power is sin but also to call on them or trust in them as being some secondarie diuine powers although inferior to God The Angel-worship among the Colossians did not defer thus much as if they had bene the chiefe diuine powers and yet is condemned Nebuchadnezar did not enact that he should be worshipped as the highest God yet because he would haue honour in some degree diuine Daniel did decline it as flat idolatrie Againe this distinction with which they would salue their fact may be turned vpon them as making against themselues For therefore these may not be called vpon neither may be trusted to religiously because they are secondarie workers of things vnder God who is the principall agent Secondly we see what may confirme vs in assured hope to receiue our requests namely to thinke that God hath the kingdome ouer vs that he is powerfull and glorious There is a respect betweene Kings and their people which bindeth them mutually one to another Hence it is that we promise our selues protection maintenance in our life the benefit of subiects from them because we are their subiects and they haue the kingdome ouer vs. That God who by reason of this obligeth sinful men to seeke the weale of all their people because they haue receiued a kingdome ouer them himselfe will not faile on the same ground to procure all good to vs who liue vnder the regiment of his grace Yet because it is not enough that God should haue the regall authoritie ouer vs vnlesse he had the power also of working all things for our weale therefore this is ioyned Thine is the power What were subiects the better to be vnder a gracious Prince but weake hauing as short hands to do them good as a large heart to wish it them So should it fare betwixt God and vs if he were not almighty able to subdue all things to himselfe our faith were shaken For we cannot expect the treading of Sathan vnder our feete the quickning of vs in our soules to euery good worke the iustifying the protecting of vs we cannot expect these things from one who hath not all power Thirdly had God the right to helpe vs had he the power also yet were it a thing that made not for his glorie respected not the aduancement of his honor our beleefe might wauer which now it need not do it being Gods honour to performe all good things for his chosen Honor is with men the spurre of actions haue men right and power to effect this or that notwithstanding if it conduce not to their honor and glorie they will not moue a finger to it But now there is nothing that wanteth to our assurance while we know that we are such to whō God hath right such for whom he hath all power such whom to protect and blesse with all things spiritual and corporall is his great glory The case standing thus how can we doubt of receiuing the things we aske at his hand in the Name of his Christ Amen True it is we thus flie to thee ô Lord be it according to our desire An asseueration wish or expressing of earnest longing to obtaine all the things in this prayer aboue named A TREATISE VPON THE SIXE PRINCIPLES Written by that faithfull seruant of God Maister PAVL BAINE sometime Preacher of Gods word at S. Andrewes in Cambridge ANCHORA SPEI LONDON Printed by Richard Field for Robert Milbourne 1619. THE FIRST PRINCIPLE Question VVHat dost thou beleeue concerning God Answ There is one God Creator and Gouernor of all things distinguished into the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost All necessary knowledge which man is bound to know may be reduced to two heads The knowledg of God Iohn 17.1 This is life eternall to know God and the knowledge of himselfe heathens acknowledging their nosse teipsum the chiefest wisedome Now the knowledge of God is first in order as who is the first sampler after which man was created for we were made after his likenesse as also in whose affectionate knowledge the blisse of the creature consisteth Concerning God three things are set downe to be beleeued first the vnitie of his diuine nature secondly his operation or working without himselfe thirdly his distinction of persons For the first beside the euident testimonies of Scripture on which our faith is builded we may by reason demonstrate this truth First to vnfold it then to prooue it God is one not in beginning and kind in which regard all men may be said one nor in consent as the multitude of beleeuers were said one Act. 4. But one in nature the spirituall essence of God which is eternall knowing all things past present and to come almightie c. being but one and no more in number as this elementary lightsome body of the Sunne is but one so that spirituall nature of God which is a light to which is no accesse is but one singular nature which is not nor cannot be multiplied Sound reason teacheth that God is infinitly perfect aboue all that man can imagine but were there many gods that had euery one seuerally their diuine nature as there are many men and Angels that haue seuerally their distinct humane and angelicall natures in them then we might conceiue a more perfect God then any viz. such a one as had in himselfe the perfection of all the other This therefore doth teach vs how to conceiue of the diuine nature not as the heathens did who thought it multiplied as the nature of other creatures but as of one singular essence which admitteth not any other by it as hauing it in selfe all perfection which can be found in the diuine nature Secondly we see hence the incomparable vnity which the Father Sonne and Spirit haue as who haue euery one the selfe same nature To this we must looke that we may in our owne measure expresse it in being of one heart thinking and affecting the same things Father I pray thee that as thou and I are one so these may be one one mysticall person The second thing is his working without himselfe that is his voluntary bringing forth the whole creature visible and inuisible in nature and being different from his owne For as man and woman do some works within their owne nature as propagating their like some without as build houses make other artificiall deuices so God hath his worke within his diuine nature as the eternall begetting of his Sonne breathing of his Spirit as also his workes without his nature such as he doth voluntarily of his owne accord hauing had libertie of will not to haue made them or otherwise to haue framed them then they are Now first he is said the Creator which implieth two things First his giuing a being to all these things we see and to all spirituall natures which are not seene with the eye when they were not at all in the nature of things Nothing can make it selfe and therfore as seeing goodly buildings
thy selfe alreadie the first resurrection of thy soule from death in sinne which is greater wilt thou not then beleeue that he whom thou hast found able to raise thy soule frō death in sinne is able to raise vp thy body likewise And it is terrible to the wicked it were well with them if death coming there were an end Nay the body must rise that as it was partaker with the soule in sinning so it may be partaker with it in iudgement The second thing is the end to which all are raised to iudgment Obserue then that euery one shall come before Iesus Christ the great God to iudgmēt Earthly Princes haue their Iusticers riding their circuits and in fit times iudging all causes and persons subiect to iudgment So God hath his Christ to whom he hath committed all iudgement who shall come gloriously from heauen in his time and iudge all flesh righteously And needs it must be for here in this life is not seene the punishment of wickednesse nor the reward of vertue Now if a King in his common wealth cannot iustly suffer sin vnpunished nor vertue without encouragemēt how much lesse shall the iust God let the wicked carry it away for euer the godly vnrewarded shall not the iust Iudge of all the world set all at right in his time But the Scripture saith that he that beleeueth shall not come into iudgement Ioh. 5. and that he who beleeueth not is already condemned Ans The righteous shall not come into iudgment of condemnation but he shall appeare to be formally and publikely absolued The wicked is already iudged and condemned by the word in his cōscience Sententia Iudicis interloquutoria not definitiua The word iudgeth him his conscience condemneth him but the definitiue sentence is not solemnly pronounced This then is to be thought on that God will haue all brought to iudgement yea he shall reckon with malefactors to the least idle word As malefactors are brought out of darksome prisons so shall the bodies soules of wicked ones be drawne forth of the prisons of hell the graue to receiue their doome This not thought vpon men are bold to commit wickednesse as we say the theefe wots not the hemp groweth when he stealeth Many thinke let them haue but this day they will make shift good enough but the more thou presumest the more shalt thou be confounded the lighter thou settest by it thou shalt feele it the more vnsupportable We are afraid to fall into the lapse to do any thing amisse which we are sure to answer before our betters if we do it how is it then that we are not afraid to do any thing though we must answer it before God This is cōfortable to the godly that they haue yet an appeale lying to a higher iudgemēt then vpon the earth The last thing followeth the glory of the beleeuing the eternal damnation of the vnbeleeuers When sentence is once passed in earthly affaires forthwith there are inferiour officers which see execution accordingly so when this great God hath passed his sentence he hath good and euill Angels which shall be executioners vnto him First the godly shall enter their eternall lise and be made partakers with Christ in his glory for this is part of their dignity that they should as benchers sitting with Christ applaude his most righteous iudgement on wicked ones who haue not beleeued nor obeyed the Gospell and so after a sort iudge the world with Christ Know ye not that the Saints shall iudge the world Now their eternall life is a thing we beleeue I beleeue life euerlasting for if a man do out of his bounty giue often to some seruitor that hath done him the better seruice a free hold to him and his heires after him for euer and so if the world could be supposed to continue and his name not to grow extinct an euerlasting reward how much more doth it agree with Gods bountie to recompence the momentany seruices of his children with giuing thē this euerlasting inheritance which out of his fatherly loue he before worlds prepared for them Here then is matter of ioy the best dish is to come our life is yet hid we liue now as a tree in winter whose life is hid at the roote of it so is ours with God in Christ the roote of vs but when the Spring of our resurrectiō cometh it shall be manifested Finally marke what is the end of wicked ones eternall damnation with the diuell and his Angels I shewed in the end of the second question how it is meete that momentany wicked ones should haue euerlasting punishment for it is against an infinite and eternall maiestie kings may iustly punish with perpetuall imprisonmēt which a man should euer endure could he be supposed to liue alwaies What paine shall here be when the paine of one tooth may be so great as seemeth vnsupportable what shall it be when euery part shal be filled with such horrible griefe as neuer entred into the heart of man To see one diuell often is so fearefull that it exanimateth those that behold it what shal be this horror when the soule and body shall liue in one mansion with the diuell and all his Angels and be tormented by them for euer for euer euer while God is God no hope of redemption To be put by little things and misse our marke in this or that earthly hope how doth it grieue vs but to be put by the ioyes of heauen the blessed fellowship of God his Angels the righteous how shall this sting vs When after-thought of hauing ouershot our selues in little matters doth go so neare vs that we are in a hell for the time what shall it be when this thought shall vexe vs to thinke of our follies in reiecting and not regarding eternall blessednesse when it was offered vs The Lord therefore keepe vs from sin it is sweet but the sawce is sowre this last dish will marre the feast a wofull shot will come in for vs who learne not to know God our miserable estates and with sorrowfull hearts to flie to his mercies in Iesus Christ FINIS
First that it is God that giueth vs both will and deed maketh vs perseuer in euery good word and worke teacheth vs to profit in obedience Hos 13. In me your fruite is found Ioh. 15. Out of me you can do nothing In thoughts and words we are like eckoes we cannot speak inwardly or outwardly till God hath spoken first to vs in the deeds we do he prepareth theÌ„ and worketh them first we after him in nature as a boy writing vnder one who leadeth his hand in that he writeth For longer then God acteth the grace we haue it moueth not at all for as an instrument now set in tune giueth no sound if some Musitian touch it not so we when Gods kingdome coming hath disposed vs by grace and made vs fit to worke well yet cannot worke any thing till God moueth vs vnto it nor yet continue in working longer then he vpholdeth vs in it This then is our sanctuary against all our vnfruitfulnesse and disobedience hold the Lord who hath vndertaken to write his Law in thy heart and to put his Spirit in thee and make thee obey his commandement And this must teach vs to giue all glorie to him who is the first and principall worker of euery good thing in vs. Secondly we note hence that no mans obedience is perfect for that we pray for is not yet attained In many things we sinne in the good things we do we caÌ„not perfect them the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit a gainst the flesh that we cannot do the things we would Not that our deeds are sinnes but the best of them is sinfull As wine hauing some water mingled with it yet is called wine for the best part giueth denominatioÌ„ to the whole The Papists know not what it is truly to make this petition that write so much for the iustice of workes Thirdly note that Christians must not coÌ„tent themselues in any thing they haue attained but must striue to perfection Mat. 5.48 Be ye perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect We must shoote at the highest marke though we take our arrowes vp short enough daily When we call men still on they thinke wee know not what we would haue do they not thus and thus c. but he that laboreth not to be better will grow worse and worse for who gathereth not scattereth Fourthly we see true Christians must be as carefull to haue good liues words workes c. as good hearts We say not onely thy kingdome come but thy will be done Euery man will hope he hath grace in his heart and yet no man careth for obedience in his life but the not doers of Gods will deceiue themselues Petition 4. Giue vs this day our daily bread The words are easie all but the last Bread it is put for whatsoeuer thing sustaineth this present life and comforteth it Ionathan eating honie is accounted to breake the oath of eating bread Daily bread is whatsoeuer is conuenient for vs to possesse for the present so giue of mercy to vs and then renewing our faith and inuocation daily towards thee who carest for vs all such things which thou seest we may conueniently possesse for the present time First for those who are Gods but yet vncalled whether hauing aboundance but without the title of inheritance or haue neither title nor possession of any thing for many belonging to mercie conflict with extreame pouertie we pray in the behalfe of these that God would giue as a Father to the one as children heires in Christ the things they haue for the other that God would be pleased by a new grant to furnish them with necessaries who haue iustly as we all forfeited all things We who haue something about vs yet find want of others we wish that God would supply vs so farre as he seeth good for vs. We who are called and haue for outward things more then we could in modestie aske for God doth for his sometimes this way and other aboue that they can aske or thinke we do beg at God to maintaine these things vnto vs for he must vphold our lot as well as deale vs forth our portion Secondly we wish that God would giue vs his leaue to vse the things wee haue Thirdly that he would giue vs power to take a taste of such comforts which through his allowance we haue libertie of conscience to vse Fourthly that he would with his blessing make them comfortable to vs so that we may with gladnesse of heart vse them And from hence we may see that euery one hath reason to make this petition which shall be Now if we be in Christ and yet poore hauing in a manner nothing wee pray that God out of his secret would minister to vs make the fruite of his daily prouidence a contented portion vnto vs be it neuer so little and finally make vs see him by faith our all sufficient God that will not leaue vs nor forsake vs. The motiues breeding deuotions this way are First for all that find the want yet of something for the more comfortable seruice of God that they would well weigh the wants of others and of themselues Secondly consider what a sweet thing it is to feele this that God or his grace giueth this or this to vs. If we sit at boord with great personages if they carue vs a bit and giue it vs the whole feast is not so sweete to vs as their honorable remembraÌ„ce of vs. All the creature is a deafe â—ut and no better if God be not perceiued in it Lastly that he would blesse all meanes we vse tending to preseruation of this present life Thirdly for such as haue abundance they must consider how he that giueth these things is the maintainer of theÌ„ how easily God might bring the things they haue to nothing letting riotous seruants and children like back dores bring downe the house Secondly how many wayes God can keepe them froÌ„ being able to vse or find comfort in any thing they take or possesse if he send a scruple into the conscience touching the lawfulnesse of it if he send sicknesse deepe discontents lingering after that we haue not or otherwise if he should giue vs to such weaknesse in vsing any thing that we should breed our selues more bitternesse in the end then we take comfort in the first tasting of them how little things put vs out that for the time all we haue is nothing to vs Lastly we must consider how all things without Gods blessing are nothing clothes warme not meates nourish not physicke heales not labors prosper not to effect any thing which those well know whose false affiaÌ„ced harts haue bene well whipped out of all the creature The coÌ„clusions follow First that God giueth and maintaineth to vs all things belonging to this life God giueth God taketh faith Iob. Iob 1.21 His blessing maketh rich saith Salomon Euery good perfect gift descendeth from him Iam. 1.17
fal the true righteousnesse as Aesops dog making to the shadow of meate he saw in the water let fall that which he had in his mouth Christ and these will not stand together so much as we lay hold on these so much we let go out hold on Christ Lastly note what benefit we haue being in Christ we haue righteousnesse and life eternall We by Adam first stand guiltie of sinne secondly of euerlasting death Now Christ hauing bene made a sacrifice for sinne that is for the taking away of sin and pacifying of God his Father doth not onely obtaine forgiuenesse of sinne for vs that are his but the grace of adoption and free donation of life euerlasting Hence it is that as by generation and coming of Adam we partake in sinne and death so by regeneration being set into Christ we are made partakers of righteousnesse and life from him And look as a griffe partaketh in the sap which the stocke containeth or as a member coupled vnto the head communicateth in the sense and motion which is thence deriued so we by faith set into Christ haue his righteousnesse cōueyed vnto vs God imputing it to vs as ours and life likewise conueyed from him the fountaine of it Ob. But then we are saued and made righteous with anothers righteousnesse as if any can be made wise with anothers wisedome Answ Christs is not anothers but after a sort ours when we by faith are made one with him Secondly how was Adams sinne made our sinne Thirdly if the Pope be pleased he may in his indulgences impute the sufferings righteousnesse of other men to such as neuer knew thē shall it then be vnlawfull for God to impute to vs the righteousnesse of his Sonne And it is to be noted that he saith we are iustified that is haue in Christ forgiuenesse of sinne and are sanctified that is haue the life of glorie begun in vs. For grace is the beginning of eternall life according to those sayings To such as are in Christ there is no condemnation Who so beleeueth hath euerlasting life whom he hath iustified those also he hath glorified by faith their hearts were purified For looke as not onely Adams fact in eating the forbidden fruite was imputed to vs but his corruption which was in his nature being the death of the soule was also propagated to his posterity so not only Christs obedience to the cursed death is reckoned as if we had borne it but the glorious life which resteth in him as a roote of it is conueyed to vs. We see then what wonderfull benefits we haue being in Christ If we had faulted against some great man we would count it no small benefit to haue it released freely forgiuen vs. Againe to be recouered vnto bodily life out of some great dangerous sicknesse is no smal mercie what blessednesse then is this to be set free from all our offences against God and of dead men in soule to be made aliue to God Secondly if any thirst after these things whither must they go euen to this fountaine Thirdly marke that the pardon of sin neuer goeth to a man but that clensing of his nature and sanctifying of him goeth with it also A counterpoyson coming to the heart poyson is expelled So Christ and Belial will not dwell together in one person The fift Principle Q. VVHat are the ordinarie or vsuall meanes for obtaining of faith Answ Faith cometh onely by the preaching of the word and increaseth daily by it as also by the administration of the Sacraments and prayer This answer layeth downe two things first the meane or instrument both of begetting and increasing faith viz. the word preached Secondly the meanes which serue only to the further increasing not to the first begetting of it viz. the Sacraments and prayer For the first we may note hence that true faith is bred in vs by the hearing of the word and nourished by the same Rom. 10. How can we beleeue without hearing so the Gospell is the powerfull instrument of God to saluation from faith to faith I commend you to the word which is able to build you vp For faith is the credit and assent which we giue to matters now how can we giue credit to any thing we neuer heard of Againe as we cānot heare what is done in France till some messenger do bring vs word of it so wee cannot heare what Gods pleasure in heauen is toward vs till he dispatcheth his messengers vnto vs. The same word doth after increase faith in vs for if we beleeue an honest mā so much the more because he often goeth ouer which affirmeth this or that to vs how much more must we be strengthened to heare God reiterating his testification of this or that which he formerly had spoken Euen as in the naturall birth the same bloud of the mother whereof as a seede it is framed the same I say is after her deliuery by benefit of the kernels in the breast turned into milke wherewith the babe is nourished so this word is both the seed which breedeth the sincere milke of the Gospell which feedeth faith in vs. Yet we must not thinke that this word we preach is the principall worker of faith for it is but an external instrument which God vseth which as it cānot worke faith without God so God will not worke faith without it It hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue his otherwise Eph. 1. The same power which raised vp Iesus from the dead is it which bringeth vs to beleeue If one were borne without an hand none could set a naturall hand on such a body but the power which createth and maketh a body so much lesse can any power but the Lords create this grace in the soule which is as an hand that reacheth into heauen The vse of this is first to examine our faith in this point by what meanes we found it wrought in our hearts by what meane it is preserued increased in vs. If it be a true faith the word preached did beget it it feeleth it selfe to grow in strength by meane of the same word When as many that say they beleeue they neuer found any vse of the word to begin their faith for they cannot remember they say that euer since yeares of reason they were without a good beleefe to God-ward neither do they feele any need of the word to grow by the lesse they haue of it it is the better with thē such mens faith is a diuellish delusion Contrariwise if we haue come to our faith by hearing find that the word is effectuall in vs to the augmenting of it in vs in all this it is with vs as it is with true beleeuers Secondly we see how needfull the word preached is for vs no word no faith no faith no saluation This maketh the diuell so malicious to perswade the contempt of it or at least to beare vs in hand that it
is not so necessary What were none saued that had not Preachers may we not reade pray at home and serue God without this who are worser thē many that gad after it What can they tell thee more then thou knowest They speake great things of it but what dost thou feele He knoweth that if he can keepe vs from attending on the Word we shall neuer be brought to faith and so neuer haue benefit by Christ Iesus Wherefore let vs come within this net and if we be already borne to God let vs like new borne babes crie after this milke that we may grow by it Secondly note that by the Sacraments our faith is confirmed in vs. For euen as men do further secure those they deale with by putting to their seale vnto their couenants so God willing to giue vs full assurance hath not contented himselfe to make a will paneld by word onely but hath written it yea hath by oath confirmed it by the witnesse of his Spirit Finally hath put to his seale that nothing might be wanting which might the better secure vs and all this is not to make his word more sure in it selfe but to make it more sure in our perswasion This is the vse of Sacraments for the Scripture calleth thē the Couenant signes of the Couenant signes seales of the righteousnesse of faith and therefore signes confirming the weakenesse of our beleefe ratifying Gods couenants with vs not distinguishing onely frō vnbeleeuers which is Anabaptistrie nor yet instruments infusing the first grace into vs for Abraham the father of all the faithfull now being a beleeuer receiued circumcision so Cornelius now an approoued beleeuer was baptized and we neuer find the fruite of our Baptisme or the Lords supper till we be taught to beleeue This then should teach vs both to acknowledge Gods great grace toward vs that thus condescendeth to our infirmitie If a man of worth be not beleeued on his word especially if he giue a deed of his hand he will snuffe at it not take it well but our God who cannot lie dealeth otherwise As also we must reioyce to come vnto these Sacraments should we come to haue the seale passed of some great earthly matter made ouer to vs how would we reioyce shall we not be glad when we come to haue the seales which assure to vs pardon of all our sinnes and life euerlasting Thirdly we must hence giue glorie to God in beleeuing him without all doubtings and vncertaintie which popish religion perswadeth If an honest man should giue vs his word deed oath before witnesse should seale this or that would we not be ashamed to be incredulous Much more shamefull it is to distrust the liuing God Lastly marke faith is increased by prayer not begotten for we cannot pray to him on whom we haue not beleeued it is the first fruit that faith bringeth When babes are borne they say they crie presently but when by faith once the babe of the new creature is borne in vs it presently crieth Lord helpe my vnbeleefe I beleeue Lord Lord increase my faith And as children haue no more compendious way to get any thing then to beg it at their parents no more haue we then to beg at our God who if parents sinfull giue good things to their children that aske them will much more giue vs his Spirit that desire it Let vs then beg increase of this and all other graces Spare to speake and spare to speed open thy mouth wide and God will fill it The sixt Principle Q. VVHat is the estate of all men after death A. All men shall arise againe with their owne bodies to the last iudgement which being ended the godly shall possesse the kingdome of heauen but vnbeleeuers and reprobates shall be in hell tormented with the diuell his Angels for euer Hauing thus inclusiuely laid downe our state by nature and expresly handled our estate present by grace he now vnfoldeth what shall be the future estate of man in glorie or endlesse torment In the answer three things are laid downe as matters to be beleeued first the generall resurrection of vs all secondly the end to which we are raised that we may come to iudgement thirdly the things which shall follow vpon iudgement viz. the execution of Christs sentence both touching the blessednes of the faithfull and the cursed damnation of the wicked For the first marke this what we are to perswade our selues of our bodies and the bodies of all other viz. that they shall at length be raised vp This resurrection of the body and of euery mans own proper body to himselfe is a point of beleefe grounded in the Scripture and power of God which can subdue all things to it selfe Yet sounder reason may make it probable for as the seede sowne doth not so corrupt that it should come to nothing but that a new body may be ingendred so our bodies do not returne to dust that so they might vanish to nothing but that so in their time they might through Gods power fpring vp into immortall and strong bodies And why is it not as credible to think that God can bring againe all those bodies that haue bene as to be perswaded that he can create new generations of bodies that neuer yet had being for that this should be which sometime hath bene is not more maruellous then that such a thing should be which neuer yet had being in the nature of things He that should see a little portion of seede in a glasse and should see the portraiture of a perfect man say he had neuer seene the procreation of mankind he would as hardly beleeue that euer such seede should become such a creature as that dust should be raised vp had he no more seene the one then the other But God hath spoken it and his power can subdue all things to it selfe and these two are the props of our beleefe in this point Now though all shall be raised vp yet in diuers manner to diuers ends these by Christ as a head bringing saluation those by him as a iudge of all flesh these to glory those other to shame For as for the wicked it were better for them if they did not rise as Christ saith it was better for Iudas he had neuer bene The vse of this is comfortable to the godly they die not to be held for euer vnder it but to rise more glorious Who doth not endure to haue an old house pulled downe that may haue a new built vp in the roome Who taketh it grieuously to lie downe to sleepe that knoweth he shall rise againe in the morning Yea this is true if wee could be as sure of this our rising as we are of the other Answ Why should we doubt God hath said it who gaue being to all things out of nothing and can much more make vs this or that being somthing Againe reason doth demonstrate it as being not absurd Finally thou hast in