Communion of the Persons or rather the Union of the Persons is that by which one of them is in the rest and with the rest by reason of the Unity of the God-head and therefore every each one doth possess Love and glorifie another and work the same thing Joh. 14. 10. and 1. 1. and 5. 19. Prov. 8. 22. 30. The Persons of the God-head are three Matth. 3. 16. 17. The Father is a Person without beginning from all Eternity begetting the Son Joh. 1. 3. 10. In the generation of the Son we must note these properties 1. That he that begetteth and he that is begotten are together and not one before another in time 2. He that begetteth doth communicate with him that is begotten not some one part of his essence but his whole essence so that this Communion is not a Communion but a Union 3. The Father begot the Son not out of himself but in himself The incommunicable property of the father is to be unbegotten to be a Father and to beget The Father is the beginning of Actions and beginneth every Action of himself And effecteth every Action by the Son and by the Holy spirit 1 Cor. 8. 6. Rom. 11. 36. The Son is the second Person begotten of the Father from all Eternity Joh. 1. 3. 10. 1 Joh. 1. 1. 2. The Son in regard of his essence is of and by himself * very God But in regard of his filiation and Sonship as he is a Person and the Son of the Father he is not of himself but from another for he is the Eternal Son of his Father And thus is he truely said to be very God of very God For this cause he is said to be sent from the Father Joh. 8. 42. And this sending taketh not away the equality of Essence and power but declareth the order of the Persons Joh. 5. 18. Phil. 2. 6. The property of the Son is to be begotten His proper manner of working is to execute actions from the Father by the Holy Ghost Joh. 5. 19. 1 Cor. 8. 6. The Holy Ghost is the third Person proceeding from the Father and the Son Joh. 15. 26. Rom. 8. 9. Job 16. 13 14. The incommunicable property of the Holy Ghost is to proceed The Holy Ghosts proper manner of working is to finish an action Effecting it as from the Father and the Son The second part of THEOLOGIE Of Gods works and his Decree THe works of God are all the World and all the things contained therein The end for which all things are created is the manifestation of the glorie of God Rom. 11. 36. The Decree of God is that by which God hath freely from all eternity determined all things Eph. 1. 11. 4. Matth. 10. 29. Rom. 9. 21. The execution of Gods Decree is that by which all things in their time are accomplisht according as he foreknew them and Decreed them The Decree of God is the first and principal working cause of all things and it is also in order and time before all other causes This first and principal cause doth not take away freedom of will in Election Nor the Nature and property of second causes but it bringeth them into a certain order and it directeth them to their determinate ends and hereupon the effects or events of things are either contingent or Necessary Even as the Nature of the second cause is And thus Christ according to his Fathers Decree died necessarily as Act. 17. 3. But yet willingly Joh. 10. 18. And if we respect the temperature of Christs body he might have prolonged his life and therefore in this regard he may be said to have died contingently Gods foreknowledge is conjoyned with his Decree and in regard of us it is before his Decree but not in regard of God The branches of the execution of Gods Decree are his Operation and his operative permission His operation is his effectual producing of all good things which either have being or moving or which are done Gods operative permission is that whereby he onely permitteth one and the same work to be done of others as it is evil but as it is good he doth effectually work it Gen. 56. 20. 45. 7. Isai 10. 5. 6. 7. God permitteth evil by a certain voluntary permission in that he forsaketh the second cause in working evil And he doth also forsake his creature either by detracting the grace it had Or by not bestowing that which it wanteth Rom. 1. 26. 2 Tim. 2. 25. 26. And in this we must not think God unjust for he is indebted to none Rom. 9. 15. It is in Gods pleasure to bestow how much grace and upon whom he will Matth. 10. 15. That evil which God permitteth in respect of God is good whither it be as a punishment or as a chastisement because he can and doth produce good out of it Gods Decree as it concerneth man is called predestination Predestination is a Decree of God by which all men are ordained to an everlasting estate either of Salvation or Condemnation 1 Thess. 5. 9. The means of accomplishing Gods predestination was the Creation and the fall The Creation is the World and the inhabitants in the World The parts of the World are the Heaven and the Earth The Heavens are three fold 1. The Air 2. Sky 3. The invisible Heaven Heaven in a large acceptation is all that is above the Earth All which is distinguisht into three Heavens The first Heaven is the space betwixt the Earth and Starry Firmament The second Heaven containeth the Sun Moon Stars The third Heaven is the invisible Heaven this is the place in which the blessed do behold the Majesty and glorie of the Almighty The inhabitants of the World are Angels Men and all other Creatures In Angels there are these things to be considered 1. Their Nature they are spiritual and incorporeal essences Heb. 2. 16. and 1. 7. 2. Their qualities * First they are wise Secondly they are of great might 2 Thes. 1. 7. 2 Sam. 24. 17. 2 Kings 19. 35. Another quality of them is Thirdly that they are swift and of great agility Isa. 6. 6. Dan. 9. 21. 3. Their Number they are innumerable Dan. 7. 10. Hebr 12. 22 4. The place in which these good Angels are and that is in the highest Heaven for there they do ever attend upon God and have society with him Matth. 18. 10. Mark 12. 25. Psal. 68. 17. 5. Their orders or degrees which what they be no man can certainly say but there are Arch-Angels spoken of in Scripture 1 Thes. 4. 16. And Angels Matth. 18. 10. And Cherubims Seraphims Esai 6. 6. But it concerneth us not to search this neither may we curiously enquire after it 6. There office which is to magnify God and perform his Commandments Psal. 103. 20. 21. The Angels were created within the six days as appeareth Gen. 2. 1. The knowledge that the Angels have is either 1. Natural 2
in famin God doth quicken and revive those that fear him Psal. 33. 18 19. 2. That godliness is great gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. 3. That we are not to make our abode upon the earth but travelling through the world to Heaven and waiting here for the resurrection and inheritance of eternal life 4. That we are here servants of God and that he therefore will provide us conveniencies 5. That ambition and pride blindeth a mans minde and thus maketh his downfall greater An ambitious man feareth to be humbled least he should not be exalted 6. That pride and ambition brought ruin upon mankinde even in Paradise 7. That he robs God of his honour that taketh that glory to himself which is onely due to God Remedies against the desires of the flesh are these 1. If we consider that none can be Christs Disciples but those that live in a continual self denial Luke 9. 23. 2. That those that are of the spirit ought always to savour the things of the spirit Rom. 8. 15. 3. That those which walk after the flesh shall die Rom. 8. 13. 4. That even here for holiness and righteousness we ought to walk as Citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven Phil. 3. 20. 5. That our bodies are the Temples of God 1 Cor. 3. 16. 6. That our Members are Members of Christ 1 Cor. 6. 15. 7. That we must not grieve the spirit of God which dwelleth in us 1 Cor. 6. 16. Rom. 8. 9. Eph. 4. 30. In these temptations by the flesh the fall is any offence through infirmity which a man by these temptations of Sathan is overtaken withall Gal 6. 1. In these falls Sathan will much aggravate and make greater the offence committed than it is And he will also terrifie the offendour with the judgements of God Matt. 27. 3 4 7. Here the remedy is To renew our repentance The beginning of this repentance is godly sorrow or sorrow towards Godward 2 Cor. 7. 9 11. The fruits of this repentance are seven 1. A purpose and endeavour to live according to the rule of Gods word 2. Confession of sins before God and an earnest entreaty of pardon for the offence at his hands Ps. 32. 5. 2 Sam. 12. 3. 3. An holy indignation against a mans a self for his offence 4 A fear not so much because of the punishment as least God should be highly displeased with the sin Ps. 130. 3. 5. A desire to be delivered from sin and to be fully renewed in life 6. A fervent zeal to love God and to embrace keep his Cammandments 7. A holy revenge which a man must take of himself for the taming subduing of his flesh least afterwards he should again fall into the same offence The second part of self-denial is The patient bearing of the Cross The Cross is nothing else but that measure of afflictions which every faithfull man by the will of God passeth under in his travelling through the World to Heaven Matth. 16. 24. Colos. 1. 24. No man is to seek affliction or to multiply his own troubles but when God layeth affliction upon a man he is to bear it willingly and patiently Colos. 1. 11. Luke 21. 19. Patience is thus strengthened 1. By the holy Ghost Phil. 4. 13. and 1. 29. 2. By holy Meditations As 1. That afflictions come not to a Faithfull man by chance but through the counsel and providence of God Gen. 4 5 4 5. 2 Sam. 16. 10. Psal. 119 71. The afflictions of the godly are inevitable Act. 14. 22. Matt. 7. 14. Joh 16. 33. 2 Tim. 3. 12. Secondly That though they be grievous yet they are good and profitable in that by them we are humbled for our sins before God and obtain peace and holiness of life 2 Cor. 1. 9. Isai 26. 16. Hos 5. 15. Psal. 78. 34. Jer. 31. 18. Heb. 2. 10. and 12. 11. Ps. 30. 5. Joh. 15. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 6. 2 Cor. 1. 4. Rom. 5 3. Afflictions in the godly are signs of their adoption Heb. 12. 6 7. It is a praise for the godly to do well and for it to suffer evil patiently at the hands of the wicked 1 Pet. 2. 20. They are a godly mans high-way to Heaven Jam. 1. 12. 2 Cor. 4. 17. Thirdly That God hath promised favour and mitigation of punishment his presence in them and deliverance from them 1 Cor. 10. 13. Phil. 1. 29. 2 Sam. 7. 14. Ps. 50. 15. and 121. 4. Isai 43. 2. Fourthly That in all our troubles and afflictions we do but take part in that which Christ our Lord hath suffered before us 1 Pet. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 4. 10. Colos. 1. 24. Fifthly That in all our afflictions we have Angels ministring for our defence and comfort Ps. 34. 7. 2 Kings 6. 16. The Prophet Elisha saw the Mountain full of Angels for his defence So much for the denial of our selves The second part of new obedience is the profession of Christ This profession doth concern either Christ himself or us his Members The profession of Christ which doth directly concern Christ from us is 1. Either continual or 2. In time of danger 1. Our continual profession which doth directly concern Christ is the calling upon the name of God this is a duty that is always required of us in the name of him our Mediatour 1 Cor. 1. 2. Act. 9. 14. Colos. 3. 17. Gods name is called upon 1. by prayer or 2. thanksgiving Phil. 4. 6. Prayer hath two parts 1. Petition 2. Assent Petition is an asking things necessary at the hands of God in the name of Christ according to the rule of Gods word 1 Joh. 5. 14. In every petition we must express a sense of our wants and a desire of the grace of God to supply those wants 1 Sam. 1. 10 15 17. Dan. 9. 4 20. Ps. 130. 1. and 143. 6. By assent we do believe and profess before God our belief that he in his due time will grant us our requests which we have made unto his Majesty 1 John 5. 14 15. Matth. 6. 1. Though the faithfull may discover many infirmities in their prayers yet they have a notable sense of Gods favour Psal. 6. 1 2 3 4. and 8. 9 and 16. 7. and 20. 5. and 3 5. 9 8 20. And especially when they do pray zealously Jam. 5. 16 And when they do pray often to the Lord Examples of infirmities discovered in prayer Zacharias feared when he prayed Luke 1. 13. Jonah was displeased and angry Jonah 4. 12. Thanksgiving is a calling upon Gods name by which we do with joy and gladness of heart praise God for his benefits Either received Ephes. 5. 20. or promised Psal. 36. 8 9. Collos. 3. 16 17. This for the continual profession of Christ 2. Our profession of Christ in time of danger is either 1. In word or 2. In deed Profession of Christ in word is called Christian Apology or the confession of Christ as Rom.
Revealed 3. Experimental The Ministry of the Angels is three fold either to adore or to praise or to glorifie God continually To this purpose do they stand in the presence of God ever more ready to do his Commandments as Isai 6. 2. Luke 2. 14. Rev. 5. 11. 12. Ps. 103. 20. Dan. 7. 9. 10. Part of the Ministry of Angels respecteth the Church for they are Ministring Spirits sent forth of God to Minister for the good of those that shall be heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. For the good of all these they Minister first in this life 2. In the end of this life and 3. In the last judgement In this life they watch for the good of their bodies and for the good of their Souls and that from the beginning of their days to the end of them Psal. 34. 7. In the end of this life they carry the Souls to Heaven as they did the Soul of Lazarus Luke 16. 22. In the last judgement they do gather all the Elect together that they may come before Christ and so enter into Eternal fruition of glorie both in body and Soul Matth. 24. 31. Another part of their Ministery concerneth Gods Enemies and it is to execute judgements upon his Enemies at his command Of Man and his State Man was made after Gods image and resembling God in holiness In the excellent State of Mans innocency these things are to be considered 1. The place in which he was set in his innocency and that was the garden of Eden that pleasant place Gen. 2. 15. 2. The integrity of Mans Nature he was Created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4. 24. There are two parts of Mans first integrity 1. Wisdom for he had a true and perfect knowledge of God and his will as far as it was to be performed of him and of the counsel of God concerning all Creatures Genes 2. 19. 2. Secondly Justice which was a conformity in his will affections and powers of his body to the will of God 3. Man's dignity which consisted in these things 1. In Man's Communion with God God rejoyced in Man made in his own image and Man did fervently love God and this appeareth by God's familiar conference with Adam Genes 1. 29. Secondly in his Dominion over all the creatures of the Earth Gen. 2. 19. Psal. 8. 6. Thirdly in his Decency Comeliness and Dignity of body for though he was naked yet was he cloathed with the best and excellentest roabs even with innocency There was imprinted upon him by God a Princely Majesty so that there could not then be any thing in him unseemly Gen. 2. 25. Psal. 8. Fourthly in his labour of body which was without pain or grief Gen. 3. 17. 19. 4. Man's subjection to God for he was bound to perform obedience to these commandments of God He was not to eat of the two forbidden Trees The commandment concerning the Trees was as a proof and a trial of Man's obedience The Tree of life was a sign to Man to confirm to him his perpetual abode in the garden of Eden if he did continue in his obedience Rev. 2. 7. The Tree of the knowledge of good and evil was a sign of death to him if he did transgress Gods Commandment Gen. 2. 17. 5. Man's calling which was to obey God's Commandments and to dress the garden of Eden Gen. 2. 17. and 2. 15. 6. His diet which was the herbs of the earth and the fruit of all the Trees save of the Tree of life and of the Tree of knowledge of good and evil and all the other Creatures Gen. 1. 29. 30. and 9. 3. His free choice to perform or not perform these Commandments Thus were our first Parents Created in perfect innocency But mutable And thus it pleased God to prepare a way to the execution of his Decree Of the Fall The fall was of Man and Angels Angels fell by leaving that good state wherein God had placed them Jude 6. In their fall may be observed 1. Their corruption arising from their fall by reason of which they are full of malice and hatred and hatred and by reason of this they do set themselves against God and insatiablely desire to destroy all mankinde and that they may do this as much as in them layeth they do neglect neither force nor fraude to act it withall 1 Pet. 5. 8. Eph. 6. 12. Joh. 8. 44. Their degrees and diversity for one of them which is called Baalzebub is chief and Prince of the rest of the Devils and he is far above the rest in malice Matth. 25. 41. Rev. 12. 7. He is also called the Prince of this World and the God of this World 2 Cor. 4. 4. Eph. 22. 3. Their punishment God after their fall gave them over to perpetual torments without any hope of pardon Jude 6. 2 Pet. 2. 4. By this we may see what great punishment they deserved and that grievous sins will be grievously punished Their punishment was first their dejection from Heaven 2 Pet. 2. 4. And the shortning and limiting of their power Job 1. 12. Secondly a grievous pain and torment in the deep which is endless and infinite in time and measure Luke 8. 31. Matth. 25. 41. Rev. 20. 10. Of Mans fall The fall of Man was his revolting from his obedience to sin Sin was his transgression of Gods Commandment or Mans fall was his disobeying of Gods Commandment in eating the forbidden fruit wherein these things are to be considered 1. The manner of Mans fall The Devil having immediatly before fallen himself perswaded our first Parents that both the punishment for eating the forbidden fruit was uncertain and that also God was not true in his word unto them Having done this he blinds the eyes of their understanding and they being thus blinded straight began to distrust God and to doubt of Gods favour And when he had brought them to a doubting he moved them to behold the forbidden fruit which so soon as they saw in its beauty upon his motion of them to this purpose he then stirred them up to desire it and from the desire of it he moved them to satisfie their desires And so the Woman pluckt the fruit and did eat and gave it to her husband and he did eat Gen. 3. 1. to the 8. Thus did they willingly fall from their integrity God for just causes suffering it 2. The greatness of their transgression which appeareth by these trespasses that they committed in that action of disobedience 1. They doubted of Gods word 2. They being bewitched with the Devils promises cease to fear Gods punishment and thus become puffed up with presumption and enflamed with the desire of greater Dignity and will no longer believe Gods threatnings 3. They forsake Gods word and seek after other wisdom 4. They are proud and seek to magnify themselves and to become like God 5. They contemne God and against their