beene shall be or can be and his Will is the rule of all things and is limitted to no rule or law but is it selfe the rule and law of all things Quest If God be infinite in Essence and Will and all Attributes and wholy present in all places by his whole Essence and all his Attributes How comes it to passe that he sheweth his glory above the Heavens more than in the World which is below and in one place hee doâ—h shew more power and justice and in another place and to other persons hee sheweth more goodnesse graâ—e and mercy Answ. There is great difference betweene God as he is in himselfe and as he is seene felt and apprehended by his creatures in his Word and Workes Though he is Omnipotent and can do all things yet he doth not worke all things in all to the full according to his infinite power but only so much as he pleaseth when where and in whom he will as in his Wisdome he thinkes fit for every one Neither can wee see and conceive Gods Essence and properties in themselves but in the effects and works of them which are limitted by his Will and Wisdome And though hee worketh by degrees and by measure Yet his Essence and essentiall properties are without measure and degree and his Word is fitted to our capacy Quest What other properties do you conceive to be in God Answ. There is no shadow of excellency Vertue Goodnesse or Grace in any creature but it is in God Essentially and Substancially one and the same thing with his very Essence and Substance He is Essentially Good Wise Iust Mercifull Gracious and Loving and even Goodnesse Wisdome Iustice and Mercy it selfe And as the Apostle saith that God is Love so we may truely and most properly say of him that he is Goodnesse Wisdom Iustice and Mercy and yet hee is in himselfe a most pure and simple Essence free from all mixture composition and division Quest Wherein doth this purity and simplicity of God consist Answ. It consists First in this that though God filleth Heaven Earth and is in and withall creatures Yet his substance is not mingled with any of them Secondly that hee is not compounded of things different neither of act and power as other Spiriturall substances are nor of matter and forme Substance and Accidents such as quantity quality and the like as bodily creatures are Thirdly that he cannot bee divided into severall parts as mens bodies are He is not of the same kind and nature with any other thing whatsoever But is a most pure simple Spirit or Spirituall substance in comparison of whom the most pure Spirits and Angels are but grosse substances and impure In a word his Substance and properties are all one and the same thing and wheresoever he is present there his whole Essence and all and every one of his essentiall properties are actually present even in all places at once Quest If God be only one most pure and simple Why do the Scriptures speak of three persons the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and doe call every one of them IEHOVAH and God Though there is but one God and one Iehovah even one most pure and simple Nature and Essence Yet in this one pure simple undivided Essence there are three distinct persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost all which three are but one Iehovah and one God and every one of them is called Iehovah and God because they are all of one and the same simple and Divine Essence Quest How are they then three persons distinguished one from another Answ. They are distinguished not by their Essence and Nature which in all three is one singular and undivided but by their personall subsistence and properties Quest Which are they Answ. First the Father subsists of himself and is not begotten of any but begets the Son The Son is begotten of the Father from all eternity and receives his personall subsistence from the person of the Father alone The Father and the Son together breath out the Spirit and the Spirit hath his subsistence by proceeding from them from all eternity Secondly in order the Father is the first the Son the second and the Holy Ghost the third though in time and dignity none of them is before or after other but all are coeternall consubstantiall and coequall of the same dignity glory and Majesty Quest How can he who is Jehovah and God eternall proceed and receive his personall subsistence from another Seeing Jehovah the true God is of himselfe and can receive nothing from any Answ. It is true that the persons considered according to their nature and substance which is common to all three and is one and the same in them all cannot beget nor be begotten nor proceed one from another For if God absolutely considered could beget as he is an absolut essence or be begotten or proceed then there might be more Gods than one But a person or personall subsistence in that one simple essence of God may beget another person but not another God and may be begotten and proceed not from the simple essence of God but from another person in that one Essence Wherefore the Son is begotten not as he is one and the same Essence with the Father but as hee is another person in that Essence and so the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son as he is another person in the same Essence And so Iehovah the true God doth proceed from none nor receiveth any thing from any but a person which subsists in the Essence of God and is Iehovah the true God receiveth subsistence from another person in the same Essence Quest I see you do rightly conceive of God the Creator both in the unity of his Essence and in the Trinity of persons Now tell me which of the three persons created the world Answ. Though the Father is called the Creator of whom are all things Yet he alone did not create the world nor any thing in it but the Son and the Spirit also did work with the Father and had an equall hand in the Creation of every thing For in all the outward works of God that is the joynt operation of all the three persons Quest How doth it appeare that the creation is the work of all the three persons Answ. By plaine testimonies of holy Scripture for in the description of the Creation we have expresse mention of the Word that is the Sonne and of the Spirit Gen. 1. 1 2 3. and David Psal. 33. 6. saith by the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the breath of his mouth that is bâ— the son the Spirit For the Sonne is called the eternall Word one God with the Father by whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made that was made John 1 1 2 3. And the Apostle Colos. 1. 16. saith that by Christ the Son all
labourer for the good of your soules according to the utmost of my power and Your welwilling though weake Pastor GEO. WALKER A briefe Dialogue wherein the Father examineth his Son concerning the principles of Religion in which he hath formerly instructed him Quest MY deare Child why doest thou complaine because of thy sicknesse and many paines and infirmities which often doe befall thee seeing thou by thy sins pullest them upon thee and causest God thus to punish and correct thee Answer Indeed in my book of the of the Psalmes of David I am taught to confesse that I was shapen in iniquity and that in sin hath my mother conceived me but this is the fault of you that are my parents from whom I received in my birth and with my first being this sinfull corruption Quest It is true that wee brought thee into this world a poore sinfull wretch But doest thou not know that this corruption commeth not from our selves as the first causes of it but from our first parents in whom thou and we and all mankind have sinned against God and lost that image and likenesse of God in which wee were created and are so infected with the poyson aâ—d malice of the Devill which hee breathed into our first parents that wee have no power or will to do the good which God requireth of us in his Law but are forward to run into all sins which God forbiddeth Answ. I remember now when you put me in mind of it that you have taught me oftentimes that God created all things good at the first and in Adam he created all man-kind in his owne image and likenesse and that the Devill by the Serpent did tempt the woman and breathed into her his poyson and drew her into sin and by her infected Adam who was the root and stock of all man-kind and by drawing him into transgression did corrupt him and all man-kind defaced Gods image in us al and stained and defiled our nature so that eversince we are by nature children of wrath and disobedience who of our selves have no power to will or do any good but do run into sin and actuall transgression continually Quest I see and perceive by this that you are ready to forget those instructions of godlinesse which you have often learned and have need to have your memory often rubbed up And therefore I will stirre you up to remember the things which I have often taught you by asking you questions concerning the chiefe points of Christian Religion which you have learned that they may be more deeply printed in your mind and that you may have them more ready to put them in practise when occasion shall be offered Answ. I acknowledge my selfe bound in a double bond of thankefulnesse unto you both for your godly paines in tâ—aching me saving Knowledge and for your fatherly care to maâ—e me remember the things which you have taught me that I may both beleeve and practise the things which God requireth of me for the obteining of eternall life and blessednesse Quest My paines of teaching you are a pleasure to me when I see you willing to bee instructed And if you answer readily the questions which I shall aske you concerning the grounds of Religion which I have heretofore taught you I shall rejoice in hope and confidence that God hath chosen you to be a vessell of honour called you to the state of Grace and prepared you for the state of glory in Heaven Answ. I acknowledge with all thankfulnesse Gods infinite love mercy and bounty to me in that hee hath ordeined me to be borne of Godly and Christian parents who as they were meanes to bring me into the world a corrupt sinfull child of Adam so are Gods speciall instruments to beget me to God a new creature in Iesus Christ by instructing me in his holy Word by which his holy Spirit doth take possession of my soule worketh in me Faith and renueth me after the image of Christ wherefore I am ready according to my best understanding and memory to answer every question which you shall aske concerning the things which I have before heard and learned from your mouth humbly beseeching God to print in my heart and to enable me by his grace to practise in my life the things which by your often urging and pressing are printed in my memory Quest My first Question therefore shall be about that which is the first work of God by which he gave to man-kind their first being I meane the creation of Adam and all man-kind in him tell mee what you have been taught concerning it Answ. First I have learned that God created the whole world and all things therein Gen. 1. 2. Quest What God is he who did performe and perfect so great a work Answ He who is the one only true God and besides whom there is no other God Deut. 6. 4. Isay 45. 5. Quest What a one do you conceive this God to be Answ. I conceive him to bee such a one as his most proper name Jehovah doth signifie Quest What doth that name signifie Answ. It signifieth that he is and hath his being of himselfe from all eternity without beginning and without end and that bee giveth being motion breath life and all other things to all creatures which live move and breath and to all other things which have been are or shall bee in the world and without him nothing can â—e or come to passe Exod. 3. 14. Quest What do you learn from thence Answ. I learne First that God is most absolute of himselfe and depends upon none other neither needeth either for his being glory or blessednesse any help or for the increase of them Secondly that he is before all things and is the first cause of them Thirdly that he is eternall even one who was before all times and is and shall be the same for ever without beginning and without end Fourthly that he is immutable and unchangeable in his nature essence and being and in his counsels will and all other his attributes and properties Fiftly that he is most perfect one who wanteth nothing but hath in him all excellencies to the full so that nothing can bee added to him to increase his goodnesse or blessednesse Sixthly that he is infinite and incomprehensible no tongue can utter no eye can see nor eare heare nor heart conceive nor reason and understanding comprehend him or his excellencies Quest Wherein doth his infinitnesse consist Answ. It consists in this that he hath no bounds nor limits but is above all degrees of comparison his whole essence is at all times prâ—sent in all places and neither Heaven nor the Heaven of Heavens nor all places in the World can conteine him or measure his Substance He is infinit in Wisdome Knowledge Power Goodnesse Mercy Iustice Will Counsell and all other Attributes and Properties able to do whatsoever he will He seeth and knoweth all things which are have
things were created that are in Heaven and Earth visible and invisible and by him all things consist Quest You have well declared the Truth concerning the Creator now tell mee whereof the World was made Answ. God made all things of nothing at the first to wit the highest heavens with the Angels and all the Host of them and also the Earth that is the rude masse without forme and voyd which was the common matter of all the visible world and this is called simple and primary creation Afterwards God created out of that rude matter the Liâ—ht that is the Fiery and Starry Heavens and the large Element of the Aire which is called the Firmament and the Sea and the dry Land and then out of those foure Elements hee formed and made all other things as the Sunne Moone and Stars the Herbs Plants and Trees the Stones and Mettals the Fishes Birds and all other living creatures and this is called secondary creation because all those things were not made first and immediatly of nothing but secondarily were formed out of a matter which God had before created of nothing and so al creatures had their first beginning and being out of nothing so mighty and omnipotent is Gods hand farre above the reach of mans reason Quest After what manner did God create the World and all things therein Answ. The Scriptures teach us that hee created all things First most freely by the liberty of his Will not by necessity of Nature Secondly not rashly but according to his most wise Counsell and eternall purpose Thirdly with great ease and facility without paines toyle or labour Quest How doth that appeare Answ. By the words of Moses in the History of the Creation where it is recorded that God in the creation did but say let things be and so they were made so he is said to creat the Light the Firmament the Waters the dry Land the Lights in Heaven the Hearbes and Trees and all things living and moving on the Earth and in the Sea He said let them be and they were made and brought into being Gen. 1 2 6 9 c. Quest How doth this speech shew that God created all things in such manner as you have said to wit freely wisely and with ease and facility Answ. Very plainely for these words are not to bee understood properly that God uttered a sound of words but the phrase is Metaphoricall borrowed from the doings of men For workes done by necessity of Nature men do without consulting or speaking or any prâ—scription or direction given by word of mouth The things which men first speake of and then do are done by liberty of will and therfore this phrase teacheth us that the Creation was a work done not by necessity of Nature but by liberty of will that is a work which God if he had so been pleased might have left undone and did therefore do because it was his free will to do it Secondly wise men do not command or prescribe things to be done unlesse they have consulted purposed and determined that they shall be so done Their words by which they command and prescribe the doing of great works are the open manifestation of their mind will purpose and decree and the first thing which belongs to the actuall performing and effecting of the worke And therefore this phrase teacheth us that as God in his eternall Counsell had wisely purposed and decreed so now God the Father by his Word the Son and by his Spirit began to put his wise counsell in execution and actually to create and make all things and to bring them outwardly into being according to his wise counsell and as hee had inwardly purposed in himselfe so the creation was a work not rashly done but wisely according to counsell Thirdly this phrase sheweth that as among men nothing can bee done with greater ease and facility and with lesse toyle or labour then when they only say the word let it be done and presently it is done without any more paines So it was with God in the creation he did as easily and without paines create all things as a man doth a thing by saying let it be which of al things is most easie as experience teacheth Quest What speciall things have you learned concerning the creation of man-kind Answ. Foure things especially First that God consulted about it saying Let us make man Secondly that hee made man after his owne Image and likenesse male and female Thirdly that he gave them domination over all other creatures in the inferiour world Fourthly that he created a place of pleasure for them to dwell in and there placed them Quest How doe you understand these words And God said Let us make man in our image and after our likenesse Answ. They are thus to bee understood not that God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost did then first enter into consultation about mans creation But that as God in the common counsell of the blessed Trinity had from all eternity purposed and decreed so now hee began to put his decree into execution and actually to create man after such a manner and such a creature as hee had decreed even stamped with his Image fit to rule over other Creatures Quest Shew me more particularly how God created man in his own image male and female Answ. First he made Adam of the dust of the earth and with breath of life created a soule in him and hee made him one only that he might bee the common stocke and roote of all mankind from whom the woman also might have her beginning and bee made of his flesh and bone even of a fleshy rib taken out of him Secondly he made them both in his own image the man first and when man appeared so excellent above all living creatures that among them all there could not be found a mate or help meet for him then hee tooke a rib of the man and made a female the woman meete for him in the same Image and after the same likenesse Quest Wherein did the Image â—f God consist and how was man like unto God Answ. This Image did consist first and principally in his Soule sâ—condarily in his body and thirdly in his whole person First in the substance of his soule he was like to God For as God is a Spirit so mans soule was created a Spirit or spirituall living substance Secondly in the powers and faculties of his soule to wit his reason will desires and affections in all which created perfect and upright in him he was like unto God For as God knoweth and understandeth all things so man by his reason was able to know and understand all things meet for him As God hath liberty of will so man had liberty of will to do all things which by his upright reason he knew to bee good in his power As God loveth goodnesse and delighteth in it so man loved and desired all good things which his upright reason and
Christ make intercession Answ. First by praying for his Elect and Faithfull whom the Father had given him out of the world this he did in the dayes of his humiliation Secondly by sitting at Gods right hand hee presents continually before God his perfect satisfaction and righteousnesse in the behalf of all his Faithfull members and with his Sacrifice and Intercession doth as it were perfume all their Prayers and make them acceptable in the sight of God Quest Doth not Christ as well make Intercession for all as hee dyed for all man-kind Answ. Though Christ dyed and fulfilled the Law for a common benefit to all man-kind and his ransome is sufficient to save all yet he never purposed to redeeme all men by his death For hee knew that many were already damned and past all hope of redemption before he dyed and that Iudas was a son of perdition and therefore hee did not purpose to give himselfe a ransome for them Besides he himself testifieth that hee did not pray for the world but only for his Elect given to him by his father out of the world Ioh. 17 9. Therefore he did much lesse dye with an intent purpose and desire to redeeme and save them Quest How doth Christ execute his Kingly office Answ. By ruling spiritually in his Church and giving his Spirit and all spirituall gifts to men by which they are fitted and furnished with severall gifts for severall offices and functions in that his mysticall body The distribution of all honors offices and dignities as of some to be Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists others Pastors and Teachers is in his hand No man is capable of such honours and dignities nor fit for such offices but by his gifts and qualifications Whosoever thrusts himselfe into the office of a Bishop Elder Pastor or publike Preacher without such gifts and calling as hee hath in his Word prescribed hee is a thiefe and an usurper as our Saviour himselfe testifieth who is the onely doore by which men must enter into his sheep-fold Iohn 10. Hee ruleth also in the hearts of all Faithfull people by his Word and Spirit as by a Law and that Law is the rule of their life and of all their actions Hee also by his power defends his Church from all enemies and takes just revenge on their persecutors and oppressors for all power is given him in Heaven and Earth Matth. 28. 18. and hee hath all judgment committed to him Iohn 5. 27. All the Saints fight under his Royall Standard against the Devill the World the Flesh Sinne and Antichrist being armed by him with the whole armour of God Eph. 6 11. He will treade down Satan under their feet Rom. 16. 20. and by the spirit of his lips will destroy the wicked one 2 Thes. 2. And by his iron rod break in pieces all his enemies like a Potters vessell Psal. 2. So that whatsoever can be required in a King for the well ordering and ruling of his Kingdome by judgement and righteousnesse for the mercifull relieving and he ping of them in their need For the powerfull defending of them from all dangers and for the execution of just revenge on their enemies all this is abundantly found in Christ as he is the Lord and King of his Church Quest You have well shewed that Christ both in respect of his Person and Offices is an all-sufficient Redeemer and Saviour and is able by the infinite worth of his Mediation to save all men Now then tell me why all men are not saved Answ. Though Christ his ransome and satisfaction is able to save and redeeme all that are partakers thereof even all mankind if they had grace to receive and apply him and all his merits by Faith Yet because none have spirituall communion with him but only they whom God hath chosen to eternall life in him and predestinated to be effectually called according to his purpose to the state of grace and to be made conformable to his image Therfore many who are not elect follow their own evil ways and have no will nor care to repent of their sins and beleeve in Christ but run wilfully into destruction and perish Quest Hath God then chosen from all eternity a certeine number only of man-kind to salvation in Christ Answ. Yea verily For the Scriptures plainly testifie First that God hath a certain number of particular persons whom hee hath from all eternity predestinated both to eternall life in Christ and also to the meanes which lead unto life to wit redemption effectuall calling adoption faith and the like Ephes. 1. 4. 5 11. Rom. 11. 5 7. Act. 13. 48. Secondly that the persons elected are they only who are called in time according to his purpose iustified made conformable to the image of his Son and at length glorified Rom. 8 28 29 30. Thirdly that they are chosen not for any work which God foresaw in them but meerely according to the good pleasure of his own Will Rom. 9. 11. 15. Eph. 1. 5. And fourthly that all they who continue in obstinacy and impenitency unto the end and are damned were of old ordeined to that damnation destructiō 1 Thes. 5. 9. 1 Pet. 2. 8. Jud. 4. Quest If God hath not ordeined men to Faith in Christ repentance and good works but hath willingly rejected them as he did Esau before he had done any evill and given them up to hardnesse and impenitency as he did Pharaoh Why is he angry with them for none can resist his Will Answ. It is too much presumption in men to dispute against God and to judge of his actions by their owne shallow reason For he is not to give account of any of his matters nor to answer for his doings Iob 33. 13. Rom. 9. 19. And yet it is reason that every absolute Lord should do what he list with his own that as the potter hath power over the clay to make of the same lump one vessell unto honour and another unto dishonor so God much more should have power over his creatures to ordaine and make some vessels of honor and leave others to follow their own evil ways which they have found out to themselves and are not lead into by him and so to perish seeing their evill and destruction by his over-ruling wisdome and power doth turne to the greater good of his Elect and makes the glory of his holinesse Iustice Power and Mercy shine forth more clearely to them Quest Doth the benefit of Christ the Mediator and Redeemer reach only to the Elect Answ. Though the saving vertue of Christ belongeth only to the elect yet there is a common benefit of Christ wherof reprobates are partakers which reacheth also to all the world For hee is said to preserve man and beasts that is to keep them in life and being Psal. 36 6. and to be the Saviour of all especially of them that beleeve 1 Tim. 4. 10. and to give himselfe a ransome for all
remembrance of him in the state of humiliation and of his infirmities obedience and sufferings which in that estate he did undergo in the forme of fraile flesh and bloud for us and to stirre us up so to apprehend him and feed on him by Faith For Christ did not redeeme us and pay our ransome by any thing which he did as God before his Incarnation nor by any thing which he doth as man exalted and glorified but as hee God and Man in the dayes of his flesh fulfilled the whole Law and suffered all punishments due to mans sin so hee paid our ransome brought in eternall righteousnesse and made full satisfaction to Gods Iustice and these are the things which together with himselfe are signified and sealed by Bread and Wine and are Spiritually given to and received by the Faithfull in this Sacrament Quest How can true Beleevers bee said to receive Christ and his benefits seeing they are already united to him and have Communion of them all and his satisfaction and righteousnesse is made theirs before in their regeneration when they were first effectually called and made fit to partake of this Sacrament Answ. The Spirit of God by this Sacrament rightly administred doth as by a sure pledge confirme and increase their Faith and set it a worke to lay hold on Christ and to apply him and his righteousnesse and satisfaction to themselvs more strongly and sensibly and by this meanes they are more feelingly united to him in love and affection and have a more sweet communion with him of all his benefits which doth like a plentifull feast refresh and feed their soules strengthen them in all grace and this is as it were a new and fresh receiving of Christ and the benefits of his Life and Death more abundantly in greater measure than they had him before Quest You have well declared the efficacy of the Sacraments and how the Spirit worketh by them Now tell me what the other meanes are and first what is prayer and invocation both publike and private Answ. Prayer and Invocation if it bee publike is the speech of the whole Congregation and if it be private of one person or more directed to God in the Name of Iesus Christ wherein all needfull blessings and increase of grace are asked and desired in Faith and Hope that God will give them for Christ his sake in such a measure as he in his wisdome doth know to be fit for every one Quest How is grace thereby increased Answ. The Spirit of God by stirring our hearts to pray and by putting fit words in our mouths or in the mouths of them who are the mouth of the Congregation inflameth our affections exerciseth our Faith kindleth our desires and reviveth the sense and feeling of our wants And by directing us to pray to God in the Name of Iesus Christ he maketh us implicitely to acknowledge and confesse that God is the author of all blessings and giver of all grace and so maketh us to give to him in our prayers all the glory with all humble thankfulnesse And God who is gracious rich in mercy faithfull and true in his promises will accept our holy and humble desires and for Christs sake and his own truths sake grant our requests and give a supply of grace and an increase of blessings Quest How doth the publike worship of God increase grace Answ. The publike worship of God performed outwardly and frequently in the congregation of his people by holy preaching and reverent hearing of his Word prayses thankes singing of Psalmes and reverent gestures and behaviour according to Gods Word is a speciall meanes by the inward operation of the Spirit to kindle and increase devotion in the hearts of all his people It is their using of his talents and improving of his graces in them to his glory And God hath promised that as they get more gaine of grace Mat. 25. 29. so hee will still adde more unto them and will surely establish them give them the gift of perseverance and uphold them by his grace unto the end till they be received to glory and come to eternall life and blessednesse Quest Wherein doth the eternall life and blessednesse of the Elect consist Answ. In the eternall sight knowledge and fruition of God in his Heavenly glory Ephes. 5. 27. For when Christ hath fully purged and sanctified his Church and people and made them fit to see God then will he present them before his glorious Maiesty to dwell in his presence where is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. 11. Quest Where shall they enjoy this blessednes Answ. In the Heavens where a Kingdom is prepared for them Luk. 12. 32. and John 14. 2. an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled which shall never fade away 1 Pet. 1. 4. which is farre above all that the eye hath seen or the eare heard or that ever entered into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2. 9. Quest When shall they come to possesse this blessed inheritance Answ. They have the earnest of it in this life in the state of grace even the Spirit of adoption by which they are sealed up to the day of full redemption and even here in this life they finde that sweetnesse and communion with God that though they see him not yet beleeving they rejoyce with joy unspeakeable and full of glory But when their soules are loosed out of the prison of the body then shall their spirit bee made perfect and they shall in that better part depart hence and be with Christ and reigne in glory untill the last great day of account the generall judgement At which time the Lord Iesus Christ shall descend from heaven bring them with him And he the Prince of Angels with the commanding voyce of the Archangell shall call all the Angels of God to attend him and to gather before him al his Elect from the foure winds from one end of Heaven to the other and by the power of his voyce and the sound of the trumpet of God shall raise up their dead bodies purged in the grave from all the degrees of corruption and brought up in a most glorious forme like unto his own glorious body Which bodies shall not be prevented by the Elect and Faithfull then alive on earth but shall bee first raised up and joyned with their glorified soules before those then living shall be changed and in a moment in the twinckling of an eye shall they all together be ready to meet the Lord in the ayre whither they shall be caught up and being set at his right hand shall receive this comfortable sentence Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world and so they shall bee ever with the Lord and raigne with him in glory world without end 1 Thes. 4. 17. 2 Tim 2. 12. Rev. 22. 5. Quest But what shall become of all wicked
have more outragiously and despightfully provoked God in the time of their life and both these shall bee filled up to the utmost fulnes of their measure the one sort with glory the other with shame and wrath and so they shall have the one more glory the other more misery Yet hee that hath the least glory shal have as much as he can conceive or desire and hee who hath the least torment and misery shall have as much as his vessell can conteine and as hee is capable of and can beare This may be made plain by a familiar similitude If divers bottles or earthen vessels of divers measures and different capacity beeplunged into the deep sea with open mouths every vessell will be filled to the brim that it cannot conteine one drop more the least as well as the greatest and though the greatest conteines more yet the least is as full as it is even to the utmost So it is both in the Saints glorified in Heaven and the wicked tormented in Hell Though some are like vessels more capacious and being filled with glory or with misery have more than others Yet the least Saint is as full as hee can bee of glory and can desire no more and the least among the damned is filled up with torment and with the wrath of God to the utmost and hath as much as his vessell can hold The one wants nothing but hath a fulnesse of glory to make him as blessed as hee can desire for ever And the other hath so much torment as makes him to the utmost extremity miserable And as there is no possibility of the falling away of the Saints from their glory in the least degree So it is impossible to ease the damned of the least graine of his heavy and intollerable misery but Gods wrath shall cleave to them for ever and abide on them to the utmost world without end Quest Seeing now I have lead you on by Questions to the utmost ends both of the godly Elect and wicked Reprobates Now tell mee what remaines Answ. No more but this That as God hath set before us Life and Death For the godly Life eternall in the fruition of himselfe in Glory but for the wicked and ungodly eternall Death misery and torment in Hell So wee by following hard after God by Faith in Iesus Christ and making his glory the marke which wee shoote at in the whole course of our Lives and the maine end of all our labours may bee free from all danger and feare of eternall Death in Hell and may obteine the inheritance of Heavenly glory and with Christ our Head and all his Elect Saints may see God and enjoy all his goodnesse as our portion for ever World without end To this blessed God who hath vouchsafed thus farre to reveale himselfe unto us and to shew us the right way by which wee may come to him bee all glory honour and praise giuen and ascribed by us and his whole Church now and for ever Amen Trin-uni Deo gloria FINIS 1 Kin. 8. 27 Psa. 147 5 Isa. 46. 10. 1 Ioh. 4. 8. Phil. 2. 6. Heb. 1. 3. â— Colo. 1. 17 Rom. 9. 18 Iam. 1. 13. Gen 3. 10 Psa. 49. 12 Gen. 3. 17. vers. 19. 2 Thes. 1. 9. Heb. 2. 14. 1 Ioh. 4. 8. Gen. 12 8. 22. Iohn 8. 5â— Luk 1. 35. Iob 16. 21. Heb. 2. 17. 4. 11. Iohn 17. Rev. 8. 3. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Tit. 3. 5 6. Rom. 5. 19. 10. 4. Rom. 3. 7 2 Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 5. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Heb. 12. 23. Phil. 1. 23. Mat. 24. 31 1 Thes. 4. 15 16. Phil. 3. 21 1 Cor. 15. 52. Mat. 25. 33