man but joyned with passion and griefe in which particular it differs from the mercy of God Quest Why is it added that he willingly and freely assisteth all his creatures in their miseries Answ The answer is this because his mercy proceedes from his goodnesse his goodnesse causeth love and love causeth mercy To open this Mercy is not goodnesse in him that obtaineth mercy but in him that sheweth mercy man hath need of mercy but he deserves none Psal 107. Prayse the Lord for he is good and his mercy c. God is rich in mercy Ephes 2.4 5. Why because he hath freely loved us wheresoever there is love in any either men or beast there is alwayes pitty for such as their love is such is their pitty then undoubtedly as there is love in God to all his creatures so his mercy is to all his creatures but his speciall love to man Tit. 3.4 5. When the bountifulnesse and goodnesse of Gods love to man appeared c. So that goodnesse breeds love love mercy and this goes back againe for mercy argues love and love goodnesse The love that is in God is double one is naturall the other is voluntary The naturall love is betweene the Trinity the Father loving the Sonne the Sonne the Father and the Spirit loving them both so that these cannot but love after this sort God cannot but love himselfe and there is a voluntary love which God may change if he will but for that he hath bound himselfe by promise he will not change it and this is that with which he loves his creatures Quest Why conclude you that he doth specially shew mercy to some rather then to other Answ Because mercy is from his free love he loves some more then others therefore he shewes mercy to some more then others it is very naturall to God to shew mercy and where we love most there we labour to shew most mercy therefore we are delighted to helpe our children and friends in their misery God loves all his creatures yea he loves the wicked but yet specially his owne he is mercifull to the wicked but he is much more mercifull to his owne To expresse this He is mercifull to the wicked but in one thing but he is mercifull to the godly in many things he shewes mercy to the wicked in their punishments but he shewes mercy to the godly both in their punishments and sinnes we doe confesse indeede he doth shew mercy to the wicked in their sinnes in being patient towards them Rom. 9.32 He is mercifull to them in suffering them to enjoy many outward blessings that they are unworthy of nay he is mercifull to them when he layeth any evill upon them he never layes so much as they deserve as good Divines thinke no not in hell so that he is mercifull to them To his owne he shewes mercy both in their punishments and sinnes in their punishments Hab. 3.2 the Lord in wrath remembreth mercy Lam. 3.21 Though he afflict for a while yet he will not forsake for ever so that same Heb. 12.7 If we endure chastising he offers himselfe as a father he deales mercifully with his owne as a father to his children Psal 103.13 There is a speciall mercy that the Lord shewes to his owne in respect of their sinnes in respect of the guilt of sinne the infirmity of sinne and the punishment of sinne First in respect of the guilt of sinne he is mercifull in pardoning of it In respect of the corruption of sinne in the purging of it in respect of the punishment of sinne in proportioning of it That God is mercifull in all these is proved Psal 103. He pardons iniquity heales infirmity deales not with us after our sinnes as farre as
shall they of like condition come and reason with God Why diddest thou choose him and refuse me there is the like in him as there is in me Why hast thou done so the answer shall be this Hath not the Potter power over the clay to choose one vessell to honour and another to dishonour So that we see that God may justly deny the grace of election Quest Why is it said that God actually hates and punishes men when they are wicked Answ Because he is just he may actually hate them when they are wicked he decrees it before but then he actually hates them we manifest it after this manner Whatsoever he decrees he executes not till he have cause because he is just Of the former namely that God should decree Augustine saith there are causes secret to man but there is no unjust cause Of the latter that he actually hates them the cause is manifest they are actually wicked Quest The last thing Why say you that he hates all iniquity Answ Because he is good and righteous and loving therefore he cannot choose but hate sinne nothing is more proper to love then to hate that which is an enemy to that which is beloved nothing more proper to God then to hate sinne as Saint Augustine it is apparant thou lovest righteousnesse and hatest iniquity So that you see I have opened this description out of which there may be made many Uses Vse 1. This teacheth us first what to beleeve and professe in those great and controverted points concerning universall grace election reprobation redemption c. in which we must be wise to sobriety that we dash not into errors God as hath bin said did love some above others with a speciall love for whom he hath prepared grace and glory those whom he did not love with this speciall love he passed over and for them he prepared neither grace nor glory and thus farre we goe without straights for it is granted by all that God may deny that grace and glory which he gives to others and passe them over because to some grace and glory are his owne free gift and he may doe what he will with his owne But say some God cannot justly destinate men to destruction before they are wicked to doe so would be tyranny c. To this we answer it is high presumption for dust and ashes to limit the soveraignty and absolute dominion of the almighty yea so much as to question what God may doe woe unto him that strives with his maker saith the Lord by Isaiah Who hath injoyned him his way saith Elihu if as the Potter out of the same lumpe makes one vessell to honour and another to dishonour who shall charge him with injustice Is God tyed to any who hath given to the Lord to make him a debtor Injustice is the violation of a right there is no injustice where there is nothing due indeede if God had destinated a creature to torment being innocent this had not bin an act of justice but of soveraignty yet was it not an act of injustice because of soveraignty But this problematicall question is to us needlesse there is no cause of flying to the absolute dominion and royall power of God to answer this objection To the Law and to the Testimony God hath sufficiently declared and justified the equality of his own wayes let us with meeknesse and humility of spirit seeke and submit to the revealed trueth God hath prepared grace and glory for some that were not worthy of it admire the richnesse and freenesse of his grace and goodnesse he hath not done the like for all sit downe in silence he hath done thee no wrong but he hath prepared some for destruction no man prepares himselfe for destruction by his sin Thy destruction is of thy selfe oh Israel God onely prepares destruction for the sinner he hath prepared Tophet of old and what injustice is there in this God made his creature holy and able to stand his creature left to himselfe forsakes his holinesse and sins God decrees to punish him for this sinne and doth punish him Are not the waies of God equall thus God cannot justly be charged with mans perdition Object But he is the cause of all his sinne if this doctrine of reprobation be true Answ God forbid he that prohibits and punishes sinne doth not procure and cause it let no man say saith the Apostle Saint Iames When he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evill neither tempteth he any man But every man is tempted when he is drawne away of his owne lust and inticed Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and commeth from the father of lights c. Neither doth the contrary follow from the doctrine that hath been taught God doth deny his grace to some but he doth not infuse corruption or sin into any and therefore cannot be charged as the author of sinne the deniall of grace is the antecedent of sinne but not the cause between the antecedent and the consequent there is no casuality the Sunne not giving his light there followes darknesse on the earth yet is the sunne the cause of light not of darknesse God witholding his grace and spirit from his creature there followes sinne and wickednesse in the creature yet is God the cause of the grace and holinesse of the creature not of sinne and wickednesse which is in it I stand not long on these things it is my purpose to teach not to dispute and these absurdities heaped upon this doctrine arise as directly and in as full force against the opinion of the objectors let them see how to salve themselves and the same plaister will serve us as well as them Againe they say it is injustice to hate where there is no sinne hatred signifies First to love one lesse then another as hath been shewed Secondly to decree Thirdly to denounce Fourthly to execute punishment In the first sense it is no injustice to hate without respect to sinne we may and why then may not God prefer one thing before another both being of the same goodnesse and in this act the thing preferred is loved the other hated In the three last exceptions there is no injustice for God doth not decree or denounce or execute punishment save onely against sinners and for sinne Take it in a similitude if a free Prince of two beggers advances the one to riches and honour and deserts the other and suffers him in his beggery there is no injustice in it If Pharoah restore his Butler and hang up his Baker both having offended there is no injustice in it If God set a speciall affection on some of his creatures which he denies to others why should any repine is thy eie evill because I am good No say they but God should not be made the author of mans sinne and misery there was something in man that did provoke God to passe him over and
not an attribute nor part of another thing An accident subsisteth by another thing for it is not a substance in it selfe but in another every accident is in some substance as white and blacke Againe it is not part of another for that which is part of another doth not subsist in it selfe but in the whole of which it is part for instance the matter whereof a man is made in the wombe of a woman so long as it is part of the woman is no person till it have in it a soule and then ceaseth to be a part and so the humanity of Christ hath subsistance in the second person of the Trinity and is no person of it selfe because it hath no subsistence of it selfe Thirdly Individuall that is a particular it is one in number Fourthly Incommunicable it is not Communicable as the Essence is as the nature of things is communicable to all that are of that kind the nature of man is communicable to all men the nature of Angells is communicable to all Angells so the Essence and nature of the divinity is communicable to all the persons but the persons are not so amongst themselves therefore we say it is incommunicable Fiftly we say it is living for that which is without life cannot be a person a Book or a Board cannot be a person neither is every thing that hath life a person and therefore I adde understanding and willing that is so living that it understands and wills thus a Beast and Trees have life but they want understanding and reason therefore they cannot be a person so now you have the description of a person Quest How many such persons bee there in the Diety Answ Three the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost we must prove that these three be substances c. It is manifest first in generall the Father is a substance subsisting by himself individuable incommunicable so is the Sonne and so is the holy Ghost therefore there are three persons in the Trinity Gen. 11.7 Let us goe down and confound their language let us goe is more then one and God doth not speake to the Angels by way of consultation let us but of command go you and in the eight verse it is said the Lord confounds their Language Isai 6.3 Holy holy holy Lord c. three holies is spoken of three persons applied to one that is called the Lord that is one Essence that this is meant of three persons is aparent it is granted by all that the Father is one and then the Sonne is another Iohn 12.34.40 The Testimony of the Prophet is alledged and there used as applied to Christ thus saith the Evangelist Esai spake of him when he saw his glory therefore the Sonne is a person the same is also for the holy Ghost Act. 28.25.26 Well saith the holy Ghost c. that which is spoken of the Father in the old Testament the holy Ghost applies to the Sonne and to himselfe in the new therefore there are three substances c. my text is a manifest proofe of this there are three which c. they are not three names nor three properties nor three severall words they are three that is three substances or persons three that are severall that we may manifest this a little more and that particularly There was never any Heretique that denied the Father to be God concerning the sonne these testimonies Gen. 32.24 Iacob wrestled with a man this same man that Iacob wrestled withall was God so saith Hosea 12.3 that Iacob wrestled with God the text in Gen. saith it was man the other text saith it was God but how appeares this that it was the Sonne because that the Father never appeared in any shape Againe 1 Iohn 1. In the beginning was the word here he is called the word to this may be aded Iohn 8.28 Before Abraham was I am a person severed from the Father Iohn 17.5 Now Ftaher Glorifie me with that glory which I had with thee before the world was A person speaking to the Father severed from the Father Thirdly the holy Ghost is a person Iohn 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall send you another comforter here is plainely seene the Father Sonne and holy Ghost he speakes not of comfort but a comforter 2 Cor. 13.13 the Apostle praies The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ c. therfore not onely to God the Father but also to God the Son of whom grace is desired and to the holy Ghost is prayer made so that by these Scriptures appeares there are three persons living understanding c. Quest What reason is there that there are such three persons in the Trinity Answ First they are all God Secondly they all created the world Thirdly because that men in baptisme are dedicated unto them all and make a covenant with them all as well as with one we manifest it thus first that they are all God to say nothing of the Father for that is confessed of all it appeares that the Sonne is God Rom. 9.5 speaking of the Son He is God over all blessed for ever so also Heb. 1. O God thy throne indures for ever of the holy Ghost that one shall suffice Acts 5.3.4.5 The Apostle Peter chalenges Annanias and Saphira that they had not liedunto men but unto God and then he tells them that they had lied against the holy Ghost so then the holy Ghost also is God Secondly because they all created the world it appears Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the world that the father did create the world will be confessed of all that the Sonne created the world Col. 1.16 the Apostle speaking of the same saith By him were all things created whether things visible so Iohn 1.3 By him was created whatsoever was made and without him was nothing made that was made so Heb. 1.10 Thou Lord hast laid the foundations of the world That the holy Ghost did create appeares Psal 33.6 By thy word were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth so Gen. 1.2 The spirit moved upon the waters What is that as the Hen doth upon her egs to hatch them so the holy Ghost preserves them c. in the 26. verse he saith Let us make man in our Image not in the image of Angels but in the Image of God now then if these did create the world and give it a substantiall being they must needs have a substantiall being in themselves Thirdly because in baptisme men are dedicated unto them all and make a covenant with them all they cannot be dedicated to them that have no being Matth. 28.21 Go c. baptising them in the name of the father of the son and boly Ghost and therefore these three must needs subsist by themselves and therefore they must have all understanding and actions and are all persons c. more particularly we manifest it of these that be in question the son and spirit if
is necessary hath appointed us a time to consider of the premises dare any man say that this knowledg of God is not necessary if this knowledge of God had not bin necessary he would never have taught it therefore ignorance of this is sinne especially when a man is negligent upon this supposition that it is enough to know that there is a God and no more therefore every man ought to know this it is necessary that every man that would be saved must beleeve and no beleeving without a distinct understanding of the Trinity he shall be in danger of hell fire that doth not labour to know and understand it when he hath the meanes and yet there are that will not know this distinction but are content to have an implicit faith it is the Doctrine of the Church that a man that beleeves not this distinction cannot be saved 1 Iohn 1.23 he that denies the Sonne hath not the Father Vse 3. This instructs every man to worship God aright how is that undoubtedly as he hath revealed himselfe in unity and trinity not denying the Essence nor confounding the persons he that worships God and not three persons worships an idoll and he that worships three persons and not one God worships three idols therefore to avoid all idolatry a man must be able to distinguish them how as a childe onely by three names no it is not enough to know no heresie but men must know to worship him him aright therefore every man must labour to conceive of him aright as he hath revealed himselfe and here is the image that every man isalowed unto him unity and trinity c. it is not enough for a man not to conceive erroneously but he must conceive truely The worship of God is necessary for whom for God nothing lesse it is nothing to God that thou worship him it is necessary for man and it is necessary to worship aright then necessary as he hath revealed and this they cannot doe unlesse they know him Turks they cannot be saved because God hath not revealed himselfe one in three persons to them the Iewes they cannot be saved because God hath not revealed one in three persons to them though God did in the old Testament shadow this out yet he did it so darkly that they understood it not Then every one that is in the Church may be saved no they that live in the Church and doe not endevour to understand as God hath delivered to the Church cannot be saved Rom. 10.13 Then every one that cals vpon the name of the Lord shall be saved no there is nothing more used in the Scriptures then to put downe invocation for all the worship of God and so it is taken there Then every one that worships God aright shall be saved yea but how can a man invocate God if he know not the advocate and mediator Iesus Christ so how shall a man performe any worship to God but a fiction of his owne braine except he know this mystery therefore fearefull must needs be the condition of such as are ignorant of this sacred mystery This should be a provocation to every man to labour to know these mysteries you must goe and meditate about these things and beat your heads about them so that walking in the worshippe of God here hee will honour you c. OF GOD THE FATHER CHAP. XXV HEB. 1.6 Thou art my Sonne this day c. IN the next place it followes that we speake of every one of the persons in their order and the first is the Father this text that I have read gives ground to speake of him concerning whom the first Question principally to be handled is this namely Quest What is the Father Answ He is the first person in order not in time begetting the Sonne creating the world the thing that is described is the Father This word Father is applied to God in Scriptures two waies First Essentially Secondly Personally Essentially in the first place that is when divine things are opposed to humane eternall to earthly God to the creature and Father in this sense is not applied to the first person in Trinity but to the whole Essence and this is that which Christ taught us Matth. 6. Our Father which art in heaven Father there belongs to all Mal. 2.10 We have all one Father and in this respect the Sonne is called Father Isai 9.6 Father of eternity Heb. 2.13 Here I am and the children that thou hast given me speaking of Christ and those that were begotten by his word and in this respect the holy Ghost may have the name of Father given to him because it is he that begets us againe in which respect it is that God is called Father by creation and Adoption Secondly the Father is to be taken personally and that is with reference to the Sonne and not to the creature and so in this description Father is to be applied to the fitst person as appears by that which I have read The next thing I say he is a person the Essence is common to them all but the distinction is three fold by his order and by his properties and by his workes First order I say the Father is first in order not in time because the Son is coeternall with him he not before him Iohn 1.1 In the beginning ginning when other things began there was the word with God Prov. 8.22 He possessed me in the beginning of his waies a place so manifest of the Sonne of God as Arrius the grand enemy could not deny it where he saith I was with him before the world was and thus the Prophet Micha 5.2 hath it speaking of Christ His goings forth have been of old from everlasting there is mention of two goings forth one in time and that is as he was man his incarnation Secondly another from everlasting and this was his begetting of God from everlasting and so the Father was not before him in time Heb. 9.14 He is called the eternall spirit a place commonly understood of the divine nature of Christ so that by all this it appeares he was before him in order not in time The next thing is his property begetting his Sonne included in the name Father the Father is unbegotten and begets the Sonne the Son is begotten because he hath a beginning of his person from the Father as Saint Basil observes the Father hath his foundation within himselfe we may beleeve the reason because that never any Heretique denied it now he begat his Son I shewed you it before Psal 2.2 Thou art may Son this day c. and so heer unto which of the Angels did he say thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee and therefore he is called the onely begotten Son Iohn 1.14 We saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of God therefore he is called the first begotten Col. 1.15 If any aske me Quest How begat he him Ans I answer I know
not no tongue can expresse no heart can imagine God hath not revealed it that he did beget his Son that is revealed but the manner how he hath not revealed yet this we are sure of in the negative we may understand how he was not begotten every thing that is applied to God being purged and freed from corruption and made perfect is applied to him therefore in generall with men there is imperfection that the Father should be before the son in time this is imperfect that the Father should beget a son out of himself is imperfect this is imperfect for a father to beget a son by motion and corruption this is imperfect but it is perfection to beget him without motion this is imperfection for a father to beget a son with part of his Essence but this is perfection to beget him without difference in Essence here the Father and the Son are both at one time the Father begets him in himself not of himself thus much for the second distinction of the roperty The third distinction from the worke or manner of working creating the world of this we need no further proofe it is enough that we beleeve in God the Father almighty c. where Father is distinguished by his power that as his Sonne hath the worke of redemption the holy Ghost of sanctification so the Father of creation then I say it is manifest that the Father created the world begetting his Son in himselfe of the same substance with himselfe creating the world out of himselfe of an unlike substance to himselfe being every way divers c. This shall suffice for the opening of this distinction Quest Why is he first in order and not in time Answ Because he is the eternall Father therefore he must have an eternall sonne and spirit an eternall wisdome and power First he is an eternall Father therefore he must have an eternall Sonne for Father and Sonne are relatives one gives the being to the other Husband and wife are relatives Kings and Subjects are relatives Kings give a being to the subjects so in this Father and Sonne are relatives no Father without a Sonne and no Son without a Father and no sooner a father then a sonne if a man be a father he he must be elder then his sonne but God cannot be a Father elder then his Sonne therefore as Father and Son they are of the same age as it were the same day the same houre as I may so speake they are coeternall and therefore both of the same time Saint Basil saith how shall not he be from the beginning that had nothing before him but himselfe from whom he had his beginning In the next place because he is an eternall God and hath an eternall wisdome no God without his wisdome deny wisdome and deny the Sonne so Prov. 8. He is called the wisdome of his Father 23. verse he saith I was before his workes before all creatures whatsoever he and his wisdome were never separated therefore it followes that he must needs be an eternall Sonne hereupon is it that which Solomon calls the wisdome of God Saint Iohn calls the word of God in the beginning was the word therefore he must be an eternall person Thirdly the eternall God must have eternall power for God without power is nothing so Luke 1.35 The holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most high shall overshadow thee where God is not without his power then we conclude that seeing he is an eternall Father he must have an eternall Son and spirit and the eternall God must have eternall wisdome power therefore he is put first in order Quest How is he distinguished by begetting Answ By communicating his whole Essence from all eternity the Sonne is begotten how by receiving his whole Essence from his Father The Father begetting the Sonne by communicating his Essence but how gives he to him his whole Essence not by alienation but by communication we thus open it he gave him his whole Essence because the whole Essence of God is so simple that it cannot be divided if it were divided it were the overthrowing of the whole Essence therefore when he communicates he communicates not a part but the whole and when he communicates he doth it not by alienation for then it should cease in him that gave it but it doth not cease so but by communication it is so given that abides his still though he communicates it to the Sonne one testimony for many Collo 2.9 In him dwelleth the Godhead bodily For in this Generation there is no division nor transmutation and yet there is a true multiplication of persons but not of the Essence that never divides Qu. The third thing how is he distinguished by the work of creation Answ Not by working but by the manner of working because the Father creates by the Son and by the holy Ghost the work is common to all for all create but the maner is different you heard the reason before these cannot be divided but the Father begins the worke and executes it by them and the reason is because the Father hath his beginning of his person himselfe and the Sonne and the holy Ghost receive it from the Father therefore it is the Father creates by them and is distinguished from them not in the matter wrought but in the manner of working and thus I have opened this Doctrine Vse 1. This teaches us how we ought to beleeve concerning the Father namely that he is thus distinguished in order not in time if any man should have a thought nourish it that the Father should be before the Son or spirit in time he doth not only overthrow the Trinity as much as in him is but the Deity S. Ambrose saith if the Father had beginning before the Son then he was God first and Father afterwards that cannot be God turne this thought from our hearts saith he tell me then how dost thou beleeve that he is the immutable God if he be so how can this stand there is a mutation by this accession of Father there is a change how is he without change if a God first then a Father God turne such conceits from us it may well be with men he is a man now and father some yeares after for he is subject to change but bring the nature of God to a change and thou overthrowest the nature of God therefore we must beware of this thus we are to beleeve that the eternall Father is with the Sonne and the eternall Son with the Father he that will worship God aright let him joine these two together that the Diety hath joined together beware you separate none of these It is true we are to hold it after a divine manner not to judge of it by a humane generation as that the Father must be elder then the Sonne we are not to judge after this manner for this is the ground of errors againe if the
Father beget his Sonne then he is divided we hold no such thing he did not beget him in time and if they will follow humane generations then the Father must have another sexe to beget him upon and if you will have it as in humane generations then the mother must have a wombe to carry the Son nine or ten monthes if these be absurdities why would you tie us to this contrary to the word this we are to hold and to looke to that which is revealed and to goe no further we conclude this use with a speech of Saint Ambrose it is impossible saith the father for me to know the secrets of this generation he saith well for we may not search into these secret and high mysteries it is such a thing that when I thinke of it my minde failes me I know not how to utter it Phil. 4. the Apostle saith The peace of God which passeth all understanding How much more this the Father begetting the Son clap thine hand upon thy mouth and admire at these things thou knowest he did it but thou must not search how it was he did it let us rest with that which God hath revealed that we may not fall into error Vse 2. Secondly this commends the great love of God to man that when he had a Sonne a naturall Sonne begotten in and of himselfe yet he would adopt other sonnes to be heires of the same glory with this Sonne this is great love It is the love in men that if a man be childelesse and have not a son he adopts a stranger this is accounted great love that he will adopt anothers sonne and make him his own but when a man hath a sonne then to adopt and then to take an others it will be accounted exceeding love many men when they have a naturall sonne desire to have no more some men have many sonnes and desires to make the eldest great the eldest shall have all and the yonger nothing God made another law but we forget nature and law too this by the way but if parents love be such Gods is much more that when he had a naturall Sonne he adopted many to be heires with him Rom. 8.17 Iacob set forth this love to Ioseph that when he had twelve sonnes yet notwithstanding he loved Ephraim and Manasses the sonnes of Ioseph he would adopt them that they should be the heires of the land of promise and yet there was some reason but see here is greater love in God when he had but one Sonne he was content to adopt enemies to make them sonnes that they might be heires together with him of the same heavenly inheritance Object Some may say you talke so much of Gods love to others that you lesson his love to Christ surely the world will say he loves him not that he makes other heires with him Ans I answer the great Emperours of the world cannot make a division of their Empires but they must lessen them but such is the riches of God that this Sonne shall not have the lesse for divisions for as Saint Augustin speakes of the Sunne the Sun saith he God hath so created that it may enlighten many men and so every man hath abundance of the light of it and yet the Sunne hath nothing the lesse it selfe so God can communicate his celestiall glory and heavenly kingdome to all his sonnes he can make them all kings and sonnes and heires and fellow heires with Christ so that man shall have enough and he not the lesse for there is no dividing Vse 3. Againe this teaches us Hath he begotten the Sonne hath he an onely begotten Sonne we remember saith Saint Ambrose the first begotten because there was none before him and the onely begotten because there was none after him he was his owne and onely Sonne What Use make you of this This Consider of the Justice of God and the great strictnesse of justice that he had but one Sonne and he voluntarily tooke our nature upon him and also tooke our sinnes to stand in our roomes to answer for our sinnes yea that this naturall Sonne this onely Sonne intreated his Father that if it were possible this cup might passe from him yet notwithstanding he would have him drinke of it for the satisfying for our sinnes this would be counted great severity with an earthly King if his sonne should transgresse to cut him off but when he had not committed any thing to cut him off for others offences it would be counted great injustice If so be it was an evidence of strictnesse of justice which stories speake of heathen men that an Emperour when his sonne had offended the Law and both his eyes were to be put out put out one of his owne eyes and one of his sonnes to satisfie the law 1 Sam. 14.29 Or that of Saul he that hath done this shall dye though it be Ionathan my sonne how then doth this argue a great strictnesse and love of justice seeing there is one that for our sinnes though he was Gods naturall Sonne was given to death of his Father What of this Marke here the love and justice of God that he hath shewed toward men who that he might spare them would have his justice satisfied by his owne Sonne and though he intreated him yet he would not heare him know hence and see the severity of God to sinners and the mercy of God to us therefore let us make more conscience of sinne let us see the fearefull condition of those that reape no benefit of Christs satisfaction This serves to strike terrour and fear into the hearts of Gods owne children for if they sinne they are subject to the hand of God till they repent for if we be wanton and carelesse he will not spare his owne adopted sonnes that spared not his naturall Son therefore labour to know him and serve him and we shall have eternall life hereafter OF GOD THE SONNE CHAP. XXVI HEB. 1.5 Thou art my Sonne THE first person is the Father of whom we have spoken the second person is the Sonne of whom we are now to speake the ground of both this text of Scripture will manifest Quest What is the Sonne Ans He is the second person in the Deitie begotten of the Father redeeming the World To open this description the Scriptures speake of the sonnes of God foure wayes First by Creation and so are principally men and Angels whereupon in the first of Iob the Angels are said to be the sonnes of God and so Mal. 2.10 men are said to be the sonnes of God we have all one Father so Luke 2.3 Adam is said to be the son of God and successively all mankinde Secondly by Regeneration and so all the elect being begotten anew are sonnes Rom. 8.15 16. they that have the spirit of God are his sonnes Gal. 3.16 by faith we are all the sonnes of God Gal. 4.6 because we are sonnes c. many such testimonies there are but they
they instance when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men but then he gave the spirit therefore it meanes the gifts not the person of the spirit Answ True he then gave gifts but what gifts not the gifts of sanctification but the gifts of tongues which is spoken of in Acts 2. and so notwithstanding this it is manifest that he is God from eternity Vse 3. This teaches how we ought and how we may beleeve truly in the holy Ghost namely to beleeve in him as God the third person proceeding from the Father and the Sonne sanctifying the elect he that changes any thing of this description cannot beleeve in him aright as he that beleeves in the holy Ghost as God yet as begotten but not proceeding beleeves not aright Object But some will say unto me why may we not say that the holy Ghost is begotten as well as the Sonne when as begetting is receiving the whole Essence by communication and what is proceeding but receiving the whole Essence by communication and why doe we say the Son is begotten and the holy Ghost proceeds Answ To this I answer as Saint Chrysostome did that which is not written thou oughtest not thinke or speake if thou finde it any where written then thou maiest if not thou maiest not amongst many things Saint Augustine observes two in this misery why should not we say that the holy Ghost is begotten he answers because the second person is said to be the Sonne yea the onely begotten Sonne therefore I dare not goe from that to ascribe the begetting to any other besides it is said that the holy Ghost proceeds he goes on to this purpose if any aske Quest How doth begetting and proceeding differ Answ I answer that they doe differ I am sure but how I know not Againe what is the difference to be begotten and to proceed I am insufficient to speak or expresse Nazianzen presses the point well tell me saith he what is to be begotten and I will tell thee what is proceeding and yet if either shall undertake to doe this by searching into it we may be both mad and lose our wits therefore we say the Father is of himself not from another the Son is of the Father alone by way of begetting the holy Ghost from them both by way of proceeding And if this seemes strange saith Nazianzen take an Image of it There is Adam Seth Evah Adam not begotten Seth begotten Evah proceeding from Adam there was one begotten that was Seth and there was one proceeding that was Evah and one begetting that was Adam in a word thus we are to believe of the personall Essence of the third person in trinity the holy Ghost Vse 4. It followes in the description he sanctifies the elect therefore this admonishes every prophane man that scoffes at purity to see and repent of this prophanesse because purity is the worke of the holy Ghost what doe you then deride when you mock at purity tell me whom thou mockest at even at the holy Ghost I say thou scoffer at purity and holines whatsoever thou art thou scoffest at the spirit of God Pro. 17. He that mocks the poore derides him that made him So I say to thee that mockest the pure that are made holy c. thou mockest the holy Ghost that made him pure and thou maiest be said in a sort to commit a sinne against the holy Ghost I say not that unpardonable sin but a sinne against his personall worke of holinesse I am sure this one thing doth make manifest that thou art not sealed by the spirit of promise and redemption even thy mocking at holinesse which is his worke know then for certaine the more base that holinesse is in thy sight the more base thou art in the sight of Gods spirit better had it beene for thee that thou hadst been made the most venomous creature on the face of the earth then that thou shouldest not be made holy by this sanctifying spirit of God pray then if it be possible the thoughts of thy heart and the words of thy mouth might be forgiven thee for thou hast not spoken against holy men only but the holy spirit of God as often as thou haft spoken against holinesse Vse 5. Here is matter of comfort Is holinesse the worke of the spirit which is God is holinesse begun as in truth here is but the beginning of it here is but the earnest the first fruits is it so that thou wrestlest with thy corruptions thou wouldest and yet thou canst not be perfect comfort thy selfe it is certaine that he will perfect it in his own time Philip. 1.6 Certainely he that hath begun this good worke will perfect it although we have many weakenesses as the Apostle cries out Oh! wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death c. when he fights with infidelity and with lust and cannot overcome it yet here is the comfort I say it againe here is the comfort he hath given thee that grace by which thou resistest and by which thou shalt overcome evill onely remember this he will perfect it as thou couldst not teach him how hee should begin grace in thee so thou must not teach him how or when to perfect it in thee howsoever in the meane time thou criest out miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of sinne if thou hunger and thirst after righteousnesse he will perfect it but thou must continue wrastling till the change of the body come and who would not wrastle for so holy a prise Vse 6. Lastly we note the blasphemy of the Pelagians and Papists when they tell us of falling away from grace here is manifestly the contrary It is the spirits worke to make the elect holy will he be wanting in his owne worke away with such blasphemies from us let us serve the providence of God for our perseverance by attending upon the word and Sacraments here and he will in part sanctifie us here and will not leave us untill he hath perfectly sanctified us throughout the whole soule and body and spirit at the day of appearing of the Lord Jesus And thus much in speciall of the third person in Trinity the holy Ghost as also in generall of the description we gave of God in his owne nature A Table of the Contents A AEternity of God what 91. God is Aeternall 92. Therefore lives to reward the good and bad 93. c. Afflictions how signes of Gods love 196. 197 Anger of God what 212. 217. In Anger two things 213 Anger is and why it may be given to God 216 Anger is not simply evill 219 Anger in God incensed by sin 220 Anger appeased by removing sinne 221 Iudgements sometimes removed in Anger 223 Atheisme confuted 55 Atheisme ground of humiliation 56 Ascent to God is of God 179 Anthropomorphites confuted 74 Approbation of man not to be rested in 118 B
Begetting and proceeding how they differ 302 C Church offices concerning the Scriptures 43 D Dominion of God what 239 Dominion why given to God 240 Creatures have their power of God 251 Why God workes by creatures 250 E Essence of God proved to be one 66. which distinguishes the true from false Gods 65. Confutes Hereticks and directs faith 68. 69. Comforts in praier 69 Election and grace immutable 137 Election may be knowne 175 Election how made sure 177 Election is of a few 174. 182 Evill things how and why willed of God 124. 128 F Father what 269 Father taken Essentially and Personally 269 The First person how 270 Fore knowledge no cause of sin 239 Faith shall not faile 99. Strengthned 144 Feare God 119. 220 Faith directed 265 G There is a God proved by reason 50. 51. c. God is but one 56. 57. 88 God what he is 61 Vses to be made of the Deiety 55. 58. c. Goodnesse of God what 148 Goodnesse of God proved 150 Goodnesse in God absolute 151 Goodnesse communicated to the creaturs 152 Vses to be made of Gods goodnesse 153 Grace of God what 171 The object of Grace 172 Grace why ascribed to God 173 Grace the cause of salvation 178 Grace may be made sure 175 Grace ground of thankfulnesse 187 Grace is not universall 229 Godly comforted 89. 100. 210 Godly cannot fall from Grace 254 Generation of the Son to be adored in silence 287 Against falling from Grace 305 H Hatred of God what 224 Hatred what it signifies 225 Hatred against some is absolute yet just 226 Vses to be made of Gods Hatred 229 Gods people Hated in the world and why 245 Heresies confuted 68. of Marcion 155 Humility the ground of it 136 Humbled sinners finde mercy 198 Holy Ghost what 291. Is God 292. 295. proceeds from the Father and the Sonne 293. 297. dwels in the elect 298. Incorporates into Christ ibid. I Immensity of God what and how proved 102. 103. c. Immensity of God should restraine from sin 107 Immutability of God what how many fold 96 Immutability of Gods number proved 97 Immutability proves God the true God 98 What uses to be made of it 98. c. Immutability not opposed to freedome 128 Objections against Gods Immutability answered 132 Ignorance of God the greatest folly 4. kinds of it ibid. Iustice of God what 200 Iustice why given to God 202 Object of Iustice 203 It is Iustice to reward the godly 204 It is Iustice to free some from sin and leaue others 207 It is Iustice to lay the punishment of the elect on Christ 208 There is a day of Iudgement proved 209 Acknowledge God to be Iust 205 Iudgements remooved in anger 223 Impossible things of two sorts 249. 252 K Knowledge of God chiefest wisedome 1. 2. 3 Knowledge of God is naturall 7. 8. c. Knowledge of God by revelation 12. 13. 14 Knowledge of God in the word 15. 16. by the spirit 17 Knowledge of the Trinity necessary to salvation 266 L Life of God what and how proved 109 Life proves God the true God 112 Long life how attained 113 Love of God what 158 Love why ascribed to God 160 Object of the Love of God 161 God Loves his creatures freely not equally 161. 162. 166 He that Loves not is not of God 162 Love God againe signes of Love 167 Love in God naturall or voluntary God an absoltue and free Lord 241. therefore is not unjust disposing of his creatures 243 He that hath God hath all things ibid. He must be served of all 245 Love of Christ demonstrated 288 M Merit condemned 135. 204. 205 Mercy of God what 189. generall and speciall 190. 196 Mercy is naturall eternall free 191 Mercy is more to some then others 192 Mercy shewen to the elect in three things 193 Vses to be made of Gods Mercy 194. c. Macedonians confuted 300 N Nature cannot finde God 61 P Pictures of God unlawfull 74 Perfection of God what 77 Perfection of God proved 78. c. Perfection of God different from that of creatures 79 Perfection of God wherein it consistes 84 Please God 82 Vses of Gods Perfection 80. c. Promises whether alwaies to be performed 147 Papists and Pelagians confuted 180. 181 Punishment of the wicked why deferred 209 Punishment two fold 214. Impartially inflicted 218 Power of God what 247. Active or absolute 248 Power why given to God 250 It is infinite 252 Provoke not God 255 A Person what 258. There are three Persons 260 The Son a Person 263. and the holy Ghost 265 The Persons how distinguished 258 Persons are distinguished not divided 259 Persons one before another not in dignity not in time but in order 260 Persons distinguished by their properties 261 Persons distinguished by their workes 263 Purity not to be scorned 303 Purity begun shall be perfected 304 R Redemption not Vniversall 183 S Spirit what it signifies 291 Spirit how distinguished from other Persons 292. 294 Services of men reach not to God 80 S mplicity of God what 85 S mplicity of God proved 86. c. Vses to be made of it 88. c. God a Spirit proved 71 c. God must be worshipped in Spirit 75 Swearing condemned 113 Syncerity commanded 119 Security awakened 143. 210 Scriptures reveale God 12. 13. to be searched 15. 21. 26 Scriptures a perfect sure infallible rule 19 Written for all men 23. to be translated 25 and applied 27. 39 The word of God 29. and 36. plaine reveald by the Spirit 37 Canonicall 40. and 45. Sufficient 45. and 49 Sat han why he tels truth 14 Sabellians confuted 256 Son eternall with the Father 269. 270. 287 T Truth of God what 138 Truth but one 139 Object of Truth 141. Vses of it 143 Be True as God is 146 Traditions to be abhorred 21. 47 Threatnings how to be understood 132 Thankefulnesse 156. 187 Trinity knowne by the word 257. by faith 256 V Vbiquitaries confuted 106 Vnworthinesse comforted 165 W Wicked terrified 90 Will of God what 121. is but one 125 Will of God free and immutable 122. 123. 126. 129 Object of Gods Will. 123. 127. Vses of it 135. c. Wisdome of God what 115. How proved 116 Vses of Gods wisdome 118 Women bound to know God 5 Wicked men punished 229 Workes of the Trinity undivided 263 Worship God aright and how 267 ERRATA PAg. 75. lin 23. condemn us for them p. 100. l. 3. it may doubt ibid. l. 24. Insolent against their inferiours p. 106. l. last but two from externall sinning p 115. l. 17. and 19. prescience p. 134. l. 11. one saith p. 140. l. 19. formally p. 145. l. 4. promise sure p. 148. l. 25 Good is an accident p. 158. l. 14. blot out in p 171. l. 9. in his Son though p. 176. l. 8. is in his sonne p. 185. l. 15. he chose the twelft p. 196. l. 8. 1 Cor. 10. p. 208. l. 10. 11. blot out And also punish them p. 210. l. 6. reports 212 from the end blot out the parenthesis p. 213. l. 12. simply p. 217. l. 4. d. fine blot out it p. 220. l. 14. injurious p. 224. in the text Psal 5. 5. p. 225. l. 9. one thing p. 226. l. 23. may not he make them to c. p. 230. l. 5. deny to some that grace ibid. l. 16. if he as the potter p. 239. l. dominion p. 244. l. 11. horses are thy horses p. 246. l. 5. â— fine blot out which ibid Iob 9. 19. ibid. l. 4. a fine that is authority p. 249. l. 1. blot out that yet p. 254. l. 4. a finite subject ibid. 11. effectings ibid. l. 20. actually it is p 253. l. 17. false true p. 254. l. penult fall p. 255. l. 19. Jer. 10. p. 302. l. 15. two mysteries in this
it should come to passe let us leave to God his owne worke the effecting his gracious promises and be imployed in the worke that concernes our selves as Chrysostome saith when God promises feare not only doe that we ought to doe to draw such promises upon our selves for God never failes his Vse 3. The third use is to exhort to imitation every one that thinks himselfe Gods must be like God though he cannot bee perfectly like him yet he must have truth in every thing trueth in speech trueth in performance c. Pythagoras being asked what that was that makes a man most like the Gods when they speake truly saith he but Pythagoras was a lyer and all the gods of the nations were lyars yet they saw this trueth that that which made a man specially like to God was to speake truth every man ought to labour to speake truth All lies must be laid a side for he is the child of the divel that makes sporte of a lye There be officious lyes as to lye for a mans benefit yet as Saint Augustine answers Saint Hierome this makes a man that when he tells the trueth hee should not bee believed and this also makes them unlike to God So also there bee pernitious lyes which are worst of all as when men lye for the hurt of others this makes men most unlike God put away lying saith the Apostle and every man speake the trueth to his neighbour So every man ought to be constant and faithfull to performe whatsoever he promises Iam. 5.12 Let your yea be yea and looke that what you say that you performe Gods promises are yea and amen so every mans word must be certainely kept in things lawfull and holy Gods promises are all made in wisdome mans in infirmity this is that for which every man ought to labour even to performe what he promises We must be wary what we promise and carefull that we performe for it is lying to promise a thing and never meane to performe it yea it is an impious thing for he that is unfaithfull in the lesse is unfaithfull in the greater if not yet his faithfulnesse is not for love of the truth the refore men must consider what they promise as Act. 5.4 Saint Peter saith to Ananias Was it not thine owne but when hee promised it he put himselfe out of his owne power Quest But is a man alwaies bound to performe whatsoever he promises Ans The answer is yes except in these and the like cases First if a man can get him selfe free by him to whom he hath promised because he that bound him may free him and if he shall free him a man needs not performe his promise and yet stand free still Secondly a man may promise a thing he understands not to be unlawful yet afterwards comes to see that it was unlawfull then he is free not to keep it and yet remaines true As if a man should promise to conceale a secret prejudicall to the state and common wealth or an apprentice should promise to wast or give away his masters goods In these and such cases they were bound to be humble for and repent of the rashnesse of their promises and are not tied to the performance of them These and such like cases excepted promises are alwaies to be kept The conclusion is plaine dealing is a jewell for it will alwaies more honor a man and comfort him both living and dying then all that is got by deceiving by lying and dissembling by officious lyes or pernitious lyes But this is prophanely added that he that useth it will die a begger but I say he that useth it not shall die much worse then a beast for a beast hath not any understanding and therefore he shall never come to judgement but man hath understanding and therefore shall come to judgement even he that was afraid to die a begger shall come to judgement such deceitful men the holy one excludes out of heaven Psal 15. The next attribute is goodnesse and that belongs to the will of God of that goonesse of God we are to speake now and therefore to avoyde all distinction according to our order the question is this Quest What is the goodnes of God and of the divine Essence Ans The answer is It is a communicable attribute whereby it is absolute in and of it selfe good liberall and bountifull communicating good to the creature This being the description we must open the severall parts and first the answer saith that God is good liberall c. and this is true But yet to expresse the extention of that we have in hand I say further that he is goodnesse it selfe God is an accident and no accident is in God God is good and whatsoever is in God is good God is good and such a good as hath no evil annexed to it as that which is truly heate is not mixed with any cold and that which is essentially sweet is not mixed with any sowre so God is such as that whatsoever is in him is essentiall Thus we finde in Scripture as in Psal 52.1 Why boastest thou thy selfe thou cruell man seeing the goodnesse of God c. Rom. 2.14 The bountifulnesse of God that is the godnesse of God so the Apostle speakes 2 Thes 1.11 Secondly I call it a communicable Attribute because this goodnesse is in some proportion in man though not as it is in God therefore we call it communicable not that there is goodnesse in man as it is in God but a goodnesse whereby we resemble the divine nature as the Apostle Peter saith The next thing that he is good in and of himselfe the ground of this is that which Christ speakes Mat. 19.17 Why callest thou me good there is none good but God There are good men but there are none eternally and essentially good but God There is a created goodnesse and there is an uncreated goodnesse and therefore we say he is good in and of himselfe and is good to the creatures and this the Learned call a relative goodnesse This goodnesse in the extension not essentially relative as it is in the three persons is here ment but a relative betweene the creature and God and this is the same Gen 1.13 And he looked upon all that he had made and behold it was very good so in many other things Psal 118.1 Praise ye the Lord because he is good and his mercy c. he is good shewing mercy that is his bountifulnesse continues for ever Psal 73.1 However God is good to Israel The goodnesse of God admits this division some is spirituall some temporall some generall and some particular Common goodnesse he shewes to all but his speciall he shewes but to some Psal 34.11 The Lord is a sunne and shield and he will give grace and glory what to every man no but to the pure in heart So Christ saith Mat. 7.10 If a sonne aske his father bread will he give him a stone If