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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	person_n	scripture_n	trinity_n	3,376	5	9.9610	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43607	Syntagma theologicum, or, A treatise wherein is concisely comprehended, the body of divinity, and the fundamentals of religion orderly discussed whereunto are added certain divine discourses, wherein are handled these following heads, viz. 1. The express character of Christ our redeemer, 2. Gloria in altissimis, or the angelical anthem, 3. The necessity of Christ's passion and resurrection, 4. The blessed ambassador, or, The best sent into the basest, 5. S. Paul's apology, 6. Holy fear, the fence of the soul, 7. Ordini quisque suo, or, The excellent order, 8. The royal remembrancer, or, Promises put in suit, 9. The watchman's watch-word, 10. Scala Jacobi, or, S. James his ladder, 11. Decus sanctorum, or, The saints dignity, 12. Warrantable separation, without breach of union / by Henry Hibbert ...	Hibbert, Henry, 1601 or 2-1678.; Hibbert, Henry, 1601 or 2-1678. Exercitationes theologiae.	1662 (1662)	Wing H1793; ESTC R2845	709,920	522

souls for himself For the first Sinners despair because they cannot be perswaded of mercy only viewing the severity of God and poring upon that Alas I have offended God and am afflicted in conscience I have deserv'd to be a fire-brand of Hell but yet consider the sweet goodness of God he is just to damn stubborn sinners but to such as humble themselves and with penitent hearts beg for mercy he is a gracious God witness Manasses Magdalen Paul c. For the latter Satan will tell thee thou may'st take thy liberty follow thy pleasures needest not be so precise for God is merciful The remedy is to consider not only the mercy but the severity of God also Remember how severely he hath dealt with the Jews for their Rebellion against Christ and his Gospel with David for the matter of Vriah with Moses for striking the Rock when he should only have spoken to it c. For as the act of seeing is hindered both by no light and by too much so the light and comfort of conscience is hindered either by not seeing of mercy or by seeing nothing else but mercy which causeth presumption Here is to be refuted the wicked opinion of the Manichees and Marcionites who held that there were two Beginnings or to speak plainly two Gods one good full of gentleness and mercy the other severe and cruel this they made the Author of the Old Testament and the other of the New But the answer is 1. That Scripture maketh one and the same God both bountiful and full of goodness and the same also severe 2. And though severity and mercy seem to be contrary yet that is not in respect of the Subject for the Divine Nature is not capable of contrary and repugnant qualities But in regard of the contrary effects which are produced in contrary Subjects Like as the Magistrate is not contrary to himself if he shew mercy unto those that are willing to be reformed and be severe in punishing obstinate offenders Or as the Sun by the same heat worketh contrary effects in subjects of a diverse and contrary disposition and quality To conclude then Who have goodness and who have severity If thou repentest and obeyest the Gospel thou art an happy man the sweetness of God and his goodness is to thee But if thou beest a profane unbelieving impenitent wretch and dyest in this estate the most just God will in his great severity cast thee into Hell 1 Sam. 25.29 as out of the middle of a sling The Lord God Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin and that will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and upon the childrens children unto the third Ezra 8.22 Psal 18.25 26. and to the fourth generation The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him With the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful Psal 34.15 16. And with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open unto their cry The face of the Lord is against them that do evil Psal 101.1 to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth I will sing of mercy and judgment unto thee O Lord Rom. 11.22 will I sing Behold the goodness and severity of God Of the Mercy of God Mercy as it is referred to God Movet enim pium judicem fragilitas considerata peccantium Cassied Exod. 34. is the Divine Essence inclining it self to pity and relieve the miseries of all his Creatures but more peculiarly of his Elect Children without respect of merit God is most glorious in mercy Shew me thy Glory saith Moses It follows what it was The Lord God merciful and gracious c. In this he is superlative and outstrips Mercy is 1. General 1. In helping his Elect and comforting 2. In scattering and confounding their Enemies 2. More particular 1. In promising 2. In performing And these are the Flagons of wine to comfort distressed souls Mercy is an Attribute in the manifestation of which as all our happiness consists so God takes greatest complacency and delights in it above all his other works He punishes to the third and fourth Generation but shewes mercy unto thousands Exod. 20.5 6. Therefore the Jewes have a saying That Michael flies with one wing and Gabriel with two meaning that the pacifying Angel the Minister of Mercy flies swift but the exterminating Angel the Messenger of wrath is slow The more mercy we receive the more humble we ought to be 1. Because we are thereby more indebted 2. In danger to be more sinful worms crawle after Rain 3. We have more to account for But alas even as the glorious Sun darting out his illustrious beams shines upon the stinking Carrion but still it remains a Carrion when the beams are gone so the mercy of God shines as I may say upon the wicked but still he remains wicked For the Lord is good his mercy is everlasting The Lord is good to all Psal 100.5 Psal 145.9 Micah 7.18 and his tender mercies are over all his works He delighteth in mercy I proceed no further in these only add That for a Creature to believe the infinite Attributes of God he is never able to do it thoroughly without supernatural grace Of the Sacred Trinity De Trinitate THat God should be Three in one and One in three this is a Divine Truth Impossibile est per rationem naturalem ad Trinitat is Divinarum p●rsonarum cognitionem pervenice Aquin. Du Bartas ex Lombard Sens. lib. 1. dist 2. more certainly to be received by Faith than to be conceived by Reason for it is the most mysterious of all the Mysteries contained in the Bible which our Divine Poet sings thus In Sacred Sheets of either Testament 'T is hard to find an higher Argument More deep to sound more busie to discuss More useful known unknown more dangerous Some damnable Hereticks especially the Jewes at this day hold an indistinct Essence in the Deity without distinction of persons We assert a real distinction there is but there can be no separation If any stumble at the word Trinity and say it cannot be found in the Scriptures I answer yet the Doctrine is if not according to the letter yet according to the sense Besides there is expresly the word Three 1 John 5.7 from whence Trinity comes The Hebrews of old Si●rectè dicuntur tres Eloh●m etiam recté dici possit tres Dii nam Elobim Latinè sonat Dii vel Deus Drus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 1.1 were no strangers to this Mystery though their posterity understood it not Moses Gen. 1.1 Dii creavit Elihu Job 35.10 God my Makers Solomon Eccl.

12.1 Remember thy Creators Isa 42.5 Thus saith God the Lord he that created the Heavens and they that stretched them out The Psalmist Ps 33.6 By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the breath of his mouth That is God the Father by the Son through the Holy Ghost created all Psal 67.6 7. Some observe God is thrice named here to note the Trinity of persons When Moses beginneth to rehearse the Law and to explain it the first thing that he teacheth them is the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity Deutr. 6.4 Hear O Israel the Lord our God the Lord is One Three words answering the three Persons Galatinus and the middle word Our God deciphering fitly the second who assumed our nature Jarchi as is well observ'd by Galatinus R. Solomon Jarchi writing on that Cant. 1.11 We will make c. interprets it I and my Judgment-hall Now a Judgement-hall in Israel consisted of three at least which in their close manner of speech they applied to God John 8.56 Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it Austin and was glad Abraham in these words acknowledgeth the Mystery of the Trinity saith Austin Add unto these Cottons 7. Vial. p. 5. what Mr. Cotton hath out of Brightman on Rev. 4.3 God is here resembled saith he by three precious stones holding forth the three Persons in Trinity A Jasper having as they say a white Circle round about it representing the Eternity of the Father A Sardine stone of a fleshly colour representing Jesus Christ who took our flesh upon him An Emrald being of a green colour refreshing the eyes of them that look upon it representing the Spirit who is as the Rainbow a token of fair weather and is a comfortable refresher wheresoever he cometh There was Concilium augustissimum as one terms it a most Majestical meeting of the three Persons in Trinity about the work of mans Creation Gen. 1.26 And afterwards about his Redemption Mat. 3.16 17. So likewise in the matter of mans Sanctification remarkable is that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.4 5 6 7. where the diversities of gifts are said to be of the Spirit The diversities of Ministeries whereby those gifts are administred of the Lord that is of Christ And the diversities of operations effected by the gifts and Ministeries to be of God that is the Father When Jesus was baptized prayed the Heavens were opened and the Aire clarified by a new and glorious light and the Holy Ghost in the manner of a Dove alighted upon his Sacred Head and God the Father gave a voice from Heaven Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased This was the greatest meeting that ever was upon Earth where the whole Cabinet of the mysterious Trinity was opened and shewn as much as the capacities of our present imperfections will permit The second Person in the vail of Humanity the third in the shape or with the motion of a Dove But the first kept his primitive state and as to the Israelites He gave notice by way of Caution Ye saw no shape but ye heard a voyce So now also God the Father gave testimony to his holy Son and appeared only in a voyce without any visible representment Also in the transfiguration of Christ the Son standeth the Father by his voyce witnesseth and the Holy Ghost overshadows him in a Cloud as before by a Dove Now the pur-blind Progeny of Adam being able to discern no clearer of the Godhead than he in the Gospel which saw men walking like Trees O blindness more than gross not to see or seeing not to discern when the Sun it self lodgeth in his Zenith Therefore many have ransack't Nature for Mediums to perswade the Doctrine of the Trinity One tells us That a Spring begets a River and that from both are derived smaller Brooks all which make but one water Another shews a Root from which riseth a Body and from thence Branches yet all but one Tree Another Dyonis de divin nomin 5.2 the Trinity may be shadow'd forth though but darkly by light the Father being as the body of light the Son as the beams and the Holy Ghost as the splendour of both Dionysius illustrateth it by the similitude of three Candles Dam●s●● de fid l. 1. c. 4. enlightning one and the same Room And Damascen of the Parelii when there appear as it were three and yet it is but one Sun And thus as difficult as the thing is Divines both Ancient and Modern Vid. Zanch. de tribus Elohim l. 8 c. 6. have in their Writings brought many similitudes and resemblances to express it by Amongst them all this is one of the clearest viz. The light of the Sun the light of the Moon and the light of the Aire all which are for nature and substance one and the same light and yet are they notwithstanding three distinct lights too Mr. Perkins on the Creed for the light of the Sun is of it self and from no other the light of the Moon is from the Sun and the light of the Aire is from them both So the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are all one simple and undivided Godhead but yet three distinct Persons the Father having the foundation of Personal subsistence from himself and from no other the Son from the Father of whom he is eternally begotten and the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son from both which he eternally proceedeth And God said let us make man in our Image after our likeness Holy Holy Holy Gen. 1.26 Isa 6.3 is the Lord of Hosts Jesus went up straight way out of the water the Spirit of God descending like a Dove lighted upon him And lo a voyce from Heaven Mat. 3.16 17. saying This is my Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased Jesus was transfigured Matth. 17.2 5. a bright Cloud overshadowed them and behold a voyce out of the Cloud c. Go Matth. 28.19 and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost For he received from God the Father honour and glory 2 Pet. 1.17 when there came such a voyce to him from the excellent glory 1 John 5.7 There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one De Christo THE second person in the glorious Trinity is God the Son Jesus Christ The Name Jesus signifieth a Saviour so he was called before at Nomen Jesu salutis ben ficium quod ab illo expectandum denotat and after his birth A Saviour considering his Potency able to save considering his Habit proclaimed by the Angel at his Conception he shall save or regard his Act hence call'd Jesus at his Circumsion Or look into his Passion where he was Victus Victor unloosing others himself being

have those sins kept up that I prayed against But if we regard iniquity in our hearts the Lord will not hear us Our Saviour in the dayes of his flesh was full of prayers Isaac went into the field to pray David was incumbred with the mighty affaires of the kingdome yet he prayed thrice a day In the worthy commendation of the great Master of the Rhodes Turk Hist f. 580. one thing very considerable is that all the time he could spare from the necessary affaires of his weighty charge from assaults and the natural refreshing of his body he bestowed in prayer and serving of God he oftentimes spent the greatest part of the night in the Church alone praying his head-piece gorget and gantlets lying by him So that it was often said that his devout prayers and carefulnesse would make the City invincible Constantine was stamped in his coine praying he would especially be marked for that Two main motives to prayer are 1. Our necessities are many for soul and body we are as houses that stand in need of continual reparations 2. Our enemies are many within and without And there is no strength in us against this great multitude unless God stand by us and for us I give my self unto prayer Hebr. I am prayer that is a man of prayer Psal 109.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalmes The Psalmes are the Souls Anatomy the Laws Epitomy the Gospels Index In a word the Register Enchiridion and Summary of the whole Bible Vain songs are Songs sung to the world lascivious Ballads are Songs sung to the flesh Satirical libels are Songs sung to the Devil Only Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs making melody in the heart are Songs sung to the Lord. Spiritual silence is a sweeter note than a loud if lewd Sonnet If we will needs rejoyce let us rejoyce in the Lord if we sing saith David let us sing to the Lord. And truly none have such matter of rejoycing as the Saints whose joy is so exceeding great that they are neither able reticere nor recitare neither to conceal nor yet sufficiently to expresse it For howsoever there be some pleadings in the Court of conscience every day yet the godly make it Hilary terme all the year Papists forbid people to sing Psalmes and permit onely Quiristers to sing lest the musick should be marred but the Apostle biddeth every Saint to sing Minde Saint Austin Quantum flevi in hymnis canticis suavè sonantis Ecclesiae tuae voces ille influebant auribus meis eliquobatur veritas tua in cor m●um ex eâ aestuabat i●dè affectus pietatis currebant lachrymae Confes 9. c. ● benè mihi erat cum eis Singing of Davids Psalmes under the Gospel is an Ordinance of Christ For 1. The Apostle takes away Philosophical inventions and Jewish traditions and leaves that injoyned as a standing ordinance Colos 3. 2. The Apostle reckons it among durable duties as prayer redeeming the time c. Spiritual Songs they are called both because they are indited by the Spirit and because they spiritualize us in the use of them Is any merry let him sing Psalmes James 5.13 Seal A Seal is for two ends viz. Safety and Secresie The Jews use to write on the back of their sealed Packets Nun Ch●t● Shin that is Niddui Cherem and Shammatha all sorts of excommunication to him that shall offer to break up sealed businesses Sealing is used in three cases to keep things 1. Secret that they may not be seen 2. Distinct that they may not be confused 3. Safe that they may be forth-coming There is a sealing of Signation and Obsignation To ratifie civility 〈…〉 as Hest 8.8 And spiritually as 2 Cor. 1.22 alibi Sacrament This word in so many letters and syllables is not indeed in the Scripture no more than the word Trinity Catholick c. but being now generally received it is not to be rejected seeing the Doctrine contained under it agreeth with the Scripture and nothing thereby is added thereunto The fathers of the Greek Church called these holy Rites mysteries because the substance of them was onely known to the members of the Church and hidden from others so the ancient Teachers of the Latine Church called them Sacraments because of the affinity and nearness between them and a Sacrament A Sacrament properly is that solemn oath in war Cicero de offic l. 1. Gerrh Lac. Commun by which souldiers bound themselves to their chief Captain for such was the discipline the old Romans in their wars And Sacraments metaphorically are the Churches band binding them to God so that when we are partakers of these holy signes which God hath appointed in his Church Est Sacramentum Sacrum visibile signum invisibilis gratiae Dei ad eam in nobis obsignand●m à Deo institutum we do bind our selves to him we do openly professe his true Religion we vow to fight under his banner against our enemies so that they are testimonies and tokens of the Covenant between God and us that he is our God and we bind our selves to be his people to serve him and no other God And thus we may consider a Sacrament as a visibe signe and seal ordained of God whereby Christ and all his saving graces by certaine outward Rites are signified exhibited and sealed up unto us Indeed a signe and seal differ one from another as the generall from the the especial for every seal is a signe but every signe is not a seal A seal certifieth assureth and confirmeth a thing a signe onely sheweth it but a Sacrament doth both It is a signe to signifie and represent a seal to ratifie and assure Aug. de Doct. Christ l. 2. c. 1. an instrument to confer and convey Christ with all his benefits to them that truly believe in him A pledge unto us of Gods promises a visible word and as a notable glass wherein we may behold assured testimonies of Gods eternal favour and of the abundant riches of his grace which he bestoweth upon us The word of God may fitly be resembled to writings or evidences and the Sacraments to seals which the Lord alone putteth unto his own letters Now God addeth them to the Word not that the Word was not sufficient without them but for an help to our weaknesse that we might have lively pawnes before our eyes of those things which we hear with our ears And these he hath ordained to be seals of the Covenant of grace which although not needfull on Gods part who is alwayes better than his word yet are very requisite to succour us who are prone to doubting The Lord therefore hath added them to give us greater assurance even as a Seale to a writing makes it more authentical So that Sacraments are as a visible Sermon preaching unto us most lively the promises of God that as the word we hear doth edifie and instruct the mind by the

the Athenians That they used their wisdom as men do their artificial teeth for shew only And that they did scire quae recta sunt sed facere nolle Know what was right but had no mind to do accordingly The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom That is Psal 111.10 it must necessarily go before wisdom not that it is any cause essential but after it must necessarily follow wisdom that is all kinds of wisdom Viz. 1. Prespicere to know those things which are before us It is the beginning of our knowing of God 2. Despicere to look into our selves to know our own excellency by creation our excellency by regeneration and lest we should presume our weakness in both 3. Circumspicere to be wise towards our neighbours Hoc est verè sapere ea discere in terris Hieronimus ad Paulinum quorum scientia nobis perseveret in coelis Difficile sanè est veram sapientiam invenire Chrys in Job 18. si quando ad legendum scripturus add●cimur tum grave secularium rerum onus incumbit viam inundat siquid profecimus aufert Si sapientia veritas non totis animi viribus concupiscatur Sedul Minorit in praescript advers haeres inveniri nullo pacto potest at si quaeratur ut dignum est subtrahere sese atque abscondere à suis dilectoribus non potest Wisdom can behold the face of affairs which way it looks in the glass of others relations The soul of Wisdom is Prevention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Decernendum est sapientiâ quo quâ tendamus sed post jacturam quis non sapit Sapiens ipse fingit fertuna sibi errando discit Yea wise men make greatest benefit of their greatest adversaries Mens una sapiens plurium vincit manus Pallus and Mercury will effect that Briarius may wonder at strong Wits supply the defect of weak hands Supernal and supernatural wisdom is such as can neither be fathomed nor found out by humane abilities or by natural reason Luciosi qui hebeti sunt visu saith Vives Those that are weak-sighted and sand-blind if at any time they look wishly upon any thing with desire to see it the better they see it so much the worse and nothing so well as they did before Think the same of the most acute and perspicacious Naturalist when he comes to look into the things of God he is not only sand-blind but stark blind 1 Cor. 2.14 Therefore with Gods heifer must all those plow that will find out his riddles 1 Cor. 2.10 A man that is truly godly and spiritual is the wisest man because he hath the most excellent and profound reason he hath a mass of rationality that the world knows not of We may say of a godly man as the Heathen said of a learned man A learned man hath four eyes and the vulgar have but two so a godly man hath three eyes and a natural man hath but two and scarce that A natural man can reason things but it is with a corrupt or natural eye whereas a Saint can reason with a spiritual eye And therefore you shall have godly persons usually when they are described in Scripture they are called wise men as it is often in the Proverbs The wise man and the fool are put in opposition the one to the other the wise man is the godly man and the fool is the sinful man let him be as wise as he will be Men that are only carnally wise are only like Moles that dig dexterously under ground but are blind above ground Soul-light is not enough to make us truly wise but there must also be Spirit-light The whole man is corrupted and therefore the wisdom of man is corrupt also There is a maim in the Intellectuals and higher faculties and not only in the Sensual appetite All the discourses of the Understanding till it be sanctified are but sottish and foolish And therefore as James intimates if Wisdom be meerly natural 't will be presently devilish A Christian should be wise for the Kingdom of Heaven but 't is sad to be wise for the World and to be a fool for Duty to be serious in trifles and to trifle in serious matters And as sad when it tendeth only to gratifie the senses when vain men rack their wits and employ their understandings to rear up their lusts sacrificing their time and care and precious thoughts upon so vain an interest And worst of all when men make use of their wit to contrive mischief and hatch wickedness Such have not only somewhat of Beast but Devil in them as Christ said by Judas Joh. 6.70 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom Prov. 3.13 and the man that getteth understanding If any of you lack wisdom James 1.5 let him ask of God that giveth unto all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world 1 Cor. 3.18 let him become a fool that he may be wise Folly A Fool is a sapless person as the word imports without the sap or juyce of wisdom Stultus à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Emarcuit Dicitur propriè de floribus flaccescentibus decidentibus postquam omnem humorem amiserunt goodness and honesty Or one of a base and vile spirit fallen below all noble or holy resolutions Throughout the book of Proverbs the fool and an ungodly man as a wise man and a godly man are Synonoma's words signifying the same thing Sin is the greatest folly in the world being a declining from the rule of right reason both from spiritual reason and from natural Jer. 8.9 True wisdom is to walk by a right rule to a right end But while we sin lust in some degree or other is the rule and self is the end In both which we join hands with folly and are the companions of fools Quâ ratione vocetur impius stultus Am●s 1. Privativè 2. Positivè Privativè Non quia destituitur facultate ingenii prudentiae naturalis Sed 1. Quia deesse solet ipsi divinae voluntatis cognitio 1 Cor. 2.14 2. Quia illorum quae cognoscit efficax illa approbatio quâ saperent ipsi spiritualia deest Rom. 8.5 3. Quia deest illi subjectionis obedientiae affectus etiam in iis quae aliquo modo probat Rom. 8.7 4. Quia non cavet sibi à periculis maximis Pro. 7.7.22 23. c. 14. v. 15 16. 5. Quia non tantum destitutus est sapientià verâ sed ejus etiam incapax est Pro. 17.10.16.27.22 Positivè 1. Quia pravis perversis opinionibus est imbutus Non enim abrasa tabula est mens ejus sed quasi atramento omnium errorum obducta Pro. 24.9 2. Quia hâc suâ conditione delectatur in illâ sibimet placet Pro. 1.20.8.5.9.6.12.15 3. Quia oblatam sapientiam repellit odit Pro. 13.19 4.

I wish he may never be very rational because the stronger his reason is being corrupt the worse will his will and affections be Insanire cum ratione Many of the vulgar are mad without reason they will hate a thing upon hear-say but when men are mad with reason that is with wicked reason they are mad to purpose Labour to get up our hearts to be swayed by spiritual reason and let Gods people be careful to perform such service unto God as wherof they can render a sound and intelligible reason out of his Word Rom. 12.1 Cannot my tast discern perverse things Job 6.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 32.8 1 Cor. 2.11 But there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding What man knoweth the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him Affections They do often saucily insult over sound reason as Hagar did over his Mistress They are exitus animae the out-going of the soul Like a watery humor comming between the eye and the object and hindring the sight Like the mud which arising in the water troubleth and confoundeth the seeing spirits They are oftimes ponderous bolts and clogs causing us to cleave to the center of misery And whereas they should be the whetstones of vertue Gratia non tollit sed att●●lit naturam Lactant. Luk. 14.9 10. they frequently prove the fire-brands of vice The remedy is not to turn them out of doores for then a tribe would be wanting in the soules mystical Microcosm But to correct their exorbitancy and reduce them into right order using our Saviours language to them Friends come down lower and to sound judgment sit up higher Respect of Persons The word properly signifieth accepting of ones face or outside 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so noteth a respect to others out of a consideration of some external glory that we find in them So that respect of persons is had when in the same cause we give more or lesse to any one than is meet because of something in his person which hath no relation to that cause Respect of persons is 1. Warrantable or 2. Vicious It is lawful to prefer others out of a due cause as their age callings gifts graces yea we ought to put a respect upon them because of that excellency wherewith God hath furnished them But when the judgment is blinded by some external glory and appearance and a cause is over-ballanced with such circumstances as have no affinity with it it is unlawful and a sin In religious matters we may be guilty of it many wayes I mention one When the same works have a different acceptation because of the different esteem and value of the persons engaged in them Omnia dicta tanti existimantur quantus est ipse qui dixerit Avarit● 1. nec tam dictionis vim a●que virtutem quàm dictatoris cogitant dignitatem saith Salvian A constant hearer of Calvin at Geneva Ego relicto Paulo audirem Calvinum Zanch. Miscel praefat Nolo tame●● amplec●i Evangelium quod Lutherus 〈◊〉 Epist. ad Card. Mogu●t being sollicited by Zanchy to hear Viret an excellent Preacher who preached at the same time answered If Saint Paul himself should preach hear at the same hour I would not leave Calvin to hear Paul Although I am not Ignorant said Gregory Duke of Saxony that there are divers errors and abuses crept into the Church yet I will none of that Gospel-reformation that Luther preacheth And Erasmus observed That what was accounted Orthodox in the Fathers was condemned as Heretical in Luther Compertum est damnata ut Haeretica in libris Lutheri quae in Bernardi Augustinique libris ut Orthodoxa imò pia leguntur Thus too many look upon the cup rathar than the liquor regarding the man more than the matter not considering what but who bringeth it in which they do prefer the earthen vessel before the golden treasure And many times are apt to despise excellent things because of the despicablenesse of the instrument My brethren James 2.1 have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons Opinion Opinio est ascensus pendulus scientia immobilis Als●ed There are saith one as many internal forms of the mind as external figures of men That was a strange spirit of Bacon the Carmelite who would endure no guessing or doubting And was therefore called Doctor Resolutissimus as requiring that every one should think as he thought This as a worthy Divine saith was too Magisteriall Job 32.10 I also will shew mine opinion Controversie Optimus ille censendus saith an Ancient qui in Religionis controvers●is retulerit magis quàm attulerit neque id cogat videri tenendum quod presumserit intelligendum But there are many now a dayes that fain what they please and conceit what they like and at last think themselves bound to justifie their wild conceivings Let us therefore as many as be perfect Phil. 3.15 be thus minded and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded God shall reveal even this unto you Strife A quarrelsome person is like a cock of the kind ever bloody with the blood of others and himself He loves to live Salamander-like in the fire of contention We read of Francis the first King of France that consulting with his Captains how to lead his Army over the Alpes into Italy whither this way or that way Amaril his fool sprang out of a corner where he sate unsean and bade them rather take care which way they should bring their Army out of Italy again Even so it is easy for one to interest himself in quarells but hard to be disingaged from them when once in There are that make it their work to cast the Apple of contention amongst others such are the Pests of societies and must therefore be carefully cast out with scoffing Ishmael Such kindle-coals are Sathans seeds-men who is an unquiet spirit and strives to make others so Loves to fish in troubled waters doth all he can to set one man against another that he may prey upon them both Greg. As the Master of the Pit suppeth upon the bodyes of those cocks whom he hath set to kill one another The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water Prov. 17.14 therefore leave off contention before it be medled with Read Pro. 22.10 Rom. 13.13 1 Cor. 11.16 Phil. 2.3 Jam. 3.14 16 c. Schisme Schisme in the Church is the same that faction is in the Common-wealth viz. such dissentions in which men seperate one from another Or It is a dissertion or seperation when one or more seperate and rent themselves from the outward fellowship of the faithful cutting asunder the unity and peace of the Church upon some misgrounded mislike There can be no greater sin committed saith Chrysostom Hom. 11. ad Ephes Inexpiab●is discordiae m●●ula

fallat blanditur ut noc●at bona promittit ut mala tribuat vitam pollicetur ut perimat lucent ejus verba venena tamen sun● manifesta Cypr Sun● mala mista bonis sunt bona mista malls Vitate 〈◊〉 qui oves à Pastore secernunt Cyp● wherein saith a pregnant Author they can vent a spittle of diseased opinions and whereby they deceive the hearts of the simple It is not safe therefore to hear or hold discourse with such lest they insinuate and infect as the Montanists did Tertullian the Valentinians divers well-affected Christians And as Acacius did Anastatius second Bishop of Rome False teachers some truths they will teach the better to perswade to their falshoods As one saith wittily together with the gold silver and Ivory of Orthodox Tenets they have store of Apes and Peacocks As in Solomons ships 1 King 10.22 Libert as prophetandi is much challenged by Arminius and other Sectaries But if in matter of Religion every man should think what he lists and utter what he thinks and desend what be utters and publish what he defends and gather disciples to what he publisheth this liberty or licentiousnesse rather would soon be the bane of any Church But who shall hinder Quid Imperatori cum Ecclesia was a question moved by the old Donatists and our new Dolts Answ The power spoken of Deut. 13. is still in the Christian Magistrate to inflict capital punishment on grosse Hereticks such as Servetus at Geneva and Campian here c. And this they may in time be convinced of Persecution and Prosecution may be easily differenced when they begin to see both themselves and their webs spider-like swept down by the hand of Justice There were false Prophets among the people 2 Pet. 2.1 2. even as there shall be false teachers among you And many shall follow their perni●i●r●● wayes c. Of the Sibyls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Q. Jovis consilio●●m conscia Heyl. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recepit quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aeolicè pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Jovis consilium vel conciliaria Alii a Kabala a Kibel i.e. Doctrin a divinitus promulgata animisque hominum sanctorum à Deo infusa Est autem generale nomen enthearum puellarum i. e. numine deorum afflatarum Concerning their number and names Authors do much vary Some common pieces make them twelve that is Sibylla Delphica Erythraea Samia Cumana Cumaea or Cimmeria Hellespontiaca Lybica Phrygia Tiburtina Persica Epirotica and Aegyptica Others precisely ten leaving out the two last And others make them far fewer So that in the enumeration of them I perceive learned men are not satisfied and many conclude an irreconcileable uncertainty Neither will I much meddle with their pictures which are very common and such I think with Dr. Brown as pleased the Painter For touching their age they are generally described as young women which History will not allow The Sibyl Virgil speaking of Anus quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sine mente being termed by him Longaeva Sacedos Another is termed Anus that is properly no woman of ordinary age but full of years and in the dayes of dotage as some do Etymologyze the word And it was thought of one that she doted with old age so that as saith my Author with the same reason they may delineate old Nestor like Adonis Haecuba with Helen's face and time with Absoloms head Hae omnes de nativitate lequebantur salvatoris nostri Nascetur Propheta absque matris coitu ex utero ejus Cosmograph l. 2. And for their Prophesies of Christ have been in high esteem Insomuch that Munster hath this saying Cum notamus quid certum indubitatum ob certitudinem infallibilitatem qua in Oraculis hisce Sibyllinis semper fuit inventa dicimus Sibyllae folium est as true as Sibylla's Oracle B●●an placeth them with the Prophesie of Balaam and Caiaphas concerning Christ and the mysteries of mans salvation and saith of them all thus A deo esse profect● ipsis vel non intelligentibus vel aliud cogitantibus suggesta ut tum Gentes Loc. Com. 78. tum Judaei increduli suor um etiam hominum convincerentur redderentur inexcusabiles ideóque vaticinia illa ●udienda quiae oraculis Prophetarum sunt consentanea Yet it is to be feared that such persons though Gods word did passe from them as the speech that 's uttered through a Trunk did not beleeve nor eat the word they spake no more than Plato Seneca and other Heathens in their divine sentences It is conceived that those wise men mentioned Mat. 2. had heard of Jesus Christ the true morning starre either from the Chaldaean Sibyl or from the Jewes in the Babilonish captivity or from the prophesie of Balaam for he was an East-countrey-man and uttered a very clear and comfortable Prophesy of the Messiah by whom himself received no benefit Thus God hath spoken through persons not of the best as the Angel spake in Balaams Asse In impiis quandoq●e sunt do●ae Dei sinê Deo Wholesome sugar may be found in a poisoned Cane a precious stone in a Toads head and a flaming torchin a blind mans hand wherby others may receive benefit though himself receive none Yea some wicked men have greater common gifts than the godly as many mettals are brighter and more orient than the heavens This spake he not of himself John 11.51 Read Numb 23. 24. Psal 68.18 Mat. 7.22 c. Christ our Saviour Nomen Iesu salut is beneficiu● quod ab illo expe●t a●dum de● notat Concerning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Cicero Hoc verò quantum est ita magnum ut latino uno verbo exprimi non possit The Greek word for Saviour is so emphatical that other tongues can hardly find a fit word to expresse it There are Saviours in the History Such were the Judges and afterwards Judas Macchabeus and Hircanus and such a one was Flaminius the Roman Hlu● in Flam. to the poor Argives who therefore called him Saviour Saviour and that with such a courage Vt corvi fortuito super volantes in stadium deciderent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the birds fell to the earth amazed with that out-cry the ayr was so dissipated with their acclammations And there are also Saviours in the Mystery Christs Ministers are called Saviours because God maketh use of their Ministry for the good of them that are Heirs of salvation Hence are those expressions 1 Tim. 4.16 Jam. 5.20 Job 33.24 c. Let Ministers hence learn both their dignity and duty Yet true it is Christ to speak properly is the sole both Soveraigne and Saviour of his body the Church Is nimirum soter est qui salutem dedit Sed servatores dicuntur saith Mercer but they are called Saviours because they preach the word of this salvation

school so so should Gods Word all carnal reasonings The Word hath a twofold working 1. Proper to convert confirm quicken grace and save 2. Accidental through Satan and our corruption to harden and make worse 2 Cor. 2. We must labour to keep Gods Word 1. In memory Pro. 4.21 Deut. 4.9 In cujus corde est lex Dei imaginatio mala non habet in eum dominium Eaten bread is soon forgotten 2. In affection Psal 119.11 As the Pot of Manna in the Ark. The Rabbines have a saying He who hath the law of God in his heart is armed against evil lusts 3. In practice A special help against forgetfulnesse yea this is the best art of memory The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Psal 19.7 Confession of Faith Ambrose calls the Creed the Key of the Scriptures The word Simbolum amongst other significations signifieth a ring and well may it be so called the matter whereof is digged out of the rich mines of the Bible refined with the fire of Gods Spirit and accurately framed by the blessed Apostles or rather so called because it is the summe of the Apostles Doctrine yea the wedding Ring as I may say wherein the Minister at our baptisme wedds us to Christ The Creed Presents us mainly with The act of faith I Beleeve wherein note the 1. Particularity I we speak particularly in the Creed I Beleeve whereas in the Lords Prayer we speak plurally Our Father because charity doth require us to pray one for another but we cannot beleeve nor confess one for another Hab. 2.4 For Spiritually as well as corporally each one must live by his own and not by anothers food and Physick As also because no man knows what is in anothers heart 1 Cor. 2.11 2. The formality I beleeve in for there are distinctions viz. Credere Deum to beleeve there is a God Deo to beleeve God In Deum to beleeve in God The very Devils do the first Multi mali do the second But onely a true beleever doth the last Credendo amare Credendo in eum ire credendo ei ad haerere The Object of faith God 1. Essentially in name God in attributes Almighty maker of heaven and earth 2. Personally the Father Son and Holy Ghost Further in this Creed are observable 1. The Articles which are twelve that is in common account though not a like distinguished and expressed by all men in the total number or the particular enumeration In all which there is both the confession of one God in three Persons and of the Church with her Prerogatives 2. The assent in the word Amen which is a setting to of our seal in point of beleeving because it is a word not onely of wishing but of assurance Of which in the next place Fables are not without Moralls A man must have a Personality of Faith as well as of devotion There is an old Legend of a Merchant who never would go to Mass but ever when he heard the Saints bell he said to his wife pray thou for thee and me Upon a time he dreamed that he and his wife were dead and that they knocked at Heaven-gates for entrance St Peter the feigned Porter suffered his wife to enter in but shut him out saying Illa intravit pro se te As she went to Church for thee so she must go to heaven for thee also With the heart man beleeveth unto righteousnesse Rom. 10.10 and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Amen This word is taken in Scripture three wayes Viz. 1. Nominaliter 2. Verbaliter 3. Adverbialiter As a noun and so 't is as much as true or truth thus it is taken in the end of the Gospels and elsewhere Rev. 3.14 As a Verb and then is as much as So be it in which sense it is taken in the end of the Lords Prayer and in divers other places Deut. 27.15 c. As an Adverb signifying verily and so often used by our Saviour Nec Graecum est In Joh. tract 41 nec Latinum saith Aug. It is neither a Greek word nor a Latine but an Hebrew word Et mansit in interpretatum and by the Providence of God remaines uninterpreted ne vilesceret nudatum lest haply being unfolded it should be lesse esteemed As Hallelujah Hosanna c. It is Particula confirmantis In Psal 40. Signaculum orationis Jerom a Particle of confirmation as Ambrose well observeth So be it So be it The Lord grant it may be so It must in a fervent Zeal be the shutting up of all our prayers It was doubled by the people Neh. 8.6 when Ezra praised the Lord the great God all the peeple answered Amen Amen With lifting up their hands and no doubt their hearts too Lam. 3.41 As the Church saith We mill lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the Heavens If the hand be lifted up without the heart it is an hypocritical Amen and unacceptable unto God Dictio est acclamationis approbationis confirmationis The Rabbines say that our Amen in the close of our Prayers must not be 1. Hasty but with consideration 1 Cor. 14.16 2. Nor mained or defective we must stretch out our hearts after it and be swallowed up in God 3. Nor alone or an Orphan that is without faith love and holy confidence The spirits of the whole prayer are contracted into it and so should the spirit of him that prayeth It is either prefixed or preposed to a sentence Christus Amen utitur quinquagies Gerrard and so it is a note of a certain and earnest asseveration Or else it is affixed and opposed and so it is a note either of assent or assurance Of assent and that either of the understanding to the truth of that that is uttered as in the end of the Creed and Gospels or of the will and affections for the obtaining of our petitions Of assurance next as in the Lords Prayer and many other places It is the voice of one that beleeveth and expecteth that he shall have his prayers granted And then it is as much as So be it yea so it shall be It is used in all languages A●nsw to betoken unity of faith and spirit The poor misled and muzled Papists are enjoined not to join so far with a Protestant in any holy action Specul Europ as to say Amen Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting and to everlasting Amen and Amen Psal 41.13 Preaching Praedicatio verbi est medium gratiae divinitùs institutam quo res regni Dei publicè explicantur applicantur populo ad salutem ●●ifitati●nem Melanchton said the work of three sorts of persons was very difficult Viz. Regentis Parturientis Docentis A woman may not teach in the publique Assemblies be she never so learned or godly I do not render you Chrysostoms reason The woman taught once In 2 Tim 1.12 and

indeed in this judgment the Lord speaks aloud One calls it Bellum divinum Homer saith that the Plague is the arrow of God And Hyppocrates That a great Plague among them was the Divine disease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because a punishment sent from God more immediately as an evil messenger And indeed it hath less of man and second causes in it than others Though second causes are not wholly denied yet they are hard to be found out Quicquid asseratur omnis pestilentiae caeca et delitescens est causa et aliunde quàm ex primis qualitatibus aut ex putredine perfecta Fern. De abd it rerum caus it puzzles the learned Physicians clearly to express them some referring it to the indisposition of the air others to malignant occult qualities in the air body or diet some to corruption in the blood and others to hunger and surfeit But Senertus concludes very honestly Qualis sit pestilentialis veneni natura qua ejus in qualibet pestilenti constitutione differentia nemo hactenus satis explicavit Lib. 4. cap. 10. Gods hand is seen much in this noisom disease Some Pestilences kill cattel and not men some kill men and not cattel and some kill one sort of men and not others as the le●rded have observed A certain Historian calls it and aptly A scourge of the greatest multitudes and the handmaid of Famine For this deadly disease lays heaps upon heaps as many places have had lamentable experience and scarce leaveth living enow to bury the dead As in the days of Decius the Emperor In David's time Seventy thousand were consumed by it in three days 2 Sam. 24.15 In Vespasian's days at Rome Euseb in Chrónico there died Ten thousand a day for many days together And in the year 1345. it was so general through the Christian world that it destroyed half mankind Where God gives it a commission it runs as fire in a corn-field Experience clears it however some have questioned it that a godly man may die of the Plague As did Oecolampadius and others Psal ●91 Hezekiah is thought to have had it So had reverend Beza his family was four several times visited herewith who was much comforted under it and other heavy afflictions by that sweet Psalm as himself witnesseth The Arrow that flieth by day the Pestilence that walketh in darkness Psal 91.5 6. Political Administration Vulgus The Common people I Do not regard saith Seneca to please the Vulgar for the things that I know the people do not approve and the things that the people approve I know not Nunquam volui populo placere nam quae ego scio non probat populus quae probat populus ego nescio Epist. Yet it 's good for Princes to know that if the common people be a beast of many heads it hath more hands and therefore not to be despised A good Horsman must sometimes use the reins not always the spur Some are to their Country as the worm in wood or moth in cloth not Common-wealths but rather Common-woes men Grievous was the disorder when Herod cannot be wrought with but by Herodias nor Pilate but with his wife underhand It is also hard with the whole body when the stomack which should feed all and concoct nourishment is foul and distempered The whole head is sick and the whole heart faint Isa 1.5 Magistrate A good Magistrate is a faithful Deputy of his Maker B. H. Magistratus descrip●●● His breast is the Ocean whereinto all the cares of private men empty themselves which as he received without complaint so he sends them forth in a wise conveyance by the streams of Justice His doors his ears are ever open to suiters and not who comes first speeds well but whose cause is best On the Bench he is another from himself at home all private respects of blood alliance amity are forgotten and if his own Son come under trial he knows him not Pity which is the praise of humanity and the fruit of a Christian love is by him thrown over the bar As for Favour the false advocate of the gracious he allows him not to appear in the Court there only Causes are heard speak not Persons Truth must strip her and come in naked to his bar without false bodies or colours A Bribe or a Letter on the Bench or a word of a Grate man are answered with an angry repulse Displeasure Revenge and Recompence stand on both sides the Bench but he regards them not only he looks at Equity right before him His hand is flower than his tongue but when he is urged by occasion either to doom or execution he shews how he abhorreth merciful Injustice his forehead is rugged and severe able to discountenance villany I know not whether he be more feared or loved his affections are so sweetly tempered The good fear him lovingly the mild sort love him fearfully and only the wicked man fears him slavishly If he be partial it is to his enemy His sword hath neither rusted for want of use nor surfeiteth with blood but after many threats is unsheathed as the dreadful instrument of Divine revenge He is the Guard of good Laws the Refuge of Innocency the Recompencer of the Guilty the Pay-master of good Deserts the Champion of Justice the Patron of Peace the Father of the Country and as it were another God on earth Magistratus vocantur ab Aristotele 3 Pol. c. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui enim legi concedit imperium ille videtur Dei permittere imperium Amongst the Romans Godw. Antiq. l. 3. c. 1. the Praetor or Lord Chief Justice might not keep Court and administer Justice upon certain days without the speaking of these three words Do Dico Addico Dabat actionem dicebat jus addicebat tam res quàm homines The Magistrate hath not to do in sacris but circa sacra He may not do Vzzia's work but Hezekia's The Minister hath vim admonendi the Magistrate vim coercendi Heathens pictured Magistrates by a Fountain because it conveys water all about Bad Magistrates are as a Briar Ut t●i inveniatur dolor ubi sperabitur auxilium Hierom. Mic. 7.4 or as a Thorn-hedge a man that takes hold with his fingers is prickt and glad to let go Or as the silly sheep that flying to the bush for defence in weather loseth part of her fleece So that a man shall have grief where he hoped for help and succour Or like unto Oaks which are strong but bear no other fruit but acorns for swine A good Magistrate like thunder fears many Poena ad paucos c. Psal 101.1 hurts few He sings of mercy and judgment which are the brightest stars in the sphere of Majesty He bathes the sword of Justice in the oil of mercy A well-tempered mixture of both these preserves the Commonwealth Cujus potestas ejus est actus People are but the Magistrates

Paraclete Cursed Mahomet called the dead fits of his falling-sicknesse his extasie and ravishment at the appearance of the Angel Gabriel and his Dove inured to fetch food out of his ear is pretended no lesse than the Holy Ghost sent whisperingly to intimate what he should enact for the people Heathenish Politicians had like pretences to win credit to their lawes Numa Pompilius receives his from the goddesse Aegeria Lycurgus his from Apollo And how many have we now adayes our Modern Enthusiasts that dream their Midianitish dreames and then tell it for Gospel to their neighbours as wise as themselves leading men into the lyons mouth that roaring lyon under pretence of a Revelation as that old Impostour did the young Prophet 1 King 13. This we may be sure of that many illusions have come in the likenesse of visions and absurd fancies under pretence of raptures and what some have called the spirit of Prophecy hath been the spirit of lying and contemplation hath been nothing but Melancholy and unnatural lengths and stilnesse of prayer hath been a meer dream and hypochondriacal devotion and hath ended in pride or despair or some sottish and dangerous temptation Much like unto Heron the Monk of whom it is reported that having lived a retired and mortified life together for many years at last the Devil taking advantage of the weakness of his Melancholy and unsetled spirit gave him a transportantion and an extasie in which he fancied himself to have attained so great perfection that Angels would be his security so dear he was to God though he threw himself into the bottome of a well he obeyed his fancy and temptation did so bruised himself to death and died possessed with a perswasion of the verity of that extasie and transportation It is more healthful and nutritive to dig the earth and eat of her fruits than to stare upon the greatest glories of the Heavens and live upon the beams of the sun So though all violencies and extravagancies of a religious fancy are not illusions yet they are all unnatural little secure little reasonable little consisting with humility and so unsatisfying to the soul that they often distract the faculties seldom advantage piety and are full of danger in their greatest lustre Be not soon shaken in mind 2 Thes 2.2 neither by spirit Apparition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to appear or seem It is that which either a man seeth or vainly imagineth that he seeth If any say how hath a spirit a form or an image or how can that be seen Answ It is not a Spirit abstracted or naked in it self but a Spirit joyned with a form and a shape that is seen So Angels or Spirits did usually appear to the Ancients taking a body or some form upon them and those Apparitions when a body was assumed were called spirits When therefore it is said that the Disciples beholding Jesus after his resurrection standing in the midst of them they were terrified and affrighted supposing that they had seen a spirit Luk. 24.36 37. Know the Apostles were not so absurd as to beleeve a spirit in it self a spirit abstracted could be seen but they called it a spirit because they thought it onely the representation of Christs body and not the true body So a spirit may assume some outward shape in which it is clothed to the eye Some observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haec vox significat sic aliquid praete●irae ut ●tiam mutetur Schind that the motions of spirits clothed with bodies in their Apparitions is not like the motion of men who move lifting up their feet one after another but it is a passing as a ship moveth with a gale of wind rather a gliding than a going Job 4.15 Among the Heathen this was made the chief difference to distinguish a Numen or spirit coming in any shape from a natural body The steddinesse of their eyes was one Pedes vestis desluxit ad imos Et vera incesses patuit Dea. Virg. l. 1. Aen. the not transposing their feet was another and a cleerer evidence So saith Heliodor Numina venientia ad nos in homines se transformant Ex oculis autem notari possunt cum continuo obtuitu intueantur palbebras nunquam concludant Et magis ex incessus qui non ex dimotione pedum neque ex transpositione existit Sed quodam impetu ●●rio vi expedita findentium magis auras quam transeuntium Quamobrem statuas quoque Deorum Egyptii ponunt conjungentes illis pedes quasi unientes In Aethiopicis l. 3. A spirit passed before my face Jo●● 12.13 14 15 16. Witch Witchcraft in general signifyes all curious arts wrought by the operation of the Devil The ground is a league or compact with him Either 1. Open when men invocate the Devil in expresse words or otherwise make any manifest covenant with him Or 2. Secret when men use means which they know have no force but by the operation of the Devil Of Witchcraft there are three kinds 1. Superstitious Divination of which before 2. Jugling to work feats beyond the order of nature as did the Magicians of Egypt 3. Charming or inchanting which is by the pronouncing of words to procure speedy hurt or speedy help A Witch is one that wittingly and willingly useth the assistance of the Devil himself for the revealing of secrets working of some mischief or effecting of some strange cure There are indeed other superstitious persons who use charming and by it do many cures perswading themselves that the words which they use have force in them or that God hath given them to do strange things Such in a natural honesty may detest all known society with the Devil and in that respect are not the Witches which the Scripture adjudgeth to death yet are they at the next door to them and are to be admonished to relinquish their superstitious practices Because 1. The efficacy of things that comes by any other means than the ordinance of God which efficacy was either put into the thing in the Creation or since by some new institution in the Word is by Satanical operation 2. Charms Inchantments and Spells have no force unless we believe they can do us good which faith is false and the service of the Devil for we must believe hope do nothing without or against the Word of God To discover a Witch is very hard for they do their feats in close manner not only by soul and open cursing but also by fair speaking and by praising of things Nevertheless there are five special things for discovery Viz. 1. Free confession of the accused and suspected 2. Confestion of the associates with the suspected 3. Invocation of the Devil for that is to renounce Baptism 4. Evidence of entertaining a Familiar spirit 5. Evidence of any action or actions that necessarily presuppose a league made with the Devil There are besides these other signs

in every one that is called God And forasmuch as the Essence and the Persons are inseparable whatsoever is properly called God is a Person What Motion what Quality what Inspiration can be called God He is a Person because we are baptized in his Name He is the Author of this institution He is the Director of the whole act by his authority by his command by his power the water is sanctified the baptized are renewed the whole work is happily accomplished For all is done in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost not in the name of a Motion of a Quality of an Inspiration He is a Person because the properties of a Person are attributed to him Luk. 11.12 Joh. 16. Joh. 14.1 Cor. 12.11 Act. 13.2.1 Joh. 5.7 Rom. 8. He is sud to teach us heavenly knowledge to lead us into all truth to comfort the afflicted members of Jesus Christ to distribute gifts and graces according to his good pleasure to call and send Apostles to bear witness in heaven with the Father and the Son to bear witness with our spirits that we are the sons of God to cry in our hearts Abba Father to make intercessions for us with groanings that cannot be uttered These are not effects proper to a Motion or a Quality or an Inspiration Lastly He is distinguished most manifestly from the Gifts of God Dona honoraria There are diversity of gifts but the same Spirit the same Spirit distributing these gifts so divers where it will Thus it is apparent that the Spirit of the Son is a Person And as he is a Person so is he 2. A distinct Person from the Father and the Son Non aliud sed alius Not essentially differing noted by the first word but hypostatically noted by the last And as he is a Person so is he 2. A distinct Person from the Father and the Son Non aliud sed alius Not essentially differing noted by the first word but hypostatically noted by the last And that because he is the Spirit of the Father and the Son He cannot be said to be his own Spirit as the Father cannot be said to be his own Father or the Son his own Son that is as absurd as this Again because he is said to be another from them both I will ask the Futher Joh. 14.16 and he shall send you another Comforter Christ whilst he was on earth was a Comfort unto his Disciples wherefore lest diffidence and despair by reason of the great persecutions they should suffer after his departure should break their hearts and sorrow ruine them he prays the Father to send them another Comforter and promiseth he will see it done for their assurance cap. 15.26 He will send him from the Father Furthermore He hath a relative property and characteristical note several from theirs putting a difference betwixt them and him He onely proceeds from the Father and the Son He onely appeared under the form of an innocent Dove and of fiery cloven tongues By his immediate operation Christ was conceived in the womb of the Virgin and by his immediate operation Gods children are throughly sanctified and furnished unto every good work Last of all The Father sends him that so sends him whence he is neither the Father nor the Son but one from them It is a marvellous impropriety of speech that a man should be said to send himself but proper it is to say he comes of his own accord Forasmuch therefore as the Spirit is said to be sent from the Father and the Son and as here God sent forth the Spirit of his Son He is a Person distinct from them both Which is the thing I intended to demonstrate As he is a Person so is he the third and last Person not last in time nor last in nature nor last in dignity but last in the order and manner of subsisting and of performing such works as are common to them all called works ab extra as Creation Redemption Preservation Justification Sanctification c. Having briefly gone over these two points I shall endeavour by Gods grace to do the like in the next which is this 3. That there are Three Persons in the Deity to whom the Divine Essence is communicated The Father the Son the Spirit For humane Reason fully to conceive so high a mystery is impossible What therefore we must learn hereof the Scripture teacheth Faith receives and Reason must not contradict Rather imbrace those depths of knowledge with admiration than by an over-curious inquisition to dive into it and return unsatisfied and sore troubled Yet because Ignorance needs information and Curiosity requires confirmation I will say somewhat though little of it The Platonists acknowledge in God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Mind or Understanding a Word a Spirit By Understanding they understand the Father by the Word the Son who by S. Joh. 1.1 is expresly called the Word by Spirit the Third Person proceeding from the Father and the Son called The Love of God Hence Divines conceive the matter thus The Father is quasi Deus intelligens God understanding The Son who is the express Image of the Father is quasi Dens intellectus God understood call●d the Wisdom of the Father the Image of the Father the Word of God as a word is but the image of the understanding The Spirit breathed and proceeding from the Father and the Son is quasi Deus dilectus God is Love saith S. Lombard John hence by Lombard said to be that Love wherewith the Father loves the Son the Son the Father So the Text reckons up three the Father the Son the Spirit God sent forth the Spirit of his Son This is indeed a deep mystery Yet as abstruse as this Divine mystery of the Trinity is Nature can give us some insight by similitudes though imperfect of the possibility and truth of it We see that in the Sun there is an indesinent fountain of light a brightness and splendor springing out of it and a quickning and reviving heat proceeding from it yet none will be so foully mistaken as to conclude out of these three that there are three Suns there being still but one So though the Essence of the Godhead be but one yet we must know it is communicated unto three Persons and though communicated unto three Persons yet still the Essence is but one We see that in Man there are two diverse and far different natures a Body and a Soul yet these two make not two Men but one these reteining the unity of one Person If two diverse Natures met together make one Person why may not one Nature and Essence be communicated to Three and those Three having one and the same Essence still remain one God We see that in the Soul of Man there is a Will which is the immediate beginning ab intra of every act proceeding from our selves commanding this or that to be done sic volo

Idolatry For whatsoever is undertaken for Religion sake as an honor unto God beside the command of God is plain Idolatry therefore altogether unlawful Again All religious distinction of place is taken away once Christ is come The Veil of the Temple is rent in the midst Worship God in holiness and 't is now no matter where we worship God Paul and Silas prayed and praised God at midnight in the prison 1 Tim. 2.8 Act. 16. I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath or doubting Pray every where for every where where thou prayest God is present by his grace He is over thee he is under thee he is before thee and behind thee he is on every side of thee We cannot say now as once Jacob said Surely God is in this place and I knew it not but Surely God is in this place and every place and I know it and I know that therefore I must worship God in this and every place He that thinks otherwise is procul à Jove far from God Where two or three are gathered together in my name there will I be in the midst of them saith our Saviour In medio virtus The power of the most High will stand in the centre of them that are gathered in his name be where it will God will not contend for place Bring him a good heart any where and it 's all he requires at our hands My son give me thy heart It is likewise unlawful in the End because going to the earthly Jerusalem or Rome or other places ordained for the like Superstition by Antichrist they think to merit the Heavenly Jerusalem But I am assured they are never the neerer it by going thither or any other the like place These Vagabonds for so I may term them that run from place to place in that manner steal from Christ to adde to Superstition Life eternal is in the hands of Christ and therefore his gift And they going another way to foot out their salvation foot it the wrong way for Christ is the onely way Joh. 14.6 I am the way the truth and the life Furthermore It is unlawful because it is done to the Reliques and Images of dead men They think to live by the dead they shall have but a dead life on 't Thus while they go to do homage unto the dead they rob the living God of his honor by the way For they expect a remission of their sins by the intercession and merits of those dead whose Reliques or Images they trudge so to adore And whereas they run to the custom of the Church it is very false the true Church of God never used it For Pilgrimage undertaken to the Reliques of the Dead was not used in the Primitive Church until three hundred years after Christ and that unto Images six hundred years only by some but both condemned for dead services Lastly It is unlawful because it is profitable neither to body or soul neither of them that wander thus with aking heels nor others it tends no way to Christian edification there is no goodness in it Therefore such fruitless trees are to be rooted out of Gods growing Temple And thus much for the false doctrine of Papists grounded on these words but falsly but idly I went up to Hierusalem Their other doctrine is That Peter had the Supremacie of Paul because the Text saith he went to see Peter Here we may observe the absurd dealing of the Adversary who to patch up their ragged coat of Popery do fain quidlibet ex quolibet as if to be visited doth argue a Primacie And here the Rhemists as one calls them Gagling Geese make a distinction of Visitation He went not up say they to see him in a vulgar manner but for respect and honor of his person and of duty and as Chrysostom noteth the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to import to behold him as men behold a thing or person of name excellency or majesty Chrysost These are their very words Indeed that he came of honor and reverence to him may be easily granted but every reverence argues not a superiority for reverence saving their reverences may be done to equals They say again he did it as his duty but there is no such matter This can be as soon denied as affirmed He came about his office and authority in preaching For he was equal in honor unto him saith a Father and again saith the same Chrysost That blessed man went not to learn any thing of him nor to receive any correction but only to see him and honour him with his presence Ambrose tells us Ambros he went to see Peter for affection of Apostleship that Peter might know that the same licence was given unto him that he himself had received and hence he is called his Fellow-Apostle and had a Fellowship in the Colledge of the Apostles as well as Peter As for that place so often quoted by them Mat. 16. Thou art Peter and upon this rock c. It proves not a superiority in another above the rest of the Apostles For as one saith of that place All the Logicians in the world cannot conclude in lawful Syllogism out of the words of that Chapter That any greater authority was granted to Peter than to every one of the Apostles A primacie of order and promptness of faith cannot be denied him but none of dignity And here the Rhemists again play upon the name Peter signifying a Rock a Stone hence they make him to be the Foundation of the Church and therefore the Principal Apostle If they mean his Person they are far deceived If his Confession Thou art Christ the Son of the everliving God we agree Hence saith one on these words Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church calling a Rock as I think saith he the unmoveable Faith of the Disciple Again If they say that he is the whole Foundation away with that blasphemy they take away Christ the onely Foundation for stedfastness I say for stedfastness for this Foundation Peter did shake fearfully when he denied Christ and he had been ground to powder and fifted as wheat had not Christ prayed for him and make the rest stand for cyphers The Apostles are pillars of the Church and what dignity hath one pillar in a Church more than another Not onely Peter but James and John were called pillars of the Church Gal. 2.9 And when James Cephas that is Peter and John who seemed to be pillars Again the twelve are called twelve foundations Rev. 21.14 Speaking of the new Hierusalem the wall of the City had twelve foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. Hence saith Tertullian Tertul. all the Apostles were stones So might Papists say were they not stones Thus we see that Peter had not a Monarchical preheminence of honour above the Apostles Therefore not above Paul

the Word they feed all Nations by two and two to signifie the calling of two people Jew and Gentile Rom. 3.29 The Jews thought that God was confined unto them Is he the God of the Jews onely is not he also of the Gentiles yes of the Gentiles also Therefore our Saviour sent them as well to the Gentile as to the Jew They are likened to the bells of the High-Priest they depend on the vertue of the Eternal Priest after the order of Melchisedeck Psal 19. Rom. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that as the Psalmist reports there is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard their sound went into all the carth and their words unto the ends of the world They are like the middle bar in the midst of the boards in the Tabernacle which reach from end to end Exod. 26.28 They are the Chariots of the Lord Bernard who by saith hope and charity carry the Trinity through the world Non corporis praesentiâ sed mentis providentia saith Bernard not in bodily presence but in the wisdom of the mind providing for future things like Ezekiels chariot going to the four corners of the world Quae regio in terras nostri non plena laboris Thus Christ sent Now a little of the Apostles sending That they should go unto the Gentiles and we unto the Circumcision Nihil hîc statuunt Apostoli quod non ante statuit Deus Here the Apostles ordain nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith a Greek Father that was not preordained of God It was Gods own voice to Ananias Paul is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the children of Israel Act. 9.15 Paul was Gods chief Hearld the Gospels loudest Trumpeter It was Gods own voice unto Paul himself I will send thee far unto the Gentiles Act. 22.21 It was Gods voice unto the Prophets and Teachers that were at Antioch Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them Act. 13.12 Whereupon they immediately went and preached unto the Gentiles And here note the wisdom of God Paul a Gentile full of wisdom was sent here unto the Gentiles who sought for wisdom Peter a Jew excellent for working miracles sent unto the Jews who sought always for miracles and signs a sign of their infidelity all working togeher for the good of his elect of one mind when farthest asunder Now seeing the Jews have rejected the yoke of Christ and the Gentiles of whom we are a part have taken it on them We may say of them as they sometime of us We have a little sister and she hath no breasts Amazon-like she hath one breast the Old Testament but wants the other the chief breast the New Let us pray for them as they did for us that they may hear Christ crying out aloud to the Church Cant. 6. Return return O Shulamite return return that we may look upon thee and see as it were the company of two Armies the one of Jews the other of Gentiles all one Church one flock We pray thee then O Heavenly Father to call the uncalled Jew and Gentile to comfort the comfortless and to make an end of these dayes of sin wherein we live and cause our Saviour to appear in the clouds for our full and perfect Redemption Do it for his sake that died for us To whom with Thee and thy Holy Spirit be given all glory As it was in the beginning so now and ever shall be world without end Amen FINIS Deo soli Gloria ERRATA PAg. 5. lin 18. read earth p. 6. l. 17. r. us p. 7. l. 13. carnal p. 9. l. ult place p. 11. l. 1. then Marg. r. via p. 13. l. 46. ipse p. 14. l. 35. recusat vivere marg r. diligere p. 15. l. 6. that l. 10. replenisht l. 14. through marg absit p. 16. l. 16. loquentes p. 17. l. 37. Jerusalem p. 18. m. infimis p. 23. l. 42. Man p. 25. l. 9. vertue l. 10. godliness p. 27. l. 5. offence p. 28. l. pen. to p. 31. l. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 marg in uudis p. 32. l. ult with p. 34. l. 6. parvae l. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 35. m. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 37. l. 34. conversationis l. 36. distraction l. 48. Spirit l. 49. Bernard p. 46. l. 43. good p. 50. l. 7. eum p. 53. l. 1. know p. 72. r. generatione l. 44. in p. 73. l. 41. Spirit l. 45. add of p. 74. m. ille p. 77. l. 51. grants p. 78. m. vocis p. 79. l. 19. nothing l. 48. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 80. l. 24. add may p. 81. l. 27. add are p. 84. l. 49. r. sapientissimum p. 96. l. 14. through p. 100. l. 50. either p. 106. l. 19. r. Divesses p. 107. l. 16. parts l. 47. his p. 108. l. 47. she p. 109. l. 44. indifferent p. 113. l. 16. get l. 19. then marg ornamento p. 114. l. 7. vox l. 30. placed p. 115. marg calce p. 129. Mercury p. 130. l. 23. add in l. 31. mercies marg vulgatissima p. 131. m. introspicere p 134. l. 30. r. thence p. 135. l. 52. commends p. 136. m. egerint p. 140. l. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 142. m. ratis p. 148. l. 19. r. columna es A TABLE Of the Principal THINGS contained in the EXERCITATIONS A. ADam's fall what misery to mankind Pag. 4 Angels rejoyce at the good of Gods Church Pag. 18 What to be admired in God Pag. 20 Ardency in prayer how grounded Pag. 79 80 Ground of our Adoption Pag. 81. Benefit of it Pag. 81 82 Gods dearest children subject to Afflictions Pag. 117 God sends not Angels but Men-Angels to preach the Word why Pag. 128 Apostles called Pillars why Pag. 147 forward B. THe glory of our Saviours Body and Soul in his state of Exaltation Pag. 58 Brittle estate of man Pag. 85 Bishop what Pag. 126 Baseness of the Popish Clergy Pag. 135 Blessedness Pag. 136 C. GOD would have mens hearts prepared for Christ Pag. 4 Christ ordered our High-Priest by Covenant Pag. 6 Purity of Christs conception Pag. 12 Peace of Conscience what it produceth in man Pag. 31 32 Civil peace Pag. 33. Peace with the Creatures Pag. 38 Converts stand upon firmer terms in Christ than before their first declination Pag. 40 Christs cruel conflict upon the Cross Pag. 59 The best in this life partly carnal Pag. 71 Comfort unspeakable a benefit of the Spirit Pag. 75 Crying of the Spirit in our hearts Pag. 77 forward Crying in prayer what ibid. and forward Calling not to be neglected Pag. 87 Christ the Head of the Church how Pag. 104 forward Pag. 145 Cross of Christ Pag. 137 Conflict and Conquest of Saints Pag. 141 forward D. CHrist must die a cursed Death Pag. 8. His Dignity Pag. 15 16 A Doxology Pag. 18 Our divisions cause Papists insult Pag. 37 The