Lord God never expressed himself by more then three as appears first By his commanding Moses to blesse the people but thrice in the name of the Lord Deut. 6.24 The Lord bless thee and keep thee intimating the protection and providence of the Father 2. The Lord make his face to shine upon thee and be gracious to thee i. in pardoning thy sin by the gracious redemption and favour of the Son well expressed by St Paul 2 Cor. 4.6 calling it the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 3. The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon thee and give thee peace i. the joy of the Holy Ghost and peace of conscience in gods promise which the Holy Ghost sealeth to us Eph. 1.13 So the Seraphins pronounced God thrice Holy Holy Holy Esa 6.3 So we see in Christs baptisme 1. The Father speaking from heaven 2. The spirit descending and 3. The Son suscepting baptisme Mat. 3.16 And our Savivour affirms but three persons John 16.36 saying when the Comforter is come i. the Holy Ghost whom I will send i I the Son who proceedeth from the Father i. the first person Mathe. Is there any reason to prove this Phila. As much as any reasonable man can desire and that is the impressions of it upon his works and his gifts and in the minds of men 1. He hath given three principles of all bodies airie watry Chymists say Salt Sulphur and Mercury and earthy matter and three kind of lives or souls the vegetative or growing life or soule to plants The sensitive with vegetation to bruits the rationall with both the former to men but especially the Image of God in the first man argued the three persons immortality wisedome and freedome So to the rationall soule three principall faculties the Understanding the Will and the power of acting So Arts which are Gods gifts some of them sheweth his unity as Geometry draweth all lines from one point and Arithmetick from a unite draweth all numbers so Astronomy all motions from the first mover so Musick a rare gift of God ariseth from unison and three concords and discords arguing a unity in Trinity 2. But above all these three Arts by which we expresse our souls which have an impresse of the Deity sets forth the Trinity as they proceed one from the other For Grammer is the fountain of them by letters which makes words Logick of words frameth sence and Rhetorick by help of both maketh an oration So the Son is the word of the Father and the Holy Ghost proceeds from them both and therefore the Cabalists said that before God revealed himselfe in his operations he was like a dark solitary letter Aleph tenebroâ— sum of which we could make nothing But now we know by his word and his works not only that he is but what he is 3. He hath imprinted this Trinity in the minds of men as well as the unity of the Godhead Which made some learned men say Pythago Trismegist in Pimand Dial. 4 that all things are terminated in THREE Others that one begat one and by reflecting on each other begat a third Not that these men did apprehend the Trinity as we do by Scripture but this argued them to have a confused knowledge of it as Caiaphas had of Christs death when he said It was necessary one man die for the people Aquin. Non è â—â—titia sed ex officie so prophecying as he was high Priest that year so these spake by naturall instinct Another that may be urged to prove the three persons in the Godhead is Bonum diffusivum Because God being the chiefe good is of a diffusive nature and so must communicate himselfe by some subsistency that is capable of the whole divine essence communicated everlastingly from one to the other John 10.30 therefore Christ saith I and my Father are one that is in the essence communicated not the personality So he saith I am in the Father John 14.10 and the Father in me that is by mutuall immanency in the same essence So he saith I came forth from the Father that is first By his divine and eternall generation and by his temporall mission into the world John 16.28 So he saith all that the Father hath is mine therefore I said he shall take of mine and give it to you i. the holy Ghost John 16.15 By which is understood the communication of the divine essence one to another and the communication of gifts of men A similitude of this divine reflection and procession God gave in the first marriage He made Adam one then he joined him to another made out of himselfe of these two he produced a third i. children Beside he makes all things but by a threefold vertue his Power Wisedome and Love a representative of the three persons Nor is there any more then three principall efficient causes from whom by whom and through whom a thing is Rom. 11. And so all things are from the Father by the Son through the Holy Ghost who receiveth and giveth a procession to things so that there is but one God the Father 1 Cor. 8.6 and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ and we by him and one Holy Spirit and we through him Mathe. But this is hard to conceive right and dangerous to conceive wrong I desire a rule or two to direct me aright in the conceiving hereof Phila. 1. That you are to beleeve the divine essence to be one yet the persons to be three and every person to be God and Lord and yet but one God because but one essence as there is but one humane nature though divers persons therein 2. That these persons are not before one another in time but in order nor greater then another but coequall 3. That these three persons communicate the divine essence one to another but not their personality for the Father is not the Son nor the Son the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet Esa 9.6 the Son is called the everlasting Father but not in regard of his person but his essence which is all one with the Father 4. That in those works of the Trinity which are wrought towards us though one person be entitled to it more then others yet all of them hath an hand therein though one more especially As the Father creates yet so as by the Son through the Spirit The Son redeemeth yet so as sent from the Father and conceived by the holy Spirit The holy Spirit sanctifieth yet so as through the Father by the Son breathing his holy graces into us 5. That the Father is the fountain of the personality but not of the essence for therein they be coeternall 6. They all flowe from one and the same essence as the light of the Moon and that of the air is from one Sun and as three rivers from one fountain 7. That they have
he was betraied into the hands of sinners and cut off from the land of the living Isa 53.8 and made his soule an offering for sin Isa 53.10 After sixty two weeks said Daniel shall Messiah be cut off but not for himselfe Dan. 9.25 26. that is if you mark the verses the Angel allots seven weeks for rebuilding of the Temple which is forty nine years reckoned of the Jewes but forty six years Iohn 2.20 because they reckoned not the first three years when the foundation was but laid by Cyrus his edict and the work staied again by Artaxerxes Longimanus Ezra 4.7 till they had got a second Edict Ezra 6.1 from Darius Nothus Then the Angell allots to the former seven weeks sixty two weeks more which is about 434. years in all 483. or thereabout in the end whereof Christ suffered on the crosse to make an end of sin and finish transgression and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting righteousnesse This scourging wounding and piercing was foreseen also by Isa 53.5 he was bruised for our iniquities and chastised for our peace And saith Zach. 12.12 they shall look on him whom they have pierced for a souldier pierced his side as well as others did his hands and feet when they nailed them to the crosse So his very carrying of his crosse John 19.34 was typed out by Isaac carrying the wood to sacrifice himself upon Gen. 22.9 10. And as Abraham stretched out his hand to slay his son so God loved the world that he gave his Son Iohn 3.16 and he himself became obedient to the death of the crosse Numb 21.9 And as Moses lifted up the brazen serpent in the wildernesse for the curing of the people upon a pole John 12.32 John 14. so was Christ lift up on the crosse for the saving of us who were bitten by Satan and sin also So also his Resurrection had a type as Isaac taken from the Altar and restored safe and sound to Abraham the third day after that he was assigned to death Gen. 22.4 of whom it is said that Abraham received him again in a figure Heb. In what figure but only of him that was to come of his seed in whose death and resurrection all nations should be blessed So Ionah the first Prophet who lived in the time of Ieroboam the second 2 Kin. 14.25 and the first Prophet sent to the Gentiles to Niniveh who because he diverted to Tarsus was swallowed of a great fish in whose belly he remained till the third day after and for so long time the grave swallowed Christ but then he arose and so his flesh saw no corruption Psal 16. and that might well be without a miracle if the body be not accidentally corrupted before it be dead as in violent deaths commonly men are not Now Christ lay not in the grave above 40. hours and commonly dead bodies corrupt not til about seventy hours and this sheweth that he rose within three daies and so saw no corruption as the Psalmist said Psal 16. which is expounded plainly so by St Peter Acts 2.31 And as Isaiah had also foretold that the dead men should live and with Christs body they should come so they did Mat. 27.52 53. Thus Christ conquered death in his own Kingdome as said Hosea 13.14 and death had no more dominion over him Rom. 6.9 because he was now swallowed up into victory 1 Cor. 15.55 And thus as God spake to the great fish and it cast out Ionah on the dry land Jon. 2.10 so the temple of Christs body which the Jewes destroied he rebuilt in three daies And for his Ascension as it was prophecied so it was accomplished Eliah was a type of it 2 Kin. 2.11 being taken up in a fiery Chariot so Christ was taken up out of his disciples sight into heaven Luke 24.51 as was prophecied in Psal 68.18 Thou hast ascended up on high and led captivity captive So he was taken away his disciples beholding it at first Acts 1.9 but after a cloud took him out of their sight And now he sits on Gods right hand foretold Psal 110.1 and averred in Mark 16.19 And from him the Holy Ghost like a most gracious rain from heaven hath fallen upon his Apostles Acts 2.15 16. and upon many thousands of beleevers as was foreprophecied Joel 2.18 and typed forth by the spirit of Eliah resting upon Elisha 2 Kin. 1.13 5. Even so God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts baptizing us with the Holy Ghost and as blessed fire from heaven giving some the gift of tongue Acts 2.4 others to prophecie some to teach others to learn and increase in faith and the love and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ Mathe. Now as you have shewed the Promises Types and Prophecies and history of Christs Conception Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension shew me also the mystery of godlinesse intended thereby in relation to Christians And first of all I desire to understand rightly his Conception for therein lieth a great mystery wherein our understanding is easily lost if we be not rightly directed For how can one person in the Trinity be conceived or become incarnate without the other two seeing the divine nature is not divided but is in each person totally Phila. The divine nature cannot be divided for substance but in the manner of subsistence it is distinguished For it is after one manner in the Father i. unbegotten After another manner in the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because in him it is begotten i. communicated by divine generation After another manner in the Holy Ghost because proceeding from both John 15.16 Now we are to beleeve that the humane nature is assumed by the divine nature as considered only in the Son as he enjoieth it being the perfect image of the Father Heb. 1.1 2 3. and so being the naturall Son of God was most fit to be the son of man and so thereby restore the sons of men by adoption to be made the sons of God Yet we are to beleeve that all the Trinity had a hand in it John 1.12 for the Father wrought it by the holy Ghost but the Son only assumed it as three folks may make one garment and yet but one of the three wear it Mathe. But the Conception is applied to the Holy Ghost and so I am apt to beleeve that the Holy Ghost was his Father Phila. He was conceived by the Holy Ghost effectually not materially he caused it to be but gave not any matter out of himselfe to the nature of Christ so that he was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost uniting the natures divine and humane together Bernard Damascen not by generation but by institution and benediction and operation not spermatically as other fathers beget children So it is said Rom. 11.36 all things are of God yet not of his substance but by his power so that we
the Father was acknowledged by his creation and providence so the Son of God might be worshipped for his redemption and the Holy Ghost be known by his operating in us the blessed ends that God intended in our creation and the effects of Christs redemption that so the office of Christ as a King Priest and Prophet may be set forth by our faith and obedience to the same Of this holy and orderly state God made Israel a type Esa 51.15 16. when he did that which Esay makes repetition of saying I have covered thee in the shadow of my hand namely I kept thee in thy going through the wildernesse to Canaan that I might plant the heavens and lay the foundation of the earth that is that I might make thee a state consisting of superiours and inferiours as a body politick and say to Sion thou art my people And as he made them into Prince Priest and people under the Law so certainly he did not intend to leave the Gospell people to disorder and confusion and therefore he made Kings nursing fathers and Apostles Bishops and Presbyters to instruct and people to be ruled and instructed as I have already declared it remaineth to shew what effects in the mystery of godlinesse the blessed spirit worketh on Christs redeemed people called the Church Mathe. That I desire to know Phila. First it worketh in Christs Church people outward and inward holy worship The outward consisteth in places utensils and gestures fit for divine service The inward consists in an holy heart and life answerable thereunto which is wrought in us by the operation of the Holy Ghost the third person in the most holy Trinity Mathe. What am I to conceive and beleeve of the Holy Ghost since I find little speech of him in the Creed save only in one article or two at most Phila. Though you find little speech of him as you do of the name of the Father and the Son yet all those Articles of the Creed that follow from beleeving in the Holy Ghost do relate to him and to his operations upon the object thereof which is the holy Catholick Church which he sanctifieth by making in it the communion of Saints and sealing to it the remission of sin and bestowing upon it the power of the blessed resurrection and the felicity of eternall life And insomuch as we are taught to beleeve in the Holy Ghost as well as in the Father and the Son that word in doth intimate to us 1. That he is God as well as the Father and Son or else we may not beleeve upon him But we find that we are to be baptized into his name together with the Father and the Son Mat. 28.29 2. That he proceedeth from the Father and the Son and therefore called the Spirit of the Father and the Son Of the Father John 15.26 and of the Son Rom. 8.9 and procedeth from the Son in that he breathed him upon his disciples John 20.22 and yet is a distinct person from them both as appeareth Mat. 3.17 where the Father speaketh and the Holy Ghost descended and the Sun submitted his humane nature to baptisme and yet he is equall to the Father and the Son and therefore divine worship is due to him as to them Therefore it is fit that we know him in his nature and operations Mathe. I pray declare them to me Phila. I shall first he is eternall and was before the world Gen. 1.2 and cannot alter his nature and condition So secondly he is immense and so every where present Psal 139.7 and therefore he is at hand alwaies to give us his help and assistance Again he is omnipotent Rom. 15.19 all wonders and miracles were done by him and therefore he is able to deliver us and make us for ever most happy as well as he is omniscient knowing all our wants Acts 10.19 1 Cor. 2.10 Now for his effects they are either common or proper common to all creatures or all men To all creatures as in the creation when the spirit of God cowred on the waters and earth mixed together not yet separated as an hen sitting on egs thereby qualifying that chaos to take severall forms Gen. 1.2 which spirit also garnished the heavens Job 26.13 and is still sent forth to continue the creature by production and generation Psal 104.30 which kind of operation is common also to all men Job 33.4 the spirit of the Lord hath made me and not only so but the same spirit giveth inventions to men of Arts and Sciences as to Bezaleel and Aholiab Exod. 31.3 so to write excellent things for the common use of men so to qualifie Ministers with the gifts of prophecy and preaching and tongues yet not all with saving grace mat 7.22 So many men have illumination to discern of some doctrines of faith by drawing off the vaile that hangs before other mens eies though without application to themselves or correspondent practice of such knowledge Heb. 6.4 5. they have a taste but no delight nor digestion for it neither takes them from the love of the world nor makes them the more to love God or goodnesse yea and in other men he works restraining grace to forbear some foule sins as Abimelech to forbear Sarah Gen. 20.6 yea and to do some laudable actions contrary to their disposition 1 Sam. 10.10 when Saul prophecied which was so strange to the people that it became a proverb Is Saul also among the Prophets This restraining grace God giveth the wicked not sur their own but for the Churches sake who would by them otherwise in their lusts be basely defiled or utterly destroied Now there be other operations and effects of the spirit proper to the elect and some of them are generall and some particular the generall are the conception of Christ and the qualification of his humane nature to make it fir for the great work of redemption of the elect Isa 61.1 The spirit of the Lord is upon me to preach glad tidings c. which spirit he received without measure John 3.34 The second generall work is his dwelling in the elect by which they are made a temple for God 2 Cor. 6.10 and built together for Gods habitation Eph. 2.22 Also regeneration of them whereby they are washed and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 Then next he uniteth the elect into one mysticall body by faith and love in the bond of peace Beside Eph. 4.3 he hath particular operations in the singular persons of the elect as first he works in them liberty from the power of sin and ability to subdue the corruption in nature which neither naturall reason not morall prudence can do but where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.13 because the law of the spirit of life hath made us free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 And this the spirit doth by exercising of us in
upon the soule to which at first he gave being and making man the instrument to produce it in the seed Mathe. I pray give some places of Scripture to prove the production and some reasons drawn from thence for many places seem against it Phila. Some seem against it but are not so as Exod. 21.22 c. that a man if he hurt a woman with child and her fruit depart from her and yet mischief or death follow not i. upon the mother then the punishment shal be but a fine or mulct but if mischiefe or death follow then he shall pay life for life Now if this mischiefe or death be understood of the woman this place argueth nothing to the souls production by propagation If it be meant of the child then it must have life and how a reasonable creature can have life without the form of it viz. a reasonable soule I know not therefore the judgement surely was to be made upon the child quickning and so life was to answer for life but whether the soule be not infused before even at the conception is still questionable So Numb 27.16 he is called the God of spirits yet is he not also the God of our bodies yes sure as 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God in your bodies for they are Gods But Eccles 12.7 seemeth to make a greater difference for the body is said there to return to the dust but the spirit to God that gave it yet this proves only the soules immortall estate after death not any immediate creation of it except he relates to Adam whose creation was immediate of dust and his soule immediate from God but our bodies are not so and the question still remains whether the soule be not conveied by Gods speciall concurrence in propagation So Isa 57.16 it is said of God I will not alwaies contend lest the soules that I have made faile before me but that is meant by the generall life of all creatures Beside who knoweth not that God makes us we teach our children so to answer us in their Catechisme because God did it originally and doth it still by his benediction of parentall seed yet we know also that the parents beget the children So Ezek. 18. it is said all souls are mine but that is all persons So Zach. 12.1 It is said God formeth the spirit of man within him which no man will deny but the question is still of what whether of nothing or of the parents substance corporall and spirituall Indeed that place of Zachary intends the first mans forming as we see by his alledging Gods stretching forth of the heavens and laying the foundation of the earth which was at the creation or if he meaneth the souls of men since the creation then by forming cannot â—e understood creating of nothing But you will say that God is called the Father of Spirits in opposition to the fathers of our flesh but the opposition is not made there between God and man or soule and body but between naturall life and casuall correction and spirituall but be it meant of God and naturall parents yet it proves nothing to the souls production for he is the God of our body as well as of our spirits Mathe. But if the soule be of a spirituall substance and nature how can it be propagated in generation Phila. Because it is not propagated after a bodily manner though the whole man begets the whole man for the soule consisting rather of power then parts the propagation of it is by promotion rather than decision nor is the soule so spirituall as to be simply simple for only God is so but hath a spirituall composition though not elementary which the God of spirits can blow up to a flame which kindles presently upon fit matter by vertue of his first word given to the nature of man saying increase and multiply and by his continuall assistance to mans generation Mathe. But generation of souls argueth a corruption of souls and so it is not immortall Phila. It followeth not for the corruption of the soule in propagation is only a mutation from power to act and so is not corrupted by putrefaction but advanced by perfection it is the same as it was but not in the same manner as it was and so the soul propagated is not corrupted nor is the soule propagating corrupted for it is neither divided nor diminished no more then the flame of a lamp is by lighting another Mathe. But if it passe in propagation then if conception faile a soule is lost in the emission of seed for want of conception Phila. Not so for the soule is never procreated but in conception namely when the seed of male and female meet in one together with the efficient power of God concurring with all naturall causes for the production thereof therefore when conceptions faile the soule continueth as it was so in unlawfull copulations with other creatures God not conferring his power no rationall creature is brought forth but the soule remains without communication of it selfe Mathe. But if the soule be so traduced from the parents then from one of them or both and I see not how one soul can be divided nor yet how one soule can be made out of two Phila. It cannot be from one for the seed of neither male nor female alone conteins the matter and form of the creature to be produced but two do make one two in number and sex being united make a third and this is Gods ordinance in nature that mankind should be distinguished into two sexes and by their uniting again the whole kind should be preserved neither is the soule divided because it consists not of parts but powers and therefore the propagation of the soule is not done by decision Zanch. de tribus Elohim p. 2. l. 3. cap. 7. but by operation whereby the same power is effected in another which the soule hath in it selfe yet it is neither annihilated nor diminished because it is a spirituall nature as we understand God to beget his Son and communicates to him his whole essence and yet the Father retains his whole essence And this need not trouble us since we see the forms of other creatures are indivisible as well as mans soule and yet they beget their like without any division of their essentiall forms And for the making of one soule out of two you are to conceive how two in act may make one for man and wife is not only one flesh carnally but their very soules do so cleave together like Jonathan and David that they would become one which because they cannot do they by the assistance of God conspire with the fitnesse of other causes to produce another creature like themselves Athanas de var. p. 16. as flint and steel smote together begets fire which is the next creature that a fervent motion can beget Mathe. When do you judge the soule to be thus traduced Phila. At the first conception no doubt and
think themselves above Ordinances They may be in higher forms of knowledge and holy experience then some other Christians but so long as they are in Christs school no doubt but there will be something to be learned Ephes 4 13. whether they be schollers or masters till we come to the measure of the stature of Christ Mathe. How do the Scriptures set forth God to us Phila. By his attributes or qualifications which both the nature of the Godhead and naturall reason will acknowledge to be in him whereby it apprehends him for God being infinite cannot be fully apprehended nor defined by us but his nature is known by way of eminence as whatsoever good I find in the creature I attribute the same to God in the highest degree 2. By way of negation and so whatsoever deficiency I find in the Creature I deny any jot of it to be in God 3. By causation because when I see the creatures I cannot conceive they made themselves but were caused by some being far above themselves and thus even naturall men are led unto God But the Scriptures set him out more clearly to us in his essence and his attributes 1. That he is an essence most highly perfect therefore called Jehovah I am that I am signifying that he is Being in himselfe of himselfe Exod. 3.14 and by himselfe and so is the principle of all beings in whom all things live move and have being and so he is justly called Essence And that this essence subsisteth in three persons Father Son and Holy Spirit who in heaven bear record to the Scriptures truth 1 John 5.7 And in regard of this plurality of persons God is called Elohim Lords 2. The Scripture sets him forth to us by divers attributes by which we have a clearer apprehension of him to our capacity which cannot in any one word apprehend his nature Now some of these we find in the creatures others not for some of them cannot be communicated to any but himselfe Mathe. Which are his incommunicable attributes and what use can we make of them Phila. The first is simplicity of essence by which we know he is uncompounded without parts matter or form 1 Tim. 1.7 The second is his infinitenesse without measure quantity Psal 145.3 or determination of time and place or quantity vertue power 3. He is eternall without beginning of time past or end in respect of time to come 4. 1 Sam. 13.23 He is immutable without alteration or corruption change or shadow of change Jer. 23.28 5. He is unmeasurable without circumscription of place without increase or decrease within and without every place 1 Kin. 8.27 Mathe. Of what use are these to us Phila. 1. If God be purely simple then we know thereby that God is but one and full of all perfection that he is true and sincere in his promises nor can deceive any from which consideration ariseth the certainty of our salvation It teacheth us also to avoid hypocrifie and embrace sincerity onenesse and singlenesse of heart and soule and to strive to be like God only without mixture of sin in our affections 2. If he be infinite then to admire his greatnesse and his goodnesse his love and his mercy and to love him infinitely for it By his eternity I have assurance of an election before the world and everlasting life after it in him who hath neither beginning nor end His immutability cals to us for unchangeablenesse in our faith hope and charity by any crosses or afflictions which are all sent from God that is immutable in his love and promises So his immensity and ubiquity ought to confirm us in his providence because he is a God not only neer but a God also afarre off and to avoid sin because we are alwaies in his sight especially hypocrisie because he is within us as wel as without us and also to fly superstitious worshipping of Saints or Angels since he himselfe is neer to all that call upon him Mathe. Which are his incommunicable attributes Phila. Those whose shadowes we find in our selves as life wisedome will and power which are to be conceived in God absolutely abstractively and essentially as that he is life it selfe wisedome freedome and power it selfe not as they are in us finitely imperfectly and mutably but they are spoke of God for our capacity sake without which terms we can understand nothing of God Mathe. Why what do we know of God hereby Phila. 1. By life we understand Gods most simple and infinite activity by which he doth please to act himselfe and all things else And this argueth him to differ transcendently from all fained gods and creatures which have their life only by his communication of life to them yet not as the eternall Son who hath life from the Father by immanency in him and by emanation from him but by participation John 5.26 John 1.4 not of himselfe but of some vertue from himselfe Therefore as God the Father hath life in himselfe so hath he given the Sonne to have life in himselfe and this life is the light of men and through the energie of the spirit quickneth all things that hath life For as God made the Sun to be the center of light naturall so he hath ordained Christ to be the center of life naturall in the creation and also the center of spirituall life in regeneration by which we come to be partakers of the divine nature and so finally of life eternally 2. By his wisdome we understand and is signified unto us that God knoweth and understandeth all things infinitely and most simply plainly and distinctly at once not successively or discoursively and therefore praescience and foreknowledge and remembrance is improperly attributed to God saving for our understanding This attribute teacheth us that all wisedome in the creature comes from God Jam. not to feare any troubles in the world raised by Satan or wicked men but resolve to endure with patience because they are permitted by the wise God for ends best known to himselfe for he knowes of them sees and smiles at the madnesse of men who like foolish children desire of their fathers knives and daggers which having got they wound others and themselves worst 3. By Gods wil is signified Gods infinite free approbation or disallowance of what he wisely knoweth to be approved or disallowed so that he neither begins to will what once he would not nor can be hindred to do what he will Now this will hath divers terms in Scripture according to the divers objects of it As 1. Truth because he willeth constantly what he willeth Rom. 3.4 So goodnesse because he is willing and propense to do good to his creature So Love because he is willing to approve what is good and to be well pleased with it So hatred because he is not willing to allow evill but is most willing to punish it because he doth detest it So his justice because
election Psal 42.11 and for assurance leave it to God to give it thee as a comfort and crown of all thy labors as he did to Henoch before he was translated Heb. 11.5 So when thou hast endured the staggerings of David the sufferings of Job and the buffetings of Paul then God will tell thee his grace is sufficient for thee Let others boast they have it do thou use all diligence for it and let patience have its perfect work James that when you have done all you may find it at last 3. Do not dispute with God why he would not elect these but those but rest in St Pauls rule Prosp de vocal Rom. 9. that God was willing this way to reveal his goodnesse and justice If God hath ordained any to life it was graciously if any to punishment it was judicially and what you cannot comprehend do not reprehend lest God reprove thee as Job 38.2 But know God is just in all his waies and holy in all his workes 4. Labour to answer the temptations that arise from predestination and reprobation 1. From predestination as thus I am elected then I may live dissolutely and despise ordinances as being above them Not so for God did insure Ezekiah fifteen years of life will he therefore not eat or be carelesse of himselfe God forbid So neither must we for then election is not a decree absolute but dissolute 2. From the conceit of thy reprobation thou shalt be abetted in that conceit thus It is true thou art called but many are called which were never chosen thou canst not prove thy selfe to be one of the few yes if I come in at the call for I dare not think that God will deceive me by inviting me to bread and giving me a stone or giving me a stomack and means to starve me Beside I am bound upon my allegiance to God to beleeve that if he hath called me then he hath elected me till for my offending him or to try me he withdrawes the comfort thereof from me by making me to suspect my selfe by examining me how I came in not having on a wedding garment 2. Another temptation may arise in thy heart saying God by his revealed will would have all men to be saved but by his concealed will many are reprobated Now consider therefore God hath not two wils but in his word he expresseth his well wishing to all that they may be saved but foreseeing they will not all be saved he positively determines that all shall not be damned and therefore resolveth to give the Antidote of his saving grace to some without preventing any of sufficient means to be saved though he give them not the same efficacy to the means to draw them to faith and repentance as he doth to the elect 3. Another temptation to know thee desperate is this That though God offers the means of faith and repentance yet he intendeth that the major part of men shall not beleeve nor repent In this case bid Satan avoid for I have not to do with Gods secrets I am content to believe that he would have me do what he bids me do and therefore come of it what will I will trust God and exercise my selfe to keep a conscience void of offence toward God and man and so in well doing I will commit my selfe to him as to a faithfull Creator and hope to find my name at last in this book of Gods secret internall operation through Jesus Christ whom he hoth sent Mathe. What are those works of God called externall wherein the whole Trinity have also an equall hand Phila. These are the executions of his internall purposes or operations in his secret decrees For as God purposed before time so in his beginning to measure time he produced a world of visible and invisible creatures Polanus lib. 1. c. 37. all which were made for the Scriptures sake though written afterward that the will of God expressed in Scriptures might have an evident declaration by the works made before they were written Mat. 5. and before one jot of this word fail heaven and earth must vanish Now with the work of creation began time which God pleased to make the measure of his works and the beginning of his own revelation Psal 90 2. Aegyptians monas solitaria who was God from everlasting yet but like a solitary unite or a point which by creation was deduced into lines or like the top of a Pyramid which from one small point spreads in the basis to a great circumference Or as indeed the Jewish Cabalists say God was at first before creation a dark letter that could not be spelled nor read but by himselfe and so was a God that lay hid as in secret Isa 45.15 as saith the Prophet but by creation and the work of redemption became lucid and apparent by communicating himselfe in his wisdome and works And this time began 5605. years agoe reckoning backward from the present year 1656. by common account of Astronomers who differ somewhat among themselves The Scripture account is best which reckons the worlds age to be about 5721. But no Astronomers do so differ as to give occasion to men to think the world to be eternall or without beginning or that it was before Moses account as the Zabii who pretend that one Janbosher was Adams Tutor and our Praeadamites who dream of a world before the world and so would make us think to no end that the world will have no end as well as no beginning Mathe. Where were all these things before the Creation Phila. They were in God as notions in our mind by representation or as flowers in their roots in the winter invisibly or as Idea's in our minds before they be brought into act Mathe. But now God being an internall mind and pure act why not the world eternally produced God being neither sedent nor cessant Phila. Because if the world were coeternall with God it must be a Deity and then the visible creature might be worshipped as well as the invisible God nor then can the world have any end but must be a perpetuall motion of generation and corruption which were easie to beleeve if we had not an infallible revelation to the contrary for great learned men have thought so Osellus Lucianus Aristotle But the holy Scriptures tell us that the world was made Gen. 1. and that Wisedome was before the earth or heavens Prov. 8.23 And as they were made so they shall perish Psal 102.26 As it did in 1656. by a Dropsie so at last by a burning Feaver when Gods determined week is finished in whose account a thousand years is but as one day 2 Pet. 3.7 to the 12. when the elements shall melt with fervent heat Beside we never did find any authentick writer mention a world before Moses account Therefore let us not be wise above what is written but rest in Scripture which saith God in
move Acts 17.28 and have being but especially the godly who are effectually baptized into those names which are three in one as the three rooms in one Ark. The divers creatures in the Ark shew the mixture of the Church visible consisting of reasonable and unreasonable clean and unclean wheat and tares good and bad And in that there were seven couples of clean and but one couple of unclean it shewes that reprobates have little to do in Gods true Church and though some yet are they nothing in comparison of those that are out of the Church visible So Noah being Master and Lord of all these might well type forth Christ under whose feet God hath put all things in subjection Psal 8. Mathe. What signification of Christ and his Church had Moses Tabernacle and Solomons Temple Phila. Very great and lively For 1. Moses Tabernacle was a type of the Church Catholick as it is militant wandring in this world and discontinuing from the Lord. Bed de tab lib. 1. c. 1. Chrys in Psa 5 And by Solomons Temple the Catholike Church triumphant in heaven which Churches though two in number are but one in Christian faith Both these viz. Tabernacle and Temple typed Christ First the Tabernacle did because Christ is said to dwell or pitch his Tabernacle as the Greek word signifieth in Joh. 1.18 so did the Temple too Beza in John 1.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore he said dissolve this Temple and I will build it again in three dayes meaning the Temple of his body Joh. 2.19 21. well so called being the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Col. 2.9 even as the Tabernacle and Temple was sometimes filled with the glory of God Exod. 40.34 and 1 Kin. 8.10 And as these typed out Christ so they did the Church both in the whole body and the members of it 1. In the whole called the house of God 1 Tim. 3.15 and Rev. 21.3 Now Jerusalem is called the Tabernacle of God because he meant to dwell with men by the Gospel ruling in their hearts as once he did in the Temple of old Jerusalem 2. In the members of it Therefore Eph. 2.21 they are called a Temple and ver 22. an habitation of God by the spirit and a Temple of the Holy Ghost Haymo in Rev. 21. 1 Cor. 6.19 whose greatnesse though the world cannot contain yet he is content to dwell in a contrite heart But beside if we consider the place where Moses received the platform of the Tabernacle it will be more clear Moses received it in Horeb which signifieth a drie desart as Sinai or Seneh a bush in which God at first appeared to him The dry desart signified the world wherein the Law of God is given The burning bush the fiery afflictions of the Church in this land of thorns The man Moses that was faithfull in all the work of the Tabernacle having received it from God did well represent Christ who received from the bosome of his Father what things he delivered for the rearing up of his Church and so was as Moses a Mediator between God and his people Exod. 35.30 34. The chiefe workmen typed out the Apostles that had their gifts by infusion as Bezaleel and Aholiab of Judah and Dan signifying praise and judgement and were indeed Arch-builders as 1 Cor. 3.10 and so to be esteemed of all men Those that were subordinate to them might prefigure out inferiour ministers of which every one must prove faithfull 1 Cor. 4.1 So the people offering typed forth those in after times under the Gospell that should freely give themselves first to God and then of their goods liberally for the upholding Gods Church and service so often prophecied of Psal 45.12 Psal 110.3 Psal 72.10 11. and Isa which was fulfilled by the Eastern Magi Mat. 2. and by the Primitive Converts Acts 2. And so also by the many indowments of the Church given by Princes and others who beleeved the Gospell Besides the time of setting up the Tabernacle and Temple had relation to Christs comming Exod. 24. for as that was set up by Moses in the seventh month and the Temple by Solomon in seven years 1 Kin. 6.37 38. and in the seven sevens of years the second Temple was finished So after seventy sevens of years Dan. 9.25 from the Angell Gabriels speech to Daniel Christ the Messiah came from heaven and took up an earthly temple of our nature laied it down by death for our sins and raised it up again for our justification upon which doctrine he hath built his Church of which the Jewish was but a shadow This may further be understood by the triple division of this Tabernacle and Temples rooms which were three Fist the Court. Secondly the holy place and the most holy The most holy place was divided from the holy by a vaile Heb. 9.3 Heb. 10.20 This vaile typed Christs flesh which like Moses vaile hid his glorious appearance from our dull sight But when his flesh was rent upon the crosse the vaile of his divine power appeared by renting the vail of the Temple making as it were a way for us to come to the mercy seat Heb. 9.5 for within this vaile it stood Mathe. What signification had the matter of the utensils of that house to the Church Christian Phila. Very much being shadowes of things to come Col. 2. Rab. Maurus in Ex. l. 3. c. 10. For the matter of the boords and pillars being either Shittim wood incorruptible by nature it typed forth Christs body which never saw corruption and the body of beleevers too to whom sin shall not be imputed and from whom at last all corruption shall be removed 1 Cor. 15.53 The silver sockets may figure faith which joineth Christ and the Church together The coverings Christs protection under which the Church doth alwaies shroud her selfe Mathe. And what may the rooms signifie Phila. Surely the most holy place might well figure out the heavens for in them is the true mercy seat and glorious cherubins Orig. in Exod. Bed de tab l. 2. c. 13. into which Christ entred once for all to appear before God for us Heb. 9.12 24. In type whereof the High Priest in the Law entred once a year but Christ once for ever to take possession for us till the vaile of the earth rent to give way to our bodies at the resurrection to take possession of the heavens most holy place The holy place signified the Church on earth Orig. in Lev. 16.12 who must here offer up praier and praise in the name of Christ till he come again and our sacrifice of obedience taught us by word and sacraments which requires us to offer our selves a living sacrifice to God Rom. 12.1 for which he hath made us Priests as well as Kings Rev. 1. ◠to suppresse our rebellious corruptions In regard whereof the Church is called holy as the heavens is the most
broken and his blood shed though the Papists love to call it so the more easily to make people beleeve that Christs very flesh is there present The bread for number being twelve great cakes Tremelius on the Ephab Exod. 16.36 and in respect of their order being six in a rank one against the other seemeth to represent Christs twelve disciples whom he sent out two by two This order of setting them is found by the Hebrew word Grerec which signifieth the order of martiall ranks So these being preserved for the Priests eating it sheweth 1. Who hath right to the holy bread of the Lords Table even such as are called to be holy Priests to God as none might eat of these but the Priests only It is true that David and his men did so but it was in case of great necessity wherein charity dispensed with the Law and in some cases the Communion cannot be denied to some not prepared according to the strict order of the Sanctuary as Judas was not and yet received the holy Supper yet examples are no rules when they vary from common Law Also it sheweth that God will provide for those that serve at his Altar and Table in despight of the envious world Psal 23. 1 Cor. The frank incense which with the bread was taken off and was offered to God signified the thanksgiving which we are to offer to God for all his benefits Hieron in Eccl. especially for feeding us by his Word and Sacraments for which our praier should be directed like incense Psal 142.2 Mathe. What means the seven fold golden Candlestick Phila. No doubt Christ and his Church and that in respect of the matter form and use of the Candlestick 1. In regard of the matter it was beaten gold The gold sheweth the pretiousnesse of Christ and the Church both of one mettall Heb. 2.11 The form shewed also Christ to be the middle and chiefest shaft or stock into the which the rest are ingraffed for he is the Vine and the Church are his branches This Candlestick was beaten out by the hammer Haym in Rev. 11. so was Christ and his Church by divers strokes God smit the Shepherd and the world scattered the flock by persecution Or if this hammer be taken in a good sense it signifieth the Scripture which is Gods hammer saith the Prophet to which Christ was conformed Psal 22. and by which the Church is and must be framed by Christs ministers as this Candlestick was by Bezaleel and Aholiab Exod. 31. driven out to and fro till she hath attained her perfection in Christs juncture as the children of Israel was in the wildernesse driven up and down to 42. stations and the Church from Abraham to Christ Mat. 1. was through forty two generations the true number of the Bowls Knops and Flowers of this Candlestick Exod. 25. The use of this Candlestick was to support the lamps of oile-Olive to give light clearly and continually Greg. Mor. lib. 18. cap. 32. This light signified Christ who is the true light that enlightneth every man Joh. 1.14 and also Christs true disciples who are the light of the world Mat. 5.14 Christ is the light enlightning his disciples the light enlightned These lamps may also signifie the word which St Peter calleth a light set in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 which word of prophecie is neither legall or evangelicall which two like two olive trees seen of Zachary cap. 4. feeds these lamps with oile Mathe. What were the adjuncts of the most holy place Phila. You know that I told you before that this most holy place signified the heavens the adjuncts were the Ark and the golden Censer The Ark was made of Shittim wood overlaied within and without with gold In this Ark were put the tables of the Law and so might well type forth the glorious humane nature of Christ Bed de Taber in whom was hidden all the treasures of wisedome Col. 2.3 And he indeed did only keep the Law of God entire The cover of this Ark was called by the Septuagint in their translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reconciliation and so St Paul useth their Greek word Rom. 3.25 But in Heb. 9.5 this cover is called the Mercy Seat This may well signifie Christ also whom God hath set forth to be our reconciliation Greg. Mag. in Ezek. lib. 1. hom 6. who covereth all our sins committed against the holy Tables by his glorious merits and all our sins by his love and so make us a blessed people Psal 32.1 This mercy seat was shadowed by two golden Cherubins with stretched out wings and from one end to the other and their faces bending downward as looking into the Ark as desirous to behold the great mystery of mans redemption signified hereby 1 Pet. 1.12 Here God promised to make declaration of his mind to Aaron Exod. 25.22 and we can have no comfortable answer nor apparition of God but by Christ the mercy seat Two other things were set by this Ark of Testimony or before it namely Aarons rod that budded to convince the peoples rebellion against him Numb 16.17 Isa 53.2 This rod might as it was a dry stick signifie Christ who though he seemed as contemptible Orig. in Ex. c. 25. yet brought miraculous fruits to mankind enough to prove that he was chosen of God though rejected of men As also the flourishing fruit of the Gospels discipline in the hearts of men by Gods powerfull blessing though the ministry seems to the world as foolishnesse Bed yet it shall prove as the scepter of Christ The reservation of this rod of Aaron shewed that the ministry of Christ our High Priest will ever and anon be quarrelled against by those who shal think themselves holy enough for the ministry til God stop their murmurings by some extraordinary work and shall cast away the rod of their presumption as things of no value as he hath done that of Rome and many other Hereticks and Sectaries making the true ministry of the Gospell flourish above all as he hath done the Protestant Religion in the hearts of people beyond all the feined miracles of Rome which is the right Epistle of recommendation to the truth preached 2 Cor. 3.2 3. Thus Aarons rod signified Christ and Gospell-ministry First Christ who seemed in the promise but a dry stick but in the Prophets as this rod blossoming but in the Gospell as this rod bringing forth ripe fruit Secondly the Ministry of the Gospell in doctrine and discipline First in discipline as 1 Cor. 4.21 shall I come to you with a rod. Secondly in the doctrin which at first worketh on the affections invisibly next in the tongue it blossomes by good words and lastly in the life by laudable deeds As for the pot of manna which was here reserved it shewed not only how God had fed their fathers in the wildernesse and so stirred them up to thankfulnesse but was
bring both to passe 1. His salvation being he was born to be a King a Priest and a Prophet by which three offices he could effect all that belonged to mans salvation To deliver as a King to instruct him as a Prophet Acts 4.12 to purge him from sin as a Priest 2. To bring him to peace with God above him and to peace about him with Angels and men to peace within him in his conscience and to peace belowe him for hell cannot hurt him though it would all which may be gathered from the Angels song Luke 2.14 But to the wicked it brought judgement even to make them stumble and fall Luke 2.34 because he brought light and men loved darknesse rather John 3.19 Beside nothing about his birth but had some effectuall signification for he was born at Bethelem the house of bread to shew that in effect he should be the bread of the houshold of faith So born in the fulnesse of time when the Church was at the lowest ebbe and no hope on earth was left for it to effect faith in the Church that God could help when all help in man was past So he was born poor and thereby not only made us rich but also taught us with him to trample upon world pomp and glory since by lying in the manger he procured us an heavenly mansion And the very publishing of his birth unto the wisemen and simple shepherds to Gentiles and Jewes to Anna as well as Simeon shewed that his birth should take effect on Jewes and Greeks learned and simple male and female and all should be one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.21 Mathe. I pray tell me how could Christ suffer being God and man 2. Why he so suffered and what is the effect of it upon us Phila. For the first Quere how Christ suffered We understand that though the sufferings of Christ belonged to his whole person and so is attributed to both natures yet only to the humane nature sensibly and to the divine relatively For the divine nature cannot suffer being immutable nor die being immortall yet as his person consisteth of both natures his sufferings belonged to both For the word divine was not severed from the humane nature neither in his birth nor suffering Nor was the nature inviolable hurt by the sufferings of the nature passible no more then the beams of the Sun that shineth on a tree is wounded by the Axe that felleth the tree And thus we are to understand those phrases Acts 20.28 that God redeemed the Church with his blood and 2 Cor. 2.8 the Lord of Glory was crucified 2. The reason why he suffered for us as it was not casuall but by divine providence the drops of his cup were measured by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God And this was so 1. That the Scripture might be fulfilled Luke 24.26 27. and God found true of his word just in all his waies not sparing his own Son being but surety for us how can wilfull sinners expect to escape Gods wrath 2. That he might revive the pattern of patience almost decaied and lost and leave it to us to imitate 1 Pet. 2.21 That we might be consecrated by affliction as he the Prince of our salvation was 3. That he might deliver us from the bondage of the ceremoniall Law Gal. 3.13 Also that he being made sensible of our sufferings might become a more mercifull High Priest to us and more apt to succour us in temptations Heb. 2.17 and 4.15 Beside he suffered that he might reconcile us to God 1 Pet. 3.18 by being made an expiation for us and condemning our sins in his flesh Isa 53.5 and Rom. 8.3 For if one died for all then are all dead to that fault for which he died so that our disease of sin is cured by the mediation of his passion and by the speciall vertue of his Ordinances operating in us by the Holy Ghosts application of Christs sufferings to us Lastly that we might being sprinkled with his blood enter within the vaile namely into heaven the Holy of Holies from whence for sin we are shut out as well as out of paradise Mathe. What use may we make of this Phila. 1. It teacheth that those sufferings have relation only to the Son not to the Father nor to the Holy Ghost 2. To wonder at this gracious work that the Son of God should be condemned by the sons of men that righteousnesse it selfe should be condemned by the unrighteous that the God of order should be corrected with rods that the nower of God should be weakned salvation wounded and life killed Also to think on the hatefulnesse of sin that brings God to suffering and to be pitifully affected with the sufferings of such an eminent person yet to wax strong in faith because such an one hath made satisfaction 1 John 3.7 and to be ready to suffer from wicked men because he did so Heb. 12.3 and 1 Pet. 2.18 And farther to distinguish rightly for whom he suffered It was not for all but for all the elect therefore Mat. 26.28 it is said his blood is shed for many for Christ will not know some Mat. 7.23 Nor did he pray for the world but for those that God gave him out of the world So he gave his life for his sheep not for goats nor swine for his righteousnesse extends to all them that beleeve Rom. 3.22 As those were only cured that looked on the brazen serpent and turn from transgression in Jacob Isa 59.20 and are ruled by the voice of this Shepherd and are conformed to his Image by afflictions and that dedicate their lives and services to him that died for them 2 Cor. 5.15 All which should make us 1. To be affected with his love which was never paralleld The just died for the unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 whereas few or none will die for a just man Rom. 5.7 but he for us which were ungodly yea his enemies Rom. 5.10 and never sought to him for any kindnesse much lesse thought of such a kindnesse that Piety would be scourged for impious man Wisdome derided for fools â— Truth denied for lyars Justice condemned for unjust men Life to die for dead men 2. To be ready to suffec for him or for one another 1 John 3.16 And 3. To plead his sufferings before God against our sins and satans accusations and not to feare but that seeing such a price is paid for our reconcilement that God will save us being reconciled Rom. 5.10 And 4. Being this sweet Passeover is sacrificed for us to purge away the old leaven of malice and wickednesse and all corruptions and become a new lump full of sincerity and truth 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Mathe. How can the suffering of one satisfie for the sins of many and how is it just in God to punish the righteous for the unrighteous Phila. His suffering is a sufficient satisfaction for all because of the dignity of his person God and Man which made
the world first by the power of his word preached and next by the power of his last comming to judgement Mathe. What benefits have we by his resurrection Phila. Surely very many as first the confirmation of our faith in Christ that he was the Son of God because he raised himselfe from the dead and that we are justified from our sins or else why is our surety let out of the prison of his grave but that Gods justice is fully satisfied Rom. 4. and the last verse Again it causeth a twofold resurrection in us first from sin to a new life of grace Rom. 6.4 Secondly of our bodies from the grave 1 Thes 4.14 so it gives us an hope of heavenly inheritance 1 Pet. 1.3 4. The reason whereof is because Christ sustained our persons in himselfe and so we have our part both in his death and resurrection Rom. 8.11 Therefore this doctrine ought ever to be remembred 2 Tim. 2.8 not only in our head but in our life by standing up from the dead Eph. 5.14 lest if we have no part in the first resurrection we lose also our part in the second And remembred it ought to be the rather because it may comfort against the most sad afflictions Esa 26.19 from whence Christ can raise us So against the fear of Gods wrath because it is fully satisfied from which baptism a type of the ark and of our rising with Christ above the deluge of Gods justice doth now save us 1 Pet. 3.21 and against the power of death Rom. 8.11 which by vertue hereof is so subdued that it shall not alwaies suppresse us Mathe. For what end or purpose did Christ ascend into heaven Phila. To fulfill what was foreshewed in legall types and shadowes of him As the high Priest of the Jewes entring into the most holy place Heb. 7.26 which was a type of heaven as he himselfe was of Christ So to shew that he fulfilled all things on earth which concerned our redemption and reconciliation and therefore now ascended in triumph leading captivity captive as Abraham did the forces of the four Kings Psal 68.18 and as Barack did the Midianites and so enter into his glory prepared Iohn 17.5 through the gates of heaven intimated Psal 24.7 and so demonstrate that Angels and principalities and powers were made subject to him 1 Pet. 3.22 Also that in Heaven he might make intercession for us Heb. 9.24 who yet are in this world as in the outward court of the most holy place where the Jewes stood when the High Priest entred to make an attonement for them he being sprinkled with blood having the holy censer with sweet incense in his hand by which means he hath opened a way for us into heaven Heb. 10.10 as he had promised and now performed it John 14.2 3 Eph. 2.6 by carrying our flesh into heaven as a pledge that we should all follow that beleeve in him also that we might place our mind where our treasure is and not misplace them on earthly things Col. 3.1 nor to dream of his bodily presence in this world as if we would know him still after the flesh This doctrine of Christs ascension should make us to forsake sin and satan not be subject to that slave which Christ hath led captive So to be willing to die that we may go to the place which Christ hath entred for us and therefore not to mourn immoderately for the dead in Christ who are seized of heaven already Mathe. What is meant by Christs sitting on Gods right hand for I conceive not God to have either right or left hand nor how Christ is tied to any such posture Phila. You are to understand that sitting so importeth in Scripture abiding or habitations as Luke 24.49 sometime judiciary power as Solomon was said to sit on the throne of his Father though he was not alwaies tied to that posture 1 Kin. 2.30 So by right hand is understood power and help and glory Psal 44.3 Sometimes therefore as man is said to be helped by Gods power and protected when he standeth on his right hand Psal 16.8 or holdeth by his right hand Psal 73.23 So one is exalted when one is said to be on Christs right hand Psal 45.29 which is spoken of the Church So Christ by his sitting is understood to rest in felicity from all his labor and pain and on Gods right hand having dignity imperiall and power judiciall so that we are to understand by his sitting on Gods right hand that he doth not only rest in joy and felicity but hath obtained the highest dignity above all men and Angels Eph. 1.28 and that he is copartner with his father in his Kingdome and therefore he hath power over all things in heaven and in earth Mat. 28.18 not that God the Father ceaseth to rule but that he pleaseth to administer his Kingdome by his Son yet he also makes Christs enemies his footstool Psal 110.1 till which time Christ must reign by and in the Kingdome of grace 1 Cor. 15. but then he shall deliver up this Kingdome to God the Father i. the rule which he exerciseth now by Gospell means shal cease when his enemies are subdued and the elect fully gathered and glorified not that his Kingdome by which he is equall with God shall cease for of that his Kingdome shall be no end but of that Kingdome by which he governeth by means and holy methods of Word and Sacraments and mysteries of godlinesse Now then who can be ashamed of Christs service who is so great a potentate but rather to submit to his government with all reverence and conscience of his greatnesse and power that so we may shew our selves worthy subjects and servants to him lest we cause that blessed name to be blasphemed by which we are called And who can choose but trust in him for provision in all wants and deliverance in all temptations of satan or any adversity since our Saviour hath an universall power by sitting at the right hand of God Mathe. Whether is this the uttermost degree of Christs honor and exaltation Phila. No for he shall come from thence to judge the world In which we are to consider many things for the terror of some and the comfort of others Mathe. What need or why must there be a judgement day Phila. First for the confusion of wicked men who have mocked at it 2 Pet. 3.3 whom he confutes in that chapter first of being ignorant that the world was made by the Word of God and that he destroied once by water Gen. 7.11 in the 600. year of Noahs life and that the world which is now is reserved for fire unto the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men foretold by Isa 66.15 Dan. 7.10 Mal. 4.1 and threatning a fire that shall consume the wicked both root and branch Secondly he shewes the reason why God deferreth it not that he is slack in his purpose but
wicked Psal 10.11 God hideth his face and will not see it and as Psal 50.21 because God winked they thought he was blind Mathe. What be their errors Phila. 1. That the morall Law is of no use to beleevers not so much as a rule of life or examination and yet Christ preacheth it and presseth it Mat. 5. and more closely then ever it was before even to rectifie the spirit and passions as well as the outward manners So they say that it is as possible for Christ to sin as a child of God But as Christ did never sin so now being glorified it is impossible he should but we have sinned and though regenerate yet so long as we carry about this body of flesh in some things we shall offend but not to condemnation So they say that a child of God ought not to ask pardon for sin and it is blasphemy so to do But I will trust Christ before them who taught us to say Forgive us our trespasses Vid. Cypr. in Dom. Orat. and will imitate David who did ask God forgivenesse as you find Psal 25. and Psal 51. So they say God doth not chasten any of his children for sin but yet sin is the moving cause and subject of Gods punishments though not alwaies the finall cause of Gods chastisements but rather for probation of faith and patience If these doctrins were true these men may sin by authority and no conscience being made of sin who would deal with them but upon good security These doctrins opening so easie a way to heaven it is no wonder but they have many followers For they say that in conversion a mans soule hath no operations but the spirit of God only instead of them yet Christ opened his disciples understandings to apprehend the Scriptures Luk. 24.45 So they say that the soul may be united with Christ and yet he an hypocrite yet he that hath the new man is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4.24 So they say that a man must take no notiee of sin or repentance yet David doth Psal 51. Also that it is a damnable error to make sanctification an evidence of justification yet St Paul saith otherwise Rom. 8.1.30 namely Vid. Mr. Wels his tract that such walk after the spirit and those that are justified are glorified i. sanctified which is the inchoation of glory Mathe. How may one farther discover them Phila. As a Familist is best discovered by trying whether he will abjure Henry Nicolas and his doctrine so may Antinomians by certain phrases which they commonly use and by other teners which they hold very strange and dangerous which I have not yet told you Mathe. I pray what are they Phila. 1. That the Law or preaching of it is of no use to drive us to Christ yet Paul cals it a Schoolmaster to that purpose 2. That a man is justified without faith and that from eternity yet Paul saith we are justified by faith and so have peace with God Rom. 8.1 We know God justifieth his people in his purpose from all eternity but it is conveied to them in time actually by their faith 3. That we are united to Christ by the work of the spirit without any act of ours yet Paul exhorts us to give up our selves to God Rom. 12.1 and saith that we work together with God 4. That a man is not Christs till he have full assurance yet David sometime was beside the rock Psal 41. and Paul was buffeted 2 Cor. 12. And 5. That the witnesse of the spirit is without any respect to the word or concurrence with it But then how shall I try the spirit whether it be good or bad Paul saith beleeve not every spirit then I must trie it or else beleeve it or censure it without triall and if I must try it I must have a rule to try it by and that must be the word or nothing 6. When a man hath this witnesse of the spirit he never doubts yet David did Psal 37. Psal 71. And 7. Assurance must not be questioned though one commit murder or adultery yet David praied for the spirit after those sins committed Psal 51. This doctrine will make a bold sinner and a presumptuous insurer of himselfe So 8. They say that sanctification is no evidence of a mans good estate yet Paul saith that holinesse is the end of our calling and if so then holinesse is an evidence that I am effectually called 9. They say that to see I have no grace will give me comfort yet St Paul finds no comfort seeing in his flesh he found no good thing but rather crieth out upon himselfe O miserable man Rom. 7. yea they say to take comfort at the sight of any grace is legall and yet grace came not by the Law John 1. but by Jesus Christ and so it is evangelicall to find Gospell grace in us and to take comfort in it 10. They say that an hypocrite may have the same grace that Adam had in his innocency yet most conclude that Adam was created in Gods image which consisted in righteousnesse and true holinesse which two qualities no hypocrite can have So 11. They say there is no difference between the graces of the Saints and hypocrites yet Iob saith the hope of the hypocrite is like the web of the spider spun out of their own phantasie and easily removed so is not the hope of the Saints for it is woven out of Gods promises which makes the Saints so settle upon an everlasting foundation So 12. They say that all grace is in Christ as in the proper subject of it and that we have none in us as if Christ beleeves and Christ loves for us 2 Tim. 1.5 yet Paul finds faith in Timothy and Christ supposeth love to be in his disciples when he said if you love me keep my Commandements Iohn 14.15 So 13. They say Christ is the new creature yet Paul saith 2 Cor. 5.17 he that is in Christ is a new creature So 14. They hold that God loveth a man never the more for his holinesse nor the lesse for his wickednesse but Moses tels us otherwise saying God had respect to Abels offering not to Cains So 15. That sin in a child of God must not trouble him but surely then David might have saved much sorrow expressed in his penitential Psalms and Christs affirmation of the Angels rejoycing at a sinners repenting may be dis-believed for they rejoyce not at our doing amiss So 16. Trouble of conscience for sin shews one under the covenant of works yet Paul commends godly sorrow in the Corinthians 2 Cor. 7.9 who were believers But what if such trouble of minde do argue one sometimes under the spirit of bondage or the law of works yet this may be a means to make us sigh the more after freedome and doth commonly bring his children to Sion by Sinai to freedome by bondage Rom. 8.15 So 17. They say a Christian is not
regulated yet not Episcopacy be extirped since it hath been alwaies held and found to be the bond of Church-union and separation from it the symboll of faction Therefore the ancient Writers counted those that would not be subject to them to be worse then infidels for they held the Church had her externall being and constitution by Bishops and they that did not communicate with Episcopacy were not in the Church Yea more Cyp Ep. 27. in Ep. ad Flo. Pupianum Clem. Ep. 1.3 Ruff. transl Russinus is so bold to say that all Priests Clergy men people nations and languages that would not obey their Bishops should be shut from the communion of the holy Church here and of heaven hereafter Mathe. Many found fault as much with the Liturgy as with Episcopacy Phila. They found none but fained some They pretended that set forms of praier were not to be used in the Church neither considering the authority antiquity nor the conveniency of it First not the authority as that it was appointed by God himselfe Num. 6.23 where the Priests are appointed to blesse the people in a set form of words So Deut. 26.13 the people are injoined a set form of praier after the paiment of his tiths Nor do they consider that the book of Psalms are all set forms of praier or praise and delivered to chiefe Musitians to be set to divers instruments to praise God withall 1 Chron. 16.7 and 1 Chron. 25.3 and 2 Chron. 30.21 and Ezra 3.11 Nor do they discern that Christ gave his Disciples a set form first giving it them as a pattern in the first year of his ministry Mat. 6.9 and in the third year of his ministry gives it them as a praier expresly to be used Luke 11.2 when you pray say Our Father which praier is not of extempore conception neither for we may find in old Jewish Euchologues most of the petitions not that Christ need to borrow of any but he did it to shew that truth was his freehold wheresoever he found it and to teach us to subject our selves to the spirit in ancient truths rather then to affect extempore raptures Nor do they perceive the antiquity of set forms in the N. T. Church for we find St James the first Bishop of Jerusalem was the first setter forth of Liturgies and he placed there by the Apostles So Titus was left in Creet to set in order things than were wanting and what things they were being they had the Gospell and Sacraments let any man tell you except they were Church Rituals Ignatius also Bishop of Antioch taught his Church Liturgies and Doxologies as appears by the Ecclesiasticall histories He lived in the first hundred years after Christ and from that Church of Antioch Trip. hist l. 10. c. 9. where men were first called Christians Liturgies were derived to other Churches as to Rome it selfe For Gregory the first being Bishop of Rome brought in the form of the Greek Letanies in that Church so that our Liturgy primarily commeth from the Greek Conc. Ancyr 1. tom Con. Conc. Meter not the Latin Church but if it did yet whatsoever is good in it may be used by any Christian Church except we think it not fit to worship Christ because he was sometimes consessed by the devils mouth Nor do they see the convenience of it St Paul did namely that we may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.6 And Mr Calvin approved it very much writing to the Protector of England in K. Edw. the sixths time that there should be a form of Church Service from which Ministers might not depart in the exercise of their functions that there may be an help to the simplicity of some and a remedy against the levity of others that affect innovations and for the clearer appearance of the unanimity of all Churches among themselves I know they say also that set forms of praier hindereth the gift of the spirit in ministers which would utter it selfe freely but that it is bound up by reading a set form But considering that the minister is the mouth of the people to God I conceive it convenient that the people know what he sollicites God for that they may the more comfortably join with him in praier Nor can I see how the Church is more edified by extempore praier than a set form since the Church is edified as well by Sermons composed as sermons preached Besides the spirit of the Church may edifie her members by her composures as well as any one member may edifie any part of the Church by his voluntary conceptions and expressions which may be done for ostentation or may want consideration and discretion also Nor doth set forms limit the spirit any more then extempore raptures neither in the minister nor people Not in the minister for he hath divers times in private devotions and before and after his Sermon to enlarge himselfe farther as occasion requireth And for his being stinted by the Liturgy there is no reason but he may since the spirit of the Prophet must be subject to the Prophets in their prophecying 1 Cor. 14. and then why not in praying by the spirit of the Church representative which composed the Liturgy And for the spirit in the people it is no more limited by a set form then by a sudden conceived praier for their spirit being equally intent upon this is as much limited as by that and so as the peoples spirit is subjected to the ministers in his praier so much more ought the spirit of the minister be subjected to the spirit of the Churches corporation I have seen many ridiculous pamphlets against the Liturgy more fit for wast paper then to be answered I spoke enough before of this matter in answer to some heresies Some do object that it containeth not praier for all occasions yet I think if they would well consider the Letany they can hardly add any thing to it though upon every particular petition therein they make as long a praier as the whole Liturgy Mathe. But the ceremonies are more offensive then the Liturgy Phila. They need not if people would consider the paucity the indifferency and the power that the Church hath to impose things indifferent For first there was but three the Surplice for the Minister the Crosse for the Baptized and kneeling for Communicants three innocent ceremonies as many of the complainers themselves have confessed in the opinion of wise men yet have they been violently opposed by many that cannot find the medium between affirmative and negative superstition but either rush into the gulfe or dash upon the rock The Praecisian he will have no ceremony without speciall warrant from Scripture like the Sadduces The Papist on the other side will have them necessary to divine worship though not set down in Scripture like the Pharisees traditions of the Elders Between both these lieth a middle way to
was commanded to destroy the heathens places of worship but they consider not that that very commandement was given to drive them to that one place in which God had appointed to put his name Deut. 12.5 6. so that we may by better reason pull down all private Conventicles that people may be brought to the place of Gods publick worship They may as well be afraid to pray in any Parish called by a superstitious name as in the Church so called if they neglect the doctrin of faith which directs us to the true use of every creature 3. The Church is taken personally and so for either the Church malignant Psal 26.5 called the congregation of evill doers and sometime for the true Church or any assembly thereof and that company is called Ecclesia as the assembly of the Jewes was called the Synagogue and of wicked men a congregation because like greges a flock of cattell they met together disorderly as Acts 19.39 41. Aug. in Levit. Q. 57. called the Beasts of Ephesus 1 Cor. 15. though sometime they be used indifferently one for the other as Lev. 8.3 So that all the three words Kuriake Synagogue and Ecclesia signifie a Church or an house set apart for a people to meet in about sacred occasions which people are the Church personall which Church is to be considered as it is known to God or to us As it is known to God who only knoweth who are his we rather beleeve it then see it as our Creed teacheth when we say I beleeve in the holy Catholick Church that is I beleeve there is such an universall Church dispersed throughout the world though I know not the parties Beside this Church is to be considered not only in the whole but in the parts whereof every holysociety is a communion of Saints and so the Church is partly known to us at least in outward calling to be Saints and in an answerable profession of it As the Brown hold Not therefore such an holy society is meant as is totally and perfectly sanctified and fully obedient to the whole will of God revealed for such a communion was never found in Adams family there was a Cain and Noahs Ark clean and unclean men as well as beasts that were as unlike in their conditions as the Raven and the Dove Aug. in Joh. 6. Beda in Rom. â— as Shem and Cham Rebecca had Esau in her womb as well as Jacob the Church of Israel had a world of wicked in it in Christs little Colledge was one traitor in the field of the Church is tares as well as wheat and a through reformation or purgation of them cannot be till the worlds end Zuinglius art 34. Mat. 13.29 yet this Church is called the kingdome of Heaven in the New Testament because it makes us to be of heavenly natures and guides us to Christs heavenly kingdome But if we will be of a congregation absolutely holy Socrat. schol lib. 5. cap. 10. we must get a new found ladder to go up to heaven as said Constantine to Acesius the Novatian Bishop Mathe. What is meant by this personall Church Phil. Not any one man as the Papists make the Pope to be the Church virtuall nor a company of any creatures save men for bruits are uncapable of rationall doctrine nor are Angels tied to it for Christ is not their nature but the seed of Abraham Heb. But the Church personall is a company of people every where dispersed effectually called ordinarily by the ministers of the word from the prophanesse of the world to the supernaturall dignity of Gods children to whom they are united in Christ by faith and to one another by love In which people we are to consider their invisible essence and their visible existence First their visible existence which they have in common with the visible Church being admitted into it by that way that God in his word hath appointed for that purpose as the Jewes were by circumcision under the law and both the professors of Christ among Jewes and Gentiles by baptisme under the Gospell Secondly they are to be considered in their invisible essence which is faith in God through Christ and love to one another This Church is included in the visible Church though not so plainly discerned as the visible is yet they partake of the same blessings and afflictions with the Church visible as a child in the womb of the mother partaketh of her joies and griefs Mathe. I pray Sir shew me the state and condition of the visible Church and how to distinguish of the invisible company from others meerly visible if it may be Phila. The visible is that universall and Catholike Church which God hath endowed with the means of salvation through Christ typed or preached as he was typed and prophecied of the Jewes were a chiefe part of it as they were a setled Church but before that it remained in the family of Adam and Sheth and Noah whose Ark was a type of the Church Then after the flood in a few families especially in those that came of Shem from whom came Abraham in the ninth generation after him being the son of Terah whom God called from Vr of the Chaldees and with him setled his Covenant of Christ first promised to Adam From him came Isaac Jacob and the twelve Patriarchs and from them the people called Israel after old Jacobs name given him of God But afterward were called Jewes of Judah whose tribe stood to the house of David and was the Kingly tribe yet in processe of time it came to be a name of profession or distinction from the ten other tribes who worshipped in the Temple of Samaria John 4.20 built upon the mount Gerizam between whom there was a feude implacable as John 4.9 and St Paul affirms it a name of religious profession Rom. 2.28 he is not a Jew that is one outwardly but inwardly But these were once the true visible Church especially after their redemption from Egypt by Moses and Aaron by whom God gave them lawes Ecclesiasticall and Civil which were put in practice first in their travels in the wildernesse and quiet possession of Canaan under divers sorts of Governors as first Moses secondly Joshua and then under Judges Aug. de civit dei l. 18. c. 22. for the space of 320 years next under Kings about 520 years till they were carried captive to Babylon for seventy years Then they returned by King Cyrus his leave and had commission to rebuild the Temple which was forty nine year in finishing From that time they were under the power of the Medes and Persians and such Deputies as they appointed called the heads of the captivity such as Mesullam Hanania Benechia Husadiah Zerobabell of the line of David as also other ten more after Alexander the great yet still there was a visible Church among them Next the government divolved to the Machabees of the tribe of Levi and in them continued
First to men so that is honor we prefer before our selves those whom we ought and as much as we ought and so by humility candor and modesty we destroy pride and hypocrisie So we must be ready to benefit all men out of the sincere affection of charity Heb. 13.1 2. because the end why God gives his benefits is that they may be bestowed for the common good of the Church as God bestoweth his providence in common among good and bad and we know not fully who are good and who may not be made good by our charity they all bearing outwardly to us the same image of God and the similitude of Christs members Now secondly the deniall of our selves in relation to God standeth in these two things First in an equanimity and a fair construction of mind in all actions and state of life Secondly in bearing the crosse aright The first of these appears in our being subject to Gods will in all things and in shunning ambition and covetousnesse and expect prosperity only from God depending only upon him and not desire riches or honours without him or out of him and therefore to follow no wicked arts to compasse them but to cast all the burden and care of them only upon him and so not envy any mans prosperity but commit all accidents of life to Gods will as afflictions diseases and poverty and the death of friends and to bear all with patience Secondly the deniall of our selves in relation to God stands in the right carriage of the cross and a moderate bearing of that adversity which God sends upon us by what hand soever it be outwardly afflicted Mat. 5.4 and so obtain the blessing of the mourners comfort which causeth us though troubled yet not distressed though perplexed yet not in despaire persecuted yet not forsaken cast down but not destroied 2 Cor. 4.8 9. This is done first by considering how the glory of God is illustrated by freeing his people from it as 2 Tim. 4.17 18. and how we are taught to hate both sin the devill the world and the flesh John 15.19 and to serve God not for worldly pleasure and advantage but for his own sake Rom. 5.5 And secondly it is done by considering the comforts of the crosse which are First that God hath purposed and appointed all the sufferings of the Church and neither men nor devils can add to them one jot more then he hath determined John 19.11 Acts 4.28 And secondly that our sins are forgiven us in Christ with whom and for whom we suffer 2 Tim. 2.12 if we suffer for a good conscience which makes the event of the crosse happy 1 Pet. 4.13 14. and gives us hope of an eternall reward by the example of Christ Phil. 2.9 and of the Saints Heb. 11.2 who by faith and patience obtained a good report because they suffered for righteousnesse Mat. 5.10 The next businesse of a Christian life is to meditate on the life to come as those that behold things promised afar off and seek another country beside and above this world Heb. 11.13 14. This meditation includeth a contempt of the world as of riches honours pleasure and of death which like physick doth evacuate many evill humours by considering the various afflictions of this life and that all the joy and pleasures of it are but momentany and yet hinder us from imploying the mind about heaven though themselves have in them neither continuance nor contentment they neither satisfie nor sanctifie us but are like painted reeds gay vanities without but hollow within though we run after them as children after butter flies and get a fall by following and some hurt by heedlesse pursuing them And this contempt of the world would be the more seriously performed if we consider that here we are exiles from home i. from heaven 2 Cor. 5.9 and therefore we should have a most serious and joifull desire of the life to come which would make us either value death as nothing or else look upon it as Christ hath made it namely an entrance into life and a freeing us from our step-mother the world by delivering us to the heavenly Jerusalem which is the mother of us all Indeed if we do not thus the common creature shames us who sigh and grone to be delivered Rom. 8.19 And the heathen wise men and Philosophers thought it their glory to contemn death yet I do not say that this life or the things thereof are altogether to be detested for they are the blessings of God and testimonies of his good will to help through this wildernesse of sin but so far to contemn them as they make us obnoxius to sin Therefore the third part of a Christian life is to make a right use of those that God hath afforded us in this life In this case we must mark the right use and abuse of those things The right use is to make them serve our necessity not superfluity and to increase our delight in and praise to God Psal 104.1 15. and so tasting thou maist see how good the Lord is The abuse when first we exceed our measure and incline to extreams God makes our cup overflow and we make it overflow us Or secondly when we are too abstemious in denying to our selves the lawfull use of the creatures which God hath given us to lead us to acknowledge the bounty of the Creator The one way we make our belly our God Phil. 3.19 The other are too superstitious as were the Essens Col. 2.21 the one through too much love of the creature doth extinguish the meditation of the life to come and the other doth frustrate the favor of God offered to him in this life of both which faults we must give an account especially we being of the true Catholick Church which teacheth the right use of these things and are well understood by those that are of the communion of Saints Mathe. What mean you by the Catholike Church and whether is it alwaies in the same state Then I desire to know what the communion of Saints is and next what kind of government this Church hath alwaies had and allowed Phila. By the Catholick Church I mean that which is intended in the Creed which I beleeve to be though I beleeve not in it as I do in the holy Trinity yet that it is and ever will be while the world endureth notwithstanding all the power of Satan Mat. 16.10 And of this Church we are to beleeve that we are members and professe our selves to be joined thereunto and to live and die members thereof Now this Catholike Church is the City of the living God or a company of holy men who by the free election of God are called to union with Christ God and man to life eternall as well those soules that are triumphant in heaven as those people that are militant here on earth Col. 1.18 of all which Christ is the head for I reckon not Angels to be of the Church but
only those for whom Christ died that he might sanctifie them Eph. 5.16 but as he took not the nature of Angels so he died not for them Not for the good for they needed no sanctification by redemption though a preservation in their standing by the vertue of him in whom they were first called to immutability of estate who was the first born of every creature because he was eternally born of God before any creature was made Col. 1.15 and by him they were made and therefore must hold their estates but yet they cannot be of the redeemed Church in regard they were never captived nor did ever fall from nor fall out with God and so need him that was only a Mediator between God and man of whom this Church consisteth which is one holy Catholike Church built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Christ being the head corner stone This is the subject of all the benefits which God hath afforded us in Christ through his spirit and is called one because it is the one only mysticall body of Christ and hath but one faith to knit it to Christ and one spirit to agitate it one God by whom it is called to worship him and to be glorified of him one love by which all the members are gathered among themselves and one salvation the felicity thereof and one bond of divine love in Christ toward her in which respect she is called his friend his beloved and his Spouse So it is called Catholike in regard of the universall largnesse of it being tied to neither persons time nor place Therefore it is either ignorantly or arrogantly assumed by the Papists who call their Roman Church Catholike whereas it wants the Catholike extension of it as well as the Catholike truths of it So it is called holy because it hath a most holy and sanctifying head by which sin is not imputed and her corruptions by the Holy Ghost by degrees taken away that she may be presented to God without spot or wrinkle Eph. 1.27 So it is called Propheticall and Apostolicall because she is founded upon their doctrine Eph. 2.20 Now the parts of this Church are triumphant or militant The triumphant is that part which now triumpheth with Christ the head of the Church over all enemies and enjoieth with him all gladnesse and felicity of soule and after the resurrection shall enjoy the fulness of it in soule and body united That the soules of the just after death do enjoy heavenly felicity is plaine because it is said Rev. 7.15 that the soules of the dead were before Gods throne in white robes serving God day and night and because Christ promised the theefe that time he died that his soule should be with him in Paradise Luke 23.43 which Paradise St Paul calleth the third heavens 2 Cor. 12.2 4. And it is said Heb. 12.23 that the spirits of just men are in the heavenly Jerusalem and therefore when this tabernacle is dissolved i. our bodies we have an house in heaven 2 Cor. 5.1 or else St Paul had little reason to desire dissolution if not to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 But yet all this proveth nothing for the Popes canonization of Saints whose memoriall is esteemed of all good men and their examples imitated but we find no Scripture for their canonization nor for those honors the Pope gives them As 1. To be written in a Catalogue thereby commanding them to be called Saints 2. By calling on them in the praiers of the Church 3. By dedicating to their memory Temples and Altars 4. By offering any sacrifice in their honor And 5. Celebrating daies festivall to their memory 6. By setting up their pictures 7. By reserving their reliques to worship And all this must be done by the Pope and none else Bel. de heatitud sanct lib. 1. cap. 7. and 8. say his flatterers and he cannot err therein yet St Paul saith that only God knoweth who are his not the Pope for he canonizeth hypocrites whom he by his indulgence hath flattered to hell in their life time and then placeth them in heaven when they are dead though their souls be in the place of torment This kind of canonization came up by Pope Leo the third Bel. ut supra about eight hundred years since and then Antichrist was detected and so canonization is Antichristian So is their giving to them religious worship which in Scripture is neither commanded nor given by any good man farther then by esteeming them of blessed memory Luke 1.44 or by praising God for them Gal. 1.5 or by imitation of their faith and vertue yea Angels have refused it at the hands of men and Apostles also as Acts 10.26 and 14.15 and Rev. 19.10 and 22.8 And as bad is their doctrine of Saints interceeding for us for there is but one Mediator who maketh intercession in whose name only we expect salvation Acts 4.10 and receive remission Acts 17.31 He is a perfect Mediator and needeth nor requireth any copartners 1 Cor. 1.13 and Heb. 12.2 Beside Aug. lib. 10. conf cap. 42. Amb. de Isaac cap. 8. Aug. in Psal 118. who can insure us that the dead departed have any cognizance of our state or praiers Isa 63.16 surely Christ is our mouth to speak to God and our eie to see him and our hand to offer to him and that praier that is not offered by him is so far from blotting out sin that it becomes sin it selfe therefore the worshipping of Angels forbidden by St Paul Col. 2.18 is unlawfull and the invocation of Saints as bad Aug. lib. de cura pro mortuis agenda since the dead know not what the living do and that true Christians beleeve not on Peter himselfe but in him upon whom Peter beleeved as Aug. saith well in his book of the City of God lib. 18. cap. 58. But worse is the religious worship of their images though there may be a civill use of them for adorning of houses or keeping of them in memory Aug. de civit dei cap. 14 in Psal 36. in Psal 113. or painting of them historically But to set up their images or pictures in Temples and holy places under pretence of instructing the ignorant as did Pope Gregory the first they have degenerated to superstition and idolatry as Serenus Bishop of Massilus forewarned that Pope nor would suffer any to be in his Churches however those logs of which the images were made have better fortune then their fellowes who being as good as they yet are laied behind the fire There was none in Churches in the time of Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea about the year 330. But the first painting of Church wass was done by Pontius Paulinus Bishop of Nola who painted the Churches with the story of the Israelites Sunset in the wildernesse to deter the people from gluttony that came to the annuall Feast of St Faelix But surely he hath no religion that worshippeth an image though the image
them learned by the gifts of the Holy Ghost which he hath not done these So he imploied Paul the learned and Luke the Physitian So the Lord allowed schools for the Prophets as we do Academies to be as medicines for the rude manners of the people If these men had more learning they would see they wanted more but having none they find none they want But however let them prove they have the spirit without learning the able minister shall prove he hath the spirit by learning as one may shew his faith by his works more evidently then another can shew faith without them Mathe. But why do you advise me to the publike meeting places as Churches rather than to chambers and conventicles surely one is as holy as the other is it not Phila. Yes in respect of any inherent holinesse in them for neither hath any but the Church hath the holinesse of dedication and separation from all other use as the Jewes Temple had till the abomination that maketh desolate was set there i. the Roman souldier And therefore God looketh it should be used with discrimination for holinesse becommeth his house for ever and sure a decent handsomnesse and behaviour doth not mis-become it But I do advise you to Churches the rather then chambers because Christ hath forewarned you of seeking him in the private chambers Mat. 24.26 Mathe. But I see as much disorder in Gods service there as in the chambers both in service and at the Communion by divers gestures Phila. The more pitty for they that pretend to sanctifie Gods name ought to make an holy discrination between those things that are called by his name and other things that are not As Gods word and Gods house and the Lords table I confesse in some things people may be borne withall as not kneeling at praiers when the Church and seats are so full that they cannot do it So at the Communion every Church have thought fit to have one gesture by themselves because people come to the Communion with one faith to feed upon one Christ and in one love and charity So some Churches beyond the seas stand some walk some sit the English Church was wont to kneele Now since our discipline is dissolved all these forrein gestures are crept into our Church and being there is no power to reduce them to their pristine gestures ministers can do no more then to instruct them to be well satisfied in their own minds and to have a charitable opinion of them For it may be they that receive it standing look on it in relation to the Passeover a type thereof which was eaten standing They that take it walking conceive it as a viaticum or a refreshment in their journie towards the land of eternall rest They that take it sitting look upon it as a spirituall banquet set before them to feed upon by faith They that kneel conceive it as a pardon sealed and delivered to them of God and so think good to take it kneeling By this charitable construction one Church or Christian shall not condemn another for a thing indifferent Mathe. But the Sabbath is not a thing indifferent yet some allow none or at least not the Lords day but Saturday the Jewes Sabbath Phila. They that will allow none deny the fourth Commandement which requires a morall Sabbath They that will not have the Lords day understand not the sense of that Commandement which bindeth not all men to the seventh which the Jewes kept but to a seventh For the Jewes themselves seem to me to have the seventh day from the creation altered as well as the beginning of the year at the Passeover of which Moses gives a reason Deut. 5.15 in repetition of the Commandement saying because God delivered thee out of Egypt therefore he commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day Nor do we find a Sabbath day kept till the reigning of Manna but that they marched one day as well as another yet if the day from the creation was altered by a new designation of a day yet the law was not broken which only intended a seventh day rest from six daies labor whensoever God should prescribe or fix the day to begin Neither is the law broken by Christians because the day is altered for the intent of the law is kept which bindeth to keep holy one in seven only the day is altered upon good ground for as the Jewes kept their day in remembrance of Gods delivering them from Pharaoh so the Christians keep one in seven i. the first day of the week in remembrance of Christs deliverance of them by his resurrection from satan sin and death and so hath performed indeed to us what was but typed forth to the Jewes by whose Holy daies and Sabbaths we are not now to be judged Col. 11.16 17. Mathe. But what need we keep a day in remembrance of Christs resurrection if we shall have no benefit by it if some say true that there is neither heaven nor hell Phila. These men shall find their error to their griefe at the resurrection which shall be procured by Christs resurrection who is the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15. Concerning hell I have already shewed you That there must be a resurrection there needs no proofe since the wicked must be punished and the just rewarded which commonly falleth out contrary in this world and that many things may be revealed which yet lie hid as well sacred mysteries as mysteries of iniquity Rom. 2.16 And for heaven no doubt it is the place of felicity where Gods elect shall enjoy eternall life whither Christ is gone before to prepare a place for them the happinesse of which place is called by St Paul our house from heaven and the excellency of the inheritance is set down by the name of crowns and kingcomes and an eternall weight of glory of which unbeleevers must look for no part but such as have fought a good fight against corruptions and kept the faith in a pure conscience which God of his mercy give you and I grace to do through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom I commend you and so take leave for this time because important occasion cals me away Mathe. Gods peace be with you Phila. And Gods grace be with you Amen FINIS The Table of the Contents OF mans happiness p. 1 Of mans propagation p. 3 Of Christs humanity p. 9 Of principles leading to felicity p. 12 How man came to wander from it p. 13 That there is a God proved by reason p. 15 How men came to worship false deities p. 16 When came in false gods p. 17 Of Atheisme p. 19 No true God but one p. 20 Christians worship that God ibid. Persons in the Godhead three and no more p. 21 The means to know God p. 25 The Scriptures are Gods Word p. 26 Canonicall books p. 29 The Jewes have not corrupted the Text of the Old Testament p. 30 No contradiction in the Scriptures p.