the word attribute was in the beginning The Greeke word which is translated Word signifieth either reason or speech Tertullian in this place doth translate it reason But we will not innouate any thing The English translation hath it word it had beene better speech but that vse hath so preuailed For a word is but one speech doth consist of many which respect is agreeable to Christ All doe agree that by the vvord is meant Christ namely he of whom all we and the new testament doe so clearely preach but all doe not agree in the same motion or reason of it We omit nice and crabbed questions onely we wil endeuour to doe good This word may be taken 1 passiuely touching whom the word is 2 Actiuely who is the word and the speaker I suppose that both wayes it may rightly be vnderstood in this place For the whole speech of the scriptures is concerning Christ Iohn 1 45. Luk 24 25 27 ver Actiuely by a metaphor who hath disclosed the counsell of God the Father touching our saluation Iohn 1 18. Heb 1 1 Iohn 4 25. Math. 17 5. I am not ignorant what the Fathers say concerning speech vttered by mouth and conceaued in the mind These things which are spoken of Christ are to be vnderstood all others excluded Vse Seeing that all speech in the scripture is touching Christ let vs seeke him in our reading and hearing 2 And seeing he speaketh of the counsell of God let vs heare him 3 It is a great matter to beare the name of a Preacher deliuering this word Obserue the excellencie of the word Hitherto hath beene the subiect now followeth the attribute was in the beginning Beginning heere is meant in regard of time when things began to be wherefore in the 1 of Iohn 1 Chap 1 ver it is said from the beginning Que. Began he therefore then to be as some heretiques thought Aun No for the affirming of the present doth not denie the time past but Iohn would haue it thus vnderstood when things began then this word appeared as 1 Gen. and the 3. Gen 15 after the fall not when he was first brought forth into the world The word is from eternity but as soone as time is he appeareth That wee might alwayes set before our eyes the vvord And seeke him Neither iudge of things euer according to outward appearance Was that is subsisted in the preterperfect tense declaring his eternitie hee is God from himselfe a person from the Father by an vnvtterable manner of begetting Math. 3 17. Luk 3 22. And this word was declareth him to haue beene God before all worlds Euery eternall thing is God The heathen heretiques are condemned and all the Iewes which denie the eternitie of Christ 2 Learne also the certaintie of the saluation of the elect which is grounded vpon the eternall word 3 Also that our happines shall with him endure for euer And the word was with God this is the second proposition for the personalitie that we may so speake of the word Wherein are to be considered the particle and and the sentence The particle and declareth that it is not sufficient to beleeue the vvord to be God but also a distinct person The sentence will be cleare after these words are opened with God God is taken essentially often for the whole Trinitie personally for the father as in this place so also Iohn 17 3. With whom to be sheweth that the father and the sonne haue each their being Now this cannot be but in equall distinct persons The Father therefore is one the Sonne is another see the 3 of Math 16 17. Math 28 19. This distinction is onely by an incommunicable propertie the father begetteth the sonne is begotten In these things let vs be wise according to the scriptures in our iudgement speeches Equality is by which the vvord is in essence diuine attributes and works equall But it may be obiected the Father is greater then the Sonne Aun In regard of humaine nature not otherwise Vse Let vs remember that God is so to be worshipped as the misterie of the Trinity requireth otherwise wee shall not worship him 2 That there is the same nature will c. of the vvord with the Father So as being perswaded of the good pleasure of Christ concerning our saluation we cannot doubt of the Fathers 3 Hence an aunswer may be returned to such as demaund what was before the world The third proposition and that word was God Word as before also the verbe was God in this place is not put personally but essentially as it is vsed vpon euery of the three persons otherwise the same should be affirmed of the same the word is the word Expresly therefore the word is called God neither is it so called onely but also is so indeede Many testimonies may be heere heaped vp Vse 1 Though the word be God yet is there but one God Que. How can it be that 3 should be called God and there be onely one Aun Very well by reason of the indiuisiblenes of essence It is also a most profound misterie where-into we are not to diue 2 The cauill of Arrius is excluded calling Christ a made God He was God from himselfe before all times 3 The word of Christ and concerning Christ is diuine Heere-vnto we are most diligently to attend 4 Euen to the word seeing he is God prayers are due otherwise then the Papists falsely say we doe denie Thus hath beene the proposition in the deitie and person of the word the repetition followeth in the 2 verse Verse 2 1 Whence let vs vnderstand that in teaching place is to be giuen to repetitions 2 And that the article of that doctrine is not learned altogether and at once 3 And these words in the beginning are to be repeated by a certaine property of speech called Apo koinou Hitherto hath beene the setting downe of the doctrine the confirmation of the diuine essence of the word followeth And it is from effects verse 3 4 5. testimonie in the rest The effects are all things existing which seeing they had their first being from God and now are said to haue beene by the Word they proue the Word to be God That the Word created all things the Euangelist sheweth by a distribution For all things that are are either voyd of life liuing creatures endued with a reasonable soule these the Word made therefore all things The 3 verse serueth to proue the first part of the minor proposition the fourth and fift doe serue for the second and third The 3 ver is enlarged by a Pleonasmus as Iohn 1 20. Psal 40 10 11. Esa 38 1. And it hath two propositions The first all things were made by it The second and without it was made nothing that was made In the first there are contained three things The Author implied in the word it 2 The things that were made all things 3 The manner of making by it It that is
the vvord Heb. 1 10. Psal 102 26. Heb. 1 2. Yet not alone but with the Father and the holy Ghost The works of the Trinitie vnto any thing without Opera ad extra are vnseparable from any person wherefore the Iewes obserue that the name of God is of the plurall number Que. Why therefore doth the Euangelist so diligently set downe that which is now so common vulgar a thing in diuinitie Aun The misterie of the Trinitie was not so distinctly knowne Adde to this that the Iewes did acknowledge rather one God then three persons and truly least of all supposed they the sonne of Mary to haue been God Vse Seeing that the Word who also was made man and our Sauiour hath created all things let vs know that we hauing the Word haue titles and interest to the creatures according to the measure of the gift of God otherwise not so as we are first to seeke for him He doth also no lesse giue vnto vs then he did at the first create that if we haue any thing we are to render thanks vnto him The things made are all things which considered together they argue his power seuerally his wisedome mercie All things both the greatest and the smallest and those euils which are now called the euils of punishment Gen. 1. Mala paenae Psal 33 6. Wherefore seeing that no other cunning Artificer but euen the Word himselfe hath created the very least things let vs know that they are most worthy our consideration and let vs bestow some labour in meditating of them euen of Lyce and Pismeeres Quest But how doth God create the euils of punishment An. Surely they are very good most profitable All things are meant that Angels may not be excluded and inuisible spirits yea the whole world Wherfore those Philosophers erre which make the world to haue no beginning In this place notwithstanding I thinke all things are put Synecdochically for the creatures without life as the heauens the earth the meteores the elements and those things which are digged out of the earth Wherefore naturall Philosophie is very profitable which vnfoldeth the natures of these things The manner of making is implied in these words by it Heereof also 2 things are auerred What is the manner of their existence namely that they were made and how by it They exist when they are first brought forth into being Also they are sustained and vpholden Heb. 1 3. Moreouer they are administred and gouerned By it that is as I gesse he commaunding so in the 1 of Gen. For Gods saying is there commaunding Learne the power of Gods word when God himselfe willeth And let vs accuse our selues so incredulous to beleeue stiffe necked to obay the word of God Learne also to vse the word nature aright Hitherto hath been the first proposition the second followeth and without it was made nothing that was made And it seemeth to be a secret aunswer to an obiection which might thus be gathered Are euill things then made by him namely sinnes Aun No an euill thing was neuer made therefore it is not by the vvord Que. What is then the originall of sinne Aun The Creators forsaking of the creature and the abuse of free will in the creature Que. Is it not therefore God be it spoken without blasphemie the occasion of sinne Aun Nothing at all God is tied or bound to no creature he is most free Thus farre proceeded the first part of the distribution Verse 4 the second followeth touching things endued with life which are made by the word And it is set forth in these words In it was life By it is meant the vvord as was said before Was also as before that is subsisted from eternitie Onely we are to enquire concerning life and the particle in Life improperly so called which is a vigor wherby things continue in their proper condition is not to be vnderstood in this place because in that sence it was taken in the member going before But life properly so called is to be conceaued And it is naturall spirituall heauenly All these are within the vvord yet naturall life seemeth heere especially to be meant The particle in delareth that it is in the vvord as in a fountaine that it may be transfused into the Church Hitherto we are rather to vnderstand it of life transfused into the Church Notwithstanding these things are not spoken more of the Word then of the Father and the holy Ghost Looke the branch concerning things made We gather therefore 1 That the Word is the fountain of life Iohn 5 26 Acts 17 28 Colo 3 4. Iohn 14 6. Wherefore the name nature is wisely to be vsed 2 We are to giue thanks vnto the Word for life receiued what soeuer meanes haue been vsed 3 If what things the Word had in himselfe the same hee doth deriue into vs why should not we likewise do so vnto our bretheren 4 Seeing life is from him we are euen to frame our naturall life according to his will Now naturall life standeth in nourishing growing procreation and the senses 5 Neither can there be a better rule of gouerning life thē the Word Gala 2 20. The third member remaineth And the life was the light of men c. Verse 4 and 5. And heere are contained a proposition in the end of the fourth verse an explication in the fift Euery word seuerally of the propositiō is to be vnfolded Life is put for the fountaine or that which springeth frō hence Heere is meant the fountaine as immediatly before is set downe that which springeth from it In this place the person which is the fountaine is vnderstood which is life many other things So is Christ life Iohn 14 6 Colo 3 4 that the Word himselfe is heere to be meant Was as before he truly beeing life from himselfe For so the Sonne hath life in himselfe Ioh 5 26 to wit essentially and he is the Lord of life Acts 3 15. By his voyce those that were dead in sin are raised vp He so was that he alwaies is and remaineth Light is that which maketh manifest Ephe 5 13. And it is vncreated created Vncreated as God light of light Created which is taken properly improperly Properly whereof is handled in naturall Philosophy Improperly so it is in this place it is a metaphor or borowed word For euen as light maketh all things manifest so doth the Word it is wel translated in the latin Lux not lumen Now this light is an instrument and gift of perceiuing and it is naturall supernaturall Naturall which is intellectuall a gift giuen by GOD to man whereby he is able to vnderstand things Supernaturall is of grace glory The Word is light that is the fountaine of this manifold light yet notwithstanding this place is to be vnderstood of naturall light as it may appeare out of the 9. verse And it is the reasonable soule with the faculties instruments hereof
sinned not Others are occasioned from the roote of sin in our selues these though the least are sinne These are chiefelie heere meant The things house wife man seruaunt maide seruant c. signifie all other things whatsoeuer of our neighbors these are named as most vsuall and necessarie Paul fetteth it out generally Rom 7 7 whom wee may most safely follow to finde out the meaning of this place which is to condemne the imagination of the thoughts of mans hart Gene 6 5 8 21 which indeed are so by nature in all men women Neither is that speech more then plainly true Gene 6 5 as may appeare for that the like is repeated after the flood Gene 8 21. and is also repeated by Paule Rom 7 7. And though Noah be called iust it was not for that he was so of himselfe but by Gods speciall grace in forgiuing his sin This imagination is the first corrupt naturall motion of the vnderstanding and the will It is in vs before and after Baptisme and is likewise sin before Baptisme it is called originall after Baptisme some Diuines call it concupiscence This certainly after Baptisme is as the Romanists doe not denie 1 This is sinne which most specially is noted in this commaundement Paule calleth this sin Rom 7 8 9 so as one would maruaile why the Counsell of Trent should saie that it hath not the proper nature of sin as it doth 2 Besides it lusteth against the Spirit 3 It is breach of the law for by it one cannot loue God with all his hart c. But it is saide out of Iames 1 15 that lust when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sin and sinne when it is finished bringeth foorth death as if concupiscence did not bring death and so were no sin Aunsw That Iames meaneth actuall sinne by the word sin Concupiscence indeede is not actuall sin yet is it sin for it is originall Besides Iames sheweth verse 14 that when a man is tempted hee is drawne away by his owne concupiscence That drawing away is from Gods law and is a sin so as concupiscence is a sin Wherefore Iames especially willeth to take heed of cōcupiscence because it draweth away and bringeth out actuall sin Now this cursed mother concupiscence with her brood is forbidden These are 1 Thoughts of things which should not be So as thought is not free by Gods lawe thought it may seeme to be by mans law Thoughts ought to be ordered well else they will rise from any thing Bernard compareth things to a Mill which presently as meale grind forth thoughts 2 Dreames arising from concupiscence 3 Sinnes of ignorance 4 Vaine wishes without deliberation Infinite such like Hetherto the wordes and meaning of the tenne Commaundements and morall law FINIS AN EXPOSITION vpon the Lords Supper 1. Corinth 11.23 and so forth AS the whole Epistle so is this chapter correctiue that is to redresse disorders crept into the Church of Corinth Whereof two are mentioned heere the one touching theyr habit and attire in prophecying and praying the other about the Lords supper the which is set downe from the 17. verse to the end of the chapter Wherin are two things shewed one what the fault of the Corinthians was from the 17. verse to the 23. the other what the truth is touching the supper of Christ from the 23. verse to the end of the chapter This which sheweth the truth to be had and held setteth downe the first appointing and ordayning heereof to the 28 verse then the right vsing and communicating thereof The first appointing is taught by the Author and ordainer of this dutie by the time and the partes and the vse or end The Author is the Lord that is Christ yea the Father and the holy Ghost that is the whole Trinitie For none hath power to ordaine any thing to bind all Churches and to continue for euer to assure euerlasting saluation as sacraments doe but onely the Lord. Que. But Paule heere saith that hee deliuered this vnto them Aunswer No further then he receiued from the Lord euen that for matter and manner which hee had from him And if we compare this place with the Euangelists we shall see that Paule word for word hath set it downe as they did Wherefore 1 It is not onely dangerous but not lawfull to adde or take from the sacrament otherwise then at the first was necessary for the same Quest Doth one celebrating the supper in the morning with men and women more then twelue c. agree with Christes first institution Aun Yea but this must be remembred Some things are of the nature and beeing of a sacrament whereto nothing must be put in that meaning or taken from other things are but accessary and besides in regard of time place persons So were sundry things in the Passouer in the Lords first supper which though they be now altered doe not shew that wee breake Christes first appointment Such are the time the place the number of persons the bread vnleauened and others of that kind The time when this was ordained is the night in which Christ was betrayed Not onely to shew the abolishing of the Passeouer but withall to declare the loue of Christ to his Church who immediatly before his bitter suffering had such care of his as also to make all thinke the more of this sacrament as beeing Christ his farewell token as a pledge of his wonderfull kindnesse The parts and whole sacrament follow The which before we can well vnderstand somewhat must be knowne as to make a more easie passage heereunto 1 Of all mankinde some onely are saued that is liue here in the fauour of God and shall fully enioy it afterward 2 Whosoeuer are saued are so by Gods mercifull agreement with them in Christ and for his sake So Ieremie 31 and Ephe. 2 12. 3 Gods agreement is his couenant and compact with his to saue them 4 Those who are in Gods couenant and agreement are at one time or other called that is acquainted heerewith 5 Those who are called haue this agreement and couenant betweene God and them made knowne assured 6 It is made knowne that there is such an one in generall by the preaching of the word 7 It is assured sometime by the Spirit alone sometimes also by outward other meanes 8 By the Spirit when the third person in Trinitie other meanes not being to be had perswadeth a partie that he is in the agreement or couenant of God 9 By other meanes when with the Spirit some outward things are vsed to assure in particuler and more euidently euen to sence 10 These meanes are by learned Writers in the Church called Sacraments This word though it be not in the Scripture thus taken yet is the meaning of it 11 A sacrament is an ordinance of God in the right vse whereof the partaker hath assurance of his being in Gods couenaunt of grace In the due receiuing I say not otherwise 12 Euery
our owne soule and body Looke psal 139 13 14. and Iob 10 8 9 10 11 12. Thus much for duties professed in respect of the creation duties in respect of prouidence follow 1 That we acknowledge all things to be most wisely ruled by God 2 That he hath particular care of vs. 3 That the Angels watch about vs. 4 All the creatures shall worke for our good Iob 5 22 23. 5 Be contented with whatsoeuer God doth 6 Vse not the name of fortune lucke chaunce 7 Tempt not God by neglect of meanes 8 Remember Iam 4 15. Hetherto touching God essentially now followeth of him personally Whatsoeuer is said of God in generall in this Creede or in the scriptures is true of euery person the Father onely is not Creator and almighty but so likewise is the Sonne and holy Ghost It may be obiected that the Sonne doth nothing of him selfe Aun True not without the Father but all with the Father 2 Not in the sence the Iewes conceiued of him taking him for a bare man so he doth nothing Que. Why are these ascribed to the Father Aun Onely for order Of God personally it is said that he is Father Sonne holy Ghost First is Father Father is a name that cannot be vnderstood without respect to child or sonne God is father of a sonne who is GOD or of sonnes who are men To vnderstand God the father of a sonne who is God somewhat must be touched concerning the misterie of the Trinitie There is as was said before but one God There are 3. persons Father Sonne holy Ghost A person is a manner of beeing in the God-head distinguished by an incommunicable propertie The persons be coequall and coeternall The Father is of none The Sonne is begotten of the Father The holy Ghost proceedeth frō the Father and the Son The Sonne may be considered as not incarnate and nowe incarnate Not incarnate he was called the Word incarnat the sonne of man In respect of his person and manhood hee is the Sonne of God To vnderstand God the Father of sonnes who are men somewhat must be touched concerning the mistery of our redemption and adoption Of mankinde which might haue perished by the fall of Adam it pleased God in Christ to adopt and make some to be sonnes vnto himselfe Ephe 1 5 Iohn 1 12. Que It may be demaunded whether wee must belieue in God the Father of Christ or our father or both Aun Both. So saith Christ your father my father Praying himselfe calleth father and teacheth vs so to pray Our Father Let vs then consider the grounds of scriptures the meaning of this article and what we doe therein professe But because there be two branches implied first consider of the first then of the latter And that wee ought to belieue in the father of our Lord Iesus Christ it appeareth for that God himselfe maketh himselfe knowne by that name Math 3 17 Luke 3 22 Heb 1 5. He is praysed vnder that title 2 Cor. 1 3 Ephe 1 3. Christ promiseth Iohn 14 23. Is prayed vnto Ephe 3 14. The meaning heereof is that I acknowledge to belieue in that God who is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ And heereby doe disavow all Turkish Iewish doctrine which holdeth not the doctrine of the blessed Trinitie Now for belieuing in God who is my Father God promiseth himselfe so to be 2 Cor 6 18 Iere 31 1 more particularly Exod 4 22 23. God commaundeth so to be called vpon Iere 3 19. And findeth fault that any other should be so called Iere 2 27 Math 23 9. Christ himselfe applyeth this name Math 6 8 14 15 18 and that very particularly Math 6 18. Thus did the godly Esay 63 162 So are we taught Mat 6 6. Luke 11 2. I meane then that I know the doctrine of adoption am perswaded that it belongeth to me I know it when I know whence I am redeemed namelie from misery for whom I am adopted namely for Christ how I am assured heereof to wit by faith I professe in this branch 1 To make more account of this that God is my father in Christ then of all thinges in the world beside 2 To looke for all fauours from God as a Father beeing now made a sonne of his The first fauour is Gods sparing as a father is wont to doe Mala 3 17. This is in 1 not imputing faults 2 not inflicting punishments 3 moderatly and gently chastising 4 in taking in good worth the weakenes and vnperfectnes of our obedience Hence must needes arise great peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost The second is the Spirit of adoption whereby wee crie Abba father This Spirit 1 hath boldnes to come into the presence of God 2 Ability or gift to poure forth prayers and desires and prayses 3 Perswasion that al are heard and accepted of God The third is his care to prouide things necessary for vs 2 Cor 12 14 Math 6 32 Psal 23 From hence we haue that 1 which is enough 2 Where-with wee are contented 3 That which God blesseth as the womans oyle the Iewes apparell The fourth is his defence of vs. Keeping vs from euill Deliuering out of euill The fift title to the creatures which we lost by the fall of Adam The sixt certainty of inheritance in heauen All mens children are not heires but Gods are and fellow heires with Iesus Christ 3 I professe to performe all duties to God as a child to a father For there is no benefit but requireth a duty All the duties which wee owe to God or can performe are honour Exod 20 3 Mal 1 6. This honour may be considered in respect of God our selues and others In respect of God we ought 1 To acknowledge this our being sonnes is meerely of grace 2 To seeke to God in all our wants 3 To thanke him for all fauours 4 To take all his instruction 5 To obey his commaundements 6 At his corrections to acknowledge our faults and amend In respect of our selues remember whence we came into this fauour to carry our selues humbly all the time of our liues In respect of others who are without and haue not yet giuen their names to Christ wee must doe nothing to the shaming of our house and father but all things to his glorie Who are of the Church all of vs hauing one father to be one to other brother and sister Hitherto of the first person the second followeth to I beleeue in the holy Ghost For the doctrine touching the second person wee may speake of it ioyned with the former and in it selfe It is ioyned with this word and. And sheweth that it goeth with the rest and in this order It goeth with the rest as may appeare euery where in scripture so as that it is not enough to beleeue in the former The order is that it followeth the former not for any vnworthines it hath in respect of the former but for that somwhat must
1 That those which saw had not forgotten the word 2 That they rehearsed to others those things which they knew themselues Hitherto concerning the worke of others towards him now followeth his owne endeuour hee had searched out all things perfectly from the beginning The act he had searched out The obiect all things c. He searched out not only sought after as namely who had learned and vnderstoode them Obseru 1 That Luke followed after holy men 2 He looked for fruit by conuersing with them and seeketh after all things that appertaine vnto Christ from them that vnderstoode them 3 He doth not giue ouer before he hath attained 4 He getteth that which he seeketh Our trauaile is neuer in vaine Perfectly 1 As that nothing was wanting 2 Hee will not slightly know these things but thoroughly for number to haue all and to make vse of This must be our studie neither is it blamed if it be not most fruitfull It must be most diligent for instruction and vse to enforme others All things they be the speeches and deeds of Christ howbeit not all but such as were necessary vnto saluation for the world could not containe the bookes that should be written of all Vnderstand therefore that wholsome thinges are to be sought out 2 And that learned men know more themselues then is needefull they should teach others 3 That onely the saluation of the hearers is to be aymed at Also he searched out these things from the beginning which respecteth the order namely from the first ministerie of Iohn And he went thorough vnto the end Thus also we must doe Hitherto were the impulsiue causes Verse 4 now followeth the finall that thou mightest acknowledge c. Wherein are certaine propositions 1 Theophilus was instructed in the word 2 Yet the acknowledging of the truth is necessarie 3 Theophilus did not at the first acknowledge the truth of those things whereof he had heard 4 Luke wrote the Gospell that Theophilus might acknowledge the truth The doctrine and vse is manifold Obserue out of the first proposition 1 What catechising or instructing is 2 That it ought to goe before 3 That Catechising and a larger maner of expounding and applying the word of God are for substance all one Onely after Catechising a more accurate and large exposition is necessary 4 That Theophilus a man of ripe yeeres was catechised and stoode in neede thereof so as we ought not to scorne it That it is also necessary And seeing we are instructed from our youth there is good reason why we ought to be more learned But how if we haue cause to examine our selues search whether we haue no neede of Catechising 5 That Theophilus a most excellent man for place and ofspring gaue his minde vnto catechising and that he spared so much time from his owne busines to bestow on this Obserue out of the second proposition 1 What is that which is translated certaintie namely that truth whereof a man is perswaded Whereon who so euer resteth he shall neuer fall nor miscarie Of such is the word of God in it selfe Wherfore fearefull is the speech of one calling the Historie of Christ a fable And he that groundeth vpō the word of god cannot erre 2 That such truth is to be acknowledged Now acknowledgement hath 1 More full vnderstanding 2 Distinction 3 Profession Out of the third proposition after the proofe of it search whether in the world there is not alwayes the same slacknes in the hearers of the word which wee shall vnderstand by the causes of it which are 1 The excellencie of the doctrine it selfe going beyond our capacitie which euen not Adam knew in paradise 2 The deprauation of our nature 3 The spiritual aduersaries 4 The slender vsing of meanes 5 The contempt of the doctrine it selfe Que. But whence may wee be able to iudge of our acknowledging Aun Out of the former Theophilus being learned yet did not he sufficiently vnderstand 1 Much lesse did the vnlearned 2 Obserue that ignorance if it will amend it selfe and goe on to acknowledgement doth not condemne Luke doth not forsake rude Theophilus Out of the fourth proposition obserue 1 That to acknowledge the truth meanes are requisite 2 That the care of the Ministers must be that the hearers may haue the certaintie But why Aun Not onely for the solid comfort of the hearers but vnlesse the certainty be acknowledged the godly shal halt in their duties For they shal not so put their affiance in God as they ought 3 That writing is sufficient to perswade touching the certainty and therefore miracles are not to be expected 4 If once writing sufficed ought not much more so often reading and preaching establish our faith Iohn 1 Chap from the 1 ver to the 15. Hitherto hath beene the praeface the narration followeth in the rest of the whole body of the Gospels And it is summarie of the whole Gospell particular and distinct of euery seuerall branch The summarie narration is contained in the first Chapter of Iohn from the beginning of the first ver to the end of the 14. And it is concerning our Sauiour Christ God man and that either in himselfe or in the ministerie of Iohn the Baptist both which the order scarsely obserued are heere contained Now the sum of the 14 verses is a description of Christ God and man Whereof are two parts the former touching his deitie the latter touching his humanity That which is touching his deitie is from the first verse to the end of the 13. Wherein he auoucheth that Christ is God shewing it himself as also confirming it by testimonie He sheweth it in the ver 1 2 3 4 5 9 10 11 12 13. In the doctrine touching Christ his deitie two things are to be considered his essence person His essence in the ve beginning ending 1 2 3 4 5 9 10. And heere are comprehended his eternitie the name and appellation of God his effects The person is noted in these words was with God His eternitie is propounded in the first verse repeated in the second Seeing the Church by way of teaching vseth the words of essence and person although they be not found in the scripture we are to expound the same The essence is that whereby the deity hath his being and it is common The person is that whereby the deity is distinguished it is proper There is only one essence but a three fold person the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost This is therefore the drift of Iohn namely to shew that Christ is both God and also a distinct person This is the summe now let vs consider the words of the text Verse 1 In the first verse are contained three propositions In the beginning was the word this is the first proposition for the deitie of Christ proued from his eternitie the most plaine and naturall disposition whereof is thus The word was in the beginning And heere may be considered the subiect
house of God So as that whatsoeuer meanes are vsed 1 Knowe that God ordereth crosses Thus thought Ioseph Iob Dauid 2 And that thereupon we ought alwaies to be patient I held my peace because thou diddest it I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him Yea though it were to euerlasting damnation 3 Insomuch that whatsoeuer meanes yet GOD is to be sought to for ease and fauour This iudgement is heere with limitation of time When. Whereby is declared vnto vs 1 That GOD doth not alwaies punish Whereby he sheweth his long suffering our weakenesse for if he should we were neuer able to abide it 2 That in the breathing time betweene crosses vvee should labour for spirituall wisedome strength faith patience against the next affliction Thus much of the iudgement nowe followeth the purenesse Pure it is a borrowed kinde of speech from thinges not mixed but sheere and like themselues not as troubled mâ—rie water or foming sea but as wine without water siluer without drosse The meaning is without any mixture of wrong dooing or vnrighteousnesse alwaies keeping one tenor of vpright dealing accepting no person c. Who dareth doubt that God is thus When hee forbiddeth impuritie to his creatures whose inheritance with him is vndefiled who cannot be seene but by a pure hart 1 VVell then take heede of charging GOD with iniustice euen in the matter of reprobation much more in thine owne crosses 2 And endeuour to be pure and vpright like thy heauenly Father Thus much of Dauids iudging himselfe worthy of punishment now follow the sinnes which he doth confesse and first actuall in the 4 verse next originall in the 5 6 verses Touching this the Prophet first setteth it downe then hee layeth it open Hee setteth it downe in two manners of speech First I was borne in iniquitie the seconde and in same hath my Mother conceiued mee both which are set out with the word behold But first let vs endeuour to vnderstand the words so shall we better know the sence The word which is read borne dooth properly signifie the time and griefe about the deliuerie and being brought in bed So as that Dauids meaning is as soone as he approched to the light the darknesse of sinne ouer-spred him Iniquitie dooth heere signifie in the full and largest meaning of it to wit guiltinesse that is faultinesse and deseruing punishment withall pronenes corruption to sin Sin is transgression of the Law and the same with iniquitie The other word conceiued properly cherished or heat or warmed me that is in the wombe from the conception and after that is as soone as euer the matter whereof I was made was in the wombe warme and enclosed so soone euen then began I to be tainted Not that bed companie betweene his Father and Mother and bed beneuolence as some fondly haue thought was sin but that euen from thence hee was infected For the cleanest hand that is sowing pure wheate can not cause but when it springeth it will haue straw chaffe c. Whereupon by the way it may seeme that sin is drawne as well from the mother as the Father which the Papists seeme to denie And whereas in the 5 to the Romans it is ascribed to man there I thinke the woman is to bee included For the word behold which is so vsuall in the scriptures I take it not as many learned doe to note a wonder wheresoeuer it is set but according to the plainenesse of the stile of the scripture to set out a thing commonly knowne or that which may be or should be knowne Gene 22 7. Hinneni ecce me Almost 600 times in the scriptures as Luke 7 37 Iam 3 3 4 and so often else where in the same sence as also here beeing in such a thing as no seruaunt of God should or can be ignorant of The words thus opened let vs come to the meaning of them altogether The chiefe drift and intent is to set out Dauids first sin which is heere noted to be the iniquitie wherein he was borne and the sin wherein his Mother conceiued him Which two manners of speech shew one and the selfe same thing Which in another sound of words is called by the Diuines about Saint Augustines time Originall sinne Which howsoeuer Dauid saith is in himselfe is not onely true in him but in all mankind Christ onely excepted as shortly we may perceiue We may haue in this verse a full setting out vnto vs what it is For when Dauid saith me he meaneth his whole person soule and bodie and when he mentioneth iniquitie sinne he meaneth fault deseruing of punishment inclining to all corruption and naming his Mother and conception hee sheweth that it came from the first Mother to all following children But first of the name the learned Writers haue giuen vnto it which though in syllables it be not in Scripture is grounded thereuppon as Gen 6 5 and 8 21. They call Originall or of beginning 1 Because it was froÌ„ the beginning as soone as euer the fall of Adam was 2 It is one of the first thinges that is with the childe in the conception 3 It is the beginning of all sinnes of deede and practise And thus familiarly may be shewed vnto vs to be A disorder of the whole man touching matters of euerlasting life or a decay of the image of GOD brought vppon all mankinde Christ onely excepted by the fall of Adam and Eue whereby they are subiect to the anger of God and inclinable to any sin Disorder dooth signifie a swaruing from that it was or should haue beene at the first and a continuing so Wherby is not onely 1 The absence of goodnesse vprightnesse but 2 the presence of sin and euill 3 and inhabilitie in it selfe to reforme it selfe These might bee prooued but for shortnesse sake In the minde was should haue continued ful knowledge of God to saluation with the comprehension of arts and creatures The will delighted in Gods will the affections were stirred holily to their due obiects in most due sort the sences likewise and all other practises were thereafter But nowe most is lost the contrarie come in and will hardly be dispossessed The whole man doth signifie soule and body powers and parts Gene 6 5. Gene 8 21. The first motions Rom 8 7. The minde Titus 1 15 and so of the rest Yet must we not so meane as though the substance were empaired or the number of faculties but as in a poysoned fountaine there is the water and the running onely the wholesomnesse is taken away so the soule and bodie the parts and powers are the same but the soundnesse for their worke to fit them to proper things in due sort is lost All this while this must be remembred that wee vnderstand it of matters of the spirit and euerlasting life For otherwise natural men haue many excellent parts for worldlie knowledge of the creatures arts policie
and such like So Paule sheweth 1 Cor 2 14. This commeth by the disobedience of Adam and Eue in whose loynes we were who is our roote with whom we stand or fall of whose iuyce we sauour and relish For as in matters of treason the Father tainteth all the blood so is it in this case The Parents propagate this neither is it as the Pelagians dreame only by imitation Rom 5 12 16 17 18 19. 1 Tim 2 14. And it spreadeth ouer all mankinde Christ excepted the Virgine Marie is not free Besides it subiecteth to the wrath of GOD. Rom 5 18 and seauenth chapter 24. verse Euen in the very regenerate It is not imputed indeede but yet there it is howsoeuer the Tridentine glose would corrupt the Canonicall text Lastly it inclineth to sin Rom 7 23. This neuer could the heathen vnderstand But heere foure questions are to be aunswered 1 What is the proper seate of this sin Aun The whole man but specially the minde and will 2 Against which commaundement is this sinne Auns Against all and euery of them 3 How commeth the soule to be infected with this sinne since it is immediatly created of God and not begotten by the parents as the body is Auns Better it were to seeke to shake it of since euerie one must confesse that hee hath it then curiously to search how he came by it euen as to cure a soare and lift out of a pit rather then to stande questioning howe those dangers came Some thinke that this hangeth vpon the appointment of God who gaue all things to Adam not for himselfe onely but also for posteritie not as a priuate man but as the roote and head who standing all other shoulde continue vvith him falling bringeth all other downe because the soule is part of the partie the body infected causeth the soule to be so accounted But this is not sufficient Others thinke that the soule is indeede created at the first pure but yet weake and as soone as euer it is ioyned to the body receiueth tincture and infection Both aunswers haue learned Authors I like the last 4 Can this sin be quite taken away in this life Auns No so as that it should not be but is taken away as that in the elect regenerate it is not imputed For the reliques as the Fathers speake are left to exercise vs with Thus much for the opening of the words and meaning see what we may further learne 1 In that that Dauid being checked for one sin thinketh of more and euen the roote of all he doth as others of the children of GOD doe and must doe so seriously thinke of one sin as that they finde out others euen as when one vseth a light to seeke some one thing hee thereby seeth others So thought Dauid of the sinnes of his youth Psalm 25.7 and others Gene 42 21. Prou 9.9 Wherefore that is no good confession that findeth not out daily more and more sinnes 2 By the word behold we must remember that our originall sinne should be very well knowne and thoroughlie perceiued of vs but it is quite otherwise few or none perceiue it 3 The more seeing into the hainousnesse of this sinne so we take heede of Flacias errors others is good profiting in grace otherwise then the Papists are wont to lessen it 4 Seeing this sin is so naturall and engraffed bred in the bone we had neede arme our selues continually against it 5 Presume not too much of good naturall dispositions in matters of the worship of God the best are infected with originall sin then which there is no worse poyson 6 Parents must be carefull that as they naturally beget their children and so infect them with originall corruption they procure their regeneration to wash away the filth heereof by indeuouring to make them partake the merits of Christ and also the power of his death to destroy the body of sin 7 Neuer looke to be free in this life frō it neyther be discouraged if you take some foyles by it wish to be clothed vppon Thus much for the setting downe of this sin now foloweth the laying open of it and making more cleere Verse 6 Now the laying open of it is in the 6 verse is by comparing with the quite contrary in the first creation Wherby the heinousnesse of this will more cleerely appeare For whereas God loueth truth in the inward affections and teacheth wisedome in the secret hart is not Dauid out of square that from the first is confectioned with sin What a shame is it that Gods will by my fault should be violated Now of opening there is the Matter Notoriousnes of it as before The matter is in two speeches 1 Thou louest truth in the inward affections 2 Thou teachest me wisedome c. But first come to the wordes Truth in Scriptures signifieth diuersly more then need to be spoken of heere In this place I iudge it to be put for righteousnesse as that which in Gene 24 49 our English bookes haue truly the 72 Interpreters haue dooing righteousnesse so is truth taken Ephe 4 21 for true obedience which is called righteousnes ver 24. so Esay 26 2 the righteous Nation is said to keepe truth by way of interpretation to which purpose looke Esay 59 14. but dooing of truth Iohn 3 21 is most bright So is it I take it heere sincere obedience actually performed to the Law of GOD. It is called iustice Ephe 4 24. And is a part of the image of God by a meton of the adiunct for the subiect And is first heere named because it is more manifest though not more necessarie then wisedome Louest in the preterperfect Tence and is alwaies true present in God yet I take it we may fitliest interpret in the preterpluperfect Tence haddest loued that is diddest alwaies so loue as that at the first thou createdst man in it art now angry with mee for hauing lost it For I iudge the Prophet hath respect to the image of God at the creation Inward affections in Hebrew the reynes some say the hart strings A trope shewing the seate of desire and affections which they note is in the kidneis Heereby the Prophet meaneth the will and affections Wisedome is knowledge mentioned Coloss 3 10. In the secret of my hart the Hebrew is onely in the secret meaning indeede the heart which is hid and couered with a filme that it doth not appeare He meaneth the mind vnderstanding Hast taught I thinke for haddest taught as before respecting the creation These are the words Nowe because one thing is meant in both these manners of speech therefore not curiouslie speaking of them a sunder let vs consider them both together according to theyr intent The Prophet laboureth to set out his corrupted estate with that which was at the first creation the which the Scriptures call by the image of GOD which Dauid no doubt heere pointeth out Now the image of GOD is the
full holinesse The effect I shall be whiter then snow An hyperbolicall metaphor meaning he shall be most perfectly cleane Nowe by both these sentences one thing is principallie meant as is often seene in the scriptures In both which ioyntly we may consider 1 The necessitie of this iustice 2 The desire of it 3 The commendation of it The necessitie appeareth in that the Prophet maketh it his first sute wherein alone is euerlasting happinesse Psal 32 1 2. Rom 4 7. So as that indeede without this there can be no fauour looked for at Gods hand It is the vvedding garment and the one thing necessarie without the which like Iacob in Esaues clothes wee neuer shal obtaine the blessing The desire of it followeth Purge mee with Hysope wash mee Wherein are 1 The person purging and washing 2 The thing where-with this purging is Hysope 3 The partie receiuing I Dauid purge me God euen the whole Trinitie purgeth the Father for the Sonne by the holie Ghost And that onely I euen I for mine owne sake put away thy sinnes Esay 43 25. God thus dooing this is said in scriptures to impute that is to account or recken and is a borrowed kind of worde taken frō debts or reckonings as when I owe a great sum and my suretie paieth it for me my creditour cancelling or deliuering my band doth impute that payment vnto mee This is not a putatiue righteousnesse as the Papists falselie charge it to be where they fet themselues against GOD while theyr Priests take vppon them the power and act of forgiuing sinnes The second is the thing where-with this purging washing is and that is heere Hysope and water signifying vnto vs the full righteousnesse of Christ which is his obedience vnto the death for vs. Christ is God and man his man-hoode suffering his God-head giuing merit thereto His obedience is actiue or passiue His actiue is the fulfilling of the morall law in the rigor of it His passiue righteousnesse are his sufferings from the beginning of his incarnation to his resurrection which were very many very grieuous and with the feeling of the anger of God and becomming a curse Both these are counted to vs to the pardon of all sinnes fault and punishment and the counting of all righteousnesse and fauours with that Now that which is said of Christ is to be vnderstoode of him alone without mixture of any other thing whatsoeuer nothing beside beeing able to make so white as Christes righteousnesse The third thing is the partie receiuing that is Dauid And here as there is imputation on Gods part there must be application in the partie praying to wit fayth For as the sprinkling of the Hysope and water was receiued so must Christ be Heere therefore faith is most necessarie to the full vnderstanding vvhereof are necessarie to bee knowne 1 The obiect 2 The partes 3 The properties of it The generall obiect of fayth is the whole word of God but more particulerly the doctrine of saluation by Christ as the marrow and pith of the Scriptures The parts of fayth are three The first knowledge which is a perceiuing of the meaning of the worde of God but especially of saluation by Christ which then we may iudge to be sound when we can discerne falshood when we rest vpon grounds of Scripture when nothing can driue vs frō it The second assent which is a full perswasion that the former is true The third affiance or application whereby wee are perswaded that the word of saluation and so saluation is ours And heere indeede lieth the chiefe force of fayth whereas the wicked may haue the other parts The properties followe 1 Commonly it is small and weake 2 It desireth to increase 3 It maketh the hart to thinke most highly of Christ 4 It will change the whole man The commendation of this iustice followeth I shall be whiter then snow Quest How can this be seeing euery where the Saints in Scriptures doe disauow their owne righteousnesse and are ashamed of it Aun Righteousnes is two-fold of Iustification Sanctification That which the Saints mislike is the imperfectnesse of theyr sanctification not of iustification which can haue no blemish Indeede sanctification is neuer seuered from a partie iustified yet it must be distinguished from iustification Gather then from hence 1 That Christes righteousnesse imputed vnto vs is most perfect that God cannot in the rigour of his iustice finde fault with it els could not the Prophet by it be so white 2 When wee consider of righteousnes to abide the iudgment of God all our owne of neuer so inward sanctification must be remoued 3 That perfectnesse may stand with vnperfectnesse that is perfectnesse of iustification with imperfectnes of sanctification 4 That all iustified parties are iustified equally euerie one partaking the righteousnesse of Christ Mary and Rahab Peter the theefe It followeth not from hence that glorie should be equall Thus much of the first particuler petition the second followeth in the 8 verse Verse 8 Make me to heare ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce This particuler desire is for the further confirmation of the former and is a fruite of that Wherein we may consider two things 1 That which is prayed for 2 The end That which is prayed for is Make me to heare ioy gladnesse The end That the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce In that which is prayed for we may consider what is desired from God to be bestowed then what of the Prophet to be receiued That which God is desired to giue is to Make to heare That which the Prophet would receiue is ioy gladnesse The manner of wordes thou shalt make mee heare it is in steed of make me to heare by a very vsuall maner of speech in the Hebrew tongue Now surely very fitly is this desire ioyned to the former as in the 32 Psalme after the doctrine of forgiuenes of fins reioycing verse 11. So Rom 5 1.1 Iohn 1 4. So as that without the former this can neuer be and where the other is there this is Howsoeuer the wordes heere stande the first in nature which the Prophet prayeth for is ioy and gladnesse Ioy and gladnesse though they much agree in one yet is the latter some increase of the former Ioy is a sweete motion in the soule vpon opinion of hauing some present good Which according to the cause obiect is diuers For when nature is delighted with anie thing pleasing or preseruing it then is naturall or fleshlie ioy so when the regenerate part is delighted with some grace or heauenly thing this is holy or spirituall ioy which is chiefely meant in this place Sometimes indeed God giueth comfort of this world but it is not generall nor simply to be prayed for This is a fruite of fayth And is peace of conscience increased arising vppon the sweet feeling of Gods loue in Christ whereby wee can be cheerefull in
as that none broken in hart should be discouraged sith God doth like them 2 We likewise should not thinke hardly but most kindlie of such Hetherto hath beene the first Verse 18 and greatest part of this psalme for the prophet himselfe now foloweth that which is for the whole Church frō the beginning of the 18. verse to the end of the 19. Whereof are two parts petitions for Sion prayses for Ierusalem The petition for Sion is be fauourable to Sion for thy good pleasure Wherein are the thing fauour manner for thy or according to thy good pleasure But first we may perceiue it is our part to pray for others as well as for our selues 1 because of Gods commaundement 2 for that we are the better if others be well 3 We are members of one body and God is all our Father 4 but Dauid doth thus more particulerly because he might feare that for his sake God would afflict Sion and Ierusalem Sion was the hill in the Cittie of Dauid where afterward was built the Temple now was the Tabernacle It seemeth to be put heere for the Church And in that for persons things Persons are especially those who are of the houshold of faith And 1 Those parents who beget to Sion as faithfull Ministers furnished and endeuouring to instruct in wholsome doctrine Not Wolues not hirelings 2 Nurcing fathers and mothers Kings Queenes Magistrates 3 Daughters of Sion particuler congregations These he prayeth may 1 multiply and 2 florish for the Churches good The things are 1 publishing of sauing doctrine 2 frequenting holy assemblies for exercise of the worde prayer and sacraments 3 withstanding heresies 4 procuring godlie gouernment of the Church The thing be fauourable 1 that is giue these thinges 2 continue them 3 blesse them The manner for thy good pleasure 1 not for our merrits 2 vvhat measure thou thinkest good The petition for Ierusalem foloweth wherein wee may consider 1 obiect 2 act Obiect the wall Act build Ierusalem the chiefe cittie of Palestine First called Salem Gene 14 18. Psalm 76. After that it was called Iebus Iudges 19 10. and of these two names Hierusalem as Iebusalem though some thinke of a verbe Iire and Shalom which is shall see peace and it is in the duall number as Ramathaijm 1 Sam 1. With this was after ioyned the Citty of Dauid so vvere there three Citties in one Nowe this cittie was once the ioy of the whole earth Looke psalme 48 1 2 3. and is taken properly for that Cittie before named improperly for heauenly or earthlie Ierusalem In this place it is taken both wayes for the Citty that then was and a politicall state of the people of GOD for afterward as Esay 2 3. Psal 122 3 6. A politicall state is a company of people well ordered furnished with things necessary for this present life Which may fitly be resembled to Ierusalem Because 1 that as Ierusalem had so other states should haue Lawes from God 2 that as in that cittie so in others God should as it were keepe his Court 3 where should be likewise the pure worship of God Forget not then 1 that outward things come frō God 2 That we are to hang vpon him for them by faith 3 So to seeke outward things as chiefly to haue care for that which is for the common good Thus much for the Citty for which the prayer is made now followeth the obiect speciall thing prayed for the walls of Ierusalem VValls before gunnes were inuented were the chiefe strength of a citie so as heere they are mentioned for that which is the surest and safest for a politicall state Of which sort are 1 Godly lawes which are grounded vppon the equitie of the word of God 2 leaue least to men and Iudges discretions 3 are most for the common benefit 2 Good Magistrates for peace and warre these must 1 feare God 2 hate couetousnes 3 be diligent 4 respect no persons 5 seeke the glory of God the good of the country 3 Continuall succession of good princes 4 Loyaltie of subiects toward their soueraigne 5 Repulsing the open enemy repressing priuie seditions 6 Wealth 7 Bringing vp of children in the feare of God 8 A life at all handes framed according to the word of God The act foloweth build that is if these be absent 1 giue them 2 if they decay restore them 3 increase them more and more Thou ô God who onely canst The thanksgiuing foloweth Verse 19 verse 19 wherin is mention made of the dutie and the acceptance The duty is one and the selfe same of giuing praise and yet set downe in 4 branches 1 offering sacrifices of righteousnesse 2 burnt offrings 3 oblations 4 offering of calues c. Acceptance Thou shalt accept thē Mark that as prayers so praises should be in common for the Church Que. How will this agree with the 16. verse Aun Looke that place 1 Sacrifices of righteousnesses as psal 46 such as are offered according to the intent of Gods iust law 2 In that whole burnt offerings were in praise wee may perceiue that we ought likewise to praise God 1 feruently 2 with the whole hart 3 though it be to our cost The acceptance is such as that God cannot mislike thē Looke psalm 50 23. So as vppon this acceptance Gods children shall be encouraged to continue theyr duty of offring prayses in bringing young bullocks c. FINIS AN EXPOSITION vpon the tenne Commaundements ALl mans happinesse is in the knowledge of GOD. God maketh himselfe knowne by his word a part whereof is the morall Law imprinted at the first in Adam and Eues hart after when that the light of it began to weare away it was proclaimed to the world engrauen in stone kept for record in the Arke of the testimonie in opening and applying whereof most of the Diuine Writers did spend their time euen Christ himselfe came to teach it and doe it and of it one iote or tittle cannot possibly faile It shall keepe the vse that euer it had since the fall to the generall resurrection and therefore is as needful now to be vnderstood as at any time It is commonly called the Decalogue or tenne wordes or commaundements for that there be tenne the morall law for that it setteth downe all duties for manners of mankind of all sorts and conditions sometimes the Law for that it is the abstract and abridgement of all lawes for humane behauiour meaning though the morall law not law in generall is set downe in the 20 chapter of Exodus from the beginning of the first verse to the end of the 17 verse In all those verses are two things cōtained the one an entrance into the commaundements the other the treatise commaundements themselues The entrance is in the two first verses for the more orderly setting down of the commaundements and is likewise double According to the Register of the Law Author of the Law This law which thou now hearest is
obiect Action visiting Obiect iniquitie Set out by the subiect of the fathers Visiting commeth of a Latine word to visite to visite is often to come to see to take knowledge and to iudge and doe thereafter in which sence wee vse visitation So doth God proceede Gene 11 5 Gene 18 21. Now because when God so commeth and findeth men faultie he is wont to punish therfore is visiting sometimes put for punishing as psalm 89 32. I will visit their iniquitie with the rod and theyr sinnes with scourges And of Dathan and Abiram If these men be visited after the visitation that is the punishment of all men Num 16 29. VVhereupon some translate it heere rendring or repaying The obiect is iniquitie that is sinne or breach of the law of God and more specially breach of this law the which God neuer leaueth vnpunished This iniquitie is further set out by the subiect in whom it is said to be that is fathers and ancetors Thus much what God doth now followeth to whom vpon the chyldren or sonnes vpon the third and fourth generation Where we may see vpon whom and how many He doth thus to the sonnes and posteritie Que. Doe children beare the punishment of theyr Fathers sinnes Aun Yea of some as of the first sin of our first parents Adam and Eue and likewise of such actuall sinnes as our fathers haue taught vs to practise otherwise not For better vnderstanding whereof know that in sin we may consider the fault against God and the punishment whereby God is wont to shew his displeasure Wheresoeuer the fault is the punishment is deserued Punishments are spirituall or temporall and of this life Spirituall hindering one frō euerlasting saluation these doth neuer God bring vppon any but for his owne fault and therefore originall corruption is partly our own fault because we are part of Adam Of this lfie are such as doe not hinder a mans saluation and befall the godly and wicked both alike and are to the godly many times profitable Now indeede sometimes by occasion of others the godly feele some outward smart but still with Gods loue so as such sufferings are no punishments but exercises and benefits and therefore God neuer punisheth in anger other mens sinnes in vs but such as we haue and learne from thē Now for that idolatry is learned by parents for the most part therefore God sheweth that the dutie which children owe to their parents shall not excuse them if they learne idolatrie and false worship of God from theyr fathers Now all this while no certaine punishment is named that the offenders might feare all neither is time mentioned that euer punishment might be looked for How many this punishment concerneth is vpon the third and fourth generation of them that hate me Where first we must remember that this doth not stretch as partly we saw before but to such as hate GOD that is who breake this commaundement so as that wee may see all breakers of Gods commaundements in some sort doe hate God vnder what pretence soeuer it be And that it reacheth to the third fourth generation that is I take it to any that doe breake this commaundement some named for all thus wee see how God destroyed the Canaanites c. This manner of speech is vsed 1 to teach vs that this kinde of sin is often conueied by parents to children 2 That parents should be carefull to instruct theyr children in the pure worship of God 3 That children if they meane to be free from Gods punishments should especially seeke from their parents to learne to worship God purely So as that it is much for the worshipping of God of what parents one commeth and heere wee may learne to aunswere the Papists what we should thinke of their ancetors and ours who died in Papistrie For wee see that three or foure generations may hate God Thus much for Gods zeale in his iustice now followeth his zeale in his mercy shewing mercy to thousands that loue me and keepe my commaundements Where we may see what he doth and to whom He sheweth mercy that is forgiueth their sinnes bestoweth sundry fauours of this life and of that which is to come as in Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid not for their vvorkes but as the word is for his mercie But some may say how is this true seeing that many idolaters florish and true worshippers of God are punished Though Idolaters scape heere they are punished heereafter and though the godly heere are vnder the crosse yet are they in Gods fauour and shall enioy him for euer afterward Thus much for this second commaundement and the manner of worshipping the true God ¶ Commaundement 3. Now followeth the end in the third commaundement wherein is set downe not onely the end of the worship of God but of all other duties whatsoeuer The summe of all which is commaunding to purely vse the Name of God and forbidding the contrary and that in the charge and the reason or sanction The charge is Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy GOD in vaine Wherein is forbidden the taking of the Name of the Lord in vaine Gods Name is himselfe he is his Name so often haue we in the scriptures hallowed be thy Name that is thy selfe call vpon the Name of the Lord that is himselfe And it setteth out vnto vs his essence and diuine beeing his titles or surnames as God Father Sonne and holy Ghost Lord Iesus Christ all his attributes as omnipotent mercifull c his word written spoken read heard his workes of first creation of gouernment in iustice or mercy any of his holy ordinances c. Thou shalt not take thou that is none shalt not that is must whereto is counted happines Psalm 32 1. Rom 4 7. And though no particuler punishment should folow yet impunitie is punishment enough God is greatly angry saith one when he is not angry that is correcteth not And an hard hart is punishment enough So as that a man may be grieuously punished and not feele it How grieuously GOD punisheth this sinne looke Zachary 5.2 4. Leuit. 24.16 Num. 5 27. The certaintie of the punishment appeareth by the manner of speech counting guiltlesse hee will not hold guiltlesse that is at no hand will he hold guiltlesse Besides in this threatning of punishment no time is prefixed that offenders may feare alwaies for indeede suddainly many times doth God come vppon the wicked 2. Pet 2 3 as to Sodom and Gomorh to Balthaser Dan. 5 Herod Acts 12 22 to Ananias Sapphira Acts 5 c. Furthermore no kinde of punishment is named as before that we may looke for all Last of all there is no exception of person euery one offending shall be punished Heereupon we might do well to take heede we doe not offend in this kind The most vsuall grosse way of offending here is by vnlawfull swearing Vnlawfull swearing is forswearing or vaine swearing Forswearing is swearing to a thing
the word of God be perswaded of the lawfulnesse of it and not doe it doubtingly then is it sin 2 I must take heede of giuing scandall But what if searching to finde out the nature of the thing commaunded I cannot finde it out in the particuler as my Prince commaunding mee to assist the distressed King of Portugall I see no further into it Aun I thinke I not onely may but should be perswaded of the lawfulnesse of it In this case I take it rather to be the Commaunders fault if there be any then the obeyers The kinde of the thing heere mentioned is honor shewing all manner of due respect euery way in the highest degree Honour conteineth all other duties in it and is if wee should speake as it is praise-much increased and enlarged declared by all other tokens In this place according to the sundry parties to whom it belongeth it is diuers to all euerie it is as much as is due We may consider of it as generall or speciall Generall wee may call that which belongeth to all parents and this is manifold 1 To iudge that they ought to be honoured for that excellencie God hath put vpon them Rom 1 13. 2 To iudge them better then our selues in that behalfe Phil. 2.3 Rom 12 10. 3 Purpose to shew them honour in all things 4 Commendable shamefastnesse in their presence Iob 29 20 21 22 which ariseth from the conscience of our owne vnworthinesse in comparison of those who are our betters 5 Care in all things to hide their infirmities Gene 9 22 23 24. We see how that displeased God Infirmities should neither make vs shew lesse honor nor procure vs to tell them to others 6 We must pray for them and giue thankes 1 Tim. 2 2. 7 Shew all reuerent behauiour to bewray our inward reuerencing of them and to cause others so to doe and that according to the word of GOD and honest customes of our country as 1 to stand and not to sit Leuiticus 19 32. 2 to be vncouered 3 to be silent and forbeare noise 4 to giue honourable titles But what meaneth that Iob. 32 22. I may not giue titles least my Maker should take me away suddainly Aun It is meant of flattering and glosing titles Therefore mark how Sarah called her husband Lord Elizeus Elias father Ioas Elizeus and such like therefore were the children torne in peeces by Beares for calling bald-head 5 We must preuent their good desires as farre as we may know them and not stay to shewe dutie till it be demaunded 6 Countenaunce gesture gate attire c must be thereafter Speciall followeth and is particular or proper Particuler which agreeth to some but not to euery kind and partie Therefore to naturall parents gardians magistrates maisters pastors 1 Care to please euen the froward 2 obedience to theyr commaundements 3 to haue a care as wel what they think of vs as what they doe to vs 4 to yeelde to their corrections without aunswering againe 5 to relieue them in their wants Christ blameth such who vnder pretence to giue to the offerings of God gaue not to their parents it is true of others 6 Not to dispose of our selues in mariage without due respect of euery of them as the word of God requireth 7 when we are out of their iurisdiction to keepe an honorable conceipt and affection to them So did Hester 2 20. Proper honour remaineth which belongeth to some one kinde And first to the naturall parents belongeth the common and particuler honour in greater measure so as not onely he that striketh his father Exod 21 15 but also hee vvho curseth his father should die Exod 21 17. Looke Prou. 30 17. The Mother bare the father and shee brought vp beare their infirmities relieue theyr wants more then others To the spirituall father 1 Thess 5 13 to haue them in singuler loue for theyr workes sake Yea Gala 4 15 that they would haue beene contented to plucke out their own eyes c. This is called 1 Tim 5 17 double honour which Chrysostome vnderstandeth for reuerence and things necessarie for life I thinke wee should not be curious about the number Double signifieth much and great honour so the Spirit doubled or a double portion 2 Kings 2 9 signifieth very much as the first borne was to haue a double portion All this honour is that the Pastor may with more authoritie preach the word and that the people with more fruite might heare it The first is that the spirituall father may be without feare 1 Cor 16 10. which is to be deliuered from vnreasonable and captious men Second that hee who is taught in the word make him who taught him partaker of all his goods Gala 6 6 thus were the Leuits prouided for The third Rom 16 4 that they aduenture to maintaine the preachers though it be sometimes to endanger themselues The fourth not to receiue an occasion against them but vnder two or three witnesses 1 Tim 5 19. The fift to vse them more secretly in cases of conscience then we will others To our spirituall mother we owe 1 to iudge that shee is the keeper witnesser interpreter of the Scriptures that the authoritie of the Church hangeth vpon the scriptures the scriptures not vpon the Church 2 We must keepe the peace of the Church 3 We must not depart from the Church if it hold the foundation 4 We must duly reuerence the iust censures of the Church To the father of the country that is the Soueraigne 1 not to curse him in our thought nor in our bed-chamber 2 To take lawes and money of his making 3 to be armed at his commaundement To the inferior Magistrate to assist him for the execution of iustice All schollers of neuer so high or great place must yeelde all seemely dutie to theyr Teachers Wiues owe to theyr husbandes subiection Ephe 5 24 submission 22 as to the Lord this is comlie Colo 3 18 and is from that lawe Gene 3 16. in the generall honour which was spoken of before For indeed the wife is the glorie of the man 1 Cor 11 7 that is she ought to doe to her husbands glory rather then her owne and that in her attire and such things which while they are costlier or gayer then their husbands is to his dishonour if it be with neglect of his commaundement to the contrary with impayring his estate leesing his authoritie ouer her To the nurce we must not be vnkind Maisters must haue theyr honour of fidelitie and counsell-keeping Looke vpon Abrahams seruaunt Gene 24 Vpon Ioseph in Egypt before he was in prison when hee was in fauor with Pharaoh looke vpon Iacob with Laban Let old men haue theyr due of experience neuer to vpbraide them with the faultes of age Looke Iob 32 6 7. To them who excell vs in gifts this honour is due 1 that we in honest and plaine meaning acknowledge such gifts without hiding lessening deprauing 2 We must
thanke God for them 3 We must imitate them as farre as our kinde of life will suffer 4 Wee must incourage all we can those in whom such gifts are To such as excell vs in blood we must yeeld that which the lawe and our country customes and curtesies affoord Thus much for the thing A question may be whether a man may giue ouer and not take the honour due vnto him Aunswer The honour is commaunded by GOD and therefore none may release it but God Quest What if one be a childe one way and a Father another way Aun He must giue and take honour accordingly Quest Must this honour once giuen continue the same to the same partie Aunsw No longer then hee continueth in such a kind a Father Thus far hath beene the dutie the promise followeth the which is not read alike by all Interpreters The word which is translated that thy dayes may be prolonged may be taken passiuely or actiuely Passiuely as some other words Iob 4 19. Luke 16 19 in which sence some take it heere Actiuely that they may prolong in such sence speaketh Paule 1 Tim 4 16. Iam 5 20 Acts 26 18. Thus it seemeth to be taken heere as it is else-where and as some learned men thinke wherefore let vs reade it that they may prolong thy dayes c. Wherein we may consider the kinde of the gift and the meanes of it The kinde of the gift is prolonging of daies vpon the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee The meanes are parents In the kinde is the naming of the gift and setting out of it It is named prolonging of dayes set out by the Land which the Lord giueth The chiefe thing is dayes set out by prolonging Dayes by an vsuall manner of speech in scriptures signifie time because a day was the first sensible distinction of time Now though nothing else be named somewhat must be vnderstood for onely to haue dayes may be no great fauour as in all of them to be in death Hee meaneth therefore dayes of life naturall ciuill not onely so for though a man had neuer so many daies yet liue in sicknesse want disgrace his increased dayes should increase his woe Hee meaneth therefore dayes of life florishing in good health and outward fauours of God as Esay 65 20 21. for indeed life is not to liue but to be in good health Prolonging is not a lengthening aboue the appointed time but granting from the first a long time of life So that now this prolonging of daies is the florishing condition of any state familie or person wherein is quietnesse and peace 1 Tim 2 2 Wealth Rom 13 4. Somewhat may appeare by the contrary Esay 3 4 5 13 Pro. 30 17. 1 It must be remembred this promise is not made for the defect of the former dutie performed but vpon Gods own meere mercie to shew how acceptable the dutie is 2 We are not to iudge alwaies of the fauour of GOD to saluation by this benefit for sometimes it is bestowed vpon the wicked nor on the cōtrary to thinke that where it is not that therefore there Gods displeasure to damnation is But then may we iudge that wee are in good estate with it if in it we profit in all-sauing graces if we vse long life to make vs approch the neerer to heauen and likewise vse it to the good of the Church 3 This gift is not generall and perpetuall but as GOD seeth it expedient for vs wherefore if the question be asked why God alwaies doth not giue to the godly long life heere it may be aunswered it is because that God doth see that it is not the best for them Againe this promise is more for a state in generall of a kingdome country or corporation where this duetie is performed that it shall florish then that euery speciall person shall haue long life Besides if God while hee promiseth long life giue euerlasting life he breaketh not his promise Hetherto the gift named the setting out of it further followeth vpon the Land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Where mention is made of a Land and the giuer thereof This Land no doubt was the land of Canaan which God promised to his people when they came out of Egipt vnder Moses conduct and afterward gaue it vnto them by Ioshua wherein they afterward continued vntil they were carried captiue elswhere Yet so as that it is true of any land where God setteth his people yea any Citty Towne or house Now this land aboue others is mentioned because it was a sacrament of the heauenly Land So as that Godlinesse hath the promise of this and that life which is to come In outward benefits of this life we should be lifted vp to thinke of others and that life which is afterward The giuer of this land is the Lord thy God These are the words of couenaunt So as Gods couenaunt to vs is the ground of all his fauours to vs in which if we be not we cannot looke for any thing wherein we may haue comfort We haue nothing of our selues it is Gods gift Any thing that we haue must we thanke him for when we haue it and seeke it of him when we want it If God giue earth much more giueth he heauen and euerlasting life Thus farre the kinde of the gift the meanes follow they that is thy father and mother as saith the wise man Ecclesiasticus 3 10. Now parents are said thus to doe as Timotheus is said to saue himselfe and those that heard him 1 Tim 4 16 while he is the meanes of theyr saluation So parents are sayd to prolong their children when they are meanes thereof indeauour themselues in such things as may procure the same This they doe in discharging their duties euery way as before hath beene set downe And heere the Parents blessing is to be thought of which no doubt is much to be respected VVe must put difference betweene the blessings of the Patriarks Abraham Isaac and Iaacob and such others vppon their children and betweene the blessings of other cōmon men The Patriarches and such parties were propheticall and certainly did foretell what should be by diuine inspiration other mens blessings are but in wish and desires by prayer And this blessing of parents is an earnest desire of a parent that thinges may befall the children according to the will of God Which in good may be looked for when 1 Parents haue done their dutie towards their children 2 Children haue obeyed theyr parents In euill may be feared when parents haue done theyr duties and children will not obey but neuer if parents wish euill when theyr children doe well Parents are therefore too blame which inioyne euill things to their children vppon their blessing as they say for that curse causelesse shall be fruitlesse So are those that are giuen to cursing Commaundement 6. Hetherto duties of and to superiors nowe followe the commaundements which require duties towardes
6 20. Heauen is taken as before in the article Maker of heauen and earth Heere it signifieth the third or happy heauen otherwise by Paule called Paradise The scripture by this article teacheth vs 1 To ouerturne vbiquitie transubstantiation consubstantiation 2 To be perswaded that God will neuer leaue his Church vnfurnished of necessary gifts 3 That all enemies are ouercommen Ob They rage yet An For exercise not to ouercome the godly 4 To be perswaded that beeing once redeemed we shal alwaies so continue 5 If we want comfort to stay our selues vpon Christ ascending to send the Comforter 6 That we must be perswaded we shall one day in bodies be in heauen Iohn 14 2. Gods childrens soules after death were in heauen Christes body except Elias c was the first Ob It seemed that before Christ ascended heauen was not opened to the children of God Heb 9 8. An The doctrine before was not so cleerely opened as afterward not otherwise The third degree is and sitteth at the right hand of God the father Almighty For which are scriptures 1 Prophecying it Psalm 110 which Christ sheweth to be meant of the Christ Math 22 44. And Christ verifieth of and applieth to himselfe Math 26 64. The which likewise Peter doth Acts 2 34 for his sermon is of Christ And Heb 1 13. 2 Telling the actuall fulfilling of it Mark 16 19. Insomuch as Stephen saw him there Acts 7 56 and to the Heb 1 3 it is set downe as a thing noted peculiarly in Christ and belonging to him euen aboue Angels Insomuch likewise as by this the excellent greatnesse of the power of God is declared Ephe 1 20 Acts 2 33. Great comfort commeth to Gods Church and children heereby Rom 8 34. As likewise great vse for instruction 1. To teach vs the abolishing of the Iewish seruice Heb 8 1. 2 Continuance in the fauour of God for Gods people Heb 10 12. 3 An helpe to mortifie sin Heb 12 2. 4 As also to helpe forward quickening to all duties of godlinesse 5 Besides the excellencie of Christ aboue all creatures Pet 1 3 22. The meaning will best appeare by the wordes seuerally ioyntly The words seuerally note thing sitting place at the right hand c. Sitting to speake properly carying a dignitie with it aboue standing signifieth a knowne position of the body Yet heere I take it is not properly and strictly so to be vnderstood For Rom 8 34 he is said to be at the right hand so 1 Pet 3 22. And Stephen saw him standing Acts 7 55 56. So as I take it sitting is put for beeing present there abiding Now this is not alone for first it is with continuaunce Acts 3 22 Heb 10 12 so as well is it in the article sitting not that he is tyed or violently held there but that he pleaseth there in manhood to continue Ob Hee appeared to Saule by the way or in the way Acts 9 5. An It doth not hinder but that hee was in heauen still for Stephen saw him there Acts 7 55. Secondly with dooing somewhat For he is not in heauen idle but 1 maketh intercession Rom 8 34 Heb 10 12. Intercession is making intreatie in his Churches behalfe not by prostrating his body but 1 For that he appeareth in heauen with mans nature his owne deserts for the Church Heb 9 24. 2 The blood of his sprinkling abiding for euer efficacious Heb 12 24. 3 For that Christ willeth that his satisfaction should be imputed to all whom the Father hath giuen vnto him 4 And Christ causeth that his apply Christes merits to themselues Now Christ so maketh intercession as alone Ob The Spirit is said to make requests Rom 8 26. An Intercession noted in Christ is by satisfaction in humane nature So doth not the Spirit that onely stirreth vs vp to pray vnto God And that is Paules meaning Rom 8 26. Que. Maketh Christ intercession in one or both natures An. In his whole person Ob Then Christ beeing God should make intercession to God that is to himselfe Aun Christ maketh intercession to the person of God the Father not the essence in the Father the other persons are pleased 2 He gathereth and gouerneth the Church ruling by his Spirit his children keeping downe by his power the enemies The place is at the right hand of God the Father almightie What GOD the Father almighty meaneth and teacheth looke before Right hand is vsed in comparison Right and left hand are taken from bodily things so as a spirit hath not properly right hand or left Right hand arme eyes are said to be in GOD but not properly Vnderstand not right hand in God properly saith S. Basil least thou thinke there be in him a left also Skaion Such parts are said to be in God when thereby is noted to be in God the dooing of the things whereto those parts in men serue as arme for strength eye for knowledge Right hand among men is vsed diuersly Cyrus set those whom he loued best at his left hand next his heart Among the Numidians the middle place was honourable In Scripture and with vs the right and being at it noteth honour as of Salomon toward Bathsheba 1. King 2 19. The sonnes of Zebede so desired so is it Psal 45 9. So as this in Christ doth signifie partaking manifested glory looke Act 7 55. For as a Prince vnder the chaire of estate placing one at his right hand noteth the great glory wherein he would haue the partie appeare so is it heere Indeede the Godhead was alwayes glorious but it hid it selfe for a while heere then is the bewraying of it This must then be remembred to be after his ascension and not to the destroying of the humane nature Now God the Father almightie is named I take it to note the kind of glory as not worldly but heauenly as is of him who is Father and almightie and not to be looked for outwardly as of or in bodily things of this lower world The words ioyntly may easily be vnderstood as meaning that he who before was so base as to descend into hell is now in the greatest glory in heauen Que. According to which nature sitteth Christ at Gods right hand Aun According to both therefore is it said of Christ the person For although the Godhead were alwayes in infinite glory yet did it for a time after the incarnation as it were hide it selfe but not for euer but after the rising againe from dead did make it selfe knowne to be in glory euen in the humane nature According to the diuine nature he sitteth at Gods right hand as manifesting the humaine and lightening the humaine nature as it were with beames of the Godhead According to the humaine in as much as the humaine nature by habituall gifts as wisedome power maiestie is aboue all creatures so as Christ euen in the humaine nature is Lord of all creatures and is therein to
that the hart by nature is turned from God 2 It is very hard to recall it fixe it 3 And being once set will easily draw the whole man Passages from this fountaine head are 1 Kinds of life 2 Duties of life Kinds of life are particular callings Euery one must be warrantable by the word of God Duties of life are the practises and works of ones calling generall or speciall Of which sort are 1 Thoughts A motion without consent 2 Affections motions with some kinde of feeling as ioy hope feare loue hatred c. 3 Actions wherein besides some inward conceite somewhat is performed and these are of sundry sorts 1 Naturall such as are for the necessity of life as eating drinking sleeping c. 2 Domesticall such as are belonging to the family as of husband wife father children maister seruant 3 Politicall any way belonging to publique gouerning as Prince Magistrate Subiect c. 4 Religious which any way belong to the worship of God 5 Ludicrous which are of recreation and disport In euery of these euery step as it were is carefully to be ordered neyther is it sufficient to haue a generall good meaning to please God vnlesse we endeuour in euery particular so to doe Salomon commaundeth vs to looke to our feete Eccle. 4 17 Paul chargeth we should walke circumspectly looke Psal 119 105 Psal 139 2 3. Hereby it appeareth 1 that they doe not their duty who onely carry a generall purpose to doe well vnlesse they endeuour the same in particuler 2 That none can be too carefull of his walking and leading his life so as it is a false charge to count any too precise 3 And that if euery particular should be looked vnto a man had neede of great knowledge and wisedome out of the scriptures Thus much of the practise of walking now followeth the forme or rule whereto this walking is to be framed in the law of Iehouah which so is to be vnderstoode as that it must be alone so Psalme 1 2. and Psal 119 97 for indeede there is none who can prescribe a sufficient rule but onely God whose wisedome and iustice is aboue all creatures Heere therfore is thrust out 1 nature which the Stoicks say if we follow as a guide we shall neuer doe amisse Nature is corrupt The best life in this kinde is but ciuill which indeede nowe a dayes in the world doth carry the greatest shew where onely appearance preuaileth It is a most dangerous course not for that it is not necessary but for that most commonly it abandoneth all power of true godlines 2 And seeketh only the report for honesty among men It differeth from true Christian life because that ciuill life hangeth vpon the reputation of men which if it obtaine it is content Christian life is ordered by faith that is knowledge of the word and application of Christ 2 Ciuill life respecteth men most Christian life endeuoureth to please God 3 Ciuill life is not very carefull of religious duties Christian life is in publique and priuate the other not much 4 Ciuil life maketh no great conscience of smaller sinnes as in swearing lesse oathes idlenes gaming Christian life doth 5 Ciuill life neuer taketh any care to resist the sinnes of the time Christian doth 2 Heere is remoued euery mans owne particular course which he setteth to himselfe and pleaseth himselfe in Iere. 44 17. 3 Other folkes example is not a sufficient rule The sufficient rule is the law of Iehoua for the kinde it is a law for the Author it is of Iehoua The law is heere the word of God and is taken particularly for the 10 Commaundements or fiue bookes of Moses Generally for the whole Bible It is taken generally in this place as else where 1 Psal 2. Psal 19 7 heere-vpon sinne is counted transgression of the law that is breach of the word of God written Now this name of law is to be vnderstood as of the whole body of the scriptures so of euery particular branch thereof in so much as euen particular examples many times haue the force of generall doctrine Marke then that 1 The Papists erre who teach that some parts of the word of God are but counfailes which a man may follow if hee will and that all are not lawes whereto one is bound 2 That as subiects are bound to take knowledge of the lawes of the Land so are they of the word of God 3 And seeing that men will looke to the lawes of the Land why should they not much more to this 4 So reade heare and thinke of the word of God as of the law of thy life 5 That as euery law broken hath some penalty or other so hath the law of God Now followeth the Author Iehoua Father Sonne and holy Ghost know one well know all well know not all know none Where-vpon it followeth that the Iewes or Turks lawes which they boast of neither of thē acknowledging Christ and the holy Ghost is not to be counted the law of God For the word of God wrongly vnderstood is not the word of God Nor surely the Papists doctrine misvnderstanding many fundamentall grounds touching Christ so as that none that is not orthodoxicall cannot properly be said to haue this This law is said to be Iehoua c. because 1 He maketh it 2 He can best iudge of the breaking or keeping of it 3 He onely can dispence against it Wee gather then 1 that no exception can be taken against this law for wisedome iustice equity 2 That being Gods it must be spiritually vnderstood 3 That wee remember God taketh knowledge of euery step that is awry 4 That we must approue all our obedience to him and doe all for his sake 5 And that it being said that they walke in his law the meaning is that alwayes and in euery place they so doe Now with this second duty should be repeated the word blessed as indeede with euery other of the foure which follow but it may suffice to haue opened it once for all Thus much of the two duties in the first verse The second verse followeth Verse 2 wherein are two duties the commendation as before The two duties are 1 Keeping his that is Iehouahs testimonies 2 Seeking him that is Iehouah with their whole hart In the former of these two which is the third generall dutie are 1 obiect or thing where about the endeauour is His testimonies 2 Act the endeuour or practise about this thing Keeping Testimonie for matter and meaning is the same with law in the verse going before to wit the written word of God so is it likewise taken Psal 197 and else where Now yet for the vse of this name testimonies heere for better vnderstanding of it it seemeth that testimonie or witnes is a word which cannot well be vnderstoode without reference or respect to some other Where-vpon as the things are diuers which may be respected so may the particular sence of this
were not caried away with the multitude renowned Paule seemeth to set downe the sinnes of this age of the world 2 Tim 3 2 3. So to liue in the Court forbearing Court sinnes is the duty the like might be said of infinite others 3 Besides some are iudged lesse then others as swearing by faith and truth playing at cards and tables drinking c. and yet all iniquity euen these must be shunned Therefore must we walk circumspectly Ep. 5 15 look 1 Cor. 5 6. The least wound in the heart and braine is deadly small leakes in shippes or breaches in walls neglected leese Citties and shippes so is it for small sinnes to the losse of the soule yea indifferent and warrantable things if they be with scandall that is with hinderance of others in they way to euerlasting life are greeuous sinnes Of this kinde is it to doe a little euill that a greater good may follow vpon it This is iniquity to be hated Other kindes of iniquitie might haue beene named but these sufficiently shew that wee all commit some one or other kinde of iniquity whereby we are wretched and had neede to seeke to Christ Hitherto of the obiect the action or practise denied is not doing Doing doth signifie any way of committing or consenting to sinne in our selues or others which may be nine wayes according to the verses Commaunder consenter aduiser and soother Abbettor partaker concealer not hinderer Not wraying full known sinnes these all each with other Doe sinne and iniquity what euer men censure Thus much of the fift duty now followeth the certainty and surenes of it surely This is most assured for that the sonnes of God cannot commit sinne Gods seed remaineth in them And this the spirit setteth downe not for that this truth can be doubted of in it selfe 1 But for that the wicked are wont to censure the godly and thinke most hardly of them for their slips Gods spirit faith otherwise vvhat euer wicked men iudge these doe not commit iniquity 2 Againe for that the godly are much greeued with themselues and discouraged at their slips whereas they are to be comforted that God doth count this iniquity Now then from all this of not committing and doing of iniquity 1 Learne we all what a great profession a Christian maketh to forbeare all kinds and respects of sinne 2 Let vs discourage our selues what we can from committing of iniquity That may we doe if we consider 1 It displeaseth God our so good a Father 2 It was that which crucified Christ our sinnes more then the hands of the Iewes 3 It daunteth and rebateth greeueth and almost putteth out all graces of the spirit in vs. It dimmeth our knowledge weakeneth our faith stayeth our prayer stoppeth our harts to the word c. 4 A man shall haue much a-doe to rise after any great sinne It cost Dauid and Peter many sower teares 5 Sinne deserueth all kinde of punishments now and heereafter 6 And hath most sharply beene punished 3 We should what we could repent for former committed sinne but endeuour to preuent such as wee might be likely to fall into It will be some helpe for vs this way 1 Alwayes to thinke that the Angels behold vs yea that we doe nothing but that God himselfe vieweth and loketh vpon 2 What we may alwayes to giue our selues to exercises of religion and good company sinne dare not be there 3 Remember thy Baptisme what thou diddest promise there to renounce the world flesh deuill and endeuour to keepe Gods commaundements and howe that God will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 4 Censure your selfe sharply for smaller sinnes and thinke none little so shall you be more able in time to forbeare all thinketh Chrisostome 5 Not onely so but if you would forbeare sinnes be not too bold to aduenture vpon all indifferent things 6 Resist sinnes in the beginning 7 Bernard saith that three wayes was he kept from sinne by taking away occasion hauing strength to resist tentation and soundnes of affection 8 Remember how short and small the pleasure of sinne is and how long and greeuous the punishment is 9 Often receaue the Lords Supper Thus much for the fift duty the sixt followeth They walke in his wayes And this all Interpreters reade not alike some thus they worke none iniquitie who walke in his wayes others they worke none iniquity but walke in his wayes it is most plaine and simple to reade it without eyther relatiue or aduersatiue particle as is likewise in the Hebrew This duty is set out affirmatiuely after the former negatiue not onely according to the manner of the Hebrew tongue which setteth one opposite out by the other but also to shew what kinde of sanctification we should haue such whereby we should not onely forbeare sinne but follow holines righteousnes Heathen people hypocrites abstaine from many things they doe not all which are commaunded There are in this sixt duty act of walking obiect in his wayes The act of walking is metaphoricall and borowed declareth setting and ordering of life wherein besides the things we haue had before are 1 Ability to discerne the right way frō by-paths to put a difference betweene Christes voyce others Ioh. 10 4 5. And this commeth by the bright Lampe of the word of God the word of God the worke of it is any way profitable for mankinde to soule or body for this life or that which is to come Take heede of others The duties are well done if first 1 the party who performe them be in Christ that is be iustified 2 doe the duties for conscience to God and in obedience to Gods commaundements 3 he call vpon God in the beginning of his worke for gift sufficient and enlarged for a blessing of his worke and thanks afterward 4 his minde be alwayes free euen in the worke that he can lift vp himselfe to God neuer be vnfit for duties of godlines and charity If ones works be not thus done himselfe can haue little comfort in them In that the Prophet nameth these wayes without designing which or how many he would not haue vs doubt of any but that a party who desireth to be in blessed state should endeuour in all Some like some few all All who will be blessed must runne on in all Whatsoeuer the Lord commaundeth saith the Israelites that will we doe Deut. 5 27. Heere must be repeated againe the particle surely in the sence and for the reasons we had in the duty immediatly going before Thus much for the sixt duty by way of doctrine some vse would further be made of it 1 to exhort vs to walke in these wayes 2 to giue some helps to further vs in this walking 3 to try whether we walke aright We may easily euen exhort our selues if we would 1 but think that these are the onely wayes all other are by-paths Psal 125 5. Esa 30 21. 2 That this is Gods
the Word is the maker which because from the first creation of it it had a knowledge of diuine truth now hath certaine sparkles thereof it is called light and that truly not onely because it is precious as light but for that as the Sunne hath it selfe to the world so this light vnto man Men are all and euery one so that of necessitie we are to vnderstand this of naturall light eyther before or after the fall He was also the light of Angels but the speech is directed to men he speaketh nothing of Angels These are the words the vse followeth 1 The principall thing in a man is his reasonable soule for the beautifying whereof we are to labour 2 So is the Word light as that he doth impart and communicate the same Hee giueth the soule indeede after a speciall manner in putting it into the body he createth it and in creating it he doth put it in It is not by propagation It is not a portion of diuine essence 3 That witnesse and skill wheresoeuer they be are to be acknowledged the gifts of God 4 Seeing that God doth instill natural light there is cause why we should encrease the same for the vse of this life 5 If naturall light be from the Word is not much more supernaturall so as we are more to labour for this Thus hath beene the proposition Verse 5 the explication remaineth 5 verse and it is from an euent that the light shining was not comprehended VVhere are two sentences 1 The light shineth in the darkenesse 2 The darknes do not comprehend the light In the first sentence we are to search cōcerning the light it selfe and the attribute or that which is affirmed of it Light is either God or a creature Light is put for God as 1 Ioh 1 5. Now the name of God is taken essentially and is truly vsed vpon the 3. persons But heere it is applied and attributed vnto the Word as it appeareth out of the context Besides Christ himselfe Iohn 8 12. calleth himselfe light Indeed most iustly Who was not only prefigured in the Vrim of the Priests but also in the Candlestick Moreouer Esay 60 2 and Luke 1 78. In which respect also hee may be called the day starre 2 Pet 1 19 Mala 4 2 he is called a sunne Hence the imitation into Christ is called light 2 Cor 4 4 we are said to haue receiued light Heb 10 32. Now Christ is called light by a metaphor or borrowed kind of speech 1 For that he is the brightnesse of the glorie of his Father Heb 1 3. 2 For that there shineth vnto vs the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ 2 Cor 4 6. 3 That as the light is some spirituall thing so it is certaine that the Word as he is considered in himselfe with the Father is of that nature 4 VVhat things the light effecteth he doth much more namely to lay things open to declare differences to shew the way vnto our feete c. 5 Because there is no darknesse in him that is no sin nor affection to it 6 And because it is most excellent light as that it can darken the sight of the eye which we can neuer thoroughly behold Quest How are the Apostles said to be the light of the world Aun By reason of the light of doctrine Wherefore let vs know 1 That what things we would know touching God the Father the same are to belearned from this light He is in the bosome of the Father * Ezegesato he hath declared him heare him 2 When as the light shineth in the face of Christ it is in regard of his incarnation otherwise wee were not able to perceiue the brightnesse Wherefore euen as they which see the ecclipse of the sunne in the water so let vs behold God through the slesh 3 That carnall and sensuall thoughts are to be remoued This light is a spirit and to be worshipped in spirit and to be beheld by the eyes of the mind Indeed we shall see with our bodily eyes his body in heauen 4 As Christ layeth all things open so especially those things which appertaine vnto saluation Esay 9 2. Luke 1 79 Luke 2 32. Without him there is no light vnto saluation Wherefore Paule Ephe 3 4. Christ is the key of the Scriptures c. He is he that giueth light 5 Yea he bewrayeth as light what difference there is betwixt the Law and the Gospell Heb 5 14 Philip 1 10. 6 Hee sheweth the way vnto heauen he is the light the life and the way without him we shall wander and goe out of the way 7 None can truly belieue in Christ and yet haue a purpose to sinne What communion is there betwixt light and darknes The light scattereth darknes This is the subiect the attribute followeth Shineth in the darknes To shine in this place is to shew it selfe cleerely For it is the Sunne Besides the time is to be considered which signifieth that it is now and continuall Who therefore would not open his eyes considering that Christ shineth Esa 60 1. 2 Seeing Christ had no neede to shine to himselfe but onely to his why should not we shine to others and not hide the good things we haue 3 At the time when Iohn wrote Christ had ascended into heauen and yet he saith that he now shineth euen as he did before Wherefore now also he shineth that if we would open our eyes we cannot be ignorant Let vs take heede that this be not our condemnation that the light came into the world and we loued darknes 4 And seeing he doth continually shine men shall be without excuse But he shineth in the darknes Darknes is properly to the eyes improperly to the minde The light truly shineth euery where yet notwithstanding there is this darknes of the minde By darknes is meant a thing that is darke the adiunct being put for the subiect as wickednes for a wicked man This darknes therefore are men as Ephe. 5 8 hence are the works of darknes Truly such are men by nature after the fall Where wee are to consider the affection and the measure The affection or priuation is a losse of light This light was the glory of the image of God seated in the mind and in the will This is wholy lost in matters of saluation The measure is so great that we are darknes it selfe not onely darke and surely the very darknes of Aegypt that might be felt which doe not onely want light but also shut it out that how great this darknes is we can hardly iudge 1 How great therefore is our miserie so long as we liue in the darknes of our minds and of our wils 2 So as that we see this to be the cause of ignorance errors and all manner of sinnes 3 Neither are we able to doe any thing so long as we are in this darknes where-with we are ouer-whelmed 4 Why doe we not therefore
8 verse Verse 8 so forward wherin Christ and Iohn are compared together as diuerse In all which discourse somewhat is denied of Iohn many thinges are affirmed of Christ It is denied of Iohn that he was that light verse 8 and yet least any man should mistake as though the Euangelist should gainesay any thing which he had deliuered before he repeateth the last clause touching the cheefe poynt of Iohns ministerie that though he were not that light yet he bare witnesse of the light It may be demanded how it can be true that Iohn should not be that light seeing Iohn is called a burning and a shining light Iohn 5 35. Answere Iohn was a light the word was the light The greeke wordes take away the difference The word which is vsed of Iohn is Lychnos as you say a lynck or torch or great candle Christ or the Word is the light that is the cheefe and principall Iohn is a light enlightened and set on fire Christ is light enlightening and kindeling Christ is like the sunne Iohn like the Moone reflecting the sunnes light Iohn was light by office and in measure the Word is light naturally and infinitely But some man may say who doubteth of the difference betweene Iohn and Christ Answere The Iewes Iohn 1 Iohns disciples Herod and others and therefore least any man should thinke better of Iohn thē there was cause for therefore the Euangelist thus speaketh heere Marke how the common people ouer-reach sometimes in their iudgements of the Ministers That it is not safe to be carried away with the bare conceit of the people And in that that Iohn so speaketh for Christ we all should learne all that we can to keepe and increase the authoritie of Christ The clause repeated is expounded before Now follow those thinges which are affirmed of Christ Verse 9 The first whereof is that he was the true light He that is the Word was as before light is as before the hardnesse is in the Word true True is first contrarie to false or counterfeit Some thinges seeme to haue light as fishbones and rotten wood in the night and yet haue none Christ was not so Secondly it is opposed to shaddow as the lawe was by Moses but grace and truth by Christ truth that is that which was foreshaddowed in the lawe Thirdly true is as much as naturall not made c. In euery of these sences may the Word be sayd to be the true light but besides I think the meaning is as Iohn 15 1 wherein Christ is called the true vine that is I take it the most excellent vine So heere true light most excellent light From him therefore should we fetch light of doctrine of liuing of comfort all which should be as deere vnto vs as the light is or can be The second thing affirmed of Christ is that he lightneth euery man which commeth into the world Where is set downe what he doth and to whom He inlightneth that is as we heard before with naturall light though other be in Christ The sunne communicateth not all his light to the Moone no more doth Christ to man Remember by this that naturall light is the gifte of God and that therefore it should be vsed to the setting forth of the glory of God He doth this to euery one that commeth into the world that is to euery Mothers-Child which is borne into the world this must be vnderstood of the gifte of light not of the vse of light which infants and Idiots haue not though they haue the gift The third thing said of the VVord is that it was in the world Verse 10 Where we may consider what it is and how it is limitted and restrained That which is said is that he was The limitation or restraint is the place in the world This was doth not onely signifie diuine existence beeing but seeing the diuine beeing is euery where it noteth the presence thereof and that euen in respect of time for though indeede the VVord were before and shall be after time yet heere it is declared that hee was from the vvorld created to Christ incarnate There be foure degrees of the presence of the Word to a creature The first is the most wonderfull of all when the Word maketh one person with a creature as in the hypostaticall vnion of the two natures in Christ The second is the presence of glory whereby the Word is present to the blessed Angels and Saints in glory in heauen The third is the presence of grace whereby he is present to the elect called in this life by his especiall sauing grace and fauour The fourth is the presence of power whereby he is with euery creature frō the highest heauen to the lowest earth World doth heere signifie all the creatures together and euery speciall thereof A question may be In what sence of the foure the presence heere meant is to be taken Aun It may be true in any of the three last yet it is onely meant of the fourth and last of all For indeede the Word is present to euery creature and so as that by the reasonable creature hee might be perceiued to be present The VVord is present 1 By his diuine infinite essence 2 By his omniscience knowing all things 3 By his infinite power vpholding all things 4 By his wonderfull wisedome ruling all things He may be perceiued in some sort to be present as well as God the Father in so much as some thinke some Heathen had a glimps hereof sure it is the Iewes had some thinke that Aristotle and Plato had All this which Iohn writeth of the Word for his time is true in ours and rather more then lesse 1 Learne then that seeing the essence of the VVord is euery where that he is God equall to the father 2 That he knowing all sinners had neede take heede of sinne they who doe well may haue great comfort 3 Since he vpholdeth all things know that without God all things are vaine and nothing to be desired as a Iew obserued in Ish and Isha where Iod and He were which made Iah the name of God all was well but they beeing taken away there was nothing but esh that is fire and contention so worldly things where God is may haue comfort otherwise not 4 The VVord ruling the world it cannot be chosen but all shall be to the good of such as trust in the VVord 5 Seeing the VVord is so present as he may be found it is our duties to search him out 6 Whereas now in these times hee is more manifested then heeretofore if we haue no more of him then ordinary our sin is the more 7 Beeing present euery where vvee can neede helpe no where The fourth thing said of the Word is that the world was made by him This is nothing but a repetition of the 3 and 4 verses before sauing that which there was spoken of parts 〈◊〉 named heere in whole as beeing indeede
more they who doe not 1 know 2 acknowledge 3 loue 4 belieue 5 obey Christ Now if Christ the King of heauen and earth was not receiued why should we thinke much if we be not The eyght thing said of the VVord is whosoeuer Verse or as many as receiued c. VVherein we may consider what he doth and to whom He giueth prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God to such as receiue him These are noted by two markes of fayth and regeneration In that which he doth we may marke what it is called who doth it and the thing done It is called a gift in that it is sayd he giueth Giuing is free bestowing of property this is free else were it desert or bargaine or some such And indeed Christ was giuen to vs. Esay 9 6. Iohn 3 16. But it may be obiected that it is a ransome or purchase Answere As it is from Christ to God the father so it is a ransome but from the Father and Christ to vs a free gift So as that there is nothing in our selues to procure this nor keepe it but all is fauour which wanting we must pray for hauing we must prayse God He that doth this is the Word It may be obiected that euery good gift is from the Father of lights and so from the Father Father Iames 1 17 is a name common to the three persons But putcase it be for the first person the Father giueth all to the Sonne whereupon we may see that the Sonne is God in that he can make sonnes of God and this of being a child of God cannot but be an excellent fauour in that the whole Trinity giueth it The thing done followeth prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God wherein is the kind of the thing and the commendation The kind to be the sonnes of God commendation prerogatiue The Word translated sonnes were better children as it signifieth so as that ignorant people might not be hindred of their comfort intended heere being of womans sex These children are sayd to be of God Child of God is either by nature or fauour By nature as the Word and Christ nothing else It may be obiected 2 Peter 1 4 that we should be partakers of the diuine nature Answer nature doth signifie qualities and properties flowing from the diuine nature not the essence it selfe It is not meant therefore heere Children by nature By fauour are Angels or mankind We neuer shal be Angels for we shall haue our soules at the last resurrection ioyned to our bodyes Angels are spirits We shal be like Angels for immortality needing no bodily thinges being in the presence of God otherwise not Mankind or men and women may be the Children of God by creation or generation adoption regeneration imitation By creation as Adam and Eue whom God himselfe immediatly made By generation as all other men and women Adoption by being made a Child after one is not by nature Regeneration when the beginning of heauenly life is wrought in a party Imitation when one indeauoureth to be like God in recouery of his image Creation is not heere vnderstood For so are all creatures after a sort the children of God and heere the Euangelist setteth out an especiall fauour The other three sortes are true but yet adoption is cheefely meant whereof so much is mentioned in the scriptures and is the forerunning cause of the other two folowing A doption is a word taken from the ciuill lawe Heere it signifieth Gods fauour to some of Adams posterity whereby he taketh them to himselfe in speciall sort giuing them the rites and dues of children Hence commeth the household of faith Galat 6 10 the father-hood Ephe 3. For better knowing heereof we may consider the benefites gotten by this adoption and the properties thereof In the ciuill lawe it is sayd the adopted getteth the adopters name mony and holy thinges as place of buriall c. Ours doe far surmount these for we obtaine Gods fauour and indulgence toward vs. Malac 3 17. Wherein is 1 free forgiuenesse of sinnes all fault and punishment this is blessednesse hath peace of conscience c. 2 Acceptance of imperfect obedience Secondly the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father This hath a gift and ability to pray promise and perswasion to be heard 3 That our father doth lay vp for vs 2 Cor 12 14 Heb 11 40. 4 Protection in good estate deliuerance out of euill so God dealt by Israell Exod 4 22 23. 5 Quietnesse of conscience in the vse of the creatures Eccle 3 12. 6 Inheritance in the heauens 7 Causing of all thinges to worke for the adopteds good The properties are that this adoption is 1 To a better estate then all the world can afford 2 With exception of the crosse 3 It is permanent though it may be shaken it neuer shal be vndone Thus far the thing The commendation foloweth prerogatiue Some abuse this word for power by nature to some good thing vntruly vnlearnedly They read it so power as that it should be meant to be in the parties power if they would to be the sonnes God Heere it cannot be so taken as being sayd of such who haue the Spirit Sure it is that for first conuersion we can doe nothing but are only passiues Besides I say vnlearnedly for that the word is vsed for prerogatiue or priuiledge diuerse times elswhere 1 Cor 〈…〉 This may appeare to be a very great prerogatiue 1 If we consider who bestoweth it to wit God infinit 2 Vpon whom his vtter enemies most miserable 3 What thinges as of adoption The estate of being a child is inestimable looke Hottom in instit 42. 4 Passing by how many mighty noble c. Iustly then ought we remembering whence we are raised to how great estate cary our selues humbly all our life long 2 Shew all reuerence to God who hath shewed these fauours on vs. 3 Cary our selues so to the world as not discrediting the house we are of 4 Prefer being a sonne or daughter to God aboue all thinges in the world beside Thus far what he doth Now followeth to whom as many as receiued him these are noted by their beleeuing in his name and by their begetting c. These to whom are set out by their duty of receiuing him their generality as many The duty we haue knowen before heere it is set 1 As necessary as no way to be the children of God without it of what condition soeuer one be 2 Noting the tyme of receiuing him to wit when he came among them and proffered himselfe vnto them So that though we haue purpose to receiue him and doe not when he offereth we are neuer the neerer when once the doore is shut looke Luke 13 25. Mathew 25 10. The generality shutteth out no receiuer neither in the manner of receiuing nor in the measure nor in the condition of the receiuer Some cannot receiue Christ euery way outwardly though it be but with a cup of
cold water they shall not loose their reward Some receiue him with small knowledge weake fayth they are children if they will grow and continue Some are receiuers in many and great crosses yet vvill theyr beeing children lessen and ease their crosses Now then seeing that receiuers of the Word haue such fauours who would not receiue Or seeing that the Word doth so think of receiuers why should not we make great account of them But heere it may be demaunded 1 Is our receiuing the Word a cause of our beeing the children of God Aun No wee are children adopted in Christ It is no working cause with God it onely declareth vnto me 2 Is our receiuing before our beeing children Neither In order is first beeing a child then followeth receiuing though sometimes for time they goe together 3 What then is the meaning heereof Aun The Euangelist writeth to young and new receiuers who were willing indeede to receiue but presently saw nothing but crosses and calamities hee therefore wisheth thē to know theyr estate though nothing yet that they are the children of God whereuppon Paule prayeth for the Ephesians 1 chap 18 verse 1 By this Christians should learne not to mislike theyr present estate for crosses but to search into it they shall find matter of great comfort 2 That neuer any sauing grace is alone receiuing is with adoption so as that we finding out one sauing grace in our selues we may be sure that we haue more 3 Adoption is in the beginning of all sauing graces 4 We may iudge of our adoption by our receiuing the Word Now followeth the noting of these parties 1 by theyr beliefe and wherein is the action or dutie and obiect Action or dutie is belieuing whereof wee haue spoken in another place Obiect his Name his that is the word comming as before His Name by a manner of speech in the Hebrew tongue is put for himselfe God is his Name Gods Name is himselfe Now him must we vnderstand as before verse 11. 1 Mark that first the things that make the word known are called himselfe so as that as we vse them we vse him 2 That faith is a note of a true receiuer 3 That faith especially respecteth Christ Verse 13 Thus farre for their beliefe their birth followeth verse 13. Wherein is shewen whence they are not borne and whence they are They are not borne of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man These three branches for substance signifie one thing Blood the Greeke is bloods that whereof man taketh his beginning of conception or his beginning to be in the world Looke Ezech 16 6. Will is heere strong lust concupiscence as is in creatures for procreation Flesh some part or nature vnregenerate Will againe as before In all which the Euangelist would note the vsuall beginning of man 1 Which first it is good for vs thoroughly to think of 2 In thinking thereof to keepe a tenor of humility considering whence we rise 3 Note the vile lusting of the flesh 4 Learne to speake vnseemely thinges comely and honestly By this the Euangelist would shew that the vsuall manner of birth maketh not one the child of GOD not but that Gods children are carnally borne but this is not sufficient Quest How is it said 1 Cor 7 14 that theyr chyldren are holy Aun Not morrally but so as that they may not be hindered of the seales of the couenant 1 Learne heereby first not to reioyce in nature parentage c. 2 Presume not too much of good natures 3 Let parents helpe their children to another birth Now followeth whence they are borne to wit they are borne of God where first we must a little open the words God is essentially Father as 1 Peter 1 3 the Sonne as 1 Iohn 12 the holy Ghost as Iohn 3 3 5 for the workes of the Trinity to the creature are ioynt Of in greeke en vsually signifieth matter heere it doth not so but the efficient or first worker In deed naturall parents are so efficient as of their matter we came so is it not in our spirituall begetting Borne should better be begotten to expresse the greeke word and the thing heere meant The mother properly beareth heere God is as a father who begetteth so that the meaning is the whole holy Trinity worketh in vs this change This being borne is the same with being the child of God saue that there is signified one kind of being child to wit by adoption heare by regeneration there title heere possession as it were in part To better vnderstanding heereof we may consider the thing the Author the thing being begotten and this in the necessity of it and in the nature The necessity is such as that the Euangelist noteth it not onely to be commendable present but necessary so as without it we shall neuer well entertaine the Word Looke Ioh 3 3 5 7. So as vnlesse we become as litle children we cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen The nature is not a like vnderstood of all some take it for that which is called sanctification others for the whole worke of grace with whom I ioyne And as it is called regeneration or begetting so is it like thereunto saue that generation produceth substance this doth produce onely qualities and not all not powers but habits restoring to the power integrity with ready applycation to the first and proper obiect Christ defineth it Iohn 3 3 to be borne begotten againe the kind of it birth begetting the property of it againe 1 Birth or begetting in this kind hath infusion of life this is called seed of God 1 Iohn 3 9 to wit the gift of the holy ghost like naturall heat this continueth as long as spirituall life continueth 2 Diffusion of it ouer the whole man powers parts practises the counter-poyson of originall sin The property againe not to the same life as Nicodemus thought but to another which is called the life of God Christ the inner man the new man And is When a man in any life naturall ciuill houshold solitary sociall pleaseth God 1 When is that 1 when he is quickning his faith and repentance 2 Hath direction for euery particular 3 Doth euery thing thereafter in Christ 1 Where marke that the life of the regenerate and vnregenerate may be in the same things 2 That regeneration stretcheth to the whole man Que. But it may be demanded Is not one regenerate partaker of naturall birth Aun Yes but so as that which he receiueth from nature is ordered by the Spirit By this it may appeare that all are not regenerate and that it is hard to be regenerate Thus much of the thing The Author followeth God and God only For there is no begetting but of the flesh or God that which is of the flesh is flesh Now indeed though this new birth be principally of God yet are there vnder seruing causes whereof for all that none haue power to
worke of themselues Obiect Paule sayth he begat the Corinthians 1 Cor 4 15 and traueled in birth of the Galathians 4 Galat 19 was Tymotheus and Tyrus his father Sol. Ministerially not that Paule or Apollos could doe any thing of themselues God gaue the increase 2 Obiect Christ sayth 3. Iohn 5 we must be borne of water and the holy ghost Solu Water there doth but expound the worke of the holy Ghost for as water softneth and cleanseth so must euery one be who is borne againe In the same is it sayd we must be baptised with the holy Ghost and fire that is the holy Ghost working like fire eating out drosse and enkindling burning loue of all good things 3 Obiect It is sayd Tytus 3 5. Ephe 5 26 that Baptisme regenerateth Solu It confirmeth to the due receiuer regeneration nothing els So then God alone only worketh effectually and yet vseth vnder meanes as that we must neither neglect meanes nor trust alone vnto them Question why are men in this kind sayd to be borne of God as though they were not so in nature likewise Answer for that this new birth is so excellent as that in comparison of the former it may seeme to be the only Question whether is faith before regeneration for heere it is placed before it Answer faith is in a party before he can know that himselfe is regenerated One may be regenerat before he hath fayth as infants Thus much for the meaning the vse followeth 1 Seeing none receiue the Word and so are not the childred of God but such as are begotten of God it is our duty to indeauour after this new begetting and for that none beget themselues it will be the safest to examin whether we be begotten yea or no. That shall we find by these notes 1 Grace imitateth nature which first maketh vital then others parts The vital part of a Christian is Christ which when it is formed in vs sheweth our new begetting Galath 4 19 1 Iohn 5 12 he therfore that hath not knowledge of him faith in him c. may suspect himselfe 2 The party begotten a new vseth all thinges of outward life by direction of Gods word to the glory of God 3 He sinneth not 1 Iohn 3 9 that is before he sinnneth he purposeth not so to doe after he hath sinned he will not continue therein 4 He is willing to helpe others to be regenerate 5 He groweth by nourishment of the Word exercises actiue passiue 6 Motion bewrayeth life spirituall motion is of the heart in prayer 7 Sence of heauenly things with ability to put difference betweene them to take liking of them and affect them 8 Hatred of him because it is sin in our selues euen the secretest 9 Loue of the bretheren Secondly marke that this heere is begetting we are not perfected nor shal be heere only we must labor thereto and neuer giue ouer though we come short Thus much for this eight saying touching the Word and his God-head now followeth his man-hood in the fourteenth verse wherein we may consider the ioyning of it to the former and as it is in it selfe It is ioyned to the former by this particle and which sheweth that this truth heere mentioned is as necessary as the former In it selfe it containeth 4 speeches 1 The first the Word was made flesh 2 The second the Word dwelt among vs. 3 The third we sawe the glory thereof as the glory of the only begotten of the father 4 The fourth he was full of grace and truth For the first let vs consider the meaning the reason the vse The meaning will arise from the words and phrase well vnderstood The Word is God as before contrary to Arrius and other heretiques who take Christ but for a bare man Was that is so was as now is and for euer shall continue Obiect It may be obiected that he died and so the vnion may seeme to be dissolued Solu No for though the soule and body were parted for a time yet neither was seuered from the God-head So he was made as not changed the God-head was not turned into the Man-hood As not beeing one mixed of the Manhood and Godhead together as when bread is made of water meale But by assuming or taking the Manhood to God So as that Nestorius deuiding the persons and Eutiches confounding the natures doe erre Obiect But it may be doubted whether there should not thus be two persons Solu No but one for the Manhood hath no beeing nor neuer had of or in it selfe but in the Word Flesh doth heere signifie man as all flesh that is mankind is grasse Now man is body and soule Body sensible naturall this Christ had not heauenlie imaginary phantasticall Soule likewise Christ had when he said My soule is heauie to the death Neyther doth he saue that which hee doth not take So as that Apollinaris erreth who saith the God-head was in stead of a soule By this that Christ had a soule it appeareth that hee had two wills not contrary one of the God-head the other of the Manhood Otherwise then the Monothelites erroniously teach Ob. But it may be said whence had Christ this flesh Sol. His body he had of the substance of the Virgin his soule was created of nothing in the wombe of the virgin Ob. The virgin was conceiued in sin how then could Christ his body be free there-from Solu The holy Ghost who wrought the conception of Christ did clense that part of the virgin from all sin Que. When was he thus made flesh Aun Immediatly when the virgin had consented to the message of the Angell and said Be it vnto mee according to thy word Que. How could the body be ioyned to God Aun By the soule This is the meaning The reason why this was doone in time is for that it was ordained before all time Que. Why did God ordaine this meanes Aun Not for that hee could not haue appointed some other but for that this seemed best to him for to manifest his mercie and iustice by his mercy in giuing his Sonne his iustice in not sparing him his iustice that man offending should satisfie in dooing and suffering his mercy in procuring that God should enable the Man-hood so to do and suffer 1 The vse is manifold First to teach vs the loue of God and care for our saluation for hee giuing such a notable meanes how can we doubt 2 Consider our honour and prerogatiue to be as it were the brothers of Christ Heb 2 11. 3 Learne how to approch to God by the man Christ 4 Know that Christ can haue compassion of vs hauing had experience of our infirmities Heb 2 17 18. The second speech followeth Wherein we may consider the meaning the vse For the meaning know first that the Word made flesh must be repeated Dwelling doth signifie as in a Tent or boothe whereby the sicklenesse and vncertaintie of our life is implied and where as it
is said he dwelt the meaning is hee dooth not so now in person Among vs is not onely in our nature but in our presence our who are Apostles of Ierusalem of Iudea Now he so conuersed as Acts 10.38 1 Make this vse then First to follow his humilitie Phillip 2 5. 2 In our conuersing to take occasion of dooing all the good we can 3 Know that as Christ dwelling among thē they not profiting their sinne was the greater so will it be with vs or any amongst whom Christ any way or while dwelleth The third speech followeth And we saw c. wherein is set downe what is said of Christ and how it is confimed It is said of him that he had glory as of the onely begotten of the Father It is confirmed in that he saith we saw it That which is said of Christ hath the bare thing or the measure the bare thing is glory the measure in the rest Glory to speake properly doth signifie naturall brightnesse as the glory of the sunne c. Now for that the greater the brightnesse is the more is the excellencie of the thing whence it commeth therefore glory doth signfie bewrayed excellencie heere bewraied diuine excellencie which Christ had 17 Iohn 5 so as that Iohns meaning is we saw him to be God easily perceiued it The measure is of an onely sonne of a Father Father doth heere signifie God the Father of distinction of person betweene the Father and the onely begotten Onely begotten who is to haue all that which the Father hath Christ is sometimes called the onely begotten sonne of GOD in respect of the diuine nature which of all Gods sonnes he onely hath Others are sonnes by adoption fauour Sometimes first borne in respect of the humane nature wherein he excelleth all other Ob. But how doth this will some say increase the glorie Solu The Fathers glory is infinite the Sonnes is equall therefore it is very great Besides this glory is increased by the particle as which signifieth truly not onely likenesse so else where It appeareth from hence 1 That the VVord is GOD 2 That he is a person distinct from the Father 3 That hee is equall to the Father Now followeth how it is confirmed we saw that is often and wistly looked vpon VVee who conuersed with him to whom God gaue eyes to see All did not perceiue this Que. How could they perceiue it Aun By his wonderfull works See 1 that it is not sufficient to be in meanes vnlesse God open the hart 2 The chyldren of God by meanes labour for strength of fayth The fourth last speech is that Christ was full of grace and truth VVherein is the thing measure The thing grace truth Grace the holy Spirit without measure in himselfe wherof hee giueth to his whereby they profit to saluation by meanes Truth presence of good things not as by Moses in shadowes and shewes So as that we should seeke to Christ for both these Thus farre the summe and briefe of the storie of the Gospell Now followeth the setting downe at large in the speciall branches thereof All is of Christ Christ is set out in his harbinger or forerunner Iohn Or in his owne personall presence The things of Iohn or Christ are neyther summarilie 〈◊〉 part set together but intermedled and mingled the 〈◊〉 with the other First mention is made of Iohn 1 for that hee was prophecied to come before Christ 2 For that he was before Christ in time in the flesh 3 Being to be witnesse to Christ it was meete his person should be knowen that the sufficientnesse of his witnesse might appeare 4 The birth of Christ being to be of a Virgin might somewhat be made more probable when it should be knowen that two old folkes whereof one was barren should haue a child Luke 1 chap. 5 verse The first thing deliuered of Iohn is his conception 1 Luke from the beginning of the 5 verse to the later end of the 25. In all which are three things 1. Somewhat before the conception to the 24 verse 2. The conception it selfe verse 24 3. Somewhat immediatly after verse 25. That which is before the conception is the making knowen his Parents by whom he was conceiued His parents are made knowen ioyntly seuerally Ioyntly by their time their godlynesse not hauing of children Seuerally the husband and first from his kind of life generally that he was a Priest 2 particularly of the course of Abia 3 by his name 4 that he was married 5 that to him this conception was foretold The Wife 1 by her stocke that she was of the daughters of Aaron 2 by her name she was called Elizabet The time was In the daies of Herod then King of Iudea Where we may consider how the time is called and how it is further made knowen It is called in the Greeke daies by an vsuall manner of speaking in the scriptures belonging to the Hebrew tongue for that a day was the first difference of time 1 To teach vs that time and things in time are but momentary and but for a day 2 That good Gouernours raignes are but in daies so as that in them we must not be secure 3 That Tyrants shall no continue for euer that we should not be discouraged Question But what speciall time was this in Answer About the 31 or 32 of Herods raigne when he grew to be most outragious murdering Salomes husband and sonne the 40 gentlemen and their teachers yea euen his owne sonnes Aristobulus Alexander and a little after the Sanhedrim and infants of Bethlehem Question why is this time thus noted 1 Answer to teach vs first that though tyrants rage neuer so much God will haue his Church and number 2 That the godly will not giue ouer their profession for feare of Tyrants but in corrupted and corrupting tymes wil be the same 3 That God in such disordered times taketh knowledge of such as truly feare him so as that they should not be discouraged by any aduersaries This time is further set out 1 by the person in it and by his calling The person is named Herod his calling King and that of Iudea There were three Herods mentioned in scripture One in the Acts 12 Herod Agrippa I take it the graund child to this Another who cut of Iohn the Baptistes head called Herod Antipas The third this the sonne of Antipater by his fathers and by his owne meanes called the great for his victories buildings of the Temple Sebaste Amphitheatrum c. He is noted to be King to put a difference betweene him and other gouenours before him for his father Antipater was but deputed by Caesar The Assamonaei had not this title of King Now this man the Senatours of Rome made King Iudea is opposed I take it to the territories of Samaria and was the place of the visible Church Marke what greate places in the world wicked men like Herod may mount vnto 1 so as
me who is heere the speaker and setteth out himselfe verse 2 and must be considered as he setteth himselfe out in the Scriptures one God Father Sonne and holy Ghost eternall omnipotent infinite most iust most mercifull maker of heauen and earth Looke Exod 34 6 7. This God must be vnderstood alone as Marke 12 29. Deut 6 4 Math 4 10. Iosh 24 9. But it may be said that in the 2 of the Kings chapter 17 verse 33 the people feared the Lord but serued their gods after the manner of the nations whom they carried thence Aunswer The Author doth not report that the people so dooing did well but hee onely sheweth what they did meaning indeed to declare how wickedly therein they did and therefore Zephany 1 5 God threatneth to cut off the remnant of them that worship and sweare by the Lord and sweare by Malcham that is giue any respect vnto any other neither indeed can there be any fellowship betweene Christ and Belial 2 Cor 6 15. The dutie is to haue this Iehoua the true GOD for our God This hauing meaneth more then it soundeth In the world a man may haue that which he doth not regard nor vse man doe not himselfe but occasion others hee sinneth Now thy selfe art named for that if any haue any care of religion it is first for his owne selfe The obiect is the thing forbidden to be made grauen image and similitude of things that are in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath c. Grauen image properly is that which is cut or carued with a toole and meaneth any thing made by art But heere we must be warie For it is not simply forbidden to carue or graue then the Tabernacle had not beene so curiously wrought nor Salomons Temple but this is to be vnderstood in Gods meaning as the fashion of some was to vse grauen images to represent the true God by or to worship him in them or by occasion of them the which is heere forbidden and no otherwise so as when he saith no grauen image he meaneth to set out GOD or worship God thereby otherwise it is lawfull to graue Similitude is likenes which is heere set out by the things the like whereof is forbidden Similitude is put for any representation either for the thing it selfe or the representing of it by painting embrodering printing yea for the likenes of it imagined in the minde namely to represent God or worship him by it otherwise it is not forbidden The things whereof the likenesse is forbidden are in heauen aboue earth beneath the waters vnder the earth that is indeede of any creature for in these places are all creatures the heauens signifying the ayre as well as the starrie skie so that birds and such like are meant Yea the manhoode of our Lord Iesus Christs and the Angels are meant Whereby it may appeare that the holy Ghost in likenesse of a Doue nor the auncient of daies like an old man should be portreyed vnto vs. The second degree is for not worshipping these that in two branches the first not to bow downe to them the other not to serue them This to bow is of gesture and as I take it signifieth to fall downe groueling in token of honour and is put for any outward signe of bowing the knee or body vncouering the head c. The other of seruing is by no outward deede of marking our selues for them speaking in honour of them kissing them or any such like to shew the least good respect of them So as that now it may appeare the strange manner of woshipping of God is forbidden vnder one speciall kinde and the pure manner implyed thereby This strange manner is forbidden vnder the name of grauen image and likenesse of other things 1 because that in these men did most offend 2 and to these our nature most carrieth vs as we see in the Israelites who would haue a likenesse 3 and besides the Egyptians Temples vvere painted full of such likenesses It would be too long to set downe both strange pure worship the pure shall serue whereby wee may iudge of the other It is agreed by all that there is some straight rule of the pure worship of GOD whereto it must be framed from whence if it swarue it cannot please God The rule of Gods pure worship is his owne voyce will word Esay 29 13. Colos 2 22. and that written and registred in the Bible Canonicall bookes thereof so as that whatsoeuer shall not haue warrant there-from is not to be admitted So as that all heathenish Idols all Iewish ceremonies since Christes comming must be remoued yea all Romish pictures crosses blessings pilgrimages reliques singings and such like not grounded on the word must away All that the word teacheth for the pure manner of Gods worship is either for the parts or the properties of it The parts are whereof the whole worship of God dooth consist And they be either more principall or lesse principall Principall are such as cannot be left vnperformed as is the Iealous is one who is grieued for suspition of dishonestie in his married yoake-fellow husband or wife This some Interpreters thinke to be in GOD as diuers times the word is so translated by them and that by occasion of the mariage band betweene God and his Church likewise the force of iealousie whē it doth reuenge Which seemeth sometimes to be in God Neuerthelesse be it with reuerence to all that thinke otherwise with willingnesse to be reformed if I erre I think it is not so heere to be taken 1 Iealous and zealous are not alwaies both this word heere signifieth both 2 Iealousie is a fault and not to be ascribed to God 3 Some very learned men as Tremelius and Iunius take it for zealous 4 It must be that heere from whence commeth visiting the iniquitie of the fathers c. and shewing mercie nowe iealousie neuer sheweth mercie I read it therefore a zealous God that is a God full of zeale as Simon was called zelotes or zelous Zeale is a most earnest affection or the great increase of any affection loue anger hatred so as we heard before of Gods power now we heare of his will whereby he is most earnest to performe whatsoeuer pleaseth himselfe Ioel. 2 18. So as that in this zeale is 1 presentnesse that is God now at this instant is zealous 2 is earnestnesse 3 is continuance as a burning Now he that is such a God had neede be obeyed God commaunding this is so therefore he must be obeyed For that some might doubt whether God be so yea or no God himselfe proueth that by his zealous iustice and zealous mercie His iustice in that hee saith visiting the iniquitie of the Father vpon the children vppon the third generation and vppon the fourth of them that hate me Wherein we may consider what he doth to whom He resiteth the iniquitie of the fathers Wherein is the action the
and things being alike I loue my selfe in greater measure Hetherto the summe of the second table which Christ commendeth in that hee saith it is like to the other 1 hard to be kept 2 necessary 3 profitable wherupon the former the Law and the Prophets doe depend that is are chiefly spent in setting downe the duties contained therein The commaundements themselues of the second Table follow requiring all duties of all sorts to men and these are of practise and act or of motion and first thought Practise or act signifieth such as are with consent and these are verse 12 13 14 15 16. whereof as the persons towards whom they must be practised are diuers so are the kinds The persons are superiors or betters and others Duties in respect of betters are commaunded verse 12. before the rest to shew that publique must be preferred before priuate The commaundement requiring these duties is the first with promise Ephe. 6 2 shewing some speciall regard that ought to be had thereof One may doubt howe this should be true since all commaundements if they be kept haue promise of life and againe seeing the second commaundement likewise hath promise of mercie to thousands c. But we are to aunswere that Paule in calling it the first he meaneth the first of the second table and the first which hath particuler promise the commaundements all and so the second haue a generall and indefinite promise This commaundement chargeth to honour Parents and forbiddeth the contrary It hath two parts the dutie the promise The dutie is honour thy father and thy mother The promise in the rest The dutie setteth out the parties and the thing The parties honouring to be honoured The partie honouring or who is to honour thou that is euery one as before noble as well as others great men as well as others So did Salomon honour his mother though hee were a King 1 Kings 2 19. so did Ioseph his parents hee beeing a great Prince This must be thought of for all practises of honor The parties to be honoured father mother Who signifie all other superiors whatsoeuer whom God thus calleth to teach all superiors to be affected to theyr inferiors as parents to children in which meaning the Romans called their chiefe men fathers and withall to teach inferiors in what kindnesse they are to performe dutie to wit as children doe to Parents But Christ forbiddeth Math 23 9 to call any man Father Auns Christes speech must be taken in his owne meaning Hee meaneth heere father in that sence it was vsed among the Pharisees and such as would be counted learned So else where dooth Christ speake fitting himselfe to the conceits of his hearers as Iohn 5 31 If I should beare witnes of my selfe my witnesse were not true That is if I were as you suppose mee to be So likewise Iohn 7 16 My doctrine is not mine that is as you take me to be a meere man c. After the same sort forbiddeth he to call father The Iewes and Pharisees vsed this as a swelling title being desirous to be called in Hebrew Abothemi that is our Fathers as the holy Father the Pope so the Romish priests are Prince c. 4 Then may superiors looke for all duties with a good hart when themselues performe theirs First among all are naturall parents Their duties are ioyntly 1 Before euer they haue children to endeauour themselues to be in the couenaunt of God that their chyldren so may be else are they butchers of their children before they be breeders out of Gods couenant better not to be Other parents one calleth parents of dirt Parents are in the couenaunt when they belieue in Christ and are baptised 2 They must mary in the Lord. Children in whoredome are branded with perpetuall infamie Those marry in the Lord when both professing true religion haue parents consent and holily doe consumate solemnize mariage wherein the children are begotten 3 Such children as God shall giue they must consecrate to the Lord as Hanna did Samuell it is like Eunica did Timotheus Especially God required the first borne 4 Asloone as may be conueniently they must procure them to be baptised in the presence of faithfull witnesses Esay 8 2. 5 All their life long they must giue their children good example As their childrens yeeres will beare they must bring thē vp in nurture and instruction of the Lord. Ephe 6 3. And first acquaint them with the grounds of truth necessary to saluation 1 at home 2 bringing them to publique assemblies 3 looking that they behaue themselues well there Secondly as soone as may be to breake them of theyr corrupt desires The neglect of this marred Ophni and Phineas Elies sonnes Adoniah Absolon Dauids sonnes Thirdly to invre them to doe things rather for to please God then for flattering or gifts Fourthly they must not make them too gay in coates but allow them conuenient diet and attire Fiftly at least let them learne to write and read 7 They must pray for their children 8 They must obserue their childrens dispositions and gifts and thereafter prepare them to such a kind of life and calling as they shall be fittest for Gods glory the common good taking heede of idlenesse and euill companie 9 They must haue a care in due time to prouide meete mariages for them In dooing all these as the fathers gifts are commonly the greater so the greater must his endeuour be But in any case this must be looked vnto that the parents be not deuided that that one doth both must doe one must not cocker against the other one neuer mar what the other maketh This is a common fault this way The mother she hath her peculiar 1 to nurse her owne child if well she may otherwise to get a godly wholsome and carefull nurse 2 to teach it at home in the tender yeres 3 to looke to the cleanlinesse and handsomnesse of it All these same things should others doe who are in the place of naturall parents Parents by spirituall office follow father and mother Father as before so was Paule to the Corinthians 1 4 5 to Timotheus 1 1 2 to Titus 1 3 to Philemon 19. Such an one is hee who is set ouer vs in the Lord enabled with gifts endeuouring the sauing of soules Whose labors if God blesse he is more then a father By fathers we be by such we blessedly shall be though it be GOD who is the chiefe worker Thus was Elias to Elizeus Elizeus to king Ioas. One who endeauoureth this way must be in sauing doctrine deliuering it easily to be vnderstood as particularlie as may be besides prayer and continuance in all Mother is the Church Gala 4 26 out of the which there is no saluation so that hee hath not God his father vvho hath not the Church his mother This is the Catholique Apostolique Church built vppon the Apostles and Prophets Aunsw Before I doe it I must out of