to vs in vaine Euen as the euidences of another mans land are nothing auaileable to me but to the Land-holder they are of singular vse So the Sacraments are part of the euidences of a beléeuers hope and seale to him Gods fauour but to vnbeléeuers they seale nothing but their greater condemnation if they repent not Euen as if an vnlearned man open a booke he séeth the letters but is neuer the better and cannot attaine the meaning but a man that is learned readeth and is instructed So an vnbeléener séeth the Bread and Wine and eateth the signe but the beléeuer onely hath the benefite of the thing signified through his faith For the spirituall grace is present not to the signe but to the person beléeuing Euen as Pharoh had a dreame but not the interpretation and as the noble man of Samaria saw the plenty but tasted not of it Euen se vnbeléeuers ignorants vnthankefull for the death of Christ haue the shell but not the kyrnell haue that which goeth into the body not that which blesseth the soule First therefore get faith Secondly repent of thy sins hauing an vnfained and stedfast purpose alwaies hereafted to liue godlily If thou comest with a hungring desire of the righteousnesse of Christ with a broken heart for that which is past and with a holy purpose for the time to come then thou art welcome to thy Sauiour and shalt without faile taste of his swéetnesse but if thou hast béene and yet art a Drunkard a Blasphemer Vncleane Proud Couetous Contentious c and hast not vnfeignedly repented or at least doest not begin to repent For this cause thou art guilty of the body and bloud of Christ being more fit to be at the méetings of Turkes and Infidels then of such as professe Iesus Christ Get therefore Repentance also And testifie this thy repentance not onely by a shew of sorrow and sobriety the day thou comest to the Lords Table but all the dayes of thy life after Many haue I séene which on that day haue gone softly spoken patiently looked sorrowfully behaued themselues grauely which within a day or two haue with the swine returned to the wallowing in the mire and with the dogge to the vomit of their former euill courses But vnderstand thou that euen as when a man hath escaped the danger of some great distemper of surfeit it is not enough for him to kéepe a good dyet a day or two So it is not a dayes obedience or two nor such fits of deuotion which vanish as a flash of lightning that will approue our faith repentance and profession but it is perseuerance in these holy duties when the sauour of the Sacrament remaines with vs all the daies of our life Therfore euen as Daniel was the fairer and better fauoured by his dyet of Pulse so it is required and the Lord erpects that if thou eate drinke at his table thou shouldest be the fairer by it and the better reformed in thy conuersation And if thou béest notwithstanding ill-fauoured that is without Knowledge Faith Repentance Obedience Patience Temperance Charity c. it is a manifest argument that thou hast a foule and corrupted conscience that thou hast receiued vnworthily and so art in danger of the wrath of God Qu. You said that some thinke Discipline to be a note of the true Church What is that Discipline Ans It is that power in the Church by the consent and approbation of the Christian Magistrate whereby by persons fit and lawfully called Constitutions are made 1. Cor. 5.3.4 14.40 both for comelinesse and order in the worship of God and for the censuring of prophane liuers Expl. Though a true Church may bée without this power of Discipline yet bée well without it it cannot both that the ministery of the holy things may with the greatest reuerence and profite be performed and also that the Church may be holy and a maintainer thereof First then because without order things cannot well procéede or continue and God is the God of order the hold that the Church hath power to make Canons and Constitutions but with a thrée-fold restraint First that they be onely about matters Ecclesiasticall Euery man is to kéepe within the compasse of his calling Secondly that as concerning the worship of God they be determinations of circumstances necessary profitable as concerning time place order méetings maner of reading Scriptures c. In all which comelinesse order edification of the Church auoiding of offence are to be respected and such determinations in their owne nature to remaine mutable to be altered as the Magistrate shall sée it make for the good of the Church Thirdly that if there be a Christian Magistrate they be with his consent and authority because the authority of making confirming lawes concerning both the ciuill Ecclesiasticall good of the subiects is principally in the chiefe ciuil Magistrate This order being obserued the Ecclesiasticall things as dispensation of the Word Sacraments and execution of Discipline be handled not by lay persons but by Ecclesiasticall persons onely by the authority of God and the Prince For the other part which concerneth Ecclesiasticall censures this is to be remembred that properly they are not executed by mulcts fines hodily smart imprisonment death such like which are proper to the power of a ciuill Magistrate but by admonition Mat. 20.25 26. 1. Pet. 5.3 reproofe suspension excommunication The highest degrée of Ecclesiasticall censures is excommunication when notorious stubborne offenders are cast out of the Church the parties deseruing this censure being notorioufly prophane and there being extreme danger of offence and of the infection of others by their society In the execution whereof procéeding must be as in the body in the cutting of a member which is when no meanes will recouer it and least it should procure decay to the whole body then to cut it off though it be with griefe Also excommunication is not absolutely to be executed but on the contumacy of the delinquent for the party as a lost shéepe is both carefully to be sought vp if he repent to be with all reioycing loue receiued againe into the fellowship of the Church for the end of excommunication must be first that holy things be not giuen to dogges Secondly Math. 7.7 that the Church may frée herselfe from an euill fame of suffring them which dishonor God Thirdly 1. Cor. 5. 1. Cor. 5.6 lest others be infected Fourthly that such as offend may be ashamed and come to repentance 2. Thess 3.14 1. Cor. 5.5 that their Spirits may be saued in the day of the Lord. And this order of censuring offenders excommunication ought to be perpetuall in the Church because the causes thereof are vniuersal perpetuall which are those foure before mentioned together with the commandement of Christ 1. Cor. 5.4 and Paul testifieth that the incestious person ought to be excommunicated in the
THE GROVNDS Of Diuinitie Plainely discouering the Mysteries of Christian Religion propounded familiarly in diuers Questions and Answeres Substantially proued by Scriptures Expounded faithfully according to the Writings of the best Divines and euidently applyed by profitable Vses for the helpe and benefite of the Vnlearned which desire Knowledge To the which is prefixed a very profitable Treatise containing an Exhortation to the Study of the Word with singular directions for the Hearing and Reading of the same By ELNATHAN PARR Minister of the Word at Palgraue in Suffolke PROV 3.13.14 Blessed is the man that findeth wisedome and the man that getteth vnderstanding For the Marchandise thereof is better then the Marchandise of Siluer and the gaine thereof is better then gold LONDON Printed by N. O. for SAMVEL MAN and are to be sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Ball. 1614. TO THE VERTVOVS RELIGIOVS AND MOST WORTHY LADY the Lady IANE CORNEVVALLEYS Widdow Grace and Peace from God the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ. MADAME I Present vnto you these my weake and homely labours being the first fruits of my paines in this kinde humbly desiring that your Ladiship wold vouchsafe to patronize them That which hath emboldened me to dedicate them to your worthy Name is Partly A minde willing in the best measure I can to testifie my thankefulnesse for your many vndeserued fauours whereby I confesse you may iustly challenge more then my Mediocrity can euer performe Partly your loue vnfeigned and sincere profession of the Gospell whereby you are an honour to your Degree and Sexe cleerely euidenced many wayes during your abode in Suffolke which as it is a sweete testimony to your owne breast that you are beloued of God and hath made you farre and neere honoured by all such which loue God so also it hath made mee very confident that your Ladiship will fauourably accept these my thankefull endeuours Goe on I humbly beseech you good Madame goe on in that good way which you haue chosen and constantly continue as a bright Starre to shine without waning or being ecclipsed to the directing confirming and comforting of many as hitherto you haue done And for my part I shall neuer cease among many other to stand vp as an humble Suppliant to God that you may bee more and more strengthened in his Grace and directed by the Eternall Spirit that as you haue already by your zeale in Religion prouoked many so you may perseuere vnto the end in this holy course and bring on and encourage others by your singular example Then shall your Name bee still more honourable while you liue here and your account furthered in the day of our Lord IESVS And thus humbly tendering my best seruice to your Ladiship and to the hopefull Gentleman Mr FREDERICKE your ioy vpon whom I beseech God to double the glory of all his Ancestors and wishing vnto you both and to your whole family all temporall and eternall blessings by Iesus Christ I humbly take my leaue and alway rest bound to your Ladiship to my vttermost in all Christian duty Elnathan Parr ¶ To the courteous Reader COurteous Reader Thou hast here the fruit of my sicknesse whereby in the beginning of this Winter I was made vnseruiceable for my publique duety In this while considering that Time is pretious and the dayes euill as the Apostle saith the Lord put into my heart to redeeme the time Whereupon as God enabled me to hold vp my head I looked ouer my ragged Notes and scattered papers Part of which after my rude maner pollished are here offered vnto thee I am not without hope but that by the good hand of God as I had experience of the profit of these things being deliuered by liuely voyce so also the charitable reading of them may much auayle thee I know that euery day there are many new Bookes set forth and of this kind not a few yet in this method with sound briefe Propositions of the principall points of Diuinity euident and infallible proofes succinct and perspicuous Explications and plaine and liuely Applications I haue not obserued any So that this and also the great ignorāce of the multitude considred I doubt not but the Indifferent will free these my Endeuors from the censure of superfluous of writing Iliads as they say after Homer I confesse ingenuously that much of my Explications is drawn frō the fountains of other men both forren Writers and many our owne worthy Countreymen So that as the little Bee greatly industrious flieth ouer many a garden and flower to gather a little hony so haue I out of many mens gardens selected and gathered many such choice things which I iudged might most make for thy benefit And this can be no Imputation to mee in asmuch as the Learned know that not to speake of some of the Pen-men of the holy Ghost both auncient later Writers haue to the great benefit of the Church taken this course also because I haue made such things which I haue receiued from others so to serue my purpose either by contraction addition exposition or marshalling into my order that I may in some sort iustly challenge them as mine owne The summe of this my small Labour to the which is prefixed an exhortation to the study of the Word is an Exposition of the Description of God named the Grounds of Diuinitie expounded applied because it propoundeth preueth and as a key openeth easily vnlocketh the hidden mystery and counsell of God concerning our saluatiō by Iesus Christ The Questions and Answers are familiar and friendly depending The Explications plaine for the most part concise pointing at some things in a word at some in a parenthesis which to the industrious Reader wil be the more aduantageable and for the Vses which being practised are the praise life of knowledge I haue not obserued euery thing nor so pressed any thing but that I leaue much more to be gathered and obserued by such which are accustomed to Meditation In a word that which I iudged most profitable I haue performed for thee If thou beest learned as thou needest it not so I humbly intreate thee to know that I writ it not for thee yet I barre thee not the reading but most willingly submit it to thy censure If thou blamest the Phrase and Stile that it is not fluent and round but ragged and harsh Truly neither can I commend it Happily I haue striuen to be plaine or at least hauing no skill in finer cookery haue drest it as I was able after our homely and country fashion for the stomackes of the vnlearned who rellish and like better of that which is plaine and easie then either learned and deep treatises which they vnderstand not or such cooked conceits where the cost is greater then the nourishment Some delight in toyes like children I should then thinke very ill of my selfe when I should goe about to please their
which also afterwards will breake out into the second act in time to come Euen as therefore we kill an old Wolfe or Snake for the hurt it hath done or is ready now to do and also all the yong ones for the hurtfull nature they haue which in time will shew it selfe So God may iustly cast euen Infants into Hell for the corruption of their nature and will all such of them which he hath not by election of grace ordained to eternall life Vse 2. Seing there is in euery one an inclination through corruption vnto all sinne euen that vnpardonable one then if thou haue receiued grace and power to maister thy corruptions acknowledge him who hath discerned thée and when thou séest a Drunkard or any other sinner wallowing in his sinne praise God for thou art of the same Mould and Mettall and if thou doest not the like it is not the goodnesse of thy nature but the mercy of God restraining or sanctifying thy corrupt heart Also let it teach thée not to despaire of thy neighbour or rashly to condemne him that yet hath not obtained grace For as thou being by nature in the same condemnation hast obtained mercy so what knowest thou how God will deale with him Rather pray for him and endeuour to bring him to the partaking of that grace which thou hast receiued which is indéed a property of true grace Vse 3. This also teacheth a singular point of Wisedome namely in the practise of repentance to strike at the roote to crucifie the flesh and the affections and to destroy the body of Sinne As Physitions which in the curing of a disease remoue the cause or as a man that would destroy Wéeds pluckes them vp Roote and Rinde bend all thy force study and sorrow in repentance first this way For from whence are Drunkennesse Whooredome Idolatry Blasphemy Lying c. euen from this bitter root this vncleane fountaine of Originall sinne 2. Reg. 2.21 As therefore Elisha healed the bitter Waters by seasoning them at the Spring So he that would haue a sound and holy life must labour to be sound within and that his heart be truely seasoned with grace else all is to no purpose And here is the difference betwéen Hypocrites and such as are truly renewed they cut off the branches these the roote they reforme the action these the affection of sinne Therfore as Sara will haue Ismael put away and the Bond-woman his mother also so are we also to put from vs all euill actions and to mortifie euen the affection of sinning if we would soundly repent Q. You speake of Actuall and Originall sinne what is sinne Ans Sinne is the transgression of the Law 1. Ioh. 3.4 Q. What is the Law you speake of Ans The Law which I meane is the eternall Rule of Righteousnesse in God manifested to man first in the Creation afterward repeated by the voyce of God and written in two Tables of stone by the finger of God containing diuine precepts what we should be doe and leaue vndone requiring perfect obedience vnder the hope of life Esay 8.20 Exo. 20.1 c. Psal 19.11 119.105 Leui. 18.5 Deu. 27.27 and punishing the least disobedience with eternal death Exp. The law is taken sundry waies in the Scripture héere we take it for the Morall law contained in the ten Commandements we call it an eternall Rule of righteousnesse in God because it is a bright beame issuing from the Father of Lights containing the summe of his wil concerning his worshiip and the duety of man vnto him and to his neighbour For Gods wil is the rule of all righteousnesse the Law the Copy of it Math. 6.10 and 7.21 therefore obedience of workes is called diuerse times doing of Gods will in his word This Law is an eternall rule because it was alwayes in God and shall for euer continue euen vnto all eternity perfectly to be kept in heauen and also to distinguish it from the Ceremoniall and Iudiciall Lawes which are abrogated The Ceremoniall in regard of Vse and Obseruation and the Iudiciall in regarde of Obligation So that as wee may at no hand bring into vse the Leuiticall Ceremonies so we are not bound to the same forme of Lawes Politicall which were giuen to the Common-wealth of the Iewes And yet the generall equitie of both remaines of the Iudicialls that sinne is to be punished by the Magistrate of the Ceremonialls that God is to bee worshipped in the comelinesse himselfe hath commaunded besides the substance of these Ceremonies which remaines for euer Iesus Christ This Law was at the first printed in Adams heart the knowledge and loue thereof being a part of the Image of God in him A glimmering whereof God in his singular wisedome continued in the heart of man after the fall namely so much as might serue for the continuing of fellowship and society amongst men Rom. 1.19.2.15 and which might leaue them without excuse This remnant we vsually call the Law of Nature not that mans nature is the Author of it but because it is imprinted in the same Afterward the Lord repeated that Law on Mount Sinai and writ it in two tables of stone to conuince the stony hearts of men Quest What are the words of this Law Ans The words of this Law are these Then God spake all these words and said I am the Lord thy God which brought thee c. as it followeth in Exodus chap. 20. from the beginning of the first verse to the end of the sixteenth Expli These tenne Lawes or Lawe Sentences are the ground and rule of all righteousnesse with the which whatsoeuer agréeth is good Whatsoeuer disagréeth is euill containing the generall heads of al duties to God and man which can be required Diuided into two Tables the first containing our duety to God the summe where of is Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. The second our duety to our neighbour the summe whereof is Matth. 22.37 38 39. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Also it is diuided into tenne Precepts The manner of giuing this law was very solemne and terrible Deut. 10.4 Exod. 19. worthy to be often read and marked of all For the meaning of these Commandements these generall Rules are to be obserued First they are to be vnderstood as the Prophets and Apostles haue expounded and taught them Secondly In all affirmatiue Precepts the negatiue and in all negatiue the affirmatiue are to be vnderstood Thirdly the maner of speach is to be obserued as first concerning persons by Thou shalt and shalt not is meant euery one none are exempted Secondly concerning things forbidden or commaunded vnder one particular named all of that nature and kind with the signes causes and effects are vnderstood Fourthly the Lawe is spirituall not onely brideling the hands but the heart and first motions thereof Fiftly No creature can fully sée into the depth of the doctrine and
yet was a reprobate These may be necessary partes of Discipline enioyned to sinners to testifie their repentance as in ancient times but the essentiall parts of repentance are perpetually mortification of the olde man and viuification of the new If you shall desire to know the maner how God works repentance vnderstand that first by preaching of the Law and sometimes by crosses punishments c. the conscience is terrified for sinne and is sorrowfull but in a worldly manner for feare of wrath for the Law can worke no otherwise Then by the promise of the Gospel the conscience is chéered through the gift of GOD in assurance of mercy the sense whereof bréeds an other sorrow different from that wrought by the Law called godly Sorrow which is when we are grieued for sinne not so much because of the wrath following as because thereby we haue offended so gratious a father and then followes repentance which is a changing of the heart and purpose vnto a continuall care and indeuour to hate all euill 2. Cor. 7.10 and to auoyd it to loue all goodnes and to follow it So that repentance properly is the effect of the Gospel not of the Law though the Law be necessary to prepare vs thereunto And hence we say it is an effect of Faith which purifies the heart Concerning the practise of repentance Sée the Booke called the Nature and Practise of Repentance written by our worthy Maister Perkins Vse 1. Beware of a wonderfull subtilty of the Diuell whereby he carries multitudes to hell which is when men and women are perswaded that if they can sigh sorrow and wéep for their sins that then they truly repent When Ahab and Iudas did thus much and yet frie in hell There is a sorrow caused by the Lawe which may bee in a Reprobate whose sorrow is like vnto the sorrow of a thiefe and whose teares are whoorish teares for as these being taken in the maner many times hang downe their heads and wéepe and waile for feare of the present punishment which when it is ouer they returne to their former courses their hearts not being changed so many grieue by the preaching of the Lawe and yet their hearts remaine as corrupt and as willing if it were not for the Lawe to sinne as euer before whereas the Godly Sorrow which commeth from the Gospel changeth the very inclination and purpose of the heart to hate sinne and loue goodnes and to continue increasing in such grace though there were no Law to condemne nor hell to torment 2. Cor. 7.11 c. Examine then thy repentance hereby and by the notes Vse 2. Remember that the summe of of a Christians duty is to Eschew euill Psal 34.14 Esa 1.16.17 and to do good and deceiue not thy selfe with those same halfe Christians whose furthest obedience is to kéepe themselues not vnspotted for they regard not spots but vndetected of grosse euils such for the which men are carried to the Iayle who though they abound with small faults as they tearme them hauing prophane hearts and destitute of loue to the truth and do no good thinke themselues among the forwardest of such who shall be saued But soft the first step to heauen in the practise of obedience is to depart from euill but he that sets but one step and that an ill-fauoured one too is neuer like to come there mend that step and depart from all euill and step againe doing the good and so walk on then the reward is thine If thou holdest not vp thy hands to any strange God but if thou worshippest not the true God thou canst not be saued If thou plowest not and goest not to cart on the Sabaoth day it is well but if thou doest not the duties of the Sabaoth in the publique and priuate worship of God thou maist be damned As therefore we doe not content our selues that no wéeds be in our Gardens vnlesse there bée good Hearbes and Flowers so we must not onely be void of euill but filled also with the fruits of righteousnesse Phil. 3.11 being not priuatiue onely but positiue Christians But alasse what then shall become of them which haue not yet learned to set the first stép to leaue their Drunkennesse Swearing Lying Whooredome how farre are these from true Christians How farre from Heauen How néere to Hell c. Vse 3. Note that Repentance and true conuersion is a worke of great difficulty for sinne cleaues so fast vnto vs sitting as close as our skinne and is so familiar to our nature that till God perswade the heart by the worke of his Spirit it is as easie a matter to perswade a man to leaue his sinnes as to get him to endure his eyes to be pluckt out of his head and his limbes to be torne from his body Therefore called Mortification and crucifying the flesh with the lusts c. It is not a sigh and away and now and then a few sorrowfull words will serue the turne No sinne is impudent and will neuer out till it be kild and cast out If thou makest account that Repentance is an easie worke thou hast not yet repented as thou shouldst do Go to Remember thou must mortifie sinne and destroy it It is a Serpent in thy bosome kill or be kild if thou kilst not it it will kill thée euen thy Soule c. Q. What is the measure of sanctification which we attaine to in this life Ans This grace is not perfectly finished in this life Rom. 7.18 19. 1. Cor. 13.9.12 Phil. 3.13 but here it is only in part Expl. There are two sorts of benefites which we receiue by Christ One of such which are out of our selues as Redemption Iustification Another of such which are in vs as Sanctification Conuersion The first sort are perfected in this life as Now we are the sonnes of God So now wee are elected 1. Ioh. 3.1.2 iustified redeemed The second are not perfected in all their degrées but onely begun Wee are perfectly redeemed vnderstand in regard of the price for we looke for the redemption of our bodies We are perfectly iustified in regard of Christs righteousnesse and the sentence for we pray for more féeling of it and these shall bée more fully declared at the last day We are imperfectly sanctified there remaining euen in the best a great deale of corruption which lusteth against the Spirit and often maketh them bitterly to mourne as in the example of Paul Vse 1. Our sanctification cannot iustifie vs Rom. 7. because imperfect Vse 2. The life of a godly man is a continuall repenting to his dying day As a man that buyes an old house is alwayes mending so the true Christian because he discouers alwaies new corruptions is alwaies mourning repairing and mending somwhat Do with thy conscience as women do in dressing vp their houses they swéepe and rub and brush euery day because euery thing gathereth dust and euer and anon they are renewing
in all the chiefest Citties and Townes and in many other places as any Church in Europe whereby thousands are taught the true knowledge of Iesus Christ are confirmed in the faith and continued in holy obedience liuing dying in most heauenly certaine assurance of Gods fauour and of eternall life Despise not then that Church which by the Word and Sacraments and the Discipline she hath bringeth forth nurseth and bringeth vp euen to their seating in the Land of Canaan thousands and that not once in twenty yeares extraordinarily but daily ordinarily through the great blessing of God c. Q. Tell me what is the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments you speake of Ans The Ministery of the Word and Sacraments is an office ordeined by the Holy Trinity 1. Cor. 12.28 Eph. 4.11 1. Cor. 12.11 Mat. 28.19 20. 1. Cor. 13.9.10 1. Cor. 14.34 1. Tim. 3.2 c. Tit. 1.6.7.8 1. Tim. 3.2 2. Tim. 2.15.24 Ro. 10.14 Heb. 5.4 5 Mat. 28.19 the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to be in the Church to the end of the world whereby men of vnblameable conuersation able and apt to teach being lawfully called doe administer holy things in publique Prayer and thankes-giuing dispensing the Word and Sacraments Expli The Ministery of the Word and Sacraments is not an Inuention of man hut of God himselfe for the saluation of man most necessary not in regard of God who is able without it to effect his purpose but of vs who ordinarily without it cannot be saued in as much as God hath once ordained by the foolishnes of Preaching to saue then which beléeue called foolishnesse when indéed it is the wisedome of God because ignorant and euill men so account of it This calling is either Inward or Outward The Inward is the good testimony of our hearts that not through ambition or couetousnesse c. we séeke and accept of such office but onely through a sincere desire in the feare of God to edifie and build vp Gods Church And this calling must be in all who would approue their Ministery to God The outward is that which is according to the comely order of the Church and it is Ordinary or Extraordinary 1. Tim. 3. Titus 1. The Ordinary is that calling which by men is administred according to such a comely order which is agréeable to the word Extraordinary calling is that which is immediately from God without the ministery of man before spoken of as the calling of Iohn Baptist And this is not to be expected or pretended in an established Church But when the state of a Church is wholly decayed or interrupted God doth extraordinarily stirre vp and endue with answerable gifts some to restore the same There are foure rules to be obserued in the examining of such a Calling The first is concerning the time and place whether it be there and then where and when there is no vse or possibility of lawfull ordinary calling Secondly concerning the life and doctrine of such Ioh. 5.39 Mat. 7.20 that they be in more then ordinary manner answerable to the Word Thirdly concerning their gifts as Knowledge Wisedome Utterance vndantable Courage that these be manifestly extraordinary in them Fourthly for the successe effect and continuance that it bring an incredible and vnexpected blessing in Reformation and Conuersion notwithstanding any opposition made by the whole world and the deuill himselfe Where there is an extraordinary calling pretended and not according to these Rules it is to be accounted a deceit and wicked imposture and such which pretend the same to be of the number of those of whom Paul speaketh Rom. 16.18 Vse 1. Art thou a Minister enabled with gifts Presume not though into the Office of the Ministery without the calling of the Church As Esay goeth not till he be sent Esay 6.6 and Iohn stayeth his Preaching till the appointed time And our Sauiour Christ till he was Baptized c. Vse 2. Art thou enadled with gifts Luk. 1.80 and lawfully called Looke well to the Ministration thou hast receiued of the Lord stirre vp the gift that is in thée be diligent and faithfull cast of all impediments as too much worldlinesse the practise of other Callings as Phisicke Surgery c. for this Calling requireth a whole man and who is sufficient for it The reward of the faithfull is great the punishment of the slothfull great also Preach but not thy selfe or thy owne deuices but the sincere Word of God and let thy life be an example to thy Flocke that they may reuerence thee as well when they see thée as when they heare thée if thou wouldest do good and haue comfort of thy labours c. Vse 3. Reuerence the Ministery of the Word as the ordinance of God and receiue the Ministers in all loue and respect for their workes sake and the doctrine they deliuer according to the Scriptures as the word of man but as it is indéed the Word of the liuing God Phil. 2.29 1. Thess 2.13 5.12.13 Speake not euill of the Ministery of the Word neither account it as a base or bootlesse thing for without it ordinarily thou canst not haue faith neither canst thou be begotten vnto Christ Rom. 10.17 Iames 1.18 1. Cor. 4.15 1. Cor. 1.21 c. nor finally be saued For God hath pleased by the foolishnesse of Preaching to saue them which beleeue c. Quest What are the Sacraments Ans The Sacraments are visible and outward Signes and Seales instituted and ordained of God whereby he confirmeth to the Elect the free promise of the Gospell Rom. 4.11 Gen. 17.7.10.11 1. Cor. 11.23 and also bindeth them to the performance of duty to himselfe Quest How many Sacraments hath the Church of God now Ans Onely two 1. Cor. 12.13 Act. 2.38.41 Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Quest What is Baptisme Ans It is a Sacrament of the new Testament instituted by Christ in the which the confecrated water representeth the Bloud of Christ sealing to all that are sprinkled therewith into the name of the Father the Soune and the Holy Ghost the merite of Christ remission of finnes Rom. 4.11 Col. 2.12 Rom. 6.3.4.5 1. Pet. 3.21 and Eternall Life and testifying our grafting into Christ and Regeneration with the repromission of our obedience Expl. God is the Authour of Sacraments and none can adde any to the Word but God Now God added them to the Word not that the Word was not sufficient without them but for a helpe to our weakenesse that wée might haue as it were liuely pawnes before our eyes of those things which wee heare with our eares as euen Adam had Sacraments in Paradice and these he ordained to be Seales of the couenant of Grace which was not néedfull on Gods part who is alwaies better then his word but it was néedfull for vs to succour whose weakenesse who in regard of our vnworthinesse are prone to doubting the Lord