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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14923	The soules progresse to the celestiall Canaan, or heavenly Jerusalem By way of godly meditation, and holy contemplation: accompanied with divers learned exhortations, and pithy perswasions, tending to Christianity and humanity. Divided into two parts. The first part treateth of the divine essence, quality and nature of God, and his holy attributs: and of the creation, fall, state, death, and misery of an unregenerated man, both in this life and in the world to come: put for the whole scope of the Old Testament. The second part is put for the summe and compendium of the Gospell, and treateth of the Incarnation, Nativity, words, works, and sufferings of Christ, and of the happinesse and blessednesse of a godly man in his state of renovation, being reconciled to God in Christ. Collected out of the Scriptures, and out of the writings of the ancient fathers of the primitive Church, and other orthodoxall divines: by John Welles, of Beccles in the County of Suffolk.	Welles, John, of Beccles.	1639 (1639)	STC 25231; ESTC S119607	276,075	406

holy and heavenly minded towards God we must be friendly and loving to our neighbours slow in taking advantages renewing or revenging of wrongs wee must be humble and lowly in our owne eyes meeke and sober in all our actions and because herein are exhibited and offered things of such wonderfull valew and price to the worthy receivers wee must bee cleansed of our spirituall leprosie before wee presume to communicate in the company of Saints We must therefore assure our selves that we are in the number of those to whom these holy things doe appertaine for whosoever is prophane in his person and an unsanctified creature let him forbeare to come to this holy banquet till he have first used the meanes of better assurance by repentance for his sinnes and amendment of his corrupt and sinnefull life let him often call upon God by zealous and faithfull prayers for the remission of his omissions and transgressions let him earnestly crave the assistance of his holy spirit to assist him in the mortifying and beating downe of sinne and that his heart and conscience may be sanctified and made fit for so holy an exercise When he is thus cleansed let him shew himselfe to the Priest his Pastour and let him take knowledge by his outward confession of his inward contrition And then in all reverence and in the feare of God let him come to this holy Table let him eate the body and drinke the blood of that Lambe that taketh away the sinnes of all penitent sinners and will present him pure unto the Lord for the Lords eye is pure and can abide no wickednesse the Sacrament is holy touch it not rashly if thou have not the wedding garment of sincerity come not thereto Math. 22.11 12 13. for the Lord will finde thee out and thrust thee forth out of his presence among the unbeleevers whose portion shall bee with the divell and his angels Let us therefore search and examine our waies let us lift up our hands with our hearts unto God and feed on this holy mystery 1 Cor. 11.25 26 the life of our soules in remembrance that Christ died for us untill his second comming Blesse me O Lord so that my sins may wholly be remitted by thy blood my conscience sanctified by thy Word my mind enlightened by thy Truth my heart guided by thy Spirit and my will in all things subdued to thy blessed Will and pleasure Blesse mee with all graces which I want and increase in mee those good gifts which thou hast already bestowed upon mee Of the Ordinance of Christ concerning the translation of the Sabbath THe Primitive Church had farre greater reason to celebrate Sunday in memory of Christs resurrection then to keepe the Sabbath because that by his resurrection from the dead Isay 65.17 66.12.13 there is wrought a new spirituall creation of the world without which all the sonnes of Adam had beene turned to everlasting perdition and destruction and so all the workes of the first creation had ministred no consolation unto us In respect of this new spirituall creation 2 Cor. 5.17 18. Rev. 21.1 Gal. 6.15 1 Pet. 2.10 Ephes 4.24 Colos 3.10 Matth. 26.28 2 Pet. 3.13 Isay 66.12.13 Chro 4.9 c. the Scripture saith that old things are passed away and all things are become new new creatures new people new men new knowledge new Testament new Commandements new Heaven new Earth and therefore there is in stead of the old a new holy day to honour and praise our Redeemer and to meditate upon the workes of our redemption and to shew the new change fo the old Testament because that on this day Christ rested from all the sufferings of his passion and finished the glorious worke of our redemption If the finishing of the worke of the first creation whereby God mightily manifested himselfe unto his creatures deserved a Sabbath for to solemnize the memoriall of so great a work Esay 58.13 to the honour of the worker and therefore God calls it mine holy day much more doth the new creation of the world effected by the resurrection of Christ whereby he mightily declared himselfe to be the Sonne of God Rom. 1.3 4. deserve an holy festivall for the perpetuall commemoration thereof to the honour of Christ and therefore most worthily called the Lords day Apoc. 1.10 for as the deliverance out of the captivity of Babylon being greater tooke away the name from the deliverance out of the bondage of Egypt Jer. 23.7 8. 16.13 so the day whereon Christ finished the redemption of the world did more justly deserve to be kept holy than that day wherein God ceased from creating the world Gen. 2.2 as therefore in the creation the first day wherein it was finished was consecrated for a Sabbath Lev. 23.32 Neh. 13.19 so in processe of time after our redemption the first day wherein it was perfected was dedicated to a holy rest The Jewes kept their Sabbath on the last day of the week beginning it with the night when God rested from finishing the worke of his creation but Christians honour the Lord better on the first day of the weeke when the Lord arose They kept their Sabbath in remembrance of the worlds creation but Christians celebrate it in memoriall of the worlds redemption Matth. 28 1. Acts 20.7 2.46 yea the Lords day being the first day of the creation and redemption puts us in minde both of the making of the old world and redeeming of the new world Many godly Writers doe record many memorable things which were done upon the first day of the weeke as so many types that the chiefe worship of God should under the new Testament be celebrated upon this day Exod. 31. as that on this day the cloud of Gods Majesty first sate upon his people Aaron and his children first executed their Priest-hood God first solemnely blessed his people the princes of his people first offered publikely unto God the first day wherein fire descended from heaven the first of the world of the yeere of the moneth of the weeke all shadowing that it should be the first and chiefe holy day of the new Testament Gen. 17.12 and circumcision being commanded on the eighth day which was foreseene by the holy Fathers and Prophets to be a type of the Lords day Esay 58.13 that the Sabbath should cease and give place to the eight or first day of the weeke If this mysterie were so clearely seene by the Fathers and Prophets under the shadowes of the old Testament 2 Cor. 4.4 surely the God of this world hath deepely blinded their mindes who cannot see the truth thereof under the cleere shining light of the Gospel This change of the Sabbath under the new Testament was nothing but a fulfilling of that which was solemnly prefigured and fore-prophesied under the old 1 Cor. 14.36 37 therefore all true Christians according to the Lords minde and Commandement

THE SOVLES PROGRESSE To the Celestiall CANAAN or Heavenly JERVSALEM By way of godly Meditation and holy contemplation accompanied with divers learned exhortations and pithy perswasions tending to Christianity and humanity Divided into two Parts The first Part treateth of the divine Essence Quality and Nature of God and his holy Attributs and of the creation fall state death and misery of an unregenerated man both in this life and in the world to come Put for the whole scope of the Old Testament The second Part is put for the summe and compendium of the Gospell and treateth of the Incarnation Nativity Words Works and sufferings of Christ and of the happinesse and blessednesse of a godly man in his state of Renovation being reconciled to God in Christ Collected out of the Scriptures and out of the writings of the ancient Fathers of the Primitive Church and other Orthodoxall Divines by John Welles of Beccles in the County of Suffolk LONDON Printed by E. G. and are to be sold by Henry Shephard in Chancery-lane at the signe of the Bible between Serjeants-Inne and Fleetstreet neere the Kings-head-Taverne 1639. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Sr. JOHN HOBART Of Blickling in the County of Norfolke Knight Baronet one of his Majesties Deputies Lieutenant Justice of Peace and Quorum Captaine and Colonell of part of his Majesties Forces there Prime Heire of the Right Honourable and reverend Judge Sr. Henry Hobart Knight and Baronet Lord chiefe Justice of his M ties honble Court of Common Pleas. John Welles Wisheth much increase of Honour and all true comfort in this life a blessed end and eternall happinesse in the life to come I Have presumed to dedicate these my labours unto you Right noble sir the off-spring and undoubted Heire of my noble friend your father deceased and inheritour of his Lands and Livings and the chiefe of that great and renowned family And as you doe inherit his Lands and Livings so my prayer is that you may inherit him in his integrity zeale wisdome I speak not this out of doubtfull feare but in officious love and herein take notice I beseech you of this happinesse and blessing of God cast upon you not only to be the chiefe of this great and worthy family but also take notice of the true cause of the worth and greatnesse of your Ancestours and imitate them therein and then inheriting their worth together with their wealth you shall also most undoubtedly enrich your selfe with the obsequious attendance and hearty affection of your native Countrymen and so grow in grace and favour with God and man For which cause I have presumed to present you with this Tractate and to publish the same under the protection of your name hoping of your courteous acceptance and beseeching you to grant it your favourable protection and Patronage which though it be but indifferently contrived yet strongly warranted for it hath the undoubted truth of God for its authority There may be many Tractates found tending to these ends but all that I have seene of others though they may bee more pithy yet certaine I am this is more plaine I trust not unpleasant nor unprofitable God give all grace to make right use of it And so commending my labours with all the desired good that may be unto your good Worship and both you and it to the speciall grace and protection of the Almighty who is aboundantly able to fill your heart with grace to crowne your daies with blessing and to finish them with eternall comfort life and glory Amen I rest a true desirer of your best good And your Worships in all Christian duty to be commanded JOHN WELLES October 22. 1638. The Authors Preface to the READER GEntle Christian friendly Reader and loving country-man about ten yeeres since past at spare houres as my daily employments would give me leave I first began to collect and gather out of Scripture and other godly and learned Authors many principall and speciall notes worthy observation and remembrance When I first began I had not thought to bring it forth to the worlds view but onely for my owne private commodity to the comfort of my minde the more I gathered the more I was ravished and being thus in holy contemplation the matter being holy excellent and heavenly I was incited and stirred up by godly motion to undertake a worke so excellent which through want of learning I knew my selfe altogether unable to performe what my heart desired yet yeelding obedience to the holy motion and humbly craving and earnestly praying the power divine to assist mee with his holy Spirit to accomplish that which I had a desire to finish Phil. 4.13 and had already begun knowing as Saint Paul saith that I am able to doe all things Phil. 1.12 through the helpe of him that strengtheneth mee And praying for his blessing to blesse my endeavours and then in the name of God Prov. 16.3 with cheerfulnesse of heart I persevered in my purpose committing the successe unto him Eccles 8. in whose power it is to blesse with his grace whatsoever businesse is intended to his glory For fithence Salomon himselfe saith that mans wisdome is unperfect and his knowledge in each Science uncertaine therefore I being utterly destitute of that wisdome and but of slender knowledge neither may 2 Cor. 3.5 2 Cor. 4.5 doe nor will I presume to thinke that by any meanes I am able of my selfe to perform my desired enterprize as of my selfe or bring to perfection so waighty a matter and so intricate 1 Cor. 4.4 For though I may say with Saint Paul I know not what I have mistaken or wherein I have erred yet will I not dare to report or be encouraged to affirme that my worke is perfect or that I have fully performed my long-wished attempt and for that cause standing in doubt whether I have concealed many truthes or adventured to report some errors which by my weakenesse of judgement or slacknesse of consideration have happened in this Treatise but through his divine assistance have here accomplished what my soule desired to bring to passe I meane this poore Tractate named the Soules Progresse to the celestiall Canaan divided into two parts the first part treateth of the divine Essence of God and his holy attributes and of the creation state death and misery of man put for the whole passage of the old Testament the second part is put for the summe and compendium of the Gospel and treateth of the words workes and sufferings of Christ and of the happinesse and blessednesse of a godly man in his state of renovation being reconciled to God in Christ which poore mite I doe cast into the worlds treasury knowing that the great learned orthodoxall Writers out of their superfluous abundance have cast in much but like the poore widow in the Gospel Luke 21.4 I out of my want doe cast in even all that I have beseeching the Lord to give it

one which is Gods soveraigne blessednesse or perfection Blessednesse is that perfect and unmeasurable possession of joy and glory which God hath in himselfe for ever and is the cause of all the blisse and perfection that every creature enjoyeth in his measure Of these Attributes we must hold these generall rules No Attributes can sufficiently expresse the Essence of God nor declare what he is because he is infinite and ineffable whatsoever therefore is spoken of God is not God but serveth rather to helpe our weake understanding to conceive in our reason and to utter in our speech the Majesty of his divine Nature so farre as hee hath vouchsafed to reveale himselfe unto us in his Word All the Attributes of God belong to every of the three Persons as well as to the Essence it selfe with the limitation of a personall propriety as the mercy of the Father is mercy begetting the mercy of the Sonne is mercy begotten the mercy of the holy Ghost is mercy proceeding Againe the essentiall Attributes of God differ not from his Essence because they are so in the Essence that they are the very Essence it selfe therefore in God there is nothing to bee found which is not either his Essence or Person to speake properly there are not in God many Attributes but one onely which is nothing else but the divine Essence it selfe but in respect of our reason they are said to be many different Attributes for our understanding conceives by the name of mercy a thing differing from that which is called Justice Gods essentiall Attributes are not therefore really inseparable for the Essentiall Attributes of God are not parts or qualities of the divine Essence nor accidents in the Essence as in a subject but the very whole and intire Essence of God so that such Attribute is not an other and another thing but one and the same thing There are therefore no quantities in God by which he may be said to be so much and so much nor qualities by which he may be said to bee such and such but whatsoever God is hee is such and the same by his Essence By his Essence he is wise therefore wisedome it selfe by his Essence hee is good therefore goodnesse it selfe by his Essence he is mercifull therefore mercy it selfe by his Essence he is just therefore justice it selfe c. in truth and in a word God is great without quantity good true and just without quality mercifull without passion an act without motion every where present without fight without time the first and the last Iam. 1.17 the Lord of all creatures from whom all receive themselves their being and all the good they have Of the Majesty Greatnesse and Qualitie of GOD. THe question here is not of any bodily quality How the question is of Gods quality and what manner of thing the quality of God is but of the Majesty of God for hee is wonderfull not in body which hee hath not but in godly Majesty which appeares in his goodnesse wisedome power glory and eternity the quality of Gods Majesty is such that it cannot be expressed though a man would say his goodnesse his power his wisdome and glory is the greatest of all for these words superlative because they doe include a certaine comparison of other that be good wise and strong doe agree better with men than with God unto whom they cannot bee attributed but so that they shall seeme to diminish his divine Majesty and excellency chiefly because hee is alone good alone wise and alone strong therefore when we consider the quality of the goodnesse wisedome strength glory and continuance of God wee must forbeare all comparisons and acknowledge that his goodnesse wisedome greatnesse majesty power and glory is incomparable passing great and his continuance infinite and this infinite excellency of Gods goodnesse wee must observe Rom. 1. and honour in his creation disposition and providence wherewith hee hath made disposed and governed all things passing well chiefly in his loving kindnesse that hee sent his Sonne into the world for our salvation the excellency of his strength and power appeareth in his word whereby he made Heaven and earth and all things of nothing his infinite wisedome is to be seene as well in his creation as in his marvellous ordering of all things Let this be sufficient to have touched somewhat pertaining to this matter now of the workes of God After those things that wee have briefly noted of the Essence Persons Nature and Majesty of God the next is to looke into his workes for it is best knowne by his workes both that hee is what hee is and of what quality he is and how great he is Wherefore every godly heart will yeeld all his endeavour to looke continually into the workes of God with the eyes of faith that hee may be perfectly instructed by them what he ought to judge of him God hee worketh continually and without ceasing Christ saith My Father worketh even till now Iohn 5.17 God is every where present both essentially and potentially and vertually for God is infinite as well in his Essence as in his Might Power and Working For as the Apostle saith Acts 17.24 25 26 27 28. God worketh all in all for all things be not onely of him and by him but in him through him also he is therefore generally present every where and in all and so preserveth directeth governeth all things but especially touching his speciall majestie and glory hee is and dwelleth in Heaven but by his goodnesse and grace he is dwelleth and abideth in his elect and faithfull people on earth such as doe love and obey him whom he doth especially love preserve defend and keepe which is called the presence of his grace Therefore what surer safeguard can there be unto man subject to so many dangers afflictions miseries and calamities than to have his God present with him by a certaine speciall grace and favour but in the wicked and the ungodly he is in them in his anger and wrath Psal 78.31 c. whom hee doth abhorre as reprobate and cast off For the presence of him which is the maker preserver For as much as the Essence of God is contained in no place yet it cannot be said that it is no where so that of necessity it is every where and governour of all cannnot be idle but worketh all in all and with the power might and working of him all things should lie dead and to no effect so that of necessitie God in his Essence and working is every where like as if a man should say of the soule that it is contained in no certaine place of the body yet for all that it is in every place and in all parts and doth fill the whole body so like as if our body were destitute of the operation of the soule it were dead therefore the soule is certainly present in the whole body and every

counterfeiting and dissembling one may easily deceive and abuse another having one thing secretly hid in his heart when outwardly he saith and doth the contrary upon that is grounded the saying of the Prophet Jeremy Ierem. 17.9 The heart of man is overthwart and who shall know it but there cannot be such a perversity and dissimulation ascribed unto God but when he worketh hee declareth the quality of his nature in his working so that his workes may be most assured testimonies by which the hearts of the faithfull may bee perswaded of his goodnesse and will Esay 28. and although he seeme sometimes to worke contrary to his custome yet that is done to the intent that it shall come to that end which hee hath appointed This is to worke truly and verily according to the quality of his nature and to declare openly to the world the testimony of his good will or anger by word and deed Now there are five kinds of working One is Five kinds of working when things bee wrought according to the strength of their nature without any governance of understanding or will as in the working of fire water medicinall hearbes precious stones and such other things whose working if it bee guided by any reason or will it is not their owne but by some outward either by Gods or mans directions The second kind is of those things which followeth the drift of nature in their working but not without their owne will though the mastery of reason be lacking in them yet such is their working that sometimes it is forced against their will and so worke the bruit beasts The third kind is of men which doe also worke according to the quality of their nature and joyne theirs unto the governance of reason or will but wrong and corrupt and also subject and under a greater power either of man either of God and under this is also comprised the working of evill spirits The fourth is of good Spirits which wee call Angels they worke also according to their nature and that with understanding and will but without any depravation thereof wherein they differ from men and from evill spirits but they are also subject to a superiour power by whom their doings be directed The fift and last kind of working is also according to the nature of the worker Eccles 42.15 c. 43. with understanding and will and that pure and uncorrupt and is not subject unto the wisdome or will of any superiour but is most free wise mighty good and infinite upon whom all other things dependeth This is the working of one very God the beginning increase keeping repairing the rule and end of all things most good most free willing infinite everlasting perfect needing no other helpe No man is able sufficiently to praise God for he farre exceeds all praise necessary and profitable not to the worker but to the workes whose incomprehensible waies infinite multitude and unsearchable consideration no man may seeke to know whose infinite Goodnesse Wisedome Power Majesty and Glory all Angels and men must have in admiration and worship Though the Multitude Variety Majesty and Excellencie of the Workes of God be infinite and incomprehensible that neither the reason nor number of them can bee comprehended by any mans imagination or industry Eccle. 8.17 even as Ecclesiasticus said Yet among all the Workes of God Among Gods workes the worke of Creation is first wee ought first to understand the workes of the Creation and herein wee must leave the consideration of those workes that are of the Father towards the Sonne and of the Sonne towards the Father and of both of them toward the holy Spirit and of the holy Spirit toward both of them which are unsearchable and not necessary to know nor belonging to Creation But it is even enough if the creature doe acknowledge honour and glorifie the workes of his Creator in that that he is the Creator Encreaser Conserver Repairer Governour and Perfecter of all when we say the Father created all things the Word must not bee excluded neither the holy Spirit because that by the Word and with the Spirit all things were made and created When we say the sunne nourisheth and giveth light unto the earth wee exclude not his heate nor his brightnesse without which he doth not accomplish his worke Againe when we say all things are created of God we must not include those things that be evill in respect they be evill for they be not of God Iohn 8.44 but of satan the father of all evill this is the plaine description of our true and onely God from all false gods and idols To possesse our hearts with greater awe of his Majesty whilest we admire him for his simplenesse and infinitnesse adore him for his unmeasurablenesse unchangeablenesse and eternity seeke wisdome from his understanding and knowledge submit our selves to his blessed will and pleasure love him for his love mercy goodnesse and patience trust to his word because of his truth feare him for his power justice and anger reverence him for his holinesse and praise him for his blessednesse and to depend all our life on his faithfull promises who is the onely Authour of our life being and all the good things we have Eph. 5. Let us therefore stirre up our selves to imitate the divine Spirit in his holy Attributes and to beare in some measure the Image of his wisdome love goodnesse justice mercy truth patience zeale and anger against sinne and strive that wee may bee wise loving just mercifull true patient and zealous as our God is and that wee may in our prayers and meditations conceive aright of his divine Majesty and not according to those grosse and blasphemous imaginations which naturally arise in mens braines Psal 90.2 Rom. 1 23 c. as when they conceive God to be like an old man sitting in a chaire and the blessed Trinity to be like that tripartite idoll which Papists set up in their Church windowes When therefore thou art to pray unto God let thy heart speake unto him Psal 90.2 1 King 8.27 1 Iohn 5.7 as unto that Eternall Infinite Almighty Holy Wise Just Mercifull Spirit and most perfect and individuall Essence of three severall substances Father Sonne and holy Ghost who being present in all places ruleth Heaven and Earth understandeth all mens hearts knoweth all mens miseries and is onely able to bestow on us all graces which we want and to deliver all penitent sinners that with faithfull hearts seeke for Christs sake his helpe out of all their afflictions and troubles whatsoever If therefore thou dost believe that God is Almighty why dost thou feare devils or enemies Confidently trust in God and crave his helpe in all troubles and dangers if thou believest that God is infinite how darest thou provoke him to anger If thou believest that God is simple with what heart canst thou dissemble and play the hypocrite

If thou believest that God is the Soveraigne good why is not thy heart more setled upon him then on al worldly goods If thou dost indeed believe that God is a just Judge how darest thou live so securely in sinne without repentance If thou dost truely believe that God is most wise Rom. 8.28 why dost thou not referre the events of crosses and disgraces unto him who knoweth how to turne all things to the best unto them that love him If thou art perswaded that God is true why dost thou doubt of his promises and if thou believest that God is beauty and perfection it selfe why dost thou not make him the chiefe end of all thy desires and affections for if thou lovest Beautie hee is most faire If Riches he is most wealthy If thou seekest Wisdome hee is most wise whatsoever excellencie thou hast seene in any Creature it is nothing but a sparkle of that which is in the Infinite perfection in God Application Therefore love that one good God and thou shalt love him in whom all the good of goodnesse consisteth he that would therefore attaine to the saving Knowledge of God must learne to know him by love 1 Joh. 4.8 Ephes 3.19 for God is Love and the knowledge of the love of God passeth all understanding for all knowledge in the world besides to know how to love God Eccles 1.2.17 and to serve him onely is nothing upon Salomons Creed but Vanity of vanities trouble of mind and vexation of spirit Kindle therefore in mee my good God Charity Rom. 5.9 10. Joh. 17.3.22 1 Cor. 15.28 the love of thy selfe in my soule especially seeing it was thy good pleasure that being reconciled by the blood of Christ wee should be brought by the knowledge of thy grace to the communion of thy glory wherein only consisteth our soveraigne good and happinesse for evermore Thus by the light of his owne Word wee have seene the backe parts of Jehovah Elohim the eternall Trinity whom to worship is true Piety whom to believe is saving Faith and Verity and unto whom from all Creatures in heaven and earth be ascribed all Praise Glory Honour Might Majesty Power and Dominion for evermore Amen Of divine Directions declaring the variable state and misery of Man from the time of his Creation to the time of the Gospel or the new Covenant of Grace Of the generall Knowledge of God VVHen first I began to understand of God I had this imagination that God was a generall power within whose circle all things are without whom nothing by whom all things were made and to whom all men ow their service This learning was taught mee by the wisdome of my naturall soule and by the common example of Christians for all men acknowledge a God and all Christians their duties this is the common knowledge of men but not the profitable more commendable in Philosophers than Christians being without use without application I have therefore better endevoured my selfe and studied to know God my God to know him in his divine nature in the trinity of persons and in their offices for thus to know and then to apprehend and apply is salvation To know God in his nature we must know His Attributes and rightly understand God in his said Attributes all which may be reduced to these two generalls Justice and Mercy in all which we must consider him to be Infinite in wisedome Infinite in favour Infinite in power The Trinity and Infinite in time The Trinity is the distinction of persons without denying the substance or nature of God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost though they be three distinct in name they are one in power without division without inequality the Sonne begotten as ancient as the Father the Holy Ghost prooceeding from them both is equall with them both no priority in their Omnipotency but all of them being alike able in all things and alwaies conspiring one end without discord The foundation of Religion this divine mysterie is the foundation of Christian Religion without which there is no faith no salvation It is further necessary to know the Trinity in their severall offices for though the God-head be so undivided as that no one person in the Trinity doth worke without cooperation the Father Son Severall offices in the Trinity and the Holy Ghost conspiring in every act of every severall person yet in the wisedome of their owne decree they have determined to the severall persons of the Trinity severall executions of offices wherein the whole Trinity conspire yet some one person in the Trinity hath the name of principall therefore wee say God the Father made the world God the Sonne redeemed it God the Holy Ghost doth governe it The creation of the world is ascribed to God the Father The Trinity conspire in every worke yet he made the world and the works therein by his Word This Word was God the second person in the Trinity who did cooperate and worke with God in the Creation the Holy Ghost also moved upon the waters to divide the seas and distinguish light from darknesse all of them joyntly and severally executing the decrees of their owne divine counsell Jer. 10.12 13. The worke of our Redemption is properly ascribed to the Sonne the second person of the Trinity who descended from his Majesty 1 Cor. 5.55 and in his owne person came to make a conquest of sinne hell and death The Holy Ghost doth governe the world the Father and the Sonne assisting yet in this most gracious worke the Father and the Holy Ghost were not absent but gave divine assistance to our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ when he ascended left the Holy Ghost to be a patron to the Catholique Church the which in all occasions doth support every member of the same yet the Father and the Sonne have their hands of providence at all times working with the Holy Ghost in this divine government therefore howsoever they have their severall assignments by themselves appointed yet they all conspire in every worke of holinesse all of them participating one worke one honour Thus to know God is needfull for every soule that desireth happinesse One labour one honour in the Trinity or that coveteth to have part in the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ without whom there is no salvation God being then of a nature infinitely good infinite great it ought to move in every foule a double affection Men ought to live in Gods imitation love and feare to feare him because he can destroy to love him because he will not It ought also to provoke all men to an imitation of God that such to whom God hath given greatnesse they use it with moderation of mercy which onely is able to make the great good and the honourable in place honourable in condition for as God is so good men their soules are his images and their actions his imitations Againe God is a

The judgment of reason that they who deny the judgement of Divinity may be judged by reason and the wisdome of nature which alone is able to convince all oppositions and gain-sayers but to Christians I will onely set forth what God saith for that may serve to informe and satisfie all and every faithfull Christian Gen. 1.1 c. Moses the servant and witnesse of God Almighty being inspired by the holy Ghost hath left recorded to all posterities the manner of the Creation of the World The scripture is onely able to satisfie all doubts to which authority not onely my selfe but every faithfull Christian doth confidently adhere utterly disclaiming all contradiction all diversity of opinion In the Creation is principally considered the Creator God and the creatures the workes of Gods Creation In the Creator is considered his power his purpose his power in being able by his word to finish such a worke of admiration his purpose The world was made for man and man for God not that hee needed any such thing that he had made to supply any defect in his Divinity but for the use of a creature man which afterward he was to make to whom hee gave the Heavens the earth and all the host of them for the service of man reserving onely man for the service of himselfe In the creatures is considered their originall or matter of their creation The matter of the creation for some things he made of nothing some of fire some of aire some of earth some of water some of flesh of nothing he created the Heaven the Earth and the Sea whereunto as is supposed may be joyned the heavenly Spirits but under correction of others of earth hee made and shaped the first man Adam our father also of the earth hee made beasts and all kind of plants and hearbs of the aire hee made wind and blasts The order God observed of the waters he created fish and foule of flesh he created Eve the first mother of our kind Next the order wherein they were created this originall was nothing for God created all things by the power of his Word without matter there being nothing whereof to make any thing the order observed in the creation was that God determined the World and the workes therein for the service of man would before he made man store the World mans mansion-house with very needfull providence that man at the very instant of his beginning might know himselfe to be in the fulnesse of Gods favour nothing wanting which might either administer to him profit pleasure or serve his necessity Againe in the creatures themselves God observed a speciall order First hee created light without which the workes of his greatnesse had not beene visible Secondly he created Heaven giving that priority Apoc. 4.11 Of the Celestiall bodies for the excellency and dignity of the place Next he made a separation of the Earth and Waters and gave the Earth a generation of all Plants and Trees bearing good seed Then hee placed in the Firmament the Planets and fixed the Starres and Celestiall bodies the which serve not onely for light to distinguish times and seasons but also by their influence for the generation and government of all living creatures Then God furnished the two elements of Water and Ayre with creatures of that kind Last of all hee stored the Earth with the creatures which live on that element and when hee had finished the creation of all things hee then made man after his owne similitude and gave him the possession of the World and the creatures hee had made giving him interest in all and power over all without exception of any This knowledge of the Creation is necessary in the understanding of every Christian of carefull conscience with which knowledge the lesse learned may satisfie themselves avoyding the curious search of such nice questions as may distract the simple and availe not unto salvation The knowledge of the power of God in creating the World doth admonish and remember all men that seeing God created all things by the power of his word The maine interest of all things is in God therefore the maine interest and principall claime to all things created remaineth to God only he being the absolute owner without competitor and how man hath onely the use and communication thereof and that onely with condition and limitation of time Note it doth also perswade a reverence to the Majesty of God and a feare of his displeasure for that God who is able by his Wod to create of nothing any thing is able also by his Word to destroy any thing and make it nothing or worse than nothing The purpose of the creation of the world by God being for the use and service of man doth remember all men that the measure of the love of God to mankind is infinite The infinite measure of Gods love who of his owne election did please to make a Creature of such noblenesse as to be called his Resemblance and Image giving him a soule of such divine nature as nothing but God can be more Every thing created is either for use or ornament for whose sake God made the world and stored it with the plenty of all things which migh● 〈◊〉 fit either for use or ornament all which God hath given man only requiring acknowledgement and thankfull service which condition if man performe God will then a thousand-fold double his favours and whereas these are but transitory and passible pleasures God will make them eternall and unexpressable both in number and worth John 1. for he that proveth a faithfull servant God will make him a sonne and crowne him with the glory of his Saints in the kingdome of glory where there is a perpetuity of all happinesse Againe the purpose of Gods creating the world for the use of man Man must use Gods Creatures with reverence and moderation doth admonish all men to use the Creatures of God with moderation reverence and Christian judgement not to despise them because they are Gods Creatures not to adore them because they are but Creatures but so to use them as they may supply that purpose for which God created them Thirdly seeing God created the world for mankinde in generall it doth remember us not to appropriate the Creatures of God to our owne private ends but to communicate the use of them with all such as shall need them for God gave not the world to Adam onely but to his posterity also therefore every man is lawfully interested in the enjoying of Gods Creatures Matth. 25. God gave the world to mankind in generall and not to any particular if by lawfull and allowable meanes hee can attaine them Againe if a Christian mans necessity require reliefe and favourable supportation hee hath a righteous claime to some part of the superfluous possessions of others and hee that shutteth up his compassion against such necessity