an eye-witnesse of many wonders by which the Ministery of Moses was confirmed testifieth his writings to bee the undoubted Word of God the same doe the Prophets which continued the History of the Church in the time of the Judges both of Moses Joshua Likewise all the Prophets which successively recorded the holy Story and Prophesies by divine Revelation from Samuel unto the Captivity and from the Captivity to the building again of the Temple and of the City and sometimes after receiving the same book of heavenly Doctrine from the former age delivered them to their posterity And Malachi the last of the Prophets closeth up the Old Testament with a charge and an Exhortation from the Lord to remember the Law of Moses delivered in Horeb and to use the same as a Schoole-master to direct them unto Christ untill hee came in person himself Mal. 4. 4. Finally from that time the Church of the Jews untill the comming of Christ in the flesh imbraced all the former writings of the Prophets as the book of God Christ himself appealeth unto them as a sufficient testimony of him Joh. 5. 39. The Apostles and the Evangelists prove the writings of the New Testament by them and the Catholike Church of Christ from the Apostles time untill this day hath acknowledged all the same writings both of the Old and New Testament to bee the undoubted Word of God Thus have wee the testimony both of the Old Church of the Jews Gods peculiar people and first-born to whom the Oracles of God were committed Act. 7. 38. Hos. 8. 12. Rom. 3. 2. 9. 4. and the view of Christians together with the generall account which all the godly have made at all times of the Scriptures when they have crossed their natures and courses as accounting it in their soules to bee of God and the speciall testimony of Martyrs who have sealed the certainty of the same by shedding their blood for them Thereunto also may bee added the testimony of those which are out of the Church Heathens out of whom many ancient testimonies are cited to this purpose by Josephus contra Appion Turks and Jews who to this day acknowledge all the books of the Old Testament and Hereticks who labour to shroud themselves under them c. Are there not some divine testimonies which may likewise bee added to this Yes first the known Miracles which the devill was never able to doe that did so often follow the writers and teachers of the Scriptures Secondly the manifold punishments and destruction of those that have reviled and persecuted the same Are these motives of themselves sufficient to work saving faith and perswade us fully to rest on Gods Word No besides all this it is required that wee have the Spirit of God as well to open our eyes to see the light as to seale up fully into our hearts that truth which wee see with our eyes for the same holy Spirit that inspired the Scripture 1 Cor. 2. 10. 14. 37. Ephes. 1. 13. inclineth the hearts of Gods children to beleeve what is revealed in them and inwardly assureth them above all reasons and arguments that these are the Scriptures of God therefore the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah promiseth to joyn his Spirit with his Word and that it shall remain with his children for ever Esa. 59. 21. The same promiseth our Saviour Christ unto his Disciples concerning the Comforter which hee would send to leade them into all truth and teach them all things and to put them in minde of all things which hee had said unto them Joh. 14. 26. 15. 26. The Lord by the Prophet Jeremiah also promiseth to give his Law into their mindes and to write them in the hearts of his children Jer. 31. 33. And S. John saith to the faithfull that by the anointing of the holy Spirit which is on them they know all things 1 Joh. 2. 20. This testimony of Gods Spirit in the hearts of his faithfull as it is proper to the Word of God so it is greater then any humane perswasions grounded upon reason or witnesses of men unto which it is unmeet that the Word of God should bee subject as Papists hold when they teach that the Scriptures receive their authority from the Church for by thus hanging the credit and authority of the Scriptures on the Churches sentence they make the Churches work of greater credit then the Word of God whereas the Scriptures of God cannot bee judged or sentenced by any and God onely is a worthy witnesse himself in his Word and by his Spirit which give mutuall testimony one of the other and work that assurance of Faith in the Elect that no humane demonstrations can make nor any perswasions or inforcements of the world can remove Shew some further reasons that the authority of the Scriptures doth not depend upon the Church First because wee beleeve the Scriptures is a work of Faith but the Church cannot infuse Faith Secondly any authority that the Church hath it must prove it by the Scriptures therefore the Scripture dependeth not upon the Church Thirdly if an Infidell should ask the Church how they are sure that Christ dyed for them if they should answer because themselves say so it would be ridiculous when they should say because the Scripture teacheth so c. What books are the holy Scriptures and by whom were they writen First The books of the Old Testament in number nine and thirty which the Jews according to the number of their letters brought to two and twenty writen by Moses and the Prophets Rom. 3. 2. who delivered the same unto the Church of the Jews Secondly the books of the New Testament in number seven and twenty writen by the Apostles and Evangelists Rom. 1. 16. Rev. 1. 11. who delivered them to the Church of the Gentiles What language were the books of the Old Testament writen in In Hebrew which was the first tongue of the world and the most orderly speech in comparison of which all other languages may bee condemned of barbarous confusion but chosen especially because it was the language of that time best known unto the Church teaching that all men should understand the Scriptures onely some few portions by the later Prophets were left writen in the Chaldean tongue understood by Gods people after their carrying away into Babylon namely the 11 verse of the 10 chap. of Jer. six chapters in Daniel from the 4 ver of the 2 chap. to the end of the 7 chapter and three in Ezra the fourth fifth sixth Had the Hebrew Text vowels or points from the beginning as now it hath Our Saviour saith Matth. 5. 18. that not one jot or prick of the Law shall perish whereby it should appeare that the Law and the Prophets for of both hee speaketh immediately before had vowels and pricks God also by Moses commanded the Law to bee writen upon two great stones at the entrance
more perfect directions in the worship of God and the way of life then is already expressed in the Canonicall Scriptures Mat. 23. 8. Joh. 5. 39. Mat. 15. 9. Finally these holy Scriptures are the rule the line the square and light whereby to examine and try all judgements and sayings of men and Angels Joh. 12. 48. Gal. 1. 9. All traditions revelations decrees of Councels opinions of Doctors c. are to bee imbraced so farre forth as they may bee proved out of the Divine Scriptures and not otherwise so that from them onely all Doctrine concerning our salvation must bee drawn and derived that onely is to bee taken for truth in matters appertaining to Christian Religion which is agreeable unto them and whatsoever disagreeth from them is to be refused How doe you prove that the Scripture is such a Rule Since God hath appointed the holy Scriptures which beare witnesse of Christ Joh. 5. 39. to bee writen for our learning Rom. 15. 4. hee will have no other Doctrine pertaining to eternall life to bee received but that which is consonant unto them and hath the ground thereof in them therefore unto them onely is the Church directed for the saving knowledge of God Esa. 8. 20. Luk. 16. 29. 31. Insomuch that all Prophesies Revelations and Miracles are to bee judged by their consent with the Law of God writen by Moses to which nothing is to bee added nor any thing to bee taken away from it Deut. 12. 13. 1 2. yea Christ himself appealeth to the triall of those things which Moses did write of him Joh. 5. 46. being none other in any respect but even the same whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets which were the interpreters and commentaries upon the Law writen by Moses did write of John 1. 45. and his Apostles preaching the Gospel among all Nations taught nothing beside that which Moses and the Prophets had spoken to bee fulfilled in Christ as S. Paul testifieth Act. 26. 22. saying as he taught all the rest of the Apostles did teach Where doe you finde that the Scriptures are able to instruct us perfectly to salvation The Apostle Paul in 2 Tim. 3. 15. doth expressely affirm it and reasons which may bee gathered out of the two Verses following doe plainly prove it What are those Reasons 1. God being author of these books they must needs be perfect as he himself is who being for his wisdome able and for his love to his Church willing to set down such a rule as may guide them to eternall life hath not failed herein 2. They are profitable to teach all true doctrine and to confute the false to correct all disorder private and publique and to inform men in the way of righteousnesse 3. The man of God that is the Preacher and Minister of the Word is thereby made compleat and perfect sufficiently furnished unto every good work or duty of the Ministery How doth this last reason hold Most strongly for the people being to learn of the Minister what to beleeve and what to doe and more being required of him that must be the eye and mouth of all the rest if he may be perfectly instructed by the Scriptures they are much more able to give every common man sufficient instruction Again seeing the Minister is bound to disclose the whole counsell of God to his people Acts 20. 27. he being thereunto fully furnished out of the treasury of the Word of God it followeth that by him out of the Scriptures they may also be abundantly taught to salvation What further proof have you of the sufficiency of the Scriptures The five Books of Moses which was the first holy Scripture delivered to the Church was sufficient for the instruction of the people of that time in all that God required at their hands as appeareth by that they were forbidden to adde any thing unto it or to take any thing from it but to doe that onely which was prescribed by the Law Deut. 12. 32. The Prince and the people are commanded to be directed thereby altogether and not to depart from it either to the right hand or to the left Deut. 17. How much more the Law and the Prophets which did more at large set forth the Doctrine delivered by Moses both in precepts and promises in practice and example was sufficient for the time that succeeded untill John the Baptist Mat. 11. 12. Luk. 16. 16. What more can you alledge for this purpose Psal. 19. 7. David saith the Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul and Psal. 119. 96. I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandement is exceeding large Luk. 16. 29. Abraham in the Parabolicall story testifieth that Moses and the Prophets were sufficient to keep men from damnation John 5. 39. Our Saviour Christ affirmeth of the Scriptures of the old Testament that they were witnesses of him in whom our salvation is perfect Acts 17. 11. The Bereans are commended for examining the Doctrine of the Apostles by the Scriptures of the old Testament Acts 26. 22. Paul taught nothing but that which Moses and the Prophets had written of Christ to be fulfilled 1 Joh. 1. ver 1 2 3 John saith what they have heard and seen that they delivered Gal. 1. 8 9. Paul wisheth that if an Angel from heaven came and taught any other Doctrine we should hold him accursed Apoc. 22. 18 19. there is a curse pronounced against him that addeth any thing or taketh away any thing from Scripture 1 Cor. 4. 6. Paul saith that no man must presume above that which is written John 20. 31. S. John saith that these things are written that we might beleeve that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that beleeving we might have life through his name where he speaketh not onely of his Gospel but being the surviver of the rest of the Apostles of all their writings Seeing then that faith by those things that are written and eternall salvation by faith may be attained it ought to be no controversie amongst Christians that the whole Scripture of the old and new Testament doth most richly and abundantly contain all that is necessary for a Christian man to beleeve and to doe for eternall salvation Obj. 1. Yet our adversaries quarrell against this most rich and plentifull treasure of the holy Scriptures alledging that we receive many things by tradition which are not in Scriptures and yet we beleeve them as Maries perpetuall Virginity and the baptisme of Infants We make not Maries perpetuall Virginity any matter of religion but a likely opinion so far as it can be maintained that it were an unseemly and unfitting thing for a sinfull man to use to the act of generation the vessell which was chosen and consecrated by the holy Ghost to so high an use as was the bringing forth of the Saviour of the world it hath warrant from the Apostles charge Phil. 4. 8. of doing whatsoever is honest whatsoever
every thought to the obedience of Christ. Where as wee must needs acknowledge that it is God which worketh in us both to will and to doe and that it is hee which sanctifyeth us wholly so are wee taught likewise to beleeve that both hee who sanctifyeth and they who are sanctifyed are all of one namely of one and the self-same nature that the sanctifyer might not bee ashamed to call those who are sanctifyed by him his brethren that as their nature was corrupted and their blood tainted in the first Adam so it might bee restored again in the second Adam and that as from the one a corrupt so from the other a pure and undefiled nature might bee transmitted unto the heires of salvation The same God that giveth grace is hee also that giveth glory yet so that the streams of both of them must run to us through the golden pipe of our Saviours humanity For since by man came death it was fit that by man also should come the resurrection of the dead Even by that man who hath said Who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him up at the last day Who then shall come to bee glorifyed in his Saints and to bee made marvellous in all them that beleeve and shall change this base body of ours that it may be fashioned like unto his own glorious body according to the working whereby hee is able even to subdue all things unto himselfe Unto him therefore that hath thus loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him bee glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen PHILIP 3. 8. I COUNT ALL THINGS BUT LOSSE FOR THE EXCELLENCY OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST JESUS MY LORD FINIS 1 Pet. 1. 19. 21. 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Psalm 147. 5. Exod. 34. 6 7. 1 Joh. 5. 7. 1 Chron. 29. 11 12. Psal. 145. 10 11 12. Act. 17. 24. Gen. 1. 26 27. Psal. 103. 19. 66. 7. Jude ver 6. Rev. 12. 7. Gal. 3. 10. Gen. 2. 17. Eccl. 7. 31. Rom. 5. 12. 14. Gal. 3. 10. Deut. 28. 45. Mat. 1. 21 22 23. Gal. 4. 4 5. Phil. 2. 7 8 9. Heb. 5. 4 5. Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 10. 12. Luk. 4. 18 19. Isay 9. 6 7. Heb. 3. 1. 2 Tim. 1. 9. Heb. 12. 23. Cant. 2. 16. Joh. 17. 21 22 23 24. Rom. 3. 24 25 26. and 4. 6 7. Rom. 8. 15 16 17. 23 24 25. Eph. 1. 4. Col. 3. 9 10. 12. 14. Mat. 22. 37 38 39 40. Exod. 20. 2 3. Exod. 20. 5 6. Exod. 20. 7. Exod. 20. 8 9 10 11. Exod. 20. 12. Exod. 20. 13. Exod. 20. 14. Exod. 20. 15. Exod. 20. 16. Exod. 20. Acts 26. 20. 2 Cor. 7. 10 11. Jer. 31. 18 19. Eph. 6. 10 11 12. 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. Gal. 6. 14. Rom. 8. 35 36 37. Gal. 5. 14. Col. 3. 5 6. Lev. 1. 74 75. Tit. 2. 11 12 13 14. Matth. 6. 6 7. Matth. 6. 9 10. Ver. 11. 12 13. Matth. 6. 13. Matth. 5. 16 17 18. Eph. 4. 28 29. Heb. 13. 16. Rom. 10. 14 15. Eph. 4. 11 12 13. Rom. 4. 11. Matth. 18. 15 16 17. Heb. 9. 1. 9 10. 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3 4. Joh. 1. 17. Heb. 12. 27 28. Matth. 28. 19. 1 Pet. 3. 21. 1 Cor. 11. 23 24. 1 Tim. 4. 12 13. 2 Thes. 2. 3 4. Heb. 9. 27. 1 Thes. 4. 15 16 17. 1 Cor. 15. 51 52. Matth. 25. 34 35. All men desire eternall happinesse Religion the means to obtain happinesse No salvation but by the true Religion Diverse kindes of false Religion What Christian Religion is Of Catechising what it is Where to bee used and by whom The necessity of it a Eccles. 1. 2. True happines consisteth in God How we come to injoy God b Job 22. 21. c Joh. 17. 3. Gal. 4. 9. d Eccle. 12. 13. e 2 Cor. 5. 9. f 1 Sam. 2. 30. Means to know God By his Divine Works and holy Word Job 22. 20. Joh. 6. 68. Of the Divine Works of God Plato Galen Homer Virgil. Ovid. The uses of knowing God by his Works Of Gods holy Word the Scriptures How the Scriptures were delivered Revelations Oracles Visions What Scripture is That the Scriptures are the Word of God Reasons to prove God to be the Author of the holy Scriptures 1 Efficient Instrumentall 2 The simplicity and sincerity of the writers 3 The quality and condition of the Penmen of holy Scriptures 4 The heavenly matter of holy Scripture 5 The Doctrine of the Scriptures above humane capacity 6 The concord of the several writers one with another 7 The prophesies fulfilled in their due time 8 The Majesty and authority of the Scriptures 9 The motives used in them to perswade not reason but commands 10 The end and scope of the Scriptures which is Gods glory 11 Their admirable power 12 Their antiquity 13 The hatred of the Devill and wicked men against them 14 The preservation of the Scriptures 15 Their power to humble a man and raise him up again 1 Cor. 14. 25. 16 The consenant testimony of all men at all times 17 The known miracles done by the Writers of the Scriptures 18 The testimony of the Spirit in the hearts of men That the authority of the Scriptures doth not depend on the Church What are the books of holy Scriptures In what language the Old Testament was writen That the Scriptures of the Old Testament were first writen with vowels and pricks The books of Moses The books of the Prophets The Historicall books The Doctrinal books The Poeticall books The Prosaicall books The Apocryphall books The errors of the Apocryphal Books Of the books of the New Testament The properties of the holy Scriptures As 1 holy 2 Highest in authority 3. Sufficient in themselves That the Scriptures are a perfect rule for doctrine life and Salvation Objections against the sufficiency of the holy Scriptures answered Tim. Qu. An. Of the perspicuity of the holy Scriptures The Papists objections against the perspicuity of the Scriptures answered Ans. Why God hatâ— left some places of Scripture obscure Of the Translation of holy Scriptures An objection grounded on various readings answered Why the Scriptures must be expounded by the Scriptures The use of holy Scriptures Who must read the Scriptures That all must read the Scriptures proved The Papists objections against reading the Scriptures answered That there is a God Of the Nature of God Of Gods Essence The name of God Of the Properties or Attributes of God A description of God God a Spirit The perfection of God The felicity of God Of the simplenesse or singlenesse in God Gods infinitenesse Gods immensity or greatnesse Gods eternity The life of God Of the knowledge and wisdom of God Fore-knowledge and Counsell of God The Counsell of God Gods absolute wisdome and knowledge 1
they did at the first from the Creation untill the time of Moses for the space of 2513. years First because then God immediately by his voice and Prophets sent from him taught the Church his truth which now are ceased Heb. 1. 1. Secondly traditions might then be of sufficient certainty by reason of the long life of Gods faithfull witnesses for Methusalem lived with Adam the first man 243. years and continued unto the Flood Shem lived at once with Methusalem 98. years and flourished above 500. yeares after the Flood Isaac lived 50. years with Shem and died about 10. years before the descent of Israel into Aegypt So that from Adams death unto that time three men might by tradition preserve the purity of Religion but after the comming of Israel out of Aegypt mans age was so shortened that in the dayes of Moses the first Penman of the Scriptures it was brought to 70. or 80. years as appeareth by the Psal. 90. 10. Thirdly God saw his true religion greatly forgotten in Aegypt Israel then falling unto Idolatry Ezekiel 20. 8. and having brought Israel then his people from thence did not onely restore but also encreased the same adding thereunto many more particulars concerning his service which were needfull for mens memories to be written Fourthly God having gathered his Church to a more solemn company then before it was his pleasure then to begin the writings of his will and therefore first with his own finger he wrote the ten Commandements in two Tables of stone and then commanded Moses to write the other words which he had heard from him in the Mount Exod. 34. 27 28. Fiftly thus God provided that the Churches of all ages and times might have a certain rule to know whether they embraced sound Doctrine or no and that none should be so bold as to coin any new Religion to serve him with but that which he had delivered in writing What is Scripture then The Word of God written by men inspired by the holy Ghost for the perfect building and salvation of the Church or holy Books written by the inspiration of God to make us wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. 2 Pet. 1. 21. 1 Pet. 20. 21. Joh. 20. 31. If that the Scriptures be written by men which are subject unto infirmities how can it be accounted the Word of God Because it proceeds not from the wit or mind of men but holy men set apart by God for the work of God spake and writ as they were moved by the holy Ghost therfore God alone is to be counted the Author therof who inspired the hearts of those holy men whom he chose to be his Secretaries who are to be held only the Instrumentall cause thereof When Jeremy brought the Word of God to the Jews they said it was not the Word of the Lord but he spake as Baruc the son of Neriah provoked him Jer. 43. 2. and so some perhaps in these days are so ungodly as to take the Jews part against Jeremy and all his fellowes How may it appeare therefore that this Book which you call the Book of God and the holy Scriptures is the Word of God indeed and not mens policy By the consonant testimony of men in all ages from them that first knew these Penmen of the holy Ghost with their writings untill our time and reasons taken out of the Word themselves agreeable to the quality of the writers both which kind of arguments the holy Scriptures have as much and far more then any other writings wherefore as it were extream impudency to deny the works of Homer of Plato Virgil Tully Livy Galen c. when as consent of al ages have reached delivered them unto us which also by the tongue phrase matter and all other circumstances agreeable are confirmed to be the works of the same Authors whose they are testified to be so it were more then brutish madnesse to doubt of the certain truth and authority of the holy Scriptures which no lesse but much more then any other writings for their Authors are testified and confirmed to be the sacred Word of the ever-living God not onely testified I say by the uniform witnesses of men in all ages but also confirmed by such reasons taken out of the writings themselves as doe sufficiently argue the Spirit of God to be the Author of them for we may learn out of the testimonies themselves as David did Psa. 119. 125. That God hath established them for ever Let me hear some of those reasons which prove that God is the Author of the holy Scriptures First the true godlinesse and holinesse wherewith the writers of the Scriptures shined as Lamps in their times and far surpassed all men of other religions which sheweth the work of Gods Spirit in them and how unlikely it is that such men should obtrude into the Church their own inventions in stead of Gods Word Secondly the simplicity integrity and sincerity of these Writers in matters that concern themselves those that belong unto them doing nothing by partiality 1 Tim. 5. 21. neither sparing their friends nor themselves so Moses for example in his writing spared not to report the reproach of his own Tribe Gen. 34. 30. 49. 5. 7. nor the incest of his parents of which he himself was conceived Exod. 6. 20. nor the Idolatry of his brother Aaron Exod. 32. nor the wicked murmuring of his sister Miriam Numb 12. nor his own declining of his vocation by God to deliver the Children of Israel out of Egypt Exo. 4. 13 14. nor his own murmuring against God in his impatiency Num. 11. 11 12 13 14. nor his want of faith after so many wonderfull confirmations Num. 20. 12. 27. 14. Deut. 32. 51. And though he were in highest authority and having a promise of the people to beleeve whatsoever he said Exod. 19. 8. 20. 19. 24. 3. he assigneth no place for his own sons to aspire either to the Kingdome or to the high Priesthood but leaveth them in the mean degree of common Levites all which things declare most manifestly that he was void of all earthly and carnall affections in his writings as was meet for the Penman and Scribe of God hereunto also may be added that he writeth of himself Numb 12. 3. that he was the meekest of all the men that were upon the face of the whole earth which no wise man would in such sort report of himself if he were left to his own discretion Thirdly the quality and condition of the Penmen of these holy writings some of whom were never trained up in the school of man and yet in their writings shew that depth of wisdome that the most learned Philosopers could not attain unto Some also were before professed enemies to the truth whereof afterwards they were Writers Amos was no Prophet but an Heard-man and a gatherer of wilde figges Amos 7. 14. Matthew a Publicane
lesse yet in his Narration contrary to the second book of Maccabees in many places and to Josephus in somethings For example The first book of Maccabees saith that Antiochus dyed at Babylon in his bed beeing grieved in minde for tidings brought to him out of Persia 1 Mac. 6. ver 8. 16. But in the first chapter of the second book of Maccabees it is said that hee was cut in peeces in the Temple of Nanea and in the ninth chapter of the same book that hee dyed of a grievous disease of his bowels in a strange Country in the Mountaines 2 Mac. 9. 28. The second book of Maccabees is farre worse for the abridger of Jasons Chronicle which did set it forth doth not onely confound and falsifie many stories as it is easie to bee proved out of the first book of Maccabees Josephus and others but also whilst he giveth his sentence of divers facts doth more bewray the weaknesse of his judgement as hee commendeth Razis for killing himself 2 Mac. 14. 42. and Judas for offering sacrifice for the dead that were polluted with Idolatry 2 Mac. 12. 45. whereas it is to bee thought rather that the sacrifice was offered to pacifie the wrath of God for them that were alive that they should not bee wrapped in the curse of the wicked as in the story of Achan Josh. 7. yet hee is the more to bee born withall because hee confesseth his insufficiency 2 Mac. 15. 38. which agreeth not with the Spirit of God The additions unto Ester are fabulous convinced of many untruthes by the Canonicall book as namely first in the Apocryphall Ester Mordecai is said to dream in the second yeer of Ahashueros chap. 11. 2. but in the Canonicall the seventh yeer Ester 2. 16. And Bellarmine making the dream in the seventh yeer and the conspiracy in the second maketh five yeers difference and is contrary to Chap. 11. 2. The true saith that Mordecai had no reward Ester 6. 3. the false saith hee had Chap. 12. 5. Thirdly and the false also Chap. 12. 6. The true calleth and the false also Haman an Agagite Ester 3. 2. that is an Amalekite the false calleth him a Macedonian Chap. 16. 10. Also the authour of those additions describeth the countenance of the King to bee full of cruelty and wrath Chap. 15. 7. yet hee maketh Ester to say it was glorious like an Angel of God and full of grace Chap. 13. 14. either lying himself or charging Ester with impudent lying and flattering The Book of Wisdome is so farre off from being any book of the Old Testament that it is affirmed by divers ancient Writers that it was made by Philo the Jew which lived since Christ as S. Jerome witnesseth preface in Proverbs howsoever the Authour would fain seem to bee Solomon Chap. 9. 8. See his cruell sentence against Bastards in the end of the third Chapter Jesus the son of Syrach sheweth the frailty of man in divers places of Ecclesiasticus and namely Chap. 46. 20. where hee acknowledgeth that Samuel indeed and not a wicked spirit in the shape of Samuel was raised by the Witch of Endor 1 Sam. 28. also Chap. 48. 10. hee understandeth the Prophesie of Malachi of the personall comming of Elias which our Saviour Christ doth manifestly referre to John the Baptist Matth. 11. 14. The third book of Esdras is full of impudent lies and fables convinced by the book of Ezra Nehemiah Haggai and Ester For example Ezra saith that all the vessels of gold and silver which Cyrus delivered to Sheshbazzar were by Sheshbazzar carried from Babylon to Jerusalem Ezr. 1. 11. This Esdras saith they were onely numbred by Cyrus not sent but afterwards Darius delivered them to Zerubbabel and by him they were brought to Jerusalem Esdras 4. 44. 57. The fourth book of Esdras is now rejected of the Papists themselves as it was of Hierome containing also many falsities dreams and fables Chap. 6. 49 50. Chap. 13. 6. 4. 44. c. and Chap. 14. 21 22 c. Thus much for the books of the Old Testament in what language were the books of the New Testament writen In Greek because it was the most common language best known then to the Jews and Gentiles teaching that all Kingdomes should have the Scriptures in a language which they understand How are the Books of the New Testament distinguished They are of things revealed Before the writing of them which are either Historicall five in number containing the History of Christ the 4 Gospels according to Matthew Mark Luke John His Apostles viz. the Acts. Doctrinall 21 Epistles of Paul to the Romans Corinthians 1 2 Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians Thessalonians 1 2 Timothy 1 2 Titus Philemon Hebrewes James Peter 2. John 3. Jude After the writing of them as the Apocalyps or Revelation of S. John which is the Propheticall Book of the New Testament Is it agreed that all these books and they alone are the holy Scriptures of the New Testament Yes howsoever in ancient time they have not been all received with like consent yet they have the Testimony of all ages and there is nothing in any of them repugnant to the rest of the Canonicall Scriptures Were there never any Books of the Canonicall Scriptures lost No Heaven and Earth shall perish before one jot or tittle of them shall perish What say you to the Book of Gad and Nathan 2 Chro. 9. 29. of Ahijah and Iddo 2 Chro. 9. 29. and Pauls Epistle to the Laodiceans Col. 4. 16 These books often mentioned in the Old Testament were not Canonicall Scripture but civill Chronicles wherein the matters of the Common-wealth were more largely writen as the Chronicle of the Medes and Persians Esther 10. 2. and the Epistle mentioned Col. 4. was rather of the Laodiceans to Paul then of Paul to the Laodiceans What bee the properties of the holy Scripture First they are perfectly holy in themselves and by themselves whereas all other writings are prophane further then they draw some holinesse from them which is never such but that their holinesse is imperfect Secondly the authority of these holy writings inspired of God is highest in the Church as the authority of God whereunto no learning or degree of Angels or men under what name or colour soever it bee commended may bee accounted equall Gal. 1. 8 9. 2 Thess. 2. 2. neither can they bee judged or sentenced by any Thirdly the bookes of holy Scripture are so sufficient for the knowledge of Christian Religion that they doe most plentifully contain all Doctrine necessary to salvation they being perfectly profitable to instruct to salvation in themselves and all other imperfectly profitable thereunto further then they draw from them whence it followeth that wee need no unwriten verities no traditions or inventions of men no Canon of Councels no sentences of Fathers much lesse Decrees of Popes for to supply any supposed defect of the writen Word or for to give us
so full of Parables and Allegories as they are The whole Doctrine of salvation is to be found so plain that it needeth no Commentary and Commentaries are for other places that be dark and also to make more large use of Scripture then a new beginner can make of himself which we see necessary in all humane Arts and Sciences Further though speech of Scripture seem hard at first yet by custome it becommeth easie as reading doth to children Obj. 4. The godly Eunuch could not understand the Scripture without an Interpreter Acts 8. 31. Though he understood not some harder places yet that hindered him not from reading plainer places Obj. 5. The multitude of learned men that fall into heresies which they labour to confirm by Scripture proveth that the Scripture is dark It is their naughty hearts that come not with an humble and godly affection that maketh them doe so Obj. 6. But now we see by experience that there are many that daily reade the Scriptures and yet understand not the thousandth part of them They reade them not with care and conscience with prayer and study but like the women who are always learning but never come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3. 7. Obj. 7. If the Scriptures then be so plain and perspicuous what need is there of an Interpreter First to unfold obscure places Acts 8. 31. Secondly to inculcate and apply plain Texts 2 Pet. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 14. 3. Why did God leave some places obscure in the Scriptures First that we might know that the understanding of Gods Word is the gift of God and therefore might beg it of him by continuall prayer Secondly lest we should flatter our wits too much if all things could presently be understood by us Thirdly that the Word for the high and heavenly mysteries contained therein might be accompted of which for the plainnesse might be lesse esteemed Fourthly that prophane dogs might be driven away from these holy mysteries which are pearls prized highly by the Elect alone Matth. 13. 45. but would be trodden down by swine Mat. 7. 6. Fiftly that wee might be stirred up to a more diligent search of the same Sixtly that we might esteem more of the Ministery which God hath placed in the Church that by the means thereof we might profit in the knowledge of these mysteries What assurance may be had of the right understanding of the Scriptures For the words it is to be had out of the originall Text or Translations of the same for the sense or meaning onely out of the Scriptures themselves Nehem. 8. 8. which by places plain and evident doe expresse whatsoever is obscure and hard touching matters necessary to eternall salvation Why must the interpretation of words be had out of the originall Languages Because in them onely the Scriptures are for the letter to be held authenticall and as the water is most pure in the Fountain by the springing thereof so the right understanding of the words of the holy Scriptures is most certain in the originall tongues of Hebrew and Greek in which they were first written and delivered to the Church out of the which Languages they must be truly translated for the understanding of them that have not the knowledge of those tongues What gather you from hence That all Translations are to be judged examined and reformed according to the Text of the ancient Hebrew and originall Chaldee in which the old Testament was printed and the Greek Text in which the new Testament was written and consequently that the vulgar Latin Translation approved by the Tridentine Councell for the onely authenticall Text is no further to be received of true Christians then it agreeth with the originall of the Hebrew and Greek Text. But what say you of the Greeke Translation of the old Testament commonly called the Septuagint approved by the Apostles themselves The same as we say of other Translations for although the Apostles used that Translation which was commonly received and read among the Gentiles and Jews that dwelt amongst them where it differed not in sense from the true Hebrew yet where it differed from it they left it as by many examples may be confirmed vide Hieron Prolog in Matth. How can the certain understanding of the Scriptures be taken out of the originall tongues considering the difference of reading in divers Copies both of Hebrew and Greek as also the difficulty of some words and phrases upon which the best Translators cannot agree Although in the Hebrew Copy there hath been observed by the Nazarites some very few differences of words by similitude of letters and points and by the Learned in the Greek tongue there are like diversities of reading noted in the Greek Text of the new Testament which came by fault of writers yet in most by circumstance of the place and conference of other places the true reading may be discerned and albeit in all it cannot nor the Translator in all places determine the true interpretation yet this diversity or difficulty can make no difference or uncertainty in the sum and substance of Christian religion because the Ten Commandements and the principall Texts of Scripture on which the Articles of our faith are grounded the Sacraments instituted the form of prayer taught which contain the sum or substance of Christian religion are without all such diversity of reading or difficulty of translating so plainly set down and so precisely translated by consent of all men learned in the tongues that no man can make any doubt of them or pick any quarrell against them Why must the true sense or meaning of the Scriptures be learned out of the Scriptures themselves Because the Spirit of God alone is the certain interpreter of his Word written by his Spirit for no man knoweth the things pertaining to God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. and no prophesie of Scripture is of any mans own interpretation for prophesie was not brought by the will of man but the holy men of God spake as they were led by the holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 20 21. The interpretation therefore must be by the same Spirit by which the Scripture was written of which Spirit we have no certainty upon any mans credit but onely so far forth as his saying may be confirmed by the holy Scriptures What gather you from hence That no interpretation of holy Fathers Popes Councels Customs or practise of the Church either contrary to the manifest words of the Scriptures or containing matters which cannot necessarily bee proved out of the Scriptures are to bee received as an undoubted Truth How then is Scripture to bee interpreted by Scripture According to the Analogie of Faith Rom. 12. 6. and the scope and circumstance of the present place and conference of other plain and evident places by which all such as are obscure and hard to bee understood ought to bee interpreted for there is no matter necessary to eternall
life which is not plainely and sufficiently set forth in many places of Scripture by which other places that are abused by the Devill or his ministers may bee interpreted as our Saviour Christ giveth example Mat. 4. 6. when the Devill abused the Text of Scripture Psal. 91. 11. declaring that this place must bee so understood as it may agree with that most evident and expresse Commandement writen in Deut. 6. 16. Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God What bee the speciall uses of the Scripture rightly understood Two First to teach Doctrine by laying out the Truth and confuting errours Secondly to exhort out of it by stirring us to good and turning us back from evill whereunto belong those foure uses mentioned by the Apostle in 2 Tim. 3. 16. Two whereof are Theoricall pertaining to the information of our judgement in matters of Doctrine viz. first teaching of Truth secondly reproving or convincing of Errours Two are practicall pertaining to the direction of our life and actions viz. first reformation or correction of Vice under which is comprehended first Admonition secondly instruction or direction to good life under which is comprehended Exhortation and Consolation which is a speciall instruction to patience in adversities Rom. 15. 4. What persons are meet to read or heare the Scriptures The holy Scriptures are reverently and profitably to bee read and heard of all sorts and degrees of men and women and therefore to bee truely translated out of the originall Tongues into the language of every Nation which desireth to know them For the Lay people as well as the learned must read the Scriptures or heare them read both privately and openly so as they may receive profit by them and consequently in a tongue they understand 1 Cor. 14. 2. How doe you prove that the Scriptures ought to bee read and heard of all sorts of people First Deut. 31. 11 12. Moses commanded the book of the Law to bee read to all the children of Israel Men Women Children and Strangers that dwelt amongst them that they might thereby learn to feare the Lord their God and diligently to observe all the words of the Law Secondly Joshua 8. 34. there was not a word of all which Moses commanded that Joshua read not before all the Congregation of Israel with the Women and little ones and Strangers that were conversant among them so likewise did Josiah 2 King 23. 2. 2 Chro. 34. 30. and Ezra Nehem. 8. 2 3. Thirdly Psal. 1. 2. David sheweth this to bee the property of a godly man and pronounceth him to bee happy whose delight is in the Law of the Lord and studieth therein day and night Fourthly Matth. 22. 29. our Saviour teacheth that ignorance of the Scriptures is the mother of errour not the mother of devotion as the Papists have affirmed Fifthly Joh. 5. 39. Christ commandeth all men that seek eternall life in him to search the Scriptures Search the Scriptures for in them yee think to have eternall life c. Sixthly Act. 17. 11. the Bereans are commended for searching the Scriptures Seventhly 2 Tim. 3. 15. the Apostle Paul approved in Timothy that hee had learned the holy Scriptures from a young childe Eighthy 2 Pet. 1. 19. the Apostle Peter commendeth the faithfull for taking heed to the Scriptures of the Apostles Ninthly Rev. 1. 3. Blessed is hee that readeth and they that hear the word of this Prophesie Tenthly Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of Christ dwell richly in you in all wisdome Eleventhly Rom. 15. 4. Whatsoever things were writen afore time were writen for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope if the Scriptures bee writen for our learning they are necessarily to bee read by us Twelfthly Rom. 7. 7. Paul saith hee knew not sin but by the Law but the knowledge of sin is necessary for all that will repent and bee saved therefore also is the knowledge of the Law necessary Thirteenthly Luke saith that hee wrote the Gospel to Theophilus that hee might know the certainty of those things which before hee was catechised in Luk. 1. 4. but every one ought to labour to be most certain of their salvation c. Divers things are opposed by the adversaries against the necessity of the Scriptures and the reading of them by all sorts as first there were many beleevers amongst the Gentiles in the time of the Old Testament who yet wanted the Scriptures which was kept in Jury as Job and his friends Those if any such were after the Law for Job was before were bound to have the Scripture when it was delivered by God and the Eunuch had it and read it Act. 8. 28. Object 2. The book of the Law was lost for many yeers as appeareth by 2 King 22. 8. and yet the Church was then therefore it may want it The losse of that book doth argue rather the carelesnesse of the Priests in not keeping it and the sins of the people in that God for a time deprived them of it Object 3. The Church of Christians many yeers after Christ wanted the Scriptures of the New Testament and contented themselves with bare teaching First though the Church for certain yeers then had not the New yet they had the Old Secondly there passed not many yeers before the Gospels and Epistles of the Apostles were writen and in the mean time their heavenly Doctrine inspired from God sufficed till they wrote Object 4. There bee many poore Country-men as Plough-men and Shepherds which never learned to read which yet are saved though they never read Scripture They ought to have learned to read and being not able to read they might heare the Scriptures read by others Object 5. If all ought to read Scriptures then should they understand Hebrew and Greek wherein the Scripture was writen It were happy if they could understand Hebrew and Greek but howsoever they may read Translations Will it not follow hereof that preaching and expounding of the Scriptures may bee neglected as unnecessary No for God hath appointed not onely reading but also preaching of his Word especially to apply it to the use of all sorts of men to their eternall salvation Rom. 10. 13 c. So were the Prophets Interpreters of the Law as is before shewed the Scribes and Pharisees taught in the Chaire of Moses Matth. 23. 2. The Eunuch could not understand the Prophesie of Isaiah without an interpreter Act. 8. 31. The Ministery of the Word therefore is necessary as the ordinary means unto salvation 1 Tim. 4. 16. and the people by reading and hearing of the Scriptures are better prepared to receive profit by preaching not discharged from hearing the Preacher What is the summe of all that hath been delivered hitherto That wee should labour for a due knowledge of the true God that wee may know what wee worship and worship what wee know 1 Chron. 28. 9. Joh. 4. 22. 17. 3. That this knowledge
Cor. 5. 5. Acts 2. 33. VVhat comfort doth hence arise to Gods children 1. That our head being gone before we his members shall follow after Christ having prepared a place for us in heaven which now we feel by faith and hereafter shall fully enjoy Eph. 1. 22 23. 1 Cor. 15. 49. Joh. 14. 3. 13. 23 24. 2. That having such a friend in heaven we need not fear any foes on earth nor fiends in hell Heb. 7. 25. Phil. 1. 28. Rom. 16. 20. Acts 20. 24. Rev. 2. 10. What fruits are we to shew in our lives from the vertue of his Ascension in our hearts 1. To have our conversation in heaven whilest we be on earth placing our hearts where our head is Col. 3. 1 2. Phil. 1. 23 3. 20. 2. To look for the presence of Christ by faith not by sight in spirituall not in carnall things Mat. 28. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 7. Joh. 6. 63. What is the third degree of his Exaltation That he sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty Mar. 11. 19. Eph. 1 20 21 22. What is meant by this That Christ in our nature is worthily advanced by the Father to the height of all Majesty Dominion and Glory having authority to rule all things in heaven and in earth Eph. 4. 10. Heb. 1. 3 4 5. 8. 13. Mat. 28. 18. How may this appear Because he is hereby exalted to be the Kings of Saints Rev. 15. 3. the Judge of sinners Act. 17. 31. the Prince of our salvation Act. 5. 31. and the high Priest of our profession Heb. 8. 1. What comfort ariseth hence to all true Beleevers That 1. as our King he will govern us Heb. 1. 8 9. Luc. 1. 33. and that from him we shall receive all things needfull for us under his gracious government 2. As our Judge he will avenge us Rev. 6. 10. 16. 5 6. and as our Prince defend us Dan. 12. 1. subduing all our enemies by his power treading them under our feet 3. As our Priest he will plead our cause and pray for us Heb. 7. 25. Rom. 8. 34. Why is he said in the Creed to sit at the right hand of God the Father Almighty That we may know he enjoyeth both the favour and power of God in full measure the Father having committed all Judgement to the Son Heb 1. 13. Mat. 28. 18. Joh. 5. 22. What duties are here required To honour the Son as we do the Father to cast our Crowns at his feet stoop to his Scepter live by his Laws so to follow him here that we may sit with him in his throne hereafter Joh. 5. 23. Rev. 4. 10. Psal. 2. 10. Jam. 4. 12. Rev. 3. 21. Doth he not now thus reign for the raising of his friends and the ruine of his enemies Yes he doth graciously by his Word and Works Heb. 1. 8. Rom. 10. 15 16. But he shall more gloriously when he commeth again to judge the quick and the dead 2 Thess. 1. 10. Rom. 14. 9. Having thus declared that which concerneth the Mediatour of the New Testament what are you now to consider in the condition of the rest of mankind which hold by him Two things 1. The participation of the grace of Christ and the benefits of the Gospel 2. The means which God hath ordained for the offering and effecting of the same To whom doth God reveal and apply the Covenant of Grace Not to the world but to his Church called out of the world John 14. 22. 17. 9. Mat. 11. 25. 1 Cor. 2. 8. c. that is not to the reprobate appointed from everlasting to be vessels of wrath but to the Elect and chosen For howsoever the light is come into the world yet most men rather love darknesse then light Joh. 1. 5. And though the proclamation of Grace be generall 1 Tim. 2. 4. yet most men refuse or neglect Gods goodnesse by reason of the naughtinesse of their hearts neither are any saved but such as God draweth to imbrace his mercy and casteth as it were into a new mould Joh. 6. 44. It would seem by this that the most part of the world be in no better estate then the Devill himself Most men questionlesse abide without recovery in the state of sin and death 1 Joh. 5. 19. because the Lord doth not grant unto them the benefit of Redemption and grace of Faith and Repentance unto life but suffers them to run on in sin deservedly unto condemnation How doth God suffer them to run into Condemnation In a divers manner some Reprobates dying infants other of riper years of which last sort some are not called others called How doth God deal with Reprobates dying infants Being once conceived they are in the state of death Rom. 5. 14. by reason of the sin of Adam imputed and of originall corruption cleaving to their nature wherein also dying they perish as for instance the children of Heathen Parents for touching the children of Christians we are taught to accompt them holy 2 Cor. 7. 14. How doth God deal with those of riper years uncalled Being naturally possessed with ignorance and vanity Eph. 4. 18 19. he giveth them up to their own lusts to commit sin without remorse with greedinesse in a reprobate mind Rom. 1. 26. 28. untill the measure of sin being fulfilled they are cut off Gen. 15. 16. Ps. 69. 27. How doth God deal with such Reprobates as are called He vouchsafeth them outward means of salvation Heb. 4. 1 2. 1 Cor. 10. 1 2. c. giving farther to some of them some illumination Heb. 6. 4 5. A temporary faith Acts 8. 13. some outward holinesse and tast of heaven whom he yet suffereth to fall away and the means of grace to become a favour of death unto them 2 Cor. 2. 16. yea some of these doe fall even to the sin unpardonable Heb. 6. 6. So much of the company of the Reprobates which are not made partakers of the benefit of Redemption what is the Church of Christ which enjoyeth this great benefit A company of men and women called out of the world to believe and live in Christ and indued accordingly with spirituall graces for the service of God Gal. 3. 26 27 28. John 1. 12. 17. 14 16. Eph. 2. 10. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Tit. 2. 14. or rather the whole number of Gods elect which are admitted into fellowship with Christ Jesus for all these being taken together are called the Church that is Gods assembly or congregation which in the Scripture is likened to the Spouse of Christ Cant. 4. 9. Eph. 5. 32. 25. which in the Creed we professe to believe under the title of The holy catholick Church Heb. 12. 22 23. Eph. 5. 27. Doe you beleeve in the Catholick Church No I believe that God hath a certain number of his chosen children which he doth call and gather to himself that Christ hath such a flock selected out of
9. 11. because he destroyeth many And that the Pope is such an one some of his owne Secretaries make it good confessing that many who were well disposed persons before their entry into that Sea became cursed and cruell beasts when once they were setled in the same as if there were some pestilent poyson in that seat infecting those that sit therein What learne you of this That the calling of the Pope is unlawfull for every office or calling which the Lord doth not blesse or wherein none occupying the place groweth in piety is to be esteemed for an unlawfull calling for in a lawfull calling some at the least are found in all ages profitable to the Church or Common-wealth What is the use of all this Doctrine That whosoever are partakers of the sins of Rome are also under the same curse and therefore such as have lived in Popery should examine our selves if we have truely repented us of it first by the change of our understanding as whether we have grown in the knowledg of the truth And secondly by the change of our affections as whether we hate Popery and love the truth unfainedly and so let every one judge himselfe that he be not judged and that with harder judgment Rom. 2. 4. according as God hath been the longer patient towards us What further That there can be no sound agreement betwixt Popery and the profession of the Gospel no more then betwixt light and darknesse falshood and truth God and Beliall and therefore no reconciliation can be devised betwixt them for if the members of Antichrist shall be destroyed we cannot in any sort communicate with them in their errours unlesse we will beare them company in their destruction also Doth every errour destroy the soule No verily for as every wound killeth not a man so every errour depriveth not a man of salvation but as the vitall parts being wounded or infected bring death so those errours that destroy the fundamentall points and heads of faith bring everlasting destruction in which kind is Popery which sundry ways overthroweth the principles and grounds of our holy faith and therefore is tearmed an apostasie or departing from the faith Is it then impossible for a Pope to be saved No it is not impossible his sinne being not necessarily against the holy Ghost to which onely repentance is denyed for some in likelhood have entered into and continued in that Sea ignorantly and therefore may possibly finde place to repentance But if any be saved it is a secret hidden with God for concerning any thing that appeares by the end of any Pope since he was lift up in the Emperours chaire and discovered to be the man of sin there is no grounded hope given to perswade that any one of them is saved So much of Antichrist what he is towards others what is hee in himselfe That is set downe in two points first in that contrary to right and by meere usurpation he seateth himselfe in the Temple of God as if he were Christs Vicar being indeed his enemy both which the word Antichrist noteth Secondly in that he is here expressely named an adversary and one that is contrary to Christ. Wherein is the Pope adversary unto Christ Every way in life and in office How in life In that Christ being most pure and holy yea holinesse it selfe the Popes many of them are and have been most filthy and abominable in blaspheming conjuring murthering covetousnesse whoring and that incestuously and Sodomitically and yet will they in their ordinary Titles be called holy yea holinesse it selfe which is proper onely to Christ. How in Office First in his Kingdome Christs Kingdome is without all outward shew or pompe But the Popes Kingdome consisteth wholly in Pompe and Shewes as imitating his Predecessors the Emperours of Rome in his proud stately and lordly offices princely traine and outrageous expences in every sort Secondly in his Priest-hood in raising up another Sacrifice then Christ another Priesthood then his other Mediators then him Thirdly in his Propheticall office in that he teacheth cleane contrary to him Christ taught nothing but what hee received of his Father The Pope setteth out his owne Canons and Decrees of councells and in them he teacheth such Doctrine as overthroweth the maine foundation of that which Christ taught What is the second effect That he is exceedingly lifted up against all that is called God How doth this agree to the Pope More fitly then to any other person for Christ being very God abaseth himselfe unto the assuming of the nature of man the Pope a vile man advanceth himself to the Throne of God Christ being above all secular power paid tribute and was taxed and suffered himselfe to bee crowned with a crowne of Thornes and beare his owne Crosse but the Pope being under all secular power exalteth himselfe above all secular powers exacteth Tribute of Kings setteth his foot on the neck of Emperours carrieth a tripple Crowne of gold and is borne upon mens shoulders But he calleth himself the servant of servants Though he doe yet by the confession of his owne Canonists he doth it but dissemblingly and in hypocrisie which is double iniquity for they say that he doth in humility onely say so not that hee is indeed so as he saith What are the effects of this his pride They are two First he sitteth in the Church as God for he bindeth the consciences of men by his decrees which no Princes Law can doe for though men observe not such Lawes yet if they break them not of contempt they are discharged as if they did beare the penalty prescribed in them By this it seemeth that the Church of Rome is yet the Church of God although corrupt seeing it is said that hee sitteth in the Temple of God No verily but it is so said first because it beareth the name of the Church for the Scriptures give the name to a thing according to that it hath been as when Christ saith The abomination of desolation shall stand in the holy place he meaneth not that the Temple was then holy which at that time being no figure nor shadow of Christ and his Church was profaned but that it had been holy so we confesse that there had beene a true Church in Rome which is now no Church of Christ but the Synagogue of Satan Secondly he is said to sit in the Temple of God because he exerciseth his tyrannicall rule in the Christian world and is most busie in those parts where Christ had his Church and the Gospell is professed labouring in all places either by himselfe or his wicked instruments to overthrow or corrupt poyson or hinder the free course of the Gospel so that in this regard he may be said to sit in the Temple of God that is to reigne and tyrannize in the Church of God though the City where he is be Sodome and the Church whereof he is head the Synagogue of Satan What is the other
their labours 2 Thes. 1. 9. and a Crowne after their Combate 2 Tim. 4. 8. and after their long pilgrimage an everlasting habitation 2 Cor. 5. 1 Be patient saith the Apole and settle your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth neere 2 Pet. 2. 9. when they that have sowne in teares shall reap in joy James 5. 7. Heb. 10. 36. Thirdly from this Doctrine excellent arguments may be drawne to presse Christians to a holy life 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then all these things must be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godlinesse And verse 14. Wherefore seeing yee look for such things give diligence that you may be found of him in peace We should alwayes live in expectation of the Lord Iesus in the Clouds with oyle in our Lamps prepared for his comming Blessed is that servant whom his Master when he commeth shall finde so doing he shall say unto him Well done good and faithfull servant enter into thy Masters joy FINIS The Table ALL men desire eternall life and happinesse 3 Religion the meanes to obtaine it No salvation but by true Religion The divers kindes of false Religion What Christian Religion is Of Catechising 4 What Catechising is Where to be used and by whom The necessity of it True happinesse consisteth in God How we come to enjoy God Meanes to know God By His divine works His holy word 5 Of the divine workes of God The uses of knowing God by his works Of Gods holy Word the Scriptures 6 How the Scriptures were delivered By Revelations By Oracles By visions 7 What the Scripture is That the Scriptures are the Word of God 8 Reasons to prove God to be the Author of the holy Scriptures 1. Efficient instrumentall 2. The simplicitie and sincerity of the Writers 3. The quality and condition of the pen-men of the holy Scriptures 9 4. The holy matters of holy Scriptures 5. The doctrine of Scriptures are above humane capacity 6. The concord of the severall Writers one with another 7. The Prophesies fulfilled in their due times 8. The Majesty and authority of the Scriptures 10 9. The motives used in them to perswade not reason but commands 10. The end and scope of the Scripture which is Gods glory 11. Their admirable power 12. Their antiquity 13. The hatred of the devill and wicked men against them 14. The preservation of the Scriptures 15. The power to humble a man and raise him up againe 16. The consonant testimony of all men at all times 11 17. The knowne miracles done by the Writers 18. The testimony of the Spirit in the hearts of men What are the books of holy Scripture 12 In what language the old Testament were first written with vowels and pricks That the Scriptures of the old Testament were first written without pricks or vowels 13 The Book of Moses The Booke of the Prophets The Historicall Books The Doctrinall Books The Poeticall books The Prosaicall books 14 The Apocryphall Bookes The erroors of the Apocryphall books 15 Of the books of the New Testament 16 The properties of the holy scriptures 17 1. Holy 2. Highest in authority 18 3. Sufficient in themselves That the Scriptures are a perfect Rule for doctrine life and salvation Objections against the sufficiency of the holy Scriptures answered 20 Of the perspicuity of the holy Scripture 21 The Papists objections against the perspicuity of the Scriptures answered 22 Why God hath left some places of Scripture obscure 23 Of the translations of holy Scriptures An objection grounded on various readings answered 24 Why the Scriptures must be expounded by the Scriptures The use of the holy Scriptures 25 Who must read the Scriptures That all must read the Scriptures proved The Papists objections against reading the Scriptures answered 26 That there is a God 27 Of the nature of God 29 Of Gods essence 30 The Name of God Of the Properties or Attributes of God 32 A description of God God is a spirit 33 The perfection of God The felicity of God Of the simplenesse or singlenesse of God 35 Gods infinitenesse 36 Gods immensity or greatnesse 37 Gods eternity 38 The life of God 39 Of the knowledge or wisedome of God Fore-knowledge or counsell of God The counsell of God Gods absolute wisdome and knowledge The uses 45 Of the omnipotence or almighty power of God Of Gods absolute power 47 Of Gods actuall power Gods power infinite The uses 50 Of Gods will Whether God doth will evill 56 The holinesse of Gods will 61 Of Gods goodnesse The use of Gods goodnesse 62 The graciousnesse of God 63 Of the love of God 64 Uses of Gods love 67 Of the mercy of God The uses of Gods mercy Of the justice of God 70 The uses of Gods justice 72 That there is but one God 73 Of the unity of the God-head Of the Trinity 75 What a Person in the Trinity is 78 Of the Father the first person of the Trinity 79 Of the other persons of the Trinity in generall Of the second person in the Trinity 80 Of the third person in the Trinity 83 How to know that wee have the Spirit 86 Things commune to the three persons 87 In what they all agree 1. Coessentiall 2. Coequall 3. Coeternall Things proper to each of the persons Of the kingdome of God 88 The parts of Gods Kingdome Of Gods decree Of Predestination 91 Parts of Predestination Election Reprobation Election Of Reprobation Execution of Gods decree 93 Creation Providence Creation in generall Vses of the creation Creation of the particular creatures The Heavens The earth Of the invisible Creatures the third Heaven and Angels Of Angels Of the creation of visible things 98 Of the Chaos or rude masse Of the parts of the rude Masse Heaven Earth Of the frame of the world Of the Elements The foure Elements Of the mixt or compound bodies The severall works of the six days 100 The 1. day heaven earth and the light The 2. day the firmament The third day grasse corne trees Of the water and earth The 4. day of the Creation of lights 101 The 5. day of the creation of fishes birds The 6. day of the creation of man and woman 102 Of the parts of man and 1. Of his body 2. Of the soule of man 103 Of the immortality of the soule Of the seat of the soule What is the Image of God in man 104 Of the womans creation 106 The end of the creation Of Gods providence 107 Definition of Gods providence 108 The uses of the Doctrine of Gods providence 115 Of Gods speciall providence over Angels Good Angels 116 Of the Evill Angels 120 Vses of the Doctrine concerning evill Angells 122 Of Gods particular providence over man Of Gods providence towards mankind 123 Of the Covenant between God and man First Covenant of works 124 The state of man in the time of his innocency 126 Of man in the state of corruption and of his fall 127
employed onely in the gathering of Toll Matth. 9. 9. Peter James John Fishermen whose liberty of speech when the chief Priests the Elders of Jerusalem beheld and understood that they were unlettered and ignorant men it is recorded Acts 4. 13. that they marvelled and took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus Paul from a bloody persecuter converted to be a Preacher and a writer of the Gospel shewed by that sudden alteration that he was moved by a command from heaven to defend that Doctrine which before he so earnestly impugned Fourthly the matter of the holy Scripture being altogether of heavenly Doctrine and savouring nothing of earthly or worldly affections but every where renouncing and condemning the same declareth the God of heaven to be the onely inspirer of it Fiftly the Doctrine of the Scripture is such as could never breed in the brains of man three Persons in one God God to become man the Resurrection and such like mans wit could never hatch or if it had conceived them could never hope that any man could beleeve them Sixtly the sweet concord between these writings and the perfect coherence of all things contained in them notwithstanding the diversity of persons by whom places where times when and matter whereof they have written for there is a most holy and heavenly consent and agreement of all parts thereof together though writen in so sundry ages by so sundry men in so distant places one of them doth not gain-say another as mens writings doe as our Saviour Christ confirmeth them all Luke 24. 44. Seventhly a continuance of wonderfull prophesies foretelling things to come so long before marked with their circumstances not doubtfull like the Oracles of the Heathen or Merlins prophesies but such as expressed the things and persons by their names which had all in their times their certain performance and therefore unto what may we attribute them but to the inspiration of God Vide Calvins Institut lib. 1. cap. 8. Thus was the Messias promised to Adam 4000. years before he was born Gen. 3. 15. and to Abraham 1917. years before the accomplishment Gen. 12. 3. The deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt to the same Abraham 400. years before Gen. 15. 13 14. The prophesies of Jacob Gen. 49. concerning the twelve Tribes which were not fulfilled till after the death of Moses and that of the continuance of the Tribes and Kingdomes of Judah held untill the comming of Christ In the first Book of Kings the 13. ch 2 3. there is delivered a prophesie concerning Josias by name 331. years Esa. 45. 1. concerning Cyrus 100. years before he was borne Daniels prophesies and that especially of the 70. weeks Dan. 9. 24. are wonderfull so likewise are those of the rejection of the Jews the calling of the Gentiles the kingdome of Antichrist c. some of which now we see fulfilled Eightly the great Majestie full of heavenly wisdome and authority such as is meet to proceed from the glory of God shining in all the whole Scripture yea oftentimes under great simplicity of words and plainnesse and easinesse of style which neverthelesse more affected the hearts of the hearers then all the painted eloquence and lofty style of Rhetoricians and Oratours and argueth the holy Ghost to be the Authour of them 1 Cor. 1. 17. 21. 24. 2. 15. Ninthly in speaking of the matters of the highest nature they go not about to perswade men by reasons as Philosophers and Orators but absolutely require credit to bee given to thē because the Lord hath spoken it they promise eternall life to the obedient and threaten eternall woe to the disobedient they prescribe Laws for the thoughts to which no man can pierce they require sacrifice but they preferre obedience they enjoin fasting but it is also from sin they command circumcision but it is of the heart they forbid lusting coveting c. which is not to be found in any Laws but in his that searcheth the heart Tenthly the end and scope of the Scriptures is for the advancement of Gods glory and the salvation of mans soule for they intreat either of the noble acts of God and of Christ or the salvation of mankind and therefore by comparing this with the former reason we may frame this argument If the Author of the Scripture were not God it must be some creature if he were a creature he were either good or bad if a bad creature why forbiddeth he evill so rigorously and commands good so expresly and makes his mark to aim at nothing but Gods glory and our good if he were a good creature why doth he challenge to himself that which is proper to God onely as to make Laws for the heart to punish reward eternally c if it were no creature good nor bad it must needs be God Eleventhly the admirable power and force that is in them to convert and alter mans mind and to encline their heart from vice to vertue Psal. 19. 7 8. Psal. 119. 111. Heb. 4. 12. Acts 13. 12. though they be quite contrary to mens affections Twelfthly the Writers of the holy Scriptures are the most ancient of all others Moses is ancienter then the gods of the heathen that lived not long before the wars of Troy about the time of the Judges and the youngest Prophets of the Old Testament match the antientest Philosophers and Historians of the heathen Thirteenthly the deadly hatred that the devill and all wicked men carry against the Scriptures to cast them away and destroy them and the little love that most men doe bear unto them prove them to bee of God for if they were of flesh and blood then flesh and blood would love them and practise them and every way regard them more then it doth for the world loveth his own as our Saviour Christ saith Joh. 15. 19. But wee being but carnall and earthly savour not the things that bee of God as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2. 14. and untill the Lord open our hearts and we bee born again of Gods Spirit and become as new-born babes wee have no desire unto them 1 Pet. 2. 2. Fourteenthly the marvellous preservation of the Scriptures though none in time bee so ancient nor none so much oppugned yet God hath still by his providence preserved them and every part of them Fifteenthly the Scriptures as experience sheweth have the power of God in them to humble a man when they are preached and to cast him down to hell and afterward to restore and raise him up again Heb. 4. 12. Shew now how the holy Scriptures have the consonant testimony of all men at all times since they were writen that they are the most holy word of God First Joshua the servant of Moses the first Scribe of God to whom God spake in the presence and hearing of six hundred thousand men besides women and children who was
is of good report whatsoever is praise-worthy c. As for baptisme of Infants it is sufficiently warranted by reasons of Scripture though not by example Obj. 2. They object that it is by Tradition and not by Scripture that we know such and such Books to be Scripture Though new beginners doe first learn it from the faithfull yet afterwards they know it upon grounds of Scripture as an ignorant man may be told of the Kings Coin but it is not the telling but the Kings stamp that maketh it currant and good Coin Obj. 3. It is objected that it was by Tradition and not by Scripture that Stephen knew Moses to be 40 years old when he left Pharaoh Acts 7. 23. That Luke knew a great part of the Genealogie of Christ Luk. 3. That Jude knew Satans striving for Moses body Jude v. 9. and the Prophesie of Enoch ver 5. 14. That Paul knew Jannes and Jambres 2 Tim. 3. 8. and the saying of Christ that it is more blessed to give then to receive Acts 20. 35. Such particular Histories or speeches might be received from hand to hand but no different Doctrine from that which was written Obj. 4. The Apostles testimony is objected 1 Cor. 15. 3. 2 Thess. 2. 15. Hold the traditions which you have been taught whether by word or our Epistle He meaneth the doctrine he delivered unto them which was nothing different from that which is contained in the Scriptures The Scriptures you say are a rule and a line but are they not as the Church of Rome imagineth like a rule of lead which may be bowed every way at mens pleasures They are as a rule of steel that is firm and changeth not Matth. 5. 18. Psal. 19. 9. for seeing they are sufficient to make us wise unto salvation as is before proved it followeth of necessity that there is a most certain rule of faith for instruction both of faith and works to be learned out of them by ordinary means of reading prayer study the gifts of tongues and other sciences to which God promiseth the assistance of his grace Joh. 5. 39. Jam. 1. 5. And this sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God written as the example of Christ our generall Captain sheweth Mat. 4. is delivered unto us by the holy Ghost both to defend our faith and to overcome all our spirituall enemies which are the Devil and his instruments false Prophets Hereticks Schismaticks and such like Eph. 6. 17. Therefore the holy Scriptures are not as a nose of wax or a leaden rule as some Papists have blasphemed that they may be so writhen every way by impudent Hereticks but that their folly and madnesse as the Apostle saith 2 Tim. 3. 9. may be made manifest to all men Are the Scriptures then plain and easie to be understood There are some hard things in the Scripture that have proper relation to the time in which the Scripture was written or uttered or which are prophesies of things to be fulfilled hereafter which if we never understand we shall be never the worse for the attaining of everlasting salvation there are other things in Scripture belonging to the saving knowledge of God all which are dark and difficult unto those whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded 2 Cor. 4. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 5. Joh. 8. 43. but unto such as are by grace enlightened and made willing to understand Psal. 119. 18. howsoever somethings remain obscure 2 Pet. 3. 16. to exercise their diligence yet the fundamentall Doctrine of faith and precepts of life are all plain and perspicuous for all Doctrine necessary to be known unto eternall salvation is set forth in the Scriptures most clearly and plainly even to the capacity and understanding of the simple and unlearned so far is it that the Scriptures should be dangerous to be read of the Lay folks as Papists hold How prove you this which you have said Deut. 30. 10. 11 c. Moses taketh heaven and earth to witnesse that in the Law which he had written he hath set forth life and death and that they can make no excuse of difficulty or obscurity This Commandement which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far off c. which Paul also Rom. 10. 16. applieth to the Gospel Psalm 19. 8. the Prophet David testifieth that the Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the testimonies of the Lord are true giving wisdome to the simple and Psalme 119. 105. Thy Word is a Lampe or Candle unto my feet and a Light unto my pathes Prov. 1. 4. It giveth subtilty to the simple and to the young man knowledge and discertion and Prov. 8. 9. All the words of wisdome are plain to them that will understand Esa. 45. 19. The Lord saith I have not spoken in secret in a dark place of the earth I have not said in vain to the seed of Jacob Seek mee 2 Cor. 4. 3. Paul saith If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost c. 2 Pet. 1. 19. S. Peter commendeth Christians for taking heed to the word of the Prophets as unto a light that shineth in a dark place c. The Scripture is our Fathers Letter to us and his last will to shew us what inheritance he leaveth us but friends write Letters and Fathers their wils plain It were to accuse God of cruelty or desire of mans destruction for to say that he should make the means of their salvation hurtfull unto them Women and children have read the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 15. Saint Paul affirmeth that Timothy was nourished up in the Scriptures from his infancy namely by his Grandmother Lois and his Mother Eunice whence the same Apostle commendeth chap. 1. 5. If little children are capable of the Scriptures by the small understanding they have and lesse judgement there is none so grosse which hath the understanding of a man but may profit by it comming in the fear of God and invocation of his name Obj. 1. But here the Papists have many things to object against you to prove that the Scriptures are darke and hard to be understood and First that the matters contained in them are Divine high and beyond mans reason as the Trinity the Creation of nothing c. These matters indeed are above humane reason and therefore are we to bring faith to beleeve them not humane reason to comprehend them but they are delivered in Scripture in as plain tearms as such matter can be Obj. 2. Peter saith that something in Pauls Epistles be hard and wrested by men 2 Pet. 3. 16. First he saith not that all Pauls Epistles are hard but something in them which we grant Secondly they are the wicked and unsetled in knowledge that wrest them as the Gluttons and Drunkards abuse meat and drink Obj. 3. If Scriptures were not dark what need so many Commentaries upon them and why are they
us what God is Because no work is able perfectly to expresse the worker thereof but all nature is a thing wrought by God therefore it cannot perfectly teach us what God is How prove you that man cannot comprehend him The lesse cannot comprehend the greater but every man is lesse then God therefore no man can comprehend God We cannot know the things created much lesse can we know the Creator as for example we know that there be Angels and that every man hath a soule but what manner of things they be we know not The Scripture saith the Judgements of God are past finding out Rom. 11. 33. therefore much more is God himself past finding out and the joyes of Heaven are unspeakable much more therefore is God himself unspeakable How then can hee bee known of us being incomprehensible Though his substance be past finding out of man or Angels Amos 4. 13. yet may he be known by his properties and actions and we may conceive of him by his name Exod. 33. 19. 34. 5 6. Psal. 145. 1 2 c. expressing what a one he is to us though we be not able to know him according to the excellency of his glorious nature onely known unto himself Jud. 13. 18. Therefore he said to Moses Exod. 33. 20. My face that is the glory of my Majesty he doth not say thou mayst not or thou shalt not but thou canst not see for there shall no man see me and live but thou shalt see my back parts that is vers 23. some small measure of my glory so farre as thou art able to comprehend it And even as Princes have their secrets whereunto all their Subjects are not made privy neither is it lawfull for them to search into them and yet doe they so far forth publish their Commandements as is profitable for them to know So the Prince of all Princes hath his secrets unto which we are not privy and into which we may not search yet he hath so farre revealed himself unto us by his Works and Word as is necessary and profitable for us to know Deut. 29. 29. What doth the Scripture teach us concerning the name of God Exod. 3. 13. Moses asketh this question of God Behold when I shall come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them The God of your Fathers hath sent me unto you if they say unto me What is his name what shall I say unto them Whereunto God returneth this answer in the next verse I am that I am Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel I am hath sent me unto you What learn you out of Moses his question First that we be carefull to be instructed in all things concerning our calling therby to be able to answer all doubts that may be moved Secondly that asking any thing concerning God as of his name or nature we must ask it of himself who because now he speaketh not but by his Ministers Interpreters of the Scriptures 2 Cor. 5. 20. Hosea 12. 10. we must have our recourse unto them What learn you out of Gods answer That the proper name of God is I am that I am or as the Hebrew soundeth I will be what I will be the Hebrews using the future time for the present as that which noteth a continuance What is meant by these words Hereby is set forth the manner of the beeing and essence of God far otherwise then the proper names of men which declare either nothing of their nature and beeing or else not the whole and full thereof Is there nothing of God to be known besides his name Nothing as touching his beeing falling under our weak and shallow capacity What names of God in the Scripture are derived from these words Two the name Jehovah and the name Jah both which being drawn from this description of God doth set forth his essence and beeing teaching us that his eternall and almighty beeing whom no creature is able to conceive dependeth of no other cause but standeth of himself How is God onely said to be seeing the creatures have their beeing also God is said onely to be because he onely is of himself and all other things have their beeing from him so that in comparison nothing hath a beeing but God Therefore the Prophet saith Esa. 40. 17. that all nations before him are nothing yea to him lesse then nothing and if men be nothing for whom the world vvas made hovv much more are all creatures in heaven and earth nothing before him and to him lesse then nothing Can you from hence define what God is He must have the art and logick of God himself that must give a perfect distinction of God but he may in such sort be described as he may be discerned from all false gods and all creatures whatsoever Why can there no perfect definition of God be given Forasmuch as God is in himself eternall infinite and incomprehensible the first cause of all causes and effects there can no definition be given of him seeing every definition is an explication of the nature of the thing defined by words expressing the materiall and formall cause thereof but of the first cause there can be no causes therefore no words to expresse them for these over-reaching tearms of thing beeing somewhat nature c. which seem to contain the Word of God as well as all other things created by him doe not expresse any materiall cause of God neither doe they contain these words God and creature as the generall doth his specials or kinds but are spoken of them equivocally so that the tearm onely and not the definition of the tearm doth agree to them for in the kinds or specials of one generall there is no priority of nature as is between the cause and effect neither is this word Cause affirmed of God but as a tearm of the art of Logick and if substance be that which upholdeth accidents as Aristotle teacheth neither may God be called a substance for that in him are no accidents but if substance be taken generally for a beeing it may be said that God is a substance yet none otherwise then as he is a beeing thing nature c. And if there be no materiall cause there can be no formall cause of God for although we reade in the Scripture the form of God Phil. 2. 6. yet the form is not there taken for any cause of God but either for that which God indeed is or for that glory which of right belongeth unto him for in speaking of God whom no words of man are able to expresse the holy Ghost oftentimes condescending to the weaknesse of our understanding useth such tearms as being known to men doe signifie something that is like to that which God indeed is of himself that we may understand so much as is expedient for us to know of him Whence may the description of God be taken From the things whereby he doth manifest himself called in Scripture
It should seeme by that speech that there are more powers in God then one That we may rightly understand what power is in God it were very requisite that we did first consider hovv many vvays this vvord Povver is taken in the Scriptures Declare then how or in what sense it is taken in the Scriptures In the Scripture this vvord Povver is taken tvvo vvays or in two senses sometimes for authority which is grounded upon law by which authority one may doe this or that if he be able to doe it sometimes it is taken for might and strength or ability to doe a thing if one hath authority to doe it and these are distinguished by two vvords amongst the Grecians and the Latins For vvhen the Grecians speak of power that signifieth authority and right Mat. 28. 18. then it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when they take povver for strength then it is termed by them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the Latines being taken the first vvay it is called potestas being taken the second vvay that is for might or strength it is called potentia and in English vve call them both povver It seemeth by your speech that they are not onely distinguished but that they may also be separated the one from the other It is true for so they are as for example a King may have great force and strength and by his great povver he may be able to overthrow and destroy a vvhole Country or Kingdome over vvhich he hath no authority Again some King hath power that is authority over his rebels and yet hath not power that is strength enough to subdue them so some perhaps have might and strength enough to govern and rule another mans wife another mans children or another mans servant over which he hath no power that is authority And again fathers have authority over their own children all husbands over their own wives and all masters over their own servants and yet all have not power that is strength and ability to rule them I perceive by this which you have said that in creatures these two may be separated one from the other and many times are but what are they in God In God they are not divided but distinguished for he hath all power that is all authority over all things and he hath all power that is all strength force might and ability to doe all things with all things at his good pleasure and this power is not given him but he hath it in himself and of himself most perfectly absolutely and eternally But of what power doe we speak when we say that God is almighty whether doe you mean his right and authority or his strength and ability or both Both are in God essentially but when the Scripture speaketh of Gods omnipotency it meaneth and so doe we his strength and ability whereby he is able to doe whatsoever he will not excluding his right If all power or might be in God tell me how manifold is this power which is attributed to God in the Scriptures To speak simply the power of God is but onely one and a most simple and single thing which is his essence and substance yet for divers respects it is said to be manifold and it may be considered tvvo wayes As it worketh always and can work in God himself for God in himself doth always understand will love c. As it worketh out of God himself in the creatures as when he created all things and doth now work in governing all things and can work if it please him infinite things and of this vvorking of Gods power do the Scriptures properly speak when they call God almighty How many ways may Gods power be considered as it worketh in himselfe Two ways First as it is common to all the three Persons in the Trinity that is a power whereby God the Father the Son and the holy Ghost doth understand himself love himself and work in himself and these actions doe not differ from the essence of God for that in God there is nothing which is not his substance Secondly the other working in God himself is that by which the Father doth beget eternally a Son of his own nature and substance equall to himself and this power of begetting the Son of God is proper onely to the Father and not to the Son and holy Ghost How many ways do you consider the power of God working out of himselfe That power which hath relation or respect to things created is twofold the first is a power absolute whereby he is able to doe whatsoever he will the other is a power actuall whereby he doth indeed whatsoever he will Where doth the Scripture speak of the absolute power of God by which he can doe more then he doth if he would Yea of such a power speaketh our Saviour Christ I could pray to my Father and he could give me more then twelve Legions of Angels but he would not ask it and his Father would not give it see Mat. 26. 53. Phil. 3. 21. How doth the Scripture speak of Gods actuall power Of this power the Prophets and Apostles make mention when they join his power and his promises together that is when they say he is not onely able to perform but doth and will perform indeed whatsoever he hath promised and of this power Paul doth speak when he saith That God will have mercy upon whom he will and every where in the Scriptures we read that God hath done what he would given to whom he would whereby we see that God could and can doe more then he would or will Psal. 135. 6. How great is this working or mighty power of God It must needs be high and very great for it is infinite hath no end Declare how it is infinite It is infinite two ways or in two respects First in it self and of it self it is infinite Secondly as it is extended to the creatures which may be called the object of Gods power it is also infinite Why doe you say it is infinite in it self or of the own nature Because the power of God is nothing else but his divine essence and the essence of God is of his own nature by it self and of it self infinite Shew how Gods power is infinite as it is extended to the creatures Because the power of God doth extend it self to infinite things therefore we say that it infinite Declare how that is I mean the things which God can perform or bring to passe by his power are infinite and therefore his power is infinite for God never made so many nor so great things but he could have made more and greater if he would as for example he adorned the Firmament with an innumerable company of Stars and yet he could have decked it with more and to speak in a word God can always perform infinite things more then he doth if he will and therefore both in it self and out of
5. What learn you of this First that nothing cometh to passe by meer hap or chance but as God in his eternal knowledg and just vvill hath decreed before should come to passe Secondly that vvhatsoever cometh to passe though we know not the causes thereof and that it be contrary to our wills yet we should bear it patiently and therein submit our wills to the good will and pleasure of God How is the will of God distinguished Into his secret or hidden and his revealed or manifest will the former is known to himselfe by which he willeth divers things of which man neither doth know nor is to aske a reason of and of this the Scripture speaketh thus If so be the will of God 1 Pet. 3. 17. The latter is the guide of man in al his actions containing Gods Commandements wherein is set down what we ought to doe or leave undone as also his promises which wee ought to beleeve Deut. 29. 29. Is not the secret will of God contrary to his revealed will No in no wise It differeth in some respects but it is not another will much lesse contrary How differeth it The secret will of God considereth especially the end the revealed will the things that are referred to the end and the secret will of God is the event of all things where the revealed will is of those things only which are propounded in the word as to beleeve in Christ and to be sanctified c. John 14. 1. 1 Thess. 4. 3. It may seem that the revealed will of God is sometimes contrary to it selfe as when God forbiddeth murder and theft yet God commandeth Abraham to kill his Sonne and the Israelites to take the goods of the Egyptians Here is no contrariety because God in giving a Lavv to man giveth none to himself but that he may command otherwise therefore the Lavv hath this exception that it is alwayes just unlesse God command otherwise But it seemeth that the secret will of God is often contrary to the revealed will seeing by the former many evill things are committed and by the other all evill is forbidden In as much as by the providence of God evill things come to passe it is for some good as Gods glory or good of the Church or both in vvhich only respect they by the providence of God are done or suffered to be done How then doth God will that which is good and that which is evill He vvilleth all good so far as it is good either by his effectuall good pleasure or by his revealed approbation and that which is evill in as much as it is evill by disallowing and forsaking it and yet he voluntarily doth permit evill because it is good that there should be evill Acts 14. 16. Psal. 81. 12. Is there any profit of this knowledge of Gods will Yea great profit for us to knovv what God will have us to doe and what he will doe with us and for us is a thing wherein standeth our salvation therefore vve are vvilled by the Apostle to enquire diligently after the same Rom. 12. 2. But the same Apostle in the eleventh Chapter vers 34. before saith Who hath known the mind of the Lord or who was his Counsellour that is to say none therefore it seemeth that the will of God cannot be known and consequently that it may not be sought after Indeed by that we learn not to search into the secret counsels of God which he never revealed in his word neither hath promised to reveale in this world but after the revealed will of God which he hath vouchsafed to make known in his word we may and ought to enquire of God as for the wil and counsel which he hath kept to himself we may admire and adore it with Paul and David but that we may not search after it is manifestly proved by these places following Acts 1. 7. Exod. 33. 18 19 20. Job 21. 23. Whether can Gods secret will be known or no If he doth reveale it it may How doth God reveale his secret will Two wayes First sometimes by his Spirit as when he shewed his Prophets many of his judgements that were to come Secondly sometime by the thing it self which he willeth or by the effects of his will as when a thing doth fall out which was before unknown as for example a man doth not know before it come whether he shall be sick or not or of what disease or when or how long but when all these things are come to passe then it is manifest what was Gods will before concerning that matter Shew me what is our duty in respect of this secret will of God Our duty is two-fold First we must not curiously search after the knowledge of it but worship and reverence it Secondly before it be made manifest by the effects we must generally rest quietly in the same Shew me how by an example Thus a Christian must resolve with himselfe Whatsoever the Lord vvill doe with me whether I live or die whether he make me rich or poor c. I rest content with his good will and pleasure What must we doe when his will is revealed unto us Then much more must we rest in it and be thankfull for it as Iob was who said The Lord hath given and taken even as it pleaseth the Lord c. Job 1. 21. What call you the revealed will of God The revealed will of God is two-fold the one is that which is properly revealed in the Law that is what God requireth to be done of us and therefore it is called the Law and after this we must enquire The other is in the Gospell which sheweth Gods will towards us and what hee hath decreed of us in his eternall counsell as touching our salvation God indeed by his Law hath made it known what his will is that of us must be done and fulfilled but hath he revealed in his word what is his will and pleasure towards us Yea he hath so and that is proved by these places of Scripture following John 6. 40. Ephes. 1. 5. Matth. 3. 17. John 5. 39. and after the knowledge of this will of God we must diligently enquire But whether may this will of God be known of us or no Yes it may for as it is revealed in the Scripture so it is also confirmed and sealed before our eyes in the Sacraments and the dayly benefits which we receive from the Lord. And is this sufficient to perswade us to beleeve his will No for except the Lord doth perswade us by his holy Spirit we shall neither beleeve it nor know it as appeareth by these places of Scripture 1 Cor. 2. 16. Mat. 11. 25. but if we have the Spirit of God there is no need to goe up into heaven or to goe beyond the Sea to know it because the word is near unto us in our hearts as Paul saith Rom. 10. 6 7 8. For touching the matter of our salvation the will
the unity of the Godhead But doe you not beleeve the Godhead is to be divided whilst you beleeve that in one God are three persons No not divided into divers essences but distinguished unto divers persons for God cannot be divided into severall natures nor into severall parts and therefore must the persons which subsist in that one essence be onely distinct and not separate one from another as in the example of the Sun the beames and the heat What be those resemblances that are commonly brought to shadow out unto us the mystery of the Trinity First the Sun begetteth his own beams and from thence proceeds light and heat and yet is none of them before another otherwise then in consideration of order and relation that is to say that the beams are begotten of the body of the Sun and the light and heat proceed from both Secondly from one flame of fire proceed both light and heat and yet but one fire Thirdly in waters there is the well-head and the spring boyling out of it and the stream flowing from them both and all these are but one water and so there are there persons in one Godhead yet but one God Fourthly in man the understanding cometh from the soul and the will from both May it be collected by naturall reason that there is a Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the God-head No for it is the highest mystery of Divinity and the knowledge thereof is most proper to Christians for the Turkes and Jewes doe confesse one God-head but no distinction of persons in the same How come we then by the knowledge of this mystery God hath revealed it in the holy Scriptures unto the faithfull What have we to learn of this That those are deceived who think this mystery is not sufficiently delivered in the Scripture but dependeth upon the tradition of the Church That sith this is a wonderfull mystery which the Angels doe adore we should not dare to speak any thing in it farther then we have warrant out of the word of God yea we must tye our selves almost to the very words of the Scripture lest in searching we exceed and goe too farre and so be overwhelmed with the glory How doth it appear in the holy Scripture that the three Persons are of that divine nature By the divine names that it giveth to them as Jehovah c. By ascribing divine attributes unto them as Eternity Almightinesse c. By attributing divine works unto them as creation sustentation and governing of all things By appointing divine worship to be given unto them What speciall proofes of the Trinity have you out of the old Testament First the Father is said by his word to have made the world the Holy Ghost working and maintaining them as it were sitting upon them as the hen doth on the egges she hatcheth Gen. 1. 2 3. Gen. 1. 26. The Trinity speaketh in the plurall number Let us make man in our Image after our likenesse Gen. 19. 24. Jehovah is said to rain upon Sodom from Jehovah out of heaven that is the Sonne from the Father or the Holy Ghost from both 2 Sam. 23. 2. The Spirit of Jehovah or the Lord spake by me and his Word by my tongue there is Jehovah the Father with his Word or Sonne and Spirit Prov. 30. 4. What is his name and what is his Sonnes name if thou canst tell Isa. 6. 3. The Angels in respect of the three Persons doe cry three times Holy Holy Holy Isa. 42. 1. Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soule delighteth I have put my Spirit up on him Hag. 2. 5. The Father with the Word and his Spirit make a Covenant What are the proofes out of the new Testament As all other doctrines so this is there more cleare as Matth. 3. 16. 17. at the Baptisme of Christ the Father from heaven witnesseth of the Sonne the Holy Ghost appearing in the likenesse of a Dove John Baptist saw the Sonne in his assumed nature going out of the water there is one Person he saw the Holy Ghost descending like a Dove upon him there is another Person and he heard a voyce from heaven saying This is my beloved Son there is a third Person Matth. 17. 5. At the transfiguration the Father in like manner speaketh of his Son Matth. 28. 19. We are baptized into the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost John 14. 16. 26. 15. 26. 16. 13 14 15. The Father and Son promise to send the Holy Ghost Luke 1. 35. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over-shadow thee therefore that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Acts 2. 33. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which you now see and heare 2 Cor. 13 14. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts Tit. 3. 4 5 6. God saved us by the washing of the new birth and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour What clear proof have you that these three are but one God and so that there is a Trinity in Vnity 1 Joh. 5. 7. It is expresly said there are three that bear Record in heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one What learn you of that the Apostle saith they are three Wee learne that the word Trinity although it bee not expresly set down in the word yet it hath certaine ground from thence What learn you of that that they are said to be three witnesses The singular fruit that is in the Trinity of persons in one unity of the Godhead whereby great assurance is brought unto us of all things that God speaketh in promise or threat seeing it is all confirmed by three witnesses against whom no exception lyeth What are they said here to witnesse That God hath given eternall life unto us and that this life is in that his Sonne 1 John 5. 11. How are these being three said to be but one They are one in substance beeing or essence but three persons distinct in subsistence Acts 20. 28. 1 Cor. 12. 4 5. Deut. 6. 4. Mark 12. 32. 1 Cor. 8. 4 5 6. Joh. 14. 16. 15. 26. 17. 1. If three persons among men be propounded whereof every one is a man can it be said that these three are but one man No but we must not measure Gods matters by the measure of reason much lesse this which of all others is a mystery of mysteries For the better understanding of this mystery declare unto me what a person is in generall and then what a person in the Trinity is
Secondly in men the thing which is understood and the understanding it self is not all one but in God it is all one What reason have you for this The reason is because only God is altogether life and his life is altogether understanding and his understanding is the highest degree of life and therefore he hath his conceiving and begetting most inward of all What mean you when you say most inward of all I mean that the Father conceiveth of himself and in himself and his conceiving is a begetting and his begetting abideth still in himself because his understanding can no where meet with any thing but that which he himself is and that is the second subsistence in the Trinity which we call Everlasting Son of God Now let me hear what the holy Ghost is and how he proceedeth from the Father and the Son For the understanding of this matter wee must consider two things First that in the essence of God besides his understanding there is a will Secondly what be the properties of this will in God Esa. 46. 10. What are the properties of Gods will First it applieth his power when where and how he thinks good according to his own mind Secondly it worketh everlastingly upon it self as his understanding doth What doe you gather by this That because it hath no other thing to work upon but it self it doth delight it self in the infinite good which it knoweth in it self for the action of the will is delight and liking And what of that That delight which God or his will hath in his own infinite goodnesse doth bring forth a third Person or subsistence in God which we call The holy Ghost What is that same third subsistence in God The mutuall kindnesse and lovingnesse of the Father and the Son What mean you by this mutuall lovingnesse and kindnesse The Father taketh joy and delight in the Son or his own Image conceived by his understanding and the Son likewise rejoyceth in his Father as he saith himself and the reason thereof is this the action of the will when it is fulfilled is love and liking What resemblance can you shew thereof in some thing that is commonly used amongst us When a man looketh in a glasse if he smile his image smileth too and if he taketh delight in it it taketh the same delight in him for they are both one If they be all one then there are not three beeings The face is one beeing the image of the face in a glasse is another beeing and the smiling of them both together is a third beeing and yet all are in one face and all are of one face and all are but one face And is it so in God Yea for even so the understanding which is in God is one beeing the reflection or image of his understanding which he beholdeth in himself as in a glasse is a second beeing and the love and liking of them both together by reason of the will fulfilled is a third beeing in God and yet all are but of one God all are in one God and all are but one God Which of these three is first There is neither first nor last going afore or comming after in the essence of God but all these as they are everlasting so they are all at once and at one instant even as in a glasse the face and the image of the face when they smile they smile together and not one before not after another What is the conclusion of all As we have the Son of the Father by his everlasting will in working by his understanding so also we have the holy Ghost of the love of them both by the joint working of the understanding and will together whereupon we conclude three distinct Persons or in-beeings which we call the Father the Son and the holy Ghost in one spirituall yet unspeakable substance which is very God himself But what if some will be yet more curious to know how the Son of God should be begotten and how the holy Ghost should proceed from the Father and the Son how may we satisfie them Well enough for if any will be too curious about this point we may answer them thus Let them shew us how themselves are bred and begotten and then let them aske us how the Son of God is begotten and let them tell us the nature of the spirit that beateth in their pulses and then let them be inquisitive at our hands for the proceeding of the holy Ghost And what if they cannot give us a reason for the manner of their own beeing may they not be inquisitive for the manner of Gods beeing No for if they must be constrained to be ignorant in so common matters which they daily see and feel in themselves let them give us leave to be ignorant not only in this but in many things moe which are such as no eye hath seen nor ear hath heard nor wit of man can conceive Let us now hear out of the Scriptures what the holy Ghost is He is the third Person of the Trinity by communication of essence eternally proceeding from the Father and from the Son Are you able to prove out of the Scripture that the holy Ghost is God Yes because the many properties and actions of God are therein given to him as to the Father and to the Son Let us hear some of those proofs 1t. Gen. 1. 2. the work of Creation is attributed to the Spirit of God 2ly Esa. 61. 1. the Spirit of the Lord God is said to be upon Christ because the Lord anointed him c. 3ly 1 Cor. 3. 17. and 2 Cor. 6. 16. Paul calleth us Gods Temples because the Holy Ghost dwelleth in us Saint Augustine in his 66. Epistle to Maximinus saith it is a cleare argument of his God-head if we were commanded to make him a Temple but of timber and stone because that worship is due to God only therefore now we must much more think that he is God because we are not cōmanded to make him a temple but to be a temple for him our selves What other reason have you out of the Scripture Peter reproving Ananias for lying to the Holy Ghost said that he lyed not to men but to God Acts 5. 3 4. Have you any more reasons from the Scripture Yea two more one from Saint Paul and another from Saint Paul and Esay together What is your reason from Saint Paul When he sheweth how many sundry gifts are given to men he saith that one and the selfe-same Spirit is the distributer of them all therefore he is God for none can distribute those gifts which Paul speaks of but God 1 Cor. 12. ver 6. 11. What is your reason from Esay and Saint Paul together Esay saith in the Chapter 6. 9. I heard the Lord speaking which place Paul expoundeth of the Holy Ghost Acts 28. 25. But how can you prove out of the Scriptures that the Holy Ghost is God proceeding from
the Father and the Sonne First John 15. 26. When the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me That he proceedeth from the Father is here expresly affirmed that hee proceedeth from the Sonne is by necessary consequence implyed because the Sonne is said to send him as John 14. 26. The Father is said to send him in the Sonnes name by which sending the order of the persons of the Trinity is evidently designed because the Sonne is of the Father and the Father is not of the Sonne therefore we find in Scripture that the Father sendeth his Sonne but never that the Sonne sendeth his Father In like manner because the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and from the Son we find that both the Father and the Son doe send the Holy Ghost but never that the Holy Ghost doth send either Father or Sonne Secondly John 16. 15. the Sonne saith of the Holy Ghost all things that the Father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you All things that the Father hath the Sonne receiveth from him as coming from him and so whatsoever the Holy Ghost hath he hath it not of himselfe vers 13. but from the Sonne and so from the Father as a person proceeding as well from the one as from the other Thirdly Gal. 4. 6. God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts As the Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of the Father Esa. 48. 16. The Lord and his Spirit hath sent me so is he here also called the Spirit of the Son and Rom. 8. 9. the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ. Now if the spirit of man in whom there is no perfection be all one with man much more the Spirit of the Father is all one with the Father and the Spirit of the Sonne is all one with the Sonne and so the Holy Ghost with the Father and the Sonne is the same in deity dignity eternity operation and will Why is the third Person called the Spirit Not onely because he is a spirituall that is an immateriall and pure essence for so likewise is the Father a Spirit and the Sonne as well as he but first in regard of his person because he is spired and as it were breathed both from the Father and the Sonne that is to say proceedeth from them both Secondly in regard of the creatures because the Father and the Sonne doe work by the Spirit who is as it were the breath of grace which the Father and the Sonne breatheth out upon the Saints blowing freely where it listeth and working spiritually for manner means and matter where it pleaseth John 20. 22. Psal. 33. 6. John 3. 8. Acts 2. 2 3 4. 1 Cor. 2. 12 13. Why is he called the Holy Ghost Not onely because of his essentiall holinesse as God for so the Father and the Sonne also are infinitely holy as he but because he is the authour and worker of all holinesse in men and the sanctifier of Gods children Why doth not the Father and the Sonne sanctifie also Yes verily but they doe it by him and because he doth immediately sanctify therefore he hath the title of Holy What other titles are given unto him in the word of God The Holy Ghost who is the Spirit of the Father speaking in the old Testament hath these names and properties First the good Spirit because he is the fountain of goodnesse Psal. 143. 10. Secondly the Spirit of God because he is God 1 Sam. 11. 6. Thirdly the finger of God because God worketh by him as a man by his hand Luke 11. 20. Fourthly the Comforter because he strengthneth the weak hearts of his Saints John 20. 26. Fiftly the spirit of Adoption because he assureth our hearts that we be the adopted Saints of God Rom. 8. 15. Sixtly the spirit of love power sobriety wisdome c. because it worketh all these things in us 2 Tim. 1. 6 7. Esa. 11. 2. What are the speciall comforts which the children of God receive from the holy Ghost He is in their hearts the pledge of Christs presence Ioh. 14. 16 17 18. 26. The witnesse of their Adoption Rom. 8. 15 16. The guide of their life Joh. 16. 13. The comforter of their soule Joh. 14. 26. 15. 26. 16. 13. The seale of their Redemption Eph. 1. 13. 4. 30. And the first fruits of their salvation Rom. 8. 23. But how are you assured that you have the Spirit Because it hath convinced my judgement Joh. 16. 18. converted my soul Act. 26. 18. Esa. 61. 1. and having mixed the word with my faith Heb. 4. 2. it is become as life to quicken me Joh. 6. 63. as water to cleanse me Ezek. 36. 25. as oyle to cheer me Heb. 1. 9. as fire to melt and refine me Mat. 3. 11. And how may you keep the Spirit now you have it By nourishing the good motions and means of it 1 Thess. 5. 17 18. 20. being fearfull to grieve quench resist or molest it Eph. 4. 30. 1 Thess. 5. 19. Acts 7. 51. and carefull to be led by it and shew forth the fruits of it Rom. 8. 1. 14. Gal. 5. 18. 22. Thus much of the three Persons severally what now remaineth more to be spoken of the mystery of the Trinity To set down briefly what be the things common wherein the three Persons agree and what be the things proper to each of them whereby they are distinguished one from another What are the things wherein the three Persons doe communicate They are considered in regard either of themselves or of the creatures What are they in regard of themselves They agree one with another in nature beeing life time dignity glory or any thing pertaining to the divine Essence for in all these they are one and the same and consequently Co-essentiall Co-equall and Co-eternall What mean you when you say they be Co-essentiall That they be all the self-same substance or beeing having one individuall essence or deity common to them all and the self-same in them all VVhat mean you when you say they be Co-equall That as they agree in deity so they agree in dignity being of one state condition and degree and the one having as great excellency and Majesty every way as the other therefore their honour and worship is equall and alike and one of them is not greater nor more glorious then another John 5. 18. 23. Apoc. 5. 12 13. What mean you when you say that they be Co-eternall That one was not before another in time but that one hath been of as long continuance as another and all of them have been and shall be forever as being all of one self-same everlasting continuance How prove you this John 1. 1. In the beginning was the word c. and at that
Nature 4. Fortune and luck 5. Casualty and chance 6. Destiny 7. Free-will How manifold is Necessity Two-fold 1. Absolute necessity the contrary whereof cannt be 2. Necessity with a condition which is such as puts down the cause the effect followeth but take away the cause the effect ceaseth How prove you that God hath a government in things that come by chance and casualtie Prov. 16. 33. The lots are cast in the bosome yet the issue of them and their event hang upon the Lord. Exod. 21. 13. Deut. 19. 13. Is there not then any fortune or chance of things in the world Not in respect of God by whose appointment the very haires of our heads are governed and numbred but in respect of man that knoweth not future things the Scripture useth such words to shew the suddennesse and uncertainty of a thing Exod. 21. 13. Eccl. 9. 11. Luk. 10. 31. Doe the creatures ever since the first six dayes continue of themselves being onely governed of God No the creation still is after a manner continued in that all things are sustained by the same power whereby they were made for God is is not like a builder that is the cause onely of the making and not of the being of his building but he is such a cause of being to all creatures as the Sunne is of light unto the day so that without his continuall working all would return to nothing What proofe have you of this continuall working of God Our Saviour saith John 5. 17. my Father worketh untill this time and I also work meaning in continuance and preservation of all creatures For in him we live move and have our being Acts 17. 25 26 27 28. And the Apostle testifieth Heb. 1. 3. That our Saviour Christ by whom the world were made beareth up all things and upholdeth them in their being with the word of his power his mighty word Thus Moses teacheth how the Lord established the continuance and preservation of all the creatures in the world both living and void of life Gen. 1. So doth the Prophet also in the 104. Psal. 119. 91. How doth God sustain all creatures Partly by the continuation of particulars either for the whole time of this world as heaven and heavenly bodies earth and other Elements c. 2 Pet. 3. 4. or for the time of life allotted as all living creatures Psal. 36. 6. Psal. 104. 27 c. Partly by propagation of kind whereby creatures even of shortest continuance doe successively abide unto the end of the world Gen. 7. 3. 8. 21 22. Thus God sustaineth and preserveth all that he hath made how doth he govern and dispose of them God ordereth all his creatures according to his pleasure guiding and imploying them and their natures to those severall ends and uses whereby they may best serve unto his glory Ps. 119. 91. Dan. 4. 34 35. and the good of themselves and of their fellow creatures especially of man Ps. 8. but he hath one generall manner of government belonging to all and another speciall which is proper to the principall creatures How doth God work in all the creatures generally First he doth move and stirre up that power which he hath given the creatures unto working Secondly he doth assist direct and help it in working of that which is good Thirdly he doth work together and give being unto that which is wrought What are the principall creatures you speak of The reasonable creatures Angels and Men which were created like unto God in a high estate of holinesse and happinesse Psal. 8. 4 5. 103. 20. 104. 4. Luke 2. 13. Mat. 25. 31. How commeth it to passe that there is a particular kind of government for the reasonable creatures above others Because that they are creatures of another nature then the rest being not only acted and moved in one course as the other are but having a power of understanding what doth concern them and of moving themselves accordingly What government doth follow hereupon That which is by teaching and answerable fulfilling of that which is taught How by teaching By instructing commanding praising forbidding promising threatning and permitting How by fulfilling Especially by blessing and cursing What is the manner of Gods working in his providence It is sometimes ordinary other times extraordinary What is the ordinary course of Gods providence When he bringeth things to passe by ordinary meanes and that course which he hath setled in nature Esa. 55. 10. What is the extraordinary When he bringeth things to passe either without meanes or by means of themselves too weak or beside the course of such means and course of nature which works are usually called Miracles May we indifferently expect Gods extraordinary working as we may his ordinary No where ordinary means be had we cannot look for an extraordinary work What doe they that run unto the immediate and extraordinary providence of God without necessary occasions They doe tempt God How many wayes is God tempted First by distrust Secondly by presumption When is God tempted by Distrust When men think that God either cannot or will not fulfill his promises When is God tempted with Presumption When men depend upon the immediate providence of God without any warrant of the word so to doe How many sorts of men doe thus tempt God First they that doe wastfully mis-spend their goods Secondly they that having received gifts of mind and strength of body doe not use them in some lawfull calling for the maintenance of them but doe live idlely Thirdly they that make an occupation of dicing and carding and such like Fourthly they that thrust themselves upon unnecessary dangers Fifthly they which take pains for the maintenance of their bodies in this life but have no care of those things which belong to the salvation of their soules in the life to come What are the means by which God doth use to exercise his providence Two the first passive the second active What call you passive means Those which although the Lord doth use them yet have no knowledge nor understanding to move or direct themselves but are wholly moved and directed by God What call you active meanes Those which although God useth yet have reason knowledge and understanding in themselves how to move or direct themselves such are men and Angels whether they be good or evill Doth God work after the same manner by the wicked that he doth by the godly No for God worketh by the wicked but not in them as for the godly he worketh not only by them but also in them wherby it cometh to passe that the work of the godly is acceptable unto God but the work of the wicked is not acceptable unto God although they doe the same thing which the godly doth How can it be shewed out of the Scriptures that God hath a hand whereby he governeth even the transgressor against his holy will Gen. 45. 8. Is is expresly said that God did send Joseph before into
pondered Isa. 28. 17. Gal. 6. 16. 3. Because they only are commended for a holy and righteous life who have framed it according to the Word Luc. 1. 6. and all others secluded Isa. 8. 19 20. Mat. 22. 29. 4. Because nothing can be counted holy and righteous which God doth not so accompt and that in his Word so as he only is righteous and maketh this or that to be holy and righteous So his Word only sheweth us what that is which he so accompteth and therefore it is called his holy Word holy Scriptures righteous Laws c. Deut. 4. 8. VVhat mean you here by the holy Word of God Both the Law and the Gospel the Old Testament the New How is the Gospel a rule of obedience being the rule of faith As the Law requireth obedience Jam. 12. 1. so the Gospel directeth the faithful how to perform it 1 Tim. 1. 9 10 11. only with difference 1. Of the manner the Law propounding God to be worshipped of us in himself as our Creator the Gospel in Christ as our Saviour 2. Of the end The Law requiring all duties as for the procurement of our own salvation The Gospel in way of thankfulnesse for salvation in Christ already bestowed 1 Thess. 5. 18. 3. Of the effect the Law like Pharaoh that required brick but allowed no straw demanding obedience but vouchsafing no assistance supposing man as in the state of Creation The Gospel both offering and conferring to the regenerate that which it requireth Rom. 10. 5 6. 8. for it both requireth and confirmeth faith unto the Elect and that not only as a hand to lay hold on Christ but also as a chief vertue working by love in all parts of obedience without which even the Gospel is a Law that is a killing letter 2 Cor. 3. 6. to the unregenerate and with which the Law becommeth as it were Gospel to the regenerate even a law of liberty Jam. 1. 25. 2. 12. For as the Law saveth us not without the Gospel so the Gospel saveth us not without the Law Doth not the Gospel add other Precepts or Counsels to those of the Law Not any other in substance of action but only reneweth and enforceth those of the Law 1 Joh. 2. 7 8. and specifieth some duties as of faith in the Messias of the Sacraments c. which have their generall ground from the Law As for those that are propounded in form of counsell and doe concern things indifferent they are not therefore arbitrary courses Rev. 3. 18. of higher perfection much lesse meritorious of greater glory but as they are applyed with due circumstances necessary precepts referred to some or other Commandement of the Law the neglecting whereof excludeth from the kingdome of God VVhat is that law which with the direction of the Gospel is the rule of Sanctification The Morall law or law of nature engraven by God himself first in the heart of man in his Creation after in Tables of stone in the days of Moses and so published and committed to the Church for all ages as the royall Law for obedience to God our King Jam. 2. 8. Why did God write that law in Tables of stone Partly to signifie the perpetuall use and continuance of them to the end of the world Partly to shew the stony hardnesse of our hearts in which this law was to be written and to declare how hard it is to bring us to obedience of them VVhy did none but God write this Law in Tables of stone Because none but God can write his Law in our hearts How was this Law delivered To shew the gloriousnesse of it God delivered it in fire for the Mountain burned the Trumpet sounded the people fled and Moses himself trembled What did this signifie to them and teach us 1. That without Christ the Law is but death 2. That we should be very careful to perform obedience to the same Did God give no other law but the Morall law onely Yes he added the Ceremoniall and Judiciall laws as speciall explications and applications of the law Morall unto that present Church and people the Israelites What was the Ceremoniall law That law which did set down orders for direction in rites of outward worship shadowing the grace of the Gospel Heb. 10. 1 c. Are we bound to keep and observe those laws No for the substance being now exhibited those shadows are utterly abolished by the death of Christ and therefore the use of them now would be a kind of denyall of his death What call you the Judiciall law That wherein God appointed a form of Politique and Civill government of the Common-wealth of the Jews which therefore is ceased with the dissolution of that State for which it was ordained saving only in the common equity Is this law utterly revoked and abolished by Christ No for he came not to overturn any good government of the Common-wealth much lesse that which was appointed by God himself May not Christian Magistrates then swerve any thing from those laws of government which were set down by Moses In some circumstances they may but in the generall equity and substance they may not What Judiciall laws are immutably to be observed now of Christian Magistrates Those which have reasons annexed unto thē specially those wherin God hath appointed death for the punishment of hainous offences VVhat is the Morall law That which commandeth the perfection of godlinesse righteousnesse and directeth us in our duties to God and man Deut. 5. 32. 12. 32. Are we not delivered from this law by the means of Christ From the burthen of the law exacting in our own persons perfect obedience from the curse of that law due unto disobedience we are delivered by Christ Gal. 3. 10 11 12 13. But from the Commandment as a rule of life we are not freed Jam. 2. 8. but contrariwise are inclined disposed by his free Spirit to the willing obedience therof Ps. 51. 12. 119. 32. 45. 1 Joh. 5. 3. To what end serveth the Law First it is a Glasse to discover our filthinesse and to shew us our sinnes and the punishment thereof that thereby we may be driven unto Christ to be purged by him Gal. 3. 24. Rom. 3. 20. 27. For it layeth open all the parts of our misery both sinfulnesse accursednesse and impotency or unablenesse to relieve our selves so whipping us and chasing us to Christ that in him we may finde deliverance Secondly when we are come to Christ and feele our selves saved by him it is a guide to direct us in the way we have to walke in all our life after Matth. 5. 17. Luke 1. 6. Deut. 6. 6. For after the Law hath brought us to Christ the feeling of the love of God within us maketh us to strive towards the obedience of it and then it is a rule to direct us how to behave our selves in
That by them Gods glory may be advanced 2. That by them we may shew our thankfulnesse to God for all his benefits 3. That by them we may be assured of our faith and election 4. That by our good workes we may edifie others How may we edifie others 1. By encouraging and strengthening those that are good 2. By winning those that are not come to God 3. By stopping the mouthes of the wicked and of those that are incorrigible Is it not lawfull to seek our owne praise and merit by our good works No for all our good works are imperfect and salvation is only merited by the death and obedience of Christ as hath been said But will not this Doctrine make men carelesse of well-doing No for they that are ingraffed into Christ must needs bring forth good works and good workes are necessary as hath been declared though not for merit yet for Gods glory the edification of others and our owne assured comfort Are good works so needfull that without them we cannot be assured of salvation Yes for though good workes doe not worke our salvation in any part yet because they that are justified are also sanctified they that doe no good workes doe declare that they neither are justified nor sanctified and therefore cannot be saved Then they must much more be condemned which commit sinne and lye in it Yea for such are not onely pronounced to be accursed by the Law but also the Gospell hath pronounced that they shall not inherit the kingdome of heaven What consideration may draw us to be zealous in good works That if we doe well we shall have well as the old saying is But that is a hard thing to be perswaded of So it is indeed because our hearts are naturally distrustfull in the promises of God As also our flesh the world and the devill doe suggest unto us that it is a vaine thing to doe good Mal. 3. 14. What remedy is there against this assault That it shall be well with them that doe well by the testimony of God himselfe commanding the Prophet Esaiah to say so to the righteous Esa. 3. 10. which ought to teach all men that laying aside all their owne opinions and whatsoever seemeth good in their owne eyes they should rely wholly upon the direction of God What may be gathered of this That it is better to endanger our selves with obedience to God then with disobedience to rid our selves out of appearance of trouble But why did the Lord thus charge the Prophet Because the wicked as saith Malachi wearied God with their blasphemies saying that he delighted in their wickednesse Mal. 2. 17. How secondly is that poynt confirmed By a continuall practice and experience from time to time as the friends of Job doe well reason thereupon What is the third proofe That sith the Lord must doe either good for good or evill for good and that it is absurd yea blasphemous to say that God doth evill for good it must needs follow that he will doe good for good for if a reasonable honest man would not requite kindnesse with unkindnesse it can much lesse fall into the nature of God so to doe especially seeing he did then shew kindnesse unto us when we were enemies unto him How fourthly is it confirmed In that God is said to write up the good deeds of his servants into his book of Records as the Kings of the earth are wont to doe Mal. 3. 16 17 18. But this seemeth not so sith the wicked doe so triumph over the godly as if there were no difference A difference shall specially appeare at the day of judgement when by the sentence of the great Iudge the wicked like stubble shall be consumed with fire and the Sun of righteousnesse shall shine upon the just Is there no difference at all in this life Yes inwardly For the godly in doing well have alwayes a good conscience howsoever earthly things goe with them so that the green Sallet of hearbs or dry bread is better to them then all the rich mans wealth because the grace of God goeth with them whither soever they goe whereas the wicked have a hell in their conscience how well soever they fare outwardly So much of good works in generall What speciall good works are commanded us in the Word of God The things which we give unto God prescribed in the first Table and the giving of almes to our needy Neighbour touching which among all the duties of the second Table our Saviour giveth speciall direction in the sixt of Matthew where he entreateth of prayer and fasting What are those things that we give unto God Prayers and Vowes Psal. 50. 13 14. 66. 13 14. which being speciall parts of Gods worship may not be communicated to any other Esa. 42. 8. 48. 11. What is prayer It is a familiar speech with God in the name of Christ 1 John 5. 14. opening the desires of our hearts unto him and so a lifting up of the mind and a powring out of the heart before God for the more ample and free fruition of the good things we have need of Psal. 50. 15. Jer. 33. 3. Lam. 2. 19. Phil. 4. 6. How further is the necessity of Prayer considered Prayer is a key to open the Store-houses of all Gods treasures unto us and as by knocking we enter into the place we goe to so by Prayer we obtaine those things we need Also as men provide gifts to make way for favour Pro. 17. 8. so Prayer is a gift to appease Gods anger towards us and as a hooke to reach those things that are above our reach and to put by those things that stand in our way and let us Adde hereunto that it is so necessary as without it the use and enjoying of the things we have is unlawfull 1 Tim. 4. 5. For as if we take any thing that is our Neighbours without asking him leave we are accounted Theeves so to take any thing of Gods whose all things are without asking them at his hand is Felony Finally Prayer is a principall meanes serving for the strengthening and encreasing of Faith and for the further advancing and more plentifull effecting of the outward meanes of salvation Jude 20. 1 Thess. 5. 17 18. Psal. 4. 6 7. And therefore the Apostles did not onely say unto Christ Increase our faith Luk. 17. 5. but also Lord teach us to pray as John taught his Disciples Luke 11. 1. What gather you hence That we can never honour God aright in calling upon his name unlesse wee bring faithfull and feeling hearts before him James 1. 6 7. 1 Sam. 1. 16. Describe Prayer yet more largely It is a religious calling upon God alone in the name of Christ by the titles wherewith in the Scripture he is set forth unto us as well thereby to doe service and homage unto the Lord as to obtaine those further things and Graces that are necessary for us
Or thus It is the holy request of an humble and sanctified heart together with thanksgiving Phil. 4. 6. offered by the power of the spirit of Prayer Rom. 8. 26. as a speciall service unto God Psal. 50. 15. in the name of Christ John 14. 14. in behalfe of our selves and others Ephes. 6. 18. with assurance to be heard in what wee pray for according to the will of God 1 Iohn 5. 14. Iames 1. 6. Why doe we call it a request with thanksgiving Because in all our Prayers there must both petition of the good things we need and thankfull acknowledgment of those things we have obtained 1 Thess. 5. 17 18. As for those formes which containe neither supplication nor giving of thanks as the Articles of the Beleefe the Decalogue c. they may and ought for other good purposes be committed to memory and rehearsed Deut. 6. 7. but to use them as Prayers savoureth of deep ignorance if not of superstition Matth. 6. 7. Why doe you call it the request of the heart Not to exclude the use of bodily gesture much lesse of the voice and tongue in the action of Invocation therefore called the Calves of the Lips Hosea 14. 2. but to shew first that the heart is on our part the principall mover and speaker in prayer from whence both voice and gesture have their force and grace 1 Cor. 14. 15. Psal. 45. 1. 108. 1. Secondly that Prayer on sudden occasions may be secretly and powerfully offered and is of God heard and accepted when neither any voice is uttered nor any bodily gesture employed Exod. 14. 15. Nehem 2. 4. Why doe you adde Of an humble and sanctified heart Because as in generall none can pray or doe any thing acceptable Psal. 109. 7. but such as are truely regenerate and sanctified unto this and every good work Psal. 51. 15. so in speciall and for the present action of prayer it is required as the summe of all sacrifices that the heart be humble and contrite Psal. 51. 17. acknowledging it owne unworthinesse by reason of sinne Dan. 9. 8 9. feeling the want of Gods grace and mercy Psal. 143. 6. and submitting it selfe unto him willing to be beholding for the least degree of favour Luke 15. 18 19. What then is required of us that our prayers may be holy 1. That we pray with faith and assurance that God for Christ sake wil heare us 2. That we pray with feare and reverence of God 3. That we pray with humility and a lively sense of our owne unworthinesse to obtaine any thing at Gods hands 4. That we pray with a true feeling of our owne wants and an earnest desire to obtaine those things for which we pray 5. That our affections be agreeable to the matter for which we pray 6. That we purpose to use all good meanes for the obtaining of those things for which we pray In brief these be the speciall properties of true prayer It must be 1. In faith without wavering Iames 1. 6. 2. In truth without faining Psal. 145. 18. 3. In humility without swelling Luke 18. 13. 4. In zeale without cooling Iames 5. 16. 5. In constancy without fainting Luke 18. 1. What learne you hence That even they which are most frequent and fervent in this duty had need to pray God to forgive their prayers in conscience of their owne frailties and infirmities Esa. 38. 14 15. Psal. 77. 9 10. 32. 3 5. What is the spirit of Prayer An especiall grace and operation of the holy Ghost Iude 20. called therefore the spirit of grace and supplication Zachary 12. 10. enabling us to powre out our soules unto the Lord Psalme 62. 8. with sighes that cannot be expressed Romanes 8. 26. For the holy Ghost must bee our helper in prayer to teach us both what to pray and how to pray Rom. 8. 26. To whom must we pray To God alone and to none other For 1. He alone is the searcher of the hearts heareth the voice and knoweth the meaning of the spirit of prayer Psal. 65. 2. Rom. 8 27. 2. He is able to grant whatsoever we demand Eph. 3. 20. 3. He challengeth our faith and confidence without which we cannot pray Rom. 10. 14. Wherefore seeing he alone heares all prayers heales all sins knowes all suiters Jer. 31. 18. 2 Chron. 7. 14. 6. 30. 1 Chro. 28. 9. Psal. 44. 21. He alone hath love enough to pitty all and power enough to relieve all our wants and necessities to him alone we are to pray and to none other What learne you hence That seeing the Scripture forbiddeth us to communicate Gods honour to any other Isa. 42. 8. 48. 12. such as pray either to Saints or Angels Col. 2. 18. have forgotten the name of their God Psal. 44. 20. which condemneth those of the Church of Rome who would have us to pray to Angels and Saints departed Whether must we direct our prayers to the Father or the Sonne or to the Holy-Ghost We must pray to the Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Godhead that is to say to our God in Trinity In whose name or for whose sake must we pray to God In the only name and for the only sake of his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Dan. 9. 17. Iohn 16. 23 24. the alone Mediator between God and man 1 Tim. 2. 5. As of propitiation so or intercession 1 John 2. 1 2. Rom. 8. 34. who through the vaile of his flesh and merit of his bloud hath prepared for us a new and living way whereby we may be bold to enter into the holy place Heb. 10. 19. in whom alone we are made the children of God and have liberty to call him Father Gal. 4. 5. Finally in with and for whom God giveth all things that be good to his Elect Rom. 8. 32. Who are condemned by this Doctrine They of the Church of Rome who teach us to pray in the name of Saints and make them to be our Mediators between God and us For whom are we to pray For our selves and others us and ours in a word for all men 1 Tim. 2. 1. even our enemies Mat. 5. 44. because they beare the common Image of God Jam. 3. 9. and bloud of mankinde whereof we are all made Act. 17. 26. unlesse it be apparent that any one hath committed the unpardonable sin 1 John 5. 16. But principally for such as are our brethren in Christ and of the houshold of faith Eph. 6. 18. Gal. 6. 10. Secondly for all sorts and degrees of men especially publick persons as Rulers and such as are in authority 1 Tim. 2. 2. Ministers that watch over our soules Eph. 6. 19. Col. 4. 3 c. What assurance have we that we shall be heard in what we pray for 1. Because we pray to that God that heareth prayers Psal. 65. 2. 2. And is the rewarder of all that come unto him Heb. 11. 6. and in his name to whom