thing from this at the Margent follow that which is by it selfe at the beginning Difference in substance there is not any but the Copie for that at the Margent was not altogether so perfect THE FIRST BOOKE OF DIVINITIE OF GOD THE CREATOR CHAPTER I. Of GOD the FATHER the SONNE and the HOLY GHOST DIuinitie is a Doctrine of glorifying God whereof there bee two parts One that concerneth God The other concerning Emanuel God with vs. God is Iehouah three Persons Iehouah which is Being or Perfection it selfe signifieth a Nature that hath all good and perfect things in a most perfect and incommunicable manner The perfect things in God beside Life Vnderstanding and Will without which no perfection can bee are Holinesse and Blessednes Holinesse is the puritie of his Nature from whence commeth a Righteousnesse in all his Wayes specially seene to vs in foure chiefe and principall Vertues which in the Scripture you shall find for the most part to goe by couples or payres The first couple are Kindnesse and Truth Kindnesse in being ready to bestow all good things Truth faithfully to performe whatsoeuer he speaketh The other couple are Iustice and Mercy flowing from the former Iustice to render to euery one his due Mercy in being ready to helpe in time of need This is the Holinesse of GOD and his Righteousnesse comming from it Blessednes is his All-sufficiency of things that make one happy and standeth in Kingdome and Power or Glorie Kingdome is his Soueraigntie of commanding whatsoeuer he will Power his ablenesse to doe whatsoeuer hee commandeth Glorie comprehendeth all the excellencies of his Nature as Wisedome and other Graces of the minde Strength Comelinesse and Beautie Graciousnesse or an amiable and louely Nature a complete furniture of Riches Honour and of all kind of Pleasures and Delights These are the Perfect themselues His perfect and incommunicable manner of hauing of them is Infinitenesse and Eternitie Infinitenesse whereby he is without circumscription and therefore of a most single Nature that whatsoeuer is in God is God himselfe and therefore also inuisible and incomprehensible Eternitie whereby Hee is without beginning or ending and therefore of himselfe and vnchangeable This is it we meane by IEHOVAH who vpon all that hath beene said is nor can be but One. The three Persons are each of them that one Iehouah diuersly subsisting and are the Father and the Sonne or the Holy Ghost The Father is a Person who from all eternitie hath begotten the Sonne The Sonne is a Person from all eternitie begotten of the Father The Holy Ghost is a Person eternally proceeding from the Father and the Sonne CHAP. II. Of the Eternall Decrees of God GOD being thus in his Nature and Person most glorious hath further embroidered himselfe in glorie by two notes of excellencie which he taketh to him Kingdome and Honour Kingdome is that whereby hee doth exercise an absolute Soueraigntie toward others The order whereof answerable to the relation betweene the Persons themselues is from the Father in the Sonne by the Holy Ghost to whom is attributed the immediate doing of them The Kingdome of God hath two parts Purpose and Works Purpose is his Decree before all times of euerything CHAP. III. Of Creation THe Works of God are the execution of his Purpose and are Creation and Prouidence Creation is his making all things of nothing finished in sixe dayes and was of euery Creature in excellencie of perfection Of the reasonable Creatures Angels and Men it was after his owne Image and Likenesse in Holinesse and Happinesse Holinesse in a mind inlightned with the knowledge of the whole Will of God and all the strengths of Nature conformed thereunto Happinesse in the fruition of Gods loue and from thence comming a Coniunction and Communion with him Coniunction is an inioying of his Personall presence Communion is a participation in some sort of his Blessednes both Kingdome Power and Glorie CHAP. IIII. Of Prouidence PRouidence is his gouerning of the things created CHAP. V. Of the Morall Law SO much of the Kingdome of God the honour due vnto him is That the reasonable Creatures Angels and Men doe his Will with that whole strength of their naturall integritie Euery thing with so much the greater strength as the dutie doth more excell the doing whereof is termed Righteousnesse CHAP. VI. The first Table and the first Commandement RIghteousnesse hath two parts Pietie and Iustice Pietie is of the immediate duties to God whereof this is the whole that wee haue God to be our God The parts are two One to cleaue vnto him Louing Reuerencing Feating Beleeuing Trusting and Hoping in him from whence arise Patience and Humilitie The other to worship him which worship comprehendeth all kind of Seruice publike and priuate One principall part whereof is Prayer both petition for the obtayning of good things or turning away of euill and thanksgiuing for all wee doe inioy A piece also of this Seruice when iust cause requireth is swearing and cursing by his Name making our Vowes vnto him and by lotterie to commit into his hands the successe of our doubtfull affaires CHAP. VII Of the second Commandement TO the worship of God two things doe belong a holy manner of worshipping God and a holy rest The manner standeth in Obedience and Reuerence Obedience is the worshipping of him according to his Commandement CHAP. VIII Of the third Commandement REuerence is a religious affection in the seruice of God whereunto are requisite Preparation and Humiliation and when need is both Fasting to quicken vs to petition in the acknowledgement of our vnworthinesse and wants and Feasting to expresse our thankefulnesse for his benefits CHAP. IX Of the fourth Commandement THis is the manner of Gods worship A holy rest is a sanctifying of a time vnto his seruice which beside other times as occasion shall be offered in a Family or for ones selfe apart ought ordinarily to bee in the Morning and Euening of euery day for Church-meetings on such Dayes and Times of the day as may stand with the conuenience of that Church But of necessitie one whole day in seuen is thus to be kept holy both with publike and priuate exercises In which number the duties of brotherly loue as distributing to the Poore according to Gods blessing vpon vs visiting the Sicke helping our Neighbour or any thing that is his in their distresse come also to bee reckoned when they are done as works of Mercy This Day in the first institution was the seuenth Day from the Creation and called the Sabbath Day beginning on the euening of the day before when the Creation of the World was finished CHAP. X. Of the second Table of the Law and of the fift Commandement IVstice followeth which is of the duties among our selues and is honour or the generall duties of Loue. Honour is a performance of duties in respect of a degree First among vnequals from Inferiours to their Superiours and contrariwise As To all Superiours in
sort Mans corrupt Nature yet so as it may be lost againe But whoso once of Malice falleth from it can neuer be repayred CHAP. VI. Of the Church vnder the Law THe Church is One and cannot be diuided but hauing regard to the diuersitie of Gods Dispensation it may be distinguished into the Church vnder the Old Testament and the Church in the New That vnder the Old Testament had diuers Rites Ceremonies and Sacrifices Figures of Christ and of the good things we haue in him especially among the Iewes his then peculiar People Whereby the Dispensation of those Times was more obscure and lesse accompanied with Knowledge and other Graces But of all these things as also of their Sacraments which in regard of the outward Signes were a part of the Legall Paedagogie and likewise of the Ministeries that were among them both that of Prophets inspired by whom were written the Bookes of the Old Testament and of other I haue written at large in a Treatise entituled The Old Testament or the Promise CHAP. VII Of the Church in the time of the Gospell TO the Church of the New Testament the Dispensation is in all cleerenesse and perfection Touching the Sacraments and Ministeries of the New Testament there be two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper Baptisme is a washing with Water to assure our entrance into the Couenant the forme whereof is thus or to this effect I baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost The Lords Supper is a feeding with Bread and Wine to assure our continuance in the Couenant the forme whereof is thus or to this effect For the Bread Take ye eate ye This is my Body which is giuen for you Doe this in remembrance of me For the Cup Drinke ye all of this for this is my Bloud of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes Doe this as oft as ye shall drinke it in remembrance of me The Ministers of the New Testament were Apostles inspired by whose Ministerie were written the Bookes of the New Testament Prophets Euangelists Pastors Teachers c. CHAP. VIII Of the Church of Gods Elect. THus farre of the outward Church The other is the Church of Gods Elect drawne to beleeue in Christ ordinarily by Preaching Wherefore with these God maketh indeed his Couenant By vertue whereof our Faith albeit apprehending Christ absent it apprehend Him weakely yet confirmed by the Word and Sacraments Prayer and other holy meanes it neuer letteth goe the Hold but continually groweth till we come to see Christ in his glory So as Faith hath alwayes Hope that is an assured waiting for of that blessed Sight going with it CHAP. IX Of Regeneration HItherto of Christs Propheticall Office The Kingdome by excellencie so termed is that whereby destroying the Old Man by the Power of his Death and Sufferings all that are of the Church of Gods Elect He doth regenerate by the Power of his Resurrection The Day of his Rising which was the first Day of the Creation is for an euerlasting Remembrance of that Benefit come in place of the Sabbath and called the Lords Day beginning when he arose and began to renew the World Regeneration is our spirituall incorporating into Christ euery Member in his due proportion whereby being one with him through him with God and his Spirit ours we become Gods children by adoption Of a regenerate estate there be two Degrees as it were two Ages Infancie and Mans estate Infancie which is during this Life by Faith and therefore by meanes of the Word and imperfectly sealed vp in our owne inward assurance of the Spirit not in the Worlds discerning of it and growing according as our Faith doth grow And this is called the State or Kingdome of Grace Mans estate which is after this Life by Sight and therefore immediately by Christs Spirit and in all Perfection And that is called the State or Kingdome of Glorie CHAP. X. Of Wisedome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption THe Spirit of Christ being ours consequently doth saue vs from our sinfull and cursed estate to inioy all the Good that is in him It standeth in Illumination and Iustification and from thence comming Sanctification and Redemption Illumination Whereby expelling Darkenesse he doth inlighten our Minds with the Knowledge of the Will of God in Christ which the Apostle calleth Wisdome Iustification Whereby forgiuing our sinnes by his taking them vpon him he doth account the Holinesse of his Nature and Righteousnesse to be ours From whence as I said come Sanctification and Redemption Sanctification Whereby slaying Sinne he putteth a new Life of Holinesse into vs to bring forth fruits of Righteousnesse Wherein there is no more now required but that Sinne beare not the rule in vs and our Workes of Righteousnesse though all mingled with sinne are not onely pleasing vnto God through his forgiuenesse of the sinne but haue beside of Gods free Goodnesse looking vpon them in the perfection of his Sonne speciall Promises of Reward made vnto them both in this Life and in the Life to come Redemption Whereby freeing vs from the Curse himselfe becomming a Curse for vs he maketh vs blessed by the participation of his Blessednesse Our Blessednesse in this estate standeth First in the Loue of God anew Whereby all things not the Calamities and Troubles of this Life and also Death it selfe but euen our very sinnes turne vnto our good and in the assurance whereof wee haue Peace of Conscience and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Secondly in that wee are made neere vnto him and haue continuall accesse with boldnesse into his Presence Thirdly in our former Soueraigntie and Power ouer the Creatures whereof commeth free liberty of vsing them all and deliuerance from the Bondage of Satan This also as a noble accesse added thereunto that the holy Angels themselues are made ministers for our good Fourthly in a Spirituall Glorie and Wisedome and other Graces After this Life commeth the fulnesse of Blessednesse more or lesse according to the diuers measure of our Faith here To the Soule in Heauen presently after Death till the Latter Day At what time our Bodies being raysed vp glorious the whole Man shall meete CHRIST comming to Iudgement in the Ayre and there receiue Sentence of all fulnesse of Blessednesse for euer Which we shall inioy taken vp into Heauen by the vertue of his Ascension Certaine Men vpon our Sauiour CHRISTS Resurrection rose againe and are alreadie with him in Heauen So are Enoch and Elias both aliue assumed thither Those that are liuing at the Latter Day shall suddenly be changed after the dead are once risen The Creatures also for our sake shall then be renewed into a Glorious estate not subiect to Corruption A TABLE OF ALL THE principall Points handled in this BOOKE The first Booke CHAP. I. THe scope and drift of the Doctrine of Diuinitie Fol. 1. The Parts 6. Of God his Being Life Vnderstanding and
Brethren if yee haue any word of exhortation for the People say on Acts 15. 21. MOSES of old time hath in euerie Citie those that preach him being read in the Synagogues euery Sabbath Day Secondly Publike Prayer Acts 16. 13. Vpon the Sabbath Day we went out of the City vnto a Riuer where Prayer was wont to be Thirdly To receiue the Sacraments at the times appointed Acts 20. 7. The first Day of the Weeke when the Disciples were gathered together to breake bread PAVL preached vnto them c. Fourthly Collections and gathering for the Saints 1. Cor. 16. 2. The first Day of the Weeke let euery one lay aside by him treasuring vp what hee hath beene prospered Fifthly Priuate meditation which was the exercise of Iohn the Apostle at what time hee was banished into the I le Pathmos for the Word of God Vpon the Lords Day hee was rauished in Spirit in sweete and heauenly Meditations Reuel 1. 10. wherein it is fit that by our selues and in our Family we conferre together and call to minde the things that in the publike Ministerie wee haue heard z Acts 17. 11. as the men of Berea did And in this respect lest by the trauailing of our beasts men who are necessarily to be imployed about them should be drawn from Gods Seruice we are commanded that they should also rest for whose ease otherwise the Sabbath was not any way ordayned Secondly The duties of brotherly loue as distributing In which number the duties of brotherly loue as distributing to the poore according to Gods blessing vpon vs visiting the sicke helping our Neighbor or any thing that is his in their distresse come also to bee reckoned when they are done as works of Mercie to the poore according to the good hand and blessing of God vpon vs visiting the sicke helping our Neighbour his Oxe Asse or any thing in distresse when they are done not for our owne lucre but as workes of mercy and compassion Thus did a Acts 20 9. Paul vpon that day restore him that being ouercome with sleepe while Paul was preaching the night of the Sabbath Day fell downe from the third Loft and was taken vp dead Acts 20. 9. And hither tendeth the saying of our Sauiour Christ Marke 2. 27. The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath The contrarie hereof is the outward obseruation without respect of inward godlinesse The Seuenth Day thus to bee kept holy was in the b Gen. 2. 3. Exod. 20. 10 11. This day in the first institution was the Seuenth Day from the Creation and called the Sabbath Day first institution the Seuenth Day from the Creation when God resting from his owne worke of creating the World which in six dayes he had finished sanctified that Day for a Day of rest and named it the Sabbath Day beginning on the Euening of the day before when c Gen. 1. 31. Beginning on the euening of the Day before when the Creation of the World was finished the Creation of the World was finished as d Leuit. 23. 32. all other Feasts vnder the Law did To vs Christians it is the first Day of the Creation as in his place shall bee declared And this Seuenth Day is all to be kept holy from the beginning to the end rising vp early in the morning for the sanctifying of it after the example of our Sauiour Christ Marke 1. 35. continuing it till the night and in the night as the e Psal 92. 3. Psalme made for the Day speaketh that so our verie sleepe may bee the sweter to vs. The obseruation of the Sabbath Day which hath a speciall Item giuen to it Remember the Sabbath Day that thou keepe it holy is a morall and a perpetuall Law not onely Ceremoniall and for a time for First It is the same which was f Gen. 2 2 3. instituted in Paradise before any promise of Christ whom all Ceremonies doe respect Secondly It is written by the finger of God in the Tables of the Couenant where there was nothing Ceremoniall but all Morall and of perpetuall indurance Thirdly Our Sauiour Mat. 24. 40. willing them that long time after his death should bee aliue to pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath sheweth that it was not to haue an end by that Sacrifice of his whereby g Dan 9 24. all Ceremonies were abolished Howbeit some way it was ceremoniall representing a spirituall rest but that was not of the Substance nor in the first Institution but afterwards annexed to it as a thing accidentall which had his end in Christ CHAP. IX Of the second Table of the Law and of the fift Commandement WE haue done with the first Table Come we Iustice followeth which is of the the duties among our selues now to the second The summe whereof we deliuered before To loue our Neighbour as our selues by the Name of Neighbour vnderstanding euery other man as our Sauiour teacheth Luke 10. 30. To the Commandements of the second Table 2. Rules do generally belong First That they stretch euery one as well to our selues as to another so in being commanded to honour our Parents we are also willed to haue a care of our own credit and estimation In being forbidden to couet other mens goods we are commanded to bee content with our owne Secondly They h Mat. 5. 43. 44 Ye haue heard that it hath bin said Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour and hate thine Enemie But I say vnto you Loue your enemies Blesse those which curse you Doe good to those which hate you and pray for those which molest and persecute you extend aswell to our enemies and them that hate vs as to our friends them that loue vs. These Commandements are thus deuided They command And is Honor or the general duties of loue Honor is a performance of duties in respect of a degree honour or the generall duties of loue By honour we meane the performance of all duties which the respect of any degree may require at our hands commanded in the fift Commandement which vp-holding the common order and comelinesse of life principally Magistracie Gouernmēt without which the whole world would come to nothing giueth the precedence to this Commandement before all the rest of the second Table To come to the fift Commandement It contayneth First among vnequals from Inferiours to their Superiours and contrariwise first the duties of Inferiours to their Superiours and contrariwise Secondly The duties of equals one vnto another Thirdly The due respect that we are to haue vnto our selues The dutie that Inferiours owe to all Superiours whether As to all Superiors in yeres knowledge or howsoeuer else in yeeres knowledge or howsoeuer else is Reuerence both in acknowledging the good things wherein they are preferred and making our vse of them and in all outward notes and markes of honour towards Reuerence in acknowledging the good things
doth attribute to the vertue of his Resurrection whereat because the Glorie of his Kingdome did actually beginne though the efficacie thereof were euer since the fall of Adam it selfe obtayneth the name of the Kingdome m Mat. 16. 28. of the Sonne of Man being the ground-worke and foundation of our n 1. Pet. 1. 3. Regeneration o Rom. 4. 24. Iustification p Rom. 6. ◠5. Sanctification and q 1. Cor. 15 20. 1. Thess 4. 14. rising from the dead yea and of the r 1. Pet. 3. 21. The day of his rising sauing of our soules as in the particulars hereafter shall be seene A worthy fruit indeed of our Sauiours Resurrection and no doubt I may truely say a greater and a more noble worke then the first Creation whereupon the Day wherein hee arose and renewed the World againe being the ſ Mat. 28. 1. Marke 16. 9. Luke 24. 1. Iohn 20. 1. first day of the Creation which the Scripture is wont to call The first day of the weeke because it beganne next after the Iewes Sabbath is in perpetuall memorie of that benefit become the Day which wee Christians doe keepe holy the Day being changed but not a Day of rest abolished And that the Day was so changed is easie to be proued which was the first day of the Creation is an euerlasting remembrance of that benefit come in the place of the Sabbath out of the Scriptures for first on this Day the Apostles t Iohn 2. 19 26. Acts 2. 1. kept their solemne Assemblies and u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Congregation-meetings on this Day they came together to x Acts 16 13. Praier y Acts 20. 7. preaching of the Word breaking of bread c. on this Day were z 1. Cor. 16. 2. collections and gatherings for the poore And * Reuel 1. 10. Iohn on this Day gaue himselfe in a speciall manner to spirituall Meditations Paul a Acts 20. ◠7. likewise hauing election of seuen whole daies wherein he abode at Troas made onely choice of this Secondly Our Sauiour Christ himselfe gaue testimonie to this Day gracing it with his b Marke 16. 1◠Luke 24. 21. Iohn 20. 19 26. apparitions c Acts 2. 1. distributions of the Holy Ghost c. For the d Leu. 23. 15 16 Feast of Pentecost fell alwaies vpon this first Day of the weeke But you will say We reade no where of any Commandement giuen for such an alteration Neither is it necessary the constant practice of Christ and his Apostles and of the Churches then generally without exception is a rule to binde all Ages in perpetuitie seeing the Apostles did nothing of their owne heads but as they were taught of Christ during those fortie daies that he abode with them after his Resurrection And yet if a Commandement were needfull is not that an expresse Commandement 1. Cor. 16. 2. Touching the gathering for the Saints as I haue appointed in the Churches of Galatia so also doe yee Euery first Day of the weeke let euery one lay aside c. which is a speciall dutie of the Sabbath Day I verily thinke the Psalmist so long before pointed at it when he saith e Psal 118. 24. This same Day wherein Christ the Stone which the builders refused is by his rising from the dead become the head of the corner f Psal 102. 19. Prince of a new created people and Lord of the g Heb. 2. 5. c. World to come IEHOVAH hath made that is to say magnified and made famous to be celebrated with Prayses Thankes giuings in his Church for euer As the word made is taken 1. Sam. 12. 6. Esay 43. 7. and in diuers other places And what maruell though the Day suffered a change when the whole World it selfe was changed This besides the change of the Day it selfe brought and with it two other notable changes also First Of the name from the Sabbath to bee called called the Lords Day by a greater and more honourable Title h Reuel 1. 10. The Lords Day consecrated to his Seruice So as the very name is become a Badge of our Christian and holy Profession seuering vs from Iewes Turkes and other Enemies to the Name of Christ Neither shall you finde in all the New Testament that the Day which the Churches celebrate was at any time after Christs Ascension called The Sabbath Day Secondly In that it beginneth not on the Euening of beginning when he arose and began to renew the World the Day before as the Iewish Sabbaths did but at the dawning of the Day when i Marke 16. 9. Iohn 20. 1. our Sauiour beganne the worke of his Resurrection Now that the Day which wee are to sanctifie beginneth at that time is made good by the practice of Saint Paul who tarrying at Troas seuen whole dayes preached vpon this Day and continue in his Sermon vnto midnight spent the rest of the night in holy conference vnto the dawning of the day and then departed Act. 20. 7 11. Proceed wee now to the rest that followeth concerning This great worke hath two parts Regeneration and Saluation the excellencie of Christs Kingdom The beginning whe 〈…〉 Regeneration by his Spirit the fruits or qualities whereunto we are regenerate Wisdome Righteousnesse and Sanctification The end and accomplishment Happinesse and Immortalitie for so our Sauiour teacheth Iohn 3. 3 5. Vnlesse a man bee borne againe hee cannot see or enter into the Kingdome of God Regeneration being first and the ground-worke of Regeneration is the rest we are to see what Regeneration is I define it to bee our spirituall incorporating into Christ betweene which and the worke of Sanctification the difference lyeth plaine for as Creation is distinguished from the qualities wherein men were created so is this Now Creation from the qualities whereunto wee are regenerate And as Generation is one thing and the corruption that Parents beget vs in another so is our New birth one thing and the Holinesse or Sanctification which we haue thereby another This appeareth manifestly 1. Iohn 5. 8. where Spirit Water Bloud that is to say Regeneration Iustification Sanctification are distinguished And 1. Iohn 3. 1 2 3. where purifying of our selues is made an effect of being the sonnes of God So our Sauiour saith Iohn 3. 6. That which is borne of the Spirit whereby he meaneth our part regenerate is Spirit that is to say wholy spirituall holy and sanctified As that which is borne of the flesh meaning all of vs by fleshly Generation is flesh that is to say carnall in euery part and in all the powers both of bodie and soule impure and vncleane and subiect to the wrath of God Peter also when he saith a 1. Pet. 1. 22 23. Hauing your soules purified by obeying of the Truth through the Spirit vnto brotherly loue without hypocrisie from a pure heart loue one
Lords Supper 391 CHAP. VI. Of the Church of Gods Elect. 399 Of Faith The nature of it the persons to whom it is appropriate the causes principall and instrumentall the prerogatiue of the Faithfull the weakenesse and degrees of it the growth that it neuer can be lost the fruit and effect of it 401 Of Hope 418 Of Sight 417 CHAP. VII Of a new World 419 Of the alteration of the Sabbath for the Day Name Time of Beginning 425 Of Regeneration Of Christ the Head and our vnion with him of 4. Petition the Spirit of Adoption the Infancie of Regeneration and Mans estate 427 CHAP. VIII Of Saluation 5. Petition Of remouing the Vayle of Ignorance of Wisedome Of forgiuenesse of Sinnes Imputation of Righteousnesse Iustification Of Mortification and Sanctification 1. Branch of the 6. Petition Of imperfect Sanctification and the degrees thereof Of the notes and markes of Sanctification Of the Lords Prayer Of the Church Militant The enemies we fight against the two Generals of the Field the Weapons which both the enemies and we fight withall the Goale or Mastrie we fight for The Issue of the Conflict Of Repentance The Notes or Signes the Fruit and whence wee haue it Of Fasting The outward abstinence the end and true vse the time of keeping a Fast it is in the nature of a Sabbath Gods acceptation of our Workes and how The reward due vnto them they no whit merit the necessitie of doing good Workes Of Celestiall Holinesse and of the Church Triumphant Of Redemption 2. Branch of the 6. Petition Of the Blessednesse of Gods children in this life Of the state of the faithfull departed Of the generall Resurrection Who shall rise by what power and in what sort Speciall things touching the resurrection of the Elect. Of the last Iudgement The persons to be iudged The Iudge Christ Of his comming to Iudgement the place from whence he shall come the signes and manner of his Comming The Place where the Iudgement shall be Of the Sentence The preparation to it the order of the Sentence the Sentence it selfe the Reason the execution of the Sentence and the order of execution Of our taking vp into Heauen and by what right we come thither Of our full Blessednesse The root and foundation of the same the parts the measure and quantitie the degrees of Glory and whence it groweth the eternitie Of certaine that rose vpon our Sauiours Resurrection Of Enoch and Elias Of the sudden change of those that shall be aliue at Christs comming Of the renewing of the Creatures FINIS THE FIRST BOOKE OF DIVINITIE OF GOD THE CREATOR CHAP. I. Of God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost AS all other Sciences are Diuinitie is a Doctrine of glorifying God commended by their end and euery one esteemed so much the more eminent as the end doth more excell so it is the worthie prayse of the Doctrine of Religion which is the same that we call Diuinitie that it looketh to such an end as is incomparably most to be desired most to be loued and embraced of vs that is to say the glory of God a Rom. 11. 39. From whom and by whom and to whom are all things And whose glory ought to be a thousand-sold more deare vnto vs then our liues yea then the saluation of our soules This therefore is the scope and marke Heresies and Errors A Theists that say There is no God whom not onely the Word of God but all the Things created especially this goodly Frame and Workmanship of the World and euen their owne Consciences sufficiently confute since they cannot but see vnderstand hereby that there must needs be some Diuine Power before all and aboue all of whom these things were made and by whom they are gouerned in so wise and gracious sort as the â—postle teacheth Rom. 1. 20. For his inuisible Things that is his Eternall Power and Godhead being vnderstood by the things created are clearely seene by this Frame of the World to the end that men might be vnexcusable And therefore these Wretches that striue against their Conscience to put out so cleare a Light which will they nill they shineth thus bright in their eyes are to be left vnto themselues and Gods iust hand vpon them as vtterly vnworthie to be dealt with by any further Arguments The whole Doctrine of Poperie which in all the points of their Religion spoyleth God of his glorie for 1. In stead of the true blessed God they set vp an Idoll of their owne braine one neither perfectly righteous which accepteth an imperfect satisfaction as whatsoeuer proceedeth from man whom they will haue able to satisfie for his owne sins must of necessitie be nor perfectly mercifull if he do not freely forgiue sinne but receiue some part of recompence at our hands contrary to that of Esay 43. 25. I I for my selfe that is freely for mine own mercie and glorie do away iniquities 2. His incomprehensible and incorruptible glorie they transforme into the image of a corruptible creature as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. 23. painting him out sometimes after the likenesse of an old man sometimes in one shape sometimes in another as if Time did weare him or Age alter him who is the Eternitie of Israel and neuer changeth 3. Their prayers to Hee Saints Shee Saints and angels which is a glorie proper vnto God Psal â—0 15. Call upon â—â— and I will deliuer thee so shalt 〈…〉 fie mee And their bowing to Stocks and Stones whereof the Lord saith Esay 4â— â— I will not give my glorie to another nor my praise to carued Images 4. They teach that the predestinating as well of the elect to life as of the reprobate to condemnation is for their workes fore-seene which the Apostle Rom. 9. 22 23. sheweth to be of his owne free pleasure to shew forth the riches of his might and glorie 5. Touching 〈◊〉 â—â—w of God they are not only altogether ignorant of the true vse thereof which is by a right humiliation of ones selfe to prepare the way and to lead him vnto Christ but spoyle God of the glory due vnto him whilest they teach That it is possible for a man to fulfill the Law himselfe and so falsifie that goldeÌ„ saying of the Apostle Rom. 11. 32. God hath shâ—t all vnder sinne that he might haue mercie vpon all 6. The means of saluation they attribute in part to the worthinesse of men and to their due desert which is the free grace and gift of God that he that glorieth might glorie in the Lord 1. Cor. 1. 32. 7. Whereas the wonderfull glorie of God in his loue vnto mankind hath herein shined forth most clearely that when we were dead in sinnes and enemies vnto God he hath quickened and reconciled vs to himselfe they contrarily imagine that the wound is not to deepe but that there remaineth still a kind of life in man and a disposition to receiue
yeeres knowledge or howsoeuer else Reuerence in acknowledging the good things wherein they are preferred and making our vse of them The notes of which Reuerence are rising vp before them Giuing them the honour and place of speaking first c. To them in Authoritie Subiection in a readie submission to their gouernment and obedience voluntarily to doe what they command or when it cannot with a good conscience bee done patiently to beare the punishment To publike authoritie of Magistracie and the Ministrie supplying of Charges and other necessaries for the execution of their Office and a defending of them in the same Touching them in priuate Authoritie To Parents not marrying without their consent and in their necessities to releeue them To Masters faithfull seruice To Husband and Wife each from other mutuall helpe and due beneuolence The Wife also to represent her Husbands vertues and to saue that which hee bringeth in Againe from all Superiours a good example of graue and wise carriage and vsing of the things wherein they are preferred to the others benefit From them in Authoritie first instruction of their Inferiours in the things of God and of their speciall callings Then due recompence of good or euill actions And lastly protection from wrongs From publike Authoritie that is to say from Magistrates maintenance aswell of true Religion as of Peace and Honestie of life From the Ministrie publike teaching From priuate Authoritie prouision of Food and Rayment familiarly to teach their Inferiours and in Prayer to goe before them From both the Parents to apply their Children to that they are fit for and to prouide for them The Father to name the Child the Mother to nurse it From Masters due respect of their Seruants trauailes From Husbands cherishing of their Wiues with all intire affection Secondly it is of equals one vnto another in louing honouring doing of good to all but chiefly to such as by the bond of Nature or profession of the same Faith are more neerely linked vnto vs. And lastly towards our selues the maintayning of our honest credit and sober esteeming of the graces we haue receiued CHAP. XI Of the sixt Commandement THe generall duties of Loue are those that are without respect of degree And respect the Person or the good things belonging to the Person Person as Mercy and Chastitie Mercy is of the duties that touch the preseruation of ones person Where the speciall vertues that leade vs by the hand to the keeping of this Commandement are Meekenesse and Kindnesse Meekenesse in a gentle and peaceable disposition readie to depart from ones right slow to wrath and patient to indure wrongs Kindnesse in a louing disposition and helpfulnesse vnto other not only forgiuing offences but recompencing good for euill CHAP. XII Of the seuenth Commandement CHastitie is of the duties that touch the puritie of ones person both soule and body and that aswell in single life as in the state of marriage which God hath instituted for a Remedie against Vncleanenesse The two preseruatiues of Chastitie are Modestie and Temperance Modestie which keepeth a comely Shamefastnesse in Words Countenance Gesture Apparrell and other things Temperance which is a moderate and sober vse of lawfull Pleasures especially in Meats and Drinkes and in the vse of Marriage CHAP. XIII Of the eighth Commandement THose that respect the good things belonging to the Person are Vprightnesse and Contentednesse Vprightnesse is to hold a lawfull course in dealing about them and standeth in Right and Truth Right which is in dealing iustly Both for the meanes of comming by them that it be by lawfull Purchase or Descent and in the vse of them to doe it frugally and liberally by a cheerefull communicating of them all both in Giuing and Lending One Branch whereof is Hospitalitie CHAP. XIIII Of the ninth Commandement TRVTH is in dealing faithfully As Prudence in iudging aright Simplicitie in speaking and doing the Truth Charitie to take things in the best part c. CHAP. XV. Of the tenth Commandement THis is Vprightnesse Contentednesse is to rest fully satisfied with that which God bestoweth reioycing in anothers good as in our owne which is the top and perfection of Loue. CHAP. XVI Of the Couenant of Workes WIth the Creatures who are thus to doe his Will it hath pleased GOD to make a Couenant which is called the Couenant of Workes A Couenant of Life to the Doers of Death vnto Transgressors Both more or lesse as the Righteousnesse or Sinne aboundeth Life is a continuall Progresse in Holinesse and Happinesse Death is a Sinnefull and Cursed Estate Sinnefull in Darkenesse and a totall corruption of the whole strength of Nature vnto all Vnrighteousnesse Cursed in the Wrath of God and all the euill that commeth of it contrary to the former Coniunction and Communion with him CHAP. XVII Of the Fall of Angels THis Couenant both Angels and Men in our first Parents Adam and Eue kept for a time but left vnto themselues they quickly fell away First of the Angels some onely fell but a great multitude One the Scripture nameth him Satan or the Deuill the chiefe Ring-leader of the rest The Curse vpon them is the fulnesse of Gods Wrath which falling vpon a bare Creature not able to beare the brunt of it crusheth him downe into Hell for euer And this estate is called Damnation drawing with it the full height and top of all Iniquitie hatred of God obstiuate Vnrepentance finall Desperation and such like Notwithstanding it pleaseth God many times to send them some release out of that Dungeon suffering them to dwell in the Ayre and to roame thorow out the World that so they may be Instruments to worke his pleasure here among vs. All this till a Day appointed which we call the Latter Day when they shall receiue their last Doome of an euerlasting and more dreadfull Damnation with Execution accordingly The Angels that fell not are supernaturally vpholden from all danger of falling CHAP. XVIII Of the Fall of Man AFter the Fall of Angels by Satans Temptation of Eue and through her of Adam they and in them all Mankind did fall The punishment vnto them by the great patience and long sufferance of God and in his singular Mercie to make a way for the Redemption of Mankind is so qualified that the vttermost and most extreme furie of it is put off till the Latter Day Whereupon grow two Degrees of this sinfull and cursed estate for either it is in part onely during this Life or in the fulnesse of it after Death In part onely as Sinfulnesse not in the highest pitch Touching their Cursed estate first the Wrath of God vpon them so farre that all things not Blessings onely but his very Graces turne to their Ruine Secondly separation from his Presence Thirdly losse of our former Soueraigntie and consequently of our Power insomuch as both the Creatures are become our enemies and we slaues to Satan Fourthly all kinde of Calamities Ignorance Shame Infirmitie Sicknesse and
Will Holinesse 1. Petition Kindnesse Truth Iustice Mercie Blessednesse Kingdome Power Glory Wisedome Infinitenesse singlenesse of Nature Eternitie Vnchangeablenesse 7. That there is but one God 26 Of the Persons in God 27 The distinction of Persons 31 The three Persons and one God 31 The incommunicable Properties whereby they are distinguished 34 The God-head of the Sonne 35 The God-head of the holy Ghost 53 CHAP. II. Of the Kingdome of God and the order of administration thereof 60 2. Petition Of the Decrees of God the eternitie cause generalitie of the same 61 CHAP. III. Of the Creation of all Things 64 The Matter and Manner 72 73 Sixe Dayes Worke. 74 The perfection of the Creature 75 The holinesse happinesse of the principall Creatures Angels Men. 75 Of the Law of Nature 77 CHAP. IIII. Of Gods Prouidence extending to all Persons and Actions 82 His free and absolute Dispensation 94 The ineuitable necessitie of the execution of his Counsels 101 The end both of Creation and Prouidence 109 CHAP. V. Of the Honour due to God That his Will be done 112 3. Petition Of the Morall Law that teacheth the Will of God or the Duties we owe vnto him 114 Fiue things which the Law of God generally requireth or which are to concurre in euery Dutie 1. To doe all that is commanded 114 2. To doe whatsoeuer we doe as vnto God 114 3. That there bean Integritie or right frame and disposition of all the powers of Nature both of the Soule and Body 115 4. To doe it with the whole strength of those Powers Sinceritie Zeale Watchfulnesse Diligence and Perseuerance 128 5. To doe euery thing with so much the greater strength as the Dutie doth more excell 139 The properties of the Morall Law 143 Rules for the vnderstanding of the Ten Commandements 145 The first Commandement Of Loue Reuerence Feare Beleefe Trust and Hope in God Of Patience and Humilitie Of Prayer and other Seruices 148 CHAP. VI. The second Commandement To worship God as he hath appointed Of Will-worship Idolatrie Superstition c. 159 CHAP. VII The third Commandement Of Reuerence in Gods Worship Preparation Attention Meditation Of Fasting and of a holy Feast 162 CHAP. VIII The fourth Commandement Of set times in Gods Seruice 168 Of the Sabbath day The Duties it requireth the day for it in the first Institution the Moralitie 169 CHAP. IX The fift Commandement Of Duties to Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters Husbands and from them againe 175 Of Duties to Equals 186 The due respect we are to haue to our selues 187 CHAP. X. The sixt Commandement Of the Duties of Mercie 188 Of Meekenes Gentlenes a peaceable disposition putting vp of Wrongs 191 Of Kindnesse Pittying and helping our Neighbor in Distresse forgiuing Offences ouercomming Euill with Good 194 CHAP. XI The seuenth Commandement Of Chastitie of holy Marriage Incest and Polygamie Of Contracts of Matrimonie of Vncleannesse Buggerie Adulterie Foâ—nication Rapt Of Modestie and Temperance 198 CHAP. XII The eight Commandement Of Iust dealing and the contrary Theft Oppression Extortion Vsurie c. 207 Of Frugalitie Liberalitie Hospitalitie 210 CHAP. XIII The ninth Commandement Of Prudence a righteous Sentence Slandering Hearing of Iales Flattering and Dissembling 212 Of Deceit in Bargayning Buying and Selling remouing Bounds fraudulent with-holding of Goods Gaming and other vnlawfull Trades 214 Of taking Things in the best part and the contraries euill Suspitions and sinister Censures 218 CHAP. XIIII The tenth Commandement Of Couetousnesse Selfe-loue Enuie c. CHAP. XV. Of the Couenant of Workes Of Life and Death 222 The Couenant of Workes seruing in this our corrupt estate not to iustifie but to leade vs vnto Christ CHAP. XVI Of the Fall of Angels and Men. The reason of their Fall The time when they fell 227 Speciall to the Fall of Angels Their Sinne what it was The number that fell Their Captaine and Ring-leader 228 Of the Deutâ—s damnation in Hell The Release which God doth sometimes giue them and why 230 Of their full damnation in the latter Day 232 Of the elect Angels that did not fall 232 CHAP. XVII Speciall to the Fall of Man Their Sinne what it was The Actors that had a hand in it 233 In Adam and Eue all Mankind did fall 236 Of the totall Corruption of Mans Nature 237 Of the Curses of this Life 243 Of the Remnâ—nts of Gods Image 249 Of the impayre of the Creature 252 Of Mans Damnation 252 Of the Abolition of the Creatures 255 THE CONTENTS OF THE Second Booke CHAP. I. OF Christ the end of the Law His Godhead Humane Nature Christ the end of the Law whom the 3. last Petitions doe respect the Vnion of them into one Person And why all this was necessarie Fol. 267 Of Christs Office of Mediation Of his Appointment and Calling thereunto when it began That it belongeth to whole Christ and is appropriate vnto him for whom he maketh Mediation and wherein his Mediation lyeth 278 Of Gods Couenant the End and Fruit The Substance or Foundation The Meanes or Condition The extent of the Couenant 283 The excellencie of the Couenant of Grace aboue the Couenant of Works Of the Old and the New Testament 307 Of Predestination both Election and Reprobation 283 Of the words Purpose Predestination Prescience or Fore-knowledge Of the number of Gods Elect the Cause the subordinate Meanes the Eternitie and Immutabilitie the end of Gods predestinate Decrees CHAP. II. Of the Priesthood of Christ His Calling thereunto The eternitie of it He our onely Priest 311 Of the sanctification of Christs humane Nature 312 Of Christs Righteousnesse or Obedience 314 Of his Suffrings In what nature and what things he suffred 315 Of Satisfaction How it was and when The fruit of it 322 Of Christs Resurrection Ascension Glorification 326 Of his Intercession 330 CHAP. III. Of the Kingdome of Christ His Calling and inuesting into it the fruit of it 332 Of his Gouernment of the World in generall The largenesse of his Power the qualitie of Administration the fruit of it 334 CHAP. IIII. Of Christs Propheticall Office 343 Of his Word The Author the Matter the Ministeriall Instruments the perfection of his Doctrine 345 Of the Promise and the Gospel 347 Of the outward Church The Condition of it to be subiect to error to be mingled of good and bad The priuiledge of the outward Church and of euery Member thereof 348 Of the Sacraments 360 Of Ministeries Preaching of the Word Publike Prayer Administration of the Sacraments 366 Of the Ministerie of Men inspired of a liuely Voice of the Scriptures the truth holinesse authoritie perfection of the same and of Miracles 368 Of Graces for the discharge of publike Functions 377 Of Knowledge 378 Of a Taste of the sweetnesse of Christ and of sinne against the Holy-Ghost 379 CHAP. V. Of the Church vnder the Law 387 Of the Church in the time of the Gospel of the Sacraments of the New Testament Baptisme and the
Å¿ Gen. 31. 11 13 The Angell of God which appeared to Iacob in a Dreame and bade him to returne into the Countrey of his Natiuitie telleth him I am the mightie God of Bethel where thou anoyntedst a Pillar and there thou vowedst a vow vnto me But Vowes are onely to bee made to Iehouah And Moses in that Story had so called him t Gen. 28. 13. before yea Iacob in the Vow it selfe had said that u Gen. 28. 20 21. IEHOVAH should bee his GOD and in his * Gen. 32. 8. Prayer when he was afraid of his Brother ESAV O God of my Father ABRAHAM and God of my Father ISACK O IEHOVAH which saidst vnto me Returne * Gen. 38. 1. vnto thy Country c. And to him he is afterwards commanded to build an Altar This Angell therefore was Christ the true Iehouah Exodus 3. There appeared vnto Moses in the Mount of God an Angell of IEHOVAH in a fiery flame out of the midst of a Bush and when Moses turned aside to see that great Vision Iehouah seeing him cryed vnto him out of the midst of the Bush and said I am God of thy Father The God of ABRAHAM the God of ISACK and the God of IACOB Anon hee calleth himselfe by the name of Ehieh or I am and IEHOVAH So that Christ is that true Ehieh and IEHOVAH the God of ABRAHAM ISACK and IACOB the proper name of the euer-liuing God as appeareth by many places in the New Testament The comparing of the Olde Testament with the New will make this a great deale playner He that led the people to and fro in the Wildernesse was Christ For so the Prophet y Esay 63. 9. saith The Angell of his face saued them and setting them vpon himselfe carryed them continually And z 1. Cor. 10. 4. PAVL that Christ the spirituall Rocke of his Church figured by the Cloud by Manna and the Rocke that flowed out water to the People went together with them conducting and leading them the way But Moses expresly calleth him IEHOVAH a Exod. 13. 21. IEHOVAH went before them by day in a Piller of Cloud and by night in a Piller of fire And this is that which the Lord himselfe telleth them Exodus 23. 20 21. Behold I send mine Angell before thee to keepe thee in thy way and to lead thee into the place which I haue prepared Take heed to thy selfe of his presence and harken to his voyce Prouoke him not for he will not beare your rebellion for my name is in the middest of him As if hee had said he is Iehouah and not a created Spirit Likewise hee whom they tempted in the Wildernesse was God and Iehouah for so Numb 21. 5. 7. it is recorded That the people speake against God and against MOSES and afterwards pressed with the hand of GODS heauy Iudgement that he sent vpon them by flying Serpents they came to Moses and said We haue sinned in that we haue spoken against IEHOVAH and thee To which Story Paul b 2. Cor. 20. 9. alluding saith Let vs not tempt Christ as some of them tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents In Zachary c Zach. 3. 2. as in Genesis before there is a plaine difference made of two whereof each is IEHOVAH IEHOVAH said IEHOVAH rebuke thee Satan And this Iude d Iude verse 9. expresly noteth to be the voyce of Michael the great Arch-angell which is Christ our Lord the Angell of the Couenant and the Mediatour and Intercessor of his Church So that which Esay e Esay 6. 1. saith I saw IEHOVAH setting vpon a Throne c. IOHN f Iohn 12. 41. referreth vnto Christ These things said ESAY when he saw his glory and spake of him That in the 102. g Psal 102. 26. Psalme Thou JEHOVAH in the beginning madest the Heauens c. the Apostle h Heb. 1. â—0 to the Hebrewes applyeth vnto Christ as pregnant testimony to prooue the excellency of his Person aboue all Creatures yea aboue the Angels themselues Finally the Apostle i Rom. 14. 10. 11 Paul cleereth this Doctrine when to prooue that all of vs shall be presented before the Tribunall Seat of Christ he doubteth not to alleage the place of the Prophet k Esay 45. 23. ESAY As I liue saith the Lord to me shall euery knee bow which are the words of the great Iehouah euen there where he doth protest there is no other God but he Whereby it is most manifest that Christ is Iehouah the true and onely God Secondly The properties incommunicable to any Creature Singlenesse Infinitenesse Eternity are to be found in him wee haue shewed before that to bee called Life Light c. is proper vnto God for that it signifieth as much as to be perfectly so and the cause of it to all other Now these Epithites are giuen vnto Christ As in l Iohn 14. 6. IOHN I am the way the truth in which one his absolute and perfect goodnesse euery way is vnderstood and the life I am m Iohn 11. 25. the resurrection and life Againe this n 1. Iohn 5. 20. Iesus Christ is the true God and life eternall Why life Because he hath it of himselfe and giueth it to others And thereof it is that o Acts 3. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Peter calleth him the Prince of life Hence it is that the Euangelist Iohn p Iohn 1. 9. calling him the true Light addeth the reason by and by which lighteneth euery man that commeth â—nto the World Hence also it is that in the Prophet Esay he is termed q Esay 9. 6. the Father of Eternity And in the r Pro. 1. 20. Prouerbs not onely Wisdome but Wisedomes in the plurall Wâ—sâ— armes saith Salomon that is the Wisedome of all Wisedome Wisedome it selfe and the Author of it Iesus Christ the very Wisedome of the most wise God cryeth abroad c. And that this is to be vnderstood not of a flitting and vanishing speech but of Christ the eternall Wisedome of his Father the whole course of the eighth Chapter sheweth so manifestly that it were in vaine to stand vpon it Moreouer he is Infinite and in many places at once Å¿ Ephes 3. 17. Hee dwelleth in the hearts of all the faithfull Being vpon Earth he was in Heauen as he saith t Iohn 3. 13. The Sonne of man which is in Heauen contrariwise continuing now in Heauen yet he is vpon the Earth Matth. 28. 20. I am with you to the end of the World And as hee is without circumscription of place so also hee is Omnipotent in Power Infinite in Knowledge and Goodnesse it selfe for his Power hee is expresly called u Reuel 1. 8. the Almighty one and of the Infinitenesse of his Knowledge what more honourable testimony can we haue then that of x John 21. 17. PETER Lord thou knowest all things yea things future and to
Fourthly Hee sendeth forth the Holy Ghost out of his owne substance and therefore is indeede and truth God if as shall bee prooued anon the Holy Ghost himselfe be God Fiftly The workes which only belong to God Christ doth the same and that in the same manner as hee saith in o John 5. 19. IOHH Whatsoeuer the Father doth the same the Sonne doth likewise And p Iohn 5. 18. againe My Father worketh hitherto and I worke Whereupon truely and rightly the Iewes concluded that hee made himselfe equall with God It were long to goe thorow all but to select the chiefe and principall among all the workes of God none is more neere and inward to the Sacred Maiesty then the Eternall Election which is within himselfe and knowne onely to himselfe and whereof he alone doth keepe the Booke This is attributed vnto Christ Iohn 15. You haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you that you might bring forth fruit and that your fruit may remaine which properly ment of the dignity and office of Apostle-ship whereunto Christ had chosen them giueth them withall this comfort that as they had this honour to be the Arch-Masons and Master-Builders of the Church which is the House of the liuing God so themselues were liuely stones of that spirituall Building and to haue part in the fruite which by their Ministery they should reach forth for the euerlasting good of many in q 2. Tim. 4. 6. sauing of themselues as well as others without which their ioy had not beene full And aptly doth this follow as the Root and Fountaine of that most Honourable Title to bee his friends which hee had vouchsafed to giue vnto them immediately before But more manifest is that Iohn 13. 18. I speake not of you all I know whom I haue chosen But it behooueth that the Scripture should bee fulfilled He that eateth bread with mee hath lift vp his heele against mee The circumstance of exempting one of the Apostles out of the number of the blessed making his Election the cause of this their difference referring the same to his owne secret knowledge and finally opposing to the Chosen him that should betray him the r Iohn 17. 12. sonne of destruction as afterwards he calleth him who yet in familiaritie of conuersation was a choice and speciall friend eating bread continually at his Table shew plainly that hee speaketh of Election vnto life As other Å¿ Mat. 24. 31. where hee doth when speaking of his second Comming vnto Iudgement hee saith The Sonne of man shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet Who shall gather together his Elect from the foure winds c. And no maruell though hee call them his Elect for since hee hath power and authority to t Reuel 3. 5. blot mens names out of the Booke of Life it cannot bee chosen but hee must haue interest to write them in for of contraries there is one and the same respect in nature Therefore to shut vp this point and to leaue it without question the Booke of Life in the u Reuel 13. 8. Reuelation is expresly called The Lambes Booke of Life Come to that which is more glorious in the World And first vnto the Creation the proper marke of the true God As the x Psal 124. 8. Psalmist teacheth Our helpe is in the Name of IEHOVAH that hath made both Heauen and Earth And y Ier. 10. 11. IEREMY The gods that made not Heauen and Earth let them perish from the Earth and from vnder the Heauen He it is that wrought with the Father in the creating of all things Iohn 1. 13. All things were made by him and without him was nothing that was made not a iot of any thing So saith Paul to the z Col. 1. 16. Colossians By him were created all things both in Heauen and vpon the Earth things visible and inuisible whether Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Therefore he is called The a Reuel 3. 14. beginning of the Creation of God or the first and prime cause from whence the Creatures take their beginning being all made and formed by him And notable is that of the 102. Psalme which the Apostle to the Hebrewes b Heb. 1. 10. applyeth vnto Christ Thou Lord in the beginning laydst the foundation of the Earth and the Heauens are the worke of thy hands And By him saith the same c Heb. 1. 2. Apostle God made the Ages that is Time and the course and succession of all things with this glory of Creation is coupled another not inferior of the cherishing and preseruing of the things created So Prou. 8. 30. he saith that he is with God his Father nourishing and gladding them continually Hither belong those Diuine Workes and Miracles manifestly pointing out his God-head He rebuked the Winds and they obeyed him raysed vp the dead opened the eyes of them that were blind cast out Deuils had power to send them into Hell to their fearefull place of torment for d Luke 8. 31. they besought him not to doe it And all this he did not as the Prophets and Apostles but by his owne Soueraigne Power As the Euangelist e Luke 5. 36. noteth that hereupon feare came on all the people maruelling what this might be For euen say they with Authority and Power he commandeth the vncleane spirits and they come out And how must not this Power needes be his owne when hee taketh vpon him to giue it to others The f Matth. 10. 8. Euangelist recording that hee gaue power vnto the twelue Apostles to clense Lepers to rayse the dead to cast out Deuils c. which authority they like faithfull Seruants did so pursue as it might easily appeare they deriued their whole vertue from him alone Hence is that of g Acts 3. 6. PETER In the Name of Christ arise and walke and h Acts 9. 34. AENEAS Iesus Christ doth heale thee I stand not heere to presse those glorious workes whereby his God-head shineth most cleerely in the Church in subduing the proud enemies thereof and generally all the Reprobates hardening their hearts and deliuering them vp vnto their owne damnation For so the i Iohn 12. 39 40. 41. Euangelist when hee had shewed that the Iewes could not beleeue because ESAY had said He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts lest they should see with their eyes and vnderstand with their heart and I should heale them immediately addeth These things said ISAIAH when hee saw his glory and spake of him Contrariwise he bestoweth vpon his Children all good graces Therefore the Apostle continually prayeth for Grace and Peace from him He sendeth the Holy Spirit vnto them The k Iohn 15. 16. Comforter whom I will send And Iohn 20. 22. He breathed vpon them and said Receiue the Holy Ghost He giueth Faith as appeareth by that Prayer
worshipped But this honour Christ also hath For both Stephen giueth it vnto him when he saith Lord y Acts 7. 59. Iesus receiue my spirit And it is the Epithete of all the Church that they z Acts 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1 2. call vpon the Name of Christ IOHN likewise in the a Reuel 21. 22. Reuelation maketh the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe alike the Temple of that holy City the heauenly Ierusalem meaning that hee is equally to bee worshipped and with the same honour Faith doth onely rest vpon God but wee are commanded to beleeue in Christ Yea b Iohn 16. 1. beleeue in God beleeue also in me Further it is the pleasure c Ier. 9. 24. of GOD that whosoeuer glorieth should glory onely in this That he knoweth him to be IEHOVAH But Paul doubteth not to professe that he d Gal. 6. 14. gloried onely in the Crosse of Christ and neyther preached nor chose to know any other thing saue e 1. Cor. â—2 onely him alone Christ f Iohn 17. 3. also himselfe coupleth these two together This is euerlasting life to know thee the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ But what stay I hereupon when testimonies are so cleere vpon the marke and notes when the things themselues are so euident and expresse his God-head being euerywhere to bee found in most plaine and manifest termes Which that it may the better appeare I will sort all the testimonies of this kind into three Orders or Rankes The first is of such as attribute the spirit vnto him Not as the spirit or soule of a man but so as it appeareth plainly by the Epithetes adioyned to be the Diuine Spirit or GOD himselfe 1. Cor. 15. 45. The first man ADAM was made a liuing Soule the latter ADAM a quickering Spirit As bee noteth out in Adam the whole man by the more excellent part the Soule so doth he in Christ the whole Person by that most excellent Nature of the God head bodily dwelling in him calling him another Adam for that as Adam imparted fleshly life vnto all that come from him so doth Christ the Spirituall Life to all that are his And that this may bee the better conceiued to be meant of his Eternall Deity in the seuen and fortieth Verse hee doth more cleerely frame the comparison The first man out of the earth earthly the second man the Lord himselfe from Heauen Therefore is his Spirit or Diuine nature sometime called The g Heb. 9. 14. euerlasting Spirit a thing proper to the God-head sometime The h Rom. 1. 4. Spirit of Sanctification whereby hee sanctifieth all Gods Elect and sanctified his humane Nature otherwise infirme and weake and not able to rayse vp it selfe As in i Iohn 6. 63. Iohn he saith It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing And k 1. Pet. 3. 18. Peter that he was put to death as touching the flesh but quickened as touching the Spirit Finally the Apostle l 2. Cor. 13. 4. Paul expounding as it were this place For though saith he he were crucified of infirmity yet he liueth by the power of God In the name of infirmity or weaknesse manifestly alluding to the Hebrew Enâ—ch which signifieth a fraile or weake and mortall man and in the name Power vnto El the mighty God of the second sort are those where he is said to haue the m Col 29. For in him dwelleth all the fulnes of the God-head bodily that is personally and substantially fulnesse of the God-head in him to bee n Phil. 2. 6 7. Who being in the forme of God emptied himself taking the forme of a Seruant becomming in the likenesse of men and in habit found a very man Where the forme of a Seruant noting a verie seruant and abiect person indeed sheweth that to bee in the forme of God signifieth as much as to be really and essentially God himselfe in the forme of God to be o Iohn 8. 15. For this cause the Iewes sought to kill him because hee called God his owne Father making himselfe equall with God Phil. 2. 6. He thought it no robbery to be equall with God equall with God And to conclude to bee p Dan. 10. 13 21. Michael of equall Power with the Almighty God And this to be an honour belonging vnto Christ alone and not to any created Angell the Apostle Iude q Iude verse 9. teacheth expresly when he so termeth Iehouah himselfe that in Zachary stroue with Satan about the Body of Moses or the truth and perfection of the Law of Moses namely the whole Doctrine of the Gospell Remission of sinnes Imputation of Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption as in that Chapter the Angell reasoneth of them all But most manifestly this appeareth Reuelat. 12. 7. where MICHAEL and his Angels fought with the Dragon and his angels Against the Dragon that is the Deuill head of the malignant Church opposing Michael that is Christ Head of Saints and Angels and therefore calling them his Angels which agreeth to God alone Finally the holy Ghost so expoundeth it Verse 10. Now is the Saluation and Might and Kingdome of our God and the Power of his Christ In the third and last ranke come those that call him expresly r Iohn 1. 1. The Word was God 2. Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World Luke 1. 16. 17. Many shall he that is Iohn Baptist turne vnto the Lord their God and himselfe shall goe before him in the spirit and power of Elias Where before him being referred to Christ as it must sheweth him to bee the true and vndoubted Lord God And hither tendeth the confession of Thomas sirnamed Didymus my Lord my God Iohn 20. 28. Of this sort also is that 2. Peter 1. 1. Through the righteousnesse of our God and Sauiour Iesus Christ The coupling and context of the sentence without any Article before Sauiour which otherwise by the vse of that tongue ought to haue beene shewing plainly that the word God can haue no reference but to Christ our Sauiour M 〈…〉 plaine is that Coâ— â— 2 Vnto the knowledge of God both the Father and Christ Where God as a common antecedent is attributed to them both God The Å¿ 1. Iohn 5. 20. We are 〈…〉 true one in his Sonne Iesus Christ Thâ—â— is that true God and life euerlasting true God The t Titus â— 13. Wayting for the blessed hope and glorious bright appearance of the great God and Sauiour of vs Iesus Christ Where not onely the knitting of the sentence as in the place of Peter before but the phrase of bright appearance neuer spoken but of the Sonne enforceth that whole sentence to be meant of him great God The mighty u Esay 9. 6. To vs a Child is borne whâ—le name is called Wonderfull The mightâ— God Most strong c. God The onely x Iude
Earth for the other or Hell accidently for eyther Heauen we call the highest World made for the Angels to inhabit As our f Mar. 12. 25. Sauiour Those that phantastically teach that Heauen is euery-where teacheth They are as the Angels in Heauen In Heauen g Mat. 18. 10. their Angels alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in Heauen This is it which the Scripture calleth h 1. King 8. 27. The Heauen of Heauens for the excellencie The i 2. Cor. 12. 2. third Heauen for the situation aboue the Ayre and the Skie both which haue the name of Heauen and k 2. Cor. 12. 4. Paradise for the pleasure being the place of the residence of Gods glory Earth is the middle World made for man Psal 115. 16 The Heauens are IEHOVAHS and the Earth which hee hath giuen vnto the sonnes of men Two things in it come to be considered the parts and the ornaments The parts I call the foure Elements l For the Philosophers agree that nothing giueth light but that which hath some fire in it wherefore from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light the Chaldees were wont to call Fire Oru◠whom they worshipped for their god Fire the vppermost Globe wherein was Light an adiunct and qualitie of the Fire Ayre or as Moses calleth it an m Following the Greekes who name it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extent we improperly the Firmament comprehending all that voyd place betweene the Cloudes and the Earth which giueth breath of life to all things that breathe Water with all the Chanels thereof the Seas the Floudes the Lakes the Springs And Earth or the dry ground the Bottome and Center of the World for man to inhabit Ornaments are the things wherewith these Elements are garnished and set forth being all things necessary both for the vse and command of man For his vse were made the n Gen. 1. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. insensible things Grasse and Trees continually fructifying in the Earth the Sunne the Moone the Starres placed aboue the Cloudes in the highest Globe in or aboue the vppermost part of that extent which Moses calleth the o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extent of Heauen that is to say that part of the extent which is neerest to the Heauens and furthest from the Earth where the Element of Fire is and these being the vessels that now receiue and send forth the Light which it seemeth most probable the Fire is it before for the Scripture speaketh of Light before the Sunne haue in that place of Moses a three-fold vse assigned to them First To distinguish Light from Darknesse that is to say the naturall Day from the Night Secondly To bee signes for the noting out of times and seasons A thing common to them all as appeareth Iob 9. 9. Where ARCTVRVS ORION PLEIADES and the Planets of the hidden South are vsed to note out the parts of the Yeere Autumne Winter the Spring and Summer But this neuerthelesse is proper to the Sunne and Moone that by the running of their compasse they after a speciall sort rule and gouerne the Sunne the Day and the Moone the Night and make the difference of ciuill Dayes Moneths and Yeeres Thirdly They serue not onely to enlighten the Earth but by their influence to refresh and giue growth to all earthly bodies For the command of men were made the dumbe and vnreasonable Creatures which yet haue a sensitiue life and feeling As in the Water Fishes in the Ayre Birds in the Earth Beasts both going and creeping all of them Male and Female for the propagation of their kind Hell is the lowest World a soule Those that teach also that Hell is no certayne nor locall place and fearefull place of punishment made for Angels and men that should transgresse Peter p 2. Pet. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giueth it a name which signifieth asmuch as a place of terrible confused darkenesse whereof that which q Iob 10. 22. Iob speaketh touching the graue is much more to bee verified that there bee no orders there no alterations of times and seasons sometimes darke sometimes light but whatsoeuer shineth most is as the shaddow of death continuall night and a whole day as a man may say of darknesse for out of the Kingdome of Heauen there is no light at all Therefore are the heires of that Kingdome termed The r Luke 8. 31. sonnes of Light And contrariwise this place the ſ Mat. 8. 12. outer darknesse Luke t Luke 8. 31. calleth it The deepe or bottomlesse Gulfe placed beneath as a most deepe and darke Dungeon a foule and hideous Prison as Peter u 1. Pet. 3. 19. nameth it when hee saith that Christ by the power of his God-head in the Ministery of NOAH preached to the spirits now in Prison And againe x 2. Pet. 2. 4. that the Angels which sinned are kept there in chaines of darkenesse or as y Iude verse 6. IVDE hath it with euerlasting bonds vnder darkenes as in a Gaole vnto the Iudgement of the great Day Wee haue done with the World made for these reasonable Creatures Come wee now to the reasonable Creatures themselues and first of the parts of reason come to them both vnderstanding and will The vnderstanding part in men for distinction sake and our better conceiuing of it we commonly terme the minde the will in them is properly called the soule although the reasonable soule comprehending both bee but one In the vnderstanding part two faculties are comprehended First Knowledge that teacheth what we ought to doe and is the Fountaine and beginning not onely of the other faculties but of all the Actions and Motions of our life Vnder this two other faculties are comprehended Iudgement or Wisdome which is the top and perfection of knowledge for discerning of things that differ and conscience which is a part of our vnderstanding determining of our particular actions eyther with them or against them called therefore Conscience as if you would say A knowing with or before God vpon a right examination of our wayes in his sight Secondly Memory to lay vp in our mindes the things which wee know and vnderstand The will is a facultie freely choosing whatsoeuer it selfe pleaseth and mouing vs to doe it and this hath the soueraigne command in euery one for therefore we doe a thing not because wee thinke it ought to bee done but because wee will doe it vnder the name of will I comprehend in this place aswell the desire onely which is before and without consent as that which most properly in common speech is onely termed the will when a settled and full consent is come And here affections are the same that conscience is in the mind Not seuerall or distinct faculties but parts or motions of the wil diuersly inclining it to this or that appearing good according to the diuersity of obiects that are offered
Of the will the Apostle saith It is d Phil. 2. 13. God that worketh to will in you our e Heb. 13. 18. will is in all things to conuerse honestly the flesh f Gal. 4. 27. hindereth from doing the things ye would The contrary whereof is the will of g Ephes 2. 3. the flesh and of our owne thoughts called h 1. Pet. 4. 3. else-where The will of the Gentiles The last thing to be considered in the qualities of the soule are the affections of it to bee good and holy Thou i Deut. 6. 5. shalt loue IEHOVAH thy God with all thy soule The contrary whereof are those dishonourable and foule affections which the Apostle mentioneth Rom. 1. 26. Therefore God gaue them ouer to dishonourable affections Againe k Rom. 7. 5. When we were in the flesh the sinfull affections wrought in our members c. They l Gal. 5. 24. that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections thereof The particular affections which the Scripture aboue the rest doth recommend vnto vs as Bellowes to blow vp and increase spirituall Graces and to carry vs forward to a high degree of Holinesse are these that follow First Loue and liking of that which is good hatred and detestation of that which is euill as the Psalmist ioyneth them together Thou louest m Psal 45. 8. righteousnesse and hatest iniquitie Loue is the habit as it were and perfection of the whole Law both of the first and second Table Thou n Mat. 22. 37 38 39 40. shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde This is the first and great Commandement and the second is like it Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe On these two Commandements hang the whole Law and the Prophets And of the second Table Paul saith o Gal. 4 13 14. Serue one another through loue for all the Law meaning the whole second Table is fulfilled in one word in this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe Againe p Rom. 13. 8 9. He that loueth another fulfilleth the Law for this Thou shalt not commit adulterie Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not stoale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not couet and if there be any other Commandement it is summed vp in this word euen in this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe Generally 1. Tim. 1. 5. hee saith the end or perfection of the whole Law is loue c. And Coloss 3. 14. hee calleth loue The bond of perfection because it knitteth and bindeth together all the offices we owe to God or one vnto another So as what dutie soeuer we performe bee it neuer so glittering and shining in the World if it be not done in loue it is nothing at all worth As wee are taught 1. Cor. 13. yea our loue in this behalfe ought to extend it selfe not to our friends onely and them that loue vs againe but vnto all men to our q Mat. 5. 44. enemies and them that hate vs. The contrary hereof is hatred of God our Brethren and of good things Of God because wee see him iust to punish mens offences A fault so monstrous that one would thinke impossible it should fall vpon any Creature to hate and abhorre the Creator but that the Apostle hath noted our nature to be tainted with it Haters r Rom. 1. 30. of God and the Å¿ Psal 37. 20. 21. 9 c. 81. 16. 139. 21. Enemies or haters of IEHOVAH are oftentimes spoken of in the Psalmes and t 2. Sam. 12. 14. 2. Chron. 19. 2. else-where Of the hatred of our Brethren the Apostle saith He n 1. Ioh. 2. 9. 11 that hateth his Brother is in darknesse And againe He x 1. Ioh. 3. 15. that hateth his Brother is a Man-slayer Bloudie y Prou. 29. 10. men saith SALOMON hate him that is vpright And 1. Kings 22. 9. it is the voyce of wicked Ahab that hee hated the Prophet of the Lord because he neuer spake good vnto him With loue is coupled a liking and allowance of that which is good after the example of God himselfe of whom it is said that be z 1. Chro. 19. 17 delighteth in the things that are right Of this the Wiseman speaketh in the Prouerbs a Prou. 16. 13. Let the lips of the Righteous be acceptable vnto Kings The contrary whereof is an approbation of euill in other though it were so that we our selues did abstaine from it This fault the Apostle noteth to the b Rom. 1. 32. Romanes Who not onely doe so but are fautors and approâ—uers of these that die it And Dauid in the Psalmes c Psal 50. 18. When thou seest a Thiefe thou takest pleasure in him The next is hatred and detestation of euill both euill persons and things whereof the Psalmist saith O d Psal â—7 10. yee the louers of IEHOVAH hate the thing that is euill And of himselfe hee professeth I e Psal 26. 5. hate the congregation of euill doers I f Psal 31. 7. hate them that obserue vaine vanities O g Ps 139 21 22. IEHOVAH doe I not hate them that hate thee I hate them with a perfect hatred they are in stead of enemies vnto mee I h Ps 119. 104. hate euery euill way I * Ps 119. 161. hate lyes and abhorre them SALOMON also in his Prouerbs i Pro. 8. 13. ioyneth together the feare of IEHOVAH and the hatred of euil as special parts of the heauenly wisdome wherof he there treateth The contrary whereof is the loue of euill things when our k Psal 141. 4. heart which the Psalmist prayeth to be deliuered from is inclined to them This DAVID l Psal 52. 5 6. vpbraydeth vnto DOEG Thou louest euill rather then good lying rather then to speake Righteousnesse thou louest it wonderfully thou louest all pernicious words O deceitfull tongue In the m Psal 4. 3. fourth Psalme he cryeth out Yee sonnes of men how long will you loue vanitie seeke lyes c And Salomon in his n Prou. 1. 22. Prouerbes How long O yee Fooles will ye loue foolishnesse and Scorners long after scorning A second affection is Cheerefulnesse and ioy in that which is good sorrow and griefe of heart and an holy anger when we see men to doe euill Of cheerefulnesse and ioy in good things Dauid speaketh in the Psalmes I o Psal 119. 14. reioyce in the way of thy Testimonies as being aboue all substance Thy p Vers 110. Testimonies are the ioyes of my heart I reioyce q Vers 110. 4. in thy words as one that findeth a great bootie So is it said 1. Chron. 29. 9. The people were glad offering freely or cheerefully And Verse 17. I with a right heart freely haue offered all those things and thy people also that are heere
consider three things First The guilt of sinne whereof the q Rom. 3. 9. Apostle witnesseth that all the World is subiect to the iust punishment of God And againe r Heb. 2. 15. that all men naturally and in themselues considered out of Christ are subiect vnto bondage Secondly As before whilest they stood in their integritie inioying the comfort of a good conscience they had peace and quietnesse of minde so man had no sooner falne but feare and terrour came vpon him As wee see in Adam Gen. 3. 10. I heard thy voyce and was afraid And as it may be seene in all the sonnes of Adam who in respect of sinne Å¿ Heb. 2. 15. are in a perpetuall feare of death all their life long Wherefore the t Rom. 8. 15. Apostle noteth it the generall condition of all Mankinde before they be renewed to be possessed with the spirit of bondage vnto feare The fruit whereof is the drawing vs from God and to make vs flye from him as from our Enemie as Adam u Gen. 3. 8. fled from the presence of God and hid himselfe among the Trees of the Garden Thirdly The particularities of this cursed miserable estate which all the sonnes of Adam doe welter and lye in all their life are manifold and of diuers kindes comprehending x Deut. 28. 61 and 29. 20. all the plagues and punishments that may be thought of written not written but the chiefe and principall of euery sort as they lye in order opposite to the happie and blessed estate before described are these that follow First The wrath of God for so the Holy Ghost saith y Iohn 3. 36. He that beleeueth not the Sonne the wrath of God now abideth vpon him But this is not the full cup of his wrath So farre that all things not blessings onely but his very graces turne to their ruine the dregges whereof the wicked shall drinke hereafter for that no man can indure and liue but qualified and mixed that it breaketh out yet no further then this to turne all things to their ruine not onely outward blessings wherein God lifteth them vp that hee may with a greater force cast them downe but euen the good graces of God and gifts of his holy Spirit which all through their owne fault worke vnto their euill Christ is to them a Rocke z 1. Pet. 2. 7. of offence and set a Luke 2. 34. for a stumbling blocke all b Esay 28. 13. the wholesome instructions which he vseth his chastisements and corrections to reclayme them by their wickednesse are to make them fall to bee snared and in trapped the c 2. Cor. 2. 6. Gospell is a sauour of death vnto death vnto them the d Ro. 2. 4 5 c. bountie and long suffering of God serueth to the hardening of their vnrepentant heart And this is contrarie to that loue wherewith God before imbraced man Secondly Separation from the fellowship of God as 2. Separation from his presence Adam was cast out of Paradise the visible testimonie of his presence In regard whereof the Apostle e Ephes 4. 18. saith We are estranged from the life of God are f Ephes 2. 19. strangers and forainers and g Ephes 2. 17. farre off from him Thirdly Losse of our soueraigntie and consequently 3. Losse of our former soueraigntie and consequently of our power insomuch as both the creatures are become our enemies of the power wee had to rule and to command In so much as the Creatures that before were subiect to vs shaking off the yoke of their obedience are through Adams fall armed to our destruction the wilde beasts of the field readie to deuoure vs and all the creatures to rise vp against vs. Wherefore the h Iob 5. 22 23. Holy Ghost noteth it a fruit of our reconciliation vnto God Not to bee afraid of the beasts of the Earth but to bee in league with the stones of the field and to haue the beasts of the field in peace as being otherwise at warre and at defiance with vs. More then that a thing most opposite to our former and we Slaues to Satan soueraigntie and dominion Satan himselfe the most vilest and most basest of Gods Creatures and the same our vtter Enemie is become our Lord and Master insomuch as hee ruleth and raigneth ouer vs after his owne pleasure haleth and pulleth vs which way it pleaseth him and holdeth vs fast bound as it were in chaines to doe his will being therefore called The i 2. Cor. 4. 4. God of this World that blindeth the mindes of the vnfaithfull the Prince k Iohn 12. 31. and 16. 1â— of this World the l Ephes 2. 2. spirit that worketh effectually in the children of disobedience in m 2. Tim. 2. 26. whose snares wee are and holden captiues of him Whereupon the Apostle saith that by the ministerie of the Gospell Wee n Col. 1. 13. are deliuered out of the power of darknesse and freed o Heb. 2. 15. by Christ from the bondage which through feare of death wee were all our life subiect to And hereof it followeth that the Reprobate hauing beside the sinfulnesse of their nature the Deuill by whose swindge and sway they are wholy led so readie to kindle the coles and to blow the fire of their owne corruption can doe nothing else but sinne Fourthly A heape and multitude of all manner of euill 4. All kind of calamities and calamities of all sorts which the Holy Ghost p Deut. 28. Deut. 28. doth reckon vp as fruits of sinne first in body to be q Verse 25. smitten before the enemies r 25 48. captiuity seruing of the enemie in famine and in thirst in nakednes and want of all things in Å¿ 50. great disgrace and to be t 64. dispersed and scattered into the furthest parts of the earth In mind a u 65 66 67. trembling and heauie heart In the morning to say I would it were euening To bee x 28 29. smitten with madnesse and with blindnesse and with astonishment that they shall grope at noone day as a blind man gropeth in darknesse Then foraine in our possessions first wife and children and then in our goods A y 30. wife shall bee espoused and another shall lye with her sonnes z 32. and daughters giuen vnto a strange people and goe a 41. into captiuitie Touching goods in the Land first and the fruits thereof to b 30. build a house and another to dwell in it to plant the Vineyard and another to eate the fruit the c 23. Heauens to bee brasse that no rayne shall fall and thereby the Land to bee Iron that no fruit shall grow the seed d 38. that shall sowe the ground to bee consumed by the Locust the e 39. Vineyard by the Worme all the f 42. Trees and
from being our guide to leade vs vnto Heauen the same being the proper office of Christ Who b Ioh. 14. 6. is the Way the Truth and the Life as contrariwise they conuince vs euery mothers childe both of impietie to God and iniustice to men in that wee shew not forth the power thereof in our liues but restrayne and keepe it backe vniustly to doe quite the contrarie Insomuch as men naturally knowing c Rom. 1. 19 20 God both his eternall Power and Godhead yet they glorifie him not as God but wax vaine in their reasonings and disputes and rush forth into all vnrighteousnesse against men as the Apostle there at large declareth And the like may bee said of the conscience also that it tendeth onely vnto this to take away all excuse from vs Rom. 2. 15. So as our Desire Will Affections retayne now no part of our former conscience but are wholy brutish sensuall and slaues vnto sinne as wee heard before Not that hereby wee take away all freedome of will from man but we teach that the same hath place onely in the naturall inclinations common to all liuing Creatures which naturally seeke their own good life nourishment maintenance preseruation propagation c. or in the outward actions of this life for matter of manners gouernment of Houses Families Common-wealth Cities c. but not to doe the things that are good and pleasing vnto God The reliques of our former dignitie that yet remaine In the bodie a kind of maiestie in the bodie are c Gen. 9 6. Maiestie and comelinesse of person which bring men many times into a loue and admiration of vs. In the whole d Gen. 9. 2. man there is a certaine soueraigntie that keepeth in awe the brute Creatures insomuch as In the whole man a certain soueraigntie that keepeth in awe the brute creatures The creature here through the fall of maÌ„ receiueth an impaire of his first perfection many sauage beasts that farre excell man in strength doe willingly yeeld themselues to be tamed of him Lastly the punishment of mans transgression resteth not in man alone it is of a more large extent reacheth for mans sake to the other creatures for as they were for his seruice and command made in all excellencie of perfection So by the fall of Adam he hath not onely vndone himselfe and his posteritie but euen the brute beasts and all the dumbe creatures are impayted by it grone vnder that impayre for so God pronounceth Gen. 3. 17. Cursed bee the earth for thy sake And againe Verse 18. Brambles and Bryers shall it bring forth vnto thee And the Apostle Rom. 8. 22. The whole Creation that is all the things created grone and trauaile together vnto this present time And that hee calleth there vanitie or a vanishing and a flitting estate subiect to corruption and decay they hauing a part in the punishment of man to agrieue his curse and to make it more appeare how fearfull his transgression was whereof all the Creatures and the whole frame of the Creation doth feele the smart as e Rom 8. 20. Paul saith They are subiect vnto vanitie for him that subdued them that is to obey the Creatours pleasure who by casting them into this vanitie would leaue it testified how much he is offended with man for whose good he had created them in a farre more excellent condition So much of that which is in part The fulnesse of the curse after death is damnation with the Deuill and his angels This which you haue heard is that miserable and wretched estate which sinne hath drawne vpon all the sonnes of Adam so long as they liue in this World That which we call full cursednesse is a sorer and a more grieuous punishment the full cup of Gods heauie indignation insupportable of all his Creatures No Angell no man not all the Angels or men of the World able to before it or to indure the least brunt of it but forceth miserable man vpon whom it lighteth downe into Hell that horrible place of darknesse where they indure euerlasting torments with the Deuill and his angels such as no tongue can expresse or vtter And therefore it is called The f 2. Thes 1. 9. destruction of the creature The second g Reuel 2. 6. 21. 8. death h 1. Cor. 11. 32. damnation and there is said to bee i Mat. 22. 13. 25. 30. weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth for first they are separate and quite cut off from the gracious presence of God Present indeed they find and feele him by experience but that presence separated from his fauour is an increase of their feare and horrour not onely so but the wrath of God sensibly pursuing them giueth no rest vnto their soules but as a Worme biteth and gnaweth on them continually the fearefulnesse of which torment what heart is able to conceiue But to giue some glimpse of it the Scriptures vse diuers names The k Mar. 9. 43 44 45 46 47. Worme that neuer dyeth Hell fire Vnquenchable fire The l Reuel 19. 20. 20. 10 14. burning Lake Therefore wretched and fearefull is their condition yea thrice miserable are they and happie had it beene for them if neuer they had beene borne as also our m Mat. 26. 24. Sauiour Christ doth say Two circumstances there are whereby these torments insupportable in themselues are made yet more grieuous First By the place Hell where they are kept fast bound in chaines and fetters of darknesse In regard whereof it is called Outer n Mat. 22 13. 25. 30. Darknesse Secondly By the eternitie of the punishment o Mat. 18. 8. 2. Thess 1. 9. Dan. 19. 2. being euerlasting without all hope of ransome no strong nor mightie man to be looked for that may breake this Prison and let the Prisoners loose no end of punishment nor hope of any end alwayes dying and neuer seeing an end of death Their p Esay 66. Mat. 9. 44 45 46 48. Worme neuer dyeth their Fire neuer goeth out they finde not so much as one q Luke 16. â—4 drop of cold water at any time to quench their thirst A paine otherwise not so grieuous if it haue no intermission nor hope of any ease is worse then a thousand deaths O how much more then doth this exceede which with the first waight thereof breaking the very bones and all the veines and sinnewes of their heart must needes in the euerlasting continuance of it infinitely be increased The sinfulnesse annexed to this estate is hatred of God finall desperation and the full height and top of all iniquitie as in the damned spirits we saw before Further to this estate three things are proper In soule presently till the latter Day First it lighteth vpon men one by one presently after death So hath the wisdome of God ordayned that when the course of this life is runne out
Thessalonians comprehendeth both for when hee incourageth them by this Argument that God had not appointed them for wrath but to the purchasing of saluation through IESVS CHRIST he manifestly noteth some ordayned to Saluation other to destruction as many as come not to haue their part in Christ But that to the o Rom. 9. 21 â—2 Romanes is more manifest Hath not the Potter power ouer the clay of the same lumpe to make one Vessell for Honour and another to dishonour And what if God willing to shew forth his wrath and to make knowne his power hath borne with much long suffering the vessels of wrath framed for destruction and that he might make knowne the riches of his Glorie vpon the vessels of Mercie which he hath before ordayned vnto Glorie Behold how he calleth them heere the one Vessels to Honour Vessels of Mercie prepared vnto Glorie the other vessels to dishonour vessels of wrath framed for destruction which selfe-same phrase Vessels to Honour and to shame or dishonour he keepeth also in the Epistle to p 2. Tim. 2. 20. TIMOTHIE Now in a great house there are not onely Vessels of Gold and Vessels of Siluer but of Wood also and of Earth and some verily for Honour some for dishonour This shall yet further appeare if we cast our eye vnto those meanes whereby this predestinate Decree of God is brought vnto effect for sith it is manifest that some beleeue the Gospell and testifie the same by the fruits of their conuersation other are obstinate and stubborne and giuen vp to their lusts blinded with infidelitie and hardnesse of heart thereof we may conclude that some are ordained vnto life other vnto destruction Notable also to this purpose is that vnto the q 2. Thes 2. 9. Thessalonians The comming of Antichrist shall bee with all power to them that are to perish but wee ought alwayes to giue thankes to God who hath chosen vs to Saluation and called vs by the preaching of the Gospell where these two sorts are manifestly distinguished as also Iohn 17. 19. I pray not for the World but for those whom thou hast giuen me out of the World The very scope of the Apostles disputation Rom. 9. 22. driueth heere unto in the person of Ismael and of Isack children one of the flesh the other of the promise And againe in Isacks two sonnes one loued the other hated to set before vs the generall state of all Mankinde yea God hath not onely predestinated men to ioy or to paine but to the measure of it more or lesse according as there be degrees both of glorie and of punishment Mat. 20. 23. vpon the request of the Sonnes of Zebedy our Sauiour Christ granting a difference of Glorie saith It shall be theirs for whom it is prepared of his Father And of the Reprobate the place in IVDE r Iude v. 4. is manifest Which long agoe were appointed to this damnation In saying this he noteth not a common but a rare and as it were an extraordinary Damnation for so I refer the word Damnation to the end aswell as to the meanes to the iudgement it selfe as to the sinne and disobedience which was the cause of it The truth heere of is euident in Iudas the Traitor of whom Å¿ Acts 1. 25. Peter saith that he turned aside from the lot of his Ministerie whereunto Christ had called him to goe vnto his owne place In the words his owne hee noteth his proper degree of punishment and calling it his place sheweth that it was reserued for him and allotted from Eternitie Secondly Euery particular person is thus predestinate So as both the number how many and the persons who they bee are before all Eternitie most certainly knowne to God Therefore our t Luke 10. 20. Sauiour saith Their names are written in Heauen And in u Iohn 10. 3. IOHN A good Shepheard calleth his sheep by Name And hither belongeth that in x 2. Tim. 2. 19. TIMOTHIE The foundation remayneth firme hauing this seale God knoweth who are his Agreeably whereunto our Sauiour Christ saith I y Iohn 13. 18. know whom I haue chosen This number of Gods Elect in comparison of the Reprobate is but small for z Mat. 20. 16. Many are called but few are chosen If but few euen of those that haue an outward calling how much more few if you consider the rest of the World beside And this may teach vs the rather to admire Gods goodnesse to our selues as nature and reason doe instruct vs to set more by that which is common but with a few Thirdly The cause of this difference is the The Papists teach that those who God foresaw would willingly beleeue the Gospel do good works them hee chose though not by reason of their workes but freely of his Grace yet so as hee had respect to the good things would bee in them Wherby they make Gods free election in some sort to haue his cause in man and in his goodnesse which in truth is but an effect comming from that Election free-will and pleasure of God without any motiue to it but in and of himselfe Which the name of Predestination speaketh that the Will and Decree of GOD not in time onely but in the very order and nature of causes is first and before all other things And the Apostle a Ephes 1. 11. saith plainly Hee worketh all things after the counsell of his Will God therefore notwithstanding any thing that hath beene â—â—id is no respecter of persons nor mooued by any qualitâ— that is in man but by his owne free-will No fore-knowledge of faith or infidelitie good or euill workes were the cause of this Decree for they are but b Ephes 1. 4. Titus 2. 12. consequences that follow and depend vpon it but all here is free the roote it selfe and all the branches Election free therefore the Apostle calleth it c Rom. 11. 5. The election of Grace d 2. Tim. 1. 9. Calling free e Phil. 1. 29. We beleeue freely through Grace Are f Rom. 3. 24. freely iustified through Faith Our g Ezech. 36. 37 Sanctification free and h Titus 3. 5. eternall life the free gift of God through Iesus Christ Election therefore commeth from the onely will and pleasure of God for aboue this or out of this it is impietie Rom. 6. 13. Luke 12 32. for to goe Therefore the Apostle wrappeth vp all in sinne He i Ephes 1. 6. chose vs in himselfe according to the free pleasure of his will And the sole and onely cause both of Election and Reprobation of one rather then another is his own good wil and pleasure for causes vnknown to vs but yet most holy and iust and righteous in themselues So he saith to the Romans Whom k Rom. 9. â—8 he will he pittieth whom he will he hardeneth Exemplifying both the parts of this diuision by two most singular and
to the Church of Professors it standeth in an outward calling and gifts An outward calling when by his Word that is to say his publishing of the Couenant of Grace and people in bestowing vpon them his Word and the fruit it bringeth forth by the working of his Spirit for these three Prophet Word and Church haue a perpetuall relation one vnto another Wherefore in handling the Propheticall Office the Word of Christ is first to be spoken of and then his Church The Word of Christ is all the holy Doctrine that hee hath taught from the beginning concerning our saluation through him Wherein obserue First Christ is the matter and onely subiect and substance of the Word In that regard himselfe is called The g Iohn 1. 1. Word or h Reuel 19. 13. The Word of God Because of him and of him alone it is that there are in the Word so many glorious and excellent speeches and the Doctrine of the Gospell hath the name of the Word of Christ Col. 3. 16. So as it is not any naturall knowledge that this Doctrine teacheth but heauenly and supernaturall which was not in Adam before his fall though he were perfectly holy and endued with all manner of naturall vnderstanding Secondly He himselfe as he is the matter so he is the Authour of the Word In which respect the Scripture giueth these names vnto him First He is called Hamedabber or the Speaker and Interpreter of his Fathers Will Dan. 8. 13. To which place it may be the Apostle i Heb. 12. 25. hath some eye when hee saith Take heed yee reiect not him that speaketh or the Speaker meaning Christ Secondly A Doctor k Mat. 3. 10. or a Teacher Thirdly A l Deut. 18. 15. Acts 3. 22. Prophet the head and Lord of the Prophets Fourthly an m Heb. 3. 1. Apostle Fiftly The n Mal. 3. 1. Angell of the Couenant And that wee may know with what Graces our Sauiour Christ is furnished for o Col. 2. 3. so great a worke all the treasures of Knowledge and Vnderstanding are hidden in him yea he is Wisdome p 1. Cor. 1. 24. it selfe or q Luke 11. 49. the Wisdome of God and called as by a proper name r Dan. 8. 13. Palmonie that is one that hath all hidden things numbred before him or ready told and as we say at his fingers ends which as occasion doth serue he vttereth to his Church Wherefore here is the Touch-stone of all Truth and there is no truth concerning God and our Saluation in Christ but in the Word our Sauiour himselfe bearing record Iohn 17. 17. Thy word is Truth Touching the outward instruments which it hath pleased him to vse in the deliuerie of this Word sometimes he spake by his owne voyce from Heauen sometimes by the Ministerie of his holy Angels But specially this outward Ministerie is either his owne which hee executed personally himselfe when hee was vpon the Earth described Esay 42. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. in regard whereof he is called a Minister ſ Rom. 15. 8. The Minister of Circumcision and a t Esay 42. 1. Seruant or it is of his Seruants from the beginning of the World of whom hee saith He u Luke 10 16. that heareth you heareth mee and hee that reiecteth you reiecteth me Of whose Ministeries and Functions we shall haue cause to speake hereafter Therefore Christs Office of a Teacher did not first begin when hee tooke our flesh vpon him for his Spirit it was that spake in the Prophets long before hee came into the World as the Apostle beareth record 1. Pet. 1. 11. The forewitnessing Spirit of Christ that was in the Prophets declared the sufferings that should befall Christ and the glorie that was to follow And that which is in the Psalmes x Psal 95. 7. To day if ye will heare his voyce the Apostle y Heb. 3. 7. to the Hebrewes referreth to the voyce of Christ Thirdly I note the perfection of this Doctrine that Christ hath opened the whole will of his Father fully and perfectly in euery Age and neuer left his Church without a full and perfect direction of all things necessarie for their saluation for Moses saith z Deut. 30. 15. Behold I set before you this day life and death which hee could not haue said vnlesse there had beene a certaine direction to lead them vnto life And when hee chargeth a Deut. 4. 2. Not to adde to the words that he gaue them in Commandement nor to take from them doth it not prooue that the same was perfect Fourthly The subiect of the Word being Christ it is more particularly the Couenant made in him which by the Word is promulged and offered vnto all and his Spirit maketh effectuall to as many as receiuing the same by faith make themselues worthy of it The which Couenant being distinguished by the Old which being of the Old Testament was called The promise of the New The Gospell Testament and the New as before hath beene declared the publication of the Old Testament in and through Christ to come was called b Acts 13. 32. Gal. 3. 17. The Promise when hee was exhibited and come indeed that worthy and welcome Message was termed c Acts 13. 32. Marke 1. 1. The Gospell or good newes and glad tydings But it is the glory of Christs administration whether in his owne person when hee was among vs or by his and by the power of his Spirit Seruants that the outward dispensing of the Word is accompanied with an inward working of the Spirit of both which parts his Propheticall Office standeth herein differing from all other Ministers who onely preach the Word set d Mat. 3. 11. on the outward Element e 1. Cor. 3. 6. plant and water but the whole blessing doth come from him for he teaching openeth mens mindes e Luke 24. 45. that they may vnderstand the Scriptures and bestoweth other graces which the Word bringeth forth euen in the wicked by a generall working of his Spirit as we are taught by the f Mat. 13. 24. Parable of the Sower and haue g Marke 6. 20. Herod and the h Iohn 5. 35. Iewes for an example It followeth to speake of the Church That which we he draweth men to that Profession call Church signifieth in i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greeke a select companie gathered called culled picked out from other men In English it hath the name deriued from that which in Greeke signifieth k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord because they belong to Christ the Lord and are separate to his Seruice be it by an inward whereof commeth the word Church or as the Northerne pronounce Kirk or an outward separation But the outward Church is it which wee are to beginne withall which is in generall the whole number of men professing Christ Concerning which take these few
feare him and belong to his Election Not alwayes visible and to bee seene with the eye but members through faith of the true Catholike and inuisible Church of Christ The Papists which say the Church cannot erre Church soeuer in such sort professeth Christ as the members truely holding that they doe professe are thereby made members of the Mysticall Bodie of Christ the same what imperfections soeuer it haue beside and how vnsound soeuer it may bee in many parts yet it hath the heart and life of a Church otherwise it cannot bee said a Church For albeit the Church of God be not subiect to fundamentall errours that take away the life and being of a Church for then how could it bee any Church at all yet in other points not of manners onely but of Truth and Opinion it doth and may erre both particular Congregations the whole Church Vniuersall did not the whole Church of the Iewes erre And euen they that heard our Sauiour Christ so long when they dreamed of the Kingdome of the Messias to be an earthly y Acts 1. 15. Kingdome and that it should come in brauerie and ostentation And was it not the z Acts 10. 34. 11. 2. common errour of al the Church and of the Apostles themselues after his Ascension that they thought the Gentiles to be vncleane and that the Gospell pertayned not to them Fundamentall errours I call these two especially First When the Doctrine and Profession of the Gospell is corrupt in substance as the Papists doe corrupt it three manner of wayes First Denying Iustification by faith alone in the onely Merits of Christ and seeking to bee saued by their owne Merits or Righteousnesse for which cause the Apostle casteth off the Iewes Rom. 10. 3. and 11. 20. and threatneth asmuch to the Galatians Gal. 5. 2. If yee bee circumcised ioyning Circumcision or the workes of the Law together with Christ in the matter of Iustification Christ shall profit you nothing Secondly Denying the sole sufficient Sacrifice of Christ and setting vp in their blasphemous Masse a daily reall sacrifice of his bodie for the quick and the dead whereas Christs Sacrifice must either bee a perfect Sacrifice once for all neuer to be iterated nor repeated or else it is no Sacrifice at all as the Apostle teacheth at large in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Thirdly Denying the true and onely Head-ship of Christ by placing Antichrist in his roome which is a mayne and fundamentall Heresie not to hold fast the head Col. 2. 19. Secondly Idolatrie when the Worship of God is corrupted in the verie substance of it In which sort the old Church of the Iewes corrupting themselues a Exod. 32. 7. became no more the People of God and had their b Exod. 33. 3 7 11. Bill of Diuorce for it c Exod. 32. 30 31 32 33 34. till at Moses intercession vpon the publike Repentance of the people it pleased God to be reconciled to them And herein also the Papists doe offend as grieuously and more grossely then euer the Iewes did in worshipping of Images of Saints deceased and of their breaden god in that their Idolatrous Masse By all which it is euident that the Church of Rome is a corrupt and vnsound Church if a Church at all For touching the Sacraments and other holy things or rather the Prophanations of the same which are to bee found among them for in truth out of the Church there are not any Sacraments rightly administred they can no more make a true Church then the bare writing and setting to of a Seale can make a Deed without the parties deliuerie for God neuer deliuered his Sacraments to any out of his Church though they presume to take them and to set as it were his Scale to them And where the Apostle saith 2. Thes 2. 4. that Antichrist must sit in the Temple or Church of God hee meaneth that which once was the Church of God though now it bee not Like to the speech of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 24. 15. When you see the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place that is the place which once was holy whilest it was a figure of Christ and of his Church but so was it not when this which hee fore-telleth should come to passe But what are wee to doe in these cases Surely where the errour is dangerous and ouerthroweth the foundation wee are there to seuer our selues and to haue no fellowship with them as wee are taught in the case of erronious doctrine 1. Tim. 6. 3. If any man teach otherwise and consent not to the wholesome words of our Lord Iesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to Godlinesse he is puffed vp from such separate your selues Hee himselfe that taught this Lesson made no bones to practize it Acts 19. 9. When certaine men at Ephesus were hardened and disobeyed speaking euill of the way of God hee departed from them and separated the Disciples And the like he did at Rome Acts 28. 28. Of the other that is to say Idolatrie we haue a Commandement 2. Cor. 6. 14 15. 16 17. Bee not vnequally yoked with Infidels for what fellowship hath Righteousnesse with vnrighteousnesse or what communion hath light with darknesse or what concord hath Christ with BELIAL or what part hath the Beleeuer with the Infidell or what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lord. So did the Priests and Leuites come to Iudah and Ierusalem to serue God when Ieroboam had set vp Idols in Israel 2. Chron. 11. 14. Worthily therefore in both these regards and by good warrant from the Word haue wee separated our selues from the Church of Rome as from a Strumpet and a Harlot not in any respect the true Spouse of Christ But for other blemishes or corruptions that onely stayne and disfigure the Church but strike not at the heart and roote there to make separation is a grieuous offence and the sinne of Schismatikes Fourthly Being but the Church of them that are called with an outward calling there are among them oftentimes many Hypocrites as the Apostle teacheth 1. Iohn 2. 1 19 They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue abidden with vs. But this is to make it manifest that all are not of vs. Vpon all that hath beene said it followeth that the Church which now wee speake of is a Church visible I call it not visible as if the Church of GOD were alwayes to bee seene and knowne in the The errour of Poperie that would haue the Church of God to be alwayes visible in the World World for as the Moone is sometimes eclipsed sometimes at the full so the Church sometimes lifted vp aboue the Mountaines is other sometimes thrust into the Wildernesse c Reu. 12. 6. that no true Professors seeme to be remayning So 2.
the Apostle by this Argument condemneth those that in the Congregation pray in a strange Language there being none for to interpret it For then saith he how shall hee that supplyeth the place of an vnlearned man say Amen at thy giuing of thankes forasmuch as he knoweth not what thou sayest To the Ministers also belongeth the Administration of and Administration of the Sacraments the Sacraments for in that they haue power to deale with the Word it selfe the dispensation of those holy things which are but Seales and Pledges of the Word of the promises made in Christ cannot be denied them the Sacraments being as it were a visible Word in which respect they are said to haue a t Exod. 4. 8. voyce wherefore our Sauiour Mat. 28. 19. coupleth them together Teach all Nations baptizing them c. The Ministers of the Word being some of them extraordinarily Among the Ministers of the Word some haue bin extraordinarily inspired of Christ raysed vp of God other comming in by the ordinary calling of the Church in those of the former sort wee are specially to consider the Ministerie of certaine select persons inspired of GOD to deliuer the truth of Christian Doctrine both by word and writing which were the Prophets of the Old Testament and the Apostles of the New Whereupon wee are said to bee u Ephes 2. 21. built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone And Peter x 2. Pet. 3. 1. stirreth vp those to whom hee writes to remember the words spoken before of the holy Prophets and the Commandement of vs saith hee the Apostles of the Lord and Sauiour So it is said Reuel 21. 14. The wall of the Citie new Ierusalem had twelue foundations and vpon them the twelue names of the twelue Apostles of the Lambe And in that sence Peter and the rest may well bee taken to bee that y Mat. 16. 18. Rocke vpon which Christ doth build his Church In this point of the Propheticall and Apostolicall Ministerie I obserue foure things First That they spake and wrote by Diuine Inspiration for Prophesie in times past saith the Apostle 2. Pet. 1. 21. came not by the will of man but as they were mooued by the holy Spirit did the holy men of God speake And Paul z 2. Tim. 3. 16. to TIMOTHIE All Scripture is inspired of God and is profitable to teach c. Secondly The manner how they deliuered this Doctrine to deliuer both by liuely voyce which was in two sorts by liuely voyce or writing The liuely voyce was euer in the Church from the beginning to the death of the Apostles All which time there was almost no Age wherein at the least some holy man of God was not extraordinarily stirred vp to deliuer the Doctrine of Truth from the immediate mouth of God although there were many times intermissions as the Historie doth shew And the Church complayneth in the a Psal 74. Psalmes yea this Doctrine was oftentimes corrupted and adulterated but by new Reuelations restored againe and kept in the first Integritie In limiting the liuely voyce to the time of the Apostles it must not so bee taken as if the liuely voyce of the Ministers of GOD did not continue still in the Church but that is of Pastors and Teachers who are and alwayes were to fetch their light from the direction of the Prophets and Apostles it is not of extraordinarie men inspired of the Holy Ghost as the Prophets and Apostles were The reason why a liuely voyce continuing so long as from the beginning of the World vntill the Apostles time should cease with their death doth appeare Heb. 1. 1 2. where it is said that God in many pieces and after diuers fashions of old spake to the Fathers by the Prophets but in these latter dayes he hath spoken vnto vs by the Sonne For so long as the Word was deliuered but by parcels and that there remayned something still behind more cleerely and manifestly to be reuealed which was till he spake fully and lastly by his Sonne so long a liuely voice was necessarie wherewith euery new Reuelation doth beginne but longer there can be no vse of it for that should plainly argue that the Reuelation of the Mysterie of Christ by Christ himselfe were not yet perfect By writing they did deliuer it in the Canonicall and writing Bookes of the Old and New Testament which by way of excellencie wee call the Scriptures or the written Word begunne by Moses and continued during all the time before-mentioned euen to the death of the Apostles Those Bookes are in the Old Testament Genesis c. In the New Matthew c. As for the Bookes commonly called Apocrypha wee acknowledge therin many profitable things contayned and good for morall instruction especially in Ecclesiasticus and in the Booke of Wisdome and some things also necessarie for the vnderstanding of the Storie of the Church yet because they carrie not the print of Gods Spirit which the spirituall man discerneth they are not equalled or matched with the Scriptures And because in many of them flat vntruths and contrarieties may be found and in one and the same Storie contradictions with the true Storie penned by the Holy Ghost and in most of them diuers things either friuolous and absurd or manifestly false and forged or Doctrines taught and commended which the Word of God condemneth we cannot without impiety lift them vp into the Chaire of Truth Beside They were neither written in the Hebrew nor receiued of the Iewes b Rom. 3. 2. 9. 4. to whom were committed all the Oracles of God vnder the Old Testament But that those which we call Canonicall Scriptures were inspired of God is to be proued by arguments and reasons taken from the Bookes themselues As first the Maiestie of the Word in so great simplicitie and so familiar and plaine a stile so piercing and effecting the conscience which all the eloquence of the world and lay it all together is not possibly able to doe although there lacke not also eloquence in the Word but heauenly and diuine Secondly The harmony and consent of so many persons writing at seuerall times in seuerall places and ages of seuerall arguments and matters all iumping and concurring in one as led by one and the same Spirit Thirdly The holinesse of the matter it selfe not sauouring of the world but leading vs by the hand out and from aboue the world Fourthly The prediction of future things many hundred yea thousand yeeres before they came to passe which all fell out accordingly Fiftly The secret and hidden things there discouered which no wisdome of the earth no wit of man was able to reach vnto Some few sparkes whereof stollen from hence haue cast such a light in the writings of Heathen men as hath made them to seeme diuine Sixtly The faithfull and sincere dealing of the Pen-men whom
for they dranke of the Spirituall Rocke following them and the Rocke was Christ The difference onely is First In the outward Signes Secondly In that the Sacraments of the Old Testament were signes of c Heb. 10. 1. future good things which Christ should performe ours are signes and remembrances of good things alreadie done and performed by him The Ministers of the New Testament were first Apostles The Ministers of the New Testament were Apostles inspired by whose Ministery were written the Bookes of the New Testament Prophets Euangelists Pastors Teachers c. inspired of Christ as is afore-said by whose Ministerie were written the Bookes of the New Testament then Prophets Euangelists Pastors Teachers c. These fiue you haue so reckoned vp Ephes 4. CHAP. VII Of that which the Scripture by excellencie termeth The Kingdome and of the Church of Gods Elect. OF the three great Armes or Branches of Hitherto of Christs Propheticall Office That which the Scripture by excellencie termeth The Kingdome is to the Church of Beleeuers It standeth in an effectuall Calling and the ruit that commeth from it An effectuall Calling whereby hee draweth as many as are elect to beleeue in him Christs Kingdome two haue beene alreadie opened His generall Gouernment of the World whereby hee swayeth all things and the fauours which in the Largesse and Royaltie of his Propheticall Office he bestoweth vpon the Church in generall the bad among them aswell as the good all sworne vnto him and called by his name and all for the Elects sake being so many steps and stayres to leade those whom God hath chosen to farre more eminent and surpassing Graces now to bee spoken of in this third part which the Scripture is wont to call by way of excellencie d Mat. 13. 38. Luke 4. 43. Acts 20. 25. The Kingdome e Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God or f Col. 1. 13. The Kingdome of his Sonne and g Mat. 13. 44 45. The Kingdome of Heauen For though the same as wee haue shewed bee specially spoken of the Raigne of the Messiah when hee came into the World yet for the truth and substance it holdeth in all times from the beginning that being Citizens of that Kingdome we haue as it were a Heauen here on Earth and Heauen indeed hereafter for in it are all the glorious things which God communicateth with his people Wee beginne with that excellent and precious gift of Faith the sauing Knowledge of GODS Elect Which standeth in the imbracing and laying hold on Christ the highest step of Grace that in this life is possible to bee attayned whither the Reprobate neuer can ascend Also it is the life soule of the true Church on Earth as Profession is outward for the proofe whereof I refer you further to that which is spoken there wherefore the number or h Ephes 3. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Family as Paul speaketh of Gods Elect effectually called to the knowledge and participation of Christ makes the whole companie of those that belong vnto him and are indeed and truly his which therefore by excellencie is wont to be called i Ephes 1. 22. 5. 23 32. Col. 1. 18 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 16. 18. The Church or as we vse to speake and as the Symbole of the Apostles hath it The holy Catholike Church wherein these qualities come to be obserued First The Church is but one whether they bee on Earth drawne by the Word of Christ and the Grace of his holy Spirit to beleeue in him or in Heauen there enioying his blessed presence so the Apostle doth k Col. 1. 20. Ephes 3. 15. many times deuide it they make all but l Ephes 1. 10 23 Col. 1. 18. one bodie whereof Christ is the Head Secondly Catholike or Vniuersall The Papists ridiculous to call the Romane Church which if it were admitted a true Church is but a particular Church by the name of the Catholke Church it may be called hauing regard both to persons places and times Persons as comprehending all GODS Elect who in their time are all gathered into the bosome of this Church Wherefore Gal. 4. 26. the Catholike Church Ierusalem which is aboue is said to be the mother of all In regard of place because it is not tyed to any Region or Countrey in particular but scattered throughout the World For the times In all Ages of the World God hath euer some that are his indeed members of the true Church through faith in him Thirdly The true Church is called holy because they are indeed and truly the sanctified members of Christ regenerate and borne againe in whom he dwelleth and raigneth by his Spirit being washed iustified sanctified through him and hereafter for euer glorified So as out of this Church there is no Saluation for there is no Faith no Christ but there and hereof the m 1. Pet. 3. 20 21. Arke was a Figure wherein all that were not perished Fourthly The true Church whilest it remayneth here on Earth is inuisible because their Faith which onely maketh them members of the Church cannot be known or seene of any but of those that do receiue it And if the true Catholike Church might bee seene then were it no Article of our Faith to beleeue it Howbeit at the last Day they shall be all seene To speake of Faith which maketh men members of the true Church Properly it is a vertue and holy qualitie of the Minde and Will powred into vs by the Holy Ghost for the knowing and apprehending of Christ But as the Scriptures take it and Diuines commonly define it by the worke of Faith it is a knowledge and apprehension of Christ now absent with all his benefits offered in the Word to bee ones owne Howbeit in so great a matter to vse somwhat a more large description and in one view to lay forth whatsoeuer is necessarie to bee knowne of Faith Faith proper to Gods Elect for I meddle not here with Historicall Faith which n 1. Iames 2. 19 Iames calleth the faith of Deuils nor with o Mat. 13. 21. temporarie Faith or the Faith of p 1. Cor. 13. 2. working Miracles these are but in name onely and abuse of speech or if properly Faith yet not sauing Faith but true and sauing Faith is a speciall gift and grace of God wrought in our hearts by the Holy Ghost and that ordinarily by the preaching of the Gospell nourished by the Word and Sacraments Ioyned it is with Knowledge not a generall or confused knowledge but the sauing knowledge of Gods Children that apprendeth Christ and applyeth him to euery true Beleeuer But apprehending Christ absent in his Word it is mixed with much weaknesse and vnbeliefe yet still holdeth fast and letteth not goe the hold but continually groweth till wee come to see Christ in his Glorie and therefore is perpetually waited vpon by Hope the sure Anchor of our soules Now
fulnesse of Christ that we may be no more children c. And 1. Cor. 13. 10. When that which is perfect shall come then that which is in part shall be done away When I was a child I spake as a child I reasoned as a child But when I became a man I put away the conceits of a child The Infancie of Regeneration I call that weake inception which is in vs during this present life wherein we are yet as little children scarce come out of the shell h 1. Pet. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 New-borne babes as PETER calleth vs i Rom. 8. 23. which receiue but the first fruits of the Spirit or onely k 2. Cor. 1. 22. a pawne or pledge the earnest penny of the Spirit for as in the naturall birth of a man his bodie commeth not into the world so great and strong as afterwards it proueth but small weake and impotent so in the spirituall birth of Regeneration the soule of man is not at the first moment indued with perfection but must grow and go on forwards to it which is all our life long I meane not that this Infancie is the first act of our Regeneration for there be some that are borne in respect of others strong in Christ and Giants the first day as was the Apostle Paul But I meane the whole progresse also and continuance all our life euen in the best And so doth the Apostle 1. Cor. 13. 11. bring the similitude of childe-hood and mans estate not to note the beginning and proceeding in Christianitie but to set forth the excellencie in heauen aboue that which we attaine vnto being here To this estate these foure things are proper First In euerie man Regenerate there be as it were two men deuided the old and the new man The old man called also the outward man the flesh the members for we carrie about vs a whole bodie of sinne is so much of vs whatsoeuer it be within or without that is naturall and left yet vnregenerate The new man called also the inner man the Spirit the minde is our part Regenerate and borne againe wherein being freed from sinne we begin to bring forth fruits to God And that both these are in one and the same man we are taught Math. 26. 41. The Spirit is readie but the flesh is weake 1. Cor. 5. 5. Deliuer such a one to Satan to the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may bee saued in the Day of the Lord Iesus Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh that yee cannot doe the things you would Rom. 7. 25. Therefore I my selfe in the minde serue the Law of God but in the flesh the law of sinne and in a number of other places Thirdly That it is not a worke to bee seene and in our owne inward assurance of the Spirit not in the Worlds discerning of it knowne of men as that other shall be manifest vnto all But euery mans conscience must assure him for himselfe and of other in whom there bee signes and likelihoods we are to hope the best wherefore the Apostle Col. 3. 3. saith That our life is hid with God in Christ not to be manifested till Christ our Life doe manifest himselfe For l 1. Iohn 3. 2. this cause saith another the World knoweth vs not because it knoweth not him Beloued now are we the Children of God but it is not yet made manifest what we shall be Fourthly In this infancie there is yet a continuall and growing growth till we come to the full measure of a perfect man in Christ And that is it which the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 4. 16. that the inner man is renewed daily as hee doth more largely declare it Ephes 4. 15 16. Being sincere in loue let vs grow vp in him in all things who is the Head euen Christ of whom all the whole bodie knit together and compact by all the ioynts furnished through the power within working of Christ our Head quickening all the parts as the Soule doth the Bodie according to the measure of euery member receiueth an increase fit for the bodie to the building vp of it selfe through loue Colos 2. 19. By whom or from whom that is to say from Christ the Head all the Bodie furnished and knit together by ioynts and bands increaseth with the increase of God And hither those two Parables before Mat. 1◠seeme to tend Fiftly That the measure and proportion of our according as our Faith doth grow growth is the measure proportion of our Faith as the Apostle sheweth there m Ephes 4. 13. that the vnity of Faith bringeth the perfection of the Bodie of Christ So as the greater wee be in Faith the stronger wee are in Christ if of small Faith then weake Babes in Christ The full perfection and accomplishment of Regeneration After commeth that perfect Regeneration which the Scripture calleth mans estate shall then bee When wee haue attayned the marke and are made perfect as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 3. 12. Therefore this degree is termed Mans estate and sometimes by a note of excellencie aboue the other hath the name of Regeneration appropriate vnto it as appeareth by conference of Mat. 19. 28. with Marke 10. 30. where that which Matthew nameth Regeneration is called The World to come for then indeed doth our Spirituall Marriage beginne all our life here being as it were n Cant. 4. 7 8. the bidding or as the betrothing of a Wife The Church in the Canticles setteth it forth by o Cant. 7. 6. bringing of Christ into the House of her Mother CHAP. IX Of Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption THE holy Angell telling Ioseph of a Sonne Saluation wrought by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in vs. to bee brought into the World whose name should be called IESVS rendreth this reason of the Name q Mat. 1. 22. For he shall saue his people from their sinnes That Saluation the Spirit of Christ dwelling in vs and being ours by Regeneration effectually doth worke for it washeth vs from our sinnes it iustifieth our persons and sanctifieth our hearts slaying sinne in our mortall bodies and quickening our soules to a liuing hope through the Resurrection of Iesus Christ and shall hereafter quicken both our bodies and our soules vnto euerlasting Glorie Thus the Apostle writeth to the Corinths n 1. Cor. 6. 11. But yee are washed from the sinnes wherein they formerly wallowed but yee are iustified but yee are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And to the o Rom 8. 11. Romanes If the Spirit of him that raysed Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raysed Christ from the dead will also quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit dwelling in you As on the other side p Iohn 6. 53. Christ saith Vnlesse ye eat the flesh of
to doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth mee Thirteenth Wee haue innumerable Angels that attend to helpe vs Psal 34. 7 8. The Angell of IEHOVAH pitcheth his Tents round about them that feare him 2. Kings 6. 16 17. Feare not there be more with vs then that are with them Then praying to IEHOVAH hee opened the eyes of his seruant who looking saw that behold the Mountaine was full of Horses and Chariots of fire that is of holy Angels round about ELISHA Fourteenth There is no cause why wee should â—aint vnder this burden seeing Prayer ministreth abundant comfort to vs which comming from Gods Spirit with so much the greater vehemencie sighes and grones as the troubles that lye vpon vs are more pressing and weightie must needes bee effectuall for the working of some good blessing To which purpose the Apostle inforceth this Argument Rom. 8. 26 27. Fifteenth Howsoeuer it bee no affliction can debase vs or make vs poore for hauing Christ who is t Heb. 1. 2. Heire of all things and Lord of Heauen and Earth wee cannot but bee rich in him By this Argument the Apostle u Rom. 8. 31. there mollifieth the bitternesse of afflictions He that hath not spared his owne Sonne but for vs all hath giuen him vp to death how shall he not together with him giue vs all good things I haue beene too long in these The rest of the markes that follow to shut them vp shortly are First Humilitie Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth IEHOVAH require of thee but to doe right and to loue kindnesse and to walke humbly with thy God Secondly Loue of the Brethren because they are Brethren and Children of the same Father 1. Iohn 3. 14. We know we are passed from death to life because we loue the Brethren The practice of this one dutie to the members of Christ for Christs sake casteth such a shining Light in the eyes of God and Man that our Sauiour Mat. 25. 35 36. by it our Faith and consequently the righteous iudgement of God in the sauing of our Soules shall be made manifest to all the World in the latter Day Thirdly To loue our Enemies and to forgiue them their offences Mat. 5. 44 45. Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that molest you and persecute you that you may bee the children of your Father which is in Heauen c. Ephes 4. 32. Forgiue one another as God in Christ hath forgiuen you Fourthly Open profession of Christ and of the Gospell Rom. 10. 10. With the heart men beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made vnto saluatition Fiftly Humble confession of our sinnes Prouerbs 25. 13. Hee that confesseth his sinne and forsaketh it shall obtayne Mercie Sixtly The vsing of good meanes to clense vs from them Psal 19. 1â— His ignorance who vnderstandeth O clâ—nse me from my secret sinnes Seuenthly Holily religiously to sanctifie the Sabbath Day for this binding vs to the good abearing from following our owne pleasures and profits and the things that are so sweete vnto the flesh cannot rightly bee performed but of those that indeed make a conscience of their wayes wherefore the x Esay 58. 13 14 Prophet setteth it as a speciall marke vpon the Childe of God If thou wilt keepe backe thy foot on the Sabbath from doing thine owne pleasure in my holy Day and shalt call the Sabbath delight holy to IEHOVAH glorious and shalt honour it not to doe thine owne wayes nor to find out thy pleasure nor to speake a word then shalt thou delight thy selfe in IEHOVAH and I will make thee to ride vpon the high places of the Land and make thee to eate the Inheritance of thy Father IACOB So y Ier. 17. 14 c Ieremie 17. many sweet and gracious promises are made to those that keepe the Sabbath and sharpe and to the end of the Chapter seuere Iudgements threatened to the contrarie And seeing it pleaseth God to set such a speciall Memento vpon this Commandement aboue the rest Remember thou keepe holy the Sabbath Day it should teach vs what a deepe Roote the same ought to haue in our heart and how it should affect vs. Of this that our Sanctification is here imperfect two things doe follow a Christian Warfare and Repentance Christian Warfare is a Warre proclaymed of GOD himselfe for men to try all their strength and valour in when hee saith I z Gen. 3. 15. will set enmity betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and betweene her seed Meant principally of Christ the Seed of the Virgin but withall comprehending all his members Therefore heere is a Flag of defiance set vp and a perpetuall and endlesse Warre denounced wherein we may take no truce nor euer be weary of it Of this it is written in the a Reuel 12. 7. Reuelation that a great signe was seene in Heauen MICHAEL and his Angels meaning specially the Saints vpon Earth fighting with the Deuill and his angels And to this spirituall Combate the Scripture euery-where doth incite vs b 1. Tim. 1. 18. Fight that good fight Let c Heb. 12. 1. vs runne with patience the strife that is set before vs and such like Whereupon the Church of God in this life is called The militant Church and all Christians d 2. Tim. 2. 3. Souldiers though principally the same be giuen to the Ministers whose part it is to goe before the people in this spirituall Conflict So PAVL Phil. 2. 25. maketh mention of EPAPHRODITVS his fellow-Souldier And so doth hee and Timothy call Archippus in the e Verse 2. Epistle to Philemon being a Phrase of speech borrowed from the Law where the Ministery of the Priests and Leuites is called a Souldiership or f Num. 4. 3. 8. 24 25. Warfare In this spirituall Battaile I consider fiue things First The Enemies we are to fight with Satan and all his brood the name of Satan comprehending all impure spirits of whom he is the Head being not onely our g Mat. 13. 39. enemy that hateth vs and h 1. Pet. 5. 8. goeth about as a roring Lyon seeking whom hee may deuoure but withall our i Reuel 12. 10. accuser that accuseth vs before our God day and night and the k 1. Pet. 5. 8. pleader against vs. This the Apostle notably describeth Ephes 6. Put on the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the assaults of the Deuill for we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities against Powers and against the worldly Gouernors the Princes of the darknesse of this World against most wicked spirits which are in the high places Satans brood I call the World and the Flesh By World meaning First The malignant Church the companie of the wicked and vngodly The sonnes of that
naughtie one as they are termed Mat. 13. 38. For l Iohn 15. 19. and 17. 14. because wee are not of the World but GOD hath chosen vs out of the World therefore doth the World hate vs which is the perpetuall state of Gods Church from the beginning and was figured in m Ge. 25. 22 23 Rebecca a Type of the Church in whose wombe were two Nations deuided that stroue and fought together And our Sauiour doth fore-warne vs not to looke for better In n Iohn 16. 33. the World yee shall haue affliction Secondly Whatsoeuer is vnregenerate in the Children of God themselues whereby it many times falleth out that none are greater instruments vnto vs of offending God then they By the flesh I meane our naturall corruption and all the lusts and workes of it an enemie which we alwayes carrie about vs not onely in our bosome but in our very bowels So that heere is the battell between the flesh the Spirit wherof the o Gal. 5. 17. Apostle saith that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh And these saith he are opposite one to another Rom. 22. 23. It is elegantly described I finde therefore this Law for mee when I would doe well that euill lyeth readie for me to slay and seize on mee as the Lord speaketh of sinne Genes 4. 6. For I am delighted in the Law of God as touching the inner man but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind leading me captiue to the law of sin that is in my members p 1. Pet. â— 11. PETER in like sort willeth vs to abstaine from fleshly lusts that war against the soule And heereof are the exhortations so common in the Scripture q Gal. 5. 16. Walke in the Spirit and fulfill not the lusts of the flesh Wee r Rom. 8. 12. are debtors not to the flesh to liue after the flesh but to the Spirit to be led by it Take Å¿ Rom. 13. 14. no care of the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Christ t 1. Pet. 4. 1. therefore hauing suffered for vs in the flesh Put you on also the same minde that he which suffereth in the flesh hath ceased from sinne Secondly In this conflict are to be considered the two Generals of these Battels The Captaine vnder whome wee fight IESVS the u Heb. 12. 2. Prince and perfiter of our Faith in x Gen. 3. 15. Genesis pointed out by the seed of the woman to note his Manhood in the y Reuel 12. 7. Reuelation by Michael equall with the mightie God to set forth his God-head you shall find him royally described Reuel 19. 11 12 13 14 15 16. The head and generall lifted vp against him is the Dragon the old Serpent Satan or the Deuill as wee heard before Thirdly The weapons of this Warfare both those which our Aduersaries the Flesh the World and the Deuill fight withall and those whereby wee doe resist them The weapon of sinne or of the flesh is Lust as it is said Rom. 7. 8. Sinne taking occasion by the Law wrought in me all manner of lust Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit The weapons of the World are First Outward Afflictions and Persecutions Reproches Slanders c. to draw vs from Christ Iohn 16. 33. In the World ye shall haue afflictions Secondly Ease Credit Pleasure Profit Honour c. Thirdly Euill Examples Satans weapons are outward or inward Outward First The World for wicked men are the Hel-hounds of Satan the Champions and Souldiers which hee fights withall whose head and generall hee is and therefore called the z Iohn 14. 30. and 16. 11. prince of this World which name is giuen to all a Ephes 6. 12. vncleane spirits The b 2. Cor. 4. 4. god of this World And the afflictions of the World as they proceed from him are called The c 2. Co. 12. 7. buffetings of Satan Secondly The obiects of sinne to our eyes our eares and other sences which Satan setteth before vs to draw vs to a loue and in loue to a committing of it as hee did to our first Parents in Paradise and to our d Mat. 4. Sauiour Christ in the Wildernesse and as hee ceaseth not continually to doe to vs. Inward ones are First His kindling of the fire of our owne concupiscence blowing as it were the bellowes and gathering together matter for it to worke vpon Secondly Temptations or Illusions which he casteth into hearts as Venome or Poyson for to infect vs. Our weapons whereby wee doe resist them what they are the Apostle notably declareth 2. Cor. 10. 4. not carnall but mightie and valiant to the throwing downe of all the strong holds of sinne Where though he speake specially of the Ministers yet the like is to bee said in their degree and place of all other Christians Generally it is the Word of God as appeareth 2. Thess 2. 8. Whom God will consume with the breath of his mouth But more particularly they may be reduced vnto two heads Faith and the fruits of Sanctification that come from it for so e 1. Tim. 1. 18. Paul to Timothy vnder these two comprehendeth all willing him to fight that good Fight hauing faith and a good conscience And 1. Thess 5. 8. Put on the Brest-plate of Faith and Loue and for a Helmet the hope of Saluation And 1. Cor. 16. 13 14. Watch stand in the Faith Let all your things bee done in loue In the f Reuel 12. 11. Reuelation they are reckoned these three which come all vnder the other two Faith in the bloud of the Lambe as the Shield the Sword of the Word of God and confession of Christ vnto the death Of Faith the Apostle speaketh 1. Pe. 5. 9. Whom that is the Deuill resist stedfast in Faith And 1. Iohn 5. 4 5 This is the victorie that ouercommeth the World euen your Faith And this as our chiefe and principall weapon the Apostle biddeth vs aboue all to take vnto vs by it hauing Christ himselfe and his Spirit to bee ours And therefore being that g Ephes 6. 16. whereby we are able to quench the fiery darts of the Deuill The fruits of Sanctification are all the Christian Vertues and Qualities which the Word of God requireth The Apostle Ephes 6. reckoneth them vp in this order First Truth or a sound and sincere heart wrought by the Gospell which is the Word of Truth as a belt to gird vs in Secondly Righteousnes both Piety and Iustice in a Holines towards God Innocencie towards our Neighbours for a Brest-plate the habit and perfection wherof being Loue h 1. Tim. 1. 5. out of Faith vnfained The Apostle therfore 1. Thess 5. 8. calleth it The Brest-plate of Faith and Loue. Thirdly Preparation or readinesse of minde which is as it were the shooing of our feet to make them light and nimble
vp vnto full and perfect Happinesse And thereof came those Phrases e Iohn 6. 47. He that beleeueth in me or as it is in another place f Iohn 3. 36. Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and commeth not vnto iudgement but is passed from death to life g 1. Iohn 5. 12. Hee that hath the Sonne hath life h 1. Iohn 3. 14. Wee know that wee are alreadie passed from death to life because we loue the Brethren That is the reason why the i Rom. 8. 29. Apostle speaketh in the present or time past not in the future when he saith Whom he hath iustified them he hath also glorified The particularities of this degree of Happinesse beside our Vnion with Christ and through him with God whereof wee haue spoken alreadie are these that follow First The loue of God k Heb. 12. 6. anew that now he vouchsafeth First in the Loue of God anew to call vs friends As we reade of ABRAHAM that he was called the friend of God Iames 2. 33. Whereof follow three excellent consequences First His generall goodnesse in the gouernment of the World doth after a more speciall and louing manner extend vnto the faithfull and that three manner of wayes First In an extraordinary bountie and goodnesse In which sence the l 1. Tim. 4. 10. Apostle calleth him the Sauer and Preseruer of all men but especially of the faithfull And m Psal 68. 20. Dauid saith The God of our Saluation lodeth vs with benefits day by day Secondly In a most fatherly prouidence ouer his Church and chosen people of whome hee letteth not so much as n Psal 34. 20. one bone to bee broken keepeth them in all their wayes that they should not o Psal 91. 22. dash their foote against a stone Nay the p Luke 12. 7. very haires of their head are all numbred And q Zach. 2 8. he that but toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Whereupon wee are r 1. Pet. 5. 7. willed to cast our care vpon God for hee careth for vs. A Doctrine full of most sweet comfort the vse whereof is large and reacheth very farre all our life is subiect to an infinite heape of euils whether we looke vpwards or downe vnto our feet A thousand dangers compasse vs about at home and abroad rising vp and lying downe walking and sitting stil On euery side of vs how many things there be that threaten dāger yea to the verie taking away of life In the middest of these how were it possible for a man to bee quiet if hee did not rest assured that God had a speciall care of him which when once his heart conceiueth by and by all feare and perplexitie flyeth from him and casting all his care on God Hee saith boldly ſ Psal 27. 3. Though an Armie pitch against me my heart shall not bee afraid Though Warre rise vp against mee in that will I haue trust t Psal 3. 6 7. I will not feare for tenne thousand of people that haue set their Tents round about mee but will lye downe and sleepe and wake againe for IEHOVAH holds mee vp u Psal 118. 6 7 Heb. 13. 6. IEHOVAH is with mee and my helper I will not bee afraid what man can doe vnto mee And therefore also hee taketh as made vnto himselfe those golden promises mentioned in the Psalme x Psal 91. 3 4 5 6 7. He shall deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter from the plaguie pestilence with his feathers shall he couer thee when thou betakest thy selfe vnder his wing a shield and buckler his truth shall bee Thou shalt not bee afraid of the feare by night of the Arrow that flyeth in the day of the Pestilence that walketh in a mist of the Murraine that wasteth at noone day a thousand falling at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hand it shall not come neere to thee In a word no open nor secret outward nor inward bodily nor spirituall euill no not at any time shall bee able to preuaile against thee Thirdly In all kindnesse and mercie comforting them in their distresses as hee hath promised To y Esay 25. 8. wipe away all teares from their eyes And againe z Esay 49. 15. Though a Mother forget her childe yet will I not forget thee Sorrow saith a Psal 30. 6. DAVID may come in the night but in the morning is singing And in the Prophet ESAY b Esay 54. 7 8. For a little time I haue left thee but with euerlasting Mercies will I gather thee with a little wrath did I hide my face from thee for a moment but with euerlasting kindnesse will I haue mercie vpon thee The second consequence is that all things turne vnto whereby all things our good We know saith the c Rom. 8. 28. Apostle to the Romanes that to them that loue God all things worke together to good In which respect he saith in d 1. Cor. 3. 21 22 another place All things are yours whether life or death or things present or things to come c. To declare this more particularly First The calamities and troubles of this life are not not the calamities onely and troubles of this life now any punishment of sin vnto vs which is all borne in Christ but fatherly chastizements for our amendment whereunto that sentence of the Apostle Rom. 8. 28. more specially driueth And this is the Couenant and promise of God Psal 89. 31 32 33 34. If his sonnes forsake my Law and walke not in my Statutes c. I will visit their transgressions with the Rod and their inquitie with stripes but my kindnesse I will not put from him nor falsific my faith Secondly Death it selfe hath lost his sting and the and also death it selfe Graue his victorie Being no more fearefull and terrible but the gate of hope and a sweet pleasant passage vnto life and immortalitie In so much as knowing the nature of it to be changed from a punishment of sinne which properly it is vnto a good and happie thing wee come now to desire it and to wish for it Phil. 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and to bee with Christ Wherefore 1. Cor. 3. 22. death is said to be ours and to serue for our good And to the e Heb. 2. 14 15 Hebrewes that Christ by his death doth set vs free from all feare of death Hence ariseth the f 1. Cor. 15. 55. Apostles holy triumphing ouer it O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victorie Thirdly Our verie sinnes by the wonderfull Goodnesse but euen our very sins turne vnto our good of God and his admirable and vnspeakable Wisdome who bringeth light out of darknesse serue for our further strengthening and incouragement vnto good For first they tend to manifest our owne weaknesse and corruption and to make vs
snare it shall come vpon all that sit vpon the face of the Earth l Mat. 25. 13. Watch therefore at all times praying c. And Mat. 24. and 25. he inforceth the same by two excellent Parables one of the Steward put in trust by his Master the other of the ten Virgins concluding with the selfe-same exhortation Watch therefore for yee know not what houre the Sonne of man shall come Againe it shall be very euident visible notorious of all men especially of the Elect. So the Angel telleth thē m Acts 1. 11. This Iesus which is taken from you into Heauen shall come after the same manner as ye haue seene him going into Heauen that is visibly apparantly as it was said before n Verse 9. That they seeing beholding a Cloud tooke him from their eyes In regard of the State and Maiestie of his Comming it o Titus 2. 13. and els-where is euery-where called his p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glorious and bright appearance Opposed to his first Comming which was without any shew in Meeknesse and Humilitie whereas this shall bee in all Royaltie and Magnificence aboue the pompe and glittering shew of all the Kings of the World For first it shall be q Mat. 24. 30. With power and much glorie Secondly r 1. Thess 1. 8. In a flaming fire Thirdly With the ſ 1. Thess 4. 16. voice of an Archangell with a Trumpet of God Fourthly With infinite thousands of holy Angels to attend vpon him Mat. 25. 31. When the Son of man shall come in his glorie all his holy Angels with him 2. Thes 1. 7. When the Lord Iesus shal shew himselfe from Heauen with his mightie Angels For the blessed soules of the righteous deceased shall not attend him when hee commeth to Iudgement but shall bee sent to their bodies in the Graues from thence to be taken vp and presented before him The fourth thing to bee obserued in the last Iudgement in the Ayre and there is the place where the same shall bee which the t 1. Thess 4. 17. Apostle teacheth when he saith We which liue and remaine shall be caught vp with them also in the Clouds to meete the Lord in the Ayre for it seemeth the whole Earth can hardly hold the men that then shall come to Iudgement Next are the things which hee shall doe when hee is come being of three sorts First The preparation to the Sentence This standeth in foure things First The erecting of a great and glorious Throne for this Iudge to sit vpon though of what matter the Scripture concealeth yet vndoubtedly fit for the Maiestie of the Iudge of all the World whether the same be the glorious Angels of God that as a Throne beare vp our Sauiour Christ or some other thing but for certayne a reall and most Royall Place it shall be where hee shall sit euidently to bee seene of all Mat. 19. 28. When the Sonne of man shall sit vpon his glorious Throne Reuel 20. 11. I saw a great white Throne and one sitting vpon it great to shew the Maiestie and white to note the sinceritie and vprightnesse of his Iudgement Secondly His retinue and attendants which are the troupes and thousand thousands of holy Angels compassing him about Thirdly The gathering together of all both Elect and Reprobate to come before him Fourthly The separating of those two sorts one from the other setting the Elect at his right hand and the Reprobate at his left hand You shall finde them all foure Mat. 25. 31 32 33. And when the Sonne of man commeth in his glorie and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit vpon the Throne of his glorie And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate one from another as the Shepheard separateth the Sheepe from the Goates and he shall set the Sheepe at his right hand and the Goates on his left The second thing which he shall doe being come is receiue sentence of all fulnes of blessednes for euer the sentencing or proceeding vnto Iudgement Wherein I consider First The order of the Sentence that first it shall bee pronounced vpon the Elect then against the Reprobate for so our Sauiour manifestly sheweth Mat. 25. 34. Then assoone as separation is made the King shall say to them at his right hand And u Verse 41. Then afterwards he shall also say to them at his left hand This appeareth further by that honour that the Children of God shall haue to iudge the wicked iustifying and approouing by their voyce and suffrage the holy Sentence of Christ which because it cannot bee vntill themselues haue receiued the sentence of glorie it followeth that the same goeth in order before the other Secondly The sentence x Mat. 25. 34 41. it selfe to the Elect Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the World To the Reprobate Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his angels Thirdly The y Mat. 25. 4 34 35 36 41 42 43. reason of the Sentence iustifying this great Iudge before God and the World and to the consciences of all men for in it is opened first the eternall and most righteous Decree of God electing one and reprobating the other Then the sequels of this Election and Reprobation In the Elect Loue to Christ and to his members vndoubted fruits and testimonies of their Faith in the Reprobate hardnesse of heart without compassion or loue vnto the Saints a declaration before men and to their owne soules of their righteous and iust perdition Iohn in the z Reuel 20. 21. Reuelation doth elegantly describe it by two Bookes wherein those reasons are both written The first is The Booke of both their consciences wherein are written the ones wicked workes to conuince their damnation to be most iust and the others Holinesse of conuersation The other Booke is The Booke of Life which is the eternall Election of the latter to shew that they being many times guiltie of foule offences and the best of all their workes weake and imperfect and vtterly of no desert their Saluation is altogether free and of Gods meere grace and fauour in and through Christ The third is The Execution of this Sentence wherewith which our Sauiour shutteth vp Mat. 25. 46. So these shall goe away vnto euerlasting punishment but the righteous vnto life euerlasting Wherein we consider the order of it and the thing it selfe The order first vpon the Reprobate then to the Elect for albeit the Sentence of Come yee blessed for such causes as we haue heard alreadie bee in order to goe before that of Goe yee cursed c. yet the Execution beginneth heere the holy a Mat. 13. 49 50. Angels first of all flying at once vpon the Reprobate to throw them into the place of their deserued torment that so the