enquicken the body of the outward element and receiue these for our true fellow-members of Christ who haue beene made partakers of the same labor of regeneration Quest What did thy Godfathers and Godmothers then for thee Answ They did promise and vow three things in my name first that I should forsake the diuel and all his workes the pompes and vanities of this wicked world with all the sinfull lusts of the flesh Secondly that I should beleeue all the articles of the Christian Faith Thirdly that I should keepe Gods holy will and commandement and walke in the same all the dayes of my life Explan In this answere obserue foure points which are further to be opened First wherefore this promise is made of forsaking the diuell c. For the resolution of which Mans foure-fold estate 1 of Inocency Gen 1 27. Eccles 7.1 it is to be vnderstood that our naturall estate is carnall and sensuall yea a very subiection vnto Satan True it is that man by his first creation was holy and righteous witnesse the Spirit himselfe saying thus God made man in his owne Image in the Jmage of God created he him And God made man righteous and this estate of holinesse was accompanied with exquisite and almost Diuine knowledge for proofe wherof the creatures were brought vnto him to be named and as he named them so they were called now his names did so fit the creatures expressing partly their seuerall natures that if a most cunning Philosopher had studied all his life he could not haue done the like Besides this he being cast into a deepe sleepe when the woman was taken out of his side did rightly diuine how neere shee was vnto him saying This is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone c. Againe Gen. 2.23 vnto his knowledge was added a sound estate of body from all diseases as death it selfe came in by sinne Rom 5.18 hee could labour without wearines for the sweat of the brow comes in after the transgressioÌ„ He could abstaine without preiudice to his health hee could haue multiplied yeares without gray haires for he was immortall All creatures did reuerence him the earth was all seruiceable vnto him without barrennesse bryars and thornes none of all the serpents and wilde beasts were noisome vnto him The woman was without sorrow in trauailing without paines in bringing vp her children without subiection to the man Both man woman were comely without blemish warme without cloathes naked without shame I dare not say that they should haue propagated without copulation with Gregory Nyss De Opisâ—â— lôis cap. 17. 2 Of corruption Rom. 3.23 Now man is fallen from this estate sinne proceeding from one Adam hath ouerspread all men All haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God There is in vs all so soone as we are a want of all grace and goodnes a pronenesse vnto euill and vntowardnes to doe that which is pleasing to the Lord as both St. Paul setteth forth in himselfe saying Rom. 7.15 Jam. 1.14 The things which I would I doe not which I hate that doe I. And St. Iames Let no man say that he is tempted of God Lust when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne c. And hence it commeth to passe that we are the diuels subiects For he that committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne Ioh. 8.34 Heb. 2.15 He is in bondage vnto the diuell all his life long The promise then which is made in our Baptisme is that wee shall come out of this estate of nature corrupt into the estate of grace which is when wee follow not the swinge of our owne dispositions neither suffer the God of this world to rule in vs but the law and word of God For heerein standeth mans restauration and bringing into a third estate which is the estate of grace 3. Of grace if the heart be purified by faith if hee faithfully beleeue all the Articles of the Christian faith and be sanctified to obedience of life if hee alwayes walke in the wayes of Gods commandements faith giuing him interest in this estate and obedience certifying that hee is truely interessed heerein according to that of the Apostle Shew me thy faith by thy workes Jam. 2.18 Eph. 2.2 Rom. 6. Ioh. 8.34 1 Joh. 3. Heb. 2 15. Luc. 1.7.4 Heb. 11.6 2. Cor. 8. And as our condition vnder sinne is most terrible so is this vnder grace most comfortable Then wee were dead in sinnes and trespasses now wee are dead vnto sinne and aliue vnto God in righteousnes then wee were seruants yea bondslaues now wee are set at liberty yea made sonnes of God then wee were euery day in feare now we serue the Lord all our life time without feare then our best workes did displease God now though wee faile in many things wee are accepted according to that we haue Eph. 2. and not according to that wee haue not then we were without God in the world to protect vs now wee are made neere Rom. 6.23 yea of the houshold of God to conclude wee were at the day of payment to receiue for our wages death now wee shall not tast of that death but haue the guift of our God which is eternall life And heere is the last end the fourth estate of man indued with grace which shall be without end 4. Of glory the first fruits of this are had heere halfe the haruest followes at euery mans particular death the soule being placed in Paradise and all is perfected at the day of Iudgement when both soule and body inioy the kingdome of God the Father Secondly we are further to consider whether we be able and haue of our selues power to forsake the diuell c. and if not whence wee are to seeke for this Eph. 2.2 Of free will The words indeed seeme to intimate such ability but they haue no such meaning for we are dead in sinnes and trespasses that is haue as little ability to doe any act of grace as a dead man hath to moue himselfe or to doe any thing that belongs vnto the liuing Wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke a good thought as of our selues It is not in him that willeth 2. Cor 3.5 Rom. 9.16 or in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Where note that as nothing in the worke of our conuersion and turning from sinne is ascribed vnto vs so all is ascribed vnto God Wherefore Ieremie saith turne vs O Lord Lament 5.21 and so shall wee bee turned and the Apostle It is God that worketh both the will and the deed and it is rightly decreed in an ancient councell against the heresie of Pelagius Whosoeuer shall say Conc Milinit Can. 4. that by the grace of the Lord we are heerein holpen against sinne because that by this is opened vnto vs what wee ought to doe and what to shunne and that it doth not effect this
should fall seeing God hath promised his spirit vnto his Church to be alwayes present leading it into all truth Answ The Lord tieth not his spirit to any place for then the famous Churches in Asia should still haue beene true Churches but the spirit is alwayes present to the faithful in all places of the world 139 Quest Which is the fourth thing that you learne to beleeue concerning the Church Answ That there be certaine speciall benefits belonging to the Church and to euery true member thereof viz. The Communion of Saints the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the body and the life euerlasting 139 Quest What meane you by the Communion of Saints Answ That holy and sweet fellowship which all the members of Christes Church haue one with another as they all make but one body in Christ so communicating all good things vnto one another whether spirituall or temporall as their mutuall necessities doe require 139 Quest What meane you by the forgiuenesse of sinnes Ans That wonderful grace of God in Iesus Christ wherby he passeth ouer our transgressions as if they had neuer bin committed and releaseth the punishment due for them 148 Quest What meane you by the resurrection of the body Answ That though the body after death lie rotting in the graue yet at the last day it shal be raised by Gods power and being ioyned to the soule shall stand before Gods iudgement seat to giue account of all that it hath done whether good or euill and be rewarded accordingly 155 Quest What maner of bodies shall we haue in the resurrection Answ The very same which now we haue onely whereas they be now naturall they shall rise again spirituall not subiect to death any more nor sustained by naturall meanes of meats and drinks and sleepe and the like 159 Quest Amongst those that dye some are crooked through age some tender infants some blind and some lame shall their bodies at the resurrection then be the same Answ No for all these are weaknesses which shal be done away to the faithfull and strength perfection and comlinesse shall be to euery one of them 159 Quest What meane you by the life euerlasting Answ All that euer-induring happines and all those ioyes which the Lord imparteth to all his elect in the world to come which are so great as that the eye hath not seen nor the eare heard neither can the heart conceiue throughly 163 Concerning the Law Quest Thou saidst that thou wert bound to keepe the Commandements of Almightie God which be they Answ God spake these words and said I am c. 171 Quest How many things dost thou learne out of these Commandements Answ Two things my dutie towards God and my dutie towards my Neighbour 172 Quest How are the Commandements diuided Answ Into two Tables 189 Quest In which Table doe you learne your duetie towards God Answ In the first containing the foure former Commandements 191 Quest How many bee the parts of euerie of these Commaundements Answ Two the Commaundement it selfe and the reason of it 191 Quest In which wordes is the first Commaundement contained and which is the reason Answ The Commandement is Thou shalt haue none other Gods but mee the reason in these wordes I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage 196 Quest What are we heere commanded Answ To haue the Lord for our God that is to loue him aboue all to feare him aboue all to put our whole trust in him and to make our prayers to him alone 196 Quest What is heere forbidden Answ First Atheisme which is the acknowledgement of no God Secondly â—gnorance which is a neglect of the knowledge of God and of his word Thirdly prophanenes which is a regardlesnes of God and of his speciall seruice Fourthly inward idolatry which is the giuing of Gods worship vnto creatures by praying vnto them trusting in them or by setting the heart vpon them 201 Quest Whence is the reason of this command taken Answ Both from the equitie of it because hee is the Lord our God and none other and from the benefites bestowed vpon vs in bringing vs out of the bondage and thraldome of the Deuill 209 Quest In which wordes is the second Commandement and in which is the reason Answ The Commaundement is Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse c. The reason for I the Lord thy God am a iealous God visiting the sinnes 212 Quest VVhat is here forbidden Answ All outward Idolatry which is first by making the image of God or of any creature to be worshipped Secondly by falling downe before any image Thirdly by seruing God according to our owne phantasies 212 Quest VVhat are we heere commanded Answ To performe all outward duties of Gods seruice according to his will reuealed in his word for the substance thereof 223 Quest Whence is the reason of this Commandement taken Answ Partly from the punishment to bee inflicted vpon such as breake it vnto the third and fourth generation and partly from the benefits to bee bestowed vpon such as keepe it vnto the thousand generation 227 Quest Which is the third Commaundement and which the reason Answ The commandement is Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine the reason for hee will not hold him guiltlesse c 229 Quest What is here forbidden vnto vs Answ All abusing of the Name of God which is first by blaspheming or giuing occasion to others to blaspheme Secondly by swearing falsely deceitfully rashly commonly or by creatures Thirdly by cursing and banning Fourthly by vowing things impossible or vnlawfull or by neglecting of our lawfull vowes Fiftly by lightly vsing the holy name of God or his word Sixtly by vaine protestations and asseuerations 230 Quest What are we heere commanded Answ To glorifie the name of God in all that we doe thinke speake and desire and to labour that others may bee wonne by our meanes to doe the same 240 Quest Whence is the reason of this Commandement taken Answ From the fearefull estate of such as any way abuse the name of God the Lord holdeth them as guiltie of dishonour done vnto his name 244 Quest If there bee such danger in swearing may a man lawfully sweare in any case whatsoeuer Answ Without doubt a man may sometimes lawfully sweare either for the confirming of a truth which cannot otherwise be knowne and yet necessary or for the strengthening of honest Leagues made betwixt men or lastly a man being called thereunto before a lawfull Magistrate 246 Quest What else is required that our swearing may be lawfull Answ These fower things First we must sweare only to such a truth as we know to bee so Secondly according to knowne intent of him vnto whom or before whom wee sweare Thirdly this being a part of Gods worship we must doe it with great reuerence 248 Quest What if a man shall
there bee three persons and euery one be very God how say you then that there is but one God Answ Although there be three persons yet is there but one onley God in substance one infinite power and one eternity Explan This point is very mysticall and therefore hath bred many heresies in some denying the Sonne to bee God and some the holy Ghost because they would not subiect humane reason to diuine misteries But the Scriptures are most plaine for it First because they teach but one God only Secondly because they teach this very point in so many words These three are one Thirdly Job 5.7 because that euer when they expresse the Lord God it is by these words Iehouah Elohim properly englished The Lord Gods that is God in more persons which is but one Lord. Augustine sheweth by a comparison that this may be in naturall reason The light of the Sun the light of the moone and the light enlightening the ayre are three lights and yet but one Sunne But what should we enter comparison betwixt things finite and made and the infinite Creator of all betwixt terrestriall generations and supercelestiall Why should we seeke to tye him to the law of nature who is aboue nature It is no argument man cannot beget a sonne sibi Contemporaneum which begins to bee so soone as himselfe and of whom it can bee said he makes but one man together with him therefore neither can the Lord for so the Lord should bee like man when as in respect of him not men onely but euen all the world is as a droppe of water It is farre more absurd Esay 40.15 Mark 12.18 then that of the Saduces comparing our present fraile estate with the spirituall and eternall to come Serm. 15. ad frat in eremo Aristodemus a Philosopher saith Augustine laboured many yeares in finding out the nature of a Bee neither finally could hee and how then should wee comprehend the Trinity See more in my Tractate vpon the sixth to the Romanes lib. 2. cap. 5. Sect. 3. cap. 6. Sect. 1. Quest 10. What doe you learne heere to beleeue concerning God the Father and in which words Answ I learne to beleeue that God is my Father able to doe all things the Creator of the whole world and the Lord and gouernour of the same In these words I beleeue in God the Father Almighty maker of heauen and earth Explan In the handling of these Articles of our Faith particularly my purpose is to followe one and the same method throughout viz. First to shewe the meaning of the words then the ground of holy Scriptures out of which they are taken and lastly how wee are to expresse in our liues our faith in euery Article First therefore touching the sense of this Article I beleeue that is I my selfe doe particularly know and beleeue whatsoeuer is here set down and acknowledge it my duty so to doe and not to rest contented with a generall faith beleeuing as the Church beleeueth without knowing the things beleeued or with a generall faith beleeuing these things generally to be true without applying them to my selfe Jam. 2.19 For there is one kinde of faith which doth onely beleeue these things to bee true such as is the faith of the Diuell who is said to beleeue and tremble and this faith is naturall and historicall reprobates doe attaine vnto it there is another which beleeueth these things to be true but yet in the application is altogether doubtfull and onely hoping well in regard of Gods mercy which is the vncomfortable faith of the Church of Rome and this can neuer speed at the hands of God if that common speech of Christ be true According to thy faith be vnto thee that of Iames If any man want wisedome let him aske it of God Jam. 1.5.6 The right Christian faith and let him aske in faith without wauering The true sauing faith exceeds all this and certainely resolues the beleeuer though in regard of sinne there doe oftentimes arise doubtings but these are only weakenesses in beleeuers not of the essence or nature of faith To proceed I beleeue that God is my Father that is I doe not onely beleeue that God is the Father of the Lord Iesus Christ nor that he is onely the Father of all things by creation but that he is my Father by adoption and grace and that I am his childe though by nature I be the child of wrath so that he is a Father by generation by creation and by regeneration or adoption My Father able to doe all things that is all things which it pleaseth him all things that are arguments of infinite power without exclusion of the Sonne or holy Ghost for the Sonne also is able to doe all things and so is the holy Ghost and thus I beleeue him to bee the creator of the world also and the gouernour for that this is ascribed vnto the Father as his proper worke as the proper worke of the Sonne is the redemption of his people and the proper worke of the holy Ghost their sanctification neither of them being excluded from hauing to doe in the worke of creation redemption and sanctification According to that maxim in diuinitie Opera trinitatis quoad extra sunt indiuisa The workes of the Trinitie without are all indiuisible And onely within haue the seuerall persons their peculiar workes heere the Father onely begets the Sonne onely is begotten and the holy Ghost onely proceedes and thus much for the meaning Proofe God is Father Psal 2.7 Heb. 1.6 Math. 3.16 Secondly for the grounds of this Article and first that God is a Father and first by generation Hence it is that he calleth Iesus Christ his Sonne Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee and his first borne When hee bringeth in his first begotten hee saith Let all the Angels worship him and This is my beloued Sonne And in this generation doe three wonders concurre First he that is begotten is equall in time with him that begat him for hee is the Eternall God without beginning The generation of God Secondly hee that begat communicates to him that is begotten his whole essence for the essence of the God-head cannot bee diuided part being communicated to the Sonne and part retained still to the Father Thirdly the Father begets the Sonne within himselfe not without for there is no place without him he containes all places within himselfe Secondly that he is a Father by creation is plaine For Hee created the heauens Gen. 1. Psal 104. and the earth Hee laide the beames of his chambers in the waters hee set the earth vpon her foundations c. And this his worke of creation was wonderfull and far surpassing all other workes of the greatest in the world besides First in regard of the matter out of which the world was made viz. Nothing for all was made of nothing Secondly in regard of litle or
teares 2. Duty Joy in all bodily sufferings Secondly it begeteth an exceeding contentment and comfort in all our sicknesses bodily pangs and sufferings Christ Iesus hath endured greater pangs then any of this kind can be our sins deserue greater then these Wherefore as a poore prisoner in for some capitall crime but againe released for his life and onely chastized with some few stripes will reioyce in the middest of these his petty sufferings remembring what hee hath escaped So wee being in misery in this world but deliuered from the euerlasting torments due vnto vs for our offences cannot but reioyce in the middest heereof seeing wee haue escaped that misery ten thousand times greater Yet I sincerely confesse that though these reasons and motiues bee yeelded vnto as prouing the truth of this doctrine namely that Christ did thus suffer in soule yet they inforce not that this must be the sense of this Article There are many true positions in Diuinity concerning the actions and passions of our sauiour which are not euident Articles of faith nor directly intended by any parcell of the Creed So then I neither presse vpon any mans iudgement heerein nor obtrude mine owne but rather referre both my selfe and my Reader to the iudgement of the more learned in our Church Quest 27. Is this all the humiliation of the Sonne of God for our redemption Did hee no way else abase himselfe for vs Answ Yes hee became obedient to the Law also that by his obedience and righteousnesse wee might stand righteous in the sight of God Christ obedient to the Law Explan Howsoeuer this bee not expressed in the Creede yet is it implicitely set downe in that he is said to bee made man borne of the Virgin Mary and to haue suffered that is to haue beene obedient to sufferings for being man hee is vnder the Law Gal. 4. â— as witnesseth the Apostle God sent his Sonne made of a woman and made vnder the Law that hee might redeeme those that were vnder the Law and becomming obedient euen vnto the death of the Crosse his obedience to the will of his Father cannot but be admirable and S. Paul seemeth hence to extoll it Phil. 2.8 saying Hee became obedient to the death euen to the death of the Crosse And that which may thus be gathered from the words of this confession is plainely testified in sundry places First that hee obeyed the whole Law of God and then that hee did this for vs that wee might be accepted for obedient and righteous That hee obeyed the whole Law of God is testified both generally Math. 5.17 I came not saith hee to dissolue the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them And againe as hath beene already shewed in that he was vnblameable and without spot and no man could accuse him of sinne and particularly for that no duty required by the law morall or ceremoniall was omitted by him The loue of God required by the morall Law did shew it selfe in him when hee whipt those out that bought and sold in his house and when hee verified that Prophesie The zeale of thy house hath eaten me vp The loue of man in him aboundantly appeared in his vnweariable going about to doe good in his free healing of diseases and casting of Diuels out and in his compassionate feeding of thousands sundry times in the wildernesse being like otherwise to perish Againe for the ceremoniall Law He was circumcised the eighth day and his name called Iesus Luc. 2.21.22 c. when the dayes of his mothers purification were accomplished he was presented in the Temple an oblation offered for him according to the Law When hee had clensed the ten Leapers hee bad them goe Luc. 5.12 and offer their guift which was commanded by the Law of Moses and so he did euer when hee had clensed any Hee kept the Sabboths of the Iewes Math 26. Heb. 9.28 hee frequented the Temple and kept the Passeouer and lastly being an high Priest hee sacrificed himselfe vpon the Altar of the Crosse for the sinnes of his people All this hee did and that necessarily because the first Tabernacle was yet standing nothing ceremoniall was disanulled vntill the rent of the vaile in the Temple at his death and therefore hee could not haue beene perfectly righteous had hee omitted any of these things Christ fulfils the law for vs. 1 Cor. â— 20 Secondly hee did all this for vs that wee sinfull creatures might become righteous through him according to that Hee is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption And in another place 2 Cor 5. That wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God through him And more largely to the Romanes That which was impossible to the Law Rom. 8 3. in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh condemned sin in the flesh that that righteousnes of the Law might be fulfilled in vs that is that Iesus Christ his freedome from sinne and perfect righteousnesse in keeping the Law might turne vnto vs to righteousnesse We could not keepe the Law neither can we perfectly as is declared at large in the seuenth to the Romanes and many other places Now it is not enough then for vs to obtaine eternall life that the Lord Iesus should beare the punishments due to our sinnes but he must also fulfill the Law for vs according to that Doe this and liue 1. Duty Cheerefulnes in striuing to keepe the Law The duties which we must performe to shew our faith in this are these First cheerefulnesse in striuing to fulfill the will and Law of God in all things for though we be vnprofitable seruants when we haue done what we can yet this is our comfort that through our Lord Iesus wee are good seruants that wherein we are wanting he hath fulfilled for vs. A scholler is commanded to make such an exercise as hee is no way able to doe a seruant is bidden to carry such a burthen as he hath no strength or power vnto Now this may vtterly discomfort both the one and the other and because they knowe they shall vndergoe stripes what paines soeuer they take it may iustly harden their hearts against al paines but admit that the scholler hath a friend to helpe him that the seruant knowes how otherwise to prouide for his carriage they will readily and with a good cheere goe about their taskes appointed vnto them We are the Lords schollers we are the Lords seruants the exercises appointed vs bee too hard our burthens too heauy but we haue here a sufficient friend that helpes vs one whose shoulders are ready to be put vnder euery burthen that ouerlodes vs Oh then how readily should we goe about our taskes how cheerefully should wee striue to doe whatsoeuer the Lord hath appointed vs seeing that in so doing we shall assuredly please him and haue a
this faith what obedient and godly liuing is required to haue comfort in this faith how scandalous professors heereof shall bee barred out of eternall life euen as they that neuer knew how to rehearse this confession at all They also which imagine faith to be in their owne power and therefore neglect to pray for it when the Apostles themselues prayed Lord increase our Faith So many as be faithfull indeed let vs bee otherwise minded beleeuing all these things in heart without doubting studying aboue all things to bee more and more confirmed herein by godly liuing and euer heartily praying Lord giue faith where it is wanting and where it is increase our faith more and more And thus by the grace of God haue we finished our commentary vpon the first part of the Catechisme concerning the things to be beleeued and maintained to the death that we may come to life The end of the Creed Of the Commandements Quest THou saidst that thou wert bound to keepe the Commandements of Almighty God Which be they Answ God spake these words and saide I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Aegypt out of the house of bondage Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing that is in the heauen aboue or in the earth beneath or in the water vnder the earth Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them for I the Lord thy God am a Iealous God and visit the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewe mercy vnto thousands of them that loue me and keepe my Commandements Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine Remember that thou keepe holy the Sabbath day Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all that thou hast to doe but the seuenth is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt doe no manner of worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man-seruant nor thy maid-seruant thy cattle nor the stranger that is within thy gates For in six dayes the Lord made heauen and earth the sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day wherefore the Lord blessed the seuenth day and hallowed it Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Thou shalt doe no murther Thou shalt not commit adultery Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour Thou shalt not couet thy neighbors house thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his seruant nor his maide nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his Quâ—st How many things doest thou learne out of these commandements Answ Two things My duty towards God and my duty towards my neighbour Explan Before that we come to shew in particular where these duties are set downe it will not bee amisse to speake some things in generall by way of preface or introduction to the commandements The time of the law giuing First of the time when these commandements were giuen and this was about two thousaods and fiue hundreth yeares after the Creation not that they were left all this time without a law for there was a law written in mens hearts by the pen of nature but to make that more plaine which by the corruption of nature was become very dimme and much defaced That there was a law euen before these commandements giuen the Apostle sheweth where hee saith that the Gentiles not hauing the law are a law vnto themselues which shew the effect of the law written in their hearts c. so that as long as men haue beene there hath also beene a law although not expressed in words yet written in the heart The knowledge of the law before it was written Wherefore if it be well obserued wee shall finde that euen before the giuing of the law all these precepts were knowne and acknowledged Gen 17.1 The first Commandement was knowne to Abraham when as almost in so many words the Lord said vnto him I am God al-sufficient stand before me and be vpright and there were no false Gods brought into the world before the floud Clemens Alexandrinus Clem. Alex. â—â— 1. Strom. a learned Father sheweth that Bacchus a great God amongst the heathen was made a God 604 years after Moses and so most of the Gods of the Grecians hee sheweth further how the chiefest God of all Iupiter was made by one Phydias and the chiefest Goddesse Iuno by Euclides Orat. Hortat ad Gent. and that Socrates Plato Xenophon Cleanthes Pythagoras the ancientest Philosophers and that Aratus Hesiod Eurypides and Orpheus the ancientest Poets acknowledged but one God Gen 35 2. The second commandement was knowne vnto Iaacob for he purged his house from Idols when he was to build an Altar in Bethel acknowledging heereby that this was a corruption that the true God would be offended at yea heathen men themselues did see by the light of nature that it was a grosse thing to represent God by an Image Euseb de praepar Euang. lib. 9. cap 3. Jbid. as Numa an Emperour sometime in Rome who forbad the vse of any Image because hee held it a wicked thing that things so incomparable excellent should be set forth by baser matters and Plato an excellent Philosopher did so agree with Moses heerein that hee was said of Numenius a Pythagorean to be none other but Moses speaking in the Atticke tongue Gen 21.23 The third Commandement touching the right vse of Gods name both Abraham seemeth to haue knowne well when he sware by the true God vnto Abimelech to confirme his league and Iacob when he sware vnto Laban Gen. 31.53 by the feare of his father Isaacke And the very heathen Ephesians who were led only by the light of nature shewed how odious a thing they held it that the name of their gods should bee blasphemed when suspecting such a matter in Paul Acts 19.34 and in his companions they grew to such an vproare and cryed out so long the greatnesse of their goddesse Diana Gen. 2.2.3 The fourth Commandement is recorded to haue beene giuen in Paradise for the seuenth day saith Moses GOD rested so hee blessed and sanctified it because that in it hee had rested from all his workes which hee had created and made Gen. 28.2 The fifth CoÌ„mandement Iacob shewed in his practise when he followed his parents direction in taking a wife heerein giuing an instance of his obedience vnto them and the children of Iaacob at his command going downe into Aegypt to buy food for him and being so carefull to giue him contentment in the returne of his son Beniamin and Ioseph nourishing him in Aegypt in his
Law is also a Schoolemaster when we are come to Christ euer checking and correcting vs when wee walke not according to the straight rule thereof but the Gospel vpon our humiliation comforteth vs and assureth vs that al our aberrations and going astray are remitted so that there be an heart vnfainedly hating that euill which we doe Rom. 7. Now as there be differences betwixt the Law and the Gosspell so there be some things wherein they agree The agreement of the old Testament and the new Heb. â— 1 Mat 3. 1. In the author God not as the mad Manichees taught the bad God to be the author of the law and the good God the author of the Gospell for the same God which spake by his Son Iesus Christ in these last daies spake also at diuers times and in diuers maners in times past he that said from heauen this is my beloued Son heare ye him the same God spake all these words said from heauen I am thy Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage c. 2. They agree in the threatning of sin and vrging obedience vnto the Lord in all things but the Law vrgeth it for feare the Gospel for loue If ye loue me keepe my Commandements the Law as the meritorious cause of life the Gospell as most necessary signes of the life of faith and the way that God hath appointed vs to walke in vnto life the Law giueth no hope in the case of swaruing from the strict rule thereof the Gospell giueth hope to the penitent and where the like hope is giuen by the Prophets they doe rather play Euangelists then Preachers of the Law 3. They agree in this that howsoeuer the Gospell giueth hope to the penitent yet it denieth all hope to those that liue and die in transgression of the Law for against such most common are the threatnings contained in the Gospell They that doe such things Gal. 5.17 shall neuer inherit the Kingdome of Heauen 4. They agree in this that there is no contradiction betwixt them but as they come from one and the same spirit so there is a sweet harmony consent between theÌ„ the one only sheweth what God doth strictly require in his iustice the other how his iustice is satisfied and yet his mercy to sinfull man appeareth the one saith he that breaketh the Commandements shall die the other saith that because man through the weaknes of his nature could not but breake them one man that neuer brake any the least of them died in the stead of sinfull man and thus freed him that was the son of death from death and damnation 5. They agree in the Ministers of them both for they of the Law were to be without blemish their lipps were to preserue knowledge they were to liue of their seruice they were diuers sorts both Priests Leuits they were watchmen c. so ought the ministers of the Gospell they must be vnblameable apt to teach they that preach the Gospell are to liue of the Gospell 1. Tim 3. 1. Cor. 9.24 Ephes 4.12 2. Pet. 5.2 some are Doctours some Pastours c. they are Pastours watching and keeping their flockes as those that must giue accounts for them And thus much of the third generall The manner how this law was giuen Exod. 19.20 The next thing to be spoken of in generall is the manner how this Law was giuen and that is described in the nineteenth and twentieth of Exodus 1. First there was great preparation three dayes together the people were sanctified according to the manner of those times by washings and purifyings shewing both what need wee haue by prayer and reading of the holy Scriptures which may bring vs from worldly to heauenly meditations to prepare our selues euer before that we come to heare the Lord speaking vnto vs in the Ministery of his holy word and also how wee must euer be more and more doing away by the Spirit of Sanctification the blots and blemishes of our natures that we may be the fitter to come into the presence of the Holyest 2. Secondly a straight charge was giuen that neither man nor beast vnder paine of death should come neere the Mount whence the Law was to be deliuered but certaine marks were set beyond which none might dare to passe shewing as the Apostle hence noteth 2. Cor. 3.6.7 Heb. 12.19 how glorious was the Law now to bee deliuered and if such as passed the markes set them were without mercy to die the death that much more the transgressours of any of these precepts should die and find no mercy Heb. 12 2â— Thirdly the Lord descended with great terrour the Trumpet sounding the earth shaking and Lightnings flying abroad insomuch as that the people are noted to haue run away and Moses himselfe to haue said I tremble and quake shewing that the things here vttered were graue and waightie and to be receiued into the heart with a feare of offending against them and also that when the time shall bee of calling the offenders to account with what wonderfull terrour the Lord will then come against them 4. Almighty God himself spake al these words in the hearing of al the people but wheÌ„ they were too weak to beare his words and desired that the Lord would not speake any more for so they should die but promised obedience if Moses should speak two tables of stone were giuen vnto him written with Gods own finger that he might carry them to the people shewing hereby how stony-hard our hearts be and that Gods finger alone is able to imprint them there his speech from Heauen must worke in vs a reuerence of them otherwise we shal all be too negligent of his Lawes 5. When Moses had broken these Tables through zeale seeing how God was dishonoured in his absence by golden Calues which they had set vp and worshipped the Lord bad him hew two other Tables and therein he wrote all the words that were in the first shewing hereby that mans heart by Gods creation had all the lawes ready written in it as the Tables prepared by God himselfe had but the heart which he had gotten vnto himselfe by falling away from God is without any letter hereof in effect vntill that the Lord wrote them anew as it was with the Tables prepared by Moses 6. Lastly when Moses had been long with the Lord and came with these Lawes vnto the people his face shone so as they were not able to looke vpon him for which cause he vsed a vaile when hee came vnto them and put it off when hee returned vnto the Lord shewing hereby as S. Paul noteth 2. Cor 3.13 â—4 that the Iewes should not be able to see into the end of the Law Christ Iesus vntill the vale of blindnesse and hardnesse of heart were taken away by the Lord neither yet could any of the Gentiles without the same
not thinke ill Now according to the greatnesse of the person offended the offence is to be estimated if it be against a temporall King it is a temporall death if against the eternall King it is eternall death in hell For it is not with God as with man whose lawes if they bee broken yet being of diuers sorts onely such as concerns the Kings person are reckoned to be against his Maiesty others against this or that subiect onely but the lawes of God doe all concerne his royall person and any breach is rebellion as Samuel called the sinne of Saul sparing the Amalekites 1. Sam. 15.23 Rebellions is as the sinne of witchcraft and therefore worthy of death and damnation Quest 109. If no man can perfectly keepe the Law wherefore then serueth it The vse of the Law Answ Of excellent vse notwithstanding is the law of God 1. To humble vs in regard of our miserable estate hereby discouered 2. To beare rule of good life vnto vs. 3. To bee a Schoole-master to bring vs to Christ Explan Seeing the end of the Law now is not the perfect obseruing of it in all things without any faile that the doer might so be counted worthy to liue which is impossible it is needefull to bee considered to what end it now serueth Rom. 7.9 And the first is to beate downe pride and to humble the most holy and best men liuing For I was once aliue saith the Apostle without the Law but when the Commandement came sinne reuiued and being more reformed by Gods grace seeing what by the Law he ought to doe and what through infirmitie hee did Verse 24. he crieth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death And as the Apostle so euery man that hath his eyes open to see into the glasse of the Law and thereby his miserable estate seeth himselfe so wretched sinne being about him to defile him the threatnings of the law before him the flesh behind still putting him forward to sinne aboue him the Lord ready to take vengeance on him and vnder him hell fire the bottomlesse gulfe ready to swallow him vp with the mouth wide open as that hee cannot but ioyne in an holy despaire with the Apostle and condemne himselfe for a most vnworthy wretched sinner And being thus humbled shall he condemne the Law and cast off all care of obedience because it requireth so much more then hee can any way performe Nay hee will the more loue it and admire the perfection of it saying with the same holy Apostle The Law is holy Rom. 7.12.22 and the Commandement is iust and holy and good and I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man Euen as a student in any Art to the perfection whereof hee cannot attaine such bee the mysteries thereof yet hee is the more rauisht with the loue of it and striueth hard after the perfect knowledge of it and neuer ceaseth He saith not with Esau what is this birth-right vnto mee because hee is tied to an hard taske hereby but with Saint Paul he presseth towards the marke walking that way of good workes which God hath appointed vsing for a rule this holy Law of God Rom. 8. And lastly finding that when he hath done whatsoeuer hee is able he is an vnprofitable seruant worthy of Gods eternall displeasure he is driuen to seeke both meanes of satisfaction for his delinquencies and failes and helpe to doe this hard task vnto which of himselfe he is so vnsufficient and this satisfaction and helpe is the Lord Iesus Christ alone For that which was impossible to the Law in as much as it was weake because of the flesh God sending his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in vs. Gal. 3.24 And thus doe we see the third and last end of the Law viz. to bee a schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ and this schoolemaster is both the Ceremoniall law tutoring and teaching by rudiments and figures as little children those that were not come to full age vnder the Gospell and to vs more principally the Morall Law shewing the great neede which wee haue of a Sauiour and driuing vs vnto him as our onely refuge to be made righteous according to that The law was our Schoole-master to bring vs vnto Christ that we might bee made righteous by faith Quest 110 How may wee bee saued from our sinnes Answ Onely by the bloud of Iesus Christ laid hold vpon by a true and liuely faith 1. Iohn 1.7 Explan Being brought to despaire by the sight of our sinnes in the glasse of the Law and of the horrible punishments due therefore it is necessary that wee now looke for a remedy against so great danger as the cunning Chirurgion when he hath searched a festered soare to the bottom applieth himselfe to the Cure And our onely remedie is the bloud of Iesus Christ according to that comfortable speech The bloud of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth from all sinne If all Angels and men should haue done their vttermost to deliuer and saue one soule it were altogether vaine they being all finite the punishment by sinne deserued infinite and therfore such as could neuer bee satisfied for by creatures finite but in an infinite time It pleased the Lord for this cause to send his onely begotten Sonne into the world that whosoeuer belieueth in him should not perish Iohn 3 16. but haue life euerlasting And his bloud doth saue from all sinne 1. By expiation 2. By sanctification Expiation Expiation is the satisfying of Gods wrath due to sin by bearing the heauy burthen thereof and this did the Lord Iesus Phil. 2.8 when he abased himselfe and became obedient to the death euen to the death of the crosse when he redeemed vs from the curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 1. Iohn 3.16 being made a curse for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on the tree when in loue he laid downe his life for vs. And thus we are by his bloud saued from sin and damnation hereby deserued euen as a condemned person is saued by some other man dying in his stead If it be demanded whether Christ being the Son of God could not haue saued vs by some lesse suffering than death seeing whatsoeuer he endured was of infinite worth I answer that I take it not to be safe affirming or denying this for if we shal say that he could not we should limit his Almightie power if that he could we should call in question his diuine wisdome wherefore I say that he could not so abundantly haue manifested his loue towards vs any other way but by dying for vs and therefore let it suffice to know that hee haâ—h voluntarily and of his owne accord suffered death to deliuer vs from death and damnation
the Fowles of the ayre the grasse of the field we hauing reason to lead vs which they want Math. 6. for thus doe the Heathen which haue no knowledge of the heauenly Father caring for them 2. It sheweth the deceitfulnesse of our hearts in regard of Faith we thinking wee haue a great measure heereof but being proued lyars when wee come to the tryall by the smaller things of this life for when the disciples were warned of worldly cares Why care yee for these things Math. 10. saith the Lord O yee of little faith and when Peter ready to sinke being afraid for the waues of the Sea cryed out Master saue me The Lord rebuketh him saying O thou of little faith why diddest thou doubt as if he should haue said there is little faith indeed if there bee distrustfull caring for wordly things in time of want or despaire in time of danger S. Paul concludeth on the contrary side from faith making Christ ours and peace with God belieued Wherefore we reioyce in tribulation Rom. 5.1 Rom. 5.32 and hauing giuen vs Christ how should hee not together with him giue vs all things also He that beleeueth not that the King will giue him sixepence how can hee beleeue that he will giue him an hundreth pounds And if thou canst not through faith patiently wait the good pleasure of the Lord for things temporall which are of no valew in comparison of heauenly how canst thou through faith depend vpon him for heauen and euerlasting life 3. The Lord prouideth here for the strengthening of our Faith touching things eternall by ascending from these his gifts below wherein we taste of his goodnesse daily For whereas the Lord notwithstanding our sinnes giueth vs the comforts of this life for which we call vpon him hee doth hereby draw vs on to lift vp our minds to the comfort of the remission of all our sinnes and of euerlasting saluation As Dauid is drawne on in his confidence against the vncircumcised Philistims 2 Sam 17 37. because God had deliuered him from the Lion and the Beare The begger that comming daily to the doore of the charitable Christian findeth reliefe or if hee commeth not hath it sent home vnto him doth heereby assure himselfe of this mans loue and good will towards him so when we finde reliefe at the Lords hands especially crauing it at his gate of mercy in faith and assurance wee may well be assured that he beareth a fauour towards vs and will not suffer vs to perish in our sinnes wee putting our trust in his mercy So that as from our weaknesse about the things of this life we may see the weaknesse of our faith about the things of the life to come so from Gods goodnesse towards vs heere we trusting in his mercy wee may also see and bee confirmed touching his goodnesse heereafter putting our trust in the same his infinite mercy Againe consider in the order that it followeth immediately after this Thy will be done because to haue things necessary for our maintenance heere is a stay and helpe vnto vs the more cheerefully to doe the will of God and to keepe vs from vnlawfull enterprizes Whence we are taught 1. That it is not vnlawfull euen for Christians to seeke for the things of this life in their due place and measure neither is this seeking an impeachment to our Christian profession otherwise our Sauiour Christ would not haue appointed vs to aske Give vs this day our daily bread Wherefore as to bee ouer carefull for things temporall is heathinish dissidence so to be altogether negligent and secure 1 Tim 5.8 is worse then heathenish infidelity as the Apostle teacheth 2. The rule of our seeking things temporall must be not our owne but the will of God for after this wee pray Giue vs our daily bread that is according to thy will and good pleasure restraining vs from all vnlawfull meanes of getting that by true iust and equall dealing onely wee may seeke these things not carking when thou wouldst haue vs secure not sparing when thou wouldst haue vs to spend not trusting to our owne industry 1 Pet. 5.7 when thou wouldst haue vs to cast our care vpon thee For whatsoeuer is thus gotten is extreame losse the losse of the most precious soule 3. Wee learne that they onely vse the goods of this world rightly and seek them rightly that vse them as furtherances to do the will of God and make this their marke which they shoot at in seeking after them not their own pleasure Iam 5.5 or promotion in the world They which seek riches to liue herevpon in pleasure to pamper themselues are accursed of God and shall haue a terrible reckoning to make at the last day Riches are vsed according to Gods will 1. By liberality towards the poore 2. To pious vses for the glory of God 3. To necessary vses for the maintenance of our selues and families to the benefit of the Cōmon-wealth For the sense of the words By bread heere some of the Fathers were wont to vnderstand the body of Christ and the Papists the Sacrament of the Altar and Erasmus saith By bread what vnderstood that it is not likely that any worldly thing should be asked in so concise and short a prayer But this cannot be yeelded to be true First because this Prayer is a perfect patterne for our direction in all things Secondly because our spirituall food is asked in the second petition the comming of Gods Kingdome being the bestowing of his grace and specially of Christ the fountaine of all grace vpon vs. Thirdly because the bread heere asked is but for this day which doth imply a fading and wasting away so as that wee still haue need euery day of new bread which cannot bee said of our food spirituall By bread therefore in this place is to bee vnderstood both bread and all things necessary for our sustenance Leuit 26.26 as the word Bread is vsed where it is said Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God and where the Prophet threatneth The Lord of Hoasts will take away from Ierusalem and from Iudah all the stay and the strength Isa 3.2.3 all the stay of bread and all the stay of water And shewing further what this stay is hee reckoneth vp all needfull things for the well-being of a Land The strong man the Iudge the Prophet the Counsellor c. Sometime bread is properly vnderstood as where the Psalmist reckoneth vp bread to strengthen man wine to cheere the heart Psal 104 14 and oyle to make the face to shine 1 Cor. 3.21 Giue that is sanctifie all worldly comforts vnto vs which by reason of sinne were and doe stand still accursed euer since the fall of man that they may not bee destruction and bane vnto vs in the vsing as wee deserue for I doe not thinke that sinne
must be a generall turning from sinne in these that come to be baptized so after baptisme there is a daily practise of repentance by confession contrition and reformation For euen after Baptisme we are still subiect to sinne though we striue and fight against sinne daily the flesh leading vs captiue to the law of sin to be deliuered from which we must make a daily practise of Repentance but the seale of Baptisme is no more to be iterated Euen as a seruant being once bored through the eare by his Master without iterating this remained his seruant for euer but if he offended was chastised and reformed often so he that is once truely baptized remayneth Gods seruant for euer but because he doth often offend he must be chastized and reformed by Repentance Quest 135. What is Faith Ans It is a certaine perswasion of the heart wrought by the spirit of God grounded vpon his promises that all my sinnes are forgiuen me in Christ Iesus Heb. 11.1 Explan Hauing spoken of Repentance one thing necessarily required that Baptisme may be compleate it remaineth that we speake now of Faith which is alike required This I say is a certaine perswasion for the assurance that they haue which are faithfull vnto whom Faith is an euidence in their hands as Saint Paul calleth it Faith is the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene It is a certaine knowledge whereby a man knoweth that hee hath any thing which is made most sure vnto him for which cause it is also commonly called knowledge Esa 53.11 Ioh. 17. 1 Iohn 23. By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many And this is life eternall to know thee and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ And againe Hereby wee are sure that wee know him if we keepe his Commandements It is such a certainty as that it maketh things to come present according to that Rom. 8 30. Iohn 6.47 Those whom he hath iustified he hath glorified And he that beleeueth in mee hath euerlasting life Wherefore Faith expelleth doubting and vncertainty in whomsoeuer it is for which cause when Peter doubted hee is checked as hauing little or no Faith Why didst thou doubt O thou of little Faith Rom. 10.14 Eph. 3.17 The heart is the proper seate of Faith for with the heart man beleeueth vnto iustification and Christ is said to dwell in the heart by faith If it bee therefore but an imagination of the braine or an outward profession of faith in word it is but a shadow and no true grace of faith wrought by the spirit of God for it is supernaturall and diuine not flesh and bloud but the spirit of God is the author of it according to that of Christ vnto Peter Flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee Math. 1◠6 but my Father which is in heauen viz by his spirit Of Lydia conuerted to the faith it is said Her heart the Lord opened Act. 16.14 that she attended vnto the things that Paul spake To the same tendeth that speech of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 6. Ioh. 3. No man commeth vnto me vnlesse the Father draw him and the winde bloweth where it listeth so is euery man that is borne of the spirit c. ground on vpon his promises For as without a word of institution there is no Sacrament so without a word of promise there is no faith Iohn 6.40 And as faith is not without a promise so it is not without a promise made vnto mee viz. fulfilling the condition with which euery promise of God is made For it is not sufficient because the Lord hath promised He that beleeueth in the Sonne shall haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day that a man hold this and through Christ beleeue the acomplishment of this vnto himselfe but he must by faith apply it lawfully fulfilling the condition which the Lord requireth and the condition is to be baptized to true repentance Rom. 6. dying vnto sinne as Christ died and rising vp to newnesse of life as Christ was raised vp vnto the glory of the Father for the words of the promise are He that is baptized beleeueth shall be saued which baptisme is only expounded then to be when sinne is dead and buried and grace which is newnesse Prou 28.13 liueth The condition is to confesse and forsake all my sinnes to deny my selfe to walke after the spirit and not after the flesh Rom. 8.1 If then I doe thus and lay hold vpon the promise I beleeue it law-fully and the mercy promised is sure vnto me otherwise my faith is vaine and the promise is to me of none effect Obiect If it be so then Faith can neuer make a man sure of his saluaition because it may bee that although hee doth now walke after the spirit in newnesse of life yet hee may fall from this againe Sol. A man cannot be so sure as that he may now grow secure and remisse in going forward in that new life which he hath begunne for he must alwayes worke out his saluation with feare and trembling not be high minded but feare serue the Lord with feare Rom. 12. Psal 2. Math. 16. Iohn 17. and reioyce before him with trembling but hee that beleeueth so as hath beene said is so sure as that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against him Christs prayer shall be stronger to keepe him at one with God than all contrary powers to set enmity againe betweene God and him Rom. 11.29 Iohn 13.1 for the guifts and calling of God are without repentance and his owne he loued vnto the end he loued them And this is a reason rendred by S. Iohn 1 Iohn 2.19 Iohn 17.20 why some that were before counted faithfull turned Heretiques They were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they had continued with vs. Whatsoeuer is or can be said to weaken the force of these grounds presumptuously fighteth against that most cofortable euideēt Prayer of Christ Psal 32.1 I pray not for these alone but for them also which shall belieue in my name through their word So that who-soeuer doth rightly belieue in Christ hee hath Christ on his side by the merit of his prayer vniting him vnto himselfe so that he is made a member of his body no more to bee rent or pulled from him Rom. 3.28 That all my sinnes are forgiuen me in Christ Iesus for this is the maine thing assured vnto mee by faith and wherein the happinesse of man consisteth according to that Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Wherefore it is said that by faith wee are iustified that is of sinners are made iust and righteous not onely by that purifying quality that is in faith but in regard of Gods acceptance when we by faith cloath our selues with the garments of our elder brother
and from the doctrine of the Apostle The cup of Blessing which wee blesse is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which wee breake Iohn 6.47 is it not the Communion of the bodie of Christ But how is his body there to bee communicated Not by Transubstantiation as hath been already shewed nor by consubstantiation so as that his body is in vnder or about the bread as the Lutherans teach but onely in a spirituall Sacramentall manner faith making him present vnto the worthy receiuer euen as hereby we possesse euerlasting life according to that He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life For as Faith is an eye vnto which things to come are present so it is an hand holding them a mouth feeding vpon them and a stomacke receiuing them and vniting them vnto the person that beleeueth If it be said then the Sacrament is vaine seeing by faith Christ may be receiued without it and he is not outwardly any whit the more present with his body I answere God forbid for it is Gods ordinance to helpe our faith an outward meanes to conuey vnto vs inward grace and sanctification his seale to confirme our faith in his gracious promises As when the King bestoweth any thing vpon a subiect he is assured hereof by his meere donation and giuing it vnto him but yet hee appoynteth vnto him to take the state thereof a meanes of writing and sealing to ratifie what hee hath graunted for more assurance which writings and seale though they containe not the estate about them or in them that is the house or ground in quantitie yet they conuey them vnto him so though the body of Christ bee in heauen and being giuen vnto vs by the Father is made ours through faith yet it hath pleased him for more assurance to appoynt the Sacrament hereby to conuey this rich possession vnto vs and to write and seale to our hearts that Christ is ours by his holy body sanctifying our bodies and soules and by his blood cleansing vs from all our sinnes though this body bee not in or about the bread really in the quantitie as it was heretofore vpon earth And of like nature were the ancient Sacraments appointed to the Fathers vnto which though Christ was not really and corporally annexed yet vnto the receiuers they were Christ through faith 1. Cor. 10.1 Iohn 1.29 for the Rocke was Christ Christ was the Lambe Quest 2 Be there not other wayes besides this of receiuing Christ Answ Yes the Scripture speaketh of two other wayes or meanes 1. Gal 3.27 He is receiued by Baptisme for Hee that is baptized into Christ hath put on Christ 2. Hee is receiued by the preaching of the Word whether by himselfe when he came amongst his owne Iohn 1.12 and to such as receiued him hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God Math. 10.40 or by his Disciples for Hee that receiueth you saith Christ receiueth mee that is the doctrine which hee and they taught being entertained into beleeuing hearts and their persons being welcome vnto them By the word hee is receiued as by the draught of a conueyance and Articles of agreement by the Sacraments as by seales put heereunto Baptisme being properly the seale of a new life which is the beginning of euerlasting life we being dead and buried vnto sinne the Lords Supper the seale of the comforts and strength that wee grow vnto in this life as by most wholesome meats and drinkes till that in the life to come we shall bee continually feasted with him hee being meat and drinke and cloathing and wealth and all in all vnto vs euermore Quest 3 Wherefore is the Communion of the Lords Supper receiued often and Baptisme but once seeing both are Gods Seales and assure our spirituall estate sufficiently by being once put to That the Lords Supper is often to bee receiued the Lord himselfe doth intimate vnto vs where hee biddeth So oft as yee drinke this cup doe it in remembrance of mee Whereupon the Apostle inferreth So oft as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup yee shew the Lords death till he come 1. Cor. 11.26 construing this precept to last till the comming of Christ to iudgement at the end of this world And the reason hereof is first because that howsoeuer our new life is begun at once as is represented in Baptisme yet it continueth from yeare to yeare and must haue often meanes to sustaine it and therefore though circumcision was but once the Passeouer was once euery yeare Secondly because that although we are in Baptisme regenerate and become new creatures yet the flesh still dwelling in vs rebelleth so as that we are subiect to sinne daily against which as the bloud of Christ is continually by faith to be applied to purge vs so the Sacrament whereby his death and bloudshed is represented is often to bee vsed for the more comfortable remembrance hereof euen as to shadow it out before it was the high Priest entred into the holy of holies with bloud once euery yeere Now precisely set downe how often the Lords Supper is to be receiued we cannot because it is left indefinite Acts 10 7. Acts 2.46 The practise of the Primitiue Church was euerie Lords day or first day of the weeke and at the first daily as their dangers were great by reason of the persecution euery day Wherfore in the Canons carrying the name of the Apostles it was commanded that all which came to heare the Word being Communicants should receiue the Communion Et siquis non communicat excommunicatur vt ecclesiae turbator Can. 10. ordinum violator If any man doth not communicate let him be excommunicated as a troubler of the Church and a breaker of order And hereunto do the ancient Fathers assent But this often receiuing was in regard of the times such as at the first institution the shepheard being smitten and the sheep scattered Since in the peace of the Church the Communion hath been three or foure times in the yeare and specially at Easter as succeeding the Passeouer If it be said once in the yeare is sufficient as the Passeouer was but once I answer the Passeouer required a long time euen seuen dayes for the celebration thereof and if it had been often Exod. 12.19 it would haue been too heauy a burthen vnto the people it is not so with the Lords Supper Againe this is the proper time of the right Passeouer the Lords supper in times past besides the Paschall Lambe and vnleauened bread once in the yeare there being many other remembrances of Christ in action viz. the many sacrifices now we haue onely the Lords Supper often to be vsed to the same purpose Quest What are the benefits whereof wee are partakers thereby Answ The strengthening and refreshing of our soules by the bodie and bloud of Christ as our bodies are by the bread and wine Mouns du Plessis
estate of the whole world and to the Communion of his most honourable Saints we cannot vse too much curiositie in decking our hearts and looking out diligently in the glasse of the Law our blemishes by sin that we may reforme them For we come not only to this meeting as ordinary guests but as the spouse of the great King of heauen of whom it is expected that she should exceed in ornaments according to that Shee is all glorious within Psalm 45.13 her clothing is of broydred gold Indeed if we were euery day such this speciall decking and preparing were not needfull but alas we doe all daily in many things offend and so haue vpon vs staines and spots and are so raggedly cloathed as that our filthy nakednes doth appeare and who dares come so into the feasting roome of so great a maiesty 2. Because of the great grace and fauour of God heerein towards vs inuiting vs vnto whom hee is not tied by any bond of friendship or desert that might moue him to vse this respect towards vs no more then the Father of the prodigall sonne to take him home with him and with such ioy to feast him When Haman was inuited by Queene Hester to a feast which hee tooke as a speciall fauour towards him how did it reioyce him how duely and early sitting himselfe in the best manner as hee thought did he repaire thither How much more should we be glad of Gods inuiting vs and with all diligence against the time make vs ready to come to this heauenly banquet Galat 3.1 3. Because of the great benefit which we behold here and receiue Christ being crucified as it were before our eyes by whom wee conquer sinne and Satan and haue entrance into heauen the way being thus made open vnto vs. If a rich dole be dealt amongst the poore al will make them ready to come vnto it and if there be any thing that may make them to bee sent empty away they will vse diligence to remooue it if the Phisitian hath any receite which a man being prepared and taking shall vndoubtedly haue his health confirmed and his life prolonged hee will speedily with all care vse this preparatiue But here is a most rich dole dealt out to euery one a soueraigne most excellent receipt for the soule making it vndoubtedly to liue for euer Oh let euerie man then dispose himselfe so as that hee may not bee sent emptie away and prepare himselfe so as that this receipt may kindly worke vpon him for his preseruation to euerlasting life Ephes 3.27 Now the thing wherewith wee are to be decked and by which the onely preparation is made is faith in Iesus Christ of which it hath been already spoken Faith apparrelieth the soule with rich clothing the wedding garment for such as are baptized into Christ haue put on Christ their nakednesse is all hidden and none appeareth euen as when Aaron had on the cloathing of the high Priest hee appeared a most goodly person Faith behangeth the soule with most rich iewels and pearles of inestimable worth Matth 13 45. of which the Merchant that seeth the value will giue all that hee hath for one Of this it is said Prou. 3 15. It is more precious then pearles and all things that thou canst desire are not to bee compared vnto her Faith is the hand of the soule reaching out vnto Christ for as the woman touched him and was healed of her bloudy issue so the faithfull touch him handle and receiue him to the healing of al their spirituall all diseases Faith is the mouth of the soule feeding vpon Christ for when the Lord had taught that his body must bee eaten and that he which eateth hath euerlasting life he affirmeth the same of the belieuer He that belieueth in me Iohn â— 47 hath euerlasting life Faith is the digesting facultie of the stomacke of the soule working so effectually that Christ becommeth here by our nourishment and wee are flesh of his flesh Ephes 53. â— and bone of his bones as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 5.1 Heb 11.13 Heb. 11.5 Lastly whatsoeuer may bee more desired a person pleasing vnto God an eye to see God feete to come vnto God faith giueth all for being iustified by faith we haue peace with God by faith the ancient Fathers saw the promises a farre off that is Christ and by faith Enoch as with feete walked with God He therefore that examining his owne heart findeth faith needeth not to feare to stand in doubt he is hereby made worthy of this blessed Sacrament Quest 136. How may a man know whether he hath this faith or no Answ By two speciall fruits thereof Repentance for all his sinnes and Loue towards his neighbour Explan The heart of man which is deceitfull aboue measure doth deceiue him in nothing more then in falsely perswading him that hee hath true and right faith for if a man putteth his trust in Gods mercy through Iesus Christ to bee saued it telleth him that this faith neuer suffering him to come to a true triall whether this trust be the faith that instifieth before God or no. Wherefore that we might not be herein beguiled the Lord hath set forth this faith to bee liuely so that as a man liuing may be knowne from a man dead by breath and motion so he that listeth to take paines in the tryall of his faith may know the true iustifying and sauing from all counterfeits and false faiths Iames 2.20 It breatheth and moueth by Repentance and Loue which who so findeth not in himselfe hee is a vaine man his faith is dead and vnprofitable euen as a dead tree as Saint â—ameâ— teacheth For that the faith is vaine which is without these is plaine from many euidences First from the comparing of Paul and Iames together who seeme to speake one against the other Paul saying that wee are iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Iames that we are iustified by workes and not by faith onely both bringing for example the father of the faithfull Abraham From whence we may reason thus Such as was Abrahams faith such ought the faith of euery man to bee that hee may bee iustified and saued But Abrahams faith was a liuing faith expressing it self by the leauing of his Idolatrous Country when God called him and by sacrificing his sonne Isaac in admirable obedience when God commanded that is by forsaking sinne though most deare and performing obedience euen in that which was hardest Therefore such must our faith also bee Prou. 28.13 Secondly faith that doth not thus liue appeareth to bee vaine because it is a building without a foundation the only foundation of faith being Gods promises which belong not to any but such as haue and do by true repentance turne from sinne For you shall find none other promise of God but such as this Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall haue mercy
that are borne anew of the holy Ghost Strengthen our weak faith that we may certainely beleeue thy gracious promises of life and saluation that being assured of these best things and that thou hast giuen thy deare Sonne Christ vnto vs we may trust in thee for all other things also Inflame vs with loue of thy Maiestie who hast done so great things for vs And because wee cannot better expresse our loue towards thee then by the loue of our neighbour who is after thy image worke in vs the loue of our neighbour yea euen of those that be our enemies and hate vs. Send downe from heauen the fire of zeale for thy glory into vs so that with all earnestnesse we may seeke to aduance it let vs not esteeme of our owne liues in regard of thy glory knowing that such as honour and glorifie thee thou wilt honour them Giue vs sinceritie that in all things we may stand before thee and be vpright Cast vs down with true humility that in Iesus Christ thou maist lift vs vp make vs poore in spirit that thou maist inrich vs with the heauenly inheritance Temper vs with patience in aduersity whatsoeuer thy holy hand shall at any time lay vpon vs. Teach vs to be meek and gentle according to the example of our Sauiour that we may find rest vnto our soules Make vs temperate sober in the vse of thy good creatures holy as thou art holy heauenly as our hope is in heauen innocent and harmelesse in the midst of this crooked generation and fruitfull in all good works to the glory of thy Name Expell and driue out of vs whatsoeuer is an enemy to thy sauing graces blindnesse and ignorance infidelity and hardnesse of heart hatred and enuy coole and luke-warme affections hypocrisie and dissimulation pride and ambition impatience and discontent harshnes and intemperance prophanenesse and worldlinesse deceit and oppression with all other cursed fruits of the wicked flesh which hinder vs that we cannot do those things which we would and as a violent streame carry vs captiue to the Law of sinne Vnto this we are altogether vnable of our selues we know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee Let the eyes of thy compassion be therefore opened vnto vs behold our weaknesse and put to thy helping hand to support vs draw vs and so shall we come vnto thee Sanctifie all meanes for our helpe furtherance thy Word Sacraments Prayer Meditations Conference and the like especially let thy loue renewed vpon vs this day stirre vs vp to such an answerable measure of true thankfulnesse as that hereby we may be whetted and haue such a new edge set vpon our desires as that we may goe through all hinderances and with all readinesse performe our dutie vnto thee And forasmuch as the night now approcheth wherein we are to enter into our beds as into our graues and there is no power in vs to rise any more or to saue vs from death and destruction O blessed God be thou our protector and Sauiour Bestow such a competent measure of refreshing by quiet sleepe vpon vs and so safegard and defend vs as that being preserued safe by thy prouidence and comforted by thy blessing wee may rise to morrow more able and willing to serue thee in our vocations And these graces we craue as for our selues so for thy whole Church and for euery part and member thereof especially for these Churches vnder the gouernment of our Kings Maiestie for his royall person and for all estates and degrees vnder him Lord look not vpon the crying sinnes of these miserable times bring vs speedily home vnto thee by true repentance and amendment of life and for thine owne glories sake still let the true religion flourish amongst vs confound all plots and deuices to the contrary Be pitifull to all our afflicted brethren be mercifull to all our kindred and more speciall acquaintance knitting vs all together by the firmest band of the Christian faith til being thus coupled together we grow vp to a perfect temple in the Lord and that onely for the merits of Iesus thy dearely beloued Sonne and our infinitely louing Sauiour and Redeemer Amen A Prayer for the Sabbath before publike meeting O Eternall God who hast commanded a double Sacrifice to bee offered euerie morning and euening vpon the Sabbath day we thy vnworthy seruants here humbled in thy presence in obedience to thy commandement according to our boundē duty desire to offer this double Sacrifice of praier in thy house the house of Prayer And we account it no small part of our happines that we may thus freely thus often come into thy holy presence for in thy presence is fulnes of ioy and pleasures for euermore Blessed be thy name O Lord that wee are yet continued in the Land of the Liuing and that with our life wee haue spirituall light without which our life were more terrible then death and that when we haue abused and walked vnworthy of the light louing darkenesse and liuing therein this glorious light is stil continued to enlighten our darkenesse and to guide our feete in the way of peace Good Lord sanctifie vs and dispose vs now aright seeing by thy prouidence we are this day to assemble and meet together in thy house that the beames of this light may shine amongst vs. Forgiue vs all our sinnes purge and wash vs with the blood of Iesus Christ that euen as the Israelites being washed and sanctified saw thy glorie vpon the mount so we may be fit to come into the same presence of glory Dispell in vs the thicke clouds of natural dulnesse that ouer-spread the eye of our mind so that the light though most cleare cannot breake forth vnto vs remoue that hardnesse of heart which maketh vs insensible and without feeling either of thy most grieuous threatnings or of thy gracious promises suppresse in vs all inordinate affections of anger malice hatred and enuy emptie vs of pride worldlinesse vanity and prophanenesse that as new borne babes we may desire the sincere milke of thy word to grow thereby Put into vs due consideration that we may take heed to our feete when we enter into thy house and not offer the Sacrifice of fooles Thus dispose vs O Lord to thy publike seruice and because a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe thy Sabbaths are defiled by vanity and worldly imployment euen when wee are gone from thy house mercifull Father restraine vs here-from helpe vs to consecrate this day as glorious vnto thee and to be sober in eating and drinking holy in conference and talking heauenly in meditation seeking in all things the best edification of our selues and others Open our hands to the necessities of our poore brethren and our hearts to haue compassion vpon such as suffer and be in misery That in all we may be to the praise of thy name keeping a most holy rest and in thy good time come to rest with
Sol. Verely no. As there are in all well-gouernd Christian common-wealths distinctions of habits ornaments and buildings to put a difference betweene seuerall degrees of subiects so much more is it fit that there should be a maiestique splendor whereby the Prince and his Court may be conspicuous aboue others In domibus Regum sunt qui mollibus indumentis vestiuntur It is the brainsick humor of some Anabaptists to lay all the world leuell Nor is it maruell that they who defie all Kings as limbes of the wicked world and scourges of the disciples should deny all roabes of ornament exceeding the skirts of a weauers or millers iacket Our vow in Baptisme renownceth not ciuil pompes befitting particular callings or occasions but the excesse of them they being too much possessed by them transported with them or addicted to them If they thus entice vs to forget God and become a snare to vs make vs to cling and cleaue to earthly things then by our abuse they degenerate into the vanities of this wicked world Alas this they doe too often God be mercifull in this to the best of vs. The world the flesh and the Diuell The third foe is most sensible and inseperable because neerest vs most powerfull in perswading and conquering vs because it dealeth with vs not as a stranger but a deare part of our selues Our flesh is the wife of our soule no maruell then if this be easily drawne by that as Adam by Ruc Sampson by Dalila Ahab by Iesabell Hardly and rarely can wee with Iob checke this wife when shee giueth vs desperate counsell to curse God and die This weaker part of vs is the stronger by entisements so that we often againe embrace it and begâ—t compleate sinne vpon it though wee haue in our baptisme pronounced a finall diuorce against it The sinfull lusts of the flesh though they fight against the soule yet sticke as neare our soules as the very naturall flesh Looke to thy selfe therefore thou baptized Christian put on thy spirituall armour of proofe ô thou champion of God prosecute thy defiance against the Diuell the world and the flesh for that they are all Gods enemies and all enemies to thine owne soule First that they be Gods enemies is plaine the Diuell aduanceth himselfe as a God in this world 2. Cor. 4.4 Eph. 2.2 for which hee is called the God of this world 2 Cor. 4 4. Eph. 2.2 and a Prince that ruleth in the ayre Now hee that shall take vpon himselfe to bee a King is the true Kings most deadly and greatest enemy so is the diuell The world considered 1. Joh. 2 15. not naturally as it signifieth the frame of heauen and earth or things necessary for the the maintenance of this corporall life but morally as signifying vnlawfull or immoderate pleasures or cares abstracting or entising from God in this respect the world is such an enemy vnto God as that the friends of the world are pronounced Gods enemies and hee that serues the world cannot but hate God Gal 5.17 Lastly the flesh is said to fight against the Spirit of God Moreouer they be also thine enemies The diuell as a Lyon 1 Pet. 5.7 goeth about seeking whom hee may deuoure Wee must prepare euery day to fight against him Eph. 6.12 for wee are not to fight only against flesh and bloud but against principalities and spirituall powers in heauenly places Math. 13 22. the world as briers and thornes doth choke the seed of Gods word in our hearts and make vs vnprofitable hearers 1. Tim. 6.9 it is as a pit of water closely made to drown thy soule in perdition Rom. 7. and the flesh so strongly assaulteth thee that it carrieth thee captiue to the Law of sinne and neuer ceaseth vntill that it hath brought thee to be a most miserable creature Quest Doe you think that you are bound to doe as they did promise for you Answ Yes verily and by Gods helpe so J will And I heartily thanke our heauenly father that hath called mee to this state of saluation through Iesus Christ our Sauiour and I pray God to giue mee his grace that I may continue in the same vnto my liues end Explan This Answer is a manifold cord binding the baptised vnto these three duties First an acknowledgement of obligation to performe in our owne persons whatsoeuer our Sureties haue vndertaken in our name The insoluble strength of this bond is euident out of reason and common practise The rule of Law is Quod quis per alium facit per se facere videtur What a man doth by another hee is in law taken to doe it by himselfe If I depute a man to seale a bond for mee his act bindeth me as sure as if I had performed it immediately by my selfe An oath taken by a Proctor in animam Domini lyeth vpon the soule of him that authorized the taker Ob. But an infant cannot make any deputation nor can at all binde himselfe being not of iudgement and discretion so to doe and therefore it seemes wee are free from whatsoeuer was vndertaken by others for vs at our Baptisme Sol Whosoeuer hath capacity of being baptized must needs haue withall a ioynt ability to vndergoe the couenants of Baptisme the duty doth inseparably accompany the benefit The stipulation of others for an Infant where it is to his benefit bindeth not onely in the gifts but in the annexed duties If a childe haue an hand to take a beneficiall Lease hee must also finde an hand to pay the rent and performe couenants Nor doth the Obligation of obedience binde the baptized meerely by vertue of the promise made by the God-fathers though there were no such promise made by others for the childe nor expressly by the party baptized in case hee should then bee of age yet this holdeth ex natura rei as an inseparable condition accompanying the Sacrament of baptisme inasmuch as all baptizing is into the similitude of Christs death Rom. 5. and implyeth on our part the couenant of obedience mortification and dying vnto sinne Whosoeuer therefore whether man or childe hath ability to be baptized must needes withall bee of capacity to vndergoe the couenants of Baptisme Doth Baptisme conferre vpon thee the priuiledge of adoption to bee the childe of God Semblably it layeth vpon thee the yoake of obedience to bee the dutifull seruant of God The second duty is of protestation and resolution to doe and performe in action what wee acknowledge due from vs vpon such our Godfathers stipulation Fitly therefore follow those words By Gods helpe so I will This bringeth the duties home to vs and fastneth them not onely in our vnderstanding but in our wills and affections Many are content to professe this obligation but the most are slow to achieue this resolution A third following duty is of Prayer and that in both kinds First thankesgiuing to God for calling vs to this blessed estate and
then petition for the grace of perseuerance Thankes to God is here first in order of nature for who considering himselfe to bee made the childe of God doth not at the first apprehension breake forth into the acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse and glorifying his blessed name for such vnspeakable mercy before he dare presume to begge a further guift from the same hand Saint Paul in most of his Epistles beginneth with commemoration of Gods fundamentall mercies in Christ and thanks for them before hee proceed to new Petitions for continuance of sauing graces Thanksgiuing to God for grace is the fruit of the first grace and the seed of the latter Lastly petition for Gods grace for continuance in grace sheweth First that it is not in our power to establish our selues but that wee must craue this blessing of him who is the first Author and last finisher of our faith by whose power wee are kept and confirmed vnto Saluation namely the same power and mercy by which wee are first taken out of the iawes of hell as I haue shewed before in handling the ability of forsaking the Diuell Secondly the difference heerein appeareth betweene the two estates of grace and glory the imperfection of this life and the absolute Perfectnesse of a better Heere we are still to intreat Lord increase our faith Lord strengthen our hope Lord assist our patience But there wee shall not need to make request for establishment our faith shall then bee euacuated by accomplishment our hope fulfilled by fruition our patience needlesse where there shall bee no tribulation There the exercise of the soule shall be in admiring adoring and magnifying that mercy and bounty which hath preserued vs to the end of our mortall liues and hath crowned vs with life euerlasting Of the Creede Qu. 2. THou saist that thou art bound to doe as was promised for thee which was that thou shouldest beleeue the articles of the Christian faith let mee heare thee therefore rehearse the same Answ I beleeue in God the Father Almighty maker of heauen and earth and in Jesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell the third day hee arose againe from the dead and ascended into heauen hee sitteth on the right hand of God the father Almighty from thence hee shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beleeue in the holy Ghost the holy Catholique Church the Communion of Saints the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the body and the life euerlasting Amen The Symbol of the Apostles Explan Before I come to speake any thing of these Articles in particular a few things are to be premised in generall First touching the name whereby they are called What articles are it is well knowne to euery man and so is the other name the Creed of the Apostles The proper name heereof in Greeke in which tongue these Articles were first penned is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symbolum Apostolorum which signifieth either a note a marke seruing to distinguish betweene one souldier and another or a summe of money cast in which wee call a shot It is likely and History consenteth heerein that the Apostles dispersing themselues ouer the world according to their commission to preach the Gospell aduisedly compiled an abridgement of the same to remaine as a rule according to the analogy whereof though the Church were scattered farre and wide yet both teachers and hearers might bee held in an holy agreement of the same faith and heresies arising being brought heerevnto as vnto a touchstone might bee tryed and being found drosse reiected And because that euery one of the twelue compiled some part which being put together make the whole it obtained the name of Symbolum as Augustine testifieth if it be his owne where he reciteth in particular the seuerall words put in by euery Apostle Aug. de temp Con◠114. These were gathered saith hee by Peter I beleeue in God the Father Almighty By Iohn The maker of heauen and earth By Iames In Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord by Andrew Which was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary by Philip Hee suffered vnder Pontius Pilate c. By Thomas Hee descended into hell and the third day rose from the dead By Bartholmew Hee ascended into heauen and sitteth c. By Mathew From thence he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead By Iames sonne of Alpheus J beleeue in the holy Ghost c. by Simon Zelotes The Communion of Saints By Iudas Iames his brother The resurrection of the body By Mathias The life euerlasting Amen All which I haue here inserted as probable not as necessarily inforcing Jerom. Epist 41. partis 1. In the Symbol of the Church of Rome this phrase he descended into hell is not neither in the Symbol of the Easterne Churches that iust according to this forme it was first set forth by the Apostles for both the phrases of descending into hell and Catholique Church may seeme to bee of later stamp and moreouer if it were thus certainly penned by them it were a part of Canonicall Scripture The common opinion of our Diuines is that it is called the Symbol of the Apostles because it was gathered out of their writings it may bee by some of their disciples that heard them For mine owne part hauing recited thus what I finde touching the name and first collection of these Articles I will leaue euery man to iudge as reason shall induce him to doe Secondly concerning the number of Creedes It is certaine that there haue beene many some compiled by whole Councels some by seuerall learned men of the Church vpon speciall occasion but none of those which haue beene made by the Orthodox doe any whit differ in substance from this of the Apostles they do onely set downe in more words that which is here contained in fewer and so may serue instead of some Commentaries vpon this of the Apostles The principall is the Nicene Creede made some three hundred yeeres after Christs Incarnation vnto which were consenting 318 Fathers Constantine the great Emperor being President This because of Arius who denied Christs Diuinity is larger in setting this forth how hee is very God of very God and of the same substance with the Father Next is the Athanasian Creede made by that holy man Athanasius who by the Arians was much persecuted but he made this as for a testimony of his owne sincerity in the truth so also to instruct and confirme others And of like sort is the Ephesine the Calcedon the Agathen c. So that we neede not be doubtfull because there be many which to embrace knowe and receiue this and so thou dost know and receiue them all 3. The Creed penned why Thirdly concerning the ends why this was committed to writing They were sundry and excellent
First as hath been already saide to be a rule of Faith and a preseruatiue from Heresie 2 That it might bee a meane of distinguishing betwixt true Christians and heretiques 3. That euery man entring the profession of Christianity might continually haue before his eyes that faith for which he should suffer persecution and to the defence whereof hee should stand vnto the death 4. That euery one of the Catechumeni which were new conuerted Christians might haue in a readinesse what to answere in their baptisme when the Minister should demaund what beleeuest thou or according to that of Philip to the Eunuch If thou beleeuest with all thine heart Acts 8.37 thou maist bee baptized vnto which he answered I beleeue that Iesus is the sonne of God So when one of them was demaunded Beleeuest thou aright he could according to this forme of confession answere I beleeue in God c. And if these be the endes and according to these onely bee the right vse of the Creede then must it be acknowledged a grosse abuse amongst simple people to vse it for a prayer for the remoouing of which as also for signification of our readinesse and constancy to defend the true Catholike Faith it is rightly prouided in our Churches that all should stand whilst it is in rehearsing Standing at the Creeds rehearsing Some I knowe are offended hereat and doe refuse to conforme themselues to this order but truely they are too too disorderly for besides that hence there is a confusion of gestures in the Church some standing some sitting and others kneeling to the hindering the ignorant from the knowledge of the right vse how doe they answer the reuerent behauiour of the first Christians August rom 10. p. 327. who were wont to stand during the whole time that the Word was in reading except very aged and impotent persons it being now so farre yeelded vnto them that they are required to stand onely in the time of rehearsing the Creed as being a short abridgment of the Scriptures Or how doe they giue testimony of their consent in the faith rehearsed when as conforming themselues to the Ministers gesture in prayer to testifie their consenting desires herein they are altogether vncomfortable in the other of confession Quest What doest thou chiefely learne out of these articles of thy faith Answ First I learne to beleeue in God the Father who hath made me and all the world Secondly in God the Son who hath redeemed me and all man-kind Thirdly in God the Holy Ghost who hath sanctified me and all the Elect people of God Explan In this answere one thing must be warily vnderstood viz. How Iesus Christ the Son of God may bee sayde to haue redeemed all man-kinde otherwise euery mans estate shall seeme good enough sith by him all are redeemed Vnderstand it therefore as other like phrases in the Scriptures Rom. 5.18 as that to the Romans As by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the iustifying of one the benefit abounded towards all to the iustification of life c. By which is meant that all men which attaine to the iustification of life are made partakers of this benefit by no other meanes either in Heauen or in Earth within themselues the obseruation of the Law or without them the merits of others holy men or Angels but onely by the righteousnesse of Christ So according to Saint Augustines like exposition of another Scripture phrase tending hereto Aug. de predest Sanctili 174 8â— Christ may bee called the Redeemer of all mankind not because all are actually redeemed by him but because no man is redeemed by any other but Christ onely When we say he redeemed all Mankinde the meaning is he is the onely Redeemer of all men who attaine this great benefit of redemption and saluation by no other according to that memorable saying Act. 4.12 There is none other name giuen vnder Heauen whereby to be saued but the name of Iesus Such as like better of the distinction viz. He redeemed all men that is in regard of the sufficiency of that hee did and suffered but not of the efficacie thereof may followe it if they please For the passion of Christ was sutable to his person his person of infinite excellency could not be so abased without infinite merit accrewing by such humiliation his dying was more then equiualent to all the worlds perishing euerlastingly in Hell Wherefore in giuing himselfe a ransome for sinfull man he is rightly said to haue redeemed all mankind for so much as he paid the full price of an vniuersall redemption And this is the same in sense with that saying of Iohn Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1.29 Wicked men and vnbeleeuers are not hereby secured but more iustly and deepely damned as treading vnder foote the Sonne of God and prophaning his blood Quest 3. Whom do these Articles of your Faith concerne Answ The first part of them concernes God the second the Church of God Quest 4. In the first part concerning God what doe you learne to beleeue Answ First I learne to beleeue in God the Father secondly in God the Sonne thirdly in God the Holy Ghost Explan The articles of our faith being a sum of all things necessary to be knowne and beleeued vnto saluation as hath beene already said comprehend therefore not onely things concerning God but also the Church of God so that they may be fitly considered in these two parts And because the knowledge of God is principall and the greatest part of a Christian mans taske the maine things concerning him are first and more largely set down and then briefly those of the Church Now forsomuch as a Commentary of Catechisme is in this Treatise intended I would not willingly leaue any ground of our Religion vntouched therefore haue thought it needfull here to insert some things more generall concerning God and then to proceed to the seuerall articles as they lye in order 1. Whether there be a God 2. What God is 3. How many Gods there be 4. That God is both Father Sonne and holy Ghost 5. That Father Sonne and Holy Ghost are but one God Quest 5. How knowest thou that there is a God Answ Many wayes but chiefely by mine owne conscience accusing me for secret sinnes which cannot be but vnto an infinite wisedome that knowes the most secrete thoughts of the heart such as is neither Man Diuell nor Angell but God alone Explan Such is the Atheisme of these times that this had need be taught for a ground of Religion though it be indeed a ground in reason meerely naturall Now this is to be read not onely in the booke of conscience but secondly in the booke of Gods iudgements taking notorious wicked men oftentimes in the very instant of their sinning and singling out guilty persons by lots as Achan and Ionah and wonderfully discouering murthers
bastards and no sonnes which call me Father but feare not to offend my will they doe vainely flatter themselues that they are coheires with Iesus Christ vnto God the Father but yet doe not his will they doe but thinke and not beleeue that God is their Father which keepe not his commandements And this is the estate of most men women in the world which make their liues a trade of sinning against God they doe plainely mocke God and his Church in confessing that they beleeue in God the Father 2. Duty Like vnto God The second duty is to be like vnto God and to beare in vs some resemblance of his Maiesty as naturall children doe resemble their Parents Wherefore it is said Ephes 5.1 Leuit. 11.44 1. Joh. 3.10 Be yee followers of God as deare children Now this stands in two things First in holinesse or life Be yee holy as God is holy Secondly in loue for God is loue and he that dwelleth in God dwelleth in loue and this loue expresseth it self by beneficence an aptnesse or readines to doe good Math. 5.45 Doe good to them that hate you saith the Lord that yee may bee the children of your Father which is in Heauen for he maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and the good c. More particularly by mercy towards the poore for the Lord receiues the miserable Prodigall and the poore Publican and the loue of God dwelleth not in vs Iam. 2. saith Saint Iames if we see the naked and cloth him not c. therefore see how we shall be rewarded Mat. 25. If these things be so then is it not so easie a matter to beleeue in God the Father as the world dreames of and to come to the priuiledge of his children but our corrupt natures must be purged and all wickednesse must bee emptied out 3. Duty Moderate care for the world The third duty is to moderate our cares for worldly things either food or rayment For what needes he to care for the world who hath a louing Father who is al-sufficient and shall liue still euer to prouide for him and how can any true Beleeuer then distract his minde about the things of this life seeing his Father is al-sufficient most louing and alwayes liuing and not onely so but such an one as prouides him a Kingdome Will the Heyres of Kings take care for pins and points or not rather haue their mindes taken vp with more princely thoughts So doe not yee care for such things Math. 6.32.33 saith Christ for thus doe the Gentiles but seeke ye the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof As if he should say This is vnworthy and vnbeseeming the dignity of your condition to be so basely minded and this may serue also for the fourth duty Quest 11. In which wordes doe you learne to beleeue in God the Sonne Answ In these And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the Holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose againe from the dead and ascended into Heauen hee sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty from thence hee shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead Quest 12. What doe you learne heere to beleeue concerning God the Son Answ Two things First his humiliation Secondly his exaltation Explan Before we come to the particular handling of these things it will not be amisse to lay open some general things necessarily to be premised that wee may with the better vnderstanding proceed to the consideration of these two estates of the Son of God as followeth Quest 13. What is the Son of God who is also called Iesus Christ Answ He is perfect God by nature and of the same substance with the Father and perfect man made so of his owne good will that he might become our Redeemer and thus is he subiect to the Father Ioh. 1.14 Explan As the Father so the Son hath beene already proued to be very God in the generall questions concerning the God-head now that he is also very man like vnto vs but without sinne is easie to be shewed St. Iohn tels vs that the Word was made flesh And the Authour to the Hebrewes that The Son of God tooke part with the children forsomuch Heb. 2.14 as they were partakers of flesh and blood Besides infinite places wherein hee is called man and said to be made man and saide to haue become man and that he was without sinne is taught in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Such an high Priest it became vs to haue Heb. 7.26.9.14 who is holy harmelesse and vndefiled And againe Iesus Christ offered â—imselfe without fault which is alleadged to proue that he did much excell all High Priests after the order of Aaron for they had neede being sinfull men first to offer for their owne sinnes and then for the sinnes of the people Moreouer that he was made man of his owne good will the Apostle shewes to the Philippians He made himselfe of no reputation Phil. 2.7 and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant And whatsoeuer else hee did vndergoe for our redemption was all voluntary And in regard of this estate is it that he saith the Father is greater then I and was before spoken of as his seruant Esa 42.1 Behold my seruant Quest 14. How can this bee that God should bee made man Answ Not by turning the God-head into the nature of man but by taking mans nature vnto the God-head that so one person might be both God and man Explan This is such a mistery that naturall men cannot conceiue of it wherefore some supposing it to be impossible that mans nature should be vnited vnto the diuine which is infinite but rather that it must needes vpon the vnion bee confounded herewith haue held one onely nature to bee in Christ as when a drop of Wine is cast into the Sea wee will not say but that it is all water still and these were the Monothelites Heresie a touching Christs two natures Others supposing that two natures could not concurre in one person haue held that there bee two persons in Christ and these were the Nestorians But that both these be errours that which is written of Christ doth plainely shew First that the nature of man was taken to the God-head and not abolished by the Vnion For howsoeuer hee is said to haue become flesh to haue beene made man which may seeme to imply a conuersion or confusion of substances yet hee is else-where saide Phil. 2.7 Heb. 2.14 to haue taken vpon him the forme of man to haue beene made partaker of flesh and blood c. Which latter phrases may serue to expresse the former viz. Thus He was made man that is tooke to his diuine nature the nature and forme of man so of the like Againe if the
same Secondly ingratitude and forgetfulnes of Gods great benefits for the Lord had done wonderfully for man prouiding all things ready for him before his creation for necessity and delight had giuen him a pleasant place to inhabit a Paradise and power to eat all manner of fruit of all sorts of trees which hee planted not only he gaue him a straight charge concerning one tree onely that he should not eat thereof for what day soeuer hee should presume to eat thereof he threatned death vnto him yet vngratefull man forbeares not but vpon the very first occasion shewes himselfe disloyall and goes beyond his limits Thirdly pride and aspiring vnto an higher estate euen to be like his maker yea to be equall vnto him for the Deuill told them that they should be as Gods He was not content to be man made after Gods image and Lord and Ruler ouer all creatures in this world beasts foules fishes but seeing the great Lord of all to be of greater dignity he thought to sit in the same chaire of state with him Fourthly disloyalty content to heare his maker blasphemously discredited as being enuious and therfore forbidding him that tree lest by eating of it he should become as good as God himselfe yea in his heart he consented to this blasphemy thinking better of the cursed Deuill of hell then of the God of Heauen who is blessed for euer So that heere was matter enough against him for which to lade him with curses and to packe him out of Paradise Quest 21. But though one man did thus yet all did not are wee all then sinners and vnder the curse Answ Wee were all in his loynes and so what hee did and whatsoeuer estate he fell into it is common to vs all Rom. 5. Rom. 5.12.3.23 Explan This may seeme strange and yet thus doe the Scriptures plainely teach Sinne came in by one man and death by sinne forasmuch as all men haue sinned And againe All haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God Neither indeede ought it to seeme strange for that we see the like dayly for matters of this world A man nobly borne and accordingly prouided for with a Princely estate yet if hee become a traitor his children and so his childrens children throughout all generations remaine without all Nobility without all their fathers wealth vnlesse it pleaseth their Prince to restore them and anew to bestow it vpon them Euen so our forefather Adam losing that estate wherein hee was made wee his children throughout all generations are without all interest therein vntill it shall please our great Prince and King out of his grace to restore vs againe and repurifie our tainted bloud by the most precious bloud of his deare Sonne in whom hee repossesseth vs of the lost inheritance and that with aduantage Quest 22. It seemes then that wee are sinners so soone as wee are borne before we haue actually done either good or euill Answ Yes verily the childe which is but newly borne yea but conceiued and liuing in his mothers wombe is a sinner and needs Gods grace Psal 51.5 Explan In sinne was I conceiued saith the kingly Prophet and in iniquity was I borne It was said of Esau and Iacob euen before they were borne before they had done good or euill Esau haue I hated Iaacob haue I loued Rom. 9.11 now where there is no sinne God cannot hate Esau then was a sinner whilst hee was yet in his mothers wombe and as it was with him so is it with vs all Otherwise we should not be mortall for where sinne is not there is no mortality And this should make Parents betimes to pray heartily for the grace of God to be shed vpon their children Quest 23. I perceiue then by this which hath beene said that wee are all in a miserable estate by nature but you tell me of Iesus Christ that hee was humbled for vs wherein standeth this his humiliation and in which of your articles is it set forth Answ In these words it is set forth And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell and there be three degrees of his humiliation Quest 24. Which is the first degree and in which words Answ First his incarnation set forth in these words Which was conceiued of the holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary Of Christs humiliation Explan Hauing by questions and answeres premised made a way to the consideration of the twofold estate of the Sonne of God viz. his humiliation and exaltation wee now come directly to open the articles touching these and first of his humiliation For the meaning considering what hath beene already said I shall neede to speake but little And in Iesus Christ That is I beleeue in Iesus Christ as being very God equall to the Father but in the order of the persons in the Godhead the Sonne of God and so the second person of the Trinitie and his onely begotten Sonne for in regard of him onely is God a Father by generation as hath beene already shewed though he be the Father of all true beleeuers also by adoption and regeneration and this onely Sonne of God I beleeue to be my Sauiour my Iesus to saue mee from my sinnes I beleâ—ue him to be Christ that is annointed or fore-appointed in the councell of the Father before all worlds to be the high Priest the Prophet and the King of his Church I beleeue him to bee our Lord that is to haue right of Lordship ouer vs euen as the father hath and power both of life and death ouer such as loue him and are obedient and ouer the stubburne and disobedient Who was conceiued of the Holy Ghost that is though he was made man yet not by ordinary way begotten of man but the power of the holy Ghost made the blessed Virgin to conceiue without man borne of the Virgin Mary that is this wonderfull conception was in the wombe of Mary a pure Virgin of whom he was after borne brought forth and brought vp after the manner of other children 1. Proofe Secondly for the grounds of holy Scriptures from whence all this is taken and first that hee is very God and Lord equall with the Father Philip. 2.6 Saint Paul is plaine Hee thought it no robbery to be equall with God and enough hath beene already said aboue concerning this Secondly that hee was made man like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted I shall need to say no more for the proofe hereof Thirdly that hee became man after an extraordinary sort all the holy Gospels doe plainely declare For they shew Math. 1. Luk. 1. 2. how that Mary was contracted vnto a man called Ioseph and before they came together shee was with child by the holy Ghost and that this should be so was prophesied
discourse is had hereof in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Thirdly to the office of a Prophet that he might reueale the will of his Father vnto vs enlighten our vnderstandings therein and continually pray to the Father for vs. Of Christ vnder this name did Moses foretell Deut. 18.15 The Lord shall raise you vp a Prophet from amongst your brethren like vnto me him shall ye heare chiefely meaning the head of all Prophets Jesus Christ And according to this office it is said Ioh. 1.18 The onely begotten Sonne who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him and again In these last dayes he hath spoken to vs by his Sonne Heb. 1.1 whereas he was wont to speake sundry waies by his Prophets as if hee should haue said now he hath spoken once for all by his greatest Prophet of all Ioh. 6.20 The Sonne of Mary the Virgin is this Iesus and Sauiour of the world annointed and none other in the world besides for vnto him agreeth the time of the Messias birth and suffering the manner of his comming of a pure Virgin poore and in the forme of a seruant of the tribe of Iudah of the seede of Dauid the wonders he should worke the vniuersall Peace ouer all the world the departure of the Scepter then from Iudah the testimony of diuels the heathen Gods and prophets the witnesses from Heauen at his baptisme his miracles in healing maladies raysing the dead darkening the Sunne his glorious resurrection and ascension the miserie of his enemies the Iewes and the wonderfull acts done in his name by his seruants the passage and power of his Gospell through the world the subiection of kings Scepters thereto the continuance of it to this day manger the rage of tyrants and persecutors Seuenthly that I am to beleeue in his name it is the summe of his preaching Repent and beleeue in the Gospell And this is the worke of God saith he that ye beleeue in him Ioh. 1.12 whom he hath sent And they only are iudged to bee such as vpon whom he will bestow eternall life which receiue him and they onely receiue him which beleeue in his name 1. Duty Now follow the duties by which we are to expresse this faith in Iesus Christ which are sundry First a thankefull admiration of this vnspeakeable fauour of the Lord towards vs we were miserable vnder the curse and through feare in bondage to the diuell all our life long 1. To prayse God for Christ there was no way to be deliuered but the glorious Sonne of God must become vile and wretched man the King of Heauen must put off his glorious robes lay aside his princely Scepter and come out of his royall throne of heauen from riding betweene the wings of the winde and bee basely cloathed as a seruant bee ruled like a babe and lodged in a stable with bruit beasts If mans heart be not lifted vp to more then ordinary thankfulnesse for this the very heauens will wonder the earth will bee amazed and the stones will vtter his praises and cry out vpon mans ingratitude Mary that blessed virgin that bare him breakes out into Magnificat anima mea c. My soule doth magnifie the Lord Luc 1.40 and my Spirit reioyceth iâ— God my Sauiour Iohn that was to be his cryer did but heare the sound of his mothers feet whilst hee was yet in the wombe and skipt for ioy vers 41. and Simeon no sooner saw him but as though ouercome with ioy falls into Nunc demittis Luc. 2.29 Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word to omit Zachary and Anne The Angels and shepheards singing wondring and setting forth the Lords praise for these things But wee vnworthy wretches looke for as much good at his hands yet do no way ioyne in thankfulnesse with this holy company When Moses with the Israelites had beene deliuered from the Egyptians by the red Sea they sung praises Iude. 3. When Deborah and Barack were freed from the Midianites they sang praises and so did Mordecay and Ester when they had the vpper hand of their enemies euer still we heare the sound of praises and greater deliuerance is wrought for vs but where bee our praises what testimony doe we giue of our thankfull hearts therefore 2. Duty In humility to serue one another Phil. 2. The second duty is humbling our selues to seeke the good one of another for the Apostle propounds this as a sound argument This minde was in Christ that being equall in glory with God he became vile for our good therefore wee ought to humble our selues for the good of our brethren and Christ himselfe vseth the same He takes water and washeth the feet of his Disciples and wipes them with a towell Math. 23. saying What I haue done see that yee doe likewise Wee must thinke that wee are best and greatest Christians when wee are most seruiceable through loue one towards another according to that Hee which is chiefe amongst you Ioh. 13.15 let him bee seruant to all This is the honor and Lordship ouer one another that we must affect and the higher our places bee the more must wee exceed this way Not as some foolish Monks haue done to shew the lowlinesse of their minde embrace lazarous persons kisse their vlcerons bodies and drinke the very water wherein they haue been bathed nor yet wilfully to impouerish our selues of all worldly goods with the Mendicant Fryers Gal. 6.1 for it may rightly be said Who required these things at your hands But first wee are in meekeesse to restore such as are fallen through infirmity and not proudly insult ouer them Secondly we are to lay aside our greatnesse and superiority ouer our brethren in the case of offence and to goe vnto them and be reconciled according to that of our Sauiour Christ Math. 5.23 If thou bringest thy guift vnto the Altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee goe first and bee reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy guift and not to stand vpon this I am a better man then hee let him come to me if he will Thirdly we are euen to forget our estates and to visit poore mens houses in the case of sicknesse and to put to our helping hands for the reliefe of our brethren in the case of danger by any sudden casualty according to that allegation to the comfort of Christ his sheep at the last day Math. 25. Exod. 23.5 J was sicke and in prison and yee did visit me and to that precept of old If the Asse of thy very enemy falls vnder his burthen in the way thou shalt helpe him vp againe Fourthly we are to abate of our dainty fare and of our costly apparell yea we must spare out of our owne bellies for the comfort of others in the time of extreame want according the commendable practice
bountifull reward euen euerlasting life They of the Church of Rome are afraid that by teaching this all good workes would be neglected and therefore make men beleeue that they may perfectly keepe the Law yea and doe workes of supererrogation also more then the Law requireth at their hands but you may easily perceiue by that which hath beene said how little cause there is of any such feare The sonnes of Belial indeede men without all grace growe secure hereupon and endeauour to doe nothing themselues because Christ hath done all for them but they are fowly deceiued as they shall finde to their cost another day The Apostle saith not simply He hath fulfilled the Law for vs Rom. 8.4 but with this addition which walke not after the flesh but after the spirit that is for vs which would faine be righteous and keepe the Law our selues but through the weaknesse of the flesh are not able hee hath done nothing therefore for these secure persons 2. Duty To rely onely vpon Christ The second duty is to cast out the anchor of our hope of eternall life onely vpon the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus and not vpon any merits of our owne no not whereunto we are inabled by the merits of Christ Iesus For as hee saide vnto Paul My grace is sufficient for thee 2. Cor. 12. so may it be said of his merits and righteousnesse His righteousnesse is sufficient for vs. Either it alone must make vs righteous or not at all that must not doe somewhat and our owne righteousnes somewhat the Lord will admit no such partnership Rom. 11.6 But if it be of grace it is no more of workes saith hee else were grace no grace if of workes it is no more of grace else were worke no more worke Our good workes are ordained of God as a way to eternall life Ephes 2.10 verse 9. that we should walke in them they merit nothing lest any man should boast Let the Roman Catholiques therefore sit at anchor here if they will let them build their hope vpon this sandy foundation but let vs sticke fast and remaine vnmoueable vpon the rocke Christ Iesus let vs looke for the sweetning of all our imperfect good workes from the perfume of his righteousnesse that thus wee may be sure to be accepted before God his Father at the last day Quest 28. In which wordes is his exaltation set downe and how many be the degrees hereof Answ In these words The third day hee rose againe from the dead and ascended into Heauen he sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty and from thence he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead And of this there be three degrees also Quest 29. Which is the first and in which words Answ First In that he arose againe from death to life and ascended vp into Heauen In these words The third day he arose againe from the dead and ascended vp into Heauen Two branches of the fift Article Explan As the Lord Iesus taking vpon him the worke of our redemption was greatly humbled as hath beene shewed so when this worke was finished he was againe highly exalted and looke by what steps of humiliation he descended by the like also he ascended till he came to the height of his glory beginning first to rise from the lowest in that out of the nethermost earth he goeth vp to the highest Heauens Of this Article there be two branches The third day hee arose againe from the dead is the first He ascended vp into Heauen is the second Concerning the first Being laid into the Sepulchre by Ioseph of Arimathea and a great stone rolled to the doore of the Sepulchre a watch also was set to keepe his body lest his Disciples stould come by night and steale it away and say He is risen againe being I say thus strongly guarded he is not hereby hindered but powerfully riseth and commeth forth of the Sepulchre the third day after his buriall which was the Lords day or first day of the weeke as he had foretold vnto his Disciples Proofe for the grounds of holy Scripture Math. 28. Mark 16. Ioh. 20. Luk. 24. from whence this is taken the history recorded by the foure Euangelists doth plainely declare thus much who doe all set forth his rising againe with the circumstances thereof Generally this time was the time of the Passeouer to shew that the true Paschall Lambe was now come into the world and the religious killing of all other lambs as meerely a figuratiue and shadowing ceremony should now cease the substance it selfe being now present Againe it was the first moneth about the middest of it which answereth to our March wherein in this Northern Hemisphere of the world the pleasant spring doth begin to shew that the earth did in her kind reioyce to receiue the Lord reuiued from the dead according to that of Melancthon Melancth Ecce renascentis testatur gratia mundi Omnia cum Domino dona red sse suo See how the worlds grace reuiu'd doth shew With the Lord of all all gifts return'd anew Gal 5 2. Thirdly it was early in the morning before the Sun to shew that a brighter Sun the Sun of righteousnesse was risen to the world Fourthly it was the first day of the weeke when he had lyen all the Iewes Sabboth in the graue to shewe that they are dead still vnto Christ that keepe their holy rests vpon that day as is spoken of circumcision If ye be circumcised Christ profiteth you nothing and to shew that a greater worke was now ended then the creator of the world viz. the redemption of the world and that as vnder the creation the Lords resting day from that great worke was the Sabboth of Gods people so vnder the redemption Christs resurrection day and of ending a greater worke became their Sabboth to endure to the worlds end Fiftly it was the third day after his death and buriall no sooner to shew that hee was truly dead without all deceit no later lest through his longer tarrying the faith of his Disciples should turne into despaire Now that he did rise againe indeed and that he was not taken away out of his sepulcher as the Iewes his enemies would make the world beleeue is diuersly testified and so fully as that it were shamefull impudency to deny it First he himselfe foretold thus much sometime darkely Ioh. 16.16 Yet a little while and ye shall not see me and a little while againe and yee shall see me Sometime plainely Math. 12.40 As Ionah was three dayes and three nights in the Whales belly so must the Sonne of man be in the heart of the earth Sometime againe more plainely Math. 17.12 23. The Son of man shall be deliuered into the hands of sinners and be crucified and slaine and rise againe the third day Secondly as he foretold so that it came to passe the Angels doe witnesse He is
in that I beleeue in him the holy Ghost I acknowledge his office of sanctifying and making holy the people of God for otherwise the Father also is holy and so is the Sonne but this is the peculiar office of the Spirit to sanctifie from hence hath hee this name of the holy Ghost Lastly I beleeue in the holy Ghost that is I put my whole trust and confidence in him as I doe in the Father and the Sonne for my preseruation and saluation and more especially as I depend vpon God the Father as my Creator and dayly Protector and vpon God the Sonne as my Redeemer and daily Mediator so doe I depend vpon God the holy Ghost as my comforter and the worker of grace and all vertue in me being of my selfe a lumpe of sinne and a masse of corruption 1 Proofe For the grounds of this Article and first that the holy Ghost is God S. Peter makes it plaine when as hauing told Ananias that hee had lyed vnto the holy Ghost Act. 5 3. verse 4. he added Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto God These last words expressing who the holy Ghost was of whom he had spoken before viz. God Act. 28.25 Esa 6 8.9 Moreouer well said the holy Ghost saith Paul by his Prophet Esay Goe make the heart of this people fat and say by hearing yee shall heare and not vnderstand by seeing yee shall see and not perceiue Whereas the Prophet tells vs that Iehouah the Lord God spake these words vnto him whence plainly followes that the holy Ghost is very God and Lord. 2 Proofe Secondly that the holy Ghost is equall with the Father and the Sonne and not inferiour or seruant as Macedonius wickedly taught is plaine from diuers reasons First because he is one with the Father and Sonne according to that of Iohn 1 Ioh. 5.7 There be three that beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are one That is one substance and essence one infinite wisedome power glory and maiesty Secondly because hee is alike worshipped with the Father and Sonne as in that prayer put vp alike to them all The grace of Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 13.13 the loue of God and the Communion of the holy Ghost bee with you all Amen Lastly because hee is alike the Creator of the world and the preseruer of all things for when God in the beginning made the heauens and the earth c. the Spirit is said to haue moued vpon the waters incubasse by a word that signifieth to sit and hatch Gen. 1.2 and breed life as a Henne doth to bring forth her chickins And Elihu mentioned in Iob a man of an excellent spirit saith Iob 33.4 The Spirit of the Lord hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath giuen me life and in the Psalmes it is Psal 104.30 If thou send forth the Spirit they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth speaking of all other creatures which are so made and preserued by Gods Spirit the holy Ghost 3 Proofe Thirdly that the holy Ghost is the Sanctifier of the people of God will easily appeare if wee consider either this attribute holy euer to bee annexed vnto the Spirit as Iesus and Christ serue to set forth the Sonne of God in his office or the comparisons by which he is for the further declaring of the same compared for he is said to bee fire and therefore Iohn the Baptist speaketh thus of him Mat. 3.11 Hee that commeth after me viz. Iesus Christ shall baptize with the holy Ghost and with fire that is the holy Ghost who is as a fire purging away reâ—ning from the drosse of sinne as is further set forth where we are forbidden to quench the Spirit of God 1 Thes 5.19 Ioh. 3.3 againe hee is compared to water in that saying to Nicodemus Vnlesse a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost bee shall not see the kingdome of God that is of the holy Ghost in the vse of water in baptisme setting forth the power thereof viz. to clense from the filthinesse of sinne as water doth from the filth of the flesh Or if wee consider the workes of sanctification to be all wrought by the holy Ghost as first sauing knowledge which is all one with faith that most excellent and holy-making grace Rom. 8 â—6 1 Cor. 2.12 The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits that we are the children of God It maketh vs to know and beleeue those things that are giuen vs of God that is righteousnes in Christ through whom we are his adopted children and in the way to eternall life according to that This is life eternall Ioh. 17.3 to know thee to bee the very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Rom. 8.10 Secondly spirituall gouernment whereby euill is suppressed and that which is good increased in vs errour is auoyded and the truth in all things followed They which are in Christ Iesus to whom there is no condemnation walke after the Spirit and not after the flesh the spirit rules in them and causeth them thus to walke and all the sonnes of God are thus ruled and led Vers 14. for all that are led by the spirit of God as hee addeth are the sonnes of God Particularly the spirit so gouerneth by striuing against euill motions and by offering good for â—he spirit fighteth against the flesh Gal. 5.17 as the flesh fighteth against the spirit in our weaknesses it helps vs for when wee are vnable to pray acceptably it workes with vs and helpes vs to offer vp sighes that cannot be vttered Rom. 8.26 in our ignorances it directs vs for it leadeth vs into all truth Thirdly spirituall consolation Ioh. 16.13 Ioh. 14. in our seuerall afflictions tentations which is another part of holines for this he is called the Comforter whom Christ promiseth to send to mittigate the heauines of the disciples after his departture he is called the oyle of gladnes which maketh cheerfulnes euen to appeare in the face he is called the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Psal 45.8 Rom. 8.15 Father that is affecting vs with the assurance and comfort of Gods children when wee are feared and troubled Fourthly power commendably to doe the weightiest duties of our callings therefore it is said to be the spirit Num. 11. that was taken of Moses and put vpon the Elders of Israel that they might be able to iudge and decide controuersies arising amongst their bretheren it was by the Spirit Exod. 35.31 that Ahohab and Bezaliel were inabled to worke all curious workes about the tabernacle it was the Spirit that made the Apostles sufficient vnto a farre greater work about the spirituall Tabernacle viz. to preach the gospell effectually to men of all languages Act. 2. they being vnskilfull of any but their mother tongue and for this
fire to purge them Christs blood alone hath done it his merits hide all their blemishes and through him they are accounted worthy to enter immediatly into Paradise to receiue their peny of eternall glory Math. 20. though they haue wrought but one houre of the day If any perfection be ascribed to any in this life it is meant onely of integrity and vprightnes of heart and not of perfect degree of holines and absolute fulfilling the law in all things Math. 13. For the holinesse of Gods visible Church that this is in regard of the best not of the greatest therein our Sauiour Christ maketh it plaine in his comparisons comparing the Church vnto ground wherein corne is sowne some falling in the high-way some vpon thornie some vpon stony grounds there being for all these but one good ground and vnto a field wherein is sowne both good corne and tares by the enemy which grow vp together c. now all this ground thus sowne hath the name of corne ground though the best of it onely be corne So is it with the Church it is called holy by reason of the faithfull not of the most or greatest therein which are tares or thornes and briars comming vp amongst the corne And this hath euer beene the estate of the Church 1 Cor 10. vnder the law They were all baptized vnto Moses and did all eate the same spirituall meat and did all drinke of the same spirituall drinke yet with many of them was God displeased and vnder the Gospell the Church of the Corinthians was troubled with incestuous persons with branglers and with drunkards the Church of Gallatia with false teachers and many so inclined vnto them that the Apostle feared that he had spent his labor in vaine The 7. Churches in Asia named in the begining of the Reuelation had many bad members in them and the same is true of all others before and after them Math 5. Lastly for the holinesse of doctrine taught in the Church this is so necessary that wheresoeuer it is wanting it is a certaâ—ne signe of a false Church of a Strumpet of Satan and no spouse of Christ Euen as salt when it hath lost his sauour or a light hidden vnder a bushell is no light no salt good for any vse but to be troden vnder foote of men so is the goodliest Church corrupted in the substantialls of doctrine it is no more worthy to be honored as Christs spouse but to be spurned and trampled vnder foote as his most treacherous enemy The teaching of the true Church is Christ his owne teaching according to that He that heareth you heareth me Mat. 10. 1 Cor. 11.23 1 Pet. 2.2 Deut. 13. And I haue receiued of the Lord that which I haue deliuered vnto you And as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word not mixed and corrupted with the poyson of false doctrine Yea whatsoeuer signes be shewed and wonders done the company of those that teach Idolatry or any grand error fighting against Christs kingdome or vilifying his precious blood and mediation is to bee auoided it is a sure signe that they are false Prophets wicked teachers 1 Duty To separate from the Church of Rome For the duties of this faith The first is to make vs still to be more seperated from the Church of Rome for that shee sheweth her self in this to be a very strumpet a false Church Witnesse her teaching that it is vnlawfull for Priests to marry howsoeuer vnable to conteine when as the Apostle calleth this the doctrine of Diuels forbidding to marry Whence it commeth to passe 1 Tim. 4.3 that in stead of holy Priests she is full of filthy fornicators and standeth to the iustifying of those abhominations teaching that it is better for them to haue many whores then one wife that simple fornication is no more Campeg Comitiâ—s August an 30. Piâ—â—bius Ecciâ—â— then aureÌ„ scalpere â—o scratch a mans eare Wherefore without making any scruple is whoredome publikly practised all ouer Italy infinite stewes are tolerated in Rome by the Pope who taketh a yeerely pension of 30000. crownes therefore which they call lactis census Pope Clement would haue women common vpon this ground By the order of nature the vse of all things should be common Conc. Toll â— Caâ— 7. In a certaine councell vnder Pope Leo the first it was decreed that hee which hath no wife but a concubine in stead of a wife should not be expelled from the communion if he were content only with the coniunction of one woman or concubine And vpon this liberty giuen it would offend all chast cares to heare the reports of their filthines in Rome made by such as haue beene there One saith Elias Hasen muller Hist Ordinis Jesunici cap. 10. that being at Rome hee saw Prelats and Priests take with them openly from the Churches common whores and carry them in their Coaches to their houses and gardens and in the time of processions that honest Matrons durst not come abroad for feare of them laying in waite to take them The same man further protesteth Cap. 7. that he can truely holyly testifie that in Italy and Germany he found not fiue Priests amongst an hundreth which had conteined themselues from the filthy company of whores And why should this seeme strange seeing the Popes themselues haue beene so beastly Baleur Innocent the eight had sixteene bastards Pius the fourth was so vile a lecher as that in his old age hee tooke things to prouoke lust so exceeded that he died in the bosome of his strumpet as his Epitaph doth witnesse Iohn 13. set vp publique stewes and being reproued by the Cardinals he cut off the priuities of one the nose of another the hand of another c. till at the last hee was slaine in the bed of adultery by her husband whom he thus abused Who so listeth may read more in Platina and others writing of their liues But this may suffice to make all true Christians in stead of louing to loath the Roman Church whose inerrable Head being such what shall we iudge of the tayle If they shall say that as great corruptions of manners are found amongst the Protestants also our Apologie is that it is the enuious man which hath done this there is no such corne sowne in the field of our Church but wholsome and holy we abhorre these as the diuels tares and shame to defile our paper with writings patronizing these euills as they doe yea wee say with the Apostle Absit God forbid that such abhominations should raigne in the Church of God 2. Duty To study to far holy The second duty is for euery man to study to bee holy an hater of sinne and a louer of vertue to striue against all false waies and to endeauour after perfection of obedience to walke in sinceritie Ephes 4 and to banish Hypocrisie seeing that all the true
which the Romanists make their greatest strength viz. antiquity is strongest for vs. If others euen in the darkenesse of popery hauing but a little dim light did follow it though left alone and through many dangers let vs much more walke euer in our cleare light hauing many companions and all encouragements Let vs not loue darkenesse more then the light as many doe least turning vnto it I meane to popery againe it turne to our condemnation Quest 37. How may a man know certainely where this Church of God is Answ By these two speciall markes viz. holinesse taught and professed and antiquity when both goe together Quest 38. Is not the Church of Rome then the true Church of God seeing it exceedes in holinesse and is most ancient Answ No it was a true Church indeede in the Apostles times and many yeeres after but now it is neyther holy for great vncleannesse is there maintained nor ancient for the ancient religion being defaced with a new Religion and so a new Church is started vp there Quest 39. Where then may wee finde the true Church Answ In England and all other places where these corruptions are done away and religion is restored to the first puriâ— Quest 40. How can this be seeing the religion of these places is but as it was of yesterday and neuer heard of before Luther and Caluin Answ This is a meere slander for there hath neuer beene any age since the Apostles wherein there haue not beene some which haue stood to the maintenance hereof and against Romish corruptions Quest 41. How happened it then that the Church of Rome still euer preuailed and was accounted of all the world for Christs true Church and these oppugners were neuer of any esteeme Answ By the greatnesse and tyranny of the Roman Bishops whose chiefe care it hath beene almost euer since Constantines time to magnifie their owne Church and themselues and to suppresse their aduersaries Quest 42. But is it possible that the Roman Church hauing beene once a true Church should fall seeing God hath promised his spirit vnto his Church to be alwaies present to lead it into all truth Answ The Lord tyth not his spirit hereby to any place for then the famous Churches of Asia long sâ—nce collapsed should still haue beene true Churches but the Spirit is alwaies present to the faithfull in all places of the world Expla All these questions are before resolued in the opening and confirming of the ninth Article onely I haue thought it necessary to insert them here for the better vnderstanding of such as cannot so well conceiue of a continued discourse Let the Reader therefore seeke aboue and hee shall finde all these things more fully laid open by arguments and reasons by Scriptures Histories and obseruations It is time now to proceed to the tenth Article setting downe the fourth thing to bee beleeued concerning the Church Quest 43. Which is the fourth thing which you learne to beleeue concerning the Church Answ Fourthly I learne to beleeue that there be certaine speciall benefits belonging to the Church and to euery true member therof viz. The Communion of Saints the forgiuenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the body and the life euerlasting Quest 44. What meane you by the Communion of Saints Ans That holy and sweet fellowship which all the meÌ„bers of Christs Church haue one with another as they make all but one body in Christ so communicating of all good things vnto one another whether Spirituall or Temporall as their mutuall necessities doe require Expla After the description of the true Church of God by the markes here followeth the comfortable and blessed estate thereof set downe in these Priuiledges The Communion of Saints c. that no man may thinke it lost labour either to seeke out the true Church or to endeauour to ioyne himselfe vnto the same For the meaning of this first priuiledge The Communion of Saints is as much in effect as their common vnion vnto Christ their head and through him vnto God the Father and of one vnto another euen as there is an vnion betwixt members of the same body which vnion stretcheth not onely to the Church militant howsoeuer dispearsed but euen to the Church triumphant also and the Saints in heauen So that first in beleeuing the communion of Saints I doe hold and acknowledge that none in the world of what company or degree soeuer are so highly aduanced and so happy for the fellowshippe into the order of which they are ioyned as the Saints are as they which are of the company of Gods Church and people Because that they may happily bee ioyned to men famous vpon earth but these are ioyned to the holy ones placed in heauen they may be ioyned to Princes and men great vpon earth but these are ioyned to the King of Kings to the greatest both in earth and in heauen Secondly the communion of Saints is as much as their communicating with their head Iesus Christ and with one another whereby Christs merits and righteousnesse are made common vnto them and their sinnes and miseries vnto him and their prayers fastings and deuotions are made common vnto one another not only amongst the liuing but euen amongst the liuing and the Saints departed also and lastly whereby temporall and outward things of this life are made common vnto them through Christ who is heire of all things so as that they only haue true right and title before God vnto earthly things I doe then in the second place here acknowledge and beleeue that no small good comes of this communion but such as the world cannot afford for my sins are laid vpon Christ and his righteousnesse serueth to cloath me if I be in misery hee is not without sense and feeling thereof but what is done against mee he accounts it as done against himselfe Moreouer the continuall and daily prayers of all good people ascend vp for me if I be afflicted they grieue if in welfare they ioy yea the Saints in heauen cry to God for the shortening of our daies of misery Lastly though mine estate bee neuer so poore in this world yet I am richer then many that haue great possessions they being vsurpers but I hauing right vnto my poore cloathes and slender diet vnto more as God shall be pleased to send it me and if I be rich I communicate vnto the necessities of Gods children and thus prouide me riches that shall neuer perish or be lost Proofe For the proofe of these things and first of the vnion of the Saints with Christ Iesus This benefit the Lord himselfe prayeth for saying of all such as should beleeue in his name Ioh. 17.11 I pray O Father that they all may be one as thou art in me and I in thee that they may be also in vs. And as he prayed for it so he hath by a spirituall marriage of his Church vnto himselfe effected it for which cause the Apostle is bold
direction vnto vs For neuer more guides in euery corner poynting and haling men as it were to the right way yet neuer were they so little regarded which bringeth our profession into a suspition amongst the enemies as teaching good workes to be needlesse vnto life but they shall answer for it who are an occasion of this blasphemy 3. Duty To remember euerlasting life in all troâ—bles The third duty is to vse the remembrance of eternall life as a salue against all sores as a cordiall to comfort our hearts against our greatest heauinesse Are we in misery in pouerty in pangs in disgrace in danger in the middest of continuall crosses What are all these to dismay vs the Lord hath prouided an excellent estate for vs euer enduring our suffering of these things is but momentany the Lord hath assured his seruants of Heauen and of Crownes of glory how can he then but giue vs deliuerance from these things supply our temporall wants in his good time Nay which is more the Lord hath sweetned the bitter pils of the troubles of this world by working through them the health of the soule by making them meanes of further assurance that wee are his children and that hee is our Father and by leading vs through them as through the right way vnto the euerlasting life 1. Cor. 11.28 Heb. 18. Iam. 1. If a begger might haue twenty pounds for trauelling in the wet and cold one night or for some few stripes to be giuen vnto him with a rod hee would not bee much grieued hereat no more would we at our crosses if wee had faith to be assured that instead of these wee shall haue an other day so great glory and the lesse would wee murmure at it because our stripes be vpon vs worthily as if a poore prisoner that had deserued death should bee set free and rewarded with a great summe of money for willingly submitting himselfe vnto some light chastisement Rom. 5.1 Let vs therefore not onely be content to beare our crosses but with the Apostle through faith reioyce in our tribulations and praise the Lord for them as Iob did saying Iob. 1. 4. Duty To pray for the â—astening of glory The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. The fourth duty is to pray that this time might bee hastened 4. Duty To pray for the hastening of glory wherein we shal enter into life and euen to reioyce when we see it approach to any of vs in particular because it will be so happy a change for vs of mortall for immortall of weakenesse for strength of dishonour for glory and as one dying said of tinne for siluer of copper for gold Wee must learne therefore to be like vnto the Brides which saith Come Reuel 22.17 Vers 20 2. Cor. 5.1 and vnto St. Iohn who when he had had some sight of these things said Euen so come Lord Iesus Wee sigh saith Paul desiring to be cloathed vpon that is to goe out of this clay house and to ascend to our house in heauen What faith haue they then that by the course of nature or by the danger of sicknes being brought almost home to this house desire to be farre away from it againe How vnseemely a speech is it in olde men to say I would I were young againe how lamentable a feare in sicke men to heare that they shall die let vs be more strengthened in these things that at our departing hence we may truly beleeue and haue euerlasting life Standing vp at the Creed There be two circumstances further vsed in the rehearsing of these Articles the first is the rising and standing vp which is a ceremony neither vaine nor superstitious as some suppose but they thinke amisse that more reuerence is hereby done to the Creed which is no Scripture then to the written word of God For first of all it is not vaine because it serueth to testifie our consent to the points rehearsed and is a silent confession of the same faith by all the Congregation as in the time of prayer all kneele by this gesture manifesting their consent with the Minister in this heauenly action In other duties done at Church in publique there is not the like reason of following the Minister in his gesture whether hee readeth expoundeth or preacheth because that in all these the Hearers are Patients and he onely an Agent Read more of this aboue at the end of the fift Question Whereto may also be added that this gesture of standing vpright is the most sutable and conuenient as being the posture of soldiers and champions ready to fight vnto the death for that faith which they then proclaime by recitall Amen Why added The second circumstance is the addition of this word Amen signifying verely or certainly or vndoubtedly It is added 1. To shew that we doe not in word only beleeue these things but from our very hearts 2. Not waueringly but certainly and without doubting 3. Not as though it were in our power as if we were secure for our firme and stedfast beleefe of these things but earnestly crauing this faith at the hands of God and thus it is as much as So be it The abuse of the Creede All which shewes the wonderfull abuse of this Creed first first amongst heretikes which say these words with their mouthes but the contrary in their hearts some denying beleefe in the Sonne of God for that they hold him to be meere man and God onely in name as Princes are called Gods vpon earth as the Arians Some in the Holy Ghost as the Macedonians for that they affirme him to be seruant and inferiour to the Father Sonne some deny beleefe in the holy Trinity for that they beleeue only in one God holding the distinction of persons a monstrous fiction of man as the Anttrinitaries And some againe denying Christs bodie 's reall being in heauen because they hold it to be present in euery Masse his Office of mediation sitting at the right hand of God because they appoint other Mediators to commend vs vnto God and the beleefe of the remission of sins with the life euerlasting because they teach doubting till the last gaspe The Creed abused by the Papists 1. Cor. 13.13 Secondly this Creed is further abused amongst the Papists because when they pretend to make a confession of their faith they doe onely confesse their hope which is a distinct thing from faith according to the Apostle There remaine these three things Faith Hope and Loue Now besides that they teach Faith to be a beleeuing in generall of all the Scriptures to be true they make it to be all one with hope through the mercy of God of being saued Thirdly it is further abused by all infidell-like Christians which say with their mouthes I beleeue in God c. But like Parrets not regarding what they say not considering the fearefull estate of such as want
old age c. The sixth command against murther was written in Cains conscience for that made him to cry out after the murther of his brother Abel Gen. 4 My sin is greater then J am able to beare and whosoeuer shall finde Caine shall kill him Vers 23.24 And Lamech from hence aggrauateth his owne case when he had slaine a man for that he had this law not onely written in his heart but a warning in his great Grand-father Cain And immediatly after the flood the Lord doth expresly set downe Gen. 9.6 Who so sheddeth mans blood by man shall his blood be shed for in the Image of God hath he made man Gen. 39.9 The seuenth command was to bee seene in Iosephs heart when being tempted by his mistresse to adultery he said Shal I doe this and sinne against God in the other sonnes of Iaacob also Gen. 34 when Dinah their sister had beene defiled by Shechem who doe therefore put him to death Gen 31.30 The eight Commandement Laban vrgeth vpon Iaacob saying Though thou wentest thy way because thou longedst to come to thy Fathers house yet why hast thou stolne away my Gods vnto which he answereth acknowledging this to be so great a fault as that he saith Gen. 44.5 With whomsoeuer they be found let him dye And this was held to be so haynous a sinne as that Iaacobs sons being charged by the steward with Iosephs siluer cup stealing yeelded themselues vpon the finding of it with any of them to become his bondmen Gen. 20.9 The ninth Commandement heathen Abimelech shewed to be written in his heart when hee complained of Abrahams false testimony concerning his wife of whom hee had said that she was his sister Gen. 26.9 telling him that he had done things which ought not to be done and Isaack is afterwards reproued by him also for the like faults Lastly for the tenth so many as did knowe God aright could not but acknowledge also that it was a sinne against his Maiesty to entertaine euill motions in the minde contrary to any of these Lawes because where these are there cannot be the vprightnesse commanded vnto Abraham God cannot bee honoured with the heart and thus much of the first thing The difference of the lawes of God Now we are to speake of the difference betwixt the Law of God containing these Commandements and other Lawes giuen also by the Lord for besides this Law which is called Morall there is another called Iudiciall and a third Ceremoniall The Morall is so called because it is a perpetuall rule of good maners without the obseruation of which the world cannot stand or if it should stand it would bee but as a confused Chaos and without forme of a world The Iudiciall is so called because as a statute-law it setteth down with what iudgements and censures men were to be censured that did offend in speciall cases The Ceremoniall is so called because it is altogether conuersant about rites and ceremonies shewing what ceremonies were to be vsed by the church of God and what not in his seruice Esa 1.12 1. Sam 15.22 Now the difference betwixt these standeth in many things First in that the morral Law was published and written by God himselfe so as that all the people did receiue it from his mouth but it was not so with the Iudiciall and Ceremoniall for the Lord instructed Moses onely herein and the people receiued them from him who wrote them downe for them 2. The Morrall Law was first giuen as most worthy the other two afterwards as not so much to be regarded in respect of it for when the Morall Law hath beene neglected and the other most diligently obserued the Lord hath beene as much moued as if no Law at all had beene regarded which may easily be gathered both from that of the Prophet Esay Bring no more oblations in vaine incense is an abomination vnto me c. And from that of Samuel to Saul Hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as when the voyce of the Lord is obeyed behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to harken then the fat of rams that is to obey the Morall Law farre exceedeth all ceremonies And Dauid hath the like saying in the Psalmes Doe I eate buls flesh or drinke the blood of goats Psal 50 offer vnto God praise and pay thy vowes vnto him c. And I will haue mercy saith Christ and not sacrifice with many more places to the same effect The same also appeareth from the practise of corrupt man which hath euer beene most diligently to obserue ceremonies but most negligently the precepts of the morall Law for our nature is set vpon contraries and therfore looke what we should most carefully obserue that we most neglect looke what should be cared for in the second place that wee looke vnto in the first Math 23. The Pharisies tithed mint and cummin in the payment of their tithes but let passe the weighty matters of the Law and thus was it the manner of the Iewes euer to doe Wherewith say they in Mcâ—a shall we come before the Lord Mich. 6.6.7 Shall I come before him with burnt offerings and calues of a yeere old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rammes or ten thousand riuers of oyle And this is the manner of most men at this day they are most strict in outward obseruances but most remisse in the substance of godlinesse in the very act of hearing and prayer not regarding that innocency charity and righteousnesse which should accompany this outward deuotion 3. The ceremoniall Law hath beene oftentimes broken without sin but the morall Law neuer without some speciall countermand from God Gen. 22. Exod 12.36 as when Abraham was bidden to kill his sonne Isaack when the Israelites were bidden to rob the Egyptians yea euen in these very cases the learnedst of the Schoolemen do by sound distinction maintaine that the law it selfe was not broken no nor dispensed withall if we speake properly but onely the matter or obiect of the precept changed by God so the Israelits did not steale from or defraud the Egyptians but tooke their owne when God who hath an absolute power to dispose of all these had before by his command transferred the right and dominion of those rights from the possessors to the takers So likewise did Abraham in offering to kill his sonne vpon Gods command no more breake the Law then a Souldier that at the command of the Generall who hath power of life and death killeth his fellow Souldier As for that act of circumcision or sacrificing Math. 12.5 by which our Sauiour Christ saith that the Priests breake the Sabbath it is not so to be vnderstood as though the Law were broken being rightly vnderstood or as though the Lord went about to iustifie this that a man might without sinne breake this command but hee speaketh of
prescribed vnto the Iewes in punishments of crimes euen against the expresse Morall Law Theft Adultery c. But referring the agrauation or mitigation of such penalties to the nature and propensitie of particular Nations and to the necessities of diuers times and occasions To the Iewes saith he God was peculiaris legislator and as a wise Law-maker ordained those Lawes with a singular respect to that people and so hee there concludeth against fome more nice then wise impostures of those lawes vpon vs Quod iactatur a quibusdam fieri contumelium Legi Dei per Mosen Latae quum abrogatâ illâ nouae aliae illi preferuntur vanissimum est It is an idle conceit to think that it is any disrespect to Gods Law deliuered by Mâ—ses if other new lawes be preferred before ti and established in stead of it To this authoritie of Caluin and others I may adde this euident reason for the refuting of that motiue drawne from relation to the Morall Law What Law of the Iudicialls of the Iewes nay what Ciuill Law almost at all in any orderly Common-wealth throughout the world tendeth not to the maintaining some Morall Law and forwarding some duty concerning the liues goods chastitie good name peace and iustice of and among our neighbors must therefore the Lawes I meane the iust and honest lawes of all other Nations bind vs must the same penalties in euer seuerall offence be currant through the world Surely I know no Law for that Generall equitie is diuersified by particular and not onely due punishments but also offences are truly greater and lesser in varietie of times places and people especially in those actions which conserue the more remote parts and skirts of the Morall Law What shall wee say then ate we Christians no more in dutie tied to the Iudicials of Moses then to the Positiue Lawes of the Persians Lacedemonians or the Romans made for the punishment of vice and vpholding of common honestie I dare not in any wise say or thinke so These were deuised by the light of Nature only those suggested by immediate reuelation from God and therefore incomparably exceeding for eminent wisdome and iustice Nay moreouer the Iudicials howsoeuer they haue not in themselues any obligatory power or legall force to bind other Estates and Kingdomes yet in regard of the generall equitie implied in them they remaine as a seasonable and conscionable direction vnto Law-makers now adayes in Christian Common-wealths where the nature of the people and strong motiues from experience doth not enforce another way This exemplary direction though it be lesse to be regarded in those prouisions which are most circumstantiall and variable as being farre off a kind to the Morall Law yet me thinks in the more essentiall and fundamentall parts of the perpetuall and vniuersall Morall Law the discreet imitation of Gods positiue Lawes is very requisite It pertaineth not to vs priuate subiects to prescribe but onely to wish and mention with humilitie what we conceiue out of a good conscience For my part in my poore vnderstanding it many times grieueth me to thinke how in our dayes the foule adulterer vsually escapeth in a manner vnpunished and the pilfering cut-purse is trussed vp on the cursed tree without redemption whereas Gods positiue Mosaicall law strake farre deeper in the former and in the later more gently prouiding also in this a meanes of reliefe to the party wronged by accumulated restitution If any man be so presumptuous as in this heinous crime of violating wedlocke to take Sanctuary in the new Testament and to claime thence impunity for this impuritie I see not what ground of mitigation can bee built vpon that which is by some alleaged out of Saint Iohn Iohn 8. how Christ dismissed the Woman taken in Adulterie without punishment for hee was no Earthly Iudge and did this onely to take downe the insolencie of the proud Pharisees which were greater and more stiffe sinners then shee was Wherefore let vs mourne for the impuritie which is now adayes in this case and seeke to the Lord for a redresse heerein by moouing the hearts of the higher powers to consider of it and to fortifie the law against so spreading and dangerous an euill The third thing to be further generally spoken of is the difference betwixt the Law of the old Testament and the Gospell Differences betwixt the old testament and the new which is of the new and these doe differ 1. In the manifestation the Law is knowne by the light of Nature as hath been alreadie shewed euen before that it was solemnely giuen but the Gospell is a mystery vnto Nature as Saint Paul calleth it saying Without all controuersie 1. Tim. 3.6 great is the mysterie of godlinesse it is a thing hidden from mans reason yea from the very Angels according to that of Peter 1. Pet. 1.12 Which the very Angels desire to behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifieth prying into a thing ouer-veyled and hidden from sight It was first reuealed by God himselfe after published by Angels by Men by Children by Deuils and by dumb Idols 2. The Law doth onely shew what is to bee done that God may be pleased but here leaueth vs without instruction how to do it because that way which it setteth downe is to vs impossible but the Gospell doth fully informe vs how this may be done namely by Iesus Christ who hath fulfilled all for vs and is made vnto vs belieuing in him righteousnes as the Apostle teacheth and so the one may rightly be termed the Law of Faith the other of workes 3. The Law is full of terrible threatnings and without comfort in the promises thereof because nothing is promised but vpon too hard conditions Doe this and thou shalt liue it doth therefore only cast downe and wound with the wounds of deadly sinne Rom. 7. Gal. 2. by it none can be iustified or saued according to the doctrine of the Apostle in sundry places but the Gospell serueth to heale all our wounds and to lift vs vp with comfort for that it is full of sweet promises flowing from Gods meere grace and mercy so that how vnworthy soeuer we are yet turning to the Lord by true repentance wee may be iustified and saued hereby The law is therefore the letter that killeth the Gospell is the spirit that giueth life 2. Cor. 3.6 Gal. 3.24 Lastly the Law is a Schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ as the Apostle saith for as without a Schoolemaster first had and vsed for entrance in rudiments children come not to the vniuersities so without the law we cannot be sufficiently taught to be preferred vnto Christ because we rest coÌ„tented through ignorance in sin wounded to the death and yet not knowing that we need to seek a remedy but the Gospell admitteth vs vnto Christ and incorporateth vs into his body it opneth the gate vnto vs and giueth vs entrance into his most stately pallace of heauen The
his helping hand There remaineth yet one thing more in generall and that is the vse of this Law in these times of the Gospell The vse of the Law in these times of the Gospell for howsoeuer other Lawes be done away as hath been shewed yet this still euer remaineth as it hath euer been in the hart yea euen before mans fall And this appeareth now to vse more proofes from our often being vrged vnto an holy and new life from the many caueats giuen against sinne and from the threatnings that they which doe such things shall neuer enter into life euen in the new Testament Ephes 4.24 For when the Apostle willeth vs to put off the old man and to put on the new which after Christ Iesus is in holines to put of the workes of darkenesse Rom. 13. Leuit. 11.44 and to put on the armour of light what doth he else but reuiue the Law Bee yee holy as J am holy Iohn 2.1 saith the Lord. When S. Iohn saith These things write I vnto you Iames 2.10 that yee sinne not And S. Iames Hee that keepeth the whole Law and yet saileth in one point is guilty of all what do they else but preach the continuance of the Law Deut. 5 32. Thou shalt keepe all these Commandements not declining to the right hand nor to the left Lastly when all the writings of the new Testament are full of sweet promises to such as constantly go forward in a Christian course of life and that bring forth the fruits of the Spirit but on the other side ful of terrible threatnings to the disobedient and such as bring forth the fruits of the flesh what other thing do they tend vnto but to make another Deuteronomy for that they repeate as there it is repeated out of Leuiticus Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. If thou shalt diligently obserue all these lawes then shalt thou be blessed at home and abroad c. but if thou break them Cursed shalt thou bee in euery thing that thou puttest thine hand vnto And to make it out of doubt our Sauiour Christ when it was suspected that he would giue liberty from the Law saith I am not come to destroy the Law Mat. 5.19 and the Prophets but to fulfill them But it will here be obiected then If it be thus how can those places of the new Testament stand where it is often said Wee are not vnder the Law Gal 4.18 Rom. 7. but vnder grace Euen as a woman when her husband is dead is freed from the law of her husband so are wee freed from the Law vnder the Gospell and Christ was made of a woman and made vnder the Law Gal. 4.4 to free those that were vnder the Law with many like places What is all this to make a shew only of libertie we being still bound to keepe the Law as we were before Christs comming I answere that most of these and the like places are to bee vnderstood of the ceremoniall Law against which occasion was then daily offerd to write by reason of the Iewes which were turned to the faith of Christ and yet held it necessary to keepe this law by circumcising c. there was little or none occasion to write so earnestly about the disanulling of the Morall but onely to shew how vnable it was to iustifie for then Christs comming had been needlesse Let the Epistle to the Galathians bee well lookt ouer and this will easily appeare to be the Apostles scope there for that he telleth them with wonderfull vehemencie If ye be circumcised Christ will profit you nothing Gal. 5.2 and he maketh this the occasion of prosecuting this matter of immunitie from the Law so earnestly for that Peter being at Antioch seemed to bee too cold in this doctrine when at the comming of the Iewes hee abstained from meates forbidden by the Ceremoniall Law for which he saith that he reproued him to his face for that iustification before God was not thus attained but hindred Chap. 2.11 which is the only thing he laboureth in throughout the residue of that Epistle But it cannot bee denied but that some liberty also from the Morall Law is here published it will be worth the while therefore to see what this is Liberty from the Law Gal. 3.24 Iohn 1.18 And first this is in regard of the time before Christs comming we were vnder the law as vnder our only schoolemaster to teach and to direct vs but now we haue another Schoolemaster Christ Iesus who came more lately out of the bosome of God the Father to declare him and his waies vnto vs. Now both Moses the mediator of the Law and Christ Iesus teach one and the same thing only as he that goeth from a countrie Schoole to the Vniuersity changeth his Tutor and is no more vnder him that taught him in his younger yeares but vnder another so at the comming to Christ we are no more vnder the old tutor the Law but vnder him who doth deale more gently with vs teaching vs more familiarly helping vs towards more perfection and where we faile pardoning and forgiuing vs and because of his mercifull dealing wee are said not to be vnder the Law but vnder grace and for this it is that the Lord himselfe said that the law and Prophets were vntill Iohn Heb 2.14 Secondly in râ—gard of the power and authority of the Law being now put downe by exercising of which it did tiranize ouer mens consciences and put them into a slauish feare all their liues long before Christs comming but now hauing another master to admonish to reproue to threaten and to correct vs the lawes threatnings neede not to terrifie vs it hath none authority ouer vs no more then a master whose seruant is dismissed and gone from him hath ouer the same seruant and for this cause is it that the Apostle saith Gal. 3 19. The Law was added because of the transgressions vntill the seede came Matth. 11. Thirdly in regard of the seasoning which hath come to our hearts by Gods Spirit ruling and reigning in vs so as that the things of the Law which were before difficult hard and burthensome are now become sweet light and easie according to that of our Sauiour My yoake is easie and burthen light And hence is it that as an Apprentice when his time is out taketh the same or greater paines in his Trade then hee did before yet is a free man although hee serueth his old Master still for it is a delight vnto him so to doe especially remembring in what feare hee was before but now without feare how rigorously compelled vnto his taske but now doing it voluntarily and by reason of his rudenesse and ignorance how hard it was but now by reason of his experience how easie so our time of Apprentiship to the Law being as it were out at the sending of Gods Spirit vnto vs wee are free from it
the last day when they shall see Ioshuah Abraham Elâ—ana Hannah and all good gouernours sitting downe in the kingdome of God and themselues shut out of doores 5. Leuity and remisnes in Princes and set Magistrates sparing sinnes that must necessarily bee punished and to the incouragement of malefactors 6. Tiranny exercising their owne pleasure vpon their subiects without all respect of equity and right Contrariwise did the good iudge Samuel 1. Sam. 12. and Dauid the King after that he was well schooled witnesse that which hee professeth saying Psal 101.1 I will sing of mercy and iudgement And so scrupulous was he that he would not take of gift much lesse by violence the threshing floore of Arannah but would buy it to offer sacrifice there 2. Sam. 24.21 although the Lord had commanded him to build an Altar in that place 7. Sloath and infidelity in ministers whose calling is to labour who haue hire to labour and whose labour is to so excellent an end if then they be loyterers if they be seeds-men of tares woe is to them The dispensation is committed to me saith Paul 2. Cor 9.16 woe is vnto me then if I preach not the Gospell A threefold woe then is vnto them that haue not only the calling but the hire also and that double and trebble if they vse not diligence as is sometime seene to the scandall of the ministerie 8. A vitious life in all persons of note and qualitie whether they be magistrates ministers masters ancient learned or of any excellency any way they doe not only sinne in the breach of Gods law but in giuing example to inferiour persons so that they pull vpon them the burthen of their sinnes also and because many are ready to follow them more then men of meaner condition they make their estate by far more fearefull then others the sinnes of multitudes besides their owne lying at the dore Wherefore when a grieuous fall is threatned to wicked Iudges it is said Yee shall fall Psalm 82.7 as one of the Princes The Kings of Israel that were wicked are said to haue made Israel to sin they are euen the eldest sonnes of Satan that be such and therefore good reason that they should share deepely in his inheritance Quest. 90. Whence is the reason of this Commandement taken Answ From the promise of long life if God please not to preuent vs with the blessing of eternall life 1. Tim 4.19 Explan The promise heere annexed may bee also read That they may prolong thy dayes Not that parents haue any power so to doe in themselues but partly keeping them from many dangers which they are ready to runne into to the shortening of their dayes but are preuented whilest they obediently follow their graue and godly counsell and partly blessing them by vertue of Gods ordinaÌ„ce with such efficacy as that this redoundeth to their great good euen for the prolonging of their happy and good estate in this world And in this sense it is vsuall in the holy Scriptures to ascribe that to the instrument which is proper to God Paul commending to Timothy the study and teaching of the word of God saith in so doing thou shalt saue both thy selfe and others And to the Corinthians he saith I haue begotten you vnto Christ Iesus Therfore of the reason then is thus 1. That is duly of all to bee done by which they may liue long and comfortably but the rule to be followed for this is Honour thy father and mother Therefore all are to honour father and mother 2. Thou wilt honour them gladly by whom thy life may be prolonged especially in weale but such are thy father and mother therefore honour father and mother For the first of these Life is so sweet that all desire it and most though it be ioyned with much bitternes and sorrow but to liue long well all doe naturally most earnestly desire so that they would follow any rule though verie hard for this but all other rules are vaine this only effectual the Lord the greatest Phisitian telleth thee so Doe not therefore harden thy selfe against it but bring downe thy rebellious nature and become obedient seruants children and people of all sorts For the second Euery phisitian whom experience teacheth to be a meanes of the health and long life of his patients men will honour in the time of necessitie seeking to them and carefully following their directions and he thinkes himselfe a happy man that can come to the best neither will hee for any thing displease him though he be froward and hastie towards him although his skill often faileth him and he bee till that time a very stranger vnto him but thy parents are no strangers but such as may challenge something at thy hands because they haue bred and brought thee vp with care and paines and God giueth them this blessing to prolong thy daies and not to faile if thou honour them Foolish then and out of his wits is hee and worse then a bruite beast which alwaies doth that which is naturall whosoeuer giueth not honour to his parents according to the scope of this commandement Quest 1 But how is this promise verified seeing as well such as honour parents and doe their duty as the disobedient doe often times die in the prime of their age and the disobedient and vnruly doe often liue long First it is often verified to obedient children when as they are kept thus in a temperate and honest course of life the disobedient comming to their end by surfets How parents prolong their childrens life or the Gallowes with shame in their very prime 2. It is alwaies verified because obedient children liue well and in the feare of God and to liue well is to liue long according to the prouerb 1. Tim. 5 6. Bene viuere bis biuere est To liue well is to liue twice and to liue ill is neuer to liue but to be euer dead as S. Paul speaketh of wanton widdowes Shee that liueth in pleasure is dead whilest shee liueth so that though the disobedient liue long yet they haue not this blessing of long life the obedient and dutifull haue it though they liue not many yeares for one day is better then a thousand of the rebellious Eccles 8.12 which is the cause that the Wise man maketh no reckoning of a sinners life though hee liue an hundred yeares 3. If it bee not verified for life here yet it is more then made good by their taking hence they receiuing for frailty strength for basenes glory for temporalitie eternity Who wil say that if the King promise any of his houshold-seruants by name one of his Guard a Pentioner or Porter that he shal euer inioy his place and yet remoueth him to be the Master of his Horse his Treasurer or Chamberlaine that he is not so good as his word vnto him and who can say then that the Lord of all if he promise
doe euill malefactors in an high kind among Christians Alas too many I conclude therefore that that God who in this Commandement saith to euery priuate man Thou shalt not kill doth therewithall and thereby not only permit but also command his own publike Minister to kill for the preuention or auengement of killing other heynous crying sinnes Qâ—est Here it may be demanded whether this vse of the Sword belongeth alwayes and onely to the Magistrate seeing there are in the Scripture examples of others who haue killed and haue therein been not onely blamelesse but also commended as Phinees and Moses True it is that Phinees had no ciuill power yet is greatly commended for killing Cozby and Zimri But this he did out of speciall instinct and extraordinary zeale which God stirred vp in him for the quenching of an extraordinary plague Moses being yet but a priuate man slew an Aegyptian that stroue with an Israelite But Moses was an eminent type of Christ and performed this and other such actions as a rescuer of the people of God And lest we should doubt whether he had a speciall instinct vnto this enterprise Saint â—teuen sheweth that Moses euen before the solemn commission giuen him by God appearing in the flaming bush had an inward vocation and notice of his own office of a Deliuerer whereof this slaying the Aegyptian was as it were the first act an handsâ—l which as himselfe knew so he thought that the people of Israel would acknowledge Act 7. â—5 For hee supposed his brethren would haue vnderstood how that God by his hand would deliuer them In briefe I say to such Heroicall examples that we Christians must liue by rules and not by exceptions within the line of our ordinary callings and without aspiring to a boundlesse imitation of extraordinary actions Heree it may be demanded vnto what crimes the vse of the Magistrates Sword ought to be extended and how farre the prescript of Capitall Lawes giuen to the Israelites bindeth Christian Common-wealths Whereto I answer first as modesty requireth that I will not take vpon mee the office of a Law-maker by defining this Secondly that many of those Lawes were peculiar to the Common-wealth of Israel and agree not with our and other Common-wealths Thirdly as for the chiefe defiances of the first Table as hellish blasphemy and grosse Idolatry I doubt not but that in all Christian Estates they ought to be capitall as they were among the Iewes As for the second Table this commandement aboue all the rest is in all Nations fenced and guarded with this extreame punishment ex lege talionis in the same kinde Limbe for limbe life for life which is of force so generally not out of imitation of the lawes of the Iewes but out of the instinct of nature and ballance of euident iustice How farre other offences against our neighbour are to be made capitall is a greater difficulty by reason of the variety of natures and dispositions in diuers people with true respect wherevnto there may bee ioyned an ayme at the best and most principall positiue Lawes prescribed by God vnto the Iewes as I haue heeretofore touched in the preface before the Commandements Gen. 9. Exo. â—â—2 To proceed now in the description of that which is heere forbidden vnder that name of murther I say it is to shed bloud vniustly that is ad dâ—liquium animae to the spilling of life for thus the Lord describeth killing euery where Againe I say it is a shedding of bloud that is direct and purposed not an act by which bloud is shed by accident besides the intent of the doer Exod. 21 13. For in this case it is no sinne but in a fort Gods act according to the wordes of the Law If a man hath not laid wait but God hath offered him into his hand I will appoint thee a plaâ—e whâ—ther hee shall flye and a particular instance is giuen Deut. 19.5 If a man be felling aâ—ree and his hande strike with the axe and the head slip from the heluâ— and hit his neighbour that hee dyeth heere it is no murther therefore hee is not worthy to dye by whose stroke this was done there was a place of refuge for such to saue himselfe in But it is not so if two men quarrell and fight and one killeth the other Men may mince it heere and call it onely man-slaughter but indeed it is plaine murther as is euident by the very English word of this commandement Thou shalt doe no murther which is the translation of the Latine Nâ—n oâ—ciâ—â—es And surely those that are coÌ„uicted of Manslaughter haue in their inditement their load of this word occiaâ—â—t So then murther legally and precisely taken is either comprised vnder occision or else it is not forbidden in this commandement which were very absurd Moreouer the case of our excused and refined manslaughter differeth much from this case Put by the Lord by which the Law for the quitting of him that slew his neighbour vnawares is illustrated For though the word not laying wait bee vsed and not hating his broâ—her in times pâ—ssed looking to which words onely his sinne may bee extenuated for that hee that slayeth his neighbour in a sudden quarrell may be said not to haue hated him before yet consider the instance that is giuen of one cutting wood to make plaine this Law and it will appeare that the Lord hath no meaning to giue any toleration to any killing in quarrels but onely out of all pretending before or intending then as it is not with him that killeth another in heat and fury seeing howsoeuer he doth it suddenly yet he endeauoureth it and doth it willingly Indeede it somewhat lesseneth the fault if it shall manifestly appeare that slaying was against the intent of the striker either for that the instrument wherewith was but some little stone or sticke not likely to kill or for that the part of the body smitten was not any principall not much wounded and heerein fauour may be shewed Because that otherwise a maister giuing his seruant correction by the striking of one blow vnawares and death following should become a murtherer whereas oftentimes death hath followed vpon a small cause But in these cases our Lawes and Statutes doe sufficiently prouide And as for the case of Manslaughter now discussed by mee I doe not presume to make my selfe regibus Sapientorem but only declare Gods positiue Law which if I deeme to be more equall and iudicious then the law of other Nations I see not why any man should bee agrieued thereat Sam 12. Lastly I adde by any meanes whatsoeuer and thus all accessaries to murther are murtherers First and chiefly he that commandeth or counselleth as Dauid made himselfe guilty of the murther of Vriah Achitophel of Dauid if it had beene proceeded according to his counsell and the high Priests of the murther of Christ 2. He that consenteth as Pilate did vnto the Iewes about the
any one of which sheweth this sinne to bee abominable to all Christians that are not of feared consciences and altogether without feeling of Gods grace towards them Gen. 38. And it is to be noted that whatsoeuer difference hath been put betwixt the punishment of this and adultery yet it appeareth euen before Moses his Law this sin was death for when Thamar Iudahs daughter in law had played the harlot Iudah hearing of it commanded that shee should bee brought forth and be burnt to death Gal. 5.19 And amongst the Turkes they are punished with eighty stripes and how slightly soeuer these sinnes of fornication and adultery bee passed ouer amongst men in these miserable times there is a greater punishment then a thousand bodily deaths expressly threatned heereagainst viz eternall death for he that doth these things saith S. Paul shall neuer enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Gen. 6. Secondly this ranketh them with men of the old world who are said to haue taken wiues of al that they liked that is by bruitish and inordinate comming together with them before they tooke them and with vncircumcised Shechem who first defloured Dinah and then would haue married her Gen. 34. but he smarted for it hee and all the men of the City being slaine therefore Thirdly this is a continuall heart-smart and griefe vnto them euen when they behold that which otherwise would be one of their greatest worldly comforts viz. their first-borne or any other in what number soeuer being the fruit of the body whom when they behold they hehold their sinne and if contrariwise it be a ioy as it is to many woe is vnto them the guilt of their sinne is yet vpon them Against Incest Or the Act of vncleannesse is committed with a neere kinswoman viz. the Aunt the Sister or the Wiues Sister c. and this is Incest Leu 20.10.11 whether it be in marriage or out of marriage and so heinous is this that death is appointed for a punishment heereof 1. Cor. 5.1 When Saint Paul heard that one among the Corinthians had taken his Fathers wife he detested it as abominable and so abominable as that the like was not heard of among the Gentles and ceaseth not till he had caused him to bee excommunicated and cast out of the Church of Gods people How is it a sinne of Incest in a man to marry his brothers wife whereas the Iewes were commanded to rayse vp seed to their childesse brethren how shall these two Lawes bee reconciled The law against Incest is generall binding all people of all countries Answ and perpetuall for euer the law of the brothers taking the brothers wife wanting issue was a speciall exception to this law peculiar to the Israelites and to last but for a time whilst there was a speciall reckoning made of the first borne and of his seed still continuing him as it were aliue thus typifying the first borne amongst many brethren who without hauing any seed further raised vp vnto him doth himselfe remaine aliue for euer Wherefore in no case may the like now be tollerated for it is a foule sinne Polygamy Or the act of vncleanesse is with a second wife in the time of the first for howsoeuer it may seem that there is no direct law against this and because the most holy Patriarchs had many wiues that it is no sinne to haue more wiues together yet now certainely it is no lesse sinne then Adultery in continuall practise to take a second wife Leâ—it 18.18 during the life of the first For first there is a direct Law against it made by God himselfe Thou shalt not take vnto a wife her sister during her life which may also be read one wife vnto another that is a second whilest the first is liuing Otherwise it might be lawfull the wife being dead to marry her sister which is against all equity of these lawes For whatsoeuer woman becommeth any way thy sister Leuit. 18.11.16 thou mayst not marry if she be but the daughter of thy fathers wife begotten by thy father or thy brothers wife and the reason is because she is thy sister onely such an one as is called sister but is not viz. the daughter of thy fathers wife begotten by another husband mayst thou marry But thy wiues sister is thy sister and therefore it is vnlawfull to marry her though thy wife be dead whence it followeth that this law must be vnderstood as being against Bygamie which is hauing two wiues together though they be not sisters but strangers one to the other 2. The first institution is against it God making but one man and one woman and why did he make but one saith Malachy because he sought a godly seed 3. There is no expresse and positiue tolleration throughout al the book of God for hauing more wiues together then one Malac. 2 15. but much to the contrary They twaine saith Christ shall be one flesh Matth. 19.5 1. Cor. 7.1 not three or more And To auoyd fornication saith Paul let euery man haue his owne wife and euery woman her owne husband not wiues or husbands And Lamech is branded to be the first that had two wiues Obiect It is not a toleration when Abraham doth hearken to Sarahs voyce willing him to goe in to his maid Hagar and when she being with child by him hath an Angell sent to comfort her in regard of that she went withall And when Nathan telleth Dauid that the Lord had giuen him Sauls wiues and concubines And when Iacob obtained so much fauour in the middest of his wiues and concubines Sol. It seemeth to haue been a secret and implicite toleration to them in particular and so for others of those times but what is that to vs vnder the new Testament The Lord who made the Law can dispense with his Law as it pleaseth him for ends best knowne to himselfe Though it were no sinne in Abraham taking Hagar vpon his wiues motion Socrat. lib. 4. cap. 26. yet it was a sin in the Emperour Talentinian to take Iustina vpon the commendations of his wife Seuera and to make a law to tolerate it in others Though it were no sin in Iacob to take foure wiues and concubines yet it was a sin in the Emperor Charles the Great Whence it appeareth how grosse the impudency of the Pope is who hath taken vpon him to dispense with these sins as with incest in Emanuel King of Portugall who married two sisters and Katherine Queene of England had two brethren and Ferdinand King of Naples married his aunt by the dispensation of Pope Alexander the sixth and Pope Martin the fifth gaue leaue for a man to marry with his owne sister The same may be said of fornication and whoredome the Popes of Rome do generally tolerate it taking tribute of the stewes Lastly there is an act of vncleannes committed without a companion namely by wilfull
as haue these things left them for inheritances by their parents and want all other meanes of liuing In my opinion their safest way for clearing and vnclogging their consciences is either to dedicate themselues vnto God if they can by studious endeauour attaine to any sufficiency that they may bee worthy of a Ministers liuing and for hereafter leaue it to the Church or if they bee vnapt to learning fell it at some indifferent rate to some sufficient Minister that may and will not only for his owne time performe the Pastorall duties but also entaile the tithes in such manner that all conueyance of them shall bee voyd other then to a Minister who shall discharge the Cure And so it is like that the Ministers in possession will still breed vp their sons or other heires to succeed as well in Officio as in Beneficio Nay moreouer it is not improbable that vpon such condition imposed the Ministers possessing thus as purchasers in Lay-fee and yet being bound to all Church-performances will bee content to conuert the Tythes into Church-fee reseruing onely the Patronage to themselues and their heires and so in processe of time the Church may bee reinuested in Gods right throughout many now wronged Parishes in this Kingdome Deep iudgements may perhaps propound other more plausible or passable courses I haue made bold to cast in the mite of my weake vnderstanding but feruent wish not so much I protest for the enriching any of our profession as for the restoring God his owne and the disburthening many deteinors of so heauy a load of sinne In this or any other probable course for restitution there will I grant be to the restorers some losse of worldly wealth but it will turne to great gaine viz. of a good Conscience which will feast thee euery day whereas thou canst not but lose this way still cleauing to that vniust gaine offensiue so many waies as hath been shewed Oh that God would giue power to these words that they might enter into mens hearts and neuer cease speaking there vntill they dispose themselues to cease from robbing God and make some restitution of these holy things meaner persons doing as hath bin said and the greater which haue thousands besides extending their bountie restoring freely to the Church and sparing from many superfluities What is to be thought of religious houses and lands which in times past haue been giuen to Friers and Nunnes c. Of Religious houses Those cages of vncleane birds were deseruedly dissolued both for their owne impurities as also for their originall foundation being out of blind zeale ordeined to the maintenance of idle bellies superstitious Massemongers and inuaders of Tythes which were due to the locall Pastors and not to the swarmes of mungrell Friars And truly it were to bee wished that the footsteps and memorials of those Church-robbers were abolished and not still preserued by exempting Abbey lands from paying any Tythes The Friars had then some pretences that they prayed for the people and sometime preached to them also but now the Lay men that succeed the Friars in those purloyneries haue no shaddow of such pretence but defraud the Church against all reason and against law to as I haue cause to thinke Now as for the lands and Manors thus bestowed by our deuout Ancestors I do not see that superstition did so vnseperably sticke to them that they might not at the suppression haue bin diuerted to some better publike vse for the Church or Common-wealth at least some large portion of them But of all in this kind most laudable is their worke that haue conuerted any such lands and houses to the maintenance of students in good learning which may grow vp as profitable plants in the Church of God Quest. 100. What is here commanded Answ To doe to all men as I would they should doe to me and by diligent paines-taking to get mine owne liuing in that estate of life to which it pleaseth God to call me Matth. 7.12 Explan Hauing been so large already in shewing the sin it doth more easily appeare what the dutie according to this law is And this in briefe is set downe by Christ To doe to all men as ye would that they should doe to you and that is in the excuting of any office in buying and selling in lending and borrowing and in giuing and taking c. In executing any office as of a King or a Iudge or of a Iusticer c. without respecting the person of the rich or fauoring the person of the poore Leuit. 19.5 doing iustice betwixt a man and his neighbour euen as thou wouldest haue it done vnto thee if thou wert to be iudged and therefore shutting the eies against kindred in the flesh acquaintance and greatnesse and thy hands against bribes In doing the office of a steward or collector of any duties taking no more then the due In doing the duty of a master to allow seruants things conuenient of a seruant to bee faithfull in doing seruice and euery other office dealing iustly though power bee in thy hands to aduantage thy selfe in doing otherwise 2. In buying and selling 2. In buying and selling thou must do as thou wouldest be done to not seeking to liue out of other mens losses but selling according to the worth of the thing and no more and in buying giuing accordingly as the Lord hath by Law prouided Leuit. 25. 3. To lend freely 3. In borrowing and lending to the needy lending freely as thou wouldst gladly borrow if thou wert poore and needy Luke 6.35 and as is commanded Lend freely looking for nothing againe no not for the thing lent being but some small summe which thou canst well spare and if thou canst gratifie any neighbour without thine owne hinderance by lending to doe this freely also for loue 2. Kings 4. Againe if any thing be lent for gaine which we call letting not to exact vpon any man but to cleaue to this rule and if thou borrowest be carefull to pay againe not onely at the time appointed but by continual prouidence against that time and if thou hast not otherwise wherewithall sell such things as thou hast to satisfie thy creditour as the poore widow of the Prophet sold her oyle If thou findest ought of thy neighbours if the owner may bee knowne thou must restore it as is by law prouided Deut. 22.1.2.3 Thou shalt not see thy brothers Oxe nor his Asse goe astray and withdraw thy selfe from them but shalt bring them againe to thy brother and if thou know him not thou shalt bring them to thy house vntill thy brother seeketh after it and so shalt thou doe with all lost things of thy brother If any thing bee committed to thy trust Exod 22 7.8 Verse 14 15. not by any deceit to beguile thy brother of it but to deliuer it againe when it shall be required If thou hast hired any thing and it perish or be
hurt vnder thy hand thou must make it good If thou beest any way wronged not to go to law if by any other meanes thou maist be restored and not for trifles for wee must rather depart from our right in something especially where the Gospell is scandalized by contentious brabbling among Christians according to the Apostle Why rather suffer ye not wrong 1. Cor. 6.7 why rather sustaine yee not harme And as we reade of Abraham that to auoid contention yeelded vnto Lot being his Nephew from his right And if we be constrained to go to law then not to prosecute matters in malice seeking the hinderance but the reformation of our aduersary recalling him frō his error if it be a criminal cause and faire recouery of our owne right if it be a Ciuill cause 4. In giuing and taking do as thou wouldst be done to in mercy relieuing the poore with clothing meat and drink Iames 1.27 and other comforts according to his necessity The pure religion and vndefiled before God is to visit the fatherlesse and widdowes in their aduersitie So that he which performeth not this duty hauing this worlds goods hath no true religion in him yea 1. Iohn 3.17 he hath no loue of God for If any man hath this worlds good and seeing his brother in want shutteth vp his compassion towards him how dwelleth the loue of God in him yea he hath no faith for Iames 2.20 faith without workes is dead yea he hath no sure foundation for 1. Tim. 6.17.18 the rich are warned to be rich in good workes to be ready to distribute and communicate laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation yea hee hath no conformitie with God as the child of God hath for doe good saith the Lord to them that hate you Matth. 5.45 that yee may bee the children of your father which is in heauen Now that this duty may be rightly performed it must be done liberally according to a mans ability for he that soweth liberally shall reape liberally and with all chearefulnes and not grudgingly 2. Cor 9 6.7 for God loueth a cheareful giuer And for taking there must be no more taken then is giuen neither must they aske and receiue almes that are not pressed hereunto by necessity labor must not be neglected an idle loitring vagrant life entred vpon for this is to breed a confusiō to hinder the poore indeed to rob the spittle And thus much of following the rule which hath been embraced euen amongst the heathen by the law of Nature Quod tibi non vis fieri alteri nefeceris Insomuch as that Alexander Seuerus an heathen Emperour of the Romans caused it to be written in all open places and market-places that it might bee continually before the eyes of all people That which thou wouldest not haue done to thee doe not to another man Rules of obedience to this Commandement Now there is further added as a speciall meanes to inable vnto this duty by diligent paines taking to get mine owne liuing in that estate of life to which it pleaseth God to call me 1. Cor. 7.20 For that we may doe the duty of this Law we must first be in a lawful estate and calling according to the precept Let euery man abide in the same vocation wherein he was called and as a remedy against stealing and as a meanes to inable vs to giue to the needy it is said Let him worke with his hands the thing that is good Ephes 4.22 so that thy calling must be good and honest otherwise what thou gainest hereby is stollen and if thou giuest it is not accepted it must be profitable to Church or Common-wealth Gen. 3 17. Secondly thou must be diligent herein for In the sweate of thy brow saith the Lord thou shalt eate of thy bread vntill thou returne to the earth Diligence was at the first enioyned Adam when hee was set to dresse the garden The Lord himselfe though a most omnipotent essence and pure act is in continuall action ruling all things the Angels haue wings to expresse their diligence and celerity the Sunne Moone and Starres with all the heauenly orbes are alwaies in motion and the smallest creatures the very Bee and little Pismire are diligent in their kind all which teach man diligence in his calling 1. Tim. 6.6 Thirdly thou must be content with thy present estate for godlinesse is great gaine with contentation Discontent besides that it is ingratitude against God is a ground of all vnlawful practices to gaine more and cooleth and kils the spirits from the workes of our callings but contentation stayeth from that which is vnlawfull and putteth life into our honest labours and endeauours Prou. 21.5 Fourthly thou must bee frugall and thriftie to saue that wherewith the Lord hath blessed thee not spending it vnnecessarily vpon vanity nor loosing it through neglect The thoughts of the diligent doe surely bring abundance so that a man by thrift hauing in reasonable sort enough of his owne shall not need to gape after other mens goods but may haue wherwithall to giue to others Psal 15.4 Lastly thou must bee constant to performe all thy lawfull promises for Who shall dwell in the Tabernacle of the most High he that sweareth to his owne hinderance and changeth not or if hee maketh any speech or promise of doing any thing to the benefit of another For he that boasteth of false liberality Prou. 25.14 is like clouds and winde without raine Hee bringeth poore men into a vaine hope of some benefit to be receiued but doth nothing or he maketh a shew before others as is the manner of many seeming good and beneficiall and making faire promises but in deeds least of all they shall haue reward accordingly Quest 100. Which is the ninth Commandement Answ Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour Quest 101. What is here forbidden Answ All false witnesse bearing which is first falsely accusing and witnessing against our neighbour before a Iudge 2. By slandring and back-biting and by all readinesse to hearken to such false reports 3 By flattering and soothing any for aduantage against the truth 4 By lying or telling any vntruth against our conscience Explan In this Commandement the maine intent and scope is to preserue the good name of our neighbour and our owne credit and good name for by false witnessing and lying as our neighbours disparagement is sought so a mans owne is procured The maine sin therefore here is vniustly or out of malice to detract from the good name of our neighbour 1. King 19. First I say vniustly because sometime a man is so bad and notorious as that hee which should goe about to maintaine his credit should endanger himselfe of the woe to such as iustifie the wicked Of such like it is iust and right for a man according to their deserts to complaine either before
and deuise in his minde how to attaine them he is a sinner in the highest degree against this Commandement Marke 7.12 Verse 23. If his thoughts wherein he is delighted be adulterous hee is guilty of adultery if murtherous of murther and is defiled heereby according to that saying of Christ From within euen out of the heart of man proceed euill thoughts adulteries fornications murthers thefts couetousnesse wickednesse c. All these euill things come from within and defile a man All which serueth to help vs to a sight of our own spirituall deformitie whosoeuer is best amongst vs so that if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs the holiest man were neuer able to abide it seeing he hath about him the flesh the root of bitternesse often euill motions though he striueth against them and some taking vp the heart with delight by their pleasing insinuation And thus the Law doth the office rightly to conclude all vnder sinne that we might all depend onely vpon Gods mercy for pardon and saluation Quest 105. What is heere commanded Answ To keepe our very hearts and mindes free from all euill motions and thoughts contrary to any of the Lawes and Commandements of God Explan The duty commanded here is our through sanctification not only in deeds but euen in heart and thought also as the Apostle prayeth for the Thessalonians The very God of peace sanctifie you throughout 1 Thes 5.23 and I pray God that your spirit and soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ The parts of this are mortification putting off the old man which is corrupt through deceiuable lusts and viuification Ephes 4.24 which is the putting on of the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse Iohn 3.5 and true holinesse It is otherwise called Regeneration or a New birth without which a man shall neuer see the Kingdome of Heauen Now of this new birth there be foure degrees or parts 1. The birth of a pure and holy minde hating sinne and louing the Law Rom 7.16 Verse 22. Verse 15. this was in Dauid Lord how doe I loue thy Law and all false wayes I vtterly abhorre and in Paul I consent to the Law that is good and I delight in the Law of God concerning the inner man and I hate the thing that I doe 2. Stirring and mouing in holy duties as a liuing man doth the actions of the liuing which a dead carcasse cannot doe Psal 34.12 This stirring of the regenerate is ceasing to doe euill and learning to doe well doing the duties of pietye towards God and of loue towards man 3. An earnest desire of food whereby this new life may be maintained 1 Pet. 2.2 As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby 2 Pet. 3 18. A growing vp towards mans estate in knowledge and holinesse according to S. Peter Finally brethren grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ Now the Law sheweth all this to be done but helpeth not to the doing and so leaueth a man destitute of all comfort that all conceit of righteousnesse in man might bee taken away his frailty and weaknesse might be acknowledged hee might despaire of his owne power and ability that he might be set a worke to seeke out of the Law meanes of fulfilling the Law and to become righteous before God And hitherto of the ten Commandements Of keeping the Law MY good child know this that thou art not able to doe these things of thy selfe nor to walke in the commandements of God and to serue him without his especiall grace c. Very fitly in this publike Catechisme after the setting downe of the particulars required by the Law we are put in mind of our owne weakenesse and disabilitie to performe those duties in any measure and therefore wee are sent to seeke from aboue a supernaturall assistance which may fight with our corruptions and helpe our infirmities not that we are thereby aduanced in this life to a total and perfect correspondence to the Legall rigor of these duties but that we may know that it is a greater strength then our owne naturall abilities which worketh in vs a sound and sincere though imperfect obedience in this life which is the Euangelicall performance of Gods Law atchieued partly by vs in our weake endeauours through grace and the rest by supply for vs by our Sauiours perfect satisfaction vnto the vtmost of the Law as more distinctly appeareth in the Questions following Quest. 106. Is any man able to keepe all these Commandements Answ No man vpon earth hath or can euer be able to keep them perfectly Adam onely excepted in the state of innocency and Christ who was both God and man Explan For clearing hereof we will deduce these Theses Thes 1. Man at the first able to keep the Law or positions Man by his first creation was able to keepe the whole Law without sinning for hee was made after Gods image which as is expressed by the Apostle is righteousnes and true holines Eccles 7.31 and God saith Salomon made man righteous his hart was full of diuine vnderstanding his will was altogether right his affections holy his power absolute to persist and continue such alwaies Thes 2. Man vnable to keepe the law Man as his nature now is cannot keepe the Law of God neither the whole nor any parcell thereof but is altogether corrupt his vnderstanding darkened his will crooked his affections impure and his best strength weakenesse towards the running the race of Gods Commandements Iob 14 4. And when the best meanes are offered of being brought into the right way he is apt to turne them into his owne corruption to the increasing thereof euen as the spider turneth all into poyson This corruption of nature is wel set forth by Iob Who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse so that mans nature now is filthines it selfe and so farre gone is it herein as Paul sheweth that speaking hereof in his owne person hee saith Rom. 7.18 In me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing The vnderstanding is so darke as that euen like as a blind man borne blind 1. Cor. 2.14 doth not see any light neither can hee the naturall man perceiueth not the things of God neither can he The will is so crooked as that in all things it is contrary to Gods will according to that saying Nitimur in vetitum semper cupimusque negata We are prone to that which is forbidden vs we long most for that which is denied vs. See an example in the corrupt Iewes Ezech. 3.11 vnto whom the Lord sending Ezechiel saith but they will not heare neither will they cease The affections are so impure as nothing is so good but he is apt to hate and impeach it nothing so vile but hee loueth it and is wedded vnto it
disanull them and against all defects if there be any in our lawes and neglect of the execution that the defects may be supplied the execution of good lawes better lookt vnto for the furtherance of Gods kingdome Hinderances of Gods kingdome in the ministry In the ministery there may bee also many hinderances of this kingdome against which we pray 1. Ignorance and vnaptnesse to teach for euen as the childe without milke perisheth and hauing too little languisheth so the poore soules of men vnder ignorant ministers or such as be vnapt to teach them doe perish and decay Hos 4.6 1 Tim. 3. 2 Tim. 2.15 My people perish saith the Lord for want of knowledge and a Bishop saith the Apostle must be apt to teach he must know to diuide the word of truth a right 2. We pray against heresie in them whereby the milke of the word as with poyson is corrupted and turned to the destruction of soules Of this hinderance S. Peter speaking 2 Pet. 3.16 saith that there bee many hard places in the Scriptures which the ignorant and vnstable peruert vnto damnation And like vnto this are prophane and vaine bablings which by the Apostle are compared vnto the Canker and Gangreene tending to the destruction of the body Wherefore wee pray 2 Tim. 2.27 that no such preachers may creepe in or be suffered in the Church as doe teach hereticall opinions vainely and prophanely handle the holy Word to the disgrace thereof amongst the hearers 3. Wee pray against idlenesse in Ministers taking the fleece and fat of the flocke but through lazinesse and carelesnes suffering the wandring to be out of the way the feeble without pasture and the diseased and weake without cure and exposing all to the rage of the deuouring Wolfe If hee that hath the keeping of a tower against the enemy committed vnto him and a reward therefore shall sleepe and neglect his charge he is worthy of death by the Martiall Law and he that taking wages and hauing any worke committed vnto him if through sloath he doth it to halues or to quarters he is worthy to bee punished as a thiefe So and much more they which take charge of soules and wages therfore a spirituall worke in hand and hire to doe it and yet are sloathfull and giuen so much to their ease as that they labour not in this worke by preaching praying exhortation yea and by good example of life shall answer as theeues and robbers and vndergoe the vtmost of Gods Law Wee pray heere that if there be any such O vtinam nusquam they may bee diligent or else speedily remoued and more painfull and faithfull placed in their roome 4. Wee pray against wickednesse in the life and conuersation of Ministers for a Bishop must be vnreprouable Leui had both the Thummim and Vrim committed vnto him 1 Tim. 32. When wicked ministers are wicked liuers though they teach things good and the way right yet such a cloud is cast ouer their doctrine that it shineth very dimly and few or none see to follow after it when like Images shewing the way they are seene to stand still without motion they are held as idols to be teachers of lies and what they shew is not imbraced Particular hinderances of Gods kingdome The particular hinderances of Gods kingdome are such as be in euery priuate person in particular These are first Infidelity and vnbeliefe whereby the dore of the heart is shut vp against the Lord that hee cannot rule there as King Heb. 4.2 Where vnbeliefe was it is noted that Christ could doe no great matters Lydiu had her heart opened before that the power of godlinesse wrought in her The Iewes are noted to haue had the world without profit because their hearing was not mixed with faith Faith was the first thing which Satan vndermined in our first parents to beat downe Gods kingdome it is the first thing wherin Paul laboureth with King Agrippa to make him a member of Gods kingdome As all things are possible to faith so it is impossible that any good thing should be with vnbeliefe Wee pray therefore here against this vnbeliefe that the Lord would open our hearts to belieue his word and all the promises and threatnings therein contained 2. Impenitency and hardnesse of heart whereby the mind is without relenting for sinne and reioyceth rather heerein and as the hand by often handling of hard things becommeth daily more hard and insensible so by sinning the conscience becommeth more hard and without sense or remorse for sin Luc 3. Wherefore when Iohn would prepare the way for the Kingdome of Christ hee preacheth repentance the putting away of this hardnes in sinning Esa 66 2. and when the Prophet Esay would describe such a man as with whom the Lord doth dwell to rule and raigne in him he saith that he must be humble contrite spirit and tremble at his word Wee pray then heere that the Lord would take away the heart of stone out of vs Ezech. 11.19 and giue vs an heart of flesh as he hath promised so that the power of sinne may be shaken we may tremble for sinne past and resolue vpon newnesse of life for the time to come as good subiects of Gods kingdome 3. Any one raigning sin which is when the soule is quiet in some priuate secret sinne and doth not striue earnestly against it For let it be neuer so small if there be a willing going on in it it is a raigning sinne and God cannot reigne in that heart Let not sinne therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 6.12 raigne in your mortall bodies Eph. 5.14 Hee that promiseth to the enemy of the Land but one peny or one egge towards his maintenance to inuade the countrey is no good subiect to his Prince no more than hee that promiseth horse man and armour neither is he a good subiect of Gods kingdome that resteth and without checke nesteth in lying in petty swearing in vaine talking or euill thinking and fighteth not against these Awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee life if thou sleepest in any sinne thou art without life out of the Kingdome of light 4. Negligence in superiours towards inferiours in parents masters or the wealthy towards the poore children or seruants suffering them to sin leauing them vntaught forbearing to admonish them to further Gods kingdome in them Leuit. 19.17 For if it be a sinne of neglect in any man to let his familiar friend to sinne vnreproued much more is it in such as haue some authority annexed vnto their persons they sinne against that Charge Thou shalt plainly rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer him to sinne 5. We pray therefore that all gouernours of families may shake off negligence towards their charges and though it be painfull vnto them labour to further Gods Kingdome in their families and that the rich in disposing the liberalities
3. We pray for faith whereby to belieue Supplicat 3. that the will of God reuealed vnto vs in his will and to apply his gratious promises to our owne soules for knowledge will not profit without faith without the Spirits teaching of vs as hee taught Peter when to his commendation Christ saith Math. 16.16 flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee but the Spirit of my Father which is in heauen Nay to beleeue is to do the will of God for this is the will of the Father saith Christ Iohn 6.4 that yee beleeue in him whom hee hath sent 4. We pray for power to obey the holy will Supplicat 4. and commandements of the Lord now this obedience is both actiue and passiue in doing and suffering Actiue obedience is both gederall and speciall Generall is our sanctification for this is the will of God saith S. Paul euen your sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 leading an holy iust and good life holy by praying reading hearing of the word and meditation as it is commanded 1 Thes 5.27 Psal 1. pray continually and in all things giue thankes and Blessed is that man which doth meditate in the law of God c. iust Psal 15. by righteous and equal dealing with all men as he which shal dwell in the Tabernacle of the most high is vncorrupt in all his wayes good by beneficence and workes of charity towards the poore as warning is giuen to rich men to distribute 1 Tim. 6.17 and giue vnto the poore Speciall obedience is in workes of our speciall callings as we are Princes gouernours or subiects ministers or people husband 1 Cor. 7.10 or wife father or childe maister or seruant of these it is commanded Let euery man remaine in that vocation wherein he is called And more particularly the King and magistrate are set for the praise of the good and the punishment of euill doers Rom. 13. the people must bee obedient to the magistrate Eph. 6. The father must bring vp his childe in the information and feare of the Lord children must obey their parents and likewise for the rest 1. Tim. 3. Coll. 3. Of this obedience there be fiue rules Rules of obeying Gods will and mans Eph. 6.1 Verse 7. Acts 4. 1. Obey Gods will absolutely for himselfe obey man only in God and for God therefore it is added Children obey your parents in the Lord and Seruants obey your masters as seruing the Lord. Esa 29.13 And when men command any thing against the will of God the example of the Apostles is to bee followed obeying God rather then man 2. Obey God in the manner as well as in the matter which he commanded for he is wisest and knoweth best what will please himselfe Otherwise in vaine doe yee worship me saith the Lord. And thou shalt not make any grauen Image to worship the Lord by Obey God in all the matter by him commanded and not in something of thine owne inuention Esay 1.12 as Saul and Peter lest it be said Who required these things at your hands Math. 12. 3. In doing the workes of piety let them giue place if necessity calleth to a work of charity as to thy neighbours house being on fire his Oxe or other beast being fallen into a pit vpon the Sabaoth day 4. Let the workes of thy priuate calling giue place to workes of a publike calling and generall if thou bee labouring vpon the sixe dayes the Lord calling to his house by appointing solemne meetings to his worship thou must leaue thy worke Leuit. 23. and attend vpon the Lord there Thus feast of the Passeouer was kept vpon the sixe dayes the feast of Tabernacles of â—â—â—st fruits purim and when the Lord called to any fasting c. 5. The workes of a generall coÌ„mon calling must giue place to the works of a speciall vndoubted calling being contrary if a man at any time hath such as Abraham had to kil his own sonne the man whom the Prophet bad to smite and wound him and the Prophet that was forbidden to eate bread in the place of Ieroboams Idolatry 1 Pet 2.15 Passiue obedience is in bearing patiently according to Gods will whatsoeuer is his will to lay vpon vs This is the will of GOD saith Peter that by well doeing yee put to silence the ignorance of foolish men speaking of subiection to the Tyrants of those times and to seruants being wrongfully punished hee propoundeth this comfort If any man for conscience towards GOD indureth wrongfully Verse 19. that is thanke worthy If any man therefore grudgeth and be impatient hee doth against the will of the LORD Now that all our obedience may the better bee accepted it must haue these three properties 1. Chearefulnes and readines it is spoken of as a thing taxed in Cain that in processe of time he came to doe sacrifice Obedience acceptable Gen. 4. 2 Cor. 8. Iam. 1. and God loueth a cheerefull giuer saith Paul he loueth one like to himselfe who readily bestowerh vpon such as aske vpbraiding no man It is not therefore sufficient to obey eyther in doing or suffering when we must needes and are pressed hereunto but we must willingly and cheerefully obey euen in bearing any crosse wherefore He that will be my Disciple saith Christ Matth. 10. must take vp his crosse and follow me 2. Sincerity which is heartily and from the Spirit approuing our selues to God and not affecting the applause and praise of men for thus our obedience will be all lost labor Esa 1. Matth. 6. as that of the Iewes and Pharisies 3. Vniuersalitie which is in all and euery particular thing Marc. 6. for Herod did many things and yet was reiected because he disobeyed in one thing but Iob is approued obediently professing his subiection to God though he should yet aggrauate his misery and kill him 2. The deprecation against all disobedience to the will of God and this is first rebellion an obstinate offending against the knowne will of God when Saul offended thus The deprecation 1 Sam. 15. Psalme 19. his sinne is censured as rebellion This made Dauid so earnestly to pray against this presumptuous sinning Deprecat 2. 2 We pray against prophannesse which is a base estimation of holy duties Heb 12.16 making no more reckoning of the Word of God then of Aesops Fables This is set forth by Esau's example who sold his birth-right for one messe of pottage and is forbidden to all men Vnder paine of being depriued of Gods blessing when we shall seeke it with teares Deprecat Esa 29.13 3. Wee pray against hypocrisie whereby men draw neere vnto God with their lips but haue their hearts estranged from him doing duties which the Lord requireth but not with that vprightnesse This maketh God an Idoll and his worship odious it causeth blasphemy against his holy Name and ruine of many soules who seeing
of sinnes and eternall life is sealed vnto them as well as vnto their Parents euen as an Estate or Conueyance in law is made sure vnto a child together with the father by some ceremony vsed vnto it when it vnderstandeth not what is done Ezâ—k 18.18.10 Againe it is further added which they themselues when they come of age are bound to performe Because that howsoeuer in their infancy before they doe good or euill their parents estate is reckoned theirs as hath been said yet in their elder age they are taken as distinct persons subsisting by themselues and standing or falling to themselues if therefore in this due time they doe not actually beleeue and repent their Baptisme is made frustrate and vaine vnto them For then commeth the time of which the Prophet speaketh If a righteous man beget a sonne that is a thiefe or a shedder of blood c. he shall die the death Verse 20. The righteousnesse of the righteous shall bee vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall bee vpon himselfe Wherefore it standeth euery man in hand now to looke to himselfe seeing that how holy Parents so euer hee hath and how soeuer religious his beginning hath been yet if these things bee wanting hee is altogether in his sinnes and vncleane If hee dyeth before wee are to account him holy and vndoubtedly in Gods fauour To whom belongeth the office of Baptizing To the Ministers onely and to none other that is not ordained to that sacred office by the successours of the Apostles and is thereby himselfe made a successour of the Apostles and partaker in that generall Commission which shall neuer bee cancelled till the end of the world Goe and teach all Nations baptizing them c. Are Lay-men are women the teachers of Nations Wee read that our Sauiour himselfe baptized not but his Disciples did which is to bee taken exclusiuely that none baptized but they namely his Apostles and other of the seuenty Disciples who were called to the Ministeriall function If it bee said that priuate persons circumcised of old yea euen Zipporah a woman circumsised her sonne and the Master of euery family killed the Passeouer in his priuat house and distributed it vnto his family whence it may seeme to be lawfull euen for priuate persons now adayes to administer the Sacraments I answere that when Circumcision and the Passeouer were first ordained there were no Priests specially appoynted but the eldest man of euery family was a Priest vnto God and did both sacrifice and performe all other Priestly duties but after that the Tribe of Leui was taken these things were done by them and not by any of other Tribes Now vnder the Gospell Christ hath ordained some from the beginning to preach and administer the Sacraments and therefore it is a confusion and disorder for others to doe those Whence it appeareth that our Communion Booke doth very iudiciously explaine that in time of necessity or danger priuate Baptisme is to bee performed by a lawfull Minister least Midwiues or others should intrude into this function Quest Why was the Sacrament of the Lords Supper ordained Answ For a continuall remembrance of the sacrifice of the death of Christ and of the benefits which we receiue thereby Explan After Baptisme the Sacrament of Initiation followeth the Lords Supper the Sacrament of Consolidation for as the one bringeth the soule into the societie of the faithfull so doth the other feed it and comfort it with heauenly comforts Math. 26. Now considering that both the Sacraments are Seales it is worthily propounded for a question why this particular Sacrament of the Lords Supper was ordeined and it is answered for a continuall remembrance For this is intimated by the Lord to be the proper end of this Institution when he saith Doe this in remembrance of me 1. Cor. 11.26 For as often as yee eate this Bread and drinke this Cup saith the Apostle yee shew the Lords death till hee commeth And this remembrance is so effectuall as that before whomsoeuer it is made it is as if Christ were visibly crucified in their sight Gal. 3 1. for to this purpose saith Saint Paul to the Galathians to whom Christ Iesus was plainely described before your eyes and amongst you crucified In Baptisme there is also a remembrance of Christes death in that as the water floweth so did his blood in streames runne out but this is not the particular end of Baptisme to represent Christ crucified but as he is vertually in vs clensing our soules and making vs to dye and to be buried vnto sinne besides Baptisme doth not so fully set before our eyes Christs grieuous passions as doth the Lords Supper wherein are to be remembred all things about his sufferings The Bread and Wine are first prepared the one by threshing grinding and baking in the fiery ouen the other by cutting downe casting them into the Wine-presse and treading with the feet of men Againe when there is thus made a loafe of bread it is diuided and broken that it may become food and when wine is thus made it is powred out to be drunke and which is a principall Analogie the corne and grape out of which they are made are the meere fruits of Gods blessing and not of mans labour and lastly this threshing and grinding and treading of these creatures are by man for whose sustenance they serue and when they are made ready can affoord no comfort to such as haue them but by Gods effectuall blessing according to that Deut. 8.3 Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God So wee are to remember heere that Christ is the Sonne of Gods loue towards vs sent from Heauen according to Gods eternall purpose for our comfort and saluation not through any labour or seeking of ours 2. Cor. 3.5 seeing wee were all enemies euer since the trangression and dead in sinne so as that wee could not so much as thinke a good thought 2. Wee must remember that Christ was threshed with many strokes of affliction ground in the milne of sorrowes and baken in the hoat ouen of Gods wrath when through the feruency heereof his sweat ran downe from him like drops of blood Luke 22.44 that he was cut downe and trodden in the wine-presse of Gods wrath due to vs for sinne 3. That his bodie was broken and his blood shed out of his hands feet and sides that he might be vnto vs bread indeed and drinke indeed 4. That all these sufferings came vnto him from man for whose comfort hee was sent from heauen sinne being the cause and sharpening the Speare and Nayles against him and mens handes being instruments thus to torture and torment him Lastly wee must remember that as Gods mercy sent him so his blessing must cause that we may liue by him otherwise wee are still subiect to perish in our sinnes that we may alwayes lift vp our
we sacrifice the calues of lipps by humble and hearty thanksgiuing We cannot sufficiently prize nor worthily praise thy goodnesse being herein vnmeasurable that when wee are sinfull and rebellious against thee and prouoke thee night and day yet passing by all our sinnes as if thou sawest them not thou still wagest vs with new fauours and bindest vs with cords of loue when thou might straine vpon vs snares fire and brimstone storme and tempest the deserued portion of such wicked ones as we are O stirre vp our dull hearts by this vndeserued loue that we may inwardly relent for offending so good a God and bee more affected with hearty loue towards so louing a father and wee humbly intreate thee for thy Christs sake to pardon our former grosse ingratitude and all other our sinnes Wash vs O Lord with his bloud and wee shall bee cleane purge vs and wee shall bee whiter then Snow Remoue our sinnes from vs as farre as the East is from the West cast them behind thy backe into the bottome of the sea that they may neuer rise vp in iudgement against vs to shame vs here or to condemne vs hereafter Worke in vs true humiliation for all our sinnes let vs cast downe our selues vnder thy mighty hand that thou maist lift vs vp A contrite heart is a sacrifice vnto thee which thou wilt not despise giue vs this that wee may offer it vnto thee open our eyes to see the precious body of our deare Sauiour wounded and bleeding his heart heauy and sorrowing and his soule in bitter agony departing for our sinnes that wee may waile and weepe euery family apart seeing him whom wee haue pierced And let vs abhorre all sinne for the time to come as a new crucifying of the Lord of life yea our most priuat and deare sinnes that we haue loued as our liues Let not the deceitfulnesse of our hearts so farre misleade vs as that wee should willingly bee intangled with any one sinne seeing that he which keepeth the Law and yet is faulty in one point is guiltie of all And because we haue many enemies that labour to keepe vs the bondslaues of sinne put away security and carelesnesse from vs let vs alwayes watch and prepare to fight against them Arme vs with the whole armor of thy Spirit the shield of Faith the Brest-plate of Righteousnes the Girdle of Verity with thy Word the Sword of the Spirit that howsoeuer we be assaulted we may not be ouercome but resisting the Deuill put him to flight and obtaine the Crowne that eternall glory which is set before vs. Blesse and sanctifie vs this day that we may serue thee better then heretofore we haue done Inable vs to the works of our Callings both with bodily strength and inward grace and direct vs so as that we may vndertake nothing but in thy feare Let the cōtinuall remembrance of thy presence be as a bit and a bridle to curbe vs in from following our inordinate affections that we being in all things ordered by thee may enioy thy blessing to the prospering of our indeauours to the glory of thy name and to our perpetuall incouragement in this holy seruice of praising and praying vnto thee Let all our bodily labours be seasoned with spirituall meditations though our works be earthly let our hearts be heauenly set vpon things aboue where Christ Iesus sitteth at the right hand of God If through thy blessing riches increase let vs not set our hearts thereon if for our punishment they decrease let vs not be discouraged hereby The more we haue make vs the more thankfull and watchfull that we be not deceiued the lesse we haue make vs the poorer in spirit that we may inherite the kingdom of heauen Grant these things vnto vs O mercifull Father and vnto thy whole Church and to euery part and member therof as all our and their cases are particularly known vnto thy heauenly wisdome farre beyond that which we are able to describe and that for the alone merits and worthinesse of Iesus Christ our most blessed Mediatour and Aduocate in whose maine we further praise thee and pray as himselfe hath taught vs. Our Father which art c. A Prayer to bee vsed euery Euening in a priuate familie O Lord in whom wee liue mooue and haue our being wee desire to offer vp our euening sacrifice of praise vnto thee for this day But how should wee come vnto thee to bee heard and accepted being of vncircumcised lippes So great wee confesse are our sinnes and such is our vnworthinesse by reason of them as that if we should excuse our selues our consciences would accuse our owne hearts condemne vs. Our nature is vile and rebellious hindring vs from the good which we ought to do and inclining vs to the euill which we ought to leaue vndone Our vnderstandings are darkened our wils are crooked our thoughts vncleane and our affections peruerse louing darknesse more then the light because our deeds are euill In our whole man we haue serued sinne our eares and eyes haue been as windowes to let in sin our mouthes haue bin fountaines of the salt water of sin our hands haue been hookes to pull vnto vs sin our feet haue been as wheeles running down along in the wayes of sinne and our breasts haue been as chests fast locking vp sinne Neither haue we sought to be deliuered out of this bondage but daily haue we thrust our selues further into it for so much as we haue not shunned but rather sought occasions and prouocations vnto sinne And through a daily custom of sinning it is so come to passe as that we are insensible and without feeling of the heauy weight burthen of sinne it presseth not our hearts it doth not inwardly grieue vs we cannot sacrifice broken hearts and contrite spirits vnto thee therefore miserable creatures that we are who shall deliuer vs from the body of this death Wee haue none in heauen O Lord but thee neither haue wee any in earth but thee alone and thou art our Father from euerlasting Good Father do thou therefore deliuer vs through thy al-sufficient grace sanctifie vs and through thy infinite mercy in Iesus Christ saue vs from all our sinnes Turne vs vnto thee so shal we be turned turne the light of thy countenance towards vs so shall we be filled with ioy and gladnesse more then when corne and wine and oyle are increased Inlighten our vnderstandings to see more cleerly into thy will rectifie our wils that they may be in all things conformable to thy most holy will sanctifie our affections that wee may loue that which thou commandest hate that which thou forbiddest strengthen our memories that we may reteine all good things settle our iudgements that we may not be wauering but firme in the truth and dispose vs so altogether both in soule body as that in all our parts powers and faculties wee may serue thee in new obedience as those