5. What learn you of this First that nothing cometh to passe by meer hap or chance but as God in his eternal knowledg and just vvill hath decreed before should come to passe Secondly that vvhatsoever cometh to passe though we know not the causes thereof and that it be contrary to our wills yet we should bear it patiently and therein submit our wills to the good will and pleasure of God How is the will of God distinguished Into his secret or hidden and his revealed or manifest will the former is known to himselfe by which he willeth divers things of which man neither doth know nor is to aske a reason of and of this the Scripture speaketh thus If so be the will of God 1 Pet. 3. 17. The latter is the guide of man in al his actions containing Gods Commandements wherein is set down what we ought to doe or leave undone as also his promises which wee ought to beleeve Deut. 29. 29. Is not the secret will of God contrary to his revealed will No in no wise It differeth in some respects but it is not another will much lesse contrary How differeth it The secret will of God considereth especially the end the revealed will the things that are referred to the end and the secret will of God is the event of all things where the revealed will is of those things only which are propounded in the word as to beleeve in Christ and to be sanctified c. John 14. 1. 1 Thess. 4. 3. It may seem that the revealed will of God is sometimes contrary to it selfe as when God forbiddeth murder and theft yet God commandeth Abraham to kill his Sonne and the Israelites to take the goods of the Egyptians Here is no contrariety because God in giving a Lavv to man giveth none to himself but that he may command otherwise therefore the Lavv hath this exception that it is alwayes just unlesse God command otherwise But it seemeth that the secret will of God is often contrary to the revealed will seeing by the former many evill things are committed and by the other all evill is forbidden In as much as by the providence of God evill things come to passe it is for some good as Gods glory or good of the Church or both in vvhich only respect they by the providence of God are done or suffered to be done How then doth God will that which is good and that which is evill He vvilleth all good so far as it is good either by his effectuall good pleasure or by his revealed approbation and that which is evill in as much as it is evill by disallowing and forsaking it and yet he voluntarily doth permit evill because it is good that there should be evill Acts 14. 16. Psal. 81. 12. Is there any profit of this knowledge of Gods will Yea great profit for us to knovv what God will have us to doe and what he will doe with us and for us is a thing wherein standeth our salvation therefore vve are vvilled by the Apostle to enquire diligently after the same Rom. 12. 2. But the same Apostle in the eleventh Chapter vers 34. before saith Who hath known the mind of the Lord or who was his Counsellour that is to say none therefore it seemeth that the will of God cannot be known and consequently that it may not be sought after Indeed by that we learn not to search into the secret counsels of God which he never revealed in his word neither hath promised to reveale in this world but after the revealed will of God which he hath vouchsafed to make known in his word we may and ought to enquire of God as for the wil and counsel which he hath kept to himself we may admire and adore it with Paul and David but that we may not search after it is manifestly proved by these places following Acts 1. 7. Exod. 33. 18 19 20. Job 21. 23. Whether can Gods secret will be known or no If he doth reveale it it may How doth God reveale his secret will Two wayes First sometimes by his Spirit as when he shewed his Prophets many of his judgements that were to come Secondly sometime by the thing it self which he willeth or by the effects of his will as when a thing doth fall out which was before unknown as for example a man doth not know before it come whether he shall be sick or not or of what disease or when or how long but when all these things are come to passe then it is manifest what was Gods will before concerning that matter Shew me what is our duty in respect of this secret will of God Our duty is two-fold First we must not curiously search after the knowledge of it but worship and reverence it Secondly before it be made manifest by the effects we must generally rest quietly in the same Shew me how by an example Thus a Christian must resolve with himselfe Whatsoever the Lord vvill doe with me whether I live or die whether he make me rich or poor c. I rest content with his good will and pleasure What must we doe when his will is revealed unto us Then much more must we rest in it and be thankfull for it as Iob was who said The Lord hath given and taken even as it pleaseth the Lord c. Job 1. 21. What call you the revealed will of God The revealed will of God is two-fold the one is that which is properly revealed in the Law that is what God requireth to be done of us and therefore it is called the Law and after this we must enquire The other is in the Gospell which sheweth Gods will towards us and what hee hath decreed of us in his eternall counsell as touching our salvation God indeed by his Law hath made it known what his will is that of us must be done and fulfilled but hath he revealed in his word what is his will and pleasure towards us Yea he hath so and that is proved by these places of Scripture following John 6. 40. Ephes. 1. 5. Matth. 3. 17. John 5. 39. and after the knowledge of this will of God we must diligently enquire But whether may this will of God be known of us or no Yes it may for as it is revealed in the Scripture so it is also confirmed and sealed before our eyes in the Sacraments and the dayly benefits which we receive from the Lord. And is this sufficient to perswade us to beleeve his will No for except the Lord doth perswade us by his holy Spirit we shall neither beleeve it nor know it as appeareth by these places of Scripture 1 Cor. 2. 16. Mat. 11. 25. but if we have the Spirit of God there is no need to goe up into heaven or to goe beyond the Sea to know it because the word is near unto us in our hearts as Paul saith Rom. 10. 6 7 8. For touching the matter of our salvation the will
the unity of the Godhead But doe you not beleeve the Godhead is to be divided whilst you beleeve that in one God are three persons No not divided into divers essences but distinguished unto divers persons for God cannot be divided into severall natures nor into severall parts and therefore must the persons which subsist in that one essence be onely distinct and not separate one from another as in the example of the Sun the beames and the heat What be those resemblances that are commonly brought to shadow out unto us the mystery of the Trinity First the Sun begetteth his own beams and from thence proceeds light and heat and yet is none of them before another otherwise then in consideration of order and relation that is to say that the beams are begotten of the body of the Sun and the light and heat proceed from both Secondly from one flame of fire proceed both light and heat and yet but one fire Thirdly in waters there is the well-head and the spring boyling out of it and the stream flowing from them both and all these are but one water and so there are there persons in one Godhead yet but one God Fourthly in man the understanding cometh from the soul and the will from both May it be collected by naturall reason that there is a Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the God-head No for it is the highest mystery of Divinity and the knowledge thereof is most proper to Christians for the Turkes and Jewes doe confesse one God-head but no distinction of persons in the same How come we then by the knowledge of this mystery God hath revealed it in the holy Scriptures unto the faithfull What have we to learn of this That those are deceived who think this mystery is not sufficiently delivered in the Scripture but dependeth upon the tradition of the Church That sith this is a wonderfull mystery which the Angels doe adore we should not dare to speak any thing in it farther then we have warrant out of the word of God yea we must tye our selves almost to the very words of the Scripture lest in searching we exceed and goe too farre and so be overwhelmed with the glory How doth it appear in the holy Scripture that the three Persons are of that divine nature By the divine names that it giveth to them as Jehovah c. By ascribing divine attributes unto them as Eternity Almightinesse c. By attributing divine works unto them as creation sustentation and governing of all things By appointing divine worship to be given unto them What speciall proofes of the Trinity have you out of the old Testament First the Father is said by his word to have made the world the Holy Ghost working and maintaining them as it were sitting upon them as the hen doth on the egges she hatcheth Gen. 1. 2 3. Gen. 1. 26. The Trinity speaketh in the plurall number Let us make man in our Image after our likenesse Gen. 19. 24. Jehovah is said to rain upon Sodom from Jehovah out of heaven that is the Sonne from the Father or the Holy Ghost from both 2 Sam. 23. 2. The Spirit of Jehovah or the Lord spake by me and his Word by my tongue there is Jehovah the Father with his Word or Sonne and Spirit Prov. 30. 4. What is his name and what is his Sonnes name if thou canst tell Isa. 6. 3. The Angels in respect of the three Persons doe cry three times Holy Holy Holy Isa. 42. 1. Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soule delighteth I have put my Spirit up on him Hag. 2. 5. The Father with the Word and his Spirit make a Covenant What are the proofes out of the new Testament As all other doctrines so this is there more cleare as Matth. 3. 16. 17. at the Baptisme of Christ the Father from heaven witnesseth of the Sonne the Holy Ghost appearing in the likenesse of a Dove John Baptist saw the Sonne in his assumed nature going out of the water there is one Person he saw the Holy Ghost descending like a Dove upon him there is another Person and he heard a voyce from heaven saying This is my beloved Son there is a third Person Matth. 17. 5. At the transfiguration the Father in like manner speaketh of his Son Matth. 28. 19. We are baptized into the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost John 14. 16. 26. 15. 26. 16. 13 14 15. The Father and Son promise to send the Holy Ghost Luke 1. 35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Acts 2. 33. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you now see and heare 2 Cor. 13 14. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Tit. 3. 4 5 6. God saved us by the washing of the new birth and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour What clear proof have you that these three are but one God and so that there is a Trinity in Vnity 1 Joh. 5. 7. It is expresly said there are three that bear Record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one What learn you of that the Apostle saith they are three Wee learne that the word Trinity although it bee not expresly set down in the word yet it hath certaine ground from thence What learn you of that that they are said to be three witnesses The singular fruit that is in the Trinity of persons in one unity of the Godhead whereby great assurance is brought unto us of all things that God speaketh in promise or threat seeing it is all confirmed by three witnesses against whom no exception lyeth What are they said here to witnesse That God hath given eternall life unto us and that this life is in that his Sonne 1 John 5. 11. How are these being three said to be but one They are one in substance beeing or essence but three persons distinct in subsistence Acts 20. 28. 1 Cor. 12. 4 5. Deut. 6. 4. Mark 12. 32. 1 Cor. 8. 4 5 6. Joh. 14. 16. 15. 26. 17. 1. If three persons among men be propounded whereof every one is a man can it be said that these three are but one man No but we must not measure Gods matters by the measure of reason much lesse this which of all others is a mystery of mysteries For the better understanding of this mystery declare unto me what a person is in generall and then what a person in the Trinity is
What is Reprobation It is the eternall predestination or fore-appointment of certain Angels and men unto everlasting dishonour and destruction God of his own free-will determining to passe them by refuse or cast them off and for sin to condemn and punish them with eternall death Prov. 16. 4. Exod. 9. 16. Rom. 9. 17. 22. 2 Tim. 2. 20. Mat. 25. 41. Is not sin the cause of Reprobation No for then all men should be reprobate when God foresaw that all would be sinners but sin is the cause of the execution of Reprobation the damnation whereunto the wicked are adjudged being for their own sin Is there no cause then of Reprobation in the Reprobate None at all in that they rather then others are passed by of God that is wholly from the unsearchable depth of Gods own free-will and good pleasure But is not God unjust in reprobating some men and electing others when all were alike No for he was bound to none and to shew his freedome and power over his creatures he disposeth of them as he will for his glory as the Potter is not unjust in making of the same clay sundry vessels some to honour and some to dishonour Doth Predestination only come within the compasse of Gods decree and not the means also of accomplishing the same Yes the means also comes within this decree as the Creation and the fall of the reasonable creatures If God hath decreed the works of the wicked must not he of force be the author of sin and evill God is not the cause of sinne and evill which he forbiddeth and condemneth but Satan and man yet God in his secret will hath justly decreed the evill works of the wicked for if it had not so pleased him they had never been at all for most holy ends both of his glory and their punishment as may be seen in the Jews crucifying of Christ Acts 2. 23. and Josephs selling into Egypt Gen. 45. 7. 50. 20. For the thing that in it self by reason of Gods prohibiting of it is sin in respect of Gods decreeing of it for a holy end comes in the place of a good thing as being some occasion or way to manifest the glory of God in his justice and mercy for there is nothing sin as God decreeth it or commandeth it neither is there any thing of it selfe absolutely evill 1 Pet. 3. 17. But because God hath forbidden it therefore it is evill and only unto them unto whom God hath forbidden it as Abraham killing of Isaac being commanded of God was to be obeyed and sin it were to have disobeyed it which otherwise by reason of Gods commandment forbidding to kill was a sin for God forbiddeth not things because they are of themselves and first evill but therefore are they to man evill because God hath forbidden them for all sin is a transgression of a law and God doth in heaven and in earth whatsoever pleaseth him neither is there any greater then he to command him So much of the decree or purpose of God what is the execution of it It is an action of God effectually working all things in their time according to his decree Eph. 1. 11. Acts 4. 28. What are the parts of the execution Creation and Providence Psal. 33. 6 7. 9. 10 11. 146. 6 7. Jer. 10. 12. What is Creation It is the execution of Gods decree whereby of nothing he made all things very good Gen. 1. 1. 7. Heb. 11. 3. How many things in generall are you to know concerning the Creation The causes and the adjuncts in the former whereof we are to consider the authour or efficient cause the matter the form or manner and the end in the latter the goodnesse of the creatures and the time of their Creation Who is the Authour of this wonderfull work God alone How doth that appear Not only by the plain and manifold testimonies of holy Scripture but also by light of reason well directed for reason teacheth that there must needs be a first cause of all things from whence they proceed not only as they are this or that but simply as they are that all perfections which are in other things by participation should be in it essentially and that the same must be of infinite wisdome in that all things are made and ordered unto so good purposes as they are none of which things can agree to any but to God alone whence it is that the Apostle Paul Acts 14. 15. 17. 24. doth point out God to the Heathen by his work above other Is not Creation then an article of faith above reason Yes in regard of the time and manner of it as likewise in respect of a full and saving assent unto it with comfort Is the Father alone to be held the Creator of all things No but together with him the Son also and the holy Ghost for so S. John testifieth that by Christ the eternall Word and Wisdome of God al things were made without him was made nothing Joh. 1. 3. In like manner S. Paul teacheth that by him all things were created in heaven and in earth both things visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers by him and for him they were all created Col. 1. 16. Moses also declareth that the Spirit of the Lord moved upon the waters sustaining and holding up and as it were brooding for that metaphor he useth the unformed matter to bring forth the most comely and beautifull forms of all things Gen. 1. 2. Did not the Angels create some creatures at the beginning or cannot Man or the Devils now create creatures No Creation is a work of God which only he is able to doe and therefore whatsoever the Devill or Judges like the Sorcerers of Egypt seem to doe it is nothing but a delusion of the senses as the Devill himself confesseth Mat. 4. and the Sorcerers Exod. 4. What was there not something before the Creation as the first matter of all things or space or the time in which this world was made No for then there should be something eternall as well as God Whereof then were all things made Of nothing that is of no matter which was before the Creation How doth that appear Because they are said to have been made in the beginning Gen. 1. 1. that is when before there was not any thing but God the Creator and before which there was no measure of time by men or Angels How and in what manner did God create all things By no means or instruments which he needeth not as man doth but by his powerful word that is by his only will calling those things that are not as though they were Heb. 11. 3. Rom. 4. 17. Ps. 148. 5. Was that Word by which he made all things Christ his Son All things indeed that were made were made by the Son the second Person of the Trinity Joh. 1. 3. Col. 1. 16. Heb. 1.
the glory of Christ. We read in the holy story that God took of the spirit which was upon Moses and gave it unto the seventy Elders that they might bear the burden of the people with him and that hee might not bear it as before hee had done himself alone It may bee his burden being thus lightned the abilities that were left him for government were not altogether so great as the necessity of his former imployment required them to have been and in that regard vvhat vvas given to his assistants might perhaps bee said to bee taken from him But wee are sure the case was otherwise in him of whom now wee speak unto whom God did not thus give the Spirit by measure And therefore although so many millions of beleevers doe continually receive this supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ yet neither is that fountain any way exhausted nor the plenitude of that well-spring of grace any whit impaired or diminished it being Gods pleasure That in him should all fulnesse dwell and that of his fulnesse all wee should receive grace for grace That as in the naturall generation there is such a correspondence in all parts betwixt the begetter and the Infant begotten that there is no member to bee seen in the Father but there is the like answerably to bee found in the Childe although in a farre lesse proportion so it falleth out in this spirituall that for every grace which in a most eminent manner is found in Christ a like grace will appeare in Gods Childe although in a far inferiour degree similitudes and likenesses being defined by the Logicians to bee comparisons made in quality and not in quantity Wee are yet further to take it into our consideration that by thus enlivening and fashioning us according to his own image Christs purpose was not to raise a seed unto himself dispersedly and distractedly but to gather together in one the Children of God that were scattered abroad yea and to bring all unto one head by himselfe both them which are in Heaven and them which are on the Earth That as in the Tabernacle the vail divided between the Holy place and the most Holy but the curtaines which covered them both were so coupled together with the taches that it might still bee one Tabernacle so the Church Militant and Triumphant typified thereby though distant as farre the one from the other as Heaven is from Earth yet is made but one Tabernacle in Jesus Christ In whom all the building fifty framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord and in whom all of us are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit The bond of this mysticall union betwixt Christ and us as elsewhere hath more fully been declared is on his part that quickning Spirit which being in him as the Head is from thence diffused to the spirituall animation of all his Members and on our part Faith which is the prime act of life wrought in those who are capable of understanding by that same Spirit Both whereof must bee acknowledged to bee of so high a nature that none could possibly by such ligatures knit up so admirable a body but hee that was God Almighty And therefore although wee did suppose such a man might bee found who should perform the Law for us suffer the death that was due to our offence and overcome it yea and whose obedience and sufferings should be of such value that it were sufficient for the redemption of the whole world yet could it not be efficient to make us live by faith unlesse that Man had been able to send Gods Spirit to apply the same unto us Which as no bare Man or any other Creature whasoever can doe so for Faith wee are taught by S. Paul that it is the operation of God and a work of his power even of that same power wherewith Christ himself was raised from the dead Which is the ground of that prayer of his that the eyes of our understanding being enlightned wee might know what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to us-ward who beleeve according to the working of his mighty power which hee wrought in Christ when hee raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all Principality and Power and Might and every Name that is named not onely in this World but also in that to come and hath put all things under his feet and gave him to bee head over all things to the Church which is his body the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all Yet was it fit also that this Head should bee of the same nature with the Body which is knit unto it and therefore that hee should so bee God as that hee might partake of our Flesh likewise For wee are members of his body saith the same Apostle of his flesh and of his bones And except yee eate the flesh of the Son of man saith our Saviour himself and drink his blood yee have no life in you Hee that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in mee and I in him Declaring thereby first that by this mysticall and supernaturall union wee are as truely conjoyned with him as the meate and drink wee take is with us when by the ordinary work of Nature it is converted into our own substance Secondly that this conjunction is immediately made with his humane nature Thirdly that the Lamb slaine that is Christ crucified hath by that death of his made his flesh broken and his blood powred out for us upon the Crosse to bee fit food for the spirituall nourishment of our soules and the very well-spring from whence by the power of his Godhead all life and grace is derived unto us Upon this ground it is that the Apostle telleth us that wee have boldnesse to enter into the Holyest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which hee hath consecrated for us through the vaile that is to say his flesh That as in the Tabernacle there was no passing from the Holy to the most Holy place but by the vaile so now there is no passage to bee looked for from the Church Militant to the Church Triumphant but by the flesh of him who hath said of himself I am the way the truth and the life no man commeth unto the Father but by mee Jacob in his dream beheld a ladder set upon the Earth the top whereof reached to Heaven and the Angels of God ascending and descending on it the Lord himself standing above it Of which vision none can give a better interpretation then hee who was prefigured therein gave unto Nathaniel Hereafter you shall see Heaven opened and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man Whence wee may well collect that the onely meanes whereby God standing
pray for us 2. We must be perswaded that it is our bounden duty to pray for others as well as for ourselves Why doth our Saviour direct us to give such Titles unto God in the beginning and entrance of our Prayers That thereby we may testifie increase and strengthen our faith in God considering what he is to us to whom we are about to pray Heb. 11. 6. What are we taught to consider from this that we are taught to call God Father That God in Christ is become our Father and giveth us both the priviledge John 1. 12. and spirit of sons Gal. 4. 6. so to call him What ariseth from hence First confidence in his fatherly love and compassion towards us as his children Psalme 103. 13. with assurance of obtaining our suites and desires 1 Iohn 5. 14 15. For as young children desire to come unto their Fathers bosome or to sit upon the knee or in the Mothers lap so we by prayers doe creep into the Lords bosome and as it were doe stand between the Lords legges Deut. 33. 3. comming with boldnesse unto him as unto our mercifull Father whose bowels are larger in pittifull affection then any parents yea then the Mothers towards the tendrest childe if we come with faith and affiance that he will grant what we require For if parents will give good things to their children when they aske them much more will the Lord give his spirit to them that aske it of him without doubting Mat. 7. 11. Luke 11. 13. and this doubting is the cause why many goe away so often from prayer without profit and comfort Iames 1. 5. which overthroweth the long and idle prayers of the Papists who have not assurance of Gods love towards them in the thing they demand Secondly necessity of duty on our parts that we both reverence Mal. 1. 6. and imitate him Mat. 5. 45. as our Father Eph. 5. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 17. Thirdly that to come in any other name then our Saviour Christs is abominable which was figured in Moses Exod. 24. 2. 20. 19. and Aaron Levit. 16. 17. But is notably set forth of the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. 5. therefore it is abominable to come by Saints as in Popery they doe What is to be considered by this that we are directed to call him our Father The nature of faith which is to apply it home to himselfe John 20. 28 Gal. 2. 20. Matth. 27. 46. Also that our Saviour Christ is the naturall Son and we his Sons by grace and adoption May not a man say in his prayer My Father Yes verily and that with warrant of our Saviour Christs example Matth 27. 46. Why then are we taught here to say Our Father As the word Father directeth us to meditate upon the relation between God and our selves so the word Our directeth us to meditate upon the relation between our selves and so many as are or may be the children of the same father with us What doth this put us in mind of That we must at all times maintain or renew love and peace one with another but especially when we make our prayers we must come in love as one brother loveth another and therefore reconcile our selves if there be any breach 1 Tim. 2. 8. Esa. 1. 15. Matth. 5. 25 c. Secondly that we are bound to pray and to be suitors to our God and Father one for another as well as for our selves James 5 16. That every one praying for all and all for every one we may jointly encrease and enjoy the benefit of the common stock of prayers laid up in the hands of God Whereto doe the words following direct us when we say Which art in heaven To the meditation of the glory powerfull providence wisdome and holinesse of God in which regard he is said to dwell in the high and holy place Psalm 11. 4. Esa. 57. 15. not that he is excluded from earth or included in heaven or any place who filleth all places Jer. 23. 24. yea whom the heaven of heavens is not able to containe 1 Kings 8. 27. But first because his wisdome power and glory appeareth most evidently in the rule of the heavens as of the most excellent bodily creatures by which inferiour natures are ruled Psal. 19. 1 c. 8. 3. 103. 9. Secondly for that in heaven he doth make himselfe and his goodnesse knowne to the Angels and blessed Spirits of men immediately and without the helps and aids which we have Thirdly because he communicateth himselfe and his goodnesse more powerfully to them then to us and so God is said to be present in the Temple and in the Elect. Fourthly because there and not on earth we should now seek him Psalm 123. 1. Col. 3. 1 2. where also we hope another day to dwell with him in the same happy fellowship which now the holy Angels and blessed soules doe enjoy which teacheth us not to have any fleshly conceit but to have our cogitations above any worldly matter Fiftly to teach us that as we come boldly to him as to a Father so also we are to come with humility and reverence of his Majesty who is so high above us we wretched men being as wormes crauling upon the earth and he sitting in great Majesty in the highest heaven Eccles. 4. 16. 5. 1. Sixtly to teach us to pray not onely reverently but also fervently before him so directing and lifting up our hearts to Almighty God that our prayers may ascend into heaven 2 Chro. 32. 20. Seventhly to encrease our confidence in him who is both ready and able to doe all things for us that acknowledging him to ride on the heavens for our help able as in heaven to doe for us whatsoever as a father he will Psal. 115. 3. we may with full confidence in his power and love ask every good thing of him Psalm 2. 8. Luke 11. 13. Thus much of the preface Now are we to come to the prayer it selfe What is generall unto it That our affections with zeale and earnestnesse ought to wait and attend on prayer which appeareth by the shortnesse of all the petitions What is declared hereby The great affection we should have to the things we come for which giveth a check to our cold prayers where the understanding is withoâ—â— the affection and as it were the sacrifice without the heavenly fire â—o lift it up and make it mount into heaven both in publike and private prayers So much of attention generall to the Prayer What are the parts therâ—of A forme of Petition and of Thanksgiving What is taught hereby First that whensoever we come unto God in Petition we are 〈…〉 give him thanks Phil. 4. 6. Luke 17. 17 18. things not to be 〈…〉 meanes to make way for further graces and benefits to be obtainâ—â— Secondly that it is a fault of us when we are distressed in 〈…〉 to come unto God in Petition but not to return Thanksgiving
be exercised 332 Of the spirituall warfare 333 Of our spirituall armour 334 Of our first enemy Satan 335 2. Enemy the world 3. Enemy our flesh 336 New obedience 337 Of good works in generall and of the properties of them 338 That there is no merit in good works Wherein our good works faile 339 Why God rewardeth our works 340 The ends of good works Of speciall good works required 341 Of prayer what it is 342 The necessity of prayer A more full description of prayer What is required that prayer may be holy 343 That we must pray to God alone 344 That we must pray onely in the mediation of Christ. For whom we must pray The parts of Prayer 346 Of Petition The meanes of obtaining the gift of prayer 348 Motives to Prayer Hinderances of prayer 349 The subject of our requests Prayer for others 350 Of thanksgiving In what thanksgiving consisteth 351 Why thanksgiving is required The properties of praise The meanes of thanksgiving Motives to thanksgiving Signes of thankfulnesse 352 Of the Lords prayer Of the preface 353 Our Father 354 Which art in heaven 355 The parts of the Lords prayer 356 Sixe petitions in the Lords prayer The first Petition 357 What is meant by Name What is meant by hallowed 358 What we aske in the first Petition What graces we here pray for 359 What things we here pray against The second Petition 360 What is meant by Kingdome What is meant by Comming The particulars here prayed for 1. respecting the kingdome of grace 362 2. Respecting the kingdome of glory 363 The third Petition The summe of this Petition What meant by the word Thy. What will is here to be understood 364 VVhat we aske in this Petition concerning Gods revealed will What meant by this word Doing 365 VVhat meant by Earth and Heaven The order of the three last Petitions The three last Petitions 366 The fourth Petition 367 What meant by Bread What meant by Give Give us This day 368 Our daily VVhat we begge in this Petition The fifth Petition 370 VVhat is meant by Debts What we aske in this Petition 372 The reason of this Petition The sixt Petition 374 The summe of the sixt Petition Of the temptations and the causes why we must pray against them 375 How God may be said to tempt us 376 What is meant by Deliver us from evill 377 VVhat is meant by Evill VVhat things we pray for in this petition 378 Conclusion of the Lords Prayer VVhat is meant by Kingdome 379 VVhat is meant by Power VVhat is meant by Glory VVhat meant by Thine 380 VVhat by For ever VVhat is meant by Amen VVhether it be lawfull to use any other forme of Prayer 381 VVhat pulike Prayer is VVhat private Prayer is VVhat ordinary prayer is 382 What extraordinary Prayer is Circumstances of Prayer Gesture in Prayer Of the place of Prayer Of the time of Prayer 383 Of Fasting What an holy Fast is Of the time of Fasting 384 Of the kinds of Fasting 385 Of a publick Fast. Of a private Fast. Who are to fast 386 Of the parts of a Christian Fast. Of a holy Feast 388 Of the time of Feasting 389 In what an holy Feast consisteth Of Vowes 390 Who are to vow What is to be vowed 391 The duty of those that have vowed Of Almes 392 Who are to give Almes Whereof we must give Almes How much must be given 393 To whom Almes must be given What order must be observed in giving With what affection Almes must be given The fruits of Almes-deeds 394 Of Vocation Externall Internall Meanes of Vocation 395 Inward Outward Inward the Spirit of God Of the Church visible 396 The infallible markes of a true visible Church VVhether the Church may erre 397 In what cases we may separate from a corrupt Church 398 Of the enemies of the Church Of the Governours of the Church 399 Things proper to the visible Church The Word Sacraments Censures Of the Word What things are common between godly and wicked hearers 401 Things proper to godly hearers How justifying Faith differeth from the faith of worldlings 402 Of the Sacraments 403 The Sacraments of great use VVhat a Sacrament is The use of Sacraments 406 The ends why Sacraments are instituted The persons that are actors in the Sacraments and their actions 407 Of preparation to the Sacraments 408 Duties in the action of receiving Duties after receiving Of the old Testament and the Sacraments of it 409 The new administration of the Gospel 410 The Sacraments of the new Testament Of Baptisme what it is 411 Whether diving or dipping be essentiall to Baptisme 413 Sprinkling in Baptisme warrantable The inward part or thing signified in Baptisme The similitude betweene the signe and thing signified The benefit of Baptisme to a common Christian. 415 To whom Baptisme is effectuall How infants may be capable of the grace of the Sacrament 416 What benefit elect infants have by Baptisme for the present 417 The lawfulnesse of infants Baptism 418 Baptisme not of absolute necessity to salvation 419 Baptism to be highly accounted of 420 That many have a slight esteem of this ordinance What the meanes are to reforme this slight esteem 421 Of the Lords Supper 422 What it is The differences between Baptisme and the Lords Supper 423 Why it is called the Lords Supper Of the matter of the Lords Supper 424 That the bread and wine are not changed into the body and blood of Christ Of the forme of this Sacrament of the Lords Supper 426 The sacramentall actions of the Minister Of the consecration of the bread and wine The sacramentall actions of the receivers 427 The ends and uses of the Lords Supper 428 Who are to receive the Lords Supper Preparation to the Lords Table Duties in the action of receiving to be performed by the Communicant Duties to be performed after the action 430 Of the censures of the Church 431 Of the degrees of Censures 432 Of the kindes of Censures 433 Of private admonition The degrees of private admonition 1. Most private How we must reprove 434 2. The second degree of private admonition Of publick admonition 435 Of Suspension Of Excommunication Anathema Maranatha Of the enemies of the Church 437 Of the generall apostasie Of Antichrist and who he is 438 What difference between Christs miracles and the Popes 442 The seat of Antichrist 443 Of the last judgement 445 Why the righteous dye Of particular judgment at the houre of death 446 Of the generall judgement Of the preparation to the last judgement The signes of the last judgement The second thing in the preparation 447 The third thing The fourth thing 448 The fift thing The act of judgment how performed The execution of the last judgement 449 The state of the Reprobate in hell The state of the Elect in heaven The use of this Doctrine concerning the last judgment 450 FINIS ERRATA PAge 21. line 9. for saith read truth p. 31. l. 33. for distinction
Contracts between Magistrates and people Of Contracts between Ministers people Of Workmasters and hirelings and their duties to one another Of things deposited and committed to trust The duty of Executors Of persons committed to trust Of just possession of goods and what is required unto it Of Restitution and what is to be considered in it Of the right use and fruition of goods Of parsimony and frugality Of tenacity miserlinesse Profusion and Prodigality Of Liberality Of lending Of Free-giving The ninth Commandement The scope or end The occasion of this Commandement The chiefe sin here forbidden The Negative part The Affirmative part The summe of the duties here required Of Truth Truth must be professed and how Opposites to truth 1. Lying Reasons to disswade from lying Three sorts of Lyes Vices opposite to freedom of speech Opposites to simplicity of speaking truth Means of preserving truth Profitable speech Curtesie and affability Seasonable silence Opposites to profitable speech 1. Vnprofitable 2. Hurtfull speech 3. Rotten speech Fame and good name Publick Testimonies Rash Iudgment Perverse Iudgment The duties of the Plaintiffe and the vices opposite hereunto The vices of the Defendant The duties of Lawyers and the opposite vices The duty of witnesses False testimony in the publick Ministery of the word Flattery Evill speaking Whispering Obtrectation Conserving of our own good name The meanes of getting a good name A true testimony of our selves The opposites to the profession of truth concerning our selves Arrogancy and boasting Confession of sinne The 10. commandement The end of this Commandement The occasion of this Commandement Two sorts of concupiscence Lawfull concupiscence Vnlawful concupiscence and the kindes thereof The growth of sinne The parts of this Commandement and 1. the negative Originall concupiscence That originall concupiscence is sinne Actuall Concupiscence Evill thoughts Evill thoughts injected by Satan Evill thoughts arising from naturall corruption The speciall kinde of conpiscence here forbidden What is meant by our neighbours house Neighbours wife Our neighbors servant His Oxe and Asse The affirmative part The meanes enabling us to obey this commandement The impossibility of keeping this Commandement Repentance new obedience Repentance what it is When repentance is to be exercised Of the spirituall warfare Of the spirituall Armour Of our first enemy Satan 2. Enemy the World Third enemy our flesh New obedience Of good works in generall and of the Properties of them That there is no merit in good works Wherein our good works faile Why God rewardeth our works The ends of good works Of speciall good works required Of prayer what it is The necessity of prayer A more full description of prayer What is required that prayer may be holy That we must pray to God alone That we must pray only in the mediation of Christ. For whom we must pray The parts of Prayer Of Petition The meanes of obtaining the gift of prayer Motives to prayer Hinderances of Prayer The subject of our requests Prayer for others Of thanksgiving In what thanksgiving consisteth Why thanksgiving is required The properties of praise The meanes of thanks-giving Motives to thanksgiving Signes of thankfulnesse Of the Lords Prayer Of the pâ—eâ—ace Our Father Which art in heaven The parts of the Lords Prayer 6. Petitions in the Lords Prayer 1. Petition What is meant by Name What is meant by hallowed What we ask in this petition What graces we here pray for What things we here pray against The second Petition What is meant by Kingdome What is meant by comming The particulars here prayed for respecting the kingdome of grace 2. Respecting the kingdome of glory The third Petition The three last Petitions The fourth Petition What meant by Bread What meant by Give Give us This day Out Daily What we beg in this Petition The fifth Petition What is meant by debts What we aske of God in this fifth petition The reason of the petition The sixt Petition The summe of the sixt Petition Of the temptations and the cauâ—es why we must pray against them How God tempteth us Deliver us from evill What is meant by it What is meant by evill What things we paray for in the sixt Petition Conclusion of the Lords Prayer What is meant by Kingdome What is meant by Power What is meant by Glory What meant by Thine What meant by for ever What is meant by Amen Whether lawfull to use any other forme of Prayer What publick Prayer is What private Prayer is What ordinary prayer is What extraordinary prayer is Circumstances of prayer 1. Gesture Of the place of prayer Of the time of prayer Of Fasting What an holy Fast is Of the time of Fasting Of the kindes of Fasting Of publick Fast. Of private Fast. Who are to fast Of the parts of a Christian fast Of a holy feast Of the time of feasting In what an holy feast consisteth Of Vowes Gen. 28 20. Iudg. 11. 30. 31. 1 Sam. 1. 11. Who are to vow What is to be vowed The duty of those that have vowed Of Almes a 2 Cor. 9 7. Who are to give Almes a 1 Iohn 3. 17. b Luke 21. 2 3. c 1. Tim. 6. 17. d Eph. 4. 28. e 2 Cor. 8. 2. 14. a â— Sam. 25. 3. b Mat. 12. 7. a Neh 8. 10. b Luke 19. 8. How much must be given c 2 Cor. 9. 6. Gal. 6. 7. Prov. 11. 25. d Luke 3. 11. 1 Cor. 16. 2. e 2 Cor. 8. 13. f Acts 20. 25. g 2 Cor. 8. 1 2. 9 Luke 12. 35. h Act. 4. 34 35 with Acts 5. 4. i 1 Tim. 5. 8. k 2 Cor. 9. 12. Iob 31. 17 18 c. Iam. 2. 15 16. To whom alms must be given l Matth. 5. 41. Rom. 12. 20. m Luke 10. 33 with Ioh. 4. 9. n Psal. 41. 1. o Deut. 15 7. 11 Lev. 25. 35. p Luke 7. 5. q 2 King 6. 1. c. 2 Chro 34. 22. r Ioh. 5. 2 3. 9 s 2 Thes. 3. 10 11 12. 1 Tim. 5. 8. Mat. 15. 5 6. t Deut. 15. 7. What order must be observed in giving u Gal 6. 10. x 1 Kings 17. 13. y 1 Cor. 16. 2. z Luke 21. 1. Iob 31. 16. Prov. 3. 28. With what affections almes must be given a Deut. 15. 8. Mat. 5. 42. b Luke 6. 36. Psal. 37. 26. c Exod. 22. 25. d Neh. 5. 11. e Luke 6 35. f Prov. 1. 26. g Nehem. 5. 18. The fruits of Almes-deeds 2 Chro. 2â— 14. Of Vocation Externall Internall Meanes of Vocation Inward Outward Inward The Spirit of God Of the Church visible Rev. 12. 14. The infallible marks of a true visible Church Whether the Curch may erre In what cases we may separate from a corrupt Church Of the enemies of the Church Of the Governours of the Church Things proper to the visible Church The Word Sacraments Censures Of the Word 1 Chro. 17. 7. Acts 2. 40 41. 11. 20. 1 Cor. 4. 13. Iohn 17. 10. Ephes. 1. 23. Rom 3. 19. 7. 9 10.
except hee shew himself unto us not that hee is hidden in the darknesse for hee dwelleth in the light but that the dulnesse of sight and blindnesse of our hearts cannot reach unto that light except hee declare himself unto us like as the Sunne is not seen but by his own light so God is not known but by such means as hee hath manifested himself By what means hath God revealed himselfe By his Divine works and by his holy Word as the Prophet David plentifully and distinctly expressed in the nineteenth Psalm The Heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shewth his handy work and so continuing unto the seventh verse touching his Works and from thence to the end of the Psalm touching his Word The law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soule the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple What gather you of this That all curious searching to know more of God then hee hath shewed of himself is both vain and hurtfull to the searchers especially seeing by his Works and Word hee hath declared as much as is profitable for men to know for his glory and their eternall felicity Therefore Moses saith Deut. 29. 29. The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever What bee the Divine works whereby God hath shewed himself The Creation and preservation of the world and all things therein so the Apostle to the Romans saith That all men are inexcusable seeing that which may bee known of God is made manifest within them for God hath made it manifest unto them For the invisible things of God while they are understood in his works by the Creation of the world are seen even his eternall power and Godhead Rom. 1. 19 20. Also preaching amongst the grosse Idolatrous Lystrians Act. 14. 17. hee saith that God hath not left himself without Testimony bestowing his benefits giving rain and fruitfull seasons from heaven filling our hearts with food and gladnesse And preaching among the learned and yet no lesse superstitious Athenians hee citeth and canonizeth the Testimony of the Poets to shew that God is not farre from every one of us for in him wee live move and have our beeing Act. 17. 27 28. For whosoever amongst the Heathen Poets and Philosophers which professed wisdome hath not been wilfully blinde have learned by contemplation of the Creatures of the world that God is the Maker and preserver of the same What use is there of the knowledge obtained by the Works of God There is a double use the one to make all men void of excuse as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 1. 20. and so it is sufficient unto condemnation The other is to further unto salvation and that by preparing and inciting men to seek God If happily by groping they may finde him as the Apostle sheweth Act. 17. 27. whereby they are made more apt to acknowledge him when he is perfectly revealed in his Word or after they have known God out of his Word by contemplation of his infinite power wisdome and goodnesse most gloriously shining in his Works to stirre them up continually to reverence his Majesty to honour and obey him to repose their trust and confidence in him and so the Children of God doe use this knowledge of God gathered out of his Divine Works as appeareth in many places of the Scriptures and especially of the Psalmes which are appointed for the exercise of the whole Church Psal. 8. Psal. 19. Psal. 95. Psal. 104. 136. c. Are not the Works of God sufficient to give knowledge of the onely true God and the way unto everlasting happinesse They may leave us to bee without excuse and so are sufficient unto condemnation but are not able to make us wise unto Salvation because of things which are necessary unto Salvation some they teach but imperfectly others not at all as the distinction of the Persons in the Godhead the fall of man from God and the way to repaire the same Where then is the saving knowledge of God to bee had perfectly In his holy Word for God according to the riches of his Grace hath been abundant towards us in all wisdome and understanding and hath opened unto us the Mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which hee hath purposed in himself as the Apostle teacheth Ephes. 1. 7 8 9. What course did God hold in the delivery of his Word unto men In the beginning of the world hee delivered his Word by Revelation and continued the knowledge thereof by Tradition while the number of his true worshippers were small but after hee chose a great and populous Nation in which hee would bee honoured and served hee caused the same to bee committed to writing for all ages to the end of the world for about the space of two thousand five hundred yeeres from the Creation the people of God had no writen Word to direct them Thence for the space of three thousand one hundred yeers unto this present time the Word of God was committed unto them in writing yet so that in half that time Gods will was also revealed without writing extraordinarily and the holy books indited one after another according to the necessity of the times but in this last half the whole Canon of the Scriptures being fully finished wee and all men unto the worlds end are left to have our full instruction from the same without expecting extraordinary revelations as in times past Were these Revelations in times past delivered all in the same manner No for as the Apostle noteth Heb. 1. 1. at sundry times and in divers manners God spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets The diverse kindes are set down in Numb 12. 6. and 1 Sam. 8. 6. and may bee reduced to these two generall heads Oracles and Visions What call you Oracles Those Revelations that God as it were by his own mouth delivered to his servants and that ordinarily by Vrim and Thummim or by Prophets extraordinarily called What doe you understand by Visions Those Revelations whereby God signified his will by certain images and representations of things offered unto men as may bee seen in the Visions of Daniel Ezekiel Jeremie c. How were these Visions presented unto men Sometime to men waking sometime to men sleeping sometime to the mind sometime by the eyes to the imagination of men sleeping were offered divine dreams in expounding whereof we read that Joseph and Daniel excelled but now they together with all other extraordinary Revelations are ceased Where then is the Word of God now certainely to be learned Onely out of the Book of God contained in the holy Scriptures which are the onely certain testimonies unto the Church of the Word of God 1 John 5. 9. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Why may not men want the Scriptures now as
employed onely in the gathering of Toll Matth. 9. 9. Peter James John Fishermen whose liberty of speech when the chief Priests the Elders of Jerusalem beheld and understood that they were unlettered and ignorant men it is recorded Acts 4. 13. that they marvelled and took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus Paul from a bloody persecuter converted to be a Preacher and a writer of the Gospel shewed by that sudden alteration that he was moved by a command from heaven to defend that Doctrine which before he so earnestly impugned Fourthly the matter of the holy Scripture being altogether of heavenly Doctrine and savouring nothing of earthly or worldly affections but every where renouncing and condemning the same declareth the God of heaven to be the onely inspirer of it Fiftly the Doctrine of the Scripture is such as could never breed in the brains of man three Persons in one God God to become man the Resurrection and such like mans wit could never hatch or if it had conceived them could never hope that any man could beleeve them Sixtly the sweet concord between these writings and the perfect coherence of all things contained in them notwithstanding the diversity of persons by whom places where times when and matter whereof they have written for there is a most holy and heavenly consent and agreement of all parts thereof together though writen in so sundry ages by so sundry men in so distant places one of them doth not gain-say another as mens writings doe as our Saviour Christ confirmeth them all Luke 24. 44. Seventhly a continuance of wonderfull prophesies foretelling things to come so long before marked with their circumstances not doubtfull like the Oracles of the Heathen or Merlins prophesies but such as expressed the things and persons by their names which had all in their times their certain performance and therefore unto what may we attribute them but to the inspiration of God Vide Calvins Institut lib. 1. cap. 8. Thus was the Messias promised to Adam 4000. years before he was born Gen. 3. 15. and to Abraham 1917. years before the accomplishment Gen. 12. 3. The deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt to the same Abraham 400. years before Gen. 15. 13 14. The prophesies of Jacob Gen. 49. concerning the twelve Tribes which were not fulfilled till after the death of Moses and that of the continuance of the Tribes and Kingdomes of Judah held untill the comming of Christ In the first Book of Kings the 13. ch 2 3. there is delivered a prophesie concerning Josias by name 331. years Esa. 45. 1. concerning Cyrus 100. years before he was borne Daniels prophesies and that especially of the 70. weeks Dan. 9. 24. are wonderfull so likewise are those of the rejection of the Jews the calling of the Gentiles the kingdome of Antichrist c. some of which now we see fulfilled Eightly the great Majestie full of heavenly wisdome and authority such as is meet to proceed from the glory of God shining in all the whole Scripture yea oftentimes under great simplicity of words and plainnesse and easinesse of style which neverthelesse more affected the hearts of the hearers then all the painted eloquence and lofty style of Rhetoricians and Oratours and argueth the holy Ghost to be the Authour of them 1 Cor. 1. 17. 21. 24. 2. 15. Ninthly in speaking of the matters of the highest nature they go not about to perswade men by reasons as Philosophers and Orators but absolutely require credit to bee given to thē because the Lord hath spoken it they promise eternall life to the obedient and threaten eternall woe to the disobedient they prescribe Laws for the thoughts to which no man can pierce they require sacrifice but they preferre obedience they enjoin fasting but it is also from sin they command circumcision but it is of the heart they forbid lusting coveting c. which is not to be found in any Laws but in his that searcheth the heart Tenthly the end and scope of the Scriptures is for the advancement of Gods glory and the salvation of mans soule for they intreat either of the noble acts of God and of Christ or the salvation of mankind and therefore by comparing this with the former reason we may frame this argument If the Author of the Scripture were not God it must be some creature if he were a creature he were either good or bad if a bad creature why forbiddeth he evill so rigorously and commands good so expresly and makes his mark to aim at nothing but Gods glory and our good if he were a good creature why doth he challenge to himself that which is proper to God onely as to make Laws for the heart to punish reward eternally c if it were no creature good nor bad it must needs be God Eleventhly the admirable power and force that is in them to convert and alter mans mind and to encline their heart from vice to vertue Psal. 19. 7 8. Psal. 119. 111. Heb. 4. 12. Acts 13. 12. though they be quite contrary to mens affections Twelfthly the Writers of the holy Scriptures are the most ancient of all others Moses is ancienter then the gods of the heathen that lived not long before the wars of Troy about the time of the Judges and the youngest Prophets of the Old Testament match the antientest Philosophers and Historians of the heathen Thirteenthly the deadly hatred that the devill and all wicked men carry against the Scriptures to cast them away and destroy them and the little love that most men doe bear unto them prove them to bee of God for if they were of flesh and blood then flesh and blood would love them and practise them and every way regard them more then it doth for the world loveth his own as our Saviour Christ saith Joh. 15. 19. But wee being but carnall and earthly savour not the things that bee of God as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 14. and untill the Lord open our hearts and we bee born again of Gods Spirit and become as new-born babes wee have no desire unto them 1 Pet. 2. 2. Fourteenthly the marvellous preservation of the Scriptures though none in time bee so ancient nor none so much oppugned yet God hath still by his providence preserved them and every part of them Fifteenthly the Scriptures as experience sheweth have the power of God in them to humble a man when they are preached and to cast him down to hell and afterward to restore and raise him up again Heb. 4. 12. Shew now how the holy Scriptures have the consonant testimony of all men at all times since they were writen that they are the most holy word of God First Joshua the servant of Moses the first Scribe of God to whom God spake in the presence and hearing of six hundred thousand men besides women and children who was
of God is so clearly laid open in the preaching of the Gospell that it needs not to be more cleare If at any time we cannot know nor understand this will of God as touching our salvation in whom is the fault The fault is in our selves and the reason is because we are carnall and naturall and destitute of the Spirit of Christ for Paul saith The carnall and naturall man cannot perceive the things of God but if the Spirit of Christ doth come and open our understanding and correct our affections we can no longer doubt of his will and therefore the Apostle immediately after addeth and saith but we have the mind of Christ. Whether is this will of God made known to every one of Gods children particularly or no Yes it is for Paul having the Spirit of Christ saith that this will of God was manifested unto him when he saith Gal. 2. 20. Christ loved me and gave himselfe for me and to the Corinthians he saith but God hath revealed them that is the joyes of heaven to us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 9. How doth this prove that we can have this knowledge Very well for if all the Elect are led by the same Spirit that Paul had it will also perswade them of this will of God as well as Paul But how prove you that they have the same Spirit That the same Spirit is given to all the elect I prove it out of the Prophet Esay who saith thus My word and my Spirit shall not depart from thy mouth nor from thy seed for ever Esa. 59. 21. which is such a blessing as no blessing can be desired in this world greater more excellent or more heavenly for when we are once armed with the knowledge of this will of God we shall passe through fire and water without any danger Esa. 43. 2. we shall overcome the world and death and triumph over our enemies as Paul did Rom. 8. 38 39. Whether are there more wills in God then one or no The will of God in some respects is but one and in some respects it is manifold How is it but one For the better determining of this point we must first consider how many significations there be of this word Will in God It signifieth the faculty or ability of willing in God and so it is God himself and the very essence of God and so his will is but one It signifieth the act it self of willing and if it be so taken it is all but one for God doth that in one and that eternall act will whatsoever he will It signifieth the free decree of his will concerning either the doing or the suffering of any thing to be done if we take it in this sense the will of God is still but one and that eternall and immutable May we call the decree of Gods will the will of God Yea very well as the Testament of one that is deceased is called the last will of the Testator because it is the firm and last decree of the Testators will and mind concerning the disposing of his goods and the Scriptures doe make the will of God and the counsell or decree of his will to be all one as appeareth in these places following Esa. 46. 10. Acts 4. 27 28. Joh. 6. 40. How is the will of God manifold There be two respects chiefly for which the will of God is said to be manifold or more then one First for the divers kinds of things which God doth will and hereof it is that it is called sometime the will of God concerning us and sometime the will of God done by us The first is his favour and love towards us in Christ Jesus in which he willeth and decreeth that we shall be saved through his Son of this Christ speaketh Joh. 6. 40. The other which he will have done of us is that which is expressed in his Word and that is to beleeve in Christ and to walk in his laws Psal. 143. 10. of which David saith thus Teach me to doe thy will because thou art my God and Paul saith Rom. 2. 18. Thou knowest his will that is his law Which is the other respect for which God is said to have many wils The will of God is said to be manifold and divers for that those things which he doth seem to will them after divers sorts and not after one and the same manner first after one manner he doth will good things and after another manner he doth will evill things Shew how that is He willeth good things properly and absolutely by themselves and for themselves he willeth evill things for another end Rom. 12. 2. and that is for good too and the first is called the good will of God and acceptable to himself the latter is called the permissive will of God or a voluntary permission in God because he is not compelled or constrained against his will to will them Again sometime he willeth simply and absolutely sometimes he seemeth to will conditionally and some things he revealeth at one time some at another and some things he doth for which he giveth a reason and the reasons of some things are secret to himself only and for ever Why then belike you grant that in God there be many wils No I deny that for although in those aforesaid respects the will of God is said to be manifold for our understanding yet for all that indeed and in truth the will of God is but one onely and that most constant eternall and perpetuall as for example he willed some things in the old Testament he hath willed other things in the new Testament yet one and the same will in God decreed both Again his will was that some things in the old Testament should last for a time that is to the comming of Christ or as the Apostle saith to the time of reformation Heb. 9. 10. But he willeth that the things of the new Testament shall last to the end of the world and yet one will in God decreed both these from everlasting Again although God seemeth to us to will some things absolutely and simply some things conditionally yet in truth to speak properly all things whatsoever God willeth he willeth absolutely and simply and whereas he is said to will some things conditionally that is to be referred to the manifestation of his will for there is not in God any conditionall will but only that which openeth his will in this or that or on this or that condition for a condition in God is against the nature of his eternall kingdome and knowledge Obj. God commandeth many things to be done which are not done so that there is a will declared in his word and there is another in him forbidding or hindering that which he commandeth in his Law and therefore there are in God many wils The things which God commandeth are of two sorts some are absolutely commanded without any condition expressed or concealed as that Moses should
to the clearing of the understanding How then doth our Saviour perform his Propheticall office Two wayes outwardly and inwardly How inwardly By the teaching and operation of his holy Spirit Ioh. 6. 45. Act. 16. 14. How outwardly By opening the whole will of his Father and confirming the same with so many signes and wonders How did he this Both in his own person when he was upon the earth Heb. 2. 2 3. as a Minister of the circumcision Rom. 15. 18. but with the authority of the Law-giver Mat. 7. 29. and by his servants the Ministers Mat. 10. 40. Luk. 10. 16. from the beginning of the world to the end thereof before his incarnation by the Prophets Priests and Scribes of the old Testament Heb. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 11 12. 3. 18 19. 2 Pet. 1. 19. 20 21. Hos. 4. 6. Mat. 2. 5. 6. 17. 23. 37. And since to the worlds end by his Apostles and Ministers called and fitted by him for that purpose 2 Cor. 4. 6. 5. 19 20. Eph. 4. 8. 11 12 13. How doth it appeare that he hath opened the whole will of his Father unto us Both by his own testimony Joh. 15. 15. I call you no more servants because the servant knoweth not what his Master doth but I call you friends because all which I have heard of my Father I have made knowne unto you and by the Apostles comparison Heb. 3. preferring him before Moses though faithfull in Gods house In what respect is our Saviour preferred before Moses 1. As the builder to the house or one stone of the house 2. Moses was only a servant in the house our Saviour Master over the house 3. Moses was a witnesse only and writer of things to be revealed but our Saviour was the end and finisher of those things What learn you from hence 1. That it is a foul errour in them that think of our Saviour Christ so faithfull hath not delivered all things pertaining to the necessary instruction and government of the Church but left them to the traditions and inventions of men 2. That sith our Saviour was so faithfull in his office that he hath concealed nothing that was committed to him to be declared the Ministers of the word should not suppresse in silence for feare or flattery the things that are necessarily to be delivered and that are in their times to be revealed 3. That we should rest abundantly contented with that Christ hath taught rejecting whatsoever else the boldnes of men would put upon on us Did he first begin to be the Prophet Doctor or Apostle of his Church when he came into the world No but when he opened first his Fathers will unto us by the ministery of his servants the Prophets 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. 3. 19. Heb. 3. 7. Is his Propheticall office the same now in the time of the Gospell that it was before and under the Law It is in substance one and the same but it differeth in the manner and measure of revelation for the same doctrine was revealed by the ministery of the Prophets before the Law by word alone after by word written and in the time of the Gospell more plainly and fully by the Apostles and Evangelists What have we to gather hence that Christ taught and teacheth by the Prophets Evangelists and Apostles 1. In what estimation we ought to have the books of the old Testament sith the same Spirit spake then that speaketh now and the same Christ. 2. We must carry our selves in the hearing of the word of God not to harden our hearts Heb. 3. 8. 15. For as much as the carelesse and fruitlesse hearing thereof hardeneth men to further Judgement for it is a two-edged sword to strike to life or to strike to death it is either the favour of life to life or the savour of death to death 2 Cor. 2. 16. How doth the Apostle presse this Heb. 3. verse 8 9 10. c. First he aggravateth the refusall of this office of our Saviour against the Israelites by the time forty yeares by the place the wildernesse and by the multitude of his benefits then he maketh an application thereof verse 12 13. consisting of two parts 1. A removing from evill 2. A moving to good What comfort have we by the Propheticall office of our Saviour 1. Hereby we are sure that he will lead us into all truth revealed in his word needfull for Gods glory and our salvation 2. We are in some sort partakers of the office of his prophecie by the knowledge of his will for he maketh all his to prophecie in their measure enabling them to teach themselves and their brethren by comforting counselling and exhorting one another privately to good things and withdrawing one another from evill as occasion serveth Acts 2. 17 18. So much of the Propheticall office of our Saviour Christ what is his Kingly office It is the exercise of that power given him by God over all Ps. 110. 1. Ezek. 34. 24. and the possession of all Mat. 28. 18. Psalm 2. 8 c. for the spirituall government and salvation of his elect Esa. 9. 7. Luk. 1. 32 33. and for the destruction of his and their enemies Psalm 45. 5. For what reasons must Christ be a King 1. That he might gather together all his Subjects into one body of the Church out of the world 2. That he might bountifully bestow upon them and convey unto them all the aforesaid meanes of salvation guiding them unto everlasting life by his Word and Spirit 3. That he might appoint Lawes and Statutes which should direct his people and bind their consciences to the obedience of the same 4. That he might rule and governe them and keep them in obedience to his Lawes 5. That he might appoint officers and a setled government in his Church whereby it might be ordered 6. That he might defend them from the violence and outrage of all their enemies both corporall and spirituall 7. That he might bestow many notable priviledges and rewards upon them 8. That he might execute his judgements upon the enemies of his subjects How doth he shew himselfe to be a King By all that power which he did manifest as well in vanquishing death and hell as in gathering the people unto himselfe which he had formerly ransomed and in ruling them being gathered as also in defending of them and applying of those blessings unto them which he hath purchased for them How did he manifest that power First in that being dead and buried he rose from the grave quickned his dead body ascended into heaven and now sitteth at the right hand of his Father with full power and glory in heaven Act. 10. 30. Eph. 4. 8. Secondly in governing of his Church in this world 1 Cor. 15. 25 26 27 28. continually inspiring and directing his servants by the divine power of his holy Spirit according to his holy word Esa. 9. 7. 30. 21. Thirdly by his
the world Esa. 9. 7. What fruit receive we by the Kingly office of our Saviour Christ By it all the treasures brought in by his Priestly and Propheticall office are dealt to us continually For from it all the means of applying and making effectuall unto us Christ and all his benefits doe come yea without it all the actions of his other offices are to us void fruitlesse and of none effect What comfort have we by this Hereby we are assured that by his Kingly power we shall finally overcome the flesh the world the devill death and hell To whom will this blessed King communicate the means of salvation He offereth them to many and they are sufficient to save all mankind but all shall not be saved thereby because by faith they will not receive them Matth. 20. 16. Joh. 1. 11. 1 Joh. 2. 2. Are not the Faithfull in some sort also made partakers of this honor of his Kingdome Yes verily For they are made Kings to rule and subdue their stirring and rebellious affections and to tread Satan under their feet Rom. 6. 12. 16. 20. Rev. 1. 6. 5. 10. You have spoken of the two natures and three offices of our Saviour Shew now in what state did Christ God and man perform this three-fold office In a two-fold estate 1. Of abasement and humiliation Phi. 2. 7 8. 2. Of advancement and exaltation Ph. 2. 9. Col. 2. 15. Eph. 1. 20 21. In the former he abased himself by his sufferings for sin whereof we have heard largely in the declaration of his Priesthood In the latter he obtained a most glorious victory and triumphed over sin thereby fulfilling his Priesthood and making way to his Kingdome What was his estate of Humiliation It was the base condition of a servant whereto he humbled himself from his Conception to his Crosse and so untill the time of his resurrection Phil. 2. 7 8. Wherein did this base estate of the Son of God consist In his Conception Gestation and Birth and in his Life diversly as in his Poverty Hunger Thirst Wearinesse and other Humiliations even unto death of which heretofore hath been spoken What learn you from this that Christ first suffered many things before he could enter into his Glory Luk. 24. 26. 46. That the way to reign with Christ is first to suffer with him and such as bear the Crosse constantly shall wear the Crown eternally Rom. 8. 17 18. 2 Tim. 2. 12. 4. 8. James 1. 12. What is his estate of Exaltation His glorious condition Phil. 2. 9. Heb. 2. 9. beginning at the instant of his Resurrection Acts 2. 24 31 36. and comprehending his Ascension Eph. 4. 8. Acts 2. 34. Heb. 9. 24 25. Sitting at the right hand of God his Father Psal. 110. 1 2 5 6. Mark 16. 9. 1 Pet. 3. 22. and the second comming in glory to judge the world Mat. 25. 31. What is the first degree of this estate His glorious Resurrection for after he had in his manhood suffered for us he did in the third day rise again by his own power from the dead Eph. 1. 19. Luc. 24. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 4. What it needfull that Christ being dead should rise again Yes it was for his own glory and our good Acts 2. 24. 1 Cor. 15. 21 22. How for his glory That being formerly abased as a servant and crucified as a sinner he might thus be declared to be the Son of God and exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour Phil. 2. 7. Luc. 23. 33. Esay 53. 12. Rom. 1. 4. Act. 5. 30 31. How for our good That having paid the price of our redemption by his death we might have good assurance of our full Justification by his life 1 Pet. 1. 19. Acts 20. 28. Rom. 4. 23. 1 Cor. 15. 17. What speciall comfort ariseth from this that the Lord of life is risen from death 1. It assureth me that his righteousnesse shall be imputed unto me for my perfect Justification that he that had the power of death is destroyed Heb. 2. 14. his works dissolved 1 Joh. 3. 8. and that all our misery is swallowed up in Christs victory 1 Cor. 15. 54. 2. It comforteth me because it doth from day to day raise me up to righteousnesse and newnesse of life in this present world 3. It ministreth unto me a comfortable hope that I shall rise again in the last day from bodily death What fruits then are we to shew from the vertue of his resurrection We are to stand up from the dead to awake to righteousnesse to live unto God and dying in him or for him to look for life again from him Eph. 5. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 34. Rom. 6. 4. 11. Phil. 3. 20. 1 Thes. 4. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 22. Col. 3. 4. Why is Christ said to raise himself To let us know that as he had power to lay down his life so he had also to take it up again Joh. 10. 18. What gather you hence That being Lord both of quick and dead he can and will both quicken our souls here to the life of grace and raise our bodies hereafter to the life of glory Rom. 14. 9. John 5. 21. Phil. 3. 21. Why did he rise the third day Because the bands of death could no longer hold him this being the time that he had appointed and the day that best served for his glorious resurrection Act. 2. 24. Mat. 20. 17. 12. 40. Why did he not rise before the third day Lest rising so presently upon his death his enemies might take occasion of cavill that he was not dead Mat. 27. 63 64. 28. 13 14. And why would he not put it off untill the fourth day Lest the faith of his Disciples should have been weakned and their hearts too much cast down and discouraged Mat. 28. 1. Luc. 24. 21. What gather you hence That as the Lord setteth down the tearm of our durance so doth he chuse the fittest time of our deliverance Rev. 2. 10. Mat. 12. 40. Dan. 11. 35. Hosea 6. 2. What is the second degree of his Exaltation His Ascension Mark 16. 19. Ephes. 4. 8 9. For we beleeve that Christ in his humane nature the Apostles looking on ascended into heaven What assurance have you of Christs Ascension The evidence of the Word the testimony of heavenly Angels and holy men Luc. 24. 51. Acts 1. 9. Wherefore did Christ ascend into heaven Because he had finished his Fathers work on earth Joh. 17. 3 4 5. and that being exalted in our nature he might consecrate a way prepare a place Joh. 14. 2 3. and appear in the presence of God to make intercession for us Heb. 4. 29. 9. 24. VVhat benefits did he bestow upon his Church at his Ascension He triumphed over his enemies gave gifts to his friends and taking with him a pledge of our flesh he sent and left with us the earnest of his Spirit Eph. 4. 8. Heb. 10. 12. 20. 2
all nations ages and conditions of men Eph. 5. 23. Ioh. 10. 16. Gal. 3. 28. Rev. 7. 9. 17. and that my self am one of that company and a sheep of that fold Why say you that you beleeve that there is a Catholick Church Because that the Church of God cannot be alwayes seen with the eyes of man Why is this Church called holy Because she hath washed her robes in the blood of the Lamb and being sanctified and cleansed with the washing of water by the word is presented and accepted as holy before God Rev. 7. 14. Eph. 5. 26 27. Col. 1. 21 22. for though the Church on earth be in it selfe sinfull yet in Christ the head it is holy and in the life to come shall be brought to perfection of holinesse What learn you hence That if ever we will have the Church for our Mother or God for our Father we must labour to be holy as he is holy What is meant here by catholick Church The whole universall company of the elect that ever were are or ever shall be gathered together in one body knit together in one Faith under one Head Christ Jesus Eph. 4. 4 5 6. 12. 13. Col. 2. 19. Eph. 1. 22 23. For God in all places and of all sorts of men had from the beginning hath now and ever will have an holy Church that is Gods whole or universall Assembly because it comprehendeth the whole multitude of all those that have doe or ever shall believe unto the worlds end Doe all those make one body The whole number of believers and Saints by calling make one body the Head whereof is Christ Jesus Eph. 1. 10. 22 23. Col. 1. 18. 24. Having under him no other Vicar and so the Pope is not the Head of the Church for neither property nor office of the head can agree unto him What is the property of the Head To be highest and therefore there can be but one even Christ. What is the office of the Head First to prescribe lawes to his Church which should bind mens consciences to the obedience of the same and of such law-givers there is but one James 4. 12. Secondly to convey the powers of life and motion into all the members by bestowing spirituall life and grace upon them For the naturall members take spirit and sense from the head so the Church hath all her spirituall life and feeling from Christ who is only able and no creature beside to quicken and give life Thirdly to be the Saviour of the body Eph. 5. 23. But Christ Jesus only is the Saviour of the Church whom by this title of the head of the Church Paul lifteth up above all Angels Archangels Principalities and Powers And therefore if the Pope were the successour of Peter and Paul yet should he not therfore be the head of the Church which agreeth to no simple creature in heaven or under heaven So much of the Head where be the members of this holy Catholick Church Part are already in heaven triumphant part as yet militant here upon earth VVhat call you the Church triumphant The blessed company of those that have entred into their Masters joy Heb. 12. 23. Rev. 7. 14. 16. waiting for the fulfilling of the number of their fellow-members and their own consummation in perfect blisse Rev. 6. 7. VVhy is it called Triumphant Because the Saints deceased have made an end of their pilgrimage and labours here on earth and triumph over their enemies the world death and damnation Are the Angels of the Church triumphant No First because they were never of the Church militant Secondly because they were not redeemed nor received benefit by the death of Christ and therefore it is said that He took not on him the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham Heb. 2. 16. VVhat is the speciall duty which the Church triumphant in heaven doth perform Praise and thanksgiving to God VVhat is the Church militant It is the society of those that being scattered through all the corners of the world are by one faith in Christ conjoyned to him and fight under his banner against their Enemies the World the Flesh and the devill continuing in the service and warfare of their Lord and expecting in due time also to be crowned with victory and triumph in glory with him Rev. 1. 9. 12. 11. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Who are the true members of the Church militant on earth Those alone who as living members of the mysticall body Eph. 1. 22 23. Col. 1. 18. are by the Spirit and Faith secretly and inseparably conjoyned unto Christ their head Col. 3. 3. Psalm 83. 3. In which respect the true militant Church is both visible Mat. 16. 18. and invisible Rom. 2. 29. 1 Pet. 3. 4. the elect being not to be discerned from the reprobates till the last day But are none to be accompted members of this Church but such as are so inseparably united unto Christ doubtlesse many live in the Church who are not thus united unto him and shall never come to salvation by him Truly and properly none are of the Church saving only they which truly beleeve and yeeld obedience 1 John 2. 19. all which are also saved howbeit God useth outward meanes with the inward for the gathering of his Saints and calleth them as well to outward profession among themselves as to inward fellowship with his Sonne Act. 2. 42. Cant. 1. 7. whereby the Church becommeth visible Hence it commeth that so many as partaking the outward means doe joyn with these in league of visible profession Act. 8. 13. are therefore in humane judgment accompted members of the true Church and Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1. 2. untill the Lord who only knoweth who are his doe make known the contrary as we are taught in the Parable of the tares the draw-net c. Mat. 13. 24. 47. Thus many live in the Church as it is visible and outward which are partakers onely outwardly of grace and such are not fully of the Church that have entred in but one step Cant. 4. 7. Eph. 5. 27. 1 John 2. 19. That a man may be fully of the Church it is not sufficient that he professe Christ with his mouth but it is further required that he believe in him in heart These doe the one but not the other or if they believe in heart they believe not fully For they may generally believe indeed that Christ is the Saviour of mankind but they know not whether themselves have part in him yea by their works they disclaim any interest in him VVhat say you then of such They are partakers of all good of the outward or imperfect Church and therefore their children also are baptized and admitted as members of Christs Church These are like evill citizens as indeed the Church is Gods city who are in truth but citizens in profession and name only For they as yet want the chiefest point which onely maketh a
powers of our soules thereby to fasten our mindes and so to hold them during the exercise that no idle or vaine thoughts withdraw us from the same 2. Zeale in the Action with such Affections as are answerable to the matter in hand as in Prayer we must have a sure confidence in God that we shall obtaine the things we aske agreeable to his will In thanksgiving we must have a sweet feeling of the benefits that God hath given us in the Word and Sacraments we must come with affection to them What is required of us after the Action That we feele the fruit of it that is some increase either of knowledge of true feare or comfort for the strengthning of us in the duties we performe So also every one must examine themselves herein and all those that belong unto them else they are like unto them that having eaten a good meale by warme water doe give it up again What be the outward things that doe accompany Gods Worship 1. Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies making for Order and Decency 1 Cor. 14. 40. which are left to the appointment of the Church being of that nature that they are varied by Times Places Persons and other Circumstances 2. All comely and reverend gestures of the body as kneeling lifting up the hands and eyes to Heaven silence in the service of God and such like For the gestures of religious Adorations being here forbidden to be given unto Images are therein commanded to be given unto the God of Heaven Is there any use of our bodily behaviour sith he is a Spirit and looketh to the Heart Yes verily For 1. The whole Man and consequently the Body it selfe oweth duty unto God 2. It is a Glasse wherein the affections of the Mind are beheld 3. The Mind is the better holden in the thing affected and the better holpen and furthered in the inward Worship when both Body and Mind are joyned together notwithstanding the Mind must alwayes proceed in Affection else it is shamefull hypocrisie What gestures are most convenient for the Body Divers according to the divers Exercises of Religion as at the reading of the Word standing at prayer kneeling and therein to witnesse our humility by casting downe our eyes our confidence by lifting them up or with the Publicane to knock our breasts except our infirmities or the like Le ts hinder us herein So much of the right use of Gods Ordinances Wherein standeth the abuse of them 1. In rash negligent and carelesse dealing in any particular point of the worship of God 2. In using any thing that God hath commanded for his worship otherwise then he himselfe hath appointed 1 Chron. 15. 13. For the brasen Serpent abused was worthily broken in pieces 2 Kings 18. 4. and the Israelites for carting the Arke were worthily punished 2 Sam. 6. 3 7 8. What speciall abuses of the Word are here condemned To hang pieces of Saint Johns Gospell about Mens necks or to use any other Gospell to heale the diseases as for any man to charge a Devill to goe out of one as the Apostles did VVhat may be lawfully done in this cause We must and may pray onely unto God that he would command the Devill to depart for he is the Master that authorised him to goe thither VVhat speciall abuses of the Sacraments are condemned The receiving of them unworthily making them to bee Sacrifices 1 Cor 11. 27. 29. as is done in Popery VVhat of the Ministerie The turning of that which is given to edifie in Christ to other ends then those for which it was ordained and when Ministers exercise Tyrannicall Lordship over their flock or their fellow servants as the Bishops of the Church of Rome use to doe Luke 22. 25. 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. Or when in the execution of their function they seek themselves and not the edification of Gods people What of the Discipline and Censures When they are used in another manner and for other causes then God hath ordained Esa. 66. 5. VVhat of Prayer To aske evill things or to pray for such things as God hath made no promise of or for such persons as he hath made no promise unto as when men pray for soules departed or for those that sinne to death 1 Ioh. 5. 14 15 16. To pray in a strange tongue which we doe not understand to pray on Beads and use much babling as also to ayme more in our requests at the relieving of our necessity then at the advancement of Gods glory VVhat of thanksgiving To thanke God for things unlawfully gotten or come unto us VVhat of Fasting To make it a matter of merrit or to use superstitious choyce of meats as is done in Popery VVhat of Vowes To undertake rash Vowes to break or else to delay and deferre the paying of our lawfull Vowes as also to performe Vowes that are unlawfull Psal. 66. 13. 76. 11. Eccles. 5. 1. 5. Gen. 35. 1. VVhat defects are condemned that concerne the inward things required in the performance of all these parts of Gods worship 1. Want of understanding when we doe good duties ignorantly or thinke that we can please God by meaning well when that which wee doe is evill 2. Want of Zeale and Affection in performing God service 3. Hypocrisie when men make a greater shew of the service of God outwardly then they have a desire to serve him inwardly 4. Hearing Reading Meditating Conferring singing of Psalmes and receiving the Sacraments without Preparation Attention Reverence Delight and Profit 5. Praying without Faith Feeling Reverence Fervency not waiting for answer VVhat defects concerne the outward worship 1. All unreverent and unbeseeming Gestures 2. All Ecclesiasticall Ceremonies and Rites of Religion which are pugnant to Gods Word or not warrantable by the generall grounds thereof such as are not for Order and Comelinesse and Edification So much of the parts of Gods Worship prescribed together with the right use and abuse thereof What say you of such formes of Worship as are not prescribed by God in his Word We are commanded to serve God not according to the Traditions of men but according to his Will revealed in the Scripture Col. 2. 18. Mat. 15. 9. What followeth hereupon That no Power must be admitted in the Church to prescribe other formes of Worship not appointed by God himselfe in his Word What is then to be observed herein We must observe the Apostles rule and practise 1 Cor. 11. 28. where he saith That which I have received I have delivered unto you For if he might adde nothing to Gods Ordinances much lesse may we What is here forbidden In generall all VVill-worship whereby we make any thing a part of Gods service which he hath not commanded For how great a shew soever it have yet in that it leaneth to mans wisdome it is unlawfull Col. 2. 23. In particular to ordaine any other VVord or Sacraments then those which God hath appointed to devise any
blessing of God upon the week going before What are the private duties that are to be performed out of the Church Such as we performe either in secret by our selves alone or in common with our families at home or others abroad both before the publick exercises in the Church the better to performe them and after the more to profit by them What be they in particular First Private Prayer Secondly Reading of the Word Thirdly holy Conference touching the Word of God and familiar talke of things belonging to the Kingdome of heaven Luke 14. 7. 16. Fourthly Examination of our selves and those that belong to us what we have profited by the hearing of the Word and other exercises of Religion Fiftly Catechising of our families Sixtly Meditation upon Gods Word Properties and Workes as well of Creation as of Providence especially that which he exerciseth in the government of the Church Psal. 80. 88. 92. Seventhly reconciling such as are at variance and visiting the sick relieving the poore c. 1 Cor. 16. 2. Neh. 8. 12. For these also are works of the Sabbath VVhat proofe have you of this continuall exercise and imployment 1. In the Law every evening and every morning were Sacrifices which on the Sabbath were multiplyed Numb 28. 9. 2. The 92. Psalme entituled A Psalme for the Sabbath to bee sung that day declareth that it is a good thing to begin the praises of God early in the morning and to continue the same untill night That wee may know then how to spend a Sabbath well declare more particularly how we may bestow the whole time in exercises of holines and first begin with the evening preparation Our care must be over night that having laid aside all our earthly affaires we begin to fit our selves for the Lords service that so we may fall asleep as it were in the Lords bosome and awake with him in the morning VVhat must be done in the morning when we awake We are to put away all earthly thoughts and to take up such Meditations as may most stirre up our hearts with reverence and cheerfulnesse to serve the Lord the whole day after wherein first we are to consider the great benefit of the Lords Sabbath and so cheere up our hearts in the expectation to enjoy the same Secondly to covenant with the Lord more religiously to sanctifie the whole day after In making of our selves ready what are we to doe Rising as early for the Lords service as we doe for our owne businesses and bestow no more time nor care about our apparell and such like then needs must we may then occupy our minde about such matters as bee most fit for that time which ordinarily may be these two 1. To thinke upon Gods goodnesse in giving us such apparell and other necessaries which many others want so that wee may judge all things we have rather too good for us then bee discontented with any thing we enjoy 2. Considering how well our bodies be apparelled and provided for to seek more to have our soules better apparelled with Christ Iesus Being up and ready what are we to set our selves to Wee must set our selves to our morning sacrifice either alone or with others if it may be some short Prayer for our preparation being used VVhat Meditations must we here enter into Two especially the one for that which is past the other for that which is to come VVhat for that which is past To cast our weeks account at least how God hath dealt with us in benefits and chastisements and how wee have dealt with him in keeping or breaking his Commandements that by both we may finde matter to comfort and humble us to move us to thankfulnesse for mercies received and to earnest suit and labour for pardon of our trespasses and supply of all our necessities VVhat for that which followeth To prepare our selves for the publick Ministerie and as it were to apparell our selves and make our selves fit to go to the Court of the Lord of Hosts with his children and before his Angels What things are necessary hereunto 1. A due regard whither we goe before whom what to doe and what ends wherewith to honour God and to receive grace from him 2. An earnest hunger so to use the meanes to Gods honour and our good 3. True faith that we shall enjoy our desire 4. Ioy and Thankfulnesse in the hope of such Blessings 5. Humility in regard of our unworthinesse 6. Vnfained purpose of amendment of life What must be added unto these To the Meditations fervent Prayer must be joyned and Reading for our furtherance in Gods service and such as conveniently can are to joyne together in a Christian Family to read pray and confer and Governours to instruct their Families in such matters as are then befitting Having thus spent the time privately what is to be done in publick We are to goe to Church in all comely sort before the publick Ministry is begun and then with all diligence to attend and to give consent thereunto and so to take to heart whatsoever shall be brought unto us that by all the holy exercises we may be edified in all needfull graces The publick Ministry ended what are we to doe We are to occupy our minds on that we have heard and when we come to place and time convenient to set our selves more especially to make use of it to our selves and others pertaining to us and to water it with our prayers that it may grow and bring forth fruit What say you to our diet and refreshing of our nature on this day Care would be had that it be such as every way may make us fitter for holy duties And to this end we are to season it with Meditation and speeches of holy things How is the afternoone to be spent 1. The time before the Evening Sacrifice we are to bestow either alone or with others in such Exercises as may best quicken in us Gods Spirit 2. For the Evening Sacrifices in all respects to behave our selves as in the Morning and to continue to the end 3. This publick Ministry fully ended to keep our minds in like sort as before on that we have heard and so being come home either alone or with others to enter into an examination of our selves for the whole day How are we to end the day 1. With thanks for Gods blessings on our labours 2. Humble suit for pardon of all our faults escaped 3. Earnest desire of grace to profit by all that we may persevere unto the end and be saved Doe you make any difference betwixt the Sabbath nights and other nights Yes we should lay our selves downe to rest in greater quietnesse that night upon the sense and feeling of the former Exercises so that our sleep should be the more quiet by how much the former Exercises of that day have been more holy otherwise we should declare that we have not kept the whole day so
of people especially and yet so as the set forme make not men sluggish in stirring up the gift of prayer in themselves according to divers occurrents it being incident to the children of God to have some gift of prayer in some measure Zach. 12. 10 Remaineth there yet any thing necessary to be considered of Prayer Something would be spoken of the kinds and circumstances thereof What kinds are thereof Prayer Prayer is either publicke or private and both of them either ordinary or extraordinary Acts 6. 4 c. 1 Tim. 2. 12. Mat. 6. 6. Acts 10. 4. Ioel 2. 15. Ionah 3. 6. What is publick Prayer It is prayer made of and in the Congregation assembled for the service of God Psal. 84. 1 c. What is private Prayer It is that Prayer which is made out of the Congregation and it is either lesse private as when the whole Family or private friends meet in that exercise 2 Sam. 6. 20. Esther 4. 16. or more private when either one of the members of the Family Nehem. 1. 4 5 6. Gen. 25. 21. or some by reason of speciall duty they have joyntly together made their prayers 1 Pet. 3. 7. Is it not enough for every one in a Family to make prayers with the rest of the body of that Houshold No it is required also that we pray solitarily by our selves Math. 6. 6. For as every man hath committed speciall sins which others in the Family have not and hath speciall defects and hath received speciall favours that others have not so in these regards it is meet that he should have a speciall resort unto God in Confession Petition and Thanksgiving What is ordinary Prayer It is that prayer which is made daily upon ordinary occasions Psal. 55. 17. Dan. 6. 11. What is the extraordinary That which is made upon speciall occasion or extraordinary accident falling out by reason whereof it is both longer and ferventer Psal. 119. 62. Acts 12. 5. Joel 2. 15. Ionah 3. 6. Are the same persons alwayes to keep the private extraordinary Prayers that keep the publick No not such persons as are under the commandement of others unlesse it be publick or with consent of their commanders Numb 30. 13 14 c. What are the ordinary circumstances of Prayer Gestures Place Time What behaviour and gesture must we use in Prayer We must use such holy behaviour and comely gestures of body as are beseeming the Majesty of God with whom we have to deale and so holy an exercise which we have in hand namely such as may best expresse and encrease the reverence humility fervency and affiance that ought to be in our hearts as the bowing of our knees Eph. 3. 14. lifting up of our hands and eyes to heaven Lam. 3. 41. Iohn 17. 1 c. which yet are not alwayes or absolutely necessary Luke 18. 13. so our hearts be lifted up Psal. 25. 1. and 143. 8. and the knees of our conscience bowed before the Lord Phil. 2. 10. and nothing done unbeseeming the company with whom we pray and the kind of prayer Is not the behaviour all one in every kind of prayer No In private prayer it sufficeth that we use such words gestures c. as may expresse our reverence and faith towards God 1 Cor. 14. 2. In publike prayer our behaviour must be such as may also witnesse our communion one with another and desire of mutuall edification 1 Cor. 14. 4. and verse 17. 40. When we pray by our selves we have more liberty of words and gestures then in company 1 Kings 18. 42. In extraordinary prayers the publike must be done with open shew of the affection either sorrow or joy Esa. 1. and 58. Ioel 2. 13. which in the private must be covert and secret Matth. 6. 17. Where must we pray Generally all places are allowed 1 Tim. 2. 8. the ceremoniall difference of places being removed Iohn 4. 21 c. and Christ our propitiatory every where present before us Matth. 18. 20. Notwithstanding according to the kindes before mentioned the publike place of resort for the worship of God best fitteth common prayers Esa. 56. 7. Ioel 2. 17. and the private house or Closet is most convenient for private supplication Matth. 6. 6. howsoever the sudden lifting up of the heart in secret unto God may be as occasion is without gesture in any place or company Neh. 2. 4. When must we pray Continually as the Apostle enjoyneth 1 Thess. 5. 17. For the whole course of a Christian is a perpetuall intercourse with the Lord either suing for mercy or waiting for the answer of his suits or rendring thankes for graces received Psal. 5. 3. Luke 2. 37. Neverthelesse ordinarily the Sabbath among the dayes of the week Psal. 92. Title and morning and evening among the houres of the day ibid vers 2. are to be preferred whereto such time must be added wherein we enter into any businesse Col. 3. 17. Pro. 3. 6. or receive any of the creatures or blessings of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. 1 Tim. 4. 4 5. Extraordinarily other dayes or houres must also be set apart for prayer especially in cases requiring longer continuance therein Psal. 55. 17. 119. 62 164. What circumstances are annexed unto such extraordinary prayer An holy fasting or feasting 1 Cor. 7. 5. Zach. 8. 19. Neh. 8. 10. the one to further our zeale in petition the other in thanksgiving What meane you by Fasting Not any naturall abstinence arising from sicknesse nor medicinall used to prevent or remove the same nor civill enjoyned sometimes by authority as in case of dearth sometimes enforced by necessity as in siege 2 Kings 6. 25. seafaring c. nor yet morall for subduing of carnall concupiscence 2 Kings 25. 26 27. 1 Cor. 9. 27. and preservation of chastity required especially in some constitutions 1 Cor. 9 27. by vertue of the seventh Commandement But religious Ioel 1. 14 that is referred to religious ends for the furtherance of the speciall practice of repentance and the enforcing of our prayers Is fasting a good work Fasting is not properly a good work but an help an assistance thereto namely to prayer Whether is the outward exercise thereof a certaine marke of a godly man The Pharisees which fasted Luke 5. 33. came not to our Saviour Christ to learne of him 48. as the Disciples of John did Matth. 9. 14. although it were in weaknesse but to discredit him namely to make the world beleeve that he was a belly-god as the Church of Rome doth charge the children of God now to open a schoole to all liberty of the flesh following the steps of their old fathers the Pharisees What is an holy Fast The chastising of our nature and laying aside the delights of the senses for a time Joel 2. 16. 1 Cor. 7. 5. to the end thereby to humble our selves and to make us more apt to prayer Or more fully Fasting is a
inward meanes from the outward In no case for those things which God hath joyned together no man may separate Matth. 19. How doth it appeare that God hath joyned both these meanes together Because hee saith by the Prophet Esay chap. 59. 21. that this is the Covenant that hee will make with his people to put his Spirit and Word in them and in all the posterity of the Church The Apostle in like manner 1 Thess. 5. 19. 20. joyneth these two together Quench not the Spirit and despise not prophesying It would seem by these words of the Apostle that the Spirit of Adoption and Sanctification proper to the faithfull may be lost whilst he exhorteth that we should not quench the Spirit By no means but as God doth assure the faithful of their continuance in him so he doth declare by these exhortations that the only means wherby we should nourish this holy fire in us is to take heed to the preaching of the Word Is by the word prophecying only meant the preaching of the Word No but by a figurative speech all those outward meanes whereby God useth to give his holy Spirit as are the Sacraments and the discipline of the Church over and above the preaching of the Word which being principall of all is here set downe for the rest Why doth the Apostle set the Spirit before the preaching of the Word meant by Prophecy considering that by and after preaching of the VVord the Lord giveth his Spirit 1. Because the Spirit is the chiefe of the two the Word being but the instrument whereby the Spirit of God worketh 2. For that the worke of the Spirit is more generall and reacheth to some to whom the preaching of the Word cannot reach 3. For that the Word is never profitable without the Spirit but the Spirit may be profitable without the Word as after will appeare What doe you learne of this that the meanes of Gods Spirit and Word are usually conjoyned together That no man is to content himselfe with this phantasie to thinke that he hath the Spirit and so to neglect the Word because they goe together Who are by this condemned The Anabaptists Papists Libertines which ascribe to the Spirit that which they like although wickedly seeing the Spirit doth not ordinarily suggest any thing to us but that which it teacheth us out of the word Ioh. 14. 26. What other sort of men are here condemned The Stancharists who esteem the Word to be fit to chatechise and to innitiate or enter us in the rudiments of Religion But too base to exercise our selves continually in it wheras the Prophets and Apostles most excellent men did notwithstanding exercise themselves in the Scriptures Mar. 4. 1 2 c. compared with Isa. 2. 1 2 c. 2 Pet. 3. 15 16. Are none saved without hearing of the Word Yes For first children which are within the Covenant have the Spirit of God without the ordinary meanes of the Word and Sacraments Mat. 2. Rom. 8. 9 14. Secondly some also of age in places where these meanes are not to be had Thirdly some also which living in places where such means are yet have no capacity to understand them as some naturall fooles mad men or deafe borne to shew that God is not tied to meanes What must we here take heed of That we presume not upon this sith that notwithstanding this secret working of God yet it is as impossible to come to heaven if having the means and capacity of receiving them we contemne the means as it is impossible to have a harvest where no seed time hath gone before Mat. 13. or to have children without the Parents seed 1 Pet. 1. 23. seeing amongst such the Spirit of God works faith only by the preaching of the word Indeed where the Lord placeth not the preaching of the VVord there he can and doth work faith without it but where he hath placed it he will not doe it without it In times and places where Popery hath prevailed many were and may be so at this day in Spaine and Rome converted by the very bare reading of the Word yea without the reading of the VVord but not so among them who have or may have it either by going from home to it or fetching it home to them How is the diverse working of Gods Spirit by the Ministry of the Word set out unto us By the parable of the seed three parts whereof fell into barren and unprofitable ground one into good and fruitfull Mat. 13. 3. 9. 18 19 24. Are not three parts of the foure in the Church likely to be condemned by this Parable No in no case For it is both curious and uncomfortable Doctrine it being a far different thing to have three sorts of wicked men in foure sorts and to have thrice as many of one sort What is the first thing you observe here common to the godly with the wicked To understand something of the word of grace and to give consent unto the same If they understand it how is it that the first sort of unfruitfull hearers are said not to understand Mat. 13. 19. They have some understanding but it is said to be none because it is no cleare knowledge whereof they can give a reason out of the Word nor effectuall which ariseth from hence for that they come without affection and goe away without care What are we here to learne 1. To take heed not to deceive our selves in a bare profession or light knowledge of the Word and that we come to heare it with zeale and depart with care to profit 2. To beware also of the great subtilty of Satan who as a swift bird snatcheth the Word out of the unprepared hearts even as also doth a thiefe which taketh away whatsoever he findeth loose What observe you in the second sort common to the godly with the wicked To have some kind of delight in the Word and a glimpse of the life to come Mat. 13. 20. Heb. 4. 5. What difference is there between a godly joy and this 1. This is like the blaze of the fire and is never full and sufficient whereas the godly joy is above that of gold and silver 2. The wickeds delight is for another purpose then is the godlies For it is only to satisfie a humour desiring to know something more then others whereas the godlies joy is to know further to the end they may practise Why is it said they have no root Mat. 13. 21. Because though they understand the things yet are they not grounded upon the reasons and testimonies of the Word nor transformed into the obedience of the Gospell and therfore when persecution commeth they wither away Proceed to the third sort They are they which keep it it may be with some suffering of persecution yet the thornes of covetousnesse or of worldly delights overgrow the good seed and make it unfruitfull So much of the three sorts of unfruitfull soyle and
read definition p. 232. l. 31 read you shall no more call for me in Baal p. 245. l. 13. for private good read private prayer p. 254. l. 2 for preferring read preserving p. 255. l. 15. for revile read reveale p. 262. l. 21. for towards them read before them p. 272. l. 37. for owne read very p. 277. l. 43. for commended read commanded p. 289 l. 3. for goe read and therefore p. 293. l. 10. for retained read received l. 11. for retaine read receive p. 301. l. 5. read the publike are either p. 314. l. 32. for thirst read Christ. p. 323. l. 11. leave out other p. 364. l. 36. for proposeth read purposeth p. 374. l. 13. for hands read hearts p. 405. l. 34. for of read and. p. 417. l. 41. read now in the time p. 420. l. 10. read But where God denieth p. 421. l. 17. leave out but. p. 423. l. 36. for which we have alone read which we have not p. 427. l. 47. for groaning read growing p. 435. l. 45. for examination read Excommunication IMMANUEL OR THE MYSTERY OF THE INCARNATION OF THE SON OF GOD UNFOLDED By JAMES VSHER Archbishop of Armagh JOHN 1. 14. THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH LONDON Printed by M. F. for RICH. ROYSTON and are to bee sold at his shop at the sign of the Angel in Ivy-Lane MDCXLV THE MYSTERY OF THE Incarnation of the SON OF GOD. THE holy Prophet in the Book of the Proverbs poseth all such as have not learned wisdome nor known the knowledge of the holy with this Question Who hath ascended up into heaven or descended who hath gathered the wind in his fists who hath bound the waters in a garment who hath established all the ends of the earth What is his name and what is his SONS name if thou canst tell To help us herein the SON Himself did tell us when hee was here upon earth that None hath ascended up to heaven but hee that descended from heaven even the Son of man which is in heaven And that wee might not bee ignorant of his name the Prophet Isaiah did long before foretell that Vnto us a Childe is born and unto us a Son is given whose name shall bee called Wonderfull Counseller The Mighty God The Everlasting Father The Prince of Peace Where if it bee demanded how these things can stand together that the Son of man speaking upon earth should yet at the same instant bee in heaven that the Father of Eternity should bee born in time and that the Mighty God should become a Childe which is the weakest state of Man himself wee must call to minde that the first letter of this great Name is WONDERFULL When hee appeared of old to Manoah his name was Wonderfull and hee did wonderously Judg. 13. 18 19. But that and all the wonders that ever were must give place to the great mystery of his Incarnation and in respect thereof cease to bee wonderfull for of this work that may bee verifyed which is spoken of those wonderfull judgements that God brought upon Aegypt when hee would shew his power and have his name declared throughout all the earth Before them were no such neither after them shall bee the like Neither the creation of all things out of nothing which was the beginning of the works of God those six working dayes putting as it were an end to that long Sabbath that never had beginning wherein the Father Son and holy Ghost did infinitely glorifie themselves and rejoyce in the fruition one of another without communicating the notice thereof unto any creature nor the Resurrection from the dead and the restauration of all things the last works that shall goe before that everlasting Sabbath which shall have a beginning but never shall have end neither that first I say nor these last though most admirable peeces of work may bee compared with this wherein the Lord was pleased to shew the highest pitch if any thing may bee said to bee highest in that which is infinite and exempt from all measure and dimensions of his Wisdome Goodnesse Power and Glory The Heathen Chaldeans to a question propounded by the King of Babel make answer that it was a rare thing which hee required and that none other could shew it except the Gods whose dwelling is not with flesh But the rarity of this lyeth in the contrary to that which they imagined to bee so plain that hee who is over all God blessed for ever should take our flesh and dwell or pitch his tabernacle with us That as the glory of God filled the Tabernacle which was a figure of the humane nature of our Lord with such a kinde of fulnesse that Moses himself was not able to approach unto it therein comming short as in all things of the Lord of the house and filled the Temple of Solomon a type likewise of the body of our Prince of Peace in such sort that the Priests could not enter therein so in him all the fulnesse of the Godhead should dwell bodily And therefore if of that Temple built with hands Solomon could say with admiration But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth Behold heaven and the heaven of heavens can not contain thee how much lesse this house which I have built of the true Temple that is not of this building wee may with greater wonderment say with the Apostle Without controversie great is the mystery of Religion God was manifested in the flesh Yea was made of a Woman and born of a Virgin a thing so wonderfull that it was given for a signe unto unbeleevers seven hundred and forty yeers before it was accomplished even a signe of Gods own choosing among all the wonders in the depth or in the heighth above Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a signe Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel Esa. 7. 14. A notable wonder indeed and great beyond all comparison That the Son of God should bee made of a Woman even made of that Woman which vvas made of by himself That her womb then and the heavens now should contain him vvhom the Heaven of Heavens can not contain That hee who had both Father and Mother whose pedegree is upon record even up unto Adam who in the fulnesse of time vvas brought forth in Bethlehem and when hee had finished his course was cut off out of the land of the living at Jerusalem should yet notwithstanding bee in truth that which his shadow Melchisedec was onely in the conceite of the men of his time without Father without Mother without pedegree having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life That his Father should bee greater then hee and yet hee his Fathers equall That hee is before Abraham was and yet Abrahams birth preceded his wel-nigh the space of two thousand
of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Now as our Mediatour in respect of the Adoption of Sons which he hath procured for us is not ashamed to call us Brethren so in respect of this nevv birth whereby hee begetteth us to a spirituall and everlasting life he disdaineth not to own us as his Children When thou shalt make his seed an offering for sin he shall see his seed saith the Prophet Esaias A seed shall serve him it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation saith his Father David likewise of him And he himself of himselfe Behold I and the children which God hath given mee Whence the Apostle deduceth this conclusion Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise took part of the same He himself that is he who was God equall to the Father for who else was able to make this new creature but the same God that is the Creator of all things no lesse power being requisite to the effecting of this then was at the first to the producing of all things out of nothing and these new babes being to be born of the Spirit who could have power to send the Spirit thus to beget them but the Father and the Son from whom he proceeded the same blessed Spirit who framed the naturall body of our Lord in the womb of the Virgin being to new mould and fashion every member of his mysticall body unto his similitude and likenesse For the further opening of which mystery which went beyond the apprehension of Nicodemus though a master of Israel wee are to consider that in every perfect generation the creature produced receiveth two things from him that doth beget it Life and Likenesse A curious limmer draweth his own sons pourtraicture to the life as we say yet because there is no true life in it but a likenesse onely he can not be said to be the begetter of his picture as he is of his Son And some creatures there be that are bred out of mud or other putrid matter which although they have life yet because they have no correspondence in likenesse unto the principle from whence they were derived are therefore accounted to have but an improper and equivocall generation Whereas in the right and proper course of generation others being esteemed but monstrous births that swarve from that rule every creature begetteth his like nec imbellem feroces Progenerant aquilae columbam Now touching our spirituall death and life these sayings of the Apostle would be thought upon We thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickned us together with Christ. And you being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickned together with him having forgiven you all trespasses I am crucified with Christ. Neverthelesse I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me From all which we may easily gather that if by the obedience and sufferings of a bare man though never so perfect the most soveraign medicine that could be thought upon should have been prepared for the curing of our wounds yet all would be to no purpose we being found dead when the medicine did come to be applyed Our Physitian therefore must not onely be able to restore us unto health but unto life it selfe which none can doe but the Father Son and holy Ghost one God blessed for ever To which purpose these passages of our Saviour also are to be considered As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself As the living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and the bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world The substance whereof is briefly comprehended in this saying of the Apostle The last Adam was made a quickening spirit An Adam therefore and perfect Man must he have been that his flesh given for us upon the Crosse might bee made the conduict to convey life unto the world and a quickening spirit he could not have been unlesse hee were God able to make that flesh an effectuall instrument of life by the operation of his blessed Spirit For as himself hath declared It is the Spirit that quickneth without it the flesh would profit nothing As for the point of similitude and likenesse we read of Adam after his fall that he begat a son in his own likenesse after his image and generally as well touching the carnall as the spirituall generation our Saviour hath taught us this lesson That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit Whereupon the Apostle maketh this comparison betwixt those who are born of that first man who is of the earth earthy and of the second man who is the Lord from heaven As is the earthy such are they that are earthy and as is the heavenly such are they also that are heavenly and as wee have borne the image of the earthy we shall also bear the image of the heavenly We shall indeed hereafter bear it in full perfection when the Lord Jesus Christ shall change our base body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself Yet in the mean time also such a conformity is required in us unto that heavenly man that our conversation must be in heaven whence we look for this Saviour and that we must put off concerning the former conversation that old man which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts and be renued in the spirit of our mind and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse For as in one particular point of domesticall authority the Man is said to be the image and glory of God and the Woman the glory of the Man so in a more universall manner is Christ said to bee the image of God even the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse image of his person and we to be conformed to his image that he might be the first-born among those many brethren who in that respect are accounted