Créed as to the Fountaine and Beginning Originall not Temporall of the Deity And this Creation is two-fold Simple viz. Aproducing of things out of Nothing negatiuely taken or in Respect viz. A producing of things out of matter prae-existent vndisposed So that these words Of Nothing signifie both order as if wee should say when there was nothing after whatsoeuer it was made and also a simple denying of the habitude and fitnesse of the materiall cause If any shall say as of old some Heathen that of Nothing Nothing is made wee may answere thus It is true of a Physicall and Naturall generation and working not true of a Diuine Creation Vse 1. The worke of the Creation is a manifest conuiction of the Athiest Rom. 1.20 Act. 14.17 the creatures being liuely representations glasses and witnesses of the infinite wisedome and power of God The greatnesse of the world sheweth his power The forme and beautifull disposition wherein one creature is subordinate to another his Wisedome In the vse his Goodnesse In the forme constant order his Truth is manifest The heauens declare his glory the firmament sheweth his handy-worke So doth the earth also which is full of his Goodnesse and the wide sea wherein are things créeping innumerable both small and great beasts Consider not onely Behemoth but the smallest Flye not onely the tall Cedars but the lowest Shrub and smallest hearhe or flower yea thine owne body the Epitome of all with Dauid Ps 139.14 and thou shalt finde that all these with one voyce proclaime and say It is Hee Psa 100.3 is it Hee which hath made vs Euen as the work argueth the workman so the creatures the Creator Dost thou say who saw God Thou Foole who euer saw the winde yet thou hearest the noise of it and féelest it So the Innisible God is manifest in his visible workes whom acknowledge least thou féele the stormy winde and tempest of his wrath Vse 2. Consider seriously the worke of the Creation that thou maist learne both the better to know God to celebrate his Goodnesse Wisedom Power There is not the least Fly but if the fashion nimble actiuity c. nor the most conteÌ„ptible hearb but if the colour the qualities c. might giue vs plentifull occasion of praises to our God the Creator Verely the negligence of the most part of Christians is this way most apparant feareful For God hath so made his meruailous workes that they ought to be had in remembrance which are sought out of them that loue them Psal 111.2.4 Yea whereas the Lord could haue made the world in an instant it pleased him to take sixe daies to finish the heauen the earth with all the host of theÌ„ to this end we may well suppose that we should take good notice of the same For this was the Saboath ordained that we might preserue the memory of the Creation praise the Lord though now a greater worke be added which is Redemption by the bloud of Iesus This hath béen the practise of the Saints Psal 26.7 Psal 8. 104. c. as may appeare in the example of Dauid Surely he is vnworthy of his creation and being which finds nothing in or out of himselfe whereby he may stirre vp his dulnesse to praise God Alasse for the most part we consider in the creatures nothing but that which serues for our backes and bellies whereas the right vse consisteth not only in the maintaing of life but also in teaching vs the invisible things of God If a cunning Painter should bring vs into his shop to behold his curious pictures beautifully set forth with much Art would he not be offended if we should not vouchsafe them the looking on nor commend his Art So perswade thy selfe whosoeuer thou art that readest these things that the mighty Creator is offended with thee when all his workes euen vnsensible creatures praise him if thou béeest dumbe how much more when they declare his glory if thou by thy wickednesse bringest dishonour to his name Q. The History of the Creation is set downe in the first of Genesis but I finde no mention there of the Creation of Angels what thinke you of that Ans I verily beleeue that both good and euill Angels were in those sixe dayes created of nothing all good at the first but changeable Spirituall substances of singular wisedome power nimblenesse Gen. 2. â—1 Col. 1.16 Psa 103.20 but the very day and time exactly of their creation I know not neither is it reuealed Q. What are the good Angels Ans They are all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes which are heires to saluation Heb. 1.14 Q. What are the euill Angels Ans They are spirituall substances which being created good in the beginning stood not in the truth Iohn 8.44 Iude 6. but of their own will fell from their happinesse These wee call Diuels but of the number of them that fell and their sinne what certainly it was and of the exact time of their fall I professe ignorance Expl. The Angels are the most noble of all the creatures of whom many things are curiously enquired of their degrées language knowledge power number c. But this shall suffice that we know they were created of singular power knowledge and wisedome yet finite neither knowing all things no not the heart of man neither able to doe all things for these are proper to God We may confesse order amongst them but it were rashnesse to take vpon vs to declare it This is certaine they which abide in their goodnesse haue it from the grace of their Creator néeding Christ as a Mediator to conserue them in their happinesse though not to redéeme them Also we are not to be ignorant that though God néedeth not their ministery yet it pleaseth him to imploy them for the punishment of sinners chiefly for the good of his children And yet not so that euery one hath assigned him at his birth one good and an other euill Angell as some haue without warrant affirmed And as for euill Angels besides that which hath béen spoken we are to remember that they are in regard of their substances the creatures of God of whom we may acknowledge one chiefe because the Scripture speaketh of the Prince of Diuels and of the Diuell and his Angels That they are of wonderfull knowledge and power though limited And that they are of excéeding malice toward Christ his Gospell Iob 1.12 Math. 8.31 and his Church as euery where is manifest in the word and by daily experience Vse 1. Not to inuocate or worship good Angels for they are creatures Iudg. 13.16 Math. 4.10 Col. 2.18 Reu. 19.10 22.9 yet we deny not but they ought to be honoured by thinking reuerently and rightly of them by louing them initating them praising God for honoring vs sinfull men with the guard attendance and ministry of his holy Angels Vse 2.
humour fitter to be purged then norished Some worthily in regard of their great acuity iudgemēt like nothing for themselues but that which transcendeth common capacities I doe not thinke my selfe able to doe that which might giue them satisfaction And in asmuch as there are three fold more which haue but meane knowledge then which abound it shall content me that euen as Golde is common in Rich mens pockets but Siluer is currant among the common sort it shall I say content me if while those of deeper iudgement bee conuersant in the Writings of the learned my Labours may be in the hands of the meaner sort for whose sake specially I haue taken this paines For thee therefore which arte but a beginner I haue laboured If I may adde to thy knowledge and affection and be a helper of thy Faith and Ioy giue thou God the glory I haue then attained the end of my labors Reade once and reade againe it may bee the second reading wil be more sauory then the first If thou profitest herein according as I haue praied for thee I know thou shalt neuer repent thee And thus desiring the helpe of thy prayers I commend thee to God and to the word of his Grace wishing thy farther vp-building in all sauing knowledge godlinesse and established comfort of conscience through Iesus Christ Thine in our Christ E. P. A Table for the ready finding out of the principall things contained in this Booke A ATTENTION in hearing pag. 22. Application necessary of that which wee heare and reade 37. Of Angels Good and Euill and what they are 77. B Of Baptisme 272. C Not onely for the Church doe wee beleeue the Scriptures to be Diuine 52. 53. Of Creation and what it is 73. Of the Workes of Creation the first day 80. Of the Workes of the second day 83. Of the Workes of the third day 85. Of the Workes of the fourth day 88. Of the Workes of the fift day 94. Of the Workes of the sixt day 95. Of the Creation of Man 96. Of Conscience 103. A consideration of Christ how and why his Righteousnesse is sufficient for the Iustification of all the Elect. 182. 183 c. That Christ is God and Man in on Person and why 187. Of the righteousnesse of Christ whereby we are iustified what it is 192. How wee are made partakers of this Righteousnesse 193. Of the Offices of Christ 199. Of the Church 241. The Church but one and how 260. What a visible Church is 262. Of the notes of a visible Church Ibid. Church-men subiect to Ciuill Magistrates 293. Of the Ciuill Magistracy 294. D Difficulty of the Scriptures to whom and why p. 7. 8. 9. Distracting care a hinderance to wise Hearing 18. Of Church Discipline 288. E Of Eternall Life 226. Of Eternall Death Ibid. Of Election 247. F A description of God the Father 68. Of the Fall of Man 140. How the fall of Adam and Eue belongs to vs. 148. Of Faith what it is 196. G What GOD is described 54. Of diuers Attributes of God 55. 56. 57. Of the Relations of Persons in the Trinity 61. There are three Persons but one God Ibid. What Essence and Person are in the God-head and why the Church vseth such tearmes as also Trinity in Vnity 64. 65. 66. A description of God the Holy Ghost 68. Of the Generation of the Sonne 70. H Of wise Hearing the Word 17. seque Three things required to wise Hearing 17. Three things necessary in Hearing 21. 22. I Intemperance a let to wise hearing 17. Intention in Hearing 23. Iudgement to be vsed in the Reading of the Scriptures 33. Iudgement in Reading consisteth in three things Ibid. Of the Image of God in Man 115. Of Iustification 173. Of Iustification by the Righteousnesse of Another 177. Of the day of Iudgement 232. K Of the Knowledge of God 39. 40. L Of the Law 155. How the Law is abrogated and how not 161. Of the vse of the Law 165. None can perfectly keepe the Law 169. Of the penalty of breaking the Law 172. How we are freed from the Law 173. M Of Meditation after we haue heard and how to be practised 25. 26. 27. The right Meaning to bee carefully sought out in our Reading and how we should find it 35. 36. Of the Creation of Man 96. Of the Soule of Man 99. Of Mortification 211. Of the Ministery of the Word 267. Of the Ciuill Magistrate 293. Of the Power and Authority of the Ciuill Magistrate 294. N Of the New Man 212. O Of Order to be vsed in Reading of the Scriptures 30. P Of Preparation to the Hearing of the Word 17. Preparation consisteth in two things 17. Fiue things to be auoyded that we may be prepared 17. 18. 19. Preiudice against the Teacher a hinderance to wise Hearing 18. Pride a hinderance to wise Hearing Ib. Three things to bee done that wee may Heare Wisely 20. Prayer necessary to Preparation before Hearing for whom and for what 20. Of the Procession of the Holy Ghost 70. Of the Prouidence of God 117. Of Prayer 220. Of Predestination 247. Predestination bringeth not in a neglect of Godlinesse 248. R Retention necessary to wise Hearing 24. Of Reading the Scriptures 28 c. Reuerence to bee vsed in Reading the Scriptures 28. Of Redemption 127. How it comes to passe that wee stand in need of a Redeemer 132. Of Repentance 204. Of the Resurrection 237. Of Reprobation 247. S The Scriptures difficult 7. 8. Our paines ought to be the more 9. 10. The Scriptures are the word of God 12 Security a let to wise hearing 19. We are wisely to reade the Scriptures three things necessary thereuntô 28 The Scriptures the best means to attaine the sound knowledge of God 39. What the Scriptures are described 40. Why called Scriptures and Holy 41. Why the Scriptures are called a Couenant and a Testament 44. Of the authority of the Scriptures 48. How we know the Scripuures to be Diuine and Canonicall 50. A Description of God the Sonne 68. Of Originall sinne 151. Of Sinne what it is 155. Of Sanctification 204. Of Free-will 207. Of the parts of Sanctification 211. Of the measure of Sanctification attained in this life 218. Of helpes to sanctification 220. Of the Reward of sanctification 224. Of the Sacraments 271. Of the Lords Supper 280. Of reuerēt coming to the lords table 282 How oftē to come to the Lords table 283 Of Subiects and their duties 295 T Timely comming to the congregation necessary to preparation before the hearing of the word 21. A fit time to be obserued for reading 33 Of this word Testament referred to the Scriptures 43. The Testament how one and two 44. 45. V Of the Vtility of the scriptures 10. 11. W Fiue reasons shewing that all are bound to the study of the Word 3. 4. Diligence in study of the Word 5. 6. Two Reasons to prouoke our diligence in the study of the Word 7. Two parts of the
comfort and saluation 1. Ioh. 2.23 as it is said He which denieth the Sonne hath not the Father And He that honoureth not the Son Iohn 5.28 the same honoreth not the Father which hath sent him And No man can say that Iesus is the Lord 1. Cor. 12.3 but by the Holy-ghost Therefore we conclude that the doctrine of the Trinitie ought in some measure to be knowne and beleeued and that such faith is necessary to saluation Q. What is the Father Ans The Father is the first Person in the Trinity 1. Iohn 5.7 that onely true God not begotten nor proceeding 1. Cor. 8.5.6 Iohn 1.14 Mat. 10.20 Rom. 8.11 but being of none and from euerlasting begetting the Sonne and sending forth the Holy-ghost Q. What is the Sonne Ans The Sonne is the second Person in the holy Trinitie 1. Iohn 5.7 Iere. 23.6 Iohn 1.1 Rom. 9.5 1. Ioh. 5.20 Prou. 8.22 c. Iohn 1.14 Galat. 4.6 Rom. 8.9 1. Pet. 1.1 Iohn 5.7 Acts 5.3 4. 1. Cor. 3.16 Ex. 4.11 12 2. Pet. 1.21 Ioh. 15.26 Ioh. 16.15 Ioh. 17.3 Rom. 16.27 1. Tim. 6.16 that only true God not created but begotten from euerlasting of the Father with the Father sending forth the Holy-Ghost Q. What is the Holy-Ghost Ans The Holy-Ghost is the third Person in the holy Trinity that only true God compared with not made nor created nor begotten but proceeding from the Father and the Sonne compared with Expli The Father is God onely so are the Sonne and Holy-ghost and therefore when you reade in the Scriptures that the Father is the onely true God and onely wise and onely hath Iunnortality and such like remember to vnderstand that it is spoken exclusiuely not in regard of the other Persons but in regard of Idoles and the Creatures The Father is the first person the Sonne the second the Holy-ghost the third not in time and dignity but in order all equall in all attributes and workes though in regard of vs Creation be attributed to the Father Redemption to the Sonne and Sanctification to the Holie-ghost without excluding the other persons for one the same God doth all these things according to a common saying The workes of the Trinitie out of it selfe are vndiuided So these persons are two wayes distinguished first by their common outward operations which with a common efficacie they worke in and toward the creatures sauing alwayes this order of the persons that the Father worketh of himselfe by the Sonne and the Holy-ghost the Sonne and the Holy-ghost not of themselues but by themselues Secondly they are distinguished by personall proprieties and inward actions which they haue towardes themselues The proprietie of the Father to beget and to be of none The propriety of the Sonne to be begotten of the Father The propriety of the Holy-ghost to proceed from the Father and the Son Where we must obserue that wee may not say the Godhead begetteth or is begotten or proceedeth but the person The Sonne and the Holy-ghost being of themselues as they are God of the Father as persons The essence of the Son and Holy-ghost wanting beginning their persons hauing the Father for their beginning from euerlasting For the Essence of the Deitie is to be distinguished from the maner of subsisting in the same If any shall desire to know what is the meaning of the generation of the Sonne and proceeding of the Holy-ghost and how they differ let this suffice to the sober that by generation and proceeding is meant a receiuing of an Essence from another yet with two cautions First that we conceiue no superiority or inferiority betweene that which giueth and that which receiueth Secondly that we thinke of no priority or posteriority in time or dignity betweene that which is begotten and that which proceedeth And for the distinguishing of these I know no other Art but this that the Sonne is begotten and proceeds not and the Holy-ghost proceedes and is not begotten For that which is not written is not to be spoken or thought There is a difference betweene them but I am not able to vnfold it faith Saint Augustine because both the generation of the Sonne and the procession of the Holy-ghost are ineffable And yet the same S. Augustine goeth thus farre saying that that which is begotten proceedeth but that which proceedeth is not begotten The first part of which speach being vnderstood of the inward workes as they are called of the Deity I dare not auow because these are speciall proprieties of persons admitting no such communication To conclude this whole point let vs heare Nazianzene who being pressed of one to shew the difference betweene proceeding and being begotten Doe thou tel me saith Nazianzene what is Generation and I will tell thee what is Procession that we may both runne madde in searching into the vnreuealed secrets of God Vse Wouldst thou vnderstand these high and reuerend Misteries Repent then of thy sinnes Wisd 1.4 For such wisedome entreth not into a defiled soule and sinne blindeth the eyes of the Seer Iohn 9.39 Ioh. 12.40 Straggle not out of the bounds of the Word for that is giuen to be thy Rule Galat. 6.16 Desire not to know that which is not reuealed neither be inquisitiue after such things Acts 1.7 for that is dangerous vanity and pride Bring to the study of this Mystery and humble and a teachable minde Psal 25.9 for such shall vnderstand the secrets of God Captiuate thy reason 2. Cor. 10.5 and aduance thy Faith for héere Reason is dazeled with the brightnesse which Faith apprehends Hebt 11.3 Vse frequent and feruent prayer for prayer is the key of heauen and such receiue the Spirit which teacheth Luke 11.13 and leadeth vnto all truth Iohn 16.13 Obserue these things and thou shalt vnderstand and finde the knowledge of God Prou. 2.5 The Lord giue vs vnderstanding in all things which it is our duety to know and without the knowledge whereof wee cannot be saued Amen Thus much of the Relations of Persons where of the doctrine of the Trinity now follows the consideration of the Actions ascribed to God and first of generall Creation and Prouidence Quest What is Creation Ans Creation is a worke proper onely to God Gen. 1. Iob. 9.8 Psa 146.6 Mat. 2.10 1. Cor. 8.6 1. Cor. 8.6 Heb. 1.2 Iohn 1.3 Col. 1.16 Heb. 1.2 Gen. 1.2 Psal 33.6 Ps 104.30 Gen. 1.1 Gen. 1. Ex. 20.11 Prou. 8.24 Rom. 4.17 Heb. 11.3 Gen. 2.1 Ex. 20.11 Col. 1.16 Pro. 16.4 Ps 8.6.7.8 vndiuidedly common to the Father the Sonne and to the Holy Ghost whereby in the beginning and in the space of sixe daies God made of nothing the heauens and earth and all the Host of them visible and inuisible to the glory of his Name and the vse of Man Explication The worke of Creation is common to the thrée Persons as is proued though ascribed to the Father in our