beleeuing is nothing but a spirituall sight faith being the eye of the soule whereby we see God reconciled to vs by Christ by which sight we walke now not by immediate sight such as Angells and Saints haue in heauen which glorious sight shall dimme or extinguish rather the obscure sight of faith which seeth thorough the Word and Sacraments as spectacles whereas there in heauen we shall see perfitly AEnig 228. Who is that that makes things visible to be invisible and things past and to come to be present And how this may be Resolution It is a true and liuely faith to which God and heauenly glory things invisible doe after a sort become visible being beleeued that they shall as certainly be performed as they are certeinly promised Also in a wonderfull manner both things past as the worlds creation Christs incarnation and passion And things to come as resurrection Iudgment c. are present to faith Heb. 11.1 AEnig 229. How may one at once both haue faith and loose it Resolution A Christian at once may haue the gift or habit of faith and yet loose the feeling and some fruits for a time as in Dauid and Peter who lost confession of Christ with boldnesse cleannesse and ioy of heart yet lost not the grace of faith AEnig 230. How can one see him that is invisible whom neuer man saw Resolution God being an invisible Spirit maketh himselfe seen vnto faithfull ones and visible as it were in his word sacraments works and creatures Heb. 11. 27. AEnig 231. How is it that a beleeuer still hungers and thirsts yet true beleeuers hunger and thirst no more Iohn 6. Resolution True beleeuers because their apprehension and feeling is weake hindred by sinnes and temptations therefore they still thirst and couet increase of their faith to a more full enioying of Christ and his graces wherin because they doe finde all soule contentment and satisfaction euen whatsoeuer belongs to full happinesse therfore they are said to thirst no more for they rest in him onely and seeke not for an other AEnig 232. How may one beleeue before he haue faith Resolution He that out of an heart truly touched for his offences doth desire through the holy ghost to beleeue the forgiuenesse of them such a one though he haue not that faith which is in strong apprehension and act yet he doth beleeue in Gods acceptance who in his children accepteth the desire for the deed Mat. 12.20 Ioh. 7. 37. 38. AEnig 233. Seeing doubting is contrary to faith how can beleeuing and doubting meet both together in one person Resolution Doubting being a fruit of vnbeliefe is contrary to the nature of faith which is a certaine assent vnto the promises yet it may stand with the infirmitie of faith as in Peter Mat. 14. 31. why dost thou doubt ô thou of little faith doubting springs not from faith but from weake faith AEnig 234. If we be certaine of our saluation by faith how are we bid to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling Resolution As a child may reuerence and feare his Father of whose loue he is certeinly perswaded so Gods child thinking vpon his owne weaknesse and the falls of others may feare to offend God by falling to sinne yet may bee certainly perswaded of his owne saluation when he considers the infinite mercy truth and power of God Phil. 2. 12. AEnig 235. If faith be but one how is it written that righteousnesse is reuealed from faith to faith Resolution Faith is but one as touching the kinde author obiect and end yet this one faith hath sundry degrees and measures righteousnesse is then reuealed from one measure of faith to another from a lesser faith to a greater but not from one kinde of faith to another Rom. 1.17 Eph. 4.5 AEnig 236. How one person at the same time may be an enemie to God yet loued of him Resolution One that is an enemie actually by the guilt and corruption of sinne wherin he stickes being vnregenerate may at the same time be and is loued of God in his purpose and election Rom. 7.10 9.13 AEnig 237. How may it be that one should marry a Wife and yet still remain a Virgin Resolution Hee that is maried to a Woman yet is still a Virgin if his faith be kept pure and vnspotted see 189. AEnig 238. How may one be a maa and a chtld at once Resolution One person at the same time may be a man in yeeres and a child in vnderstanding as Nicodemus Iohn 3. AEnig 239. Who was he that was a man the first day he was borne And how this may be Resolution Paul the Apostle in respect of his great knowledg and strength of grace which hee receiued in his new birth was a man not a babe the first day he was borne into the Christian world Acts 9. AEnig 240. Who is he that is twise borne and thrice dead and how this may be Resolution A regenerate man is borne of his mother naturally and the second time he is borne of the Church spiritually Also he is once dead in sinne by corruption from Adam The second time he is dead to sinne by mortification from the death of Christ The third time dead to the world in the disolution of soule and body by the decree of God AEnig 241. Who is he that fiue a childe and how Resolution One that is regenerate and liues till hee be in great yeares is a childe first by age secondly by new birth thirdly in vnderstanding if he continue weake in knowledge long time after he is new borne fourthly in maliciousnesse being harmelesse as a childe fiftly in yeares as it is said once an old man twise a childe AEnig 242. Who is it that hath foure heades and but one heart also two hearts and but one head and how this may be Resolution A religious beleeuing wife hauing but one naturall heart yet beside her naturall head shee hath her husband as domesticall or houshold head her King as politicall or ciuill head And lastly Christ her misticall and spirituall head Also a man that hath but one naturall head may haue two hearts as hipocrites who are double minded or as the godly comming into the worde with a heart of stone and afterward receiuing from grace a heart of flesh Ezek. 11. 19. AEnig 243. If Gods promise be true why are seales added Resolution Seales are added to the promise not simply to confirme the truth thereof which is more stable then heauen and earth but to help the infirmitie of our faith which needes strengthening against doubts and feares of the flesh AEnig 244. What is that which is called that it is not yet is that which it is called Resolution Sacraments be called by the name of things wherof they are sacraments for likenesse sake yet are not the selfe same things really and substantially but mistically and
singular number it argueth certainety as Sabboth of sabboth Lamentation of lamentation Micha 3.4 If it be in the plurall number it signifies excellency as Eccles. 1.1 vanitie of vanities song of songs Cant. 1. God of Gods Psal. 136.2 King of Kings Lord of Lords for most high and excellent Repeating of an adiectiue and of a substantiue sometime signifies encreasing as holy holy holy Iehouah Iehouah Temple c. A verbe repeated and twise gone ouer in a sentence maketh the speech more significant or else it shewes vehemency certainty speedinesse as to die by dying Gen. 2. and is my hand shortned in shortning Esay 30.2 A coniunction dubbled doth dubble the deniall and encrease it the more as Math. 13. 14. shall not not perceiue Some figuratiue speeches beside that they doe enlarge the sense and bring with them delight ornament they do also afford matter for nourishment of our faith as Math. 25.35 ye gaue me Christ to drinke here the putting of Christ for a Christian man doth nourish faith comfort a Christian man Also the like is to be said of putting Christ for a Christian Church as 1. Cor. 12.12 and Act. 9. 4. An Ironie which is when the contrary to that which is spoken is meant carieth with it a iust reprehension of some sinne whereof examples bee in Genes 3. verse last Also Iudg. 10.14 Mark 7.9.1 King 22.15 go vp and prosper 1. King 18.27 crie a loude for he is a God Questions do sometime import an earnest affirmation as Gen. 4.7 also Ios. 10.13 Ioh. 4.35 Gen. 37.13 1. King 20.2 and sometime they signifie a forbidding as why shall the gentiles say where is there God Psal. 79. 10. also 2. Sam. 2 22. and sometime time they argue affections of admiring compassion faultfinding and complayning as Psal. 8.10 Esay 1.21 Psalm 22. 1. Concession and yeelding hath sometime in it a deniall and reprehension 2. Cor 12.16.17 But be it that I charged you not c. Holy writers speaking of things and persons which are past and gone doe vse sometime to anticipate that is they speake of them according to the custome of the place and time in which they wrote as Gen. 12. 8. the place named Bethel by Moses was named Luz in Abrahams time 1 Pet. 3. 19. Christ in spirit preached to them in spirit So they were indeede in regard of the time when Peter wrote this Epistle and not of the time wherein Noah liued In Genes 9. 2. Moses doth mention Canaan who at that time when such things as he writeth of were done was not borne And sundry other things in order of the story go before which in order of time were done after In Sacred accounts and Genealogies either the name or number of yeares how long some Prince raigned be left out The reason is because of the wickednesse of the Prince As Saul who raigned farre longer yet is said to haue raigned but two yeeres and an halfe that is lawfully and rightly Also in Mach. 18. three Kings Ahaziah Ioas and Amaziah are for their wickednesse left out The parts of time are vnderstood inclusiuely sometime and sometime exclusiuely In Math. 17. 1. it is written and after six daies Iesus tooke c. whereas Luk. 9. 28. it is written of the same thing that it came to passe about eight daies after the Reason is because Mathew put exclusiuely those daies onely which went between and were finished but Luke puts the two vtmost daies also into the reckoning Moreouer it is vsual in scriptures historicall to take the time spoken of either compleatly as fully finished or vncompleatly as being begun to be in finishing as 1. Kings 25. 19. 1. King 15. 18. 25. the last yeeres of the Kings of Israel and Iudah are not fully expired but some of them scarsely conteine moneths in them the rest of the yeers of their raigne being put compleatly The lesser number is to be counted vnder the greater and more compleat as Iudg 3. 11. the land had rest 40. yeeres when Othniell died vnder this number bee comprehended all the yeeres from the death of Ioshua vnto the death of Othniell and the 8. yeeres of seruitude vnder the Assirians Iud. 3. 20. the like is vsed diuers times in the Iudges as ch 5. 31. and 8.28 and 9.22 also chap. 10. 2. 3. The scripture vseth to call sonnes which by nature are no sons to them whose sonnes they be called but are there sonnes legally and by succession Thus Salathiel being sonne of Neri naturally Luk. 3.27 is legally and by succession made the sonne of Iechoniah whom he succeeded in the kingdome as Math. 1. 12. after this manner Zedekiah is the brother of Iechoniah or Iehoiakim 1. Chro. 36. 10. and his sonne 1. Chro. 3. 16. his brother by generation his sonne by right of succession By this rule the two Euangelists Mathew and Luke are reconciled in their Genealogie for Luke followes the naturall order and Mathew the legall order This word rather is put not alwaies comparatiuely when two persons or things are compared as like or vnlike but somtime negatiuely as a denying particle in stead of not as Luk. 18. 14. this man went away rather iustified then the other that is not the other but he departed iustified also Ioh. 3. 19. men loued darknesse rather then light that is they loued not light but darknesse This word behold is vsed not alwaies or only to stirre vp attention at the report of some waighty and admirable thing but most commonly it signifieth a thing manifest and plaine wherof all do or may take knowledge as Psalm 51. 6. Math. 1.23 and often elsewhere Doing doth somtime import beleeuing as Math. 7.2 but he that doth the will of my Father Now this is the will of my Father Iohn 6. 40. that he which beleeueth in the Sonne should haue life euerlasting These 13. Rules following are all taken out of M. Luthers works SCripture must be vnderstood not against Christ but for Christ. 2 Precepts presuppose faith as where it is written keep the commandements that is in Christ or by faith in Christ. also thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart c. that is in Christ or by faith in him also doe this and thou shalt liue that is doe it in Christ. and so in the rest of this kinde 3 Interpretations must be drawne out of Scriptures these are the supreame and absolute meane of interpretation as the Spirit is the principall Interpreter 4 Many things are said in Scripture by anticipation and recapitulation 5 Negatiue speeches in Scripture be more vehement and forcible then affirmatiue 6 We may not interpret scripture by allegories vnlesse wee be able to auouch the allegoricall sense by some other place of scripture 7 Grammar must giue place to Diuinity Reason is Because things are not
with his lusts Rom. 5.1 7.22 as the wicked haue peace and league with their sins but warre with God at one time AEnig 279. How may one at once both worke and fight Resolution The true Christian doth at once both performe the worke of his calling and fight against the hinderances whereby the world sinne and Satan would withdraw him from his worke or discourage him in it as Israelites in building Ierusalem AEnig 280. How may hee say who shall free mee from sinne who is already freed from the law 〈…〉 Resolution One who is in part freed from the tyrannie of sinne may desire and long to be perfectly freed Rom 7.24 AEnig 281. How may one repent before he haue repentance Resolution The child of God hath a sound purpose and desire to repent which with God is accepted for repentance before he hath the power and grace of repentance so he repents in will ere he hath actuall repentance wrought in him AEnig 282. How may one haue repentance without repentance Resolution When one hath true repentance wrought in him whereof he neuer need to repent him because it springs out of a godly sorrow for sinnes and tends to saluation then hath hee repentance without repentance 2. Cor. 7.10 for he neuer repenteth him that he hath repented AEnig 283. How may one confesse and leaue his sin yet not repent Resolution If his confession be hypocriticall from stinge of conscience or perforce and not out of displeasure of heart for sinne and hope of forgiuenesse thorough Christ and that he leaue his sin touching the act because he lacks occasion or strength to do it not in affection because he hates it such confession and leauing sinne argueth no sound repentance AEnig 284. How may the children of the kingdome be cast out and harlots enter in and be saued Resolution Such as be children of the kingdom by outward couenant and profession onely as proud Iewes were being without faith and repentance shall be cast out and refused when beleeuing penitent harlots shall be receiued vnto saluation AEnig 285. How can there be in this life a righteous person who needs no repentance Resolution If we speake absolutely there cannot be any such righteous person but there is if we speake comparatiuely for one who hath already repented departing from his sinnes and hauing made good proceedings in a righteous course of life hauing done many good works hath not such neede of repentance as one that goeth still astray being dead in sinnes and trespasses or that is newly turned Also one that thinks himselfe to bee righteous without fault in his owne opinion needs no repentance AEnig 286. Seeing repentance is a grace hidden in the heart how can the Angels who know not our hearts ioy at the conversion of sinners Resolution Angells by outward signes and effects doe obserue and know the inward conversion of our hearts and do ioy therin because it turnes to the honour of God to the increase of Gods kingdome which they greatly loue Also they delight in the good of all elect persons who together with them make vp one glorious Church in heauen Luk. 15. AEnig 287. How may one liue in a grosse sinne till death and yet be saued and another doing so shall not be saued Resolution If it be his secret sinne which he doth not know and marke to be a sin such as the polygamie of the Fathers and fornication amongst the Corinthians and vsury in England were thought to be he that repented not of such sinnes particularly may be saued so hee doe repent generally whereas another liuing in such a sinne against the light of his conscience cannot be saued without a speciall repentance for it Luk. 13.3 AEnig 288. What is that without which we cannot be saued yet is no cause of our saluation Resolution It is good works which be no cause of our saluation and yet the elect which are of yeeres if they haue space and time to do them cannot be saued without them for they are the way to the kingdom though they be not the cause of reigning AEnig 289. To what purpose is it to do good works yet wee are neither iustified nor saued by them Resolution God works though they cannot merit our saluation being both vnperfect and spotfull yet are we bound to do them to obey the commandement of God to glorifie the doctrine and name of God to edifie our brethren to witnesse and assure our owne faith and election and finally to stop the mouthes of the wicked Also to aedifie the weake AEnig 290. How can our good workes please God seeing they haue in them such wants and spots as God hateth Resolution As good works come from our faith and be fruits of Gods spirit so they please God by the intercession of Christ couering the defects and stains of our workes by the mantle of his death and righteousnesse AEnig 291. If heauen be freely giuen for the merit of Christ how is it then the reward of good works Resolution Though heauenly happinesse bee freely giuen as the purchase of Christs passion yet because it is giuen in the end of our life after the workes done as a recompence vseth to be giuen to labourers in the end of the day hence it is in Scripture called a Reward not of debt as due to our worke but of free fauour the better to encourage vs to our worke Matth. 5. AEnig 292. How is it that no man did euer see the Father and yet he that seeth Christ doth see the Father Resolution No man did euer see the Father immediately because the brightnesse of his Maiestie cannot bee endured by any mortall creature but God being in himselfe invisible became after a sort visible in Christ whose doctrine life and miracles be as it were an image or looking glasse wherein to behold the diuine truth power bounty mercy and goodnesse AEnig 293. If in heauen we shall see God as he is and know him as we are knowne how is it written that then our knowledge shall cease Resolution In heauen our knowledge shall bee perfect and immediate by the vision of God himselfe and therefore such meanes as wee haue heere of getting knowledge shall cease no books no ministerie no doctrine c. AEnig 294. How is it eternall life to know God and Christ and yet many shall perish which know God and Christ Resolution It is the beginning of eternall life to know God and Christ by the speciall knowledge of faith begetting in vs affiance and loue in God therfore such as know God and Christ and yet do perish it is because their knowledg is generall and empty of confidence and loue AEnig 295. How may it be that one shall not see that which he doth see Resolution That which one doth see spiritually it may be he shall make no vse of it to himselfe and then hee were as good not
sinne AEnig 313. How may one worship the true God yet haue many Gods at the same time Resolution If he worship the true God in profession yet giue away his heart to riches pleasures and other earthly things for this is spirituall idolatrie so many things we make our Gods as we loue and feare aboue God AEnig 314. How may two feare both one God and the one doe well the other ill Resolution If the one feare him for his goodnesse and mercie sake because hee would not offend him by sinne and the other feare sinning in respect of the euill and torment following sinne This latter feareth amisse while the former feareth a right AEnig 315. How may one at once both feare and reioyce or how reioyce in trembling Resolution First in respect of diuers obiectes as the women at the Sepulcre feared at the sudden and glorious apparition of an Angell but were ioyfull to see and heare that Christ was risen secondly the godly do all their duties to God with ioy and chearefulnesse in respect of Christs mediation Gods acceptance yet not without feare and reuerence in respect of Gods awfull Maiestie and least by their owne infirmitie duty bee not done as it should Psal. 2. 11. AEng. 316. What is that that is so stronge as can ouercom the mightie God and how this may bee Resolution It is praier faithfull feruent humble which after a sort causeth the mightie God to yeeld vnto it hindring many his iudgementes and pulling downe many benefits vpon them as is to be seene in the example of Moyses Exod. 32. and Iames 5. in the example of Elias praying for raine AEnig 317. What is that that speedes not when it speedes and how this may be Resolution It is godly prayer which though it alwaies obteine not that it doth aske for yet it doth euer obtaine some thing better for vs as the lame man in Act. 4 though he missed the almes he begged yet he got his strength which he asked not so many afflicted with pouertie sickenesse paine temptations or othâ—rwise are denied that releife they craue yet haue inward graces comforts giuen them which haue more benefit for them 2. Cor. 12. AEnig 318. What Messenger is that that is swifter then the Angels And how this may be Resolution It is true praier which sometime in a moment both carrieth our minde to heauen and brings vs backe an answer Dan. 9. Act. 10.4 AEnig 319. How will God haue no beggers in Israel yet in Israell there is nought but beggers Resolution It is Gods will to haue the poore so relieued and keept to worke as no man through extreame bodily want should be driuen to begge of another making beggery his profession or trade of life yet in Israell that is in the Church of God all be full of beggerie in respect of spirituall wants whereof the supply must howâ—ely bee begged of God in Christs name AEnig 320. How may one make a stronge crie and not yet open his month Resolution As Moyses at the red sea cried vnto God by the inward sighes of his heart and yet he spake neuer a word the like did Annah 1. Sam. 1. the like do all the Saints sometimes Rom. 8. 26. the secret and silent groanes of a renewed heart are loude cries in Gods eare AEnig 321. How is it true that they that call vppon the name of the Lord shall be saued and yet many shall say Lord Lord that shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Resolution All that call vpon the name of the Lord by the prayer of liuely faith shall bee saued eternally others that professe him outwardly and pray with their lippes only haue no promise of saluation made vnto them AEnig 322. How may one as bare Lazarus make all Gods children both rich and poore beholden to him Resolution By his earnest and deuout supplications made to God for them Luk. 16. 9. rich bee more beholding to godly poore then the poore to the rich AEnig 323. What is that that ouercomes by yeelding and how this may be Resolution Patience by bearing and forbearing ouercommeth and gets the victorie of the fiercest minde AEnig 324. What is that that maketh heauie things become light and how this may be Resolution It is Christian patience which easeth the burthen of affliction by willing and constant suffering 2. Cor. 4. 17. AEnig 325. What vertue is that that maketh one likest to Christ and vnlikest to Sathan Resolution It is Christian humilitie Phil. 2. 5. none so humble as Christ none so proude as the Deuill and Antichrist his eldest childe AEnig 326. Who was he that was one of the chiefest sinners at that time when hee was one of the chiefest Saints and how Resolution The Apostle Paule insence of his owne vnworthinesse felt himselfe the ringeleader of offenders and so humbly confessed himselfe yet through Gods grace at the same time was a principall Saint and a chiefe builder in Gods Church 1. Tim. 1. 15. AEnig 327. What is that that flies from men that followes after it and followes him that flies from it and how this may be Resolution It is glory and praise amongst men which followes the humble that neglect it and flies from the proude that catch at it AEnig 328. How may two go both together into the temple to pray the one be heard the other refused Resolution A humble sinner and a proude Iusticiarie both praying together the one is filled with good things and the other is sent away emptie Luk. 18. in the example of Pharisie Publican AEnig 329. How is the Saboth day sanctified of God yet we may not account one day holier then another Resolution Not in respect of the day but of the vse and ende which is his owne holy seruice all daies a like for the nature of the day not for the worke done in the day AEnig 330. How is it a sinne to be zealous yet wee are commanded to be zealous Resolution To be zealous without knowledge is a sinne wise and godly zeale is a speciall Christian vertue Rom. 10. 2. Rom. 3. 19. AEnig 331. How is it that God abhorreth the sacrifice which him selfe hath commanded Resolution First if it be not offered in faith and repentance Esay 1. Secondly when it is dulie offered yet neuer so respected of God as is a broken and contrite heart Psal. 51. 16. it is a comparatiue speech like to Hos. 6. AEnig 332. How may one loue God with all his heart yet is bound heartily to loue his neighbour Resolution If our neighbour be loued for God in him and after him then is God neuer the lesse loued with our whole heart which still cleaues wholy to God and is not deuided between God and man but if man bee not loued at Gods commandement and to his glory then the heart is parted AEnig 333. How is loue