out of the word of God onely taught to the edifying of the Church Ioh. 8.31.47 2. Ioh. 1.9 Ioh. 10.27 14.23 Act. 2.42 2. Pet. 1.19 Eph. 1.20 Gal. 1.8.9 1. Cor. 3.11 Mat. 28.20 Rom. 10.8 Act. 17.11 The right vse of the Sacraments is that when the Sacraments are administred and receiued according to the institution of Christ Mar. 16.6 Act. 2.38 10.47 Luk. 22.19 Act. 2.42 The particular Church is either of the old Testament or of the new Eph. 2.17 The Church of the old Testamēt was that which was among the people of God before the comming of Christ Eph. 2.11.12 The Church of the new Testament is that which began after the comming of Christ Eph. 2.13.14 There is a certaine setled gouernment of them both The Ecclesiasticall gouernment is a well ordered state of the Church or else it is an order consisting of certaine lawes according to the word of God and the same tending to the preseruing of the well ordered estate of the Church 1. Cor. 1.10 14.40 Col. 2.5 And that gouernment is either proper or common The proper gouernment is that which belōgeth to the office of seuerall persōs who are in the church Mat. 18.17.18 Rom. 12.6.7.8 Those persons are either ministers or hearers Ministers are those who hauing a lawfull calling are set ouer the Church Rom. 12.6.7.8 2. Cor. 2.6 And they are either ordinary or extraordinary 1. Cor. 12.28.29.31 The office of the former is perpetuall in the Church the other but temporary Ordinary ministers are those who do employ their ordinary labor on the church both by an ordinary maner and also endued with ordinary gifts Rom. 12.6 1. Cor. 12.4 Extraordinary ministers are those who are raised vp besides order either to lay the foundations of Churches or to restore them being broken downe or to amend them that are decayed 1. Cor. 12.28.29 Eph. 4.11 Those that were called extraordinarily had this testimony that they could not erre in doctrine because God did testifie concerning it Yet in life and manners both they might sin and sometime also haue sinned Gal. 2.14 Ministers that were extraordinarily called had extraordinary gifts namely extraordinary prophecies and the giftes of working miracles 1. Cor. 12.9.10 An extraordinary prophecy was that by which through the singular gift of God they were enabled both to interpret and apply Scriptures and also most surely and clearely to foretell things to come Ioh. 10.8.12 The gift of working miracles was that whereby they did seale vp their prophecy and doctrine Of the ministers of the Church of the old Testament The ministery of the Church of the old Testament ordinarily called were Priests and Leuites Priests were those to whom oldinarily the administring of the true worship of God in the church of the old Testament was committed Exod 28.41 29.1 Leuites were those who were appointed to looke to the tabernacle and to all thinges which appertained to it Num. 1.50 3.6 Deut. 10.8 The Prophets in the old Testament were those who were sent by an extraordinary calling both to the restoring of the doctrine corrupted by the Priests also to prophecy of the Messias and of other things to come and also to the gouerning of certain politick counsels 1. Sam. 9.9 2. Chron. 9.29 Esa 1.1 Ier. 1.3 Ose 1.1 Amo. 1.1 Aba 1.1 Hitherto concerning the Ministers of the church of the old Testament now concerning the Ministers of the Church of the new Testament Of the Ministers of the Church of the new Testamēt The Ministers of the Church of the new Testament who were extraordinarily called were Iohn Baptist the Apostles and Euangelists and Prophets of the new Testament Ioh. 1.6 7. Eph. 4.11 1. Cor. 12.28 Te office of these ministers was temporary being instituted particularly for that time in which at the beginning the Churches of the new Testament were to be planted Mat. 28.19 Iohn Baptist was the sonne of the Priest Zachariah and Elizabeth ordained by God to be the forerunner of the Messias to prepare the way for him Luk. 2. The Apostles were teachers immediatly appointed by Christ himselfe to preach the Gospell euery where throughout the whole world Mat. 28.19 The Euāgelists were those who were next the Apostles in office And sometime did supply their places And some of them were Apostles as Mathew and Iohn for the same person might vndergo like offices and certaine of them were the companions and fellow labourers of the Apostles as Marke and Luke And because the Church of the new Testament was to be gathered out of al nations therefore chiefly the Apostles and Euangelists were indued with the gift of tongues Act. 2.4 The Prophets of the new Testamēt were those who being endued with some singular reuealing of the misteries of God foretold things to come as for example Agabus Act. 11.27 21.10 and Iohn in the Reuelation Paul also in the Rom. 11.25 speaking concerning the restoring of the Iewes 2. Thess 2.3 concerning Antichrist Hitherto concerning the extraordinarie Ministers of the Church of the new Testament now concerning the ordinary The ministers of the Church of the new Testament ordinarily called are either Bishops or their helpers Eph. 4.11 The office of these men is perpetuall that is to say which is required in the Church euen to the end of the world Of Bishops Bishops are those who are occupied about spirituall things and such as pertaine vnto God The office of a Bishop therefore is an Ecclesiasticall office which is occupied in heauenly things and such as pertaine to God 1. Tim. 3.1.2 Bishops are Pastors or Doctors Ephes 4.11 Pastors are those who are set ouer the church according to the commandement of Christ And they are also called Elders Of the office of the Pastor there are two parts the ecclesiasticall ministery and the ecclesiasticall power Of the Ecclesiasticall ministerie The ecclesiasticall ministery is the first part of the office of a Pastor consisting in teaching the word of God and administring of the Sacraments to the vndoubted profite of the church Of the ecclesiasticall ministery there are two parts the application of the word to the vses of the church and administration of the Sacraments The application of the word to the vses of the Church is the first part of the ecclesiastical ministery which is exercised in teaching comforting rooting out of false opinions exhorting correcting and so forth And that both publickly in the cōgregatiō of the people and also priuatly specially if any be pressed with diseases or other calamity or molested with the temptations of Sathan The administration of the Sacraments is the other part of the ecclesiasticall ministery when the Pastors according to the institution of Christ administer the Sacraments Thus farre concerning the Ecclesiasticall ministery now concerning the Ecclesiasticall power Of the Ecclesiasticall power The ecclesiasticall power is the other part of the Pastors office whereby the authority of the church is preserued The ecclesiasticall
the elect is this Come yee blessed of my father and possesse ye the kingdome prepared for you before the foūdations of the world were laid Matth. 25.34 Of the finall sentence pronounced to the elect there are two parts the one concerning the bringing of the elect of the possession of the eternall inheritance and blessednesse the other concerning their glorification Of the glorification of the elect The glorification of the elect is a worke of God whereby he shall with eternall glory adorne all the elect after the generall resurrection of the dead This glorification pertaineth both to the body and to the soule Of the glorification of the body The glorification pertaining to the bodie is in that it shall be made spirituall that is to say because it shall leade a spirituall life free and deliuered from all the spot of the flesh such a one as the spirits themselues do leade furthermore incorruptible immortall lastly conformable to the glorious body of Christ For the bodyes of the godly shall not only be immortall and incorruptible but also strong impassible glorious spirituall 1. Corinth 15. Augustine to Crescentius As the naturall body is not a soule but a body so wee ought not to call the spirituall body a spirit but a body It is of Paul called the spirituall body then not a spirite for the spirite hath not a bodie that is to say flesh bones Therfore the spirite and the spirituall body are not one And Paul doth not say that the substāce of the body shal be changed in the resurrection but the qualities of the body and substance for so he writeth to the Corinthians that this body which is subiect to corruption may put on an incorruptible nature the mortall may put on immortality But sayest thou it shall not haue a matter subiect to perishing Who denieth it Yet it shall not want a matter Hath not euen the heauē an impassible matter void of corruption You except but we shall be like the Angels then we shall not be Angels for our flesh must rise againe and we in the same as Iob sayth shall see God our Sauiour If our bodies shall be changed into spirites then man shall not rise againe because man consisteth of bodie and soule and the bodie cannot passe into the spirite for they do not agree in matter By Paul a spirituall body is opposed to a naturall body but vnderstande by a naturall body a changeable and weake bodie for our bodie ceaseth not to be a naturall body although it be made immortall and impassible for euen the heauen is a naturall body which yet cōsisteth of a nature not passible nor vanishing The glorification pertayning to the soule shal be an enlightening of the soule with the full knowledge of the mysteries of God and with an vnchangeable vprightnes of the will Thus farre concerning the finall sentence to be pronounced to the elect now concerning the finall sentence to be denounced against the reprobate The sentence to be denounced against the rebrobate is this Goe ye cursed into the euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels Hitherto concerning the generall raysing vp of the dead and the last iudgement now concerning the manifestation of the glory of God to all eternitie The manifestation of the glory of God to all eternitie shal thē be after that Christ shal deliuer the kingdome to God his father and Christ himselfe shall also in respect of his humanitie subiect himselfe to God his father that God the father may be all in all thinges 1. Cor. 15.24.28 Eph. 2.7 Hitherto we haue layd open faith concerning God now concerning the Church The Church is a companie of men professing a certaine religion Religion is a forme of worshipping God Religion The Church is two fold true or false Of the true Church The true Church is a company of men professing the true religion The true religion is that whereby the true God is rightly worshipped And that is onely one And in that alone men shall be saued But the true Church is vniuersall or particular this latter is visible the other inuisible Of the vniuersall Church The vniuersal Church is an inuisible company of the elect only to eternal saluation Matth. 8.11 Ioh. 10.16 Gal. 4.26 And that is also called the kingdome of Christ or of God in the Lords prayer And it is said to be inuisible because the elect cannot be knowne by mās iudgement but they are known onely to God 2. Tim. 2.19 The Lord knoweth them that are his Notwithstanding euery man for his owne part may by certain and infallible signes be well assured that he is elected concerning himselfe indeede he may certainely know it but concerning others he is to hope onely in the Prophets it is called the kingdome of the Messias Also a Lot Ephes 1.11 The lot or inheritance of the Lord to which not onely the Priestes but also the vnlearned pertaine And that is called vniuersall 1 Because it is the generall company of the elect who altogether make one mistical body 2 Because all that beleeue in God and are to be saued must be in this company for without the church there is no saluation 3 Because it comprehēdeth the whole body of the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles 4 Because it is dispersed through the whole face of the earth Esa 2.2.3 And it is onely one Ephes 2.14.15.16.17 The head of the vniuersal Church is Christ Iesus alone 1. Cor. 12.27 Ephes 1.22 4.15 5.23 Col. 1.18 2.10 And he hath no neede of a Vicar nor of a ministeriall head But the body of the vniuersall Church is misticall Rom. 12.5 1. Cor. 10.17 12.27 Eph. 1.22.23 4.4.12.16 5.23 Col. 1.15.24 The members thereof are onely the elect 1. Ioh. 2.19 Ioh. 10.14.27.28 And these members are both of the Iewes and also of the Gentiles And both these members are eyther in heauen or on earth Eph. 1.10 They are in heauen who are already departed in the faith of Christ They are on earth who beleeue in Christ and yet liue Thus farre concerning the vniuersall Church now concerning the particular Of the particular Church The particular Church is a visible cōpany of men in any place whatsoeuer who heare the sincere word of God and rightly vse the Sacraments among whom are many euill hypocrites and vnbeleeuers mingled and so shall be to the last day Mat. 13.24.47 Now that it is the true Church of Christ the essētiall notes of the true church do shew The essentiall notes of the true Church are properties by which it may be vnfallibly knowen which particular company being any where gathered together is the true Church of God And these notes are two the sincere preaching of Gods word and the right vse of the Sacraments The sincere preaching of Gods word is that when according to the forme of wholesome words all things necessary to eternall saluation are
power is two fold of order and iurisdiction The power of order is a power to set order in the ecclesiasticall gouernment And it is either in the lawfull calling of ministers or in making ecclesiasticall lawes Of a lawfull calling The lawfull calling of ministers is that when according to the word of God fit persons are chosen to the office of teaching and admininstring the Sacraments The parts thereof are two examination and ordination The examination is two fold of doctrine and of life The examinatiō of doctrine is an examining whereby triall is made whether the person to be chosen be able to teach the Church For bow shall he teach others that which he hath not learned himselfe 2. Tim. 2.2 Tit. 1.9 The examination of life is an examining whereby triall is made whether the person to be chosen hath honest vnblameable manners Tit. 1.6.7.8.9 Ordination is an appointing of the examined person to vndergo some office The Ecclesiasticall Lawes are rules according to which the Ecclesiasticall gouernmēt ought to be administred Hitherto concerning the power of order now concerning the power of Iurisdiction The power of Iurisdiction is a power to exercise the ecclesiasticall iudgementes And it is either in the censure or in the power of the keyes The censure is that whereby escapes either in doctrine or manners hauing beene obserued in some they are corrected and that either by priuate admonition or by taking one or two witnesses that so in al parts of his office he may do those things which are prescribed in the word of God Mat. 18.11.16 Of the power of the keyes The power of the keyes is an Ecclesiasticall power whereby heauen is opened to the beleeuers but shut to vnbeleeuers Ioh. 20.21.22.23 Mat. 16.19 18.18 The partes thereof are two loosing or binding The loosing is a part of the power of the keyes when to those that repent forgiuenes of sinnes and the grace of God is preached The binding is the other part of the power of the keyes when the wrath of God is denounced to the impenitent This power of the keyes is exercised either by preaching the word or by ecclesiasticall discipline The power of the keyes by preaching of the word is when the ministers of the word do preach and testifie to all euery one that repēteth taketh hold of Christ by faith that God hath pardoned all their sins by the merite of Christ But contrariwise they denoūce to the impenitent vnbeleuers and hypocrites that the wrath of God and eternall condemnation doth hang ouer them as long as they continue in their sinnes according to which testimony of the Gospell God shall iudge in this life and in the life to come Of the Ecclesiasticall discipline The Ecclesiasticall discipline is a spirituall execution of the ecclesiasticall lawes Of that there are two parts the ecclesiasticall punishment and the absoluing from the punishment The Ecclesiastical punishmēt is that which in the Church is layed on them that sinne And that is lighter or greater The lighter punishmēt is a rebuking when he is reprooued who hath sinned either by ignorance or priuatly without the offence of others A greater Ecclesiasticall punishment is that which is layed on him who hath sinned more grieuously namely both of meere malice and also with the offence of others And that is two fold suspension or excommunication Suspension is an ecclesiasticall punishmēt whereby the offender is not for a certain time admitted either to the vse of the holy supper or to the rest of the holy things of the church Excommunication is an ecclesiasticall punishment Of excommunication whereby a lawfull knowledge going before he who hath contemned the former priuate or ecclesiasticall admonitions is declared to be excluded iustly from the company of the Church and kingdome of God and to be deliuered to Sathan except he repent Mat. 18.17 1. Cor. 5.3 1. Tim. 1.20 And excommunication is done either for dāgerous errors about the foundations of religiō which any mā doth obstinatly defend and raiseth in the church scismes heresies and doth stubburnly and seditiously trouble the peace of the church 1. Tim. 1.20 Tit. 3.10 Or for manifest faults which tend to the offence and slander of the Church 1. Cor. 5.3 The ends of excommunication are two The first is this that by this remedy the flesh of the excommunicat might be tamed that he might learne to liue to the spirit that is to say that the excommunicate ouercome with shamefastnes might be stirred vp to repentance and decline from euill 1. Cor. 5.5.2 Cor. 2.7 2. Thess 3.14 1. Tim. 1.20 The other that contagion might not come to the rest and infect them also 1. Cor. 5.6.7 Thus farre concerning the Ecclesiasticall punishment now concerning absolution Absolution is a freeing from the punishment after repentance is sufficiently testified And that is either priuate or publicke Priuat is that by which either those that were rebuked or suspended are absolued Mat. 18.15 Publicke is that by which the excommunicate after repentance sufficiently testified publickly are reconciled to the Church and are receiued againe into the society thereof 2. Cor. 2.6.10 Hitherto concerning Pastors now concerning Doctors Doctors are those who onely giue themselues to the interpretation of the Scripture either in turning it into other tongues or in searching out the true sense of it that so sincere and wholesome doctrine may be retained among the faithfull Therefore the office of Doctors is occupied in a scholer-like and exquisite interpretation of the word of God Rō 12.5 1. Co. 1.12.8 Thus farre concerning Bishops now concerning their helpers The helpers of Bishops are those who are adioyned to the Bishops for the Ecclesiasticall businesses And they are either gouernours or disposers of the Church goods The gouernours are graue and godly men chosen out of the people who together with the Bishops are set ouer the cēsure of maners and of exercising discipline Rom. 12.7 1. Cor. 12. These by a Sinecdoche of the generall for the speciall are called Elders Their company is called the eldership Hitherto concerning the gouernours now concerning the disposers of the Church goods The disposers of the church goods Of Deacons are such helpers of Bishops as dispose bodily things And they are Deacons or Deaconesses Deacons are those who dispose the goods of the Church The goods of the Church are diuided into foure parts One part is distributed to them who are appointed for the ministery of the Church Mat. 10.10 1. Cor 9.9 1. Thess 3.8 The other fourth part is bestowed in the maintaining of the poore The third part is appointed for the vpholding the building of churches The fourth part that remaineth is appointed to the Bishop to the end that he may entertaine poore strangers and helpe also the captiue brethren when it is needefull 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.8 But yet now a dayes those are also called Deacons that are adioyned to the Pastors to helpe them in teaching
in preaching in administring the Sacraments in visiting the sicke and captiue and in other things pertaining to the holy ministery Thus farre concerning Deacons now concerning Deaconesses Deaconesses are widowes who serue to the vses of the poore and sicke Act. 6.11 Tim. 5.9 Hitherto concerning the Ministers of the church now concerning the hearers The hearers are all the rest of the saints in the Church besides the ministers whose duty is willingly to submit themselues to the ecclesiasticall discipline and to further it according to their ability with gifts labour and by what meanes soeuer they can Heb. 13.17 1. Tim. 5.17.18 Otherwise they are called ley men priuate men Thus farre concerning the proper gouernment of the church now concerning the common The common gouernment of the Church is that which doth pertaine to all the members of the whole body of the Church And that appeareth in the ecclesiasticall counsels for euery one may and ought to be heard in them so that it be done duely and in order Of counsels The ecclesiasticall counsell is an assembly instituted for the causes of the Church Otherwise it is called a Synode But the cause of calling together of counsels is two fold One that the Church may defend the sincere doctrine comprehended in the word of God against hereticks and approoue it by open testimony Act. 15. In this regard the Church is called the piller or ground of truth to wit whereof it is a faithfull witnesse 1. Tim. 3.15 The other that it might appoint lawes or rules of the ecclesiastical gouernment according to the diuers respects of times places and persons The counsell is generall or particular Generall is that which is gathered in the name of the whole Church as was that of the Israelites 1. King 18.19 and of the Apostles Act. 15.6 The particular counsell is that which is gathered in the name of some certaine church And that is called prouinciall or nationall when the chosen ministers of the church of one prouince or nation meete together The Synod of some choise of learned and godly men is to be gathered together by the authority of the magistrate We must not make any decree concerning the order and manner of conferring with the aduersaries except the magistrate be present or else men chosen by the magistrate The order must be according to method The positions must be definitions distributions short axiomes The manner of disputing must be alwayes by syllogismes But all things that are done by writing are to be subscribed with the very hand of those who are to confer or if they do rather choose to deale by speach the sayings of both parties are to be written by approoued notaries of good credit and chosen by the consent of either partie which afterward both parties may ouersee and confirme it by adding the subscription For this truly is the iust and sincere forme of conference that so falsehood may be preuented The positions of the conference which are propounded must be vndoubted and very few also let not liberty be giuen to wander from them neyther yet are all the iudgements and interpretations of priuate men to be defended but euery part must clearely propound and defend his owne iudgement for it is neither needefull nor necessary that all the iudgements and sayings of all men be approued by vs. For why should we defend the particular iudgement and authority of other men if we our selues be of another minde The controuersies after both parties heard are finally to be determined From which determination deciding the ciuil magistrats are not to be excluded but admitted to it For both Zenas the Lawyer is highly commended by Paul and ioyned with Apollo as equall with him Tit. 3.13 Hitherto concerning the true church now concerning the false Church The false Church is that which followeth a false religion A false religion is what religion soeuer is contrarie to the word of God deliuered in the holy Scripture Whosoeuer embrace this are the enemies of Christ and his kingdome or true Church The enemies are either open or dissembled The open enemies are those who do manifestly shew thēselues enemies to the name of Christians And they are both blasphemous Iewes and Gentiles The blasphemous Iewes are the open enemies of the christian religion who though Iesus Christ the promised Messias be already manifested yet looke for an other and speake euil of the Lord Iesus and his mēbers neither will they beleeue the Gospell concerning Iesus Christ In them especially we must consider both their reiection and also restoring The reiection of the Iewes is a most iust punishment which by God is layd vpon thē whilest he hath blinded and hardened them being vnthankefull towardes Christ and his Gospell and reiected them from his couenant that he might call and adopt the Gentiles in their stead Act. 13.46 Rom. 11. chap. almost throughout And that is neither generall nor perpetuall Rom. 11. Of therestoring of the Iewes The restoring of the Iewes is a benefite of God when God after that the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in into the Church shall conuert the Iewes that they being kindled with an emulation of the mercy shewed to the Gentiles might embrace that Gospell which concerneth Christ and be ingraffed againe into the couenant of Grace made with Abraham and their fathers and might be saued Rom. 11.23.24.25.26.27.28.29.30.31.32 Hitherto concerning the Iewes now concerning the Gentiles The Gentiles are open enemies to the Christian religion who worshippe false and counterfeit Gods And they be either Mahumets or other Pagans Mahumets are open enemies to the Christian religion who worship Mahumet and embrace the Alcoran deliuered vnto them by him They are also called Turkes Other Pagans are also besides the Mahumets which worship fained gods And thus farre concerning open enemies now concerning dissembled enemies The dissembled enemies of Christ and the true Church are those who vnder the name of Christ do fight against him and by many lying signes seduce men And they are eyther Antichristes or false Christs Antichrists are the dissembled enemies of Christ who euery manner of way are against the doctrine of Christ whose followers they professe themselues to be 1. Iohn 2.18.22 4.3 2. Ioh. vers 7. And the same are also called false Prophets Matth. 7.15 Antichrist is two fold for either he is against one part or other onely of the Christian doctrine or else almost against the whole bodie of it Of the first kind are all Heretikes Of Heretikes An Heretike is he who doth erre in the foundation of eternall saluation that is to say who doth fight against eyther the perfon or office of Christ and doth stubbornely perseuere in errour Many such haue been euen from the times of the Apostles and yet also there are some as Cerinthus Valentinus Marcion Sabellius Arrius Nestorius Ertiches Pelagius and others Of Antichrist Of the latter kind is that notorious aduersary of Christ who by an excellency
commandement is this thou shalt no haue strange Gods before me In this commandement God forbiddeth to haue strange Gods before him A strange God is euery thing in which a man putteth his confidence besides the true God or that which a man doth feare or loue more then God or equally with God or to which he giueth diuine worship contrary to the expresse word of God To haue strange Gods is to put his confidence in any thing which is not the true God or to loue or feare that more then God or as well as God or to giue to it diuine worship contrary to the expresse word of God Not to haue strange Gods before God is to eschew all idolatry not onely in the sight of men but euen in the heart because God seeth all things The second commandement is this The 2. commandement thou shalt not make to thy self any grauen image neither shalt thou counterfeit any Image of those things which are in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the waters vnder the earth thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them For I am the Lord thy God strong iealous reuenging the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children and that vnto the third and fourth generation of those that hate me and shewing mercy vnto thousandes of them that loue me and keepe my commandements In this commandement God forbiddeth both the framing of Images for Religions sake and also the worshipping of them And by Image is vnderstood by putting the part for the whole euen all the worship of God deuised by men Therefore Images are not to be borne withall in Churches which might be in steed of bookes to the ignorant people For neither doth it become vs to be more wise then God who will haue his Church to be taught not with dumbe Images but with the liuely preaching of his word Iere. 10.8 Haba 2.18.19 Luke 16.29 Neither is God to be otherwise worshipped thē he hath prescribed in his word Now there is a threatning and promise added to this commandement that it might driue vs the more powerfully from Idolatry as from an abhominable sinne In the threatning God nameth himselfe strong and iealous He calleth himselfe indeed strong that we might feare the power which he hath to reuenge He calleth himselfe iealous because he neuer without punishmēt suffereth his honour to be giuen to any other But in the threatning God doth threaten punishments both to the sinners themselues and also to their posterity God for two causes threateneth punishments to the posterity of sinners 1. That he might shew the greatnesse of sinne which draweth punishments not onely vpon them that commit them but vpon their posterity also if God should deale according to the straightnesse of his iustice 2. That at the least men fearing the punishment that shall light on their posterity they might abstaine from sinne That the posteritie be punished for the sinnes of the parents it is not against the iustice of God for such is the naughtinesse of our nature that except God regard vs in his singular mercy we should all of vs perseuere in the sinnes of our parents Thus farre concerning the threatening In the promise ioyned to this commandement God promiseth that he will blesse euen the posterity of the godly There are two causes leading him to this 1. That he might expresse the greatnesse of his mercy toward the godly whereby he doth blesse not onely them but their porterity also 2. That happynesse being promised to our posterity he might sturre vs vp more earnestly to godlinesse And he saith that he will blesse to the thousandth generation punish at the least to the fourth that he might testifie that he is not delighted with the destruction but with the saluation of men that he doth not punish but for the manifestation of his iustice Hitherto concerning the second commandement now concerning the third The third cōmandement is this The 3. commandement thou shalt not vse the name of the Lord thy God rashly For the Lord thy God will not let him go vnpunished who taketh his name in vaine In this commandement God forbiddeth the vaine vse of his name and establisheth that prohibition with a grieuous punishmēt The vaine vsing of Gods name is when any false or reprochfull thing is spoken of God or when a man by lightnesse or vngodlinesse doth falsly or rashly sweare by God or when one doth bitterly curse others by custome or desire of reuengement The establishment of this commandement containeth a threatning of punishmēt that God might shew that the profanation of his name is to be accounted amongst most grieuous sinnes The 4. commandement The fourth commandement is this Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabaoth day Six dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe But the seuenth day is the Sabaoth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy manseruant nor thy maidseruant the cattell nor the stranger that is within thy gates For in six dayes the Lord made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabaoth day and hallowed it The sanctification of the Sabaoth day is the appointing of an holy day to the publike worship of God or else it is to bestow a day in holy workes and exercises There are foure parts of the sanctification of the Sabaoth the handling of Gods word the vsing of the Sacraments publicke calling on God by prayer and the exercising of the workes of mercy God for two causes would haue a certaine time appointed for the ministery of the Church 1. For our weaknesse who otherwise do seldome wholy giue our selues to the meditation of heauenly things 2. That rest from labour might be giuen to those who are vnder other mens authoritie Now we are not bound to the seuenth day for Christ by his comming hath abolished the ceremonies of Moses Hitherto concerning the first table of the ten commandements The second followeth The second table of the ten commandements The second table of the ten commandements consisteth of sixe commandements concerning our duties or loue towardes our neighbours And those commandements are in order the fift the sixt the seuenth the eight the ninth and the tenth The 5. commandement The fift commandement is this Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be prolonged in the land which the Lord thy God shall giue thee Of this commandement there are two partes In the first part God commandeth the performance of honour due to our parents By the name of parents are vnderstood not onely those who begat vs but euen all superiours who are ouer vs or who are set ouer vs by God to gouerne vs. Now of the honour due to our superiours there are fiue partes reuerence loue obedience in all things not forbiddē by God thankefulnesse
is a full satisfaction for our sinnes sufficiēt for all the men of the world if all did receiue the same by faith The powerfull working of Christ is that by which he doth certainly bestow on the beleeuers benefites purchased by his merite for them as for example the forgiuenesse of sinnes regeneration the holy spirit and eternall life and doth preserue the same benefites in them and endue them with perseuerance that they fall not from grace Thus much concerning the expiation of sinne now concerning intercession to God Of intercession to God Intercession to God is the other part of Christes Priesthood whilest that he causeth by the perpetuall memory of his sacrifice that his father should receiue vs into grace Hitherto concerning Christes Priesthood now concerning the kingly office of Christ Of the kingly office of Christ The kingly office of Christ is this that he as the head gouerneth the Church Psal 2.6 Luke 1.33 Mat. 28.18 Iohn 10.28 And he exerciseth that two wayes one way if we consider the Church by it selfe another way if we cōsider the enemies of the Church If we consider the Church by it selfe he exerciseth his kingdome two wayes 1. Because by his holy spirit he powreth heauenly giftes vpon vs which are his members Ephes 4.10.11.12 2. Because he gouerneth vs by his word and spirite If we consider the enemies of the Church of Christ he exerciseth his kingly office also two wayes 1. That he by his power doth defend preserue and mightily deliuer both vs and that saluation which he hath purchased for vs against our enemies Psal 2.9 and 110.1.2 Iohn 10.28.29.30 Ephes 4.8 2. Because he doth beat downe their enemies vntill at the length he may fully perfectly deliuer vs from them The vanquishing of the enemies is two wayes 1. Because he doth depriue our enemies of all power although they be neuer so strong and proud as the deuill and all the wicked 2. Because he doth vtterly abolish other as death 1. Cor. 15.26 Thus farre concerning the reuelation of doctrine now concerning the foretelling of things to come Of the foretelling of things to come The foretelling of things to come is a laying open of Gods will by which God would foretell those things which shall be hereafter as farre as it might be for our good to know them And that is either confirmed by an oth or else it is without an oth The oth of God is a confirming of the foreshewing of things to come not because that foreshewing is doubtfull but because God would so prouide for our infirmity iudging of God according to the maner of men that if any bee not contented with the bare wordes of God the othes might suffice him Taulerus saith thus O blessed are they for whose sake God sweareth ô miserable are they who beleeue not God whē he sweareth The bare foretelling is that which hath no oth adioyned to it but yet it is as certain as if God that had sworne had done it And therfore Philo sayd elegātly all the words of God are othes in respect of their certaintie neither do they need any cōfirmatiō as whose truth proueth and defendeth it by the effectes as the shining of the natiue light being sēt forth Againe the foretelling of things to come is either absolute or with a condition The absolute foretelling is that which is without all condition and that is prophecie or foretelling A prophecie or foretelling is a reuealing of misteries or secret things which shall come to passe in their due time Such were many foretellings of the Prophetes of Christ concerning his owne passion death resurrection concerning the ouerthrow of Ierusalem cōcerning the end of the world cōcerning false Prophets of Agabus concerning the pestilēce to come of Paul concerning the restoring of the Iewes and concerning Antichrist c. Hitherto concerning the absolute foretelling of things to come The foretelling of things to come with condition is that to which some certaine condition is annexed which if it be present the things foretold are done And that is either promise or threatning Gods promise is a foreshewing of good things to come which God will giue vs if we also performe those things which he requireth of vs or if we satisfie the condition which he layeth vpon vs. The promise of God is either spirituall or bodily The spirituall promise is that whereby God doth shew that he will giue vs spirituall good things The bodily promise is that whereby God doth shew that he will giue vs bodily good things as farre as it may be expedient for our saluation Againe the promise is either of the law or of the Gospell The promise of the law is a promise which the law propoundeth hauing a condition of perfect obedience annexed vnto it For the law precisely commandeth the condition to be fulfilled neither otherwise performeth it the promises then as the condition shal be throughly performed Therfore the perfect fulfilling of the condition commanded by the law should haue had a respect of merit and should haue bene a cause of obtaining those rewards which the law promiseth But the perfect fulfilling of the condition of the law cannot be performed by men corrupted with sinne The promise of the law although it hath a condition adioyned vnpossible to be performed by a corrupted nature notwithstanding it is not vnprofitable or idle for the vnpossible condition is therefore adioyned that men might be admonished of their weakenesse and they throughly vnderstanding the same might flye to Christ by whō they being receiued into grace and already hauing obtained iustification might obtaine those same promises The promise of the Gospell is a promise which the Gospell propoundeth hauing the condition of faith adioyned to it For the Gospell promiseth forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life yet to the beleeuers onely The promise of the Gospell is vniuersall but to the beleeuers for all which beleeue in Christ do receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life Actes 10.43 Iohn 3.16 But it doth not pertaine to the vnbeleeuers Thus much concerning the promise now concerning the threatning Threatning is a denouncing of euils to come by which God will either chasten his or punish the wicked except they repent Therefore the condition of repentance is adioyned Threatning also is either spirituall or bodily Spirituall threatning is that whereby God doth denounce that he will send spirituall euils vpon vs. Bodily threatning is that whereby God doth denounce that he will send bodily euils vpon vs. Hitherto concerning the supernaturall manifestation of Gods will now concerning his calling of vs. Our calling is a worke of Gods speciall prouidence whereby God doth call men to some certaine end Matth. 22.9 1. Cor. 1.9 1. Tim. 2.4.29 And that calling is either to Christ or to some office The calling to Christ is that calling wherby God doth inuite vs to Christ that by him we might obtaine eternall life And that calling is two fold either
of God by which we do religiously call vppon God Psal 50.18 116.13 To it is opposed an idolatrous inuocation and the omitting of inuocation or sinne An idolatrous inuocation is a sinne when that is called vpon which is not God And of this first is the inuocation or sinne of the Gentiles Turkes Iewes and Papists The omitting of inuocation is a sin when inuocation so straightly commaunded by God is omitted as though God had no need of it Calling vppon God is either prayer or an oath Of prayer Prayer is a calling vppon God by which we aske of God such good things as are necessary for the soule and body and contrariwise do pray that euill things may be remoued Gen. 17.18 24.12 28. 2. â—2 11 Exod. 8.12 1. Sam. 17.19 1. King 8.15 And that 〈◊〉 either the absolute seruice of the deity or prayer proper to the mediator The absolute seruice of the deity is that which is properly directed to the deity and with that also wee worshippe Christ as hee is God and by which we attribute vnto him the honour of omnipotency knowing all things and being euery where present Of worshipping the mediator Christ Prayer proper to the mediator is that worship which is giuen to Christ both in respect of his person and of his office as to that mediator that is God and man For as the acknowledgement of Christ consisteth in the acknowledgement of his person and office so in inuocation we must thinke of Christ after either manner First he is to be called vppon as God the giuer of good things with the Father and the holy Spirite Secondly we must thinke of him as of a mediatour and intercessour for whose sake we beleeue that wee are receiued and heard That worship of the mediatour is one not in respect or degree but in number And as our faith in the acknowledgment of Christ doth put a difference betweene the natures so also in the worshipping of him Therefore he the mediatour is worshipped not for his humanities sake which is created but because of his eternall and omnipotent deity For the deity the Creator of all things is the proper subiect of religious worship and not the humanity because it is a creature Cyrillus writing to Theodosius the king concerning the right faith saith Shall we therefore worship Emmanuell that is God with vs as a man Be it farre from vs for this sinne were a dotage deceipt and errour For in this wee should not differ from those who do worship the creature more then the creator and maker And as faith doth attribute to him according to either nature that which it ought according to the Scriptures so it doth demaund that in the worke of hearing as in the perfection of his duetie and obedience he should worke according to either nature that which is his owne to do According to the deity that he might behold the hearts heare the sighes of his seruants giue the holy Spirite and other good things according to his vnmeasurable wisdome and power But according to the humanity that he might of his own humaine will approoue the prayers and hearings of his people and in that might do that which is proper to him So the Church prayeth Reuel 22.20 Euen come thou Lord Iesus in which prayer it doth aske not that made manifest in his God-head he might come in the clouds but manifested in his humanity and so one and that selfe same Lord Iesus might deliuer and glorifie the Church by his diuine omnipotency or almighty power Thus much concerning the distribution of prayer now concerning the forme of prayer Of all other the Lords prayer is the best forme of prayer The Lords prayer is that which our Lord Christ himselfe hath taught vs. The expounding of the Lords prayer Mat. 6.9 Luke 11.20 Our Father which art in heauen and so forth Of the Lords prayer are foure parts an entrance petitions a confirmation and a conclusion Of the entrance there are two parts the first teacheth vs whom we ought to call vppon namely our father Our father is God Now we call God father for two causes 1 Because he hath begot the sonne to himselfe from eternity to wit Iesus Christ 2 Because he hath adopted vs to be his sonnes for Christ his sake But in our prayers we call him father for three causes 1 That we being about to pray might find a distinction between our inuocation and the prayers of Infidels turning our selues to this God who hath manifested himselfe in his sonne Iesus Christ 2 That a child-like feare and reuerence of God might be stirred vp in vs. 3 That we might pray with confidence certainly assuring our selues that we are heard of God as of a mercifull father because he hath adopted vs to be his sonnes because we are members of Christ because we call vpon him by Christ But we call him our Father for two causes 1 That so we might thinke that we are to pray not only for our selues but for other men also especially for those who are members with vs in the body of Christ sonnes of the same father in heauen 2 That we may pray the more boldly thinking this that the whole Church and euen the mediator as our brother doth pray with vs. This is the first part of the entrance the second followeth The second part is this which art in Heauen That God is in heauen it meaneth that he onely is omnipotent and alone can giue vs those things which we aske of him God truely is euery where Iere. 23.23.24 Esa 66.1 But heauen is as it were the ordinary Pallace of God in which is his throne and the chiefest glory of God doth appeare because God doth most magnifically manifest himself in heauen to the Angels blessed soules Psal 115.16 Psal 19. But these words which art in heauen are added for fiue causes 1 That we might not imagine any earthly and carnall matter of the heauenly maiesty of God 2 That we being about to pray might lift vp our minds from the earth to heauen Psal 25. 121. 3 That we might expect from the omnipotency and almighty power of God what things soeuer are necessary for soule body 4 That we might be mindfull of this that our God hath all gouernment of heauen and earth that he is present euery where and that he heareth and helpeth those that cal on him 5 That we should not direct or tie the worship of God to any place or thing besides his commandement So much concerning the entrance of the Lords prayer the petitions follow The petitions of the Lordes prayer are two fold the three former pertaine to the glorie of God and the three later to our own necessitie The first petition is this I. Petition Hallowed be thy name In it wee aske the hallowing of Gods name The hallowing of Gods name is the glorifying of God And that is done both by true faith and also
by good works Therefore the sense and meaning of the first petition is this Grant that we may glorifie thee by true faith and good works We sanctifie Gods name by true faith when we rightly acknowledge God and his workes We sanctifie Gods name by good works both when we worship God aright and also when we desire and labour for vertue and well doing and that to this end that the most holy name of God might not be slaundered through our meanes but rather that other seeing our good workes might glorifie our heauenly Father The second petition is this II. Petition Let thy kingdome come In it we aske the comming of the kingdome of God The comming of the kingdome of God is the gouerning of the Church And this comming of Gods kingdome is two fold either to the whole Church or to the seuerall members of it The cōming of gods kingdome to the whole Church is when God defendeth the Church And that two waies both in preseruing encreasing his owne church in destroying the church of the deuill or sathās synagogue The comming of Gods kingdome to euery mēber of the church is when God doth so by his word and spirite gouerne euery one that he doth subiect them more and more to himselfe and the obedience of his will The sense therefore of the second petition is this Gouerne thy Church and the seuerall members of the Church by thy spirit and word The third petition is this III. Petition Thy will bee done as in heauen so in earth also In it we aske that all of vs might obey Gods will and that all wicked lustes being tamed we might wholly and altogether serue God and that so readily and willingly as the holy Angels in heauen do Will doth here signifie that which is acceptable to God and that also which he therfore requireth of vs. The three former petitions haue been thus expounded the three later follow The three later petitions pertaine to our necessity and that both as in respect of the body as the fourth petition and also as in respect of the soule as the fift and sixt The fourth petition is this IIII. Petition Giue vs this day our daily bread In it we aske the sustentation and nourishment of this temporall life Daily bread is whatsoeuer is necessarie for the vpholding and preseruation of this present life God indeed hath commaunded vs to get it with the labour of our hands but yet we aske it of God because neither our labour neither those thing which are gotten by our labour do or can profite vs without Gods blessing which it selfe also is part of dayly bread But if thou art rich and abounding yet as if thou were needy pray daily for the blessed vse of thy riches thinke that full sellers and full store-houses or chests may be sodenly emptyed except they be kept by the Lords hand yea except the Lord shall season with his blessing the meat and drinke that we take in they that eat shall sterue for hunger they that drinke shall waxe dry with thirst Eze. 4.14 Ye shall eat and not be satisfied Leuit. 26.26 Now we name it our bread indeede and yet we aske that God would giue it vs because that by the gift of God it is become ours neither can any thing be ours or become ours except God giue it We name it our bread that so being content with that we might not desire another mans And we call it our bread and not mine that so euery one might know that he ought to aske bread necessary not for himself alone but for his neighbour also Lastly we aske dayly bread and pray that the same may be dayly giuen vs for foure causes 1 That a distrustfull carefulnesse for to morow might be taken out of our minds 2 That we might remember that for daily bread we haue neede of daily prayers 3 That we might be daily admonished of the shortnes of this our bodily life as though we should liue to day onely 4 That we might not immoderately greedily desire or couet any thing besides that which God hath prescribed The fift petition is this V. petition And forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue those that trespasse against vs. In it we aske the forgiuenesse of sinnes or iustification And when God in his eternall couenant had willingly freely promised vs forgiuenesse of sinnes he hath also bound vs to himselfe by the answering againe of a good conscience to forgiue our brethren So that he is not bound to keepe his promise with vs except we also continue in the obligation couenant or condition to be performed on our part Our forgiuing therefore is not a cause of Gods forgiuing for God first hath freely promised vs forgiuenesse when as yet wee were his enemies and besides he hath bound vs to himselfe to pardon our brethren also The cause can not be after his proper effect But our forgiuing of them is after Gods forgiuing of vs. Therefore our forgiuing is not the cause of Gods forgiuing The assumption is certaine for they only can pardon their bretheren to whom God hath forgiuen their sinnes and by this testimonie we feele in our harts that our sinnes are pardoned vs if wee be fully purposed with our selues from our hearts to pardon all those who haue offended vs. The sixt petition is this VI. Petition And leade vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill In it we aske both that we our selues may be gouerned by the holy spirite and word least we should fall into sinne And this gouerning is part of our regeneration or sanctification and also deliuerance from euils that is to say from the snares of Sathan from the deceipts of the world and from the entisements of the flesh as causes of sinne Thus hath the second part of the Lordes prayer bene handled the third followeth The third part of the Lords prayer is a cōfirmation which conteyneth three argumēts by which our faith is confirmed that God doth certainly heare our prayers Two arguments are drawen from the adioynts of God the third from the end of hearing The first adioynt of God is this because he is king hauing rule ouer all things The second because he is able who can giue vs all things which we aske The argument from the ende is that he might be praysed and glorified for euer because he is God and a most bountifull and mercifull father Hitherto we haue handled the third part of the Lords prayer the conclusion remaineth The conclusion of the Lords prayer consisteth in one word Amen which is both a wish that those things may be ratified which we aske and also a note of confidence wherby we shew that we are perswaded that God hath certainly heard our prayers Blessing is a peculiar kinde of prayer Blessing and that is whereby we aske good things for other men at the hands of God And that is due to all whether
is to speake of God thing cōtrary to his nature and will Leu. 24. The omitting of doctrine is a neglect of occasions ability to teach others to bring them to the knowledge of the truth especially our children or others who are committed to our faithfulnesse and care The shunning of doctrine is a sinne when any doth shun conferences and speeches concerning God and heauenly things Tediousnes of doctrine is a sin when any is cloyed as we say with the fulnesse of the word of God An vnseasonable confession is that which is made without the necessity of a mans calling or of doing some duty and therfore neither the glory of God is set foorth by such a confession neither the saluatiō of any is promoted but rather eyther the scorning or obloquie of the truth or the fiercenesse of the enemies is stirred thereby specially against the godly The dissembling of the truth is a sin when any dissembleth the truth where the glory of God and safety of his neighbour requireth a true and full confession The denying of the truth is a sin whē any doth deny the truth after he hath certainely knowen it The denying of the truth is two fold either proceeding of infirmity or willing The former is when any being vpon the suddaine and with present and vnlooked for feare ouercome and compelled doth with his mouth indeede deny the truth and that to shun some danger but neuerthelesse keepeth it in his heart neither falleth from it Such a denying was that of Peter the Apostle who denyed Christ Mat. 26.69 c. A willing denying of the truth is a sin whē any denyeth the truth certainly knowen being ouercome and compelled with no suddaine vnlooked for feare but willingly of purpose eyther to keepe dignity or life or for hope to obtaine substance and riches And that is properly called Apostasie that is to say a wicked falling away frō the truth Apostasie as was that of Iulian the Apostata and Francis Spira Hitherto concerning the confession of the truth now concerning the obseruing of the Ecclesiasticall rites or ceremonies Of Ecclesiasticall rites An Ecclesiasticall rite or ceremony is the worship of God in which we worship God by outward meanes And it is eyther common to the olde and new Testament or proper to eyther of them A rite common to the old and new Testament is both the sanctifying of an holy day and also a godly fast and vow Of the sanctifying of an holy day The sanctifying or celebrating of an holy day is an ecclesiasticall rite when we resting from humaine and bodily labours doe come together into the publicke assembly of the Church for the exercise of Gods worship And that doth comprehend both the meditation of Gods word and solemne prayers and also the administration of the Sacramentes and the exercise of the workes of mercie The exercise of the workes of mercie hath three partes both the giuing of almes and also the visiting of those that neede comfort and also the helping of those that neede our helpe The giuing of almes is to be done for the helping and releeuing of the poore of the sicke of the prisoners of the captiues of those that suffer burnings or shipwracks and others that neede The visiting of those that neede comfort is that of the orphans widowes in their affliction Iam. 1.27 The helping of those that neede our helpe and aide is that of the sicke of those that are besiedged of captiues or those that are in other dangers of life Matt. 12. Hitherto concerning the sanctification of an holy day now concerning a godly fast Of a godly or religious fast A godly fast is the outward worship of God when wee for a time refraine from all meat and drinke the more feruently to exercise godlinesse The ends thereof are 1 That our vnruly flesh may be as it were tamed with hunger 1. Cor. 9.25.26.27 2 That we might prepare our selues to conceiue and make prayers with the earnest affection of the heart Luk. 2.37 Act. 13. and 14.23 1. Cor. 7.5 3 That we might wholely cast downe and humble our selues before God with true griefe of mind 4 That euen by outward testimonies wee might whet on both our selues and others to repentance Ioel. 2.14.15 1. Samu. 7.5.6 A priuate fast is that which any hath priuately set to himselfe for priuate causes and necessities 2. Sam. 3.35 12.16 Nehem. 1.4 Est 14.2 Dan. 9.3 A publike fast is that which is generally appointed by the authoritie of the Elders and a godly Magistrate as often as any occasion of times and imminent calamitie due for our sinnes do so require Iud. 20.26 Ioel. 2.12 Ion. 3.5.7 1. Sam. 7.6 2. Sam. 1.11.12 Est 14.3 Act. 13.2.3 14.23 So much concerning a fast now concerning a vow Of a vow A vow is asolemne promise made to God concerning some lawfull holy thing which is in our power and acceptable to God to be performed in respect of the thankfulnes that is due to him And it is eyther conditionall or absolute A conditionall vow is a vow to which the condition of time or place or some other circumstance is adioyned that so that which is vowed may be performed or not performed according to the respect of the condition An absolute vow is that which is without all condition Psal 102. And both these vowes are eyther temporary or perpetuall A temporary vow is that by which any bindeth himselfe to some thing at the least for a certaine season A perpetuall vow is that whereby any bindeth himselfe to some thing all his life long as Psal 102. Hitherto concerning a rite common to the old and new Testament now concerning that that is proper to either of them A rite proper to eyther of them is either of the old or new Testament A rite proper to the old Testament is either publike or priuate A publike rite was that which was done in the solemne assembly And it was either the Iewish sacrifice or the obseruing of holy times The Iewish sacrifice was a rite instituted by God Of sacrifices that it might be a putting of them in mind of the benefites to be bestowed vpon them by the Messias And it was either expiatory or of thanksgiuing An expiatory sacrifice was a type of the oblation that was to come which was to be slaine for the sins of mankind In Greeke it is called a cleansing otherwise it is called a satisfaction for sinne And it was eyther propitiatory or sacrifices of redemption A propitiatory sacrifice was that in which the whole oblation was burned to pacifie appease God it is also called a whole burnt offering Sacrifices of redemption were such as by which sinnes were redeemed And they were eyther a sacrifice for sinne or a sacrifice for offence A sacrifice for sinne was a sacrifice redeeming sins committed of error or ignorance A Sacrifice for an offence was a sacrifice redeeming offences wantonly