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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28171	The common principiles of Christian religion clearly proved and singularly improved, or, A practical catechism wherein some of the most concerning-foundations of our faith are solidely laid down, and that doctrine, which is according to godliness, sweetly, yet pungently pressed home and most satisfyingly handled / by that worthy and faithful servant of Jesus Christ, Mr. Hew Binning ...	Binning, Hugh, 1627-1653.; Gillespie, Patrick, 1617-1675.	1667 (1667)	Wing B2927; ESTC R33213	197,041	290

is the stupid security of men that are only awakened by some new and unusual passages of Gods works beyond that straight Line of Nature Then fourthly look upon the power of God in making all of nothing which is expressed here in Heb. 11. There is no Artificer but he must have matter or his Art will fail him and he can do nothing The Mason must have timber and stones laid to his hand or he cannot build a house the Gold-smith must have gold or silver ere he can make a Cup or a Ring take the most curious quick inventer of them all they must have some matter to work upon or their knowledge is no bettter than ignorance all that they can do is to give some shape or form or to fashion that in some new model which had a beeing before so that what ever men have done in the world their work are all made up of these things which appear and Art skill to form fashion that excellently which before was in another mould and fashion but he needs not sit idle for want of materials and therefore in the beginning he made Heaven and Earth not as they now are but he made first the matter and substance of this Universe but it was as yet a rude and confused Chaos or Masse all in one lump without difference but then his Majesty shews his Wisdom and Art his excellent invention in the following dayes of the creation in ordering and beautifying forming the world as it is and that his power might be the more known For how easie is it for him to do all this There needs no more for it but a word let it be it is He spake and it was done He commanded and it stood fast Not a word pronounced and audibly composed of Letters and Syllables mistake it not so but a word inwardly formed as it were in his infinite Spirit even the inclination and beck of his will suffices for his great works Ye see what labour and pains we have in our businesse how we toil sweat about it what wrestlings strivings in all things we do but behold what a great work is done without any pain and travel It is a laborious thing to travell through a parcel of this earth which is yet but as the point of the Universe It is troublesome to lift or carry a little piece of stone or clay it s a toil even to look upward and number the stars of Heaven but it was no toil no difficult thing to his Majesty to stretch out these Heavens in such an infinite compasse for as large as the Circumference of them is yet it is as easie to him to compasse them as it is to us to span a finger-length or two It is no difficulty to him to take up hills and mountains as the dust of the ballance in his hand weigh them in scales Hath he not chain'd the vast huge Masse of the wighty earth and Sea in the midst of the empty place without a supporter without foundations or pillars He hangeth it on nothing What is it I pray you that supports the Clouds who is it that binds up their waters in such a way that the clouds are not rent under them even though there be more abundance of water in them than is in all the Rivers waters round about us Iob. 26. 7 8. Who is it that restrains sets bounds to the Sea that the waters thereof thogh they roar yet do not overflow the land But this Almighty Jehovah whose Decree commandement is the very compasse the bulwark over which they cannot flow all this he doth with more facility than men can speak If there were a creature that could do all things by speaking that were a strange power but yet that creature might be wearied with speaking much but he speaks and it is done his word is a creating word of power which makes things that are not to be and there is no wearying of him besides for he is Almighty and cannot saint but why then did he take six dayes for his work might he not with one word of his power have commanded this world to issue out of his omnipotent vertue thus perfect as it is What needed all this compasse Why took he six dayes who in a moment could have done it all with as much facility Indeed herein the Lord would have us to adore his wisdome as well as his power he proceeds from more imperfect things to more perfect from a confused Chaos to a beautifull World from motion to rest to teach man to walk through this wildernesse and valley of Tears this shapelesse World into a more beautiful habitation through the tossings of time into an everlasting Sabbath of rest whether their works shal follow them they shal rest from their labours He would teach us to take a stedfast look of his work and that wee should be busied all the dayes of our pilgrimage and sojourning in the consideration of the glorious characters of God upon the work of his hands wee see that it is but passing looks and glances of Gods glory we take in the creatures but the Lord would have us to make it our work and businesse all the week throgh as it was his to make them He would in this teach us his loving care of men who would not create Man till he had made for him so glorious an house replenished with all good things It had been a darksome irksome life to have lived in the first Chaos without light but he hath stretched over him the Heavens as his Tent and set lights in them to distinguish times and seasons and ordained the VVaters their proper bounds and peculiar Channels and then maketh the Earth to bring forth all manner of fruits when all is thus disposed then he c●…eats man To this God the Maker of Heaven and Earth be glory and praise Heb. 11. 3. Heb. 1. 14. Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister c. THere is nothing more generally known than this that God at the beginning made the heaven and the earth and all the hosts of them the upper or the celestiall the lower or sublunary World but yet there is nothing so little believed or laid to heart By faith we understand that the Worlds were made It is one of the first Articles of the Creed indeed Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth but I fear that Creed is not written in the Tables of flesh that is the heart There is a twofold mistake among men about the point of believing some and the commoner sort do think it is no other than simply to know such a thing and not to question it to hear it not to contradict it or object against it Therefore they do flatter themselves in their own eyes and do account themselves to have faith in God because they can say over all the Articles of their belief they

knowledge and omniscience p. 128. SERMON XI Joh. 4. 26. The true knowledge that God is and that he is to be worshipped goes together HOw inexcusable they are who profess to believe a Diety do not worship him p. 129 It is the souls honour and happiness to worship God p. 130 It 's all one not to worship God at all and not to worship him as he hath commanded p. 131 What will-worship and what true worship is p. 132 The most part of worship though commanded hath no truth in it p. 133 Truth in worship is opposed to Ceremony p. 134 Many place all their Religion in externalls p. 135 Men ought to be most taken up with that in Religion upon which God layes most weight and wherein he is most delighted p. 136 It compleats our worship when the thing commanded is performed according as it is commanded p. 137 What is the right manner in worshipping God p. 138 The best litle acquainted with spiritual worship p. 139 True worship must have the stamp of Gods spiritual nature engraven on it p. 140 External worship necessary under the Gospel p. 141 The soul and spirit must be the first mover and chief agent in spiritual worship p. 142 The greatest part of our Religion is bodily exercise ibid. What makes Religion burdensome and unpleasant to us p. 143 Formality in worship the greatest controversie against the land ibid. SERMON XII Deut. 6. 4. 1 Joh. 5. 7. Of the Unity of Gods essence and the Trinity of Persons GOdliness and Mystery p. 144 There is an unlawfull curiosity in men to know those things that are kept secret p. 145 We are to believe the mystery of the Trinity though we know not how it is p. 146 The light of reason may convince men that there is but one God p. 147 Why Christ is called the Word p. 148 149 Of the three Witnesses upon earth p. 150 SERMON XIII Deut. 6. 4. Joh. 5. 7. Of the Unity of the God-head and Trinity of Persons THe whole Word of God profitable ibid. The unsearchableness of this mystery of the Trinity ought to compose our hearts to a reverend apprehension of Gods divine Majesty p. 151 Since there is but one God we ought to have no other besides him p. 152 153 We have much and strong consolation both from the thing witnessed and from the Witnesses that bear testimony p. 154 155 Faiths victory is from the object of it the Lord God Almighty p. 156 Few consider that Jesus Christ the Saviour is the Eternall Son of God and the sad consequences thereof p. 157 We are ready so far to mis-conceive of God as if the Father and the holy Ghost were not so well minded to the Salvation of sinners as Jesus Christ. p. 158 The mystery of the Trinity affords us this plain instruction how me ought to worship God p. 159 SERMON XIV Eccles. 1. 11. Job 23. 13. Of the Decrees of God GODS absolute self-sufficient perfection admits of no accession of blessedness from the things which he hath made p. 160 The Eternal purpose and Decree of God it it most wise p. 161 It is most absolute and free having no cause without himself p 162 It is the first rise of all things past present to come p. 163 It reaches to every particular being and act so that nothing falls out by chance p. 164 165 The purpose of God is one and unchangeable p. 166 167 How we are to understand those Scriptures which speak of his repenting p. 168 169 Whatever God hath purposed from Eternity that he executes in time p. 170 Gods commands do not so much signifie what he intends to effectuate as what is our duty ibid. How comfortable it is for a Christian to consider that whatsoever falls out is according to an Eternall Counsel p. 171 The Counsel of God irresistible p. 172 The consideration of Gods Eternal Counsel should teach us that sweet Lesson of submission wherein we are so much wanting and so unwilling to learn p. 173 Want of submission makes a mans yoke heavy and his bands strong p. 174 From the absolute Dominion of God over all things we are to learn confidence in him in all things and for all things p. 175 176 Who are heirs of the promise p. 177 It is a well-spring and fountain of consolation to the people of God that he is in one mind p. 178 SERMON XV. Eph. 1. 11. Rom. 9. 22 23. Of Predestination PRedestination a Mystery not to be curiously or boldly enquired into p. 179 For the right up-taking of Predestination we must know that there is not a plurality of purposes in God but one intire purpose concerning all things p. 180 As also that it is not the creature or any thing in the creature which is first in his mind but himself and his own glory p. 181 How men miscarry in conceiving of the purposes of God while they subject the most High to the Rules of Carnall Reason where of the Arminian fore-knowledge and how it derogates both from the Soveraignty of God and the wisdome of God ib. p. 182 Some make that first in his intention which is last in execution p. 183 184 185 186 187 Gods saving the vessels of mercy by a Redeemer is not simply to manifest the glory of his goodness but of his gracious and mercifull goodness p. 188 189 190 SERMON XVI Rom. 9. 22. Eccles. 11. Of Predestination HOw to silence all the secret surmises and mutinies of the heart concerning Predestination p. 191 192 How great wickedness it is to enquire into a cause of his will ibid. Men speak wickedly for God in the matter of Predestination p. 193 194 195 The Objections of Carnall Reason against Predestination tending to accuse God and justifie men answered p. 196 197 198 199 SERMON XVII Heb. 11. 3. Of Creation GOD is the Creator of all things these things which he hath made prove him to be God p. 200 201 When this visible world was made p. 202 The wickedness of mens curiosity in enquiring what God was doing before he made the world why he was so long in applying himself to this work ibid. p. 203 The Lord in the beginning of the world declares more manifestly his Eternity his Self-sufficiency and his Liberty p. 204 205 God made all things very good to declare his goodness and wisdome p. 106 The course of nature is one continued wonder ibid. The power of God doth eminently appear in making all things of nothing and how easie it was for him to do so p. 207 Why the Lord took six dayes to perfect the work of Creation p. 208 SERMON XVIII Heb. 11. 3. Heb. 11. 4. Of Creation IT is not believed or laid to heart that God made the Heaven and the Earth p. 209 210 The faith of Gods making the world is of singular use to a Christian through his whole course p. 211 212 213 SERMON XIX Gen. 1. 26. 27. Of the Creation of Man

contention and strife about the interpretation of it Many Books have nothing in them but specious Titles to commend them they do nothing lesse then what they promise they have a large and fair entry which leads only into a poor Cottage but the Scriptures hath no hyperbolick and superlative styles to allure men they hold out a plain and common gate and entry which will undoubtly lead to a pleasant Palace others prodesse volunt delectare but these certainly prodesse volunt possunt they both can profite you and will profit you I wish that souls would read the Scriptures as profitable Scriptures with intention to profit If you do not read with such a purpose you read not the Scriptures of God they become as another Book unto you But what are they profitable for For Doctrine and a Divine Doctrine A Doctrine of life and happinesse It s the great promise of the New Covenant You shal be all taught of God the Scriptures can make a man learned wise learned to salvation It is foolishnesse to the world but the world through wisdom know not God Alace what do they then know Is there any besides God And is there any knowledge besides the knowledge of God You have a poor petty wisdom among you to gather riches and manage your businesse others have a poor imaginary wisdom that they call learning and generally people think To pray to God is but a paper-skill a little Book-craft they think the knowledge of God is nothing else but to learn to read the Bible Alace mistake me not it is another thing to know God The Doctrine of Jesus Christ written on the heart is a deep profound learning and the poor simple rudest people may by the Spirits teaching become wiser than their Ancients than their Ministers O! it s an excellent point of learning to know how to be saved What is it I pray you to know the course of the Heavens To number the Orbs and the Stars in them To measure their Circumference to reckon their motions and yet not to know him that sits on the Circle of them and not to know how to inhabite and dwel there If you would seek unto God leek eyes opened to behold the mystery of the World ye would become wiser then your Pastors you would learn from the Spirit to pray better you would find the way to heaven better then they can teach you or walk in it Then it is profitable for reproof and correction It contains no Doctrine very pleasant to mens naturall humours it is indeed most pleasant but to a fight ordered taste You know the distemper of the eye or the perverting of the taste will mis-represent pleasant things sweet things to the senses make them appear ill favoured and bitter But I say to a discerning spirit there is nothing so sweet so comly I have seen an end of all perfection but none of thy Law Thy Word is sweeter to me than the hony or the hony comb If a soul be pre-possessed with the love of the world the lusts of the world it cannot favour and taste to them that vitious quality in the mind will make the pleasant Gospel unpleasant I piped unto you and you have not danced But however the Scriptures are then most profitable when they are least pleasant to our corruptions and therefore it is an absolute and intire Piece Et prodesse volunt delectare Omne tulit punctum qui miscuitutile dulvi There are sharp reproofs sad corrections of his holy Law which must make way for the pleasant and sweet Gospel This is a reproof of life a wounding before healing that who so refuse them despise their own soul but the car that heareth them abideth among the wise Prov. 15. 31. Woe unto that soul that correction or reproof or threatning is grievous unto He shal die ver 10. He is brutish Prov. 12. 1. There is a generation of men tha●… can endure to hear nothing but Gospel-promises that cry out against all reproving of sins and preaching of Gods wrath against unbelieving sinners as legall and medling with other mens matters especially if they reprove the sins of Rulers their publick State-enormities As if the whole Word of God were not profitable as if reproofs were not as wholsome as consolations as if threatnings did not contribute to make men flee from the wrath to come into a City of refuge Let such persons read their own Character out of wise Solomon Correction is grievous to them that forsake the way Reprove a wise man and he will love thee and he will be yet wiser Pro. 9. 9. If we were pleasers of men then were we not the servants of Jesus-Christ Let us strive to profit men but not to please them Peace peace which mens own hearts fancie would please them but it were better for them to be awakened out of that dream by reproof by correction and he that will do so shal find more favour of him afterward than he that flattereth him with his tongue Prov. 28. 23. Well then let this be established in your hearts as the foundation of all true Religion that the Scriptures are the Word of the eternal God and that they contain a perfect and exact Rule both of glorifying God of the way to enjoy him they can make you perfect to every good work I shal say no more on this but beseech you as ye love your own souls be acquainting your selves with them You will hear in these dayes of men pretending to more divine spiritual discoveries and revelations than the Scriptures contain But my brethren these can make you wise to salvation these can make you perfect to every good work Then what needs more All that is beside salvation and beyond perfection count i●… superfluous and vain if not worse if not diabolicall Let others be wise to their own destruction let them establish their own Imaginations for the Word of God and Rule of their Faith but hold you fast what you have received contend earnestly for it add nothing and deminish nothing Let this Lamp shine till the day dawn till the morning of the Resurrection and walk ye in the light of it and do not kindle any other sparkles else ye shal lye down in the grave in sorrow and rise in sorrow Take the Word of God as the only Rule the perfect Rule a Rule for all your Actions Civil Natural and Religious for all must be done to his glory and his Word teacheth how to attain to that End Let not your Imaginations let no others Example let not the Preaching of men let not the Conclusions and Acts of Assemblies be your Rule but in as far as you find them agreeing with the perfect Rule of Gods holy Word All other Rules are regulae regulatae they are but like publications and intimations of the Rule it self Ordinances of Assemblies are but like the Herauld-promulgation of

which he chiefly aims at Shal we not then conceive that the Lord who instructs every man to this discretion teaches him Isa. 28. 26. Is himself wise in his Counsel and hath some grand project before him in all this Fabrick of the World and the upholding of it since it was made Certainly he hath and if you ask what it is the wise man will teach you in the general He made all things for himself even the wicked for the evil day Pro. 16. 4. Here then is his great design and purpose to glorifie himself to manifest his own Name to men Angels Now his Name comprehends Wisdome Goodnesse Power Mercy and justice the first three he declares in all the works of his hands all are well done wisely done the excellency of the work shews the wonderfull Counsellour the wise Contriver the goodnesse of any creature in its kind declares the inexhausted spring of a selfe-being from whom it proceeds the bringing all these out of nothing and upholding them is a glorious declaration of his power But yet in all the works of his hands there is nothing found to manifest his glorious mercy and justice upon which are the flower and garland of his Attributes and unto which wisedom and power seems to be subservient Therefore his Majesty in that one entire purpose of his own glory resolves to manifest his wrath and his mercy upon men and Angels subjects capable of it which two Attributes are as the Poles about which all the Wheels of Election and Reprobation turns as you see in that place Rom. 9. 22. 23. Let this then be established as the end of all his works as it is designed in his Counsell and nothing else It is not the Creature nor any thing in the Creature which is first in his mind but himself and therefore of him and for him are all things Here they have their rise thither they return even to the Ocean of Gods eternall glory from whence all did spring The right establishing of this will help us to conceive aright of his Counsell of Predestination It is a common cavil of carnall reason How can the Lord reject so many persons foreordain them to destruction It seems most contrary to his goodnesse and wisedom to have such an end of eternall Predestination before him in the creating so many thousands to make men for nothing but to damn them Here carnall reason which enmity to God triumphs But consider I say that this is not the Lord's end and chief design to destroy men even as it is not his Majesties first look or furthest reach to give unto others eternal life so it is not his prime intent to sink them in eternal death as if that were his pleasure delight no indeed neither is the creatures happinesse nor its misery that which first moves him or is most desired of him but himself only and he cannot move out of himself to any businesse but he must return it unto himself therefore the wise Preacher expresses it well He made all for himself even the wicked for the day of evil It was not his great end of creating wicked men to damn them or creating righteous men to save them but both are for a further and higher end for himself and his own Glory All seem to agree about this That the great end of all the Lords Counsels and decrees is his own glory to be manifested on Men Angels and that this must be first in his mind not that there is first or last with him but to speak after the manner of men if he had many thoughts as we have this would be his first thought and in this one purpose this end is chiefly aimed at and all other things are by the Lords counsel subordinate to this as means to compasse that But as concerning the order of these means and consequently of his Majesties purpose about them men by examining his Majesty according to the creatures Rules or according to sense bring him down far below his own infinite greatnesse Some conceive that that was first as it were in his mind which is first done looking upon the execution of his purpose in the works of his power they imagine that as he first created man righteous so this was his first thought concerning man to creat man for the glory of his goodnesse power without any particular determination as yet of his end and I conceive this is the thoght of the multitude of people they think God was disapointed in his work when they hear he created such a glorious creature that is now become so miserable they cannot believe that his Majesty had all this sin and misery determinated with him when he purposed to create him but look upon the emergement of mans Fall into sin and misery as a surprisal of his Majesty as if he had meant another thing in creating him so was upon this occasion of man's sinne driven to a new consultation about the helping of the businesse making the best out of it that might be Thus through wisdome the world knows not God They think God altogether like themselves and so liken him to the builder of an house who let nothing before him in doing so but to build it after that manner for his own ends but thē being surprised with the fall and ruine of it takes a new advisement and builds it up again upon another surer foundation but because they cannot say that God takes any new advisements in time but must confesse that all his Counsels are everlasting concerning all the works of his hands therefore they bring in fore-knowledge to smooth their irreligious conceit of God as if the Lord upon his purpose of creating man had foreseen what should befall him and so purposed to permit it to be so that out of it he might erect some glorious Fabrick of mercy and justice upon the ruines of man And that little or nothing may be left to the absolute Soveraign will of God to which the Scripture ascribes all things they must again imagine that upō his purpose of sending Christ to save sinners he is yet undetermined about the particular end of particular men but watches on the tower of fore-knowledge to espie what they will do whether men will believe in his Son or not whether they will persevere in faith or not and according to his observation of their doings so he applies his own will to carve out their reward or portion of life or death These are even the thoughts which are imbred in your breasts by nature that which the learned call Arminianism is nothing else but the carnal reason of mens hearts which is enmity to God it is that very Disputation which Paul in this Chapter exclaims against Who art thou O man that disputes But certainly all this contrivance is nothing beseeming the wisdome of Soveraignity of God but reflects upon both upon his wisdome that he should have