telleth vs that Hee which vpon Adams fall began his Mediation had a Being long before and together with his Father and Holy Spirit weilded a greater Scepter being the Lord and Creatour of Adams selfe and of the whole World besides and the great King out of whose Throne proceed those euerlasting counsels that rule and moderate whatsoeuer is or shall be Thy Throne is established before any time thou art from euerlasting The other degree is in the tayming and bringing downe of the proud enemies of his Kingdome whose rage and furie hee compareth with the loud noyse of mightie waters when the Waues and Surges of the Sea arise Christs Dominion that sitteth aloft as Lord Paramount with the stilling and ouer-ruling of them Then followeth the second mayne Arme and Branch of his Kingdome in the Scepter of his Word Thy testimonies are exceeding true And lastly the euerlasting Righteousnesse which by the Spirit of Sanctification hee bestoweth vpon his Church In thy House is comely holinesse O IEHOVAH for euermore The first of these is properly called his Iudicature or Office of a Iudge the second is his Propheticall Office the third is wont by excellencie to be called The Kingdome All most glorious and noble effects of his Ascension into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of God as the Apostle telleth vs Ephes 4. 8. Ascending on high he led captiuitie captiue whereby he meaneth the absolute power giuen vnto him for the gouernment of the World seene specially in the subduing of the proud enemies of the Church And gaue gifts vnto men which g Verse 10. by and by hee interpreteth to bee as much as to fill all things that is the whole bodie of his Church and all the parts of it with the varietie of his Graces Not that Christ had not this excellencie or did not raigne at all before his Ascension into Heauen for h Iohn 1. 49. Nathaniel telleth him Thou art the King of Israel And i Iohn 18. 37. hee himselfe when Pilate asked Art thou a King answereth Thou sayest true for I am a King But the full and reall manifestation of this Kingdome in his flesh or humane nature did then first beginne To prosecute now these parts in such order as wee One whereby he gouerneth all the World according to their owne nature since the fall did propound them The first is that which extendeth generally to all the World and to the whole gouernment and administration of it which hee himselfe is wont to call his Iudgeship or Office of iudging Iohn 5. 27. He hath giuen vnto him dignitie to execute iudgement as he is the Sonne of man And Iohn 5. 22. The Father iudgeth no man but hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne where that it may appeare how large his Power in this behalfe extendeth hee calleth it all iudgement Agreeable whereunto is that of the Apostle Heb. 1. 3. where hee is said to sustayne all things by the power of his Word Therefore Iohn 5. 17. he makes this generall proclamation My Father worketh hitherto and I worke without restraint of time or place or of the subiect or persons towards whom it is wrought God therefore who before gouerned immediately and by himselfe hath euer since the fall of Adam appointed Christ his Vicegerent and Lieutenant generall in whose person he would afterwards rule the World Not that himself sitteth idle in heauen as Iosephs Master did when he had committed vnto Ioseph the Administration of his house but being in him and with him and working all things by and through Christ who againe vseth to that end beside his Spirit and the power of his Word the seruice also the ministery of his holy Angels all which is figured by many excellent and goodly Similitudes in the Vision of k Ezech. 1. Ezechiel where the foure liuing Creatures representing the innumerable company of Angels whose Ministerie extendeth vnto all the foure parts of the Earth haue vnder their feet foure wheeles noting the whole vncertaine course of this changeable and vnconstant world which moue when they moue and rest when they stand still And when the liuing creatures lift vp themselues from earth into heauen to receiue from God new Commandements the wheeles also as it were doe follow them and cease from wheeling to wait their direction Aboue which Angels is a Curtaine or Extent betweene God and them all of Christal cleare and transparent thorow the which as he beholdeth these inferior creatures so they both Angels and men according to their mediocritie are able to see him and the brightnesse of his glorie Ouer that Extent higher than the highest heauens is a most glorious Throne erect whereupon doth sit the likenesse of the Sonne of man Christ the blessed Lord of glorie God and man whom all obey and stoope at his command All this for the good of his Church and people for whose sake it was necessarie he should be armed with so great a Command and Power In this part of his Kingdome I note First The largenesse thereof in that it reacheth euery where and no place exempted from it I will giue the Nations l Ps 2. 8. for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession m Zach. 9. 10. His dominion shall be from Sea to Sea and from the Riuer vnto the ends of the earth n Dan. 7. 14. And to him was giuen Dominion and a Glorie and a Kingdome that all people nations and tongues should serue him o Ps 72. 8. 11. He shal beare rule from one Sea vnto another and from the floud as farre as the ends of the earth All Kings shall bow downe vnto him and all Nations shall serue him p Math. 28. 18 All power is giuen me in heauen and vpon the earth Secondly In this Kingdome Christ alone perfecteth all things not like to other Kings and Potentates who rule by deputies but here hee himselfe doth all for though there he vsed instruments yet all commeth from his strength and vertue and hee himselfe is euery-where present by his Spirit Whereupon his Kingdome is called q Esay 9. 6. Wonderfull because the effects and working of Gods Spirit are strange and marueilous Thirdly the vertues and properties of this our King arming and inabling him for the effecting of those great things are two Counsell to aduise of things wisely and Strength to put them in execution beeing both the stayes and props of a Kingdome as it were the two pillers Iacin and Bohas whereupon r 1. King 7. 21. Salomons Porch was built Therefore Rabshake to discourage Hezekias vanteth of these two as of the things whereon the hope if battaile standeth as if Hezekias were not in them to be compared to the King his Master Å¿ Esay 6. 5. Say yet they are but lip words that thou haue counsell and strength for the warre yet in whom doest thou trust And Salomon though hee preferre the one maketh
for the World but for those whom thou hast giuen me Fiftly For what things this Intercession is made Not for some one or few benefits but that we may be partakers of all the good things that he hath wrought Faith or Vocation Vnion with himselfe that is to say Regeration Righteousnesse and Sanctification through him Constancie and Perseuerance in the estate of Grace and finally Eternall Happinesse for all these parts are particularly set downe Iohn 17. as namely Verse 20. 21. I pray for all that are to beleeue in me by their Ministerie that all may be one as thâ—â— Father in me and Iâ—n thee So that they also may be one with vs that the World may beleeue that thou hast sent mee Verse 17. Sanctifie them by thy Truth Verse 11 Holy 〈…〉 er keepe them in thy Name Verse 15. I pray not that thou 〈…〉 them out of the World but that thou keepe them from th 〈…〉 one Verse 13. That they may haue my ioy fulfilled to them Verse 24. Righteous Father whom thou hast giuen vnto me I desire that where I am there they also may be that they may behold my Glorie which thou hast giuen me And Verse 26. That the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be vpon them So hee doth expresse the Intercession hee made for Peter to bee That his faith should not faile Luke 22. 32. Intercession therefore of our Sauiour Christ is as it were a continuall plaister for the curing of the manifold slips frailties and sins whereunto the faithfull through infirmitie doe continually fall that so by a speciall and continuall application of his Merit our persons may remayne iust and our workes acceptable to God 1. Iohn 2. 1. If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate c. Sixtly That as in his humanitie hee desireth all these things for our Saluation and the applying of his Merits and death vnto vs so by the power of his Deâ—â—e he doth indeed apply them whereunto his being in t Heb. â— â—4 Heauen and in the sight of God his u Rom. â— 34. sitting at the right hand of his Father and his x Heb. 7. 25. euerliuing doe much 〈…〉 le making that Intercession of his as in it selfe more glorious so for vs more gracious and acceptable and able perfectly to saue them that come to God by him Seuenthly That y Rom. 8. 26. making Intercession for vs hee teacheth vs also by his Spirit to make Intercession to God with Prayers sighes and grones that cannot bee expressed CHAP. III. Of Christs Gouernment of the World in generall AFter the Priesthood of Christ next followeth Such is the Priest-hood of Christ his Kingdome followeth his Kingdome which is euerywhere spoken of in the Scriptures and most honourable and glorious promises made vnto it Esay 9. 7. A Child shall bee borne vnto vs and a Sonne giuen to vs vpon whose shoulder the Dominion shall lye Esay 32. 1. Behold a King shall raigne in Righteousnesse And Ierem. 23. 5. A King shall raigne and prosper Generally in his Kingdome I obserue three things Kingdome First A calling of Christ by God his Father to it for as hee intruded not himselfe into the Office of a Priest but expected the calling of his Father so he tooke not vpon him to raigne before hee had a Kingdome giuen him Therefore Psalme 2. 6. God is brought in saying I haue appointed my King ouer Sion my holy Hill And Dan. 2. 44. it is said In those dayes shall the God of Heauen rayse vp a Kingdome So Luke 1. 32. the Angell telleth MARIE The Lord shall giue vnto him the Throne of his Father DAVID And PETER z Acts 2. 36. Him hath God made both Lord and Christ Secondly The inuesting of him into the Princely Honour and Administration of his Kingdome whereof he had full seizin and was put into the actuall and reall possession of it when he ascended into Heauen which a man may call his going vp vnto his Coronation Daniel a Dan. 7. 13 14 in his seuenth Chapter hath a notable description of it seeing in a Vision Christ God and Man comming out of Heauen into the lower parts of the Earth to worke the mysterie of our Redemption and that done ascending into Heauen to the Ancient of dayes God his Father to present himselfe before him And to him saith hee was giuen Dominion Glorie and a Kingdome Thirdly The fruit and end of all this the same wherevnto is in the things which he doth from God for those Elect the whole worke of his Mediation tendeth which is our b Ephes â— 16. Peace and Reconciliation with God in and through him Therefore hee is called The c Esay 9. 6. Prince of Peace d Heb. 7. 2. The King of Righteousnesse and The King of Peace figured by MELCHISEDECH King of Shalem And heereupon the e Rom. 14. 17. Apostle saith that the Kingdome of God is Righteousnesse Peace and loy in the Holy Ghost More specially to treat of this his Kingdome It parteth The kingdome of Christ hath two parts it selfe into three mayne Armes or Branches rising by so many steps or stayres one is his Gouernment of the World in generall taking things in such sort as the Fall did leaue them without vouchsafing any further fauour And this may bee called the footstoole of his Kingdome Another standeth in the bestowing of his Word and the fruits thereof matters of speciall grace though such as fall vpon the Reprobate and this may be called the Scepter of his Kingdome The third Is the giuing of his Spirit whereby of carnall he maketh vs spirituall and heauenly Creatures and this may be called the Seate and Throne or rather the Life and Power of his Kingdome as these three parts are so distinguished and in the same order Psal 93. The first words of which Psalme in a holy triumph and reioycing-wise expresse the generall argument that Iehouah which is Christ our Lord raigneth and not raigneth onely but hath his Raigne accompanied with two Noble Adiuncts Glorie and Power Then hee commeth to distinguish the parts First his Gouernment of the World considered in two degrees One the stay and sustentation of all things the same which the f Heb. 1. 3 Apostle so highly magnifieth to the Hebrewes for whereas Adams sinne had turned vpside downe the whole frame of Nature and according to the curse What day thou eatest of the forbidden fruit thou shalt certainly dye had brought man and all the Creatures for mans sake to vtter ruine and desolation Christ the Mediator steppeth forth and there beginneth his Kingdome in holding vp the World which otherwise had instantly come to nothing This you haue in the latter end of the first Verse The inhabited World is settled it shall not be remoued And that so wonderfull a thing as this a worke of such admiration might haue a reason sutable to make it not seeme strange the Prophet
out IEHOVAH he is the true God The liuing God The eternall King which made the Earth by his Power established the inhabited World by his Wisedome and by his Prudence stretcheth out the Heauens who vttering his voice the waters make a noyse in the Heauens he bringeth forth vapours from the vtmost part of the Earth maketh Lightning together with the raine and bringeth the winde out of his treasures To conclude saith he Thus shall yee say to the Idolatrous Gentiles The Gods that made not Heauen and Earth shall perish from the Earth and from vnder the Heauen And y Psal 115. 15. Dauid setteth it as the proper mark of the only God Blessed be ye of IEHOVAH who hath made the heauen earth So Esay 44. 19. He taketh to himself alone both the creation and administration of all things I IEHOVAH stretch out the Heauens alone I stretch out the Earth by my selfe And of them both the z Esay 40. 12. Prophet saith Who hath measured the waters in his fift and couered the Heauens with a spanne or in a measure comprehended the Dust of the Earth and weighed the Mountaines with a Waight and the Hils in a Ballance Who then is like vnto our God or what or who is he that may be compared with him Whose a Psal 36. 7. kindnesse is vp vnto Heauen his truth vnto the Clouds his righteousnesse as the mighty Mountaine his iudgements as the great Deepe who by his Prouidence preserueth both man and beast Thine saith the b Psal 89 10 11 12 13 14 16 Psalmist are the Heauens yea thine is the Earth the inhabited World and the things that fill it thou hast founded Then followes an enlargement by the parts North and South thou hast created Tabor Westward and Hermon towards the East which sing of thy Name The Gouernment he partly touched before and afterwards more fully Thou rulest ouer the pride of the Sea when the waues thereof rage thou doest represse them Vpon all which he concludeth O blessed is the People that are acquainted with the shoute walking in the light of thy countenance O IEHOVAH that is who acknowledge thee their Soueraigne Lord and Captaine suffering themselues to bee led and guided by the shoute or noyse of thy voice in thy most glorious Word and workes as by the Trumpet or Allarum of their Generall Now to make it euident how the Glorie of God shineth and sheweth out in all which hath beene said of the exercise of his Kingdome Generally it may be seene First That hee is perfection it selfe in giuing all perfect things to other Secondly his owne Infinitenesse in that their best and put them altogether is but c Esay 40. 15 17 a drop of that which is feafull in him Thirdly his Eternitie in being before all things were More particularly he manifesteth his Power Wisedome Goodnesse both in the making and gouerning the World In the making hee manifesteth his Power in creating things of nothing onely by his command in fetching one contrarie out of another as Light out of Darknesse c. and bringing forth whatsoeuer he would euen at the first without naturall causes giuing light vnto the World before there was a Sunne making d Gen. 2. 5 6. Plants and Herbs to grow and all things to bee greene and flourishing in the Fields when there was no man to till the ground nor any mist or raine to water it His Wisdome in the artificiall distinction of things His Goodnesse in garnishing and replenishing the Earth with all good things fit for the vse of man and that before their Creation that so hee might bring them into the World not as to an emptie and barraine habitation but stored first with whatsoeuer was requisite both for the necessitie and pleasure of their life In the gouerning hee manifesteth his Power doing things not onely by meanes but without meanes aboue meanes and contrarie to all meanes and course of nature His Wisdome in doing all things according to the counsell of his will in measure and weight most wisely yea like a most cunning Workeman procuring good things by euill instruments and making sinne it selfe to serue vnto his glorie His Goodnesse in being liberall and bountifll to all as the Psalmist e Psal 145. 9. saith IEHOVAH is good to all and his Kindnesse is ouer all his Workes CHAP. V. Of the Morall Law the first Table and the first Commandement ALBEIT the Glorie of GOD shine most So much of the Kingdome of God The honor due vnto him is that the reasonable Creatures Angels men doe his Will cleerly in all his Workes yet is this honour which in the second place wee giue him very needfull for it was not enough for the illustration of his glorie either to make the World or by his Prouidence thus royally to gouerne it vnlesse there were some that might both see behold admire and confesse the excellencie thereof aswell in themselues as others without which all the other Creatures and Actions of God how infinite matter soeuer they containe of Gods Glory could no whit increase his prayse which was the end of his gouerning and making of them no more then all the skill and excellencie of the most perfect workman can purchase credit or commendation of his worke if none but himselfe obserue it Therefore in his wisdome he saw it needfull to create Men and Angels indued with knowledge iudgement a reasonable soule and will and other excellent parts to be the Trumpetters of his Glorie But notwithstanding that in these God could glorifie himselfe though men and Angels would stop their mouthes and conspire to roote it out hee being able either to destroy the Creatures he had made and so to glorifie his Power and Iustice in their deserued ruine or against their will to wring from them a confession of his Prayse yet as earthly Princes not onely desire Soueraigntie and command which the Rebels themselues are not able to withdraw but loue especially that their people should obey carrie Subiectly mindes vnto them So it pleased God to adde this one vnto the rest for the full making vp and perfecting of his glorie This honour we define by the doing of his will which is the proper office of Angels and Men and not of any other Creature yet it is true the rest of the Creatures doe the will of God also yea the wicked aswell as the good but not in the same manner The wicked doe it because they shall doe it will they nill they Gods Children because they haue a will and desire to doe it Generally all doe his will and pleasure that is f Psal 115. 3. 135. 6. whatsoeuer hee in his euerlasting counsell hath purposed to be done But that is the secret and hidden will of God which the wicked may doe and perish not his knowne and reuealed will whereof wee heere speake which cannot bee done but in obedience of reasonable Creatures to the
excellent meanes to auoyde stealth Let x Ephes 4. 28. him that stole steale no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good So 2. Thess 3. 11 12. hee saith Wee heare that there are some which walke among you inordinately that worke not at all but are busie-bodies Therefore them that are such we warne and exhort you by our Lord Iesus Christ that they worke with quietnesse and eat their owne bread And 1. Tim. 5. 13. he blameth the Widdowes for being idle and going vp and downe houses Thirdly Honest recreation a thing that fitteth vs for the seruice of God and of euery good dutie as Shooting Musike putting forth of Riddles and the like for these the Word of God doth by name speake of So Dauid 2. Sam. 1. 18. to teach the children of Iudah to handle the Bow vttered that Lamentation which is there extant of Saul and Ionathan And himselfe by the sweetnesse of his Musike refreshed the troubled heart of Saul 1. Sam. 16. 24. Of the other wee haue an Example in the Riddle put forth by SAMSON Iudges 14. 14. Out of the eater came meate and out of the strong came sweetnesse The contrarie whereof is first the dulling of our selues by a continuall wearying of the minde and bodie without intermission Secondly An excessiue vse of lawfull pleasures and delights without referring them to the right end The y Esay 5. 12. Harpe and Violl Timbrell and Pipe and Wine are in their Feasts but they regard not the worke of IEHOVAH neither consider the worke of his hands who z Amos 6. 5 6. play vpon the Violl as DAVID they inuent Instruments of Musike and drinke in Basons of Wine and anoynt themselues with the chiefe of Oyntments but are not grieued for the affliction of IOSEPH I a Eccles 2. 2. said of Laughter Thou art mad and of ioy What is that thou doest Woe b Luke 6. 25. be to you that now laugh for ye shall waile and weepe Fourthly Imitation of good Examples first and principally of God himselfe Be c Ephes 5. 1. yee followers of God as beloued children And to the beholding of this Example of God our Sauiour doth lift vs vp when he saith Ye d Mat. 5. 48. shall therefore be perfect as your Father which is in Heauen is perfect Be e Luke 6. 63. ye mercifull euen as your Father is mercifull The Lord also himselfe taketh vs forth that Lesson saying Be f Leu. 11. 44. ye holy for I am holy And g 1. Ioh. 33. Iohn maketh it that perpetuall strife and indeuour of GODS Children Whosoeuer hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe as he is also pure And againe h 1. Ioh. 4. 17. As he is such also are we in this World for therefore saith the i Heb. 12. 10. Apostle God chastiseth vs for our profit that we might partake his holinesse Next is the example of Christ our Sauiour God manifested in the flesh For k 1. Pet. 2. 21. Christ also suffered for vs leauing vnto vs a prescript that yee might walke in his steps Then of the holy Angels as our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heauen Likewise of Adam in his innocencie vnto whose Image the Apostle l Colos 3. 10. Ephes 4. 24. euery where willeth vs to bee renewed Lastly of good and holy men that beholding the issue of their conuersation we may follow their faith as the Apostle exhorteth Heb. 13. 7. And againe Heb. 6. 12. That ye be not Bastards but followers of them that through faith and long sufferance inherit the promises 1. Cor. 4. 16. hee saith I beseech you be followers of me Wherein notwithstanding wee must take heed because in the best men much corruption is to bee found that wee follow them no m 1. Cor. 11 1. further then they follow Christ The contrarie whereof is the following of euill and wicked examples n Iob 31. 33. If I haue hid my sin as ADAM or after the manner of men especially of the Deuill the father of Lyes for which our Sauiour taketh vp the Iewes Iohn 8. 44. Fiftly Societie and companie with the good for such as ones companie is such lightly is ones selfe I o Psal 119. 63. am companion to all them that feare thee and keepe thy Commandements The contrarie whereof is First Leauing and lothing the companie of the good forsake p Heb. 10. 25. not your assembling together c. Secondly Societie with the wicked for which the good King Iehosaphat is reprooued by the Prophet What q 2. Chro. 19. 2. thou to helpe the wicked one and to loue the haters of IEHOVAH But for these thngs is hot displeasure towards thee from IEHOVAH Ill r 1. Cor. 15. 33. companie corrupts good manners To this purpose Salomon in his Prouerbs hath many excellent sayings Make no Å¿ Pro. 22. 24 25. friendship with an angrie man nor companie with a furious man lest thou learne his wayes and get a snare for thy selfe Hee t Pro. 28. 7. that keepeth the Law is an vnderstanding childe but hee that associateth himselfe to Gluttons shameth his father Where opposing companie-keeping with Gluttons to the keeping of the Law hee sheweth how forcible a meanes ill example is to leade vs into sinne Of this kind especially is the contracting of our selues in marriage with the vngodly for which the same Kings sonne Iehoram is taxed He u 2. Kings 1. 18 walked in the wayes of the Kings of Israel as the house of AHAB did for AHABS Daughter was his Wife and he did euill in the eyes of IEHOVAH yea this is noted as the prime sinne that corrupted the olde World and brought the floud vpon them for that the x Gen. 6. 1 2. sonnes of God the professors of Pietie and true Religion of the Posteritie of Sheth and ENOSH seeing the Daughters of men who made no conscience of seruing God to bee beautifull tooke them from any indifferently without respect of what Religion they were of wiues such as they chose Therefore were the Children of Israel precisely forbidden y Deut. 7. 3. to ioyne affinitie with those Nations of the Land of Canaan to giue their daughters to any of their sonnes or to take any of their daughters for their sonnes for saith the Lord They will certainly draw your sonnes away from following me to serue other gods The second part of watchfulnesse is that which vseth all diligence in that which is good Continue z Rom. 12. 12. Coloss 4. 2. in Prayer or lye at it continually a Ephes 6. 18. Watch thereunto with all assiduitie The contrary whereof is negligence and slacknesse In b Rom. 12. 11. doing seruice be not slacke Hitherto of watchfulnesse whereunto we are to couple in the fourth and last place continuance and perseuerance in wel-doing the crowne and
first and the second Table as they were at the first deliuered of God to Moses The summe of the first Table is Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart or minde and with all thy soule and with all thy might And to this Table the foure first Commandements doe belong The summe of the second is Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And to this Table the sixe last Commandements doe belong for all which our Sauiour Christ himselfe is our warrant who calleth these two The n Math. 22. 37. first and second Commandements The summe of the first Commandement is That wee Pietie is of the immediate duties to God whereof this is the whole that we haue God to be our God haue God to be our God So it is expressed in the Commandement it selfe Thou shalt haue no other gods before my face The first affirmatiue whereof is Thou shalt haue me to be thy God The contrary of this hauing of God to be our God is first that which the Psalmist o Psal 10 4. noteth The wicked are so proud they seeke not after God Against which p 2. Chro. 15. 13. Asa made a Law that if any would not seeke after God he should die Secondly Atheisme in denying God or his properties as Prouidence Wisedome Presence c. The foole q Psal 14. 1. hath said in his heart There is no God Yee haue said r Malach. 3. 14. It is in vaine to serue God c. Wee haue God to bee our God by cleauing to The parts are two one to cleaue vnto him him and worshipping him This Distribution Moses giueth Deut. 10. 20. Thou shalt feare IEHOVAH thy God and serue him Thou shalt cleaue vnto him and sweare by his Name Cleauing I call that straight and holy bond whereby we are tyed and glued as it were to God as the Apostle speaketh Å¿ 1. Cor. 6. 17. He that is glued to the Lord is one spirit Of this it is said t Iosh 23. 8. Stick fast vnto IEHOVAH your God as you haue done vnto this day He exhorted u Acts 11. 23. all that with purpose of heart they would cleaue to the Lord. The contrary wherof is that which the Prophet speaketh of x Ierom. 17. 5. Cursed is the man whose heart departeth from IEHOVAH Their y Esay 26. 13. heart is farre from mee If any man z Hebr. 10. 38. with-draw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him This cleauing to God groweth from a respect of that absolutenesse of all good things that are in him and hath these parts First to loue him for his goodnes desiring nothing Louing more then to be ioyned vnto him delighting to thinke and speake of him and to doe the things that are pleasing in his sight By which notes and marks it is easie for vs to examin our loue vnto him a Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt loue IEHOVAH thy God with all thy heart c. The contrary whereof is that hatred of God whereof we spake before Secondly to reuerence him for his Holinesse and the Reuerencing Maiesty of his presence before whome no vnseemely thing may come b Eccles 5. 1. God is in Heauen and thou art vpon the earth therefore let thy words be few And this as a bridle reyneth and keepeth vs backe from committing either open wickednesse or secret sinnes Who would not be ashamed to spue in the face of his Prince How much more should we blush to powre foorth our wickednes in the sight or presence of this King of Kings infinitely more glorious then all the Princes of the world Therefore doth the Holy Ghost aggrauate the sinne of the old world c Gen. 6. 11. That the earth was corrupted before God and of the Sodomites that d Gen. 13. 13. they were exceeding sinners before IEHOVAH that is without all reuerence daring in his presence and as it were hee looking on to commit all kind of filthinesse And the Wiseman e Prou. 5. 21. vseth this as a most effectuall Argument to draw men from the enticements of sin vnder that one of the strange woman comprehending all the rest For that the wayes of euery one are before the eyes of IEHOVAH For the other common are the exhortations in the Scripture f Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be vpright And g Exod. 20. 3. thou shalt haue none other gods before my face ENOCH h Gen. 5. 14. is also commended that he walked with God And the Prophet Ieremy i Ierem. 13. 23. notably inforceth this reason Can any man lye hid in darkenes and I not see him saith IEHOVAH Doe not I fill Heauen and earth The contrary wherof is prophanenes of heart k Hebr. 12. 16. Let there be no prophane person as ESAV c. Thirdly to feare him for his Power and Iustice not Fearing with a seruile feare which hath paine and torture in it and setteth the conscience as it were vpon a l Iohn 4. 18. Rack but with a filiall and childlike feare that is to say not so much for feare of punishment as for feare of offending so good and so gracious a Father Thou m Leuit. 19. 14 shalt not curse the Deafe neither put a stumbling blocke before the blinde but shalt feare thy God I am IEHOVAH Who n Ier. 10. 7. would not feare thee c. seeing Power resteth in thee Let o Heb. 12. 28. vs labour to please God with reuerence and feare for euen our God is a consuming fire If p 1. Pet. 1. 17. you call him Father which without respect of persons iudgeth euery one according to his worke passe your time of dwelling heere in feare If q Mal. 1. 6. I be a Father where is my feare Feare r Esay 8. 13. 14. not the feare of this people nor terrifie your selues IEHOVAH of Hoasts him sanctifie let him bee your feare and let him bee your terrour Where these two kindes of feare are plainly distinguished The contrarie whereof is contempt of God like to Pharaoh Who is Å¿ Exod. 5. 2. IEHOVAH c. To beleeue him for his Truth and Faithfulnesse to Beleeuing performe whatsoeuer hee speaketh as hee saith in the Psalmes t Ps 89. 34 35 I will not alter that which is proceeded out of my mouth nor falsifie my faith The lacke of this Grace bereaued those two worthy Saints of God Moses and Aaron of that great blessing which they so much desired to conduct Gods people into the Land of Promise Because n Numb 20. 12 yee beleeued mee not to sanctifie mee in the presence of the Children of Israel therefore yee shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I haue giuen them The contrarie of it is doubtfulnesse concerning the Truth of Gods promises or iudgements whether present or to come I x Psal 116. 11. said
to colour their owne Idolatrie doe affirme but God in the Calfe so themselues proclayme k Exod. 32. 5. Tomorrow shall bee the Holy-day of IEHOVAH Let vs make a Feast tomorrow to IEHOVAH And the Psalmist beareth l Psal 10◠20. witnesse They turned their glorie into the frame of an Oxe that eateth grasse And yet this Calfe made to worship God in the forme thereof Stephen calleth an Idoll Acts 7. 41. These two kindes bowing downe to Moloch to serue and worship him and worshipping the true GOD in the bowing downe to Moloch are plainely distinguished Zophaniah 1. 5. and Iudgements there pronounced against both sorts of such worshippers for it is certaine that Idols and Images are so farre from being as they seeme m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glasses and representations to make men see God the cleerer that contrariwise they close and dawbe vp mens eyes from seeing and their hearts from vnderstanding As the Prophet in plaine words speaketh Esay 44. 18. teaching nothing indeed but vanitie and lyes Their molten n Esay 41. 29. Images are winde and emptinesse or confusion What o Habak 2. 18. profiteth the carued Image when the framer thereof hath caruedit a molten Image and a teacher of lyes But p Ier. 10. 8. together both Iewes and Gentiles iumping in the same Idolatry they are brutish and become Fooles for the stocke or wood that is to say the Image made of wood is a doctrine of vanities And againe Euery q Verse 14 15. man is not so brutish that he knoweth not that euery Founder is shamed by the carued Image for his molten Image is but falshood and there is no breath in them they are vanitie and the worke of errours what time these men their worshippers are visited they their Images themselues shall perish Wherefore all vse of an Image deuised by mans braine in Gods seruice is condemned for when himselfe pleaseth to appoint them as he did the Cherubins c. vnder the Law his Commandement maketh it to be lawfull So the very words of the Law doe sound Thou shalt not make vnto thy selfe that is of thine owne head and out of the deuice of thine owne braine Secondly Superstition that is to say all corruption of Gods Seruice by adding or taking from be it in meates and drinkes obseruing of dayes and times ceremonies and ministeries inuented by men or otherwise Therefore r Deut. 12. 32. whatsoeuer I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom ſ Mat. 15. 9. In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Thirdly Traditions to signifie and represent any grace of God otherwise then he hath appointed for the which Christ condemned the Pharises washing of hands and cups c. Yee t Marke 7. 8. lay the Commandement of God apart and obserue the traditions of men as the washing of pots and cups and many other such like things ye doe CHAP. VII Of the third Commandement IN the third Commandement God would Reuerence is a religious affection in the Seruice of God haue his Worship to bee with all Reuerence and Religion for the Name of God noting out this whole outward seruice as that whereby God is made knowne vnto vs and taking it in vaine noting euerie abuse therein shew the reuerent manner of worshipping God to be the subiect of this Commandement whether it be in his publike or priuate seruice or in the vsing of his Names and Titles Of his publike Seruice the Psalmist u Psal 26. 6. saith I wash my hands in innocencie and so compasse thine Altar O IEHOVAH Of priuate the Law is giuen in the case of Vowes Othes c. Numb 30. 3. When a man voweth a Vow vnto IEHOVAH or sweareth an Oath hee shall not prophane that hee speaketh Touching the Reuerend and Religious vsing of the Names and Titles of God a speciall commination is made Deut. 28. 58. If thou wilt not feare this glorious and reuerend Name IEHOVAH thy God c. The contrarie hereof generally is all lacke of Reuerence in Gods Seruice and contayneth vnder it First Vsing Gods Name carelesly in common talke as Good Lord O God! c. when wee neuer thinke vpon him Secondly Iesting with the Scripture or the Phrases of it The x Ier. 23. 34. Prophet or the Priest or the People which shall say in scorne and derision The burden of IEHOVAH I will visit that man and his house Thirdly Light passing ouer the Iudgements of God that are seene in the World which because it is a common fault our Sauiour Luke 13. 1. insisteth long to shew the right vse that is to be made of them Were these Galileans whose bloud PILATE mingled with their Sacrifices or those eighteene vpon whom the Towre of Siloam fell and slew them greater sinners then all other men because they suffered these things Nay but I say vnto you Vnlesse ye repent yee shall all in like manner perish Fourthly Abusing of the Creatures to the reading of Fortunes Destinies Prognostications and such like contrarie to the right vse and end of their Creation which was not to fore-tell things to come but to distinguish dayes moneths and yeeres as before was opened Therefore doth the Prophet Esay worthily scorne and deride this kind of people Esay 47. 13. Thou tyrest thy selfe with the multitude of thy counsels Let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers and Prognosticators stand vp and saue thee from those things that shall come vpon thee In the particular parts of GODS Seruice these things are contrarie In Othes the contraries are First to sweare falsely It y Zach. 5. 4. shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my Name Secondly to sweare of matters either not doubtfull or not of that waight that requireth an Othe or when we know that he for whose sake we sweare will not rest in it All these the Apostle Heb. 6. 16. comprehendeth in one when he saith that an Othe among men for confirmation sake is an end of all gain-saying Therefore Swearing in our common talke is vnlawfull Let z Mat. 5. 37. your communication be Yea yea Nay nay for whatsoeuer is more then these commeth of euill Thirdly not to performe that which we sweare to doe a Mat. 5. 37. Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but performe thine othe to the Lord. In Curses it is contrarie when in bitternesse or rage we curse our enemies or our selues with which fault two b Iob 3. Ier. 35. of the singular Saints of God Iob and Ieremie were stayned In Vowes First When they are of The Papists which teach vows of things not in our own power as perpetuall single life things not in our power whereby the vow of perpetuall single life appeareth to be vnlawful for as our Sauiour saith c Mat. 19. 11. All are not capable of this but they onely to whome it is giuen
and the order of the Text must be respected Seuenthly We must conferre it with other places of the Scriptures the darke and obscure ones with those that are more lightsome Eighthly We must alwaies hold the analogie or proportion of faith neuer framing any exposition to our selues that altereth or declineth from that The fourth and last qualitie is that in euerie age the the whole Truth of Christ whole Truth of God was deliuered by a liuely voyce as touching the substance of the Doctrine although in greater cleerenesse vpon the comming of Christ then euer it was before and lastly and perfectly wherein we are now to rest both for their substance manner of reuelation it is fully and absolutely comprehended in the Scriptures So as we shall not need to flye eyther to Visions and Reuelations Anabaptists Libertines that bring in Visions and Reuelations as if the Word of God were imperfect or to mens Traditions and Inuentions Papists that supply it by mens Traditions and Inuentions Vnwritten Verities Sentences of Fathers Canons of Councels c. to Vnwritten Verities Sentences of Fathers Canons of Councels c. for to helpe vs but all is to be had in the written Word for when our Sauiour saith p Iohn 5. 39. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures hee manifestly teacheth that all Truth is to bee learnt from thence And the q 2. Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Apostle commendeth the Scriptures as being able to make vs wise vnto saluation for the whole Scripture saith he is inspired of God and is profitable vnto Doctrine vnto Reproofe vnto Correction vnto Instruction which is in Righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect perfectly fitted to euery good worke Which foure things comprehending all that can bee necessarie seeing the Word of God is able thorowly to furnish a Minister withall who is to disclose the r Acts 20. 27. whole counsell of God vnto the people it must needs be able to informe a Common Christian vnto saluation Iohn ſ Iohn 20. 31. also giueth this testimonie of the Scriptures that they are written to the end that beleeuing wee might haue euerlasting life And the Booke of the Reuelation hee shutteth vp with this most earnest protestation If any man adde to the words of the Prophecie of this Booke God will adde vnto him the seuen plagues written in this Booke and if any man take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecie God will take away his part of the Tree of Life c. Reu. 22. 18 19. Which if it be true in that one Booke alone how much more shall it hold in all the Bookes of the Scripture set together Fourthly In the Ministerie of the Prophets and Apostles and had power to worke Miracles for the confirming of their doctrine I obserue that they had the power of working Wonders for the confirmation and sealing vp of their Doctrine being innobled of God with a rare and Heroicall Spirit for the working of mightie and powerfull things As first touching the Prophets what great and wonderfull matters God wrought by their hands the Stories euery-where doe testifie when Elias as it were a pettie God could fetch t 2. Kings 1. fire from Heauen by his Prayer u 1. Kings 17. 1 Iames 5. 17 18. shut vp Heauen that no raine should fall but at his word as the Minister of the Lord before whom he stood and by his Prayers open them againe when those that escaped from the hand of Iehu * 1. King 19. 17 Elisha could cause to dye when x Exod. 4. Moses with his staffe was able to turne the waters into bloud c. The Apostles also haue their Commission in this behalfe recorded Marke 16. 15. Goe into all the World and preach the Gospell c. and these Signes shall follow them that doe beleeue In my Name they shall cast out Deuils they shall speake with new tongues they shall destroy Serpents and if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them vpon the weake they shall lay their hands and they shall be well And this is it which the Apostle saith to the Hebrewes y Heb. 2. 4. that God himselfe gaue testimony to the preaching of the Apostles both by Signes and Wonders and many powers or powerfull things and distributions of the Holy Ghost Wherefore Miracles wherewith it pleased God to grace the extraordinarie Ministeries Heresies and Errors The Papists which make Miracles a note of their Church are 2. wayes faultie First The Miracles they so bragge and boast of are false and fayned Secondly They vse their Miracles such as they bee to a wrong end for aduancing of erronious and lying doctrines and to shake the truth of the Gospell for confirmation whereof all Miracles ought to serue In which case their pretended Miracles though they should be admitted true are of no worth Deut. 13. 1 2 3 4 5. for the Truth of God shineth of it selfe so bright that no Miracles to the contrarie are of force to obscure it But added for confirmation as they were by Christ and his Apostles and by the holy Prophets they make the same more glorious of the Prophets and Apostles are All other Ministeries are to fetch their light from the Doctrine of those that were so inspired long since ceased neither could they nowadayes serue to any vse the truth being long agoe aboundantly confirmed by Christ and his Apostles Lastly all other Ministeries in the Church are and alwayes were to fetch Graces are Gifts for the discharge of those publike Functions their light from the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles that were so inspired To the Ministerie CHRIST hath added Gifts Gifts z 1. Cor. 12. 7. for profit as the Apostle speaketh that is for the Churches common good which is another of those rich endowments and necessarily coupled with the former for the Largesse of Christ vnto his Church had not beene so bountifull in the seuerall sorts of Ministeries vnlesse he had withall bestowed vpon them graces and abilitie to discharge the same for the glorie of God and edification of his people by giuing them knowledge to teach the Doctrine of Christ out of the Scripture by laying forth the Truth soundly and confuting of contrarie errours Wisdome to apply it also to all good vses of comforting casting downe stirring vp reproouing which in one word we terme exhorting and other the like graces for these also we haue not from our selues but all a 2. Cor. 3. 5. our sufficiencie to be Ministers of Christ vnto other is from God The Apostle calleth these kind of Gifts by the name of b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graces that make men apt and fit for the worke of the Ministerie 1. Cor. 12. 4. 5 6. Now there bee differences of Graces but the same Spirit and there bee differences of Ministeries but the same Lord. And there bee differences of
17. 21. That all may be one as thou Father in me and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. And by reason of this vnion which the members haue with the head and euery member one with another it is that the whole bodie that is to say Christ himselfe the Head and all the Church which are his members are called n 1. Cor. 11. 12. Christ as we heard before And so taking Christ together with his Elect the Catholike Church is called The Mother of the Spouse himselfe Cant. 8. 2. and the Church that is all the Elect his Sister Cant. 4 9. and 8. 8. The third thing is Adoption or the making of vs the we become children by Adoption sonnes of God by grace being regenerate and borne againe in Christ who is the Sonne of God by nature as it is said o Iohn 1. 12. 13 To them that receyued him hee gaue this dignitie to bee the sonnes of God p Gal. 3. 17. for all of you are the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus q Gal. 4. 4. When the fulnesse of time came God sent forth his Sonne c. that wee might receiue the Adoption Fourthly Beeing one with Christ wee also haue his and haue his Spirit to be ours Spirit to bee ours for if any man haue not the Spirit of Christ the same is not his Rom. 8. 9. Because yee are sons saith the Apostle Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father And hereupon the Spirit of Christ whom we receiue is called The Spirit of Adoption Rom. 8. 15. Now let vs in a few words recapitulate the summe of all we are to know concerning Regeneration for so we shall make a better passage to that which followeth First It is a meere r Psal 102. 18. Esay 65. 18. Bâ—t â—e glad c. yee whom I create Eph. 2. 10. Gal. 6. 15. Creation God findeth no more matter to worke vpon for the making of a man anew then when he made that lumpe whereof heauen earth were framed Secondly the manner of this Creation is by a new birth when a hollow person one as emptie and voyd of heart as the hollow of a tree is of substance is made to haue a heart and a wild Asse-Colt borne a man by spirituall Regeneration as Tsophar speaketh Iob 11. 12. A maruailous a strange birth wherin there is no more matter to beget him of then there is in the hollow of a tree to fetch out heart of Oke Thirdly Therefore this Birth is not naturall as parents beget their children but legall as Iechonias begat Salathiel whether hee adopted him or rather that as next of DAVIDS line without adoption he succeeded in the gouernement But howsoeuer it were in the case of Salathiel we speake of that which is adoptiue Fourthly There is a difference of this Adoption from all other for men adopt children when themselues are childlesse God hauing a Son of his own adopteth vs vnto him therfore all Adoption Å¿ Eph. 1. 15. is in through Christ Fiftly Because GOD was purposed to bring many children this way vnto glorie it pleased him to found a most noble Incorporation whereof all other bodies politique are but counterfait Of this Incorporation Christ God and man is the Head all beeing adopted by him and incorporated into him the members are euerie one Kings and Priests two of the most sacred and venerable things that euer were in the world euen among the Heathen the bone and ligament that tyeth all together is the holy Spirit the soule as it were of this Incorporation That where other Corporations are said to consist of a bodie without a soule this hath the Spirit of God himselfe to bee the soule of it So the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit wee are all baptized into one Bodie and all made to drinke into one Spirit Againe t Eph. 4. 4. There is one Bodie and one Spirit that knitteth all the parts together Sixtly Therefore also we liue u Gal. 5. 25. all by one Spirit the same Spirit that quickned our Head quickning also vs that are his members in that whosoeuer is Christs hath his Spirit Rom. 8. 11. The verie words of the promise imply as much x Ezech. 36. 27 I will put my Spirit in the midst of them And thereupon is the Gospel called y 2. Cor. 3. 8. The ministerie of the Spirit And z Gal. 3. 2. PAVL saith Receyued ye the Spirit by the workes of the Law or by the hearing of faith And as certainely and verily as the naturall man liueth by his reasonable soule so certainely and verily doth the Regenerate man liue by the Spirit dwelling in him beeing now no more a naturall man so farre as he is Regenerate but hauing all his life from and in that Bodie politique a Gal. 1. 20. I liue no more I but Christ liueth in me b Coloss 3. 4. When Christ which is our life shall be manifested c. Therefore is the whole Bodie comprehending both the Head and members called c 1. Cor. 12. 12. Christ and euerie particular d Iohn 3. 6. 1. Iohn 5. 8. Spirit because as he is begotten of the Spirit so he liueth in and by the Spirit This is the summe of all whereunto let me adde First Where the Spirit is it e Acts 15. 9. purifieth and clenseth the heart maketh all whole and cleane as a griffe set into a Stock doth alter and change the nature of it wherefore Sanctification of the whole man is an vnseparable companion of the Regenerate estate f Iohn 3. 6. That which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit heauenly and spirituall Secondly That liuing in the Spirit it is as naturall for vs so farre as wee doe liue in the Spirit that is to say are Regenerate and consequently sanctified to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit Loue Ioy Peace c. as they are reckoned Gola 5. 22. as it is for fire to burne for the wind to blow c. which is it the Apostle saith there g Gal. 5. 25. If wee liue in the Spirit let vs also walke by the Spirit And so are the graces of the Spirit distinguished from the Spirit dwelling in vs as the effects from the cause in the verie same manner as the worke of reasoning and disputing is from our reasonable soule it selfe But of these two things the worthie fruits and effects of Regeneration wee are to speake in that which followeth Of a Regenerate estate there be two degrees as it Sealed vp during the infancie of Regeneration were two ages Infancie and Mans estate of both which the Apostle speaketh Eph. 4. 14. Till we meet all together in the vnitie of Faith and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the age of the
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
and keepeth my workes vnto the end I will giue vnto him power ouer the Nations and he shall feed them with a rod of Iron as Potters Vessels they shall bee broken as I also haue receiued of my Father And I will giue vnto you the Morning Starre So it is said Reuel 5. 10. Thou hast made vs vnto our God Kings and Priests and we shall raigne vpon the Earth From this Power and Rule two things proceed First That together with Christ our Head wee shall iudge the World aswell the Angels that fell as reprobate and wicked men 1. Cor. 6. 2. Know yee not that the Saints shall iudge the World And againe Verse 3. Know yee not that wee shall iudge the Angels That also which m Mat. 19. 28. Christ saith to the Apostles When the Sonne of Man shall sit vpon his glorious Throne then shall you also sit vpon twelue Thrones iudging the twelue Tribes of Israel is in some measure common to all the Elect as appeareth Reuel 20. 4. Secondly That wee shall be made the heires of Heauen and Earth in and through him Who as the n Heb. 1. 2. Apostle saith is made heire of all things 1. Pet. 1. 4. Who hath begotten vs anew vnto an Heritance incorruptible and vndefiled which cannot fade away reserued in Heauen for vs. Reuel at 21. 7. Hee that ouercommeth shall inherit these things Fourthly The glorie and excellencie that then shal be in our Knowledge Memorie and all other parts and faculties as you haue it set forth 1. Cor. 13 11 12. Insomuch as there is no doubt wee shall know one another for hereby our Sauiour setteth forth the state of the Blessed Mat. 17. 3 4. Wee come now to the measure or quantitie of these good things albeit not infinite yet wonderfull such as no man knoweth but God and hee o Esay 64. 4. that doth enioy them which is the third benefit that we haue by Christ aboue that which was in Adam who lacking that sweet coniunction which wee haue with Christ from whom as from our Head his owne very Blessednesse is deriued downe vnto vs could not haue the good things that were in him to be so great and excellent In the measure of our happinesse two things are to be obserued The one proper to this estate that the fulnesse of it after the last Iudgement exceedeth that which our soules separated from our bodies had before for when the Soules of the Martyrs slaine for the Word of God and the testimonie of Iesus if at the least you vnderstand that place of the soules deceased cry How long O Lord holy and true Wilt not thou iudge and auenge our bloud of the Inhabitants of the Earth And it was answered them that they must rest a while till the number of their fellow seruants and brethren bee filled vp which should be killed aswell as they it sheweth that their full rest is not yet accomplished To this purpose it serueth that the generall Iudgement of all the dead is termed A time of giuing a reward to Gods seruants the Prophets and to the Saints and to all that feare his Name As not hauing yet the full reward that is promised in that Day whereunto Gods Children lift vp their head as to the top and perfection of all their comfort Hereafter saith PAVL is layd vp for mee a Crowne of Glorie which God the righteous Iudge will render in that Day And the Prophet DAVID I when I awake that is rise from the dead in the Resurrection of the righteous shall bee satisfied with thy likenesse IOHN also referreth our full perfection vnto that time When hee that is Christ shall bee manifested we shall bee like vnto him And hither tendeth the speech of the Apostle That his Spirit may bee saued in the Day of the LORD IESVS CHRIST The second is that beside the Happinesse common to them all there are some which shall haue ioy aboue their fellowes Not that this argueth any want in those that haue lesse for though all receiue not alike measure yet all shall bee full As a Vessell contayning a Gallon is as full for the bignesse as that which contayneth ten And this difference groweth from the diuers measure of Faith which God in this life doth indue vs with for Faith as wee heard before is that which ioyneth vs to Christ And as our Faith groweth so are wee more deeply and firmely rooted and built in him The greater therefore that our Faith is the neerer and the straighter is our coniunction with Christ and the neerer wee are knit to him the greater our glorie and excellencie must bee And because our Faith is discerned by the fruits great faith many fruits small faith few fruits thereof it is that for the most part wee see the measure of Happinesse ascribed to the multitude and qualitie of the fruits 1. Corinth 3. 8. Euery one shall receiue his owne proper reward according to his owne proper labour Philip 4. 17. I desire a fruit that may abound in your account To giue a taste of some that are noted in the Scripture thus to excell though it hold not in euery particular person yet generally these sorts and estates are obserued First Those that instruct others shall shine as the brightnesse of the Firmament and those that iustifie many that is are the good Instruments of God to bring men to Christ shall be as the starres Dan. 12. 3. Secondly The Master-builder that planteth and layeth the foundation shall haue greater glorie then he that watereth and buildeth thereupon 1. Cor. 3. 8 10. Thirdly The Martyr shall bee made a p Reuel 3. 12. Piller in the Temple of God and preferred before other The last thing is the Chiliastes which place happines after the Resurrection in the pleasures of the bodie and vpon the Earth and that to indure but for a thousand yeeres abusing the place Reuel 20. 4. They raigned with Christ a thousand yeeres which is not to bee vnderstood of the condition of the Elect after this life but in this present World during all that time that Satan by the Ministerie of the Gospell should be bound that he might not deceiue the Nations which was very neere a thousand yeeres after Christ all which time some truth remayned in the Churches as concerning the maine points of Christian Doctrine eternitie and continuance of our Happines As it is said q 1. Thes 4. 17. So shall wee bee alwayes with the Lord. r Reuel 22. 5. They shall raigne for euer and euer And Å¿ 1. Pet. 1. 4. Peter calleth it an inheritance incorruptible vndefiled and which withereth not wherein also it is much more excellent then that we lost in Adam which was mutable and subiect vnto change whereas this by the speciall grace and goodnesse of God continually supporting vs is immutable and the same for euer t 2. Cor. 5. 4. immortalitie being sallowed vp of life That all must dye
operations or faculties to worke great and wonderfull things but the same God there is that worketh all these things in all And so I distinguish those wordes in the question of the High Priests vnto the Apostles c Acts 4. 7. By what power or by what name haue you done this As if they should haue said By what Gifts or Calling noteth the Gift and Grace the other the Function or Calling it selfe Of gifts that are for a mans owne priuate is one knowledge Gifts for a mans owne priuate are knowledge of the Word of Christ and vnderstanding of the Word of Christ An excellent and a goodly grace for howsoeuer knowledge of it selfe without further The Popish assertion that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion which the Apostle maketh the Mother of Pride and of Rebellion against God Rom. 10. 3. grace bee not of power to reforme the hart yet it is so necessary that the holy Ghost pronounceth e Pro. 29. 2. Without knowledge the heart cannot bee good And this also is the proper worke of Christ for f Iohn 1. 18. No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne who is in the bosome of his Father he hath declared him But knowledge as I said a man may haue and yet be and a taste of the sweetnesse of it which being the highest step that it is possible for any Reprobate to ascend neuer a whit the neerer to his Saluation nor haue made one pace vnto the heauenly Kingdome as touching any reformation of the heart That which followeth bringeth a change and alteration with it which the g Heb. 6. 4. Apostle calleth A tasting of the good Word of God c. meaning the sweet promises of the Gospell and is the furthest step that it is possible for any Reprobate to goe Wherein I obserue foure things First That it is a peculiar worke of Christ and commeth not but from him and h Heb. 10. 29. the Spirit of his Grace Secondly That it is not a counterfeit shew of holinesse or in hypocrisie onely but a matter of truth and an excellent grace of GOD wrought indeed in them touching and affecting their hearts as the Apostle Peter plainly sheweth 2. Pet. 1. 8. They beguile those that i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed had escaped from them that were conuersant in errour Thirdly I obserue the neerenesse and affinitie that it hath with the sauing faith and the fruits of this with the fruits of that in which respect it pleaseth the Holy Ghost to call them both by one and the same name for they are said to bee k Heb. 6. 4. enlightened to l Heb. 10. 29. receiue the Spirit of Grace to m Luke 8. 13. They beleeued for a time Iohn 2. 24. Many beleeued yet he would not commit himselfe vnto them because he knew them all and what was in them Acts 8. 13 Then Simon also himselfe beleeued haue Faith to beleeue that the n Mat. 12. 43. vncleane spirit is gone out of them to flye o 2. Pet. 1. 20. the pollutions of the World to be p 2. Pet. 2. 22. washed to be q Heb. 10. 29. sanctified by the Spirit to be made r Heb. 6. 5. partaker of the Holy Ghost And the mayne sinne committed here-against is termed in the Scripture ſ Mat. 12. 13 32 Sinne against the Holy Ghost So that these men come to the skirt of the Holy Land and as Moses did from Mount Nebo behold it from afar or rather are at the very gate of the Kingdome of Heauen though for lacke of Faith they cannot enter in In nature it commeth so neere that they taste the changeth after a sort mans corrupt nature sweetnesse and excellency that is in Christ as we shewed before out of Heb. 6. 4. In the fruits and effects that a great and wonderfull change is wrought in them in all their parts and powers their Vnderstanding Will affections Wayes For touching their Vnderstanding they are t Heb. 10. 26. inlightened to the Knowledge and acknowledgement of Christ Touching their Will they desire to bee like Gods Children and to bee saued as Balaam did Numbers 23. 10. O that my soule might dye the death of the Righteous and that my last end might be like theirs For their Affections to omit those that comming from the Law and Couenant of workes may be in such as neuer heard of Christ as terrour and pricking of conscience for their sinnes which u Acts 24. 25. Felix had when Paul disputed of Righteousnesse Temperance and of the Iudgement to come to bee sorrie for them as x Heb. 12. 17. Esay that with teares sought the blessing and y Mat. 27. 35. Iudas that repented him and in the anguish of his soule hanged himselfe Those that properly belong to this place are First An imbracing of the Truth whereupon they are said to z Heb. 10. 25. receiue the Word and to receiue the acknowledgement of the Truth as it were taking it in their armes and imbracing it Secondly Ioy and Gladnesse in the sweet promises of the Gospell They a Heb. 6. 4 5. taste the good Word of God and the powers of the life to come they b Mat. 13. 20. receiue the Word by and by with ioy So did the c Iohn 5. 35. Iewes who willingly reioyced for a while in IOHNS light And d Marke 6. 20. Herod that heard him gladly Thirdly Zeale which was in the Galatians e Gal. 4. 15. that receiued Paul as an Angell and would haue plucked out their eyes to haue done him good and yet afterwards fell away So was f 2. Kin. 10. 16. Iehu zealous for Gods cause in the defacing of Idolatrie and yet a g 2. Kin. 10. 31 wicked man Fourthly Reuerence of the Ministers as HEROD h Marke 6. 20. reuerenced IOHN knowing him to bee a iust and a holy man and obserued him Changes in their actions and wayes Beside a confession of their faults with i Exod. 9. 27. PHARAOH I haue sinned this time IEHOVAH is most iust but I and my people are most wicked And k 1. Sam. 15. 24 26. 21. SAVL I haue sinned now c. And a conforming of themselues in the outward duties of holinesse as to heare the Word preached which l Marke 6. 20. Herod did to Prayer c. They haue these First Vexation in themselues and disquietnesse of minde before they commit sinne and feare to commit it So m Marke 6. 26. Herod was sore grieued to grant Herodias request when shee asked Iohn Baptists head and n Mat. 27. 24. Pilate much troubled in minde before he condemned Christ and sought all meanes to put it off Secondly Repentance and a kinde of humiliation for sinnes committed as o 1. Kings 21. 27 29. Ahab that rent his clothes and put sackcloth vpon him and fasted
and went softly in token of mourning Thirdly Amendment of Life in many things Flying p 1. Pet. 2. 11. the pollutions of the World To come to the fourth point therein I obserue the great difference that is betweene this Grace and Faith both in the nature of the things and in the fruites and effects that come from them how like soeuer in shew they seeme to be In nature they differ two manner of wayes First Here is but a taste onely not an apprehension and laying hold of Christ to make him ones owne like vnto a Cooke that tasteth of the meate and spitteth it out againe or as he that washeth his mouth with water but letteth it not goe downe his throte hereupon it is that they are said to q Mat. 13. 21. want a r Col. 2. 7. roote which the faithfull haue From whence I gather that their faith is but a generall and confused faith whereby they are perswaded that God will bestow many great and glorious things vpon those that are in Christ but neuer wrestle with their owne soules to apply and appropriate the same vnto themselues they know not what it meaneth to haue Christs Righteousnesse theirs or their sinnes to be layed vpon him they feele no testimonie of reconciliation to God no assurance that all things are for good vnto them no peace of conscience no hope of eternall life the excellencie whereof they are rauished withall and admire to behold in others as Balaam the false prophet did but finde in themselues no comfort of it no more then a man doth of the Sunne when it shineth not in his owne Horizon The second difference betweene the nature of faith and it is that this taste whatsoeuer the same be is not of Christ himselfe whose Å¿ Mat. 9. 21. 22 least touch hath a sauing vertue ioyned with it but of some sweetnesse that commeth from him no more then the Cooke that licketh his fingers can bee said to eate of the meate prepared for his Masters Table So as their estate may bee likened vnto those who comming out of a close Dungeon where in all their life they neuer saw the Sunne assoone as they come into a more open place vpon the first casting of the beames are rauished with the excellencie of the Sunne though yet they see not the Sunne it selfe for the Reprobate onely see a glimmering of the light of the Sunne at the dawning of the day before it ariseth whereas the Elect haue the t 2. Pet. 1. â—9 Day-starre euen the Sunne of Righteousnesse Christ Iesus rising in their hearts the comfortable heate whereof doth quicken and reuiue them as it is said the u Luke 1. 72. Day-spring from an high doth visit them the x Esay 60. 1 2. glorie of God doth arise vpon them or they may bee likened vnto a Stranger that trauailing a farre Country seeth the state and magnificence of the Court and is admitted into the Presence-Chamber which greatly doth affect him though hee himselfe haue no part nor interest in the King Touching the fruits and effects the thorow change wrought in Gods Children differeth from this kinde of change which falleth vpon the Reprobate many wayes First In the things themselues for their reformation is not a whole and sound conuersion vnto God but amending some one or few faults they hold some other still which they can neuer be brought to leaue As y Marke 6. 20. Herod who did many things and yet would not part from his Brothers Wife whereas the godly doe not some things but all they are commanded Secondly In the manner for their affections are but yet so as it may be lost againe vanishing and flitting motions that suddenly goe out like vnto a blaze of fire or else for want of cherishing by Prayer hearing of the Word and other holy meanes as it were of putting Oyle in their Lampes in time it commeth to be quencht or else when they are touched to the quicke that they see the following of CHRIST cannot stand with the satisfying of their owne delights or other matters which they are resolued to keepe they choose rather to lose him then to forsake themselues and so for pleasure profit or feare of men they vomit vp all againe Thirdly In the end for both they desire to bee saued not to glorifie God but onely because they are afraid of Hell as may bee seene in Balaam and they confesse their faults and leaue and forsake sinne not because they hate and dislike it but for feare of iudgement whereas the godly are sorrie and grieued in heart because they offend a louing and most gracious Father Fourthly In the meanes for lacking saith it is impossible that they should euer come in true Repentance vnto God or aske pardon of their sinnes and so to bee made partakers of the promise z Mat. 7. 7. Aske and it shall bee giuen vnto you Seeke and you shall finde Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Now followeth the sinne most opposite to this Grace But whoso once of malice falleth from it which we call Sinne against the Holy Ghost which we call sinne against the Holy Ghost when a man falleth of malice from this Grace once receiued To explayne this more fully First It is an act done and a sinne which may bee discerned and knowne else the Apostle a 1 Iohn 5. 16. Iohn would not forbid vs to pray for such persons no Paul b 1. Cor. 16. 22. wils vs to execute the curse of the Church vpon them it is not a continuall going forward in sinne without Repentance Secondly It is no legall sinne if I may so say against the duties properly either of the first or second Table but Euangelicall directly against Christ in the point of his Mediation c Heb. 10. 29. accounting his bloud but as common bloud and of no more power to sanctifie then the bloud of another man Therefore no sinne against good manners as Murder Adulterie and the rest or though it be immediatly bent against God himselfe and the duties of the first Table can bee drawne within that compasse as Idolatry Witchcraft Coniuring and the like though they should hap to be committed of such as professe the Gospell Thirdly It is of those that haue receiued the e 2. Pet. 2. 20. knowledge of the Truth So as all Reprobates come not to this high pitch of sinne nor any that sinne of ignorance therefore f 1. Tim. 1. 13. Pauls blasphemie was a sinne that might be pardoned in as much as he did it ignorantly And our Sauiour g Luke 23. 34. vseth this reason for the Iewes that put him to death Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe So the Apostle PETER saith Acts 3. 17. And now Brethren I know that yee haue done this ignorantly as also your Rulers Meaning the multitude and generall number of them which were h 1. Cor. 2. 8.