may withall shew vs the truth of the Apostles assertion that God onely is wise Rom. 16. 27. His knowledge is such a knowledge as darkens the respect of all knowledge in any creature their Knowledge to Gods is but as the light of a candle to the Sunne It is nothing in comparison And withall it may shew vs the fearefull sillinesse of many wicked men that haue no shift to ease their owne consciences but to thinke God doth not see them One would thinke there should be no such kinde of men that were so sillie but the Scripture shewes the contrary Psal 10. 11. Esay 31. 2. Iob 9. 3 4 11. 11. 3. It may teach vs diuers things 1. To busie our selues with all industry to get knowledge that wee may in some little measure bee like vnto God seeing knowledge is so admirable a thing in God we should seeke it more diligently and laboriously then we would seeke siluer or gold or the greatest treasure in the world This is vrged from the consideration of Gods Knowledge Pro. 3. 13 14 15 19 20. 4. 7. 2. To be afraid to sinne euen in secret because the darknesse hideth not from God and day and night are all one with him He is a God that tryeth the hearts and reines and diuideth betweene the soule and the spirit and discernes the very intents of the heart 3. To giue him glory euen when he doth such things as seeme harsh to vs as for instance though we should see him passe by a world of wicked men or throw them into eternall torments without shewing mercy yet we should be fully perswaded of his Iustice and why because he knowes more by wicked men then all the world doth besides and though as yet he doth not reueile the whole councell of his will and the reasons of his proceedings yet the infinitenesse of his Knowledge and Wisedome should assure vs that in the day of Christ we shall heare of such deepe and plaine reasons as shall fully satisfie vs. 4. To serue him with all our hearts without hypocrisie for to what end is it to dissemble with him that knowes vs better then we know our selues and sees what is within vs as manifestly as what is without 1. Chron. 28. 9. 5. When any man lackes Wisedome let him seeke it of that God which hath such store as he will giue liberally and reproach no man Iames 1. 5. Lastly it serues for great consolation vnto the godly God knowes their sorrow when no eye pittieth them hee knowes their innocency when the wicked say all manner of euill sayings hee knowes their hearts desire is to bee as good as they seeme though the world condemne them for Hypocrites Hee knowes they would faine please him though their workes be not perfect he knowes what they stand in neede of and therefore will helpe them he knowes the malice fraud and intentions of all their enemies though their diuises be hidden from them When wee are in such straites as wee know no way out yet God knowes how to finde meanes to deliuer such as trust in him Psal 1. 6. 37. 18. Mat. 6. 31. 32. Esay 40. 13. 14. Thus of the Knowledge of GOD. His Holinesse followes The Holinesse of God comprehends two admirable Attributes in God his Goodnesse and his Iustice The goodnes of God is to be considered as it is in himself or as it is shewed towards others That goodnesse of Nature that is in God himselfe is known onely to himselfe in the fulnesse of it onely two things wee must conceiue of by way of glimpse The one that he is good by his Essence Hee is not good by participation of the goodnesse of any other thing nor is his goodnesse a quality but his whole Essence is goodnesse it selfe The other is that hee is good in a most vnutterable degree and therefore is called the chiefe good of all things to be desired and without whom nothing can partake of goodnesse and in whom is no mixture of any euill And in respect of the goodnesse in himselfe hee is auouched by our Sauiour Christ to be onely good None hath an independent originall goodnes but God All that goodnesse that is in any creature is but the print or footsteps or resemblances of the goodnesse that is properly and archeâ—ypically onely in God The goodnesse of Gods Nature as it is shewed to others is chiefly taught vs in Scripture by such descriptions of it as are fitted to our capacity The word in both the originall Languages translated good signifies also faire or beautifull and it is a true obseruation made by Diuines that in this life wee are affected with the sense of Gods goodnesse but that Amiable sweetnesse and beauty of Gods nature cannot be knowne till we come to heauen The Goodnesse of God shewed in this life and magnified in the praises of it in Scripture is manifested fiue waies 1. By his Loue or matchlesse louingnesse of Nature 2. By his Mercy 3. By his Gratiousnesse 4. By his Bountifulnesse 5. By his Patience And chiefly these are considered of in Scripture as they concerne man The Loue of God to man is matchlesse whether wee consider the Acts of it or the properties of it In Loue there is a threefold act for it hath in it first a desire by which it is strongly carried to the vnion of the thing loued secondly a ioy or delight in which it rests it selfe in the fruition of the thing loued thirdly a will to procure what it conceiues to be good for the thing loued All these three are in a most high degree in God For first he hath shewed his wonderfull desire to be vnited vnto men many waies as 1. By assuming the Nature of man into a personall coniunction with himselfe in the Mediator Christ. 2. By conuersing with man by signes of his presence visions dreames Oracles inspiration and ordinarily by his ordinances entertaining them continually in his house 3. By adopting men to be his children and making their Natures like to his owne 1. Iohn 3. 1. 4. By prouiding for man an eternall Habitation in heauen where hee may bee alwaies about him in his glorious presence For the second the Prophet Zephanie shewes that hee takes wonderfull delight in the seruice and felicitie of his people whom he loues The Lord God is in the middest of them hee reioyceth ouer them with ioy he rests in his loue he ioyes ouer them with singing Zeph. 3. 17. For the third his will to procure them all the good they neede hee shewed by sending his owne Sonne to recouer them out of all miserie and prouide for them all things belonging to a blessed immortality so God loued the world that he sent his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life eueâ—lasting Iohn 3. 16. The properties of this Loue are likewise most admirable for 1. It is a most perfect tender loue comprehending in it al possible kindenesse such
kindnesse as all Ages ought to admire Epes 2. 7. and such as is sweete and better then life or ought we haue experience of in life Psal 63. 3. Hee is therefore said to be loue it selfe 1. Iohn 4. 8. 2. It is first or preuenting 't is not a loue prouoked by our loue to him but hee loued vs first that were vnworthy of all loue as being indeed his enemies 1. Ioh. 4. 10. 19. 3. It is from euerlasting Ier. 31. 3. before wee had done good or euill Rom. 9. 11. 13. 4. It is immutable and to euerlasting no creature can separate vs from the loue of God Rom. 8. 38. whom hee loueth he loueth to the end Iohn 13. 1. 5. It is without respect of persons bound or free Barbarians or Scythians Iewes or Grecians are all one with him in Christ He loues a poore man as earnestly as a rich man Colos 3. 11. and how vile soeuer the condition of Gods beloued ones be on earth yet they are euer Honorable in his sight Isay 43. 4. Thus of the Loue of GOD His Mercie followeth There are many praises of the Mercy of God in Scripture which should much inflame and inamour our hearts for 1. His Mercy is abundant 1 Pet. 1. 3. Hee is rich in Mercy Ephes 2. 4. exceeding rich Ephes â— 7. and it must needs be so because his Mercy is as his Essence infinite Psalme 103. 11. 2. His mercies are tender mercies Luke 1. 77. hee layeth to heart our miseries No Father can so pittie his sonne as God pitties vs Psal 103. 4. 13. and how can it bee otherwise seeing God is Mercy it selfe 3. He is mindefull of his Mercy Luke 1. 54. He waites to shew Mercy Esay 30. 18. 4. He reserues Mercy for thousands he spends not his Mercy onely on Patriarches or Prophets or Kings c. but he bestowes his Mercy on all sorts of people so as poore men may enioy the mercies of Dauid Exodus 34. 6 Esay 55. 4. 5. His Mercies endure for euer they can neuer bee drawne dry Psal 25. 5. Luke 1. 50. Esay 54. 10. Psalme 136. from euerlasting to euerlasting Psal 103. 17. 6. The effects of his Mercy are admirable considered either in generall or particular Iâ—â—enerall and so 1. He is Father of all that Mercy is in any creature 2. Cor. 13. 2. His Mercy is ouer all his workes we can haue to doe with no worke of God but we may taste of his Mercy in it euen of his tender mercies Psal 145. 9. which he reckons in many instances Psal 136. In particular and so by his Mercy 1. He elected vs Rom. 9. 16. and thus he shewed vs Mercy before the world was 2. In due season hee visited vs from on High Luke 1. 77. Sending his Sonne to pay our ransome and so redeeming our liues from destruction Psal 103. 4. Calling vs out of the world to be his people who were not his people 1. Pet. 2. 10. forgiuing vs all our sinnes Ex. 34. 6. Mich. 7. 18. Quickning our soules that were dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes 2. 4 sauing vs and estating the glory of Heauen vpon vs Tit. 3. 5. giuing vs the knowledge of our Saluation Luke 1. 77. 78. 3. In our very afflictions he shewes vs strange Mercy for 1. It is his Mercy that wee are not consumed Lament 3. 22. Hee doth not destroy vs nor stirre vp his whole displeasure Psal 78. 39. though hee bee made very angry yet in wrath he remembers Mercy Hab. 3. 2. Nehemiah 9. 31. He will not deale with vs after our sinnes Psal 113. 10. 2. In the hardest times of trouble he will entertaine his people that trust in him with great goodnesse Nahum 1. 7. 3. He will turne cursings into blessings and make the things that are hurtfull in themselues to bee good for his people Deut. 23. 5. Rom. 8. 28. 4. He will not chide for euer Psal 103. 9. but will repent him of the euill Ioel 2. 12. 13. Though hee may forsake his people yet it is but for a time and hee will returne and receiue them with euerlasting Mercy Esay 54. 7. 10. Hee will giue a happie end out of all afflictions Psal 34. 17. Iames 5. 11. Deut. 4. 3â— Thus of the Mercy of God The third thing that shewes the maruellous goodnesse of Gods nature is his Gratiousnesse and that is a strange goodnesse of God by which hee is disposed to doe all hee doth for vs freely without desert in vs Exodus 34. 6. and this God would haue proclaimed that all might not onely take notice of it but make vse of it Esay 55. 1 2 3 4. so as we hold all by his free grace both temporall things Psal 44 4. and eternall things Romanes 3. 23 24. Yea God hath set vp a Throne which hee calles the Throne of Grace that all sorts of men might daily make vse of this matchlesse freenesse in God Heb. 4. 16. This is a most eminent raigning disposition in God and the shining glory of it shall continue to eternall life Rom. 5. 20. 21. and we must take speciall notice of it to conceiue aright of the praise of this gratiousnesse of God as the principall end of all his Loue and mercy to vs Ephes 1. 6 c The fourth thing that shewes the Goodnesse of Gods Nature is his Bountifulnesse and his Bountifulnesse is shewed 1. To all Creatures The earth is full of his goodnesse Psal 33. 5. He feedes all the liuing creatures in the world with his hand euery day he clothes the earth and plants euery yeere with more cunning Ornaments then the Robes of Princes Psal 104. whole especially verse 24 25 27. 30. and in this very respect the glory of the Lord shall endure for euer and God himselfe doth take great delight in his workes of daily feeding and tending the creatures verse 31. and for this kinde of Bountifulnesse Dauid vowes to praise God while he liues verse 33. 2. To all men Iust and vniust he not onely causeth his Sunne to shine on the vniust as well as the Iust Mat. 44. 45. but he hath left great treasures in the world as common to them both as are the vse of the most creatures riches honors long life posterity c. for by these things no man can discerne either loue or hatred for as it falleth to the godly so doth it to the wicked aswell to him that sweareth as to him that feareth an oath Eccles 9. 3. To the Elect in a speciall manner and so his bountie shines 1. In their creation not onely in furnishing the minde of man with such perfect gifts nor onely in planting man in that Garden of pleasure but also in setting him in this new world as Lord of all things and making all other things for mans vse 2. In their Redemption in giuing them his owne Sonne to ransome them and with him giuing them all things restoring them to all they had lost by the fall
mercifull bountifull c. but GOD is loue it selfe mercie it selfe c. 3. Because their goodnesse began but yesterday a little while agoe whereas Gods goodnesse was from euerlasting 4. Because their goodnesse is mutable they may hate and loath whom they formerly loued and piâ—tied vehemently and they may loue and pittie such persons as when they die may perish in hell for euer where they shall neuer enioy comfort by them more whereas Gods loue is immutable and euerlasting 5. Because they can shew no such fruits of their loue and mercie as God doth they cannot ransome the world nor quicken and raise the dead soules and bodies of men nor medicine the afflictions of them they loue to turne them to good nor subdue those mighty enemies diuells sin death and hell nor nourish soules nor giue an immortall inheritance Secondly the consideration of his glorious goodnes should compell vs 1. To magnifie him for his goodnesse and striue to set out his praises to mention the louing kindnesses of the Lord according to his great goodnesse shewed to vs Esay 63. 7. The Prophet Dauid in many places vrgeth this vse vehemently vsing this forme of exhortation in many places Oh praise the Lord for he is good for his mercy indureth for euer Psalme 106. 1. 107. 1. 118. 1 1â—6 1. and though worlds of carnall people cannot bee inflamed to the admiration of this matchlesse goodnesse of his yet Israel the redeemed of the Lord all that feare him and haue experience of his mercy should bee vehemently affected with desire to magnifie his praises as these places shew Neither will it suffice after a dull or sullen manner to doe it but wee are bound to praise this goodnesse of God after a speciall manner for 1. We must studie his praises herein and striue to seeke out with delight the conceptions of his glorious praises Psal 111. â— â— 2. We must bee sure that Gods praises heere bee set out with affirmations and language aboue the praises of all other things in the world we must do it abundantly Psal 145. 7. and with our whole hearts Psalme 111. 1. our soules must blesse him not our tongues onely Psal 103. 1. 3. Wee must not rest satisfied to praise him for a fit but must striue to doe it for euer all our life should bee full of his praises Psal 104. 33. and good Reason seeing wee can neuer want matter and cause of praise because the earth is full of his goodnesse Psal 3â— 5. and who can at once declare all his praise Psal 106. 2. 4. Nor will it suffice that wee praise him when wee worship him in the word Prayer or Sâ—craments but we must talke of his praises one to another and labour mutually to heate our hearts by daily mentioning the glory of his Nature and Kingdome Psal 145. 11. 2. Gods goodnesse should force vs to repentance and so it should diuers waies It hath in it strong incitations to humiliation to cast downe to the care of a new life It should exceedingly humble vs and breake our hearts to think that wee haue so long and so grieuously transgressed against God that is so full of goodnesse towards vs. It should make vs teare our very hearts with weeping mourning and fasting Ioel. 2. 12. secondly It leades vs to repentance also as it giues vs incouragement to come to him to beg mercy and forgiuenesse because mercy pleaseth him Mich. 7. 18. and his Throne of grace is alwaies easie to come to and he freely shewes mercy and will multiply pardon There can be no such aggrauations of our sinnes but if wee repent all will be swallowed vp in the seas of his goodnesse Esay 55. 7. Ioel 2. 13. Heb. 4. 6. thirdly it should continually fire vs to the hatred of our sinnes and care to liue righteously and soberly and godly in this present world denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Titus 2. 12. who would not serue so good a Nature 3. It should set our affections all in a flame and make vs wonderfully in loue with God seeing beyond all comparison there is all that in Gods nature which should kindle affections Oh we should loue him with all our hearts and all our soules and all our might both because hee is so infinitely amiable in himselfe and shewes it to vs daily as also because he seekes to be ours and to vnite vs to himselfe The Doctrine is wholly lost if it will not make vs more in loue with God If such Loue Mercie Bounty Grace and Patience cannot allure vs then nothing that is good can The whole booke of the Canticles sets out the Loue should be in the Church to God Yea it shewes that the vehement passions of Loue should be in vs because all that can be Amiable is in him The desire of our soules should bee euer after him and the remembrance of him We should be much abashed that any louer should shew more affection to an earthly creature then we shew to God Our mindes should still runne vpon him And because we may finde a horrible vnto wardnesse in our nature and extreame dulnesse in our affections therefore wee should make conscience of it to circumcise our hearts that we might more be in loue with God both by afflicting our soules and iudging our selues for our defects and by cutting off and casting away all those delights that might steale away our affections from the Lord beseeching the Lord himselfe to direct our hearts into his loue 2. Thes 3. 5. Esay 26. 9. Psal 31. 19. 21. 23. Deut. 30. 6. 4. It should teach vs to make more account of his loue to vs and all the signes of it we should wonderfully ioy in all the pledges of his fauour esteeming his louing kindnesse better then life Our very soules should be satisfied as with marrow Psalme 63. shall the Lord reioyce ouer vs with ioy and take such delight in vs Zeph. 3. 17. and shall wee so lightly esteeme of his fauour presence and all his loue tokens Oh the Tidings that GOD loues vs should fill our hearts with indelible delights and admiration 5. It should fully perswade vs to rest vpon God and trust in him with all confidence in all estates euen wholly to commit our selues and our waies to his protection who would not trust so good so louing so pitifull so bountifull a Nature Blessed are they that are fauoured by him and can trust in his mercies and shew it both by their abundant contentation and by their continuall recourse to him to seeke all needfull good things from him that is the Fountaine of all goodnesse Psal 34. 9. 13. 6. 6. How should it make vs long for the comming of Iesus Christ and hast to that day how should wee desire to bee dissolued that we might be prefent with the Lord and see his beauty face to face and enioy that vnspeakeable sweetnesse of his Nature immediately Oh what hearts haue we that doe not euen
holy Ghost Phil. 2. 6. 7. Among the creatures the father and Sonne are two things in number but in this diuine generation it is not so for the Father and Sonne and so the holy Ghost are but one God 1. Iohn 5. 7. The Vse may bee either for information or instruction or consolation or terror first since GOD is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ by such an vnconceiueable generation wee may thence learne 1. The glory of our Sauiours condition He was before the world was he was with the father brought vp with him as his eternall delight more deere to the father then any created nature can conceiue of the Sonne of his Loue neuer father loued his son so as God the father loues Christ yea hee was God with the father Consubstantiall Coequall Coeternall Pro. 8. 22. c. 30. Iohn 17. 25. Philippians 2. 6 Rom. 9. 5. 2. The Originall of all father-hood The father of Iesus Christ was the first father euer was yea the Creed giues the Title of father to God onely as if there were no father but he and so Christ saith Mat. 23. 9. call no man father on earth for one is your father which is God and indeed properly none is a father but God other fathers that are called so haue the name only because there is in them a kind of Image or similitude of God the father and yet they beget so imperfectly in comparison of God the father that they resemble him rather in that generall that they doe beget then in the manner of begetting Thus for Information 2. Since God is the father of Iesus Christ wee should bee instructed 1. To acknowledge this Mystery and though wee haue cause to be abased for the defect of our vnderstanding heerein in that we cannot tell the fathers name nor what is the name of his Son Pro. 30 4. yet we should confidently beleeue as the very foundation of our Religion that Iesus Christ is the Son of the liuing God vpon the Rock of this confession is the Church built Mat. 16. 16 c. It is a glory Christ stands vpon to be acknowledged in the glory of the onely begotten Son of God Ioh. 1. 14. If we acknowledge the Son wee haue the father or else not 1. Ioh. 2. 23. Yea this is an honour God stands vpon to bee glorified with one heart and one mouth of all his seruants euen as the father of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 15. 6. 2. To be fully established in the perswasion of the sufficiency and efficacie of the obedience and passion of Iesus Christ for vs we may confidently call him the Lord our righteousnes seeing God is called his father for his obedience is more then the obedience of a man yea of more value then the obedience of worlds of men and besides hee is all in all with God the father who so loues him hee can denie him nothing c. 3. To rely vpon him for instruction The father loues him and shewes him all things that he doth or intends to doe and in him are all treasures of wisedome and knowledge therefore we should heare him alwaies in any thing hee will reueale to vs yea God the father chargeth vs with this duty as the very vse he would haue vs make of the knowledge of his eternal generation as appeares by the voice from heauen mentioned Mat 17. 5. While he yet spake behold a bright cloud shadowed them and behold there came a voice out of the cloud saying This is that my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him But especially this doctrine serues for consolation and so is frequently vrged in Scripture for if God be the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ then these comforts will manifestly follow to the beleeuing Christian 1. That God is well pleased with the sacrifice of Iesus Christ for our sinnes Mat. 3. 17. 2. That Christ is able to raise vp the dead hearts of men with spirituall life for as the Father hath life in himselfe so hee hath giuen to the Son to haue life in himselfe Ioh. 5. 26. 3. That in Christ we may haue supply for all our wants wee may receiue of his fulnes all sorts of graces needfull for vs as is from this doctrine gathered Iohn 1. 14. 18. 4. That Christ is able to giue vs eternall life and will performe euen that great gift at the time appointed to all that beleeue Iohn 3. 16. 17. 2. no beleeuer shall perish 5. That whatsoeuer he askes the Father for vs hee shall haue it yea that our prayers prescribed by him shall be heard 6. That nothing that is good for vs shall bee withheld from vs for if God hath giuen vs his Son how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Rom. 8. 32. 7. That God beares a great affection euen to vs for Christ hath besought the Father that he would loue vs with the Loue he loued him and that the warmth and comfort of that loue may be euer with vs Iohn 17. 24. 25. Lastly if God be the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ then vaine are all the consultations and rebellious proiects of wicked men against Christ and the meanes of his kingdom then also woe will bee vnto them for God will make Christs enemies his footstoole hee will bruise them with an iron rod and breake them like a Potters vessell for vnto the Son hath the Father giuen the ends of the earth and whatsoeuer rebels against him shall not prosper as from this doctrine is inferred Psal 2. 110. 1. Thus God is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Secondly Faith lookes vpon God as our Father especially in Christ 2. Cor. 1. 2. Gal. 1. 4. 2. Thes 1. 1. 2. 1. Thes â— 11. 13. God is our Father foure waies first by Creation and so principally in respect of our soules which he creates of nothing and infuseth into our bodies and so he is called Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 9. secondly by Regeneration because by his Almighty power he renewes spirituall life into our soules that were dead in sin 1. Pet. 1. 3. thirdly by Adoption when of his meere grace hee acknowledgeth vs for children Gal. 4 5. 6. fourthly by Resurrection because he giues a glorious being to our bodies that were rotted and dissolued in the earth and so as hee was said to beget Christ in the day that he raised him from the dead Act. 13. so is he said to grant vs the Adoption of sonnes when he restores our bodies to life out of the graue Rom. 8. 19. 21. And this terme of Father is giuen to these workes of God not vnfitly for the resemblance they haue to the relation betweene a Father and Son in Nature for 1. God giues vs a spirituall being making vs a soule or spirituall substance for as we call them Fathers because we haue our bodies from them so God is more fitly called a Father because we haue our spirits
hate life for this very respect because it hinders the Lords presence from vs and keepes vs absent from him whom our soules loue 2. Thes 3. 5. 1. Iohn 3. 2. Psal 31. 19. 7. It should especially fire vs to a desire to imitate these sweet praises in God and to striue by all meanes to make our natures like to his we should from our hearts seriously constantly diligently endeuour to bee bountifull mercifull free patient and full of Loue as our God is Wee should neuer thinke we had a iot of good nature in vs till we could in some sound measure shew a constant disposition in these things 1. Iohn 4. 11. Luke 6. 36. Romanes 15. 4 5. Thirdly this Doctrine of Gods goodnesse is wonderfull comfortable if wee soundly consider our interest in the fauour of him that is so louing mercifull gratious and bountifull and especially against our sinnes and in the case of Afflictions for in both these Arguments of great consolation may bee drawne from the goodnesse of his nature as 1. Against the burthen and guilt of our sinnes it may greatly ease our hearts and quiet our consciences to know that he hath set vs vnder grace and freed vs from the hard conditions vnder the Law and so acknowledgeth satisfaction in his owne Sons death and passeth by without grieuance a world of infirmities in vs and is most ready to declare forgiuenesse of all our sins so as the Iustification of life by his grace shall exceed and ouercome the condemnation for our sins Rom. 5. 20. 21. Esay 55. 7. 2. In the case of afflictions as was partly shewed before for he is of so good nature 1. That he will not consume vs but onely try vs hee will not afflict vs for his pleasure but for our profit Heb. 12. 18. Lament 3. 21. Mal. 3. 17. Deut. 4. 31. 2. That he will not forsake vs nor chide for euer Nehemiah 9. 17. 31. Psal 103. 8 9. nothing shall separate vs from his loue Rom. 8. 38. Esay 54. 7. 10. 3. That he will heare vs gratiously when wee come to him in the day of trouble Zach. 13. 9. Psal 118. 5. Exod 22. 27. so as we may goe boldly to the Throne of grace to seeke help Heb. 4. 16. Nahum 1. 7. Yea he will shew himselfe to be a God of consolation 2. Cor. 1. 3. 4. That we shall neuer be oppressed by our Aduersaries though neuer so great and malicious Psal 1â—8 6. if so good a God be on our side what can man doe against vs Psal 86. 14 15 16. and so in generall out of all affliction he will deliuer and giue a good end Psal 34. 17. Iames 5. 11. Hee will repent him of the euill Ioel 2. 13. Lastly heere is matter of great Humiliation 1. To all ill natured fierce vnmercifull froward and cruell minded persons for hence it appeares they are not of God they that are of God are like to his nature in some degree but these natures are of the diuell 3. Iohn 11. 1. Iohn 3. 6. 10. Iohn 8. 44. 2. To such as abuse this so great goodnesse of God as they doe that prophane the doctrine of it by taking liberty from thence to sinne the more securely and so turne the grace of God into wantonnesse wofull is the condition of such persons for thereby they heape vp wrath against the day of wrath and depriue themselues of all the benefits of Gods goodnesse Iude 3. Rom. 6. 1. Heb. 10. 29. Rom. 2. 5. 4. Deut. 29. 19. 3. To all wicked men that are in disgrace with God Oh what a miserie is it to want his fauour or suffer his displeasure that shewes so much goodnesse to all that serue him Exodus 34. 7. Iohn 3. 17. 19. 4. The best men in the Church may be most heartily grieued for their owne deficiencies that they cannot more admire loue and praise his infinite goodnesse Hitherto of the goodnesse of God His Iustice followes The Iustice of God comprehends his Truth and his Righteousnesse Gods Truth is diuersly magnified in Scripture partly as it is in himselfe and partly as it is declared towards the creatures God is Truth in himselfe three waies 1. In his Essence as he truely is and truely is such as he is said to be thus he is said to be the true God Ier. 10. 10. Ioh. 17. 3. and thus he winnes himselfe glory and triumphes ouer all the Idols of the Gentiles Ier. 10. 14. 1. Thes 1. 9. and thus God is truely infinite truely immutable truely immortall truely wise truely good truely iust c. 2. As he is that increated first and chiefe Truth and that immutable Archetype exemplar and Idea of all true things without himself as he is the frame of all things in his minde The true patternes of all things were in the minde of God from eternity and all created things are said to be true only as they answer these patternes 3. In his internall workes and so his decrees are all true not one of them mistaken or disappointed but haue their precise and punctuall accomplishment 2. God is true without himselfe towards the creatures and so 1. In his workes because all his workes he doth truely there is nothing counterfeit or dissembled or fained in them Reuel 15. 3. 16. 7. He did truely create and doth truely gouerne the world call iustifie sanctifie and will glorifie the Elect c. Psal 11â— 7. 2. In his words all he saith is true This is called the iustice of his words and so 1. All his Commandements are true right Statutes and true iudgements and so they are as they containe an absolute platforme of Holinesse and haue no imperfection defect or wickednesse or iniquity in them Nehemiah 9. 13. Psal 19. 8 9. 119. 86. 142. 160. 2. All his promises are true and so the Couenant of grace is true the Gospell is the Word of Truth Not a Tittle of the good word of God shall faile Zach. 8. 8. Ephes 1. 13. 3. All his Threatnings are true and shall bee truly accomplished Rom. 2. 2. 4. All his Prophecies are true and faithfull sayings Reuel 22. 6. 7. The Truth of GOD is yet further magnified in Scripture 1. As it is the Fountaine of all Truth in the creature so God is called the God of Truth and the Light that inlightneth euery man in the world he is the Father of all light in the minds of the creatures Psal 31. 5. Iohn 1. 9. Iames 1. 17. 2. As it is eternall and immutable and inuincible no parcell of Gods Truth can faile Psal 117. 2. Mat. 5. 18. 24. 35. Rom. 3. 3 4. 2. Tim. 2. 13. great is the Truth and will preuaile It may bee ouerwhelmed with strong clouds and mountaines of darkenesse and error and yet it will so struggle and get ground that in the end it will destroy and consume what is exalted against it As we see in the consumption of the Kingdome of the man of sinne The
of the blessed Thirdly some things are interminable both in respect of essence and life but their life is miserable and painefull as the spirits in hell and so they haue not pleasant possession of life Fourthly some things haue an interminable pleasant possession of life but it is not totall as all the blessed in heauen before the day of Iudgement for they haue a pleasant possession of life but it is in their soules not in their bodies Fifthly some things haue a totall possession of pleasant life but it is not together so the Angells before the day of iudgement haue a totall possession of pleasant life because their whole Nature liues blessedly but it is not together because there is euen in the Angells a succession of Reuelations and so of Ioyes as things are from time to time discouered to them Sixthly some things shall haue a totall possession of pleasant life and together too but it is not absolutely perfect taking perfect heere for that which needs nothing besides it self to make it happie and so are the Angels and godly men after the day of Iudgement because though they shall then totally and together enioy a blessed life yet they shall euen neede their sustentation and preseruation from God without whom they could not be much lesse be happie for though their blessednesse be perfect in their kinde yet it is not absolutely so because it is a blessednesse they haue not of themselues but receiued it of God Thus of Eternitie Now the Eternity of God is his essentiall propriety by which is signified that God can end in no time nor can haue any beginning according to time but being more ancient then all time and more lasting then any end is absolutely alwaies totally and together without succession For the explanation of this description diuers things are to be noted First that God is wholy without the measures of time though he be eternall yet he is not temporarie there is a great difference betweene eternity and time for eternity excludes time he saw that that said time was the moueable Image of eternity and he that said time was the Idoll or Image of eternity and so he that said time was the flax of eternity Now when we say that time is remoued from God we meane from his essence not from his workes fitly the Prophet Esay saith that God inhabits eternity Esay 57. 19. God dwells in eternity but yet in time hee is pleased as it were to come out of those habitations of eternity to shew himselfe abroad in time by his effects or workings and for the manifestation of himselfe he made times or the worlds and is called King of Ages Heb. 1. 12. 1. Tim. 1. 17. Secondly you must note in the description that I say God is without beginning in respect of time which must be noted in regard of the doctrine of the eternall generation of the Son of God for there is a twofold beginning the one of order the other of time In respect of order or originall the Sonne and the holy Ghost had a beginning from the Father but not a beginning in respect of time The beginning in respect of order is not excluded out of eternity but onely the beginning in respect of time Thirdly it would be noted that it is faid that Gods eternity is absolute for so it is differenced from all the euerlastingnes of the creatures which is not absolute but by gift and à Posteriori or a Parte post as they say in Schooles that is in respect of continuance yet to come whereas Gods eternity is not by grace but by Nature and à Priori or a Parte antè that is in respect of euerlastingnes without beginning as well as without end Fourthly It is to be noted that God is said to be totally together without succession for properly eternity hath no spaces or intermission or gappes in it but is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is continuall without any interruption or innouation Now in this absolute infinite interminable eternity as in a most vast Ocean swimmes that little flowing drop which we call time Or thus what wee haue by looking either forwards or backwards rowed through the small brookes of time past or to come that which we next come to is this vast sea of eternity where we can neuer behold bancke or end That God is thus eternall many Scriptures proue Psal 90. 2. 91. 8 9. 102. 27. 28. Isay 43. 17. 57. 19. This Doctrine of Gods Eternity should teach vs many duties 1. To adore and magnifie this King of Ages that dwells in this vast eternity Psal 48. 14 15. 2. To loue him aboue all things yea aboue our selues The thought of his glorious eternity should make vs thinke the more meanely of our selues that are but perishable and vile creatures Psal 102. 27 28. 3. It should teach vs to leaue doating vpon time and the things that belong to it and with more care and earnest resolution to seeke the things that may bring vs beyond the bounds of this miserable and mutable time Psal 102. 27. 28. doe not all these earthly things perish and waxe olde like a garment and doth not God indure for euer euen that God that offers to prouide for vs euerlafting habitations in eternity also 4. Haue any of vs at any time a iust and lawfull desire to seek some more space of time for dispatch of some speciall work for the glory of God or good of men this doctrine tells vs whither to goe to aske time euen to God the Father of eternity and King of Ages Thus Dauid Psalme 102 25. 5. Since God is the Lord and Master and King of time by the right of his eternity since the times are in his hands we should also submit our selues to his will and bee content to leaue our being heere when hee calls for vs and rather seeke how to die well then in vaine seeke to liue when GOD will haue vs die Psalme 90. 1 2 3. 12. 6. Abraham learned from the very eternity of God to make conscience of worshipping him Gen. 21. 33. and so should we Yea it should make vs resolute in Gods Seruice though we were opposed by neuer so great or many men It was an excellent saying of the Martyr when hee said to this effect about Gallien his Edict Wee are commanded saith he by the mouth of Gallien our Caesar that we should worship what the Prince worships But quoth hee I worship the eternall Prince the maker of times and Lord of Gallienus There bee diuers consolations also may bee gathered from Gods eternitie for 1. Then it followes from hence that Gods goodnesse and mercy to vs is eternall Hab. 1. 12. 2. We should be much affected with Gods singular loue to vs that are but bratts of time and can claime nothing but what time can affoord vs in that he hath called vs out of the world to inherit with him
2. What are the offices of Angels or what vses did God make them for Answ Angels serue for many vses They are Apparitors or seruants about God ready to receiue Commandements from him and they worship God by lauding and praising him in Heauen Psal 104. 4. 148. 2. Esay 6. 3. Luke 2. 14. Reuel 4. 8 9. 5. 13. and they are appointed as speciall attendants about CHRIST as the MESSIAH Mat. 4. 11. and they serue also as ministring spirits to keepe and attend vpon the Elect men Heb. 1. 14. and manifold are the seruices which Angels doe for men both in life and death In life they defend and keepe them as a strong guard about them Psal 34. 91. and plague their enemies 2 King 19. 35. besides the vnknowne seruice they doe about the soules of the godly by counselling or comforting them And in death they are about them and carry their soules to Heauen as they did Lazarus his soule and in the end of the world they will gather all the Elect from the foure winds of Heauen and bring them to Christ Quest 3. But why doe you not intreat of Deuills here also Answ There were no Deuills by creation GOD made them not as Deuills and therefore it belongs not to the Doctrine of Creation to speake of the euill angels because that belongs to the Doctrine of the fall of the reasonable Creatures Quest 4. But hath euery particular man a good Angell and a bad Answ It is probable that euery Elect man hath a good Angell as may be gathered Mat. 18. 10. Acts 12. 15. but yet God is not so tyed but that he sends them extraordinarily more Angels many times to helpe or attend vpon it may be one man Psal 34. 8. As for euill angels we reade that sometimes one Angell hath vexed one man Iob. 1. 12. sometimes one Angell hath haunted diuers men 2 Chron. 18. 21. sometimes many Angels haue haunted one man Luke 8. 30. But that euery man should haue a bad angell assigned him of God is no where to be found in Scripture The consideration of this Doctrine of the making of the Angels in such a nature and for such ends as before should serue for diuers vses 1 It should informe vs concerning the wonderfull loue of God to vs that hath made such excellent creatures to do vs such admirable seruice as to attend vpon vs and keepe vs Heb. 1. 14. 2 It should breed in vs a great longing after the world to come where wee shall not onely enioy the knowledge of and fellowship with such glorious Creatures but shall be made our selues in glory as the Angels in Heauen 3 It should teach vs diuers things as first not to worship Angels for they were all created by God God made the Angels and therefore worship is due to him and not to them that are but our fellow seruants Colos 1. 16. Reuel 19. Secondly we should therfore carry our selues orderly in all places especially in the Church because of the Angels who are about vs and marke what we doe 1 Cor. 11. 10. Thirdly we should therefore be patient and of good hope and full of faith in all afflictions arising from the oppositions of men or temptations of Satan as being satisfied with this comfort that they are more that are with vs then can be against vs and if our eyes were opened wee might see so much as was shewed to the seruant of Elisha 2 Kings 6. 16. Hitherto of the Heauen of the blessed and the Hoste thereof the Angels and so of the world that is now inuisible to vs we next come downe to consider of this visible world this world I say which is in our view or may bee seene and before I come to speake of the other two Heauens I would briefly consider of Gods glory in the generall in the making of this visible world not so much for the matter of the creatures or their naturall formes or properties or their next causes which belongs properly to the Philosophers but for such things as concerne their first cause which is God or their end which is Gods glory or their vse which is rather spirituall then corporall in demonstrating vnto the soule of man the praises of God The maker of this visible world was GOD as well as of that inuisible world as is manifestly proued Genesis 1. at large The end of making a world of bodies as well as of spirits was not the punishment of spirituall substances for their sinning against God as Origen dreamed but the setting out of Gods glory in shewing his wisdome goodnesse and power Psal 19. Rom. 1. and the furnishing of man for his happy being That our hearts may be affected with wondering at this great world which God hath made we may profitably consider of it either by thinking what it is like or by serious pondering what it is indeed This great world is like a great Garden throughly furnished euery creature being as a pleasant flower exquisitely ranked in most comely order the onely weedes that grow in this Garden are wicked men as it may be likened to a great Booke in which God hath written glorious things that concerne the praise of his goodnesse wisdome and power Euery creature is as it were a distinct lease of that Booke and the properties and vses of these creatures are as it were the seuerall lines and letters of that leafe and the more admirable because it is a Booke the writing whereof is indelible and the vses whereof are vniuersall the Booke so opened that all men in all parts of the world may see and read Againe this visible world may be likened to a great and faire house most exquisitely buil and contriued into seuerall roomes and euery roome richly furnished the Heauens are the Roofe the Earth the floore and the Elements the seuerall roomes and the hosts of creatures in each of them the rich furniture and this house is the more admirable for vs because it is a house that euery man dwels in out of this house no man can be put it is kept at the charge of the Land-lord and the Tenants pay no rent But to leaue similitudes there are in the generall consideration of this visible world diuers things may bee briefly touched which we ought to wonder at and to glorifie God for his making of things so as 1 The apt disposition of euery creature in his owne place which place is so fit as a fitter cannot bee inuented if the Starres were fixed in the Earth or the Trees in Heauen how disproportionable and vncomely would it be 2 The exactnesse of the Cteatures in their working in keeping their times and seasons how punctually doth the Sunne dispatch his race in 24. houres and so the Moone in her seasons the Plants keepe their seasons of the yeere for bearing fruit and the Starres for shining as they haue receiued commandement and order from their great Commander
naturall heart of man is extremely dull and carelesse of these Doctrines aboue all others 6. This is the condemnation of the world that they do not beleeue in Christ Iesus Ioh. 3. 18. Lastly it is euidently affirmed that faith in Christ is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Now this point is fit to be obserued partly to discouer the estates of multitudes of men that speake faire words of Iesus Christ when yet by nature it is certaine they loue not the Lord Iesus nor take any sound course to belieue in him and partly to awaken such as are desirous to get into the Kingdome of God that they may not trust to their naturall hearts or disposition but rather in a godly iealousie of the deceitfulnesse of their owne hearts to vse all diligence by resisting the sluggishnesse and cauils and deuices of their owne hearts by the power of God in his ordinances to striue to make their faith sure and fully established and thus much for this point The way how these Articles are to be receiued is by beleeuing in Iesus Christ for from the first part of the Creed we must borrow these words I beleeue and apply them to these Articles thus I beleeue in Iesus Christ c. That from the coherence and maine drift of all these Articles we must in generall take notice of this point That as wee beleeue in God so we must belieue in Iesus Christ marke it we must not only beleeue him or beleeue these Articles but wee must beleeue in him This is the Commandement of God himselfe that we should doe so 1 Ioh. 3. 23. and thus our Sauiour himselfe requires it that as wee beleeue in God so wee should beleeue in him also Ioh. 14. 1. Yea this is the substance of all that worke that God requires of a Christian in the new Testament this is to worke the worke of God euen to belieue in him whom he hath sent Ioh. 6. 29. for first the Father and the Sonne are one and therefore we must honour the Sonne with the same honour we giue the Father Ioh. 10. 30 5. 23. Secondly the foundation of all our happinesse since the fall lyeth vpon this he is our surety there being none that would vndertake for vs but he and it is he onely that makes both satisfaction and intercession for vs and takes the charge of vs and therefore we must rely vpon him Now for the explication of this point that we may know what this beleeuing in Christ hath in it I must consider of it two wayes First by shewing what beleeuing in Christ hath not or what that Faith doth reiect as vtterly opposite or repugnant to it Secondly what it hath in it distinctly both for the matter of beleeuing and the manner of beleeuing For the first the right beleeuing in Iesus doth cast out 1 All respects of false Christs Mat. 24. 2 All spirits of error and doctrine contrary to Christ 1 Ioh. 4. 1 2. For his sheepe doe heare his voice with knowledge of it from all others Ioh. 10. 3 The marke or signe of respect of affection to or dependance vpon Antichrist that beast Reuel 15. 2. and all communion with the seruants of the man of sinne 4 All trust vpon our owne merits and Iustification by the workers of the Law Gal. 2. 16. 5 All former euill courses of life for the Redeemer comes to none but such as turne from transgression in Iacob Esay 59. 20. and therefore repenting is annexed to beleeuing in the Gospell 6 The loue of and trust in earthly things for this faith makes vs account all the glory of the world but as drosse and dunge in comparison of Christ and his righteousnesse till we can forsake the world wee neuer soundly seeke Iesus Phil. 2. 8. For the second beleeuing in Iesus hath in it foure things 1 Perswasion or assent to these glorious truths that concerne Iesus and mans saluation in him as in particular 1 That hee came forth from GOD with commission to deale in this worke of the redemption of man Iohn 16. 30. 2 That he came in the flesh 1 Ioh. 4. 2. 5. 1. 3 That he is the very sonne of God Mat. 16. 1 Ioh. 5. 5. Ioh. 9. 35 36 38. Act. 8. 4 That he hath power enough to helpe vs Mat. 9. 28. 5 That there is no other name by which wee can bee saued Act. 4. 12. 6 That all the promises of God shall be fulfilled in him this is beleeuing the Gospell 1 Ioh. 5. 10. Thus of perswasion 2 It hath in it estimation of Christ as that that onely can be precious for vs 1 Pet. 2. 7. 3 It hath in it a relying vpon Christ for our Iustification Phil. 3. 8 9. and for our saluation Acts 4. 12. Eph. 2. 8. and for our preseruation in the meane time liuing by the faith of the Sonne of God Gal. 2. 20. and so there is a spirituall kind of confidence in the ordinances of Christ as they are his Commandements and as hee worketh in them by his power 1 Ioh. â— 23. 4 Yet further to beleeue in Christ is to haue Christ to receiue him into our soules thus the phrase of receiuing him of his liuing in vs of our hauing of the Sonne is vsed in diuers Scriptures Iohn 1. 12. Gal. 2. 20. 1 Iohn 5. 12. and thus for the matter of beleeuing Now for the fuller vnderstanding of this Doctrine of beleeuing in Christ it is necessary to consider of the manner how we must beleeue for 1 We must confesse the Lord Iesus with our mouthes wee must externally profesâ—e the Religion and seruice and Faith of Iesus we must outwardly testifie our Faith and not deny him before men this is one thing in the beleeuing mentioned in the Creed 2 That outward confession is not enough we must beleeue from our hearts and with our hearts Rom. 10. 10. 3 We must beleeue in our owne particular I beleeue and what we beleeue we must apply it to our selues that Christ was incarnate suffered and glorified for me in particular 4 We must beleeue in him and loue him though wee neuer yet saw him 1 Pet. 1. 9. 5 We must resolue to sticke to our beleeuing though wee suffer for it Phil. 1. 28 29. 6 We must perseuere in the Faith there must bee no time wherein the Christian may not say I doe beleeue in Iesus 7 This Faith must be layed vp in a pure conscience we must euer after we beleeue in Christ Iesus make conscience of all purity and sincerity of heart and life 1 Tim. 3. 9. Since all our happinesse lieth in this skill of beleeuing in Iesus wee must vse all meanes that wee may attaine to this faith that when the Sonne of man comes he may not finde vs without faith Now that we may attaine to this faith that is able to saue vs and by which only we can haue the benefit of this new Couenant wee must conscionably practise diuers
aswell as the Son of Man It was requisite he should be the Son of God for diuers reasons first because there must be a proportion betweene the sinne of man and the punishment due to his sinne and the satisfaction made to God for the sinne and punishment due Now mans sinne being infinite as in other respects so because it was committed against God who is infinite his punishment must be infinite also Now no finite creature can performe an infinite satisfaction in a finite time and therefore it was requisite hee should be infinite in person that suffered which as man he was not secondly the benefits necessarie for vs require that the Mediator should be God for to deliuer man from spirituall enemies sinne and Sathan and to restore to man the Image of God lost to performe by one a Righteousnesse able to iustifie many could not bee done by any one meere man Nor can any one mans righteousnesse deserue the opening of the Kingdome of Heauen for many men thirdly he that must mediate betweene God and man had need to be God to treat with God in things that concerne him and man to treat with man in the things that concerne man And as it was a way most necessary so was it most comely who fitter to make vs sonnes of God by Adoption then he that was the Sonne of God by Nature and who fitter to restore the Image of God in vs then hee that was the substantiall Image of his Father The Vses follow and so First we should make conscience of it to receiue this doctrine with our whole hearts with all life of affections for hereby wee shall improue wee are Christians and not Iewes They could beleeue Iesus was a man but could not indure it that he should call himselfe the Sonne of God Iohn 10. and the diuell hath mightily also laboured to make the Diuinity of Christ suspected As when he came into the world by making men think of a worldly kingdome then stirring vp the Priests and Pharisees to seeke to kill him as a blasphemer in saying he was the Sonne of God And in the beginning of the Christian Churches he raised vp pernitious Heretickes to denie his Diuinity and at this day hath raised many in other countries that write and teach most dangerously in this point And therefore we must hold fast this Truth against all the power of hell This confession is the Rocke vpon which the Christian Church is built Mat. 16. 16. 17. If we acknowledge the Son we haue the Father 1. Ioh. 2. 23. Secondly it should wonderfully quicken and establish our Faith in relying vpon him for Saluation and all happinesse vpon him I say that hath vndertaken for vs and is so full of merit and power his Satisfaction and Righteousnesse must needs be perfect and sufficient that is the Sonne of God Ier. 23. 6. God cannot but bee infinitely well pleased in his satisfaction and hath signified so much Mat. 3. 17. and therefore wee should settle our consciences in all peace and ioy in beleeuing in him Yea in all passages of our liues wee should make vse of our Faith in the Sonne of God whatsoeuer we want for soule or body or the preseruation of our liues we may with much confidence goe to him for out of his fulnesse wee may receiue grace for grace Ioh. 1. 14. 18. And seeing God hath giuen vs his Sonne how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Rom. 8. 32. Yea it should much establish our Faith against the feare of our falling away before wee come to possesse eternall life for he is stronger then all and no man nor diuell can take vs out of his hand and therefore we shall not perish Iohn 10. 29. 30. Thirdly it should much inflame vs to the Loue of God that hath had such mercy to such miserable creatures as wee were as to send his owne Son to redeeme vs Ioh. 3. 16. Oh it should make vs to loue God aboue all things and to esteeme of his loue as better then any thing else in our liues Fourthly God the Father himselfe from Heauen taught vs a maine vse of this point when hee proclaimed him to bee his Sonne for then he charged vs to heare him None abler to instruct vs for the Son hath his knowledge out of the bosome of the Father Mat. 11. 27. and none hath better right to rule vs because he is the first-borne and therefore ought to rule ouer his brethren It should therefore bee our conscionable care all our daies to attend to his voice and to do whatsoeuer he commands vs Mat. 17. 5. Fifthly we must hence also learne to ioyne Christ with the Father in all religious seruice for when God brought forth his first-begotten Sonne into the world he said let all the Angels of Heauen worship him and therfore much more we must doe it Heb. 1. 6. Ioh. 5. 23. Againe from hence we may gather the wofull estate of all vnbeleeuers that weare out their time and do not lay hold vpon the way of Saluation by Iesus Christ for this increaseth their condemnation because they doe not beleeue now that GOD hath sent his owne Sonne to bee the Sauiour Iohn 3. 36. Finally two things about the Diuinity of our Sauiour are here implyed first that he is God for if he be the Sonne of God then he hath the Nature of his Father and so is God which though the Creed doe not expressely mention yet the Scripture doth acknowledging him for God equall with the Father Rom. 9. 5. 1. Iohn 5. 20. Phil. 2. 6. but because the Creed doth not expresse this I forbeare the explication of it resting satisfied to haue treated of that which the Creed mentions Another thing implyed is that hee is a person distinct from the Father for if he be the Son of God then he differs in person from the Father ACTS 2. 36. Let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made Iesus both Christ and Lord. Our Lord. HItherto of the three former Titles the Last Title of our Sauiour is that which is here exprest viz. Our Lord and concerning this Title diuers things are to be considered 1. That it is a thing that God chargeth vpon our Faith to beleeue distinctly that Iesus is our Lord. Thus Dauid in spirit called him Lord and this all the House of Israel must know Act. 2. 35. 36. and Luke 2. 11. he is stiled Christ the Lord and Act. 10. 36. he is proclaimed Lord of all yea it is a Title so proper to Christ as sometimes hee hath no other name giuen him but the Lord as 1 Cor. 6. 14. GOD hath raised vp the Lord meaning Christ And 1 Cor. 12. 3. It is accounted a worke of the Holy Ghost in any man to professe this point That he beleeueth that Iesus is the Lord. 2 How Iesus comes to be our Lord by what right and title and so he is our Lord by a fiuefold
of his Dâ—sciples and made an admirable speech to them recorded in the 13. 14. 15. and 16. Chapters of Iohn which speech may be all referred to three heads Prediction Exhortation and Promise By way of Prediction we shall finde in that speech that he tels them before hand of the things hee shall suffer and the glory he shall haue after his sufferings and withall the glorious prouision he will make for them in heauen after his Ascension comforteth them against his departure from them Secondly by way of Exhortation he earnestly perswades them by these his last words to looke to their cariage in the world after he was gone in these points especially namely that they shew forth the continuall proofe of their vnfained and feruent loue one to another and that they arme themselues with all patience to suffer all the indignities and troubles should befall them from the Deuil and the world and chiefly that they abide in him as the branch doth in the Vine bearing good fruits to the glory and honour of his Name Thirdly By way of promise he labours to fill them with comfort by assuring to them three singular fauours First that he would send them the Holy Ghost to be their Comforter all their daies Secondly that they shall at all times haue audience in heauen for all suits whatsoeuer if they be made in his Name And thirdly that what troubles soeuer they shall haue in the world yet in him they shall haue peace Neither did he intend this speech only for his Disciples but for all the godly in all ages that should mourne for his absence The fourth thing our Sauiour did for preparing him for his Passion was the choice of the place where he would begin his Passion and therein two things are worthy to be considered viz. The kinde of place he chooseth and his great willingnesse to suffer for vs. The place he chose was a Garden and that he did of purpose for as the first sin was committed in a Garden so he is pleased to offer himselfe to suffer the first part of his great Passion in a Garden Thus is our blessed Sauiour pleased by his obedience in a Garden to make satisfaction of the sin of Rebellion committed by our first Parents in Paradise The next is the demonstration of our Sauiours willingnesse to suffer for vs which hee shewes plainly in choosing the place for first it would be hard for the Priests to apprehend him in the Citie because of the people therefore hee gets out of the Citie to a place that was neare Againe the Euangelists note that he went to a place he was accustomed to goe to that so it might not be difficult to finde him Luke 22. 39. And to make it out of all doubt S. Iohn saith That Iudas that betrayed him knew the place And it is profitable for vs to know that our Sauiour did suffer willingly because that addes to the price of his satisfaction for vnlesse his Passion had beene voluntary there had not beene a iust satisfaction for our sinnes to Gods Iustice And besides that circumstance should the more stirre vp our hearts to admire the greatnesse of his loue to vs. And finally it is a most liuely president to teach vs with all willingnesse to take vp our crosse and follow him that hath so willingly suffered such grieuous things for vs. The fifth thing our Sauiour did in his preparation was the offering vp of prayer to God before hee entered vpon his Passion Now the prayers Christ made were partly for the Church and partly for himselfe The prayer for the Church which he made immediatly before his apprehension is at large recorded in the 17. of Iohn which prayer he made as the High Priest whose office was two-fold to make intercession for the people and to make satisfaction and atonement for their sinnes And though the intercession of Christ be chiefly performed in heauen as hee sitteth at the right hand of God yet that we might know what he saith for vs in heauen he conceiues that most sacred frame of Intercession which is there recorded for our euerlasting consolation Now concerning that prayer of our Sauiour many things may be obserued 1. For whom he prayes and makes intercession and so hee expresly saith That he did not pray for the world but for the Elect vers 9. 2. Why he made that prayer on earth and did not reserue it till he came to heauen And to that he answereth himselfe vers 13. that hee spake those things on earth that his ioy might be fulfilled in vs for it must needs bee an vnspeakable comfort to vs to know what Christ prayes for in heauen to obtaine for vs. 3. What things he assumes as taken for granted before hee puts vp his petitions to God and so hee reckons vp before God diuers admirable priuiledges which belong to the godly which God did neuer deny but alwaies granted to belong to them and these were 1. That God had giuen Christ full power to bestow eternall life vpon the godly vers 2. 2. That the godly were Gods owne people and that he had bestowed them all vpon Christ to redeeme them and prouide for them vers 6 10. 3. That Christ is glorified in them vers 10. meaning that God had giuen him leaue to make himselfe glorious by aduancing them and that he did account himselfe to haue no glory on earth but what he had in and from them 4. That he did sanctifie himselfe for them vers 19. that is that God was to account all his merits to belong to them and that all he endured when he was set apart as a Sacrifice was for their sakes 5. That all he was to pray for did belong to all beleeuers as well as to the Apostles euen to all that did or should beleeue to the worlds end vers 20. 6. That by the Gospell Christ was to make all the godly feele that God loued them as well as he loued him verse 26. 4. What he did begge of his Father for vs and so we shall finde that hee hath fitted his suits to our desires For looke what in this world the godly most desire to be freed from or to haue that he hath asked namely 1. That God would vndertake to keepe vs so as we might not any of vs be lost verse 11 12. 2. That God would preserue and keepe vs from euill both the euill of sinne and the euill of danger that might oppresse vs verse 15. 3. That God would sanctifie vs by the power of his word and so furnish vs with all gifts needfull to a holy life verse 17. 4. That we may be admitted into fellowship and indissoluable vnion with the blessed Trinitie and amongst our selues that in a sort wee might bee ioyned to God as Christ was verse 21. 5. That God would so perfect this holy vnion in them that he might make the very world to know that God loued them as well as he loued
makes sufficient payment to Gods iustice and ouercomes death for vs and that by reason of the worthinesse of his person It is more for Christ to die one houre than for all the world to be dead for euer For it is in this as it is in a prison into which many debtors are cast It is an euerlasting prison to such as cannot pay their debts but it is but a temporarie prison to such as either by themselues or any other make full payment of what is owing 6. That by his death he might make a medicine to kill sinne in vs which might so eat downe the power of sinne that it should no more reigne in vs and so by degrees abolish sinne He died that we might die to sinne by the vertue of his death Rom. 6. 7. That thereby he might buy life for the world He gaue his flesh for the life of the world euen to purchase eternall life for the elect world Ioh. 6. 51. 8. That many sonnes might be borne to God Christ was like seed falling from heauen to the earth and there dying it quickned and brought forth many sonnes to God Esay 53. 10. Ioh. 12. 24. yea the doctrine of Christ dead for our sins is still like to diuine seed falling into our hearts which conuerts men and turnes them to God Thus of the Reasons Now what vse may we make of the consideration of the death of Christ Many things we may learne from hence 1. It should teach vs to be stedfast in the faith and to beleeue and trust vpon Gods mercies for Christ died for our sinnes and therefore wee are certainly reconciled vnto God 1 Cor. 15. 3. Rom. 5. 10. And God doth assure vs of so much in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Matth. 26. 2. We should neuer be afraid of Death and Hell 1 Thess 5. 9 10. Christ by dying for vs hath deuoured and euen swallowed vp Death and Hell so as they shall neuer hurt vs. As the fire consumes the stubble so by wonderfull Art Christ by dying hath consumed all the forces and power of Death and the sting of it 1 Cor. 15. 54. Heb. 2. 15. 14. Death as a curse was laid vpon Christ that our death might be blessed to vs. 3. It should maruellously inflame our hearts with the admiration of the loue of Christ to vs 1 Ioh. 3. 16. 4. Henceforth we that liue should not liue to our selues but to him that died for vs and carry our selues as men that are dead to the world and the sinfull pleasures and lusts thereof and shew the proofe of the vertue of Christs death in vs by the mortification of our sinnes 2 Cor. 5. 15. Rom. 6. 2. 6. 5. It should breed in vs a holy resolution to suffer any thing for his sake euen to forsake Father Mother Wife Children Husband yea and Life it selfe for his sake and the Gospels Iohn 12. 24 25 26. yea it should make vs willing to lay downe our liues one for another if our life may doe seruice to the Church of God and our brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 16. 6 Seeing Christ in death falls to the ground like a dead carkas we should be like spirituall Eagles to flie to it wheresoeuer we finde it whether in the Word or Sacraments and our soules should feed heartily but spiritually vpon it Matth. 24. And seeing God in his ordinances presents vs still with the dead body of his Sonne it should be a meanes to draw all men to it and to gather into one all the children of God that were scattered abroad Iohn 11. 52. and 12. 32 33. 7. The meditation of the death of Christ should make vs in all estates to liue at rest and in a holy security as knowing that Christ died for vs that whether we wake or sleepe we might liue together with him 1 Thess 5. 10. If we liue we liue to the Lord and if we die we die to the Lord Whether we liue or die we are the Lords Rom. 14. 7 8. Thus of the generall proposition concerning the death of Christ and the Reasons and Vses of it In the Explication these things are to be confidered 1. Who died 2. Who were the speciall witnesses of his death 3. How he died 4. For whom he died 5. When he died 6. The consequents of his death For the first if we aske who died the Apostle Paul Rom. 8. 34. answers It is Christ which is dead Which is to be obserued the better to stirre vp our hearts to consider both the wonder of it and the reason of it That any other man should die is no wonder because all other men were sinfull and mortall but here Iesus Christ the Righteous who onely hath immortality dies and withall it leads vs to thinke of the reason of it for he did not die nay he could not die if he had beene considered as a priuate person because he deserued not death in his owne person but he died as our suretie and as a publike vndertaker for vs all hee died in our roome But yet we are further to inquire into this question and to consider whether this death belong to the person of Christ or only to his Natures or to each of them he being God and man in one person And in this we must take heed what our hearts answer for though it be true that Christ died in respect of the flesh so as it was only the flesh that suffered death in respect of the Nature that died yet his death belonged to the Word in respect of the Person for the Word the Lord of life and glory suffered and died not in respect of his Diuinitie which is immutable and altogether impassible but in respect of his Humanitie or in his flesh God did not die with the flesh but in the flesh and he died in his flesh that is in that flesh which was vnited to the diuine Nature If the flesh of Christ were the flesh of the Sonne of God then his dying in the flesh doth belong to him as the Sonne of God Thus his bloud is said to be the Bloud of God Act. 20. 28. and this we must needs beleeue for else his death as a bare man could not haue beene of sufficient merit for all our sinnes There is yet one thing more to be thought on about this Question and that is that the Humanitie that is the soule and flesh of Christ did in death and after death remaine in the Person of the Sonne of God firmely vnited Though the Soule was disvnited from the Body yet neither Body nor Soule were dis-vnited from the Person of the Sonne of God The parts of the Humane Nature were diuided in death one from another so as one was on earth and the other in heauen but yet both of them remained and subsisted in the Diuine Nature else if in death there had beene a new manner of subsisting Christ had had two Persons as well as two Natures which is Heresie to
day Which should much incourage the godly against all the hardship of godlinesse in this life There are many things may be briefly noted from the particular words by which this glorious calling is exprest 1. In that the Iudge is suddenly by change of stile called a King it might haue some vse for the present respect of the Disciples that dreamed of an earthly kingdom in this world and besides a generall respect vnto the godly of all ages to informe them that though Christ entertaine his seruants in this world but in meane conditions many times and that thereby his glory seems much abased amongst men yet at that day he will speake and doe for them like a King yea a King alone when all other Kings shall lay their Crownes at his feet 2. In that he saith Come yee it notes how glad Christ will be of them at that day as of such as haue beene long from him No father can be so glad to see his children that haue beene long absent as Christ will be to see his members while he yet sits vpon the Throne of Iudgement he cannot chuse but shew his affection 3. In that he saith Yee blessed of my Father he shewes them the fountaine of all their preferment to be Gods free loue and grace to them and not their deserts And withall teacheth vs to be confident in it that no people are so blessed and happy as such as be true Christians They are the blessed of God euen such as God blesseth as a father If Israels blessing could make Iacob happy much more Gods blessings vpon those he acknowledgeth for his children It matters not though the world hate vs and curse vs if God will loue vs and blesse vs it is enough 4. In that he saith Inherit the kingdome it imports that we shall neuer haue full possession of perfect glory till the day of Iudgement We are heires now but we are as it were vnder age And besides merit of works is here againe confuted for if we hold heauen by inheritance then not by merit a mans child claimes not his land by desert but by descent And further in that he cals their glory a kingdome it giues vs a glimpse of the surpassing aduancement of euery true Christian at that day This world hath no higher estates to shadow it out by but a kingdome which is the highest greatnesse on earth and therefore we should be greatly comforted against the miseries we suffer in the daies of our banishment and pilgrimage here below 5. In that he saith Prepared we may gather from that word the great care of our heauenly Father that prouides estates for all his children long before they be ready to possesse it which should be some instruction to earthly Parents to shew care for their children in prouiding if it may be for them before hand 6. In that he saith for you it manifestly shewes that God did particularly chuse certaine men and not all men as heires of his kingdome 7. In that he saith from the foundation of the world we may againe note that Heauen is not had by our merits because it was prepared before we had done either good or euill Obserue also that our Sauiour making mention of the beginning of the world expresseth it by mentioning the foundation of the world great was the surpassing glory of Gods power and wisdome in making the world and likewise beyond all apprehension great was his power in hanging this mightie frame of all things without any thing to hold it vp saue his owne secret power and decree and will it should be so Or may not the foundation of the world be referred to the minde of God in eternitie Though this world were framed and reared in the beginning of time yet may we not say that it was founded in the minde of God from all eternitie The consideration of all these things in the calling to glory should greatly abase vs for our want of affection and admiration and strong consolation in the hope of all this glory and if it be possible it should plucke vp our hearts to a feruent loue and longing for and hasting to the appearing of Christ Iesus our hearts I say vpon whom the ends of the world are come when the day of the Lord is so neare at hand And withall it should worke in vs a perfect patience in bearing the afflictions of this life these light afflictions I say light in comparison of that eternall weight of glory Thus of their calling to glory The Reason followes vers 35. 36. And it is taken from their workes of mercy as they are signes of their faith in Christ and as markes of their Adoption not as causes of their glory and yet if it were granted they were causes of glory yet it will not follow they are meritorious causes There are many sorts of efficient causes besides causes meritorious if any aske why their workes of piety are not mentioned or workes of righteousnesse as well as mercy I answer that mercy is not absolutely better than piety but only in a sort viz. in respect of men and as mercy doth iustifie our pietie to be right Now out of all the words I obserue 1. That good workes are necessary to saluation as causes without which no saluation will be had 2. That workes of mercie are very acceptable to God Acts 10. 4. Phil. 4. 18. 3. That the best charitie is to releeue godly Christians Gal. 6. 10. From the answer of the godly we may gather something of defect and something of praise The defect seemes to be that they doe not sufficiently informe themselues of the dearenesse of relation betweene them and Christ and the great account that Christ makes of their workes As we must not be iust ouer-much to think better of our selues than there is cause so we must not be wicked ouer-much in denying Gods grace or attributing more sinne to our selues than is true Their great praise imported in these words is that they forget the good they haue done being more prone to see and acknowledge their vnworthinesse whereas wicked men can remember the good they haue done but forget their sinnes From the Reply of Christ we may obserue the neere coniunction betweene Christ and Christians Hee reckons of them as of himselfe and is affected with all that befalls them as if it did befall himselfe He is not ashamed to call them brethren yea he reckons poore Christians as a part of himselfe though they be despised in the world yet he loues them as he loues himselfe they are pretious in his eyes calling them brethren hee vouchsafeth them incredible honour which should greatly stirre vs vp to charity and if at any time we are dull set Christ before our eyes and thinke what a Sacrilege it is to deny releefe to Christ Thus of the sentence of absolution which being ended he will proceed to the sentence of condemnation Hee is not so mercifull as to forget to be
is plainly proued by the Scriptures 2 Sam. 23. 2 3. Esay 6. 7. with Act. 28. 25. Act. 5. 3 4. 1 Cor. 3. 16. hence is the Holy Ghost reckoned with the Father and the Sonne Matth. 28. 29. 2. That he proceedeth from the Father and the Son which the Creed intimateth in placing this Article last and is plaine by these Scriptures where he is called The Spirit of the Father Luk. 4. 18. Esa 61. 1. Ioh. 14. 16. 26. and 15. 26. and of the Sonne Ioh. 16. 7. 14. and 20. 22. Rom. 8. 9. Gal. 6. 4. 3. That he is a distinct person from the Father and the Son which is manifest in Scripture Matth. 3. 17. Matth. 28. 19. 4. That he is equall to the Father and the Sonne and therefore wee must beleeue in him as well as in the Father and Son This appears also in this That diuine worship is due to him as well as the Father or the Sonne Matth. 28. 19. 1 Cor. 619 20. 2 Cor. 13. 13. as also by this that the sinne against the Holy Ghost is vnpardonable Mat. 12. 31. The substance of the meaning of the Article is That euery Christian in particular doth professe to beleeue in and put his trust vpon the holy Ghost as the Author and worker of his happinesse and saluation Now that the reason of this Article may appeare it will be profitable for vs to consider what the Holy Ghost is in his owne nature and what he is in effect or operation vpon which we may ground our faith and trust in him There are diuers things in the nature of the Holy Ghost that should moue vs to beleeue in him and rest vpon him as first That hee is eternall and was before the world was Gen. 1. 2. and therefore cannot alter his disposition Secondly that he is immense and euery-where present Psal 139. 7. Ioh. 14. 16. Rom. 8. 9. and therefore he is ready to helpe Thirdly that he is omniscient Act. 1. 16. and 10. 19. and 20. 23. 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. 1 Tim. 4. 1. Heb. 9. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 11 12. and therefore he knowes what wee want and what is needfull for vs. Fourthly that he is omnipotent Esa 11. 2. Mich. 3. 8. Pro. 1. 7. and 7. 8. Rom. 15. 19. 1 Cor. 12. 4. and therefore is able to deliuer vs and make vs happy Thus of what the Holy Ghost is in his nature what hee is by effect or opperation followes and so we are to consider of the benefits which the holy Spirit worketh all which serue to proue that we may ought to put our trust vpoÌ„ him Now these benefits are either common or proper The commoÌ„ benefits are such as belong either to all creatures or to all men The proper benefits belong only to the godly elect The operation of the holy Spirit common to all creatures is the making of them at the first and the speciall preparing and quickning of the first matter that it might produce the seuerall formes of things Thus the Holy Ghost is likened to a Fowle that sits vpon her egges till the young ones be hatched Gen. 1. 2. So did the Holy Ghost sit vpon the first Chaos till it was made apt for the seuerall formes of all things And it was the Spirit of the Lord that garnished the heauens Iob 26. 13. and so it is the worke of the holy Ghost to giue life to all the creatures stil in their seuerall kinds for the preseruation of the sorts of things Thus God sendeth his Spirit still and they are created Psal 104. 30. The operation of the Holy Ghost common to all men are of diuers sorts as 1. The speciall forming and in-liuing of euery particular man that comes into the world Thus Iob saith The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath giuen me life Iob 33. 4. Psal 139. 14 15. 2. The inuention of the mysteries of skill for the managing of particular sciences and trades and callings amongst men There is in all trades and professions of men such things of skill as are aboue the reach of the nature of man since the fall and are discouered only by the holy Ghost Thus the wisdome and skill Bezaliel and Aholiab had for building was from the Holy Ghost Exod. 31. 3. so Gâ—deons skill in matters of warre Iudg. 6. 34. and that these things must needs come from aboue appeareth by this that nature in any one man can hardly reach to make him capable of anie more trades or callings then one though he be helped with instruction 3. The inspiration of certaine men to conceiue and write the booke of God for the instruction of all men in the visible Church This sacred frame of holy words came not by the wit or skill of men but by the immediate diuine inspiration of the Holy Ghost 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. vlt. This I reckon among the benefits common for though the men inspired were all holy men yet the matter inspired serues for vse to wicked men as well as godly for though the Scriptures be auaileable onely to the saluation of the Elect yet it serues for so much information of the wicked as may leaue them without excuse and it serues to terrific them for their sinnes 4. The qualifying of the Ministers that are appointed for publike teaching for this skill is aboue nature and from the holy Ghost And Gods Spirit in the Teachers is giuen somtimes vnto the vse of wicked men as well as godly Neh. 9. 20. Act. 20. 20. and so the gift of teaching may be bestowed vpon wicked men so as they may bee like the Carpenters that built Noahs Arke and yet bee drowned themselues such was Iudas 5. The gifts of prophecying and working of miracles these are all from the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 9 10 11. and yet these gifts may be found in wicked men Mat. 7. 22 23. 6. The high gifts of illumination in diuine things in the vnderstanding of the doctrines of faith that are aboue nature for all men by nature haue a veile ouer their vnderstandings 2 Cor. 3. 15. Esa 25. 8. now if this veile be in any part pulled off it is by the holy Ghost for hee is the onely spirituall annointing and eye-salue 1 Ioh. 2. 20. Rev. 3. 18. Now this gift of enlightning and tasting of the good word of God and the discerning of the heauenly things in respect of the theory of it may be found in wicked men but not with application and practise Heb. 6. 4 5. Thus wicked men may receiue so much grace as to heare and receiue the word of God with ioy so as to haue a taste of the very powers of the world to come Luk. 8. 13. but this taste is without digestion they are not soundly humbled for their sinnes nor is it sufficient to take them off from the loue of this present world nor will they yeeld themselues to be ruled in all things by
the word they reioyce in nor doe they apply the promises to themselues so as to beleeue Gods fauour and their owne saluation in the world to come 7. The gifts of restraining grace this is a great gift by which a man is made to forbeare many vile actions contrary to the bent of his owne nature and to act diuers things wholly aboue his owne disposition so as he is as if he were another man as Saul was when the spirit of God fell vpon him and so many men euen among the heathen had an expression on of valour wisdome chastity iustice c. and this was from the holy Ghost for the good of humane societies Thus God kept Abimelech from Abrahams wife Gen. 20. 6. Thus Haman can refraine his rage against Mordecai Hest. 5. 10. If this gift were not wicked men would bee as the wilde beasts of the desert And yet it is one thing to restraine a mans corruptions and another thing to mortifie them Thus of the operations of the holy Ghost tâ—at are common both to good and bad but the surpassing glory of his working is in the benefits proper to the Elect only so his works may be considered either in general or in particular The generall workes are 1. The conception and qualification of the humane nature of our Sauiour by which hee was made fit for that great worke of the redemption of all the Elect Math. 1. 18. Esay 61. 1. and 42. 1. and thus hee receiued the Spirit without measure Ioh. 3. 34. 2. His habitation in the godly their hearts being the temple of the holy Ghost so as he dwells in them after a wonderfull manner Rom. 8. 11. Eph. 2. 22. 2 Cor. 6. 3. The regeneration of all the Elect in their seasons Ioh. 3. 3. 5. 1 Thes 2. 13. Tit. 3. 5. Thus they are washed sanctified and iustified 1 Cor. 6. 11. and in respect of new graces the godly are the Epistle of Christ euery grace being as a word or letter grauen vpon their hearts by the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 3. 3. 4. The vniting of all the godly into one mysticall body being himselfe the bond of that vnion in Iesus Christ of which most glorious worke the Scriptures speak euidently Eph. 4. 3 4. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. 5. The quickning and raising vp of our bodies at the last day Rom. 8. 10. The particular workes or things he worketh in the godly are such as these maruellous things as 1. Liberty Liberty I say chiefly from the power of sinne making a godly man able to subdue such corruptions as nostrength of nature or naturall arguments or meanes could euer master This is farre aboue restraining grace Where the Spirit of God is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. and The law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me saith S. Paul from the law of sinne and of death Rom. 8. 2. and this the Spirit doth first by working a spirituall circumcision vpon the heart causing a man to imploy himselfe in the duties of mortification till he giue deadly wounds to his beloued sinnes and at length cast them away like a lothsome fore-skin Rom. 2. 29. making a man to accuse and condemne himselfe pray against the deedes of the flesh till hee get some victory ouer his corruptions Rom. 8. 13. and in this worke the holy Ghost discouers himselfe as a Spirit of iudgment and a Spirit of burning as the Prophet Esay calls him Esa 4. 4. Secondly by lusting against the flesh that is stirring vp consent and earnest desires and grones to be rid of the burthen of corruption Gal. 5. 17. Thirdly by causing a man to heare a word behind him when hee is about to goe out of the way either on the right hand and on the left Esay 30. that is by daily good motions and inward checks of conscience which tend to diswade a man from yeelding to any thing he knowes to be a sinne Fourthly by baptizing the penitent sinner with the baptisme of fire Matth. 3. 11. which is when the holy Ghost falls vpon his heart and so inflames his affections that he is full of indignation and a desire of holy reuenge against his corruptions and an vnspeakable zeale after righteousnesse and Gods glory 2. The infusing of diuine gifts qualifying the godly with such abilities as are altogether aboue nature such as are Faith Loue Hope and the gift of Prayer no man can beleeue things aboue reason and without meanes vnlesse he haue the spirit of faith Rom. 4. 17 18. 2 Cor. 4. 13. Heb. 11. 1. The loue of God is likewise shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5. 5. and it is the Spirit that makes a man hope and wait for the righteousnesse to be reuealed in another world Gal. 5. 5. and therefore is the Spirit called the Spirit of prayer or supplication Zach. 12. 11. because it is he only that qualifies a man with such a language as to be able to speake to God with iudgement affections and confidence Rom. 8. 15. Yea besides these he bestowes such gifts vpon the godly in respect of which they are said to partake of the diuine nature as they are made like vnto God 2 Pet. 1. 4. as when the Spirit makes a man resemble God in his contentment in his loue in his knowledge or wisdome and in mercy and a pure and sound minde and patience and goodnesse and such like First it is a wonderfull worke to make the heart of man vnmoueable like God delighted and pleased and at rest in himselfe without discontentment at his condition and this peace and ioy the Holy Ghost is the author of Rom. 15. 13. and 14. 17. Secondly the Holy Ghost makes a man to resemble God in his loue to the godly aboue all the people of the world and is therefore called the Spirit of loue Rom. 15. 30. 2 Tim. 1. 7. Thirdly to let goe all the other gifts of the Spirit which are mentioned in that catalogue Gal. 5. 22. I will only instance further in that grace of knowledge it is a wonderfull worke to make a man vnderstand supernaturall things the mysteries of Gods kingdome which are knowne only to God himselfe for the naturall man perceiueth them not 1 Cor. 2. 14. 13. 10. Matth. 13. 11. as to know how God stands affected to vs yea to know the height length bredth and depth of Gods loue to vs Eph. 3. 19 20. yea to know those sacred truths so as to be transformed by them and changed into the likenesse of the things taught vs from one glorious grace to another 2 Cor. 3. vlt. Now this knowledge or wisdome from aboue the Spirit worketh in vs both by curing and making sound our mindes 2 Tim. 1. 7. and by leading vs into all truth and bringing to remembrance the things which we haue heard Ioh. 14. 26. The third worke of the Holy Ghost in the elect is the fanctification of their works or
Sometimes God is said to be at mans right hand and then it notes protection and helpe as Psal 16. 8. Sometimes the Church is said to be at the right hand of Christ as Psal 45. 10. Sometimes Christ is said to be at the right hand of God of which this Article makes mention But by the way we must note that this gesture is not attributed to Christ as a perpetuall gesture Sometimes hee is said to bee at the right hand of God as Rom. 8. 34. Sometimes to stand at the right hand of God as Act. 7. 55. But vsually the Scripture mentions his sitting at the right hand of God as that gesture which doth most fitly shadow out the eternall rest and felicity of Christ together with his Imperiall and Iudiciall power Now for the sense of the Article all together I conceiue that by the words of this Article eight things are meant as 1. That Christ after all his labours and sorrowes after his Crosse and death doth rest in heauen in vnspeakable ioy and felicity and blessednesse 2. That hee hath obtained dignity and power aboue all men and Angels as when Solomon set his mother at his right hād it was to signifie that she was to be esteemed of aboue all his subiects Thus Christ hath a name giuen him aboue euery name which is named in heauen and earth Heb. 1. 4. Eph. 1. 21. 3. That hee is partner with his Father in his Kingdome and therefore hence it is that in stead of He shall sit at Gods right hand mentioned Psal 110. 1. Saint Paul quoting the place saith Hee shall reigne teaching vs that to sit at Gods right hand is to reigne in Gods Kingdome 4. That his authority reacheth vnto all things in heauen and earth and therefore hee is said to sit at the right hand of God of God I say whose dominion is an vniuersall dominion This our Sauiour saith of himselfe Matth. 28. 18. 5. That the Father doth not cease to rule but doth administer his Kingdome by his Sonne Therefore in Psal 110. v. 1. the Father takes vpon him to subdue the enemies of Christ The Father and Sonne reigne together but yet so as the Father commits the rule and execution of all things to the Sonne vnder him as kings that admit their Sonnes to bee partners with them in their Empire and commit the trust of all to them 6. That this kingdome of Christ shall be deliuered vp vnto the Father againe 1 Cor. 15. 25. For the worke of Christ in this Kingdome is by meanes to gather and saue the Church and to subdue and ouerthrow the enemies of the Church now when there shall be no more enemies and the Church is perfectly gathered and glorified then this Kingdome shall cease But that men may not mistake the naturall kingdome of Christ which hee hath as God equall with the Father that shall neuer cease and the supreme glory that hee hath in eminence ouer man and Angels that shall not cease for so he is a King immortall and of this kingdome there is no end but after the day of iudgment he shall reigne no more that is First not in the middest of his enemies as he doth now Psal 110. 2. Secondly not by meanes or by the Word and Sacraments as he doth now but immediatly 7. That he vndertakes fully to accomplish and perform vnto all the Elect all that goodnesse and riches of grace and glory which God as a Father hath decreed or promised to his Church and therefore hee sits at the right hand of God as a Father 8. That he is furnished with all power to execute all that concernes either the subduing of the enemies of the Church or the saluation of the Elect and therefore he is said in the Creed to sit at the right hand of God as hee is Almighty and in Scripture to sit at the right hand of the power of God Luk. 22. 69. There are other things might be mentioned about the explication of this Article but they are either curious or else so difficult and perplexed and intricate in sense that they will not well agree with popular teaching and therefore I leaue them and come to the vse of this Article This Article may serue both for instruction and for consolation For instruction and so it should teach vs 1. Neuer to be ashamed of the Gospell and the profession of the seruice of Christ in this world seeing whatsoeuer worldly men thinke yet true Christians know that they serue him that sits at Gods right hand and hath all power in heauen and earth and is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Revel 19. 2. To bee willing to let him rule ouer vs and with all reuerence and conscience to submit our selues to his lawes and to acknowledge his power and soueraignety Euery knee should bow at the name of Iesus Phil. 2. 11. 10. 3. To carry our selues as the members of so great a King as hath atchieued so many conquests ouer so great enemies Wee should striue to ouer come too euen the world and sinne and Satan and then he promiseth vs that we shall fit on his throne also Revel 3. 21. 4. All our minde should be on heauenly things as the Apostle shewes Col. 3. 1. 5. In all things to liue by Faith and in nothing to bee carefull and in all estates to bee content since by Christ wee may be able to doe all things and he is able to helpe vs and will not forsake vs. For consolation this Article serues many waies 1. In the case of trouble of conscience for our sinnes and infirmities for hence we know that wee haue an Aduocate with the Father and he sits at Gods right hand to make request for vs 1 Ioh. 2. 1. 2. In the case of feare of perseuerance for Christ sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty and therefore none can take his sheepe out of his hand Ioh. 10. 29. 3. In the case of defects and disability in gifts for from this Article S. Paul gathers that Christ will fill all in all things in all the members of the Church Eph. 1. 21. c. 4. In the case of feare of accusation by men or deuils Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Doth not Christ sit at the right hand of God saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 34. 5. In the case of difficulty in the successe of the Ministery of the Word Christ hath the Key of Dauid hee sits on the Throne of Dauid Hee will open and no man shall shut and hee will shut and no man shall open Rev. 3. 7. 6. In the case of outward wants on earth or ill entertainment in the world wee serue him that hath all power to preferre vs we haue his promise that we shal partake of his own glory and therefore we need not be carefull but rather magnifie his mercy loue to vs in admitting vs to his seruice vpon what termes soeuer it
be in this world 7. In the case of publike dangers and distresses vpon the Churches of Christ and the seeming prosperity of his enemies for from this Article we may gather and must beleeue that all the enemies of Christ and his Church shall come to confusion and that the Church shall be deliuered as these and many other Scriptures shew Eph. 1. 20. c. Psal 110. 1 2. 1 Cor. 15. 25 26 27. Dan. 2. 44. and 7. 14. The seuenth Article From thence he shall come to iudge both quicke and dead ACTS 10. 42. And he commanded vs to preach vnto the people and to testifie that it is hee that is ordained of God a judge of quicke and dead HItherto of the three degrees of the exaltation of Christ Some haue thought that this Article containes a fourth degree of his glory but I am rather of their minds that take it to be a declaration of the former especially of his Session at the right hand of God as shewing one point of his greatnesse aboue men and Angels that hee is appointed Iudge of all the world and so of all men and Angels Some diuide these foure Articles thus One tells of what he did on earth viz. Rose from the dead The second tells how he went from the earth the third tells of his estate in heauen and the fourth of his returne to the earth againe There is great need of teaching and explicating of this Article both because it is a thing so much vrged in so many places both of the old and new Testament and because it was made one of the most fundamentall principles of the Apostles Catechisme Heb. 6. 2. Act. 10. 42. and especially because it is a doctrine of all others most effectuall to awaken the carnall secure hearts of men Act. 24. 26. and if it may be to bring them to repentance Act. 17. 31. and the more proper for vs vpon whō the ends of the world are come not only because it is now at hand but because men are in so high a degree forgetful of it yea because there are so many scoffers against it according as S. Peter foretold 2 Pet. 3. 3. Concerning this iudgement I intend to shew by way of explication 1. What kinde of iudgement it will be 2. Who shall be the Iudge 3. Whence he shall come to iudge 4. When the day of iudgement shall be 5. Where the place will be 6. Who shall be iudged 7. The signes of this Iudgement 8. The forme or manner how it shall be performed For the first what kinde of Iudgement this shall be may appeare by the properties of it and the properties are seuen First it is certaine It is such a Iudgement as will certainly come vpon men There must needs be a Iudgement in the end of the world First because so many Scriptures haue foretold it it hath beene proclaimed and men warned and summoned from the beginning of the world Henoch gaue notice of it Iude 15. so did Moses Deut. 32. and Dauid Psal 50. and Salomon Eccles 11. 9 and Daniel ch 7. 13. and Ioel ch 3. and Malachi ch 4. so did Christ himselfe Matt. 24. and Paul 2 Thess 1. and Peter 2 Pet. 3. Iohn Reu. 20. and Iude v. 6. here is a cloud of witnesses Secondly because we see that in this world full Iudgement is not executed and therefore it stands vp ō Gods iustice that there should be a generall Iudgment for in this world many times godly men be in great affliction as Lazarus wicked men be in great prosperity as Diues Now if God be iust he wil render to euery man according to his works which because it is not done in this world it remains that we are yet to expect such a iudgement as will giue euery man his due If iudgement begin at Gods house in this world then certainly will God finde a time to auenge himselfe on Satans family Thirdly there must needs be a iudgement in the end of the world for the declaration of Gods iustice which is now in many things hid Rom. 2. 5. Many things we see not the reason of and many things are hid in darknesse which then shall be brought to light Mens hearts now boile against many things they heare in Gods word or obserue in Gods workes now the Lord will ouercome in iudgement Psal 50. And therefore he hath appointed a time wherein he will cleare himselfe before all men and Angels Fourthly Gods workes of iudgement done already shew that he conceiues such an infinite wrath against sin as he must needs finde a time to be reuenged on the sins of all men Such as are the drowning of the old world the burning of Sodom the destruction of Ierusalem the tormenting of mankind with a world of diseases and miseries the sweeping away of many thousands together by Pestilence or sword the irreuocable sentence of death vpon all men shews that God will take an account of mens waies and will not put vp the transgressions of his Lawes Besides euery mans conscience naturally feares a supreme Iudge and therefore since there shall be a iudgement men should liue so as to prouide that it may goe well with them in that day 2. It is immediate God himselfe shall iudge There is a iudgement in this world which is called Gods iudgement but that is a mediate iudgement when God iudgeth by man as Deut. 1. 17. Psal 72. 1. Psal 50. 3. It is the last iudgement men haue receiued their doomes sometimes from men sometimes from God either iudging them by his word or afflicting them by his particular iudgements but these are all the first things but this is the last iudgement after which there shall be no more triall or sentence or execution and therefore the more terrible for wicked men because there can be no reuersing of this sentence as in this life vpon repentance there may be of other iudgements Ier. 18. 7 8 9 10. And for this sentence there will be no appeale 4. It is a generall and vniuersall iudgement 2 Cor. 5. 10. all must appeare both quicke and dead as will be more distinctly shewed afterwards God hath his particular iudgement vpon man in this world both in life iudging both the righteous and the wicked euery day Psal 7. 12. and in death when he passeth a particular sentence vpon euery man but this is iudgement of all men together 5. It is an open and manifest iudgement where all things shal be brought to light euen the secret and hidden things of all men euen the hidden things of darknesse God hath his secret iudgements vpon wicked men in this world when he consumes them like a moth Esay 51. 8. and plagues them in their soules or bodies or states in the things the world obserues not But at this day of iudgement all shall be done and opened before all men and Angels Which serues for exceeding terrour to impenitent sinners Is it such a shame to doe