God hath vsed that haue not spared to lay open their owne nakednesse and shame the nakednesse and shame of their Wiues Children Families Tribes of whom they came Seuenthly The end and drift of all which is to giue glorie vnto God and to beat downe and abase the pride of man A second sort of argument is from the authoritie of the Church which may moue and well perswade vs of them The third and last without which all the rest whether humane testimonies or other arguments are nothing is the testimony of the Spirit it selfe bearing witnesse of them Esay 59. 21. My Spirit that is in thee and my Word that I haue put in thy mouth Therefore Esay 54. 13. the faithfull are said to be such as are taught of God And PAVL saith The spirituall man discerneth all things 1. Cor. 2. 15. Therefore it is not the iudgement of the Church which maketh vs beleeue the Scriptures but the Church is the same to the testimony of the Spirit that the c Ioh. 4. 39 40 41 42. woman of Samaria was to the preaching of our Sauiour Christ because of whose words many of the Samaritans were brought to beleeue in Christ but when hee himselfe came and preached amongst them they tell her plainely Now wee beleeue no more because of thy speech for wee our selues haue heard and know that this is of a truth That Sauiour of the World That Christ So the iudgement of the Church may well bee a motiue at the first and also bring great stay and confirmation to a mind that is once inlightned but the maine strength of all dependeth vpon the testimonie of the Spirit Thirdly In the ministery of the Prophets Apostles so as they could not erre I obserue the qualitie of their doctrine thus deliuered by diuine inspiration First It was not subiect to error for howsoeuer they were men subiect to sinfull infirmitie and in part onely regenerate whose seruice it pleased God to vse for this purpose yet in the deliuery of the Doctrine they were so extraordinarily gouerned and inspired with his Spirit that they d Ioh. 16. 13. could by no meanes erre Secondly It is holy both the whole and euery part whereupon grow these speeches e 2. Pet. 1. 21. The holy men of God f 2. Pet. 3. 2. The holy Prophets g Eph. 3. 5. Reu. 18. 20. The holy Apostles h 2. Pet. 2. 22. The holy Commandements i Rom. 1. 2. The holy Scriptures whereas all other bookes and speeches of men are prophane further then they fetch some holinesse from hence Thirdly That both their Sermons and these Bookes written by the Spirit of Christ are of soueraigne authoritie in the Church of God and haue the sole pre-eminence for the deciding of all controuersies the iudging and discerning of all sayings and writings of men for vnto them the holy Ghost doth alwaies call vs k Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimonie if they speake not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them And this is it which Christ vsed as the weapon to foile Satan Math. 4. So the Apostle Paul 1. Corin. 15. 3 4. maketh the Scriptures to giue credit to his doctrine I haue deliuered vnto you that which I haue receyued that Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he was raysed the third day according to the Scriptures c. The men likewise of Berhea Acts 17. 11. are commended for examining by the Scriptures the things which Paul taught Therefore our Sauiour l Iohn 5. 39. Christ referreth vs to the Scriptures as to the Touchstone of all truth Search the Scriptures and in m Matth. 22. 25 another place Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures For the authority of these Bookes is greater than the authoritie of the Church as the authoritie of God who cannot erre must needes be greater than the authority The Popish Doctrine which hangeth the authoritie of the Scriptures vpon the Church of men that may and doe erre Againe the Church hath her life and being from the Word inasmuch as faith which maketh a Church cannot bee without the Word So hath not the Word from the Church Thirdly It is aboue the authoritie of the Angels of heauen n Gal. 1. 8 9. who if they preach any other doctrine are to be held accursed How much more aboue the authoritie of the Church Fourthly Our Sauiour Christ attributeth this excellencie to his Word which men or Angels cannot challenge that in the latter Day it is That which shall iudge him that doth not receiue it Iohn 12. 48. But why then is the Church called the Pillar of Truth 1. Tim. 3. 15 Surely because the Truth of God dwelleth no where else and there is alwaies Truth sufficient to saluation Not that the Church eyther beareth and bringeth forth the Truth of God or is the chiefe and fundamentall ground to hold it vp for she her selfe hath another foundation to sticke vnto from whence shee fetcheth all her Truth which is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles o Eph. 2. 20. 1. Cor. 3. 11. Esay 28. 16. Christ himselfe beeing the head Corner-stone and is not the Mother but the Nurse of the Truth of God that cherisheth and preserueth the same and giueth testimonie thereof vnto the World To the true meaning of the Scriptures we are to reach by the Scriptures themselues the same Spirit that indited them suggesting and opening the sence vnto vs. So did the Leuites that taught the people Nehem. 8. 9. render the sense and giue the vnderstanding of it by the Scripture it selfe Our Sauiour also Matth. 4. beeing set vpon by Satan that clipped and wrested the Scriptures to serue his owne turne confuted his false glosses and expositions of it by the conference of other Scriptures The meanes we must vse for this purpose are these First we must come with a mind to profit and to bee made the better by them not to read them for knowledge onely or vaine ostentation much lesse to cauill at them Secondly Prayer is to bee vsed to God to open and enlighten our hearts that wee may see the wonderfull things that lye hid therein Thirdly We are to frequent the House of God and to giue diligent attendance vpon the Ministery and Preaching of the Word whereby the Doctrines deliuered in the Scriptures are beaten out and made familiar and plaine vnto vs the same being also the ordinarie meanes by which the holy Ghost doth vse to worke in our hearts all true and spirituall wisdome Fourthly the true sense and nature of the words euery one apart and the construction of them all together must be waighed Fiftly We must alwaies take the proper and naturall sense if the matter it selfe will beare it Sixtly The summe of the matter the scope and drift of the place the Arguments and their coherence the method
Earth for the other or Hell accidently for eyther Heauen we call the highest World made for the Angels to inhabit As our f Mar. 12. 25. Sauiour Those that phantastically teach that Heauen is euery-where teacheth They are as the Angels in Heauen In Heauen g Mat. 18. 10. their Angels alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in Heauen This is it which the Scripture calleth h 1. King 8. 27. The Heauen of Heauens for the excellencie The i 2. Cor. 12. 2. third Heauen for the situation aboue the Ayre and the Skie both which haue the name of Heauen and k 2. Cor. 12. 4. Paradise for the pleasure being the place of the residence of Gods glory Earth is the middle World made for man Psal 115. 16 The Heauens are IEHOVAHS and the Earth which hee hath giuen vnto the sonnes of men Two things in it come to be considered the parts and the ornaments The parts I call the foure Elements l For the Philosophers agree that nothing giueth light but that which hath some fire in it wherefore from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light the Chaldees were wont to call Fire Oru◠whom they worshipped for their god Fire the vppermost Globe wherein was Light an adiunct and qualitie of the Fire Ayre or as Moses calleth it an m Following the Greekes who name it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extent we improperly the Firmament comprehending all that voyd place betweene the Cloudes and the Earth which giueth breath of life to all things that breathe Water with all the Chanels thereof the Seas the Floudes the Lakes the Springs And Earth or the dry ground the Bottome and Center of the World for man to inhabit Ornaments are the things wherewith these Elements are garnished and set forth being all things necessary both for the vse and command of man For his vse were made the n Gen. 1. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. insensible things Grasse and Trees continually fructifying in the Earth the Sunne the Moone the Starres placed aboue the Cloudes in the highest Globe in or aboue the vppermost part of that extent which Moses calleth the o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extent of Heauen that is to say that part of the extent which is neerest to the Heauens and furthest from the Earth where the Element of Fire is and these being the vessels that now receiue and send forth the Light which it seemeth most probable the Fire is it before for the Scripture speaketh of Light before the Sunne haue in that place of Moses a three-fold vse assigned to them First To distinguish Light from Darknesse that is to say the naturall Day from the Night Secondly To bee signes for the noting out of times and seasons A thing common to them all as appeareth Iob 9. 9. Where ARCTVRVS ORION PLEIADES and the Planets of the hidden South are vsed to note out the parts of the Yeere Autumne Winter the Spring and Summer But this neuerthelesse is proper to the Sunne and Moone that by the running of their compasse they after a speciall sort rule and gouerne the Sunne the Day and the Moone the Night and make the difference of ciuill Dayes Moneths and Yeeres Thirdly They serue not onely to enlighten the Earth but by their influence to refresh and giue growth to all earthly bodies For the command of men were made the dumbe and vnreasonable Creatures which yet haue a sensitiue life and feeling As in the Water Fishes in the Ayre Birds in the Earth Beasts both going and creeping all of them Male and Female for the propagation of their kind Hell is the lowest World a soule Those that teach also that Hell is no certayne nor locall place and fearefull place of punishment made for Angels and men that should transgresse Peter p 2. Pet. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giueth it a name which signifieth asmuch as a place of terrible confused darkenesse whereof that which q Iob 10. 22. Iob speaketh touching the graue is much more to bee verified that there bee no orders there no alterations of times and seasons sometimes darke sometimes light but whatsoeuer shineth most is as the shaddow of death continuall night and a whole day as a man may say of darknesse for out of the Kingdome of Heauen there is no light at all Therefore are the heires of that Kingdome termed The r Luke 8. 31. sonnes of Light And contrariwise this place the ſ Mat. 8. 12. outer darknesse Luke t Luke 8. 31. calleth it The deepe or bottomlesse Gulfe placed beneath as a most deepe and darke Dungeon a foule and hideous Prison as Peter u 1. Pet. 3. 19. nameth it when hee saith that Christ by the power of his God-head in the Ministery of NOAH preached to the spirits now in Prison And againe x 2. Pet. 2. 4. that the Angels which sinned are kept there in chaines of darkenesse or as y Iude verse 6. IVDE hath it with euerlasting bonds vnder darkenes as in a Gaole vnto the Iudgement of the great Day Wee haue done with the World made for these reasonable Creatures Come wee now to the reasonable Creatures themselues and first of the parts of reason come to them both vnderstanding and will The vnderstanding part in men for distinction sake and our better conceiuing of it we commonly terme the minde the will in them is properly called the soule although the reasonable soule comprehending both bee but one In the vnderstanding part two faculties are comprehended First Knowledge that teacheth what we ought to doe and is the Fountaine and beginning not onely of the other faculties but of all the Actions and Motions of our life Vnder this two other faculties are comprehended Iudgement or Wisdome which is the top and perfection of knowledge for discerning of things that differ and conscience which is a part of our vnderstanding determining of our particular actions eyther with them or against them called therefore Conscience as if you would say A knowing with or before God vpon a right examination of our wayes in his sight Secondly Memory to lay vp in our mindes the things which wee know and vnderstand The will is a facultie freely choosing whatsoeuer it selfe pleaseth and mouing vs to doe it and this hath the soueraigne command in euery one for therefore we doe a thing not because wee thinke it ought to bee done but because wee will doe it vnder the name of will I comprehend in this place aswell the desire onely which is before and without consent as that which most properly in common speech is onely termed the will when a settled and full consent is come And here affections are the same that conscience is in the mind Not seuerall or distinct faculties but parts or motions of the wil diuersly inclining it to this or that appearing good according to the diuersity of obiects that are offered
the heate consumed the bodies of those that came to throw them in Of this sort are all his wonderfull Miracles and miraculous deliuerances of his Church and Children for whose sake hee parted h Exod. 14. 21. Psal 136. 13. the Sea into heapes that his people went ouer as vpon drie ground brought waters i Exod. 17. 6. out of the Rocke rained k Exod. 16. 36. Psal 78. 24 25. meate from Heauen to feed them in the Wildernesse by the space of fortie yeeres together c. With this absolute free-will and pleasure of GOD is coupled which is the third Doctrine of the Prouidence the ineuitable necessitie of the execution of his counsels as also the Prophet ioyneth them together Psal 115. 3. Whatsoeuer pleaseth IEHOVAH he doth And l Ephas 1. 11. PAVL He worketh all things after the counsell of his will Enquire saith ESAY m Esay 34. 16. in the Booke of IEHOVAH and reade one of these things shall not faile they shall not misse one another and in n Ezech. 36. 3 6 EZECHIEL I IEHOVAH speake and doe it Againe o Ezech. 12. 25 I will speake whatsoeuer word I meane to speake and it shall be done When I worke as it is in the Prophet p Esay 43. 13. ESAY who shall turne it away Whereunto serueth that memorable sentence wherewith the same Prophet shutteth vp his burden against the Babylonians to procure credit to all that hee had spoken q Esay 14. 27. For IEHOVAH of Hoasts determining who can make it of none effect and his hand stretched out who can turne away Many and excellent are the speeches to this purpose thorowout the holy Scriptures especially in Iob and in the Psalmes Feare r Psal 33. 8. before him for hee saith and it is hee commandeth and it stands IEHOVAH maketh voide the counsels of the Nations he breaketh the thoughts of the People but the counsell of IEHOVAH standeth for euer the thoughts of his heart from generation to generation when ſ Iob 34. 29. he quieteth who shall trouble when he hideth his face who shall looke vpon him that is resisteth him Loe saith Iob in t Iob 12. 14. another place he doth so throw downe that it is built no more hee so shutteth vp about a man that it is not opened Yea Balam himselfe was forced to vtter as much Numb 23. 19. Hath hee said and shall he not doe it Therefore u Luke 1. 37. the Angell saith With God nothing is impossible And x Rom. 9. 19. the Apostle cryeth out Who hath resisted his will This is the reason why the Decrees of God are compared to y Zach. 6. 1. Mountaynes of brasse for the firme vnresistable effects they bring with them For this cause he is furnished with all meanes and power to effect his counsels he is called The Lord of Hoasts and hath all the Hoast of Heauen and Earth at his command I saw saith MICA z 1. King 22. 19 IEHOVAH sitting vpon his Throne and all the Hoast of Heauen standing before him at his right hand and at his left First are the holy Angels Colonels and principal Commanders in this Armie whom hee imployeth and sendeth forth as a Master doth his seruants to goe vpon his errand and to performe all that hee inioyneth them Daniel 10. 11 12. The Angell telleth the Prophet that hee was sent vnto him because his words were heard before God And in Luke a Luke 1. 19. that he was sent vnto Zacharie to vtter vnto him the glad tydings of his Sonne So it is anon b Luke 1. 26. added In the sixt Moneth was the Angell GABRIEL sent of God to a Citie of Galile named Nazaret to the blessed Virgin there Therefore they are called Angels that is to say Messengers and are said to c Dan. 7. 10. minister vnto him This dispensation of God by the hand of his holy Angels serueth aswel for the executiō of his Iustice as for the declaration of his Mercies These he sendeth forth to bring his plagues and punishments both vpon whole Countries Cities and vpon particular persons So 1. Chron. 25. 15. God sent an Angell to Ierusalem to destroy it Gen. 19. 13. Two Angels were sent to destroy Sodome and Gomorah 2. Sam. 24 16 17. An Angell smote the people of Israel with a plague whereof died threescore and ten thousand men And the Prophet prayeth in the d Psal 35. 5 6. Psalme Let them bee as the chaffe before the winde and the Angell of IEHOVAH pursue them These he sendeth forth to be Ministers of his loue and fauour in the comforts of this life both to the good and bad as it is recorded in the Gospell e Iohn 5. 4. that an Angell of the Lord came downe at a set time and stirred in the water and whosoeuer first went in after the stirring of the water was made whole what disease soeuer held him Secondly Not onely hee beareth vp his Mace in Heauen but hee carrieth it also in Hell for euen the Deuils themselues struggle they neuer so much are forced to be subiect to him and to runne at his commandement When the sonnes of God the elect Angels came to present themselues before IEHOVAH Satan also came amongst them as it is in the Booke of f Iob 1. 6. 2. 1 Iob. And g 1. Kings 22. 18 19 20. in another place when he came to set vpon his Throne the vncleane spirits will they nill they made vp a part of the Hoast of Heauen and were faine to offer their seruice to him Thirdly he hath the hearts of all men in his hands sitting at the sterne and turning them hither and thither whither-soeuer he will as the Water-man doth his Wherrie As in the person of the King himselfe whose affections of all other are most wauering and vncertaine like vnto the Riuers of waters when they are tossed with contrarie windes as h Prou. 21. 1. Salomon giueth vs to vnderstand And in another i Prou. 29. 26. place Many seeke the face of the Ruler but the iudgement of euery one commeth from IEHOVAH bowing and bending the Rulers heart which way it pleaseth him He giueth fauour in the eyes of men as he did to k Exod. 3. 21. 22 the Israelites in the sight of the Egyptians And l Prou. 16. 7. when IEHOVAH delighteth in the wayes of a man hee maketh saith SALOMON his verie enemies to be at peace with him Againe at his pleasure hee taketh fauour away maketh Rents and Breaches Discords and Diuisions as he did betweene m Iudg ◠2 3. Abimelech and the men of Shechem He n Esay 20. 14. ◠Cor. 1. 19. destroyeth the wisdome of the wise and the vnderstanding of the prudent that their counsell is not able to doe any thing Therefore DAVID o 2. Sam. 15. 31 prayed O IEHOVAH turne the counsell of ACHITOPHEL into folly And
out IEHOVAH he is the true God The liuing God The eternall King which made the Earth by his Power established the inhabited World by his Wisedome and by his Prudence stretcheth out the Heauens who vttering his voice the waters make a noyse in the Heauens he bringeth forth vapours from the vtmost part of the Earth maketh Lightning together with the raine and bringeth the winde out of his treasures To conclude saith he Thus shall yee say to the Idolatrous Gentiles The Gods that made not Heauen and Earth shall perish from the Earth and from vnder the Heauen And y Psal 115. 15. Dauid setteth it as the proper mark of the only God Blessed be ye of IEHOVAH who hath made the heauen earth So Esay 44. 19. He taketh to himself alone both the creation and administration of all things I IEHOVAH stretch out the Heauens alone I stretch out the Earth by my selfe And of them both the z Esay 40. 12. Prophet saith Who hath measured the waters in his fift and couered the Heauens with a spanne or in a measure comprehended the Dust of the Earth and weighed the Mountaines with a Waight and the Hils in a Ballance Who then is like vnto our God or what or who is he that may be compared with him Whose a Psal 36. 7. kindnesse is vp vnto Heauen his truth vnto the Clouds his righteousnesse as the mighty Mountaine his iudgements as the great Deepe who by his Prouidence preserueth both man and beast Thine saith the b Psal 89 10 11 12 13 14 16 Psalmist are the Heauens yea thine is the Earth the inhabited World and the things that fill it thou hast founded Then followes an enlargement by the parts North and South thou hast created Tabor Westward and Hermon towards the East which sing of thy Name The Gouernment he partly touched before and afterwards more fully Thou rulest ouer the pride of the Sea when the waues thereof rage thou doest represse them Vpon all which he concludeth O blessed is the People that are acquainted with the shoute walking in the light of thy countenance O IEHOVAH that is who acknowledge thee their Soueraigne Lord and Captaine suffering themselues to bee led and guided by the shoute or noyse of thy voice in thy most glorious Word and workes as by the Trumpet or Allarum of their Generall Now to make it euident how the Glorie of God shineth and sheweth out in all which hath beene said of the exercise of his Kingdome Generally it may be seene First That hee is perfection it selfe in giuing all perfect things to other Secondly his owne Infinitenesse in that their best and put them altogether is but c Esay 40. 15 17 a drop of that which is feafull in him Thirdly his Eternitie in being before all things were More particularly he manifesteth his Power Wisedome Goodnesse both in the making and gouerning the World In the making hee manifesteth his Power in creating things of nothing onely by his command in fetching one contrarie out of another as Light out of Darknesse c. and bringing forth whatsoeuer he would euen at the first without naturall causes giuing light vnto the World before there was a Sunne making d Gen. 2. 5 6. Plants and Herbs to grow and all things to bee greene and flourishing in the Fields when there was no man to till the ground nor any mist or raine to water it His Wisdome in the artificiall distinction of things His Goodnesse in garnishing and replenishing the Earth with all good things fit for the vse of man and that before their Creation that so hee might bring them into the World not as to an emptie and barraine habitation but stored first with whatsoeuer was requisite both for the necessitie and pleasure of their life In the gouerning hee manifesteth his Power doing things not onely by meanes but without meanes aboue meanes and contrarie to all meanes and course of nature His Wisdome in doing all things according to the counsell of his will in measure and weight most wisely yea like a most cunning Workeman procuring good things by euill instruments and making sinne it selfe to serue vnto his glorie His Goodnesse in being liberall and bountifll to all as the Psalmist e Psal 145. 9. saith IEHOVAH is good to all and his Kindnesse is ouer all his Workes CHAP. V. Of the Morall Law the first Table and the first Commandement ALBEIT the Glorie of GOD shine most So much of the Kingdome of God The honor due vnto him is that the reasonable Creatures Angels men doe his Will cleerly in all his Workes yet is this honour which in the second place wee giue him very needfull for it was not enough for the illustration of his glorie either to make the World or by his Prouidence thus royally to gouerne it vnlesse there were some that might both see behold admire and confesse the excellencie thereof aswell in themselues as others without which all the other Creatures and Actions of God how infinite matter soeuer they containe of Gods Glory could no whit increase his prayse which was the end of his gouerning and making of them no more then all the skill and excellencie of the most perfect workman can purchase credit or commendation of his worke if none but himselfe obserue it Therefore in his wisdome he saw it needfull to create Men and Angels indued with knowledge iudgement a reasonable soule and will and other excellent parts to be the Trumpetters of his Glorie But notwithstanding that in these God could glorifie himselfe though men and Angels would stop their mouthes and conspire to roote it out hee being able either to destroy the Creatures he had made and so to glorifie his Power and Iustice in their deserued ruine or against their will to wring from them a confession of his Prayse yet as earthly Princes not onely desire Soueraigntie and command which the Rebels themselues are not able to withdraw but loue especially that their people should obey carrie Subiectly mindes vnto them So it pleased God to adde this one vnto the rest for the full making vp and perfecting of his glorie This honour we define by the doing of his will which is the proper office of Angels and Men and not of any other Creature yet it is true the rest of the Creatures doe the will of God also yea the wicked aswell as the good but not in the same manner The wicked doe it because they shall doe it will they nill they Gods Children because they haue a will and desire to doe it Generally all doe his will and pleasure that is f Psal 115. 3. 135. 6. whatsoeuer hee in his euerlasting counsell hath purposed to be done But that is the secret and hidden will of God which the wicked may doe and perish not his knowne and reuealed will whereof wee heere speake which cannot bee done but in obedience of reasonable Creatures to the
all goodnesse tomorrow may bee altered and so long as this life continueth so long there is a space left for Repentance many are called at the eleuenth houre at the winding and shutting vp of the day in the last act of their life And so was the m Luk. 23. 40. Thiefe vpon the Crosse And our n Math. 21. 31. Sauiour telleth vs that Publicans and Harlots vile and despised persons oftentimes enter into the Kingdome of Heauen before many that carrie a fairer shew Thou oughtest therefore vsing the meanes and setting still at the feete of Christ to esteeme God faithfull that when hee offereth thee grace he meaneth it for thy good and that howsoeuer now thou feele no working of it yet the moments of time are in his hands who calleth how and when he will and still to haue comfort and neuer to despayre Fiftly as Predestination is eyther to Life or Death and giuen vnto him so it is to those subordinate things whereby God hath purposed to bring his determinate Counsell to passe both in the Elect and Reprobate And those are To the Elect an appointment of Christ to be their Mediator and of them to be in Christ which in Gods good time commeth to be wrought by an effectuall calling through faith in him that beeing iustified and sanctified by his Spirit they may so in the end be glorified To the Reprobate hardnesse of heart not to beleeue the Gospell that so they might lye in their sinnes without repentance vntil the wrath of God come vpon them to the vttermost Touching the former the Apostle in one o Rom. 8. 29 30 sentence hath all the lincks of that golden Chaine for whom hee fore-knew and chose vnto life which is Election them also he predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first borne among many brethren Here is the first step as if the Apostle should say For them he purposed that his Sonne should die that Christ might be their Head and they through him the adopted sons of God and whom he predestinated thus to be his sonnes This is euerlasting life to know thee the true God and whore thou hast sent â—esâ—s Christ The perfect distribution of all Diuinity Math. 22. 38 39 40. He diuideth the tenne Commandements into the first and second Table and the whole Scripture then extant that is to say the old Testament into the Law and the Prophets 〈◊〉 6. 33. Seeke first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse where he seemeth to abbreuiate the Lords Prayer and that his Sonne should be theirs them he also called effectually to beleeue in him which is the second step and whom he called them he also iustified or made righteous through Christ from whence doth proceed as an effect from the cause Sanctification or holinesse of life the third and the fourth steps and whom hee iustified and made righteous in Christ them hee also glorified which is the end and last step of all Our p Iohn 6. 37. Sauiour as he is q Iohn 17. 3. wont in all his doctrines shortly reduceth them vnto two giuing vnto Christ and comming vnto him But to speake of all these things apart The first and the fundamentall ground of all vnto the Elect hidden in the secret counsell of God is Christ himselfe r 1. Pet. 1. 20. foreknowne or predestinated and Å¿ Reuel 13. 6. slaine for vs in his eternall purpose before the foundation of the World was layde and we in like sort elect t Eph. 1. 4. in him that is that being by faith vnited vnto Christ we might be saued by the merit of his death and suffrings And againe u Eph. 1. 5. predestinate to be the adopted Sonnes of God by Iesus Christ This is that our Sauiour saith Ioh. 17. 6. I haue manifested my Name to the men whom thou hast giuen me out of the World for that by giuing he doth not meane the manifestation of his Election by an effectual Calling through faith in Christ but the verie purpose of God to adopt vs in him appeareth Ioh. 6. 36. All that my Father giueth me shall come vnto me Where he doth manifestly distinguish betweene these two making Gods giuing vnto Christ the cause why in their time they come vnto him Christ therefore is Mediator nor any thing that God so respects in him is not the first cause of his Election but onely a subordinate meanes vnto it vnlesse which were absurd a man will say that the disease is not in nature to be thought of before the remedie nor the fall before the meanes of raising vp againe Our Sauiour Christ himselfe for this may be our warrant Iohn 17. 6. where hauing said I haue manifested thy name to the men whom thou hast giuen me out of the World that they should be adopted in and through me By and by he riseth vp a degree higher Thine they were in thine euerlasting purpose for causes onely knowne vnto thy selfe higher and aboue any consideration or respect of me written vnto life and then keeping the respect of order and not of time Thou gauest them vnto me The Apostle likewise to the x Ephes 1. 4 5. Ephesians shewing we are elect in Christ in the verie next words doth explaine it to bee meant of predestinating to adoption through Christ in himselfe that is onely for causes resting in God himselfe not in Christ as he is a Mediator This is it which as we haue heard the Apostle teacheth in the Epistle to the Romanes y Rom. 8. 29 30 Whom hee did foreknow or predestinate vnto life them hee did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne What is that Verily the same albeit the Apostle specially apply it to afflictions which wee heard before of giuing vnto Christ and so the words following doe import That he might bee the first borne among many brethren through whom by faith which is the next degree and first manifestation of this counsell being incorporate into him and made one together with him wee obtayne Righteousnesse and Sanctification which are the immediate steps whereby we ascend to glorie Now that men are predestinate vnto both these it is verie plaine for so the Apostle telleth the z â— Thes 2. 13. Thessalonians that God had chosen them to Saluation through sanctification of the Spirit and the faith of Truth Of faith particularly our a Iohn 8. 47. Sauiour saith He that is of God heareth the Word of God you therefore doe not heare because you are not of God So it is in the Acts b Acts 13. 48. They beleeued as many as were ordayned vnto life And for this cause faith is said to be c Titus 1. 1. proper to Gods Elect. Concerning Sanctification of life and the fruits therof the place is very euident Ephes 2. 10. Wee are created in Christ to good workes which God hath before prepared that we
Chro. 15. 3. Israel by which is meant not the ten Tribes onely but Iudah and Beniamin as the sequel of the Chapter sheweth is said to haue beene a long time without the true God without Priest to teach without the Law And Paul 2. Thess 2. 3. telleth of a generall defection and falling from the Truth that no face of a visible Church should be discerned Antichrist should so vniuersally set vp his throne which in the height and fulnesse of Poperie we see to haue bin accomplished Although that God hath and alwaies had some that are his as appeareth by that which the Lord d Rom. 11. 2 3. answered to Elias But I call it a visible Church because it may be seene and knowne who are such Professors though the Church of the Elect cannot be seene This outward Church vniuersall is further Seuerall companies that assemble for the exercises of the Word are so many Churches members of the whole to be considered in the beautie it receiueth by companies and assemblies drawne by the power of Christs Spirit to associate and ioyne themselues together in the profession of his Name which is a singular ornament and a marueilous gracing of the whole thus to be distinguished into particular meetings as it were the field of the Lord into seuerall closures or a garden into seuerall beds or alleyes Whereby Gods glory is much the more conspicuous Such a Church or Congregation for so in ordinary sense the Scripture vseth the word Church neither standeth of one or two nor a few in a corner but of many enough to performe all seruices of the Church and those publiquely assembling So the Apostle speaketh of the e 1. Cor. 11. 18. Corinths Comming together to the Church and to the Hebrewes f Heb. 10. 25. Leaue not your assembling together as the manner is of sâ—me But not euery assembly of Professors doth forth with make a Church but their assembling in the name of Christ for Prayer Administration of the Sacraments or other spirituall matters whereby the Church is distinguished from the Common-wealth and ciuill meetings And this badge or marke our Sauiour setteth vpon it Matth. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name And Paul 1. Cor. 1. 5. 4. 5. I haue decreed when you and my Spirit are gathered together in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliuer such a one to Satan So wee read in the Acts that the first day of the Weeke the Disciples gathered together to breake bread Act. 20. 7. And not in vaine doe the Churches so assemble God And in euery of these hath alwaies some that are his indeed hath made vnto them this large and ample promise that he will be alwayes effectuall to renue some of them by the power of his Spirit vnto euerlasting life for the ministery of the Word with the vse of the Sacraments and the exercise of true discipline sounding in euery Church g Math. 13. 3 â— 5 6 7. neuer returneth emptie but howsoeuer much of it fall by the way or vpon stonie places or among the thornes yet some alwayes lighteth vpon good ground and bringeth forth fruit in that measure that God hath appointed A promise anciently made to the Church as appeareth Esay 9. 251. This shall be my Couenant with them saith IEHOVAH My Spirit that is in thee and the words I haue put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seedes seede saith IEHOVAH from this time forth for euermore Which promise our Sauiour hath also renued Matth. 28. 19 20. Goe therefore and gather Disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to keepe all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you And behold I am with you alwayes vnto the end of the world Hereof it is that so many things are generally attributed to the Churches professing Christ because the same is alwaies true in some that are among them As where they are called h Eph. 1. 1. Faithfull ones i Eph. 1. 1. Holy k 1. Cor. 1. 2. Sanctified and the Iewes in generall l Exod. 19. 5 6. A holie Nation A peculiar people c. So Deut. 32. 15. They are called leshurum that is The righteous people for that all being called to that honour many of them were such indeed although of a number it were also true that they m Vers 5. were none of his sonnes Another noble Prerogatiue belongeth to the outward Their children also are of the Church Church that they purchase not onely this dignity for themselues by the profession of their faith but their children also are borne free Burgesses of this Citie as the promise is made to n Gen. 17. 7. ABRAHAM I will be the God of thee and of thy seed for as the Apostle saith The gifts which Christ bestoweth vpon the outward Church are for the Churches coÌ„mon good or for a mans owne priuate for the common good are first things committed to the Churches keeping then Ministeries and Graces The things committed are his Word whereof we haue spoken to be preached Sacraments to be administred and other holy things Rom. 11. 16. If the Root be holy so are the branches also Else-where doth the same Apostle Gal. 2. 15. oppose Iewes by nature to sinners of the Gentiles but to shew that from the very birth the children of beleeuing parents are within the outward Couenant of the forgiuenesse of sinnes And this is not to be restrayned to such children onely as are borne of both parents beleeuers but if any one of them be of the Church so is the child likewise for the vnbeleeuing man is sanctified by the beleeuing wife and the vnbeleeuing woman is sanctified by the beleeuing husband so farre as to make our children that otherwise were vncleane to be holy 1. Cor. 7. 14. Christ not onely gathereth a Church vnto himselfe a precious possession out of the world and the delight and ioy of the earth but he garnisheth it also and setteth it forth with many goodly ornaments and rich endowments which the Apostle calleth Gifts Ephe. 4. 7 8. Some for the publique some for a mans owne priuate Of these the first are certaine rich Iewels of inestimable price and valew his Word Sacraments and other holy things which Christ hath layed vp in the Arke of his Church and committed to their care as a treasure which he will trust none but his Church withall As vnder the Law in the Holy of holies wherein was the Arke were kept the o Heb. 9. 3. Tables of the Testament the Word the golden pot that had Manna a Sacrament and Aarons Rod that had budded for p 〈◊〉 â—7 10 1. Cor. 4. 21. a signe against the rebellious His word
by lying miracles deceiuing and deceiued make the bodie which seeke Christ vpon the Earth in their Sacrament of the Altar place Religion in an Eremiticall or Monkish life not holding Christ the Head nor Iustification by Faith alone in his bloud And therefore are not the Church of Christ but the Synagogue of Satan The second signe is that o Verse 29. The Heauen shall be darkned The Moone shall not giue her Light the Starres shall fall from Heauen and the powers of Heauen or powerfull and potent Heauens shall be shaken Such Metaphors as these the Scripture is wont to vse when it would expresse a notable change to fall out in the World the ruine and ouerthrow of some great State or Monarchie p Esay 13. 10. Esay in his thirteenth Chapter speaking of the destruction of Babel The Starres of the Heauen and their Planets shall not giue their light and the Moone shall not shine bright the Sunne shall bee darkned at his rising q Ioel 4. 7. IOEL prophecying of the seuere Iudgement against the enemies of Gods Church The Sunne and the Moone shall be blacke and the Stars shall take in their Light And r Ezech. 32. 7 8 Ezechiel to Pharaoh King of Egypt I will couer when I put thee out the Heauens and I will make their Stars blacke The Sunne I will couer in a Cloud and the Moone shall not make her Light shine All the Planets of light in the Heauen will I make blacke for thy sake And I will set darknesse in the Land So in the Å¿ Reuel 6. 12 13 14. Reuelation When hee opened the sixt Seale there was a great Earthquake and the Sunne became blacke as hayrie sackcloth and the Moone became as bloud and the Starres of Heauen fell to the ground and Heauen parted asunder as a Booke rolled together and euery Mountayne and Iland were remooued out of their places Which things point not to the end of the World seeing many things were to fellow vnder the seuenth Seale but are meant as it seemeth of that great ouerthrow which Constantine gaue to Dioclesian and other Tyrants of the Church turning the whole Empire of Rome vpside downe from Gentilisme to Christianitie This second signe therefore I iudge to bee the Turkes ouerthrow which shall fall out t Reuel 16. 19. 19. 20. 20. 10. as soone as the Church is deliuered from the Tyrannie of Antichrist that is as our Sauiour speaketh heere immediately after the affliction of those dayes The third Signe is the calling of the Iewes wherein foure things may be obserued First The time And then saith u Verse 30. he that is x Ezech. 38. 39. to the end of the Prophecy Reuel 20 7 8 9 10 11 c. immediately vpon the Ruine of the Turkish Empire for though some y Ezech. 37. Reuel â—6 12 13 14 15 16. beginnings are to bee made before an indeuour to and preparation to seeke Christ whereupon z Dan. 1. 12 â— shall insue the forest time of affliction to that people that euer was in the world yet their full and thorow Call beginneth not till the Turke be done away Secondly The glorie of their Church two wayes described one by calling it The Signe of the Sonne of man the other The Comming of the Sonne of man in the Clouds of the Heauen for so is the latter vsed Reue. 1. 7 And before in this Chapter Verse 27. and they both import the selfe same thing which Paul 2. Thess 28. calleth The brightnesse of his Comming to wit not a corporall but a spirituall Comming powerfully and royally in the great and glorious Conuersion of this Nation Thirdly The generalitie of their call that all the Tribes of Israel aswell as Iudah shall bee saued Which very word of Tribes if there were no more sheweth of what people it must be meant Fourthly Their true and vnfayned Repentance for the mourning heere spoken of is that bitter mourning for the sinne of all sinnes the sinne of refusing Christ whereof you reade Zacharie 12. 10 11 c. Reu. 1. 7. The fourth Signe is the generall publishing of the Gospell thorowout the World for this sending of his Angels with a Trumpet and great voyce and their gathering of the Elect out of the foure Windes from one end of the Heauen to another Verse 31. cannot bee that voyce of an Archangell and Trumpet of God which the Apostle speaketh of 1. Thes 4. 16. nor the gathering mentioned Mat. 25. 32. for it is expresly said here Verse 33 34. When you see all those things whereof this which we now speake of is one know hee is neere at the doores not yet come as he must be when the Archangels voice doth sound Verily I say vnto you The same a So is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken Luke 17. 34. age the Age wherein the last of these things shall bee fulfilled shall not passe away till all things be done Therefore it must needs bee taken of a glorious spreading of the Gospell among all Nations not spoken figuratiuely or by Hyperbole and excesse of speech as that other Verse 14. but in a true literall and proper sence And as the former was giuen to the Apostles for a Signe that should goe before the Iewes desolation and consequently before Antichrist should come who was not to appeare till some Ages after they were destroyed So this is to come after After his after the Turkes destruction after the Iewes repayre for b Reuel 21. 24. then shall the Nations bring their Honour and Glorie to the new holy Citie c Ezech. 47. Then shall waters flye out of the Temple into the East and to all the quarters round about by the sweetnesse whereof shall be ingendred a multitude of fish exceeding many Then d Dan. 7. 14. after the small horne taken away which is the Turke a Kingdome shall be giuen to him that was like the Sonne of man that all People Nations and Tongues shall serue him Then e Zach. 14. 19. shall IEHOVAH be King ouer all the Earth And in that Day there shall be one IEHOVAH and his name one Hauing done now with the Signes the last circumstance is the manner of his Comming which shall bee sudden manifest and notorious vnto all and full of State and Maiestie For the suddennesse of it it is compared to a f 1. Thess 2. 2. Reuel 16. 5. Thiefe in the night to g 1. Thess 5. 3. trauaile that commeth on a sudden to a woman with child and to a h Luke 21. 35. snare that catcheth men vnawares Whereupon it is also compared to the dayes of i Mat. 24. 37 38 39. Noe and of Lot for as men then were taken before they were aware so shall they bee in the Day of Iudgement which serueth to stirre vs vp to watchfulnesse as our Sauiour in k Luke 21. 35. Luke maketh that vse of it As a