the lest mentioned in the Scriptures Fiftly The order of their fall one being the chiefe and Ringleader of the rest in this offence whom the Scripture from the qualities common to them all in this their corrupt estate nameth Satan g Reuel 12. 9. The great Dragon the old Serpent which is called the Deuill and Satan or the Deuill as it were by excellency aboue the rest of the Deuils who are said to bee his h Reuel 12. 9. And his Angels were cast out with him Matth. 25. 41. Which is prepared for the deuill and his Angels Angels and ministers and hee their head and prince exceeding them all in malice i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satan he is called that is an Aduersarie the capitall enemie of God and of Mankinde k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deuill that is a calumniatour and a slanderer for he did not sticke to calumniate God himselfe to Eue and l Iob 1. 9. 2. 4 5. vs he doth calumniate continually to God Sometimes hee is set forth by many other termes to note his primacie * 2. Cor. 4. 4. The God of this World m Iob. 16. 11. The Prince of this World The Scribes and Pharises from that horrible Idoll of the Philistims whom they worshipped at Reuel 12. 10. Ekron called him n Matt. 12. 24. Belsebub the prince of the Deuils Thus much of the fall of Angels Their punishment is the fulnesse of Gods wrath The curse vpon them is the fulnesse of Gods wrath which falling vpon a bare creature not able to beare the brunt of it crusheth him downe into hell for euer which instantly fell vpon them assoone as they sell from God and crushed them downe into Hell foreuer So sayth PETER o 2. Pet. 2. 6. God spared not the Angels that sinned but throwing them into Hell deliuered them vnto Chaynes of darkenesse to be kept vnto iudgement And p Iude vers 6. IVDE The Angels that kept not their first estate but left their owne habitation he hath kept with euerlasting Chaynes vnder darkenesse vnto the iudgement of the great Day Our Sauiour likewise telleth vs that euerlasting fire is the portion allotted to them Mat. 25. This fearefull estate is called Damnation and draweth And this estate is called Damnation drawing with it the full height and top of all iniquitie hatred of God obstinate vnrepentance finall desperation and such like after it the full height and top of all iniquitie hatred of God obstinate Vnrepentance finall Desperation and such like Wherefore the q Eph 6. 12. Apostle to expresse the sinnefulnesse of these damned Spirits calleth them Spirituall things of Wickednesse that is the spirits wholly drowned and swallowed vp in wickednes And our Sauiour Christ Iohn 8. 44. The Deuill is a Lyer the father of Lyes and when he speaketh a Lye he speaketh of his owne Finally hee calleth sinne The doing of the lusts of the Deuill As r 1. Iohn 3. 8. Iohn doth The workes of the Deuill telling vs that ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee sinneth continually for that is the force of the present-tense from the beginning euer since the World was made Therefore he is called The t Mat. 12. 43. vncleane spirit The u Mat. 13. 9. wicked one yea The x Mat. 4. 3. Tempter not onely vile and wicked himselfe but tempting and solliciting other to it for as they feare not to oppose themselues directly against the most high Maiestie so towards men they cease not to vse all meanes that may be both force and fraud to draw them away from God Hence he is called y Mat. 13. 39. The Enemie And z 1. Pet. 5. 8. Peter saith Your Aduersarie the Deuill walketh about like a roring Lion seeking whom hee may deuoure Yet euen among these also many are to be found naughtier and more vile and wicked then the other as our Sauiour Christ teacheth Mat. 12. 45. When the vncleane spirit goeth out of a man c. then he goeth and taketh with him seuen other spirits more naught then himselfe I doubt not but our Sauiours meaning there is by a figuratiue speech to note out sundry othervices fouler and more detestable then the former but withall putting the cause for the effect he doth not obscurely giue to vnderstand that there be certaine Deuils which haue the gouernment as it were and attendance ouer some certaine speciall sinnes to egge men thereto whither tendeth also that in another place a Mat. 17. 21. This kinde of Deuill is not cast out but by Fasting and Prayer But notwithstanding they were deliuered vp as before Notwithstanding it pleaseth God mony times to send them some release out of that dungeon is said vnto chaines of darknesse and throwne into Hell yet it pleaseth God many times to ease them of their torments sending them out of that place of darknesse to walke here vp and downe for where the Deuils in the b Luke 8. 31. Gospell beseech our Sauiour Christ that he would not throw them into that Deepe the Gulfe of Hell which they so feare and tremble at and in c Mat. 8. 29. another place expostulate with him that he came to torment them before the time from thence may bee gathered that some release they finde of torment whilest they roame here vp and downe which in those Prisons of darknesse is more hardly layed vpon them Therefore suffering them to dwell in the Ayre and to roame thorowout the World they dwell in the Ayre as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 6. 12. when he sayth The spirituall things of wickednesse which are in the heauenly places meaning in the Ayre that is aboue vs. And Ephes 2. 2. hee calleth Satan The prince that hath power in the ayre That from the place it selfe and the aduantage which he hath by that wee might learne the rather to take heed of him And to this end is God pleased thus to release them that so they may be instruments to work his pleasure here among vs that so he may vse them as instruments to work his good pleasure here among vs either for the comfort of his children though they labour all they can to the contrarie or the plaguing of the wicked This is their estate till a set and solemne day appointed All this till a day appointed which wee call the latter Day when they shal receiue their last doome of an euerlasting and more dreadful damnation with execution accordingly of God for bringing them vnto Iudgement which wee call the latter Day when they shall vndergoe the whole extremitie and fulnesse of Gods wrath in a greater and more fearefull manner That they are then to bee brought vnto iudgement it appeareth out of that which Peter and Iude doe speake Agreeable whereunto is that of PAVL Do you not know we shall iudge the Angels 1. Cor. 6. That till the Day of Iudgement 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
Earth for the other or Hell accidently for eyther Heauen we call the highest World made for the Angels to inhabit As our f Mar. 12. 25. Sauiour Those that phantastically teach that Heauen is euery-where teacheth They are as the Angels in Heauen In Heauen g Mat. 18. 10. their Angels alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in Heauen This is it which the Scripture calleth h 1. King 8. 27. The Heauen of Heauens for the excellencie The i 2. Cor. 12. 2. third Heauen for the situation aboue the Ayre and the Skie both which haue the name of Heauen and k 2. Cor. 12. 4. Paradise for the pleasure being the place of the residence of Gods glory Earth is the middle World made for man Psal 115. 16 The Heauens are IEHOVAHS and the Earth which hee hath giuen vnto the sonnes of men Two things in it come to be considered the parts and the ornaments The parts I call the foure Elements l For the Philosophers agree that nothing giueth light but that which hath some fire in it wherefore from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light the Chaldees were wont to call Fire Oru◠whom they worshipped for their god Fire the vppermost Globe wherein was Light an adiunct and qualitie of the Fire Ayre or as Moses calleth it an m Following the Greekes who name it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extent we improperly the Firmament comprehending all that voyd place betweene the Cloudes and the Earth which giueth breath of life to all things that breathe Water with all the Chanels thereof the Seas the Floudes the Lakes the Springs And Earth or the dry ground the Bottome and Center of the World for man to inhabit Ornaments are the things wherewith these Elements are garnished and set forth being all things necessary both for the vse and command of man For his vse were made the n Gen. 1. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. insensible things Grasse and Trees continually fructifying in the Earth the Sunne the Moone the Starres placed aboue the Cloudes in the highest Globe in or aboue the vppermost part of that extent which Moses calleth the o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extent of Heauen that is to say that part of the extent which is neerest to the Heauens and furthest from the Earth where the Element of Fire is and these being the vessels that now receiue and send forth the Light which it seemeth most probable the Fire is it before for the Scripture speaketh of Light before the Sunne haue in that place of Moses a three-fold vse assigned to them First To distinguish Light from Darknesse that is to say the naturall Day from the Night Secondly To bee signes for the noting out of times and seasons A thing common to them all as appeareth Iob 9. 9. Where ARCTVRVS ORION PLEIADES and the Planets of the hidden South are vsed to note out the parts of the Yeere Autumne Winter the Spring and Summer But this neuerthelesse is proper to the Sunne and Moone that by the running of their compasse they after a speciall sort rule and gouerne the Sunne the Day and the Moone the Night and make the difference of ciuill Dayes Moneths and Yeeres Thirdly They serue not onely to enlighten the Earth but by their influence to refresh and giue growth to all earthly bodies For the command of men were made the dumbe and vnreasonable Creatures which yet haue a sensitiue life and feeling As in the Water Fishes in the Ayre Birds in the Earth Beasts both going and creeping all of them Male and Female for the propagation of their kind Hell is the lowest World a soule Those that teach also that Hell is no certayne nor locall place and fearefull place of punishment made for Angels and men that should transgresse Peter p 2. Pet. 2. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giueth it a name which signifieth asmuch as a place of terrible confused darkenesse whereof that which q Iob 10. 22. Iob speaketh touching the graue is much more to bee verified that there bee no orders there no alterations of times and seasons sometimes darke sometimes light but whatsoeuer shineth most is as the shaddow of death continuall night and a whole day as a man may say of darknesse for out of the Kingdome of Heauen there is no light at all Therefore are the heires of that Kingdome termed The r Luke 8. 31. sonnes of Light And contrariwise this place the ſ Mat. 8. 12. outer darknesse Luke t Luke 8. 31. calleth it The deepe or bottomlesse Gulfe placed beneath as a most deepe and darke Dungeon a foule and hideous Prison as Peter u 1. Pet. 3. 19. nameth it when hee saith that Christ by the power of his God-head in the Ministery of NOAH preached to the spirits now in Prison And againe x 2. Pet. 2. 4. that the Angels which sinned are kept there in chaines of darkenesse or as y Iude verse 6. IVDE hath it with euerlasting bonds vnder darkenes as in a Gaole vnto the Iudgement of the great Day Wee haue done with the World made for these reasonable Creatures Come wee now to the reasonable Creatures themselues and first of the parts of reason come to them both vnderstanding and will The vnderstanding part in men for distinction sake and our better conceiuing of it we commonly terme the minde the will in them is properly called the soule although the reasonable soule comprehending both bee but one In the vnderstanding part two faculties are comprehended First Knowledge that teacheth what we ought to doe and is the Fountaine and beginning not onely of the other faculties but of all the Actions and Motions of our life Vnder this two other faculties are comprehended Iudgement or Wisdome which is the top and perfection of knowledge for discerning of things that differ and conscience which is a part of our vnderstanding determining of our particular actions eyther with them or against them called therefore Conscience as if you would say A knowing with or before God vpon a right examination of our wayes in his sight Secondly Memory to lay vp in our mindes the things which wee know and vnderstand The will is a facultie freely choosing whatsoeuer it selfe pleaseth and mouing vs to doe it and this hath the soueraigne command in euery one for therefore we doe a thing not because wee thinke it ought to bee done but because wee will doe it vnder the name of will I comprehend in this place aswell the desire onely which is before and without consent as that which most properly in common speech is onely termed the will when a settled and full consent is come And here affections are the same that conscience is in the mind Not seuerall or distinct faculties but parts or motions of the wil diuersly inclining it to this or that appearing good according to the diuersity of obiects that are offered
extremitie is some way mitigated the same Apostles teach d 2. Pet. 2. 4. one in saying They are deliuered vnto chaines of darknesse to be kept vnto iudgement the e Iude ver 6. other that God keepeth them with euerlasting chaines vnder darknesse vnto the Iudgement of the great Day Whereby it is manifest that the iudgement which they yet lye vnder is not so fearefull and terrible as that which abideth for them So much may suffice for the Angels that fell The Angels that fell not are supernaturally vpholden from all danger of falling The Angels that sinned not are supernaturally vpvpholden from all possibilitie of falling Therefore our Sauiour Marke 12. 25. compareth the state of Gods Children in the Resurrection when all shall be firme and stable vnto the state of the holy Angels as now they stand In the resurrection they neither marry nor are marryed but are as the Angels of God in Heauen 1. Tim. 5. 21. They are called The elect Angels secretly opposed to those that fell Reprobates and Cast-awayes for whome hell fire was prepared Mat. 25. 41. But I say This holding vp is supernaturall they haue it not from their owne vertue or excellencie of nature for why then should not the rest haue had it but by the meere fauour and goodnesse of God Wherefore it is said Iob 4. 18. In his Angels hee put no steddinesse as wee haue shewed before that to bee vnchangeable and not subiect to temptation is the proper prayse of God CHAP. XVII Of the fall of Man IN the fall of MAN I obserue After the fall of Angels First That their sinne was the eating of the forbidden fruit as the Storie specifieth f Gen. 3. 1. vnto Verse 8. Gen. 3. whereunto they came by these degrees first they g Gen. 3. 6. beheld it then they they desired the beautie of it thirdly they tooke and lastly did eate of it Neither was this the onely sinne it was accompanied with a multitude of other sinnes drawing them to this actuall and open disobedience of the Commandement of GOD whereby the foulenesse of their offence doth the more appeare As first Infidelitie in a doubting of the truth of God and falsifying of his Word for he had said What day ye eate thereof ye shall certainly dye EVE reciteth to the Serpent Lest peraduentre yee dye speaking doubtfully as of a thing not certaine Secondly A crediting of GODS enemie and theirs and so preferring the Deuill aboue GOD. Thirdly A false opinion in their heart of God that he enuyed their good estate Fourthly Intolerable Pride and Ambition in desiring to be equall with God Other circumstances there are further to increase their sinne First That it was against their knowledge and conscience though Satan had in some sort blinded the eyes of their vnderstanding Secondly that hauing but one onely Commandement and that so easie to keepe as to abstayne from one onely fruit in so great plentie and varietie of other yet they brake it The next thing to bee obserued in their fall are the Actors themselues or at least such as had some part in his businesse First God may bee said an Actor or rather Ouerseer and Orderer of the act done who for the manifesting of his Iustice and Mercie purposed from euerlasting by leauing our first Parents to themselues and the vse of their owne free-will through his infinite Wisdome Power and Prouidence so to rule and dispose of their fall that it should tend both to his owne glorie and to the good of his Elect. Secondly Satan was the principall Actor who hauing By Satans temptation lately before falne in a desperate hatred of God and enuie of Mankinde tempted them vnto it In which respect our Sauiour saith he was a Murderer from the beginning Iohn 8. 44. The manner of whose temptation is to be considered First In beginning h 1. Tim. 3. 6. with the woman the weaker of Eue. vessell and that when she was away from her Husband Secondly in the instrument that he vsed the Serpent not onely the subtillest of all the beasts of the Field which were to be kept out of the Garden but the nimblest and slyest as the h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For it commeth of a roote which signifieth to make naked or bare as men vse to doe when they would goe nimbly about a thing word doth also signifie and therefore fittest to creepe in and out till he had done his feat with whom as it seemed the woman talked without suspicion of fraud or astonishment to heare a dumbe creature speake because not then knowing of the fall of Angels shee thought some Angell had spoken in the Serpent The fetches and deuices which he had to draw her into his Nets are worthy to be considered First He playeth the Questionist Hath God c. knowing that vnder the Maske of a Question it was more easie for him to finde a vent for his deuillish and mischieuous designe Secondly He maketh a wonderment Hath i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Is so taken interrogatiuely Iob 39. 30. God indeed c As if it were so strange a thing for the Creatour to inioyne a Law vnto his Creature at his pleasure especially one onely Law and that so milde so moderate so easie to be obserued Thirdly Hee proceedes by Equiuocations and Sophisticall Elenches that you may easily know the father of all Equiuocators but yet carrying it closer and in a more subtil manner then his Scholers our grosse Equiuocators doe For first hee makes as if God had forbidden them to eate any of the fruit at all which being so monstrous an vntruth that this father of lyes for all his impudencie durst not speake out yet hee lispes and minces it with ambiguous words and mentall reseruations vsing k These words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye shall not eat of all or euery Tree of the Garden in the Hebrew phrase doe ordinarily import as much as Yee shall eat of none As Psal 143. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euery liuing creature shall not be iustified before thee The meaning is No liuing creature a speech that in the Phrase of that tongue importeth the one or the other eyther that they might not eate of all or not eate of any at all at the least he would fasten so much vpon her as to make her to beleeue that to forbid to eate of any one was in effect as much as to forbid them all which doubtfulnesse of speech Eue well enough vnderstanding answereth him to both Secondly Perceiuing by her answere that her faith beganne to wauer in making a peraduenture of GODS threatning which was so certaine hee catcheth hold of that and for feare of bewraying himselfe too soone if he should directly contradict that which God had said he thinkes it enough to snatch at her owne words to inferre some doubt of the matter Ye l He doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that
Iudgement should then beginne vpon the soules both of the Elect and Reprobate presently departing into their place of ioy or of torment a third place there is not any So saith Peter t 1. Pet. 3. 19. of the wicked disobedient in the time of NOAH That their spirits are in Prison chayned with the fetters of darknesse And the Rich man as soone as he dyed was cast into Hell for being in Hell saith our u Luke 16. 23. Sauiour Christ in torments he saw ABRAHAM a farre off and LAZARVS in his bosome For men in this most excellent part of theirs perish not like bruit beasts as the Sadduces of old and now-a-dayes the Libertines doe teach neither Sadduces and Libertines doth their soule vanish in the Ayre or dye with the bodie till the time of the restoring of all things which is contrarie to the propertie of that spirituall nature but it still liueth and continueth either in paine or comfort Mat. 10. 28. Bee not afraid of them that kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule Secondly Their soule onely feeleth this heauie torment their bodies resting in the graue till the time of the dissolution of all things Thirdly The condition that men also must vndergoe in the end is the whole extremitie and fulnesse of Gods wrath to seize then vpon them many degrees heauier then the punishment they felt before that Iudgement going before the great and solemne Day wherein all flesh is to bee presented before the Iudge of all the World as it were a pettie Sessions before the grand Assises Wherefore the Apostle calleth the last Day in respect of the wicked x Rom. 2. 5. A Day of wrath because then God will tread out the full Wine-presse of his wrath and y 2. Pet. 2. 9. Peter by excellencie A Day of Iudgement whereto the wicked are reserued to be punished And againe z 2. Pet. 3. 7. A Day of Iudgement and destruction of vngodly men For to this purpose will God rayse vp their bodies in the latter Day that so their bodie and soule which haue both sinned together may be both together punished whereof they shall then receiue their sentence and last doome with execution accordingly But of these two Doctrines the Resurrection and the last Iudgement wee shall haue iust cause to speake more fully and at large hereafter A miserable change to such men as then are liuing A miserable change to such men as then are liuing shall bee in stead of a death and rising from it The creature is then also subiect to an vtter abolition shall be in stead of a death and rising from it The creature also to make the curse of man the greater is then subiect to an vtter abolition hauing in the meane time their being and continuance for the Elects sake as the a 2. Pet. 3 9. Apostle Peter teacheth when to the wicked Scorners that make a mocke of the Comming of Christ and of the end of the World for that all things continue hitherto as they were from the Creation hee opposeth the patience of God deferring the same because of the Elect for whose sake hee holdeth vp the World till their number bee fulfilled that none of his might perish And so that saying of Salomon Pro. 10. 25. may not vnfitly be interpreted howsoeuer another sence serueth very well That the iust man is the foundation of the World yet true it is the Creature shall not at the last Day be in fact vtterly done away but that is not long of the desert which the sinne of man had brought vpon them but by a further mercie of God towards the Elect for whose comfort in Christ they shall stand and be renewed an euident proofe that otherwise in the damnation of all flesh they should vtterly haue beene abolished The end of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOK OF DIVINITIE OF IMMANVEL GOD AND MAN OVR REDEEMER CHAP. I. Of Christ BEfore wee enter vpon This is the summe of that Doctrine which we haue concerning God The other followeth concerning Immanuel God with vs. this part because Christ the subiect it treateth of a Rom. 10. 4. is the end of the Law somewhat would bee said as an inducement to the principall concerning the power efficacie and vse of the Law of GOD for if such bee the condition of all Mankind as wee haue hitherto left them in what shall wee say Is there no means by any thing we can do to attain vnto saluation No verily there is not any for b Ephes 2. 13. we are borne dead in sinnes and are by nature the children of wrath accursed euery Mothers sonne and vnable of our selues or by our owne strength to get out of that curse It is true the Law or Couenant of workes is of sufficient power and abilitie in it selfe to iustifie for by it the Holy Angels that kept their first estate are iustified in the sight of God and by it our Sauiour Christ was iustified and so should Adam and all his posteritie haue beene if they had continued in the obedience thereof but in respect of our weaknesse who are not able to performe it it is now become c Rom. 8. 3. Gal. 3. 21. impossible for the Law to saue vs. Wherefore the d Rom. 3. 20 Gal. 3. 11. Scripture euery where proclaymeth as a thing euident e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and cleere that by the Law no man is iustified before God for saith the Apostle Gal. 3. 17. 18. The Law which was foure hundred and thirty yeeres after cannot disanull the Couenant that was confirmed afore of God in respect of Christ that it should make the promise of none effect The meaning is Abraham foure hundred thirtie yeeres before the giuing of the Law was iustified by faith in the promise or couenant of Grace which could not bee made void by the Law comming so long after as it must if the Law should iustifie To what vse then doth it serue for vs that are fallen It serueth for a threefold vse First To shew and discouer sinne Rom. 3. 20. Therefore by the workes of the Law no flesh shall be iustified in his sight for by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 7. 7. I had not knowne sinne but by the Law for euen lust I had not knowne if the Law had not said Thou shalt not lust Secondly Through corruption of our nature who are sharpest set to doe things forbidden to increase and stirre vp sinne within vs Rom. 7. 8 9 10 11. But sinne taking occasion by that Commandement wrought in me all lust for without the Law sinne was dead but I liued without the Law once But when that Commandement came and was truly vnderstood of me sinne reuiued and I dyed And the Commandement which was for life was found to mee to be vnto death for sinne taking occasion by that Commandement deceiued me and thereby slue mee Thirdly By
both the stayes of a Kingdome t Eccles 9. 16. Eccle. 9. I say wisdome is better then strength Both these the Prophet noteth in this our King Esay 9. 6. Thou shalt call his name Wonderfull The Counseller The mightie strong God And Zachar. 3. 9. The Lord making promise of his seruant the Bud calleth him a Stone in respect of his strength and might gouerning and disposing all things for the defence and safetie of his Church Vpon which one stone he saith he will set seuen eyes meaning he would giue vnto him most absolute and perfect wisdome His wisdome first as of a most graue and sage Counsellor is noted Reuel 1. 13 14. when he is said to haue a long Stole and a white head Of his power the Apostle speaketh Heb. 1. 3. He beareth vp all things by the Word of his Power or his powerfull Word and Command And these two aptly answer to the two weapons wherewith the Church is by the enemies thereof from time to time assaulted Force and Fraud for by his wisdome hee knoweth how to meet with all their subtilties and deuices by his strength and power he is able to scatter all their forces Therefore the Psalmist saith u Psal 72. 14. From guile and violence hee shall deliuer their soules Fourthly the qualitie and manner of his administration is in x Esay 11. 5. iustice and truth for the iustice of it the y Ps 4. 5. Psalmist saith and out of him the z Heb. 1. 8 9. Apostle to the Hebrewes Thy Scepter is a righteous Scepter Thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie a Ps 72. 2. Againe He shall iudge the people with righteousnesse and the poore ones with iudgement The like saith the Prophet b Esay 32. 1 Esay Beheld a King shall raigne righteously Againe c Esay 9. 6. He shall establish his Kingdome and hold it vp by Iudgement and by Iustice The iustice of his Kingdome standeth first in beeing a shelter to his subiects then destroying Rebels What a shelter he should be to his subiects d Esay 32. 2. Esay did foretell That Man Christ the King shall be as a hiding place from the Wind and a Refuge from the Storme as Riuers of waters in a dry place as the shadow of a great Rocke in a ground wearie with verie thirst for as the e Ps 72. 21. 13. 13. Psalmist saith He shall deliuer the poore when he crieth and the needy which hath no helper He shall spare the needy and the poore and saue the liues of the poore from guile and violence he shall deliuer their soule and deare shall their bloud be in his eyes Contrariwise of the Rebels and those that lift vp themselues against him the same f Ps 7â— 9. Psalmist saith Before him shall the Inhabitant of the Desart rough and vnruly people bow downe themselues and his enemies shall licke the dust g Ps 110. 1. So Ps 110. Sit at my right hand till I haue made thine enemies thy footestoole where the triumph ouer his foes is in the end of the h Vers 5. 6. 7 Psalme described O Lord he that is at thy right hand shall dash Kings in pieces in the day of his wrath He shall iudge the Nations filling them with carcases breaking the head in many Countries that is to say euery where of the brooke in the way shall he drinke like a most Noble Generall that followeth hard the victorie and giueth himselfe not so much times as to eat and drinke whilest his enemy is in the chase Therefore shall he lift vp his head in token of victorie and of Triumph So it is said Dan. 2 44. This Kingdome shall destroy all other Kingdomes that shall oppose themselues vnto it Both these parts the Psalmist i Ps 72. 4. hath together He shall sue the children of the poore and crush the oppressor for the truth that is the sincere administration of his Kingdome k Esay 32. 3 4 5 6 7 8. Esay speaketh at large in the two and thirtieth Chapter of his prophesie Fiftly The fruit of this administration is peace that is to say all manner of blessings and good things vnto his people Psal 72. 3. The hils shall bring forth Peace vnto the people and the little hils through righteousnesse What and how wonderfull that Peace should bee Esay doth foretell Chap. 11. 6 7 8 9. For the beter vnderstanding of the former Doctrine In the Angels perfect concerning the generalitie of Christs gouernement ouer all the creatures and for a more comfortable vse of it consider we the distribution which hee himselfe giueth of the creatures ouer whom he so commandeth When hee saith l Math. 28. 18. All Dignitie that is to say Power Preeminence Rule and Authoritie is giuen vnto me in heauen and vpon the earth meaning ouer Angels men and all other creatures His gouernement of the Angels standeth in these poynts First He is the Lord and they his vassals whom hee commandeth and ruleth at his pleasure whereupon they are called m Reu. 19. 10. 22. 19. our fellow-seruants Secondly He teacheth and informeth them the will of his Father which they by their owne strength or industrie are not able to reach vnto Wherefore in n Dan. 8. 13. Daniel the Angel desireth to learne of him how long the vision shall be o Reu. 5. 1 2 3 4 5. for none in Heauen nor the most glorious Angels there nor vpon the earth nor vnder the earth are able to open the Booke with seuen seales in the right hand of him that sitteth vpon the Throne but this Lion of the Tribe of Iuda onely Thirdly He holds them vp in that integritie and perfection of Nature wherein they stand neuer to fall away for which cause they are p 1. Tim. 5 21. called Elect being elect indeed of and by him as hee is the Sonne of God but not in and through him as hee is the Mediator for his Church considering that if man had neuer faine and consequently if Christ had neuer beene yet the Angels election had beene firme and stable and GOD in their election had no regard of a former corruption as he had in man yet that nothing hindreth but that they stand now by him as the Mediator q Iohn 13. 3. into whose hands God hath committed all things Fourthly Hee vseth their ministerie and seruice in the Gouernment of the World as wee noted before out of the Vision of r Ezech. 1. Ezechiel This Gouernment reacheth vnto the Deuils the Angels In Deuils that fell also for First Hee shutteth them vp in perpetuall hardnesse of heart vnto the Iudgement of the great Day which may well bee gathered by that hee doth to Å¿ Iohn 12. 39 40 41. reprobate and wicked men Secondly Either for the triall of his children or plaguing of the wicked as to himselfe it seemeth best he giueth them sometimes release
Fourthly Hee sendeth forth the Holy Ghost out of his owne substance and therefore is indeede and truth God if as shall bee prooued anon the Holy Ghost himselfe be God Fiftly The workes which only belong to God Christ doth the same and that in the same manner as hee saith in o John 5. 19. IOHH Whatsoeuer the Father doth the same the Sonne doth likewise And p Iohn 5. 18. againe My Father worketh hitherto and I worke Whereupon truely and rightly the Iewes concluded that hee made himselfe equall with God It were long to goe thorow all but to select the chiefe and principall among all the workes of God none is more neere and inward to the Sacred Maiesty then the Eternall Election which is within himselfe and knowne onely to himselfe and whereof he alone doth keepe the Booke This is attributed vnto Christ Iohn 15. You haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you that you might bring forth fruit and that your fruit may remaine which properly ment of the dignity and office of Apostle-ship whereunto Christ had chosen them giueth them withall this comfort that as they had this honour to be the Arch-Masons and Master-Builders of the Church which is the House of the liuing God so themselues were liuely stones of that spirituall Building and to haue part in the fruite which by their Ministery they should reach forth for the euerlasting good of many in q 2. Tim. 4. 6. sauing of themselues as well as others without which their ioy had not beene full And aptly doth this follow as the Root and Fountaine of that most Honourable Title to bee his friends which hee had vouchsafed to giue vnto them immediately before But more manifest is that Iohn 13. 18. I speake not of you all I know whom I haue chosen But it behooueth that the Scripture should bee fulfilled He that eateth bread with mee hath lift vp his heele against mee The circumstance of exempting one of the Apostles out of the number of the blessed making his Election the cause of this their difference referring the same to his owne secret knowledge and finally opposing to the Chosen him that should betray him the r Iohn 17. 12. sonne of destruction as afterwards he calleth him who yet in familiaritie of conuersation was a choice and speciall friend eating bread continually at his Table shew plainly that hee speaketh of Election vnto life As other Å¿ Mat. 24. 31. where hee doth when speaking of his second Comming vnto Iudgement hee saith The Sonne of man shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet Who shall gather together his Elect from the foure winds c. And no maruell though hee call them his Elect for since hee hath power and authority to t Reuel 3. 5. blot mens names out of the Booke of Life it cannot bee chosen but hee must haue interest to write them in for of contraries there is one and the same respect in nature Therefore to shut vp this point and to leaue it without question the Booke of Life in the u Reuel 13. 8. Reuelation is expresly called The Lambes Booke of Life Come to that which is more glorious in the World And first vnto the Creation the proper marke of the true God As the x Psal 124. 8. Psalmist teacheth Our helpe is in the Name of IEHOVAH that hath made both Heauen and Earth And y Ier. 10. 11. IEREMY The gods that made not Heauen and Earth let them perish from the Earth and from vnder the Heauen He it is that wrought with the Father in the creating of all things Iohn 1. 13. All things were made by him and without him was nothing that was made not a iot of any thing So saith Paul to the z Col. 1. 16. Colossians By him were created all things both in Heauen and vpon the Earth things visible and inuisible whether Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Therefore he is called The a Reuel 3. 14. beginning of the Creation of God or the first and prime cause from whence the Creatures take their beginning being all made and formed by him And notable is that of the 102. Psalme which the Apostle to the Hebrewes b Heb. 1. 10. applyeth vnto Christ Thou Lord in the beginning laydst the foundation of the Earth and the Heauens are the worke of thy hands And By him saith the same c Heb. 1. 2. Apostle God made the Ages that is Time and the course and succession of all things with this glory of Creation is coupled another not inferior of the cherishing and preseruing of the things created So Prou. 8. 30. he saith that he is with God his Father nourishing and gladding them continually Hither belong those Diuine Workes and Miracles manifestly pointing out his God-head He rebuked the Winds and they obeyed him raysed vp the dead opened the eyes of them that were blind cast out Deuils had power to send them into Hell to their fearefull place of torment for d Luke 8. 31. they besought him not to doe it And all this he did not as the Prophets and Apostles but by his owne Soueraigne Power As the Euangelist e Luke 5. 36. noteth that hereupon feare came on all the people maruelling what this might be For euen say they with Authority and Power he commandeth the vncleane spirits and they come out And how must not this Power needes be his owne when hee taketh vpon him to giue it to others The f Matth. 10. 8. Euangelist recording that hee gaue power vnto the twelue Apostles to clense Lepers to rayse the dead to cast out Deuils c. which authority they like faithfull Seruants did so pursue as it might easily appeare they deriued their whole vertue from him alone Hence is that of g Acts 3. 6. PETER In the Name of Christ arise and walke and h Acts 9. 34. AENEAS Iesus Christ doth heale thee I stand not heere to presse those glorious workes whereby his God-head shineth most cleerely in the Church in subduing the proud enemies thereof and generally all the Reprobates hardening their hearts and deliuering them vp vnto their owne damnation For so the i Iohn 12. 39 40. 41. Euangelist when hee had shewed that the Iewes could not beleeue because ESAY had said He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts lest they should see with their eyes and vnderstand with their heart and I should heale them immediately addeth These things said ISAIAH when hee saw his glory and spake of him Contrariwise he bestoweth vpon his Children all good graces Therefore the Apostle continually prayeth for Grace and Peace from him He sendeth the Holy Spirit vnto them The k Iohn 15. 16. Comforter whom I will send And Iohn 20. 22. He breathed vpon them and said Receiue the Holy Ghost He giueth Faith as appeareth by that Prayer
out IEHOVAH he is the true God The liuing God The eternall King which made the Earth by his Power established the inhabited World by his Wisedome and by his Prudence stretcheth out the Heauens who vttering his voice the waters make a noyse in the Heauens he bringeth forth vapours from the vtmost part of the Earth maketh Lightning together with the raine and bringeth the winde out of his treasures To conclude saith he Thus shall yee say to the Idolatrous Gentiles The Gods that made not Heauen and Earth shall perish from the Earth and from vnder the Heauen And y Psal 115. 15. Dauid setteth it as the proper mark of the only God Blessed be ye of IEHOVAH who hath made the heauen earth So Esay 44. 19. He taketh to himself alone both the creation and administration of all things I IEHOVAH stretch out the Heauens alone I stretch out the Earth by my selfe And of them both the z Esay 40. 12. Prophet saith Who hath measured the waters in his fift and couered the Heauens with a spanne or in a measure comprehended the Dust of the Earth and weighed the Mountaines with a Waight and the Hils in a Ballance Who then is like vnto our God or what or who is he that may be compared with him Whose a Psal 36. 7. kindnesse is vp vnto Heauen his truth vnto the Clouds his righteousnesse as the mighty Mountaine his iudgements as the great Deepe who by his Prouidence preserueth both man and beast Thine saith the b Psal 89 10 11 12 13 14 16 Psalmist are the Heauens yea thine is the Earth the inhabited World and the things that fill it thou hast founded Then followes an enlargement by the parts North and South thou hast created Tabor Westward and Hermon towards the East which sing of thy Name The Gouernment he partly touched before and afterwards more fully Thou rulest ouer the pride of the Sea when the waues thereof rage thou doest represse them Vpon all which he concludeth O blessed is the People that are acquainted with the shoute walking in the light of thy countenance O IEHOVAH that is who acknowledge thee their Soueraigne Lord and Captaine suffering themselues to bee led and guided by the shoute or noyse of thy voice in thy most glorious Word and workes as by the Trumpet or Allarum of their Generall Now to make it euident how the Glorie of God shineth and sheweth out in all which hath beene said of the exercise of his Kingdome Generally it may be seene First That hee is perfection it selfe in giuing all perfect things to other Secondly his owne Infinitenesse in that their best and put them altogether is but c Esay 40. 15 17 a drop of that which is feafull in him Thirdly his Eternitie in being before all things were More particularly he manifesteth his Power Wisedome Goodnesse both in the making and gouerning the World In the making hee manifesteth his Power in creating things of nothing onely by his command in fetching one contrarie out of another as Light out of Darknesse c. and bringing forth whatsoeuer he would euen at the first without naturall causes giuing light vnto the World before there was a Sunne making d Gen. 2. 5 6. Plants and Herbs to grow and all things to bee greene and flourishing in the Fields when there was no man to till the ground nor any mist or raine to water it His Wisdome in the artificiall distinction of things His Goodnesse in garnishing and replenishing the Earth with all good things fit for the vse of man and that before their Creation that so hee might bring them into the World not as to an emptie and barraine habitation but stored first with whatsoeuer was requisite both for the necessitie and pleasure of their life In the gouerning hee manifesteth his Power doing things not onely by meanes but without meanes aboue meanes and contrarie to all meanes and course of nature His Wisdome in doing all things according to the counsell of his will in measure and weight most wisely yea like a most cunning Workeman procuring good things by euill instruments and making sinne it selfe to serue vnto his glorie His Goodnesse in being liberall and bountifll to all as the Psalmist e Psal 145. 9. saith IEHOVAH is good to all and his Kindnesse is ouer all his Workes CHAP. V. Of the Morall Law the first Table and the first Commandement ALBEIT the Glorie of GOD shine most So much of the Kingdome of God The honor due vnto him is that the reasonable Creatures Angels men doe his Will cleerly in all his Workes yet is this honour which in the second place wee giue him very needfull for it was not enough for the illustration of his glorie either to make the World or by his Prouidence thus royally to gouerne it vnlesse there were some that might both see behold admire and confesse the excellencie thereof aswell in themselues as others without which all the other Creatures and Actions of God how infinite matter soeuer they containe of Gods Glory could no whit increase his prayse which was the end of his gouerning and making of them no more then all the skill and excellencie of the most perfect workman can purchase credit or commendation of his worke if none but himselfe obserue it Therefore in his wisdome he saw it needfull to create Men and Angels indued with knowledge iudgement a reasonable soule and will and other excellent parts to be the Trumpetters of his Glorie But notwithstanding that in these God could glorifie himselfe though men and Angels would stop their mouthes and conspire to roote it out hee being able either to destroy the Creatures he had made and so to glorifie his Power and Iustice in their deserued ruine or against their will to wring from them a confession of his Prayse yet as earthly Princes not onely desire Soueraigntie and command which the Rebels themselues are not able to withdraw but loue especially that their people should obey carrie Subiectly mindes vnto them So it pleased God to adde this one vnto the rest for the full making vp and perfecting of his glorie This honour we define by the doing of his will which is the proper office of Angels and Men and not of any other Creature yet it is true the rest of the Creatures doe the will of God also yea the wicked aswell as the good but not in the same manner The wicked doe it because they shall doe it will they nill they Gods Children because they haue a will and desire to doe it Generally all doe his will and pleasure that is f Psal 115. 3. 135. 6. whatsoeuer hee in his euerlasting counsell hath purposed to be done But that is the secret and hidden will of God which the wicked may doe and perish not his knowne and reuealed will whereof wee heere speake which cannot bee done but in obedience of reasonable Creatures to the
vertue of all goodnesse The Apostle noteth this also common to all good duties And c 2. Thess 3. 13 ye brethren be not wearie of well-doing Doing d Gal. 6. 9. well let vs not bee wearie for in the proper time we shall reape if we faint not Which is a notable reason taken from the end and reward due vnto it And the rather to perswade vs to this vertue the Apostle to the e Heb. 12. 2 3. Hebrewes biddeth vs to looke to the Captaine and perfiter of our faith IESVS who for the ioy set before him indured the Crosse despising shame and sitteth at the right hand of the Throne of God Consider therefore saith the Apostle him that indured such gaine-saying of sinfull men against him that you bee not wearie and faint in your soules The contrarie therefore is First To faint giue ouer and to be wearie of well-doing Cursed f Gal. 3. 10. is euerie one that continueth not in the things that are written in the Law to doe them Secondly To slide backe and fall away from which the Apostle doth carefully dehort vs Take g Heb. 3. 12. heed brethren lest there be at any time in any of you a wicked heart of vnbeliefe to depart away from the liuing God for as our Sauiour threateneth Hee h Luke 9. 62. which setteth his hand vnto the Plough and looketh backe is vnfit for the Kingdome of God Now wee must not thinke that this perfection here spoken of is required of all alike for euen among men it is iust i Luke 12. 48. to whom more is committed of him to require more The holinesse and perfection of the Angels farre exceeded the holinesse and perfection of Adam according as their nature was more excellent and perfect Adam k 1. Tim. 3. 6. also excelled Eue who as the weaker Vessell euen then when shee stood in her integritie was first assailed by the cunning and slight of Satan and both Adam and Eue if they had still continued in the state of Innocencie by time and experience of Gods goodnesse should haue beene better confirmed and growne more and more in heauenly Graces as our l Luke 2. 52. Sauiour did so in men growne and publike persons more is required then in children or priuate men The last thing is that as our minde soule and bodie Euery thing with so much the greater strength as the dutie doth more excell and all the strength of them must bee carryed both in nature and action to the performance of all good duties so it must bee to euery one in his degree and place For a difference of duties must of necessitie bee holden the Commandements are some greater then other and in euery Commandement some duties to bee preferred before the rest For example the duties of the first Table are greater then the duties of the second which besides the expresse words of our Sauiour Christ calling it the m Mat. 22. 37. first the great Cōmandement may be shewed out of the Prophet first and then out of the Apostle who both make the breach of the first Table to bee the cause that men runne head-long into all offences against the second Vpon n Hosh 4. 12. the tops of the Mountaines they sacrifice and vpon the hils they offer burnt offerings vnder the Oke and Poplar and Oliue because the shaddow therof is good Therefore doe your daughters commit fornication and your daughters in Law goe a whoring And therefore o Rom. 1. 25 26 28 29. God gaue them vp to their owne hearts lust vnto vncleannesse to defile their owne bodies betweene themselues which turned the Truth of God into a Lye and worshipped the Creatures forsaking the Creator who is blessed for euer For this cause God gaue them vp to vile affections vnrighteousnesse fornication c. The duties of the first Table are greater then the second as they are in order before them And this is absolutely true comparing like degrees as morall duties of the one with morall duties of the other not ceremoniall of the first Table with the Morall of the second for in that case it is true which the p Hosh 6. 6. Prophet speaketh I am delighted with Mercie and not with Sacrifice So the chiefe middle and least duties of the first Table are to be compared with the like of the latter deedes with deedes words with words thoughts with thoughts not otherwise for if you cōpare Murder with the least abuse of the Name of God or Adulterie with the least breach of the Sabbath these are the greater sinnes For the measure and proportion to bee obserued in this difference First in the seruice of God our nature ought to bee more prone and apt vnto it our knowledge greater our iudgement riper our conscience tenderer our memorie fresher our desires and will earnester all things to bee done with a greater Affection Loue Approbation Cheerefulnesse Feare to offend Sinceritie Zeale Watchfulnesse and continuance both in Profession and Action In which regard to shew how all our Thoughts Desires and Affections should thus bee taken vp when we come to deale with God it is said Thou q Mat. 22. shalt loue the Lord with all thine heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength As if this were proper to the Duties of the first Table which indeed doth but principally belong to them and is by proportion to bee carryed to the rest Therefore the glorie of God ought to be dearer vnto vs then the sauing of our owne soules As the examples of Moses and Paul doe teach vs r Exod. 32. 32. one desiring to be blotted out of the Booke of Life rather then that Gods great Name should be blasphemed amōg the Gentiles The ſ Rom. 9. 3. other for the glorifying of God in the sauing of his Brethren the Nation of the Iewes wishing to be anathema accursed from Christ But especially Christ himselfe as a most absolute and perfect example of all righteousnesse doth herein goe before vs when the houre being come wherein hee was for our sakes to drinke vp the full cup of the fierce wrath of his Father and his soule perplexed that he knew not which way to turne him yet hee more regardeth the glorifying of God then the sauing of himselfe from that houre Now t Ioh. 12. 27 28 is my soule troubled And What shall I say Father saue me from this houre but for that cause am I come vnto this houre Father glorifie thy Name And hereupon it is that in all our Prayers we are to set that in the first place as our Sauiour by the verie order of his heauenly Prayer teacheth so as if it could be imagined that wee had no need to aske for our selues which wee alwayes haue yet the onely zeale of his glorie ought continually to stirre vs vp vnto this dutie and that much more forcibly then all our owne necessities The
swallow vp the poore saying When will the new Moneth be gone c. that we may sell the refuse of the wheate Also When the buyer concealeth the goodnes of the thing or the seller the fault and blindfoldeth the truth with counterfeit speech It t Prou. 20. 14. is naught it is naught sayth the buyer but when he is gone apart he bosteth Thirdly False waights and measures Thou u Deut. 25. 13 14. shalt not haue in thy bag two manner of waights a great and a small but thou shalt haue a iust and a right waight a perfect and a iust measure shalt thou haue Ye x Leuit. 3. 35 36. shall not doe vniustly in iudgement in line in waight or in measure Ye shall haue iust ballances true waights a true Epha a true Hin Heare y Amos. 8. 4. this ye which make the Epha small and the Shekell great and falsifie the waights by deceit z Mica 6. 11. shal I iustifie the wicked ballances and the Bag of deceitfull waights Secondly Remoouing ancient bounds to encroche vpon other mens possessions a Prou. 22. â—8 Thou shalt not remooue the ancient bounds which thy fathers haue made b Hosh 5. 10. The Princes of IVDAH are like them that remooue the bound Therefore will I powre out my wrath vpon them like water Thirdly Fraudulent with-holding of things found if the Owner may be heard of Likewise of things lent pawned or pledged c Deut. 22. 1 2 3. Thou shalt not see thy brothers Oxe nor his Sheepe goe astray and conceale thy selfe from them but shalt bring them againe vnto thy Brother And if thy brother be not neere vnto thee or if thou know him not thou shalt bring it into thine house and it shall remaine with thee vntil thy brother seeke after it Then shalt thou deliuer it to him againe In like manner shalt thou doe with his Asse and so shalt thou doe with his rayment and shalt so doe with all lost things of thy brother which he hath lost if thou hast found them thou maiest not conceale thy selfe d Psal 37. 21. The wicked saith DAVID borroweth and payeth not againe but the righteous is mercifull and giueth In e Ezech. 18. 7. EZECHIEL it is made one note of a righteous man that he hath restored the pledge to his debtor Fourthly Gaming and all vnlawfull Trades that eyther make gaine of things naught and vnprofitable for the Church or Common-wealth as the trash or Merchandize mentioned Reuel 18. 11 c. or set to sale the gifts of the Holy Ghost and other spirituall things which was the sinne of SIMON MAGVS f Act. 8. 18 19 20. Who when he saw that through the laying on of the Apostles hands the Holy Ghost was giuen offered them mony saying Giue me also this power that on whomsoeuer I lay hands he may receiue the Holy Ghost But PETER said vnto him Thy mony perish with thee because that thou thinkest the gift of God may be obtayned with money Of this nature is chopping and changing of Benefices which is called Simony The second branch of good and sincere dealing is the Charitie to take things in the best part c. taking of things that may be doubtfully construed alwayes in the best and most fauourable part which the Apostle 1. Cor. 13. 5 7. sheweth to bee the propertie of true loue Loue thinketh not euill it beleeueth all things it hopeth all things So did g Mat. 1. 19. Ioseph construe to the best as farre as might bee the fact of the Virgin Mary whome being found with childe before they came together hee iudged rather to haue offended before they were made sure then after and therefore minded rather priuily to put her away that hee which had done the wrong might marrie her as the Law h Deut. 22. 28. of God prouided then by pursuing his owne right in bringing her forth to iudgement that so being found no Virgin she might be stoned which the same i Deut. 28. 20 21. Law gaue him leaue to doe to make a publike example of her The contrarie whereof is First Euill suspitions condemned 1. Tim. 6. 4. Such was that of Eliab k 1. Sam. 17. 28. Dauids eldest Brother Why camest thou downe hither I know thy pride and the wickednesse of thy heart that thou art come downe to see the Battaile When Dauid indeed came thither about other businesse sent from his Father So did they of l Acts 28. 4. Miletum deale with Paul seeing a Viper hang vpon his hand they said among themselues Surely this man is a Murderer whom though he be escaped from the Sea yet vengeance will not suffer to liue Secondly Hard censures and sinister iudgements when either a good or indifferent action is interpreted to the worst or a light offence is made hainous through ill will without all desire either to amend or couer the same As Eli m 1. Sam. 1. 13. thought Annah to be drunken when she prayed in the bitternesse of her soule vnto the Lord onely because her lips did mooue but her voyce was not heard CHAP. XIIII Of the tenth Commandement THE third way that men offend in these This is vprightnesse Contentednesse is to rest fully satisfied with that which God bestoweth outward things is by coueting and longing after that which is another mans when yet we would not either by wrong or cunning meanes haue it from him but in an vnordinate sort desire it for our money as Ahab did Naboths Vineyard not considering whether our Neighbour bee willing to forgoe it or no but onely because our teeth water at it whereas GOD blessing our Neighbour with any thing that is good and wherein hee taketh comfort and delight Christian loue requireth that we should bee as glad in his behalfe as if we our selues inioyed it And this sinne is forbidden in the tenth and last Commandement The summe therefore of the tenth Commandement is that euery one rest fully pleased with that portion which God seeth good to bestow vpon him reioycing and taking comfort in it whether it bee great or small Let n Heb. 13. 5. your conuersation bee without couetousnesse being content with that you haue for he himselfe hath said I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee Hauing o 1. Tim. 6. 8. meate and drinke and clothing let vs therewith be content I p Philip. 4. 11. haue learned in what estate soeuer I am therewith to be content I know how to bee brought low and how to abound euery way in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry and to abound and to want The contrary whereof is couetousnesse longing after that which is our Neighbours or none of ours though it bee without any seeking of vnlawfull meanes to come by it as Ahab did 1. King 21. 2. Giue me thy Vineyard that it may be a Garden of Herbes for me
The summe whereof is in few words He b Rom. 10. 5. that doth these things shall liue by them As on the other side c Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all the things that are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them For this Couenant requireth workes done by the strength of Nature and according to the Law of our Creation answerable to Gods Iustice the expresse Image whereof is in the Morall Law And therefore the nature of Men and Angels beautified in their first Creation with Holinesse and the light of Gods Law written in their heart is the ground and foundation of this Couenant for otherwise it could not haue stood with the Iustice of God to require these things at their hands vnlesse the Law of GOD had beene stamped and signed in them and their nature made holy and pure able by Creation to doe the same The Couenant therefore of Workes hath those two parts before remembred for the Law of God as all other Lawes that are but streames and shaddowes of that euerlasting Law is vpholden by two things reward and punishment without which there would bee neither care to obserue nor feare to breake it This reward commeth from Gods free and vndeserued goodnesse for what can the Creature deserue at the Creatours hands doing nothing but that which the Law of his Creation bindeth him vnto Wherefore our Sauiour Luke 17. 10. doth admonish when wee haue done all things that are inioyned vs we must say we are vnprofitable seruants for we haue done nothing else but that we ought to doe And therein lyeth a mayne difference betweene the reward and punishment for the punishment is in Iustice and sinne hath indeed a merit belonging to it the merit of Gods heauie wrath and indignation as it is said d Luke 12. 48. He that doth things worthie of stripes shall be beaten c. And againe The e Rom. 6. 23. wages and due desert of sinne is death From this reward it followeth that the exact obseruation of the Law of God hath alwayes a good conscience ioyned with it A good conscience I call that which beareth record to vs that we doe well in all things and therefore are to be rewarded whereof our Sauiour speaketh Iohn 8. 29. The Father hath not left mee alone because I doe alwayes the things that are pleasing to him called therefore good because telling vs we doe well in all things it assureth vs of good The fruit of this good conscience is perpetuall ioy and comfort as the f Pro. 15. 15. Wiseman saith A good conscience is a continuall Feast And therefore this is as it were the gate that leadeth into the possession of the promised happinesse Againe from the punishment it followeth that contrariwise sinne hath attending vpon it guilt and an euill conscience Guilt is an estate that by reason of our sinne bindeth vs ouer vnto punishment and maketh vs subiect to the wrath of God as our Sauiour doth expresse it Mat. 5. 22. He that saith to his Brother Foole is guiltie of Hell-fire Genesis 4. 7. It is compared to a Curre or a Mastiffe Dogge which is alwayes arring and barking against vs If thou sinne sinne lyeth at the doore readie to flye in thy face and to take vengeance on thee g Heb. 10. 22. An euill conscience so called by the Apostle from the effects is that which by reason wee haue sinned telleth vs of the punishment wee are guiltie of and which abideth for vs. The fruit of an euill conscience is perpetuall feare and horrour as appeareth by h Gen. 4. 13. CAIN Mine iniquitie the guilt and punishment which through the same I am subiect vnto is greater then I can beare And in the King of Babel BELSHASSER whose i Dan. 5. 6. Royaltie was all changed his thoughts perplexed him the girdings of his loynes loosed and his knees dashed one against another when hee saw the Bill of his Indictment drawne Felix k Acts 24. 25. also is said to haue beene afraid hearing PAVL dispute of Righteousnesse and Temperance from which hee was so farre and of the Iudgement that was to come which he trembled to thinke vpon Such a terrour doth the guilt of an euill conscience strike into a man and therefore is as it were the Hangman to leade him by the hand to the place of execution as it is said Iob 18. 11. that terrors terrifie him round about and cast him downe following him at the heeles and leaue him not till they haue brought him before the terrible King But neither the reward nor punishment are alike to euery Both more or lesse as the righteousnesse or sinne aboundeth one it is to some more to some lesse as their righteousnesse or sin aboundeth For l 1. Cor. 3. 8. euery man saith the Apostle shall receiue his owne hire or measure of glorie according to his owne worke And the same is to be said of the other member for as the sinne increaseth so doth the punishment as our Sauiour saith Hee m Iohn 19. 11. that deliuered me vnto thee hath the greater sinne both for the guilt and punishment which he shall sustayne And Mat. 11. n Mat. 11. 21 22 23 24. It Life is a continuall progresse in holinesse and happinesse shall be easier for Tyrus and Sidon at the Day of Iudgement then for you The reward as we heard is life o Leuit. 18 5. Ezech. 20. 11. Rom. 10. 5. Gal 3. 12. He that doth these things shall liue by them Life the greatest good that can possibly come vnto a Creature the full blessednesse and perfection of his nature for by it is meant a continuance with growth and increase in all Holinesse Happinesse Honour and immortalitie And what more sweet then life wherein all pleasures are inioyed The punishment is death Genesis 2. 17. In the day thou Death is the contrary to them both eatest of the forbidden fruit thou shalt dye Death therefore is the reward of sinne death both spirituall in a subiection to the power of sinne and reall in an estate subiect to destruction Thus the Apostle Paul doth expound it Ephesians 2. 1 2 3. when hee teacheth that by nature we are first dead in sinne the sonnes of disobedience and then the children of wrath and condemnation Wherfore this is the most fearfull punishment that can bee thought of comprehending the whole Curse of the Law wherein all miseries are enwrapped p Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them Which because in our corrupt estate it is impossible for men to doe therefore this Couenant is said to ingender children vnto bondage Gal 4. 24. Here therefore is threatned the vtter ruine and destruction Namely in stead of holinesse darknes and a totall corruption of the whole strength of nature
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
God hath vsed that haue not spared to lay open their owne nakednesse and shame the nakednesse and shame of their Wiues Children Families Tribes of whom they came Seuenthly The end and drift of all which is to giue glorie vnto God and to beat downe and abase the pride of man A second sort of argument is from the authoritie of the Church which may moue and well perswade vs of them The third and last without which all the rest whether humane testimonies or other arguments are nothing is the testimony of the Spirit it selfe bearing witnesse of them Esay 59. 21. My Spirit that is in thee and my Word that I haue put in thy mouth Therefore Esay 54. 13. the faithfull are said to be such as are taught of God And PAVL saith The spirituall man discerneth all things 1. Cor. 2. 15. Therefore it is not the iudgement of the Church which maketh vs beleeue the Scriptures but the Church is the same to the testimony of the Spirit that the c Ioh. 4. 39 40 41 42. woman of Samaria was to the preaching of our Sauiour Christ because of whose words many of the Samaritans were brought to beleeue in Christ but when hee himselfe came and preached amongst them they tell her plainely Now wee beleeue no more because of thy speech for wee our selues haue heard and know that this is of a truth That Sauiour of the World That Christ So the iudgement of the Church may well bee a motiue at the first and also bring great stay and confirmation to a mind that is once inlightned but the maine strength of all dependeth vpon the testimonie of the Spirit Thirdly In the ministery of the Prophets Apostles so as they could not erre I obserue the qualitie of their doctrine thus deliuered by diuine inspiration First It was not subiect to error for howsoeuer they were men subiect to sinfull infirmitie and in part onely regenerate whose seruice it pleased God to vse for this purpose yet in the deliuery of the Doctrine they were so extraordinarily gouerned and inspired with his Spirit that they d Ioh. 16. 13. could by no meanes erre Secondly It is holy both the whole and euery part whereupon grow these speeches e 2. Pet. 1. 21. The holy men of God f 2. Pet. 3. 2. The holy Prophets g Eph. 3. 5. Reu. 18. 20. The holy Apostles h 2. Pet. 2. 22. The holy Commandements i Rom. 1. 2. The holy Scriptures whereas all other bookes and speeches of men are prophane further then they fetch some holinesse from hence Thirdly That both their Sermons and these Bookes written by the Spirit of Christ are of soueraigne authoritie in the Church of God and haue the sole pre-eminence for the deciding of all controuersies the iudging and discerning of all sayings and writings of men for vnto them the holy Ghost doth alwaies call vs k Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimonie if they speake not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them And this is it which Christ vsed as the weapon to foile Satan Math. 4. So the Apostle Paul 1. Corin. 15. 3 4. maketh the Scriptures to giue credit to his doctrine I haue deliuered vnto you that which I haue receyued that Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he was raysed the third day according to the Scriptures c. The men likewise of Berhea Acts 17. 11. are commended for examining by the Scriptures the things which Paul taught Therefore our Sauiour l Iohn 5. 39. Christ referreth vs to the Scriptures as to the Touchstone of all truth Search the Scriptures and in m Matth. 22. 25 another place Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures For the authority of these Bookes is greater than the authoritie of the Church as the authoritie of God who cannot erre must needes be greater than the authority The Popish Doctrine which hangeth the authoritie of the Scriptures vpon the Church of men that may and doe erre Againe the Church hath her life and being from the Word inasmuch as faith which maketh a Church cannot bee without the Word So hath not the Word from the Church Thirdly It is aboue the authoritie of the Angels of heauen n Gal. 1. 8 9. who if they preach any other doctrine are to be held accursed How much more aboue the authoritie of the Church Fourthly Our Sauiour Christ attributeth this excellencie to his Word which men or Angels cannot challenge that in the latter Day it is That which shall iudge him that doth not receiue it Iohn 12. 48. But why then is the Church called the Pillar of Truth 1. Tim. 3. 15 Surely because the Truth of God dwelleth no where else and there is alwaies Truth sufficient to saluation Not that the Church eyther beareth and bringeth forth the Truth of God or is the chiefe and fundamentall ground to hold it vp for she her selfe hath another foundation to sticke vnto from whence shee fetcheth all her Truth which is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles o Eph. 2. 20. 1. Cor. 3. 11. Esay 28. 16. Christ himselfe beeing the head Corner-stone and is not the Mother but the Nurse of the Truth of God that cherisheth and preserueth the same and giueth testimonie thereof vnto the World To the true meaning of the Scriptures we are to reach by the Scriptures themselues the same Spirit that indited them suggesting and opening the sence vnto vs. So did the Leuites that taught the people Nehem. 8. 9. render the sense and giue the vnderstanding of it by the Scripture it selfe Our Sauiour also Matth. 4. beeing set vpon by Satan that clipped and wrested the Scriptures to serue his owne turne confuted his false glosses and expositions of it by the conference of other Scriptures The meanes we must vse for this purpose are these First we must come with a mind to profit and to bee made the better by them not to read them for knowledge onely or vaine ostentation much lesse to cauill at them Secondly Prayer is to bee vsed to God to open and enlighten our hearts that wee may see the wonderfull things that lye hid therein Thirdly We are to frequent the House of God and to giue diligent attendance vpon the Ministery and Preaching of the Word whereby the Doctrines deliuered in the Scriptures are beaten out and made familiar and plaine vnto vs the same being also the ordinarie meanes by which the holy Ghost doth vse to worke in our hearts all true and spirituall wisdome Fourthly the true sense and nature of the words euery one apart and the construction of them all together must be waighed Fiftly We must alwaies take the proper and naturall sense if the matter it selfe will beare it Sixtly The summe of the matter the scope and drift of the place the Arguments and their coherence the method
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