Testament In the New as all other Mysteries of God so this especially is more cleerely reuealed by that great Prophet which was to come into the World the High Priest and Apostle of our Profession y Mat. 3. 16 17 and 2. Pet. 1 17. Christ Iesus vpon whom in his first imitation to the worke of our Redemption being himselfe the Sonne one of these three Persons the other two shewed themselues from Heauen The Holy Ghost in his Gifts and Graces represented by the visible shape of a Doue the Father by his voyce from the Seate of Glory This is my Beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased In his last farewell to his Disciples being to leaue the World and to goe vnto the Father hee left this Doctrine as a perpetuall Monument religiously to bee obserued of the Church to the end of the World willing to baptize all Nations z Mat. 28. 19. In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost That as in other respects so in this it is most worthily said a Iohn 1. 18. No man hath seene God at any time The onely begotten Sonne who is in the bosome of the Father hee hath reuealed him With these two Testimonies I willingly content my selfe as most pregnant of all the rest And therefore I passe ouer diuers other that might bee alleaged to this purpose because these twaine may stand in stead of many Onely I will adde that golden testimony of his beloued Disciple b 1. Iohn 5. 7. There bee three that beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost It is cleere that to the earthly witnesse or testimony of men in the things which we feele and haue experience of within our selues Regeneration Righteousnesse Sanctification hee opposeth the heauenly Witnesse or Testimony of these persons greater in regard of the excellence of the witnesses but equall in the number whereby appeareth the cleere euidence of this place The third point is that these persons Tritheites who though they acknowledge the three Persons to bee euery one God indeede yet teach that they are not onely distinct but seuered and deuided haue euery one the whole God-head and Diuine nature and are all three that one onely true and euer-liuing God For both the Apostle c 1. Iohn 5. 7 9. there calleth them so expresly and the testimony of all three hee knitteth vp in one when he saith If wee receiue the testimony of men the testimony of God is greater Euen as Moses d Deut. 6. 4. also doth when from the multitude of the Persons hee calleth them to the vnity of the substance Therefore the Apostle Paul e Col. 2. 9. saith In him Christ the Sonne of GOD manifested in the flesh dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily that is personally which is to bee extended to all the other Persons For to whomsoeuer God communicates his nature he must needes communicate it wholly as hath beene said And this mystery how in that most simple and single essence of God there bee certaine substances or persons truly subsisting three in one and one in three differing but not deuided seuerall but not sundred many and yet the same all one for their nature all distinct for three persons is a secret of all secrets passing all reach and vnderstanding of man rather reuerently to be adored then too curiously to be searched into The fourth last point is the incommunicable properties whereby these persons are distinguished in theÌ„selues To the Sonne is proper to be begotten to the Holy Ghost to proceede the Father is of himselfe neyther begotten nor proceeding but which from all Eternity hath begotten his Sonne and hee and the Sonne together send forth the holy Spirit Of the Father wee shall not neede to speake But that the Sonnes proper subsistence is to be begotten as the name of Sonne importeth giuen vnto him of God Marke 3. 17. This is my well beloued Sonne and so called before hee tooke flesh Psal 2. 13. Kisse the Sonne lest hee be wroth But most cleerely in the f Pro. 30. 4. Prouerbs What is his Name or his Sonnes Name So the Scripture in many places sheweth Iohn 1. 18. The onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father And a g Iohn 2. 14. little before Wee beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten of his Father The like wee say of the Holy Ghost who is sometimes called the Spirit of God sometimes the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9 10. 11. But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you but if one haue not the Spirit of Christ this man is not his But if the Spirit of him that raysed Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raysed Christ from the dead will also quicken you by his Spirit dwelling in you Sometimes hee is said to bee sent from the Father or to proceed from the Father which is all one sometime to be sent from the Sonne Iohn 1. 5. 26 The error of the Greeke Churches who deny the Holy Ghosts proceeding from the Sonne But when the Comforter shall come whom I will send vnto you from the Father the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father As touching the God-head of Arius denyed Christ to be of the same nature with his Father but as it were a secondary god acknowledging hee was an excellent Creature created before the World by whom God created the World and saued Mankind and therefore as a God in office to bee adored not in essence The like of the Holy Ghost But since it is plaine that God made all things in six daies both the Sonne and the Spirit if they were creatures must haue beene comprehenced in that worke these three Persons Of the Father no man euer doubted But the God-head of the Sonne and Holy Ghost some Heretikes haue called in question wherefore to confirme our faith herein let vs take Arguments for them both For the God-head of the Sonne we haue these He is IAH IEHOVAH EHIEH that is to say being or perfection it selfe Psal 68. 19. Ascending on high thou leddest captiuity captiue and gauest gifts vnto men euen the Rebels thou dwelling there that is to say in Heauen leddest captiue O IAH God meaning Christ To whose Ascension the Apostle doth apply it Ephes 4. 8. EHIEH hee calleth himselfe manifestly Iohn 8. 58. Before ABRAHAM was made I am Not made but of my selfe and from my selfe without beginning for that iâ— the force of am elegantly opposed vnto made The name Iehouah is giuen him Genes 4. 1. h This interpretation floweth naturally from the Hebrew Text. Beside it there be two other which of all the rest seeme most probable One is Ieromes With or by â—ehouah that is by his goodnesse and blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But in that sence it should haue beene 〈◊〉
verse 4 Denying the onely God and Master our Lord Iesu Christ God God y Rom. 9. 5. Of whom is Iesus Christ touching the flesh who is God ouer all blessed for euer Amen ouer all blessed for euer Amen To proue the Holy Ghost to be God First he also is Iehouah for he that led the people in the Wildernes whom they tempted so oft was Iehouah as wee haue obserued But Esay z Esay 63. 14. saith this was the Spirit of God As a beast that goeth downe into a Valley the Spirit of IEHOVAH quietly led them and a Esay 63. 10. a little before They rebelled and grieued his holy Spirit The b Heb. 3. 8 9. Author also to the Hebrewes noteth it to bee the speech of the Holy Ghost Harden not your hearts as in the prouocation as in the day of temptation in the Wildernesse where your fathers tempted me prooued me and saw my workes Againe that which the same c Esay 6. 9. Prophet speaketh of IEHOVAH that he had-him goe and say vnto this people Hearing ye shall heare c. PAVL d Acts 28. 25. applyeth to the Holy Ghost Well said the Holy Ghost by ESAIAS the Prophet to our fathers saying Goe vnto this people and say Hearing ye shall heare c. Secondly the essentiall properties of the God-head are here likewise to be found He is termed Truth it selfe to note the singlenesse of his Nature 1. Iohn 5. 6. The Spirit is Truth hath an Immensity and Infinitenesse of place dwelling at once in the heart of all the Elect. 1. Cor. 3. 16. Know yee not that yee are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you Rom. 8. 9 11. The Spirit of Christ that dwelleth in you Hee lay ouer that whole masse and lumpe whereof the Heauens and Earth was afterwards made Gen. 1. 2. The Spirit of God lay vpon the Waters ouer-spreading it as a Hen doth her Chicken Hee filleth all things with his presence Psal 139. 7. Whither shall I goe from thy Spirit Hath a free and absolute power of working after his owne pleasure 1. Cor. 12. 11. He distributeth his gifts as he will for hee is the very power of God So called Luke 1. 35. The Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most High shall ouer-shaddow thee And for that which e Mat. 12. 14. Matthew saith I will cast out Deuils by the Spirit of God f Luke 11. 20. LVKE hath it If I cast out Deuils by the finger of God Yea he is the giuer of all Power and Vertue Micah 3. 8. But I am filled with Vertue from the Spirit of IEHOVAH with Iudgement and with Power Is of infinite Wisedome and Knowledge euen to fore-tell things to come The g Iohn 16. 14. things that are to come shall hee declare to you saith Christ yea to sound the very bottome of the most secret things of God 1. Cor. 2. 20. The Spirit searcheth the depths of God And all this hee hath from himselfe and of himselfe as most elegantly the h Esay 40. 13 14. Prophet teacheth Who hath instructed the Spirit of IEHOVAH as a man of his counsell taught him with whom hath hee communicated counsell that he might instruct him and teach him the way of Iudgement euen teach him Knowledge and the way of Wisedomes most absolute and perfect Wisedome make knowne vnto him For of Goodnesse what shall I need to speake whose Name it selfe proclaymeth his Holinesse and whose i Gal. 5. 22. 23. fruites are Lenity Kindnesse Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse Temperance and whatsoeuer good is Eternity is also his in that as shall bee shewed anon he is the Creator of all things and therefore must needes be before any thing began Thirdly not onely his proceeding from God but the very Name of Spirit sheweth the Essence and Nature which hee is of For as the spirit of a man must needes be truely of mans nature and is the most formall and essentiall part of man so and much more it must bee thought of the Spirit of God vpon whom no composition falleth This in effect is the Apostles owne Argument 1. Cor. 2. 11. For who of men knoweth the things of man but the spirit of man that is in him So also none knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God who is in him and of his owne Essence and Nature as the opposition sheweth plainely Fourthly touching the Workes which onely belong to God of the eternall Decrees registred in the Booke of IEHOVAH the Prophet saith His k Esay 38. 16. mouth hath commanded and his Spirit hath collected them Secondly In the Creation of all things he wrought together with the Father and the Sonne Gen. 1. 2. The Spirit of God lay vpon the Waters meaning that as a Bird lying vpon her Egges and couering them vnder her wings doth by a naturall warmth and heate which commeth from her hatch and bring forth her young ones So did the Spirit of God by his liuely power and working frame and fashion the World out of that lumpe of Waters Iob 26. 13. By his Spirit he beautified or beautifully framed the Heauens Esay 40. 1â— Who helpe the Spirit of IEHOVAH meaning in the Creation which he spake of next before Hence it is that Elihu l Iob 33. 4. in the Booke of Iob professeth himselfe to be his Creature and the workmanship of his hands The Spirit of the Mighty God hath made mee and the breath of the Almighty hath put life into mee Thirdly hee gouerneth and administreth the things created Zach. 4. 10. The seuen Eyes or Spirits of IEHOVAH roule vp and downe vpon all the Earth Fourthly He hardeneth the wicked and deliuereth them into a reprobate minde For so the Apostle m Acts 28. 26. noteth it to be the voyce of the Holy Ghost which is said in n Esay 6. 10. ESAY Goe make fat the heart of this people make their eares heauy and cloze vp their eyes Fiftly hee is infinite in variety of gifts 1. Cor. 12. 11. All these things worketh that one and the same Spirit distributing them to euery one a part as he will Iohn 16. 23. When the Spirit of Truth commeth he shall lead you into all Truth Hereupon Iohn in the o Reuel 1. 4. Reuelation termeth him The seuen Spirits of God in regard of the manifold graces which God by him giueth vnto his Church Grace be to you and Peace from him that is and that was and that is to come and from the seuen Spirits which are before his Throne and from Iesuâ— Christ where by the seuen Spirits I make no question the Holy Ghost is meant and not the holy Angels First because these seuen Spirits stand before the Throne are inserted meane betweene the Father and the Sonne the Apostle wisheth Grace and Peace from them they are the Hornes and Eyes of the Lambe yea of his owne very
proofe of the God-head of the Spirit This is the summe of our most precious Faith concerning the God-head of the Sonne and Holy Ghost against Arrius Seruetus and all that hellish crue which either bring in a multiplicitie of gods and so in truth make no God at all or imagine a secondary kind of God-ship making them inferior to the Father or of the like but not of the selfe-some essence against whatsoeuer Heresies else that Hell hath forged and Satan set abroch to the dishonour of these three Persons the one onely true and euer-liuing GOD Coequall Coeternall and Consubstantiall whom we onely honour and serue CHAP. II. Of the Eternall Decrees of God THE glory of God which from all Eternitie God being thus in his nature and Persons most glorious hath further embroidered himselfe in glory by two notes of excellency which he taketh to him Kingdom and Hanour Kingdome is that whereby he doth excite an absolute soueraigntie toward other The order whereof answerable to the relation betweene the persons themselues is from the Father in the Sonne by the Holy Ghost to whom is attributed the immediate doing of them did shine in and to himselfe it hath further pleased him both to manifest in the exercising of a Kingdome and to inlarge by taking honour vnto him Therefore our Sauiour in the Lords Prayer after the Name of God comprehending his nature and persons which hitherto haue beene handled addeth these other two Thy Kingdome come thy will bee done c. By the one he ruleth by the other his rule is obeyed This to speake properly is not any other Kingdome then that which he had before but the actuall exercise and putting into practice of that Kingdome or Soueraigntie which is of his very nature as our Sauiour doth distinguish them Matth. 6. when saying Thy Kingdome come c. he addeth by and by For thine is the Kingdome c. The order or the administration of it is in this manner The Father is first in Order not in Power nor in Time is the supreme working cause who doth whatsoeuer hee doth in the Sonne and they both by the holy Spirit To whom is attributed the immediate doing of them nor as if eyther the Sonne or Spirit were instruments to worke by but both of them be principall efficient causes and they all that one and the same God that worketh all in all The place for this diuersitie of working is manifest â—n the Epistle to the Romanes a Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raysed Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raysed Christ from the dead will quicken also your mortall bodies by his Spirit dwelling in you Here as you see all is comprehended The Father quickening in Christ by his Spirit that dwelleth in vs for to this end hee maketh mention of Christs raysing from the dead More cleere betweene the Father and the Sonne is that to the b 1. Cor. 8. 6. Corinthians But vnto vs there is one God The Father from whom are all things and one Lord Iesus Christ through whom are all things From he giueth to the Father as the Fountaine of the Action Through to the Sonne in regard of the personall Distinction So in the Epistle to the c Heb. 1. 2. Hebrewes Through his Sonne hee made the World Of the Holy Ghost also it is said By his d Iob 26. 13. â—pirit he beautified the Heauens And our Sauiour Iohn 16. 14. He shall glorifie me for he shall receiue of mine and shew it vnto you whose proper kind of working as the next and immediate cause of all things is most liuely set forth e 1. Cor. 12. 4 5 â— 7 â— 10 11. 1. Cor. 12. Now there are differences of gifts but the same spirits there are differeÌ„ces of Ministeries but the same Lord. And there are differences of working but there is the same God who worketh all in all But to euery one is giuen the manifestation of the Spirit to profit for vnto one by the Spirit is giuen the Word of Wisedome and to another the Word of Knowledge by the same Spirit and to another Faith by the same Spirit and to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit and to another the working of Powers and to another Prophecie and to another discerning of Spirits and to another kinds of Tongues and to another interpretation of Tongues But all these things worketh one and the same Spirit distributing them seuerally to euery one as he pleaseth This Kingdome standeth in three things whereof the first are his Purposes or Decrees Then his Creation and The Kingdom of God hath two parts purpose workes Purpose is his Decree before all times of euery thing thirdly the Gouernment of the World the Apostle reduceth them vnto two purpose and workes Ephes 1. 21. Who worketh all things after the counsell of his will In the Counsels and Workes of God putting them both together fiue things may be noted one proper to the purpose of God the other in common appertayning both to his Workes and Purpose The first is as touching the Eternitie of this Decree that it is before all times that is to say from euerlasting The second is the generalitie of his Dispensation that it stretcheth it selfe to all things to wit to all kinds and each particular of euery kind Thirdly the relation betweene his Purpose and Workes that he effecteth nothing which before he hath not decreed decreeth nothing which in time hee doth not effect whereupon followeth the ineuitable necessitie of the execution of his counsels The fourth is touching the Lords most free and absolute stroke in this whole dispensation Lastly That all this is proper vnto God within the compasse of one of which will fall whatsoeuer wee are to speake concerning the Gouernment and Kingdome of God The Apostle in that one sentence elegantly comprehendeth all for in saying Him that worketh c. meaning God he sheweth the supreme cause before assigned and maketh it proper to God by calling him as it were by that name and saying all things hee leaueth nothing free Now where he addeth recording to the purpose after the counsell he giueth to vnderstand that nothing is wrought but that which is decreed nothing decreed but in time it is effected In which words of purpose counsell the Eternity of this Decree is also included as fore-running all his Works yea the first worke of Creation it selfe Lastly the free-will of God is expressed in adding after the counsell of his will But for a better view to be taken of them all let vs handle these three apart Therefore to begin with his Purposes or Decrees obserue in them three things First The Eternitie of those Decrees for as God himselfe is eternall so are his deep and vnsearchable counsels all of them written and decreed or euer the World was And as f Psal 93. â— He is from euerlasting so is
of the Apostle is generall Not to doe euill that good may come thereof Ro. 3. 8. And those holy men and women that this way haue offended it is their faith not their lying which through infirmitie they fell into that the Spirit of God so much commendeth away lying speake the truth euery one with his Neighbour for we are one anothers members Secondly Fraud and deceit DAVID Psal 10. 1 7. ioyneth them together Hee shall not dwell in mine house that dealeth deceitfully he that speaketh lyes shall not remayne in my sight Speciall vertues to bee As Prudence in iudging aright reckoned in this part you haue two prudence and simplicitie which goodly mixture our Sauiour q Mat. 10. 16. requireth of all that are his Be wise as Serpents and innocent or simple as Doues And the r Rom. 16. 19. Apostle to the Romanes I would haue you wise in that that is good and harmelesse in that which is euill Prudence is a vertue to discerne and iudge of things aright whereunto wee attayne by searching out the things which it behooueth vs to know as Iob Å¿ Iob 29. 16. did The contrary whereof is that which the t Psal 82. 5. Psalmist reprehendeth in Iudges and Rulers of the Earth When these men know not nor giue themselues to vnderstand but walke in darknesse all the foundations of the Earth are mooued Simplicitie is to deale sincerely in the things wee discerne Simplicitie in speaking and doing the truth and iudge of And this hath vnder it two other branches First Speaking and performing the truth These u Zach. 8. 16. are the things which you should doe speake the truth euery one to his fellow and let iudgement of truth and peace iudge in your gates The contrarie whereof is First Euery vniust sentence When x Amos 5. 6 7. men turne iudgement into Wormewood as the Prophet speaketh Secondly Briberie Giuing sentence for reward Thy y Esay 1. 25. Princes are rebellious and compainons of Theeues euery one loueth gifts and followeth after rewards they iudge not the Fatherlesse neither doth the Widdowes cause come before them Where though the sentence bee iust and vpright yet taking of rewards is wicked when men doe not Iustice for Iustice sake To this first branch certaine speciall vertues doe also belong some whereof are in the things that concerne ones good name some in those that concerne worldly goods In the things that concerne ones good name To acknowledge the goodnesse that is in him and to speake of it with a loue and liking of that they doe So doth PAVL 2. Cor. 9. 2. For I know your readinesse whereof I boast to the Macedonians telling them that Achaia is furnished a yeere since Wherein notwithstanding wee must take heed that our loue and liking of the partie draw vs not to an allowance or winking at his faults no more then the Holy Ghost doth in the due commendation of the most choice and excellent men as of DAVID He z 1. King 15. 5. did right in the eyes of IEHOVAH and departed not from any thing that he commanded him all the daies of his life saue only in the matter of VRIAH the Hittite and of IOTHAM He a 2. Chrâ— 27. 2. did vprightly in the eyes of IEHOVAH according to all that his father did onely he entred not into the Temple of IEHOVAH but the people did yet corrupt themselues The contrarie is First A humour of speaking euill of men which the Apostle would haue all to take heed of Secondly Slandering or open forging of tales or priuie deuising of them fayning or adding any thing to them Thou b Leuit. 19. 16. shalt not walke about with Tales among the people Prou. 26. 20. Without wood the fire is quenched and without a Tale-bearer strife ceaseth And againe Verse 22. The words of a Tale-bearer are as flatterings and they goe downe into the bowels of the belly Rom. 1. 29. 30. Among the sinnes that naturally sticke vnto vs are reckoned Whisperers Tale-bearers c. And the c 2. Cor. 12. 20. Apostle saith Let there not be strife c. backbyting whispering c. among you Whither belongeth all wrongfull accusation whether vtterly false as that of the two wicked men against d 1. Kin. 21. 12. Naboth relating the bare words but not the sence and meaning wherein the two e Mat. 26. 60 91. Witnesses that testified our Sauiour Christ should say I can destroy the Temple of God and rayse it vp in three dayes are said to bee false Witnesses for f Iohn 2. 21. he spake of the Temple of his bodie Or lastly accusing of a truth with an intent to hurt for it was a truth that g 2. Sam. 22. 9. Doeg told of Dauids comming to Abimelech and his asking counsel for him of the Lord and giuing him victuals and other things yet because his end was wicked and naught iustly doth the Spirit of God say of him h Ps 52. 2. 3 4. Thy tongue imagineth mischiefe and is like a sharpe Rasor that cutteth deceitfully Thou doest Loue euill more then good and lies more then to speake truth Thirdly Receiuing tales we heare of others or euill reports that are cast abroad by whisperers talebarers c. Thou i Exod. 23. 1. shalt not receiue a false tale nor put thine hand with the wicked to heare false witnesse Wherefore Dauid k 1. Sam. 24. 10. worthily chargeth SAVL Wherefore giuest thou an eare to mens wordes that say Behold DAVID seeketh euill against thee And Salomon l Prou. 25. 23. in his Prouerbes saith that as the North wind driueth away the rayne so doth an angrie countenance a Slandering tongue Fourthly Babbling talke which the Apostle m 1. Tim. 5. 13. reprehendeth in certaine young women that were not onely idle but also Prattlers and busibodies speaking things which are not comely Fiftly Flattery praysing one aboue that we know in him He n Prou. 27. 14. that prayseth his friend with a loud voice rising earely in the morning it shal be accounted vnto him as a curse With faire o Rom. 16. 18. speech and flattering they deceiue the hearts of the simple Sixtly Foolish and arrogant boasting Let another praise thee saith p Prou. 27. 2. the wiseman and not thine owne mouth Seuenthly Dissembling when men say one thing and meane another q Psal 82. 3. speake peace with their friends but mischiefe is in their heart The vertue occupied in the things that concerne worldly goods is plaine sincere dealing The contrary whereof is all deceit in bargaining buying and selling Whereof the wiseman saith The r Prou. 12. 17. deceitfull man shall not roste that he taketh in hunting Of this kind are selling countrefeit for good as Copper for Gold and mingling any wares bad with good making shew onely of the good Heare Å¿ Amos. 8. 4 5 6 ye this yee that
of Gods goodnesse in the things they pray for Thirteenth Gods Children are constant in their prayers and continue in them Giue vs this day c. euery day renewing their supplications The wicked faint and quickly giue ouer or pray but by starts These circumstances to be obserued out of the manner of the Lords Prayer lead mee by the hand to some consideration of the matter it selfe and parts of that Prayer wherein also vnlesse I deceiue may selfe we shall nothing digresse from our purpose There be two parts of that as of all other Prayers for it standeth partly in petition partly in thankes-giuing The Petitions are sixe in number all in that course and order as the Doctrine before was handled whereof the first three compreheÌ„ded in the first part of Diuinity are of those things that belong vnto Gods glory without any respect of our owne good as the particle Thy in euery one doth shew And this one thing whâ—eein the soundest Diuines agree being well obserued bringeth a great light for the distinguishing of all the sixe Petitions according to their proper bounds and limits in such sort as hereafter followeth The first Peticion Hallowed bee thy name O thou the blessed and great IEHOVAH Father Sonne and holy Spirit three persons and one onely true and euer-liuing God whose i Esay 9. 3. name is wonderfull and who alone art glorious and excellent thy Mercie great vnto the Heauens thy Truth vnto the Cloudes thy Righteousnesse as the mightie Hills thy Iudgements like the bottomlesse Deepe exalt thy selfe O God aboue the heauens thy Glorie ouer all the earth And make it knowne vnto thy creatures that thou the Creator blessed for euer Amen art a Nature Spirituall and Diuine of thy selfe and in thy selfe and by thy selfe subsisting Eternall Immeasurable Incomprehensible Infinite in Power Wisdome Holinesse Truth Mercie Iustice and whatsoeuer good is yea Goodnesse and Perfection it selfe So that both whatsoeuer thou doest is absolutely good and holy and all good and perfect gifts are thine there being no iot of good in any creature but that onely which they haue from thee who art the Father of Lights And this respecteth the first branch of that part of Diuinitie concerning the Nature Persons and Properties of the Godhead The second Petition Thy Kingdome come Aduance the Throne and Scepter of thy Kingdome in the Gouernment of the World according to all thy counsels and purposes decreed from Eternitie Whether of sauing the Elect or destroying of the Reprobate or of the businesses and affaires pertayning to this life and the generall Prouidence ouer all things that thy hands haue fashioned and made together with the meanes which thou hast sanctified thereunto thy Gospell with the Ministerie and preaching thereof the Sacraments Censures and Discipline of the Church and all other good things thou hast ordayned may prooue to thy Children a sauour of life vnto life and to none of them a sauour of death vnto death And that thou wouldest so dispose of things by thy hidden and secret prouidence that all persons and creatures although they many of them sinfully and wretchedly mooued with other causes and ends 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 policie of Satan or man or any other creature hinder the execution of thy most glorious and magnificent most wise and iust Decrees But let them all bee as the Mountaines of Brasse that cannot be remooued but stand fast for euer And this respecteth the second branch touching the Kingdome of God and the dispensation of his Counsels The third Petition Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heauen Haue thou alwayes in the World euen here among men as thou hast among thy holy Angels and Spirits of the Righteous that are deceased a Church and chosen Companie which may k Zach. 8. 8. refresh and delight thy Spirit by yeelding with free and readie hearts all cheerfull obedience to thy knowne and reuealed will whilest they bee seene to preferre the loue they beare to thee before the loue of themselues their owne pleasure profit or liues or whatsoeuer else that is most deare vnto them And this which is the third branch the honour due to God riseth by a necessarie consequence from the former two for he that is in himselfe and in his workes so glorious is worthie and alone worthy to be honoured and serued of vs. The three latter Petitions comprehended in the second part of Diuinitie are of those things that concerne our owne and our Neighbours good whereof the first being the fourth Petition in number is for the Fountaine of all good that excellent l Iohn 4. 4. gift of Christ himselfe and all the meanes and Graces Faith especially whereby he may be ours and we come to be his The fift and sixt are for the streames of Righteousnesse that flow from it and spring vnto euerlasting life So that in these last Petitions the whole substance of the Gospell is contayned for touching the other Righteousnesse which is our owne or by the Law the same being impossible through our owne corruption to be had our Sauiour teacheth vs not to pray for it But contrariwise in teaching Regeneration and Righteousnesse through him he doth vtterly exclude all Righteousnesse from our selues or by our owne Creation And in willing vs to pray to bee deliuered from euill he sheweth the right vse of the Law whereby euill is discouered to be the rule of our obedience The fourth Petition Giue vs this Day that Bread of ours that bread aboue substance or better then all wealth and riches which consume and perish whereas this indureth to euerlasting Life being the Bread of God that commeth downe from Heauen and giueth life vnto the World euen Christ himselfe the spirituall Manna promised in Paradise figured in the Wildernesse forespoken by the Prophets shaddowed in the Law manifested in the Gospell thy onely Sonne of thine owne eternall nature and Essence conceiued and borne of the Virgin by the wonderfull worke of thy holy Spirit sanctified from the Wombe to bee the mightie and powerfull Instrument in and by whose flesh or humane nature vnited to the God-head personally hee quickeneth all those that by Fâ—ith are ingraffed in him replenished with all Righteousnesse and fulnesse of the Spirit aboue measure And therefore in himselfe most blessed and happie but for vs and for our sakes accursed in that he bare the whole wrath due to our sinnes 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 he should bee holden of it but loosing the pangs and sorrowes of death hee arose againe and ascended into Heauen where he sitteth at the right hand of thy most excellent Maiestie to make continuall Intercession for those that are his
in the end Death which is the separation of Soule and Body Yet in all this some Reliques of former Dâ—gnitie doe remaine namely in the Minde common Principles of Good and Euill sparkes of that light of Nature and some Seedes of Conscience which notwithstanding are wholly sinfull and doe but serue partly to keepe Men from breaking forth without all shame or regard of honestie partly to make them vnexcusable In the Body a kind of Maiestie in the whole Man a certaine Soueraigntie that keepeth in awe the brute Creatures The Creature here through the Fall of Man receineth an impaire of his first perfection So much of that which is in part The fulnesse of the Curse after Death is Damnation with the Deuill and his Angels In Soule presently till the Latter Day at what time God for that purpose raysing vp their Bodies the whole Man shall receiue the like Doome and Execution accordingly A miserable Change to such Men as then are liuing shall be instead of a Death and rising from it The Creature is then also subiect to an vtter abolition THE SECOND BOOKE OF DIVINITIE Of EMANVEL God and Man our Redeemer CHAP. 1. Of CHRIST THis is the summe of that Doctrine which we haue concerning GOD. The other followeth concerning Emanuel GOD with vs. Emanuel GOD with vs is in one Person the Sonne of GOD and very Man conceiued of a Virgin by the Holy GHOST Who is also CHRIST or Anointed called of his Father euer since the Fall of Adam to be a Mediatour betweene GOD and Man of a Couenant to saue through Faith in him that is by apprehending of the Couenant certaine few Men whom GOD his Father hath chosen from Eternitie and giuen vnto him to set forth in them the prayse of his Mercie This Couenant is called the Couenant of Grace And ratified by the Death of Him that made it hath also the Name of a Testament Being alwayes one and the same in substance it is neuerthelesse distinguished or distinctly to be considered in the Old and the New Testament The Old Testament was the Couenant through CHRIST to come The New Testament is the Couenant through CHRIST alreadie come IESVS the Sonne of Marie CHAP. II. Of the Priesthood of Christ OF the Office of Mediation there be two parts Priesthood and Kingdome Priesthood is in the things which he doth to God for those Elect. The parts are Oblation and Intercession Oblation is the offring vp of Himselfe for them It standeth in two things First the sanctifying of his Humane Nature in all Holinesse from the very first moment of his Conception for the worke of the Mediation Then in the performing of the most excellent measure of Obedience to the Law of God that can possibly fall vnto any Creature One principall part whereof are his Sufferings in taking vpon him our Sinnes and the whole Curse both that of this Life and the fulnesse of it due vnto them after Death All which he fully satisfied The Curse vpon vs here in the whole course of his Life the fulnesse of the Curse vpon the Crosse and Death by dying vnder the power whereof he lay three dayes in the Graue This Righteousnesse or Obedience being the Righteousnesse of Him who is both God and Man doth consequently merit a like supreme measure of Blessednesse euidently seene in the G 〈…〉 s that did follow his Sufferings and were in Soule or Bodie apart or ioyntly in them both In Soule hee went to Heauen presently after Death His Body hee rayled from the Dead glorious the third day at the daâ—â—ning of the Day In his whole Person Soule and Body ioyned together he ascended into Heauen the fortieth day after his Resurrection and there sitteth at the right hand of God that is to say imoyeth all Soueraigntie Power and Glory Hitherto of Oblation Intercession is the continuall presenting of his Merites to God his Father on the behalfe of those Elect. CHAP. III. Of Christs Gouernment of the World in generall SVch is the Priesthood of Christ his Kingdome followeth Kingdome is in the things which hee doth from God for those Elect. The Kingdome of Christ hath two parts One whereby hee gouerneth all the World according to their owne Nature since the Fall In the Angels perfect in Deuils and Men corrupted in the rest of the World peruerted CHAP. IIII. Of the Propheticall Office of Christ And of his Word THe other which is vnto his Church a Companie of Men culled out of the World This latter part contayneth his Propheticall Office and that which the Scripture by excellencie termeth the Kingdome Propheticall Office whereby hee hath a Church vnto himselfe by his Word and the Power of his Spirit The Word of Christ is his publishing of the Couenant of Grace Which of the Old Testament was called the Promise of the New is called the Gospel CHAP. V. Of the outward Church HIs Church is the outward Church or the Church of Gods Elect. Outward is of those that professe to beleeue in Him Seuerall Companies that assemble for the Exercises of the Word are so many Churches and Members of the Whole And in euery of these God hath alwayes some that are His indeed Their Children also are of the Church Vpon the outward Church Christ bestoweth Gifts both for the Churches common good and for a Man 's owne priuate For the common good are first things committed to the Churches keeping then Ministeries and Graces The things committed are his Word whereof wee haue spoken to be preached Sacraments to be administred and other holy Things Preaching is an Instruction of the Church by liuely Voice in the Word of Christ and that by Doctrine or Exhortation Doctrine in laying forth the Truth and confuting of contrarie Errors Exhortation to apply it also to all good vses of comforting denouncing stiâ—â—ing vp reprouing A Sacrament is a signe and seale of the Couenant either for our entrance or continuance in the Couenant The administration is to deliuer them with declaring Christs Institution and Prayer vnto God to make the same effectuall to the end for the which they were ordayned Which the Scripture calleth Blessing or Consecration It followeth to speake of Ministeries and Graces Ministeries are publike Functions in the Church specially for Preaching which includeth the dutie of offering the Churches Prayers and Administration of the Sacraments Among the Ministers of the Word some haue beene extraordinarily inspired of Christ to deliuer both by liuely Voyce and Writing so as they could not erre the whole Truth of Christ and had power to worke Miracles for the confirming of their Doctrine All other Ministeries are to fetch their Light from the Doctrine of those that were so inspired Graces are Gifts for the discharge of those publike Functions Gifts for a Man 's owne priuate are Knowledge of the Word of Christ and a Taste of the sweetnesse of it Which being the highest Step that it is possible for any Reprobate to ascend changeth after a
and part in another and therefore they are many men But God because he is a most single and perfect and infinite essence to whomsoeuer hee communicateth his nature as hee hath before all times to his Sonne and holy Spirit must needes communicate the same wholly and perfectly and infinitely So as there can be but one God for if there be many one must differ from another in hauing that the other hath not so can they not be perfect much lesse can they be perfection it selfe perfection being that which both is perfect of it selfe and giueth perfection to all other things But being many gods if one should giue perfection to the other that other were not God For hee had not his God-head of himselfe if all had of themselues none should giue to other so none of them were God And infinite how can that be which is distributed among many for where there be many all must be circumscribed because where one is there cannot bee the other But our God is such a one as filleth Heauen and Earth and cannot be circumscribed therefore in trauelling with a multitude of gods they bring forth no God at all But because in so high and deepe a point of Christian Religion we are not to rest vpon naturall reasons leauing them I come vnto the vndoubted Oracles of holy Scripture whereby it is most cleerely and euidently confirmed Deut. 6. 4. Harken Israel IEHOVAH thy Gods meaning the persons in the God-head are one Iehouah or one diuine Essence Deut. 32. 39. See now that I am he and there is no God with mee For who k Psal 18. 32. saith the Psalmist is God beside IEHOVAH Esay 44. 6. Thus saith IEHOVAH I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God Againe l Esay 45. 5. I am IEHOVAH and there is none but I beside me there is no God And the m 1. Cor. 8. 4. Apostle to the Corinths We know there is no other God but one for albeit there be that are called gods both in Heauen and vpon Earth as there be in the vaine conceits of men many gods and many lords yet to vs there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and one Iesus Christ c. The same hee inforceth in the n Ephes 4. 5. Epistle to the Ephesians There is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all c. which also is a notable reason For if there were many gods there must also be many faiths one beleeuing in this god another in that god And here the sleights of Satan haue from time to time beene wonderfull who not able to wring out of mens minds the opinion of a God so strongly settled in them hath cunningly abused the World by bringing in an imaginary multitude of gods bewitching them to worship partly fained powers partly bare creatures neglecting the Creatour blessed for euer Amen By how much The three persons are each of them that one Iehouah diuersly subsisting and are the Father and the Sonne and the Holy Ghost the more wee are to striue for the holding fast of this Truth as the Piller of Faith and ground of all Pietie howsoeuer it bee a truth of all other most true and certayne that there is nor can be but one onely God for the causes before alleaged ye the Scripture telleth vs that in this most simple and single essence there bee three subsistences or persons truely subsisting whereof euery one is distinct from other and each hath the whole God-head in him The Father which eternally begat the Sonne The The Father is a Person which from all eternitie hath begotten the Sonne Sonne eternally begotten of the Father The Holy Ghost eternally proceeding both from the Father and the Sonne And these three Persons are all one God or one Diuine Nature The Scripture is wont to expresse them vnder the name The Sonne is a Person from all eternitie begotten of the Father The Holy Ghost is a Person eternally proceeding from the Father and the Sonne of Elohim gods not as if there were more gods then one but to note the diuers subsistences in the God-head as you may see Deut. 6. 4. Esay 54. 5. and in a number of other places and therefore vseth for the most part to couple it with a Verbe singular Wee call them Persons because they are liuing and vnderstanding natures subsisting by themselues which are the things that make a Person For first brute creatures are no persons because hauing life yet they want vnderstanding Secondly euery person must subsist that is bee some one particular thing as Iohn Peter c. For the whole nature of man wee doe not call a person but a thing common to many persons Thirdly this subsistence must be by it selfe neyther the part of another thing nor sustayned of another thing as the Soule of a man whilest it is coupled with the Body subsisting all that while not alone but together with the Body is not called a person And so wee rightly say that the humanity of Christ consisting of a reasonable Soule and Body as all other men doe yet in him maketh not a person as it doth in Iohn and Peter because it subsisteth not alone but in the Deitie which supporteth it To prooue the Sonne and Holy Ghost Samosetan ' Seruetus c make the Sonne and eternall Word of God a bare Idea and imaginary thing The Holy Ghost nothing else but an operation or moouing whereby God worketh in his Children And so rob the Church of the true God blessed for euer Amen to bee persons truly subsisting indued with Iudgement will vnderstanding and a liuing nature not bare qualities or actions the place of Genesis o Gen â— 26 is most cleere and subiect to no cauill Let vs make man according to our Image God the Father consulteth not there with his Angels for the glory of Creation he reserueth to himselfe alone neyther was man made to the Image of Angels but of God he speaketh not of himselfe in the plurall number for honour sake for that kind of speech you shall not finde so ancient nor knowne to the former Ages but he speaketh and consulteth after his manner which is Diuine and Spirituall with his Sonne Holy Spirit which how could it be if they were not vnderstanding substances So in the diuision of Tongues he taketh counsell Come p Gen. 11. 7. let vs goe downe and confound their speech This was not with the Angels but with the Sonne and Holy Ghost For straightway Moses addeth So IEHOVAH scattered them Touching the Sonne In the beginning was the Word Iohn 1. 2. was that is truely subsisted for so is the nature of that word How could hee bee the q Iohn 1. 18. onely begotten Sonne of God r Colâ—s 1. 15. borne before any thing was created if hee were not a liuing person He that Å¿ Dan. 9. 13.
Fourthly Hee sendeth forth the Holy Ghost out of his owne substance and therefore is indeede and truth God if as shall bee prooued anon the Holy Ghost himselfe be God Fiftly The workes which only belong to God Christ doth the same and that in the same manner as hee saith in o John 5. 19. IOHH Whatsoeuer the Father doth the same the Sonne doth likewise And p Iohn 5. 18. againe My Father worketh hitherto and I worke Whereupon truely and rightly the Iewes concluded that hee made himselfe equall with God It were long to goe thorow all but to select the chiefe and principall among all the workes of God none is more neere and inward to the Sacred Maiesty then the Eternall Election which is within himselfe and knowne onely to himselfe and whereof he alone doth keepe the Booke This is attributed vnto Christ Iohn 15. You haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you that you might bring forth fruit and that your fruit may remaine which properly ment of the dignity and office of Apostle-ship whereunto Christ had chosen them giueth them withall this comfort that as they had this honour to be the Arch-Masons and Master-Builders of the Church which is the House of the liuing God so themselues were liuely stones of that spirituall Building and to haue part in the fruite which by their Ministery they should reach forth for the euerlasting good of many in q 2. Tim. 4. 6. sauing of themselues as well as others without which their ioy had not beene full And aptly doth this follow as the Root and Fountaine of that most Honourable Title to bee his friends which hee had vouchsafed to giue vnto them immediately before But more manifest is that Iohn 13. 18. I speake not of you all I know whom I haue chosen But it behooueth that the Scripture should bee fulfilled He that eateth bread with mee hath lift vp his heele against mee The circumstance of exempting one of the Apostles out of the number of the blessed making his Election the cause of this their difference referring the same to his owne secret knowledge and finally opposing to the Chosen him that should betray him the r Iohn 17. 12. sonne of destruction as afterwards he calleth him who yet in familiaritie of conuersation was a choice and speciall friend eating bread continually at his Table shew plainly that hee speaketh of Election vnto life As other Å¿ Mat. 24. 31. where hee doth when speaking of his second Comming vnto Iudgement hee saith The Sonne of man shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet Who shall gather together his Elect from the foure winds c. And no maruell though hee call them his Elect for since hee hath power and authority to t Reuel 3. 5. blot mens names out of the Booke of Life it cannot bee chosen but hee must haue interest to write them in for of contraries there is one and the same respect in nature Therefore to shut vp this point and to leaue it without question the Booke of Life in the u Reuel 13. 8. Reuelation is expresly called The Lambes Booke of Life Come to that which is more glorious in the World And first vnto the Creation the proper marke of the true God As the x Psal 124. 8. Psalmist teacheth Our helpe is in the Name of IEHOVAH that hath made both Heauen and Earth And y Ier. 10. 11. IEREMY The gods that made not Heauen and Earth let them perish from the Earth and from vnder the Heauen He it is that wrought with the Father in the creating of all things Iohn 1. 13. All things were made by him and without him was nothing that was made not a iot of any thing So saith Paul to the z Col. 1. 16. Colossians By him were created all things both in Heauen and vpon the Earth things visible and inuisible whether Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Therefore he is called The a Reuel 3. 14. beginning of the Creation of God or the first and prime cause from whence the Creatures take their beginning being all made and formed by him And notable is that of the 102. Psalme which the Apostle to the Hebrewes b Heb. 1. 10. applyeth vnto Christ Thou Lord in the beginning laydst the foundation of the Earth and the Heauens are the worke of thy hands And By him saith the same c Heb. 1. 2. Apostle God made the Ages that is Time and the course and succession of all things with this glory of Creation is coupled another not inferior of the cherishing and preseruing of the things created So Prou. 8. 30. he saith that he is with God his Father nourishing and gladding them continually Hither belong those Diuine Workes and Miracles manifestly pointing out his God-head He rebuked the Winds and they obeyed him raysed vp the dead opened the eyes of them that were blind cast out Deuils had power to send them into Hell to their fearefull place of torment for d Luke 8. 31. they besought him not to doe it And all this he did not as the Prophets and Apostles but by his owne Soueraigne Power As the Euangelist e Luke 5. 36. noteth that hereupon feare came on all the people maruelling what this might be For euen say they with Authority and Power he commandeth the vncleane spirits and they come out And how must not this Power needes be his owne when hee taketh vpon him to giue it to others The f Matth. 10. 8. Euangelist recording that hee gaue power vnto the twelue Apostles to clense Lepers to rayse the dead to cast out Deuils c. which authority they like faithfull Seruants did so pursue as it might easily appeare they deriued their whole vertue from him alone Hence is that of g Acts 3. 6. PETER In the Name of Christ arise and walke and h Acts 9. 34. AENEAS Iesus Christ doth heale thee I stand not heere to presse those glorious workes whereby his God-head shineth most cleerely in the Church in subduing the proud enemies thereof and generally all the Reprobates hardening their hearts and deliuering them vp vnto their owne damnation For so the i Iohn 12. 39 40. 41. Euangelist when hee had shewed that the Iewes could not beleeue because ESAY had said He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts lest they should see with their eyes and vnderstand with their heart and I should heale them immediately addeth These things said ISAIAH when hee saw his glory and spake of him Contrariwise he bestoweth vpon his Children all good graces Therefore the Apostle continually prayeth for Grace and Peace from him He sendeth the Holy Spirit vnto them The k Iohn 15. 16. Comforter whom I will send And Iohn 20. 22. He breathed vpon them and said Receiue the Holy Ghost He giueth Faith as appeareth by that Prayer
vpon him the sinnes of all the Elect to satisfie for them by his sufferings Whereof so holy and good it was as comming from God both in respect of the causes ends matter and manner of doing yet iustly doth the Holy p Acts 2. 23. Ghost call them wicked hands by whom hee was nayled to the Crosse And worthily did Iudas receiue strangling q Acts 1. 16. 17. and the sheading forth of his bowels as the reward of his iniquitie for being guide to those that apprehended Iesus They doing it to a wicked end after a sinfull manner not as an act of Iustice but of Treason and Rebellion against God out of the maliciousnes of their corrupt natures And that which is said of this may by the iudicious Reader be easily fitted and applyed to the Examples following So it was a singular worke of mercie to send Ioseph into the Land of Egypt to bee a Father to his Fathers house at that time the onely visible Church of God to prouide r Gen. 45. 5. ◠things for their sustenance to keepe them aliue by a mightie deliuerance So did ſ Gen. 50. 20. God thinke it for good to preserue aliue a number of People yet this is no excuse to the Brethren of Ioseph who t Gen. 50. 20. thought it for ill against him moued thereto through extreme u Gen. 37. 4 5. hatred and x Gen 37. 11. Acts 7. 9. enuie The Lord in so many crosses and afflictions as he layeth vpon his Church hath a gracious end y Esay 27. 10. moderately to correct them and in measure not for their hurt but z Deut. 8. 16. that he may doe good vnto them in the end But a Zach. 1. 15. with an exceeding wrath saith he am I wroth against those Nations who when I am angrie but a little helpe forwards vnto euill that is aggrauate the affliction of his people with all their might and maine doing it with a reuenging minde b Ezech. 25. 12. 15. 25. 3. vaunting of the desolation of Gods People and onely setting before their eyes ruine and destruction As notably is set forth in that proud King of Assyria Esay 10. 5. 6 7. We to Ashur the rod of my wrath although my Staffe of indignation be in their hand and sending him against an hypocrite Nation I giue him commandement against the people with whom I am wroth that he might take the prey and spoile the spoile and make him to bee trodden downe as the clay of the streets But he doth not so imagine neither doth his heart think so but to destroy after his owne minde c. to cut off not a few Na 〈…〉 And the like doth the same c Esay 47. 6 7. Prophet in the person of God vpbrayde vnto the Babylonians I was wroth with my People I prophaned mine Inheritance and gaue it into thine hand thou shewedst no mercie vnto them against the old thou madest thy yoke exceeding heauie c. saidst For euer I shall bee a Ladie thou didst neuer minde these things thou remembredst not the end of it Secondly these euill actions as in regard of the worke of God are holy and righteous for that which is a point of Iustice and morall good he thereby punisheth former sinnes and one wickednesse with another deliuering them vp like a righteous Iudge to the lust and corruptions of their owne heart and to Satans power as to the Seriants and Executioners of his wrath that so they should be tempted and led into new sinnes for the punishment of their old and by both may aggrauate their condemnation This is it which he himselfe saith Psal 81. 13. Because my People harkened not to my voyce nor Israel would none of mee therefore dismissed I them to the fancie of their owne heart to walke after their owne counsell And the Apostle to the d Rom. 1. 24 25 26 27 28 29. Romanes Therefore God deliuered them vp vnto the lusts of their hearts vnto vncleannesse to defile their bodies among themselues as those which changed the Truth of God into a lye and worshipped and serued the Creature neglecting the Creator For this cause God deliuered them vnto vncleane affections for their women changed the naturall vse into that which is contrary to Nature Likewise also the male leauing the naturall vse of the woman burned in their lust one towards another Males with Males committing filthinesse and receiuing in themselues the recompence which was meete for their errour And as they regarded not to acknowledge God so God deliuered them vp vnto a minde voide of all iudgement to doe the things that were not seemely filled with all Vnrighteousnesse Malice Whoredome c. Againe 2. Thess 2. 11 12. For this cause because they imbraced not the loue of the Truth God will send vnto them effectuall errours that they should beleeue lyes that all might be condemned which beleeue not the Truth but take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse So doth the Lord our God in his most iust and prouident dispensation e Ezech. 3. 21. set a stumbling blocke before them for their ruine turning their iniquitie vpon themselues and f Psal 94. 23. cutting them off through their owne wickednesse These things confidered it will appeare that howsoeuer wee say with the Scriptures that God powerfully worketh in a sinfull action in such sence as before was shewed yet that nothing impeacheth the puritie and vncorruption of his most holy Nature neither doth the least staine or specke of vncleannesse cleaue vnto him nay his wonderfull Goodnesse and Wisdome come herein to bee admired who both worketh good things by euill instruments and maketh sinne it selfe to serue vnto his glorie So that albeit sinne bee euill of it selfe yet that there should bee sinne it becommeth exceeding good Not that we reiect the terme of suffering or permission which it pleaseth the Holy Ghost himselfe to vse as Rom. 9. 22 23. For what if God willing to declare his wrath and to make his Power knowne hath suffered with much long suffering the vessels of wrath and also to make knowne the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercies And in the g Acts 14. 16. Acts In former Ages God suffered all Nations to walke in their owne wayes But so hee is also said to permit that which is good And this will we doe if God permit saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 6. 3. The next thing to be considered Stoicks which imagine an absolute necessitie of things in Nature and tye God to the second causes in this Doctrine of Prouidence is the free dispensation of Almightie God who dealeth herein as a soueraigne Monarch by his owne absolute will and pleasure without any the least compulsion or necessitie h Psal 135. 6. Whatsoeuer pleaseth IEHOVAH he doth in Heauen and in the Earth in the Sea and in all Deepes Our i Psal 115. 3. God is in Heauen
vertue of all goodnesse The Apostle noteth this also common to all good duties And c 2. Thess 3. 13 ye brethren be not wearie of well-doing Doing d Gal. 6. 9. well let vs not bee wearie for in the proper time we shall reape if we faint not Which is a notable reason taken from the end and reward due vnto it And the rather to perswade vs to this vertue the Apostle to the e Heb. 12. 2 3. Hebrewes biddeth vs to looke to the Captaine and perfiter of our faith IESVS who for the ioy set before him indured the Crosse despising shame and sitteth at the right hand of the Throne of God Consider therefore saith the Apostle him that indured such gaine-saying of sinfull men against him that you bee not wearie and faint in your soules The contrarie therefore is First To faint giue ouer and to be wearie of well-doing Cursed f Gal. 3. 10. is euerie one that continueth not in the things that are written in the Law to doe them Secondly To slide backe and fall away from which the Apostle doth carefully dehort vs Take g Heb. 3. 12. heed brethren lest there be at any time in any of you a wicked heart of vnbeliefe to depart away from the liuing God for as our Sauiour threateneth Hee h Luke 9. 62. which setteth his hand vnto the Plough and looketh backe is vnfit for the Kingdome of God Now wee must not thinke that this perfection here spoken of is required of all alike for euen among men it is iust i Luke 12. 48. to whom more is committed of him to require more The holinesse and perfection of the Angels farre exceeded the holinesse and perfection of Adam according as their nature was more excellent and perfect Adam k 1. Tim. 3. 6. also excelled Eue who as the weaker Vessell euen then when shee stood in her integritie was first assailed by the cunning and slight of Satan and both Adam and Eue if they had still continued in the state of Innocencie by time and experience of Gods goodnesse should haue beene better confirmed and growne more and more in heauenly Graces as our l Luke 2. 52. Sauiour did so in men growne and publike persons more is required then in children or priuate men The last thing is that as our minde soule and bodie Euery thing with so much the greater strength as the dutie doth more excell and all the strength of them must bee carryed both in nature and action to the performance of all good duties so it must bee to euery one in his degree and place For a difference of duties must of necessitie bee holden the Commandements are some greater then other and in euery Commandement some duties to bee preferred before the rest For example the duties of the first Table are greater then the duties of the second which besides the expresse words of our Sauiour Christ calling it the m Mat. 22. 37. first the great Cōmandement may be shewed out of the Prophet first and then out of the Apostle who both make the breach of the first Table to bee the cause that men runne head-long into all offences against the second Vpon n Hosh 4. 12. the tops of the Mountaines they sacrifice and vpon the hils they offer burnt offerings vnder the Oke and Poplar and Oliue because the shaddow therof is good Therefore doe your daughters commit fornication and your daughters in Law goe a whoring And therefore o Rom. 1. 25 26 28 29. God gaue them vp to their owne hearts lust vnto vncleannesse to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues which turned the Truth of God into a Lye and worshipped the Creatures forsaking the Creator who is blessed for euer For this cause God gaue them vp to vile affections vnrighteousnesse fornication c. The duties of the first Table are greater then the second as they are in order before them And this is absolutely true comparing like degrees as morall duties of the one with morall duties of the other not ceremoniall of the first Table with the Morall of the second for in that case it is true which the p Hosh 6. 6. Prophet speaketh I am delighted with Mercie and not with Sacrifice So the chiefe middle and least duties of the first Table are to be compared with the like of the latter deedes with deedes words with words thoughts with thoughts not otherwise for if you cōpare Murder with the least abuse of the Name of God or Adulterie with the least breach of the Sabbath these are the greater sinnes For the measure and proportion to bee obserued in this difference First in the seruice of God our nature ought to bee more prone and apt vnto it our knowledge greater our iudgement riper our conscience tenderer our memorie fresher our desires and will earnester all things to bee done with a greater Affection Loue Approbation Cheerefulnesse Feare to offend Sinceritie Zeale Watchfulnesse and continuance both in Profession and Action In which regard to shew how all our Thoughts Desires and Affections should thus bee taken vp when we come to deale with God it is said Thou q Mat. 22. shalt loue the Lord with all thine heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength As if this were proper to the Duties of the first Table which indeed doth but principally belong to them and is by proportion to bee carryed to the rest Therefore the glorie of God ought to be dearer vnto vs then the sauing of our owne soules As the examples of Moses and Paul doe teach vs r Exod. 32. 32. one desiring to be blotted out of the Booke of Life rather then that Gods great Name should be blasphemed amōg the Gentiles The ſ Rom. 9. 3. other for the glorifying of God in the sauing of his Brethren the Nation of the Iewes wishing to be anathema accursed from Christ But especially Christ himselfe as a most absolute and perfect example of all righteousnesse doth herein goe before vs when the houre being come wherein hee was for our sakes to drinke vp the full cup of the fierce wrath of his Father and his soule perplexed that he knew not which way to turne him yet hee more regardeth the glorifying of God then the sauing of himselfe from that houre Now t Ioh. 12. 27 28 is my soule troubled And What shall I say Father saue me from this houre but for that cause am I come vnto this houre Father glorifie thy Name And hereupon it is that in all our Prayers we are to set that in the first place as our Sauiour by the verie order of his heauenly Prayer teacheth so as if it could be imagined that wee had no need to aske for our selues which wee alwayes haue yet the onely zeale of his glorie ought continually to stirre vs vp vnto this dutie and that much more forcibly then all our owne necessities The
things First Grace is not vniuersall nor all doe not receiue it no not so much as the offer of Grace nor an outward calling Many l Mat. 20. 16. saith our Sauiour Christ are called he saith not all but many And so the m Mat. 22. 3 4 King which made a Marriage Dinner for his Sonne sent his Seruants to call not all but those that hee had called that is those whose names he had set downe in a Calender or Roll to bee his Ghests although of those also some n Ver. 11 12 13 were none of his Neither doth it hinder this which is said after o Ver. 9. Go into the high-wayes and bring in as many as ye shal find For the scope of the Parable sheweth that by those that were first bid are meant the Iewes into whose place came the Gentiles that before were alieus and strangers so that by calling of the Iewes onely at the first it is prooued that all men are not made partakers of the outward calling And this if wee had no word at all for it experience it selfe might teach vs for how many hath death ouer-taken in thier Cradles before they could bee called how many of riper yeeres doth darknesse couer that they neuer can see the Light Paul verily p Acts 14. 15. saying that in the ages passed God suffered all Nations to walke in their owne wayes sheweth how many Millions of soules haue perished that neuer heard of Christ But it is the glorie of Christs administration whether in his owne person when he was among vs or by his seruants that the outward dispensing of the Word is accompanied with an inward working of the Spirit of both which parts his Propheticall Office standeth herein differing from all other Ministers who onely preach the Word q Mat. 3. 11. set on the outward Element r 1. Cor. 3. 6. plant and water but the whole blessing doth come from him for he teaching ſ Luke 24. 45. openeth mens minds that they may vnderstand the Scriptures and bestoweth other graces which the Word bringeth forth not onely in his Children but euen in the wicked Secondly It is the instinct and motion of Gods Spirit that draweth a man to this Profession Gen. 9. 27. God perswade IAPHETH that hee may dwell in the Tents of SHEM for all the naturall Wisdome of the World is not able to leade vs by the hand to Christ nor to teach vs the knowledge of heauenly things I say not the sauing knowledge of Gods Elect but not so much as that outward knowledge and profession and those common graces which many of the Reprobates doe attayne vnto No man saith IESVS is the Lord but by the Spirit of God 1. Cor. 12. 3. that is the grace euen but outwardly to professe him is a worke of the Holy Ghost And so doth the Apostle there goe thorow the rest of the parts Gifts of knowledge Faculties and Ministeries All which he saith one and the same Spirit worketh And what need we much to labour herein when the very hiding of this sacred Doctrine so many yeeres from all the deepe and wise men of the Earth whilest the Iewes had it alone and at this day from so many famous Common-wealths and Kingdomes to whom wee are not superiour in Learning Wisdome or other Gifts shew that all the wit of the World cannot make vs so much as thinke one thought of Christ till God by his Spirit giue vs light And this which is the first and meanest of Gods fauours is yet a fauour not to bee contemned it being an excellent and a glorious thing to bee though but outwardly Professors of Christ for First Hereby they are seuered from Turkes Pagans and Heathen men and in name are become Christians for that title the t Acts 11. 26. Holy Ghost giueth to all Professors Secondly They are now receiued into the LORDS House and are said to bee within u 1. Cor. 5. 12 13 whereas all others What haue I to doe to iudge them that are without But those that are within doe you iudge But those that are without God will iudge that are not of the Church are said to bee without Thirdly Being members of the visible Church dwelling with and among them they are made partakers of many goodly graces and benefits which God powreth vpon his Church euen vpon the Reprobate and wicked for the Elects sake that are among them as the Psalmist saith that x Psal 29. 9. in his Temple hee vttereth all his Glorie The third thing is it sufficeth for the making of a Church if they bee Professors onely this being but a bare outward calling common to the Reprobate Fourthly They must bee Professors of Christ professing that in words the hauing whereof indeed maketh men truly Christians So the Apostle defineth it Ephes 1. 1. where in stead of naming the Church of Ephesus for to the outward Church he writeth hee vseth this Periphrasis to the Saints that are in Ephesus and to the faithfull in Christ Iesus and 1. Cor. 1. 2. To the Church of God which is in Corinth sanctified in Christ Iesus Saints by calling In regard whereof the same Apostle calleth Christ The foundation euen of the visible Church 1. Co. 3. 11. And this is the right Touchstone to examine al Churches by for what The Papists make three notes of the visible Church Antiquitie Vnitie Vniuersalitie most fondly and ridiculously when as all these are to bee found in the malignant Church in the most wicked assemblies societies Errors haue bin ancient as long as since the Apostles time for euen then the mystery of iniquitie began to worke 2. Thes 2. 7. 1. Iohn 5. 3. and then were there many Antichrists 1. Ioh. 2. 13 Theeues are as vnitie among themselues and so are the Deuils one with another else their Kingdome could not stand Mat 12 25. 26. And Reuel 17. 17. it is said that God put into their hearts with one consent to giue their Kingdome to the Beast As for Vniuersalitie that is so farre from being a certaine badge of the true Church that contrariwise Paul telleth vs when Antichrist shall be reuealed there must be a generall Apostasie and defection from the Truth 2. Thes 2. 3. And in the Reuel we reade that all the World went wōdring after the Beast worshipped the Beast and the Dragon that gaue him power Reu. 13. ◠4. Howbeit we say the Church of God is Catholike or Vniuersall but in a farre other sence then they meane by their vniuersalitie which they intend of a general spreading of itselfe without any great opposition to the contrarie in beautie and much brauerie and multitudes of men glittering and shining in the World whereas we say The true Church of Christ is Catholike or Vniuersall because it is not tyed to any one particular place or Countrie as sometimes among the Iewes it was but in euery Nation God hath those that
feare him and belong to his Election Not alwayes visible and to bee seene with the eye but members through faith of the true Catholike and inuisible Church of Christ The Papists which say the Church cannot erre Church soeuer in such sort professeth Christ as the members truely holding that they doe professe are thereby made members of the Mysticall Bodie of Christ the same what imperfections soeuer it haue beside and how vnsound soeuer it may bee in many parts yet it hath the heart and life of a Church otherwise it cannot bee said a Church For albeit the Church of God be not subiect to fundamentall errours that take away the life and being of a Church for then how could it bee any Church at all yet in other points not of manners onely but of Truth and Opinion it doth and may erre both particular Congregations the whole Church Vniuersall did not the whole Church of the Iewes erre And euen they that heard our Sauiour Christ so long when they dreamed of the Kingdome of the Messias to be an earthly y Acts 1. 15. Kingdome and that it should come in brauerie and ostentation And was it not the z Acts 10. 34. 11. 2. common errour of al the Church and of the Apostles themselues after his Ascension that they thought the Gentiles to be vncleane and that the Gospell pertayned not to them Fundamentall errours I call these two especially First When the Doctrine and Profession of the Gospell is corrupt in substance as the Papists doe corrupt it three manner of wayes First Denying Iustification by faith alone in the onely Merits of Christ and seeking to bee saued by their owne Merits or Righteousnesse for which cause the Apostle casteth off the Iewes Rom. 10. 3. and 11. 20. and threatneth asmuch to the Galatians Gal. 5. 2. If yee bee circumcised ioyning Circumcision or the workes of the Law together with Christ in the matter of Iustification Christ shall profit you nothing Secondly Denying the sole sufficient Sacrifice of Christ and setting vp in their blasphemous Masse a daily reall sacrifice of his bodie for the quick and the dead whereas Christs Sacrifice must either bee a perfect Sacrifice once for all neuer to be iterated nor repeated or else it is no Sacrifice at all as the Apostle teacheth at large in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Thirdly Denying the true and onely Head-ship of Christ by placing Antichrist in his roome which is a mayne and fundamentall Heresie not to hold fast the head Col. 2. 19. Secondly Idolatrie when the Worship of God is corrupted in the verie substance of it In which sort the old Church of the Iewes corrupting themselues a Exod. 32. 7. became no more the People of God and had their b Exod. 33. 3 7 11. Bill of Diuorce for it c Exod. 32. 30 31 32 33 34. till at Moses intercession vpon the publike Repentance of the people it pleased God to be reconciled to them And herein also the Papists doe offend as grieuously and more grossely then euer the Iewes did in worshipping of Images of Saints deceased and of their breaden god in that their Idolatrous Masse By all which it is euident that the Church of Rome is a corrupt and vnsound Church if a Church at all For touching the Sacraments and other holy things or rather the Prophanations of the same which are to bee found among them for in truth out of the Church there are not any Sacraments rightly administred they can no more make a true Church then the bare writing and setting to of a Seale can make a Deed without the parties deliuerie for God neuer deliuered his Sacraments to any out of his Church though they presume to take them and to set as it were his Scale to them And where the Apostle saith 2. Thes 2. 4. that Antichrist must sit in the Temple or Church of God hee meaneth that which once was the Church of God though now it bee not Like to the speech of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 24. 15. When you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place that is the place which once was holy whilest it was a figure of Christ and of his Church but so was it not when this which hee fore-telleth should come to passe But what are wee to doe in these cases Surely where the errour is dangerous and ouerthroweth the foundation wee are there to seuer our selues and to haue no fellowship with them as wee are taught in the case of erronious doctrine 1. Tim. 6. 3. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse he is puffed vp from such separate your selues Hee himselfe that taught this Lesson made no bones to practize it Acts 19. 9. When certaine men at Ephesus were hardened and disobeyed speaking euill of the way of God hee departed from them and separated the Disciples And the like he did at Rome Acts 28. 28. Of the other that is to say Idolatrie we haue a Commandement 2. Cor. 6. 14 15. 16 17. Bee not vnequally yoked with Infidels for what fellowship hath Righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse or what communion hath light with darknesse or what concord hath Christ with BELIAL or what part hath the Beleeuer with the Infidell or what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lord. So did the Priests and Leuites come to Iudah and Ierusalem to serue God when Ieroboam had set vp Idols in Israel 2. Chron. 11. 14. Worthily therefore in both these regards and by good warrant from the Word haue wee separated our selues from the Church of Rome as from a Strumpet and a Harlot not in any respect the true Spouse of Christ But for other blemishes or corruptions that onely stayne and disfigure the Church but strike not at the heart and roote there to make separation is a grieuous offence and the sinne of Schismatikes Fourthly Being but the Church of them that are called with an outward calling there are among them oftentimes many Hypocrites as the Apostle teacheth 1. Iohn 2. 1 19 They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue abidden with vs. But this is to make it manifest that all are not of vs. Vpon all that hath beene said it followeth that the Church which now wee speake of is a Church visible I call it not visible as if the Church of GOD were alwayes to bee seene and knowne in the The errour of Poperie that would haue the Church of God to be alwayes visible in the World World for as the Moone is sometimes eclipsed sometimes at the full so the Church sometimes lifted vp aboue the Mountaines is other sometimes thrust into the Wildernesse c Reu. 12. 6. that no true Professors seeme to be remayning So 2.
they are not mixed with Faith in those that doe receiue them in the faithfull they seale vp and ratifie the very substance and effect of the Grace signified the Holy Ghost performing that in truth within vs which the outward Ceremonie ioyned with the preaching of the Word representeth to our eyes But albeit these things are all of them in euery Sacrament either for our entrance or continuance in the Couenant set before vs yet it is in seuerall and distinct manner for of the Sacraments some serue to seale vp assure our first ingraffing into Christ and participation of Gods Couenant some our continuance and growing vp in him In which two all Graces are comprehended Fourthly They are to be administred that is to say to The Administration be giuen and deliuered to the Church and by the Church to be taken and receiued Mat. 26. 26 27. As they eate IESVS tooke bread and when hee had giuen thankes hee brake it and gaue to his Disciples and said Take eate c. And taking the Cup and hauing giuen thankes hee gaue vnto them saying Drinke ye all of it c. Whereupon a Sacrament is not onely a Signe and a Seale but a worke and an action This Administration of the Sacraments standeth not is to deliuer them with Prayer vnto God to make the same effectuall to the end for the which they were ordayned which the Scripture calleth Blessing or Consecration onely in reaching forth and ministring the outward Element but as is fitting for so holy an action to consecrate the same by the Word of God and Prayer teaching and declaring the end the vse the nature the institution of the Sacrament with Prayer made before that God would blesse them for the helpe of our weaknesse to which end they were ordayned This is it which is meant by blessing or The Papists which hold Consecration to bee the making of the Signe of the Crosse and the mumbling of a few words whereby as by a Magicall Incantation the Bread Wine should be transubstantiate consecration as may appeare both by a Mat. 26. 26 27. Mar. 14. 22 23. Matthew and Marke who after they had said IESVS tooke the bread and blessed immediatly adde and hee tooke the Cup and gaue thankes making one of these words to expound the other The like is to bee seene in b Luke 22. 17. Luke who leauing the word of blessing contenteth himselfe with that of giuing of thankes Paul c 1. Cor. 11. 24. also reciting the Institution treadeth in Lukes steps And so this word of Blessing is taken in diuers d Mat. 14. 19. Mar. 6. 41. Luke 9. 16. 1. Cor. 11. 26 27 28. other places wee must not therefore imagine that this Consecration altereth the nature or substance of the Sacrament it onely changeth the qualitie in separating them from a common to a holy Paul to make that out of question doth in one e 1. Cor. 11. Chapter after the Consecration thrice call it Bread The Administration of the Sacraments being a Ministeriall action so religiously to bee performed all the Congregation haue their part in it So it was vnder the Law Exod. 12. 6. In the fourteenth day of this moneth let all the Assembly of the Congregation of the Children of Israel kill the Passeouer in the twilight Luke 1. 59. The eighth day the Neighbours and the Kinsmen of ELIZABETH came together to circumcise the child Our Sauiour in the Sacraments of the New Testament doth obserue the same Mat. 26. 27. Drinke ye all of this And the Apostle doth command 1. Cor. 11. 33. When you come together to eate the Supper of the Lord wait one for another Wherefore it is fit that the place of their celebrating be the Church or place where the Congregation vsually meeteth and the time the Lords Day So the Apostle for the place doth sharply rebuke the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11. 22. opposing the Church as the onely place for Gods Sacraments to bee administred vnto priuate houses Haue you not houses to eate and drinke in or despise you the Church of God And for the time wee finde the practice of the Church recorded Acts 10. 7. that the first day of the weeke the Disciples assembled together to breake bread From all that went before these things may be gathered First The resemblance and similitude and in all faithfull Receiuers the inseparable coniunction of these Signes and Seales with the Graces signified and bestowed whether you compare the things or the Actions The things that is to say the Element or sensible and outward matter with Christ and his benefits The Actions to wit the deliuering of the Elements by the Minister and our taking of it which is the outward Action with Gods bestowing his Sonne vpon vs and all good things and our by faith receiuing of him by reason of both which the Apostle saith that in Baptisme f Gal. 3. 27. we put on Christ and that by g 1. Cor. 12. 13. one Spirit wee are all baptized into one Body and made to drinke into one Spirit And hence commeth an ordinarie and vsuall Phrase in the Scripture giuing to the Signe the name it selfe of the Grace signified as when h Gen. 17. 10. Circumcision is called the Couenant the i Exod. 12. 11. Lambe the Passeouer c. To the end they might not bee basely esteemed as ordinarie and common things but holily and religiously thought of Secondly The outward The Papists teach that the verie worke wrought is sufficient to doe away sinne Elements being onely Signes Seales they signifie not conferre Grace hauing no inherent force and power to sanctifie as some kinde of waters haue to cure Diseases And the Ministers which deliuer them giue that which is outward onely The whole power of sanctifying commeth from the Holy Ghost Mat. 3. 11. I baptize you with Water vnto Repentance but he that commeth after mee is stronger then I he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire Thirdly They are The Papists imagine a necessitie of participating the Sacrament of Baptisme as if children dying without Baptisme could not bee saued whereas such are aswell within the Couenant of Grace as those that are baptized not of such absolute necessitie as if there could bee no Saluation without them seeing they are but Signes Seales of the things alreadie had and therefore not the want but the neglect and contempt of the Sacraments maketh men offenders which the Lord teacheth vs by his Prophet k Ezech. 11. 16 Ezekiel when he promiseth to be a Sanctuarie to his people that being led captiue could not come to the visible Sanctuarie to worship there before him Though I haue sayth hee driuen them into other Nations and dispersed them into diuers Countreyes yet I the Truth of the Sanctuarie of whom that is but a Sacrament and Figure am a Sanctuarie vnto them Fourthly Great preparation is
the Apostle by this Argument condemneth those that in the Congregation pray in a strange Language there being none for to interpret it For then saith he how shall hee that supplyeth the place of an vnlearned man say Amen at thy giuing of thankes forasmuch as he knoweth not what thou sayest To the Ministers also belongeth the Administration of and Administration of the Sacraments the Sacraments for in that they haue power to deale with the Word it selfe the dispensation of those holy things which are but Seales and Pledges of the Word of the promises made in Christ cannot be denied them the Sacraments being as it were a visible Word in which respect they are said to haue a t Exod. 4. 8. voyce wherefore our Sauiour Mat. 28. 19. coupleth them together Teach all Nations baptizing them c. The Ministers of the Word being some of them extraordinarily Among the Ministers of the Word some haue bin extraordinarily inspired of Christ raysed vp of God other comming in by the ordinary calling of the Church in those of the former sort wee are specially to consider the Ministerie of certaine select persons inspired of GOD to deliuer the truth of Christian Doctrine both by word and writing which were the Prophets of the Old Testament and the Apostles of the New Whereupon wee are said to bee u Ephes 2. 21. built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone And Peter x 2. Pet. 3. 1. stirreth vp those to whom hee writes to remember the words spoken before of the holy Prophets and the Commandement of vs saith hee the Apostles of the Lord and Sauiour So it is said Reuel 21. 14. The wall of the Citie new Ierusalem had twelue foundations and vpon them the twelue names of the twelue Apostles of the Lambe And in that sence Peter and the rest may well bee taken to bee that y Mat. 16. 18. Rocke vpon which Christ doth build his Church In this point of the Propheticall and Apostolicall Ministerie I obserue foure things First That they spake and wrote by Diuine Inspiration for Prophesie in times past saith the Apostle 2. Pet. 1. 21. came not by the will of man but as they were mooued by the holy Spirit did the holy men of God speake And Paul z 2. Tim. 3. 16. to TIMOTHIE All Scripture is inspired of God and is profitable to teach c. Secondly The manner how they deliuered this Doctrine to deliuer both by liuely voyce which was in two sorts by liuely voyce or writing The liuely voyce was euer in the Church from the beginning to the death of the Apostles All which time there was almost no Age wherein at the least some holy man of God was not extraordinarily stirred vp to deliuer the Doctrine of Truth from the immediate mouth of God although there were many times intermissions as the Historie doth shew And the Church complayneth in the a Psal 74. Psalmes yea this Doctrine was oftentimes corrupted and adulterated but by new Reuelations restored againe and kept in the first Integritie In limiting the liuely voyce to the time of the Apostles it must not so bee taken as if the liuely voyce of the Ministers of GOD did not continue still in the Church but that is of Pastors and Teachers who are and alwayes were to fetch their light from the direction of the Prophets and Apostles it is not of extraordinarie men inspired of the Holy Ghost as the Prophets and Apostles were The reason why a liuely voyce continuing so long as from the beginning of the World vntill the Apostles time should cease with their death doth appeare Heb. 1. 1 2. where it is said that God in many pieces and after diuers fashions of old spake to the Fathers by the Prophets but in these latter dayes he hath spoken vnto vs by the Sonne For so long as the Word was deliuered but by parcels and that there remayned something still behind more cleerely and manifestly to be reuealed which was till he spake fully and lastly by his Sonne so long a liuely voice was necessarie wherewith euery new Reuelation doth beginne but longer there can be no vse of it for that should plainly argue that the Reuelation of the Mysterie of Christ by Christ himselfe were not yet perfect By writing they did deliuer it in the Canonicall and writing Bookes of the Old and New Testament which by way of excellencie wee call the Scriptures or the written Word begunne by Moses and continued during all the time before-mentioned euen to the death of the Apostles Those Bookes are in the Old Testament Genesis c. In the New Matthew c. As for the Bookes commonly called Apocrypha wee acknowledge therin many profitable things contayned and good for morall instruction especially in Ecclesiasticus and in the Booke of Wisdome and some things also necessarie for the vnderstanding of the Storie of the Church yet because they carrie not the print of Gods Spirit which the spirituall man discerneth they are not equalled or matched with the Scriptures And because in many of them flat vntruths and contrarieties may be found and in one and the same Storie contradictions with the true Storie penned by the Holy Ghost and in most of them diuers things either friuolous and absurd or manifestly false and forged or Doctrines taught and commended which the Word of God condemneth we cannot without impiety lift them vp into the Chaire of Truth Beside They were neither written in the Hebrew nor receiued of the Iewes b Rom. 3. 2. 9. 4. to whom were committed all the Oracles of God vnder the Old Testament But that those which we call Canonicall Scriptures were inspired of God is to be proued by arguments and reasons taken from the Bookes themselues As first the Maiestie of the Word in so great simplicitie and so familiar and plaine a stile so piercing and effecting the conscience which all the eloquence of the world and lay it all together is not possibly able to doe although there lacke not also eloquence in the Word but heauenly and diuine Secondly The harmony and consent of so many persons writing at seuerall times in seuerall places and ages of seuerall arguments and matters all iumping and concurring in one as led by one and the same Spirit Thirdly The holinesse of the matter it selfe not sauouring of the world but leading vs by the hand out and from aboue the world Fourthly The prediction of future things many hundred yea thousand yeeres before they came to passe which all fell out accordingly Fiftly The secret and hidden things there discouered which no wisdome of the earth no wit of man was able to reach vnto Some few sparkes whereof stollen from hence haue cast such a light in the writings of Heathen men as hath made them to seeme diuine Sixtly The faithfull and sincere dealing of the Pen-men whom
and the order of the Text must be respected Seuenthly We must conferre it with other places of the Scriptures the darke and obscure ones with those that are more lightsome Eighthly We must alwaies hold the analogie or proportion of faith neuer framing any exposition to our selues that altereth or declineth from that The fourth and last qualitie is that in euerie age the the whole Truth of Christ whole Truth of God was deliuered by a liuely voyce as touching the substance of the Doctrine although in greater cleerenesse vpon the comming of Christ then euer it was before and lastly and perfectly wherein we are now to rest both for their substance manner of reuelation it is fully and absolutely comprehended in the Scriptures So as we shall not need to flye eyther to Visions and Reuelations Anabaptists Libertines that bring in Visions and Reuelations as if the Word of God were imperfect or to mens Traditions and Inuentions Papists that supply it by mens Traditions and Inuentions Vnwritten Verities Sentences of Fathers Canons of Councels c. to Vnwritten Verities Sentences of Fathers Canons of Councels c. for to helpe vs but all is to be had in the written Word for when our Sauiour saith p Iohn 5. 39. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures hee manifestly teacheth that all Truth is to bee learnt from thence And the q 2. Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Apostle commendeth the Scriptures as being able to make vs wise vnto saluation for the whole Scripture saith he is inspired of God and is profitable vnto Doctrine vnto Reproofe vnto Correction vnto Instruction which is in Righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect perfectly fitted to euery good worke Which foure things comprehending all that can bee necessarie seeing the Word of God is able thorowly to furnish a Minister withall who is to disclose the r Acts 20. 27. whole counsell of God vnto the people it must needs be able to informe a Common Christian vnto saluation Iohn ſ Iohn 20. 31. also giueth this testimonie of the Scriptures that they are written to the end that beleeuing wee might haue euerlasting life And the Booke of the Reuelation hee shutteth vp with this most earnest protestation If any man adde to the words of the Prophecie of this Booke God will adde vnto him the seuen plagues written in this Booke and if any man take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecie God will take away his part of the Tree of Life c. Reu. 22. 18 19. Which if it be true in that one Booke alone how much more shall it hold in all the Bookes of the Scripture set together Fourthly In the Ministerie of the Prophets and Apostles and had power to worke Miracles for the confirming of their doctrine I obserue that they had the power of working Wonders for the confirmation and sealing vp of their Doctrine being innobled of God with a rare and Heroicall Spirit for the working of mightie and powerfull things As first touching the Prophets what great and wonderfull matters God wrought by their hands the Stories euery-where doe testifie when Elias as it were a pettie God could fetch t 2. Kings 1. fire from Heauen by his Prayer u 1. Kings 17. 1 Iames 5. 17 18. shut vp Heauen that no raine should fall but at his word as the Minister of the Lord before whom he stood and by his Prayers open them againe when those that escaped from the hand of Iehu * 1. King 19. 17 Elisha could cause to dye when x Exod. 4. Moses with his staffe was able to turne the waters into bloud c. The Apostles also haue their Commission in this behalfe recorded Marke 16. 15. Goe into all the World and preach the Gospell c. and these Signes shall follow them that doe beleeue In my Name they shall cast out Deuils they shall speake with new tongues they shall destroy Serpents and if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them vpon the weake they shall lay their hands and they shall be well And this is it which the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes y Heb. 2. 4. that God himselfe gaue testimony to the preaching of the Apostles both by Signes and Wonders and many powers or powerfull things and distributions of the Holy Ghost Wherefore Miracles wherewith it pleased God to grace the extraordinarie Ministeries Heresies and Errors The Papists which make Miracles a note of their Church are 2. wayes faultie First The Miracles they so bragge and boast of are false and fayned Secondly They vse their Miracles such as they bee to a wrong end for aduancing of erronious and lying doctrines and to shake the truth of the Gospell for confirmation whereof all Miracles ought to serue In which case their pretended Miracles though they should be admitted true are of no worth Deut. 13. 1 2 3 4 5. for the Truth of God shineth of it selfe so bright that no Miracles to the contrarie are of force to obscure it But added for confirmation as they were by Christ and his Apostles and by the holy Prophets they make the same more glorious of the Prophets and Apostles are All other Ministeries are to fetch their light from the Doctrine of those that were so inspired long since ceased neither could they nowadayes serue to any vse the truth being long agoe aboundantly confirmed by Christ and his Apostles Lastly all other Ministeries in the Church are and alwayes were to fetch Graces are Gifts for the discharge of those publike Functions their light from the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that were so inspired To the Ministerie CHRIST hath added Gifts Gifts z 1. Cor. 12. 7. for profit as the Apostle speaketh that is for the Churches common good which is another of those rich endowments and necessarily coupled with the former for the Largesse of Christ vnto his Church had not beene so bountifull in the seuerall sorts of Ministeries vnlesse he had withall bestowed vpon them graces and abilitie to discharge the same for the glorie of God and edification of his people by giuing them knowledge to teach the Doctrine of Christ out of the Scripture by laying forth the Truth soundly and confuting of contrarie errours Wisdome to apply it also to all good vses of comforting casting downe stirring vp reproouing which in one word we terme exhorting and other the like graces for these also we haue not from our selues but all a 2. Cor. 3. 5. our sufficiencie to be Ministers of Christ vnto other is from God The Apostle calleth these kind of Gifts by the name of b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graces that make men apt and fit for the worke of the Ministerie 1. Cor. 12. 4. 5 6. Now there bee differences of Graces but the same Spirit and there bee differences of Ministeries but the same Lord. And there bee differences of
our Sauiour Christ n Iohn 10. 27 28 29 30. My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue euerlasting Life vnto them and they shall neuer perish neither shall any pull them out of my hand My Father which hath giuen them me is greater then all and none can pull them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father are one And againe o Iohn 6. 37 39 40. Euery one that the Father giueth mee commeth vnto mee and him that commeth vnto me I will not cast out but I will rayse him vp in the latter Day To conclude that which is said Mat. 16. 18. that the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against the Church must needs bee true of euery one which by Faith is made a member of the Church So that our faith how weake soeuer it be in it selfe yet it is firme and strong in and through him that hath promised to hold it vp so as all aduersarie powers shall not be able to root it out which is the fulnesse of excellencie purchased for vs by Christ that being quickened from death and a spirituall life put into vs we are no more at our owne hand left to keepe our selues and so in danger to lose all againe as Adam did but haue the promise of a continuall support and stay by the mightie working of Christs Spirit till we come to his heauenly Kingdome where is nothing but Eternitie And therefore he that once beleeueth is said p Iohn 3. 36. alreadie to haue eternall Life to q Ephes 2. 6. bee raised vp and seated in heauenly places r Rom. 8. 30. glorified c. for the certaintie and vndoubted assurance of it And Å¿ Rom. 5. 1. being iustified by Faith saith the Apostle We haue peace with God which could not possibly be if we were not sure to continue in the state of Grace As for those exhortations so common in the Scripture t 1. Cor. 10. 12. He that thinketh he standeth let him take held lest hee fall u 2. Iohn ver 8. Looke to your selues that wee lose not the good things which we haue wrought but that wee may receiue a full reward x Reuel 3. 11. Hold fast that thou hast that no man take away thy Crowne y Heb. 12. 15. Take heed that no man fall from the Grace of God z 1. Thes 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit and such like whereby it seemeth that the Spirit of Adoption and Sanctification proper to Gods Children may be lost The answere to them and all other of that kinde is short and readie They serue to stirre vs vp to watchfulnesse and diligence and as the Apostle speaketh to worke our saluation in feare and trembling not to teach what is possible for true Beleeuers to doe for as God doth assure the faithfull that they shall perseuer hold on vnto the end so he hath appointed Exhortation and the Preaching of the Word as a meanes whereby hee will nourish this holy fire in vs. But doe not the sinnes and grieuous falls of GODS Elect impeach the truth of this Doctrine Not a whit for the a 1. Iohn 3. 9. seed of God abiding in them maketh that they cannot sinne totally and finally without recouery but are at the length raysed vp againe and in the meane time their Faith and Grace is not extinct and gone how sore soeuer it may bee shaken as is euident to bee seene in Peter whose sinne being of that nature that the sinne against the Holy Ghost except a greater can scarcely be imagined yet his b Luke 22. 32. Faith supported by the Prayer of our Sauiour Christ who hath c Iohn 17. prayed in like sort for all that are his in all that conflict did not faile And Dauid after his fact with Vriahs Wife and the murdering of her Husband prayeth d Psal 51. 13. Take not thy holy Spirit from mee Therefore he had not lost it The other point which is the third qualitie of faith but continually groweth is that continually it groweth Therefore the e Rom. 1. 17. Apostle saith that by the preaching of the Gospell the Righteousnesse of God is reueiled from Faith to Faith That is a Faith that groweth and increaseth continually being nourished and holpen by meditation of the Word of God serious and faithfull Prayer and other meanes which God hath sanctified to keepe this holy f 2. Tim. 1. 6. fire still within vs that it neuer should goe out but flame forth more and more Faith euen when it ceaseth to bee Faith for as wee till we come to see Christ in his Glorie reade 1. Cor. 13. 13. Now and no longer abideth Faith yet euen then we cannot giue her lost since she groweth into a greater and a farre surpassing light to see Christ in his heauenly Kingdome for Faith is in this life and sight in the World to come as the Apostle doth distinguish them 2. Cor. 5. 7. Wee walke by Faith and not by Sight And g 1. Pet. 1. 8. PETER Whom though yee see him not yet ye beleeue in him Sight therefore hath place in the next World and apprehendeth Christ as hee is in himselfe then present without this Glasse of the Word and Sacraments 1. Iohn 3. 2. When he shall be manifested we shall see him as he is 1. Cor. 13. 12. Then after this life we shall see him face to face And both these are in nature and essence one for euen Faith is a kinde of seeing Christ Iohn 6. 69. and 1. Iohn 4 16. Euery one that seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him shall haue euerlasting Life onely they differ in measure and quantitie In Faith this seeing of Christ the knowledge and apprehension of him is feeble and weake 1. Cor. 13. 12. Now we see in a Glasse In sight it is full and perfect as it is said there But after that which is perfect is come c. With Faith Hope is alwayes ioyned By Hope I So as Faith hath alwayes Hope that is an assured wayting for of that blessed Sight going with it meane the blessed expectation and waiting for of eternall Life But because Hope is commonly taken as of things doubtfull and vncertaine that to hope for saluation seemeth no more then to stand in suspence and questionable whether one shall be saued or no it is good wee vnderstand the verie nature of this Grace Hope therefore to speake in generall is an expectation and wayting for of some good thing not present but promised and to come h Rom. 8. 24 25 for hope which is seene is no hope for how can a man hope for that which hee seeth but if wee hope for that wee see not wee doe wait for it with patience saith the Apostle to the Romanes Therefore according to the nature of the promise so doth Hope take hold doubtingly where either there is no speciall and
strong in Faith and had full assurance of the promise of God And of the y 1. Thes 1. 3. Thessalonians that their Faith did increase exceedingly or aboue the common or ordinarie measure and the 〈◊〉 did abound In another z 1. Thes 1. 3. place hee commendeth not onely the vertues themselueâ— but the fruit which they shewed of them Remembring the worke of your faith your laborious loue and patient hope c. And the * Iames 5. 11. Scripture setteth before vs the Patience of Iob and the Vertues and Perfections of other men of God as mirrours and glasses for vs to looke into for the reforming of our wayes and that we might become like vnto them Not that such a one hath attayned to perfection or may now set downe and rest as being come to his iournies end but the more graces he hath the more fruitfully he ought to labour for an increase of them and not so much to thinke what hee hath as what he doth yet want following the example of the a Phil. 3. 13 14 15. Apostle PAVL Brethren I count not that I haue attayned vnto the marke that is to say perfection But one thing I doe I forget that which is behind and endeuour my selfe to that which is before As many of vs therefore as are perfect let vs bee thus minded Wherein wee haue the b Mat. 25. 29. promise of our Sauiour Christ to giue vs comfort that to him that hath that is carefully imployeth and vseth to Gods Glorie the good things hee hath receiued more shall bee giuen and hee shall haue abundance Our Sanctification being so imperfect as we haue said it is a noble and necessarie piece of seruice to informe our selues how wee may bee able to discerne it I will point out such notes and markes as I hold to be the principall First is by those common affections noted before which generally belong to all holy Duties and are heere certaine markes of renewed Holinesse As first A loue of the Truth and of the Word c Iohn 17. 17. Thy Word is Truth for the Truths sake for to be of the Truth that is a louer and imbracer of the Truth is all one as to be of God And so our Sauiour Christ expoundeth it when saying in d Iohn 18. 37. one place Euery one that is of the Truth heareth my voyce hee rendreth it in e Iohn 8. 47. another place by this as all one in waight and substance Hee that is of God heareth the words of God O how I loue thy Law saith f Psal 119. 91. DAVID All the day long it is my Meditation The contrarie whereof is an euident signe of an euill and wicked heart and draweth after it many heauie Iudgements fore-runners of destruction for g 2. Thes 2. 11 12. Because saith the Apostle they receiue not the loue of the Truth that they might be saued therefore GOD will send vnto them effectuall errors to beleeue lyes that all may be condemned that beleeue not the Truth but take pleasure in iniquitie Secondly Cheerefulnesse in well-doing Wherevpon the Children of God are euery-where called h Psal 110. 3. Cant. 6. 9. c. A free-hearted people Thirdly A feare of offending in any thing which Salomon maketh the Badge of Gods Children Blessed is the man that feareth alwayes Fourthly Sinceritie and singlenesse of heart which one thing in the middest of many difficulties held vp the Apostle Paul insomuch as he professeth of himselfe This i 2. Cor. 1. 12. is our reioycing the testimonie of our conscience that in singlenesse and sinceritie of God we haue beene conuersant in the World Fiftly Zeale when not onely wee loue God and his Truth but our loue is hot vehement feruent that k Cant. 7. 11. much water cannot quench it no nor the flouds drowne it And if a man should giue all the substance of his house for this loue it should vtterly be contemned PHINEAS for this grace obtayned a great Mercie Numb 25. 12 13. Therefore behold I giue vnto him my Couenant of Peace for he and his seed after him shall haue an euerlasting Priesthood by couenant because he was zealous for his God Sixtly Watchfulnesse ouer our wayes which our Sauiour so often doth beate vpon l Mat. 26. 14. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Seuenthly A constant resolution to cleaue vnseparably vnto Christ So Acts 11. 23 24. BAâ—NABAS exhorted all with purpose of heart to cleaue vnto the Lord for he was saith the Text a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and Faith Eightly To performe whatsoeuer wee doe of conscience to God Working it from the heart as to the Lord and not to man Col. 3. 23. Ninthly To seeke his glorie in all things which generall rule the Apostle setteth downe 1. Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God Tenthly That the greater and more holy the duties are and the more they doe excell the more excellent our Loue Zeale Cheerfulnesse and Sinceritie bee in the performance of them This Commandement wee haue Matthew 22. 37. Thou shalt loue the Lord with all thy heart The eleuenth and last which yet is so farre from being least that in a manner it carryeth the prayse from all the rest is an entire obedience when we labour to keepe whatsoeuer God hath commanded and to please him in all things being holy as hee is holy Ezechiel in his eighteenth Chapter in one word expresseth it If he keepe all mine Ordinances and then n Ezech. 18. 11 12 c. amplifying it by the contrarie beateth vpon it as his manner is with a heape and multitude of inforcing speeches If he doe to his Brother other then any one of those things and he do not all these things c. For the practice of this Lesson good Cornelius and the rest with him assembled are highly commended Acts 10. 33. We all are here present before God to heare all things that are commanded thee of God And of Dauid the Holy Ghost beareth o Acts 13. 22. witnesse I haue found out DAVID the sonne of IESSE according to my heart that will p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe all my will in all things Not like to Saul q 1. Sam. 1. 15. who serued GOD but by halues for the which r Marke 6. 20. Herod is also braâ—ded that he did many things but not all that he heard of Iohn Baptist And Å¿ Iames 3. 2. the more to incourage vs to this dutie the Scripture teacheth that though in many things we faile all God accepteth the desire for the thing it selfe that if our heart and purpose be to forsake euery euill path and to cleaue vnto God without being drawne away it is in his sight all one as if we had done it so t Iames 2. 22. Iames saith that ABRAHAM offered his Sonne
and all thus rise againe is the common Certaine men vpon our Sauiour Christs Resurrection rose againe and are already with him in Heauen condition of all Mankind some few excepted and those of three sorts for First Some there were who being dead vpon our Sauiour Christs Resurrection rose againe and are alreadie with him in glorie Of whom you may reade Mat. 27. 52 53. that the graues did open themselues and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the Graues after his Resurrection and went into the holy Citie and appeared vnto many Which word appearing sheweth that they did not rise to conuerse among men or to dye againe as Lazarus and some other did but in their owne persons to attend vpon him in his Ascension vnto Heauen and by their Resurrection to seale vp the truth of his and of ours in and through him that so not onely in Christ our Head but in our Brethren and fellow-members full assurance might bee made vnto vs of this sweete and comfortable Doctrine Secondly Other there were that neuer dyed but So are Enoch and Elias both aliue assumed thither onely changed their miserable condition into Glorie Immortalitie and so were taken vp aliue into Heauen And this was the peculiar priuiledge of Enoch and Elias One before the Law another vnder the Law both in most corrupt and depraued times wherein the sincere worship of God was no where to bee found the hope of eternall Life and of the Resurrection to come vtterly lost and gone God therefore to leaue a plentifull testimonie of a blessed Resurrection till the cleerer manifestation of it by the rising of his Sonne and both to giue testimonie of the Faith and Pietie of such men and to conuince the wicked World of Infidelitie suffered not those two to goe the way of all flesh but by a speciall fauour did assume them bodie and soule vnto himselfe thereby also to make them types and figures of the Resurrection of his Sonne by whose power they thus escaped death Of Enoch first it is recorded Gen. 5. 24. That he walking with God three thousand yeers in which time as u Iude ver 24. Iude the Apostle witnesseth hee diligently executed the part of a faithfull Teacher in Gods Church reproouing the corrupt World of sin denouncing Gods seuere Iudgements against them euen to the extreme curse of Anathema Maranatha in the end hee was no more seene for God tooke him that is as the x Heb. 11. 5. Apostle to the Hebrewes doth expound it did translate him that hee should not see death And of Elias the Storie is set forth at large in the first and second Booke of Kings How after long conflicts with Achab the King of Israel and Iesabel his wife and with foure hundred and fiftie prophets the priests of Baal at once being tossed as wee say from Post to Pillar and driuen to flye for his life hauing restored the true Worship of God and reedified his Altars that before were throwne downe destroyed being now as hee thought left alone and wearie of his life God in the end after his many labours y 2. Kings 2. 23 tooke him vp in a whirlewinde into Heauen Thereby conuincing the Idolatry of that Age. And when in the Towne of Bethel where the Calues were erected and Idolatrie and Superstition raged they made a Scoffe of this Ascension and taught their children so to doe saying to Elisha in scoffing sort Ascend Bald-pate ascend Bald-pate that is Goe vp to Heauen as Elias did as if they should haue said A proper and goodly ascension two Beares comming out of the Forrest tare in pieces two forty children of them And that this was alwayes the iudgement of the Church concerning Elias may appeare Luke 9. 8. where in the diuersitie of opinions held of our Sauiour Christ some said that IOHN was raysed from the dead some that ELIAS had appeared other that one of the old Prophets was risen againe To all the rest attributing Resurrection as of bodies dead onely to ELIAS Apparition in the truth of his humane nature as of one that neuer dyed Two things there bee that may seeme to crosse this Doctrine One that Christ is called The first fruites of them that sleepe 1. Cor. 15. 20. The other that in the eleuenth to the Heb. 11. 39. the Apostle speaking of the holy men of God before the Comming of Christ And of Enoch among the rest saith of them all that they receiued not the promises But hereunto it may bee answered that the promise which the Apostle meaneth is the manifestation of Christ in the flesh and the more plentifull measure of grace now then was before his Comming which pertayneth nothing to this question As for that 1. Cor. 15. Christ is called The first fruits of them that sleepe because by the power of his Resurrection all shall rise againe and his Resurrection sanctifieth ours as the first fruits did the whole crop not that he of necessitie must be the first that rose no more then hee was the first whose soule did enter Heauen though all both before and since haue entred by his power Although if you should so farre presse this Phrase Christ was indeed the first that rose seeing to speake properly Enoch and Elias neuer dyed and therefore neuer rose And howsoeuer it bee an extraordinarie Example in one or two speciall persons it serueth not to ouerthrow a generall truth But the first I take to be the Apostles meaning Yet haue not these two sorts their full glorie alreadie for howsoeuer their whole nature bee made perfect yet the fulnesse of their perfection is deferred till the latter Day as to the rest of Gods Elect Euen as wee see the whole spirituall nature of the Angels that fell is now fully accursed and yet reserued for a more full damnation The third sort are those men that the Comming of Those that are liuing at the latter Day shall suddenly be changed after the dead are once risen Christ doth finde aliue who shall not dye but shall suddenly bee changed as Enoch and Elias were and so bee taken vp to meete Christ after that the dead in him shall be first risen All of vs saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 51 52. shall not sleepe but all of vs shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall rise vp without corruption and we shall be changed And againe 1 Thess 4. 15 16 17. This say we to you in the Word of the Lord that we which liue and are remayning in the Comming of the Lord shall not preuent them which sleepe for the Lord himselfe shall come downe from Heauen and the dead in Christ shall arise first afterwards shall we which liue and remayne be caught vp also with them in the Clouds to meete the Lord in the Ayre By the Analogie