spiration for as the Sonne receiveth the whole divine essence by generation so the holy Ghost receiveth it wholly by spiration Rom. 11.36 But because the Father created As Redemption Act. 20.28 and Sanctification and still governeth the world by the Sonne in the holy Ghost therefore these externall actions are indifferently in the Scripture often times ascribed to each of the three persons and therefore are called Communicable and divided actions 1 Pet. 1.23 so that when wee say that the divine essence is in the Father unbegotten in the Sonne begotten and in the holy Ghost proceeding we make not three essences but onely shew the divers manner of subsisting by which the same most simple eternall and unbegotten essence subsisteth in each person namely that it is not in the Father by generation that is in the Sonne communicated from the Father by generation and in the holy Ghost communicated from both the Father and the Sonne by proceeding These are incommunicable and doe make not an essentiall accidentall or rationall but a reall distinction betwixt the three persons And because the divine essence common to all the three persons is but one we call the same Unitie But because there be three distinct persons in this one indivisible essence we call the same Trinity So that this Unitie in Trinity and Trinity in Unitie is a holy Mysterie rather to be religiously adored by faith Iob 11.7 then curiously searched into by reason That God is one in Trinity 1. These things be manifest and must with a simple and cleare faith be believed that God is one in essence nature God-head will moving and working three in three persons of which every one hath severall subsistence and propertie which for all that be so in God that the Essence Nature God-head Majesty working will power honour and continuance for ever is common to them all all coessentiall all coeternall The Appellations of the persons for wee see that these three persons are called in holy Scriptures God the Word the Spirit but more plainly by Christ the Father the Sonne and the holy Spirit Matth. 28.19 We see that the faith of this holy Trinitie is not meant to be three Gods but three unsearchable subsistences or persons in one true God set forth to man for the better knowledge of Christ his only begotten Son and for the increase of his glory according to the measure of his revelation A Similitude For as two divers and sundry natures joyned together in one man doe not make two men but both doe still conserve the unitie of one person so that it remaineth still one man made of soule and body why then should it not sinke into our heads that three subsistences in one God neither in being neither in nature be divers but altogether equall and even doe not let but that the unitie of God remaineth still one A Similitude of the Sunne Who is so weake of judgement or so foolish of understanding to believe that there are three sunnes being indeed but one because there is three qualities or effects in the sunne First as it were a fountaine of light Note never ceasing Secondly the cleare shining brightnesse which commeth thereof Thirdly the heate breathing out and proceeding from them both The similitude of man who is so mad to determine or Imagine that a man hath three spirits because there are found three as it were divers substances the soule the minde and the will the soule whereby man liveth and moveth the minde whereby hee understandeth judgeth and discerneth the heart or will whereby hee willeth or willeth not hateth or loveth is sorry or glad becommeth good or evill these things are manifestly found in our selves wherby we may be led as by the hand to know the one and true God in this holy Trinity of Persons and in Trinity a perfect unity of God-head how may it bee rightly understood Iob 11.7 how the soule breedeth the minde and how the will commeth of them both By what way then can wee understand the divine birth of the Word of God and the proceeding of the holy Spirit thus in briefe I thought meete to note concerning this question what God is for the simpler sorts sake to the intent they may understand how farre forth the use thereof may doe them good that be desirous to apply their knowledge and understanding to God to the study of true godlinesse and not unto curiosity Iohn 1.1 2 c. And take this by the way that as the naturall sonne of man is naturally man so is the naturall Sonne of God naturally God and of one Essence with his Father but this knowledge of the holy Trinity was somewhat hidden till the revelation of the Word that tooke flesh When the holy Spirit began more especially to worke then this mystery of the Trinity in God was openly set forth by Christ when he said Goe teach all People Math. 28.19 The revelation of the holy Trinity baptising them in the Name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost and then conferred his grace upon them whereby the ministery of the holy Trinity began to be opened unto the world should bee a manifest witnesse to the people that whosoever should bee received into that grace should in the Sacrament of the first admission confesse themselves to bee sanctified in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Thus farre of the divers manner of being in the divine essence Now of the Attributes thereof and first of the Nominall The Attributes of God are of two sorts either Nominall or Reall The Nominall attributes are of three sorts the first which signifie Gods Essence Secondly the Persons in the Essence Thirdly those which signifie his essentiall workes The first is named a Exod. 6.3 c. Exod. 15.3 c. Psal 83.18 Esay 48.11 Jehovah which signifieth Eternall being of himselfe in whom is being without all beginning all other beings both begin and end he is named Iehovah not onely in respect of being and causing all things to be but especially in respect of his gracious promises which without faile hee will fulfill in his appointed time and so causeth that to be which was not before Esay 55.7 Iohn 14.2 3. and upon our true repentance hee will assuredly pardon and forgive us all our sinnes at the time of death receive our soules and in the resurrection raise up our bodies in glory to life everlasting therefore this Name is a golden pledge unto us that because hee hath promised hee will surely performe unto us Exod. 3.14 Vers 13. The second Name denoting Gods Essence is Eheieh but once read and of the same roote that Iehovah is and signifieth I am that I am for when Moses asked God by what name hee should call him God then named himselfe Eheieh Ascher Eheieh I am that I am or I will be that I will
be chosen into the adoption of the children of God as we may see in the first to the Ephesians Ephes 1.4 wherefore the worke of our Redemption was not ordained to be brought to passe but by this Word this way being agreeable with the eternall predestination of the Will of God The Word is made flesh for Christ is the Incarnate Word God and man to admonish us whereof Christ is that is of the Word and flesh so that wee must consider that in his nativity there is not onely the nature of man but the nature also of God joyned together personally with the nature of man wherefore we must use and hold most firme and stedfast this circumlocution of Christ Christ taketh the man-hood into his Godhood as is expressed by the holy Spirit for though it is said the Word is made flesh hee doth not meane simply flesh but the soule and spirit with the flesh also that is the whole man for by the word of flesh there is not meant that man onely whom the Virgin did beare was received of the word into this conjunction but the very nature of man-kind for the redeeming and restoring of which this Incarnation of the Word was predestinated from everlasting so that wee must judge that the Word was made not onely the Sonne of the Virgin Mary Luke 3. but surely also the sonne of Adam and of Eve which is diligently expressed by Luke in the genealogie of Christ The weaknesse of man taken upon the word the word flesh also signifieth mans weaknesse that we may also know that the Word of God is not so made man that it tooke those things only upon it which pertaine to mans spirit and foule but it tooke the infirmity of our flesh also saving sinne onely Mat. 21.18 Mar. 14.33.34 which is sufficiently expressed in the very race of his dispensation when he hungred and thirsted ate and dranke was made merry slept wept was made sorry and after suffered death all which things were not fained by him by counterfeiting but truely declared according to the truth of mans nature What can be more conjunct and more united then that everlasting Trinity in the God-head of the Persons yet it cannot be said that the Father is made the Sonne or the holy Spirit or the Sonne the Father or the holy Spirit An excellent note to be observed or the holy Spirit the Father or the Sonne as it is here spoken of the Word that it is made flesh Why because the unity of the holy Trinity is of godly nature and not of person that is to say consisteth not Ephes 5.31 The communicating of nature doth consist in getting and bearing and not in creating and making of one and the selfe same person but of one selfesame nature Againe the man and the woman be so joyned and united by wedlocke that they doe become into one flesh for saith the Apostle They be not two but one flesh and yet no man can truely say that the man is made the woman why because the man and the woman be not coupled into one selfesame person but in wedlocke they bee two persons joyned together into one flesh and nature but it may bee sayd that the word was made flesh though it did not simply take our flesh but ioyned it selfe unto it in unity of person Personall unity and the condition of personall unity that albeit it doe comprehend divers natures yet it is reported of the one that it is the other as in this cause it is reported of the word that it is made flesh he doth not say that the word was changed into flesh but the word was made flesh for then this change must have had an alteâ—ation of nature which cannot bee or take place in Christ for the word is not changed but still retaineth his nature neither it receiving flesh It is not possible God can leave to be God left his nature it is not possible that God can leave to be God the nature of God suffereth neither change nor end for it is immutable and infinite neither could the dispensation taken in hand beare it that the nature of man joyned unto the nature of God should loose those things which be proper unto it for so it might be inferred that Christ were not true man nor truly conceived nor borne of the Virgin Mary did not suffer dyed not nor rose againe from the dead which notwithstanding the holy Scriptures doe manifestly ascribe all these things unto him Wherefore the whole universall Church doe hold firmely and rightly that God was made man he tooke upon him that which he was not and lost not that which hee was neither doth the unity of person require the change of natures but doth reteine them both perfect and sound A similitude The soule and spirit is heavenly immortall and incorruptible but the flesh is earthly mortal corruptible The testimony of the Godhead and manhood of Christ cannot be vain Coloss 1. The person of man being one doth consist of a soule and body personally joyned together the soule is of a heavenly nature and beginning the body of an earthly the soule is immortall and not suffering corruption the body is mortall and corruptible and yet they be joyned together without confusion that in both remaineth still his owne nature The testimonies of the Godhead which bee given unto Christ in holy Scriptures should bee altogether vaine if the word were changed into flesh And againe if the flesh had beene changed into the word then all those testimonies and writings which the Evangelists doe set forth of the true manhood of Christ were not worthy to be believed The Apostle saith that all things are by Christ and that there dwelleth in him bodily all fulnesse of the Godhead take from him the nature of the word and this testimony of the Apostle is of no weight The Euangelists and Apostles doe witnesse of him Math. 1.1 Rom. 1.3 4. that hee is of the seed of Abraham and of David according to the flesh the fruit of the wombe of Mary conceived in her body and according unto the fulnesse of time appointed to women with child borne and such other things as they doe make mention of the course of his dispensation to manifest unto us that he was true man Eph. 5.30 passing over that which the Apostle witnesseth of him that wee are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh therefore all these things shall be false if the flesh of him lost that her nature by the conjunction of the word and turned it into godly nature Wherefore wee must diligently looke to our selves in this matter for because of false Doctors which doe bereave Christ of the true nature of our flesh because hee saith The word was made flesh Thus briefly to note of the beginning of the flesh of Christ whereby it is manifest enough how wicked an opinion they had which denyed the
let us remember our hope and in our hope our God while we live here let us remember that wee are prisoners and in the bondage of our flesh and when we die we know that we shall have freedome and death that is cruell to others will bee favourable to us and death that will kindle the fire of their affliction will extinguish our and doubtlesse wee shall finde death more favourable unto us than men for by men wee are injured disgracefully and reproachfully despised most ignominiously afflicted cast downe by feares of enemies affrighted our opinions doubted our actions scanned and opposed our endeavours misinterpreted and intercepted and by wrongs of ill neighbours oppressed our good name brought into odious reputation and by disquietnesse betwixt false friends and open foes in a manner confounded Death takes us from all these feares and injuries layes us in a peaceable grave makes us sleepe in that bed of rest protects our bodies silences our name and carries our spirit to his place appointed Let us not therefore be moved by any example to feare death but let us have a Christian resolution to abide it with courage nay with hope without doubting When we shall see the sons of fortune feare every little sickenesse the serjeants of death Ier. 4.2 we shall see the sonnes of grace deride them for their folly for they never behold death but in his ugly forme to their terrour but to these he appeareth most beautifull pleasant and of delightfull conversation death is to them a Lion but our Lambe his actions in their Scene is tragicall but in our comicall and full of heavenly recreations Whence commeth this 1 Cor. 15. It is our Savior Christ that hath thus caused it his power hath done it his hand hath wrought it he hath tamed death he hath taken his sting from him that it cannot hurt his Elect he hath shut up hell that hath gaped against us and hath reconciled us to our graves wherein wee may safely repose without feare and terrour hee hath commanded death that would perish us to secure us and to present our full proportion before his judgement seat This hath hee done that is able to doe all things he hath done it also for me my faith perswades me so I will acknowledge my selfe therfore in most dutifull thankes to my God and Saviour and in every time of distresse I will looke at death and with that serious meditation receive a full proportion of comfort in my selfe through the merit of my Saviour Amen A Sweet Contemplation of the Beatificall joyes of Heaven and Heavenly things And the Blessed state of a regenerate Christian HEre my meditation dazleth and cannot conceive and my Contemplation is not able to discerne and my Pen not able to describe that most excellent blisse and eternall weight of glory 2 Cor. 4.17 Rom. 8.18 whereof all the momentanie lightnesse of our afflictions and tribulations are not worthy which all the faithfull Elect shall with the blessed Trinity enjoy Rom. 8.17 1 Kings 8.27 2 Cor. 12 2.4 Psal 19.5 from that time they shal be received with Christ as joynt heirs into that everlasting kingdome of joy the heaven of heavens or the third heaven called Paradise which Christ in his humane nature ascended far above all visible heavens which by the firmament as by an azured Curtaine spangled with glittering starres and glorious Planets is hid that we cannot behold it with the corruptible eyes of flesh the holy Ghost framing himselfe to our weakenesse describes the glory of that place which no man can estimate no not by such things as are most pretious in the estimation of man Rev. 21.2 c. and therefore likeneth it to that great and holy City named the heavenly Jerusalem Therefore O devout soule lift up thy selfe above thy selfe flie away in the contemplation of heaven and heavenly things make not thy further abode in this inferiour region where is nothing but travells and troubles cares and trialls sorrow and woe feare wretchednesse Col. 3.2 and sinne and all deceiving and destroying vanities Bend all thine affections upward unto the superiour place where thy Redeemer liveth and raigneth where thy joyes are layd up in the treasury of his Merits which shall be made thy merits his Protection thy protection his Death thy life eternall and his Resurrection thy salvation where He sits in his glorious Throne Matt. 13.43 accompanied with all the many thousands of Saints and Angells shining more bright than so many Sunnes in glory sitting about him and the Body of Christ in glory and brightnesse surpassing them all and there from his Throne of majesty Matt. 25.10 to the end he shall in the sight and hearing of all the world pronounce unto his Elect Come yee Blessed of my Father c. Here is our blessed union with Christ and by him with the whole Trinity here is our absolution from all sins and our plenary endowment with all grace and happinesse here is the authour from whom by Christ proceeds all our felicity here is our adoption our birth-right and possession see here is Gods fatherly care for his Chosen from the foundation of the world O the free eternall unchangeable Election of God who hath given thee an eternall inheritance assured by an holy covenant made in the word of God signed with the blood of his Sonne 1 Cor. 5.10 c and sealed with his Spirit and Sacraments his chosen Elect shal be translated out of this wofull wretched miserable and transitory world into his eternall happinesse his immortall and everlasting kingdome Rev. 21. the Celestiall Canaan that heavenly Ierusalem so glorious by creation so beautifull with delectation so rich in possession so comfortable for habitation This shall be thine eternall happinesse in the Kingdome of heaven where thy life shall be a Communion with the blessed Trinity thy joy the presence of the Lambe thy exercise singing the ditty Allelu-jah thy consorts Saints and Angells where youth flourisheth that never waxeth old beauty lasteth that never fadeth love aboundeth that never cooleth health continueth that never slacketh and life remaineth that never endeth There is light without darkenesse mirth without sadnesse health without sicknesse wealth without want credit without disgrace beauty without blemish Psal 86.3 ease without labour riches without corruption blessednesse without misery and consolation that never knoweth end where they shal live for ever with him in ful freedome from all evill in perpetuall fruition of all felicity so that as nothing shal be found in hell which shall be desired so nothing shall be desired in heaven which shall not be found there shall be mirth without mourning a life without labour and day without darkenesse eternall happinesse and happy eternity there is neither sinne nor sorrow neither penalty nor penitencie neither foe nor frighting neither corruption nor contention amity and no enmity faith and no fraud godlinesse and no guile love
angels spirits and divels of hell because they suppose there is nothing farther and besides that which is seene with our eyes and so they acknowledge not God in their hearts for that he is not seene neither they consider not that there bee also some other things invisible which for all they see them not yet they cannot deny them to bee who ever saw a voice who hath seene the winde who ever saw a savour these things indeed are invisible but yet notwithstanding no man of any perceivance will deny them to be and whereby are they judged to bee but by the perceivance of their efficacy and working the voice is not seene yet is it heard the winde is not seene yet is it perceived by feeling and his working and violence in that which it bringeth to passe a savour is not seene but by smelling is perceived most effectually who ever saw at any time his soule The faculties of the soule yet no man is so unwise to deny that his soule is within him by whom hee perceiveth hee hath life sight and hearing smelling feeling tasting and power to move from place to place who ever saw his owne minde and is there any man so voyd of reason that hee will say hee hath none because hee seeth none and yet thereby conceiveth understandeth and judgeth no man ever saw the power of his will and heart God is known by his creatures and workings yet there is no man but perceiveth he hath such a power whereby he loveth hateth desireth and envieth mourneth and rejoyceth Rom. 1.20 21. why judge wee not likewise of God he is indeed invisible of himselfe but through his working vertue and goodnesse hee declareth himselfe so that the minde of man except it be altogether blinded may easily judge by the godly workes that there is a God by whom all things are made and by whom all is governed so that any man of understanding must needs grant that hee doth not understand God in his minde by his workes onely but also that hee seeth him with his eyes Iob 13.1 c. heares him with his eares and perceiveth him in his smell and feeling and the faithfull man surely maketh tryall of God even in his taste Psal 34.8 so the Prophet saith Taste and see how sweet the Lord is Unlesse Honey be tasted ye cannot know how sweet it is even so unlesse you taste of God ye shall not know how sweet he is the taste of his sweetnesse is the understanding of his goodnesse perceived by faith The second way whereby God doth manifest himselfe unto men consisteth in the Word God is known also by his Word for so God hath opened himselfe to our fathers by word and speaking even from the beginning of the world untill the daies of the new Testament whereof the Apostle speaketh saying Hebr. 1.1 2 3. Divers and many waies hath God spoken to our fathers by the Prophets but last of all hee hath spoken unto us by his Sonne this is a speciall way for it happened not so to every Nation as it did by a speciall grace happen to the Israelites Psal 147. hee that declared his Word to Iacob his Righteousnesse and his Iudgements unto Israel he did not so unto all nations and yet this Word and Christ also is the only Sonne of God The third way is by inspiration God is opened to the Elect by inspiring and the secret revelation of the holy Spirit and this is called most speciall for a difference from the other two that be indifferent to good and evill and this may pertaine to the elect onely who beside the light of workes and the declaration by word getteth almost certaine knowledge of God yet rather a feeling and a taste of him Ephes 3.5 by the lively and effectuall inspiration and revelation of the holy Spirit of God by these three waies man may certainly know there is a God What God is in his Essence and how to be understood in his holy Attributes Secondly it seemeth that this question hath troubled many mens mindes also who it is that is God Certainly knowne by so many manifest and many testimonies of godly workes Further to know what God is God is a divine Essence and Incomprehensible Immutable Indivisible Impassible Incorruptible Immortall 1 Tim. 6.16 2 Cor. 3.17 Unspeakable perfect and everlasting dwelling in Inaccessible light spirituall and infinitely perfect whose being is from eternitie to eternity In the God-head there are three divine persons the Father Sonne and holy Ghost these three persons are not three severall substances but three distinct subsistences or three divers manner of beings of one and the same substance and divine essence so that a person in the God-head is an individuall understanding and incommunicable subsistence absolute of it selfe and not sustained by any other The persons in this Mysterie or divine Essence are but three there is another and another but not another thing and another thing the divine Essence in it selfe is neither divided nor distinguished but the three persons in the divine Essence are distinguished amongst themselves by their names Mat. 11.27 Mat. 3.17 Esay 63.16 Eph. 3.16 17. by their order and by their actions in this manner the first person of the glorious Trinitie is named the Father first in respect of his naturall sonne Christ secondly in respect of the elect his adopted sonnes not by nature but by grace Christ the sonne is the second person of the glorious Trinitie and the onely begotten sonne of his Father not by grace but by nature Hebr. 1.3 Esay 36.10 Ioh. 20.21 22. 1 Pet 1.15 and Thes 1.2 the third person is named the holy Ghost first because he is spirituall without a bodie secondly because hee is spired and as it were breathed that is proceedeth from them both because hee is holy in his owne nature and the immediate Sanctifier of all Gods elect people Hence it is that for as much as the Father is the fountaine originall of the Trinitie the beginning of all eternall working the name of God in relation and the title of Creator in the Creed Ioh. 14.1 are given in especiall manner to the Father our Redemption to the Sonne and our sanctification to the Person of the holy Ghost as the Immediate agents of these actions Rom. 8.3 4. 1 Cor. 15.24 This divine order excepted there is neither first nor last neither superioritie nor inferioritie among the three persons for nature they are coessentiall Ioh. 1.1 for definitie coequall and for time coeternall For the essence doth not beget an essence but the person of the Father begetteth the person of the Sonne Ioh. 5.19 and so hee is God of God and hath from his Father the beginning of his person and order Rom. 8.9 but not of essence and time And the holy Ghost proceedeth equally from both the Father and the Sonne by an eternall and incomprehensible
counterfeiting and dissembling one may easily deceive and abuse another having one thing secretly hid in his heart when outwardly he saith and doth the contrary upon that is grounded the saying of the Prophet Jeremy Ierem. 17.9 The heart of man is overthwart and who shall know it but there cannot be such a perversity and dissimulation ascribed unto God but when he worketh hee declareth the quality of his nature in his working so that his workes may be most assured testimonies by which the hearts of the faithfull may bee perswaded of his goodnesse and will Esay 28. and although he seeme sometimes to worke contrary to his custome yet that is done to the intent that it shall come to that end which hee hath appointed This is to worke truly and verily according to the quality of his nature and to declare openly to the world the testimony of his good will or anger by word and deed Now there are five kinds of working One is Five kinds of working when things bee wrought according to the strength of their nature without any governance of understanding or will as in the working of fire water medicinall hearbes precious stones and such other things whose working if it bee guided by any reason or will it is not their owne but by some outward either by Gods or mans directions The second kind is of those things which followeth the drift of nature in their working but not without their owne will though the mastery of reason be lacking in them yet such is their working that sometimes it is forced against their will and so worke the bruit beasts The third kind is of men which doe also worke according to the quality of their nature and joyne theirs unto the governance of reason or will but wrong and corrupt and also subject and under a greater power either of man either of God and under this is also comprised the working of evill spirits The fourth is of good Spirits which wee call Angels they worke also according to their nature and that with understanding and will but without any depravation thereof wherein they differ from men and from evill spirits but they are also subject to a superiour power by whom their doings be directed The fift and last kind of working is also according to the nature of the worker Eccles 42.15 c. 43. with understanding and will and that pure and uncorrupt and is not subject unto the wisdome or will of any superiour but is most free wise mighty good and infinite upon whom all other things dependeth This is the working of one very God the beginning increase keeping repairing the rule and end of all things most good most free willing infinite everlasting perfect needing no other helpe No man is able sufficiently to praise God for he farre exceeds all praise necessary and profitable not to the worker but to the workes whose incomprehensible waies infinite multitude and unsearchable consideration no man may seeke to know whose infinite Goodnesse Wisedome Power Majesty and Glory all Angels and men must have in admiration and worship Though the Multitude Variety Majesty and Excellencie of the Workes of God be infinite and incomprehensible that neither the reason nor number of them can bee comprehended by any mans imagination or industry Eccle. 8.17 even as Ecclesiasticus said Yet among all the Workes of God Among Gods workes the worke of Creation is first wee ought first to understand the workes of the Creation and herein wee must leave the consideration of those workes that are of the Father towards the Sonne and of the Sonne towards the Father and of both of them toward the holy Spirit and of the holy Spirit toward both of them which are unsearchable and not necessary to know nor belonging to Creation But it is even enough if the creature doe acknowledge honour and glorifie the workes of his Creator in that that he is the Creator Encreaser Conserver Repairer Governour and Perfecter of all when we say the Father created all things the Word must not bee excluded neither the holy Spirit because that by the Word and with the Spirit all things were made and created When we say the sunne nourisheth and giveth light unto the earth wee exclude not his heate nor his brightnesse without which he doth not accomplish his worke Againe when we say all things are created of God we must not include those things that be evill in respect they be evill for they be not of God Iohn 8.44 but of satan the father of all evill this is the plaine description of our true and onely God from all false gods and idols To possesse our hearts with greater awe of his Majesty whilest we admire him for his simplenesse and infinitnesse adore him for his unmeasurablenesse unchangeablenesse and eternity seeke wisdome from his understanding and knowledge submit our selves to his blessed will and pleasure love him for his love mercy goodnesse and patience trust to his word because of his truth feare him for his power justice and anger reverence him for his holinesse and praise him for his blessednesse and to depend all our life on his faithfull promises who is the onely Authour of our life being and all the good things we have Eph. 5. Let us therefore stirre up our selves to imitate the divine Spirit in his holy Attributes and to beare in some measure the Image of his wisdome love goodnesse justice mercy truth patience zeale and anger against sinne and strive that wee may bee wise loving just mercifull true patient and zealous as our God is and that wee may in our prayers and meditations conceive aright of his divine Majesty and not according to those grosse and blasphemous imaginations which naturally arise in mens braines Psal 90.2 Rom. 1 23 c. as when they conceive God to be like an old man sitting in a chaire and the blessed Trinity to be like that tripartite idoll which Papists set up in their Church windowes When therefore thou art to pray unto God let thy heart speake unto him Psal 90.2 1 King 8.27 1 Iohn 5.7 as unto that Eternall Infinite Almighty Holy Wise Just Mercifull Spirit and most perfect and individuall Essence of three severall substances Father Sonne and holy Ghost who being present in all places ruleth Heaven and Earth understandeth all mens hearts knoweth all mens miseries and is onely able to bestow on us all graces which we want and to deliver all penitent sinners that with faithfull hearts seeke for Christs sake his helpe out of all their afflictions and troubles whatsoever If therefore thou dost believe that God is Almighty why dost thou feare devils or enemies Confidently trust in God and crave his helpe in all troubles and dangers if thou believest that God is infinite how darest thou provoke him to anger If thou believest that God is simple with what heart canst thou dissemble and play the hypocrite
If thou believest that God is the Soveraigne good why is not thy heart more setled upon him then on al worldly goods If thou dost indeed believe that God is a just Judge how darest thou live so securely in sinne without repentance If thou dost truely believe that God is most wise Rom. 8.28 why dost thou not referre the events of crosses and disgraces unto him who knoweth how to turne all things to the best unto them that love him If thou art perswaded that God is true why dost thou doubt of his promises and if thou believest that God is beauty and perfection it selfe why dost thou not make him the chiefe end of all thy desires and affections for if thou lovest Beautie hee is most faire If Riches he is most wealthy If thou seekest Wisdome hee is most wise whatsoever excellencie thou hast seene in any Creature it is nothing but a sparkle of that which is in the Infinite perfection in God Application Therefore love that one good God and thou shalt love him in whom all the good of goodnesse consisteth he that would therefore attaine to the saving Knowledge of God must learne to know him by love 1 Joh. 4.8 Ephes 3.19 for God is Love and the knowledge of the love of God passeth all understanding for all knowledge in the world besides to know how to love God Eccles 1.2.17 and to serve him onely is nothing upon Salomons Creed but Vanity of vanities trouble of mind and vexation of spirit Kindle therefore in mee my good God Charity Rom. 5.9 10. Joh. 17.3.22 1 Cor. 15.28 the love of thy selfe in my soule especially seeing it was thy good pleasure that being reconciled by the blood of Christ wee should be brought by the knowledge of thy grace to the communion of thy glory wherein only consisteth our soveraigne good and happinesse for evermore Thus by the light of his owne Word wee have seene the backe parts of Jehovah Elohim the eternall Trinity whom to worship is true Piety whom to believe is saving Faith and Verity and unto whom from all Creatures in heaven and earth be ascribed all Praise Glory Honour Might Majesty Power and Dominion for evermore Amen Of divine Directions declaring the variable state and misery of Man from the time of his Creation to the time of the Gospel or the new Covenant of Grace Of the generall Knowledge of God VVHen first I began to understand of God I had this imagination that God was a generall power within whose circle all things are without whom nothing by whom all things were made and to whom all men ow their service This learning was taught mee by the wisdome of my naturall soule and by the common example of Christians for all men acknowledge a God and all Christians their duties this is the common knowledge of men but not the profitable more commendable in Philosophers than Christians being without use without application I have therefore better endevoured my selfe and studied to know God my God to know him in his divine nature in the trinity of persons and in their offices for thus to know and then to apprehend and apply is salvation To know God in his nature we must know His Attributes and rightly understand God in his said Attributes all which may be reduced to these two generalls Justice and Mercy in all which we must consider him to be Infinite in wisedome Infinite in favour Infinite in power The Trinity and Infinite in time The Trinity is the distinction of persons without denying the substance or nature of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost though they be three distinct in name they are one in power without division without inequality the Sonne begotten as ancient as the Father the Holy Ghost prooceeding from them both is equall with them both no priority in their Omnipotency but all of them being alike able in all things and alwaies conspiring one end without discord The foundation of Religion this divine mysterie is the foundation of Christian Religion without which there is no faith no salvation It is further necessary to know the Trinity in their severall offices for though the God-head be so undivided as that no one person in the Trinity doth worke without cooperation the Father Son Severall offices in the Trinity and the Holy Ghost conspiring in every act of every severall person yet in the wisedome of their owne decree they have determined to the severall persons of the Trinity severall executions of offices wherein the whole Trinity conspire yet some one person in the Trinity hath the name of principall therefore wee say God the Father made the world God the Sonne redeemed it God the Holy Ghost doth governe it The creation of the world is ascribed to God the Father The Trinity conspire in every worke yet he made the world and the works therein by his Word This Word was God the second person in the Trinity who did cooperate and worke with God in the Creation the Holy Ghost also moved upon the waters to divide the seas and distinguish light from darknesse all of them joyntly and severally executing the decrees of their owne divine counsell Jer. 10.12 13. The worke of our Redemption is properly ascribed to the Sonne the second person of the Trinity who descended from his Majesty 1 Cor. 5.55 and in his owne person came to make a conquest of sinne hell and death The Holy Ghost doth governe the world the Father and the Sonne assisting yet in this most gracious worke the Father and the Holy Ghost were not absent but gave divine assistance to our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ when he ascended left the Holy Ghost to be a patron to the Catholique Church the which in all occasions doth support every member of the same yet the Father and the Sonne have their hands of providence at all times working with the Holy Ghost in this divine government therefore howsoever they have their severall assignments by themselves appointed yet they all conspire in every worke of holinesse all of them participating one worke one honour Thus to know God is needfull for every soule that desireth happinesse One labour one honour in the Trinity or that coveteth to have part in the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ without whom there is no salvation God being then of a nature infinitely good infinite great it ought to move in every foule a double affection Men ought to live in Gods imitation love and feare to feare him because he can destroy to love him because he will not It ought also to provoke all men to an imitation of God that such to whom God hath given greatnesse they use it with moderation of mercy which onely is able to make the great good and the honourable in place honourable in condition for as God is so good men their soules are his images and their actions his imitations Againe God is a
prevent him SEing the Divell is so apt and ready to assault and tempt the faithfull and the elect of God consider therefore thou devout soule in what danger thou art because the divell thine adversary is alwaies lying in wait for thee hee is an enemy for boldnesse most ready for strength most powerfull for subtilty most cunning for engines well stored in sight indefatigable into all shaps changeable he intiseth us into many sinnes and having inticed us hee accuseth us before Gods judgement seate 2 Cor. 2.11 2 Cor. 11.14 hee accuseth God to men and men to God and one man to another hee exactly considereth every ones inclination and then hee layes for them the snares of temptations for the devill when he assaulteth the soule of man first sets upon that part he findes softest and best affected for his purpose for him the easier to worke upon and if hee once be withstood and overcome hee doth not presently remove nor give over but comes againe to tempt with greater force that so hee may by tediousnesse and neglect overcome those whom by violence and force of temptations he could not overcome Against whom will he not be bold to use his subtill trickes when hee was so bold to set upon the Lord of Majesty himselfe with his craft and subtilty Math 4.2 3. when hee had fasted forty daies and forty nights what Christians will he spare when hee sought to winnow Christs Apostles like wheate He deceived Adam in his nature instructed whom then can hee not deceive in his nature corrupted he deceived Judas in the schoole of our Saviour Luke 22.31 and whom will hee not deceive in the world Gen. 3.4 5. the schoole of errours in all states the divels trecheries are to bee feared In prosperity hee lifts us up with pride in adversity he drives us downe to despaire if he sees a man delighted with frugality he intangleth him in the fetters of insatiable covetousnesse if hee sees a man of an heroicall spirit hee sets him on fire with flaming anger if he sees a man somewhat merrier then ordinary hee incites him to burne with lust those whom he sees to be zealous in religion he labours to entangle in vaine superstition those whom he sees exalted to dignities hee prickes them forward with the spurres of ambition when hee allureth man to sinne hee amplifieth Gods mercy and when hee hath cast him headlong into sinne then he shewes and amplifies Gods justice first hee will lead a man to presumption and afterwards he labours to bring him to desperation sometimes he assaults outwardly by persecutions sometimes hee assaults inwardly by fiery tentations sometimes he sets upon us openly and by force sometimes hee sets upon us secretly and by fraud in eating he sets before us gluttony in generating luxury in exercising sluggishnesse in conversing envie in governing covetous extortion in correcting rage in dignity pride he possesses the heart with evill cogitations in the mouth he puts false speakings in the other members wicked actions when wee are awake he moves us to evill workes when we are asleepe he moves us to filthy dreames so then at all times in every place and in every thing we must beware of the divels trecheries wee sleepe but hee watcheth wee are secure but he goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devoure 1 Pet. 5.8 Consider therefore thou faithfull soule the trecheries of this most potent enemy and seeke the ayd of spirituall armes to defend thee from his subtilties let thy loynes be girt with the girdle of truth Eph. 6.14 and covered with the brest-plate of righteousnesse put on Christs perfect righteousnes thou shalt bee safe from the divels tentations Iohn 14.30 as Satan hath no power over Christ neither hath he power over the faithfull his members Let thy feet be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace so the fiery darts of the divell shall not hurt thee take the shield of faith to defend thee from the assaults of this most wicked enemy Eph. 6.15 Math. 17.20 Faith is that which removes Mountaines which is to be understood the mountaines of doubts persecutions and tentations if thou hast faith neither shall any thing be unpossible unto thee Vers 20. Exod. 12.17.12.13 The Israelites whose doore posts were figured with the blood of the paschall Lambe were not smitten with the destroying Angell so likewise those whose hearts are by faith sprinkled with the blood of Christ shall not be hurt by this destroyer faith relies upon Gods promises in the mercy of the Almighty and Satan cannot overthrow them that believe faith is the light of the soule and hath a bright eye a holy eare a cleane heart and a sure foote shee is the strength of hope the trust of truth the honour of amity and the joy of love and Satan cannot prevaile against it and the tentations of this malignant spirit are easily discerned through this light Mich. 7.19 By faith our sins are throwne into the profound sea of Gods mercy and in that the firy darts of the divell shall be easily quenched we must likewise put on the helmet of salvation that is Ephes 6.17 holy Hope endure tentation and expect an issue thereof by hope and thou shalt find comfort thereby For God is an Assister of them that contend and the crowne of them that overcome Vers 19. wee must also take the sword of the spirit that is the Word of God For the consolations of the Scripture will prevaile against the contradictions of the divell Nazianz. for by the Word Christ overcame all Satans temptations Math. 4.4 c. 11. and still the faithfull shall overcome the divell and all his subtilties To conclude by prayer thou hast great aid against tentations for as often as the little ship of thy soule is ready to be overwhelmed by the waves of tentation awake Christ by thy prayers we overcome visible enemies with striking but wee overcome our invisible enemies by powring forth prayers unfained fight thou O Christ both in us and for us that so through thee we also may overcome our deadly enemy with victory that in thee and through thee we may triumph gloriously Of the Morall Law of God the ten Commandements THe Law of God The morall Law of God and the Law of nature is all one though it was not given to man with solemne promulgation before the time of Moses yet was there a generall sense thereof given to Adam in his creation For when God gave him his nature and endued him with the use of reason and discourse he gave him capacity to understand his duty the which duty is nothing else but the observation of the Law of God and therefore when Adam had transgressed the commandements of God and had eaten the forbidden fruit the reason of his naturall soule could tell him his offence and then his conscience judged him he was afraid
salvation be our continuall exercise let us exercise our pleasure in reading and meditating the excellent variety of matter and Majesty of the phrase in the Gospel being the rhetorique and eloquence of the holy Ghost let us also exercise in studying rightly to understand the covenant of our salvation to keepe which covenant wee shall therein often be admonished by promises threats intreaty and by examples in all which the knowledge and meditations of the Gospel will instruct us This doctrine is very usefull and solatious and may be applyed to many notable purposes for it shewes us the true causes of all our happinesse it also confuteth the Pelagians who ascribe salvation to mens owne strength and merits and it serves to correct the course of those that hinder their owne happinesse by their owne presumption diffidence incredulity prophanenesse sensuality and other irregular and irreligious courses Lastly it proves the deity of Christ for in that he hath elected his faithfull unto eternall life we conclude that he is very God for these respects and reasons let us enter covenant with our soules to be carefull in keeping our covenant with God Of the Incarnation of the Word Christ IT is necessary and meet to shew something of the Incarnation of Christ for because that the same doth chiefly belong to the worke of our Redemption we will note those things onely which shall seeme to helpe towards the stay of the purity and certainnesse of our faith and to cut off all curious and unprofitable questions it is needfull for them that will consider the mystery of the word Incarnate Not of mans word but of Gods Word For as much as this Incarnation is reported not of every word but of the Word of God it is first needfull for the confirmation of our faith that wee doe heare the testimony of holy Scripture that the word is in God it is declared even in the beginning of Genesis wherein the History of the Creation of all things is so oftentimes reiterated Gen. 1 c. and God said let it be and it was done he said and they were made he commanded and they were created and in another place By the Word of the Lord the heavens were fastened in the beginning was the Word John 1.1 and the Word was God and God was the Word Paul saith By the vertue of his Word and the brightnesse of his Glory Hebr. 1 c. upholding all things by the word of his Power Againe By faith wee understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God Hebr. 11. so that our faith is confirmed in this by the testimony of holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament that we doe believe the word to be in God of which thing there be found sufficient testimonies also in the writings of the Ethnickes which did attribute unto God-head the Mind the Word and the Spirit wherefore wee Christians may so much the more stedfastly stand unto our faith because that those things which wee doe believe of God the Father and his Word are so certaine and manifestly true that they be approved not onely by the infallible testimonies of holy Scriptures but of Ethnickes also Act. 7.51 c. and doth openly reprove the blindnesse of the unhappy Jewes but how the word is in God no Christian man must be too curious to search those things which be spoken of God which be so attemperate unto our capacity that they be spoken upon some likenesse rather then according to any exact property of Gods Nature and Essence And because we should not thinke of God to be onely but an Essence but as a most high and excellent Essence dissevered and separated from all others as well spirits as bodies he is called Jehova Ebrew word as existent every where in all places and making Greeke preserving and governing all things and is called God which is piercing and passing thorow and to signifie that he is the same to the end of the world as the minde is in man they called him the Mind the Word and the Spirit to give us to understand that the same infinite Essence in Godhead doth not altogether rest in it selfe and keepe his vertue goodnesse and wisdome to himselfe alone but rather set it forth and reveale it even as the mind of man cannot be idle but doth expresse in word whatsoever it doth conceive in it selfe by the meane of the spirit which is as it were the Conduit whereby the word is brought forth from the deepe secret parts of the mind Similitude As for example Imagine that God the Father were like as a lively and endlesse Fountaine and his Sonne the Word to be as a River continually flowing out of this Fountaine and that the holy Spirit might be the very moving and flowing out whereby the water floweth out of the compasse of the Fountaine which moving cannot be without the moving of the aire The Word is the Sonne of God Now whereas this Word is called the Sonne of God it is like as if a man should call the River the sonne of the Fountaine and our word that wee doe speake the sonne of the Mind but all this is but by way of accommodation to our weakenesse for no Angel were able to utter nor no man able to understand him if he did only speake of the Nature and Essence of God as it is in it selfe What wee ought to judge of this Word of God no man is able better to set it forth then the holy Scripture did expresse by the Evangelist Saint John where he saith In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word John 1.2 3 4 5. the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made In it was life and the life was the light of men and the light shined in the darkenesse and the darkenesse received it not and a little after Verse 14. and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among uâ— and we saw his Glory as the Glory of the only begotten Sonne of the Father full of Grace and Truth Now touching the Incarnation it is said 1 Joh. 4.3 that the Word was made flesh which is nothing else but the Word was made man now whereas hee saith that the Word was made man of which he said now before that it was God he doth without contradiction say that God was made man or flesh and though the Apostle saith God the Word is made flesh it is not said of the Father neither of the holy Spirit but the Word to be Incarnate not onely for that that he is the Sonne in Godhead and that by him the world was made but for this cause also chiefly because the Word is that Counsell coeternall with God the Father purposed to save man-kinde in whom our Redemption is predestinated even from everlasting in whom also wee
truth thereof which they doe also which doe fondly devise it to bee conceived of the nature and substance of the holy Spirit for like as Christ said unto Nicodemus Iohn 3. Tâ—e same which is borne of the fl sh is flesh and the same which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit If Christ be borne of the substance of the holy Spirit and not of the substance of the Virgins flesh it followeth he is a Spirit and not flesh for the substance of any thing that is borne is most rightly deemed to be of the substance of it from whence it is hath his beginning Adam was called earthly because hee was taken out of the earth Thou art earthly saith God Gen 3.19 and shalt returne into earth againe But if we doe say Christ is a Spirit in as much as he is borne of the Virgin what doe wee else but deny that hee is man and so doe bring to nothing all his dispensation which hee tooke upon him in the flesh and withall the whole hope and certainety of our redemption which God forbid it appeareth clearer then the Sunne of the very birth of the flesh of Christ wrought by the holy Spirit by the power of the highest in the wombe of the Virgin and by the promises which went before and of those things which he suffered spake and did that he is true man yea the very sonne of man which can not be true unlesse hee hath the truth of our flesh It is very hard to finde out how the naturall child is conceived quickened nourished and growes in the mothers wombe of the seed of man after the accustomed course of nature much more how this unwonted and wonderfull incarnation of the word was perfected it passeth the compasse of mans understanding to yeeld a reason thereof Rom. 11.33 34. otherwise then was answered to the blessed Virgin her selfe by the Angell which is that it doth consist of the seed of man but of the vertue and operation of the holy Spirit for the Angell saith unto her The holy Spirit shall come upon thee and the power of the highest stâ—ll shadow thee Which was conceived by the holy Spirit the blessed Virgin wondred saying shee had not touchâ—d a man how then should shee bring forth a child the Angell doth open the matter unto her that it shall not be by the accustomed course of nature by the seed of man Luke 1.26 c. but by the singular working of the vertue of God for the vertue and power of the highest is the holy Spirit wrought in the wombe of the Virgin and forming the sonne of man of her flesh blood and performing this incarnation of the word without any seed of man but the same man which the Virgin did beare was not onely man but through the conjunction of the word was both God and man And whereas it is holden by some Apollinaris Bishop of Laodicea Math. 26 38. Iohn 12.27 that the word tooke upon him flesh onely and not soule against such opinion marke what Christ said My soule is heavie even to death and in Iohn Now my soule is troubled By which words certainely he witnessed not onely that hee had a soule but such a soule also as was subject unto heavinesse and trouble which thing can in no wise be attributed unto the nature of the word in it selfe wherefore it must needs be understood of the soule of man which he tooke upon him Marke againe Luke 23.46 what Christ saith who speaking of his Spirit Father I commend my Spirit into thy hands and Jesus crying with a loud voyce Math. 27.50 gave up his Spirit These places cannot be understood as spoken of the Word of God nor of the holy Spirit but in any wise of the spirit of man which he tooke upon him By the consideration of these matters it is manifest Mans spirit is subject to passion and not Gods that the word is not so incarnated in the wombe of the Virgin that it tooke upon him either the bare flesh without the soule either the flesh and soule without the spirit of man but that this incarnation was so made that therein is comprehended both the soule and the spirit that is that the word tooke upon him the whole man As the soule is the life of man so is God the life of the soule with flesh spirit and soule of whence it commeth that some had rather call this conjunction of the word and flesh to be man rather then flesh for that that the fulnesse of the taking upon him of man or of mans nature is more expressed in the word of humanation then of incarnation Lastly is added also the cause of this incarnation the generall and summary cause is that mankind should be redeemed from sinne the Kingdome of Satan and everlasting condemnation and that he might abolish him by death which had the dominion of death that is the divell and to make them free which through feare of death were subject unto bondage for hee tooke not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life therefore the Apostle saith he ought to be made in all points like to his brethren For both he that doth sanctifiâ— Hebr. 2.11 and they which are sanctified be all of one Againe that he should be a mercifull and faithfull mediatour for his people Hebr. 2.17 concerning those matters which were to be wrought wiâ—h God the Father to cleanse the sinnes of the people which concerne our salvation Last of all he saith he was borne for us to the intent that hee which granted to us that we should be might grant to us also to continue in his favour and grace or rather to the intent that as we through the malice of the Divell fell from the state of innocency might be by his incarnation renovated againe by the comming of Christ unto men is that wee may returne againe unto God and putting off our old man sinne may put on the new man Jesus Christ and that like as wee dyed all in Adam so we may live in Christ be borne with Christ 1 Tim. 3.6 crucified buried and rise againe also with Christ to glory everlasting Of Christs Nativity LEt us withdraw our minds awhile from temporary things and let us contemplate the holy mysterie of the Lords Nativity â—al 4.5 the Sonne of God came downe from heaven unto us that by him wee might obtaine the adoption of children God made man that man may be made partaker of divine grace and nature his birth was pure and holy to sanctifie our impure and polluted nativity he is borne of a Virgin betrothed to an husband to honour both Virginity and Matrimony which was Gods institution he is borne in the darkenesse of the night Luk.
God What fiery darts of the divell can be so mortiferous that they cannot be quenched in the fountaine of divine grace What so great a staine of the conscience that his blood cannot purge Here is not felt the fire of Gods fury but the heat of his love here is the Sonne of righteousnesse Malac. 4.2 the present light of our soules our first Parents were brought into Paradise that most sweet and fragrant garden Gen. 2.8 the type of eternall beatitude behold the penitent conscience is here cleansed by the blood of the Sonne of God and by the body of Christ are nourished the members of Christ the head the faithfull soule is fed with divine and heavenly dainties the sacred flesh of God which the Angels adore in the unity of person which the Arch-angels reverence Psalm 18. at which the powers doe tremble and which the vertuous admire is the spirituall food of our soules Let the heavens rejoyce Psal 96.11 let the earth be glad but much more the faithfull soule upon whom such and so great benefits are bestowed Our most bountifull God Matth. 22.4 hath prepared a great feast hearts that be hungry must be brought unto it he that tasteth not thereof feeleth not the sweetnesse of this heavenly feast to believe in Christ is this heavenly feast but no man believeth Note unlesse he confesse his sins with contrition and repent him of the same Contrition is the spirituall hunger of the soule and faith is the spirituall feeding God gave Manna Exod. 16.4 the bread of Angels to the Israelites in the wildernesse In this feast of the new testament God giveth us the heavenly Manna that is his grace and forgivenesse of sins yea his Sonne Christ Jesus The Lord of the Angels is that spirituall bread which came downe from heaven to give light and life unto the world The desire is the food of the soule and the soule comes not to this mysticall feast unlesse it desires to come thereto Matth 25.8 Verse 10. and it cannot desire the heavenly sweetnesse if it be full of this worlds comforts at the comming of the Bridegroome the Virgins that had no oyle in their lampes staying too long were shut out so they whose hearts in this world are not filled with the oyle of the holy Spirit shall not be admitted by Christ to the participation of the joy of this holy feast but shall have the gate of indulgence the gate of mercy the gate of consolation the gate of hope Rom. 5.20 the gate of grace and the gate of good workes shut against them Our Saviour Christ hath yet another kinde of calling and happy is hee that heares and obey it Christ often knocks at the gates of our heart by holy desires Note devout sighes and pious cogitations and happy is hee that openeth unto him as soone therefore as thou feelest in thy heart any holy desire of the heavenly grace assure thy selfe that Christ knockes at thy heart make haste let him in lest hee passe by and presently shut the gate of his mercy against thee as soone as thou feelest in thy heart any sparke of holy motions or godly meditations perswade thy selfe that it is kindled by the heat of divine grace and love that is of the holy Spirit cherish and nourish it 1 Thes 5.19 that it may grow to be a fire of love in thee and take heed that thou quench not the Spirit 1 Cor. 3.17 and hinder the worke of the Lord our heart is the Temple of the Lord hee that destroyeth the Temple of the Lord shall feele his severe judgement and he destroyeth it whosoever refuseth to give place to the holy Spirit inwardly calling him by the Word In the old Testament the Prophets could heare the Lord speaking inwardly in them and so all the true godly doe feele those inward motions of the holy Spirit drawing them unto goodnesse Ephes 4.3 therefore all men must endeavour to keepe the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace A preparation to the receiving of the holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Iesus Christ THere is a hearing and a preparation before hearing there is a praying and there is a preparation before praying and there is a receiving and there is a preparation before receiving which if it be wanting the receiver receiveth uncomfortably the prayer prayeth vainly and the hearer heareth unfruitfully like those which doe eate before hunger or drinke before thirst this preparative before hearing praying and receiving for the health of our soules doth signifie the rules of physicke for preparatives are ministred alwaies before physicke Note and as the preparative which goes before maketh way to the physicke or else it would doe no good but hurt so unlesse examination goe before the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.27 29. wee seale up the threatnings which are pronounced against us in stead of the promises which are made unto us for the Sacrament is a seale and sealeth good or evill as every other seale doth therefore all men ought carefully to examine themselves but they that are suspected of a crime doe not examine themselves but are examined of others lest they should be partiall in their owne cause but a faithfull Christian should examine himselfe of his crime Verse 31.32 Note and be his owne judge his owne accuser and his owne condemner for no man knowes the spirit of man but the spirit which is in man which will condemne him if he be guilty and tell him all that he hath done and with what minde he did it and what punishment he deserveth for the same this is the close sessions or private arraignement when Conscience sits in her chaire to examine accuse judge and condemne her selfe Eccles 18.19 because she will escape the just condemnation of God Thus have holy men kept their sessions at home and made their hearts the fore-man of the Jury and examine themselves Note as wee examine others The feare of the Lord stood at the doore of their soules to examine every thought before it went in and at the doore of their lips to examine every word before it went out so shouldest thou sit in judgement of thy selfe and call thy thoughts words and actions to give in evidence against thee whether thou be a Christian or an Infidell a sonne or a bastard a servant or a rebell a sincere believer or an hypocrite if upon examination thou find not faith nor feare nor love nor zeale in thy selfe let no man make thee believe thou art holy that thou art godly Note that thou art sanctified that thou art a Christian that thou art a believer because thou art worse then thou seemest to thy selfe to be therefore if my heart tell mee that I love God whom shall I believe before my selfe 1 Cor. 2.11 No man can search the heart of another man so Paul saith No man knoweth the spirit of any man
immediately from him or by some meane are bestowed in a certaine measure for no man in all points hath granted unto him such a perfection of any gift but that hee may be made more perfect in the same gift for whosoever is wife is so wise in measure that he may yet be made wiser in that of that sort is the gift of faith and all other the gifts of God granted unto men this the Apostle witnesseth saying that no man esteeme of himselfe more then he ought Rom. 12. but so esteeme himselfe that he behave himselfe discreetly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith Againe the Apostle saith that there is given to some a greater to some a lesser measure of faith Ephes 4. yet there is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God one selfesame but not all one measure one Father of all which is above and through all and in you all Wherefore the faithfull be not alike in those things which doe grow upon faith and doe follow the same as in knowledge in love and feare of God also in hope love to our neighbours patience and study of godly life Againe Measure of faith sufficient to salvation 1 Cor. 12. the measure of faith is so divided by the providence of God that to the elect there is no lesse given him then is sufficient to salvation For he giveth a sufficient proportion to every one for he that hath the greater hath never a whit the greater salvation nor hee which hath the lesse hath never the lesse salvation the truth thereof is set forth in Exodus and they gathered Manna some more Exod. 16 17 18. some lesse and unto him that gathered much remained nothing over and unto him that had gathered little there was no lacke True faith whereof wee doe speake is not given unto all men therefore it is that the Apostle saith 2 Thes 1. Rom. 10.16 Esay 65.12 all men have not faith all men doe not believe the Gospel for Esaias saith Lord who hath believed our sayings To obey the Gospel is to assent unto it with true faith and to repose our selves in it with a good and assured trust therefore the true faith of Christ is not in all men that is to say it is none of those common gifts of God which are commonly given unto all men but it is one of the speciall graces which are onely given unto some few by the providence of God of this kinde be also the heavenly and spirituall gifts which be necessary unto true and everlasting felicity such as faith hope charity patience the study of godlinesse and the feare of the Lord and the like No doubt this gift of faith is a singular gift of God but it is not enough for a man to have it When it is once gotten it must be nourished when we have it unlesse that after hee hath it it be continually conserved increased and practised throughout all our life for faith is of the same nature that the vertues be which be naturally powred into us and be necessary for the conservation of this present life which it is not sufficient to have received them unlesse they be also furthered amplified and encreased in us as for example the power of reason which wee received at the first birth of our flesh which must alwaies be nourished advanced and exercised to the necessary uses of our life Note So this Christian faith which is as it were a certaine reason of our second birth and new man in Christ must like an infant be fed and furthered to the spirituall life the increase of faith is when it groweth and increaseth in the hearts of the faithfull whereby it waxeth stronger and stronger by the grace of God that we be now able to believe those things which before wee could not believe although they were never so true and set forth in the Word of God that Christ is the Saviour of the world 2 Thes 1. The Thessalonians increased in faith abundantly this increase of faith doth depend upon the increase of the knowledge of Christ so the faithfull be admonished of Saint Peter that they should increase in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. the increase of faith may be perceived in the mutuall love towards our brethren in their patience and suffering of troubles So the Apostle meant when he said For as much as your faith increaseth 2 Thes 1. and the charity of every of you one towards another aboundeth so that wee our selves doe glory of you in the Church of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations which you doe suffer on the other side staggering and carefull feare doth argue a weaknesse of faith so it was said to Saint Peter Why doubtest thou O thou of little faith Mat. 14.30 31. and they which doe start backe in the time of temptation persecution affliction or tribulation are tryed to be weake in faith and doe prove themselves so to be so the faith of St. Peter was weake Mat. 26.71 72. when he was proved by the maydens word and denyed his Master And seeing that there is given to all the elect of God a measure of faith from the Lord and that the same is not all one in all men and yet sufficient for every one unto salvation and is such that it is not perfected in any certaine space of time or yeeres but that wee must travell in it and endeavour it as long as wee live in this world as soone as faith is conceived by the gift of God Faith breedeth true repentance it produceth and bringeth forth as her daughter true repentance and that so soone that it seemeth to bring it with her from heaven as her waiting mayd whereof there be many examples in the holy Scriptures Zachâ—us as soone as hee was come to the faith of Christ said Luk. 19.8 Lo Lord I doe give the one halfe of my goods to the poore and in case I have beguiled any body I doe restore foure times as much which words doe manifestly declare the judgement of true repentance and when a great sort of people began to believe the saying of St. Peter Acts 2.37 they had remorse in their hearts and brast out saying What shall wee doe brethren to be saved and many of them that began to believe came to the Apostles and disclosed their doings moved no doubt by the spirit of repentance The true knowledge of God Faith doth take hold of the true knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ his Sonne which the world here cannot attaine unto The holy Spirit doth kindle a light in the hearts of the faithfull so that they may most certainly know those things to be most true which they doe believe in faith so Saint Peter said to whom shall wee goe Joh. 6.68 69. thou hast the words of
THE SOVLES PROGRESSE To the Celestiall CANAAN or Heavenly JERVSALEM By way of godly Meditation and holy contemplation accompanied with divers learned exhortations and pithy perswasions tending to Christianity and humanity Divided into two Parts The first Part treateth of the divine Essence Quality and Nature of God and his holy Attributs and of the creation fall state death and misery of an unregenerated man both in this life and in the world to come Put for the whole scope of the Old Testament The second Part is put for the summe and compendium of the Gospell and treateth of the Incarnation Nativity Words Works and sufferings of Christ and of the happinesse and blessednesse of a godly man in his state of Renovation being reconciled to God in Christ Collected out of the Scriptures and out of the writings of the ancient Fathers of the Primitive Church and other Orthodoxall Divines by John Welles of Beccles in the County of Suffolk LONDON Printed by E. G. and are to be sold by Henry Shephard in Chancery-lane at the signe of the Bible between Serjeants-Inne and Fleetstreet neere the Kings-head-Taverne 1639. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sr. JOHN HOBART Of Blickling in the County of Norfolke Knight Baronet one of his Majesties Deputies Lieutenant Justice of Peace and Quorum Captaine and Colonell of part of his Majesties Forces there Prime Heire of the Right Honourable and reverend Judge Sr. Henry Hobart Knight and Baronet Lord chiefe Justice of his M ties honble Court of Common Pleas. John Welles Wisheth much increase of Honour and all true comfort in this life a blessed end and eternall happinesse in the life to come I Have presumed to dedicate these my labours unto you Right noble sir the off-spring and undoubted Heire of my noble friend your father deceased and inheritour of his Lands and Livings and the chiefe of that great and renowned family And as you doe inherit his Lands and Livings so my prayer is that you may inherit him in his integrity zeale wisdome I speak not this out of doubtfull feare but in officious love and herein take notice I beseech you of this happinesse and blessing of God cast upon you not only to be the chiefe of this great and worthy family but also take notice of the true cause of the worth and greatnesse of your Ancestours and imitate them therein and then inheriting their worth together with their wealth you shall also most undoubtedly enrich your selfe with the obsequious attendance and hearty affection of your native Countrymen and so grow in grace and favour with God and man For which cause I have presumed to present you with this Tractate and to publish the same under the protection of your name hoping of your courteous acceptance and beseeching you to grant it your favourable protection and Patronage which though it be but indifferently contrived yet strongly warranted for it hath the undoubted truth of God for its authority There may be many Tractates found tending to these ends but all that I have seene of others though they may bee more pithy yet certaine I am this is more plaine I trust not unpleasant nor unprofitable God give all grace to make right use of it And so commending my labours with all the desired good that may be unto your good Worship and both you and it to the speciall grace and protection of the Almighty who is aboundantly able to fill your heart with grace to crowne your daies with blessing and to finish them with eternall comfort life and glory Amen I rest a true desirer of your best good And your Worships in all Christian duty to be commanded JOHN WELLES October 22. 1638. The Authors Preface to the READER GEntle Christian friendly Reader and loving country-man about ten yeeres since past at spare houres as my daily employments would give me leave I first began to collect and gather out of Scripture and other godly and learned Authors many principall and speciall notes worthy observation and remembrance When I first began I had not thought to bring it forth to the worlds view but onely for my owne private commodity to the comfort of my minde the more I gathered the more I was ravished and being thus in holy contemplation the matter being holy excellent and heavenly I was incited and stirred up by godly motion to undertake a worke so excellent which through want of learning I knew my selfe altogether unable to performe what my heart desired yet yeelding obedience to the holy motion and humbly craving and earnestly praying the power divine to assist mee with his holy Spirit to accomplish that which I had a desire to finish Phil. 4.13 and had already begun knowing as Saint Paul saith that I am able to doe all things Phil. 1.12 through the helpe of him that strengtheneth mee And praying for his blessing to blesse my endeavours and then in the name of God Prov. 16.3 with cheerfulnesse of heart I persevered in my purpose committing the successe unto him Eccles 8. in whose power it is to blesse with his grace whatsoever businesse is intended to his glory For fithence Salomon himselfe saith that mans wisdome is unperfect and his knowledge in each Science uncertaine therefore I being utterly destitute of that wisdome and but of slender knowledge neither may 2 Cor. 3.5 2 Cor. 4.5 doe nor will I presume to thinke that by any meanes I am able of my selfe to perform my desired enterprize as of my selfe or bring to perfection so waighty a matter and so intricate 1 Cor. 4.4 For though I may say with Saint Paul I know not what I have mistaken or wherein I have erred yet will I not dare to report or be encouraged to affirme that my worke is perfect or that I have fully performed my long-wished attempt and for that cause standing in doubt whether I have concealed many truthes or adventured to report some errors which by my weakenesse of judgement or slacknesse of consideration have happened in this Treatise but through his divine assistance have here accomplished what my soule desired to bring to passe I meane this poore Tractate named the Soules Progresse to the celestiall Canaan divided into two parts the first part treateth of the divine Essence of God and his holy attributes and of the creation state death and misery of man put for the whole passage of the old Testament the second part is put for the summe and compendium of the Gospel and treateth of the words workes and sufferings of Christ and of the happinesse and blessednesse of a godly man in his state of renovation being reconciled to God in Christ which poore mite I doe cast into the worlds treasury knowing that the great learned orthodoxall Writers out of their superfluous abundance have cast in much but like the poore widow in the Gospel Luke 21.4 I out of my want doe cast in even all that I have beseeching the Lord to give it
be signifying that hee is an eternall unchangeable being and all other creatures are temporary and mutable This name in the New Testament is given to our Lord Christ Apoc. 1.8 when he is called Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending which is which was and which is to come the Almighty for all time past and to come is aye present before God And to this name Christ alludeth Before Abraham was I am Iohn 8.58 this Name should teach us likewise to have alwaies present in our mind our first creation our present corruption and our future glorification The third Name is Jah Psal 112 c. Psal 113.1 2.3 4 5. which as it comes of the same roote so it is the contract of Jehovah and signifieth Lord because hee is the beginning and being of beings This Name is ascribed unto God so when this Name is absolutely given to God it answereth to the name Jehovah and so translated by the seventy Interpreters for God is so a Lord that he is absolute of himselfe and Lord of all This Name should alwaies put us in remembrance to obey his Commandements to feare his Judgements Mala. 1.6 to submit our selves in all things to his blessed will and pleasure saying with Ely It is the Lord 1. Sam. 3.18 let him doe whatsoever seemeth him good The fourth is God 600. times used in the New Testament which signifieth To burne or kindle for God is light and the Authour both of heate light and life in all Creatures either immediately of himselfe or mediately by secondary causes but when it is properly and absolutely used Note it signifieth the eternall essence of God being above all things and through all things and seeth all things in all places giving life and light to all creatures and preserving and governing them in their wonderfull frame and order therefore let us take heed every where what wee doe in his sight thus farre of the names which signifie the Essence of God The Name chiefely which signifieth the persons in the Essence is Elohim Elohim signifieth the mighty Judges Genes 3.22 Deut. 7.6 it is a name of the plurall number to expresse the Trinity of persons in the unity of Essence the mighty God or all the three Persons in the God-head Math. 21.37 It is derived of Alah hee swore because in all weighty causes when necessity requireth an oath to decide the truth we are onely to sweare by the Name of God which is the great and righteous Judge of Heaven and earth as oft therefore as we read or heare this name Elohim it should put us in mind to consider that in one divine Essence there are three distinct persons and that God is Iehovah Elohim Now follow the names which signifie Gods essentiall workes which are these five especially Math. 27.46 Math. 25.31 2 Chro. 32.8 The first El which is as much as strong God and teacheth us that God is not onely most strong and fortitude it selfe in his owne Essence but also that it is hee that giveth strength and power to all creatures therefore Christ is called El Gibbor the strong most mighty God therefore let not Gods children feare the power of enemies for El our God is more strong then they Secondly Shaddai that is omnipotent by this name God usually stiled himselfe to the Patriarchs I am El Shaddai the strong God Almighty because hee is perfectly able to defend his servants from all evill to blesse them with all spirituall and temporall blessings and to performe all the promises which he hath made unto them for this life and in the life to come This Name belongeth onely to God himselfe and to no creature no not to the humanity of Christ This may teach us with the Patriarchs to put our whole confidence in God and not to doubt of the truth of his promises and the performance thereof Thirdly Adonai which is My Lord this name Analogically is given to creatures but properly it belongeth to God alone it notes unto us the mysterie of the holy Trinitie if I be Adonim Lord Malac. 1.6 where is my feare this name is given to Christ when he saith Cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary that is desolate Dan. 9.17 18. for Adonia the Lord Christ his sake The hearing of this holy name may teach every man to obey Gods Commandements and to feare him alone to suffer none besides him to raigne in his conscience to lay hold by a particular hand of faith upon his Word and Promises and to challenge God in Christ to be his God saying with Thomas Thou art my Lord and my God 4. Helion that is most high this name Gabriel giveth unto God telling the Virgin Mary Psal 9.2 Dan. 4.17.24.25 Act. 7.48 Luk. 1.32 that the childe that should be borne of her should be the Son of the most high This teacheth us that God in his Essence and Glory exceedeth infinitely all creatures of heaven and earth and that no man should be proud of any earthly honour or greatnesse but to desire true dignitie and to labour to have communion with God in grace and glory 5. Abba signifying Father Rom. 8.15 Esay 9.5 Jam. 1.17 2 Tim. 6.16 for God is Christs father by nature and Christians by adoption and grace Christ is called the everlasting Father the prince of Peace because he doth regenerate us under the new Testament God is also called father of Light because God dwelleth in inaccessible light and is the â—â—thour not onely of the sonnes light but also of all the light both of naturall reason and of supernaturall grace this name teacheth us that all the gifts which wee receive from God proceed from his meere fatherly love and that wee should love him againe as deare children and that wee may in all our troubles be bold to call upon him as a father for his helpe and succour thus should wee not heare of the sacred names of God but that wee should thereby be put in mind of his goodnesse unto us and of our duties unto him and then we should finde how comfortable a thing it is to doe every thing in the name of God a phrase usuall in every mans tongue but the true comfort thereof through ignorance knowne to few mens hearts it is a great wisedome and an unspeakable matter for the strengthening of a Christians faith to know how in the mediation of Christ to invocate God by such a name as whereby hee hath manifested himselfe to be most willing and best able to helpe and succour him in his present need and adversitie The ardent desire of knowing God is the surest testimony of our love to God and of Gods favour to us Psal 91.14 15 16. Because hee hath set his love upon mee therefore will I deliver him I will set him on high because he hath knowne my name he shall call upon me and I will heare him yea I will be with
is guilty of injustice and must answer the fault at the barre of death for God hee maketh his Sunne to shine upon all indifferently and hee hath given the world and the Creatures therein to mankinde generally and not to one man one family or one kingdome this may both teach and judge the mercilesse who can see and not relieve the extremities of men distressed men their brethren The meditation of this power of this love of God in creating a world of Creatures for the service of man and seeing it hath pleased him to make a reasonable soule and a sharer of these infinite blessings I have resolved with my selfe to declare my selfe in all dutifull demonstrations to my God and to use the Creatures hee hath given mee with moderation as hee hath commanded I have made a covenant with my soule that I will not appropriate that to my private which God hath made common If God give mee abundance I will open my liberality Luk. 16.2 How to employ Gods Talents I will give as God doth to all but carefully to the wants of faithfull men distressed I will remember that what I have I must use what I use not I must bestow lest Gods talents be without imployments and so God discharge mee of trust if God give me wisdome and knowledge more then some others I will not be silenced How to occasion an holy meditation I will not obscure the grace and gift of God I will not deny my God I will not deny the world my service but in whatsoever God shall enable me in that I will be industrious if I can doe nothing of desert or common profit yet will I spend my houres in holy meditation I have resolved I will still travell in holy exercise when I cannot profit generally I will pray generally wee are all the Creatures of one God the Word of God gave forme to every Creature therefore every thing that presents my eye shall move my holy meditations When I shall behold the wonderfull frame of heaven I shall revise on the creation and admire God his Mercy his Majesty I shall remember the happinesse of heaven and refresh my selfe in adversity with hopefull confidence Where to repose our confidence When I consider the earth I shall remember the basenesse of my beginning what I was in sinne what I am in grace this shall teach me to deny my selfe and wholly to depend on the favour of my God When I see unreasonable noysome and evill Creatures I shall have cause of acknowledgement for God might have made me so or worse Lastly when I shall see wicked men pride themselves in their vanities Pitty can respect our enemies I shal both pity and glory pity the misery of their soules and glory in the fortune of my owne and thus with these and such meditations my soule shall breath content Of the Angels their Nature their Office their Fall Moses of purpose did leave to speake any thing of the creation of Angels because of the disposition of the people bent to Idolatry It is supposed they were Created the first day of the Creation as appeareth Job 38. THat the Angels were created is most certaine the time of their creation is not certaine but doubtfully and diversely believed many men have spent their judgements in conjectures all such are more curious than wise because the truth thereof cannot certainly be determined neither if it could the knowledge thereof were not necessary or materiall to salvation for whatsoever knowledge is necessary for the happinesse of our soules is by God himselfe taught in the testimony of holy Scriptures This knowledge of the time of the creation of Angels being not taught by God doth make the search thereof unprofitable unlawfull for God doth nothing at peradventure but all things in judgement and with the advice of his divine wisdome God having denied this knowledge doth forbid the search of this unknowne unprofitable knowledge that which I desire to know which I desire to make knowne is contained in the testimony of holy Scriptures the which denying me this knowledge of the creation of Angells I forbeare to search the knowledge of Gods secrets and rather to be thought ignorant than audaciously bold with forbidden knowledge That which is needfull to be knowne of Angells is their nature their office in their nature must be considered what they are in substance what in quality they be heavenly invisible Creatures pure and spirituall of the substance and nature of our soules eternall in respect of ending without corruption in their quality is considered their power being at all times and upon all occasions able and ready to performe the excution of Gods service their office is that they are Gods messengers their imployment is either in Judgements or Mercies this Compendium is the knowledge of them all in generall The good and evill Angells were all created in one nature before the fall and apostacy of Angels The Angells and those that now are divells being at the first creation of one quality of one power and one excellence of nature after the fall of Angells who for their unsupportable pride were cast from the presence of God into eternall darknesse 2 Pet. 2.4 and damnation the Angels divided themselves the better part keeping their first estate kept their entertainment with God Math. 18.10 and continued his favour and service Iude 6. the worst dividing themselves left the service of God and the fellowship of good Angels and bend their whole endeavour against God and against his blessed Angels and against the Saints that love and serve him this apostacie and division of Angels have divided them in their nature and in their offices The full opposition of the good and evill Angels the good Angels ever labouring the good of men the evill angels to hinder and prevent the goodnesse of God and his good Angels labouring by all meanes to bring mankind to their owne condemnation In their offices likewise they disagree for God doth commonly imploy his good Angels in his workes of mercy and favourable protection the divels hee imployeth in the execution of his judgements and corrections not that hee needeth their service but that hee forceth them against their will to his obedience God can enforce the divels in workes of his own glory These severall imployments of the good and evill angels are not alwaies of necessity though very common for God when hee pleaseth maketh good Angels destroy and inflict vengeance and the divels hee can and doth use in his workes of greatest mercy and this the divels doe not with consent but are either forced by the unresistable power of God or else deceive themselves in the end of their owne working God making that which they intend for evill to tend to a good end farre beyond and contrary to their purpose and expectation Iude 6. The good Angels have both liberty and pleasure in the service of
guard of Angels the Angels are as Gods saving hands which are moved to no worke without his divine direction The Angels rejoyce in heaven over a sinner that repenteth the teares of the penitent are as it were the wine of the Angels but an impenitent heart puts to flight the Angels our keepers let us therefore repent that wee may cause the Angels to rejoyce the Angels are of a heavenly and spirituall nature let us therefore thinke upon spirituall and heavenly things that they may remaine with us and take pleasure in our company The heele which is the extreme part of our body and the last terme of our life the wicked Serpent lyeth in wait for at the time of death therfore in that last agony of death the Angels guard is most necessary and needfull that they may deliver us from the firie darts of the divell and carry our soule when it is departed out of the prison of our body into the heavenly Paradise Luk. 1.11 12 13. When Zachary was in the Temple busie about his holy function the Angell of the Lord came unto him so if thou doe likewise delight in the exercise of the holy Word and Prayer thou mayst rejoyce to have the Angels thy protectors Thus wee may see by the testimony of Scriptures what the Angels are what their office and how they are affected of so gracious a disposition and so inclinable to the good of men Luk. 15.7.10 that they have consolation and joy in heaven among themselves at the conversion of a sinner â—oby 12.15 therefore in all respects of noblenesse and excellency they are the soveraigne of all Creatures whom God hath ordained to be continuall waiters in his holy presence and workers of his blessed Will and Pleasure It is by many doubted by some demanded Question whether men may not lawfully implore the favour and assistance of Angels it is dangerous to acknowledge Apoc. 22 8 9. lest thereby we take divinity from God and give it to his Angels they are therefore dangerously deceived who for giving the holy Angels demonstration of thankes give them adoration and divine worship and so coveting to please displease both God and his holy Angels that attend on them this is one extremity There is another and that is remissenesse when men acknowledge no reverence no respect to the dignity of holy Angels The holy men in all ages at the sight of an Angell Gen 18.2 3. would use extraordinary respect of humility and reverence as Abraham hee bowed himselfe to the ground in reverence of an Angell and called him Lord so likewise in the example of all the godly though in these times the Angels doe not present themselves as in the old world in visible formes therefore they neede no reverence yet they are often present in their spirituall natures which though wee cannot discerne them with our corporall eyes yet a spirituall judgement by holy contemplation may discerne them with the eye of faith for if there be a duty of reverence to men with whom wee converse doubtlesse there is a reverence also due to the holy Angels which doe converse and are conversant with us This Doctrine of the Creation the Nature the Power and the Office of Angells doth admonish and remember all men to make these and such like profitable uses to put us in remembrance of the mighty power of God and that in a double respect first being able by the power of his Word to create a Creature of such excellence and power of nature in nature excellent in number infinite Secondly being served and attended by these infinit number of powerfull creatures one whereof is able if God please to command to destroy the world and all the generations on earth God then being of such infinite power in himselfe in his servants the Angels it ought justly to move all men to a reverence of so great a Majesty and feare to provoke a power so able and infinite Againe the apostacy of those Angels that fell from their obedience and first state of happinesse doth admonish all men that seeing the Angels of such power of such excellence and so neere God in his favour and presence were tempted to fall from so great happinesse Let no man therefore be secure or presume in the confidence of his owne trust but daily beg and crave wholly to relie upon the mercy and providence of God without whom there is no safety no security the greatest power in the world being but weaknesse without the strength of his supportation For 2 Pet. 2.4 5.6 if God spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe to hell and delivered them into chaines of darkenesse to be kept unto judgement neither spared he the old world Genes 7. but saved Noah the eight person a preacher of righteousnesse and his family Genes 19. and brought in the floud upon the world of the ungodly and turned the Cities of Sodome and Gomorah into ashes overthrew them and damned them and made them an ensample unto those that after them should live ungodly neither will he spare the transgression of men that of knowledge and purpose offend him for the Angels are farre exceeding greater then men both in power and might If God spared not the better hee will not spare the worse but cast them likewise into chaines of darknesse to bee kept unto the judgement of condemnation Againe though the Angels were of this excellency and dignity of nature and though many fell from their state of innocency as Adam afterward did yet the Redeemer of the world Christ Jesus Heb. 2.16 17 18 c. did not vouchsafe to take their nature and redeeme them but left them in the judgement of condemnation undertaking and finishing the worke of Redemption for man onely and not for Angels for as much as there was no recovery no turning no hope of salvation for these wicked and trayterous angels there was also no cause why their sinnes should bee set forth and declared as was the sinne of man Vers 15. which had not onely a punishment layd on him immediately but also a promise made for his reliefe and remedy in that respect the Apostle said that Christ tooke not upon him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham for he came not to save the angels that had falne but men yea rather to destroy the evill angels and their power and therefore they cry Mark 1.24 What have we to doe with thee Jesus of Nazareth art thou come before the time to destroy us and that they shall never bee saved it is plaine enough by the words of Christ Math. 25.41 Goe yee cursed to the everlasting fire which is prepared for the divell and his angels Therefore this ought to provoke all men to a zealous affection of love towards God who gave his onely beloved Sonne for the redemption of men preferring them in his love before the angels that had offended
him and that Angels in their spirituall natures are sent to minister Heb. 1.14 for their sakes that shall be heires of salvation It doth remember us first the wonderfull love of God toward mankind in sending his choice servants the Angels that waite in his presence neere the person of his Majesty to be imployed about men in the service of their salvation Secondly it ought to move men to a precise reverence in the common behaviour of their lives that they forbeare not only the committing of grosse and capitall sins but all unseemlinesse both of words and actions as St. Paul saith For the reverence of Angels for as divels are banished and driven away from the possessed 1 Cor. 11.10 by prayer and holy exercise so the good Angels then leave our company when we delight in wickednesse and unseemely behaviour therefore consider thou devour soule how great the goodnesse of God is toward thee Math. 1. who hath made his Angels thy keepers and hath sent his owne Sonne to redeeme thee Note the Sonne of God is made flesh to save us the holy Ghost is sent to sanctifie us Acts 1. the Angels are sent to protect us So then all the Court of Heaven doth as it were serve us and convey their benefits unto us therefore no wonder that all inferior creatures were made for the use of man seeing the Angels themselves creatures far more excellent do not deny their ministry unto us the Angels themselves are present with us and do refresh and ease us when we are weary with the burthen and heat of temptations and calamities therefore O most mercifull God thou that leadest us through the desart of this World by the conduct of thy Angels grant that we may at length be carried by them into thy everlasting Kingdome of Heaven This knowledge of the Mercy and Power of God in creating the Angels and appointing them to Minister to all the children of grace shall bind mee in the most assured bonds of duty and thankfull acknowledgement to my God To repose in God is assurance of safety I will also confidently repose in the trust of Gods promises being assured that himselfe that his holy Spirit that his holy Angels are my supporters therefore I will never despairingly feare the power of adversaries evill men or divels or what evill power so ever because I know the guard of Angels are my supporters I will therefore reforme the errours of my life and watch my owne behaviour I will endeavour to avoyd both sinne and unseemelinesse in all my actions that the holy Angels may love and not loath my company I will so endeavour that my conscience may assure me that I am thine appointed to salvation therefore in the protection of Angels I shall also receive content and pleasure unexpressable The holy Angels have joy in heaven at the newes of mans Salvation holy and blessed Spirits Heb. 1.14 Luke 15.7 they are so delighted with the use of mercy as that they rejoyce and congratulate the prosperity of men hoping to enjoy their fellowship O my God I will acknowledge thy greatnesse and thy goodnesse in the creation of Angels The Saduces deny that there are Angels I will condemne their infidelity that believe it not thou hast said it who dare question it I will therefore believe it acknowledge thy power praise thy mercy and with reverence remember the office and ministration of thy holy Angels Of man his first beginning WHen God created the World he said Gen 3 c. Let there be and all things were and by his word he gave being and proportion to all creatures save man That hee might conclude his labour with a worke of extraordinary admiration he then made man giving him the possession of the world in this wonderfull worke of God is to be had these three considerations First the advice and deliberation of the Trinity in determining this worke God said Verse 26. Let us make man after our owne Image according to our likenesse Secondly God made man of a preexistent matter not creating him of nothing as hee did the other creatures Gen. 2.7 The Lord God made man of the dust of the ground Thirdly God gave man the rule and government over all creatures giving him liberty over all to use them in their kind with moderation and let them rule over the Fish of the Sea Gen. 1.26 and over the Foules of the Ayre and over the Beasts of the Earth and over every thing that creepeth and moveth on the earth Fourthly the end of mans creation was for the honour and glory of God that made him Esay 43.7 Every one shall be called after my Name for I formed them made them and created them for my owne glory Though no man can bee able to give a reason of the secret will of God yet this may bee imagined that seeing the world and all the creatures therein save onely man have a generall respect to the honour of God therefore they were by the generall power of Gods divinity created but man being determined in the counsell of God that man should bee an occasion that the whole Trinity should have divine exercise in the government of his life and every one in their severall assignements A supposed reason of Gods secret will as should please themselves to appoint therefore God in the Trinity of persons made man because afterward in the Trinity of persons hee was to governe him God gave man a Law which he being not able to keepe did condemne him Christ the second person moderateth the Law and giveth the Gospell promising Salvation to all them that will believe in him the holy Ghost moveth in the hearts of Gods Elect and giveth them grace to apprehend by faith the meanes of their Salvation Thus are they personally busied in the government and preservation of man The holy Ghost moves grace thus were they personally at his Creation The second consideration is the matter of mans creation which in a double respect is considerable in the person of God First when God formed other creatures hee required no matter but gave them being by his Word but when hee formed man he first prepared his matter then gave the forme Note and created man wherein God doth use a double care a double diligence not that he could not create man of nothing as hee had done the rest of his Creatures but he did it in the wisdome of his divinity for respect and causefull consideration for to expresse his double or rather his manifold affections to the creature man Secondly to prevent the proud imagination man might have of the noblenesse of his nature it being yet in the pride of mans flesh to boast his descent and to derive his families from antiquity and greatnesse The third consideration is the distinguishing forme of man his reasonable soule whereby God doth distinguish him from all the creatures on earth giving
diligence is required of their spirituall travells all which ought to fashion themselves as neere as they can to the example of the holy Apostles Lastly The promises of the Gospell belong to the faithful onely seeing the promises of the Gospell belong to the faithfull onely that is industrious in the service of the Law this ought to provoke all men to contend in godly exercise to exceede one another and to stirre up their frozen and dead desires with the hope of the promise of the Gospel and that they thinke not the Law burthensome being now made easie by the grace of the Gospel and therefore to travaile in the duties of the Law with alacrity and spirituall comfort having their confidence and eyes of faith upon the promise of Christ made in the Gospel Thus if men dispose themselves and their affections they shall find the great and happy difference betwixt Mount Sinai and Mount Sion the Law and the Gospel The difference betweene Mount Sinai and Mount Sion in both which the gracious may finde comfort but with great inequality for unlesse wee be throughly perswaded that our salvation doth flow from the fountaine of Gods mercy and acquaint our selves with eternall election which God hath set forth in the holy Scriptures the schoole of the holy Ghost wherein as nothing is omitted necessary to bee knowne so nothing is taught but that which is expedient for man to know The ministers of Gods Word must therefore beware that they doe not keepe the faithfull from that which the Scripture delivereth unto them lest they seeme maliciously to defraud them Ephes 1. of that which God doth afford unto them or reprove his Spirit as if hee had revealed things fit for some considerations to be revealed The Word is a sure rule to direct our understanding and it is the chiefest point of sobriety in us when wee learne to make God our schoole-master and then to leave learning when hee leaves teaching and when hee leaves speaking wee should leave inquiring hee which curiously pries into Gods secrets runnes himselfe into an inextricable labyrinth and findes not that wherewith his curiosity may be satisfied Religion is not an indifferent thing but wholly to be imbraced and constantly professed The Gospell therefore being a covenant betweene God and our soules our care should be rightly to understand this covenant lest by mis-understanding and false construction we breake the covenant of grace and so runne our selves into a dangerous hazzard Let us therefore search the sence of the mysteries of the holy gospell and if they exceed our understanding let us compare them with the holy writings of the Prophets and Apostles if they exceed our capacity let us consult with the learned expositions of reverend fathers of the Church if all these satisfie not let us daily resort to the servants of this ministration and by diligent observing their sermons expositions and spirituall exhortations we shall both learne what is the covenant we have entred with God and the meanes we must use to keep that covenant and when wee have obtained this forwardnesse 1 Tim. 4.1.2 and hope of better knowledge let us carefully avoyd the dangerous inchauntments of heretiques schismatiques and all false teachers let us beware and not taste of their poyson though they present it in cups of gold let their bayte make us suspect their hookes and their faire and holy pretences their foule and wicked purposes for having found the Lord Christ which is all truth and hath sealed his covenant with us let us preserve that truth from defacing and laying that for our foundation let us build thereon the whole frame of our life and fashion all our actions by the rules of the gospell as the example of Christ hath commanded us that so wee may keepe covenant with our God and obtaine the promise of the gospell which is the salvation of our soules and then with holy Iacob Gen. 45.28 let us boast of our happinesse and say unto our soule wee have enough wee desire no enlargement Againe when wee meditate the matter of the gospell that is the words and workes of our Saviour Christ then it should move us to a reverend esteeme of the story of the gospell and make us delight to exercise our time in the often reading and conferring thereof for if they that have estates of temporall possessions be most carefull to preferre such evidences and writings as is delivered them for their security and assurance and often times spend a great part of their wealth and labour to confirme and continue such estate and such evidence shall we not then much more spend our best diligence and meanes to keepe covenant and understand rightly the writings of the holy Gospel which are the deeds and evidences betweene God and us touching the everlasting state of our soule and carefully to keepe such covenants as give us claime and interest in the possession of a Kingdome Shall men give their substance to Lawyers to maintaine their beggerly possessions on earth beggerly indeed in respect of Heaven though it were the possession of the whole earth and shall we neglect the covenants of everlasting life and may have Law without money let us never doe it Note let us never give testimony of such madnesse let them labour their earthly possessions that will but let us labour the possession of Heaven let them waste their substance on Lawyers wee can have Law and Lawyers much more reasonable Let the Prophets and Apostles be our Counsellors their hands will not be corrupted their judgement cannot erre let us therefore affy in their confidence and endeavour as they direct us Lastly when we meditate upon the particulars of the story of the Gospel let us despise all other histories in comparison of them and the old Testament for the writings of men commonly labour vaine vile and unworthy arguments and those of them that travell in a good cause yet are they defective either in matter or forme but the Gospell and other holy Scriptures being written by the direction of Gods holy Spirit they are nor onely holy in their matter but excellent in their forme and most able to give the desirous Reader infinite variety of content Therefore when wee desire to read of Majesty and great action of Empire warre conquest government policy and infinite other of this kind that depend on greatnesse we may finde both stories and examples in the Scriptures many and unmatchable If we desire to read the stories of mercy love peace humanity civill action and the rest that depend on goodnesse every page in the Gospel can furnish us either with some story or some example of that kind if wee desire to read of wonders and miracles of most admirable credence they are in the Scripture most frequent yet most true in other writings not common yet commonly false Therefore let the holy Scriptures and especially the holy Gospell which is the covenant of our
have deliverance from eternall captivity and torment Thirdly seeing Christ Jesus is the matter of the Covenant of grace betweene God and man it doth also most neerely concerne all men to endeavour all meanes possible A most needfull care is to be had of all men and by their eyes of faith to apprehend Christ who is onely to be apprehended by faith and so to receive the forme and impression of his sacred Image whereby they shall be truely interested in the possession of heaven when those that want this shall be rejected of God with this answer Away from me yee wicked for I know you not because yee have not the Image of my Sonne Fourthly seeing the whole matter of the Covenant of grace is fully contained in the words and workes of Jesus Christ and that all things necessary both to a civill and Christian life are contained in the Story of the holy Gospell it behoveth all men to give that sacred Word preheminence and that no man All directions must be conformed to Scripture neither any state or fellowship of men whatsoever presume to decree or ordaine Canons or Statutes Ecclesiasticall or civill which is any way repugnant or may prejudice the directions of Jesus Christ delivered and set forth in the most holy Gospell but as Christ our Prince our Priest and our Prophet hath given us either by doctrine or example Eccle. 18. Reve. 22.18 19 which needfull directions are necessary and of lawfull use either in a Christian Church or State so no Christian Church or State should presume to innovate or alter those directions which Christ our high Priest and great Prince hath left established unto us but in all directions both in Church and State there must be needfull care that every particular have relation to the truth of holy Scripture and be conformed to the example of Christ for whatsoever direction whether it concerne the soule or society if it bee not either necessarily grounded or agreeth with the Word of God is altogether unlawfull in a Christian Church and State How to square every particular action neither can dispensation make it lawfull or tollerable Therefore by the square of the Scriptures all men ought to measure the Lawfulnesse of every action and direction and that whatsoever shall disagree from God and the holy Scriptures may be judged error and intrusion of disorder and therefore of necessity to be spewed out of every Church and State of Christian men The meditation of this doctrine and these duties should make us serious in our Christian care let us not now content our selves to have onely a generall knowledge of Christ Jesus our Redeemer To consider God in his Majesty onely is terrible but let us labour to understand him in his double nature for if we consider him in his divinity as he is God onely it is a terrour to our remembrance but if we consider him in his double nature it gives us hope and alacrity for the Majesty of God is terrible to sinfull man but his mercy is comfortable and supporteth the falling spirits of our soules which would faint and die in despaire if the grace of God did not succour and give supply to such extremities therefore as God doth most delight himselfe in the use of his mercy so let us delight our soules most in the holy contemplation of his mercy and as Christ Jesus is the most lively character of his mercy Christ Iesus is the character of Gods mercy so let our cares bee most busie in the meditations of Christ his Gospell is the booke of Gods mercies wee have eyes of faith and can both see and read the stories of mercy let us therefore direct our labours and endeavour our studies in the most happy knowledge of our Saviour Jesus Christ Note and in him wee shall finde all goodnesse and infinite variety of matter in him wee shall finde the cause of our redemption Where to finde the cause of mans redemption wee shall finde it in his will wee shall finde it in his working he did cause our good he did effect it also in his will was the cause in his workes was the effect This godly meditation may kindle a zeale in them that were dead in sinne and provoke holinesse where it is not to see the infinite greatnesse Ier. 4.2 Psal 34.20 the infinite goodnesse of God omniscious of God omnipotent to yield himselfe to such a wonderfull difference of fortune he that had all happinesse in the highest degree breathing unutterable pleasure in the bosome of his Father and he that made the heavens and the earth should descend from heaven to earth and there assume the forme of wretched man and in that forme worke such righteousnesse as might satisfie God satisfie the Law for the sinne of man and in that forme to bee borne in poverty to live in contempt and die in disgrace and all this to be done by the onely begotten Sonne of God for the good of man a creature that was become apostate a traytor to God a rebell to his lawes and the very cause and actor of his disgrace death and Tragedy O that I had but words to expresse the imaginations of my soule what formes of mercy we may see in our Saviour Jesus what slackenesse what scantinesse We must meditate what we cannot expresse in words nay what foulenesse of desert we finde in our selves his good and our evill are infinite therefore what we cannot expresse in words or workes let us devise it in our thoughts let us learne to believe and know our Saviour to bee infinite good though we cannot expresse his infinite goodnesse what we can doe to his glory let us by all meanes endeavour it what wee cannot doe our selves let us perswade others let us endeavour any thing that may adde any thing to the honour of our Saviour for in gaining his favour we shall have the fulnesse of all favour and in losing his favour we have naught but tribulation and misery he is the seale of the covenant of grace betweene God and as if wee want our seale wee shall want our assurance and so lose the favour of God A dangerous forfeit and forfeit our eternall estate in Heaven Therefore let us esteeme the favour of our Saviour before all things let us esteeme all things nothing in respect of him if he subscribe not to our pardon wee are but dead the Law hath cast us without him there is no grace no hope of favour no hope of pardon let us direct our eyes of faith unto him upon the bended knees of our heart and when we have found him whom our soule loveth let us resort to him in daily prayer winne his favour by endeavour in faithfull and carefull serving him and make him the sole end of our desires who hath wrought who hath effected our salvation Thus by the assistance of his grace I purpose to doe in my owne particular
have the markes of righteousnesse of Jesus Christ whereby wee shall be distinguished from the ungodly and unrepentant sinners and have the seales and assurance of everlasting salvation and eternall happinesse The fruit of true repentance The foundation and beginning of holy life is saving repentance Heb. 10.17 18. for where there is true repentance there is remission of sinnes and where there is remission of sins there is the grace of God and where there is the grace of God there is Christ and where Christ is there is his merits and where his merits are there is satisfaction for sin and where there is satisfaction for sins there is righteousnesse and where there is righteousnesse there is joy and tranquillity of conscience and where there is tranquillity of conscience there is the holy Spirit and where the holy Spirit is there is the sacred and holy Trinity and where the holy Trinity is there is eternall life therefore where there is true repentance there is eternall life where there is not true repentance there is no remission of sins nor the grace of God nor Christ nor his merit nor satisfaction for sins nor righteousnesse nor tranquillity of conscience nor the holy Spirit nor the holy Trinity nor eternall life why therefore doe we deferre our repentance and why doe we procrastinate it from day to day God bids thee repent to day thou canst not promise thy selfe to morrow and to repent truly is not in our power without the grace of God moveth us thereunto and at the day of Judgement we must not onely give an account for to morrow but for the present day Therefore repent whilest thou hast time Note for to morrow is not so certaine unto us as the utter destruction of the impenitent sinner is certaine for every day doth the flesh heape sinne upon sinne let therefore the Spirit every day wash them away by hearty repentance Christ dyed that sin might dye in us and shall wee suffer that to live and raigne in our hearts for the destroying whereof the Sonne of God himselfe dyed Matth. 3. Christ enters not into the heart by grace unlesse Iohn Baptist first prepare the way by repentance Esay 57.15 God powreth not the oyle of mercy but into the vessells of a contrite heart God doth first mortifie us by contrition that afterwards hee may quicken us by the consolation of the Spirit 1 Sam. 2.6.7 hee leades us first into hell by serious griefe that afterward hee may bring us backe by the sweet taste of his grace in like manner terrour goes before the taste of Gods love and sorrow before comfort God bindes not up our wounds unlesse first wee lay them open and bewaile them by confession unto him hee pardons not unlesse thou first acknowledge thy sins he justifies not unlesse thou first condemne thy selfe hee comforts not unlesse thou first despaire in thy selfe and thine owne merits this true repentance God grant unto us and by his holy spirit worke in us Of the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper and first of the fruits of Baptisme BAptisme is the Sacrament of regeneration cleansing or washing admission sanctification incorporation whereby they which doe repent and professe the faith and religion of Christ are incorporated into Christ and joyned unto his Church that being washed from their sins they may walke in newnesse of life and the outward signe of the invisible grace which the Spirit of Christ doth worke in the hearts of the faithfull elect Remember therefore thou faithfull soule the grace of God conferred upon thee in the saving laver of Baptisme which is the fountaine of regeneration Tit. 3.5 6. and renewing of the holy Ghost which is shed on us richly through Jesus Christ our Saviour at the first creation of all things the Spirit of God moved upon the waters and gave a vitall force unto them so in the water of Baptisme the holy Ghost is also present and makes it a saving meanes of our regeneration and there was in Ierusalem about the sheepe market a poole into which at a certaine time the Angel of the Lord descended Joh. 5.2 Vers 4. and troubled the water and hee that first descended into it after the troubling of the water was made whole of what disease soever he had the water of Baptisme is that poole which healeth us of every disease of sin when the holy Spirit descends into it and troubles it with the blood of Christ Matth. 3.16 who was made a sacrifice for us at the baptisme of Christ the heavens were opened unto him so as our baptisme the gate of heaven is also opened unto us at the baptisme of Christ the holy and sacred Trinity was present so are they likewise at our baptisme for by the word of promise which is annexed unto the element of water faith receiveth the grace of the Father adopting the merit of the Son cleansing Note and the efficacy of the holy Ghost regenerating Pharaoh and his host was drowned in the red Sea the Israelites passed thorow safe secure and sound So in baptisme Exo. 14 27 c. all the host of vices are drowned and the faithfull safely attaine to the inheritance of the kingdome of heaven in the Church the spirituall Temple of God the saving waters of baptisme doe spring forth into the profundity wherein our sins are throwne Mich. 7.19 whosoever come unto it shall be healed and live Baptisme is the spirituall flood in which all sin of flesh is drowned The impure crow goes forth like the Divell but the holy Ghost like the Dove brings the Olive branch that is Gen. 8.11 peace and tranquillity unto our mindes Remember therefore thou faithfull soule the greatnesse of the grace of God conferred upon thee in Baptisme and render due thankes unto him The more plentifull grace is conferred upon us in Baptisme the more diligent and carefull must wee be in the custody of the gifts conferred Wee are buried with Christ by Baptisme into his death therefore as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of his Father so we also should walke in newnesse of life to the glory of our Redeemer John 5.14 by whom wee are made whole let us sinne no more lest a worse thing happen unto us wee have put on the most pretious robe of Christs righteousnesse let us not therefore defile it with the staines of sin Ephes 4.23 by baptisme we are regenerate and renewed in the spirit of our minde therefore let not the flesh dominere over the spirit by spirituall regeneration we are made the sonnes of God let us therefore live as the sons of such a Father we are made the Temple of the holy Ghost let us therefore prepare a thankfull seat for such a guest wee are received into Gods Covenant let us therefore beware we doe not serve under the Divell and so fall from the covenant of Grace for our conversation
unto as many as shall receive the same according to Christs institution Joh. 1.16 that hee will according to his promise by the vertue of his crucified body and blood as verily feed our soules to eternall life as our bodies are by bread and wine nourished to this temporall life and to this end Christ in the action of the Sacrament really giveth his body and blood to every faithfull receiver 1 Cor. 11.24 2.5 Christ is verily present in the Sacrament by a double union whereof the first is spirituall twixt Christ and the worthy receiver the second is sacramentall twixt the body and blood of Christ and the outward signes in the sacrament if you looke to the things that are united this union is essentiall if to the truth of this union it is reall if to the manner how it is wrought it is spirituall it is not our faith that makes the body and blood of Christ to be present in the Sacrament but the spirit of Christ dwelling in him and us Note our faith doth but receive and apply unto our soules those heavenly graces which are offered in the Sacrament the other being the sacramentall union is not a physicall or locall The Word and the Sacrament are the two briefly wherewith our Mother the Church doth nourish us but a spirituall conjunction of the earthly signes which are bread and wine with the heavenly grace which is the body and blood of Christ in the act of receiving as if by a mutuall relation they were but one and the same thing hence it is that in the same instant of time that the worthy receiver eateth with his mouth the bread and wine of the Lord hee eateth also with the mouth of faith the very body and blood of Christ not that Christ is brought downe from heaven to the Sacrament but that the holy Spirit by the Sacrament lifts up his minde unto Christ not by any locall mutation but by a devout affection so that in the holy contemplation of faith hee is at that present with Christ and Christ with him and thus believing and meditating how Christ his body was crucified and his pretious blood shed for the remission of his sins and the reconciliation of his soule unto God his soule is hereby more effectually fed in the assurance of eternall life than bread and wine can nourish his body to this temporall life There must be therefore of necessity in the Sacrament both the outward signes to be visibly seene with the eye of the body and the body and blood of Christ to be spiritually discerned with the eye of faith But the forme how the holy Ghost makes the body of Christ being absent from us in place to be present with us by union Ephes 5.32 Saint Paul termes a great mystery such as indeed our understanding cannot worthily comprehend The sacramentall bread and wine therefore are not bare signifying signes but such as therewith Christ doth indeed exhibit and give to every worthy receiver not onely his divine vertue and efficacy but also his very body and blood as verily as hee gave to his Disciples the holy Ghost by the signe of his sacred breath Joh. 20.22 or health to the diseased by the Word of his mouth Mar. 6.56 or touch of his hand or garment and the apprehension by faith is more forcible than the exquisite comprehension of sense or reason To conclude this point this holy Sacrament is that blessed bread which being eaten Luk. 24.30.31 opened the eyes of the Emmauites that they knew Christ 1 Cor. 12.13 this is that Lordly cup by which wee are made to drinke into one spirit this is that rocke flowing with hony 1 Sam. 14.27 that reviveth the fainting spirits of every true Jonathan that tasts it with the mouth of faith Judg. 7.13 this is that barly loafe which tumbling from above strikes downe the tents of the Midianits of infernall darknesse Eliahs angelicall Cake and water 1 King 1â— 7 8. Psal 78.25 26. preserved him forty daies in Mount Horeb and Manna Angels food fed the Israelites forty yeeres in the wildernesse Exod. 16.15 Joh. 6.32 35.49.50 51.58 but this is that true bread of life and heavenly Manna which if wee shall duely eate will nourish our soules to eternall life and doth binde all Christians as it were by an oath of fidelity to serve the one onely true God Deut. 8.19 and to admit no other propitiatory sacrifice for sins but that one reall sacrifice which by his death Christ once offered up for all true believers Hebr. 9. and by which hee finished the sacrifices of the Law and effected eternall redemption and righteousnesse for all them that faithfully believe in him and so to remaine for ever a publike marke of profession to distinguish Christians from all sects and false Religions and seeing that in the Masse there is a strange christ adored not he that was born of the Virgin Mary but one that is made of a waâ—er cake and that the offering up of this breaden God is thrust upon the Church as a propitiatory sacrifice for the quicke and the dead therefore all true Christians that have sufficient information and have means to escape invincible ignorance are to account the pretensed sacrifice of the masse Note as derogatory to the al-sufficient world saving merits of Christs death and passion for by receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper we all sweare that all reall sacrifices are ended by our Lords death and that his body blood crucified and shed for us is the perpetuall food and nourishment of our soule The bread of the Lord is given by the Minister but the bread which is the Lord is given by Christ himselfe Therefore when thou takest the bread at the Ministers hand to eate it then ronze up thy soule to apprehend Christ by a lively faith and to apply his merits to heale thy miseries Note and as thou eatest the bread imagine that thou seest Christ hanging upon the Crosse and by his unspeakeable torments fully satisfying Gods Justice for thy sinnes Iohn 19. and strive as verily to be partaker of the spirituall grace as of the Elementall signes for the truth is not absent from the signe Neither doth Christ deceive when he saith this is my body but hee giveth himselfe truely and indeed to every soule that spiritually receives him by faith For as ours is the same supper which Christ administred to his Disciples so is the same Christ verily present at his owne Supper not by any papall transubstantiation but by a Sacramentall participation whereby he doth truely feed the faithfull unto eternall life not by comming downe from heaven unto thee but by lifting thy heart unto Heaven The duty of the redeemer where hee sitteth at the right hand of God And when thou seest the wine brought unto thee apart from the bread then remember that the blood of
holy and heavenly minded towards God we must be friendly and loving to our neighbours slow in taking advantages renewing or revenging of wrongs wee must be humble and lowly in our owne eyes meeke and sober in all our actions and because herein are exhibited and offered things of such wonderfull valew and price to the worthy receivers wee must bee cleansed of our spirituall leprosie before wee presume to communicate in the company of Saints We must therefore assure our selves that we are in the number of those to whom these holy things doe appertaine for whosoever is prophane in his person and an unsanctified creature let him forbeare to come to this holy banquet till he have first used the meanes of better assurance by repentance for his sinnes and amendment of his corrupt and sinnefull life let him often call upon God by zealous and faithfull prayers for the remission of his omissions and transgressions let him earnestly crave the assistance of his holy spirit to assist him in the mortifying and beating downe of sinne and that his heart and conscience may be sanctified and made fit for so holy an exercise When he is thus cleansed let him shew himselfe to the Priest his Pastour and let him take knowledge by his outward confession of his inward contrition And then in all reverence and in the feare of God let him come to this holy Table let him eate the body and drinke the blood of that Lambe that taketh away the sinnes of all penitent sinners and will present him pure unto the Lord for the Lords eye is pure and can abide no wickednesse the Sacrament is holy touch it not rashly if thou have not the wedding garment of sincerity come not thereto Math. 22.11 12 13. for the Lord will finde thee out and thrust thee forth out of his presence among the unbeleevers whose portion shall bee with the divell and his angels Let us therefore search and examine our waies let us lift up our hands with our hearts unto God and feed on this holy mystery 1 Cor. 11.25 26 the life of our soules in remembrance that Christ died for us untill his second comming Blesse me O Lord so that my sins may wholly be remitted by thy blood my conscience sanctified by thy Word my mind enlightened by thy Truth my heart guided by thy Spirit and my will in all things subdued to thy blessed Will and pleasure Blesse mee with all graces which I want and increase in mee those good gifts which thou hast already bestowed upon mee Of the Ordinance of Christ concerning the translation of the Sabbath THe Primitive Church had farre greater reason to celebrate Sunday in memory of Christs resurrection then to keepe the Sabbath because that by his resurrection from the dead Isay 65.17 66.12.13 there is wrought a new spirituall creation of the world without which all the sonnes of Adam had beene turned to everlasting perdition and destruction and so all the workes of the first creation had ministred no consolation unto us In respect of this new spirituall creation 2 Cor. 5.17 18. Rev. 21.1 Gal. 6.15 1 Pet. 2.10 Ephes 4.24 Colos 3.10 Matth. 26.28 2 Pet. 3.13 Isay 66.12.13 Chro 4.9 c. the Scripture saith that old things are passed away and all things are become new new creatures new people new men new knowledge new Testament new Commandements new Heaven new Earth and therefore there is in stead of the old a new holy day to honour and praise our Redeemer and to meditate upon the workes of our redemption and to shew the new change fo the old Testament because that on this day Christ rested from all the sufferings of his passion and finished the glorious worke of our redemption If the finishing of the worke of the first creation whereby God mightily manifested himselfe unto his creatures deserved a Sabbath for to solemnize the memoriall of so great a work Esay 58.13 to the honour of the worker and therefore God calls it mine holy day much more doth the new creation of the world effected by the resurrection of Christ whereby he mightily declared himselfe to be the Sonne of God Rom. 1.3 4. deserve an holy festivall for the perpetuall commemoration thereof to the honour of Christ and therefore most worthily called the Lords day Apoc. 1.10 for as the deliverance out of the captivity of Babylon being greater tooke away the name from the deliverance out of the bondage of Egypt Jer. 23.7 8. 16.13 so the day whereon Christ finished the redemption of the world did more justly deserve to be kept holy than that day wherein God ceased from creating the world Gen. 2.2 as therefore in the creation the first day wherein it was finished was consecrated for a Sabbath Lev. 23.32 Neh. 13.19 so in processe of time after our redemption the first day wherein it was perfected was dedicated to a holy rest The Jewes kept their Sabbath on the last day of the week beginning it with the night when God rested from finishing the worke of his creation but Christians honour the Lord better on the first day of the weeke when the Lord arose They kept their Sabbath in remembrance of the worlds creation but Christians celebrate it in memoriall of the worlds redemption Matth. 28 1. Acts 20.7 2.46 yea the Lords day being the first day of the creation and redemption puts us in minde both of the making of the old world and redeeming of the new world Many godly Writers doe record many memorable things which were done upon the first day of the weeke as so many types that the chiefe worship of God should under the new Testament be celebrated upon this day Exod. 31. as that on this day the cloud of Gods Majesty first sate upon his people Aaron and his children first executed their Priest-hood God first solemnely blessed his people the princes of his people first offered publikely unto God the first day wherein fire descended from heaven the first of the world of the yeere of the moneth of the weeke all shadowing that it should be the first and chiefe holy day of the new Testament Gen. 17.12 and circumcision being commanded on the eighth day which was foreseene by the holy Fathers and Prophets to be a type of the Lords day Esay 58.13 that the Sabbath should cease and give place to the eight or first day of the weeke If this mysterie were so clearely seene by the Fathers and Prophets under the shadowes of the old Testament 2 Cor. 4.4 surely the God of this world hath deepely blinded their mindes who cannot see the truth thereof under the cleere shining light of the Gospel This change of the Sabbath under the new Testament was nothing but a fulfilling of that which was solemnly prefigured and fore-prophesied under the old 1 Cor. 14.36 37 therefore all true Christians according to the Lords minde and Commandement
by the Apostles to be propagated throughout the world the Holy Ghost came downe upon them there was thundring and lightning and the lowd sound of the trumpet so that all the people were afraid Vers 16. because the Law doth thunder terrible things against our disobedience and makes us subject to Gods indignation But here is the sound of a gentle wind where the Lord from heaven doth powre out his Spirit upon all flesh Acts 2.2.17 for the preaching of the Gospell doth lift up the soules that are cast downe with dispaire by reason of their sinnes there was feare and trembling of the people because the Law bringeth wrath Rom. 4.15 but here the whole multitude doe flocke together to heare the wonderfull things of God for by the Gospell we have accesse unto God their God descended in fire but it was in the fire of his wrath therefore was the mountaine moved and did smoke but here the holy Ghost descended in the fire of his love so that the house is not shaken by the wrath of God but rather replenished Exod. 19.18 Acts 2.3 with the glory of the holy Ghost What wonder is it that the holy Ghost bee sent from the Court of Heaven to sanctifie us seeing the Sonne of God was sent from Heaven to redeeme us But the holy Ghost came upon the Apostles when they were assembled together in prayer with one minde for he is the Spirit of prayer which moveth us to pray and is obtained by prayer Wherefore John 20.19 22. Zach 12.10 because hee is that bond by which our hearts are knit and united unto God as he doth unite the Father with the Sonne and the Sonne with the Father for hee is the mutuall love of the Father and the Sonne This our spirituall conjunction with God is wrought by faith in Christ but faith is the gift of the Spirit and is obtained by prayer but true prayer is made in the Spirit In the Temple of Salomon when Incense was offered unto God 1 King 8.10 11. the Temple was filled with the glory of the Lord so if thou offerest unto God the sweet odours of prayers the holy Ghost shall fill the temple of thy heart with glory Let us here admire the grace and mercy of God Psal 50.15 Rom. 8.34 35. Gal. 4 6. the Father promiseth to heare our prayers the Sonne intercedeth for us and the holy Ghost prayeth within us the Angels of Heaven carry our prayers unto God and the Court of Heaven is open to receive them God of his mercy doth give unto us the effect of prayer because he giveth unto us the Spirit of grace and prayer and doth alwaies heare our prayers if not according to our desire yet according to that which is most profitable for us The holy Ghost came when they were all met together with one accord in one place Acts 2.1 for hee is the Spirit of love and concord Note that joyneth us unto Christ by faith and unto God by love and to our neighbour by charity because he is the Authour of all goodnesse and the fountaine of all grace and mercy Now the Spirit of God effects in man such motions as himselfe is for as the soule giveth unto the body life sense and motion so the holy spirit maketh man spirituall seasons his minde with divine saltnesse Note and directs all his members to the performance of all good duties towards God and towards his neighbours and proceedeth from all eternity he came in the type of breath and affordeth unto the afflicted conscience quickening consolation because wee live according to the flesh by the reciprocall breathing out and sucking in of the aeriall spirit he came under the type of spirit and breath because he giveth us to live according to the better part The winde bloweth where it lusteth Iohn 3.8 and thou hearest the sound thereof but thou knowest not whence it commeth nor whither it goeth So is every one that is borne of the Spirit it was meete that he should come in the type of breath because hee proceedeth from both the Father and the Sonne by one incomprehensible breathing from eternity it was a powerfull breath because the grace of the holy Ghost comes with power and moveth the godly in whom he dwelleth to all that is good and so effectually moveth and strengtheneth them that they neither regard the threats of tyrants nor feare the trecheries of the Divell nor the hatred of the world Psal 19.3.4 hee conferreth upon the Apostles the gift of tongues because their sound was to goe into all lands and so the confusion of tongues which was the punishment of pride and rashnesse in the building of the tower of Babel was taken away and the dispersed nations Gen. 11 7 8 9. by the gift of the holy Ghost through the diversity of tongues were gathered together into the unity of faith Againe it was meet that he should come in the figure of tongues because holy men of God did speake as they were inspired by him For hee spake by the Prophets and Apostles and putteth the Words of God into the mouthes of the Ministers of the Church therefore the Prophets in the old time came not by the will of man 2 Pet. 1.21 but were moved by the holy Ghost for these great gifts blessed and praised be the holy Ghost together with the Father and the Sonne now and for ever Of the Love of God THis love of God is commanded by God to the Israelites by the mouth of Moses being then the select and peculiar people of God saying Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might and Christ himselfe in the Gospel doth alledge this Precept to the Doctor of the Law which tempted him saying Master which is the greatest Commandement in the Law He answering Matth. 22.36 37 38 39. said unto him Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy selfe this doth teach all Christians that without the knowledge of this love of God they can never attaine to the saving knowledge of God and without the love of God all knowledge is unprofitable For love is the life of Nature and the joy of Reason in the Spirit of grace where Vertue draweth affection the concord of sense makes an union unseparable in the divine apprehension of the joy of election it is a ravishment of the soule in the delight of the spirit which being caryed above it selfe into inexplicable comfort feeles that heavenly sickenesse that is better then the worlds health When the godliest of men in the swounding delight of his sacred inspiration could thus utter the sweetnesse of his passion my soule is sicke of love for love is a healthfull sicknesse of the soule it is a pleasing passion in the heart a contentive
in the Spirit And if like those good Thessalonians we receive and believe the Gospell and entertaine the word with joyfulnesse notwithstanding all afflictions 1 Thes 1.5 6 9. 1.3 4. if wee turned God from all our false Gods our owne delights and vanities to which wee have wedded our hearts and if our faith increase and our love abound and if we have faith and patience as they had in all our crosses and afflictions then may wee assure our selves that wee are effectually called as they were John 10 c. out of the vastâ— wildernesse of this woefull world unto Christ our Shepheard for our Saviour Christ saith that his sheepe know him heare his voyce and follow him If therefore wee know acknowledge and embrace Christ if we heare and hearken unto his voyce and doe it if we study to resemble imitate and follow him in love meeknesse patience humility justice fidelity truth confidence and compassion then we may confidently assure our selves that wee are his sheepe effectually called home into his fold Mortification being of such necessity in the ordinary meanes of our salvation as that wee cannot be regenerate before wee carefully discharge this office of mortification let us therefore endeavour this duty with all diligence let us denounce a bloody and generall warre against all our sinnes let us entertaine favour and correspondencie with none but let those sins that have beene our delight be in our hatred let us not love them for their profit because transitory Wee must not foster our sins neither for profit nor pleasure neither feare them for their number If sin overcome us we are their slaves let us not favour them for their pleasure because moment any let us not feare them for their number though infinite many nor for their strength though they have conquered a world of people let us have confidence in God because hee is on our side and hath a care of us when sin got the upper hand of us and wee victoried by them we were then their servants their slave when wee overcome and have victoried them let us make them our slaves perpetually let us bind them in chaines cast them in prison and for ever utterly destroy their evill power Let us have no pity no favour Note no compassion on sin because when we were overcome by sin sin was mercilesse against us let us not as did Saul spaire any for their dignity or worth but with David let us mortifie and destory all let us hate the sins of youth and despise the sins of age let us not be partiall in our owne particulars let not prosperity alter us neither let poverty tempt us but having undertaken to warre with sin let us be full in opposition against it let us not end our warre without victory Let us strive to overcome sin with a constant resolution let us not interrupt it by truce but let us be resolute in our purpose and constant in our resolution and at all occasions and in every distresse let us resort to the throne of Gods mercy and crave the assistance of his holy Spirit hee is our Conductor hee is our Commander and the Generall in this spirituall warre let us consult with that Oracle and by it receive direction let us fight with the arme of his might and win the garland of holy victory for having God on our part whom then shall we feare and if he be with us who can be against us his policies cannot be prevented nor his power with victory opposed What wee want of spirituall power in our selves Psal 18.1 c. shall be abundantly supplyed by the infinite power of the holy Ghost for by him wee shall be able to overthrow an host of sin and by the strength of our God Note wee shall overcome all extremities and avoyd all dangers hee is the end of our hope and the maine battell of our power wee are but the reare hee is our Generall Hebr. 12.2 we are his souldiers his holy Crosse is our colours his holy Word our weapons And being thus appointed we dare confront all the enemies of our soule the Divell our sins and all that doth oppose us wee dare undertake their conquest spoyle their power discipline their errors and by the perpetuall death of our sins obtaine a perpetuall quiet of our conscience and the everlasting peace of our soules Of Regeneration VVHen all things was first created every thing was perfectly good no defect no blemish no need of correction Quest. the first defection was sin the first sin was the sin of Angels the next the sinne of man Here may be demanded a question why God did permit Adam to fall from his integrity and suffer him and his sonnes to revolt and fall into sinne and did not hinder the fall which hee could have done if it had pleased him Answ But hee would not hinder it because such was his pleasure for certaine causes best knowne unto himselfe in the meane let no man thinke that God was injurious for he was not indebted to us Job 36 23. to confirme us by his grace and to keepe us from declining but this fall was permitted by God for the greater benefit of his elect for their glory procured by Christ Esa 46.10 11. doth farre exceed and surpasse the glory which was given them in their creation which had never beene if man had never falne by sin great are the evills which we suffer by reason of that first offence but what faithfull man would not endure farre greater rather then to want so great a Redeemer God not bound to let did permit this fall yet it is not to be ascribed unto him as the cause thereof but to mans owne will for hee did not incline Adams heart unto sinne nor did he infuse the least corruption into his soule Jam. 1.13 14 15. neither did he withdraw any grace from him before hee inspired into him but hee fell by his free will through his owne default at the perswasion and suggestion of the Divell man was therefore the cause of his iniquity in his owne proper will and not from Gods predestination As God brought man into the state of life so man brought himselfe into the state of death for if any man decline from piety and justice hee runs headlong of his owne will hee is drawne by his owne concupiscence and is beguiled through his owne perswasions the Father hath no hand in this fall the Sonne is no agent of this sinne Note the holy Ghost is no worker of this wickednesse therefore the fault of mans choosing of that which was forbidden is not by any meanes to be transferred or ascribed unto God for God punished the sin of Angels in their owne particulars only for they were to derive their natures to posterity by generation and naturall descent because they were ordained for the service of God in certaine particular offices assigned them in the
government of his creatures the creatures not being ordained for the service of them but man for whom all things were made and from whom was to be derived a world of people when he sinned God himselfe punished him and his posterity and the creatures he had made and had given him For as the sin of man had infected the whole world mans house so the curse of God and the worke of his displeasure was seated on that house the world all things then being subject to alteration and evill change from this curse is the inecessity of regeneration all things being now in their owne nature in the state of corruption and death therefore Saint Peter saith When Christ shall come to â—udgement 2 Pet. 3.10.7 the heavens shall passe away with noyse and the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes therein shall be utterly burned up and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth according to the promise of God Verse 13. wherein dwelleth righteousnesse What manner of persons ought wee then to be in holy conversation and godlinesse of life Verse 11. seeing that all these things shall perish so that nothing shall be able to abide the glory of Gods presence but that which is reformed and regenerate not the elements nor earth no nor heaven it selfe but as all have endured for sinne the bad alteration so must they endure by grace the good alteration all were transformed by the sin of one man Adam all must be reformed againe by grace in Christ or else remaine still in their deformity Saint Paul is peremptory in this opinion Gal. 6.15 for he saith in Christ Jesus neither circumcition availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature that is a regeneration by a lively faith in Christ is onely necessary at many â—n walke according to this rule peace be upon them and meâ—â—y upon them that be of God Verse 16. all ceremonies being insufficient and not effectuall and our Saviour Christ preached to Nichodemus the necessity of regeneration and affirmeth his doctrine with a double asseveration saying Verily verily I say unto thee John 3.3 except a man be borne againe hee cannot see the kingdome of God if not to see the kingdome of God we cannot inherit it This may suffice to perswade the necessary knowledge and the necessary care of regeneration being that without which it is impossible to be saved now to know what regeneration is it is an act of the holy Ghost in Gods elect whereby they are admitted and entred into a constant and faithfull exercise of godly life for as it is said before all grace is the gift of God Iam. 1.17 18. and every motion to good is caused onely by the spirit of God of his owne good will hee begat us by the Spirit of truth our selves being meerely passive in the first action of grace God himselfe being the actor and principall mover thereof for the holy Ghost by whose directions we learne the use of all spirituall exercise doth move both our capacity and power to understand the knowledge and use of necessary and Christian performance without which wee should never be able to comprehend the rudiments and first elements of divine learning regeneration being then a Christian office of most necessary performance it must needs then be caused in us by the inspiration of the holy Ghost who is the first mover of every grace This Doctrine Saint Peter concludeth in expresse words saying Blessed be God 1 Pet. 1.3 even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his bâ—â—â—den mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead so that wee are regenerate and new begotten by God in Jesus Christ at the motion and instance of his abundant mercy cowards us Regeneration or sanctification is the gift of God whereby our corrupt nature is renewed to the Image of God by the operation of the holy Ghost or it is an inward change of man justified Hippocates whereby the Image of God is restored in him for as one saith that physicke is an adjection and a substraction an adjection of things wanting and a substraction of things redounding in the bodies of men Even so is sanctification a removing of the corrupt humours of our soules and adjection or infusion of spirituall graces which are wanting in us Greenham for in every generation there is a corruption and we see that the seed sowne is much changed before it grow up and beare fruit then it is needfull in generation that there be a corruption of sinne so that as the seed in the ground so sinne in our mortall bodies must decay that the new man may be raised up by the Spirit of God taking possession of our soules Heb. 12.14 This transformation of man is very requisite to salvation for without holinesse no man shall see God Therefore if wee will not live to God by grace upon earth Ezech. 18.30 31 32. Rom. 6.23 we shall not live with him in glory in the Heavens if we will not die to sin in this world we shall not escape death the wages of sin in the world to come if we do not live to God in holinesse in this life wee shall not live in happinesse with God in the life to come it is not onely necessary to him that is to be saved that sinne bee abolished by remission but that it bee likewise mortified by regeneration our regeneration must then of necessity be wrought in the whole man according to both soule and body Albeit our sanctification be the worke of the whole Trinity yet it is immediately performed by the holy Ghost yea and like also This act of regeneration is caused by the holy Ghost in the hearts of the Elect and Gods labour is never fruitlesse but what he willeth to attempt is finished there being no resistance of his power nor any greater then himselfe to countermand him as holy David saith The Lord hath done whatsoever pleased him By this act of grace they are entred and admitted into the exercise of godlinesse which doth promise us an extraordinary degree of hope that wee are in Gods favour yet have we then our best assurance when we are adopted his children by regeneration for then wee bring our holy purpose of reformation into act and faithfully endeavour those duties which before wee had onely determined we are then made fruitfull and the Sonnes of God and not before for wee are then Gods first fruits because we are then first made fruitfull we must therefore bee constant and faithfull in the exercise of good workes because that not those that faint in the race of godlinesse but those that goe on with hope and alacrity shall obtaine to the ends of their progresse and have the garland for so saith Saint Iohn Revel 2.26 Hee that overcommeth and keepeth my workes to the end
both caused and continued in us by the secret power of God our selves being meerly passive and moved to divine exercise by the onely direction of the holy Ghost and therefore that we doe ascribe the honour of every good action to God by whom it is caused and utterly disgrace our selves in our owne estimation because Gods grace doth leade every man to every particular action of goodnesse Note Againe seeing that by faith in Christ God doth both cancell and abolish our sinnes and repute us righteous in his presence it doth remember all men the admirable degree of Gods favour and the powerfull operation of faith First Gods favour towards us hee being pleased to forgive us our sins and deserts of condemnation and to give and impute the most absolute righteousnesse of his deare Sonne Christ to all men upon this easie condition of faith that such who have a true faith to apprehend him shall be accepted in his favour as sonnes and shall appeare in the presence of God as equally righteous as if themselves had actually performed righteousnesse in their owne particular persons Secondly Heb. 11.1 c. wee are taught the powerfull operation of true faith that it is able to enter heaven and to apprehend and apply Christ and his righteousnesse to reconcile the favour of God unto us and to satisfie his displeasure to wash off the leprosie and spots of our sins and to put on us the garment of righteousnesse even Jesus Christ the Sonne of God by whom and through whom wee are justified in the fight of God and by whom also wee shall be saved Let us therefore carefully endeavour our selves in a constant exercise of all godly actions not that we repose our justification in the vertue or merit of our owne workes but that by the testimony of our good works we may approve our selves to be faithfull and that our faith is more than a common or a generall historicall faith even a living and a saving faith which is and must be the onely meanes of our apprehending Christ who is the all-sufficient and onely matter of our justification and let this be the onely glory and pride of our well-doing that this witnesse of workes shall gaine us the reputation of Gods servants and that Gods faithfull children here on earth shall esteeme and repute us to be of their fellow-brethren then which let us never desire a greater cause of boasting and this judgement of good men must needs rise from the testimony of good workes because there is an inevitable necessity of consequence and necessary dependence betweene faith and workes they being as inseparable as the heat from the fire and as necessarily depending as the body and the soule let this provoke us to a zealous forwardnesse of all godly actions because thereby we shall conclude the assurance of our justifying faith and thereby satisfie the desire of our owne soules and that doubt which otherwise might justly be had of us in the common opinion of men From this argument must needs follow this conclusion that seeing we have the fruits of faith Note good works therefore we have also the cause of workes true faith and that therefore this faith thus working is a tree of Gods owne planting this is that use this is that comfort and consolation which wee shall understand and find in the nature of our best deserving workes thus let us esteeme them and but thus let us therefore avoid and abolish that dangerous opinion of meriting by workes because it is farre better to want honour then to force it from God by violence nay let us rather disgrace our selves then to dis-inable our Saviour Jesus Christ for if righteousnesse be from our selves it is not onely from him and then would follow that absurd and blasphemous conclusion that he is not the onely Saviour neither hath perfected the worke of mans salvation let us therefore doe all the good we can Note but let us repute our deeds though never so good to be the effect and not the cause of goodnesse in us let us also confidently hold that nothing is able to merit salvation but onely the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ let us therefore utterly disclaime our selves and our owne power which is nothing but weaknesse and wholly ascribe all vertue and all power to our Saviour Christ for it is safer to give him honour then to take it from him and it will farre better become our Christian modesty to acknowledge our weakenesse and infirmities then proudly to boast and advance our selves above our deserts and worthinesse If therefore God by the moving of his holy Spirit doe incline our hearts unto godlinesse hee will also give us grace to continue in the same and give us a desire and power in godly exercise which when it makes us grow plentifull in the demonstration of holinesse let us ascribe the glory thereof unto God to whom it is due onely and onely acknowledge our selves to be that instrument whereby his holy hand of grace is pleased to work with to our salvation Of Faith FAith is the ground the foundation and the pillar of the truth 1 Tim. 3. and it is the constant assent of the heart unto those things which bee taught and promised by the word of God for to believe is to assent unto the same which we doe heare it is also a certaine and sure perswasion of the heart What it is to believe that there is a God whereby wee doe believe certaine things of God as that there is a God and that there is but one and none other besides him that hee is omnipotent the creator of heaven and earth that he is just doing good to the righteous and punishing the wicked that he is good gentle and mercifull to them that doe amend their sinfull life that he is true and keepeth promise that he is able to performe what hee hath promised that hee is everlasting and many other things that bee reported of him in holy Scriptures and to beleeve also of Christ that hee is the onely begotten Sonne of God the word of God made flesh true God and true man our onely Lord redeemer Saviour and Mediatour hee was crucified dead buried and rose againe taken up into Heaven touching his manhood and that he sitteth at the right hand of the father and that he shall come at the end of the world to judge the quicke and the dead and many other things set forth in the Evangelists and Apostles and to believe of the holy Spirit that he is of the same Godhead equall with the Father and the Sonne that he is of the light giver of the minds the comforter teacher reliever renewer sanctifier and governour of the elect of God this maketh a great matter to the salvation of man how it be grounded in their hearts Secondly To believe God that we doe believe God also that is to credit and to believe his word as the word of
be able to beare the conditions contradictions and cumbers of the other and so the unity and concord betwixt them might soone bee broken but impatient hearted men they doe stirre great variance strife and contention and doe breake the tranquillity of quiet and peace Patience is the gift of the holy Spirit in this respect we may well call patience the preserver yea the repairer of peace it cannot worthily enough be expressed how large how notable and necessary the use of true patience is all which doth stand upon the strength of mens desires For without patience all the rest of our vertues will be altogether blemished therefore in any wise let us not stay untill wee have attained true patience the mistresse and governesse of all our affections which keepeth us within the lists of a contented mind howsoever it fareth with the outward man this patience therefore which we must seeke and imbrace in all things must be a joyfull acceptation of our miseries not as compelled but cheerefully resting under the burthen of our adversitie which then although it seeme to make us figh by reason wee see no end of the griefe yet it shall in the meane time cloath us with spirituall joy for patience stayeth the patient man from fainting in any distresse yea when neither friend counsell Hebr. 6.12 c. nor any comfort appeareth then is patience the remedy which like a mighty Gyant beareth it out with a godly courage true patience loveth the afflictions which shee suffereth and if wee doe attaine to this patience then shall wee give praise to God in the midst of our miseries and commit our selves to his providence and care in all our troubles and adversities neither can poverty keepe us backe or hinder us from commending highly the great bounty and goodnesse of Almighty God who is able to restore and bring us out of all our afflictions the mother of this precious and admirable jewell Rom. 5.4 5. is tribulations afflictions persecutions poverty and crosses patience begetteth experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed it is concluded then by the holy Apostle that tribulation maketh not ashamed Faith whereof wee have spoken before is the evidence of things not seene which so worketh in time of tribulation and affliction Psal 22.4 5. that it assureth the afflicted that his delivery is easie and at hand his comfort and reliefe is comming So that tribulation and affliction seasoned with faith worketh patience and a contented tolleration and sufferance of the misery present which patience bringeth forth experience namely it hath proofe of Gods continuall providence wherein he worketh mightily beyond all humane expectation and mortall reason of mans capacity the great joy ease comfort reliefe and release of all the faithfull afflicted members of Christ and that by so many and admirable meanes that of this experience springeth hope which worketh through the same experience by an undoubted assurance that such successe will follow patient expectation So that faith hope and patience appeareth to be the whole furniture of a true Christian which being joyned together in man hee shall finde that as faith is the ground of things hoped for and maketh them as it were present before our senses and our selves as certaine of them as if wee were already possessed of them so hope maketh us attend the time of delivery restraining our corrupt natures from practising any unlawfull and forbidden meanes for the supply of that wee looke for and having the working of faith and hope those two singular vertues in us there is no place of impatience of grudging of griefe nor of desire to seeke sinister devices for ease or reliefe but setteth downe his rest and resolution to be as cheerefull and full of joy in distresse Dan. 3.17.18 as in any prosperous events whatsoever So said the three children when they went to the fire though God would not deliver them yet would they not dishonour him so resolute and patient was Job who said though he kill me yet will I trust in him such is the fruit of true patience it is necessary that we be tryed with affliction and delay of comfort to the end that wee should be well armed with these vertues and have experience how God in his providence worketh for us yea wee shall finde that as the promises of God are irrevocable firme and sure so is our faith and hope grounded upon God and his promises also stable and sure and shall have the reward which is eternall and everlasting life To conclude patience is the gift and grace of Christ the true vertue of Christianity it is the praise of goodnesse and the preserver of the world and rests upon the providence of God to the exceeding comfort of the afflicted Of Prayer VVE be charged by the Commandement of God to offer unto our Lord God thankesgiving and praise who saith Call upon me in the day of trouble Psal 50.14 and I will deliver thee this calling upon him is a point of service required of us and doth serve to the glory of his name for hee saith thou shalt glorifie me Vers 15. wee be therfore as necessarily bound to pray and call upon the name of God as wee be bound to the study of his obedience and service this prayer and calling upon the name of God is not onely profitable unto us but also necessary unto godlinesse and exercising of our faith for without faith we cannot truely call upon the name of God Rom. 10.13 14 Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved but how shall they call upon him on whom they have not believed whereby it manifestly appeareth that study and use of prayer is an exercise of our faith in this respect wee are specially by the providence of God required to aske such things of him as our necessities doe require hee could liberally bestow on us all things unasked for Before thou prayest prepare thy soule and be not as one that tempteth God as hee doth to the Reprobate and other living beasts but his will is to be called upon of his children to the intent that they should practise the assured trust of their hearts towards him and be the more out of doubt of his goodnesse and promise when they doe obtaine that which in faith they doe desire at his mercifull hands hee which doth truely pray unto God doth accuse and esteeme himselfe unworthy and therefore doth submit himselfe onely and wholly to the will of God Psal 34.16 The holy men of God when they pray doe powre out the ferventnesse of their hearts before the Lord with most earnest meditation and wayling accuse and judge themselves they doe beseech the mercy of God they doe expresse the sorrow of their heart with crying and lamentation and also in words doe set forth Petitions and Prayers but generally prayer is the lifting up of the minde and heart unto God for prayer is the