we were made framed to the perfectiō of it yet retayn some notions therof in this our corrupt estate Secondly The Image of this Righteousnesse being in manner quite defaced and done away by the Fall of Adam the same is by the mercifull prouidence of GOD for a more certaine direction of our wayes and to humble vs in seeing how short we come of the performance of it againe renewed and the summe of all compendiously abridged in ten Words Sentences or Commandements written z Exod. 34. 28. by the finger of GOD in two Tables Thirdly The same are expounded and handled more at large in the whole Volume of the Scripture where all this Doctrine is fully and absolutely taught Of both thse Lawes the Law of Nature and the written Law the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2. 14 15. For when the Gentiles which haue not a law doe by nature the things of the Law these hauing not a law are a law vnto themselues as those which declare the worke of the Law written in their heart their conscience bearing record vnto themselues and their thoughts accusing or excusing them c. For the vnderstanding of those ten Commandements and the better to discerne the large spread of Righteousnesse which they contayne take these few Rules that hold in euery one First They are vttered by a figuratiue speech of a part for the whole vnder one and that commonly the greatest comprehending not onely euery particular dutie whatsoeuer may fall into the life of man of the same nature with that which is there commanded or forbidden but the whole manner of performance that it bee with all the powers of ones minde soule and bodie which belonging to euery Commandement is once for all explayned in the definition I gaue of Righteousnesse Secondly Commanding one thing they forbid the contrarie forbidding one thing they command the contrarie Lastly this withall is to be remembred that all the things before spoken of in the definition I gaue Holinesse and Righteousnesse pertayne and haue their place in euery Commandement the corruption of nature and desire being as I thinke forbidden in euery one not alone in the tenth And that for these Reasons First From the nature of God that gaue the Law who being a a Iohn 4. 24. Spirit therfore piercing b Heb. 4. 12 13 into the most secret thoughts and intents of the heart euery Commandement of his not onely the ten Commandements layd together must needes bee c Rom. 7. 14. spirituall to binde the whole strength of nature and all the thoughts and desires which the Scripture is wont to call the spirit of our minde as before was noted Secondly Since it cannot bee denyed but that this is so in the duties of the first Table the same reason and proportion carrieth it to those of the second also Thirdly our Sauiour Christs interpretation of the seuenth Commandement is a sufficient warrant extending it to all kinde of Lust Math. 5. 28. As for the tenth it hath another sense as shall be seene when we come vnto it And that which Paul saith Rom. 7. 7. I had not knowne lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust I take vnder reformation of better iudgement to be meant not of the tenth Commandement onely but of the whole puritie that way which the Law of God thorowout requireth and that as well in the duties to God as to our brethren which the Apostle soundly gathereth to be commanded in the Law because the Law is spirituall Neither doth it follow because he saith Except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust that therefore he must needs point out the very words of one Commandement or because he saith many times that Commandement that therefore he meaneth a particular Commandement one of the tenne for the Law may as well be said to say Thou shalt not lust because in the generall doctrine thereof it forbiddeth all kind of lust as in the like case the same Apostle d Ephes 5. 14. writeth that God saith in the Scripture Arise thou that sleepest and Christ shall shine vnto thee Which notwithstanding are not the precize words of any one place of Scripture but the generall summe and doctrine of the Gospell The name also of Commandement comprehending the scope and substance of many Commandements you haue so vsed 1. Iohn 2. 7 8. And albeit Paul Rom. 13. 9. doe aptly truly render the meaning of the tenth Commandement by the same very words which heere he vseth that hindereth not but that in this place it may haue another sence the word seruing indifferently for e So is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken Luke 22. 15. Matth. 22. 17. and 1. Pet. 1. 12. for a longing and earnest desire coueting or for lusting and the diuersity of the Argument inforcing a diuers interpretation of these two places The Tenne Commandements which summarily conteine the whole doctrine of Righteousnesse whatsoeuer the Law or Prophets speake of our Sauiour Christ in his The doing whereof is tearmed Righteousnesse and hath two parts Pietio and Iustice infinite wisedome hath contriued into two The loue of God and of our brethren When vnto the Lawyer asking him which is the great Commandement in the Law he answereth f Math. 22. 37. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy might This is the first and great Commandement and the second is like vnto it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe on these two commandements hang the whole Law and the Prophets PAVL vseth the very termes of Pietie and Iustice Rom. 1. 18. For the wrath of God is manifest from heauen against all impiety and iniustice of men So he saith Tit. 2. 12. that the Grace of God manifested by the Gospell instructeth vs that wee should liue soberly and iustly and godly in this present world Where before Iustice and Piety which are the parts he putteth Sobriety or Soundnesse of minde as the forme that is to hold in both 1. Tim. 1 2. he deuideth it into Piety or Godlines and Honesty Sometimes in stead of Piety you shall finde the terme of Holinesse which is all one g Luke 1. 75. That being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies wee might serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse Put on h Ephes 4. 24. the new man which according to God is created in true righteousnesse and holinesse but i Acts 3. 14. yee haue denyed that holy and lust one HEROD k Marc. 6. 20. did reuerence IOHN knowing he was a iust and a holy man Yee l 1. Thess ◠10. are witnesses and God how holily and iustly and vnblameably wee were conuersant among you that beleeue Hee m Reuel 22. 11. that is iust let him become more iust hee that is holy let him become yet more holy According to this diuision of our Sauiour Christ wee commonly call these two The
God hath vsed that haue not spared to lay open their owne nakednesse and shame the nakednesse and shame of their Wiues Children Families Tribes of whom they came Seuenthly The end and drift of all which is to giue glorie vnto God and to beat downe and abase the pride of man A second sort of argument is from the authoritie of the Church which may moue and well perswade vs of them The third and last without which all the rest whether humane testimonies or other arguments are nothing is the testimony of the Spirit it selfe bearing witnesse of them Esay 59. 21. My Spirit that is in thee and my Word that I haue put in thy mouth Therefore Esay 54. 13. the faithfull are said to be such as are taught of God And PAVL saith The spirituall man discerneth all things 1. Cor. 2. 15. Therefore it is not the iudgement of the Church which maketh vs beleeue the Scriptures but the Church is the same to the testimony of the Spirit that the c Ioh. 4. 39 40 41 42. woman of Samaria was to the preaching of our Sauiour Christ because of whose words many of the Samaritans were brought to beleeue in Christ but when hee himselfe came and preached amongst them they tell her plainely Now wee beleeue no more because of thy speech for wee our selues haue heard and know that this is of a truth That Sauiour of the World That Christ So the iudgement of the Church may well bee a motiue at the first and also bring great stay and confirmation to a mind that is once inlightned but the maine strength of all dependeth vpon the testimonie of the Spirit Thirdly In the ministery of the Prophets Apostles so as they could not erre I obserue the qualitie of their doctrine thus deliuered by diuine inspiration First It was not subiect to error for howsoeuer they were men subiect to sinfull infirmitie and in part onely regenerate whose seruice it pleased God to vse for this purpose yet in the deliuery of the Doctrine they were so extraordinarily gouerned and inspired with his Spirit that they d Ioh. 16. 13. could by no meanes erre Secondly It is holy both the whole and euery part whereupon grow these speeches e 2. Pet. 1. 21. The holy men of God f 2. Pet. 3. 2. The holy Prophets g Eph. 3. 5. Reu. 18. 20. The holy Apostles h 2. Pet. 2. 22. The holy Commandements i Rom. 1. 2. The holy Scriptures whereas all other bookes and speeches of men are prophane further then they fetch some holinesse from hence Thirdly That both their Sermons and these Bookes written by the Spirit of Christ are of soueraigne authoritie in the Church of God and haue the sole pre-eminence for the deciding of all controuersies the iudging and discerning of all sayings and writings of men for vnto them the holy Ghost doth alwaies call vs k Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimonie if they speake not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them And this is it which Christ vsed as the weapon to foile Satan Math. 4. So the Apostle Paul 1. Corin. 15. 3 4. maketh the Scriptures to giue credit to his doctrine I haue deliuered vnto you that which I haue receyued that Christ dyed for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he was raysed the third day according to the Scriptures c. The men likewise of Berhea Acts 17. 11. are commended for examining by the Scriptures the things which Paul taught Therefore our Sauiour l Iohn 5. 39. Christ referreth vs to the Scriptures as to the Touchstone of all truth Search the Scriptures and in m Matth. 22. 25 another place Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures For the authority of these Bookes is greater than the authoritie of the Church as the authoritie of God who cannot erre must needes be greater than the authority The Popish Doctrine which hangeth the authoritie of the Scriptures vpon the Church of men that may and doe erre Againe the Church hath her life and being from the Word inasmuch as faith which maketh a Church cannot bee without the Word So hath not the Word from the Church Thirdly It is aboue the authoritie of the Angels of heauen n Gal. 1. 8 9. who if they preach any other doctrine are to be held accursed How much more aboue the authoritie of the Church Fourthly Our Sauiour Christ attributeth this excellencie to his Word which men or Angels cannot challenge that in the latter Day it is That which shall iudge him that doth not receiue it Iohn 12. 48. But why then is the Church called the Pillar of Truth 1. Tim. 3. 15 Surely because the Truth of God dwelleth no where else and there is alwaies Truth sufficient to saluation Not that the Church eyther beareth and bringeth forth the Truth of God or is the chiefe and fundamentall ground to hold it vp for she her selfe hath another foundation to sticke vnto from whence shee fetcheth all her Truth which is the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles o Eph. 2. 20. 1. Cor. 3. 11. Esay 28. 16. Christ himselfe beeing the head Corner-stone and is not the Mother but the Nurse of the Truth of God that cherisheth and preserueth the same and giueth testimonie thereof vnto the World To the true meaning of the Scriptures we are to reach by the Scriptures themselues the same Spirit that indited them suggesting and opening the sence vnto vs. So did the Leuites that taught the people Nehem. 8. 9. render the sense and giue the vnderstanding of it by the Scripture it selfe Our Sauiour also Matth. 4. beeing set vpon by Satan that clipped and wrested the Scriptures to serue his owne turne confuted his false glosses and expositions of it by the conference of other Scriptures The meanes we must vse for this purpose are these First we must come with a mind to profit and to bee made the better by them not to read them for knowledge onely or vaine ostentation much lesse to cauill at them Secondly Prayer is to bee vsed to God to open and enlighten our hearts that wee may see the wonderfull things that lye hid therein Thirdly We are to frequent the House of God and to giue diligent attendance vpon the Ministery and Preaching of the Word whereby the Doctrines deliuered in the Scriptures are beaten out and made familiar and plaine vnto vs the same being also the ordinarie meanes by which the holy Ghost doth vse to worke in our hearts all true and spirituall wisdome Fourthly the true sense and nature of the words euery one apart and the construction of them all together must be waighed Fiftly We must alwaies take the proper and naturall sense if the matter it selfe will beare it Sixtly The summe of the matter the scope and drift of the place the Arguments and their coherence the method
first of the Nature Persons and properties of the Godhead then of his soueraigntie and command together with the duty of Allegiance which wee owe vnto him which if men were able to performe as the Law of their Creation not enioyneth onely but inabled them vnto and as the Angels doe in Heauen they neede goe no farther but should be blessed in the doing of it But because that is a path which no foot of man can tread he propoundeth in the other three to miserable man fallen now away the blessed Sonne of God that peerelesse Pearle and inestimable Treasure of the World Iesus Christ the righteous who hath gone the tracke for vs and regeneration righteousnesse and sanctification through him more briefly Iohn 17. 3. hee noteth the perfect distribution of Diuinity To know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ These two parts lacking apt names to expresse them you may perhaps till we light vpon some better not altogether vnfitly call Theologie and Christianitie for so Theologie doth in his proper and naturall signification sound a Speech of or concerning God The name of Christianity taking it for the Doctrine of Christianitie as is vsuall in words of art may aptly bee deduced from diuers t Act. 13. 26. and 26. 18. 1. Pet. 4. 16. places of holy Writ and is the same in sense which the u Col. 3. 16. Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word of Christ. But till these termes by custome and vse bee worne and made familiar and our eares better acquainted with them I thinke it not amisse to forbeare the names let the thing be vnderstood To define God perfectly as that great and Christian God is Iehouah three persons Iehouah which is Being or perfection it self x Ramus in his Theology Logician said wee had neede of Gods owne Logicke whose nature knowne onely to himselfe infinitely exceedeth all thought and apprehension that can possibly bee in any creature wherefore to keepe vs within the limits of sobriety not taking vpon vs to define that wee know not which were folly and madnesse much lesse attempting it in the God-head which were extreme vngodlinesse we must remember the answere that God made vnto Moses desiring to see the Maiestie of his presence that he should see his hinder y Exod. 33. 23. parts but his face could not be seene There is then in God a forepart and a face there is a hinder part and backe By his face that is his very Maiestie and Essence no man or Angell is able to define GOD but by those steps and markes of his glory whereby he hath manifested himselfe in his Word and Works as it were by his hinder and backe parts we may in some sort describe him which what they are appeare in the next Chapter when passing by Moses whom he set in the hollow of a Rocke and couered with his hand till he were gone by he cryed z Exod. 34. 6. IEHOVAH IEHOVAH the mighty God mercifull and gracious long suffering and full of kindnesse and truth preseruing kindnesse for thousands forgiuing iniquity and rebellion and sinne by no meanes freeing the guiltie visiting the iniquity of fathers vpon children and vpon childrens children to the third and fourth Generation All which and whatsoeuer notes of his glory else scattered here and there in the whole Volume of the Scriptures or shining euery-where in the large Volume of the Heauens are many times comprehended in one onely word as Iah Iehouah or Ehieh that is to say I am as if you would say Being or perfection it selfe For these three comming from the same a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 root and being in effect but one are that essentiall and proper name of God whereby he calleth himselfe when he would paint out men the excellency of his Nature and distinguish it from all other things that are in Heauen or vpon the earth or vnder the earth So Exod. 3. 13 14 15. vnto Moses asking him When I shall say vnto them The God of your fathers hath sent me vnto you and they say to me What is his name what shall I say to them IEHOVAH answered MOSES EHIEH or I am for I am And he said Thus shalt thou say to the Children of Israel EHIEH that is I am hath sent me vnto you Againe God said to MOSES Thus shalt thou say vnto the Children of Israel IEHOVAH the God of your fathers the God of ABRAHAM the God of ISACK and the God of IACOB hath sent me vnto you This is my Name for euer and this is my Memoriall vnto all Ages Of the other we reade Psal 68. 5. Exalt him for his Name IAH It is most certaine that b Plato in his Dialogue entituled Cratylus the name of a thing if it be rightly giuen serueth to set out the true nature property of the thing wherein consisted a great part of that wisedome which was in Adam who c Gen. 2. 19. gaue apt and fit names to all the Beasts of the Field and to all the Fowles of the Ayre according to their quality and condition much more is the same to be thought of this Name which the most wise God taketh to him and is neuer giuen to any Creature Man nor Angell to Temple Sanctuary nor any holy place else not so much as in a Sacramentall signification if the places seeming to serue for that purpose be rightly skanned These words therefore doe truly and perfectly comprehend that backe part of his or d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 1. 19. whatsoeeuer may be knowne of God so farre as our slender capacity is able to reach For first hereby appeareth that all that is is in him subsistence life vnderstanding will holinesse happinesse and whatsoeuer else all proper to him all his and commeth from him all essentiall vnto him and of his nature all infinite eternall and vnchangeable Or to speake more plaine in that he is Being first he must needs haue in himselfe the very life soule and perfection of all things that be subsistence life vnderstanding will holinesse happinesse and whatsoeuer else Secondly all this hee hath infinitely for what can bee imagined where Being should be excluded Thirdly nothing is in him but essentiall and of his nature for all is his Being Fourthly how can being it selfe otherwise be then of and from it selfe Fiftly Being can neuer leaue to bee nor haue beginning of his Being and therefore is eternall Lastly it is not possible that any thing should bee whom Being doth not make to bee In briefe God is being life vnderstanding will holinesse happinesse essentially infinitely eternally causally to himselfe and others And so doth the Apostle at once expound all those names when hee saith e Rom. 11. 36. For of him and by him and to him are all things But this needeth some larger explication Therefore it shall not bee amisse more particularly to deduce these things and
Chro. 15. 3. Israel by which is meant not the ten Tribes onely but Iudah and Beniamin as the sequel of the Chapter sheweth is said to haue beene a long time without the true God without Priest to teach without the Law And Paul 2. Thess 2. 3. telleth of a generall defection and falling from the Truth that no face of a visible Church should be discerned Antichrist should so vniuersally set vp his throne which in the height and fulnesse of Poperie we see to haue bin accomplished Although that God hath and alwaies had some that are his as appeareth by that which the Lord d Rom. 11. 2 3. answered to Elias But I call it a visible Church because it may be seene and knowne who are such Professors though the Church of the Elect cannot be seene This outward Church vniuersall is further Seuerall companies that assemble for the exercises of the Word are so many Churches members of the whole to be considered in the beautie it receiueth by companies and assemblies drawne by the power of Christs Spirit to associate and ioyne themselues together in the profession of his Name which is a singular ornament and a marueilous gracing of the whole thus to be distinguished into particular meetings as it were the field of the Lord into seuerall closures or a garden into seuerall beds or alleyes Whereby Gods glory is much the more conspicuous Such a Church or Congregation for so in ordinary sense the Scripture vseth the word Church neither standeth of one or two nor a few in a corner but of many enough to performe all seruices of the Church and those publiquely assembling So the Apostle speaketh of the e 1. Cor. 11. 18. Corinths Comming together to the Church and to the Hebrewes f Heb. 10. 25. Leaue not your assembling together as the manner is of sâ—me But not euery assembly of Professors doth forth with make a Church but their assembling in the name of Christ for Prayer Administration of the Sacraments or other spirituall matters whereby the Church is distinguished from the Common-wealth and ciuill meetings And this badge or marke our Sauiour setteth vpon it Matth. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name And Paul 1. Cor. 1. 5. 4. 5. I haue decreed when you and my Spirit are gathered together in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliuer such a one to Satan So wee read in the Acts that the first day of the Weeke the Disciples gathered together to breake bread Act. 20. 7. And not in vaine doe the Churches so assemble God And in euery of these hath alwaies some that are his indeed hath made vnto them this large and ample promise that he will be alwayes effectuall to renue some of them by the power of his Spirit vnto euerlasting life for the ministery of the Word with the vse of the Sacraments and the exercise of true discipline sounding in euery Church g Math. 13. 3 â— 5 6 7. neuer returneth emptie but howsoeuer much of it fall by the way or vpon stonie places or among the thornes yet some alwayes lighteth vpon good ground and bringeth forth fruit in that measure that God hath appointed A promise anciently made to the Church as appeareth Esay 9. 251. This shall be my Couenant with them saith IEHOVAH My Spirit that is in thee and the words I haue put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seedes seede saith IEHOVAH from this time forth for euermore Which promise our Sauiour hath also renued Matth. 28. 19 20. Goe therefore and gather Disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to keepe all things whatsoeuer I haue commanded you And behold I am with you alwayes vnto the end of the world Hereof it is that so many things are generally attributed to the Churches professing Christ because the same is alwaies true in some that are among them As where they are called h Eph. 1. 1. Faithfull ones i Eph. 1. 1. Holy k 1. Cor. 1. 2. Sanctified and the Iewes in generall l Exod. 19. 5 6. A holie Nation A peculiar people c. So Deut. 32. 15. They are called leshurum that is The righteous people for that all being called to that honour many of them were such indeed although of a number it were also true that they m Vers 5. were none of his sonnes Another noble Prerogatiue belongeth to the outward Their children also are of the Church Church that they purchase not onely this dignity for themselues by the profession of their faith but their children also are borne free Burgesses of this Citie as the promise is made to n Gen. 17. 7. ABRAHAM I will be the God of thee and of thy seed for as the Apostle saith The gifts which Christ bestoweth vpon the outward Church are for the Churches coÌ„mon good or for a mans owne priuate for the common good are first things committed to the Churches keeping then Ministeries and Graces The things committed are his Word whereof we haue spoken to be preached Sacraments to be administred and other holy things Rom. 11. 16. If the Root be holy so are the branches also Else-where doth the same Apostle Gal. 2. 15. oppose Iewes by nature to sinners of the Gentiles but to shew that from the very birth the children of beleeuing parents are within the outward Couenant of the forgiuenesse of sinnes And this is not to be restrayned to such children onely as are borne of both parents beleeuers but if any one of them be of the Church so is the child likewise for the vnbeleeuing man is sanctified by the beleeuing wife and the vnbeleeuing woman is sanctified by the beleeuing husband so farre as to make our children that otherwise were vncleane to be holy 1. Cor. 7. 14. Christ not onely gathereth a Church vnto himselfe a precious possession out of the world and the delight and ioy of the earth but he garnisheth it also and setteth it forth with many goodly ornaments and rich endowments which the Apostle calleth Gifts Ephe. 4. 7 8. Some for the publique some for a mans owne priuate Of these the first are certaine rich Iewels of inestimable price and valew his Word Sacraments and other holy things which Christ hath layed vp in the Arke of his Church and committed to their care as a treasure which he will trust none but his Church withall As vnder the Law in the Holy of holies wherein was the Arke were kept the o Heb. 9. 3. Tables of the Testament the Word the golden pot that had Manna a Sacrament and Aarons Rod that had budded for p 〈◊〉 â—7 10 1. Cor. 4. 21. a signe against the rebellious His word
doest so graciously extend to vs being thy selfe eternall and therefore exercising an eternall power and dominion in the World not onely confounding those whome thou hast appointed to destructiō to the praise of thy glorious Iustice but which is principally here considered creating anew an eternall people to thy selfe to the prayse of thy glorious Grace Hauing thus finished the Lords Prayer because the sence which I gaue of the fourth Petition may seeme new though it cannot bee called new which a number of the Fathers doe so expound yet for the better satisfying of the godly Reader let mee shortly render my reasons for it First I hold this Prayer to bee a compendiarie summe of all the holy Doctrine concerning God and our Saluation in Christ wherein it cannot bee thought that he himselfe and our incorporating into him the roote and bases of all good things wee haue from him should be omitted being that which he so presseth vs to seeke and giueth the first place vnto in all his Doctrines Iohn 3. 3. Iohn 4. and Iohn 6. which Chapter may serue for a Commentarie vpon this place Secondly The method and order of the Petitions were not so naturall to aske earthly benefits before heauenly Blessings Thirdly the Analogie and correspondence of these latter Petitions with the former three for as they beginning with the great and glorious Name of God fall afterwards to his adioynts of Kingdome and Honour so these beginne with Christ and Regeneration through him the fruits whereof are Iustification and Sanctification which follow in their place as the Apostle agreeably hereunto reduceth the benefits we haue by Christ to these three heads that in the same order Regeneratiō the root mother of the rest Iustification and Sanctification the two twinnes and noble payre that commeth from it 1. Ioh. 5. 8. There be three that beare record in Earth to the Soule and Conscience of euery true Beleeuer The Spirit or part regenerate Water whereby wee are washed and clensed from our sinne and Bloud purging and abolishing both the roote and fruites of it which is attributed to the bloud of Christ Heb. 9. 14. 1. Iohn 1. 7 9 And that is so to bee taken in this place not for expiatition I gather by that the Apostle p 1. Iohn 5. 6. said before This is he that came by Water and Bloud that is to say not our Iustifier only which all men doe willingly imbrace but to sanctifie vs also which men will not so easily bee brought vnto Fourthly Seeing it is plaine that by obtayning pardon for our sinnes and Righteousnesse in Christ which is asked in the fift Petition consequently wee haue all the Blessednesse that belongeth to it one part whereof is this to haue all outward things as additaments and appendances cast vnto vs so farre as God hath appointed them for our good as our Sauiour Christs both speech and promise is Mat. 6. 33. and further then that wee haue no warrant to desire them it seemeth not so likely that either our Sauiour Christ would rent these things a sunder and transplant one from another especially to set the fruit before the branch that beareth it or in so short a summe admit of repetition which must needs follow if being else-where included wee aske them here by name And this also may serue to prooue that no defect or maime can iustly be imputed to this absolute forme of Prayer though outward things come not within compasse of the fourth Petition Fiftly The doubling of the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth it to be no common Bread but a Bread of some rare and singular qualitie the very like doubling of the Article to that purpose you finde in this selfe-same argument Iohn 6. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And most aptly is Bread here taken vp to expresse our spirituall coniunction with Christ being that which to the Worlds end must represent him in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Lastly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which maketh all the doubt being neuer read but in this Prayer onely and therefore of an vncertayne signification I deriue from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the best Interpreters as I make no doubt it must of necessitie be but not in that sence which I see them to do who expound it competent or sufficient for our nature that is for our sustenance and nourishment Of which signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you shall hardly finde any example as H. Stephen in his Greeke Thesaurus noteth But in that sence which the Scripture vseth it Luke 14. 12 13 and neuer otherwise as it signifieth wealth and substance from whence I take to bee deriued two words of neere affinitie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Titus 2. 14. one noting that which as the remayne and ouerplus of our substance we lay vp in store and keepe for a Iewell the other that which excelleth all wealth and substance which among many other is one signification of the proposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 9. 5. Ephes 4. 6. and so doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aptly answere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119. 14. I reioyce in the way of thy Testimonies as aboue all substance And it seemeth vnto mee that our Sauiour Christ doth herein allude to that saying of SALOMON Cant. 8. 11. If a man would giue all the substance of his House for this Loue of Iesus Christ to whome I am euen now ascending out of the Wildernesse of this World to ioyne and vnite my selfe by Faith hee should bee vtterly despised yet the other Interpretation which the most Learned and best Diuines of our time do follow carryeth a sound and a godly sence against which no exception can be taken And therefore in such cases men are not to striue To come to the other notes whereby wee may assure our owne soules and giue good testimonie vnto other that we are of the number of those which are sanctified through Christ Next vnto Prayer is the q Luke 21. 9. patient bearing of afflictions Our Sauiour calleth it The r Mat. 16. 24. taking In your patience possesse your soules Col. 1. 11. That yee may bee strengthened vnto all patience and long sufferance with ioy vp of our Crosse which being so hard a Lesson to take out and ſ Heb. 10. 36. Patience a thing that wee haue speciall need of the Scripture vseth many Arguments to perswade vs thereunto Taken from the causes of affliction both principall in GOD and secondarie in our selues from the end from the effects and lastly from the things that doe accompanie and are adioyned to it If any man will come after mee let him denie himselfe and take vp his Crosse and follow me For first the consideration of this that God is the Authour of all iudgements hath a singular vse for the quieting of our mindes in the stormes and tempests of afflictions for whether
Apostle bearing witnesse that by faith onely wee vnderstand it for howsoeuer many of the Heathen who knew not God especially the wiser sort haue in a kinde acknowledged a Creation Neyther in truth can any bee so blockish as not to see it if he looke but vp to Heauen and the frame of this World which haue the name of their Workeman and Creatour written in their fore-head yet neuer was there any not so much as the wisest of them that could attaine to this How the World should bee made of nothing Heere therefore all reason of man must stoope and bee content to learne of him in whose Schoole it is better to bee Schollers then Teachers and Professors any where besides who not onely maketh men wiser then the beasts of the field as it is in the p Iob 35. 11. Booke of Iob but teacheth his wisedome aboue the wisedome of the wise and guideth them by pathes that no foote of vaine Philosophie is able for to walke Thirdly I note the order and manner how all this was effected First The Angels and their World the highest Heauens were without more adoe immediately made of nothing But for men and the World which here we see it was somewhat in another sort For touching the World it selfe First God minding to erect such a large and goodly Theater wherein hee would make full demonstration of his incomparable both Power Wisedome and Goodnesse q Gen. 1. 1 2. framed first an empty an vnshapen lumpe without fashion without forme called Waters for the vast hugenesse of it Darknesse for the confusion and lacke of forme and the Deepe for the emptinesse without bottome to rest vpon which lest it should vanish and come to nothing hauing no steaddinesse to vphold it the Spirit of God lay vpon it and ouer-spred it to keepe it from decay Secondly Out of this lumpe and vnformed confusion did God afterwards distinctly forme this World and all the parts of it First those foure Elements called the simple bodies by fetching one contrary out of another as Light out of Darknesse the Firmament out of emptinesse dry Earth out of Waters then the compound bodies out of the same Elements and for the most part of all foure vnequally mingled together euery one principally out of the same Element which they garnish or inhabit As Grasse and Trees out of the Earth The Sunne the Moone the Stars wholly or specially out of the r For it is plaine by Moses that the Heauens theÌ„selues and those celestiall bodies were made not of any fift essence as Aristotle and some other dreame but of elementary matter namely of the fire Whereupon the very substance and the whole frame and compasse of them all which wee call the Skye is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aether from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to burne for that al things there are fiery as Anaâ—agâ—r an old Philosopher did well deriue it Albeit Aristotle in his first Booke de Câ—lo reiect this Etymologie and preferres another rather from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is in perpetuall motion But that seemeth neither so naturall for the Word nor so apt for the matter fire as may not vnprobably be gathered Fishes out of the Waters Birds out of the Ayre Beasts out of the Earth But men and women as a piece of singular worke hee framed in a more artificiall sort The body of man by Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 2. 7. whereunto Paul alludeth 1. Tim. 2 1◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forming and figuring it as a Potter doth his Vessels out of the Clay of the Earth And therefore heauy and lumpish dead of it selfe and without any sence or feeling Whereinto he breathed a soule not as a part of the Diuine Nature or of Gods owne essence which to thinke were impious and absurd but because it was made neyther of the Ayre nor of any other elementary matter but onely by his Word and the power of his Spirit and this hee knit vnto one person with the body to quicken and giue life vnto it and to make it a perfect man The woman hee framed and formed out of the Rib of man And all this Moses plainly expresseth Gen. 2. 4 5 6 7 * Finished in six dayes The fourth thing I obserue in the Creation is the time which it pleased GOD to take for the finishing of this worke in that he created not all at once and in a moment as he could haue done but tooke the space of sixe t Gen. 1. 31. 2. 1. 2. 3. dayes for it within which compasse Heauen the place of the blessed Angels together with the Angels themselues were made as Moses plainly teacheth Gen. 2. 1 2. Therefore the first day God made First Heauen and Hell For Hell it is probable to bee supposed hee did then make when Heauen the other part of the vnseene World was made And that Heauen was the first worke of all is easie to be gathered by the very order wich Moses u Gen. 1. 1. 2. 1. vseth Secondly The Angels those Creatures of x 2. Cor. 11. 4. Light the Tenants and Inhabitants of the highest Heauens who in Iob y Job 38. 7. are said to shoute and sing forth the prayses of God when those heauenly Bodies the Sunne the Moone the Starres were made as astonished at the excellency of their beautie And therefore themselues were before that time created Thirdly That vnfashioned lumpe Fourthly Fire The second Day he made the Ayre The third Day First Water Secondly Earth Thirdly Grasse and Trees The fourth Day the Sunne the Moone the Starres The fifth First Fishes Secondly Birds The last Day hee made First Beasts Secondly Man and Woman A fift and last thing to be obserued in the Creation is And was of euery Creature in excellency of perfection that all the Creatures were made exceeding good whether you consider them singly and apart or all of them together As from God that is goodnesse it selfe nothing can come but absolutely good For the further sealing vp of which Doctrine wee haue the testimony of God himselfe both in euery speciall God z Gen. 1. 4. saw the Light that it was good and so in the rest and in the generall conclusion of all God a Gen. 1. 31. looked vpon all that hee had made and behold it was exceeding good This goodnesse in the Creatures generally is the excellencie of perfection according to that their nature is capable of for goodnesse in that place is not to bee taken as opposite vnto vice and to that foule deformitie which is a breach of the righteous Law of God but it noteth that perfection and excellency of estate that euery Creature was framed in according as his nature was fit and able to receiue No weaknesse or infirmitie was then any where to be seene No corruption or decay nothing out of frame or ioynt so as now wee see the whole
present doe I see with cheerfulnes freely offering vnto thee By this argument the r 2. Cor. 9. 7. Apostle exhorting to liberalitie willeth euery one to doe as he purposeth in his heart that is freely and of his owne accord determineth with himselfe For saith hee God loueth a cheerefull giuer And thereupon the Children of God are euery-where called A Å¿ Psal 110. 3. Cant. 6. 9. free-hearted people Whereunto the same Apostle there maketh griefe and necessitie to be contrarie Griefe when wee performe good duties heauily and with grudging not of a franke and readie minde Necessitie when wee doe them indeed but against our will onely because wee must needs doe so to saue our credit and reputation among men whereas otherwise wee would not doe them And so doth Peter also oppose these two 1. Pet. 5. 2. Of the other vertue we haue a notable Example in our Sauiour t Marke 3. 5. Christ who was angry and sorrie withall at the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts The contrarie whereof is vnaduised anger such as the Apostle speaketh of Iam. 1. 20. The wrath of man worketh not the Righteousnesse of God or that which God prescribeth For this Ionas is reproued of God Ionas 4. 9. And Ahab u 1. King 21. 4. taxed that he was discontented and angry because NABOTH would not let him haue his Vineyard The third affection is feare of offending in any thing which Salomon maketh the Badge of Gods Children Blessed x Pro. 28. 14. is the man that feareth alwayes And y 1. Pet. 1. 17. Peter doth exhort vs If yee call him Father which without respect of persons iudgeth according to euery mans worke passe the time of your dwelling heere in feare The contrary is carnall securitie when a man runneth on in the hardnesse of his heart without Repentance for so Salomen doth there oppose it But he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill Thou saith z Rom. 2. 5. PAVL after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest to thy selfe wrath against the Day of Wrath. And a Deut. 19. 19. Moses in Deuteronomie Take heed that there be not any among you that when he heareth the words of this curse blesse himselfe in his minde saying Peace shall be vnto me though I walke after the fantasie of mine owne heart So adding a drunken soule to a thirstie one Lastly our whole bodie and all the members of it ought holily to expresse the inward holinesse of our mind soule Ye are b 1. Cor. 6. 20. bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirits which are Gods present c Rom. 12. 1. your bodies a liuing Sacrifice holy and acceptable vnto God Giue your d Rom. 6. 19. members seruants vnto Righteousnesse in Holinesse The vnmarryed e 1. Cor. 7. 34. woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may bee holy both in body and in spirit And the Apostle f Heb. 10. 22. speaketh not onely of the sprinkling of our hearts from an euill conscience but of the washing of the body by the bloud of Christ with cleane water For this cause our Sauiour g Heb. 10. 5. Christ comming into the World saith Sacrifice and Oblation thou wouldest none of but a body thou hast fitted for me wherein to yeeld your absolute and perfect obedience that is better then all Sacrifice The contrary whereof is the dishonouring or defiling of our owne bodies wherof the Apostle speaketh Rom. 1. 24. And the giuing of our Members seruants vnto vncleannesse and to iniquitie to commit iniquitie Rom. 6 19. which is there opposed to the former of giuing themselues vnto Righteousnesse in Holinesse In this part of the Members of our bodie the senses first are to be acquainted with good things especially the sight and hearing Incline h Pro. 4. 20. thine eares vnto my words Blessed i Mat. 13. 16. are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare The contrarie whereof is the abusing of them as our first k Gen. 3. Parents did Next is the Tongue for by it as the Apostle l Iam. 3. 9. saith blesse we God Of this it is said m Rom. 14. 11. Euery tongue shall giue thankes vnto God that euery n Phil. 2. 11. tongue may confesse that Iesus Christ is Lord vnto the glory of God the Father The contrary whereof is when the mouth speaketh vaine things as it is Psal 144. 8. To the tongue belongeth open profession of God and of all good duties Be readie o 1. Pet. 3. 15. alwayes to make profession to euery one that asketh of you an account of the faith which is in you p Rom. 10. 10. for with the mouth men make confession to saluation Ye q Exod 23. 13. shall make no mention of the names of other gods neither shall they be heard out of thy mouth Their r Psal 16. 4. sorrowes shall be multiplyed that endow another god I will not powre their burnt Offerings of bloud nor take their names in my lips And hither are to be referred all outward markes of this profession as in Gods seruice The calling vpon of his Name Bowing and kneeling Lifting vp of hands eyes c. as the people did Nehem. 8. 16. answering all Amen Amen with the lifting vp of their hands and stooped and bowed downe to IEHOVAH with their face to the ground ward In doing reuerence to Superiours Å¿ Leuit. 9. 32. vncouering our head and rising vp before them c. The contrary whereof is Open profession of wickednesse when a man need not to digge to finde out their sinnes as the Prophet speaketh Ier. 2. 34. they are so plaine and manifest vnto all or as it is in t Ezech. 24. 7. EZECHIEL When they set their sinne vpon the cliffe of the Rocke in the open face and view of the World and do not powre the same vpon the earth to couer it with dust loth it should be seene Such is that Esay 3. 10. The obstinacie of their face testifieth against them and they doe not conceale but vtter their sinne openly shamelesly and obstinately as Sodom whose impudencie of sinning was such and so audacious that the u Ier. 20. 16. Prophet saith of them God heard a cry in the morning and a shooting at noone day And IEREMIE x Ier. 2. 25. When I said Keepe thy foot from being vnshod and thy throte from being athirst thou saidst desperately No for I loue strange gods and them will I follow Againe y Ier. 18. 12. They say desperately We wil go after our own thoughts and euery one do after the fancie of our own wicked heart And hither Their errour which hold it lawfull to bee present at Idolatrous seruice keeping a mans Conscience to himselfe And where such beare themselues bold vpon the example of Naaman the Syrian 2. King 5. 17 18 let
for it is neere my house and I will giue thee a better Vineyard then it or if it seeme better in thine eyes I will giue theemony to the full value of it He that is so effected will reioyce in anothers good Reioycing in anothers good as in our own which is the top and perfection of loue as in his owne Rom. 12. 15. Reioyce with them that reioyce and weepe with them that weepe which is the top and perfection of loue And heereupon I take it by conference of both the Euangelists MATTHEW and MARKE that our Sauiour Mat. 19. 19. noteth out the tenth Commandement by these words Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe Which else-where is made the whole summe of all the second Table The contrary hereof is first Selfe-loue In q 2. Tim. 3. 2. the latter dayes men shall be louers of themselues Secondly Enuie maligning the good things of another condemned r 1. Tim. 6. 4. He is puffed vp and knoweth nothing but doteth about questions and strife of words whereof commeth Enuie Strife Raylings euill Surmises c. 1. Tim. 6. and the first of ſ 1. Pet. 2. 1. Wherefore laying aside all maliciousnesse and all guile and dissimulation and enuie and all euill speaking Peter 2. Thirdly Reioycing at his hurt The Psalmist complayneth of this Psalme 70. 34. Let them be turned backward and confounded that delight in my hurt let them goe backward for a reward of their shame that say There there And t Obad. v. 12. OBADIAH reprehendeth the Edomites for it Thou shouldest not haue beene glad of the day of thy Brother meaning his affliction the day when hee was made a stranger neither shouldest thou haue reioyced at the Iewes what day they perished This Commandement hath commonly another sence of forbidding onely the first lusts and motions of sinne but the reasons to confirme the Interpretation which I haue giuen I take it vnder reformation are plaine and pregnant which notwithstanding I offer without preiudice of other mens opinions submitting my selfe and them to those that can better iudge First The plaine euidence of the words Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours house which is to be inforced by the conference of the rest of the Commandements Honour thy father and thy mother Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not steale thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not beare false witnesse hauing all of them a common and a familiar vnderstanding such as euery man at the first hearing doth conceiue This therefore must haue the like And it is a thing in this point worthie to be obserued which the Talmudists cite so oft The u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Law they meane the Scripture speaketh according to common vse Now let any man indued onely with reason and vnderstanding be asked what this should meane Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours house he will certainly answere We must be content with our owne Secondly The word that Moses hath in x Deut. 5. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not long after thy Neighbours house c. Deuteronomie signifieth To long after a thing and To haue ones teeth water at it for so you shall finde it vsed Mach. 7. 1. and in many other places Thirdly The particular instances Thy Neighbours House Wife Man seruant Maide Oxe Asse or any thing that is his declare manifestly that goods and possessions are the proper subiect of this Commandement for which cause Exodus 20. 17. the Wife of our Neighbour his most y Pro. 19. 14. precious possession commeth not in the first place but is set in the middest of other possessions that by the very marshalling of the words it might appeare that this Commandement reacheth not to the desiring of ones Wife for filthinesse and vncleannesse sake Fourthly The order of the Commandements going by degrees from the greater to the lesse and so continually falling till you come to this sinne of couering which is the first step and beginning of all wrong and deceit and yet differeth in nature from them both Fiftly Adde hereunto that which I hold as a certayne ground and is prooued before at large that the corruption both of nature and desire is forbidden in euery one so as this cannot be restrayned to a seuerall degree of sin but a differing and distinct kinde of sinne from those that went before Sixtly and lastly our Sauiour Christ the best Interpreter of the Law doth so expound it Marke 10. 9. when reckoning vp all the Commandements of the second Table in stead of Thou shalt not couet he saith Thou shalt not depriue or bereaue a man of ought hee hath that is couet or desire to haue any thing that is his though it be neither by wrong nor fraude which two are forbidden in the words next before but rest in that which God hath giuen thee which in effect is to loue our Neighbour as our selfe as z Mat. 19. 19. Matthew hath it For that this must needs be the sence of that place Marke 10. 19. I gather first because no doubt our Sauiours purpose was to reckon vp al the Commandements without leauing out any one Secondly Else in so few words hee should make a superfluous repetition and not onely so but also speake darkly and obscurely that which was more cleerely taught before for Thou a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalt not bereaue cannot bee brought to explaine Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse it being a great deale more questionable what is meant by that word then by the other two CHAP. XV. Of the Couenant of Workes THE whole Doctrine of Righteousnesse in With the Creatures who are thus to doe his will it hath pleased God to make a Couenant which is called the Couenant of Workes A Couenant of life or blessednes to the doers of death or of a curse vnto transgressours the seuerall parts and branches of it hath hitherto beene declared which is indeed the perfect rule directorie of all duties whatsoeuer which either we owe to God or to our brethrē for his sake Now if a man shall aske but what good commeth to vs by the keeping of these Commandements This if there were no more is aboundantly sufficient that God is thereby glorified So as if it were possible which notwithstanding cannot be that doing his will we should perish euerlastingly yet ought wee as cherefully and with as readie mindes to obey as if wee were to gaine Heauen by it But see the exceeding bountie and goodnesse of God that will not haue vs serue him for nought He is pleased for the perfect keeping of his Law and the Righteousnesse by him inioyned not onely to promise a recompence of reward but to contract and couenant with vs and vnder certaine conditions as it were to binde himselfe vnto it which is the same that we call the Law or Couenant of workes the first Couenant that euer God made with his Creatures
c Daniel 9. 14. Daniel vseth the Phrase of purging sinnes in stead of the pardoning and taking them away by Christs purgation and the price which he should pay But shall we then make Christ the Beloued and Blessed one of his Father to bee accursed Verily the Apostle as he called him Sin before so in the same sense feareth not to say that he was made a Curse * Gal. 3. 13. for vs by imputation of the curse due to our sinnes The curse that our sinne deserueth beeing of two both that of this life Kindes both that of this life and the fulnesse of it due vnto vs after death Christ indured both Touching those of this life generally the Apostle to the Hebrewes faith d Heb. 4. 15. 2. 14. He was tempted and had experience of our infirmities in all things like to vs without sinne But to number them in order answerable to our owne they are these that follow First Satan himself molested him with his temptations to whose halings and pullings carrying and recarrying he subiected his sacred Bodie if we follow the literall sense and vnderstand the Euangelists words properly and his holy and innocent Soule to his temptations Math. 4. 5 8. Then the Deuill tooke him into the holy Citie and set him vpon a pinacle of the holy Temple Againe the Deuill tooke him into an exceeding high mountaine and shewed him c. Secondly the creatures were his enemies and armed to doe him hurt e Mark 4. 36 37 3â— the windes the stormes and the waues of the Sea did rise vp against him Thirdly he tooke vpon him the infirmities of our nature f Matth. 4. 2. Hunger g Iohn 4. 6. wearinesse weakenesse sicknesse c. Esay 53. 3 4. and Math. 8. 17. He hath indured our diseases and horne our sorrowes Fourthly Basenesse contempt abiection humbling himselfe who was Lord of Heauen and Earth and in the forme of God and equall with his Father not onely to come downe into the lower parts of the earth but emptying himselfe to become of none account and to take the forme of a seruant that is of a poore contemned person that the people and Rulers did abhorre him wherevpon worthily doth the Prophet call him h Esay 49. 67. Him whom euerie one despiseth whom the Nation esteemeth as abominable a seruant to the Rulers c. And againe i Isai 53. 2 3 4. There is in him no beautie nor comelinesse and when we looke vpon him there is no shew why we should desire him A contemptible person and an Abiect among men a man of griefe and acquainted with infirmity contemned so as we doe not esteeme him Fiftly Infinite calamities as Smitings Lyings in wait Spittings Scourgings Pouertie al kind of wrongs Contumelies Slanders Reproches Blasphemies Scoffings Esay 50. 6. My backe I expose to the Smiters and my checkes to the Nippers my face I hide not from contumely from spittle As in the holy Storie it is recorded they pittifully scourged him crowned him with Thornes scoffed and spit at him Particularly of Pouertie wee reade 2. Cor. 8. 9. Hee became poore for our sakes Insomuch that as hee k Mat. 8. 20. professeth of himselfe Hee had not where to lay his head Sixtly Bodily death and that a reprochfull one to be hanged Phil. 2. 8. He humbled himselfe vnto Death euen the Death of the Crosse All which were properly in him the l Esay 53. 34. Mat. 8. 17. punishment of our sinnes Touching the full cursednesse due vnto vs after death and the fulnes of it due vnto them after death which we affirme that hee indured the meaning is not that he felt the verie estate and condition of the damned but the whole and full seuere wrath of God due to sinne equall to the very Hellish torments in vehemencie of paines and sharpnesse which may appeare First because he suffered the very sorrowes and paines for sinne which else wee should haue borne as the Prophet saith m Esay 53. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He bare our iniquities and our very sorrowes hee sustayned neither could he otherwise haue beene the n 2. â—â—m 2. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 price of our Redemption nor our o Heb. 7. 22. Suretie if hee had not paid the verie summe Secondly The sorrow and trouble of his minde before hee came to handie-gripes whereof hee himselfe saith p Iohn 12 27. Now is my soule troubled And what shall I say Father saue mee from this houre but therefore came I vnto this houre my q Mat. 26. 38. soule is euery way compassed with sorrowes to death his feare fright because of this bitter Cup being so terrible that r Mar. 14. 33 34. Angels were faine to be sent downe to strengthen and incourage him that his bodie as yet without all harme Å¿ Luke 22. 44. trickled downe with clots of bloud in stead of sweate which was neuer heard of in any man besides shew that it was more then bodily paines euen the whole Cup of Gods wrath which hee so t Heb. 5. 7. feared in fearing felt and feeling was deliuered from Else he had not beene so strong as ten thousand Saints and Martyrs that fight but by his strength Thirdly It appeareth by the mayne battaile fought three whole houres vpon the Crosse all which time tugging in the fearefull darke with him that hath the power of darkenesse to hide from the eyes of the World the fire of his Fathers wrath which in that hot skirmish burnt vp euery part and to giue to the Enemie full scope and aduantage he cryed out at the last in the extremitie of his anguish but yet as one that had now ouercome the vttermost of the brunt My u Mat. 24. 45 â—6 God my God why hast thou all this while forsaken me Fourthly The Apostle expresly saith that x Gal. 3. 13. Christ was made a curse for vs. And it cannot be that hee meaneth that curse but of a shamefull and ignominious death only for he speaketh of the curse due to euery one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them from which Christ redeemed vs himselfe being made that curse for vs. Neither doth the reason which the Apostle rendreth As it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth vpon the Tree prooue that our Sauiour Christ was no otherwise accursed then as euery other Male factor is or as the Thiefe vpon the Crosse whose soule notwithstanding went to Paradise but his reason serueth for the contrarie to prooue that this kinde of death was by way of Type and Ceremonie accursed in the Law prefiguring the curse that was to light vpon our Sauiour Christ in whom all the Ceremonies of the Law had their accomplishment and perfection But how will you say could this feare in Christ be without sinne Because it grew not from weaknesse of faith much
the same come immediately from God without the hand of man wee are to remember him that said t Psal 39. 10. I am dumbe I opened not my mouth because thou hast done it Or if hee plague and scourge by men we are taught not to bee impatient nor to rage against the meanes but to looke vp vnto God as the chiefe working cause This made the holy man of God to say IEHOVAH u Iohn 1. 21. gaue and IEHOVAH hath taken blessed be the Name of IEHOVAH And Dauid when rayling Shimei threw stones at him and cursed him to his face Let x 2. Sam. 16. 11 him alone for IEHOVAH hath commanded him to curse DAVID How could Ioseph haue borne with patience the malice of his Brethren throwing him out of his fathers house and selling him into a strange Countrie had not this perswasion preuayled with him that it was the Lord that did it It y Gen. 45. 8. is not ye that sold me into Egypt but God that sent me hither Secondly God hath from euerlasting purposed and decreed vs to this end to glorifie his Name by suffering of afflictions For z Rom. 8. 29. whom hee hath fore-knowne them hee hath also predestinate to bee this way conformed to the Image of his Sonne And therefore being his will and purpose the Lord forbid that any man should be found so hardie as to oppose against it for Gods Counsels are alwayes best Whereupon the a 1. Thess 3. 3 4 Apostle saith Let no man bee mooued with these afflictions for your selues know that hereunto we are appointed Thirdly Not onely they come from God according to his euerlasting purpose but the same is in his loue and fauour towards vs For b Pro. 3. 12. whom the Lord loueth hee chasteneth euen as a father doth the sonne in whom hee taketh pleasure or as the Apostle to the Hebrewes hath it rendring the sence not incumbring the wordes And hee c Heb. 12. 6. scourgeth euery sonne whom he doth imbrace Fourthly Affliction as d Iob 5. 6. Eliphaz telleth IOB commeth not out of the dust neither doth tribulation spring from the Earth but man is borne vnto trouble as the little sparkes do flye vpward that is it commeth not by chance or fortune neither are we to lay the fault vpon any other but to impute vnto our selues the iust desert of our offences that e Leu. 26. 23 24 because we walke rashly with God therefore hee also walketh rashly with vs and therefore to f Micah 7. 9. beare the indignation of IEHOVAH because we haue sinned against him As also the Prophet teacheth Why g Lament 3. 39 40 41 42. should a liuing person keepe a wruling a man when he is chastized for the punishment of his sinnes Rather let vs sift our wayes and search and returne vnto IEHOVAH lifting vp our heart We know that to them that loue God all things worke together to good with both hands to the mightie God of Heauen saying We haue falne away and rebelled thou pardonest not c. Fiftly The end of them is for our h Rom. 8. 28. good and profit i Heb. 12. 10. as the Apostle speaketh that we may partake his Holines and that as k Deut. 8. 16. Moses saith hee may doe good vnto vs in the end for when l 1. Cor. 11. 31. wee are iudged wee are chastized of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the World Sixtly They worke m Heb. 12. 11. at the least the peaceable fruites of Righteousnesse to those that are exercised thereby Rom. 5. 3 4. Affliction worketh Patience and Patience Experience and Experience Hope and Hope maketh not ashamed PAVL by this Lesson was taught not to n 1. Cor. 1. 9. trust in himselfe but in God that rayseth vp the dead And againe That o 2. Cor. 12. 1. I might not be lift vp by the excellencie of Reuelation there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh some exceeding affliction the messenger of Satan to buffet me that I should not be puffed vp Yea Christ himselfe p Heb. 5. 1. though he were the Sonne yet he learned by the things hee suffered Obedience and was perfited thereby It is q Psal 119. 7. good for me saith DAVID that I was afflicted that I may learne thy Statutes And ESAY r Esay 26. 16. O IEHOVAH in affliction they visited thee they powred out submisse Prayers when thy chastizement was vpon them So God to whom our nature is best knowne telleth afore-hand Heb. 5. 5. In their affliction they will seeke mee early An example whereof is to be seene Psal 78. When Å¿ Psal 78. 34. he slew them then they sought vnto him and returned and went earely vnto the mightie God And notable is that of Ieremie I haue t Ier. 31. 18 19 certainly heard EPHRAIM mourning to himselfe and saying Thou hast chastized mee that I might bee chastized for I was an vntamed Hayfer Conuert me that I may be conuerted for when I shall bee conuerted it shall repent me and after I shall be shewed my fault I will clap vpon the thigh in signe of mourning I blush and am ashamed because I beare the reproch of my youth Seuenthly It is the way that leadeth vnto Glorie for if we suffer with him we shall also be glorified together with him Rom. 8. 17. Eighthly Affliction is a Crowne of Glorie an excellent and a noble benefit Philip. 1. 29. To you is this grace freely giuen not onely to beleeue in Christ but also to suffer for him 2. Cor. 12. 7. he boasteth of it as of a bountifull gift of God that I might not be lift vp by the excellency of Reuelations there was giuen vnto me a prick in the flesh Ninthly It is the common lot of all Gods Children For u 2. Tim. 3. 12. whosoeuer will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution And what x Heb. 12. 7 8. sonne is there saith the Apostle to the Hebrewes whom the Father doth not chastize Therefore if ye be without chastizement whereof all are made partakers then are ye Bastards and not children Therefore Ioha y Reuel 1. 9. calleth himselfe our brother and partner in affliction and kingdome and suffering for Christ Iesus And the speech of our Sauiour Christ is generall If any man will follow me let him take vp his Crosse c. For this cause is the Church called his z Esay 21. 10. threshing and the Sonne of his Floore One whom he beateth and thresheth with afflictions aâ— the Corne in the Barne is threshed with the Flaile and is compared to a a Exod 3. 2. Bush burning in the fire and to b Zach. 1. 8. Mirrh Trees that grow in a bottome in a place exposed to wind and weather and to all stormes A thing most necessary to be known and thorowly disgested for preuenting of those temptations
our Sauiour sheweth how in that great Day of his most glorious Comming all flesh shall be iudged not by their Faith or vnbeliefe but by their Workes as sure Arguments to approue to all the World the righteous Sentence of God especially to our selues they seale vp Gods Election and make it sure to vs for whosoeuer findeth not that hee hath in some measure the Spirit of Sanctification the Grace of Addoption and Iustification hath not yet laid hold vpon him Hither tend those exhortations so common in the Scripture r 2 Pet. 1. 10. Make your Calling and Election firme by your Workes c. True it is as Å¿ 2. Tim. 2. 19. the Apostle saith that there is a double Seale one resting in God himselfe which is firme and sure and neuer can be shaken but the other resteth in vs who are by good Workes to set that Seale vpon our Soules and Consciences The foundation of God remayneth firme hauing this Seale God knoweth who are his And Let euerie one that nameth the Name of CHRIST depart from iniquitie Thirdly Good Workes in those that professe Christ stop the mouth of the Aduersarie who otherwise is readie to slander the Gospell and to speake euill of it as of a doctrine of libertie So saith t 1. Pet. 2. 15. PETER For so is the will of God that doing well you might stop the mouth of the ignorance of foolishmen as free and not hauing libertie as a couer of naughtinesse Fourthly By this meanes wee giue a good Example vnto other and winne many to the profession of the Gospell Whereupon the same u 1. Pet. 3. 12. Apostle exhorteth Wiues so to behaue themselues that by the beholding of their chaste and modest carriage their Husbands that beleeue not the Word may without the Word bee gayned vnto Christ Fiftly God is pleased and hath promised of his free Mercie and Goodnesse to bestow a reward vpon them which ought to quicken vs to this dutie 1. Cor. 3. 8. Euery one shall receiue his owne reward according to his owne labour 2. Iohn Verse 8. Take heed to your selues that we lose not the good things we haue wrought but that we may receiue a full reward And thus farre touching our Sanctification in this Hereafter wee shall haue an Angellike perfection life weake and imperfect which in Heauen shall be fully and wholy perfected and we when receiued vp vnto Christ shall bee made x Ephes 5. 27. glorious without spot or wrinkle or any such thing and y Mat. 22. 30. like to the holy Angels This absolute perfection and Angellicall puritie free from the least spot of sinne whatsoeuer is a thing that must necessarily be attayned vnto First Because else we should not haue by the Mercie of God in Christ as good and holy an estate as we had by our first Creation and lost by our owne sinnes in Adam Secondly So long as man is imperfectly holy hee can neuer bee perfectly happie by inioying the presence of God before whom no sinfull thing can come Now this I mean that in this estate we shal be perfectly righteous not onely by Christs obedience imputed vnto vs made ours but by a righteousnes also inhereÌ„t in our selues for in the life to come the Elect shal bee restored to that perfect inherent Holinesse wherein Adam was created but in a more excellent measure euen in the full height and top of all perfection and great reason there is why we shall then so much excell First Because the faculties of our soule and bodie shal then bee made spirituall and glorified in an excellent manner as wee shewed before whereby to bee more quicke and readie for the performance of euery good and holy dutie then Adam was Secondly In respect of the place where wee shall be in Heauen where z 1. Cor. 13. 12. wee shall see God face to face and haue familiar conuersation in his presence This Celestiall Holinesse is all one with that which we haue in this World euen as our bodies and soules are the same but differing in the excellent measure of it That which followeth of this Angellicall perfection is First That there shall bee no more strife nor warfare against sinne Satan himselfe and all our spirituall foes being trodden vnder our feete and the Goale wee now striue for gotten and wonne whereupon the Church of God in Heauen is called The Church Triumphant for a Reuel 14. 13. they cease from their labours Secondly That there is no more Repentance no more sorrow and griefe for sinne b Reuel 21. 4 5 neither paine nor crying nor labour for all teares shall bee wiped from their eyes After the Doctrine of Sanctification order requireth Redemption whereby to speake of Redemption A double Redemption or to speake more properly Redemption in a double sence we find spoken of in the Scripture One the paying of the price by the sheading of Christs Bloud to free vs from the seruitude of sinne and death which the Apostle toucheth Ephes 1. 7. and Coloss 1. 14. and is the ransome or matter of our Redemption The other a fruit and effect of the former which in that place to the Ephesians c Ephes 1. 14. is also mentioned when by him wee are set free indeed And that is the Redemption meant 1. Cor. 1. 30. in the purting away of euill and the bestowing of freeing vs from the curse himselfe be comming a curse for vs all good Wherfore two parts here offer themselues One is the remoouing of our cursed estate setting vs free from Death Hell and Condemnation and from the Curse of the Law by his Death and Sufferings for by death hee hath abolished him that hath the power of death that is the Deuill and set them free who through feare of death were all their life long subiect vnto bondage saith the Apostle to the d Heb. 2. 14. Hebrewes And Gal. 3. 8. Christ hath redeemed vs from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for vs as it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth vpon the Tree The other is the making of vs blessed by the participation hee maketh vs blessed by the participation of his Blessednesse of his Blessednesse A reward that followeth our Iustification through Christ So wee are plainly taught Gâ—l 3. 8. The Scripture fore-seeing that by Faith God would iustifie the Nations published the glad tidings before vnto ABRAHAM that in thee that is in thy Seed Christ Iesus shall all Nations be blessed for being approoued of God as righteous in Christ consequently in him wee are to haue a reward Reuel 16. 6. They shall walke with mee in Whites for they are worthy The distinct degrees of Blessednesse come now to be Our Blessednesse in the estate we now are in standeth considered for truly may the Children of God be said euen in this life blessed meaning it in part as a step and stayre to climbe