the third day then by his ascending into heauen and sitting at the right hand of God his coming to Judge quicke dead holy Ghost of the Church which is holy Catholicke whose benefits are in this life Communion of Saints foriuenesse of sinnes in the life to come Resurrection of the body Life euerlasting The workes of faith The Law the rule of holinesse which is the worship of God Table 1. who is to be worshipped alone Commandment 1. with his owne worship 2. which must be handled with all reuerence 3. leanred with all diligence 4. Iustice which is our dutie to man Table 2. In speciall our Parents Commandement 5. general when we must preserue life Commandment 6. then his chastitie 7. and goods 8. good name 9. with the whole man 10. and prayer where there is a reuerend place whose parts are eyther petition where we craue graces Spiritiall The Hallowing of his name 1. or the enlargemēt of his kīgdome 2. doing of his will as in heauen so in earth 3. Temporall the giuing of vs our daily bread this day 4. deprecation Forgiuenesse of sinnes as we orgiue others 5. Not to be deliuered into temptation but deliuered from euill 6 thankesgiuving wherein we acknowledge that to God belongeth for ever The gouernment of all things for thine is the kingdome as also power glory the shutting vp thereof Amen Sacraments Baptisme The Lords Supper ⧠The Catechisme defined and distributed CHAPTER I. Of Faith in God Question WHat inducements to Religion are prefixed before your Catechisme Answere Foure first the giuing vp of my name to God in Baptisme and that in the dreadfull name of Father Sonne and holy Ghost Secondly that being not able to giue it vp my selfe it was done by others according to the auncient custome of the Church ever conioyning Baptisme and confession together Math. 3.6 Aug. epist 24. Papists would haue it to contract spirituall kindred but surely it maketh honest loue amongst neighbours Thirdly they that gaue it vp for me did promise in my name that I should liue according to Religion Fourthly I beleeue in conscience that I am bound to performe what they haue promised Thus because I am Gods and bound to him by sureties vowes promises and Conscience it selfe It is my dutie being now come to yeares of discretion to learne to beleeue in him and obey him Q. What then is Religion A. It is the acknowledgement of the truth which is after godlinesse Tit. 1.1 Q. What are the parts A. Faith and workes the summe of the one is contained in the Creed of the other in the ten Commandements Lords Prayer and the Sacraments Tit. 3.8 Q. What is Faith A. A confidence in God grounded vpon knowledge Ioh. 16.30 We know and by this beleeue Q. How is faith grounded vpon knowledge A. In regard of God and his Church the maker of the Covenant and the people with whom it is made Ier. 31.33 Q. How in respect of God A. As we beleeue in one God and three persons for our happinesse Ioh. 14.1 Q. How in one God A. In respect of nature essence and being Deut. 4.35 Q. How in three persons A. Three in regard of divine relation or reall respects in that one most pure essence Math. 28.19 Q. What is the essence A. That whereby God is of himselfe the most absolute and first being Isa 41.4 Q. What is a person A. That one pure God with the relation of a Father Sonne and holy Ghost 1 Ioh. 5.7 Q. Doth the relation adde any thing to the essence A. Nothing but respect or relation as Abraham the Father of the faithful hath the same nature as he is a Father and as he is a man Q. What is the Relation A. It is either to send or be sent and both these are done either by nature or counsell Ioh. 15.26 the spirit proceedeth from the Father and Sonne by nature and is sent to vs by counsell Q. Is there no other Relation A. Yes either to beget or be begotten and the Father begets his onely Sonne by nature and the rest of his children by Counsell Heb. 1.3 Iam. 1.18 A man hauing the relation of a Father is said to beget Children by nature or counsell as adopted children are freely begotten not of the bodie but the will Iam. 1.18 Of his owne will beget he vs not so his onely Sonne who is as naturall to his Father as burning to the fire and as Isaac to Abraham Q. What then is the first person A. God the Father who by nature begets his Sonne and by his counsell creats the world Heb. 1.2.5 Q. What is the propertie of the Father A. To beget and not to be begotten Ioh. 3.16 Q. What is his manner of subsisting A. To be the first person for the begetter is before the begotten and yet being Relatiues they are together in nature for no man is a Father before he haue a sonne though in order the Father be first Q. What is the Fathers worke A. Creation for I beleeue in him as maker of heauen and earth and the reason is because he is the first person to whom the first worke belongs Q. What is Creation A. A worke of the Father who of himselfe by his sonne and spirit makes the world of nothing exceeding Good Gen. 1.31 Heb. 1.3 Q. What is giuen to the Father in respect of Creation A. Almightie power for the Father in himselfe is pure act which act is power as it may be felt of his creatures which are in power to be Q. What is omnipotencie A. It is that whereby the Father is able to doe all that he doth and more then he doth if it contradict not his owne nature or the nature of things Q. How is Creation divided A. Into heauen and earth Gen. 1.1 Q. What meane you by heauen A. The third heauen with the Angels both which were made perfect in the very first beginning of time Gen. 1.1 Q. What meane you by earth A. All that matter which was closed and compassed about with the third heauen and was made at the same instant with it to prohibite keepe out vacuitie or emptinesse and fill vp the whole compasse of it otherwise the parts of themselues would haue fallen together to haue kept out that enemy of nature Gen. 1.1 Q. Are we to vnderstand no more by earth then that first matter A. Yes wee are to vnderstand the forming of it into the foure elements fire ayre water and earth as likewise the filling of it and them with inhabitants both aboue and below as also the providence of the Father in preseruing and governing of them all to their ends and vses for the Father carries the worke according to his proper manner of working vntill we come to Redemption and there the Sonne takes it vpon him in a peculiar manner Q. What is the second person A. The Sonne who is begotten of the Father by nature and by counsell redeemes mankind Q. What is the Relatiue
much wrangle and wrastle concerning Reprobation but with delectation recreate our selues with this divine worke of our Election This casts it selfe into a large compasse whereas in the other God contracts his hand and giues man leaue to mischiefe himselfe And although our Reprobation be from God yet our condemnation is from our selues The strait and straight line to heauen lies in this compasse that it is from the Father by the inchoation of decree in the Sonne by the dispensation of meanes by the holy Ghost for consummation of those meanes and to faith for the instrument of application Q. How is the Church devided A. It is either militant vpon earth or triumphant in heauen This distribution is of the Church eyther in respect of the members or of their condition Members as some are on earth others in heauen Condition as our fighting overcomming In this world our application is but inchoatiue in the world to come it shall be plenary Here with strife against sinne and Satan hereafter shall bee our glory and triumph We can see no more palmes then crosses if there were no resistence our Christian vertue would not appeare There is but one passage and that a strait one and if with much pressure wee can get through and leaue our superfluous ragges as torne from vs in the crowd wee are happy God would haue heauen narrow and hard in the entrance that after our paine our glory might be the sweeter One peece of iron cannot be souldred and fastned to another vnlesse both bee made red hot and beaten together so Christ and his Church the whole body and the members cannot so soundly be affected each to other vnlesse both haue experience of the like misery Rom. 8.17 this frayes many from being the Lords who though they would be glad of the crowne yet stand trembling at the Crosse It is Satans policie to driue vs from our military profession by the difficultie of our Christian ware fare like as some in hospitall Savages make fearefull delusions by Sorcery vpon the shore to fright Strangers from landing c. But wee are not to bee dismayed seeing God hath made the militant estate of the Church a degree vnto the triumphant It is a graduall no specificall distinction to say the church is militant or triumphant Eph. 6.11.12.13 Heb. 12.22.23 Q. What is the militant Church A. It is the number of all those that are applied vnto Christ by faith Here were must liue by faith after wee shall come to the fruition of Christ by sight Ephes 6.16 Heb. 11.1 2 Cor. 3.18 and 4.17.18 1 Cor. 13.12.13 This Church consists onely of men not as yet freed from the burden of the flesh and that is the reason why the worke of the Lord goes so slowly forward and makes many sit still with their hands foulded in their bosomes and wish they knew how to be rid of time and so become miserable loosers of good houres and good parts and the very hope of future reward because they will not striue with themselues Happy are those persecutions that driue vs to this hold and like an old beaten Hare weary of long chasing returne vs to this home to die in this borrough Q. Is the number of these alwayes alike A. No but sometimes greater and sometimes lesser and its invisible in regard of faith yet euery faithfull man may know himselfe and so may a man that hath the spirit of discerning judge of another to his comfort for faith in both is to be knowne by his fruits c. 1. Tim. 1.12 Heb. 6.9 Q. How shall a man doe in this case A. By his care to walke according to the rule of godlinesse he shall procure a comfortable testimony to his owns Soule and confirme others in the way of Religion Act. 24.16 2 Cor. 1.12 Heb. 13.18 Tit. 3.8 Q. Is the Church militant by it selfe in the world A. No it is mingled with tares and chaffe and as God left the accursed Cananites to be as prickes and thornes to his auncient people so still will he haue his deare ones to bee exercised with the wicked of this world that their graces may more fully be knowne and themselues wained from the wearisome world Hence it must needs be great folly to leaue visible Congregations because they are pestered with the prophane of the world there is no man that will cast away the gold or corne because it is mingled with his offall but will bestow some labour on the fanne fire or furnace God hath left meanes to purge his Church of prophane persons though he will haue some tares to try his Children and keepe them in awe of his maiestie nay make them labour the more to proue their election If all were good who would feare to goe to hell But seeing we may be Christians and not elect it will make vs more diligent to studie for true holinesse And knowing that many shall be damned with the water of Baptisme in their faces and Church in their mouthes It will teach Gods Saints in spite of all hypocrisie to worke out their salvation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 Our blessed Saviour out of the very feares of damnation hath fetched the safest securitie of salvation oh that we could out of this securitie as easily fetch the feare of his maiestie Math. 13.24.25.47 1 Cor. 5.10.11.12.13 Q. What are these tares and chaffe A. Such in the Church as haue but the name of Christians and yet are together with the Church in this world and so are called improperly by the name of the Church Visibilitie Profession congregation c. doe as well belong to the tares as the wheate the Reprobate as the elect and therefore are but accidents of the Church yea such adherents as are separable from the Church and therefore Papists and Separatists doe ill in teaching them to belong so essentially to it Math. 13.49.50 Rom. 9.6.7 1 Ioh. 2.19 Ioh. 6.70.71 Q. How is the Church militant with the tares distributed A. Into Congregations as great Armies into lesser bands It is impossible for all to heare one Pastor and therefore must the governed be ranked vnder diverse teachers that all may heare and learne 1 Thes 2.14 Eph. 4.11.12.13 Q. What is here to be considered A. The government of the Congregations which is an order of ruling and obeying in the outward communion of the Saints Our sanctification is not wrought all at once but by degrees and the Churches must beget children vnto God and therefore there must be an holy ordering of the people to bring this worke to passe Againe a law is necessary to keepe corruption vnder and if there were no power to restraine evils this field of God would runne all into thistles This worke must be continuall or else grace speedeth not Like as the body from a setled and habituall distemper must be recovered by long dyets and so much the rather for that none can intermit this care without relapses so in regard of
that is super-essentiall become more substantiall Remember what great account you are to passe at the last Audite before him when all favorites and fancie feeding-flatterers shall shrinke from vs and nothing but our owne deeds and deserts accompany vs. Q. What secondly may we learne A. That the acts of these qualities differ nothing from the qualities themselues nor they from the essence or among themselues but onely in respect of our vnderstanding which doth diversely apprehend them Exod. 3.14 I am must ever be observed as a rule to keepe vs from grosse conceits of God Ioh. 5.17 My father worketh hitherto and I worke Euery creature hath his being before his action but in God essence facultie vertue and action are altogether and the same So that it is good resting vpon him in whom is so great perfection as to be simply one and vertually all things I can wonder at nothing more then how a man can be idle but of all other a Christian in so many improuements of reason in such sweetnesse of knowledge in such varietie of contemplations and most happie opportunities of thoughts Other Artizans and Schollers doe but practise we still learne others runne still in the same gyre to wearinesse to satietie our choice is infinite how many busie tongues chase away good houres in pleasant chat and complaine of the hast of night And shall an ingenuous minde or religious heart bee sooner weary of talking with God the sweetest of companions Who would not wish himselfe an Anachoret secluded from the world and pent vp in the voluntary prison-walles of his daily thoughts of God Let vs therefore in our meditations on his back-parts and these his most excellent qualities take heed how we begin our heauenly thoughts and prosecute them not Hee that kindles a fire vnder greene wood and leaues it so soone as it begins but to flame must needs finde it cleane out when hee would warme himselfe by it so if we begin to thinke these thoughts and giue over wee cannot but loose by them because they are not seconded by sutable proceedings Fire in embers vnstirred glowes not heats not the house Sugar in the cup vnstirred sweetens not the wine It is not a Trade but a Trade well followed that fills the purse It is not the hauing of land but land well-looked too that maintaines the man A locke without a key is of no vse so there is no profit in setting our selues to meditate on God more then of a sleeping habite if wee giue over before wee come to some issue Q. How many sorts of his qualities be there A. Two faculties and vertues the one makes able and the other prompt to euery good worke God by way of eminencie explaines himselfe by both Num. 11.23 Isa 50.2 and 59.1 God is most able to helpe and deliuer Isa 55.7 He is ready to forgiue Ephes 2.4 Rich in mercy 1. Ioh. 1.9 Iust and faithfull to forgiue God is not onely able to forgiue but ready and willing to performe his act O wick and wretched man call to thy consideration vnhappie creature from whence thou runnest where thou art and whereto thou hastenest the favour which thou forsakest the horrour wherein thou abidest and the terror whereto thou tendest shake of this sloth this sleepe this death of sinne wherein thou wallowest and wherein thou wanderest Raise vp rowse vp thy selfe from this dangerous dulnesse and looke vp to this God who is able by his power and willing for his mildnesse and mercy to relieue and release thee of thy misery Liue not still like the flie sucking at the botches of carnall pleasures when thou mayst bath thy selfe in this Ocean of sweetnesse Q. What are Gods faculties A. Whereby he being most excellent life is able to worke whatsoever he pleaseth most eminently the best facultie must be giuen to God and therefore the most perfect life not arising from the vnion of two things but the simple perfection of his owne nature whereby hee liuing in himselfe doth inliuen and quicken other things And hereby it must follow that God is most actiue wanting no abilitie for the effecting of any thing Deut. 32.40 God in power lifts vp his hand to heaven and sayes I liue for euer Iosh 3.10 The liuing God is knowne to be among the Israelites by his powerfull driuing out of the Canaanites Ier. 10.10.14 Because of his life and everlasting nesse the earth shall tremble c. Dan. 4.34 and 6.26 Ioh. 1.4 Act. 17.28 I. Pet. 1.23 Rev. 15.7 If fortie dayes raine driuen with the tempest of Gods wrath was sufficient to destroy the whole world what shall we esteeme of the full storme streame of his rage wherein the fiery darts of his fury shall never cease to beate vpon his enemies He surely that casts off this God casts away himselfe and being the abiect of God must needs be the subiect of the Devill But for his elect and their salvation hee shall striue with no greater straine in effecting their good then we doe in the motion of our eyes Q. What are the kinds A. Vnderstanding and will the best faculties in which life doth most eminently shew it selfe are giuen to GOD. 1. Chron. 28.9 God vnderstands the very inwards and his will is to cast them off that care not for him Oh thou which art the best vnderstanding and the purest will polish thou the two tables of my soule my vnderstanding and my will this of affections the other of cogitations that I may both thinke and will as thou wouldest haue mee This may assure mee that not onely my actions or words but my secret cogitations shall be rigorously examined even in that manner whereof the Prophet hath spoken Seph 1.12 the Lord shall search Ierusalem with lights and visite the men that are frozen in their dregs and say in their hearts the Lord will neither doe good nor euill Then shall all hypocrites cry out Ah who can dwell in the burning fire who can abide the everlasting flames Q. What is Gods vnderstanding A. That whereby he vnderstandeth all things at once and together And therefore his knowledge is most certaine and infallible even in things most contingent neither needs he to bring any proposition to the tribunall of a Syllogisme and there try the truth of it by discourse Manifest things need no other iudgement then the very sight and sound of them Now to this intelligent God all things are layd open and naked Heb. 4.13 Hee is no wayes to be deceiued by composition or division or any manner of Sophisticall discourse He sees all things at a blush by the infinitenesse of his essence 1. King 8.39 Psal 139.1.2.16 Iob 14.16.17 O thou that hast pure eyes looke vpon vs in thy Sonne and so wee shall neither bee dazeled nor damned Eye seruice is a fault with men but if wee could but serue God while he sees vs it were enough Hee sees them that will be Saints in the Church and Ruffians in the
This is eternall life to know the father reconciled in his sonne Retire thy selfe daily into some secret place of meditation and prayer such as Cornelius his leaddes Dauids closet c. and thou shalt finde with Iacob the sweete vision of Angels climbing vp and downe this sacred ladder which stands betwixt heauen and earth at the top of it is the father the whole length of it is in the sonne and the spirit doth firmely fasten vs thereunto that so we may be transported vnto blisse Q. What is here to be obserued A. The names in Scripture that expresse this mystery as Elohim and Adonai Gen. 1.1 Mal. 1.6 Both which words being plurall are ioyned with words of the singular number to shew the vnitie of the persons both in essence and action It is not for euery proflygate professor that liues as he list to be dealing with this divinitie These pearles are not for swine who will laugh at such congruitie as makes one of three and three of one but hee that findes and feeles the conioyned working of the Trinitie will adore it in vnitie ascribing to father sonne and holy Ghost equall authoritie and power in all their workes This as well as the whole rule of well-liuing belongs to the sealed fountaine the spouse of Christ A doctrine not fit to be preached in Gath Askelon to vncircumcised and prophane hearts that will turne euery good thing to their owne destruction The Lord that hath the teaching of all hearts make vs ready for this transcendent learning Q. What secondly is to be obserued A. That the subsistences or persons being the same essence are God and one God Ioh. 1.1 1. Ioh. 5.7 Cut but the hayre from the eye brow saith Augustine and how disfigured will the face looke there is but a small thing taken from the body but a greater matter from the beautie so in these honourable wayes of wisedome wee may not derogate the least iot of Deitie or dignitie from any person Q. What in the third place A. That whatsoeuer Attribute is giuen to the essence may so farre forth be giuen to the subsistences as euery person is infinite eternall incomprehensible c. Exod. 23.20 with 1. Cor. 10.9 Christ hath the same name and authoritie with his Father Ioh. 1.1.2 and 14.1 and 21.17 Phil. 2.6 Heb. 1.3.1 Ioh. 5.20 Rev. 1.11 In all these places the essentiall Attributes of the divine nature are giuen to Christ So likewise to the Spirit Psal 139. Act. 5.3.4 1. Cor. 3.16 Iob 33.4 2 Cor. 13.13 Mat. 18.19 O that we had but in vs the internall principles of faith to rest vpon these three worthies infinitely great and gracious This I am sure as a spring or oyle to the wheeles of our Soules would make them goe smoothly and currantly Make all other yokes light and easie Vndoubtedly the Pipe of Faith would here draw in so much sweete ayre from the precious promises of life that thereby wee should be able to renue our strength and with chearefull spirits lift vp the wing as the Eagle runne and not be weary walke and not faint What shall idle Guls with a Pipe of Tobacco or Cup of Sacke silly smoakie helpes giue life againe to their dull and deadly Spirits And shall not the Saints and servants of three so infinite exhilerate and cheare their hearts with the feeling of their new life so mercifully begun by the father powerfully dispenced by the sonne and perfectly finished by the spirit Where were all this grace if it were not stronger then any Ellebore to evacuate the minde of all feares and griefes It is for nature to be subiect to extremities that is eyther too dull in want or wanton in fruition but grace like a good temper is not sensible of alteration O then that euery easie occasion of pleasure profit or preferment should interrupt vs in these religious intentions and draw vs to gaze like children which if a bird doe but flie in their way cast their eye from their Booke Nay what a shame is it to thinke how hardly we are drawne to learne or listen to this lesson As a beare to the stake as a slaue to the mill or a dullard to the Schoole are wee brought to these studies Q. What in the fourth place A. That all the three persons are God of themselues for an absolute first cannot no not in order be the second or third of any other but a first in all The Sonne because he hath his person from the Father is a second person but not a second God Deut. 6.4 1. Tim. 2.5 1 Ioh. 5.7 All those places that proue God to be one exclude all derivation of essence for one cannot bee multiplied without number Heb. 1.3 The sonne is the image of the person not the essence it were an absurditie to say Christ is the image of himselfe but apt and proper the expresse image of his Father For tho he be no other thing from his Father yet another person Hence wee learne how to expound that speech very God of very God that is the subsistence of the sonne is verily and truly from the subsistence of the father The person begetts not the essence for to beget and be begotten are relatiues yet the essence is absolute But Ioh 5.26 It is giuen to Christ to haue life in himselfe If life then essence c. I answere Christ speakes of life in the text by way of dispensation as he was the Messias and so it is explained ver 27. He hath giuen him authoritie to execute Iudgement because he is the sonne of man The very text makes this common to both persons to haue life in themselues which is the property of the God-head and yet Christ hauing life in himselfe as God hath the same giuen him as Mediator and sonne of man but you will say so he had power to giue himselfe life and therefore the fathers giuing respects his person as well as his office I answere it is true for as the sonne of man receiues subsistence from the sonne of God so the sonne of God receiues subsistence from his father Now working is according to subsisting therefore the life of grace spoken of verse 25. is wrought by the humane nature of Christ as it is sustained by his person and his person being from the father worketh the same life from him so then it is giuen to the sonne in regard of his manner of subsisting to bee the dispenser and disposer of the life of grace whereof the father is the beginner c. But as God he quickeneth whom he will v. 21. and that as he hath life in himselfe Life will and vnderstanding are Attributes of the essence and so simply one in them all Here may the sicke finde a Physitian the broken a balme of Gilead the fearefull a shelter the flyer a refuge and the breath-lesse spirit a blessed rest The sonne of God hath wedded to himselfe our humanitie without all possibilitie of devorce the
the beleife of that which hath beene spoken A. I beleeue in God who is one essence most simple pure and absolute and being essentially indivisible is personally distinguished into the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and is therefore called Vnitie in Trinitie and Trinitie in Vnitie or Vnitrinitie and Trinunitie How to conceiue of this in our prayers and meditations is both the deepest point of all Christianitie and the most necessary so deepe that if wee wade into it wee may easily drowne never finde the bottome so necessary that without it our selues our seruices are prophane irreligious wee are all borne Idolaters naturally prone to fashion God to some forme of our owne Away then with all wicked thoughts and grosse devotions and with Iacob bury all strange gods vnder the oake of Shechem ere we offer to set vp Gods Altar at Bethel without all mentall reservations conceiue of our God purely simply spiritually as of an absolute being without forme without matter without composition yea an infinite without all limits of thoughts Thinke of him as not to be thought of as one whose wisedome is his iustice whose iustice is his power whose power is his mercy and all himselfe Good without qualitie great without quantitie everlasting without time present euery where without place containing all things without extent If this shall giue our devotions any light it is well the least glimpse of this knowledge is worth all the full gleames of humane and earthly skill After this weake direction let vs still study to conceiue aright that we may pray aright and still pray that we may conceiue and meditate more and more that we may doe both And the father sonne and holy Ghost direct vs inable vs that wee may doe all Amen CHAPTER XI Of the workes of Iehovah-Elohim in generall Question HItherto we haue heard of Gods sufficiencie what is his efficiencie Answere That whereby he worketh all things and all in all things 1. Cor. 12.6 It is the same God that worketh all in all Rom. 11.36 Of him for him and through him are all things Deut. 34.4 Act. 14.17 Q. What is here generally to be considered of vs A. Something concerning the essence and something the subsistence Gen. Chap. 1. to the end the word Elohim is vsed aboue 30. times and no other word for God Chap. 2. is vsed Elohim alone to verse 4. and from thence to the end Iehovah Elohim constantly a course I take it not to be paralleled or exemplified in any other portion of Scripture and the reason is good for as long as the workes were in creating the persons obserued each their distinct manner of working and so the holy Ghost vseth a phrase to expresse it as likewise after the worke was done and a seventh day sanctified for rest all the three persons reioyced in the workes of their hands From the 4. verse of Chap. 2. to the end the whole worke being done and repeated againe for the better observation of it and most especially of the true cause Iehovah-Elohim are ever coupled together that we might take notice that creation did manifest one God three persons one God most plainely three persons more obscurely yet not so darkely but if Adam had stood he might haue gathered the same by GODS workemanship both in himselfe and the creatures and that wee that are fallen being not able to read any such matter in the great Booke of the world might obserue it by the little Booke of his word which drawes the Vniverse into two Chapters as into a small map giuing much good counsell in a narrow roome teaching that briefely which Phylosophers haue scarce touched in great Volumes Q. What then concerning the essence A. Has omnipotencie which in nature is before all efficiency yet because we see first by resolution of Gods works which is to goe from the effects to the cause we see Gods omnipotencie by his efficiencie And therefore in the Creed wee beleeue in the Almightie as the maker of heauen and earth From efficiencie and omnipotencie appeares God decree by that his counsell and thence his will or good-pleasure Now his Good-pleasure is the first counsell next and from the one as the cause the other as his manner of working proceeds his decree which is executed by his omnipotencie and efficiencie Eph. 1.11 Will by counsell purposeth or decreeth by omnipotencie to worke all things as he hath set them downe in himselfe Iob 9.4 and 12.13 Prov. 8.14 Where wee read how Gods almightie power is ordered by wisedome Ier. 10.12 He hath made the earth by his power he hath established the world by his wisedome and hath stretched out the heauens by his discretion Ier. 51.15 Q. What is Gods omnipotencie A. Whereby he is able to effect all that he doth yea and whatsoeuer he doth not which is absolutely possible Mat. 19.26 With God all things are possible Math. 3.9 Of very stones to raise vp children to Abraham Phil. 3.21 He is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe Psal 135.6 Whatsoeuer the Lord pleased that did hee both in heauen and in earth in the Seas and all deepe places Mal. 2.15 Did not he make one and yet had he the residue of the spirit to wit to haue created Adam more wiues And here may well appeare the names El and Helion Deut. 9.10.17 Psal 9.2 Dan. 4.17 Christ in the old Testament and also in the new is called The Almightie Isa 9.6 Rev. 1.8 And so the Spirit is called the power of the Highest Luk. 1.35 Q. Why say you absolutely possible is there any thing impossible to God A. Yes All such things as contradict either his owne essence or the nature of things As God cannot lie because he is truth it selfe neither can hee make a body to be in two places at once as the body of Christ to be in heauen and vpon a Popish Altar at once For that implies a contradiction and therefore a lie whereof the Papists and not God are Authors Rom. 3.4 Let God be true and euery man a liar Act. 3.21 Heauen is said to receiue the body of Christ now if it be wholly circumscribed for length breadth and thicknesse in the third heauen it cannot at the same time be circumscribed within the limits of the earth for that which is finite in one place cannot be infinite in two It is onely Gods propertie to be in two places at once neither included nor excluded and therefore if the body of Christ were in heauen and earth at the same instant of time neither included nor excluded it were no more a bodie but a God if they say the omnipotency of God may extend the dimensions of Christs body that it may at the same time fill heauen and earth then is it not in two places at once but in one by continuation if the dimensions of Christs body answere the dimensions of the place it shall be the greatest monster that ever the world dreamed of no not
preexistent matter or forgoing principles They are not immediately composed but first they haue a matter and then a forme and then their owne being or existing And as time dis-ioynes these things so they are subiect to change with time Gen. 1.2 Out of the voyde and vnformed earth came all inconstant and mutable creatures 2. Pet. 3.5 The earth that now is is sayd to stand out of that Chaos which Gen. 1.2 is called earth water c. This by conversion is as well the ground of confusion as of composition Out of a confusion are they compounded and may by conversion be confounded againe into it Q. What followeth hereupon A. That they are by nature returnable into their former principles and so of a corruptible nature 2 Pet. 3.6 The world that then was perished being over-flowed with the waters that is all that breathed Gen. 7.22 Euery thing vnder the Sunne passeth away Eccl. 1.4 And at the last day the elements with all their inhabitants shall be destroyed 2. Pet. 3.10 As it were a resolution being made into the first Chaos againe as may seeme what a hell were it for a man to be an inhabitant of that first earth The holy Ghost testifieth 2. Pet. 3.7 that the heavens and the earth which are now are kept in store and reserved for fire and perdition of vngodly men at the last day Good reason they should be punished where they sinned and with those creatures they haue abused A fearefull hell to haue all turned into the first Chaos with an addition of the fire of Gods vengeance As if that first matter were then to be formed and filled with nothing but the extremities of Gods curses At the first it was formed and adorned as a Palace and Paradise for man then shall it be left as a dungeon and noysome prison for the torture and torment of all wretched and wicked persons Onely the third heauen with the inhabitants thereof shall then be in blisse and blessed felicitie Q. How manifold is this creation A. It is eyther of the elements or the elementaries Gen. 2.1 Heauen and earth were finished with the host of them All that are placed aboue in the fire and the ayre or below in the waters and the earth are elementaries being composed out of those foure elements and are as the host of this inferiour world Q. What is the creation of the elements A. Whereby he made them of a precedent matter with their formes immediately of nothing That is the matter or earth without forme receiued into euery part and portion of it a simple formation without all mixture yet so that it was formed into foure bodies essentially distinguished which are most simple as hauing nothing in them but one common matter with foure distinct formes immediately created of nothing hence they are in themselues the greatest opposits as fire to water and ayre to earth The maine opposites are fire and water which stickle and striue together and are moderated and compounded by the two other When water would quench the fire earth steps in and helpes to abate his moysture And when fire would dry vp his moysture ayre secondeth the water and prepares a radicall moysture to feed the fire a little longer When the coldnesse of water takes off the edge of heat then ayre with his mild heat helpeth his fellow And when fire over-masters the coldnesse of water then earth checks him and abates his fury whence ariseth all elementaries receiuing the common matter and formes of the elements much abated and moderated after their striuing and strugling together and therefore are not so vehemently opposite and contrary in themselues Gen. 1.3 Let there bee light which was the first simple forme that was put into the common matter ver 6. Let there be an expanse or spreading which was next added to light as his fittest neighbour ver 9. Let there be gatherings or waters which contained the third simple forme came as next fellow to the ayre for so God had appointed that by placing it betweene two great adversaries it might be a friend to both ver 9. Let the dry appeare which comes lowest in ranke and gaue the matter the fourth simple forme Thus heat and cold moysture and drinesse did runne through the first common matter which intertaines them all and giues them leaue to diffuse themselues one into another for further mixture and composition Q. But may these things be handled in Divinitie A. Yes because wee so farre speake of them as they concerne creation which is proper to this Art And our rule is this that where Creation endeth nature beginneth and generation succeeds it as in imitation of Gods first composition God by his omnipotent hand giues to euery thing his being and then sets it a worke by his owne nature and vertue Aristotle knew a first matter but he confesseth he had it from Plato and he from the Aegyptians and they from Moses Yet he erred in many things for want of Divinitie beginning onely with nature where creation had ended his worke First he was ignorant that the first matter was of nothing Secondly that it stood certaine houres without a forme Thirdly that all the formes it receiued were immediately of nothing Fourthly that all this was done in time and that there was nothing in the world eternall but the maker of it Gen. 1.1.2 The earth was a subiect of contrary formes and therefore preexistent Q. What is that first matter of all inconstant things A. It was a thing which God made of nothing in the beginning of the first day without forme and voyd and so by his spirit miraculously sustained it for a certaine space Gen. 1.1.2 Q. What followes from hence A. That of it selfe it is permanent for being immediately of nothing it hath no power to worke vpon it but the same that made it therefore God alone can turne it into nothing from whence he brought it and this is the reason why the first matter and foure first formes are not resolved though all things may be resolved into them For in generation and corruption as they begin here to take new formes so here they leaue them againe And death though a privation of life yet it hath no power to annihilate his contrary and therefore as nature begins where creation ends so creation at the last day will begin againe where nature hath ended I meane in our resurrection euery man receiuing againe those very peeces of the elements whereof he was made Iob. 19.27 2. Cor. 15.35.36.37.38 c. the very seed that is sowne dieth and riseth againe out of those very elements into which nature resolueth it springeth it againe Q. When was it made A. In the first beginning of time or the evening of the first day hence it is co-etaneall and of the same time and age with the third heaven and the Angels Gen. 1.1 And the reason was to hinder a vacuitie in the large space and compasse of that highest heaven
The parts whereof would sooner haue fallen together then haue admitted nothing to stand within their circle For nothing and evill are cousin germans and equally opposed to the being of any thing rather would perfection haue imperfection his next neighbour if so be it haue a being from God then to permit nothing to lodge in his bosome And therefore what a degenerate thing is man to admit evill for his best companion Q. How long was this matter voyd and without forme A. All the time that darknesse was vpon the face of it Now the vicissitude of light and darknesse makes the day and night which as it is most probable were then Equinoctiall of an equall length and size that is twelue houres a peece So then the earth or first matter stood in that imperfection a whole night or twelue houres Gen. 1.1.2.5 involved in nothing but palpable darkenesse Q. How was it preserued all that time A. By the Spirit that moued vpon it and which in stead of a forme did cherish and foster it all that time Gen. 1.2 Q. What kind of creature may we tearme it to be A. Some-thing potentially nothing actually It was all things and nothing A matter for all yet nothing in forme It is called earth and water Gen. 1.1.2 And so it was fire and ayre c. Q. What be the kinds of elements A. The higher and hotter which make one globe or the lower and colder which make another So that all the world is folded vp in three severall globes one comprehending another The divine globe of the third heaven in which God is said to sit Psal 2.4 as a place of blessed rest The second is the etheriall or skie globe containing those glorious lampes and burning torches by whose light and brightnesse all this inferior world is comforted and vpon this heaven the Lord is said to ride Psal 68.4 in regard of his swift motion and expedite manner of working The third and inferior globe which is but as a point to the rest is the earthie and watery sphere and the Lord is said to sit vpon the very circle of it Isa 40.22 And to shake the wicked out of it as it were by a canvase or as a man tumbles a thing out of his lap Iob 38.13 Thus is God in all the globes of the world no where included no where excluded he is in their circles and vpon their circles dis-posing all things as he pleaseth Q. What are the higher and hotter elements A. Whereby they were made with formes more actiue and stirring and therefore hotter and higher then the rest Hence in regard of levitie and gravitie heaven is said to be aboue and earth below Exod. 20.4 Much matter and little forme makes creatures waightie whereupon wee see in our selues that man-hood consists not in the bulke of the bones but in the mettall and spirits So that wee may truely say that the elements aboue are formall and they below materiall Q. What are the kinds of the more formall elements A. The fire and the ayre stiled by the holy Ghost light and expanse or as it is called Firmament Gen. 1.3.6 God naming them by that which is most sensible to vs and in them most proper as light is to fire extension and expansion to the ayre For ayre by reason of his moysture doth more dilate and diffuse it selfe then fire though that be the thinner and more subtile substance Q. What is the Creation of the Fire A. Whereby God made it in the top and highest part of the first matter with the most actiue and working forme so that it is most hot and light therefore in the highest roome and because of his shining is called Photisticos With such violence is the fire deiected that it strikes into the bowels of the earth and bottome of the Sea as may well appeare by the generation of stones and fishes Metalls which are ingendered in the earth shew that fire hath beene there otherwise should we never haue gold so purely purified concocted Hence Phylosophers attribute the engendring of gold to the Sunne of silver to Iupiter lead to the Moon copper to Mars c. Likewise pretious stones could not be so resplendent and glorious if it were not for the worke of the light or fire that penetrates into their severall places and veines Gen. 1.3 Let there be light Gen. 11.31 Abraham is called from Vr of the Chaldees The citie hath fires name because they worshipped it Hence wee read Suidas in Canopo Ruffin hist eccl l. 2. c. 26. that the Chaldaeans challenged all other gods of the god-lesse Heathen to fight with their God an Aegyptian encountered and overcame them thus He caused his Canopus to be made full of holes stopped with waxe and filled with water being hollow in the middle The Chaldaeans put vnder their God Vr or fire and the waxe melting opened a full quiver of watery arrowes that cooled and quenched their devouring God c. 2 Cor. 4.6 God is said to make the light shine out of darkenesse that is after the first night hee made it of that matter which was couered with darkenesse Q. How did the light descend from aboue A. For three dayes by the power of God alone afterwards by the Sunne Moone and Starres which were set of God in the element of fire Gen. 1.4 God divided the light from the darkenesse ver 14. Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven to devide the day from the night c. Q. What is the day A. If we speake truely and properly it is the time of the Sunnes remaining aboue the Horizon or visible part of the world Some whom I haue cause much to respect and reuerence haue held opinion that light naturally ascendeth and violently descendeth by a kinde of repercussion made by the Sunnes body and motion then accordingly haue defined the day to be the time wherein the light is turned downeward or reflected vpon the lower parts of the world and so by condensation shineth But others vpon more mature consideration iudge that a new devised way For first Light in its owne nature cannot be said to ascend or descend onely but transfuseth it selfe equally spherically in all dimensions from its owne center Secondly if the shining of the Sunne be nothing else but the beating backward of the ascending beames of the whole skie or element of fire surely the Moone would alwayes seeme full as the Sunne doth being that this ascending light must needs in like maner meere with the thicke body of the Moone and suffer repercussion from it Thirdly though light were made visible in the maner imagined yet the day cannot properly be defined the time wherein the light is reflected by the Sunne vpon the lower parts of the world for this is done perpetually and so wee should haue no night Q. Who gaue the name thereunto A. God himselfe called it Iom which signifieth Stirring because be made the day for man to trauaile in Psal
which is a kind of feeling for both must haue their obiects present Now it is made by the passing down of the sensitiue spirit from the brain to the tongue c. Sight is made by conveiance of sensitiue spirits to the eyes where they are met with the light without that first comes to the watery humor which is as lead to a looking glasse that stayes the light then it comes to the glassie humor and there is gathered together then it comes to the crystaline or clearest humor and is carried vp vnto the braine by the sensitiue spirit that meetes it Hence Hippocrates saies that these sensitiue Spirits are a drie brightnesse and that is because fire is here predominant as wee may see by a blow vpon the eye the Spirits redoubled are made visible as fire Those that haue the brightest eyes as Catts c. see better in darkenesse then other creatures and worse in the light because the greater light darkens the lesser Hearing is a fourth sense and meets with the noyse in the eares there it centers for noyse is made by a circle in the ayre not much vnlike vnto that which wee see in the water when wee cast a stone into it Hence it comes to passe as many as stand within the circle or circumference of the sound made in the ayre heare it and the reason is because any point or center within the circle of the sound is potentially in euery part of it one point is enough to bring it to our eares yet we cannot see so for when we but looke at a thing that is round wee cannot see it all at once But I must not play the Phylosopher too much it is my desire that God for his workes may haue the due glory Smelling is the last sense and serues wonderfully to refresh the braine The inward senses that looke through these outward are fancie cogitation and memory and they are a little resemblance of reason which comes in the last place For fancie hath in it a kind of invention cogitation of iudgement and memory of methode And this is the sensatiue life wherein God shewes his owne act more eminently Q. How many sorts of creatures liue by sense A. Two either such as liue by it onely or haue beside all these a reasonable life This onely passeth Elements both formall and materiall yet the finest Spirits serue to knit it with the rest and so wee handle that life amongst Elementaries otherwise it is angelicall and purely of nothing by the power of the Creator Q. How many kinds haue we of the first life A. Either fishes and foules or beasts All which were made according to their kinds and were mightily to increase through Gods blessing and to fill their places with daily of-spring Q. What is the creation of the fishes A. Whereby the Lord caused the waters to bring them forth in abundance wherein also they increase and multiplie and replenish the waters Gen. 1.20.21.22 Iob 40.20 41.1 Q. What is the creation of the fowles A. Whereby he made them to flie in the ayre and to multiplie vpon the earth Gen. 1.20 Q. When were the fish and fowle made A. In the sift day or 24. houres Gen 1.23 These were more imperfect then the beasts of the field and therefore conclude a dayes worke by themselues God willing vs to take notice how exact he was in ascending vp to mans perfection Q. What is the creation of the beasts A. Whereby he caused the earth to bring them forth after their kinds and they are either walkers or creepers walkers cattell and beasts that is wild and tame creatures Gen. 1.24.25 Thus God formed and filled that first matter and prepared it as an habitation for man who though hee came naked out of the wombe of the earth was even then so rich that all things were his heaven was his roofe earth his floare the Sea his pond the Sunne Moone his torches all creatures his vassalls They that looke into some great Pond may see the bankes full though they see not the severall springs whence the water riseth so wee may eye the world but can never come to see the excellencie of it much more of the maker himselfe Kings erect not cottages but set forth their magnificence in sumptuous buildings so God hath made a world to shew his admirable glory And if the lowest pauement of that third heaven be so glorious what shall wee finde within Who would thinke that all these should be made for one and that one well-neere the least of all Sure I am the last with him therefore let vs conclude this worke of Creation CHAPTER XV. Of Mans Creation Question VVHat is the creation of things with a reasonable life Answere Whereby he made them of a body and soule immortall Gen. 1.26 Other creatures were made by a simple command Man not without a divine consultation Others at once Man he did first forme then inspire others in severall shapes like to none but themselues Man after his owne image others with qualities fit for seruice Man for dominion His bodie and soule are both immortall for death is an enemie 1. Cor. 15.26 And therefore no consequent of nature but a companion of sinne yet this is true that euery elementary is corruptible and resoluble and so is the body of man being taken out of the dust but as it was made a companion of an immortall soule immediately made of nothing so is it fit that it should be aboue its own nature elevated to be one though not per vim contactus yet per vnionem personae immortall and eternall Almighty God after he had drawne the large and reall map of the world abridged it into this little table of Man as Dioptron Microcosmicum which alone consists of heaven and earth soule and body In his soule is the nature of Angels though not so extensiue and actiue as wee may see in a little and great man c. In his bodie are the foure elements the Meteors and Mineralls as may appeare both by vapours and fumes and spirits He liues the life of a Plant he hath the senses of beasts and aboue all the addition of reason His body is more exquisitely made then any other as may appeare by the nakednesse of it For others that are clothed with feathers and haires c. shew that they are fuller of excrements The Lord brought him vpon the stage fully prepared that he might be both an actor and a spectator He had a body with hands for action and an head for contemplation Q. How did God create him A. In his owne likenesse and image Gen. 1.26 Colos 3.10 And it is so called because man was furnished in euery point to resemble the wisedome holinesse and righteousnesse of God not onely in this frame and perfection of body and soule but also by his actions and government of the creatures and this was naturall vnto man The Papists thinke that this image was supernaturall
that the parts doe euer or at least should follow the nature and processe of the whole Our common Mother in and by whom we are all borne 〈◊〉 brought 〈◊〉 Christians challengeth our first seruice And because some of you as well as my selfe haue enioyed so excellent a Nurse and Foster mother cherishing and feeding vs with the purest and most pleasant liquor til we came to some full and perfect age wee should doe amisse if wee should forget her in the chiefest and noblest of our thoughts To you therefore I come as being sent from the brests of my Mother to giue you a taste of her milke Onely remember who it is that must giue the increase both to her in labouring and you in profiting Rebecca may Cooke the Venison but Isaack must giue the blessing We can but speake to the eare God must speake to the Conscience I wish we could condescend to the infancie of our Nurcelings and become all vnto all rather studying to make our people Schollers then to shew our selues Schollers vnto them When the Iewes heard Paul Act. 22.2 to speake in their mother tongue they both kept the more silence and gaue the better audidence Accept therefore the following Treatise as a due acknowledgement of my loue and thankefulnesse wishing not onely with Philosophers prosperitie Physitians health the common people ioy Romanes safetie S. Paul welfare but also with our blessed Sauiour Mar. 9.50 Peace powdred with pietie otherwise these congratulations of our ioy shall but aequalize a drunken Nabals Sheepe sheering or the fatting of some Epicurean hogges or the celebration of the festivall revels of the dissolute crue whose dyet and dainties are the Devils food Cleanse therefore the Augean stables of our drunken Tavernes and Tipling houses with all the blind vaults of professed filthinesse The Citie of Alexandria in Egypt nourished the great Bird Ibis to devoure the garbage and offall of it and to cleanse the streetes but he left of his owne filth and beastlinesse more noysome behinde him They are the Devils deputies not Gods who being set in their places like the Kites feed themselues with the offalls of the people I meane bribes to pervert the course of Iustice They who in reformation seeme to amend the exorbitances of their places and doe it not heartily imitate the Physitian who in an Hecticall body laboureth to kill the itch c. Rouze vp your spirits awaken your Christian courage and set your selues heartily against the crying sinnes of these times But I must take heed least I runne into the inconvenience obiected by that Spartane to the Athenians That wise men did consult and the ignorant giue sentence We may easily iudge our superiours consulting of remedies to be guilty of the increasing of the maladies and mischiefes of the State Drunkennesse and the nurseries of it vsurping Sobrieties kingdome as Adoniah did Salomons haue gotten so strong an head that they can hardly be resisted Onely let the Magistrate take to himselfe a firme forehead couragious heart busie hands and not partiall execute lawes with strictnesse and resolution and God shall blesse the same with happie successe If otherwise God will suffer wickednesse to punish it selfe and that no power can turne the streame because God will haue it carry the offenders headlong to their perpetuall ruine and his owne revenge yet must the good Magistrate even swimme against the tyde knowing that without conquest it is glorious to haue resisted in this alone he were an enemie if he should doe nothing because he sees so little good come of all his traveile Let but worthy Magistrates the endeuour be yours and you may with comfort leaue the successe to God and so I cease neuer ceasing to pray for you Yours in all Christian dutie and seruice IOHN YATES ⧠An advertisement to the READER THe truth and triall of this treatise carefull Reader may I hope the better be accepted without distrust or distaste because it hath passed thorow the fire fanne and furnace of two iudicious and learned Divines whom for honours sake I am bound to mention vnto thee The one is the Reverend and worshipfull Mr Tho Goad Dr of Divinitie by whose labour this worke is carefully corrected and iudiciously supplied where it might offend through want or weaknesse in any part or power of it his starres or his spits that I may vse Origens notes haue beene welcome to this my Tractate I expected his vnpartiall sentence and he hath done iustly to shut his friend out of doores while this worke was discussed Know therefore with me good Reader by whom thou hast profited and be thankfull The other is Mr Alexander Richardson now deceased to whom I haue done the office of a Christian brother in raysing vp seed to the dead to continue his name that his memory and worth might not be put out of Israel This skilfull Artist hath cast and coyned the heads and I would to God he had handled them before his death Some few specialties are vpon necessary cause altered but they are of so small moment that they make no great breach in the body neither in thy knowledge in viewing of the order and methode of Religion I know if the discourse as well as the heads had proceeded from the same hand they would haue beene more accurate and perfect A shaft shot by the hand of a Gyant and a childe differ much yet will I not in a fond admiration and apish imitation of any person make all his deeds and doctrines like the reflection of a looking glasse to frame all thoughts and things by his shadow This were but to catch Doterels and shew feats of actiuitie to deceiue the simple Againe if some little thing be censured in the first inventor I hope they that loue him will not thinke as good friends as they deale with him like Gnatts which after they haue made a sweete kinde of Musicke euermore sting before they depart I feare not thy profit in it if thou will submit both it and thy selfe to the true touch-stone I meane the sacred Scriptures otherwise with Perillus thou mayest perish in thy owne inventions and thine owne cunning at the last will fayle thee and leaue thee as Absolons Mule left his rebellious Master betweene heauen and earth Consider therefore what is said and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things that thou mayest be no lesse wise then good Amen ¶ The Table of Religion containing the Creed the ten Commandements the Lords Prayer and the Sacraments Religion whose parts are Faith it selfe In God Which is euery mans owne I beleeve who is one in essence In three persons Father Almightie Maker of heauen earth Sonne who is by name Iesus Christ. that onely begotten our Lord. who humbled himselfe in Life by being both Conceived by the holy Ghost Borne of the Virgin Mary and by Suffering vnder Pontius Pilate being Crucified Death Dying and being buried descended into hell Exalted First by rising againe from the dead
propertie of the Sonne A. To be begotten Heb. 1.5 Q. What is his manner of subsisting A. To be the second person in order not in nature for the begotten in relation is naturally as soone as the begetter Q. What is his worke A. Redemption Ephes 1.7 Q. What is Redemption A. It is a satisfaction made to the Iustice of God the Father for Man by a Redeemer Q. Who is the Redeemer A. Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord. Q. Why call you him Iesus A. Because he is a Sauiour of his people from their sinnes Math. 1.21 Q. Why Christ A. In regard of his offices as he is anointed our King Priest and Prophet Psal 45.7 Luk. 4.18 Act. 4.27 and 10.38 Q. VVhy his onely Sonne A. Because the Father can haue no more sonnes by nature but one Q. Why our Lord A. By the right of Redemption Rom. 14.9 Q. How is our Redemption wrought A. By the humiliation and exaltation of the Sonne of God Luke 24.26 Q. VVhat be the seuerall degrees of his humiliation A. Seuen There be some others left out of the Creed but these expressed are the principall Q. What are they A. 1. His conception 2. his natiuitie 3. his passion vnder Pilate 4. his crucifying 5. his dying 6. his buriall 7. his descent into hell Q. VVhat are meant by all these A. That Christ must not onely satisfie in generall but that he must passe through the degrees of our sorrowes and beare our afflictions Isa 53.4.5 Q. VVhat be the seuerall degrees of his exaltation A. Foure which are his Resurrection Ascension Sitting at Gods right hand and returne to Iudgement As in his humiliation he tooke our receits and tasted the bitter potion for vs so all Physicke being ended of that kinde he giues vs his receits of Redemption Ephes 1.7 Iustification Rom. 3.24 Reconciliation Colos 1.20 Sanctification 1 Pet. 1.2 Entrance into glory Heb. 10.19 These are Cordials for vs and for him after all his penall receits Q. What is the third person A. The holy Spirit who by nature proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne and by counsell applyeth Christ to the Church and euery member thereof the Father being the first person elects the Sonne redeemes and the Spirit sanctifies Ioh. 14.26 and 15.26 Rom. 8.16 1 Cor. 2.12 Ioh. 3.5 2 Cor. 1.21 Rom. 8.23 Q. VVhat is his Relatiue propertie A. To proceede Vnderstanding begets an Image of it selfe and loues it and so from the best vnderstanding to the best obiect of it proceedes a mutuall loue The begetter loues the begotten and the begotten loues the begetter and their loue is equall to themselues and proceedes from them both and to vs. The will of the Father by the wisedome of his Sonne and power of his good Spirit is sayd to doe all Q What is his manner of subsisting A. To be the third person in order for proceeding from two he must needs be the third and yet in nature as soone as either of them for the louers and the loued are Relalatiues and therefore together in nature Q. VVhat is his worke A. Application or Sanctification Ephes 5.26.27 The Sonne hauing prepared the remedie leaues it to be applyed by the Spirit Ioh. 16.7 CHAPTER II. Of the Faith of the Church Hitherto of Faith in God Question WHat is the Faith of the Church Answere Whereby beleeuing in God we also beleeue that wee are of the Church and made partakers of all good things promised vnto it Q. VVhat is the Church A. That number of all those that are applyed to Christ by the spirit Now as this vnion is made by faith it is called the militant Church as by vision the triumphant Q. Why is it called holy A. Because it is an holy Societie of Saints in regard of the Spirits worke 1 Pet. 2.9 Reu. 11.2 and 21.19 Q. Why Catholicke A. Because it is vniuersall in respect of all times persons and places a familie both in heauen and earth Math. 26.13 Ephes 3.15 1 Ioh. 2.1 Reu. 7.9 Q. What are the benefits God bestoweth vpon it A. Two in this life as the communion of Saints and remission of sinnes and two in the life to come as the resurrection of the body and life enerlasting Lamen 3.23 Psal 68.19 Col. 1.5 and 3.3.4 1 Ioh. 3.2 Q. VVhat is the communion of Saints A. It is our communicating with God and the godly both in grace and glory or that fellowship that wee haue with Christ our head and all his members Psal 16.5 73.26 Isa 55.1 Act. 4.32 Gal. 6.10 Ephes 4.3.4.5.6 Heb. 10.24 Phil. 2.1.2 1 Cor. 10.16 Reue. 3.18 and 6.20 Q. What is the remission of Sinne A. It is a worke of mercy whereby the Father being offended and reconciled by his Sonne doth witnesse to our consciences by his holy Spirit that all our sinnes are discharged and that we are graciously receiued againe into his fauour Iob 33.27.28 1 King 8.47 Hos 14.2 Isa 33.24 and 62.11 God in forgiuing our sinnes doth both couer and cure them 1 Ioh. 1.9 Q. What is the resurrection of the body A. It is a standing vp from the dead by the power of Christs resurrection whereby our corruptible bodies are made incorruptible and filled with all glory and excellencie Iob 19.25.26 Ioh. 5.28 Act. 3.19 1 Cor. 15.42.43 2 Cor. 5.1 Heb. 11.35 Q. What meane you by life Euerlasting A. That most blessed and happie estate in which all the Elect of God shall raigne with Christ their head in the third heauen after this life and after the day of iudgement and that both in body and soule for euer and euer Psal 16.11 Isa 64.4 Ioh. 17.20.21 1 Cor. 2.9 and 13.12 and 15.28 2 Cor. 12.4 Phil. 3.21 Reue. 21.22 and 22.2 CHAPTER III. Of good Workes Hitherto of Faith Question WHat are the workes of Faith Answere That ready act of faith to doe as we are bidden Rom. 6.16 1 Sam. 12.25 Iam. 2.14.17 Ioh. 14.15 1 Thes 1.3 Tit. 3.1.8 Q. How are these workes deuided A. They are either our walking with God or conferring with him or receiuing from him 2 Cor. 7.1 Phil. 1.6 2 Thes 1.11 Heb. 6.17.18 Faith bids the cleansed goe away and sinne no more but walke after the Spirit it prouokes to prayer and giues vs full confirmation of Gods loue Q. What is our walking with God A. It is our due obseruation of his lawes in all our wayes Psal 119.6 Q. What is the law of God A. The rule that God hath prescribed vs for the holy performance of all our actions Isa 8.20 Rom. 2.15 7.7 Q. How is the Law distributed A. It is either concerning the worship of God or loue of our neighbour Mark 12.29.30.31 Q. What is the first Commandement concerning the worship of God A. Thou shalt haue no other Gods before myface Gen. 39.9 Iob 31.23.24 Psal 112.1 Pro. 3.5 Isa 8.13 and 51.12 Hab. 1.16 Luke 12.45 Phil. 3.19 Colos 3.5 Q. What is the summe of this precept A. The hauing of
to the fruits qualitie to the seeds temper to the seasons God therefore that can doe all is the best husbandman Man therefore that hath expired his first life must haue God to inspire him againe or else hee cannot liue And this will appeare in the very name wee giue our rule Religion is to tie againe Our loue to God like the new cords of Sampson was quickly snapt asunder God therfore that he might bind vs to himselfe by a stronger cord hath chosen the grace of faith to revnite vs againe to himselfe And so Religion hath his notation from the first part of our rule which is faith in God Or else may it take his denomination from the second part which is obedience towards God The law that was to be read by creation was obliterated and in a manner scraped our by corruption but now againe by religion is written in our hearts Ier. 31.33 and so is to be read againe Life consists in vnion and action now by faith wee haue the one and by the law we performe the other The rule of life is called Diuinitie in regard of God the end of it Theologie in regard of the subiect matter 1. Pet. 4.11 logia Theou words of God but of all names this comes neerest the forme of our Art which signifies either our tying againe to God or reading againe the things of God This bond is the surest Isa 54.10 Ier. 32.40 And this booke is the plainest Deut. 30.14 Rom. 10.8 For as faith binds vs to God so it giues and gaines such power from him as wee may walke acceptably before him Luke 1.74 And here we see how pittifull and plentiful a God we haue in raising of vs from corruption to greater perfection then ever we enioyed by creation This second bond is invincible for so it becomes the Almightie to proceed in his workes He that hath shewed man what he can doe for himselfe shall now see what God can doe for him And God were not faithfull if there were either finall or fatall Apostasie from a iustifying faith It is folly to imagine that God should goe from one imperfection to another Loue was for try-all faith is for trust God hath tried the weaknesse and wickednesse of our loue It is now for vs to trust him vpon the faith of our saluation Water cannot suddenly be cleared but with leisure and by degrees and some time must necessarily be required to beare and beate backe those abuses wherunto we haue a long time beene envred Time and industry will eate euen thorow Marbles Giue God credence and he will in his due time giue thee riddance of all the rubbish of thy sinnes But to this our owne safety our owne sedulitie is required for as it is in vaine Psal 127.1 for men to watch except God keepe the citie so will it be in vaine for God to keepe except wee watch The husbandman must not burne his Plough or the Marchant neglect his Trade because God hath said I will not forsake thee Father keepe them in thy name Ioh. 17.11 doth not intimate that wee should be carelesse to keepe our selues Indeed till the Lord inspire wee but lamely and blindly re-aspire to any good We liue groaping as the Sodomites after lifes doore and hauing wearied our selues goe away wanting the thing we both wished and waited for Take away the Sunne from the world and the soule from the body and earth becomes earth as it was at the first Gen. 1.2 So sever God from the soule and what is man but a dead carrion All the elements and elementaries lighten and darken coole and warme die and reviue as the Sunne presents or absents it selfe from them so wee liue or die feele or faint as the Sunne of righteousnesse parts or revnites himselfe vnto vs. Whereby we are taught that primarily and principally we liue by God as the soule of our soules and secondarily by faith as the Spirits The bond of soule and body here is that heat or heauenly breath that knitts God and man together in an indivisible and insoluble knott If the Lyons Dan. 6.16 ravenous beasts by nature and made keene with hunger adore the flesh of a faithfull man shall any worldly thing change his heart alter his affection or Gods to him Rom. 8. the earth shall sooner shake the pillars of the world tremble the countenance of heauen apale the Sunne loose his light the Moone her beautie the Starres their glory c. then a man knit to God by Religion be once seperated from him againe The fire hath proclaimed it selfe vnable so much as to singe an haire of the head of the godly Dan. 3.27 Thus then you see how Religion may put vs in minde of the wonderfull mercy of God Now heare how it remembers vs of our wofull misery we are found of God as rotten roots without any life or vertue as barren ground bringing forth no fruit but sinne shame and damnation As a dead body or decaying bough cut off from the tree perishing and withering to nothing yea wee are so much more miserable by how much wee were once more excellent and eminent The more vnnaturall any qualitie is the more extreame will it be a cold win de from the South is intollerable and the purest wine becomes the sharpest vineger The few sparkes of good that lie couered vnder heapes of cold ashes are no wayes able t kindle the fire of a godly life no not so much as to giue a glimmering light to lead to heauen The wisest Philosophers never so much as ghessed at this Art the doctrine of it never came within the fadome of their reason If they few any thing it was a farre off even as heauen it selfe vpon which they looked with desire and admiration knowing not the right way thither Natures skill is something in the end nothing in the meanes It hath taught without controlement that there is a blessednesse for man to seeke after but what or where was remoued from their Academie assuring vs that not Athens but Ierusalem must reach vs this lesson The wisest Ethnick doth but as S. Peter speaketh Mnoopazein see glimmeringly and vncertainly in this Theame 2. Pet. 1.9 And like Zebul in holy Story either take men for mountaines or mountaines for men Iudg. 9.36 and for inconstancy like Absolon and the Elders of Israel come off and on in their opinions and alwayes beleeues the worst Sometimes the counsell of Achitophell is approued and then presently the aduice of Hushai the Archite is a great deale better 2. Sam. 17.4.14 The Barbarians almost with one breath curse and blesse the Apostle Act. 28.6 Shall we therefore praise nature or trust it in this No wee prayse it not With what presumption hath it vndertaken to write bookes of the soules tranquilitie but that must needs be performed with much imperfection which is practised without a rule Sundry capricious fancies and fables are handsomly framed glued together by morall Philosophie
wee are his off-spring Act. 17.28 The head of nature is God who of his owne will of nothing begate all things I say of his will not of himselfe for so should he and all his creatures be simply one And so wee should need no other reckoning the number would be soone told But he must be sedulous that will learne this secret and by telling a multitude or an heape of vnities finde out one simply first But why say I so seeing two will proue one let him then finde any number in being and it will proue a God Q. What is Gods infinitenesse A. Whereby he is without all limits of essence As Gods eternitie riseth from this that hee hath neither beginning nor ending so his infinitenesse from this that he hath neither matter nor forme which are the proper limites of essence as being most essentiall to euery finite being Indeed the limitation of any cause makes the effect finite Gen. 1.2 the earth is said to be voyd and without forme It was of nothing for matter and it was all things for forme yet wanting both these it was finite as hauing his beginning and ending from God who alone sits vpon the circle of it Isa 40.22 and aboue it stretcheth the heavens inclosing both being inclosed by neither Psal 147.5 The Lord is of great power his vnderstanding is infinite And here may we ever be striuing to perfection and as the kine of the Philistimes which drew the Arke of God though they were milch and had calues at home the one to weaken them the other to withdraw them yet without turning to the right hand or the left they kept on their way till they came to Bethshemesh so hauing once ioyned our selues to the yoake of Christ and drawing forward towards this infinite essence and the fruition of our blisse in him let vs chearefully beare the Arke of his Law vpon our shoulders in the way of holinesse and in spite of all hinderances keepe on in our tract till wee bee gotten where our everlasting house and mansion is provided for vs and that by the hands of this vnlimited God Q. What followes from hence A. First The Immensitie of God whereby he is without all dimensions that is of length breadth or thicknesse Hee is higher then heaven deeper then hell longer then the earth broader then the Sea c. Iob 11.8.9 Isa 40.12 Ier. 23.23 A God at hand and a God a farre off He that is freed from dimensions may pierce and penetrate enter and passe whither he pleaseth without probabilitie or possibilitie of resistence A sonne feeling the loue of his father creepes neerer vnder his wings or elbow how easie is it for God to enter our stony and steely hearts and draw them after him They that resist the holy Ghost doe it by gain-saying his word not by frustrating his worke for hee shall conuince the world Io. 16.8 either to conversion or confusion The altitude of pride longitude of power and profunditie of policie are trampled vpon by God Proud Belshazzar Dan. 5.27 was weighed and found too light Gods wand soone found him wanting and alas how easily did God penetrate the hard walls of his heart to the horrour of his whole soule and hastning of his death Now as a Ship in the midst of a storme tossed with tempests and beaten on every side with windes and waues and dangerously driuen not by direction of the Master but by the fury of vnbridled violence so in this extraordinary agitation Reason which is the Pilote could beare no Rule but affection and affliction as a storme tosse and driue him to vtter despaire Thus all the wicked whose hearts the Lord doth not pearse and boare by his word he enters by force to stirre vp that raging Sea whose waters foame nothing but mire and gravell Isa 57.20 Q. What in the second place may be obserued A. His incomprehensiblenesse whereby hee is without all limits of place and from this flowes his omnipresence or vbiquitie whereby he is wholly without and within all and euery place no where included no where excluded and that without all locall motion or mutation of place Hee fils al places without compression or straitning of another or the contraction extension condensation or rarefaction of himselfe A Candle may bee contracted for his light within the hand or hatte extended to a whole roome A spunge may be thrust into a narrow compasse and yet by swelling fill a larger space But God neither moues to come into any place as doe the Angels or standing still fills it by thrusting out another as liquor into a vessell or else in larging and contracting himselfe like light or by any thickning or thinning of pores and parts as Ice and water c. but purely and simply by his essence and presence is euery where 1. Ksng. 8.27 Psal 139.7 Isa 66.1 Ier. 23.23.24 Act. 17.27 By this it appeares that no place can hinder God from doing vs good Distance or difficultie may be impediments to all the creatures to stay their helpe but God at a blush fills all places to comfort or confound as it pleaseth him He moueth or changeth all things without eyther motion or change in himselfe who is in euery place present in euery place intire within all things and contained in nothing without all things and sustained by nothing but containeth sustaineth and maintaineth all things O infinite goodnesse passing all humane both search and sight thou both fillest and includest all things thou art in euery place present without either seat or motion Giue me therefore grace that in all places I may both feare and feele thy power Q. What is Gods eternitie A. That whereby he is before and after all not beings that is not onely the world but the very nothing of it Reason will teach me that nothing was before the world and that nothing may be after it but it cannot teach mee any such apprehension before or after God For I cannot so much as conceiue a nothing before an absolute being the reason is because nothing is apprehended by way of contrarietie to something Psal 90.2 Before the mountaines were made c. God is not onely before the creature but the making of it and that from an everlasting before it to an everlasting after it Psal 139.16 God sees the creature in his non entitie or nothing Isa 57.15 He inhabiteth eternitie 1. Tim. 1.17 The King of ages Heb. 1.2 The maker of times The Hebrew word comes of a roote to he hid because there is no knowledge where to beginne or end Alas how doe wee affect a thousand things that cannot be effected miserably afflicting the soule because they are wanting And of all things wee doe obtaine the pleasure doth forth with eyther vanish or cloy they doe no more satisfie the appetite then salt water quencheth thirst Onely this eternall God giues it all contentment Eternitie is eyther an admirable blessing or a miserable curse If
Mahomet himselfe did dreame hee saw God in a vision so bigge as the Papists haue made Christ Let them neuer flee to Gods omnipotencie to maintaine their I doll vpon the Altar for it contradicts the very nature of a created bodie to be in two or many places at once or extended further then the nature of the creature will beare if Christ had in his body all the 4 elements wholly it could not be extended to fill the third heauen and the earth at once for they are all formally extended to their perfection by God and can fill no greater a place then is vnder the highest heauen Christ therefore hauing but a little part of all these in his body it were beyond a miracle to extend that little further then the whole Againe Christ hauing a glorified body it must not loose proportion now the extension of any one member more then is fit makes a deformitie Theresore the bodie of Christ loosing none of the perfections of nature and receiuing greater perfections of glory must be contained in the third heaven in such a length breadth and thicknesse as is fit for a body So that it neither stands with the power or the wisedome of God to worke such a miracle as the Papists obtrude vpon the world Q. But how can we attribute power to God who is pure act A. It cannot be giuen to God in respect of himselfe but onely of the creatures which may feele his worke which they never felt before The fire alwayes burneth in it selfe yet in regard of this or that combustible matter it is in power to burne that is the matter is in power to feele the act of the fire So God ever acteth or worketh in himselfe Ioh. 5.17 But the creature doth not ever feele it Psal 139.16 All things are said to be done of God long before the creature feeles his worke Hence creation as an action is eternall as a passion in time Gen. 1.1 In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth In regard of heauen and earth creation hath a beginning but in regard of God it hath none Time is the companion of creatures not of the Creator Q. What further appeareth from his omnipotencie and efficiencie together A. His decree which is a definitiue sentence concerning the effecting of all things by his mightie power according to the counsell of his will Whatsoeuer God doth in his efficiency and can doe by his omnipotencie that he decreeth I doe not simply say what he can doe he decreeth for the decree is onely of things to be done his omnipotencie of things to be done or not to be done but thus I reason What he doth that he can doe and what he can doe and doth that he decreeth to be done Ephe. 1.11 According to the purpose of him that worketh all things after the counsell of his will Efficiencie and omnipotencie manifest the decree but it is before them both and a cause of them So that there is nothing either in creation or providence whereof the decree of God is not some wayes a cause yet must we not so much stand poring vpon the decree of God as runne presently to that place in Gods providence which will cleare manifest vnto vs that Gods decree is without all fault The decree of Adams fall went before that part of Gods providence which did gouerne his fall and as providence workes it so God decreed to haue it wrought Q. What attributes appeare by the manifestation of his decree A. Constancie truth and fidelitie for the decree must bee most constant true and faithfull Isa 14.24 As I haue purposed it shall come to passe and what I haue consulted shall stand Vers 27. The Lord hath determined who shall disanull it his hand is stretched out and who shall turne it away Rom. 9.19 Q. What is his constancie in decreeing A. Whereby his decree remaineth constant and vnchangeable Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord which change not and yee sonnes of Iacob are not consumed Isa 46.10 My counsell shall stand and I will doe all my pleasure Rom. 11.29 Heb. 6.17.18 Q. What is his truth A. Whereby he deliuereth nothing but that which he decreeth Truth is properly to pronounce as the thing is but the thing is ever as God pronounceth it to be You stand before me therefore I see you is a good consequence with man but the cleane contrary is true with God God seeth you therefore you stand there For truth is in God before it be in the things and in the things before it can be in me The truth therefore of Gods definitiue sentence is before the existence of any creature or action It is not true that the prescience of God follows the thing done or to be done for then the truth of a thing should be before God decreed it to be As for example God decreed this truth that Adam should fall this thing followes the foreknowledge of God in decreeing it to be so that it followes more directly thus God foresaw that Adam would fall therefore hee fell then on the contrary Adam fell therefore God foresaw it If truth should not more immediately followe the will and counsell of God then the nature of things then should decreed truths be mutable and some-times false but comming immediately from God they are ever delivered as he decreeth them Num. 23.19 Ier. 10.10 Deut. 32.4 Psal 145.17 Dan. 4.34 Rom. 3.4 Tit. 1.2 All which places free God from all possibilitie of lying and make him the Author of all truth Q. What is his fidelitie A. Whereby he effecteth most faithfully whatsoeuer hee hath decreed 1. Ioh. 1.9 He is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes Confession is no cause of the remission of sinnes as being after it in nature Yet God hath so decreed to linke things together that he will faithfully as though iustice required it performe remission of sinne to true confession 2. Tim. 2.13 He abideth faithfull and cannot deny himselfe Q. What appeareth by his decree beside these three Attributes A. His counsell for no decree is made without counsell and when Divines say that Gods decree is his eternall counsell they speake improperly for it is a thing wrought by counsell and as the effect shewes the cause so doth the decree of God his counsell For now we goe backward way to bring our selues to the highest cause of all things in which we are to rest without any further inquiry Ephes 1.11 Gods purpose for the effecting of any thing is framed according to the counsell of his will Q. What is his counsell A. It is his deliberation as it were for the best effecting of euery thing that seemeth good in his wisedome and will Act. 4.24 Christ died by the determinate counsell foreknowledge of God but that is the same with the decree for counsell more properly determines then is determined and therefore the new Translation speakes more aptly to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell
What is this manifold wisedome of God in respect of the vertues of the vnderstanding A. It is either the knowledge of all principles or truthes to befetched out of them or conclusions that may ensue vpon on these truthes or of the methode and order of disposing euery truth in his proper place or the practise of them so disposed according to the rules of any Art Iob 9.4 Hee is wise in heart and mightie in strength who hath hardned himselfe against him and hath prospered There is no wise workking against God Exod. 1.10 come and let vs deale wisely with them Pharaohs policies might have prevailed if a wiser then himselfe had not taken their parts against him Q. What are these intellectuall vertues A. They are in number fiue which are thus named first intelligence secondly science thirdly sapience fourthly prudence fiftly art or skill The first vertue knowes all inventions the two next all iudgements true or false together with all direct conclusions or deceitfull sophistications the fourth fits for the orderly practise of any thing and the last makes vs skilfull in whatsoeuer we doe The observation of these fiue vertues makes a man proceed fully vpon any theame To preach by them is a most full and effectuall way by intelligence wee open the text and bare the severall principles or reasons contained in it By science we gather the doctrines that those principles and reasons will yeeld By sapience we deduct or conclude further matter which was obscure till we did sift it out by making one truth force another By prudence wee make vse and application as may be fit for time place and person and so orderly vrge the truthes we haue found out by discourse Lastly by art we further the practise of all those duties which wee haue formerly pressed Some explaine their Text well yet neuer aptly lay downe doctrines others doe both these but misse in the conclusion others hit the conclusion too but wrong themselues or their auditors in application eyther making none or that which is amisse And lastly others leaue at the vse hauing warmed the affections and pegge it no further by letting them see the way of practise and so hammering not home the naile which should be fastened by the masters of the assembly let it slip againe or leaue a chinke Salomon the preacher Eccl. 12.10.11 observed all these vertues By intelligence of principles he sought to finde out acceptable words by science he looked for an vpright writing and by sapience tried them to be the words of truth and then by prudence made his words as goads to pricke forward vnto practise and then by art as a skilfull master of the assembly fastned the naile to the head Q. What is Gods intelligence A. That vertue of vnderstanding whereby he worketh euery particular concerning euery thing there is no argument or reason but he can finde it out Psal 139.16 All things in Gods booke ver 2.3.4.5.7.11.12 Euery thought word deed with their circumstances of time place person c. are all together knowne to God God needs no intelligencers for his eyes are over all his workes Q. What is his science A. That vertue of vnderstanding whereby hee knoweth all truthes in the things which as they are to come is called prescience or foreknowledge and in regard of past present and to come omniscience Ioh. 21.17 Lord thou knowest all things and therefore canst iudge whether I speake truely or not for foreknowledge there is none in God properly for to him all things are present yet speaking of his indirect knowledge in reference to the creature we terme that foreknowledge that goes before the existence and being of the creature Q. What is his sapience A. That vertue of vnderstanding whereby he vnderstandeth whatsoeuer may follow or ensue of euery thing Iob 12.13.16 Such wisedome with God that he knowes how to handle both deceiuer and deceiued their fallacies can no wayes prevaile with him Q. What is his prudence A. Whereby he knoweth the fittest opportunitie for the dispatch of all things Gen. 15.16 The wickednesse of the Amorites is not yet full 2. Pet. 2.9 The Lord knowes how to deliuer the godly and reserue the wicked to punishment 2. Thes 1.6.7 It is a righteous thing with God and most ag reeable with his prudence in applying of rewards to recompense tribuiation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs c. Q. What is his art or skill A. Whereby he knoweth how to effect euery thing most skilfully Psal 104.24 In excellent wisedome hast thou made all Heb. 11.10 For he looked for a citie which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God the originall word is Technitees an Artificer God hath manifested great skill in the creation of these lower parts of the world but in the third heauen his art passeth all excellencie Q. Seeing his good-pleasure appeares last what is it A. The most free act of his will in euery thing as it pleaseth him Psal 115.3 Our God is in heauen he doth whatsoeuer he pleaseth Mat. 11.26 Euen so father for so it seemed good in thy sight Math. 20.15 Is it not lawfull for me to doe with mine owne as I list Ephes 1.5.9.11 Q. How doth it respect himselfe A. As the chiefe good Psal 36.9 For with thee is the fountaine of life and in thy light shall we see light Col. 3.11 Christ is all and in all His good-pleasure must needs first respect himselfe then his creatures because from him as the fountaine of goodnesse they haue all their goodnesse deriued 1. Cor. 15.28 God is said to be all in all Q. How the creatures A. As they beare his image in which regard they are onely good Gen. 1.4.10 c. God saw it was good that is he so approued of his creatures as they answered his goodnesse in making of them Rom. 12.2 Be not conformed to this world but be yee transformed by the renewing of your minde that ye may proue what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God Conformitie with the world pleaseth not the Almightie because it agreeth not with his image being mightily deformed with sinne Then doth hee acknowledge vs for his when we are changed by the spirit of sanctification into that image which we lost by the fall of Adam Q. What learne you from thence A. That the good pleasure of God being most freely set vpon his creatures is the first and most absolute cause of all things and therefore he must needs doe all that hee doth with the greatest libertie of will hauing no higher cause to checke him Dan. 4.35 He doth according to his will in the army of heauen and among the inhabitants of the earth and none can stay his hand or say vnto him what doest thou Ier. 18.6 Mat. 20.15 Rom. 9.18.21 2. Sam. 16.10 Isa 45.9 In all which places as God workes most freely so he is bound to render account to none of all his
of time so some others that they might not haue their principles together were to haue something goe before them hence the constancie and inconstancie of Gods creatures The third heauen and the Angels were of necessitie to be created in the first instant that they might haue their perfection of matter and forme together otherwise they should be corruptible for whatsoeuer is of a preexistent matter is resoluble and subiect to corruption But that which is immediately of nothing is perfectly composed hath no other change but by the same hand to returne into nothing againe It was therefore impossible for the world to want a beginning and improbable for the creatures to be all at once and yet some to remaine incorruptible and others corruptible That the worke was of sixe dayes continuance is plaine by Gen. 2.1 Exod 20.11 Q. How is the worke distributed A. Either into the adiuncts of time as a worke of sixe dayes or into the essentiall and integrall parts as into nature constant or inconstant or respecting the agent that gaue all as well matter as forme into Creation immediately perfect or perfect by degrees Gen. 1.1 In the beginning or very first moment of time God created heauen and earth Now by the opposite member in the distribution largely discribed in the whole Chapter we shall be able to vnderstand that which is in silence passed over Earth vpon which wee now tread was made the third day and therefore cannot be this which was made in the very beginning of the first day neither can this heauen be that which was made the second day ver 8. It then remaines by iust consequent to be the highest heauen which at the very first was made most absolute and perfect Secondly the earth that was made at the very same instant as a matter of all that was afterwards to be created being all things in power nothing in act did from his owne center touch the third heauen in euery point and part of his outside that of necessitie least any vacuitie or emptinesse should haue interposed it selfe within the compasse of so great a continent nature abhorring to yeeld nothing a place within the circle of some-thing Therefore were these two as companions and friends immediately made of God in the very beginning of the first day Further it is said of the earth ver 2. that it was without forme and voyd that is as yet it had neither any essentiall or accidentall perfection The Lord afterwards did forme it into the light the expanse improperly called the firmament the water and the earth These foure were mediately created of the earth and yet for their formes immediately from God of nothing Thus was the earth first formed the highest part of it most apt to receiue light the next ayre the third the forme of water and the lowest the forme of earth After the earth had receiued this perfection it was filled in euery part of it with inhabitants as aboue with starres foules below with trees beasts and fishes c. But of these anone I insist here to proue by reason that which is a truth not as yet clearely deliuered and by many contradicted I leaue all to censure according to the evidence I shall giue My meaning is not to binde any man vnto my opinion I onely present things and lay them out as it were vpon a stall neither is it meet I grow into choler with any man that giues me no credit or dis-likes my ware that were to play the Pedant Passion witnesseth that it is not reason so to doe and he that doth any thing out of passion cannot well doe it out of reason Why should any bee angry with mee that I am not altogether of his opinion seeing I am not angry with him because he is not of mine I haue propounded for my example S. Ierome and S. Augustine in their disputations to whom it was no matter who gained the day they would both winne by vnderstanding their errors But why doe I thus draw my selfe from my taske Let truth vphold her selfe by mildnesse and be promoted by patience You haue heard that heaven and earth were made in the very instant and beginning of the first day That they are two opposite members in the worke of God and therefore what is properly giuen to the one must not bee giuen to the other The earth sayth the Text was without forme and voyd Heaven then had at the very first his forme and inhabitant and therefore had the glorious Angels at the same instant created with it other places were in time before their in-dwellers onely the third heaven and the Angels were concreated and the reason is for that their perfections were equally of nothing It could not stand with order after the finishing of the third heauen and entrance made to create of matter afterward to fall off againe and beginne to create substances of no matter I meane integrally for their whole essence otherwise the foure formes of the elements and soule of man were of nothing Q. What is the creation of things immediately made perfect A. Whereby he made them of nothing with their principles together that is their matter and forme were put together of Almightie God not suffering the one to enter the composition before the other Gen. 1.1 In the beginning he made not giuing the one a beginning before the other The same individuall time was the measure of both Our bodies and soules may part asunder because in creation time did separate them c. Q. What followes from hence A. That they are obnoxious and subiect to the motion of their owne nature onely by the power of God No other force is able to worke vpon them or destroy their beings Luk. 12.31 Math. 6.19.20 1. Tim. 6.19 The place and the life therein are both incorruptible subiect to no alteration change or mutation Angels are too quicke and ready in their motion to suffer of any but God he onely is nimble enough to meet them and master them Q. What else A. That they are onely subiect in regard of their essence to creation and annihilation that is by the same hand they may be made nothing as they were of nothing made something Isa 40.15 God can takeaway his creature as easily as the winde doth a little dust Q. What yet further may be obserued A. That they are in themselues no wayes liable to generation or corruption They can neither receiue new formes or loose their old for that matter cannot admit of diverse formes which it selfe was never depriued of his owne So complete is the vnion that the matter hath not so much as the least inclination to any other perfection then it receiues at the first instant by the hand of the Creator and excellencie of his forme Math. 22.30 The idle question of the Sadduces concerning mariage in heauen and procreation of children is fully answered by our Sauiour both in regard of the nature of the place and
his first inhabitants In the resurrection of the dead they neither marry nor are giuen in mariage but are as the Angels of God in beauen Q. When were these things created A. In the first moment of time for as they had no succession of time for the receiuing of their essentiall parts so God tooke the very first beginning for their creation The succession of time being left to other creatures of a cleane contrary nature Angels are not simply eternall because they haue a beginning yet they are immortall because nature can never sever their parts or divide them asunder Gen. 1.1 In the beginning he made the heauen c. Perfect for forme and that it might not be voyd like the earth filled it with most excellent inhabitants Q. What are the things so made A. The third heaven and the Angels Colos 1.16 Heaven and all things therein as thrones dominions principalities powers c. were created of the Father by his Sonne Angels no sooner opened the eyes of their reason then they saw themselues in skie and highest sphere of happinesse Q. What is the creation of the third heaven A. Whereby it was made perfect immediately of nothing to be a most excellent place replenished with all pleasures that belong to eternall happinesse where his Maiestie is seene face to face and therefore aboue all other places is called the Habitacle of holinesse 2 Chron. 30.27.1 King 8.30 Deut. 26.15 Gods house full of excellent Mansions Ioh. 14.2 Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 The third and highest heaven 2. Cor. 12.2 Psal 113.5 The habitation of Iehovah where are fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for euermore Psal 16.11 and 33.14 This onely hath the immoueable foundation Heb. 11.10 And is as folide as stone but cleare as Cristall Rev. 21.11 Iob sayes it is strong and firme as being stretched and spread out to the vtmost extension and as transparent in brightnesse as a molten looking glasse Iob 37.18 This onely is to be called Firmament as not penetrable by any creature whereas the other two heavens vnder it are to be passed through by the grossest bodies This heaven is without all pores and cannot possibly extend or contract it selfe into a larger or straiter compasse it opens to the very Angels Gen. 28.12 Ioh. 1.51 who though they be able to penetrate all things vnder it yet are they no more able to enter that body then they are to passe into one anothers natures Hence it comes to passe that the third heaven giues way to Angels the soules and bodies of men to enter by miracle God making way by his power where nature yeelds no passage This heaven is more firme and solide then the earth more bright and glorious then the Sunne in his strength c. Q. What is the Creation of the Angels A. Whereby he created them at once and together in the third heaven immediately of nothing with the greatest perfections of nature to the end they might praise him together and become his ministring Spirits and Messengers as he should haue occasion to send them Heb. 1.7 He made them for perfection of nature Spirits and for office his most immediate Ministers and for execution more ready then any flame of fire ver 14. Yea and so prompt to minister to the heires of saluation that they are all ready to be commanded Iob 38.7 They are called morning Starres by reason of their admirable brightnesse of nature such as the eye of flesh cannot behold Colos 1.16 Q. With what properties hath he enriched them A. With the greatest perspicuitie of reason and acutenesse of wit libertie of will strength and speed of motion that is possible or incident to created nature Mat. 18.10 They are sayd alwayes to behold the face of God so cleare vnderstandings that they quickly perceiue what God would haue done yet of some things are they ignorant Mar 13.32 And whatsoever they know is by reflection either of Gods face vpon the glasse of their mindes or the beames of it as they shine in the creatures the one is by immediate revelation the other by inquisition and discourse Eph. 3.10 1. Pet. 1.12 It is true that Angels see both the face of God and the face of things and then the face of themselues and hence it is that they know nothing in themselues but either God reveales it or themselues doe finde it in the creatures and by meanes hereof they learne much in beholding God and his workes and hauing so neere a presence with his Maiesty must needs out-strip others that are further off I meane in respect of divine Revelation As for freedome of will it was most excellent by nature and is now growne better by grace and hath confirmed them for ever in glory as for strength and a gilitie of motion read these Texts Gen. 32.2 2 Sam. 24.16 2 King 19.35 Act. 1.10 and 5.19 and 12.7.8.9.10 Q. What are their offices A. To celebrate the praises of God and to execute his commands Dan. 7.10 Thousand thousands ministred vnto him and ten thousand thousands stood before him Luk. 1.19 I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God and am sent to speake vnto thee c. Psal 103.20 and 148. 2. Ready are the Angels both in their attendance vpon God and performance of his will to his creatures Psal 91.11 Isa 6.3 Rev. 7.11.12 They are as a gard to the Church Q. Where is their speciall abode A. In the third heauen Math. 18 10. Their Angels in heaven Mar. 12.25 When wee arisefrom the dead wee shall be as the Angels in heaven Psal 68.17 The Chariots of the Lord are twentie thousand thousand Angels and the Lord is among them as in the Sanctuary of Sinai They are the proper inhabitants of heaven and there is of them an innumerable company Heb. 12.22 Yet their number is not infinite though to vs it be indefinite Q. Are there any degrees of Angels A. Yes but to determine what and how many is without warrant from Gods word for ought I can finde Q. Doth not Scripture favour their opinion that make nine severall orders of Angels A. Col. 1.16 Ephe. â— 21. and 3.10 S. Paul here giueth distinct titles to the inhabitants of heauenly places But whether hereby are signified distinct orders offices or gifts it doth not appeare And whenas it is supposed that those nine orders are set downe by a disciple of S. Paul it is well proued that the alledged Dionysius is of a far newer stamp and baser mettall Nor can I see how it can agree with Scripture that the Seraphim Cherubim and thâ—ones haue never any other employment then immediate attending vpon the presence of God whereas Heb. 1.14 the Angels are said to be all ministring Spirits for the good of the elect Isa 6.6 CHAPTER XIII Of the first matter and foure Elements Question HItherto of things immediately perfected what is the creation of those things that were perfected by degrees An. It is whereby he made them of a
104.23 When the Sunne riseth man goeth forth to his worke Gen. 1.5 He called the light day by a Trope putting it for the time wherein it is the cause of the day Q. What is night A. If we giue way to evident reason and experience we must needs acknowledge the night to be nothing else but the shadow of the earth that is the privation of light made by the earths thicke body intercepting and cutting off the Sunnes beames They that are of the foresaid opinion define night to be the time wherein the light returneth vpward ascending backe againe to the place where God first created it which is as a paradoxe so an vndefensible Tenent both for the reasons abouesaid as also for that in this description there is no efficient or materiall cause implyed which should make the light returne vpward ascend backe againe Lastly there is no respectiue difference made of the diverse parts of the Globe of the earth Whereupon it may be supposed that he that made this definition did not consider the earth heauens to be sphericall and so to make vicissitude of day and night in the moiety of the earth How called God the Night A. He called it Lailah which signifieth resting because he made the night for man to rest in Q. How did God order these things A. He appointed them to keepe their course making a separation betweene them setting them as it were their limites which they might not passe Gen. 1.4 Q. What is this separation A. The separation betweene the day and the night is the euening betweene the night and the day the morning Gen. 1.5 Euening separates by darkenesse morning by light So that the one dis-ioynes the day from the night and the other the night from the day Onely the first euening separated not because the light was then vncreated yet was it of God appointed even then as apt to stand betwixt light and darkenesse And thus from the euening and the morning was the first day finished consisting of 24. houres In the first evening were heaven and earth created and in the first morning the light or element of fire The observation of time will keepe vs from that foule confusion about heaven and earth which are so frequently expounded of the workes that followed vpon other dayes Q. What is the Creation of the ayre A. Whereby God made it in the next part of the first matter most moyst and of a diffusiue or diffluent nature spreading abroad both for impletion and separation Psal 104.2 He spreadeth the heavens like a curtaine that is the ayre for he had spoken of the light before which is further called a superior chamber very spatious and containes as it were a beame for the hanging of the clouds For water is naturally cold and therefore gathereth it selfe together in the middle region and by helpe of the ayre is held vp which maketh a partition betwixt those waters that are congeled aboue and that are fluide and floating below Gen. 1.7 for the cloudes hang by vertue of cold both in the place and of that which is in vapours being watery and ascending by the violence of the Sunne beames redoubled which when they returne single leaue their vapours behind them which are held by the place till the fire light returning dissolue the bands and send them downe againe in raine or some such like moyst Meteor Iob 38.31 Canst thou bind the sweete influences of Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion This is nothing but the neat and cold that rules in the ayre and earth when these brumall or aestivall starres are most to be seene in our haemisphere Orion is seene all night in the moneth of December and so on till the Spring lesse or more The Pleiades begin with the Spring and last till Autumne when Acturus takes place Iob. 9.9 So then as cold bindes vp all in Winter because of the Sunnes absence so heat looseth againe when the Sunne returneth in the Spring And as below so aboue cold knits the clouds and heat breakes their knots Q. How called he it being made A. By the name in Hebrew Shamaijm which signifies there be waters sealing thereby the office in deviding betwixt the two waters Gen. 1.7.8 Hence it comes to passe that raine water is farre more fruitful to the earth then any other because it is not dissolved by the light but it brings downe with it much ayery moysture which is fatter then leane water and we see by experience that one shower is better then much watering Q. When was it made A. In the second 24. houres God taking as it were a whole day for that which was equally capable of light and darkenesse Gen. 1.8 So the euening and the morning were the second day by an equall succession of light and darkenesse 2. Cor. 4.6 God in the first day made light to shine out of darkenesse when there was no capable subiect for the receiuing of it now he stayes a whole day of 24. houres for light and darkenesse to come and goe in a proper subiect Oh then how should we trust this God to shine in our hearts even when we are most vncapable Q. What is the creation of the colder elements A. Whereby he created them with formes lesse actiue and therefore colder these elements are clogged with more matter then forme and therefore the action of them is much hindred Isa 1.2 Heare O earth the dullest of Gods creatures is brought to convince man of disobedience which should be the most forward Q. What are they A. Water and earth Gen. 1.9 Let the waters be gathered and let the drie appeare Q. What is the Creation of the water A. Whereby it was made in the lower part of the first matter most cold and moist His cold appeares to be greatest by his gathering and his moysture in this that it is fluide and of a spreading nature yet much inferior to the ayre as may appeare by putting our hands into oyle and water as likewise by pictures which hold their colours the longer for that they are laid in oyle Now because water sooner dries vp then oyle it is plaine that ayre which is predominant in oyle is moyster then water Gen. 1.9 Let the waters vnder the heaven be gathered together this is done by the cold of them and therefore no wonder to see the Seas tumble together Q. How is this water devided A. Into the waters aboue and the waters beneath Gen. 1.6 And it is probable that both these waters met together in Noahs flood Gen. 7.20 with 11. Q. What meane you by the waters aboue A. The clouds and whatsoeuer water is aboue in the ayre Gen. 1.6 Psal 104.3 and 148.4 For as cold gathers them below so aboue c. and may very well be called Gods botels as containing all those gatherings Iob 38.37 Q. What meane you by the waters beneath A. The Sea and all the waters here below Psal 33.7 Hee gathereth the waters of the
to make way for the Sea seemes to lie vpon the very waters and to be vpholden by them and so appeared by Gods commandement from vnder them and now to stand in them Q. How called God the waters beneath A. Iammim Seas Gen. 1.10 because there was the collection of many waters all rivers running into it Eccl. 1.7 We see many great rivers which at the first rising out of some hills-side might be covered with a Bushell which after many miles fill a very broad channell and drawing neere to the Sea doe even make a little Sea in their owne bankes Iam signifies the west because the Seas flow from that way c. CHAPTER XIIII Of the Elementaries Question VVE haue heard of the elements what are the elementaries Answere Whereby God made them of these foure elements by a mixture Gen. 1.11 Let the earth bring forth c. This was impossible without heat and moysture therefore other elements were in the composition as may appeare by the resolution of plants out of which water and spirit is to be distilled c. The mystery of this mixture may thus bee conceiued First water being of a running nature is stayed by earths drinesse Secondly earth being dry in the highest degree would destroy waters moysture being not answerable to his quality in the same degree therefore ayre comes in and takes part with water to moderate his excessiue drinesse Thirdly the coldnesse of water and earth together would easily extinguish the heat of the ayre except fire the greatest champion should step in and helpe the ayre against them both And those all foure being closed together fight it out vntill the quarrell be taken vp by euery one yeelding a little to another and remitting their forces vntill they all meete louingly together in the same elementary composition which is as a compound of them all But you will say this is rather Generation then Creation and therefore a foule confusion to bring it amongst divine precepts I answere The action of euery creature is but an imitable genesis or correspondent work-manship to Gods and therefore in euery thing the first course is extraordinary God shewing the creature his way of imitation Therefore all the elementaries were made of God though hee gaue commandement to the elements to bring them forth Q. How devide you these clementaries A. They are either animate or inanimate things with life or without life God shewing himselfe by his worke to be both life and being Now because God proceeds to perfection let vs first see the more imperfect elementaries Q. What are the inanimate elementaries A. Whereby they were made out of the elements without parts that is a body and a soule I confesse some dispute is about Mineralls which containe in them excellent spirits and are found very vivificall in cordialls but yet this is no proper life neither will it follow that they haue a vegetatiue life because they seeme to grow for that is onely by addition of matter and not a liuely extension of the same matter by a springing life increasing to his full perfection c. Q. How are they devided A. They are either Meteors or Mineralls for so it comes to passe that these things which haue onely a body and no soule are either of elements well ioyned together or else of such as hang very loosely together and are casily shaken asunder these things are passed over in silence by Moses and might well be left out of this Art saue onely that God doth wonderfully set forth his glory even by the weakest workes and those that are worst tyed together in their composition We will therefore stay a little in the handling of them for their knowledge shall be both pleasant and profitable Q. What are the Meteors A. All luch things as are mixed of the foure elements imperfectly Gen. 1.6 Of this kinde are the waters aboue Gen. 2.5 the raine that descends from them Psal 148. Clouds fire haile snow winde and vapours are called vpon to prayse the Lord because he created them What marvells doe we meete withall in this head of creatures the clouds the bottles of raine vessels as thin as the liquor which is contained in them there they hang and moue though weightie with their burden These the Lord maketh one while as some ayery Seas to hold water another while as some ayery Furnaces whence he scattereth his sudden fires vnto all the parts of the earth astonishing the world with the fearefull noyies of the thunders eruption out of the midst of the waters aboue he fetcheth fire and hard stones Another while hee makes the clouds as steele-glasses wherein the Sunne lookes and shewes his face in the varietie of colours which he hath not there are the streames of light blazing and falling Starres fires darted vp and downe in many formes hollow openings and as it were gulfes in the skie bright circles about the Moone and other Planets Snowes Haile c. Here might I discourse of a world of wonders to the astonishment of the readers but I must remember my Art which is to speake of Creation and not the generation of things for as the one belongs to Divinitie so the other to naturall Phylosophy And I take it that Meteors were rather generated of the foure elements then created though in all wee are to admire Gods hand though we cannot search out his action But if God lend life as I desire first to acquaint men more fully with the knowledge of Iehovah-Elohim so after with their workes And Creation according to Moses description will yeeld the exactest and divinest Phylosophie Q. What is the perfect mixture A. Whereby the bodies of things are more closely vnited and produced according to the predominant element not hanging by violence out of their proper elements but duely placed of God in their proper places whereby the first matter is filled and adorned God himselfe supplying that voyd and vnformed masse with foure formes and infinite varieties of creatures out of their composition and mixture They which lie the lowest and doe adorne the bowels of the earth wee call Mineralls and they are either Metalls or Stones the one hath water predominant in it the other earth and they are both precious and base purer or impurer And it is to be wondered at that man treading vpon these Mineralls should not learne to contemne them They lie furthest from heaven and the best of them are in India furthest from the Church It is as we haue said that which Midianitish Camels carry that Indian slaues get that servile Apprentises worke that greedy Iewes swallow worldlings admire and Ruffians spend and yet we cannot esteem of it as the meanest of Gods creatures far inferior to a spire of grasse Adam had them in the first Paradise Gen. 2.11.12 In the second we shall not need them Iob 28.1.2.3.5.6 c. There may you see how God hath placed them and how we come by them And so subiect to sinne as God
made a law to haue them purified before he would haue them vsed Num. 31.22.23 c. Hence it is abominable of these things to make Idoll gods Ezek. 16.17 Ioel. 3.5 Q. What are the elementaries with life A. Whereby they were created of a body and soule for life is nothing but the act of the soule vpon the body and the soule saue onely the reasonable is compounded of the foure elements and is nothing but the Spirits of them or that which is most formall and actiue in them Hence fire and ayre are most predominant in these spirits for as by extraction we haue the spirits of things taken from the masse and body by resolution of the composition so in the composition those spirits were as the soule of that liuing thing Wine is pressed from the grape which is the fruit of a vegetable plant and because it carries away with it the more formall elements and leaues the grosser and more materiall behind wee say it is generous and full of Spirits yea and out of this againe by Art are taken the Spirits of wine which are very liuely and of a quickning nature In all plants Ayre is most formall and therefore the vegetatiue life consists most in moysture and the spirit of it but in the Sensatiue and Motiue life fire and the spirit thereof is most predominant These Spirits which are the soules of Plants and Beasts are but the band or tye of the reasonable soule and body hence death in man is nothing but the extinguishing or consuming of these Spirits for as this claspe vnlooseth or knot vntieth so body and soule separate asunder Agues they consume and backe these Spirits within our bodies and so consequently kill vs colds and watery distempers doe not so much wast as weary and tyre them and at last extinguish them as a brand in a puddle of water Gen. 1.20.21.24.28 c. we read of life and Gen. 7.22 wee heare how God extinguished the same againe Q. What are the kinds A. Either such as liue a single life or a compound life Some creatures haue their Spirits or Soules from some one element formally others from more As for example all Plants liue most by the Spirit and moysture of the ayre Starres of the fire men and beasts by both They grow by the one haue sense and motion by the other Q. What is this single life A. Whereby he made some creatures to line by the formall and act itâ—e Spirits of some one element Q. What are their kinds A. Plants and lights the one with a growing and springing life the other with a stirring or mouing life Gen. 1.11 with 14. The first being more imperfect as ayre is lesse formall then fire is first handled Q. What is the Creation of the Plants A. Whereby the earth brought them forth with aspringing life onely Gen. 1.11.12.13 They were compounded of the foure elements but the earth doth predominate or beare rule in the body as ayre doth in the Soule and euery thing is placed in that element which beares greatest sway in the body or materiall substance of it Q. How were they created A. According to their kinds yeelding seed both the lesser and greater the lesser as grasse herbes flowers shrubbes the greater fruitfull trees and the rest without fruit All which the earth brought forth by the commandement of God and as it is the mother and breeder of them so is it the Nurse and foster-mother of them ever after Gen. 1.14 The act of the soule in plants is vegitation and they haue as it were a mouth to draw nourishment and prepare it for the stomacke and a kind of liuer and heart for concoction Now this facultie to nourish hath foure companions to waite on it First Attraction the Spirits drawing a portion to euery part Secondly Retention whereby the part keepes and holds what it hath gotten Thirdly Concoction to digest and convert what it hath gotten into it selfe Fourthly Expulsion whereby it reiecteth and electeth whatsoeuer is superfluous Now the seed is an excrement of the last concoction and therefore is from the assimulation of the nourishment which makes it like euery part Hence from simular parts it begets simular parts and out of so little a part being full of Spirits are begotten all other creatures In seed and food consists all vegitable life and a hurt in either is dangerous and often deadly From nutrition proceed augmentation and generation the one for extension of the same thing the other for preservation of it in others Extention is by heat hence females are lesse then males because their heat is lesse though often they haue more moysture Generation is by seed which receiues from plants and all other things the soule and substance of euery part Hence is it able to giue the kind that yeelds it And therefore the Lord sayes euery Plant yeelding seed after his kind Gen. 1.12 Teaching vs thereby that the seed vertually and potentially answeres the creature in euery part and member of it Q. When were these made A. The same day wherein the waters and earth were created Gen. 1.13 And so by succession of an evening and morning was there a third day or 24. houres In creation of the elements God began in the top of the matter but in the elementaries he began in the bottome first creating the Mineralls and then the Plants For God is a God of order and so passeth on in his worke from imperfection to perfection I meane where there is a succession of parts otherwise God begins with the best first For the Lord did not in the vniverse as men doe in building rake first in the earth to lay the foundation and adde the roofe last but he first laid on the roofe and last of all came to the foundation First heaven then fire next ayre and last of all water and earth Yet being the God of Art followed an exact methode in all for being come to the earth hee first makes things spring then moue after spring moue and walke by sense Lastly as an Epitome of all the rest he comes to man which growes moues walkes and aboue all the rest liues by reason Q. What is the Creation of the lights A. Whereby he made them in the element of fire with a motiue life to runne round carrying the same side still forward that they may bring light vpon the earth and separate betweene day and night and be for fignes and seasons dayes and yeeres Gen. 1.14.15 Iob 38.31.32.33 Psal 8.2.4 Psal 19.2.3.4.5.6.7 and 136.7.8.9 Ier. 31.35 Amos. 5.8 c. False and fabulous Phylosophie makes this doctrine a wonder and they that bring Moses to Aristotle laugh at this lesson Starres to liue is against reason for they are not nourished neither doe they increase or generate c. I may reply againe vpon Divines from Moses by a probable argument they were created after liuing things therefore they haue life c. Aristotles obiection is easily answered
Life consisting in the moysture of ayre is to be nourished not in the spirit of fire Animall spirits if they were not generated of the vitall and daily restored by them they might liue by their fiery nature as well as starres Let this then be granted that all elementarie soules are either the formall spirits of the ayre or fire and then starres hauing the one and not the other may liue without nourishment The influences of the Starres are as vitall as the animall spirits in man and both comfort and beget life c. Againe their motion shewes they liue for nothing is moued from place to place without it If God and Moses may be heard Phylosophers shall easily haue their mouthes stopped Scripture euery where testifieth of the motion of the Starres Which must either be by counsell or nature or violence or fortune Not by counsell for their motion is regular and alwayes the same and this were sufficient to proue the cause next vnder God to be naturall But the opinion is they are moued by the externall force of Angels as a wheele by a dog or a Crane by walking men I reade indeed that the Angels are ministring spirits for the good of the elect but no where in Gods booke that they turne the wheeles of heaven And againe the light being common to good and bad the good Angels should minister daily as well for reprobates as Gods elect But to still all cackling in this cause let the Text cleare it selfe Gen. 1.14.15.16.17.18 That which God saw to be good answers Gods intention in his motion to his end Therefore the Starres had so much by their creation that they were able to devide giue light rule dayes and nights the which they were vnable to doe without motion God therefore gaue them a power to moue that they might obtaine these ends which if they should assume from any other then God would argue the imperfection of his owne worke It may well be thought they receiue this life in their centers as other things doe in the circumference For being round heat and spirit will most vnite themselues within as in a silver spoone turne the hollow side to the fire and it will be very hot But in plaine bodies heat is receiued in a cleane contrary fashion as in Andyrons where they be round are very cold but where they be plaine they be very hot and will burne soone Starres therefore are round like globes that heat may the better center in them and make them the more actiue and liuely in their motion Why they should neither ascend nor descend is their equall temper with the place where they stay Why they moue round is the actiue spirit and soule that will not suffer them to rest It is said of the Sunne Psal 19.4.5.6 that God hath set him a tabernacle or proper place out of which he cannot goe and yet he comes out of the chambers thereof and in the strength of his motiue spirit reioyceth to runne his race not tumble it as some dreame for running a brest in the fire hee pusheth and shoueth it from him that nothing can be hid from his heat light His circuit is from one end of heaven to another and by his quicke dispatch euery day either drawes a little nearer or goes a little farther off not that at any time he comes nearer the earth but by fleeting a little his chambers he comes sometime in the yeere to dwell more directly over our heads then other He devids night and day euery 24. houres with vs and by running from one point to another the whole yeere And it is as naturall to the Sunne to runne a circuit euery day as another in a whole yeere not that he is pulled contrary wayes by two diverse orbes but that which he doth euery day in part that hee doth wholly and completely in a yeare Now the part and the whole may agree in the same motion and euery dayes race is but a part of the whole yeeres course which the Sunne may as truely keepe in the whole as in the parts and that without all contrary motions But seeing euery man will fancie his owne fiction I leaue this without all further prosecution Q. How many sort of Starres haue we A. Two The greater and the lesser not for quantitie of bodie but qualitie of light for the originall word Meoroth is Makers of light Luminaries shiners And so the Sunne and Moone are greatest as giuing to the earth the greatest quantitie of light How great the Starres are is a coniecture and guesse at the iust proportion of any one yet they are very bigge and it is evident that the Sunne is bigger then the earth by the Eclipses and because it enlightneth more then halfe the earth at once Gen. 1.16 Q. What are the greater A. The Sunne and the Moone These two cast downe the greatest light vpon the face of the earth Genesis 1.16 Psal 104.19 Q. What is the Creation of the Sunne A. Whereby he made it to rule the day c. And it is called the greater light because it darkens all Starres by his shining yea and casts light in the face of them all hence the Moone which hath such a changeable light receiues her splendor from the Sunne according to that face which is opposite to the body of the Sunne for the one halfe of it is ever illuminated and illustrated by the same and in receiuing and casting downe that light seemes to haue spots in her face Gen. 1.16 Psal 19.5.6 Q What is the creation of the Moone A. Whereby it was made to rule the night Gen. 1.16 Yet shee hath the assistence of the Starres for her selfe is often absent in the night Q. What are the lesser lights A. The Starres Gen. 1.16 These carry downe a lesser quantitie of light yet if it were not for them our nights would be palpable darkenesse which is the greatest enemy to the eye for it is a comfortable thing to see the light Eccl. 11.7 Q. When were all these made A. In the fourth day euening and morning succeeding as before in the compasse of 24. houres Gen. 1.19 Q. What is the creation of things with a compound life A. Whereby they were made not onely with a growing and mouing life but also with sense externall and internall the one serving as glasse windowes for the other The first sense which is most necessary is our feeling and is dispersed through the whole body excepting the bones and sinewes Bones are the sustentacles of our bodies and therefore would be painfull to vs if they were tender of feeling The sinewes they are the organs and instruments and carry in them the sensitiue spirits and man is most ticklish where his skin is thinnest With the tips of the fingers Physitians feele their patients as being most sensible of the pulses motion The tangible obiects are heat cold drought and moysture principally secondarily the qualities that hence arise Tast is next
knowne in Moses dayes and by the description may be knowne in ours Plinie speakes of a citie called Ctesiphon which lies betweene the river Tigris and Euphrates mentioned by Moses Gen. 2.14 which is wonderfull fruitfull and it lies as an Iland environed by both Also it is well knowne that in Babylon neere Tigris is a most fertile place for feeding of Cattell and the people are faine to keepe them vp in the night for feare of suffocation Their corne they mow thrise and then receiue a twofold increase The Garden of Adonis was in this countrey And Scripture mentioneth 2. King 19.12 The children of Eden which were in Thel-asare That is the Garison Souldiers that were in a tower against the King of Assyria for the defence of this fruitfull countrey The Topographie shewes plainely that here-abouts the Garden stood Perath or Euphrates is a knowne river that devideth Syria from Chaldea and Mesopotamia c. And may be taken for the whole river though it haue but the name of the fourth river which is as it were the midle streame of Euphrates running betwixt the second third river of which nothing is sayd more then the name because it was best knowne to the Iewes when Moses did write Pison the first river may very well be that which Plinie calls Pasi-tigris or Piso-tigris And in Plinie Diglath or Diglito another arme is the same with Hiddekel both signifying the same thing viz. an arrow for the swiftnesse of the water and this is the same with Tigris now called Tegil So that by all this it is most probable that the Garden did lie betwixt Euphrates and Tigris Furthermore Plinie writes that as it were a fish-pond or Marsh in compasse about an Acre of ground burnes continually which may not without probability be thought to besome remembrance of that flaming sword which turned euery way to keepe man from the tree of life Gen. 3.24 God in iust judgement turning the place into ashes a burning poole as he afterwards did Sodome another Eden of the world By this appeares the folly of Papists that thought this Garden was not drowned in the flood and that Enoch and Elias liue in it c. Oh happy man if hee had but knowne his owne happinesse when he first opened his eyes he saw haven aboue him and a flourishing earth vnder him and himselfe placed in the very Paradise and Palace of the world But this is cleane washed away and over turned in the iust judgement of God Yet read the excellent description of it and let the losse of it provoke vs to seeke after a better Gen. 2.8.9.10.11.12.13.14 Q. Why did God thus place man in a Garden A. That man being appointed of God as Lord deputie vnder him might there serue him more freely keepe his Court haue necessary imployment both in dressing and keeping the Garden Gen. 2.15 It was one of Adams faults to suffer the serpent to come into it Another to forget his dutie to God for the very trees did not onely affoord him worke for his hands but instruction for his heart There he saw two Sacraments in the very midst of the rest of the trees grow before him as most eminent teachers of him Gen. 2.9 The greater shame to offend God who had so hedged him in on all sides that by a word of his mouth he might haue rebuked the Serpent and by the least cast of his eye beene confirmed in dutie and diligence But blessed be God that we haue a better tree of life before our eyes not a tree for triall but for confirmation of being happie in despight of Satan of which we may eate and liue Q. Of what kinds was man created A. Male and female Gen. 1.27 The Male immediately for his body of the foure Elements Gen. 2.7 The female for her body of one of his ribs man being cast into a deepe sleepe Gen. 2.21 Man had better loose a peece of himselfe then misse a good wife Yet the Lord would not paine him in sending him a meete helper as for their Soules they were equally inspired that they might both be partakers of the same happinesse Gen. 1.27 For the image they were both equall Q. Why did God make her A. God saw that it was not good for man to be alone and among the rest of the creatures there was none fit to be his companion Gen. 2.18.20 That there might therefore be wanting to him no comfortable thing God thought it needfull that he should haue such an helper as might satisfie his desires and giue him by his divine benediction a fruitfull ofspring Gen. 1.28 Mal. 2.15 All that man saw immediately after his creation were fit to be his servants none his companions and the same God that found the want supplies it Rather then man shall want a comfort God will begin a new creation not out of the earth mans first matter or out of other creatures his servants but out of himselfe for dearnesse for equalitie and that neither of the head nor foote but the side shewing her place which is to stand next to her husband neither as his drudge in being basely governed nor as his wanton in crowing over him Furthermore God consults not with man to make him happie As he was ignorant while himselfe was made so shall he not know while a second selfe is made out of him Both that the comfort might be greater then was expected as also that he might not vpbraid his wife with any great dependance or obligation he neither willing the worke nor suffering any paine to haue it done The rib can challenge no more of her then the earth can of him They are both made equall debters to God who alone tooke care that they might both be happie in him and by him Q. What did God with her being made A. He brought her to man and ioyned her in marriage with him who acknowledgeth her to be flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone This sheweth how exquisite knowledge he had from God If God had giuen him her name or the names of other creatures it had not beene so great a prayse of Adams memory to recall them as it was now of his judgement at first sight to impose them Gen. 2.23 Shee shall be called Woman because she was taken out of Man So piercing was the eye of his reason that he saw the inside of all the creatures at first blush and by his perfect knowledge he fitted their names to their dispositions whereas we silly solves his ignorant posteritie see but their skins ever since and forget their very names when we are told them Furthermore he receiued her thankefully to be his wife and established that law of matrimony concerning co-habitation Therefore shall man leaue his father and mother and cleane to his wife and they shall be one flesh Gen. 2.22.23.24 Q. How were man and woman perfect whiles they were both naked A. They then needed no clothing for yet there was
vniust judge or malicious accusers But I will neither be a foole nor a rebell either ignorant whence my crosses come or impatient knowing them to be from my God He hath stinted all my miseries and weighed out euery dram of my sorrowes and the very powers of hell shall not be able to cast in one scruple more then he hath allotted for me Q. How is Providence confidered in regard of the Agent A. It is ordinary or extraordinary God provides for his creatures either by meanes or by miracles Wee plow we sow reape thresh grind bake c. God can skip over all these meanes and multiply a few loaues to feed many thousands Math. 14.17 and make Corne grow without tillage Isa 37.30 God hath leaue to leape the meanes and whereas one bushell of Corne by sowing may multiply ten ten twentie twentie an hundred and an hundred a thousand God can send all this at once and multiply one loafe to as great a quantitie of bread as may be made of a thousand bushels Sheepe Wool Wool-men Spinners Weavers c. for the making of cloth and cloth for garments God can doe all this at a leape and giue cloth and shooes make them last fortie yeares without all change Deut. 29.5 And giue them bread that did never come from the earth ver 6. He can make Sunne and Moone stand still cleare the eyes with clay saue and helpe with many few or none Iosh 10.12.13 Ioh. 9.6 1. Sam. 14.6 2. Chron. 14.11 Hence wee learne that our extremities are Gods best opportunities Q. What is Gods ordinary Providence A. Whereby he provideth by ordinary meanes Psal 147.8.9 He covereth the heaven with clouds and prepareth raine for the earth and maketh the grasse to grow vpon the mountaines which giueth to beasts their food and to the young Ravens that cry Psal 104. vers 10. to the end Math. 6.26 Gen. 45.7 Act. 14.17 Lev. 26.26 Math. 4.4 And here comes to be detected the Devils sophistrie cast thy selfe headlong vpon God and vse no meanes And the Divinitie of the vulgar sort is to be learned in the beginning and end of their salvation negligent of the middle Gods decree and their finall estate must hang together without meanes men would be saued by sitting still and thinke it is enough that they are either elected or reiected What is this but to eate the Corne out of the eare nay to famish because we will not abide the labour to grind or to knead it Sure I am God is come to vs in a most wonderfull manner his Sonne is become as low as our selues and though now returned whence he came yet his word and spirit are ever present and there is nothing wanting but a will to learne Yet this shall be my conclusion that if meanes were wanting I might looke for miracles And faith can rest vpon God as all sufficient in both Q. What is Gods extraordinary Providence A. Whereby he provideth extraordinarily and by miracles and that either against nature or beside nature or aboue nature As to cause the light descend without Starres Gen. 1.4 To devide the red Sea Exod. 14.21 To saue the three men in the hot fiery furnace Dan. 3. To devide Iordan Iosh 3.15 To inspire the Apostles Act. 2.11 Yea the very making of lice was Gods extraordinary finger Exod. 8.19 What else should haue guided that vntamed and vntaught teame 1. Sam. 6.12 in as right a path toward Israel as their teachers could haue gone saue an hand aboue nature What else should over-rule brute creatures to preferre a forced carriage vnto a naturall burden at home saue a divine conduct Little can wee by the beginning of any action guesse a Gods intention in the conclusion yet by this may wee be premonished to depend vpon him in all our affayres and that with hope of good successes Set faith a worke in any difficultie to make the motion and wee shall be sure to speed eyther the one way or the other Q. What is a Miracle A. It is a worke aboue nature and all ordinary meanes as the raising of Lazarus Ioh. 11.43.44 It is for the most part a visible signe to manifest the power of God Mat. 11.4.5 and 15.31 Ioh. 20.30 And this is proper to God Ioh. 9.16 If this man were not of God he could not doe such Miracles Q. Wherein is the Providence of God seene A. In the conservation and gubernation of all things God made nothing presently to destroy it but reserues euery thing for further vse of his glory and service Mat. 10.25 Two sparrows scarce worth a farthing are preserved and governed according to Gods will yea the very hayres of our heads are ordered by his providence This mind or forminding of the creatures is that their beings be preserved and their actions governed We stand not vpon our owne feete for when God permits vs to goe alone like children wee get many knocks and fall fowlly because we trust too much to the broken reede of our owne free-will Q. What is the conservation of the Creatures A. Whereby he keepeth and continueth the creatures in their being and kinds Iob 12.14 Psal 36.8.9 and 44.3 Psal 104. and 105. and 106. and 147.10.11 If God destroy none can deliver and if he preserue none can kill It differs from government thus that is to guide to the end this to keepe it for that end Rom. 9.17 with Exod. 9.16 God kept Pharaoh for his end Q. Wherein stands it A. In the preservation of their essence and forces or faculties and that both vniversall and singular Psal 65.2 Psal 104.27.28.29 and 136.25 and 147.9 Math. 6.26.30 It is God that keepes that causes and qualities in good temper or changeth them from a bad condition to a good and from a good to a better or preserues them by succession one generation succeeding another or keepes them in state as all the Starres which this day stand firme as vpon the day of their Creation Psal 65.6 Isa 49.5 Ier. 1.5 Eccl. 1.4.5.6.7 Preservation is as the perpetuation of Gods creation and as the continuation of it by succession or a permanent station Iob 10.8.9.10.11 and 31.15 The change and alteration of the creatures condition is from God whether it be good or evill Psal 76. vers 5.6.7.9.12 and 104.29.30 and 107.34.35 and 113.7.8.9 Also their permanent standing in their auncient estate as Starres Mountaines Waters and Earth Psal 65.6.7 Eccl. 1.4 And all this extends it selfe even to the least of Gods creatures sparrowes hayres teares and euery sicknesse Math. 6.30 and 10.29.30 Psal 56.8 and 68.20 and 113.6 and 146.8 Exod. 23.25 Isa 19.22 Now God preserues vniversalls by generation and propagation singulars by food and nourishment c. As also by keeping them from violence What is government A. Whereby he governeth all things to their end Psal 104.19 Pro. 16.4 Rom. 11.36 God made all things for an end he preserues them to it and by government guides them in the way All
God sealing our salvation for his owne names sake Q. What things are to be observed therein A. Two The causes thereof and the effects Gen. 2.17 Ezek. 18.2 Rom. 6.23 Sinne and death are as in separable in the cause as fire and burning death is a necessary consequent of such a cause Q. How many sorts of causes be there A. Two the one blameable and guiltie the other blamelesse and guiltlesse The law and sinne as well s the law and obedience worke together though in a distinct manner for of obedience the law is the principall cause but of sinne an accidentall as working beside his owne scope and maine drift which is to savour nothing but life and also as a contrary to sinne hence a sinner stands in violent opposition to the law and they striue the more because the one is readie to hinder the others act as bankes or flood-gates staying the streame make it either burst them downe or else swell over them and doe we not see how all such as are bent vpon any villany are more exasperated by disswasion then if they were let alone Pharaoh is better to Israel whiles they willingly obey then when Moses and Aaron come to preach their deliuerance then as a beast he turnes madde with baiting And so all the Martyrs should haue had the Heathen Emperours better tutors then tyrants if they had not provoked them by opposition of their wickednesse Nay doe we not see how the best mindes when they are troubled yeeld inconsiderate motions as water that is violently stirred sends vp bubbles Rom. 7.11.11.13 Q. How many be the causes blameable A. Two The principall and ministeriall the Devill a chiefe agent in mans apostasie abused the Serpent and the woman as his instruments to seduce man Gen. 3.2 Cor. 11.3 Satans policie was to take the subtill Serpent and simple Woman to defeat man of his happinesse as now he doth the Iesuites and females to draw men to Antichrist Q. What are the principall causes A. The Devill and Man though Eue was first in the motion yet was Adam principall in the action for he is first called to the barre to answere the transgression Gen. 3.9 1. Tim. 2.13.14 First he was the head of his wife and therefore it was his sinne that he gaue her no better instruction Secondly the Covenant of life was made principally with him and therefore it is said that when he had eaten both their eyes were open Gen. 3.7 She did eate before her husband and sinned personally but when he did eate with her then they both saw that they and all their posteritie were accursed Thirdly It is probable that Adam stood by all the time of the disputation and therefore his sinne was the greater that he rebuked not the Serpent and rescued his wife from all such suggestions or if he was absent whereof the Text makes no mention then should he shew himselfe a weaker vessell then his wife who had all the bad Angels in one craftie beast to set vpon her whereas he had onely one weake woman in his purest integritie to overthrow him Neither could his affection then to his wife be so preposterous as are now of corrupt naturalists who are blinded in loue His loue to his wife was created pure and therefore except his iudgement had beene first perverted as it was in his wife he could not so easily haue consented of meere affection to his wife I cannot beleeue but that the Devils in the Serpent did as well tempt Adam as Eue though first they began with her as a further meanes of inticing him The text sayes not that Eue went to seeke her husband but that shee tooke and gaue to her husband with her c. Genesis 3.6 Q. How were the Devils the cause of it A. They were by creation good and appointed of God to be mans keepers yet of their owne accord and free will they disdained and contemned their standing with God Iud. ver 6. and became proud rebellious and abominable lyers and blasphemers of God and of malice and hatred of man became seducers and murtherers of him Ioh. 4.44 It may well be disputed whether the Angels were Apostataes in heaven or Paradise If I may shew my iudgement and leaue it as a probable opinion it is this The third heaven is a place of puritie and absolute felicitie and therfore cannot for a moment or instant of time be the subiect of any pollution or misery If sinne had ever beene in heaven the place should haue beene polluted by it The very earth was stained with the sinne of his proper inhabitant and so should heaven if the proper and peculiar inhabitants had there sinned but such was the wise providence of Almightie God that at once he would giue a iust occasion of triall of the Angels in their obedience and saue heaven from all polution which he then and now and ever preserues most pure for his elect both Angels and men The occasion was giuen in their ministration to man not the celebration of Gods glory in heauen that they might see more fitting their place then the other but shall wee the most excellent of Gods creatures stoop so low as to become mans servants and subiect our selues to ourinferiours c Let vs thinke of a course to subvert his estate and bring him out of grace and favour with his creator so shall we according to our excellencie Lord it over him So that here might very well be a conioyned Apostasie in the ruine of them both O blessed God how farre is thy decree from all staine of sin and yet how full of Mercy and Iustice Thou wouldst not try all thy Angels some thou keptst at home whiles others fell in ministring abroad And all this that thy sonne might be exalted neither Angel or man ever prevailing without him Rev. 12.6.7 They that fight vnder this head are all saued if they warre vnder their owne power they cannot but perish The good angels were but lookers on till a Messias was promised and then are they all ministering spirits for the good of their fellow heires of salvation Heb. 1.14 Who can say blacke is the eye of Gods providence intending to glorifie his Iustice in the condemnation of some Angels and some men when he might haue executed all Let vs all sing with the sweet Singer of Israel Psal 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and vpright are thy iudgement Q. How was man a cause thereof A. By the abuse of Gods law and his owne free will being seduced by Satan and induced into sinne by the strength of his temptation subtiltie of his suggestion and is owne free reception of both voluntarily harkning thereunto contrary to Gods commandement when being assisted thereby he might easily haue resisted the same Gen. 3.6 Man was made a most free beginner of his owne action neither did God withdraw or with-hold any necessary grace from him he gaue him sufficient not to sinne neither was he bound to
and wicked men feele not the full extent of Gods wrath God will haue them to exercise the graces and vertues of his servants and so by accident they are preserved and reserved to the generall assize and fire of hell Christ shall come in fire and that fire shall be the melting of the elements which shall be confounded as in one masse The ayre is oyly and the earth is full of combustible matter as coales and brimstone Many pits are full of slime and as the Countrey where Sodome and Gomorrah stood was very bituminous clammie clay and glewish ground with store of slime pits and so very fit for the exhaling of that matter which was afterwards rained downe vpon them so the place that God is now a preparing for the damned may very well be in the confusion of all the elements together where fire shall fearefully seize vpon all things and God even prepare all as matter or fuell for his rage I heare not that the fire shall be quenched againe in which Christ shall come And the fire of hell is vnquenchable and may even in this become vtter darknesse because the Starres shall fall and melt away and the powers of heaven shall be shaken and as it were driuen to the earth and therefore the subiect of light being destroyed vpon the earth and within the earth may be this horrible darknesse and woefull fire Ier. 17.13 Some shall haue their names written in the earth and be as the Parables of the dust as others in heaven opposite shall be the places of the elect and damned and as it were a gulfe betwixt them Luk. 16.26 The reprobate shall then be more narrowly confined and more fearefully tormented To conclude learne further by this punishment of the Devils that their first sinne was in tempting of man for we see that the punishment of them is onely inflicted for this their rebellion and their continuing in it yea marke further how God hath punished the rebells in their enuie they enuied mans estate by creation and scorned to serue him they shall now see him advanced into their roomes and themselues imprisoned vpon that miserable earth which they converted from a Paradise into a prison from a delicate palace into a most damnable dungeon Thus whiles enuie feeds on others evils and hath no disease but his neighbours well fare it hath all those favours fall beside it selfe which it grudged to see in others It is nothing but a pale leane carcase quickned with a Fiend it keepes the worst diet for it consumes it selfe and delights in pining A thorne hedge covered with netles that cannot be dealt withall either tenderly or roughly What peevish interpreters of good things were the Devils that had rather step into hell then stoop a little to their Creator in seruing of an inferior creature which now they see more honoured then ever before Q. What punishment was inflicted on the Instruments and first vpon the Serpent A. A curse aboue all the beasts of the field enmitie betweene him and the woman and a sensible feeling of paine in his going vpon his belly and eating of dust Gen. 3.14.15 All things were for man and his comfort therefore it was an odious thing to be his over-thrower God layes a reasonable punishment on the vnreasonable Instrument These wormes were worthy creatures of God but now most wretched and ashamed to appeare abroad and therefore liue in the earth and are seldome to be seene Their skins paine them if they liue long and alwayes it is painefull vnto them to crawle or creepe because the belly is their softest part and oppressed with the guts and body lying vpon it In winter they stirre not being almost dead with cold Their meat is the earth a grieuous diet and the greatest enemie to life consisting of heat and moysture Wee may see by the wormes that feed on the earth how in dry weather they are withered and pined to nothing and what adoe they haue to thrust out their earthy food in a raynie morning Lastly this beast was cursed in this that now woman should take heed how she came neere him and he likewise stricken with a feare of her c. Q. What was inflicted vpon the woman A. Besides that which she hath common with man her inforred subiection to her husband and her manifold griefe in conception bearing and bringing forth Gen. 3.16 She should not now be so bold with her husband her limites were to be shortned and her yoke made more grievous Shee was an instrument of his hurt and is now to feele it by her liuing with him conceiuing by him bearing and bringing forth of his of spring The blessing of God before was great and should haue taken away all paine which now is iustly inflicted for her dissobedience The paine of the belly is to both instruments a memorandum of medling with forbidden fruit Q. What is inflicted vpon Adam and consequently vpon all his posteritie A. Sinne and death One sinne begets another and the second is an effect of the former both properly and accidentally properly as a branch of so bitter a root accidentally as inflicted by divine Iustice One and the selfe same effect may haue diverse causes as for example Iob 1.21 with 15. vers c. Satan Sabeans Chaldeans c. as well as God afflict Iob. Act 2.23 wicked hands as well as Gods crucified Christ Exod. 7.13.14.22 and 8.15.32 and 9.7.12.14.34.35 and 10.20.27 c. Pharaoh and God both harden the one in punishing the other in sinning God wills to punish one sinne with another the sinne he wills by accident the punishment by counsell It enters not into the minde of God to commit sinne Ier. 32.35 and yet it is his minde to punish the abominâ—â—â— with their owne abominations They that are ambitious of their owne destructions never want the plagues of God to seize vpon them He that setteth and selleth himselfe to sinne shall find God as readie to offend him with lustice as he can be to offend God with iniustic As man sowes so shall he reape and if there be a brewing of death tunn'd vp in vessels of sinue it is good reason that the sinner should drinke it CHAPTER XIX Of originall and actuall Sinne. Question WHat sinnes are inflicted Answere Both originall and actuall Adams transgression turned the Chariot of the soule cleane out of the tract of good so that now it is impossible he should ever get into his way againe Small sinnes are like to slips and slidings whereby men fall and hurt themselues but great sinnes are like downefalls which wound lame dis-ioynt or breake some member c. Mans first sinne was a miserable downe-fall for it did wound and wast the whole man and made him euery way vnable to stirre hand or foot to please God Gal. 6.1 Catartizein is to let a ioynt and man is restored againe when God of his goodnesse doth bring euery facultie of soule and member of
a separation of his two natures though body and soule parted for a while Wee must therefore hold that neither the God-head is at any time changed into the manhood nor yet the manhood into the God-head Luk. 24.39 1 Pet. 4.1 Furthermore we are to learne that Christs humane nature is like vnto ours in all things but in sinne and manner of subsisting Phil. 1.7.8 Heb. 2.17 and 4.15 Q. What is the personall vnion of these two natures A. Whereby the nature assuming and nature assumed make one Messias or Mediator betwixt God and man the nature assuming is infinite and his action is incomprehensible yet this we may safely affirme that the second person in Trinitie immediately assumes and then the God-head so that our flesh is first taken by a person and hence our nature assumed is without all personall subsistence in it selfe and is inseparably conioyned with the divine nature and doth wholly subsist that is the whole manhood subsists in the whole God-head for whole God is in heauen whole God is on earth because the divine nature hath no parts and so our flesh is not in a part of the God-head but wholly in the whole And yet not euery where with the whole For the assumption is not by way of extension as a forme extends his matter but of ineffable vnion humane nature hauing no standing of it selfe but by the divine nature It is locally circumscribed as hauing quantitie and consists as a finite thing within the limites of essence being truely compounded of matter and forme And yet it hath neither parts nor passions essence or accidents which are not assumed vnto the divine nature when body and soule were asunder and locally in diverse places then were both of them inseparably knit vnto the God-head Ioh. 1.14 Colos 2.9 The Papists say Christ was Mediator according to his humane nature which is contrary to this personall vnion for as the person assuming giues the nature assumed subsistence so action and it is not able to doe any thing without it Therefore according to both natures Christ redeemes and the worke is not to be devided Furthermore we say the second person assumes not the first for he is principally offended not the third for he is to testifie of the reconciliation yet such is the vnion that wee come by it both to the Father and the Spirit For immediately the second person assumes then the Deitie and hauing fellowship with that wee haue it also with the Father and Spirit Now if the divine nature should first assume then would the action be the Fathers or if the Spirit then should the Father haue two Sonnes c. CHAPTER XXIII Of Christs humiliation Question VVHat are the parts of Redemption Answere Two His humiliation and his exaltation Psal 110.7 Isa 53.12 Rom. 8.34 Eph. 4.9.10 Phil. 2.8.9 And the reason is giuen by S. Luke chap. 24.26 Christ must of necessitie both suffer and be glorified c. Q. What is his humiliation A. Whereby he was made subiect to the iustice of God to performe whatsoever the same might require for the redemption of man Rom. 10.4 Gal. 4.4 Heb. 7.22 Christ became our Suretie and so bound himselfe to pay all our debts Papists say Christ is a Mediator betweene himselfe and vs but they are ignorant how a sinne may more peculiarly be against one person then another as the manhood it selfe is more properly vnited to the second person then any other Christ doth principally mediate betwixt the Father and man and yet the justice of the whole Deitie and consequently of euery person is satisfied Q. What did the iustice of God require A. Two things Satisfaction for the trespasse or payment of the forfaiture and righteousnesse answerable to the law for the payment of the principall The one frees vs from death the other brings vs to life By the first wee are made no sinners by the second wee are made iust The law stands still in force for death and life sinne and die is by Christs death satisfied doe and liue is by his life fulfilled Dan. 9.24 Christ reconciles to God by suffering and of enemies makes vs friends but wee neither deserue nor can iustly desire any thing vntill he bring his owne righteousnesse for vs. Rom. 4.25 Q. Wherein consists all this A. In the conformitie of himselfe both for himselfe and vs to he image of God and the law its performing perfect obedience thereunto as also in vnder going for his such death and dolors as were requisite As Adam was made in the image of God and bound to keepe the law for himselfe and vs so Christ must be conformed in nature to Gods image and in all his actions to his Pathers will He is holy and iust both for vs and himselfe but his sufferings are onely for vs and not himselfe And here two questions arise first whether his originall righteousnesse and actiue obedience were onely for himselfe his passiue onely for vs and sufficient for our saluation It may be obiected by his bloud we are saued c. Ans Here a part is put for the whole for we are saued as well by his life as by his death and they are both of them both actiue and passiue Christ suffered in being concelued and he was no looner made man made vnder the law but he began to pay for vs for as Adam dyed as soone as he had sinned so Christ suffered as soone as he became our suretie therefore his whole life death are for vs and our payment He that dies by the law is not acquitted or iustified but condemned He that makes false Lature may be pardoned or punished but not iustified Euery law acquits when men are found to haue done nothing against it but it moreouer rewards when subiects are found to performe the vtmost required by it Christ therefore is to suffer and satisfie but that will not iustifie vs except further be found in him that he hath done nothing against the law nay also that he hath to the height and ful measure fulfilled it We haue need both of originall and actuall righteousnesse to bring vs to heauen and out of him it is not to befound The second controuersie is about the second death which is the punishment of the damned and therefore not fit for Christ to suffer Concerning this we acknowledge that Christ did not neither could truely and properly suffer the second death which is a casting out and banishment from blessednesse and the fauour of God God forbid that any Christian should haue such a thought of our Lord Christ who euer since his conception was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and could not be other for any moment of time He and his Father were neuer separated in loue and affection because Christ even in vnder going of this obeyed his Father yet were they for a time separated in apprehension and representation God punishing his Sonne iustly for vs in as much as he stood in our stead
beene the greatest Malefactor that ever was Math. 26.55 Q. What is the second degree A. His arraignment before the Ecclesiasticall and politicke Magistrate as if he had broken all lawes and deserued punishment at euery judgement seat And all this was done to shew vs what wretches wee were in Gods sight and how he should haue proceeded against vs who by meanes of his Sonne are pardoned that wee might never see our iust condemnation otherwise then wee see it acted in our Suretie he was posted from Caiaphas to Pilate from Pilate to Herod and backe againe from Herod to Pilate by whom he was both iustified and condemned God running along with the whole Tragedie and shewing plainely by Iudge Pilate that Christ was not to die for himselfe but for vs the iust suffering for the vniust Mat. 26.57 and 27. 2. Luk. 23.7.8 Math. 27.4.19.24 Q. What was the third degree A. The most miserable derision and whipping of him that ever was heard tell off he was to encounter both paine and scorne for vs. An ingenuous and noble nature can worse brooke this then the other any thing rather then disdainfulnesse imperious in sultation especially from so base enemies The Iewes the Souldiers yea the very theeues flouted and taunted him and triumph over his misery his blood cannot satisfie them without his reproch Math. 26.67.68 and 27.28.29.30.31 Oh that wee could imitate the Iewes in their custome concerning evill doers they had ever some malefactor brought forth to them in their great Feast which they dismissed with disgrace so it should bee the happiest peece of our triumph and solemnitie if wee could bring forth that wicked prophanenesse wherewith wee haue dishonoured God and blemisht his Gospell to be scourged and sent away with all holy indignitie See thy Sauiour scourged and beaten for thee and see if thou canst finde in thy heart to fauour or cheerish the least sinne Q. What is his crucifying A. After all these abuses he is put to the most accursed death of the Crosse a kind of punishment ioyntly with the other inflicted vpon none but such as were offenders in the highest degree and euery one was held most accursed that so died to shew that he suffered for offenders of the greatest staine and straine and so to beare our curse vpon him Phil. 2.8 Gal. 3.12.13 Deut. 21.23 Q. Did he suffer onely these outward afflictions A. He suffered these as iudgements for sinne therefore were they so much the more bitter and whiles he was on the crosse those three houres of darkenesse he was assayled with all the powers of darkenesse so that he felt in his soule and body vnvtterable anguishes even the effects or apprehension of the most feareful wrath of God so that it made him cry out My God my God c. and when that was over as hauing felt therein the most bitter paines of all his sufferings he said it was finished Math. 27.45.46 Ioh. 19.30 Q. What might this meane A. That he was for the time reputed as one separated from God which is the second death for as the first death is the reparation of the soule from the body the beginning of our naturall life so the second death is the separation of both body and soule from God the beginning of that spirituall life Isa 53.4.5.6.10 Christ was never a stranger to the life of God Eph. 4.18 and yet his Father did for a space seeme to estrange himselfe to his Sonne Oh beloued Saints of God let vs with that Disciple follow him a far off and passing over all his contemptuous vsage in the way see him thus brought to his Crosse and still the further wee looke the more wonders shall wee behold Euery thing addes to his ignominy of suffering and triumph of over-comming It was not done in a corner as Paul saith to Festus but in Ierusalem the eye the heart of the world and that without the gates in Calvary among the stinking bones of execrable Malefactors Before the glory of the place bred shame now the vilenesse of it Not a circumstance but argues the wonderfull humiliation of our Sauiour and still his paine and scorne increased till all was finished Q. Hitherto of his life what is his death A. The expiration and deliuering vp of his soule into the hands of his Father Math. 27.50 Luk. 23.46 Ioh. 19.30 When he had finished all and indured most exquisite torments he himselfe without all violence gaue vp the Ghost For he both cryed with a lowd voyce and bowed the head immediately before he yeelded his last breath whereas in mans death the spirits first faint and tyre and the head fals downe when they are expired but Christ being full of spirit able to hold vp his head bends the same downe-ward of his owne accord and then dies Oh yee sinners behold Christs head thus humbly bowed downe in a gracious respect to you his armes are stretched out louingly to embrace you yea his precious side is open to receiue you there is no more accusation iudgement death hell for you all these are no more to you then if they were not if yee can beleeue who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead Rom. 8.34 I know euery man is ready to reach forth his hand to this dole of grace and would be angry to be beaten from this doore of mercy surely there is no want in this Mossias looke that the want be not in thy selfe hee hath finished but thou beleeuest not thou repentest not all is in vaine to thee for all these thou maist be condemned What ever Christ is what art thou Here is the doubt Christ is a good shepherd and giues his life for his sheepe But what is this to thee that art secure prophane impenitent thou art a wolfe or a goat Christs sheepe heare his voyce but thou art a rebell to his law and therefore canst not hearken to his Gospell for mercie c. Q. What is his death to vs A. Christ was willingly content to indure the separation of his body and soule for a time which is the first death that hee might take away whatsoeuer is iudgement therein and sanctifie the same vnto vs. 1. Cor. 15.55.56.57 Wee were the authors of this death and our Saviour did alter it our disobedience made it bitter his mercy hath made it not to be evill vnto vs. Oh my Saviour how halt thou perfumed and softened this bed of my graue by dying How can it grieue mee to tread in thy steps to glory The worst peece of the horror of this death is the graue and that part which is corrupted feeles it not the other which is free from corruption feeles an abundant recompence and forefees a ioyfull reparation Wee carry heauen and earth wrapt vp in one compound it is but restitution when each part returnes homeward Q. What followed his death A. His buriall and abiding in the graue to the end that hee might sweeten the same for vs and whereas it was