Godhead be distinguished into three distinct persons S. Then ye would that I should beleeue Trinitie in Vnitie three to be in one and one to be in three that is three persons in one diuine Essence and one diuine Essence in three persons F. Yea truly and that in this Trinitie there is the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost but in the vnitie onely one God and the same foreuer S. I like well of your plaine maner of teaching wherof I haue taken no meane instruction and comfort Now tell me father I beseech you how God is called the father F. God is called the father Although God be the common father the creator the author the gouernour and the susteyner of all things yet here he is called a father in respect of the sonne whom he hath begotten before all worldes very God of very God S. How is he called the sonne F. God the Sonne He is called the sonne in two respects first as hauing a relation to the father of whom he was begottē to whō and with whom he is coessentiall coequall and coeternall Secondly in that he became man and was borne of the virgin Mary S. The sonne was made a perfect man And was the sonne a perfect man as he was a perfect God F. Yea for as he is perfect God of the substance of God his father so is he perfect man of the substance of the virgin Mary his mother S. So then ye say that he had a reasonable soule as he had a humane bodie for this necessarily followeth F. Yea for as a perfect man consisteth both of a humane body and a reasonable soule so thou must beléeue that this second person in the Trinitie had not onely such a bodie but also such a soule as he was man S. And was that his diuine nature combined with his humane nature in this person F. Yea doubtlesse The godhead and manhood conioyned in one Christ and thereof béeing God and man he became one Christ S. VVho was his mother as he is God and who was his father as he is man F. Is he is God he hath no mother and as he is man he hath no father S. And yet he hath both father and mother must I not beleeue so Father Yes for as he is Christ he hath God his Father in heauen and the Virgin his Mother on earth S. How then was he begotten as he was man F. Of the holy spirite inspiring the holy virgin without the knowledge of any man Luke 1.35 S. This is a wonderfull conception F. So is it indeede howbeit with God it was nothing impossible S. The holy Ghost How is God called the holy spirite F. Not onely in that he is that spirituall Essence but also in that he powreth foorth of his vertues and graces wherein he is sayd to procéede from the father and the sonne S. What is that holy spirite then F. That diuine person in the Trinitie which procéedeth from the father and the sonne to whom and with whom he he is both coeternall and coessenciall which replenisheth the faythfull with all good things S. Then this I learne that the father is the first person in the diuine Trinitie not made nor created The sonne is the second person begotten of the father the holy Ghost is the third person proceeding from the father and the sonne F. Thou sayest well and it is needefull that thou thus beléeue as touching the Trinitie S. VVhat do you distinctly attribute to those three distinct persons F. Although that neither the Godhead is diuided nor the persons seperated in substāce or working Distinct operations of the three distinct persons howsoeuer they be distinguished yet to euery one of those persons is attributed a proper worke in and for the good of the chosen S. VVhat is that which is properly attributed to God the father F. Election and creation S. What is there attributed to the son F. Redemption iustification saluatiō S. VVhat may we attribute to the holy Ghost F. Illumination regeneration and sanctification S. What is that which ye call election Election F. Election is that diuine choyse and sure mercie of God whereby before he made the world he did foreknow them whom he wold glorifie that they might stand before him without blame and become his adopted children through Christ according to the good pleasure of his owne will Ephe. 1. S. VVas there no good thing then in man which God foresaw to merite or deserue this choyse F. Nothing at all for whatsoeuer he did therein God elected his of his own accord and that freely was of his owne accorde S. And is not man able to deserue for this F. Never albeit he should liue tenne thousand yeares neyther indeede dath God expect it for God elected him of his owne will so he elected him fréely knowing well that man could neuer be of power to requite him S. Then we haue no merite whereof to challenge heauen or to iustifie our selues before God F. None at all therefore we are said to be seruants vnprofitable and sinners S. The approbation of man before God By whom are we accepted and iustified then F. By Christ Iesus our Lord who dyed for them whom the father had known before and chosen S. Creation Ye attributed also to God the worke of creation what hath God created and of what matter hath he created the same F. God hath created heauen and earth yea and that of no former matter for to create is properly to make something of nothing S. Then so in them hath God created me F. Yea and he hath made and formed thee S. Of what matter hath he made mee The matter whereof man was made F. As touching thy body of the dust of the earth as touching thy soule of the breath of life S. VVhat thing was I then made F. A liuing soule S. In whose image was I formed F. In the Image of God Gen. 1.27 S. VVhat Image is that for God is a spirite F. Wisdome holinesse righteousnes The image of God and all perfection S. Now what say ye of the proper office of the sonne The proper office of Christ F. As God the father elected and created so the sonne redéemeth iustifieth and saueth S. VVhat is that which ye call redemption redemption F. The recouering agayne buying fréeing of that which was sold the price thereof béeing paied so he redemptiō of mankinde is the recouering fréeing and taking home agayne of mankinde from the bondage of hell death and the diuel his ransome béeing payed S. How was man sold away into that miserie F. Through his owne sinne and rebellion agaynst the law of God S. The malice of the diuel Who moued him to that rebellion F. The Diuel by his subtill temptatiō S. How did the Diuell tempt him F. He abused the bodie of the serpent in whom he spake thereby beguiled first
Contemplations For the institution of Children in the Christian Religion Collected and published by Iohn Carpenter Prou. 1.8 My sonne heare thy Fathers doctrine and forsake not thy mothers Lawe Imprinted at London by R. R. dwelling in Fleete Lane 1601. To the right worshipfull Nicholas Wadham of Meryfield Esquire the grace mercy and peace of God the father in Iesus Christ †ALthough your worships frendly courtiousnes towardes mee haue sufficiently merited my grateful minde as your gentle affablitie with all persons hath deserued of them to bee commended Yet considering how farre beyond some others I am bound by reason of my cure in Bra where I haue often receiued of your temporall things to bestowe on your worshippe things spirituall the which was I might not of duty denie I haue neuer beene vnwilling thankefully to render I perpended yet more deeplye what to excogâ—tate as wherein I might best declare the one and performe the other or at the least expresse a good-will to eyther But finding that I could not any way else so well answer to the one and satisfie the other in all partes and points I gladly resolued to present vnto your worship this my Contemplations as that which I esteeme a Present not vnworthy a Right worshipfull presence and like acceptation that in regarde of the excellencie of the matter howsoeuer it seemeth shaddowed vnder my poore Pen. For verily therein as your worship reading the same may perceiue are summarily collected and briefly cowched the principall Grownds of Christian Religion selected and drawne foorth as certaine sweet streames from the pure Fountaine of the most sacred Scriptures the which not only the most Mightie in his Grace and mercy hath both ordained preserued and commended to his Church but also wee which are of the houshould of Faith and haue the warrant of his spirite which giueth testimonie thereof to our spirites doe constantly beleeue to bee the verye Touch-stone whereby the diuersitie of spirites is knowen the perfect line by the which the Temple is measured the rodde whereby a mans wayes are corrected the Angle with the which the spirituall Fishers vse to take men and to be briefe the Lanterne for our feete the light to our pathes and that blessed Table whereon is proposed to vs in Christ the powerfull foode of soules whereby men are fed and nourished to life euerlasting In regard whereof as all men are bound to praise the high excellencie of that heauenly fountaine and therein to gloryfie God so am I iustly occasioned to protest for the verity and sweete sauour of these streames which in the diuine feare and due regarde of duty I haue not only thence diryued but also produced to be alwayes examined and tryed by the authority of the same and therefore do now with the more boldnesse presume to present vnto your worship praying you to vouchsafe both this my present your worshipfull acceptation and my good will therein your gentle estimation for the which I shall be no lesse thankefull then for other your friendly courtesies And euen thus I commit you with your right worshipfull Partener to the Almighty Norleigh in Deuon the 28. Nouem Anno Dom. 1601. Your Worships poore Neighbour and perpetuall well-willer IOHN CARPENTER Ad Parentes atque Liberos Hexà stichon DIsce parens púeros pietate ornare tenellos Disce puer verum Relligionis opus Quae doceas discas facili hÃc coprênsa labore quae discas doceas gratus vtér que labor DuÌ„ pater et gnátus sibi múnera debita praestaÌ„t per sanctè summo seruit vtérque Deo To all Children of a Christian towardnesse the feare of God and eternall health in Iesu Christ AS a certaine Noble and excellent King was neither ashamed nor greeued to ride sometimes on a rodde or staffe for the instruction of his young Sonne So neither am I ashamed or greeued good Christian children both to collect and frame for your sakes though with so slender a quill and like stile as best fitting your tender capacitie certaine Christian Institutions hoping yee will both accept the same and gratefully esteeme of my good meaning and louing affection therein expressed towards you But I know well it will seeme very strange vnto some that I haue giuen this my collection the title of Contemplation for that after the opinion of the Philosophers contemplation which is defined either the Godly motion of a diuine minde or the diligent and deepe consideration of heauenly things doeth not properly appertaine vnto children Therefore as they placed the contemplatiue life in the coÌ„templatiue good and the contemplatiue felicity in the contemplation of God so the younger sort say they haue not as yet attained to those three things which are therevnto necessary that is VnderstaÌ„ding which is an Act of the highest power Wisdom which is the most noble habite and God himselfe which is the worthiest obiect Whereof it was that they reserued the last age of mans life for the conteÌ„plation of diuine things and wold that al the former ages should be employed on some other Sciences as from the which they might proceede and growe more able in the end to attaine to the consideration of things diuine But those persons neither begin where Christ commaundeth you to beginne where he sayeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seeke ye first the kingdome of God nor do they teach as he teacheth when he saith that the kingdome of God appertaineth to children And that indeede was no little cause that too many the more pitty applying themselues to these terrene and worldly things which Solomon worthelie comprehendeth within Vanities kingdome haue most vainelye spent out the flower of their youth and could neuer tast the sweetenesse of this thing so necessary and profitable for man in their life beeing indeed cutte off and vnhappily preuented by an vntimely death for as it is a common thing for men once to dye so neither dooth cruell death spare children of the which too many in those their vaine studies and childish delightes expect and looke for at the length but all too late the most happie time of searching for and enioying those heauenly and profitable exercises Therefore as it is good for you deere children to withstand such beginnings of mischiefes least the medicine for the desired cure be prepared and applyed too latelie so ought yee to know that it is not meete yee should consume the vertues of your minde in the onelye knowledge of those earthly things but rather to keepe the same preserued for the vse of things heauenlie and diuine the which are euer more profitable and necessarie in your life to the which yee are taught and inuited euen by the Lyons and Eagles which when when they goe doe turne their tallents inwarde to the end they may not weare out but be preserued sharpe and fit for the praye And so should yee likewise fill your greene vessels with that wholsome Water whereof yee should most long-somly reteine and keepe the sent
kingdome of Christ fayth remission of sinnes righteousnesse holinesse and to a new life and life euerlasting S. How then am I called F. God béeing merciful vnto thée allureth thée externally by his worde preached and inwardly by the motion of his spirite S. Are both these namely the outward inward calling necessary for a christiā F. Yea and therefore we ought not to neglect the one nor contemne the other S. Thus farre haue you disputed in order touching the sonne howbeit one thing remayneth yet doubtfull my father the which I would gladly ye should discusse F. What is that my sonne S. Ye said that the father the sonne and the holy Ghost are one thing and that the diuine Nature cannot essentially be diuided and yet that neither the father nor the holy Ghost was made flesh but the sonne onely which also was the alone redeemer of mankinde Not the father nor the holy Ghost was incarnate but the sonne August de incarna cohu Iudaeos how I pray you may this be F. Let him resolue this questiō who hath for an example thereof so elegantly produced the harmonie of a musicall instrument consider sayth hée the musical instrument as it yéeldeth the harmonical sound therein thrée things séeme to be present together as namely the arte or cunning the hand and the corde the arte doeth suggerate or indite the hand striketh and the corde soundeth three here worke together yet onely the corde soundeth neyther the arte nor the hand yéeldeth sound but then only when they worke together with the corde euen so neyther the father nor the holy ghost hath taken flesh yet haue both wrought together with the sonne the corde onely yéeldeth the sound Christ onely hath béene incarnate The operation consisted of all the three but as the yéelding of the sound appertayneth onely to the corde so the taking of flesh appertayneth onely to Christ S. Ye haue excellently resolued me in this doubt and so haue sufficiently instructed me touching the sonne the second person of the diuine Trinitie Now at length I remember that to the third person ye attributed illumination regeneration and sanctification F. The workes of the holy Ghost It is true for these three things are proper to the holy ghost albeit that in the same the whole Trinitie hath his operation S. What meane ye by this illuminatiō Illumination F. Illumination as it is generally taken noteth sometimes the new birth sometimes the viuification sometimes the fréedome sometimes the iustification of a man but in this place by Illumination is meant that lightning of reason and iudgement wrougth in the faithfull by the diuine vertue whereby the eyes of the soule béeing opened they both sée God and learne to walke in his waies S. Then it appeareth that sometimes they haue beene darkened in their vnderstanding and know not at all how to order themselues F. It is most certaine thereof did men runne into so many grosse errours in the world as a punishment for their sinnes S. Right needefull then was it that Christ after his departure from his disciples sent the holy Ghost vnto them F. Thou hast sayd the truth for by the vertue thereof they were lightned and led into all trueth S. How is this holy spirit sayd to be giuen or receiued F. How the holy Ghost is said to be giuen As concerning his graces vertues operations and effects for otherwise being God incomprehensible and replenishing al things he is neither giuen nor taken nor said properly to remoue to go or to come from one place to another S. Ye also attributed to the holy ghost regeneration what meane ye by that F. Regeneration Regeneration is of that which is engendred againe or new borne S. Shew me this more plainely F. Euery man is spiritually dead by reason of sin therefore it is néedeful that he be reduced to that Image of God which is in him defaced by a new birth and hereof is he made a new man S. The old man VVhat is the olde man F. It is the fleshlie man S. VVho is that fleshlie man F. It is he which is not indued with the spirit of God but by nature without the holy spirit which is also called the outward man that is he which consisteth of the body and the sences which is giuen to affections and is mortall The same is also called the body of sin that is a body subdued to sinne flesh sensuall and earthly S. VVhat is that new man The new man F. It is that spirituall man S. VVho is he F. The man inspired with the graces of gods spirit whereof he is a new creature and spirit or the spirituall and inward man that is one regenerated by the worke of the holy ghost that very soule and the image of God which through faith and grace doth flourish euen in the middest of afflictions neither may he be by any meanes extinguished to this also belongeth the first and second man Ro. 5.8 1. cor 15. Adam is that first Christ is that second the first is terrene or earthly the second is celestiall or heauenly S. How doth the holy Ghost worke this in vs. F. He conuerteth vs vnto God conforming vs to the image of his sonne in the renewing of our mindes the which in the scriptures is often vnderstood in the worde Repentance S. It was not then for nought that both God and his prophets in the old Testament and Christ and his apostles in the new haue so often excited and called the people to repentance F. Well sayde neither without this can a man enter into the kingdome of heauen Io. 3.5 S. What oportunitie taketh the holy ghost in the working of this regeneratiō F. The hearing of the worde of God whereof fayth is engendred in the hart of man S. Ye also attributed as I remember to the holy spirit sanctification and what is that F. Sanctification Sanctification is the purifying of a man from all prophanitie the cleansing of a man by the mortificatiō of the flesh and the confirmation and application of vs to God by the viuification of the spirit the which indeede is the end of our deliuerance from hell death the diuell S. Thus haue I learned what are the chiefe attributes or properties of those three distinct persons in the diuine Trinitie now what remayneth els for me to learne my good father F. What God requireth of vs. Yea thou hast hard what Iehouah hath done for thée Now also must thou learne what he requireth thée to yéelde vnto him S. And what is that my good father F. Repeate the Theme or argument of our talke thou shalt therby know it S. I made thee saith Iehouah that thou shouldest be my seruant therefore thou Israell forget me not F. Well then The end of our creation redemption and regeneration to what end did Iehouah make thée aunswere me to the wordes of our Theme S.
also how this Fayth commeth F. Faith commeth by hearing of Gods word As faith is a frée gift of God as I said before so God will that this fayth should come by hearing and namely of the worde of God S. How is that wrought F. By the operation of the holy ghost which engendreth faith right happely in the hart of him who is a fruitfull hearer of the worde of God S. What is that word of God VVhat is that which ye call the worde of God F By the worde of God in this place is vnderstoode the holy scriptures both of the old new Testaments the which with many strong arguments doth demonstrate the will and workes of God and especially those promises which concerne the redéemer and eternall life for those scriptures we call the worde of God which béeing comfortable happie effectuall sufficient to man doth both instruct him in his dutie in this life also derect him to that euerlasting word of God which was with god before al worlds S. How must this worde be vnto me applied F. By the ministrie of the preachers How this word is to be applyed vnto vs. and ministers of the same S. Who be the preachers and ministers of this worde F. Those parsons The Preachers and ministers of the word whom the Lord sendeth foorth furnished with méete gifts lawfully called into the church which chiefly regard to celebrate to praise to commend with feuencie of spirit that openly before all men the name of God and the worde of his grace the kingdome of God S. What shal I do wheÌ„ ther is not a preacher nor a meete minister of the word F. First thou must pray the Lord of the haruest to send foorth labourers into his haruest then What is to be done there where the pastor is absent it is meete that thou read both dilligently reuerently the worde of God and meditate therein with a pure minde euery day S. VVhat if I cannot reade F. It behoueth thée to repayre to them that can reade and instruct thée concerning God and thy duty towards him S. How must this worde be preached and read F. How this word is to be preached and heard Faythfully distinctly discréetely wholy diligently coÌ„stantly reuerently S. How must this worde be heard F. With faith diligence reuerence feare of the Lord and harty desire to learne it to vnderstand it and to reforme this life thereby S. Thus haue ye taught me the ordinary meanes to obtayne faith now tell me also how this faith is confirmed F. How faith is conformed Ioh. 4. There was a time when that faith which came by hearing was confirmed by miracles and workes of wonder S. In what time was it confirmed F. In the time of Christ and his Apostles and in the primitiue church and néedfull it was then when the truth of the Gospell began to be published the which béeing now sufficiently confirmed vnto vs miracles are no longer néedfull S. Wherby is faith coÌ„firmed in vs now F. The vse of â— Sacraments Euen in the exercise of the same word by the which it was begon but chiefely in the true vse of the Sacraments S. How may I beter vnderstand this F. As the Sacraments themselues are the seales of Gods promises made to vs so the right vse of them ratifieth in vs that faith by the which we apprehend that which is promised S. What is that which ye cal a sacrameÌ„t What is a Sacrament F. Not only the seale of those things of which God hath promised vs as I haue before sayd but also an externall signe of some internall vertue or grace S. VVhereof is a Sacrament made F. Of these two things Whereof a sacrament is made namely the worde of God and the Element S. VVhereunto serueth the worde F. To the eare in the lawfull ministetrie thereof and to the inward man by the operation of the diuine spirite S. VVherunto serueth the Element F. To the eye the fast the féeling and eternall man for as a man is of two natures namely of the soule and body of the spirite and flesh so is he of the grace mercie of god edified in either of them S. How many Sacraments be there in christian vse There be two â—acramentes F. Two which are called Sacraments of the new Testament S. VVhat are those two F. Babtisme and the Supper of the Lord both the which are also signified in that water and bloud which issued from the side of Christ on the crosse S. Baptisme What is that sacrament of Baptisme F. This sacrament of baptisme or washing is diuersly defined for it is said to be either the badge of regeneration into a new life 1 Ioh. 2. and eternall health or the signe of our purgation in Christs bloud or the scale of the promise of remission of sinnes in the name of Iesus Christ S. The elemeÌ„t in Baptisme What is the Element whereunto the word adioineth to make this sacrament F. Water which washeth onely the bodie without S. VVhat is the inward grace which is therein signified F. The cleansing of vs from our sins S. And are they throughly cleansed which are washed in that water F. No for that inward washing commeth not of that worke wrought but of the holy ghost in the faythfull which vse this element as a simbole of this washing and not as the cause S. Who instituted and commaunded this to be done and vsed in the church F. Our Lord Iesus Christ who hath promised life vnto them which beléeue and be baptised and hath threatned death to them which beléeue not Mat. 16. S. What is that sacrament of the Lords supper F. The Supper of the Lord is a spirituall banquet The Lordes Supper whereby Christ witnesseth himselfe to be the bread of life by the which our soules are fed to the true imortalitie of the soule or it is an holy Simbole or signe wherein Christ offereth and communicateth his body and bloud thereby to certifie vs of the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting or it is the happy memoriall of the death of Christ and an whoalsome and memorable signe of that Sacrifice which hée made once for all on the Altar of the crosse S. VVhat is the outward Element of this sacrament The elemeÌ„t F. Bread and wine which féedeth and cheareth the bodie S. What is the inward grace which is signified thereby and giuen to the worthy receiuers thereof F. The body and bloud of Christ by the which we are nourished and cheared to eternall life S. Thus haue I hapely learned how saith is conformed in me Now also would I gladly learne how the same is encreased F. How faith is increased This faith which commeth by hearing and is confirmed in the vse of the Sacraments is also happely encreased by godly cogitations and meditations but chiefly by good conference and talke of