elect a sauour of life vnto life And that thou wouldest so dispose of thinges by thy hidden secret prouidence that all persons and creatures although they many of them sinnefully and wretchedlie moued with other causes endes then in obedience vnto thee yet in regard of thy worke most holily and iustly may concurre to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell hath fore-determined to be done Neither let any power or pollicy of Sathan or man or any other creature hinder the executiō of thy most glorious magnificent most wise and iust decrees But let them all be as the mountaines of brasse that cannot bee remooued but stand fast for euer And this respecteth the second braunch of Theologie touching the kingdome of God and the dispensation of his counsells The third petition Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen Haue thou alwayes in the worlde euen here among men as thou hast among thy holy Angells and Spirits of the righteous that are deceased a Church chosen company which may refresh and delight thy Spirit by yeelding with free and ready hartes all chearfull obedience to thy knowen and revealed will Whilest they be seen to preferre the loue they beare to thee before the loue of thēselues their own pleasure profit or liues or whatsoeuer els that is most dear vnto them And this which is the thirde braunch of Theologie riseth by a necessarie consequence from the former two For he that is in himself and in his workes so glorious is worthy and alone worthie to be honored and serued of vs. The three latter Petitions are of those thinges that concerne our owne and our neighbours good whereof the first being the fourth nature and essence Conceyued and born of a virgin by the wonderfull worke of thy holy Spirite Sanctified from the wombe to be the mightie and powerfull instrument in and by whose flesh or humane nature the Godhead vnto the which he is personally vnited quickeneth all those that by faith are ingraffed in him Replenished with all righteousnes and fulnes of the Spirite aboue measure And therefore in him selfe most happie blessed but for vs and our sakes accursed in that he bare thy whole wrath due to our finnes and became subiect to death the most ignominious death of the crosse it selfe Vnder which notwithstanding he did not lye for that it was impossible for him to bee holden of it But losing the panges sorrowes of death he rose againe and ascended into heauen Where he sitteth at the right hande of thy most excellent Maiestie to make continuall intercession for those that are his and hath obteyned a Name aboue all names a crowne of glory and a kingdome whereof there shall not be any end Gouerning all things in Heauen vpon the earth vanquishing and subduing the prowde enemies and rebells bells to his kingdome and leading captiuitie captiue Gathering out of the wicked world a holy nation a peculier people in respect of their outwarde calling to the prayse of his glorious name Opening their eyes to beholde the vnsearcheable riches of himselfe in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisedome and vnderstanding filling their hearts with the manifolde graces and blessings of his Spirit Seperating chosing out from among them Pastors Teachers and other Officers for the well ordering and guyding of his house which is the Church of the liuing God And not onely reaching forth to many of them from aboue a comfortable taste of the sweetnes and excellencie that is in him but vpon such and so many as God the Father through him hath from euerlasting purposed vnto glorie powring downe that most excellent and precious gifte of faith proper to the elect whereby he giueth himself to bee theirs and taketh them to be his knitteth and vniteth them as members to that misticall body whereof himself is the head maketh them in a spirituall and vnspeakable sorte bone of his bones flesh of his flesh and one togither with him And so becometh vnto them that heauenlie and supernaturall breade wherby their soules are fed vnto euerlasting life Good Lord this day and euery day giue this our bread vnto vs. That wee may so come vnto him as wee may neuer hunger so beleeue in him as wee may neuer thirst so be regenerate and borne againe by the incorruptible seede of the worde of God which liueth and abideth for euer that it may neuer dye within vs but confirmed still in our most holy faith by the preaching of thy Gospel participatiō of thy Sacraments Prayer and other holy meanes wee may grow vp throughlie in him which is our head till we come to the full age of men-growen in Christ The fifth Petition And forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs is for the first kinde of righteousnes which wee haue from Christ That is to say imputed righteousnes forgiuenes of sinnes which is but one parte being put for the whole Pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes through the death and sufferinges of thy Sonne and so remoue both the guylt and punishment away from vs. Clothe vs with his all sufficient and most absolute and perfect righteousnes that so being iustified by his obedience we may haue our part of all that blessednes which is able to fall into this life where the testimonie and assurance of thy loue and the hauing and enioying in and from thy loue of all the good things of this present life both for necessitie and Christian delight maintenāce health credit friends comfort of Wife Children Seruauntes a blessing vpon our labours the fruite of Magistracy of Gouernement good order in the worlde together with the sanctifying of all things euen our verie troubles and crosses of this life vnto our good so as thou in thy mercie hast appointed for vs Peace of conscience and ioye in the holy Ghost doe excell and by these degrees as it were by so manie steppes and staires make vs to clime vp to that perfect and eternall happines which is reserued for thy Saintes in heauen The last petition And lead vs not into tentation but deliuer vs from euill is for the other kinde of righteousnes which we haue frō Christ that is to say renewed righteousnes Being now engraffed into the noble stock of the body of thy sonne and iustified through him sanctifie vs also by his Spirit dwelling in vs mortifying subduing sinne that it beare not the sway in our mortall bodies that neither the Deuill the World nor the flesh or our owne corruption prevayle against vs to make vs to fulfill the lustes thereof but goe forward with the worke of our new birth quickning and renewing vs in our memorie iudgement will affections and in
HEtherto of the partes of righteousnesse The seuerall kindes followe Righteousnes is our own or from another Our owne whiche boeth Angels in heauen men vpon earth had perfectlie by creation They in a greater wee in a lesse measure from which notwithstanding both of thē left vnto themselues quickly fell away First of the Angels some onely but a great multitude one named Satan or the Deuill the chief ringleader of the rest The Angels that fell not are supernaturallie vphoulden from all daunger of falling After by Satans tentation all mankinde fell in Adam The punishment to them both is double sinfulnes and cursednes Sinfulnesse is a totall vnrighteousnes aswell of nature as action Cursednes is their vtter euill Contrarie throughout to blessednesse that went before And is the reward of al sinne more or lesse according to the measure of sinne Of cursednes two degrees are noted out for either it is in parte only or in the fulnes of it That in part only is proper to men during this life As first the wrath of God so farr that all things not blessinges only but his very graces turn to their ruine and feare of conscience drawing thē from God then shame ignorance all kinde of calamities infirmitie sicknes death it selfe lastly enemitie of the creatures and slauerie to Sathan Yet in all this some reliques of former dignitie doe remaine namely in the mind reason common principles of good and euill in the bodie a kinde of maiestie in the whole man a certeine soueraigntie that keepeth in awe the brute creatures The creatures also for mans sake are subiect both to a present empaire of their first perfection and to a generall abolition in the end This is cursednes in parte The fulnesse whereof falling vpon a bare creature not able to beare the brunt of it crusheth him downe into Hell for euer which is called damnation And is particular or generall Particular which is in a lesse measure of fulnesse till the latter day And lighted on the Angels that fell forthwith vpon their fall yet so as many tymes it pleaseth God to giue them some release vsing them as instrumēts to worke his pleasure heere on earth Vpō men it lighteth in soule presentlie after death General which is in a greater measure of fulnes Both vpon the Angels that fell and men in soule and bodie raised vp in the latter day wherof they both shall then receiue their sentence A sodaine change of such men as then are liuing shalbe in stead of a death and rising from it The third booke of Diuinitie concerning the Gospell Chapt. 1. Of Iesus Christ and of Regeneration FRom another is that Righteousnes which certeine men euer since the fall of Adam haue from Iesus by Regeneration thorough his mediation Iesus is in one person the Sonne of God and perfect man conceiued of the Virgin Marie And in respect of his calling to that office of Mediation is surnamed Christ Regeneration is our spirituall incorporatinge into him Euery member in his due proportion Chap. 2. Of the Sanctification of Christes humane nature OF his office of Mediation there bee two partes Priesthood and Kingdome Priesthood whereby he hath performed to God-wardes a through sufficiencie for all this The partes of his Priesthood are Oblation and Intercession Oblation is the of offring of him self vp to God his Father for it And hath two partes Sanctification Satisfaction Sanctification is the fitting of his humane nature aswell for our incorporating into it as for the cōueighing of righteousnes to all that are incorporate Chapt. 3 Of Satisfaction SAtisfaction is the full payment of our raunsome to be righteous And standeth in his suffrings righteousnes Suffring is the taking vpon him of the guilt curse due to our sinnes Both that of this life and the fulnes of it due vnto vs after death All which hee ouercame our cursednes here in the whole course of his life our full cursednes vpon the Crosse and death in the graue rising the thirde day from it The day of his resurrectiō which was the first day of the Creation is therevpon become our Sabbath and called the Lordes day beginning at the dawning of the day when the world by his resurrection began to be renewed The righteousnes of Christ is the most excellent measure of righteousnes that cā possibly fal into any creature Both in his whole nature sanctified from all sinfulnesse from the very first moment of his conception and in all his actions supernaturally vphoulden for euer from al possibilitie of sinning And consequently hath belōging to it a like supreame measure of blessednes smothered in the dayes of his suffrings during this present life that it did not so appeare saue when it pleased him extraordinarilie to giue some glimse of it as in his transfiguring vpon the mount But afterwardes he ascended glorious into heauen in soule presentlie after death and both in soule and body after his resurrection which is called glorirification Chap. 4. Of Intercession HEtherto of Oblation Intercessiō is his request to God his Father for al the elect to be made partakers of it Chap. 5. Of his generall Gouernment of the world SVch is the Priesthood of Christ his Kingdome followeth Kingdome is that whereby he doeth effect all this And hath two partes his Iudgeship if I may so say and Prophetship Iudgeship whereby hee gouerneth all the world according to their owne nature since the fall In the Angells perfect in Deuils and Men corrupted in the rest of the world peruerted Chap. 6. Of Calling PRophetship whereby he gouerneth certeine men with supernaturall fauours Being fauours only or Grace Fauours onely are those that change not mans corrupt nature And may all be reduced vnto two heades Calling and Giftes Calling is the drawing of them to a professiō of himself Euery publicke assembly of such professors in his name is called a Church whereof their children are also members and in euery Church there be alwayes some that are his in deed Chap. 7. Of Knowledge GIftes are such fauours bestowed in his Chuch are Knowledge or giftes for the Churches common good Knowledge is the vnderstanding of the will of his Father Which beside the inspiration of his Spirite hee taught both in his own person when hee was vpon the earth by his Ministers frō the beginning of the worlde and hath also left the same perfectly in the bookes of the old and new Testament Chapter 8.
THE SACRED DOCTRINE OF DIVINITIE GATHERED OVT OF the worde of God Togither with an explication of the LORDES PRAYER 1599. A preface to the Christian Reader I ENTRED no sooner into meditation of some preface vnto the present booke but forthwith Maister Dudley Fenner of most happy and worthie memorie stood before me In whose remēbrance as his death renued my grief so it cōforted me that after three yeares as it were the third day in one of the same coūtrie of Kent in the same argument of laying down the whole body of the holy doctrine of God in the same methode and memorielike handling of it God had as it were raised him vp againe from the dead for supply of some of that worthy seruice vnto his Church which he if the Lord had added yeares vnto his life would manifoldly haue performed For cōsidering the forrestlike largenesse of matter it handleth and smal rowme the same is imparked and the good order euery doctrine standeth in before the reader ranged with others either going before cōming after as superiours and inferiours or siding it and walking hand in hand as sisters cōpanions it seemed to me that this treatise was like to be a seed that by the hand of the printer being cast vpon the field of our coūtrie might in good time bring vs home an haruest that might yeeld honor to God and edification to his Church which is the principall and in the second place some honest credit not altogether to be despised vnto this our countrie of Kent whilst it going before the most of other the Shires Counties of the Land in blessings of outward fruitefulnesse and wealth should not be found behinde all others in the fruits of the Spirit wherwith mens hearts yea the Lord himself after a sort is reioyced And in it me thought I sawe some gratious blush and good resemblance of the wisdome which Solomon speaketh of For as by writing shee lifteth vp her voice so by conuenient orderly easie maner of hādling the doctrines of God she standeth in the toppe of the highest places where all wayfaring men that are strangers in our countrie taking their voyage towards mount Sion may vnderstande what is said vnto them From thence shee steppeth to set her self in the place or mother of wayes wher one way cutting it selfe into many greatly hazardeth the wayfaring man vnlesse there be one as it were with the finger to point vnto him which is the right and ready way Approching vnto the citie of the heauenlie Ierusalem from whence soeuer he cometh East West North or South and to whatsoeuer of the twelue gates of the twelue tribes of our Land she is there also ready at the gate in the mouth of the Citie to tell him what streat he shall enter on what hande to turne what lane to goe down That done she taketh the winges of the morning and fearing the frailty of men least they should not see their happinesse when it is before them or that they should not discerne of it when they touch it or stumble vpon it she setteth her selfe euen at the very dore that openeth to the full and perfect possession of the promised felicity saying heere is the place you seeke after enter it This cōmendation notwithstanding that incōparably it doeth agree to the eternall sonne of God in his own and in his Propheticall and Apostolicall ministerie as that which is the perfect Iethro of our voyage from Th'aegipt of this world vnto the Lande of the heauenly Canaan yet may it also not vnfitlie in some measure more or lesse be spoken of the holy labours in this kinde which by description of the whole doctrine of God frō the foundation vnto the loouer thereof take vs by hande and entring vs into the way of God lead vs as it were to all the standinges and Camping places of the children of God in the wildernesse of this world vntill hauing cast away either weapons or walking staues we shall set vs downe in th'endles peace and rest of our God A labour as at no time vnseasonable and in no place vnworthy of a good welcome so in these dayes and especially in our countrie it is worthy of all good entertainment For beside that there are to many sectes and schismes there are also diuersities of iudgments in one and the same sort both which be in danger the former of schismes to grow to heresies the latter from some difference of iudgement to bee sorted and sected altogether if by such treatises as this which shortlie and as it were vnder one sight lay forth the sound doctrine of all the maine meane principall and secondarie pointes of our most holy faith the iudgment of men be not either called home where it is broken out or stayed where a breach is begun And albeit th'excellent vse hereof may clearly appeare to euery one that hath but halfe an eye to looke with yet is there that opposition in the world against all good endeuours of the seruauntes of the God of heauen that this also is not vnlike to fall into some riflers hands which will doe the vttermost of his wretched endeuour to despoile it of the garmentes of comelines whereby the Lorde would set it in the good grace well liking of his children If happelie it be said that it is therefore fruitles because it is a doing of a thing that is alreadie done by a worthy workeman of the Lord Maister Dudley Fenner it were sufficient answere that the same is made English which before was Latine and brought into the artificers shop which was before in the studies closets of the learned alone which deserueth praise at the handes of a thankful Reader It is more then sufficient aunswere that he hath brought M r Fenners booke for helpe of memorie into a great deale smaller rowme But I am and haue bene of that acquaintāce priuitie with the Gentlemen these many years that I am able before God and in trueth to professe that before he euer sawe M. Fenners booke he had written finished this with such grace as I louing him before did euer sithence reuerence him for the graces of God bestowed vpon him And therefore as the Lord gaue Maister Fenner the honour to be first so he would not let him haue it so farre as to be alone And notwithstāding th'authors both modestie and wisedome is such as he would not haue passed by the aduantage of a further garnishment of his worke by M. Fenners labours yet whosoeuer shall peruse the booke diligentlie shall easilie perceaue that hee hath for the matter a stock of his own and for the forme maner of deliuerie of it art and cunning of his own to haue finished some commendable worke in this kind if he had had no such paterne before his eyes Which beeing well considered will stop the mouth of some others which snatching vp the wise Prouerbs as of a man not medling beyond
Iustifier onely which all men doe willinglie embrace but to sanctifie vs also which men will not so easily bee brought to yeeld vnto 4. Seeing it is plaine that in asking pardon of our sinnes and righteousnes in Christ which we do in the fifth petition Consequently we aske all the belssednes belonging to it One part whereof is this to haue all outward things as additaments and appendancies cast vnto vs so farre as God hath appointed thē for our good as our Sauiour Christes both speech and promise is Mat. 6. 33. and further then that we haue no warrant to desire them it seemeth not so likely that either our Sauiour Christ would rent these thinges asunder and transplant one from another or in so short a summe admit of repetition which must needes follow if being there included we aske them here by name And this also may serue to proue that no defect or may me cā iustly be imputed to this absolute forme of prayer though outward things come not within compasse of the fourth petition 5. The doubling of the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth it to be meant of no cōmon bread but a bread of some rare and singuler qualitie The like doubling of the article for emphasis sake you may see Math. 3. 17. Luke 15. 22 23. and in diuerse other places Lastly the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which maketh all the doubt being neuer read but in this prayer onely and therefore of an vncerteyne signification I deriue form 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the best Interpreters as I make no doubt it must of necessitie be But not in that sence which I see them to doe Who expound it competent or sufficient for our nature that is for our sustenance and nourishment Of which signification of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you shall hardly finde nay example as H. Stephen in his greeke Thesaurus noteth But in that sence which the Scripture vseth it Luc. 15. 12 13. and neuer otherwise as it signifieth wealth and substance from whence I take to bee deriued two wordes of neere affinitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2. 14. One noting that which as the remayn and ouerplus of our substance we lay vp in store and keepe for a Iewell the other that which excelleth all wealth and substance Which among many other is one signification of the praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9. 5. Ephe. 4. 6. And so doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aptly aunswer to the Haebrue Hal col hon Psalm 119. 14. I reioyce in the way of thy testimonies as aboue all substance And it seemeth vnto mee that our Sauiour Christ doth herein allude to that saying of Salomon Cantie 8. 11. If a man would giue all the substance of his house for this loue of Iesus Christ to whom I am euen now ascending out of the wildernes of this world to ioyne and vnite my selfe by faith he should utterly be despised Yet the other interpretation which the most learned best diuines of our time do follow carrieth a sound a Godly sence against which no exception can be taken And therefore in such cases men are not to striue Resurrection Calling Knowledge Faculties Ministeries Light of the Spirite Faith a Math. 6. 11. b Luc. 11. 3. Infancie of a regenerate estate Preaching Perseuerance Grouth Mans estate 5. PETIT Iustification Forgiuenes of sinnes both the guylt and punishment Imputation of righteousnes Blessednes Reconciliation to God All outwarde good things pleadges of Gods loue Yea our very troubles Peace of conscience Ioy in the H. Ghost c. Saluation 6. PETITI Sanctification Mortification Quickening Imperfect in this life but pleasing thorough Christ Perfited in heauen Psal 102. 25. 29.