elements A probable opinion The fire for when it is said he set light in heauen which is a qualitie of the fire it is to be vnderstood of fire also which hath that qualitie What note you hereof 2 Cor. 4.6 The wonderfull worke of God not only making something of nothing but bringing light out of darknesse which is contrarie What is the second element The aire betweene the cloudes and the earth distinguishing betweene water and water and giueth breath of life to all things that breathe What is the third element The waters seuered from the masse called the earth the seas the floods the springs the lakes c. What is the fourth element The earth called the drie land which remaineth all other being sent of God to their proper places Hitherto of the simple bodies called the foure elements now followeth to speake of the mixt and compounded bodies made of the foure elements vnequally mingled together GEN. 1. vers 14. to the 25. 14 And God said let there be lights in the firmament of the heauen to separate the day from the night and let them be for signes and for seasons and for dayes and yeeres c. WHat is generall in the creation of the compound bodies First that prouision is made for his inhabitants of the earth ere they be made as grasse for the beasts and light for all liuing and mouing creatures and all for man What learne you from hence Not to be carking for the things of this life nor to surfet with the cares thereof seeing God prouided for the necessitie and comfort of the beasts ere hee would bring them into the world What is generall in all the earthly creatures That God proceedeth from the things that be more imperfect to those that are perfecter vntill hee come to the perfectest as from the trees corne herbs c. which haue but one life that is whereby they increase and are vegetatiue vnto the beasts which haue both an increasing and feeling or sensitiue life as fishes fowles beasts c. and from them to man which hath besides both them a reasonable soule What learne you from thence That wee should therein follow the example of the Lord to goe from good to better vntill we come to be perfect What else is generall To haue power and vertue giuen them to bring foorth the like vnto themselues for the continuance of their kinde is generally giuen to all those that are expressed in the creation here albeit there be creatures as stones and minerals that bring not forth the like And this blessing of multiplication is principall in the things that haue the life of sense beside the life of increase And therefore the Lord is brought in to speake to them in the second person which he did not to the grosse corne and trees Gen. 1.22 What learne you from hence That the chiefe and speciall cause of the continuance of euery kinde of creatures to the worlds end is this will word of God without the which they or sundrie of them would haue perished ere this by so many meanes as are to consume them What is the first creation of the compound bodies God hauing caused the waters to retire into their vessels the third night in the third day which followed that night hee clad the earth with grasse for the vse of beasts only corne and trees for the vse of man Seeing that the growth of these is from the influence of the heauenly bodies how commeth it to passe that he first maketh the grasse corne and trees ere hee made the heauenly bodies of the Sunne Moone and Starres To correct our error which tie the increase of these so to the influence of the heauenly bodies euen to the worshipping of them therein forgetting the Lord who hereby sheweth that all hangeth vpon him and not on them for as much as he made them when the heauenly bodies were not What else That the fruitfulnes of the earth standeth not so much in the labour of the husbandman as in the power which God hath giuen to the earth to bring foorth fruite What was made the fourth day Lights all which although they be great in themselues to the end they might giue light to the darke earth that is farre remoued from them yet are they distinguished into great Sunne Moone small the Stars which are as it were certeine vessels wherein the Lord did gather the light which before was scattered in the whole bodie of the heauens Why doth Moses call the Sunne and Moone the greatest lights when there are Starres that exceed the Moone by many degrees Because they are greatest first in their vse and vertue that they exercise vpon the terrestriall bodies Secondly for that they seeme so to vs it being the purpose of the holy Ghost by Moses to applie himselfe to the capacitie of the vnlearned What is the vse of them First to distinguish the times Spring Summer Autumne and Winter from whence their work and naturall effect vpon the earthly creatures is gathered also to distinguish the night from the day the day from the moneth the moneth from the yeere last of of all to giue light to the inhabitants of the earrh Haue they not operation also in the extraordinarie euents of singular things and persons for their good and euill estate No verely there is no such vse taught of them in the Scriptures What was the worke of the fifth day and night To create the Fishes and Birds What were the fishes made of Of all foure elements but more as seemeth of the waters then other liuing things VVhat were the birds made of Gen. 2.19 Of all foure elements yet haue more of the earth and therefore that they are so light and that their delight is in the aire it is so much the more maruellous What is the worke of the sixth night and day Probable In the night thereof he made the beasts of the earth going tame or home-beasts wilde or field-beasts creeping GEN. chap. 1. vers 26 27. and chap. 2. vers 7. 26. Furthermore God saide Let vs make man in our image according to our likenesse and let them rule ouer the fish of the sea and ouer the foule of the heauen and ouer the beasts and ouer all the earth and ouer euery thing that creepeth and mooueth on the earth 27 Thus God created the man in his image in the image of God created he him he created them male and female WHat was made the sixth day Man in both sexes that is both man and woman Why was he made last of all First because hee is the end of all vnreasonable creatures and therefore that hee might glorifie God for all Secondly for that hee would haue him first prouided for ere hee brought him into the world and if he had care of him before he was how much more now he is What note you thereof That man hath not to boast of his antiquitie all the creatures being made
corruption that cleaueth vnto the best of our good workes be taken away But when our sanctification here begun shall bee perfected in the world to come shall we not then bee iustified by an inherent righteousnesse No but by the imputed righteousnesse of our Sauiour Christ which being once giuen vs is neuer taken from vs. How is this pollution conueied into the good workes which God worketh in vs There is beside the worke of his owne hand through the operation of his holy spirit a pollution in vs and an infection of ours which commeth from the sin that dwelleth in vs as cleere water put into an vncleane vessell or running thorow a filthie channell receiueth some euill qualitie thereof Wherein doe our good workes faile of Gods Iustice Partly in the instrumentall causes from which they proceed and partly in the finall cause or end whereunto they aime What are the instrumentall causes hindering the perfection of our workes First our vnderstanding in that the worke is not done with knowledge absolute and throughly perfect Secondly in that our remembrance is infeebled and doth not so fully retaine that which the vnderstanding conceiued Thirdly in that the will and affections are short of their dutie Last of all in that the body is not so apt and nimble for the execution of good things as is required Expresse this by a similitude We are in the Instrumentall causes like to a common labourer which being hired by the day worketh with one hand whereas both are required or worketh a piece of the day being hired for the whole What is the finall end wherein good workes faile In that we haue not a direct eye to Gods glory or the good of our neighbour as is required but looke a squint as it were at those duties which are enioyned to vs like to such artificers as prefer their owne credit in their skill before their masters profit If then it be so that sinne cleaneth to our best workes are not our good workes sinne and are not all euill workes equall No doubtlesse bee it farre from vs to thinke it for their imperfection is sinfull but the good worke is not a sinne and euen in bad actions as hath been said some are lesse euill then other How is this pollution taken away Exod. 28.36.37.38 By the intercession of our Sauiour Christ through which our good workes are of account before God VVhat doctrine is here to be gathered A doctrine of great comfort to the children of God to stirre them vp to abound in good workes sith they are acceptable to God in Christ Iesus for where men know any thing to bee delightsome to their Prince they will with all endeauour striue for it Matth. 12. how much more ought we to be pricked forward to the seruice of God who quencheth not the smoking flax nor breaketh the bruised reed yea Matth. 10. which forgetteth not a cup of cold water giuen in faith and for his sake VVhat other reasons are there to stirre vs vp to good workes We ought to remember Gods benefits bestowed vpon all his children as our Election Creation Redemption Calling Iustification Sanctification continuall Preseruation and then particularly such blessings as God hath seuerally bestowed vpon euery one of vs. Are not the iudgements of God also to bee thought vpon for furtherance to this dutie Yes verily to make vs feare to offend in our waies Remaineth there yet any more Good companie Psal 119.63 Pro. 13.20 which with Dauid wee must cleaue vnto not the noblest or of greatest account but the godliest for if we will auoid such a sinne we must auoid all company that delight therein which is no lesse dangerous then good companie is profitable VVhat gather you of this That whosoeuer maketh no choice of companie maketh no conscience of sinne as those that dare keepe companie familiarly with Papists thinking that they may keepe their conscience to themselues VVhat are the parts of sanctification Two first Mortification secondly viuification or a rising to righteousnes What is mortification Mortification is a continuall dying vnto sin slaying killing deadning of sinne proceeding from the vertue of Christ his death and buriall What is the sinne that must be mortified First our naturall corruption or old man called originall sinne which is a readinesse and pronenes to that that is euill and a frowardnes and backwardnes to that which is good called also flesh or the body of sinne Col. 3. Then the fruits thereof which are called the members of that body What is mortification of sinne further compared vnto Col. 3. It is set forth by the name of ragges and filthie stained clothes which wee are loath to looke on as it which we should cast off and lay aside What is Viuification or Quickening or rising to righteousnesse Rom. 6.4.5 It is a rising to newnesse of life proceeding from the power of Christ his resurrection Hitherto of Sanctification What is redemption It is the happie estate that the children of God shall haue in the last day 1. THES chap. 5. vers 19.20 19 Quench not the Spirit 20 Despise not prophecying BY what meanes doth God effect these things and how ruleth he till the last day By the meanes of his spirit and word ioyned together according as the words doe make mention What meane you by the spirit of God to this place That power of God which worketh in the hearts of men things which the naturall discourse of reason is notable to attaine vnto Being incomprehensible how may wee come to some vnderstanding and sense of it By the things whereunto it is compared first Acts 2. Heb. 1. Ioh. 4. Matth. 3. Acts â— to wind to shew the maruellous power of it in operation Secondly to oyle that is of a hote nature that pierceth and suppleth Thirdly to water that cooleth scoureth and cleanseth Fourthly to fire that seuereth drosse and good mettall How is the operation of it Diuers as softening and hardening enlightening and darkning which it worketh after a diuers maner by the word in the hearts of the elect and reprobate according to the good pleasure of God and secret will only and after that according to the good pleasure of his reuealed will and so the lawfull vse thereof is rewarded with a gratious encrease of blessing and the abuse punished with further hardnes to condemnation Is by the word prophecying onely meant the preaching of the word No but by a figuratiue speech all those outward meanes whereby God vseth to giue his holy spirit as are the Sacraments and the discipline of the Church ouer and aboue the preaching of the word which being principall of all is heere set downe for the rest Before we enter into this watter there are some difficulties to be auoided in these words and first I aske why the Apostle hath 〈…〉 spirit before the preaching of the word meaâ—â— by prophecie considering that by and after preaching of the word the Lord giueth his
called a kingdome and therefore euery godly one shall bee a king in heauen How commeth this kingdome by grace or desert By the onely grace of God in Iesus Christ Declare the same more euidently First it is the blessing of God and therefore of grace Secondly it is giuen to vs as to heires not as the wages of a seruant which commonly deserueth more then a sonne Thirdly it was prepared for vs from the beginning of the world and therefore is of the meere loue of God and not of merit So much of the sentence What is the reason of it When Christ was an hungred they fedde him when hee was a thirst they gaue him drinke when he was naked they clothed him when he was sicke and in prison they visited him Doth not this reason plainely strengthen the doctrine of merits For. Not so seeing for importeth not heere the cause but the effect as wee say Summer is come for flowers doe spring and It is a good tree for it bringeth forth good fruit these are effects and not causes Moreouer if Christ would haue taught merit then would hee haue chosen the greatest and chiefest workes as of his owne worship in the first table else some might iustly complaine that they were not rewarded according to the measure of their good workes hauing yeelded a greater obedience to the first table then others Why then doth Christ choose those workes of the second table Because they are most manifest to the world following therein the custome of earthly Iudges who insist most vpon plainest proofes either to conuince the guiltie or cleere the innocent so Christ pronounceth his sentence rather according to workes then to faith and those of the second table rather then of the first because that workes are visible and faith inuisible and for that it is easier to play the hypocrite in the obedience of the first table then of the second Why doth Christ heere vse so long a catalogue of these workes To teach vs to exercise mercy in all those duties and not content our selues with any one of them How could they doe these things vnto Christ whom most of them did neuer see When they did any of them to the poore then they did it vnto him What gather you of this That it was a great honour to lodge Angels at vnawares in stead of strangers but this is a farre more excellent honour whereunto Christians are called being assured that in receiuing the poore they receiue Christ himselfe which should stirre vp the bowels of mercy and compassion in vs towards them seeing not so much as a cup of cold water shall bee vnrewarded But how is it that they being then immortall seeme not to know the meaning of this dutie It is set downe not to note ignorance but to teach vs the exceeding bountifulnesse of Christ which is able to astonish them in the middest of their greatest knowledge for the more men know of God the more they wonder at the vnsearchable wisedome of God So much of the former sentence What is the latter It is spoken to the wicked Depart from mee yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his Angels VVhat is the equitie of this speech It is likewise answerable to their owne desires that in their life thrust away from them the day of the Lord and bid Christ depart When doe the wicked say so to Christ When they refuse to know his will when they disdaine the ministerie the poore and the stranger or doe not prouide for them according to their abilitie What are the parts of this his iudgement First to bee depriued of Gods presence as it is a great part of glory to be continually in his presence Secondly to be euerlastingly tormented in hell fire What is the reason of this sentence It is cleane contrarie to the former in leauing those duties vndone And although the former good workes were not the causes of saluation yet these euill workes are the very next cause of damnation How can that bee Because the best workes of the godly are imperfectly good and cannot deserue life but the euill workes of the euill are perfectly euill and therefore deserue death What is to be considered in their answere Their exceeding wretchednesse whiles they liued heere that neuer considered whom they reiected in reiecting the poore Hitherto of the iudgement What say you to the execution of it Contrarie to the order of the sentences it shall beginne at the wicked for to the end the Angell that shall presently take binde and cast them into hell may attend our Sauiour Christ returning his elect triumphantly going into heauen the sentence must be first executed vpon the wicked Beside that it is agreeable to the order of iustice the Lord appointeth in the Law that the malefactors should be executed in the eye of the Iudge and the godly also that shall see it to abide euerlastingly DAN chap 12. vers 2.3 2 And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt 3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for euer and euer WHat is the scope of this place The scope of the Prophet is to hold the faithfull afflicted in a constant course of duety and obedience to the Lord by consideration of the rich reward of the godly and fearefull punishment of the wicked at the second glorious comming of Christ It seemeth by the word many that all shall not rise There seemeth indeed to bee some aduantage giuen to the Iewes who of the first Psalme gather that there is no resurrection of the wicked which notwithstanding is manifestly confuted euen by this place it selfe where it is said that many shall awake to shame euerlasting And when he saith many the word is not restrained to either the iust or wicked but as many of the good should awake and not all so many of the wicked should awake and not all How then is this to be taken It is taken seuerally by it selfe as one whole which is diuided into his parts As if he should say an infinite number shall awake an infinite or a great number of iust and an infinite or great number of the wicked And the like forme of speech to this is vsed of the Apostle Rom. 5. vers 15.19 he saith that many are dead by the sinne of Adam and yet in the 18. vers he sheweth that by those many hee meaneth all and so speaketh that all were condemned in Adam Likewise in the 18. vers it is said that the benefit of Christs death commeth to all meaning the faithfull that by faith are one with Christ as we were all naturally with Adam yet in the 15. and 19. verses those that he called all he tearmeth many Although if he speake of the wicked by themselues and of
any preparation required to the receiuing of the Sacraments Yes verily Exod. 3.5 1. Cor. 11.28 for seeing men ought to come with preparation to the hearing of the word they ought by so much more come to the Sacraments as God by them offereth greater grace then by the word alone What is the preparation that is required in one that commeth vnto the Sacraments The children of the faithfull excepted and that alone in the Sacrament of Baptisme whereof they ought to be partakers there is required to a worthie participation of the Sacraments knowledge and feeling VVherein ought this knowledge and feeling to consist In the Law and in the Gospell Seeing no man is able to know the Law and the Gospell perfectly much lesse the simple and common people Tell me how farre is this knowledge and feeling necessarie It is necessarie first in the Law that hee bee able thereby to vnderstand the common corruption of all men both in the bitter root of originall sinne and in the poysoned fruits thereof together with the curse of euerlasting death due thereunto and that he be able to applie both these that is the sin and wages thereof to himselfe How far is the knowledge and feeling of the Gospell required First that hee vnderstand the couenant of grace which God in Christ hath made with the sonnes of men and then that by faith he be able to applie the the same to himselfe What ariseth from this knowledge and feeling to a further preparation thereunto Mat. 3.13 Acts 8.36 Luk. 22.15 A great and earnest desire to bee made partaker of them VVhat duties are required in the action of receiuing them First a graue and reuerent behauiour Secondly an attentiue heed for comparing the outward signes and actions in the Sacraments with the inward and spirituall things which they betoken VVhat is to bee done after the partaking of the Sacraments Out of the feeling of the gratious worke of God by them to reioyce with thankesgiuing or to enter into iudgement with our selues and to humble our selues for our want of feeling the fruit the Sacraments doe present vnto vs. And as we ought to bee humbled if wee feele not the worke of God in vs in or after the Sacraments as that which argueth want of preparation before or attention in them so yet ought we not therefore to bee altogether dismaied for as the sicke man feeleth not the nourishment of his meate because of his maladie and yet notwithstanding is nourished so is it in such faithfull ones as doe not so sensiblie feele the working of God by them through the weakenesse of faith which is in them And although we cannot feele it immediately yet after by the fruits wee shall be able to discerne of our profiting How many Sacraments are there There are two onely 1. Cor. 12.13 1. Cor. 10.1.2.3 1. Tim. 6.8 Galat. 3.27 1. Cor. 10.16 for first the two seales assure vs of all Gods graces as of our regeneration entrance and engrafting into Christ so of our growth and continuance in him and therefore we need no more Secondly when the number of Sacraments were most necessary as vnder the Law they had but two wherefore we need require no more Thirdly hauing meate drinke and cloth we ought therewith to be content now by the Sacrament of our entrance our spiritual clothing is sealed vnto vs and by that of our growth is sealed our feeding therefore those fiue other of Matrimonie of Orders Pennance Confirmation and of extreame vnction whereof the two latter coined by the Papists to bee made Sacraments are superfluous the other of them are agreeable to the Word but without the nature and number of Sacraments So much of the number of the Sacraments VVhat is the first of those two Baptisme VVhat is Baptisme It is the first Sacrament of the Gospell Tit. 3. whereby our regeneration or new birth or our entrance and ingrafting into Christ and the body of Christ which is his Church is sealed vnto vs. Why call you it the first Sacrament Mat. 28. Exod. 12.48 Because hee saith that after they haue taught men to beleeue they should be baptized thereby to bee enrolled amongst those of the houshold of God or entred into the number of the Citizens and Burgesses of the heauenly Ierusalem What abuse doth this take away That which sometimes the ancient Church was infected withall namely that they baptized men at their deaths and let them receiue the Lords Supper twice or thrice in a yeere whereas this is the first Sacrament of the Couenant How often is this to be done Ephes 4.5 Once only for they are heere charged to administer Baptisme not Baptismes And although in the Hebrues there be made mention of Baptismes Heb. 6.2 yet that is not to teach that one ought to bee often baptized but to declare the outward baptisme of the water and the inward of the spirit which we receiue at one time Act. 2.41 Secondly it is said the Church continued in prayer and breaking of bread not in baptizing Thirdly it is a pledge of our new birth now a man being borne but once hath no need of this Sacrament but once Mat. 28.19 VVhy is it said that we are baptized into the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 Act. 11.26 Because by Baptisme wee being consecrated to God are ioyned to him to beare his name as a wife beareth the name of her husband How is our coniunction with God wrought In children by the secret working of Gods spirit in riper yeeres by faith for being naturally after the fall cut off from God wee are as it were ingrafted into him againe as new plants and incorporate as Malchus eare once dismembred Luk. 22.50.51 was againe by the power of our Sauiour Christ set into his head VVhat is Baptisme to this ingrafting A Seale and a pledge of it wherein is grace exhibited and not the ingrafting or incorporation it selfe considering that we are baptized in the right onely of being members of Christ before though ordinarilie we are actually ingrafted by the Sacrament not by force simplie of the worke done but as it is Gods ordinance and a seale of his couenant VVhat ariseth of our vnion with God Another vniting of vs to the Church as a yong hence ingrafted on an arme of a tree is both one with the arme and tree it selfe What fruit ariseth of this vnion A new birth wherof we being once partakers can neuer be depriued What is the outward matter in Baptisme Water VVhat proportion is there of the visible element with the inuisible grace First the whole action of Baptisme Galat. 3.3 sealeth vp vnto vs our regeneration and putting on of Christ which is our receiuing into the house of God What after The couering of the childs head with water Rom. 6. is a seale that the childs sinnes are couered Secondly as the water doth wash and