anger of God are those punishments by which he punisheth sinnes Rom. 1.18 And that is also called the reuengement of God Esa 47.3 Psal 2.5 The furie of God is the fierce and mighty wrath of God declared by most grieuous punishments Psal 2.5.12 The hatred which is in God is an abhorring lothing and reiecting of euill Mala. 1.2.3 Rom. 9.13 Of the repenting of God The repenting of God is not a changing of his diuine counsell and decree which is immutable 1. Sam. 15.29 but a chaunging of the workes of God Genes 6.6 1. Sam. 15.11 Ierem. 18.8 The causes thereof are either the sinnes or repentance of men Notwithstāding this kind of change is decreed by God from euerlasting For God hath decreed both of these namely to performe some worke and to change it againe for the sinnes repentance of men That changing of the worke is called the repenting of God And these are the affections which are attributed to God the adioynts follow The adioynts of man which are attributed to God are these to sit in a throne to see Psal 2. to arise to ascēd to descēd apparell Psal 104.2 he is called also a husbandman Iohn 15.1 And these attributes are taken from mā others follow which are both common also taken from other creatures Of this sort are these place time ascending descending Wings are also attributed to God by which is meant protection and defence Deut. 32.10 Psal 17.8 Psal 91.4 Likewise a shadow is attributed to God Psal 91.1 by which is meant protection For euen as a shadow doth protect vs from the beames and heat of the sunne so God doth protect vs from daungers So God by a metaphore is called by diuers names He is called a tower Psal 91.2 For euen as in high and defenced towers we are safe from the enemy so God doth set vs in safetie He is called a shield a buckler Psal 3.4 He is called a consuming fire Deut. 4.24 9.3 Heb. 12.19 He is called a rocke Psal 71. He is called a strōg dwelling place Psal 71.3 He is called a defence Psal 71.3 Hitherto we haue spoken concerning the attributes of God now we will speake concerning the persons of the Deitie A person of the Deitie is a subsistence in the Deitie Of the persons of the Deitie hauing such properties as cannot be communicated from one to another There are three persons in the Deitie the Father the Son the holy ghost Mat. 3.16 28.19 1. Iohn 5.7 Ephes 2.18 Gene. 1.26 and 18.2 Exod. 3.6 and 15.16 Psal 33.6 Esa 6.3 These are coeternall and equall of one the selfe same simple essence distinct one frō another by an incommunicable proprietie And those are distinguished one from another not essentially because the essence of them is but one yet notwithstanding really they differ from the essence of God not in deed but by respect or by relation onely The Father is the first in the Godhead which hath begot the Sonne frō euerlasting Psal 2.2 Cor. 13. The Sonne is the second in the Godhead which is begotten of the Father by an eternall communicating of the whole essence Iohn 1.14.18.34 and 3.16 Mat. 3.17 2. Cor. 1.19 Hose 11.3 Luke 1.31 Rom. 1.4 Of the diuine generation The diuine essence neither doth beget neither is begotten because that which doth beget is in very deed distinguished from that which is begottē now the diuine essence being but one and most simple it cannot be distinguished from it selfe The Sonne is beggotten of the essence of the Father and hath the whole essence of the Father not by flowing from neither by cutting out of the Father neither by propagation for the essence of the Sonne doth not flow from the essence of the Father neither is it propagated or cut out of it but by cōmunicating And the Sonne is not in deede the Sonne of himselfe because he is the Sonne of the Father yet notwithstanding he is God of himselfe that is to say that essence which is in the Sonne is not of another but of it selfe seeing the essence of the Father and the Sonne is one and selfe same The essence of the Father is of it selfe without all beginning but the essence of the Son is the essence of the Father For the Godhead by which the Son is God is that same by which the Father is God therefore the essence of the Sonne is of it selfe and without beginning Therefore Christ is God of himselfe For except he be God of himselfe he certainly can not be God at all For that he be God God hath it of himselfe naturally He cannot be God whose essence is not of it selfe But it is one thing for the essence to be begotten and another thing to be begotten of the essence The essence is not begotten of the essence the essence is without generation Therefore the Sonne also as he is God is not begotten But the Son is begotten of the essence of the Father Wherefore Christ as he is God is of himselfe as he is the Sonne he is of the Father The holy Spirit is the third person in the Godhead which proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne Iohn 15.25.26 and 20.22 Rom. 8.9 Esa 6.8.9 Actes 28.25.26 5.3.4 1. Cor. 3.6 and 19.20 2. Cor. 6.16 Therefore God is one in essence Exod. 3.14 Deut. 4.35 and 6.4 and 7.9 and 10.17 and 32.39 1. Cor. 12.6 Gal. 3.20 Ephes 4.6 1. Tim. 2.5 But three in persons whereupon we worship the reuerend Trinitie or Trinitie in vnitie Genes 1.26 and 18.2 1. Iohn 5.7 Ephes 2.18 Rom. 9 5. 1. Timot. 3.16 Actes 5.3.4 Hitherto concerning the essence of God now concerning his workes Of the workes of God The works of God are those things which God doth for his own glory Psal 8.1 19. 104.1 Prouerb 16.4 Esay 48.9 Rom. 1.20.21 And by the cōsideratiō of Gods works diuers names are giuē to God in the Scripture Furthermore those are the vndeuided workes of the Trinitie yet we must keepe the personall proprietie the naturall distinction order of the persons in working For as the Son is of the Father and the holy Spirite of the Father and the Sonne so the Father worketh immediatly by the Sonne and the Father and the Sonne by the holy Spirite in performing the same worke For the Father is powerfull but by the Sonne and the holy Spirite Iohn 5.19 The Father worketh by the Son not as by an instrument or helper of the working The workes of God are either benefits or iudgements The benefits of God are the works which God doth performe for our good The benefites of God are either spirituall or bodily Spirituall benefites are those which pertaine to the soule or spirituall life Bodily benefites are those which pettaine to a bodily life Hitherto generally concerning the benefites of God now concerning his iudgements The iudgements of God are those works by which he iustly layeth afflictiōs vpō men Againe the
and patience in bearing their infirmities and slips In the second part of this commandement God promiseth long life to those that honour their parents and that for two causes 1. That he might shew what account he maketh of obedience to superiours 2. That he might allure vs performe it The 6. commandement The sixt commandement is this thou shalt not kill In this commandement God forbiddeth man-slaughter By man-slaughter is vnderstood not onely the outward hurt of our owne life or of our neighbours but euen euery cause of hurt and slaughter as are anger gestures expressing anger iniurious facts reproch hatred desire of priuate reuenge and so forth The 7. commandement The seuenth commandement is this thou shalt not commit adultery Wherin God forbiddeth all vncleannesse of the mind or of the body both in mariage and out of mariage The 8. commandement The eight commandement is this thou shalt not steale Wherein God forbiddeth theft Theft is euery vniust translating or turning of any other mens goods to himselfe whether it be done priuily or openly or else whether it be done by violence or deceipt shew of right Or else theft is euery manner of doing any thing forbidden by God Such as are these pillage taking away of other mens goods an vniust weight an vniust elle an vnequall measure deceiptfull ware coūterfeit coine vsury couetousnes the abusing of Gods gifts The 9. commandement The ninth commandement is this Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour Wherein God forbiddeth false witnesse both in iudgement and also out of iudgement Therefore by false witnesse is vnderstood euen periury slander backebiting reproch cursing euill suspition prating flattering lastly all sorts of lyes The 10. commandement The tenth commandement is this Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his manseruant nor his maidseruant nor his oxe nor his asse nor any thing that is thy neighbours Wherein God forbiddeth euen the least desire and thought contrary to Gods law For in the sight of God not onely the outward euill deed is sin but euen the thought consultation of committing an euill deed although it be not brought to passe Hitherto concerning the explication of the ten commandements now concerning the vses of the morall law Of the vses of the morall law The vses of the morall law are of two sorts common or proper The common vses are those which doe equally belong to the elect and reprobate And they are three 1. To preserue discipline both in the regenerate and vnregenerate and that two wayes First because it bindeth all men that they should gouerne the moueable or outward members to the intent that the outward deedes may agree with Gods law Secondly because it establisheth punishments euen bodily in this life against those who commit outward offences which punishments God doth execute on the guilty either by the Magistrate or by some other meanes 2. To teach vs to know what a one God is 3. To teach vs to acknowledge our sinnes Rom. 3 that the whole world might be guilty before God By the law cōmeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 7.7 The proper vses of the law are those which do belong to the elect onely or to the reprobate onely The vses of the law pertaining particularly to the elect are these 1. To stirre vp and increase repentance in the elect 2. To kindle in the elect desire to seeke forgiuenesse of sinnes and righteousnesse in Christ 3. To stirre vp and thrust forward the elect to an endeuour to the perpetuall meditation and calling vpon the holy spirite for grace whereby they may be renued daily more and more according to the image of God 4. To stirre vp and increase in them the desire of perfection which we shall obtaine in the life to come 5. To be to the elect a direction how to liue and a rule of good workes For it teacheth what workes please God The vses of the law belonging onely to the reprobate are three 1. To make them without excuse 2. The more to harden them 3. To prepare them to desperation Thus farre concerning Gods perpetuall law now concerning the law of God for a certaine time The law of God for a certaine time is that which was onely for a certaine time prescribed to the people of Israell and is abrogated by the comming of the Messias And that law is either ceremoniall or iudiciall Of the ceremoniall law The ceremoniall law is that law which gaue commaundement concerning ceremonies to be obserued in the publicke worship of God which did scrue to instruct the people of Israell of the manner of their eternall saluation by Christ to come Of the iudiciall law The iudiciall law is a law which giueth commaundement concerning the politicke gouernement of the Iewes that is to say of the order and offices of Magistrates iudgementes punishments contractes of the distinguishing of gouernements made for this end that iustice and publicke peace might be of force among Citizens and the lawes of God might be deliuered from contempt Hitherto concerning the law of God◠now concerning the Gospell Of the Gospell The Gospell is that wholesome doctrine concerning Christ already shewed and manifested Christ is the onely begotten sonne of God made man for our saluation Iohn 1.14 1. Iohn 4.2 1. Tim. 3.16 Of Christ Of the knowledge of Christ there be two parts the first concerning his person the second concerning his office Of the person of Christ The person of Christ is one because Christ is one Of the knowledge of Christes person there be two parts the first concerning the natures in the person of Christ the other concerning his state There are two natures in the person of Christ the diuine and the humane nature Therefore Iesus Christ is true God and true man in one person Rom. 1.3.4 and 9.5 1. Iohn 4.2 1. Timot. 3.16 Coloss 2.9 Heb. 2.14.16 Iohn 1.1 Thus farre concerning the natures in the person of Christ now concerning his state The state of Christes person is two fold his humiliation or exaltation Phil. 2.7.8.9 Luke 24.26 Of the humiliatiō of Christ The humiliation of Christ is that state of his in which he did abase himselfe below all creatures Phil. 2.7 Of his humiliation there are two partes his incarnation and obedience Of the incarnation of Christ The incarnation of Christ is part of the humiliation of the sonne of God when taking the humane nature he was manifested in the flesh Iohn 1.14 1. Tim. 3.16 The parts of the incarnation of Christ are both his conception by the holy spirite and the personall vnion of his two natures and also his birth The conception of Christ by the holy spirite is the forming of the humane nature of Christ of the flesh and bloud of the virgine Mary by the miraculous working of the holy spirit Mat. 1.18.20 Luke 1.31.35 Of the personall
vnion The personall vnion of the two natures in Christ is such a coupling of them as they might be one person 1. Tim. 3.16 Coloss 2.9 Gal. 4.4 Heb. 2.16 In this personall vnion both the distinction of the two natures is to be considered and also the effectes of the vnion In the personall vnion the natures remaine distinct and not confused whether we respect their essence or the properties or operations Rom. 1.3.4 and 9.5 1. Tim. 9.16 Heb. 9.14 1. Pet. 3.18 and 4.1 As therefore in that one person of Christ there be two natures so there is a double minde or vnderstanding a double will working wisedome strength power vertue and so forth The one heauenly and not created the other humane and created Luke 2.52 Mar. 11.13 and 13.32 1. Iohn 2.1.17 Iohn 2.25 and 6.64 and 5.20 Heb. 1.9 Iohn 1.33 and 4.6 Heb. 1.3 Iohn 2.19 and 10.18 And each of the natures retaineth and keepeth his owne essentiall properties neither doth it communicate them to the other nature and that for two causes the first is least the natures should be mingled and confounded the other that there might foreuer remaine a difference betweene the natures Luke 24.39 For he that confoundeth the properties D. Luther confoundeth the natures and he that taketh away the properties taketh away the natures Thus farre concerning the distinction of the natures in the personall vnion now concerning the effects of the vnion Of the maiestie of the humane nature of Christ The effectes of the vnion are two fold the one the exaltation of the nature assumed to the highest and vnspeakeable dignitie and the communicating of the Idioms or proprieties The exaltation of the assumed nature to the highest and vnspeakeable dignitie is that honour which the person of the sonne of God hath communicated to the nature assumed so that he hath exalted it aboue all Angels men whom he surpasseth and excelleth by most farre and vnspeakeable degrees Heb. 14. Mat. 28.18 Iohn 17.2 Phil. 2.9 Ephes 1.20.22 That exaltation consisteth chiefly in these three points 1. In the personall vnion with the word because the humane nature is assumed into the vnitie of the person of Gods sonne so that it is the proper flesh of the eternall son of God Heb. 2.16 2. In the giftes because it hath the fulnesse of all the giftes of the holy spirite which can be in a creature that is to say it hath not onely some giftes as the rest of the Saints who haue them according to measure but all giftes not onely in number but euen in the most excellent degree Iohn 3.34 Those giftes giuen to the humanitie of Christ are created qualities because his humanitie is creaâ—ed That truely is adorned with most excellent and incomprehensible giftes but such as doe not ouerthrow and destroy the same 3. In the fellowship of the office both of the mediatour betweene God and the beleeuers and also of the head of the Church and of the Iudge of the whole world Mat. 28.18 Phil. 2.9 Ephesians 1.20.22 Psal 110.1.1 Timot. 2.5 1. Iohn 2.12 Heb. 7.25.26.27 and 8.1 and 9.24 Hitherto concerning the exaltation of the nature assumed now concerning the communicating of the Idioms or properties Of the communicating of the Idioms or properties The communicating of the Idioms or properties is a Sinecdoche whereby that is spoken of Christs person which is proper to one of the natures in the person Iohn 3.13 Actes 20.28 1. Cor. 2.8 1. Iohn 1.1 and 3.16 For because of the personall vnion of the two natures their properties are common to the person And the communicating of the Idioms or properties haue a place in the concreet or primitiue but not in the Abstract or deriuatiue The concreet is the name of the person The Concreet or primitiue is a name vnderstood of the person of Christ as these God Man Christ Iesus the sonne of God the sonne of man and so forth The Abstract is the name of the nature The Abstract or deriuatiue is a name vnderstood of one of the natures onely in the person of Christ as these the Godhead the manhood flesh Iohn 1.14 The seed of Abraham Heb. 2.16 And if in steed of the Abstract the CoÌ„creet be sometime vsed for the most part there is added a note or particle of difference restraining it to one or other of the natures sometime also it is vttered absolutely without any note of difference expressed yet vnderstood The notes of difference are these by nigh to as long as or vntill in through as much as and those that are like these Rom. 1.3.4 1. Tim. 3.16 Heb. 9.14 1. Pet. 3.18 and 4 1. Rom. 9.5 Actes 2.30 And by these notes of difference is signified the property of the one nature which caÌ„ not be spoken of the other nature As therefore it is most rightly sayd of Christ God is borne of the virgine suffered vnder Pontius Pilate crucified dead and buried and so forth So also it is most rightly sayd of the same Christ he is a man eternall present euery where omnipotent knowing all things Contrariwise as this is a most wicked and blasphemous speech to say the Godhead is borne of the virgine suffered vnder Pontius Pilate crucified dead and buried so this is a most wicked and blasphemous speech to say that the humanitie of Christ is eternall present euery where omnipotent knowing all things Thus much concerning the personall vnion Of the natiuitie of Christ The natiuitie of Christ is that whereby he was borne of the virgine Mary at BethleheÌ„ that he might be our Sauiour Luke 2.4 Mat. 2.1.5 Thus farre concerning the incarnation of Christ now concerning his obedience Of the obedience of Christ The obedience of Christ is the other part of his humiliatioÌ„ whilest he was in all things obedient to his father It is also called the righteousnesse of Christ Esay 53. Heb. 5.8 Although he were the sonne of God yet he learned obedience by those things which he suffered Of the obedience of Christ there are two parts the fulfilling of the law and the paying of the punishment for our sinnes The fulfilling of the law is the first part of Christes obedience whereby in his whole life he performed for vs perfect obedience to the law of God Otherwise it is called the actiue righteousnesse of Christ and also the obedience of the holy life of Christ The paying of the punishment for our sinnes is the other part of Christes obedience whilest he for vs sustained the punishment which we had deserued that he might satisfie for vs the most seuere iustice of God so that we are no more bound to suffer that punishment seeing Christ hath payed it for vs. Otherwise it is called the passiue righteousnesse of Christ or the obedience of his Passion and death The partes of paying the punishment for our sinnes are both his Passion and death also his burying and descending to hell Of the Passion
inward or outward The outward calling is a calling which is done by the Ministers of Gods word And that is two fold effectuall or vneffectuall Mat. 22.2 The effectuall calling belongeth to the elect in whose harts the word preached doth abide The vneffectuall calling belongeth to the reprobate in whose harts the word of God either findeth no abode or else vanisheth away so that it is become to them the sauour of death and a matter of more grieuous condemnation Thus much concerning the outward calling now concerning the inward The calling that is inward is a calling which is wrought by the holy spirit by whoÌ„ the father draweth vs and giueth vs to his sonne Iohn 6.37.44 and 17.11 Hitherto concerning our calling to Christ now concerning our calling to some office The calling to some office is the separating of a fit person to some office Rom. 1.1 Thus farre concerning our calling now concerning Gods couenant Gods couenant is a bargaine which God hath made with meâ— in which God promiseth to men some good requireth of them again that they performe those things which he commandeth And that couenant is either eternall or temporall The eternall couenant is a couenant in which God promiseth men eternall life And that is two fold the couenant of workes or the couenant of grace The couenant of workes is a bargaine of God made with men coÌ„cerning eternall life to which is both a condition of perfect obedience adioyned to be performed by man also a threatning of eternall death if he shal not performe perfect obedience Gene. 2.17 The couenant with Moses is the couenant of workes The repetition of the couenant of workes is made by God Exod. 19.5 Deut. 5.2 1. King 8.21 Heb. 8.9 and that chiefly for foure causes 1. That God by all meanes might stirre vp men to performe obedience 2. That euery mouth might be stopped and all the world might be made subiect to the condemnation of God for not performing perfect obedience Rom. 3.19 3. That he might manifest mans sinne and naughtinesse Rom. 3.19.20 and 7.7.8.9.10.11 4. That he might thrust vs forward to seeke to be restored in the couenant of grace Gal. 3.22 and 5.23 Thus much concerning the couenant of workes now concerning the couenant of grace Of the couenaÌ„t of grace The couenant of grace is the reconciling of the elect with God by the death of the only mediatour Rom. 8.30 2. Cor. 5.17.18.19.20.21 Heb. 9.15 The mediatour That onely mediatour is our Lord Iesus Christ who onely doth reconcile vs to his father by his satisfaction and merit Gene. 3.15 and 11.35 Gal. 3.12.13.14 Gene. 15.18 17.2.10.11 Exod. 6.4 the Epistle to the Heb. Chap. 7.8.9 10. The couenant made with Abraham is the couenant of grace Actes 3.25 The couenant of grace is also called the Testament because this reconciliation was made and ratified by the death of the testatour Christ comming betweene Heb. 9.16.17 Christ purchased reconciliation between his heauenly father and vs by his death and there withall left it vnto vs no otherwise theÌ„ parents dying doe leaue their goods to their children And that perpetually is one and the selfe same if we consider the substance thereof as there is but one Church in all ages one true faith ReligioÌ„ of Saints one God one mediatour Christ but one sacrifice for sins but one righteousnesse redeÌ„ptioÌ„ of the world one manner for all the ages of the world to obtaine saluation namely by faith in Christ Heb. 13.8 Reuel 13.8 1. Tim. 2.5 Rom. 12. and 4.3 Ephes 1.10 Rom. 9.5 Col. 1.18 Ephe. 2.21 Actes 4.2 Mat. 11.27 Iohn 14.6 Luke 10.24 Iohn 8 56. Gene. 3.15 and 22.18 But by the circumstances it is called the old or new Testament It is called the old Testament or couenant because it was hid from the faithfull by diuers shadowes and figures before Christ was manifested in the flesh Gene. 12.7 Heb. 9.4.18 Exod. 24.8 It is called the new TestameÌ„t or couenaÌ„t because it is clearely manifested to the faithfull by Christ himselfe shewed in the flesh Heb. 8 6. Therefore the faithfull in the old Testament had Christ as yet couered in a type or rather they looked for a true manifestation of him but we haue him manifested indeede They had figures we haue the thing it selfe they did reioyce in outward and ceremoniall things we triumph in spirituall and the things signified without types Ierem. 31.31 Matth. 26.28 1. Cor. 11.25 Heb. 8.9.10 and Chap. 9. and 10. Of the couenant of grace there be two parts the promise of grace the answering againe of a good conscience The former respecteth God the later respecteth the faithfull Heb. 8.10.11.12 Of the promise of grace The promise of grace is the first part of the couenant of grace by which God promiseth freely his benefites purchased by Christ vnto all those who beleeue in Christ The benefites purchased by Christ for vs and promised in the Gospell are these the giuing of the holy spirit the communion with Christ and our preseruation in this communion and the giuing of eternall life Of the giuing of the holy spirit The giuing of the holy spirite is a benefite of God by which he giueth vs his holy spirite who maketh vs partakers of Christ and of all his benefites Of the knowledge of the holy spirit there be two parts the first concâ—rning the person of the holy spirite the second concerning his office If we consider his person he is true God equall with the father and the sonne Actes 5.3.4 Gene. 1.2 Math. 28.19 Mar 16 15. But the office of the holy spirite is this that by him the father and the sonne doe shew foorth their power and execute the decrees of their will in creating sustaining and mouing all things but chiefly in mouing the harts of those that heare Gods word and in sanctifying and quickning the elect with eternall saluation Thus farre concerning the giuing of the holy spirite now concerning our communion with Christ Of our communion with Christ Our communion with Christ is the benefit of God whilest he giueth to the beleeuers Christ himselfe and his merits that he might powerfully worke in them eternall life Iohn 3.16 Rom. 8.32 That is also called our ioyning vnion knitting together with Christ our ingrafting into Christ the eating of Christes flesh the drinking of Christes bloud the bringing of vs vnder one head ioyning into one body vnder one head to wit Christ Ephes 1.10 our washing in the bloud of Christ the quickning of vs the raysing of vs from the dead the placing of vs in heauen together with Christ Ephes 2.5.6 Now the communion of all Saintes with Christ is one and the selfe same that is to say onely spirituall There is not a bodily entrance and remayning of Christ within the bodies of the Saints neither doth Christ dwell spiritually in some and bodily in other some but in all beleeuers spiritually onely And that is
THE SVBSTANCE OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION SOVNDLY SET FORTH in two bookes by definitions and partitions framed according to the rules of a naturall method by Amandus Polanus professor of Diuinitie The first booke concerneth faith The second concerneth good workes The principall pointes whereof are contained in a short table hereunto annexed Translated out of Latin into English by E. W. This is life eternall that they know thee to be the onely verie God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Ioh. 17.3 Whatsoeuer I command you take heede that you do it Thou shalt put nothing therto nor take any thing therfrō Deu. 12.32 LABORE ET CONSTANTIA Imprinted at London by R. F. for Iohn Oxenbridge dwelling in Paules churchyard at the signe of the Parrot 1595. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND HIS VERIE GOOD LORD THE LORD Edward Earle of Bedford and to the right honorable also and vertuous Ladie the Ladie Lucie his wife E. W. wisheth all growth of goodnesse in this life and in the end euerlasting blessednesse through Christ MAy it please your HH to vnderstand that hauing by my fathers appointmēt for exercise sake according to my poore skill translated out of Latin into English this worthy worke following and God hauing besides prepared a way when I did neither thinke nor know of it to bring it to light sight of men by putting it into Print I bethought my selfe as well as my want of yeares discretion would suffer me of some worthy persons patrōs to whom I might dedicate these my simple labours Amōgst many none came more oftē more iustly into my remēbrance thā your HH whose affectiō in the Lord to my father and some measure of Christian care for me in the world haue made me bold euen as it were to presume to dedicate these simple fruits of my first trauailes vnto you What reasons I haue besides those alledged to lead me thereto I shall not need largely to lay out Your HH zeale to Religion your fauours to me as also some declaration of all dutifull thankefulnesse from my selfe towards you for the same haue greatly prouoked me In whō though there be nothing as in regard of my selfe and paines taken herein that may commend it yet as in respect of the worke it selfe sure I am not by mine owne iudgement I protest for how weake and childish that is I very well know but by the sentence of sundry very learned men both for the soundnesse and sufficiencie of the things therein contained as also for the methodicall maner of handling the same there will be found much that may well beseeme your HH profession and place And so earnestly praying the good acceptation of that which is done that vnder your HH patronage it may be the better receiued amongst men and humbly beseeching the continuance of your HH fauours that so I may the better proceede in godlinesse and learning whereunto my parents though not able indeede of themselues to maintaine me therein haue vnfainedly dedicated me I my self haue willingly vowed my selfe and hartily crauing pardon for my boldnesse scapes this or any other way cōmitted I humbly end At Londō the first of this Ianuarie 1595. Your HH humble and dutifull as he is much bound Elijahu Wilcocks The titles of the common places handled in these Partitions 1 Of the word of God pag. 1.179 2 Of God pag. 2. 3 Of the attributes of God pag. 2. 4 Of the persons of the Deitie or of the holie Trinitie pag. 12. 5 Of the workes of God pag. 14. 6 Of the decree of God where also of the decree of Predestination pag. 16.17 7 Of Creatiō where of the image of God pag. 18.19 8 Of good and euill Angels pag. 20.21 9 Of man his state and free will pag. 21.22.23 10 Of the prouidence of God pag. 28. 11 Of good pag. 28. 12 Of euill pag. 29. 13 Of sinne pag. 29. and those that follow 14 Of the action of God pag. 36. 15 Of the instruments of God pag. 36. 16 Of Gods permission or sufferance pag. 40. 17 Of the conseruation of things pag. 42. 18 Of Predestination pag. 44. 19 Of the naturall manifestation of God where concerning the law of nature pag. 45. 20 Of afflictions the crosse pag. 46. and those that follow 21 Of Gods secret mouing of the wills pag. 49. 22 Of Gods gouerning of all humane actiōs pag. 50. 23 Of the supernaturall manifestation of Gods will pag. 51. 24 Of the law of God whereof the decalogue or 10. Cōmandemēts 52. those that follow 25 Of the ceremoniall and iudiciall law of God pag. 63 26 Of the Gospell pag. 63. 27 Of Christ of his person of his double state incarnation conception by the holy spirit of his personall vnion of the maiestie of the humane nature of Christ of the cōmunicating of the Idioms or properties of his birth obediēce suffering death burying descēsion to hell exaltation resurrection from the dead ascension into heauen sitting at the right of God his father pag. 64. and following 28 Of the office of Christ or of the office of the Mediatour pag. 78. and following 29 Of the foretelling of things to come pag. 82. 30 Of Gods promises pag. 84. 31 Of Gods threatnings pag. 86. 32 Of Gods calling pag. 87. 33 Of the couenant of God pag. 89. 34 Of the benefits purchased to vs by Christ pag. 89 35 Of the cōmuniō or fellowship with Christ pag. 91. 36 Of iustification where of forgiuenesse of sinnes pag. 93. 37 Of regeneration or sanctification where of repentance pag. 94. 38 Of adoption pag. 100. 39 Of the libertie of the sonnes of God where of Christian libertie and of things indifferent pag. 102. and those that follow 40 Of comfort vnder the crosse in death pag. 105 and so forward 41 Of diuine signes where of miracles and the Sacraments pag. 114. 115. and so forward 42 Of Baptisme pag. 132. 43 Of the Supper of the Lord. pag. 136. c. 44 Of the workes of God after this life where of the generall resurrectiō the last iudgement and glorification of the elect pag. 151. 152. and those that follow 45 Of the true Church where of true Religion pag. 155. c. 46 Of the Ministers of the Church pag. 159. 60. 47 Of the Ecclesiasticall power where of the power of order iurisdiction of the lawfull calling of Ministers of the power of the keyes of the Ecclesiasticall discipline of excōmunication pag. 163. 164. and so forward 48 Of Counsels pag. 170. 49 Of the false Church where of false Religiō of the enemies of Christ and his kingdome of the Iewes of their reiection and restitutiō of the Mahumetistes heretickes Anrichrist of the Church of Antichrist and of false Prophets pag. 172. 173. and following The second booke 50 Of good workes pag. 179. 180. Of things adioyned thereto pag. 180. 51 Of things disagreeing with good workes where of the feare of God of constancie prudence
zeale fortitude the glorie of God pag. 181. 182. and those that follow 52 Of the inward outward worship of God the things that disagree therefrom where of liuely faith pag. 188. 189. c. 53 Of inuocation where of prayer of the Lords prayer of an oath pag. 197 54 Of thankesgiuing and the confession of truth pag. 211. 212. 55 Of the rites or ceremonies of the Church where of a godly fast vow sacrifices of the old Testament feast pag. 215. 216. and so forward 56 Of vertue where concerning the desire of wisdome of fortitude temperance chastitie liberalitie iustice and the whole company of vertues pag. 196. and so forward 57 Of priuate iustice where of wedlocke and of diuorse pag. 243. 244 58 Of the publike iustice where of Magistrate and lawes of peace and warre pag. 273. and so forward THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE PARTITIONS AND DEFINITIONS OF DIuinitie framed according to the rules of a naturall methode by Amandus Polanus of Polansdorf Of Faith THe word of God is a doctrine written by the Prophets and Apostles the holy spirite being the inditour thereof perfectly deliuering the way how to obtaine eternall life 2. Pet. 1.21 Ephes 2.20 Iohn 5.24.39 and 20.29.31 1. Cor. 1.21 2. Tim. 1.10 and 2.5 Tit. 1.1 2. Rom. 1.16 Psal 32.1 and 1.1 and 119.1 and so forward Mat. 5.3 so forward Iam. 1.21.22 Of the word of God there be two partes the first concerning faith Act. 24.14.15.16 Rom. 1.16 Hab. 2.4 the other cōcerning good workes Iam. 2.20 Phil. 1.27 Tit. 3.8 Mar. 1.15 1. Tim. 1.18.19 Of faith The first part namely concerning faith doth teach vs what we must beleeue to saluation And that cōcerneth either God or the Church God is an eternall infinite omnipotent Of God and most holy spirit Iohn 4.24 Psal 9.2 92.8 102.13 Esa 63.16 Dan. 6.26 Heb. 1.12 Reu. 4.8 11.17 16.5 1. Kin. 8.27 2. Chro. 6.18 Iob. 11.7.8 Iere. 23.23 Psal 139.7.10 Esa 6.3 Gen. 17.1 35.11 Exod. 6.3 Deut. 7.8 10.17 Num. 11.23 Esa 40.12 Matt. 19.26 Luk. 1.37 Reu. 1.8 Mat. 19.17 2. Chr. 30.18 Of the knowledge of God or of faith concerning God are two parts the first concerning the essence of God the second concerning his workes The essence of God is the nature of God whereby God is indeede and doth subsist And that essence is but one and therefore God is but onely one also There are two partes of the knowledge of the essence of God the first concerning the attributes of God the second concerning the distinction of the persons The attributes of God are those titles which are attributed to God to declare his essence better vnto vs. Of the attributes of God The attributes of God are either simple or compared The simple attributes of God are the esential properties of God which doe agree to him without comparison Of these some haue such a similitude of him as is in the creatures by creation some haue not Of the former kind are blessednes immortalitie vnderstanding praescience memorie will goodnesse holinesse iustice clemencie long sufferance patience constacie fortitude truth faithfulnesse and the rest The goodnesse of God is that by which he hath bene euerlastingly contented with him selfe not hauing neede of any other thing 1. Tim. 1.11 6.15 The vnderstāding of God is that by which he hath a perfect vnderstāding of al things this is somtimes called the wisdome of God The immortalitie of God is that by which he neuer dieth 1. Tim. 1.17 6.16 The praescience of God is a most perfect foreknowledge of all things to come The memorie of God is that by which he doth most exactly remember all things Psal 25.6.7 Esa 49.16 Of the will of God The will of God is that by which he willeth all things Rom 9.15.22 Eph. 1.5.9.11 And that will is onely one most simple if we respect God him self but so farre as we respect mē to whō it is either reuealed or hid it is two fold manifest or secret The schoolemen do call the former of these the wil of the signe the other the will of the good pleasure of God The secret wil also in due time appointed by God is made open and manifest The will of God is most free whereupon also it is called the free will of God The free wil of God is that self same essence of God vnderstanding by it selfe all things immediatly and most perfectly that most freely but yet vnchangeably and necessarily willing that which is good onely and abhorring that onely which is euill neither depending of another former beginning but of it selfe onely And this alone may properly be called of his owne power The goodnes of God is that by which he is the author of all good things And he doth exercise this either generally towards all creatures or else particularly towards his elect The former is called beneficence the later is called mercie The beneficence of God is that by which he giueth his gifts to all his creatures Mat. 5.44.45 Act. 14.17 The mercie of God is that by which God doth good to his elect although they deserue nothing of him but euill Esa 49.10.13 Eph. 2.3.4 Psal 145.9 The holinesse of God is that by which he doth altogether abhorre all impuritie vncleanesse Esa 6.3 Reu. 4.8 Ierem. 3.12 The iustice of God is that by which he dealeth iustly in all things Psal 116.11 Rom. 3.4 The clemencie of God is that by which he doth represse his anger which is most iust that he might spare vs. Exod. 34.5 The long sufferance of God is that wherby he doth a long time defer his anger and punishment against sinners that he might prouoke them to repentance Exod 34.5 The patiēce of God is that by which he suffereth a long time patiently the sins of men that he might lead thē to repentance Esa 48.9 The constancie of God is that by which he performeth most certainely that which hee hath spoken Exod. 34.5 The fortitude of God is that by which he is able to performe all thinges that hee doth wil. 1 Sam. 2.2 2 Sam. 23.13 Esay 28.2 49.26 Ier. 50.34 Reuel 18.8 The truth of God is that by which hee speaketh and doeth all things as they are indeed he himselfe being most free from all lying Rom. 3.4 Deut. 7.9 The fayhfulnes of God is that by which he most faythfully performeth to his children that which hee hath promised Esay 49.7 Exod. 34.6 Deut. 7.10 Hitherto we haue handled the simple attributes of God which are of the first sort they of the latter sort follow The simple attributs of God of the later sort are those which haue not in thē such a similitude of him as is in some creatures by creatiō Of which sort are these Eternitie Infinitnes vbiquity omnipotency omniscience Eternitie is an essential propertie of God by which hee is sayde to bee without any beginning or ending Esa 43.13 Ps 90.2
elect being dead into the place of the blessed Or else to minister to those that feare God in all their wayes Heb. 1.14 Psal 34.8 103.21 Mat. 18.10 Psal 91.11 Dan. 10. and 12. Luke 16.22 Their other dutie is to punish the euill For the good Angels are not onely the disposers of the goodnesse of God but also sometime executers of punishment 2. King 29.35 Hitherto concerning good Angels now concerning euill Angels Euill Angels are Angels who haue fallen from God Iohn 8.44 2. Pet. 2.4 Epistle of Iude. 5.6 Ephes 2.2 The same are called deuils And they are the first authors of all sins do endeuour to seduce men by their temptations and to stirre them vp to sin as also by all meanes to turne them away from God to thrust them headlong into destruction The temptations of the deuill are perswasions sollicitings and sturrings vp by which he doth endeuour to draw men into sinne and destruction After this manner he tempted our first parents Genes 3.1 So the deuill tempting Christ sollicited him to distrust concerning Gods prouidence as though God could not sustaine and preserue him without bread Mat. 4.3 he tempted him to rashnesse and vnaduised boldnesse that for the obtaining of glory he might expose himselfe to vnnecessary daungers vers 6. he sollicited him to idolatry vers 8. In euill Angels we must consider both their office and restraint If we respect their office they are compelled to serue and obey God in those workes which it pleaseth God to performe by them Of this office there are two parts For they are ordained both to afflict the godly that their constancy might be proued Iob. 1.12 and 2.6.7 2. Corin. 22.7 as also to vexe the wicked as officers and tormentours appointed by God The restraint of the euill Angels is the bounding and limiting of their power and fury that they are able to do no more then God doth suffer them to do Their free will is to euill things onely For seeing they are cast away from God for euer are hardened in euill they can do nothing nor hereafter shall do any thing but sin that is to say onely to approue with their minde and chuse with their will those things which are euill and displease God and therefore they shall suffer euerlasting punishment Iohn 8.44 1. Iohn 3.8 Mat. 3.8 Mat. 25.41 Iude. vers 6. Reuel 20.10 Hitherto concerning Angels now concerning man Of man Man is a creature of God made according to his Image consisting of a body and a reasonable soule We ought especially to consider both his estate and also his will Of the estate of man The estate of a man is to be considered two wayes one before the fall another after the fall The estate of man before the fall was that happy estate of his first integrity in which man was made at the beginning It is also called an vpright estate or the estate of integrity or innocency The estate of man after the fall is that estate into which all men fell afterward And that estate is two fold corrupted or renued The corrupt estate is that vnhappy estate which all men descending by carnall generation haue fallen into through sinne The renued estate is that estate of man in which man is renued againe according to the Image of God And that renued estate is two fold the one begū the other perfected the former is in this life the other the life to come Hitherto concerning the state of man now concerning his will The will of man is that power of his will chusing Of the will of man or refusing that which the vnderstāding sheweth to be chosen or refused And that was of one sort before the fall and of another since the fall The will of man before the fall was free in all things because it could incline to either part that is to say to good or euill so that it might chuse either the one or the other yea that so farre that man by his own strength was able to stand or to fall For although man were so made that he was good and could know God aright and performe to him right perfect obedience by the free motion of his owne will yet notwithstanding he was changeably good that is to say he was not so cōfirmed in the knowledge and obedience of God but that a shew of some good being set before him he might be inclined to fall away and indeed did fall away of his owne proper motion Thus much concerning the will of man before the fall The will of man after the fall is to be considered two wayes first as it is in this life secondly as it shal be in the life to come In this life it is two fold the one in the corrupted or vnregenerated men the other in the regenerated men In men corrupted or vnregenerated the will is both bound and free Their will is free onely to euill in all things both in spirituall and also in ciuill outward matters But freedome of the will to goodnesse is lost through sinne True it is indeed that the will of the vnregenerate worketh freely yet it can doe nothing but sinne And sin doth alwayes flow from this fountaine of the free will of man And although the vnregenerated sometimes doe performe some good workes morally and such as of themselues are good yet by accident they are become sinnes because they do them not by the true knowledge of God by faith lastly because they erre from the true end whilest they do not regard this namely the honour of God Heb. 11.6 Mat. 23.27.28 Rom. 1.18 and 14.23 Of the bondage of will But the will of the vnregenerate is bound captiue as concerning good holy things and specially concerning things belonging to saluation and eternall life For the vnregenerate cannot by their owne strength turne themselues to God nor receiue the grace that God offereth them nor vndertake or performe any worke pleasing God Gen. 6.5 and 8.21 Iere. 13.10 23. 17.9 Psal 14.1.3 Rom. 3.10.11.12 Mat. 7.18 12.34 Ioh. 3.3 6.44 12.39 Rom. 7.18 and 7.7 2. Cor. 3.5 Hitherto concerning the will of man being corrupted now concerning the will of the regenerated man Of the will of a regenerated man The will of the regenerated man is free partly to good partly to euill The will of the regenerated man to good is free by the speciall blessing assistance of the holy spirit who doth begin continue and make perfect in him his cōuersion to God good works that so that both the beginning proceeding and finishing of this cōuersion is the free gift of God notwithstanding in the meane while the regenerated man is not idle but worketh being sturred vp by the holy spirit Deut. 30.6 1. Kin. 8.58 Iere. 31.33 Ezech. 11.19 and 30.26 Luke 24.45 Ioh. 6.45 Actes 16.14 Rom 6.18.2 Cor. 3.5 and 17. and 46. Phil. 1.6 2.13 Ephes 4.24 Col.
3.20 Againe the will of the regenerate man is free to euill first because the regeneration renewing of nature that is to say of the mind will affections is onely begun not perfected in this life and alwayes the reliques of flesh or sinne doe remaine which do somewhat both darkē knowledge in the minde also tosse turne the will so that we cannot by and by doe those things which we would Mar. 9.24 Ro. 7.18 so following 1. Cor. 13.12 Secondly because the regenerate are not alwayes powerfully ruled by the holy spirit but now then for a time are as it were forsaken and left to themselues by God who doth not so manifest his power in thē as before time that they falling into sin might be humbled 2. Sam. 24.1 1. King 8.57 Psal 51.13 Esa 62.17 Eze. 16.6 63. Rom. 11.32 2. Cor. 12.7 Hitherto concerning the will of men in this life now concerning their will in the life to come In the life to come there shal be one will of those that are blessed and another of those that are damned The will of the blessed after this life shal be free onely to good not to euill so that they shall not onely not sin nor chuse the euill but they shall not be able to sinne or to chuse the euill that is to say that they shall will nothing but that which is good And hereof there are two reasons 1 Because their regeneration shal be perfect and not begun onely as now it is Mat. 22.30 1. Cor. 3.12 .1 Iohn 3.2 2 Because they shall neuer be forsaken but shal be gouerned continually ruled powerfully of God in all their actions that they should not erre frō a right course 1. Cor. 15.28 The will of the dāned shal be onely to euill for euermore because they shall alwayes be without any repentance and hope of pardon deliuerance shall remaine in the kingdome of Sathan be thrust forward by him and their owne lustes and shall fight against God Mat. 25.46 Mar. 9.43 Hitherto concerning creation now concerning the prouidence of God Of the prouidence of God The prouidence of God is a worke of God by which he gouerneth all things according to his own will doth direct them to his owne glory and to the saluation of the elect Otherwise it is called the gouernement the rule also and kingdome of God Psal 93.1 and 97.1 and 99.1 and 103.19 And that is a perpetuall testimony of Gods presence in all places Neither doth any thing happen rashly or by chance but all things are done by the prouidence of God according to his fatherly counsell and will Neither yet is that done without Gods will which is done contrary to his will Both good and euill is gouerned by the prouidence of God Good is that which God alloweth Of good as for example all the substances of things their quantities and qualities which they haue by creation their motions and changes their actions and euents as farre forth as they are motions and do agree with Gods nature and will as it is expressed in his word Whatsoeuer therefore is remaining either in deuils or in men by creation is good Good is either naturall or morall Naturall good is euery good thing which God hath created in nature to those vses of men which please God as the sunne moone the earth the water meat drinke rayment Morall good is an action agreeing with the eternall and vnchangeable wisedome of God manifested in Gods law which both by creation is ingraffed in the mindes of men and afterwardes published abroad by Gods voyce Or else morall good is euery good action agreeing with the will of God reuealed in his word Thus much concerning good now concerning euill Euill Of euill is a destruction of the nature created by God And that is either the euill of the offence or of the punishment Both these euils are set downe Iere. 18.8 If this nation shall turne away from their euill concerning which I haue spoken against them it shall also repent me of the euil which I purposed to haue done vnto it Euill of the offence is sinne Sinne Of sinne is euery thing contrary to the law of God Sinne is either of deuils or of men The sinne of the deuils is that into which euill Angels haue fallen And that is two fold their fall the malice following their fall The fall of the deuils is their falling away from God whereby they haue left their own standing assigned them in heauen for ministration The malice following vpon the fall of the deuils is that whereby they are for euer made the enemies of God and of men and are caried with an vnreconcilable hatred towardes God and men 1. Iohn 3.8.9 1. Pet. 5.8 Ephes 6.12 Thus farre concerning the sinnes of deuils now concerning the sinnes of men The sinne of men is that sinne into which men haue fallen And that is of two sortes either the sin of our first parents or of their posterity Of the fall of our first parents The sinne of our first parents is the sinne of Adam and Heuah And that is two fold both the fall and the corruption following the fall The fall of our first parents is the eating of the forbidden fruite by the persuasion and subtlety of the deuill through which eating they did breake the commandement of God and haue cast themselues and their posterity headlong into eternall death Now our first parents fell both willingly and by Gods prouidence That they fell willingly it appeareth hereby because they were endued with a will of their owne which was free and could not be compelled Thereupon it came to passe that a shew of good that is to say of obtaining a diuine nature being set before them they did fall and sinne the minde approuing that which was set before it the will inclining it selfe to embrace the same That they fell by Gods prouidence it appeareth in the Prou. 16.4 Rom. 11.32 Gal. 3. The corruption following the fall is a darkening of the Image of God by which there ceaseth to be in the mind the true perfect knowledge of God in the will the freedome of choise to goodnesse and in the hart the true loue feare of God a purpose desire to obey God there succeeded in the minde ignorance and doubtfulnesse in the wil and hart stubburnnesse against God and a froward disposition Thus much concerning the sinne of our first parents The sin of the posterity is that into which all the posterity of Adam Heuah did fall And that is two fold originall or actuall sin Of originall sinne Originall sin is that sin in which all of vs are conceiued borne who do descend by a carnall generation Paule calleth it the sinne dwelling in vs. Rom. 7.20 Psal 51.7 Ephes 2.3 Rom. 5.12 The partes thereof are two Originall guilt and originall naughtinesse Originall guilt is
a naturall offence subiection to punishment because of the fall of our first parents Rom. 5.12 So death went ouer all men Originall naughtinesse is a naturall deprauing and corruption of mans whole nature This naughtinesse is not the very nature of mā it selfe but onely sticketh to mans nature from which it is alwayes to be discerned euen after the deprauing And that is both in the soule in the body Naughtinesse in the soule is two fold the darknesse of the minde and the losse of free will or of free choise to good and the disorder of the affections of the hart naughty disposition to vices Naughtinesse of the body is also two fold the disorder of the moueable members and diseases which come by nature Thus much concerning originall sinne now concerning Actuall sinne Of actuall sin Actuall sinne is that sinne which we our selues commit And first that is either inward or outward Inward sinne is euery euill thought and doubting concerning God and his will incredulitie and the rest Outward sinne is euery word deed or gesture contrary to the law and will of God Outward sinne is either hid or manifest An hid sinne is that which no man is priuie of besides he which did commit it A manifest sinne is that sinne which other men also are priuie vnto and are offended made worse thereby Therefore it is specially called an offence Of an offence An offence is a speech or deed whereby an other is made worse An offence is either giuen or taken An offence giuen is an vngodly doctrine or euill example of maners which doth hurt others either because they doe imitate the same or because by it men are discouraged from the Gospell An offence taken is when either by some right doctrine or necessary deed hypocrites are offended and conceiue hatred of the Gospell and godly men And that is also called a Pharisaicall offence Againe sinne is either raigning or not raigning which some men call deadly or veniall A sinne raigning is that sinne which the sinner doth not resist by the grace of the holy spirit regenerating him to eternall life and therefore it maketh him subiect to eternall death except he repent and obtaine pardon by Christ A sinne not raigning is that sinne which the sinner resisteth by the grace of the holy spirit regenerating him to eternall life and therefore he is not subiect to eternall death because he repenteth him and doth obtaine pardon by Christ Euery sinne in it owne nature is deadly that is to say it deserueth eternall death but it is made veniall that is to say it doth deserue pardon and forgiuenesse so that it doth not bring to the regenerate death eternall by grace through Christ Moreouer euery sin is either against conscience or not against conscience Sinne against conscience is a sinne when a man knowing the will of God doth contrary to it of set purpose Sin which is not against conscience is that sin which is cōmitted of him that knoweth not the will of God or else the sin is acknowledged and lamented of the sinner to be a sin yet it cānot perfectly in this life be auoyded as for example originall sin and many other sinnes of ignorance and infirmity Furthermore sinne is either pardonable or vnpardonable Pardonable sin is that sinne which is forgiuen to him that repenteth and to him that asketh remission through Christ Such are all sinnes except the sin against the holy Ghost Vnpardonable sinne is that sinne which is not forgiuen neither in this world nor in the world to come Mat. 12.31 Mar. 3.28 Luk. 12.10 Heb. 6.4.5.6 1. Iohn 5.16 Of this sort is the sinne against the holy Ghost The sinne against the holy Ghost is that sin where Gods truth is resisted or denyed of set purpose after that the minde is confirmed and taught in the truth by the testimony of the holy spirite whosoeuer commit this sinne are punished by God with blindnesse so that they can neuer repent and therefore cannot obtaine forgiuenesse Moreouer sinne is either affected or vnaduised An affected sinne is that sin which is committed of meere malice or stubburnnesse An aduised sinne is that sinne which is cōmitted of rashnesse or infirmity Lastly euery sin is by it selfe or by accidēt Sinnes by them selues are all sins which are forbidden by the law of God Sinnes by accident are the actions of the vnregenerate which indeed are commanded by God but yet they displease God because of the defectes and vices concurring in the wicked or else indifferent actions which are done with offence Thus farre concerning the euill of the offence now concerning the euill of the punishment Of the euill of the punishmēt The euill of the punishment is euery destructiō or afflictiō or forsaking of the reasonable creature whereby God punisheth sins Thus much concerning the subiect of Gods prouidence now concerning the parts thereof The partes of the prouidence of God Of the prouidence of God there are two parts Action and permission Augustine in his booke called Enchirideon to Laurentius There is not any thing done but that which the almighty would haue to be done either suffering it to be done or he him selfe doing it and now nothing could be done if he did not suffer it neither doth he suffer any thing to be done against his will but willingly Nothing therfore is done but that which either God him selfe doth or suffereth to be done Of the action of God The action respecteth good things which God himselfe doth amongst which are numbred the euill of the punishments as men call them because they tend to that which is good morally The action of God is either by meanes or without meanes The action by meanes is when God for the performing of certaine workes vseth the ministery of secōdary causes as instruments Of Gods instruments And the instruments which God vseth are either good or euill God doth alwayes vse well both of them that is to say both the good and the euill instruments also God vseth the euill either to exercise and try the faith patience and constancy of the elect as it is manifest by the example of Iob or else to chasten the elect so doubtlesse Absalom was vsed by God to chasten Dauid or to punish euill men that the euill might be punished by the euill Esay 21.2 Now although he vse euill instruments yet he is not the author or partaker of any sin at all which appeareth euen by this that at the length he doth most seuerely punish those wicked instruments whose helpe he vsed Esa 14.5.6.29 Although also euill men do nothing neither can doe any thing but that which is decreed of God yet they cannot be excused neither can they haue any excuse then are worthily punished because they doe not regard the decree and glory of God neither that end which God hath purposed with himselfe but their owne euill purpose that they might bring that to effect that is
That he by the power thereof might stirre vs vp to a new life Rom. 6.4 Coloss 3. 1. Ephes 2.5 4. That the resurrection of our head is a pledge to vs of our glorious resurrection 1. Cor. 15.12.13.14 Rom. 8.11 The conuersation of Christ vpoÌ„ the earth fourtie dayes after his resurrection was done to that end that he might most certainly confirme his resurrection so that no man might doubt of it Actes 1.3 Of Christes ascension into heauen The ascension of Christ into heauen is that whereby in body he was visibly lifted from the earth and was receiued vp into heauen Mar. 16.19 Actes 1.9 Iohn 14.2 The heauen into which Christ ascended The heauen into which Christ ascended and into which he will take vs Christ himself teaching vs it Ioh. 14.2 is the house of his heauenly father in which there are many dwelling places the throne of God the place of ioye and it is not euery where but in the highest heaueÌ„s it is a place as 2. Chron. 6.21 And therefore we beleeue that Christs body is not now on earth much lesse euery where but in heauen Actes 13.21 yet Christ shal be with vs euen to the end of the world by his Godhead grace and spirit Mat. 28.20 There are three endes of Christes ascension 1. Because he doth make intercession for vs before his father in heauen Heb. 9.24 and 10. 19. 1. Iohn 2.1 Rom. 8.34 2. Because we haue our flesh in heauen that we by that as by a certaine pledge might be confirmed that it shall come to passe that he which is our head may lift vs his members to himselfe Iohn 14.2 and 20.17 Ephes 2.6 or else that he might prepare a place for vs that where he is we might be also 3. Because he doth fill the Church with his spirite and vnspeakeable power and beautifie it with diuers giftes Iohn 14.16 and 16.7 Ephes 4.10.11 Psal 68.19 or else because he sendeth vs the holy spirite in steed of a mutuall pledge Hitherto concerning Christes ascension now concerning his sitting at the right hand of God the father Of Christes sitting at the right hand of God The sitting of Christ at the right hand of God his father is the highest degree of Christ his glory whilest he doth possesse all power ouer all creatures in heauen earth that the father might both worke and gouerne all things immediatly by him Psal 110. Actes 2.30 and 3.21 and 7.56 1. Cor. 15.27 Ephes 1.20 Phil. 2.9 Heb. 1.34 Mat. 28.18 That is attributed to the person that is to say not to one nature of Christ seuerally but euen to whole Christ God and man For when the kingly office of Christ is noted by it it ought to be taken of the whole person or of both natures And Christ sitteth at the right hand of God his father not euery where but in heauen as the Scripture plainly testifieth Heb. 8.1.4 Eph. 1.20 Col. 3.1 Acts. 3.21 Heb. 1.3 And that not till after his ascension Mar. 16.19 1. Pet. 3.22 The difference betweene the ascesinon and sitting of Christ at the right hand of the father And the ascension of Christ into heauen is one thing his sitting at the right hand of God his father is another thing 1. Because his sitting is the end of his ascension for therefore Christ ascended to heauen that he might sit at the right hand of his father 2. Because Christ doth perpetually sit at the right hand of his father but he ascended but once in heauen 3. Because we shall also ascend into heauen but we shall not sit at the right hand of God Hitherto concerning the person of Christ now concerning his office Of the office of Christ The office of Christ is to bestow on the elect all things which are required to eternall saluation This office doth ioyntly belong to both natures in the person of Christ Iohn 6.3.53 Heb. 9.14 Actes 20.28 And as that dutie belongeth to both natures so also the effectes that is to say Of the 〈◊〉 of the â—â—â—â—â—tour the workes of the office are attributed to Christ accorrding to both natures Heb. 3.2.3.4.5.6 and 9.14 Actes 20.28 But in the performing of euery effect or worke some things doe pertaine to the diuine nature other some to the humane nature 1. Pet. 1.18 and 2.24 and 3.18 For although euery effect or worke of the mediatour be one because the person of the mediatour is but one yet to the effecting of this worke there doe concurre two operations that is to say two actions one of the Godhead another of the manhood the Godhead doing those things which belong to the Godhead the maÌ„hood doing those things which belong to manhood as the worke of a man is but one but in performing it there doth concurre the action both of the soule and body the soule doing those things which beloÌ„g to the soule and the body doing those things which belong to the body And as the natures and properties of the same remaine distinct so also the actions and operations of the natures so that either of them doth seuerally worke that which is proper to it namely the word working that which belongeth to the word the flesh accoÌ„plishing that which beloÌ„geth to the flesh The offices of Christ are three his Prophecie Priesthood and Kingdome Psal 110. Heb. 7.2.3 and 13.20 Of the prophecie of Christ The Prophecie of Christ is perfectly to deliuer the whole word of God to men Heb. 1.1 Iohn 1.16.17.18 Esay 61.1 Therefore he is called the chiefe Prophet teacher Apostle of our confession Heb. 3.1 Of his Prophecie there are two partes namely the foreshewing of things to come and doctrine Of doctrine there are two parts the laying open of the Gospell and the true interpretation of the law The laying open of the Gospell is the first part of Christes doctrine when he did lay open the secret counsell and all his fathers will concerning our redemption Iohn 1.18 and 15.15 Mat. 11.17 The true interpretation of the law is the other part of Christes doctrine when he expounded the true meaning of Gods law Mat. 5.20 and so forward Thus farre concerning the Propheticall office of Christ now concerning his Priesthood Of Christes Priesthood The Priesthood of Christ is to performe the workes of a Priest Heb. 5.10 Of Christs Priesthood there are two parts the expiation of sinne intercession to God Of the expiation of sinne The expiation of sinne is the first part of Christes Priesthood when Christ offering to God his father the onely sacrifice of his body did pay the punishment for the sinnes of the elect to redeeme them from all the power of the deuill 1. Pet. 2.24 and 3.18 Esay 53.12 1. Iohn 2.2 Rom. 3.25 Heb. 10.12 Whereupon also it is called redemption As also the satisfying for sinnes And that is done two wayes by merite and by a powerfull working Of the merite of Christ The merite of Christ
is a full satisfaction for our sinnes sufficiēt for all the men of the world if all did receiue the same by faith The powerfull working of Christ is that by which he doth certainly bestow on the beleeuers benefites purchased by his merite for them as for example the forgiuenesse of sinnes regeneration the holy spirit and eternall life and doth preserue the same benefites in them and endue them with perseuerance that they fall not from grace Thus much concerning the expiation of sinne now concerning intercession to God Of intercession to God Intercession to God is the other part of Christes Priesthood whilest that he causeth by the perpetuall memory of his sacrifice that his father should receiue vs into grace Hitherto concerning Christes Priesthood now concerning the kingly office of Christ Of the kingly office of Christ The kingly office of Christ is this that he as the head gouerneth the Church Psal 2.6 Luke 1.33 Mat. 28.18 Iohn 10.28 And he exerciseth that two wayes one way if we consider the Church by it selfe another way if we cōsider the enemies of the Church If we consider the Church by it selfe he exerciseth his kingdome two wayes 1. Because by his holy spirit he powreth heauenly giftes vpon vs which are his members Ephes 4.10.11.12 2. Because he gouerneth vs by his word and spirite If we consider the enemies of the Church of Christ he exerciseth his kingly office also two wayes 1. That he by his power doth defend preserue and mightily deliuer both vs and that saluation which he hath purchased for vs against our enemies Psal 2.9 and 110.1.2 Iohn 10.28.29.30 Ephes 4.8 2. Because he doth beat downe their enemies vntill at the length he may fully perfectly deliuer vs from them The vanquishing of the enemies is two wayes 1. Because he doth depriue our enemies of all power although they be neuer so strong and proud as the deuill and all the wicked 2. Because he doth vtterly abolish other as death 1. Cor. 15.26 Thus farre concerning the reuelation of doctrine now concerning the foretelling of things to come Of the foretelling of things to come The foretelling of things to come is a laying open of Gods will by which God would foretell those things which shall be hereafter as farre as it might be for our good to know them And that is either confirmed by an oth or else it is without an oth The oth of God is a confirming of the foreshewing of things to come not because that foreshewing is doubtfull but because God would so prouide for our infirmity iudging of God according to the maner of men that if any bee not contented with the bare wordes of God the othes might suffice him Taulerus saith thus O blessed are they for whose sake God sweareth ô miserable are they who beleeue not God whē he sweareth The bare foretelling is that which hath no oth adioyned to it but yet it is as certain as if God that had sworne had done it And therfore Philo sayd elegātly all the words of God are othes in respect of their certaintie neither do they need any cōfirmatiō as whose truth proueth and defendeth it by the effectes as the shining of the natiue light being sēt forth Againe the foretelling of things to come is either absolute or with a condition The absolute foretelling is that which is without all condition and that is prophecie or foretelling A prophecie or foretelling is a reuealing of misteries or secret things which shall come to passe in their due time Such were many foretellings of the Prophetes of Christ concerning his owne passion death resurrection concerning the ouerthrow of Ierusalem cōcerning the end of the world cōcerning false Prophets of Agabus concerning the pestilēce to come of Paul concerning the restoring of the Iewes and concerning Antichrist c. Hitherto concerning the absolute foretelling of things to come The foretelling of things to come with condition is that to which some certaine condition is annexed which if it be present the things foretold are done And that is either promise or threatning Gods promise is a foreshewing of good things to come which God will giue vs if we also performe those things which he requireth of vs or if we satisfie the condition which he layeth vpon vs. The promise of God is either spirituall or bodily The spirituall promise is that whereby God doth shew that he will giue vs spirituall good things The bodily promise is that whereby God doth shew that he will giue vs bodily good things as farre as it may be expedient for our saluation Againe the promise is either of the law or of the Gospell The promise of the law is a promise which the law propoundeth hauing a condition of perfect obedience annexed vnto it For the law precisely commandeth the condition to be fulfilled neither otherwise performeth it the promises then as the condition shal be throughly performed Therfore the perfect fulfilling of the condition commanded by the law should haue had a respect of merit and should haue bene a cause of obtaining those rewards which the law promiseth But the perfect fulfilling of the condition of the law cannot be performed by men corrupted with sinne The promise of the law although it hath a condition adioyned vnpossible to be performed by a corrupted nature notwithstanding it is not vnprofitable or idle for the vnpossible condition is therefore adioyned that men might be admonished of their weakenesse and they throughly vnderstanding the same might flye to Christ by whō they being receiued into grace and already hauing obtained iustification might obtaine those same promises The promise of the Gospell is a promise which the Gospell propoundeth hauing the condition of faith adioyned to it For the Gospell promiseth forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life yet to the beleeuers onely The promise of the Gospell is vniuersall but to the beleeuers for all which beleeue in Christ do receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life Actes 10.43 Iohn 3.16 But it doth not pertaine to the vnbeleeuers Thus much concerning the promise now concerning the threatning Threatning is a denouncing of euils to come by which God will either chasten his or punish the wicked except they repent Therefore the condition of repentance is adioyned Threatning also is either spirituall or bodily Spirituall threatning is that whereby God doth denounce that he will send spirituall euils vpon vs. Bodily threatning is that whereby God doth denounce that he will send bodily euils vpon vs. Hitherto concerning the supernaturall manifestation of Gods will now concerning his calling of vs. Our calling is a worke of Gods speciall prouidence whereby God doth call men to some certaine end Matth. 22.9 1. Cor. 1.9 1. Tim. 2.4.29 And that calling is either to Christ or to some office The calling to Christ is that calling wherby God doth inuite vs to Christ that by him we might obtaine eternall life And that calling is two fold either
done by the holy spirit who notwithstanding doth truly ioyne and knit together by faith all the godly and faithfull with the flesh of Christ although it be lifted vp and remaine in heauen 1. Cor. 12.13 By one spirit are all we baptized into one body and all we drinke one drinke into one spirit For one and the selfe same spirit worketh that in all Baptismes in all the holy Suppers that we might be one with Christ and ioyned spiritually to him Ephes 3.12 He dwelleth in our harts by faith Ephes 4. One body one spirit 1. Iohn 4. By this we know that he dwelleth in vs and we in him because he giueth vs of his spirit Rom. 8. If the spirit of him which raised Iesus frō the dead dwell in you he that raysed vp Iesus from the dead shal also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirite that dwelleth in you Irenaeus booke 3. Chap. 19. As one lumpe and one loafe cannot be made of dry wheat without moysture so neither can we being many be made one in Christ without the water which is from heauen And it belongeth to all the elect and beleeuers onely euen from the beginning to the end of the world 1. Iohn 3.24 and 1. Iohn 4.13 Iohn 14.23 and 15.1.2.3.4.5.6 The parts of our communion with Christ are these Iustification and Regeneration Adoption and the freedome of the sonnes of God Of iustificatiō Iustification is a benefit of God by which we being receiued by him into fauour are accounted iust Rom. 5.19 Ephes 2.8.9 Rom. 3. and 4. and 5. The partes thereof are two forgiuenesse of sinnes and imputation of Christes righteousnesse Of remission of sinnes The forgiuenesse of sinnes is a benefit of God whereby he pardoneth vs both the offence and eternall punishments due vnto it for sinne 2. Cor. 5.19.21 Iere. 31.34 Psal 103.3.10.12 Rom. 7.24 and 8.1.2.3 Of the forgiuenesse of sinnes there be two parts the forgiuenesse of the offence and the forgiuenesse of eternall punishment Therfore by one forgiuenes both are remitted to wit the offence the eternall punishment For the iustice of God requireth that because Christ hath satisfied for both to wit for the offence the punishment Therfore God should be vniust if he should onely forgiue vs the offēce not the punishmēt also Therefore the Papistes erre who say that the offence only is remitted and not the punishment for which they will haue men to satisfie when as they can by no meanes do it but Christ hath fully satisfied for it Of the imputing of Christs righteousnesse The imputing of Christs righteousnesse is a benefit of God wherby God vouchsafeth to account Christs obediēce by which he sustained for vs the punishments of sin to be ours euen as though we our selues had sustained those punishmēts for sins Esa 53.3 4.5 Rom. 4.3.5 Rom. 5.11.18 Col. 1.22 2. Cor. 5.19.21 Thus farre concerning iustification now concerning Regeneration Of regeneration Regeneration is a benefite of God by which our corrupted nature is renewed to the image of God by the holy spirite 2. Pet. 1.4 Tit. 3.5 Gal. 4.6 2. Cor. 3.7 That same is also called sanctification and the gift of grace Rom. 5. Also of schoolemen it is called an infused grace Regeneration is either begun or perfected the former belongeth to this life the later to the life to come In regeneration are to be considered both the partes and also the perpetuall adioynts Regeneration is both of the soule and also of the body 1. Thess 5.23 Regeneratiō of the soule is that wherby the powers of the soule are renued Tit. 3.5 Gal. 4.6 Of the regeneration of the soule there are two parts enlightening and repentance As there are two parts of the soule vnderstanding and will so also regeneration is wrought in those same two partes The enlightening belongeth to the vnderstanding and repentance belongeth to the will So Paule sayth that in regeneration the image of God is renewed to the acknowledgement of the creatour Coloss 3. and to true righteousnesse and holinesse Ephe. 4.23 Of the enlightning or annoynting of the holy spirit Enlightening is the first part of the regeneration of the soule whereby the naturall darknesse being driuē forth our mind is enlightned with true knowledge how to obtaine eternall life Psal 16.11 Col. 3. Rom. 12 2. That is also called the annoynting of the holy spirit Of enlightening there are two partes spirituall wisedome and prudence Spirituall wisdome is the wholesome knowledge of faith the misteries of saluatiō ioyned with confidence in Christ Eph. 1.17.18 Spirituall prudence is a wholesome knowledge of things commanded or forbidden by the law of God with a desire of the former and shunning of the latter ioyned to it Thus much concerning enlightening now concerning repentance Of repentance Repētāce is the other part of the regeneratiō of the soule whereby our will is renewed that it no longer willeth euill but that which is good only Rom. 6.4.5.6 Ephe. 4.22.23.24 2. Cor. 5.7 Phil. 2.13 It is also called repentance and turning to God by putting the part for the whole it hath the former name truly of the first part and the other of the latter part And that doth not proceede from our owne free will which being lost by sin there is no more will to goodnesse after the fall especially to eternall saluation Gen. 6.5 But it is the gift of God There are two partes thereof the mortification of the old man and the quickning of the new man Of the mortification of the old man The mortification of the old man is the first part of repentance whereby sinne so far as it may be in this life is abolished in vs. Rom. 6.4.5.6 Coloss 3.5.6.7.8.9.10 Rom. 8.13 It is called also the denying of our selues Also the putting off of the old man Coloss 3.9.10 The partes thereof are both the acknowledgement and confession of sinne and also the detestation and hatred of sinne next a profitable sadnesse for sinne The ackhowledgement of sinne is when we acknowledge that we haue sinned Ierem. 3.2.13 Of the confession of sinne The confession of sinne is that whereby we openly testifie that we haue sinned offended God 1. King 8.47 2. Sam. 24.10 And that is either publicke or priuate The priuate confession is that which is done priuatly of euery one euen within his own priuate house And that is either to God onely or to man To man either to the Minister of the word or to some faithfull friend Publicke confession is that which is done publickely with the whole Church Publicke confession is either of the whole Church or of one or many in the face of the Church The detestation of sinne is when we accuse condemne both the sinnes committed by vs and our selues also for our sinnes sake 1. Cor. 11.31 If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged by the Lord. The hatred of sinne is a perpetuall shunning of sinne
For to hate sinne is to turne away from it and to shunne it Nehem. 9.35 Ierem. 36.3 Ezech. 14.6 A profitable sadnesse is true feare and grief of conscience for sinnes committed by which we offend God ioyned with the true hatred of sinne Esay 66.2 2. Cor. 7.11 Ioel. 2.12.13 Deut. 4.29 Ionas 3.8 2. King 22.19 Hitherto concerning the mortification of the old man now concerning the quickening of the new man The quickning of the new mā is the other part of repentance Of the quickening of the new man whereby a new spirituall life is raysed vp in vs. Gal. 2.19 Rom. 6.10.11 And that same is called our resurrection with Christ Of this there be two parts the comfort of the conscience and spirituall gouernement The comfort of the conscience is the true ioy of a contrite cōscience in God hauing receiued forgiuenesse of sins by faith through Christ Psal 51.10.14 Rom. 5.1 Esay 57.15.16.17.18 and 61.1 Esay 49 13. The spirituall gouernement is the other part of quickning by which God leadeth by his spirit the regenerate in the right way of his commandements so that they liue no longer to sin but to God and do lead a new life Rom. 6 throughout Also 7. and 8. where he speaketh largely of sanctification or regeneration Dauid very often prayeth to God for this spirituall gouernement chiefly Psal 119.33.34.35 and euery where throughout the whole Psalme So Psal 25.8.9.10 Thus far concerning the regeneratiō of the soule now concerning the regeneration of the body Of the regeneration of the body The regeneration of the body is that by which the body is made obediēt to the spirit being regenerated Rom. 12.1 Therfore there is both a mortification and quickning of the body also Rom. 6.12 c. The parts of the regeneration of the body are two the bridling of the affections and the ruling of the moueable members The bridling of the affections is the first part of the regeneratiō of the body by which the affectiōs of the body are tamed that they might obey reason regenerated The ruling of the moueable mēbers is the other part of the regeneration of the body by which all the members of the body are ruled lest being thrust forward by the rēnāts of corrupted lusts they shuld do any thing cōtrary to the cōsent of the mind will regenerated The testimony of regeneration is a holy and iust life O how many are there who by their wicked life do openly shew that they are not regenerated An vpright man a corrupted mā a regenerated man an vnregenerated man differ by a rationall respect and not in subiect and truth of being Hitherto concerning the parts of regeneration the perpetuall adioynts thereof remaine Of the spirituall warfare The spirituall warfare or battell and victory of the Saints are things continually accompanying regeneration The spiritual battel or warfare is the battel of a regenerated mā by which he fighteth against the deceipts of the deuill the bad exāples of the world the sollicitings of his owne flesh as the causes of sinne resisteth them stoutly Rom. 7.8 and so forward Gal. 5.16.17 The victory of the saints is a victory wherby the Saints doe through Christ ouercome the snares of the deuill of the world and their owne flesh Hitherto concerning regeneration now concerning adoption and the freedome of the sonnes of God Of adoption Adoption is a benefit of God by which he receiueth vs for Christes sake to be his sonnes and maketh vs heires of heauen and eternall life with him Rom. 8.15.16.17 Gal. 3.26 Ephes 1.5 Iohn 1.12 Adoption is two fold imperfect is that which we haue in this life of this it is spoken to the Romanes For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but the spirite of the adoption of sonnes by which we crye Abba father And they already haue obtained this adoption who haue receiued Christ by faith Iohn 1.12 The other adoption is perfect which in the resurrection shal be giuen of that it is spoken in the same Chapter to the Romanes Euery creature sigheth and waiteth for the reuealing of the sonnes of God Moreouer euen we also hauing the first fruites of the spirite doe sigh within our selues wayting for the adoption and redemption of our bodies Thus farre concerning adoption now concerning the freedome of the sonnes of God The freedome of the sonnes of God is the deliuering of vs by Christ from a spirituall bondage Gal. 5.1 The freedome of the sonnes of God is either inward or outward The inward freedome is that which belongeth to the inward life Iohn 8.31.36 And that is two fold freedome from eternall bondage and freedome from the bondage of sinne Freedome from eternall bondage is that by which we are freed from the power and tiranny of the deuill and from condemnation and eternall death Iohn 8.36 By this we are comforted in the conflict of conscience with the iudgement of God Freedome from the bondage of sin is that by which we are deliuered from the dominiō of sinne that sin may no longer raigne ouer vs but that we being iustified and endued with the holy spirit might liue to righteousnesse and vnto God Iohn 8.34 2. Cor. 3. where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty Rom. 6.6 and so forward euen to the end 2. Pet. 2.19 Galat. 5.13 Thus much concerning inward freedome now concerning outward freedome Of Christian libertie The outward freedome is that which pertaineth to the outward life And it is called Christian liberty because it belongeth to Christians onely And that is two fold freedome from the lawes of Moses and freedome in indifferent things Of freedome from the lawes of Moses Freedome from the lawes of Moses is that by which Christians are loosed from the ceremoniall Iudiciall lawes of Moses namely so farre forth as they onely pertaine to the ciuill gouernement vnder Moses 1. Cor. 9.1.19 2. Cor. 3.17 Heb. 9.10 For such lawes which belong to the law of nature and by which all nations are bound are not abrogated Freedome in indifferent things is that by which Christians are free in the vse of indifferent and meane things 1. Cor. 9.1 Of freedome in indifferent things Things indifferent or meane things are those which are neither commanded nor forbidden by God but are deliuered and instituted by men Of indifferent Such are the ceremonies instituted by humane authority for good orders sake These may be kept or omitted by the power of Christian liberty They may indeed be obserued in this respect namely for the preseruing of concord and auoyding of the offence of the weake Rom 14.15.16 1. Cor. 8.1.9 11.29 2. Cor. 11.12 but so that alwayes there be no false opinion namely 1. of merit as though the obseruing of them might merit forgiuenesse of sinnes 2. Of worship as though God would be worshipped with thē cōtrary to his expresse word Mat. 15. In vayne they worship me according
of Christ 9. Because if at any other time in suffering the griefes of this life yet especially in the agony of death the power of comfort which the spirite of Christ ministreth doth beyoÌ„d all account ouercome the sorrowes of death 10. Because the flesh indeede is weake but the spirit is ready Mat. 26.41 Therfore the whole man doth not feare death indeede but his meaner part namely the flesh 11. Because the desire that we haue clearely to behold God and to be deliuered from whole sinne doth greatly diminish mitigate the feare and sorrow of death 12. Because our loue towardes the faithfull who ouercoÌ„ming death haue gone before vs and with whom we greatly desire to be ioyned in one country ought to be no lesse then it is towardes them whom we leaue aliue behind vs in this miserable exile and from whom we are loth to be separated who must yet notwithstanding by and by follow after vs. 13. Because we do so euidently and so often perceiue the mercy of God towardes our children being dead therefore it becommeth vs to be of a resolute mind especially sith we know that we are sealed with the pledge of the holy spirite 14. Because we must not make greater account of this naturall life then of the spirituall for so it is meet that the desire hereof might lessen the feare of death 15. Because we certainly know that the soule indeede is immortall and is caried by Angels to the assembly and congregation of the first borne who are written in heaueÌ„ Luke 16.22 Heb. 12.13 And we know that the body resteth in the earth neither indeed hath one vnfitly called the graue the hauen of the body 16. Because we beleeue the resurrection of the body and life eternall 17. Because as in the whole life so in the agony of death God doth not suffer his seruants to be teÌ„pted aboue that which they are able to beare but doth giue euen the issue with the teÌ„ptation 1. Cor. 10.13 That in deed is a wonderfull thing which Gregory saith in his Morals Some dye laughing But we had rather say that death is ouer-come in vndergoing it manfully 18. Because we must not thinke so carefully of a quiet death as of an holy life For as Augustine said excellently We must not thinke that death euill before which hath gone a holy life And as the same man sayth He cannot dye euilly who hath liued well and he hardly dyeth well who hath liued euilly 19. Because death neuer is altogether vntimely whether we respect the good or wicked For the godly are called before the time that they should no loÌ„ger be vexed of the euill but the euill and wicked are taken away that they should no loÌ„ger persecute the good As the same Augustin saith 20. Because this life is filled with so many great miseries that death compared with it is taken to be a remedy not a punishment as Ambrose iudged 21. Because he that hath an extreme feare to dye doth not hope to liue aâ—â—â—r death as saith Chrysostome 22. Because it is better to offer that I meane our spirit for a free will offering to God which otherwise we are bound to restore because it is his due as Chrysostome saith 23. Because as death is euill to the euill so it is good to the good to whom all things worke together for good 24. Because death is the way to life as Ambrose wisely saith 25. Because this death is the reparing of life as the Church singeth 26. Because as Bernard saith The death of the iust is good by reason of the rest it bringeth with it better because it reneweth vs best because it putteth vs out of daunger And as the same man saith the death of sinners is bad worser worst of all but the death of the good is good better best of all 27. Because that death is good which taketh not away life but traÌ„slateth it into a better estate This a senteÌ„ce of the same Bernard 28. Because as the same man also witnesseth death hath freed vs from death life from errour grace from sinne 29. Because faithfull men take death to be but a name onely as saith Chrysostome 30. Because God ruleth death that it cannot be a cause of any euill Hitherto concerning comfort now concerning the rest of the benefites The hearing of the elects prayers is a benefite of God whilest the elect praying in Christes name God performeth vnto them all things which profit their saluation Iohn 9.31 Psal 145.18.19 Iohn 14.13.14 and 15.16 Defence against enemies is a benefite of God whilest he so defendeth the elect against their spirituall and bodily enemies that by no meane they can hinder their saluation Deliuerance out of dangers is a benefit of God whilest he doth often beyond all hope of man deliuer his elect being in distresse that so trying his presence in their perils they might reioyce in him The gift of perseuerance is a benefite of God whilest he doth so seale in the elect the grace of Iesus Christ by the holy spirite that they continue in it euen to the end and can not fall from it Rom. 11.29 Matth. 24.24.1 Iohn 2.19.27 2. Pet. 2.18 Iohn 10.28 Rom. 8.35 Luke 22.32 Hitherto concerning our preseruation in this communion with Christ now concerning the gift of eternall life The gift of eternall life is a benefite of God purchased for vs by Christ when after this life God will giue the elect that they may liue with him for euer Hitherto concerning the promise of grace now concerning the answering againe of a good conscience The answering again of a good conscieÌ„ce is the other part of the couenant of grace whereby the beleeuers do againe promise to God that they will in true saith receiue his benefites and that they will serue him in true righteousnesse and holynesse the better to declare their thankefulnesse towardes him Hitherto concerning the eternall couenant now concerning the temporall couenaur Of the temporall couenant The temporall couenant is a couenant in which God promiseth men temporall good things Of this sort was the couenant which God made with mankind after the flood that he would not destroy the world any more with a flood Gene. 9.8 and so forward And that standeth vpon the eternall couenant is as it were belonging thereunto Hitherto concerning Gods couenant now concerning the diuine signe Of sigues August in his 2. book of Christian doctrine Chap. 1. Phil. Melanct. The diuine signe is that which of it selfe doth cause some diuine thing to come into maÌ„s mind besides that shew which it offereth vnto the senses Or else it is some thing offering it selfe vnto the senses which putteth men in minde of some other thing which is ioyned with that signe A signe is either naturall or giuen A naturall signe is a signe which by nature hath that selfe same thing in it which it signifieth Of this sort is the rainebow signifying either showres or faire
weather if it be considered naturally A signe giuen is a signe which doth not by nature signifie that whereof it is a signe but it signifieth by the appointment and will of God as the rainebow is a signe by the appointment of God that the world shall not perish with a flood The signe giuen is either a miracle or a Sacrament Of miracles A miracle is a signe effected beyond the order of nature Exod. 3.2 and 14.21.22.23 Dan. 34.9 and 6.22 Mat. 14.19.20 Therefore if any thing be done according to the order and course of nature it is not miraculous but naturall There are two endes of miracles the one that God by them might manifestly shew forth his power Exodus 19. and 20. Dan. 3. The other that by them as by seales he might confirme true doctrine Mat. 16.17 It is true indeed that in miracles the order of nature by the ouerruling power of God is interrupted but neuer destroyed or ouerthrowen throwen neither are the essences of those things destroyed although the forme be sometime chaunged So when the Sunne stood while Ioshua fought when it returned backe when Ezekiah was sicke the order of nature was interrupted not ouerthrowen for afterward the Sunne kept the same course againe which was giuen to it in the creation Yet neuer thelesse the essence of the Sunne remained When the sea was deuided the course of the sea was interrupted but the worke being firnshed which God had decreed it returned againe to the former course and continued the same yea the very essence of the sea remained When Aarons rod was made a Serpent it was not the taking away of the substance but a changing of it So the water in Cana of Galile the substance was not taken away but it was turned into wine Now God worketh most freely in the effecting of miracles for be himselfe hath most freely put that order into nature therefore also whē he will he can most freely interrupt it Furthermore because he is not bound to the order of nature he may interrupt it as it pleaseth him And although God can doe all things yet must not miracles be euery where alledged especially where men cannot be well assured of Gods will neither yet where no necessitie is as for example in the holie Supper men may not imagine miracles as though the body of Christ were supernaturally and miraculously in the bread because Christ hath no where said that he would haue it so No where I say hath he sayd that he would be in the bread Furthermore it is not of necessity for Christ may become ours although he descēd not into the bread or with the bread to be thrust into our mouthes Thus farre concerning a miracle now concerning a Sacrament Of Sacramēts A Sacrament is an outward signe which God ioyneth to his couenant which he hath made with men And that is either of an eternall or temporall couenant A Sacrament of an eternall couenant is a Sacrament whereby God doth confirme the promise of eternall life And that is either of the couenāt of works or of the couenant of grace The Sacrament of the couenant of works is a Sacrament which God gaue our first parents in the state of their first integrity And that was two fold the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and euill The tree of life was a Sacrament of the couenant of workes whereby that life was signified which man should haue liued if he had stood in the obedience of God Gene. 2.9 The tree of the knowledge of good and euill was a Sacrament by which was signified to man in how good estate he was whilest he performed obedience to God his creator and into how euill and miserable estate he should cast himselfe if he obeyed not God Gen. 2.17 3.7.8.9.10.11 Hitherto concerning the sacrament of the couenant of workes now concerning the Sacrament of the couenant of grace Of the Sacrament of the couenāt of grace The Sacrament of the couenant of grace is a seale of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4.11 Or else the Sacrament of the couenant of grace is a Sacrament by which the faithfull are both admonished and also are made sure that the couenant of grace and all the benefites of God which are promised in this couenant doe not onely belong to others but seuerally to euery one of them who doe vse the Sacrament according to Gods ordinance A misterie It is also called a Mysterie because it signifieth secret thinges and such as are vnknowne to them who haue not beene taught out of the worde of God concerning the signification and vse of them because in a mysterie one thinge is seene and an other is meant The Vbiquitaries doe thinke it therefore to be called a mystery because the manner of the bodily receiuing of it is vnsearchable but this is a false cause because the bodily receiuing hath no foundation in the Scripture but it is the deuise and imagination of men Furthermore this manner is manifested to vs namely that it is spirituall and that the receiuing is done by faith Both the Word and Sacraments doe lead our faith to Christ as to the only foundation of our saluation Therefore in the Sacraments is propeunded offered giuen and sealed no other thing then is promised and preached in the Gospell but one and the selfe same thing namely Christ with his benefites In the Sacraments we receiue no other thing then in the simple worde namely Christ with his benefites And the receiuing of Christ whether it be in the simple worde as in Iohn 6. or in the Sacraments is one and the selfe same to wit spirituall that is to say which is wrought in vs by the power of the holy spirite and by the onely instrument of faith The receiuing of Christ in the worde and Sacramentes doe not differ indeede for in both there is the same thing and the same substance to wit Christ with his benefites It doth not differ in the manner for it is spirituall in them both The difference is not in the instrument by which wee receiue it for in them both faith is the instrument to receiue it by What then is the difference betweene the receiuing of Christ in the simple worde and in the Sacraments The outwarde forme onely to wit because in the Sacraments bodily signes are ioyned with the word of promise In the simple worde God dealeth with vs by preaching and by our eares onely but in the Sacramentes he vseth beside such signes as offer themselues to the rest of the senses also whereby it commeth to passe that the communicating of Christ by the Sacraments is more forcible and plaine then by the simple word only There are two partes of the Sacrament of the couenaunt of grace namely the earthly matter and the outwarde action or the outwarde rite Genes 17.11 Exod. 12.8 and so forwarde Matth. 3.11 and 28.9 Matth. 26.26 and so forward 1. Cor. 11.23.24.25 The
earthly matter alone is not a perfect and whole Sacrament but there must be adioyned to it the outwarde action or ceremonie or the vse of the earthly matter appointed by Christ For nothing hath the force of a Sacrament except there be adioyned to it the vse of it according to Christes institution Of the earthly matter The earthly matter in the Sacrament is a signe or token by which vnder a certaine promised similitude a heauenly matter is signified and represented to the faithfull that so they might bee assured that the heauenly matter is as certaine spiritually present as they doe certainely see the earthly matter to be bodily present before their eies Gen. 17.11 Rom 4 11. Eze. 36 25. Christ himselfe by the holy spirite doth make the thinges promised present to our faith and faith receiueth them Faith worketh not that presence but Christ himselfe worketh it The heauenly matter signified in the Sacrament by the earthly matter is the new Testament or couenant of grace in the bloud of Christ Therefore we must not respect the minister and earthly elements but turne the eyes of our fayth to the thinges promised Of a Sacramētall metaphor Wherefore also the earthly matter by a manner of speaking both vsuall in the Scripture and Church and also plaine in it selfe is also oft-times called by the name of the heauenly matter because the heauenly matter is signified and meant by the earthly Exod. 24.8 The bloud of the sacrifices is called the bloud of the couenant Genes 17.10 Circumcision is called the couenant Exod. 12.11 The Paschall Lambe is called the Passeouer Titus 3.5 Baptisme is called the washing of regeneration Now howe these speeches concerning the Sacramentes ought to be vnderstoode and expounded the Scripture it selfe doeth declare because the earthly matter is a signe of the couenant Genes 17.11 Because it is a seale of the righteousnesse of fayth Rom. 4.11 Because it is a remembrance of Christes death And it is so called by a metaphor in which the signe is eyther put for the thing signified or is called by the name of the thing signified Hitherto concerning the earthly matter now concerning the outwarde action in a Sacrament Of the outward action in the Sacrament The outward action in a Sacrament that is to say a rite or ceremonie which we must obserue in the Sacramēt according to the institution Christ is a signe of the inward action Deut. 30.6 Matth. 3.11 Rom. 6.3 1. Cor. 6.11 Col. 2.11 Act. 22.16 This action is two fold one of the minister administring the Sacrament the other of a faythfull man vsing a Sacrament The action of the Minister administring the Sacrament is two folde the sanctification of the earthly matter and the administring of the same earthly matter The sanctifying of the earthly matter is an action of the minister in the which by Gods commaundement hee appointeth the earthly matter to a holy vse Therefore the rehearsing of the wordes of the institution of the Sacrament is necessarie both that the manner of instituting the Sacrament may bee layde open as also that by it the earthly matter may bee sanctified and consecrated to a holy vse because therein the commaundement of God is contayned Therefore Augustine sayth The worde commeth to the element and so there is a Sacrament 1. Corinth 11.23.24.25 The administring of the earthly matter is the other action of the minister whereby is meant that God doth as certainely offer and giue the benefites that he hath promised as we do certainely see that the earthly matter is offered and giuen vs by the minister of the word 1. Cor. 11.23 The minister of the worde distributeth and offereth the earthly matter but Christ himselfe distributeth and offereth the heauenly matter Matth. 3.11 I baptize you with water there is an other who baptizeth with the holy spirite Hitherto concerning the action of the minister that administreth the Sacrament The action of a faithfull man vsing a Sacrament is also two folde namely the receiuing of the earthly matter and thankesgiuing The receiuing of the earthly matter is the action of a faithfull man vsing the Sacramēt whereby he receiueth the earthly matter to signifie that he doth so certainely receiue spiritually the benefits that God hath promised as he doth certainly receiue bodily the earthly matter Rom. 4.11 Matth. 26.26 We receiue the worde of the promise of grace and the earthly matter from the mouth and hand of the minister but we receiue the heauenly matters from the hande of Christ himselfe The outward receiuing is wrought in the body the inward is only wrought by faith by the powerfull working of the holy spirit in our harts for the inward receiuing comprehendeth iustification and regeneration We receiue the earthly matter by the body that is to say by the members actions senses of the body by the eies eares handes mouth stomacke sight hearing touching tast and smell but we receiue the heauenly matters by faith and the powerfull working of the holy spirite in our hearts And therefore not onely the faithfull but euen infidels receiue the earthly matter but the faithfull onely receiue the heauenly matter Thankesgiuing is the action of a faithfull man vsing the Sacraments whereby he with his mouth and heart giueth thanks to Christ for the whole worke and benefite of his redemption 1. Cor. 11.25.26 These therefore are the partes of a Sacrament which are required to the perfecting of euery Sacrament by which the couenant of grace is sealed vp with which if in the true vse thereof the heauenly matters and the inwarde action be ioyned together this coniunction is called a Sacramentall vnion which is also the cause of the speeches proper to a Sacrament Of the Sacramētall vnion Therefore the Sacramentall vnion is a spirituall ioyning together of the Sacrament with those things whereof it is a Sacrament or else it is a ioyning together of the signes and things that is to say of the earthly matter with the heauenly and of the outwarde action with the inward action This vnion is not naturall and locall but spirituall and belonging to couenants and hauing respect to others which is in the diuine disposing of the signe to the thing it selfe and in the spirituall offering and receiuing of things truely ioyned with the bodily offering and receiuing of signes As therfore there are two parts of a Sacrament so also of the sacramentall vnion The first part is the vniting of the earthly matter with the heauenly It is not necessary that this heauenly matter be substantially and bodily in the earthly matter or in that place in which the earthly matter is because this vnion is meerly spirituall Neither doth it follow if Christ be not bodily present on the earth in the earthly matter or in the place in which the earthly matter is that therefore he is not present because that indeede is truly present which is present spiritually The other part
of the sacramentall vnion is the ioyning together of the outward action with the inward action For in the right vse of the Sacrament the offering and receiuing of the signe and thing signified is ioyned together the offering receiuing of the sign indeede is bodily by the hand of the minister but the offering and receiuing of the thing signified is spirituall through true faith by the haÌ„d of Christ himselfe For a Sacrament is not onely an earthly and bodily action but a heauenly and spirituall action also in which not only the earthly matter which is on earth but also those things which are in heauen which are in God and which are in the hearts of the faithfull are present with vs. And the holy spirit ioyning vs together with Christ doth couple vs euen we being most farre asunder as in regard of distance of place much more nearly and straightly then either the soul is ioyned with the body or the vine with the braunches Hitherto concerning the parts of the couenant of the Sacrament of Grace the ends follow Of the ends of the Sacrament of the couenant of Grace There are seuen ends of the Sacrament of the couenant of Grace 1 That it might be a remembraunce of Gods benefits both already offered and hereafter to be offered that is to say that it might put the faithfull in minde of Christs benefites eyther already bestowed or hereafter to be bestowed on them So the Passeouer was a remembrance not only of the deliueraunce out of Egypt already past but also of the deliueraunce to come by Christ So the holy Supper is a remembrance not onely of our redemption made vpon the erosse but also of that which is to be performed when he shall come to iudge the quick the dead and shall fully deliuer his elect from sin and all their enemies Luk. 21.28 2 That our faith might thereby be increased exercised and strengthened 3 That by it we might be stirred vp to thanksgiuing for the benefit of our redeÌ„ptioÌ„ 4 That it might be a bond of mutuall loue and concord in the Church that is to say that by the partaking thereof we might more and more be bound amongst our selues in mutuall loue for we that are many are one bread and one body 5 That it might be the bond of publicke meetings of the preseruing of the ecclesiasticall ministery Exod. 12.16 1. Cor. 11.20 6 That it might be a note of our profession whereby as by a cognisance the Church is discerned froÌ„ infidels Exo. 12.45 So by circuÌ„cisioÌ„ the Iews were discerned froÌ„ the GeÌ„tiles As all vncleane men were to be kept from eating the things offered to God this threatning being added that whatsoeuer vncleane man did eat of them his soul should be cut off froÌ„ his people Leu. 7.20 euen so no vncleane or vnbeleeuing man ought to vse the Sacrament of the couenant of Grace 7 That it might be a witnesse of our confession and society with the church The sixt end pertaineth to the whole Church but the last end pertaineth to euery beleeuer He that shall not be circumcised his soule shall be cut off froÌ„ the people of God Whosoeuer vseth not the Sacraments wheÌ„ he may he sheweth that he is not a member of the Church and the companion of our confession For the Sacrament is a witnesse which testifieth that he who vseth the Sacraments doth pertaine to the company of the church that he is a member of the Church and that he hath fellowship with it Whosoeuer in any congregation vseth the Sacrament he by this vse doth testifie that he embraceth the confession of that company and that he hath fellowship with it Thus farre concerning the ends of the couenant of grace Of the Sacraments ef the couenant of grace in the old Testament The Sacrament of the couenant of Grace is two fold of the old Testament or of the new The Sacrament of the old Testament is that which before the coÌ„ming of Christ was instituted for the Church of the old Testament Gen. 17. Exod. 12. 16.15 17.6 1. Cor. 10.1.2.3.4 The Sacraments of the old TestameÌ„t were either ordinary or extraordinary Ordinary Sacraments were those which did ordinarily and alwayes pertaine to the Church of the old Testament Genes 17. Exod. 12. And they were two Circumcision and the Passeouer Of circumcisioÌ„ Circumcision was a Sacrament of the old Testament by which all the males amongst the people of Israell circumcised in the foreskin of their flesh were ingraffed into the couenant that God made with Abraham Gen. 17.10.11 Ios 5.2 Rom. 4.11 The parts thereof are two the foreskin and the outward action in the Circumcision Genes 17.11 The foreskin was a signe that our nature is corrupted that men are borne guilty in this carnall generation and therefore stand in neede of the regeneration and renewing which was to come by â—he blessed seede who should bruise the head of the serpent and in whom all nations should be blessed The outward action in Circumcision was two fold the one of the minister administring Circumcision the other of a faithfull man receiuing Circumcision Gen. 17.9.10 Rom. 2.19 4.11 The action of the minister administring Circumcision was two fold the laying open of the institution of Circumcision and the Circumcision of the foreskin The Circumcision of the foreskin was a signe of the Circumcision of the heart that is to say of iustification by faith Rom. 4.11 of forgiuenesse of sinnes and of regeneration Deut. 30.6 The action of a faithfull man receiuing Circumcision was two fold the receiuing of circumcision and thankesgiuing The receiuing of Circumcision was that wherby a faithfull man through the circumcision that was done by the haÌ„ds of the minister did put off the foreskin of the flesh to signifie that he put off from him the sinnes of the flesh Col. 2.11 Rom. 4.11 Thankesgiuing was done by the parents and kinsfolkes in stead of the infants being circumcised Thus farre concerning circumcision now concerning the Passeouer Of the Passeouer The Passeouer was a Sacrament of the old Testament whereby the faithfull hauing eaten the Paschall Lambe were put in minde of their deliuerance out of Egypt whether it were bodily already past or spir uall and was to come Exod. 12.1.2.3.5 11. The parts of the Passeouer were two the Paschall Lambe and the action pertaining to the vse thereof The Paschall Lambe The Paschall Lambe by a spirituall signification did note Christ the lambe of God taking away the sinnes of the world 1. Cor. 5.7.8 10.3 The action in the Passeouer was eyther of the minister or of the receiuer The actioÌ„ of the Minister is two fold both the laying open of the institution of the Sacrament of the Passeouer and also the offering of it to men Exod. 12.3.4.5.21 The laying open of the institution of he Sacrament of the Passeouer is commanded Exod. 12.26.27 The offering of the Paschall Lambe to others
was made by the father of the family and did signifie that God would giue his son that he might be sacrificed for the sinnes of the world 1. Cor. 5.7 The action of the faithfull receiuer was also two fold the eating of the Paschall Lambe and thankesgiuing By the eating of the Paschall Lambe was signified the participation of Christs passion 1. Cor. 5.7.8 In the thankesgiuing was remembred to the praise of God the benefite of bringing forth the people of God from the bōdage of Egypt as also the benefite of the deliuerance that should be from the spirituall Egypt that is to say from the bondage of sin both which were to be wrought by the sacrifice of the Messias Exod. 12.24.26 13.8.9.10 Thus farre concerning the ordinary Sacraments of the old Testament now concerning the extraordinary The extraordinary Sacraments were those which were extrordinarily both before the instituting of the two ordinary Sacraments as also those which were added to them afterward Before the ordinary Sacraments were the sacrifices from Adam euen to Abraham Genes 4.4 The extraordinary Sacraments which were added to the former two were also two The Baptisme of the cloud and of the sea and the supper of Manna and of the water flowing out of the rocke The Baptisme of the cloud and sea was an extraordinary Sacrament in the old Testament whereby the Israelites being vnder that cloud and passing through the sea were all baptized into Moses in that cloud and in that sea 1. Cor. 10.1.2 The supper of Māna of the water flowing out of the rocke was a Sacrament of the old Testament whereby the Israelites were nourished with meat sent from heauen to signifie the spirituall nourishment of the flesh of Christ and did drinke the water flowing out of the rock to signifie the spiritual drink of the bloud of Christ 1. Cor. 10.3.4 Hitherto concerning the Sacraments of the old Testament now concerning the Sacraments of the new Testament Of the Sacramēts of the new Testament A Sacrament of the new Testament is that which being by Christ himselfe instituted for his owne Church came in the roome of the Sacraments of the old Testament Matt. 26.26 28.19 The Sacraments of the new Testament are two Baptisme and the Lords supper Of Baptisme Baptisme is a Sacrament of the new Testament wherby is signified and sealed vp to vs that we are as certainely washed in the bloud of Christ from sinnes as our body is certainly washed through water in the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Mat. 28 19. Acts. 2.38 Mat. 3.11 Mark 16.16 Rom. 6.3 Mar. 1.4 Luk. 3.3 Baptisme commeth in the place of Circumcision and kepeth the analogy and proportion thereof for both of them is a Sacrament of entrance into the Church and of regeneration And as the Israelites were but once circūcised so we are but once baptized onely because we are but once borne onely and as circumcision was the first beginning of Iudaisme so Baptisme is the first beginning of Christianity Of Baptisme there are two parts the water of Baptisme and the outward action in Baptisme By the water of Baptisme is signified the bloud of Christ shed on the crosse Heb. 12.24 1. Pet. 1.1 Zach. 13.1 Ezec. 36.25 The outward action in Baptisme is two fold the one of the minister administring Baptisme the other of a faithfull man vsing Baptisme The action of the minister is two fold the sanctification of the water and the outward washing The sanctification of the water is the appointing of it to this end that it might signifie the bloud of Christ The outward washing is a signe seale and very sure pledge of the inward washing whereby we with the bloud of Christ are washed from sins Reue. 1.5 Rom. 6.3 1. Cor. 1.6.11 1. Pet. 3.21 Eph. 5.26 1. Ioh. 1.7 For as the filthinesses of the body are purged with water so our sinnes are taken away by the bloud of Christ Reue. 1.5 7.14 1. Cor. 6.11 Gal. 3.17 1. Ioh. 1.7.3 Therefore the outward Baptisme is called the washing of regeneration Tit. 3.5 The washing away of sinnes Acts 22.16 not because the washing is properly and by it selfe that by which we are regenerated for we are properly regenerated by the holy spirite but because it is the signe and seale of the inward washing that is to say of regeneration and adoption according to the forme of the couenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seede The minister washeth outwardly with water but Christ washeth inwardly with his bloud Mat. 3.11 Reue. 1.5 Thus farre concerning the action of the Minister administring Baptisme now concerning the actions of a faithfull man receiuing Baptisme The actions of a faithfull man vsing Baptisme is also two fold the receiuing of Baptisme and thankesgiuing In the receiuing of Baptisme is signified that the infant is by the bloud of Christ so certainely washed from sinnes as his body is certainly sprinckled and washed with water Reuel 7.14 Ezech. 36.25 To be washed with the bloud of Christ is is to be made partakers of the benefites of the couenant of Grace that is to say to be reconciled iustified regenerated adopted by God to be his sonnes to be endued with the freedome of the sonnes of God and so forth The outward man feeleth the force of the water but the inward man feeleth the powerfull working of the bloud of Christ Euen Infidels are washed with water but beleeuers onely with the bloud of Christ Therefore all who are Baptized are not regenerated but onely the beleeuers Now not onely those that are of yeares of discretiō are to be Baptized but also infants 1 Because they also do pertaine to the couenant of the grace of God 2 Because to them also belōgeth the promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes through the bloud of Christ 3 Because they belong to the Church of God 4 Because they are redeemed by the bloud of Christ 5 Because to them is promised the holy Spirite 6 Because they are to be discerned from the children of Infidels 7 Because also in the old Testament infants were circumcised Thankesgiuing is eyther presently done by the party Baptized if he be of yeares of discretion or else it is performed by the the witnesses in his stead if he bean infant who yet when he commeth to ripe yeares ought afterward in the whole course of his life to be thankefull to God for this benefite Hitherto concerning Baptisme now concerning the Lords Supper Of the Lords Supper The Lords Supper is a sacrament of the new Testament by which is signified sealed vp vnto vs that we are as certainely nourished to eternall life by the body of Christ crucified and by his bloud shed as we do certainely with the mouth of our body eate the bread broken and drinke the wine out of the cup. Mat. 26.26.27.28 Mark 14.22.23.24 Luk. 22.19.20 1. Cor. 10.16.17 11.23.24.25 12.13 In the fame sense it is called
of God by which we do religiously call vppon God Psal 50.18 116.13 To it is opposed an idolatrous inuocation and the omitting of inuocation or sinne An idolatrous inuocation is a sinne when that is called vpon which is not God And of this first is the inuocation or sinne of the Gentiles Turkes Iewes and Papists The omitting of inuocation is a sin when inuocation so straightly commaunded by God is omitted as though God had no need of it Calling vppon God is either prayer or an oath Of prayer Prayer is a calling vppon God by which we aske of God such good things as are necessary for the soule and body and contrariwise do pray that euill things may be remoued Gen. 17.18 24.12 28. 2. â—2 11 Exod. 8.12 1. Sam. 17.19 1. King 8.15 And that 〈◊〉 either the absolute seruice of the deity or prayer proper to the mediator The absolute seruice of the deity is that which is properly directed to the deity and with that also wee worshippe Christ as hee is God and by which we attribute vnto him the honour of omnipotency knowing all things and being euery where present Of worshipping the mediator Christ Prayer proper to the mediator is that worship which is giuen to Christ both in respect of his person and of his office as to that mediator that is God and man For as the acknowledgement of Christ consisteth in the acknowledgement of his person and office so in inuocation we must thinke of Christ after either manner First he is to be called vppon as God the giuer of good things with the Father and the holy Spirite Secondly we must thinke of him as of a mediatour and intercessour for whose sake we beleeue that wee are receiued and heard That worship of the mediatour is one not in respect or degree but in number And as our faith in the acknowledgment of Christ doth put a difference betweene the natures so also in the worshipping of him Therefore he the mediatour is worshipped not for his humanities sake which is created but because of his eternall and omnipotent deity For the deity the Creator of all things is the proper subiect of religious worship and not the humanity because it is a creature Cyrillus writing to Theodosius the king concerning the right faith saith Shall we therefore worship Emmanuell that is God with vs as a man Be it farre from vs for this sinne were a dotage deceipt and errour For in this wee should not differ from those who do worship the creature more then the creator and maker And as faith doth attribute to him according to either nature that which it ought according to the Scriptures so it doth demaund that in the worke of hearing as in the perfection of his duetie and obedience he should worke according to either nature that which is his owne to do According to the deity that he might behold the hearts heare the sighes of his seruants giue the holy Spirite and other good things according to his vnmeasurable wisdome and power But according to the humanity that he might of his own humaine will approoue the prayers and hearings of his people and in that might do that which is proper to him So the Church prayeth Reuel 22.20 Euen come thou Lord Iesus in which prayer it doth aske not that made manifest in his God-head he might come in the clouds but manifested in his humanity and so one and that selfe same Lord Iesus might deliuer and glorifie the Church by his diuine omnipotency or almighty power Thus much concerning the distribution of prayer now concerning the forme of prayer Of all other the Lords prayer is the best forme of prayer The Lords prayer is that which our Lord Christ himselfe hath taught vs. The expounding of the Lords prayer Mat. 6.9 Luke 11.20 Our Father which art in heauen and so forth Of the Lords prayer are foure parts an entrance petitions a confirmation and a conclusion Of the entrance there are two parts the first teacheth vs whom we ought to call vppon namely our father Our father is God Now we call God father for two causes 1 Because he hath begot the sonne to himselfe from eternity to wit Iesus Christ 2 Because he hath adopted vs to be his sonnes for Christ his sake But in our prayers we call him father for three causes 1 That we being about to pray might find a distinction between our inuocation and the prayers of Infidels turning our selues to this God who hath manifested himselfe in his sonne Iesus Christ 2 That a child-like feare and reuerence of God might be stirred vp in vs. 3 That we might pray with confidence certainly assuring our selues that we are heard of God as of a mercifull father because he hath adopted vs to be his sonnes because we are members of Christ because we call vpon him by Christ But we call him our Father for two causes 1 That so we might thinke that we are to pray not only for our selues but for other men also especially for those who are members with vs in the body of Christ sonnes of the same father in heauen 2 That we may pray the more boldly thinking this that the whole Church and euen the mediator as our brother doth pray with vs. This is the first part of the entrance the second followeth The second part is this which art in Heauen That God is in heauen it meaneth that he onely is omnipotent and alone can giue vs those things which we aske of him God truely is euery where Iere. 23.23.24 Esa 66.1 But heauen is as it were the ordinary Pallace of God in which is his throne and the chiefest glory of God doth appeare because God doth most magnifically manifest himself in heauen to the Angels blessed soules Psal 115.16 Psal 19. But these words which art in heauen are added for fiue causes 1 That we might not imagine any earthly and carnall matter of the heauenly maiesty of God 2 That we being about to pray might lift vp our minds from the earth to heauen Psal 25. 121. 3 That we might expect from the omnipotency and almighty power of God what things soeuer are necessary for soule body 4 That we might be mindfull of this that our God hath all gouernment of heauen and earth that he is present euery where and that he heareth and helpeth those that cal on him 5 That we should not direct or tie the worship of God to any place or thing besides his commandement So much concerning the entrance of the Lords prayer the petitions follow The petitions of the Lordes prayer are two fold the three former pertaine to the glorie of God and the three later to our own necessitie The first petition is this I. Petition Hallowed be thy name In it wee aske the hallowing of Gods name The hallowing of Gods name is the glorifying of God And that is done both by true faith and also
by good works Therefore the sense and meaning of the first petition is this Grant that we may glorifie thee by true faith and good works We sanctifie Gods name by true faith when we rightly acknowledge God and his workes We sanctifie Gods name by good works both when we worship God aright and also when we desire and labour for vertue and well doing and that to this end that the most holy name of God might not be slaundered through our meanes but rather that other seeing our good workes might glorifie our heauenly Father The second petition is this II. Petition Let thy kingdome come In it we aske the comming of the kingdome of God The comming of the kingdome of God is the gouerning of the Church And this comming of Gods kingdome is two fold either to the whole Church or to the seuerall members of it The cōming of gods kingdome to the whole Church is when God defendeth the Church And that two waies both in preseruing encreasing his owne church in destroying the church of the deuill or sathās synagogue The comming of Gods kingdome to euery mēber of the church is when God doth so by his word and spirite gouerne euery one that he doth subiect them more and more to himselfe and the obedience of his will The sense therefore of the second petition is this Gouerne thy Church and the seuerall members of the Church by thy spirit and word The third petition is this III. Petition Thy will bee done as in heauen so in earth also In it we aske that all of vs might obey Gods will and that all wicked lustes being tamed we might wholly and altogether serue God and that so readily and willingly as the holy Angels in heauen do Will doth here signifie that which is acceptable to God and that also which he therfore requireth of vs. The three former petitions haue been thus expounded the three later follow The three later petitions pertaine to our necessity and that both as in respect of the body as the fourth petition and also as in respect of the soule as the fift and sixt The fourth petition is this IIII. Petition Giue vs this day our daily bread In it we aske the sustentation and nourishment of this temporall life Daily bread is whatsoeuer is necessarie for the vpholding and preseruation of this present life God indeed hath commaunded vs to get it with the labour of our hands but yet we aske it of God because neither our labour neither those thing which are gotten by our labour do or can profite vs without Gods blessing which it selfe also is part of dayly bread But if thou art rich and abounding yet as if thou were needy pray daily for the blessed vse of thy riches thinke that full sellers and full store-houses or chests may be sodenly emptyed except they be kept by the Lords hand yea except the Lord shall season with his blessing the meat and drinke that we take in they that eat shall sterue for hunger they that drinke shall waxe dry with thirst Eze. 4.14 Ye shall eat and not be satisfied Leuit. 26.26 Now we name it our bread indeede and yet we aske that God would giue it vs because that by the gift of God it is become ours neither can any thing be ours or become ours except God giue it We name it our bread that so being content with that we might not desire another mans And we call it our bread and not mine that so euery one might know that he ought to aske bread necessary not for himself alone but for his neighbour also Lastly we aske dayly bread and pray that the same may be dayly giuen vs for foure causes 1 That a distrustfull carefulnesse for to morow might be taken out of our minds 2 That we might remember that for daily bread we haue neede of daily prayers 3 That we might be daily admonished of the shortnes of this our bodily life as though we should liue to day onely 4 That we might not immoderately greedily desire or couet any thing besides that which God hath prescribed The fift petition is this V. petition And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue those that trespasse against vs. In it we aske the forgiuenesse of sinnes or iustification And when God in his eternall couenant had willingly freely promised vs forgiuenesse of sinnes he hath also bound vs to himselfe by the answering againe of a good conscience to forgiue our brethren So that he is not bound to keepe his promise with vs except we also continue in the obligation couenant or condition to be performed on our part Our forgiuing therefore is not a cause of Gods forgiuing for God first hath freely promised vs forgiuenesse when as yet wee were his enemies and besides he hath bound vs to himselfe to pardon our brethren also The cause can not be after his proper effect But our forgiuing of them is after Gods forgiuing of vs. Therefore our forgiuing is not the cause of Gods forgiuing The assumption is certaine for they only can pardon their bretheren to whom God hath forgiuen their sinnes and by this testimonie we feele in our harts that our sinnes are pardoned vs if wee be fully purposed with our selues from our hearts to pardon all those who haue offended vs. The sixt petition is this VI. Petition And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill In it we aske both that we our selues may be gouerned by the holy spirite and word least we should fall into sinne And this gouerning is part of our regeneration or sanctification and also deliuerance from euils that is to say from the snares of Sathan from the deceipts of the world and from the entisements of the flesh as causes of sinne Thus hath the second part of the Lordes prayer bene handled the third followeth The third part of the Lords prayer is a cōfirmation which conteyneth three argumēts by which our faith is confirmed that God doth certainly heare our prayers Two arguments are drawen from the adioynts of God the third from the end of hearing The first adioynt of God is this because he is king hauing rule ouer all things The second because he is able who can giue vs all things which we aske The argument from the ende is that he might be praysed and glorified for euer because he is God and a most bountifull and mercifull father Hitherto we haue handled the third part of the Lords prayer the conclusion remaineth The conclusion of the Lords prayer consisteth in one word Amen which is both a wish that those things may be ratified which we aske and also a note of confidence wherby we shew that we are perswaded that God hath certainly heard our prayers Blessing is a peculiar kinde of prayer Blessing and that is whereby we aske good things for other men at the hands of God And that is due to all whether
committed or as we say more sleight transgression Thankesgiuing offrings were those which on the behalfe of thankes were offered to God for benefites bestowed Gen. 8.20 Thanks offrings were meat offrings peace offrings and the sacrifice of praise A meat offering was a thankes offering in which meat was offered The Priest did take part of these the rest was burned with incense Peace offrings was a sacrifice in which only the fat of the oblations was burned and they did receiue the rest whose oblations they were The sacrifice of prayse was a sacrifice in which cattell were slaine and drinke offrings were to be offered to celebrate and set out prayses due to the Lord. Hitherto concerning-sacrifices now concerning the obseruation of holy times Of the holy times in the old Testament Holy times in the old testament were either of some set dayes or else of yeares 1 Of some set dayes which were either daily in which a continuall sacrifice was offered and a continual sacrifice was a sacrifice which was offered to God daily at Morning and Euening Exod. 29.38.39 2 Or of euery seuenth day in which the Sabaoth was obserued The Sabaoth was a holy day The Sabaoth which was celebrated on euery seuenth day Exod. 20.8 3 Or of Calends in which the new Moones were celebrated A new Moone was a holy day which was religiously obserued the first day of eueuery moneth Num. 28.11 Hitherto concerning the holy times of a day now concerning the holy times of a yeare Of the holines in the old Testament The holy times of a year are those wherein were celebrated either yearely solemnities or those which returned after many yeares Yearly solemnities were those which came euery where And they were instituted either by God or by the Iewes Those that were instituted by God were either great or lesser Great as the Passeouer Pentecost and the feast of the Tabernacles The Passeouer was a great holy day which was celebrated the fourteenth day of the moneth Abib for the continuall remembrāce of bringing the people of Israell out of Egypt Exod. 12.1 Pentecost was a great holy day obserued in the fiftieth day after the holy dayes of the Passeouer in which euery family did offer two loues of the first of the corne for remembrance of the publishing of the Law Exod. 23.16 Leuit. 23.15 The feasts of Tabernacles were holy daies which were celebrated the fifteenth day of the seauenth moneth in remembraunce of preseruing of the people abiding in tentes whilst they were in the wildernesse and to put them in mind of thankesgiuing for the promised land deliuered to them and for the yearely gathering of their corne Deut. 16. The lesser solemnities were those which were celebrated with lesse preparation And they were either the feast of trumpets or of expiation The feast of trumpets was celebrated in the first day of the seuenth moneth of expiation in the tenth of the same moneth Leuit. 23. ver 24.27 Hitherto haue the solemnities instituted by God himselfe bene handled The solemnities instituted by the Iewes were either the feast of Lots or of restauration or dedication of the Temple The feast of lots were set holy daies of the Iewes and commanded and instituted by Queene Hester and Mordecay they were celebrated in the fourteenth fifteenth daies of the moneth Adar in remembrance of the most cruell counsell of Aman for slaying the Iewes euery where which was hindered euen by God himselfe Est 9.17 The feasts of restauration or dedication of the Temple were set holy daies of the Iewes instituted by Iudas Maccabaeus they were celebrated in the fift day of the ninth moneth in remembrance of the religion and the temple restored which before was prophaned by the Gentiles 1. Macch. 4.59 Hitherto concerning the yearly solemnities The solemnities which returned after many yeares were two either the sabbaoth of the land or the yeare of Iubilie The sabbaoth of the land was a solemnity comming euery seuenth yeare in which they were to cease from tilling their fields vineyards Leuit. 25. The yeare of Iubilie was a solemnity comming euery fiftieth yeare in which all their possessions returned to their owne maisters the Hebrew seruants were set free Leu. 25. Hitherto concerning the publicke rites of the old Testament now concerning the priuate A priuate rite was that which euery one did priuately obserue And it consisted both in manifold purifications and also in the obseruing of the differences of meats Hitherto we haue handled the rites proper to the old Testament the rites proper to the new Testament remaine to be treated of A rite proper to the new Testament is an obseruing of the holy daies of the new Testament A holy day of the new Testament is either weekely or yearely Weekly is the Lords day The Lords day is the first day of the week Of the Lords day wherein Christians do make solemne meetings to exercise the publicke worship of God Act. 20.7 1. Cor. 16.2 Reuel 1.10 But the Lords day is celebrated in stead of the sabbaoth for 3. causes 1. that it might continually call to remembrance the benefite of the Lords resurrection 2. That the beleeuers might vnderstand that they are freed from the yoke of the Law 3. That it might be a difference betweene vs that are Christians and the Iews who as yet but without cause are addicted to the obseruation of the time The yearely holy day of the new Testament is either the feast of Christ or else of the comming of the holy Spirit The holy daie or feast of Christ is that which Christians by the repeating and holy remembrāce of speciall benefits which Christ hath bestowed on the Church is celebrated and kept for the honor of our Sauiour Christ himselfe And it is either the holy day of Christ his birth or of Christs circumcision or of his passion or of his resurrection or of his ascension into heauen Hitherto concerning the holy dayes of Christ. The holy day of the holy Spirit is the holy day of Pentecost or Whitsontide as wee call it in which the memory of sending the holy Spirite is remembred and set before vs. And thus farre concerning the worship of God now concerning vertue Of Vertue Vertue is a serious purpose of the will to liue honestly continually and constantly manifesting it selfe by outward ctaions Or vertue is an enclining of the will to honest actions Psal 1.2 39.2.10 102.2.3 and so forward 119.2.5.8.16.30.35.40.44.47.57.59.60.69.70.77.93.106.111.112.115.117.121.128.141.143.153.157.166.167.168.173.174 Dan. 1.8 Prou. 16.1 Iob. 39.37.38 in which places the will or purpose of the will is alwayes distinguished from the actions themselues proceeding from the purpose of the will Tit. 3.8 1. Thess 4.12 Rom. 12.17 For euen as true faith is not idle but working and powerfull by loue so true Vertue is not a bare affection of the minde or a naked purpose of the will but declareth it selfe by outward honest actions and doth shine in