Thessalonians comprehendeth both for when hee incourageth them by this Argument that God had not appointed them for wrath but to the purchasing of saluation through IESVS CHRIST he manifestly noteth some ordayned to Saluation other to destruction as many as come not to haue their part in Christ But that to the o Rom. 9. 21 â—2 Romanes is more manifest Hath not the Potter power ouer the clay of the same lumpe to make one Vessell for Honour and another to dishonour And what if God willing to shew forth his wrath and to make knowne his power hath borne with much long suffering the vessels of wrath framed for destruction and that he might make knowne the riches of his Glorie vpon the vessels of Mercie which he hath before ordayned vnto Glorie Behold how he calleth them heere the one Vessels to Honour Vessels of Mercie prepared vnto Glorie the other vessels to dishonour vessels of wrath framed for destruction which selfe-same phrase Vessels to Honour and to shame or dishonour he keepeth also in the Epistle to p 2. Tim. 2. 20. TIMOTHIE Now in a great house there are not onely Vessels of Gold and Vessels of Siluer but of Wood also and of Earth and some verily for Honour some for dishonour This shall yet further appeare if we cast our eye vnto those meanes whereby this predestinate Decree of God is brought vnto effect for sith it is manifest that some beleeue the Gospell and testifie the same by the fruits of their conuersation other are obstinate and stubborne and giuen vp to their lusts blinded with infidelitie and hardnesse of heart thereof we may conclude that some are ordained vnto life other vnto destruction Notable also to this purpose is that vnto the q 2. Thes 2. 9. Thessalonians The comming of Antichrist shall bee with all power to them that are to perish but wee ought alwayes to giue thankes to God who hath chosen vs to Saluation and called vs by the preaching of the Gospell where these two sorts are manifestly distinguished as also Iohn 17. 19. I pray not for the World but for those whom thou hast giuen me out of the World The very scope of the Apostles disputation Rom. 9. 22. driueth heere unto in the person of Ismael and of Isack children one of the flesh the other of the promise And againe in Isacks two sonnes one loued the other hated to set before vs the generall state of all Mankinde yea God hath not onely predestinated men to ioy or to paine but to the measure of it more or lesse according as there be degrees both of glorie and of punishment Mat. 20. 23. vpon the request of the Sonnes of Zebedy our Sauiour Christ granting a difference of Glorie saith It shall be theirs for whom it is prepared of his Father And of the Reprobate the place in IVDE r Iude v. 4. is manifest Which long agoe were appointed to this damnation In saying this he noteth not a common but a rare and as it were an extraordinary Damnation for so I refer the word Damnation to the end aswell as to the meanes to the iudgement it selfe as to the sinne and disobedience which was the cause of it The truth heere of is euident in Iudas the Traitor of whom Å¿ Acts 1. 25. Peter saith that he turned aside from the lot of his Ministerie whereunto Christ had called him to goe vnto his owne place In the words his owne hee noteth his proper degree of punishment and calling it his place sheweth that it was reserued for him and allotted from Eternitie Secondly Euery particular person is thus predestinate So as both the number how many and the persons who they bee are before all Eternitie most certainly knowne to God Therefore our t Luke 10. 20. Sauiour saith Their names are written in Heauen And in u Iohn 10. 3. IOHN A good Shepheard calleth his sheep by Name And hither belongeth that in x 2. Tim. 2. 19. TIMOTHIE The foundation remayneth firme hauing this seale God knoweth who are his Agreeably whereunto our Sauiour Christ saith I y Iohn 13. 18. know whom I haue chosen This number of Gods Elect in comparison of the Reprobate is but small for z Mat. 20. 16. Many are called but few are chosen If but few euen of those that haue an outward calling how much more few if you consider the rest of the World beside And this may teach vs the rather to admire Gods goodnesse to our selues as nature and reason doe instruct vs to set more by that which is common but with a few Thirdly The cause of this difference is the The Papists teach that those who God foresaw would willingly beleeue the Gospel do good works them hee chose though not by reason of their workes but freely of his Grace yet so as hee had respect to the good things would bee in them Wherby they make Gods free election in some sort to haue his cause in man and in his goodnesse which in truth is but an effect comming from that Election free-will and pleasure of God without any motiue to it but in and of himselfe Which the name of Predestination speaketh that the Will and Decree of GOD not in time onely but in the very order and nature of causes is first and before all other things And the Apostle a Ephes 1. 11. saith plainly Hee worketh all things after the counsell of his Will God therefore notwithstanding any thing that hath beene â—â—id is no respecter of persons nor mooued by any qualitâ— that is in man but by his owne free-will No fore-knowledge of faith or infidelitie good or euill workes were the cause of this Decree for they are but b Ephes 1. 4. Titus 2. 12. consequences that follow and depend vpon it but all here is free the roote it selfe and all the branches Election free therefore the Apostle calleth it c Rom. 11. 5. The election of Grace d 2. Tim. 1. 9. Calling free e Phil. 1. 29. We beleeue freely through Grace Are f Rom. 3. 24. freely iustified through Faith Our g Ezech. 36. 37 Sanctification free and h Titus 3. 5. eternall life the free gift of God through Iesus Christ Election therefore commeth from the onely will and pleasure of God for aboue this or out of this it is impietie Rom. 6. 13. Luke 12 32. for to goe Therefore the Apostle wrappeth vp all in sinne He i Ephes 1. 6. chose vs in himselfe according to the free pleasure of his will And the sole and onely cause both of Election and Reprobation of one rather then another is his own good wil and pleasure for causes vnknown to vs but yet most holy and iust and righteous in themselues So he saith to the Romans Whom k Rom. 9. â—8 he will he pittieth whom he will he hardeneth Exemplifying both the parts of this diuision by two most singular and
calleth them Iohn 8. 44. he is the Seed of the woman to bruise and tread downe their head in perpetuall enmitie and defiance with them not a friend to dye and suffer for them being that wherein he doth so much l Rom. 5. 8. commend his loue Christ indeed gaue an infinite merit to all his Actions to the end whereunto he purposed them and suffered in waight and measure a proportionable punishment for the Redemption of all Gods people But the Scripture speaketh euidently that m Gal. 2. 21. Christ dyed not he suffered nothing in vaine nor more then was of necessity for the sauing of his Church And when Prayers and Intercession which hee offered not for all are one part of his Priesthood and consequently of that sufficiencie which it was requisite hee should performe to God-ward for vs it is manifest that in the Ordinance and Decree of God his death without the same had not beene thorowly sufficient for the sauing of the Elect themselues much lesse of all the World And why should we imagine a halfe sufficiencie wrought for them in his death and sufferings when the other part of his Prayers and Intercession without which there is no complete nor perfect sufficiency at all cannot be drawne vnto them No better is the Dreame of vniuersall Grace in Christ offered vnto all and that for the vnbeliefe which God fore-saw would be in some hee hath decreed to reiect them which beside the Word of God common sense and experience doth controll since it is plaine and stands prooued before at large that all men are not called no not without an outward call Sixtly The end of all is the setting forth of his Glorie to set forth in them the prayse of his Mercie specially in Election to shew the riches of his Mercie in Reprobation the seueritie of his Iustice as the Wiseman saith n Pro. 16. 4. God hath made all for himselfe that is for his Glorie sake euen the wicked vnto the day of euill The end therefore of these Decrees is not simply the sauing of the one and the destroying of the other but a farther and a farre more excellent and precious end to manifest the Glorie of God in them both His Wisedome Power Truth Lenitie Patience Long sufferance Hatred of sinne loue of Righteousnesse and other Vertues as hath appeared before out of the ninth to the Romanes But especially his Mercie and Iustice heere shine foorth and carrie away the prayse His wonderfull and seuere Iustice in punishing transgression and inflicting wrath which end the Apostle teacheth Rom. 9. 22. What if God willing to shew wrath c The riches of his Mercie and Goodnesse in helping out of miserie in and of and by for himselfe poore silly and wretched man whom otherwise saluation it selfe had not beene able for to saue This end the Apostle there teacheth plainely That o Rom. 9. 23. he might make knowne the riches of his Glorie vpon the vessels of mercie which he hath before prepared vnto glorie And Ephes 1. 5 6. He that predestinated vs to be his adopted sonnes through Iesus Christ to the praise of the glorie of his grace That so no flesh p 1. Cor. 1. 29. might reioyce before him but euerie q Phil. 2. 11. tongue might confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord to the praise of God the Father To returne to the Couenant mediated by Christ Because This Couenant is called the Couenant of Grace the same commeth from the onely mercie and fauour of God in his Sonne it is called the Couenant of Grace Here therefore is another Couenant that God hath made with man ouer beside the Couenant of Works which he made before A Couenant of another and a quite differing nature for First it is grounded vpon the free mercie of God in Christ otherwise it is in the Couenant of Works where Christ or the Grace of God in Christ was no part at all of the Couenant for there needed then no Mediator because in the beginning God and man were not at oddes Secondly the conditions of these two Couenants differ the Law or Couenant of Workes offereth saluation vnder condition of perfect obedience The Gospell or Couenant of Grace vnder the condition of faith that is to say if we beleeue in Christ who hath done it for vs. Of both these Couenants the Couenant of Workes and the Couenant of Grace Ieremie r Ier. 31. 31. speaketh in his one and thirtieth Chapter and Paul to the Å¿ Gal. 4. 24. Galatians sheweth how they were shadowed by two women as by two types that is to say by Hagar the bond and Sara the free-woman for these women saith hee are the two Couenants You may see further touching them both t Phil. 3 9. That I might be found in him that is not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God through Christ Phil. 3. u Rom. 9. 30 31 32. What shal we say then that the Gentiles which followed not righteousnesse haue attained vnto righteousnesse euen the righteousnesse which is of faith Put Israel which followed the Law of righteousnes could not attain vnto the Law of Righteousnesse Wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the Law Rom. 9. x Rom. 10. 3 â— 5 6 7. For they beeing ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to establish thei owne righteousnesse haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnesse of God for Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to euerie one that beleeueth for Moses thus describeth the righteousnesse which is of the Law that the man which doth these thinks shall liue thereby But the righteousnesse which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine heart Who shall ascend into Heauen That is to bring Christ from aboue Or Who shall goe downe into the deepe That is to bring vp Christ from the dead Rom. 10. y Gal. 3. 11 12. That no man is iustified by the Law in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shall liue by faith Now the Law is not of faith but the man that doth these things shall liue by them Gal. 3. And these two being the onely meanes whereby true happinesse may bee attained are so contrarie one vnto another that where the one is the other cannot bee neyther can saluation come in part by the one and in part by the other Whereupon the Apostle vseth to dispute that we are iustified by workes onely or by faith alone This is the summe of his whole Argument in the three first Chapters of the Epistle to the Romans Eyther we are iustified by Workes or by Faith But not by workes neyther of the Law of Nature nor of the morall Law neyther Gentile which is without the Law written nor Iew which hath it
certaine promise or the faith and credit of the Promise-Maker may bee called in question But that hope which the Scripture speaketh of and which here wee deale with respecting celestiall Happinesse and eternall Glorie in Heauen which i Titus 1. 2 3. God that cannot lye hath promised in his Word apprehendeth the same most certainly without all exception and therfore is said k Rom. 5. 5. not to make ashamed being a Noble and a Royall Vertue and of a Diuine Ofspring the Daughter of Faith and Mother of Patience Daughter and inseparable Companion of Faith for what is Faith else but l Heb. 11. 1. the ground-worke or foundation and subsistence of things hoped for Againe it is the Mother of Patience as wee heard euen now out of the Epistle to the Romanes If m Rom. ◠25. wee hope for that we see not wee doe wait for it with patience Therfore the Apostle elegantly termeth it n Heb. 6. 19. The Anchor of our soules to stay vs in the middest of the stormes and troubles of this life til we ariue at the hauē of all our rest Faith and Hope do thus differ Faith imbraceth Christ as present and in him all Happinesse in generall Hope looketh at one certaine Happinesse to come which is the inioying of the glorious presence of God of CHRIST and of the holy Angels in Heauen CHAP. VIII Of Regeneration THE fruit and glorious effect of Faith that The fruit of an effectuall calling is that destroying of the old world that is our sinfull cursed estate by the power of his death and sufferings he maketh is of Christ by Faith apprehended of Gods Elect is this that destroying in them the old World that is our sinfull and cursed estate by the power of his death and sufferings as the Apostle teacheth Gal. 6. 14. and in other places hee maketh of the true Church a new a heauenly World giuing his Sonne vnto them and Righteousnesse Holinesse and life euerlasting in and through him Many points of great waight and singular vse arise from hence seriously to be attended First Here is the reall and royall performance of the Couenant which God that cannot lye not onely offereth vnto all to whose eares the sound of the Word doth come and striketh hands with such as by Faith make it theirs but giueth and performeth the very truth thereof when they are once entred into the societie of the Couenant wherefore it is called o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The exhibiting of the Couenant a putting into possession as it were by liuerie and seisin Ezech. 20. 37. and Paul saith Gal. 3. 23. The promise by the Faith of Iesus Christ is giuen to those that beleeue So wee finde recorded Ier. 31. 34 34. This is the Couenant which I will make with the House of Israel I will put my Law in their minde and write it in their heart and will bee their God and they shall bee my people I will bee fauourable to their iniquities and their sinnes will I remember no more And againe Ezech. 36. 25 26 27. I will powre vpon you cleane waters and yee shall be cleane from your pollutions and from all your abominations will I clense you and I will giue vnto you a new heart and a new Spirit will I put in the midst of you and I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh and will giue vnto you a hart of flesh and my Spirit will I put in the midst of you and make that yee shall walke in mine Ordinances my Iudgements ye shal obserue doe Secondly This Couenant is exhibited but to a few of the true Church Ier. 31. 33. the House of Israel Gods faithfull people whereas all mankind was partaker of the former Couenant for in Adam all were made righteous Wherefore Faith is the onely meanes and instrument whereby God in this life giueth his Sonne or Christ giueth himselfe vnto vs and is made ours by spirituall Regeneration as the Apostle witnesseth q 1. Ioh. 5. 1. Euerie one that beleeueth that Iesus is that Christ is borne of God And againe r Ioh. 1. 12. As many as receyued him he gaue vnto them this dignitie to become the sonnes of God euen to those that beleeue in his name who are not borne of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God ſ Gal. 3. 26. All yee saith the Apostle to the Galatians are the sonnes of God through faith in Christ Iesus This alone putteth vs in possession of Christ and of all the good things we haue from him for t Eph. 3. 17. he dwelleth in our hearts by faith and there is u Ioh. 6. 35. no way to feed vpon him but by beleeuing in him no way to life but by feeding on him Otherwise wee cannot haue his Spirit which x Gal. 3. 14. wee receiue by faith onely nor y Act. 26. 18. haue our sinnes forgiuen vs or Christs righteousnesse imputed to vs which is euery where called z Rom. 4. 11 13. The righteousnesse of faith a Rom. 9. 13. 10. 6. The righteousnesse by faith b Rom. 3. 22. The righteousnesse of God by faith c Rom. 4. 5 9. Faith imputed for righteousnesse And Faith said to be that whereby we d Abacuc 2. 4. Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 3. 11. Heb. 10. 38. are righteous whereby we e Rom. 3. 26 28. 5. 1. Gal. 2. 16. 3. 8 24. are iustified not for any inherent qualitie that is in Faith more than in Loue Hope or other vertues but because it apprehendeth Christ and maketh him ours who is our onely righteousnesse our hearts cannot else be purified for f Act. 15. 9. that Faith doth alone Else can we not be partakers of the promised bessednesse g Gal. 3. 9. which is giuen to the faithfull onely So wonderfull is the worke of Faith Thirdly Here is the verie life and power of the Kingdome a new of Christ and that wherein his glorie shineth incomparably most of all in that he frameth and fashioneth vs from aboue to be new Creatures of naturall men spirituall heauenly men of carnall h Psal 102. 19. So Eph. 2. 10. a people created againe as the Psalmist speaketh whereby he maketh a new face of things and as it were another world i Esay 65. 17. I make new heauens and a new earth k 2. Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new The Author to the Hebrewes termeth this excellent condition and estate l Heb. 2. 5. The world to come in opposition to this present world wherof the Apostle saith that m Gal. 1. 4. Christ hath deliuered vs out of this present euill world Wherefore by the world to come is not meant as in our common speech it is
come aswell as others which hee declareth afore hand vnto his Church As the same y 1. Pet. 1. 16. Apostle saith The fore-witnessing Spirit of Christ declared the things that were to befall vnto him and the glory that was to follow And by this Argument is his God-head manifestly prooued z Esay 42. 22 23 26. Esay 41. where God prouoking all false gods and their worshippers to bring their proofes and to vse their strongest arguments hee saith Let them vtter and declare vnto vs the things that shall fall out The former things what they were declare that we may set our minde vnto them and know the end of them or the things to come declare vnto vs nay saith hee declare but the signes of the things hereafter that wee may know you to be gods At the length hee concludeth There is none that can declare there is none that can fore-tell there is none that can heare your wordes A chiefe man in Sion in whom behold behold these things and to Ierusalem a Publisher of glad tydings I will giue The summe is none can declare things immediately nor at the length to come to passe nor giue any incling or signification of future things but all this glory God taketh to himselfe in Christ yea so infinite is this his Knowledge that euen the secrets of all hearts which God onely discerneth are knowne vnto him for that is it which the Euangestlist Iohn a Iob. 2. 24 25. expresly noteth Hee committed not himselfe into the hands of the Iewes which after a sort beleeued in him because hee knew all men and had no need that any should testifie of man for himselfe knew what was in man In another b Matth. 9. 4. place hee is said to haue seene their thoughts and Reuel 2. 14 to search the hearts and the reines Neyther doth this knowledge rest here but it soundeth the bottomlesse counsels of God his Father vnsearchable of all his Creatures Reuelation 5. The Booke with seuen Seales in the right hand of him that sate vpon the Throne which none in Heauen nor vpon the Earth nor vnder the Earth was able to open nor so much as to looke vpon it this Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah the root of Dauid by his owne Power preuayled to open Hereof it is that in the Prophet c Dan. 8. 13. Daniel wee find him set forth by the name of PALMONI Then I heard saith he a certaine Saint speaking for the Saint said vnto PALMONI the speaker that is to Christ the Interpreter of his Fathers will How long shall this Vision be PALMONI is a compound word and signifieth as much as to haue all hidden and secret things ready told and as wee vse to speake at ones fingers ends most absolutely and perfectly knowne which is the proper Epithete of our Sauiour Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of Wisedome and Vnderstanding and who is said to bee in the Bosome of the Father yea who is the very Wisdome of God as manifestly appeareth by conference of the two Euangelists Matthew and Luke for that which Christ saith in MATTHEW d Matth. 23. 24 Behold I send among you Prophets and Wise-men and Scribes c. LVKE c Luke 21. 49. hath it Therefore also the Wisedome of God saith I will send among you Prophets and Apostles c. Last of all hee is called Eternall Psalm 93. 2. Thy Throne is established from before then meaning any time whereof a man may say then thou art from euerlasting And that this Psalme is spoken of Christ appeareth in the very first beginning Iehouah raigueth Salomon in his Prouerbs f Prou. 8. 22. doth notably inforce the same IEHOVAH possessed mee in the beginning of his way before his workes before then Before the World was I anoynted before the beginning before the first things of the Earth when yet there were no deepes was I brought forth when there were no Fountaines heauy with water when yet Mountaines were not fastened before the Hils was I brought forth yet he had not made the Earth nor streets no not the beginning nor dusts of the inhabited World When hee fitted the Heauens there was I when he appointed the circuit vpon the face of the Deepe when he fortified the Cloudes aboue when he strengthned the Fountaines of the Deepe when he laid his Decree vpon the Sea that the waters should not passe the commandement of his mouth when hee appointed the foundations of the Earth And hereunto serueth that to the Colâ—ssiâ—â—s g Col. 1. 15. Begotten before all Creation or before any thing was â—reated and therefore from euerlasting Agreeable whereunto is that whereby he calleth himselfe in the h Reuel 18. Reuelation Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end which was and which is and which is to come And in IOHN i Iohn 8. 5 8. before ABRAHAM was made I am Againe k Iohn 17. 15. Glorifie mee O Father with the glory which I had before the World was with thee That also to the l Heb. 9. 14. Heb. 1. 2. Hebrewes where hee is said to haue offered vp himselfe by his euerlasting Spirit is verie pregnant to prooue his Eternall Deitie And when by him God made all Ages the times and courses of all things must not he the Maker and Beginner of Time be himselfe before all Time But that of all other is most emphaticall where he is called m Esay 9. 5. The Father of Eternity not onely eternall but Eternity it selfe and the Author of it Thirdly being the Sonne and begotten as before appeared hee must needes bee vnderstood to bee of his Fathers Essence For he that begetteth and they that are begotten are all of one nature especially he that hath not the like but the same very Essence and whole God-head in him As he is therefore Consubstantiall so is he coequall with his Father A sonne is inferiour to his father because his father is more excellent then hee in priority of Time in priority of Dignity For his Wisedome and other parts which the sonne by instruction receiueth from him Againe because hee bestoweth freely this benefit vpon his sonne to beget him for fleshly Parents in gender voluntary of their free will and election not by nature These things set aside a sonne who hath not the same but the like nature with his father were equall with him How much more therefore is this true in the Sonne of God who is not of the like but of the selfe-same nature and Essence with his Father and in whom none of the things before alleaged can take place Priority of Times there is none for all are Coeternall nothing vnperfect for what is the God-head but perfection it selfe Neyther doth the heauenly Father like vnto fleshly Parents beget his Sonne voluntarily so as he might haue begotten him or left him vnbegotten or may beget moe but hee begetteth him by nature and therefore him alone
Fourthly Hee sendeth forth the Holy Ghost out of his owne substance and therefore is indeede and truth God if as shall bee prooued anon the Holy Ghost himselfe be God Fiftly The workes which only belong to God Christ doth the same and that in the same manner as hee saith in o John 5. 19. IOHH Whatsoeuer the Father doth the same the Sonne doth likewise And p Iohn 5. 18. againe My Father worketh hitherto and I worke Whereupon truely and rightly the Iewes concluded that hee made himselfe equall with God It were long to goe thorow all but to select the chiefe and principall among all the workes of God none is more neere and inward to the Sacred Maiesty then the Eternall Election which is within himselfe and knowne onely to himselfe and whereof he alone doth keepe the Booke This is attributed vnto Christ Iohn 15. You haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you that you might bring forth fruit and that your fruit may remaine which properly ment of the dignity and office of Apostle-ship whereunto Christ had chosen them giueth them withall this comfort that as they had this honour to be the Arch-Masons and Master-Builders of the Church which is the House of the liuing God so themselues were liuely stones of that spirituall Building and to haue part in the fruite which by their Ministery they should reach forth for the euerlasting good of many in q 2. Tim. 4. 6. sauing of themselues as well as others without which their ioy had not beene full And aptly doth this follow as the Root and Fountaine of that most Honourable Title to bee his friends which hee had vouchsafed to giue vnto them immediately before But more manifest is that Iohn 13. 18. I speake not of you all I know whom I haue chosen But it behooueth that the Scripture should bee fulfilled He that eateth bread with mee hath lift vp his heele against mee The circumstance of exempting one of the Apostles out of the number of the blessed making his Election the cause of this their difference referring the same to his owne secret knowledge and finally opposing to the Chosen him that should betray him the r Iohn 17. 12. sonne of destruction as afterwards he calleth him who yet in familiaritie of conuersation was a choice and speciall friend eating bread continually at his Table shew plainly that hee speaketh of Election vnto life As other Å¿ Mat. 24. 31. where hee doth when speaking of his second Comming vnto Iudgement hee saith The Sonne of man shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet Who shall gather together his Elect from the foure winds c. And no maruell though hee call them his Elect for since hee hath power and authority to t Reuel 3. 5. blot mens names out of the Booke of Life it cannot bee chosen but hee must haue interest to write them in for of contraries there is one and the same respect in nature Therefore to shut vp this point and to leaue it without question the Booke of Life in the u Reuel 13. 8. Reuelation is expresly called The Lambes Booke of Life Come to that which is more glorious in the World And first vnto the Creation the proper marke of the true God As the x Psal 124. 8. Psalmist teacheth Our helpe is in the Name of IEHOVAH that hath made both Heauen and Earth And y Ier. 10. 11. IEREMY The gods that made not Heauen and Earth let them perish from the Earth and from vnder the Heauen He it is that wrought with the Father in the creating of all things Iohn 1. 13. All things were made by him and without him was nothing that was made not a iot of any thing So saith Paul to the z Col. 1. 16. Colossians By him were created all things both in Heauen and vpon the Earth things visible and inuisible whether Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Therefore he is called The a Reuel 3. 14. beginning of the Creation of God or the first and prime cause from whence the Creatures take their beginning being all made and formed by him And notable is that of the 102. Psalme which the Apostle to the Hebrewes b Heb. 1. 10. applyeth vnto Christ Thou Lord in the beginning laydst the foundation of the Earth and the Heauens are the worke of thy hands And By him saith the same c Heb. 1. 2. Apostle God made the Ages that is Time and the course and succession of all things with this glory of Creation is coupled another not inferior of the cherishing and preseruing of the things created So Prou. 8. 30. he saith that he is with God his Father nourishing and gladding them continually Hither belong those Diuine Workes and Miracles manifestly pointing out his God-head He rebuked the Winds and they obeyed him raysed vp the dead opened the eyes of them that were blind cast out Deuils had power to send them into Hell to their fearefull place of torment for d Luke 8. 31. they besought him not to doe it And all this he did not as the Prophets and Apostles but by his owne Soueraigne Power As the Euangelist e Luke 5. 36. noteth that hereupon feare came on all the people maruelling what this might be For euen say they with Authority and Power he commandeth the vncleane spirits and they come out And how must not this Power needes be his owne when hee taketh vpon him to giue it to others The f Matth. 10. 8. Euangelist recording that hee gaue power vnto the twelue Apostles to clense Lepers to rayse the dead to cast out Deuils c. which authority they like faithfull Seruants did so pursue as it might easily appeare they deriued their whole vertue from him alone Hence is that of g Acts 3. 6. PETER In the Name of Christ arise and walke and h Acts 9. 34. AENEAS Iesus Christ doth heale thee I stand not heere to presse those glorious workes whereby his God-head shineth most cleerely in the Church in subduing the proud enemies thereof and generally all the Reprobates hardening their hearts and deliuering them vp vnto their owne damnation For so the i Iohn 12. 39 40. 41. Euangelist when hee had shewed that the Iewes could not beleeue because ESAY had said He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts lest they should see with their eyes and vnderstand with their heart and I should heale them immediately addeth These things said ISAIAH when hee saw his glory and spake of him Contrariwise he bestoweth vpon his Children all good graces Therefore the Apostle continually prayeth for Grace and Peace from him He sendeth the Holy Spirit vnto them The k Iohn 15. 16. Comforter whom I will send And Iohn 20. 22. He breathed vpon them and said Receiue the Holy Ghost He giueth Faith as appeareth by that Prayer
the mightie God Hee c Psal 147. 9. giueth to the beasts their meate to the young Rauens when they cry who d Iob 39. 3. prepareth for the Rauen his Prouender when the young ones make a noyse vnto the mightie God wandering for want of meate Are not e Luke 12. 6. fiue little Sparrowes sold for a farthing yet one of them is not forgotten before God Secondly To all actions whereof hee is the supreme and first moouing cause He f Ephes 1. 11. worketh all things after the counsell of his will For g Rom. 11. 36. of him and to him and for him are all things In h Acts 17. 28. him we liue and mooue Thirdly To the particular disposition of euery accident and small circumstance time place c. So the wiseman i Pro. 16. 36. affirmeth of the whole manner of the Lottery that it is from Iehouah And this was the sense of that old Prouerbe k Gen. 22. 14. In the Mount of IEHOVAH it shall bee prouided meaning GOD in time and place will prouide as once in the Mount he did whereunto tend these and the like speeches The l Psal 145. 15. eyes of all things looke vp vnto thee thou giuest them meate in due season I m Ezech. 34. 26 will send raine in his time Euery n Iob 14. 5. mans dayes are precisely determined and the number of his Moneths With thee thou hast set his appointed time which he shall not passe My o Psal 31. 16. times are in thine hands I p Esay 60. 22. IEHOVAH will hasten it in his time When q Gal. 1. 15. it pleased God who had separated me from my Mothers wombe to reueale his Sonne vnto me When r Gal. 4. 4. the fulnes of time came God sent forth his Sonne Å¿ Ephes 1. 10. that in the dispensation of the fulnesse of times hee might gather together in one all things both which are in Heauen and which are in Earth anew in Christ None t Iohn 8. 20. layd his hands vpon him for his houre was not yet come It u Acts 1. 7. is not for you to know the times and seasons which God hath put in his owne power Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints Wicked men because x Psal 50. 21. God holds his peace deferring his vengeance thinke him to be like vnto themselues and because y Eccles 8. 11. there commeth no recompence of their euill quickly therefore the heart of men is full within them and they imb olden themselues to commit wickednesse But saith Salomon iudgeing aright as the Spirit of God directed him Though to a sinner that doth euill a hundreth fold God should euen prolong his dayes yet I know it shall bee well to them that feare God but it shall not bee well vnto the wicked Hitherto belongeth that The z Gen. 15. 16. wickednesse of the Amorites is not yet accomplished and God a 2. King 14. 27 had not decreed as yet to blot out the name of Israel from vnder Heauen therefore he saued them c. Also that of b Abac. 2. 2. Abacuck The Vision is yet put off to the appointed time which in his terme it will vtter and not lye If it linger waite for it for it will certainly come it will not stay These actions also for the more varietie of the Doctrine may be considered foure manner of wayes First In the greatest and smallest actions aswell as in those of a middle kinde Greatest It is he that c Dan. 4. 29. translateth Kingdomes d Psal 10â— 40. Iob 1â— 20. powreth contempt vpon Princes is c Psal 76. 13. terrible to the Rulers of the earth f Esay 19. 4. I saith God will deliuer Egypt into the hands of a strong Lord. Nebuchadnezzar was seuen yeeres taking foorth this Lesson As g Dan. 4. 29. hee walked in his Palace and in the pride of his heart said Is not this that great Babylon which I haue built to be for the Royaltie and ornament of my beautie by the power of mine owne strength Whilest the word was yet in his mouth a voice came from Heauen saying To thee it is told O King Nebuchadnezzar that thy Kingdome is gone from thee and thou shalt be driuen from men to haue thy dwelling with the Beasts of the field there shall be giuen thee grasse to eate as vnto Oxen and seuen times shall be made to passe ouer thee till thou acknowledge the most High to beare rule ouer the Kingdomes of men and that to whom he will he giueth the same He h Psal 135. 7. sendeth Lightnings Tempests and Thunders i Psal 113. 7. rayseth the poore out of the Dust the needie out of the Dunghill killeth k 1. Sam. 1. 6. and giueth life In this account come also to bee reckoned the changes and alterations which fall out in the World whereof the Prophet saith The right l Psal 78. 11. hand of the most High bringeth great changes A m Psal 107. 14 fruitfull Land he turneth into saltnesse for the sinne of the Inhabitants thereof He n Esay 10. 46. sendeth leanenesse vpon the fat ones maketh o Psal 113. 9. the barren a glad Mother of Children turneth p Psal 114. 8. the Rocke it selfe into a Poole the Flint into a Fountaine of Water But there being a GOD that rules the World it cannot with any reason bee thought that great things should bee neglected of him Let vs therefore see how this Doctrine may be made good not onely in those Actions that are of a middle sort but euen in the smallest and of least respect which Worldlings thinke that God regards not nor looke not after It was a prophane speech of me q 1. Kings 20. 23 Aramites that God is the God of the Mountaines and not of the Valleyes Yes our God is the God even of the Valleyes also hee looketh vnto great things and neglecteth not the meanest Can there be any thing of lesse account then a Sparrow to light vpon the ground or a haire to fall from our head yet r Mat. 10. 29. none of these is done without him The Å¿ Pro. 16. 1. Wiseman also most diuinely teacheth that the answere of the tongue is from IEHOVAH that is managed and ordered by him that one cannot so much as wagge his tongue without his direction howsoeuer his heart bee full of thoughts Dauid t Psal 31. 16. also acknowledgeth My times are in thy hand He saith not My whole time or course of life but times in the Plurall to shew that euery point and period of ones life euery turne and returne dependeth vpon God Secondly Gods Prouidence is to be seene in the most casuall things which foolish men ascribe to Chance and Fortune The u Pro. 16. 33. Lets saith SALOMON are cast into the lap but the euent is from IEHOVAH
So wee are taught in Exodus x Exod. 21. 13. that he whom men esteemed to bee killed by misse-fortune it is God that deliuereth him into the others hands Hither belongeth the Example of y 1. Kings 22. 34 AHAB slaine by an Arrow that one shot in his simplicitie without any purpose to hit Ahab whose death notwithstanding in that Battell being fore-told by the Prophet sheweth that there is nothing so casuall in the eyes of men which the secret hand of God doth not direct What may seeme more casuall in the ordinarie course of this life then the sudden falling and rising of men either in their estate or honour But yet it is most true which z Pro. 22. 2. Salomon saith that howsoeuer the rich and the poore meete together one comming in anothers stead IEHOVAH maketh them both And for the other that of a Psal 75. 78. Dauid is alwayes to be thought of Promotion commeth neither from the East nor from the West nor from the Desart whereupon Iudea bordereth North and South but God is Iudge this man hee throweth downe and the other he lifteth vp Thirdly In the Actions not onely of fauour and kindnesse without end or number so noted by the Psalmist crying out b Psal 33. 5. c. 119. 64. The Earth is full of the kindnesse of IEHOVAH And How c Psal 104. 24. full is the Earth of thy Possessions but further also aswell of iudgement and vengeance as of chastisement and correction for the tryall of his Children Is d Amos 3. 6. there any euill in the Citie which IEHOVAH worketh not Out e Lam. 3. 37 38 of the Mouth of the Highest doth not euery both good and euill thing proceede I f Esay 45. 7. frame light and create darknesse make peace and create euill I IEHOVAH doe all these things He that would see more of this let him reade Deuteronomie 28. where all the Curses are heaped together which the Lord threatneth to send against wicked Sinners So he threatneth Deut. 3 2. g Deut. 32. 2â— 23 24. A fire is kindled in my wrath which shall burne to the lowest graue and shall consume the Earth and the increase thereof and shall set on fire the foundations of the Mountaines I will spend my euils vpon them and consumemine Arrowes in them wasted with famine and eaten vp with burning coles and a raging Pestilence The teeth of Beasts will I also send with the venom of Serpents that creepe vpon the dust And in h Ezech. 14. 20 EZECHIEL he termeth the Sword Famine the Euill Beast Pestilence his foure euill Iudgements because they are sent from him Example hereof among many other wee haue one most worthy of remembrance Iudges 2. When i Iudges 2. 14. the Israelites left IEHOVAH and serued BAAL and ASHTEROTH his wrath was kindled against Israel so as he deliuered them into the hands of spoylers which spoyled them and gaue them vnto their Enemies whithersoeuer they went forth the hand of IEHOVAH was against them for euill and hee distressed them exceedingly Infinite are the places of Scripture to this purpose IEHOVAH k 2. Kings 8. 1. hath called for a Famine Behold l Esay 13. 17. I will rayse vp against them the Mede Looke m Abac. 1. 5 6 7 among the Gentiles and behold be amazed and wonder for a worke I worke in your dayes which you will not beleeue though it be told for behold I will rayse vp against them the Caldeans a bitter and a hastie Nation fearefull and terrible from whom the iudgement of this People and their carrying away shall come And n Verse 12. presently after Thou O IEHOVAH hast set him for iudgement that is for our chastisement and correction as the words following make plaine and thou O Rocke hast founded him to correct So the same o Abac. 1. 3. Prophet teacheth that from him it is that vngodly men prosper and flourish when as it is ill with those that feare his Name Why doest thou make mee to see iniquitie and makest me to behold griefe and wasting and desolation in my sight Fourthly In all sinfull and wicked Actions wherein he hath a stroke not as a bare permitter but as a powerfull Agent and Worker not onely in the action but in the fault it selfe and sinne of the Action to gouerne it and dispose of it to his glorie making singular vse thereof for his p Iob 12. 16. is he that erreth and he that leadeth into errour So God saith Exodus 21. I will harden PHARAO'S heart And in q Ezech. 14. 9. EZECHIEL When a Prophet is deceiued I IEHOVAH haue deceiued him Thus r Deut. 2. 30. Moses telleth the people SIHON King of Hesbon would not suffer vs to passe thorow his borders for IEHOVAH thy God had hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate that hee might giue him into thy hands Our Å¿ Mat. 6. 13. Sauiour also hath taught vs to pray Leade vs not into temptation And Iohn 12. 40. He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart lest they should see c. So Esay 29. 9 10. They are drunke but not with wine they reele but not with strong drinke for IEHOVAH hath powred vpon you a spirit of slumber and hath shut your eyes the eyes of the prophets and of the chiefe oxes the seers hath he couered and in the t Reuel 18. 7. Reuelation it is said of that most foule Apostacie that God had put into their heart with one consent to giue their power to the Beast Gen. 45. 8. Ioseph saith It is not you that haue sent me hither but God himselfe Acts 2. 23. Him you haue taken by the fore-determined counsell and fore-knowledge of God and nayled vpon the Crosse And u Acts 4. 28. againe HEROD and PONTIVS PILATE with the Gentiles and people of Israel assembled together to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell had fore-determined to bee done 2. Sam. 12. 11. Thus saith IEHOVAH I will raise vp euill against thee out of thine owne house and taking thy Wiues before thine eyes will giue them to thy fellow who shall lye with them before this Sunne although thou hast done it priuily yet will I doe this thing openly before all Israel and before this Sunne The contrary Doctrine of this making God an idle beholder or a naked permitter without hauing any stroke in these sinfull actions for the ruling and disposing of them taketh away from him almost the whole glorie of the gouernement of the World for first the Deuils can doe nothing else but sinne Therefore if God should haue no stroke in wicked actions his Prouidence could not extend to them Among men the x Ephes 2. 2. Reprobate alwayes and Gods Elect till they be regenerate are wholly led by the sway and swindge of Satan yea the Regenerate themselues in how many things doth he carrie them as he did
vpon him the sinnes of all the Elect to satisfie for them by his sufferings Whereof so holy and good it was as comming from God both in respect of the causes ends matter and manner of doing yet iustly doth the Holy p Acts 2. 23. Ghost call them wicked hands by whom hee was nayled to the Crosse And worthily did Iudas receiue strangling q Acts 1. 16. 17. and the sheading forth of his bowels as the reward of his iniquitie for being guide to those that apprehended Iesus They doing it to a wicked end after a sinfull manner not as an act of Iustice but of Treason and Rebellion against God out of the maliciousnes of their corrupt natures And that which is said of this may by the iudicious Reader be easily fitted and applyed to the Examples following So it was a singular worke of mercie to send Ioseph into the Land of Egypt to bee a Father to his Fathers house at that time the onely visible Church of God to prouide r Gen. 45. 5. ◠things for their sustenance to keepe them aliue by a mightie deliuerance So did ſ Gen. 50. 20. God thinke it for good to preserue aliue a number of People yet this is no excuse to the Brethren of Ioseph who t Gen. 50. 20. thought it for ill against him moued thereto through extreme u Gen. 37. 4 5. hatred and x Gen 37. 11. Acts 7. 9. enuie The Lord in so many crosses and afflictions as he layeth vpon his Church hath a gracious end y Esay 27. 10. moderately to correct them and in measure not for their hurt but z Deut. 8. 16. that he may doe good vnto them in the end But a Zach. 1. 15. with an exceeding wrath saith he am I wroth against those Nations who when I am angrie but a little helpe forwards vnto euill that is aggrauate the affliction of his people with all their might and maine doing it with a reuenging minde b Ezech. 25. 12. 15. 25. 3. vaunting of the desolation of Gods People and onely setting before their eyes ruine and destruction As notably is set forth in that proud King of Assyria Esay 10. 5. 6 7. We to Ashur the rod of my wrath although my Staffe of indignation be in their hand and sending him against an hypocrite Nation I giue him commandement against the people with whom I am wroth that he might take the prey and spoile the spoile and make him to bee trodden downe as the clay of the streets But he doth not so imagine neither doth his heart think so but to destroy after his owne minde c. to cut off not a few Na 〈…〉 And the like doth the same c Esay 47. 6 7. Prophet in the person of God vpbrayde vnto the Babylonians I was wroth with my People I prophaned mine Inheritance and gaue it into thine hand thou shewedst no mercie vnto them against the old thou madest thy yoke exceeding heauie c. saidst For euer I shall bee a Ladie thou didst neuer minde these things thou remembredst not the end of it Secondly these euill actions as in regard of the worke of God are holy and righteous for that which is a point of Iustice and morall good he thereby punisheth former sinnes and one wickednesse with another deliuering them vp like a righteous Iudge to the lust and corruptions of their owne heart and to Satans power as to the Seriants and Executioners of his wrath that so they should be tempted and led into new sinnes for the punishment of their old and by both may aggrauate their condemnation This is it which he himselfe saith Psal 81. 13. Because my People harkened not to my voyce nor Israel would none of mee therefore dismissed I them to the fancie of their owne heart to walke after their owne counsell And the Apostle to the d Rom. 1. 24 25 26 27 28 29. Romanes Therefore God deliuered them vp vnto the lusts of their hearts vnto vncleannesse to defile their bodies among themselues as those which changed the Truth of God into a lye and worshipped and serued the Creature neglecting the Creator For this cause God deliuered them vnto vncleane affections for their women changed the naturall vse into that which is contrary to Nature Likewise also the male leauing the naturall vse of the woman burned in their lust one towards another Males with Males committing filthinesse and receiuing in themselues the recompence which was meete for their errour And as they regarded not to acknowledge God so God deliuered them vp vnto a minde voide of all iudgement to doe the things that were not seemely filled with all Vnrighteousnesse Malice Whoredome c. Againe 2. Thess 2. 11 12. For this cause because they imbraced not the loue of the Truth God will send vnto them effectuall errours that they should beleeue lyes that all might be condemned which beleeue not the Truth but take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse So doth the Lord our God in his most iust and prouident dispensation e Ezech. 3. 21. set a stumbling blocke before them for their ruine turning their iniquitie vpon themselues and f Psal 94. 23. cutting them off through their owne wickednesse These things confidered it will appeare that howsoeuer wee say with the Scriptures that God powerfully worketh in a sinfull action in such sence as before was shewed yet that nothing impeacheth the puritie and vncorruption of his most holy Nature neither doth the least staine or specke of vncleannesse cleaue vnto him nay his wonderfull Goodnesse and Wisdome come herein to bee admired who both worketh good things by euill instruments and maketh sinne it selfe to serue vnto his glorie So that albeit sinne bee euill of it selfe yet that there should bee sinne it becommeth exceeding good Not that we reiect the terme of suffering or permission which it pleaseth the Holy Ghost himselfe to vse as Rom. 9. 22 23. For what if God willing to declare his wrath and to make his Power knowne hath suffered with much long suffering the vessels of wrath and also to make knowne the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercies And in the g Acts 14. 16. Acts In former Ages God suffered all Nations to walke in their owne wayes But so hee is also said to permit that which is good And this will we doe if God permit saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes Chap. 6. 3. The next thing to be considered Stoicks which imagine an absolute necessitie of things in Nature and tye God to the second causes in this Doctrine of Prouidence is the free dispensation of Almightie God who dealeth herein as a soueraigne Monarch by his owne absolute will and pleasure without any the least compulsion or necessitie h Psal 135. 6. Whatsoeuer pleaseth IEHOVAH he doth in Heauen and in the Earth in the Sea and in all Deepes Our i Psal 115. 3. God is in Heauen
hee doth whatsoeuer hee pleaseth Therefore hee is not tyed to the second causes nor inforced by any forrain power but alwayes and in all things dealeth according to his owne good pleasure how and which way he will by meanes without meanes adnulling and making voide the meanes and lastly contrarie and against all meanes of all which wee haue many and plentifull testimonies in the Scripture Of the meanes 2. Kings 14. 27. Hee saued them by the hands of IEROBOAM the sonne of IOASH Iudges 2. 16. He raised them vp Iudges which saued them out of the hands of their spoylers And in a thousand other places Therefore the counsels of God and the inferior or second causes stand well together and crosse not one another but to neglect how much more to despise the same when God giueth thee oportunitie is not to rest vpon his Prouidence but to tempt or mistrust his Goodnesse Hee prouideth the meanes for thee to the end thou mayest bee safe thou in contemning of it castest thy selfe away his loue and kindnesse commeth to bee admired thy folly and negligence is iustly to bee condemned Paul k Acts 27. 22. compared with the Verse 31. did not so in the danger of his ship wracke when being assured of the issue that there should bee no losse of any of their liues yet telleth them plainly Except these remaine in the Ship yee cannot be safe MOSES had good experience of the gracious conduct of God himselfe the perfect Iethro of their Voyage Who by his Spirit l Esay 63. 14. and the m Esay 63. 9. Angell of his presence led them gently as a Beast downe a steepe Valley in n Exod. 13. 21. a Pillar of a Cloud by day and in a Pillar of Fire by night By o Numb 9. 18. the note and marke whereof they tooke their iourneyes and by the note and marke whereof they made their stands his p Numb 10. 33 Arke as a Harbinger going before to finde a place of rest for them yet how earnest that holy man of God is with his Father-in-law who knew all the turnes and windings of the vast and huge Wildernesse to be a Guide to conduct them in the way Leaue q Numb 10. 31 vs not saith hee I beseech thee seeing thou knowest our camping Places in the Desart and thou shalt bee as eyes vnto vs. The Phisician is to be honoured for necessarie vses and the Lawyer to be retayned for the pleading of mens Causes Who would not condemne a sonne that in his fathers extremitie lying sicke vnto the death should vnder pretence of Gods Prouidence destitute him of conuenient comforts for the succour of his life And r Acts 5. 38 39. Gamaliels sound and graue aduice of letting the Apostles alone because if that counsell or worke were from men it would come to nothing but if from God it could not be dissolued meant to represse Ryots and disordered tumults if it be applyed to the Magistrates lawfull drawing of the Sword for preuenting of mischieuous plots and purposes would prooue very impious and foolish Logicke for it is no argument that either mens labours and industries should be needlesse or counsell and deliberation of future things friuolous if all be decreed of God The contrarie whereof is rather true for therefore he giueth vnto vs the good things of this life wealth credit and authoritie iudgement to fore-see dangers and wisdome to preuent them reason whereby to gather what may be for our profit by considering of things past comparing of things present and gessing at things to come that all might be as meanes to serue his secret Prouidence It was a worthy Message which Mordecai Å¿ Ester 4. 14. sent vnto Q. Hester Who knoweth whether for such a time as this thou art come vnto the Kingdome And t Pro. 22. 2. SALOMON in his wisedome saith The Wiseman foreseeth the euill and hideth himselfe but fooles passe on and are punished Againe that it may the better appeare how these two the Counsels of God and mens consultations as the meanes that hee hath sanctified are nothing at all repugnant in u Pro. 16. 9. another place he maketh them draw together A mans heart aduiseth his way and IEHOVAH establisheth his peace But heere wee must take heede of another extreme That in presumption of our selues and of the meanes we x Abac. 1. 16. sacrifice not to our owne Net arrogating the prayse and glorie of the Action which God alwayes reserueth vnto himselfe Sharply doth the Lord by his Prophet reproue the proud King of Ashur in this behalfe and checke his insolent and vaine bragges as if his owne arme had gotten him the victorie But y Esay 10. 12. when the Lord hath accomplished all his workes vpon Mount Sion and Ierusalem I will visit the fruit of the heart of the proud King of Ashur and his glorious and proud lookes because hee said By the power of mine owne hand haue I done it because I am wise therefore I haue remooued the borders of the People and haue spoyled their treasures and haue pulled downe the inhabitants like a valiant man and mine hand hath found out as a nest the riches of the People and as one that gathereth Egges that are left so haue I gathered all the Earth and there was none to mooue the wing or to open the mouth or to chirpe Shall the Axe boast himselfe against him that heweth therewith c. In z Esay 31. 1. another place hee denounceth a woe to them that goe downe into Egypt for helpe and leane vpon Horses which trust in Chariots because they be many and in Horsemen because they bee multiplyed and looke not to the holy one of Israel nor seeke after IEHOVAH AS A also a religious and godly Prince is a 2. King 16. 12 taxed that in his sicknesse hee sought not after IEHOVAH but cleaued vnto Phisicians God verily is to haue the prayse whatsoeuer meanes he worketh by But when he vseth vile base and abiect meanes which vpon the matter is no meanes at all when he chooseth b 1. Cor. 1. 27 28 the foolish things of the World to shame the wise and the weake things of the World to shame the strong and the base things of the World and things of none account and which are not to speake of in mens opinions to adnull the things that are then doth his glorie more appeare So he said c Iudge 7. 2. to Gideon comming at the first with a great Army to fight against the Midianites This people that are with thee are too many for mee to deliuer the Midianites into their hands Lest Israel take to himselfe glorie ouer mee saying Mine hand hath brought me saluation Anon d Verse 7. when of all that number a few men were left he telleth him By these three hundred men will I saue you and deliuer the Midianites into thy hands By this perswasion e
them know that the place hath no such meaning as they would fasten vpon it but quite the coÌ„trarie which according to the Originall may truly be thus rendred For thy seruant will no more offer burnt Offerings and Sacrifice to other Gods but to Iehouah in this matter Iehouau be mercifull to thy seruant at my Lords going into the house of Rimmon to bow downe there and hee leaning vpon my hand that I also haue bowed downe in the house of Rimmon for my bowing downe in the houâ—e of Rimmon Iehouah now be mercifull to thy seruant in this matter So crauing pardon for his Idolatrie past with promise from thenceforth to serue God alone This Interpretation the faith and pietie of Naaman truly conuerted Luke 4. 27. the rule of Charitie the nature and proprietie of the Word being in the time past and not but where necessitie inforceth to be taken futurely the promise which hee himselfe maketh and the Prophets answere Goe in Peace doe strongly confirme also belong all markes and badges of Superstition or other sinne But what z Rom. 11. 4. saith the Scripture I haue rescrued to my selfe seuen thousand men that haue not bowed the knee to BAAL The a Exod. 32. 6. People sâ—te downe to eate and drinke before the Calfe which Aaron had made and rose vp to play So PAVL 1. Cor. 8. 10. reprehendeth the sitting at the Table in the Idols temple euen of them that knew an Idoll was nothing in the World And God by his b Hosh 13. 2. Prophet threatneth ruine to those that kisse the Calues which Ieroboam had set vp Reu. 14. 9. 10. it is the Proclamation of an holy Angell sounded with a loud voyce If any man worship the Beast or his image and take a marke vpon his forehead or vpon his hand euen he shall drinke of the Wine of the wrath of God and be tormented with fire and brimstone The c Esay 30. 22. Prophet also setteth it forth as a fruit of true Repentance to pollute the Images of Siluer and the rich Ornaments of the Images of Gold and to cast them away as a menstruous cloth Hence shalt thou say vnto it Thirdly outward Actions come heere also to be reckoned which the Scripture commonly attributeth to the hands Clense d Iames 4. 8. your hands you Sinners c. It is many times called the doing e Ephes 6. 6. Heb. 13. 24. of the will of God sometimes the liuing f 1. Pet. 4. 2. according to his will The contrary whereof is the committing of grosse sinnes which the Apostle calleth To worke g 1. Pet. 4. 3. the will of the Gentiles to doe h Ephes 2. 3. the will of our flesh and of our thoughts IAMES i Iam. 1. 15. termeth it Sinne perfited and that though we doe it in ignorance not knowing or at the least not making it to bee a sinne which lesseneth the hainousnesse of the offence Therfore k 1. Tim. 1. 23. Paul professeth he did obtayne mercie notwithstanding he were a Blasphemer a Persecutor and an Oppressor because he did it ignorantly And Dauid l Psal 19. 13. prayeth Clense me from my secret sinnes But this kind of sinne is greater when our will is carryed contrarie to our vnderstanding to doe those things which wee know and are perswaded to be euill wherein notwithstanding a difference is to be held for if it bee through the ouer-ruling of the flesh and inordinate desires either for feare of present danger or by the bayte of some false appearing pleasure then is the sinne the lesse Hereof is that complaint the Apostle taketh vp Rom. 7. 19. I doe not the good I would but the euill which I would not that I doe But if it be in a presumption of Gods Mercie bearing our selues bold vpon the riches of his patience and forbearance that doth much increase the sinne whereupon in the Law m Num. 15. 30. it is commanded that the person that doth presumptuously should be cut off from amongst his people because hee hath despised the Word of IEHOVAH And that this wrong construction of the patience and long sufferance of God is the roote of all presumption the Wiseman teacheth Eccles 8. 11. Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the Children of men is fully set in them to doe euill And the Apostle Rom. 2. 4. Despisest thou the riches of his bountie c. not knowing that the bountie of God leadeth thee to Repentance But farre greater it is and commeth neere the top of all iniquitie when men doe willingly follow after sinne onely for their pleasure and because they will doe it which our Sauiour noteth in the Iewes Iohn 8. 43. The lusts of your father the Deuill you will or you loue to doe And of Ephraim the n Hos 5. 2. Prophet saith that willingly they went after the commandement of IEROBOAM A further thing that the Law of God requireth in the performance of holy Duties is that in them all whether the Actions bee inward or outward wee put forth our selues and the strength both of our soule and bodie to performe it with our whole force and might That Commandement wee haue Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt loue IEHOVAH thy God with thy whole heart or minde and with thy whole soule and with thy whole strength Where vnder the word strength he noteth the whole power both of soule and bodie ioyned together as our Sauiour o Luke 10. 27. Mark 12. 30 doth interpret it vsing two words to expresse that one of strength namely might which more properly is referred to the bodie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the strength and power and spirit as it were of the whole soule both of the mind and will and therefore may not vnfitly bee translated the power of reason or of discourse PAVL is woont to call it The spirit of our p Ephes 4. 23. Be renewed in the spirit of your minde minde This the Apostle touching the soule exhorteth vs vnto when he saith Doing q Ephes 6. 6. the will of God from the soule r Col. 3. 23. Whatsoeuer you doe worke from the soule And of the body we haue our Sauiour Christs owne exhortation Luke 6. 23. Skippe and bee glad An Example Luke 10. 21. where he himselfe is said to reioyce in the spirit that is for very spirituall ioy and gladnesse expressed by some bodily gesture to breake forth into that Thankesgiuing that followeth in that place So Å¿ Exod. 39. 19. Moses in a holy zeale flang the Tables of Stone away The contrarie whereof in the former the Prophet Ezechiel toucheth once or twice in the Enemies of Gods Church that with the ioy of their whole heart and from their verie soule reioyced to doe them mischiefe t Ezech. 25. 15. Because the Philistims wrought vengeance spoiling from their soule u Ezech. 36.
first and the second Table as they were at the first deliuered of God to Moses The summe of the first Table is Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart or minde and with all thy soule and with all thy might And to this Table the foure first Commandements doe belong The summe of the second is Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And to this Table the sixe last Commandements doe belong for all which our Sauiour Christ himselfe is our warrant who calleth these two The n Math. 22. 37. first and second Commandements The summe of the first Commandement is That wee Pietie is of the immediate duties to God whereof this is the whole that we haue God to be our God haue God to be our God So it is expressed in the Commandement it selfe Thou shalt haue no other gods before my face The first affirmatiue whereof is Thou shalt haue me to be thy God The contrary of this hauing of God to be our God is first that which the Psalmist o Psal 10 4. noteth The wicked are so proud they seeke not after God Against which p 2. Chro. 15. 13. Asa made a Law that if any would not seeke after God he should die Secondly Atheisme in denying God or his properties as Prouidence Wisedome Presence c. The foole q Psal 14. 1. hath said in his heart There is no God Yee haue said r Malach. 3. 14. It is in vaine to serue God c. Wee haue God to bee our God by cleauing to The parts are two one to cleaue vnto him him and worshipping him This Distribution Moses giueth Deut. 10. 20. Thou shalt feare IEHOVAH thy God and serue him Thou shalt cleaue vnto him and sweare by his Name Cleauing I call that straight and holy bond whereby we are tyed and glued as it were to God as the Apostle speaketh Å¿ 1. Cor. 6. 17. He that is glued to the Lord is one spirit Of this it is said t Iosh 23. 8. Stick fast vnto IEHOVAH your God as you haue done vnto this day He exhorted u Acts 11. 23. all that with purpose of heart they would cleaue to the Lord. The contrary wherof is that which the Prophet speaketh of x Ierom. 17. 5. Cursed is the man whose heart departeth from IEHOVAH Their y Esay 26. 13. heart is farre from mee If any man z Hebr. 10. 38. with-draw himselfe my soule shall haue no pleasure in him This cleauing to God groweth from a respect of that absolutenesse of all good things that are in him and hath these parts First to loue him for his goodnes desiring nothing Louing more then to be ioyned vnto him delighting to thinke and speake of him and to doe the things that are pleasing in his sight By which notes and marks it is easie for vs to examin our loue vnto him a Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt loue IEHOVAH thy God with all thy heart c. The contrary whereof is that hatred of God whereof we spake before Secondly to reuerence him for his Holinesse and the Reuerencing Maiesty of his presence before whome no vnseemely thing may come b Eccles 5. 1. God is in Heauen and thou art vpon the earth therefore let thy words be few And this as a bridle reyneth and keepeth vs backe from committing either open wickednesse or secret sinnes Who would not be ashamed to spue in the face of his Prince How much more should we blush to powre foorth our wickednes in the sight or presence of this King of Kings infinitely more glorious then all the Princes of the world Therefore doth the Holy Ghost aggrauate the sinne of the old world c Gen. 6. 11. That the earth was corrupted before God and of the Sodomites that d Gen. 13. 13. they were exceeding sinners before IEHOVAH that is without all reuerence daring in his presence and as it were hee looking on to commit all kind of filthinesse And the Wiseman e Prou. 5. 21. vseth this as a most effectuall Argument to draw men from the enticements of sin vnder that one of the strange woman comprehending all the rest For that the wayes of euery one are before the eyes of IEHOVAH For the other common are the exhortations in the Scripture f Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be vpright And g Exod. 20. 3. thou shalt haue none other gods before my face ENOCH h Gen. 5. 14. is also commended that he walked with God And the Prophet Ieremy i Ierem. 13. 23. notably inforceth this reason Can any man lye hid in darkenes and I not see him saith IEHOVAH Doe not I fill Heauen and earth The contrary wherof is prophanenes of heart k Hebr. 12. 16. Let there be no prophane person as ESAV c. Thirdly to feare him for his Power and Iustice not Fearing with a seruile feare which hath paine and torture in it and setteth the conscience as it were vpon a l Iohn 4. 18. Rack but with a filiall and childlike feare that is to say not so much for feare of punishment as for feare of offending so good and so gracious a Father Thou m Leuit. 19. 14 shalt not curse the Deafe neither put a stumbling blocke before the blinde but shalt feare thy God I am IEHOVAH Who n Ier. 10. 7. would not feare thee c. seeing Power resteth in thee Let o Heb. 12. 28. vs labour to please God with reuerence and feare for euen our God is a consuming fire If p 1. Pet. 1. 17. you call him Father which without respect of persons iudgeth euery one according to his worke passe your time of dwelling heere in feare If q Mal. 1. 6. I be a Father where is my feare Feare r Esay 8. 13. 14. not the feare of this people nor terrifie your selues IEHOVAH of Hoasts him sanctifie let him bee your feare and let him bee your terrour Where these two kindes of feare are plainly distinguished The contrarie whereof is contempt of God like to Pharaoh Who is Å¿ Exod. 5. 2. IEHOVAH c. To beleeue him for his Truth and Faithfulnesse to Beleeuing performe whatsoeuer hee speaketh as hee saith in the Psalmes t Ps 89. 34 35 I will not alter that which is proceeded out of my mouth nor falsifie my faith The lacke of this Grace bereaued those two worthy Saints of God Moses and Aaron of that great blessing which they so much desired to conduct Gods people into the Land of Promise Because n Numb 20. 12 yee beleeued mee not to sanctifie mee in the presence of the Children of Israel therefore yee shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I haue giuen them The contrarie of it is doubtfulnesse concerning the Truth of Gods promises or iudgements whether present or to come I x Psal 116. 11. said
in my heart All men are Lyars Whence commeth tempting or God when through distrust and vnbeliefe wee seeke signes of his Truth and Power y Mat. 4. 7. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God z 1. Cor. 10. 6. 10 Neither let vs tempt God as they tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents To trust and set our faith and full affiance vpon him Trusting and in respect of his Power and Might whereby hee is able to doe it Hereof the a Rom. 4. 21. Apostle setteth Abraham before vs for an example the father of the faithfull who contrarie to hope beleeued vnder hope being fully assured that what God had promised he was able to performe And of himselfe he saith b 1. Tim. 1. 12. I know whom I haue beleeued and am perswaded that hee is able to keepe the thing committed to him vnto that day Agreeable whereunto is the speech of our Sauiour Christ My c Iohn 10. 28. Father is greater then all and none shall be able to take you out of his hand And this may well bee thought the cause why the Lord himselfe setteth that name in the fore-front of his Titles IEHOVAH IEHOVAH the mightie God c. And why the Apostles Symbole commonly called the Creed comprehending in summe all the Articles of our Faith beginneth with this I beleeue in God the Father Almightie For holding this there is nothing so incredible to flesh and bloud which wee will not beleeue and depend vpon doubting of this there is none of Gods promises so cleere and certaine which wee are not readie to call in question Of this trusting in God we reade They d Psal 22. 5 6. called vpon thee and were deliuered they trusted in thee and were not confounded God e Psal 27. 1 3. is my light and my saluation whom should I feare God is the strength of my life of whom should I be afraid And f 2. Kin. 6. 16. hee answered Feare not for they that be with vs are more then they that bee against vs. Thus wee must trust in God not onely when wee see the meanes before vs but without and euen contrarie to all meanes as g Dan. 3. 17. SHEDRACH MESHACH ABEDNEGO did The God whom we serue is able to deliuer vs out of the hot burning Furnace and out of thy hands O King he can deliuer vs. The contrarie hereof is First distrust in God as the wicked Achaz h Esay 7. 11. being offered of God a signe for the strengthning of his faith disdainefully doth answere I will not aske a signe neyther will I make tryall of IEHOVAH by committing vnto the hands of this Iehouah whom thou talkest of a matter of such danger and importance to the State as is the Warre now in hand Secondly Confidence in the Creature whether our selues and the good things which God hath giuen vs as Friends Honour Credit Wisdome Riches or whatsoeuer else i 1. Tim. 6. 17. Exhort the rich men in this World that they trust not in the incertainty of riches but in the liuing God who ministreth to all men aboundantly c. k Ier. 17. 5. Cursed is the man that hath his confidence in man and maketh flesh his Arme. The l Obad. v. 3 4. pride of thine heart hath deceiued thee Thou that dwellest in the cliffes of the Rockes whose habitation is high that sayst in thy heart Who shall bring mee downe to the ground though thou exalt thy selfe as the Eagle and make thy nest among the Starres thence will I bring thee downe saith IEHOVAH 2. Chron. 16. 12. Asa a Religious Prince is taxed that in the extremitie of his sicknesse he sought not to the Lord but to Physicians Sixtly To hope in him and patiently to expect and Hoping in him waite for all good things at his hand because of his mercies and the vnchangeablenesse of his nature who neuer repenteth him of his promises For m Rom. 11. 29. the gifts and calling of God are without Repentance It is n Lam. 3. 22. the wonderull kindnesse of IEHOVAH that we are not consumed for his mercies faile not Therefore o Esay 30. 18. will IEHOVAH waite to doe grace vnto you And therefore will hee lift vp himselfe to haue mercie on you for IEHOVAH is a God of vprightnesse and iudgement Blessed are all that waite on him Hereupon the p Psal 37. 5 7. Psalmist doth exhort vs Commit thy way vnto IEHOVAH and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe waite patiently vpon IEHOVAH and hope in him fret not thy selfe for him that prospereth in his way and for the man that bringeth his enterprizes to passe Commit q Pro. 16. 3. thy workes to IEHOVAH and thy thoughts shall be directed The contrarie whereof is despayre I r 1. Thes 4. 13. would not Brethren haue you ignorant concerning them which are asleepe that ye sorrow not euen as other which haue no hope By this our cleauing vnto God two vertues come to be wrought within vs First Patience in a cheerefull vndergoing of danger From whence arise Patience and and troubles without repining or vsing vnlawfull meanes to bee deliuered from them and that by resting vpon his Wisedome who hath the times when and the meanes how to send vs helpe numbred before him Though Å¿ Iob 13. 5. he kill me yet will I trust in him I was t Psal 39. 9. dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou diddest it The contrarie whereof is impatience in afflictions as that of IEREMIE Cursed u Ier. 20. 14 18. bee the Day wherein I was borne and let not the Day wherein my Mother bare mee bee blessed How is it that I came forth of the wombe to see labour and sorrow that my dayes should be consumed with shame And the whole third Chapter of Iob bewrayeth his great infirmitie this way Secondly Humilitie to acknowledge all we haue to Humilitie come from God and therefore in the conscience of our emptinesse and of his bountie and goodnesse to giue all glorie vnto him alone whereof the Apostle saith Let him x 1. Cor. 1. 31. that glorieth glorie in the Lord. Decke y 1. Pet. 5. 6. your selues with lowlinesse of minde for God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble Such an humble heart was in z 1. Chron. 19. 11 14. DAVID Thine saith he O IEHOVAH is greatnesse and power and glorie and victorie and prayse for all that is in Heauen and in Earth is thine thine is the Kingdom O IEHOVAH and thou excellest as head ouer all But who am I and what is my people that wee should bee able to offer willingly after this sort For all things come of thee and of thine owne hand taken doe we giue vnto thee The contrary wherof is pride or presumption boasting and glorying of our selues Now a 1. Cor. 4. 6 7. these things Brethren I
our Sauiour saith y Mat. 5. 28. He that looketh vpon a woman to lust after her hath alreadie committed adulterie with her in his heart or with wanton Pictures Lasciuious representations of Loue-matters in Playes and Comedies c. for all which the Rule of the Apostle is generall Abstayne z 1. Thess 5. 21. from euery euill shew Thirdly Our eares to delight to heare honest things The contrarie whereof is when they delight in that which is filthie and vncleane Fourthly Our hands and all our parts to bee instruments of holinesse The contrarie whereof is the reaching of them forth to any filthy and vnseemely Act as in that mentioned Deut. 25. 11 12. Fiftly Our whole gesture to be sober and good Contrarie Gesture whereunto is wanton dancing and all other effeminate gesture and behauiour which wantonnesse Paul a Gal. 5. 19. maketh a worke of the flesh The b Esay 3. 16. Prophet Esay in his third Chapter doth notably expresse this sinne Because the Daughters of Sion are lostie and walke with a stretched out Necke twinkling with their eyes continually mincing it as they goe and keeping pace with their feet therefore the Lord will make bald c. Sixthly Our Apparell to be sober and comely such c Tit. 2. 3. as Apparell becommeth Saints The contrarie whereof is too curious trimming and decking of our selues forbidden euen vnto women who yet it may bee thought for the pleasing of their Husbands might of all other best vse it Therefore the Apostle d 1. Pet. 3. 3. saith Whose trimming let it not be that outward trimminig of frizzling of haire putting of golden things about them or putting on of apparell but the hidden man c. Likewise e 1. Tim. 2 9 10. also women let them adorne themselues in modest garments with shamefastnesse and sobrietie not with frizzling siluer things or gold or pearles or costly apparell But which beseemeth women professing godlinesse with good workes Secondly Whorish riotous and lasciuious apparell such as the Prophet taxeth Esay 3. 18. By this note Salomon f Pro. 7. 11. in his Prouerbs painteth out an Harlot A woman came forth to meete him in whorish attyre The comelinesse to be obserued in apparell standeth in these foure things First That it bee according to our sexe where g Deut. 22. 5. the man wearing womans apparell or the woman mans is condemned as being both an abomination to the Lord. Secondly That it bee fitting to our Age for which cause the Apostle h Titus 2. 3. willeth the elder women to goe in long garments Titus 2. 3. and 1. Sam. 13. 18. the Holy Ghost noteth that young Virgins the Kings Daughters were wont to goe in a Gowne of diuers colours Such a one Iacob made for Ioseph being a childe of seuenteene yeeres of age Gen. 37. 31. Thirdly That it bee agreeable to the custome of the place where we liue Contrarie whereunto is new-fangled apparell against which Zophanie the Prophet thundereth I i Sophon 1. 18. will visit the Princes and the Kings sonnes and all that clothe themselues with strange garments after the manner of forraine Countries and Nations Fourthly That it be according to our place and calling They k Math. 11. 8. and other things that weare soft rayment are in Kings houses Some other point of modestie may be noted as to haue a regard of shamefastnes euen in that case which the Law of God prouideth for Deut. 23. 12 13. But that and whatsoeuer else may not vnfitly be reduced vnder some of the former heads Temperance is a moderate and a sober vse of lawfull Temperance which is a moderate and sober vse of lawfull Pleasures especially in meates and drinkes pleasures especially in Meates and Drinks and in marriage matters In meates and drinks First By abstinence and fasting oftentimes whereunto the Apostle by his example doth inuite vs 1. Cor. 9. 27. But I beate downe my Body and bring it into subiection lest by any meanes after that I haue preached to others I my selfe should be reprooued The contrary whereof is to fill the gorge euery day as the rich l Luk. 16. 19. man did in the Gospell Secondly By a moderate and sober diet so as the body may receiue strength and be more fresh and liuely to performe the actions of godlines Take m Luk. 21. 34. heede to your selues lest at any time your hearts bee oppressed with surfeting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and lest that day câ—me on you vnawares n Prou. 23. 29. 30. To whom is woe c Euen to them that tarrie long at the Wine to them that goe seeke mixt wine o Prou. 25. 16 If thou haue found hony eate that is sufficient for thee lest thou be ouerfull vomit it It p Prou. 31. 4. is not for Kings O LEMVEL it is not for Kings to drinke wine nor for Princes to drinke strong drinke The contrary whereof is first Gluttonie and Fulnes of bread one of the Sinnes of Sodome q Ezech. 16. 49. whereof the Apostle hath a commandement Rom. 13. 13. Walke honestly as in the day not in Gluttony and Drunkennesse c. Secondly Too much daintinesse for the quality and varietie of fare especially of those meates and drinks which prouoke most vnto the Sinne of vncleannesse This the same rich man is taxed with That he r Luk. 16. 19. was clothed in Purple and fine Linnen and fared well and diliciously euery day Salomon Å¿ Prou. 23. 1 2 3 in his wisdome giueth vs a rule to bridle our vntemperate desires this way When thou sittest to eate with a Ruler consider diligently what is before thee and put thy knife to thy throte if thou be a man giuen to the appetite Be not desirous of his dainty meates for it is a deceiueable meate Howbeit this is not so strictly to be taken but that eyther for the wel-comming of a friend or for our owne refreshing we may and it is sometimes lawfull to furnish our Table with store and variety of dishes as t Gen. 21. 8. Abraham made a great feast that day Isack was weaned and in the vse of marriage so did Leui u Luk. 5. 29. to our Sauiour Christ inuiting withall for his better entertainement a great number of guests to beare him companie The x Psal 104. 15. Psalmist also noteth that Forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be receiued with giuing thanks of them which beleeue and know the Truth For euery creature of God is good and nothing ought to he refused if the receiued with thanksgiuing God of his bountie giueth vs not onely bread or meate that strengtheneth the heart of man but wine to cheere it vp and to make his face shine more then with oyle Wherefore Marie at the Supper was made vnto Christ in Bethania is y Ioh.
of their torments and looseth them out of those chaines and fetters of darkenesse wherewith they are held fast Hence it is that Luke 8. 32. they besought this Iesus not to charge them to depart into the Deepe And this benefit the Deuils themselues haue from Christ for the good of his Church and the working of his glorie Thirdly He restrayneth and bridleth them that notwithstanding all their rage and malice they cannot exceed the bounds that hee hath set and when they haue done all they can they bring to passe but his good will and pleasure So Mat. 8. 31. The Deuils could not so much as take their pleasure of the poore Herd of Swine before they had begged leaue of Christ Fourthly The subduing and conquering of them for t 1. Co. 15. 24 25 hee shall abolish all Principalitie and all Dignitie and Might being to raigne till hee haue put all enemies vnder his feet As u Psal 110. 1. Dauid had said long before and as the x Gen. 3. 15. promise was in Paradise The seed of the woman shall breake the Head of the Serpent and of his seed Fiftly The iudging of them in the latter Day which the vncleane spirits themselues acknowledge and confesse when they expostulate the matter with him Art thou come to torment vs before the time Mat. 8. 29. Touching his Gouernment ouer Man-kind this is and men corrupted common that he bestoweth vpon them all the light of Reason and those seedes and ornaments of GODS Image which they carrie yet about Iohn 1. 9. This is hee that lighteneth euery man that commeth into the World Specially towards the Reprobate is the same in all points that is to Satan their head that is to say First A perpetuall obduration and hardening of their hearts vnto finall vnrepentance for so the y Iohn 12. 39 40 41. Euangelist Iohn when hee had shewed that the Iewes could not beleeue because Esay had said He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their heart lest they should see with their eyes and vnderstand with their heart and I should heale them Immediately hee addeth These things said ESAIAS when he saw his glorie and spake of him Secondly The restrayning and bridling of them that notwithstanding all their rage and furie they cannot go beyond his appointed Lists as wee see in z Acts 9. 1. c. Saul who breathing out threatning and slaughter after the death of Stephen went with full swindge to Damascus to cast into Prison all that called vpon the Name of Iesus but hee in the verie way meeting with him restrayneth his malice and changeth his heart to professe the Truth which before hee persecuted And this is it the a Psal 76. 11. Psalmist saith The rage of men shall turne vnto his glorie Thirdly His conquering and suduing of them Psal 2. 9. Thou shalt crush them with a Scepter of Iron and breake them in pieces like a Potters Vessell Luke 19. 31. Those mine enemies that would not I should raigne ouer them bring hither and slay them before me Fourthly That he is to iudge them in the latter Day for this b Acts 10. 43. is he that is appointed of God the Iudge both of the liuing and the dead And as Paul saith Acts 17. 31. God hath set a Day wherein he will iudge the World by the man whom he hath appointed To the rest of the Creatures this belongeth In the rest of the World peruerted First That now hee keepeth them from running and falling vnto nothing Secondly That hereafter he will renew them into an excellent and glorious condition Both c Psal 96. 10 11 12. which are the worke of Christ and that for his Elects sake CHAP. IIII. Of the Propheticall Office of Christ and of the outward Church WE haue done with CHRISTS Office of a The other which is vnto his Church a companie of men culled out of the World who beleeue or professe to beleeue in him This latter part contayneth his Propheticall Office and that which the Scripture by excellencie termeth The Kingdome Iudge in the generall gouernment of the World The second Arme or Branch of his Kingdome is the Propheticall Office A part I make it of his Kingdome not of his Priest-hood First For that all his Priestly Functions are betweene God and Him as the Apostle defineth them to be in matters to Godwards Heb. 5. 1. But these of his Propheticall Office as the rest of his Kingdome are vnto his Church Secondly Because those wherein the Propheticall Office Propheticall Office is thought to consist Teaching Preaching Ministring of the Sacraments Discipline and such like whervnto Miracles come also to bee annexed are matters of Authoritie and of Power deriued from his Kingly Office and his Word is called The e Mat. 13. 19. Word of the Kingdome yea the preaching of the Gospell and the outward Church collected and gathered by the same hath the name of f Mat. 13. 24 47 52. the Kingdome of Heauen Thirdly Since the Ministerie of Christ hath alwayes going with it an effectuall and liuely working of his Spirit as one speciall part of this Propheticall Office his Ministerie must needes bee a Noble and a Royall Dignity that is accompayned with so great a force and power Fourthly It is by vertue of his Kingly Office that he sendeth forth Prophets and Apostles and all other Ministers prooued Ephes 4. 8 11 12. where Paul describing the Royaltie of his Kingdome that hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts vnto men immediatly addeth He therefore gaue some to be Apostles some to bee Euangelists some Prophets some Pasters and Teachers for the knitting together of the Saints for the worke of the Ministerie for the building vp of the Body of Christ But this all must grant that he doth as the Head of the Prophets Therefore the Propheticall Office is one part of his Kingly bountie And albeit Teaching may seeme a part of the Priestly Function by that which is written Deut. 33. 10. They teach IACOB thy Iudgements and Israel thy Law yet the essentiall point of the Priests Office which stood in Sacrifices and Oblations must bee distinguished from that common to the whole Tribe of Leui as in that very place the words following doe distinguish them They put Incense before thy face and Sacrifice wholy to bee consumed vpon thine Altar for as Priests they went no further then to doe and to be types of those things which before were assigned vnto the Priest-hood of Christ Their Office of teaching and instructing the people they had another calling for common with the Tribe of Leui which the Prophets else who were not of the same Tribe yet tooke vpon them being raysed vp extraordinarily for that purpose from whom this part of Christs Office tooke the name and not from the Priestly Function though they were also called of GOD vnto it The Propheticall Office of Christ respecteth a Church Which is
required to the receiuing of them both to vnderstand what we doe through a true knowledge of our owne wretchednesse and of the Couenant of Grace in Christ to feele the fruit and the comfort which they bring and to desire and affect to be made partakers of it Great reuerence and attention in the receiuing of them by comparing the Signes and Spirituall things together Great thankefulnesse after to God for his mercies offered vnto vs in them All which being necessarie in the hearing of the Word is by so much the more necessarie here as God by them doth offer a greater grace and commeth more neere vnto vs wherefore the l 1. Co. 11. 28 29 Apostle saith Let a man examine himselfe and so eate of this Bread and drinke of this Cup for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh condemnation to himselfe not making a difference of the Lords Body Fiftly Those that come vnto them not onely to the Lords Table but if they be of riper yeeres to the Sacrament of Baptisme are publikely to testifie their Faith and Repentance So we reade Mat. 3. 5. Then came forth to him Ierusalem and all Iudea and all the Countrie round about Iorden and were baptized of him in Iorden after they had confessed their sinnes And Acts 8. 36 37. As they went by the way they came to a certaine water and the EVNVCH said Lo here is water what hindereth that I should not bee baptized And PHILIP said If thou beleeuest with thy whole heart thou mayst Then hee answered I beleeue that Iesus Christ is that Sonne of God Then hee baptized him And this is the generall rule giuen concerning the Passeouer which was as the Supper of the Lord with vs. If m Exod. 12. 48. any Stranger soiourne among you that would celebrate the Passeouer of IEHOVAH let euerie Male of them be circumcised whereby he may testifie his consent in the same Faith and Religion with you and so let him come to celebrate it None vncircumcised shall eate thereof Sacraments differ from Sacrifices besides other differences maynly in nature for First Sacrifices were giuen offered and presented vnto God Sacraments are taken and receiued of God by the hand of the Ministers of his Word Secondly Sacrifices were Signes and Figures of good things n Heb. 10. 1. to come Thirdly Sacraments are Signes and Remembrances of good things alreadie come The next head is a holy Ministerie which Christ hath It followeth to speake of Ministeries and Graces Ministeries are publike Functions in the Church giuen to his Church o Ephes 4. 12. for the perfecting of his Saints for the building vp of his body for this power is deriued from Christ as from the Head and Lord of the Prophets as we reade Mat. 23. 34. Therefore behold I Christ p Luke 11. 49. the Wisdome of God as Luke hath it send vnto you Prophets and Wisemen Ephes 4. 11. Hee therefore himselfe Christ gaue some to be Apostles c. Mat. 16. 19. I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen And from him haue all the Ministers euery one since the World was fetched their authoritie By his Spirit it was that they spake as wee heard before out of q 1. Pet. 1. 11. Peter Wherefore Reuel 22. 6. hee is called The Lord God of the holy Prophets as may appeare if you compare that place with Reuel 1. 1â— The difference betweene his Ministerie and theirs standeth in these two things First That hee their Head and Lord executed all the parts of his Ministerie in another sort and with greater authoritie and power then any Minister before or after him Mat. 7. 28 29. and Marke 1. 22. They were astonied at his teaching for he taught them as one that had authority and not as the Scribes Secondly The Prophets and the Ministers whom hee sent spake from him and in his Name But hee speaketh from himselfe and in his owne name r Mat. 5. 2â— 28 32 34 39. I say vnto you Of these Ministeries many things might be spoken full Specially for preaching of great varietie and of deepe and difficult questions concerning their Calling Election Ordination The keyes of the Church committed into their hands Their power of binding and loosing and the whole Order and Gouernment of Gods House But I will leaue them all and hold me onely to that of Preaching and Administring of the Sacraments Preaching therefore is the worke of the Ministerie and of those whom God hath lawfully called to execute that publike Function in the Church for Å¿ Rom. 10. 15. How can they preach except they be sent So that the handling of the Word by any other that hath no calling for it how well soeuer hee handle the same and how truely soeuer hee expound it is not that preaching which Christ hath ordayned to bring men vnto saluation by Not that it is vnlawfull for priuate men to deale with the holy Scriptures and to open and expound the same so euery one keepe him within the bounds and lists of his Calling and looke what is fit for him according to the gifts and graces he hath receiued but that is of the Master in his Family and within his priuate walls This which we speake of is publike in the Congregation and in the Church of God The dutie of Preaching carryeth with it and hath as which includeth the dutie of offering the Churches Prayers it were inclosed in the nature and bowels thereof another dutie of offering the Churches Prayers which can neuer be separated from the dutie of Teaching Samuel ioyneth them together 1. Sam. 12. 23. Moreouer touching me God forbid that I should sinne against IEHOVAH in ceasing to pray for you yea I will instruct you in the good and right way And the whole Colledge of the Apostles Acts 6. 4. But we will alwayes continue in Prayer and in ministration of the Word Publike Prayer is for the Minister to offer vnto God the Prayers and Supplications of the Church that as in Preaching hee is the Mouth of God vnto his people so in Prayer hee is the peoples mouth vnto God for the Church or Congregation is the place of publike Prayer and if one list to doe it by himselfe hee hath his house to pray in but in the Church all are to attend the Minister which is in CHRISTS place vnto them And that which he one man doth offer well appeareth to be the Prayers of the Church by the peoples giuing of consent to that hee prayeth and saying Amen vnto it which appeareth to haue beene the laudable vse of the old Church Nehem. 8. 7. Where EZRA blessing IEHOVAH the great God all the people answered Amen Amen with lifting vp their hands and stooped and bowed downe themselues to IEHOVAH with their faces to the ground-ward The Primitiue Church in the Apostles time did retayne the same as appeareth 1. Cor. 14. 14 15 16 17. in that
more watchfull in time to come and more to wrestle with our owne soules against the temptations of sinne Secondly Heereby wee haue more plentifull matter and arguments ministred vnto vs to confirme our selues in Gods Mercies and to reach and instruct others which vse our g Luke 22. 32. Sauiour noteth in the Apostasie of Peter Thou when thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren And Dauid h Psal 51. 14. in the one and fiftieth Psalme professeth that when God shall bee mercifull to his sinnes and restore vnto him the ioy of his Saluation then saith hee I will teach transgressours thy wayes and sinners shall be conuerted vnto thee The third consequence is a heape and multitude of and in the assurance whereof spirituall Graces wrought in our hearts by the Holy Ghost First Assurance of the loue of God in Christ sealed vp in our consciences by the testimonie of the Spirit for the i Rom 8. 16. Spirit beareth record to our spirits that we are the sonnes of God I am k Rom. 8. 38 39 perswaded saith the same Apostle vsing a word that secretly importeth a perswasion wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Ministerie of the Word that nothing shall separate me from the loue of God in Christ Secondly Peace of conscience we haue peace of conscience and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Thirdly Ioy in the Holy Ghost procceding from the testimonie of a good conscience as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 2. 12. For this is our reioycing the testimonie of our conscience The same Apostle Rom. 14. 17. coupleth these two together as speciall fruites of the Righteousnesse wee haue in Christ The Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but Righteousnesse and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Secondly in that we are made neere vnto him To come to the second of those generall heads wherin our happinesse heere standeth wee l Ephes 2. 13. which before were farre off are brought neere vnto God in Christ and m Ephes 2. 19. therefore are no more Strangers and Forainers but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of GOD. From whence another excellent fauour commeth that and haue continuall accesse with boldnesse into his presence wee haue continuall accesse vnto the Throne of grace and entrance with boldnesse into his presence as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 3. 12. In whome wee haue boldnesse and accesse with confidence through Faith in him And againe n Ephes 2. 15. By him we both Gentiles aswell as Iewes haue accesse through one Spirit vnto the Father For this and the rest that went before that place is verie singular Rom. 5. 1 2 5. Being iustified by Faith wee haue peace with God through Iesus Christ our Lord by whom also we haue accesse through Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the Glorie of God for the loue of God is shed in our hearts by the Holy Ghost that is giuen vnto vs whereas you see all are comprehended The third is our Soueraigntie renewed which you Thirdly in our former Soueraigntie and power ouer the creatures may consider in these three steps or degrees First Wee are restored to that Soueraigntie that once we had ouer all the Creatures of God which the o Psal 8. 5 6 7 8 9. Psalmist first and after him and out of him the p Heb. 2. 6 7 8 Apostle to the Hebrewes layeth foorth at large in the person of Christ by whom wee haue this benefit What is man that thou doest remember him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him for whose sake thou hast made him that is to say Christ a little lower then the Angels yet hauing vndergone death for our sakes thou hast raysed him vp againe and with glorie and honour hast thou crowned him and set him Christ our Head and vs in him ouer the workes of thine hands All things hast thou made subiect vnder his feet Sheepe and Oxen all of them and also the Beasts of the Field the Fowles of the Ayre and the Fishes of the Sea All which in Christ we see now accomplished in vs his members it being yet vnseene shall then become manifest when we with him shall be made perfect as the q Verse 8 9. Apostle there declareth Whereof followeth Christian libertie whereof commeth free libertie of vsing them all The Papists doctrine of Deuils forbidding flesh vpon certaine dayes in things indifferent By Christian libertie I meane that we may now lawfully and with a good conscience vse all the Creatures of God to our comfort not onely for necessitie but for Christian delight 1. Corinthians 9. 1. Am I not free This hath not beene alwayes so from the beginning it pleased God to make some restraints till the fulnesse of time came that by degrees this libertie might bee made knowne vnto the Church First Before the giuing of the Law in some few things and peraduenture for I speak heere but of things for common vse not of the Seruice of God onely that one of forbidding to eat bloud Gen. 9. 4. whereas otherwise r Gen. 9. 3. all meates were lawfull Secondly After that more plentifully and aboundantly in the Iewish Pedagogie when many meats drinks and other things were barred them The libertie then which we haue by Christ take from the Apostles words I know and am perswaded in the Lord Iesus that nothing is prophane Rom. 14. 14. And againe Euery Creature of God is good and none to bee reiect if it be taken with Thankesgiuing 1. Tim. 4. 3. Not that it is lawfull for vs to take so great a libertie herein as though we needed to respect no other but our selues wee must respect the infirmities of our weake Brethren that our libertie bee not vsed as a snare to intrap others and so make them to offend but to edifie and build vp their conscience whereof the Apostle many times taketh vs out the Lesson both by his owne practice and commandement 1. Cor. 9. 19. Being free from all I made my selfe a seruant vnto all that I might gaine many c. 1. Cor. 10. 23 24. All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient All things are lawfull for me but all things doe not edifie Let no man seeke his owne things but euery one another mans And againe Å¿ Verse 32 33. Be without offence to Iewes and Gentiles and to the Church of God Euen as I in all things please all men not seeking mine owne profit but the profit of many that they may be saued Rom. 14 13 c. Let vs not therefore iudge one another but this rather iudge not to lay a stumbling blocke before thy Brother or an offence Destroy not him by thy meate for whom Christ dyed Let not therefore your good so calling that libertie which Christ hath purchased for vs be euill spoken of Let vs therefore follow after the things of peace