no robberie to be equall with God Ioh. 1.1 In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that Word was God It was requisite for the Mediatour to be God 1. That he might the better sustaine that great miserie wherewith mankind was ouerwhelmed the greatnesse whereof these foure things declare I. The grieuousnesse of sinne wherwith Gods maiestie was infinitely offended II. Gods infinite anger against this sinne III. The fearefull power of death IV. The diuels tyrannie who is prince of this world 2. That he might make his humaine nature both of pleÌ„tifull merite and also of sufficient efficacie for the work of mans redemption 3. That he might instill into all the elect eternall life and holinesse Esa. 43.12 I am the Lord there is none besides me a Sauiour I haue declared and I haue saued and I haue shewed when there was no strange god among you therefore ye are my witnesses saith the Lord that I am God I say the Godhead in as much as it is the Godhead of the Sonne is Christs diuine Nature not as it is the Godhead of the Father or the holy Ghost for it is the office of the Sonne to haue the administration of euery outward action of the Trinitie from the Father to the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.8 And he being by nature the Sonne of the father bestowetâ— this priuiledge on those that beleeue that they are the Sonnes of God by adoption Ioh. 1.12 As many as receiued him to them he gaue to be the sonnes of God If either the Father or the holy Ghost should haue beene incarnate the title of Sonne should haue beene giuen to one of them who was not the Sonne by eternall generation and so there should be moe sonnes then one Christs other nature is his humanity wherby he the Mediator is very maÌ„â— 1. Tim. 2.5 One God one Mediator betwene God man the man Christ Ieâ—â—s It was necessarie that Christ should be man First that God might be pacified in that nature wherein he was offended Secondly that he might vndergo punishment due to sinne the which the Godhead could not being void and free from all passion Furthermore Christ as he is man is like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted Heb. 2.17 In all things it became him to be made like vnto his brethren 1. Cor. 13.4 Christ therefore is a perfect man consisting of an essentiall and true soule bodie whereunto are ioyned such faculties and properties as are essentiall vnto both In his soule is vnderstanding memorie will and such like in his bodie length breadth and thicknesse yea it is comprehended in one onely place visible subiect to feeling neither is there any thing wanting in him which may either adorne or make for the beeing of mans nature Againe Christ in his humanitie was subiect to the infirmities of mans nature which are these I. to be tempted Matth. 4.1 Iesus was carried by the spirit into the desart to be tempted of the Diuell II. To feare Heb. 5.7 Who in the daies of his flesh did offer vp praiers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared III. To be angrie Mark 3.5 Then he looked round about on them angerly mourning also for the hardnesse of their hearts and said vnto the man Stretch forth thine hand IV. Forgetfulnesse of his office imposed vpon him by reason of the agonie astonishing his senses Matth. 26.39 He went a little further and fell on his face and praied saying O Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me neuertheles not as I will but as thou wilt VVe must hold these things concerning Christs infinitenes I. They were such qualities as did onely affect his humane nature and not at all constitute the same and therefore might be left of Christ. II. They were such as were common to all men as to thirst to be wearie and to die and not personall as are agues consumptions the leprosie blindnes c. III. He was subiect to these infirmities not by necessitie of his humaine nature but by his freewill pleasure pitying mankind therefore in him such infirmities were not the punishment of his owne sinne as they are in vs but rather part of that his humiliation which he did willingly vndergoe for our sakes CHAP. 16. Of the Vnion of the two natures in Christ. NOwe followeth the Vnion of the two natures in Christ which especially concerneth his Mediation for by it his humanity did suffer death vpon the crosse in such sort as he could neither be ouercome nor perpetually ouerwhelmed by it Three things belong to this vniting of Natures I. Conception by which his humaine nature was by the wonderfull power and operation of God both immediately that is without mans help and miraculously framed of the substance of the Virgin Marie Luke 1.35 The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee the power of the most high shall ouershadow thee The holy Ghost cannot be said to be the father of Christ because he did minister no matter to the making of the humanitie but did onely fashion and frame it of the substance of the Virgin Marie II. Sanctification whereby the same humane nature was purified that is altogether seuered by the power of the holy ghost from the least staine of sin to the end that it might be holy be made fit to die for others Luk. 1.35 That holy thing which shall be borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of God 1. Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the iust for the vniust 1. Pet. 2.22 Who did not sinne neither was there guile found in his mouth III. Assumption whereby the Word that is the second person in Trinity tooke vpon him flesh and the seed of Abraham namely that his humaine Nature to the end that it beeing destitute of a proper and personal subsisteÌ„ce might in the person of the Word obtaine it subsisting and as it were beeing supported of the Word for euer Iohn 1.14 That Word was made flesh Heb. 2.16 Hee tooke not vpon him the nature of Angels but the seede of Abraham In the assumption we haue three things to consider I. The difference of the two natures in Christ. For the diuine nature as it is limited to the person of the Sonne is perfect and actually subsisting in it selfe the other not II. The manner of vnion The person of the Sonne did by assuming the humane Nature create it by creating assume it III. The product of the VnioÌ„ Whole Christ God and man was not made a newe person of the two natures as of partes compounding a new thing but remained still the same person Nowe whereas the ancient Fathers tearmed Christ a compound person wee must vnderstand them not properly but by proportion For as the parts are vnited in the whole so these two natures doe concurre togither in one person which is the
him to whome it was due immediately the angel of the Lord smote him And so if Christ had bin but a meere man and not very god as he auouched vndoubtedly the hand of God would haue bin vpon him likewise for his confusion but when he suffred for vs and bare the punishment due for our sinnes he most triumphed And the iudgements of God were vpon Herod Pontius Pilate Caiphas and vpon all those that were enemies to him and to his Church afterward and that partly in life and partly in death Wherefore considering God cannot abide that his glorie should be giuen to any creature and seeing for that cause he takes reuenge on all those that exalt themselues to be gods it remaines that the testimony which Christ gaue of himselfe that he was God is vnfallibly true and without all question to be beleeued of vs. And to conclude I would haue all the deuills in hell with the cursed order of Lucians Porphyrians and Atheists whatsoeuer to answer â—his one point how it could come to passe that Christ by publishing the doctrine of the Gospel that is as contrarie to mans reason will and affections as water to fire should winne almost the whole world to become his disciples and to giue their liues for him vnlesse he were God indeede as he professed himselfe to be There be sundrie speciall reasons wherefore it was necessarie that Christ should be God I. There is none which can be a Sauiour of bodie and soule but God I euen I am the Lord and besides me there is no Sauiour And I am the Lord the God from the land of Egipt and thou shalt know no God but me for there is no Sauiour beside me II. There must be a proportion betweene the sinne of man and the punishment of sinne now the sinne of man in respect of the offence of the maiestie of God is infinite in that he is infinitely displeased with man for the breach of his law therefore the punishment of sinne must be infinite and hence it followeth that he which suffereth the punishment beeing man must withall be God that the manhood by the power of the Godhead may be supported that in suffering it may vanquish death and make a sufficient satisfaction III. He that must be a Sauiour must be able first to deliuer men from the bondage of their spirituall enemies namely sinne and Satan secondly to restore the image of God lost by the fall of Adam and to conferre righteousnes and life euerlasting thirdly to defend them from hel death damnation the flesh the deuill the world fourthly to giue them full redemption from all their miseries both in bodie and soule and to place them in eternall happines all which none can doe but he which is very God IV. It was the pleasure of God to shew his incomprehensible goodnes in this that his grace should not onely be equal to our sinne but also by many degrees goe beyond it And therefore the first Adam beeing but a meere man the second Adam must be both God and man that as the second was more excellent then the first so our comfort might be greater in our redemption by the second then our miserie and discomfort was by the fall of the first Hitherto we haue shewed how Christ is the sonne of God now let vs come to the second point namely that he is the onely sonne of God And he is so tearmed because he is the sonne of the father in a speciall manner so as nothing can be the sonne of God as he is Angels indeede are tearmed the sonnes of God but that is onely in respect of their creation all that beleeue in Christ are sonnes of God by adoption beeing receiued into the familie of God which is his church by the merit of Christ whereas by nature they were the children of wrath Christ also as he is man I say not his manhood which is a nature and no person is the sonne of God by the grace of personal vnion and not by nature or adoption Lastly Christ as he is the second person in trinitie thâ— eternall word of the father coeternall and consubstantiall with him is also the sonne of God But how neither by creation nor adoption nor by the vertue of personall vnion but by nature as he was begotten of the very substance of the father before all world and therefore he is called the proper and onely begotten sonne of God It may be obiected on this manner If the father beget the sonne he doth it either willingly or against his will if willingly theÌ„ the son is begotten by the free will of the father and no sonne by nature Ans. The father did communicate to the sonne his whole godhead willingly without coÌ„straint yet not by his will and therfore he is the Sonne of the father by nature not by will It may be further said that if Christ be the sonne of God by nature as he is the essentiall word of the father and by personall vnion as he is man then is hee not one but two sonnes Ans. As he is but one person so is he but one sonne yet not in one but in two respects two respects make not two thinges whereas one and the same thing not altered but still remaining one may admitte sundrie respects Thus much of the meaning of the third title nowe followe the comforts which may be gathered hence Whereas Christ Iesus is the sonne of God it serues as a meanes to make miserable and wretched sinners that are by nature the children of wrath and damnation to be the sonnes of God by adoption as S. Iohn testifieth Nowe what a benefit is this to be the childe of God no tongue can expresse Christ saith Blessed are the peacemakers but why are they blessed for saith he they shall be called the sonnes of God Whereby he testifieth that the right of adoption is a most excellent priuiledge not without cause For he which is the child of God is spiritually allied to Christ and to all the Saints and seruants of God both in heauen and earth hauing his owne redeemer for his elder brother and all his members as his brethren and sisters yea if we be Gods adopted children we are also heires euen heires of God and heires annexed with Christ. Well how great soeuer this prerogatiue is yet few there be that rightly way it consider of it Children of noble meÌ„ Princes heires are had in account and reputation of all men they are the verie speach and wonder of the worlde But it is a matter of no account to be the sonne of God and fellow-heire with Christ. The dearest seruants of God haue beene esteemed but as the offscouring of the worlde And no maruaile for they which are after the flesh sauour the thinges of the flesh Fewe men haue their vnderstandings inlightened to discerne of such spirituall things as these are therefore are they little or
commandement to pray and then after giues a direction for the keeping of it this he doth to stir vp our dulnes and to allure vs by all meanes to this heauenly exercise of prayer wherefore still I say imploy your selues in praier feruently and continually and if you cannot doe it learne to praie Thus much of the commandement of our Sauiour Christ now follow the words of the praier Our Father which art c. THese wordes containe three partes 1. A preface 2. The praier it selfe containing sixe petitions 3. The testification of faith in the last worde Amen Which although it be short yet it doth not containe the smallest point in the praier It is I say a testification of our faith whereas the petitions that goe before are onely testifications of our desires Nowe of these three partes in order We must consider howe our Sauiour Christ doth not set downe the petitions abruptly but he first begins with a solemne preface Whereby wee are taught this lesson that hee which is to pray vnto God is first to prepare himselfe and not boldly without consideration as it were to rush into the presence of God If a man be to come before an earthly prince hee will order himselfe in apparell gesture and wordes that he may doe all things in seemelinesse and dutifull reuerence how much more are men to order themselues when they are to appeare before the liuing God Eccl. 5.1 Bee not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hastie to vtter a thing before the Lord. And Dauid Psal. 26.6 Washed his hands in innocency before he came to the altar of the Lord to offer sacrifice The meanes whereby men may stirre vp their dull and heauie hearts so prepare themselues to praier are three The first is to read diligently the word of God concerning those matters about which they are to pray what then this will be a meanes not onely to direct him but also to quicken the heart more feruently to deliuer his praier This is euident by a comparison The beames of the sunne descending heat not before they come to the earth or some solide bodie where they may reflect and then by that meanes the earth and aire adioyning is made hot euen so the Lord sends down vnto vs his blessed word euen as beames and the goodly sunshine and thereby he speakes to our hearts now when we make our praiers of that which we haue read Gods word is as it were reâ—â—ected and our hearts are thereby warmed with the comfortable heat of Gods holy spirit to poure out our pâ—aiers to God more feruently The second meanes is to pray to God that hee would strengthen vs with his spirit that we might be able to praie as it is practised Psal. 143.1 The third meanes is the consideration of Gods most glorious maiestie wherein we are to remember first his fatherly goodnes and kindnesse whereby hee is willing and secondly his omnipotencie whereby hee is able to gâ—ant our requests One of these imboldened the leaper to pray Lord if thou wilâ— thou canst make me â—leane Mat. 8.2 Therefore both togither are more effectuall Now let vs come to the preface it selfe Our father which art in heauen It coÌ„taines a description of the true Iehoua to whome we pray and that by two arguments the first is drawne from a relation Our Father the second is taken from the subiect or place Which art in heauen Father 1. The meaning IN the opening of this word or title of God two questions are to be opened 1. Quest. Whether by thit title Father is signified the whole Trinitie or some one person thereof Ans. Otherwhiles this name is attributed to all the persons in Trinitie or any of them Mal. 2. 10. Haue wee not all one father c. Luk. 3.38 Which was the sonne of Adam which was the sâ—nne of God And in Esai 36. Christ is called the Father of eternitie because all that are truely knit to him and borne anew by him they are eternally made the sonnes of God Againe oftentimes it is giuen to the first person in Trinitie as in those places where one person is conferred with another And so in this place principally for some speciall respects this title agrees to the first person For first he is the father of Christ as he is the eternall word of the father and that by nature because he is of the same essence with him Secondly he is the father to Christ in respect of his manhood not by nature or adoption but by personall vnion because the humane nature doth subsist in the person of the word Thirdly he is a father to all the faithfull by adoption in Christ. 2. Quest. Whether are we to praie to the sonne and the holy Ghost as to the Father Ans. Inuocation belongs to al the three persons in Trinitie not only to the Father Act. 7.59 Steuen praieth Lord Iesus receiue my spirit 1. Thâ—s 3.2 Now God our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ guide our iourney vnto you 2. Cor. 13.13 The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ the loue of God and the communion of the holy ghost be with you And men are baptized in the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost that is by calling on the name of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Some may say this praier is a perfect platforme of all praiers yet we are taught to direct our praiers to the Father not to the Sonne or holy spirit I answere the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are three distinct persons yet they are not to be seuered or deuided because they all subsist in one and the same godhead or diuine nature And further in all outward actions as in the creation and preseruation of the world and the saluation of the elect they are not seuered or diuided for they all worke togither onely they are distinguished in the manner of working Nowe if they be not diuided in nature or operation then they are not to be seuered in worship And in this place wee principally direct our praiers to the father because he is the first in order yet so as then we implie the Sonne and holy Ghost For we pray to the Father in the name of the Sonne by the assistance of the holy Ghost And to what person soeuer the praier is directed we must alwaies remember in minde and heart to include the rest 2. The vse TThe vses of this point are manifold 1. First whereas we are taught to come to God as to a father therefore in the name of his Sonne our Sauiour Christ we learne to lay the first ground of all our praiers which is to hold and maintaine the vnion the distinction of the three persons in Trinitie This beeing the lowest and the first foundation of praier it is requisite that all which would pray aright should haue this knowledge rightly to beleeue the Trinitie and to know how the three persons agree and how
nature namely as he is the Word Now the Word is middle betwixt the Father and the faithfull I. In regard of order because the Word was begotten of the Father and by it we haue accesse vnto the Father This subordination which is of the Sonne to the Father is not in the diuine essence seuerally and distinctly considered but in the relation or manner of hauing the essence And after this manner those things which are subordinate cannot be vnequall if they haue one and the same singular essence II. In regard of his office the which beeing imposed on him by his Father he did willingly vndergoe and of his owne accord Christ doth exercise this office according to both natures vnited in one person and according to each nature distinct one from the other For in reconciling God and man together the flesh performeth some things distinctly and the Word other things distinctly Againe some other things are done not by the Word or flesh alone but by both together This office is so appropriate to Christ that neither in whole or in part can it be translated to any other Hebr. 7.24 This man because he endureth for euer hath an euerlasting priesthood or a priesthood that cannot passe from one to another Therfore Christ as he is God hath vnder him Emperours Kings Princes to be his Vicegerents who therefore are called Gods Psal. 82.1 But as he is Mediator that is a Priest a Prophet King of the Church he hath no Vicegerent Vicar or Lieuetenant who in his either Kingly or Priestly office in both or but one can be in his stead Christs office is threefold Priestly Propheticall Regall Psal. 110.1,2,3,4 Esai 42.1 Christs Priesthood is an office of his wherby he performed all those things to God whereby is obtained eternall life Heb. 5.9 And being consecrate was made the author of eternall saluation vnto all them that obey him and is called of God an high Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec Chap. 7. 24,25 This man because he endureth for euer hath an euerlasting Priesthood wherefore he is able also perfectly to saue all them that come vnto God by him His Priesthood consisteth of two parts Satisfaction and Intercession Satisfaction is that whereby Christ is a full propitiation to his Father for the Elect. Iob. 23.23 If there be a messenger with him or an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnes then will he haue mercie vpon him and will say Deliuer him that he goe not downe into the pit for I haue found a reconciliation Rom. 3.24 And are iustisied freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus v. 25. Whome God hath set forth to be a reconciliation thorough faith in his blood 1. Ioh. 2. 2. He is a propitiation for our sinnes Christ satisfied Gods anger for mans offence according to his humanitie by performing perfect obedience to the will of God according to his Deitie by ministring such especiall dignitie to his perfect obedience as was both full of merit and efficacie before God for the saluation of the Elect. Ioh. 17.19 For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe that they also may be sanctified through the truth Act. 20.28 To feed the flocke of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood 2. Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ and reconciled the world to himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them Satisfaction comprehendeth his passion and fulfilling the Law His passion is the first part of satisfaction by which he hauing vndergone the punishment of sinne satisfied Gods iustice and appeased his anger for the sinnes of the faithfull His passion was on this manner Somewhat before his death partly feare arising from the sense of Gods wrath imminent vpon him partly griefe possessing as it were each part of him so disturbed his sacred minde that inwardly for a while it stroke into him a strange kinde of astonishment or rather obliuion of his dutie imposed vpon him and outwardly made him pray vnto his Father if he would to remooue that cuppe from him the which he did expresse with no small crie many teares and a bloody sweate trickling from his bodie vnto the ground But when he came againe vnto himselfe he freely yeelded himselfe vnto his Father to satisfie vpon the crosse for the transgression of man After this his agonie was ouerpassed by Iudas his treacherie Christ is apprehended and first he is brought to Annas after to Caiaphas where Peter denieth him from Caiaphas is he lead bound to Pilate Pilate posteth him ouer to Herod he transposteth him backe againe to Pilate who acknowledgeth his innocencie and yet condemneth him as an offender This innocent thus condemned is pitifully scourged crowned with thornes scoffed spitted at spitefully adiudged to the death of the crosse on which his hands and feete are fastened with nayles Here staied not his passions but after all these he became accursed to God the Father that is God poured vpon him beeing thus innocent such a sea of his wrath as was equiualent to the sinnes of the whole world He now beeing vnder this curse through the sense and feeling of this straunge terrour complaineth to his Father that he is forsaken who notwithstanding encountring then with Satan and his Angels did vtterly vanquish and ouercome them When this was ended his heart was pierced with a speare till the bloode gushed out from his sides and he gaue vp the ghost and commended his spirit to his Fathers protection the which immediately went into Paradise His bodie whereof not one bone was broken was buried and three daies was ignominiously captiuated of death In this description of Christs passion we may note fiue circumstances especially I. His Agonie namely a vehement anguish arising vpon the conflict of two contrarie desires in him The first was to be obedient to his Father The second to auoid the horror of death Luk. 22.44 Beeing in an agonie be prayed more earnestly and his sweate was like droppes of blood trickling downe to the groūd Hebr. 5.7 In the daies of his flesh did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared II. His Sacrifice which is an action of Christs offering himselfe to God the Father as a ransome for the sinnes of the Elect. Hebr. 9.26 Nowe in the ende of the world hath he appeared once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe In this sacrifice the oblation was Christ as he was man Heb. 10.10 By the which will we are sanctified euen by the offering of Iesus Christ once made The Altar also was Christ as he was God Heb. 13.10 We haue an Altar whereof they haue no authoritie to eate which serue in the Tabernacle Hebr. 9.14 How much more shall the bloode of Christ which through
In whome ye are also built togither to be the habitation of God by the spirit This albeit it be a most neere and reall vnion yet we must not thinke that it by touching mixture or as it were by souldring of one soule with another neither by a bare agreement of the soules among themselues but by the communion and operation of the same spirit which beeing by nature infinite is of sufficient abilitie to conioyne those things togither which are of themselues farre distant from each other the like we see in the soule of man which conioyneth the head with the foote Eph. 2.22 2. Pet. 1.4 Whereby most great and precious promises are giuen vnto vs that by them ye should be partakers of the godly nature in that ye flie the corruption which is in the world through lust Phil. 2.1 If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the spirit c. The things vnited In this vnion not our soule alone is vnited with Christs soule or our â—lesh with his flesh but the whole person of euery faithfull man is â—erely conioyned with the whol person of our Sauiour Christ God man The manner of their vnion is this A faithfull man first of all and immediatly is vnited to the flesh or humane nature of Christ afterward by reason of the humanitie to the Word it selfe or diuine nature For saluation and life dependeth on that fulnesse of the godhead which is in Christ yet it is not coÌ„municated vnto vs but in the flesh and by the flesh of Christ. Ioh. 6 5â— Except ye eate the flesh and drinke the blood of the Sonne of man ye haue no life in you 56. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him The bond of this vnion This vnion is made by the spirit of God applying Christ vnto vs and on our parts by faith receiuing Christ Iesus offered vnto vs. And for this cause is it tearmed a spirituall vnion Christ because he is the head of the faithfull is to be considered as a publike man sustaining the person of all the elect Hence is it that the faithfull are â—aid to be crucified with Christ and with him to die to be buried Rom. 6.4 5,6 to be quickened Eph. 2.5 to be raised vp and placed in heauen v. 6. Col. 3.1 the which is not onely in regard of the hope of the faithful but because they are accepted of God certainely to haue done all these things in Christ euen as in Adams first sinne all his posteritie afterward was tainted of sinne A member of Christ is diuersly distinguished and is so either before men or God Before meÌ„ they are the members of Christ who outwardly professing the faith are charitably reputed by the Church as true members But such deceiuing at length both themselues and the Church may be reprobates therefore in Gods presence they are no more true members then are the noxious humours in mans bodie or a woodden legge or other ioynt cunningly fastened to another part of the bodie Againe members before God they are such as either are decreed to be so or actually are so already Such as are decreed to be so are they who being elect from all eternitie are either as yet not borne or not called Ioh. 10. 16. Other sheepe haue I which are not of this fold them also must I bring Actuall members of Christ are either liuing or dying members An actuall liuing member of Christ is euery one elected which being engraffed by faith and the spirit into Christ doth feele and shewe forth the power of Christ in him An actuall dying or decaying member is euery one truely engraffed into Christ and yet hath no feeling of the power and efficacie of the quickening spirit in him He is like vnto a benummed legge without sense which indeede is a part of mans body and yet receiueth no nourishment such are those faithfull ones who for a time doe faint and are ouercome vnder the heauie burtheÌ„ of tentations and their sinnes such are also those excommunicate persons who in regard of their engraffing are true members howesoeuer in regard of the externall communion with the Church and efficacie of the spirit they are not members till such time as they being touched with repentance doe begin as it were to liue againe God executeth this effectuall calling by certaine meanes The first is the sauing hearing of the word of God which is when the said word outwardly is preached to such an one as is both dead in his sinnes and doth not so much as dreame of his saluation And first of all the Law shewing a man his sinne and the punishment thereof which is eternall death afterward the Gospel shewing saluation by Christ Iesus to such as beleeue And inwardly the eyes of the minde are enlightened the heart and eares opened that he may see heare and vnderstand the preaching of the word of God The second is the mollifying of the heart the which must be bruised in pieces that it may be fit to receiue Gods sauing grace offered vnto it Ezech. 11. 19. I will giue them one heart and I will put a new spirit within their bowels And I will take the stonie heart out of their bodies and will giue them an heart of flesh There are for the brusing of this stonie heart foure principal hammers The first is the knowledge of the law of God The second is the knowledge of sinne both originall and actuall and what punishment is due vnto them The third is compunction or pricking of the heart namely a sense and feeling of the wrath of God for the same sinnes The fourth is an holy desperation of a mans owne power in the obtaining of eternall life Act. 2.37 When they heard these things they were pricked in heart and said vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe 38. Peter said vnto them Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus into the remission of sinnes and ye shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Luk. 15.17 Then he came to himselfe and said How many hired seruants at my fathers haue bread ynough and I die for hunger 18. I will rise and goe to my father and say vnto him Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee 19. And am no more worthie to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruants c. Matth. 15. 24. He answered and said I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of Israel The third is faith which is a miraculous and supernaturall facultie of the heart apprehending Christ Iesus being applied by the operation of the holy Ghost and receiuing him to it selfe Ioh. 1.1,2,6.35 Iesus said vnto them I am the bread of life he that commeth vnto me shall neuer hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Rom. 9.30 What shall we
them plentie of his grace but also admits them into his glorious presence so as they may behold his maiestie face to face The fourth and last is that whereby the Godhead of the sonne is present and dwells with and in the manhood giuing vnto it in some part his owne subsistance Wherby it comes to passe that this manhood assumed is proper to the sonne and can not be the manhood of the Father or of the holy Ghost or of any creature whatsoeuer And this is a thing so admirable and so vnspeakable that among all the works of God there can not be found an other example hereof in all the world Hence it follows necessarily that the manhood of Christ consisting of bodie and reasonable soule is a nature onely and not a person because it doth not subsist alone as other men Peter Paul Iohn doe but wholly depends on the person of the word into the vnitie whereof it is receiued The third point is in what order the diuine and humane nature of Christ are vnited togither Ans. The common consent of Diuines is that albeit all the parts of the manhood and the godhead of Christ be vnited at one instant yet in respect of order he vnites vnto himselfe first and immediately the soule and by the soule the bodie And it seemes vnmeete that God beeing a most simple essence should immediately be ioyned to a compound bodie and therefore it may well be saide that he is vnited vnto it by the more simple part of man which is the soule Againe the manhood of Christ is first and immediately ioyned to the person of the sonne himselfe and by the person to the godhead of the sonne The fourth point is whether there remaine any difference or diuersitie of the two natures after that the vnion is made Answ. The two natures concurring make not the person of the sonne to be compounded properly but onely by analogie for as bodie and soule make one man so God and man make one Christ neither are they turned one into an other the godhead into the manhood or the manhood into the godhead as water was turned into wine at Cana in Galile neither are they confused and mingled togither as meates in the stomacke but they now are and so remaine without composition conuersion or confusion really distinct and that in three respects First in regard of essence For the godhead of Christ is the godhead and can not be the manhood and againe the manhood of Christ is the manhood and not the godhead Secondly they are distinguished in proprieties the godhead is most wise iust mercifull omnipotent yea wisdom iustice mercie and power it selfe and so is not the manhood neither can it be Againe Christ as he is God hath his will eternall and vncreated which is all one with the will of the father and the holy Ghost And as he is man he hath another will created in time placed in his reasonable soule this Christ signifieth when he saith Not my will but thy will be done Thirdly they are distinct in their actions or operations which though they goe togither inseparably in the worke of redemption yet they must in no wise be confounded but distinguished as the natures themselues are Christ saith of himselfe I haue power to lay downe my life and I haue power to take it vp againe and hereby he shewes the distinction of operations in his two natures For to lay downe his life is an action of the manhood because the Godhead can not die and to take it vp againe is the worke of the Godhead alone which reunites the soule to the bodie after death The fifth and last point is what ariseth of this vnion Ans. By reason of this hypostatical vnion though the godhead receiue nothing from the manhood yet the manhood it selfe which is assumed is thereby perfected and enriched with vnspeakable dignitie For first of all it is exalted aboue all creatures whatsoeuer euen angels themselues in that it hath subsistance in the second person in Trinitie Secondly togither with the godhead of the Sonne it is adored and worshipped with diuine honour as in like case the honour done to the King himselfe redoundes to the crowne on his head Thirdly by reason of this vnion the godhead of Christ workes all things in the matter of our redemption in and by the manhoode And hereupon the flesh of Christ though it profit nothing of it selfe yet by the vertue which it receiueth from that person to which it is ioyned it is quickning flesh and the bread of life Againe from this vnion of two natures into one person ariseth a kinde of speech or phrase peculiar to the Scriptures called the communication of proprieties when the propertie of one nature is attributed to the whole person or to the other nature as when Paul saith that God shed his blood that the Lord of glorie was crucified And when Christ saith that he talking with Nichodemus was then in heauen The vse of the personall vnion is threefold First it serues to shew the hainousnesse of our sinnes and the greatnesse of our miserie For it had not bene possible to make a satisfaction to Gods iustice in mans nature for the least offence vnlesse the same nature had first of all beene neerely ioyned to the godhead of the sonne that thereby it might be so farre forth supported and sustained that it might ouercome the wrath of God Secondly it sets forth vnto vs the endlesse loue of God to man For whereas by reason of Adams fall we were become the vilest of all creatures except the deuill and his angels by his mysticall coniunction our nature is exalted to such an estate and condition as is farre aboue all creatures euen the angels themselues Thirdly it is as it were the keye of all our comfort for all sound comfort stands in happines all happines is in fellowship with God all fellowship with God is by Christ who for this cause beeing very God became very man that he might reconcile man to God and God to man Thus much of the conception of Christ now followes his birth whereby in the ordinarie time of trauell according to the course of nature he was brought forth into the world by the virgin Marie And it was the will of God that Christ should not onely be conceiued but also borne and that after the manner of men that he might be knowne to be very man indeede In the birth we may consider foure things the time the place the manner the manifestation of it The time was in the last daies toward the end of the 70. weekes of Daniel which are to be accounted from the ende of the captiuitie of Babylon and make in all 490 yeares or more plainly 3900 yeares and more from the beginning of the world and as Paul saith in the fulnesse of time And the Euangelists haue noted of purpose the time to haue beene when Augustus Caesar taxed
waies first not as causes thereof either conuersant adiuvant or procreant but onely as consequents of faith in that they are inseparable companions and fruits of that faith which is indeede necessarie to saluation Secondly they are as necessarie as markes in a way and as the way it selfe directing vs vnto eternall life III. We hold and beleeue that the righteous man is in some sort iustified by works for so the holy Ghost speaketh plainely and truly Iam. 2.21 That Abraham was iustified by workes Thus farre we ioyne with them and the very difference is this They say we are iustified by workes as by causes thereof we say that we are iustified by workes as by signes and fruits of our iustification before God and no otherwise and in this sense must the place of S. Iames be vnderstood that Abraham was iustified that is declared and made manifest to be iust indeed by his obedience and that euen before God Now that our doctrine is the truth it will appeare by reasons on both parts Our reasons I. Rom. 3.28 We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law Some answer that ceremoniall workes be excluded here some that morall works some works going before faith But let them deuise what they can for themselues the truth is that Paul excludeth all works whatsoeuer as by the very text will appeare For v. 24. he saith We are iustified freely by his grace that is by the meere gift of God giuing vs to vnderstand that a sinner in his iustification is meerely passiue that is doing nothing on his part whereby God should accept him to life euerlasting And v. 27. he saith iustification by faith excludeth all boasting and therefore all kind of works are thereby excluded and specially such as are most of all the matter of boasting that is good workes For if a sinner after that he is iustified by the merit of Christ were iustified more by his owne workes then might he haue some matter of boasting in himselfe And that we may not doubt of Pauls meaning consider and read Eph. 2.8,9 By grace saith he you are saued tâ—rough faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should boast himselfe Here Paul excludes all and euery worke and directly workes of grace themselues as appeares by the reason following For we are his workemanshippe created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that weâ— should walke in them Nowe let the Papists tell me what bee the workes which God hath prepared for men to walke in and to which they are regenerate vnlesse they bee the most excellent workes of grace and let them marke howe Paul excludes them wholly from the worke of iustification and saluation II. Gal. 5.3 If ye be circumcised ye are bound to the whole lawe and ye are abolished from Christ. Here Paul disputeth against such men as would bee saued partly by Christ and partly by the workes of the lawe hence I reason thus If a man will be iustified by workes he is bound to fulfill the whole lawe according to the rigour thereof that is Pauls ground I nowe assume no man can fullfill the lawe according to the rigour thereof for the liues and workes of most righteous men are imperfect and stained with sinne and therefore they are taught euery day to say on this manner forgiue vs our debts Againe our knowledge is imperfect and therefore our faith repentance and sanctifiâ—atioÌ„ is answerable And lastly the regenerate man is partly flesh and partly spirit and therefore his best workes are partly from the flesh and in part onely spirituall Thus then for any man to bee bound to the rigour of the whole lawe is as much as if he were bound to his owne damnation III. Election to saluation is of grace without workes therefore the iustification of a sinner is of grace alone without workes For it is a certen rule that the cause of a cause is the cause of a thing caused Now grace without workes is the cause of election which election is the cause of our iustification therfore grace without workes is the cause of our iustification IV. A man must first be fully iustified before he can doe a good worke for the person must first please God before his works can please him But the person of a sinner cannot please God till he be perfectly iustified and therefore till hee be iustified he cannot doe so much as one good worke And thus good workes cannot be any meritorious causes of iustification after which they are both for time and order of nature In a word whereas they make two distinct iustifications we acknowledge that there be degrees of sanctification yet so as iustification is onely one standing in remission of sinnes and Gods acceptation of vs to life euerlasting by Christ and this iustification hath no degrees but is perfect at the very first Obiections of Papists Psal. 7.8 Iudge me according to my righteousnesse Hence they reason thus if Dauid be iudged according to his righteousnes then may he be iustified therby but Dauid desires to be iudged according to his righteousnes and therefore he was iustified thereby Ans. There be two kindes of righteousnesse one of the person the other of the cause or action The righteousnes of a mans person is whereby it is accepted into the fauour of God into life eternall The â—ighteousnes of the action or cause is when the action or cause is iudged of God to be good and iust Nowe Dauid in this psalme speaketh onely of the righteousnesse of the action or innocency of his cause in that he was falsely charged to haue sought the kingdome In like manner it is said of Phineas Psal. 166.31 that his fact in killing Zimri and Cosbie was imputed to him for righteousnes not because it was a satisfaction to the lawe the rigour whereof could not be fulfilled in that one worke but because God accepted of it as a iust worke and as a token of his righteousnes and zeale for Gods glorie II. Obiect The Scripture saith in sundrie places that men are blessed which doe good workes Psal. 119.1 Blessed is the man that is vpright in heart walketh in the lawe of the Lord. Ans. The man is blessed that indeauoureth to keep Gods commandements Yet is he not blessed simply because hee doth so but because he is in Christ by whome he doeth so and his obedience to the lawe of God is a signe thereof III. Obiect When man confesseth his sinnes and humbleth himselfe by praier and fasting Gods wrath is pacified and staied therefore praier and fasting are causes of iustification before God Answ. Indeede men that truely humble themselues by praier and fasting doe appease the wrath of God yet not properly by these actions but by their faith expressed and testified in theÌ„ whereby they apprehend that which appeaseth Gods wrath euen the merits of Christ in whome the
Sonne of God By this we may see that Christ is one onely Sonne of God not two yet in two respects is he one As he is the eternall Word hee is by nature the Son of the Father As he is man the same Sonne also yet not by nature or by adoption but only by personal vnion Luk. 1.35 Matth. 3.17 This is my beloued Son c. The phrase in Scripture agreeing to this Vnion is the communion of properties concerning which obserue two rules I. Of those things which are spoken or attributed to Christ some are only vnderstood of his diuine nature As that Ioh. 8.58 Before Abraham was I am And that Coloss. 1.15 Who is the image of the inuisible God the first borne of euery creature Some againe agree only to his humanitie as borne suffered dead buried c. Luk. 2.52 And Iesus increased in wisdome and stature and in fauour with God and man Lastly other things are vnderstood only of both natures vnited togither As Matth. 17.5 This is my beloued Son in whome onely I am well pleased heare him Eph. 1.22 He hath made subiect all things vnder his feete and hath appointed him ouer all things to be the head to the Church II. Some things are spoken of Christ as he is God which must be interpreted according to his humane nature Act. 20.28 To feed the Church of God that is Christ which he according to his manhood hath purchased with his own blood 1. Cor. 2.8 If they had knowne this they would neuer haue crucified the Lord of glory Contrarily some things are mentioned of Christ as he is man which onely are vnderstood of his diuine nature Ioh. 3.13 No man ascended vp to heauen but he that hath descended from heauen the sonne of man which is in heauen This is spoken of his manhood whereas we must vnderstand that onely his Deitie came downe from heauen Ioh. 6.62 What if ye should see the sonne of man vz. Christs humane nature ascend vp where hee vz. his Deitie was before Lastlie by reason of this Vnion Christ as he is man is exalted aboue euery name yea he is adored and hath such a great though not infinite measure of gifts as farre surpasse the gifts of all Saints and Angels Eph. 1.21 And set him at his right hand in heauenly places â—â—â—re aboue all principalitie and power and might and domination and euery name that is named not in this world onely but in that also that is to come Heb. 1.6 When he bringeth his first begotten Sonne into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Col. 2.3 In whome all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hidden Phil. 2.9 10. Therefore god exalted him on hie gaue him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow namely worship and be subiect to him both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth CHAP. 17. Of the distinction of both Natures THe distinction of both Natures is that whereby they with their properties and effects remaine without composition mingling or conuersion distinct Ioh. 10.17,18 Therefore doth my Father loue me because I lay downe my life that I may take it againe No man taketh it from me but I lay it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and haue power to take it againe Ioh. 13.31 32. Now is the Son of man glorified God is glorified in him If God be glorified in him God shall also glorifie him in himselfe Here we may obserue that there is one will in Christ as God another as man Matth. 26.39 Not as I will but as thou wilt This also approoueth that sentence of the Chalcedon Creede Wee confesse that one and the same Christ Iesus both Sonne Lord only begotteÌ„ is known and preached to be in two natures without confusion mutation distinction or separation Lastly hereby it is manifest that Christ when he became that which he was not namely man continued still that which he was very God CHAP. 18. Of Christs Natiuitie and Office THus much concerning Christs incarnation the cleere declaration thereof was by his natiuitie The natiuity of Christ is that wherby Mary a Virgin did after the course of nature and the custome of women bring forth Christ that Word of the father and the Son of Dauid so that those are much deceiued which are of opinion that Christ after a miraculous maner came into the world the wombe of the Virgin beeing shut Luk. 2.23 Euery man child which first openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord. The which place of scripture is applyed to Mary our Sauiour Christ. Hence is it that the Virgin Marie is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring forth god albeit she is not any way mother of the Godhead For Christ as hee is God is without mother and as man without Father It is conuenient to be thought that Mary continued a Virgin vntill her dying day albeit we make not this opinion any article of our beleefe I. Christ beeing now to depart the world committed his mother to the tuition and custodie of his disciple Iohn which it is like he would not haue done if shee had had any children by whom as custome was shee might haue beene prouided for Ioh. 19. 26. II. It is likely that shee who was with childe by the holy Ghost would not after know any man III. It is agreed of by the Church in all ages Christ beeing now borne was circumcised the eight day that he might fulfill all the righteousnes of the law and bâ—â—â—g thirtie yeares of age he was baptized that he beeing publiquely and solemnly inuested into the office of his Mediatorship might take vpon him the guilt of our sinnes He was both circumcised and baptized that we might learne I. That the whole efficacie of the Sacraments depend alone and wholly vpon him II. That he was Mediatour of mankind both before and after the Law as also vnder grace III. That he is the knot and bond of both couenants His Office followeth to the perfect accomplishing whereof he was annointed of his Father that is he was sufficiently furnished both with gifts and authoritie Hebr. 1.9 Therefore God euen thy God annointed thee with the oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Esa. 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord was vpon me therfore be annointed me Ioh. 3.34 God giueth him not the Spirit by measure If any man inforce this as a reason that Christ could not performe the Office of a Mediatour beeing not the meane or middle betwixt God and man but the partie offended so one of the extreames we must know that Christ is two waies said to be the middle or meane I. Betwixt God and all men for being both God and man he doth participate with both extreames II. Betwixt God and the faithfull onely first according to his humanitie whereby he receiued the Spirit without measure Secondly according to his diuine
the eternall spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God Hence it is that Christ is saide to sanctifie himselfe as he is man Ioh. 17.19 For their sakes sanctifiâ— I my selfe Math. 23.17 As the altar the gift and the temple the gold Math. 23.17 Christ is the Priest as he is God and man Heb. 5.6 Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec 1. Tim. 2.5,6 One Mediatour betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men to be a testimonie in due time III. God the fathers acceptation of that his sacrifice in which he was wel pleased For had it beene that God had not allowed of it Christs suffering had beene in vaine Matth. 3.17 This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased Eph. 5.1 Euen as Christ loued vs and gaue himselfe for vs to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God IV. Imputation of mans sinne to Christ whereby his Father accounted him as a transgressour hauing translated the burden of mans sinnes to his shoulders Esai 53. 4. He hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes yet we did iudge him as plagued and smitten of God and humbled But he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities c. and v. 12. He was counted with the transgressours and he bare the sinnes of many 2. Cor. 5.21 He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him V. His wonderfull humiliation consisting of two parts I. In that he made himselfe of small or no reputation in respect of his Deitie Philip. 2.7,8 He made himselfe of no reputation c. he humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse We may not thinke that this debasing of Christ came because his diuine nature was either wasted or weakened but because his Deitie did as it were lay aside and conceale his power and maiestie for a season And as Irenaeus saith The Word rested that the humane nature might be crucified and dead II. In that he became execrable which is by the law accursed for vs. Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that remaineth not in all things written in the booke of the Law to doe them This accursednesse is either inward or outward Inward is the sense of Gods fearefull anger vpon the crosse Revel 19. 15. He it is that treadeth the winepresse of the fiercenes and wrath of Almightie God Esai 53.5 He is grieued for our transgressions the chastisment of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we were healed This appeared by those droppes of bloode which issued from him by his cryings to his Father vpon the crosse and by sending of Angels to comfort him Hence was it that he so much feared death which many Martyrs entertained most willingly His outward accursednes standeth in three degrees I. Death vpon the crosse which was not imaginarie but true because blood and water issued froÌ„ his heart For seeing that water and blood gushed forth together it is very like the casket or coate which inuesteth the heart called Pericardion was pierced As Columbus obserueth in his Anatomie 7. booke Ioh. 19â—4 His death was necessarie that he might confirme to vs the Testament or Couenant of grace promised for our sakes Heb. 19.15,16 For this cause is he the Mediator of the new Testament that through death c. they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance for where a testament is there must be the death of him that made the testament c. ver 17. II. Buriall to ratifie the certentie of his death III. Descension into hell which we must not vnderstand that he went locally into the place of the damned but that for the time of his abode in the graue he was vnder the ignominious dominion of death Act. 2.24 Whome God hath raised vp and loosed the sorrowes of death because it was vnpossible that he should be holden of it Ephes. 4.9 In that he ascended vvhat vvas it but that he also he descended first into the lowest part of the earth It was necessarie that Christ should be captiuated of death that he might abolish the sting that is the power thereof 1. Cor. 15. 55. O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie Thus we haue heard of Christs maruelous passion whereby he hath abolished both the first and second death due vnto vs for our sinnes the which as we may further obserue is a perfect ransom for the sinnes of all and euery one of the Elect. 1. Tim. 2.6 Who gaue himself a ransome for all men For it was more that Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God yea God himselfe for a small while should beare the curse of the Law then if the whole world should haue suffered eternall punishment This also is worthie our meditation that then a man is wel grounded in the doctrine of Christs passion when his heart ceaseth to sinne is pricked with the griefe of those sinnes whereby as with speares he pierced the side of the immaculate lambe of God 1. Ioh. 3.6 Who so sinneth neither hath seene him nor knowne him Zach. 12.10 And they shall looke vpon him whome they haue pierced and they shall lament for him as one lamenteth for his onely sonne and be sorie for him as one is sorie for his first borne After Christs passion followeth the fulfilling of the Law by which he satisfied Gods iustice in fulfilling the whole Law Rom. 8. 3,4 God sent his owne Sonne that the righteousnes of the Law might be fulfilled by vs. He fulfilled the Law partly by the holines of his humane nature and partly by obedience in the works of the Law Rom. 8.2 The Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death Matth. 3. 15. It becommeth vs to fulsill all righteousnes c. Ioh. 17.19 Now succeedeth the second part of Christs priesthood namely intercession whereby Christ is an Aduocate and intreater of God the Father for the faithfull Rom. 8.34 Christ is at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. Christs intercession is directed immediately to God the Father 1. Ioh. 2.1 If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ the iust Now as the Father is first of the Trinitie in order so if he be appeased the Sonne and the holy Ghost are appeased also For there is one and the same agreement and will of all the persons of the Trinitie Christ maketh intercession according to both natures First according to his humanitie partly by appearing before his Father in heauen partly by desiring the saluation of the Elect. Hebr. 9.24 Christ is entred into very heauen to appeare now in the sight of God for vs. and chap. 7. 25.
is expressed in the morall law The Morall Law is that part of Gods word which commandeth perfect obedience vnto man as well â—n his nature as in his actions and forbiddeth the contrarie Rom. 10.5 Moses thus describeth the righteousnes which is of the Law that the man which doth these things shall liue thereby 1. Tim. 1.5 The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and faith vnfained Luk. 16.27 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength Rom. 7. We know that the law is spirituall The Law hath two parts The Edict commanding obedience and the condition binding to obedience The condition is eternall life to such as fulfill the law but to transgressours euerlasting death The Decalogue or ten Commandements is an abridgement of the whole Law and the couenant of workes Exod. 34.27 And the Lord said vnto Moses Write thou these words for after the tenour of these words I haue made a covenant with thee and with Israel And was there with the Lord fourtie daies and fourtie nights and did neither eate bread nor drinke water and he wrote in the Tables the words of the covenant euen the tenne Commandements 1. King 8.9 Nothing was in the Arke saue the two Tables of stone which Moses had put there at Horeb where the Lord made a couenant with the children of Israel when he brought them out of the land of Egypt Matth. 22.40 On these two commandements hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets The true interpretation of the Decalogue must be according to these rules I. In the negatiue the affirmatiue must be vnderstood and in the affirmatiue the negatiue II. The negatiue bindeth at all times and to all times and the affirmatiue bindeth at all times but not to all times and therefore negatiues are of more force III. Vnder one vice expressely forbidden are comprehended all of that kind yea the least cause occasion or entisement thereto is as well forbidden as that 1. Ioh. 3.15 Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a manslayer Matth. 5.21 to the ende Euill thoughts are condemned as well as euill actions IV. The smallest sinnes are entituled with the same names that that sinne is which is expressely forbidden in that commandement to which they appertaine As in the former places hatred is named murther and to looke after a woman with a lusting eye is adulterie V. We must vnderstand euery commandement of the law so as that we annex this condition vnlesse God command the contrarie For God being an absolute Lord and so aboue the law may command that which his law forbiddeth so he commanded Isaac to be offered the Egyptians to be spoiled the brasen Serpent to be erected which was a figure of Christ c. The Decalogue is described in two Tables The summe of the first Table is that we loue God with our mind memorie affections and all our strength Matth. 22. 37. This is the first to wit in nature and order and great commandement namely in excellencie and dignitie CHAP. 20. Of the first commandement THe first table hath foure commandements The first teacheth vs to haue and choose the true God for our God The words are these I am Iehouah thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue none other God but me The Resolution I am If any man rather iudge that these words are a preface to al the commandements then a part of the first I hinder him not neuerthelesse it is like that they are a perswasion to the keeping of the first commandement that they are set before it to make way vnto it as being more hard to be receiued then the rest And this may appeare in that the three commandements next following haue their seuerall reasons Iehouah This word signifieth three things I. Him who of himselfe and in himselfe was from all eternitie Reuel 1.8 Who is who was and who is to come II. Him which giueth being to all things when they were not partly by creating partly by preseruing them III. Him which mightily causeth that those things which he hath promised should both be made and continued Exod. 6.1 Rom. 4. 17. Here beginneth the first reason of the first commandement taken from the name of God it is thus framed He that is Iehouah must alone be thy God But I am Iehouah Therefore I alone must be thy God This proposition is wanting the assumption is in these words I am Iehouah the conclusion is the commandement Thy God These are the words of the couenant of grace Ier. 32.33 wherby the Lord promiseth to his people remission of sinnes and eternall life Yea these words are as a second reason of the commandements drawne from the equalitie of that relation which is betweene God and his people If I be thy God thou againe must be my people and take me alone for thy God But I am thy God Therefore thou must be my people and take me alone for thy God The assumption or second part of this reason is confirmed by an argumeÌ„t taken from Gods effects when he deliuered his people out of Egypt as it were from the seruitude of a most tyrannous master This deliuerie was not appropriate onely to the Israelites but in some sort to the Church of God in all ages in that it was a typâ—â—f a more surpassing deliuerie from that fearefull kingdome of darkenes 1. Cor. 10.1,2 I would not haue you ignorant brethren that all our Fathers were vnder the cloude and all passed through the red sea and were all baptized vnto Moses in the cloude and in the sea Coloss. 1.13 Who hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare sonne Other Gods or strange gods They are so called not that they by nature are such or can be but because the corrupt and more then diuelish heart of carnall man esteemeth so of them Phil. 3.19 Whose God is their bellie 1. Cor. 4.4 Whose mindes the God of this world hath bewitched Before my face That is figuratiuely in my sight or presence to whom the secret imaginations of the heart are knowne and this is the third reason of the first commandement as if he should say If thou in my presence reiect me it is an heinous offence see therfore thou doe it not After the same manner reasoneth the Lord. Gen. 17.1 I am God almightie therefore walke vpright The affirmatiue part Make choice of Iehouah to be thy God The duties here commanded are these I. To acknowledge God that is to know and confesse him to bee such a God as he hath reuealed himselfe to be in his worde and creatures Col. 1.10 Increasing in the knowledge of God Ierem. 24. 7. And I will giue them an heart to know me that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they
shall return vnto me with their whole heart In this knowledge of God must we glorie Ierem. 9.24 Let him that glorieth glory in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me for I am the Lord which shew mercie iudgement and righteousnes in the earth II. An vnion with God whereby man is knit in heart with God Iosh. 23. 8. Sticke fast vnto the Lord your God as yee haue done vnto this day Act. 11.23 He exhorted all that with purpose of heart they would cleaue to the Lord. Man cleaueth vnto God three manner of waies in affiance in loue and feare of God Affiance is that whereby a man acknowledging the power and mercie of God and in him against all assaults whatsoeuer doth stedfastly rest himselfe 2. Chro. 20.20 Put your trust in the Lord your God and ye shall be assured beleeue his Prophets and ye shal prosper Psal. 27.1 God is my light and my saluation whome should I feare God is the strength of my life of whom should I be afraid v. 3. Though an hoast pitched against me mine heart should not be afraide though warre be raised against me I will be secure Hence riseth patience and alacritie in present perils Psal. 39.19 I should haue beene dumb and not opened my mouth because thou didst it 2. Sam. 16.10 the King said What haue I to doe with you ye sonnes of Zeruiah If he cursed because the Lord said Curse Dauid what is he that dare say Why doest thou so Gen. 45.5 Be not sad neither grieued with your selues that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you for your preseruatiō v. 8. Now then you sent me not but god himselfe 2. King 6.16 Feare not for they that be with vs are moe thē they that be with thē This affiance engendreth hope which is a patient expectatiō of Gods presence assistance in all things that are to come Psal. 37.5 Cōmit thy way vnto the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe vers 7. Waite patiently vpon the Lord and hope in him Prou. 16.3 Commit thy worke vnto the Lord and thy thoughts shall be directed The loue of God is that wherby man acknowledging Gods goodnes and fauour towards him doth againe loue him aboue all things Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength The marks of the true loue of God are these I. To heare willingly his word II. To speake often to him III. To thinke often of him IV. To do his will without irkesomnes V. To giue bodie and all for his cause VI. To desire his presence aboue all to bewaile his absence VII To embrace al such things as appertaine to him VIII To loue and hate that which he loueth and hateth IX In all things to seeke to please him X. To draw others vnto the loue of him XI To esteeme highly of such gifts and graces as he bestoweth XII To stay our selues vpon his counsels reuealed in his word Lastly to call vpon his name with affiance The feare of God is that whereby man acknowledging Gods both mercy and iustice doth as it were a capital crime feare to displease God Psal. 103. 3. With thee is mercie that thou maist be feared Habak 3.16 When I heard it my belly trembled my lips shooke at the voice rottennes entred into my bones I trembled in my selfe that I might rest in the day of trouble when he commeth vp against the people to destroy them Psal. 4.4 Tremble and sinne not Hence ariseth the godly mans desire to approoue himselfe in all things to his God Gen. 5.22 And Henoch walked with God after that c. Gen. 17. 1. God said to him I am al-sufficient walke before me and be thou perfect Out of these three former vertues proceedeth humilitie whereby a man acknowledging Gods free bountie and prostrating himselfe before him doth ascribe vnto him all praise and glorie 1. Cor. 1.31 Let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord. 1. Pet. 5.5 Decke your selues inwardly with lowlinesse of mind for God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble v. 6. Humble your selues therefore vnder the mightie hand of God that he may exalt you in due time 1. Chro. 29. 10,11 And Dauid sayd Blessed be thou O Lord God of Israel our father for euer and thine O Lorde is greatnes and power and glorie and victorie and praise for all that is in heauen and in earth is thine c. and v. 14. But who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer willingly on this sort for all things come of thee and of thine owne hand we haue giuen thee c. The negatiue part Account not that as God which is by nature no God In this place are these sinnes forbidden I. Ignorance of the true God and his will which is not only not to know but also to doubt of such things as God hath reuealed in his word Ierem. 4. 22. My people is foolish they haue not known me they are foolish children and haue none vnderstanding they are wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knoweledge Ierem. 9.3 They proceede from euill to worse and haue not knowne me saith the Lord. II. Atheisme when the heart denieth either God or his attributes as his Iustice Wisdome Prouidence Presence Psal. 14. 1. The foole hath said in his heart there is no God Eph. 2. 12. Ye had no hope and were without God in the world Malach. 1.2 I loue you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein haue we spoken against thee v. 14. Ye haue said it is in vaine to serue God what profit is it that we haue kept his commandements and that we walked humbly before the Lord of hosts III. Errours concerning God the persons of the Deitie or the attributs Heere is it to be reprooued Hellenisme which is the acknowledging adoring of a multiplicitie of Gods August in his 6. booke of the Citie of God chap. 7. Againe Iudaisme is here condemned which worshippeth one God without Christ. The like may be said of the heresies of the Maniches and Marcian who denie God the Father of Sabellius denying the distinction of three persons and Arrius who saith that Christ the Sonne of God is not very God IV. To withdraw and remooue the affections of the heart from the lord and set them vpon other things Esay 29.13 The Lord said this people draweth neere me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but their heart is farre from me Ierem. 12.2 Thou art neere in their mouth and farre from their reynes The heart is many waies withdrawne from God I. By distrust in God Heb. 10.38 The iust shall liue by faith but if any withdraw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him From this diffidence arise I. Impatience in suffering afflictions Ierem. 20. 14. Cursed be the day wherein I was borne and let not the
before was not at all but rather by moouing transporting and applying natural things diuersly by causing a thinne body as the ayre to be thick and foggie also by bewitching the senses of men The foundation of Magique is a couenant with Satan A couenant with Satan is such a contract by which Magitians haue mutually to doe with the diuell In this obserue The originall of this mutuall contract I. Satan maketh choice of such men to be his seruants as are by nature either notorious badde persons or very sillie soules II. He offereth vnto them diuers meanes either by other Magitians or by some bookes written by such Satanicall meanes I call those which are vsed in the producing of such an effect to the which they neither by any expresse rule out of Gods word nor of their owne nature were euer ordained Such are concealed speeches wordes of the Scripture wrested and abused to the great contumelie and disgrace of the Lord God holy or rather vnholy water sieues seales glasses images bowings of the knee and such like diuers gestures III. When the wicked see these meanes offered vnto them they presently are not a little glad and assuredly beleeue that in those things there is vertue to worke wonders by IV. They declare this their satanicall confidence by their earnest desire practising and abusing the meanes V. Then the diuell is at their elbowes being thus affected that he may both assist them in them shew diuers trickes of his legerdemaine because he alone doth by meanes voide of all such vertue effect that which his wicked instrument intended Againe obserue Satans counterfeiting of God He is Gods Ape taketh vpon him as though he were God I. As God hath his word his Sacraments and faith due vnto hâ—mâ— so hath the diuell his Word and to seale it vnto the wicked he annexeth certaine signes namely characters gestures sacrifices c. as it were sacraments that both he may signfie his diuellish pleasure to his Magitians and they againe may testifie their satanicall both obedience and confidence to him IIâ— As God heareth such as call vpon trust in and obey him so the diuell is greatly delighted with magicall ceremonies and invocations because by them God is dishonoured and he magnified therefore if God cut him not short he is readie prest to assist such as shall vse such ceremonies or inuocations The couenant is either Secret or Expresse Secret or implicite when one doth not expresly compact with Satan yet in his heart aloweth of his meanes assuredly and vpon knowledge beleeuing that if such means were vsed there might indeed that great woÌ„der be wrought which he desired Expresse when one doth not onely put his confidence in Satan but couenanteth with him vpon conditions that he giuing himselfe wholly ouer to the diuell may againe by obseruing certaine ceremonies accomplish his desire Magique is either coniecturall or operatiue Coniecturall whereby things are by Satans direction prophesied of before Of prophesies some are done with meanes others without Prophesies done with meanes are these I. Soothsaying diuination by the flying of birds Deut. 18.11 II. The kind of diuination which is by looking into beasts entrals Ezech. 21.21 The king of Babel c consulted with idols and looked in the liuer III. Necromancie or coniuring by which the diuel in the forme of some dead man is sought vnto for counsell 1. Sam. 28. 11. Then said the woman Whome wilt thou I call vp vnto thee And â—e said Call vp Samuel vnto me vers 13. Then said he vnto her Feare not but what sawest thou And the woman saide vnto Saul I saw gods ascending out of the earth v. 14. Then said he vnto her What fashion is he of and she answered An old man commeth vp lapped in a mantle And Saul knewe that it was Samuel and he enclined his face to the ground and bowed himselfe And Samuel said to Saul why hast thou disquieted me to bring me vp TheÌ„ Saul answered I am in great distresse for the Philistiâ—â—s make warre against me c. This Samuel was not that true Prophet of God who annointed Saul King ouer Israel for 1. the soules of the Saints departed are farre from the diuels clawes and dominion 2. That good Samuel if it had beene he indeed would neuer haue permitted Saul to worship him 3. He faith to wicked Saul To morrow shalt thou be with me v. 14. Neither could this be a bare illusion and as I may say legerdemeine of the witch for he plainely foretolde Sauls destruction which an ignorant woman could not knowe much lesse durst she constantly auouch any such matter to the king It remaineth then that this Samuel was a meere illusion of Satan Diuining without meanes is when such as are possessed with an vncleane spirit vse immediatly the helpe of the same spirit to reueale secrets Act. 16. 16. A certaine maide hauing a spirit of diuination met vs which gate her master much vantage with diuining Esay 94.4 Thy voice shall be out of the grounde like him that hath a spirit of diuination and thy talking shall whisper out of the dust Magique operatiue hath two parts Iuggling and Inchantments Iuggling whereby through the diuels conueiance many great and very hard matters are in shew effected Exod. 7.10.11,12 Aaron cast forth his rod before Pharaoh and before his seruants and it was turned into a serpent then Pharaoh called also for the wise men and sorcerers and those charmers also of Egypt did in like manner with their enchantments for they cast downe euery man his rod and they were turned into serpents but Aarons rodde deuoured their rod. Enchantment or charming is that wherby beasts but especially yong children men of riper yeares are by Gods permission infected poisoned hurt bounden killed and otherwise molested or contrarily sometimes cured of Satan by mumbling vp some fewe wordes making certaine characters figures framing circles hanging amulets about the necke or other parts by hearbes medicines and such like trumperie that thereby the punishment of the faithles may be augmented in reposing their strength vpon such rotten staues and the faithfull may be tried whether they will commit the like abomination Psal. 18.4 Their poison is euen like the poison of a serpent like the deafe adder that stoppeth his eare which heare not the voice of the enchanter though he be most expert in charming Eccles. 10. 11. If the serpent bite when he is not charmed c. Thus haue we heard Magique described out of gods word the which how as yet common it is in those especially which are without God in the worlde whome Satan by all meanes strongly deludeth the lamentable experience which many men and most places haue thereof can sufficiently proue vnto vs. And surely if a man will but take a view of all poperie he shall easily see that the most part is meere Magique They which spread abroad by their writing or othewise that witches are nothing els but melancholike
the number of the yeres after the Iubilee thou shalt buie of thy neighbour Also according to the number of yeeres of thy reuenues he shall sell vnto thee â—6 According to the number of yeeres thou shalt increase the price thereof and according to the fewnesse of yeeres thou shalt abate the price of it for the number of fruits doth he sell vnto thee II. They must be squared according to the law of nature the summe whereof Christ propoundeth in these words Whatsoeuer ye would that men should doe to you doe the same vnto them III. The bonde of nature must be kept which bindeth him that receiueth a benefit and maketh a lawfull gaine of another mans goods that he beeing once enriched shall make a proportionable and naturall recompence euen aboue the principall IV. Men must communicate and make vse of their goods with that cauent which Paul giueth 2. Cor. 8.13 not so to bestow them as that others may be eased and they grieued or contrariwise II. Men must make â—ale of such things as are in their kinde substantiall and profitable III. They must vse iust waights and measures Deut. 25.13 Thou shalt not haue in thy bagge two manner of waights a great and a small but thou shalâ— haue a right and iust waight a perfect and iust measure shalt thou haue Ezech. 55.10 Ye shall haue iust ballances a true Ephah and a true Bath Mich. 6.11 Shall I iustifie the wicked ballances and the bagge of deceitfull waights IV. He that hireth any thing must not onely pay the appointed hire but make that which he hired good if ought but good come vnto it by his default Exod. 22.14,15 If a man borrow any thing of his neighbour and it be hurt he shall surely make it good c. V. The pledge or pawne ought to be redeemed and if it be of important necessitie as that which preserueth the life of our neighbour it must be restored to him in continently Exod. 22. 26. If thou take thy neighbours rayment to pledgeâ— thou shalt restore it againe before the sunne goe downe for that is his couering onely Deut. 24.6 No man shall take the neather or vpper milstone to pledgeâ— for this gage is his liuing Neither may a man in a pledge be his owne caruer but he must take such an one as is offered Deut. 34 1â— When thou shalt aske againe of thy neighbour any thing lent thou shalt not goe into his house to fetch his pledge 11. But thou shalt stand without and the man that borrowed it of thee shall bring the pledge out of the doores vnto thee 12. Furthermore if it be a poore bodie thou shalt not slâ—epe with his pledge 13. But shalâ— restore him the pledge c. VI. To become surety only for men that are honest very well known and that warily with much deliberation Prou. 11. 15. He shall be sore vexed that is suretie for a straunger And he that hateth suretiship is sure Prouerb 17. 18. A man destitute of vnderstanding toucheth the hand and becommeth suretie for his neighbour Prou. 22. 26. But if it be so that a man hath intangled himselfe by suretiship the best way is to craue his creditours fauour by his owne humble suit and the instant request of his friends Prou. 6. 1. My sonne if thou be suretie for thy neighbour and hast stricken hands with the straunger 2. Thou art snared with the words of thine owne mouth 3. Doe this now my sonne and deliuer thy selfe seeing thou art come into the hand of thy neighbour goe and humble thy selfe and sollicite thy friends 4. Giue no sleepe to thine eyes nor slumber to thine eye liddes 5. Deliuer thy selfe as a Doe from the hand of the hunter and as a bird from the hand of the fouler VII All iust couenants and promises though they be to our hindrance must be performed For a promise doth binde if it be lawfull so farre forth as he will vnto whome we make the promise Psal. 15. 4. Which sweareth to his hurt and changeth not Prou. 25.14 A man that boasteth and keepeth not promise is like cloudes and winde without raine Iudg. 1.24 The spies saw a man come out of the citie and they said vnto him Shew vs we pray thee the way into the citie and we will shew thee mercie 25. And when he had shewed them the way into the citie they smote the citie with the edge of the sword but they let the man and all his houshold depart Therefore if after promise made he either see that he shall be endamaged thereby or hindred in the performance of his promise he may craue release and if it be granted accept of it VIII To lend that we doe freely Luk. 6.35 Lende looking for nothing againe and your reward shal be great And when we borrow we must be carefull to make restitution euen if neede be with the sale of our owne goods 2. King 4.2 3 4 5 6 7. Here the wife of the sonnes of the Prophets selleth her oyle which God sent by the hand of Elisha to pay her creditour IX To restore that which is committed to our custodie without delay Math. 21.41 He wil destroy the euill husbandmen let out his vineyard to others which shall deliuer him the fruits in their season Prouerb 3.28 But if such a thing be lost not by our default we are not vrged to repay it Exod. 22.7 If a man deliuer his neighbour money or stuffe to keepe and it be stollen out of his house if the theefe be found he shall pay the double 8. If the theefe be not found then the master of the house shall be brought before the Iudges to sweare whether he haue put his hand to his neighbours goods or no. X. That which a man findeth is to be kept in his owne hand if the true owner cannot be heard of but if he be he must restore it Deut. 22.1 Thou shalt not see thy brothers oxe nor his sheepe goe astray and withdraw thy selfe from them but shalt bring them againe vnto thy brother 2. If he be not neere vnto thee or thou know him not thou shalt bring it into thine house and it shall remaine with thee vntill thy brother seeke after it then shalt thou deliuer it to him againe 3. So shalt thou doe with all lost things XI To get our owne we may if we cannot doe otherwise sue our neighbour in law But we must follow our suites in an holy manner and with these circumstances I. In all suites we must not doe any thing that may preiudice the profession of Christian religion Therefore all suiters in law offend when they trust more in man then in God and make their religion a iest to worldlings partly by striuing about things of small importance and partly by not admitting any conditions of reconciliation 1. Cor. 6.1 Dare any of you hauing busines against another be iudged vnder the vniust and not vnder the Saints II. Law must be the
to Christ is in bearing afflictions Phil. 3.10 That I may know him and the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions to be made conformable to his death V. To doe good workes Eph. 2. 10. Wee are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus to doe good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Thus much concerning Theologie AN EXCELLENT TREATISE of comforting such as are troubled about their Predestination Taken out of the second answer of M. Beza to D. Andreas in the act of their Colloquie at Mompelgart c. VNlesse saith D. Andreas regeneratioÌ„ be alwaies vnited to baptisme and remaineth in such as are baptized howe should the troubled consciences of those be eased and coÌ„forted who because they feele not in themselues any good motions of gods holy spirit finde none other refuge but the Word and Sacraments especially the Sacrament of Baptisme Now this remedie would be of small force except it be opposed against those imaginations which the diuell casteth into a troubled heart yea except it taught such that God is greater then our heart who in Baptisme hath not onely offered vs the adoption of sonnes but hath indeede bestowed the same vpon vs as it is said by Christ Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued And by Paul Ye which are baptized haue put on Christ. Dauid beeing armed with the like comfort from his circumcision feared not to ioyne battell with that great giant Goliah and if this were not so it must needs followe that Baptisme were nothing els but an idle ceremonie and also the persons of the Trinitie would be thought lyars Wherefore those afflicted men when Satan assaulteth them must resist him with these wordes Depart from me Satan thou hast neither part nor portion in the inheritance of my soule because I am baptized in the Name of the holy Trinitie and so am truely made the sonne of God by adoption And are these the strong weapons which so many times and in so many wordes haue beene obiected against me by D. Andreas and whereby he hath gotten the victorie But because this his reason is somewhat intricate I will explaine it after this sort First for the place of Scripture which he alleadgeth namely that God is greater then our hearts It is so farre from comforting an afflicted conscience that it will rather driue him to deâ—paire Neither doth Iohn 1. epist. 3.20 make mention of it to ease such as are in despaire shewing vnto them by that sentence the greatnes of Gods mercies but rather that he might therby euen bruise in peeces the hearts of proude persons when they consider the greatnesse of Gods maiestie And for the other place when as a man doubteth of his saluation and feeleth no testimonies of faith in himselfe for such an one wee here speake of what comfort thinke you can hee haue in these wordes Hee that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued For hee would rather reason contrarily thus I indeede am baptized yet for al that I beleeue not and therefore my Baptisme is not auaileable I must needes be condemned For the saying of August in his treatise vpon Ioh. 6. is verie true who speaking of Simon Magus saith What good did it to him to be baptized bragge not therefore saith he that thou art baptized as though that were sufficient for thee to inherit the kingdome of heauen As for the place of Paul Gal. 3. I shewed plainely before how D. Andreas did violently wrest it to his purpose Neither are his reasons taken from the absurditie that would follow of more force then the former albeit he maketh them especiall pillars to vnderproppe the truth of his cause For I pray you is God of lesse truth because his truth is neglected and derided of them that contemne it Is the ceremonie of Baptisme therefore in vaine because some refuse the grace offered in Baptisme others if we may beleeue D. Andreas reiect that grace when they haue receiued it What Is not the Gospel therfore the power of God to saluation because it is to such as beleeue not the sauour of death to eternall death May not the Supper of the Lord be a pledge of Gods couenant because so may abuse these holy signes or as D. Andreas is of opinion the very bodie and blood of our Sauiour Christ And that I may reason from that which is true in the experience of euery childe can the Sunne be saide to be without light because they which are blinde and asleepe haue no benefit by the light thereof neither such as shut their eyes so close that they will not enioy the comfort of the light But amongst all this one is most childish that Dâ— Andreas will make this his principall argument namely that in vaine did men thus tempted flie at all vnto Baptisme vnlesse we conclude with him that all such as are baptized are in Baptisme adopted the sonnes of God For first if this were a good consequent from baptisme it were in vaine for such an afflicted conscience to gather vnto himselfe a testimonie from the word of God and the other Sacrament of the Lords Supper vnlesse we make all those to be in like sort regenerate and adopted vnto whome the word of God is preached and the Lords supper administred either of which for D. Andreas to affirme is a bold vntruth But to omit this what if we graunt this which D. Andreas requireth concerning Baptisme may not for all that any that is so tempted by Satans pollicie refell this great comforter by his owne argument after this sort I will grant D. Andreas your question suppose I haue beene baptized and adopted the sonne of God yet seeing you teach that the grace of God is not so sure but that I may fal froÌ„ the same as indeed I feele that I haue grieuously fallen what doe you now els but lift me vp with one hand to heauen and with the other cast me downe into hell What meane you therefore to teach me those things which are so farre from easing me as that contrarily they doe more and more lay out vnto me mine abominable and vngratefull heart See now what sure consolation consciences grieuously afflicted may reape by this doctrine of their comforter D. Andreas Now if any be desirous to know what spirituall comfort is most meete to be ministred vnto consciences so troubled I will shew them that which is grounded vpon a sure foundation and which I my selfe haue often found to be true in mine owne experience the which also I purpose to handle more largely for the benefit of the Christian reader First therefore we teach contrarily to that which D. Andreas doth most falsly obiect against vs that the eternall decree or as Paul speaketh the purpose of God must not be sought in the bottomlesse counsel of God but rather in the manifestation of it namely in his vocation by the Word and Sacraments This I speake of such as are
Creede beeing a summary collection of things to bee beleeued was gathered briefly out of the word of God for the helping of memory and vnderstanding of men I adde that this Creede is concerning God and the Church For in these two points consisteth the whole summe thereof Lastly I say that it is gathered forth of the scripture to make a difference between it and and other writings and to shew the authoritie of it which I will further declare on this manner There bee two kinde of writings in which the doctrine of the Church is handled and they are either diuine or Ecclesiasticall Diuine are the bookes of the olde and newe Testament penned either by Prophets or Apostles And these are not onely the pure word of God but also the scripture of God because not onely the matter of them but the whole disposition thereof with the style and the phrase was set downe by the immediate inspiration of the holy ghost And the authoritie of these bookes is diuine that is absolute and soueraigne and they are of sufficient credit in and by themselues needing not the testimonie of any creature not subiect to the censure either of men or Angels binding the consciences of all men at all times and beeing the only foundation of faith and the rule and canon of all trueth Ecclesiasticall writings are all other ordinarie writings of the Church consenting with Scriptures These may be called the word or trueth of God so far forth as their matter or substance is consenting with the written word of god but they cannot be called the scripture of God because the style and phrase of them was set downe according to the pleasure of man and therefore they are in such sort the word of God as that also they are the word of men And their authoritie in defining of trueth and falshood in matters of religion is not soueraigne but subordinate to the former and it doth not stand in the authoritie and pleasures of men councels but in the consent which they haue with the scriptures Ecclesiasticall writings are either generall particular or proper Generall are the Creedes and confessions of the Church dispersed ouer the whole worlde and among the rest the Creede of the Apostles made either by the Apostles themselues or by their hearers and disciples apostolicall men deliuered to the Church and conueied from hand to hand to our times Particular writings are the confessions of particular Churches Proper writings are the bookes and confessions of priuate men Nowe betweene these we must make difference For the Generall Creede of the Apostles other vniuersall Creeds in this case not excepted though it be of lesse authoritie then scripture yet hath it more authoritie then the particular priuate writings of Churches and men For it hath beene receiued and approoued by vniuersall consent of the Catholike Church in all ages and so were neuer these in it the meaning and doctrine can not be changed by the authoritie of the whole Catholike Church and if either the order of the doctrine or the wordes whereby it is expressed should vpon some occasion be changed a particular Church of any country can not do it without Catholike consent of the whole Churche yet particular writings and confessions made by some speciall Churches may be altered in the words in the points of doctrine by the same Churches without offence to the Catholike Church Lastly it is receiued as a rule of faith among all Churches to trie doctrines interpretations of scriptures by not because it is a rule of it selfe for that the scripture is alone but because it borroweth his authoritie froÌ„ scripture with which it agreeth And this honour no other writings of men can haue Here some may demand the number of Creedes Ans. I say but one Creede as there is but one faith and if it be alleadged that wee haue many Creedes as besides this of the Apostles the Nicene Creede and Athanasius Creed c. I answer the seuerall Creedes and confessions of Churches containe not seueral faiths and religions but one and the same and this called the Apostles creede is most ancient and principall all the rest are not newe Creedes in substance but in some points penned more largely for the exposition of it that men might better auoid the heresies of their times Further it may be demanded in what forme this Creede was penned Ans. In the forme of an answere to a question The reason is this In the Primitiue Church when any man was turned from Gentilisme to the faith of Christ and was to be baptised this question was asked him What beleeuest thouâ— then he answered according to the forme of the Creede I beleeue in God c. And this maner of questioning was vsed euen from the time of the Apostles When the Eunuch was conuerted by Philip he said What doth let me to be baptised Philip said If thou doest beleeue with all thine heart thou maist Then he answered I beleede that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God By this it appeares that although all men for the most part amongst vs can say this Creede yet not one of a thousand can tell the ancient and first vse of it for commonly at this day of the simpler sort it is saide for a prayer beeing indeede no prayer and when it is vsed so men make it no better then a charme Before we come to handle the particular points of the Creede it is very requiâ—ite that we should make an entrance thereto by describing the nature properties and kindes of faith the confession and ground whereof is set forth in the Creede Faith therefore is a gift of God whereby we giue assent or credence to Gods word For there is a necessarie relation betweene faith and Gods word The common propertie of faith is noted by the author of the Hebrewes when he saith Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the demonstration of things that are not seene For all this may be vnderstood not onely of iustifying faith but also of temporarie faith and the faith of miracles Where faith is said to be a ground the meaning is that though there are many things promised by God which men doe not presently enioy but onely hope for because as yet they are not yet faith doth after a sort giue subsisting or beeing vnto them Secondly it is an euidence or demonstration c. that is by beleeuing a man doth make a thing as it were visible beeing otherwise inuisible and absent Faith is of two sorts either common faith or the faith of the Elect as Paul saith he is an Apostle according to the faith of Gods elect which also is called faith without hypocrisie The common faith is that which both elect and reprobate haue and it is threefold The first is historicall faith which is when a man doth beleeue the outward letter and historie of the word It hath two parts knowledge of Gods word and an
head in pursuing his father theÌ„ Dauid wept and cried O my sonne Absolon my sonne Absolon would God I had died with thee Absolon my sonne And so it is with God our heauenly father when his children sinne against him and thereby loose his loue and fauour and fall from grace he forsakes them but how farre Surely he shewes signes of anger for their wickednes and yet indeede his loue remaines towards them still and this is a true conclusion the grace of God in the adoption of the elect is vnchaÌ„geable and he that â—s the child of God can neuer fall away wholly or finally On the contrarie that is a bad and comfortlesse opinion of the Church of Rome which holdeth that a man may be iustified before God and yet afterward by a mortall sinne finally fall from grace and be condemned Fourthly the childe of God that takes God the father for his father may freely come into the presence of God and haue libertie to pray vnto him We know it is a great priuiledge to come into the chamber of presence before an earthly prince and fewe can alwaies haue this prerogatiue though they be great men yet the kings owne sonne may haue free entrance and speake freely vnto the king himselfe because he is his sonne Now the children of God haue more prerogatiue then this for they may come into the presence not of an earthly king but of Almightie God the King of kings and as they are the sonnes of God in Christ so in him they may freely speake vnto God their father by praier And this ouerthrowes the doctrine of such as be of the Church of Rome which teach and hold that a man must come to speake to God by by praier through the intercession of Saints for say they the presence of God is so glorious that we may not be so bold as of our selues to speake vnto him but needes must haue the intercession of others Lastly God will prouide for all his Church and children all things needefull both for their bodies and soules so our Sauiour Christ bids his disciples take no thought what they should eate or what they should drinke or wherewith they should be clothed adding this reason for your heauenly Father knoweth all your wants And if we take thought it must be moderate and not distrustfull it is a part of the fathers dutie to prouide for his familie and children and not the children for the father Now shall an earthly father haue this care for his children and shall not our heauenly father much more prouide for those that feare and loue him Nay marke further in Gods Church there be many hypocrites which receiue infinite benefits from God by reason of his elect children with whome they liue and we shall see this to be true that the wicked man hath euer fared better for the godly mans cause Sodome and Gomorrha receiued many benefits by reason of righteous Lot and when the Lord was purposed to destroy Sodom he was faine to pull Lot forth of the citie for the text saith the Angel of the Lord could not doe any thing till he was come out of it So also in Pauls dangerous voyage towardes Rome all the men in it fared better for Pauls company for the Lord tolde Paul by an angel that there should be no losse of any mans life for the Lord had giuen to him all that sailed with him And vndoubtedly if it were not for some fewe that feare God he would powre downe his vengeance vpon many nations and kingdomes there is such excesse of wickednesse in all sorts Againe if the Lord doe thus carefully prouide for his children all kinde of benefits what a wonderful wickednesse is this for men to get their liuing by vngodly meanes as vsury carding dicing and such like exercises If a man were perswaded that God were his father and would prouide sufficiently both for his bodie and soule so that vsing lawfull meanes he should eueâ— haue enough out of all doubt he would neuer after the fashion of the world vse vnlawefull and prophane meanes to get a liuing But this prooueth that howesoeuer such men say God is their father yet indeede they denie him And thus much of 〈◊〉 tiâ—le Father the first thing whereby the first person is described Nowe followeth the second point namely his attribute of omnipotencie in the word almightie And whereas the father is said to be almightie it is not so to bâ— vnderstood as though the Sonne were not almightie or the holy ghost noâ—â—lmightie for euery propertie and attribute saue the personal properties is câ—mmoÌ„ to all the three persons For as God the father doth impart his godhead vnto the sonne and to the holy ghost so doth he communicate the proprietâ—es of the godhead to them also God is omnipotent two waies I. Because hee is able to doe whatsoeuer hee will II. Because he is able to doe more then he will doe For the first that god is able to doe whatsoeuer he will Dauid saith Our God is in heauen and he doth whatsoeuer he will for there is nothing that can hinder God but as he willeth so euery thing is done Secondly that God can doe more then he willeth to be done it is plaine where Iohn Baptist saith God is able of these stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham for though God can doe thus much yet he will not doe it So likewise when Christ was betraied the Father could haue giueÌ„ him more then 12. legions of angels to haue deliuered him out of their handes but yet he would not the like may be said of many other things The father is was able to haue created another world yea a thousand worldes but he would not nor will not And likewise Christ being vpon the crosse was able at their bidding to haue come downe and saued himselfe from death but he would not and therefore this is true the Lord can doe any thing that he willeth to bee done actually yea and more then he will But some will say God can not doe some things which man can doe as God cannot lie nor denie himselfe and therefore he is not omnipotent Answere Although some haue thought that God coulde doe euen these things and that he did them not because hee would not yet wee must knowe and beleeue that God can neither lie nor denie himselfe indeede man can doe both but these and many other such things if God could doe them hee could not bee God God indeede can doe all things which shewe foorth his glory and maiestie but such things as are against his nature he cannot doeâ— as for example God can not sinne and therefore cannot liâ— and because he cannot doe these things for this very cause he is omnipotent for these and such like are workes of impotencie which if god could doe he should euen by his owne word be iudged impotent Secondly he cannot doe that which implies contradiction
we so poreblinde that we cannot discerne any blessing and prouidence of God in them Therefore let vs learne to looke vpon both ioyntly togither and so shall wee bee thankfull vnto God in prosperitie and patient in aduersitie with Iob and Dauid This lesson Paul learned I can be abased saith he and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungrie and to abound and to be in want Fourthly seeing Gods prouidence disposeth all things wee are taught to gather obseruations of the same in things both past and present that we may learne thereby to be armed against the time to come Thus Dauid when hee was to encounter with Goliah gathered hope and confidence to himselfe for the time to come by the obseruation of Gods prouidence in the time past for saith he when I kept my fathers sheepe I slue a lyon and a beare that deuoured the flocke nowe the Lord that deliuered me out of the paw of the lyon and out of the paw of the beare he will deliuer me out of the hand of this Philistim Fifthly because Gods prouidence disposeth all things when we make lawfull promises to doe any thing we must put in or at the least conceiue this condition if the Lord will for S. Iames saith that we ought to say If the Lord will and if we liue we will doe this or that This also was Dauids practise for to all the congregation of Israel he saide If it seeme good to you and if it proceede from the Lord our God we will send to and fro Sixtly seeing Gods prouidence is manifested in ordinary means it behooueth euery man in his calling to vse them carefully when ordinarie meanes be at hand wee must not looke for any help without them though the Lord be able to doe what he wil without meanes Ioab when many Aramites came against him he heartened his souldiers though they were but fewe in number bidding them be strong and valiant for their people and for the citties of their god and then let the Lord doe that which is good in his eies And our Sauiour Christ auoucheth it to be flat tempting of God for him to leape downe from the pinacle of the temple to the ground wheras there was an ordinarie way at hand to descend by staires Hence it appeares that such persons as wil vse no means whereby they may come to repent and beleeue doe indeede no more repent and beleeue then they can be able to liue which neither eate nor drinke And thus much of the duties Nowe followe the consolations first this very point of Gods speciall prouidence is a great comfort to Gods Church for the Lord moderateth the rage of the deuill and wicked men that they shal not hurt the people of God Dauid saith The Lord is at my right hand therefore I shall not slide And when Iosephs brethren were afraid because they had solde him into Egypt he comforteth them saying that it was God that sent him before them for their preseruation So king Dauid when his owne souldiers were purposed to stone him to death he was in great sorrow but it is said he comforted himselfe in the Lord his God Where we may see that a man which hath grace to beleeue in God and rely on his prouidence in all his afflictions and extremities shall haue wonderfull peace and consolation Before we can proceede to the articles which followe it is requisite that we should intreat of one of the greatest workes of Gods prouidence that can be because the opening of it giueth light to all that inâ—ueth And this worke is a Preparation of such meanes whereby God will manifest his iustice mercie It hath two parts the iust permission of the fall of maÌ„ the giuing of the CouenaÌ„t of grace For so Paul teacheth wheÌ„ he saith That god shut vp all vnder vnbeleefe that he might haue mercie vpon all And againe The scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Christ Iesus should be giuen to them that beleeue Touching the first that we might rightly conceiue of mans fall we are to search out the nature and parts of sinne Sinne is any thing whatsoeuer is against the will and word of God as S. Iohn saith Sinne is the transgression of the lawe And this definition Paul confirmeth when he saith that by the lawe comes the knoweledge of sinne and where no lawe is there is no transgression and sinne is not imputed where there is no lawe In sinne we must consider three things the fault the guilt the punishment The fault is the anomie or the inobedience it selfe and it comprehends not onely huge and notorious offences as idolatrie blasphemie theft treason adulterie and all other crimâ—s that the world criâ—s shame on but euery disordered thought affection inclination yea euery defect of that which the law requireth The guilt of sinne is whereby a man is guiltie before God that is bounde made subiect to punishment And here two questions must be skanned where man is bound and by what For the first Man is bound in conscience And hereupon the conscience of euery sinner sitts within his heart as a little iudge to tell him that he is bound before God to punishment For the second it is the order of diuine iustice set downe by God which bindes the conscience of the sinner before god for he is Creatour and Lord and man is a creature and therefore must either obey his will and commandementâ— or suffer punishment Nowe then by vertue of Gods lawe conscience bindes ouer the creature to beare a punishment for his offence done against God yea it tells him that he is in danger to be iudged and condemned for it And therefore the conscience is as it were the Lordes Sergeant to informe the sinner of the bond and obligation whereby he alwaies stands bound before God The third thing which followeth sinne is punishment and that is death So Paul saith The stipend of sinne is death where by death wee must vnderstand a double death both of bodie and soule The death of the bodie is a separation of the bodie from the soule The second death is a separation of the whole man but especially of the soule from the glorious presence of God I say not simplie from the presence of God for God is euery where but only from the ioyfull presence of Gods glorie Now these two deaths are the stipends or allowance of sinne and the least sinne which a man committeth doth deserue these two punishments For in euery sinne the infinite iustice of God is violated for which cause there must needes be inflicted an infinite punishment that there may be a proportion betweene the punishment and the offence And therefore that distinction of sinne which Papists make namely that some are in themselues veniall and some mortall is false and
of blood but Christ as he is God cannot die For no passion can befall the Godhead Therefore it was needefull that he should become man that in mans nature he might die and fully satisfie Gods iustice for mans offence Lastly he that must make reconciliation betweene God and man must be such an one as may make request or speake both to God and man For a Mediatour is as it were a middle person making intercession betweene two other persons the one offended the other offending Therefore it is necessarie that Christ should not onely be God to speake vnto the father for vs and to present our prayers vnto him but also man that God might speake to vs and we to God by Christ. For howsoeuer before the fall man could speak to God euen face to face yet since the fall such feare possesseth mans corrupt nature that he cannot abide the presence of God but flyeth from it Nowe whereas I say that it was necessarie that the sonne of God for the causes before alleadged must become man the necessitie must be vnderstood in respect of Gods will and not in respect of his absolute power For if it had so pleased God he was able to haue laid downe an other kind of way of mans redemption then by the incarnation of the sonne of God and he appointed no other way because he would not Thus much of the Incarnation in generall Nowe followe the duties which arise of it And first we are taught hereby to come to Christ by faith and with all our hearts to cleaue vnto him Great is the deadnesse and sluggishnesse of mans nature for skarse one of a thousand care for him or seeke vnto him for righteousnesse and life euerlasting But wee shoulde excite our selues euery way to drawe neare to him as much as possibly we may for when he was incarnate he came neere vnto vs by taking our nature vpon him that wee againe whatsoeuer we are might come neere vnto him by taking vnto vs his diuine nature Againe when Christ was incarnate he was made bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and therefore proportionally wee must labour to become bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh which we shall bee when we are mystically vnited vnto him by faith and borne anewe by his spirit Moreouer Christ by his incarnation came downe from heauen to vs that we being partakers of his grace might ascend vp to heauen by him And thus we see how the meditation of Christs incarnation should be a spurre to prick vs forward still more and more to come to Christ. Secondly Christs incarnation must be a patterne vnto vs of a most wonderfull and straunge humilitie For as Paul saith Being in the forme of God and thinking it no robberie to bee equall with God made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him forme of a seruant and humbled himselfe and became obedient to death euen to the death of the crosse Yea so farre forth he abased himselfe that as Dauid saith he was a worme and no man And this teacheth vs to lay aside al selfe-loue and pride of heart and to practise the duties of humility as the Apostle exhorts the Philippians in the same place and that shall we doe when we beginne to cast off that high opinion which euery man by nature conceiueth of himselfe and become vile and base in our owne eies Secure drowsie protestants thinke themselues blessed and say in their hearts as the Angel of the Church of Laodicea said I am rich increased with goods and haue need of nothing whereas indeed they are most miserable and wretched and poore and naked and blind And the same fond opinion possesseth the mindes of our ignorant people who chant it in the very same tune saying that God loues them and that they loue God with al their hearts and their neighbours as themselues that they haue perfect faith in Christ and euer had not once so much as doubting of their saluation that all is well with them and that they are past all danger whatsoeuer in the matter of their saluation and therefore neede not take so much care for it Thus yee may see howe men are commonly carried away with vaine and fond conceits of their owne excellencie And truely so long as this ouerweening of our owne righteousnesse raignes in our hearts let preachers speake and say what they will we can neuer become followers of Christ in the practise of humilitie Some will say peraduenture that they neuer had any such opinion of their owne righteousnes but I answere againe that there was neuer yet any man descending of Adam saue Christ but he had this proud phantasie ruling and raigning in him till such time as God gaue grace to chaÌ„ge alter his heart this inward pride the lesse we discern it the more it is and the more we discerne it the lesse it is Therefore though as yet thou see it not in thy selfe yet labour both to see it to feele it to striue against it casting down thy selfe for thy own miserie after Christs own example who being God abased himselfe to the condition of a miserable man For thou shalt neuer be filled with the good things of god till thou be emptied of selfe-loue and selfe-liking For this cause let vs purge and emptie our selues of all conceit of our own righteousnes that god may fil our hearts with his grace Furthermore the incarnation of Christ is the ground and foundation of all our comfort as the names of Christ seruing to expresse the same doe testifie Iâ—akob in his last Testament saith that the scepter shall not depart from Iudah in Shilo that is the Messias come Nowe the name Shilo signifieth the tunicle or skinne that lappeth the infant in the mothers wombe called by the Phisitians the secundine and by a kind of figure it is put for the Sonne of God in the wombe of the virgine made man And Iob to comfort himselfe in his affliction saith I knowe that my redeemer liueth Nowe the word which he vseth to signifie his redeemer by is verie emphaticall for it signifieth a kinsman neere allied vnto him of his owne flesh that will restore him to life And the Lord by the prophet Esay calleth Christ Immanuel that is God with vs which name importeth very much namely that whereas by nature we haue lost our fellowshippe with God because our sinnes are a wall of partition seuering vs from him yet neuerthelesse the fame is restored to all that beleeue by the Mediatour Christ Iesus because his diuine nature is coupled to mans nature and so the word is made flesh And this strait coniunction of two natures into one person ioynes God to men and men to God yea by Christ we are brought to God and haue free accesse vnto him and againe in him we apprehend God and are made one with him And further whereas Christ beside
Adam lastly as it is a farre greater matter by death to ouercome death and to turne it into eternal life then to commaunde that to exist and be which was not before so is the worke of redemption begunne in the birth of Christ more vnspeakable and admirable then the first creation of man Hereupon not 6. cherubims as in the vision of Isaiah not 24. elders as in the Apocalyps but a great multitude of Angels like armies were heard to praise God at the birth of Christ and no doubt the like sight was not seene since the beginning of the worlde And the Angels by their example put vs in minde to consider aright of this benefit and to praise God for it But alas this practise is very rare in this fruitlesse and barren age of the worlde where sinne and iniquitie abounds as may be seene by experience for by an old custome we retaine still in the Church the feast of the natiuitie of Christ so commonly called which neuerthelesse is not spent in praising the name of God who hath sent his sonne from his owne bosome to be our redeemer but contrariwise in rifling dicing carding masking mumming and in all licentious libertie for the most part as though it were some heathen feast of Ceres or Bacchus Secondly Christ was conceiued and borne in bodily manner that there might be a spirituall conception and birth of him in our hearts as Paul saith My little children of whome I trauell till Christ he formed in you and that is when we are made newe creatures by Christ and performe obedience to our creatour When the people said to Christ that his mother and his brethren sought him he answered He that doth the will of God is my brother my sister and mother Therefore let vs goe with the sheapheards to Bethlehem and finding our blessed Sauiour swadled and lying in the cratch let vs bring him thence and make our owne hearts to be his cradle that we may be able to say that we liue not but Christ liues in vs and let vs present vnto him our selues our bodies soules as the best gold mirrhe and frankincense that may be and thus conceiuing him by faith he remaining without chaunge wee shall be chaunged into him and made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh The world I know neuer so much as dreameth of this kinde of conception and birth for as Dauid saieth Men trauell with wickednesse conceiue mischiefe and bring forth a lie And S. Iames saith Men are drawne away by their owne concupiscence which when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne And these are the ougly and monstrons birthes of these daies But let vs I pray you contrariwise waile and mourne for the barrennes of our hearts that doe so little conceiue the grace of Christ in heart and bring it forth in action The mother of Christ vndoubtedly was a blessed woman but if shee had not as well conceiued Christ in her heart as shee did in her wombe shee had not bin saued and no more can wee vnlesse doe the same The birth of Christ to them that haue touched hearts is the comfort of coÌ„forts and the sweetest balme or confection that euer was Behold say the Angel to the sheâ—pheards we bring tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people but wherein standes the ioy they adde further vnto you this daie is borne in the citiâ— of Dauid a Sâ—uiour which is Christ the Lord. And no maruel for in that birth is manifested the good will of God to man and by it we haue peace first with God secondly with our selues in conscience thirdly with the good Angels of God fourthly with our enemies lastly with al the creatures For this cause the Angels sang Peace on earth good will towards men In the last place the Creede notes vnto vs the parent or mother of Christ the Virgine Mary And here at the verie first it may be demanded howe hee could haue either father or mother because he was figured by Melchisedech who had neither father nor mother Ans. Melchisedech is said to be without father and mother not because he had none at all For according to the ancient and receiued opinion it is very likely that he was Sem the sonne of Noe but because where hee is mentioned vnder this name of Melchisedech in the 14. chapter of Genes there is no mention made of Father or Mother and so Christ in some sort is without father or mother as he is man he hath no father as he is God he hath no mother And whereas Christ is called the sonne of Ioseph it was not because hee was begotten of him but because Ioseph was his reputed father or which is more because he was a legall father namely according to the Iewes lawes in that as sundrie diuines think he was the next of his kin and therefore to succeede him as his lawfull heire Mary became the mother of Christ by a kind of calling thereto which was by an extraordinarie message of an angel concerning the conception birth of Christ in and by her to which calling and message shee condescended saying Behold the handmaid of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy worde And hereupon she conceiued by the holy ghost This being so it is more then sensles folly to turne the salutatioÌ„ of the angel Haile freely beloued c. into a praier For it is as much as if we should stil call her to become a mother of Christ. And shee must be held to be the mother of whole Christ God and man therfore the ancient Church hath called the mother of God yet not the mother of the godhead Furthermore the mother of Christ is described by her qualitie a virgin and by her name Mary Shee was a virgine first that Christ might be conceiued without sinne and be a perfect Sauiour secondly that the saying of the prophet Esay might be fulfilled Behold a virgine shall conceiue beare a sonne according as it was foretold by God in the first giuing of the promise the seede of the woman not the seede of the man shall bruise the serpents heade Nowe the Iewes to elude the most pregnant testimonie of the prophet saie that Alma signifies not a virgin but a young woman which hath knowne a man But this is indeede a forgerie For Esay there speakes of an extraordinary worke of God aboue nature whereas for a woman hauing knowne man to conceiue is no wonder And the word Alma through the whole bible is taken for a virgin as by a particular search will appeare As Maâ—ie conceiued a virgin so it may be well thought that shee continued a virgine to the ende though wee make it no article of our faith When Christ was vpon the crosse hâ—e commended his mother to the custodie of Iohn which probably argueth that she had no child to whose care and keeping shee might be coÌ„meÌ„ded
two kind of hearers one which heareth onely the outward sound of the word with his bodily eares and he hauing eares to heare doth not heare the secoÌ„d is he that doth not only receiue the doctrine that is taught with his eares but also hath his heart opened to feele the power of it and to obey the same in the course of his life This distinction is notably set forth by Dauid saying Sacrifice and burnt offerings thou wouldest not haue but my eares hast thou pierced whereby he insinuates as it were two kinds of eares one that is deafe and cannot heare and thus are the eares of all men by nature in hearing the doctrine of saluation the other is a newe eare pierced and bored by the hand of God which causeth a mans heart to heare the sound and operation of the word and the life to expresse the truth of it Now the subiects of Christs kingdom are such as with the outward hearing of the word haue an inward hearing of the soule grace also to obey therefore all those that make no conscience of obedience to the word of god preached vnto them are no lesse then rebels to Christ. We may perswade our selues that we are good subiects because we heare the word receiue the Sacraments but if our liues abound with sinne and if our hearts be not pierced through by the sword of Gods spirit whether we be high or low rich or poore let vs be what we will be we are no right subiects indeed but rebells traytours vnto the euerliuing God It may be hereafter God will giue further grace but as yet all impenitent persons though liuing in the midst of Gods church are no obedient and faithfull subiects therfore while we haue time let vs labour to performe in deede that which we doe in word professe Thus much of the examination and confession of Christ. Now followeth the third point concerning the pollicies which Pilate vsed to saue Christ and they are three First when he heard that Christ was of Galilee he tooke occasion to send him to Herod thinking thereby to shift his hands of him and not to shed his blood In which pollicie though he seeme vnwilling to put Christ to death yet herein he is a most vniust iudge for hauing giuen testimonie of Christ that he is innocent he ought to haue acquitted him and not haue sent him to Herod for further iudgemeÌ„t In Herods dealing with Christ we may obserue these points The first that he is wonderfully glad of his coÌ„ming Why so the text saith because he was desirous to see him of a long season because he had heard many things of him and trusted to haue seene some signe done by him Here marke how he reioyced not in Christ because he was Christ that is his Messias and redeemer but because he wrought myracles signes wonders And so it is among vs at this day it is a rare thing to finde a man that loueth Christ because he is Christ some loue Christ for honour some for wealth others for praise that is because they get honour wealth and praise by confessing his name Againe many professe Christ onely because it is the law and custome of their nation But we must learne to be of this minde to loue Christ because he is Christ euen for himselfe and not for any other sinister respect we must reioyce in Christ for himselfe though we neuer haue profit nor pleasure neither honour or wealth by him And if we loue him for wealth or pleasure or for any other ende but for himselfe alone when these things are taken away then we shall vtterly forsake Christ in like manner The second point is that Herod desires Christ to worke a miracle He can be content to see the works of Christ but he cannot abide to heare his word and to beare his yoke Like to him are many in these daies which gladly desire to heare the Gospel of Christ preached onely because they would here speach of some strange things laying aside all care and conscience to obey that which they heare Yea many in England delight to read the straunge histories of the Bible therefore can rehearse the most part of it and it were to be wished that all could doe the like yet come to the practise of it the same persons are commonly found as bad in life conuersation yea rather worse then others Let vs therfore labour that with our knowledge we may ioyne obedience practise with our learning as well to be affected with the word of Christ as with his works The third point is that Herod derides Christ sends him away cloathed in a white garment This is that Herod whom Christ called a foxe who also when he heard Iohn Baptist preach did many things and heard him gladly How then comes Herod to this outrage of wickednes thus to abuse Christ Ans. We must know that although Herod at the first heaâ—d Iohn preach yet withall he followed his owne affections and sought how to fulfill the lusts of his flesh For when Iohn told him that it was not lawfull â—or him to haue his brother Philips wife he cast him in prison and afterward â—ut off his head for it after which offence he is growne to this height of impietie that he now despiseth Christ can not abide to heare him Where we learne that as we are willing to heare Gods word preached so withall we must take heede that we practise no manner of sinne but make conscience of euery thing that may displease God Thou maist I graunt be one that feareth and fauoureth Iohn Baptist for a time wallowing in thy olde sinnes but after a while yeilding to the swinge of thy corrupt heart thou wilt neuer heare Iohn nor Christ himselfe but hate and despise them both This is the cause why some which haue beene professours of religion heretofore and haue had great measure of knowledge are now become very loose persons and can not abide to heare the word preached vnto them the reason is because they could not abide to leaue their sinnes Therefore that we may begin in the spirit and not ende in the flesh let euery one that calls on the name of the Lord depart from iniquitie Now follows the second pollicie of Pilate For when he saw the first would not preuaile then he tooke a new course for he tooke Iesus into the common hall and sâ—ourged him and the souldiers platted a crowne of thornes and puâ— it on his head and they put on him a purple garment and said Haile King of the Iewes and smote him with their roddes And thus he brought him forth before the Iewes perswading himselfe that when they saw him so abased and so ignominiously abused they would be content therewith and exact no greater punishment at his hands thinking thus to haue pacified the rage of the Iewes and so to haue deliuered Christ from death
by inflicting vpon him some lesser punishment This pollicie is as it were a looking glasse in which we may behold of what nature and condition all plotts and pollicies of men are which are deuised and practised without the direction of Gods word In it we may obserue two things the first is the ground thereof which is a most silly simple or rather senslesse argument For he reasoneth vs I finde no fault in this man therefore I will chastise him and let him goe A man would hardly haue thought that one hauing but common sense would haue made such a reason much lesse a greâ—t iudge sitting in the roome of God But in him we may behold and see the ground of all humane pollicie which is beside the word of God namely the foolish and blind reason of men The second thing to be considered is the proceeding and isâ—ue of this pollicie Pilate must either whippe Christ beeing innocent or put him to death which are both sinnes and great offences Now he maketh choice of the lesser which is to whippe him and is perswaded that he ought to doe so whereas of two sinnes or euils a man ought to doe neither And in doing this Pilate beginnes to make a breach in his conscience and that is the fruit that all politicks reape of their deuisâ—s which proceede by the light of their owne reason without the word of God By this example we are admonished of two things first that before we enterprise any businesse we must rectifie our iudgements by Gods word Dauid was a most wise King and no doubt had withall a graue and wise counsell but yet he preferred the word of God before all saying Thy tesâ—â—mâ—â—ies are my counsellers Secondly in our proceedings we must keepe an vprâ—ght pure and vnblameable conscience as Paul exhorteth Timothie to haue the mysterie of faith in a pure conscience giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that a good conscience is at it were a chest or cupboard in which we are to keepe and locke vp our religion and all other graces of God as the most pretious iewells that can be and that if we suffer this chest to be broken vp all our riches and iewels are gone But let vs yet viewe the dealing of Pilate more particularly he whippes Christ puts on him a purple garment puts a reede in his hand sets a crowne of thornes vpon his head and causes the souldiours to mocke him and spit in his face Now in this that Christ standing in our roome was thus shamefully abused we must consider what was due vnto euery one of vs for our sinnes namely shame reproch in this life in the life to come endles confusion And we see the confession of Christ to be true which he made to Pilate that his kingdome was not of this world for if it had beene so they would haue put a crowne of gold vpon his head and not a crowne of thornes which nothing at all beseemed an earthly king and in stead of a reede they would haue put a scepter into his hand and in stead of buffetting and spitting on him they would haue adored him and fallen downe before him Againe whereas Chriâ—â— our head in this world ware no other crown but one made of thoâ—ns it serueth to teach all those that are the members of Christ that they must not looke for a crowne of glorie in this life because that is reserued for the life to come And if we would then weare the crowne of glorie with Christ we must here in this life weare a crown of thornes as he did for as Paul saith If we suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him and that which was fully verified in Christ the head must in some sort be verified in euery true member of Christ. Pilates third pollicie was this when he sawe that neither of the two former would preuaile he comes forth vnto the Iewes and makes an oration to this effect that nowe was the feast of the passeouer and that they had a custome that the Gouernour should then deliuer vnto the people a prisoner whome they would therefore he asked them whether he should let loose to them Barrabas or Iesus which is called Christ this Barrabas was a notable malefactour that with insurrection had committed murther And thus Pilate cunningly matcheth Christ with Barrabas thinking that the Iewes would rather chuse him then Barrabas beeing a notorious malefactour not worthie to liue on the face of the earth and by this meanes he thought to haue deliuered Christ from death though otherwise he accouÌ„ted him as a malefactour The ground of this pollicie as we see is an old custome of the Iewes that a prisoner should be let loose at Easter And it may be the ende of this custome was to increase the solemnitie of the feast But whatsoeuer in trueth the ende was the fact it selfe was but a prophanation of the time and an abomination before the Lord for Salomon saith He that iustifieth the wicked condemneth the iust euen they both are abominatioÌ„ before the Lord. The like practise takes place with many in these daies who thinke the Lords day neuer well spent vnlesse they may adde solemnitie thereunto by reuel riot by frequeÌ„ting of tauerns and alehouses And furthermore where Pilate matcheth Christ beeing innocent with Barrabas and the people preferre him before Christ hauing libertie to choose either it shewes that God in his prouidence had appointed that Christ should not stand in his owne roome before Pilate but in our roome and steade as a Mediatour betweene God and vs. And in this fact of the people we see howe sinne by degrees takes hold of men and that speedily Who would haue thought that these Iewes which a little before cried Hosanna and spread their garments before Christ in the way would euer haue preferred a murtherer before him But it was the doing of the high priestes the Scribes and Pharises who did animate and stirre them vp to this wickednes and hereupon when they had yeelded first to to attach him and then to accuse him they are carried to an higher degree of impietie namely to seeke his blood and least he should escape their handes they plunge themselues deeper yet preferring a wretched murtherer eueÌ„ seditious Barrabas before him This must teach euery one of vs to take heede of the beginnings euen of the least sinnes for the deuill is cunning he will not plunge a man into the greatest sinnes at the first but this manner is by little and little to creepe into the heart and hauing once possession thereof by steppes to bring men to the height of sinne and that with speede We must therefore in the feare of God preuent sinne betimes and at the first motion cut off all occasions hereof that which Paul saith of heresie comparing it to a canker or gangrene may be â—aid of all sinne The nature of the gangrene is to runne from one ioynt
of a little worldly pelfe oh how are we grieued but seeing our transgressions are the weapons whereby the sonne of God was crucified let vs I say it againe and againe learne to be grieued for them aboue all things and with bleeding and melting hearts bow and buckle vnder them as vnder the crosse Secondly Christ saith of himselfe as Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernes so must the sonne of man be lifted vp the comparison is excellent and worthie the marking In the wildernes of Arabia the people of Israel rebelled against God and thereupon he sent fierie serpents among them which stung many of them to death now when they repented Moses was commanded to make a brasen serpent and to set it vpon a pole that as many as were stung might looke vnto it and recouer and if they could but cast a glaunce of the eye on the brasen serpent when they were stung euen to death they were restored to health and life Now euery man that liueth is in the same case with the Israelites Satan hath stung vs at the heart and giuen vs many a deadly wound if we could feele it and Christ who was figured by the brasen serpent was likewise exalted on the crosse to conferre righteousnesse and life eternall to euery one of vs therefore if we will escape eternall death we must renoūce our selues and lift vp the eyes of our faith to Christ crucified and pray for the pardon of our sinnes and then shall our hearts and consciences be healed of the wounds and gripes of the deuill and vntill such time as we haue grace to doe this we shall neuer be cured but still lie wounded with the stings of Satan and bleeding to death euen at the very heart although we feele no paine or griefe at all But some may aske how any man can see him crucified now after his death Ans. Wheresoeuer the word of God is preached there Christ is crucified as Paul saith Oh foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth to whome before Iesus Christ was described in your sight and among you crucified meaning that he was liuely preached among them We neede not to goe to wodden crosses or to golden crucifixes to seeke for him but where the Gospel is preached thither must we goe and there lift vp our eyes of faith to Christ as he is reuealed vnto vs in the word resting on him and his merits with all our hearts and with a godly sorrow confesse and bewaile our sinnes crauing at his hands mercie and pardon for the same For till such time as we doe this we are grieuously stung by Satan and are euery moment euen at deaths dore And if we can thus behold Christ by faith the benefits which come hereby shall be great for as Paul saith the old man that is the corruption of our nature and the bodie of sinne that raigneth in vs shall be crucified with him for when Christ was nailed on the crosse all our sinnes were laid vpon him therefore if thou dost vnfainedly beleeue all thy sinnes are crucified with him and the corruption of thy nature languisheth and dieth as he languished and died vpon the crosse Thirdly we must learne to imitate Christ as he suffered himselfe to be nayled to the crosse for our sinnes so answerably must euery one of vs learne to crucifie our flesh and the corruption of our nature and the wickednesse of our owne hearts as Paul saith They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the lusts and affections thereof And this we shall doe if for our sinnes past we waile and mourne with bitternesse and preuent the sinnes to come into which we may fall by reason of the corruption of our natures by vsing all good meanes as praier and fasting and the word of God preached and by flying all occasions of offence We are not to destroy our bodies or to kill our selues but to kill and crucifie sinne that liueth in vs and to mortifie the corruption of our nature that rebels against the spirit Christianitie stands not in this to heare the word of God and outwardly to professe the same and in the meane season still to liue in our sinnes and to pamper our owne rebellious flesh but it teacheth vs alwaies to haue in readines some speare or other to wound sinne and the sword of the spirit to cut downe corruption in vs that thereby we may shew our selues to be liuely followers of Christ indeede Fourthly by this wee may learne that the wrath of God against sinne is wonderfull great because his owne Sonne bearing our person and beeing in our place was not onely crucified and racked most cruelly but also bare the whole wrath of God in his soule and therefore we must leaue off to make so little account of sinne as commonly we doe Fifthly whereas the person crucified was the sonne of God it sheweth that the loue of God which he bare vnto vs in our redemption is endlesse like a sea without banke or bottome it can not be searched into and if we shall not acknowledge it to be so our condemnation will be the greater Sixtly in this that Christ bare the curse of the law vpon the crosse we learne that those that be the children of God when they suffer any iudgement crosse or calamitie either in bodie or in minde or both doe not beare them as the curses of God but as the chastisments of a louing father For it doth not stand with the iustice of God to punish one fault twise and therefore when any man that putteth his whole confidence in God shall either in his owne person in his good name or in his goods feele the heauie hand of God God doth not as a iudge curse him but as a father correct him Here then is condemned the opinion of the Church of Rome which hold that we by our sufferings doe in some part satisfie the iustice of God but this can not stand because Christ did make a perfect fatisfaction to the iustice of his father for all punishment And therefore satisfaction to God made by man for temporall punishment is needlesse and much derogates from Christs passion In the crucifying of Christ two things specially must be considered The manner of the doing of it and his continuance aliue vpon the crosse Touching the manner the spirit of God hath noted two things The first that Christ was crucified between two theeues the one vpon his left hand the other vpon his right in which action is verefied the saying of the Prophet Esai He was numbred among the wicked and the Iewes for their parts doe hereby testifie that they esteemed him to be not some common wicked man but euen the captaine and ringleader of all theeues and malefactours whatsoeuer Nowe whereas Christ standing vpon the crosse in our roome and stead is reputed the head and prince of all sinners it serueth to teach euery one of vs
for faith is the subsisting of things which are not seene and Abraham aboue hope did beleeue vnder hope and Iob saith though thou kill me yet will I beleeue in thee In Philosophy a man beginnes by experience after which comes knoweledge and beleefe as whē a man hath put his hand to the fire feeles it to be hot he comes to knowe thereby that fire burnes but in Diuinitie wee must beleeue though we haue no feeling first comes faith and after comes sense and feeling And the ground of our religion standes in this to beleeue things neither seene not felt to hope aboue all hope and without hope in extremitie of affliction to beleeue that God loueth vs when he seemeth to be our enemie and to perseuere in the same to the end◠The answer which Christ made to his praier was This night shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Whereby he testifies in the middest of his sufferings the power which he had ouer the soules of men and verifies that gratious promise Aske and ye shall receiue seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened to you and withall confutes the popish purgatory For if any man should haue gone to that forged place of torment then the theife vpon the crosse who repenting at the last gaspe wanted time to make satisfaction for the temporall punishment of his sinnes And by this conuersion of the thiefe we may learne that if any of vs would turne to God and repent we must haue three things I. The knowledge of our owne sinnes II. From the bottome of our hearts wee must confesse and condemne our selues for them and speake the worst that can be of our selues in regard of our sinnes III. We must earnestly craue pardon for them and call for mercie at Gods handes in Christ withall reforming our liues for the time to come if we doe we giue tokens of repentance if not we may thinke what we will but we deceiue our selues and are not truely conuerted And here we must be warned to take heede least we abuse as many do the example of the thiefe to conclude thereby that we may repent when we will because the thiefe on the crosse was conuerted at the last gaspe For there is not a second example like to this in all the whole Bible it was also extraordinarie Indeed sundrie men are called at the eleuenth houre but it is a most rare thing to finde the conuersion of a sinner after the eleuenth houre and at the point of the twelfth This mercy God vouchsafed this one thiefe that he might be a glasse in which we might behold the efficacie of the death of Christ but the like is not done to many men no not to one of a thousand Let vs rather consider the estate of the other thiefe who neither by the dealing of his fellow nor by any speech of Christ could be brought to repentance Let vs not therefore deferre our repentance to the houre of death for then we shall haue sore enemies against vs the world the flesh the deuill and a guiltie conscience the best way is before hand to preuent them And experience shewes that if a man deferre repentance to the last gaspe often when he would repent he cannot Let vs take Salomons counsel Remēber thy creatour in the daies of thy youth before the euill daies come If we will not heare the Lord when he calleth vs hee will not heare vs when we call on him The third signe was the ecclipsing or darkening of the sunne from the sixt houre to the ninth And this ecclipse was miraculous For by the course of nature the sinne is neuer ecclipsed but in the newe moone whereas contrariwise this ecclipse was about the time of the passeouer which was alwaies kept at the full moone Question is made touching the largenes of it some mooued by the words of Luke who saith that darkenes was vpon the whole earth haue thought that the ecclipse was vniuersall ouer the whole world but I rather thinke that Saint Lukes meaning is that it was ouer the whole region or countrie of Iurie For if such a wonder had happened ouer the whole worlde all Historiographers Greeke and Latine and Astronomers diligent obseruers of all ecclipses would haue made speciall mention thereof And though some writers say that it was ouer the whole earth and that it was set downe in record both by the Romans and Grecians yet all their writings prooue no more but this that it was ouer Iurie and Galely and the countries bordering neere vnto The vses of this miracle are manifolde I. This darkening of the sunne giues a checke to the Iewes for their crucifying of Christ they were not ashamed to apprehend accuse and condemne him yet this glorious creature the sunne pulleth in his beames beeing as it were ashamed to behold that which they were not ashamed to doe II. It serues to signifie the great iudgement of God to come vpon the Iewes For when as Christ suffered darkenesse was ouer all the land of Iurie and all the world besides had the light of the sunne so shortly after blindenesse of minde was ouer the whole nation of the Iewes and all the world besides sawe the sonne of righteousnesse shining vnto them in preaching of the gospel III. It serues to aduertise vs that such as carrie themselues towardes Christ as the Iewes did haue nothing els in them but darkenes and they that sit in darkenesse and shadow of death and therefore not able any whit better to see the way that leadeth vnto life then he which is cast into a dark dungeon can who if they thus remaine shal at length be cast into vtter darkenes This being the estate of all them that be forth of Christ wee must labour to be freed from this darkenesse that the day-starre may rise in our hearts and shine vpon vs and put life into vs. IV. This miraculous and wonderfull darkening of the sunne doth conuince the Iewes that Christ whome they crucified was the Lord of glorie and the Sauiour of the world and it is very like that this was the principall ende of this miracle For whereas neither his doctrine nor his former miracles could mooue them to acknowledge him for that Messias yet this one worke of God doth as it were strike the naile to the head and stop al their mouthes V. Besides this whereas at the very instant when Christ was about to make a satisfaction to the iustice of his father for our sinnes the sunne was thus darkened it teacheth vs first to think of the passion of Christ not as of a light matter but as one of the greatest wonders of the world at the sight whereof the verie frame of nature was changed secondly to thinke of our owne sinnes as the vilest things in the worlde and that they deserue the intollerable wrath of God considering that at the time when they were to bee abolished the course of nature
lower parts should be no man is able to define Obiect II. Act. 2.37 Thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Answer These words cannot prooue any locall descent of Christs soule For Peters drift in alleadging of them is to prooue the resurrection and he saith expresly that the words must be vnderstood of the resurrection of Christ vers 31. Hee seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ. What namely these wordes his soule was not left in hell c. Nowe there is no resurrection of the soule but of the bodie onely as the soule can not be said to fall but the bodie It will be replied that the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot signifie the bodie and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the graue Ans. The first worde signifies not onely the spirituall part of a man the soule but also the whole person or the man himselfe Rom. 13.1 1. Cor. 15.41 And the second is as well taken for the graue as for hel Apoc. 20. 14. Death and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are cast into the lake of fire Nowe wee can not say that hell is cast into hell but the graue into hell And the very same word in this text must needes haue this sense For Peter makes an opposition betweene the graue into which Dauid is shut vp and the hell out of which Christ was deliuered vers 29.31 Againe it will be said that in this text there be two distinct partes the first of the soules comming forth of hell in these wordes Thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell The secōd of the bodies rising out of the graue in the next words neither wilt thou suffer my flesh to see corruptiō Ans. It is not so For flesh in this place signifies not the bodie alone but the humane nature of Christ as appeares vers 30. vnlesse we shall say that one and the same word in the same sentence is taken two waies And the words rather carrie this sense Thou wilt not suffer me to continue long in the graue nay which is more in the time of my continuance there thou wilt not suffer me so much as to feele any corruption because I am thy holy one Obiect III. 1. Pet. 3.19 Christ was quickened in spirit by the which spirit he went and preached to the spirits which are in prison Answere The place is not for this purpose For by spirit is not meant the soule of Christ but his godhead which in the ministerie of Noe preached repentance to the olde world And I thinke that Peter in this place alludes to another place in Genesis 6.3 where the Lord saith My spirit shall not alwaies striue with man because he is but flesh And if the spirit doe signifie the soule then Christ was quickned either by his soule or in his soule But neither is true For the first it can not bee said that Christ was quickened by his soule because it did not ioyne it selfe to the bodie but the godhead ioyned them both Neither was he quickened in soule for his soule died not It could not die the first death which belongs to the bodie and it did not die the second death which is a totall separation from God onely it suffered the sorrowes of the second death which is the apprehension of the wrath of God as a man may feele the pangs of the first death and yet not die the first death but liue Againe it is to no ende that Christs soule should goe to hell to preach considering that it was neuer heard of that one soule should preach to another especially in hell where all are condemned and in conscience conuicted of their iust damnation and where there is no hope of repentance or redemption It will be answered that this preaching is onely reall or experimentall because Christ shewes himselfe there to conuince the vnbeleefe of his enemies but this is flatte against reason For when a man is iustly condemned by God and therefore sufficiently conuicted what neede the iudge himselfe come to the place of execution to conuict him And it is flat against the text For the preaching that is spoken of here is that which is performed by men in the ministerie of the word as Peter expounds himselfe 1. Pet. 4.6 To this purpose was the Gospel also preached vnto the dead that they might be condemned according to men in the flesh that they might liue according to God in the spirit Lastly there is no reason why Christ should rather preach and shew himselfe in hell to them that were disobedient in the daies of Noe then to the rest of the damned And this is the first exposition the second follows He descended into hell that is Christ descended into the graue or was buried This exposition is agreeable to the truth yet is it not meete or conuenient For the clause next before he was buried contained this point and therefore if the next wordes following yeelde the same sense there must be a vaine and needlesse repetition of one and the same thing twise which is not in any wise to be allowed in so short a Creede as this If it be said that these words are an exposition of the former the answer is that then they should be more plaine then the former For when one sentence expoundeth an other the latter must alwaies be the plainer but of these two sentences He was buried he descended into hell the first is very plaine and easie but the latter very obscure and hard and therefore it can be no exposition thereof and for this cause this exposition neither is to be receiued Thirdly others there be which expound it thus He descended into hell that is Christ Iesus when he was dying vpon the crosse felt and suffered the pangs of hell and the full wrath of God seazing vpon his soule This exposition hath his warrant in Gods word where hell often signifies the sorrowes and paines of hell as Hanna in her song vnto the Lord saith The Lord killeth and maketh aliue he bringeth downe to hell and raiseth vp that is he maketh men feele woe and miserie in their soules euen the pangs of hell and after restoreth them And Dauid saith The sorrowes of death compassed me and the terrours of hell laid hold on me This is an vsuall exposition receiued of the Church and they which expound this article thus giues this reason thereof The former words was crucified dead and buried doe containe say they the outward sufferings of Christ now because he suffered not onely outwardly in bodie but also inwardly in soule therefore these words he descended into hell doe set forth vnto vs his inward sufferings in soule when he felt vpon the crosse the full wrath of God vpon him This exposition is good and true and whosoeuer will may receiue it Yet neuerthelesse it seemes not so fitly to agree with the order of the former articles For
of this world but eternall and spirituall respecting the very conscience of man In the administration whereof he hath absolute power to commaund and forbidde to condemne and absolue and therefore hath the keyes of heauen and hell to open and shut which power no creature beside no not the angels in heauen can haue For the better vnderstanding of this which I say we are to consider first the dealing of Christ toward his owne Church secondly his dealing in respect of his enemies And his dealing toward his owne Church stands in foure things The first is the collecting or gathering of it and this is a speciall end of his sitting at the right hand of his father Christ said to his disciples I haue chosen you out of this world and the same may truly be saide of all the Elect that Christ in his good time will gather them all to himselfe that they may be a peculiar people to God And this action of his in collecting the Church is nothing els but a translation of those whome he hath ordained to life euerlasting out of the kingdome of darknes in which they haue serued sinne Satan into his own kingdom of grace that they may be ruled guided by him eternally And this he doth two waies first by the preaching of the word for it is a powerfull outward meanes whereby he singleth and forteth his owne seruants from the blind and wicked world as Paul saith He gaue some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some pastours and teachers for the gathâ—ring togither of Saints And hence we learne two things The first that euery minister of Gods word and euery one that intendeth to take vpon him that calling must propound vnto himselfe principally this end to single out man from man and gather out of this world such as belong to the Church of Christ and as Ieremie saith to separate the pretious from the vile The second that all those which will be good hearers of Gods word must shew themselues so farre forth conformable vnto it that it may gather them out of the world and that it may worke a change in them and make them the seruants of Christ and if the preaching of the word doe not worke this good worke in our hearts then the ende will be a separation from the presence of God Christ when he came neere Ierusalem and considered their rebellion whereby they refused to be gathered vnto him wept ouer it and saide O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou which stonest the Prophets and killest them that are sent vnto thee How often would I haue gathered thy children togither as the henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and thou wouldest not And by this he teacheth that if the preaching of the word turne not vs to Christ it turnes to our destruction The other meanes of gathering the Church and that the more principall is the inward operation of the spirit whereby the minde is inlightened the heart is mollified and the whole man is conuerted to God And this ordinarily is ioyned with the ministerie or preaching of the word as appeares by the example of Lydia Saint Luke saith God opened her heart to be attentiue to the doctrine of the Apostle And by the example of Paul when Christ saith Saul Saul why persecutest thou me at this very speech he is conuerted and saide Who art thou Lord what wilt thou that I doe And this is manifest also by experience There is nothing in the world more contrarie to the nature of man then the preaching of the word for it is the wisdome of God to which the flesh is enimitie Here then it may be demanded how it can be in force to turne any man to God Ans. The word preached is the scepter of Christs kingdome which against the nature of man by the operation of the holy Ghost ioyned therewith doth bend and bow the heart will and affections of man to the will of Christ. The second worke of Christ is after the Church is gathered to guide it in the way to life euerlasting He is the shepheard of his Church which guideth his flocke in and out and therefore Paul saith They that are Christs are guided by his spirit And by Esai the Lord saith those his seruants which are turned from idolatrie he will guide in the way and their eares shall heare a voice behinde them saying This is the way walke in it when thou turnest to the right hand and to the left Which voice is nothing els but the voice of the holy Ghost in the mouth of the ministers directing them in the waies of God The children of Israel were trauelling from Egypt to the land of Canaan full fourtie yeares whereas they might haue gone the iourney in fourtie daies Their way was through the wildernes of Arabia their guides were a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night the manner of their iourney was this when the pillars mooued they mooued when the pillars stood still they stood still and so long as the pillars either mooued or stoode still they likewise mooued or stood still And by all this a further matter namely the regiment of Christ ouer his Church was signified Euery one of vs are as passengers trauailers not to any earthly Canaan but to the heauenly Ierusalem and in this iourney we are to passe through the wild and desert wildernes of this world our guide is Christ himselfe figured by the pillar of fire and the cloud because by his word and spirit he sheweth vs how farre we may goe in euery action and where we must stand and he goes before vs as our guide to life euerlasting The third worke of Christ is to exercise his Church vnto spirituall obedience by manifold troubles crosses temptations and afflictions in this world as earthly kings vse to traine and exercise their subiects When our Sauiour Christ was with his disciples in a shippe there arose a great tempest vpon the sea so as the shippe was almost couered with waues but he was asleepe and his disciples came awoke him saying Saue vs master we perish Behold here a liuely picture of the dealing of Christ with his seruants in this life His manner is to place them vpon the sea of this world and to raise vp against theâ— bleake stormes and flaes of contrarie windes by their enemies the flesh the deuill the world And further in the middest of all these dangers he for his owne part maketh as though he lay asleepe for a time that he may the better make triall of their patience faith and obedience And the endes for which he vseth this spirituall exercise are these The first to make all his subiects to humble themselues and as it were to goe crooked and buckle vnder their offences committed against his maiestie in times past Thus Iob after the Lord had long afflicted him and laid his hand sore vpon
righteous from the wicked and the elect from the reprobate He which knoweth the hearts of all men knoweth also howe to doe this and he will doe it This full and finall separation is reserued to Christ and shall not be accomplished till the last day For so it is in the parable that the tares must grow with the wheate til haruest and the reapers must separate them and gather the wheate into the barne but the tares must be burned with vnquenchable fire By the consideration of this one point we learne diuers things I. that in the Church of God in this world good and badde are mingled togither elect and reprobate and wee are not to imagine any perfection of the church of God vpon earth as many haue dreamed which when they could not finde they haue therefore forsaken al assemblies I confesse indeede that the preaching of the word is the Lords fanne whereby he clenseth his Church in part but yet the finishing of this worke shall not be before the last iudgement For when the ministers of God haue done all that they can yet shall the wicked be mingled with the godly Therefore the Church is compared to a barne flore where is both wheate chaffe and a corne fielde where is both tares and good corne and a draw net wherin is both good fish and badde Secondly whereas this separation must not be before the ende of the world hence wee learne the state of Gods Church in this life It is like a flocke of sheepe mingled with goates and therefore the condition of Gods people in this world is to bee troubled many waies by those with whome they liue For goates vse to strike the sheepe to annoy their pasture and to make their water muddie that they can not drinke of it and therefore we must prepare our selues to beare all annoyances crosses and calamities that shall befall vs in this world by the wicked ones among whome we liue Thirdly we are taught that howesoeuer the goates and the sheepe be very like and feede in one pasture and lie in one folde all their life time yet Christ can and will seuer them asunder at the last day Therefore considering as wee are borne of Adam wee haue the nature of the goate yea of the wilde beast and not of the sheepe it standes vs in hand to lay aside our goatish conditions and to take vnto vs the properties of the sheepe of Christ which hee expresseth in these words My sheepe saith he heare my voice I know them and they follow me And the properties are three to know him to be knowne of him and to follow him namely in obedience and he that findes them all in himselfe weareth the brand and marke of the true sheepe of Christ but contrariwise they that make profession of Christ and yet therewithall ioyne not obedience howsoeuer the world may account of them they are but goates and no sheepe Let vs therefore with the knowledge of Christ ioyne obedience to his word that when the day shall come that the goates must be separated from the sheepe we may be found to be in the number of the true sheep of Christ. We may deceiue men both in life and death and beare them in hand that we are sheepe but when the iudgement shall come we cannot deceiue Christ he it is that formed vs he knowes our hearts and therefore can easily discerne what we are The fifth thing is the triall of euery mans particular cause a point especially to be considered For as at the barre of an earthly iudge the malefactour is brought out of prison and set before the iudge and there examined euen so in that great day shall euery man without exception be brought before the Lord to be tried But how shall this triall be made Ans. By workes as the Apostle saith We must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill And the reason is because works are the outward signes of inward grace and godlinesse And though we be iustified by faith alone without workes yet may we be iudged both by faith and workes For the last iudgement doth not serue to make men iust that are vniust but only to manifest them to be iust indeed which were iust before in this life truly iustified The consideration of this very point should mooue vs al to repent vs of our sinnes past and to reforme our selues throughout and to be plentifull in all good works And vndoubtedly if we seriously thinke vpon it it will hold vs more straightly to all good duties then if with the Papists we held iustification by workes Furthermore in this triall two things must be skanned I. how all mens workes shall be made manifest II. by what meanes they shall be examined Of the manifestation of euery mans worke S. Iohn speaketh And I saw saith he the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of these things which were written in the bookes according to their workes God is said to haue bookes not properly but because all things are as certen and manifest to him as if he had his Registers in heauen to keepe rolles and records of thē His bookes are three the booke of Prouidence the booke of Iudgement the booke of Life The booke of his prouidence is the knowledge of all particular things past present to come Of this the Psalmist speaketh Thine eyes did see me when I was without forme for in thy booke were all things written which in continuance were fashioned when there was none of them before The booke of iudgement is that whereby he giues iudgement and it is twofold The first is Gods knowledge or prescience in which all the affaires of mē their thoughts words and deedes are as certenly knowne and set downe as if they were put in bookes of record We may forget our sinnes but God keepes them in a register he knowes them euery one The second booke is euery mans particular conscience which also brings to remembrance and testifies what men haue done and what they haue not done The booke of life is nothing else but the decree of Gods election in which God hath set downe who be ordained to life eternall Now the opening of these bookes is a thing wherein the endles power of God shall most notably shew it self For when we shall stand before the iudgement seat of Christ he then knowing all things in his eternall counsell shall reueale vnto euery man his owne particular sinnes whether they were in thought word or deede and then also by his mightie power he shall so touch mens consciences that they shall afresh remember what they haue done Now indeede the wicked mans conscience is shut vp
creatures some are proper to men The benefit of the Holy Ghost common to all creatures is the worke of creation and preseruation For all things were created and made and afterwarde perserued by the holy Ghost So Elihu saith The spirit of God hath made me And Moses saith In the beginning the spirit mooued vpon the waters The phrase is borrowed from a bird who in hatching of her young ones sits vpon the egges mooues her selfe vpon them and heats them And so likewise the holy Ghost in the beginning did by his own power cherish and preserue the masse or lumpe whereof all things were made and caused it to bring forth the creatures This beeing euident that the Holy Ghost hath a stroke in the worke of creation and preseruation wee must vnfainedly acknowledge that we were first created and since that time continually preserued by the benefit euen of the third person The benefits proper vnto men are of two sorts some are common to all men both good and bad and some proper to the elect and faithfull The benefits common to all men are diuers I. the gift of practising a particular calling As in the bodie seuerall members haue seuerall vses so in euery societie seuerall men haue seuerall offices and callings and the gifts whereby they are inabled to performe the duties thereof are from the holy Ghost When Gedeon became a valiant captaine to deliuer the Israelites it is said he was clothed with the spirit Bezaleel and Aholiab beeing set apart to build the tabernacle were filled with the spirit of God in wisdome and in vnderstanding and in all workemanship to finde out curious works to worke in gold and in siluer in brasse also in the art to set stones and to carue in timber c. By this it is manifest that the skill of any handicraft is not in the power of man but comes by the holy Ghost And by this we are taught to vse al those gifts wel wherby we are inabled to discharge our particular callings that they may serue for the glorie of God and the good of his Church and those that in their callings vse fraud and deceit or else liue inordinately doe most vnthankfully abuse the gifts of God and dishonour the spirit of God the author of their gifts for which thing they must giue an account one day The second gift common to all is Illumination whereby a man is inabled to vnderstand the will of God in his word The Iewes in the reading of the old testament had a vaile ouer their hearts and the like haue all men by nature to whome the word of God is foolishnes Paul at his conuersion was smitten blind skales were vpon his eyes the like also be ouer the eyes of our mindes and they must fall away before we can vnderstand the will of God Now it is the worke of the holy Ghost to remooue these skales and filmes from our eyes And for this very cause he is called the annointing and eye-salue for as it doth cleare the eyes and take away the dimmenes from them so doth the holy Ghost take away blindnes from our mindes that we may see into the truth of Gods word This beeing a common gift and receiued both of good and bad it standeth vs in hand not to content our selues with the bare knowledge of the word but therewithall we must ioyne obedience and make conscience thereof or else that will besall vs which Christ foretold that he which knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes The third gift of the holy Ghost is the gift of prophecie whereby a man is made able to interpret and expound the Scriptures Now albeit this gift be very excellent and not giuen to euery man yet is it common both to good and badde For in the day of iudgement when men shall come to Christ and say Master we haue prophecied in thy name he shall answer againe I neuer knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Hereupon those that are in the calling of the ministerie and haue receiued the gift of prophecie must not herewithall be puffed vp For if they be not as well doers of Gods will as teachers their gifts will turne to their further condemnation As the carpenters that built Noahs arke when the flood came were drowned because they would not obey Noahs preaching so those that haue the gifts of prophecie and are builders in Gods house if they build not themselues as well as others for all their preaching at the day of iudgement they shall be condemned and therefore it standeth them in hand not to content themselues with this that they know and teach others Gods will but they themselues must be the first doers of the same The fourth common gift of the Holy Ghost is Abilitie to bridle and restraine some affections so as they shall not breake out into outragions behauiour Haman a wicked man and an enemie to Gods Church when he sawe Mordecai the Iewe sitting in the kings gate and that hee would not stand vp nor mooue vnto him he was full of indignatiō neuertheles the text saith that he refrained himselfe And when Abimelech an heathen king had taken Sara Abrahams wife God said vnto him I knowe that thou didst this with an vpright heart and the text addeth further I haue kept thee that thou shouldest not sinne against me And thus the Lord giueth to men as yet without the spirit of sanctification this gift to bridle themselues so as in outward action they shall not practise this or that sinne For why did not Abimelech commit adulterie surely because God kept him from it Againe in the histories of the heathen we may read of many that were iust liberall meeke continent c. and that by a generall operation of the holy Ghost that represseth the corruption of nature for the common good Here then if any man aske howe it commeth to passe that some men are more modest and ciuil then others seeing all men by nature are equally wicked the answer may be not as the common saying is because some are of better nature then others for all the sonnes of Adam are equall in regard of nature the child newe borne in that respect is as wicked as the eldest man that euer liued but the reason is because God giues this common gift of restraining the affections more to some then to others This must be considered of vs all For a man may haue the spirit of God to bridle many sinnes and yet neuer haue the spirit to mortifie the same and to make him a newe creature And this beeing so we must take heede that we deceiue not our selues For it is not sufficient for a man to liue in outward ciuility and to keepe in some of his affections vpon some occasion for that a wicked man may doe but we must further labour to feele in our selues the spirit
of God not only bridling sinne in vs but also mortifying and killing the same Indeed both of them are the good gifts of Gods spirit but yet the mortification of sinne is the chiefest being an effectuall signe of grace and proper to the elect The fifth grace and gift of the holy Ghost is to heare and receiue the word of God with ioy In the parable of the sower one kind of badde ground are they which when they haue heard receiue the worde with ioy And this is that which the authour of the Hebrues calls the the tasting of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come We knowe that there is great difference betweene tasting of meate and eating of it They that sit down at the table do both tast and eate but they that dresse the meate do onely see and taste thereof so it is at the Lords table Many there be that haue this gift truely both to tast and eate of the bodie and blood of Christ offered in the word and Sacraments and some againe doe onely taste and feele the sweetnesse of them and reioice therein but yet are not indeede partakers thereof Nowe if this be so then all those which heare the word of God must take heede how they heare and labour to finde these two things in themselues by hearing I. that in heart and conscience they be throughly touched and humbled for their sinnes II. that they be certenly assured of the fauour and loue of God in Christ and that the sweete promises of the Gospel doe belong to them and in consideration hereof they must make conscience of all sinne both in thought worde and deed through the whole course of their liues And this kind of hearing bringeth that ioy which vanisheth not away Thus much of the benefits of the holy Ghost common to all men both good and badde nowe followe such as are proper to the elect all which may be reduced vnto one namely the inhabitation of the spirit whereby the elect are the temples of the holy Ghost who is said to dwell in men not in respect of substance for the whole nature of the holy Ghost cannot be comprised in the bodie or soule of man but in respect of a particular operation and this dwelling standes in two things The first that the holy Ghost doth abide in them not for a time onely but for euer for the word dwelling noteth perpetuitie Secondly that the holy Ghost hath the full disposition of the heart as whē a man commeth to dwell in an house whereof he is lord he hath libertie to gouerne it after his owne will Nowe this disposition of the hearts of the faithfull by the holy Ghost stands in fiue special and notable gifts euery one worthie our obseruation The first is a certen knowledge of a mans owne reconciliation to God in Christ. As it is said in Esai By his knowledge my righteous seruant shall iustifie many And Christ saith This is life eternall that they knowe thee to be the onely verie God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. This knowledge is not generall for then the deuils might be saued but it is particular whereby a man knoweth God the father to be his father and Christ the redeemer to bee his redeemer and the holy Ghost to bee his sanctifier and comforter And it is a speciall worke of the holy Ghost as Paul saith The spirit of God beareth witnesse to our spirits that we are the children of God And we haue receiued the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are giuen vnto vs of God The second gift is regeneration whereby a man of a limme of the deuill is made a member of Christ and of a child of Satan whome euery one of vs by nature doe as liuely resemble as any man doeth his owne parent is made the child of God Except a man saith our Sauiour Christ be borne againe by water and the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Iohn Baptist in saying that Christ baptized with the holy Ghost and fire compares the spirit of god to fire and water To fire for two causes I. as it is the nature of fire to warme the body that is benummed and frozen with colde so when a man is benummed and frozen in sinne yea when he is euen starke dead in sinne it is the property of the Holy Ghost to warme and quicken his heart and to reuiue him II. Fire doth purge and eate out the drosse from the good mettall now there is no drosse nor canker that hath so deepely eaten into any mettall as sinne into the nature of man and therefore the Holy Ghost is as fire to purge and eate out the hidden corruptions of sinne out of the rebellious heart of man Againe the holy Ghost is compared to cleare water for two causes I. man by nature is as drie wood without sappe and the property of the holy Ghost is as water to supple and to put sap of grace into the dead and rotten heart of man II. the propertie of water is to clense and purifie the filth of the bodie euen so the holy Ghost doth spiritually wash away our sinnes which are the filth of our nature and this is the second benefit of the Holy Ghost By this we are taught that he which would enter into the kingdome of God and haue the Holy Ghost to dwell in him must labour to feele the worke of regeneration by the same spirit and if a man would knowe whether hee haue this worke wrought in him or no let him marke what Saint Paul saith They that are of the spirit sauour the things that are of the spirit but they that liue after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh If therefore a man haue his heart continually affected with that which is truely good either more or lesse it is a certaine token that his wicked nature is changed and he regenerate but contrariwise if his heart be alwaies set on the pleasures of sinne and the things of this world hee may iustly suspect himselfe that he is not regenerated As for example if a man haue all his minde set vpon drinking and gulling in of wine and strong drink hauing little delight nor pleasure in any thing els it argues a carnall minde vnregenerate because it affects the things of the flesh and so of the rest And on the contrarie he that hath his minde affected with a desire to doe the will of God in practising the workes of charitie and religion he I say hath a spirituall and a renued heart and is regenerate by the holy Ghost The third worke of the holy Ghost is to gouerne the hearts of the elect this may be called spirituall regiment A man that dwelleth in a house of his owne orders and gouerns it according to his own will euen so the holy ghost gouerns all them in whome he dwelleth as Paul saith
he saith Christ is the head to his bodie which is his Church and when he ascribes the name of Christ not onely to the person of the Sonne but to the Church it selfe as in the Epistle to the Galatians To Abraham and his seede were the promises made he saith not and to his seedes as speaking of many but and vnto his seede as speaking of one which is Christ that is not the redeemer alone but also the Church redeemed For Christ as he is man is not the onely seede of Abraham And this definition of the Church is almost in so many wordes set downe in the Scriptures in that it is called the Familie of God partly in heauen and partly in earth named of Christ and it is also called the heauenly Ierusalem the mother of vs all and the celestiall Ierusalem and the congregation of the first borne Nowe for the better vnderstanding of the nature estate and parts of the Church two points among the rest must bee considered the efficient cause therof Câ—â—s predestination and the forme the mysticall Vnion In handling the doctrine of Predestination my meaning is onely to stand on such points as are reuealed in the worde and necessarie tending to edification And first I will shewe what is the trueth and secondly the contrary falshoode In the trueth I consider foure things I. what Predestination is II. what is the order of it III. what be the parts of it IV. what is the vse Predestination may thus be deâ—ined It is a part of the counsell of God whereby he hath before all times purposed in himselfe to shewe mercy on some men to passe by others shewing his iustice on them for the manifestation of the glorie of his owne name First I say it is a part of his counsell because the counsell or decree of God vniuersally extends it selfe to all things that are and Predestination is Gods decree so farre forth as it concernes the reasonable creatures especially man Nowe in euery purpose or decree of God three things must be considered the beginning the matter the ende The beginning is the will of God whereby he willeth and appointeth the estate of his creatures it is the most absolute supreame and soueraigne cause of all things that are so farre forth as they haue beeing hauing nothing either aboue it selfe or out of it selfe to bee an impulsiue cause to mooue or incline it and to say otherwise is to make the will of God to be no will Indeede mens wils are mooued and disposed by externall causes out of themselues borrowed from the things whereof deliberation is made because they are to be ruled by equitie and reason and a mans bare will without reason is nothing Nowe Gods will is not ruled by another rule of reason or iustice but it selfe is an absolute rule both of iustice and reason A thing is not first of all reasonable and iust and then afterward willed by God but it is first of all willed by God and thereupon becomes reasonable and iust The matter of his purpose is a decreed manifestation of two of the most ptincipall attributes of the godhead mercy and iustice and that with a limitation or restraint of mercy to some of the creatures and iustice to some others because it was his good will and pleasure And we are not to imagine that this is a point of crueltie in God for his very essence or nature is not iustice alone or mercy alone but iustice and mercy both togither and therefore to purpose the declaration of them both vpon his creatures ouer whome hee is a soueraigne Lord and that without other respects vpon his very will and pleasure is no point of iniustice The supreame end of the counsell of God is the manifestation of his owne glorie partly in his mercy and partly in his iustice For in common equitie the end which he propoundes vnto himselfe of all his doings must be answerable to his nature which is maiestie and glorie and as I haue said iustice and mercy it selfe And because Pauls disputation in the 9. to the Romanes giues light and sufficient confirmation to this which I nowe teach I will stand a little to open and resolue the same From the 1. verse to the 6. he sets downe his griefe conceiued for his brethren the Iewes and therewithall that it might not bee thought that he spake of malice he doth onely in close and obscure manner insinuate the Râ—iection of that nation This done in the 6. v. he answers a secret obiection which might be made on this manner If the Iewes be reiected theÌ„ the word of God is of none effect that is then the couenant made with the forefathers is void but the couenant can not be voide therefore the Iewes are not reiected The assumption he takes for graunted and denies the consequence of the proposition And the ground of his deniall is because there is a distinction betweene man and man euen among the Iewes whereby some are indeede in the couenant some not And this distinction is prooued by three examples the first in this verse that of the children of Iacob the common parent of all the Iewes some are Israel that is truely in the couenant as Iacob was and some are not Israel Now it might be further obiected that the Iewes are not onely the posteritie of Iacob but the seede of Abraham in whome all nations of the earth are blessed and therefore not to be reiected And to this Paul answers vers 7. alleadging a second example of the distinction betweene man and man out of the familie of Abraham in which some were indeede sonnes some were not For the proofe of this first he sets downe the words of the text in Moses In Isaac shall thy seede be called and secondly makes an exposition of them with a collection on this manner Al they which are the sonnes of the promise are the seede of Abraham or the sonnes of God but Isaac is a sonne of promise and not Ismael therefore Isaac is the seed of Abraham and heire of the blessing and not Ismael The proposition is in the 8. verse the assumption in the 9. vers the conclusion in the 7. verse Here marke I. howe he makes a double seede one according to the flesh the other spirituall and two kinde of sonnes one of the flesh the other sonne of the promise or the sonne of God for he puts the one for the other II. that the distinction betweene Isaac and Ismael whereby one is in the couenant of grace the other not standes not in their foreseene saith and vnbeleefe and the fruites of them but in the purpose and will of God it selfe For Isaac is called the childe of promise because by the vertue of it he was borne and beleeued and was adopted the child of God and made heire of the couenant giuen to Abraham and therefore consequently the right of apoption befell him by the meere good pleasure of
the faithfull haue their whole estate before God reuealed vnto them according to the word the thing it selfe being otherwise secret and hidden 1. Cor. 2,9,10,12 Further the work of this spirit in the godly is twofold the one concernes God himselfe the other the things of God The worke of the spirit of reuelation which respects God himselfe is an acknowledgement of the Father or of Christ. Now to acknowledge God the Father is not onely to know and confesse that he is a father of the faithfull but also to be resolued in conscience that he is a father to me in particular Secondly that Christ is not onely in generall a Sauiour of the elect but that he is in speciall my Sauiour and redeemer The second worke of this spirit is an illumination of the eyes of the minde to see and know the things of God which he hath prepared for them that doe beleeue and they are two The first is life eternall which is described by fiue arguments 1. It is the Ephesian hope that is the thing hoped for in this life 2. It is the hope of the calling of God because in preaching of the Gospell it is offered and men are called to waite for the same 3. An inheritance properly to Christ because he is the naturall sonne of God and by him to all that shall beleeue 4. The excellencie because it is a rich and glorious inheritance 5. Lastly it is made proper to the Saints The second thing is the greatnes of the power of God whereby sinne is mortified the corrupt nature renued and mightily strengthened in temptations This power is set forth by two arguments The first is the subiect or persons in whome this power is made manifest In them that beleeue Because none can feele this but they which apprehend Christ by faith The second is the manner of manifesting this power in them which is according to the working of his mightie power which he shewed in Christ. And that was in three things First in putting all his enemies vnder his feete v. 2. Secondly in raising him from death Thirdly in placing him at his right hand Now therefore Paul praies that this wonderfull power of God which did shew forth it selfe in the head Christ might likewise shew it selfe in the members of Christ. First in treading Satan and sinne vnder their feete Rom. 16.10 Secondly in raising them from sinne as out of a graue to holines of life Thirdly in aduancing them in the time appointed to the kingdome of glorie in heauen Ephes. 3. 14. FOr this cause I bowe my knees vnto the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. 15. Of whome is named the whole familie in heauen and earth 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glorie that yeâ— may be strengthened by his spirit in the inner man 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith 18. That ye being rooted and grounded in loue may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height 19. And know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye may be filled with all fulnesse of God 20. Vnto him therefore that is able to doâ— exceeding abundantly aboue all that we aske or thinke according to the power that worketh in vs 21. Be praise in the Church by Christ Iesus throughout all generations for euer Amen The Exposition THese wordes containe two parts a prayer and a thankesgiuing In the prayer these points are to be marked First the gesture I bow my knees wherby Paul signifies his humble submission to God in prayer Secondly to whome he praies To the Father who is described by two titles the first the father of our Lord Iesus Christ and that by nature as he is God and as he is man by personall vnion The other title Of whome the whole familie which is in heauen and earth is named In which words is set downe a description of the Church first it is a Familie because it is the companie of Gods elect children vnder the gouernment of one father 1. Tim. 3.15 It is called the house of God Eph. 2.19 They that beleeue are saide to be of the houshold of God secondly the parts of the Catholike Church are noted namely the Saints in heauen departed and Saints liuing on earth thirdly it is said to be named of the father of Christ because as the father of Christ is the father of this familie so also this familie is called by him Gen. 6.2 Dan. 9.80 Thirdly the matter of the prayer stands of foure most worthie points The first is strength to beare the crosse and to resist spirituall temptations v. 16. where the strength is set out by diuers arguments First that it is the meere gift of God that he would graunt you Secondly the cause of strength by his Spirit Thirdly the subiect or place where this strength must be in the inner man that is in the whole man so farre forth as he is renued by grace Eph. 6.14 The second is the dwelling of Christ in their hearts by faith Faith is when a man beeing seriously humbled for his sinnes is further in conscience perswaded and resolued of the pardon of them and of reconciliation to God Now where this perswasion is in deed there followes necessarily Christs dwelling in the heart which stands in two things the first is the ruling and ordering of the thoughts affections and desires of the heart according to his will as a master rules in his house the second is the continuance of his rule For he cannot be said to dwell in a place who rules in it but for a day The third is the knowledge and the acknowledgement of the infinit greatnes of Gods loue in Christ an effect of the former v. 18 19. the words are thus explaned Rooted and grounded Here the loue of God wherewith he loues the elect is as a roote and foundation of all Gods benefits election vocation iustification and glorification Men are rooted and grounded in loue when Gods spirit assures their hearts of Gods loue and doth giue them some inward sense and feeling of it For then they are as it were sensibly put into the roote and laid on the foundation With all Saints Paul desires this benefit not onely to the Ephesians but also to all the faithfull with them What is the length the bredth Here is a speech borrowed from the Geometricians and it signifies the absolute greatnes or infinitnes of Gods loue and that it is like a world which for length breadth height and depth is endlesse Here note the order or receiuing grace First Christ dwells in the heart by faith Secondly then comes a sense and feeling of Gods loue as it were by certaine drops thereof Thirdly after this ariseth a plentifull knowledge and apprehension of Gods loue and as it were the powring out of a sea into a mans heart that for greatnes hath neither bottome nor banke And know the loue of
by the law Now then this good work of God to my saluation standeth in two points the working of the law the working of the gospel the preaching of the law was a key that bound and damned my conscience the preaching of the gospel was another key that loosed me againe These two salues I meane the lawe the gospel vsed God and his preacher to heale cure me a wretched sinner withall The law did driue out my disease and made it appeare was a sharp salue and fretting corrasiue and killed the dead flesh and loosed and drew the sore out by the root and all corruption It pulled from me all trust and confidence I had in my selfe and in mine owne works merits deseruings and ceremonies and robbed me of all my righteousnesse and made me poore It killed me in sending me downe to hell and bringing me almost to vtter desperation and prepared the way of the Lord as it is written of Iohn Baptist. For it was not possible that Christ should come vnto me as long as I trusted in my selfe or in any worldly thing or had any righteousnes of mine own or riches of holy works Then afterward came the gospel a more gentle plaister which suppled and swaged the woundes of my conscience and brought mee health it brought the spirit of God which loosed the bandes of Satan and coupled me to God and his will through a strong faith and feruent loue Which bandes were to stroÌ„g for the deuill the world or any creature to loose And I a poore and wretched sinner felt so great mercie that in my selfe I was most sure that God would not forsake me or euer withdraw his mercy loue froÌ„ me And I boldly cryed out with Paul saying Who shall separate me from the loue of God c. Finally as before when I was bound to the deuil his will I wrought all manner of wickednes for I could do no otherwise it was my nature euen so now since I am coupled to God by Christs blood I do good freely because of the spirit this my nature And thus I trust I haue satisfied your fiâ—st demaÌ„d Timoth. Yea but me thinkes you doe too much condemne your selfe in respect of sinne For I can remember that from your childhood you were of a good and gentle nature and your behauiour was alwaies honest and ciuil you could neuer abide the companie of them that were roysters and ruffians swearers and blasphemers and contemners of Gods word and drunkards which nowe are tearmed good fellowes And your dealing with all men hath bin euer commended for good faithfull and iust What meane you then to make your selfe so abominable and accursed and to say you were so whollie addicted vnto wickednesse and your will so fearefully and miserably in captiuitie vnto the will of the deuil Euseb. Brother Timothie I knowe what I say God giue me grace to speak it with more liuely feeling of my weaknes and with a more bitter detestation of my sin By nature through the fall of Adam am I the child of wrath heire of the vengeance of God by birth yea and so from my first conception and I had my fellowship with the damned deuils vnder the power of darkenesse rule of Satan while I was yet in my mothers wombe and although I shewed not the fruits of sinne as soone as I was borne nor long after yet was I full of the naturall poison from whence al wicked deedes doe spring and cannot but sinne outwardly as soone as I am able to worke be I neuer so young if occasion be giuen for my nature is to sinne as is the nature of a serpent to sting and as a Serpent yet young or yet vnbroughtforth is full of poison and cannot afterward when time and occasion is giuen but bring foorth the fruites threreof And as an adder a toade or a snake is hated of man not for the euill it hath done but for the poison that is in it and hurt which it cannot but doe so am I hated of God for that naturall poison which is conceiued and borne with me before I doe any outward euill And as the euill which a venemous worme doth maketh it not a serpent but because it is a venemous worm therfore doth it euill and poisoneth euen so doe not our euill deedes make vs euil first but because we are of nature euill therefore doe we euill and thinke euil to eternall damnation by the lawe and are contrarie to the will of God in our will and in all things consent vnto the will of the fiend Timoth. As yet I neuer had such a feeling of my sinne as you haue had and although I would be loath to commit any sinne yet the Law was neuer so terrible vnto me condemning me pronouncing the senteÌ„ce of death against me and stinging my conscience with feare of euerlasting paine as I perceiue it hath bin vnto you therefore I feare oftentimes least my profession of religion should be onely in truth meere hypocrisie I pray you let me heare your mind Euseb. A true saying it is that the right way to goe vnto heauen is to sayle by hell and there is no man liuing that feeleth the power and vertue of the blood of Christ which first hath not felt the paines of hell But yet in these paines there is a difference and it is the will of God that his children in their conuersion shall some of them feele more and some lesse Ezechias on his death bed complaineth that the Lord breaketh his bones like a Lion that hee could not speak by reason of paine but chattered in his throat like a Crane mourned like a Doue Iob saith that God is his enemie and hath set him vp as a marke to shoot at and that the arrowes of the Almightie are vpon him and that the poyson of them hath drunke vp his spirit Dauid bewaileth his estate in many Psalmes but especially in the 130. Psalme where he beginneth on this manner Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto thee O Lord which is as though he should say O my poore soule fall not flat downe vexe not thy selfe out of measure the burden of thy sinnes presse thee sore indeede but be not for al that quite ouerwhelmed thou art thrust down so low into the depth of deepes that thou hadst neede crie aloud to be heard of him which dwelleth in the highest heightes and the euer burning hell fire is not farre from that lake whither thine iniquities haue plunged thee so that thou maiest perceiue as it were the Eccho of their cries and desperate howlings which be there cast out of all hope of euer comming forth But the Lord which bringeth forth euen to the borders of hell his best beloued when they forget theÌ„selues knoweth also how well to bring them backe againe Goe no further then downeward but lift vp thy heart together with thine eie and seeke vnto the
wil I shewe it you And first of al the dealing of God towards me is a good argumēt to me In the first commandement God hath commanded me to take him to be my God and in the Lords prayer he teacheth me to call him father he hath created the world generally and euery creature particularly for man and so for me to serue for my commoditie necessitie admonition Also he hath made me for his owne image hauing a reasonable soule bodie shape where hee might haue made me a Toad a Serpent a swine deformed franticke Moreouer he hath wonderfully preserued me in my infancie childhood youth middle age hitherto from manifold dangers and perils all which doe confirme in me a perswasion of Gods fatherly loue and that I should not doubt hereof where I might haue beene borne of Turkes loe it was the will of God that I should be borne of Christian parents and be brought into Gods Church by baptisme which is the Sacrament of adoption and requireth faith as well of the remission of my sinnes as of sanctification and holinesse to be wrought of God in me by his grace and holy spirit where I might haue beene borne in an ignorant time and religion God would that I should be borne in these daies and in this countrie where is more knowledge reuealed then euer was here or in many places els is Where I might haue beene of a corrupt iudgement and intangled with many errours of Papistrie and of the Familie of Loue and of the schisme of Browne by Gods goodnes my iudgement is reformed and he hath lightened mine eies to see and my heart to imbrace his sincere trueth By all which things I doe confirme my faith of this that God alwaies hath bin is and will be for euer my father and at my departing forth of this worlde will giue me the crowne of euerlasting glorie Secondly when as man is euermore doubting of the promises of God be they neuer so certaine God of his infinit mercie to preuent al occasions of doubting promiseth to giue his own spirit as a pledge pawne or earnest pennie vnto his children of their adoption election to saluation Nowe since it pleased God to call me from hypocrisie to be a member of his Church I feele that in my selfe which I neuer felt or heard of before In times past I came to praiers and to the preaching of gods word euen as a Beare commeth to the stake nowe the word of God is meate and drinke to me and praier is no burden vnto me but my ordinarie exercise If I rise in the morning I am not well till I haue praied and giuen thankes to God if I do any thing it commeth into my mind to pray In my praiers I find great ioy and comfort and exceeding fauour of God I neuer thinke I can wel take my rest or doe any thing els except first I aske it at Gods hand in Christ. Lastly when my mind and heart is wholly occupied in worldly matters I am stirred vp and as it were drawn to pray vnto god for the remission of my sins and the assurance of my saluation in praier I haue had those grones which for their greatnes cannot be expressed Now from whence commeth all this From the deuil No. In these actions I haue found him my enemie and a continuall hinderer of them For he by his craft when I haue beene heauie and weake hath assailed to prouoke me to some sinnes whereunto my cursed nature was most giuen and I hauing yeelded to him haue beene so hardened blinded by those sinnes that for a time I haue made light account of the word of God and praier Well then peraduenture this came from mine owne selfe No neither This cursed nature of mine hath beene more pleased and delighted with sinne and with the pleasures of the world then with such exercises from which it draweth me and presseth me downe as lead I cannot think that such a poysoning Cockatrice can lay such good egs or that wilde crab trees such as all men are in Adam can bring foorth sweete fruites according to the will of God except God plucke them forth of Adam and plant them in the garden of his mercie and stocke them and graft the spirit of Christ in them Wherefore these are the workes of Gods spirit and my conscience is thereby certified that God hath giuen me the spirit of adoption and therefore that his fauour and mercie shal continue towards me for euer For the gifts of God are without repentance and whome God once loueth him hee loueth for euer Thirdly there be certaine fruits of Gods children which I find in me by which I am confirmed in Gods fauour S. Iohn in his first Epistle saith that hereby we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Truely I feele in my heart a burning loue towards them which are good Christians though I neuer knew them nor saw them and I am very desirous to doe any good for them and if drops of my heart blood would doe them good they should haue them Moreouer I hate all sinne and wickednes with a bitter hatred and I long to see the comming of my Sauiour Christ to iudgement I am grieued and disquieted because I cannot fulfil the law of god as I ought all which I haue learned forth of Gods word to be tokens of Gods children And thus you see what euidence I haue to shewe that I am a true member of the Church militant and in the fauour of God Timoth. Haue you a steadfast faith in Christ as these arguments seeme to prooue without all wauering doubting and distrusting of Gods mercy Euseb. No no. This my faith which I haue in Christ is euen fought against with doubting and euer assailed with desperation not when I sinne only but also in tentations of aduersitie into which God bringeth me to nurture me to shewe me mine owne heart the hypocrisie and false thoughts that there lie hidde my almost no faith at all and as little loue◠euen then happely when I thought my selfe most perfect of all for when temptations come I cannot stand when I haue sinned faith is feeble when wrong is done vnto me I cannot forgiue in sickenesse in losse of goods in all tribulation I am vnpatient when my neighbour needeth my helpe that I must depart with him of mine owne then loue is cold And thus I learne and feele that there is no power to do good but of god only And in al such tēptations my faith perisheth not vtterly neither my loue and consent to the law of God but they be weake sick wounded and not cleane dead As I dealt with my parents being a childe so nowe deale I towards God my louing father When I was a childe my father and mother taught me nurture and wisdome I loued my father and all his commandements and perceiued the goodnes he shewed me that my father loued me
And at that day saith the Lord thou shalt call me Ishai shalt call me no more Baali Here it appeareth that the Israelites meaning was not to worship a false god but the true God in Baalim And Aaron when he made the golden calfe proclaimed that the next day should be holy daie not of any false god but of the Lord that brought them out of Egypt The prophet Esay after that hee had set forth Gods maiestie very worthily he comes in with this conclusion To whom theÌ„ will ye likeÌ„ God or what similitude wil ye set vp of him which declareth that the Iewes after the maner of the Gentiles ran a whoring after Idols that is Images not only of false gods but also of the true God I conclude therefore as I began that the Church of Rome by maintaining images hath repealed this commandement Neither doth it shew lesse fauour to the third commandement which also is repealed First in that they teach men to giue the glorie which is proper to God to some thing els it is proper to God after the daie of iudgement to bee all in all this they giue to Marie saying that shee is all in all It is proper to Christ in respect of other creatures to be a light lightening all that come into the world yet they pray to Marie to giue light to the blind It is proper to Christ to be the redeemer of mankind this worke of redeÌ„ption is ascribed to Marie whome the Papists call their hope their ioy their medâ—atresse a medicine for the diseased a defence from the enemie a friend in the houre of death Againe they make S. Martin a priest according to the order of Melchisedech which is proper to Christ. Secondly they hold that the people is to be barred from the reading of the Scriptures vnlesse it be in an vnknowne tongue and so they maintaine ignorance and the prophaning of Gods name for the preaching of the word and therefore also the hearing learning reading searching of it is the glorifying of the word and so the glorifying of Gods name The fourth commandement is repealed in that they require that their feast daies should be kept as solemnly as the Lords sabboth For they must be kept in all honour and comlines and men must rest from their labours from morning to euening as on the Sabboth whereas contrariwise the Lord hath giuen permission to his seruantes to labour the sixe daies so bee it on the seuenth they will rest from the workes of their callings and do the works of the spirit They repeale the fift commandemeÌ„t in that they teach that their Cleargie hath an immunitie therfore is not bound to performe obedience to magistrates for so they haue decreed that Clearkes are to be iudged only of Bishops that they are only to reskue them from iniuries Againe that the Bishop must not be iudged of the secular power and that the Pope himselfe oweth no subiection to Kings Princes Emperours but hath power to make them and to put them downe at his pleasure But S. Paul for the maintaining of the fift commandement bids euery soule be subiect to the higher powers and therefore the pope with his cleargie as Chrysostome hath expouÌ„ded it must be subiect to ciuil magistrates vnles they wil exclude themselues out of the number of men for Paul speakes to all Against the sixt commandement they haue decreed asyles for murderers plainely permitting them which feare authoritie to haue safetie in the lap of their mother the Church Thus they annihilate Gods commandement yea more then this whither tends all that they teach but to the very murdering of soules For example saluation by works of grace is one of their chiefe points But that man that is perswaded that he must be saued by his workes must also put his trust in them and hee which trusteth to his workes is accursed before god For cursed is that man that trusteth in man whether it be himselfe or other The seuenth Commandement is repealed diuers waies First in that they maintaine the occasions of Adulterie and fornication namely the vowe of single life both in men and women when as they haue not receiued the gift from God to be continent which gift when they want and yet are bound to single life they must needes breake out into much loosenes This sinne made Mantuan Palingenius and Petrarch to crie out against the Church of Rome Againe some Papists defend the toleration of the stewes in Rome for the auoiding of greater euils And in the Councell of Trent chastitie and Priests marriage are made opposite so that marriage with them is a filthie thing although God hath ordained it for the auoyding of fornication in all Furthermore that which is most abhominable and prooues the Church of Rome to be an Antichristian Church they maintaine marriages within the degrees forbidden both by the law of nature of gods word For in the table of consanguinitie they which are placed in the transuerse vnequall line cannot marrie because they are as Parents children yet if they be distant foure degrees on diuers sides from the common stock they may marrie togither by the Canon law As for example the graund vncle may marrie his sisters nephewes neece a thing very filthy in nature considering that a man cannot marrie with any honestie his sisters child To goe further by Gods word they which are distant foure degrees in the transuerse equall line are not forbidden to marry togither as cosin germanes Thus the daughters of Zelophehad were married to their fathers brothers sonnes this example as I take it may be a warrant of the lawfulnes of this marriage Yet the Canon lawe vtterly condemnes this marriage of cosin germans the marriage of their children after theÌ„ though they be eight degrees distaÌ„t Thus the Church of Rome doth ouerthwart the Lord where he giues libertie they restraine it and when hee restraineth men then they giue libertie They repeale the 8. coÌ„mandement by their spirituall marchandize in which they sel those things which are not to be sold as Crosses to dead men Images praiers the sound of bels remission of sins and the merits by which men may come to the kingdom of heaueÌ„ their shaueling priests wil do no duty without they be fed with money hence comes the prouerb no penny no pater noster They teach men to beare false witnes and so to sinne against the ninth coÌ„mandement in that they holde that Marie is the Queene of heauen whereas indeede shee is no Queene but doth continually cast down her crown before Christ with the rest of the Saints And a man may as well beare false witnes in speaking too much as in speaking too little In the tenth commandement the first motions that goe before consent are forbidden otherwise there shall be no difference betweene it and the rest For they also
faith which I haue in his blood God is not displeased if my body be sicke and subiect to diseases no more is he displeased at the disease and sicknes of the soule A naturall father will not slay the bodie of his child when he is sicke and abhorreth comfortable meates and my heauenly father will not condemne my soule although through the infirmitie of faith and the weaknes of the spirit I commit sinne and often loath his heauenly word the foode of my soule Nay which is a strange thing I know it by experience that God hath turned my filthie sinnes to my great profit and to the amendment of my life like as the good Phisitian of rancke poyson is able to make a soueraigne medecine to preserue life Sathan Well be it so that now thou art in the state of grace yet thou shalt not continue so but shalt before death depart from Christ. Christ. I know I am a member of Christs mysticall bodie I feele in my selfe the heauenly power vertue of my head Christs Iesus for this cause I can not perish but shal cōtinue for euer raigne in heauē after this life with him The conflicts of Sathan with the weake Christian. Sathan Thy minde is full of ignorance and blindnes thy heart is ful of obstinacie rebellion and frowardnes against God thou art wholly vnfit for any good worke wherefore thou hast no faith neither canst thou be iustified and accepted before God Christian. If I haue but one drop of the grace of God and if my faith be no more then a little graine of mustard seede it is sufficient for me God requireth not perfect faith but true faith Sathan Yea but thou hast no faith at all Christian. I haue had faith Sathan Thou neuer hadst true faith for in time past when according to thine opinion thou didst beleeue then thou hadst nothing but a shadow of faith and a foolish imagination which all hypocrites haue Christian. I will put my trust in God for euer and his former mercies shewmed me heretofore strengthen me now in this my weaknes 1 He created me when I was nothing 2 He created me a man when he might haue made me an vgly toad 3 He made me of comely body and of good discretion whereas he might haue made me vgly and deformed franticke and madde 4 I was borne in the daies of knowledge when I might haue bin borne in the time of ignorance and superstition 5 I was borne of Christian parents but God might haue giuen me either Turkes or Iewes or some other sauadge people for my parents 6 I might haue perished in my mothers wombe but he hath preserued me and prouided for me by his prouidence euen vnto this houre 7 Soone after my birth God might haue cast me into hell but contrariwise I was baptized and so receiued the seale of his blessed couenant 8 I haue had by Gods goodnes some sorrow for my sinnes past and haue called on him in hope and confidence that he would heare me 9 God might haue concealed his word from me but I haue heard the plētifull preaching of it I vnderstand it and haue receiued comfort by it 10 Lastly at this time God might powre his full wrath on me which he doth not but mercifully maketh me to feele mine owne wants that I might be humbled and giue all glorie vnto him for his blessings Wherefore there is no cause why I should be disquieted but I will trust still in the Lord and depend on him as I haue done Sathan Thou feelest no grace of the holy Ghost in thee nor any true tokens of faith but thou hast a liuely sense of the rebellion of thy heart and of thy lewd and wretched conuersation therefore thou canst not put any confidence in Christs death and sufferings Christian. Yet I will hope against all hope although according to mine owne sense and feeling I want faith yet I wil beleeue in Iesus Christ and trust to be saued by him Sathan Though the children of God haue bin in many perplexities yet neuer any of them haue beene in this case in which thou art at this present Christian. Herein thou prouest thy selfe to be a lying spirit for the prophet Dauid saith of himselfe that he was foolish and as a beast before God and yet he euen then trusted in God And Paul was so ledde captiue of sinne that he was not able to doe the good he would but did the euill which he hated and so in great pensiuenes of heart desired to be deliuered from this world that he might be disburdened of his corrupt flesh Sathan Thou miserable wretch doest thou feele thy selfe gracelesse and wilt thou beare the face of a Christian and by thy hypocrisie offend God as thou art so shew thy selfe to the world Christian. Auoide Sathan Christ hath vanquished and ouercome thee for my cause that I might also triumph ouer thee I am no hypocrite for whereas I haue had heretofore some testimonie of my faith at this time I am lesse moued though faith seeme to be absent like as a man may seeme to be dead both in his own sense and by the iudgement of the physitian and yet may haue life in him so faith may be though alwaies it doe not appeare Sathan But thou art a man starke dead in sinne God hath now quite forsaken thee he hath left thee vnto me to be ruled he hath giuen me power ouer thee to bring thee to damnation he wil not haue thee to trust in him any longer Christian. Strengthen me good Lord remember thy mercifull promises that thou wilt reuiue the humble and giue life to them that are of a contrite heart Sathan These promises concerne not thee which hast no humble and contrite but a froward a rebellious heart Christian. Good Lord forget not thy former mercies giue an issue to these temptations of mine enemie Sathan And you my brethren which know my estate pray for me that God would turne his fauourable countenance towards me for this I know that the praier of the righteous auaileth much if it be feruent HOW A MAN SHOULD APPLIE ARIGHT the word of God to his owne soule I. EVery Christian containeth in himselfe two natures flatte contrarie one to the other the flesh and the spirit and that he may become a perfect man in Christ Iesus his earnest indeauour must be to tame and subdue the flesh and to strengthen and confirme the spirit II Answerable to these two natures are the two parts of Gods word First the Law because it is the ministerie of death it fitly serueth for the taming and mastering of the rebellious flesh and the Gospell containing the bountifull promises of God in Christ is as oyle to power into our woundes and as the water of life to quench our thirstie soules and it fitly serueth for the strengthening of the spirit III Wel then art thou secure Art thou prone to
minde that if there were no conscience to accuse no diuell to terrifie no iudge to arraigne condemne no hel to torment yet he would be humbled brought on his knees for his sinnes because he hath offended a louing mercifull and long suffering God Further I say that repentance stands in turning againe to God Man at the first was made a goodly creature in the image of God hauing fellowship with him whereby he dwelt in God and God in him By sinne there is a partition made betweene God and man who is alienated and estranged from God and is become the childe of wrath a firebrand of hell the prodigall child going from his father into a farre countrey the straying nay the lost sheepe Now when men haue grace to repent then they begin to renew this fellowship and turne againe to God And the very essence or nature of repentance consists in this turning Which Paul doth seeme to intimate when he saith That he shewed both to Iew and Gentile that they should repent and turne to God and do works worthie amendment of life In which words he sets downe vnto vs a ful description of repentance Againe I say that repentance is a turning from sinne because it doth not abolish or change the substance of bodie or soule or any of the faculties therof either in whole or part but onely rectifie and amend them by remoouing the corruption It turnes the sadnesse of melancholy to godly sorrow choller to good zeale softnesse of nature to meekenes of spirit madnesse and lightnâ—sse to Christian mirth it reformes euery man according to his naturall constitution not abolishing it but redressing the fault of it Further I put downe that repentance is a turning from all sinne to God that I may exclude many false turnings The first when a man turnes from God to sinne as when one of a Protestant becomes a Papist an Arrian a â—â—milist The second when a man turnes from one sinne to an other As when the riotous person leaues his prodigalitie and giues himselfe to the practise of couetousnes this can be no repentaÌ„ce because it is a going from one extreame to an other whereas repentance is to leaue the extreames keepe the meane The third is not when a man turnes from sinne but sinne turnes from him and leaues him As when the drunkard leaues drunkennesse because his stomacke is decaied the fornicatour his vncleannes because the strength of nature failes him the quarreller his fighting because he is maymed on legge or arme The last is when men turne from many sinnes but will not turne from all As Herod did many things at the aduertisement of Iohn Baptist but could not be brought to leaue incest in hauing his brother Philips wife This repentance is nothing For as he which is truly regenerate is wholly in bodie soule and spirit regenerate so he which truly repents turnes from all sinne and turnes wholly to God Neither is this to trouble any that they can not know all their sinnes for sound repentance for one speciall sinne brings with it repentance of all sinne And as God requires particular repentance for knowne sinnes so he accepts a generall repentance for such as be vnknowne To proceede further the conuersion of a sinner in repentance hath three parts The first a purpose and resolution in the mind the second an inclination in the will and affections the third an indeauour in life and conuersation to abandon and leaue all his former sinnes and to imploy himselfe in obedience to Gods commandements Lastly this repentance must bring forth fruits worthie amendment of life because it cannot be knowne to be sincere vnlesse it bring forth fruit Repentant sinners are trees of righteousnes of Gods owne planting and they grow by the waters that flow out of the sanctuarie and therefore they must beare fruit that may serue for meate leafe for medicine otherwise the axe of Gods iudgment is laid to their rootes to stocke them vp CHAP. II. Of the causes of Repentance THe principall cause of Repentance is the Spirit of God as Paul saith Instructing them with meekenesse that are contrarie minded proouing if God at any time will giue them repentance And Ieremie Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted The instrument of the holy Ghost in working repentance is the ministery of the Gospell onely and not the law Reasons hereof are these I. Faith is engendred by the preaching not of the Law but of the Gospell as Paul saith The Gospel is the power of God to saluation to all that beleeue from faith to faith therefore repentance which follows faith as a fruit thereof must needes come by the preaching of the Gospel onely II. The Law is the ministerie of death and damnation because it shewes a man his wretched estate but shewes him no remedie therefore it can not be an instrumentall cause of that repentance which is effectuall to saluation III. The doctrine of repentance is a part of the Gospel which appeares in this that the preaching of repentance and the preaching of the Gospel are put one for an other And our Sauiour Christ deuides the Gospel into two parts the preaching of repentance and remission of sinnes in his name IV. That part of the word which workes repentance must reueale the nature of it and set out the promise of life which belongs vnto it But the Law neither reueales faith nor repentance this is a proper worke of the Gospel If it be said that the Law is a schoolemaster to bring vs to Christ the answer is it brings men to Christ not by teaching the way or by alluring them but by forcing and vrging them Neither doe we abolish the law in ascribing the worke of repentance to the Gospel onely for though it be no cause yet is it an occasion of true repentance Because it represents vnto the eye of the soule our damnable estate smites the conscience with dolefull terrours and feares which though they be no tokens of grace for they are in their owne nature the very gates and the downefall to the pit of hell yet they are certaine occasions of receiuing grace The phisitian is otherwhiles constrained to recouer the health of his patient by casting him into some fits of an ague so man because he is deadly sicke of the disease of sinne must be cast into some fits of Legal terrors by the ministerie of the law that he may recouer his former estate come to life euerlasting Repentance also is furthered by calamities which in this case often come in the roome stead of the law Iosephs brethren when they were in distresse in Egypt said one to another Wee haue verely sinned against our brother in that we sawe the anguish of his soule when he besought vs and we would not heare him therefore is this trouble come vpon vs. And the Lord saith in Oseah I will goe
returne to my place till they acknowledge their fault and seeke me in their affliction will they seeke me diligently And the Israelites say My soule had them many afflictions in remembrance and is humbled in me Example of Manasses And wheÌ„ he was in tribulation he praied to the Lord his God and humbled himselfe greatly And Dauid saith It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes CHAP. III. Howe Repentance is wrought REpentance is wrought in the heart by certaine steps and degrees First of all a man must haue knowledge of foure things namely of the law of god of sinne against the lawe of the guilt of sinne and of the iudgement of God â—gainst sinne which is the eternall wrath of God Then in the second place must follow the Application of the former knowledge to a mans owne person by the worke of the conscience assisted by the holy Ghost which for that cause is called the spirit of bondage and this application is made in a forme of reasoning called a practical syllogisme on this manner The breaker of the lawe is guiltie of eternall death saith the minde But I am a breaker of the lawe of God saith the conscience as a witnesse and an accuser Therefore I am guilty of eternall death saith the same conscience as a iudge Thirdly from this application thus made ariseth feare and sorrow in respect of Gods iudgements against sinne commonly called the sting of the conscience or penitence and the compunction of heart Now this compunction vnlesse it be delayed by the comforts of the Gospell brings men to desperation and to eternall damnation Therefore he that wil repent to life euerlasting must goe foure steps further First he must haue knowledge of the gospel and enter into a serious consideration of the mercy of God therein reuealed Then must follow the application of the former knowledge by the conscience renewed and assisted by the spirit of adoption on this manner He that is guiltie of eternall death if he denie himselfe and put his affiance on the death of Christ shall haue righteousnesse and life eternall saith the minde enlightned by the knowledge of the Gospell But I beeing guiltie of eternall death denie my selfe and put all my affiance in the death of Christ saith the conscience renued by the spirit of adoption Therefore I shall haue righteousnesse and life euerlasting by Christ. Thirdly after this application there followes ioy and sorrow ioy because a mans sinnes are pardoned in Christ sorrow because a man by his sinnes hath displeased him which hath beene so louing and mercifull a God vnto him Lastly after this godly sorrow â—ollowes Repentance called a Transmentatation or turning of the minde whereby a man determines and râ—solues with himselfe to sinne no more as he hath done but to liue in newnes of life CHAP. IV. Of the parts of Repentance REpentance hath two parts Mortification and Rising to newnes of life MortificatioÌ„ is the first part of repeÌ„tance which coÌ„cerns turning froÌ„ sin Men turne from sinne when they doe not onely abstaine from actuall sin but also vse all meanes wherby they may both weaken and suppresse the corruption of nature Chirurgions when they must cut off any part of the bodie vse to lay plaisters to it to mortifie it that beeing without sense and feeling it may be cut off with lesse paine In the same manner we are to vse all helps remedies prescribed in the worde which serue to weakeÌ„ or kill sinne that in death it may be abolished And it must not seeme strange that I say wee must vse meanes to mortifie our owne sinnes For howesoeuer by nature we can not doe anything acceptable to God yet beeing quickened and mooued by the holy Ghost we stirre and mooue our selues to doe that which is truely good And therefore repentant sinners haue grace in them whereby they mortifie their own sinnes Paul saith I beate downe my bodie and bring it in subiection And they which are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof And Mortifie therefore your earthly members fornication vncleannesse the inordinate affection euil coÌ„cupiscence and couetousnesse And If any man purge himselfe from these he shall be a vessell vnto honour And S. Iohn saith Euery one which hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure And he which is begotten of God preserueth himselfe and the wicked one toucheth him not Mortification hath three parts A purpose in mind an inclination in will and an indeauour in life and conuersation to leaue all sinne Rising to newnesse of life is the second part of repentance concerning sincere obedience to God And it hath also three parts The two first are a resolution in the mind and an inclination or lust in the will to obey God in all things Barnabas exhorts them of Antiochia that with purpose of heart they would cleane vnto the Lord. Examples of both these are many in Scriptures Of Ioshua If it seeme enill vnto you to serue the Lord choose you thiâ— daie whome you will serue whether the gods which your fathers serued or the gods of the Amorites c. but I my houshold wil serue the Lord. Of Dauid O Lord thou art my portion I haue determined to keep thy commandements And I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements And When thou saidst seeke my face mine heart answered vnto thee O Lord I will seeke thy face And I haue applied mine heart to fulfil thy statutes alwaies euen to the end The third part is an indeauour in life and conuersation to obey God Example of Paul And herein I take paines to haue alwaies a cleare conscience towards God and towards men Of Dauid I hauâ— respect to all thy commandements And I haue chosen the waie of trueth and thy iudgements haue I laid before me And I haue cleaued to thy testimonies And direct me in the path of thy commandements for therein is my delight No man must here thinke that a repentant sinner fullfils the lawe in his obedience for their best works are faultie before God And wheras the faithful in scriptures are said to be perfect we must knowe that there be two degrees of perfection perfection in substance and perfection in the highest degree Perfection is substance is when a man doth sincerely endeauour to performe perfect obedience to God not in some but in all his commaundements And this is the onely perfection that any man can haue in this life A Christian mans perfection is to bewaile his imperfection his obedience more consists in the good will then in the worke and is more to be measured by the affection then by the effect CHAP. V. Of the degrees of Repentance REpentance hath two degrees It is either ordinarie or extraordinarie Ordinarie repentance is that which euery christian is to performe euery day for as men
an image Exod. 32.6,8 That worships God in or at images as crucifixes and such like 2. King 18.4 That kneeles downe before an image That is bodily present at Masse keeping his heart to God 1. Cor. 8.9 That retaines the monuments of Idolatrie Exod. 23.13 That marrieth with infidels and such like Gen. 6.2 That makes leagues of amitie with such 2. Chron. 19.1 That worships God according to his owne fantasie Col. 2.23 That worships God with lip-seruice Isa. 29.13 as our common people doe which place all the seruice of God in pattering and mumbling ouer the Creede and ten commandements for praiers and the Lords praier without knowledge of the meaning That hath the power of godlinesse but denies the force of it 2. Tim. 3.5 That giues worship to creatures as Saints and angels Psal. 115.8 That refuseth to heare the preaching of the Gospel Luk. 14.19 That negligently worships God Rev. 3.16 That omits inuocation of Gods name Esa. 64.7 That heares sermons but when hee is reprooued railes and rages and profits nothing Amos 5.10 That changes the worship of God in whole or in part Deut. 13.32 That makes either open or secret league with the deuill Psal. 58.6 That vseth witchcraft sorcerie or enchantments Deut. 18.11 Levit. 19.26 That consults with wisards Levit. 20.6 That weares Amulets or Characters about his necke and puts confidence in them That hinders schooles of religion and good learning Psal. 74.6,7 That seekes not within the compasse of his calling the good estate of Gods Church but seekes his owne things Pâ—al 132.3,4 III. COM. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord c. He breakes this commandement THat doth vnreuerenly vse Gods titles in his talke Phil. 2.10 That sweares to doe a thing lawfull and good and yet doth it not Math. 5.23 That sweares rashly Ier. 4.2 That vseth customable swearing in his common talke Mat. 5.37 That blasphemes the name of God Leuit. 24.16 That sweares falsely Ioh. 8.44 That sweares against pietie and honestie That vseth cursing and banning That finds fault with the creatures of god 1. Co. 10.3 That sweares by the creatures Math. 5.34,35 That vseth lots in sporting Pro. 16.33 and 18.18 That makes and vseth charmes of hearbes and other things Deut. 18.11 That makes iests of the sentences and phrases of scripture Esa. 66.2 That vseth figure casting Esa. 47.13 That doth lightly regard Gods iudgements Heb. 3.16 That liuing dissolutely in religion makes Gods name euil spoken of 2. Sam. 12.13 1. Pet. 3.15 That makes a vowe of continencie or of any thing not in his power That makes a lawfull vowe and keepes it not Deut. 22.21 That receiues blessings from God is not thankfull Luk. 17.8 That teacheth the trueth but doth not practise it Mat. 23.2 IV. COM. Remember the Sabbath daie to c. He breakes this commandement THat labours in the seruile workes of his ordinarie calling Nehem. 13.15 That trauailes abroad on his ordinarie businesse Exod. 16.24 That keepes faires and markets on this daie Nehem. 13.15 That works haruest worke on this daie Exod. 34.21 That vseth sports and recreation causing distraction 1. Cor. 10.7 That spends the daie in idlenesse Esa. 58.13 That keepes the Sabboth only in outward fashion Esa. 1.13 That prophanes it by gluttony and drunkennesse That giues seruants libertie to doe what they list That brings not his family to the congregation to heare Gods word and to receiue the Sacraments That sanctifies not the Sabboth in his family priuately by reading the word by conference on that which hath beene heard in the congregation and by praier V. COM. Honour thy father c. He breaketh this commandement THat thinkes but a thought in his mind tending to the dishonour and coÌ„tempt of his neighbour That mockes or reuiles or beates his superiours Gen. 9.22 That disobeyes their lawfull commandements Rom. 1.30 That is vnthankefull to parents and will not releeue them if neede be 2. Tim. 3.3 That disobeyes God to obey them Act. 4.19 That exalts himselfe aboue the magistrate 2. Thess. 2.9 That serues his master with eie seruice Coloss. 3.22 That gouerns his family and those which are vnder him negligently 1. Tim. 3.4 That is slacke in punishing faults 1. Sam. 2.22 That is too rigorous in speeches and punishments Eph. 6.9 That marrieth without parents consent That chooseth his calling without parents consent Num. 30. That thinkes better of himselfe then of others Rom. 12.10 That despiseth aged persons Lev. 19.23 VI. COM. Thou shalt not kill He breaketh this commandement THat thinkes but a thought in his heart tending to the hurt of his neighbours life That beares malice to another 1. Ioh. 3.15 That is giuen to hastinesse Mat. 5.22 That vseth inward fretting and grudging Iam. 3. 14. That is froward of nature hard to please Rom. 1.31 That is full of rancour and bitternesse Eph. 4.31 That derides and scornes others Gen. 21.9 Gal. 4.29 That vseth bitter wordes and railings Pro. 12.18 That vseth contending by words or deedes Gal. 5.20 That vseth chiding and crying out Eph. 4.31 That is giuen to make complaints of his neighbour in all places Iam. 5.9 That is a fighter Iam. 4.1 That hurts or mannes his neighbours bodie Exod. 21.24 That will not forgiue an offence Mat. 5.23 That will forgiue but not forget That doeth fare well himselfe but giues not almes to releeue the poore Luk. 16.19 That vseth crueltie in punishing malefactors Deut. 22.6 That denies the seruants or labourers wages Iam. 5.24 That holds backe the pledge Ezech. 18.7 That sels by diuers waights and measures That remooues the land marke Pro. 22.18 That giues his goods vpon vsurie which is simply to binde a man to returne both the principall and the increase onely for the lone Ezech. 18.18 That by his loosenesse of life is an occasion why others sinne That mooues contention and debate Rom. 1.29 That beeing a minister teacheth erroniously That teacheth slackly Ierem. 48.10 That teacheth not at all 1. Tim. 3.2 That hinders mens saluation any way Mat. 23.13 That seekes priuate reuenge VII COM. Thou shalt not commit c. He breakes this commandement THat thinkes an vnchast thought tending to adulterie or to any sinne of that kind That lookes on a woman to lust after her Mat. 5.28 That commits incest Leuit. 18.22 That commits Sodomie 1. Cor. 6.9 That commits fornication with married or single or contracted folkes Deut. 22.22 That vseth marriage bed intemperately That lieth with a menstruous woman Ezech. 18.6 That vseth wantonnesse 1. Cor. 6.9 That vseth occasions and prouocations to lust Gal. 5.9 That is giuen to idlenesse That weares wanton and light attire 1. Tim. â— 9 1. Pet. 3.3 That vseth light talke and reading of loue bookes 1. Cor. 15.39 That frequents lasciuious places Eph. 5.3 That delights in wanton pictures 1. Thess. 5.23 That vseth the mixt dauncing of men and women Mark 6.22 That keepes company with light and suspected persons Pro. 7.22 That neglects to dispose his children in
himselfe as hee testifieth of himselfe in the prophet Esai I make peace and create euill Nowe euill is of three sortes naturall morall materiall Naturall euill is the destruction of that order which God set in euery creature by the creation Morall euill is the want of that righteousnesse and vertue which the lawe requires at mans hand and that is called sinne Materiall euill is any matter or thing which in it selfe is a good creature of God yet so as by reason of mans fall it is hurtfull to the health and life of man as henbane wolfebane hemlocke and all other poisons areâ— Nowe this saying of Esai must not be vnderstood of morall euills but of such as are either materiall or natural to the latter of which death is to be referred which is the destruction or abolishment of mans nature created The procurer of death is man not God in that man by his sinne and disobedience did pull vpon himselfe this punishment Therefore the Lord in Oseah O Israel one hath destroyed thee but in me is thine helpe Against this it may bee obiected that man was mortall in the estate of innocency before the fall Answere The frame and composition of mans bodie considered in it selfe was mortall because it was made of water and earth and other elements which are of themselues alterable and changeable yet if wee respect that grace and blessing which God did vouchsafe mans bodie in his creation it was vnchangeable and immortall and so by the same blessing should haue continued if man had not fallen and man by his fall depriuing himselfe of this gift and blessing became euery way mortall Thus it appeares in part what death is yet for the better clearing of this point we are to consider the difference of the death of a man and of a beast The death of a beast is the totall and finall abolishment of the whole creature for the bodie is resolued to his first matter and the soule arising of the temperature of the bodie vanisheth to nothing But in the death of man it is otherwise For though the bodie for a time be resolued to dust yet must it rise againe in the last iudgement and become immortall and as for the soule it subsisteth by it selfe out of the bodie and is immortall And this beeing so it may be demaunded how the soule can die the second death Answ. The soule dies not because it is vtterly abolished but because it is as though it were not and it ceaseth to be in respect of righteousnesse and fellowship with God And indeede this is the death of all deaths when the creature hath subsisting and beeing and yet for all that is depriued of all comfortable fellowship with God The reason of this difference is because the soule of a man is a spirit or spirituall substance whereas the soule of a beast is no substance but a naturall vigour or qualitie and hath no beeing in it selfe without the bodie on which it wholly dependeth The soule of man contrariwise beeing created of nothing and breathed into the bodie and as well subsisting forth of it as in it The kindes of death are two as the kindes of life are bodily and spirituall Bodily death is nothing else but the separation of the soule from the bodie as bodily life is the coniunction of bodie and soule and this death is called the first because in respect of time it goes before the second Spirituall death is the separation of the whole man both in bodie and soule from the gracious fellowship of God Of these twaine the first is but an entrance to death and the second is the accomplishment of it For as the soule is the life of the bodie so God is the life of the soule and his spirit is the soule of our soules and the want of fellowship with him brings nothing but the endlesse and vnspeakable horrours and pangs of death Againe spirituall death hath three distinct and seuerall degrees The first is when a man that is aliue in respect of temporall life lies dead in sinne Of this degree Paul speakes when he saith But shee that liueth in pleasure is dead while shee liueth And this is the case of all men by nature who are children of wrath and dead in sinnes and trespasses The second degree is the very ende of this life when the bodie is laid in the earth and the soule descends to the place of torment The third degree is in the day of iudgement when the bodie and soule meete againe and goe both to the place of the damned there to be tormented for euer and euer Hauing thus found the nature and differences and kinds of death it is more then manifest that the text in hand is to be vnderstood not of the spirituall but of the bodily death because it is opposed to the birth or natiuitie of man The words then must carrie this sense The time of bodily death in which the bodie and soule of man are seuered asunder it is better then the time in which one is brought into the world Thus much of the first point nowe followeth the second and that is howe this can be true which Salomon saith that the day of death is better then the daie of birth I make not this question to call the Scriptures into controuersie which are the trueth it selfe but I doe it for this ende that wee might without wauering bee resolued of this which Salomon auoucheth For there may be sundrie reasons brought to the contrarie Therefore let vs handle the question the reasons or obiections which may be alleadged to the contrarie may all bee reduced to sixe heades The first is taken from the opinion of wise men who thinke it the best thing of all neuer to be borne and the next best to die quickely Nowe if it bee the best thing in the worlde not to bee borne at all then it is the worst thing that can bee to die after a man is borne Answere There bee two sortes of men one that liue and die in their sinnes without repentance the other which vnfamedly repent and beleeue in Christ. Nowe this sentence may bee truely auouched of the first of whome wee may say as Christ said of Iudas It had beene good for him that hee had neuer beene borne But the saying applied to the second sort of men is false For to them that in this life turne to God by repentance the best thing of all is to be borne because their birth is a degree of preparation to happinesse and the next best is to die quickly because by death they enter into possession of the same their happinesse For this cause Balaam desired to die the death of the righteous Salomon in this place preferres the daie of death before the day of birth vnderstanding that death which is ioined with godly life or the death of the righteouâ— The second obiection is taken from the testimonies of Scripture Death is
death in our selues because we should not trust in our selues but in God which raiseth the dead Hauing thus seene what bee the duties of the sicke man to himselfe let vs nowe see what bee the duties which hee oweth to his neighbour and they are two The first is the dutie of reconciliation whereby he is freely to forgiue all men and to desire to be forgiuen of all In the olde testament when a man was to offer a bullocke or lambe in sacrifice to God he must leaue his offering at the altar first go be reconciled to his brethren if they had ought against him much more then must this be done when we are in death to offer vp our selues our bodies and soules as an acceptable sacrifice vnto god Quest. What if a man cannot come to the speech of them with whome he would be reconciled or if he doe what if they will not be reconciled Ansvv. When any shall in their sicknesse seeke and desire reconciliation and can not obtaine it either because the parties are absent or because they will not relent they haue discharged their conscience and God will accept their will for their deed As put case a man lying sicke on his death bedde is at enmitie with one that is then beyond the sea so as hee can not possibly haue any speech with him if he would neuer so faine howe shall he stay his minde why he must remember that in this case a will and desire to bee reconciled is reconciliation it selfe The second dutie is that those which are rulers and gouernours of others must haue care and take order that their charges committed to them by God be left in good estate after their death and here come three duties to be handled the first of the Magistrate the second of the Minister the third of the master of the familie The Magistrates dutie is before he die to prouide as much as he can for the godly and peaceable estate of the towne citie or common-wealth and that is done partly by procuring the maintenance of sound religion vertue partly by establishing of the execution of ciuil iustice outward peace Examples of this practise in Gods word are these When Moses was an hundred and twentie yeare olde and was no more able to goe in and out before the people of Israel he called them before him and signified that the time of his departure was at hand and thereupon tooke order for their wel-fare after his death And first of all he placed Iosua ouer them in his stead to be their guide to the promised land secondly he giues speciall charge to all the people to bee valiant and couragious against their enemies and to obey the commandements of God And Iosua followes the same course For hee calls the people togither and shews thē that the time of his death is at hand and giues them a charge to be couragious to worship the true God which done he endes his daies as a worthie captaine When king Dauid was to goe the way of al flesh and lay sicke on his death bedde he placed his owne sonne Salomon vpon his throne and giues him charge both for maintenance of region and exequution of iustice The dutie of ministers whē they are dying is as much as they can to cast prouide for the continuance of the good estate of the Church ouer which they are placed Consider the example of Peter I will saith hee indeauour alwaies that ye also may be able to haue remembrance of these things after my departure If this had beene well obserued there could not haue bin such aboundance of schismes errors and heresies as hath beene and the Church of God could not haue suffered so great hauocke But because men haue had more care to maintaine personall succession then the right succession which stands in the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles therfore wolues haue come into the roomes of faithfull teachers and the Apostasie of which Paul speakes hath ouerspread the face of the Church Thirdly housholders must set their families in order before they die as the Prophet Esai saith to Ezechiah Set thine house in order for thou must die For the procuring of good order in the family after death two things are to bee done The first concernes this life and that is to dispose of lands and goods And that this may bee well and wisely done if the Will bee vnmade it is with godly aduise and counsell to be made in the time of sicknes according to the practise of auncient and worthie men Abraham before his death makes his Will and giues legacies so did Isaac and Iacob in whose last will and testamēt are contained many worthie blessings and prophesies of the estate of his children And Christ our Sauiour when he was vpon the crosse prouided for his mother specially commending her to his disciple Iohn whom he loued And indeede this dutie of making a will is a matter of great weight and importāce for it cuts off much hatred and contention in families staies many suites in law It is not therefore alwaies a matter of indifferencie which may bee done or not done as many falsly think who vpon blind sinister respects abstaine from making wills either because their wealth should not bee knowne or because they would haue their decaied estate to bee concealed or because they feare they shall die the sooner if the will be once made Now though the making of wills belong to another place and profession yet so much may be spoken here as the holy ghost hath vttered in the worde and that I will reduce to certaine rules The first is that the will must be made according to the lawe of nature and the written worde of God and the good and holesome positiue lawes of that kingdome or countrie whereof a man is a member The will of God must be the rule of mans will And therefore the will that is made against any of these is faultie The second is that if goods euill gotten be not restored before they must euen then be restored by will or by some other way It is the practise of couetous men to bequeath their soules when they die to God their goods euill gotten to their children friends which in al equitie should be restored to them to whome they belong Quest. Howe if a mans conscience tell him that his goods bee euill gotten and hee knowes not where or to whom to make restitution Ansvv. The case is common the answer is this When the partie is known whom thou hast wronged restore to him particularly if the partie bee vnknowne or dead restore to his executors or assignes or to his next kinne if there be none yet keepe not goods euill gotten to thy selfe but restore to God that is in way of recompence and ciuill satisfaction bestowe them on the Church or common-wealth The third rule is that heads of
offering saith he thou wouldest not but eares thou hast pierced vnto men then said loe I come I desire to doe thy will O God yea thy lawe is within my heart Psal. 40. 7. The second is conformitie in the crosse two waies For first as he bare his own crosse to the place of exequution so must we as good disciples of Christ denie our selues take vp all the crosses and afflictions that the hand of God shall lay vpon vs. Againe we must become like vnto him in the crucifying and mortifying the masse and bodie of sinne which wee carrie about vs Gal. 5.24 They which are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Wee must doe as the Iewes did wee must set vp the crosses and gybbets whereon we are to fasten and hang this flesh of ours that is the sinne and corruption that cleaues and stickes vnto vs and by the sword of the spirit wound it euen to death This beeing done wee must yet goe further and labour by experience to see and feele the very death of it and to lay it as it were in a graue neuer to rise againe and therefore we should daiely cast newe moulds vpon it The third is a spirituall resurrection whereby we should by Gods grace vse meanes that we may euery daie more and more come out of our sinnes as out of a loathfome graue to liue vnto God in newenes of life as Christ rose from his graue And because it is an hard matter for a man to come out of the graue or rather dungeon of his sinnes this worke can not be done at once but by degrees as God shall giue grace Considering we lie by nature dead in our sinnes and stinke in them as loathsome carrion first wee must begin to stirre our selues as a man that comes out of a swowne awakened by the worde and voice of Christ founding in our deafe eares secondly we must raise vp our mindes to a better state and condition as we vse to raise vp our bodies after this we must put out of the graue first one hand then the other This done we must doe our indeauour as it were vpon our knees at the least to put one foote out of this sepulchre of sinne the rather when wee see our selues to haue one foote of the bodie in the graue of the earth that in the day of iudgement we may be wholly deliuered from all bonds of corruption The fourth part is a spirituall ascention into heauen by a continuall eleuation of the heart and mind to Christ sitting at the right hand of the father as Paul saith Haue your conuersation in heauen and If ye be risenwith Christ seekè things that are aboue Conformitie in morall duties is either generall or speciall Generall is to be holy as he is holy Rom. 8.29 Those whome he knewe before he hath predestinate to be like the image of his sonne that is not only in the crosse but also in holines and glorie 1. Ioh. 3. He which hath this hope purifieth himself euen as he is pure Speciall conformitie is chiefly in foure vertues Faith Loue Meekenes Humilitie We must be like him in faith For as he when he apprehended the wrath of God and the very pangs of hell were vpon him wholly staied himselfe vpon the ayde helpe protection and good pleasure of his father euen to the last so must we by a true liuely faith depend wholly on Gods mercie in Christ as it were with both our hands in peace in trouble in life in the very pang of death and we must not in any wise let our hold goe no though we should feele our selues descend to hell We must be like him in meekenesse Matth. 11. v. 28. Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly His meekenesse shewed it selfe in the patient bearing of all iniuries and abuses offered by the hands of sinnefull and wretched men and in the suffering of the curse of the law without grudging or repining and with submission to his fathers will in all things Now the more we follow him herein the more shall we be conformable to him in his death and passion Philip 3. 10. Thirdly he must be our example in Loue he loued his enemies more then himselfe Eph. 5.4 Walke in loue euen as Christ loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs an oblation and sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour vnto God The like loue ought we to shew by doing seruice to all men in the compasse of our callings and by beeing all things to all men as Paul was that we might doe them all the good we can both for bodie and soule 1. Cor. 9.19 Lastly we must follow Christ in humilitie whereof he is a wonderfull spectacle in that beeing God he became man for vs of a man became a worme that is troden vnder foote that he might saue man Phil. 2.5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Iesus Christ who beeing in the forme of God humbled himselfe and became obedient to the death euen to the death of the crosse And here we must obserue that the example of Christ hath something more in it then any other example hath or can haue for it doth not onely shew vs what we ought to doe as the examples of other men doe but it is a remedie against many vices and a motiue to many good duties First of all the serious consideration of this that the very sonne of God himselfe suffered all the paines and torments of hell on the crosse for our sinnes is the proper most effectuall meanes to stirre vp our hearts to a godly sorrow for them And that this thing may come to passe euery man must be setled without doubt that he was the man that crucified Christ that he is to be blamed as well as Iudas Herod Pontius Pilate and the Iewes and that his sinnes should be the nailes the speares and the thornes that pearced him When this meditation beginnes to take place bitternesse of spirit with wayling and mourning takes place in like manner Zach. 12. 10. And they shall looke vpon him whome they haue pearced and they shall lamem for him as one lamenteth for his onely sonne Peter in his first sermon strooke the Iewes as with a thunder clappe from heauen when he said vnto them Ye haue crucified the Lord of glorie so as the same time three thousand men were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued Againe if Christ for our sinnes shedde his heart blood and if our sinnes mad◠him sweat water and blood oh then why should not we our selues shedde bitter teares why would not our hearts bleede for thē He that findes himselfe so dull aud hardened that the passion of Christ doeth not humble him is in a lamentable case for there is no faith in the death of Christ effectuall in him as yet Secondly the meditation of the passion of Christ is a
whole man whereby all the powers and faculties of the whole man are forth of order Esa. 57.20 The wicked are like the raging of the sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and dirt Thus much of the two first actions of conscience which are to accuse and condemne the second followeth to excuse and absolue To excuse is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that the thing is well done To absolue is an action of the conscience giuing iudgement that a man is free and cleare from fault and so from punishment From these two actions arise some speciall affections I. boldnes and confidence Prou. 28.1 The righteous are bold as a lyon II. Ioy and reioycing 2. Cor. 1. 12. Our reioycing is the testimonie of my conscience that in all simplicitie and godly purenes I haue had my conuersation in the world Hence it is said that a good conscience is a continuall feast Hitherto I haue spoken how conscience giues iudgement of things done and past now followeth hir iudgement of things to be done Conscience giues iudgement of things to come by foretelling and as it were saying inwardly in the heart that the thing may be well done Of this kind of iudgement euery man may haue experience in himselfe when he is about to enterprise any busines either good or bad By this we may see the goodnes of God to all men If a man beeing to make an vnknowne iourney should finde one that would goe with him and shew him the way and all the turnings thereof he could not but take it for a point of curtesie Well we are pilgrimes in this world our life is our iourney God also hath appointed our conscience to be our companion and guide to shew vs what course we may take and what we may not And here it must be noted that in all things to be done conscience is of great force and beares a great stroke For this is the beginning of a good worke that the conscience first of all giue her iudgement truly that the thing may be done and is acceptable to God Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith that is whatsoeuer is not done of a setled perswasion in iudgement conscience out of Gods word howsoeuer men iudge of it is sinne Againe God regards not the outward pompe of the action of the doer but obedience and especially the obedience of the heart therfore vnles the coÌ„science first of all approoue the thing to be good and agreeable to Gods will it can be nothing els but a sinne And he that shall doe a thing because it is good in his owne eyes not knowing that God doth allowe of it preferres himselfe before God disobeies as the seruant that in his masters house will not doe his masters will but his owne will From this former rule arise three other the first whatsoeuer is done with a doubting conscience is a sinne For example some beleeuers in the Primitiue Church held that still after the ascension of Christ there remained a differeÌ„ce betweene meate and meate and therefore it was a scruple to them to eate of sundrie kind of meates now put the case that by example they are drawne on to eate swines flesh or some other thing which they thinke is forbidden this done there is no question but they haue sinned as Paul prooueth Rom. 14. 14. I knowe and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing vncleane of it selfe but vnto him tâ—at iudgeth any thing vncleane it is vncleane and v. 23. He that doubteth is condemned if he eate because he eateth not of faith The second whatsoeuer thing is done in or with an erronious conscience it is a sinne For example in the Primitiue Church diuers of the gentiles held this errour that fornication was a thing indifferent and therefore conscience tolde them that they might doe it and yet neuerthelesse fornication in them was a sinne because conscience erred in her iudgement And euill remaines euill though conscience say the contrarie a thousand times The third what is done against conscience though it erre and bee deceiued it is sin in the doer Example An Anabaptist holding it vtterly vnlawful to sweare is brought before a magistrate and vrged either through feare or some like cause takes an oath and that against his owne conscience nowe the question is whether he hath sinned or no Ans. Hee hath indeede sinned not so much because hee hath taken an oath for that is the ordinance of God but because hee hath taken an oath in a bad manner that is against his conscience therfore not in faith Thus it is manifest that conscience beares a great stroke in all things that are to be said or done And hereby we are aduertised of many things First if a thing done without good direction of conscience bee a sinne then much more that which is done without good direction of Gods word is a flat sinne for without direction of Gods word conscience can giue no good direction And if God will hold that for a sinne which is done without direction of his word then no doubt Gods word ministers sufficient direction for all actions whatsoeuer so as if a man be but to receiue a morsel of bread into his mouth it can so farre forth direct him that in doing of it hee shall be able to please God If this were not true maÌ„s case were most miserable For then we should sinne in manifold actions and that without remedie And hereby the Word I meane nothing but the Scriptures of the olde and newe testament which containe in themselues sufficient direction for all actions As for the lawe of nature though it affoard indeede some direction yet is it corrupt imperfect vncerten whatsoeuer is right and good therein is contained in the written word of god And as for the best vnwritten traditions let all the Papists in the world answer if they can howe I may in conscience be perswaded that they are the word of God If they say that the auncient fathers of the Primitiue Church auouch in their writings that they are Apostolicall traditions I aunswer againe howe shall I knowe and be certaine in conscience that the fathers subiect to errour in saying so haue not erred Againe we learne hence that a good intention is not sufficient to make a good work vnles withall conscience giue iudgement that God doth approue the action This shewes the ignorance of our people that when as in their dealings they runne vpon a good meaning then alwaies they thinke they do well and please God Thirdly hence it appeares that all things deuised by man for the worship of God are flat sinnes because conscience cannot say of them that they please God Esay 29.13 Mar. 7.7 Lastly we learne here that ignorance of Gods will and word is a dangerous thing and makes the life of man to abound yea to flowe with a sea of offences against God Men commonly thinke that if
liue here we are in the fight and as long as we are in the fight we haue no certaine victorie V. Some places speaks of the vncertentie of other mens saluation which we grant The author of the booke de vocat Gent. 1. clast saith We can pronounce of no man before his ende that he shall be in the glorie of the elect August lib. de perseuer cap. 13. Men are not with any certaine asseueration to auouch that others belong to this calling VI. Some speake of that certaintie which comes by reuelation without the word Greg. lib. 6. epist. 22. to Gregoria Whereas you adde in your epistles that you will be earnest with me till I write that it hath beene made known vnto me that your sinnes are forgiuen you haue required a hard and vnprofitable thing Hard because I am vnworthie to whome a releuation should be made Vnprofitable because you must not be made sure touching your sinnes vnlesse it bee in the last day of your life for then you should not be able to bewaile the same sinnes VII Some places denie vnto man that certentie which is proper to God which is to discerne in himselfe all things to come plainely as they shall come to passe without helpe of testimonie and outward signes Bernard â—erm 1. de Septuages Who can say I am of the Elect I am of the predestinate to life certenly we haue none as yet but the affiance of our hope comforteth vs. Conferre these words with those that follow For this cause certaine signes and manifest tokens of saluation are giuen that it may bee a thing out of doubt that hee is in the number of the elect in whome these signes are Thus I haue in some part made manifest that an vnfallible certentie of pardon of sinne and life euerlasting is the propertie of euery renued conscience Now therefore I will proceede further to consider howe this certentie is caused and imprinted in the conscience The principall agent and beginner thereof is the holy Ghost inlightning the mind and conscience with spiritual and diuine light and the instrument in this action is the ministerie of the Gospel whereby the word of life is applied in the name of God to the person of euery hearer And this certaintie is by little and little conceiued in a forme of reasoning or practicall syllogisme framed in the mind by the holy Ghost on this manner Euery one that beleeues is the child of God But I doe beleeue Therefore I am the child of God The proposition is made by the minister of the word in the publike congregation and it is nothing else but the promise of eternall life applied to the particular hearers The second part or the assumption is the voice of conscience regenerate or the voice of Gods spirit in the same Nowe Papists write and auouch that the assumption is false but the reasons which they vse to prooue the same are of small moment First they alleadge that many are deceiued in their perswasions thinking they haue that which they haue not I answer againe that many doe falsly presume of Gods mercie and imagine they haue that faith which they haue not and in all such the assumption is false yet in all them that are chosen to saluation and truely called it is vnfallibly true For such as haue receiued the gift of true faith haue also another gift of discerning whereby they see and knowe their own faith It is further obiected that Ieremie saith 17.9 The heart is deceitfull and wicked aboue all things who caÌ„ know it But the intent of this place is only to shew that no man can search his heart to the very bottome to see all and euery want infirmitie and wicked inclination that is therein For originall sin wherewith the heart of man is tainted is a pronnes or dispositioÌ„ to all the sinnes that are or may be And though men can not discerne all their sinnes yet many of them are certenly knownâ—â— why may not then many of the graces of God be certenly knowne especially those which be of the principall as faith sanctification repentance Againe it is alleadged that Peter beleeued that hee was able to lay downe his life for Christs sake and yet indeede was not as the euent declared for when the time came he denied Christ. Ans. Peter at that time was but weake in faith and hee was much carried away with a confidence of his owne strength which made him speake those wordes of presumption and though he failed in this one particular action yet failed he not in the principall that is in the perswasion of the pardon of his owne sinnes and of life euerlasting In a word it is certaine that many perswade themselues of Gods mercie and yet are deceiued neuerthelesse all such as doe truely beleeue are not deceiued The holy Ghost making them to see that in themâ—elues which by nature they cannot discerne as Paul signified when hee said I speake the trueth I lie not my conscience bearing me witnes by the holy Ghost Rom. 9.1 Againe the same testimonie is giuen otherwise thus Euery child of God hath the pardon of his sinnes saith Gods word But I am Gods child and therefore haue the pardon of my sinnes saith the renued conscience by the direction of Gods spirit Rom. 8.16 Gal. 4.6 After that this testimony is once begun it is confirmed by the same means as also by praier and the Sacraments But it may be demanded howe a bodily element as bread wine water should be able to confirme a perswasion of our adoption that is in the conscience Answ. The element in the sacrament is an outward seale or instrument to confirme faith not as a medicine restores and confirmes health whether we thinke on it or not whether we sleepe or wake and that by his owne inherent vertue but by reasoning in a syllogisme made by the good conscience that medium thereof beeing the outward signe in the Sacrament By meanes of which syllogisme the holy Ghost mooues and stirres the minde yea cherisheth and increaseth faith on this manner He which vseth the elements aright shall receiue the promises But I doe or I haue vsed the elements aright Therefore I shall receiue the promises Whereas presumption and the illusion of Satan vse as wel to tel a man that he is the child of God as the true testimonie of regenerate conscience the way to put difference between them is this I. Presumption is natural and from the very wombe but this testimonie of conscience is supernaturall II. Presumption is in them that make no account of the ordinarie meanes of saluation This testimonie comes by the reuerent and carefull hearing of Gods worde III. Presumption is in them that vse not to call on the name of God but this testimonie of conscience is ioyned with the spirit of adoption which is the spirit of praier IV. Presumption is ioyned with loosenes of life this testimonie brings with it alwaies an happy change
faith as he is of the articles of the creed I answer First they prooue thus much that we ought to be as certen of the one as of the other For looke what commandemeÌ„t we haue to beleeue the articles of our faith the like we haue inioyning vs to beleeue the pardon of our owne sinnes as I haue prooued Secondly these arguments prooue it to be the nature or essentiall propertie of faith as certainely to assure man of his saluation as it doeth assure him of the articles which he beleeueth And howesoeuer commonly men doe not beleeue their saluation as vnfallible as they doe their articles of faith yet some speciall men doe hauing Gods word applyed by the spirit as a sure ground of their faith whereby they beleeue their own saluation as they haue it for a ground of the articles of their faith Thus certainly was Abraham assured of his owne saluation as also the Prophets and Apostles and the martyrs of God in all ages whereupon without doubting they haue bin content to lay downe their liues for the name of Christ in whome they were assured to receiue eternall happines And there is no question but there be many now that by long and often experience of Gods mercy and by the inward certificate of the holy Ghost haue attained to full assurance of their saluation II. Exception Howesoeuer a man may be assured of his present estate yet no man is certaine of his perseuerance vnto the ende Ans. It is otherwise for in the sixt petition Lead vs-not into temptation wee pray that God would not suffer vs to be wholly ouercome of the deuill in any temptation and to this petition we haue a promise answerable 1. Cor. 10. That God with temptation will giue an issue and therefore howesoeuer the deuill may buffit molest and wound the seruants of God yet shall he neuer be able to ouercome them Againe he that is once a member of Christ can neuer be wholly cut off And if any by sinne were wholly seuered from Christ for a time in his recouerie he is to be baptised the second time for baptisme is the sacrament of initiation or ingrafting into Christ. By this reason we should as often be baptized as we fal into any sinne which is absurd Againe S. Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 2.19 They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. Where he taketh it for graunted that such as be once in Christ shall neuer wholly be seuered or fall from him Though our communion with Christ may be lessened yet the vnion and the bond of coniunction is neuer dissolued III. Exception They say we are indeede to beleeue our saluation on Gods part but we must needs doubt in regard of our selues because the promises of remission of sinnes are giuen vpon condition of mans faith and repentance Now we cannot say they be assured that we haue true faith and repentance because we may lie in secret sinnes and so want that indeed which we suppose our selues to haue Ans. I say again he that doth truly repent and beleeue doth by Gods grace know that he doth repent and beleeue for els Paul would neuer haue said Prooue your selues whither you be in the faith or not and the same Apostle saith 2. Cor. 12. We haue not receiued the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are giuen of God which things are not onely life euerlasting but iustification sanctification and such like And as for secret sinnes they cannot make our repentance voide for he that truly repenteth of his knowne sinnes repenteth also of such as be vnknowne and receiueth the pardon of them all God requireth not an expresse or speciall repentance of vnknowne sinnes but accepts it as sufficient if we repent of them generally as Dauid saith Psal. 19. Who knowes the errours of this life forgiue me my secret sinnes And whereas they adde that faith and repentance must be sufficient I answer that the sufficiencie of our faith and repentance stands in the truth and not in the measure or perfection thereof and the truth of both where they are is certenly discerned Reason VI. The iudgement of the auncient Church August Of an euill seruant thou art made a good child therefore presume not of thine owne doing but of the grace of Christ it is not arrogancie but faith to acknowledge what thou hast receiued is not pride but deuotion And Let no man aske an other man but returne to his owne heart if he finde charitie there he hath securitie for his passage from life to death Hilar. on Matth. 5. The kingdome of heauen which our Lord professed to be in himselfe his will is that it must be hoped for without any doubtfulnesse of vncertaine will Otherwise there is no iustification by faith if faith is selfe be made doubtfull Bernard in his epist. 107. Who is the iust man but he that beeing loued of God loues him againe which comes not to passe but by the spirit reuealing by Faith the eternall purpose of God of his saluation to come Which reuelation is nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace by which when the deedes of the flesh are mortified the man is prepared to the kingdome of heauen Togither receiuing in one spirit that whereby he may presume that he is loued and also loue againe To conclude the Papists haue no great cause to dissent from vs in this point For they teach and professe that they doe by a speciall faith beleeue their owne saluation certenly and vnfallibly in respect of God that promiseth Now the thing which hindreth them is their owne in disposition and vnworthines as they say which keepes them from beeing certen otherwise then in a likely hope But this hindrance is easily remooued if men will iudge indifferently For first of all in regard of our selues and our disposition we can not be certen at all but must despaire of saluation euen to the very death We cannot be sufficiently disposed so long as we liue in this world but must alwaies say with Iacob I am lesse then all thy mercies Gen. 32. and with Dauid Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for none liuing shall be iustified in thy sight and with the Centurion Lord I am not worthie that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe Matth. 8. Secondly God in making promise of saluation respects not mens worthines For he chose vs to life euerlasting when we were not he redeemed vs from death beeing enemies and intitles vs to the promise of saluation if we acknowledge our selues to be â—inners Matth. 9. if we labour and trauaile vnder the burden of them Matth. II. if we hunger and thirst after grace Ioh. 7.37 And these things we may certenly and sensibly perceiue in our selues and when we finde them in vs though our vnworthines be exceeding great it should not
vs our debts and to it we say Amen that is that our petitions shall without doubt be graunted vnto vs. Aug. serm de Temp. 182. And here note that the Church of Rome in the doctrine of iustification by faith cuts off the principall part and propertie thereof For in iustifying faith two things are required first Knowledge reuealed in the word touching the meanes of saluation secondly an Applying of things knowne vnto our selues which some call affiance Nowe the first they acknowledge but the second which is the very substance and principall part thereof they denie III. Reason The iudgement of the auncient Church August I demande nowe doest thou beleeue in Christ O sinner Thou saiest I beleeue What beleeuest thou that all thy sinnes may freely be pardoned in him Thou hast that which thou beleeuest Bernard The Apostle thinketh that a man is iustified freely by faith If thou beleeuest that thy sinnes cannot bee remitted but by him alone against whome they were committed but goe further and beleeue this too that by him thy sinnes are forgiuen thee This is the testimonie which the holy Ghost giueth in the heart saying thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Cyprian God promiseth thee immortalitie when thou goest out of this world and doest thou doubt This is indeed not to know God and this is for a member of the Church in the house of faith not to haue faith If wee beleeue in Christ let vs beleeue his wordes and promises and wee shall neuer die and shall come to Christ with ioyfull securitie with him to raigne for euer The II. difference touching faith in the act of iustification is this The Papist saith we are iustified by faith because it disposeth a sinner to his iustification after this manner By faith saith he the mind of man is inlightened in the knowledge of the lawe and gospell knowledge stirs vp a feare of hell with a consideration of the promise of happines as also the loue feare of God hope of life eternall Now when the heart is thus prepared God infuseth the habit of charitie other vertues wherby a sinner is iustified before god We say otherwise that faith iustifieth because it is a supernaturall Instrument created by God in the heart of man at his conuersion whereby he apprehendeth and receiueth Christs righteousnes for his iustification In this their doctrine is a twofold error I. that they make faith which iustifieth to goe before iustification it selfe both â—or order of nature as also for time whereas by the worde of God at the very instant when any man beleeueth first he is then iustified and sanctified For he that beleeueth eateth and drinketh the bodie and blood of Christ and is alreadie passed from death to life Ioh. 6.54 The second is that faith beeing nothing else with them but an illumination of the minde stirreth vp the will which beeing mooued helped causeth in the heart many spirituall motions and thereby disposeth man to his future iustification But this indeed is as much as if we should say that dead men onely helped can prepare themselues to their future resurrection For we are all by nature dead in sinne and therefore must not onely be inlightened in mind but also renued in will before we can so much as wil or desire that which is good Nowe we as I haue said teach otherwise that faith iustifieth as it is an instrument to apprehend and apply Christ with his obedience which is the matter of our iustification This is the trueth I prooue it thus In the couenant of grace two things must be considered the substance thereof and the condition The substance of the couenant is that righteousnes and life euerlasting is giuen to Gods Church and people by Christ. The condition is that we for our parts are by faith to receiue the foresaid benefits and this condition is by grace as well as the substance Now then that we may attaine to saluation by Christ he must be giuen vnto vs really as he is propounded in the tenour of the foresaid couenant And for the giuing of Christ God hath appointed speciall ordinances as the preaching of the word and the administration oâ—â—â—e Sacraments The word preached is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeues and the end of the sacraments is to communicate Christ with all his benefits to them that come to be partakers thereof as is most plainely to be seene in the supper of the Lord in which the giuing of bread and wine to the seuerall communicants is a pledge and signe of Gods particular giuing of Christs bodie and blood with all his merits vnto them And this giuing on Gods part cannot be effectuall without receiuing on our parts and therfore faith must needes be an instrument or hand to receiue that which God giueth that we may find comfort by this giuing The III. difference concerning faith is this the Papist saith that a man is iustified by faith yet not by faith alone but also by other vertues as hope loue the feare of God c. The reasons which are brought to maintaine their opinion are of no moment I. Reason Luke 7.47 Many sinnes are forgiuen her because shee loued much Whence they gather that the woman here spoken of was iustified and had the pardon of sinnes by loue Ans. In this text loue is not made an impulsiue cause to mooue God to pardon her sinnes but onely a figne to shew and manifest that God had alreadie pardoned them Like to this is the place of Iohn who saith 1. Ioh. 3. 14. We are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethreÌ„ where loue is no cause of the chaÌ„ge but a signe consequent therof II. Reason Gal. 5.6 Neither circumcision nor vncircumeision auaileth any thing but faith that worketh by loue Hence they gather that faith doeth iustifie togither with loue Ans. The propertie of true faith is to apprehend and receiue something vnto it selfe and loue that goes alwaies with faith as a fruite and an vnseparable companion thereof is of another nature For it doeth not receiue in but as it were giue out it selfe in all the duties of the first and second table towards God and man and this thing faith by it selfe cannot doe and therefore Paul saieth that faith worketh by loue The hand hath a propertie to reach out it selfe to lay hold of any thing and to recâ—â—ue a gift but the hand hath no propertie to cut a peece of wood of it selfe without saw or knife or some like instrument yet by help of theÌ„ it can either deuide or cut Euen so it is the nature of faith to goe out of it selfe to receiue Christ into the heart as for the duties of the first and second table faith cannot of it selfe bring them forth no more then the hand can deuide or cut yet ioyne loue to faith then can it practise duties commended concerning God and man
we despise not the vniuersall cōsent or traditiō of the Church in this case which though it do not perswade the consciēce yet is it a notable inducement to mooue vs to reuerence regard the writings of the Prophets and Apostles It will be said where is it written that scripture is scripture I answer not in any one particular place or booke of scripture but in euery line and page of the whole Bible to him that can read with the spirit of discerning and can discerne the voice of the true pastour as the sheep of Christ can doe Obiect III. Some books of the canon of the Scripture are lost as the booke of the warres of God Num. 21.14 the booke of the iust Iosua 10.13 the bookes of Chronicles of the Kings of Israel and Iuda 1. King 14.19 the bookes of certaine prophets Nathan God Iddo Ahiah and Semiah and therefore the matter of these bookes must come to vs by tradition Answ. Though it bee granted that some bookes of Canonicall scripture be lost yet the scripture stil remaines sufficient because the matter of those bookes so farreforth as it was necessarie to saluation is contained in these bookes of Scripture that are now extant Againe I take it to be a truth though some thinke otherwise that no part of the Canon is lost for Paul saith Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures c. Rom. 15.4 Where he takes it for graunted that the whole Canon of holy scripture was then extant For if he had thought that some books of scripture had beene lost he would haue said whatsoeuer was written and is now extant was written for our learning and comfort For bookes that are lost serue neither for learning nor comfort Againe to hold that any bookes of scripture should be lost calls into question Gods prouidence and the fidelitie of the Church who hath the bookes of God in keeping and is therefore called the pillar and ground of trueth And touching the bookes before mentioned I answer thus The booke of the warres of God Num. 21. 14. might be some short bill or narration of things done among the Israelites which in the daies of Moses went from hand to hand For sometime a booke in Scripture signifieth a roule or catalogue as the first chapter of Mathew which containeth the genealogie of our Sauiour Christ is called the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ. Againe the booke of the iust and the bookes of Chronicles which are said to be lost were but as the Chronicles of England are with vs euen politicke records of the acts and euents of things in the kingdome of Iuda and Israel out of which the Prophets gathered things necessarie to bee knowne and placed them in holy scripture As for the bookes of Iddo Ahiah Semiah Gad and Nathan they were contained in the books of the Kings and Chronicles and in the bookes of Samuel which were not written by him alone but by sundry prophets 1. Chr. 29.29 as also was the booke of Iudges As for the bookes of Salomon which are lost they did not concerne religion and matters of saluation but were concerning matters of philosophy and such like things Obiect IV. Moses in Mount Sina beside the written lawe receiued from God a more secret doctrine which he neuer writ but deliuered by tradition or word of mouth to the Prophets after him and this the Iewes haue now set downe in their Cabala Ans. This indeede is the opinion of some of the Iewes whome in effect and substance sundrie Papists follow but wee take it for no better then a Iewish dotage For if Moses had known any secret doctrine beside the written law he would neuer haue giuen this commandement of the said lawe thou shalt not adde any thing thereto Obiect V. Heb. 5. 12. Gods word is of two sorts milke and strong meate By milke we must vnderstand the worde of God written wherein God speakes plainely to the capacitie of the rudest but strong meate is vnwritten traditiōs a doctrine not to be deliuered vnto all but to those that growe to perfection Ans. We must know that one and the same word of God is milke and strong meat in regard of the manner of handling and propounding of it For beeing deliuered generally and plainely to capacitie of the simplest it is milke but being handled particularly and largely and so fitted for men of more vnderstāding it is strong meate As for example the doctrine of the creation of mans fal and redemption by Christ when it is taught ouerly and plainly it is milke but when the depth of the same is throughly opened it is strong meate And therefore it is a conceit of mans braine to imagine that some vnwritten word is meant by strong meat Obiect VI. Sundrie places of scripture be doubtfull and euery religion hath his seuerall exposition of them as the Papists haue theirs and the Protestants theirs Now then seeing there can bee but one trueth when question is of the interpretation of Scripture recourse must bee had to the tradition of the Church that the true sense may be determined and the question ended Ans. It is not so but in doubtfull places scripture it selfe is sufficient to declare his owne meaning first by the analogie of faith which is the summe of religion gathered out of the clearest places of scripture secondly by the circumstances of the place and the nature and signification of the words thirdly by conference of place with place By these and like helps contained in scripture we may iudge which is the truest meaning of any place Scripture it selfe is the text and the best glosse And the scripture is falsely tearmed the matter of strife it being not so of it selfe but by the abuse of man And thus much for our dissent concerning traditions wherein we must not bee wauering but steadfast because notwithstanding our renouncing of poperie yet popish inclinations and dispositions be rife among vs. Our cōmon people marueilously affect humane traditions yea mans nature is inclined more to be pleased with them then with the word of God The feast of the natiuitie of our Sauiour Christ is onely a custome and tradition of the Church and yet men are commonly more carefull to keepe it then the Lords daie the keeping whereof standes by the morall lawe Positiue lawes are not sufficient to restraine vs from buying and selling on the Sabboth yet within the twelue daies no man keepes market Againe see the trueth of this in our affection to the ministerie of the worde let the preacher alleadge Peter and Paul the people count it but common sluffe such as any man can bring but let men come and alleadge Ambrose Austine and the rest of the fathers oh he is the man he is alone for them Againe let any man be in danger any way and straight he sendeth to the wise man or wizzard Gods word is not
sufficient to comfort and direct him All this argues that poperie denied with the mouth abides still in the heart and therefore we must learne to reuerence the written word by ascribing vnto it all manner of perfection The eight point Of Vowes Our Consent Touching Vowes this must be knowne that we doe not condemne them altogether but onely labour to restore the puritie of doctrine touching this point which by the Church of Rome from time to time hath beene corrupted and defaced Wee holde therefore that a vowe is a promise made to God touching some duties to be performed vnto him and it is twofold generall or speciall The generall vowe is that which concerns all beleeuers and it is made in the couenant both of the lawe and of the Gospell I will here onely speake of the vowe which is made in the couenant of the Gospel in which there be two actions one of God the other of man God in mercie on his part promiseth to men the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting and man againe for his part promiseth to beleeue in Christ and to obey God in all his commandements Al men euer made this vowe vnto God as the Iewes in circumcision which also they renued so often as they receiued the Passeouer in the newe testament all that are baptized doe the like And in Baptisme this vowe is called the stipulation of a good conscience whereby we purpose to renounce our selues to beleeue in Christ and to bring forth the fruites of true repentance and it ought to be renued so oft as we are partakers of the supper of the Lord. This vowe is necessarie and must bee kept as a part of the true worship of God because it is a promise wherein we vowe to performe all duties commanded of God either in the law or in the Gospell It may be demanded considering we are bound to obedience how we binde our selues in baptisme thereto Ans. Though we be alreadie bound partly by nature and partly by the written worde yet may wee renue the same bond in a vowe and hee that is bound may further bind himselfe so it be for this ende to helpe his dulnesse for want of zeale and to make himselfe more forward in duties of loue to men and the worshippe of God to this ende Dauid sware to keepe the lawe of God Psal. 119.116 though he were bound vnto it by nature and by the written lawe it selfe The speciall vowe is that which doeth not reach to the person of all beleeuers but onely concerns some speciall men vpon some special occasions And this kind of vowe is two-fold The first is the vowe of a ceremoniall dutie in the way of seruice to God and it was in practise in the Church of the Iewes vnder the old testament examples hereof are two especially the first was the vowe of the Nazarites whereto no kinde of men were bound by Gods commandement but they bound themselues God onely prescribing the manner and order of keeping the same with rites pertaining thereto as abstinence frō wine the not cutting of their haire and such like The second example is of the Iewes when of their own accords they vowed to giue god house or land sheepe or oxen or any like things for the maintenance of the legall worship and of this also God prescribeth certaine rules Leuit 27. Nowe these vowes were part of the Iewish pedagogue or ceremonial lawe wherein God trained vp the Iewes in the old testament and beeing obserued of them they were parts of Gods worship but nowe vnder the Gospell they are not beeing all abolished with the ceremoniall lawe to which Christ put an ende at his death vpon the crosse It is true Paul made a vowe and since kept the same in the time of the newe testament Act. 18. yet not as a part of Gods worship but as a thing indifferent for the time wherein he onely condescended to the weaknesse of the Iewes that by this meanes he might bring them the better vnto Christ. And whereas Christ is called a Nazarite Matth. 2.23 wee may not thinke he was of that very order because he did not abstaine from wine but he was so tearmed because he was the veritie accomplishment of this order For by it was signified that Gods Church was a peculiar people seuered or chosen out of the world and that Christ in respect of holinesse was also seperated from all sinners And the words in S. Mathew he shall be called a Nazarite are borrowed from the booke of Iudges cap. 13. where they are properly spoken of Sampson and in type or figure of Christ. For as Sampson saued Israel by his death so did Christ saue his Church And as Sampson killed his enemies more by death then by life so did Christ. It is plaine therefore that this kind of vowe bindeth not vs for there are no more ceremonies to be kept vnder the gospell for parts of Gods worship but the outward rites of baptisme and the Lords supper Vowes concerning meates drinkes attire touching tasting times places daies were proper to the Iewes The second kind of speciall vowe is that whereby a man promiseth freely to performe some outward and bodily exercise for some good ende and this vow also if it be made accordingly is lawful and belongs both to the Church of the old and newe testament In the old we haue the example of the Rekabites Ier. 35. who by the appointment of Ionadab their father abstained from strong drinke and wine from planting vineyards and orchards whereby Ionadab intended onely to breake them before hand and to acquaint them with their future condition and state that they should bee strangers in a forraine land that so they might prepare themselues to indure hardnes in the time to come And nowe in the newe testament wee haue warrant in like manner to vowe as if a man by drinking of wine or strong drinke finde himselfe prone to drunkennes he may vow with himselfe to drink no more wine nor strong drinke for so long time as he feeles the drinking thereof wil stirre vp his infirmitie and minister occasion of sinning Of this kinde also are the vowes in which we purpose and promise to God to keepe set times of fasting to taske our selues in praier and reading of holy scriptures and to giue set almes for speciall causes knowne to our selues and to doe sundrie like duties And that we be not deceiued in making such vowes certen rules must be remembred I. that the vowe be agreeable to Gods will and worde for if it be otherwise the making as also the keeping thereof is sinne Vowes must not be the bonds of iniquitie II. It must so bee made that it may ftand with Christian libertie For we may not make such things necessarie in conscience which God hath made free Now Christian libertie allowes vnto vs the free vse of all things indifferent so it be out of the case of offence Hence it followes that vowes must be
but spirituall Againe in the supper of the Lord euery beleeuer receiueth whole Christ God and man though not the godhead now by this carnall eating we receiue not whole Christ but onely a part of his manhood and therefore in the sacrament there is no carnall eating and consequently no bodily presence Reason VII The iudgement of the auncient Church Theodoret saith The same Christ who called his naturall bodie foode and bread who also called himselfe a vine he vouchsafed the visible signes the name of his owne bodie not chaunging nature but putting grace to nature whereby he meanes consecration And The mysticall signes after sanctification loose not their proper nature For they remaine in their first nature and keepe their first figure and forme and as before may be touched and seene and that which they are made is vnderstood beleeued adored Gelasius saith Bread and wine passe into the substance of the bodie blood of Christ yet so as the substance or nature of bread and wine ceaseth not And they are turned into the diuine substance yet the bread and wine remaine still in the propertie of their nature Lumbard saith If it be asked what conuersion this is whether formall or substantiall or of an other kind I am not able to define And that the fathers held not transubstantiatioÌ„ I proue it by sundrie reasons First they vsed in former times to burne with fire that which remained after the administration of the Lords supper Secondly by the sacramentall vnion of the bread and wine with the bodie and blood of Christ they vsed to confirme the personall vnion of the manhood of Christ with the godhead against heretickes which argument they would not haue vsed if they had beleeued a popish reall presence Thirdly it was a custome in Constantinople that if many parts of the sacrament remained after the administration thereof was ended that young children should be sent for from the schoole to eate them who neuerthelesse were barred the Lords table And this argues plainely that the Church in those daies tooke the bread after the administration was ended for common bread Againe it was once an order in the Romane Church that the wine should be consecrated by dipping into it bread which had beene consecrated But this order cannot stand with the reall presence in which the bread is turned both into the bodie and blood Nicholaus Cabasilas saith After he hath vsed some speech to the people hee erects their mindes and lifâ—s their thoughts from earth and saith Sursum corda Let vs lift vp our hearts let vs thinke on things aboue and not on things that are vpon the earth They consent say that they lift vp their hearts thither where is their treasure and where Christ sits at the right hand of his father Obiections of Papists I. Their first reason is Ioh. 6.55 My flesh is meat indeede and my blood is drinke indeede therefore say they Christs body must be eaten with the mouth and his blood drunke accordingly Ans. The chapter must beâ— vnderstood of a spirituall eating of Christ his bodie is meate indeed but spirituall meate his blood spirituall drink to be receiued not by the mouth but by faith This is the very point that Christ here intends to prooue namely that to beleeue in him is to eate his flesh and to drinke his blood are all one Againe this chapter must not be vnderstood of that speciall eating of Christ in the sacrament for it is said generally v. 53. Except ye eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his blood ye haue no life in you and if these very wordes which are the substance of the chapter must be vnderstood of a sacramentall eating no man before the coÌ„ming of Christ was saued for none did bodily eate or drinke his bodie or blood considering it was not then existing in nature but onely was present to the beleeuing heart by faith II. Obiect An other argument is taken from the words of the institution This is my bodie Ans. These words must not be vnderstood properly but by a figure his bodie beeing put for the signe and seale of his body It is obiected that when any make their last wills and testaments they speake as plainely as they can now in this supper Christ ratifies his last will and testament therefore he spake plainely without any figure Ans. Christ here speaketh plainely and by a figure also for it hath beene alwaies the vsual manner of the Lord in speaking of the sacraments to giue the name of the thing signified to the signe as Gen. 17. 10. circumcision is called the couenant of God and in the next verse in the way of exposition the signe of the couenant And Exod. 12. 11. the paschall lambe is called the angels passing by or ouer the houses of the Israelites whereas indeede it was but a signe thereof and 1. Cor. 10.4 The rock was Christ. 1. Cor. 5.7 The passeouer was Christ. And the like phrase is to bee founde in the institution of this sacrameÌ„t concerning the cup which the Papists theÌ„selues confesse to be figuratiue when it is said Luk. 22. This cup is the newe testament in my blood that is a signe seale and pledge thereof Againe the time when these words were spoken must be considered and it was before the passion of Christ whereas yet his bodie was not crucified nor his blood shed and consequently neither of them could bee receiued in bodily manner but by faith alone Againe Christ was not onely the author but the minister of this sacrament at the time of institution thereof and if the bread had beene truely turned into his bodie and the wine into his blood Christ with his own hands should haue taken his owne bodie and blood and haue giuen it to his disciples nay which is more he should with his owne hands haue taken his owne flesh and drunken his owne blood and haue eaten himselfe For Christ himselfe did eate the bread and drinke the wine that he might with his owne person consecrate his last supper as he had consecrated baptisme before And if these words should be properly vnderstood euery man should bee a manslaier in his eating of Christ. Lastly by means of popish real presence it comes to passe that our bodies should be nourished by naked qualities without any substance which in all philosophie is false and erronious To help this and the like absurdities some Papists make nine wonders in the sacrament The first that Christs bodie is in the Eucharist in as large a quantitie as he was vpon the crosseâ— and is now in heauen yet excludes not the quantitie of the bread The second that there be accidents without a subiect The third that bread is turned into the body of Christ yet is not the matter of the bodie nor resolued to nothing The fourth that the bodie increaseth not by consecration of many hosts and is not diminished by often
reconciliation in nature for the desire is one thing and reconciliation is an other but in Gods acceptation for if we being touched throughly for our sinnes doe desire to haue them pardoned and to be at one with God God accepts vs as reconciled Againe desire to beleeue it is not faith in nature but onely in Gods acception God accepting the will for the deede That this doctrine is the will and word of God it appeares by these reasons First of all God hath annexed a promise of blessednes and of life euerlasting to the desire of grace Math. 5. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes for they shall be satisfied Ioh. 7.38 If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke Reu. 21. I will giue vnto him which is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely Now what is this to thirst properly it is when we are in a drought or drinesse and want drinke to refresh vs to desire it And therefore by a resemblance they are saide to thirst after righteousnesse that want it and would haue it and they thirst after Christ that feele themselues out of Christ and desire yea long after the blood of Christ that they might bee refreshed with it in their consciences Here then we see that the desire of mercie in the want of mercie is the obtaining of mercie and the desire to beleeue in the want of faith is faith Though as yet thou want firme and liuely grace yet art thou not altogether void of grace if thou canst desire it thy desire is the seed conception or budde of that which thou wantest nowe is the spring time of the ingrafted worde or the immortall seede cast into the furrowes of thy heart waite but a while vsing good meanes and thou shalt see that leaues blossoms and fruites will shortly followe after Secondly the desire of any good thing is accepted of God as the liuely inuocation of his holy name Psal. 10. God heareth the desires of the poore Psal. 145. Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him When Moses said nothing but onely desired in heart the helpe and protection of God at the red sea the Lord said vnto him why criest thou vnto me Exod. 14. And when wee knowe not to pray as wee oughtâ— Paul saith that the spirit maketh request by the inward groanes of the heart Rom. 8 26â— Hence I gather when a man in his weakenes praies with â—ighes and groanes for the gift of liuely faith the want whereof he finds in himselfe his very praier on this manner made is as truely in acceptation with God as the praier made in liuely faith Thirdly to the testimonie of Scripture I adde the testimonies of Godly and learned men not to prooue the doctrine in hand but to shewe a consent and to prooue thus much that the thing which I auouch is no priuat phantasie of any man Augustine saieth Let thy desire be before him and thy father which seeth in secret shall rewarde thee openly for thy deâ—ire is thy praier and if thy desire be continuall thy praier is continuall Hee addes further in the same place that the desire is a continuall voice and the crie of the heart and the inward inuocation of God which may bee made without intermission Againe The whole life of a good christian is an holy will and desire And that which thou desirest thou seest not but by desiring art as it were inlarged and made capable that when it shall come which thou shalt see thou maiest be filled Bernard saith What is not desire a voice Yea a very strong voice God heareth the desire of the poore and a continuall desire though we speake nothing is a voice continued Luther saith Christ is then truely omnipotent and then truely raignes in vs when we are so weak that we can scarce giue any groane For Paul saith that one such groane is a strong crie in the eares of God filling both heauen and earth Againe very fewe knowe howe weake and small faith and hope is vnder the crosse and in temptation For it appeares then to be as smoaking flaxe which a good blast of winde would presently put out but such as beleeue in these combates and terrours against hope vnder hope that is opposing themselues by faith in the promises of Christ against the feeling of sinne and the wrath of God doe finde afterward that this little sparke of faith as it appeares to reason which hardly perceiueth it is peraduenture as the whole element of fire which filleth all heauen and swalloweth vp all terrours and sinnes Again the more we finde our vnworthinesse and the lesse we finde the promises to belong vnto vs the more we must desire them beâ—ing assured that this desire doeth greatly please God who desireth and willeth that his grace should be earnesâ—ly desired This doeth faith which iudgeth it a pretious thing and therefore greatly hungereth and â—hirsâ—eth after it and so obtaines it For God is delighted to fill the hungrie with good things and to send the rich emptie away Theodore Beza saith If thou finde not thine heart inwardly touched pray that it may be touched for then must thou knowe that this desire is a pledge of the fathers good will to thee Kimnitius saith When I haue a good desire though it doe scarcely shewe it selfe in some little and slender sigh I must bee assured that the spirit of God is present and worketh his good work Vrsinus saith Faith in the most holy men in this life is vnperfect and weake Yet neuerthelesse whosoeuer feeles in his heart an earnest desire to beleeue and a striuing against his naturall doubtings both can and mâ—st assure himselfe that he is indued with true faith Againe Wicked men doe not desire the grace of the holy spirit whereby they may resist sinne And therefore they are iustly depriued of it for hee that earnestly desireth the holy Ghost hath it alreadie because this desire of the spirit cannot be but from the spirit as it is saide Blessed are they that hunger thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied Bradford saith Thy sinnes are vndoubtedly pardoned c. for god hath giuen thee a penitent and beleeuing heart that is an heart which desireth to repent and beleeue for such an one is taken of him hee accepting the will for the deede for a penitent and beleeuing heart indeede Taffine saith Our faith may be so small and weake as it doth not yet bring forth fruits that may be liuely felt of vs but if they which feele themselues in such estate desire to haue these feelings namely of Gods fauour and loue if thâ—y aske them at Gods hand by praier this desire and praier are testimonies that the spirit of God is in theÌ„ and that â—â—ey haue faith alreadie for is such a desire a fruite of the flesh or of the spirit It is of the
that which hee from his heart detesteth Rom. 7.19 I doe not the thing which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. The fourth difference is presumptuous sinning vpon knowledge Psal. 19. 13. Keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes let them not raigne ouer me Hitherto belongeth I. euery sinne committed with an high hand that is in some contempt of God Numb 15.30 The person that doth presumptuously c. shal be cut off from amongst his people because he hath despised the word of the Lord and and hath broken his commandement II. Presumption of Gods mercie in doing euill Eccles. 8.11 Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill Rom. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnes c. not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth thee to repentance c. The fift difference is to sinne vpon knowledge and set malice against God and to this is the sinne against the holy Ghost referred CHAP. 14. Of the punishment of sinne HItherto we haue intreated of sinne wherewithall all mankind is infected in the next place succeedeth the punishmeÌ„t of sinne which is threefold The first is in this life and that diuerse waies The first concerneth the bodie either in the prouision with trouble for the things of this life Gen. 3. 17. or a pronenesse to disease Matth. 9.2 Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Ioh. 5. 14. Behold thou art made whole sinne no more least a worse thing fall vpon thee Deut. 28.21,22 The Lord shall make the pestilence cleaue vnto thee vntill he hath consumed thee from the land c. Or shame of nakednesse Gen. 3.7 Or in womens paines in childbirth Gen. 3. 16. Vnto the woman he said I will greatly encrease thy sorrowes and conceptions in sorrow shalt thou bring forth children II. The soule is punished with trembling of conscience care trouble hardnesse of heart and madnesse Deut. 28.28 The Lord shall smite thee with madnesse and with blindnesse and with astonying of heart III. The whole man is punished 1. with fearefull subiection to the regiment of Satan Col. 1.13 Which freed vs from the power of darknesse and translated vs into the kingdome of his beloued Sonne Heb. 2. 14. He also himself tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had power of death that is the diuell 2. A separation from the fellowship of God and trembling at his presence Eph. 4. 18. Hauing their cogitation darkned and beeing straungers from the life of God Gen. 3. 10. I heard thy voice in the garden and was afraid because I was naked therefore I hid my selfe 3. Vpon a mans goods diuers calamities and dammages Deut. 28.29 Thou shalt euer be oppessed with wrong and be pouled and no man shall succour thee c. to the ende of the chapter To this place may be referred distinction of Lordships and of this commeth a care to enlarge them and bargaining with all manner of ciuill seruitudes 4. The losse of that Lordly authoritie which man had ouer all creatures also their vanitie which is not onely a weakning but also a corrupting of that excellencie of the vertues and powers which God at the first put into them Rom. 8.20 21. The creature is subiect to vanitie not of it owne will but by reason of him which hath subdued it vnder hope c. 5. In a mans name infamie and ignominie sometimes after his death Ierem. 24.9 The second is at the last gaspe namely death or a change like vnto death Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is death The third is after this life euen eternall destruction from Gods presence and his exceeding glorie 2. Thess. 1.9 Who shal be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of God and the glorie of his power CHAP. 15. Of Election and of Iesus Christ the foundation thereof PRedestination hath two parts Election and Reprobation 1. Thess. 5.9 God hath not appointed vs to wrath but to obtaine saluation by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ. Election is Gods decree whereby on his owne free will he hath ordained certaine men to saluation to the praise of the glorie of his grace Eph. 1.4 5 6. He hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glorie of his grace This decree is that booke of life wherein are written the names of the Elect Revel 20.12 Another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things that were written in the bookes according to their workes 2. Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his The execution of this decree is an action by which God eueÌ„ as he purposed with himselfe worketh all those things which he decreed for the saluation of the Elect. For they whome God elected to this ende that they should inherite eternall life were also elected to those subordinate meanes whereby as by steppes they might attaine this end and without which it were impossible to obtaine it Rom. 8. 29 30. Those which he knew before he also predestinate to be made like to the image of his Sonne that he might be the first borne amongst many brethren Moreouer whome he predestinate them he called whome he called them â—ee iustified and whome hee iustified them also he glorified There appertaine three things to the execution of this decree First the foundation Secondly the meanes Thirdly the degrees The foundation is Christ Iesus called of his father from all eternitie to performe the office of the Mediator that in him all those which should be saued might be chosen Heb. 5.5 Christ tooke not to himselfe this honour to bee made the high Priest but he that said vnto him Thou art my Sonne this day begate I thee gaue it him c. Esa. 42.1 Behold my seruant I will stay vpon him mine elect in whome my soule delighteth I haue put my spirit vpon him he shall bring foorth iudgement to the Gentiles Eph. 1.4 Hee hath chosen vs in him meaning Christ. Question Howe can Christ be subordinate vnto Gods election seeing he together with the Father decreed all things Answ. Christ as he is Mediator is not subordinate to the very decree it selfe of election but to the execution thereof onely 1. Pet. 1.20 Christ was ordained before the foundation of the world Augustine in his booke of the Predestinaiion of the Saints chap. 5. Christ was Predestinate that he might be our head In Christ we must especially obserue two things his incarnatioÌ„ his Office To the working of his Incarnation concurre First both his Natures Secondly their Vnion Thirdly their distinction Christs first Nature is the Godhead in as much as it belongeth to the Son whereby he is God Phil. 2.6 Who beeing in the forme of God thought it
of all graces whereas faith is but the instrument As for the places of scripture that mention iustification and saluation by faith they are to be restrained to men of yeares whereas infants dying in their infancie and therefore wanting actuall faith which none can haue without actuall knowledge of Gods will and worde are no doubt saued by some other speciall working of Gods holy spirit not knowne to vs. Furthermore to beleeue signifieth two things to conceiue or vnderstand any thing and withall to giue assent vnto it to be true and therefore in this place to beleeue signifieth to knowe and acknowledge that all the points of religion which followe are the trueth of God Here therefore wee must remember that this clause I beleeue placed in the beginning of the Creede must bee particularly applied to all and euerie article following For so the case standes that if faith faile in one maine point it faileth a man in all and therefore faith is saide to bee wholly copulatiue It is not sufficient to holde one article but hee that will holde any of them for his good must holde them all and hee which holdes them all in shewe of wordes if hee ouerturne but one of them indeede hee ouerturnes them all Againe to beleeue is one thing and to beleeue in this or that is another thing and it containeth in it three points or actions of a beleeuer I. To knowe a thing II. To acknowledge the same III. To put trust and confidence in it And in this order must these three actions of faith be applyed to euery article following which concerneth any of the persons in Trinitie And this must bee marked as a matter of speciall moment For alwaies by adding them to the wordes following we do apply the article vnto our selues in a very comfortable manner As I beleeue in the father and doe beleeue that hee is my father and therefore I put my whole trust in him and so of the rest Nowe wee come to the obiect of generall faith which is either God or the Church in handling of both which I will obserue this order I. I will speake of the meaning of euery article II. Of the duties which we ought to learne thereby III. And lastly of the consolations which may be gathered thence Concerning God three things are to be considered And first by reason of manifolde doubtings that rise in our mindes it may be demaunded whether there be a God many reasons might bee vsed to resolue those that haue scruple of conscience otherwaies wee are bounde to beleeue that there is a God without all doubting As for those Atheists which confidently auouch there is no God by Gods lawe they ought to die the death nay the earth is to good for such to dwell on Malefactours as theeues and rebells for their offences haue their rewarde of death but the offence of those which denies that there is a God is greater and therefore deserues most cruell death The second point followeth namely what God is Answer Moses desiring to see Gods face was not permitted but to see his hinder parts and therefore no man can bee able to describe God by his nature but by his effects and properties on this or such like manner God is an essence spirituall simple infinite most holy I say first of all that God is an essence to shewe that he is a thing absolutely subsisting in himselfe and by himselfe not receiuing his beeing from any other And herein hee differeth from all creatures whatsoeuer which haue subsisting and beeing from him alone Againe I say hee is an essence spirituall because hee is not any kinde of bodie neither hath hee the partes of the bodies of men or other creatures but is in nature a spirit inuisible not subiect to any of mans senses I adde also that he is a simple essence because his nature admits no manner of composition of matter or forme or partes The creatures are compounded of diuers parts and of varietie of nature but there is no such thing in God for whatsoeuer thing he is hee is the same by one and the same singular and indiuisible essence Furthermore he is infinite and that diuers waies infinite in time without any beginning and without end infinite in place because hee is euery where and excluded no where within all places and foorth of all places Lastly hee is most holy that is of infinite wisdome mercie loue goodnes c. and he alone is rightly tearmed most holy because holines is of the very nature of God himselfe whereas among the most excellent creatures it is otherwise For the creature it selfe is one thing and the holines of the creature another thing Thus wee see what God is and to this effect God describes himself to be Iehova Elohim Paul describes him to be a King euerlasting immortall inuisible onely wise to whome is due all honour and glorie for euer The third point is touching the number of Gods namely whether there be more gods then one or no. Ans. There is not neither can there be any more Gods then one Which point the Creed auoucheth in saying I beleeue in God not gods and yet more plainely the Nicene Creede and the Creed of Athanasius both of them explaining the words of the Apostles Creede on this manner I beleeue in one God Howesoeuer some in former times haue erroniously held that two gods were the beginning of all things one of good things the other of euill things others that there was one God in the old testament another in the newe others againe namely the Valentinians that there were thirty couple of gods and the heathen people as Augustine recordeth worshipped thirtie thousand gods yet we that are members of Gods Church must holde and beleeue one God alone and no more Deut. 4.39 Vnderstand this daie and consider in thine heart that Iehouah hee is God in heauen aboue and vpon the earth beneath there is none other Eph. 4.6 One God one faith one baptisme If it be alleadged that the Scripture mentioneth many gods because Magistrats are called Gods Moses is called Aarons god the deuill and all idols are called gods The answere is this They are not properly or by nature gods for in that respect there is onely one God but they are so tearmed in other respects Magistrates are gods because they be Vicegerents placed in the roome of the true God to gouerne their subiects Moses is Aarons god because he was in the roome of God to reueale his will to Aaron the deuill is a god because the hearts of the wicked would giue the honour vnto him which is peculiar to the euerliuing God idols are called gods because they are such in mens conceits and opinions who esteeme of them as of gods Therefore Paul saith an idol is nothing in the world that is nothing in nature subsisting or nothing in respect of the diuinitie ascribed vnto it To proceede forwarde
to beleeue in this one God is in effect thus much I. To knowe and acknowledge him as he hath reuealed himselfe in his worde II. To beleeue him to bee my God III. From mine heart to put all mine affiance in him To this purpose Christ saith This is eternall life to knowe thee the onely God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Nowe the knowledge here meant is not a bare or generall knowledge for that the deuils haue but a more speciall knowledge wherby I know God not onely to be God but also to be my God and thereupon doe put my confidence in him And thus much of the meaning of the first wordes I beleeue in God c. Nowe followe the duties which may bee gathered hence First of all if we are bound to beleeue in God then we are also bound to take notice of our naturall vnbeleefe whereby we distrust God to checke our selues for it and to striue against it Thus dealt the father of the child that had a dumme spirit Lord saith he I beleeue Lord helpe mine vnbeleefe And Dauid Why art thou cast downe my soule and wâ—y art thou so diâ—quieted in me wait on God And that which our Sauiour Christ saide once to Peter men should daiely speake to themselues O thou of littlâ— faith why hast thou doubted But some may say wherein standes our vnbeleefe Answere It standes in two thinges I. In distrusting the goodnesse of God that is in giuing too litle or no affiance to him or in putting affiance in the creature For the first few men will abide to be told of their distrust in God but indeede it is a common and riâ—e corruption and though they soothe themselues neuer so yet their vsuall dealings proclaime their vnbeleefe Goe through all places it shall be found that scarse one of a thousand in his dealings makes conscience of a lie a great part of men gets their wealth by fraud and oppression and all kinde of vniust and vnmercifull dealing What is the cause that they can doe so Alas alas if there be any faith it is pinned vp in some by-corner of the heart and vnbeleefe beares sway as the lord of the house Againe if a man had as much wealth as the world comes to he could finde in his heart to wish for an other and if he had two worlds he would be casting for the third if it might be compassed the reason hereof is because men haue not learned to make God their portion and to stay their affections on him which if they could doe a meane portion in temporall blessings would be enough Indeede these and such like persons will in no wise â—eelde that they doe distrust the Lord vnlesse at some time they be touched in conscience with a sense and feeling of their sinnes and be throughly humbled for the same but the truth is that distrust of Gods goodnesse is a generall and a mother-sinne the ground of all other sinnes and the very first and principall sinne in Adams fall And for the second part of vnbeleefe which is an affiance in the creatures read the whole booke of God and we shall finde it a common and vsuall sinne in all sorts of men some putting their trust in riches some in strength some in pleasures some placing their felicitie in one sinne some in an other When King Asa was sicke he put his whole trust in the Phisitians and not in the Lord. And in our daies the common practise is when crosses and calamities fall then there is trotting out to that wise man to this cunning woman to this sorcerer to that wizzard that is from God to the deuill and their counsell is receiued and practised without any bones making And this shewes the bitter roote of vnbeleefe and confidence in vaine creatures let men smoothe it ouer with goodly tearmes as long as they will In a word there is no man in the world be he called or not called if he looke narrowly vnto himselfe he shall finde his heart almost filled with manifold doubtings and distrustings whereby he shall feele himselfe euen carried away from beleeuing in God Therefore the dutie of euery man is that will truly say that hâ— beleeues in God to labour to see his owne vnbeleefe and the fruits thereof in his life As for such as say they haue no vnbeleefe nor feele none more pitifull is their case For so much the greater is their vnbeleefe Secondly considering that we professe our selues to beleeue in God we must euery one of vs learne to know God As Paul saith How can they beleeue in him of whome they haâ—e not heard and how can they heare without a preacher therefore none can beleeue in God but he must first of all heare and be taught by the ministerie of the word to know God aright Let this be remembred of young and old It is not the pattering ouer of the beleefe for a praier that will make a man a good beleeuer but God must be knowne of vs and acknowledged as he hath reuealed himselfe partly in his word and partly in his creatures Blinde ignorance and the right vse of the Apostles Creede will neuer stand togither Therefore it standes men in hande to labour and take paines to get knoweledge in religion that knowing God aright they may come steadfastly to beleeue in him and truely make confession of their faith Thirdly because wee beleeue in God therefore another dutie is to denie our selues vtterly and to become nothing in our selues Our Sauiour Christ requires of vs to become as little children if wee would beleeue The begger depends not on the releefe of others till hee finde nothing at home and till our hearts bee purged of selfe-loue and pride wee cannot depend on the fauour and goodnesse of God Therefore hee that would trust in God must first of all be abased and confounded in himselfe and in regard of himselfe be out of all hope of attaining to the least sparke of the grace of God Fourthly in that wee beleeue in God and therefore put our whole trust and assurance in him we are taught that euery man must committe his bodie his soule goods life yea all that he hath into the handes of God and to his custodie So Paul saith I am not ashamed of my sufferings for I knowe whome I haue beleeued and am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that day A worthie saying for what is the thing which Paul committed vnto the Lord it was his owne soule and the eternall saluation thereof But what mooues him to trust God surely his perswasion whereby he knewe that God would keepe it And Peter saith Let them that suffer according to the will of God committe their soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull creatour Looke as one friende laieth downe a thing to be kept of another so must a man giue that he hath to the
Ghost createth and so we may say of the works of gouernment and of redemption and of all outward actions of the persons to the creatures But some againe may say howe then can the worke of creation beeing an outward action of God to the creature be peculiar to the first person the father I answere the work of creatiō is not so proper to the first person the father as that it cannot also be cōmon to the rest for all the three persons ioyntly created all things of nothing only they are distinguished in the maner of creating For the father is the cause that beginneth the worke the sonne puts it in execution the holy ghost is the finisher of it And againe the father createth by the sonne by the holy ghost the sonne createth by the holy ghost and from the father the holy ghost createth not by the father nor by the sonne but from the father the sonne And this is the reason why the worke of creation is ascribed here vnto the father because he alone createth after a peculiar manner namely by the sonne and by the holy Ghost but the Sonne and the holy Ghost create not by the father but from him Thus hauing answered the obiection we come to speake of the creation it selfe In handling whereof we must withall treat of the Counsell of God as beeing the cause therof and of the Gouernment of the creatures as being a work of God whereby he continunes the creation And the order which I will obserue is first to speake of the Counsell of God and secondly of the exequution of his Counsell which hath two speciall branches the first the creation the second the preseruation or gouernment of things created The Counsell of God is his eternall and vnchangeable decree whereby he hath ordained all things either past present or to come for his owne glorie First I call it a decree because God hath in it sette downe with himselfe and appointed as soueraigne Lord what shall be what shall not bee I adde further that all things whatsoeuer come vnder the compasse of this decree as Paul saith He worketh all things according to the counsell of his will And our Sauiour Christ saith that a sparrowe cannot fall on the ground without the heauenly father yea further he tels his disciples that the very haires of their heades are numbred meaning that they are knowne and set downe in the counsell of God And considering that God is King of heauen and earth and that most wise yea wisdome it selfe and most mightie yea might and power it selfe it must needes bee that he hath determined how all things shall come to passe in his kingdome with all their circumstances time place causes c. in such particular manner that the very least thing that may bee is not left vnappointed and vndisposed The counsell of God hath two properties eternitie and vnchaungeablenes It is eternall because it was set downe by God from euerlasting before all times as Paul saith God hath chosen the Ephesians to saluation before all worldes And he saith of himselfe that hee was called according to the purpose of God which was before all worldes Againe the same counsell once set downe is vnchangeable God saith I am Iehouah and I chaunge not With God saith S. Iames there is no variablenesse nor shadowe of chaunge Nowe such as God is such is his decree or counsell And beeing vnchangeable his counsels also are vnchangeable Gods counsell hath two parts his foreknoweledge and his wil or pleasure His foreknowledge whereby he did foresee all thinges which were to come His will whereby in a generall manner he wills and ordaines whatsoeuer is to come to passe and therefore such things as God altogither nilleth cannot come to passe Now these two-parts of the counsell of God must be ioyned together and not seuered Will without knowledge is impotent and foreknowledge without will is idle And therefore such as holde that God doeth barely foresee sundrie things to come no manner of way either willing or decreeing the issue and euent of them doe bring in little better then Atheisme For if we say that any thing comes to passe either against Gods will or God not knowing of it or not regarding it we shall make him either impotent or carelesse and rase the very foundation of Gods prouidence And this decree of God must be conceiued of vs as the most generall cause of all things subsisting being first in order hauing all other causes vnder it and most principall ouerruling all ouerruled by none Thus wee see what is to be held touching Gods counsell nowe for the better clearing of the trueth three obiections of some difficultie are to be answered First may some man say if God decree and ordaine all things whatsoeuer then he decreeth and ordaineth sinne but God decrees not sinne in as much as it is against his will and therefore he decrees not all things Ans. Wee vse not to say that God doth simply will or decree sinne but onely in part adding withall these caueats I. That God willeth and decreeth sinne not properly as it is sin but as it hath in it sundry regards and respects of goodnes so farforth as it is a punishment or chastisement or triall or action or hath any existence in nature II. God can so vse euil instruments that the work done by them beeing a sinne shall neuerthelesse in him bee a good worke because hee knowes howe to vse euill instruments well If it be further alleadged that God willeth no wickednesse Psal. 5.5 we must knowe that Gods will is two-folde generall and speciall Generall whereby God willeth and decreeth that a thing shall bee and by this kinde of will he may be saide to will sinne and that without sinne For though he decree it thus yet doth he not instill wickednesse into the heart of any sinner and his decree is onely for a most excellent ende For in regard of God which decreeth it is good that there should be euill To this purpose Augustine saith excellently By an vnspeakeable manner it comes to passe that that which is against Gods will is not without his will Nowe the speciall will of God is that whereby he willeth any thing in such manner that he approoueth it and delighteth in it And thus indeede we cannot say without blasphemie that god willeth sinne Thus then we see in what manner and how farforth God may be said to decree sinne that is to will and appoint the permission of it Againe it may be obiected thus If all things be determined by the vnchangeable decree of God then all things come to passe by an vnchangeable necessitie and men in their actions haue no freewill at all or libertie in doing any thing Answer This must be learned as a certaine rule that the necessarie decree of God doth not abolish the nature of the second causes and impose necessitie vpon the will of
man but onely order and incline it without any constraint to one part As for example when a people is gathered togither to heare gods word there is none of them but they knowe that they come thither by Gods prouidence In that respect necessarily yet before they come they had all freedome and libertie in themselues to come or not to come and Gods eternall counsell did not hinder the libertie of our wills in comming or not comming nor take away the same but onely incline and turne them to the choice of one part An other example hereof we may haue in our Sauiour Christ whose state and condition of bodie if we regard he might haue liued longer yet by the eternall counsell of God he must die at that place at that time at that houre where and when he died Whereby we may see that Gods counsell doth not hinder the will of man but only order and dispose it Which answer being well marked we shall see these two will stand togither the necessarie and vnchangeable counsell of God and the free will of man And againe that the same action may be both necessarie and contingent necessarie in regard of the highest cause the counsell of God not necessarie but contingent in respect of the second causes as among the rest the will of man Thirdly some will yet obiect against this doctrine that if all things come to passe according to Gods vnchangeable decree then what needes the vsing of any meanes what needs the preaching of the word and receiuing of the Sacraments what needes any lawes Princes Magistrates or gouernment what needes walking in mens ordinarie callings all is to no ende for let men play or worke sleepe or wake let them doe what they will all is one for Gods eternall counsell must needes come to passe therefore it may seeme in vaine for men to busie themselues about such things Answ. But we must know that as God hath appointed all things to come to passe in his eternall and vnchangeable counsell so in the same decree he hath together set downe the meanes and waies whereby he will haue the same things brought to passe for these two must neuer be seuered the thing to be done and the meanes whereby it is done We may read in the Acts in Pauls dangerous voyage towardes Rome and Angel of the Lord tolde Paul that God had giuen him all that sailed with him in the shippe now the soldiers and marriners hearing this might reason thus with themselues Seeing God hath decreed to saue vs all we may do what we will there is no danger for we shall all come to land aliue but marke what Paul saith except these abide in the shippe ye can not be safe where we see that as it was the eternall counsell of God to saue Paul and all that were with him so he decreed to saue all by this particular meanes of their aboad in the shippe King Ezechias was restored to his health and receiued from God a promise that he should haue 15. yeares added to his daies and the promise was confirmed by signe now what doth he cast off all meanes no but as he was prescribed so he applieth a bunch of drie figges to his sore and vseth still his ordinarie diet Therefore it is grosse ignorance and madnesse in men to reason so against Gods decree God in his vnchangeable counsell hath decreed and set downe all things how they shall be therefore I will vse no meanes but liue as I list nay rather we must say the contrarie because God hath decreed this thing or that to be done therefore I will vse the meanes which God hath appointed to bring the same to passe Now follows the Creation which is nothing else but a worke of the blessed Trinitie forming and framing his creatures which were not before and that of nothing The points to be knowne concerning the creation are many The first is the thing by which God did beginne and finish the creation And we must vnderstand that at the first God made all things without any instrumēt or meanes and not as men doe which bring to passe their busines by seruants and helps but onely by his word and commandement as the Psalmist saith He commanded and all things were made In the beginning God saide Let there be light and there was light and by the same meanes was the creation of euery creature following The very power of the word commandement of God was such as by it that thing was made and had a beeing which before was not It may be demaunded what word this was by which God is saide to make all things Answ. The word of God in Scripture is taken three waies for the substantiall word for the sounding or written word for the operatiue or powerfull word The substantiall word is the second person begotten of the substance of the father Now howsoeuer it be true that God the father did create all things by his word that is by his Sonne yet doth it not seeme to be true that by these words God said let there be this or that that the Sonne is meant For that word which God gaue out in the creation was in time whereas the Sonne is the word of the father before all times and againe it is a word common to the three persons equally whereas the Sonne is the word of the father onely Furthermore it is not like that it was any sounding word standing of letters and syllables and vttered to the creatures after the vsuall manner of men that was the cause of them it remaines therfore that all things were made by the operatiue word which is nothing but the pleasure will and appointment of God and is more powerfull to bring a thing to passe then all the meanes in the world beside For Gods willing of any thing is his effecting and doing of it And this is prooued by Dauid when he saith He spake the word and they were made he commanded and they were created Hence we must take out a speciall lesson needfull to be learned of euery man Looke what power God vsed and shewed in making the creatures when they were not the same power he both can and will shew forth in recreating and redeeming sinnefull men by the pretious blood of Christ. By his word he created mans heart when it was not and he can and will as easily create in vs all new hearts specially when we vse the good meanes appointed for that ende As when Christ said to dead Lazarus Lazarus come forth he arose and came forth of his graue though boūd hand foot so when the Lord speaks to our dead hearts by his word and spirit we shall rise forth of the graues of our sins corruptions In the creation of the great world God saide let there be light and presently darknes gaue place and the same he can do to the little world that is to man We are by