shouldest know the path to the house thereof or by what way is the light parted and scattered through the world Iob 38. 19. 20. 24. fifthly that hee hath established them with such vnderstanding and power as they continue notwithstanding their maruellous motions and yet haue nothing to hold them vp no mighty Beames from North to South to beare them vp no rafters to fasten them to or the like but are vpheld meerely by the Word of his power Pro. 3. 19. Heb. 13. 2. In Scripture we shall finde obserued concerning the Heauens their strange constitution and Nature and that for diuers things as first for their vast greatnesse Esay 40. 12. secondly their shining brightnesse being like a molten looking-glasse Iob 37. 18. thirdly their singular durablenesse and lastingnesse Deut. 11. 21. to which I might adde their vnconceauable swiftnesse in Motion the Sunne running his Race swifter then any Gyant on earth or Foule in the Ayre or ought that can bee found here below Psalme 19. 3. The end why those mighty heauens were made which is chiefly to preach the glory of the Lord to all the ends of the Earth Psal 19. 1. which glory of God in making them is so great that the glory of the Lord is said to couer the heauens Hab. 3. 3. 4. The ordinances of heauen or the Lawes which God hath giuen to these mighty creatures or the couenant hee hath made with them binding them to doe his will granting them dominion ouer the earth by their influences which cannot bee resisted or restrained Iob 38. 33. 31. And couenanting with them to preserue them in their course Ier. 33. 25. and binding them to keepe their seasons and to doe the worke appointed them as the Sunne to lighten the world by day and the Moone and Starres by night so as the Moone must know her seasons and the Sunne his going downe Psal 136. 9. 104. 19. 5. The Hostes or Armies of creatures that people the heauens and these are praised first for their comelinesse and hence it is said that the Spirit of the Lord garnished the heauens Iob 26. 13. secondly for their Number in respect of which it is accounted an infinite vnderstanding in God to number the Starres and call them all by their names Psal 147. 4. 5. thirdly for their subiection to God in that they all are his seruants and obey his wil Psal 103. 21. so as God doth whatsoeuer he will in heauen aswell as earth Daniel 4. 35. fourthly for their vses for besides the sweet influences of the Starres what comfort should we haue in this visible world if wee had not the light of the Sunne How would the glory of all Gods workes lie buried in the darke that now by the benefit of the light appeare to vs and serue for our vses The consideration of the making of these mighty heauens should serue for diuers vses as 1. Our soules should blesse God and giue him thankes because he is very great and hath shewed his great wisedome in making the heauens and his mighty power in stretching them out like a curtaine and all this through his great mercie to man which endureth for euer Psalme 104. 1. 2. 136. 5. 2. Woe to wicked men that by their sinnes prouoke God they cannot escape his wrath God hath compassed them in with the heauens and can make the very Starres of Heauen figâ—t against them Iudg. 5. 20. and these Heauens will declare their wickeâ—nesse Iob 16. 27. Nor can any thing they doe be hid from him for the light and darkenesse are his creatures and therefore no darknesse can hide from him Iob 22. 12 13 14. 3. When I consider saith Dauid thy heauens the worke of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained what is man that thou art mindefull of him or the Sonne of Man that thou visitest him Psal 8. 3. 4. 4. Godly men may be much comforted with the knowledge of this that God made the Heauens the Sunne and Moone and Starres and that in diuers respects For first they need not feare the signes of Heauen nor the Constellations of the Starres nor the diuinations of Inchaunters for as God can restraine the Constellation of the Starres Esay 13 10. so there can be no diuination against God Esay 44. 25 47. 1â— secondly because God hath hereby shewed that he is able to prouide for them and protect them yea hee pleadeth the greatnesse of his power in making the heauens thereby to assâ—re them that there shall be nothing too hard for him to doe that may concerne their good Zach. 12. 1. 2. 3. Esay 42. 5. 6 45. 11. 13. 18. 19. thirdly because God hath professed to make so great account of the Church that hee can take no delight in the workes of his hands in planting the Heauens if Sion be not planted and her children as the Starres in Heauen Isay 51. 10. fourthly because God hath promised to them better Heauens when themselues shall shine as the Starres in the Firmament and they shall need no Sun nor Moone to light them but God himselfe will be their euerlasting Light Dan. 12. â— Reuel 21. 2â— 22. 5. Thus of the Starry skie or the second part of Heauen The third part followes and that is the Ayre This is the lowest and worst roome of Heauen and yet excellent things are written of it for our profit in the Scriptures Of the Nature properties parts and naturall vses of the Ayre the Scripture takes little or no notice but leaues that to Philosophie the Furniture of this Roome is especially commended in Scripture and so the holy Ghost singles out diuers Considerations First about the Foules of the Ayre Secondly about the Meteors in the Ayre About the Foules of the Ayre we shall finde such things as these obserued in Scripture and so offered to our considerations 1. The Maker of them which was God Gen. 1. 2. The matter out of which they were made viz. out of the ground Gen. 2. 19. 3. The Originall of their names for it was Adam that gaue the names to the Foules Gen. 2. 19. 4. Their inferiority to man both in that wisedome is not in them Iob 28. 21. and in that God hath planted in the Foules a natural feare of man more then any other creature Gen. 9. 2. 5. The care that God hath for the very Foules for first hee knowes all the Foules in the Mountaine Psal 50. 11. secondly he prouides foode for them without their owne industry Mat. 6. Psal 147. 9. thirdly he hath taught them skill to build them Nests to dwell in Mat. 8. 20. fourthly he hath prouided euen for their delight for they haue their habitation by the springes and sing among the branches Psal 104. 12. fifthly God hath prouided for their passage in the Ayre and that so wonderfully that it is reckoned among the foure things too hard for vs to know to tell the way of an Eagle in the Ayre
the Maiestie vncreated the Maiestie created which is in Christ the one belongs to the Diuine nature the other to the humane The good that comes to vs by his exaltation is threefold the first is the confirmation of our faith and hope for his exaltation shewes plainly that hee hath fully satisfied for our sinnes and conquered all our enemies Sinne the Law Death the Deuill the Graue and Hell and that hee hath purchased Gods fauour and all that concernes our eternall saluation 1 Pet. 1. The second is the perpetuation of his office both as the Prophet and Apostle of our confession Psal 22. 23. Ioh. 17. vlt. as our Priest to make intercession for vs Psal 110. 4. Rom. 8. 33. and as our eternall King Psal 45. 4. 5. and 89. 36. Dan. 7. 27. Luk. 1. 33. Rom. 14. 9. and in all these by his glorification hee hath procured a larger donation and effusion of the Holy Ghost which makes the times vnder Christ more happy than those before Ioh. 7. 39. In all his gifts he giues now as he that is exalted aboue euery name that is named in heauen and earth The third is our owne exaltation he was therefore exalted that he might exalt vs to the glory of heauen Eph. 2. 6. 7. The consideration of the exaltation of Christ may serue greatly for our comfort for besides the former benefits it may raise vp in vs an assurance of hope of preferment by him seeing our Brother is so highly preferred and withall it may greatly encourage vs in all our suits to God seeing wee haue Christ with him that is so high in his fauour and further in all the straits and distresses of the Church here on earth this may ioy our hearts that Christ is so highly preferred that he is able to preserue and deliuer the Church when pleaseth him But yet we must remember two things if wee would haue benefit by Christs exaltation the one is that wee be true Christians for else his preferment will not reach to vs onely such as are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh haue part in his glory and such are none but true beleeuers The other is that if wee will reigne with Christ wee must suffer with him wee see here how it was with him first he was abased and then exalted so it must be with vs Luk. 24. 26. Heb. 2. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Thus of his exaltation in generall The first degree of his exaltation was his Resurrection from the dead Concerning the Resurrection of Christ diuers things are to be considered of 1. That he did rise from the dead 2. What of him did rise 3. When he rose 4. How he rose 5. Why he rose from the dead 6. His Apparitions after his Resurrection 7. What good comes to vs by his Resurrection That Christ did rise from the dead we beleeue against all Iewes Turkes and prophane Mockers and are enduced so to doe by testimony both diuine and humane The diuine testimonies are three first the Spirit of God which testifiech two waies first by the Apostles and Euangelists in the Euangelicall Story which wee ought to beleeue if the Apostles had neuer beene eye-witnesses for if the witnesse of men be receiued the witnesse of God is greater Secondly in the heart of euery beleeuer that relyes vpon the Gospell Ioh. 15. 26. The second testimony is the witnesse of Angels who were sent from heauen of purpose to signifie so much Luk. 24. 5. as by Angels the conception and birth of Christ was testified from heauen so was his resurrection The third was the Apparition of Christ shewing himselfe many times aliue from the dead The Humane testimonies were three first was the testimony of Mary Magdalen and the other women that came to annoint the body of Iesus Ioh. 20. 1. as a woman was the first that brought from the Deuill the tidings of sinne vnto the first Adam so a woman is the first that from the good Angels brings the tidings of the Resurrection of the second Adam by whom we are iustified from our sinnes The second was the testimony of the Apostles and fifty Disciples and S. Paul who all saw Christ after hee was risen 1 Cor. 15. 6. The third was the testimonies of the Souldiers that watched the Sepulchre wherein obserue the great prouidence of God that makes the high Priests against their wils from these men to know that Christ was risen from the dead who were set of purpose to hinder the report of the Resurrection by watching the Sepulchre lest his Disciples should steale away his body by night The second point is quickly opened If any aske What of Christ did rise The answer is That the body of Christ onely did rise his Deity could not and the sould did not For the time of the Resurrection Christ did rise the third day after the end of the Sabbath on the first day of the weeke about Sunne rising and concerning this answer diuers things are to be considered of First it was necessary Christ should not rise from the dead sooner or later than the third day from his death and buriall for so it was foretold Hos 6. 2. He shall restore vs to life after two daies viz. the Messiah shall doe it and the third day hee shall raise vs vp viz. in his owne person which was a pledge of our Resurrection and wee shall liue in his sight It is thought S. Paul had respect vnto this place when he said He rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 4. and besides this was prefigured by the type Ionas the Prophet as our Sauiour himselfe shewed in his life time Mat. 12. 40. Thirdly he could haue risen as soone as hee was buried but he would not lest the truth of his death should haue beene questioned and beyond the third day hee would not tarry lest the faith of his Disciples should faile and lest any should haue cause to thinke that he brought not the same body was dead but some other Further obserue that as Christ died the same day Adam was created so he liued againe the same day the world began to be the same day God made heauen and earth the same day he filled the earth with the grace and heauen with the ioy of the Resurrection of Christ and therefore this day was called the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. Thirdly hee rose at the rising of the Sunne to shew that he was the true Sunne of righteousnesse that was now rising to enlighten the new and Christian world after the long night of darknesse and legall shadowes and that hee had brought life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1. 10. For the fourth point to wit how Christ rose diuers things are to be answered first that he rose by his own power He raised himselfe vp from the dead Ioh. 2. 19. and 10. 18. and 5. 25. for though other Scriptures attribute resurrection to God the Father the Holy
Christ Now for the communication that passed betweene Christ and the Iewes the storie of it is recorded Ioh. 18. 4 5 6. And in the whole story I note three things First how willing Christ was to be apprehended Secondly how miraculously he shewed his diuine power vpon his enemies Thirdly how carefully he prouides for his Disciples His willingnesse to suffer appeares by those words that affirme that he knowing all things should come to him went forth and as it were offered himselfe by asking Whom seeke yee and by answering that it was He when they name him Euen the more he feared in the Garden at prayer the more he striues to shew vndauntednesse now yea to shew how great difference there is between affliction of spirit and outward distresses when the fit of the distresse of his Soule vnder Gods wrath for our sinne is for a while intermitted hee goeth out to seeke his Aduersaries that sought him as being most willing to take vp a crosse hee accounted so easie in comparison of what he had felt The demonstration of his diuine power vpon his enemies he thus shewed When he had answered that he was that Iesus of Nazareth whom they sought then all went backward and fell to the ground such amazement fell vpon the hearts of the stoutest of them They sought the Man Iesus but that God whose Name was I am out of the temple of his body giues that answer I am he with such impressions of his Diuinitie as strikes them to the ground like dead men And this he did for diuers reasons First to preserue the vndoubted testimony of his Diuinitie He that was shortly to be sacrificed as a Lambe now warres like a Lion for a season that at least the Christian world might know that it was God that did suffer for our sinnes Act. 20. 28. Secondly hereby his enemies are conuicted and left without excuse that will lay hands on him iniuriously that had first laid hands on them so iustly and made them know how able hee was to binde them ouer to eternall perdition Oh how incorrigible is the heart of a wicked man Here may a man behold men smitten to the ground by the hand of God and yet see them rise vp againe as desperately bent as before Yea here stood with these men and among them fell Iudas the Apostle the seruant of Christ and yet riseth againe still a Deuill a Traitor and a Standard-bearer of the Iewes malice who hauing the Deuill in his brest doth most impudently giue the signe of peace with his mouth Thirdly hereby he giues euident demonstration to all the world of the terror of his voice against wicked men at the last day Hee that can fright them thus when he is about to die being yet in the forme of a seruant on earth how will he be found then when he comes in his Kingdome to iudge them from heauen and shall shew himselfe in the forme of God as well as Man What tongue of man can expresse the terror of that voice at that day Goe yee cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his Angels And impenitent men may ghesse at this by the power they haue felt in the voice of Christ in the preaching of the Gospell Another demonstration of his diuine power may it be reckoned that such as knew him should looke vpon him and not know him when hee asked them Whom seeke yee they doe not answer thee but Iesus of Nazareth yet Iudas was amongst them Thirdly his care of the safetie of his Disciples he shewed two waies First by going out alone to meet his Aduersaries lest in the tumult his Disciples should be seazed vpon Secondly by speaking to the armed men to take him and let them depart without inâ—ury Now the reason why he was so carefull of them was as the Euangelist notes that the word of Iesus might be fulfilled which he spake in his prayer to his Father Of those which thou hast giuen me I haue not lost one And lost they had beene in our sense if they had not beene preserued to do the worke they were elected to viz. to be witnesses of Christs Death and Resurrection throughout the world which worke might haue beene hindered by their apprehension Againe note how our Sauiour carries himselfe towards them Hee speakes to them as their Lord and King and therefore saith Let these depart which are words of authoritie coÌ„manding them to let the Apostles go which thing is the more cleare because they did let them go accordingly And thus of their comming to Christ The taking of him and binding of him and leading him away followes the story of it we finde in all the Euangelists Now the reasons why he suffered these things are to be considered He that giues libertie to Captiues was taken himselfe that hee might deliuer vs from captiuity vnder Satan by whom wee were detained and that his captiuitie might comfort the Martyrs that suffer for the Testimony of Iesus and might sanctifie their restraints and so he was bound that we might be freeed from the bonds of our sins and of the Deuill and euill examples and customes of the world in which we were fettered and that he might comfort such as are in bonds for righteousnesse sake He was vnciuilly led out of the Garden that so he might lead vs into the heauenly Paradise out of which we were cast Thus of what the Iewes did to him What was done by his Disciples is briefly noted and that was that they all forsooke him and fled so as he was forsaken on all hands And he suffered this desertion for diuers reasons First that so no iot of our redemption no not the least parcell of it might be ascribed to any other than to one Iesus alone Secondly that hereby he might satisfie Gods iustice for vs that had forsaken God and fell away from him by our sins Thirdly that this example might somewhat ease and comfort such as are left and forsaken by their friends in their distresse Fourthly the Scripture was herein fulfilled Smite the shepherd and the sheepe shall be scattered and Christs words came to passe All of you this night shall be offended in mee I omit here the resistance made by the Disciples especially by Peter and the discourse and behauiour of our Sauiour vpon it because that was no part of Christs Passion though it were something that fell out in the storie Hitherto of Christs Apprehension and so of the things that went before his Arraignment The things he suffered at his Arraignment follow and these may be referred to two heads The one is the things he suffered when he was brought bound before the Iudges or Rulers in the night when things were carried tumultuously and without any order The other containes the things he suffered when they would proceed iudicially with him and that was in the day time In the night he suffered three things First he was carried vp and downe bound from
secret till that day In Infants reprobated Adams worke is imputed and the vile corruption of their natures makes them children of wrath In elect children both the worke of their Parents faith is imputed vnto them and besides the Spirit of Christ supplies outward works by inward sanctification after a way we cannot expresse Thus of the first point The second is by what Law men shall be iudged at that day And to that I answer out of Scripture that all such to whom the Gospell hath come they shall be iudged by the Gospell Rom. 2. 16. which is thus to be vnderstood that godly men shall be tried by the Gospell so as their faith and repentance and new obedience being auouched they shall receiue the benefit of triall not by the rigor of the Law but by the promises of the Gospell and wicked men shall be tried by the Gospell only as their vnbeleefe shall be an aggrauation against them that hauing so many waies broken the Law would not flie to Christ nor seeke atonement in him so as properly the godly are tried by the Gospell Now all the wicked men in the world are chiefly tryed by the Law and so either by the Law of Nature euen by the principles infused into euery mans minde by Nature as the Pagans and all that know not the Scripture or else by the Law of Scripture that is by the Law or Couenant of works recorded in Scripture see Rom. 2. 12. The third thing is by what Euidence mens causes shall be tryed and how the sinnes of the wicked shall be proued against them And for answer hereunto we reade Reu. 20. 12. that when the dead both great and small shall stand before the Lord there shall be certaine Books opened out of which shall be taken manifest euidence in all the Trials Now what books these shall be other Scriptures tell vs and so we reade of fiue books that are likely then to be opened The first is the booke of Nature and so the creatures abused by men shall be for euidence against men as vnto the Idolatrous Iewes the very hornes of their Altars shall testifie against them Ier. 17. 1. their sinne is grauen and as it were written vpon the creatures they haue abused The second booke is the booke of Scripture for all those places of Scripture haue beene in this world rightly propounded and vrged against them shall then serue for vndeniable euidence The word which they haue heard shall iudge them at the last day saith our Sauiour Ioh. 12. 48. The third booke is the booke of Conscience Euery mans conscience shall then be wonderfully dilated and made able to remember all their sinnes afresh and so shall be as a thousand witnesses Though the consciences of most men are now asleepe yet Christ will make them awake at that day and giue in full and perfect euidence That worke of accusing which the conscience doth in some men vnperfectly in this life it shall doe perfectly at that day and so for excusing in the godly The fourth booke is the booke of Gods remembrance mentioned in the case of the godly Mal. 3. 16. and intimated in the case of the wicked Ier. 17. 1. in which booke are written all the things that men haue done in their bodies whether good or euill Now besides these books we reade in that place of the Reuelations of a booke of Life that is of such a booke as containes the names of all that God hath appointed vnto saluation by Iesus Christ and by that booke the Iudge will see vpon whom to passe the sentence of Absolution and so by consequent on whom to passe the sentence of condemnation Reuel 20. 12. with Phil. 4. 3. Now besides these books we reade of a booke of prouidence that containes a Record of all the persons to whom God gaue naturall life and forme of which Dauid makes mention Psal 136. 16. and this booke may be of vse to shew who must be called to Iudgement And yet further we may gather out of other Scriptures that if there be need God can produce other Euidence As first the Heauens and the Earth will declare Gods righteousnesse at least by way of aggrauation either in respect of the benefits they haue brought forth vnto man to allure him to goodnesse and the iudgments haue beene vpon them to terrifie him Psal 50. 6. The very vanitie which the creatures haue beene subiect to will testifie against man in that day The heauen saith Zophar shall reueale his iniquitie and the earth shall rise vp against him Iob 20. 27. And hence it was that God called the heauen and the earth to witnesse betweene him and the people at sundry times in the Old Testament Secondly the examples of the faith and piety patience and mercy in godly men that haue liued amongst the wicked will be euidence against them as the example of Noah will condemne the old world Heb. 11. 7. so the example of the Queene of the South and the Niniuites will rise vp in Iudgement against the Iewes Matth. 12. 41 42. Lastly the Spirit of God which hath rebuked the world of sin will be able to conuince all the vngodly openly of all their wickednesse at that day Thus of the manner of the Triall The manner of the Sentence followes The manner of the Sentence we cannot in this world know saue that our Sauiour himselfe hath giuen a little taste of it by making a briefe description of it in Matth. 25. the latter part of the chapter and this glimpse of that glory of his proceedings there he giues that both the godly might be established in consolation and the wicked left without excuse hauing so faire warning The sentence stands of two parts the one concernes the godly and that is a sentence of absolution as Diuines call it or rather a sentence of glorification and the other concernes the wicked and that is a sentence of condemnation Our Sauiour will begin with the sentence of absolution to shew thereby his readinesse to mercy and long-suffering and that he is not caried with vniust furie against those on his left hand and that thereby also he may make the elect capable of the dignitie of being Assessours with him in the Iudgement vpon the wicked The sentence that concernes the godly may be considered of according to the foure parts of it The first is the calling of the elect to glory vers 34. The second is the reason giuen for this calling vers 35 36. The third is the answer Christ shall receiue from the elect v. 37 38 39. The fourth is the replication of our Sauiour to their answer v. 40. For the first in generall we may note That if Christ call vs to grace and good works in this life he will call vs to glory in another world All that are effectually called and set about Gods worke in this world shall haue a most ioyfull call to the possession of an eternall kingdome at the last
9. That when he doth come it will be so suddenly as thou shalt not haue time to make thy selfe ready or to mend thy course Matth. 25. 6 10 11 12. 1 Thess 5. 2 3. Matth. 24. 39. 10. That God will be Iudge himselfe 11. That it will be a finall sentence there can be no reuocation or appeale 12. That Gods proceedings in his iustice will be then all cleared they shall haue nothing to obiect and his iustice will the more appeare both by the equity of his dealing They haue had their dayes of sinning and therefore reason he should haue his day of Iudging and by the consideration of his patience that hath deferred this last iudgement for such a wonderfull while and besides God will then discouer a world of offences in euery wicked man that are not now knowne to others and finally God will then open the secrets of his counsell and bring forth exquisite reasons for his decrees and prouidence and iudgement which are now like a great deepe to vs. Lastly it must needs be most terrible to them if their hearts can apprehend now the horror of their summons by the sound of the last Trumpe and their publike shame before all the world and especially their eternall separation from God and all good things and that infinite torment they must for euer be in with the Deuill and his angels But yet vnto them this doctrine hath another vse that is more comfortable and that is that God yet giues them warning to repent and if the Terror of this day can now make them to repent their soules shall be saued in that day Act. 17. 31. else they are most wofully vndone for euer And on the other side it may be a doctrine of wonderf u confort to all the godly and the rather if they consider 1. That they haue iudged themselues already and therefore haue Gods promise they shall not be condemned at that day 1 Cor. 11. 31 32. 2. That God hath iudged them already they haue indured their paine already in this world God will account the afflictions of this life sufficient vnto them 1 Pet. 4 17. 3. That they are alreadie perfectly iustified and absolued from all their sins Rom. 3. 24 25. and 8. 33. 4. That they haue Christ to be their Iudge for there are many comforts in that point They need not be afraid of his sentence because hee hath beene their aduocate all this while and hath pleaded for them at the barre of Iustice 1 Ioh. 2. 1 2. and he is their brother their husband their head and all things else in relation which imports dearenesse Reade but the Booke of Canticles and consider whether he that giues such wonderfull louing and familiar termes of affection to his Church can euer be brought to pronounce a terrible sentence vpon her And besides hath he not in Scripture left many promises that assure vs of our happinesse at that day And further who can reade the story of the Passion of Christ and thinke that he will euer speake terrible things to them for whom he suffered so grieuous things on earth Was he not himselfe iudged for them on earth that they might be absolued from heauen Lastly he hath left vs the seale of the Spirit of promise euen his owne Spirit in our hearts as an earnest of our most glorious and finall Redemption at that day and besides that priuie seale of his Spirit how often hath hee set to his broad seale in the Sacraments from time to time And therefore they may be all assured that there Christ will be made maruellous in that day in all them that beleeue to their euerlasting honour and praise and glory Thirdly the doctrine of the last Iudgement should serue also for instruction and so 1. It should strike a constant feare of God into our hearts and of his dreadfull iustice and maiestie Reuel 14. 7. 2. It should make vs very patient vnder any wrongs or oppressions of the wicked men of the world especially when men suffer trouble for Christs sake and the Gospels for we shall be sure to see a perfect recompence vpon our aduersaries at that day if they repent not 2 Thess 1. 5 6 7. Iam. 5. 6 7. Phil. 4. 5. 3. It should teach euery Christian to be temperate and reserued in the case of censure and iudging of others 1 Cor. 4. 5. and 5. 12. Rom. 14. 10 11 12. But especially it should maruellously fire the hearts of Gods children to all possible care and conscience to expresse all manner of holinesse and good works in all parts of their conuersation and to auoid all things that may offend Tit. 2. 12 13. 2 Pet. 3. 11 14. 1 Cor. 15. 5 8. The eighth Article I beleeue in the Holy Ghost 1 IOHN 5. 7. For there are three which beare record in heauen the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one HItherto of the Articles of the Creed that concerne the Father and the Son Now followeth the Article that concernes the third Person in the Trinity in those words I beleeue in the Holy Ghost Ghost is an old English word and signifieth Spirit and this Title of the Holy Spirit is giuen to the third Person in Trinity in a speciall manner The word Spirit by way of cause and the word Holy by way of effect He is a spirit not only in nature so the Father and Son are a Spirit but because hee proceeds from the Father and the Son by way of spiration or breathing on the other side he is called holy not only in respect of Nature for so Father and some are holy but by effect because hee makes the Church holy Now to beleeue in the holy Ghost is not only to beleeue that there is a holy Ghost but to relie vpon him for sanctification and saluation and all happinesse to beleeue the holy Ghost to say true when he speaketh or to beleeue what is written of him will not serue turne vnlesse wee beleeue in him The reason why there is but one Article about the Holy Ghost is because the doctrine concerning him hath not beene so much opposed as the doctrine concerning Christ or the Father vnlesse wee take in the Articles that follow and place them vnder this head of the Holy Ghost which may be done thus The third part of the Creed concernes the Holy Ghost and his speciall operation which is sanctification which is declared partly by the obiect which is the Church and partly by the effect which is communion of Saints which communion is enioyed in three things viz. Forgiuenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the body and life euerlasting Before I come to open the full meaning of the words of this Article I obserue from the generall consideration of them with the coherence these things 1. That the Holy Ghost is God as well as the Father and the Sonne because we must beleeue in him as well as in the Father and the Sonne which
sort of Attributes are the easiest and by reason of their either effects daily amongst vs or likenesse to some thing in vs may be profitably first studied And so the Nature of God excells in foure dreadfull and matchlesse prayses or there be foure things in Gods Nature we should euer thinke on with admiration and adore with all Reuerence and Deuotion and studie to conceiue of as fully as we can from the singular Vse they haue in the course of our liues First of the Life of God Life in GOD is admirable and to bee adored in these respects 1. Because the life of all liuing creatures in generall is in him and so God is the life and light of the world Iohn 1. 4. as he giueth being and life to all things The whole world had bin a Chaos of darknesse if God had not giuen it life which hee planted in seuerall creatures by his admirable working 2. Because in particular hee is after a wonderfull manner the life of vs men Whether we respect our life naturall or spirituall for our naturall life it is hee that inlightens euery man that comes into the world and gaue senses motion and reason to all men Acts 17. 28. and for our spirituall life t is he that quickens all the members of Christ by the speciall mouings of the holy Ghost in their hearts begetting them againe after a strange manner by ioyning his spirit to their spirits and thus Christ liues in vs Hence this life is called the life of God Ephes 4. 17. and the life of Iesus 2. Cor. 4. 11. Gal. 2. 20. 3. Because that life by which hee liues in himselfe hee inioyes after a most matchlesse manner who can describe the glory and shining of that life in respect of which God is said by an excellencie to be the liuing God Daniel 6. 26. 1. Thes 1. vlt. Reuel 4. 9. and as a doctrine of singular glory the Lord is pleased to sweare by his life Ezeck 33. 11. Some of the glories of this life of God we may in some measure distinctly conceiue of with admiration And so we should adore that God whose life is 1. Independent God hath life in himselfe He receiued it not from any other Iohn 5. 26. 2. It is Eternall he liues from Eternity to Eternity Dan. 4. 34. He is immortall he cannot die 1. Tim. 1. 17. 3. It is not seated as in a part of God as life is in vs but it is the whole essence is not onely in it but is the essence it selfe 4. It is most perfect in blessednesse and glory hee wants no means to nourish it nor helpes to content it or make it happie but is God blessed for euer Rom 11. There is Vse of this Knowledge of God for 1. It shewes the Vanitie of Idolaters that serue Gods that haue no life Ieremie 10. 9 10. 14. 2. Woe be to wicked men that sinne securely as if God was not or had no life It is a horrible thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God If he liue they must die Heb. 10. 31. Ier. 23. 36. 3. Let all men bee afraid and take heede of sinning and remember his presence for God is a liuing God Daniel 6. 26. 4. Since GOD is all Life wee must bee as liuely as is possible in his seruice our consciences must bee purged from dead workes seeing we serue a liuing God Hebrewes 9. 14. 5. Wee are bound in swearing especially to remember the Life of God Thou shalt sweare the Lord liueth Ieremie 4. 2. 6. Wee must not greedily couet after the riches of this world seeing our God liueth to reward such as serue him and trust in him 1. Tim. 6. 17. Heb. 12. 22. 7. Vnto him we should goe for all succour support strength and preseruation both of naturall and spirituall life for with him is the well spring of Life Psal 36. Psal 42. 3. Deut. 30. 19 20. and it should comfort vs against all the desperate miseries of this life It is inough for Iob if his Redeemer liue for he knowes he will deliuer him c. Iob 19. 25 26. Iohn 14. 19. Lastly the through Meditation of the glorious life of God should breed in vs a desire to adore and admire him and praise him while we liue as they did Reuel 4. 9. for this very Reason Who would not wonder at that Father that had a 100. or a 1000. children to whom he had bin an instrument of Life Oh then why worship we not him that is Father of spirits and Fountaine of all the life is in all the creatures in the world and besides liues in himselfe a life full of infinite shining and perfection Thus of the Life of God His Knowledge followes The Knowledge of God is to bee admired and adored as wonderfull and matchlesse in many respects 1. Because God is a seipso sapiens wise of himselfe he hath not his knowledge infused into him or any way giuen him nor gets he it by the instruction of others or by the benefit or experience or obseruation This glory of his knowledge he pleades Esay 40. 13. Rom. 11. 34. 2. Because he is the Author of all that vnderstanding skill or wisedome is found in any of the creatures As the Sunne is the Fountaine of all the Light is in any of the Corporall creatures so God is the Fountaine of all that Light is in all vnderstandings of men or Angels It is God that furnished Christ man with al those treasures of Wisedome and Knowledge Esay 11. 2. 'T is from his Light that the Angels and Saints in Heauen see Light as the Father of Lightes and all the spirituall knowledge godly men haue is from aboue Iames 3. 17. Iohn 6. 45. Yea all the skill any men haue in their callings is taught them of God as the Prophet Esay shewes in the verie case of Husbandmen Esay 28. 6 26. 3 Because all his workes are done with matchlesse skill and wisedome none can doe like him nor is his knowledge onely Theoricall Psal 104. 24. Esay 40 28. Euen those things that seeme to vs to be done so as we cannot conceiue a reason of them or seeme contrary to vs and our rules yet haue wonderfull depth of shining glory and Iustice and wisedome in them Rom. 11. 33 34. 4. Because his knowledge is infinite Iob 11. 7 8 9. Psal 147. 5. He is omniscient he knowes all things his vnderstanding penetrateth into all things Hee knowes himselfe one person each other exactly Mat. 11. 27. 1. Cor. 2. 10. and knowes all things without himselfe Heb. 4. 13. 1. Iohn 3. 20. Iohn 21. 17. All the creatures that were are or euer shall be he knowes them Acts 15. 18. Esay 40. 26. Mat. 10. 26. 30. He knowes all that is said or done in the whole world Psal 139. 1. c. He knowes things to come aswell as things past or present Esay 41. 22 23. 26. Hee knowes the very thoughts of the hearts
afflicted but onely in this life for he hath not appointed them vnto eternall wrath 1. Thessalonians 5. 9. 2. That he doth not take his mercy and his goodnes from them Psal 89. 34. 3. That he doth afflict them in measure with respect of their strength Esay 27. 8. Ier. 46. 28. 4. That hee deliuers them out of affliction in the best season Psal 31. 5. 36. 11. 2. To forgiue them as often as they come to him and acknowledge their sinnes 1. Iohn 1. 9. 3. To impute vnto them the Righteousnesse of his Sonne when they claime it by beleeuing Romanes 1. 17. 3. 25. 4. To direct them in his worke and set them in the steppes of his waies and to helpe them to doe his worke Psal 85. 13. 5. To countenance them while they doe his work all the daies of their life against the scornes and reproaches of the world Psal 11. 7. 6. To performe vnto them all hee hath promised them in any part of his word Esay 45. 19. 7. To Crowne them in Heauen and therefore is the Crowne called a Crowne of Righteousnesse which God giues as a Righteous Iudge 2. Tim. 4. 8. The Vses of this Iustice of God towards the godly may be either for instruction or for incouragement It should teach the godly three things First with Dauid to meditate of and to make mention of Gods Righteousnesse euen of his onely there being no Iustice in the world like to Gods Iustice executed with so much dislike of sinne and with so much grace too Psal 71. 15. vlt. Secondly it should breed in them a singular feare of offending seeing God is so Iust as to pursue sin euen in his owne Thirdly they should learne patiently to beare affliction and to indure the indignation of the Lord saying with the Church I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I haue sinned against him Mich. 7. 9. Daniel 9. 7. Againe the consideration of Gods Righteousnesse and Iustice may be a great incouragement to godly men for thence it will follow that he that doth righteousnesse is certainely of God 1. Iohn 2. 29. As they discerne righteousnesse to grow and increase in them so they may assure themselues that they grow more and more like God yea that God himselfe doth fashion them for himselfe and againe is God righteous then he will loue righteousnesse and make much of such as any way resemble him in true righteousnesse The righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse and his countenance doth behold the Iust saith the Psalmist Psal 11. 7. Lastly what can bee more comfortable then that God should acknowledge himselfe bound in his Iustice to doe such excellent things for vs as is before mentioned We should therefore studie these things and thinke on them all the day that our hearts may bee daily refreshed by them Thus of the Iustice of God towards godly men The Iustice of God towards wicked men now followes Gods Iustice towards wicked men is comprehended briefefly in two Heads The first is his Hatred of them their sinnes doe stirre vp in God an vnmeasurable loathing of them so as nothing can be so loathsome to vs as euery wicked man is to God His very soule doth abhorre him Psal 11. 5. The second is the Recompence he will giue him The vengeance of God shall light vpon the head of all the wicked and this Recompence comprehends no lesse then all the curses contained in the booke of God By the bitternesse whereof God will pursue the wicked man in his life and in his death and then for euer after torment him with vnspeakeable Horror in Hell Now that this doctrine of Gods Iustice may bee the more effectuall in stead of prouing it by testimonies I would especially vrge two things first I would giue certaine Reasons or demonstrations which may throughly confirme it That God will not bee a whit better affected towards the wicked and that his wrath is fully as great as it is said to be in the Word of God and rather more then any created words can vtter secondly I would take off their obiections First I would proue it to bee most Terrible and then most vnauoidable That God will bee exceeding Terrible in Iustice against wicked men may appeare to any reasonable minde by these Arguments and such like 1. If the wrath of Kings bee as the Roaring of Lyons and as messengers of death how fearefull then is the wrath of the King of Kings 3. It is one of Gods Titles hee is thus stiled The terrible God Nehemiah 9. 32. 33. 4. It may be gathered from the terror of his rebukes in this life in his word or prouidence his rebuks are called furious rebukes Ezek. 5. 13. and they are called sharpe arrowes shot into the hearts of the Kings enemies Psal 45. 5. Now if his rebukes bee so terrible what will the full declaration and execution of his whole displeasure be 4. The wonderfull wrath of God against sinners may appeare by his Iudgements abroad in the world whether wee consider the number of the effects of them Are there not Armies and changes of sorrowes with which the Lord doth vex euery part of the world And doth not the Lord by common Plagues sweepe away thousands of men by Warres Pestilence Famine c. and besides are not strange punishments euery day heere and there vpon the workers of iniquity What heart of man can stand before that fearefull wrath of God when he pursues the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the children But aboue all these temporall Plagues are those spirituall iudgements executed vpon worlds of men whose soules are smitten with worse then Aegyptian darkenesse shut out from the vision or sense of God possessed really by diuells c. 5. If we thinke seriously vpon the examples of men that haue felt the bitternesse of Gods displeasure and they that haue felt it can best tell how terrible it is 1. Looke vpon those wicked men mentioned Reuel 6. they were Captaines and Princes and mighty men of the earth and when they cry out to haue the Mountaines to fall vpon them onely to hide them from the face of the Lambe Let Christ come in the most amiable manner that he can onely let him tell the wicked of Gods Iustice and the stoutest hearted fall into those fearefull Agonies 2. Looke vpon godly men that otherwise are Gods people yet when God is angry with them for a season for their sins in what grieuous case haue they bin in Dauid said his meate was ashes and hee mingled his teares with his drinke because of the indignation of the Lord Psal 9. 10. and if iudgement begin at the house of God be so sharpe where shall the sinners and wicked appeare when the righteous doe not escape 1. Pet. 4. 18. reade but the Booke of Lamentations and you shall finde that the Church had searched all the world ouer to finde out fearefull and grieuous things to shadow out their sorrowes and distresses
3. Yea thirdly this glory of God should swallow vp all the glory of men this very work of making Heauen and Earth should check vs for admiring and esteeming so much of the creature whatsoeuer since we haue such a perpetuall and surpassing cause of admiration of the Creator Acts 14. 16. 4. Since God made all things we should submit our selues to him and let him dispose of vs and all his creatures as he will he hath iust power in Heauen and earth to giue or take away or dispose at his owne pleasure Ier. 27. 5. 45. 3 4 5 6. 5. It should teach vs not to set our hearts too much vpon the world for that God that set vp this mighty frame of nothing can and will pull it all downe againe 6. It should breed in vs the feare of God and care of seruing him and obeying him that hath not onely supreame right vnto vs being his workemanship but soueraignty ouer all things Psal 119. 73. Psal 33. 8 9. 95. 6. all creatures else doe his will 7. It should teach vs in all straights and neede to flie to God for helpe as Dauid shewes our helpe standeth in the Name of the Lord which hath made Heauen and Earth Psal 121. 2. 124. 8. 8. We should learne hence not to abuse the Creatures of God to ill ends seeing God hath assigned his Creatures to their right ends for his owne glory It is abominable to fight against God with his owne weapons Thirdly the Doctrine of the Creation of the World ought to be terrible to wicked men because God by his workes hath reuealed so much of his glory as they will be left without excuse Rom. 1. and besides hauing appointed them to certaine ends in which they haue corrupted themselues hee will destroy them as a Potter that sees his vessell will not be made fit dasheth it to peeces And besides hence they may know that God can want no meanes to destroy them seeing he hath such Armies of his owne creatures in Heauen and Earth which are all as his mighty ones and sanctified ones for his anger against them There is no way for them but one which is to meete the Lord betimes by Faith and true Repentance Amos 4. 13. Lastly this is very comfortable doctrine for the godly for from the Creation of the world they may gather 1. That God will not cast them off because they are the worke of his hands Iob 10. 3. 2. That all aduersaries shall be defeated whatsoeuer is prouided against them shall not prosper because God made the Smith that bloweâ—h in the Coales and he will suffer no creature of his to be turned against them Esay 54. 17. 3. That God is able to prouide for vs seeing the earth and heauens are his and all that is therein Psalme 146. 5. 6 24. 1. 4. That all the spirituall worke that belongs to our soules may bee effected hee that created the world and made vs good at the first can create the fruit of the lippes to bee peace and can create cleane hearts in vs Esay 57. 19. Psalme 51. 8. 5. That our bodies shall rise againe that God that could make all things of nothing can restore them out of the dust of the earth Thus of Creation in generall Now wee are in particular to consider what was made viz. Heauen and Earth Heauen By Heauen is ment all that part of the world which is aboue the Earth and so it is taken Genesis 2. 1. 24. 5. And so Heauen consists of three parts and euery parte beares the name of Heauen The first part next to vs is the Ayre and all that is betweene vs and the Moone so foules of the Ayre are called the foules of Heauen Gen. 1. 26. The second part is the Firmament in which are the Starres Sun and Moon Psal 19. 7. The third part is the Habitation of God and Angels the seate of the glory of God and his blessed one where the body of Christ now liues Marke 16. 19. and is called the third heauens 1 Cor. 12. 2. and this is the Heauen especially meant Gen. 11. for when there he saith God Created heauen and earth and the earth was without forme c. he notes that God vsed a twofold way of Creation some things he made immediately of nothing as the Heauen of the blessed some things he made of matter which was first made of nothing for out of that Chaos mentioned Gen. 2. did the Lord extract and forme all this visible world both the firmament and light and the elements and all creatures only spirits and the Heauen of the blessed hee made of no praeexiâ—â—ing matter and that honour haue the soules of men which are immediately created of nothing First then we are to intreate of that Heauen where God in his glory Christ in his glorious body are and seeing by Heauen is meant al that is contained in it by Creation we are there to consider of the Angels too and both that Heauen and the Angels belong to the inuisible world and the rest to the visible Concerning that blessed Heauen wee are to wonder at the glory of the Lord in creating it if we consider 1. The names giuen to it It is called the Heauen of Heauens Deut. 10. 14. 1 King 8. 27. Psal 11â— 16. The Temple of God Psal 11. 4. â—8 7. Paradise Luke 23. 42. The heauenly Ierusalem or Ierusalem that is aboue Gal. 4. 26. Heb. 12. 22. and in the same place Mount Sion The most holy place Hebrewes 10.9 Our fathers house Iohn 4. 2. The place of the Habitation of God and his holinesse Deut. 26. 15. Psal 33. 14. Abrahams bosome Luke 16. 22. The Citie of the Liuing God Heb. 12. 22. a Cittie hauing foundation whose Maker and builder is God Heb. 11. 10. our Countrie Heb. 11. 13. 14. 2. The substance of it which is conceiued to be of a marueilous excellent nature farre more perfect and subtile then the substance not onely of the Elements but of those visible heauens which diuers gather thus As any creature is higher then the earth so is the substance of it lesse grosse and materiall As the waters are thinner then the earth and the Ayre then the waters and the Element of fire according to the common opinion of Diuines and Philosophers purer then the Ayre and the Essence of the mighty Firmament yet more pure then the foure Elements as consisting of a fift Essence as they say in Schooles and accordingly we see creatures fitted to each of these places Fishes that cannot liue in the bowells of the earth liue in the waters and foules of a more spirituall being flie in the Ayre Now when we are ascended so high as the highest visible heauens then do our minds conceiue of that glorious place of the blessed made of a more pure Essence then any of these And though Diuines say that the sustance of these heauens must needs be corporeall and
bodily which they proue by infallible reasons yet are they such a body as wee may call as it were spirituall next in purity to the substance of Angels and mens soules 3. If we consider the qualities admirable is the glory of that heauen of heauens whether we thinke of it Philosophically or Theologically Philosophically considered it is a place void of all decay alteration and motion A place that suffers not from without it selfe any thing of naturall grieuance or violence or annoyance A place aboue all places large and ample as containing in the bowells and circumference of it all this visible world But if wee inquire after it as considered Theologically we may see it in a Mirror but yet it is but darkely no tongue of man can vtter the glory of it noe Paul himselfe that was there yet could not declare what he saw nor can it enter into the mortall heart of man to think what it is what is reuealed in Scripture in praise of it is inough to rauish our hearts with desire after it if we were such as we should be It is a place most lightsome for God is said to dwell in light vnapproachable vnapproachable I say to vs mortall crâ—atures It is light aboue al that light the Sun or Moone can giue to this lower world for there is no need of Sun nor Moon which shine in respect of that light as a candle doth to the light of the Sun with vs There is no night there and it is a light of a farre more excellent and transcendent kinde then this light we haue from the Starres or Sunne or Moone and that is the reason why it doth not penetrate to vs as being farre aboue the capacity of our eyes as they are now to see it The Apostle saith of this light it was like vnto a stone most precious euen like a Iasper stone cleare as Christall that is alwaies flourishing and shining without any clouds or darkenesse and how can it be otherwise seeing God himselfe and the Lambe is the light of it there floweth from God being the place of his speciall glory a created light from God himselfe I say by which it is after an vnspeakeable manner inlightned Reuel 21. 11. 23. Whence it followes that it is a place full of all vnspeakeable refreshing pleasure and delight If the light of the Sunne at some seasons of the yeere can so please how much more doth this light of the glory of God What shall I say It is a place that hath nothing in it of euill and abounds in all that may content the glorified nature of the Creatures And how can it be otherwise seeing there is no sinne nor no vncleane person there and it is a place that hath the glory of the Lord vpon it Reuel 21. 11. which is as much as if he should say that the glory of heauen doth differ from all the glory of any place on earth as God differs from the Kings and Potentates of the Earth and therefore his chiefe house of Residence must needs almost infinitely excell theirs And the more is the glory of heauen because it is eternall it cannot fade or euer cease to bee which is signified by those golden and pretious foundations Reuel 21. Other Citties wil decay because they are builded by man and of corruptible matter but this Cittie can neuer decay because God was the builder of it immediately and made it incorruptible To conclude it must needs bee a place of surpassing glory seeing all the Treasures of this world are searched out and they can serue but to giue a litle glimpse of the meanest part of the praises of heauen as the twentie one Chapter of the Reuelations shewes Before I come to the Vses some questions would be briefely resolued Quest. 1. Whether this Heauen was created or no or was it eternall with God Answ It was created by God is as said expressely Heb. 11. 10. that God was the builder and Maker of it It being not the Creator It must needs be a creature Quest. 2. Where is this Heauen Answ It is aboue all these visible heauens Ephes 4. 8. Acts 7. 55 56. their opinion is vaine that thinke it is euery where for then Hell should be in Heauen Quest 3. Why did God build and make this Heauen Answ Not to be a place for himselfe to dwell in for hee needs no such place being Immense and these Heauens cannot containe him he being in his Essence without and beyond all Heauens 1. Kings 8. 27. but he made it that it might bee a a place wherein he might manifest his glory in speciall manner but especially that in that place hee might giue entertainement vnto such as by grace he had chosen to bee his children and therefore is called the Fathers house The consideration of the Doctrine of this Heauen of Heauens should make violent impression vpon our hearts and that in three respects 1. It should wonderfully abase vs to thinke how wee haue neglected the knowledge and care and desire after this glorious place It should make vs hate our selues for our senselessnes and madnesse that preferre an earthly mudde-wall cottage before such a princely or rather diuine Pallace that are in loue with this earthly place that is full of sinne sorrow disgrace darkenesse and death and yet haue no heart after a place so wonderfully free from all euill and so replenished with all good Oh wretches that wee are that labour care day and night to repaire these glassie or mud-walled Tabernacles of our bodies and haue no more minde to prouide for that matchlesse triumphing place of spirits 2. It should wonderfully fire our hearts to the loue of God that hath prouided for vs such a place of glorious inheritance of his mercy loue and grace so happy so lasting so amiable yea what thankes can wee euer giue him for the very comfort with which he hath refreshed vs in telling vs of Heauen that were such as in our selues had bin so farre from hauing it as we had neuer knowne of it by the light of Nature 3. It should exceedingly transforme our hearts into the earnest care and endeauour to carrie our selues so as might become the desire and assurance of so blessed a place wee should shew that we vnderstand what a place Heauen is 1. By auoiding euery thing that is abhominable euen all those sinnes that are threatned with the want or losse of heauen as remembring that that is no place for vncleane persons to liue in Reuel 21. 8. 2. By earnest endeauour to get the righteousnesse that may make vs fit for that kingdome Mat. 6. 33. 3. By studying the the assurance of Heauen aboue all other assurances whatsoeuer 4. By a conuersation in heauen directing our thoughts and affections after heauen remembring it aboue all delights our mindes daily running vpon it and imploying our selues in such dueties as might shew that our hearts were in Heauen though our
bodies bee here our prayers and all the parts of Gods worship should sauour of this knowledge Phil. â— 20. Colos 3. 1. 2. 5. By a voluntary forsaking or contemning of the profits and pleasures of this world being content to finde here but the entertainement of Pilgrims and strangers euen such as are farre from their owne home Heb. 11. 13 14. 6. By inuincible Patience in bearing all the assaults of life here not wearied with afflictions considering this eternall weight of glory in heauen not dismayed with any terror of Sathan nor perplexed with any scornes of the world seeing the time will shortly come wee shall bee deliuered from all these things and possesse an inheritance that is vndefiled and immortall in heauen and the lesse should we be troubled about the dissolution of our bodies or rather wee should desire to get out of this earthly Tabernacle that wee might come to dwell in that heauenly building 2. Corinthians 5 1. 2. 7. By our diligent labour to carry our Treasures to lay them vp in heauen that is our best house and the onely sâ—fe place where neither Rust no Moth can corrupt nor theeues breake through and steale What we haue in heauen is safe kept by the power of God What we haue on earth is vncertaine and therefore our greatest care should be to send as many prayers and good workes to heauen as accounting it the best treasure and the wisest course so to imploy our selues Mat 6. 20. Thus of the Heauen of Heauens Before we leaue that inuisible world we must intreat of the Angels which are the Hoste of the Lord in that vpper world That the Lord did a most glorious worke when hee made the Angels may appeare many waies 1. By the names and Titles giuen them They are called spirits Starres of the Morning Sonnes of God Principalities and Powers Thrones and Dominions Seraphim and Cherubim yea Gods all which shew they were wonderfully made and of great excellencie 2. By the substance he made them to be for the substance of Angels is not corporeall and therefore purer then any bodies in Heauen and Earth and so pure as no senses can discerne them for though God onely be simply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Immateriall yet Angels are Immateriall in respect of any Physicall composition for they consist not of matter and forme as other Creatures doe but haue onely that kinde of composition which they call Metaphysicall for they are compounded of essence or act and power 3 By the place where he sets them when he had made them for he seated them in heauenly places Ephes 3. 10. hee made them to liue about himselfe in the Chamber of his presence alwaies before his face They were Creatures made of purpose to liue in the Court of the King of Kings 4 By the numbers he made of them Daniel said hee saw thousand thousands of Angels and an hundred times ten thousand thousand Daniel 7. 10. Heb. 12. 22. It is said there is an innumerable company of Angels Hee meanes they are more then man can number not more then God can number and the number is the more to bee admired because the Angels doe not marry and so are not increased by propagation 5 By the manner of their being and working in respect of time and place for Angels are in place definitiuely not circumscriptiuely as they say in Schooles that is they are so in place that wholly they are there they cannot bee said to be in another place but yet while they are there it cannot be told by any creature what roome they take vp or how much place they fill for length bredth or height or depth and so for time they doe not worke in a moment as God doth but yet in respect of vs they worke strange things in an vnperceiueable time and to shadow that out they are described to haue wings not that they haue but by way of signification or resemblance 6 By the gifts with which God endowed them when hee made them I will instance in their knowledge and power for knowledge it must needes be great in Angels for besides the knowledge they had naturally by Creation they know strange things by reuelation from God and by experience gather many things from the course of things in the world or their causes in nature and the manifold wisdome of God is made knowne to Angels by the preaching of the Gospell which they see into with wonderfull ability though men be so dull and blockish in hearing 1 Cor. 11. 10. Ephes 5. 10. Iohn 8. 44. Daniel 8. 16. 9. 22. adde to all these wayes their supernaturall knowledge of God by which they are inabled to stand for euer without falling from God Great also is the power of Angels especially in working vpon bodily creatures One Angell could kill almost all Senacheribs Army in a night by an Angell was Peter fetched out of prison Acts 12. 7 8. and Philip carried from place to place Acts 8. 39. and the Sodomits smitten blinde Gen. 19. and the Host of the Syrians frighted with a noise they made 2 Kings 6. 28. and without doubt they can doe strange things about the soules of men They haue appeared to men in their dreames and as euill angels can tempt men internally so may good Angels incourage and counsell godly men though they discerne not who raiseth those comforts or counsels onely Miracles of themselues they cannot doe nor can they know the thoughts of the heart of man of themselues 7 By the language in which God hath made them able to treat one with another or with man or God for it is cleare they vse not any fleshly or corporall language in as much as they haue not bodies and so no tongues but they speake one to another by a spirituall and heauenly language without any audible sound or vocall speech or noife I say after an vnutterable manner angellically they insinuate instill and communicate one to another or to the vnderstanding of men what they will The deliuering of the sense of the minde by voice is an inferiour kinde of meanes because it agrees onely to bodies such Spirits as are onely mindes and haue no bodies can conuerse one with another without sound of words in their owne vnderstandings as in a most cleere Looking-glasse shewing what they will one to another Before I come to the vse of this part certaine questions men might aske about Angels are to be resolued as Quest 1. When were Angels created Answ It cannot be certainly gathered but it is probable they were created the first day when the Heauen of Heauens was created and thence are called the Angels of Heauen Moses speakes nothing of the Creation of Angels because that is not a knowledge that properly belongs to vs for if the Theology for Angels were written we should neede another Bible The Creation and gouernment of Angels conteining as great variety of matter as doth the Religion of mankinde Quest
which is God 3 That euery creature serues for some vse and many of the creatures dispatch exceeding much worke in the vses vnto which the Creator hath appointed them and euery creature hath a kinde of exactnesse and perfectnesse in his nature and being 4 The strange variety of creatures set in this visible world with their most various proprieties take any roome of this house who can count the number of plants trees beasts or men vpon earth Who can reckon the number of Seas Riuers Ponds Springs or creatures in them or count the number of Foules or Flyes in the Ayre or Starres in Heauen And this variety is the more wondâ—rfull if wee straightly consider that our God made them all and that they are all still preserued in their kindes to this day and that they are made all in such different formes and portraitures not onely one kinde from another but one singular creature from another in the same kinde 5 The maruellous order and relation of the creatures in their kindes and respect one to another in regard whereof the Psalmist magnifies the wisdom of God Psal 136. 5. and this order is admirable if we consider the different degrees of creatures seruing one to another in their kinds as some things God made to haue being only as the Heauens Elements Meteors and Minerals Some things haue being and life also as the herbes and trees some things hauing being life and sense also as the beasts fowles some things haue being sense life reason also as men and these degrees so connexed that the latter includes alwaies the former the inferior degrees serue the higher as the Heauens and Elements adorne feed the Plants the Plants feed the Beasts the Beasts feede and serue men and men serue God Againe the order is wonderfull in the placing of these bodies so as with vnspeakable neerenesse each creature fils his place so as there is no vacuum or emptinesse betweene and besides are so set as though they be diuers of them directly contrary one to another yet are so set as they destroy not one another but preserue the whole Frame I omit many other things for breuities sake Out of these generall considerations of this visible world we may raise many vses for our selues as 1 We haue cause to admire and wonder at the glory of God that made such a huge and strong building wonder I say at him that giues place for all these things to be in yet himselfe conteined in no place that moues all these things and yet is himselfe vnmoueable that made all these creatures being himselfe vncreated and that shewed such skill in the least things as is beyond the art of all men to doe the like 2 We should bee afraid to displease him that is Lord of such Hosts that commands so many great armies and can by them at his pleasure suddenly fight against vs and destroy vs. 3 Man hath great cause of Humiliation when he lookes vpon this Frame both when he feeles his ignorance that can see so little into the glory of these works of God scarce discerning those things of them which their outward formes manifestly offâ—r to his vnderstanding especially to think of it how all other creatures haue kept their first perfection and still keepe their places and workes and doe their worke constantly in their seasons obeying their Creator and doing his will and he only that was best prouided for and made Lord of all to be out of order not to keepe his rancke to liue vnprofitably and neglect the worke inioyned him to be I say the only creature in Gods garden that deserues the name of a weed fit to be rooted out and the rather because by his fault he hath brought much hurt vpon the whole Frame and is the cause of that vanity or misery which any of the creatures suffer 4 We should heartily pray vnto God to teach vs to reade in this booke of nature since he hath furnished vs with such a great and glorious Library to be pleased to teach vs the skill to read and vnderstand and the rather because he will iudge vs by the contents of this booke of nature as well as by the booke of Scripture Rom. 1. 5 Poore men and men opprest and pursued in the world should not repine at their distresses what if thou want house or harbour so long as thou hast liberty to dwell in this faire house where thou hast the Heauens for a roofe and the Starres for windowes and the earth for a foundation though hard Land-lords oppresse thee in thy artficiall dwellings yet thou art Tenant to such a Land-lord for the vse of his great house of the world as while thou liuest will not put thee out of possession of his house Yea such as haue great houses to dwell in made by the Art of man should yet take more pleasure in their liberty to dwell in this house made by God because it excels theirs more then a Princes Palace can doe a Cottage 6 God himselfe hath giuen vs certaine Caueats by way of preuention which we must looke to when we reade in this great Booke The one is that we take heede we liken not God to any of the creatures which are but the worke of his hands Deut. 4. 19. Esay 40. 22 25. The other is that wee reserue all worship to God and not worship any of the Hoste of Heauen or Earth and therefore wee must not so much as sweare by Heauen or Earth or any thing that is not God Mat. 5. Ier. 5. Lastly hence we may gather a confutation of Idols and false Gods If the Pagans would haue vs beleeue that their Idols are true Gods let their Gods make vs such Heauens and such an earth and we will beleeue them Ier. 10. 11. In the meane time this mighty frame will assure vs that IEHOVAH is onely God And thus in generall I returne now to the second Heauen which is the highest part of this visible World called in Scripture the Firmament and concerning it we may wonder at these things 1. The maker of these Heauens and so the Scriptures doe magnifie the praises of God for diuers distinct things as first that he did spread out these heauens like a curtaine and stretched them out as a Tent to dwell in Esay 40. 22. It was a great glory that he could make such vast and mighty creatures secondly that hee could make them alone without any helpe Esay 44. 24. 45. 12. thirdly that he made them onely by his word Psal 33. 6. fourthly that he hath made them in such Wisedome as surpasseth the vttermost of our vnderstanding to reach the full knowledge of these things In these things it was truely said long since that we cannot order our speech because of darkenesse Iob 37. 38. 39. Instance in the light of Heauen where is the Way where light dwelleth and as for darkenesse where is the place thereof that thou
opening the windowes of Heauen as hee did in the destruction of the old world Iob. 36. 31. he reserues these against the day of battell Iob 38. 23. Esay 24. 17 18. 37. 13. 2 At the first he made the Clouds to be a garment for the Sea when it was first brought out and a swadling band for it Iob 38. 8 9. 3 By the Clouds as in a Chariot God rides about this nether world to visit it Psal 104. 3. 4 He vseth the Clouds to hold backe the face of his Throne by spreading it vpon it Iob 26. 9. 5 To shew his power he often with his Cloud couereth the Light and commandeth it not to shine by the Cloud that commeth betwixt Iob 36. 32. 6 God hath made himselfe a Pauillion to sit in with waters and thick Clouds 2 Sam. 22. 12. 7 By these God waters our Land as wee doe our Gardens and by the vertue of them hee giueth meat in abundance Iob 36. 31. 37. 11. Psal 65. 9 10 11 12. 5 For the interest that God hath giuen vs vnto these things and therefore they are called our Heauens Deut. 33. 28. and therefore no man can be poore that hath so great substance The vse is especially to set vs in an euerlasting admiration of God not onely for these things which he hath reueiled concerning these things but euen for the intimation that there are many things we know not but are aboue our reach Behold saith he God is great and wee know him not if wee should but consider that one thing that seemes the least of many it is too wonderfull for vs euen Gods making of the drops of raine so small and yet so proportionall among themselues when God causeth them to distill vpon man Iob 36. 26 27 28. We haue great cause to stand still and wonder we know not the wondrous works of him that is perfect in knowledge We cannot order our speech in these things by reason of darknesse If a man speake he shall bee swallowed vp with the greatnesse and difficulty and glory of these things Iob 37. 14 16 19 20. Touching the Almighty in these things wee cannot finde him out he is excellent in power and in Iudgement and in plenty of Iustice euen by these things Iob 37. 23. Men should therefore feare him for as he sheweth by reasoning from these things in another place the onely wisdome of a man were to feare God Iob 28. 28. Secondly wee should learne of these things how to serue God they keepe their seasons and they returne not to Heauen againe but doe the worke God sent them for Esay 55. 10. Luk. 12. 56. Mat. 16. 2 3. 3 We should bee wonderfull thankfull to God euen for these blessings of Heauen They were wont in the first ages of the world to thinke they had cause to praise God for the very dew of Heauen Gen. 25. 28 39. Deut. 33. 13 28. Wee are exhorted to sing praise to God who couereth the Heauen with Clouds and prepareth raine for the Earth Psal 147. 7 8. Men vse to giue a great deale of mony to buy a little land and yet cannot praise him that giues them what is more worth then that they buy for it is God that giueth the dew and the snow and the raine and so the Grasse and the Corne without which the Land were worth nothing 4 Seeing God hath wrought wonderfully in these things and that they are so precious for our vses we must learne if at any time God restraine these blessings of Heauen to seeke them by prayer and repentance for our sinnes Iames 5. 18. 2 Chron. 6. 27. 28. and if we would haue them continued to vs we must looke to the paying of our Tythes duly Mal. 3. 10. 5 Wicked men are but in ill taking for besides that by these things GOD can plague them hauing reserued them for the day of warre as was shewed before the Lord by these things hath left them without excuse hauing from them witnesses to pleade for him against the wicked as is shewed Acts 17. 14. 6. We must take heede of doubting Gods prouidence in sending these blessings from Heauen we may reade of a man that was troden to death for doubting whether God could furnish mans wants by these things 2 King 7. 19 20. To conclude we must make conscience of it to learne these things and what else God teacheth vs by them and the rather for the wonder of Gods printing that can make his letters so great that a man may see and reade so farre off and therefore remember to magnifie his worke Iob 36. 24 25. As for the Raine-bow two things only I will note 1 What we may obserue by the sense of seeing and that is the strange varieties and perfection of colours that God by his power gathereth in that manner into the Ayre which Ayre of it selfe is without any colour raised and dissolued againe after a little time without any remnant of these colours left 2 What we may reade in Scripture of it and that is both concerning the Author of it and the end of it The Author of it is God who calleth it his Bow and the end is by Gods owne appointment to secure and assure man that the world shall neuer be destroyed by waters any more which is the more wonderfull because the Rainebow in it selfe is often a fore runner of Raine as experience shewes and by the descending of the two hornes of it to the Earth and Seas doth drinke vp vapours and carry them into the Ayre to breede Raine Gen. 9. Hitherto of Heauen the Earth followes Earth The terme of Earth here comprehends as I conceiue the dry Land as also the waters of the Sea that lye vpon the Earth and therefore I would first briefly consider of the Sea Concerning the Sea these things in Scripture are taken notice of 1 What it is and so Moses describes the Sea to be the gathering together of the waters into a heape which before did flow ouer all the face of the earth and this collection of the waters vnder the Firmament God himselfe named the Sea Gen. 1. 10. 2 The Originall of these waters and that God claimes as a glory to himselfe to haue made the Sea as well as other vast Creatures the Sea is his and hee made it Psal 95. 5. he is the God that made the Sea and the dry Land Ionah 1. 9. and for the manner of making it as it had diuers things common with other creatures as to be made of nothing and by the Word of God and so the waters in speciall are said to haue the Spirit of God to sit vpon them as the Hen sitteth vpon the Chickens to giue it forme and digestion Gen. 1. 2. 3 The wonder of Gods power in placing and disposing of the Sea and that in many respects as 1 That he hath made these waters to be of such vast greatnesse and vnsearchable depth Iob 38. 16. Esay
of his Dâ—sciples and made an admirable speech to them recorded in the 13. 14. 15. and 16. Chapters of Iohn which speech may be all referred to three heads Prediction Exhortation and Promise By way of Prediction we shall finde in that speech that he tels them before hand of the things hee shall suffer and the glory he shall haue after his sufferings and withall the glorious prouision he will make for them in heauen after his Ascension comforteth them against his departure from them Secondly by way of Exhortation he earnestly perswades them by these his last words to looke to their cariage in the world after he was gone in these points especially namely that they shew forth the continuall proofe of their vnfained and feruent loue one to another and that they arme themselues with all patience to suffer all the indignities and troubles should befall them from the Deuil and the world and chiefly that they abide in him as the branch doth in the Vine bearing good fruits to the glory and honour of his Name Thirdly By way of promise he labours to fill them with comfort by assuring to them three singular fauours First that he would send them the Holy Ghost to be their Comforter all their daies Secondly that they shall at all times haue audience in heauen for all suits whatsoeuer if they be made in his Name And thirdly that what troubles soeuer they shall haue in the world yet in him they shall haue peace Neither did he intend this speech only for his Disciples but for all the godly in all ages that should mourne for his absence The fourth thing our Sauiour did for preparing him for his Passion was the choice of the place where he would begin his Passion and therein two things are worthy to be considered viz. The kinde of place he chooseth and his great willingnesse to suffer for vs. The place he chose was a Garden and that he did of purpose for as the first sin was committed in a Garden so he is pleased to offer himselfe to suffer the first part of his great Passion in a Garden Thus is our blessed Sauiour pleased by his obedience in a Garden to make satisfaction of the sin of Rebellion committed by our first Parents in Paradise The next is the demonstration of our Sauiours willingnesse to suffer for vs which hee shewes plainly in choosing the place for first it would be hard for the Priests to apprehend him in the Citie because of the people therefore hee gets out of the Citie to a place that was neare Againe the Euangelists note that he went to a place he was accustomed to goe to that so it might not be difficult to finde him Luke 22. 39. And to make it out of all doubt S. Iohn saith That Iudas that betrayed him knew the place And it is profitable for vs to know that our Sauiour did suffer willingly because that addes to the price of his satisfaction for vnlesse his Passion had beene voluntary there had not beene a iust satisfaction for our sinnes to Gods Iustice And besides that circumstance should the more stirre vp our hearts to admire the greatnesse of his loue to vs. And finally it is a most liuely president to teach vs with all willingnesse to take vp our crosse and follow him that hath so willingly suffered such grieuous things for vs. The fifth thing our Sauiour did in his preparation was the offering vp of prayer to God before hee entered vpon his Passion Now the prayers Christ made were partly for the Church and partly for himselfe The prayer for the Church which he made immediatly before his apprehension is at large recorded in the 17. of Iohn which prayer he made as the High Priest whose office was two-fold to make intercession for the people and to make satisfaction and atonement for their sinnes And though the intercession of Christ be chiefly performed in heauen as hee sitteth at the right hand of God yet that we might know what he saith for vs in heauen he conceiues that most sacred frame of Intercession which is there recorded for our euerlasting consolation Now concerning that prayer of our Sauiour many things may be obserued 1. For whom he prayes and makes intercession and so hee expresly saith That he did not pray for the world but for the Elect vers 9. 2. Why he made that prayer on earth and did not reserue it till he came to heauen And to that he answereth himselfe vers 13. that hee spake those things on earth that his ioy might be fulfilled in vs for it must needs bee an vnspeakable comfort to vs to know what Christ prayes for in heauen to obtaine for vs. 3. What things he assumes as taken for granted before hee puts vp his petitions to God and so hee reckons vp before God diuers admirable priuiledges which belong to the godly which God did neuer deny but alwaies granted to belong to them and these were 1. That God had giuen Christ full power to bestow eternall life vpon the godly vers 2. 2. That the godly were Gods owne people and that he had bestowed them all vpon Christ to redeeme them and prouide for them vers 6 10. 3. That Christ is glorified in them vers 10. meaning that God had giuen him leaue to make himselfe glorious by aduancing them and that he did account himselfe to haue no glory on earth but what he had in and from them 4. That he did sanctifie himselfe for them vers 19. that is that God was to account all his merits to belong to them and that all he endured when he was set apart as a Sacrifice was for their sakes 5. That all he was to pray for did belong to all beleeuers as well as to the Apostles euen to all that did or should beleeue to the worlds end vers 20. 6. That by the Gospell Christ was to make all the godly feele that God loued them as well as he loued him verse 26. 4. What he did begge of his Father for vs and so we shall finde that hee hath fitted his suits to our desires For looke what in this world the godly most desire to be freed from or to haue that he hath asked namely 1. That God would vndertake to keepe vs so as we might not any of vs be lost verse 11 12. 2. That God would preserue and keepe vs from euill both the euill of sinne and the euill of danger that might oppresse vs verse 15. 3. That God would sanctifie vs by the power of his word and so furnish vs with all gifts needfull to a holy life verse 17. 4. That we may be admitted into fellowship and indissoluable vnion with the blessed Trinitie and amongst our selues that in a sort wee might bee ioyned to God as Christ was verse 21. 5. That God would so perfect this holy vnion in them that he might make the very world to know that God loued them as well as he loued
that Iudas sinned and was damned and yet was an Apostle of Christ as well as Peter 3. We may hence learne what is necessarie to true repentance viz. First to get out from the society of wicked men a man cannot repent and yet remaine still by the High-Priests fire Secondly to bewaile our sinnes by true godly sorrow in secret without mourning for sin there can be no true repentance for sinne and therefore the afflicting of our soule for our sinnes is peremptorily required Ioel 2. 12. Iam. 4. And the sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart Psal 51. 4. Here are diuers things worthy the marking about the meanes of a mans conuersion For first hence we may learne that the Doctrine a man heares though it doe not presently worke vpon him yet the remembrance of it in after-times may be very powerfull to turne a mans heart to God as here Peter is turned by remembring what Iesus said vnto him though when he said it Peter made no good vse of it Againe wee may gather hence that God can awaken the conscience of a man by strange operations by very simple and vnlikely meanes as here the conscience of Peter is excited by the crowing of a Cocke but especially the heart of Peter is dissolued and grownd almost to powder with the very lookes of Christ Iesus looked backe vpon him and he went out and wept bitterly 5. Here is also matter of Consolation for penitent sinners may bence gather that great offences may be forgiuen if they be truly humbled If we weepe for our sinnes as Peter did we may be receiued to fauour as Peter was Besides our Sauiour that foretold his fall annexeth two admirable consolations First that he prayeth for the godly that their faith should not faile though they fall grieuously Secondly that how far soeuer the Deuill preuailes yet all his temptations shall be but like a winnowing God can tell how to draw light out of darknesse and to waste the maine heape of corruption euen from his working vpon mens hearts through the sight of their falls into some particular corruptions Luk. 22. 31 32. Lastly the example of the falls of godly men should teach vs to vse all meanes to strengthen one another that wee may be vpheld from falling especially such as haue fallen and are recouered should striue by all meanes to warne others and to helpe by all waies they can to preserue others When thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren said our Sauiour to Peter Luk. 22. 32. Thus he was denied by Peter 3. He was ill intreated by them that kept him bound for as Saint Luke shewes chapter 22. they mocked him and smote him and when they had blindfolded him they stroke him on the face and asked him saying Prophecie vnto vs who it is that smote thee And many other things blasphemously spake they against him Here we may behold a lamentable spectacle of that disorder into which wretched men fall when they giue the reynes to their wicked malice and thinke they may doe it without punishment What wofull indignities are these these base Iewes offer to our blessed Sauiour They blindfold and buffet that face which their godly Forefathers and Prophets so longed to behold euen that face that was fairer than the children of men And what was of more authoritie than the sacred Prophecying of Iesus who spake as neuer man spake and confirmed it by miracles and yet see how this base vulgar scornes his Prophecying They that before persecuted the Prophets of the Lord now blaspheme and deride the Lord of the Prophets Thus it is still with vs in places where the wicked multitude dare oppose the Messengers of Christ with opinion they may doe it without punishment When Magistrates are wicked haters of goodnesse these things fall out amongst the multitude There are two signes of a childe of God The personall loue of the Lord Iesus 1 Pet. 1. 8. and the high estimation of the word of Christ Now on the contrary there cannot be more palpable signes of a wicked or reprobate heart than to loath Christ and despise Prophecying Againe note another madnesse and folly in these beasts They thinke they can hoodwinke Christ What can their base couering hide the eies of the Son of God that had so often made them know that he could see into their very hearts Will God be blindfolded Thus foolish are wicked men and this mad folly is not out of the hearts of such men amongst vs that thinke they haue the skill still to hoodwinke God that he should not see their hypocrisie and know their secret corruptions But some one may say it was wonder Christ would endure such meane vsage I answer we must looke higher than the wickednesse of these men Christ as our surety suffers all this that he might make expiation for our sinnes that had lost the face or image of God and that he might deliuer vs from those contumelies might iustly follow vs for our sinnes and withall might leaue vs an example of patience if we suffer meane vsage from the men of this world and the rather because we see in the Text what interpretation was made of this dealing of theirs it is reckoned as blasphemy against God And thus of the things done in the Night tumultuously Now followes the things he suffered in the Day when they proceed to Iudgement for in the morning early they bring forth Iesus to be indited and heare Iudgement and that both in the Ecclesiasticall and in the Ciuill Court But before I open the particulars our hearts should make a stand and thinke of the generall with amazement at the worke was done that day There was neuer such a dreadfull sight to be seene in any age of the world for on that day the Sonne of God the King of Heauen and Earth stood at the barre of mortall creatures was indited and condemned of sinfull men and had many grieuous things laid to his charge Oh in what Labyrinths are our dead hearts sleeping that so prodigious a thing as this cannot waken vs to vnspeakable sense and wonder But let vs consider the reasons of his Passion in this kinde in generall 1. Our Sauiour would not die in a tumult or secretly but came solemnely to his triall in both Courts that so his innocency might be fully cleared and the wicked enuie and malice of the High Priests and the Iewes might be made manifest 2. He stood there as surety for vs that were obnox ous to the sentence of the eternall Iudge and had deserued by our sinnes to bee indited and condemned to eternall perdition 3. He was indited and condemned on earth that he might free vs from the furie of Gods iudgement that we might neuer appeare before Gods Tribunall to be arraigned for our sinnes but only to heare iudgement for our absolution and entrance into the possession of that euerlasting kingdome And therefore the Vse of this should be for singular comfort to
in heauen We must all learne of him and that diuers points out of his prayer The one is to flie to Christ only and to rely vpon him alone for saluation Another is to deale particularly for ourselues and euery one to say as he did Lord remember me Thirdly he may teach all the Christians in the world how to exercise their faith euen to beleeue though it be against all sense and aboue reason for this Theefe beleeues these great things of Christ when there was no outward appearance of any of them but rather of the contrary It is the greatest praise of our faith to beleeue when we haue no sense or feeling And the practise of the Theefe in this point doth greatly condemne a number of Christians now adaies The Theefe worships him and honours him beleeues and repents when Christ was on the Crosse in extreme ignominie What shall become of them then that will not worship him now especially such as blaspheme him and dishonour him now that he sits at the right hand of God Here is consolation also for if this be all the suit to Christ that he would remember vs when he comes into his kingdome this we may be sure of if we be truly godly for he hath now an infinite memory and he loues vs with an vnspeakable loue and he must needs remember vs for it is his office to be our Remembrancer before God and he being our High-Priest hath all our names written on his Brest-plate so as he cannot chuse but be still looking vpon vs besides he hath bought vs at such a price that hee hath good cause to remember vs and therefore howsoeuer it goes with vs here and though all the world forgets vs yet we may be sure that Iesus Christ remembers vs in heauen and if wee would haue our faith confirmed in this point we were best to doe as the Theefe doth viz. put him in minde of vs in particular and pray him to remember vs and withall it will much helpe if we remember him here on earth to confesse him before men and to stand for his honour and glory desiring to know and remember nothing more than Iesus Christ setting our affections on things aboue where he sits at the right hand of God But on the other side if men be workers of iniquitie and will not repent and be such as loue not the Lord Iesus and can spend daies weekes months and yeares without Christ in the world he will not remember them He cannot think of them in heauen if they forget him on earth Yea if they had beene acquainted with Christ on earth and eaten and drunken with him and beene of in his company as Matth. 7. 22. yea if they had died with him at the same time and the same kinde of death which was the case of the other Theefe when Christ shall come from heauen againe he will let them vnderstand that hee did not remember any such thing he knew them not all such naked relations vanish out of his minde if they had repented of their sinnes he would neuer haue forgotten them The answer of our Sauiour is Verily I say vnto thee this day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise In which answer we may obserue diuers things concerning prayer as also diuers things concerning heauen 1. That the prayer of penitent sinners gets great suits here is a Kingdome giuen for asking 2. That poore men may speed in great suits as well as great men A poore Theefe here speeds as well as if hee had beene a Patriarch or a King What could Abraham or Dauid haue had more than is granted to this Theefe 3. That poore sinners obtaine speedy Audiences they are not put to long suits when they seeke the greatest things This day thou shalt be with me If we speed not presently with God it is long of our selues or God delayes for some respect of vs Esay 65. 24. Dan. 9. 21 23. 4. That Christ stands not vpon the length or eloquence of our prayers he will heare a short prayer as well as a long he loues a plaine heart if wee speake the words of our hearts and aske according to Gods will in the name of Christ we shall speed Now concerning heauen it is described by the terme of Paradise The Scripture makes mention of a two-fold Paradise The Terrestriall where the first Adam was placed and the Celestiall into which the second Adam was now about to enter And that by Paradise is meant the Heauen of the blessed or rather the blessednesse of glorified soules is plaine because it is the kingdome mentioned by the Theefe and Saint Paul shewes that when he was caught vp into Paradise he was in the third heauen 2 Cor. 12. But here are two questions Quest 1. How could the Theefe vnderstand what our Sauiour meant by Paradise seeing no place of the old Testament did speake of heauen by that name of Paradise Answ The earthly Paradise was a Type and shadow of the heauenly or of the glorie of heauen and it seemes that by Tradition that was so commonly knowne among the Iewes that our Sauiour is assured he shall be vnderstood in the Terme Quest 2. But why doth our Sauiour call heauen Paradise at this time why Paradise and why at this time Ans He calls heauen Paradise because it was that which was shadowed out by the earthly Paradise In the earthly Paradise was a Tree of life in the middest thereof in the heauenly Paradise is Iesus Christ the true Tree of life by whose vertue and grace we shall liue for euer The great pleasures in that first Garden the Trees of all sorts did shadow out the vnspeakable variety of heauenly delights in the kingdome of Christ In the earthly Paradise was a Riuer that diuided it selfe into foure heads and so runne euen without the Garden What is this Riuer but the abundance of holinesse flowing from the Holy Ghost for the qualification of the Elect gathered from all the foure parts of the world the streames of which Ocean runne in the hearts of the godly in this life euen on the outside of Paradise And at this time did our Sauiour fitly vse this Metaphor for thereby he signified that though this world were but a place of banishment yet in death Gods banished should returne After all the labours and trauells and sorrowes they haue felt in this cursed world they should in death come to a place of pleasure and eternall rest and that as by the first Adams meanes all were cast ouâ— of the first Paradise so Christ was the second Adam that hauing at that time satisfied Gods wrath for the sinne of the first Adam would let all the godly into the celestiall Paradise and that hee had now driuen away the Angell with the flaming sword and so the passage into Paradise was open Yea fitly doth Christ talke of Paradise now because now was the very time in which the second Creation was beginning to be
true members Rom. 6. 4 5. And if thou haue no part in this first Resurrection thou art in danger to be swallowed vp of the second death Reu. 20. 6. and therefore we must all with Saint Paul seeke the vertue of the Resurrection of Christ Phil. 3. 8 9. And to this end we must daily present our selues with honest and good hearts before the voice of Christ in the Gospell which is able to raise vp the dead hearts of men Ioh. 5. 25. and withall pray to God by his power to plucke vp our hearts out of the graues of sinne that we may liue the life of grace in his sight Thirdly Saint Paul vrgeth another vsâ— Col. 3. 1. If we be risen with Christ then we must set our affections on things that are aboue and not on things here below and haue our conuersation so lifted vp from the respect of earthly things as Christ had in the fortie dayes he was on earth 3. By way of consolation and so it is comfortable foure wayes 1. Against desperate afflictions if we be brought as low as Christ was by the hand of God or malice of men yet we should hope in God who is able to raise vs vp from most deadly crosses Thus the Prophet Esay tells the people their dead men shall liue Esay 26. 19. 2. Against the combat with Gods wrath for our sinnes We may safely flie to the Resurrecton of Christ to assure our Iustification hee died and was buried for our sinnes and therefore rising from the dead it must needs be for our Iustification Rom. 4. 25. Seeing in his Resurrection hee comes our of Prison and so declares that he hath discharged all our debt and this a good conscience may plead to saue it selfe against the seas of Gods wrath if they were like the waters of the Deluge as Saint Peter shewes 1 Pet. 3. 21. 3. In the point of our Sanctification against our sinnes and the power and filth of them for if lesus be aliue he receiued this life as our head and for vs as the head is the fountaine of Senses whence they are deriued to all the parts of the body so is Christ our Head the Fountaine of spirituall life and senses whence comes life and sense to euery member If Christ rose the third day then after two dayes also we shall be reuiued Hos 6. 1 2. And we are ingrafted into the similitude of his Resurrection Rom. 6. 4. Nor should weake Christians be discouraged that finde not a like degree or measure of life as other Christians haue from Christ for all the members haue not a like measure of sense from the head and Christ doth conueigh the influence of his grace by degrees as he that went into the water that ran out of the Temple first was in to the Ankles then to the knees then to the loynes then it grew so deepe as it could not be sounded to the bottome so is it with the water of life in true Christians Ezech. 47. 3 4 5. Some Christians are like Ezechiels bones when they first had life there appeares nothing in them but skin and bone but the Lord can cause the wind so to blow that they shall be filled vp and made compleat men in Christ Ezech. 37. 4 7 8. 4. In the case of the resurrection of our bodies as hath bin shewed before for by the sound beleefe of this Article we infallibly gather that our owne mortall bodies shall be raised vp at the last day as is euidently affirmed Rom. 8. 11. 1 Thess 4. 14. The sixth Article LVKE 24. 51. He ascended into heauen c. HItherto of the Resurrection from the dead The second degree of his exaltation was his Ascension into heauen Concerning which before I diuide the matter to bee handled I must speake somewhat of the sense of the words To Ascend in this Article doth not signifie a change from one condition to another or a disparition or vanishing out of fight nor is it vttered figuratiuely by an Anthropopathie as it is sometimes ascribed to God as Gen. 17. 22. Psal 47. 6. but it signifies properly a Motion from one place to another and from a lower place to a higher and so from earth to heauen which the diuers tearms vsed in Scripture manifestly shew He was receiued vp saith S. Marke Ch. 16. 19. He was parted from them and caried vp saith S. Luke Ch. 24. 51. He was taken vp from them Act. 1. 9. And the Apostles looked stedfastly as he went vp Act. 1. 10. and the place is mentioned expresly viz. into heauen So that the sense of the Article is as it soundeth literally Hee went vp from earth to heauen Now concerning this degree of his Exaltation I would consider of these things 1. Who ascended 2. How he ascended 3. When he ascended 4. From what place he ascended 5. Whither he ascended 6. The witnesses of his Ascension 7. The ends of his Ascension and then the vses of all For the first If wee aske who ascended The Creed answers Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of God that was borne of a Virgin c. so that Ascension is attributed to the whole person Christ God and Man ascended he that descended first is he that now ascends Eph. 4. 9. Christ God ascended but it was in respect of his humane nature The Word that was with God and was God was alwaies in heauen but yet the Word made flesh was not alwaies in heauen now the Word ascended as it was made flesh that is as it presented his humane nature taken vp locally from earth to heauen before his Father and the Angels So then the answer is That Christ the Son of God ascended in his flesh not in his Diuinity which fills all places and so cannot ascend For the second question diuers things are to be answered viz. that he ascended first by his owne power euen by the power of his diuine nature carrying vp his body into heauen and opening heauen to bring in his Humanity as also by a vertue in his glorified body which was able to moue vpward as well as downward Secondly that being about to leaue his Disciples in a solemne manner hee lift vp his hands and blessed them To blesse is sometimes to wish a blessing as when Parents blesse their Children Sometimes it is to pronounce a blessing as when the Priests blessed the people Numb 6. 22. or Melchisedech blessed Abraham Gen. 14. 19. sometime it is to foretell a blessing as when Isaac blessed his two sonnes sometimes it is to conferre a blessing and so only God blesseth vs and his Sonne Christ God blesseth vs in bestowing all spirituall blessings in heauenly things Eph. 1. 3. And so when wee read that Christ blessed them lifting vp his hands wee must thinke of him as that blessed seed the fountaine of blessings to all Nations in whom onely all blessednesse was to be had that had now satisfied Gods Iustice and remoued the curse and therefore
hath made vs to sit in heauenly places in Christ Iesus Eph. 1. 6. for as he left vs the earnest of his Spirit so he tooke from vs the earnest of the flesh and caried it into heauen as a pawne to assure that the whole should be brought after him So that his ascension into heauen works our ascension into heauen and so a threefold ascension For first heauen is opened for a spirituall ascension of our minds while our bodies are on earth our hearts taking vnspeakable comfort by faith in our vnion with Christ and so with God whereas otherwise without Christ our very thoughts are shut out of heauen our hearts hauing no cause of comfort but rather of sorrow to thinke of our losse of Gods fauour and so glorious a place Secondly heauen is opened for our soules to enter in when we dye our soules being to bee caried by the Angells into heauen that before in Adam kept vs out of heauen Thirdly heauen is opened for both soule and body at the last day 1 Thes 4. 14. 17. Ioh. 17. 24. Thus of the first benefit Another benefit comes to vs by the ascension of Christ and that is the leading of our enemies captiue for his triumph ouer them when he led captiuity captiue Psal 89. 19. extends to vs. That we may vnderstand this the better wee must know that Christs victory ouer his enemies had fiue degrees First it is the ordination of it and so he conquered from eternity Secondly the prediction of it and so his conquest was a foot in all the ages of the old Testament and began at the promise in Paradise after the fall and was plainly renewed in that place of the Psalmes quoted before Thirdly the operation of it in his owne person and so he conquered on the Crosse and triumphed in his Ascension Fourthly the application of it and so he conquereth and hath in all ages conquered in his Members making them able to ouercome Sinne and Sathan and the World but this is but in part and in the beginnings of it Fiftly the consummation and full accomplishment of the victory and so the Deuils and the Graue and Death and Sinne and the World shall be for euer vanquished at the last day when Christ shall appeare in glory and wee be made like vnto him in an euerlasting freedome from all misery The third benefit is the daily helpe wee haue from the intercession of Christ in heauen that perfectly remembers vs and appeares before God for vs to make our persons and praiers and workes still accepted before God as hath beene shewed before The last benefit is the sending of the holy Ghost to be with the Church to the end of the world in a speciall manner to qualifie vs with all needfull gifts and to be our Comforter as hath likewise beene shewed before Thirdly this Article serues for confuration of diuers sorts of men as 1. Of those that say the very body of Christ is present to the bodies of men in the Sacrament of the Supper whereas the Article is plaine he is in body ascended into heauen 2. Of the Papists about merit of workes They say Christ merited our Iustification but wee must merit our place in heauen Whereas our Sauiour saith He went to heauen to prouide and prepare a place for vs. 3. Of such as say they must giue way to an insufficient ministery because able men cannot bee had Whereas Christ ascended to giue gifts vnto men and therefore if all lawfull meanes were vsed able men would bee found by his blessing 4. Of such as thinke because they were not brought vp to learning or haue liued long in ignorance therefore knowledge must not bee required of them nor can they attaine to it whereas if they had honest hearts and would conscionably vse the meanes they might bee led into all truth by the Comforter which Christ hath sent 5. Of such as say they may liue in some sinnes and they can neuer bee seduced in this life which is a varne excuse for their negligence and wilfull indulgence ouer their corruptions for Christ ascended to lead captiuity captiue 6. Of all worldlings that professe they are Christs and yet minde nothing but earthly things whereas if they were true Christians their hearts would haue ascended with Christ by seeking those things that are aboue Col. 3. 1. A fourth sort of vses are for instruction and so 1. This Article should make vs willing to dye seeing it is the highest point of our preferment to ascend to heauen and seeing to dye is but to ascend to heauen and goe to our Father and that Christ ascended to take possession for vs. 2. It should teach vs not to mourne immoderately for the losse of our dearest friends seeing they are ascended to heauen and wee can neuer lose so much as the Disciples did when such a Master and Sauiour was parted from them and went to heauen 3. It should stirre vs vp to all possible care of an holy and contented life it should seeme to vs a monstrous base thing to serue sinne or the deuill or the world that are such shamefull captiues to be a slaue to a slaue is a matchlesse basenesse and yet this is the condition of the most and which makes it more wofull man likes it and desires to continue so still Lastly it should worke vpon vs a strong impression of desire to carry our selues as strangers here and pilgrims and to haue our conuersation in heauen where Christ is and â—â—om whence wee looke for him to come and vnite vs to himselfe when he shall change vs and make vs like himselfe in glory Hitherto of the Ascension of Christ The third degree of his exaltation is his Session at the right hand of God The first words of this Article are ambiguous because they are not taken in their proper sense for properly God hath no right hand as being a Spirit and Christ may not be thought to vse no other gesture in heauen but sitting and therefore we must enquire of the Scripture for the sense as it is figuratiue and so first what sitting may signifie then what the right hand of God signifies and then what it is to sit at the right hand of God For the first Sitting in a figuratiue sense in Scripture is vsed two waies First to note habitation abiding or resting as when the Apostles were willed to sit in that City till they were endued with power from on high Luk. 24. 49 Secondly to note Soueraignty and Iudiciarie power and when Solomon is said to sit vpon the Throne of his Father 1 King 1. 30. so Prou. 20. 8. Isa 16. 5. The right hand of God when it is spoken of about earthly things notes his power and helpe as Psal 44. 3. and when it is spoken of as in heauen it notes supreme glory and Maiestie and authority Now to be at the right hand when it is spoken of men it signifies to helpe as Psal 142. 5.
Humane Nature And whereas the Saints and Apostles are said to iudge the world Luk. 22. 30. 1 Cor. 6. it must be vnderstood thus That they iudge as members vnto that head who is Iudge Secondly as the Iudgement shall be performed before Christ and the company of the Elect Ioel 3. 2. Thirdly as they shall be Assessors and giue consent to the Iudgement being aduanced to the honour to sit as Iustices of the Peace on the Bench by the Iudge Fourthly the Apostles shall iudge because their doctrine which they haue preached shall be confirmed and auouched by the sentence of the Iudge So the word that men heare now shall iudge them at the last day Iohn 5. Fifthly the godly shall iudge the wicked because the example of their faith and repentance shall be alledged as a furtherance of the condemnation of the wicked Thus the Queene of the South and the Niniuites shall rise vp in Iudgement and condemne that generation Christ speaks of Luk. 11. 31. So that the point is cleare that Christ shall be Iudge The Vse is first for great comfort to the godly to free them from the terror of that day they need not bee afraid of the Iudge nor any hard sentence he will pronounce vpon them seeing the Iudge is their owne brother yea their owne flesh as their head it was he that was iudged for them on earth and redeemed them with his owne bloud he that hath continually made intercession for them in heauen that they might be deliuered from the wrath of God Yea he hath promised them that they shall speed well in that day Hebr. 2. 11. Eph. 5. 30. Ioh. 3. 36. and 5. 24. Secondly it is a terrible doctrine for all wicked men because this is a Iudge that cannot be corrupted but will iudge in righteousnesse as there is none higher than he to make appeale to and because also he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that knowes the heart and finally because it is he whom they haue reiected and would not let him rule ouer them but haue many waies vilified him and rebelled against him and his ordinances and persecuted him in his members Reuel 1. 7 8. The third question is whence Christ shall come when he comes to Iudgement And that is briefly exprest in the words of the Article He shall come from thence that is from Heauen where he sits at the right hand of God The reason why he comes out of Heauen to execute Iudgement is because Heauen is so pure a place as it is not fit for impure men and deuils so much as to make their appearance there And this point is not without Vse For first hereby we may clearly bee confirmed in the truth of Christs humanitie against the Vbiquitaries that say his bodie is euery where seeing he comes in his bodie out of Heauen at the last day And besides it may teach vs to send our hearts to Heauen to meet Christ and till he come from thence to looke for him Phil. 3. 20. The fourth question is about the time when the day of Iudgement shall be Now about the answer to this question there haue beene many opinions and the most of them strange and false 1. Some haue thought it should neuer be and such were those mockers mentioned 2 Pet. 3. whose argument to proue their damned opinion was twofold First that the first Fathers in the first ages of the world were dead many ages since and if there should haue beene a Iudgement it is likely it would haue beene before this time Secondly that all men see by experience that all things continued without alteration since the Creation and therefore why should men feare any alteration for the time to come To all this the Apostle answers first concerning the persons of these mockers that they are men that follow their lusts vers 3. or that they are willingly ignorant v. 5. and then concerning their reasons he saith against them three things The one that this world was made at the beginning by God both the vpper and nether world and therefore it may haue an end v. 5. The other that it is false that there haue been no alterations for the whole nether world was drowned by water which may assure men that God hates sinne and will generally iudge men for it vers 6. The third is that the continuance of the world for so many ages ought to bee no argument to proue that it is vnalterable for a thousand yeares with God are but as one day it is a small time that the world hath lasted in comparison of Gods eternitie and besides God hath vrgent reason for his so long patience in deferring the last iudgement vers 8 9. 2. Some others in the Apostles time taught that the resurrection and so by consequent the day of Iudgement was past already of this minde was Himenaeus and Philetus 2 Tim. 2. It is probable that they held there was no other resurrection than that which is of the soule spiritually rising out of sinne nor any other Iudgement than that which men passe through in repentance 3. A third sort of men that did hold a true resurrection of the bodie and a generall Iudgement of all the world did affirme before the Apostles were yet dead that the Iudgement would come vpon the world within a short time after euen in the age of them that then liued 2 Thess 2. 1 2 3. Now these false teachers are both described and confuted by the Apostle described both by the effect of their corrupt doctrine viz. that it would draw men away from their minds both for the present by making them lesse carefull of their callings and for the time to come when they should see that that day did not come as was foretold they might then grow either impatient vnder their crosse or else to fall away from religion beleeuing nothing because that they haue beleeued in this point did not come to passe and described they were by the manner of confirming their doctrine For they pretended first the Spirit that they had reuelations from the Spirit within Secondly the word that is either some speciall arguments of their owne or some words which the Apostles had vttered Thirdly Epistles either wresting the words of the Epistles of the Apostles as that 1 Thess 4. 7. or else counterfeiting Epistles and saying they were written by the Apostles The Apostle confutes them by shewing that the kingdome of Antichrist must come before the day of Iudgement The fourth sort of men are such as assigne the time of the comming of Christ to be further off from the age of the Apostles and offend in extreme curiositie in assigning the yeare or age when it should be and so mens wits haue beene ill imployed in all ages Saint Augustiae tells that in his time diuers computations were made of the end of the world and Christs comming Some said it would be 400. yeares after his Ascension some 500. yeares some
presumptuous because that place seemes to speake in particular of such Nations as afflicted the people of Israel and the valley of Ichoshaphat seems to be named but by way of allusion yet notwithstanding that the Iudge should sit in iudgement in some place about Ierusalem is not altogether improbable because it increaseth the terror of the iudgement augments thoglory of Christ to sit there as a Iudge where himselfe was iudged But in this no man can conclude peremptorily to make a resolute opinion of it because we haue not sufficient warrant for it out of the Word In the generall it is cleare by Scripture that it shall be in some part of this nether world either on the earth or neere vnto it because as was shewed before no vncleane things such as deuils and wicked men may enter into heauen and besides it increaseth the terror and iustice of the Iudgement to keepe the Assises where men haue offended and to sentence them to punishment in the place where they haue done their offences as for great crimes Iudges are wont to appoint the place of punishment to be where the fact was committed It is very probable that the Iudge will sit in the clouds of the Aire neare the earth whither the Elect shall be caught vp to meet the Lord 1 Thess 4. 17. that so the deuils may be conquered sentenced in the very place where they haue all this while ruled as princes Ephes 2. 2. I say only it is probable because it cannot be necessarily concluded out of the places are alledged viz. Matth. 24. 30. 1 Thess 4. 17. The sixt question is who shall be iudged And to this I answer out of Scripture by beginning at the remotest things and comming nearer and nearer till it reach to each of vs and so I say 1. That this Iudgement shall reach euen to the vnreasonable creatures for the Apostle saith that the heauens and the earth and the things in them are reserued vnto fire against the day of Iudgement and the perdition of wicked men 2 Pet. 3. 7. And it is likely the Apostle hath this meaning Rom. 8. 19. to 23. And so partly God will be reuenged on the old heauens and earth for the vanitie cast vpon them by wicked men and as they were the dwelling place of the wicked and partly as God in iustice will restore to euery creature in the sort of the creature whatsoeuer they lost by the sinne of Adam and his posteritie 2. Euill spirits shall then be iudged euen the Deuill and all his Angels which are now bound in the chaines of darknesse till the iudgement of that day Iude 6. 1 Cor. 6. 3. There shall be opened that great secret of the nature and manner and time of their first sinning against God and all the horrible murthers they haue committed and attempted vpon the soules of all sorts of men 3. All mankind must their appeare before his Tribunall for God will iudge the people Psal 7. 9. The ends of the earth 1 Sam. 2. 10. The earth 1 Chron. 16. 38. All Nations Ioel 3. 12. The round world Psal 9. 9. Both quicke and dead 2 Tim. 4. 1. By the quicke is meant such as shall be found aliue at his comming 1 Cor. 15. 51. 1 Thess 4. 17. And by the dead such as haue died since the beginning of the world to that day 1 Thess 4. 16. Reu. 20. 12 13. so as no man or woman shall escape 2 Cor. 5. 10. Iude 15. Against this may be obiected that all the world stands either of beleeuers or vnbeleeuers and neither of those must come to iudgement and therefore none at all are to be iudged the beleeuer hath euerlasting life and shall not come into iudgement Ioh. 5. 24. and 3. 18. and the vnbeleeuer is condemned alreadie and therefore needeth no further iudgement To this I answer that the beleeuer shall not come into iudgement that is into the iudgement of condemnation he shall come to receiue iudgement of eternall absolution from all his sinnes and miseries And the wicked are condemned already First in the counsell of God as hee appointed them to condemnation for their sinnes Secondly in the word of God which tells him plainly of his estate and eternall misery because he doth not repent and beleeue Thirdly in his owne conscience which is as a thousand witnesses and doth iudge him in himselfe as a forerunner of the last iudgement all this hinders not but that he must appeare openly at the barre of Christ to haue his sinnes publikely knowne and sentence past vpon him for all his sins so that it remaines cleare that all men since the beginning of the world must come to iudgement Yet that it may worke the more effectually vpon mens conscience it will be profitable to take notice of such particular offenders as God hath in plaine termes telled them before-hand that he will iudge them at that day and so he will iudge 1. Pagâ—ns that haue sinned without the Law they shall be iudged also without the Law written by the Law of Nature Rom. 2. 2. Iewes and all others that receiue the Law written but deny Christ they shall be iudged by the Law Rom. 2. 3. Antichrist the Man of Sin shall be iudged and destroyed by the brightnesse of Christs comming 2 Thess 2. 4. All that worship that Beast and receiue his marke his marke is the Characteristicall doctrines of errors and lies they shall be cast into that Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Reu. 19. 20. and 14. 9 10. 5. All false Teachers that bring in damnable Heresies 2 Pet. 2. 1. 6. All Apostataes that sinne willingly after they haue receiued the Truth Heb. 10. 26. 7. All that trouble and disquiet the godly with their malitious oppositious 2 Thess 1. 7. 8. All Goats that is all vnruly Christians that will not be directed by the word of God but wilfully persist in the knowne breach of Gods Commandements Matth. 25. 9. All Hypocrites that now goe hoodded and masked Luk. 12. 1 2. Psal 50. 17. 10. All Railers that now by scoffing and slander vilifie the godly and the good way of godlinesse Psal 50. 19. Iude 15. 11. All Censorious and masterlike Christians that iudge other men for that they are guilty of themselues Rom. 2. 1 2 3. Iam. 3. 1. 12. All Mercilesse and couetous rich men Matt. 25. 41 42. Iam. 2. 13. and 5. 1 to 6. 13. All Whore-mongers and Adulterers Heb. 13. 4. 14. All Drunkards and Epicures Luke 21. 34. 15. All deceitfull persons with their scant measures and false weights Mich. 6. 10 11. 16. All Lyers and all that loue lies Reuel 21. 8. and 22. 15. 17. All ignorant persons that know not God and all that disobey the Gospell 2 Thess 1. 8. 18. All Swearers for God hath vowed hee will not hold them guiltlesse Commandement 3. 19. All grosse offenders not mentioned before as Murtherers Idolators Sorcerers Vsurers and such like Reu. 21. â—8 and
day Which should much incourage the godly against all the hardship of godlinesse in this life There are many things may be briefly noted from the particular words by which this glorious calling is exprest 1. In that the Iudge is suddenly by change of stile called a King it might haue some vse for the present respect of the Disciples that dreamed of an earthly kingdom in this world and besides a generall respect vnto the godly of all ages to informe them that though Christ entertaine his seruants in this world but in meane conditions many times and that thereby his glory seems much abased amongst men yet at that day he will speake and doe for them like a King yea a King alone when all other Kings shall lay their Crownes at his feet 2. In that he saith Come yee it notes how glad Christ will be of them at that day as of such as haue beene long from him No father can be so glad to see his children that haue beene long absent as Christ will be to see his members while he yet sits vpon the Throne of Iudgement he cannot chuse but shew his affection 3. In that he saith Yee blessed of my Father he shewes them the fountaine of all their preferment to be Gods free loue and grace to them and not their deserts And withall teacheth vs to be confident in it that no people are so blessed and happy as such as be true Christians They are the blessed of God euen such as God blesseth as a father If Israels blessing could make Iacob happy much more Gods blessings vpon those he acknowledgeth for his children It matters not though the world hate vs and curse vs if God will loue vs and blesse vs it is enough 4. In that he saith Inherit the kingdome it imports that we shall neuer haue full possession of perfect glory till the day of Iudgement We are heires now but we are as it were vnder age And besides merit of works is here againe confuted for if we hold heauen by inheritance then not by merit a mans child claimes not his land by desert but by descent And further in that he cals their glory a kingdome it giues vs a glimpse of the surpassing aduancement of euery true Christian at that day This world hath no higher estates to shadow it out by but a kingdome which is the highest greatnesse on earth and therefore we should be greatly comforted against the miseries we suffer in the daies of our banishment and pilgrimage here below 5. In that he saith Prepared we may gather from that word the great care of our heauenly Father that prouides estates for all his children long before they be ready to possesse it which should be some instruction to earthly Parents to shew care for their children in prouiding if it may be for them before hand 6. In that he saith for you it manifestly shewes that God did particularly chuse certaine men and not all men as heires of his kingdome 7. In that he saith from the foundation of the world we may againe note that Heauen is not had by our merits because it was prepared before we had done either good or euill Obserue also that our Sauiour making mention of the beginning of the world expresseth it by mentioning the foundation of the world great was the surpassing glory of Gods power and wisdome in making the world and likewise beyond all apprehension great was his power in hanging this mightie frame of all things without any thing to hold it vp saue his owne secret power and decree and will it should be so Or may not the foundation of the world be referred to the minde of God in eternitie Though this world were framed and reared in the beginning of time yet may we not say that it was founded in the minde of God from all eternitie The consideration of all these things in the calling to glory should greatly abase vs for our want of affection and admiration and strong consolation in the hope of all this glory and if it be possible it should plucke vp our hearts to a feruent loue and longing for and hasting to the appearing of Christ Iesus our hearts I say vpon whom the ends of the world are come when the day of the Lord is so neare at hand And withall it should worke in vs a perfect patience in bearing the afflictions of this life these light afflictions I say light in comparison of that eternall weight of glory Thus of their calling to glory The Reason followes vers 35. 36. And it is taken from their workes of mercy as they are signes of their faith in Christ and as markes of their Adoption not as causes of their glory and yet if it were granted they were causes of glory yet it will not follow they are meritorious causes There are many sorts of efficient causes besides causes meritorious if any aske why their workes of piety are not mentioned or workes of righteousnesse as well as mercy I answer that mercy is not absolutely better than piety but only in a sort viz. in respect of men and as mercy doth iustifie our pietie to be right Now out of all the words I obserue 1. That good workes are necessary to saluation as causes without which no saluation will be had 2. That workes of mercie are very acceptable to God Acts 10. 4. Phil. 4. 18. 3. That the best charitie is to releeue godly Christians Gal. 6. 10. From the answer of the godly we may gather something of defect and something of praise The defect seemes to be that they doe not sufficiently informe themselues of the dearenesse of relation betweene them and Christ and the great account that Christ makes of their workes As we must not be iust ouer-much to think better of our selues than there is cause so we must not be wicked ouer-much in denying Gods grace or attributing more sinne to our selues than is true Their great praise imported in these words is that they forget the good they haue done being more prone to see and acknowledge their vnworthinesse whereas wicked men can remember the good they haue done but forget their sinnes From the Reply of Christ we may obserue the neere coniunction betweene Christ and Christians Hee reckons of them as of himselfe and is affected with all that befalls them as if it did befall himselfe He is not ashamed to call them brethren yea he reckons poore Christians as a part of himselfe though they be despised in the world yet he loues them as he loues himselfe they are pretious in his eyes calling them brethren hee vouchsafeth them incredible honour which should greatly stirre vs vp to charity and if at any time we are dull set Christ before our eyes and thinke what a Sacrilege it is to deny releefe to Christ Thus of the sentence of absolution which being ended he will proceed to the sentence of condemnation Hee is not so mercifull as to forget to be
the sanctifying of them vnto obedience 1 Pet. 1 2. 2 Thess 2. 13. and this the Spirit doth by quickning them and stirring them vp to good works both by inward motions and by the ministerie of the word made effectually Thus the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth Ephes 5. 9. and It is the Spirit only that quickens Ioh. 6. 63. and further he doth it by purifying the soule from such drosse as might hinder obedience 1 Pet. 1. 22. such as pride hypocrisie and worldly lusts and by helping our infirmities when we know not what to doe as we ought Rom. 8. 26. and by putting life into v in the manner of well-ding Rom. 8. 10. and besides by causing vs to keepe Gods statutes and to doe them Ezech. 36. 27. as it were working our works for vs setting vs to worke and directing all the worke of our hands and finally by sanctifying the offering vp both of our selues and of our seruice vnto God as the Altar sanctifies the gift Rom. 15. 16. and by opening of an accesse vnto God in all our seruice Eph. 2. 18. The fourth worke of the Holy Ghost in the elect is Consolation for he is giuen vnto them of Christ as an vnspeakable Comforter all their daies Ioh. 14. 16. such a Comforter as the world neuer had nor can receiue as Christ saith in that place and this ioy in the Holy Ghost is a prime part of the kingdome of God Rom. 14. 17. and thus he comforteth them with ioyes vnspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 9. and this makes the godly to walke on in the feare of God with great incouragement Act. 9. 31. and as he is a Comforter to them in all estates so especially in the daies of affliction and distresse he rests vpon them as a Spirit of glory giuing them such tastes of the ioyes of heauen as makes them contemne all earthly things 1 Pet. 4. 14. and this ioy they finde not only by an habituall gladnesse of heart at all times but especially in the word 1 Thess 1. 5. and in Prayer and Sacraments and fellowship with the godly The fifth worke of the Holy Ghost in the godly is strength for perseuerance and so it is his office to see to it that grace goe not out which in many Christians is but like a bruised reed or smoaking flax and thus he abideth in them for euer Ioh. 14. 16. to strengthen their inward man Eph. 3. 19. and this he performeth both by nourishing the seeds of all grace in them Esay 44. 3. and by supplying their wants Phil. 1. 19. and by a powerfull assistance in all times of triall and temptation 2 Cor. 12. 9 10. and by establishing their faith that they may hold out to the end which he doth both by bearing witnesse vnto their spirits still that they are the children of God Rom. 8. 15. and by being Gods priuie seale to all his promises and an earnest or pledge of the glory to come Eph. 1. 14. 2 Cor. 1. 22. and 5. 5. The Vses of this Article follow and First diuers sorts of men may hence be warned to looke to themselues in many things which perhaps they little thinke of men must take heed of sinning against the Holy Ghost seeing he is God and so wonderfull in nature and works Now the sinnes against the Holy Ghost are either pardonable or vnpardonable There is one sinne against the Holy Ghost cannot be forgiuen The first sort are grieuous but yet may be repented of and forgiuen and thus men sinne against the Holy Ghost 1. When they liue without the Holy Ghost as all wicked men doe that are not sanctified by the Holy Ghost Iude 19. 2. When men acknowledge not the glory of the Holy Ghost in ascribing to him the praise of all those skils or abilities they haue in any estate of life 3. When men order their affaires without seeking counsell or direction from the Holy Ghost by such meanes as he hath appointed Esay 30. 1. 4. When men will not giue eare or regard when the Holy Ghost speaks vnto them in the ministerie of his seruants Neh. 9. 20. 30. 5. When men despise the counsell which the Holy Ghost giues in the word 1 Thess 4. 8. 6. When men are so far from regarding the word that they doe purposely confirme their hearts and striue to be insensible like an Adamant lest they should heare the word God sends in his spirit by his Prophets Zach. 7. 12. 7. When men openly rebell against the doctrine of Gods word and set themselues to vex the Spirit of God in their Teachers Esay 63. 10. Such were they of whom S. Stephen said Yee resist the Holy Ghost alwaies Act. 7. 51. 8. When men tempt the Holy Ghost and that is when they will doe such things as they know are euill and put it to the triall whether they shall be punished or discouered Thus Ananias tempted the Holy Ghost that was in Peter by lying and dissembling Act. 5. 3. 5. 9. By receiuing the grace of the Spirit in vaine and this is a sinne in such as haue beene inlightned and haue had some common graces yet fall away and all comes to nothing in that no sound reformation followes 10. By quenching the Spirit and this may be committed by two sorts of men First by wicked men that haue temporarie gifts of the Spirit with some speciall tastes of remorse or ioy or of the powers of the life to come and then fall away and hauing begun in the Spirit will end in the flesh 1 Thess 5. 19. Gal. 3. 3. Secondly godly men may for a time quench the Spirit when after calling they fall into grosse sinnes which will cause the Spirit to cease working sensibly and put out the ioy and life they finde in Gods seruice and presence There is another way of quenching the Spirit and that is when the people carry themselues so as they discourage the spirit of their Teachers and make them lesse willing or able to preach in their wonted power and vigour Lastly when men grieue the Spirit of God by whom they are sealed to the day of their redemption and this is a sin the children of God are to be warned of and this they may commit if they wilfully persist in any knowne sinne either secretly or in domesticall cariage or in their conuersation abroad Eph. 4. 30. Thus of the sinnes against the Holy Ghost that may be forgiuen if men repent and beleeue in Christ There is one sinne against the Holy Ghost that can neuer be pardoned Matth. 12. 31. Hebr. 6. 4 5. and 10. 26. 29. To finde out the exact nature of this sinne is very hard but vpon the euidence of those three places of Scripture I vndertake to define it thus The sinne against the Holy Ghost that is vnpardonable is a sinne after illumination and sanctification by which a man doth wilfully and wholly fall away contemning the Gospell and
and in respect of her birth and in respect of her preseruation First her Originall in respect of decree is wonderfull because she is vpon record from euerlasting the names of all the members of the Church are particularly written in the booke of life God made an act for her being and aduancement before she was he prouided for her from euerlasting and chose her in his euerlasting grace and loue and this is her originall before time In time shee was in such bondage and misery that she must of necessity be redeemed and purchased out of that vile condition and this purchase is the more wonderfull if we consider either the person by whom or the price by which The Person that redeemed her was no lesse than the Son of God and the price he paid was his owne bloud Acts 20. 28. Her originall in respect of her Birth is also very strange and wonderfull For first she is borne of God not of the blouds of men nor of the will of man but as of God by regeneration fearfully and wonderfully made The world neuer heard of two stranger things than the generation of Christ and the regeneration of the Church of Christ as the Son of God of the Church as it were the daughter of God Secondly she is borne of immortall seed shee is so indued with life that she can neuer die but liue as long as God himselfe 1 Pet. 1. 24. And that seed is the word of God preached to her which makes her all new God hauing chosen a company of men of purpose and separated them by a holy calling to this Ministration euen to sow this seed of immortalitie and eternall life in mens mindes Thirdly in her birth by the mightie working of the Holy Ghost she is qualified with supernaturall gifts such as no other of the children of men can attaine vnto such as are faith and all the gifts of holinesse sauing grace Fourthly the originall of her preseruation also is as wonderfull for her preseruation she hath from Christ her head that doth that for the Church which any naturall head can doe for the bodie This company of men can no more subsist without a head than the naturall or politicall body can It was a law of the Creator that all bodies should liue by their heads in respect of gouernment nourishment and dependance Now the Church hath great cause to reioyce in her Head because first hee is a perpetuall Head that liues in all ages to gouerne and nourish the Church spirituall life being kept afoot in euery age from the beginning of the world till now If the Church had a new Head in euery age then must shee die as often as her Head dieth and be made aliue as often as shee hath a new Head Her Head therefore is alwaies one and the same FINIS AN ALPHABETICALL Index of the most materiall points that are handled in the explanation of the CREED GEntle Reader whereas this Index doth point to the seuerall Folio's wherein vpon perusall thou shalt finde some errors viz. from Folio 64. to 101. Let me intreat thee to correct with thy pen what hath bin mistaken at the Presse so thou shalt make this Index more vsefull vnto thee A. A Bba Father why Christ giues this Title to God page 344 Absence of Christ a fearefull punishment page 527 Sentence of Absolution at the last day page 523 Man infected with Actuall sins page 204 Christ in Adam how page 262 Aduersaries of Christ consult page 326 Our Affections must be set vpon things aboue page 476 Affections in Christ differ from ours page 250 Gods mercy appeares in Afflictions in foure things page 67 God moderates our Afflictions foure waies page 82 Agony of Christ what caused it page 241 It is comfortable in diuers respects page 342 God Almighty in ten respects page 1â—8 Why Almighty attributed to the Father onely page 139 Almightines of God comfortable page 143 Christ Amazeth the Iewes with the impression of his diuinity for three reasons page 348 Angells witnesses of Christs Ascension page 483 Creating of Angels a glorious worke page 156 Their Titles Ibid. Their Substance page 157 Their Place Ibid. Their Number Ibid. Their manner of being and working Ibid. Their knowledge and power page 158 Their Language Ibid. 4. Questions about Angels answered page 159 Angels serue for many vses Ibid. A good Angell to euery elect probable Ibid. No diuine worship due to Angels page 160 Gods Anger pacified page 443 Iustice of Gods Anger shewed towards the godly two waies page 81 Anointing of Christ page 219 What was shadowed out by it Ibid. To what Office hee was Anointed page 220 Christ Anointed to be a Prophet page 221 Strange Apparell page 213 Apparition of Christ He appeared forty daies after his Resurrection page 458 Why he Appeared page 459 To whom he appeared Ibid. He Appeared not to the chiefe Priests and people why page 459 He Appeared to his owne page 460 He Appeared the day of his Resurrection fiue times Ibid. He Appeared to the two Disciples at Emaus who they were page 461 They know him not why page 461 How Christ vanished out of their sight page 462 He Appeared to the Disciples the dores being shut how page 463 His Apparition to Thomas page 464 He Appeared to seuen of the Disciples who were a fishing page 465 His Apparition to 11. Disciples p. page 468 Some of them doubted how page 469 Christ Apprehended why page 350 Christs Arraignement in the Ecclesiasticall court page 350. 358 Arminians confuted page 307. 308 Ascention of Christ How he is said to Ascend page 478 Christ God man Ascended how page 479 How he Ascended Ibid. He Ascended visibly page 480 He Ascended in a cloud why Ibid. He Ascended forty daies after his Resurrection why no sooner page 480 He Ascended from the Mount of Oliues why page 481 He Ascended into Heauen Ibid. He Ascended aboue all heauens how page 482 We must know that Christ Ascended for three reasons page 482 He Ascended for diuers euds page 483 Difference betweene the Ascention of Elias and of our Sauiour page 485 Profit that comes to vs by Christs Ascention Ibid. Christs Ascention procures for vs a threefold Ascention Ibid. Christ Ascending leads our enemies captiue Ibid. Christs Assumption of the humane nature page 265 Gods Attributes how coÌ„municable page 96 Of Gods three Incommunicable Attributes page 97 B. FAll of Babylon page 514 Baptisme Gods broad seale page 472 Baptisme in the name of the Trinity Ibid. Baptisme helps not vnbeleeuers page 473 How Baptized in S. Ambrose time page 14 Forme of Answering at Baptisme in the Primitiue Church page 17 Baptisme not precisely necessary to Saluation page 413 Barrabas is chosen Iesus reiected page 371 Beasts subiect to man page 191 Three things obseruable in Beasts page 189 The Scripture teacheth vs foure things concerning Beasts page 190 Gods prouidence for Beasts appeares in seuen respects page 191 Consideration of Beasts must humble
It teacheth vs diuers things page 62 It is comfortable to the godly page 63 God is good in himselfe two wayes page 63 Gods goodnesse shewed to man fiue wayes page 64 GOD vnited to man foure wayes Ibid. God delights in his people page 65 He procures all good for them Ibid. Gods loue fiue properties of it Ibid. Gods mâ—rcy six praises of it 66 Effects of his mercy Ibid. God visits from on high three wayes Ibid. Gods graciousnesse page 67 Gods bounty shewed to all though in a different manner page 68 Gods bounty in offering the meanes of grace which are three page 69 Gods patience admirable in foure respects Ibid. Gods patience in great prouocations Ibid. Aggrauations of Gods prouocations from the person prouoking page 70 God prouoked by great euils Ibid. Manner of Gods exercising his patience Ibid. Ends of Gods patience page 71 Causes of Gods patience Ibid. Knowledge of Gods goodnesse informes vs of foure things Ibid. No goodnesse comparable to Gods for fiue reasons page 72 Gods goodnesse should compell vs to seuen duties Ibid. Gods goodnesse praysed foure waies page 73 Gods goodnesse set out in fiue things page 36 Gods goodnesse must force vs vnto Repentance diuers wayes Ibid. Gods goodnesse must make vs loue him page 74 Esteeme of Gods loue Ibid. Striue to imitate Gods goodnesse page 75 Gods goodnesse comfortable against our sinnes Ibid. And in case of affliction 4. waies page 76 It may humble 4. sorts of men Ibid. God is truth in himselfe three wayes page 77 God is true towards the creatures in his workes Ibid. And in his words foure wayes Ib. Gods truth manifested in two things page 78 Gods truth teacheth vs seuen duties Ibid. It comforts the godly page 79 It informes vs of 3. things page 80 Gods righteousnes magnified 6. waies Ibid. Iustice of Gods grace shewed in seuen things page 82 Gods Iustice to the godly teacheth them three things Ibid. God is iust to the wicked in two things page 83 God most terrible to the wicked proued by six arguments page 84 Examples of Gods Iustice Ibid. Gods Iustice vnauoidable page 85 86. Obiections of the wicked against Gods Iustice answered page 86 Gods Iustice must humble wicked men page 88 Yet they must not despaire Ibid. Nothing will quench Gods wrath but the Bloud of Christ Ibid. Gods Iustice vpon wicked men teacheth the godly foure things page 89 Gods glory Ibid. Gods happinesse to be adored for three reasons page 90 Gods glory excels the glory of Kings in foure things page 92 Excellency of Gods praise set out foure wayes Ibid. Gods glory excels in respect of obedience three wayes page 92 Man giues glory to God three waies page 93 We giue glory to God in our hearts six waies Ibid. In our words fiue waits Ibid. In our workes fiue waies page 94 Fiue rules for the attaining to the knowledge of Gods glory page 95 Gods glory comfortable in diuers things page 96 Gods infinite greatnesse what it is page 97 What it comprehends Ibid. Perfection of Gods nature Ibid. This serues for diuers vses Ibid. Gods Omni-presence page 98 Obiections against it answered page 99 How God returnes to the godly Ibid. Gods Omni-presence serues for diuers vses page 99 Gods immutability page 105 How God is immutable Ibid. In what respects he is immutable Ibid. Obiections against Gods immutability answered page 106 Gods immutabilty may serue to humble men page 108 It teacheth three things page 109 It is comfortable in foure respects Ibid. God is a Spirit it teacheth fiue things page 110 God is one Ibid. How he is one page 111 Six vses of Gods vnity page 112 Gods promises must be relyed vpon for six reasons page 113 What things God cannot doe page 140 Gods omnipotency teacheth vs ten duties page 140 God rested vpon in all dangers page 141 We sinne against Gods power six waies page 142 Mistery of godlinesse page 483 Six priuiledges of the godly page 337 Golgotha why so called page 683 Christ suffered here for three reasons Ibid. Ghost what it signifies page 536 A full possession of glory at the last day page 524 A signe of grace to thinke honourably of Gods Seruants page 408 Graues open page 432 Christ in the Graue till the third day page 441 Why three daies page 442 H. OVr Hearts must be clensed page 551 Hades what it signifies page 446 Wicked hate the godly for their goodnesse page 394 Heare Christ page 224 239 Heauen not had for merits page 413 525 Elect in Heauen possessed of foure incomparable benefits page 529 Our conuersation must be in Heauen page 488 What is meant by Heauen page 151 It consists of two parts Ibid. Of that Heauen where God is The names giuen vnto it page 152 Substance of it Ibid. Glory of Heauen admirable page 153 Three questions about this Heauen answered page 154 Consideration of this Heauen should worke in vs three things page 155 Manifest our desire after Heauen by seuen things Ibid. Second Heauen called the Firmament God the maker of them page 165 His praise magnified for this in fiue things Ibid. Strange constitution and nature of those Heauens Ibid. End why they were made page 166 Hosts that people the Heauens praised for foure things Ibid. This teacheth vs 4. things Ibid It is comfortable in diuers respects page 167 Christs soule went not locally to Hell page 413 Descension into Hell page 444 These words not in the most ancient Creeds Ibid. Yet haue beene receiued for many ages Ibid. Diuers acceptions of the word Hell in the Originall page 445 How Christ may be said to descend into Hell Ibid. He may be said to descend in respect of the whole man in foure respects page 445 Christ descention an Epitome of all his â—assion page 448 Christ in his body descended into Hell or the graue Ibid. He bore hellish sorrowes page 449 Christ would not work myracles before Herod why page 366 Herod clothes Christ in a white Robe what it signifies page 370 Heretiques called Patri Passiani page 305 Disciples receiue the Holy Ghost page 463 What it is to beleeue in the Holy Ghost page 537 Holy Ghost is God Ibid. Holy Ghost his nature page 538 Operations of the Holy Ghost Ibid. 7. Operations common to all men page 539 Operations of the Holy Ghost in the Elect page 541 Infusion of diuine gifts a worke of the Holy Ghost page 542 Holy Ghost makes a man resemble God page 543 Holy Ghost our Comforter page 544 Men sinne against the Holy Ghost diuers wayes page 545 The sinne against the Holy Ghost described page 546 How it is vnpardonable page 547 Fore-runners of this sinne page 549 Signes of the inhabitation of the Holy Ghost page 550 Fruits of the Holy Ghost page 552 Inhabitation of the Holy Ghost comfortable page 553 Care of a Holy life page 488 Christs Humanity glorified not deified page 463 An ill Husband may make others suffer for their faults page 376 It is hatefull to