truths before new Errors and old foundations before new fancies and that you delight rather to walke on a rock than to dance upon ropes and therefore that these old and great truths of this new and small piece will not be to your palate as dead drink nor in your eares as stale newes nor to your eyes as an old Diurnall or Almanack out of date And Sr since I had my Birth and Baptisme in Cotherstock let me not be condemned for making this confession of Faith or profession of my Principles to you there It remaines only that I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and powre out my soule for you your Religious Consort and deare Son at the throne of Grace that God would blesse you with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ and recompence into your bosome seven fold all the kindnesse that you have shewed to his Ministers and particularly to Sr Your very humble Servant in the Lord T. H. To the Reader READER IF thou art Learned and a Critick thou mayest perhaps accuse or censure this Catechisme as in some things defective in some redundant or superfluous in some without order and I shall not here goe about to answer the charge or traverse the inditement I rather choose to intreat thee if thou art as well as knowing so also Ingenuous Courteous charitable either to correct or pardon all the faults of this piece So far at least as to accept favour the Essay rather than to carp at the Errours whether they have proceeded from the Author the Transcriber or the Printer If thou art a Catechumen and one desirous to learne two things I intreat of thee the one is to read it if it may be with thy conveniency wholly so possibly thou mayest the better understand the severall parts of it The other is not to be offended because sometimes thou findest in thy way Yes or No in the Porch or Entrie of the Answer and sometimes not Where this Porter standes at the dore I would not you should take his bare word for answer and so passe along and goe your way but that he may open you the dore to goe in and view the places themselves to see whether it be indeed so or no as is pretended and that you may believe not because I told you but because you have heard the Scriptures themselves Where there is no such at the dore of the Answer to let you in I desire you now once for all not to stay there but without farther Ceremonie to walke in to goe round about the places to tell the towers thereof and to marke well her bulwarks I meane the strength of those texts of Scripture set there for the defence of the Truth VVhosoever thou art who shalt please to peruse this Catechisme I say to thee before hand I will not I dare not avouch it so far as 't is mine to be free from all errour I am but a man if thou wilt forgive me I will promise when opportunity serves to correct or retract such mistakes But this I dare say I doe not erre wilfully and maliciously out of mere opposition to any party or person I am a Christian and if I should so erre my selfe whilest I confute the errours of others I assure thee if I know my own heart without repentance and amendment I should not forgive my selfe And now to prevent mistakes and misconstructions concerning my selfe and others be pleased to take notice that I will not undertake to justify my selfe to have been in this Catechisme an exact or compleat Herauld and to have marshal'd the severall errours under their proper Commanders and colours and to have ranked them all in their right place and due order And if the Quakers renounce any of the following errours rang'd under the Head or Chapter which beares their name let them know I desire not to doe violence to erroneous persons or to accuse them falsely and therefore premise this that the Title of the Chapter may not be produced for a sufficient evidence to charge them with them I here allow them liberty provided they doe it truely to disowne them or to refuse to father them with a non obstante to any thing therein contained Reader if thou reapest benefit from this Catechisme if it shall please God by this meanes to shew thee his wayes and teach thee his pathes to lead thee in his truth teach thee in the way wherein thou shouldest goe blesse God who hath shewed us light pray with me for those who yet wander in dark and by-pathes of errour forsaking God's Ordinances and our solemne Assemblies O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead them let them bring them unto thy holy hill and to thy Tabernacles and for me that I may doe nothing against the truth but for the truth Thy servant in and for the Lord T. H. Books lately Printed for THO ROBINSON OF Communion with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost each Person distinctly by JO. OVVEN D. D. in 4o. The True nature of Schisme with a vindication of the Congregationall Churches in England from the imputation thereof in Ans to Mr Cawdry by JO. OVVEN D. D. in 8o. Of the Mortification of sin in Believers the second edition by JO. OVVEN D. D. 8o. A Treatise of Fruit-Trees shewing the manner of Grafting pruning and ordering of them in all respects according to the new and easy rules of Experience the 2d edition enlarged by RALPH AUSTEN in 4o. The Spirituall use of an Orchard or Garden in divers similitudes between naturall and spirituall Fruit-Trees according to Scripture and Experience by R. Austen in 4o. Observations one some part of Sr F. Bacon's Naturall History as it concernes Fruit-Trees Fruites and Flowers by R. Austen in 4o. The Young Divine's Apology for his Continuance in the University with his serious meditation on the sacred calling of the Ministry in 8o. Historicall Memoires on the Raignes of Q Elizabeth and King James in 12o. A Preface to those of the Church of Rome IT is the saying of a very learned ingenious Person D. Cudw Truth and Love are two the most powerfull things in the world and that the golden beames of Truth and the silken cords of Love twisted together will draw men on with a sweet violence whether they will or no. I desire for my part I may both in word deed conference conversation in preaching printing practising experiment the truth of this Testimony and in all to be so happy my selfe as to make others happy also in all undertakings to follow the practise and paterne of the blessed Apostle Paul viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to truth it in love so to inlighten men who sit in the region of darknes as not to inflame them so to convince thē of error that they may not say I am become their enemy when I tell them the truth that they may see
Q. What doe the Scriptures say concerning God's Omniscience or Knowledge of all things past present and to come how contingent soever they are in their own nature or wrought by Agents free in working A. Act. 4.27 28. For of a truth against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together for to doe whatsoever thy hand and thy counsell determined before to be done Heb. 4.13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to doe Psal 139.2 3 4. Thou knowest my down sitting mine uprising thou understandest my thought afar off thou compassest my path my lying down art acquainted with all my wayes For there is not a word in my tongue but loe O Lord thou knowest it altogether Ps 147.5 Great is our Lord his understanding is infinite Is 40.28 There is no searching of his understanding Q. How are those Scriptures to be expounded which speake of God's proving and trying men that he may know what is in their hearts c. such as Deut. 8.2 and 13.3 2 Chr. 32.31 And what meanes that other place Philip. 4.6 Let your request be made known unto God A. These things are ascribed to God figuratively discovering the kind of his works dispensations not his own nature and properties so they must have a figurative interpretation D. Ow. God deales with men much like or proportionably to what we would doe when we would really find out what we doe not know Q. Doth the Scripture teach that there is but one only true God A. Deut. 6.4 Heare O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. 1 Cor. 8.5 6. For though there be that are called Gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be Gods many Lords many but to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things we in him c. Q. What saith the Scripture concerning the Trinity or the three Persons in the God-head A. 1 Joh. 5.7 For there are three that bare record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Matth. 28.29 Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Q. Are we by the Word to understand Christ the Son of God A. Joh. 1.14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Q. Is Christ God A. Rom. 9.5 Of whom as concerning the Flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen John 20.28 And Thomas answered and said unto him my Lord and my Ood Col. 2.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily Heb. 1.3 8. Who being the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse image of his Person and upholding all things by the word of his power when he had by himselfe purged our sinnes sate down on the right hand of the majesty on high But unto the Son he saith thy Throne O God is for ever and ever a Scepter of Righteousnesse is the Scepter of thy Kingdome 1 Tim. 3.16 Q. Is he equall with the Father A. Phil. 2.6 Who being in the forme of God thought it not robbery to be equall with God Q. Is he one with his Father A. Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one Q. How doe you prove that the Holy Ghost is God A. Act. 5.3 4. But Peter said Ananias why hath Satan filled thy heart to lye to the Holy Ghost and to keep back part of the price of the land while it remained was it not thine own and after it was sold was it not in thine own power why hast thou conceived this thing in thy heart thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God 1 Cor. 3.16 Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you So chap. 6.19 What know you not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own 2 Cor. 6.16 and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols for ye are the Temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walke in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Is 6.1 9. In the yeer that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up and his traine filled the Temple And he said Goe and tell this people Heare ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not Compared with Acts 28.25 26. And when they agreed not among themselves they departed after that Paul had spoken one word well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the Prophet unto our Fathers saying Go unto this people and say Hearing ye shall heare and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and not perceive Q. Is the holy Ghost a distinct person or subsistence in the God-head A. Joh. 16.7 8. For if I goe not away the comforter will not come unto you c. And when he is come he will reprove the world of sinne and of righteousnesse and of Judgment Mat. 3.16 And Jesus when he was baptized went up straightway out of the water and lo the heavens were opened unto him he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him Act. 13.2 As they ministred to the Lord and fasted the Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the worke whereunto I have called them Q. Are we baptized into the faith and worship of one God in three Persons A. Mat. 28.19 Goe ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 13.14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the holy Ghost be with you all Amen Q. Is not God the Father cal'd the only true God in Joh. 17.3 How then is Christ God A. Christ and the Holy Ghost are one and the same God with the Father and some expound this text by 1 Joh. 5.20 where of Jesus Christ it is said D. Ch. Beza in loc D. Ch. This is the true God and Eternall life These termes one and only exclude all Idols not the Son and the Holy Ghost no more than in Jude v. 4. According to our Translation the word only Lord God being applyed to Christ doth exclude God the Father from being God Q. Doth not Christ say Joh. 14.28 My Father is greater than I. And again Joh. 10.29 My Father is greater than all A. Presently after Christ had said My Father is greater than all he addes I and my Father are one i.e. one in
the phrase many times but we carry the substance shew the thing the sense the judgment the Deeds of Antiquity Against some high expressions magnifying the Church of Rome we bring deeds and those upon contestation as the standing out of Polycrates and all the Asian Bishops against the sentence of Pope Victor Also in the contestation betwixt Cyprian and Pope Stephen Also in the contestation between the Romane See and the African Bishops amongst whom Austin was one in the businesse of Appeales see Dr Ferne p. 229. 230. The infallibility of the Pope or the Roman Church was never acknowledged by the Antient Churches or Fathers for 600 yeers after Christ therefore it is not now to be received Baxter against Pop. p. 277. There are as it were three principall parts in Religion namely points of Belief of Ceremony and of Discipline we shall run them over lightly all three that so we may let the world see that in every one of these three parts they have both abolished and established many things expresly against the Authority of the Antients Mons Daillè of the Fathers lib. 2. pag. 143 when he hath instanced in particulars he addes pag. 177. Certainely should we but speak the truth it is the plainest mocking of the world that can be to cry out as these men doe continually The Fathers the Fathers and to write so many whole volumes as they have done upon this subject after they have so dealt with them as you have seen And pag. 141. nd 142. Doe but read their Commentaries their Disputations and their other discourses and you will find them almost in every page either rejecting or correcting the Fathers And further he addes as followeth But I must not passe by the Testimony of Cornelius Mussus Bishop of Bitonto viz. for my own part that I may speak my mind freely in things that belong to the testimony of Faith I had rather believe one single Pope than a thousand Augustines Hieromes or Gregories If you will appeale from the holy Scriptures and from the Authority of the Catholick Church to the Roman or Church of one denomination from the Primitive to the Present or from the antient to the moderne and dare not or will not be judged by any body but by your selves besides that you are guilty of high presumption thus to advance your selves into the chaire above all so is it a strong presumption of guilt in you that you dare not abide the tryall of the most impartiall and unbyassed Judges and hereby you declare that the Authority of the Fathers is not supream in your account and why then should you expect it should be authoritative with us and if you appeale from the Fathers here to the present Church why may we not rather to the Scriptures I shall adde also that when you appeale to Churches or Fathers or Councels from Scripture you doe shew your selves more subtle than the Pharisees who to all Christ's allegations of Scripture never put in such an answer that there is but one true Church we are the true Church we are the Interpreters of Scripture Yea I shall go a step farther with you and tell you that if you appeale from Scripture testimony to your present Church or to some visible and infallible judge of all controversies you doe therein out-goe that old Sophister the Devill who when he disputed with our Saviour and Scripture was urged against him had not the Jewish Churches Authority the Interpretations of Scribes and Pharisees no never a such reserve or castle to fly unto There are two great Errors mother-errors of you the children of the Church of Rome concerning the holy Scriptures the one is that you will not goe to it as to your last judge on earth and the other that you endeavour to bring this to you to speak for you what it never thought And here in two things you greatly erre The promises in Scripture made to the Church in generall you apply to a particular Church or to a part of the Catholique Church namely to the Romane Not sufficiently considering what became of Jerusalem where our Lord preached and where the Apostle Peter preached and founded a Christian Church before ever if ever he saw Rome notwithstanding all the promises made either to the Church in generall to the Jewish Church or to the Apostle Peter or to the Church founded by him in particular The promises made to Peter and that 't is said before he was Pope you apply in part at least to the Bishops of Rome yea will have them reach the Apostle Peter's Successors and stand them in steed and in some things too wherein they did not secure Peter himselfe to keep him from falling namely for their making alwaies an outward confession of the Faith for ye know Peter did in word deny his master The truth is diverse Popish Doctrines such as the Communion in one kind prayers and service in an unknown tongue making Images of the Trinity worshipping of them c. are so plainly contrary to the Scriptures that 't is your carnall interest if you will maintaine those Doctrins to deny or at least to undervalue the Authority of these in comparison of the present Church As for us as we highly and above all extoll the testimony of Scripture so neither doe we think our selves obliged to suppresse or silence the Fathers of the 1st three or four hundred yeers only we would not admit supposititious writings or testimonies the base brats of latter times for the true children of the antient Fathers nor would we have the present Church of Rome by her expurgatory Index's corrupt glosses c. to teach the Fathers to speak now and that what they never meant And as you dishonour the Fathers in laying bastard-works at their doores so have you wronged the Canon of the Scriptures by advancing the Apocrypha books into the same chaire and throne with them and in this how you have forsaken the Ancient Fathers and Councels D.C. a late Author hath shewed very well And yet this is remarkable that the pretended Councel of Trent have made a rod for their own backs I mean they have added the book of Baruch and the Epistle of Jeremiah in the 6th of Baruch to the Canon and there as in a glasse they may see what a whores fore-head the Church of Rome hath to commit Idolatry with stocks stones doing diverse the same things to their Images that the Heathens the old Babylonians did to their Idols or Images Heare Dr Westfield The Gentiles were wont to bow down to their Images so doe the Papists the Gentiles were wont to pray to them so doe the Papists the Gentiles were wont to render thanks to them so doe the Papists the Gentiles were wont to dedicate themselves and all that they had to their Idols so doe the Papists the Gentiles nuncupated vowes to them so do the Papists the Gentiles were wont to sweare by them so doe the Papists the
Gentiles were wont to set up candles to them so doe the Papists The Gentiles were wont to burne incense to them so doe the Papists So he and I doe not know that there is any one who hath answered this charge since extant See Dr Westfields Serm p. 64. 65. Such like 't is not improbable is the moderne practise of the common people under the Papacy I have heard to this effect that when the late King was in Spain reasoning against worshipping of Images with a Priest who denying the charg it was agreed betwixt them to take the next Person they found at devotions in their Churches for an experiment The Priest bespake the Person a woman to this purpose Good Woman you doe not pray to this Image or Saint but to God in it I but I doe saith the woman and will doe till you shew me a better Till the yeer 788. Images were never appointed publickly to be worshipped in the Churches and this was done in the second Council of Nice Charles the Great sent this Act of the Counciil to the Bishops of England to know how they liked it they said Alas for woe we find in those acts many things against Christian Religion especially this that the worshipping of Images is decreed which the Church of God curseth Dr Westfeild pag. 60. 61. If you say then where was our Church or Religion before Luther and call us to give a catalogue in all ages of men professing our Faith and way of worship and that the Fathers and all Antiquity were yours Heare I pray you the saying of Mr Du Moulin This reproach of novelty ill becomes the mouthes of those persons which hide the true Antiquity from the people which is the word of God and which maintain that yet at this day the Church may and can make new ordinances touching Faith and which by the Church understand no other than the Romish Church that in the first ages after the Apostles cannot produce one man that was of their Religion and which know that in all Antiquity there is no mention made of excluding the people from the cup of prohibiting them the reading of the Holy Scriptures of reading the Scriptures to the people in a language they understand not of painting the Trinity of worshipping Images of adoring the hoast with the worship of Latria of private Masses of the Bishop of Romes Court c. If you will have us tell more particularly who were of our Religion before Luther know that Christ and the holy Apostles were and as for other names of particular persons who held with us in the Doctrines above named or diverse other materiall Doctrines the Protestants referre you to Dr Field of the Church Birckbeck's Protestant's Evidence and let me send you also to the Martyrologies in England and France c. and I shall adde one more and that is a testimony of your own which I find cited formerly and lately And that is of Raynerus the Monke concerning the Waldenses c. 4. where he saith that they have continued say some from the time of Sylvester others from the time of the Apostles that there 's scarce any land where they are not that they live righteously before all men bene omnia de Deo credunt omnes Articulos qui in Symbolo continentur solummodo Romanam Ecclesiam blasphemant clerum i.e. they believe althings well concerning God all the Articles that are contained in the Creed only they blaspheme the Romane Church and the Clergy And what if there were some 1000â— of true Worshippers in the Church of Rome before the Reformation as there were 7000 in Israel who had not bowed their knees to Baal or what if we be the same Church now that we were before only then Apostaticall Idolatrous Leprous as white as snow but now professors of the true Faith without corrupt mixtures and of the pure worship and so cured of our Leprosy If you aske what Authority we had to reforme our selves I referre you to Dr Bramhal for satisfaction who shewes it was done in England by King and Priest and that the Popish Princes upon occasion claime a right and power to doe what indeed we have done i. e. to reforme the Churches under them or to the like effect See Bramhal of Schisme There was a Reformation desired before Luther and the Princes of Germany represented their hundred grievances to the Emperour But what mighty men could not God hath brought about by mean men nor needed Martin Luther and the rest any Commissions extraordinary sealed with the broad seales of new miracles to authorize his or their proclaiming the laws and edicts of the great God the King of Heaven We judge it lawfull for men to obey the commands of God doing the duties of their places without a license from men so to doe Besides seeing that the Reformers did preach the same Doctrine which Christ and his Apostles did and set up the same way of worship which they did all which was formerly confirmed by miracles it is not reasonable to demand that they should shew by new miracles that they had Authority to reforme the Church of God And herein Luther and the rest shewed themselves to be of the truth because they went not about to deceive meÌ„ with lying wounders or miracles to get credit to their persons or Doctrine such as the Romish Legends have for the honour of their Saints and confirmation of their new Articles of Faith In my opinion he must have a monstrous Faith who believes but one halfe or the moiety of their miracles if the whole dose be like that tast of them Mr Baxter gives us out of Dr White and he out of Baronius as that Francis turned a capon into a fish and water into wine made the rock send forth water and anchors to swim converted a Lambe by preaching to him that he caused Swallows Grashoppers and a wild Falcon to joyne with him in the praises of God That Bernard by blessing their ale and giving it some lewd persons to drinke caused God's grace to enter into them that he killed 〈◊〉 by excommunication c. Baxter out of Francis Whites defence of his Brother pag. 147 148. And again that their Nicolas while he lay in his cradle fasted Wednesday and Friday that Patrick caused a â—â—ollen sheep to bleat in the belly of him that had eaten him that Fryar Andrew to correct his appetite of eating birds at the Table by the signe of the Crosse commanded them to fly away after they were roasted Mr Baxter pag. 167. 168. from Dr â—â—eatly If you object against us our differences and divisions Protestants may returne Are there not divisions in opinion even amongst you also and with you more intollerable because you pretend you have an infallible visible judge of all controversies How have you differed about the conception of the blessed Virgin about the supremacy of the Pope or a generall Councill c. What adoe was there 'twixt
immortall c. be honour and glory for ever Q. Where is it proved that his greatnesse is Incomprehensible or unsearchable A. Psal 145.3 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised and his greatnesse is unsearchable Q. What text have we that God is Almighty or Omnipotent A. Gen. 17.1 And when Abraham was ninety yeers old and nine the Lord appeared to him and said I am the Almighty God walke before me and be thou perfect Rev. 4.8 And they rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Q. How doe you prove God is only wise A. Rom. 16.27 To God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ for ever 1 Tim. 1.17 To the King eternall c. the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Q. How doe you prove God is most holy A. Isai 6.3 And one cryed unto another and said Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory Rev. 4.8 And they rest not day and night saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come Q. How doe you prove that God is most free in all he doth A. Psal 135.6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth in the Seas and all deep places Q. How prove you that God is absolute A. Exod. 3.14 And God said unto Moses I am that I am and he said Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel I Am hath sent me unto you Q. How prove you that God Works all according to the counsill of his own will A. Eph. 1.11 In wom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsill of his own will Q. What text of Scripture proves God doth all for his own glory A. Prov 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himselfe yea even the wicked for the day of evill Rom. 11.36 For of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Q. Is the Atheist or he that denyes there is a God cal'd a Fool in Scripture A. Psal 14.1 The Fool haith said in his heart there is no God Q. Where have we ground in Scripture for such expressions as these the nature of God the God-head the Essence of God the Person of the Father A. Gal. 4.8 Howbeit then when ye knew not God ye did service unto them which by nature are no Gods Exod 3.14 And God said unto Moses I am that I am Thus shalt thou say unto the Children of Israel I am hath sent me unto you Rev. 1.4 Grace be to you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come Col. 2.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse image of his Person and upholding all things by the word of his power c. Q. What say you to those many Scriptures which say that God is in heaven A. The Reason why God is said to be in Heaven is not because his Essence is included in a certaine place cal'd Heaven but he may be said to be in Heaven in regard of the more eminent manifestation of his glory there to Saints and Angels in respect of some more eminent dispensations and workes of his manifested from thence Q. What say you to those Scriptures that testify that God came down from heaven or appeared on Mount Sinai c. A. The Scripture speaks of God after the manner of men condescending to our capacity God is or may be said to be or appeare or come to such a place when either some glorious appearances are seen there or some more glorious dispensations are there M. Mede or when the Angels or Courtiers of Heaven are there or when there are some eminent signes of his favour there God who in his own being and Essence is infinite and immense D. Ow. is by reason thereof present in and to the whole creation equally not by a diffusion of his Substance or mixture with other things heaven or earth in or upon them but by an inconceivable indistancy of Essence to all things though he exert his power and manifest his glory in one place more than another as in Heaven in Sion at the Arke c. Q. How prove you that God hath no corporeall visible figure and shape or similitude A. Is 40.25 To whom then will ye liken me or shall I be equall sayth the Holy one Q. When the Scripture saith that man is made after the image and likenesse of God doth it intend that God hath a bodily figure or shape like a man A. Col. 3.9 10. Seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Q. What meanes the Scripture by attributing unto God parts like a man eyes cares nostrils armes hands fingers are we to understand that God hath a body of flesh and parts fleshly like us A. No but they are spoken of him after the manner of men for it is written 2 Chr. 32.8 With him is an Arme of flesh but with us is the Lord our God to helpe us and to fight our battels Jer. 17.5 Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his Arme and whose heart departeth from the Lord. Job 10.4 Hast thou eyes of flesh or seest thou as man seeth Q. How must those Scriptures be understood which attribute Affections and Passions to God as Anger Fury Zeale Wrath Love Hatred Jealousy Repentance Griefe Joy c A. They are Metaphorically assigned unto him spoken of him only in reference to his outward workes and dispensations correspondent and answering to the actings of men D. Ow. in whom such affections are and under the power whereof they are in those actings Q. How prove you that these are spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to be understood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 metaphorically A. Mal. 3.6 For I am the Lord I change not Is 27.4 Fury is not in me 1 Sam. 15.29 And the strength of Israel will not lye nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent To instance in Anger that may denote either God's vindictive justice whence punishments flow or else the effects of it in the punishments themselves either threatned or inflicted Q. What is meant when 't is said that Moses should see the Similitude of the Lord c. Exod. 34. Num. 12.8 Doth it mean that God hath any reall visible shape A. No but it may be possibly he shall see an Angel or some glorious light 1 Tim. 6.16 Who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see 1 Joh. 4.12 No man hath seen God at any time
nature and yet in regard of his manhood and in respect of his office of Mediator about which he was sent into the world his Father was greater than he Q. Are not God the Father and God the Son said to send the Holy Ghost And is not he that sendeth greater than he that is sent A. M. Perk. One Equall may send another by consent Q. Doth not Christ say concerning the Holy Ghost Joh. 16.13 14 15. he shall not speak of himselfe and he shall receive of mine c A. The Holy Ghost hath his subsistence from the Father and the Son but this by nature and he imparts to every one of us as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 and the Church is commanded to hearken unto him Rev 2. Yet the mercy grace D. Ow. his Ans to Bid. light guidance direction comfort peace gifts that he should communicate were no other but what were procured and purchased for them by Christ himselfe according to that dispensation that the Trinity is pleased to proceed in to accomplish the work of our Salvation Q. May we give prayse and glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost A. Is 6.1 2 3. I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up and his train filled the Temple Above it stood the Seraphims And one cryed unto another and sayd Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole earth is full of his glory So vers 8.9 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying go and tell ye this people Heare ye indeed but understand not compared with Act. 28.25 26. Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the Prophet unto our Fathers saying Goe unto this people and say Hearing ye shall heare and shall not understand Rev. 7.9 10. After this I beheld and lo a great multitude And cryed with a loud voice saying Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lambe Q. May we lawfully pray to any particular Person of the Holy Trinity And may we give glory to a particular Person A. Luk. 23.34 Then said Jesus Father forgive them for they know not what they doe Act. 7.59 60. And they stoned Stephen calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit and he kneeled downe and cryed with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin to their charge 2 Cor. 13. last The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen Rev. 5.13 And every creature heard I saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Q. May we lawfully in a continued prayer wherein we have many petitions put up one to God the Father by name another to the Son and a 3d to the Holy Ghost A. 2 Cor. 13. last The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen 2 Thes 2.16 17. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himselfe God even our Father comfort your hearts c. Q. Which Person of the Trinity is most frequently named in the prayers of holy men recorded in Scripture A. Eph. 2.18 For through him we both have an accesse by one Spirit unto the Father Eph. 3.14 21. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all Ages world without end Amen Cap. 5. Of God's Decrees Q. HOW prove you that nothing can come to passe in time but what God did most wisely and freely decree and ordaine unchangably from all eternity A. Eph. 1.11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsell of his own will Rom. 11.33 34. O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his waies past finding out For who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counseller Heb. 6.17 Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heires of promise the immutability of his Counsell confirmed it by an oath Rom. 9.15 18. For he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Q. How prove you that for all this decree God is not the Author of sin A. Jam. 1.13 17. Let no man say when he is tempted I am tempted of God for God cannot betēpted with evill neither tempteth he any man Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of Lights with whom is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning 1 Joh. 1.5 This then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light and in him is no darknesse at all Q. How prove you that God's Decrees or eternall predestination or foreordaining of all that comes to passe in time doth not take away man's liberty or offer violence to him and consequently free man from sinne A. Act. 2.23 Him being delivered by the determinate counsell and fore-knowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain So Chap. 4.27 28. For of a truth against thy holy Child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered togeither for to doe whatsoever thy hand and thy counsell determined before to be done Math. 17.10 11 12. Why then say the Scribes that Elias must first come And Jesus answered and said unto them Elias truly shall first come and restore all things But I say unto you that Elias is come already and they knew him not but have done unto him whatsoever they listed likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of thē Prov. 16.33 The Lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Joh. 19.11 Jesus answered thou could'st have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin The power of the Magistrate being from God therefore the Jewes sin'd grievously in making use of the Magistrate to condemne the innocent and the Son of God Beza Q. How prove you that God knowes all that comes to passe A. Act. 15.18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world Q. How prove you he knowes what may or can come to passe upon such and such conditions A. 1. Sam. 23.11 12. Will Saul come down as thy Servant hath heard O Lord God of Israel I beseech thee tell thy Servant And the Lord said he will come down Then said David will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of