snare it shall come vpon all that sit vpon the face of the Earth l Mat. 25. 13. Watch therefore at all times praying c. And Mat. 24. and 25. he inforceth the same by two excellent Parables one of the Steward put in trust by his Master the other of the ten Virgins concluding with the selfe-same exhortation Watch therefore for yee know not what houre the Sonne of man shall come Againe it shall be very euident visible notorious of all men especially of the Elect. So the Angel telleth thē m Acts 1. 11. This Iesus which is taken from you into Heauen shall come after the same manner as ye haue seene him going into Heauen that is visibly apparantly as it was said before n Verse 9. That they seeing beholding a Cloud tooke him from their eyes In regard of the State and Maiestie of his Comming it o Titus 2. 13. and els-where is euery-where called his p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glorious and bright appearance Opposed to his first Comming which was without any shew in Meeknesse and Humilitie whereas this shall bee in all Royaltie and Magnificence aboue the pompe and glittering shew of all the Kings of the World For first it shall be q Mat. 24. 30. With power and much glorie Secondly r 1. Thess 1. 8. In a flaming fire Thirdly With the ſ 1. Thess 4. 16. voice of an Archangell with a Trumpet of God Fourthly With infinite thousands of holy Angels to attend vpon him Mat. 25. 31. When the Son of man shall come in his glorie all his holy Angels with him 2. Thes 1. 7. When the Lord Iesus shal shew himselfe from Heauen with his mightie Angels For the blessed soules of the righteous deceased shall not attend him when hee commeth to Iudgement but shall bee sent to their bodies in the Graues from thence to be taken vp and presented before him The fourth thing to bee obserued in the last Iudgement in the Ayre and there is the place where the same shall bee which the t 1. Thess 4. 17. Apostle teacheth when he saith We which liue and remaine shall be caught vp with them also in the Clouds to meete the Lord in the Ayre for it seemeth the whole Earth can hardly hold the men that then shall come to Iudgement Next are the things which hee shall doe when hee is come being of three sorts First The preparation to the Sentence This standeth in foure things First The erecting of a great and glorious Throne for this Iudge to sit vpon though of what matter the Scripture concealeth yet vndoubtedly fit for the Maiestie of the Iudge of all the World whether the same be the glorious Angels of God that as a Throne beare vp our Sauiour Christ or some other thing but for certayne a reall and most Royall Place it shall be where hee shall sit euidently to bee seene of all Mat. 19. 28. When the Sonne of man shall sit vpon his glorious Throne Reuel 20. 11. I saw a great white Throne and one sitting vpon it great to shew the Maiestie and white to note the sinceritie and vprightnesse of his Iudgement Secondly His retinue and attendants which are the troupes and thousand thousands of holy Angels compassing him about Thirdly The gathering together of all both Elect and Reprobate to come before him Fourthly The separating of those two sorts one from the other setting the Elect at his right hand and the Reprobate at his left hand You shall finde them all foure Mat. 25. 31 32 33. And when the Sonne of man commeth in his glorie and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit vpon the Throne of his glorie And before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall separate one from another as the Shepheard separateth the Sheepe from the Goates and he shall set the Sheepe at his right hand and the Goates on his left The second thing which he shall doe being come is receiue sentence of all fulnes of blessednes for euer the sentencing or proceeding vnto Iudgement Wherein I consider First The order of the Sentence that first it shall bee pronounced vpon the Elect then against the Reprobate for so our Sauiour manifestly sheweth Mat. 25. 34. Then assoone as separation is made the King shall say to them at his right hand And u Verse 41. Then afterwards he shall also say to them at his left hand This appeareth further by that honour that the Children of God shall haue to iudge the wicked iustifying and approouing by their voyce and suffrage the holy Sentence of Christ which because it cannot bee vntill themselues haue receiued the sentence of glorie it followeth that the same goeth in order before the other Secondly The sentence x Mat. 25. 34 41. it selfe to the Elect Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the World To the Reprobate Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Deuill and his angels Thirdly The y Mat. 25. 4 34 35 36 41 42 43. reason of the Sentence iustifying this great Iudge before God and the World and to the consciences of all men for in it is opened first the eternall and most righteous Decree of God electing one and reprobating the other Then the sequels of this Election and Reprobation In the Elect Loue to Christ and to his members vndoubted fruits and testimonies of their Faith in the Reprobate hardnesse of heart without compassion or loue vnto the Saints a declaration before men and to their owne soules of their righteous and iust perdition Iohn in the z Reuel 20. 21. Reuelation doth elegantly describe it by two Bookes wherein those reasons are both written The first is The Booke of both their consciences wherein are written the ones wicked workes to conuince their damnation to be most iust and the others Holinesse of conuersation The other Booke is The Booke of Life which is the eternall Election of the latter to shew that they being many times guiltie of foule offences and the best of all their workes weake and imperfect and vtterly of no desert their Saluation is altogether free and of Gods meere grace and fauour in and through Christ The third is The Execution of this Sentence wherewith which our Sauiour shutteth vp Mat. 25. 46. So these shall goe away vnto euerlasting punishment but the righteous vnto life euerlasting Wherein we consider the order of it and the thing it selfe The order first vpon the Reprobate then to the Elect for albeit the Sentence of Come yee blessed for such causes as we haue heard alreadie bee in order to goe before that of Goe yee cursed c. yet the Execution beginneth heere the holy a Mat. 13. 49 50. Angels first of all flying at once vpon the Reprobate to throw them into the place of their deserued torment that so the
Gouernments Chiefe k Dan. 10. 13. Princes c. 1. Pet. 3. 22. Ephes 1. 21. Col. â— 16. Fourthly For their Power the name it selfe of Power l Rom. 1. 38. is giuen to them And the m Psal 103. 20. Prophet by name doth set it forth Yea Angels mighty in power And to the Thessalonians n 2. Thess 1. 17. When the Lord Iesus shall bee reuealed from Heauen with his most mighty Angels The Angels saith PETER in power o 2. Pet. 2. 11. and might greater then these As if hee would say other manner of persons whereby hee doth insinuate their exceeding and incomparable power Fifthly For their Glory what it is that one place may serue in stead of many where it is coupled with the glory of the Father and the Sonne When the p Luke 9. 26. Sonne of man shall come in the glory of himselfe and of his Father and of the holy Angels In the q Luke 2. 9. second of Luke when the Angell of the Lord stood before the Shepheards it is forth-with added that the glory of the Lord shone round about them Hither it maketh that the Glory and Maiesty which the Lord made to appeare in the face of Stephen for the daunting of his Aduersaries is r Acts 6. 15. resembled to the countenance of an Angell In the Vision which Å¿ Esay 6. 1. Esay saw they are brought in with two of their wings couering their feet Thereby to meete with the infirmitie of men who are not able to abide the brightnesse of their glory DANIEL t Dan. 10. 5 6. excellently describeth this in that great Vision which hee saw by the Waters of Chiddekel Lifting vp mine eyes I saw and behold a man clothed with Linnen whose loynes were girt with excellent Gold of Vphaz his Bodie was like vnto Sea-coloured blue as if hee would say of an heauenly colour his face to looke to like the Lightening and his eyes like to Lampes of fire and his armes and feete like vnto the colour of polished Brasse glittering and twinkling like sparkles of fire the noyse also of his words were like vnto the noyse of a whole multitude At whose appearance the men that were with Daniel trembled exceedingly and flying hid themselues hee also himselfe had no strength left within him but euen his beautie and comelinesse were turned into corruption And hither belongeth their wonderfull and admirable wisedome growne into a Prouerbe As u 2. Sam. 18. 14 the wisedome of an Angell The holinesse wherein men were created is recorded Genes 1. 26 27. Let vs make man according to our owne Image after our owne likenesse And wherein this Image and likenesse of God doth stand the Apostle doth informe vs Ephes 4. 24. Put on the new man which according to God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Coloss 3. 10. Putting on the new man which is renewed in knowledge according to the Image of him that hath created him And in this respect Adam also in his innocencie is called The sonne of God Luke 3. 38. Touching the happinesse of Adam and Eue in their integritie First They were beloued of God his sonnes and children Secondly They enioyed his presence but vpon Earth which was their habitation and therefore lesse gloriously then the Angels did but that they also had it is apparant by Gods familiar conference with Adam Gen. 2. 29. Thirdly They had Dominion and Power ouer all the Creatures of the Earth and were set as the Monarches of the World Gen. 1. Let x Gen. 1. 26. vs make man after our image c. and let them rule ouer the fishes of the Sea and ouer the Fowles of the Ayre and ouer Beasts and ouer the whole Earth and all creeping things that creepe vpon the y Gen. 20. 19 20 Earth Which soueraignty of man is declared Gen. 2. First by Gods bringing to Adam all the Beasts of the field and all the Fowles of the Ayre putting him in seisin and possession of them and making them to present themselues before him as subiects are wont to doe at their Princes Coronation Then by the names hee gaue vnto euery one that so hee might know how to call for them whensoeuer hee should need them to attend vpon him and to doe him seruice Fourthly They were indued with strength of nature not subiect to sicknesse or other infirmities Insomuch as their very labour was without all wearinesse paine or griefe which sinne hath brought vpon vs as appeareth by the Curse z Gen. 3. 17 19. Gen. 3. Because thou hast obeyed the voice of thy Wife and eaten of the fruit of the Tree which I forbade thee Cursed be the Earth for thy sake In sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eat thy meate Fifthly They were all glorious both in their bodie which being naked had an excellent dignitie and comelinesse in it without the least vnseemelinesse that might make them ashamed and in their minde furnished with all Graces and namely of wisedome and knowledge vnderstanding the nature of all the Creatures and able according to their nature to giue apt names vnto them Last of all for a further increase of their happinesse they were seated in Paradise a place of al kind of pleasure where for the exercising of man to labour in some honest and lawfull calling GOD gaue him charge to dresse and keepe the Garden CHAP. IIII. Of Prouidence AFTER the euerlasting Epicures which deny all Prouidence of God Those Philosophers that held nature That is some Power or Vertue Spirit or Minde as they terme it mingled and infused into the parts of the World that holdeth vp and stirreth all things to bee God Whereas in truth nature is nothing else but that course order which God at the first Creation set in things and which hee altereth and changeth at his pleasure Deuter. 8. 3. Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of Iehouah Decrees of GOD and Prouidence is his gouerning of the things created the Creation of the World his Kingdome thirdly standeth in gouerning the things created Both the course which at the first Creation hee set in nature and the actions and euents of things Herein consider wee first the generalitie of this gouernment that it reacheth to all in generall and to euery thing in particular past present or to come To set forth this more distinctly that so we may make the better vse of the generalitie of his Prouidence it stretcheth First To all Persons and liuing Creatures euen the vilest and most contemptible The a Psal 145. 15 16. eyes of all things looke vp to thee and thou giuest to them their meate thou openest thy hand and fillest euery liuing thing with thy good pleasure The b Psal 104. 21. young Lyons roare for their prey seeking their meate from
flesh he was iustified in the Spirit And g Acts 2. 22. PETER calleth him a man approued of God by the excellent Deedes and miracles and signes which God had done by him Which as h Iohn 2. 11. Iohn noteth were to manifest his glorie In regard whereof he saith i Iohn 1. 14 Wee saw his glorie as the glorie of the onely begotten Sonne of God But yet sometimes more gloriously then at other he was pleased in an extraordinary manner to reueale it as in his Transfiguring vpon the Mount when k Matth. 17. 2. his face shined as the Sunne and his garments were made white as the light In his l Iohn 2. 15. whipping of the Buyers and Sellers out of the Temple In his m Iohn 18. 6. causing of them that came to apprehend him onely by the power of his Word to fall vnto the ground c. yea in the very midst of all his sufferings and euen vpon the Crosse it selfe how did his glorie shine taking vpon him to n Luk. 23. 42 43. dispose of Paradise the kingdome of heauen at his pleasure and making heauen and earth the liuing and the dead to worke together for the celebrating of his greatnesse When the Sunne ashamed of their doings o Matth. 27. 45 pulled in his beames and refused to giue them Light when at p Matth. 27. 50 51 52. his voice and the noyse of his roring the Earth trembled and shooke the Vale of the Temple rent a sunder from the top vnto the bottome Rockes flew in pieces the Graues were opened and the Bodies of many dead Saints did arise when hee wrung out of the q Matth 27. 54 Centurions mouth a confession of his person and made the r Iohn 19. 19 20 21 22. hands of Pilate imbrued with his bloud to be the instruments of the publishing of his Office and to lift vp the Standard of his prayse to all people Latines Greekes and Hebrewes that not without iust cause doth the Å¿ Coloss 2. 15. Apostle say that He spoyled Principalities and Powers and led them in open shew triumphing vpon the Crosse So as the shamefull and ignominious Crosse was contrary to its nature so altered and changed by Christs Diuine Power that it serued now for a Trophee and Monument of his Victorie being as a Chariot wherein he rode more glorious then any Emperour or Potentate of the World in the middest of his greatest Triumph and had all the enemies of our Saluation Satan Sinne Hell and Condemnation led after him chayned and fast bound with all their weapons pulled from them as men taken captiues But this Glorie of his afterwards shined foorth most were in soule or bodie apart or ioyntly in them both In soule he went to Heauen presently after death cleerely in foure steps or degrees In the first place may bee reckoned though it were not conspicuous to the World that he went in soule vnto Heauen after death So hee t Luke 23. 43. saith to the Thiefe This day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise And after being readie to giue vp the ghost u Verse 46. Father into thy hands I commit my Spirit Which to bee meant of his present going to God his Father is manifest by other places where the like phrase is vsed as Acts 7. 59. in the Prayer of STEPHEN Lord receiue my spirit The second step is his Resurrection when in the His bodie hee raysed from the dead Chambers of death he conquered death it selfe and being a Morsell that the graue was not able for to swallow arose from the dead and made thereby a perfect conquest of all his foes and full demonstration of his Glorie as the Apostle saith x Rom. 1. 4. He was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God as touching the spirit of Sanctification by rising from the dead In his Resurrection I note these sixe things First The cause of his Resurrection which was by his owne Diuine Power Secondly The manner of his rising mightily and powerfully not bound hand and foote as Lazarus came forth but like Samson hee y Acts 2. 24. brake the bands of death and of the graue in sunder Thirdly What bodie hee rose withall a Bodie freed glorious from all infirmitie hunger thirst wearinesse c. and indued with immortalitie strength nimblenesse agilitie Behold my hands and my feet It is euen â— touch me and see mee A Spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see mee to haue Acts 2. 32. Acts 3. 13 15. able to mooue vpwards aswell as to goe downewards glorious and shining and therefore called z Phil. 3. 21. A bodie glorious Howsoeuer it Vbiquists that teach Christs body since his Resurrection to bee Omnipotent euerywhere remayne a a Luke 24 39. bodie still to bee handled touched felt hauing length breadth c. with all other essentiall properties belonging to a Bodie and locally comprehended in one certaine place Fourthly The time when hee rose which was the the third day at the dawning of the day b Mat. 16. 21. Luke 24. 7. 11. Acts 10 40. 1. Cor. 15. 4. third Day early in the morning Fiftly The fruit and benefit in all those good and excellent things which are to bee remembred when wee speake of the Kingdome of Heauen The third step is his most blessed and glorious Ascension whereby in stead of the lower part of the In his whole person soule and bodie he ascends into Heauen Earth whither for his great loue vnto vs he did willingly come downe God hath taken him vp and set him aboue the highest Heauens as the Apostle noteth Ephes 4. 10 11. Now this that he ascended what is it but that hee first descended into the lower parts of the Earth He that descended is the selfe-same that ascended farre aboue all the Heauens c. Of this is the Storie recorded Marke 16. 19. Luke 24. 51. and more fully Acts 1. 29. that whilest they looked he was lifted vp or as the Angell calleth it Acts 1. 11. taken vp from them into Heauen that is his humane nature by the power and vertue of his God-head was truly and locally translated from the Earth into the highest Heauens of the Blessed where it is to remayne in all glorie and excellencie till the latter Day as the Angell telleth his Apostles Acts 1. 11. This Iesus that is taken vp from you into Heauen shall so come as you haue seene him going into Heauen And Peter more plainly Acts 3. 21. Whom Heauen must contayne till the times of the restoring of all things For where our Sauiour saith Mat. 28. 20. I am with you alwayes to the end of the World and a c Mat. 26. 11. little before had said Me you shall not haue alwayes among you it appeareth that the manner of his presence is to bee distinguished for hee is present indeed alwayes with his Church but by the
the Angels that fell the Apostle saith z 1. Cor. 5. 1. Know ye not that wee shall iudge the Angelâ— a Iude verse 6. The angels that kept not their first estate hee hath kept in euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the Iudgement of the great Day Secondly Who shal be the Iudge Euen Christ who Christ b Acts 10. 42. is appointed of God the Iudge of the liuing dead Christ Iesus I say God and Man appearing in his Man-hood visible to be seene in the flesh c Acts 17. 31. For hee hath set a Day saith PAVL wherein hee will iudge the World in Righteousnesse by the Man whom hee hath appointed The Father nor Holy Ghost shall not appeare Thirdly The comming of this Iudge Wherein I obserue comming to Iudgement foure circumstances First The place from whence hee shall come as wee reade This d Acts 1. 11. IESVS who is taken vp from you into Heauen shall so come from Heauen as yee haue beheld him going into Heauen e 2. Thess 1. 7. When the Lord IESVS CHRIST shall be reuealed from Heauen with his mightie Angels f 1. Thess 4. 5. The Lord himselfe with a showting shall come downe from Heauen Secondly The time of his comming the Day and houre whereof is vncertaine g Mat. 24. 36. Of that Day or houre saith hee knoweth no man no not the Angels of Heauen but my Father onely and as another h Marke 13. 32 Euangelist hath it nor the Sonne himselfe meaning as hee is the Mediatour of his Church and not as hee is God equall with his Father Thirdly As earthly Princes haue sundry States to goe before them in great brauerie and ostentation to giue warning of their comming and at length followeth the Prince with all his Nobles So this King of Kings sendeth before him certayne glorious signes and foretokens of his Comming before hee himselfe doe come These Signes you shall finde all recorded Mat. 24. of which Chapter so much thereof as appertayneth to this purpose it shall not bee amisse before wee goe further to make some short Analysis or resolution both for the excellencie of the matter and to cleere some difficulties in the passage for I know it is commonly taken that some of those tokens are immediately vpon his Comming and as it were at his setting forth whereas the truth is the very neerest of them is at the least some Age of yeeres before as appeareth Verse 33 34. To come therefore to the foure and twentieth of Matthew our Sauiour hauing finished the Signes of Ierusalems ouerthrow in the first 22. Verses of the Chapter beginneth in the 23. Verse to enter vpon those that were to fore-runne his Comming vnto Iudgement whereof hee mentioneth foure of all other the greatest and most memorable The first is the Kingdome of Poperie where see how hee painteth out the Romish Synagogue euen in her colours First It is a Church in shew and semblance else false christs and false prophets could not be spoken of but yet in truth it is no Church at all For if any man saith he shall say vnto you Lo heere is Christ or there beleeue it not Secondly They shall say Here is Christ and there is Christ. Notably verified in the Popish Masse which to make it appeare to all the World that they are of the number of these false prophets proclaymeth Christ to be really in the Sacraments Thirdly It is a persecuting Church So he saith Verse 29. Immediately after the affliction of those dayes Therein comprehending the whole Antichristian Tyrannie Fourthly Of this Church Antichrist is the head whose whole succession he termeth False christs and false prophets Not such false christs as hee speaketh of with another manner of style Verse 5. which should say I am Christ falsly belying his very Person but that great seducer and false prophet who vnder the Name of Christs Vicar and Peters Successour should iustle Christ out of his Chaire Fiftly The Armes Legges and Shoulders of it or the Tayle rather for the Sting and Poyson of these Scorpions is in their Tayle are a Rabble of false teachers False prophets as he termeth them Sixtly By these false teachers are wrought a multitude of false and fayned miracles Seuenthly The bodie is their Romish catholike apostaticall Church seduced by such false teachers and by those lying signes and miracles How maruellously doe these things iumpe with that which we finde recorded in the Epistle to the Thessalonians and by Iohn in the Reuelation They shall saith Christ heere worke great Signes and Wonders insomuch as they should deceiue if it were possible the very Elect. So saith i 2. Thess 2. 9 10 11. PAVL Whose comming shall be by the effectuall working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceitfulnesse of iniquitie in them that perish c. Therefore God shall send them effectuall errours to beleeue lyes And in the k Reuel 13. 12 13 14. Reuelation he maketh the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof to worship the first Beast and worketh great signes insomuch as he maketh fire come downe from Heauen vnto the Earth before men and deceiueth the Inhabitants of the Earth by the signes which were giuen to him to doe These are the signes and wonders which the Papists so bragge of and make one speciall marke of their Church as Vniuersalitie that is their vniuersall Apostasie here also mentioned is another These seuen are in the 23. and 24. Verses Eighthly The errour and superstition of the times placing all Religion and Christianitie in the Wildernes among the Eremites or in their Monkish Cels and Cloysters Against which hee armeth vs with a double argument first l Verse 27. The Light saith he of the Gospell that he meaneth by the Comming of the Sonne of Man as it is taken much in the same sence 2. Thes 2. 8. is as the Lightening which flasheth from the East to the West and lighteneth all the World So doth the Gospell not the Desarts and Cloysters onely but in euery place He that feareth God and worketh Righteousnesse is accepted of him Againe as the m Verse 28. Eagles or with vs Crowes and Rauens flock vnto a Carcase wheresoeuer it may be found So doe the faithfull to Christ wheresoeuer hee n Gal. 2. 2. by the preaching of the Gospel is crucified before their eies And so ninthly and lastly deliuering a most certayne and infallible note of the true Church hee giueth a Bill of Diuorce to the Romish Synagogue that holdeth not Christ the Head nor Iustification by Faith alone in his bloud Thus haue wee in the whole a liuely description of the Romish Catholike Church which for the ROMANISTS better helpe may out of this place bee defined thus The Romish Catholike Church is a cruell persecuting Church whereof Christs Vicar falsly so named is the head multitude of false teachers and a whole World of mis-beleeuers
of holy Angels yea the Song of Moses the Seruant of GOD and of the Lambe that God onely is holy The righteousnesse of God is to be seene in foure chiefe Specially seen to vs in foure chiefe and principall vertues which in the Scripture you shall find for the most part to goe by couples or payres and principall vertues that haue respect vnto his reasonable creatures in the Scripture you shall finde them for the most part to goe by couples or payres The first couple is p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first couple are Kindnesse Truth kindnesse and truth specially to his Church Exod. 34. 6. IEHOVAH IEHOVAH c. aboundant in kindnesse and truth Psal 25. 10. All the paths of IEHOVAH are kindnesse and truth to them that keep his Couenant and his Testimonies Pro. 3. 3. Kindnesse and truth let them not forsake thee and againe q Prou 14. 22. Kindnesse in being ready to bestow all good things Kindnesse and truth shall be to them that imagine good Kindnesse is that whereby hee is ready to bestow all good things The kindnesse of God offereth it selfe to bee considered for the most part in these degrees First his long suffering whereby he is slow to wrath and goeth as it were with a leaden heele vnto punishment and neuer is a God r So the Iewish Rabbines in their language elegantly say that God neuer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till he can no longer bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of vengeance till he can no longer be a God of patience So saith the Apostle Rom. 2. 4. That God sheweth forth the riches of his patience and long sufferance to this end that the kindnesse of God might lead vs to Repentance And Å¿ 1 Pet. 3. 20. Peter giueth as for a most cleere Looking-glasse to behold this long sufferance of God in both his long patience and wayting for of amendment in the dayes of Noe whilest the Arke was preparing an hundred and twenty yeeres and t 2 Pet. 3. 9. his forbearing to destroy the World Now to the end that none of his may perish but all come to Repentance Secondly His bounty and goodnesse giuing liberally all good things as the Psalmist saith u Psal 145 9. IEHOVAH is good to all and his kindnesse is ouer all his workes And againe x Psal 36. 7. Thou IEHOVAH preseruest men and beasts Thirdly and specially in his grace and fauour whereby he bestoweth all these things without respect of our worthinesse or vnworthinesse as our Sauiour Mat. 5. 45. teacheth vs to behold in the ordinary and daily course of things Hemâ—keth the Sunne to rise on the euill and the good and raigneth on the iust and the vniust Truth is the faithfull performance of whatsoeuer hee Truth faithfully to performe whatsoeuer he speaketh speaketh whether he promise good or threaten euill A vertue then the which none can more beseeme the Godhead for as the z Iohn 8. 44. Deuill is a Lyar from the beginning and the father of lyes so is God the Author of all Truth yea Truth it selfe and true for euermore True in his words and promises without subtilty or guile true in the accomplishment and performance without colouring or deceit He speaketh and it is promiseth and it commeth to passe threatneth and it taketh effect a Psal 89. 33 34. 35. I will not alter saith the Lord that which is proceeded out of my lips nor falsifie my faith b Titus 1. 2. Nay he cannot lye because hee c 2. Tim. 2. 13. cannot deny himselfe So naturall it is vnto himselfe to bee Truth it selfe Therefore he is called The d Psal 31. 6. God of Truth The e Esay 55. 16. God of Amen What is that else but such a God as is alwayes one and the same true in his words firme in his promises certaine in his performance Whereupon the f Rom. 3. 4. Apostle cryeth out Let God be true and all men lyars The other couple are g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustice and Mercy flowing from The other couple are Iustice and Mercy flowing from the former the former both specially seene in the sauing or destroying of men and Angels Psal 116. 5. IEHOVAH is gracious and iust and our God is mercifull Psal 14. 5 7 8. The memoriall of thine abundant goodnesse they shall powre out and thy Iustice they shall sing that IEHOVAH is gracious and mercifull c. Iustice is that whereby he rendreth to euery one according Iustice to render to euery one his due to his workes for else h Rom. 3. 6. as the Apostle reasoneth If there were vnrighteousnesse with God how could God iudge the World Therefore as a most righteous Iudge hee seuerely punisheth the workers of iniquitie and graciously recompenceth those that feare him with that free reward which he hath promised So saith i 1. Pet. 1. 7. Peter that without respect of persons hee iudgeth euery one according to his workes And k Ier. 51. 56 IEREMY The Lord that recompenceth shall surely recompence It is iust saith l 2. Thess 1. 6 7 PAVL with God to render trouble to them that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest with vs at the Comming of Iesus Christ And againe m Rom. 1. 8. The wrath of God reuealeth it selfe from Heauen against all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnesse of men But of himselfe hee saith n 2. Tim. 4. 8. There is layd vp for mee a Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord that righteous Iudge will render vnto mee in that Day And o 1. Iohn 1. 9. IOHN If we confsse our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue them because of his promise sake Mercy is that whereby hee helpeth out of misery Mercy in being ready to helpe in time of neede whomsoeuer it pleaseth him As hee saith to MOSES p Exod. 33. 19. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and I will haue mercy on whom I will haue mercy And the q Lament 3. 22 Prophet in the Lamentations It is the wonderfull kindnesse of IEHOVAH that wee are not consumed for his mercies fayle not yea hee wayteth as the Prophet speaketh r Esay 30. 18. to shew mercy to vs being full of compassion in all our miseries and necessities Å¿ Psal 46. 2. A helpe in affliction very ready to be found as the Psalmist saith Thus he tempereth his mercy with his Iustice as it were water to allay the heate of his burning wrath A vertue that aboue all other he appropriateth to himselfe and taketh as it were most pleasure in Neyther doth hee so oft call himselfe a iust and righteous as hee doth a gracious and mercifull God Therefore beside his patience and long sufferance inuiting vs to Repentance hee doth humble himselfe as it were to mens infirmity vsing all the meanes and helpes whereby our coldnesse may bee quickned and
haue set an euerlasting people that the signes and things to come might bee vttered vnto them Haue not I from that time vttered it vnto thee and declared it and you are my Witnesses Is there any God but mee 2. Strength Strength Comelinesse and beautie Graciousnes or an amiable and louely nature A complete furniture of riches honor and of all kind of pleasures delights 3. Comelinesse and beautie 4. Graciousnesse or an amiable and louely nature 5. A complete furniture of Riches and of all kinde of pleasures and delights God thus garnished and beset with whatsoeuer perfections the heart of man can thinke yea infinitely aboue that that men or Angels are able to conceiue is alone happy and blessed as the a 1. Tim. 6. 15. Apostle calleth him That blessed and onely Potentate Foolish men place happinesse in the good things as they terme them of body mind and fortune In all these how doth the Lord excell but after his owne that is a heauenly and vnspeakable sort A Body is commended by these two qualities if it bee strong and faire b Psal 93. 1. Iehouah saith the Psalmist is clothed with glory he hath girt himselfe with strength Againe c Psal 96. 6. Glory and comelinesse is before him strength and ornament in his Sanctuary In another d Psal 104. 1. place he cryeth out O IEHOVAH thou art exceeding great thou hast clothed thy selfe with comelinesse and beautie couering thy selfe with light as with a garment If any thing in the World be glorious and beautifull the Sunne the Moone the Starres and heauenly Planets are so without comparison But Looke vp saith e Iob 25. 5. Bildad in the Booke of IOB euen vnto the Moone and it doth not shine yea the Planets are not pure in his eyes that is are exceeding darke if they bee compared with him Notable is that of ELIHV f Iob 37. 20 21. Men cannot abide to looke vpon the Sunne when the golden light commeth from the North but in God there is a more reuerend kind of glory To conclude he is g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strong God who h 1. Tim. 6. 16. alone hath immortality and onely is i Rom. 1. 23. 1. Tim. 1. 17. incorruptible or not subiect to decay A thing that falleth not into any Body or nature besides by it selfe and of it selfe What of the goods of Fortune fondly so called where Honour and Riches haue the preeminence k Phil. 2. 6. He is rich l Gen. 17. 1. all-sufficient the possessor m Gen. 14. 22. of Heauen and Earth needing nothing but hauing all things ministring abundantly vnto those that need n Psal 24. 1. The Earth is the Lords and all that doth replenish it Mine saith o Hag. 2. â— he is Gold and Siluer is mine p Ps 50. 10 11. Mine is euery beast of the Forrest and the Cattell vpon a thousand Hils I know all the Birds of the Mountaines and the wilde Beasts of the field are mine This is hee whom men and Angels honour worship adore yea the Deuils themselues with trembling are forced against their wils to magnifie and the proud q Psal 66. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enemie counterfeits a subiection Therefore also his Name is great and he is famous throughout the World And if pleasures come into this account the r Psal â—8 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 triumphall Chariot whereon hee rideth is sweetnesse and delight it selfe comelinesse Å¿ Psal 96. 9. carryeth the Mace before him and t Psal 16. 11. at his right hand are pleasures for euermore Yea what u Psal 17. 5. is our blessednesse else but to see him face to face And when as ioy x Esay 35. 10. and gladnesse mirth and singing are the portion of his Children What shall wee thinke his fulnesse to bee But in the vertues of the minde how hee glittereth and shineth Theoricke practike Morall Intellectuall of the vnderstanding and of the will No ignorance can mis-lead him no affection can disquiet him no passion can lay hold vpon him with y Prou. 8. 14. Iob. 12. 13. him is counsell and wisedome his is knowledge and vnderstanding hee is wise in aduising iust in decreeing mighty in the executing of his counsels As for Holinesse Mercy Truth Kindnesse they take vp their dwelling in him yea his very nature is nothing else but the perfection of them all But doth this blessednesse of God rest onely in himselfe and reacheth it no farther Yes verily hee is not onely in himselfe and of himselfe and by nature blessed but he is the Fountaine of blessednesse to other Hee z Psal 32. 1 2. maketh blessed by giuing righteousnesse forgiuing sinnes through his Sonne purging the conscience sanctifying the heart vnto obedience Finally by making men and Angels partakers of his most gracious and blessed presence in Heauen To him bee honour and prayse for euer Wee haue hitherto spoken of the good and perfect These are the perfect things themselues His perfect incommunicable manner of hauing of them is Infinitenesse and Eternitie Infinitenesse whereby he is without circumscription things that are in God His perfect and incommunicable manner of hauing of them standeth in infinitenesse and eternitie Both of them such as no man nor Angell is capable of nor can be communicated to any creature By infinitenesse I meane an vnmeasureable Power Wisedome and Glory Goodnesse Greatnesse filling Heauen and Earth and being euery-where present within and without the World whereof there bee many euident testimonies in the Scripture Ieremy 23. 25. Doe not I fill Heauen and Earth saith IEHOVAH Psal 139. 7. Whither should I go from thy Spirit or whither should I flye from thy presence If I should climbe the Heauens thou art there or lay my bed in the Graue behold thou art present If I should take the wings of the Morning and dwell in the vttermost part of the Earth euen thither should thy hand lead me and thy right hand lay hold vpon mee Esay 66. 1. Heauen is my Throne and the Earth is my Footstoole As for those places of Scripture where God is said to remooue from one place vnto another as Genes 11. 5. IEHOVAH went downe to see the Citie and the Towre which the sonnes of men had built and Genes 18. 21. IEHOVAH said vnto ABRAHAM Because the cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is very much and because their sinne is very great I will go downe to see whether according to the cry that is come vp vnto mee they haue done things worthy of destruction if not that I may know This and whatsoeuer like is spoken after the manner of men to discend to our capacitie not that truely and properly there is any change of place in God GOD therefore is is all places at once not onely by his vertue and power but in his whole infinite essence yet wee must not imagine
Testament In the New as all other Mysteries of God so this especially is more cleerely reuealed by that great Prophet which was to come into the World the High Priest and Apostle of our Profession y Mat. 3. 16 17 and 2. Pet. 1 17. Christ Iesus vpon whom in his first imitation to the worke of our Redemption being himselfe the Sonne one of these three Persons the other two shewed themselues from Heauen The Holy Ghost in his Gifts and Graces represented by the visible shape of a Doue the Father by his voyce from the Seate of Glory This is my Beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased In his last farewell to his Disciples being to leaue the World and to goe vnto the Father hee left this Doctrine as a perpetuall Monument religiously to bee obserued of the Church to the end of the World willing to baptize all Nations z Mat. 28. 19. In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost That as in other respects so in this it is most worthily said a Iohn 1. 18. No man hath seene God at any time The onely begotten Sonne who is in the bosome of the Father hee hath reuealed him With these two Testimonies I willingly content my selfe as most pregnant of all the rest And therefore I passe ouer diuers other that might bee alleaged to this purpose because these twaine may stand in stead of many Onely I will adde that golden testimony of his beloued Disciple b 1. Iohn 5. 7. There bee three that beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost It is cleere that to the earthly witnesse or testimony of men in the things which we feele and haue experience of within our selues Regeneration Righteousnesse Sanctification hee opposeth the heauenly Witnesse or Testimony of these persons greater in regard of the excellence of the witnesses but equall in the number whereby appeareth the cleere euidence of this place The third point is that these persons Tritheites who though they acknowledge the three Persons to bee euery one God indeede yet teach that they are not onely distinct but seuered and deuided haue euery one the whole God-head and Diuine nature and are all three that one onely true and euer-liuing God For both the Apostle c 1. Iohn 5. 7 9. there calleth them so expresly and the testimony of all three hee knitteth vp in one when he saith If wee receiue the testimony of men the testimony of God is greater Euen as Moses d Deut. 6. 4. also doth when from the multitude of the Persons hee calleth them to the vnity of the substance Therefore the Apostle Paul e Col. 2. 9. saith In him Christ the Sonne of GOD manifested in the flesh dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily that is personally which is to bee extended to all the other Persons For to whomsoeuer God communicates his nature he must needes communicate it wholly as hath beene said And this mystery how in that most simple and single essence of God there bee certaine substances or persons truly subsisting three in one and one in three differing but not deuided seuerall but not sundred many and yet the same all one for their nature all distinct for three persons is a secret of all secrets passing all reach and vnderstanding of man rather reuerently to be adored then too curiously to be searched into The fourth last point is the incommunicable properties whereby these persons are distinguished in theÌ„selues To the Sonne is proper to be begotten to the Holy Ghost to proceede the Father is of himselfe neyther begotten nor proceeding but which from all Eternity hath begotten his Sonne and hee and the Sonne together send forth the holy Spirit Of the Father wee shall not neede to speake But that the Sonnes proper subsistence is to be begotten as the name of Sonne importeth giuen vnto him of God Marke 3. 17. This is my well beloued Sonne and so called before hee tooke flesh Psal 2. 13. Kisse the Sonne lest hee be wroth But most cleerely in the f Pro. 30. 4. Prouerbs What is his Name or his Sonnes Name So the Scripture in many places sheweth Iohn 1. 18. The onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father And a g Iohn 2. 14. little before Wee beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten of his Father The like wee say of the Holy Ghost who is sometimes called the Spirit of God sometimes the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9 10. 11. But you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you but if one haue not the Spirit of Christ this man is not his But if the Spirit of him that raysed Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raysed Christ from the dead will also quicken you by his Spirit dwelling in you Sometimes hee is said to bee sent from the Father or to proceed from the Father which is all one sometime to be sent from the Sonne Iohn 1. 5. 26 The error of the Greeke Churches who deny the Holy Ghosts proceeding from the Sonne But when the Comforter shall come whom I will send vnto you from the Father the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father As touching the God-head of Arius denyed Christ to be of the same nature with his Father but as it were a secondary god acknowledging hee was an excellent Creature created before the World by whom God created the World and saued Mankind and therefore as a God in office to bee adored not in essence The like of the Holy Ghost But since it is plaine that God made all things in six daies both the Sonne and the Spirit if they were creatures must haue beene comprehenced in that worke these three Persons Of the Father no man euer doubted But the God-head of the Sonne and Holy Ghost some Heretikes haue called in question wherefore to confirme our faith herein let vs take Arguments for them both For the God-head of the Sonne we haue these He is IAH IEHOVAH EHIEH that is to say being or perfection it selfe Psal 68. 19. Ascending on high thou leddest captiuity captiue and gauest gifts vnto men euen the Rebels thou dwelling there that is to say in Heauen leddest captiue O IAH God meaning Christ To whose Ascension the Apostle doth apply it Ephes 4. 8. EHIEH hee calleth himselfe manifestly Iohn 8. 58. Before ABRAHAM was made I am Not made but of my selfe and from my selfe without beginning for that iâ— the force of am elegantly opposed vnto made The name Iehouah is giuen him Genes 4. 1. h This interpretation floweth naturally from the Hebrew Text. Beside it there be two other which of all the rest seeme most probable One is Ieromes With or by â—ehouah that is by his goodnesse and blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But in that sence it should haue beene 〈◊〉
Apostle bearing witnesse that by faith onely wee vnderstand it for howsoeuer many of the Heathen who knew not God especially the wiser sort haue in a kinde acknowledged a Creation Neyther in truth can any bee so blockish as not to see it if he looke but vp to Heauen and the frame of this World which haue the name of their Workeman and Creatour written in their fore-head yet neuer was there any not so much as the wisest of them that could attaine to this How the World should bee made of nothing Heere therefore all reason of man must stoope and bee content to learne of him in whose Schoole it is better to bee Schollers then Teachers and Professors any where besides who not onely maketh men wiser then the beasts of the field as it is in the p Iob 35. 11. Booke of Iob but teacheth his wisedome aboue the wisedome of the wise and guideth them by pathes that no foote of vaine Philosophie is able for to walke Thirdly I note the order and manner how all this was effected First The Angels and their World the highest Heauens were without more adoe immediately made of nothing But for men and the World which here we see it was somewhat in another sort For touching the World it selfe First God minding to erect such a large and goodly Theater wherein hee would make full demonstration of his incomparable both Power Wisedome and Goodnesse q Gen. 1. 1 2. framed first an empty an vnshapen lumpe without fashion without forme called Waters for the vast hugenesse of it Darknesse for the confusion and lacke of forme and the Deepe for the emptinesse without bottome to rest vpon which lest it should vanish and come to nothing hauing no steaddinesse to vphold it the Spirit of God lay vpon it and ouer-spred it to keepe it from decay Secondly Out of this lumpe and vnformed confusion did God afterwards distinctly forme this World and all the parts of it First those foure Elements called the simple bodies by fetching one contrary out of another as Light out of Darknesse the Firmament out of emptinesse dry Earth out of Waters then the compound bodies out of the same Elements and for the most part of all foure vnequally mingled together euery one principally out of the same Element which they garnish or inhabit As Grasse and Trees out of the Earth The Sunne the Moone the Stars wholly or specially out of the r For it is plaine by Moses that the Heauens theÌ„selues and those celestiall bodies were made not of any fift essence as Aristotle and some other dreame but of elementary matter namely of the fire Whereupon the very substance and the whole frame and compasse of them all which wee call the Skye is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aether from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to burne for that al things there are fiery as Anaâ—agâ—r an old Philosopher did well deriue it Albeit Aristotle in his first Booke de Câ—lo reiect this Etymologie and preferres another rather from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is in perpetuall motion But that seemeth neither so naturall for the Word nor so apt for the matter fire as may not vnprobably be gathered Fishes out of the Waters Birds out of the Ayre Beasts out of the Earth But men and women as a piece of singular worke hee framed in a more artificiall sort The body of man by Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 7. whereunto Paul alludeth 1. Tim. 2 1◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forming and figuring it as a Potter doth his Vessels out of the Clay of the Earth And therefore heauy and lumpish dead of it selfe and without any sence or feeling Whereinto he breathed a soule not as a part of the Diuine Nature or of Gods owne essence which to thinke were impious and absurd but because it was made neyther of the Ayre nor of any other elementary matter but onely by his Word and the power of his Spirit and this hee knit vnto one person with the body to quicken and giue life vnto it and to make it a perfect man The woman hee framed and formed out of the Rib of man And all this Moses plainly expresseth Gen. 2. 4 5 6 7 * Finished in six dayes The fourth thing I obserue in the Creation is the time which it pleased GOD to take for the finishing of this worke in that he created not all at once and in a moment as he could haue done but tooke the space of sixe t Gen. 1. 31. 2. 1. 2. 3. dayes for it within which compasse Heauen the place of the blessed Angels together with the Angels themselues were made as Moses plainly teacheth Gen. 2. 1 2. Therefore the first day God made First Heauen and Hell For Hell it is probable to bee supposed hee did then make when Heauen the other part of the vnseene World was made And that Heauen was the first worke of all is easie to be gathered by the very order wich Moses u Gen. 1. 1. 2. 1. vseth Secondly The Angels those Creatures of x 2. Cor. 11. 4. Light the Tenants and Inhabitants of the highest Heauens who in Iob y Job 38. 7. are said to shoute and sing forth the prayses of God when those heauenly Bodies the Sunne the Moone the Starres were made as astonished at the excellency of their beautie And therefore themselues were before that time created Thirdly That vnfashioned lumpe Fourthly Fire The second Day he made the Ayre The third Day First Water Secondly Earth Thirdly Grasse and Trees The fourth Day the Sunne the Moone the Starres The fifth First Fishes Secondly Birds The last Day hee made First Beasts Secondly Man and Woman A fift and last thing to be obserued in the Creation is And was of euery Creature in excellency of perfection that all the Creatures were made exceeding good whether you consider them singly and apart or all of them together As from God that is goodnesse it selfe nothing can come but absolutely good For the further sealing vp of which Doctrine wee haue the testimony of God himselfe both in euery speciall God z Gen. 1. 4. saw the Light that it was good and so in the rest and in the generall conclusion of all God a Gen. 1. 31. looked vpon all that hee had made and behold it was exceeding good This goodnesse in the Creatures generally is the excellencie of perfection according to that their nature is capable of for goodnesse in that place is not to bee taken as opposite vnto vice and to that foule deformitie which is a breach of the righteous Law of God but it noteth that perfection and excellency of estate that euery Creature was framed in according as his nature was fit and able to receiue No weaknesse or infirmitie was then any where to be seene No corruption or decay nothing out of frame or ioynt so as now wee see the whole
the heate consumed the bodies of those that came to throw them in Of this sort are all his wonderfull Miracles and miraculous deliuerances of his Church and Children for whose sake hee parted h Exod. 14. 21. Psal 136. 13. the Sea into heapes that his people went ouer as vpon drie ground brought waters i Exod. 17. 6. out of the Rocke rained k Exod. 16. 36. Psal 78. 24 25. meate from Heauen to feed them in the Wildernesse by the space of fortie yeeres together c. With this absolute free-will and pleasure of GOD is coupled which is the third Doctrine of the Prouidence the ineuitable necessitie of the execution of his counsels as also the Prophet ioyneth them together Psal 115. 3. Whatsoeuer pleaseth IEHOVAH he doth And l Ephas 1. 11. PAVL He worketh all things after the counsell of his will Enquire saith ESAY m Esay 34. 16. in the Booke of IEHOVAH and reade one of these things shall not faile they shall not misse one another and in n Ezech. 36. 3 6 EZECHIEL I IEHOVAH speake and doe it Againe o Ezech. 12. 25 I will speake whatsoeuer word I meane to speake and it shall be done When I worke as it is in the Prophet p Esay 43. 13. ESAY who shall turne it away Whereunto serueth that memorable sentence wherewith the same Prophet shutteth vp his burden against the Babylonians to procure credit to all that hee had spoken q Esay 14. 27. For IEHOVAH of Hoasts determining who can make it of none effect and his hand stretched out who can turne away Many and excellent are the speeches to this purpose thorowout the holy Scriptures especially in Iob and in the Psalmes Feare r Psal 33. 8. before him for hee saith and it is hee commandeth and it stands IEHOVAH maketh voide the counsels of the Nations he breaketh the thoughts of the People but the counsell of IEHOVAH standeth for euer the thoughts of his heart from generation to generation when ſ Iob 34. 29. he quieteth who shall trouble when he hideth his face who shall looke vpon him that is resisteth him Loe saith Iob in t Iob 12. 14. another place he doth so throw downe that it is built no more hee so shutteth vp about a man that it is not opened Yea Balam himselfe was forced to vtter as much Numb 23. 19. Hath hee said and shall he not doe it Therefore u Luke 1. 37. the Angell saith With God nothing is impossible And x Rom. 9. 19. the Apostle cryeth out Who hath resisted his will This is the reason why the Decrees of God are compared to y Zach. 6. 1. Mountaynes of brasse for the firme vnresistable effects they bring with them For this cause he is furnished with all meanes and power to effect his counsels he is called The Lord of Hoasts and hath all the Hoast of Heauen and Earth at his command I saw saith MICA z 1. King 22. 19 IEHOVAH sitting vpon his Throne and all the Hoast of Heauen standing before him at his right hand and at his left First are the holy Angels Colonels and principal Commanders in this Armie whom hee imployeth and sendeth forth as a Master doth his seruants to goe vpon his errand and to performe all that hee inioyneth them Daniel 10. 11 12. The Angell telleth the Prophet that hee was sent vnto him because his words were heard before God And in Luke a Luke 1. 19. that he was sent vnto Zacharie to vtter vnto him the glad tydings of his Sonne So it is anon b Luke 1. 26. added In the sixt Moneth was the Angell GABRIEL sent of God to a Citie of Galile named Nazaret to the blessed Virgin there Therefore they are called Angels that is to say Messengers and are said to c Dan. 7. 10. minister vnto him This dispensation of God by the hand of his holy Angels serueth aswel for the executiō of his Iustice as for the declaration of his Mercies These he sendeth forth to bring his plagues and punishments both vpon whole Countries Cities and vpon particular persons So 1. Chron. 25. 15. God sent an Angell to Ierusalem to destroy it Gen. 19. 13. Two Angels were sent to destroy Sodome and Gomorah 2. Sam. 24 16 17. An Angell smote the people of Israel with a plague whereof died threescore and ten thousand men And the Prophet prayeth in the d Psal 35. 5 6. Psalme Let them bee as the chaffe before the winde and the Angell of IEHOVAH pursue them These he sendeth forth to be Ministers of his loue and fauour in the comforts of this life both to the good and bad as it is recorded in the Gospell e Iohn 5. 4. that an Angell of the Lord came downe at a set time and stirred in the water and whosoeuer first went in after the stirring of the water was made whole what disease soeuer held him Secondly Not onely hee beareth vp his Mace in Heauen but hee carrieth it also in Hell for euen the Deuils themselues struggle they neuer so much are forced to be subiect to him and to runne at his commandement When the sonnes of God the elect Angels came to present themselues before IEHOVAH Satan also came amongst them as it is in the Booke of f Iob 1. 6. 2. 1 Iob. And g 1. Kings 22. 18 19 20. in another place when he came to set vpon his Throne the vncleane spirits will they nill they made vp a part of the Hoast of Heauen and were faine to offer their seruice to him Thirdly he hath the hearts of all men in his hands sitting at the sterne and turning them hither and thither whither-soeuer he will as the Water-man doth his Wherrie As in the person of the King himselfe whose affections of all other are most wauering and vncertaine like vnto the Riuers of waters when they are tossed with contrarie windes as h Prou. 21. 1. Salomon giueth vs to vnderstand And in another i Prou. 29. 26. place Many seeke the face of the Ruler but the iudgement of euery one commeth from IEHOVAH bowing and bending the Rulers heart which way it pleaseth him He giueth fauour in the eyes of men as he did to k Exod. 3. 21. 22 the Israelites in the sight of the Egyptians And l Prou. 16. 7. when IEHOVAH delighteth in the wayes of a man hee maketh saith SALOMON his verie enemies to be at peace with him Againe at his pleasure hee taketh fauour away maketh Rents and Breaches Discords and Diuisions as he did betweene m Iudg ◠2 3. Abimelech and the men of Shechem He n Esay 20. 14. ◠Cor. 1. 19. destroyeth the wisdome of the wise and the vnderstanding of the prudent that their counsell is not able to doe any thing Therefore DAVID o 2. Sam. 15. 31 prayed O IEHOVAH turne the counsell of ACHITOPHEL into folly And
for it is neere my house and I will giue thee a better Vineyard then it or if it seeme better in thine eyes I will giue theemony to the full value of it He that is so effected will reioyce in anothers good Reioycing in anothers good as in our own which is the top and perfection of loue as in his owne Rom. 12. 15. Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe which is the top and perfection of loue And heereupon I take it by conference of both the Euangelists MATTHEW and MARKE that our Sauiour Mat. 19. 19. noteth out the tenth Commandement by these words Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe Which else-where is made the whole summe of all the second Table The contrary hereof is first Selfe-loue In q 2. Tim. 3. 2. the latter dayes men shall be louers of themselues Secondly Enuie maligning the good things of another condemned r 1. Tim. 6. 4. He is puffed vp and knoweth nothing but doteth about questions and strife of words whereof commeth Enuie Strife Raylings euill Surmises c. 1. Tim. 6. and the first of ſ 1. Pet. 2. 1. Wherefore laying aside all maliciousnesse and all guile and dissimulation and enuie and all euill speaking Peter 2. Thirdly Reioycing at his hurt The Psalmist complayneth of this Psalme 70. 34. Let them be turned backward and confounded that delight in my hurt let them goe backward for a reward of their shame that say There there And t Obad. v. 12. OBADIAH reprehendeth the Edomites for it Thou shouldest not haue beene glad of the day of thy Brother meaning his affliction the day when hee was made a stranger neither shouldest thou haue reioyced at the Iewes what day they perished This Commandement hath commonly another sence of forbidding onely the first lusts and motions of sinne but the reasons to confirme the Interpretation which I haue giuen I take it vnder reformation are plaine and pregnant which notwithstanding I offer without preiudice of other mens opinions submitting my selfe and them to those that can better iudge First The plaine euidence of the words Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours house which is to be inforced by the conference of the rest of the Commandements Honour thy father and thy mother Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not beare false witnesse hauing all of them a common and a familiar vnderstanding such as euery man at the first hearing doth conceiue This therefore must haue the like And it is a thing in this point worthie to be obserued which the Talmudists cite so oft The u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Law they meane the Scripture speaketh according to common vse Now let any man indued onely with reason and vnderstanding be asked what this should meane Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours house he will certainly answere We must be content with our owne Secondly The word that Moses hath in x Deut. 5. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not long after thy Neighbours house c. Deuteronomie signifieth To long after a thing and To haue ones teeth water at it for so you shall finde it vsed Mach. 7. 1. and in many other places Thirdly The particular instances Thy Neighbours House Wife Man seruant Maide Oxe Asse or any thing that is his declare manifestly that goods and possessions are the proper subiect of this Commandement for which cause Exodus 20. 17. the Wife of our Neighbour his most y Pro. 19. 14. precious possession commeth not in the first place but is set in the middest of other possessions that by the very marshalling of the words it might appeare that this Commandement reacheth not to the desiring of ones Wife for filthinesse and vncleannesse sake Fourthly The order of the Commandements going by degrees from the greater to the lesse and so continually falling till you come to this sinne of couering which is the first step and beginning of all wrong and deceit and yet differeth in nature from them both Fiftly Adde hereunto that which I hold as a certayne ground and is prooued before at large that the corruption both of nature and desire is forbidden in euery one so as this cannot be restrayned to a seuerall degree of sin but a differing and distinct kinde of sinne from those that went before Sixtly and lastly our Sauiour Christ the best Interpreter of the Law doth so expound it Marke 10. 9. when reckoning vp all the Commandements of the second Table in stead of Thou shalt not couet he saith Thou shalt not depriue or bereaue a man of ought hee hath that is couet or desire to haue any thing that is his though it be neither by wrong nor fraude which two are forbidden in the words next before but rest in that which God hath giuen thee which in effect is to loue our Neighbour as our selfe as z Mat. 19. 19. Matthew hath it For that this must needs be the sence of that place Marke 10. 19. I gather first because no doubt our Sauiours purpose was to reckon vp al the Commandements without leauing out any one Secondly Else in so few words hee should make a superfluous repetition and not onely so but also speake darkly and obscurely that which was more cleerely taught before for Thou a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalt not bereaue cannot bee brought to explaine Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse it being a great deale more questionable what is meant by that word then by the other two CHAP. XV. Of the Couenant of Workes THE whole Doctrine of Righteousnesse in With the Creatures who are thus to doe his will it hath pleased God to make a Couenant which is called the Couenant of Workes A Couenant of life or blessednes to the doers of death or of a curse vnto transgressours the seuerall parts and branches of it hath hitherto beene declared which is indeed the perfect rule directorie of all duties whatsoeuer which either we owe to God or to our brethrē for his sake Now if a man shall aske but what good commeth to vs by the keeping of these Commandements This if there were no more is aboundantly sufficient that God is thereby glorified So as if it were possible which notwithstanding cannot be that doing his will we should perish euerlastingly yet ought wee as cherefully and with as readie mindes to obey as if wee were to gaine Heauen by it But see the exceeding bountie and goodnesse of God that will not haue vs serue him for nought He is pleased for the perfect keeping of his Law and the Righteousnesse by him inioyned not onely to promise a recompence of reward but to contract and couenant with vs and vnder certaine conditions as it were to binde himselfe vnto it which is the same that we call the Law or Couenant of workes the first Couenant that euer God made with his Creatures
worship him Phil. 2. 9. Therefore God did also exceedingly exalt him and gaue vnto him a name aboue all names that al the Name of IESVS euery knes should bow of things in Heauen and vpon the Earth and vnder the ground Thirdly Hence groweth a borrowed manner of speech which the Learned in other Professions call Synedoche Diuines for the most part The c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communication of properties whereby sometimes that is attributed to whole Christ which agreeth to him but in respect of one of his natures As when wee say d 1. Cor. 15. Christ suffered was crucified dead and buried wee meane it of his Man-hood onely not of the Godhead which could not suffer when he saith of himselfe e Iohn 8. 58. Before ABRAHAM was Iam this is to bee vnderstood of his God-head onely not of his Man-hood which came of the Seed of Abraham Sometimes it is spoken of some one nature which agreeth to his whole person as that of the Apostle There f 1. Tim. 2. 5. is one Mediator betweene God and men the Man CHRIST IESVS meaning he which is so God as hee is also Man Sometimes of one nature which fitteth not that but the other As when the Apostle saith g 1. Tim. 3. 16. God was taken vp in Glorie h 1. Cor. 2. 8. If they had knowne him they would not haue crucified the Lord of Glorie i Acts 20. 28. God hath purchased his Church by his bloud And when our Sauiour saith k Mar. 13. 23. The Son himselfe knoweth not of that Day of Iudgement who seeth not that it is spoken of Christ by the Name of God which belongeth but to his Man-hood Againe in saying l Iohn 3. 13. The Sonne of man which is in Heauen hee giueth to himselfe as Man that which appertayneth to the God-head But note this phrase of speech or communication of properties hath place in the Name of m The Learned say in concreto not in abstracto God and Man not of the God-head and Man-hood Therefore as it is most certaine against Nestorius deuiding the person that the Man Christ was God and therefore eternall not in his Man-hood but in his God-head that Christ God was also Man and therefore crucified taken vp into Heauen c. not in his God-head but in his Man-hood So it is most wicked and blasphemous to say that the Man-hood of Christ is his God-head vncreated omnipotent euery-where c. or that his God-head is his Man-hood subiect to suffer c. as Eutyches did confounding the natures Thus farre of the person of Christ who it was necessarie should indeed be man First That God might be pacified in that nature that had offended Secondly that hee might vndergoe the punishment due to sinne which the God-head free from all suffering could not And therefore also it was necessarie hee should haue a soule and not his God-head stand in stead of a soule for our soules must haue perished euerlastingly except his soule had suffered for them Thirdly That he might be a fit Intercessor for vs hauing tasted of our miseries All this the Apostle teacheth Heb. 2. from the tenth Verse to the end of the Chapter setting forth most notably the rich and plentifull comfort that we reape from hence by many goodly Arguments And Heb. 4. 15. hee saith Wee haue not an High Priest that cannot suffer together with vs in our infirmities but one that was tempted in all things like vnto vs. Againe it was necessarie he should be God First Because none but God could reueale vnto vs the will and pleasure of God For none hath ascended into Heauen but the Sonne of man that descended from Heauen and is in Heauen Iohn 3. 13. that is to say No man euer did nor by nature can attayne to the true knowledge of heauenly things but hee that is also God to wit the Sonne the eternall Wisdome of the Father as Iohn also saith No n Iohn 1. 18 man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne of God which is in the bosome of the Father that is of one nature and essence with him hee hath reuealed him Neither had hee beene able to sustayne the infinite wrath of God due to our sinnes much lesse to ouercome it if himselfe had beene but a finite nature Yea meete it was hee should be the Sonne of GOD for being so by nature hee is able to bestow this priuiledge on those that beleeue to bee the sonnes of GOD by adoption Iohn 1. 12. The Vnion of both natures into one person was also necessarie First That in him God and Man wee might see and behold the Father for seeing God in his owne essence and nature is inuisible and no conceit can possibly bee framed of him the Apostle sheweth that for the staying of our faith and that our minde and vnderstanding might haue somewhat to rest vpon we haue Christ o Col. 1. 15. the Image of the inuisible God the p Heb. 13. brightnesse or resplendence of his Glorie and the ingrauen forme of his Person whom whosoeuer seeth seeth the Father also as he himselfe speaketh Iohn 1. 2. For the Sonne being q 1. Tim. 3. 16. God himselfe the second Person in Trinitie manifested in the flesh is as a Glasse in whose substantiall and visible Glorie as hee was made Man the Father giueth vs to see and almost to grope and feele his owne infinite Maiestie and Loue that cannot be comprehended without whom if we looke vpon God wee see indeed some small sparkes of Glorie to terrifie and amaze vs but in Christ God and Man we behold the liuely and expresse face of God not any more as a fearefull and terrible Iudge to affright vs but as a most gracious and louing Father to comfort and refresh vs. Secondly That thereby the obedience of Christ performed in the Man-hood might be of infinite merit as being the obedience of God himselfe 2. Cor. 5. 12. Him that knew not sinne he made to be sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him After the person of Christ followeth his Office of Christ or Anoynted Mediation to set vs at one with God whereof the Apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 2. 5. There is one Mediator betweene God and men the Man Christ Iesus In this Office of Mediation three things may bee considered First The persons both of the Mediatour and of those for whom Mediation is made Secondly The point and propertie of the office of Mediation Thirdly The meanes to effect it The Mediator is Christ the Sonne of God whom his Father in his infinite Wisdome Goodnesse and Mercie prouiding a meanes when there was no other meanes left in Heauen or vpon the Earth to saue vs sent downe his owne Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh to saue all Beleeuers whereupon it is not onely said that Christ died but that he was r Rom.
power and comfort of his Spirit whereby he doth communicate himselfe and all he hath vnto vs not in any corporall or bodily presence The time that hee thus ascended both in Soule and the fortieth day after his Resurrection Bodie was fortie d Acts 1. 3. dayes after his Resurrection during all which time hee was conuersant with his Disciples teaching and instructing them aswell in all points of Christian doctrine as in those that belong to the Policie and Gouernment of his Church whereupon the e Heb. 3. 2 3 4 5 6. Apostle saith He was faithfull in all the House of God after a more excellent sort then Moses was The fruit of Christs Ascension into Heauen is our comming thither as shall appeare more at large hereafter And this entrie into Heauen to purchase full Redemption for vs belonged to his Priestly Function wherof the High Priests entring into the Holy of holies once a yeere was a type or figure Heb. 8. 7 12. The fourth and last step is his f Iohn 7. 39. Acts 3. 13. Glorification or the and there sitteth at the right hand of God that is to say enioyeth all Soueraigntie Power and Glorie inriching of him after hee was ascended with an vnspeakeable and incomprehensible though not an infinite measure of all Happinesse Ioy Wisdome Knowledge Excellencie more then all men and Angels haue whereof the g Psal 45. 8. Heb. 1. 9. Psalmist speaketh God euen thy God hath anoynted thee with the Oyle of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Therefore this is called also his h Acts 2. 33. Exaltation or i Phil. 2. 9. Superexaltation hauing in stead of shame and contempt which for our sakes hee did willingly vndergoe becomming subiect vnto death the most ignominious death of the Crosse all and all manner of excellencie both Kingdome Power and Glorie bestowed vpon him and this is that which figuratiuely is meant by his sitting or standing at the right hand of God his Father Heb. 1. 3. Hauing by himselfe purged our sinnes hee sitteth at the right hand of Maiestie in the highest places Marke 16. 19. The Lord after he had spoken these things was taken vp into Heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God Acts 7. 55. He being full of the Holy Ghost looked stedfastly vp to Heauen and saw the Glorie of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God A phrase or forme of speech taken from earthly Princes who are said to set them at their right hand whom they are pleased to k Mat. 20. aduance into the principall place of Honour and Administration of their Kingdome First touching his Gouernment and Dominion both the Apostles so expound this Phrase when that which l Psal 110. 1. Dauid saith IEHOVAH said vnto my Lord Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole The one m 1. Cor. 15. 25 rendreth thus He shall raigne till he haue put all his enemies vnder his feet The n Acts 2. 36. other inferreth vpon it Let all the house of Israel therefore know for a certaine that Him God hath made both Lord and Christ For power and dominion both that serueth Ephes 1. 10 20 21. According to his mightie power which hee wrought in Christ when he raysed him from the dead and set him at his right hand in the heauenly Places far aboue all Principalitie and Power and Might and Dominion and euery name that is named not in this World onely but also in that that is to come and hath made all things subiect vnder his feet Of his Glorie the same is manifest in that this verie setting at the right hand of God is o Acts 3. 13. called his Glorification and the p Acts 7. 55. Storie of Stephen coupleth them together He saw the Glory of God and Iesus standing at the right hand of God The fruit of his setting at the right hand of God is very great and in a manner all in all both for his Intercession and Kingdome as we shall haue occasion to note hereafter All that hitherto hath beene said concerneth our Sauiours Hitherto of Oblation Intercession is offering of himselfe we come now to the other part of his Priesthood standing in his Intercession A thing most necessarie to be added to the rest for in vaine were all his Offerings and Oblation if by his Prayers and Supplications to his Father and the continuall presenting of his Merits hee did not purchase Grace that the same should bee made effectuall for vs. Wherefore this as one step higher is added to the former Rom. 8. 34 Who shall condemne It is Christ that dyed nay rather which is risen who also is at the right hand of God who also maketh Intercession for vs. In his Intercession I obserue First that it is the proper Office and Honor of Christ by whom onely we come vnto God Heb. 7. 25. Secondly That it is the requesting and intreatie of the continuall presenting of his Merits to God his Father the continuall presenting of himselfe and the Merits of his Death and Passion whereupon hee is called our q 1. Iohn 2. 1. Aduocate or Spokesman and is said to r Heb. 9. 24. appeare on our behalfe before the face of God and to make If any man sin we haue an Aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ that righteous one Å¿ Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 7. 25. his Father Intercession for vs. The word appearing being a word taken from the Courts and Seats of Iustice as we vse to say when the Plaintife or Defendant is called Who is heere to appeare for him Christ therefore is as it were our Attournie to appeare for vs before his Father I make mention of the Father onely because the Father is the first of the three Persons in order who being appeased the Sonne and Holy Ghost are also pleased they all being one as in essence and nature so in will and agreement Thirdly When and how he performed this Intercession namely whilest hee was vpon Earth in so many so sweet so heauenly and so feruent Prayers as he powred forth from time to time for the Saluation of his Elect especially that most solemne and sacred one aboue the rest Iohn 17. wherein being anon to be offered hee did consecrate both himselfe the onely and eternall Sacrifice and vs in and through him vnto his Father by the power and force of which his Prayer the Church of God hath euer stood and shall stand vnto the end And what he did then vpon the Earth the same he doth though not in the same manner now in Heauen not with knees bowed and hands stretched out but yet in such sort as is fit for him to giue and fit for his Father to receiue Fourthly That hee maketh Intercession for all the Elect on the behalfe of those Elect. and for them alone not for the Reprobate and Worldlings Iohn 17. 9. I pray not
for the World but for those whom thou hast giuen me Fiftly For what things this Intercession is made Not for some one or few benefits but that we may be partakers of all the good things that he hath wrought Faith or Vocation Vnion with himselfe that is to say Regeration Righteousnesse and Sanctification through him Constancie and Perseuerance in the estate of Grace and finally Eternall Happinesse for all these parts are particularly set downe Iohn 17. as namely Verse 20. 21. I pray for all that are to beleeue in me by their Ministerie that all may be one as thâ—â— Father in me and Iâ—n thee So that they also may be one with vs that the World may beleeue that thou hast sent mee Verse 17. Sanctifie them by thy Truth Verse 11 Holy 〈…〉 er keepe them in thy Name Verse 15. I pray not that thou 〈…〉 them out of the World but that thou keepe them from th 〈…〉 one Verse 13. That they may haue my ioy fulfilled to them Verse 24. Righteous Father whom thou hast giuen vnto me I desire that where I am there they also may be that they may behold my Glorie which thou hast giuen me And Verse 26. That the loue wherewith thou hast loued me may be vpon them So hee doth expresse the Intercession hee made for Peter to bee That his faith should not faile Luke 22. 32. Intercession therefore of our Sauiour Christ is as it were a continuall plaister for the curing of the manifold slips frailties and sins whereunto the faithfull through infirmitie doe continually fall that so by a speciall and continuall application of his Merit our persons may remayne iust and our workes acceptable to God 1. Iohn 2. 1. If any man sinne we haue an Aduocate c. Sixtly That as in his humanitie hee desireth all these things for our Saluation and the applying of his Merits and death vnto vs so by the power of his Deâ—â—e he doth indeed apply them whereunto his being in t Heb. â— â—4 Heauen and in the sight of God his u Rom. â— 34. sitting at the right hand of his Father and his x Heb. 7. 25. euerliuing doe much 〈…〉 le making that Intercession of his as in it selfe more glorious so for vs more gracious and acceptable and able perfectly to saue them that come to God by him Seuenthly That y Rom. 8. 26. making Intercession for vs hee teacheth vs also by his Spirit to make Intercession to God with Prayers sighes and grones that cannot bee expressed CHAP. III. Of Christs Gouernment of the World in generall AFter the Priesthood of Christ next followeth Such is the Priest-hood of Christ his Kingdome followeth his Kingdome which is euerywhere spoken of in the Scriptures and most honourable and glorious promises made vnto it Esay 9. 7. A Child shall bee borne vnto vs and a Sonne giuen to vs vpon whose shoulder the Dominion shall lye Esay 32. 1. Behold a King shall raigne in Righteousnesse And Ierem. 23. 5. A King shall raigne and prosper Generally in his Kingdome I obserue three things Kingdome First A calling of Christ by God his Father to it for as hee intruded not himselfe into the Office of a Priest but expected the calling of his Father so he tooke not vpon him to raigne before hee had a Kingdome giuen him Therefore Psalme 2. 6. God is brought in saying I haue appointed my King ouer Sion my holy Hill And Dan. 2. 44. it is said In those dayes shall the God of Heauen rayse vp a Kingdome So Luke 1. 32. the Angell telleth MARIE The Lord shall giue vnto him the Throne of his Father DAVID And PETER z Acts 2. 36. Him hath God made both Lord and Christ Secondly The inuesting of him into the Princely Honour and Administration of his Kingdome whereof he had full seizin and was put into the actuall and reall possession of it when he ascended into Heauen which a man may call his going vp vnto his Coronation Daniel a Dan. 7. 13 14 in his seuenth Chapter hath a notable description of it seeing in a Vision Christ God and Man comming out of Heauen into the lower parts of the Earth to worke the mysterie of our Redemption and that done ascending into Heauen to the Ancient of dayes God his Father to present himselfe before him And to him saith hee was giuen Dominion Glorie and a Kingdome Thirdly The fruit and end of all this the same wherevnto is in the things which he doth from God for those Elect the whole worke of his Mediation tendeth which is our b Ephes â— 16. Peace and Reconciliation with God in and through him Therefore hee is called The c Esay 9. 6. Prince of Peace d Heb. 7. 2. The King of Righteousnesse and The King of Peace figured by MELCHISEDECH King of Shalem And heereupon the e Rom. 14. 17. Apostle saith that the Kingdome of God is Righteousnesse Peace and loy in the Holy Ghost More specially to treat of this his Kingdome It parteth The kingdome of Christ hath two parts it selfe into three mayne Armes or Branches rising by so many steps or stayres one is his Gouernment of the World in generall taking things in such sort as the Fall did leaue them without vouchsafing any further fauour And this may bee called the footstoole of his Kingdome Another standeth in the bestowing of his Word and the fruits thereof matters of speciall grace though such as fall vpon the Reprobate and this may be called the Scepter of his Kingdome The third Is the giuing of his Spirit whereby of carnall he maketh vs spirituall and heauenly Creatures and this may be called the Seate and Throne or rather the Life and Power of his Kingdome as these three parts are so distinguished and in the same order Psal 93. The first words of which Psalme in a holy triumph and reioycing-wise expresse the generall argument that Iehouah which is Christ our Lord raigneth and not raigneth onely but hath his Raigne accompanied with two Noble Adiuncts Glorie and Power Then hee commeth to distinguish the parts First his Gouernment of the World considered in two degrees One the stay and sustentation of all things the same which the f Heb. 1. 3 Apostle so highly magnifieth to the Hebrewes for whereas Adams sinne had turned vpside downe the whole frame of Nature and according to the curse What day thou eatest of the forbidden fruit thou shalt certainly dye had brought man and all the Creatures for mans sake to vtter ruine and desolation Christ the Mediator steppeth forth and there beginneth his Kingdome in holding vp the World which otherwise had instantly come to nothing This you haue in the latter end of the first Verse The inhabited World is settled it shall not be remoued And that so wonderfull a thing as this a worke of such admiration might haue a reason sutable to make it not seeme strange the Prophet
telleth vs that Hee which vpon Adams fall began his Mediation had a Being long before and together with his Father and Holy Spirit weilded a greater Scepter being the Lord and Creatour of Adams selfe and of the whole World besides and the great King out of whose Throne proceed those euerlasting counsels that rule and moderate whatsoeuer is or shall be Thy Throne is established before any time thou art from euerlasting The other degree is in the tayming and bringing downe of the proud enemies of his Kingdome whose rage and furie hee compareth with the loud noyse of mightie waters when the Waues and Surges of the Sea arise Christs Dominion that sitteth aloft as Lord Paramount with the stilling and ouer-ruling of them Then followeth the second mayne Arme and Branch of his Kingdome in the Scepter of his Word Thy testimonies are exceeding true And lastly the euerlasting Righteousnesse which by the Spirit of Sanctification hee bestoweth vpon his Church In thy House is comely holinesse O IEHOVAH for euermore The first of these is properly called his Iudicature or Office of a Iudge the second is his Propheticall Office the third is wont by excellencie to be called The Kingdome All most glorious and noble effects of his Ascension into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of God as the Apostle telleth vs Ephes 4. 8. Ascending on high he led captiuitie captiue whereby he meaneth the absolute power giuen vnto him for the gouernment of the World seene specially in the subduing of the proud enemies of the Church And gaue gifts vnto men which g Verse 10. by and by hee interpreteth to bee as much as to fill all things that is the whole bodie of his Church and all the parts of it with the varietie of his Graces Not that Christ had not this excellencie or did not raigne at all before his Ascension into Heauen for h Iohn 1. 49. Nathaniel telleth him Thou art the King of Israel And i Iohn 18. 37. hee himselfe when Pilate asked Art thou a King answereth Thou sayest true for I am a King But the full and reall manifestation of this Kingdome in his flesh or humane nature did then first beginne To prosecute now these parts in such order as wee One whereby he gouerneth all the World according to their owne nature since the fall did propound them The first is that which extendeth generally to all the World and to the whole gouernment and administration of it which hee himselfe is wont to call his Iudgeship or Office of iudging Iohn 5. 27. He hath giuen vnto him dignitie to execute iudgement as he is the Sonne of man And Iohn 5. 22. The Father iudgeth no man but hath giuen all iudgement to the Sonne where that it may appeare how large his Power in this behalfe extendeth hee calleth it all iudgement Agreeable whereunto is that of the Apostle Heb. 1. 3. where hee is said to sustayne all things by the power of his Word Therefore Iohn 5. 17. he makes this generall proclamation My Father worketh hitherto and I worke without restraint of time or place or of the subiect or persons towards whom it is wrought God therefore who before gouerned immediately and by himselfe hath euer since the fall of Adam appointed Christ his Vicegerent and Lieutenant generall in whose person he would afterwards rule the World Not that himself sitteth idle in heauen as Iosephs Master did when he had committed vnto Ioseph the Administration of his house but being in him and with him and working all things by and through Christ who againe vseth to that end beside his Spirit and the power of his Word the seruice also the ministery of his holy Angels all which is figured by many excellent and goodly Similitudes in the Vision of k Ezech. 1. Ezechiel where the foure liuing Creatures representing the innumerable company of Angels whose Ministerie extendeth vnto all the foure parts of the Earth haue vnder their feet foure wheeles noting the whole vncertaine course of this changeable and vnconstant world which moue when they moue and rest when they stand still And when the liuing creatures lift vp themselues from earth into heauen to receiue from God new Commandements the wheeles also as it were doe follow them and cease from wheeling to wait their direction Aboue which Angels is a Curtaine or Extent betweene God and them all of Christal cleare and transparent thorow the which as he beholdeth these inferior creatures so they both Angels and men according to their mediocritie are able to see him and the brightnesse of his glorie Ouer that Extent higher than the highest heauens is a most glorious Throne erect whereupon doth sit the likenesse of the Sonne of man Christ the blessed Lord of glorie God and man whom all obey and stoope at his command All this for the good of his Church and people for whose sake it was necessarie he should be armed with so great a Command and Power In this part of his Kingdome I note First The largenesse thereof in that it reacheth euery where and no place exempted from it I will giue the Nations l Ps 2. 8. for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession m Zach. 9. 10. His dominion shall be from Sea to Sea and from the Riuer vnto the ends of the earth n Dan. 7. 14. And to him was giuen Dominion and a Glorie and a Kingdome that all people nations and tongues should serue him o Ps 72. 8. 11. He shal beare rule from one Sea vnto another and from the floud as farre as the ends of the earth All Kings shall bow downe vnto him and all Nations shall serue him p Math. 28. 18 All power is giuen me in heauen and vpon the earth Secondly In this Kingdome Christ alone perfecteth all things not like to other Kings and Potentates who rule by deputies but here hee himselfe doth all for though there he vsed instruments yet all commeth from his strength and vertue and hee himselfe is euery-where present by his Spirit Whereupon his Kingdome is called q Esay 9. 6. Wonderfull because the effects and working of Gods Spirit are strange and marueilous Thirdly the vertues and properties of this our King arming and inabling him for the effecting of those great things are two Counsell to aduise of things wisely and Strength to put them in execution beeing both the stayes and props of a Kingdome as it were the two pillers Iacin and Bohas whereupon r 1. King 7. 21. Salomons Porch was built Therefore Rabshake to discourage Hezekias vanteth of these two as of the things whereon the hope if battaile standeth as if Hezekias were not in them to be compared to the King his Master Å¿ Esay 6. 5. Say yet they are but lip words that thou haue counsell and strength for the warre yet in whom doest thou trust And Salomon though hee preferre the one maketh
whilest they liued vpon the Earth can hee not immediately before sprinkle them with one iot of Knowledge asmuch Faith as the graine of a Mustard Seed and make them by the tip of the hand of the soule and as it were the fingers end to touch him whom they shall immediately haue the full fruition of Secondly The example of Iacob is very forceable for his and his brothers rushing together in the Wombe or dashing one against another Iacobs holding of Esau by the heele the Prophet y Hosh â—2 3. interpreteth to bee a kind of striuing with him for the Grace and Blessing Thirdly z Ier. 1. 5. Ieremie was sanctified before hee came out of the Wombe and a Luke 1. 15. Iohn the Baptist filled with the Holy Ghost being yet in his Mothers belly shall we thinke that in the Wombe they were in Christ and so sanctified one way and when they came to yeeres of vnderstanding by another Fourthly Forasmuch as there is but one way of ioyning vs to Christ when wee come to Heauen which is b 2. Cor. 5. 7. Sight whereunto our faith now is answerable being of the same nature and qualitie onely differing in the measure for faith is nothing else but to c Iohn 6. 40. 12. 44 45. see and to behold him I cannot make my selfe beleeue but the same way which serueth here for all the rest of Gods Elect especially being of such neere affinitie with that wee shall haue then and rather to bee termed a kinde of d 1. Cor. 13. 21. sight then a deuided member from it doth serue for children also that as there is but one life e Iohn 5. 24. 6. 47. begunne here and perfected in Heauen so there should bee but one line to leade vnto it namely the light of the minde to see and behold Christ now in a Looking-glasse hereafter face to face Fiftly Of any other way or meanes for Infants to come by Righteousnesse or Saluation but by beleeuing the condition of the Couenant of Grace as doing is of the Couenant of workes the Scripture so farre as I can learne speaketh not a Word but to the contrarie giueth generall and vniuersall rules without any incling of exception as Iohn 17. 3. This is life euerlasting to know thee the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Therefore some sparke of knowledge cannot bee denyed to these who hauing the Sonne f 1. Ioh. 5. 11 12 in whom this life is must needes bee confessed to haue euerlasting life Againe Iohn 6. our Sauiour defining first what it is to come to him g Iohn 6. 35. He that commeth to me shall not hunger and hee that beleeueth in me shall not thirst immediately addeth h Verse 37. Whatsoeuer the Father giueth mee meaning all those whom God in his euerlasting counsell hath appointed to be Christs shall come vnto mee or beleeue in mee The opposition that is made Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture hath shut vp all things that is all men and whatsoeuer is of and in man vnder sinne that the promise by Faith in Iesus Christ might be giuen to those that beleeue proueth that Faith which is the remedie must needs bee as generall as the disease that spreads ouer all So the similitude which our Sauiour doth inforce Iohn 3. 14. As MOSES lift vp the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the Sonne of man bee lift vp that euery one which beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life The brazen Serpent was figure of Christ and as none were holpen by the Serpent but those that looked vpon it No more doth any vertue come from Christ but to those that beleeue in him Lastly i Gal 3. 7. Those that are of Faith they are the sonnes of ABRAHAM for k Rom. 4. 16. to all his seed the promise is firme by Faith and his title is l Rom. 4. 11. The father of the faithfull But the Scripture maketh him m Rom. 4. 16. the father of vs all and that all n Rom. 9. 8. the children of the promise that is the whole number of Gods Elect for of that primarie cause of our saluation Gods holy Election Paul there disputeth are reckoned in his seed for since the cause why wee are said the seed of Abraham is o Gen. 22. 18. Gal. 3. 16. signed to be for the interest we haue in that blessed seed in whom Abraham and all his posteritie are partakers of the heauenly Inheritance To exclude Infants from being Abrahams seed were as much as to barre them from hauing part in Christ whereupon it followeth and so the Apostle doth conclude Gal. 3. 8 13 14. that in the same manner as he obtayned the blessing which was by Faith so doe all Nations of the World Iewes and Gentiles and euery particular person all and as many as lay vnder the curse before But of this enough we come vnto the causes Faith commeth not from our selues it commeth from the Holy Ghost and is the speciall worke of the Spirit of Christs a may appeare by the Prayer of the Apostles Lord p Luke 17. 5. increase our faith and by him that said q Marke 9. 24 I beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeliefe This worke of the Spirit making vs so to beleeue is termed A drawing of vs to Christ Iohn 6. 4. Cant. 1. 3. A Calling Rom. 8. 30. but in a more strict signification then the calling spoken of before and many wayes differing from it for That is but a Calling to the Profession of Christ and therefore outward and externall onely This to the participation and enioying of Christ himselfe and therefore a true and effectuall Calling That but to the visible Church This to be a member of the true Catholike and inuisible Church of God The cause that moueth God to bestow this gift of Faith vpon vs is his owne speciall Grace and the good pleasure of his Will So saith the Apostle Phil. 1. 29. To you it is freely giuen to beleeue in Christ and Acts 28. 27. Hee did much helpe them that had beleeued through Grace We come therefore to apprehend Christ onely because through his Grace and Goodnesse wee are apprehended of him wrought ordinarily by preaching The onely instrument that God vseth ordinarily to beget faith is the preaching of the Word as the r Ro. 10. 14 17. Apostle saith How can they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how can they heare without a Preacher concluding Therefore Faith is by hearing and hearing by the Word or Ordinance of God And Å¿ 1. Cor. 1. 21. againe Because in the wisdome of God this Frame and Gouernment of the World wherein the wisdome of God shineth so cleerely the World yet by that Wisdome knew not God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue those that beleeue as in another t Rom. 1. 16. place he saith
our Sauiour sheweth how in that great Day of his most glorious Comming all flesh shall be iudged not by their Faith or vnbeliefe but by their Workes as sure Arguments to approue to all the World the righteous Sentence of God especially to our selues they seale vp Gods Election and make it sure to vs for whosoeuer findeth not that hee hath in some measure the Spirit of Sanctification the Grace of Addoption and Iustification hath not yet laid hold vpon him Hither tend those exhortations so common in the Scripture r 2 Pet. 1. 10. Make your Calling and Election firme by your Workes c. True it is as Å¿ 2. Tim. 2. 19. the Apostle saith that there is a double Seale one resting in God himselfe which is firme and sure and neuer can be shaken but the other resteth in vs who are by good Workes to set that Seale vpon our Soules and Consciences The foundation of God remayneth firme hauing this Seale God knoweth who are his And Let euerie one that nameth the Name of CHRIST depart from iniquitie Thirdly Good Workes in those that professe Christ stop the mouth of the Aduersarie who otherwise is readie to slander the Gospell and to speake euill of it as of a doctrine of libertie So saith t 1. Pet. 2. 15. PETER For so is the will of God that doing well you might stop the mouth of the ignorance of foolishmen as free and not hauing libertie as a couer of naughtinesse Fourthly By this meanes wee giue a good Example vnto other and winne many to the profession of the Gospell Whereupon the same u 1. Pet. 3. 12. Apostle exhorteth Wiues so to behaue themselues that by the beholding of their chaste and modest carriage their Husbands that beleeue not the Word may without the Word bee gayned vnto Christ Fiftly God is pleased and hath promised of his free Mercie and Goodnesse to bestow a reward vpon them which ought to quicken vs to this dutie 1. Cor. 3. 8. Euery one shall receiue his owne reward according to his owne labour 2. Iohn Verse 8. Take heed to your selues that we lose not the good things we haue wrought but that we may receiue a full reward And thus farre touching our Sanctification in this Hereafter wee shall haue an Angellike perfection life weake and imperfect which in Heauen shall be fully and wholy perfected and we when receiued vp vnto Christ shall bee made x Ephes 5. 27. glorious without spot or wrinkle or any such thing and y Mat. 22. 30. like to the holy Angels This absolute perfection and Angellicall puritie free from the least spot of sinne whatsoeuer is a thing that must necessarily be attayned vnto First Because else we should not haue by the Mercie of God in Christ as good and holy an estate as we had by our first Creation and lost by our owne sinnes in Adam Secondly So long as man is imperfectly holy hee can neuer bee perfectly happie by inioying the presence of God before whom no sinfull thing can come Now this I mean that in this estate we shal be perfectly righteous not onely by Christs obedience imputed vnto vs made ours but by a righteousnes also inhereÌ„t in our selues for in the life to come the Elect shal bee restored to that perfect inherent Holinesse wherein Adam was created but in a more excellent measure euen in the full height and top of all perfection and great reason there is why we shall then so much excell First Because the faculties of our soule and bodie shal then bee made spirituall and glorified in an excellent manner as wee shewed before whereby to bee more quicke and readie for the performance of euery good and holy dutie then Adam was Secondly In respect of the place where wee shall be in Heauen where z 1. Cor. 13. 12. wee shall see God face to face and haue familiar conuersation in his presence This Celestiall Holinesse is all one with that which we haue in this World euen as our bodies and soules are the same but differing in the excellent measure of it That which followeth of this Angellicall perfection is First That there shall bee no more strife nor warfare against sinne Satan himselfe and all our spirituall foes being trodden vnder our feete and the Goale wee now striue for gotten and wonne whereupon the Church of God in Heauen is called The Church Triumphant for a Reuel 14. 13. they cease from their labours Secondly That there is no more Repentance no more sorrow and griefe for sinne b Reuel 21. 4 5 neither paine nor crying nor labour for all teares shall bee wiped from their eyes After the Doctrine of Sanctification order requireth Redemption whereby to speake of Redemption A double Redemption or to speake more properly Redemption in a double sence we find spoken of in the Scripture One the paying of the price by the sheading of Christs Bloud to free vs from the seruitude of sinne and death which the Apostle toucheth Ephes 1. 7. and Coloss 1. 14. and is the ransome or matter of our Redemption The other a fruit and effect of the former which in that place to the Ephesians c Ephes 1. 14. is also mentioned when by him wee are set free indeed And that is the Redemption meant 1. Cor. 1. 30. in the purting away of euill and the bestowing of freeing vs from the curse himselfe be comming a curse for vs all good Wherfore two parts here offer themselues One is the remoouing of our cursed estate setting vs free from Death Hell and Condemnation and from the Curse of the Law by his Death and Sufferings for by death hee hath abolished him that hath the power of death that is the Deuill and set them free who through feare of death were all their life long subiect vnto bondage saith the Apostle to the d Heb. 2. 14. Hebrewes And Gal. 3. 8. Christ hath redeemed vs from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for vs as it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth vpon the Tree The other is the making of vs blessed by the participation hee maketh vs blessed by the participation of his Blessednesse of his Blessednesse A reward that followeth our Iustification through Christ So wee are plainly taught Gâ—l 3. 8. The Scripture fore-seeing that by Faith God would iustifie the Nations published the glad tidings before vnto ABRAHAM that in thee that is in thy Seed Christ Iesus shall all Nations be blessed for being approoued of God as righteous in Christ consequently in him wee are to haue a reward Reuel 16. 6. They shall walke with mee in Whites for they are worthy The distinct degrees of Blessednesse come now to be Our Blessednesse in the estate we now are in standeth considered for truly may the Children of God be said euen in this life blessed meaning it in part as a step and stayre to climbe
by lying miracles deceiuing and deceiued make the bodie which seeke Christ vpon the Earth in their Sacrament of the Altar place Religion in an Eremiticall or Monkish life not holding Christ the Head nor Iustification by Faith alone in his bloud And therefore are not the Church of Christ but the Synagogue of Satan The second signe is that o Verse 29. The Heauen shall be darkned The Moone shall not giue her Light the Starres shall fall from Heauen and the powers of Heauen or powerfull and potent Heauens shall be shaken Such Metaphors as these the Scripture is wont to vse when it would expresse a notable change to fall out in the World the ruine and ouerthrow of some great State or Monarchie p Esay 13. 10. Esay in his thirteenth Chapter speaking of the destruction of Babel The Starres of the Heauen and their Planets shall not giue their light and the Moone shall not shine bright the Sunne shall bee darkned at his rising q Ioel 4. 7. IOEL prophecying of the seuere Iudgement against the enemies of Gods Church The Sunne and the Moone shall be blacke and the Stars shall take in their Light And r Ezech. 32. 7 8 Ezechiel to Pharaoh King of Egypt I will couer when I put thee out the Heauens and I will make their Stars blacke The Sunne I will couer in a Cloud and the Moone shall not make her Light shine All the Planets of light in the Heauen will I make blacke for thy sake And I will set darknesse in the Land So in the Å¿ Reuel 6. 12 13 14. Reuelation When hee opened the sixt Seale there was a great Earthquake and the Sunne became blacke as hayrie sackcloth and the Moone became as bloud and the Starres of Heauen fell to the ground and Heauen parted asunder as a Booke rolled together and euery Mountayne and Iland were remooued out of their places Which things point not to the end of the World seeing many things were to fellow vnder the seuenth Seale but are meant as it seemeth of that great ouerthrow which Constantine gaue to Dioclesian and other Tyrants of the Church turning the whole Empire of Rome vpside downe from Gentilisme to Christianitie This second signe therefore I iudge to bee the Turkes ouerthrow which shall fall out t Reuel 16. 19. 19. 20. 20. 10. as soone as the Church is deliuered from the Tyrannie of Antichrist that is as our Sauiour speaketh heere immediately after the affliction of those dayes The third Signe is the calling of the Iewes wherein foure things may be obserued First The time And then saith u Verse 30. he that is x Ezech. 38. 39. to the end of the Prophecy Reuel 20 7 8 9 10 11 c. immediately vpon the Ruine of the Turkish Empire for though some y Ezech. 37. Reuel â—6 12 13 14 15 16. beginnings are to bee made before an indeuour to and preparation to seeke Christ whereupon z Dan. 1. 12 â— shall insue the forest time of affliction to that people that euer was in the world yet their full and thorow Call beginneth not till the Turke be done away Secondly The glorie of their Church two wayes described one by calling it The Signe of the Sonne of man the other The Comming of the Sonne of man in the Clouds of the Heauen for so is the latter vsed Reue. 1. 7 And before in this Chapter Verse 27. and they both import the selfe same thing which Paul 2. Thess 28. calleth The brightnesse of his Comming to wit not a corporall but a spirituall Comming powerfully and royally in the great and glorious Conuersion of this Nation Thirdly The generalitie of their call that all the Tribes of Israel aswell as Iudah shall bee saued Which very word of Tribes if there were no more sheweth of what people it must be meant Fourthly Their true and vnfayned Repentance for the mourning heere spoken of is that bitter mourning for the sinne of all sinnes the sinne of refusing Christ whereof you reade Zacharie 12. 10 11 c. Reu. 1. 7. The fourth Signe is the generall publishing of the Gospell thorowout the World for this sending of his Angels with a Trumpet and great voyce and their gathering of the Elect out of the foure Windes from one end of the Heauen to another Verse 31. cannot bee that voyce of an Archangell and Trumpet of God which the Apostle speaketh of 1. Thes 4. 16. nor the gathering mentioned Mat. 25. 32. for it is expresly said here Verse 33 34. When you see all those things whereof this which we now speake of is one know hee is neere at the doores not yet come as he must be when the Archangels voice doth sound Verily I say vnto you The same a So is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken Luke 17. 34. age the Age wherein the last of these things shall bee fulfilled shall not passe away till all things be done Therefore it must needs bee taken of a glorious spreading of the Gospell among all Nations not spoken figuratiuely or by Hyperbole and excesse of speech as that other Verse 14. but in a true literall and proper sence And as the former was giuen to the Apostles for a Signe that should goe before the Iewes desolation and consequently before Antichrist should come who was not to appeare till some Ages after they were destroyed So this is to come after After his after the Turkes destruction after the Iewes repayre for b Reuel 21. 24. then shall the Nations bring their Honour and Glorie to the new holy Citie c Ezech. 47. Then shall waters flye out of the Temple into the East and to all the quarters round about by the sweetnesse whereof shall be ingendred a multitude of fish exceeding many Then d Dan. 7. 14. after the small horne taken away which is the Turke a Kingdome shall be giuen to him that was like the Sonne of man that all People Nations and Tongues shall serue him Then e Zach. 14. 19. shall IEHOVAH be King ouer all the Earth And in that Day there shall be one IEHOVAH and his name one Hauing done now with the Signes the last circumstance is the manner of his Comming which shall bee sudden manifest and notorious vnto all and full of State and Maiestie For the suddennesse of it it is compared to a f 1. Thess 2. 2. Reuel 16. 5. Thiefe in the night to g 1. Thess 5. 3. trauaile that commeth on a sudden to a woman with child and to a h Luke 21. 35. snare that catcheth men vnawares Whereupon it is also compared to the dayes of i Mat. 24. 37 38 39. Noe and of Lot for as men then were taken before they were aware so shall they bee in the Day of Iudgement which serueth to stirre vs vp to watchfulnesse as our Sauiour in k Luke 21. 35. Luke maketh that vse of it As a
and all thus rise againe is the common Certaine men vpon our Sauiour Christs Resurrection rose againe and are already with him in Heauen condition of all Mankind some few excepted and those of three sorts for First Some there were who being dead vpon our Sauiour Christs Resurrection rose againe and are alreadie with him in glorie Of whom you may reade Mat. 27. 52 53. that the graues did open themselues and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose and came out of the Graues after his Resurrection and went into the holy Citie and appeared vnto many Which word appearing sheweth that they did not rise to conuerse among men or to dye againe as Lazarus and some other did but in their owne persons to attend vpon him in his Ascension vnto Heauen and by their Resurrection to seale vp the truth of his and of ours in and through him that so not onely in Christ our Head but in our Brethren and fellow-members full assurance might bee made vnto vs of this sweete and comfortable Doctrine Secondly Other there were that neuer dyed but So are Enoch and Elias both aliue assumed thither onely changed their miserable condition into Glorie Immortalitie and so were taken vp aliue into Heauen And this was the peculiar priuiledge of Enoch and Elias One before the Law another vnder the Law both in most corrupt and depraued times wherein the sincere worship of God was no where to bee found the hope of eternall Life and of the Resurrection to come vtterly lost and gone God therefore to leaue a plentifull testimonie of a blessed Resurrection till the cleerer manifestation of it by the rising of his Sonne and both to giue testimonie of the Faith and Pietie of such men and to conuince the wicked World of Infidelitie suffered not those two to goe the way of all flesh but by a speciall fauour did assume them bodie and soule vnto himselfe thereby also to make them types and figures of the Resurrection of his Sonne by whose power they thus escaped death Of Enoch first it is recorded Gen. 5. 24. That he walking with God three thousand yeers in which time as u Iude ver 24. Iude the Apostle witnesseth hee diligently executed the part of a faithfull Teacher in Gods Church reproouing the corrupt World of sin denouncing Gods seuere Iudgements against them euen to the extreme curse of Anathema Maranatha in the end hee was no more seene for God tooke him that is as the x Heb. 11. 5. Apostle to the Hebrewes doth expound it did translate him that hee should not see death And of Elias the Storie is set forth at large in the first and second Booke of Kings How after long conflicts with Achab the King of Israel and Iesabel his wife and with foure hundred and fiftie prophets the priests of Baal at once being tossed as wee say from Post to Pillar and driuen to flye for his life hauing restored the true Worship of God and reedified his Altars that before were throwne downe destroyed being now as hee thought left alone and wearie of his life God in the end after his many labours y 2. Kings 2. 23 tooke him vp in a whirlewinde into Heauen Thereby conuincing the Idolatry of that Age. And when in the Towne of Bethel where the Calues were erected and Idolatrie and Superstition raged they made a Scoffe of this Ascension and taught their children so to doe saying to Elisha in scoffing sort Ascend Bald-pate ascend Bald-pate that is Goe vp to Heauen as Elias did as if they should haue said A proper and goodly ascension two Beares comming out of the Forrest tare in pieces two forty children of them And that this was alwayes the iudgement of the Church concerning Elias may appeare Luke 9. 8. where in the diuersitie of opinions held of our Sauiour Christ some said that IOHN was raysed from the dead some that ELIAS had appeared other that one of the old Prophets was risen againe To all the rest attributing Resurrection as of bodies dead onely to ELIAS Apparition in the truth of his humane nature as of one that neuer dyed Two things there bee that may seeme to crosse this Doctrine One that Christ is called The first fruites of them that sleepe 1. Cor. 15. 20. The other that in the eleuenth to the Heb. 11. 39. the Apostle speaking of the holy men of God before the Comming of Christ And of Enoch among the rest saith of them all that they receiued not the promises But hereunto it may bee answered that the promise which the Apostle meaneth is the manifestation of Christ in the flesh and the more plentifull measure of grace now then was before his Comming which pertayneth nothing to this question As for that 1. Cor. 15. Christ is called The first fruits of them that sleepe because by the power of his Resurrection all shall rise againe and his Resurrection sanctifieth ours as the first fruits did the whole crop not that he of necessitie must be the first that rose no more then hee was the first whose soule did enter Heauen though all both before and since haue entred by his power Although if you should so farre presse this Phrase Christ was indeed the first that rose seeing to speake properly Enoch and Elias neuer dyed and therefore neuer rose And howsoeuer it bee an extraordinarie Example in one or two speciall persons it serueth not to ouerthrow a generall truth But the first I take to be the Apostles meaning Yet haue not these two sorts their full glorie alreadie for howsoeuer their whole nature bee made perfect yet the fulnesse of their perfection is deferred till the latter Day as to the rest of Gods Elect Euen as wee see the whole spirituall nature of the Angels that fell is now fully accursed and yet reserued for a more full damnation The third sort are those men that the Comming of Those that are liuing at the latter Day shall suddenly be changed after the dead are once risen Christ doth finde aliue who shall not dye but shall suddenly bee changed as Enoch and Elias were and so bee taken vp to meete Christ after that the dead in him shall be first risen All of vs saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 15. 51 52. shall not sleepe but all of vs shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last Trumpet for the Trumpet shall sound and the dead shall rise vp without corruption and we shall be changed And againe 1 Thess 4. 15 16 17. This say we to you in the Word of the Lord that we which liue and are remayning in the Comming of the Lord shall not preuent them which sleepe for the Lord himselfe shall come downe from Heauen and the dead in Christ shall arise first afterwards shall we which liue and remayne be caught vp also with them in the Clouds to meete the Lord in the Ayre By the Analogie