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
which he requireth of vs Know ſ Psal 110. 3. that IEHOVAH he is God Thou t 1. Chron. 28. 9 SALOMON my sonne know the God of thy fathers and serue him Behold u Ro. 2. 17 18. thou art named a Iew and restest in the Law and boastest of God and knowest his will Be x Ephes 5. 17. not foolish but vnderstand what is the will of the Lord. The contrary whereof is ignorance of God and of his reuealed will whither referre all Errors and Heresies concerning either God his Persons and Properties or any other point of Christian Doctrine But then y Gal. 4. 18. verily not knowing God ye serued those that by nature are no gods z Ephes 4. 18. which are strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them Fashion a 1. Pet. 1. 14. not your selues to the former lusts which you had in your ignorance Next is iudgement or wisdome which is as it were the life of our knowledge and added by the Apostle as one degree higher Thou b Rom. 2. 18. knowest his will and tryest the things that differ So he prayeth for the Philippians that they may discerne c Phil. 1. 10. things that differ And to the Hebrewes d Heb. ◠14. he saith Strong meate belongeth to them which are of age who through long custome haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euill A principall branch of this is the trying of Spirits Dearely e 1. Iohn 4 1. beloued beleeue not euery spirit but try the Spirits whether they be of God Try f 1 Thess 5. 21. all things and keepe that which is good Hereby g Act. 17. 11. are those noble men of Berea commended that they searched the Scriptures whether the things that Paul said were so or no. The contrarie whereof is that which the Apostle h Rom. 1. 28. calleth a minde void of iudgement and the i Ephes 4. 17. vanitie of mindes wherein we all naturally doe walke esteeming Truth Falshood and Falshood Truth whence it commeth that we k Ephes 4. 19. are carryed away with euery winde and puffe of Doctrine With knowledge and iudgement a good conscience must be ioyned whose propertie it is iustly and rightly to beare witnesse of our Actions in l Rom. 2. 15. Their Consciences accusing or excusing accusing or excusing them as it ought The contrary whereof is an euill conscience either benummed or through hypocrisie seared as it were with a hot Iron that both it accuseth not where it should and excuseth where it ought not To the m Tit. 1. 15. vnfaithfull there is nothng pure but both their minde and conscience is polluted For remembrance of holy things a Commandement is giuen Numb 15. 39. that the children of Israel should weare frindges vpon the edge of their garments that seeing the same they might remember all the Commandements of IEHOVAH and doe them Ps 119. 11. DAVID professeth of himselfe I hid thy Word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee And Mary hath her worthy prayse Luke 2. 51. for that shee retayned all the things there spoken of in her heart The contrary whereof is forgetfulnesse My n Prou. 3. 1. sonne forget not my Law but let thy heart keepe my Commandements I forget o Psal 119. 16. not thy Word In the soule first is the desire comprehending all inward thoughts and motions that but once rise vp within vs and come not so farre as to haue consent vnto them And this desire is by nature a holy thing The p Gal. 5. 17. spirit desireth or lusteth against the flesh Hereof principally the Lawes of God are q Rom. 7. 24. called spirituall because they bind not onely all the Creature his intents and purposes but his whole force and power and all the thoughts and inclinations of his heart The contrary is concupiscence or lust The Papist which teach that the first motions are no sin Put off r Ephes 4. 22. saith the Apostle the old man which is corrupted through deceiueable lusts which he there opposeth to renewing in the spirit of our minde Walke ſ Gal. 5. 16. 17 in the Spirit and yee shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit Let t Rom. 6. 12. not sinne raigne in your mortall bodie to obey it through the lusts thereof that is of the body flying u 1. Pet. 1 4 the corruption which is in the World through concupiscence Euery x Iam. 1. 14. man is tempted of his owne lust Sinne y Rom. 7. 8. taking occasion by the commandement wrought in me all lust Of concupiscence or lust the Apostle Iames z Iam. 1. 1 4 noteth two degrees First The a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moouing of the powers of nature out of their right and proper place by raysing vp wandring and wicked thoughts which yet we neuer like of Secondly The nibbling b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were with some delight at this bayte laid before vs though presently we repell it of which nature are vaine sudden wishes and euill dreames though it bee of things which a man misliketh when he is awake And that all concupiscence is vnlawfull euen that whereunto no consent of the will doth come may appeare by these reasons following First Because the Root from whence the least thought doth spring is naught our owne inborne corruption else it could neuer enter into vs farther then by Satans offering it to the sences and outward obiects as it was to our Sauiour Christ and to our first parents in their innocencie The sinne whereof appeareth in this that wee thinke not vpon it with a detestation at the first but when it hath once passed our thoughts then we beginne to detest it which in the vncorrupt estate of man should haue beene quite contrary Secondly Iames doth tell vs that lust conceiuing bringeth forth sinne Can lust conceiue and bee with childe of sinne and be any other thing then sinne Are fishes bred of Serpents or is it possible that the fruit and the Tree should bee not of one nature Euen so concupiscence which is the spawne of sinne the bed and bosome wherein it is conceiued and hatched must needes it selfe bee sinne euen after Baptisme after wee bee regenerate and after that the guilt and the sting thereof is pulled out by Christ Thirdly Philosophers and other heathen men that neuer heard of the Law of God haue condemned settled purposes to doe euill Therefore this must needs bee more close and secret which Paul himselfe so great a Doctor of the Law brought vp at the feet of Gamaliel was altogether ignorant of till he was taught a better Lesson in the Schoole of Christ I c Rom. 7. 7. knew not sinne but by the Law for I had not knowne lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust
them know that the place hath no such meaning as they would fasten vpon it but quite the coÌ„trarie which according to the Originall may truly be thus rendred For thy seruant will no more offer burnt Offerings and Sacrifice to other Gods but to Iehouah in this matter Iehouau be mercifull to thy seruant at my Lords going into the house of Rimmon to bow downe there and hee leaning vpon my hand that I also haue bowed downe in the house of Rimmon for my bowing downe in the houâ—e of Rimmon Iehouah now be mercifull to thy seruant in this matter So crauing pardon for his Idolatrie past with promise from thenceforth to serue God alone This Interpretation the faith and pietie of Naaman truly conuerted Luke 4. 27. the rule of Charitie the nature and proprietie of the Word being in the time past and not but where necessitie inforceth to be taken futurely the promise which hee himselfe maketh and the Prophets answere Goe in Peace doe strongly confirme also belong all markes and badges of Superstition or other sinne But what z Rom. 11. 4. saith the Scripture I haue rescrued to my selfe seuen thousand men that haue not bowed the knee to BAAL The a Exod. 32. 6. People sâ—te downe to eate and drinke before the Calfe which Aaron had made and rose vp to play So PAVL 1. Cor. 8. 10. reprehendeth the sitting at the Table in the Idols temple euen of them that knew an Idoll was nothing in the World And God by his b Hosh 13. 2. Prophet threatneth ruine to those that kisse the Calues which Ieroboam had set vp Reu. 14. 9. 10. it is the Proclamation of an holy Angell sounded with a loud voyce If any man worship the Beast or his image and take a marke vpon his forehead or vpon his hand euen he shall drinke of the Wine of the wrath of God and be tormented with fire and brimstone The c Esay 30. 22. Prophet also setteth it forth as a fruit of true Repentance to pollute the Images of Siluer and the rich Ornaments of the Images of Gold and to cast them away as a menstruous cloth Hence shalt thou say vnto it Thirdly outward Actions come heere also to be reckoned which the Scripture commonly attributeth to the hands Clense d Iames 4. 8. your hands you Sinners c. It is many times called the doing e Ephes 6. 6. Heb. 13. 24. of the will of God sometimes the liuing f 1. Pet. 4. 2. according to his will The contrary whereof is the committing of grosse sinnes which the Apostle calleth To worke g 1. Pet. 4. 3. the will of the Gentiles to doe h Ephes 2. 3. the will of our flesh and of our thoughts IAMES i Iam. 1. 15. termeth it Sinne perfited and that though we doe it in ignorance not knowing or at the least not making it to bee a sinne which lesseneth the hainousnesse of the offence Therfore k 1. Tim. 1. 23. Paul professeth he did obtayne mercie notwithstanding he were a Blasphemer a Persecutor and an Oppressor because he did it ignorantly And Dauid l Psal 19. 13. prayeth Clense me from my secret sinnes But this kind of sinne is greater when our will is carryed contrarie to our vnderstanding to doe those things which wee know and are perswaded to be euill wherein notwithstanding a difference is to be held for if it bee through the ouer-ruling of the flesh and inordinate desires either for feare of present danger or by the bayte of some false appearing pleasure then is the sinne the lesse Hereof is that complaint the Apostle taketh vp Rom. 7. 19. I doe not the good I would but the euill which I would not that I doe But if it be in a presumption of Gods Mercie bearing our selues bold vpon the riches of his patience and forbearance that doth much increase the sinne whereupon in the Law m Num. 15. 30. it is commanded that the person that doth presumptuously should be cut off from amongst his people because hee hath despised the Word of IEHOVAH And that this wrong construction of the patience and long sufferance of God is the roote of all presumption the Wiseman teacheth Eccles 8. 11. Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the Children of men is fully set in them to doe euill And the Apostle Rom. 2. 4. Despisest thou the riches of his bountie c. not knowing that the bountie of God leadeth thee to Repentance But farre greater it is and commeth neere the top of all iniquitie when men doe willingly follow after sinne onely for their pleasure and because they will doe it which our Sauiour noteth in the Iewes Iohn 8. 43. The lusts of your father the Deuill you will or you loue to doe And of Ephraim the n Hos 5. 2. Prophet saith that willingly they went after the commandement of IEROBOAM A further thing that the Law of God requireth in the performance of holy Duties is that in them all whether the Actions bee inward or outward wee put forth our selues and the strength both of our soule and bodie to performe it with our whole force and might That Commandement wee haue Deut. 6. 5. Thou shalt loue IEHOVAH thy God with thy whole heart or minde and with thy whole soule and with thy whole strength Where vnder the word strength he noteth the whole power both of soule and bodie ioyned together as our Sauiour o Luke 10. 27. Mark 12. 30 doth interpret it vsing two words to expresse that one of strength namely might which more properly is referred to the bodie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the strength and power and spirit as it were of the whole soule both of the mind and will and therefore may not vnfitly bee translated the power of reason or of discourse PAVL is woont to call it The spirit of our p Ephes 4. 23. Be renewed in the spirit of your minde minde This the Apostle touching the soule exhorteth vs vnto when he saith Doing q Ephes 6. 6. the will of God from the soule r Col. 3. 23. Whatsoeuer you doe worke from the soule And of the body we haue our Sauiour Christs owne exhortation Luke 6. 23. Skippe and bee glad An Example Luke 10. 21. where he himselfe is said to reioyce in the spirit that is for very spirituall ioy and gladnesse expressed by some bodily gesture to breake forth into that Thankesgiuing that followeth in that place So Å¿ Exod. 39. 19. Moses in a holy zeale flang the Tables of Stone away The contrarie whereof in the former the Prophet Ezechiel toucheth once or twice in the Enemies of Gods Church that with the ioy of their whole heart and from their verie soule reioyced to doe them mischiefe t Ezech. 25. 15. Because the Philistims wrought vengeance spoiling from their soule u Ezech. 36.
contrarie whereof is Loue of the Creature aboue God He u Mat. 10. 37. that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me They x Iohn 12. 43. loued the prayse of men more then the praise of God Whither belongeth the loue of our selues and of worldly pleasures of which kind of people the Apostle saith y Philip. 3. 14. Whose god is their belly Secondly When we come vnto our selues the soule is to be respected before all worldly commodities z Mat. 6. 33. Seeke first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall as appendices be cast vnto you So in spirituall Graces euery one as it is more excellent Desire a 1. Cor. 12. 31. the best gifts and I will shew you a more excellent way Follow b 1. Cor. 14. 1. after loue and couet after spirituall gifts but more that ye may prophesie of outward things The bodie is c Pro. 22. 1. to be esteemed more then rayment a good name more then great riches and grace and fauour better then siluer or gold And therefore in the things that concerne our owne good first we are to aske those that belong to the sauing of our soules and that without exception next the things for this present life so farre as God seeth them to bee good for vs. The contrarie whereof is that which the Apostle speaketh of Phil. 3. 19. To minde earthly things and as he saith in d 1. Tim. 6. 5 6 9 10. another place To imbrace godlinesse not for it selfe but for lucres sake Thirdly Circumstances also of time place person and such like ought to inforce our strength and powers Paul though he carryed himselfe in all sinceritie towards all yet 2. Cor. 2. 12. professeth hee did it more aboundantly vnto them Fourthly In things that are indifferent the lesse and fewer circumstances must yeeld to the more and greater vpon this reason Ezra being in a straight either to passe vnto Ierusalem with danger of his owne life and of theirs that went with him or to giue the King occasion to suspect the truth which he had taught him preferred that rather I was ashamed saith hee Ezra 8. 22. to aske of the King an Armie and Horsemen to helpe vs against the enemie in the way because we had spoken to the King saying The hand of our God is vpon all them that seeke him in goodnesse But his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him In respect of all these things that hitherto haue bin deliuered the Law of God is called the Moral Law for there is a four-fold cōsideration of the Law of God One as it is an absolute and perfect comprehension of al duties whatsoeuer whereupon it hath the name of the Morall Law Another as it is the Image Sampler wherunto men Angels were created in all Wisedome and Holinesse at the beginning And so it is properly termed the Law of Nature The third as it contayneth the couenant of workes In which regard Paul is wont for the most part to terme it the Law and sometimes the e Rom. 3. 27. Law of Workes The last as it is a rule and direction for renewed Holinesse or the workes of Grace and Sanctification And in that sence Iohn calleth it the new Law or Commandement 1. Iohn 2. 8. But the Morall Law is it which here wee treate of whereunto for the Reasons afore-said these properties are ascribed First It is a Light vnto our feete and a Lanterne vnto our steps as it is in Psal 119. 104. Salomon f Pro. 6. 23. also in the Prouerbs For the Commandement is a Lanterne c. the Law a Light guiding our steps aright in those straight wayes wherein we are to walke And heereof the Commandements of God are said to bee straight and right The g Psal 19. 9. Commandements of IEHOVAH are right Therefore h Psal 119. 126 I account all thine Ordinances right in all things So doth Salomon proclayme in his i Pro. 4. 11. Prouerbs that by the words of Wisdome which there hee vttereth hee will guide vs in the paths of rightnesse Secondly It is a good and a holy Law as the Apostle to the k Rom. 12. 2. Romanes calleth it That good will of God And DAVID l Psal 119. 39. Thy Lawes are good Being therefore good it is in it selfe acceptable vnto God and maketh those that doe it accepted to him Whereupon the same Apostle m Rom. 12. 2. there calleth it That acceptable will of God Contrariwise sinne peruerteth the straight wayes of the Lord as Peter speaketh Acts 13. 10. And therefore it is euill and naught Know n Ier. 2. 19. and see saith IEREMIE that it is an euill and bitter thing that thou forsakest IEHOVAH And this is the common Epithite which the Scripture giueth vnto sinne which being naught maketh vs odious and hatefull vnto God o Pro. 15. 26. Euill thoughts are an abomination to IEHOVAH Thou p Psal 3. 6. hatest all the workers of iniquitie Thirdly It is a q Iam. 1. 25. perfect Law commanding all good and forbidding all euill Fourthly It is an eternall Law without limitation of time or place giuing a most absolute and perfect direction for all ages and times of the World before and since the Fall and binding to a perpetuall obseruation of it So in the r Reuel 21. 27. Reuelation wee finde That no vncleane thing nor which doth abomination or lyes shal enter into the new Ierusalem And Paul telleth the ſ Gal. 5. 21. Galathians They which doe such things the workes of the flesh there reckoned vp shall not inherit the Kingdome of God for which cause the definition not of Righteousnesse onely but of euery Commandement is so fitted as the same may be a perpetuall rule to serue all times and persons whatsoeuer for albeit some speciall duties of certaine Commandements shall cease when wee come to Heauen yet the substance of euery one remayneth there shall bee no Seuenth day set apart vnto Gods Seruice for all Eternitie of time shall be taken vp for it and a t Heb. 4 9. perpetuall Sabbath no vse of Marriage but u Mat. 22. 30. puritie and perfection like to the holy Angels And the like is to be said of the other Commandements for seeing the Image of God witnesse the x Coloss 3. 10. Ephes 4. 24. Apostle standeth in Righteousnesse and Holinesse which are the two branches of the Law it must needes tye vs with an euerlasting loue who were first made in that likenesse and whose perfection in Heauen is to bee fully and perfectly renewed thereunto which perpetuitie of the Morall Law was y Exod. 34. 27. 2 Cor. 3. 7. noted by ingrauing of it in stone But where will you say is this Doctrine of Righteousnesse taught First Nature it selfe doth teach it in that by our first Creatiō
we were made framed to the perfectiō of it yet retayn some notions therof in this our corrupt estate Secondly The Image of this Righteousnesse being in manner quite defaced and done away by the Fall of Adam the same is by the mercifull prouidence of GOD for a more certaine direction of our wayes and to humble vs in seeing how short we come of the performance of it againe renewed and the summe of all compendiously abridged in ten Words Sentences or Commandements written z Exod. 34. 28. by the finger of GOD in two Tables Thirdly The same are expounded and handled more at large in the whole Volume of the Scripture where all this Doctrine is fully and absolutely taught Of both thse Lawes the Law of Nature and the written Law the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2. 14 15. For when the Gentiles which haue not a law doe by nature the things of the Law these hauing not a law are a law vnto themselues as those which declare the worke of the Law written in their heart their conscience bearing record vnto themselues and their thoughts accusing or excusing them c. For the vnderstanding of those ten Commandements and the better to discerne the large spread of Righteousnesse which they contayne take these few Rules that hold in euery one First They are vttered by a figuratiue speech of a part for the whole vnder one and that commonly the greatest comprehending not onely euery particular dutie whatsoeuer may fall into the life of man of the same nature with that which is there commanded or forbidden but the whole manner of performance that it bee with all the powers of ones minde soule and bodie which belonging to euery Commandement is once for all explayned in the definition I gaue of Righteousnesse Secondly Commanding one thing they forbid the contrarie forbidding one thing they command the contrarie Lastly this withall is to be remembred that all the things before spoken of in the definition I gaue Holinesse and Righteousnesse pertayne and haue their place in euery Commandement the corruption of nature and desire being as I thinke forbidden in euery one not alone in the tenth And that for these Reasons First From the nature of God that gaue the Law who being a a Iohn 4. 24. Spirit therfore piercing b Heb. 4. 12 13 into the most secret thoughts and intents of the heart euery Commandement of his not onely the ten Commandements layd together must needes bee c Rom. 7. 14. spirituall to binde the whole strength of nature and all the thoughts and desires which the Scripture is wont to call the spirit of our minde as before was noted Secondly Since it cannot bee denyed but that this is so in the duties of the first Table the same reason and proportion carrieth it to those of the second also Thirdly our Sauiour Christs interpretation of the seuenth Commandement is a sufficient warrant extending it to all kinde of Lust Math. 5. 28. As for the tenth it hath another sense as shall be seene when we come vnto it And that which Paul saith Rom. 7. 7. I had not knowne lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust I take vnder reformation of better iudgement to be meant not of the tenth Commandement onely but of the whole puritie that way which the Law of God thorowout requireth and that as well in the duties to God as to our brethren which the Apostle soundly gathereth to be commanded in the Law because the Law is spirituall Neither doth it follow because he saith Except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust that therefore he must needs point out the very words of one Commandement or because he saith many times that Commandement that therefore he meaneth a particular Commandement one of the tenne for the Law may as well be said to say Thou shalt not lust because in the generall doctrine thereof it forbiddeth all kind of lust as in the like case the same Apostle d Ephes 5. 14. writeth that God saith in the Scripture Arise thou that sleepest and Christ shall shine vnto thee Which notwithstanding are not the precize words of any one place of Scripture but the generall summe and doctrine of the Gospell The name also of Commandement comprehending the scope and substance of many Commandements you haue so vsed 1. Iohn 2. 7 8. And albeit Paul Rom. 13. 9. doe aptly truly render the meaning of the tenth Commandement by the same very words which heere he vseth that hindereth not but that in this place it may haue another sence the word seruing indifferently for e So is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken Luke 22. 15. Matth. 22. 17. and 1. Pet. 1. 12. for a longing and earnest desire coueting or for lusting and the diuersity of the Argument inforcing a diuers interpretation of these two places The Tenne Commandements which summarily conteine the whole doctrine of Righteousnesse whatsoeuer the Law or Prophets speake of our Sauiour Christ in his The doing whereof is tearmed Righteousnesse and hath two parts Pietio and Iustice infinite wisedome hath contriued into two The loue of God and of our brethren When vnto the Lawyer asking him which is the great Commandement in the Law he answereth f Math. 22. 37. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might This is the first and great Commandement and the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe on these two commandements hang the whole Law and the Prophets PAVL vseth the very termes of Pietie and Iustice Rom. 1. 18. For the wrath of God is manifest from heauen against all impiety and iniustice of men So he saith Tit. 2. 12. that the Grace of God manifested by the Gospell instructeth vs that wee should liue soberly and iustly and godly in this present world Where before Iustice and Piety which are the parts he putteth Sobriety or Soundnesse of minde as the forme that is to hold in both 1. Tim. 1 2. he deuideth it into Piety or Godlines and Honesty Sometimes in stead of Piety you shall finde the terme of Holinesse which is all one g Luke 1. 75. That being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies wee might serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse Put on h Ephes 4. 24. the new man which according to God is created in true righteousnesse and holinesse but i Acts 3. 14. yee haue denyed that holy and lust one HEROD k Marc. 6. 20. did reuerence IOHN knowing he was a iust and a holy man Yee l 1. Thess ◠10. are witnesses and God how holily and iustly and vnblameably wee were conuersant among you that beleeue Hee m Reuel 22. 11. that is iust let him become more iust hee that is holy let him become yet more holy According to this diuision of our Sauiour Christ wee commonly call these two The
I write it Answerable hereunto is that of z Ezech. 36. 26 27. 1. Iohn 2. 8. EZECHIEL I will giue you a new heart and a new Spirit I will set in the middest of you and I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh and I will giue vnto you a heart of flesh and my Spirit will I put in the middest of you and make that yee shall walke in mine Ordinances and obserue and doe my iudgements whereby this Holinesse is distinguished from imputed Righteousnes which is without vs and in another that is to say in Christ And from both these ariseth the third and last consideration of the Law of God as it is qualified and corrected and hath another nature set vpon it by Christ our Sauiour turned now into a 1. Iohn 2. 8. a new Commandement as the Apostle speaketh or a Law Euangelized and of another temper seruing no more for death and condemnation to those that are his but for helpe and direction for b Psal 119. 106 a Lanterne vnto our feet and a light vnto our steps to teach vs how to walke when we are in Christ Therefore c Luke 1. 6. Zacharie and Elizabeth are both commended as righteous before God because they went in all the Commandements of the Lord. d Iam. 1. 25. IAMES also calleth vs hither He that stoopeth downe into the perfect Law of Libertie and abideth in that hee not being a forgetfull hearer but a doer of workes shall be blessed by his doing And our Sauiour Matth. 5. 17. biddeth vs not to thinke that hee came to dissolue the Law and the Prophets I came not to dissolue them but to fulfill them for which cause also the right vnderstanding of the Law is needfull for vnlesse wee know our Masters will how shall we frame our selues to doe it Fourthly The new life put into vs which wee call Viuification or Quickning commeth from the power of Christs Spirit which rayseth vs vp from the sleepe and death of sinne to awake to liue righteously that e Rom. 4. 5. as Christ was raysed from the dead by the glorie of his Father so we might walke in newnesse of life for if wee bee ingraffed into the likenesse of his death verily so shall we also bee vnto the likenesse of his Resurrection Wherefore the f Coloss 3. 1 2. Apostle saith If yee bee risen together with Christ seeke the things which are aboue not the things which are vpon the earth Teaching that it is by the power of his rising that wee are renewed vnto righteousnesse as by his death we obtaine power to mortifie sinne Fiftly Touching the manner of the The Papists say that in Freewill there is a libertie or strength to receiue or reiect the grace that should quicken it which they call Preuenting Grace and so part the slakes betweene Grace and mans Freewill working there is a difference betweene the grace it selfe of Sanctification and the fruits that come from it In the grace it selfe as in the worke of our new birth man standeth meere passiue before God hauing no power or vertue in him to worke with Gods Spirit or to helpe the worke of Grace yet hee is not in this first renewing of his soule as a trunke or a dead stock for that he hath both reason and faculties or powers fit to receiue the Grace of God when his Spirit doth worke vpon them But in the fruits of Sanctification The Papists make not the Holie Ghost but their owne Free-will the principal agent in this second grace which Free-will they say goeth before and disposeth and prepareth vs to a Iustifying Grace in belieuing in hoping in repenting c. the principal Agent is indeed the verie Spirit of Christ who after the first grace and new Creation abideth and dwelleth in vs not idlely but euer working some good in vs and by vs as it is said Rom. 8. 26. The holy Ghost maketh intercession for vs with sighs which cannot be expressed But a second Agent working with Gods holy Spirit is the verie soule of man or rather the new man or new creature in the soule and all the faculties thereof So that in this second Grace which is the action or worke of faith wee stand not as meere passiue but beeing moued by the holie Ghost wee worke our selues by his Spirit working in vs. Whereupon we are called g 1. Cor. 3. 9. The fellow-workers with God 1. Cor. 3. Touching the distinct degrees of Sanctification In wherein there is no more now required but that sinne beare not the rule in vs and our workes of Righteousnesse though all mingled with sinne the estate we now are in there is a difference betweene it and legall Righteousnesse in that perfection is there required without fayling in any iote eyther in matter or manner Whereas our Sanctification in this life is euermore imperfect fayling much and hath alwaies sin mixed with it not as Chaffe or Darnell is mixed with Whear but as water is mingled with wine that there is no drop of wine but it is water also and that is by reason our new birth is imperfect So that Donatists and Nouatians and those heretikes that were wont to bee called Catharises or Puritanes dreame of puritie and perfection in this life albeit by the grace of Regeneration we desire in all things to liue righteously and well yet still we labour vnder the infirmitie of the flesh h Gal. 5. 17. that we cannot doe the things wee would Whereof the Apostle Paul one more then after an ordinarie sort regenerate giueth in his owne person a noble example Rom. 7. 15 c. I approue not that I worke for I doe not that I would but what I hate that doe I for I am delighted with the Law of God as touching the inner man but I see another Law in my members c. and in the end concludeth Therfore I my selfe in the Spirit indeed serue the Law of God but in my flesh the Law of sinne Wherefore in this estate it is enough if sinne i Rom. 6. 12. raigne not in our mortall bodies it is not required which is impossible that it should not at all dwell in vs. And where the Scripture in many places doth call vs perfect as when it saith k Matth. 5. 48. Yee shall therefore be perfect as your Father which is in Heauen is perfect l 1. Cor. 2. 6. We speake wisdome among those that are perfect m 1. Cor. 14. 20. In vnderstanding bee yee perfect n Eph. 4. 13. till wee come to a perfect man o Phil. 3. 12. As many therefore as be perfect let vs bee thus minded p 1. Iohn 2. 5. Whosoeuer keepeth his Word of a truth in him the loue of God is perfected q 1. Ioh. 4. 12. If we loue one another God abideth in vs and his loue is perfited in vs. r 1. Ioh. 4.
naughtie one as they are termed Mat. 13. 38. For l Iohn 15. 19. and 17. 14. because wee are not of the World but GOD hath chosen vs out of the World therefore doth the World hate vs which is the perpetuall state of Gods Church from the beginning and was figured in m Ge. 25. 22 23 Rebecca a Type of the Church in whose wombe were two Nations deuided that stroue and fought together And our Sauiour doth fore-warne vs not to looke for better In n Iohn 16. 33. the World yee shall haue affliction Secondly Whatsoeuer is vnregenerate in the Children of God themselues whereby it many times falleth out that none are greater instruments vnto vs of offending God then they By the flesh I meane our naturall corruption and all the lusts and workes of it an enemie which we alwayes carrie about vs not onely in our bosome but in our very bowels So that heere is the battell between the flesh the Spirit wherof the o Gal. 5. 17. Apostle saith that the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh And these saith he are opposite one to another Rom. 22. 23. It is elegantly described I finde therefore this Law for mee when I would doe well that euill lyeth readie for me to slay and seize on mee as the Lord speaketh of sinne Genes 4. 6. For I am delighted in the Law of God as touching the inner man but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind leading me captiue to the law of sin that is in my members p 1. Pet. â— 11. PETER in like sort willeth vs to abstaine from fleshly lusts that war against the soule And heereof are the exhortations so common in the Scripture q Gal. 5. 16. Walke in the Spirit and fulfill not the lusts of the flesh Wee r Rom. 8. 12. are debtors not to the flesh to liue after the flesh but to the Spirit to be led by it Take Å¿ Rom. 13. 14. no care of the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Christ t 1. Pet. 4. 1. therefore hauing suffered for vs in the flesh Put you on also the same minde that he which suffereth in the flesh hath ceased from sinne Secondly In this conflict are to be considered the two Generals of these Battels The Captaine vnder whome wee fight IESVS the u Heb. 12. 2. Prince and perfiter of our Faith in x Gen. 3. 15. Genesis pointed out by the seed of the woman to note his Manhood in the y Reuel 12. 7. Reuelation by Michael equall with the mightie God to set forth his God-head you shall find him royally described Reuel 19. 11 12 13 14 15 16. The head and generall lifted vp against him is the Dragon the old Serpent Satan or the Deuill as wee heard before Thirdly The weapons of this Warfare both those which our Aduersaries the Flesh the World and the Deuill fight withall and those whereby wee doe resist them The weapon of sinne or of the flesh is Lust as it is said Rom. 7. 8. Sinne taking occasion by the Law wrought in me all manner of lust Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit The weapons of the World are First Outward Afflictions and Persecutions Reproches Slanders c. to draw vs from Christ Iohn 16. 33. In the World ye shall haue afflictions Secondly Ease Credit Pleasure Profit Honour c. Thirdly Euill Examples Satans weapons are outward or inward Outward First The World for wicked men are the Hel-hounds of Satan the Champions and Souldiers which hee fights withall whose head and generall hee is and therefore called the z Iohn 14. 30. and 16. 11. prince of this World which name is giuen to all a Ephes 6. 12. vncleane spirits The b 2. Cor. 4. 4. god of this World And the afflictions of the World as they proceed from him are called The c 2. Co. 12. 7. buffetings of Satan Secondly The obiects of sinne to our eyes our eares and other sences which Satan setteth before vs to draw vs to a loue and in loue to a committing of it as hee did to our first Parents in Paradise and to our d Mat. 4. Sauiour Christ in the Wildernesse and as hee ceaseth not continually to doe to vs. Inward ones are First His kindling of the fire of our owne concupiscence blowing as it were the bellowes and gathering together matter for it to worke vpon Secondly Temptations or Illusions which he casteth into hearts as Venome or Poyson for to infect vs. Our weapons whereby wee doe resist them what they are the Apostle notably declareth 2. Cor. 10. 4. not carnall but mightie and valiant to the throwing downe of all the strong holds of sinne Where though he speake specially of the Ministers yet the like is to bee said in their degree and place of all other Christians Generally it is the Word of God as appeareth 2. Thess 2. 8. Whom God will consume with the breath of his mouth But more particularly they may be reduced vnto two heads Faith and the fruits of Sanctification that come from it for so e 1. Tim. 1. 18. Paul to Timothy vnder these two comprehendeth all willing him to fight that good Fight hauing faith and a good conscience And 1. Thess 5. 8. Put on the Brest-plate of Faith and Loue and for a Helmet the hope of Saluation And 1. Cor. 16. 13 14. Watch stand in the Faith Let all your things bee done in loue In the f Reuel 12. 11. Reuelation they are reckoned these three which come all vnder the other two Faith in the bloud of the Lambe as the Shield the Sword of the Word of God and confession of Christ vnto the death Of Faith the Apostle speaketh 1. Pe. 5. 9. Whom that is the Deuill resist stedfast in Faith And 1. Iohn 5. 4 5 This is the victorie that ouercommeth the World euen your Faith And this as our chiefe and principall weapon the Apostle biddeth vs aboue all to take vnto vs by it hauing Christ himselfe and his Spirit to bee ours And therefore being that g Ephes 6. 16. whereby we are able to quench the fiery darts of the Deuill The fruits of Sanctification are all the Christian Vertues and Qualities which the Word of God requireth The Apostle Ephes 6. reckoneth them vp in this order First Truth or a sound and sincere heart wrought by the Gospell which is the Word of Truth as a belt to gird vs in Secondly Righteousnes both Piety and Iustice in a Holines towards God Innocencie towards our Neighbours for a Brest-plate the habit and perfection wherof being Loue h 1. Tim. 1. 5. out of Faith vnfained The Apostle therfore 1. Thess 5. 8. calleth it The Brest-plate of Faith and Loue. Thirdly Preparation or readinesse of minde which is as it were the shooing of our feet to make them light and nimble
in the end Death which is the separation of Soule and Body Yet in all this some Reliques of former Dâ—gnitie doe remaine namely in the Minde common Principles of Good and Euill sparkes of that light of Nature and some Seedes of Conscience which notwithstanding are wholly sinfull and doe but serue partly to keepe Men from breaking forth without all shame or regard of honestie partly to make them vnexcusable In the Body a kind of Maiestie in the whole Man a certaine Soueraigntie that keepeth in awe the brute Creatures The Creature here through the Fall of Man receineth an impaire of his first perfection So much of that which is in part The fulnesse of the Curse after Death is Damnation with the Deuill and his Angels In Soule presently till the Latter Day at what time God for that purpose raysing vp their Bodies the whole Man shall receiue the like Doome and Execution accordingly A miserable Change to such Men as then are liuing shall be instead of a Death and rising from it The Creature is then also subiect to an vtter abolition THE SECOND BOOKE OF DIVINITIE Of EMANVEL God and Man our Redeemer CHAP. 1. Of CHRIST THis is the summe of that Doctrine which we haue concerning GOD. The other followeth concerning Emanuel GOD with vs. Emanuel GOD with vs is in one Person the Sonne of GOD and very Man conceiued of a Virgin by the Holy GHOST Who is also CHRIST or Anointed called of his Father euer since the Fall of Adam to be a Mediatour betweene GOD and Man of a Couenant to saue through Faith in him that is by apprehending of the Couenant certaine few Men whom GOD his Father hath chosen from Eternitie and giuen vnto him to set forth in them the prayse of his Mercie This Couenant is called the Couenant of Grace And ratified by the Death of Him that made it hath also the Name of a Testament Being alwayes one and the same in substance it is neuerthelesse distinguished or distinctly to be considered in the Old and the New Testament The Old Testament was the Couenant through CHRIST to come The New Testament is the Couenant through CHRIST alreadie come IESVS the Sonne of Marie CHAP. II. Of the Priesthood of Christ OF the Office of Mediation there be two parts Priesthood and Kingdome Priesthood is in the things which he doth to God for those Elect. The parts are Oblation and Intercession Oblation is the offring vp of Himselfe for them It standeth in two things First the sanctifying of his Humane Nature in all Holinesse from the very first moment of his Conception for the worke of the Mediation Then in the performing of the most excellent measure of Obedience to the Law of God that can possibly fall vnto any Creature One principall part whereof are his Sufferings in taking vpon him our Sinnes and the whole Curse both that of this Life and the fulnesse of it due vnto them after Death All which he fully satisfied The Curse vpon vs here in the whole course of his Life the fulnesse of the Curse vpon the Crosse and Death by dying vnder the power whereof he lay three dayes in the Graue This Righteousnesse or Obedience being the Righteousnesse of Him who is both God and Man doth consequently merit a like supreme measure of Blessednesse euidently seene in the G 〈…〉 s that did follow his Sufferings and were in Soule or Bodie apart or ioyntly in them both In Soule hee went to Heauen presently after Death His Body hee rayled from the Dead glorious the third day at the daâ—â—ning of the Day In his whole Person Soule and Body ioyned together he ascended into Heauen the fortieth day after his Resurrection and there sitteth at the right hand of God that is to say imoyeth all Soueraigntie Power and Glory Hitherto of Oblation Intercession is the continuall presenting of his Merites to God his Father on the behalfe of those Elect. CHAP. III. Of Christs Gouernment of the World in generall SVch is the Priesthood of Christ his Kingdome followeth Kingdome is in the things which hee doth from God for those Elect. The Kingdome of Christ hath two parts One whereby hee gouerneth all the World according to their owne Nature since the Fall In the Angels perfect in Deuils and Men corrupted in the rest of the World peruerted CHAP. IIII. Of the Propheticall Office of Christ And of his Word THe other which is vnto his Church a Companie of Men culled out of the World This latter part contayneth his Propheticall Office and that which the Scripture by excellencie termeth the Kingdome Propheticall Office whereby hee hath a Church vnto himselfe by his Word and the Power of his Spirit The Word of Christ is his publishing of the Couenant of Grace Which of the Old Testament was called the Promise of the New is called the Gospel CHAP. V. Of the outward Church HIs Church is the outward Church or the Church of Gods Elect. Outward is of those that professe to beleeue in Him Seuerall Companies that assemble for the Exercises of the Word are so many Churches and Members of the Whole And in euery of these God hath alwayes some that are His indeed Their Children also are of the Church Vpon the outward Church Christ bestoweth Gifts both for the Churches common good and for a Man 's owne priuate For the common good are first things committed to the Churches keeping then Ministeries and Graces The things committed are his Word whereof wee haue spoken to be preached Sacraments to be administred and other holy Things Preaching is an Instruction of the Church by liuely Voice in the Word of Christ and that by Doctrine or Exhortation Doctrine in laying forth the Truth and confuting of contrarie Errors Exhortation to apply it also to all good vses of comforting denouncing stiâ—â—ing vp reprouing A Sacrament is a signe and seale of the Couenant either for our entrance or continuance in the Couenant The administration is to deliuer them with declaring Christs Institution and Prayer vnto God to make the same effectuall to the end for the which they were ordayned Which the Scripture calleth Blessing or Consecration It followeth to speake of Ministeries and Graces Ministeries are publike Functions in the Church specially for Preaching which includeth the dutie of offering the Churches Prayers and Administration of the Sacraments Among the Ministers of the Word some haue beene extraordinarily inspired of Christ to deliuer both by liuely Voyce and Writing so as they could not erre the whole Truth of Christ and had power to worke Miracles for the confirming of their Doctrine All other Ministeries are to fetch their Light from the Doctrine of those that were so inspired Graces are Gifts for the discharge of those publike Functions Gifts for a Man 's owne priuate are Knowledge of the Word of Christ and a Taste of the sweetnesse of it Which being the highest Step that it is possible for any Reprobate to ascend changeth after a
Lords Supper 391 CHAP. VI. Of the Church of Gods Elect. 399 Of Faith The nature of it the persons to whom it is appropriate the causes principall and instrumentall the prerogatiue of the Faithfull the weakenesse and degrees of it the growth that it neuer can be lost the fruit and effect of it 401 Of Hope 418 Of Sight 417 CHAP. VII Of a new World 419 Of the alteration of the Sabbath for the Day Name Time of Beginning 425 Of Regeneration Of Christ the Head and our vnion with him of 4. Petition the Spirit of Adoption the Infancie of Regeneration and Mans estate 427 CHAP. VIII Of Saluation 5. Petition Of remouing the Vayle of Ignorance of Wisedome Of forgiuenesse of Sinnes Imputation of Righteousnesse Iustification Of Mortification and Sanctification 1. Branch of the 6. Petition Of imperfect Sanctification and the degrees thereof Of the notes and markes of Sanctification Of the Lords Prayer Of the Church Militant The enemies we fight against the two Generals of the Field the Weapons which both the enemies and we fight withall the Goale or Mastrie we fight for The Issue of the Conflict Of Repentance The Notes or Signes the Fruit and whence wee haue it Of Fasting The outward abstinence the end and true vse the time of keeping a Fast it is in the nature of a Sabbath Gods acceptation of our Workes and how The reward due vnto them they no whit merit the necessitie of doing good Workes Of Celestiall Holinesse and of the Church Triumphant Of Redemption 2. Branch of the 6. Petition Of the Blessednesse of Gods children in this life Of the state of the faithfull departed Of the generall Resurrection Who shall rise by what power and in what sort Speciall things touching the resurrection of the Elect. Of the last Iudgement The persons to be iudged The Iudge Christ Of his comming to Iudgement the place from whence he shall come the signes and manner of his Comming The Place where the Iudgement shall be Of the Sentence The preparation to it the order of the Sentence the Sentence it selfe the Reason the execution of the Sentence and the order of execution Of our taking vp into Heauen and by what right we come thither Of our full Blessednesse The root and foundation of the same the parts the measure and quantitie the degrees of Glory and whence it groweth the eternitie Of certaine that rose vpon our Sauiours Resurrection Of Enoch and Elias Of the sudden change of those that shall be aliue at Christs comming Of the renewing of the Creatures FINIS THE FIRST BOOKE OF DIVINITIE OF GOD THE CREATOR CHAP. I. Of God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost AS all other Sciences are Diuinitie is a Doctrine of glorifying God commended by their end and euery one esteemed so much the more eminent as the end doth more excell so it is the worthie prayse of the Doctrine of Religion which is the same that we call Diuinitie that it looketh to such an end as is incomparably most to be desired most to be loued and embraced of vs that is to say the glory of God a Rom. 11. 39. From whom and by whom and to whom are all things And whose glory ought to be a thousand-sold more deare vnto vs then our liues yea then the saluation of our soules This therefore is the scope and marke Heresies and Errors A Theists that say There is no God whom not onely the Word of God but all the Things created especially this goodly Frame and Workmanship of the World and euen their owne Consciences sufficiently confute since they cannot but see vnderstand hereby that there must needs be some Diuine Power before all and aboue all of whom these things were made and by whom they are gouerned in so wise and gracious sort as the â—postle teacheth Rom. 1. 20. For his inuisible Things that is his Eternall Power and Godhead being vnderstood by the things created are clearely seene by this Frame of the World to the end that men might be vnexcusable And therefore these Wretches that striue against their Conscience to put out so cleare a Light which will they nill they shineth thus bright in their eyes are to be left vnto themselues and Gods iust hand vpon them as vtterly vnworthie to be dealt with by any further Arguments The whole Doctrine of Poperie which in all the points of their Religion spoyleth God of his glorie for 1. In stead of the true blessed God they set vp an Idoll of their owne braine one neither perfectly righteous which accepteth an imperfect satisfaction as whatsoeuer proceedeth from man whom they will haue able to satisfie for his owne sins must of necessitie be nor perfectly mercifull if he do not freely forgiue sinne but receiue some part of recompence at our hands contrary to that of Esay 43. 25. I I for my selfe that is freely for mine own mercie and glorie do away iniquities 2. His incomprehensible and incorruptible glorie they transforme into the image of a corruptible creature as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. 23. painting him out sometimes after the likenesse of an old man sometimes in one shape sometimes in another as if Time did weare him or Age alter him who is the Eternitie of Israel and neuer changeth 3. Their prayers to Hee Saints Shee Saints and angels which is a glorie proper vnto God Psal â—0 15. Call upon â—â— and I will deliuer thee so shalt 〈…〉 fie mee And their bowing to Stocks and Stones whereof the Lord saith Esay 4â— â— I will not give my glorie to another nor my praise to carued Images 4. They teach that the predestinating as well of the elect to life as of the reprobate to condemnation is for their workes fore-seene which the Apostle Rom. 9. 22 23. sheweth to be of his owne free pleasure to shew forth the riches of his might and glorie 5. Touching 〈◊〉 â—â—w of God they are not only altogether ignorant of the true vse thereof which is by a right humiliation of ones selfe to prepare the way and to lead him vnto Christ but spoyle God of the glory due vnto him whilest they teach That it is possible for a man to fulfill the Law himselfe and so falsifie that goldeÌ„ saying of the Apostle Rom. 11. 32. God hath shâ—t all vnder sinne that he might haue mercie vpon all 6. The means of saluation they attribute in part to the worthinesse of men and to their due desert which is the free grace and gift of God that he that glorieth might glorie in the Lord 1. Cor. 1. 32. 7. Whereas the wonderfull glorie of God in his loue vnto mankind hath herein shined forth most clearely that when we were dead in sinnes and enemies vnto God he hath quickened and reconciled vs to himselfe they contrarily imagine that the wound is not to deepe but that there remaineth still a kind of life in man and a disposition to receiue
worshipped But this honour Christ also hath For both Stephen giueth it vnto him when he saith Lord y Acts 7. 59. Iesus receiue my spirit And it is the Epithete of all the Church that they z Acts 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1 2. call vpon the Name of Christ IOHN likewise in the a Reuel 21. 22. Reuelation maketh the Lord God Almighty and the Lambe alike the Temple of that holy City the heauenly Ierusalem meaning that hee is equally to bee worshipped and with the same honour Faith doth onely rest vpon God but wee are commanded to beleeue in Christ Yea b Iohn 16. 1. beleeue in God beleeue also in me Further it is the pleasure c Ier. 9. 24. of GOD that whosoeuer glorieth should glory onely in this That he knoweth him to be IEHOVAH But Paul doubteth not to professe that he d Gal. 6. 14. gloried onely in the Crosse of Christ and neyther preached nor chose to know any other thing saue e 1. Cor. â—2 onely him alone Christ f Iohn 17. 3. also himselfe coupleth these two together This is euerlasting life to know thee the onely true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ But what stay I hereupon when testimonies are so cleere vpon the marke and notes when the things themselues are so euident and expresse his God-head being euerywhere to bee found in most plaine and manifest termes Which that it may the better appeare I will sort all the testimonies of this kind into three Orders or Rankes The first is of such as attribute the spirit vnto him Not as the spirit or soule of a man but so as it appeareth plainly by the Epithetes adioyned to be the Diuine Spirit or GOD himselfe 1. Cor. 15. 45. The first man ADAM was made a liuing Soule the latter ADAM a quickering Spirit As bee noteth out in Adam the whole man by the more excellent part the Soule so doth he in Christ the whole Person by that most excellent Nature of the God head bodily dwelling in him calling him another Adam for that as Adam imparted fleshly life vnto all that come from him so doth Christ the Spirituall Life to all that are his And that this may bee the better conceiued to be meant of his Eternall Deity in the seuen and fortieth Verse hee doth more cleerely frame the comparison The first man out of the earth earthly the second man the Lord himselfe from Heauen Therefore is his Spirit or Diuine nature sometime called The g Heb. 9. 14. euerlasting Spirit a thing proper to the God-head sometime The h Rom. 1. 4. Spirit of Sanctification whereby hee sanctifieth all Gods Elect and sanctified his humane Nature otherwise infirme and weake and not able to rayse vp it selfe As in i Iohn 6. 63. Iohn he saith It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing And k 1. Pet. 3. 18. Peter that he was put to death as touching the flesh but quickened as touching the Spirit Finally the Apostle l 2. Cor. 13. 4. Paul expounding as it were this place For though saith he he were crucified of infirmity yet he liueth by the power of God In the name of infirmity or weaknesse manifestly alluding to the Hebrew Enâ—ch which signifieth a fraile or weake and mortall man and in the name Power vnto El the mighty God of the second sort are those where he is said to haue the m Col 29. For in him dwelleth all the fulnes of the God-head bodily that is personally and substantially fulnesse of the God-head in him to bee n Phil. 2. 6 7. Who being in the forme of God emptied himself taking the forme of a Seruant becomming in the likenesse of men and in habit found a very man Where the forme of a Seruant noting a verie seruant and abiect person indeed sheweth that to bee in the forme of God signifieth as much as to be really and essentially God himselfe in the forme of God to be o Iohn 8. 15. For this cause the Iewes sought to kill him because hee called God his owne Father making himselfe equall with God Phil. 2. 6. He thought it no robbery to be equall with God equall with God And to conclude to bee p Dan. 10. 13 21. Michael of equall Power with the Almighty God And this to be an honour belonging vnto Christ alone and not to any created Angell the Apostle Iude q Iude verse 9. teacheth expresly when he so termeth Iehouah himselfe that in Zachary stroue with Satan about the Body of Moses or the truth and perfection of the Law of Moses namely the whole Doctrine of the Gospell Remission of sinnes Imputation of Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption as in that Chapter the Angell reasoneth of them all But most manifestly this appeareth Reuelat. 12. 7. where MICHAEL and his Angels fought with the Dragon and his angels Against the Dragon that is the Deuill head of the malignant Church opposing Michael that is Christ Head of Saints and Angels and therefore calling them his Angels which agreeth to God alone Finally the holy Ghost so expoundeth it Verse 10. Now is the Saluation and Might and Kingdome of our God and the Power of his Christ In the third and last ranke come those that call him expresly r Iohn 1. 1. The Word was God 2. Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the World Luke 1. 16. 17. Many shall he that is Iohn Baptist turne vnto the Lord their God and himselfe shall goe before him in the spirit and power of Elias Where before him being referred to Christ as it must sheweth him to bee the true and vndoubted Lord God And hither tendeth the confession of Thomas sirnamed Didymus my Lord my God Iohn 20. 28. Of this sort also is that 2. Peter 1. 1. Through the righteousnesse of our God and Sauiour Iesus Christ The coupling and context of the sentence without any Article before Sauiour which otherwise by the vse of that tongue ought to haue beene shewing plainly that the word God can haue no reference but to Christ our Sauiour M 〈…〉 plaine is that Coâ— â— 2 Vnto the knowledge of God both the Father and Christ Where God as a common antecedent is attributed to them both God The Å¿ 1. Iohn 5. 20. We are 〈…〉 true one in his Sonne Iesus Christ Thâ—â— is that true God and life euerlasting true God The t Titus â— 13. Wayting for the blessed hope and glorious bright appearance of the great God and Sauiour of vs Iesus Christ Where not onely the knitting of the sentence as in the place of Peter before but the phrase of bright appearance neuer spoken but of the Sonne enforceth that whole sentence to be meant of him great God The mighty u Esay 9. 6. To vs a Child is borne whâ—le name is called Wonderfull The mightâ— God Most strong c. God The onely x Iude
Dauid to Murder and Adulterie Lot to Incest Noah to Drunkennesse c. And the best of all their actions are stayned with some corruption that is his and commeth from him But is not God hereby made the Authour of sinne God forbid The Manichees indeed when they knew not how otherwise to excuse him plunged themselues into a foule and monstrous absurditie for they made two beginnings of things God from whom all goodnesse commeth and the Deuill from whom all euill or which is all one two gods a good and an euill god This is a horrible and a fearefull Blasphemie and striketh at the verie roote of all Religion But for auoyding all danger that may grow hereby it is necessarie first to know how and in what sence wee say that God hath a stroke in vnrighteous and sinfull actions not because he instilleth or powreth into his Creatures a poyson which before they had not or inclineth them vnto wickednesse for that were indeed to make God the authour of sinne but partly in that hee forsaketh and leaueth them to their owne naturall corruption either by taking away the grace they had or not bestowing new grace which they want whereby they runne head-long vnto euill partly that he letteth Satan loose vpon them to bee by him blinded and misse-led because they haue refused to be ruled and gouerned by Gods Word and Spirit To the former those places are to be referred where he is said to tempt or try them as the Holy Ghost recordeth y 2. Chron. 32. 21 of EZECHIAS that when hee dealt with the King of Babylons Ambassador God forsooke him trying him what was in his heart And Moses z Deut. 8. 2. in Deuteronomie Remember all this way wherein IEHOVAH thy God hath led thee now fortie yeeres in the Desart that he might afflict thee in trying what was in thine heart whether thou wouldest obey his Precepts or not So afterwards a Deut. 29. 3. 4. he vpbraydeth the people that notwithstanding these great tryals signes and wonders which Iehouah had done for them Yet he had not giuen them a mind to know eyes to see and eares to heare wherin we may not think God vniust who is indebted to none For who b Rom. 11. 35. gaue vnto him first and he shall be recōpenced And who according to his owne free pleasure bestoweth the measure of his graces how and where he will I c Rom. 9. 15. will haue mercie vpon whom I will haue mercie And is d Mat. 20. 15. it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine own Of the latter we haue an Example 1. Kin. 22 23. IEHOVAH hath sent a lying spirit into the mouth of all thy Prophets And the 1. Sam. 16. 15 16. An euill spirit from IEHOVAH vexed SAVL And that nothing herein falleth from the holinesse and Iustice of the Lord as all men not forsaken of common sence doe easily discerne for else as the e Rom. 3. 6. Apostle reasoneth how should God iudge the World So the Holy Ghost in many places teacheth very plainly for when the f Hosh 13 9 Prophet cryeth out Thy destruction is from thy selfe O Israel doth it not follow of necessitie that the cause also of destruction which is sinne is wholly from our selues and that GOD hath no part in it Which g Iames 1. 13. Iames more plainly vttereth Let no man when he is tempted say I am tempted of God for God cannot be tempted of euill neither tempteth he any man And 1. Iohn 2. h 1. Iohn 2. 15. Whatsoeuer is in the World as the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not from the Father but is from the World For this cause sinne is called The i 1. Iohn 3. 8. he that committeth sinne is of the Deuill for the Deuill sinneth from the beginning For this cause was the Sonne of God manifested that he might destroy the worke of the Deuill worke of the Deuill And our Sauiour Christ saith When k Iohn 8. 44. he speaketh a lye hee speaketh of his owne The sinne therefore of the Action is wholly to bee ascribed to the depraued nature and corruption of men wherein God is no way to be blamed l Eccles 7. 29. Who made all righteous but they haue sought many inuentions to themselues To illustrate this by one or two Similitudes Hee that spurreth a lame Horse is the cause of his stirring but not of his halting The Sunne that shineth vpon a filthie carcasse maketh the sauor yet it is no cause of any stench for out of sweete Flowres it bringeth a pleasant odour Such is the worke of God in the actions of wicked men And the better to apprehend how God in all this remayneth without any touch of sinne wee must consider that sinne hath alwayes three things going with it whereof it is impossible that any one should fall vpon God First To bee subiect to a Law For m Rom. 5. 13. where no law is there is no transgression And the n 1. Iohn 3. 4. Apostle defineth sinne to bee a breach of the Law Now God who made his Lawes for others is not himselfe to bee tyed to them Secondly Impuritie and corruption a thing most contrarie to the nature of God who is not onely holy and pure but holinesse and puritie it selfe and so farre off from being euill that he o Iames 1. 13. cannot be tempted of it Thirdly An euill and a wicked end Whereas GOD euermore seeketh his owne glorie which is absolutely good and the chiefe Good of all Therefore beside that the will of God is the Rule of all goodnesse the difference in these sinfull actions betweene that hee worketh and the worke of wicked men lyeth plaine aswell in the cause that mooueth him as in the end hee setteth before him and in the manner of doing all which though they bee in respect of wicked men vniust and sinfull yet as they proceede from God they are most iust and holy for first by reason of this diuersitie of the causes moouing and of the diuers ends which these two Agents God and wicked men set before them it falleth out that the selfe-same Action which in respect of the corruption of wicked men becommeth vnto them sinfull and damnable is as in regard of God most holy and righteous being led thereto for most gracious and iust respects either to set forth the riches of his Iustice or Mercie or for the chastizement and tryall of his Children or for some other cause as he seeth good which ends the wicked neuer set before them but all the contrarie what more blessed or glorious worke and of greater loue to vs was there euer or can possibly be then the reconciling of the World by the death of his Sonne And what more iust in respect of God then to inflict all these punishments vpon him who was our suretie and tooke
doing whereof a promise is belonging This distinction of a secret and a reuealed will of God Moses teacheth Deut. 29. 30. The hidden things belong to IEHOVAH our God but the reuealed things to vs and our children to doe all the words of the Law Howbeit for all that they are not two wils but one will as God himselfe is one The doctrine which thus reuealeth and setteth forth his will is called the Law of God commanding vs in all things to serue and please him The contrary whereof is sinne being a breach of the Law as the Apostle doth define it 1. Iohn 3. 4. And this law I say is giuen to the reasonable Creature not onely men but Angels also respect being had vnto their nature which neither admitteth actions that are to be done by the instrument of the bodie nor is tyed to the things that belong to the necessities of this life But that the Angels are bound to the obseruation of the Law our Sauiour would haue vs learne when he willeth vs to pray Thy will be done as in Heauen so vpon the Earth But to leaue the Angels doing the will of God gloriously in Heauen we will for more cleere euidence apply the things that follow as they are fitting to our selues First it must be of all duties without failing in any one doing all good and abstayning from all euill Therefore perfection which is a thorough doing of all without falling of any whit is the general vertue of the whole Law of God Contrariwise the failing in any one iot either of the matter or the manner is a breach of all g Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is euerie one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to doe them h Iam. 2. 10. Whosoeuer keepeth the whole Law and yet faileth in any one point he is guiltie of all Againe all these things not onely in the Seruice of God but in the duties wee owe to men wee must doe as vnto God because it is his good will and pleasure seruing him aswell in the workes of Righteousnesse as of Holinesse as the good Father Zacharie speaketh Luke 1. 75. And heereof it is that the Apostle commending to vs many excellent points of brotherly loue and duties of the second Table willeth vs in them all to serue the Lord Rom. 12. 11. So making a difference betweene Christian duties and Philosophicall vertues As on the other side all sinnes euen of the second Table what iniurie soeuer they offer vnto men yet are indeed bent in such a sort against the diuine Maiestie that the i Psal 51. 6. Prophet Dauid feareth not to say of those two foule sinnes of his speaking as in comparison Against thee against thee onely not against Vriah or his Wife haue I sinned This therefore is a vertue belonging to the whole Law to doe whatsoeuer we doe in obedience vnto God As the k Col. 3. 23. Apostle saith Euery thing whatsoeuer ye doe worke it from the heart as to the Lord and not to man submit l 1. Pâ—t 2. 13. your selues to all manner of ordinance of man for the Lords sake m Ephes 5. 22. Wiues submit your selues vnto your Husbands as vnto the Lord. n Ephes 6. 5 6. Seruants obey your Masters according to the flesh c. as to Christ not with eye-seruice as men pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the wil of God from your hearts with a good will seruing the Lord and not men So that the contrarie to this obedience is eye-seruice when we do good things as vnto men and not of conscience to God For the manner of the doing first it bindeth the whole With that whole strength of their naturall integritie Creature the whole strength of the Creature and in euery thing requireth so much the greater strength as the dutie doth more excel These three must concurre for the making of perfect righteousnesse Vnder the terme of Creature I comprehend all ones naturall powers that is to say in Angels their whole spirituall nature in vs the whole man and whatsoeuer is of and in man which standing of two parts the soule and the body in the soule as wee vse by a generall name to call it the Scripture is wont to note when it speaketh more distinctly two faculties or powers the minde or the spirit that is to say the vnderstanding part of man comprehending Knowledge Iudgement Conscience Remembrance and the Soule properly so called the seat of our Desire Will Affections To all which the Law of God extends as may appeare by that the Apostle writeth o 1. Thess 5. 23. 1. Thess 5. That your spirit soule and bodie may bee kept vnblameable for the Lawes of God are not like the Lawes of mortall men which looke but to the outward act and are not able to reach the thoughts and intentions of the heart but God being a p Iohn 4. 24. Spirit his Lawes are also q Rom. 7. 24. spirituall and binde the whole Creature within and without from one end vnto another euen the least and smallest motion so as there must be both an Integritie of Nature and a Righteousnesse of Action Integritie of Nature or in a right frame and disposition of all those parts and powers our mindes to be of aptnesse and abilitie to know discerne make conscience of and retayne the whole will of God our soules prone and inclining onely vnto good in our desires will and affections the will being able of it selfe and his owne inward free voluntary and naturall motion to choose that which is good and to reiect that which is euill and this wee call Free-will Lastly our bodies to bee apt instruments of offering good things to the soule and of executing and performing of them which Integritie of Nature when all our parts and powers are conformable hereunto the Apostle r Rom. 8. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8. maketh a part of the Righteousnesse of the Law or one thing among the rest of that which the Law requireth The contrarie whereof is that originall sinne or naturall corruption whereof we shall haue cause to speake hereafter Likewise all our actions inward and outward proceeding from those powers must be holy and pure the contrary whereof is actuall sinne Our minde therefore ought actually and indeed to know discerne make conscience of and remember the things that are good our soule both to desire to will and to effect them our Bodie and all the Members thereof to practize and put them in execution All which for the excellencie of the Doctrine and because here especially the Scripture presseth mans obedience it is necessary to goe thorow in order as they were propounded Knowledge is the first both in nature and worthinesse as that wherein wee must resemble the Diuine Essence Genesis 3. Yee shall be as Gods knowing good and euill It standeth chiefly in the knowledge of God himselfe then of those duties
Of the will the Apostle saith It is d Phil. 2. 13. God that worketh to will in you our e Heb. 13. 18. will is in all things to conuerse honestly the flesh f Gal. 4. 27. hindereth from doing the things ye would The contrary whereof is the will of g Ephes 2. 3. the flesh and of our owne thoughts called h 1. Pet. 4. 3. else-where The will of the Gentiles The last thing to be considered in the qualities of the soule are the affections of it to bee good and holy Thou i Deut. 6. 5. shalt loue IEHOVAH thy God with all thy soule The contrary whereof are those dishonourable and foule affections which the Apostle mentioneth Rom. 1. 26. Therefore God gaue them ouer to dishonourable affections Againe k Rom. 7. 5. When we were in the flesh the sinfull affections wrought in our members c. They l Gal. 5. 24. that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections thereof The particular affections which the Scripture aboue the rest doth recommend vnto vs as Bellowes to blow vp and increase spirituall Graces and to carry vs forward to a high degree of Holinesse are these that follow First Loue and liking of that which is good hatred and detestation of that which is euill as the Psalmist ioyneth them together Thou louest m Psal 45. 8. righteousnesse and hatest iniquitie Loue is the habit as it were and perfection of the whole Law both of the first and second Table Thou n Mat. 22. 37 38 39 40. shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde This is the first and great Commandement and the second is like it Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe On these two Commandements hang the whole Law and the Prophets And of the second Table Paul saith o Gal. 4 13 14. Serue one another through loue for all the Law meaning the whole second Table is fulfilled in one word in this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe Againe p Rom. 13. 8 9. He that loueth another fulfilleth the Law for this Thou shalt not commit adulterie Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not stoale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Thou shalt not couet and if there be any other Commandement it is summed vp in this word euen in this Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe Generally 1. Tim. 1. 5. hee saith the end or perfection of the whole Law is loue c. And Coloss 3. 14. hee calleth loue The bond of perfection because it knitteth and bindeth together all the offices we owe to God or one vnto another So as what dutie soeuer we performe bee it neuer so glittering and shining in the World if it be not done in loue it is nothing at all worth As wee are taught 1. Cor. 13. yea our loue in this behalfe ought to extend it selfe not to our friends onely and them that loue vs againe but vnto all men to our q Mat. 5. 44. enemies and them that hate vs. The contrary hereof is hatred of God our Brethren and of good things Of God because wee see him iust to punish mens offences A fault so monstrous that one would thinke impossible it should fall vpon any Creature to hate and abhorre the Creator but that the Apostle hath noted our nature to be tainted with it Haters r Rom. 1. 30. of God and the Å¿ Psal 37. 20. 21. 9 c. 81. 16. 139. 21. Enemies or haters of IEHOVAH are oftentimes spoken of in the Psalmes and t 2. Sam. 12. 14. 2. Chron. 19. 2. else-where Of the hatred of our Brethren the Apostle saith He n 1. Ioh. 2. 9. 11 that hateth his Brother is in darknesse And againe He x 1. Ioh. 3. 15. that hateth his Brother is a Man-slayer Bloudie y Prou. 29. 10. men saith SALOMON hate him that is vpright And 1. Kings 22. 9. it is the voyce of wicked Ahab that hee hated the Prophet of the Lord because he neuer spake good vnto him With loue is coupled a liking and allowance of that which is good after the example of God himselfe of whom it is said that be z 1. Chro. 19. 17 delighteth in the things that are right Of this the Wiseman speaketh in the Prouerbs a Prou. 16. 13. Let the lips of the Righteous be acceptable vnto Kings The contrary whereof is an approbation of euill in other though it were so that we our selues did abstaine from it This fault the Apostle noteth to the b Rom. 1. 32. Romanes Who not onely doe so but are fautors and approâ—uers of these that die it And Dauid in the Psalmes c Psal 50. 18. When thou seest a Thiefe thou takest pleasure in him The next is hatred and detestation of euill both euill persons and things whereof the Psalmist saith O d Psal â—7 10. yee the louers of IEHOVAH hate the thing that is euill And of himselfe hee professeth I e Psal 26. 5. hate the congregation of euill doers I f Psal 31. 7. hate them that obserue vaine vanities O g Ps 139 21 22. IEHOVAH doe I not hate them that hate thee I hate them with a perfect hatred they are in stead of enemies vnto mee I h Ps 119. 104. hate euery euill way I * Ps 119. 161. hate lyes and abhorre them SALOMON also in his Prouerbs i Pro. 8. 13. ioyneth together the feare of IEHOVAH and the hatred of euil as special parts of the heauenly wisdome wherof he there treateth The contrary whereof is the loue of euill things when our k Psal 141. 4. heart which the Psalmist prayeth to be deliuered from is inclined to them This DAVID l Psal 52. 5 6. vpbraydeth vnto DOEG Thou louest euill rather then good lying rather then to speake Righteousnesse thou louest it wonderfully thou louest all pernicious words O deceitfull tongue In the m Psal 4. 3. fourth Psalme he cryeth out Yee sonnes of men how long will you loue vanitie seeke lyes c And Salomon in his n Prou. 1. 22. Prouerbes How long O yee Fooles will ye loue foolishnesse and Scorners long after scorning A second affection is Cheerefulnesse and ioy in that which is good sorrow and griefe of heart and an holy anger when we see men to doe euill Of cheerefulnesse and ioy in good things Dauid speaketh in the Psalmes I o Psal 119. 14. reioyce in the way of thy Testimonies as being aboue all substance Thy p Vers 110. Testimonies are the ioyes of my heart I reioyce q Vers 110. 4. in thy words as one that findeth a great bootie So is it said 1. Chron. 29. 9. The people were glad offering freely or cheerefully And Verse 17. I with a right heart freely haue offered all those things and thy people also that are heere
excellent meanes to auoyde stealth Let x Ephes 4. 28. him that stole steale no more but rather let him labour working with his hands the thing that is good So 2. Thess 3. 11 12. hee saith Wee heare that there are some which walke among you inordinately that worke not at all but are busie-bodies Therefore them that are such we warne and exhort you by our Lord Iesus Christ that they worke with quietnesse and eat their owne bread And 1. Tim. 5. 13. he blameth the Widdowes for being idle and going vp and downe houses Thirdly Honest recreation a thing that fitteth vs for the seruice of God and of euery good dutie as Shooting Musike putting forth of Riddles and the like for these the Word of God doth by name speake of So Dauid 2. Sam. 1. 18. to teach the children of Iudah to handle the Bow vttered that Lamentation which is there extant of Saul and Ionathan And himselfe by the sweetnesse of his Musike refreshed the troubled heart of Saul 1. Sam. 16. 24. Of the other wee haue an Example in the Riddle put forth by SAMSON Iudges 14. 14. Out of the eater came meate and out of the strong came sweetnesse The contrarie whereof is first the dulling of our selues by a continuall wearying of the minde and bodie without intermission Secondly An excessiue vse of lawfull pleasures and delights without referring them to the right end The y Esay 5. 12. Harpe and Violl Timbrell and Pipe and Wine are in their Feasts but they regard not the worke of IEHOVAH neither consider the worke of his hands who z Amos 6. 5 6. play vpon the Violl as DAVID they inuent Instruments of Musike and drinke in Basons of Wine and anoynt themselues with the chiefe of Oyntments but are not grieued for the affliction of IOSEPH I a Eccles 2. 2. said of Laughter Thou art mad and of ioy What is that thou doest Woe b Luke 6. 25. be to you that now laugh for ye shall waile and weepe Fourthly Imitation of good Examples first and principally of God himselfe Be c Ephes 5. 1. yee followers of God as beloued children And to the beholding of this Example of God our Sauiour doth lift vs vp when he saith Ye d Mat. 5. 48. shall therefore be perfect as your Father which is in Heauen is perfect Be e Luke 6. 63. ye mercifull euen as your Father is mercifull The Lord also himselfe taketh vs forth that Lesson saying Be f Leu. 11. 44. ye holy for I am holy And g 1. Ioh. 33. Iohn maketh it that perpetuall strife and indeuour of GODS Children Whosoeuer hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe as he is also pure And againe h 1. Ioh. 4. 17. As he is such also are we in this World for therefore saith the i Heb. 12. 10. Apostle God chastiseth vs for our profit that we might partake his holinesse Next is the example of Christ our Sauiour God manifested in the flesh For k 1. Pet. 2. 21. Christ also suffered for vs leauing vnto vs a prescript that yee might walke in his steps Then of the holy Angels as our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heauen Likewise of Adam in his innocencie vnto whose Image the Apostle l Colos 3. 10. Ephes 4. 24. euery where willeth vs to bee renewed Lastly of good and holy men that beholding the issue of their conuersation we may follow their faith as the Apostle exhorteth Heb. 13. 7. And againe Heb. 6. 12. That ye be not Bastards but followers of them that through faith and long sufferance inherit the promises 1. Cor. 4. 16. hee saith I beseech you be followers of me Wherein notwithstanding wee must take heed because in the best men much corruption is to bee found that wee follow them no m 1. Cor. 11 1. further then they follow Christ The contrarie whereof is the following of euill and wicked examples n Iob 31. 33. If I haue hid my sin as ADAM or after the manner of men especially of the Deuill the father of Lyes for which our Sauiour taketh vp the Iewes Iohn 8. 44. Fiftly Societie and companie with the good for such as ones companie is such lightly is ones selfe I o Psal 119. 63. am companion to all them that feare thee and keepe thy Commandements The contrarie whereof is First Leauing and lothing the companie of the good forsake p Heb. 10. 25. not your assembling together c. Secondly Societie with the wicked for which the good King Iehosaphat is reprooued by the Prophet What q 2. Chro. 19. 2. thou to helpe the wicked one and to loue the haters of IEHOVAH But for these thngs is hot displeasure towards thee from IEHOVAH Ill r 1. Cor. 15. 33. companie corrupts good manners To this purpose Salomon in his Prouerbs hath many excellent sayings Make no Å¿ Pro. 22. 24 25. friendship with an angrie man nor companie with a furious man lest thou learne his wayes and get a snare for thy selfe Hee t Pro. 28. 7. that keepeth the Law is an vnderstanding childe but hee that associateth himselfe to Gluttons shameth his father Where opposing companie-keeping with Gluttons to the keeping of the Law hee sheweth how forcible a meanes ill example is to leade vs into sinne Of this kind especially is the contracting of our selues in marriage with the vngodly for which the same Kings sonne Iehoram is taxed He u 2. Kings 1. 18 walked in the wayes of the Kings of Israel as the house of AHAB did for AHABS Daughter was his Wife and he did euill in the eyes of IEHOVAH yea this is noted as the prime sinne that corrupted the olde World and brought the floud vpon them for that the x Gen. 6. 1 2. sonnes of God the professors of Pietie and true Religion of the Posteritie of Sheth and ENOSH seeing the Daughters of men who made no conscience of seruing God to bee beautifull tooke them from any indifferently without respect of what Religion they were of wiues such as they chose Therefore were the Children of Israel precisely forbidden y Deut. 7. 3. to ioyne affinitie with those Nations of the Land of Canaan to giue their daughters to any of their sonnes or to take any of their daughters for their sonnes for saith the Lord They will certainly draw your sonnes away from following me to serue other gods The second part of watchfulnesse is that which vseth all diligence in that which is good Continue z Rom. 12. 12. Coloss 4. 2. in Prayer or lye at it continually a Ephes 6. 18. Watch thereunto with all assiduitie The contrary whereof is negligence and slacknesse In b Rom. 12. 11. doing seruice be not slacke Hitherto of watchfulnesse whereunto we are to couple in the fourth and last place continuance and perseuerance in wel-doing the crowne and
to colour their owne Idolatrie doe affirme but God in the Calfe so themselues proclayme k Exod. 32. 5. Tomorrow shall bee the Holy-day of IEHOVAH Let vs make a Feast tomorrow to IEHOVAH And the Psalmist beareth l Psal 10◠20. witnesse They turned their glorie into the frame of an Oxe that eateth grasse And yet this Calfe made to worship God in the forme thereof Stephen calleth an Idoll Acts 7. 41. These two kindes bowing downe to Moloch to serue and worship him and worshipping the true GOD in the bowing downe to Moloch are plainely distinguished Zophaniah 1. 5. and Iudgements there pronounced against both sorts of such worshippers for it is certaine that Idols and Images are so farre from being as they seeme m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glasses and representations to make men see God the cleerer that contrariwise they close and dawbe vp mens eyes from seeing and their hearts from vnderstanding As the Prophet in plaine words speaketh Esay 44. 18. teaching nothing indeed but vanitie and lyes Their molten n Esay 41. 29. Images are winde and emptinesse or confusion What o Habak 2. 18. profiteth the carued Image when the framer thereof hath caruedit a molten Image and a teacher of lyes But p Ier. 10. 8. together both Iewes and Gentiles iumping in the same Idolatry they are brutish and become Fooles for the stocke or wood that is to say the Image made of wood is a doctrine of vanities And againe Euery q Verse 14 15. man is not so brutish that he knoweth not that euery Founder is shamed by the carued Image for his molten Image is but falshood and there is no breath in them they are vanitie and the worke of errours what time these men their worshippers are visited they their Images themselues shall perish Wherefore all vse of an Image deuised by mans braine in Gods seruice is condemned for when himselfe pleaseth to appoint them as he did the Cherubins c. vnder the Law his Commandement maketh it to be lawfull So the very words of the Law doe sound Thou shalt not make vnto thy selfe that is of thine owne head and out of the deuice of thine owne braine Secondly Superstition that is to say all corruption of Gods Seruice by adding or taking from be it in meates and drinkes obseruing of dayes and times ceremonies and ministeries inuented by men or otherwise Therefore r Deut. 12. 32. whatsoeuer I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therefrom ſ Mat. 15. 9. In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Thirdly Traditions to signifie and represent any grace of God otherwise then he hath appointed for the which Christ condemned the Pharises washing of hands and cups c. Yee t Marke 7. 8. lay the Commandement of God apart and obserue the traditions of men as the washing of pots and cups and many other such like things ye doe CHAP. VII Of the third Commandement IN the third Commandement God would Reuerence is a religious affection in the Seruice of God haue his Worship to bee with all Reuerence and Religion for the Name of God noting out this whole outward seruice as that whereby God is made knowne vnto vs and taking it in vaine noting euerie abuse therein shew the reuerent manner of worshipping God to be the subiect of this Commandement whether it be in his publike or priuate seruice or in the vsing of his Names and Titles Of his publike Seruice the Psalmist u Psal 26. 6. saith I wash my hands in innocencie and so compasse thine Altar O IEHOVAH Of priuate the Law is giuen in the case of Vowes Othes c. Numb 30. 3. When a man voweth a Vow vnto IEHOVAH or sweareth an Oath hee shall not prophane that hee speaketh Touching the Reuerend and Religious vsing of the Names and Titles of God a speciall commination is made Deut. 28. 58. If thou wilt not feare this glorious and reuerend Name IEHOVAH thy God c. The contrarie hereof generally is all lacke of Reuerence in Gods Seruice and contayneth vnder it First Vsing Gods Name carelesly in common talke as Good Lord O God! c. when wee neuer thinke vpon him Secondly Iesting with the Scripture or the Phrases of it The x Ier. 23. 34. Prophet or the Priest or the People which shall say in scorne and derision The burden of IEHOVAH I will visit that man and his house Thirdly Light passing ouer the Iudgements of God that are seene in the World which because it is a common fault our Sauiour Luke 13. 1. insisteth long to shew the right vse that is to be made of them Were these Galileans whose bloud PILATE mingled with their Sacrifices or those eighteene vpon whom the Towre of Siloam fell and slew them greater sinners then all other men because they suffered these things Nay but I say vnto you Vnlesse ye repent yee shall all in like manner perish Fourthly Abusing of the Creatures to the reading of Fortunes Destinies Prognostications and such like contrarie to the right vse and end of their Creation which was not to fore-tell things to come but to distinguish dayes moneths and yeeres as before was opened Therefore doth the Prophet Esay worthily scorne and deride this kind of people Esay 47. 13. Thou tyrest thy selfe with the multitude of thy counsels Let now the Astrologers the Star-gazers and Prognosticators stand vp and saue thee from those things that shall come vpon thee In the particular parts of GODS Seruice these things are contrarie In Othes the contraries are First to sweare falsely It y Zach. 5. 4. shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my Name Secondly to sweare of matters either not doubtfull or not of that waight that requireth an Othe or when we know that he for whose sake we sweare will not rest in it All these the Apostle Heb. 6. 16. comprehendeth in one when he saith that an Othe among men for confirmation sake is an end of all gain-saying Therefore Swearing in our common talke is vnlawfull Let z Mat. 5. 37. your communication be Yea yea Nay nay for whatsoeuer is more then these commeth of euill Thirdly not to performe that which we sweare to doe a Mat. 5. 37. Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but performe thine othe to the Lord. In Curses it is contrarie when in bitternesse or rage we curse our enemies or our selues with which fault two b Iob 3. Ier. 35. of the singular Saints of God Iob and Ieremie were stayned In Vowes First When they are of The Papists which teach vows of things not in our own power as perpetuall single life things not in our power whereby the vow of perpetuall single life appeareth to be vnlawful for as our Sauiour saith c Mat. 19. 11. All are not capable of this but they onely to whome it is giuen
12 2. 3. recorded to haue taken a pound of oyntment of spikenard very costly and to haue anoynted Iesus feete that all the house was filled with the sauour of the oyntment Temperance in marriage-matters is when we vse it soberly and with seemelinesse rather to suppresse then to satisfie the flesh which is one part of the z 1. Thes 4. 4. possessing of our vessell in holines and honor For this cause it is that the Apostle a 1. Tim. 434. teacheth vs our marriages and the liberty that God hath giuen vs therein are to be sanctified by prayer and thankesgiuing The contrary whereof among other is that forbidden in the Law Leuit. 18. 19. and reckoned vp as one of those sinnes that bring Gods heauie wrath Ezech. 18. 16. CHAP. XII Of the eighth Commandement THE three Commaundements following Those that respect the good things belonging to the person are vprightnes and contentednes Vprightnes is to hold a lawfull course in dealing about them and slandeth in right and truth concerne one common subiect or matter which they all bend vnto that is to say the outward good things of this present life of what nature soeuer the same be Lands Possessions Goods Good name Credit or the like wherein because the greatest part of our life is spent in tumbling and tossing about them it hath pleased the wisdome of God to allot vnto them three Commandements as men for the most part three manner of wayes offend in them comprehended by Iohn the Baptist in one Verse Luke 3. 14. in his answere to the Souldiers Shake no man in his estate by pilling polling rapine or other violence nor circumuent by guile and be content with your wages The two former which are the neerer in affinitie Dauid hath twice in b Psal 111. 7 8. one Psalme in two seuerall Phrases applyed vnto God First in the Phrase of c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth or Faithfulnesse and Iudgement then by d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth or Faithfulnesse and Rightnesse The first of those three wayes wherein men so offend Right which is in dealing iustly is by meere wrong forbidden in the eighth Commandement whether the same haue force and violence ioyned with it in which case the difference betweene this and the Commandement following is easie to be discerned or though it be without force and violence yet by meere wrong and iniurie without colourable shewes and shifts or other disguisings to hide it by whereby it is also distinguished from the ninth Commandement though the difference in this point lyeth not so plaine In the eighth therefore we are The Anabaptistical communitie of goods commanded First To deale vprightly and iustly in all things concerning goods both for the meanes of comming by them and in the vsing of them Wherefore our Sauiour Mat. 23. 22. noteth out this Commandement by the name of iudgement or right in doing that which is iust and equall betweene man and man as the word d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudgement in the Hebrew Phrase doth signifie And Dauid doth so interpret it Psal 111. where that which in the seuenth Verse hee calleth Iudgement in the next Verse he calleth Rightnesse or Equitie as wee commonly translate it The contrarie whereof is meere wrong in such sort as before was opened The lawfull meanes of comming by goods is double First Lawfull purchase as e Ge. 23. 14 15 Both for the meanes of comming by them That it bee by lawfull purchase Abraham purchased of Ephron the Field and caue of Macpela for the full value that it was worth which Ephron himselfe had set And Dauid f 1. Chron. 21. 22 23 24 25. or Descent bought of ORNAN the threshing floore to build an Altar to IEHOVAH for sufficient money Secondly Descent when by course of Inheritance it is cast vpon vs whereof we haue a Law g Le. 25. 45 46 Of the children of the strangers that are soiourners among you of them shall you buy and of their Families that are with you whichthey beget in your Land These shall be your possession So ye shall take them as inheritance for your children after you to possesse them by inheritance ye shall vse their labours for euer When h Num. 27 8 9 10 11. a man dyeth and hath no sonne ye shall transferre his inheritance to his Daughter and if hee haue no Daughter ye shall giue his possession to his brethren and if he haue no brethren ye shall giue his possessions to his fathers brethren and if his father haue no brethren then shall you giue hi◠possession to his Kinsman the next vnto him of his Family and he shall inherit it The contrarie to these two are First Theft He i Ephes 4. 28. that stealeth let him steale no more but rather let him labour c. The speciall kinds of these are Sacriledge when it is of things consecrated to God in which sort k Iosh 7. 7. c. Achan offended And of this the Wiseman l Pro. 20. 25. speaketh It is a snare for a man to deuoure that which is sanctified and after vowes to inquire Robberie by the high-way The companie m Hosh 6. 8 9. of Priests is like vnto Troopes that waite for one by the high-way side Piracie vpon the Sea Burglarie in the night breaking of houses c. If n Exod. 22. 1. a Thiefe bee found breaking vp and bee smitten that he dye no bloud shall be shed for him Stealing mens seruants or children which sinne the Apostle o 1. Tim. 1. 10. wrappeth vp in the number of those things that are contrarie to wholesome Doctrine filching or pilfering the least Pinne or Point Secondly Oppression But p Esay 3. 14 15 yee haue eaten vp the Vineyard the spoyle of the poore is in your houses What ayle ye that ye beat my people to pieces and grinde the faces of the poore Thirdly Extortion as q Luke 3. 14. Souldiers not content with their wages Counsellors with their Fees c. This was the sinne of Elies sonnes of whom it is said r 1. Sam. 2. 12 13 14 15 16 17 Now the sonnes of ELI were wicked men and knew not IEHOVAH For the Priests custome towards the people was this when any man offered Sacrifice the Priests Boy came while the flesh was a seething and a flesh-hooke with three teeth in his hand and thrust it into the Kettle or into the Caldron or into the Pan or into the Pot all that the flesh-hooke brought vp the Priest tooke vp for himselfe Thus they did vnto all the Israelites that came thither to Shiloh yea before they burnt the fat the Priests Boy came and said to the man that offered Giue me flesh to roste for the Priest for he will not haue sodden flesh of thee but raw And if any man said vnto him Let them burne the fat according to the custome then take as
both their minde and conscience is defiled Albeit there remayne in this part of our minde and conscience some reliques as wee shall sheare anon to make vs vnexcusable but in the other part all are corrupt and naught and we vtterly gone and dead in sinne for first touching our desires all whatsoeuer riseth vp within z Gen. 6. 5. vs is onely euill continually for a 2. Cor. 3. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are not saith the Apostle meete of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but that we are meete it is of God Therefore Ephes 4. 22. hee willeth vs to put off the old man which is corrupted through deceiuable lusts And Rom. 1. 24. The lusts of our owne hearts or as b Iam. 1. 14. Iames hath it our owne lusts are put in stead of fleshly and wicked lusts Touching the will albeit the same still remayne free else were it no will at all yet the freedome of it standeth only in this to be carryed wholy and freely and willingly into euill and therefore to bee a slaue and seruant vnto sinne Whereupon c 1. Pet. 4. 3. Peter vseth the will of the Gentiles in stead of a Deuillish and wicked will to shew that such is the will of vs all without Christ The affections also that it may appeare how they are wholy drowned and taken vp of sinne are called by the Apostle sinfull affections or affections of all kind of sinne Rom. 7. 5. And lastly to shew that this contagion sticketh to our whole bodie and all the parts and members of it the same Apostle expresseth sinfull lusts by the name of the lusts of the bodie Rom. 6. 5. Because they sticke in our flesh and the soule by these lusts mooueth the bodie as the bodie againe by them solliciteth and prouoketh the soule This corruption of all our parts quite estranged from the life of God the Apostle elegantly setteth forth and particularly doth enumerate Ephes 4. 17 18 19. our mindes to bee vaine and ignorant our discoursing part to be darkened the heart which there he putteth for the desire will affections to bee hardened benummed and greedily carryed vnto sinne our selues that is our bodies to be fit instruments of all vncleannesse This therefore I say and testifie in the Lord that yee walke no more as the other Gentiles walke in the vanitie of their minde darkned in their discoursing parts being estranged from the life of God through the ignorance which is in them by the hardnesse of their owne heart which after they haue cast off all sorow haue giuen themselues to wantonnesse to worke all manner of vncleannesse with greedinesse Secondly It is totall in respect that both our nature is wholy corrupted and all our actions peruerted by it for touching our nature it is not onely decayed in part hurt and wounded by the fall of Adam but vtterly dead in sinne neither doe we sinne by custome and imitation but are borne Sinners by nature which we vse to call Originall sinne that is a naturall corruption of all our parts and powers from our conception void of all good and inclining to all euill vnable to conceiue and iudge aright of heauenly things by our owne strength and industry or to keepe in remembrance the things which are taught vnto vs bent and readie without the supernaturall worke of Gods Spirit changing vs to lust after that which is euill and to abhorre that which is good to a disorder in all our affections and lastly in our bodie to the offering of all occasions of sinne vnto the soule and to an executing of the things are offered Psal 51. 7. I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my Mother conceiued me Esay 48. â—8 A transgressor from the wombe from the very time thou wast first conceiued and borne art thou called This is the estate of all men in themselues euen of the best as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 2. 3. wee euen we the Iewes with whom the promises were made and not d Gal. 2. 15. sinners of the Gentiles as hee speaketh in another place that is such as can doe nothing else but sinne being aliens from the Couenant yet euen we were by nature the children of wrath as are also other men and dead in trespasses and in sinnes as he said e Verse 1. 5. Câ—l 2. 13. a little before Ephes 4. 14. hee sheweth the summe of the Gospell to bee nothing else but this Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead that Christ may shine vnto thee Wherefore of our wisdome it selfe wherein we beasted so much and thinke we so excell the Scripture speaketh euidently that f 1. Cor. 2. 14. the naturall man is not capable of the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned And the Apostle g Iames 3. 15. Iames maketh naturall wisedome all one with that which is earthly and Deuillish Whereby we may easily vnderstand what is to bee said of the inferiour parts And therefore Iude h Iude vers 19. opposing naturall men to them that haue not the Spirit sheweth euery inch of vs before wee bee regenerate to bee a lumpe of earth and a part of Satans brood In regard of which generall contagion and the better to set forth how our whole man and whatsoeuer is in man within and without from the top to the toe is by nature nothing else but a lumpe and masse of all vncleannesse the Scripture calleth vs Flesh i Iohn 3. 6. 1. Cor. 15. 50. 1. Pet. 4. 1. Rom. 7. 5 25. wherein k Rom. 7. 17 18 20. no good thing but all sinne doth dwell fleshly sold vnder sinne Rom. 7. 14. which being there opposed to the Law of God which is spirituall that is requireth heauenly perfection and integritie of nature as concerning all the parts and powers of our soule and bodie sheweth by flesh which is the Epithete giuen to vs all and to Paul himselfe so farre as he is vnregenerate the quite contrarie to bee meant Further it calleth vs The l Rom. 6. 6. Ephes 4. 22. Col. 3. 9. old man The m 2. Cor. 4. 16. outward man The n Col. 3. 5. members The Law of the o Rom. 7. 25. members The bodie p Rom. 6. 6. 7. 24. of sinne or sinfull bodie wherein sinne so sticketh and the q Col. 2. 11. sinfull bodie of flesh By which words it meaneth not this outward bodie onely subiect to our eye but all the parts and powers of man without exception Therefore the minde it selfe and soule and all the faculties of them both are termed Flesh A minde r Col. 2. 18. of flesh The Å¿ Rom. 8. 6 7. vnderstanding of the flesh Fleshly t 2. Cor. 1. 12 wisdome Fleshly u 1. Pet. 2. 11. lusts The x Ephes 2. 3. Gal. 5. 16 24. 1.
Iohn 2. 16. lusts of the flesh The y Ephes 2. 3. will of the flesh The z Gal. 5. 24. affections of the flesh All these parts before reckoned the Apostle comprehendeth Ephes 2. 3. First generally naming the flesh or the whole man vnregenerate which he afterwards deuideth into two kind The flesh so calling by the generall name that part of the soule wherein the lust and will and vnbridled affections are and our discoursing parts or the very strength of the Mind of Knowledge Iudgemēt Memorie Conscience Among whom euen wee all did once conuerse in the lusts of our flesh doing the will of the flesh and of the discoursing parts All which hee calleth not halfe dead but thorowly and wholy a Vers 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dead leauing nothing vnto man which sinne hath not defiled Shewing further that wee haue this by b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nature not by custome or example as elsewhere c Rom. 5. 13 14. hee prooueth by the death of little Infants which neuer transgressed actually as Adam did dying as soone as they were borne and yet sinners by nature for otherwise they could not dye vntill the Law for sinne was in the World for Death raigned from ADAM vnto MOSES euen vpon them which had not sinned according to the likenesse of the transgression of ADAM for as our Sauiour d Iohn 3. 6. saith That which is borne of the flesh such wee are all by nature is flesh and Who saith IOB e Iob 13. 4. can giue a cleane thing out of that which is vncleane Not one This naturall corruption the Scripture calleth sinne f Rom. 7. 17. because it is the sinke and puddle of all other sinnes and the Law g Rom. 7. 23. of sinne which as vtterly peruerting the whole strength of nature and contrary thereunto hath an elegant addition giuen vnto it Heb. 12. 1. h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinne that is so well fitted to gird vs in as a curbe and a bridle holding vs backe that wee are not able to runne the course that is set before vs. Thereof it is that all our actions are corrupted and naught Rom. 3. 12. There is none that doth good no not one Rom. 7. 5. When wee were in the flesh sinfull affections wrought in our members to bring forth fruit to Death which fruits hee setteth downe Titus 3. 3. For euen wee also were foolish disobedient seruing lusts and diuers kinde of pleasures leading our life in malicousnesse and enuie hated and hating one another And how can it otherwise bee chosen but that all our fruits must needes bee vnsauourie and bad when as the whole Tree and all the twigs and branches of it are rotten and naught Thirdly and lastly it is called totall in respect of both the parts of Righteousnesse Pietie and Iustice which with all the powers of our soule and bodie both by nature and in all our actions wee doe nothing else but continually transgresse Therefore PAVL Rom 1. 18. pronounceth of all men that the wrath of God is reuealed from Heauen vpon all impietie and iniustice of men as those that with-hold the truth or those small sparkes of light that God hath left them in vnrighteousnesse meaning that by reason thereof they rush forth vnto all vnrighteousnesse And Ephes 4. 24. hee willeth our renewing to be in both these parts of Holinesse and Iustice as being corrupt in both by nature All men by nature are thus alike sinfull neither doth face more answere vnto face then one mans corruption answereth to another but the fruits of sinne are in some more aboundant for as he that is sicke of the Dropsie the more he drinkes the more he may so men by long custome of sinning come at the length to such an habit that they are not afraid to lash forth openly audaciously and impudently into all euill casting off all feare of God and reuerence of man as he shameth not to professe of himselfe in the i Luke 18. 4. Gospell and so come to bee Monsters and prodigious in all kinde of wickednesse Of these the Apostle speaketh Ephesians 4. 19. Who casting off all griefe haue giuen themselues to wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse So much for their sinfulnesse Touching their miserable and cursed estate albeit For the rest the wrath of God be fully and wholy powred forth vpon 1. The wrath of God vpon them all that sinne yet is it not so presently for being in his wisdome and goodnesse pleased to make a difference betweene Angels and Men offending both for that their state and case doth differ and for the Elects sake whom he meant to take out of the Race of Adam hee purposed with himselfe not to ouer-whelme them at once with the waight of his Iustice as hee would the Angels that did transgresse but in his mercie to spare them for a time that so a way might be made for his to come vnto Repentance This time is the whole course of their life wherein they beare not the full burden of their sinne that presseth downe to Hell but feele onely some light beginning of that heauy Iudgement which hereafter is to seize vpon them if by turning vnto God they doe not repent and turne the same away Therefore the Apostle k Act. 27. 26 27 saith that God hath made of one bloud all Mankinde to dwell vpon the face of the Earth determining the oportunities of times which hee hath fore-set and the set bounds of their habitation that they may seeke the Lord if so be by groping after him they may finde him This is the reason why the whole course of our life is tearmed that Day l Iohn 9. 4. wherein we must doe good before the night come when none shall be able to worke that time of m Gal. 6. 8 10. sowing either to the flesh or Spirit the Haruest whereof shall be death or eternall Life for such as the houre of death findeth vs such shall our doome be and with n Heb. 9. 27. Death the irreuocable sentence commeth None shall rise againe to better the things he hath done in the dayes of his flesh whether they be good or euill No Sacrifice any more for sinne no intercession for the dead no Purgatory to make them cleane But whosoeuer by Christs purgation are not in this life washed from their sinnes shall after this life lye and rotte in their sins foreuer The summe is that albeit God in his mercie for the cause before remembred doe thus forbeare all yet euen during o Iohn 3. 18. this life such as haue no part in Christ that is to say all men in themselues considered are indeed and truly though not fully accursed for so the Scripture speaketh Hee that beleeueth not is alreadie condemned And p Gen. 4. 11. GOD telleth CAIN Cursed art thou euen whilest thou now art aliue In this estate I
pronouncing against vs the iudgement and condemnation f Rom. 3. 9. due vnto sin to driue vs to seeke Righteousnesse and thereby Saluation in another that is to say in Christ For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousnesse to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 10. 4. So g Gal. 3. 22 23 24. The Law shutteth all men vnder sinne not that they should perish but that the promise by Faith in Iesus Christ might be giuen to those that beleeue And thus are wee led by the hand to the second part of this most holy Doctrine the Doctrine concerning Christ and the ioyfull and glad tydings of Saluation in and through him In speaking of Christ we are to handle both his Person Immanuel God with vs is in one person and his Office And first his Person In regard wherof the Scripture giueth him the Name of h Esay 7. 14. Mat. 1. 23. Immanuel God with vs or God-man The true Iehouah Coessentiall and Consubstantiall with the Father and the holy Spirit true man of our very nature and substance Wherefore in his Person are to be considered First The two distinct natures Secondly The vnion of them into one Christ The two distinct natures the Sonne of God Samosetanus held that Christ was not before hee tooke flesh Patropassians held that the Father tooke flesh and suffered are his Deitie and Humanitie his God-head or Diuine Nature being not the Person of the Father who was not incarnate nor of the Holy Ghost but of the Sonne as it is confessed by all as many as admit the distinction of persons and euident by the Scripture Gal. 4. 4. When the fulnesse of time came God sent downe his Sonne made of a woman c. Iohn 3. 16. God so loued the World that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne c. This is also the confession of PETER Mat. 16. 16. Thou art the Sonne of the Liuing God and infinite other places Whatsoeuer therefore is disputed before concerning the God-head of the Sonne and his eternall Deitie falleth into this Man Christ Iesus And this nature doth of it selfe make a person supporting and holding vp the Manhood that wholy is subsisteth in the person of the God-head Wherefore that which is said Iohn 1. 14. The Word became flesh is expounded Heb. 2. 16. to be by taking it to his God-head therein to haue the being and subsistence and of the same to be supported and holden vp for euer The other nature is his Humanitie and very man Marcian and Valentinus taught that Christ tooke his bodie from Heauen and passed thorow the Virgin as water thorow a Pipe or that he tooke it out of the Ayre and so denyed the truth of his humane nature in that hee was perfect man of the very flesh of Marie So we reade Rom. 1. 3 Made of the Seed of DAVID according to the flesh that is his humane nature and Heb. 2. 16. He tooke not to his Godhead the nature of Angels but the Seed of ABRAHAM Againe Galat. 4. 4. he is said to be made of a woman the Preposition of noting her very substance and flesh And this is it that was prophecied long before that i Gen. 3. 15. the seed of the woman should tread downe the head of the Serpent And that k Psal 132. 11. Acts 2. 30. of the fruit of DAVIDS Loynes God would rayse vp Christ as touching the flesh Wherefore to make this more manifest he is called Shilo that is the After-birth of IVDA Gen. 49. 10. and is said to haue opened the Virgins wombe Luke 2. 23. Hee was therefore made of the Seed of Dauid and was a Plant of the Roote of Iesse a perfect man consisting as all other men doe of a bodie and soule indued with the faculties of vnderstanding and will That hee had a bodie it is plaine Heb. 10. 5. A bodie thou hast fitted for mee That it was a true bodie flesh and bones appeareth Luke 24. 39 euen after his Resurrection See mine hands and my feete for it is I my selfe handle mee and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye behold me to haue Of his soule l Mat. 26. 38. the Holy Ghost saith His Apollinaris thought that Christ tooke a bodie onely and not a soule but that his God-head stood in stead of a soule soule was heauie vnto death And hee himselfe Father m Luke 22. 46. into thy hands I commit my spirit And when he had said so he dyed Now this could not possibly fall into the God-head which is not subiect to any passion was not nor could not be seuered from the bodie seeing it is euery-where Therefore it must needs be meant of that part of mans nature which properly wee terme the soule According whereunto he attributeth Monothelites which hold there was but one will in Christ vnto himselfe a will and that distinct from the will of his Father Not n Mat. 26. 39. as I will but as thou wilt So he is said to haue an Vnderstanding Luke 2. 47. They maruailed at his answeres and at his vnderstanding And in both these parts was he subiect to o Heb. 4. 15. 2. 14. all humane frailties and imperfections without sinne In his bodie to p Mat. 4. 2. hunger q Mar. 4. 38. sleepe r Iohn 4. 6. wearinesse Å¿ Marke 3. 9. wringing t Iohn 20. 25. 19. 37 38. piercing wounding and death it selfe u Luke 2. 52. growing in height and stature as other mens bodies grow finite and circumscribed Vbiquists that would haue his bodie to be euery-where Papists that would haue it to be in many places at once in place that when hee was in one hee was not in another but x Iohn 20. 19. remooued from place to place being y Mark 16. 19. Acts 1. 9. Luke 21. 27. taken vp and corporally ascending into Heauen from z Mat. 25. 31. Acts 1. 11. whence hee shall corporally come downe againe In his minde he was subiect to ignorance of some things but not sinfull ignorance for he grew a Luke 2. 52. and increased by degrees in Wisdome b Heb. 5. 8. He learned obedience by the things hee suffered yea of some things hee had no knowledge at all as it may be probably gathered out of Mar. 11. he had not c Mar. 11. 13. of the Fig Tree whether it had any fruit or no d Mar. 13. 32. of the day houre of Iudgement in his soule hee was subiect to all kinde of naturall passions e Iohn 11. 4 35 not sinfull loue f Heb. 5 7. feare g Mar 3. 5. griefe anger h Mat. 9. 36. 14 14. pittie i Iohn 11. 15. ioy k Mar. 10. 14. indignation l Iohn 11. 33. trouble of heart m Mat. 8. 10. Mar. 6. 6. wondering n Iohn 11. 27. perplexitie
all goodnesse tomorrow may bee altered and so long as this life continueth so long there is a space left for Repentance many are called at the eleuenth houre at the winding and shutting vp of the day in the last act of their life And so was the m Luk. 23. 40. Thiefe vpon the Crosse And our n Math. 21. 31. Sauiour telleth vs that Publicans and Harlots vile and despised persons oftentimes enter into the Kingdome of Heauen before many that carrie a fairer shew Thou oughtest therefore vsing the meanes and setting still at the feete of Christ to esteeme God faithfull that when hee offereth thee grace he meaneth it for thy good and that howsoeuer now thou feele no working of it yet the moments of time are in his hands who calleth how and when he will and still to haue comfort and neuer to despayre Fiftly as Predestination is eyther to Life or Death and giuen vnto him so it is to those subordinate things whereby God hath purposed to bring his determinate Counsell to passe both in the Elect and Reprobate And those are To the Elect an appointment of Christ to be their Mediator and of them to be in Christ which in Gods good time commeth to be wrought by an effectuall calling through faith in him that beeing iustified and sanctified by his Spirit they may so in the end be glorified To the Reprobate hardnesse of heart not to beleeue the Gospell that so they might lye in their sinnes without repentance vntil the wrath of God come vpon them to the vttermost Touching the former the Apostle in one o Rom. 8. 29 30 sentence hath all the lincks of that golden Chaine for whom hee fore-knew and chose vnto life which is Election them also he predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first borne among many brethren Here is the first step as if the Apostle should say For them he purposed that his Sonne should die that Christ might be their Head and they through him the adopted sons of God and whom he predestinated thus to be his sonnes This is euerlasting life to know thee the true God and whore thou hast sent â—esâ—s Christ The perfect distribution of all Diuinity Math. 22. 38 39 40. He diuideth the tenne Commandements into the first and second Table and the whole Scripture then extant that is to say the old Testament into the Law and the Prophets 〈◊〉 6. 33. Seeke first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse where he seemeth to abbreuiate the Lords Prayer and that his Sonne should be theirs them he also called effectually to beleeue in him which is the second step and whom he called them he also iustified or made righteous through Christ from whence doth proceed as an effect from the cause Sanctification or holinesse of life the third and the fourth steps and whom hee iustified and made righteous in Christ them hee also glorified which is the end and last step of all Our p Iohn 6. 37. Sauiour as he is q Iohn 17. 3. wont in all his doctrines shortly reduceth them vnto two giuing vnto Christ and comming vnto him But to speake of all these things apart The first and the fundamentall ground of all vnto the Elect hidden in the secret counsell of God is Christ himselfe r 1. Pet. 1. 20. foreknowne or predestinated and Å¿ Reuel 13. 6. slaine for vs in his eternall purpose before the foundation of the World was layde and we in like sort elect t Eph. 1. 4. in him that is that being by faith vnited vnto Christ we might be saued by the merit of his death and suffrings And againe u Eph. 1. 5. predestinate to be the adopted Sonnes of God by Iesus Christ This is that our Sauiour saith Ioh. 17. 6. I haue manifested my Name to the men whom thou hast giuen me out of the World for that by giuing he doth not meane the manifestation of his Election by an effectual Calling through faith in Christ but the verie purpose of God to adopt vs in him appeareth Ioh. 6. 36. All that my Father giueth me shall come vnto me Where he doth manifestly distinguish betweene these two making Gods giuing vnto Christ the cause why in their time they come vnto him Christ therefore is Mediator nor any thing that God so respects in him is not the first cause of his Election but onely a subordinate meanes vnto it vnlesse which were absurd a man will say that the disease is not in nature to be thought of before the remedie nor the fall before the meanes of raising vp againe Our Sauiour Christ himselfe for this may be our warrant Iohn 17. 6. where hauing said I haue manifested thy name to the men whom thou hast giuen me out of the World that they should be adopted in and through me By and by he riseth vp a degree higher Thine they were in thine euerlasting purpose for causes onely knowne vnto thy selfe higher and aboue any consideration or respect of me written vnto life and then keeping the respect of order and not of time Thou gauest them vnto me The Apostle likewise to the x Ephes 1. 4 5. Ephesians shewing we are elect in Christ in the verie next words doth explaine it to bee meant of predestinating to adoption through Christ in himselfe that is onely for causes resting in God himselfe not in Christ as he is a Mediator This is it which as we haue heard the Apostle teacheth in the Epistle to the Romanes y Rom. 8. 29 30 Whom hee did foreknow or predestinate vnto life them hee did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne What is that Verily the same albeit the Apostle specially apply it to afflictions which wee heard before of giuing vnto Christ and so the words following doe import That he might bee the first borne among many brethren through whom by faith which is the next degree and first manifestation of this counsell being incorporate into him and made one together with him wee obtayne Righteousnesse and Sanctification which are the immediate steps whereby we ascend to glorie Now that men are predestinate vnto both these it is verie plaine for so the Apostle telleth the z â— Thes 2. 13. Thessalonians that God had chosen them to Saluation through sanctification of the Spirit and the faith of Truth Of faith particularly our a Iohn 8. 47. Sauiour saith He that is of God heareth the Word of God you therefore doe not heare because you are not of God So it is in the Acts b Acts 13. 48. They beleeued as many as were ordayned vnto life And for this cause faith is said to be c Titus 1. 1. proper to Gods Elect. Concerning Sanctification of life and the fruits therof the place is very euident Ephes 2. 10. Wee are created in Christ to good workes which God hath before prepared that we
giuen to all Christians alike for that all of vs communicate with the Priesthood of Christ and are Priests to God to Å¿ 1. Pet 2. 5. Reuel 1. 6. offer spirituall Sacrifices First our selues as Paul saith Ro. 12. 1 in the deniall of our owne lusts then the Sacrifice of Prayer and Thankesgiuing Almes and other Christian The parts are Oblation and Intercession Oblation is the offering vp of himselfe for them It standeth first in the sanctification of his humane Nature and Righteousnes then in his suffrings with the glories that did follow The sanctification of his humane Nature is the consecrating of it in all holinesse from the very first moment of his conception duties whereof the Apostle speaketh Heb. 13. 15 c. In the parts of his Priesthood we put first the offering of himselfe to God his Father for vs I say for vs because Christ is to bee considered not as one priuate man but as a publike person representing all men that are to come to life eternall as Adam did all his Posteritie for so the Apostle doth compare them Rom. 5. 14. From the vertue of this Oblation coÌ„meth the full matter of our peace with God In it we are to consider foure principall heads whereunto all may be referred first is the sanctification of his humane nature to be a fit instrument to worke our reconciliation vnto God wherein two things are comprehended First That the Man-hood or humane Nature by the wonderfull worke of the Holy Ghost was sanctified in the Virgins wombe from all kind of sinfulnesse and indued with an habit of most perfect Sanctimonie and Holinesse in the verie first minute and moment of his conception In which regard the t Luke 1. 35. Angell vnto Marie calleth him That holy thing that shall be borne of thee c. wherein he differeth from all the sonnes of Adam as well as he doth in the manner of his conception Secondly It was made a fit instrument for the whole for the worke of the Mediation worke of the Mediation that is to say not onely for his owne performance of the Priestly Offices but both for our incorporating into himselfe and for the quickening and giuing of Life and Righteousnesse and all good things to those that are incorporate and that by the power of his God-head sanctifying the Man-hood as hee saith Iohn 17. 19. For their sake doe I sanctifie my selfe It is not therefore the God-head onely that quickeneth vs but the humanitie also as an instrument or Conduit whereby he doth it And this is that our Sauiour saith Iohn 5. 26. As the Father hath life in himselfe As if he should haue said With God indeed is the fountaine of Life and Grace and all good things but that which is locked vp and buried in his vnaccessible Light hee hath powred vpon the Sonne manifested in the flesh that from him as from the Head it might flow to euerie member of the Church yea hither driueth the whole tenour of his disputation Iohn 6. 53 57 63. concerning the true cause of our eternall Happinesse After hee had said Vnlesse yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you haue no life in you hee addeth As I liue by the Father so he that eateth mee hee also shall liue by mee And anon It is the Spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing When hee saith himselfe meaning his Man-hood which was it onely which the Iewes beheld in Christ liueth by the Father that is the God-head dwelling in him which for the Iewes sake hee vttereth vnder the name of his Father rather then of himselfe he sheweth the fountaine of his Life that is of his quickening power to be that essentiall vnion of the God-head to his humane Nature in regard whereof the Father was 〈…〉 lled before The Liuing Father Againe where hee 〈◊〉 The flesh profiteth nothing and yet had said before 〈◊〉 ye eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud ye haue no life in you he distinguisheth two things most manifestly First that his humane Nature whether you consider the essence of his Soule or Bodie or any created vertue or qualitie inherent hath not of it selfe any quickening vertue in it which is onely proper to his God-head then that the same is neuerthelesse not vnprofitable but a most necessarie instrument which being first it selfe quickened by the God-head whereunto it is personally knit doth from the God-head powre life into as many as by faith are vnited to him without whose flesh the Spirit neuer quickeneth no more then the soule maketh a man to vnderstand but by the braine Therefore is the Man-hood aptly compared to a Fountaine which sendeth forth most sweet and comfortable streames of water of life vnto all his members and the Deitie to the Well-head or to a Spring that ministreth continually vnto this Fountaine The second head is the performing of thorow Righteousnesse The Righteousnesse of Christ is his performing of the most excellent measure of obedience to the Law of God that can possibly fall into any Creature and being the Righteousnes of him who is both God and Man consequently it meriteth a like supreme measure of Blessednesse for vs being in all his Actions supernaturally vpholden from all possibilitie of sinning and performing the most exact and perfect obedience of the Law Iohn 8. 29. I doe alwayes the things that are pleasing to my Father Supernaturall I say because being a true Man and hauing all the infirmities of the sonnes of men sinne onely excepted he was as all other in his owne Nature subiect to temptation and of a mutable disposition to imbrace euill as Adam did if it had beene possible for the God-head to the which hee was personally vnited to haue left him In this part I consider the measure First of his Righteousnesse and then of the Blessednesse which hee merited both of them in the highest most supreme excellencie that can bee more then I say not men but all the Angels of heauen are capable of being the righteousnâ—â— of him which is both God and Man therefore 〈◊〉 The u 1. Cor. 4. 21. Righteousnesse of God which notwithstanding as a qualitie inherent to the humane Nature of Christ is to be distinguished from that essentiall Righteousnesse of his that he hath as God which is the verie God-head To the third head are to be referred the sufferings of Suffering one principall part of that obedience is Christ a principall part of his obedience as hee tooke vpon him the Office of Mediator but in nature and consideration of the Doctrine to be distinguished from the former And herein especially standeth that offering of himselfe vp to God his Father for vs. As the Apostle The abomination of the Popish Masse wherein the Priest offereth vp Christ euery day vnto his Father testifieth Hebrewes 9. 14. How much more shall the bloud of CHRIST who by his
c Daniel 9. 14. Daniel vseth the Phrase of purging sinnes in stead of the pardoning and taking them away by Christs purgation and the price which he should pay But shall we then make Christ the Beloued and Blessed one of his Father to bee accursed Verily the Apostle as he called him Sin before so in the same sense feareth not to say that he was made a Curse * Gal. 3. 13. for vs by imputation of the curse due to our sinnes The curse that our sinne deserueth beeing of two both that of this life Kindes both that of this life and the fulnesse of it due vnto vs after death Christ indured both Touching those of this life generally the Apostle to the Hebrewes faith d Heb. 4. 15. 2. 14. He was tempted and had experience of our infirmities in all things like to vs without sinne But to number them in order answerable to our owne they are these that follow First Satan himself molested him with his temptations to whose halings and pullings carrying and recarrying he subiected his sacred Bodie if we follow the literall sense and vnderstand the Euangelists words properly and his holy and innocent Soule to his temptations Math. 4. 5 8. Then the Deuill tooke him into the holy Citie and set him vpon a pinacle of the holy Temple Againe the Deuill tooke him into an exceeding high mountaine and shewed him c. Secondly the creatures were his enemies and armed to doe him hurt e Mark 4. 36 37 3â— the windes the stormes and the waues of the Sea did rise vp against him Thirdly he tooke vpon him the infirmities of our nature f Matth. 4. 2. Hunger g Iohn 4. 6. wearinesse weakenesse sicknesse c. Esay 53. 3 4. and Math. 8. 17. He hath indured our diseases and horne our sorrowes Fourthly Basenesse contempt abiection humbling himselfe who was Lord of Heauen and Earth and in the forme of God and equall with his Father not onely to come downe into the lower parts of the earth but emptying himselfe to become of none account and to take the forme of a seruant that is of a poore contemned person that the people and Rulers did abhorre him wherevpon worthily doth the Prophet call him h Esay 49. 67. Him whom euerie one despiseth whom the Nation esteemeth as abominable a seruant to the Rulers c. And againe i Isai 53. 2 3 4. There is in him no beautie nor comelinesse and when we looke vpon him there is no shew why we should desire him A contemptible person and an Abiect among men a man of griefe and acquainted with infirmity contemned so as we doe not esteeme him Fiftly Infinite calamities as Smitings Lyings in wait Spittings Scourgings Pouertie al kind of wrongs Contumelies Slanders Reproches Blasphemies Scoffings Esay 50. 6. My backe I expose to the Smiters and my checkes to the Nippers my face I hide not from contumely from spittle As in the holy Storie it is recorded they pittifully scourged him crowned him with Thornes scoffed and spit at him Particularly of Pouertie wee reade 2. Cor. 8. 9. Hee became poore for our sakes Insomuch that as hee k Mat. 8. 20. professeth of himselfe Hee had not where to lay his head Sixtly Bodily death and that a reprochfull one to be hanged Phil. 2. 8. He humbled himselfe vnto Death euen the Death of the Crosse All which were properly in him the l Esay 53. 34. Mat. 8. 17. punishment of our sinnes Touching the full cursednesse due vnto vs after death and the fulnes of it due vnto them after death which we affirme that hee indured the meaning is not that he felt the verie estate and condition of the damned but the whole and full seuere wrath of God due to sinne equall to the very Hellish torments in vehemencie of paines and sharpnesse which may appeare First because he suffered the very sorrowes and paines for sinne which else wee should haue borne as the Prophet saith m Esay 53. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He bare our iniquities and our very sorrowes hee sustayned neither could he otherwise haue beene the n 2. â—â—m 2. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 price of our Redemption nor our o Heb. 7. 22. Suretie if hee had not paid the verie summe Secondly The sorrow and trouble of his minde before hee came to handie-gripes whereof hee himselfe saith p Iohn 12 27. Now is my soule troubled And what shall I say Father saue mee from this houre but therefore came I vnto this houre my q Mat. 26. 38. soule is euery way compassed with sorrowes to death his feare fright because of this bitter Cup being so terrible that r Mar. 14. 33 34. Angels were faine to be sent downe to strengthen and incourage him that his bodie as yet without all harme Å¿ Luke 22. 44. trickled downe with clots of bloud in stead of sweate which was neuer heard of in any man besides shew that it was more then bodily paines euen the whole Cup of Gods wrath which hee so t Heb. 5. 7. feared in fearing felt and feeling was deliuered from Else he had not beene so strong as ten thousand Saints and Martyrs that fight but by his strength Thirdly It appeareth by the mayne battaile fought three whole houres vpon the Crosse all which time tugging in the fearefull darke with him that hath the power of darkenesse to hide from the eyes of the World the fire of his Fathers wrath which in that hot skirmish burnt vp euery part and to giue to the Enemie full scope and aduantage he cryed out at the last in the extremitie of his anguish but yet as one that had now ouercome the vttermost of the brunt My u Mat. 24. 45 â—6 God my God why hast thou all this while forsaken me Fourthly The Apostle expresly saith that x Gal. 3. 13. Christ was made a curse for vs. And it cannot be that hee meaneth that curse but of a shamefull and ignominious death only for he speaketh of the curse due to euery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them from which Christ redeemed vs himselfe being made that curse for vs. Neither doth the reason which the Apostle rendreth As it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth vpon the Tree prooue that our Sauiour Christ was no otherwise accursed then as euery other Male factor is or as the Thiefe vpon the Crosse whose soule notwithstanding went to Paradise but his reason serueth for the contrarie to prooue that this kinde of death was by way of Type and Ceremonie accursed in the Law prefiguring the curse that was to light vpon our Sauiour Christ in whom all the Ceremonies of the Law had their accomplishment and perfection But how will you say could this feare in Christ be without sinne Because it grew not from weaknesse of faith much
operations or faculties to worke great and wonderfull things but the same God there is that worketh all these things in all And so I distinguish those wordes in the question of the High Priests vnto the Apostles c Acts 4. 7. By what power or by what name haue you done this As if they should haue said By what Gifts or Calling noteth the Gift and Grace the other the Function or Calling it selfe Of gifts that are for a mans owne priuate is one knowledge Gifts for a mans owne priuate are knowledge of the Word of Christ and vnderstanding of the Word of Christ An excellent and a goodly grace for howsoeuer knowledge of it selfe without further The Popish assertion that Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion which the Apostle maketh the Mother of Pride and of Rebellion against God Rom. 10. 3. grace bee not of power to reforme the hart yet it is so necessary that the holy Ghost pronounceth e Pro. 29. 2. Without knowledge the heart cannot bee good And this also is the proper worke of Christ for f Iohn 1. 18. No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne who is in the bosome of his Father he hath declared him But knowledge as I said a man may haue and yet be and a taste of the sweetnesse of it which being the highest step that it is possible for any Reprobate to ascend neuer a whit the neerer to his Saluation nor haue made one pace vnto the heauenly Kingdome as touching any reformation of the heart That which followeth bringeth a change and alteration with it which the g Heb. 6. 4. Apostle calleth A tasting of the good Word of God c. meaning the sweet promises of the Gospell and is the furthest step that it is possible for any Reprobate to goe Wherein I obserue foure things First That it is a peculiar worke of Christ and commeth not but from him and h Heb. 10. 29. the Spirit of his Grace Secondly That it is not a counterfeit shew of holinesse or in hypocrisie onely but a matter of truth and an excellent grace of GOD wrought indeed in them touching and affecting their hearts as the Apostle Peter plainly sheweth 2. Pet. 1. 8. They beguile those that i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeed had escaped from them that were conuersant in errour Thirdly I obserue the neerenesse and affinitie that it hath with the sauing faith and the fruits of this with the fruits of that in which respect it pleaseth the Holy Ghost to call them both by one and the same name for they are said to bee k Heb. 6. 4. enlightened to l Heb. 10. 29. receiue the Spirit of Grace to m Luke 8. 13. They beleeued for a time Iohn 2. 24. Many beleeued yet he would not commit himselfe vnto them because he knew them all and what was in them Acts 8. 13 Then Simon also himselfe beleeued haue Faith to beleeue that the n Mat. 12. 43. vncleane spirit is gone out of them to flye o 2. Pet. 1. 20. the pollutions of the World to be p 2. Pet. 2. 22. washed to be q Heb. 10. 29. sanctified by the Spirit to be made r Heb. 6. 5. partaker of the Holy Ghost And the mayne sinne committed here-against is termed in the Scripture ſ Mat. 12. 13 32 Sinne against the Holy Ghost So that these men come to the skirt of the Holy Land and as Moses did from Mount Nebo behold it from afar or rather are at the very gate of the Kingdome of Heauen though for lacke of Faith they cannot enter in In nature it commeth so neere that they taste the changeth after a sort mans corrupt nature sweetnesse and excellency that is in Christ as we shewed before out of Heb. 6. 4. In the fruits and effects that a great and wonderfull change is wrought in them in all their parts and powers their Vnderstanding Will affections Wayes For touching their Vnderstanding they are t Heb. 10. 26. inlightened to the Knowledge and acknowledgement of Christ Touching their Will they desire to bee like Gods Children and to bee saued as Balaam did Numbers 23. 10. O that my soule might dye the death of the Righteous and that my last end might be like theirs For their Affections to omit those that comming from the Law and Couenant of workes may be in such as neuer heard of Christ as terrour and pricking of conscience for their sinnes which u Acts 24. 25. Felix had when Paul disputed of Righteousnesse Temperance and of the Iudgement to come to bee sorrie for them as x Heb. 12. 17. Esay that with teares sought the blessing and y Mat. 27. 35. Iudas that repented him and in the anguish of his soule hanged himselfe Those that properly belong to this place are First An imbracing of the Truth whereupon they are said to z Heb. 10. 25. receiue the Word and to receiue the acknowledgement of the Truth as it were taking it in their armes and imbracing it Secondly Ioy and Gladnesse in the sweet promises of the Gospell They a Heb. 6. 4 5. taste the good Word of God and the powers of the life to come they b Mat. 13. 20. receiue the Word by and by with ioy So did the c Iohn 5. 35. Iewes who willingly reioyced for a while in IOHNS light And d Marke 6. 20. Herod that heard him gladly Thirdly Zeale which was in the Galatians e Gal. 4. 15. that receiued Paul as an Angell and would haue plucked out their eyes to haue done him good and yet afterwards fell away So was f 2. Kin. 10. 16. Iehu zealous for Gods cause in the defacing of Idolatrie and yet a g 2. Kin. 10. 31 wicked man Fourthly Reuerence of the Ministers as HEROD h Marke 6. 20. reuerenced IOHN knowing him to bee a iust and a holy man and obserued him Changes in their actions and wayes Beside a confession of their faults with i Exod. 9. 27. PHARAOH I haue sinned this time IEHOVAH is most iust but I and my people are most wicked And k 1. Sam. 15. 24 26. 21. SAVL I haue sinned now c. And a conforming of themselues in the outward duties of holinesse as to heare the Word preached which l Marke 6. 20. Herod did to Prayer c. They haue these First Vexation in themselues and disquietnesse of minde before they commit sinne and feare to commit it So m Marke 6. 26. Herod was sore grieued to grant Herodias request when shee asked Iohn Baptists head and n Mat. 27. 24. Pilate much troubled in minde before he condemned Christ and sought all meanes to put it off Secondly Repentance and a kinde of humiliation for sinnes committed as o 1. Kings 21. 27 29. Ahab that rent his clothes and put sackcloth vpon him and fasted
certaine promise or the faith and credit of the Promise-Maker may bee called in question But that hope which the Scripture speaketh of and which here wee deale with respecting celestiall Happinesse and eternall Glorie in Heauen which i Titus 1. 2 3. God that cannot lye hath promised in his Word apprehendeth the same most certainly without all exception and therfore is said k Rom. 5. 5. not to make ashamed being a Noble and a Royall Vertue and of a Diuine Ofspring the Daughter of Faith and Mother of Patience Daughter and inseparable Companion of Faith for what is Faith else but l Heb. 11. 1. the ground-worke or foundation and subsistence of things hoped for Againe it is the Mother of Patience as wee heard euen now out of the Epistle to the Romanes If m Rom. ◠25. wee hope for that we see not wee doe wait for it with patience Therfore the Apostle elegantly termeth it n Heb. 6. 19. The Anchor of our soules to stay vs in the middest of the stormes and troubles of this life til we ariue at the hauē of all our rest Faith and Hope do thus differ Faith imbraceth Christ as present and in him all Happinesse in generall Hope looketh at one certaine Happinesse to come which is the inioying of the glorious presence of God of CHRIST and of the holy Angels in Heauen CHAP. VIII Of Regeneration THE fruit and glorious effect of Faith that The fruit of an effectuall calling is that destroying of the old world that is our sinfull cursed estate by the power of his death and sufferings he maketh is of Christ by Faith apprehended of Gods Elect is this that destroying in them the old World that is our sinfull and cursed estate by the power of his death and sufferings as the Apostle teacheth Gal. 6. 14. and in other places hee maketh of the true Church a new a heauenly World giuing his Sonne vnto them and Righteousnesse Holinesse and life euerlasting in and through him Many points of great waight and singular vse arise from hence seriously to be attended First Here is the reall and royall performance of the Couenant which God that cannot lye not onely offereth vnto all to whose eares the sound of the Word doth come and striketh hands with such as by Faith make it theirs but giueth and performeth the very truth thereof when they are once entred into the societie of the Couenant wherefore it is called o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The exhibiting of the Couenant a putting into possession as it were by liuerie and seisin Ezech. 20. 37. and Paul saith Gal. 3. 23. The promise by the Faith of Iesus Christ is giuen to those that beleeue So wee finde recorded Ier. 31. 34 34. This is the Couenant which I will make with the House of Israel I will put my Law in their minde and write it in their heart and will bee their God and they shall bee my people I will bee fauourable to their iniquities and their sinnes will I remember no more And againe Ezech. 36. 25 26 27. I will powre vpon you cleane waters and yee shall be cleane from your pollutions and from all your abominations will I clense you and I will giue vnto you a new heart and a new Spirit will I put in the midst of you and I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh and will giue vnto you a hart of flesh and my Spirit will I put in the midst of you and make that yee shall walke in mine Ordinances my Iudgements ye shal obserue doe Secondly This Couenant is exhibited but to a few of the true Church Ier. 31. 33. the House of Israel Gods faithfull people whereas all mankind was partaker of the former Couenant for in Adam all were made righteous Wherefore Faith is the onely meanes and instrument whereby God in this life giueth his Sonne or Christ giueth himselfe vnto vs and is made ours by spirituall Regeneration as the Apostle witnesseth q 1. Ioh. 5. 1. Euerie one that beleeueth that Iesus is that Christ is borne of God And againe r Ioh. 1. 12. As many as receyued him he gaue vnto them this dignitie to become the sonnes of God euen to those that beleeue in his name who are not borne of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God ſ Gal. 3. 26. All yee saith the Apostle to the Galatians are the sonnes of God through faith in Christ Iesus This alone putteth vs in possession of Christ and of all the good things we haue from him for t Eph. 3. 17. he dwelleth in our hearts by faith and there is u Ioh. 6. 35. no way to feed vpon him but by beleeuing in him no way to life but by feeding on him Otherwise wee cannot haue his Spirit which x Gal. 3. 14. wee receiue by faith onely nor y Act. 26. 18. haue our sinnes forgiuen vs or Christs righteousnesse imputed to vs which is euery where called z Rom. 4. 11 13. The righteousnesse of faith a Rom. 9. 13. 10. 6. The righteousnesse by faith b Rom. 3. 22. The righteousnesse of God by faith c Rom. 4. 5 9. Faith imputed for righteousnesse And Faith said to be that whereby we d Abacuc 2. 4. Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 3. 11. Heb. 10. 38. are righteous whereby we e Rom. 3. 26 28. 5. 1. Gal. 2. 16. 3. 8 24. are iustified not for any inherent qualitie that is in Faith more than in Loue Hope or other vertues but because it apprehendeth Christ and maketh him ours who is our onely righteousnesse our hearts cannot else be purified for f Act. 15. 9. that Faith doth alone Else can we not be partakers of the promised bessednesse g Gal. 3. 9. which is giuen to the faithfull onely So wonderfull is the worke of Faith Thirdly Here is the verie life and power of the Kingdome a new of Christ and that wherein his glorie shineth incomparably most of all in that he frameth and fashioneth vs from aboue to be new Creatures of naturall men spirituall heauenly men of carnall h Psal 102. 19. So Eph. 2. 10. a people created againe as the Psalmist speaketh whereby he maketh a new face of things and as it were another world i Esay 65. 17. I make new heauens and a new earth k 2. Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new The Author to the Hebrewes termeth this excellent condition and estate l Heb. 2. 5. The world to come in opposition to this present world wherof the Apostle saith that m Gal. 1. 4. Christ hath deliuered vs out of this present euill world Wherefore by the world to come is not meant as in our common speech it is
renewing doth specially shew it selfe as our naturall corruption doth specially in the flesh thereof it is that it hath the name also of the minde and inner man All which together with the worke of Regeneration comprehend also the qualities wherein or whereunto wee are regenerate for these things though they bee distinguished yet cannot be sundred or deuided From this our incorporating into Christ foure things doe follow First In that wee are so incorporate as is aforesaid Christ himselfe must needs be the Head of this Incorporation and we the bodie members of Christ our Head and members one of another as the Apostle speaketh in many places He z Ephes 1. 22. hath made him Head ouer all vnto the Church which is his Bodie the fulnesse of him that filleth all things in all for a 1. Cor. 12. 12 â—7 as the bodie is one and hath many members and all the members of the bodie which is one they being many are one bodie so is Christ Now yee are the bodie of Christ and members particularly Wee b Eph. 5. 30 32 are members of his Bodie of his flesh and of his bones I speake of Christ and of his Church c Col. 1. 24. I fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ for his Bodie which is the Church We d Rom. 12. 5. being many are one Bodie in Christ and euery one one anothers members The e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Papists which teach that the true Catholike Church of Christ consisteth of wicked and good together Church and euery member of it is quickened by his Spirit and liueth by his life as f Gal. 20. 20. Paul saith It is no more I that liue but Christ liueth in mee Whereupon because CHRIST raigneth there so gloriously by the power of his Spirit this true Church is many times called The g Iohn 3. 5. Kingdome of God And as there is but one Christ no more can there bee but one Church There is one Bodie and one Spirit saith h Eph. 4 4 5 6 Paul to the Ephesions 〈…〉 n as yee were called in one hope of your vocation One Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all c. And to the Corinths Because the bread that Loafe and holy Sacrament whereof we all eate the Badge of our coniunction with Christ is one therefore we that are many are one i 1. Cor. 10. â—7 Bodie Thus also doth Salomon sing in his Diuine Song My k Cant. 6. 6. Doue is one And as there is but one Church no more there is but one Head l Hosh 1. 11. that is Christ one Sheep-fold and one Shepheard as he himselfe speaketh Iohn 10. 16. And this Title of Head of the Church the Apostle giueth him as it were by excellencie aboue all other creatures Colos 1. 18. Hee is m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that The Papists will haue the Pope to be the head of the Church and so make of it a Monster with two heads And where they pretend the Pope to be onely a Ministeriall head it is ridiculous for First If they denie him that propertie and those offices which belong vnto a head then they make him no Head at all Secondly Christ himselfe being alwayes effectually present in the Church by his Spirit as hee saith Mat. 28. 20. I am with you alwayes vnto the end of the World hath no need of a Deputie or Vicar nor can haue any for by the rule of all Law and reason Commissions and Deputations haue no place in the presence oâ— the partie The Pope therefore bearing himselfe as head of the Church and taking vpon him most sacrilegiously all that belongeth to the Head is that Antichrist the man of sinne of whom wee reade 2. Thess 2. 3. c. for Paul there speaketh nor of one particular person as the Papists fondly surmise but of the whole bodie and succession of that Antichristian Sect which kinde of phrase is common in the Scripture as Esay 2â— 15. Tyrus shall be forgotten seuentie yeeres according to the dayes of one King that is during all the time that the Babylonian Kings shall flourish from Nebuchadnezzar vnto Cyrus which lasted seuentie yeeres in the succession of diuers Kings So Dan. 7. 3. it is said Foure great beasts shall rise out of the Sea which in the seuenteenth Verse hee interpreteth to bee foure Kings that is foure Monarchies or Kingdomes And so doth the Apostle vse the phrase in this verie place 2. Thess 2. 7. He that 〈…〉 h or which now ruleth meaning the Romane Emperour shall let till he bee taken away But one Emperour did not nor could liue so long as from Pauls time to the translating of the Empire of Rome Hee meaneth therefore the succession of Emperours and heere the sucession of the Papacie And that the See of Rome is the seat of this iniquitie appeareth beside other arguments in that it must be the Ladie Ciâ—ie of the World Reu. 17. 18. situate vpon seuen Hils Reu. 17. 19. which agreeth to Rome alone Head of the Bodie of the Church Therefore it is blasphemie and impietie to make any other Head of the Church but him Yet in this our spirituall Euerie member in his due proportion incorporating into Christ a proportion is to bee obserued For euen as amoÌ„g the members of a man all are not of like dignitie and preeminence for if all were one member where were the Bodie if the whole body were the eye what should become of the hearing if all hearing where were the smelling but the difference of the members maketh a more excellent agreement in the Bodie So is it not onely in the outward Church but in the true Catholike Church of Christ Christ himselfe the Head the rest some Armes some Legges some Feet c. as best may make for the beautie and dignitie of the whole So we are taught Ephes 4. 15 16. Let vs grow vp in him in all things who is the Head euen Christ by whom all the Bodie coupled and knit together by euery ioynt furnished according to the effectuall working in the measure of euery particular part maketh an increase of the bodie c. 1. Cor. 12. 14 15 27. The Bodie is not one Member but many if the foot shall say Because I am not of the head I am not of the bodie is it not therefore of the Bodie c Now yee are the Bodie of Christ and members particularly And these God hath set in the Church first Apostles c. Secondly As the Vine and branches are of one whereby being one with him and through him with God nature the man and wife one flesh the head the members one Bodie so wee are one with Christ and consequently one one with another as a Syens ingraffed on the arme of a Tree is both one with the Arme and with the Tree it selfe This our Sauiour teacheth most sweetly Iohn
fulnesse of Christ that we may be no more children c. And 1. Cor. 13. 10. When that which is perfect shall come then that which is in part shall be done away When I was a child I spake as a child I reasoned as a child But when I became a man I put away the conceits of a child The Infancie of Regeneration I call that weake inception which is in vs during this present life wherein we are yet as little children scarce come out of the shell h 1. Pet. 2. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 New-borne babes as PETER calleth vs i Rom. 8. 23. which receiue but the first fruits of the Spirit or onely k 2. Cor. 1. 22. a pawne or pledge the earnest penny of the Spirit for as in the naturall birth of a man his bodie commeth not into the world so great and strong as afterwards it proueth but small weake and impotent so in the spirituall birth of Regeneration the soule of man is not at the first moment indued with perfection but must grow and go on forwards to it which is all our life long I meane not that this Infancie is the first act of our Regeneration for there be some that are borne in respect of others strong in Christ and Giants the first day as was the Apostle Paul But I meane the whole progresse also and continuance all our life euen in the best And so doth the Apostle 1. Cor. 13. 11. bring the similitude of childe-hood and mans estate not to note the beginning and proceeding in Christianitie but to set forth the excellencie in heauen aboue that which we attaine vnto being here To this estate these foure things are proper First In euerie man Regenerate there be as it were two men deuided the old and the new man The old man called also the outward man the flesh the members for we carrie about vs a whole bodie of sinne is so much of vs whatsoeuer it be within or without that is naturall and left yet vnregenerate The new man called also the inner man the Spirit the minde is our part Regenerate and borne againe wherein being freed from sinne we begin to bring forth fruits to God And that both these are in one and the same man we are taught Math. 26. 41. The Spirit is readie but the flesh is weake 1. Cor. 5. 5. Deliuer such a one to Satan to the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may bee saued in the Day of the Lord Iesus Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh that yee cannot doe the things you would Rom. 7. 25. Therefore I my selfe in the minde serue the Law of God but in the flesh the law of sinne and in a number of other places Thirdly That it is not a worke to bee seene and in our owne inward assurance of the Spirit not in the Worlds discerning of it knowne of men as that other shall be manifest vnto all But euery mans conscience must assure him for himselfe and of other in whom there bee signes and likelihoods we are to hope the best wherefore the Apostle Col. 3. 3. saith That our life is hid with God in Christ not to be manifested till Christ our Life doe manifest himselfe For l 1. Iohn 3. 2. this cause saith another the World knoweth vs not because it knoweth not him Beloued now are we the Children of God but it is not yet made manifest what we shall be Fourthly In this infancie there is yet a continuall and growing growth till we come to the full measure of a perfect man in Christ And that is it which the Apostle saith 2. Cor. 4. 16. that the inner man is renewed daily as hee doth more largely declare it Ephes 4. 15 16. Being sincere in loue let vs grow vp in him in all things who is the Head euen Christ of whom all the whole bodie knit together and compact by all the ioynts furnished through the power within working of Christ our Head quickening all the parts as the Soule doth the Bodie according to the measure of euery member receiueth an increase fit for the bodie to the building vp of it selfe through loue Colos 2. 19. By whom or from whom that is to say from Christ the Head all the Bodie furnished and knit together by ioynts and bands increaseth with the increase of God And hither those two Parables before Mat. 1◠seeme to tend Fiftly That the measure and proportion of our according as our Faith doth grow growth is the measure proportion of our Faith as the Apostle sheweth there m Ephes 4. 13. that the vnity of Faith bringeth the perfection of the Bodie of Christ So as the greater wee be in Faith the stronger wee are in Christ if of small Faith then weake Babes in Christ The full perfection and accomplishment of Regeneration After commeth that perfect Regeneration which the Scripture calleth mans estate shall then bee When wee haue attayned the marke and are made perfect as the Apostle speaketh Phil. 3. 12. Therefore this degree is termed Mans estate and sometimes by a note of excellencie aboue the other hath the name of Regeneration appropriate vnto it as appeareth by conference of Mat. 19. 28. with Marke 10. 30. where that which Matthew nameth Regeneration is called The World to come for then indeed doth our Spirituall Marriage beginne all our life here being as it were n Cant. 4. 7 8. the bidding or as the betrothing of a Wife The Church in the Canticles setteth it forth by o Cant. 7. 6. bringing of Christ into the House of her Mother CHAP. IX Of Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption THE holy Angell telling Ioseph of a Sonne Saluation wrought by the Spirit of Christ dwelling in vs. to bee brought into the World whose name should be called IESVS rendreth this reason of the Name q Mat. 1. 22. For he shall saue his people from their sinnes That Saluation the Spirit of Christ dwelling in vs and being ours by Regeneration effectually doth worke for it washeth vs from our sinnes it iustifieth our persons and sanctifieth our hearts slaying sinne in our mortall bodies and quickening our soules to a liuing hope through the Resurrection of Iesus Christ and shall hereafter quicken both our bodies and our soules vnto euerlasting Glorie Thus the Apostle writeth to the Corinths n 1. Cor. 6. 11. But yee are washed from the sinnes wherein they formerly wallowed but yee are iustified but yee are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And to the o Rom 8. 11. Romanes If the Spirit of him that raysed Iesus from the dead dwell in you hee that raysed Christ from the dead will also quicken your mortall bodies by his Spirit dwelling in you As on the other side p Iohn 6. 53. Christ saith Vnlesse ye eat the flesh of
so Esay 45. 24 you shall find this very word to that purpose in the u Matth. 22. 11 plurall And Iohn here placeth wholly in the robe that the Saints put on the x 2. Cor. 5. 21. marriage garment Christ Iesus not in themselues but the y Rom. 1. 17. 3. 21. 22. brightnes wherof is not meant of shining before men but in the eyes of God wherefore in many and elsewhere places it is called The Righteousnes of God as that which may boldly offer it selfe in Gods sight and abide the strict examination of his Iustice being the Righteousnesse of him that is God himselfe But what vse will you say is there of the imputation of righteousnesse if our sinnes that seuer vs from God be forgiuen and taken from vs Yes vndoubtedly verie great and singular as may appeare by those parts of happinesse whereunto otherwise then by this we are able to lay no claime And therefore the Apostle Rom. 5. handleth professedly this Doctrine of imputation of Righteousnesse as without which the other of forgiuenesse of sinnes had not beene perfect And where in z Rom. 4. 6 7. another place he defineth Happinesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are pardoned it is no full and exact definition numbring all the parts but by a Synechdoche naming one best fitting his present purpose hee giueth to vnderstand the rest as in diuers other places Blessednesse is diuersly defined by those things which yet in truth are but branches of the true and perfect Blessednesse Blessed a Psal 1. 1. is the man that hath not walked in the way of sinners Blessed b Luke 11. 2◠are they that heare the Word of God and keepe the same The reason whereof is because all the parts of happinesse are so linked and ioyned together that he which hath one must needs haue all The parts if I may so call them of this righteousnesse the holinesse of his nature imputed to vs are first the perfect Sanctification of Christs humane nature whereby our originall and naturall corruption not imputed to vs our nature it selfe is accounted holy in the sight of God whereof the Apostle speaketh Rom. 8. 2 3. The Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the law of sinne and of death for which was impossible to the Law for that it was weake by reason of our flesh God sending his own Sonne in the likenesse of sinfull flesh for sinne hath condemned sinne in the flesh that that which the Law requireth might bee fulfilled in vs where the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus he calleth that perfect and all-sufficient Sanctification of our nature in him whereby he comming in the likenesse of sinfull flesh for sinne that is to abolish sinne it selfe in our nature taken vpon him condemned or which is all one abolished sinne in the flesh meaning in his own person through whose perfect Sanctification of nature made ours the reliques of sinne that our corrupt nature is tainted with are not imputed to vs and therefore wee bee free from death and condemnation being wholly restored euen in our nature to a greater integritie then we lost in Adam All which the Apostle sheweth was in respect of the weaknesse of the Law being of no strength by reason of the flesh or part vnregenerate which hindreth the worke of the Law otherwise most perfect and is opposite thereto that it neither can or will be subiect to it So as to the end we might fulfill that which the Law requireth which is to be righteous not in our Actions onely but in our verie nature it was necessarie so to haue it sanctified in the person of Christ not supplying that which ours wanteth but wholly and altogether sanctifying vs in himselfe And by this meanes it commeth to passe that wee are after the most precise and exact rule of the Law righteous before God hauing the perfect integritie of our nature absolutely in Christ for which purpose hee saith not might be fulfilled of vs but in vs speaking of Christs owne Sanctitie imputed to vs. Secondly The thorow and perfect obedience which and Righteousnesse to be ours he performed in the whole course of his life both in the duties to God his Father and in respect of men with whom he was conuersant here on Earth whereby all our vile and filthy actions not comming into account our whole life is reckoned most absolutely good and holy not onely void of sinne but full of perfect Righteousnesse as the same Apostle teacheth b Rom. 5. 12. to the end of the Chapter Rom. 5. setting it forth by an excellent comparison of our Sauiour Christ with Adam both in the things wherein they agree in this point and in those wherein they differ They agree in this that each conueyeth his owne to those that are his whom the Apostle therefore calleth many opposing them to that one whom hee considereth as their Head Adam hee conuayeth both guilt and sinne vnto condemnation Christ Righteousnesse and Obedience vnto Iustification they differ in this First Adam deriueth it downe by nature vpon all his posteritie Christ bestoweth it by grace and fauour and free imputation Secondly Adams one sinne condemed all CHRIST iustifieth from many sinnes not that one onely but all other Thirdly Christs Righteousnesse is more auaileable and of greater power to saue then Adams sinne was to condemne for that indeed threw vs downe from the state of Innocencie but Christ hath raysed vs to a more excellent state vnto the heauenly glorie And hereof commeth our Iustification properly so called that is to say Gods censure and Iudgement of vs approouing vs for holy and righteous before him as hauing that Righteousnesse that is able to abide his presence So as euen by the sentence of God himselfe and in his most exact Iustice we are freed and absolued and declared righteous and worthie of euerlasting life which is that the Scripture opposeth to the sentence of condemnation Rom. 8. 33 34. Who shall lay accusation to the Elect of God It is God that iustifieth who can condemne Thus the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5. 18. As by one offence guilt came vpon all men vnto condemnation so by one c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the matter of our Iustification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustification it selfe fulfilling of Righteousnesse that is by Christs perfect fulfilling of the Law the benefit came vpon all vnto Iustification of life or to the declaring and approouing of vs iust before God whereby wee obtayne euerlasting life This so noble a benefit commeth to bee wrought by the Resurrection of Christ as the Remission of our sinnes came by his death and sufferings So writeth the d Rom. 4. 25. Apostle to the Romanes He dyed for our sinnes and rose for our Iustification Not that his death had no hand in
18. Perfect loue casteth out feare Å¿ Iam. 1. 4. That yee may bee perfect and wholly sound wanting in nothing By perfect it meaneth not the exact performance of legall Righteousnesse but the whole and totall change of all the man which yet in this life is euermore imperfect And so doth Iames in that place last before mentioned expound it So that there is a Legall and an Euangelicall perfection which rather and more properly is termed integritie I call it totall first in respect that the whole man and all our parts and powers both of the soule and bodie are renewed as the Apostle to the t 1. Thess 5. 23. Thessalonians prayeth that their Spirit soule and bodie may be kept vnblameable in the comming of Iesus Christ First our mind and euen the Spirit of our mind whereof it is said u Rom. 12. 2. Bee transformed in the renewing of your minde x Ephe. 4. 23. Be renewed in the Spirit of your mind I y Ezech. 36. 26. wil put a new Spirit in the midst of you Againe both our Knowledge and Iudgement are reformed that now z 1. Cor. 2. 15. the spirituall man discerneth all things And our Memorie and Consciences purged for the Memorie that serueth where the Apostle doth commend the a 1. Thess 3. 6. Thessalonians for hauing a good memory of him alwayes And to the b 1. Cor. 11. 2. Corinths That they remembred all his matters or remembred him in all things Of the Conscience it is said c Heb. 9. 4. That the bloud of Christ purgeth our Consciences from dead works to serue the liuing God And d Heb. 10. 22. Hebrewes the tenth Hauing your hearts sprinkled from an euill Conscience This Renewing reacheth to the heart also that is to the Soule the seate of the Desire Will Affection which e Ezech. 36. 26 Ezechiel addeth to that of the Spirit I will giue you a new heart And f Deut. 10. 16. Moses saith Circumcise the fore-skin of your heart Of the Desire we reade The g Gal. 5. 17. Spirit or part regenerate lusteth against the flesh Of the Will that h Phil. 2. 3. God worketh this grace in vs to will according to his owne good pleasure And of the Affections They that i Gal. 5. 24. are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts of it Lastly The Bodie it selfe and all the members are made anew not in substance but in qualitie by putting off the sinfull body of the flesh as the Apostle speaketh k Col. 2. 11. Colossians the second Whereupon he doth exhort vs l Rom. 6. 12. Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies m Col. 3. 5. Mortifie your earthly members fornication and vncleannesse c. For as there is a n Rom. 7. 25. law of the members that rebelleth against the Law of the minde so there are o 1. Cor. 12. 27. members that are by Regeneration the members of CHRIST which fight against that Law of the old man Secondly It is totall in respect that it maketh a change not in our p Ier. 7. 3. wayes and actions only but in our very nature the perfect and all-sufficient Sanctification Esay 1. 16 17. of our nature in the person of Christ himselfe freeing vs from that naturall corruption which as the Law of the members is inherent in vs. This the Apostle speaketh Romanes q Rom. 8. 2. the eighth The Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed mee from the Law of sin and of death that is from that inherent corruption which as the Law of the members sticketh to our nature the perfect Sanctification of his humane nature beginning a Sanctification here in vs euen in our very nature ouer and besides the Righteousnesse of our wayes Thirdly It is totall in regard of both the parts of Righteousnesse which wee are renewed into Holinesse and true Iustice for both these the Scripture noteth Ephes 4. 24. Put on the new man which according to God is created in Holinesse and true Iustice Marke 6. 20. Herod reuerenced IOHN BAPTIST knowing he was a iust and a holy man Luke 1. 74. That wee being deliuered from the hands of our enemies may serue him in true Iustice and Holinesse Titus 2. 11 12. The grace of God hath appeared c. instructing vs to liue wisely and iustly and godly in this present World Yet we must obserue that there are degrees in the imperfection which we speake of for First Some are weake ones and euen Babes in Christ weake in Faith weake in Knowledge weake in all kind of practice of spirituall Graces whom the Apostle calleth carnall that is to say rude Of the weake in Faith the Apostle speaketh Romanes 14. 1. And our Sauiour many times vpbraydeth his Disciples O yee of little faith Of weake in knowledge and capacitie of heauenly things it is said Rom. 6. 19. I spake vnto you after the manner of men that is by Similitudes taken from the common course of mans life For the infirmitie of your flesh And Heb. 5. 12. For when through the time yee ought to haue beene Teachers yea haue need to bee taught anew what are the elements of the beginning of the words of Christ and are become those that haue need of Milke and not of strong meate So our Sauiour Christ telleth his Disciples r Iohn 16. 12. I haue many things to say vnto you but you are not able to beare them now Of weake in practice we reade 1. Cor. 3. 1. I Brethren could not speake vnto you as spirituall but as carnall as Infants in CHRIST I gaue you Milke to drinke and not strong meate for you were not able to beare it Secondly There is a further step which Christians of the better sort commonly attayne vnto standing in a sufficient furniture of all graces needfull for the performance of euery good dutie in soule good manner and a blamelesse and vndefiled life whereof the Scripture giueth testimonie to many particular Christians And the Apostles in their Epistles partly Å¿ 1. Cor. 1. 1. 1. Thes 5 c. witnesse of diuers Churches and partly t Phil. 2. 15. 2. Pet. 3. 14 c. pray for them to be such Thirdly Vpon some few in respect of his ordinarie dealing it pleaseth GOD to powre a more aboundant measure of grace and higher degree of perfection filling and inriching their hearts with an exceeding increase of Faith of Knowledge of Loue of Hope of Patience and of the Gifts of the Holy Ghost These the Apostle calleth u Heb. 5. 14. perfect men who through a habit haue their sences exercised to the discerning of good and euill Phil. 3. 15. As many of vs as are perfect let vs bee thus minded and if ye thinke any thing otherwise that also will God reueale Thus x Rom. 4. 20 21 it is said of Abraham that hee was
and is another gracious effect of the Gospell of Peace which bringing the glad tydings of Reconciliation vnto God maketh our Consciences secure and at Peace in all our Combats and so giueth vs a ioyfull passage thorow the middest of the Millions of enemies which we are to passe Fourthly Faith for our Shield to hold out the Darts of Satan Fiftly Saluation or the assured hope of Saluation as it is said in i 1. Thess 5. 8. another place that is of safetie and deliuerance reached out vnto vs from Iesus Christ for a Helmet Sixtly and lastly The Word of God or the knowledge of the Scriptures which are the Spirituall Sword to cut asunder all things that oppose themselues vnto vs. Thus the Apostle setteth forth the complete Harnesse of a Christian Souldier according to such furniture as then they vsed vnto the which he else-where addeth certaine other Tackling Harnesse namely Prayer Watchfulnesse Perseuerance Patience and such like Ephes 6. 18. withall Prayer and Supplication praying continually in the Spirit and thereunto watching with all perseuerance and supplication c. Heb. 12. 4. With patience let vs runne the Race that is set before vs. And againe k Heb. 10. 3 6. For yee haue need of patience that doing the will of God ye may receiue the promise The fourth thing in this Conflict is the Goale or Masterie we fight for to wit the maintenance and increase of Faith and Sanctification which we striue to vphold Satan with all his forces for to shake especially striking at our Holinesse of life that so he may wound our Faith Therefore Paul boasteth of his keeping of the Faith as of his winning of the Goale for that standing we shall neuer fall I haue l 2. Tim. 4. 7. fought that good fight I haue finished the course I haue kept the Faith from henceforth there is layd vp for me a Crowne of Righteousnesse which God that righteous Iudge shall render vnto me in that Day And Christ vnto m Luke 22. 32. PETER I haue prayed for thee that thy Faith should not faile PAVL also exhorteth the Philippians n Phil. 1. 27. Wrestle for the Faith of the Gospell 1. Tim. 6. 12. Fight the good Fight of Faith or for the Faith as Iude o Iude verse 3. exhorteth those to whom he writes to striue for the Faith once for all neuer to be lost deliuered to the Saints He striketh at our Holinesse or Sanctification of life by prouoking to vs sin as occasion is offered or our owne disposition doth most incline in regard whereof hee is called The p Mat. 4. 2. Tempter For the effecting of it two slights he vseth First Lessening of sinnes which men goe about to commit to make them seeme but light Secondly Bringing men asleepe with a presumption of Gods Mercies This temptation we are to resist First By a serious meditation of the Law of GOD condemning all sinne and teaching vs what is his good and acceptable will Secondly By consideration of the Iudgements of God and of the punishment due to sinne Thirdly By calling to minde the loue of GOD in Christ and the end of our Redemption which is that being deliuered out of the hand of all our foes we might serue him in Holinesse and Righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Luke 1. 74. 75 Our Faith he doth assault by labouring to bring vs vnto despayre for our sins committed His slights to worke it are likewise two First Aggrauating of our offences to make them seeme vnpardonable Secondly Terrifying the offender with Gods Iudgements both which wee are to resist by the Meditation of the sweet promises made without exception vnto all that repent and beleeue the Gospell Of these temptations end there will bee none therefore in them al we must take heed we neuer be secure one temptation is to be looked for after another for our enemie neuer is at rest 1 Pe. 5. 8. And so we q Luke 5. 13. reade of Christ himselfe that when the Deuill departed from him after he had tempted him all he could it was but for a while The first and last thing is the issue of all this Conflict that howsoeuer by the violent stormes and tempests of temptations our Faith and Holinesse may before battered and shaken yet neuer it can bee lost but like the Cammomill the more it is trodden downe the more it riseth vp and as a mightie fire that many pailes of waters are throwne vpon or other engines and deuices vsed to smother and keepe it downe at the last to bursteth out againe and flameth more then it did before Wherefore this must make vs to fight couragiously because wee are assured of the victorie for wee fight not by our owne strength but in the strength of him who hath ouercome for vs And therefore in his last farewell biddeth vs Be r Iohn 16. 33. of good comfort or take good heart vnto you I haue ouercome the World Wee come now vnto Repentance which I make to follow vpon the former because of the many falls and foiles that we receiue at the hands of Satan in this our spiritual Conflict out of the which we are to rise by true Repentance speaking of Repentance heere as it commeth from a man renewed not of the first worke of our conuersion vnto God for Repentance in generall comprehendeth the whole Å¿ Marke 1. 4. worke of Sanctification but there is a speciall Repentance of our euery dayes slips and fals which onely hath place in a man Regenerate for to him that is come so farre there is no further need of that first kind of Repentance seeing it is impossible that the Grace of Regeneration once begunne should at any time be lost altogether So I vnderstand that which is spoken Luke 15. 7. of righteous men that need no Repentance Yet in truth there is but one Repentance as there is but one Faith But that Repentance begunne by Faith is continued all our life practised and professed day by day more or lesse according to the nature of our seuerall and particular sinnes This Repentance The Papists make three parts of Repentance Confession Contrition Satisfaction Confession which they will haue to be made in the Priests eare and call Auricular is vaine because First It is impossible to make recitall of all our particular faults which are both infinite and in a great part vnknowne Secondly For priuate consolation aswell the Priest is to make Confession to the people as the people to him Contrition or sorrow and brokennesse of heart for our former sinnes wee hold aswell as they requisite to true Repentance Satisfaction is alâ—o necessary to bee made to such as any way wee haue wronged But to God we are not able to make any in asmuch as First We can giue him nothing for all we can doe is due vnto him Secondly No good worke of ours is able to stand before him â—n â— to indure the
The Popish Fast which was iudged sufficient if they onely abstayned from meate without any regard of inward godlinesse the end and true vse of Fasting whereunto all the former bodily exercises tend This is double according as they are both laid forth Ezra 8. 21 Then I proclaymed a Fast at the Riuer of Ahaua that wee might afflict our soules before our GOD and seeke of him a right way for vs our little ones and our substance First Is the humbling and casting of our The Pharisaicall Fast of the Papists which is so far from humbling them that contrariwise it maketh them swell with a proud opinion of meriting thereby selues downe before the high Maiestie of Almightie God both in sorrow for our sins and in a solemne confession of the same and of the iust punishments and threatenings of the Law that belong vnto vs for them Therefore the Lord instituting this Fast telleth the people q Leuit. 16. 31. and Leuit. 23. 27 29 32. Num. 29. 7. They shall humble their soules that day Secondly A raysing of our selues vp by the sweet and gracious promises of the Gospell with assurance that together with the forgiuenesse of our sinnes wee shall obtayne the things wee sue for so farre as it is for Gods Glorie and our good whereupon it is called A Day of Atonement and hath most excellent promises made vnto it Ioel 2. 13 14. Rent your hearts and not your garments and returne vnto IEHOVAH your God Who knoweth whether he will returne and repent him and leaue a blessing behind him And againe r Ioel 2. 10 20. Now is IEHOVAH alreadie zealous for his Land and vseth clemencie towards his people And IEHOVAH answered and said to his people Behold I will send you wheate c. And this the sweet experience of all the Fasts of Gods Children doth from time to time confirme The end of whose Fasting was alwayes Å¿ Iudges 20. 23. Ezra 19. 6. Ester 14. 16. 2. Chrâ—n 20. 3. Dan. 9. 20. Feasting and of their mourning exceeding great reioying The third head is the time of Fasting The Popish Fast which appointeth set times Fridayes and such like howsoeuer the time fal out prosperous or aduerse which generally is the time of heauinesse and affliction as the Prophet saith Esay 22. 12. In that Day when the enemie besieged thee being a Day of wasting and trampling and confusion as he said before Verse 5. the Lord IEHOVAH of Hosts called to weeping and mourning and to baldnesse and to girding with Sackcloth But as it cannot be limited to any certaine set dayes so neither can it bee circumscribed within any stint of time being to hold longer or shorter as the hand and wrath of God doth more or lesse lye vpon vs the least time that may be is a whole day Vnder the Law from euening to euening as the Commandement is giuen Leuit. 23. 32. and the Children of God haue t Iudges â—0 26. and else-where alwayes practized With vs Christians whose Sabbaths begin otherwise from morning to morning vpon occasion of great calamities eyther pressing or approching It is sometimes three dayes together as in Queene u Ester 4. 16. Hesters time And that of x Acts 9. 9. Paul vpon his first Conuersion Daniel for his owne priuate humiliation stretcheth it further Daniel 10. 3 4. In those dayes I DANIEL gaue my selfe to mourning three weekes of dayes pleasant bread I did not eate neither did flesh or wine come within my mouth c. The last thing is Poperie that ordayning many both wicked and vnnecessary holy-dayes razeth out of their Kalender this one and beside the Sabbath the onely holy Day ordayned of the Lord. That this time whatsoeuer hath the nature of a Sabbath and therfore is called a y Leuit. 16. 31. Leuit. 23. 32. Sabbath and a Day of rest wherein wee are expresly z Leuit. 16. 29. 23. 28 30 31 forbidden all kind of worke and are called to the duties of Pietie and of the Seruice of God whence it is called a Ioel 2. 12. The sanctifying of a Fast Ioel 2. 12. hauing alwayes extraordinarie The Popish Fast which hath no more extraordinary Prayer vpon that Day then vpon any other exercise of Prayer ioyned with it Mat. 17. 21 This kind of Deuils goeth not out but by Prayer and Fasting 1. Cor. 7. 5. that ye may be at leisure for Fasting and Prayer And so you shall see in b Iudges 20. 26. Ezra 9. 5. Nehem. 1. 4. Dan. 9. 3. 2. Chro. 20. 4 5 6 all the Feasts recorded in the Booke of God And if the Fast be publike of a whole Church Citie or Kingdome then it hath also the preaching of the Word and all other holy exercises So the Prophet c Ioel 2. 15 16 IOEL willeth them to gather the People and to proclaime an Assembly And Leuit. 23. 27. a Law is made that on the Fast day there should be an holy Conuocation To returne now from whence wee are digressed A are not onely pleasing vnto God through his forgiuenes of the sinne question of great moment doth heere offer it selfe If sinne be mingled with all our Actions how can they please God or how can we looke for a reward for them which d 1. Tim. 4. 8. Paul assureth vs of telling vs that Godlinesse is profitable to all things and that it hath the promises both of this life and of the life to come The answere is They are pleasing and acceptable vnto God by his forgiuing of the sinne that cleaneth to them couering and hiding that which is ours looking vpon his own worke within vs. So e Reuel 8. 3. 4. Christ being the Angell that stands before the Altar hauing a Golden Censer is said to haue much Odours giuen vnto him which he offereth with the Prayers of all the Saints vpon the Golden Altar which is before the Throne Insomuch as the smoke of the Odours with the Prayers of the Saints goe vp before God out of the Angels hand that is by the vertue of his Prayer and Intercession all the works and Prayers of Gods Children are made acceptable vnto him and as a sweete smelling sauour before him So the f Mal. 3. 4. Prophet doth fore-tell when the Angell of the Couenant shall once come the Oblation of Iuda and Ierusalem shall be sweet vnto IEHOVAH And g Rom. 12. 1. Paul doth exhort vs to present our bodies a liuing Sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God h 1. Pet. 2. 5. PETER in like sort to offer vp spirituall Sacrifices acceptable vnto GOD through IESVS CHRIST Touching the reward it is true indeed in many places but haue beside of Gods free Goodnes looking vpon them in the perfection of his Sonne speciall promises of reward made vnto them both in this life and in the life to come of the Scripture large and ample promises are made vnto our workes
as Mat. 10. 42. Whosoeuer shall giue to one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple shall not lose his reward Ephes 6. 8. What good soeuer euery man doth that he shall receiue of the Lord Heb. 6. 10. God is not vniust to forget your workes and the labour of loue which yee shewed towards his Name ministring to the Saints c. But the reward they haue is not for themselues or of their owne desert since there is nothing absolutely good and worthy of reward that commeth from vs and everlasting life with all the parts of it is the free gift of God in Iesus Christ Rom. 6. 23. but because they proceed from Faith that is by the promise of Grace not by the promise of the Law Good works therefore The Popish doctrine that we are iustified by the workes which Christ worketh in vs by his Spirit So ioyning workes together with Christ in the matter of Iustification and their doctrime of Merits reaching that the good works of such as are in the state of Grace doe ex condignâ— that is of a sufficient worthinesse and desert that is in them merit eternall life auaile no whit to the purchasing or meriting of our Saluation neither in the whole nor in part First Because the best of all our workes in this life is stayned with some pollution and therefore not able to stand before God whose exact Iustice cannot abide the least defect Secondly The Apostle saith expresly Rom. 3. 20. By the workes of the Law none can be iustified Where by the workes of the Law hee meaneth not workes done by our owne strength without Faith and the Grace of God as Papists absurdly teach for whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne Rom. 14. 23. And therefore a question too vnworthy for the Apostle to dispute whether or no works meerly sinfull without any manner of Goodnesse in them may iustifie in the sight of God neither can the Law bee done in any measure at all by our owne strength for the wisdome of the flesh or of the naturall and vnregenerate man destitute of Gods Spirit is enmitie vnto God and neither is nor can be subiect to the Law of God as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. 7. and thereof setteth himselfe in the former Chapter for an example that albeit in his minde or part regenerate hee serued the Law of God yet in his flesh or part not regenerate he serued the law of sinne Rom. 7. 22. Wherefore the very drift of the Apostle appeareth to be to exclude all workes from iustifying euen those that are done by regenerate men in some measure according to the rule and direction of the Law For which purpose hee doth in this Argument apply the doctrine to the best and most righteous Iewes that liued vnder the Law Rom. 3. 19. Whatsoeuer the Law saith it speaketh to those that are within the Law And Gal. 5. 4. 5. not onely to the Galatians that beleeued but to himselfe as one of that number who not by the works of the Law but by Faith waited for the hope or hoped-for reward of Righteousnesse Which he teacheth cleerly Phil. 3. 9. That I might be found in him Christ that is not hauing mine owne Righteousnesse that which is by the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousnesse which is of God through Faith This further appeareth by i Ier. 23. 6. Ieremie calling Christ IEHOVAH our Righteousnesse Therefore Saluation commeth not by our owne And when the k 1. Cor. 1. 30. Apostle saith that Christ is made vnto vs of God both Righteousnes Sanctification if the Popish doctrine of being iustified by the workes which Christ worketh in vs by his Spirit were true it should follow that Iustice and Sanctification which the Apostle distinguisheth should bee one But that to the l Rom. 1. 17. Romanes In the Gospell the Righteousnesse of God is reuealed from Faith to Faith as it is written The righteous by Faith shall liue is notable to this purpose First In that the Apostle calleth it The Righteousnesse of God which is by Faith for seeing Faith apprehendeth not the workes contayned in the Law but Christ alone it must needes follow that Christ whome Faith apprehendeth is our Iustice and not the workes of the Law wrought by the Spirit of Christ which is not the subiect of Faith And thereupon the Apostle teacheth Gal. 3. 12. The Law is not of Faith but the man that doth these things shall liue by them Secondly When hee saith that this Righteousnesse is reuealed from Faith to Faith he declareth that wee are iustified by Faith not onely at the time when wee first beleeue but that our whole and continuall Iustification is by Faith otherwise hee should not haue said From Faith to Faith but From Faith to Workes And if Christ were not our Righteousnesse himselfe but obtayned onely power for vs that wee might haue Righteousnesse in our selues then hee should not be our Sauiour but an instrument of our Saluation As for that which Iames saith that m Iam. 2. 21 25 ABRAHAM was iustified by workes and so of Rahab weighing the circumstances of the Text I suppose hee vnderstandeth by Workes a liuely and a working Faith for Iames opposeth not the Workes of the Law to a true Faith as Paul doth but Workes that is to say an effectuall liuely Faith that sheweth his life and vigor by the fruits to a dead and fruitlesse Faith which is no Faith but a shaddow and carcase of Faith So the semblance of difference betweene the two Apostles may bee conceiued to be not in the word Iustifying which with them both goeth for that â—â— is to be made righteous in the sight and iudgement of God but in the terme of Workes Paul taking them literally Iames by a Metonymie for Faith that bringeth them forth ascribing that to the effect which he intendeth proper to the cause from whence of necessitie and vnseparably it commeth And this to bee his meaning may be gathered by n Verse 17 20. many passages but especially Verse 23. where that which he had said o Verse 11. immediately before Was not ABRAHAM iustified by workes he explaineth to be as much as ABRAHAM beleeued God and it was imputed to him for Righteousnesse But albeit good workes doe not iustiâ—e is there therefore no need to doe good Workes O yes very great for many and those most waightie causes First God is hereby glorified as our Sauiour teacheth vs p Iohn 15. â— Herein is my Father glorified that yee bring forth much fruit q Mat. 5. 16. Let your Light so shine before men that they may see your good Workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen Secondly Wee gather from hence assurance that wee are the Children of God and they serue as Testimonies and Pledges both to our selues and others that wee belong to him for which cause
p. 25. l. 8. r. he had p. 32. l 30. r. imitation p. 34. l. 9. r. for theirs p. 21. r. Mat. p. 35. l. 17. r. first he p. 39. l 10. r. am the. p. 45. l. 2. r. truly God p. 54. l. 26. r. euen to p. 58. l. 25. r. worke of p. 60. in l. 17. r. exercise toward p. 76 l. vlt. put out the Angels p. 83. l. 25. r. euen in Christ p. 91. l. 33. in stead of whereof so holy and good it was as reade whereof it is that though this action was most holy and good as p. 96. l. 32. r. pace p. 99. l. 6. r. God threatneth l. 20. r. Commandement l. 23. put out as p. 104. l. 24. r. strong in loyne p. 108. l. 22. r. meere vncertaine p. 116. l. 15. r. or in a. The 8. pages following alter the number of them p. 117. l. 1. r. affect l. 8. r. most resemble p. 124. l. 27. r. yeeld absolute p. 127. l. 16. r. marking p. 132. l. 16. r. are not ware of p. 133. l. 1. r. Secondly zeale p. 134. l. 19. r. that they make 136. l. 24. r. it the perpetuall p. 148 l. 30. r. The affirmatiue p. 151. l 3. r. Fourthly to beleeue l. 21. r. Fiftly to p. 154. l. 27. r. gaue not glorie p. 169. l. 30. r. this insolently p. 172. l. 30 for the r. that p. 190. l. 15. r. first vsing p. 191. l. 14. r. Secondly giuing l. 18 r. Thirdly by p. 194. l. 10. r. and last of their garment and threw dust p. 197 l. 19. r. Secondly to p. 198. l. 1◠r Mariage I cal p. 200. l 22. r. expresse p. 214 l. 9. r and iudgement p. 215. l. 5. r. heed of Tit. 3. 2. l. 18. r. or relating p. 226 l. 1. put out honour and p. 228. l. 19. r. are not well deuided l. 20. r. that should contayne p. 234. l. 17. r. this businesse p. 237. l. 19. r. Thus sinne p 242 l. 19. r. law sinne p. 284. l. 18. r. And if as p. 286. l. 1. r. wherein looking l. penult r. state as it were and proiect p. 293. l. 8. in stead of in sinne r. in him p. 300. l. vlt. r. as Mediator p. 301. l. r. this elect p. 308. l. 24. r. firmely fixed p. 309. put out Heresies Errors p. 30◠l without an oth in stead of without another p. 313. l. 13. after in himselfe put so he hath giuen the Son to haue life in himself l. 31. r. this life p. 327. l. 16. r. kin of Christ p. 338. l. 11 r. hope of p. 340. l. 31. not the p. 353. l. 8. r. not onely a corrupt and vnsound church but no church c. p. 357. l. 13. r. els why p. 362. r. l. 25. holy vse p. 366 l. 3. put out Thirdly p. 373. l. 28. so much greater p. 375. l. 29. r. the substāce p. 384. l. 12. r. nor Paul will p. 391. l. 5. r. of the whole l. 21. r. is the p. 399. l. 33. r. And is the l. 34. r. is of the outward p. 410. l. 29. r. assigned p. 411. l. 7. r. Christ as may p. 415. l. 9. r. I will put p. 421. in the margent r. a heauenly World by the power of his Resurrection p. 424. in the margent l. 10 11. 12. by the power of his Resurrection put it all out in this place p. 426. l. 28. r. and continuing his p. 428. l. 28. after man r. nor of the will of the flesh put that out in the next line p. 439. l. 14. r. bidding of the bands p. 453. l. 33. r. But when 454 in l. 12. left in nature p. 455. l. 3. r. considering aswel p. 461 l 16. put out in soule good manner p. 470. l. 11. r. That thy p. 481. l. 2. r. at the last 486. l. 28. r. our Sauiour telleth vs p. 487. l. 26. in stead of make thee to eate r. seed thee with p. 489. l. 29. put out for me l. 30. r. to flye p. 490 l. 9. r. of the field p. 497. l. 16. for Merits r. Mercies