in the knowledge of God is better then the wisest Clerk in the world being ignorant of God Brethren come out of this ignorance labour for the knowledge of God and labour for this in the first place to know that yee are but fools in all that yee know besides God and certainely this will be the beginning of the best wisdome for then yee will say with the heathen man Though I know all things yet I know the least part of that which I ought to know And let mee tell you this is the bane of knowledge because you think you know enough The more knowledge a man hath the more ignorant hee seemes to himselfe and he that thinks he knowes any thing knows nothing yet as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8.2 Use 2. This shews their error or rather impiety that think the knowledge of God not necessary for women of this fault are the Papists guilty If this bee an error I pitie them but if impiety I abhor it for Solomon saith that error is worthy the pitying but iniquity is worthy to bee abhorred Are not women bound to know themselves which they cannot doe without the knowledge of God stand they not bound by creation to worship God aright which they cannot doe without the knowledge of God must they not be made partakers of the same glory and eternall happinesse with men deny these if thou darest Brethren they are bound to know God the Lord that made them made man male and female in his owne image If the woman must renew that she lost in Adam then shee ought to know God so the Apostle Bee renewed in knowledge after the image of him Col. 3.10 Undoubtedly this is nothing but the spite of hell to hinder women from the knowledge of God Use 3. Brethren beleeve you this that I say that it is the chiefest wisdome of man to know God if so bee you beleeve faith will breed care to accomplish what you beleeve you make knowne to us that you doe not beleeve if you doe not take this care And you must give me leave to beleeve that if you doe not beleeve then certainely you are Atheists Brethren doe you beleeve this to salvation then you must doe as men doe in Trades look what knowledge is most gainefull for them and for that they labour above all others this knowledge of God is the chiefest knowledge that belongs to the trade of a Christian labour for this As Saint James saith Shew mee your faith by your works if you bee willing to bee saved or else you thrust your selves into the mouth of the Divell Saint Augustine saith that a Christian without the knowledge of God differs nothing from an Indian or a Pagan they are beyond thee in the knowledge of Arts and Trades they doe exceed thee Now this knowledge of God is that which makes thee a Christian without this thou art no better then an Indian or Pagan Wherefore if thou wilt differ from Atheists labour for the knowledge of God else there is no difference therefore submit your selves and your families to this order of catechizing that you may pull your selves and your families out of the clawes of the Divell And further for help you must use prayer and meditation that you may come to it prepared Art thou a Christian and canst thou let the morning passe without private prayer with thy family and with thy selfe alone One demanded what would make a good Scholler another answered A good Master and a good student and thirdly to teach others and if you follow this course happy shall you be CHAP. II. PSAL. 147.19 20. Hee sheweth his word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel Hee hath not dealt so with every Nation c. THis Psalme sheweth us what is the chiefest wisdome of a man and wee have found it out that it is the true knowledge of the true God Therefore forasmuch as God is invisible and no man hath seene God at any time a principle so certaine that for this cause the Jewes put the Prophet Isaiah to death because he said that hee saw God Isa 6.1 sitting upon a throne high and lifted up c. a necessary question will arise that since God cannot be seene Quest How can a man come to know God Ans God is to bee knowne two wayes First by Nature and those naturall notions that are in the mindes of men or by those effects that declare this excellent workmanship as his wisdome his power his justice his mercy and the like Secondly by Revelation both of these intimated in that text that I have read where hee saith that God gave unto his Church his Law and Statutes That wee may further confirme this It is manifest that all Nations at all times have as it were groped after God to finde what a kinde of one he was that they might know him This doth appeare by those excellent Writings that many heathen men have written as the books of Tully c. as also by many testimonies of Scripture as Saint Paul when he had to doe with the Gentiles prest this thing that by naturall reason God was to bee knowne and that two wayes either by the naturall and inbred notions that are planted in the mindes of men or by those great workes which were wrought by God This appeares because that which might bee knowne of God is manifest by his works Rom. 1.20 the Apostle there speaks of the Gentiles and of the wise men of the Gentiles that God might bee knowne in knowing of themselves and of his works The learned understand that place onely of Philosophers who by search have knowne God and they should have taught this knowledge unto others that God might have beene knowne by others also but they out of the pride of their hearts kept it to themselves And to this purpose there is an Epistle extant of Aristotles which hee wrote to Alexander the Great wherein hee saith that he had written them meaning his Physicks as if hee had not written and the same Apostle saith Act. 17.27 that God was neere to every one of them by these effects by his wisdome by his power and the rest as the Creator and the things created because a man cannot looke upon any thing that God hath made but hee shall see some footsteps leading to the knowledge of God much more when hee shall looke upon the frame of heaven and earth Psal 19.1 The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-works The holy Ghost sheweth that there is something by which the most barbarous Nations that are cannot bee ignorant of God therefore wee add that which the Apostle hath Rom. 1.20 the invisible things of God even his eternall power and Godhead are cleerely seene being considered in his works as his government and preservation of all things therefore saith the same Apostle The Lord left not himself with out witnesse in that hee did good and gave us raine
c. Act. 14.17 that though they had not his Word yet they might grope after God the Apostle alledgeth a proofe out of one of their owne Poets that taught them you are Gods generation if you bee of Gods generation you must have reason and understanding that you may in your selves finde out the knowledge of God This specially appeares in mans body because the body of man is called a little world upon any part whereof if a man looke hee may finde God so that a man by naturall knowledge may come to know that there is a God and what he is And this is the Answer to the first Question Quest 2. Why is God to be knowne naturally Answ 1. The Answer stands in three things First because there never was any Nation Citie or Family without religion and a kinde of worship 2. Because that men by this naturall knowledge might be provoked to search for a more perfect knowledge 3. Because all men might be without excuse First the answer stands thus There have beene many Nations that knew not God by Revelation but there never was any Nation Citie or Family without some kinde of worship From whence we inferr that they have some naturall knowledge of God for where there is religion there is some knowledge that there is a God This principle of the being of God was so deeply planted in them that rather then they would not have a God they worshipped the works of their owne hands and this shewes they have some naturall knowledge Secondly God hath still kept his Church in some eminent place whither they moved by this naturall instinct might flie to bee more fully instructed in the knowledge of the true God as Esay speaks Come and let us goe up to the house of God for hee will teach us his wayes Indeed we know something of him by nature but we know nothing as wee ought to know as it appears further by the Apostle S. Paul Thirdly Because all men might be without excuse so the Apostle affirmes Rom. 1.20 that the invisible things of God as his eternall power and Godhead were seene in his works that they might bee without excuse they had such a knowledge as told them that God was their Creator that when they knew God and glorified him not as God c. they might have no excuse and for this cause it was that they had such naturall knowledge And this is the first thing Use 1. Is there then such light naturally in the heart of man this drawes us to this good meditation Oh what an excellent knowledge was that in which wee were first created Wee may gather this from the light that is left in us even as the bignesse of Hercules his bodie was gathered by his foot and as a man may see the bignesse of a Lion by his claw or by looking upon the ruines of a great house may see what a Palace it sometimes was so when we looke upon the ruines of nature wee may see in what an excellent estate we were at the first For conclusion then Let us take notice of our losse that it may bee a provocation to make us recover our selves seeing that wee had such a knowledge that we knew God perfectly wee may endeavour to know him so againe or as men that have had great estates and are fallen to decay are carefull to recover themselves and neglect no meanes whereby they may recover their losse so wee looking upon our selves may see our losse and labour to recover it Use 2. Then ought wee continually to see God in the heavens and in the earth that by these visible things wee may come to see the invisible God as the eternall power and Godhead these things should not be passed over slightly The Apostle S. Paul to draw us to a consideration of this calls it the knowledge of God so Christ teacheth us to consider the Lilies of the field and the Ravens to see God in these this David doth Psal 104. which whole Psalm doth notably set forth God to be known by his works so that in the least creature wee may see God yea even in the least Fly as well as in the greatest Elephant so that by the meditation of the creature we may see the beauty of the Creator Saint Augustine meditating or looking upon the creature Lord saith hee thou art beautifull therefore hast thou made them beautifull thou art good therefore they are good thou hast a being therefore thou gavest them a being This we know yet this our knowledge being compared with the knowledge we had is nothing but ignorance therefore let us labour to meditate on this that by searching wee may finde out God Hee is a good Clerk that can read in these books and shall bee drawn to see the wisdome power and justice of God but as the Prophet Isa 5.11 12. complaines that no man considers the works of the Lord they have the Pipe and Lute in their Feasts So wee may say that many are so taken up with pleasure and other vanities that they will not consider the works of God and therefore no marvell that they are so ignorant because they will not goe out of themselves Quest How is God knowne above nature Answ By Revelation and that either by his Word or Spirit The knowledge of God which is by Nature is a common knowledge it belongs to all men but this that is above nature is the particular voice that sounds in the Church The first way whereby God is knowne to us above nature is the Word whereof David speaking Psalm 19 7. saith The Testimonies of the Lord are sure enlightning the eyes revealing the object enabling the organ He hath given his Lawes and his Statutes unto Israel hee hath not dealt so with every Nation and Christ saith that No man hath seene God at any time but the onely begotten Sonne of God and hee to whom hee will reveale him John 1.17 So Saint Paul Act. 17.23 speaks to the Athenians him doe I declare unto you whom you ignorantly worship The second way that hee reveales himselfe is by his Spirit Mat. 11.25 I thank thee O Father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to babes Also 1 John 2.27 You have an oyntment saith the Apostle and you need not that any one teach you but the Spirit of God teacheth you all things Quest Why hath God made himselfe manifest after this manner Ans For three reasons First because that knowledge which we have by nature is obscure Secondly because that knowledge without this is imperfect and partiall Thirdly because the knowledge of the Word is not effectuall without the Spirit For the first God hath revealed himselfe by his Word because the discovery which nature makes is marvellous obscure Simonides a great Philosopher being asked by Hieron the Tyrant what God was desired two daies respite and then being asked he desired two dayes more and then being
and scorne them as Mychall scorned David then they have joy yea the Martyrs have laid downe their lives rejoycing whence comes this but from God the Apostle speakes to this purpose Heb. 10.34 You suffered with joy the spoiling of your goods why because you know you have in heaven a better and a more enduring substance all which proves that there is a God The second thing is without man and that is from the wonderfull frame of the world it had a beginning but it was not made by nature nor by man nor by it selfe nor by chance It had a beginning and therfore subject to alteration and change and therefore it made not it selfe nor came it by chance If a man come into a strange place and see a small cottage he will say it was made by some body much more if a man look upon the frame of the world he cannot thinke it was made by it selfe well who should make it it selfe or nature or man First chance made it not which is a casual concurrence of things and na-nature made it not for if it did then there should be a naturall reason of all things in the world but there are Millions of things in the world of which none can give a reason as the ebbing and flowing of the Sea The master of reason could not find it out therfore sayd because I cannot finde thee thou shalt find me and cast himselfe into the Sea who can give a reason of the colors in the Rainbow and who can give a reason for the heate of a mans stomack that digesteth all things that it receives and consumes not it selfe Neither did man make it it was made for man and he was brought into it as a guest therefore man could not make it besides there is such skill in the frame of the world that man could not do it and Christ teacheth us that man hath not power to make a haire of his head white or blacke much lesse to make such an earth and such an heaven as there is therefore it could not be made by man as the Apostle saith the invisible things of God are seen by the creation of the world Rom. 1.20 Hereby they that have doubted whether there was a God have been brought to confesse one for Pliny saith that when he saw a Butterfly or a gnat buffing about him he confessed that there was a God because that so little a creature could not else make so great a noise to adde to these the motions that are in things it is the reason that Philosophers have had to prove that there must be a God because all inferiour things must be moved by superiours that as the pulse carries a mans eie or reason to the heart so these to God especially when all these things move to one principall end though things have two or three causes yet all comes to one end Prov. 16.4 God made all things for his own glory so that by these arguments we have proved that there is a God Vse 1. This serves to confute all Atheists such as deny that there is a God and say that religion is nothing but a meer invention to keep men in awe Saint Austin in his confession saith If there be any that deny God I know not what to say I know not with what manner of arguments to go to them but I should offend in speaking to them Tully in his book of the nature of God makes mention of one Protagoras who wrote a booke and in the beginning of the booke he wrote thus The Gods whether they be or not I know not the Athenians abhorred this and for this they banished him out of the Country and burnt his bookes in a publique assembly this I say if there be any Atheists amongst us I could wish they were banished the Court and Country I adde this further as Seneca speakes there are no Atheists though there would be some if any say there is no God they lie though they say it in the day time yet in the night when they are alone they denie it howsoever some desperately harden themselves yet if God doth but shew himselfe terrible to them they confesse him Many of the heathen and others have denied that there is a God yet when they were in distresse they did fall down and confesse him as Diagoras that grand Atheist when he was troubled with the strangullion acknowledged a diety which he had denied these kinde of Atheists I leave to the mercy of God of which I doubt it whether there be any for them Vse 2. The second use serves to teach every man to bethinke himselfe and to humble himselfe for these Atheisticall thoughts in which he hath called into question and disputed whether there be a God or no Brethren know thus much if thou beest a man that doest believe thou canst not be perfectly without these thoughts arising out of the seed of thy owne infidelity to call into question whether there be a God for the divel out of his malice which he beares to God labors to corrupt men in this that so they may call their faith into question It may be a man by grace may resist these thoughts but know that there is no man so resisteth a temptation of Sathan but that it leaves some filth behind it a man cannot perfectly resist him by reason of his weakenes therefore every man ought to humble himselfe for he that is least troubled with them hath least faith but he that wrastleth with them and humbleth himselfe for them may have comfort Therefore labour to strengthen thy selfe against these that if they come they may be but as a flash of fire For the conclusion of this use what shall a man do even as St. Chrysostom saith teaching how we may make the divel nought to himselfe and good to us labour for more strength by his temptations It grieves the divel to see us bettered by him if we were watchfull against occasions and temptations and resisted them by this meanes we should grow strong in faith and gaine by him and to this end the Apostle saith resist the divel and he will fly from thee Quest What doth the word teach us concerning God Ans That there is but one true God it is manifest where in my text he that comes to God must believe that God is and that there is but one God when God spake to Abraham of Isaak he sayd I will be thy God and the God of thy seed So Isai 44.6 I am the first and the last and besides me there is no God Iohn 17.3 This is eternall life to know thee to be the onely true God 1 Cor. 8.5 Though there be many that are called gods and lords yet unto us there is but one onely true God Quest What Reasons are there of this Answ There are three First from him are all things Secondly Because there can be but one Infinite Thirdly Because there is but one Omnipotent For the
but hee could never burne them all he was but one and many opposed him But when whole Kingdomes and Countries even the whole world have violently for a long time and many ages set themselves against these and yet they are preserved the preservation of them argues a speciall divine care of them as of divine writings Mac. 1.7 Antiochus burnt this booke and made a law that whosoever had this book should die the death yet it is preserved that not so much as a syllable of it is wanting Writings and whatsoever else is of man may bee destroyed by man may faile of themselves as saith Gamaliel but the things of God and divine writings shall abide for ever See this difference in the writings of Solomon those of his owne wisdome are lost those inspired by God abide till this day c. Fourthly The persecutions that have been made at all times against the professors of this Book their constancy in beleeving it obeying it and laying downe their lives for it which none could have done had not the writing been divine Indeed a few desperate men have laid downe their lives for their owne writings but not any that hath so valiantly laid downe his life as the professors of the Gospel All these are sufficient proofes for this point Use 1. This must first teach us that the Word is cleare and plaine because the writing of God for the instruction of men certainly God would never write obscurely and in the darke 2 Pet. 1.13 It is a light in a darke place When we say it is plain and clear it is so in it self though the naturall man discerneth it not and to the regenerate man it may be hard Chrysostome saith the Saints never pray to God Make thy Law easie but Give us understanding and open our eyes that wee may see thy Law the truth is there are many difficulties in it but there is nothing difficult which in other places is not made plaine if necessary to salvation The Scripture as Saint Gregory saith is both meat and drink drink needs no chewing some places are easie that they need no chewing and some places are hard to stir up men to seek them out 2 Pet. 3.16 There are many things in Saint Pauls Epistles that are hard but to whom to the ignorant they are easie in themselves and to the regenerate therefore saith one What need have we of Commentaries added to the Word if Commentaries add not light to the Word but the Word makes Commentaries light Use 2. This teacheth us that because the Word was written to every man therefore every man was bound to studie it and to read it and seeing the Word was inspired by the Spirit of God therefore when a man goes about to read it and heare it hee ought to pray for understanding and for Gods Spirit by which hee writ it for they that wrote it did it not without Gods Spirit men should pray that God would give them his Spirit of wisdome to open their understandings surely the greatest light in the world cannot make a blinde man see in the mid-day an eye that hath not internall light cannot see The Scriptures in the old and new Testament are the two great lights that God hath ordained to rule the Church which though they shine never so brightly yet there is required an internall light in man that they may be seene A man may looke up to the heavens saith Saint Chrysostome where God doth sit and yet not know God nor see him shut up in heaven So many men reade the Scriptures and yet see not God shut up in them No man knowes what is in man but the Spirit of man and wee have received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are given us of God The Wisdome of God hath given the Spirit to man whereby hee is able to discerne If so be a King should write a Letter to his subjects in a strange language and not send his Secretary to interpret it they were never the better nor wee for the Scriptures without the Spirit Justin Martyr saith that Ptolomy wrote to the King of Judah for the Law and withall hee desired him to send him a man that might make him to understand it So they that will understand the language of the Scriptures must have the Spirit of God If a man had the Prophets themselves to preach to him they cannot make a man understand to salvation why because they can but teach the eare they cannot teach the heart When I cannot have Moses to tell mee the meaning saith Saint Augustine give mee that Spirit that thou gavest to Moses And this is that which every man that will understand must pray for this David prayed for Psal 119.18 Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law and vers 19. hide not thy Commandements from mee and Christ saith If you being evill can give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask of him Luk. 11.13 So that then wee shall see the secrets of God Use 3. If any man pray for the Spirit of God he must not think it comes without means and therefore neglect reading It is Gods finger that presseth the diligent care of reading and it is the means whereby wee may come to have the Spirit you must not look to have the Spirit in your heart unlesse you have the Word in your mouth that is the continuall reading thereof neither preferr a little ease before the Booke of God Thou hast no part in the Spirit if thou hast not a great desire to have a great part in the knowledge of the Word of God Use 4. In the fourth place Did God write it Then ought wee to make application of every part of it of the promises and of the threatnings and of the commandements c. Of the promises because it was God that promised them and hee will confirme and make them good of the commandements because if thou disobey them he is a just God and hee will be revenged of every contemner of the threatnings because if they had been written by man a mans word might have beene contemned but whither shall wee flee from God Therefore think of this Word and labour to apply it and give obedience to it they are Gods owne Lawes and it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God therefore let us feare and obey that which is Gods Commandement lest for our neglect he throw us to everlasting destruction CHAP. V. 2 TIM 3.16 All Scriptures are given by divine inspiration of God and are profitable THe last day wee spake concerning the Scriptures and therein wee handled the Author that wrote them and from whom they did flow and you heard it was from God himselfe and that by divine inspiration It remaineth then that wee should speake of the second thing that wee have thought fit to
first Because from him are all things thus the Apostle Paul reasons with the Gentiles that from him for him and by him are all things Rom. 11.36 If all things be from him then there can be but one for all other things come from him as maine roots have their first originall from one root so all beings have their being from God who is the first being And as all things come from him so all things returne to him againe and serve to manifest his glory and therefore he is called the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending The second Reason is because as the Master of reason saith there can be but one infinite being and wisdome and that must be the first mover and that is he that fils heaven and earth Ios 23.23 I fill heaven and earth and therefore there can be but one God The third Reason is because there can be but one Omnipotent It appeares manifestly that there cannot be many for as Lactantius speakes if there be two they must be equall and then they agree or disagree if they agree then one of them is superiour if they disagree then there will be a confusion therefore it followes that there can be but one for as Saint Austin saith a King cannot endure a fellow no more can God endure a copartner when was there heard that two Kings raigned together but the one sought the overthrow of the other Vse 1. This serves to overthrow the multitude of gods that the heathen have had and worshipped and the hereticks have invented It shewes that they were fictions of their owne braines because they made a multitude of them the true God hath not his name nay he will not have his name given to another a true Husband cannot endure a fellow a true Mother cannot endure the parting of her childe this argues that the Gentiles gods were false gods because if they might be gods they cared not how many there were And that was the reason why the Romans refused Christ because they would have their gods with him and he would be worshipped alone without them Vse 2. This teacheth us from whence it is that the world continues and is not destroyed not onely because there is a God but because there is but one God and he alwayes preserves it Saint Chrysostome saith as it is with the body If God doe forsake it it cannot continue so is it with the world if God did not uphold it it would come to nothing he saith further the world is like unto a ship the Marriners are the men the sayles are the heaven why doth this ship never perish because there is but one Governour if there were two governours the ship must needs perish for while the one would hoyst up sayle the other would cast ancor and so there would be a confusion Saint Athanasius saith if there were as many Governours and Coronels in one Armie as souldiers the Armie would soone be confounded this is the safety of an Army that there is but one Generall and so all are preserved so is it of the world that there is but one God The third Use is for matter of practice to restraine men from wronging one another because there is but one God It is not my use but the Prophets Mal. 2.10 Have not we all one Father and the Apostle in the new Testament exhorts that we live in peace c. he addes because there is but one God Father of us all c. so he that is about to injury another ought thus to reason with himselfe there is but one God and he is his God as well as mine and if any man injury me shall I goe about to take revenge therein shall I sinne against God for there is but one God Well might it be if an English man and a stranger should injury one another in a strange place they might returne revenge because they are not both under one supreme Governour but we may not do so we have all one God a Master of a family that hath two servants fallen out is most angry with him that strikes the second blow so with him that offers wrong God is angry but he is much more offended with him that takes revenge therefore we ought to reason thus with our selves he is his God and my God therefore I may not transgresse against him and this is not onely generall but particular for the Master to the servant for the King to the Subject we have but one God and his God is my God I may not wrong him for he will punish me and defend him and this is the argument that Iob uses If I did despise the counsell of my maid that is if I was a tyrant over them and would not heare them speake but would have done what I pleased what was the ground that restrained him he that made them made me therefore deale equally with your servants you have but one God and there is no difference betweene him and you therefore let every man take heed of himselfe especially that ye transgresse not one against another and every one shall receive of God as he hath done And so much for this time OF GOD AND HIS ESSENCE CHAP. VII EXODUS 3.14 And God said to Moses I am that I am THE word of God the fountaine of knowledge teacheth us first concerning God himselfe Secondly concerning the will of God Concerning God himselfe we proposed three heads First That there is a God Secondly That there is but one God Thirdly What this God is Concerning the two former That there is a God and that there is but one God we have already spoken now it remaines that we proceede to the third What this God is The nature of man is so weake and imperfect that it is altogether impossible for it to finde what God is and that made the Naturalists say that it was no easie thing by nature to finde that there is a God but to finde out what he is is altogether impossible The light that we have in his Word is imperfect and we can see but in part as the Apostle speaks God hath shewed himselfe unto us as he did to Moses by his back parts that is so much of himselfe as we may be saved by and no more may we seeke after and be saved and therefore as Moses saith and Saint Ambrose building upon him Secret things belong to God he hath kept them to himselfe and what things God hath kept secret we may not looke after and those things he hath revealed we may not neglect therefore we must follow the Word and the light of it and goe along therein as others have done before us who laboured to see this God For me to tell you the many descriptions the ancient Fathers have given of God would take up a great deale of time therefore to passe by all these and to come to that which may give us profitable knowledge The first Question is this Quest What
thou hast need of thy servant that he may serve thee but God is the true God and hath no need of any man but every man hath need of him therefore it is necessary that every man should returne his being to him Againe he hath no need of mans piety as Iob speakes can a man be profitable to God there is no benefit that a man can yeeld to God but man receives all from him and he may take all away at his pleasure and therefore we ought to serve him no man will say that God had need of us If a man goes to a River drinks to satisfie his thirst wil a man say the River had need of him no but that he had need of the River so here therefore every one ought to serve this God with feare for that God who made thee a man might have made thee a beast or a snake but hath not and therefore seeing we doe but draw our breathes from him there is reason that we should feare him and serve him that we may have the continuance of our lives here and eternall life hereafter and this shall suffice for this use Quest The next question is whether this Essence be one or many Answ The answer is made that there is but one simple Essence without division or partition we instance this my text I am that I am here is no more but one simple Essence without any partition like unto this is Zach. 14.9 And they shall worship one God The meaning is that after Christ shall come the Gentiles with the Jewes shall all worship one and the same true God And this is that which Christ speaks I and the Father are one this argues a plurality of persons in that he saith I the Father but when he comes to the Essence he saith are one and there he instances in the singular number Iohn 5.7 There are three that bare witnesse in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit these three are one Where the Apostle doth shew that these three persons are one in Essence Quest Seeing there are three persons why should there be but one Essence Answ First because there can be but one God Secondly because this Essence is most perfect Thirdly because these three are alike Coeternall Reas 1. First there can be but one God therefore there can be but one Essence for it is a true position that the learned have that the Essence of God is God therefore if there were many Essences there would be many Gods but there can be but one God as hath beene shewed marke the reason if the Essence were devided there must be three Gods for where the Essence is devided there are three as Peter Iames and Iohn are three why because their Essence is devided but in the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost these are not three Essences but one Essence as Saint Bernard saith this God is the true God which is so simple that he cannot have parts and so one that he cannot have number therefore if he be but one God he must needs be but one Essence Reas 2. Because this Essence is most perfect in the highest degree that which is perfect in the highest degree can be but one because that one must containe all perfections If there should be many there could be none most perfect because in every one some perfection or some degree of perfection would be wanting Therfore these three persons being in the highest degree perfect can be but one Essence Reas 3. Because they are all eternall alike that is manifest for it is a maine Article of Religion to be believed that the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are Coeternall there can be but one eternall and wheras the Father is before the Sonne in regard of order yet not in time they are alike eternall therfore there are not severall Essences Vse 1. The first use serves to condem all those hereticks that denied the diety of the Son and holy Ghost yet denied not simply that they were God but that they were Gods by nature we say they are heere confuted for if the God head be but one Essence it must needs follow that these persons are Gods by nature or not at all In created things they that have a like nature are sayd to be the same Essence as in birds beasts and men whatsoever hath the nature of a man we say it is a man though he have not the same singular nature that others have yet we say he hath the nature of a man there is difference as the Learned observe betweene the like Essence and the same Essence he that hath the like Essence of some one man hath not the same Essence of that man but the Father Sonne and holy Ghost are one and the same Essence Vse 2. Here is direction for our faith what we must believe of God if we will be saved we must believe aright in God and we cannot believe aright unles we understand him what he is and here our knowledge and faith must distinguish these three persons one from another Father Sonne and holy Ghost but yet our faith may not divide the Essence we must distinguish the Essence from the persons that doe subsist in it therfore if we believe aright though there be three persons yet there is but one Essence and we must hold this as a maine Article of Christian faith Salvian sayth speaking of the Creed he that denies the first Article overthrowes all the rest so I say he that holds not this hath no faith at all Vse 3. The third use is this here is matter of comfort to those that are Gods and that which is the especiall meanes of comfort is prayer they may come boldly to the throne of grace and go away assured that they are heard because there is but one Essence you will aske me how it follows upon this I explaine it thus they that pray and pray aright cannot pray to God the Father but in the name of the Sonne neither can they pray of themselves but the spirit makes request for them Rom. 8. those that the Father commands to pray and the Son praies for and the spirit helpes shall they not have assurance seeing that God entreates himselfe for them for prayers are made to the Father through the Sonne and by the holy Ghost Saint Augustin speaking of Christ saith Christ praies for us and in us and is praied to of us Christ prayes for us as he is our Priest he prayes in us as he is our head and he is prayed to of us as he is our God now no doubt but we shall prevaile when we haue the Sonne a mediator and the spirit of God our helper therefore we may goe away with assurance for if a great Prince would not only vouchsafe to let poore creatures put ut Petitions for them and his Son to present them to him but also appoint his secretary to drawe their petitions for them and his Sonne to
of him when he was a dying here is the comfort of good children when their parents feare God God lives for ever to helpe and blesse them though their parents be dead but where the parents will excessivelv care for them God leaves them how many doe we see come to poverty that have had thousands left them how comes this to passe God hath with-drawne his blessing and providence from them their parents tooke care to gather and heape up but not to sowe religion in their hearts and intrest them in God Brethren if you would bestow halfe the time in labouring to make your children religious that you spend to make them great and rich Gods favourable providence would be greatly seene towards them but for want of this the same riches that perchance carrie the father to hell in getting them may bring the sonne after him in spending them thus then we see to Gods people it is a marvailous comfort that we have a God that lives for ever that will take care for us and our posterity and thus much for this Immutability of God To come to the next thing his infinitenes and to avoid all descriptions defining infinitenes and divisions shewing how many wayes God is infinite and to keepe our selves to this place It affoords only the Infinitenes of place and this is the thing that we are now to speake of Quest What is the Infinitenes and the Immensity of the Divine Essence Ans It is an incommunicable property wherby it is presentin all places in the world and out of the world â—tone time to explane this First I say it is an incommunicable Attribute because it cannot be attributed to any other for though some creatures are not to be limited by external bounds yet there is no creature but may be limited by his nature and thus Angels and spirits that are not to be limited by externall bounds yet by the bounds of their own nature they may and though they have not substantiall bodies externall yet they are limited in themselves internally but God is so infinite that he is not limited externally or internally and this is solely proper to God that he should be in all places in a moment and not divided in any place but the whole Essence is every where we doe not say part of the Essence as if a man were so great that his head were in England his leggs in Spaine his armes in France but the whole is not in every place I doe not say so but our God is never divided he is never parted but his whole Essence is every where We explane this by the similitude of the soule the whole is in every part of the body there is not some in the foote some in the head and some in the hand but the whole is in every parte thus have I explaned this question I now come to prove it Psal 139. Whither shall I goe from thy presence if I ascend up to heaven thou art there If to the utmost part of the earth thou art there There is no place to which we can goe from God for he is in every place and excluded out of no place Isai 66.1 Heaven is my throne and earth is my foote sloole St. Hilar. de trin lib. 1. observes the Prophet so speakes to shew that the Lord fills heaven and earth Ier. 23.24 explanes it I fill heaven and earth and more then this he is neere to every one Act. 17.27 This shewes that God is within the world and without the world that apeares in 1 King 8. The heaven of heavens are not able to containe thee how much lesse the house that I have built and thus the Prophet Isaiah saith Isa 40.12 He hath the sea in his fist and hath measured the heavens with his Spann where is be that shuts up the dust of the earth in a void place and hath weyed the mountaines therefore it is manifest that he is in all places both within and without the world The next question is Quest Why is he so infinite in every place Ans The answer is because he is simple neither having nor possible to have parts secondly because the power of the Divine Essence is every where thirdly because there is but one Essence in three persons of the Diety common to them all To explane these Reas 1. First that the Divine Essence is most simple I explaned it the last day The next that it is without parts it followes if it have no parts it is whole and this is the reason that Philosophers and antient Divines have given that the soule should be whole in every part because it is most simple and hath no parts Reas 2. Secondly because the power of the divine Essence is every where for nothing is in God but his Essence if therfore the power of God be every where then it must needs followe that God is every where It is manifest that his power is in the creating of every thing we will not now stand to prove it therefore he being the only maker of all things shall necessarily be in them but God doth not only make all things but su staineth all things made and therefore he must needs be every where this is manifest Gen. 1.2 the Spirit moved upon the waters that is for the sustaining and the upholding of them by his power what power but his Essencial As a hen hatches her egges by sitting over them so doth the holy Ghost sustaine all things by mooving upon them and therefore his Essenciall presence must be every where This the Apostle St. Paul teaches Act. 17. he is neere to every one of us in him we live move and have our being so that by this it appeares that God is infinite Reas 3. Thirdly because there is but one Essence of the three persons in the deietie that is common to them all and is in severall and distinct places at one and the same time then it must followe that it is infinite for first the Essence is not divided part in the Father part in the Sonne part in the holy Ghost but is intire in each person as hath bin proved Secondly these three are in severall places not at severall times as a finite thing may be but at the same time which nothing can be that is not infinite This appeares the Father is said to be in heaven who is the same Essence with the Sonne who was somtimes on earth and dwelt amongst us the Sonne at the same time was in heaven when he was upon the earth Ioh. 3.13 Heaven and earth are distinct places therefore it must needs follow that the same Essence being in them both at the same time is infinite the scripture maketh this more plaine Ioh. 16.32 I am not alone but the Father is alway with me So likewise Ioh. 14.11 I am in the Father and the Father in me How is this mutuall immeation made they have both the same Essence therefore the persons though distinguished
cannot nor will not cease to favour his Sonne so neither will he cease to favour those that he loves in his Sonne but as the favour of God did never leave Christ till he had brought him to glory so undoubtedly he wil never leave those that he loves in Christ for if he dealt thus with his naturall body he will deale thus with his mysticall body certainely hee will bring the mysticall body where he hath brought the naturall body for Christ hath prayed Father I will that they should be where I am certainely if he hath brought Christ to that glory he will bring his mysticall body to it why because he hath taken possession of it in our nature and therefore out of that love that God beares to them that are in Christ he wil doe it and as Tertullian saith that our nature hath taken possession of heaven already therfore he that denies thee that art a member of Christ that thou shalt be in heaven he denies Christ to be in heaven But every man that would be prataker of the glory must labour to make his election sure because there are but some that shall be partakers of this comfort let every man labour to see whether he be elected and called that so he may know whether he be in the state of salvation And these be the degrees as the Apostle layes them downe in Rom. 8. Calling sanctification and so proceeding in that order that the Apostle layes downe there every man must labour to have the feeling of his calling his sanctification his justification c. that the guilt of sinne is taken away c. Thus every man should labour to make his calling and election sure so he may be certaine of his salvation even then when God takes away his feeling of it whosoever he is that doth labour to have these tokens he hath this comfort in this life that he is the Lords and in the life to come he shall have glory and happinesse for ever CHAP. XV. EPHES. 28. By Grace ye are saved through faith THe last part of the description of Grace is bringing men to salvation To explane this we propound two Questions the answering and opening of which will explane the point The first question is this Quest Why is it further added in the description of grace bringing men to salvation Answ Because Grace is the chiefest motive and the first beginning of salvation and all the meanes that tend thereunto Quest 2. What are the meanes that bring men to salvation Answ They are either externall as the preaching of the Gospell and sending Christ to suffer or internall as vocation justification sanctification c. So that grace which is the chiefest motive and first beginning of salvation and the meanes tending to it do shew that our salvation is of faith because the beginning of salvation is without our selves in God shewing mercy wherein we are meere patients howsoever we come to assent And that this is the first and chiefest principle and first beginning of salvation we confirme Why because it is the foundation of election 2 Tim. 2.19 The foundation of God is sure the Lord knowes who are his there is election and the foundation is the grace of God Election is of grace you heard it proved before and the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 11. that it is the free grace of God Againe the grace of God is the first and chiefest principall cause of the meanes by which we are brought to salvation the meanes you heard were of two sorts externall and internall externall were the preaching of the Word and the sending Christ to suffer the former of these is meerely of grace Rom. 1.5 We have received grace and Apostleship c. that is as if he should say that all the meanes of salvation are of grace and so the Apostle saith I am the least of all the Saints yet have found grace Secondly sending his Sonne to suffer is meerely of grace 1 Iohn 3.15 16. God so loved the world c. and the Apostle affirmes manifestly Ephes 1.17 So that the externall meanes are meerely of grace The internall meanes also are of grace and the first of these is vocation and this is of grace 2 Tim. 1.9 We are called with a holy calling according to his purpose and grace So that we see that this is of grace and indeede whom did ever the Lord call that was not at the same time worthy of condemnation This we see the Apostle Paul makes cleare that before his calling he walked so that no man could say black was his eye yet for all his civill honest life he confesseth of himselfe that he was worthy of condemnation and Saint Austin hath a Meditation upon this he cast him down a persecuting Saul and raised him up a Paul I adde to this that this calling of God is to little purpose unlesse that man assent but to have power to assent is not of man but of God Ephes 2.13 God works in a moment upon our will which is unwilling at the first and therefore of grace The second meanes to bring us to salvation is Justification and that is meerely of grace so you have heard that justification is of grace Rom. 3.2 4. We are justified freely by grace not of our selves not of workes but of grace Why because there were no works before justification for then men begin to do good workes when they are justified If justification be by workes then they must goe before justification but they follow after it as Saint Augustin saith workes come after we are justified for saith he an evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit c. The third meanes is sanctification and that is of the free grace of God and this is manifest Tit. 3.4 We are saved by grace not of our works but through the renewing of the holy Ghost we are saved by sanctification How comes that by the work of the spirit Ephes 5.25 God loves his Church and out of that love comes their sanctification that he might sanctifie he washes it so that it appeares this also is of grace Graces in man are but the gifts of grace and the fruits of the spirit this appeares Ephe. 2.9 10. We are Gods work manship created unto good workes So also Eze. 36.37 he promises that he will send his spirit upon c. The fourth meanes is perseverance and this is a speciall meanes to keepe us to enter into salvation and this also is of grace Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare in their hearts and they shall never depart from me So there we see that all the meanes tending to salvation are of grace the whole masse of our corruptions deserves to be condemned and whosoever is called out of it is called freely of grace so that salvation and all the meanes tending thereunto are of grace And thus we have explaned and proved the Question and so now you have the whol explication of this description of grace Vse 1.
and hope feare because God is just hope because God is mercifull sometimes the heart is fearfull then there is the image of his justice and sometimes there is hope and then there is the image of his mercy kisse not one alone and imbrace not one alone imbrace not mercy without justice lest thou grow secure nor justice without mercy lest thou despaire keepe both these together and they shall keepe thee in the feare and love of God We conclude then that this is an incouragement to the godly and a discouragement to the wicked 2 Cor. 10.11 We must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ we therefore saith the Apostle knowing the terrors of the Lord perswade men that is seeing God is just we labour to awaken men we intreat men we encourage men in good we disswade men from sinne c. therefore brethren knowing that God will bring every thing to judgement let us breake off our sinnes seeing he hath appointed a time wherein he will judge the world he commands every man every where to repent that they may take away the matter of his justice Againe what manner of men ought we to be in all holy and godly conversation in as much as we know that our labour is not in vaine in the Lord let us not be weary in well doing In one word let us not goe on in sinne for though we get the pleasure of it yet remember what followes after God is just and the wages of sinne is death it will be bitternesse in the end Let us not be discouraged from the wayes of God from proceeding on in goodnesse let us withstand the provocations of sinne then shall we have peace here and hereafter the benefit of the justice of God according to his mercifull promise to reward our well-doing in the life to come for ever OF THE ANGER OF GOD. CHAP. XIX ISAI 64.5 Behold thou art wrath for wee have sinned IN the former words as you have heard we have spoken of the Justice of God the next Attribute is the Anger of God for the ground of which we have made choyce of these words Behold thou art wrath for we have sinned and of this in the same order as before and so the first Question to be propounded is Quest What is the anger of God or of the Divine Essence Answ It is a communicable Attribute whereby he being angry with his creatures sinning justly willeth threatneth and executeth punishment upon them this is the description of Gods anger and the opening of it is after this manner First anger as it is in man a passion is not nor may be attributed to God for we say it doth not become a wise man to be angry much lesse the wise God but is attributed to God as the former that is as anger is mixed with corruption it may not be attributed to God yet generally taken it may There be two things to be considered in anger as it is in man First called the matter Secondly the forme for the matter of anger I say it is a passion naturally inflaming the bloud with desire of revenge and causes a man to goe out of himselfe in which respect it can be no way given to God because he is so simple pure that no impurity can be given to him now this proceeds from the sensuall part and so it is both in man and beast and cannot be attributed to God Secondly as it proceedes from mans will joined with detestation of evill and desire to punish evill so it may be attributed to God and of this the Prophet speakes in this place behold thou art angry for we have sinned I say that God is angry with sinne it is in this place manifest that all Gods anger is against sinne so Rom. 1.18 The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodlinesse c. where we see that God is angry with sinne and the Apostle Paul Col. 3.5 recounts up severall sinnes as fornication wantonnesse covetousnesse c. and for such sinnes the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience and in the 5. Ephe. when he had reckoned up divers sins in the 6. verse he comes and saies Let no man deceive you with vain words for these things the wrath of God comes upon the children of disobedience The next thing is this whereby he is angry with his creatures justly willing and decreeing punishment it is just if he will it because his will is the rule of justice and he wills not punishment out of passion as a man doth it comes not from the sensuall appetite as it doth from man but it proceeds from Gods will averse from the creature sinning and this willing or decreeing punishment is called the anger of God and so anger is put for the decree of anger so it is taken he is a God of anger keeping wrath for his adversaries The next we say he doth not onely decree but denounce judgement so anger in the Scriptures is put for threatning of anger as Psal 6.1 Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me c. that is doe not lay upon me that thou hast threatned in thy law where anger is not put for the decree nor the execution but for the denouncing so Matth. 3.11 and so Isai 11.9 I will not execute my fierce wrath that is I will not execute my wrath as I have declared it Again it is said he executes punishment on the wicked he declares it not onely but executeth it so anger is put for the execution of anger Matth. 3.7 Who hath forwarned you to fly from the wrath to come that is from the punishment that the anger of God hath decreed so likewise in other places 1 Thes 1. last verse He hath delivered us from wrath to come Rom. 5.9 We are saved from wrath So that this sheweth that anger is put for the execution of anger Next we say that he doth declare and execute punishment punishment is two fold it is temporall and it is eternall The punishments in this life are upon mens persons estates goods c. as is threatned Deut. 28. eternall punishments are they which are prepared for the devill and his Angels and those that are seduced by him The next thing is said he executes his law upon all offenders offenders are of two sorts Elect and Reprobate some children others servants and of these to the one he hath decreed temporall punishment onely and to the other he decrees declares pronounces executes both temporall and eternall punishments his owne are free from the eternall but the other are not free from temporall but he laies upon the wicked some temporall punishments as a revenge against impenitency yet these satisfie not his justice and therefore are followed with everlasting torments in hell fire when God takes of wicked men and Angels a full and just revenge because they have not satisfied his justice chastisements God laies upon his owne but not everlasting
God Answ Because he is equall to God Secondly because the name Jehovah is given unto him Thirdly because Essentiall Attributes are attributed to him Fourthly proper workes and so divine workes are given to him to explane these First we say he is equall to God Iohn 16.15 All that the Father hath is mine It is manifest that there is equality an adopted sonne cannot say that all that my father hath is mine he cannot chalenge it but Christ chalengeth this to himselfe therefore necessarily it must be that he is God Philip. 2.6 He that was in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God by forme is meant Essentiall forme whereby he was equall to God not an accidentually forme as men are said to be partakers of the divine nature but if he have a forme that was equall to God it must be an Essentiall forme it appears the Apostle saith that he tooke upon him the forme of a servant what was that not the shape of man but the Essentiall forme of a servant so also he was in the Essentiall forme of God and therefore equall to God Col. 2.9 The Godhead dwelt in him bodily If the son of man be man because he hath all the parts of man because he hath the same kind by generation Christ then having the same spirituall nature must necessarily be equall with God The second thing the name Jehovah is given unto him a title as we heard before which is given to none but the true God so the Psalmist Psal 83.18 Thou whose name alone is Iehovah That this is given to Christ appears Ier. 22.5.6 speaking of raising up a branch of David he saith in the 6. verse They shall call him Iehovah our righteousnesse and in 33. Chap. 15.16 verses He shall be called the Lord our righteousnesse A multitude of other places might be noted in the old Testament he is called Jehovah in the new Testament it is said that they tempted Christ in the wildernesse 1 Cor. 10.1.6 there it is said that they tempted the Lord whence it followes that the name Jehovah was given to Christ Thirdly Essentiall Attributes are given to him as in that place before all that the Father hath is mine eternity omnipotency c. Iohn 1.1.2 In the beginning was the word c. omnipresency being in every place Matth. 18.20 Where two or three are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst of them Matth. 28.20 I will be with you till the end of the world Iohn 3.13 Who is he that ascended but he that descended Intimating that while he was upon the earth he was in heaven c. omnisciency knowing all things Matth. 12.15 He knows the thoughts of mens hearts Iohn 21.17 Lord thou knowest that I love thee for thou knowest all things omnipotency so it appears Iohn 5 19. All that the Father doth the same doth the Sonne and all that the Sonne doth the same doth the Father Philip. 3.21 Being strengthened by his mighty power by which he is able to do all things so that these things being given to him he must be God Lastly proper workes of God are given to him as creation that is given to him Iohn 1.3 He created all things that were made Heb. 1.10 The holy Ghost said that he created and so the working of miracles as to raise up the dead these were the workes of God Lastly divine worship is given to him Iohn 5.23 That all men might honour the Sonne as they honour the Father That which is given to the Father may be given to the Sonne which could not be except he were God c. Iohn 4.14 You beleeve in the Father beleeve also in me Acts 7.50 Lord Iesus receive my soule So the Apostle The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you Philip 2. At the name of Iesus every knee shall bow that is all should worship him therefore it necessarily followes that he is God c. and so you have this explaned Quest Why is he said to be begotten of the Father Answ Because he received the whole Essence by communication not by alienation in which there is no motion Saint Ambrose saith the Sonne is begotten without passion without action so that he communicates the whole Essence to him Col. 2.9 In him dwells all the Godhead bodily Essentially as a candle receives light without corruption as the sunne that communicates his beames and hath no dimunition Quest But why say you that he redeemes the elect Answ Because he only tooke the nature of man gave himselfe as a price to set them free from death and hell and reconciled them to God from the worke of redemption we exclude not the Father yet notwithstanding there is a difference the Father sends his Sonne the Sonne gave himselfe the holy Ghost applies it but the manner of redemption is far different what is that he tooke the nature of man and so the word was made flesh and satisfied the justice of God and thus he onely paid the price Mat. 20.28 He gave himselfe a ransome Acts 20.28 He purchased them with his bloud Titus 2.14 He gave himselfe for them that they might be a peculiar people unto himselfe and therefore he must be a person distinguished and thus we have runne thorough this description Vse 1. The use is First for the matter of confutation this must informe us how we ought to beleeve to salvation concerning the Sonne that we may avoid their heresies which say that he is not God by nature but by office neither may we thinke that because it is said he is begotten there was a time wherein he was not for he was from eternity Saint Basil speaking to them of his time take heed of this saith he when we say that he was begotten we doe not say that he was after the Father but shew whence he had his person nor make him inferior in time but shew that he had his person from the Father take heed therefore of this though we cannot see this yet we are to beleeve it by faith This generation of Christ is to be adored by silence and faith and not to be enquired into he was begotten when there was neither time nor spectator neither was there any interpreter to tell us Why then should the minde of man imagine and speake of this any more the Apostle Paul speaking of his generation as man 1 Tim. 3.16 saith Great is the mystery of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh this was a mystery if this was so great a mystery what is the divine generation some shadow it after this manner it is no unreasonable thing that the begetter and the begotten should be both at one and the same time the minde begets a reason the minde is the begetter and the reason begotten are both at one and the same time Saint Austin saith it is no absurd thing to say that the begetter and the begotten may be together as there are in a candle