Phil. 2.16 For the sonnes of God shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life Especially the faithfull ministers of the word whom Christ therefore calleth e Mat 5.14 the light of the world And if their f Reu. 2.5 candlesticke be set vp in a setled and flourishing Church great and glorious is the light thereof especially in the holy assemblies and most principally in generall counsels A faire way-marke and a forcible inducement to way-fairing men to bend their course that way But yet all this cannot make one true beleeuer g Quis enim imponat mihi necessitatem vel colendi quod nolim vel quod velim non colendi Lact. lib. 5. de vera sap cap. 14. Religionis non est cogere religionē quae sponte suscipi debet non vi Tertul. ad Scapulam No authority of the Church can command faith in a man vnlesse h Hos 2.14 Cathedram habet in coelo qui corda docet Aug. God speake to his heart muchlesse doth it giue truth to the word They both are the proper worke of the same i Sicut Christus legis prophetarum impletio est ita spiritus Evangelij Chrisost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil in ps 95. spirit of truth expressed in the Scripture impressed on the heart of euery true beleeuer k 1. Iohn 5.6 It is the spirit that beareth witnesse because the spirit is trueth l 1. Cor. 14.37.38 Wherefore if any one thinketh himselfe to be spirituall let him acknowledge the things that are written even the scripture to be the word of God But if any will be ignorant let him be ignorant still m 1. Corinth 14.23.24.25 The comming together of the whole Church in some place suppose it be in counsell or for diuine service occasioneth one that beleeueth not or that is vnlearned to come in but it is the word there preached that entereth into him and convinceth him and iudgeth him that openeth the secrets of his heart and then falling downe on his face he worshippeth reporteh that God is in them of a truth n Euangelio non crederem nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae commoueret authoritas August The Church being more sensible may happily first moue a man but o Ego solis canonicis Scripturis sine vlla recusatione debeo consensum Idem August contr Pelag. de natura grat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ego in sola Scriptura acquiesco Theodoret Dial. 1. c. 6. the Scripture being most certaine doth at last resolue every beleeuer They who liue in some low bottome may take notice that the Sunne is risen by the shining thereof vpon some high and eminent Church but who so getteth vp thither sees the Sunne it selfe risen and perceiues with his owne eyes that hee is in the hemisphere of light and sayth as the men to the woman of Samaria p Iohn 4.42 Now I beleeue not because of thy saying I haue heard it my selfe and know it indeed that it is the word of life q 1. Ioh. 5.9 If we receiu the testimony of men the testimony of God is greater r v. 10. He that beleeueth hath the Testimony in himselfe he that leeueth not hath the testimony against himselfe because ſ Iohn 12.48 the word that hath beene spoken that shall iudge him at the last day In the meane time Christ the Testator hath appointed some with power and authority in his Church to publish and require his word The Administrators and overseers as administrators and ouerseers to his Will and Testament The ministers of the Gospell are to administer the the same with the Sacraments as the t 2 Cor. 5.20 Ambassadours of Christ and u 1 Cor. 4.1 stewards of the mysteries of God hauing charge * 1 Tim. 4.16 Act. 20.28 to looke to themselues and their doctrine and to all the flock ouer which the holy Ghost maketh them ouerseers For the commission once giuen by Christ to the Apostles was not to cease with them but to continue euen x Mat. 28.19.20 so long as the precept bindeth and as his promise supporteth which is vnto the worlds end Wherefore they ordeined others by laying on of hands to succede them in that office and ministery with power also to doe the like so to deriue the same by a perpetuall succession to all posterity y Per ministros dispares Dei munus aequale est quia non illorum sed ejus est August contra Crescon lib. 3. c. 6. loquitur de Bapt. Now though the ministers of the Gospell be all of the same order with equall power to administer yet are they not all of the same degree as ouer-seers But some are in higher place z 2 Tim. 5.22 Tit. 1.5 to ordeine Elders a 1 Tim. 1.3 to charge the Pastours to teach no various doctrine b ch 5.19.20 to heare and to censure them c Tit. 1.11 to stop their mouthes and to silence them d ch 3.30 And after the first and second admonition vtterly to reiect a man that is an hereticke Who hauing this speciall power of Iurisdiction reserued to them for e 1 Cor. 14.40 decency and order sake are therefore called Bishops by an excellency that is f Speculatores Inspectores Vid. Duaren de sacr Eccl. minist ac benef lib. 1. cap. 7. ouerseers Besides these whose speciall office is in the Gospell God hath also ordayned the civill Magistrate from the beginning g 1 Pet. 2.13.14 whether the King as supreame or the governours that are sent by him h Custos vtriusque tabulae Vid. Duarenum de sacr Eccl. Minist ac benef l. 1. c. 5. 6. to administer his Law and to ouersee the due performance and execution thereof with power of life and death according to the Lavv of Nature euer in force i 1 Pet. 2.14 for the punishment of euill doers for the praise of them that doe well Whereunto all Nations euen by the light of Nature haue submitted k V. 13. but wee must submit our selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake l Rom. 13.4 The Magistrate is the m Hoc jubent Imperatores quod jubet Christus quia cùm bonum jubent per illos non jubet nisi Christus Aug. ep 166. Minister of God to thee for thy good if thou doe that which is good but if thou doe that which is euill bee afraide for hee beareth not the sword in vaine These two ministrations the one ciuill the other Ecclesiasticall doe by mutual offices as the Law and the Gospell jointly and mutually support one another for the building vp of the body of Christ his Church and kingdome The * Vos Episcopi estis corum quae in Ecclesia sunt agenda ego verò episcopus extra Ecclesiam a Deosum constitutus Constantinus Imperator vt refert Eusebius in ejus
the Christian Reader a Synopsis or full view at once of our religion in the vvhole contexture thereof for his better resolution Which lest I should obscure or confound by incident discourses I haue beene forced to passe it may be too cursorily thorough most particulars which would require so many and far larger tracts then this little model of the vvhole And because I seeke not herein to perswade or convince Infidels which seemes to bee the scope of h Iustin Martyr Tertul. in their Apologies Arnob. Aug. de Civit. Dei Morn Viues Raimundus de Sabunde others who haue written of this argument but to resolue and confirme our selues in the present truth with whom it were a folly not to dispute ex praecognitis concessis I haue laide the foundation of this little Fabricke in the receiued principles of Religion And lastly that I may not build heterogeneous stuffe thereon i Cor. 3.12 wood hay stubble but rather gold siluer pretious stones I haue vsed so much as might be the very wordes and phrases of Scripture not onely for proofe but for expression which being the Word of GOD can best speake his owne meaning howsoeuer to some it may make the stile seeme not so aequable and pleasing The Word of God is it not k 1 Pet. 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rationall milke of our reasonable soules whereby they are nourished to eternall life And our faith hath such force of reason thereby that it is l Heb. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the cleare euidence and most evicting argument of things not seene most sublime abstruse And it is able to convince and perswade m 1 Cor. 14.23 c. vnbeleeuers neuer so vnlearned and n 2 Cor 10.5 to cast downe all contrary reasonings of the most subtile adversaries that exalt themselues against the knowledge of God bringing into captivity euery thought to the obedience of Christ. The o Rom. 12.1 service of God thereby prescribed vnto vs is it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reasonable seruice to all that are not p 2 Thes 3.2 vnreasonable and wicked men To whom howsoeuer they take it wee must and can giue q 1 Pet. 3.15 a reason of the hope that is in vs. The Lineaments whereof I haue indeavoured to draw and shadow out in a new but I hope not vnnaturall method which beeing done seemes to mee rather a bare skeleton then any compleat systeme of that solide body which I tooke in hand Yet it sufficeth mee if as in r Ezek. 37.7.8.9 Ezekiels vision in the valley of dead bones the bones become together bone to its bone For the sinewes and the flesh shall come vpon them and the skinne shall couer them about when the breath of GOD shall come from the foure vvindes and blovv vpon them and they shall liue Howsoeuer I am willing to bee deliuered of this meditation as it is after a longer and more painefull travell by fitts then such an imperfect embrio and vnshapen birth may seeme worthy of And by his helpe ſ Iohn 15.5 vvithout vvhom vve can doe nothing I may heereafter polish perfect what I haue now conceiued not altogether I hope without his Spirit When I shall haue better discerned thereof at a distance and may happely haue gained some farther or clearer discouery by information or obtrectation of others For although I haue no reason to expect an adversary herein hauing not willingly irritated or provoked any yet because trueth many times findes foes where it makes none if any shall trouble themselues to quarrell this little peece what shall be justly found amisse I shall most willingly amend easily neglecting what shall bee petulantly carped and submitting my selfe in all things to my blessed Mother this faithfull Church of CHRIST IESVS †Tertul. Difficilium facilis est venia The Contents BOOKE I. CHAP. I. The bond of Nature The glory of God The author of our good The true zelotes of his glory To glorifie the Creator is the glory of the creature How wee should glorifie God prescribed by the Law of Nature Naturall reason of the Law The covenant of Nature The Law euer in force The case CHAP. II. The Covenant of Grace The Articles and Authors of Grace The Sonne of God the Mediator The Sonne of man The offices of Christ The grace of our Lord Iesus The spirit of Grace Preventing Grace The state of Grace The praise of the glory of Gods Grace CHAP. III. The Testaments The Will of God The Word The Scripture That the Scripture is the Word of God The intent of it The consent in it The olde legall Testament The new Evangelicall Testament The event of prophesies The power of the Gospell The Church The administrators and ouerseers Scripture the absolute Canon of faith and life BOOKE II. CHAP. I. The Stipulation of Faith by the Sacraments The answere of a good conscience toward God The Creed The Sacraments Baptisme Poedobaptisme Anabaptisme Confirmation and penance Communion No transubstantiation Participation by faith Cōmunion in loue The Law conditioned The Covenant indissoluble CHAP. II. Faith working by loue according to the Law The Law established by faith Gods Law our prayer Faith in the Trinity denyes not the vnity of God Christ the onely Image of God to be worshipped by faith in his Name By Prophanenes Hypocrisie Blasphemy the Name of God vnhallowed The Christian Sabbath of the holy Catholike Church The Sabbath not abrogated by Christ. Nor by his Apostles The Iewes typicall vse thereof abolished The Christian Sabbath day within the compasse of the Commandement The Lords day designed by himselfe for our Sabbath It hath euer beene obserued as the Sabbath by the Church It respects the Kingdome of God The Perfect will of God to bee done on earth The heauenly conversation CHAP. III. The Refuge of Hope We are saued by Hope The Law perfect we imperfect Good workes not vvell done Grace and merite incompetible The Christian hope Our daily bread Forgiuenesse of sinnes No immunity to sinne Temptations Preservation Resurrection Life everlasting and glorious BOOKE I. CHAP. I. The bond of Nature The glory of God The authour of our good The true zelotes of his glory To glorifie the Creator is the glory of the creature How we should glorifie God prescribed by the law of Nature Naturall reason of the Law The covenant of nature The fall The Law ever in force The case What is chiefely to be desired THat God may bee glorified in our salvation The glory of God Wherein trusting him for our parts we are principally to intend his glory For vnlesse we wil mocke God and deceiue our own soules we must desire as we pray first that the name of God may bee hallowed by the advancement of his Kingdome in the vniuersall subjection of all to his holy will then that wee may bee saued through his grace by pardon of our sinnes protection in temptations and
was euer delighted to bee vvith the sonnes of men hath spoken in diuerse manners at sundry times at first in personall appearances f Praeludia incarnationis Tertul the forerunnings of his incarnation afterwards by his forewitnessing spirit in the Prophets for g Revel 19 10 the testimony of Christ Iesus is euermore the spirit of prophesie and now at last in the flesh as was promised from the begining Hee is the Word in substance whereof the Scripture is the utterance The vnbeleeving Iewes cavilled with Iesus h Iohn 8.13 that his testimony of himselfe was not good i v. 15. iudging of him after the flesh and according to their manner k c. 5.44 vvho receiued honour one from another and sought not the honour that comes from God But as Christ then proved himselfe to bee the Word incarnate The intent of Scripture so doth the Scripture proue it selfe to bee the vvord written l Iohn 7.18 Hee that speakes of himselfe seekes his owne glory but hee that seekes his glory that sent him the same is true and there is no vnrighteousnes in him So did Christ seeke the glory of God vnto the death so doth the Scripture throughout For it is the maine scope both of the law and of the gospell and of all that haue spoken or written the word of God For they speake not in their owne names in any vaine-glory but in the name of the Lord thus saith the Lord and they conceale not their faultes and infirmities that God only may haue the glory of his owne word Which though it be sometimes n Num verò Deus mentis vocis linguae artifex disertè loqui non poterit Imò verò summa providentia carere fuco voluit ea quae diuina sunt vt omnes intelligerent quae ipse omnibus loquebatur Lactant plaine is alwaies o Ps 19.8 pure though sometimes darke is alwayes p Heb. 4.12 powerfull in all respects most q Institui animum intendere in Scripturas sanctas vt viderem quales essent et ecce video rem non compertam superbis neque nudatam pueris sed incessu humilem successu excelsam velatam mysterijs August l. 3. confes c. 5. maiesticall Againe r Iob. 5.3.4 I receiue not testimony from man saith Christ but these things I say that yee might be saved Indeede in matter of judgement where there is a claime of right a strickt proceeding in law ſ Deut. 17.6 Ioh. 8.17 euery vvord shall stand in the mouths of two or three witnesses t v. 15. c. 5.45 But I iudge no man saith Christ So for the Scripture first of the old Testament u Rom. 15.4 Whatsoeuer thinges were written aforetime were written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope And for the Gospell in the New Testament w Ioh. 20.31 These things are written sayth Saint Iohn that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God and that beleeuing you might haue life through his name Wee may bee sure all this is not forged by any creature man or Angell good or bad for none that hath any feare of God durst arrogate to himselfe such power authority as is proper to God alone and no Deuill nor instrument of his would euer speake so much good of God and x Nulla alia scriptura nisi ista immediatè ducitad vitam beatam quae sola est vita simplicitet quia mortem neseit Lyranus in prolog in SS bibl so much for our good to his glory in our saluation It is our part therefore to giue him the glory that we may reape the benefit y Iohn 3.33 Hee that hath receiued the testimony of Christ hath set to his seale that God is true but he z 1. Iohn 5. that beleueeth not hath made God a lyar because hee beleeueth not the record that God gaue of his Sonne And this is the record that God hath giuen to vs eternall life and this life is in his Sonne It were vnreasonably foolish for vs in this case to demand farther proofe of God his word because it is a case not of iudgement but of couenant and that of his free grace for our only benefit not for any advantage to himselfe and that vpon this onely condition that wee truely beleeue and accept it a Ioh. 5.24 Hee that beleeueth shall neuer come into condemnation b Ioh. 3.18 Hee that beleeueth not needeth no more iudging hee is already condemned in himselfe because hee hath not beleeued For therefore his sinne remaineth for the which the law condemneth Will condemned malefactors stand vpon it to haue the King proue his pardon before they will accept it c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 1.15 This therefore is a faithfull saying worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Let him receiue it that can saying I am the cheife For the consent of Scripture The consent in Scripture it hath in effect bin declared already the summe whereof is that the Law and the Prophets giue testimony to Christ foretelling what he should doe d Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures saith he for they testifie of me e Quibus Dominus testimonium perhibet tanquà m testibus suis Aug. l. 2. contra ep Gaudentii c. 23. And he againe giues testimony vnto them performing what they forespake of him f Ioh. 5.36 The workes saith hee that the Father hath giuen me to finish the same workes doe witnesse of mee For all things were foretold of him g Ioh 13 19. that when they came to passe wee might beleeue So that the two Testaments giue h Nà m quia latorem duo testamenta per vnum pacta Deum in Christo copulat vna fides Lex antiqua novam firmat veterem nova complett In veteri spes est in novitate fides Sed vetus atque novum coniungit gratia Christi mutuall testimony one to the other in Christ and both giue testimony of him and he to them like i Exod. 25.18 c 37 8. 9. Nonne tanquam duo Seraphin clamant adinuicem concinentiam laudis altissimo Ita duo testamenta fideliter concordantia sacratam concinunt veritatem Deo Aug. ep 119 ad Ianuar as the 2. Cherubims ouer the mercie seate point with their wings one to the other and both looke downe into the Arke of the couenant They in the Old Testament k 1. Pet. 1.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 minister the thinges which are now reported vnto vs by them that haue preached the Gospell vnto vs with the Holy Ghost sent downe from heaven which thinges the Angels desire to looke into l Eph. 3.9.10 Even the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all thinges by Iesus Christ which now by the
not onely in the immediate worship hallowing of his name but even in our carriage and dealings amongst our selues Insomuch that if a man doe but g Prov. 30.9 Rom. 2.24 steale any way he taketh the name of God in vaine causeth it to be evill spoken of It was iust that the Creatour should giue a law to his creature whereby every one should h Rom. 14.4 stand or fall to his owne master VVherefore God left not thinges to themselues when hee made them to doe as might chance by the contingence of secondary causes nor to the arbitrement of men Angels but hee set a generall course for nature by instinct in his seuerall blessings vpon euery kinde i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non modo te condidit sed etiam tibi soli credidit quid faceres in mandatis dedit Arrian Epict l. 2. c. 8. he gaue a law vnto man in his making the Angels do his commandements Neither was that k Iam. 2.8 royall law any impeachment to the liberty of mans will which although it haue an arbitrarie power over the locomotiue and other like faculties yet had it never the absolute command of it selfe but was to bee subiect to the arbitrement of divine providence and to the commandement of the Almighty VVherefore man was not left to his owne will but was by nature made willingly subiect to the l Iam. 1.25 law of libertie which God commanded him for his good Other thinges were made by a word of command m Psal 148.5 For hee commanded and they were created but man was made by a word of counsell n Gen. 1.26 Let vs make man a reasonable creature capable of counsell as it were priuie to his owne making and conscious of the word whereby hee was made And God created him o vers 27. Ita imago est ut ad imaginem sit i non aequatur parilitate sed quadam similitudine accedit Aug. l. 7. de Trin. c. 6. in his owne image according to his likenes namely with a conscience and good liking of his will a man after his owne heart like minded as hee intended Which appeares partly by the remainders of the law in our corrupt p Lex est ratio summa insita in natura quae iubet ea quae facienda sunt prohibetque contraria Eadem ratio cum est in hominis mente confirmata confecta lex est Cic. de leg l. 1. Et moxâ— constituendi vero iuris ab illa summa lege capiamus Exordium quae saeculis omnibus antè nata est quam scripta lex vlla aut quam omninò ciuitas constituta hearts q Rom. 2.14 For the Gentiles which had not the law did by Nature the things of the law vvhich shewed the vvorkes of the law vvritten in their hearts r Ante legem Moyâ—i scriptam in tabulis lapideis legem fuisse contendo non scriptam quae naturalitèr intelligebatur à Patribus custodiebatur Tertul aduersus Iudaeos Ista lex quae in corde scribitur omnes continet nationes nullus est qui hanc legem nesciat Hieron tom 3. ep ad Algasian q. 8. In lege temporali nihil est iustum legitimum quod non ex hac aeterna sibi homines deriuauerint August de lib. arb l. 1. c. 6. their consciences also bearing vvitnes But by our Å¿ Coll. 3.10 renewing in knowledge after the image of him that created vs it is manifest that man was made vvith an vnderstanding of himself and of Gods will concerning him and not onely so but with an heart to doe accordingly For t Eph. 4.24 the new man is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse the very text and tenour of the two tables of the law in two vvordes And now u 2. Cor. 3.17 vvhere the spirit is there is liberty againe not from the law to doe as vvee lust the miserable bondage of sin vnto Satan but to the law to doe as we should the gratious liberty of the sonnes of God The naturall reason of the law is yet so apparant that for the duties of the second Table Naturall reason of the Law x Ex sapientissimorum sententijs principem legem illam vltimam mentem esse omnia ratione aut cogentis aut vetantis Dei ex qua leges illae laudatae quae generi dantur humano Cic de leg l. 2. all nations generally haue followed and imbraced the same as being most agreable to mankinde by nature a sociable and civill creature only the y Non ulla vnquam lex sanxit qui furari voluerit culpae reus erit sed qui furatus fuerit inquit Cato pro Rhodiens last commandement is without the compasse of mans law to search or punish Because God only tries the hearts Yet z Has patitur poenas peccandi sola voluntas Nam scelus intrà se tacitum qui cogitat vllum facti crimen habet Cedo si conata peregit Iuvenal Satyr 13. morall Philosophy goes farre by reason to moderate passions and affections And the Stoikes vvho were not the worst moralists goe yet a step farther even beyond reason to roote vp naturall affection Howbeit none of them could by the light of nature reach to the roote of this law namely our naturall corruption vvhereof that sect either by common sence or by some intelligence might yet seeme to haue a kinde of conscience But a Rom. 7.7 I had not knowne lust saith the Apostle namely that the first motion thereof is sinne if the Law had not said Thou shalt not lust Now for the duties of the first table there could bee no reasonable doubt of the three first commandements that they are naturall if vve did but rightly vnderstand and duely consider the nature of God b Nulla gens est tà m fera quae non etiamsi ignoret qualem Deum habere deceat tamen habendum sciat Cic l. 1. de leg Never were any so brutish but that in c Vnius Dei virtutes per mundanum opus diffusas multis vocabulis inuocamus quoniam nomen eius cuncti proprium videlicet ignoramus Maximus nomine gentilium ep ad Augustum inter suas 43. Cui nomon omne convenit vis illum fatum vocare non errabis Hic est ex quo suspensa sunt omnia causa causarum Visillum prouidentiam dicere rectè dices Est enim cuius consilio huic mundo prouidetur ut inconcussus eat actus suos explicet Vis illum naturam vocare non peccabis Est enim ex quo nata sunt omnia cuius spiritu viuimus Vis illum vocare mundum non falleris Ipse enim est totum quod vides totus suis partibus inditus se sustinens vi sua Sen Natur. Quaest l. 2. c. 45. some sort they haue acknowledged a prime cause a supreame power which made and ouer-rules all
vpon allowance with limitation Thus was he fondly perswaded to preferre his owne vaine affected glory to the glory of God wherein he stood vntill then truly glorious and most happy And so the forbidden tree proued indeed as it was i Ideo arbor illa appellata est scientię dignoscendi boni mali non quia inde talia quasi poma pendebant sed quicquid esset arbor illa cuiuslibet pomi cuiuslibet fructus esset ideò sic vocata est quia homo qui nollit bonum à malo discernere per praeceptum discreturus erat per experimentum vt tangendo vetitum invenirct supplicium Aug. in Psal 70. called the fruite of knowledge of good and evill by mans sinne and transgression For now he learned what it ment by woefull experience who knew not what evill should be vntill he felt it nor what was his own good with God vntill he had k Non solum vt sint dij homines else desierunt sed etiam qui quasi dij erant suam gratiam perdiderunt Ambrol lost it A losse not to himselfe alone but through his default to all his posterity who being in his loynes are l Falso queritur de natura sua genus humanum Salust initio bel Iug. iustly atteinted of his rebelliō because it was the covenāt of nature which he violated And we naturally are not only made guilty of that m In quo erat natura communis ab ejus vitio est nullus immunis Aug. ep 106. ad Paulin Restat vt in illo primo homine peccasse omnes intelligantur quiain illo fuerunt omnes quando ille peecauit vnde peccatum nascendo trahitur quod nisi renascendo non soluitur August contra duas Pelagian ep lib. 4. c. 4. original sin by imputatiō but are by n Peccara parentum alienasunt proprietate actionis nostra sunt contagione propaginis idem l. 6. contra Iulian. c. 4. propagation corrupted with sin or o Peccatum Originarium vitium languor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vetus iniquitas Ignat ep ad Trallian vice originary the polluted issue thereof in al mankind as an p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O insirmitatem meam Nam meam dico istam primi parentis infirmitatem Greg. Nazianz. orat 38. he reditary disease infecting the blood and a stigmaticall skarre that cannot bee done away vntill nature it selfe shal be dissolued For after that the man in his person had once viciated our nature hee begate a sonne in his owne q Genus humanum in parente primo velut in radice putruit ariditatem traxit in ramis c. Greg. ep 53. lib. 7. indict 2. likenesse and after his image the likenesse of sinne and the image of corruption r Natura erat seminalis ex qua propagamur quâ scilicet propter peccatum vitiata vinculo mortis obstricta iusteque damnata non alterius conditionis homo ex homine nasceretur Aug. l. 13. de Civ Dei c. 14. And do not wee all sinne if we liue to it after the s Rom. 5.14 similitude of Adams transgression t Liberum arbitrium captivatum non nisi ad peccatum valet Aug. ad Bonifac. l. 3. c. 8. preferring the pleasures of sinne to the law of God v Act 7.51 alwayes resisting the will of God As our Fathers did so do wee x Rom 7.11 For sinne taking occasion by the commandement worketh in vs all manner of concupiscence deceiueth and by it slayeth vs. Thus the law which by the covenant of nature y Rom. 7.10 was appointed to life The Law ever in force is by our transgression and perversnesse become vnto vs z C. 8.2 the law of sinne and of death nature it selfe beeing iudge For the very Gentiles without the law had their a Rom. 2.15 Quos diri conscia facti Mens haber attonitos surdo verbere caedit Occultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum Iuvenal Satyr 13. thoughts accusing or else excusing one another b C. 1.32 knowing the iudgement of God that they who commit such things as are forbidden by the law are worthy of death For the covenant of nature being to do this and liue the not doing thereof but the contrary must needes bee death c pro magnitudine culpae illius naturam damnatio mutavit in peius vt quod poenalitèr praecessit in peccantibus hominibus primis etiam naturalitèr sequeretur in nascentibus coeteris August de Civ D. l. 13. c. 3. ipso facto d Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thou shalt dye the death For our breaking the law could not disanull the law but that it is ever in force to binde vs although never of force to inable vs to performe our duties Nor could the forfet of our bond discharge our debt to God but that his law is ever of force against vs to exact the penalty if there were not a remedy But hath not God abrogated the law of nature by contracting with vs a covenant of grace Nay thereby he hath established the law of an holy life e Exod. 34. v. 28. Deut. 4. v. 13. The words of the covenant were the ten Commandements At the first promise of grace there was a law of perpetuall f Gen. 3.15 enmity set betweene the seede of the woman and of the serpent and in the contract of the covenant with Abraham obedience to God his law is conditioned being implyed in his charge g Gen. 17.1 walke thou before mee be thou perfect But when God establshed that covenant with the children of Israell hee gaue them the law written most authentically with his owne finger in h Exod. 31.18 two tables of stone to bee kept for a testimony of his covenant with them in the i Deut. 10.5.1 Kings 8.9 Heb. 9.4 arke of his gratious k Numb 10.35.36 Psal 24.7.8 presence for ever And by the new testament wherein the same covenāt is renewed as he promised l Ier. 31.32.33 God will put his law in our mindes which was then put in the arke and will write it in our hearts which before was written in stone that wee may serue him in newnesse of spirit and not in the oldnesse of the letter Did Christ Iesus then when he came proue so vnlike Moses of whom he had said m Deut. 18.15 that he should be like vnto him did he set himself so much against Moses as vtterly to dislike and abolish that eternall law which was given by his ministery Nay hee the lord over his owne house wherein Moses was a faithfull servant ratifies the law in every title Saying n Mat. 5.19 whosoever shall breake one of these least commandements and shall teach men so hee shall be called the least in the kingdome of heaven v. 17. For he came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it and he did so
him in whom he foresaw all things before he made them from euerlasting * Antiqui praedestinationem ad electos vt plurimum restrinxerunt Fr-Iun Thes Theol 10. §. 2. vid. Hypognost l. 6. Inter gratiam praedestinationem hoc tantum interest quod praedestinatio est gratiae praeparatio gratia verò jam ipsa donatio Aug. de praedest sanct c. 10. those he did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son in their order and time that he might be the first-borne amongst many brethren i Eph. 1.4.5 And againe he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and vnblameable before him in loue hauing predestinated vs to the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Now Christ is the Mediatour by whom all things are done as they were purposed in him the mirrour from euerlasting Hee was the Mediatour of creation k Ioh. 1.3 by whom all things were made and without him was not any thing made that was made l Col. 1. v. 16. For by him all things were created that are in Heauen and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers all things were created for him by him He is the Mediatour of conseruation m Heb. 1.3 vpholding all things by the Word of his power n Col. 1. v. 17. For hee is before all things by him all things consist as well men as Angels o C. 2. v. 10. for we are all compleate in him which is the Head of all principality and power And he is the Mediatour of redemption for the sons of men A different manner of mediatiō by Christ for effecting that one eternall election of men and Angels in him By whom they were confirmed that they should not fall wee are recouered though wee did fall at once in Adam and doe often fall foule our selues d Col. 1.18 For he is the Head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first borne from the dead that in all things he might haue the preheminence None could bee the Lords Christ to performe the offices of Iesus the Sauiour implyed in that title e Mat. 1.21 to saue his people from their sinnes from the power and dominion of sinne from the punishment damnation for sin but the Sonne of God himselfe f C. 3.17 in vvhom alone he is vvell pleased and by whom all the powers of Satan could be conquered g 1 Iohn 3.8 For this purpose the Son of God vvas manifested in the flesh that hee might destroy the vvorkes of the Deuill and deliuer vs into the liberty of the sonnes of God * Iohn 8.36 Now if the Sonne make vs freee then are vve free indeed Therefore the Sonne of God The son of man the middle Person of the three in order became a middle person betwixt God and vs by participation of each nature that he might be a fit meanes and all-sufficient Mediatour of our reconciliation and redemption h Gal. 4.4 When the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman as was promised from the beginning i Gen. 3.15 The seede of the woman shall breake the serpents head and was afterwards more plainely prophesied k Es 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceiue and beare a son thou shalt call his Name Immanuel The blessed Virgin Mary l Luke 1.35 by the power of the Highest through the vvorking of the Holy Ghost m Non autem omnes sunt sicut Maria vt dum de Spiritu Sancto concipiunt verbum pariant Ambros l. 2. in Lucam Vbi virgo benè credula mentē suam ossuum aperuit yt diceret Ecce ancilla c. mox iuxtà dictum Angeli Spiritus Sanctus superveniens in eam per apertas fidei ianuas sese infudit quò autem nimirùm priùs in sacrarium pudici pectoris deindè in templum sacri vteri ut Christi matrem faceret c. Rupertus l. 1. de operibus Sp S c. 9. c. 10. conceptusiste Spiritus Sancti non generatio sed operatio est conceived bare and brought forth our Saviour in the flesh n Luk. 1.35 Therefore also that holy thing vvhich vvas borne of her is called the sonne of God As at the first o Gen. 1.2 God spake the vvord and the spirit moned vpon the deepe working therein an obedientiall power to be what God would So in the fulnesse of time the Word himselfe was made man of the blessed virgin a Hunc ergò cum confiteamur natum de Spiritu Sancto Maria-virgine quomodo non sit filius Spiritus Sancti sit filius virginis Mariae cum de illo de illa sit natus explicare difficile est Proculdubiò quippe non sic de illo ut de patre sic autem de illa ut de matre natus est August Enchir. ad Laurent c. 38. by the ouershadowing of the same spirit which wrought b Et idem lib. 1. de peccatorum meritis remiss c. 29. Non concupiscentia carnis sed obedientia mentis virgo concepit c. faith and obedience in her heart whereby shee became indeede the mother of the Sonne of God At first shee doubted at the Angels message c Luk. 1. v. 34. Non dubitat esse faciendum quod quomodò fiat inquirit Ambros in Lucam l. 2. obstabant quidem adhùc multa quae carnis rationi dubium mouere poterant sed procul explosis illis omnibus diuinae voluntati sese committit et it à ex fide concipit sicut de Sarah in epistola ad Hebraeos scribitur Gualte◠hom 3. die conceptionis How shall this bee seing I know not a man But d Atque iam tune spititu donatam fuisse Mariam non est dubium Sed significatur singularis efficacissima Sp. S. operatio ut supra Samp. et prophet ib. vvhen the spirit of God came vpon her which might well be even whilest the Angell was speaking e Acts 10.44 As vvhilest Peter yet spake the Holy Ghost fell on all them vvhich heard the vvord then shee beleeued what was told her that the Sonne of God should become her child assuming flesh of her then shee said f Luk. 1.38 Contingat mihi secundum verbum tuum conceptus est voti Ambros l. 2. in Lucam Be it vnto me according to thy vvord She conceiued the Word first in her g Deum verum prius mente quà m ventre fuscepit virgo Rupertus l. 1. de operibus Sp. S. c. 9. Mente prius quam carne concepit Gersontin prooem centil Responde O virgo Verbum et suscipe Verbum profer tuum et suscipe diuinum Bern. hom 4. supermissus c. Responde Verbum et suscipe Filium
Deo per lignum accipiamus nostri debiti remissionem Irenaeuslib 3. cap. 17. For he hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law being made a curse for vs. For it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on tree And wherefore was the death on the tree accursed aboue all kindes of death but as the serpent was accursed aboue all beastes of the field Both for the first transgression whereof the serpent was the instâ—â—â—â—t the tree the occasion The father of all mankind would needes eate the sinfull fruite of the forbidden tree and the sonne of man must needes tast the deadly fruite of the cursed tree to recover our saluation as it were back againe by the same way h 1. Cor. 15.22 Wherefore as in Adam all dyed so in Christ shall all be made aliue Who hauing on the tree satisfied the law k Colos 2.14.15 blotted out the had writing of ordinances that was against vs and tooke it out of the way nayling it vnto his crosse And hauing so spoyled principalities powers he made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in it For when the law was satisfied and cancelled Satans commission for l Quomodo mors à capite superata videtur quae tanta adhuc libertate saevit in membra victa planè mors opus diaboli peccati poena victum peccatum causa mortis victus malignus ipse peccati author mortis Nam peccatum licet simul cum Christo cruci ipsius non dubitetur affixum adhuc tamen interim non regnare quidem sed habitare etiam in ipso dum viveret Apostolo permittebatur Sic mors ipsa minimè quidem adhuc abesse cogitur sed cogitur non obesse Bernard serm in transit S. Malachiae death which he had by the law expired m 1. Cor. 15.55.56.57 O Death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes bee to God which giueth vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Thus the grace of God The spirit of Grace that bringeth saluation hath appeared vnto vs in Christ Iesus by which n Eph. 2.8 grace wee are saued through faith and that not of our selues it is the gift of God who worketh all grace in vs by his spirit As by the word spirit of God every thing was made at first as God would haue it So now he calleth men a Deus quos dignatur vocat quem vult religiosum facit Ambros l. 6. in Lucam c. 46. whom he pleaseth out of the world that lyeth in wickednes they b Hic absque cmendicatisaliunde suffragijs quos coÌ„pungit inungit quos invitat consummat quod praecipit efficit Arnold Bonav lib. de operibus sex dierum cap. 2. moued enlightened by his spirit belieue come c Haec erit vis divinae gratiae potentier vtique natura habens in nobis subjacentem sibi liberam arbitrij potestatem quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur Tertul de an cap. 21. Without whose grace wee haue no present faculty or ability by nature to make meanes for grace or of our selues to vse the meanes being offered d Eph. 2.1 c 4.18.19 Being dead in sinnes and trespasses alienated from the life of God past feeling For although wee haue the same e Potentias habemus potestatem amisimus powers of nature as at the first yet haue we not the same natur all power to vse them being in our selues vtterly indisposed and disabled as paralytikes haue little or no vse of their limmes and sences And is it not often so with perfect men f Potentia prima secunda that they haue not the power as wee say to doe on a suddaine an ordinary thing at hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrisost in â—ad Corinth hom 24. or to make vse of that which is their owne g Eccl 5.19 Every man to whom God hath giuen riches and vvealth and hath giuen him power to eate thereof and to take his portion and to reioyce in his labour this is the gift of God And if it bee so with vs in these naturall things and temporall how much more h Neque fideles fiunt nisi libero arbitrio tamen illius gratia fideles fiunt qui eorum a potestate tenebrarum liberavit arbitrium August ep 107. ad VitaleÌ„ mox ab initio in things spirituall and eternall i 1. Cor. 2.10.11 Againe what man knoweth the things of a man which is in him Even so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God by whom they are revealed vnto vs. For k v. 9. they are such as eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither haue entred into the heart of man And naturally nothing enters into the heart but by some sense whereby wee haue all our intelligence Now l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haec absque meliori afflatu acâ— diviniore virtute non posunt venire in contemplationem hominum Origen l 4. contr Celsum the things of God are not perceiued by sense nor comprehended by science but by manifestation of the trueth to every mans conscience in the sight of God through a priuate intelligence betwixt him vs by his spirit whereby he revealeth himselfe in the word m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neque enim ab vllis perspici aut intelligi possunt nisi quibus Deus Christus eius concesserit intelligentiam Iust Mattyr in Dialog cum Triphone Iudaeo to whom he pleaseth from vnder the letter as Christ did sometimes manifest himselfe to be the word the Sonne of God from vnder the flesh n Prou. 17.16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a foole to get wisdome seing he hath no heart to it o 1. Cor. 2.14 For the naturall man receiueth not nor indeede perceiveth the things of God both because all our p Iam. 3.15 naturall wisdome being carnall is earthly and sensuall if not deuillish and because the things of God are supernaturall But q 1. Cor. 2.14 they are spiritually discerned by the same spirit whereby they were revealed r Iob. 32. v. 8. Surely there is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almighty giueth them vnderstanding Every grace of God in vs Preventing Grace is the impresse of the like grace of God towards vs expressed in Christ Iesus s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vocat Chrisost eiusque discipulus Isiodor Pelus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrisost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impressed on our hearts by the Holy Ghost the almner dispenser of the manifold gifts and graces of God t 1. Cor. 12.11 dividing to every man sueuerally as hee will u Eph. 4 7. according to the measure of the gift of Christ * Iob. 1.16 Of whose fulnesse we all receiue euen grace
die excitatum atque in saecula manens Greg. Nazianz orat 43. it s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 698. as the temple of his body excelleth the body of the the temple as much as a spirituall house of liuely stones excelleth a materiall house of earthly stones as much as the Church Catholike excelleth the narrow compasse of Iury. At this time by meanes of these and the like predictions which could not but bee generally rumored abroade the desire of all nations was kindled and the expectation of all people was awakned k Pluribus persuasio inerat antiquis Sacerdotum literis contineri eo ipso tempore fore vt valesceret Oriens profectique Iudaea rerū potirentur Tacit Hist lib. 5. Percrebuerat Oriente toto vetus constans opinio esse in fatis vt eo tempore Iudaeâ profccti rerum potirentur Sueton. lib. 10. It was common throughout that part of the world that the Lord of the whole world should come forth of Iudea as the Heathen writers together with Iosephus doe witnesse whose testimony in this case cannot be suspected Now the time was come that the desire of all nations should come in whom they should all bee blessed l Malach. 3.1 And the Lord himselfe whom they sought came suddenly into his temple even the Angell of the couenant whom wee delight in m Luke 2.28 c. Wherevpon the just old Simeon hauing Christ in his armes sang his Nunc dimittis Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people to bee a light to lighten the Gentiles and to bee the glory of thy people Israell For this was their glory and the glory of their Temple that n Rom. 9.4 to them pertained the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giuing of the Law and the service of God and the promises Whose are the fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is ouer all God blessed for euer Amen Many other things were foretold of him that should come which were accordingly fulfilled in Christ Iesus o Act 7.24 For all he Prophets from Samuel those that follow after as many as haue spoken haue likewise foretold of these dayes Whos 's other predictions of temporall things also were all generally subordinate to things spirituall and eternall in Christ Iesus So it pleased God to temper them together as the promise of an abundant seede to Abraham and the gathering of the Gentiles in him the promise of the land of Canaan and of an heauenly kingdome the perpetual succession of Davids race in the kingdome of Israel and the eternall kingdome of Christ in his Church the prophesie of the Iewes deliverance from their captiuity and of the generall resurrection Christ his prophesie in the Gospell of the destruction of Ierusalem and of the end of the world p Prophetiae in vicem sibi tempora concinunt vt aliquādò ex futuris praeterita aliquandò ex praeteritis futura probētur Greg. praef in Ezech. that by the event of these temporall things in their seasons they and wee might be the better assured of the eternall to be fulfilled in the end and that by the hope of things eternall we may be comforted howsoeuer it goeth with vs in the meanetime Is it not the word of God who speakes things and they are so Hee foretold things to come in the old Testament but by the new he brings thē to passe For q Rom. 1.16 the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to every one that beleeueth The power of the Gospell effecting that in vs which it tels vs. The glutton in the Gospell was perswaded that r Luke 16.30 if one might come from the dead his brethren would beleeue him though they did not hearken to Moses and the Prophets Behold Christ risen from the dead how by vertue of his quickning spirit in this word of life he gaineth every where infinite beleeuers and so recovereth them from death to life Behold so many ſ Ipse modus quo mundus credidit si consideretur incredebilior resurrectione viz mortuorum invenitur Incredibile est mundum rem tam incredibilem credidisse Incredibile est homines ignobiles infirmos paucissimos imperitos rem tam incredibilem tam efficaciter mundo in illo etiam doctis persuadere potuisse Aug lib. 22. de Civ Dei c. 5. c. 8. Quisque adhuc prodigia vt credat inquirit magnum est ipse prodigium qui mundo credente non credit Aug. l. 22. de Civ Dei c. 8. witnesses come from the dead all giuing testimony to the word of God The Gentiles t Luke 1.79 who sat in darkenesse and in the shadow of death and sinners of all sorts who had u Eph. 2. c. 3.19 beene dead in sinnes and trespasses alienated from the life of God and past feeling Never did the word of any man or any oracle gaine that generall credit and beget such a new life in men so holy so happy nor all that ever men and angels could speake did make such a blessed change throughout the world as the Gospell hath done and that by most vnlikely meanes and motiues A few simple plaine illiterate men telling plainly what they must loose and what they must suffer in the world whosoever would imbrace their doctrine Neither could the most obstinate vnbeleeuers potent adversaries and desperate enemies of the Gospell though they conspired and practised against it never so maliciously ever bee able to suppresse or withstand the mighty power of God his word but it certainely prevailed to their vtter ruine and confusion Neither is it therefore any preiudice to the power authority of God his word although it obtaineth not the same effect with all men x Is 55.10 For it never returnes void but effecteth that for which it was sente y 2 Cor. 2.16 being the savour of life vnto life in them that are saued and the savour of death vnto death in them that perish z C 4.4 In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beleiue not least the light of the glorious gospell of Christ who is the image of God should shine vnto them a Esdras 4.41 Great is the truth and it prevaileth Now is the effect shewes the vertue of the cause but giues it not so doth the Church The Church the professed company of beleeuers giue testimony but not authority to the truth of God his word b 1. Tim 3.15 For the Church is the pillar of truth not that the truth of God his word relyeth on the Church but because the Church is inlightned by the word of truth whereby it reflecteth light againe vnto the word being in the world as c Exod. 13. the pillar of light that went before the Israelites in the wildernesse d
are by institution custome or compact other instrumentall meanes as it were morall instruments of conueiance as signing and sealing liurey and season or something in earnest representing the whole interest Mysticall acts they are because done in a c Sacramentū 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mystery wherein some d Sacramentū dicitur sacrum signum siue sanctum secretum Bernard Serm. 1. de caen dom sacred and secret matter is farther intended by that which is outwardly done and vsed The spirituall things signified by the outward elements are the all sufficient a Signum est res preter speciem quam ingerit sen sibus aliud aliquid exse faciens in cogitationem venire Aug. l. 2. de doctr Christ cap 1. Verbum visibile Aug. hom in Iohan. 80. meanes of grace the body and blood of Christ the mediatour once offered by himselfe for vs. The foreskinne circumcised was it not a type of the promised seed to Abraham and his prosterity b Rom. 9.5 of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came God blessed for euermore The paschall lambe did it not represent Christ the lambe slaine from the begining of the world in the counsell of God And now c 1. Cor. 5.7 Christ our passeouer is slaine d 1. Pet. 1.19 a lambe without blemish and without spot The water in baptisme is it not the e v. 2. sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ The f Cor. 10.16 bread which wee breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ But besides these spirituall things which are the meanes grace signified by the outward elements there are also spirituall acts of grace to wit our admission into the catholicke Church and the communion of saints intended by the outward actions whereby the sacraments are administred and receiued and without the which they are not compleate being as their names import certaine h Res gesta Isiod Docentur eriam homines socramenta esse actiones diuinitus institutas Polon confess Sacramenta exercitia sunt Calv inst lib. 4. c. 14.6 Signum practicum Bel. ceremonia ritus solennis L. 1. de◠Sacram. c. 9.10 11. acts that consist in the doing Not the foreskinne but the cutting of it as God had appointed was the circumcision not the lambe but the eating of it as was prescribed was the passeouer not the water but the i Baptismus non est aqua quae est res per manens sed lotio in aqua quae est operatio transiens Gab. dist 4. q. 2. dub 4 washing dipping or sprinkling with it in the name of the Father sonne Holy ghost is baptisme not the bread and wine but the vsing of them according to Christ his institution is the communion Howsoeuer the materialls themselues visible or spirituall or both may sometimes be called by the names of the sacraments as k 1. Cor. 10.16 the cup the communion l c. 5. v. 7. Christ the passeouer by a figuratiue speech most vsuall in things of so neere relation and not vnfit in figuratiue ordinances yet the elements although consecrated are not compleat sacraments vntill the other actions pertinent concurre whereby they are administred and receiued nor doe they continue sacraments any longer then while they are so vsed A mans deeds what are they to any one though in writing signed and sealed with his owne hand and seale vnlesse they bee deliuered and receiued as his act and deed By baptisme the sacrament of our new birth BAPTISME the a Tit. 3.5 lauer of regeneration the seale of adoption initiation and admission into the Church and b Heb. 12.23 company of the first borne which are written in heauen the couenant is contracted God preuenting vs with his grace which by the other sacrament is confirmed or renewed c Iohn 3.5 Except a man bee borne againe of water and the holy Chost he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen When being regenerate wee take new names Christian names d Es 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords and an other shall call himselfe by the name of Iacob and an other shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord and syrname himselfe by the name of Israell Now because we are by nature the e Eph. 2.3 Children of wrath and by corruption f v. 1. dead in sinnes and trespasses wee cannot be new borne but by a kinde of resurrection from the dead Therefore g Coloss 2.12 wee are buried with Christ in baptisme wherein also we are risen with him thorough the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead Whereof the water in baptisme is a most significant signe For water was the first element i Gen. 1.2 vpon which the spirit of God moued and produced all things according to the word and will of God k 2. Pet. 3.5 By the word of God the heauens were of old and the earth consisting of the water and in the water And wee by sinne being as water spilt vpon the ground doe by the grace of God in Christ thorough his spirit l Es 44.4 spring vp againe as willowes by the water courses a Ps 92.12 1◠and shall flourish in the house of our God as b Ps 1.3 trees planted by the riuers side c Es 44.3 I will powre out water saith God vpon him that is thirsty and flouds vpon the dry ground I will power my spirit vpon thy seed and my blessing vpon thy ofspring Whether we respect our regeneration admission or spirituall resurrection all which concurrent graces are intended by this sacrament it implyeth a reciprocall act betwixt God and vs. His call our answere his iustification of vs by acceptance in Christ our d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet 3.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3.6 Vid Act. 8.37 Anima non lauatione sed responsione sancitur Tertulide resur carn stipulation of a good conscience towards him his remission of our sins For e 1 Iohn 1.7 the blood of Christ clenseth vs from all sinne our repentance from dead workes to serue the liuing God hauing our f Heb. 9.14 consciences purged by his blood who thorough the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God And therefore it is also called the sacrament of g Act. 2.3 repentance for the remission of sins h Deut. 26.17.18 Lauacrum illud èst obsignatio sidei Tertul. lib. de penit Now thou hast avouched the Lord this day to bee thy God the Lord hath auouched thee to be one of his people Of this contract there are i 1. Iohn 5.7 three that beare witnesse in heauen the Father the Word the Holy ghost these three are one For k 1. Pet. 1.2 we are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father thorough sanctification of the spirit and sprinkling of the blood of Christ l 1. Iohn 5.8 And there are three
that beare witnesse in earth The spirit and the water and blood and these three agree in one For Christ m Eph. 5.26 sanctifieth clenseth his Church with the washing of water by the word that is by his blood thorough the spirit whereof the water and the word are the most significant signes and instrumentall meanes n 1. Iohn 5.6 This is he that came by water and blood euen Iesus Christ not by water only but by water and blood and o Es 53.12 poured out his soule which is in the blood for vs. And now he a V. 10. seeth his seed b Psal 22.30 a seed that serveth him accounted to him for a generation c Ioh. 6.63 It is the spirit that quickneth them euen the renewing of the holy Ghost by the washing of regeneration And d 1 Ioh. 5.6 it is the spirit that beareth witnesse vnto them because the spirit is trueth For e Eph. 1.13.14 Vnde tanta virtus aquÄ™ vt corpus tangat cor abluat nisi faciente verbo Non quiadicitur sed quia creditur Aug. tract 80. in Iohan. after that wee beleeue we are sealed with that holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance the pledge of our adoption The minister indeed baptiseth in the name of the Father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost by vertue of God his word and of the commission giuen by Christ Iesus But it is God himselfe that giues the blessing As by Aaron and his sonnes he ordained the blessing of the children of Israel saying f Num. 6.27 They shall put my name vpon them and I will blesse them In a Church once planted Poedobaptisme baptisme is administred vnto all that come or are brought therevnto even to new borne infants by Christ his ordinance and may not be neglected or needlesly deferred First because we haue g Omnis anima eousque in Adam censetur donec in Christo recenseatur Tert. lib. de anima c. 40. need to bee regenerated so soone as wee are borne being still borne in sinne which h Crescit cum aetatibus culpa Ambr. lib. de Noe Arca c. 22. groweth every day stronger and stronger vpon vs. Secondly children haue right of admission into the couenant and Church of Christ Iesus so soone as they are borne i Act. 2.39 For the promise is made to vs and to our children I will be thy God and the God of thy seed and not to ours only but to all afar off For now all nations are called and by baptisme to be admitted k Math. 28.19 Goe teach all nations baptising them So that in what nation soeuer the Gospell is preached generally receaued all therein may be baptised being presented therevnto by the Church Wherein some especially who a Accommodat illis mater Ecclesia aliorum pedes vt veniant aliorum cor vt credant aliorum linguam vt confiteantur Aug. ser 10. de verb. Apostoli present them vndertake for them as it were new parents in the Lord. For he is a father that doth a fathers part as in the Gospell b Luc. 10.29 c. he is a neighbour that doth the part of a neighbour Thirdly baptisme is presently due because Christ hath set no time for it whereas the eight day was appointed for circumcision but hath indefinitely commanded saying c Mark 10.14 suffer little children to come vnto me for to such belongeth the kingdome of heauen And so it seemes the Apostles did for they baptised whole d 1. Cor. 1.16 housholds amongst whom it is more then likely there were some children Lastly as children haue need and are capable of baptisme so is it profitable vnto them principally as a meanes of regeneration ordained by Christ through the grace of God and withall because their godly parents they who sustaine that place are bound thereby and made more carefull to teach them and themselues are occasioned to enquire and learne what d As the Israclites of the Passover Exod 12.26 that solemne service meanes and to performe the same As for the vow in baptisme g Sicut ergà secundum quendam modum sacramentum corporis Christi corpus Christi est sacrameÌ„tum sanguinis Christi sanguis Christi est ita et sacramentum fidei fides est Aug. ep 23. ad Bonifac. it e Sequitur in corde conversio cuius mysterium pracessit in corpore Aug. l. 4. de bapt c. 24. respecteth the time to come whereof we are capable from the first as f 1. Sam. 1.11 Samuel was vowed by his mother before he was borne and wherein we must bee answerable to the last For the faith required wee are baptised into it For God preventeth vs with his grace and thereby inableth vs to be his schollers h Tit. 2.11.12 The grace of God that bringeth salvation teacheth vs i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 28.19 Goe teach saith Christ or make Disciples baptising them and bee k Act. 2 38. baptised say they every one of you and you shall receaue the gift of the holy Ghost And so likewise for repentance it is indeed conditioned in baptisme a Ibid. Repent and bee baptised Whereof such as be of age must giue present b Vid. Mat. 3.6 testimony with c Act. 8.37 confession of their faith But for little children they are baptised innocents in Christ as they are borne peccants in Adam and for actuall transgressions which repentance doth properly respect they are called innocents I am sure their cause is much better in that respect then in elder age when by repentance we must vndoe as much as is done of our liues Wherefore Christ saith d Mat. 18 3. Quantò magis à baptismo probiberi non debet infans qui recens natus nihil peccauit nisi quod secundum Adam carnaliter natus contagium mortis antiquae prima natiuitate câ—ntraxit Qui ad remission em peccatorum acâ—ipiendam hoc ipso facilius accedit quod illiremittuntur non propria sed aliena peccata Cypt. in ep ad epis Fidum de infant bapt Except yee become as little children yee cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven Baptisme being the Sacrament of inititation is but once into the couenant and state of grace Anabaptisme which is but one for all men being once administred as Christ hath instituted Not e 1. Cor 1. one of Paul an other of Apollo another of Cephas an other of Christ as if Christ were divided or we baptised into any mans name sect or faction We beleeue one baptisme for the remission of sinnes f Eph. 4.5 One Lord one faith one baptisme And that but once g Sicut generatio carnalis vna est nec repeti vterus potest ita regeneratio spiritualis Semel enim nascimur semel quoque renascimur Aug. tract in Iohan 11. cap. 12. Once
therefore his will is a law to vs and our obedience is true loue vnto him And weebeing many are thereby knit together in one body holding the vnity of the spirit in this bonde of peace Wherefore as wee vowe in baptisme that we will keepe Gods holy will commandements and walke in the same all the daies of our life so by this other sacrament wee renew the same vow so often as wee receiue it repenting our sinnes past the transgressions of that righteous law resoluing and stedfastly purposing thorough Gods grace to leade a new life in all thankfull obedience vnto him and true loue and charity amongst our selues Wherevpon we receaue the blessed sacrament of Christs body blood most deepely binding our selues thereby to performe the same and in the assured faith of Gods grace and helpe that wee may walke in the strength of this spirituall food the way of life by the law prescribed vnto vs. When first the couenant was confirmed by Moses with the Israelites at Horeb The Law conditioned God gaue them the law they accepted saying a Exod. 19.8 all the words which the Lord hath commanded wee will doe and be obedient And when he renewed the same couenant with them in the land of Moab they gaue their faith that they would obey And so doe wee b Deut. 26.17.18 They avouched the Lord to be their God and so doe we the Father Son Holy ghost and God auoucheth the holy catholike Church as then he did them to be his people They promised to walke in his waies and to keepe his commandements and his iudgements as they expected his blessing c c. 27. they bound themselues with an oath and with a curse all which in effect wee likewise doe to liue as becometh his saints euen as wee expect his mercy to forgiue vs our sinnes and the power of his grace to bring vs to ternall life Wherevnto we binde our selues by vow and consignation and as it were by contesseration in the sacraments The law was not only giuen and required by God but approued accepted by them in their hearts to doe it as their mouthes professed In which respect Moses said d Deut. 30.14 the word is very nigh thee in thy mouth and in thine heart that thou maist doe it Howbeit they breake their faith giuen and their spirit was not stedfast with God a Ps 78.37 Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his couenant But now hauing renewed his couenant as he promised b Gal. 3.7 with the children of Abraham that are by faith the holy catholike Church that they shall be his people and that he will be their God c Ier. 31.33 Lex dei in cordibus scribitur non quia per naturam praeventa sit gratia sed quia per gratiam reparata est natura August de ver a innocent cap. 258. hee puts his law in their inward parts and in their hearts he writes it euen the communion of saints thorough faith that worketh by loue For beleeuing in Christ Iesus we doe thereby acknowledge that the Law is holy iust and good Holy in respect of the things commanded else were not wee sinfull who haue disobayed nor needed wee a mediatour Iust in respect of the penalty inflicted else why should Christ haue dyed that wee might be deliuered Good in respect of the end purposed life to the doer Which Christ hath done and liues for euer and wee also by faith in him If the same minde be in vs that was in Christ Iesus to be obedient to the will of God vnto the death d Cant. 8.6 Loue is stronger then death The couenant indissoluble that neither life nor death can dissolue the communion betwixt God his church or any true member thereof Whom hee hath set as aseale vpon his heart as a seale vpon his arme to loue and to defend for euer For so hee saith e Heb. 13.5 I will neuer leaue thee nor forsake thee f c. 6.7 And being willing more abundantly to shew vnto the heires of promise the immutability of his counsell he hath confirmed his word by the sacraments in his blood g v. 8. That by two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye wee might haue a strong consolation who haue fled for refuge to lay holde vpon the hope set before vs. We may therefore be bolde vpon it if need be to lay downe our liues for his sake in whom our life is hid with God knowing that euen in death wee shall be more then h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.37 conquerours thorough him that loued vs. i Mat. 20.22.23 Can ye drink saith Christ of the cuppe wherof I shall drinke and can yee bee baptized with the baptisme wherwith I shall be baptized And they said we can And hee said yee shall So must all a 2. Tim. 3.12 Act. 14.22 suffer affliction some way or other that will liue Godly It is the portion of our cuppe and calling conditioned by God vndertaken by vs in these sacraments whereby we are assured that b 2. Tim. 2.12 if we suffer with him wee shall raigne with him Wee are baptized into the death of Christ And the holy communion is not only a sacrament of the grace of life vnto vs but a sacrifice of vs vnto God and a protestation of our seruice vnto him euen vnto the death after the example of Christ Iesus In c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Monumenta salutaris passionis Basil in cannonditur 1 Cor. 11.26 commemoration of whose meritorious sufferings with a thankfull remembrance thereof wee c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Monumenta salutaris passionis Basil in cannonditur 1 Cor. 11.26 se◠forth his death vntill he come d Rom. 12.1 offer vp our selues a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God thorough Iesus Christ consecrating vowing our selues whatsoeuer we are whatsoeuer we haue wholy to his seruice who hath redeemed vs. e 2 Cor. 5.14.15 For the loue of Christ constraineth vs because we thus iudge that if one dyed for all then were all dead and that hee dyed for all that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him that died for them and rose againe f Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let vs offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruite of our lips giuing thankes to his name v. 16. not forgetting to doe good and to communicate for with such sacrifice God is well pleased CAP. II. Faith working by loue according to the Lawe The Law established by faith Gods law our prayer Faith in the Trinity denies not the vnity of God Christ the only image of God to bee worshipped by faith in his name By Prophanenesse Hypocrisie Blasphemy the name of God vnhallowed The Christian sabbath of the holy catholike Church The sabbath not
abrogated by Christ Nor by his Apostles The Iewes typicall vse thereof abolished The Christian sabbath day within the compasse of the commandement The Lords day designed by himselfe for our sabbath It hath euer beene obserued as the sabbath by the Church It respects the kingdome of God The Perfect will of God to bee done on earth The heauenly conuersation How doth faith worke by loue According to the law teaching vs to doe what God hath commanded The law established by faith Although faith rest not in our workes which the law requireth yet are a Eph. 2.10 wee Gods workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God had before ordained not only in his counsell but by his law that we should walk in them And b Gal. 3.12 although the law bee not of faith that is of things to bee only beleiued but to be done for the man that doeth them shall liue in them yet doth the law require faith c Heb. 11.6 without which it is impossible to please God Therefore the law prescribeth faith in the first place and throughout namely that wee acknowlege god the lawgiuer to be the lord our God the only true God and performe that faith vnto him by an vniuerfall vniforme obedience to the whole law and euery title thereof in regard of him that commandeth Which iustifieth our faith to be in God when it answereth his d Servus qui ex domini iussu ea facit tantummodò quae vult facere non dominicam implet voluntatem sed suam Salv. l. 4. de guber Die whole will as well of command as of promise as well in one duety as in another When God gaue the law to the Israelites hee made himselfe knowne vnto them by his wonderfull deliuery of them out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage thereby to binde their obedience in faith to him the only true God Which was but a type and figure of the great saluation from the power of satan by Christ Iesus By faith in whose name thorough his spirit wee truely know and rightly acknowledge the only true God And the faith of God his loue to vs in Christ knits our hearts againe in loue to God and for his sake towards all men as he hath commanded improues the formall worship of God vnto all sincerity in spirit and in trueth and the common ciuility of the world vnto Christian charity zealous of good workes for his glory that hath called vs to the knowledge of his grace For if God so loued vs as wee beleiue then ought we also to loue one another much more him who is the God of all grace and loue Neither doe we beleiue indeed if wee loue not Wee beleiue not Christ his incarnation death passion resurrection and ascension c. Vnlesse e Phil. 2.5 c the like minde bee in vs that was in Christ Iesus Who to redeeme the glory of god in vs laide aside his owne glory equall with the father and humbled himselfe in the forme of a seruant vnto the death of the crosse As the fathers loue to the sonne begat in him the like affection towards vs so doth Christ his f Nullaest maior ad amorem inuitatio quam praeuenire amando Nimisque durus est animus qui delectionem si nolebat impendere nolit rependere August de catèch rud cap. 4. loue if wee embrace it by a true and a liuely faith worke in vs the like loue towards our bretheren for his sake g Iohn 15.9.10 As the father saith hee hath loued mee so haue I loued you continue you in my loue If you keepe my commandements ye shall abide in my loue euen as I haue kept my fathers commandements and abide in his loue It is all one in the law to loue God and to keepe his commandements And h Iohn 14.23.24 if you loue mee saith Christ keepe my commandements Which because we can in no sort doe of our selues Gods law our prayer i 2. Cor 3.5 who are not able as of our selues so much as to thinke any good therefore being preuented with his grace k Phil. 2.13 who worketh in vs both to will and to doe of his good pleasure wee desire of God by prayer as Christ hath taught vs what he doth require of vs by the law l In omnibus enim monitis dei atque mandatis vna cademque ratio est divinae gratiae humanae ebedientiae Nec ob aliud vnquam datur praeceptum nisi vt quaetatur praecipientis auxilium Prosp Who therefore commandeth that wee may know what to craue of him And it is our faith which by prayer obtaineth what the law requireth The graces inspired of God faith hope and loue breathe all againe vnto godby prayer m Rom. 8.26 the spirit helping our infirmities with groanes that cannot be expressed For as the naturall life so the spirituall confists in respiration by hearing and praying without the which there can be no true life and well doing Therefore n Phil. 1.9.10 this we pray that our loue may abounde yet more more in knowledge and in all iudgement that wee being instructed out of the law may approue the things that are more excellent that wee may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ being filled with the fruites of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glory and praise of God o Rom. 10.14 But how shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeved By faith in the sonne of God wee know and beleeue in him the only true God and worship him in spirit and in truth p Gal. 4.6 Who hath sent downe the spirit of his sonne into our hearts Faith in the trinity denyes not the vnity of God crying Abba father Doth our faith now in the trinity contradict the vnity transgresse the commandements Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me Nay the trinity of persons establisheth the vnity of the Godhead whilest himselfe is acknowledged the author mediator and doer of all in all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Philebo in Timaeo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quo sensu vide Proclum Is autem dicit Triadem exse omnia efficere Who being infinit is not confined by any person and the persons being distinct are not confounded in God ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Serapidis responsum Thuli in Aegipto De his vide August lib 10. de civ Dei cap. 23. In deo vnasubstantia sed tres personae in Christo duae substantiae sed vna persona In Trinitate alius atque alius non asiud atque aliud In saluatcre aliud atq aliud non alius atque alius Vincent Ler inens cont Her cap. 19. The father is God in his infinit essence or being the sonne the same God in his infinit presence and glorious appearing the holy ghost the same
god in his infinite power wonderfull working three persons but one God As to be to be true to be good are all one because transcendents Some resemblance wee haue of this great mystery in nature but with great inequality for what proportion can there be of things finite to that which is infinite Two are much vsed in Scripture the light and the word u Gen. 1. The light which was three daîes before the sun and then condensed into that glorious body and euer since diffused thence thoroughout the world is all one and the same light So the * Iames 1.17 father of lights that inhabiteth the light that none can approach and the x Mat. 4.2 sunne of righteousnesse y Col. 2.9 in whom all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily and the holy Ghost the z Eph. 1.17.18 spirit of illumination are all one and the same God Againe it is the same thing that the minde thinketh and the word signifieth and the voice vttereth So is the Father as the minde conceauing the Sonne as the word conceaued or a Trismegistus Deum dicit alium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gonuisse vt refert Lactantius l. 4. de vera sapientia c. 6. Omne quod pradit ex aliquo secundum sit eius necesse est de quo prodit non ideo tamen est separatum secundum antem vbi est duo sunt tertius vbi est tres sunt Tertul contra Praxeam c. 8. begotten the holy Ghost as the voice or speech vttered and imparted to all hearers all one and the same God Wherefore the b Vniâ—as Monarchiae est trinitas oeconomiae quarum altera non destruit alteram ibid. c. 2. Trinity of persons doth not deny the vnity of God nay our faith in them keepes vs close to that one and the only true God whilst he alone is acknowledged the author and giuer the mediatour and procurer the Almner and dispenser of all grace and good things vnto vs. The superstitious thorough want of this faith supposing it vnfit to presse with their prayers immediatly vpon God himselfe or to imploy him in our affaires would vse the intercession of Saints and negotiation of c Col. 2.18.19 Angels in a voluntary humility vainely puft vp in their fleshly mindes and not holding the head which is Christ Who did not only dye for vs to be a d 1 Ioh. 2.1.2 propitiation for our sinnes but euer liues an advocate with the Father making intercession for vs neither is there any other e 1. Tim. 2.5 For as there is but one God so there is but one mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus f Iob. 5.1 Call now if there bee any that will answer thee and to which of the Saints wilt thou turne g Es 63.16 Doubtlesse O Lord our God thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of vs and Israel acknowledge vs not thou O Lord art our father our redeemer thy name is from euerlasting h Ps 73.25 Whom haue we in heauen but thee and there is none vpon earth that we desire with thee To praise the name of God and to pray vnto him Christ the onely image of God to be worshiped by faith in his name by faith in his name are the speciall parts of religious worship intimated in the second commandement by bowing downe because such gesture we vse when wee giue thankes or make request or doe any reverence or worship i Who so offereth praise glorifieth me saith God h And to heare prayer is his praerogatiue Now because we conceaue not nor haue any l Qui verò nullo potest sensu perspicuè videri facilè nequit agnosâ—i Quod autem non agnoscitur diligenter coli non potest nisi per medium Ioan. Sarisber Policr l. 5. c. 3. actuall vnderstanding but by imagination which is an imaginary presentation of that to the minde which it intendeth therefore that wee may not wander in our imagination nor frame to our selues any vnbeseeming Image or conceit of God to whom we bow he hath m Ponitur nobis anteoculos Christus tanquam perspicud Dei invisibilis imago Col. 1.5 in cuius facie Deus pater quialio qui procul esset absconditus nobis apparet ne nuda Dei maiestas immense suo sulgore nosabsorbeat Calv. in Joh. 5.22 giuen vs his sonne n Heb. 1.3 the expresse image of his person o 1. Tim. 3.16 God manifested in the flesh In expectation of whom the euer promised Messiah God gaue his people the Arke of his gratious presence and afterwards the glorious temple p 1. King 8. in which and towards which their prayers being made were heard and their seruice accepted Wherein also they were prescribed a forme of religion in outward q Sed quid profero Numam cuÌ„ patres fidei nostrae veteris legis sacrificiae asserant instituta ne in daemonicrum cultu populus occupatus verae religionis dedisceret cultum c Ioan Sarisber Policrat l. 5. c. 3. rites and ceremohies and all to keepe them from Idolatry and will worship in a faithfull expectation of him that should come r 2. Cor. 5.16 Num vt hominem adorabimus Immanuelem Absit Deliramentum enim hoc esset deceptio ac error In hocâ—enim nihil ab ijs differemus qui creaturam vlirà factorem conditorem colunt Cyril lib. de recta fide ad Theodosium Et in anathematismum octa vum Vna adoratioue colimus Immanuelem sed secundum quod essentialiter Dei filius factê° est bypostatica vnione caro c. And when he was come they who knew him after the flesh would thenceforth knowe him no more in that maner For while they had his bodily presence the Å¿ Ioh 16.7 Act. 1.6.8 Apostles themselues were not so capable of his spirit Much lesse may we knowe Christnow and acknowledge him with religious worship in any t Non vult se Deus in lopidibus coli Ambros in ep ad valentinum contra Symachum 31. Nonest dubium quin religio nulla sit vbicunque simulachrum est Lact. l. 2. de vera sap c. 19. Impossibile est vt qui Deum novit supplex fiat statuae Orig. contra Cels l. 7. Sic omnino errare meruerum qui Christum Apostolos eiusnon in sanctis codicibus sed in pictis parietibus quaesiverunt August de consens Evangel l. 1. image or picture which cannot expresse his Godhead and therefore cannot be the image of his person consisting of God and Man and subsisting wholy in God neither can it expresse the whole man but his body onely if peraduenture it bee the right picture thereof which who knowes The word expresseth his minde and by the Gospell wee haue a true and liuely Crucifix a Gal. 3.1 Christ Iesus evidently set forth before our eyes crucified amongst vs. Whom by the eye of faith which
bread to make blood flesh and spirits But God giues it vertue and power beyond the nature and substance thereof to doe vs good speaking a blessing on it for our vse m Deut. 8.3 Mat. 4.4 Wherefore man shall not liue by bread only but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God n 1. Tim. 4.5 Prov. 30.8 And it is sanctified and made convenient for vs by the word of o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honestum hoc insuper Deum iâ—itio comae prandii inuocari Diotogenes lib. de sâ—â—ctiltate God and prayer Yet it sustaines vs but from day to day for it is but daily bread and not as the tree of life whereof if the man had eaten hee should haue liued for euer The Manna which God gaue the Israelites from heauen it was but daily bread it would not ordinarily keepe vntill the morrow and p Ioh. 6.49 they that did eat thereof are dead Such is the condition of this life and the things thereof q 1. Cor. 15.19 And if in this life only wee had hope then were wee of all men most miserable Wherefore our r Ioh. 6.27 labour must bee not so much for the food that perisheth but for the meat which endureth to eternall life the supersubstantiall bread indeed Å¿ Cant. 8.7 aboue all the substance of our house t Ps 119.14 and to bee reioyced in aboue all substance Which Christ giues vnto vs for him hath the Father sealed u Ioh. 6.51 I am the liuing bread saith he which came downe from heauen if any man eat of this bread he shall liue for euer Gods prouidence doth not exclude ours in the vse of ordinary meanes but requires it directs and giues a blessing therevnto both in the things of this life and for a better But this is our folly we will either doe all our selues or no thing And commonly we can be content to leaue all to God for the world to come but in the things of this world we will bee our owne caruers Of the two * Luc. 16.8 the children of this world are in their generation wiser then the children of light They will provide for this life and we must provide x V. 9. that we may be receaued into everlasting habitations Wherin finding how short our store comes of such a purchase how vnworthy Gods grace we walk Forgiuenes of sins how ill we deserue thorough our owne corruption vtterly distrusting and disclaiming our selues wee flye againe vnto the throne of grace for pardon of our sins protection in temptations and rescue in the end from all evill Who can forgiue sinnes but God only against whom we sinne and doe euill in his sight For howsoeuer wee trespasse wrong Omniamandata Dei facta deputantur quando quiequid non fit ignoscitur Aug. l. 1. Retrac c. 19. and giue offence one to another which we may and must forgiue so farre as concernes vs yet can no man forgiue the sinne which is the transgression of the law but hee only who is the law-giuer He forgiues y Ps 32.5 the iniquity of our sin z Exod. 34 7. The Lord the Lord forgiuing iniquity transgression and sinne And he forgiues * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our debts the obligations of sinne penalties for sinne to whom we are so much bound in duty and by whose law we stand bound ouer vnto death a Rom. 6.23 the iust wages of sinne b Ps 49.7.8 None can by any meanes redeeme his brother or giue a ransome to God for him For it cost more to redeeme their soules so that he must let that alone for euer c Isa 43.25 But I even I am hee saith God that blotteth out all thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes For when the offence is pardoned the d Impium est à Dto diminidiaem sperare veniam August punishment is remitted because it is the forgiuenesse of our debts the penalties of sinne When Christ cured any of their diseases he vsed to say e Mat. 9.6 Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee For they are the cause of all our maladies the remission whereof is therefore a present and a perfect remedy f Ps 103.3 4. God forgiueth all our sinnes and healeth all our infirmities so that they shall not tend to destruction in eternall death the iust wages of sinne and our due debt for the same g Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enimies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled shall we be saued by his life By whose grace we obtaine the forgiunesse not only of h Rom 3.25 sinnes past before grace thorough the forbearance of God but of our i Quotidianae incuâ— sionis Orabant autem vtiq iam fideles iam apostoli NaÌ„ ista oratio Dominica magis fidelibus datur Si debita illa tantummedò dicerentur quae per baptismum dimittuntur catechumenis congeueret magis orare Dimitte nobis debita nostra Aug. in Ps 142. daily sinnes and trespasses for which he hath taught vs as duely to aske pardon as for our daily bread with faith to obtaine k Rom. 5.16 For not as it was by one that sinned so is the gift for the iudgement was by one to condemnation but the free gift is of many offences to iustification euen so many and so long as we haue grace to beleeue and repent Iustification a terme in law denoting an act of the iudge not any habit in the party iustified being once passed vpon vs in grace l Rom. 8.28 according to his eternall purpose is neuer reversed but standeth more firme then the law of the Medes and Persians howsoever it be often reacted confirmed It was purposed of God to every one of his elect in his counsell from everlasting it was purchased and procured for them in the fulnesse of time by the death and passion of Christ Iesus It is published and proclaimed throughout the world by the preaching of the Gospell it is testified and applied to every penitent beleeuers conscience in the sight of God by his spirit and is sealed by the Sacraments and being apprehended by faith is often m Multò firmior est fides quaÌ„ reponit poenitentia Lactant. l. 5. c. 14. renued by repentance Whereby every poore publican that with true faith and repentance cryes God mercy n Luk. 18.14 goes away more iustified theÌ„ any proud Pharisee that iustifies himselfe o Iob. 33.23.24 And if there be a messenger an interpreter one of a thousand to shew vnto man his righteousnesse in his greatest a gonie and distresse God is gracious vnto him and saith deliuer him from going downe to the pit for I haue founde a ransome for him p Mat. 18.18 Whatsoeuer is loosed on earth it is loosed in heauen for it is God that doth it and