THE Historie of Adam or the foure-fold state of Man VVell formed in his Creation Deformed in his Corruption Reformed in GRACE and Perfected in Glory BY Mr. HENRY HOLLAND late Preacher at Saint Brides Church in London LONDON Printed by T. E. for Thomas Man dwelling in Pater-noster-Row at the signe of the Talbot 1606. To the Reuerend and right worshipfull Richard Neyle Doctour of Diuinitie Deane of Westminster and Principall Clarke of the Kings most Excellent Maiestie his Closet all prosperitie c. AMong other accidents of this mortall life right graue worthy and learned Doctour this is one to build and not to inhabite to plow and not to see the haruest to purpose and not to attaine the end of our designes to write and compile bookes and studies and not to liue to publish them So hath it beene with Lawyers Phisitions Philosophers Linguists Diuines among other in late times with that most learned man Chemnitius a German Diuine who after he had vndertaken that worthy work of the Harmony of the foure Gospels which by the opinion of one of our grauest learnedest Diuines Doctour Whitaker was called Caput veneris For that in his iudgement hee hauing but entered to speak and write of the head of the Gospels namely Christs incarnation some few miracles and sermons laid vnmatchable grounds as it were the colours that none could imitate afterward before the worke was one quarter performed to the great losse not onely of the learned but of all Christendome was taken out of the miseries of this present world Among English Diuines that I may not presse you with any vnnecessary relations because you loue singlenes and plainnesse it was also the lot of as godly discreete a preacher as any I euer knew in my daies to draw his last breath before he could effect to his content the publication of sundry his experimentall works obseruations about afflicted consciences and troubled or contrite minds I meane master Greenham But as God would not giue the Land of promise to Abraham but to his seed and children and as Moses might not enter into Canaan but see it a far off so it fared with these men they saw their wished desires like Palinurus watching and waiting the returne of his ships although they dyed before their perfection and therefore their names are their heires and God stirred vp learned men to set forth to the world their intended learned and godly labours for Lycerus published Chemnitius master Holland a preacher late of S. Brides in London did the like for master Greenham Now all things haue their course and reuolution Iron sharpeneth iron so doth man sharpen the face of his friend He that keepeth the fig-tree shall eate of the fruit thereof and he that waiteth vpon his master shall come to honour As in the water face answereth face so the heart of man to man Pro. 27.17.18.19 That is they prouided for themselues which thus regarded other men as Rahab by entertaining the spies of Israell deserued to bee regarded by Israell at the sacking of Iericho so haue these men to haue the like done for them that they did for other There came vnto my hands about halfe a yeere past a treatise or coppy bearing title The foure-fold state of Adam compiled by master Holland aforesaid and allowed by authoritie to be printed But it seemed the work wanted the father be it spoken without offence for it was not well clothed cowched or bound vp together and besides of the foure estâ—tes propounded in the title it wanted one It had passed through the veiw of many learned men euery one approuing that which was done and none helping to bring it to some perfection at last my friend the Printer hauing a desire first for the glorie of God and good of the Church secondly for the releife of the poore widdow and many fatherlesse children meeting with it freely vndertooke the charge and aduenture which cannot be small to imprint and set it forth to the world But finding no coherence in the matter nor pleasant order in the manner the margents of the coppy being greater or as great as the booke was forced to breake off and leaue that enterprise and so offred the same to me praying my help which God knoweth is weake to contriue it and bring it into such a fashion as might be plaine and intelligible to the English Reader I accepted the labour at the first not weighing the wants but thought onely to supply in it the place of a Correctour And therefore reading it I found many things in the margent which were ordained for the page and because I found in it a great number of pithy substantiall points curiously and not vulgarly handled like able souldiours wanting a Marshall or like the beautifull limbes of a naked body lacking garments I strained my selfe for the honour of God and my loue to the dead both to marshall all things according to his meaning so neare as I could and also to put vpon his fatherlesse Orphan such garments and attire as my poore abilitie could prouide But when I had gone through it and found a maime at the last for the good man was first of all called to the glorie of heauen out of this world before he had or could expresse it in his intended treatise I knew not what to doe but stood still amazed and perplexed thinking with my selfe that if it should goe forward without the legs it would be refused for an impotent If I should adde vnto it and not expresse my addition those learned men which had formerly seene it would condemne all for counterfaite If it should stand still and not go forward the Printer might be discouraged in some other such charitable course And to thinke that the Authour had left that part in some other of his bookes and labours and there to looke for it was as if I should haue wished him aliue to end his owne worke why should I doe so good a man such wrong as once to desire his presence on earth who already before me was gone to heauen rather I will trot out my purgatory paines and runne out my race for him on earth These were my thoughts then in priuate which now I publish to the world And to you before all other most worthy learned and admired Deane for as hee when he liued preached these things at the Church of Saint Brides which is an appurtenance of your Collegiate Church whereof he was Pastour so also doe I eate my bread vpon your allowance in another possession of yours wherein I make knowen to the world and doe hereby desire men that are now aliue and those that shall be hereafter borne to take knowledge of your care for the good instruction of the soules of such flocks as Law and Authoritie haue in former times appropriated to your Church of Westminster I may not exhort you it were boldnesse although I know your humblenesse would beare
of their former liues mispent and to conclude what doth not the feare of hell worke vpon them surely my heart dreadeth my minde fayleth to thinke vpon to heare to see to consider their wringing of hands their knocking of breasts their cryes filling heauen and earth and hell and my tongue and pen cannot expresse it but must rest with the saying There is no peace to the wicked saith the Lord. Quest 49. Now proceede to the comforts which arise by the expectation of the last iudgement Ans First what can bee more comfortable to good men then to consider and remember that the Lord hath appointed a day to iudge the world in righteousnesse When a man looketh vpon the sorrows and labours of Iacob the enemies of Dauid the imprisonment and martyrdome of the Prophets the shamefull death of Christ and ten of his Apostles the present glory of Turke and Pope disgracing and diriding true religion with the ostentation of multitude contumacie riches outward and visible prosperitie and with the persecution and effusion of the Martyrs blood besides what clearing of the guiltie and acquiting of malefactors and punishment of the innocent that one example of Christ and Barabas is most demonstratiue Why was Ioseph imprisoned Naboth killed Esay sawen asunder Paul beheaded Ignatius torne in peeces by wilde beastes Bishop Cranmer Ridley Latimer Hooper Farrar master Bradford Philpot and that most blessed victorious and constant martyr of Christ Richard Atkins who suffred at Rome Anno. 1588. hauing first of all his tongue cut out of his mouth and his hands likewise cut off was set naked from the middle vpward vpon a horse and so carried to execution two men going beside him with burning torches scorching his sides and being carried by the lodging of the Duke of Parma hee looked out of his window and cryed to the torch-bearers burne him burne him put your torches to the heretikes sides and they poore persons desiring to forbeare such cruelty hee with the stumpes of his armes inclosed the torches and kept them fast to his sides enduring without note of impatiencie the burning and bleeding of mouth sides and armes altogether oh whose harts doth not melt to thinke vpon much more to see such a crueltie surely were it not for this day of iudgement the wicked were blessed and the Godly accursed but there is an appoynted time of Ioseph his deliuerance and the king shall send and deliuer him Then shall not Noah bee mocked Moses bee afraid of Pharao Aaron of the idolatrous Israelites then shall Naboath haue his vineyard euery murdered and martyred person haue his life and fame againe euery empouerished and oppressed man by wrong haue his goods restored euery rauished virgin haue her reputation repayred and euery one afflicted in body or minde see and feele the end of all calamitie oh Lord when shall wee come and appeare before thy presence Let the world wherein dwelleth no goodnesse take the wings of the morning and fly away Euen so Lord Iesus come quickely and let there be no more time Secondly the person that shall bee Iudge namely Christ which was dead and sitteth on the right hand of God against whom and for whose sake both the wicked rage and the Godly endure and therefore it is said hee shall come viz. in the clouds which was enterred in the earth the sorrowes of the graue cannot hold him no nor the heauens when the later day commeth but he maketh his clouds his charriots his messengers flames of fire burning vp the world and rideth vpon the wings of the wind and commeth with the voices of Archangels trumpets Surgite mortui omnes venite ad iudiciū Arise O yee dead and let all men come to iudgement Oh how happy shall it bee that day with them which haue serued and kissed the Sonne and that can say for thy sake haue wee beene killed all the day long How shall hee recompence them that haue fed him how shall hee pay them that by almes deedes and holy workes haue lent vnto him how shall hee honour them that haue honoured him how shall he reuiue and comfort them that haue dyed or mourned for him and to conclude how shall hee not giue them ten thousand times more then all their euils amounted vnto in this present world Well O Christ We beleeue with Athanasius that thou shalt come to be our Iudge we therefore pray thee helpe thy Seruants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood Come Lord Iesus come quickely and make them to bee numbred with thy Saints in glory euerlasting Quest 50. But concerning the estate of the Elect after the last iudgement you must shew the place where they shall raigne the priuiledges and prerogatiues where withall they shall bee endowed and other circumstances of necessary moment that wee may conceiue the meaning of Saint Paul when hee sayth I suppose that all the afflictions of this life are not worthie the glory that shall bee reuealed Ans First of all the place wherein they shall liue after the later day is in the heauens aboue the firmament Sunne Moone and Starres and not on the earth as the fonde Millenaries haue vntruely conceiued and this may appeare by many testimonies of the holy Ghost Lu. 12.32 Feare not little flocke it is your Fathers will to giue you a kingdome Mat. 25.34 Come yee blessed of my Father receiue the kingdome prepared for you before the beginning of the world Iohn 3.4 Except a man bee borne of water and the holy Ghost hee cannot enter into the kingdome of God 1. Pet. 1.3 Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath beegotten vs againe to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead 4. To an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not away reserued in heauen for vs. Iohn 17.24 Father I will that those which thou hast giuen me bee with mee euen where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast giuen mee By all which and many more if it were needfull it is most cleere that they which shall be saued shall rest not vpon earth for that kingdome the Saints haue already and therefore neede no further promise thereof this also they haue among the wicked without any regeneration or new birth but that estate which they shall inherite after the later day cannot be attayned without a second birth The earth was not beefore the worlds beginning but the place kingdome and state which the Saints shall haue after iudgement shall be that wherein God was before the worlds creation and therefore an vncreated place and not the earth either that is or shall bee The inheritance whereunto wee are regenerated is immortall and layd vp in the heauens saith Saint Peter but is the earth now couered in the heauens and doth nothing appeare but a bare spectre phantasme and a shadow without any substance or if there be no earth nor world is there
any men and beasts such absurditie will follow vpon that doctrine as it will grieue any mans heart to heare them much more to beleeue them To conclude what glory had Christ in earth that his Disciples haue not seene surely none but they must see his glory giuen him by his father and therefore where Christ is thether we must ascend namely to the heauens and forsake the earth and neuer looke to enioy any benefite by the renued frame of the earth Quest 51. To what vse then shall there bee new heauens and a new earth according to the Scriptures for first of all Saint Peter saith 2. Pet. 3.13 But wee looke for new heauens and a new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse Reue. 21.1 Saint Iohn writeth saying And I saw a new heauen and a new earth for the first heauen and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea Ans By these places of holy Scripture it cannot bee prooued that the Saints shall liue vpon earth no more then that they shall liue in heauen for the Apostles plainely affirme a new heauen and a new earth and therefore we as sufficiently prooue by these texts our glorified estate in heauen as well as vpon the earth Quest 52 But why should wee looke for a new earth after the later day if wee shall not dwell therein Ans I answere for many causes first for the accomplishment of his owne promise Esa 66.17 For loe saith the Lord I will create a new heauen and a new earth and the former shall be remembred no more Is not the promise of God sufficient cause for vs to liue and dye in expectation of the performance thereof Hath God no other ends and vses of the new earth except men dwell in them Paradise wherein Adam once dwelled and from which hee and wee were expelled was it destroyed when men did not inhabite it or doth any man liuing know vnto what vse the Lord appoynted it surely none and therefore if man might bee on earth and God suffer Paradise for his secret purposes best knowen to himselfe not to bee inhabited much more after the iudgement when the gates of heauen shall bee open shall not any man neede once to dreame of an habitation vpon earth Secondly if there bee no other cause yet is this cause a sufficient reason to all sober men to perswade them of the vse of the new earth namely that whereas sinne hath now made it subiect to corruption and yet the first purpose of God that it should remaine for euer in pure estate without corruption had not sinne brought in death to men and corruption to the creatures must still stand and therefore for the first purpose of God which neuer altereth hee will preserue this outward world euen as the bodies of men that it may remaine before him as a monument of his owne handy worke for euer Two opinions are very grose one that if man had not fallen hee should neuer haue come to heauen but enioyed onely this worlds felicitie whereas the onely difference betwixt vs now in a degenerate estate and him in a pure estate concerning life eternall is not in regard of place for hee should haue gone to heauen as Elias and Enoch without leauing behinde him his mortall parts and that without paine of death or helpe of a Mediator by his owne righteousnesse holinesse and integritie and now through many afflictions paine and death by the helpe of a Mediatour and after the bodies resurrection will goe to heauen and life eternall The second errour is that the world should haue needed any purgation or should haue waxen old like a garment as now it doth or that there should haue needed any iudgement except sinne had entered into the world and therefore I conclude that the earth at the beginning was ordayned to stand for euer Psal 19.90 and that there is no more cause that men shall inhabite it now after the Iudgement then if men had neuer sinned and that this purpose of God shall sustaine and repaire it for to bee a monument of his owne work for euermore Quest 53. If the Lord would haue it remaine as a monument of his owne worke why then doth not the Sea remane for it is expresly said Reue. 21.1 And there was no more Sea Ans The Apostle in the Reuelation declareth onely a vision and therefore it cannot be certainly expounded literally in euery point hee repeteth what he saw and not in euery part what shall be for God hath reserued some things vnto himselfe but forasmuch as many visions are allegoricall especially in the Reuelation where the Angels are Ministers or Bishops the Churches Candlesticks the Beasts Gouernors persecutors the marriage of the Lambe the last day final end of the churches trouble ther also the sea in many places signifieth the brittle estate troublesome generation of this world And for my part I can see no cause or reason to interprete that part of Saint Iohns vision literally but rather that in the renued estate of the world after the later day there shall dwell righteousnesse neyther men with beasts or one with another shall haue any contention but all things shall succeede according to peace constancie and pleasure Wherefore those words being vnderstood of the Elect after the resurrection like as is afterward the new citty her foure gates her pauement with the twelue precious stones her water her fruites her trees her leaues her garments all allegoricall I conclude that the first diuision which God made of waters shall stand both aboue and beneath the firmament and that the sea shall not worke nor bee tossed with windes nor destroy any of the creatures renued vpon the face of the earth but vnto the Saints they shal no more looke vpon sea or land Quest 54. But it would bee much more for the comfort of men to liue againe in this world wherein they haue receiued many wrongs afflictions and oppressions by wicked men that they might see how god hath swept out all the vngodly out of the earth according to the promises of God as Psal 37.9 Euill doers shall be cut off but they that waite vpon the Lord shall inherite the land ver 11. The meeke shall possesse the earth and haue their delight in the multitude of peace ver 18. The Lord knoweth the dayes of the righteous and their inheritance shall be perpetuall ver 22. Such as be blessed of God shall inherite the land ver 29. The righteous man shall inherite the land and dwell therein for euer Now how can they bee said to inherite the land which in this world are but pilgrimes and wander to and fro and how can they haue a multitude of peace during the first possession of the earth in any delights who are adiudged in this world to warre fire and persecution and how short is their dwelling for euermore if they dwell not here againe after the later day when
all the workers of iniquitie shall bee for euer damned to hell The Prophet Esay also speaking of a second and renued estate of the Church alleadgeth such things as can neuer in mans reason bee applied to this world till it bee changed As Esa 11. ver 6. The Wolfe shall dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard shall lye with the Kidde And the Calfe the Lyon and the fat beasts together and the little Child shall lead them ver 7. And the Cow shall feede with the Beare their young ones shall lye together and the Lyon shall eat straw like the Bullocke ver 8. And the sucking child shall play vpon the hole of the Aspe and the weaned child shall put his hand vpon the nest of the Cockatrice ver 9. Then none shall hurt or destroy in the mountaine of my holinesse for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea ver 10. And in that day the roote of Ishay which shall stand vp for a signe vnto the people the nations shall seeke vnto it and his rest shall be glorious How can this eyther bee expounded of another estate then of this earth after the later day for till the later day I am sure this neuer was nor neuer will be Ans First of all the Prophet Dauid speaking in the forenamed Psalme of the generall estate of good and euill men as of two particular persons describeth by many comparisons the different ends and issues of one and other And I will shew you that it neuer entered into his head or that he dreamed of an earthly habitation after the later day but vnder the title of the lands inheritance of dwelling for euermore of possessing the earth hee meant according to the vse of all the Prophets the accomplishment of the Lords promises to his people Israell for the rooting out of the Philistines and other wicked people For so it pleased God to entise and draw vnto him that infant-church by worldly promises vntill they grew to bee more perfect by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Dauid Psalme 15.24 calleth the estate of saluation an ascending and inheriting the holy hill for whither the soule goeth after the first dissolution thether also shall the body ascend but I trust that there is no man in Christendome so paganlike minded that he date beleeue or once conceiue so much as a thought that the soules of men wander vpon the earth after their departure out of the body and if they doe let the Parable of the rich man and Lazarus confute them And surely the Prophet doth prophecie of the kingdome of Christ in this world before the later day for immediately before in the sixt verse hee speaketh of his incarnation in the flesh and ofspring of Ishai the father of Dauid and of his annointing by the holy Ghost wherby he should rule and gouerne his Church and immediately after he prophecieth the calling of the Iewes and their collection from the foure quarters of the world and that they shall raigne ouer the children of Ammon which they shall not after the later day and therefore that place of Scripture cannot bee applyed fitly to the state of the Elect after the later day But is an Allegorie of their peace after ther returne if so be they would cleaue to the Messias and not bee Infidels denying his person and not caring for all his promises otherwise for their faith and full confidence in God and for their affinitie with Christ in the flesh they should haue seene an end of all hostilitie in the world so that no more a man should striue with his brother nor beast with beast nor any of them against mankinde but all should bee obedient to men as to their Lord which was the estate of Adam in Paradise and this place of the Prophet Esay doth liuely set out vnto vs the louing condition of men and beasts one with other before the time that the Serpent beguiled our first parents And to returne to your first speech in your obiection that it would bee more comfortable to vs to bee righted in this world and here to raigne where we haue endured all misery I answer and say alas what ioy shall ther be to a soule which is fetched downe from heauen to dwell in the earth againe Would it haue beene any comfort for Ieroboam after he was king of Israel to haue gone back againe into Egipt and raigned there like a Lord and whether were it better to bee a king among Angels in heauen or to bee a commaunder and Lord among beasts of the earth Then I will conclude that as Abraham would not let Lazarus goe forth of his bosome into the world againe no not to preach repentance to sinners then much more shall not any of the Saints eyther in body or soule come againe after the later day to haue their owne particular glory vpon this earth refined So then it being cleare that wee shall goe immediately to heauen after the later day and not remaine here vpon earth for which cause those which shall be then aliue shall be taken vp into the ayre to meet with Christ I will conclude that this place of which wee neuer heard euill word ought to bee as the strongest motiue to straine and striue both body and soule for the attaining thereof For if Dauid had rather abide in the courts of the Lords house which was the temple at Ierusalem one day then in any other place a thousand surely one houre in heauen shall bee better then a thousand yeares of pleasure and glory heare vpon the earth For the sight of Christs glory in infirmitie I meane Peter and Iohn saw him transfigured in the mount Mat. 17. made them to forget themselues their wiues children meate drinke and returne home againe and to desire to dwell with Christ transfigured and Moses and Elias Much more therfore shall the sight of Christ in perfect glory and when wee also shall appeare with him in glory engender in vs ten thousand times more ioy and delight then we can haue in earth except heauen and all the hosts both of the Trinitie Angels and all Saints come downe from heauen for to dwell in the earth and therefore I firmely beleeue that wee shall bee in heauen and not vpon earth after the last iudgement Quest 55. Now then you haue perswaded mee in the place of the Sanits glory tell mee also the conditions of that life or so much as God hath recorded in his word and the Diuines haue obserued thereof according to your knowlegde Ans It is certaine that no man with the tongue of men and Angels is able perfectly to describe the estate of the Elect in heauen after the resurrection for the Apostle witnesseth that the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard and it neuer entred into the heart of man the ioyes that are ordained and laid vp for vs in heauen and yet the seuerall names giuen
should bee omitted which may bee gathered out of the word of God therefore I say that wee shall know one another more inwardly more outwardly more truely and more comfortably then euer wee did in the world and that I will manifest foure wayes First wee shall know God as hath beene prooued and the knowledge wee shall haue of God shall bee more then all the knowledge that euer wee conceiued of men so then if the ioyes of heauen by the direction of Angels or through the knowledge of the Gospell which wee haue attained vnto in this present world and doe carry with vs out of the vvorld through the goodnes of the holy Ghost do shew vnto vs the person and things that we neuer saw or knew in this life then I beleeue much more that vve shall know againe fathers mothers brethren sisters vvife husband children and friends vvhom vve did know and vvith vvhom vvee did conuerse in this present vvorld for in nothing must our knowledge bee empared but bettered in all things and as society is not comfortable vvithout familiar acquaintance God forbid that any man should thinke this to bee vvanting in the heauenly estate yea as there are places in heauen as vvell as in earth God hath sorted and placed kindred and countries together and this made Dauid to say speaking of his child 2. Sam. 13. I shall goe to him and hee shall not come to mee vvhereby hee meant his owne death and ascending into heauen vvhither his little infant was gone before Secondly we shall know one another at the last day and after the resurrection beecause vvee shall know those holy men which were neuer knowen to vs in this world for if Saint Peter Saint Iohn and Saint Iames did know Moses and Elias at the transfiguration of Christ which were dead at the least sixe hundred yeares before their time and if the iust men which rose againe at the death and resurrection of Christ and appeared to many in the holy citie after their resurrection were knowen to their friends and acquaintance then I conclude that we shall know one another confer one vvith another and also them whom vvee neuer knew in this world and not by face onely or in progresse of time one after another but also by name and sodainely so as we shall be able to say this vvas Dauid this was Saint Peter this was holy Abraham this the widdow of Sareptha this the good sonne of Ieroboam this my father this my sonne this my vvife this my pastour and occasioner of my saluation And therefore if this delight thee good Christian reader then I beseech thee lay hold on thy saluation and that if thou recouer in thy next life thy lost fame goods health members dignitie and quietnesse doe not thinke that thou shalt loose thy acquaintance for euer and euer or that heauens ioyes do not stand in societie and mutuall conference and comforts one with another Thirdly I am confirmed in this opinion because in the parable of Diues and Lazarus the rich man in torments is said to know Abraham and Lazarus and Abraham to know him in hell fire Now then if the damned know those that are saued and if Abraham knew him that was damned being a Iewe and of his owne posterity borne long after his death because hee calleth him sonne then I know that the glorified shall know more and that they shall see the wicked plagued before their eyes to the increase of their ioy for it is a true saying Et memoria culpa visio infernalis damnarum poenae ad laetitiam facient that is both the remembrance of their owne sinne and the sight of the hellish punishment inflicted vpon the damned shall helpe forward their pleasures Fourthly and lastly the end of saluation is the perfection of all the ioy that euer entered into the heart of man and an addition of that which neuer entered For that saith the Apostle which neuer entered into the heart of man hath God prepared for the Elect but this affection is common in the hearts of men to desire the sight knowledge and conference with their friends yea euery man prayeth at his departure from his acquaintance farewell and if wee meete not on earth God send vs to meete in heauen which by a long continued tradition from the father to the sonne by an auncient and true perswasion of their heauenly coniunction amitie and familiaritie to bee renued and continued for euermore at the renuing and resurrection of the flesh And indeede this word Life vvhereupon wee entreat doth iustifie so much without enforcement for is it not true that life is maintained by friends familiaritie and acquaintance not onely by encreasing our new friends but by keeping our old and therefore heauen cannot want this happinesse but that therein the mother shall know the infant and child of her wombe and the scholler his master vvhich brought him to heauen Oh therefore sit downe vvith thy selfe vvhosoeuer thou be that hearest or readest this and remember all thy friends that be dead and with the Lord yea all the innumerable troupes of iust and perfect men compare them with those that now thou hast liuing and compare also their inequall estates and thou shalt finde them aboue innumerable these a few those glorified these humbled those able to preuaile with God these scarce able to get the fauor of men those passed through the worlds dangers miseries and enormities without perishing these sayling in the middest of perils and therefore ready to bee ouerturned and in hazard of destruction and in a word those despising all earthly kingdomes because they are enriched with greater matters these carking and caring moyling and labouring for a litle corner in this life Therefore hast thee hast thee to bee prepared for that societie the Lord tarrieth thy prouision and amendement the end of thy race is set and appointed so soone as thou hast finished thy labour thou shalt come to thy iourneyes end and therefore desire to bee loosed and to be with Christ and all his members Another propertie of the life to come is the perfection of loue which shall bee in all his seruants for then they shall loue God more then themselues that is perfectly and without measure now this loue of God is stronger then all the affections of man for by this loue they loue one another more then euer themselues as much as euer and God more then themselues and one another For this cause the loue of God neuer dyeth for faith and hope decrease and decay and there shall bee a time when there shall bee no vse either of faith or hope but loue shall encrase and continue for euermore wherof Saint Augustine writing vpon the 37. Psalme saith thus Quae erunt autem ò amator dei delitiae tuae O louer of God what shall bee thy delights when all shall be delighted in the multitude of peace thy gold shall bee peace thy siluer shall bee peace thy
inheritance shall bee peace thy life shall bee peace thy God shall bee peace and whatsoeuer thou desirest shall bee peace Here in this world thy gold cannot bee siluer thy siluer cannot bee bread thy bread cannot bee wine and thy light cannot bee thy meate but there the Lord shall be all vnto thee thou shalt eate him that thou maiest not hunger thou shalt drinke him that thou maiest not thirst thou shalt bee illightened by him that thou maiest not bee blinde thou shalt bee sustained by him that thou maiest not faint hee shall possesse the wholy which is all in all Thou shalt not there feele any misery because with him through thy loue thou shalt possesse all Thou shalt haue all and hee shall haue all because thou and hee shall bee one Thus far Saint Austen Another propertie of this life is the change of bodies and alteration or rather vtter abolishing of all inglorious infirmities and weaknesse for it is said Phil. 4.23 our bodies shall be like his glorious body and what is the fashion of his body you may read Reu. 14. his head and haires white as wooll or snow and his eyes were as a flame of fire and his feete like vnto fine brasse c. It shal be incorruptible and neuer change immortall and neuer dye spirituall and liue of it selfe without corporeall helpes nothing shall rise against the soule of a man no fraitly no want no hunger thirst or cold no heate wearinesse or indigence no contention and brawling no not that trouble arising in euery one in the kingdome of grace Sollicita cautela vitandi inimici diligendi both of auoiding and louing his enemie Of this estate a learned father discourseth in this manner When this mortall hath put on immortalitie there shall bee no opposition by diabolicall pollicy no euill or condemned heresie no impietie of infidels but in those tabernacles of the righteous shall bee nothing but reioycing and exultation because they are made the citizens of that city which is supernall eternall and free which is not couered with darkenesse shadowed with night wasted with continuance and age nor yet hath any need of the glittering light of the Sunne there shall not the Moone shine the Starres shew no candle lighted no lampe burning for the diuine light shall lighten it the Sunne of righteousnesse and the true light shall shine vpon it the inaccessible and incomprehensible light which is not inclosed in any place nor ended in any time shineth vpon that heauenly Ierusalem the mother of vs all which with her children the sons of light the sons of the day the sonnes by adoption the sons of God shall be glorified in the same for euer and euer Fiftly and lastly they shall be in heauen not onely in vnspeakable ioy but also seruing God in that life for there is no life nor ioy in any life without the seruice of God and therefore our sauiour told vs to doe his fathers will was his meate that is the staffe of his life and his ioy Now the Saints in heauen shall both ioy and doe nothing but praise him for all their time shall bee a Saboth appropriated to serue him and sing his praises for euermore Esay 66.23 and indeede this must sinke deepe into our hearts in this life not onely for our instruction what wee shall doe in another world but also to stirre vs vp in this life to serue God because therein we ioyne with the Saints in heauen and the Church in earth is pertaker with the triumphant glorified soules in the kingdome of Maiestie and for this cause in our dayly prayers wee pray Thy will bee done in earth as it is in heauen But to returne to the ioy our ioy shall bee there all of the Creatour and not of the creature none shall take it away for wee shall bee out of danger of loosing our happinesse and therefore better then the Angels now but ioy taken any where else and compared to this is but sorrow sweetnesse but paine and bitternesse comlinesse but black and ougly filthinesse and delights but troablesome noysomnesse Of which estate Saint Ciprian in his sermon of mortalitie maketh this meditation Wee accompt Paradise our countrie and wee haue already gotten the Patriarches to bee our Parents oh why doe wee not runne and make hast home into our country and salute our parents there expecteth vs a great number of deare friends of parents brethren sonnes sisters mothers and acquaintance I say a great number expecteth vs which are already secured of their owne glory and are carefull for ours Oh to come into their sight and mutually to embrace them how great shall bee their and our glory both together what shall bee the pleasure of those celestiall kingdomes where the feare of death ceaseth and wee assured to liue eternally what is that highest and perpetuall felicitie there are crowned the Godly fellowship of the Apostles the great number of Prophets the innumerable troupes of Martyrs There doe virgins triumph which by the vigour of the spirit haue gotten victory of all concupiscence and liued in chastitie there shall they see the mercifull rewarded who wrought righteousnesse by their feeding clothing and cherishing the poore although for the obeying of Christ they haue forsaken their owne patrimonie And to conclude with the words of Saint Austen wee can more easily tell what is not in heauen then what is for wee are not able to tell how great a good God is and yet we are not permitted to hold our peace and therefore wee cannot tell and yet for ioy wee cannot hold our peace then whether wee speake or say nothing wee shall reioyce exceedingly This is their reward to see God to liue with God to liue of God to bee of God to bee in God to bee for God which is the cheefest good And where as is the cheefest good there shall bee the cheefest felicitie cheefest pleasure true libertie perfect charitie eternall securitie secure eternitie there is the true reioycing all knowledge all beautie and all blessednesse there is peace pietie goodnesse light vertue honestie sweetenesse concord rest praise glory and life eternall concerning which pray gentle Reader that Christ would say to thee and mee Come ye blessed of my Father receiue the kingdome thy Masters ioy prepared for you before the worlds beginning Quest 66. But you haue rehearsed out of Saint Paul that this life is eternall and the gift of God How can it bee the gift of God seeing it is the reward of righteousnesse Ans Indeede as it is the full promise of God it is a gift but as it is the hire and recompence of a good life it is a reward and euery way it commeth from the free and voluntary gift of God for if it came any other way woe were it to vs which are able to doe so little for so great a crowne wee cannot buy it we cannot steale it as Iacob did his fathers blessing but it must bee giuen vs not from or by man but by the Lord which giueth plentifully and casteth no man in the teeth And this is a comfort where withall I will end this discourse for by it I conceiue that the kingdome of heauen shall be bestowed equally both vpon poore and rich for it is a gift and no man can challenge more in that gift then an other none can bee nearer then other Euery place of the earth standeth in equall distance from heauen and euery man and woman are alike capeable of eternall life the wise and foolish virgins stood in the same way and place to expect the same bridegroome Therefore seeing all must be bound to God for these benefits let vs not iudge any that in our opinion seeme to bee far from grace for the Lords gifts and graces are without repentance and hee that is able to call them to graffe them and to winne them will cloth their naked soules with comfort His desire is to binde men vnto him for it and therefore let not any man dispaire of their saluation nor enuy them if the Lord call them to heauen at the last gaspe as hee did the good theefe vpon the Crosse FINIS
Paul the Corinths so in like manner the Hebrewes Heb. 5.11.12 it is very plaine they had beene well catechised and albeit they had suffered much for Christ Heb. 10.32.33 yet now they were become very dull haue need to bee well Catechised againe Sixtly so was Theophilus first instructed Luke 1.4 as appeareth in the originall Seauenthly the Church which followed immediately the Apostles continued the same methood and forme of doctrine for they had speciall men appointed to Catechize all Nouices and all Conuerts as that learned Origen was appointed in Alexandria by Demetrius Bishop there Againe it seemes they kept a true Register of their Catechized in their Churches For Eusebius lib. 6. cap. 7. 3. names three of them in one Chapter for speaking of their martyrdome hee saith 1. Heraclides that Heraclides was but once Catechized or entred in his Catechisme when he was martyred And Heron being well Catechised 2. Heron. he was but newly baptized when he was martyred 3. Rhais And Rhais was but in her Catechisme when shee was baptized in the fire And thus wee see how in elder ages the babes in Christ were carefully taught the first grounds of Religion and so being well grounded they were admitted by confirmation * Heb. 6.3.4.5 and laying on of hands to the Lords Supper and to communicate with the Church in other exercises of Religion Rom. 14.1 Tertul. de praescriptione Hereti ante sunt perfecti cathechumenoi quaÌ„ edocti The breach of this order Turtulian cryes out against it saying that with the Heriticks there was no care of this distinction They are men growne or perfect men with you saith he before they be any thing grouÌ„ded in the Catechisme I would this were no iust complaint against vs and our time The ages following kept the same course see August Tom. 4. de catechiz rudibus To. 6. serm ad catech Cyrils Catechisme Quest 11. But our people cannot abide to bee Catechised publikely nor know not how to Catechize their families priuately Ans The most part are enemies to their owne saluation they haue these and the like carnall obiections and excuses 1. Obiect They are ashamed so to be taught Answ They ought more to be ashamed of their ignorance 2. Ob. They haue no time to Catechise their families Ans God will not so be mocked first he hath commaunded his Sabboth for it and more also the euening morning and the noone time of the day Deut. 6.6 3. Ob. This strict order would scare away all seruants Ans Such seruants are better lost then found 4. Ob. They are too young as yet they will to morrow Ans If thou wilt not heare this day it may be thou shalt not the next day Heb. 3.15.16 Pro. 1.5 Ob. They are too old Ans The blinde doting sinner is still accursed albeit an hundred yeares old Esa 65.20 6. Ob. Our Fathers prospered without all this Preaching and Catechizing Ans The Pagans and vnbeleeuers best prosper in the world Psal 73.1.3.4 Iob. 21.8 And this was the old Idolaters complaint 7. Ob. Such as haue learned the Catechisme are as lewd as they were before Such as haue eyes can see better then the blinde Seruants are not accepted for their good meaning Ans The Seruant which knoweth his Masters will doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes 8. Ob. Wee meane as well as the best Ans Such as haue killed the Prophets thought they did God good seruice Iohn 16.2 wee must not goe by our owne good meaning Of the vvell formed Adam 2. Sunday or of man in his first excellencie in his creation when the beautifull Image of God shined in him Question 1. WHat is that most cheareth and comforteth thine heart both in life and death Answere That both in a 1. Cor. 6.19.20 soule and body whether I liue b Rom. 14.8 or dye I am not mine owne but I belong vnto my most faithfull Lord and Sauiour c 1 Cor. 3.23 Iesus Christ in whom I finde a full d Esa 53.2 1. Iohn 1.7 1. Pet. 1.23 redemption from all power of sinne Sathan e Gen. 3.15 Heb. 2.14 Col. 1.13 death and hell all which held me as captiue f Luke 1 71. before That the God of all grace and comfort hath of his owne free mercie called me by his Gospell out g 2. Th. 2.13.14 1. Pet. 2.9 of darkenesse into his meruailous light and sanctified h Eph. 1.13 Iude ver 1.2 me by his holy spirit to serue him and doth reserue me vnto Iesus Christ for euer that hath wrought this faith in mine heart Iohn 6.29 Quest 2. How many things must be knowne to attaine this assured consolation in life and death Ans Foure things First Adam constitutus what the excellencie was of the first Adam whom wee may for difference sake call the well formed Adam in communion with God and holy Angels Secondly how base and wretched man is by nature Adam destitutus The man without Christ AdaÌ„ restitutê° The man in Christ or of Adam after his fall whom we may call the deformed Adam or the man without Christ in communion with the Diuell and vncleane spirits Thirdly how blessed the man is which is restored to grace by faith in Christ and this man we may call the reformed Adam Fourthly how all the reformed Adams 1. Pet. 2.9 or all which haue put on Christ must striue to shew forth the vertues of him that hath called them out of darknesse into his maruailous light euer zealous in good * Adamus fidus gratus Tit. 2.11 works Quest 3. Now let me heare what arguments haue you to manifest the great excellency of the first Adam Ans The holy Ghost in the glorie of mans creation commends his excellencie by this which followeth Gen. 1.26 Psal 8. 92. Finis primus in intentione vlt. in actione First from the day and time of his creation he was created the sixt day after the creation of all creatures in heauen and earth as if the Lord had decreed to make him Lord of all the visible creatures in heauen and earth his most speciall instrument on the earth to set forth his glory Wherefore no doubt he was vnto God more deare then all the frame of heauen and earth Secondly from the prouident care of God for him before his creation for the Lord as a wise father purposing to aduance this Adam to the seat of the Empyre of all the world hee leaues nothing vnprouided beefore hand but settes all things in a most comely frame and order to serue him Est profatio patris ad filiuÌ„ Tertul. de resurrectione These words were not spoken to the creatures wanting reason nor to the Angels least they should be thought to be partakers of this glorie Thirdly from the great consultation of the holy Trinitie in his creation Let vs make man That creature which
was made with such consultation as no one celestiall body nor all the goodly things we see in heauen and earth had the like for their creation Gen. 1.6.14 must be of great excellencie but man alone was created with this consultation therefore was he of great excellencie Fourthly from the forme of his creation in our Image Man was made like none of the goodliest creatures but like the Lord himselfe not so much in the glorie beautie of his body no doubt as beautifull as the Sun Mat. 17. as in his soule spiritual substance which God breathed into him like the Angels and yet in the substance of the Soule he did not so much resemble God as in the graces gifts and qualities of the Soule as wisedome and knowledge Col. 3.10 righteousnes holines and truth Eph. 4.24 Dauid considering the excellencie that was in this Adam and that shall be in all the saints after the resurrection breaketh forth into that holy exclamation Psal 8.4.5 O what is man Fiftly from the state of his full restoring into his first excellencie after resurrection First for the bodies of the saints shal bee exceeding glorious Mat. 13.43 Dan. 12.2.3.4 Secondly likewise the soule adorned with all good graces Heb. 2.8 Psal 8.4.5 Thirdly the state immutable neuer to bee changed 2. Cor. 5.4 1. Cor. 15.53 Eph. 1.14 Fourthly brethren with Christ and heires annexed with him in one kingdome and house for euer Iohn 14.3.4 Rom. 8.17 Iohn 15.14 Fiftly Inspeakable glory Psal 8.4.5 This * Erat enim Adam animalis non spiritualis homo quales post resurectionem beneficio Christi euademus Danaeus Antiq. p. 27. 1. Cor. 15.44 August lib. 14 de ciui Dei cap. 11. glory I graunt excelleth the first but yet in this glasse we may behold the Image and picture of the first Adam Sixtly from his empire and dominion ouer all creatures vnder God hee that was first ordained of God the Lord and gouernour and chiefe commander ouer all creatures in the ayre on the earth and in the sea was of great excellencie and glory The first Adam was so ordained and this the Prophet remembreth in like manner Psal 8.6 Quest 4. Now shew briefely what reasons haue you of the creation of man in the last place the last day and what further vse haue you of this doctrine First I say that he might haue all good meanes of Gods prouidence to serue him and see Gods care loue towards him beefore his creation hereby our faith in God concerning his prouidence hath a comfortable confirmation for his loue and care to them which bee reformed in Christ is the same and not diminished hee is as carefull louing and as prouident now as then for he is not changed Secondly that by sight of the creatures which doe attend vpon vs wee might in them discerne our Creator the inuisible God Our sences looke how many they bee in number so many ladders they may bee euerie day Psal 19. for vs to clime vp to behold the wisedome greatnes and goodnesse of the Creator And so must we daily tast him and see him in the creatures Psal 34.8 Thirdly to stop the mouthes of all Atheists which blaspheme saying that man is as old as God himselfe wee see man is not so old as the poorest beast or worme on earth Fourthly least any should imagin that man created some of the creatures or at leastwise to haue beene of Gods counsell in the creation of them Fiftly to shew vnto man and vnto all ages the infinite wisedome power and goodnesse of Almightie God for if wee doe well consider the frame of heauen and earth and the creatures which are in them we should as it were thinke he had spent all his wisedome and power in the creation of them The Sunne alone how wonderfully is it made nothing can be hid from the heat therof Psal 19. But behold after the creation of al he makes man a worke far excelling all the former workes as the Fathers say The Cedar of Paradise the picture of heauen the glory of the earth the gouernour of the world and the Lords owne delight And therefore no Emperour on the earth had such pouision and such free vse and command ouer the creatures as he had The second part of the Catechisme Of the second state of man â— Sunday or of the deformed Adam the man without Christ or the state of rebellion and vnbeleefe Question 1. HOw shall we best know the miserable condicion of the man without Christ Answere We may not trust our owne wisedome sence and experience in this argument for these may deceiue vs we must be herein taught by the most holy truth of God reuealed in the Scriptures Quest 2. By what speciall arguments doth God in Scripture set beefore vs the misery of the deformed Adam or of that man which hath neuer put on Christ Ans By foure speciall arguments or most cleere and manifest demonstrations First by comparing the arguments of his present miserie and wants with those of his excellencie before specified Secondly by a diligent meditation and due consideration of the historie of mans apostacie Thirdly by obseruation of two most fearefull consequents of that apostacie in all vnbeleeuers in this life for all without Christ are shut vp in bondage vnder the dominion first of Sathan Eph. 2.1.2.3 secondly of sinne Rom. 5.21 6.12 Psal 19.18.19 Fourthly by the most holy righteous and royall Law of God Rom. 3.20 Rom. 7.7 Quest 3. Now compare the arguments of the miserie of an vnbeleeuer with those arguments we heard of the excellencie of the first man Ans First how deere the first man was vnto God it is most cleere by all the former arguments of his exellencie But now the case is quite altered for this second Adam or man without Christ is a very stranger and enemie vnto God Col. 1.21 the childe of wrath Eph. 2.3 and without Christ the childe of euerlasting perdicion he that is in this state is most deformed and most miserable euery man liuing without Christ is in this state therefore euery man liuing without Christ is most deformed and miserable Secondly Gen. 3.17 from the deformitie and curse which is vpon all creatures for the sinne of man wee heard before of Gods great loue to the first man in his prouidence in blessing and preparing the creatures to serue him Now in this contrarie state of man all things without Christ are accursed vncleane To euery man vnder wrath that is to all vnbeleeuers all things are vncleane and accursed Gen. 3.17 Tit. 1.15.16 Euery man without Christ is vnder wrath therefore to euery man without Christ all things are vncleane accursed Thirdly from the comparison of that first image of his excellencie with the second of his miserie for so the holy Ghost teacheth vs to obserue the glory of the one the deformitie of the other First as touching his bodily substance in the first
spirit Secondly mark and obserue well wherein thou art short of the obedience of this Law in any of the branches before specified or hast fallen into the contrary sinnes forbidden let the meditation of Gods loue in Christ and the sight of thy sinnes here set before thee draw from thee dayly some vnfained teares of repentance Luke 7.47 for by walking vprightly in the obedience of this Law thou maist shew the power of Christ dwelling in thee Psa 119.1 1. Pet. 2.9 Thirdly that it may truly appeare that thou art in Christ and Iesus Christ in thee 2. Cor. 13.5 pray feruently in the spirit Quest 69. Let vs heare first what you can say generally of the scope summe sense and parts of the second Law Ans First for the scope it is this that with all care and conscience we worship God in that forme hee hath prescribed in his word and not after mans inuention The first law was concerning the duties which doe directly concerne the nature and person of God and touching the substance of his worship this Law is concerning the forme and manner of his seruice and here the question is answered which hath most disquieted the Chruch in all ages who shall prescribe the forme of Gods worship shall Angels shall men shall the Church shall Councels shall the learned and the wise or shall euery man serue God according to the imaginations of his owne heart The answere is that when we haue made choise of Iehoua for our God and reiected all false Gods according to his first Law least our mindes should inuent him any seruice hee hath here prescribed lawes himselfe for his owne most diuine and spirituall seruice Secondly the summe therfore of this Law in few words it is this worship the Lord thy God according to his reuealed will written in his word and neuer presume to offer him any will-worship of humane inuention Thirdly for the sense the words are these Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image The Lords meaning is not to forbid all making of Images for God did allow and commaund many to be made by Bezaleel and Aholiab Ex. 31.1.2 and 35.30 1. King 8. Blind worshippers sought often to represent the true God by an Idoll as Hosh 2.16 and Exod. 32.5 and Salomons Temple was richly adorned with Cherubins and Images of gold and siluer The Lord then heere first forbids a man to make any image to represent him as is very manifest Deut. 4.15 where he chargeth them not to represent him by any thing adding this reason verse 12. you heard the voice of words but saw no similitude saue a voice teaching vs that hee can better instruct vs by his word then by any pictures Nor the likenesse of any thing in heauen aboue God forbiddeth here to make any image of any false God which can bee imagined seene or knowne to bee in heauen in earth or in the waters Deut. 4. in the heauens as Starres ver 19. Angels Saints in the ayre as fethered foules ver 17. secondly the likenesse of any thing on earth as man and beasts ver 18. thirdly of things vnder the earth in the waters Dagon was formed like a fish 1. Sa. 5.1.2 as of any fishes ver 18. Thou shalt neither bow thy selfe vnto them nor serue them here wee bee forbidden all manner of seruice vnto an Idoll and vnto the true God before an Idoll By bowing is meant all manner of bodily worship capping kneeling kissing dauncing before the Idoll Exod. 32. or by any such signe to fauour or like them serue them or worship them The generall here seemes to bee put after the speciall that no manner of seruice bee done to Idols or to God in Idols or images for that Idolaters can worship Idols and God in Idols being farre absent from them by vowes by guifts c. as well appeares in the Popish superstition Arguments 1 2 3 For I the Lord thy God as beefore in the preface am a mightie God that is hee is able with a strong hand to plague thee for all false worship as hee did all Israell 2. Kin. 17.20 and 32.41 They feared God and serued their Images therefore the Lord by a strong hand cast off all the seede of Israell Mal. 1.16.8 14. if thou serue a man thou must doe as he appoynteth if a mightie man it is dangerous to doe otherwise 4 No cause in vs he should loue vs much lesse be ielous ouer vs. And a Iealous God God hath bound himselfe as by a speciall couenant in a holy mariage with his people Esay 54.5 Ephe. 5.26.27 when therefore men estrange their loue and seruice to any thing else then hee cryes out by his spirit that hee is prouoked to iealousie by spirituall whoredome Hosh 1.2 Chap. looke how deepely it smiteth the heart of the louing husband that his wife spouse follow a stranger so in like manner is it betweene vs and the Almightie when wee impart his worship to any other or serue him not as hee commandeth But iealousie saith Salomon Pro. 6.34 is the rage of man so kindling his ire that he will not spare in the day of vengeance Therefore auoid all spirituall whordome for the Lord when hee is prouoked to iealousie is a consuming fire Heb. 12. hee vseth often this complaint They haue moued me to ielousie with that which is not God they haue prouoked mee to anger with their vanities 5. Deu. 29.20 Ezech. 8.2 Visiting the iniquitie God is said to visit his people when he comes against them with the sword of a 1. Sam. 15.23 Mat. 23.24 Exod. 17.14 Deut. 25.17 Two effects of ielousie iustice These two reasons following are two fruits and effects of ielousie The first is an exceeding long anger the second is an exceeding loue and mercie for ielousie abounds in these two affections There is a notable example of this ielousie An example of Gods ielousie Exod 33 10 11. to be diligently marked Exod. 32. for the golden calfe for Moses with all his holy teares and prayers could not quench the flame of it verse 10.11.12.13 yea notwithstanding that Calfe was burnt in the fire ground to pouder and strowed vpon water and the idolaters drunke of it ver 20. notwithstanding three thousand men were slaine by the Leuites at that time ver 28. notwithstanding that Moses proceedeth in most feruent prayer as it were standing in the gappe betweene Gods wrath and his people and crying that if God would not bee appeased that hee would rase him out of the booke of life ver 32. yet the Lord as not respecting all the promisses and hardly appeased for the time answereth In the day of my visitation I will visit their sinne vpon them ver 32. So wee see the Lord prouoked to ielousie is a consuming fire Of Fathers vpon their Children wee bee taught how this iustice is executed Ezech. 18.3 for the Iewes then complained of vniustice that they should bee
not sufficient to Saluation to beeleeue in God confusedly but we must beleeue that God the Father is our Father God the Sonne is our redeemer and that the holy Ghost is our comforter and sanctifier And we must not worship the Father without the Sonne and the holy Ghost nor the Sonne without the Father and the holy Ghost nor the holy Ghost without the Father and the Son for then wee worshippe an Idoll of our owne braines inuention The first person in Trinitie is called a Father in respect of nature and of grace first by nature in respect of his onely begotten Sonne Iesus Christ next by nature for that all things that are Rom. 11. haue their being and mouing in him and for him Next hee is a Father in respect of grace beecause hee doth adopt and accept all the Elect for his children in Iesus Christ first God the Father begets the Sonne before all eternitie Sonne and the Father equall in time but in naturall generation the Father is before the Sonne Secondly God the Father committeth to the Sonne his whole affaires so doth not nor can the earthly Father but hee should come to nothing Thirdly hee begets the Sonne in himselfe and not without Comforts which follow this Faith First the Diuell is no more our Father Iohn 8.44 but wee haue a prerogatiue by our Faith in Christ to bee Gods children Iohn 1.12 Secondly a moderate care will serue for the things of this life for if I bee a child in Gods familie the heauenly father will not faile mee for I know that in a familie the Father prouideth for all Mat. 6.26 Heb. 13.6.7 And Christ saith Your heauenly Father knoweth all your wants Thirdly if God bee our Father hee will tenderly respect vs in all our infirmities tentations and grieuances in this life Psal 103.13 Fourthly if God bee our Father his loue is immutable albeit wee bee changed euery day yet hee is euer the same Iames. 1.17 Fiftly if God bee our Father wee may freely come to his presence continually and acquaint him with all our greefes Luke 11.13 and if wee call instantly for the best things hee hath in store yea euen for his holy spirit he will graunt our request Secondly for the title Almightie Almightie 2. Difference betweene the true God and the false here I professe that I am perswaded and assured that the true God which I serue and vpon whom I wholy depend is not like the weake false gods which perish but as hee is willing in Christ Iesus so is he all sufficient to performe all his promises vnto mee and to deliuer mee and to keepe mee from all dangers both of body and soule temporall and eternall Comforts which follow this Faith Frst albeit thou hast beene a grieuous sinner and of long continuance in sinne yea in most grose and vile sinnes yet this great God is most able and all sufficient to loosen by Iesus Christ all the works and power of Sathan if thou wilt renounce thine vnbeleefe and seeke God in Christ by his word in Faith vnfained and in repentance sorrowing seriously and renouncing all dead works Rom. 11.23 Heb. 6.2.3 Secondly this is a singular consolation in all the troubles of this life that I am thus perswaded in mine hart that God is my louing Father 1. Ioh. 5.4 Psal 23.4 and an Almightie Father most sufficient as hee is willing for good in all respects Iohn 10.29 The third title Maker of heauen and earth And here I say this much in effect 3. Difference betweene the true God and false As. Esay 45.6.7 that I know by the light of Gods word and am perswaded in mine heart by the work of Gods spirit by whose grace I professe and confesse that the true God which I serue is hee which created heauen and earth in the beeginning which preserueth and vpholdeth heauen and earth and all things therein to this day and shall doe it to the worlds end disposing also of all things euen the least accident which the heart of man can thinke vpon in any of his creatures according to his owne most holy will and wisdome For I doe not now imagine as some heathens haue done that God stirs and moues the world by an vniuersall motion but also cherisheth careth for and susteineth euery thing by a singular prouidence And this is that I professe in these words Here it may be doubted first that it is said the father hath made all things seeing it is certaine the Sonne and the holie Ghost did ioyne in this worke Ans First these words of the Creed stand distinctly thus I beleeue in that true God which is Father Sonne and holy Ghost secondly which is Almightie thirdly which is Creator of heauen and earth Secondly it may be doubted if he hath created all things then surely hee hath decreed all things if hee hath decreede of all things how then comes in sinne into the world Ans God doth not simply will or decree sinne but in part and with respects First not as it is sinne but so farre forth as sinne is either a punishment chasticement tryall action or hath being in nature Secondly God can so vse euill instruments that the work done by them being a sinne shall neuerthelesse in him bee a good worke because hee knowes how to vse euill instruments well as Iudas Pilate Cayphas and the rest in crucifying of Christ Act. 2.23 Thirdly if the blessed Trinitie made heauen and earth in the beginning of nothing onely by a * Psa 148.3 Gen. 1.3 word speaking it may bee demanded what this word was Ans The word of God in Scripture is taken three waies first for the substantiall word which was before the creation and this is Christ Iohn 1.1 Secondly for the sounding or written word of God in the Scriptures Thirdly Heb. 1.3 for the powerfull word of God which is nothing else but the pleasure will and appointment of God Comfortable meditations vpon this point of the Creation of the world First the doctrine of the Creation and meditation in Gods works is commended often as Psal 111. Psal 147.148 The works of God ought to bee sought out of all them which feare him And the skilfull workman thinks himselfe much disgraced to haue men passe by and not to respect his work So is it with the Lord when his people passe by this meditation this serueth much for instruction and consolation for in the works of God wee may see Gods power wisedome loue mercie prouidence And how greatly God respecteth this appeareth in that he appointed this as a speciall seruice done vnto him in the sanctification of the Saboth Psal 92. Secondly when I say I rest vpon the Creator of heauen and earth it yeelds vnto mine heart a speciall comfort thus God will assuredly keepe me in all dangers for like as no man is so tender ouer any work as hee that made it for hee can not abide to see it any way
but as hee is a terrible Iudge and to execute iustice on them Now to the faithfull Christ is said to be the first fruits of them that sleepe 1. Cor. 15.16 because as in the first fruites of corne being offred vnto God the owner had an assurance of Gods blessing on the rest so here by Christs resurrection the beleeuers haue a pledge of their owne resurrection Quest 44. Thus farre the first degree of his exaltation now let me heare of the second what doe you beleeue his ascention into heauen Ans That I doe for this is not onely prophecied of in the old Testament but also recorded and testified in the new Testament And therefore I know beleeue and professe this to bee the most sacred truth of God that Iesus Christ the very Sonne of the liuing God Act. 1.2.3 fortie dayes after his resurrection from the dead did ascend vp into heauen The prophecies in the old are these Psal 68.17.18.19 The Charets of God are twentie thousand thousand Angels c. Thou art gone vp on high thou hast lead captiuitie captiue The complement of this in the new Testament is Eph. 4.8 where the Apostle testifieth plainely that the Psalmist spake by the spirit of prophecie of Christs ascention and of his gracious blessings powred then as in a solemne triumph in anguration or coronation of a mightie prince vpon his Church and people Againe that Dauid prophecied not of himselfe in Ps 110. Saint Peter auoucheth speaking of the resurrection of Christ Act. 2.34 Dauid is not ascended into heauen but hee saith The Lord saith to my Lord sit at my right hand c. And Christ himselfe fore-sheweth his ascention into heauen Ioh. 16.28 I leaue the world c. Ioh. 14. And the holy Euangelists testifie with one accord that his words proued true for that hee did in verity ascend into heauen in his appointed time Mark 16.19 So after hee had spoken vnto them he was receiued into heauen Luke 24.51 And it came to passe as hee blessed them he departed from them and was carried into heauen Act. 1.9 while they beheld he was taken vp for a cloud tooke him vp out of their sight I doe therefore thus vnderstand this mistery in mind and beleeue it in mine heart and professe it with my mouth that the very same Christ who according to his diuine nature was alwayes in the heauens Iohn 1.3 after he finished the whole worke of our redemption on earth and instructed his Disciples fortie dayes as concerning the truth of his resurrection so concerning the propagation of the Church and publication or preaching of the Gospell for the building vp of his misticall body on earth after all this I say accomplished hee ascended vp to heauen in the presence of all his Disciples in that very body and soule wherein hee liued suffred and dyed on the Crosse and in that very body which was buried and rose againe in this body and soule I say Iesus Christ ascended vp into heauen where hee must haue his residence or bodily presence vntill the time of the restoring of all things Act. 3.21 And by Heauen here I vnderstand not the firmament as Gen. 1.1 ver nor the ayre Heb. 12.22.23 Mat. 18.10 1 Cor. 13.2 2. Cor. 12.2.3 Psal 103.19 Mat. 6.26 but the highest heauens where God and his Angels and the spirits of the righteous haue their rest Iohn 14.2.3 Phil. 1.23 Againe whereas the Euangelist Saint Luke saith Act. 1. 9. that he was taken vp the meaning is this was done principally by the mightie power of his godhead and partly by the supernaturall propertie of a glorified body which is to moue as well vpward as downeward without constraint or violence And thus Christ ascended into heauen really and actually and not in appearance onely And hee went also locally by changing his place and going from earth to heauen so as hee is no more on earth bodily as wee are now on earth at is afore shewed And whereas it may bee doubted if hee bee so departed from vs as touching his bodily presence how that may bee true that hee said hee would bee with vs vnto the end of the world Mat. 28.20 The answere is hee said also that hee would leaue the world to goe to the father Iohn 16.28 Wherefore he must bee vnderstood to speake by a distinction True it is he was before Abraham Iohn 8.58 and so is hee with his Church to the worlds end according to his diuine nature in maiestie grace Eph. 4.8 vertue power and effectuall working of his holy spirit Iohn 17.11 and 14.16.17 and 16.13 but his bodily presence is in heauen Secondly if any doubt further whether the natures bee not thus seuered if where the one is the other is not alwaies I answere no for the diuinitie which cannot bee comprehended must of necessitie outreach and yet comprehend the humanitie and thereunto bee parsonally vnited It is not alwaies true that of two things conioyned where the one is there must bee the other also For the Sunne and his beams are both ioyned together yet they are not both in all places together For the body of the Sunne is seated and carried onely in his celestiall orbe in the heauens but his beames are here beneath on the earth In those holy phrases then we must remember that as diuines speake the properties of both natures must bee distinguished in Christ for in such places properties belonging to one nature are ascribed vnto the other because of the hypostaticall vnion of both natures in one person And thus far for the sence of the words of this Article where wee see breefly that Christs ascention is an exaltation or a receiuing vp of his humanitie to sit in the highest heauens till the glorious day of his appearance in iudgement Heb. 1.3 Quest 45. What vse is there of this faith and what comforts follow it Ans First when I doe thus beleeue the ascention of Christ I doe beleeue also all the effects thereof and all the holy adiuncts appertaining thereunto namely these two principall which the Apostle specially mentioneth Eph. 4.8 and 12.1 That when he ascended vp on high he lead captiuitie captiue By Captiuitie vnderstand a multitude of captiues as the Psalmist doth Psal 68. ver 19. that captiues here meant are the world the flesh sinne Sathan and death it selfe and whatsoeuer engins and confederates these had against Christ in his humiliation and his members all their dayes on earth He so triumphed ouer them all on his crosse Col. 1.12 but specially in his ascention that howsoeuer they may feare vs otherwhiles and scare vs to waken vs from securitie yet they shall neuer hurt vs for Christ hath taken away their sting 1. Cor. 15.55 and hath pinioned their hands behinde them as captiues and hath set vs free if wee will come vnto him when hee call vs by his Gospell Wherefore if wee refuse now his call our state is the more damnable A man
of the end long beefore are these The first is the preaching of the Gospell to all the world Mat. 24.14 And the Apostle affirmes this was done euen in his time saying Col. 1.23 The Gospell hath beene preached to euery creature vnder heauen The second signe before the end is the reuelation and manifestation of Antichrist 2. Thes 2.3 Before the day of Christ the man of sinne shall be disclosed as hee is set out in the reuelation to all eyes in his colours 14. 17. Chap. who shall cause the generall departing from the faith of Christ as it is foreshewed by the Apostle Paul in the same Scripture 2. The. 2.3 The third signe the Iudgements following vpon the world for the contempt of the Gospell warres famine pestilence Mat. 24.6 See that ye be not troubled for al these things must come to passe but the end is not yet and persecution ver 7. The fourth signe the generall corruption of manners 2. Tim. 3. Toward the later dayes shall come perillous times wherin men shall bee louers of themselues couetous boasters c. much like for securitie and sinne to the dayes of Noah Mat. 24.37.38 great deadnes of heart They knew nothing for all the preaching of Noah Gen. 6. Luke 17.26 Most men haue seene the first kinde of messengers and forerunners before Christ and be nothing touched with repentance by any of them woe vnto them if they stay till the last signes come for then saith Saint Luke their hearts shall faile them The second kinde of signes pognosticating his comming more neere it or immediately before it are these First in the heauen or firmament the Sunne shall wax darke Mark 13.24 that is haue as it were many Eclipses and the Moone shall faile of her accustomed light and the Starres of heauen shall fall that is shall bee seene to fall indeede and the powers of heauen shall bee shaken Secondly in earth trouble in all nations with perplexitie of minde and great sorrowes Luke 21.25 Thirdly in the sea and waters hideous sounds and rorings most terrible shall bee heard Luk. 21.25 Fourthly in the ayre there shall bee terrible tempests So that heauen and earth shall then preach Christ to vnbeleeuers to their great horrour for their long contempt of the Gospell Fiftly and lastly beefore his comming the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp 2. Pet. 3.10 The third and last signe is in his very comming and this is called by the Euangelists the signe of the Sonne of man Mat. 24.29.30 comming in a cloud with power and great glory Luke 21.27 This I take it to bee the great glorious and lightsome beames of maiestie whereby the world shall bee renued and enlightened immediately before his personall appearance to supply the defect of the light of Sunne and Moone like as wee see in Somer in the dawning of the day certaine beames of the Sunne appeare for a good space of time before the Sunne appeare in sight aboue our Horrison or sensible to our eye so shall there bee a glorious euidence of the approching of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ vnto the eyes of all men before they heare his personall and bodily presence beefore them And thus far shall suffice for the first point that there shall be an vniuersall Iudgement Secondly the forme of the generall iudgement There is no man can well expresse the admirable forme of this great Iudgement yet so far as the Lord hath reueled it and I conceiue it I shall declare it In the forme three things are principally to bee respected First the preparation vnto the great session Secondly the proceeding in Iudgment Thirdly the execution of the difinitiue sentence First the preparation vnto Iudgement First beefore his comming preparation shall bee made by fire Psal 50.3 A fire shall deuoure before him as we heare before out of Saint Peter 2. Pet. 3.7.10.11.12 for heauen and earth must passe through a fire not to consume them to nothing for then where should Christ appeare in Iudgement and sinners must bee iudged on the earth and in the place where they haue sinned but to consume their leprosie and corruption wherewith the sinne of man hath infected heauen and earth that so being as gold purified in fire they may shine bright and glorious and may bee fit to intertaine the maiestie of this great king at his glorious comming to Iudgement for as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 7.31 It is the figure or forme not the nature or substance of the world that passeth away The same is testified Rom. 8.21 The creature also shall bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God So Act. 1. and Psal 102.72.28 The heauens shall waxe old c. and shall be changed Reu. 21.1 Esay 65.17.66.22 meaning into a better state as other Scriptures also testifie Secondly then shall bee the appearing of the glorie of the mightie God a Tit. 2.14 of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who shal come from the highest heauens accompanied with an exceeding great hoast of mightie Angels and b Heb. 12.22 1. Cor. 6.1.2 soules of righteous men Thirdly then shall bee heard the sound of a trumphet a wonderful c The. 4.16 peircing long continued sound summoning all men and Angels vnto Iudgement Fourthly the good Angels shall gather all nations and bring all vnto the place of Iudgement all I say the d 2. Tim. 4.1 liuing and the dead for the very dead shall first bee called out of their graues and they shall come clothed with their owne bodies 1. Thes 4.16 And with them shall appeare all that bee aliue changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye and corruptible bodies shall bee come incorruptible naturall shall turne spirituall liuing immediately by the vertue and power of God And then the bodies of the Saints shall bee like the glorious body of Christ shining as the Sunne Mat. 13.43 And the wicked shall bee full of shame and dishonour Dan. 12.2 The euill Angels also they are reserued for the iudgement of the great e Iud. 6. day And then Antichrist the Sonne of perdition shall appeare in his colours who shall be consumed and wasted continually by the spirit of Christ preaching the Gospell f Th. 2.7.8 but his finall abolishing and perdition shall bee at the glorious comming of Christ Fiftly after all this shall Christ bee set in his throne of iudgement as the Euangelists speake Then shall hee sit vpon the throne of his glory Mat. 25.31 and this throne shall be like a flame of fire Dan. 7.9 so that the wicked shall desire the mountaines to couer them from the sight of it Sixtly this done the Lord shall make separation between the Elect and the reprobate as he doth here on earth in the Church make separation betweene the precious and
vnto it in the word of God doe expresse in some measure according to our capacitie so much thereof as may abundantly serue to expresse and allure or to draw vnto god any well minded man yea though it were through all the dangers of this present world For if Ruth followed her mother in law Naomi vpon no promise out of her owne country onely for loue of her how much more ought all men to follow God and forsake this world that haue so many promises hopes declarations and figures of their glorified estate First of all in the old Testament the happinesse of them which are departed in the fauour of God is expressed by that saying of Moses Gen. 5.24 And Enoch walked with God and was no more seene for God tooke him away This taking away of Enoch is the first expressing of the estate of blessed and saued men for by it is represented vnto vs that their first happinesse is to bee rid of all the miseries and calamities of this world which made the Apostle to cry out betwixt heauen and earth when hee considered them Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death And herein also a good man might loose himselfe to meditate and contemplate a little while of this freedome which hee cannot haue in this world although hee were an Emperour or Constantine commanding the whole world Men are afflicted by and in themselues by and in others sometimes angry sometimes sorry sometimes sicke sometimes weary sometimes hungry sometimes cloyed with ouer much care of that they possesse sometime pinched and haue not what to solace themselues or to put into their mouthes sometimes afraid of God of Angels of men of Diuels of apparitions of beasts of waters of fire of earthquakes of dearth of warre of impietie of irreligion of idolatry of blaspheming of murders of wrongs of robberies of wastings of prodigalities of rapes of temptations of apostacies and therefore consider what it is for a man to bee freed from all these as Enoch was whom God tooke away And if a man could liue and neuer suffer bodily paine yet cannot hee keepe his heart from disquietnes and extreame compassionate sorrow yea euen to death to see to heare and vnderstand the miseries of other Nehemiah was a great officer in the king of Media his court and wanted nothing but his heart reioyced in fauour riches youth garments loue strength plenty entertainment and all the comforts that this world could afford him so that in regard of his outward estate hee might well haue said to his soule O soule take thy rest for thou hast goods enough layed vp in store for many yeares and no affliction doth annoy thee But marke all this light was put out by one dampe and all the fire of this ioy quenched with one drop of water and all the beautie of these comforts dazeled and distained with one letter For Neh. 1.2 ve Came Hanani one of my brethren he and the men of Iudah and I asked them concerning the Iewes that were deliuered which were of the residue of the captiuitie and concerning Ierusalem ver 3. And they said vnto me the residue that are left of the captiuitie there in the prouince are in great afflicton and in reproch and the wall of Ierusalem is broken downe and the gates thereof are burnt with fire Here is the newes but what was all this to Nehemiah he was wise enough to keepe him from that banquet and therefore let them sorrow for themselues he wanted nothing alas saith Saint Paul who is offended and I burne not Can the winds blow vpon the waters and the reedes not bend can the ship bee tossed to and fro on the sea and the mast not bee mooued therewithall can old age appeare in the head and skin and the heart and blood haue no sence of the decay of vitall power Can good men leaue of compassion towards their brethren man-kinde and was not all Israell mooued and sorrowed to see one common vvoman cut in peeces Iud. 19. No no there is a watchtower in the nature of man wherein standeth a watchman that at the sight and hearing of euill ringeth a bell in their eares that maketh their hearts to yearne and bleede and therefore it followeth of Nehemiah ver 4. And when I heard these words I sate downe and wept and mourned certaine dayes and fasted and prayed before the God of heauen and this hee did from Chislew to Nisau that is from Nouember to March euen foure monethes together Such was the sorrow and compassion of Enoch beecause the wicked world went astray from god did not care for Sethes posterity but followed Caines and therefore because hee was innocent God tooke him away that the hart which mourned might neuer mourne againe What might bee sayde of Rahel of the women of Israell that saw their sonnes destroyed of Moses for the golden Calfe of Hannah the wife of Elkanah of Ieremy of Daniell of the woman which saw her seauen sons haue their hands and feete cut off and were afterwards put into a seithing caldron to bee sod to death of Mary the mother of Christ seeing her righteous sonne suffer naked the most shamefull death of the world and of many others both Martyrs and holy Confessours who haue beene so far touched with pittie and compassion that inward griefe hath distempered them euen to death This shall bee sufficient that if thou bee a Magistrate and bearest vpon thee the burthen of the state if thou be a Minister and carriest in thy brest the care of all the Church if thou bee a Father and fearest the miscariage and ill proofe of thy children and wealth if thou bee a woman and art combred with the vniust and vngentle soueraigntie of an vngodly husband if thou bee a Seruant oppressed with the tyranny of a cruell and vnconscionable maister if thou bee a good man and fearest the decay of religion or apostacie or idolatry and finally if thou bee sicke lame blinde sorry poore wronged pinched imprisoned reproched slaundered threatned or indangered of a violent death thy estate in heauen shall be like Enochs The Lord shall take thee away from all these miseries A second phrase of holy Scriptures expressing the ioyes of heauen is that 1. King 8.27.28.29.30.31 it is called the throne and habitation of God By which also a good man hath another occasion of excellent meditation that he shall but see the throne of the king of heauen and earth and the place where his maiestie is ten thousand times more bright then the Sunne in the fairest sommer day more glorious then all the kings of the earth in the prime of their honour and first entrance or coronation Now what will a man imagine that God hath treasured vp for himselfe in that place where his owne maiestie dwelleth The kings of Israell yea all the kings of the earth keepe their owne dwellings replenished withall delight and there is not
heauen for not onely their friends and forefathers shall welcome them and reioyce for their coronation in that kingdome but also the Angels and Archangels shall congratulate their entrance and therefore our Sauiour Christ saith that there is ioy in heauen ouer one sinner that conuerteth and if at the conuersion much more at the coronation Fourthly wee reade of kings that they haue thrones and chaires of estate wherein no man may sit but themselues so also is it with the Saints in heauen for they haue their seates whereon they fit as Iudges and kings iudging the euill Angels and thereupon our Sauiour told his Disciples that they should sit on seates iudgeing the twelue tribes of Israell It was not for nothing that there were sixe steps ascending vp to Salomons throne whereby he was eleuated and aduanced aboue the people so likewise in token of our eleuation our mansions in heauen are decyphered by those ascending steps Fiftly kings haue all necessaries prouided to their hands and are not troubled or combred with any thing but the toiles and labours of their life are dispatched by other ministers and persons Such also is our estate in the kingdome of heauen for we shall haue all things prouided for vs by God himselfe and all his holy Angels as may appeare by that description of the new Ierusalem Apoc. 21.1 And I saw a new heauen and a new earth for the first heauen and the first earth are passed away and there was no more sea ver 2. And I Iohn saw the holy citie new Ierusalem come downe from God out of heauen prepared as a bride trimmed for her husband ve 3. And I heard a great voice out of heauen saying Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall bee his people and God himselfe shall bee their God with them ver 4. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither any more paine for the first things are passed ver 5. And hee that sate vppon the throne said behold I make all things new and hee said vnto mee write for these words are faithfull and true ver 6. And hee said vnto mee it is done I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end I will giue to him that is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely The well of the water of life is the meanes and prouision of immortalitie which is already laid vp in store for the elect and they shall receiue thereof freely like guests that are bidden to a banquet Therefore also is it Mat. 22. compared to a wedding feast where all them that are bidden receiue entertainment at the cost of other In this present world it is as much as man can compasse to get things necessary for a short life how great then shall be the happinesse where all things shall be made ready without our cost knowledge labour or charges Sixtly kings are not subiect to any comptroll except it bee of almightie God and such is the estate of the Saints in heauen not onely to liue without rebuke but to commit nothing worthy blame There was neuer man in this present world but hee receiued checks and reproofes by one or other sometimes iustly somtimes vniustly for this world is full of the strife of tongues Abraham was reprooued by Abimelech Dauid by Nathan Ezekiah by Isaiah his men and army rayled on by Rahsaketh and therefore how happy shall it bee to bee in such a state where neither a man shall bee blamed or bee blameable For in this kingdome all our thoughts words and works shall bee so refined and directed by the immediate presence of God that in our selues wee shall raigne ouer our owne passions according as it is expressed in Psal 45. that the Churches children or sonnes shall bee princes in all lands Better is a man that ouercommeth himselfe saith Salomon then hee that ouerthroweth a citie And therefore this happinesse which neuer man could attaine vnto in this life now shall hee enioy for hee shall not striue any more against the spirit and shall not say The good that I would I doe not and the euill that I would not that doe I but haue in himselfe a quiet resolution without all inward reluctance and resistance to follow beleeue embrace and work those things which concerne the onely pleasure of God and the pleasure of God shall bee the ioy of himselfe So that it is more to raigne ouer himselfe then ouer all the nations of the earth for Nabuchadnezzar a great king yet for lack of gouernement became a brute beast Dauid for lacke of gouernement brought a plague vpon the people Alexander for lacke of this temper and rule ouer himselfe after hee had as hee thought wonne and ouercome all the world yet fell to deifie himselfe and would bee called a God and at last eyther was slaine or else dyed in his drunkennesse Now such was our estate in the best I meane in innocency that as Adam could not containe himselfe no more can nor should any of vs and if in the case wee are in clothed with this sinfull and corruptible flesh wee were in heauen euen in heauen wee should loose heauen But now the Lord hath prouided for vs a more endurable estate better then Adams because wee shall not loose our selues and better by dying then if without death and change wee should goe to heauen for we shall neuer more bee able to sinne neuer haue a check by God man or Angell neuer more bee sorrowfull in our selues because wee are reprooued by and in our owne consciences but rest in our selues and without our selues like kings against whom there is no rising vp want or rebellion Quest 61. I would heare yet more of other titles in the word of God and first of all whether the Paradise wherein our Sauiour Christ promised to meete the good theefe bee heauen yea or no Ans Is there any man so nice curious and impious to doubt of that point Quest 62. Yes very many for I haue heard some say that it was the place of the fathers rest which dyed before Christ Others that it was the first Paradise out of which Adam was driuen and that Christ by his death recouered againe which from Adam vnto that time was neuer inhabited and no earthly man could tell where and in what place it was Some say it was vpon the earth others that it was in the ayre in the East vnder the Sun-rising other that it was heauen and therefore I would gladly know what a godly man may think thereof Ans Surely it were endles to answere all vaine inuentions which by the hearts and mouthes of men are vented for the diuell For the Fathers rest which dyed before Christ is a figment of mens braine if it bee the Limbus patrū a place neither in earth hell or heauen for then the promise of Christ was
seale the word how much more haue we Againe if they then could not preserue life but by the Lord of life Iesus Christ where shall we looke for life if we turne vs to any other but vnto this blessed tree of life Iesus Christ Sixtly for the tree of knowledge of good and euill to passe by mens coniectures sufficient it is for vs to know that it was so called not for any poyson or deadly infection that this tree had in it selfe more then any other tree or more then our Sacramentall bread and wine containe any speciall bane or poyson in them and yet he that eateth these vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne iudgement 1. Cor. 11. but metonymically Effect for the cause or by a figure it was so called beecause that who so did eate thereof God hauing made a law to the contrary should forthwith feele and finde the losse of their excellent libertie and bee possest with extreame and present miserie Seauenthly when the woman gaue the Serpent some intertainement in misleadging Gods holy Law yee shall not touch it a Fight against all doubts of Gods word Eph. 4.14 Col. 2.2 and in doubting of the truth thereof least ye dye for to doubt is to wauer concerning Gods truth neither to be with it nor against it Then began hee to be more bold and vehement and following her doubtfull conclusion makes it more doubtfull saying ye shall not so dye or so * Thus speakes he in all vnbeleeuers against the word certainely dye and hereunto he addeth a speciall confirmation full of sophistrie and deceit For his confirmation and proofe stands of notable blasphemies and lyes you neede not so doubt to eate of the forbidden tree First 1. Blasphemie for that God in this prohibition doth know this fact would turne to your great good Secondly for that it is very manifest 2. blaphemie and lye that the feeding on this tree shall cause you to abound in great knowledge of deepe misteries Thirdly 3. Blasphemie for that by this tree ye shall haue such a change of nature that ye shall after some sort be Deified equall to God or to his glorious Angels and so hee tempted Christ Mat. 4. for the wings of vaine glory makes many follow after Sathan and flie aloft to their vtter ruine and perdition Eightly wee may here obserue Sathans boldnesse to vtter many lyes and blasphemies one after an other when hee seeth vs to let goe our fast * Diabolus non est repentè pessimus hold and lâ—ne of Gods holy truth and not to tremble when wee heare his name or truth blasphemed Wherefore let vs keepe fast the word of truth in an honest and a good heart for if we forsake it God will forsake vs and giue vs ouer to beleeue lyes and blasphemies as here we see 2. Th. 2.9.10 Ninthly where as Sathan doth promise her that by eating the forbidden fruite their eyes should bee opened hee deceiues with a phrase or sentence full of ambiguitie as may appeare by these speciall differences following For the eyes of the body are opened First when the blinde are cured Iohn 9. Secondly when a man seeth that hee could not see before albeit he was not blinde as Balaam and Gehezi Num. 22.31 2. Kings 6.17 Gen. 16.21 2. King 6.19 and Agar the Angels of God Thirdly when men see plainely that which they saw before darkely as Elishas enemies comming to Samaria and the two disciples going to Emaus Secondly the eyes of the minde are opened First by instruction Act. 26.18 Secondly by aduersitie Iob 33.16 Psal 119. Luke 15. Thirdly by the biting griping and tormenting of the conscience for sinne and thus were Adams eyes opened And this the diuell intendeth what so euer he pretendeth Tenthly To conclude corcerning this conference First here remember this instruction to hold fast the word of truth and hide it in thine heart Prou. 2.1.2.3 So soone as a man begins to let goe his hold and lightly to regard it or to doubt of it hee begins to shake off the true feare of God It is our faith which knitteth vs vnto God and vnbeleefe seuereth vs from him Secondly next remember it is a bad signe of a cold heart emptied of Gods spirit if we can heare the holy name of God or his blessed word blasphemed without griefe and trembling Verse 6. Quest 12. Thus farre of the conference Now let mee heare of the fact and euent which followed Ans First actuall rebellion followed after the former inward and secret sinnes of the minde and heart as we see Gen. 3.6 The signes the forerunners of the first secoÌ„d death immediately possest them Secondly This actuall rebellion and apostacie from God brought present miserie vpon their soules and bodies ver 7. Rom. 5.12 By sinne came death Quest 13 First as touching the rebellion and fact here recorded what learne we thereby Ans First we may note the three speciall baytes wherby Sathan hooketh and deceiueth all the world Saint Iohn also noteth them and numbreth them First the Lust of the flesh for our flesh boyleth before it be crucified as a pot on fire full of lusts Rom. 13.14 Gal. 5.17.24 shee saith in her heart this forbidden fruit it was good for meate that is good for the belly Secondly The Lust of the * All euill enters into vs by the sences and thoughts The euill eye is the Diuels porter which lets in the beasts of hell to destroy the Soule eyes shee saith in her heart it is faire and pleasant to the eyes Thirdly The pride of life shee saith finally in heart that it was a tree to bee desired to get knowledge And so to come to honour and great glory The premises embraced the conclusion must bee practised say the Lord what hee will to the contrarie Secondly * PeccatuÌ„ completum Consider wel First the person offended Secondly the persons offending Thirdly the time when Fourthly the place where Fiftly the maÌ„ner how A conspiracie with Sathan the arch-enemie of God how after inward conspiracie and subscription of heart to Sathans lyes and blasphemies shee comes to the practise of open rebellion and manifest treason against God For this fact was not a light a The greatest sin pardonable that euer was committed against God offence as some haue deemed as shall appeare by the consequents for it hath brought the whole frame of heauen and earth out of frame and an heauie curse vpon our first Parents and all their posteritie Rom. 5.12 Thirdly how she became Sathans instrument to deceiue the man first by the same deceitfull perswasions wherewith Sathan seduced her secondly by example shee preuailes with him so that both fell most dangerously into the same forme of transgression and condemnation although hee thought himselfe so deere vnto God that the Lord would not at this time draw out against him any sword of iustice Quest 14. Now I desire to haue some short
faith and vnfained repentance Gal. 3. Ans By preaching Christ and his Gospell vnto them that is by preaching their euerlasting freedome and deliuerance by the mediator Iesus Christ the true seede of the woman which is here promised should bruse the serpents head For as the woman alone was the first organ of the Diuell to bring in sinne to Adam and her owne euerlasting perdition with all their posteritie so the woman without the meanes of man became the organ of the holy Ghost to saue her selfe and the man with all their posteritie Where wee may note how true repentance is an effect of the spirit proceeding from faith and the Gospell First the Gospell of Christ is manifested to the sinner then some generall faith and grace to receiue it is wrought in the heart by the holy Ghost then followes a true * Mat. 5.2.3.4.5.6 Psal 31.5 humiliation a Psal 51. contrition and confession and so the pardon of sinne is sealed b Eph. 1.14 by the spirit of adoption Quest 22. And how did the Lord proceede with our first Parents after their repentance and true humiliation before him Ans Hee tels them that now hauing escaped the second death they must for their further humiliation beare and suffer many temporall chasticements in this life because of the great pride and corruption which is now by this rebellion and fall setled in them The woman should haue many sorrowes but specially in the concepion bearing birth and education of children The man many griefes and afflictions in this life and both in his ordinarie calling and in the end be turned to dust vnto the day of the resurrection Quest 23. What vse learne we here to make of our afflictions Ans First in them and by them to bee truely humbled assuring our selues they bee good for vs and proceed from our fathers loue Secondly euer to acknowledge that when we be afflicted it is Gods inspeakable goodnesse that they be temporall here and not according to our deserts eternall in hell The afflictions of this life to the Godly are but gentle crosses but curses to the wicked Thirdly In all thine afflictions remember thou art but as it were a little galled in the heele but Sathan brused in his head and that the God of peace will not leaue vs till hee beate him vnder our feet Rom. 16. Fourthly in the view and consideration of the frame of heauen and earth to remember how sinne is the cause of all confusion and euill on earth and the cause that heauen and earth haue lost their first glory and beautie Quest 24. What meanes the Lord by casting them forth out of that Paradise fensing the place with Angels and a fiery sword An. He meanes not that if they could find the tree of life the fruit of it might restore them to their former state for no Symbole can or could euer confer any such geare but the Lord knowing how prone wee bee by nature to hypocrisie and superstition to seeke vnto the creatures and to forget the creator hee willeth him hence forth to depend vpon his word and prouidence and to liue by faith in the Sonne of God not to trust any lying spirits any more but to waite onely on the liuing God and for this see more in maister Perkins on the Creede pag. 83. to 94. The third way to know the miserie of man without Christ by two speciall consequents of that apostacie the dominion of Sathan and sin in this present world Question 25. THus far shall suffice concerning this historie now let vs heare what may be said concerning the principal consequents effects of that apostacie Answere They are two which wee are specially to consider First the dominion of Sathan Ephe. 2. Chap. 2. the dominion of sinne Rom. 5. and both these are called Rom. 12.32 the state of vnbeleefe Quest 26. Tell me first what speciall arguments can you ground vpon the 2. Chapter to the Ephesians to demonstrate the miserie of man without Christ Ans The greatest part of this Chapter tendeth principally to that end one speciall conclusion touching this matter we haue in hand which may bee hence gathered is this Sathan and all wicked spirits our deadly enemies are of great strength and power to hurt vs Verse 1. working effectually by suggestion as a blasting contagious spirit or winde Vers in all the deformed and blinde Adams of this world hauing all men without exception in the Church and without in subiection before they bee quickned by the Gospell and holy spirit of Iesus Christ Ephe. 2.1.2.3.4.5 If here then wee would know what the deformed Adam or what the miserie of man without Christ is We haue the spirit of Christ answering vs What the deformed Adam is or the man without Christ hee is a man dead in sinnes and trespasses walking according to the course of this world after Sathan which spiritually and inuisibly worketh in him all rebellion and disobedience to the holy reuealed will of God causing him to dwell and delight in the lusts of the flesh and to follow and fulfill the will of the flesh and of the minde Quest 27. I pray you let vs heare some thing of Sathans power to hurt vs without Christ for that some feare him too much and some nothing at all Ans The power of Sathan and wicked spirits against vs may bee knowen and is manifested vnto vs in the Scripture by three speciall arguments first by their names secondly by their great knowledge and long experience in this world thirdly by their euill art and works which they haue wrought in all ages First the wicked spirits which fight against vs and which haue all vnbeleeuers in bondage are called by sundry significant names for our instruction in the olde and new Testament In the old Testament they are called by these names first the a 2. Cor. 11.3 Serpent because by the Serpent Sathan first deceiued man Secondly the wicked spirits are called b Shegnir in Leu 17.7 Goates and c Sheg in Deu. 32.17 Cowes because they did appeare vnto witches and Idolaters in this forme thirdly the name d Iob. 1 6. Zach. 3.2 3. Sathan which signifieth a deadly enemie fourthly they bee called lying e 1. King 22.22 Ioh. 8.43 Spirits because they teach lyes and fill men with errour fiftly spirits of f Hos 4.12 fornication of couetousnesse of ielousie of giddinesse of vncleannesse g Es 19.14 because these be their workes in vnbeleeuers Tibi nomina mille mille nocendi artes Luke 11.21 Ioh. 14.30.16.11 Heb. 2.14 In the New Testament ye haue these names First That Tempter Mat. 4. Secondly That euill one Mat. 13.16 Thirdly That enemie Mat. 13. ver 17. beecause hee is a speciall tempter the Father of all euill and our arch-enemie Fourthly that strong man armed beecasue hee keepeth such possession of vnbeleeuers Fiftly The Prince of this world and of death because the
wrote vpon the tables according to the writing the ten commaundements which the Lord spake vnto you The third diuision is of the precepts of each Table The first hath fome the second hath sixe precepts and no more For the first table whereas some confound the first precept of hauing Iehoua for their God and the second of the forme of his worship it is euident they are two distinct Lawes the first concerning the nature of the God wee worship Deut. 4.15 and 18 v 1. distinct Lawes against the first second Idolatry he must bee Iehoua where the grosest Idolatrie is forbidden The second of the forme and manner of Gods true worship when all mans inuentions as a second Idolatry are forbidden And for the second Table that there are but sixe Lawes contained in it is euident First for that in the 17. ver where they say there bee two distinct Lawes wee haue the numbring of diuerse like special lusts and secret motions of concupiscence This Law in one verse hath many speciall branches wherefore if any one of these branches be a Law euery one of the rest must bee The like repetition and branches yee haue in the second and fourth Law Secondly the Apostle comprehendeth all that is said in this seuenteenth v or tenth commandement in this one word Thou shalt not * Or lust couet Ro. 7. ver 7. Thirdly we shall euer finde diuerse Lawes distinct to bee written in diuerse verses This Law is written in one verse But here wee haue but one verse the 17. of the 20. Chapter of Exod. and so the 21. ver of the 5. Chapter of Deut. wherefore the Lord here commends but one Law vnto his people Fourthly and lastly the order of the examples here specified in Exodus The order of the examples is not the same in Deu. 5. for these words Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife in the booke of Deut. haue the first place but in Exodus thy neighbours house is the first branch So by their diuision if here bee two Lawes it is vncertaine which is the ninth or the tenth Law But this confusion may not bee graunted concerning the most holy Lawes of God Quest 49. Now let me heare what is the breefe summe of the decalouge Ans The true forme of all the holy worship of God is set before vs in this Law First The forme of Gods worship in our seruice and duties immediately performed vnto him and commended in the first Table where wee bee taught to consider first what the nature of the God we worship is in the first precept secondly what the forme of his worship is in the second precept Thridly what his priuate and dayly worship is in the third precept Fourthly what his publike worship must bee in the fourth precept Secondly in our duties to our brethren in the second Table where God requires of vs both externall obedience to his Lawes commaunding the preseruation first of Dignitie in the fift precept secondly of Life in the sixt precept thirdly of Chastitie in the seauenth precept fourthly of the right of possession in the eight precept fiftly of a good name in the ninth precept and inward obedience where he commands that all the secret motions and affections of the hart to be according to his will and condemnes the contrary in the tenth precept Quest 50. Let vs heare the very words of God in the first Law and what seruice and duties are commaunded and what sinnes are forbidden in it 1. Precept Ans The words are these I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Egipt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue none other Gods before mee In these wordes I consider two things first a preface secondly a precept The preface containeth three speciall arguments from the excellency greatnesse and goodnesse of the Law-giuer seruing right well to moue Gods people with attention and reuerence to heare and to receiue all the words of this Law The first is this from the right of creation I am Iehoua he that is Lord ouer all from whom by whom for whom are all things may iustly and rightly command all of necessitie to obey his Laws Ex illo sunt esse et posse omnia sustinet omnia regit The Iewes are so superstitious that they neither dare speak nor write the name Iehoua but in place of it when they speake or write they vse the word Adonai Iehoua is such a Lord therefore are wee bound to heare him and obey him The name Iehoua teacheth vs what the essence and glorious maiestie of God is that hee alone hath his being of himselfe and is the fountaine and cause of all things that are in heauen and earth sustaining and ruling all things by his mightie power Rom. 11.36 of him from him by him through him and for him are all things This name also signifieth vnto vs that hee is true and constant in his word and promise Exod. 6.2.3 So then wee see these three consequents may iustly and rightly follow from this first argument First If hee giue life and being vnto all things and sustaine all things good reason he should commaund and rule all things Secondly if hee bee alone of such excellencie as his name importeth then must hee bee our God alone and none other Thirdly If hee bee Iehoua true and constant in his word then shall no iot or least part of his lawes and promises passe till all things bee performed Mat. 5.18 The second argument is this I am thy God that is which haue bound my selfe vnto thee by a free couenant of grace and mercy in Iesus Christ Ier. 32.33 The second reason in forme seruing the first Law thus That God which hath and can make alone an euerlasting couenant of peace and mercie in Iesus Christ is to bee acknowleged for the true God and worshipped alone Iehoua is the God of that eternall couenant of peace c. therefore Iehoua the true God is to bee worshipped alone and none other The second reason applyed to al the commandements thus The God which hath graunted vs his free couenant c. wee are Mal. 1.6 Leu. 19.2 Ye shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy bound to obay all his Lawes these ten precepts are his Lawes therefore we are bound to obay them Which hath brought thee out of the land of Egipt out of the house of bondage These words containe three arguments from their late deliuerance from Egipt which may serue also for confirmation of the second part of the second reason going beefore thus That God of whose greatnesse and goodnesse in thy deliuerance from that Egiptian bondage thou hast a most comfortable experience hee is thy God by couenant and let him bee thy God and none other and much bound art thou to heare and to obey his Lawes Iehoua is that God which hath brought thee out of Egipt and
out of bondage for a people freed from bondage are neuer their owne but his which fâ—eeth them 1. Cor. 6.19 therefore let Iehoua be your God c. The holy Ghost warnes this people often neuer to forget that bondage and their happy deliuerance And the Apostle telleth vs that these things which were done for the Church then were signes and types of spirituall things Pharoh the Egiptian bondage what they signified Egipt a picture of hell Pharoh was a notable type and patterne of the Diuell which wrought in him Col. 2.3 and by him Reuel 2.10 against Gods people Egipt might well resemble hell for Gods people did endure an heauie bondage and most bitter afflictions there The red Sea was a manifest type of the precious blood of Iesus Christ whereby wee must bee washed and sprinckled before wee can escape the hands of all our enemies 1. Cor 10.1.2.3 Col. 1.13 Hee hath deliuered vs from the power of darknes and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his deare Sonne This argument is often remembred as beeing a speciall motiue to induce this people to their obedience Num. 23.22 Iudg. 2.1 and Chap. 6.8.9 Micah 6.4 Deu. 4.20 And so in like manner our spirituall redemption is often set beefore vs for the same end and purpose Luke 1.74 Rom. 12.1 Tit. 2.11 1. Pet. 1.17.18 Quest 51. This shall suffice of the preface let vs heare what you can say of the first precept Ans The words are these Thou shalt haue none other Gods before mee or any of the other Gods or strange gods to anger and prouoke mee The summe of this Law is this let Iehoua be thy God onely know him loue him feare him trust in him and worship him as thine onely Lord and God for hee is the true God onely and thy God by couenant and the God of thy most wonderfull redemption The sence Thou shalt haue none other Gods That is albeit vnbeeleeuers account affect and place many Idols in the place of Iehoua euen in their hearts as their belly Phillip 3 19. the Diuell 2 Cor. 4.4 their riches Mat. 6.24 yet thou shalt not doe as they doe let Iehoua onely bee thy God Before my face That is with me as ve 23. following or in my presence for that God is exceedingly prouoked to ielousie so often as wee thrust any false God into his place as if an vnchast wife should bring an adulterer openly beefore her husbands eyes the more to vexe his minde Quest 52. Now let vs heare what doth the Lord specially require of vs in this Law Ans First in that he saith 1. Knowledge is heere commaunded Let Iehoua bee thy God onely his holy and great charge is that wee know him and his will for how can wee worship him as God whose nature and will wee know not This teacheth the holy Apostle saying Rom. 10.14 how shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued and how shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard Ioh. 17.2 This is life eternal that they know thee the true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ And first this must bee a found and true knowledge of God by the cleare light of his word True rules of sound knowledge 1. A grounded knowledge 2. Pet. 1.12 Eph. 4.12.13.14 We may not rest with the vnbeleeuers in a bare opinion or light imagination for no sound loue nor godly affiance and trust in God can bee grounded or setled vpon the weake and fantasticall coniectures of humaine reason or any such deceitfull foundation of mans inuention Mat. 15.8.9 Secondly 2. A working knowledge our knowledge must not bee historicall onely as the diuels is Iames. 2.19 but of power vnto sanctification Iohn 15.3 for the word of grace purgeth them and worketh effectually in them that beleeue 1. Thes 2.13 Thirdly 3. Endeuor to growe in knowledge 2. Tim. 3.7 when the holy spirit writeth in the heart his diuine rules of sound knowledge Ier. 31.33 hee works also an indeuour and care to increase in the knowledge of the truth Col. 1.10 2. Pet. 3.18 and to grow in grace Quest 53. Let me heare what bee the speciall branches of this knowledge Ans First to know there is a God Secondly to know there is but one God not many Thirdly to know that this one God hath three distinct persons in one diuine essence Fourthly to know what God is as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his most holy word The first branch that God is I learne first 1. The booke of nature in the booke of nature Psal 19.1 The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth the workes of his hands Rom. 1.20 The inuisible things of God that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world Secondly by the booke of God wherein I see heare The booke of God and feele the great power and maiestie of God speaking within mee searching and checking the very secret thoughts of mine heart Heb. 4.12 The word of God is mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged sword c. diuiding a sunder the soule and the spirit the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart 3. The Scripture of the spirit Thirdly by the Scripture or writing of the holy spirit which hath ingrauen and written his Lawes in our hearts according to his promise Ier. 31.33 and 32.40 4. The testimony of conscience Fourthly by the testimonie of conscience concluding and speaking of this point euer constantly till men haue smothered this sergeant which god hath left in them by custome and continuance in sinne are become past feeling Eph. 4 18.19 2 Branch of the knowledge of God The second branch that there is but one God onely I am taught first by the booke of nature which teacheth mee there can bee but one infinit and eternall first moouer maker and preseruer of all things in heauen and earth Heb. 1.2.3 Secondly the booke of God is my best teacher herein I learne this truth Deut. 6.4 heare Israell the Lord thy God is one Lord. Eph. 4.5.6 There is but one Lord one God and Father of all Thirdly I haue here also the consent of the Church in all ages 3. Branch of the knowledge of God DistinctioÌ„ of persons The third branch this one God almightie hath three distinct persons in one diuine essence Father Sonne and holy Ghost This most admirable misterie cannot be knowen but onely by that his reueled will contayned in his written word as Mat. Chapter 3. and the 28. where three distinct persons are cleerely set beefore vs The Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost The Father is God and Lord the Sonne is of the same nature Heb. 1.1 Iohn 1.1 So is the holy Ghost in like manner 4. Branch of the knowledge of God what he is Iehoua God and Lord of heauen and
that is for the wizards the second the kings the third the Souldiers Diodor. Sicul. lib. 2. cap. 3 Quest 65. But it is hard to know a witch few as yet of the learned can define a witch and therefore it is a hard iudgement to condemne all for witches that men call wise men and wise women Exod. 22. Deut. Ans First the Lord making a Law against witchcraft as well as against adultery and punishing both with death thought it not so hard to finde out these sinners in all ages of the world Secondly againe repeating his Law and making it more plaine vnto vs Deut. 18.10.11 ver hee chargeth them that if they found any making profession or practising in any of the kindes of witchcraft there specified a regarder of times a marker of the flying of foules a Sorcerer c. hee should bee reputed a witch or a wizard and suffer for his profession albeit his secret practises with Sathan were neuer knowen to any man Thirdly If witches and wizards being sought after could bee knowne after inquisition in Samuels times much more in our time because of the great light of the Gospell to discouer them but wee read that the inquisitors of those times found them and swept the Land neere hand cleane of them 1. Sam. 28.12 therefore they may in like manner bee discouered in our time Fourthly againe the works of the flesh are manifest not hard to bee discerned Gal. 5.22 witchcraft is one of the works of the flesh and it is not so strange and hard to bee discerned Quest 66. I graunt a witch may bee discerned and discouered but it is hard for euery man to know them Ans Not so a man of meane gifts assisted by Gods holy word and spirit may soone discouer them If it were not so it were hard for the Lord to make a law against such adding a fearefull commination against them Leu. 20.6.27 The Lords meaning is if any were knowen by profession or practise as wee see to this day there are not a few to be addicted to any of those forbidden faculties Deut. 18.10 that then no man presume to consult with such for any cause whatsoeuer Quest 67. Now proceede to the fourth sinne forbidden vs in this Law Ans Infidelitie and distrust in God bee here forbidden and condemned as great enemies to Gods holy worship and seruice An vnbeleeuing heart is a hart which doth refuse to heare to beleeue and to obey the holy written word of God this heart euery man hath by nature Gen. 6.4.5.6 Ier. 17.9 but their vnbeleefe is far greater which haue receiued some light and tast of the good word of God and yet after this refuse to beleeue Signes of the heart possest with vnbeleefe are these First some secret signes bee these first to loue and like to reioyce to heare and speake more of the creatures then of the creator and his word as of riches Mat. 6.24 pleasures Luke 8.14 bellicheere Phil. 3.19 children parents and parents children Mat. 10.37 c. secondly an vncleane filthy conscience delighting and sleeping in sinne argueth vnbeleefe Secondly more manifest and open signes be these first to reiect the Gospell and to bee vtterly ignorant after the long vse of the meanes 2. Cor. 4.4 secondly to tempt God Reasons to perswade and to preserue vs against vnbeleefe are these First for that vnbeleefe causeth apostacie Heb. 3.12 by faith wee bee knit to God through Iesus Christ Ephe. 3.12 So by vnbeleefe wee fall away from God Iob. 21.14 and 22.21 Secondly a sinne that doth most highly displease God and which hee spares not to plague Num. 14.11 and to punish in his best children Num. 20.12 Thirdly a sinne that binds as it were the hands of Christ and keepes back many blessings from vs. Mar. 6.5 Mat. 17.17 Iohn 20.27 Fourthly the very great roote of all sinne is vnbeleefe the first sinne of our first parents Gen. 3.2.3.4 and a strong bar to keep vs from the euerlasting rest Heb. 3. and 4. Chap. Luke 12.4 Reue. 21.7 Fiftly as men suffer their hearts to grow in vnbeleefe or their hearts to bee possest with this sinne so they grow daily in the contempt of God hardnesse of heart and carnall securitie Quest 68. Thus farre then hauing heard of the obedience and disobedience of this first law let vs see what vse may bee made of this Of the vse of the first Commandement manner how wee are to apply our selues for our examination therby first to humble and to reclaime the man without a Eph. 2 12. Christ secondly to confirme and to direct the b Rom. 8.1 2. Cor. 13.5 man in Christ that is euery liuing member of Iesus Christ Ans First let the man without Christ or the deformed Adam set before him this Law as his iudge to pronounce the true sentence of iustice against him on this manner The spirit of God the best expounder of this Law by his Prophet Moses and the Apostle Paul saith that they be accursed that continue not in all things written in this law to doe them c The man vnrepentant in this wise 1. By the curse is meant the euerlasting maledict wrath of God 2. The Lord requires doing 3. All. 4. Cōtinually But I am so far from doing all that I haue done nothing that is heere commanded Nay I haue done some of the clean contrary euils heere forbidden and that continually from my youth vp vnto this present time as may apppeare if being arraigned and examined in the presence of God according to this Law my conscience must plead guiltie to all the parts and branches of this first Law of God First the Lord requires knowledge in all his seruants that they may loue him and feare him c. But I haue not knowen him by his word and but darkly by his works Nay what is worse I haue in heart most affected ignorance I haue thought often that there is no God I am ready to worship any false God and to bee of any religion witn any Prince in any nation vnder heauen as may best serue for my present peace and libertie on earth And I haue thought it good wisdome for ease in troubles to seeke to all witches and wizards and if need were for my further good to worship the Diuell himselfe in this blindnesse and vnbeleefe haue I liued and therefore my conscience cries guiltie and by this light which God here sets before me I must confesse that I am iustly accursed and vnder the most fearefull condemnation of God to bee tormented in hell for euermore Secondly let the man in Christ The man repentant in this wise or now desiring to bee in Christ set this glasse before him on this manner First set against the curse of the Law that most sweet and comfortable promise of the Gospell Rom. 8.1 There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus which walke not after the flesh but after the
punished for the iniquitie of their Fathers they are there answered that the soule which sinneth shall dye the death where they were taught that they committing the same Idolatrie with their Fathers or continuing the same or the like were in the same condemnation yea they doe increase wrath vpon themselues they are first pinched for their owne and then not repenting for their fathers superstition but continuing in their steps their iudgements are iustly doubled vpon them for so it followeth in the words of the Law 〈…〉 is being of full age 〈…〉 Obiect But Infants hate not God Ans True it is they commit no action of hatred vntil they come to yeares of discreation but onely are possest with naturall corruption and disposition vnto euill The old Wolfe deuoureth the sheep the young sucking whelps doe not so not for want of nature but for want of strength The spawne of all sinne and iniquitie is in all the sonnes of men from their infancie Ep. 2.3 Vnto the third and fourth generation By the third generation I take it is meant the Nephue and by the fourth his sonne The Lord here stayeth first for that since this Law was deliuered in Sinai the fathers saw no more discents in their progenie but the third and fourth generation Againe a second reason may be for that in the fourth generation the naturall affection of kindred begins to dye and weare away Obiect And will the Lord so long remember anger Ans So long if Children repent not but persist in the idolatrous steps of their fore fathers Wherefore it standeth vs all in this land in hand not onely to reiect the Romish superstition but also to addict our selues in vnfained repentance for the Idolatry of our Fathers to worship Iehouah in spirit and truth according to his holy will reuealed in the Gospell Iohn 4. Of them that hate me first when I turne from Gods Law to follow will-worship I am here taught that I do in heart hate the Lord intend and pretend what I can to the contrary secondly that both superstitious and profane parents which doe not bring vp their children in the true worship of God but suffer them to bee infected with superstition are very murtherers of their owne children The sixt argument Shewing mercie vnto thousands here is the last argument to containe vs in the obedience of this Law The true worshipper is blessed in his progenie for many generations for the Lord is strong mightie mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercie for thousands Exod. 34.6.7 Psal 103.5 First the rich promises of Gods free grace and mercie in Christ which concerne this life present and that which is to come 1. Tim. 4.8 doe appertaine to the true worshippers of God and to their children If but a meane Prince would thus binde himselfe to vs and to our children wee would neuer forget the clemencie and often sollicit him for accomplishment thereof how much more bound be we to remember the rich mercies of God in Iesus Christ Ephe. 4. so often promised to the Godly and his clildren Pro. 20.7 hee that walketh in his integritie is iust and blessed shall his children bee after him Secondly Of them which loue mee and keepe my commandement this amplification is added to warne children to follow the steps of their religious parents and not of their superstitious forefathers for God binds himselfe onely to the obedient children of faithfull beeleeuing parents as the Psalmist right well expoundeth it Psal 103.17.18 The louing kindnesse of the Lord endureth for euer and euer vpon them that feare him and his righteousnesse vpon childrens children vnto them that keep his couenant and thinke vpon his commandements to doe them Thirdly here wee bee taught that the true loue of God and the keeping of his commandements are inseparable The loue of God is the fountaine of all true obedience Iohn 8.47 hee that is of God heareth Gods word ye therfore heare them not because yee are not of God if yee loue mee keepe my commandements The parts or speciall branches of this law are these The first generall branch is the Law it selfe concerning the forme of Gods holy worshippe and here note generally two branches first concerning the erecting of an Idoll or Image to represent 1. the true God Father Sonne and holy Ghost 2. or any false or supposed God to be worshiped by it either in heauen as Starres Birds or in earth man or beast or in the waters as fishes secondly concerning the worshipping of the true God 1. Before an Idoll 2. Or the false God in any of these visible formes The second generall branch is confirmation and ratification of this Law by these sixe reasons 1. I am Iehoua 2. I am thy Lord and God 3. I am a mightie God 4. I am a iealous God 5. I visit the sinnes of the Fathers to the third and fourth generation 6. I shew mercie to thousands c. Quest 70. Now let vs heare what be the speciall branches of obedience required of Gods people in this Law Ans In this second Law the Lord chargeth all his people to worship him in that forme and manner which he hath himselfe prescribed in his word therefore our first care must bee to keepe rules in the principall branches and parts of his worship and seruice prescribed vnto vs which are these The first principall branch of the holy worship of God here commanded is the pure preaching of his word The second branch of Gods holy worship here commanded is a profitable forme of priuate reading publike hearing of Gods word preached The third branch is the right forme of inuocation and thanksgiuing prescribed in the word The fourth and last speciall forme to be respected of gods holy worship is of the administration and participation of the holy Sacraments as God commendeth it in his word Question 71. First let mee heare breefely what doth the Lord require of his Ministers touching the forme of preaching and dispensation of his word Ans If God hath prescribed his word vnto man in other speciall branches of his worshippe and bound his people to a prescript forme from the which they may not decline much more in preaching which is one principall part of his holy seruice and worship The rules commanded and appertaining to this forme of Gods holy worship are these following 1. Preach the pure word of God not mens inuentions First the faithfull dispenser of Gods misteries must bee sure that hee preach the very words of God 1. Pet. 4.11 If any man speake let him speake as the words of God for that the word of God onely is the immortall seede and instrument of the regeneration of Gods elect Iames. 1.18 of his owne will hee begat vs by the word of truth 1. Pet. 1.2 3. and againe to this end giue attendance vnto reading 2. Tim. 1.13 2. Wisdome in application Secondly in dispensing the word of reconciliation
and dutie Psal 50.14.15 Rom. 12.11.12 2. Gods promise Secondly God promiseth many rich graces and blessings to those which worship him in spirit and truth Psal 50.14 Luke 11.10 Mat. 7. Thirdly he assureth vs that the spirit of prayer is a singular testimonie of the spirit of grace and of the spirit of adoption Rom. 8.14.15 Act. 9.14 1. Cor. 1.2 Zac. 12.10.11 for the wicked cannot pray Psal 14.3.4 Fourthly 4. A weapon against the Diuell there is no one better weapon against the fiery darts of the Diuell Ephe. 6.18 Iames. 4.7 Fiftly examples our Lord and Sauiour Christ spent whole nights or a great part of the night in prayer 5. Examples Luke 21.27 Daniell three weekes Chap. 9. and Nehemias continued a great part of the yeere in fasting and prayer for Gods Church and people Nehem. 1. and 2. Chapters Sixtly 6. A familiar talk with God prayer is a familiar talke with God beefore the throne of grace where wee are promised if wee come in the faith of Christ wee shall finde mercie and grace to help in time of neede Heb. 4.16 Eph. 3.12 Seauenthly euer set before thine eyes 7. Effect Saint Iames putteth vs in minde of this argument chap. 5. ver 17. how greatly the prayers of the faithfull haue preuailed with the Lord in all ages Moses cryeth vnto God against Egipt Exod. 14.15 God gaue then a strange deliuerance against Amalceh so long as hee fainted not in prayer Israel preuailed Exod. 17.11 Againe when Gods wrath was ready to breake forth to consume all the congregation for Idolatrie by prayer it was quenched and restrained Exod. 32.10 saying now let me alone that my wrath may wax hoat for I will consume them Iosh 7.8 1. Sam. 12. Ezra 9. Nehem. 1.2.9 When Aoron stood praying beetweene the liuing and the dead the plague ceased Num. 16.48 So wee reade of the prayers of Ioshua Samuell Dauid Elias Ezra Nehemias Daniell and other Prophets But it may be obiected we cannot so preuaile with God as those holy men did Iames. 5.17 Ans Saint Iames answereth that Elias was a man subiect to like passions as wee are and the Apostle Paul Act 14.15 wee bee men subiect to the like passions as yee bee Now concerning the rules of Gods word in this forme of Gods holy worship they are these following 1. Person in grace First the person which will haue his prayers accepted of God must first see that himselfe be in fauour and grace with God by faith in Iesus Christ for a polluted person which hath a polluted soule and conscience Act. 15 9. defiles the most holy exercises of religion Tit. 1.15.16 Hag. 2.13.14 for faith grounded vpon the word of promise is the mother of all prayers which haue acceptation with God Iame. 1.6.7 2. A righteous man Secondly hee that will bee heard of God in prayer and preuaile with him for graces desired must bee a righteous man Psal 14 4. one that worketh righteousnesse Iames. 5.16 for the contrary it is written God heareth not sinners Iohn 9.31 and againe Pro. 28.9 hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law euen his prayer is abhominable Thirdly God doth not onely require in this worship that a man bee in grace with him through Christ and righteous in life but also that when soeuer hee speaks vnto him hee come with a renued repentance and put vp euery petition and request in faith for a man may bee a faithfull person generally and yet an vnbeleeuer in particular as the disciples Mat. 17. Abraham Gen. 12. Zachary Luke 1. as Iames. 5.15 The prayer of faith shall saue the sick Rom. 14.23 Mar. 11.24 Mat. 9.22.28 that is if the godly ministers and brethren carry with them a holy perswasion that through Iesus Christ their prayers shall gaine mercies and blessings for the sicke they shall bee heard and the weake shall bee comforted for euery request must bee in faith for no thing can please God without faith Rom. 14.23 Heb. 11.6 and no prayer is to bee offered vnto God without the mediator Iesus Christ 4. Euery petion must bee grounded on some promise Fourthly the Lord also requires of vs in his word that wee make no requests nor put vp any petition vnto him for any thing whereof we haue no expresse promise in his word This Saint Iohn teacheth vs. 1. Iohn 5.14.15 And this is the assurance that wee haue in him that if wee aske of him according to his will he heareth vs and if we know that hee heareth vs whatsoeuer wee aske we know that we haue the petitions that we haue desired of him Fiftly in euery petition wee make vnto God 5. We must expresse two things in prayer wee must expresse two things first a sense and feeling of our wants and this will cause our prayer to bee feruent Iames. 5.16 The prayer of a righteous man auayleth much if it bee feruent Secondly a desire to obtaine of him that grace whereof wee stand in neede Heb. 4.16 Sixtly 6. To auoid battologies many words in prayer when wee speake vnto God wee must not vse any long continued speach rashnesse nor many words for this he speaketh in a speciall charge concerning this Be not rash in thy mouth nor let thine heart bee hastie to vtter any thing before God for God is in the heauens and thou art on the earth therefore let thy words be few Ecclesi 5.2 and Christ speaketh thus When thou prayest vse no vaine repetition as the heathen for they thinke to bee heard for their much babling bee yee not like them therefore for your heauenly father knoweth whereof ye haue neede before ye aske of him Mat. 6.7.8 and thus the Apostle biddeth vs pray continually 1. Thess 5.17 the Lords meaning is not that wee should euer bee in lip-labour and omit all other duties but that beside our morning and euening sacrifice we should at all times and in all occasions commend in our spirits the desires of our hearts our words and workes vnto God in the name of Iesus Christ Seauenthly 7. The afflicted minde praies best euen thē often when he thinks his praiers bee reiected wee must not in passions of minde desist or be weary but seeke the Lord and thinke vpon him the more wee bee troubled yea albeit wee pray long yet hee still fils our spirits with anguish yea albeit wee bee so buffeted and astonished that we cannot speake Psal 77.2.3.4.5 notwithstanding I say all this affliction and trouble wee must neither bee perswaded that wee doe not pray nor that God regardeth vs not for it is an imposture of Sathan and an error of conscience for the spirit of prayer euen in these afflictions helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what to pray as we ought when wee seeme to pray best to our owne liking but the Spirit it selfe makes request for vs with sighes and grones which cannot bee expressed Rom.
vnto God And the Israelites for the golden calfe saw the forme and knew right well the matter of it and set it vp for none other cause but to stirre vp their affections the better to serue the inuisible God yet they were most fearfully plagued for their inuention Lastly we may not shew any signes of fauour by our presence or otherwise vnto this Idolatrous worship against this the Apostle disputeth 1. Cor. 8. and Rom. 1. Quest 81. Proceede to an other branch here forbidden Ans 3. sinne An Image to represent the false God or any of the creatures to worship them by it The third sinne here forbidden is to erect and set vp an Image to any false God and to worship any false God or any of the creatures in heauen or earth or in the water vnder the earth in by with or beefore an Image fained and set vp to this end and purpose This was the great Idolatrie of the Israelites in the molten calfe after the manner of the Egiptians madnesse and blindnesse of Pagans Rom. 1.23 Herod li. 1. c. 2. saith that the Egiptians were the first that made Images to represent their Gods with what figures they listed Against this the Prophets spake and writ much in their times as Ier. Chap. 7. ver 18. and 44.17 where hee teacheth vs how this blinde kinde of Idolaters euer conclude of religion by their bellies For thus they reasoned then in defence of their superstition and Idolatrie The worship of the Queene of heauen that is of the Sunne Moone and Stars is best for when wee continued that religion then had wee plentie of victuals and were well and felt none euill And thus doe the children of the false God euen the Papists to this day conclude against Gods holy and pure worship For they fill their Temples with the Images and pictures of the Apostles Euangelists Martyrs Confessours Virgins Angels Archangels and such like worshipping their Image and inuocating the Saints departed beefore these dead pictures as is well knowne by the practise and charge of the Church of Rome and if they relinquish this abhomination they are setled in this mis-beleefe they shall not prosper But Gods pure worship and wisedome and will is knowne onely to Gods faithfull people vnto whom the holy Ghost giues this speciall marke they abhorre all monuments of superstition Esay 30.21 because inuocation of Saints is forbidden first by the Apostles Act. 10.25 and 14.13 Secondly by the Angel Reue. 22.8 Iud. 13.16 Thirdly for that it cannot proceede from faith Rom. 10.14 Fourthly for that they see not the meaning or sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grones and desires of the spirit of prayer Rom. 8.26.27 Fiftly for that the mediator of our intercession must sprinkle our prayers with his blood and so present them to God Sixtly for that the faithfull neuer worshipped but Iehoua Father Sonne and holy Ghost Images and pictures beegan to bee set vp in Churches about the yeare 380. the first occasion was this they reuerenced greatly the holy memorie of the Apostles and Martyrs of those times and therfore set vp in priuate houses the pictures of them as wee doe in these times the pictures of Maister I. Caluin maister P. martyr Beza Bucer Melanchthon and others from their priuate houses they began euen then to set them vp in Churches but onely for memorie sake and yet the Godly Fathers then were offended that these Images made onely for ciuill vse should be set vp in Temples desiring to retaine as they speake pristinam primitiuam simplicitatem for they feared the mischiefe which followed See the Booke of Wisedome Chapter 14.10 11.12.15.16 to the like effect Quest 82. Proceede to the fourth Sinne. Ans Vnder this kinde of seruing God in and by Images heere forbidden all the inuentions of men as touching the substance of Gods worship are condemned and such seruice of God the Apostle containes vnder this one generall head will-worship Col. 2.23 Deut. 12.8 Yee shall not doe euery man what seemeth good in his owne eyes Es 29.13 Their feare toward mee was taught by the precept of men that is they worship mee in vaine following the precepts of men Mat. 15.9 For this practise the Prophet Ieremie saith the people of his time did walke stubbernly after their owne heart Ier. 13.10 and 16.13 and 18.12 and 19.15 All corruptions and sinnes in preaching the word in hearing the word in administration and participation of the Sacraments and in inuocation contrary to the former rules of pietie as being meerly of the diuell mans inuention belong to this question and are here condemned Deut. 12.32 1. Sam. 9.13 8.10 as for example in the blasphemous sacrifice of the Masse for the holy Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ is quite prophaned by the doctrines of the sonne of perdition Master Iuell against Harding all the points in the Masse Christ hauing ordained no such sacrifice and therefore all their Priests are no more the Priests of the Gospell being not ordained to preach but to sacrifice for the quicke and dead neither is it possible if the doctrine of Papists be true that without ordination there can be no Church that the Papists haue euer had any Church Ministerie Priesthood or worship of God since first they were ordered to sacrifice for the quick and dead Quest 83. What occasions of Idolatrie be here forbidden Ans Occasions of Idolatrie 1. Presence in the Idols Temple All occasions whereby our hearts may bee stollen away from the pure worship of God vnto Idolatrie As first to yeeld bodily reuerence to the Masse or Idols seruice whatsoeuer wee pretend to the contrary this sinne is condemned 1. Cor. 8. chap. and 10. where these reasons of great waight may bee noted first the true worshipper may not bee partaker of the sacrifices and Sacraments of a contrary religion and of contrarie effects The supper of Christ is the communion and participation of the body of Christ but the sacrifice of the Masse is the communion and drinking of the cup of the Diuell 2. Worshipping or gracing the Idoll by any gesture or action 1. Cor. 10.21 Secondly againe we must glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirits for they are Gods ver 26. Secondly any signe of fauour or liking of an Idoll or Idoll-seruice 3. Reseruation of reliques as of the nayles which pierced Christs body which the Papists say were but three and yet make the people beleue those three bee wholy in seauen seuerall places the like may be said of most of their reliques which they haue fetched from the Turks by their owne confession 4. To remember Idols or false Gods in our common speach by kissing it or capping bowing kneeling before it though they pretend all they doe is to the person represented by it against this speaks Hosea in his time in these words Chap. 13.2 The Idolaters say one to another whiles they sacrifice a man
as when we haue sworne to doe any thing the doing whereof is a manifest sin and breach of Gods law that oath may not bee kept as Herods oath for the death of Iohn Baptist Mar. 6. and the Iewes to kill Paul Act. 23.14 Dauid knew that he had sinned in swearing rashly Nabals death 1. Sam. 25.21 and was changed and did blesse God afterwards for the changing of his minde Thirdly if the matter or cause of our oath be lawfull albeit hard and to our losse yet our oath must euer bee performed Psal 15.4 Quest 101. Tell mee breefely what other good things be principally required at our hands in this Law Ans These duties following doe most concerne Gods name and glory for without them God can not possibly be glorified The first is priuate instruction of our families The third branch of the obedience of the third law instruction of our famalies this God requireth at our hands Deut. 6.6 for that without this there is no hope that Gods great name may be hallowed in our houses of this hee speaketh in these words Deu. 6.6 The words which I commaund thee this day shall bee in thine heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tarriest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp Secondly to take all occasion gladly when it is offered 4. To praise Gods excellencie and to seeke occasion in time and place conuenient to commend Gods greatnesse excellencie wisedome power goodnesse iustice and mercie manifested vnto vs in his word and in his works Psal 8.1 Bradford his meditations 1. Gods works 2. Gods words O Lord our God how excellent is thy name in all the world which hast set thy glory aboue the Heauens and O Lord how excellent are thy works in wisdome hast thou made them all Psal 12.6 The words of the Lord are pure words as the siluer tryed in a furnace of earth fined seauen fold Psal 119. O Lord thy word endureth for euer in heauen Psal 19.8.9 it conuerteth the soule it reioyceth the heart And this dutie wee must desire to remember in the vse of his creatures euer desiring they may be sanctified vnto vs by the word and praier first the word must teach vs what when and how to vse the creatures 1. Tim. 4.4 Secondly by prayer wee desire Gods presence and the grace of his spirit for the sanctification of them to vs. 1. Cor. 10.3 Thirdly the name of god is magnified by a free profession of his truth which is a true declaration of that holy certain knowledge wee haue receiued of him and his will by his word as need shall require beeing ready to approue it with losse of goods and life as may best serue to Gods glory and the confirmation and saluation of our brethren Rom. 10.10 With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to Saluation Mat. 10. Whosoeuer confesseth me before men I will confesse him before my father which is in heauen 1. Pet. 3.13.14.15 Who is it that will harme you if you follow that which is good notwithstanding blessed are ye if ye suffer for righteousnesse sake yea feare not their feare neither be ye troubled but sanctifie the Lord God in your harts and be ready alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you Heb. 10.32.33.34 Now call to remembrance the dayes that are past in the which after ye had received light ye endured a great fight in afflictions partly while yee were made a gazing stock both by reproches and afflictions and partly while ye became companions of them which were so tossed too and fro for both ye sorrowed with me for my bonds suffered with ioy the spoyling of your good knowing how that ye haue in heauen a better more enduring substance Reu. 6.9 And when he had opened the first seale I saw vnder the Altar the soules of them that were killed for the word of God and for the testimonie which they maintained c. Cha. 14.12 Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keepe the commandements of God and the faith of Iesus And for a motiue the Lord bindeth himselfe to aduance them to the chaire of honour that will honour him and vomits them as a loathsome burthen that be luke warme professors of his truth 1. Sam. 2.32 Reue. 3. The sixt branch of the obedience of the third Law Fourthly and lastly true zeale is a speciall grace whereby the great name of God is magnified in and by the saints This is often both commaunded and commended in the holy Scriptures first Christians must bee zealous in the profession of Godlinesse and repentance Reue. 3.19.2 Cor. 7.1 and of good works Tit. 2.14 and in euery good thing Gal. 4.18 Secondly examples Moyses Exod. 32.19.20.26 Phinehas Num. 25.7 Psal 106.30 Elias 1. King 18.21 Dauid Psal 69.9 and 119.139 Epaphras Col. 4.13 Definition We may describe godly zeale to be a griefe of heart conceiued for the contempt of God and his word mixt with a holy endeauour to redresse any such euill so much as in vs lyeth and to performe any good work to the aduancement of Gods Glory and the Saluation of his children Notes of true Zeale First true zeale beginneth in our selues and casteth the first stone at our selues and plucketh the beame out of our owne eyes that we may the better draw the mote out of our brothers eye and taketh his proceeding to others Gen. 14.23 Iob. 1. Thus Abraham with all the Patriarks and Prophets bee euer more zealous against themselues then others Secondly true zeale is ielous euen of those secret euils in our selues which are not onely not espied of others but are vnknowen also to ourselues though our conscience doth not presse vs yet herein are we not iustified saith Saint Paul Thirdly true zeale is constant not hot by fits cold in affliction and hot so long as the world fauoureth it keepeth a continuall tenour Saul and Pharao haue good motions by fits but Christians must bee constant in their zeale and loue Fourthly true zeale will cause vs to reioyce in the publike prosperitie of the Church when priuate crosses make vs sad Paul imprisoned was not so greeued at his owne bands as hee reioyced at the libertie of the Church and Gospell The tryall and examination of the Conscience First examine thy selfe as in the presence of God the searcher of all hearts whether thou hast all thy life so ordered thy minde thine heart and thy tongue that thou hast neither thought nor spoken any thing of god nor of his word and works but most reuerently euer desiring to aduance the excellencie of his name imprinted in them Whether thou hast not committed the sinnes forbidden in this Law Swearing The terrible oathes as Atheists on this
thy a Deu. 5.14 nor thine Oxe nor thine Asse neither any of thy cattel that thy man seruant and thy maid seruant may rest as well as thou maide nor they beast nor the stranger that is within thy gates for in sixe daies the Lord b Perfected 1. Scope made the heauen and the earth the sea and all that in them is and rested on the seauenth day therefore the Lord blessed the Saboth day and halowed it First the principall scope and end of this Law is that wee beeing dead to our owne affections and works should religiously addict and addresse our selues to seeke the kingdome of heauen and to attend Gods holy worship all the Sabâ—th day continuing in the publike and priuate exercises and meanes which God hath commanded in his word Secondly Order it is good for vs to obserue the order of Gods Commandements which is this The first Commandement sets before vs the substance of Gods worship the second the forme thereof The third the end The fourth teacheth vs the time when this seruice should be publikely and solemnly practised The former three Commandements set before vs those duties which wee owe and must performe dailie vnto God This last commandeth that publike forme of gods worship which must bee religiously kept in one day in the seauen vnto God Thirdly againe wee are to note generally concerning this Law that whereas our naturall corruption is so great an enemie to these most sacred lawes for this cause hath bound vs with speciall bands to the obedience and keeping of the three former Commandements In this fourth precept hee addeth more reasons as desiring yet more strongly to binde this inbred enemie of God within vs for that we resist and fight more against this Law then any of all the rest of Gods commandements and for that in the practise of this consisteth the obseruation of all the former and neglecting this we neglect all religion Ier. 17.12 27 Ezech 20.21 23.38 Nehe 9.14 This is cleare by Gods complaint often in the Prophets for hee saith that all his seruice is ouerthrowne for that his Sabothes are polluted and defiled How this Law differs from the rest Fourthly wee bee also to obserue here how this Law differs from all the rest first this Law hath a speciall note as a preface set before it in the word remember which is wanting in all the rest Secondly the rest be onely either negatiue or affirmatiue that is either bid or forbid but this Law doth expressely forbid the euill to bee committed and expressely command the seruice which God requireth Thirdly the rest of the Commandements doe but onely binde a man for him selfe to the obseruation of that which is commaunded but this law expresly chargeth vs with a care of our whole familie for the obseruation of the Saboth and not onely this but chargeth vs also that wee cause the stranger within our gates to worship God with vs yea all the beasts wee haue must rest this day with vs. Fiftly the fourth Law hath two parts First the precept where we may obserue a preface or a note of attention in the word remember and the charge it selfe containing these branches first that the Lord commandeth a Saboth that is one day in seauen for his people to rest in Exod. 20. ver 8. Secondly that the Lord commandeth this day to be sanctified and consecrate for holy exercises where wee must consider what workes doe sanctifie and profane the Saboth Thirdly how this sanctified Saboth or holy rest must be on the seaueth day and none other Fourthly who is to performe this rest with vs all and euery one in the familie these specialls are numbred man as parents and mistrisses man and wife children sonnes and daughters seruants and strangers men and maides and beasts the Oxe and the Asse Secondly the confirmation hath these foure reasons first for that I permit and graunt thee sixe dayes for thine owne works Exod. 20. ver 9. Secondly for that the seauenth day is the Lords owne day commaunded and consecrate by himselfe for himselfe and his owne seruice ver 10. Thirdly for that God rested the seauenth day Fourthlie for that God hath promised a speciall blessing to all true worshippers in the sanctification of it * A note of attention Luke 17.32 Deut. 8.2 32.7 and Adde this word to euery part of this law to stir vp thy selfe aduisedly to consider the charge Remember The meaning is consider well The Sense and prepare thy selfe and obserue well the Saboth to sanctifie it Deut. 5.12 The Saboth That is the day of rest which is said in the tenth verse to bee the seauenth day It is called the rest beecause of the rest which is proper to this day In the beeginning this name was appropriate onely to the seauenth day but vnder the Law many other Saboths are commanded To sanctifie it To sanctifie is to separate any thing from the common vse to consecrate the same to Gods seruice Sixe dayes shalt thou labour That is I freely permit thee to worke sixe daies in thine ordinarie vocation that thou maist attend my holy worship the seauenth daie as I haue commanded And doe all thy worke That is leaue no part to be finished on the Saboth day But the Seauenth day is the Saboth That is Verse 10. this is the onelie day wherein I command that holie rest to be obserud Of the Lord thy God Or vnto the Lord thy God or for the Lord thy God that is to be spent wholie and religiously in the seruice of the Lord thy God or the day which he challengeth to be wholy spent in his seruice In it thou shalt not do any worke The Saboth day thou maist not do any of thine ordinarie works in seed time nor in haruest Exod. 34.21 Thou maister father or gouernour of house and family or of any societie Nor thy Sonne c. All men and cattell which we haue at our command and vse as being in subiection vnto vs. Nor thy stranger Iew borne or Proselite Within thy gates within thy charge For in six dayes the Lord made heauen That is Verse 11. the Lord rested after his worke and therefore so doe thou the Saboth day Therefore That is first that thou maist giue that to the Lord for his worship as beefore Secondly that thou maist not tire and weary thy selfe or any thing that is thine man or beast Exod. 23.12 Deut. 5.14 Thirdly that thou maist euer remember Gods rest in the creation Fourthly that thou maist neuer forget thy deliuerance from Egipt Deut. 5.15 The Lord blessed the Saboth day That is the Lord hath giuen this day a speciall blessing in that hee hath ordained it for his owne seruice and halowed it or sanctified it that is hath himselfe set this day apart for this holy vse so this word is vsed Exod. 29.44 and. 40.13 Leu. 27.30.28 Quest 103. Now proceed on to consider more neerely
clearely by the Royall Law of God what bee the meanes left or giuen of God to reforme him in this life and to restore him to his former excellencie and to bring him to glory Answere There is no power in men or Angels to loosen one soule from the bondage of sinne death and hell nor any name in heauen or earth ordained to saue vs but one and that is the most mightie name and power of Iesus Christ Act. 4.12 First for that Gods iustice must bee fully answered euen before Gods Tribunall seate there can be no euasion for any one of all the sonnes of Adam Seeondly and this satisfaction to purchase reconciliation betweene God and men and to the quieting of consciences can not be performed by man or Angels so infinite is the wrath so great is the debt Thirdly and yet iustice requires that man and none other creature pay all the debt and cancell the hand-writing beetweene God and vs which bindes man to endlesse torments Col. 2.13.14.15 Fourthly the Angels are of an other nature and therefore can not serue to purchase any grace for vs. Heb. 2.14 Fiftly man onely must pay this debt or the price of this redemption and yet can not the most righteous man pay for himselfe much lesse purchase heauen or peace with God for himselfe Reasons against the merits of men First he that will merit any grace must first pay his owne debt which is infinite and that can he neuer doe Secondly a man can neuer merit before he hath attained the perfect righteousnesse of the Law Rom. 3.10 Luke 17.10 which no man can euer doe in this world Thirdly how much offence the word or name of merit containeth in it is euident with the great hurt of the world Surely it is most proud and can doe nothing but darken the grace of God and fill men with froward pride Fourthly if a man hauing taken profit of a peice of ground by an other mans liberall graunt doe also claime to himselfe the title of proprietie hee desires to loose all the right hee hath Quest 2. Will the Lord be reconciled by any mediator and receiue vs to grace againe Ans The Apostle disputeth this question Rom. 5. cha and concludeth it thus ver 17. If by the offence of one death raigned through one much more shall they which receiue the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnesse raigne in life through one that is Iesus Christ And againe the same is cleared and amplified ver 19. For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous And this is the reuealed will of God and the holy Gospell preached in Paradise and testified by Moses and all the holie Prophets that one man Iesus Christ should free the elect of God from the bondage of Sathan and restore them to the glorious libertie of the elect Angels of God And to this end was God manifested in the flesh iustified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued vp to Glory 1. Tim. 3.16 Quest 3. If God hath promised an acceptance of his elect vnto grace by the worke of a mediator and that neither man or Angell can performe this worke wee can not bee comforted nor finde peace vnlesse wee finde him and yet such a man cannot be found among all the creatures in heauen or earth Ans This Mediator must bee found among men euen one of the sonnes of men 1. Cor. 15.21 for that man sinned and man must free man from sinne euen that holy seede of the woman Gen. 3.15 and yet this man must bee greater then man or Angell euen the very Sonne of God for else he could not ouercome death 1. Cor. 15.25 very God and man 1. Tim. 2.5 or God himselfe manifested in the flesh 1. Tim. 3.16 Quest 4. How may this bee that God and man should make one person or how may these two natures diuine and humane so much differing be so vnited together Ans by the mightie working of the holy Ghost for the Angell answered this question vnto the Virgin Mary in these words Luke 1.35 The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most high shall ouershadow thee therefore also that holy one which shall be borne of thee shall be called the sonne of God And thus was this most admirable vnion effected by the great worke of the holy Ghost the second person in Trinitie the Sonne of God Iesus Christ assuming our nature became man and was our Immanuel or God with vs manifested in our flesh Quest 5. How know you that Iesus Christ God and man is become such a Sauiour for you Ans By the Gospell as all the Elect haue knowne him from the a Gal. 3.8 1. Pet. 4.6 beginning And the Gospell it is the most ioyfull and glorious message which God sent and manifested vnto the world from the beginning in sundry formes and measures vnto the b Heb. 1.1 Patriarches and in the most sure word of the c 2. Pet. 1.19 Prophets but vnto vs it is made by the Euangelists and Apostles more cleare then the light at mid-day that it is the d Rom. 1 16. power of God to saluation to euery one which doth beleeue teaching and assuring the faith That Iesus Christ e 1. Cor. 1.30 Ioh. 3.16 is made vnto them of God wisdome righteousnes sanctification redemption Quest 6. How differ the Law and the Gospell Ans First they agree well together for first as touching the Author one and the same God hath lent both vnto his Church secondly they are both of the same antiquitie for both were preached in Paradise Reu. 15.6 thirdly both sent for the same end the saluation of the elect fourthly both a dead letter without the operation of the holy Ghost fiftly both giuen by inspiration and written by holy men as they were acted and moued by the holy Ghost thereunto sixtly both confirmed and sealed by mightie and great words Heb. 2.3 Deut. 27.26 Seauenthly and lastly the contempt of both is death Secondly they differ in these respects first the Law preacheth Gods iustice the Gospell mercie Secondly the Law requireth obedience the Gospell faith The Law came by Moses Io. 1.17 Deu. 27.26 Rom. 4. but that grace and truth of the Gospell came by Iesus Christ The Law requireth inherent righteousnesse the Gospell offreth vnto the beleeuer an imputatiue righteousnesse euen the righteousnesse of Christ because hee can not attaine to the righteousnesse of the Law Gal. 2.20 for if righteousnesse could come to any by the Law then Christ had dyed in vaine Quest 7. Doth the Gospell offer grace vnto all men or shall all men be saued by Christ Ans The answere is 1. Tim. 2.4 That God will haue all men saued and come to the knowledge of the truth meaning by this generall note all the
by the 23. Psalme on this manner When the great shepeheard of our soules our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ shall haue fed vs well in the greene pastures of his word when we haue druncke well of his sweete waters the graces of his spirit when by his word and spirit hee hath couerted our soules when hee hath well trayned and schooled vs in the pathes of holinesse and true righteousnesse then beegin wee to make this comfortable conclusion of faith in our hearts The Lord Iesus Christ is my true Sauiour and shepeheard of my soule 3. Conclusions of faith against 3. kindes of feares commō to all the faithfull 1. Feare of wants 2. Feare of death 3. Feare and doubt of election and perseuerance Psal 15.1 And out of this argument wee conclude three other conclusions of Faith first I am well assured I shall neuer want any thing that is good for my body and soule Secondly I shall not feare that is bee oppressed with feare in the valley of the shadow of death euen when death it selfe approcheth Thirdly against all doubts of election and grace of perseuerance Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercie shall follow me for euer that is I shall liue in Gods fauour and Church on earth for a time and in heauen for euer Thus by degrees wee grow vnto that comfortable assurance of Faith and to that sweet * Rom. 5.1.2 reioycing in hope of the glory of God And yet when a man is come to this ripenesse and perfection of faith this man otherwhiles may bee so weake in the apprehension of Gods mercie and in the assurance of the pardon of sinnes specially if either hee hath liued in grose sinnes before his conuersion or hath fallen to anie one after grace receiued that albeit grace and peace bee offred most comfortably both by the outward ministrie of the word and the inward working of the spirit vnto the conscience yet the assurance of grace and the spirit of adoption seales not the pardon till a man bee well humbled and hath renued his repentance albeit the Lord long before hath past the graunt of the pardon of those sinnes vnto him Dauids example cleeres this vnto vs The Lord pardons his grieuous sinnes of Adultrie and Murther this is published by the Prophet and put as it were into his hand and heart yet hee is not comforted in the assurance of the pardon nor receiues the blessed seale of adoption before he had long exercised and humbled his heart in repentance Confer 2. Sam. 12.13 with the 51. Psalme Quest 11. What are those things which a Christian must of necessitie beleeue and in beleeuing professe and confesse in the visible Church of God before his people and before his enemies men and Angels Ans To beleeue with the heart brings a man to the assurance of righteousnesse Rom. 10.10 and to professe with the mouth is the way to saluation Wee are to beleeue all and euerie word of God specially the promises of the Gospell which are vnto vs as the legacies of the last will of Iesus Christ and when we shall haue knowne and beleeued them wee must for our further confirmation and that wee may be discerned from all Atheists and vnbeleeuers learne to make true confession of the faith we hold in that forme we haue most excellently set downe in the Creede commonly called the Apostolicall Symbole or the Apostles Creed Quest 12. Tell me how many Creeds be there and which is the best and what they containe Ans There haue beene many formes set downe since the Apostles time and yet all of one and the same in substance And they may well bee referred to three kindes First generall Creedes receiued with the authoritie and the generall consent of the Catholick Church as the Apostolicall and * Nicene Creede Secondly particular Ruff. 1. ch 5. Creedes either nationall or of particular Churches as of the Church of England France Scotland Thirdly proper Creeds as that of Athanasius and that of Constantine to the king of Persia or of any one man and these we may call the confessions of priuate men The Apostolicall Creed is most worthy most ancient most Catholike and of greatest authoritie commonly called the Symbole of the Apostles Symbolum Apostolorum a Simbole because it is a speciall note to discerne Christians from vnbeleeuers Apostolicall because it was gathered out of the writings of the Apostles and is most consonant with all the holy Scriptures and all other Creedes are but an exposition and enlargement for the better cleering of this This Creed was deliuered in this forme because the conuerts in elder ages which came to professe Christ in their Baptisme were to make answere before the congregation to this question How dost thou beleeue or what beleeuest thou The answere hee made was according to the forme of the Creed I beleeue in God c. This Creede sets beefore in a short view to helpe our memories all whatsoeuer wee are principally to hold and beeleeue concerning saluation And these points here set downe be so necessarie and so linked together that if ye denie any one yee deny all if yee renounce any one yee can not bee saued Againe they are commonly diuided into twelue Articles or branches which for our better edification may be set downe in this forme as followeth 1 I beleeue in God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth 2 I beleeue in Iesus Christ his onelie Sonne our Lord. 3 I beleeue that Iesus Christ was conceiued by the holie Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary 4 I beleeue that Iesus Christ suffered vnder Pontius Pilat was crucified dead and buried descended into hell 5 I beleeue that Iesus Christ rose againe the third day from the dead 6 I beleeue that Iesus Christ ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almightie 7 I beleeue that Iesus Christ shall come from thence to iudge the quick and the dead 8 I beleeue in the holie Ghost 9 I beleeue the holie Catholike Church the communion of Saints 10 I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes 11 I beleeue the resurrection of the flesh 12 I beleeue the life euerlasting Amen Quest 13 What are the speciall parts of this Creed Ans This Confession of the Faith hath two principall parts First the confession of our Faith concerning God first the Father Act. 1. secondly the Sonne 2.3.4.5.6.7 thirdly the holy Ghost Act. 8. Secondly the confession of our faith concerning the Church that first it is Catholike Act. 9. Secondly it hath the communion of Saints Act. 9. Thirdly it hath remission of sinnes Act. 10. Fourthly that it shall haue a holy resurrection Act. 11. Fifty that it shall haue euerlasting life and glory Act. 12. Quest 14. First what beeleeue and professe you in this Creed and according to this Creed concerning God Ans I professe and say in this Creede that I beleeue in God the Father I beleeue in God the Sonne and I beleeue
in God the holy Ghost Neither doe I say thus for that I beleeue that there are three Gods but for that there are three distinct persons in a 1. Cor. 8.6 Deut. 4.32.39 one most diuine essence euer to bee acknowledged euer to bee distinguished b Mat. 28. by their essentiall and incommunicable properties the one from the other And whereas I am to say thus I beleeue I am giuen to vnderstand that whereas there are among men in Arte two onely kindes of demonstration one by sense and the other by discourse of reason here the beleeuer hath a third kinde by * Heb. 11.1.2 faith farre more excellent then both for faith onely and no reason of man shall euer giue vs any demonstration of the misterie of the Trinitie or of any Article of the faith For Faith lookes into the glasse of Gods holie truth and finding that God hath so reuealed and manifested himselfe vnto vs I am to beleeue and rest vpon his holy truth Whatsoeuer wee doubt of wee bee to search whether there be not any word of the Lord concerning the matter which being found wee giue our mindes to rest knowing assuredly that the least title of the truth is more * Ier. 31.36.37 Mat. 5.18 firme then the whole frame of heauen and earth and there shall not fall any thing of the word of the Lord to the ground Quest 15. What meane you by these words I beleeue in God and what promises respects Faith in these words Ans First I say thus much in effect that according to the measure of knowledge and grace recieued I professe that I rest my soule vpon euery truth and promise which God hath giuen vs in his word concerning him or my selfe and my saluation Secondly I know professe and am perswaded that the true God three in persons one in substance is my God Thirdly I professe that my whole affiance and trust is in this God alone and that I haue wholy giuen vp my selfe vnto him to bee taught by his word to bee redeemed by his Sonne and to bee sanctified and grouerned by his holie spirit Here it is cleere first that ignorant people cannot make any true profession of Faith albeit they repeate the Creed ten thousand times for the beleeuer must haue knowledge Rom. 10.14 this the Apostle testifieth saying how can they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard how can they heare without a Preacher Secondly if this bee true that to beleeue in God requires a holy affiance in God I must looke well to it that I commit my soule and body and all things I haue vnto Gods prouidence and custodie this wee bee commanded by word and example by word Psal 37.3.4 Trust in God do good and commit thy way vnto the Lord and trust in him Againe 1. Pet. 4.19 Let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their soules to him in well doing as vnto a faithfull creator As a friend trusteth his deare friend with his best things so must wee commit our very soules vnto Gods custodie By example the Apostle saith I am not ashamed of my suffrings for I know whom I haue beleeued and am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed vnto him against that day Let nothing carry thee to the creature from the creator vnder the crosse God doth greatly respect such as trust in him 1. Chro. 34.27 And contrarily reiecteth such as distrust Psal 78.21.22 and though all the world perish stand fast vnder his wings Psal 91.1 Thirdly if to beleeue in God bee to rest vpon his word and promises then must I looke well how much I doe reioyce and trust and haue respect to his word so much is my faith and beleefe in God Here remember Psa 56.34 where Dauid knits these things together When I was afraide I trusted in thee I will reioyce in God beecause of his word I trust in God and will not feare what flesh can doe vnto mee Speciall promises here to bee respected are these and such like I will be God vnto thee and thy seede after thee Gen. 17.7 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne Exod. 34.6.7 This God in whom I beleeue is a spirit eternall infinite most wise immutable most wise and most iust one in essence three in persons This God fils heauen and earth first by his essence For in him we liue and moue and haue our being Act. 17.28 Secondly by his power of him through him and for him are all things Rom. 11.36 Thirdly by his presence and prouidence for hee ruleth and disposeth of all creatures causes and effects in heauen and earth and bringeth them all to that end which in his owne most holy wisedome he hath appointed Quest 16. Now proceed to the three titles here set downe in the first article Ans First I take it in this Article I may well expresse my meaning and Faith on this manner First I beeleeue in that God who is the Father of Iesus Christ by nature and my Father in Christ by adoption Secondly I beleeue that God the Father of Christ and my Father in him is Almightie the soueraigne Lord of Lords which hath all power and authoritie in his owne hands Thirdly I beleeue that God the Father of Christ and my Father in him is the maker of heauen and earth and so consequently the preseruer and vpholder of all things First 1. Father of Iesus Christ first difference betwene the true God and false Gods for this title the Father doe not adde this word to the former without a distinction for the father is not God onely but God is the Father Son and holy Ghost If any man would conceiue in minde rightly of the diuine nature of God hee must conceiue of God or of his diuine essence absolutely if hee would conceiue and meditate of any of the persons hee must thinke and consider of the same relatiuely with personall proprieties Here some haue doubted because the Father is set in the first place whether the Sonne and the holy Ghost haue their beginning of the Father The answere is the Sonne and the holy Ghost haue not a beginning of their nature or of their diuine essence of the Father but of their person onely the person of the Sonne is from the Father by an euerlasting gouernement and of the holy Ghost is from both by an euerlasting proceeding but the diuine essence of these three persons is vncreate vnbegotten and proceeding from none And wee must remember to hold fast this mistery of the Trinitie first that wee may discerne this true God from all false Gods Secondly that wee may conceiue in our mindes rightly of God We can haue no faith in the thing which is vtterly vnknowen euen as hee hath manifested himselfe in his word Thirdly and it is
abused Iob. 10.3 So God being a faithfull Creator tenderly loues all his Creatures And if the worke any way happen to miscary hee will turne it euery way to frame it againe to his will as the Potter but if no meanes can preuaile he dasheth it all in peeces Quest 17. But what say you here concerning prouidence for if God made the world of nothing surely by the same power he vpholdeth and preserueth all things in heauen and earth Ans Prouidence is the mightie power of God sustaining and ordering all creatures in heauen and earth and disposing of all causes and effects and bringing all things to that end which in his owne secret counsell hee hath appointed God is a faithfull Creator For God did not onely make heauen and earth and so leaue them as Masons and Carpenters leaue houses when they are built vp but by his prouidence still watcheth ouer all gouerneth and disposeth of all that hee hath made Testimonies of gods prouidence 1. Scriptures 2. The beautifull order of al things in heauen and earth 3. Conscience speaketh to him secretly 4. Prophecies of things to come First the Scriptures testifie this Psal 115. Our God is in heauen and doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him Act. 14.17 God hath not left himselfe without witnesse giuing vs raine and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with meat and gladnes Act. 17.25 Hee giueth vnto all men life and breath and all things Secondly wee see a goodly order as of the whole frame of heauen and earth continued beefore our eyes So of the members and parts of it and all to serue God as hee is wise and prouident that ruleth all Thirdly the terrors of an euill conscience in malefactors argues plainely that there is a prouidence of God respecting and gouerning all things for if conscience can so finde out a sinne and so torment a man as Nero after hee had murthered his mother and Iudas after hee had betrayed his master how much more shall God the Lord of the conscience finde out all things 1. Iohn 3.20 Lastly the complement of all prophecies in Scripture so fitly answering in all circumstances and respects all diuine predictions from the beginning argue plainely that almightie God disposeth all things Quest 18. Doe you meane that gods prouidence doth extend it selfe to all actions and motions of men and Angels if so what shall wee say to wicked actions surely God hath no more but a sufferance in them Ans Such as say so want iudgement and follow not the Scriptures of God for euerie action in it selfe is good the sinne which is in any worke is to be imputed to the instrument which doth it Gen. 37.28 Psal 105.17 In the sale of Ioseph the brethren meant it for euill God meant it for good The like is to bee said of Dauids affliction by Achitophell and Absalon 2. Sam. 12.9.10 of the death of Christ by Iudas and the Iewes yea the very Diuels are * Iob. 1.6 7.8 chained continuallie by his prouidence or else it were wide with vs all on earth Obiect Where Gods prouidence ruleth there is order but wee see but confusion and disorder in all parts of the earth Ans There is confusion and disorder since sinne came on earth and Sathan and sinners continually fight for confusion but God in the very midst of confusion by his prouidence euen among Pagans stirreth vp instruments to obserue order as we see in all well gouerned common wealths which haue beene or bee among the Gentiles Obiect It is a heauie temptation to the godly to see themselues in greatest wants and miserie on this earth and this causeth them to doubt of prouidence Ans First the 37. and 73. Psalmes were written purposely to answere this and the like obiections of our flesh against prouidence Secondly the Lord giuing his children spirituall graces which hee denies all the vnbeleeuers of the earth causeth them to rest more contented with the least portion then the wicked are or can bee if they did possesse all the blessings of the earth Psal 23. Lastly the Lord by their wants and afflictions intend nothing more then to weane the hearts of his children from earthly things and to settle them on the heauenly riches which are purchased and laid vp for them in heauen by Iesus Christ Col. 3.1 Quest 19. What duties and comforts follow this faith in gods prouidence Psal 13.9 Ans First this all-seeing prouidence being present with vs in all places and actions wee are to looke well about vs in all our wayes not to offend so great a master but to walke as hand in hand vprightly before him as euer in his presence it is his charge I am God all sufficient walke thou before mee and be thou vpright Gen 17.1 Iob. 1.1 Secondly this faith in gods prouidence breedes contentation the daughter of pietie 1. Tim. 6.7 and causeth patience in afflictions 2. Sam. 16.10 for wee must say with Iob and Dauid it is the Lords prouidence hath done this who dare then say wherefore hast thou done so As body and soule during life are euer together albeit wee see but the body onely so Gods prouidence is euer ioyned with the thing done albeit inuisible to the eye of the bodie yet not to the eye of faith which beholds the inuisible God Heb. 11.1.26.27 Lastly Faith in gods prouidence bringeth a heauenly securitie wherewith Gods Children are notably fenced after experience of Gods prouidence 2. Sam. 16.22 Rom. 8.28 as wee see in Dauid after his experience Psal 23. and 91. and Paul 2. Tim. 4. not long before his death Quest 20. Now proceed on to the second branch of the first part of the Creede which concernes principally as I thinke our faith in our Lord Iesus Christ Ans The words first are to be read thus And I beleeue in Iesus Christ c. to the last words shall come to iudge the quicke and dead for all this portion is concerning Christ and our faith in him Where wee may obserue generally First his titles foure in number first Iesus secondly Christ thirdly his onely Sonne fourthly our Lord. Secondly his natures first diuine very God for the onely begotten Sonne of God conceiued by the holy Ghost secondly humane Borne of the Virgin Mary Thirdly his offices first hee is Christ the king anointed by his Scepter to rule ouer all secondly hee is Christ the anointed Priest by his death to saue * Elect. all thirdly hee is Christ the annointed Prophet by his Gospell to teach all Fourthly in the great worke of our redemption by him wee are to note First his suffrings and humiliation and in it three degrees first his death secondly his buriall thirdly his descention into hell Secondly his glorious exaltation and here are three degrees first his Resurrection secondly his Ascention thirdly his Session at the right hand of God c. First of the title Iesus when wee adde the words 1. An excellent
* Ioh. 1.14 Luke 1.35 person in Trinitie first for that God by him created man and therefore by him must hee bee recreated and redeemed secondly for that he is the a Incarnation a misterie essentiall Image of God to restore the Image of God lost in Adam So this I beleeue the whole Godhead is not incarnate nor any person but the Sonne the person of the Sonne I say subsisting in the God-head Secondly this I must say and beleeue that hee was a perfect man in euery respect like to Adam sinne onely excepted subiect to all vnblameable and generall infirmities which appertaine to the whole nature of men as passions of body and minde Thirdly this I must beleeue and auouch that it was necessarie that he should become man first to satisfie God in that nature wee offended secondly for that not one else could fulfill all righteousnesse which the Law requireth of vs but hee thirdly for that our redeemer must die for our sinnes fourthly hee must bee a Mediator and make requests and speake to God and man for a reconciliation man before the fall could speake to God face to face but now hee can not nor may not come neere but in the face and fauour of Christ whose face is to bee found in the Gospell Duties which follow this Faith First draw neere to Christ and cleaue vnto him for wee see hee is come neere vs and become our Immanuel Esay 7. Secondly Psal 22. Es 53. here is a patterne and president for vs of inspeakable humilitie Phil. 2.6.7 There is a secret pride in all the sonnes of Adam till God change their heart and this pride the lesse wee discerne it the more it is and the more we discerne it the lesse it is This I obserue touching this incarnation of Christ that his conception by the worke of the holy Ghost was wonderfull for it was so done in the wombe of the Virgin that albeit hee tooke of her very flesh which came of sinfull Adam yet was the flesh of Christ I meane his humane nature body and soule without sinne To preuent that originall corruption which comes to man-kinde by naturall propagation the great wisedome of God prouided that his Incarnation should bee by the immediate work of the holy Ghost without any naturall generation or meanes of man on earth or Angell in heauen or earth Heb. 2.14 Quest 28. Proceede on to speake of the birth of Christ he was borne of the Virgin Mary and of the vnion of natures diuine and humane in this one person Ans Thus I beleeue indeed for so did the Patriaches and Prophets of old because of the diuine Oracles which God gaue them concerning the Incarnation of the Sonne of God Gen. 3.18 and 12.3.4 and 21. Esay 7. and 14. and therefore much more ought wee seeing wee haue in the Gospell the complement of all those prophecies Luke 2.7 Mat. 1.25 so beleeue in Iesus Christ borne of the Virgin Mary that is that hee was not onely conceiued by the holy Ghost in the wombe of the Virgin but also in time and according to the course of nature borne of the sayd virgin and brought forth into the world by her First a dutie following this faith is this thanksgiuing for the Incarnation of the Sonne of God as wee see by the examples of the Angels praising God for this benefite Luke 1.14 the Virgin praising God for this benefite Luke 1.46 And the holy Priest Zacharie praising God for this benefit Luke 1.68 Secondly a consolation following this faith is preached vnto vs by the Angell Luke 2.10 when hee saith Beehold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shall bee to all people hence comes first peace with God secondly peace with our owne conscience thirdly with the holy Angels fourthly with all the creatures of God in the frame of heauen and earth The proper name of Christs mother was Mary this is testified often in the New Testament Luke 2.5 c. This name is added for a more certaine and speciall discription of his Mother that my faith may bee the better certified of the truth of all diuine Oracles and Prophecies concerning him A double discent among Iewes naturall by generation legall when one succeed an other in the inheritance being next by for this holy woman being as Mathew and Luke testifie of the noble rase of the kings of Iudah it is cleere that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ came of the seed of Dauid and so of Abraham according to the promise Gen. 12. and 49. Luke 2. Againe shee is called A Virgin both to let vs see the accomplishment of the prophecie Esay 7.14.22 and to assure vs of that is aforesaid that is that hee is the onely begotten Sonne of God conceiued by the holy Ghost and not by the ordinarie course of nature And this blessed mother of Christ a holy * Luk. 1.48 Prophetise wee doe willingly honour her three waies first by thanksgiuing to God for her secondly by a reuerent estimation of her thirdly by imitation of her excellent vertues And thus hauing seene by cleere euidence from the Lord that our blessed Lord and Sauiour as touching his natures is very God and very man it resteth onely that we learne also by diuine demonstration that these two natures are vnited in one person First 2. Kindes of Vnions 1. In nature 2. In person here then wee must bee aduertised that there bee two kindes of vnions vnion in nature and vnion in person Vnion in nature is when two or moe things are ioyned or vnited into one nature as the Father the Sonne and the holy-Ghost beeing and remaining three distinct persons are one and the same in nature or God-head Vnion in person is when two things are in that manner vnited that they make but one person or substance as the body and soule of man meeting together make one man Secondly this vnion of natures then here is this the second person in Trinitie or the Sonne of God doth assume to it a man-hood in such order that the same being void of all personall being in it selfe doth wholy and onely subsist in the second person in Trinitie or depends wholy on the person of the Sonne so that now it is a nature onely and not a person because it doth not subsist alone as in other men Thirdly this then I vnderstand and beleeue here The vnion of natures discribed that the euerlasting son of God without any putting off of his diuine nature without any commixtion or conuersion was made that which before his Incarnation hee was not to wit very man by taking flesh by the power of the holy Ghost from the Virgin and an humane soule created of nothing Personal vnion both which natures being vnited together in a most admirable personall vnion make one most blessed person euen the most sacred person of our onely Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Christ very man Fourthly and our Lord Christ
sanctified others vnlesse hee were the most pure and the most holy one of God in himselfe Heb. 2.11 and Chap. 10.9.10 Thus then the Lord Iesus Christ our most blessed Redeemer hath taken to himselfe of the whole masse of mankind being wholy infected and poysoned with sinne hee tooke I say one portion thereof and did perfectly sanctifie it by the power of the holy Ghost and out of it deriues perfect holinesse and sanctification vpon all his elect by imputation of his merits for their iustification and by his holy Spirit working in them inherent righteousnesse and sanctification that so they may serue him for euer in this life and for euer Quest 31. Now proceed to the Articles following Hee suffred vnder Pontious Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended into hell what thinke you of these first in generall Ans These words containe and set beefore vs all the degrees of his humiliation first in generall in these words he suffred vnder Pontius Pilate Next the manner how and the degrees of his humiliation and suffring are specified first hee was crucified secondly hee dyed thirdlie hee was buried fourthly he descended into hell First as concerning his suffrings in generall I beleeue hee wanted not passions all his life from the houre of his birth vnto his death and this that Euangelical Prophet foretold by the spirit of prophecie Es 53.2.3.4.5 He hath neither forme nor beautie when wee shall see him there shall be no forme that wee should desire him Hee is despised and reiected of men hee is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities wee hid as it were our faces from him hee was despised and we esteemd him not Surely hee hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrows yet wee did iudge him as plagued of God humbled but hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chasticement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes wee are healed Hee suffred in all his life many sorrowes in his natiuitie and infancie nakednesse and pouertie as in the whole course of his life on the earth hee suffred Sathan to tempt him hee was a Mat. 4. hungrie hee was b Ioh. 4. thirstie hee was wearie hee suffred many indignities and reproches by the Iewes and Herod by the Scribes Pharises and Saduces for all the Iewish sectaries and Rabbines were set vp as by the Diuell to shoot their arrowes against him 1. Christ suffred in his humanitie And as touching his humiliation this holy person before described was humbled in respect of both natures for first his humanitie was subiect to the infirmities of nature as also to the miseries and punishments due to man for sin 2. How Christ may bee said to suffer in his deitie Secondly for his God-head albeit that can not bee changed yet was it hid as vnder a cloud all the time of his abode on earth without any great manifestation till hee was declared powerfully by his resurrection Rom 1 2.3.4 and ascention to be the onely begotten Sonne of God Here obserue for instruction and consolation There is such a relation betweene the head and the members and such an agreement that looke how it was with him so it must bee with all the faithfull first he suffred Luke 24.26 then hee entred into glory euen so must they doe wherefore first note it is a wretched case for a man to bee euer in ease as the rich man was Luke 16. and the other desired to bee Luke 12. neuer disquieted in body soule goods or good name for wee see by Christs example that through many tribulations must wee passe to heauen Here then must be a very speciall consolation for the Godly afflicted that they must bee crucified with Christ in earth before they can bee crowned with him in heauen Quest 32. Descend to this speciall Article Hee suffred vnder Pontius Pilate why doe you so beleeue what was this Iudge and what did he Ans First I so beleeue because the Lord hath so recorded by the Euangelists his passion Luke 23.14.15 Iohn 19.14 Now as touching this Iudge it is certaine that he was the Romaine Emperours * Luke 3.1 deputie for that Prouince in Iewrie where Christ was crucified Hee did proceed with Christ in forme of Law as men are handled in Courts of iustice for capitall crimes hee was cited or apprehended hee was arraigned before Pilates tribunall seate his indictment read and proued by false witnesses which were accepted for good after this Pilate gaue sentence of death and lastly execution was done accordingly Obiect But how came it to passe that the same Iudge should pronounce him innocent and yet condemne him as an euill doer Ans The first was done by Gods determitate councell that Gods Elect might euer see it that their Redeemer dyed not for his owne sinnes notwithstanding hee was condemned as an euill doer by the same eternall decree and counsell of God because hee was to beare the iniquities of the Elect and to make full satisfaction for the same Herein then this is the meditation I haue by Faith I do by faith beehold the Lord God himselfe exercising iudgement by the mouth of Pilate Iesus Christ is set himselfe beefore the tribunall seat of God here on earth loden with my sinnes ready to receiue the sentence of Gods iudgement and to beare the wrath of God due to me for my sinnes for hee put himselfe in our person as a wicked person before this tribunall seate and Pilate pronounced the sentence of God vpon him hee thinking nothing lesse for that sentence was ratified by God in * 2. Chro. 19.6 heauen For so the holy Ghost hath testified that nothing was done in all this arraignement God hath one purpose the instruments of his prouidence men and Angels haue an other attachment triall indictment and execution but by the Lords owne determinate counsell and from him as if all had beene acted before his owne tribunall seate of iustice Act. 2.23 So then Pilate Iudas and the rest of the Iewes were but instruments to serue for the execution of Gods eternall decrees and iustice Vse First this ought continually to smite a terrour into impenitent sinners for there is no escaping from the iudgement of God but by this arraignement of Christ Such therefore as receiue him not by faith in this life shall be sure to hold vp the hand at the terrible barre of Gods iudgement Secondly this arraignement to the beleeuer is the matter of all his consolation Gal. 6.14 for by this hee is freed from all those euils that daylie bee executed and shall bee for euer as from the iust iudgement of God vpon the wicked Quest 33. What speciall things be we to obserue in and before his arraignement Ans First his preparation vnto his death testified by all the a Iohn 13. Euangelists for when his time drew neere hee set his minde and heart to it and
contrary in religion a man must first beleeue and then comes experience afterward The true beleeuer can speake after his experience thus like as though I were blinde and could not see with mine eyes the body of the Sunne in the heauens yet because I feele the heat and comfort of the Sunne therefore I beleeue the Sunne shines vpon the earth euen so I finding the worke of the Sonne of God in mine heart and in my first resurrection must verily beeleeue his blessed resurrection Quest 43. Tell me next what was the manner of his resurrection and lastly what vse we haue of this Article and of this faith Ans First the Lord Iesus being truely dead and buried rose againe by his owne almighty power as is often testified Iohn 18. No man taketh my life from me but I lay it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and haue power to take it againe And so his Apostles Paul and Peter assure vs hee quickned himselfe by his owne spirit Rom. 8.11 1. Pet. 18.19 Whereby hee doth approue himselfe comfortably vnto vs to bee the very Sonne of God as Saint Paul noteth Rom. 1.4 saying hee was declared mightely to bee the Sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead Secondly as touching the forme he rose in or how his body was qualified I answere that after his resurrection his body was glorified richly yea most gloriously qualified with supernaturall graces his body was incorruptible and it was made a shining body a resemblance whereof some of his Disciples saw in the mount and it was indued with agility to moue as well vpward as downeward as may appeare by the ascention of his body to heauen which was not caused by constraint or by any violent motiue but by a propertie agreeing to all bodies glorified Yet in the exaltation of Christs manhood wee must remember two caueats first that hee did neuer lay aside the essentiall properties of a true body as length bredth thicknesse visibilitie locallitie or to be in one place at once and no more but keepeth all these still because they serue for the being of his body Secondly wee must remember that the gifts of glory in Christs body are not infinite but finite for his humane nature being but a creature and therefore finite could not receiue infinite graces c. Christs body is not omnipotent and infinite for this is to affirme he had no humane body and to make the creature the creator That it might appeare vnto the Disciples hee had a glorious body and was changed hee was not alwayes in their presence but came often sodenly into their presence and once the doores being shut the doores giuing place and being opened they knew not how he that thickned the water to walk on can cause doores and rockes to giue way vnto his comming without any peircing or passing through them as Papists haue imagined Christ had a reall and true body after the resurrection Finally that hee had a true body a reall body the very same wherein hee suffred and not a fayned body as heretiques haue auouched is testified by many arguments vnto vs hee shewed some scars wounds and blemishes of his passion in his body now glorified as then remaining for the confirmation of men and to this end he conuersed with men he did eate and drinke often in the presence of his Apostles after his resurrection The vse of this Article concerning Christs resurrection and of this Faith is this First the resurrection of Christ is a publike testimony that hee hath perfect righteousnesse for all such as trust in him 2. Tim. 1.12 for if there had remained but one of our sinnes either vnperfectly punished in him or not fully satisfied by him hee could not assuredly then haue risen from the death for where but one sinne is there must bee death Rom. 6.23 as God hath decreede Like as then the father by deliuering Christ to death hath indeed condemned our sinnes in Christ Rom. 8.3 so by rasing him from death hee hath absolued Christ from our sinnes and vs in Christ 1. Cor. 15.17 Rom. 4.25 As our sinnes are condemned and punished in the death of Christ so our absolution and discharge is in his resurrection Christ was giuen to death for our sinnes and risen againe for our iustification Secondly the beleeuer is truely said to be dead to sinne or to be dead with Christ because the vertue of Christs death works effectually in his heart the death of sinne and next to be buried with Christ into his death Rom. 6.2.3.4 beecause of the vertue which proceedes from Christs buriall to cause him so to bury sinne that it neuer can rise vp any more to bee so stirring in him as it was before he came to Christ And lastly The beleeuer truly said to be dead with Christ buried and risen with him the beleeuer is as truly said to be risen with Christ Col. 3.1 beecause a speciall vertue and grace proceedes also from Christs resurrection to the beleeuing heart to quicken it vnto newnesse of life And this is that grace which the Apostle desires more and more to feele and find to abound in himselfe when hee desires to know Christ better and the vertue of his resurrection Phil. 3.10 Wherefore we must embrace Christ risen in the armes of our precious faith and so apply him vnto our hearts that wee may sensibly feele vertue to come from him not onely to crucifie our old affections but also to stir vp dayly new holy and heauenly affections in our harts Col. 3. If ye be risen with Christ seeke those things which are aboue c. 1. Pet. 1.3 We are regenerate to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead As it was in the cure of the woman which had the bloudy issue so it is in the curing and quickning of sinners which are full of bloudie issues all which must bee stanched and cured by a certaine vertue deriued from Christ into them Mar. 5.29.30 This is the prayer Eph. 4.19 Thirdly the third fruit which is ioyned with the second is the assurance of our perseuerance in grace and of our full victory against sinne and death For they that are ingrafted into Christ by faith draw from him such a spirituall life and power Rom. 6.9.10 as they shall neuer loose no not in the parting a sunder of soule and body Rom. 8.38 Iohn 8.51 If any man keepe my word he shall neuer see death Fourthly the last benefite of his resurrection is the resurrection of our bodies The truth is this that good and bad shall rise againe yet there is a great difference in the rising of the one and the other for the Godly shall rise by vertue of Christs resurrection 1. Cor. 6.14 Rom. 8.11 Phil. 3.21 1. The. 4.14 and that to eternall glory but the vngodly rise by the power of Christ not as hee is a redeemer
saith Chap. 16. 19. After the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receiued into heauen and sate at the right hand of God And the Apostle Eph. 1.20 He raised him from the dead Act. 2.3.4 1. Tim. 3.16 and set him at his right hand in the heauenly places far aboue all principalitie and power Thus then in few words I expresse my meaning and faith concerning this Article I say that our Lord Iesus Christ hauing accomplished all his worke on earth and hauing committed the word of reconciliation for the gathering of his Elect vnto his holy ministers hee doth not now from hence forth after his ascention execute any of his offices in infirmitie as before on earth but in great excellencie and glory in the highest heauens I doe therefore here beleeue that Christ God incarnate beegan after his ascention and not before to sit at the right hand of his father and am perswaded that Christ now sitting in heauen Ioh. 17. Rom. 8. Ephes 1. both heares my prayers and prayes also to his father for mee and I am perswaded that his vertue grace and power is maruelous effectuall in the hearts and consciences of all the faithfull by meanes of his Gospell 1. Thes 2.13 albeit his bodily presence bee as far distant from vs as his seate in heauen is from our hearts on earth for him hath God lifted vp with his right hand to bee a Prince and a sauiour to giue repentance to Israell and forgiuenesse of sinnes So thus I conclude Christ God and man doth actually raigne in heauen with the father in glory and that the father doth and will doe all things by none other and that none other is of power to execute this office of the head of the catholike and vniuersall Church of Christ on earth but onely our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Now in that Christs placing at the right hand of the Father argues an inferioritie in Christ because of one nature as is aforesaid hence it appeares that they bee deceiued who auouch that Christ glorified hath such a transfusion of the proprieties of the God-head into his manhood omniscience and omnipresence c. for this is to make the creature a creator and so Iesus Christ should haue no true humane body and soule in heauen which were not to glorifie his humanitie but to abolish it And whereas the word Almightie is repeted againe in this Article it is to signifie the maiestie of God the father and so the excellencie of Christ who is so aduanced and glorified God and man or the man Christ Iesus by so mighty a maiestie Againe here I professe that by the session of Christ at the right hand c. two things must bee vnderstood first that this blessed person of the Sonne hath the same equalitie of maiestie and glory with the Father Secondly by this phrase is also vnderstood that the humane nature of Christ is exalted to a most high excellencie of glory euen to execute iudgement as he is the Sonne of man Ioh. 5.27 And it may not be here said as in his resurrection that like as Christ rose onely in respect of his humane nature so also hee sits at Gods right hand in respect of the same nature for the session at Gods right hand is not a propertie of nature but signifieth the state of the person of Christ resting now in the execution of his offices as being king and priest and mediator betweene God and his people See Bucanus pag. 260. Sedere igitur c. Quest 47. Now proceed to the fruits which follow this faith Ans The benefites which follow this exaltation and session of Christ at the right hand of God are either in respect of his priesthood or of his kindome The beleeuer gaines these benefites by his priesthood First he is now and may be truely perswaded that as the couenant of grace and priesthood of Christ haue * Heb. 8.6 none end so his intercession for him and for all euery beleeuer shall neuer cease to the end of the world for all Rom. 8.34 1. Tim. 2.5 1. Iohn 2.1 Iohn 17. Christ is risen againe and sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs and for euery one I haue praid for thee Peter that thy faith faile not The manner of this is this hee appeares in heauen as a publike person in our stead He appeares in the sight of God for vs. Heb. 9.24 and makes the same requests hee made on earth Iohn 17. The difference betweene Christs passion and intercession is this the passion is as a satisfaction to Gods iustice for vs c. and as it were the tempering of a plaister but intercession applies it to the very sore So then the beleeuer is hereby sweetly comforted in heart being perswaded that Christ Iesus God and man now sitting in great maiestie and glory in heauen first heares his prayers in heauen and secondly accepts and sanctifies all his sacrifice and seruice which the beleeuer offers to the father by his hand Heb. 13.15 Psal 119.106 for all our seruice is imperfect yet for his intercession sake it is accepted as perfect A second consolation here ariseth to the beleeuing heart hee may now with boldnesse goe to the throne of grace Heb. 4.16 because wee haue then an high Priest an high Priest that sitteth at the Throne of the Maiestie in the heauens Heb. 8.1 And for this cause the same Apostle in the same Epistle Chap. 10.19.20 biddeth vs draw neere with a true heart and with an vndoubted perswasion of faith And againe most sweetly Phil 4.6 Be nothing carefull but in all things let your requests be shewed vnto God in praier A third consolation is this his intercession preserues euery repentant sinner in the state of Grace that being once iustified and sanctified they may so continue vnto the end whom he loueth once in his Christ who stands before him hee loues him for euer Iohn 10.29 If hee fall the Lord will raise him vp againe Fourthly a most sweet consolation is this the intercession of Christ in heauen casteth downe such beames of grace into the beleeuers heart on earth that it causeth another intercession of the spirit in him or causeth the spirit of prayer to be effectuall and working in him Zach. 12.10.11 Rom. 8.26 Hee giueth vs his spirit which helpeth our infirmities and maketh request for vs with sighes and grows that cannot be expressed but hee which searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for hee maketh request for the Saints according to the will of God The holy Ghost makes request by stirring euery repenting heart to pray with grones and sighes which the mouth cannot expresse and this is a speciall fruit of the intercession of Christ in heauen so that a man may soone know by the spirit of prayer in his owne heart how Christ prayeth for him in heauen A man may soone finde it by his owne coldnesse or feruency
in prayer or by the inward grones of his heart when hee cannot so well expresse his greefe in words before God Here I renounce the opinion of Papists touching intercession as being hereticall vncomfortable and condemned of God First for that the Saints departed who bee their mediators with Angels know not our particular wants and griefes Secondly for that hee that makes this intercession must bring something of his owne of price and value vnto God to procure the graunt of his request Thirdly it is a prerogatiue belonging onely to Christ to make request in his owne name and for his owne merits 1. Tim. 2.5 Iohn 15.16 Iohn 16.23 Es 63.16 Fourthly Scriptures neuer mention any other but contrarily Fiftly wee must pray to him in whom wee beleeue Rom. 10.14 wee beleeue onely in one God c. therefore we pray onely to one God Furthermore as touching his kingdome wee are well to consider what kingdome hee hath next what the administration of his kingdome is and how comfortable to the beleeuer First that hee is Lord and King ouer all in respect of creation as also of preseruation and prouidence it is manifest Col. 1.16.17 for by him were all things created in heauen and in earth c. And in him all things consist hee is the same also much more by right of redemption And his kingdome is eternall and spirituall respecting the very conscience hauing that onely absolute power to command and forbid to condemne and to absolue the soule and conscience This is testified Act. 2.36 Let all Israell know for a suretie that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this Iesus I say whom yee haue crucified And to testifie this his excellency when Christ went vp to sit on his throne for the gouernement of his Church it is said hee gaue great gifts to his Church farre excelling the gifts of earthly princes in their coronation for it is said hee gaue his Church Apostles Prophets Pastors and teachers Ephe. 4.11.12 Now the end and vse of these guifts and benefites giuen by this great king is comfortable for there it is sayd that these were giuen for the collecting of his Church and the building of it This collection is a separation of the precious from the vile Ier. 15.19 and a translation of the Elect from the kingdome of darknes into the kingdome of light 1. Pet. 2.9.10.11 Eph. 2.2.3 by the ministracy dispensation of the word of reconciliation 2. Cor. 5.18 outwardly and the working of the holy * Luk. 11.13 Act. 16.9.6 Es 11.2.3.4.5 Act. 2.32.33 Ghost inwardly And this is the first part of Christs office in his kingdome Secondly Christ leads his precious people as a great generall doth his armie through the wildernesse of this world into his euerlasting Canaan And this hee doth also by the same meanes whereby hee called them his word and sacraments outwardly the mightie operation of his spirit inwardly And in this trauell hee doth exercise them as in Canaan with manifold afflictions and temptations in this life Psa 23. and yet defends them against the rage of all enemies first giuing them in their life time strength to suffer and to fight against all his enemies most mightily Phil. 1. 24. Vnto you it is giuen for Christ that not onely yee should beleeue in him but also suffer for his sake Chap. 4.13 I am able to doe all things through him which strengtheneth mee Rom. 8.36.37 For thy sake are wee killed all the day long wee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Neuerthelesse in all these things wee are more then Conquerous through him that loued vs. And in death it selfe he neuer forsakes them Rom. 8.38 39. but then makes an euerlasting separation betweene them and all their enemies Zac. 13. Luk. 16. Quest 48. Let me heare what you can say of the last Article concerning Christ which is this From thence hee shall come to iudge the quick and the dead Ans First I say this Article followes fitly after the former for confirmation of it for the excellency of his kingdome shall mightely and wonderfully appeare in the execution of iustice in the great day of the generall iudgement which shall bee in the last day of the world First to iudge or to giue Iudgement is the proper action and function of a Iudge in condemning or iustifying of any man In condemning by pronouncing him guilty of sin and therefore adiudging him to some punishment for his sinne in Iustifying by pronouncing him iust or acquiting him of sinne and so freeing him from the punishment of sin I say then the meaning of this Article is this I beleeue that Iesus Christ doth not onely now exercise his kingly office in heauen as is afore shewed but shal also triumphantly descend from the right hand of his father in a visible forme and corporall presence to iudge all men that shall be found at his comming aliue or dead Now to proceed in order to speake of this great iudgement these poynts must bee considered first by what arguments it may appeare that there shall be a generall iudgement Secondly what the forme and manner thereof shall bee Thirdly how this argument serues to comfort vs and to humble vs. First that there shall bee an vniuersall Iudgement may appeare thus against cauellers that denie it 2. Pet. 3.3 First the Scriptures are most euident for this Psal 50.1 The God of Gods hath spoken See Mat 25.31 Luke 8.17 Iohn 12.48 Iud. 14.15 Luk. 21.28 2. Tim. 4.1.7.8 Ioh. 5.22.27 and called all the earth from the rising of the Sunne to the setting of the same our God shall come and shall not keepe silence Heb. 9.27 It is appointed vnto men that they shall once dye and after that commeth the Iudgement Secondly Christ promiseth his comming to Iudgement by himselfe Math. 25.31 and by his Apostle 1. Thesso 4.16 Thirdly for that hee hath charged vs to wayte for his comming Luke 21.28 Rom. 8.23 Eph. 1.14 and for the redemption of our bodies Luke 21.28 Fourthly for that the iustice and mercy of God requires this to punish the wicked and to crowne the Godly which wee see is not in this life present therefore there is a speciall day and time appointed with God for it Fiftly for that the Lord hath often forewarned the world of this First by pronouncing the sentence of death against sinne euen before the fall Gen. 2.17 Secondly by repeating the same sentence in his Law Deut. 27.26 Thirdly by the euidence of conscience citing as it were men to appeare at a time appointed before the great Iudge Ro. 2.15.16 Fourthly by his iudgements particular on Sodome and Gomorah on Egipt on Ierusalem and all the Iewes and generally on the world in the deluge Sixtly by signes prognosticating his comming and these bee of two sorts first before his comming secondly in his comming The signes beefore his comming are either first long before his comming or secondly not long before Signes
the vile Confer Mat. 3. Ier. 15. by the fame of his Gospell preached so will he by his owne immediate voyce and ministry of his Angels make a finall separation in that day betweene the one and the other The sheepe which heard his voyce and testified their faith by their innocency like lambes they shall stand on the right hand They which contrarilie testified their vnbeleefe by their lasciuiousnesse and lusts like Goates shall be set on his left hand Ezech. 34.18 Seauenthly euery mans particular cause shall bee tryed beefore this Iudge by the euidence which his workes shall giue with him or against him 2. Cor. 5.10 Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it bee good or euill Here the better to assure vs of the truth and certaintie of the Lords proceeding of his particularizing of al things in this action the holy Ghost telleth vs that the Lord hath as it were bookes of record to manifest all and euery work of man and his bookes bee three in number First his booke of prouidence which is the knowledge of all particular things past present and to come Psal 136.16 Secondly his booke of iudgement which is diuided as it were into two parts first his prescience knowing euery thing far more euidently then wee know any thing recorded in a booke before our eyes secondly the second part of the booke of iudgement is the conscience of euery man standing beefore him which shall then bee so qualified by the great power of God that it shall bee able to record and testifie so much of all his particulars as shall serue to testifie his faith and iustification by Christ or his most iust condemnation without Christ The third booke is the booke of life which is the eternall decree of God concerning the saluation of his elect by Christ whose names bee so written in this booke that they being as gods precious pearles can neuer bee lost Of this booke read Esa 4.3 and Exod. 32.32 And of this distinction of bookes Reuel 20.12 And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those things which were written in the bookes according to their works And after that mens works are made manifest by these bookes then must they bee tryed whether they be good or euill the Gentiles and Iewes that neuer heard of Christ by the Law of nature which shall proue them inexcusable Rom. 2.12.16 The rest that haue heard shall bee tryed by the Law and Gospell Rom. 2.16 The word of God shall serue as a bill of inditement for the iust condemnation of all such as haue contemned the Law Gospell of Iesus Christ Ioh. 12.48 for the sentence of the Iudge in the last day of generall iudgement shall bee nothing else but a manifestation and declaration of the sentence pronounced and published before by the ministry and preaching of the Gospell touching the iustification and condemnation of euery particular person Eightly after the manifestation of all things and that euery particular conscience sees his blessed iustification by Christ or his iust condemnation by vnbeleefe and for his woorkes then the Iudge shall proceede to his definitiue sentence and this is two-fold The first is pronounced to the Elect in these words Mat. 25.34 Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world This sentence is full of affection and loue most sweete and most comfortable recommending the free grace of God their election their adoption and blessednesse in Christ and not their workes for the causes of their saluation and then he addeth the euidence of their Faith by the workes of mercy which they haue done to his members here on earth I was hungry The principall works of men are those which are done to the pore members of Christ Gal. 6.10 and yee gaue me to eate c. The answere of the Saints saying when saw wee thee hungry c. argues that they were far from vaine glory in their works or seeking any iustification by them and Christs last words to them in as much as you did it to the least of these my brethren c. giues vs an infallible argument of Gods child which is not to loue because wee are loued againe but to loue for Christs sake and the liuing members of Christ because wee see his picture and image in them renued this is a speciall grace of God and of this loue speakes Dauid Psal 16. 1. Ioh. 3 chap. All my delight is in thy saints which are in the earth The second sentence pronounced against the reprobate is goe yee cursed into hell fire prepared for the Diuell and his angels for I was hungry and yee gaue me no meate c. in which sentence are contained a heape of woes present and to come For the present what can bee more woefull then to see so many admitted into the kingdome of God and yet themselues shut out and excluded yea peraduenture to see such as they haue hated and disdained and refused to giue any honour vnto as when the rich man shall see Lazarus receiued by God into the kingdome of heauen whom hee vouchsafed not to sit among his seruants and that which is more to see themselues separated haled tugged by an innumerable sort of oughly Deuils out of the presence not onely of God but of their fathers mothers wiues husbands children friends louers and acquaintance who shall deâ—ide and laugh at them forgetting all bands and obligations of nature and reioyce at the execution of God his iustice in their condemnation so that no eye either of God or man shall pittie them nor no teares prayers suites cries yellings or mournings can bee heard or preuaile with him which is their Iudge nor one to mediate or speake for them to reuerse or stay iudgement but needes without mercy without stay without any farewell they shall be presently cast downe to the endlesse easelesse and remedilesse torments of hell Neuer was there poore wretch that was condemned at the tribunall of mortall iudgement to bee compared to this estate for there the conclusion of the Iudges sentence is Lord haue mercie vpon thy soule but here the Lord himselfe shall not onely not shew any token of mercie or louing countenance but also with a voyce surpassing any thunderclap to bee heard in all heauen earth and hell curse them bodies and soules to the pit of hell for euermore And if this were all the present woe yet were not the case so heauie for besides this what guilt of conscience what biting enuie what horrour of minde what distraction what murmuring against the Lord what cursing of themselues their day of birth and father and mother what remembrance
in great courts any want of outward glory and magnificence of costly garments of abundance of meate and drinke of diuersitie of wealth and riches of eminent gifts of wit and science and all other things as Salomon said of himselfe he forbore nothing whatsoeuer his heart desired but gaue his soule her satisfaction Much more is it in the Court of the Lord of hosts for there hee hath gathered together all heauenly attire all attendance of Angels all applause of the soules of iust and perfect men all sufficiencie of gifts and knowledge out of all the nations of the earth all soueraigntie to command at an instant and to comptroll in the farthest parts of the world so that whatsoeuer is iron brasse siluer or gold in this world that is precious pearle in the kingdome of heauen It was a most noble and excellent comfort that in the old Testament it was prophecied that the Lord would be the holy one in the middest of Ierusalem Hose 11. and that our Sauiour Christ desireth that wee should bee where hee is in the kingdome of his Father Surely princes bring plenty to their followers especially great and rich Princes and therefore the content which ariseth to the seruants of god in this place must needs be infinite and vnspeakable for as in the former they were deliuered from all manner of want so in the later they are stored with all manner of plenty that their harts can desire For first of all when a man considereth and shall sit downe and thinke whither shall I goe at the later day or at my departure out of this life to a wildernesse where groweth nothing no surely the place whither I shall be conducted is a goodly heritage my lots are fallen to me in a pleasant land and therefore I thinke it long till I bee in possession thereof there the riuers runne with oyle and the mountaines drop fatnesse there the brasse is siluer the siluer is gold the gold is pearle the pearle is precious stones and there is not any thing wanting to content mee therefore seeing I shall goe to see and visite the throne and place of his abode I will neyther remember them that I leaue behinde mee nor be afraid to giue all that euer I haue that my eyes may but see and looke vpon that splendent and vnmatchable glory that there I shall behold Quest 56. But doe you thinke that the Saints and Elect shall be in the immediate and inseparable presence of God in another world and that they shall see God face to face Ans Wee are not yet come to the sight of God but we shall anone in his due time and place but now I onely teach that wee shall bee where the Lord dwelleth and that therefore wee shall want no manner of content eyther for the eye with such sights as wee neuer saw nor can imagine or for the eare for that heauenly melody where the motions of the higher powers turne all things about must needs procure such an harmonious song as neuer were heard or for conuersation where all our company shall bee Angels Archangels principalities powers thrones and dominions saints martyres men that haue beene infinitely learned in all sciences and for the heart that whatsoeuer wee shall but think vpon it shall bee ministred vnto vs without all delay Oh blessed be the people that be in such a case whose eyes doe alway behold that resplendent throne before which the Angels and Elders fall downe and worshippe casting downe their crownes before the throne Another speech expressing the ioyes of heauen after the later day is that of Ioh Chap. 19. I know that my redeemer liueth and that I shall see him againe not with other but with these eyes That is that the saints and seruants of God shall then no longer bee kept from the sight of him whom their soule loued and that they shall be admitted to looke vpon his inuisible person and see him euen as he seeth them now Quest 57 But Moses might not see him and Manoah and his wife Iud 12. say that neuer any man saw God and liued and that therefore it is not likely that the saints shall euer see God but themselues and the Angels and such like they may easily discerne Ans Now in this world both Moses and Peter and Paul haue vailes put vpon their faces and they cannot see God as hee is for herâ— wee see darkely as in a glasse or mistery and so it came to passe that Moses might not see God fully but his backer parts although God loued him dearely and hee desired it ardently Yet the fight of God is an inseparable property of the world to come and containeth in it the perfection of that ioy which is treasured vp in heauen for first of all God is to his seruants as the mother to the sorrowing child as the Phisition to the sicke patient as the surety and faithfull friend to the imprisoned debtour as the well and fountaine which neuer ceaseth running to the thirsty soule as the bread of life to him that is at the point of death and as an immortall life that can neuer dye and therefore principale principium et initiale bonitatis initium a principall beginning and a well-spring of all goodnesse Now consider with your selfe what a comfort is it after a man hath languished vnder a long sicknes to haue not onely a time of refreshing but also of full restitution after a long imprisonment to haue an enlargement and an aduancement ouer all his enemies after a long continued thirst to haue that water which shall bee in him a well of life so that hee that drinketh shall neuer neede more for a man that hath liued in long famine and hath beene ready with his owne teeth to teare of the flesh from his hands armes knees and all the parts of his body to haue not onely an end of his famine but also a perfection of his decayed members and a banquet to last for euermore and that at an instant at the sight of God How did the Israelites stung with fiery serpents desire and long to see the brazen serpents How did Iacob desire to dye when once hee came to see Ioseph againe how did Simeon wish for death when hee saw the Lord in the temple how did the women mourning about Dorcas or Tabitha after her death and Cornelius wayting direction of life by the admonition of an Angell reioyce when they saw Simon Peter And to conclude how shall the Saints of heauen reioyce to see God of whose fulnesse they haue all receiued in whose fauour they haue euer triumphed of whose maiesty although they haue heard much yet they neuer heard the tenth part of that which they shall see for all the wonders of the world and vertues and graces and might and comforts and iudgements and helpes and honours and performance of promises shall be visible at one instant Quest 58. By this that you haue sayd I conceiue what
was the knowledge and hope of the Fathers that liued before Christ concerning the kingdome of heauen but I would also faine know the titles and descriptions of this estate also out of the new Testament beecause I suppose that euery thing is therein reuealed more plainely openly and distinctly seing that as Lex est Euangelium praenunciatum So Euangelium est Lex impleta coelum praenunciatum that is the Law is the foretelling of the Gospell and the Gospell both the fulfilling of the Law and also the foreshewing of heauen Ans Indeede you conceiue aright of the Gospell and therefore it is very profitable to expresse and set downe the seuerall titles of the Elects estate out of the same and I will begin with that of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Where you see that Christ stileth it by the name of a kingdome Quest 59. But I trust hee meaneth not that they shall be all kings and that there shall be no difference betwixt them but rather they shall haue a kingdome beetwixt them in common and euery one partake of some part but none of them of all Ans His meaning is that euery one shall haue a kingdome and not a part but the whole ioyes of heauen shall follow him without distribution or diuision neither shall any one of them haue any thing in that kingdome priuate but all shall pertake with him therein For this cause sayeth Saint Peter 1. Pet. 2.9 But yee are a chosen generation a royall priest-hood an holy nation a peculiar people that you should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknes into this marueylous light And in the beeginning of the Reuelation of Saint Iohn Cha. 1. ver 6. And made vs kings and priests vnto God euen his father to him bee glory and dominion for euermore Amen Vnto these I might adde more testimonies if it were needefull but I will spare them because I know no man conceiues otherwise of it but that euery saued man and woman shall bee a king and queene and haue all royalty in the kingdome of God although this kingdome bee the Lords and Christs yet it is also the peculiar inheritance of euery one of the chosen Then this taken for confessed what a large meditation of eternall happinesse is herein offred to euery Godly man no lesse then a kingdome is thy hope and assurance my beloued brother So that if soueraintie and rule haue any blessednesse in it there thou shalt haue it if to haue a large territory and liberty the whole compasse of heauen which is many thousand times biggar then the earth shall bee thy dominion If thou wouldest haue companions to further thy ioyes and to remooue from thee slauish thoughts there they shall abound which shall flock vnto thee for thou shalt haue both the true and also fained glory of a king in a true sensible and perfect manner Quest 60. Now you haue made mention of that tell me I pray you according to the Scriptures your opinion how their agreement standeth with the royalty of this world Ans First you must not imagine or conceiue any thing carnally but spiritually and that the maiestie of the world to come put vpon euery righteous mans head doth far excell that which is here put vpon a mortall man for euery king is a mortall man for it standeth not in meate drinke gold siluer horses armes souldiers courtiers pallaces games and such like but in things more glorious then these whereof these are but shadowes and resemblances of no waight or moment And therfore the terme kindome is but a metaphor and borrowed speech to expresse the maiestie libertie authoritie pleasure dignitie power sufficiency and such other prerogatiues of the elect in that place And therefore wee read that as kings are so borne and chosen to their kingdomes so also are the inhabitants or kings in heauen either borne of Christian parents vnder the couenant of grace whereby in right of spirituall blood they haue direct spirituall title to that kingdome of glory and also if they bee not borne vnder the couenant but of Turks Iewes Pagans and Infidels yet in the eternall councell of God they are to bee drawen beside the ordinary manner into this regiment as Dauid to bee a king which was the Sonne of a Shepeheard and as all the kings of Polonia are at this day and the Emperour of Germanie and the king of the Romaines by election and suffrage of others so also doth the Lord conuert them dayly from Iudaisme Paganisme heathenisme heresie papisme and infidelitie to bee kings in this kingdome so that herein they may bee no let or hinderance but that by birth and descent being baptised and by conuersion and calling out of the lost multitude as it were by election God taketh into this glory dayly such as pertaine to euerlasting saluation Secondly wee read in stories and see by experience that kings haue crownes and diadems set vpon their heades as visible tokens and badges of the subiection of their people and of their owne royalty aboue other euen so haue the Elect for wee read in Saint Paul 2. Tim. 4.7.8 I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course and haue kept the faith from henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue vnto mee at that day and not to mee onely but also to all them that loue his appearing By the crowne of righteousnesse hee meaneth the outward and visible ornament of the righteous least any man should think that the glory of heauen should rest onely in the inuisible content and spirituall satisfaction of the soule and mind the Apostle declareth plainely that there shall be an outward crowne of righteousnesse that is an outward token and badge of eminent glory vpon the heads of euery one of the Elect and that of righteousnesse because many of the kings in this world weare crownes of wrong gotten by treason as Zimri did or by pollicy as Darius did or by might and force as Edward the fourth from Henry the sixt or by any other sinister meanes so as their crownes be crowns of falsehood blood treason tiranny and vsurpation But this crowne of the Saints is a crowne of righteousnesse that is euery way righteous and likely to continue not gotten vniustly for no man can deceiue God not receiued vnworthily for they that weare it by reason that they haue beene the temples of the holy Ghost and haue followed Iesus Christ in the regeneration of this life vndergoing martyrdomes mortifications and many trauels for the Gospels sake are worthily rewarded with this crowne of righteousnesse Thirdly wee read and know that princes haue honour done vnto them not onely of their subiects and such as they rule but also of strangers and receiue gratulations of from forraine princes so also shall it be with the Saints in
earth confer Act. 28.25 Esay 6.8.9 The fourth and Last branch what God is this can hee best teach thee who discribes himselfe vnto vs in termes and words fitting our capacitie on this manner Exod 3.14 I am that I am say vnto the children of Israell I am hath sent me vnto you Exod. 34.5.6.7 The Lord proclaimed the name of the Lord saying The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinne and not making the wicked innocent visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children and vpon childrens children vnto the third and fourth generations Quest 54. What is the second point of obedience here commaunded Ans To loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy Soule and with all thy * Or thought Deut. 6.4.5 Mat. 22.37 Luke 10.37 Cant. 8.6.7 minde and with all thy strength Mar. 12.30 To submit my selfe in all powers of my soule and parts of my body vnto Iehoua and to make more account of him and his will then of all the wicked yea then of mine owne saluation if they could come in question and comparison together The Lord in that Scripture so often repeted first would haue vs banish and endeuour to cast forth continually all things contrary to his lawe that our mindes may not think of them nor our affections desire nor our hearts embrace and entertaine them Secondly when wee doe him any seruice hee would haue vs to doe it with such cheerefulnesse as that no part of vs within or without sit idle but that wee striue with all our might to expresse the good affection of our hearts in his seruice The minde must discerne him the soule desire him the heart must receiue him and lodge him 1. Thes 5.25 for thou must loue thy neighbour as thy selfe but God aboue thy selfe neuer prize him and his loue with any thing Motiues to stir vp our hearts to loue God are these Reasons to moue vs to loue God First for that his loue is the onely fountaine and first cause of all our happinesse Ephe. 1.4 The first cause of our election The first cause of our creation Psal 8. The first cause of our redemption Ioh. 3.16 The first cause of our vocation Rom. 8.29 The first cause of our adoption iustification and sanctification Rom. 8.15 Ephe. 1.13 The fountaine and first cause of our loue for we loue him because his loue is shed into our hearts Rom. 5.4.5 and wee loue him because hee loued vs first 1. Ioh. 4.19 Quest 55. What vndoubted signes bee there of the true loue of God Ans First loue must issue out of a cleare heart from a good conscience and from faith vnfained 1. Tim. 1.5 So that if a man find himselfe to haue these three in any good measure hee may bee well assured his loue to God is sound for before that faith purge the heart Act. 15.9 and bring to our consciences a discharge from our sins in the blood of Christ Heb. 9.14 we can neuer truely loue God When Maries sins were so giuen her shee burneth in loue towards Christ and would signifie her loue by all meanes possibly that shee can Luke 7.47 for which cause Christ gaue this testimonie of her many sinnes are forgiuen her the true marke whereof is this shee loued much Secondly the infallible mark of our loue to God is our loue to his word Prou 2.1.6 Psal 119.11 Luk ◠19 59. Luk◠8. Act. 16. This saith Christ If any man loue me he will keep my word and my father will loue him and wee will come and dwell with him he that loueth not mee keepeth not my word Iohn 14.23 Thirdly this word wee must not onely keepe vnto our selues Luk. 22.32 but carefully labour to communicate the same vnto others to draw others to serue the Lord specially vnto our children and familie Deut. 6.5.6.7 These words which I command thee this day Exod 12.26 Gen. 18 19. Iosh 24 15. 1. Cor. 31.2 Rom. 2.18 Heb. 5.11.12 shall be in thine hart and thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children thou shalt talk of thē when thou tarriest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and whē thou lyest down when thou risest vp otherwise in blind families men loue their horses better then their children Fourthly a fourth vndoubted signe wee loue God is the loue of our brethren 1. Iohn 3.14 We know we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren he that loueth not his brethren abideth in death 1. Iohn 4.19.20 If any man say I loue God and hate his brother he is a lyer for how can he that loueth not his brother whom hee hath seene loue God whom hee hath not seene Fiftly to reioyce to think of Christ and to talke of Christ Gal. 6.14.15 Sixtly to desire Christs presence aboue all things and to mourne for his absence Can. 5.6 Seauently to loue all things that appertaine vnto him and his seruice Eightly to esteeme greatly of Gods graces 1. Cor. 2.2 Phil. 3.8.9 Ninthly to call vpon his name with boldnesse and with a good conscience Heb. 10.19.22 and Chapter 4.16 Quest 56. What is the third branch of obedience required in this Law Ans Trust in God and an holy affiance proceeding from a liuely faith in Iesus Christ Ephe. 3.12 Wee must know God that wee may beleeue in him and loue him wee must beleeue in him and loue him before wee can assuredly trust in him and rest and wait vpon his prouidence and holy will A man is said truely to trust in God when hauing a comfortable perswasion and answere by Gods spirit of the pardon of sinnes and grace in Christ Iesus Psal 37.2.3.4.5.6.7 delighteth in the Lord studying to please him committing and commending all his affaires vnto God waiting patiently on the Lord in all dangers because he seeth his goodnesse in Christ and his almightie power to deliuer him and the signes and marks of this holy affiance and trust in God are these First to doe good Psal 37.3 hee is bountifull and good to many for he is well assured God will repay it againe Psal 112. Iob. 21.22 Secondly to delight in the Lord. Psal 37.4 looke what friend wee know best loue best and trust most in him wee delight most Thirdly hope followeth also this holy affiance and trust in God and this is a quiet expectation of helpe from God in all future euents Psal 37.5 deuolue thy way that is thine affaires on the Lord and trust in him and he will bring it to passe for patience is the daughter of God and faith which bringeth quietnesse if not cheerefulnesse in present euils Contrary to this hope are to seeke to vnlawfull meanes in troubles as Saul did 1. Sam. 28. and Ahaziah to witchcraft 2. King 1.2.3 and those distrustfull cares forbidden by Christ Mat.