consisting of a reasonable soul infused into him by God immediately Here we disallow not the Philosophers definition by which they call man a reasonable creature but we describe man in the Divinity-School more fitly for our purpose as we have now described him The RULES I. There is a threefold miraculous production of mans body mentioned in Scripture the first was of the dust of the earth without father and mother the second production was out of Adams rib without a mother the third was of the blood of the Virgin without a Father II. The soul of man is not propagated of seed by traduction but is immediately created by God and infused into the body Of mans Creation Moses writes thus Gen. 2. ver 5. 7. The Lord breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul In this place three things are mentioned 1. The immediate Creation of the soul for it is called the breath of God 2. His breathing for he saith He breathed into his nostrils 3. The personal union of body and soul in these words And he was made a living soul metonymically that is a living sensitive creature But that the souls now are immediately created by God and infused into the body is proved by these subsequent Reasons 1. Because otherways our souls should have another original then Adams had for ours must proceed of some pre-existent matter whereas Adams proceeded of none Neither will that objection hold concerning the different way or reason of generation and creation for nothing is generated of matter but what in the beginning was created of matter 2. Because the soul of Christ was not formed of seed by traduction for he was conceived not by the help of man but by the operation of the holy Ghost of the blessed Virgins blood 3. Because the Scripture when it speaks of the original of our souls it speaks as of a work of Creation not of nature Job 33.4 The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life Zach. 12.1 The Lord stretcheth out the heavens and layeth the foundation of the earth and formeth the spirit of man within him where it is plain that this is reckoned among the works of Creation 4. Such is mans generation as his dissolution is but mans dissolution is that his body returns to dust and his Spirit to God that gave it Eccl. 12.9 Whereas then in mans dissolution the Spirit returns immediatly to God doubtless it was immediatly formed by him 5. Because the Scripture doth plainly distinguish between the parts of bodies and Spirits Heb. 12.2 6. Because the soul is indivisible into parts therefore cannot be produced but of nothing 7. Because if it were generated by traduction either it must be generated of a soul or of a body or of a soul and body together but it is not generated of a soul * A. R. The soul could not be produced out of any pre-existent matter neither corporeal because it is not a body nor incorporal because spirits and incorporeal substances admit no change or transmutation because of that which is incorruptible nothing can be generated not of a body because it is not corporeal not of a body soul together because so it should be partly corporeal partly incorporeal seeing then it is produced of nothing it must be produced by God alone whose alone property it is to make things of nothing III. These Physical Axiomes Like begets like and Man begets man remain true also in this case both because man begets man a person begets a person as also because by the work of the Parents the body is begot as it were the subject of the soul and so is united to the soul which is infused by God and so thus the whole man is brought into this world by generation 'T is true that man is the efficient cause of man but not according to all his parts for as he is said to kill a man that kills only his body so man is said to beget man though he begets not the soul Neither again is man in this respect ignobler then other living creatures whereas rather for this very cause mans generation is more excellent in that Gods immediate operation concurs with natures work IV. Mans soul is immortal not simply as though God could not annihilate it but by Gods ordination and that it cannot be destroyed by second causes V. The faculties of the soul are really different from the soul as qualities or proper accidents from their subject The reason of this is taken from the event because the essence of the soul remains entire when the faculties are shaken and weakned VI. The souls faculties are either meerly organicall as the vegitive and sensitive facultie or are such onely in part and for a time as the understanding and will the former operate not when the body is corrupted but these without the help of the body can exercise themselves and operate when the body is destroyed VII Libertie from coaction is an essential property of the will Otherways the will were no will CHAP. VI. Of Gods actual Providence GOds actual Providence is that by which not only he preserveth his creatures but also according to his great wisdom goodness power justice and mercy he governs all things The RULES I. To deny * A. R. For he could not bo God if he did not order things to their end but this is providence 2. He were not God if he were not good but this is seen as well in the ordering as in the creating of the World 3. He were not God if he were not prudent but providence is the chief part of prudence this Providence is to deny God himself II. Actual Providence differs from eternal as Execution from the Decree III. As in Gods eternal Providence the will of his good pleasure so in this his revealed will is chiefly seen IV. Providence doth not only consist in knowledge but also in the Government of all things both great and small V. Gods Providence takes not away but establisheth the second causes VI. What * A. R. The world were not perfect if all things were necessary nothing contingent therefore God would have contingencies to depend from contingent causes and necessities from causes necessary therefore what falls out necessarily is because God hath so disposed it things are contingent in respect of the second causes are necessary in respect of Gods providence but this necessity is of immutability not of coaction VII Gods Providence is far different from the Stoicks fatall necessity For the Stoical fate ties God to the connexion of secondary causes but the Christian fate makes a subordination of the second causes to Gods most free will of which he makes use voluntarily not of necessity out of indulgence rather then indigence VIII By Gods Providence both good and evil are governed IX Good things are ruled by an efficacious action or effectual working to which
the creature was capable of V. He was exalted according to his divine nature not by accession of any dignity to it being considered in it self but by the manifestation of that majesty which before was hid under the form of a servant VI. * A. R. It is said here that Christ obtained his exaltation by his obedience nor by the way of merit It is true that Christ as God cannot merit Nor 2. did he merit the grace of union as man for that was infinitely more then man or Angels could merit Nor 3. did he merit by the act of free-will in his conception that plenitude of grace and knowledge which was infused into him Nor 4. did he merit any thing which was not due to him in respect of the Personal union Yet we may not deny but that he merited whatsoever honour was conferred on him before his death and likewise his exaltation after his resurrection for so the Apostle sheweth that because Christ humbled himself and because obedient to the death of the crosse therefore God exalted him Phil. 2.9 10 11. He shall drink of the brook in the way therefore shal he lift up his head Ps 110. Therefore S. Austin in Joh. tract 104. cals Christs humility the merit of his glory and his glory the reward of his humility This glory then was Christs due both in respect of the personal union and also in respect of merit for why may not a thing be due in a double respect Christ attained to this exaltation by his obedience not as it were by merit but as it were by the means or way VII The end hereof was to witnesse that he faithfully performed the office enjoyned him in his humiliation and to manifest his divine power by which he doth powerfully apply his merit to us The parts or degrees of this are three His Resurrection his Ascension to heaven and his Sitting at the Fathers right hand His resurrection was the first degree of exaltation by which Christ having overcome the power of death was raised the third day in that very flesh which he had laid down that he might live to God for ever The RULES I. Christ was not only the object but also the efficient cause of his resurrection Rom. 1.4 Being declared with power to be the Son of God according to the Spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead 1 Pet. 3.18 He died concerning the flesh but was quickned in the Spirit II. The matter of the Resurrection is the same body that was crucified but endowed and glorified with new qualities III. Neither was it so changed as to lose its quantity and three dimensions For otherwise it had been no body nor had Christ remained man in his Resurrection IV. The Forme consisteth in a new and indivisible union of soul and body V. Although Christs Resurrection was altogether miraculous yet it is false that his body passed through the stone which covered the grave or that it passed through the door after his Resurrection Mat. 28.2 The Angel of the Lord rolled away the stone Joh. 20.19 The doors being shut not through the doors that were shut VI. The end of his Resurrection besides that general end which was mentioned before is the assurance of our Resurrection both from the death of sin as also from death corporal Rom. 6.1 2. 1 Cor. 15.12 c. His ascension to Heaven was the second degree of his Exaltation in which Christ after he had conversed fourty days with his Disciples upon earth ascended into heaven The RULES I. Christ ascended both according to his divine and humane natures according to his humane at the object according to his divine as the efficient cause II. The Forme consisteth in Christs real and local translation from this world to the highest heaven III. Here we need not trouble our selves about penetration of bodies both because heaven is not a solid thick or iron body as the Philosophers would have it as also because one body can easily yield to another and the creature to the Creator IV. The doctrine of Christs corporal presence here on earth doth utterly overthrow that of his Ascension V. The special end of Christs ascension is to assure us of our threefold ascension the first is of faith and godlinesse in this life the second of our souls in death the third of body and soul in the last day The sitting of Christ at his Fathers right hand is the highest degree of his Exaltation by which being placed in heaven he is exalted above all power Eph. 1.20.21.22 He hath set him at his right hand in the heavenly places far above all principalities and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not in this world onely but in that also which is to come and hath made all things subject under his feet and hath appointed him over all things to be the head to his Church which is his body and the fulness of him that filleth all in all things The RULES I. To sit at Gods right hand is to have the next power after God After the manner of Kings who use to set them on their right hands to whom they will give the chief honour next to themselves Psal 45.10 The queen is at thy right hand 1 King 2.19 When Bathsheba came to Solomon to speak unto him for Adonijah the king rose to meet her and bowed himself to her and sat down on his throne and he caused a seat to be set for the Kings mother and she sate at his right hand Mat. 20.21 command that my two sons may sit the one at thy right hand the other at thy left in thy Kingdom II. Christ according to both Natures sits at Gods right hand III. The Humanity was so exalted that yet it was not made equal to the Divinity he received glory above all creatures yet not equal to that essential glory which he hath in common with the Father and the Holy Ghost In this highest degree of Exaltation Christ hath not left to do his office He performed his Prophetical office by furnishing his Ministers with gifts of old extraordinarily but now by ordinary means propagating his Gospel through all the world with most happy successe Ephes 4.11 Some he gave to be Apostles c. His Priestly office he exerciseth not in offering himself again or in casting himself with cries and sighs at his Fathers knees but in appearing before his Father for us with the merits of his most full satisfaction and in applying the same effectually to us Psal 110.4 The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek Heb. 9.24 He hath not entred into the Sanctuary made with hands which are similitudes of the true Sanctuary but is entred into the very heaven to appear now in the sight of God for us Lastly He useth his Kingly office not onely by ruling the Triumphant Church but also by gathering together the Militant Church
ye should be wise in your own conceit that blindness in part is happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved The Apostles scope in this is to dehort Christians from insulting over the Jews that are rejected because they themselves are called The reason is because by their ruine the Gentiles have received salvation ver 11. Yet so that all hope of reconciliation is not cut off from the Jews ver 15. Nor are they exempted from being rejected who being Christians onely in name are puffed up in their mindes ver 20 21. That former passage of the rejection of the Jews which was not altogether without hope of pardon doth shew in a mysterie that the Jews were not totally but in part only rejected not in respect of time for it was to last onely a while but in respect of that part of the Jewish Nation which contains the Reprobates so that the meaning is this blindness hath hapned not to all the Jews but to a part onely that is to the reprobates Neither have these words untill the fulness of the Gentiles come in this meaning that there shall be such a plausible calling of the Jews after the fulness of the Gentiles is come in For there is nothing more usual then that these particles untill or till being denyed or affirmed signifie the same that never or always As we shewed above c. 19. Neither doth that which the Apostle subjoyns v. 26. hinder any thing this interpretaton And so all Israel shall be saved For by the name of all Israel he understands the Elect which indeed are the true Israelites as above c. 9.7 c. he sheweth And also in the following places v. 28 c. 11. he explains saying As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the Election they are beloved for their fathers sakes The summe of the whole place is this The rejection of the Jewes nation in part whereby blindnesse shall remain upon the reprobate doth no wayes prejudice the elect of that same nation but they also and so all Israel shall be saved See Calvin on this place VII The signe of Christs presence shall be doubtless an incredible brightness and majestie in which he shall appear For he shall come in the clouds of heaven Mat. 26.64 with incredible glory Mat. 25.31 accompanied with the whole army of his Angels ibid. with a great shout and voice of the Archangel 1 Thess 4.16 By reason of his brightness the Sun and Moon shall be darkned as lesser lights by the greater and stars shall fall from heaven that is they shall seem to fall from heaven and the powers of heaven shall be shaken Mat. 24.29 yea at his sight heaven and earth shall seem to flie away Rev. 20.11 Thus of Christs coming The resurrection of the dead is whereby the bodies of the dead shall be raised but the bodies of those that remain alive shall be changed and shall be again united to their souls by an indissoluble union The RULES I. The Resurrection called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is First or Second That is a resuscitation from the death of sinne to the life of righteousnesse This is a revocation from death corporal to life Rev. 20.6 Blessed is he who hath part in the first resurrection II. The Scripture proves the Resurrection of the dead by testimonies a examples b types c and reasons d a Iob 19.25 26. Dan. 12.2 Hos 13.14 Mat. 22.31 c. 27.52 Ioh. 5.26 27 28. Phil. 3.21 1 Thess 4. and other such like places b The example of those that were raised by the ministery of Eliah 1 King 17.22 Elisha 2 King 4.34 2 King 13.21 by Christ also Mat. 9.25 Luc. 7.14 Ioh. 11.11 Mat. 27.52 53. and by the Apostles Act. 9.40 20.10 c The type of Aarons Rod budding Num. 17. of the Jews returning from Babylon Ezek. 37. but chiefly of Henoch and Elias Gen. 5. 2 King 2. d Reasons are drawn from the covenant of God which is not broken by death Mat. 22.30 from the promises of life eternal from the Sacraments which are seals thereof which 1 Cor. 15. are set down at large but the chief reason is drawn from Christ who is not only the type and example of our resurrection but the beginning also thereof for from the life of the Head we undoubtedly gather the life of the mystical body III. Though the Resurrection of the dead is above nature and mans corrupt reason yet it is neither against nature nor against right reason For right reason teacheth that the dead can be raised and shall be raised That is gathered from his omnipotence this from his justice For as it is just that some sins be punished after this life so it is just likewise that what was the companion of sin should be the companion of pain IV. The generall efficient cause of the Resurrection is the whole Trinity the particular is Christ our Lord. Christ is the efficient cause of this three wayes 1. As God 2. As the Judge of the world 3. As Mediator The first two wayes he is the efficient cause of resurrection both in the elect and reprobate but the third way he is the cause of the resurrection of the faithful by his merit efficacie and inchoation V. The matter is the same numerical body that man had in this life Besides Iobs testimony Iob 19.26 the reason annexed to the third Canon taken from Gods justice proves this VI. The form consisteth in the reunion of body and soul and restoring of the dead to life and in the sudden change of those that remain and in their freedome from corruption 1 Cor. 15.51 VII The end is the declaration of Gods justice and mercy of that in raising the wicked to condemnation of this in raising the godly to life eternal Dan. 12.2 Joh. 5.28.29 VIII In the Resurrection the godly shall be freed not only from corruption and bodily defects but shall be crowned also with glory 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. It is sowed in corruption it is raised in incorruption it is sowed in dishonour it is raised in glory it is sowed in weaknesse it is raised in power it is sowed a natural body it is raised a spiritual body CHAP. XXXV Of the last Judgement SO much of the antecedents of the last Judgment The Judgment it self is that most glorious act whereby Christ shall judge the whole world The RULES I. The certainty of the last Judgment is proved by the same arguments by which we proved the certainty of Christs coming and of our resurrection II. The general efficient principal cause is the whole Trinity the particular is Christ our Lord in the assumed humane nature but glorified III. The chiefe power of Judicature shall be in Christ for to him all power is given and from whom no appeal can be made to any superiour IV. This Judge shall be
voluntary disobedience hath made himself guilty XV. For understandings sake two acts are made of Reprobation to wit The denial of undeserved grace which is called Preterition and the ordaining to deserved punishment which is called Predamnation XVI In the trial of our Election we must proceed analytically or by way of resolution from the means of Execution to the Decree beginning from our Sanctification Thus syllogistically Whosoever feels in himself the gift of sanctification by which we die to sin and live to righteousnesse he is justified called or endowed with true faith and is elected But by the grace of God I feel this therefore I am justified called and elected XVI But this is a diabolical argument If I am elected there is no need of good works if I be a Reprobate good works are needlesse For first it is not the part of a Christian to say Either I am elected or reprobated but rather to make trial of his faith as the means of election 2 Cor. 13.5 6. Prove your selvs whether you are in the faith examine your selves know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates But I trust that you shall know that we are not reprobates 2. This syllogisme disjoyns things subordinate and conjoyns things inconsistent For good works are subordinate and not to be separated from Election for they are the means of its execution and of our assurance thereof But to be a reprobate and to do good works are things inconsistent CHAP. V. Of the Creation HItherto of GOD'S internal works His external are those which are without the essence of God and these are two to wit the Creation and the Government or Gods actual providence Creation is that by which God produced the world and the things therein partly out of nothing and partly out of matter unapt naturally for that production for the manifestation of his power wisdom and goodnesse The history of the Creation is extant in Genesis c. 1. 2 The RULES I. Creation is not onely a production of something out of nothing but also out of matter altogether unapt for such production naturally II. The work and honour of Creation belongs to God alone and not to Angels or any other creature * A. R. The reason is because an infinite power is required to produce things out of nothing 2. Because entity or being is an universal effect and therefore must be produced by an universal cause which onely is God who created that is gave simply being to the creature III. Creation is a transition from the Possibility to the Act not of the Creator but of the Creature IV. That possibility is not privative but negative Because the matter of creation is naturally unapt to that which is created out of it For example there was no aptitude or disposition in dust to mans body which was so miraculously produced thence V. There was no accession of perfection in God by creating the world neither did he create it that he might be bettered or perfected by it but that his goodnesse might be communicated to the creature VI. Creation is either of the Species with all the Individuals so the Angels Stars Elements were created together Or of the Species with some Individuals onely having an innate power of propagation VII A more particular knowledge of the Creatures we leave to Natural Philosophers it shall suffice in this place to handle them according to each Dayes production VIII The first day of the Creation is famous for three works 1. For the production of Angels with the highest Heaven called the Heaven of the blessed 'T is most probable that the Angels were created the first day because when God laid the foundation of the earth He was then praised by them Job 28.7 2. For the production of this visible world which was not altogether destitute of forme but of perfection separation and beauty which by degrees then it received 3. For sending in of the primitive Light which was neither the Elementary fire nor a bright Cloud nor any other body but a Quality sent into the aire by God who is that inaccessible light This created quality of Light was afterward the fourth day placed in the Stars IX The second day the Firmament was created or the Aerial heaven which by its lower part separates the waters above that is the Clouds from the waters beneath that is the Sea X. The third day God 1. separated the inferior waters which as yet covered the earth and gathered them into certain channels that the rest of the earth called dry land might afford a commodious habitation for man and beast 2. He gave to the earth a fructifying power to produce herbs and plants without the help of seed or sun XI The fourth day the Stars and great Lumiâ—aries were placed in heaven whose motion proceeds not from a soul or any assistant intelligence as the Philosophers affirm but from that power which God gave them in the beginning no otherways then the earth by its innate power stands immovable XII There is a threefold use of the stars 1. To distinguish the day and night 2. To note the times and seasons of the year 3. To impart their vertue to inferior bodies XIII The fifth day were made the Birds Fishes and Creeping-things XIV The sixth day after the earthly Creatures were produced and this whole Vniverse as a large house was furnished with all kinde of furniture Man at last was created Of all these Creatures Men and Angels are chiefly considered in Divinity because on them God bestowed his Image THE RULES I. Although the whole World be the Looking-glass of Gods power wisdom and bounty yet properly Gods Image is attributed to Angels and Men onely 2. Gods Image doth partly consist in natural gifts to wit in the invisible and simple substance of Angels and mens souls in their life understanding will and immortality partly in supernatural gifts to wit in their primitive blessedness in the uprightness of their intellect and will and in their majestie and dominion over the other Creatures Angels are intelligent Creatures void of bodies The RULES I. Angels are not accidents nor qualities but true subsistences II. Angels are void of bodies * A. R. If the Angels were corporeal the world were imperfect because there would be wanting incorporeal creatures 2. God made men and Angels to his own image which consisteth not onely in will and understanding but also in immateriality and immortality and are not subject to destruction III. The bodies in which the Angels appeared were not meer apparitions nor yet united to them hypostatically but were freely assumed to perform some service in IV. Angels are in a place not by way of circumscription but by way of definition V. Angels cannot be together in many places VI. Angels truly move from place to place Man is a creature whose body originally was formed of earth but afterwards is propagated of seed by traduction
or other Head over them then the Son of God by Michael the Archangel the Son of God is rightly understood For He is set in opposition to the Devil as to the head of evil Angels Rev. 12.7 Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon ver 10. Now is salvation in heaven and the kingdom of our God and the power of his Christ VI. The good Angels are ready executors of Gods will especially in the praising of God and preservation of the godly VII We are not carefully to enquire whether or not particular men or Provinces are governed by certain Angels For out of Scripture it appears that GOD useth sometimes the Ministery of one Angel sometimes of more The government of evil Angels is that whereby God hath thrust them out of Heaven into infernal places and eternal destruction as voluntary Delinquents having forsaken their first integrity and become the enemies of Christs kingdom The RULES I. Evil Angels are such not by creation but by their own voluntary defection II. What their first sin was whether Pride or not the Scripture doth not specifie yet it is certain that it was not committed without pride For Pride is joyned to every sin that is committed with deliberation III. We may more safely with the Apostle Jude ver 6. call it a defection from their first originall and a desertion of their proper habitation IV. the evil Angels have a Prince whom the Scripture by way of excellency calleth the Devil the old Serpent Satan and the Dragon See Rev. 12.9 V. Whereas the Scripture speaks nothing of the time when the evil Angels fell nor of the number we ought also in this to be silent VI. Their punishment consisteth partly in the memory of their happiness lost irrecoverably partly in the perpetual sense of their misery and torments VII The substance of the evil Angels remained invisible and immortal and simple VIII There remained also in them no small knowledge and a sagacity also of searching out future things having these helps 1. Their natural knowledge 2. Their long experimental knowledge 3. Astrologie 4. The knowledge of Scripture chiefly of the Prophets 5. Extraordinary revelation so often as God makes use of the service of these torturers * A. R. There is in the evil Angels a twofold knowledge the one by nature which they have not lost at all for their nature being simple admits no dimunition therefore that knowledge which in them depends from their nature as their other natural faculties do were not lost nor diminished Hence they knew how to produce frogs in Egypt and do the other wonders that Moses did onely they could not produce the lice not as if they were ignorant of the occult seeds and causes of such production for the knowledge of the lice was not more difficult then that of the frogs but because they were hindred by the power of God Their other knowledge is by grace and that is either speculative or practical the former is not totally lost but much diminished for of Gods secrets they know very little But the practick knowledge which is joyned with the love of God and detestation of evil is totally lost in them for such evil cannot consist with obstinate malice yet as they naturally know God so they naturally love him as an Entity but not morally as he is the fountain of all happiness of which they know themselves to be eternally deprived IX As this their knowledge is far from charity so it is void of all comfort and strikes in them a terrour Mat. 8.29 What have we to do with thee Jesus the Son of God art thou come to torment us before our time Jam. 2.19 Thou believest there is one God thou doest well the devils also believe and tremble X. There remaines also in them great power which they shew by removing huge bodies out of their places in raising of storms in overthrowing houses and mountains in infecting the ayre and the bodies of creatures with a venemous breath in possessing of men in bewitching the outward and inward senses by altering and changing the organ or object XI But over the stars or celestiall bodies they have no right or power Because to them is granted power to rule in the ayre onely Eph. 2.2 XII All their power over inferior things is so limited by Gods providence that without his power they can do nothing Mat. 8.31 But the devils besought him saying if thou cast us out suffer us to go into the herd of swine XIII Evil Angels can do wonders but not work miracles Because miracles are works exceeding all power of the creatures CHAP. VIII Of the government of man in the state of Innocency SUch is the Government of Angels The government of man is seen in the state of Innocency of Misery of Grace and of Glory The government of man in the state of Innocency is that by which God made a Covenant of works with man promising him eternall happiness under the condition of obedience otherways eternal death The RULES I. God made a double Covenant with man the one of works the other of grace that before this after the fall II. The Covenant of works was confirmed by a double Sacrament to wit the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge both being planted in the midst of Paradise III. They had a double use 1. That mans obedience might be tried by using of the one and abstaining from the other 2. That the Tree of life might ratifie eternal happiness to those that should obey but the Tree of knowledge should signifie to the disobedient the loss of the greatest happiness and the possession of the greatest misery IV. Therefore the Tree of life was so called not from any innate faculty it had to give life but from a Sacramentall signification V. Likewise the Tree of knowledge of good and evil hath this denomination from signifying the chief good and evil and from the event For in effect and by experience man found out how great that happiness and good was which he lost and how great evil and misery he brought upon himself VI. The happiness of man being yet in his integrity consisted chiefly in the Image of God VII The soul is the principal Subject of this Divine Image the body is the secondary so far forth as the operations of the soul do manifest themselves in it VIII The gifts of Gods Image were partly natural partly supernatural IX The natural gifts were the simple and invisible substance of the soul with its faculties the intellect and will X. The supernatural gifts were the clearness of the understanding the liberty and rectitude of the will the conformity of the appetite and affections the immortality of the whole man and dominion over the inferior creatures XI Such was the clearness of Adams understanding that he knew all naturall things which had a possible existence in the first principles which are of themselves known An excellent proof of this was shewed
either in act or in possibility XVIII They seek then the house in the ashes who ascribe to an unregenerate man free-wil or other faculties by which he may doe well or prepare himself to his own conversion or to the acceptation of Gods grace For this is the errour of Pelagians and Semipelagians XIX Mans will remained free from coaction but not to good and evill XX. Yea it is free to evil onely and therefore deserves rather to be called servile then free As for the understanding the natural man comprehends not the things that are of Gods spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 If you look upon the will the imagination of mans heart is onely evil Gen. 8.21 Finally the Scripture cries out that the whole man having lost his spiritual life lieth dead in sin Eph. 2.1 Col. 2.13 XXI Although this sin is pardoned in the sanctified parents notwithstanding by generation it is transmitted to posterity The reason is because the corruption dwelling in us â— not altogether taken away by pardon although the guilâ— be done away and as faith is the gift not of generation but of regeneration so man not as he is regenerate but as man begets man even as seeds being winnowed from the ears chaff and husks doe spring up again with the same CHAP. XI of Actual Sin SO much of Original sin Actual sin is whereby Gods law is broken by thoughts desires words or deeds The RULES I. According to the diversitie of circumstances there are diverse sins II. From the efficient cause sin is either of publique or of private persons as they are in more or lesse dignity III. From the matter which are things thought desired said or done IV. From the form it is either of commission or omission V. From the end it is either of incogitancy or of affectation and against conscience and that rather of malice then of infirmity or contrarily rather of infirmity then of malice VI. From the subject it is of the soule chiefly or of the body or of both VII From the object it is either committed against God or our neighbour VIII Sin committed against God is either with a kinde of unwillingnesse or with a full desire this latter sin the scripture cals the sin against the holy Ghost and to death Matt. 11.32 1 Joh. 5.16 IX The sin against the holy Ghost or to death is when one is convicted in his conscience by the testimony of the holy Spirit resisteth notwithstanding the same spitefully wantonly and with a high-hand X. Sin against man is committed either against superiours or inferiours or equals being knit by fewer or more bands of blood affinity c. XI From the adjuncts a sin is either such of it self or by accident Such are scandals in things otherwise indifferent see Rom. 14. XII No sin of its own nature is venial or so smal as not to merit damnation By this maxime the Popish errour that some sins of themselves are venial is condemned the reason is manifest by the object and the effect for there is no sin which is not conjoined with the offence of Gods majesty XIII Yet in respect of the event to wit Christs merits and Gods favour all sins are pardonable except finall infidelity and the sin against the holy Ghost Not as though these sins were greater then Grace and Christs merit but because they resist grace and Christs merit and despise both XIV We are to judge of the degrees of other sins by the circumstances the consideration of which doth aggravate or lessen them Thus the sin of a superiour is greater then of an inferiour for sin is so much the more conspicuous by how much the more eminent he is that sinneth The sin of desire is greater then the sin of thought alone A sin committed in word and deed is greater then that which is in thought and desire sin committed with affectation is greater then that which is done of incogitancy the sin of commission is greater then oâ— omission if it be in the same kinde the sin against God is greater then against man that sin is greater which is committed against him to whom we are most beholding for favours then against another for example A sin against our Parents is greater if it be in the same kinde then against a brother a scandal against a weak brother is greater then against a stronger CHAP. XII Of the miseries which follow sin HItherto of sin now of the misery that follows upon sin This misery is either temporal or eternal both which is either corporal or spiritual The RULES I. God comprehended all mans misery under the name of death Gen. 2.27 What day thou shall eat of it to wit of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt dye the death II. There be foure degrees of this death III. The first degree is death spiritual which is the privation of spiritual life of this man being destitute he liveth onely to sin Rev. 3.1 I know thy works in that thou art said to live but thou art dead IV. The second degree is the death of affliction which is the privation of original happinesse and the inflicting of all sorts of calamities Exod. 10.17 Pray to the Lord that be would remove this death from me V. The third decree is death corporal which is the privation of this life and the resolution of the body into dust and the reversion of the soule to God Eccles 12.9 He shall return to dust from whence he came and the soule to God that gave it The soule returns to God either as to a Father or as to a just Judge and although by the bounty of Christ our death is become a passage from this life to that which is eternal yet in this place we consider it as it is in it self VI. The fourth degree is death eternal or the state of the damned which in relation to death corporal is called the second death Revel 21.8 VII We must imagine nothing of the state of the damned which is not in Scripture VIII This state consisteth in the privation of the chief good and infliction of the greatest evil IX The privation of the cheife good is whereby they are for ever excluded from the fellowship of God and of the blessed Mat. 25.41 Go ye cursed X. But the chief evil shal be a communion for ever with the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil c. XI The place appointed for the damned is Hell XII But where Hell is we are not to search or enquire XIII 'T is sufficient that in Scripture it is named Gehennaa a fiery Furnaceb the place of tormentc a Prisond a bottomless pite the lake of firef burning with fire and brimstoneg a Matth. 5.22 b Mat. 13.42 c Luk. 26.28 d 1 Pet. 3.19 e Rev. 9.1 f Rev. 20.15 g Rev. 21.8 XIV In the pains of the damned we are to consider the multitude greatness and continuance XV. Their multiplicity
Isa 6.2 How much lesse then could any man intercede whereas there is not one just Person Rom. 3.10 The evill that was to be taken away was sin and the consequents of sin the wrath of God the power of Satan both temporal and eternal death Now I pray by whose suffering could that infinite Majesty be satisfied which was offended unlesse by his suffering who was also Infinite By whose Intercession could the wrath of God be appeased but by his onely who is that best beloved Sonne of God By whose strength could Satan with the whole power of darknesse be overcome except by his who in power exceeds all the Devils who finally could overcome death except he who had the power over death Heb. 2.15 But the good things that were to be restored were perfect righteousness adoption into sons the Image of God the gifts of the Holy Ghost life eternal and such like but now who could bestow that righteousness on us except he who is justice it self Who is so fit to make us the sons of God as he who is by nature the Son of God Who was so fit to restore in us the Image of God as he who is himself the image of the invisible God Who can bestow on us the holy Spirit so assuredly as he from whom the Spirit proceedeth Who at last can give us life eternal but he who is life it self Joh. 1.4 XII That he might be man the justice of God required which as it leaves not sin unpunished so it punisheth not sin but in that nature which sinned The first branch of this Rule is plain both by the justice and by the truth of God By his justice because God by this doth not onely resist but also punish sin Psal 5.5 6 7. For thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness nor shall evil dwell with thee the foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all workers of iniquity thou shalt destroy them that speak lies the Lord will abhor the bloody and deceitfull man Now by the truth of God because the threatning which was given before the fall could not be in vain therefore Socinus is idle and foolish who that he might overthrow the merit of Christ feigns such a justice of God which doth not necessarily inflict eternal death or require satisfaction and which in this respect can be content to lose its own right but if sins are to be punished they were surely to be punished in our nature for to man the Law was given and to man death was threatened therefore it lies upon man to suffer the punishment XIII It was requisite that God and man should be united in one Person that he might be a Mediator between God and us He was therefore the medium between God and man that is he was at the same time God and man that he might perform those things which were to be effected towards God and man Heb. 5.1 These works of God and man do require both natures in the same person of which in the next Chapter more at large The parts of Christs Incarnation are two to wit the Conception and the Nativity In the Conception three things for the better understanding are considerable the forming the assuming and the personal union of the humane nature The forming of the humane nature of Christ is that whereby it was produced without the help of man of the Virgins blood by the operation of the Holy Ghost The RULES I. The Holy Ghost is not the material but the efficient cause of Christs conception For he was conceived not of his substance but by his power not by generation but by his commanding force and benediction Aug. II. The next or proximate matter was the blood of the blessed Virgin III. the form of Christs conception consisteth in the preparing and sanctifying of the Virgins blood by the vertue of the Holy Ghost in the forming of the body whereby together at the same instant it was made perfect and not successively as the bodies of other men are Lastly in the inspiring of the reasonable soul Whereas fourty dayes are appointed in ordinary generation for the time of forming the embryo the body of Christ was perfected in a moment otherwise not Christ the man but an embryo had been conceived IV. The end of Christs miraculous conception was that he might be free from Original sin for this sticks close to all that are of and by Adam that is to all who are naturally descended from him but it was needfull that Christ should be born without sin that we might have a holy High Priest Heb. 7.17 The assumption of the humane nature is whereby Christ assumed truly a humane soul and body with all their affections proprieties and infirmities yet without sin The RULES I. Christ assumed not man but the humanity not the person but the nature For otherways he had not been God-man and one person but two persons and so there had been two Christs The Scripture stiles him Emanuel because the same who is with us that is to say who is man is also God Isa 7.14 the same eternall Word is said to be made flesh Joh. 1.1 and the same is called both Davids Son and his Lord Mat. 22.42 II. And not onely did he assume a true humane body consisting of three dimensions and a true soul but also the essential Properties III. Yea and he took our infirmities too but not those damnable ones but such as were faultlesse and miserable These infirmities are either of the body or of the soule Again the infirmities of the body are from external causes as the calamities and torments inflicted by enemies Or they have their being from some internal cause and they follow wholly our nature since it fell front its primitive happinesse as to be cold to be hot to thirst to hunger to be in pain to grow weary and such like But the infirmities of the soule are sadnesse feare ignorance c. IV. So likewise he took upon him our affections but free from all disorder or inclination to evil The Personal Union is whereby the Person of the Son of God did communicate his Hypostasis or Personality to the humane nature and he so knit it to himself and with his divine nature that the propriety of both natures being entire he is in one Person God and man The RULES I. Christs humane nature hath no other or particular Hypostasis or subsistence then that of the Word that is of the Son of God In this point Christ differs from all other men because every man hath a peculiar Hypostasis or manner of subsisting by which he differs from other Persons besides his Essence consisting of body and soul but Christs humane nature wanting a proper subsistence is assumed into the fellowship of the Hypostasis of the divine nature neither doe we inferre from hence that the humane nature in Christ in this point is more inferiour then in other men for it is so much the
more excellent in Christ by how much the subsistence of the Son of God exceeds other creatures II. For the better conceiving of this mystery it is expedient that we shew how the humane nature was and was not united to the Son of God III. It was not united coessentially as the Persons in the God-head are united not essentially onely and virtually as the essence of Christ is present to all not by way of assistance or by the presence of grace onely not naturally as the matter and form are united not by way of conveniency as one friend to another not mystically onely as Christ dwels in the faithfull not Sacramentally as he is in the holy Supper but Hypostatically and personally that is to say that we may more fully explain our selves for avoiding the Eutychian and Nestorian Heresie 1 Immutably without changing of the divine Person 2. Indivulsably without pulling asunder the natures with Nestorius 3. Inconfusedly without confounding the natures with Eutyches 4. Inseparably IV. There are three effects of the Personal Vnion the communication of property the excellency of the humane nature and the cooperation of both natures in these common works of God and man V. The communication of Properties is a manner of speaking whereby that which belongs to either nature is predicated of the Person of Christ which way soever it is called This is either directly done or indirectly directly when that which belongs to the divine nature is predicated of the Person so nominated from the divine nature even so are things denominated from the humane nature which belong to the humane nature John 1.1 In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God c. Luk. 18.32 The Son of man shall be delivered to the Gentiles he shall be mocked and spitefully entreated and spit upon Indirectly when that which belongs to the Divinity is enunciated or said of Christ as man and what appertains to the humanity is spoken of Christ as God as Joh. 3.13 No man hath ascended to heaven but he that descended to wit the Son of man which is in heaven Act. 20.28 God hath purchased the Church with his own blood VI. This communication is verbal or real verbal in respect of the manner of speaking but real in respect of the foundation to wit of the personal union For as both natures truly subsist in the Person of the Son of God so the properties of both natures are common to him VII But here we must distinguish the concrete words from the abstract for those belong to the Person but these to either Nature Therefore I may truly say God is man and man is God but not likewise the Deity is the humanity or the humanity the Deity for even in natural things there is this difference many things are opposite in the abstract which in the concrete are but diverse or subordinate for we say rightly that is corporeal which is animate and something corporeal is animate but we cannot say that the soule is the body or that the body is the soule so all Christ is every where but not all of Christ or both natures VIII The excellency of Christs humane nature consisteth partly in those gifts which proceed from the grace of union and partly in the honour of adoration IX Among his gifts we are chiefly to consider his Knowledge and Power X. Although that eternal knowledge which is an essential property of the Divine nature is not transfused into the Humane nature yet in this humane nature there is a threefold knowledge to wit a donative an infused and an experimental XI The donative called also the Knowledge of the blessed is that whereby the humane nature being most neerly united to the Divine essence seeth the same though it cannot comprehend it For a finite thing cannot comprehend an infinite it seeth God all but not altogether or totally XII The infused knowledge is that whereby Christ being anointed by the Holy Ghost knoweth all heavenly things which otherwise cannot be seen but by the light of grace XIII The experimental knowledge is that by which Christ knows the things that are intelligible by the light of nature conceiving the effects out of their causes and the causes out of their effects c. XIV Albeit both in his donative and infused knowledge he excelleth Angels and men yet this differs from his eternal omnisciencie XV. Ignorance is opposite to his experimental knowledge which * A. R. It is said here that Ignorance is attributed to Christ This cannot be meant properly for it was not fit there should be ignorance in him who came to cure our ignorance And if ignorance be the want of that knowledge which ought to be in us 't must needs be sin in whomsoever it is There is a difference between these two phrases Not to know and to be ignorant for ignorance is the privation of knowledge which is a habit and that was not in him in whom were hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge And so Peter Joh. 21. and all the Disciples Joh. 16. confesse that Christ knew all things But not to know signifieth the suspension of the act of knowledge only which can be no privation in him that hath the habit To wink is not to be blind for he that winks hath the habit of sight which a blind man wants Again to know in Scripture is sometime to make known as Gen. 22. Now I know that thou fearest me that is I have made it known So not to know is not to make known by the rule of contraries So Christ knew not the last day that is he made it not known or he did not know that day to reveal it So when Christ is said to increase in knowledge is not meant that he was ignorant but that he attained to the knowledge which he had before after another manner then he did before that is experimentally now habitually before ignorance is attributed to Christ for in this kind of knowledg he is said to increase Luk. 2.52 XVI Such is the power of his humane nature that in this also it is superior to men and Angels for it received an instrumental power to work miracles but the principal or omnipotent power was reserved for the Word which maketh use of the humane nature as of an instrument XVII The adoration of the Humane nature is an honour that follows upon the Personal union yet this adoration is not of the flesh as flesh nor of the creature but of God in the created flesh XVIII The thing that followes upon the Hypostatical union is the meeting of both Natures in those works which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of God-man and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Perfections in which these four things are considerable 1. The worker Christ himself 2. The principles by which he works to wit the two Natures 3. The force of energie or the twofold action according to the twofold
We consider the greatness of his love 2. The greatness and multitude of his sufferings 3. The dignity of his Person 4. The holiness of his life his Satisfaction The reason because he did not suffer for himself in any thing but all for us II. Therefore those innumerable sufferings which Christ endured untill his last journy to Jerusalem are not to be separated from the price of Christs redemption for although the Passion of Christ wch went before his last agony might be called a preparative to his death yet it is indeed an integral part of satisfaction As it cannot be denied that the payment of an hundred pounds by him who oweth divers tuns of gold is an integral part of the payment although it be but a small sum in respect of the whole and principall debt III. Yet the Scripture synecdochically and by way of excellency doth describe his last passion as the price of our Redemption and his death or oblation on the altar of the cross as an expiatory sacrifice Of this see the 9. and 10. chapters to the Hebrews IV. The principal efficient cause of this Passion was the Holy Trinity the ministering causes were Christs enemies both Jews and Gentiles V. The Person that suffered for us is not the Father nor the Holy Ghost but the Son of God VI. Although God is rightly said to suffer yet the God-head suffered not God suffered in the flesh not with the flesh VII The sufferings of Christ were divers of which there were three ranks to wit some before his death death it self and some after death VIII Of those that went before his death some were internal some external IX The internal were his sadness anxieties and tortures proceeding from the fierceness of Gods wrath and the conflict he had with that tentation of dereliction which cast him into that bloody sweat and made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me X. But although he wrested with the tentation of dereliction yet he fell not into desperation neither did he yield to the tentation but overcame it by a strong confidence in his God The undoubted argument of his victory was this That in his greatest agony he failed not to call God his God XI His externall sufferings were the tortures of his body which he endured in a manner in all his members and senses for his head was torn with thorns and beat with reeds his face was defiled with spitle and bruised with bufferings his ears were wounded with scoffs and railings his eyes were troubled with the mourning of his Mother and his disciples his tongue was scorched with thirst and poisoned with vinegar and gall his body was stript and torn with whipping and the same was fastned to the Cross his hands and feet being pierced with nails was hanged between Theeves his sinews were racked and his side was peirced with a lance XII The Crosse was chosen to die on which was no ordinary kinde of death but an accursed one for of old it was made execrable by the mouth of God Cursed is he that hangeth on a Tree Deut. 21.22 XIII * A. R. * In Christs death the Personal Union was not dissolved This is true and the reason is because the gifts of God are without repentance now the Hypostatical Vnion is the greatest of his gifts which could not be lost without sin and sin could not be in him who came to save sinners its true Christ seems to grant a dereliction when he saith My God my God why hast thou forsaken me But these words do not shew any dereliction or dissolution of the personal union in death for Christ spake them whilst he was alive they only shew that Christ was left to tread the wine-presse alone and yet he was not alone for the Father is with me saith he Christ was alone and forsaken in respect of deliverance but not alone nor forsaken in respect of the Divine presence and assistance without which he could not have performed that great work of our redemption In that the Father left him in the hands of his enemies and did not deliver him he might be said to forsake him But it may be objected that Christs soule was the medium of the union between the Divinity and Christs body This medium being gone how could the extremes cohere I answer in this union the soul was the medium of congruity not of necessity for the Divinity was united to Christs body in the Virgins womb before the soul was infused or else he could not have bin conceived by the Holy Ghost So might the Divinity be united still to the body after the soul was separated The soul indeed being aspirit was a fit medium to unite the Deity to the body but not absolutely necessary In Christs death the Personal Vnion was not dissolved the soule indeed was severed from the body but neither of them from the Personality or Hypostasis of the sonne of God XIV The sufferings that followed his death were not joyned with any pain yet they wanted not disgrace or ignominie such was his burial and the three dayes lying in the grave XV. His burial was a part of his sufferings whereby Christs body no otherwayes then the carkasses of other men was cast into the grave XVI His three dayes detention or stay in the grave is the last degree of his Humiliation at which time his soule being translated to Paradise his body was detained under the pains and bands of death as if he had been altogether overcome and swallowed up by it his enemies in the mean while triumphing over him as if he had been quite cut off Act. 2.24 Whom God raised having loosed the sorrows of death XVII When mention is made of Christs descent into Hell in the fourth Article of the Creed it is demanded of what part of Christs passion that must be understood That opinion of the Papists concerning Christs local descent into Limbus Patrum or the place of the Fathers and their delivery from thence is fabulous from which their opinion is not much different who feign that Christ entred Hell that he might triumph there as a Conquerour Both opinions are repugnant to the story of the Gospel for whereas Christ otherwayes in respect of his Deity is every where his soule being recommended into the hands of his Father by himself whilst he hung on the Crosse and his body being laid up in the grave it must needs be false that Christ did locally go down to hell Besides whereas God doth professe that he is their God after death Exo. 3.6 there can be nothing more absurd then that the soules of the Fathers should be detained in that limbus or prison Peter witnesseth 1 ep 3.19 that Christ preached to the Spirits of old that were disobedient but this is to be understood of that preaching which was before the flood by Noah being furnished or instructed for this purpose by the Spirit of Christ Neither is there any ground
for that fiction of Christs triumph in hell both because he triumphed not before his resurrection as also because heaven was the fit place of his triumph not hell Again whereas the word Shcâ—l sometime signifieth the grave and sometime Hell the place of the damned hence it is that the phrase of Christs descent into hell hath divers meanings in Scripture for either it is the same thing that is to be buried Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not leave my soule in hell Or it is the same that is to fall into extreme tortures and anguish 1 Sam. 2.6 The Lord bringeth down to hell and bringeth out Psal 8.6 The sorrowes of hell compassed me about Or else it signifieth the state of them who are oppressed and swallowed by death Ps 49.15 Like sheep they lie in hell death gnaweth upon them Isa 14.11 c. The first exposition hath no place in the fourth Article of the Creed for it is unlikely that in so brief an Epitome of Faith there should be any tautologie or that a plain speech should be declared by a darker In the second the inconvenience of a disordered narration seems to resist to wit that Christs extreme sadnesse and anguish of mind are rehearsed to be after his death But Calvin makes the matter plain shewing that the order of things and not of time is observed so that there are two members of that Article the former is of the tortures of the body the latter of the internal torments of the mind They who maintain the third exposition do chiefly urge the order of passages both because the detention of Christ in the grave is the last degree of humiliation as also because by this means the degrees of his joyful exaltation do answer the sufferings of Christ to wit his Resurrection answers his Death the Sepulture his ascension to heaven and his descending to hell the sitting at his Fathers right hand Now as this opinion is not disliked so the former is not rashly to be rejected nor should we dispute contumaciously in this matter seeing this clause of Christs descent to hell was not alwayes added to the fourth Article as the Nicene Creed and divers others do witnesse So that this may remain firm that neither his spiritual agonies in his soule nor his three dayes detention in the grave ought to be separated from his sufferings XVIII For the forme or manner of his Passion He suffered 1. Truly 2. Holily and innocently 3. Voluntarily These three things are to be well observed For if he had not truly suffered he had not satisfied if he had not suffered holily and innocently we could not have a perfect High-Priest Heb. 7.26 If lastly he had not voluntarily submitted himself his sacrifice had been compulsory not free hence he saith Heb. 10.7 Behold here I am to do thy will ô God XIX The generall end of Christs paâ—sion is the glory of God and chiefly the manifestation of his wrath against sinne as also of his justice and mercy besidâ—s the declaration of the Divine and Humane naâ—ures But the proper and special end is Satisfaction for our sinnes XX. In the end and use of every particular Passion a regard is to be had of that Analogie in which the Expiation is compared with the Sin and the Passion with the Punishment which we should have suffered For example He sustained most grievous tortures in his soul and body both that the sinnes of soul and body might be expiated as also that we might be delivered from those spiritual corporal pains which eternally we should have suffered His death upon the crosse was execrable partly that he might expiate the sins by which we deserved to be accursed partly that he might free us from that curse and damnation He was buried to testifie that our sins were buried with him and that he might sanctifie our graves in which as in prisons we were to be detained untill the horrible day of Judgement by turning them into sleeping places His three dayes detention in the grave teacheth that we had deserved that for our sins death had eternally reigned over us if his ignominious detention had not also satisfied for this punishment XXI They do annihilate the end and fruit of Christs Passion who say that he suffered onely for this that he might be an example to us 'T is true that Christ by suffering hath left us an example but the main fruit of his Passion is the satisfaction for our sins The Socinians acknowledge Christ a Saviour onely in these things 1. In that he preached celestial Truth 2. That he confirmed it 3. That he was our example in his Passion and Resurrection 4. In that at length he bestows life eternal on us But when we alleadge testimonies out of Scripture concerning Christs death for us they elude them by saying that he died for us that is for our good but not for us that is in our place or stead But this most pestilent Heresie is refuted by these subsequent Arguments 1. Because he so died for us that he gave his life as the price of redemption for many Mat. 20.28 who gave himself a ransom for all 2 Tim. 2.6 that he is said to redeem us with his pretious blood 1 Pet. 1.18 19. You are saith he redeemed Now who knows not that it is one thing to be an example of salvation and freedom and another thing to pay a ransom for any for he that satisfieth not for his slave or in his stead how doth he pay a ransom for him 2. Because he died so for us that he was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 That he took our sins upon him and he bore the punishment due to our sins Isâ— 53.4 Is then the taking of anothers sin upon him and the suffering of the punishment due to another onely the shewing of an example and not to satisfie and to be punished in his stead 3. If the sacrifices of the Old Testament were offered by the Priests for the People or in their stead then Christs sacrifice also was performed in our stead the former is true therefore so is the latter They assever boldly that in Scripture there is no example where the particle for is the same that in anothers stead but who sees not this in these subsequent testimonies Joh. 10.11 The good shepherd layeth down his life for his sheep to wit by fighting even to death in the stead or place of his sheep Rom. 5.7 Scarce will one die for a just man Rom. 8.26 The Spirit maketh intercession for us and ver 13. If God be for us who can be against us and ver 9. I could wish to be accursed for my brethren Neither doth the eternity of pain due to our sins make Christs Passion an insufficient ransom in that he suffered not eternally for us because though his punishment was not eternal in regard of time yet it is equivalent to eternal pain both in respect of the infinite majestie and dignity of Christs
for us The latter branch confounds his holiness or innocency with his obedience or actual justice which differ as much as the habite and privation Innocency indeed is necessarily required in Christs Sacrifice but his actual obedience is not onely required in Christ as a Priest but it is also a part of his satisfaction and merit for if Adams actual disobedience was the meritorious cause of damnation why should not the actual obedience of the second Adam be the meritorious cause of salvation except we will say that the first Adam was more powerful to damn us then the second was to save us II. The Fathers command which Christ obeyed was special and general Special in respect of the end that he should obey not for himself but for us But general in respect of the object for he was subject to the same Law which was prescribed to us and in all things which the Law enjoyned us to They who only make Christs passive obedience meritorious pretend that it was performed so onely by a special command from the Father that he should die for us But this were not a special command only but a partial For Christs obedience doth as far extend it self as the Law doth Whereas then the Law obligeth us both to the punishment and to obedience he did satisfie both these requisites III. Life eternal is considered either in it self as it is a full participation of celestial joy or in opposition to damnation as it is a freedom from damnation in the former sense the perfect Justice of Christ is the cause of eternal life but in the latter the suffering of the punishment is the cause of life eternal It is one thing to describe Life eternal privatively and another thing positively To speak properly there is no other cause of eternal Life but perfect Justice according to the Law Do this and live Yet Christs death is called the cause of eternal Life so far as it is a delivery from all evil neither is freedom from damnation and heavenly joys parts of life but onely different relations Hence it is apparent in what sense Christ promiseth that he will give his flesh for the life of the world Joh. 6.51 Two things here are objected 1. If Christs active obedience is the cause of eternal Life then he suffered in vain 2. If Christ obeyed for us then we need not yield obedience But in the first Argument there is no consequence for there is one end which is common to both parts of satisfaction to wit our salvation another proper to each one for the end of his suffering was our delivery from evil but the end of Justice is the procuring of right to eternal life The latter Argument against the merit of active obedience is such a one as Socinus frames against the merit of passive obedience If quoth he Christ died in our stead then we need not die But there is no consequence in either there is one death of Christ another of the godly that was joyned with a curse this with a blessing Christ did undergo that as the wages of our sins but we undergo this as a passage from this life to a heavenly so there is one obedience of Christ another of man that was perfect Justice which he performed in our stead to purchase life for us but this is imperfect and is performed to shew our gratitude for our redemption IV. The active Justice of Christ in the Old Testament was shadowed out by the glorious robes of the High-Priest as a type They who deny the merit of active obedience ask By what type it was shadowed out For if say they it is a part of the Priests office in what thing did the High-Priest type it out But to what purpose was all that glorious attiring of the High-Priest in which he appeared before God if it was not to shadow out Christs righteousness Hence we read that not only were the filthy garments of Jehosuah taken off from him in signe of our sins removed from us but that new garments were put upon him and a mitre or crown set upon his head Zach. 3.4 5. So much of Christs Satisfaction His Intercession in the state of Humiliation was whereby he offered Supplications and Prayers not without tears and groans to his Father for us The Evangelical storie tels us of whole nights that Christ spent in prayer but he performed this office chiefly in the time of his Passion Joh 17. Heb. 7.5 Who in the days of his flesh offered with strong cries and tears supplications and prayers to him who was able to deliver him from death The RULES I. They annihilate Christs Incarnation who seek other Mediators of Intercession as they call them besides him The Pontificians distinguish between the Mediator of Redemption and mediators of Intercession and this latter office they ascribe to the departed Saints but it is no lesse sacriledge to ascribe his Intercession to the secondary Intercessors then to impart his Sacrifice to subordinate Priests and whereas they feigne that the Saints profit us not by their Intercession onely but by their merits also their distinction fals to the ground seeing they divide the glory also of Redemption between Christ and the Saints while they seâ—gn that by their merits as it were by an auxiliary aid our sins are purged and the defect of Christs passion supplied Hitherto of his Priestly office His Regal office he administred in the state of his Humiliation in gathering together a Church by his Word and Spirit so that in it there appeared no signe of Regal Majestie The RULE I. In vain do the Jews dream of the Messiah's earthly Kingdom Isa 42.2 He shall not cry nor lift up nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets Isa 53.2 3. But he shall grow up as a branch and as a root out of a dry ground he hath neither form nor beauty when we shall see him there shall be no form that we should desire him he is despised and rejected of men he is a man full of sorrows and hath experience of infirmities we hid as it were our faces from him he was despised and we esteemed him not Zach. 9.9 Behold thy King cometh unto thee he is just and saved himself poor and riding upon an asse CHAP. XIX Of Christs Exaltation THus of the state of his Humiliation the state of his Exaltation is that wherein Christ being raised from the dead was exalted to Heaven and being set down at his Fathers right hand was crowned with the highest degree of glory The RULES I. The efficient cause of this Exaltation was the whole Trinity II. But Christ considered according to dispensation is the object thereof III. The exaltation of Christs person was according to both natures IV. According to his humane nature he was exalted by laying aside the infirmities which he assumed and by obtaining those gifts which before he wanted For he attained as great a perfection both in his body and soul as
R. The outward matter of Baptisme is water I will here adde the reasons why water is used in Baptisme 1. Because the dipping in water represents Christs death and burial and withal our mortification so the rising out of the water is a shadow of his resurrection and our spiritual vivification 2. Water is a cheap and common element therefore obvious and easily obtained 3. In the begining the Spirit moved on the waters and was the cause of generation so in the baptisme of water and the Spirit is effected our regeneration 4. Water washeth away the filth of the body so doth Baptism the spots of the soule I will poure upon you clear water and you shall be cleansed from all your iniquities Ezek. 36. By this water Eph. 5. Christ cleanseth his Church 5. Water quencheth the thirst of the body so doth Baptisme the thirst of the soul 6. Water cools the heat of the body so doth Baptisme the heat of Gods wrath and the fire of our lusts 7. Baptisme is the Sacrament of illumination Heb. 6.4 10.32 Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to illuminate is used for baptising and baptisme is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illumination and the dayes of baptisme were called the dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of light Now water is a diapharont body by which light is transmitted to us so is mental illumination by the water of baptisme in which now we are not dipped but besprinkled which is all one for the gifts of the Spirit are expressed by the sprinkling of clear water in Ezekiel and by the sprinkling of water in the old Purifications and by the sprinkling of the Lambs blood in the Passeover to which the Apostle alludes Heb. 10. having our hearts besprinkled from an evil conscience The outward matter is water But for oil salt spittle and other things which Papists joyn to this element belong rather to the profanation then administration of baptisme VI. The internal matter is Christ with his death passion resurrection c. VII The internal form consisteth partly in actions partly in woâ—ds VIII The action is the aspersion of water which is used for dipping The dipping in and rising out of the water was a cleare symbol of Christs burial and resurrection But because of the weaknesse of infants in cold countries we use sprinkling which probably was used by the Apostles when they baptised in private families IX It is not much material whether one aspersion or three he used so it be void of superstition and that it be not performed drop by drop or by the finger but so that the symbol may answer the sprinkling or washing X. The word by which Baptisme is to be administred is to be comprehended in Christs institution especially in these words I baptise thee in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Ghost XI The Latin tongue in Baptisme and the superstitious consecration or exorcisme of the water are repugnant to the form of Baptisme XII The internal form consisteth in the analogie of aspersion and remission of sins as also of regeneration or sanctification In this Baptisme answers the legal aspersions by which likewise remission of sin by the blood of Christ was shadowed Water also as it cleanseth from filthinesse and moistneth the Plants doth adumbrate regeneration whereby we die to sin and live to righteousnes See Rom. 6. v. 1. c. XIII The end of Baptisme besides those which are common to it and the Lords Supper is the sealâ—ng of our regeneration and of our reception or ingraffing into the family of God XIV The subject of Baptisme are all that be in the Covenant even the children of those who are reckoned among the number of the Covenanters This rule is grounded 1. on Christs command Matt. 1.14 Suffer little children and forbid them not to come to me they ought not then to be kept off from Baptisme whom Christ will have to be brought to him The words used in this place and Luc. 28.15 Of little children and infants are emphaticall 2. On the reason alledged by Christ Matt. 19.14 For of such is the kingdome of heaven For if to them the kingdome of heaven and the Covenant of Grace belong the seale of the Covenant must needs appertain to them also but they are capable of the Covenant Gen. 17.7 I will be thy God and of thy seed Act. 2. v. 39. Te you and to your children is the Promise made 3. On the analogy of circumcision for with this Sacrament infants were initiated 4. On the example of the Apostles who are said to baptise whol families Act. 16.15.33 It were a foolish thing to apply that rule 2 Thess 3.10 If any will not work let him not eat to Infants so perversly doe the Anabaptists wrest the places of Scripture to a contrary meaning which those that are of years are commanded to be taught before they are baptised XV. Infants have both Faith and Reason although not in the fruit yet in the seed and root though not in the second act yet in the first though not by an outward demonstration of the work yet by the inward virtue of the Holy Spirit XVI But concerning the Infants of Infidels the case is otherwise for they are not to be baptized till they be of discretion and are able to testifie their Faith XVII The baptisme of Bels is a profanation of the Sacrament and idolatrous XVIII As naturally we are born before we eat so Baptisme is before the Lords Supper XIX Baptisme is not to be iterated if the essentials thereof were used Hence it is that our Church ratifies the Baptisme of the Popish Church not as it is abused there but as it is administred in the name of the Holy Trinity XX. Baptisme is necessary not absolutely but in respect of Christs command neither must we feigne such a necessity as permits any other besides the Minister to baptise or to cause us think they are excluded out of heaven if they die unbaptised XXI The Baptisme of Christ and of John are in effect the same The Pontificians deny that John's baptisme was instituted by God against these plain testimonies Matt. 21.25 Luc. 3.2 and 7.30 Joh. 1.33 Neither matters it that John distinguisheth between his baptisme and Christs Mar. 1.8 For there the opposition is not between baptisme and baptisme but a comparison onely between the office of the Minister in Baptisme and Christ for the Minister giveth the Symbol but Christ the things signified They say that such as were baptised by John were rebaptised Act. 19.1 c. If they were rebaptised by the Apostle we gather that they were not rightly baptised by some who were imitators of John neither yet can we finde out of the text that they were rebaptised for those words v. 5. are not Lukes concerning Paul but Pauls concerning John and his disciples therefore this place favoureth neither Papists nor Anabaptists CHAP. XXIV Of the Lords Supper THe Lords Supper is the other
it Is it repugnant to the word of Christ and his Apostles or is it consonant If it be repugnant let them shew in what Articles If it be consonant they cannot reprove our vocation For where the true Doctrine hath place there the vocation is lawfull besides that calling which answers the example of the Apostles and primitive Church is lawful but that our calling is such cannot be denied The power of judging Doctrines is that whereby the Church enquires into mens Doctrine and cuts off the controversies that trouble her The RULES I. Every private man may and ought to judge of the Doctrine he professeth if it be consonant to Scripture or not Acts 17.11 the men of Berea daily searched the Scripture whether these things were so 1. Cor. 10.15 I speak as to those who understand judge you what I speak 1 Joh. 4.1 Beloved believe not every Spirit but â—â—y the Spirits if they be of God II. This ought to be done also by the Presbytery or Assembly when any great controversie ariseth III. As the holy Spirit is the chief Judge of controversies so the Scipture which is the voice of the holy Spirit is the rule by which the straight is known from the crooked The power which concerneth the well ordering of the Church is that which determines what things ought to be done decently in the Church The RULES I. The object of this power are the outward circumstances of Divine Worship to wit time place and such like which in themselves be indifferent II. If in these any inconvenience is found the Church may lawfully abrogate the old Ceremonies and substitute such as are more convenient III. Yet the canons and customs of the Church must not equal the Scripture canons The power of the Keyes is that which the Church useth for preservation of Discipline whereof are two parts to loose and to binde To binde is to denounce Gods wrath against impenitent sinners To loose is to pronounce remission of sins to repentant sinners both which have certain degrees The degrees of binding are 1. A severe exhortation and commination after private admonitions have been rejected this must be done by the Presbyterie a 2. A keeping off from the Lords Supper b 3. The greater excommunication by which the sinner is cast out of the Church yet not without hope of pardon and return if he repent c 4. Anathema or in the Syriac word Maran-atha when he is cast out without hope d a Mat. 18.15 16 17. If they brother shall trespass against thee go tell him his fault betweent thee and him alone if he shall hear thee then thou hast gained thy brother but if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of one or two witnesses every word may be established and if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the church but if he neglect to hear the church c b Mat. 7.6 Give not that which is holy unto dogs nor cast your pearls before swine c 1 Cor. 5.5 Let such a man be delievered oâ—â—â— to Satan to the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus d 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Chrrst let him be Anathema Maran-atha 1 Joh. 5.16 There is a sin unto death I do not say he shall pray for it In loosing the same degrees being observed the sinner is by the Church received again into favour So by the Apostles advice the excommunicated Corinthian is received again into grace 2 Cor. 2.7 8. The RULES I. Christ is the author and founder of this power Out of the testimonies above cited II. This power of the Keyes is in the whole Presbyterie not in the Bishop or Pastor alone The Pope falsly arrogates this power to himself For to say nothing of that right which he claims from Peter it is certain that the Keyes were not delivered to Peter alone Mat. 16.18 but the same right was imparted also to all the rest Mat. 18.18 Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye bind on earth c and Ioh. 20.23 Whose sins ye shall remit c. III. The object of this binding is the sinner who either was not amended by private admonition or whose scandal was greater then could be done away by private exhortation IV. The forme consisteth in the decent observation of degrees for when the first and second will prevail we should not make use of the third and very seldome of the fourth V. Popish Indulgences which are the fictitious treasure they brag of gathered by the Pope out of the merits of Christ of the blessed Virgin and of the Saints who suffered more as they teach then their sinnes deserved are far from the power of the Keyes Let the treasure of Christs blood suffice which cleanseth us from all sinne 1 Joh. 1.7 VI. Loosing consists not in those Satisfactions which they enjoin sinners By satisfaction here we understand not that which is given to the Church by a serious testimony of repentance and that publiquely when it is required but that which satisfieth for sin Besides their opinion is grounded on a false supposition that the punishment is reserved after the fault is remitted Of this we will speak in the doctrine of Justification hereafter VII The end of this power is the preservation of the Churches honour and the foreing of wicked men to repentance VIII The power of the Church and of the Magistrate differ in these 1. The object of this is any man but of that the members of the Church only without exception of the greatest personages 2. The object of this are the body and outward goods but of that the soule 3. This punisheth even penitents that receiveth penitents into favour IX Ministers and Presbyters should not divulge any secret offence revealed to them by him whose conscience is oppressed except the safety and peace of the Publique require it lest others be debarred of the Churches comfort Thus of the Church-government the Political is that whereby the Church also is governed by the Magistrate The RULES I. Magistrates are the Churches nursing-fathers as they are keepers of the two Tables of the Law as they preserve Churches and Schools and defend the Truth II. The Clergy is not exempted from the Magistrates subjection Rom. 13.1 Let every soul be subject to the higher powers The examples of Christ paying toll-mony Mat. 17.27 and of Paul appealing to Cesar Act. 25.11 witnesse this III. The Infidel-Magistrate must be obeyed in things that may be done with a safe conscience IV. We must pray for Magistrates that be infidels 1 Tim. 2.1 c. So much of the Publike Administration the Private is whereby each member of the Church is coupled with one another in the bond of love to the edifying of the whole Mystical body See Rom. 12.6 c. 1 Cor. 12.12 c. Eph. 2.20 4.1 c. Hitherto of the Ordinary Church-Government the
to be no more as the former testimonies affirm So much of the end of the world Life eternal is the highest degree of blessedness in which we shall be made partakers of Christs glory enjoying the sight of God and heavenly joyes for ever and ever The RULES I. The general efficient cause of Life eternal is the whole Trinity but particularly Christ our Lord who by his merit obtained life for us and by his efficacy applies it to us and bestows it upon us Hence he is called the everlasting Father Isa 9.6 and metonymically Life it self Joh. 14.6 II. Good works are not the meritorious cause of life eternal although life is promised to them as a free reward A reward is promised to good works not as a due debt but as a free gift not that by them we can merit life but that we may be provoked to them III. That eternal happinesse consisteth in our freedome from all evil in the variety magnitude and eternity of joyes Rev. 21.4 And God will wipe all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying nor shall there be any more pain for the first things are past IV. The variety of joyes shall be in the delights of heavenly mansions in the blessed society of the Saints but chiefly in the union with God V. There shall be a glorification both of body and of soule VI. In the body shall be 1 Clarity 2 Impassibility 3 Subtility 4. Agility VII The soule shall be farre more perfect then it was in the state of innocency for in it shall be understanding without error light without darknesse wisdome without ignorance reason without obscurity memory without oblivion the will also shall be without perversenesse joy without sorrow pleasure without pain In the state of innocency there was in man a possibility not to sin in the state of glory there shall be no possibility to sin VIII The beauty of heavenly mansions was shadowed by the type of Solomons temple and Jerusalem Psal 84.1 c. Rev. 21.22 IX The communion of Saints which shall be with joy is expressed by the similitude of a feast Matt. 22.2 c. X. Neither shall we have communion onely with the Angels but we shall be also like the Angels Matt. 22.30 Luk. 20.36 XI There shall be such a communion with God that we shall see him without end love him without tediousnesse and praise him without wearisomnesse XII So great shall be that joy that neiâ—her our tongues can expresse it nor our mindes conceive it For in this life neither hath the eye seen nor ear heard nor minde conceived that which can equal that glory 1 Cor. 2.9 XIII Neither shall any bounds be set to this happinesse nor shall we ever fall from it but it shall continue for ever Psal 16.11 Thou shalt shew me the path of life for in thy presence is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for ever more XIV There sall be degrees of eternal happinesse This is gathered from Daniel cap. 12. v. 3. They that be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever Neither is this opnion overthrown by that place of Matth. 13. v. 43. whereas the just in general are said to shine as the Sun for though the glory of the Elect being considered in themselves is likened to the brightnesse of Sun and Stars yet in Daniel cap. 12. this is promised to Doctors above other men neither can any other reason be given why there mention is made chiefly of them that instruct others That place 1 Cor. 15.39 40 41. Is alleadged but to little purpose for proofe of this for the simile concerning the diversitie of brightnesse in the starres doth not prove the degrees of future glory but the difference only that is betwixt a mortal and a glorified body as it appears by what followes In the mean while we allow not that manner of different glory which the Papists teach to wit diversity of merits For as the gift of Faith and Sanctification according to Gods meere grace is unequally distributed to the Saints so he will according to his gracious pleasure impart glory but so that no man shall have cause to complaine of any want of glory in himselfe or why he should envie it in another The SECOND BOOK Concerning the WORSHIP of GOD. CHAP. I. Of the Nature of good works IN the former Book we have spoken of the Knowledge of God now we are to speak of his Worship The true worship of God consisteth in true holiness and righteousness or in the study of good works which good works are performed by the grace of the Holy Spirit out of true Faith according as the Law requires to the glory of God the certainty of our salvation and edification of our neighbour The RULES I. Good works are called Vertues But we take this word vertue in a larger sense then it is taken by Philosophers for here we call vertues holy affections holy thoughts and actions II. The same Synecdochically are called by the name of Charity For so Christ saith that the whole Law consisteth in the precept of love towards God and our neighbour whereas love towards God belongs to the first Commandment but love to our neighbour to the second Table III. The principal efficient cause of good works is the Holy Ghost in respect of beginning continuation and perfection For it belongs to the same power to begin in us a good work and to perfect it Phil. 1.6 as also to give both to will and to be able or to do cap. 2.13 IV. Their instrumental cause is Faith the root of good works Rom. 14.23 What is not done of faith is sin V. The matter of good works are the affections and actions of a regenetate man VI. The form of them is their agreement with the precepts of the Decalogue For sin is a transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 VII Therefore these are not good works which are conformable to the commandments of men and not of God Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.9 In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men VIII Neither are those good works which the Papists call works of Supererogation by which they say more is performed then by the Law is required IX This opinion is grounded upon their conceit of counsels or things not commanded but left to our liberty the omission of which is not punishable but the performance is greater then legall obedience and therefore meritorious They say such counsels may be seen Mat. 19.11 where they teach that the counsel of single life is not contained within the command and ver 21. where they say that to the young man a counsel was given not a command that he should sell his goods and give them to the poor and then follow Christ and 1 Cor. 7. where they say that the single life is counselled But
latter rank is of those Petitions which concern our needs as well for this as for the next life For the present belongs the 4. Petition Give us this day our daily bread For the future the two latter And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And lead us not into tentation but deliver us from evil That hath reference to the gift of justification this of sanctification The Confirmation fellows in these words For thine is the kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever By which we are taught 1. that God likes our Prayers because he is our King for His is the Kingdome 2. That he can hear us for His is the Power 3. That he will hear us for His is the Glory 4. That his love towards us is unchangeable for he is so for ever and ever The Conclusion is in the particle Amen by which we witnesse that we have prayed seriously and with confidence to be heard V. The end of Prayer is Gods glory and our salvation For this is the Alpha and Omega of Prayer hence the Petitions of the Lords Prayer begin with Gods glory and end in our salvation VI. Great are the effects of Prayer not as if there were merit in it for the work wrought the force is in Gods promise rather then in the prayer VII The Object to which Prayer is directed is the whole Trinity yet so that all the Persons conjunctly or either of them severally is called upon That the Father is to be called upon is not doubted The Son is called upon by Stephen Act. 7.59 yea all the Angels worship him Heb. 1.6 The Holy Ghost is called upon with the Father and Son by John Rev. 1.4 5. And that Angelical hymne Holy holy holy c. is applied to the Sonne Joh. 12.41 and to the Holy Ghost Act. 11.26 27. VIII The object for which we pray are the living not the dead and such as sinne but not to death For God will not be intreated for those who sinne unto death 1 Joh. 5.16 For the dead we must not pray because they are either damned or blessed if damned our prayers are fruitlesse if blessed needlesse IX The object against which we pray are Gods open enemies We ought not presently to pray for their eternal destruction but we are to beseech God that with his mighty hand he would humble and convert them otherwise eternally to plague them if they will not be converted The imprecations of the Prophets are not to be imitated by us rashly for it is hard to discern those who sinne to death and those of whom we have good hope X. Prayers should be joyned with an humble confession of our sins with a true and firm confidence and a constant purpose of repentance XI External gestures decently used availe much both to excite and to testifie the devotion of our souls So much of the parts and of that forme whereby God will be worshipped of us the outward helps follow whereof be Fastings and Vows Fasting is an abstinence from meat and drink undertaken for a time that the lasciviousnes of the flesh may be subdued and God with the greater fervencie may be called upon The RULES I. Fasting is either forced or voluntary That is the poore mans for want of meat this of them who want not meat The voluntary Fast is either Natural Civil or Ecclesiastical Natural is that which is undertaken for healths sake the Civil is that which is enjoyned by the Magistrate in some publique affairs Ecclesiastical is that we defined II. Ecclesiastical fasting is private or publique III. Private is that which one enjoyns to himself or his family for some private causes Examples are Job 1.12 2 Sam. 3.36 and 12.16 Nehem. 1.4 IV. Publique is that which is commanded by the Magistrate or the Church for some publique causes especially when calamities are at hand Examples 2 Chron. 20. Hest 4. V. In a true Fast the manner and end are to be considered VI. For the manner true fasting consisteth not in choice of meats but in abstinence from all meats 2. Not in external abstinence from meat but in abstinence from sin Isa 58.6 c. Joel 2.12 VII There ought to be no other end of Fasting but onely to give our selves more earnestly to prayer and divine worship to beat down the lasciviousnesse of the flesh to witnesse our humility before God and our repentance before our neighbour VIII Fasting is not tied to certain times as in the Old Testament but ought to be undertaken freely upon urgent causes and necessity So much for Fasting A Vow is a promise made in a holy manner to God of things lawful to witnesse our readinesse to serve God The RULES I. A Vow in this place signifieth a religious Promise not prayers or desires II. A Vow is either general or particular That is of things commanded and is required of all men such is the Vow of Baptisme this is of things lawful and is undertaken for some private cause that is a part of divine Worship this is onely a help thereto III. A particular Vow is considered in its efficient matter forme and end IV. For the efficient they are excluded from making a vow who want as yet the use of judgement and reason 2. Who are not masters of themselves but are subject either to Parents or Husbands Numb 6. V. The matter of a Vow is a thing lawful and in our power VI. The forme consisteth in the deliberation of the minde in purpose of the will and in the promise either internal or external also VII The end is to testifie thankefulnesse of minde or to exercise some private discipline A Vow of the first kind is when one that hath escaped a sicknesse or danger doth consecrate to God something by Vow as a token of his gratitude A Vow of the latter sort is when one by Vow abstains from something in it self lawful yet dangerous to him as Wine c. VIII The subject to whom we ought to Vow is God onely IX A Vow before it is made is arbitrary but being lawfully made it is to be kept Psal 76.12 Vow and pay unto the Lord your God Hitherto of the true manner of worshipping God to which are contrary the intermission of it and false worship And this is threefold in respect of the object for either it is not commanded by God or else it is expresly prohibited by him or being commanded is directed to some other end The manner of worshipping God not commanded is called Wil-worship to wit a worship devised by mans brain Paul opposeth this kinde of worshipping God to Christian Liberty Col. 2.20 21 22 23. Therefore if you be dead with Christ you are freed from the rudiments of this world Why as though living in the world are you subject to ordinances touch not taste not handle not which all are to perish with using after the commandments and doctrines of men which things have indeed